A/N: Thank you all for your patience. I'm back with an update on this one at long last. Sincerely hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 11 - Lies

"You know, Teresa, I should be mad at you." Walter looked across the table at Lisbon before popping a piece of steak in his mouth.

Lisbon raised a questioning eyebrow in return as she lifted a forkful of fish to her lips. "Oh, is that so? How do you figure?"

He smiled wolfishly. "Well after our last...em...rendezvous-"

"You went to Europe."

"And I called you when I returned. Repeatedly. All to no avail. You never called me back."

"So, your pride's hurt, huh? That I didn't run after you like some of the others? C'mon, Walter, we both know what that was between us-"

"The best sex you ever had?" he grinned.

Laughing, "Walter, it was obvious it was never going to lead anywhere. Besides anything else we lead vastly different lives."

"Oh, I see now how it is. Teresa, I do believe you're a snob."

"Excuse me?" she spluttered, choking on some water.

He leaned back in his chair, regarding her with amusement. "You, Teresa Lisbon, are a snob. You can't picture a future between us because I have money and you do not. It's a blatant case of reverse snobbery. You really should be ashamed of yourself."

"Yeah, whatever," Lisbon replied, rolling her eyes, smiling back. Becoming serious again she added, "Now, can we talk about Janet Walker? How well did you know her?"

"Depends on what you mean, I suppose. I was a good client of hers, picked up quite a few pieces from her gallery from time to time over the last four years or so. I wouldn't say I knew her that well personally but-"

He stopped, biting his bottom lip in thought.

"But what?"

He shrugged. "But I don't suppose there were many who did. She wasn't exactly warm and fuzzy, professional, you know."

He smirked at her, a suggestive twinkle in his eyes. "Not your kind of professional where you know deep down lies a heart of gold despite your best intentions of trying not to let it show to the world. Cold I guess you'd call her. I mean she knew how to play the game, be charming when she had to be if it meant a sale especially when faced with a prosperous client like myself but...for the people that worked for her? I'd imagine that was a different story."

The more Mashburn talked about her the more confused Lisbon became. She couldn't imagine Jane becoming entangled romantically with someone like that. Or perhaps that was just wishful thinking on her part. He'd certainly been attracted to Erica Flynn who seemed to have a lot of similar qualities to Janet Walker.

"What's the matter? You don't believe me?"

His words drew her out of her thoughts and she shrugged. "No...I...I do," she stuttered.

"You're wondering why it appeared Patrick Jane was having an affair with her," he grinned, assurance in his tone.

Lisbon visibly blanched. "How did you know? I mean...what makes you think that?"

He leaned in across the table, clasping his hands together. "I'm a businessman, Teresa. I like to research my opponent-"

"So now I'm your opponent?!" she asked incredulously.

He held his hands up to placate her. "No. Well, at least I hoped you weren't going to be. Now I've talked to you I'm pleased I was correct. But I knew it must have been important for you to call me personally to discuss Janet. Also, the great CBI handling the murder of a part owner in an art gallery? Hardly groundbreaking compared to some of your cases. No political connections I'm aware of at least. So...before meeting you this evening I did a little delving of my own into the circumstances surrounding Janet's murder. I found out that Patrick Jane was there at the scene and called it in. She was at her home so...ergo some kind of personal relationship was ongoing between them. Your look when I made that little assumption seemed to confirm an affair of some sort." He sat back in his chair, a self satisfied smile on his face.

Lisbon shook her head, silently seething. There was more similarity between Mashburn and Jane than probably either one of them would care to admit. The fact that this meant she seemed to be attracted to arrogant clever bastards did not escape her either.

"C'mon, Teresa, don't be mad. I didn't know if I was walking into some sort of ambush. So...what's the real deal here? Do you think Jane did it? You trying to cover it up for him if he did?"

"He didn't do it," she replied emphatically.

He nodded seriously. "Okay. But he really admitted to having an affair with her?"

"Walter, that's none of your business. I'm the one supposed to be asking the questions, not you."

"I'm just curious because..."

"Because you're as nosey as Jane," she finished for him.

He laughed. "No. Because I just can't see it being true."

"You just said that you thought they were having an affair. Now you don't see it. Which is it?" she barked, irritation in her tone and a headache forming.

"I just said that it appeared that they were having an affair. I didn't actually expect for you to confirm that they were."

"I haven't," she said, crossing her arms.

"As good as," he immediately replied.

She exhaled, relaxing her posture and looked off to the side, worn out by mentally duelling all day long. "Yeah, he left me in no doubt that they had a romantic relationship."

"Have you ever considered that he might have been lying about it?"

"Why would he do that?" she frowned.

"Look, I don't want you to get angry again by my curiosity but...well I found out that he hasn't been working at the CBI for the past year."

She rolled her eyes. "If your researchers ever want some good honest detective work let me know. They seem to be pretty damn good at it. Yes, he left over a year ago, what of it?"

"Why did he leave?" he asked softly.

She thought of lying to him but she was past caring what anyone thought at this instant. "We...we had a falling out," she replied quietly.

"I thought it must have been something like that. Red John's still out there, right? I couldn't imagine him leaving before he caught him unless there was a very good reason. Want to talk about it? About what happened between you? Last time I saw you both you were practically joined at the hip."

She shook her head vehemently, taking a breath to stop her emotions tipping over. "No. It was...it was pretty nasty. He still..." She sighed loudly, gaining control. "Let's just say we're not exactly on good terms even though he's back working at the CBI again."

"That must be difficult for you," he said, placing his hand on top of hers and stroking it gently.

She closed her eyes briefly and shook her head before pulling her hand away. "Seriously Walter? You're trying to take advantage of the situation?"

He shrugged slightly. "You can't blame a man for trying, can you?" he grinned.

His clumsy come on actually made her feel a little better and she laughed softly. "You really think he'd lie about something like that? He said she was important to him."

"I don't know him as well as you do obviously but I'm pretty sure she's not his type."

"How would you know what his type was?"

He raised an eyebrow and looked directly into her eyes. "Because I think we both have similar tastes where women are concerned. Or at least where women who matter are concerned. She certainly wasn't one that made me stop and pause for thought. Even less so for him I imagine considering his past. So...unless there's some ulterior motive as to why he slept with her then I can't see why he would get involved with her."

The doctor stopped Lisbon as she strolled down the corridor. Three days ago Jane had been saved and she had seen him grow stronger each day. And by the look on the doctor's face it appeared he was beginning to feel just like his old self. Before he spoke she asked, "Okay, what did he do?"

"To coin one of your own rather colourful phrases, Teresa, he's a pain in the ass," came the harassed reply.

She suppressed a giggle and nodded seriously.

"He presses that buzzer of his constantly. 'When can I get tea? Some proper food? Do we not have better TV channels?' The nurses have told him he's in hospital and not the Sheraton Grande but-"

"I'll talk to him," she interjected. "Any idea of when he can be released?"

"I wanted to talk to you about that. I get the feeling he's not entirely being truthful with me regarding his living situation."

Lisbon marched to his room and found the bed empty. "Oh god no," she sighed, shaking her head. If he had done a disappearing act she was going to kill him. Once he got better that was. The adjoining bathroom door opened a second later and he walked in slowly in a pair of navy pyjamas. He dazzled her with a smile. "At last! My favourite visitor!" As he got back into bed he smiled, "You thought I'd scarpered for a moment, didn't you?"

"No, of course not!"

"High voice," he murmured under his breath but loud enough for her to hear it, smirking as he pulled the sheets over him, exhaling loudly when he finished, a little breathless from even that little activity.

She saw him struggle to catch a breath and asked softly, walking a step closer, "How are you feeling?"

"I'll be better when I get out of here. I've talked to the doctor, should be able to swing it in a couple of days."

She nodded sympathetically. "Well that's good news. I'm surprised you're being released so quickly considering you can still hardly take four steps before you're out of breath."

"Oh, I'll be fine once I get out in the fresh air again. And I can do at least ten steps. That's what I need, not to be cooped up in here."

"Mmm," she nodded.

He could see that she knew something he didn't know she knew and he smiled nervously. Deciding the best course of action was to perhaps change the subject he asked, "So, how are things at the CBI? Lost without my great powers of deduction?" he grinned.

Any hope that he'd read the situation incorrectly was swiftly dashed with her next words as she began to yell at him.

"How could you tell the doctor that you live in a detached house with plenty of friends around to look after you while you convalesce?! Goddammit Jane, don't you want to get well at all!"

He sunk back into the pillows, caught out. "Well Lisbon, it wasn't entirely far from the truth. I do own a detached house-"

"Yeah, in Malibu. Hours away from Sacramento. And it's hardly a place where you'd go to convalesce. There's hardly a stick of furniture in it! And, tell me, who are these friends who are going to call in there to make you...what was it you told the doctor again?...Oh yeah I remember now, your friend Kimball was going to call in with the best chicken soup you've ever tasted! Because the team and I live in Sacramento, we're hardly close by. And since when does Cho make soup?!"

"Are you mad because I didn't suggest you were the soup maker supreme?" he grinned.

She shook her head and looked to the ceiling, trying to calm down. More controlled she pulled a chair up beside him. "Jane, you're not well enough to live by yourself yet. You know that. That motel you stay at has twenty steps at least to your room. And it doesn't even have a proper kitchen. And the CBI attic is unacceptable before you even think of mentioning it. It won't be long until you feel a lot better and will be able to fend for yourself. Stop trying to rush the process."

He nodded and sighed. "I know but-"

"You're bored, I get it."

He looked at her seriously. "It's not just that. I feel like I've been given a new start. I just want to start living again. It's been so long since I've lived anything close to a normal life. And, while I'm in this bed surrounded by all this equipment and the smell of antiseptic I...I feel like I'm wasting time. I did mean what I said earlier. I'm sure my recovery will be quicker out of this hospital bed."

"Just have some patience, okay? You'll be out of here soon."

He began to speak before stopping suddenly.

"What is it? Something you need?" she asked.

"Well...the doctor would release me if I had someone to keep an eye on me. Someone say...someone say with a ground floor apartment." He chanced a charming smile.

She gaped in surprise. "Um-"

"And who better to make sure I kept to my diet and take things easy than you. I could ask Rigsby but I'd run circles around him and you know it. Wouldn't be able to help myself."

She just about got the power of speech back. "Um...well what about Cho?"

"Cho! Think I'd rather stay in hospital. It'd be like joining the military. Besides, he wouldn't go for it."

She nodded, knowing he was correct but allowed herself a little fantasy where Cho made Jane do fifty push ups every morning.

"You're a cruel woman, Teresa Lisbon," he smiled, reading her thoughts. More earnestness in his tone he added, "I'll behave myself. I promise. And it'll only be for a few days, week at most."

Exhaling, "Okay then but don't make promises you can't keep where your behaviour is concerned."

He grinned, a glimmer of seductiveness in his eyes, "I promise I'll behave myself as long as you behave yourself, Teresa."