Author's notes: A big thank you, as always, to everyone who takes the time to review, your support means more than you know. Jane Doe51, Louisekurylo, MissDonnie, Wolfhound159 and zats, who review nearly everything I write, I want you to know, somedays you're all that keep me going, and believing that I should.
Also thanks to the new followers and favs and to everyone who takes the time to read it. Hope you enjoy this chapter.
As Patrick strides across the floor of the bullpen, Teresa's chasing after him, she grabs him by the arm as he's close to the door where the interrogation is taking place, she opens the door of the room next to it and pushes him inside.
"Where do you think you are going?"
Jane points to the interrogation room next door.
"That man in there is a killer, it's written all over his face."
He turns to face Teresa, who's standing against the door, her arms folded in front of her.
"And what precisely were you thinking of doing once you entered the room?"
Jane spins around and stares at the adjoining wall and then turns back to Teresa, who raises a questioning eyebrow at him.
"I'm not exactly sure, but something would have come to me."
"I'll tell you what would have happened. Abbott would have ushered you out of the door before you had time to come up with a plan, and then he'd demand an explanation from me as to why I can't keep tabs on one errant husband."
Patrick opens his hands out in apology:
"I'm sorry, it's just…"
Patrick turns and looks at the dividing wall again before turning back to Teresa.
"I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking. Is he accused of murder?"
Teresa shakes her head.
"No he's just a person of interest at the moment."
She studies her husband for a moment. He looks at her questioningly:
"What?"
"Just give me a minute. Wait here."
She turns and leaves the room."
Patrick sticks his hands in his pockets and turns to face the wall, after a couple of minutes, he rocking back and forth on his heels, a minute later he walks towards the door. As he's opening it, it's pushed back against him, causing him to stagger backwards, Teresa and Abbott enter the room. Teresa has a laptop in her hands. She places it on the table and starts adding plugs. Abbott looks to Jane.
"Teresa tells me you believe the man I'm interrogating is a murderer."
"I don't believe he is one, I know he is."
Abbott shakes his head and smiles.
"Still as sure of yourself as ever."
"I know how to read people and everything about that man tells me that he's killed someone, and that he doesn't care that he's taken a life."
Abbott nods his head.
"I've learnt to trust your insights Jane. Teresa is setting up a video and audio link to the room next door, I would like you to watch my interrogation."
Patrick back peddles unsure now about getting involved.
"I didn't come here to do this, I'm here with the children."
"That's all right, it won't take long, I'm sure Teresa can watch them for a few minutes."
Teresa presses a button and the face of the man in the interview room fills the screen.
"Sure."
She looks encouragingly at her husband.
"You'll be fine Patrick, you're just observing."
"I don't know anything about this stuff."
Teresa touches his arm.
"As you said, you know how to read people, that's all you're doing here, just watch and let Abbott know any thoughts you have and..
She smirks at him.
"You've never let that stop you before."
As Patrick hesitates once more she continues\;
"Or we can just put you in a room with a cold-bloodied murderer, maybe you'll upset him or something, that usually works."
This time it's Patrick's turn to raise an eyebrow at her. Abbott puts himself in the picture.
"You don't have to do this if you don't want to Patrick, but any insight will be helpful."
Patrick looks from one to the other and then at the screen. The man is leaning back in his chair, his arms folded, the faintest of smirks on his face.
"Who is it that's dead?"
Abbot exchanges a look with Teresa and answers:
"His co-worker, a young mother, she was beaten to death, found in a dumpster not far from her office."
"What made him a 'person of interest' as you call it?"
"They'd argued earlier in the day. He has an alibi, but we're pretty stuck right now."
Patrick shrugs as he peers closer at the screen.
"Alibi's can be faked. Well he didn't use his hands"
"No, some object was used, it hasn't been identified."
Patrick continues to stare at the screen and absentmindedly pulls out a chair and sits down.
"What's his alibi?"
"He left work early, went shopping at a mall across town. Cameras have him on video, entering but not leaving until later. He has some credit card purchases and his car was in the garage during the time of the murder."
"Mmm, pretty weak."
"Which is why we brought him in."
"He would have kept a trophy, was anything missing from the body."
"All her jewellery, her watch, even her belly button stud."
"That'll be what he kept, more personal, he had to get real close to her to get it. The rest was to make it look like a robbery. What made you think otherwise?"
"We didn't, except the violence was extreme for a robbery."
Patrick now has his hands resting on the table, on top of one another and he's slowly rubbing his chin across the knuckles.
"There had to be a reason why the FBI got the case."
"Political, she's the granddaughter of Senator Bradley."
"Ahh… Well if you search this guy, or his place, you'll find something incriminating."
"We have to have a solid reason for a search warrant, not just your say so."
Patrick looks away from the screen at Abbott.
"Then go get some, I don't have all day. Get him riled up, belittle him, tell him that you know he didn't kill the woman because it took brute force and he's wimpy looking guy, that kind of thing."
Abbott nods his head.
"I get the picture. I'll see what I can do."
Patrick smiles innocently at him.
"I'm sure you'll be fine."
Abbott looks at Teresa, who's battling to hold in a smile, then back at Patrick.
"I'm sure I will."
He opens the door, he stops when half way through and turns to Patrick.
"Thank you, and we miss you."
They watch Abbott enter the room and sit down across from the suspect. Patrick stands up.
"Shall we move on?
Teresa's surprised.
"You're not going to stay and watch?"
Patrick waves his hand as if wiping away the suggestion.
"Nah, my work here is done, it's up to Abbott and the law enforcement machinery.
"You did very good work.."
He looks at her for a moment then asks:
"Do I enjoy it?"
Teresa takes a moment to reply.
"Yes, I think you do. You enjoy the challenge, you seem to enjoy riling up people. Some aspects you don't like, but you look forward to coming to work."
Patrick opens the door and lets Teresa through first. After closing it he, once more, stands and looks around, taking in the furniture, the space, the people and the feel of it. He then gives Teresa, who's looking at him questioningly, a quick smile.
"I spy a kitchen, I could use a cup of tea, crime-fighting is thirsty work."
At that moment Austin jumps down from Cho's desk and runs towards them. Patrick spots him and moves to meet him, sweeping him up into his arms when they meet.
"You been having a good time?"
"Yea, Cho's the best."
"I'm just going to make some tea, shall we see if there's something in there for you to drink?"
Austin nods enthusiastically. Teresa touches his arm.
"I'll rescue Wiley and meet you in there."
Patrick takes a glance at the interrogation room and sees the suspect gesticulating, anger clearly written on his face.
'Job done Mr. Abbott.'
Upon entering the kitchen Jane sits Austin on a chair and, after checking the water levels, he switches on the kettle before opening the fridge. After scanning its contents, he peers over the door towards his son.
"Orange juice, milk, or…"
He holds up a bottle of dark green liquid, gently shaking it from side to side.
"..or whatever this is?"
His voice clearly expressing his thoughts about drinking such a vile coloured liquid."
Austin pulls a face:
"That's Uncle Cho's health drink. It tastes awful!"
"No doubt. So that leaves orange juice or milk."
Austin thinks about it for a moment.
"Mmmm Orange juice, because I'll be having milk with Wendy."
"Ahh yes. Just a little then.."
Teresa entered, with Maddy in her arms, catching the end of the conversation.
"I just talked to Wendy and she's finishing up some work and asks if you can be there in twenty minutes."
Austin nods his approval.
Patrick has the milk and the orange juice in his hands and closes the fridge with his hip.
"I thought milk for Maddy."
He place them on the table and grabs some plastic cups from a cupboard. Teresa notices that he chooses the correct one first time. He place them on the table.
"I presume you're coffee."
Teresa starts pouring the children's drinks.
"Of course."
Patrick turns back to the cupboard and takes down a mug, inspects it's clean before filling it with coffee and handing it to Teresa. He then returns to the cupboard once more and picks up a mug, inspects it and places it on the shelf below. He takes another cup and does the same thing. After the third mug Teresa asks:
"What are you doing?"
Patrick answers as he continues:
"Isn't there a decent cup here for tea?"
"Try at the back, yours is probably there."
"Thank you."
Patrick moves aside more rejected mugs and spies what, his instincts tell him is the right cup. He takes it out. He's immediately struck by the lines witnessing that the cup was once broken and put back together. He begins to question why he's using a broken cup, a memory strikes him of lights, and a box with tissue paper, inside is the cup and the tender feelings of that moment rush through his veins. He turns to Teresa and other images gather pace, CBI, broken pieces, pigeons, Red John, running. Memories jump all over the place, a note on a door, white walls, a man dying at his hands, blood, lots of blood. He's barely aware of Teresa rushing to his side and supporting him, leading him to a chair, his son asking what's wrong, as his head pulsates with the unrelenting images.
Teresa sends Austin to get Cho, she helps her husband sit down, he puts his head in his hands. Teresa looks back at the broken pieces of the cup on the floor.
"