Patrick Jane pulled the Citroen up to the curb and parked behind Lisbon's car. Looking around as he got out, he couldn't help but notice the beautiful natural surroundings. The home wasn't all that fancy, though it was nice, but from what he had read in the interview transcripts, all of the land surrounding the home also belonged to the family.
He didn't allow himself to take in his surroundings for too long, however. Lisbon was waiting for him inside. Pulling his badge out of his pocket, he held it in his hand, ready to show to the police guarding the crime scene outside the house. As it turned out, he didn't have to show it. Kimball Cho stood outside, talking to an older man, whom Patrick discerned was one of the household employees.
"Lisbon's inside. She wants to show you something," Cho said, more for the benefit of the police outside than for any other reason.
Jane made his way inside and found Lisbon in the family room, kneeling over the blood-covered body of a middle aged man—a comfortable man, but not a wealthy one. So, the family money must be from a previous generation, or else the family had fallen on hard times. He was divorced and remarried, and judging by his fingernails, he worked with his hands, though the three piece suit and the silver cufflinks he was wearing suggested more of a white collar job.
"Jane?" He looked up to see Lisbon looking at him. "What are you thinking?"
"He was killed by blunt force trauma, yes?"
"Yes."
"He's comfortable, not wealthy, so the family money comes from a previous generation. He comes from a blue collar family. Likes to work with his hands, though that's more a hobby than a career. He built this house himself. Likes being outside. He's been divorced and this is a second marriage. He has a dog. And he struggled with someone before he died."
"How do you know that?"
"Someone has made an effort to clean up, but if you look closely, you can still see the drag marks where the body was dragged to where it lies right now, and faint traces of blood on the floor. He was killed elsewhere and dragged in here, and then someone made an effort to clean up the crime scene. I'd bet a UV light will confirm where he was dragged from."
Jane noticed the look on Lisbon's face and said, "What is it?"
"See for yourself," Lisbon said, and motioned to a door. He started moving that way, and Lisbon released the body to the coroner, stripped off her gloves, and followed him. Jane stopped in the doorway, quietly observing the woman who sat in one of a pair of wingback chairs in what passed for a den or library off the living room. She sat as still as a statue, staring straight ahead, and he couldn't tell if she knew he was there or not.
Smiling his most charming smile, Jane walked into the room and said, "Hello." She didn't move or respond. Jane walked up right in front of her and said, "Can you hear me?" Still no response. He waved a hand in front of her face, and she still didn't move a muscle. He fought the urge to check to see that she was breathing.
"Boss, we finished the interviews with the staff," Cho said. Both Jane and Lisbon turned to see Cho standing there.
"All right. Gather the team. We leave in five minutes." Cho nodded. Lisbon turned back to Jane. "What's wrong with her?"
Jane ushered her back out into the living area of the house before he spoke. "My guess is that she's in shock, which is why she isn't moving or responding to anything I say. I think there's more to it than that, but until she has been treated for the shock, I won't be able to tell what else is going on."
"Any idea what that might be?"
"Hysterical amnesia, maybe. Possibly brainwashing. I suspect she either witnessed the murder or committed it. As I said, I won't know which until I can talk to her and she can answer my questions."
"All right. Let's get the paramedics in here to treat her and let's get back to the office."
Jane looked at Lisbon. "I'm going to stay with her."
"Why?"
"If she didn't commit the murder, she probably saw who did, and once she's able to talk and remembers what happened, her life may be in danger."
"The local police will have her under guard at the hospital and also when she goes home."
Jane gave her a sideways look. "She doesn't need to wake up in a strange place alone."
"Okay. I'll call you if I need you. No leaving the hospital without telling anyone." Seeing the look on Jane's face, she said, "I mean it."
Jane nodded once, and walked them to the door.
(0o0)
Lisbon and Cho arrived back at the office an hour later. When they entered the bullpen area, Lisbon immediately looked at Van Pelt for answers.
"What do we know about the dead man?"
"Nothing yet. SFPD sent over the fingerprints. He's clean."
"And the woman with Jane?"
"Van Pelt shook her head. "Nothing on her either. We're running facial recognition to see if that gets a hit," Van Pelt said.
"All right. Keep me posted on what you find." She turned to Cho.
"Cho, you and Rigsby go and canvass the neighborhood. See if the neighbors saw or heard anything, and if they can tell us who these people are."
"Got it, boss," Cho said, as Rigsby grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair and threw it over his shoulder. He caught up with Cho at the elevators and they rode down together.
