"I came to see you, obviously," the not-Jane said to Jane.
"And I came to see that you didn't kill each other," piped up the definitely-not-Jane.
"Jane," Lisbon said slowly, confused and uncertain. She made an effort to keep her voice cool and even. "Would you care to explain just what the hell is going on here?"
"Lisbon, allow me to introduce you to my brothers, Chris and Daniel," Jane said with an air of resignation. "Chris and Daniel, this is Teresa Lisbon. She's the senior agent in charge of the Red John case."
"So…she's your boss?" Chris said.
"Yes," Lisbon said at the same time Jane said, "No."
"Well, Teresa, anyone who can keep my brother in line must be a soul possessed of rare fortitude and forbearance," Daniel said, shaking her hand. He twinkled at her with Jane's own twinkle, though to Lisbon's trained eye, the twinkle belied a gaze even more calculating than Jane's, if such a thing could be imagined. "Very pleased to meet you."
"Uh," Lisbon said, disarmed by the twinkle. "Nice to meet you, too."
Chris shook her hand, too. His expression was warm and open, which Lisbon found even more disconcerting than Daniel's calculating twinkle. "I hope you'll tell us all about how Patrick managed to con himself into a job with law enforcement," he said with a smile. "You must have your hands full, keeping him out of trouble."
Lisbon gave him a genuine smile, charmed despite her long acclimation to Jane, which should have given her some measure of immunity, she thought. But Chris just seemed so—nice. "You have no idea."
Jane frowned at the two of them, then turned to Daniel. "What are you doing here?" he asked abruptly.
Daniel's smile faded. "I need your help."
"With what?" Jane said suspiciously.
"The daughter of a friend of mine has been kidnapped," Daniel said soberly. He took out his wallet and pulled out a snapshot of a pretty Black girl of about fifteen dressed as a ballerina standing with a tall, beautiful woman who was clearly her mother.
Jane studied the photo, his expression impassive. "You should take this to local PD," he said finally.
"You guys are the best, right?" Daniel's grip tightened on the photo. He took a deep breath. "I need the best."
Jane's jaw tightened, but he didn't answer.
"Can you tell us what happened?" Lisbon asked.
"Her name is Michelle," Daniel said. "She's—" His face twisted, and he floundered.
"She's his ex's daughter," Chris put in. "Olivia. Best thing that ever happened to him. She dumped him four months ago. He's been a pathetic shell of a man ever since."
Daniel kept his attention on Jane and Lisbon. "She's been missing for two days. Can you help me find her?"
Jane's face remained impassive. Lisbon glanced at him, then addressed the two other men. "Can you give us a minute?"
Chris and Daniel exchanged a glance, then quietly withdrew. Daniel hesitated on his way out and put the snapshot down on the table by the door. Then he left without looking back.
Jane exhaled through his nose and took a step left, then right, undecided in his agitation. "Sorry to have sprung that on you."
"Seems to me they were the ones doing the springing," Lisbon said lightly. "You didn't know they were coming, did you?"
"No," Jane admitted.
Lisbon hesitated, recognizing the need to proceed with caution. "When was the last time you talked to them?"
Jane brushed this aside as though it were of no importance. "A while."
"Uh-huh," Lisbon said, not buying it. "Well, what do you want to do?"
"I want to send them away as quickly as possible," Jane said immediately.
Lisbon raised her eyebrows. "Really?"
"Yes," Jane said stubbornly.
"Jane," Lisbon said softly. "These are your brothers. We can help them out."
Jane shook his head. "I don't want you to stick your neck out for him. It could be a con."
"That'd be a real change around here, wouldn't it?" Lisbon said dryly.
Jane grimaced.
Lisbon reached out and touched his hand. "Jane. They're your brothers. We can help them."
Jane breathed deeply. He looked at the photo on the table, his expression troubled. Then he jerked his head in acknowledgment.
Taking this as assent, Lisbon nodded. "Okay, then. Let's go hear what this is all about, all right?"
They went out into the bullpen. Chris and Daniel had already introduced themselves to Rigsby, Van Pelt, and Cho. Rigsby was staring in fascination. Van Pelt was attempting to conceal her ardent curiosity behind a façade of overly chipper small talk.
Cho looked back and forth between all three of the golden-haired lookalikes and shook his head. "This is freaking me out."
Lisbon sympathized.
She addressed Daniel. "Tell us more about the case."
"Michelle's been missing since her ballet class two days ago," Daniel said. "Her mom called me yesterday, frantic."
"Any indication she might have been taken by force?" Lisbon asked.
"No," Daniel said. "She just…disappeared."
"It's not like her," Chris put in. "She and her mom are close."
"So you don't think she could have run away?"
"She wouldn't do that," Daniel said.
"Does she have a boyfriend?" Lisbon said. "Been hanging out with any new friends?"
Daniel frowned. "Well—she and Olivia just moved up here from L.A. a few months ago. So I guess most of her friends are new. I don't know about a boyfriend. Olivia and I haven't talked much since the move."
"She broke his heart," Chris informed Cho, Rigsby, and Van Pelt. "He asked her to marry him and she turned him down cold."
Jane looked at Daniel sharply. Lisbon realized that the fact that his brother had almost been engaged was news to him.
Daniel shot Chris an annoyed look. "The two of them moved up here a few months ago. Olivia got a new job, and it gave them the opportunity to be closer to Olivia's parents."
"And you think someone took Michelle," Jane said, his gaze fixed intently on Daniel.
"Yes," Daniel said. "She wouldn't have run away. I'm sure of it."
"Any idea who might have taken her?" Jane asked.
"Her dad," Daniel said darkly. "That guy is trouble."
"Does he live here in Sacramento?" Lisbon asked.
Daniel shook his head. "He used to work in a shipping yard in San Diego. Not sure where he is now, though."
"Is there anyone else who might have wanted to hurt Michelle?" Lisbon asked.
Daniel shrugged helplessly. "I don't know. Not that I can think of."
"Okay." Lisbon turned to her team. "You three stay here and keep working the Carlisle case. Jane and I will go with Chris and Daniel to talk to Michelle's mom. Cho, you're in charge while I'm gone. Do you need anything from me before I leave?"
Cho shook his head. "We're good. I'll text you if anything comes up."
"Great. Thank you." She turned to Chris, Daniel, and Jane. "Let's go."
Xxx
"How long have you known Olivia?" Lisbon asked Daniel as the four of them walked up the front walk to the Craftsman style home where Olivia and Michelle lived.
"Three years," Daniel said tersely. Lisbon couldn't tell if it was the prospect of seeing his ex or the situation in general that had him on edge, but she recognized one of Jane's tells in his brother—a slight tightening of the mouth signaling his distress.
"Olivia's wonderful," Chris told them. "Super smart, tough, great mom. She's a trial lawyer. Eats jerks for breakfast."
Jane, walking next to Lisbon, was uncharacteristically silent.
They knocked on the door, and the woman from the photo answered almost immediately. She was tall, beautiful, and imposing. Composed despite the fact that she must be worried sick about her daughter.
"Hey," Daniel greeted her, with a gentleness Lisbon hadn't noticed in him before. "You holding up okay?"
She gave a jerky nod. "Yeah." She swallowed. "Thank you for coming."
Daniel's eyes didn't leave hers. "Of course."
Chris stepped forward and gave her a hug, not bound by the restraint that held back his brother. "We're gonna find her, Olivia," he promised. He stepped back and gestured to Jane and Lisbon. "We brought in the big guns."
"Olivia, this is my brother Patrick and his partner, Teresa Lisbon," Daniel said. "They work for the CBI. They're going to help us find Michelle."
"Nice to meet you," Lisbon said. "I'm sorry it had to be under these difficult circumstances."
"Thank you for agreeing to lend a hand," Olivia said to Lisbon. She surveyed Jane with an unreadable expression. "So, you're Patrick, huh?" Her tone was flat. Lisbon wondered what Daniel might have told her about Jane. Something about her stiff address told her that whatever Daniel might have told her, it was a hell of a lot more than the big fat nothing Jane had told Lisbon about his brothers.
"That's right," Jane said, uncharacteristically stiff himself.
Olivia gave him a long look, then stepped back. "Please, come in."
She led them inside. "Can I get anyone anything?" she said half-heartedly.
Daniel put a hand on her shoulder. "I'll get it. You stay here and tell Patrick and Teresa what they need to know."
Daniel went into the kitchen and the rest of them settled in in the living room. Since there were five of them and there wasn't an abundance of seating options, Lisbon took a seat on a large ottoman that had been pushed up against the wall. Chris and Olivia sat down on the couch, leaving a space between them. An empty armchair stood across the couch. To Lisbon's surprise, Jane sat down next to her on the ottoman, leaving the chair free for Daniel rather than leaving him to wedge himself between the other two on the couch.
"No news?" Chris asked Olivia softly.
She shook her head. "I went to the police station again today. They think she ran away."
Chris reached out and squeezed her hand. "She's a tough kid. She's gonna be okay."
Olivia dashed at her eyes and squeezed his hand back. "Yeah," she said, her voice wavering. "You're right."
In the midst of this tender scene, Lisbon realized somewhat belatedly that she was in some danger of falling off the edge of the ottoman. She looked over at Jane, exasperated—he'd crowded her, edging incrementally closer to her. Lisbon, in turn, had unconsciously moved away in an effort to give him more space, until she was at risk of losing her perch entirely. But when she got a look at his face, she paused. His eyes flicked back and forth between Chris and Olivia, a strange sort of longing in his eyes. Lisbon puzzled over this for a second before she realized with a jolt that he was envious. Envious of the rapport they had. The comfortable camaraderie of a brother with his almost-sister-in-law, of people who had spent Christmases and 4th of July barbeques and Friday night dinners together.
Her heart aching for him, Lisbon shifted closer to him. He relaxed infinitesimally.
"Olivia, can you tell us about the day Michelle disappeared?" Lisbon asked. "Anything you remember."
Olivia shrugged helplessly. "It was just a normal day. I dropped Michelle off at school in the morning. She got a ride with some friends to ballet after school got out. Her instructor confirmed she was present for the class and nothing seemed amiss. She worked hard in class, laughed with her friends. After class, she said good-bye to her friends and started walking home. But she never arrived."
"How far is the ballet studio from the house?" Jane asked.
"A mile and a half," Olivia answered. "She does that walk three times a week. She liked the walk—she said it gave her time to decompress. She never mentioned feeling unsafe."
Daniel returned with a tray laden with beverages. "Coffee, black, one sugar for you, Olivia," he said, handing her a mug. "Water for Teresa. Earl Gray for the Janes." He handed Lisbon a glass and passed Chris and Jane each a teacup complete with saucer.
Lisbon nudged Jane. "Looks like he put the milk in first and everything," she observed. "Does it pass muster?"
Jane took a sip. "It's perfect," he said. He looked up at his brother. "Thanks, Daniel."
"You're welcome, little bro," Daniel said, pleased by the unexpected accolade. He flashed a grin at them, and Lisbon was again disconcerted by the sight of Jane's wicked smile on his brother's face. "Our mom gave us all an appreciation for a good cup of tea," he explained to Lisbon, taking a seat in the armchair.
In unison, each of the three Janes lifted their teacups to their lips and took a sip, then released identical sighs of satisfaction.
Lisbon stared in fascination.
Olivia looked at the three brothers and shook her head.
Jane cleared his throat and turned back to Olivia. "Can I look at Michelle's room?"
Olivia blinked. "Sure, I guess. Upstairs, first door on the left."
"Thanks." Jane left, taking his tea with him.
Lisbon returned to business. "Olivia, can you tell me the name of the officer in charge of the case? I'd like to reach out to Sac PD and get some additional details from them."
Olivia gave her the names of the officers she'd spoken to.
"I understand you moved to Sacramento just a few months ago," Lisbon said. "How was Michelle adapting to the move? That's a tough transition to make in the middle of high school."
Olivia bristled. "She wasn't upset enough to go running back to L.A. on her own, if that's what you're suggesting."
"I wasn't implying anything," Lisbon said soothingly. "I'm just trying to get a picture of what's going on in her life."
Olivia deflated a bit. "Oh. Okay. Well—yeah. She wasn't crazy about the idea when I told her about it. But she's made some friends now, and she really likes the ballet studio she attends here. I think she's been coping pretty well, all told."
"Has she been in touch with any of her old friends in L.A.?"
"Yeah, some. They have a group chat that she's still part of, and they all follow each other on every social media site you can think of. I can give you some of their contact details, if you like."
"That would be great," Lisbon said. "What about a boyfriend? Is she seeing anyone here? Or leave anyone behind in L.A.?"
"She was dating a boy named Jaydn back in L.A. for about nine months," Olivia answered. "But they broke up before the move. She's been hanging around with this kid Anthony the past few weeks. I'm not sure if they've progressed to actual dating, but they've been spending a fair amount of time together."
"What's your impression of the new boy?"
Olivia shrugged. "He seems like a good kid. Bit of a romantic. I was surprised Michelle was interested in him, actually. She's pretty pragmatic. Doesn't always have patience for the starry-eyed dreamers. But maybe that's what appeals to her about him, I don't know."
"And what about Jaydn?"
"I liked him well enough. He was her first boyfriend. They were on the debate team together—kind of competitive with each other. Neither of these boys were the kind of kid I'd worry about her spending time with—I mean, beyond the normal level of motherly anxiety about her daughter dating," she said with a quick, rueful smile.
"Has she been doing okay at the new school? Any trouble settling in?" Lisbon wanted to know.
"Usual stuff about being the new kid," Olivia said. "But she's been keeping her grades up and she has a math teacher she really likes, so it seemed to me like everything was going okay."
"And her father? How does he fit into the picture?"
Olivia's expression hardened. "He doesn't."
"What's his name?"
"Jake Aubrey."
"Does he see Michelle often?"
"He has visitation rights every other weekend. But half the time he'd blow off the visits to shack up with some new girlfriend or go party in Vegas with his friends, so before the move he'd see her only about once a month." Olivia's voice was bitter. "He's only visited her up here once."
"Does Michelle get along with her father okay?"
Olivia shrugged. "Well enough, I suppose. She's pretty used to his flakiness by now. And when he does see her, he tends to spoil her, so she doesn't mind spending time with him."
"He's a jerk," Daniel put in, scowling. "Filed a petition to reduce his child support payments and totally lost it when the judge denied his request."
"When was this?" Lisbon asked Olivia.
"About a year ago," Olivia answered.
"Do you think he could have something to do with Michelle's disappearance?"
"I don't see how," Olivia said with a frown. "He got a job on an oil rig down in Texas not too long ago. They have to fly in and out on helicopters and stay offshore for long stretches of time."
"Have you spoken to him since this happened?"
"I tried to call him, but haven't been able to get through. I don't have the details for anyone else on the rig, so I haven't been able to reach him at all."
"We'll look into it," Lisbon promised.
Jane returned then, resuming his seat next to Lisbon on the ottoman. "Olivia, what are the names of Michelle's two best friends here in Sacramento?"
"Her friends from ballet, Sadie and Norah," Olivia answered.
"I'd like to speak to them," Jane said. "Would you be able to put us in contact with them?"
"Of course," Olivia said.
They spoke to Olivia a few minutes longer, but didn't glean anything further, so they said their good-byes and promised they would be in touch about any leads they found on Michelle's whereabouts. Chris and Daniel decided to stay with Olivia for the time being, so they agreed to meet back at the CBI at the end of the day to touch base.
"What do you think?" Lisbon asked Jane when they left the house.
"She didn't run away," Jane said immediately. "She has a half-written essay on 'The Catcher in the Rye' on her desk and tickets to a concert on her bulletin board. It's three weeks away and it's one she really wants to see."
"Okay." Lisbon checked her watch. "I think we should go to her school. And I want to call Sac PD later, get their take."
"Works for me."
Once they were in the car and on the way to the school, Lisbon glanced over at Jane. "So…how come you never told me about your brothers?"
Jane sighed. "It's complicated."
Lisbon waited, but nothing more was forthcoming. "You're still not going to tell me what happened between the three of you?" she said. "After they turned up on our doorstep out of the blue?"
Jane grimaced. "I'd just…rather not get into it."
Lisbon tried again. "Okay, fine. No family history. How are you doing now, having them here?"
"It's fine," Jane said tightly. "Let's just—get this over with as soon as possible so they can go back to L.A. and we can forget they ever came."
"Seriously?" Lisbon said, incredulous. "That's all you're going to say? I'm supposed to be your friend, Jane. You're obviously upset about them showing up so unexpectedly. Why can't you just tell me what's going on in your head for once?"
"What's the point of dredging up a lot of old wounds?" Jane said bitterly. "We don't get along. Let's just leave it at that."
Lisbon thought of that look in his eyes, watching Chris and Olivia together. "No," she said, shaking her head. "That's not it."
"Excuse me?" Jane said, affronted.
"You miss them," Lisbon stated. "I don't get it. L.A.'s not that far. We're down there practically every other month on a case. If you miss them, why aren't you in contact with them? They obviously spend a lot of time together, and I get the sense they miss you, too. I'm sure if you talked to them properly, you could sort out your differences," Why are you keeping yourself alone when you don't have to be, she didn't say aloud.
Jane was silent a long, grim moment. "That's not going to happen," he said, the finality in his tone undermined by a note of despair. As though he wished, but did not believe another outcome was possible.
Lisbon decided to let him be for the moment. Chris and Daniel would likely be in town at least a couple of days. Whatever Jane pretended, he was more affected by their arrival than he wanted to admit. He was bound to betray himself sooner or later. She'd be ready when he did. She knew how interpret shades of meaning from a veiled look in his gray-green eyes, how to read the important details hidden in his silences.
She'd get the truth out of him eventually.