"Red Window" - Chapter 1
Title: Red Window
Author: Shannon - shannyfish
Disclaimer: I do not own “The Mentalist” or its characters, Warner Brothers and Bruno Heller do. This is merely for entertainment purposes only.
Rating: R (to be safe)
Summary: Sequel to “Suffering is the Best Punishment”. With Lisbon gone, Jane leaves CBI to set out to find her and to kill Red John. He won’t let Red John kill his family again.
Warning: adult themes
Chapter 1 - “Trying it Alone”
Author’s Note: Okay, so I’m still iffy about the PoV for this one. I may stick with Jane, but I’m sort of leaning towards switching PoV per chapter. So, we’ll see…I shall continue to ponder!
Trailer for “Suffering is the Best Punishment”…not sure how I’d make one for this one, but I shall think on it!
http://www.megavideo.com/?v=Q581AW2H
............................
“He who seeks vengeance must dig two graves: one for his enemy and one for himself.”
- Chinese Proverb
Somewhere in California
He had nothing to go on.
Absolutely nothing.
Jane had been so lost as to where to look. To look for a clue. To look for Lisbon. To look for Red John. He had nothing to go on. So he’d packed a bag, gotten into his car, picked a direction, and just drove.
In the past, Red John had gone to great lengths to keep him in the “game”, Jane hoped that somehow he’d get some kind of communication.
…
San Diego, CA
Two days.
It had been two full days since Red John had taken Lisbon. Jane had stopped in San Diego, figuring that if he just kept driving it wouldn’t be long until he was at the U.S./Mexico border. Red John had crossed country and state lines before, but Jane didn’t think that given the circumstances that he needed to cross over into Mexico. He wouldn’t mind the food, but in all honesty he wasn’t hungry. Not since Red John took Lisbon.
He desperately wanted to scream out to the heavens and hope that Red John would scream out some response that would bubble up from below. He didn’t. Jane just sat on the bench he’d found and stared out at the harbor.
Maybe the team had been right. Maybe he’d been stupid to leave. But how could he go in everyday and walk past her empty office? He could pretend like everything was okay…like nothing happened, but that would just be pretending. And besides, he didn’t want to pretend nothing happened…that felt like that just erased her. He didn’t want to erase Lisbon.
He loved her.
He’d chosen correctly, hadn’t he?
What other choice did he have?
Jane couldn’t bear to lose her…to watch her die. He let his head drop forward into his hands.
What was he going to do?
This was your choice; a voice in his head kindly reminded him. The reminder unleashed tears. He was sure that it was even more painful that he was the one responsible for Red John taking Lisbon. He’d been the one who befriended her, feel in love with her, stayed close to her, professed his love to her, and then had been the one that basically gave Red John permission to take her. He hadn’t told the team any of this. Jane was too afraid that they’d blame him. Right now, he needed them. Later they could hate him all they wanted.
…
Hotel
Despair washed over him and depression was rapidly setting in. He’d been there well over a week and nothing. Nothing. No signs or notes or contact of any kind from Red John. The team hadn’t called him with news or clues. He covered his face with one of the pillows and for a second wished he were dead.
The foreign sound of his cell phone sounded. Jane threw the pillow out of the way and quickly rolled and grabbed to reach for the phone, in the process almost falling off the hotel bed. He pressed ‘send’ and put it to his ear.
“Jane,” he said. He suddenly realized that he hadn’t glanced at the caller ID before answering.
“Mr. Jane,” the woman’s voice said. “My name is Madeline Hightower. I am the new agent in charge of the serious crimes unit and I want you back.”
He blinked for a moment. “That was quick,” he finally commented. “I thought Minelli would leave Cho in charge a bit longer.”
“You misunderstand, Mr. Jane. I’m not replacing Teresa Lisbon, I’m replacing Virgil Minelli.”
He was speechless. He hadn’t expected Minelli to just decide to quit. It wasn’t like they’d found Lisbon murdered by Red John. Jane had thought that he was a bit tougher than that.
“Are you still there, Mr. Jane?”
“Oh…yes, yes I’m here. Sorry…just a little surprised.” He was quiet for another minute. “I’m not coming back, not until I find Lisbon.”
“You’re going to need something to go on,” she said.
“You’re right,” he said. “But so far, Red John’s gone quiet.”
“No, he hasn’t,” Hightower said. “At least not exactly.”
“What do you mean?”
“I have a postcard here for you,” she said.
Jane shook his head. “Red John doesn’t send postcards.”
“I didn’t say that’s who sent it.”
For a moment, he just processed what she’d said. The gears in his brain turned slowly as he tried to connect the pieces. “Lisbon,” he whispered. Jane ended the call and bolted out of his bed. It was going to be a long drive back to Sacramento. He just needed to make sure that he avoided cops so that he could get to CBI Headquarters without being detained.
…
CBI Headquarters
Hightower had tried to have a conversation when he’d finally arrived, but Jane wouldn’t have any of it. He wanted to see the postcard. He wanted to see the clue she’d lured him to back up north with.
The San Francisco postcard was secure in an evidence bag. Jane knew that with San Francisco being so huge with tourism that there were hundreds of places the postcard could have come from. He turned it, so that the picture of the Golden Gate Bridge was now against the table. It was addressed to him, care of CBI Headquarters, and the note was simple enough. ‘I’m okay.’ And it was signed ‘Lisbon’. That was all that was written there. It looked like her writing.
San Francisco.
That was so close.
“Have you-“ Jane started.
“We’ve run fingerprints, had the writing samples analyzed, and tracked down where it came from,” Hightower told him. She crossed her arms over her chest. “Mr. Jane, I know your background with Red John. I’ve read the reports. I know you’re passionate about this, but I am not giving you any information until I know whether or not you’ll come back to the CBI.”
Jane didn’t think she really knew him. It was obvious that she hadn’t read enough reports. He needed to know the information, so what else could he do? Of course, he wasn’t sure if he’d like working with Minelli’s replacement. She seemed hardened on the outside, but she also seemed to get her way…he really didn’t see them having a good relationship. He needed to know though. This wasn’t about him or Hightower. This was about Lisbon.
“Okay,” he agreed. Jane thrust his hands into his pockets. He needed to watch his steps around Hightower until he figured her out.
“You’ll come back?”
“I’m here,” he pointed out. “I want to find Lisbon.”
“There were three sets of prints on the postcard. One was Lisbon’s and the other two worked at the gas station where it was purchased. They’ve already identified her. They say that she asked if they’d mail it while her husband was pumping gas.”
Jane eyed her oddly. “No. Lisbon wouldn’t cooperate.”
She held up a hand. “I know. Everyone has said that and from what I’ve read I’d have to agree. The surveillance footage will be here tomorrow.”
“And the writing?”
“Lisbon’s,” she filled in. “They said it doesn’t look like she was under duress when she wrote it.”
Jane was so confused. On one hand he was confused as hell but happy that Lisbon was alive, while on the other he wanted to distrust what he’d just been told.
“It’s a clue at least,” he said.
“It’s all we’ve had since she went missing.”
Guilt started to creep in. Jane tried to push it back. It was late. He needed to get home and get some sleep so that they could all start fresh in the morning. He’d even bring in donuts for the team; he hoped that perhaps that would cheer them up a bit. He’d even get the festive ones with sprinkles on them.
He looked up at Hightower. “You didn’t take my couch, did you?” he asked quite seriously. “Because it’s very important.”
She smirked at him. “I believe ‘your couch’ is still where you left it.”
“I hope so. It’s hard to get it into just the right spot,” Jane told her, still quite serious.
“I’m sure Cho or Rigsby would offer to help you adjust it if it’s moved,” Hightower said. “But for now, you should get some sleep, Mr. Jane.”
“Yes,” he agreed. “You’re right, of course.” He turned and took a few steps before her voice stopped him.
“And Mr. Jane, welcome back.”
He just nodded before continuing on to the elevator.
…
Jane Residence
He’d purposely procrastinated on drudging up the steps to his bedroom. Lisbon’s clothing was still there. The Red John smiley face was still there. A thought crossed his mind. The last time, when Lisbon was gone…he’d come into his house and left things. Her cross. Her jacket. He didn’t care about boundaries or revisiting his old crime scene.
Jane moved quickly to the bed and crouched down to look it over. He secretly hoped and prayed to find her cross. It had brought him so much comfort last time. He pulled his sheet and blanket back and moved the pillow and found absolutely nothing. Red John hadn’t been there. Fresh tears stained his face as he collapsed into a heap on the bed.
Lisbon.
She’d been lying there with him not long ago, he thought. He’d held her in his arms and she’d allowed it. It had been the best night he’d had in a long time. It was the most human he’d felt in a long time. He curled up and pulled the covers over him, not bothering to change or remove his shoes. He pulled the pillow close to his face and inhaled the remnants of her smell. It smelt of the shampoo she used and he couldn’t help but allow the tears to continue. He held the pillow as if it were a person and allowed himself to cry himself to sleep.
Tomorrow.
Tomorrow, they’d work on finding her.
At the very least, it gave him solace to know that he’d see the video tape of her at the store. Proof of life. It was enough to give him an ounce of hope. Enough to keep him going a little longer.
…
TBC…
Author: Shannon - shannyfish
Disclaimer: I do not own “The Mentalist” or its characters, Warner Brothers and Bruno Heller do. This is merely for entertainment purposes only.
Rating: R (to be safe)
Summary: Sequel to “Suffering is the Best Punishment”. With Lisbon gone, Jane leaves CBI to set out to find her and to kill Red John. He won’t let Red John kill his family again.
Warning: adult themes
Chapter 1 - “Trying it Alone”
Author’s Note: Okay, so I’m still iffy about the PoV for this one. I may stick with Jane, but I’m sort of leaning towards switching PoV per chapter. So, we’ll see…I shall continue to ponder!
Trailer for “Suffering is the Best Punishment”…not sure how I’d make one for this one, but I shall think on it!
http://www.megavideo.com/?v=Q581AW2H
............................
“He who seeks vengeance must dig two graves: one for his enemy and one for himself.”
- Chinese Proverb
Somewhere in California
He had nothing to go on.
Absolutely nothing.
Jane had been so lost as to where to look. To look for a clue. To look for Lisbon. To look for Red John. He had nothing to go on. So he’d packed a bag, gotten into his car, picked a direction, and just drove.
In the past, Red John had gone to great lengths to keep him in the “game”, Jane hoped that somehow he’d get some kind of communication.
…
San Diego, CA
Two days.
It had been two full days since Red John had taken Lisbon. Jane had stopped in San Diego, figuring that if he just kept driving it wouldn’t be long until he was at the U.S./Mexico border. Red John had crossed country and state lines before, but Jane didn’t think that given the circumstances that he needed to cross over into Mexico. He wouldn’t mind the food, but in all honesty he wasn’t hungry. Not since Red John took Lisbon.
He desperately wanted to scream out to the heavens and hope that Red John would scream out some response that would bubble up from below. He didn’t. Jane just sat on the bench he’d found and stared out at the harbor.
Maybe the team had been right. Maybe he’d been stupid to leave. But how could he go in everyday and walk past her empty office? He could pretend like everything was okay…like nothing happened, but that would just be pretending. And besides, he didn’t want to pretend nothing happened…that felt like that just erased her. He didn’t want to erase Lisbon.
He loved her.
He’d chosen correctly, hadn’t he?
What other choice did he have?
Jane couldn’t bear to lose her…to watch her die. He let his head drop forward into his hands.
What was he going to do?
This was your choice; a voice in his head kindly reminded him. The reminder unleashed tears. He was sure that it was even more painful that he was the one responsible for Red John taking Lisbon. He’d been the one who befriended her, feel in love with her, stayed close to her, professed his love to her, and then had been the one that basically gave Red John permission to take her. He hadn’t told the team any of this. Jane was too afraid that they’d blame him. Right now, he needed them. Later they could hate him all they wanted.
…
Hotel
Despair washed over him and depression was rapidly setting in. He’d been there well over a week and nothing. Nothing. No signs or notes or contact of any kind from Red John. The team hadn’t called him with news or clues. He covered his face with one of the pillows and for a second wished he were dead.
The foreign sound of his cell phone sounded. Jane threw the pillow out of the way and quickly rolled and grabbed to reach for the phone, in the process almost falling off the hotel bed. He pressed ‘send’ and put it to his ear.
“Jane,” he said. He suddenly realized that he hadn’t glanced at the caller ID before answering.
“Mr. Jane,” the woman’s voice said. “My name is Madeline Hightower. I am the new agent in charge of the serious crimes unit and I want you back.”
He blinked for a moment. “That was quick,” he finally commented. “I thought Minelli would leave Cho in charge a bit longer.”
“You misunderstand, Mr. Jane. I’m not replacing Teresa Lisbon, I’m replacing Virgil Minelli.”
He was speechless. He hadn’t expected Minelli to just decide to quit. It wasn’t like they’d found Lisbon murdered by Red John. Jane had thought that he was a bit tougher than that.
“Are you still there, Mr. Jane?”
“Oh…yes, yes I’m here. Sorry…just a little surprised.” He was quiet for another minute. “I’m not coming back, not until I find Lisbon.”
“You’re going to need something to go on,” she said.
“You’re right,” he said. “But so far, Red John’s gone quiet.”
“No, he hasn’t,” Hightower said. “At least not exactly.”
“What do you mean?”
“I have a postcard here for you,” she said.
Jane shook his head. “Red John doesn’t send postcards.”
“I didn’t say that’s who sent it.”
For a moment, he just processed what she’d said. The gears in his brain turned slowly as he tried to connect the pieces. “Lisbon,” he whispered. Jane ended the call and bolted out of his bed. It was going to be a long drive back to Sacramento. He just needed to make sure that he avoided cops so that he could get to CBI Headquarters without being detained.
…
CBI Headquarters
Hightower had tried to have a conversation when he’d finally arrived, but Jane wouldn’t have any of it. He wanted to see the postcard. He wanted to see the clue she’d lured him to back up north with.
The San Francisco postcard was secure in an evidence bag. Jane knew that with San Francisco being so huge with tourism that there were hundreds of places the postcard could have come from. He turned it, so that the picture of the Golden Gate Bridge was now against the table. It was addressed to him, care of CBI Headquarters, and the note was simple enough. ‘I’m okay.’ And it was signed ‘Lisbon’. That was all that was written there. It looked like her writing.
San Francisco.
That was so close.
“Have you-“ Jane started.
“We’ve run fingerprints, had the writing samples analyzed, and tracked down where it came from,” Hightower told him. She crossed her arms over her chest. “Mr. Jane, I know your background with Red John. I’ve read the reports. I know you’re passionate about this, but I am not giving you any information until I know whether or not you’ll come back to the CBI.”
Jane didn’t think she really knew him. It was obvious that she hadn’t read enough reports. He needed to know the information, so what else could he do? Of course, he wasn’t sure if he’d like working with Minelli’s replacement. She seemed hardened on the outside, but she also seemed to get her way…he really didn’t see them having a good relationship. He needed to know though. This wasn’t about him or Hightower. This was about Lisbon.
“Okay,” he agreed. Jane thrust his hands into his pockets. He needed to watch his steps around Hightower until he figured her out.
“You’ll come back?”
“I’m here,” he pointed out. “I want to find Lisbon.”
“There were three sets of prints on the postcard. One was Lisbon’s and the other two worked at the gas station where it was purchased. They’ve already identified her. They say that she asked if they’d mail it while her husband was pumping gas.”
Jane eyed her oddly. “No. Lisbon wouldn’t cooperate.”
She held up a hand. “I know. Everyone has said that and from what I’ve read I’d have to agree. The surveillance footage will be here tomorrow.”
“And the writing?”
“Lisbon’s,” she filled in. “They said it doesn’t look like she was under duress when she wrote it.”
Jane was so confused. On one hand he was confused as hell but happy that Lisbon was alive, while on the other he wanted to distrust what he’d just been told.
“It’s a clue at least,” he said.
“It’s all we’ve had since she went missing.”
Guilt started to creep in. Jane tried to push it back. It was late. He needed to get home and get some sleep so that they could all start fresh in the morning. He’d even bring in donuts for the team; he hoped that perhaps that would cheer them up a bit. He’d even get the festive ones with sprinkles on them.
He looked up at Hightower. “You didn’t take my couch, did you?” he asked quite seriously. “Because it’s very important.”
She smirked at him. “I believe ‘your couch’ is still where you left it.”
“I hope so. It’s hard to get it into just the right spot,” Jane told her, still quite serious.
“I’m sure Cho or Rigsby would offer to help you adjust it if it’s moved,” Hightower said. “But for now, you should get some sleep, Mr. Jane.”
“Yes,” he agreed. “You’re right, of course.” He turned and took a few steps before her voice stopped him.
“And Mr. Jane, welcome back.”
He just nodded before continuing on to the elevator.
…
Jane Residence
He’d purposely procrastinated on drudging up the steps to his bedroom. Lisbon’s clothing was still there. The Red John smiley face was still there. A thought crossed his mind. The last time, when Lisbon was gone…he’d come into his house and left things. Her cross. Her jacket. He didn’t care about boundaries or revisiting his old crime scene.
Jane moved quickly to the bed and crouched down to look it over. He secretly hoped and prayed to find her cross. It had brought him so much comfort last time. He pulled his sheet and blanket back and moved the pillow and found absolutely nothing. Red John hadn’t been there. Fresh tears stained his face as he collapsed into a heap on the bed.
Lisbon.
She’d been lying there with him not long ago, he thought. He’d held her in his arms and she’d allowed it. It had been the best night he’d had in a long time. It was the most human he’d felt in a long time. He curled up and pulled the covers over him, not bothering to change or remove his shoes. He pulled the pillow close to his face and inhaled the remnants of her smell. It smelt of the shampoo she used and he couldn’t help but allow the tears to continue. He held the pillow as if it were a person and allowed himself to cry himself to sleep.
Tomorrow.
Tomorrow, they’d work on finding her.
At the very least, it gave him solace to know that he’d see the video tape of her at the store. Proof of life. It was enough to give him an ounce of hope. Enough to keep him going a little longer.
…
TBC…