Ruby Red Dress-The Mentalist

Chapter Twenty Four

Chapter Twenty Four

Teresa Lisbon

I walk into the bullpen to find Jane asleep on the sofa, Cho drinking coffee and Rigsby staring at thin air, daydreaming about things that probably have nothing to do with work.

'Come on! We have work to do!' I shout at them.

'Uh. I'll have you know that we were all in work before you,' Jane mumbles sleepily. I give up. I walk to my office and fall into my chair. One. Two. Three... It's going to take a million more numbers before I calm down completely. He can really get on my last nerve. There's just so much stuff to remember. So many stubborn people. Too many things to do.

I close my eyes and rest my head in my hands. Sleep wants to take over but I refuse the strong urge. I fold my arms and put them on the table and put my head on them again. I stay like that for a minute and when I think I'm about to go to sleep my office door rattles open. I sit up straight hoping it's not Laroche. It's not. It's Jane.

'Don't worry I'm not Laroche,' he says raising his hands as I shoot him an icy glare. He wanders over to my couch and quickly sits down as if he's nervous that I'm going to have a go at him. Instead, I fold my arms again and go back to my earlier position, I hear him move a couple of moments later but I don't glance up. 'Are... You okay?' He asks from directly opposite me. I move my head so I'm looking towards him as he sits in the chair on the other side of my desk. I groan and move my head back to where it was. 'Write it down. Create a list.'

'... What?' I mumble.

'Well you're obviously stressed, so haven't been getting sleep. If you write what you need to do down... Then, well... You can sleep again.'

I look at him.

'Get out of my head,' I order.

'Happily, it's rather crammed in there.'

I roll my eyes. '... I'm so tired...'

'Maybe take up yoga again.'

The last time I tried yoga I nearly ended up cracking my head open when I stumbled whilst trying to do the 'tree' pose.

'What are you doing today?' I say changing the subject off of me.

'I'm not sure. I'm going to try and be spontaneous.'

'Well be spontaneous and come and view Kloë Oscars interrogation.'

'But that wouldn't be being spontaneous...' He trails off and follows me out of my office.

I walk into the viewing room and sit at a chair opposite the computer. I click the 'play' button as he takes a seat behind me. Cho's taking the interview, it was recorded yesterday afternoon when Jane and I were at Patricia and Charlotte's apartment.

'I need to sort something out first. What shall I call you?' Cho asks.

'Charlotte. In fact call me anything you like it won't make much difference now.' She replies. She has quite an attitude about her.

'Why do you have two identities?'

'You know why.'

'Tell me anyway.' He leans on the table.

'I was a prostitute.' She crosses her arms and pouts then sits back in her plastic chair.

'Was?'

Kloë rolls her eyes and looks away from Cho.

'It'd be easier for both us if you cooperated. Tell me what happened.'

'... I'd go to Jack's. Get ready there, then she'd come over once she'd painted her face and we'd go off.'

'You don't seem too bothered that she was murdered.' Cho grunts.

'You win some you lose some.'

'Stop! Stop it there!' Jane says leaping up and pointing at the screen.

'What?' I ask.

'It's her.'

'Who?'

'She did it.'

'How do you kno-'

'She said those words. The words Timothy Carter said the day I killed him... The one who said he was Red John.'

'The one from the shopping centre?' I ask.

'Yes. Yes, him. He said those words. You heard him Lisbon. Think... What happened? You were shot then...'

'I called him. I told him O'Laughlin was dead.'

'And what did he reply?' Jane heads towards the door.

'He said, oh well, you win some,' I suddenly realise. 'You lose some...'

Jane opens the door and walks out.

'Wait! Jane!' I follow him and shout down the corridor. 'Jane!' He turns around and I walk closer. 'You don't have any proof-'

'Boss.' Cho comes towards us with a file. 'Genevieve Collins' file.' He hands it to me and I briefly flick through. 'She's sixty eight, a widow and has a vacation home in Florida.'

'Hmm... Okay. See if we can find a way to check it out without having to go there ourselves. I really don't feel like travelling.'

He nods and goes off leaving me with the file. I look through it once more. Why do kidnappers have to take someone who is helpful to the case? They could have taken Jane. I smirk to myself at that as he then joins me and peeps over my shoulder getting a glance at the pieces of paper.

'Can I have a look at that?' He holds out his hand and I give him all the sheets, which he wasn't expecting. 'Thank you...' He reads through it carefully taking every word into account. Then a look of realisation washes over his face, replacing the reckless expression which had previously been plastered on. 'I think I've got it,' he looks up at me from the sheets. His eyes are bright and have that Jane twinkle in them once again and he's beaming from ear to ear.