Shadows of the past

a death in the family

Two months ago:

CBI. Lisbon is busy as ever in her office but that would be the last thing she’s concerned about. She sits at her desk and stares at that pile of paperwork in front of her but her mind wanders to Jane. It has been 4 months since she had last seen him, and there was still no hint of his whereabouts. No calls, no messages, no trace at all.

A wave of anger and distress rises in her, again. She keeps checking on her phone now and then, hoping to see his name popping up on the screen but it’s no use. It has been a month since she stopped calling him. Every time her phone rings, she momentarily lights up and hopes it is him. When she realizes that’s not the case, she hopes that at least she won’t get any ill news about him. She hopes he is safe and well, so that one day he will be back. Though, here’s the question: does she really want him back after all she has been through?

Yes, she does. It wasn’t long ago that she realized she is in love with that stupid man. At first she tried to deny it. She couldn’t believe it, how could she? They were partners. The case with her ex-fiancée, Greg, gave her hope. She thought Jane was growing jealous of him. She remembers being in the car with the blond and he teased her about how she was “very busy with Greg,” even avoiding her gaze.

Thought, it must have been only something her mind made up. She felt stupid that she ever thought something like that. She was never Jane’s type. She didn’t have the dazzling looks of Erica Flynn or Christina Frye. She was just his sidekick, his pawn in his game with Red John. He doesn’t care about her, and he proved it clearly, disappearing like this.

At some point, the reality struck back in her mind and she shook her head to vanish those thoughts. Overthinking of what has been and what could have been is no use now, and she still needs to finish the paperwork. Suddenly, a knock on the door broke the silence and Rigsby half-opened it.

“Boss, we have the brother-in-law in the interrogation room 2. What do you want us to do?”

“Take Cho and talk to him.” Her voice was kind of tired and low.

“Alright, boss,” he said and he left as hurryingly as he entered.

After a few moments of silence, Van Pelt enters too.

“Hey boss… a detective from Chicago is here and he wants to see you. His name is Nathaniel Matthew. He mentioned something about a case… should I let him in?”

Lisbon’s brothers immediately popped up in her mind. She told Van Pelt to send the man to her office.

She stood up from her chair and fixed her jacket. She waited for a few moments and finally, the door opened. It was a man in his mid-thirties, he was tall, athletic and attractive, with brown hair and dark blue eyes. His posture indicated restrain and anxiety.

The moment he saw her, his lips curled into a smile and he offered his hand for a handshake. She responded with a kind smile and shook his hand. Then, with a nod she indicated the chair in front of her desk. She looked at Van Pelt, who was still standing by the door, and she asked the redhead to leave them and close the door behind.

She took a deep breath and sat down. Once she made herself comfortable, she locked her hands in front of her on the desk and asked the man if the case was related to her brothers.

“No, agent Lisbon. I’m not here about your family, don’t worry. I work in a case about a gangster named George Montgomery. Ever heard of him?” He asked in a soft tone.

“Yes… I’ve heard about him. He is the owner of many night clubs in Chicago and if I remember correctly, he is involved with drugs too,” she responded in a mild serious tone.