Ronnie Masters | the MENTALIST (COMPLETE)

RED RUM : pt II

"'Kimball' she says, 'you shall kneel before the lord of beasts'." Cho stared hauntedly out the window at the school, one hand anxiously pressed against his chin.

From the backseat, Ronnie rolled her eyes and leaned back in her chair. He just had to be such a baby.

Totally distracted, Rigsby was actually on watch from his position in the driver's seat. "That's scary." He muttered.

"Yeah." Cho muttered.

"If you're a twelve-year-old girl at her first sleepaway camp." For once, Rigsby seemed to be the more level-headed of the two.

For that comment, Ronnie could have high-fived him. The betrayed look on Cho's face was well worth being unable to reach and shake Rigsby's hand.

"You had to be there." Cho grumbled.

"Oh, Cho, come on. Please. The girl is full of crap. She probably dropped out of college and started running a scam for the cash to live on her own. You're giving her too much credit." Ronnie leaned in between the front two seats. "Though I find it somewhat insulting that you're so freaked out by this and yet when my mother, an actual threat, shows up in my bedroom, you couldn't give a crap."

Rigsby's head snapped around. "Your mom showed up in your bedroom? When? What happened?"

Meanwhile, Cho's face had scrunched up in confusion. "I give a crap."

"Ronnie, when did this happen?" Rigsby asked insistently, turning to give her a once-over. He seemed to be looking for injury, as though he might have missed some terrible wound that her mother might have inflicted upon her.

"Last night." Ronnie responded simply, sitting back in her seat. "It's fine, Rigsby. I'm dealing with it."

Cho let out a scoff like he was about to argue with her, and then paused when something outside caught his eye. "Hey, there he is." He unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car, pausing open to pop Ronnie's door open for her.

She slid out, doing up the button on her collar.

As Cho shut her door and passed her, he muttered, "And I do give a crap, Masters."

Eyebrows raised, Ronnie let his moodiness roll off her back and followed him and Rigsby down the sidewalk, navigating around high school students who were streaming out of the building.

"Daniel Brown?" Rigsby called out, catching the boy's attention.

Cho flashed his badge. "We've got some questions about Cody Elkins."

Ronnie saw the flight in the kid's eyes just before he turned and bolted, and was already mid-sprint after him. Cho and Ronnie close on her heels, the crossed the busy lanes of traffic with cars honking angrily all around them.

Overtaking her, Rigsby tackled Daniel Brown into a pile of garbage, just as a heavy thump sounded from behind them.

Turning, Ronnie saw Cho make contact with an old, brown van, shock and pain crossing his face. "Cho!" Had he just gotten hit? Did he get hit by a van? Ronnie took a few steps forward, trying to see the driver past the glare in the windshield. If he'd hit Cho, he'd pay out the nose.

Recovering, Cho jogged around the front of the van and shook his head at her. "Let it go," He touched her arm as he passed her, kneeling to help Rigsby detain the boy. Once Brown was secured, he glanced over his shoulder. When he noticed the cartoon lion painted on the side of the van as it drove away, the words 'Kingsly Carpet Cleaners' printed under it, a stricken look fell over him.

"The lord of beasts." He muttered.

Ronnie reached him then, her hand falling on his shoulder. "Cho? Did you get hit?"