The Mentalist - S1E1 - Pilot

Chapter 1

The grand mansion stands solemnly, surrounded by police cars, an ambulance, and a wave of journalists and cameramen. Patrick Jane and Teresa Lisbon walk towards the entrance of the victim's home. Mercy Tolliver had been missing for a while, and all hopes of her being alive were shattered when she's found dead by a neighbour. The MISSING posters stuck on tree barks and glass windows are being taken down.

Teresa Lisbon, a senior agent in the California Bureau of Investigation, approaches the LAPD Captain, David Morin. "Captain."

The tall man with a chubby face turns around to talk to her. "Agent Lisbon. Don't think we'll be needing you guys on this one. We like the neighbor kid who found the body."

A short young boy with long hair was being escorted by two senior officers, hounded by a pack of reporters and camera crew as Lisbon and the captain spoke.

"Did he confess?"

"Ahh, he's a real squirrel."

Patrick Jane is a consultant with the CBI with almost supernatural skills in understanding human behavior. He observes the young kid who was arrested for Mercy's murder and senses the innocence on his face.

Nearby, Mercy's parents are being interviewed by the media. Mercy's dad, Morgan, takes the stage as he speaks into the multiple microphones. "I just want to take a moment and thank everyone in law enforcement and all the volunteers who helped us in the search for our beloved daughter. The way that this entire community has come together to support me and Juniper in this terrible time has been a great comfort to us."

He puts an arm around his sobbing wife, who very minutely recoils away from it, before accepting the side hug. Patrick Jane also noticed how she had pulled her hand away from his as he spoke a few moments earlier.

Morgan continues into the mics. "And now I would just like to ask you that you give us some time and space to grieve for our daughter. Thank you."

Jane's senses have been triggered, and he decides to take a look into the mansion and the Tolliver family's personal belongings to get a better idea of the family dynamics. Jane opens the wooden door with frames of beautifully patterned glass. He walks down the corridor, decorated with wooden textures and wall lamps. He enters the spacious kitchen, painted in white and grey colours. Bar stools orderly line up one side of a large counter, and a tray of expensive glasses shines in the sunlight. The kitchen opens into a cute little yard; the natural greenery of the grass complimenting the mechanic, but homely, feel of the kitchen.

Jane fires up one of the stoves and places a kettle on it. He rifles through a large collection of tea packets in a cabinet and finally picks one. He looks for cheese and ham as well. A few moments later, he prepares his sandwich and walks over to a small family board. His light blue eyes gaze at the various pictures stuck on it haphazardly. An "I lost 5 pounds" stamp, a picture of Taj Mahal, some Post-it notes, and a lot of pictures of the couple. There was a strip of polaroids of Morgan with Mercy. The uncomfortable-looking girl barely smiled as she sat on her father's thighs; his hands gripping her shoulders.

The tea kettle whistles to life as Jane keeps on munching on the sandwich. As he kills the kettle and pours the water into a cup with a teabag sitting in it, Juniper walks into the kitchen.

"Hello, Mrs. Tolliver", he says, playing with the tea bag.

The big-eyed, scared-looking woman stares at this strange man in her kitchen, before finally speaking out. "Who are you?"

"My name is Patrick Jane. I'm here to help you." A few moments pass. "Would you like a cup of tea?"

Juniper glances at the tea bag coloring the boiling water in the cup. "Yes, I would, thank you."