I Bet on Losing Dogs - Patrick Jane

509 - Black Cherry

Kenzie and Patrick were driving on their way to a crime scene. Patrick noticed Kenzie glancing back and forth between him and the road.

"You've had your nose stuck in that book for like the last 10 miles," said Kenzie.

"What was the name of that redheaded security guard at the, uh, bioresearch lab?" Patrick asked. "Hardin?"

"Harken?"

"Harken. Harken. Yes, that's it."

Kenzie stopped the car and clicked her seatbelt. She barely noticed Patrick walking over to her side until the car door opened. She smiled at him. "Thank you."

Patrick closed the door behind him and walked side-by-side with Kenzie. "Hey, Patrick. I hate to be a buzzkill, but even if you could remember everybody you've ever met, what if Lorelei's lying? What if you've never actually met Red John?"

"I haven't just met him, Kenz. I've–" We. "...shaken hands with him. And she wasn't lying. She didn't realize what she told me."

"Who's in the book? Me."

"No." How could she ever ask that? "She said it's a wonder Red John and I didn't become friends. We have a... friendship."

She raised an amused eyebrow. "That pause says otherwise."

"Look, we are friends. Plus, there's no way you can be in two places at once. So, you are free and clear. So is Lisbon."

"Yeah, right. Like she could kill someone."

A white man walked up to the duo, turning his attention to Patrick. "Hey. Are you in charge here?"

Kenzie opened her mouth to speak. "Uh, yeah, sure," said Patrick. Kenzie shrugged.

"Listen, I've been here for several hours now. I'm a busy man. When can I leave?"

"I don't know. Who are you?"

"Chip McGavin. I found the body. I told the officers what I saw. They said I had to stay here and say it all over again to you guys before I could leave."

"Yeah."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, that's so, Chip."

He scoffed. "This is ridiculous."

"Let me tell you something, Chip. I'll give you a heads-up. You're our number one suspect right now, so I'd play it cool if I were you." Rigsby and Lisbon walked up to them. "We'll be with you in a moment." Patrick turned to him. "What have we got?"

"Okay. You can stop it now," said Kenzie.

"Well, according to his ID, victim's name's Lemuel McVie," explained Rigsby. "ME's putting time of death between 10 and 12 hours ago. Looks like he was hit multiple times with some kind of blunt object."

"He's not dressed for golf. How did he end up in there?"

"Well, we found tire tracks by the water's edge, so– which means he was murdered elsewhere and dumped here."

"We need to find the initial murder site," said Patrick. "His life had just begun."

Kenzie and Lisbon looked at each other. "He's not that young," said Lisbon.

"No, his new life." He picked up a wallet. "This is a new wallet, and his driver's license and credit card were established only two years ago."

"Look at his hands," said Kenzie. "He's been in a scrap or two."

"From his old life." He got up. "Rigsby."

"Yeah. I'm running his license now." Patrick tilted his head. "I do like that cufflink. Very crafty. Perhaps the other one was lost in the scuffle."