Into The Red Forest

Chapter 4-Searching For The Red Traitor

Chapter 4: Searching For The Red Traitor

The next morning, Grace, Cho and Rigsby sat around on logs talking before Jane and Lisbon finished getting dressed.

Grace lowered her voice. "Have you guys noticed Boss and Jane have been acting really weird lately?"
Rigsby nodded. "Yeah, I have."
"It's not our business. It's theirs. I would stay out of it Grace, leave them alone." Cho piped up.
"The CBI has rules against that sort of thing. Grace and I got in trouble a few years ago for that. Boss almost transferred one of us out of the unit." Rigsby reminded them.
"I remember." Cho agreed.

Grace cut in. "Whoa, whoa. I never said they were dating. I just saw them talking on the dock last night. He must've said something she didn't like because when I came out she was gone and he was alone on the dock."

"Say they were dating, technically they couldn't get in trouble because he's a consultant, right?" Rigsby added.

"He still gets money from the CBI so technically he-" Cho started, but Grace hit him on the arm.
"Shut up! They're coming!" she hissed, glancing at Lisbon and Jane coming out of their tents.

"Morning, Boss." Rigsby said cheerfully, handing her a plate of fish Cho caught while they were on the lake the day before.

"Morning, team." Jane said, as he sat on the log with Lisbon and grabbed a granola bar from the pile and started eating.

"Morning, Boss." Grace said, chewing a granola bar.
"Morning, Boss." Cho added, eating his fish.
"Morning, guys." Lisbon said, eating her fish.
Jane debated telling Lisbon about the letter he found the night before and he decided that he would pull her aside before they left to explore the California state park.
As the team readied the van, Jane pulled Lisbon aside.
"What is it, Jane? We need to leave soon." she told him, and he noticed she was standing a little farther away from him than usual. He supposed it was due to the previous night's events.
He pulled out the letter and handed it to her. It had dried since he found it on the lakeshore.

Jane frowned. "I found it after we talked last night. I know you didn't leave it."

Lisbon scoffed. "Well, that's a relief. Glad to know you don't suspect me."

He lowered his voice. "Not you, Lisbon, someone on the team. They're the only ones at this particular area of the campsite."
Lisbon frowned and crossed her arms. "So now you're accusing my team? The team who's worked with you for years, who knows you?"

Jane looked her straight in the eyes. "They are the likeliest suspects, Lisbon, there is no way anyone else could've dropped this note. You have to believe me."

Lisbon glared at him. "No, I don't have to do anything, Jane, how dare you accuse my team after they let you in and treated you like you like family after you lost yours! Why in hell would you ever think I'd believe that?!"

Jane looked back at her, his eyes cold. "This is one of the only links to the man that butchered my wife and child. If this clue led anywhere else, you'd be hunting it down like you do for every other murder but when the answer could be right under your nose, one of your own people, you run away from it like a scared child."

Lisbon let out a mirthless laugh. "Oh, I'm the child? I'm not the one who's obsessed with chasing a killer who's managed to elude him for years. My team doesn't work with killers. I'd bet my life on it."

With that, Lisbon turned on her heel and made her way to the van. Jane followed, still feeling as if her comment cut directly into his heart like a knife.

When they arrived at the state park, Jane was determined to make Lisbon listen at any cost. He hung back and waited a while.

"Aren't you coming to see the rest of the park, Jane?" Van Pelt asked, after she noticed he was kind of far away from the group.
"In a minute. Lisbon, a word." he said, looking at her.