The Red Stars {Book One} The Mentalist

1: The News

 I didn't think much when I heard the sirens of the police cars. I just thought that they were for a neighbor, because I lived by a bunch of criminals. I wasn't one; in fact I was a police officer waiting for a job to open in the CBI unit. I would have it now if all the teams weren't full. I was surprised when the knock came on my door. I turned off the water in my sink and put down my soapy plate to answer it. I was surprised when I saw the CBI agents.

"Missy Thomas?" she asked me. She had red hair which was pulled back like mine. Her blue eyes seemed to look sad at me, and I saw the man behind her. He had cream colored skin, and his black hair was comb down. His eyes were brown and didn't have the kindness of the woman.

"Yes?" I asked not sure what they wanted.

"We have some bad news," the man said.

"What is it?"

"Your mother and sister were killed."

"What? By who?" The two looked at each other, than back at me.

"We don't know," the woman answered.

"Oh my God. Am I allowed to go to the crime scene?"

"Yes," the man said. "In fact, someone wants you to come help him look around."

"Who?"

"You'll see."

I watched them walk to the black van, and get in. The woman gave me a motion to get in, and I did. Who would want me to look at a crime scene? I mean sure I was a good detective, but this case? That wasn't cool, considering it was Mom and Tara.

We pulled up to their house and I saw the yellow tape and the crowd. I saw a tall man with brown hair that was spiked, green eyes, and pale skin. He was talking to a woman with wavy dark brown hair, grey eyes that looked a little blue and beautiful skin. I got out and followed the two I was with to them.

"Hey boss," the man said, "we got Jane's playmate."

"Don't scare her away," the woman told him. "Hi, I'm Teresa Lisbon. I like you to meet Wayne Rigsby, Grace VanPelt, and Kimball Cho. I hope we can help in any way we can to make you feel welcome."

"Wait," I said looking at them all, "it sounds like you are giving me a job. You are, aren't you?"

"I am. Here, you'll need this," she told me, handing me a CBI badge. I looked up and saw a man looking at me from a window of the house. He had curly bangs in his brownish-blonde hair. His blue eyes didn't seem to miss a thing, and I could tell who he was. I looked him up one day, and he may be the person I need to figure out what happened. I walked over to the window with the badge in hand, and he gave me a smile of a conman.

"You're Patrick Jane," I said and he clapped.

"Very good!" he cheered as if I was a dog who needed praise. "Now what color am I thinking of?" I looked at him like he was nuts but I was going to play this game. I looked into his eyes and I smiled.

"You are not thinking of a color," I answered. "You are thinking it will be fun to trick me into thinking you are. Nice try."

"Lisbon!" he cried and she looked over. Jane pointed at me and said, "I like her! Can we keep her?" She shook her head with a smile and walked over.

"Yes Jane, we can keep her," she told him.

"Yay! Someone new to play tricks on, but something tells me that you won't be fouled has easy. Maybe someone from your past made you this way? Well, we have a crime to figure out, so let's get to it. Now Missy, I know it will be hard on you to see this, but trust me; I will be there for you. You ready?"

"Sure," I told him walking into the house. I was used to seeing dead bodies, but I don't think anyone would be ready to see their mother and sister dead. Jane opened up a door and the first thing I saw was the red stars, six in all. I knew the pattern, and five little stars made one huge one. Under that was a woman. She was in her twenties and her brown hair was pulled back. I knew if we opened her eyes that they would be green, just like mine. My hair was black, though, not brown. She had multiple cut wounds to get the blood out, but I knew that a gun was what killed her. I didn't know if she was asleep when they killed her, all I knew was that this was a bloody mess.

"Are you okay?" Jane asked me. I turned and had tears coming down my face. He held out his arms and I walked into them. I cried against a stranger’s chest and heard the beating of his heart. He said nothing until I pulled away. He wiped the last of my tears. "Are you ready to see your mother?"

"I think so. Jane?" I asked has he was walking away. "Was it this hard for you?"

"I can't answer that fully. I would say the same. It's tough knowing that you could have been here and maybe taken their place. You know that they were after you but someone you love was taken instead."

"After me? Was this person after me?"

"I think this will explain it."

He pushed open another room, and I saw an older version of Tara. It was Mom, and she looked the same. Both crimes looked the same, but this time next to stars was the letters MT. There was a note on the floor, and with my gloves on I picked it up and read it.

Dear Miss Thomas,

I hope you do learn from your mistakes. I know you know what the stars mean, so let's see if Mister Jane can figure it out without your help. -The Red Stars

I glared at the note and looked up at Jane. "You can't figure it out, can you?"

"Figure what out?" he asked me.

"The stars."

"I can't. I need your help."

"Why me?"

"You're the only one who seems to know what those stars mean. Even Lisbon doesn't know what they mean to the victims. We need you, and you need us. Will you help?"

"Alright. Under one condition."

"What?"

"I want to know everything you know. I want to help you find this person. Anything you know I will know. I don't want to be left in the dark and wonder what you are thinking."

"Alright," Jane said after much thought, "but I have to warn you that this is a hard job and you could lose your life. I have countless times to people like this. Alright?"

"If those stars mean what I think they mean, I have too."

So here is the book that will come after Survival. I know a lot about this show, but I have not seen the latest season, so I am sorry if some of the facts are off. I have seen the episode "Red John" so I know what happens to him. If I am wrong, let me know and I will try and fix it. I hope you enjoy this new Mentalist book, and I will have a lot of fun writing it. Enjoy life my Stars!