The 'Mentalist' Association

Anger Management

Anger Management

By @IdanDevon (Twitter), America

Author's Note: "Are you still mad at me?" Lisbon asked Jane at the beginning of Blue Bird, implying they had a confrontation earlier. This is my version of those missing scenes (plus the opener). Written for the Mentalist Oneshot Collection by Mentalist Disciples on Twitter.

"She's leaving Austin in a week, next Friday."

If it were anyone but Cho, I'd chalk this up to nonsensical gossip. But Cho doesn't gossip. He's telling me this because he thinks I need to know. Thinks I should already know, in fact.

Is this someone's idea of a practical joke?

I follow Cho and Captain Mueller over to the kiddie pool and take in the crime scene with part of my brain, while the majority is busy trying to find holes in Cho's claim. Lisbon's not going anywhere. Certainly not with Pike. She's not in love with him, though she might wish she were, and she loves her job here. She's not leaving all that behind for a man she barely knows—and who barely knows her.

She gave me a hard time about wanting her to move to Austin in the first place, even though she felt trapped as a small town sheriff and knows me better than anyone.

This is ridiculous. It must be another of those silly rumors that get started from time to time.

"You sure about Lisbon?" I ask. It's possible Cho is teasing me and I'm falling for it. He has a poker face that would give me a run for my money and a sense of humor best described as subversive. "Did you hear it from her or did you hear it from other people?"

"I heard it from other people. Abbott."

This is not good. It's better than if he'd heard it from Lisbon herself, but it's hard to imagine Abbott joking about personnel matters. Especially to Cho.

Maybe it's just a misunderstanding. This can't be right. She would've told me. Lisbon's a straight shooter. She wouldn't put in for a transfer and not tell me, not when she knows how much I went through to get her here.

No. I won't believe it until she tells me. Cho must have misunderstood something Abbott said.

I can't shake the queasy feeling in my stomach as we walk into the house. A quick look around and a few questions for the housemates are enough to confirm the theory I developed over Tyler Van Camp's body, so I return my attention to the unresolved mystery nagging at me. "She's leaving a week from Friday? That's only ten days."

The sadness in Cho's "yeah" is horribly convincing.

This can't be happening. Lisbon can't be leaving me. Us. No.

I need to talk to her. Now.

"We need to go, Cho."

"We're working."