Forget. You.

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Hey Jane!" VanPelt greets as he walks onto the scene, "Where's Boss?"

 "She'll be here. Needed her caffeine. You do not mess with that woman before she has her coffee. What's the case?"

 "Actually..." Grace's voice trails off.

 "You sure you're ready for this?" Cho asks, walking up to the two of them, "It's Red John."

 "Then we already know the victim." Jane sighs, rubbing his temples, "Female, mid-thirties, blonde hair, blue eyes, about five-foot-four, mother and/or wife. Comes from wealth or married into it. It's always the same."

 "Not this time." Cho deadpans, placing his hands on his hips.

 "What?!" Nothing but pure shock in his voice, "What does she look like?!"

 "Mid-forties, brown hair, green eyes, about five-foot-four, covered in old scars. M.E. says there's signs of childhood abuse."

 "Grace give me your car keys. Now."

 "Bbbut Jane...?"

 "Now Grace. Right now. This is a matter of life and death, do you understand?"

 She nods and hands him the keys, he turns and runs to the car as fast as he can, churning up a cloud of dust as he goes, Grace following behind.

"Jane what's going on?" VanPelt begs, Jane driving nearly 30 miles an hour over the limit, "Jane!"

 He quickly glances in her direction, his eyes red-rimmed and his cheeks reflecting light from cascading water droplets. He was not going to lose her again. Not going to lose his second family and only real friend to Him.

 "Lisbon." He manages to sob out.

 "You don't think..?" VanPelt questions, not believing him.

 "It's almost the anniversary Grace. She makes me happy and I... I love her Grace."

 She reaches over and rubs his shoulder in an attempt to console him, "It's just a coincidence."

 "There are no coincidences with him Grace. He wants me to know he has her. He wants me to suffer. Again."

 The SUV barrels into the parking lot at the café and Jane jumps out and runs to the door, then straight to the coffee bar. He pulls his badge out of his pocket and starts to yell.

 "Everyone my name is Patrick Jane and I am a consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation. This is Agent VanPelt," he motions to Grace, "We have some very important questions to ask you." A few people nod in recognition 

 "Have any of you seen this woman this morning?" Grace passed her phone around, a picture of Lisbon on the screen, "It is more than likely she left with someone else, probably a male. She is a federal Agent and has gone missing, we believe by the serial..." Grace decides to change her wording, "notorious criminal Red John."

 "I remember her." The waitress speaks up, "Such a sad little woman. Came in here crying. Ordered a bearclaw and coffee. Come to think of it, she was talking to someone."

 "Who?" Jane asks, running over to her, "Tell me exactly who she was with."

 "Uhm... Real cutie. Brown hair, pretty tall, probably your age."

 "Did they leave together?"

 "I think so." She answers, wiping a smudge from a glass, "They seemed pretty fond of each other."

 "Call Bertram. Now." Jane urges, running to Lisbon's car and picking the lock, hot wiring it and speeding off.

 He was definitely a man on a mission.