Ruby Red Dress-The Mentalist

Chapter Twenty One

Chapter Twenty One

Teresa Lisbon

'Could I possibly go for my lunch break now?' Rigsby asks as he walks into the viewing room. He very rarely goes for lunch breaks, he just eats on the job.

'Sure,' I say wondering whether or not to let him go for half an hour. Then my phone rings. I pick it up seeing that it's Jane. Rigsby leaves and Cho follows shortly after.

'Jane?'I ask.

'Yeah... Lisbon... You might want to come down here... ' He's outside somewhere as I can here the faint hum of traffic and the brisk wind.

'Why?'

'Genevieve Collins has gone. Vanished. Kapoof.' He explains.

'What?'

'She's not here. Or anywhere.'

'Oh come on Jane. She's got to be there somewhere... Wait, where are you?'

'I'm at her home. She's gone. Someone's taken her.'

'No...' I say in disbelief.

'Yes, Lisbon. The sooner you get down here, the sooner we can solve the case and the sooner we can go home.'

'Fine. I'll come.' I say defeated. I still don't one hundred percent believe or trust him. But who does?

'Good. I'll see you in ten. Oh, and Lisbon.'

'Yes?'

'Your book is in good hands.'

It takes me a moment to realise what the hell he's going on about... Then I remember him asking to borrow my book when he came into my house a couple of days ago.

'... Um... Good...' I don't quite know any other way to reply. I dial off and walk out of the room catching Rigsby just in time as he's rushing past with a sandwich in his hand.

'Oh, Rigsby.'

He turns round. 'Sorry, your lunch break is gonna have to wait till later. Just got a call, Genevieve Collins has been kidnapped... We think...'

'And you want me to come?' He asks as though he's completely clueless as to what I'm saying.

'Yes... That would be helpful,' I say, even I notice the sarcasm.

'But I've got to see Ben,' he starts.

'Sorry... Duty calls.' I shrug, saying that there is nothing I can do.

'Take the vests! I'm not sure whether we'll need them!' I order through to Cho in the bullpen. He nods at me then runs off to the storage cupboard for our department. Rigsby comes out to me in a state of panic.

'Do we need anything extra other than our firearms?' He asks.

'No. We'll just take our normal guns. They'll be fine.'

Before you know it we've pulled up outside what once was the Collins household, but to have recently been deserted. Jane's little blue car is further along the road. When he sees us he jumps out and makes his way towards us. I get out as the others copy and walk round to the front of the car where we all meet.

'Cho stay out front, Rigs back me up, I'll go in first,' I order.

'What about me?' Jane asks.

'You... Just stay here. Right, let's go.' We all move swiftly into place. Rigsby's behind me on the right hand side of the front door. I knock but the door creaks open slightly as it hadn't been shut. I move over to the left side to get another view into the house. No one.

I push the door open and move inside. My gun flying around, pointing at different objects. That's when I realise. A wooden cabinet has doors open and there are shards of glass over the floor. I motion for the others to come in and do the routine. I head to a room on the east side of the house. It's the living room. Two long couches are sat facing each other, a wooden coffee table separating them. There's an old looking armchair with a floral pattern on at the end of the table.

'CLEAR!' Cho shouts from the dining room.

I continue to look around.

'Clear!' Rigsby says from the kitchen.

No one's in here. 'Clear!' I shout too.

I go out as Rigsby and Cho are coming into the hall. Jane's progressed to standing in the doorway, a clear smirk on his face. When he sees me look at him he grins and waves his hand as if to say, I told you so.

'Let's check upstairs,' I order not wanting to give up quite yet.

'Kay Boss.'

We go up the grand stairs and walk to different rooms. I gently push open a door and what I'm greeted with creeps me.

'Jane..!' I call. 'Jane!'

'Clear!' Rigsby shouts.

'Jane!' I call again.

'Lisbon?!' He finally replies. I hear him rushing up the stairs and he comes to my side. He follows my gaze and a genuine look of worry spreads across his face.

'Oh no...' He mumbles. He continues staring at it... The face on the wall. 'No no no...' At this moment Rigsby joins us and sees what we're looking at.

'Clear!' Cho shouts in the background.

Rigsby pushes the door fully open and I go in. I stretch my gun out infront of me and turn around scanning the room.

'There's nobody here,' I say slightly confused.

'Not even a dead body?' Rigsby asks then comes into the room and stands by my side.

Jane walks past us and stops in the centre at the end of the double bed. He looks around then moves forward to the painting on the wall.

'It's definitely blood.' He says.

'Whose?' I ask.

'I think it's fairly obvious who's it is.'

'Genevieve Collins?'

'Genevieve Collins.' He repeats after me.

'No... It can't be,' I am in disbelief.

'Look here,' he points to a part of the smiley then beckons me closer. I go towards him and he drags me to the spot right in front of it. 'See this? This is so faint you can barely see it... And look at this.' He waves his hand over a dribble of blood running down the wall. 'This too is painted on. It's not actually dribbling. It's just been painted to that effect.'

'Why?' I ask.

'Not why but who? Whoever drew this didn't have enough blood, as they had to spread it further. So... There wasn't a murder. This is just a kidnapping made to look like one. Probably to take our attention away from the actual murderer. The murderer frames Red John so that we delve deeper into this crime than the Laura Collins killing.'

'Don't be silly Jane.'

'Have a little faith Lisbon!' and he pops off with a his merry little smile while I stand there shaking my head.