The Mute Siren

Pilot

Patrick followed after Lisbon through the sea of reporters and officers that were on the scene, he was grateful that he had decided to let Serena sit this one out...especially considering the outcome of the case.

"Excuse me, can I get a comment, please?" A reporter pleaded from behind the yellow police tape.

"Captain," Lisbon greeted the lead officer in charge at the scene.

"Agent Lisbon," The Police Captain said "Don't think we'll be needing you guys. We like the neighbor kid who found the body,"

"Did he confess?"

"Ah, he's a real squirrel,"

Patrick turned to watch as officers placed a young boy in the back of a police cruiser as reporters swarmed him.

"Did you kill her? Did you kill her?" Reporters repeated the question, hoping to get a confession.

Patrick turned as the body of a young girl was wheeled out by paramedics, wrapped in a black body bag.

"Mercy's father would like to give a brief statement." A man said from on a podium.

"I just want to take a moment and thank everyone in law enforcement and all the volunteers who helped us in the search for our beloved daughter," Mercy's father stated.

Mercy's mother pulled her arm away out of grief.

"The way that this entire community has come together to support me and Juniper in this terrible time has been a great comfort to us. And now I would just like to ask you that..."

Patrick, having seen and heard enough, headed into the victim's household. He walked into the kitchen, and as if he lived there, began making himself some tea and a sandwich.

While waiting for the tea, Patrick took a look at the pictures that adorned the refrigerator.

Patrick tuned back to the real world when he heard the kettle whistle. He looked up when the wife entered the kitchen "Hell, Mrs. Tolliver,"

"Who are you?" Mrs. Tolliver questioned.

"My name is Patrick Jane. I'm here to help you. Would you like a cup of tea?"

"Yes, I would, thank you,"

Patrick had already assumed the answer and picked up to saucers and walked over to the kitchen table "You must be tired. Why don't you sit down? It's nice and quiet in here, isn't it? Quiet, soothing, calm." He took a seat at the opposite end. "Calm. I've been watching you and your husband, and I want you to know that I understand what you're feeling right now,"

Mrs. TOlliver met Patrick's gaze "You have no idea. Believe me,"

Patrick thought back to the red smiley face that was painted on the wall at his house, a daughter mentally scarred and mute as she survived while her mother and sister were slaughtered. Patrick nodded "I do. I know. I know, and I wanna help you,"

"You can't help me. You...What do you know?"

Patrick chuckled softly "All sorts of things. You really only pretend to like skiing, right?"

"Yes, but..."

"You're pleased that your best friend recently gained some weight...about 10 pounds. You wished you'd been more adventurous when you were younger. You love India, but you've never been there. You have trouble sleeping. Your favorite color...is blue,"

Mrs. Tolliver shook her head "I don't understand. You're...you're psychic?"

Patrick chuckled bitterly "No. Just paying attention. I used to make a good living pretending to be a psychic. I tell you this because I want you to understand there's no point hiding things from me,"

"Hiding...what?"

"Know what I see when I look at your husband? I see a warm, loving, generous man. A little vain, maybe. Selfish, controlling...but a decent man,"

"Yes,"

"So why do you suspect him of murdering your daughter?"

Mrs. Tolliver's hands began to shake causing the teacup to rattle "I don't. The McCluskey boy did it,"

"Yes. That's what the police say. But you think they're wrong. Why?"

"I don't know. I-I-I don't know. I..."

"Tell me,"

"Last year, they...they have been so strange with each other. And neither one would admit that anything was wrong, and I think that...I think that she tried to tell me once, and I didn't...I...God. Oh, God,"

"Did you ask him if he killed her?"

Mrs. Tulliver sniffled as she held back her unshed tears "What would he say?"

"Most wives can tell when their husbands are lying,"

"Yes. Yes. I..." Mrs. Tulliver slid the tea back "I don't want tea. I...The McCluskey boy did it. I..."

"Maybe,"

Mrs. Tulliver looked up at Jane "Oh." she whispered, "You think he did it, too?"

"I trust a mother's instinct,"

Mrs. Tulliver looked away from Patrick when the door opened and closed and her husband walked in.

"June?" The husband called out. He noticed Mrs. Tulliver sitting with Patrick "There you are. Hi. Who are you?"

Patrick stood up to face Mr. Tulliver "I'm the police. Did you kill your daughter?"

Mr. Tulliver scoffed "How dare you?"

"I asked you a simple question, sir. Did you kill your daughter?"

"No,"

"Oh!" Mrs. Tulliver sobbed.

"I did not kill my daughter! Now you get the hell out of my house!"

But Patrick was busy with Mrs. Tulliver's reactions.

Mr. Tulliver looked over at his wife "June? June, what's the matter with you?"

Mrs. Tulliver left the kitchen.

Mr. Tulliver glared at Patrick "I'm gonna have your badge,"

"An innocent man would have punched me by now." Patrick pointed out.

"I am gonna make life miserable for you. You come in here, you accost my wife, you cause trouble on..." Mr. Tulliver stopped at the sound of a cocked pistol "June. June, honey, please,"

Mrs. Tulliver ignored her husband's pleas and shot him twice in the chest.

Almost as soon as the shot rang out, Lisbon and the other police officer hurried into the room with their own guns raised.

Patrick raised his hands while Mrs. Tulliver dropped the gun. "Honestly, it...it's not as bad as it looks," He told Lisbon.