The Mentalist

Matilda Cruz was 23.

She'd been missing for two weeks

when her body was found at a county waste facility.

We believe that Matilda met her killer online

in a chat room dedicated to lovers of Shakespeare.

We would ask anybody who uses that chat room

or similar sites to please contact the CBI

if they come across any suspicious activity online.

And now Gary Philo, CEO of Phiz Systems

and Matilda's boss, would like to say a few words.

Thank you.

I'll be brief.

Matilda Cruz was a beautiful young soul.

And a treasured member of our family here at Phiz.

And that is why I am offering $10 million...

for information leading to the arrest of her killer.

Matilda deserves justice, and she will get it.

Questions?

Wainright needs us.

Super urgent. He won't say why.

Interesting, but I can't go yet.

It's a press conference. Let's go.

I need one minute.

Naturally, we are all deeply upset

and saddened at this tragedy.

We will get through this,

and we will come back stronger than ever,

for Matilda's sake.

Mr. Philo--uh, Gary,

what was your personal impression of Matilda Cruz?

Well, as with all our employees,

she and I had a nice chat when she first joined us,

but beyond that, I never had the privilege

of getting to know her personally.

Come on. Let's go.

I have 30 more seconds.

Sir, you're a--a famously thrifty man, aren't you?

Uh, the no-brand sneakers,

the compact cars, all that.

Excuse me--I don't mean to be authoritarian--

Then don't be. We're investigating a murder here.

Are you thrifty or not?

What in the devil does my thrift have to do with... that?

Ah. You notice that tiny little beat

you took before you said "that"?

That, my friend, was a solid-gold tell.

What?

Never mind. You're thrifty.

You're a legendary cheapskate, in fact.

And yet, you put up $10 million of your own precious money

to find Matilda's killer.

Why would you do that?

Why? Because you know for sure

you'll never pay one single penny of that money,

because it's you. You're Matilda's killer.

- Ooh! - Aah!

Uh, that's assault. Lisbon, arrest him!

Watch it.

Stay there.

Ah. Thank you for getting in here so promptly.

The FBI needs our help.

We just caught a homicide

where the family of the victim has statehouse juice.

The lieutenant governor has specifically requested you

- for the task force. - Mm?

He wants the best on this one, he says.

Whoa. Well, I'm flattered.

Uh, but we already have a case. A big case.

Yes. So I've heard.

We don't need the team. Just Jane.

That is, of course, if you're willing.

Well, I'm... happy to help,

I just--as long as it's okay with you.

'Cause last we spoke,

we weren't exactly seeing things eye to eye.

The Red John case, you mean.

Yes, it is a mystery, isn't it?

It's not surprising we have different takes,

but that doesn't mean we can't work together, does it?

Excellent. It's all settled then.

I know what you're gonna say.

You're gonna warn me

that agent Darcy's playing games with me,

she's trying to investigate me on the sly, bless her heart.

Well, yes, exactly.

Well, I play games better than she does,

so I'm looking forward to it.

So you get to go off and have fun

while we deal with the Philo mess you've left us?

I'm pretty sure he's guilty.

Oh, thanks a lot.

I'd love to stick around and help you solve this crime,

but I can't really say "no" to the FBI.

You know, Darcy would leave you alone

if you just told her the truth.

Which truth are you talking about?

That you didn't kill Red John, that you lied about it,

that you did a lot of stupid things to cover up the lies,

and that now he's back, and you're very sorry--

that truth.

- Eh... - Can't you see

your stubborn arrogance is gonna bite you in the--agent Darcy.

We gotta get rolling.

They're keeping the crime scene intact until we get there.

Okay. I'm ready.

Thanks for lending him to me.

My pleasure. Glad to see the back of him.

Oh, okay.

- Well, bye. - Bye. Just go and have fun.

I'm gonna have a great time. There's my back. See you.

Hey, boss.

Philo's lawyer's arrived, wants to talk.

What are you gonna do?

Probably gonna have to let him go.

Ah.

Here she is.

This is the fool that arrested me.

I am sorry, sir. I unders--

I want this little bitch toasted like a marshmallow.

You'll excuse my client's anger.

He has every reason to feel aggrieved.

His arrest was an outrageous abuse of power--

I will be brief, counselor. You committed an assault.

We can hold you for 48 hours without charging you,

and we will hold you for those 48 hours,

unless, of course,

you would like to confess to the murder of Matilda Cruz,

in which case, things would move a lot more quickly.

Agent Lisbon,

this is no way to treat a man of Mr. Philo's stand--

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

She can legally hold me that long?

Yes, but that doesn't mean--

Don't waste your breath.

You may go.

What?

I'm not gonna pay you $1,000

to hold my hand while this idiotic girl

acts out her hatred of powerful father figures. Just go!

As you wish, Mr. Philo.

Yeah.

That creep is a psychopath, and he's guilty,

and we are gonna make him say so.

He cracked once already when he hit Jane.

Let's make him crack again.

Okay.

Victim was found early this morning

by State Park Rangers.

Victim's name is Kati Bauer. 27, married, 1 child.

Multiple stab wounds. Uh, evidence of sexual assault.

Lieutenant Franklin, is this exactly how you found the body?

Yes, ma'am. I...

I noticed her car parked off the road.

It looked like it had been there overnight, so...

So I and a couple of my men took a look around and...

found the poor woman here.

She looks peaceful.

No signs of struggle.

No defense wounds.

Do you know her? Was she a local girl?

Uh, Santa Carla, in the Valley, but, uh, no.

No, I didn't know her.

This...

you see, this is my first homicide.

Just, it's--it's sad.

Mm.

Wine.

Wine?

Wine?

Why is that--Kati would drink wine on occasion.

Why is that relevant?

Well, it's probably not.

Um, I'm sorry.

I wasn't listening earlier.

You're her in-laws, you're not her parents,

and this is-- this isn't your house?

We live in Pasadena. This is Sandy and Kati's house.

Sandy is our son, her husband.

He's on his way home now from our New York offices.

When did you last see Kati?

Yesterday morning at 9:00 a.m.

We came to take Megan to our house for the day

and give Kati a little "me" time.

It's a regular thing we do.

Mm.

What does Kati like to do during her "me" time?

You know, I think she just likes toe the help the day off

and enjoys the solitude and the peace and quiet.

And when did you return here?

Well, it's all a blur, but it must have been just before 5:00,

because I... do my insulin shot regularly at that time,

and I had to hurry in order to... do it.

- Mm. - And she was gone.

We waited for two hours and then we called the police.

Did Kati like to go up to the mountains a lot?

No.

I mean, perhaps with Sandy, but...

on her own, on a whim, no.

Kati was very much a creature of habit.

Oh. It's the house phone. That's odd.