We begin The Mentalist "Rose-Colored Glasses" with Rigsby (Owain Yeoman) and Van Pelt (Amanda Righetti) canoodling in the CBI break room. They quickly break apart just before their boss Lisbon (Robin Tunney) arrives to tell them there's a double murder to investigate in Rancho Rosa, where "the local sheriff is in over his head".
As Lisbon starts to head off with Rigsby, Van Pelt stops her and mentions that she's been promised more time in the field. Lisbon agrees and tells Rigsby to take office duty on this one. Van Pelt is thrilled, and quickly asks Rigsby if he's okay with this. He replies that he is, but we can see he's a little unsettled by it.
Van Pelt joins Lisbon and Jane (Simon Baker) at the crime scene. A couple in their thirties, Selby and Jana Vickers, were found shot in the chest in their car. Jane spots a bottle of liquor in the back seat, while Lisbon informs him that it's a local lovers' lane for teenagers, and that the sheriff thinks it's a simple robbery gone bad.
When Van Pelt remarks they're too old to be necking, Jane asks "There's an age limit on that?" Van Pelt quickly remarks that their clothes aren't dissheveled, which Jane agrees with. He also notices a piece of paper tucked into Mrs. Vickers' dress. It's a price tag, noting that the dress was $800. Jane has an "a-ha!" moment. He conjectures that they were going to something where they wanted to impress people, perhaps relatives or people from their past. Mr. Vickers needed a drink of Scotch just to take the edge off.
He has Van Pelt guessing for the occasion, until Lisbon insists he get to the point. Sighing with disappointment, Jane turns and asks the sheriff for the name of the local high school. The next scene begins with a shot of a banner, welcoming the Rancho Rosa High School Class of 1995 to their reunion.
Lisbon and Jane enter the reunion, where Lisbon is immediately confronted by a drunk attendee, who calls her "Stephanie" and swoops in for a kiss. Lisbon tells him she'll arrest him if he does it again. "Sorry, I had to," he says. "You've always been the one." Lisbon lets go of her gun and heads into the party with Jane. As they survey the crowd, Jane says with a smile, "High school. Best years of your life, eh?"
At the greeter table, current high school student Tess tells them to pick up their name tags and reunion books. Lisbon identifies herself as CBI and asks if the Vickers were expected. Tess confirms they were, and also for the next day's homecoming picnic and dance. Lisbon asks to see someone who would know the Vickers, and Tess points them over to the reunion committee chair, Willa Brock.
Jane teases Tess, asking if they looked old enough to be reunion attendees. "Everyone over 21 looks the same to me," she chirps. "Tactful and evasive," Jane compliments, "You're going to do very well in life, Tess." Tess giggles happily as they move on.
Willa and another former student, L.J., let Lisbon and Jane know that it was surprising that Selby Vickers was going to attend the reunion. He had attended previous reunions, most likely due to his expulsion from high school years before, for a "prank". Selby apparently dragged "socially-challenged" Derek Logan into the girls' locker room, blindfolded him with his own underwear, tied him up naked, and took his picture and posted it all over the school.
