Recap — The Mentalist 2.01 "Redemption"

Van Pelt then interviews Monica's daughter Kessie, who she discovered had recently started paying family bills in cash. Kessie confesses that her mother phoned her about a month after the disappearance, asking about Ansel, and saying she wanted to help. Kessie hung up on her, but Monica sent $5000 a month after that, which she kept because they needed the money. She never told her father about it.

In the next room, Lisbon tells Jane she thinks Kessie could be the killer, due to the money and her anger towards her mother. Jane says he doesn't think so, but he's not sure who did it. Lisbon tells him he's distracted, and too focused on the Red John case. He guesses that she's happy to have handed the case off. She tells him they were getting too close, and that Bosco is a good agent. Jane taunts her about repeating what her shrink said, which she doesn't deny. He tells her he'll think about shifting focus, but she grumpily calls him a liar. She orders him to go through the box of Monica's belongings and see if there's anything important in it.

Jane then asks Rigsby and Cho if they want to go to Miles Thorsen's empty house and catch the killer. They both accompany him, but Rigsby is unhappy when it becomes clear this mission wasn't Lisbon-approved. Cho is curious enough to go along with Jane's rule-bending as they break into the house and lie in wait to see who comes through the door. Jane explains that whoever the killer is will be wondering who Miles Thorsen is, and when they look him up they'll discover he lives right near Monica Dunninger. They'll think maybe he has what they're looking for, and will come to find it.

As Rigsby protests, Jane starts looking through Monica's box of belongings, and wonders aloud why she would have a book about the history of the fax machine. Then he seems to have an epiphany and sends Rigsby to the library, but doesn't tell him why–"as punishment for being a wuss". Rigsby leaves in a huff.

Cho starts to get more frustrated as time wears on, and their "fishing expedition" doesn't seem to be panning out. He's even more upset when another Realtor arrives to show the house, and gets Cho's name from his badge before hurriedly leaving with his clients. Just as Cho is worrying about the repercussions, the door opens again, and it's Mrs. Jaffe–Monica's boss.

She tells them she won't speak without a lawyer, but Jane tells her it's okay, he knows everything anyway. He guesses that she stole the million dollars from her own company, to pay a gambling debt or other problem. When Monica discovered what she'd done, she bribed Monica into taking the blame–paying her a monthly wage and getting Ansel into the best cancer treatment program available. But when Ansel was cured, she realized that Monica wouldn't have any reason to stay silent any longer, so she had to shut her up permanently.

Jaffe says it's all fiction, and that they have no proof. Jane is excited about this part, and calls Rigsby at the library. Rigsby's already figured out that Monica swapped the fax machine book for evidence–he goes to the shelf and finds the accounts book from Jaffe's company and a DVD.

Lisbon plays the DVD for Monica's family. It's Monica herself, explaining that everything in the account book is true, and how she cut a deal with Jaffe to get Ansel the best care possible. She hoped it would make up for the other hurtful things she had done, and she tells her family that she loves them. Kessie breaks down, as it's apparent that so many of the hateful things she thought about her mother weren't true. The whole family is numb, and we can see that Ansel realizes his mother gave up her life for his.

Lisbon compliments Van Pelt on a job well done. In the distance, Jane is on his favorite leather couch, making a phone call to administration. Pretending to be Agent Bosco, he asks how he can go about changing his in-house access pass code. There's a hint of a smile on his lips as he waits on hold. We knew he wasn't going to let Bosco get away with the Red John case.

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PHOTOS: Simon Baker as Patrick Jane, Robin Tunney as Agent Teresa Lisbon, Amanda Righetti as Agent Grace Van Pelt, Jordan David as Ansel Dunninger; The Mentalist "Redemption" screencaps, c2009 Primrose Hill Productions, Warner Bros. Television, CBS.