12. Bleeding Heart

Complete story — includes the ending

Jane and the CBI team are assigned to investigate the murder of Martha St Clair, a mayor's aide and media liaison, after the body is accidentally dug up by the mayor during the groundbreaking ceremony for Central Valley's large Granton building development. Jane riles the mayor, Melba Walker Shannon, and her personal assistant Wilson, especially after the CBI team uncovers the mayor's corrupt backhander from the developer. It is a case that draws the attention of the media and local eco-terrorists, with one suspect being the masked leader of the eco-warriors (pseudonym Jasper). Mike Brewster, a reporter, is assigned to watch the team's work and take some interviews with the staff, but initially he encounters a lack of co-operation until Jane decides to make amends and get to know him, but Jane is kidnapped by Jasper while out with Brewster. Jasper tells Jane he is not the murderer and Jane unmasks him as Wilson; he had gone undercover as the mayor's P.A. After Jane is rescued, Lisbon allows Brewster to observe as they stake out a suspect, but it leads instead to a surprise revelation by Jane that Brewster is the murderer. He killed Martha because she kept it a secret from him that she had discovered the mayor's corruption when as a reporter breaking that story would have made his career. Later, Rigsby and Van Pelt make a big announcement to their CBI team: they are lovers. This causes a problem because until now everyone but Lisbon knew, but now she officially knows they are breaking regulations.