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 Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2010 3:13 pm
Please Do Not Post Here, This Is For The RP Only. There Is A Seperate Thread To Post Comments And Feedback, Thank You.Agent Kyo Haversham and The Neal Caffrey have started an RP. We have decided to share it with you all for your entertainment, and feedback. But mostly Entertainment. Kyo is playing the part of Peter. Caffrey is playing the part of Neal. I will color code the Role Play so you know who wrote what. Caffrey has chosen Red as his color, I have chosen Idigo. Please Read And Enjoy. This RP will eventually be slash, so you have been warned.**** **** ****“This is why I never show up early; when I finally do, Peter is not even here yet,” the ex-con complained to Jones as he passed him in the hall, heading down towards Peter’s still empty desk.
“I’m sure Peter won’t agree with your reason for constantly showing up late for work,” the man replied with a barely concealed laugh.
“We could ask him; but he’s not here,” Caffrey grinned “Besides, I’ve never been a nine-to-five man myself,” he added, turning to shrug at the older man, a look of ‘I’m innocent’ written all over his face.
“Whatever you say,” he said as he watched Neal turn back around and continue his walk to Burke’s desk. Neal reached said desk, setting a cup of coffee on it for his partner, whenever he showed up, and holding one for himself. He’d made it a habit of supplying their early morning coffee since he was not sure he could stomach another cup of whatever horrible stuff the bureau was trying to pass off as coffee.
Sitting down and propping his feet up on the corner of Peter’s desk, he closed his eyes, thinking he might get a few extra minutes of sleep before his partner showed up... It only took him about a minute to figure out that wasn’t going to happen. Opening his eyes, he glanced around, not seeing anyone in the immediate area, Neal flipped through the few papers that were stacked neatly upon the agent’s desk.
He’d heard something about a new case, and it sounded like a brief was planned and Neal figured a head start wouldn’t hurt. Looking around once more to make sure Peter wasn’t on his way to his desk, Neal grabbed the file that was on Burke’s desk, leaned back and started reading, his feet once more up on the older man’s desk even though he knew Peter hated when he did that.
He didn’t exactly have a reason for being here early when it was typically his style to show up right on time, or even late as Peter had pointed out on many occasions. He’d woken up well before his alarm had been set to go off and despite taking a long shower and spending his time picking out his impeccable outfit, which consisted of his normal work attire; suit, tie, fedora – the essentials, he had still found himself with extra time. So one coffee stop later and here he was sitting across from Peter’s desk and snooping through his files out of sheer boredom. But he knew he wouldn’t have long to wait, Peter wasn’t the kind to show up late.Peter was running late, not technically late, but late in the Peter Burke sence of the word, which still didn't sit too well with the agent. He had woken up this morning to find that, after she had left the house, El had forgotten to reset the alarm.
After a quick shower he was out the door. There was no whay Peter was going to let today be the day he showed up late. The was an inriguing new case they were supposed to be briefed on this morning.
He walked up the stairs to his office, only to spot his partner already occupying the desk. Peter allowed himself a few moments to ponder on the reasons Neal would show up early. Neal had always shown up tardy or just on time, never had he shown up early. He found it a little irionic that the day Peter Burke is almost running late, Neal Caffrey is arriving early. This case was already starting out on a bad omen.
"Do you always make it a habbit to snoop through my desk when I'm not around?" Peter asked, giving the bottom of Neal's feet a tap to show his disproval of thier resting place.Hearing Peter's voice, Neal looked up with a grin and a shrug. "I also try to make it a habit to not get caught while doing it," he replied, but made no effort to set the file back down. He also didn't move his feet either, he simply went back to looking at the file. "Pretty interesting case we've got here," he commented as he scanned the page before shutting the folder.
He handed the file over to his partner now, grin still in place as he watched him. "Come on Peter, don't be too angry with me for snooping or else I won't give you the coffee I brought for you," the con artist threatened, nodding towards the cup that sat on Peter's desk. "I think they just put a fresh pot on here if you'd rather risk trying this coffee again?" he asked, eying him. Even Peter, who detested fancy things, seemed to have taken a dislike to the FBI's coffee. But who could blame him?
"So, why are you showing up on time? Don't you normally show up early?" He questioned, leaning back in his chair and sipping his own coffee.Peter took the file, giving his partner a mild glare at the admission of snooping. "Yeah? How often do you go through me desk then? Maybe I should start locking up my files, not that that would stop you, would it?" he asked with a hint of a smile. He flipped open the file to scan the contents as well. "Yeah, seams intersting enough." Peter responded as he walked over to the cup he didn't notice until Neal had pointed it out. Taking a sip of the coffee, Peter made to sit in the chair oppisite Neal.
At the question of his punctuality, Peter looked up and raised an eyebrow at the younger man. "Oh I could ask the same about you, you know? You get here early and snoop through my desk. If I didn't know any better I would say you were plotting something." He stared at his parner curuisly, then as an after thought added, "El forgot to reset the alarm."Avoiding the question on how often he snooped, Neal flashed another innocent grin at his partner, "come on Peter, you know me better than that. Would a lock really keep me out?" He asked truthfully. As he'd said before, he'd never met a lock he couldn't pick aside from his anklet. "Interesting enough? Whole collections of artwork are getting stolen here, Peter. This is very interesting, where's your excitement?" the younger man teased.
"I am plotting something," he said, pausing to see the reaction on Peter's face. "I'm plotting on solving this case like a good little consultant," he finished, looking highly amused because he knew that was not the answer Peter would have been expecting. "Alright, next time I feel like getting up early I'll just stop by your house and make sure you're awake?" He suggested with mock sarcasm.Peter just shook his head, "No, it wouldn't, just thought if there was a lock you might think twice before invading a persons privacy." He glanced at the file again, took another sip of coffee, shook his head, and looked back up at his partner. "My excitement went out the window the moment I steped into the office." He sighed, looked away for a second, then back at Neal, "I dont know what it is, but this case... I dont know, Neal, I just have a bad feeling about it."
"That better be all you're plotting." Peter responded, fixing Neal with a stern look, and deciding to ignore his comment about stopping by the house next time. "Like I said, I already have a bad feeling about this one, I dont need to be bothered about worrying what you're up to as well. You got that." He asked, using his best authoritive voice."If there is a lock it only makes me curious to know what you're hiding and I will be more likely to break in," Neal admitted before taking another sip of his coffee. "Bad feeling? Peter, it's just art theft, what could go wrong?" He asked, and then realized it sounded as if he was saying art theft wasn't a major crime and he added, "Well, I mean the thief has shown no signs of being violent. The hardest part will be tracking him down, the rest will be easy."
Feigning hurt, Neal looked at Peter, "are you saying that you still don't trust me? If you can't trust your own partner, then who can you trust?" He asked, shaking his head. "So when's the brief?""Alright, then its settled. No locks." He shrugged before answereing, "I dont know, its just a feeling. My gut is telling me there just isn't something right here. Not to mention the case briefing just happens to fall on the one day I am running late, and you decide to show up early. No," Peter shook his head a little, "Its a bad omen, this isn't just going to be an easy case."
Peter looked over at his partner. "Im not saying I don't trust you Neal, I'm saying I cant be worrying about you. Every time you go off on your shannanigans, you end up in danger. I'm tired of rescuing you, next time, I'll just let you get shot." Peter knew Neal well enough to know that Neal knew he wouldn't really let the kid get shot, but he just needed to make a point.Listening, Neal tilted his head slightly, as if thinking. "I've known you for what, seven years now? I never knew you were superstitious," he said, filing that information away into the growing stack of things he knew about Peter Burke.
Neal smirked now, acting like Peter's words had touched him, "Aw, you worry about me, Peter?" He asked, watching his partner. "Well of course you do, how would you ever solve another case if something happened to me?" He said sarcastically, but then rolled his eyes at Peter's next statement. "You wouldn't let me get shot. You're a good guy, all the good guys have hero complexes, if I get into danger you'll be there to save me," he laughed, setting his coffee cup down now. "Well, that and Elizabeth probably wouldn't be too happy if you let me get killed," he added, smirking one more. "And really Peter? Shannanigans?""There's alot of things you dont know Neal." He answered matter of factly.
"Of course I-" but Peter cut himself off. "Just, stay out of trouble." Peter reached for his coffee once more, "I was solving plenty of cases before you came along, Neal, Or have you forgotten?" He downed what was left in the cup, and tossed it into the trash bin by the desk. Peter smiled his trademark half smile and looked at Neal. "Oh, I'd let you get shot. No hero complex here." He was inturrupted by a knoock on the door, he looked up to see Diana walk into the room.
"We're needed in the confrence room for the briefing, Boss." After these words she turned and left, Peter stood up, but waited for Neal before he proceeded.
"Who says El would have to find out?" Peter continued the conversation like there had been no inturruption. "I could simply tell her that I just couldn't get to you in time. And yes, Neal, Shannagins. Its the only word I know that describes your stunts accurately.""A lot? We need to have a little chat sometime and you can fill me in on the things I don't know. I'll even buy you some beer," he grinned, knowing Peter would never just sit around and talk about his past, just like how Neal never would either.
"But you have to admit that I have made the number of cases you solve on average go up," he insisted. Throwing his cup away and making a mental note to slip out sometime later today and grab another one, Neal rolled his eyes again. "Fine, you'd let me get shot. If you need to pretend that me dying wouldn't affect you in any way, then you just keep telling yourself that, Peter," he wasn't hurt, his tone was actually an extremely amused one.
When Diana stepped in and told Peter that he was needed for the briefing, Neal stood up as well and followed after him. He didn't have to ask if he was going and Peter didn't have to tell him he was, the ex-con always invited himself along.
"So you would lie to your wife about my untimely demise? You're not sounding very much like the good guy anymore," Neal warned with a laugh."Sometimes. the good guy is over rated" Peter answered as he opened the door to the confrence room.
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"So, what do you think, boys?" Diana asked coming up behind the pair. "Sounds like a case we can solve fairly easy, open and shut, right?" She flashed the agent and the consultant a smile.
"Look at you being all optomistic" Peter gave Diana a returning smile, as he pushed the botton for the elevator.
"Well, somebody's gotta be, right, Neal?" She then directed her attention to whom she was speaking."Exactly. That's what I have been trying to tell Peter, but he doesn't seem to want to listen to me," Neal replied as he walked into the elevator. 'You can't get cases any easier than this," he added as he leaned against the wall inside the elevator, looking from Peter to Diana and back again.
"But it's not in Peter's nature to be optimistic," he joked, looking over at the agent.Peter followed his partner into the eleveator, giving neal a pointed stare. "Easy cases are the ones you got to worry about. As soon as you think you have it in the bag, it all blows up in you face." He then turned to Diana, "You should know that," He pushed the 'close' botton, and watched as his fellow agent disappeared on the other side.
"So, stealing a whole collection, thats gotta take some planning." Peter looked over to his partner, "How would you do it?"Thinking about Peter's first statement, Neal turned to him and asked, "Did you ever think my case would be easy?" He seemed curious as he waited for an answer from the older man.
"How would I do it? You need to find your in. Most collections are located in the middle of the house, or in an area that isn't easy to access without someone taking you there. It makes them harder to steal. You need to know where the collection is so you don't waste valuable time trying to find it. This guy knew right where the collection was. Maybe he bribed a maid or someone who had access to the house? But that's too sloppy, they could turn on you and rat you out at any time. That's not how I would do it. There's something here we're missing. My opinion? Buy one of these forged paintings and see what it is we're missing.""You're case?" Peter thought on that for a moment. "Yeah. It seamed liked any other easy case, never thought it would take me three years." the agent nodded as he remembered his first thought on Neal Caffrey's case.
"You want to buy one of the forgeries? You realize I'm going to have a hard time to convience Hughes thats the best move right now. He's never going to agree to fronting that much money, when we have no solid grounds to do so yet." The elevator doors opened on thier floor, Peter exited. "Sitting in on an auction seams like a good first step. Maybe we'll find something there to convience Hughes.""But you obviously changed your mind about that. Was my case the hardest one you've ever worked on?" Neal inquired, having never asked Peter many questions about his own case before.
"If Hughes just trusted me more and fronted me the money when I needed it, we would solve cases a whole lot faster. You know this, right?" He asked, following Peter out of the elevator. "This is my expertise, I think like them, you guys don't," the consultant pointed out, but nodded. "Fine. We can start with sitting in on one of the auctions.""The hardest one," Peter repeated shaking his head, "No, but it was the longest." Then he looked at Neal questioningly, "Why the sudden interest in your case?" He asked, now a little suspisous.
"Can you blame Hughes for not trusting you? I didn't trust you at first, Hughes doesn't know you." Peter paused as he reached the Taurus. "You saying I can't think like a criminal? I cought you didn't I? And I did that by thinking like you, I like to think I've good grasp on the criminal mindset."Smiling, it seemed as if Neal took some pride in being at the heart of the longest case Peter had ever worked. "Just curious, that's all. You never told me anything about my case, and I thought you'd rather me ask you about it than break into your files and study it myself," he said with an innocent grin.
"But you trust me now?" Neal asked, since the way Peter had said that made it sound like he did. "No, I don't blame him, but it doesn't mean I have to like it," he protested. "Yes Peter, I know you caught me. But that was only after I practically handed myself over to you. I turned myself in, more or less," he insisted again."Well, you said it yourself didn't you? 'If a man cant trust his partner, who can he trust?'", Peter answered with a shrug.
"Oh, you're sticking with that story? You turned yourself in?" Peter didn't know weather to smale or glare at his partner. "Get in the car," the agent instucted as he opened his own door. "We're going to take a look around the auction house, see if there's anything there. Who knows we may get lucky.""Well then, I'm honored," the con artist smiled, offsetting the sarcastic tone of his voice. He actually was happy to hear Peter admit he trusted him, though he'd never tell the agent that.
"Story? Why Peter, it's all facts," he insisted as he opened the passenger side door and got into the car. He instantly started messing with the buttons for the GPS as he nodded. "We can try there, it might help and I might get to see some priceless paintings," Neal blinked for a second and then looked over at Peter. "Am I allowed to own art? The legal way, I mean," he questioned with a smile.The agent gave Neal a curuios look, wondering if Neal remebered confession of trust to Peter himself not too long ago. Instead of bringing it up he decided to question Neal's choice of words, "Honored?"
Deciding it was pointless to argue the events of Neal's arrest, Peter concentrated on the task of driving. "Why do you always feel the need to mess with my GPS," He asked in a mixture of annoyance and amusement. At Neal's next question, he stared at the other man for a moment, as if assesing weather or not he should answer. "If it's legal then I don't see a problem.""Yes Peter, I said honored. I'm glad to know your hearing is fine," he said, trying to play it off as a joke. He didn't want to get into any serious topics, like how much he liked Peter trusting him.
"Because I figure it's less annoying than playing with your radio? But if you'd rather me mess around with that instead?" Neal said as he quickly turned the radio on and switched it to a classical station, watching Peter. They hadn't bickering over radio stations in awhile, but hey, if Peter didn't want him playing with the GPS he was content flipping through radio stations. "So if I hung around the auction house and got someone to buy a painting for me, that's legal, right?" Of course that would probably consist of charming a rich woman into buying it for him, but why split hairs?**** **** ****
To Be Continued...
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Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2010 3:17 pm
Peter glared at Neal as the radio was turned on. In truth he really wasn't angry or annoyed, he was just doing as was expected of him in this situation. He found he actually enjoyed humoring Neal, letting him belive he had achieved the goal of annoying Peter. The agent found a secret satisfaction out of pulling one over the con-man.
His glare, however, became more stern at Neal's next words. "It's legal." he answered slowly, as he came to a stop at a red light. Peter flipped the radio off and fixed Neal with a 'Don't lie to me' look. "You're trying to get around the fact that Hughes wouldn't front the money, aren't you?"
Sighing as Peter turned the radio off, Neal immediately went to turn it back on, but his hand stopped in mid-air as he caught the look Peter was giving him. He caught on fast, but then again he always did. Neal supposed he could take pride in the fact that it took a man this smart to catch him.
"Peter, would I ever do a thing like that? Hughes is a respectable man and if he says don't go ahead with getting the painting, then I shouldn't. But if a nice older woman offers to buy it for me, could I really offend her by saying no? I'm just trying to brighten up some woman's golden years," flashing his trademark grin at his partner as he turned the radio back on now.
At Neal's first question, Peter just gave him a look that plainly said 'you know you would' but didn't say anything. "You could, but I doubt you would." He answered more so to himself than to Neal, at the finish of his parter's speach. As the light turned green, he gave up the battle over the radio, there was no way he was going to win that one anyway.
After a few more minutes on silence between the two, "You really believe the key to this case is in the paintings themselves?" the agent asked in a reserved tone.
Finding a station he approved of, Neal finally stopped fiddling with the radio and instead turned his attention to Peter. "You're right, I could but I won't. It wouldn't get me in trouble, would it? It's the perfect way to get the painting without having to wait for Hughes to divert FBI funds for it, which it could take weeks for him to do. Who knows how many more collections could be stolen by then?" He knew he had a fairly good chance of talking Peter into letting him do this, the older man seemed to bend the rules a lot when Neal was concerned.
"Yes, I do. He chooses his mark through the painting, that much is obvious. But I think there is even more to the painting than we know. At the very least, if we get the painting, we become his next mark. We'll lead him right to us," he pointed out logically.
"So your plan is to charm some woman out of her money to buy a forgery." The agent stated Neal's plan in the most bluntest way. "It could take a wjile for Hughes to sign for the money, " Peter agreed nodding.
"Leading him right to us." Peter thought that one over for a few minutes, "Sounds too easy, but if you're sure ... " he let his voice trail off as he parked the Taurus in the lot of the Auction House.
"I really hate the easy cases," He sighed as he stepped out of the car. Shutting his door he headed for the entrance to the builing.
"Well when you put it like that it makes it sound bad," Neal complained, looking at Peter and shaking his head. "Its not like she'll even miss the money after she's bought the painting for me. These people are rich, Peter. Very rich. They can drop half a mil on a painting and not even care," it was hard to tell if Neal was amused by them or envious. Probably a bit of both.
"Don't over-think this one. We'll pull this off, solve the case in no time and then we can celebrate by going out for some of that horrible beer you like because you have no taste in fine wine," the younger man joked as he got out of the car, looking eager to get inside the auction house.
"You hate the easy cases, you complain during the hard ones, maybe it's time for a career change?" He laughed as he reached the door, walking inside and holding it for his partner.
"A carreer change, huh?" the agent asked as he walked past his partner into the auction house. "But then you wouldn't have an FBI Agent looking after you, and you would end up having to go back to prison." He stated, as though it wasn't a big deal. "Didn't think that one through did you?" he asked with a grin, tapping his finger to his temple for emphesis.
Stepping into the main hall, he started looking around for someone to talk to. Someone who would have the information they were looking for.
"No, I thought about that part. That's why I'll be holding auditions for your replacement next week," he grinned. Of course he knew that Peter was the only person that he would be allowed to have this agreement with. If Peter left the FBI before his four years were up, he'd end up back in prison, no one other than Burke would be trusted to be his partner long term.
Once inside, Neal began looking around, trying to find his mark. He knew he could pull this off, it was just a matter of finding the right person. "We have to figure out which is the fake, so we're going to need to look at all the paintings closely," the former (Alleged) art thief looked over-joyed at this.
"Oh, auditions." He couldn't help but to smile at Neal. "What's the criteria?" he asked amused.
"Just looking, no touching," Peter said automatically as though talking to a child, (dealing with Neal was much like dealing with a child sometimes).
Upon spotting the man in charge of the auction, Peter walked up to him, intent on asking a few questions.
"The criteria to replace you?" Neal asked, looking quite amused himself. "They just have to be breathing," he smirked.
"Do you think they have a version of a 'you break it you buy it' policy? Meaning, if I slightly damage a painting, would I be forced to then take it home with me at the expense of the FBI?" His smirk only grew bigger at this thought. But then he held his hands up in the classic gesture for innocence and nodded, "Got it; no touching. I'll behave."
Looking up as Peter approached him, the man in charge of running the auction held out a hand. "Good afternoon, Sir. Did you have a question about any of our pieces up for sale tonight?"
"Ouch, that hurt." Peter put on an expression of mock hurt. He shook his head at his partners next qustion. "I can't take you anywhere can I? And it wouldn't be at the expense of the FBI, it would come out of YOUR funds."
"Not at the moment, no." Peter answered the man, discretly flashing his badge. "I'm actually looking for this man" he showed a photo of the theif, "Have you seen him recently?" the agent asked, watching the man's face carefully.
"You act like I have funds. What is it, seven hundred dollars that isn't even paid to me? I'm the cheapest paid employee of the FBI," Neal complained, mainly to himself as Peter started asking questions. However, he quickly turned serious to observe the situation as well.
"Why yes, I believe he has a piece in the auction tonight. But he isn't here, I'm afraid. He didn't typically attend the auction. He requests that we keep his profits until he calls us to schedule a time to come in and pick up the money. The time and day is different each time he has a piece auctioned off," the man told Peter. "I'm sorry to say that I don't know much beyond that."
"You had enough funds to buy a bakery," Peter pointed out, before turning his attention back to the man in charge.
"There's just that one peice in the auction tonight?" The agent questioned, for clarification. "Could you tell us which piece it is? Also, I will need you to contact me once he contacts you." Peter handed the man his card. "Did he ever give you a name?" The agent already had the thief's name, and a list of known aliases, he just needed to know if there was an alais the FBI didn't already know about.
"Those are funds the FBI doesn't need to know about, and you're FBI. But I can get you a free dozen doughnuts, if you'd like?" Neal said with a grin.
"Yes, he never auctions more than one piece at a time. He comes in here for pretty much every auction we have, a new piece to auction each time. Said something about a relative in Europe passing away recently and they found quite the gallery when they were going through his estate. His name is Daniel West. Very knowledgeable about art and always pleasant when he drops by," taking the card, the man nodded. "I'll give you a call. And his piece is number 405 in the auction tonight."
"Thank You" Peter nodded at the man and turned to go look at the painting.
"Funds the FBI doesn't need to know about?" the agent asked, raising a questioning eyebrow. "You baought that bakery months ago, have you even done anything with it, or is it just collecting dust?" Peter asked with ginuine courisoty. "Daniel West ... he's not using an alias." Peter wondered aloud. "Using his real name while running a scam this big, he WANTS attention drawn to him, he thinks we can't catch him." He looked over at Neal, silently asking for his input.
"I haven't exactly had time to jump-start a bakery while solving all these crimes you keep throwing at me," he laughed, not that he was overly eager to get into the baking business, or hire people to run the place. "But it is always nice to have the space. It's in a nice location, wouldn't you say so?" He added in a sly tone. It probably wasn't a good thing for Neal Caffrey to own the space right beneath a place where official matters went on.
"He thinks we can't catch him, yes. But also, he is going for attention. Using an alias is safer, but its not as glamorous, not everyone knows its you committing the crimes. Sometimes when I, allegedly, would commit a crime under an alias, no one knew to link it back to me. I didn't always get the credit for it right away, but this guy? He wants the credit for it now. Maybe he's trying to build up a reputation for himself? Catch the attention of someone higher up than him? He's trying to prove himself. And he's cocky. Using the same auction house again and again? Using his real name? Either he's new and hasn't perfected his schemes yet, or he's really good and he knows it." Neal had started walking towards the painting in question as he was speaking, though he was keeping his voice low so only Peter could hear.
Leaning in to look at the painting, he studied it closely for a few minutes before glancing up to Peter. "He's not just cocky; he's good."
********
To Be Continued ...
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Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2010 4:42 pm
"Oh, right the location, maybe its a good thing you haven't had the time for it." Peter pointed out.
"He isn't new, he's been on our radar for sometime now. We just never had anything solid enough to go after him with, untill now. All these robberies are linked directly to him." The agent informed his partner. "If it was attention he wanted, he's got it now. And what White Collar Criminal ISN'T cocky?" he asked, smiling at Neal.
Peter also leaned in to study the painting, "Yeah? How good is good?" he asked still inspecting the art, trying to spot the details that said it was a forgory. Peter wasn't really into art, his knowledge of the WC crimes came in the form of other expertise. Art was something he wasn't too knowlegable about, though given enough time he could spot forgies and the like, he tended to need a little help. There was one good thing about having Neal around, it made spotting the forgories all the more easy.
"Maybe all of us are cocky, but not all of us have the talent to back up our egos. I had the talent," Neal grinned, seeming proud of this, "and so does this guy."
Looking over the painting still, Neal glanced over at Peter's question of just how good he is. "Okay, see the shading down here in this corner of the painting? Most forgers can't get this right, and the cross-hatching pattern here? The detail in it is beyond what most people starting out can-" Cutting himself off, he looked at Peter. "All of this is lost on you, isn't it?" He asked, looking amused. "He's good. Not as good as most of my alleged work, but he's good enough to fool people who know how to spot forgeries, like the employees here. This is a fake." He sounded certain of it, and he was.
"Now I believe its time to figure out just how to make sure we are going to be the ones to leave here with this piece and not someone else," the con artist said, already slipping on his charming grin as he looked around the gallery for a potential target.
"Had the talent?" Peter asked, with a slight smile, inquiring about Neal's choice of words.
The agent nodded as his partner explained the concept of just how good West was with a brush. "I know a little something about forgeries Neal, I am a White Collar Agent, after all" Peter tried to feign annoyance. "Not as good as you, you say that like I didn't already know. I spent a good year just trying to get something I could use against you. You gave me a run for my money. This guy, he doesn't even come close to your talent." He didn't know why he just let all this info slip.
"Neal, only if she wants to buy it for you. Don't con her into anything, if you do, its not legally obtained and cannot be used. You got it?" Peter asked, pointedly.
Ellenore was steadily making her way through all the paintings. She was only a few feet away from where the agent and the con artist were standing. She couldn't help but to watch as they so eagerly studied the painting. She smiled, it was nice to see a young person take such interest in art.
Blinking, as if just realizing that he had used the past tense to describe his talents in art forgery and theft, Neal played it off with a nod. "Yeah, had. That's not my life anymore, you know that," he shrugged, looking away from his partner.
He looked back as Peter began to speaking about his talent. A proud grin now showing on his face as he listened to the older man. "I'm glad you appreciate my talent, Peter," the former thief said almost teasingly, though for some reason hearing Peter admit how good he was made Neal noticeably happy. "You're pretty talented yourself, you're the only agent who ever gave me a run for my money," pausing, he looked at Peter again. "It really took you a year to find something to pin on me?" It was obvious that the con man was proud after hearing this bit of information.
"Of course. How could I ever do something illegal with my conscious right here watching?" He grinned, patting Peter on the shoulder before he took a step towards the woman he'd picked, though he was looking at the painting rather than her.
"It really is a masterpiece, isn't it?" He commented, studying the painting.
The Agent nodded "Yeah," he said with a smile, "I do know that." He did know that Neal's life before Peter had cought him was no longer a permenant issue. He chose the FBI after all. But sometimes, Neal just couldn't resist the tast of his former life and thats what had Peter worried about the kid most days.
He noticed how happy Neal got at the mention of his talent, but didn't say anything about it. "What can I say, there's a reason they pick me for the tough cases." Peter responded to Neal's comment about his talent as an agent. "Don't let it go to your head." he warned, "It took a year, yes. But you weren't the only case I was working on."
"Oh so now I'm your consience?" He asked, fixing a skeptical glare at his friend. "What you don't have one of your own, you have to use me as a substatute?" He asked, looking at the hand on his shoulder. It was strange how he never really minded Neal's touch. Even when they were on opposite sides of the law, Peter didn't think twice abaout Neal touching him so causually. Thinking back onit now, Peter thinks he really should have minded.
Ellenore looked up at the young man. "Yes," she answered with a nod. "Yes, it is"
At Peter's comment, Neal looked back at his friend but didn't say anything to him. Neal's comment had been more so a joke than anything else. He knew that Peter was well aware of the fact that he wasn't really a bad person. He conned and he lied, but he had a conscious, it wasn't like he was a murderer or anything. Letting his gaze linger on Peter for just a second more, a slight smile forming on his lips, he finally looked back to the woman, making himself focus on his current con.
"I come here often; I love looking at the paintings. I had delusions of purchasing one the first time I came in here, but then I realized that there was no way I had the funds for that. I guess you'd consider me the classic starving artist," Neal laughed, shaking his head. "Art major in college. That doesn't exactly leave much room for splurging on paintings," he sighed, looking almost wistfully at the painting in question. He was hoping she would buy his story; he could almost pass for being the traditional college age.
As he spoke, his gaze flickered once back to Peter, just briefly. There was always something Neal couldn't quite place when he was running a con right in front of Peter. True, this wasn't illegal by any means, but he was still trying to con this woman into buying him a rather pricey painting, and the fact the Peter was so close by and watching? Neal could feel the slight smile return to his lips as he looked back at the woman. "And I haven't even introduced myself, how rude. My name is Nick."
Peter caught the look his partner was giving him. He tilted his head and furrowed his brow slightly, a muscle reflex he was not entirely aware of. He was trying to place the look, that smile Neal had on his face. It was different that the grin he always had in place, and sure Peter had seen that smile a cuple times before, but now ... Peter decided not to dwell on it. Why was he all of the suddon overthinking things when it came to Neal Caffrey? He shook his head with a small smile of his own. Maybe he had just been on the job too long.
Ellenore looked up at the young man, as he spoke. She let a smile grace her features at his 'Starving Artist' comment. "You're an art student, Nick? How wonderful. Its so nice to see a young person take such interset in art these days." She looked back at the painting, a smile on her face. She couldn't help but notice the look Nick was now giving the gentleman he had been conversing with earlier.
It was strange how Peter loved to watch Neal work. There was just something about him that made everyone intantly like him, even trust him. Peter was beggining to get suspicious though, because Neal kept looking over in his direction. The woman also seamed to notice this, and the agent was afraid she would catch on if Neal kept glancing at him. So when she looked back at the artwork, Peter tried motioning to Neal to get him to focus and stop looking over at him.
Neal didn't fail to notice the look Peter had given him, like he was almost trying to figure him out. He'd seen it before, but he couldn't pay it any attention right now, as he had to focus on the woman if he wanted to be walking out of here the proud owner of a very expense fake painting.
Having to resist rolling his eyes as Peter motioned to him, he didn't even look over at the other man. He certainly didn't need Peter's help when it came to pulling off a con. He made a mental note to butt in and make suggestions on how Peter should go about arresting someone next time they were working a case. If Peter thought he needed to help Neal with his job, it was only fair that the younger man return the favor, so to speak.
"Yes, I'm an art student. Used up most of my money moving to New York and paying for my first year," he nodded, seeming perfectly believable as he lied. "It seems that most people just can't appreciate fine art anymore. Like this painting right here, most people couldn't tell you who painted it, or anything about it. It's such a shame. Oftentimes the most passionate people are artists themselves, and they typically can't afford real paintings such as this," he laughed slightly, shaking his head. "I can't even afford reproductions right now."
Peter got the hint when Neal made it a piont to not look at him, so he resigned himself to just listen in on the conversation, trying to look intersted in the art peices.
Ellenore studied Nick. He seamed honest enough, he was a kind man, she could tell that much. "You really like this one, don't you?" she nodded to the painting, eyes still trained on the man before her.
"Oh yes," he nodded again. "I've always been a fan of the artist, I even tried to make a few reproductions of his work myself." This wasn't really a lie, but instead of reproductions they had been forgeries, and excellent ones at that. But it was fine she didn't know that.
"This has always been my favorite piece by him. I was shocked to hear it was going to auction, so I made a special trip down here to get a look at it before it was sold." Again, not quite a lie. Neal had made a special trip down here to see this painting, hadn't he?
As she watched him, Neal smiled slightly, not the grin from before, he didn't want to over sell this. But he made every effort to look trustworthy without making it obvious that he wanted her to buy him the painting. He'd had years of practice when it came to getting what he wanted without making it look like he wanted it.
********
To Be Continued...
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Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2010 3:39 pm
As Peter listened he made a mental note to call Neal out on the confession of the 'reproductions' he confessed to making. He smiled to himself thinking about the reaction this would bring out in the younger man.
Ellenore, smiled. "I'll tell you what, I'll treat you to it. But on one condition," she paused for moment "You have to keep me company today." her smile grew as she continued talking. "Talking with you has brightened my spirits, so what do you say, Nick, do we have a deal?" She extended her hand to him, "And you will forgive my forgetfulness of not introducing myself sooner: Ellenore."
Peter shook his head, how Neal managed to get her to offer the painting up so quickly, he would Never know.
The look of shock on Neal's face was perfectly faked; he looked so surprised that she had offered to buy the painting for him, even though he had been expecting this. "You will? I can't tell you how much I appreciate this. I never actually thought I'd own an original anything," his smile was huge now as he switched his emotion to excitement perfectly.
"It looks like you have yourself a deal, Ellenore," he nodded, reaching out to shake her hand. "Thank you," he added, barely catching Peter shaking his head out of the corner of his eye. He didn't look at the other man, but he was sure Peter would be able to pick up on the barely noticeable hint of a smirk he was now wearing. He had pulled this little con off in record time. Even Peter had to be impressed.
----
"Okay, now that we have the painting, we head back to the Buroue. Decide on our next move." Peter, was unlocking his door as he spoke. "One day you are gonna tell me how you managed to get her to cave so quickly."
Just then his cell rang, he checked the caller ID before flipping it open, "Hey, El" he paused as he listened to her on the other end, as he climbed into the drivers seat. "No, Honey, I'm sorry. We just landed a really big case, I'm going to have to cancel lunch." Another pause, "Yeah, see you tonight. Love you too." He hang up the phone with a shake of his head. Sometimes he wondered why El put up with the hours his job demanded from him, (or he occassionaly chose to work, could anyone really blame him for wanting to finish a case quickly?)
"I never reveal my secrets," Neal remarked with a grin, but quieted as Peter's phone began to ring. He silently stashed the painting in the back seat before he walked around to the passengers side, sliding in just as Peter hung up the phone.
"Are you sure you don't want to take an hour break to go have lunch with Elizabeth?" he asked, clearly having heard the conversation. He knew Peter, though, and he knew that he would want to work on the case rather than take any personal time. It just seemed to be part of Peter's personality, kind of like how it was in Neal's personality to put more emphasis on those he loved, not like that had turned out well for him thus far with the whole Kate situation, but still. Maybe that was just another way he and Peter balanced each other out?
For once Neal didn't immediately start fiddling around with the GPS, radio, or anything else that was sure to get a reaction out of the older man, he instead seemed preoccupied with with the carefully packaged painting in the backseat. "Such a shame it isn't real," he commented almost wistfully.
The Agent shook his head, as he started the car. "No, she understands." He pulled out onto the road. "She's used to it" he nodded as if confirming his own statement. "She knows how I am when I get on a case, she doesn't mind." He conluded. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized that he kept brushing Elezabeth off more and more. Thier time together was quickly becoming non-existant and the thing that worried Peter so much about this was that he didn't worry him at all.
"Well, you were on such a roll, you could have just conned her into buying you a real one. I'm sure she would have. she seamed to take a liking to you." Peter commented on Neal's remark, giving his Partner a smile.
"Alright, you know your wife better than I do. It just seems like you're spending more time with me working cases than you are at home with her," he commented, hating the fact that he actually felt happy about that, and praying that it wasn't obvious to Peter.
Thankful for the change in subject, the con artist nodded with his charming grin, "I can't help it if someone likes me and wants to buy me nice things, now can I? No law against that, last I checked," sighing, he eyed Peter now, "Trust me, I thought about trying to get her to buy me a real one. I was just worried a certain FBI agent wouldn't allow me to get her to buy me two expensive paintings."
"True, I wouldn't." He agreed with a nod, "But I'm surprised you didn't at least try." Peter couldn't help but to try and provoke his friend with this. maybe it was payback for the times Neal insisted on annoying him with fiddling with the bottons. He looked sideways at his partner, still keeping an eye on the road, to see his reaction.
Catching the way Peter glanced over at him, Neal just shrugged and grinned. "Take me back to that auction house, give me ten minutes and I can walk out with a Monet, easily," he challenged with a laugh. "We both know I can charm anyone into doing almost anything," he added, now looking over at Peter as well, an amused grin on his face.
"And you surprised me by letting me con her into buying me this painting in the first place. Maybe we're having an effect on each other after-all; you're making me a little better and I'm helping you bend the law a little," he joked, leaning back in his seat now, but still watching his partner as well.
"I know you can, all you got to do is flash that smile, and bat those eyes. And you got them buying into everythingg you say." Peter meant for this to come off as just another witty remark, but as soon as he said it, he realized that it sounded ginuine. Sounded as though he himself had been won over by Neal's charm a cuple times, maybe he had? Maybe that was the reason he let the man out of prison in the first place?
"Well it wasn't technically illegal," the agent answered, trying to sound like he believed it. "And it's nice to know, I have had such an effect on you, maybe I'll get you on the straight and norrow after all." He smiled at the thought.
"Is that how I won you over?" The con artist asked, almost as if knowing what Peter was thinking. "By smiling at you and batting my eyelashes?" He grinned, doing just that right now as he continued to watch the older man. "It's good to know that even Peter Burke can't resist my charm."
Hearing the second part of what Peter has said, Neal outright laughed, shaking his head. "Me on the straight and narrow? Do you really think that's possible, Peter?" he asked his partner seriously. "And why would you even want it to happen? Isn't your life more interesting this way?" he joked.
"I never said you won me over," the agent defended imedeately, though he couldn't resist the small smile as his partner batted those eyes at him. "If I didn't know any better Neal, I'd say you were flirting with me." He tried to sound nonchalante and hoped he pulled it off.
"Oh, I think its possible, You really think I would be trying so hard if I didn't believe it?" Peter answered just as seriously has the qustion was asked of him. "Not denying its been intersting," he said the word slowly to emphisise that it wasn't the word he would use to describe the last year and a half.
"If I hadn't won you over, you never would have let me out of prison," the con countered with a grin, one that only widened at Peter's next statement. "Why, is it working? See, even you can't resist my charm," he said as a joke, pausing for a moment.
"Trying so hard? It seems like you've barely been trying at all," Neal teased his partner. "Exactly, I make your life interesting, so why mess with a good thing?" And with that he flicked the radio on, an innocent grin on his face as he glanced at Peter.
Peter went to reply, but thought better of it. There was just no winning with this kid. He sighed in annoyance as the radio was once again flipped onto a station he didn't much care for. At least they were close the the Buroue and he would only have to be tourmented for just a short while longer, he thought as he slowed to a stop at a red light.
"Text Hughes." the agent said, pulling his phone out of his pocket and handing it to Neal. "Let him know we have one of the West's forgories and are on our way back with it." It was an after thought, but since they had only originally gone to the auction for a look, he thought his boss should have a heads up before they got back to the Buroue with a painting.
"I get to text the boss from your phone, huh?" Neal commented as he took Peter's phone, opening the texting menu and finding the right number. "I will let him know and then I'll add a little note at the end saying how you think it would be beneficial to extend Caffrey's radius," he said seriously, though he knew Peter would know he was bluffing. And hell, Hughes would most likely suspect Neal had gotten hold of the phone anyway.
"There, your message has been sent," the con artist replied, but made no move to hand Peter back his phone. Instead, he began to look through Peter's inbox, wondering how long it would be until the agent noticed.
"So what are we doing when we get back?" He asked while still snooping.
The light turned green, "You only get to text him because I'm driving." Peter explained as he pushed down on the accelerator. "Be sure to let me know what his responce is to that." he replied, amusement in his voice. He knew Neal wouldn't actually send that to Hughes, the kid wasn't known to try his tricks on the boss. Peter had yet to figure out why.
"You say there's something to the forgeries that isn't openly obvious, there's someway he's tracking the paintings directly to the Collections? Well, we are going to inspect every inch of that thing to see if you're right. If you are, then we can lead West right to us." He glanced over to his partner, "What are you doing?" he asked, eyes norrowing in suspision, when he saw the con artist still had his phone open.
"He said that he'll get on that right away and extend Caffrey's radius to three miles because of all the invaluable service he's given thus far to the FBI," Neal said, amusement on his face. "It's right here in writing, so to speak," he insisted, nodding to the phone which he was still holding and looking at.
"Of course I'm right. We'll find something out of the norm when we take apart this painting; I'm sure of it," he nodded. "Am I going to be the one going undercover to lure West out?" he asked, already assuming it would get that far because he was certain they would find some clue in the painting.
Laughing as Peter questioned what he was doing and looked over at him, Neal looked up at him, "Keep your eyes on the road there, oh, and don't forget that Elizabeth wants you to pick up some groceries on the way home," he added innocently, still laughing as he read more texts.
"Im sure he did," Peter palyed along, then nodded at Neal's next question. "Yeah, you're going undercover." It really was uncanny how much the FBI had come to rely on Neal Caffrey, Peter thought as he answered. "But only if need be," the agent assuered his partner.
"El doesn't let me do the shopping..." he said quietly, and a bit destractedly, then realizing what Neal was refering to he added, "You're reading my texts?" He was forced to slow to another stop at yet another red light.
Turning to his partner he help his hand out, "Give me that," he demanded nodding to his phone.
"I'm always the one to go undercover; what would you guys do without me?" He tsked, shaking his head, though his attention was still on the phone rather than his partner.
"Technically I'm not reading your texts...anymore. I've moved on to your pictures now. You've got some pretty good stuff on here," the younger man commented, a smirk on his face as he lied. As if Peter would have anything out of the ordinary on his phone. "I could blackmail you with some of this stuff, agent Burke," he said seriously, raising an eyebrow as he looked at Peter's outstretched hand.
"Aw, come on. It's just starting to get good," Neal complained, turning away from Peter and hanging on to the phone, making it so it would be harder for his partner to grab it.
"Neal, I am not playing this game with you." Peter threatened when his partner twisted away from him, but reached for it anyway. Just when he was about to grab it a car horn sounded behind them. He glanced at the light, which had turned green somewhere in the midst of the conversation.
Peter settled back into his seat and pulled forward. He glanced back over to Neal, "I want my phone back the minute we pull into the Buroue" he commanded. He didn't know why he was getting angry, there wasn't anything on the phone that Neal didn't already know or couldn't just ask about. It was all just texts from Diana, Hughes, Elizabeth, and Neal himself, the pictures were case related or the occasional photo of El. Maybe it was just the fact that his phone was a personal item, and Peter Burke had always been a private person.
"How many times do I have to tell you to focus more on driving than you do on me?" Neal chided as the car behind them, rudely, let them know that the light had changed. Ah, the joys on New York driving. "We've been playing a game for over seven years, Peter," he then commented on the other man's first statement, though he had a victorious look on his face as he relaxed back into his seat, still with Peter's phone.
"The minute we get there? So a minute as in sixty seconds or are we talking just in a timely manner, or maybe-" Neal trailed off with another slight laugh. Sometimes he seemed to enjoy pushing Peter's buttons far too much. "So, am I in your phone at all?" He asked with an amused sense of curiosity as he seemed almost bored with all of the case related photos.
Peter just glared at the other man as he was scolded. "Yeah, well I caught you twice, Neal. I'm winning this 'game'," he ansered smugly.
He chose to ignore Neal's little rant about the definition of the phrase Peter had chosen to use, the agent should have expected this sort of thing anyway (just look who they were talking about, after all).
"Are you in my phone?" He repeated the question as though he wasn't sure what his partner was asking.
"Yeah, well maybe you just think you're the one winning?" Neal suggested with a slight shrug, not seeming all that bothered by the fact that Peter had caught him twice already.
"Yes, Sherlock, am I in your phone?" Neal repeated the question, finally focusing his attention fully on Peter, seeming to find humor in the fact that Peter seemed confused. "As in pictures? I know you have my number, you've used it how many times to wake me up early on days I'd rather be sleeping in?"
"How am I not winning?" Peter argued, before he had the time to stop and think about just how ridiculaous this arguement was in the first place. How the hell did Neal always manage to get him to argue about unimportant things?
Again Peter turned his attention to the other man, "Why would I have pictures of you in my phone?" he asked as though he couldn't believe he actuelly had to ask the question. But it was true, there was really no logical reason that Peter Burke should or would have photos of Neal Caffrey on his cell phone. Having voiced his question he turned back to the road, not wanting Neal to scold him again.
"Well, we both know that the first time I did most of the leg work for you. I turned myself over, end of story. And the second time? Well, everyone has a lucky break, now don't they?" He shot back, now diverting his attention back to the phone as he listened to Peter's next question.
"Not pictures, a picture. One. Caller ID image, maybe?" He suggested with a smirk and a roll of his eyes. "You know, that way something actually comes up on those rare occasions that I call you?" Perhaps Peter was finding out what happens when you give a very bored Neal Caffrey your cell phone. But hey, it wasn't his fault the trip back to the office was so long. Turning the phone around, he snapped a picture of himself, without asking Peter's permission, and then proceeded to set a caller ID image.
He opened his mouth to argue once more, before thinking twice about. He instead drew in a long breth and let it out heavely with a shake of his head.
Peter herd the click of the camera and looked over to see Neal still messing with his phone. "Did you just, you did didn't you?" there was a rare mixture of annoyance and amusement on his face. The agent made a mental note to never give Caffrey his phone again, under any circumstance, assuming he managed to get it back in the fist place.
Finally pulling into the parking lot of the Buroue, he parked the taraus, and pulled the keys out of the ignition. He then held his hand out expectantly, "Neal, phone."
As they pulled into the parking lot, Neal had immediately started to get out of the car, thinking if he got out fast enough Peter wouldn't have time to ask for his phone back. He paused halfway out of the car as Peter held out his hand. "Oh yeah, your phone. Almost forgot about that. But you're on the ball, good for you, Peter," the con artist stated as he placed the phone into the older man's hand with an innocent grin. "There, all back safe and sound," he promised, though he wondered how long it would take Peter to realize that Neal may or may not have been messing around with his wallpaper as well.
"I'll just go get the painting now," he said, sliding out of the car and opening the door to the backseat, carefully retrieving said painting. Shutting the door and walking around to the driver's side, he waited for Peter to get out of the car, still sporting his innocent look.
Peter pocketed his cell phone, promising himself to check it out whenever he had the chance. "It better be," was the reply to Neal's assurance of the phone's safty.
Peter emerged from the car, giving Neal a stern look in responce to the younger man's inocent one. He lead the way to the elevator, pushed the botton for their floor and took the cell phone from his pocket. As soon as he flipped it open he noticed his wallpaper was no longer El, but Neal. the agent raised an eyebrow at his partner, "Was this really necasary?" he asked, holding up the phone so that the con man could see what Peter was refering to.
Neal leaned against the wall in the elevator, the painting resting safely at his side, but he looked away almost guiltily as he saw Peter reach for his phone. Hearing the question, he looked back at his partner and shrugged with a laugh, "Variety is the spice of life, Peter," he replied as he glanced at the phone.
"And it is a very good picture, if I do say so myself. Maybe you could pull some strings, you know, if my picture ever ends up in the paper again, make sure they use that one?" Picking up the painting, he walked out of the elevator as the doors opened, sparing the older man a look over his shoulder, partly to see if he was already changing the wallpaper back.
The agent nodded, "I'll be sure to do that, Neal" he replied dismissfully, he then recived a text from Diana: Meet you in the Confrence Room, Boss. Was what greated him when he opened it up. He was about to change the wallpaper when the doors opened up.
Peter gave up his task of switching the photo back, flipping the phone shut and stucking it back into his pocket, and followed his partner out into the hall. "Diana and Jones are meeting us in the confrenece room." He informed, as he opened the door into the main lobby of the offices for the younger man to walk through.
Looking almost pleased when Peter shut the phone and put it away without switching the picture back, Neal walked into the lobby, painting in hand. "Conference room, got it," he replied, heading in that direction.
"It shouldn't take long to figure out what's so special about this painting, which is good because we don't know how long we have until he decides to go after it. The last thing we want is for him to find out the painting is in the FBI offices; he'll know we're on to him and he'll run," Neal said to his partner as he walked into the conference room and set the painting down on the table, nodding to Jones and Diana. "The crew's all here," he grinned.
"Alright, lets got to it," Peter was already leaning over the painting, as if he would find something there he had missed upon his earlier inspection at the auction house. Seeming to come up empty handed, he decided to run his fingers along the edges of the canvas, maybe there would be something to find here?
Diana rose from her seat and she too leaned over to examan the forgery, oppisite Burke. "He's really good, looks just like the real thing," she commented sounding slightly awe struck.
"Well, he did manage to fool the auction house, on multiple occasions," he reminded her, as he continued his exploration of the canvas. There really was no doubt that West was good, it was part of the reason there was nothing concrete angainst him untill he got sloppy, or as Neal would call it; cocky. The agent just couldn'y understand why someone would go out of thier way to stay off the radar, and turn right around and all but say 'here I am, come get me'. which is way this move was sloppy in Peter's book.
As Peter leaned forward and ran his hand along the painting, Neal lightly slapped it away, looking at his partner. "Haven't you ever been to a museum? You don't touch art," the former thief reprimanded with the slightest of grins. He knew that they would have to examine the painting and that would involve touching it, but still. Leaning over it himself now, he closely looked it over, eyes following along the line where the canvas met the frame.
"He's good, but the shading in the lower left corner is off. I could have done better. Hypothetically." The con artist replied in response to Diana's statement, a smirk on his face for the moment.
"Ah, there's the hypothetically. I thought we'd actually gotten a confession out of him," Jones laughed, looking at Peter.
"Confession? I have nothing to confess to, I've only ever forged a bond or two, or at least that's what your fine judicial system agreed on," he grinned, straightening up now, looking at them for a minute before gently flipping the painting over, studying the back.
"The canvas seems like it's lifted up slightly..." He muttered, leaning over it again, now running his hands along the back of the painting carefully before wrapping his fingers around, feeling along the seam in the front of the painting and waiting for the retort he was sure Peter would have in store for him now that he was touching it.
Peter pulled his hand away from the canvas when it was slapped. Giving his partner a look that was a mixture between annoyance and amusement, for the second time today, the agent decided to piont out the obvouis, "It's a fake, Neal."
"We know you could, Caffrey," Diana asured Neal, a smile playing on her lips.
Peter shook his head and grinned at Jones' inquirey, "No, the only confession we ever got out of him was hypothetical," This, in turn, earned a small laugh from his probie. "We'll the judicial system can only act on the evedence presented to them, if they knew you half as well as I did, they would've known you were giulty." he asurred.
Upon seeing Neal do exactly what he had instructed the agent not to do, Peter folded his arms and raised an eyebrow. "Neal, what do you think you're doing," he began, his tone serious. "Don't you know you're not supposed to touch art?"
"Fake or not, Peter, it still took someone a long time to produce. Just think about all the effort that went into this. You know, some people say that painting forgeries is actually harder than painting an original," Neal commented, narrowing his eyes as his fingers slid easily over the canvas, though it was obvious he'd rather not be touching the painting like this.
"Oh, it is harder. It's harder because people who paint originals don't have to run from the FBI for three years. You know, hypothetically," Jones replied with an almost straight face.
"Funny, really funny," the con artist retorted, but then smiled at Diana. "At least someone here can appreciate my talents," he joked before turning on Peter. "They can only act on the evidence presented to them? But, isn't it your job to bring them the evidence to convict the criminals? So technically it's your fault I wasn't convicted of any of the other, alleged, crimes? I always knew you were going soft on me, Peter."
Rolling his eyes at his partner's last comment, Neal smirked. "But it's only a fake," he replied, clearly mocking Peter's earlier statement since the older man was mocking him. Eyeing the other man's folded arms, Neal reached out, grabbing hold of one of Peter's hands and placing it on the canvas. "Besides, I was right. There is something here, under the canvas. Feel that little bump there?" He asked, looking up at Peter now, his hand still on top of the agent's for a moment. "There is more to this painting than meets the eye, just like I said."
"Don't you mean your alleged, hypothetical talents?" Diana asked, trying to her best to sound like she was interrogating him. She could have pulled it off too, if it weren't for the smile still on her face.
"I did my job, you are twisting my words," There was a hint of real anger in the agent's voice, he knew Neal was just kidding but he couldn't help it, he loved his job. He was good at it too. There was that sence of needing to protect his reputation as a White Collar FBI Agent, whenever his skills seamed to be threatened.
Any anger he may have felt left when he caught the look in those blue eyes, right before Neal's hand grabbed his own. As his hand was guided to its destination, Peter's eyes never left Neal's face. The agent nodded, he swallowed once, nervously, before answering. "Yeah. I do," he took a moment to wonder if their relationship had always been like this, had they always been so comfortable around eachother that touching wasn't taboo? Yes, yeas it was always this way, so why was it that Peter was just now starting to realize the intamacy of it all? Maybe he had always known, just wasn't willing to face it?
Pulling himself out of his thoughts, he focused on the situation at hand. "What is that?" he asked, running his finger along the bump under the canvas.
"Yes, both alleged and hypothetical," Neal corrected himself with a laugh at Diana's statement. He didn't comment on Peter's anger, he only shot his partner a questioning and almost slightly apologetic look. He knew Peter took his job seriously, so he should have been expecting a response like that.
Neal hadn't failed to noticed the fact that Peter watched him as he guided his hand to the painting, and he looked up to meet Peter's gaze, just staring at him for a moment, looking somewhat curious, though he didn't say anything. Finally he pulled his hand back in a way that seemed subconsciously reluctant.
"I'm not sure what it is yet, but I'm willing to bet it's a device that allows him to track the painting where ever it goes," he commented, glancing down at his anklet as he spoke, "But we're already familiar with that, now aren't we?" He joked, trying to lighten the mood again as he returned his gaze to Peter, however his mind was still on the reaction Peter had to their earlier contact. He hadn't really noticed how much they actually did things like that until recently. But lately he had started to take notice of just how much contact there was between them. Peter's hand on the small of his back as the older man guided him through a door, or how Neal himself would place a hand on Peter's shoulder, or brush something off his jacket. Well, he'd always been aware of the contact, it was more like he hadn't really been aware of the fact that it was out of the ordinary. Even for partners.
"So how do we find out for sure what it is?" Jones asked, and Neal was happy this gave him an easy distraction and a reason to look away from Peter.
"As much as it pains me to say this, we have to cut the canvas, peel it back and then just detach the device. We can study it for a bit, make sure that's all it is, but then we have to put it back and find a place to store it so if he checks to see where the painting is, he doesn't see it's at the FBI headquarters. We don't want to tip him off."
"Good," Diana started. "We couldn't have you go and confess now, could we? Especialy standing in a room full of agents." she added. She found she really enjoyed messing with Caffrey, it was just such an easy rutine to fall into. She had to admit to herself that, after her first impression of the man, she now considered him part of the team, even a friend.
As Neal spoke, Peter kept his gaze on his partner. He was still trying to figure out what had happened, why he had reacted in such a way to a simple touch. He knew Neal had noticed his strange behavoir, but thankfully didn't call him out on it. He grined a bit when the younger man made a joke about the anklet but didn't respond, Neal always did try his best to keep things light.
It took the agent a moment to realize that after Neal had made his last comment, he was staring at him again. Peter made eye contact with him for a moment, a slight question in his eyes, before Jones' asked a question of his own and those blue eyes looked away.
As Diana watched her boss and his partner, she noticed that there was something that passed between them just now. It was slight, barely noticable, but still there. She couldn't quite place what that something was, though.
"We don't have time to find a place to properly store it, not officially anyway." The agent replied automatically, business as usual. "We could keep it at someone's house," he concluded.
"Of course I wouldn't confess in front of a roomful of agents. Especially not in front of your boss here. He's already arrested me twice and I don't want to go for three and o here. Having an agent a little too used to slapping handcuffs on you can never be a good thing," he joked, barely noticing that his words could have a slightly different meaning, though he glanced over at Peter with that grin.
Neal ignored the questioning look Peter had fixed on him, instead choosing to lean back against the table, watching the three agents as he thought for a moment. "We can't 'officially' store it some place, but we could unofficially set something up, couldn't we?" He asked, the look on his face and the tone of his voice both hinting at the fact that he was already thinking up some scheme in his head.
"By unofficial do you also mean something illegal?" Jones asked, half joking.
"No, not illegal. I just might happen to know of someone who might have a place where we could store the painting. Someplace that could act as a gallery to lure West to us without tipping him off," Neal explained, knowing Peter would know right off the bat that he was talking about Mozzie. "Wouldn't that be the best case scenario? Set it up, I'd be there to make sure everything goes well and when West breaks in you guys come running in with your guns and badges and arrest him; like always," he laughed, still agreeing with his earlier assessment of this being an easy case, and the look he shot Peter clearly conveyed that 'I told you so' feeling.
"How convenient. You just so happen to have this friend who has this place," Jones said, an amused skepticism in his voice. It was clear that he was assuming the person Neal was talking about was a criminal as well.
"What can I say? I have useful friends," he shrugged innocently.
The agent looked over to Neal, eyes norrowing, as he regurded his friend. He recongnized this, Neal Caffrey was actually flirting with him. For a moment Peter seemed unable to actually process this piece of information. First there was the instance in the car, and now this. What was the kid up to? But wait, this wasn't anything out of the norm, either. There were always these little flirtatious remarks on Neal's part, but today ... something had changed. Or, maybe nothing had changed and Peter was in fact just seeing things more clearly? "As I recall," Peter started a slight smile of his own, "You never really minded the handcuffs." He stopped himself from adding the last part of 'It was prison you minded', because he wanted to let Neal know just how it felt to be on the recieving end of a comment like that. He also was testing his theory of 'Do I possibly have feelings for Neal Caffrey?'
Diana rised her eyebrows at that, she looked between her boss and Caffrey. If she didn't know any better, she would think they were flirting.
"Neal," the agent warned, knowing what his partner was thinking and that the warning would go unheaded. He was proved right when Neal ignored him, and brushed aside Jones' question as well.
Peter drew in a long breath, that look just didn't sit right with him. Being an agent for twelve years, he could just tell when a case wasn't going to be as simple as it looked on paper. He shook his head, to show that he still stood by his first impression too. "Okay, we can do this," he gave in. then as an after thought, "You sure he won't mind the FBI knowing the location of this facility, seeing as how reluctant he was the last time?" he was refering to when Mozzie had to shelter him in one of his 'safe houses'.
Neal's easy going grin faltered slightly at Peter's first comment. He hadn't been expecting the agent to practically flirt back with him, especially in front of Jones and Diana. He'd never flirted back before, and the con artist would be lying if he said that Peter hadn't caught him off guard, and it was obvious. But he just smiled back, looking amused and even slightly pleased at this turn of events. "No, I don't really mind handcuffs all that much if you're the one putting them on me, Peter," he shot back with little to no hint of joking, watching the older man closely.
He normally would have noticed the look on Diana's face, one that clearly pointed out she was catching on to what was going on here, but he failed to notice it due to the fact that his gaze was still leveled on Peter. "Oh, he'll mind, but the question is; will he let us use a place anyway. And I think he will, after I talk to him," Neal replied, pausing again as he thought for a moment. "He has been eyeing a few bottles in my collection that I think I can bribe him with," he mused. "So we're setting this up? The trap and everything? Good, because we don't know how long it will be until he tries to break in. It could be tonight or it could be a week from now. It might be a good idea to check the files and see how long after the paintings were purchased that the break ins occurred. It might give us a possible time frame here to work with."
"I can do that," Jones offered with a nod. "Oh, and I was right, it is your criminal friend, isn't it?" He questioned, obviously figuring out that Neal was talking about Mozzie.
"I have a lot of criminal friends, Jones," he replied, not giving a straight answer, which was par for him.
Peter smiled somewhat smugly, when he saw that his partner was caught off gaurd. Peter had won this time, or so he thought. At Neal's next comment, Peter was all but struck speachless. As much as he racked his brain, he couldn't come up with a way to respond to that. If they had been alone at the time, he may have had something to say, but here in front of Diana and Jones? There was nothing he could say, nothing he would allow himself to say. Instead, he opted to look away from the man now staring at him so intently, and focus on the forgery laying on the table.
"Yeah, we'll do this." he answered, looking up from the painting and fixing Neal with a 'listen to me' look, "But I don't want Mozzie there when this is going down. I said it earlier, I'll say it again; thi case just doesn't feel right. I don't want anyone in or around that building that doesn't have to be." Turning his attenetion to Jones, "Let me know what you find out in the files."
He looked back to the con artist, then back down to the painting, "lets take it apart," he smiled.
Just then Diana's cell went off, after seeing the caller ID read 'Christy', She excused herself. She made her way into the hall for some privacy as she answered the call.
When Peter didn't respond to his comment, Neal had an 'I win' look written all over his face, not hiding the fact that he was proud of this. "I wasn't planning on having Moz there when this goes down. I'll be alone in the building, you guys in the van waiting, just like old times," he assured him, still planning on this being a quick bust. What could go wrong? He'd have Peter and a few other FBI agents sitting less than a block away acting as back-up, and it wasn't like he would have to take down West himself or anything. He just had to play the part of the gallery owner, and going undercover wasn't anything new to him. "Oh, but I'm sure Mozzie will appreciate the fact that you're worried about his safety," he teased, knowing that wasn't the reason Peter didn't want Moz there.
Noting the smile on Peter's face now, the con man sighed, shaking his head. "You're smiling? You are way to happy to take this painting apart," he quipped as he turned to lean over the painting again. "Have a knife?" he asked, looking up to Peter now.
"Yeah boss, I'll let you know what I find as soon as get the files," Jones nodding as he picked up some paperwork off the table and left the room, planning on grabbing a copy of all of the case files on the thefts. **** **** ****
To Be Continued ...
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