The Woman in Blue

Chapter 19: Family Day

June's Mansion. Saturday, October 23, 2004.

Neal returned home from his morning lecture at Columbia, having successfully warded off Aidan's attempts to lure him away for fencing practice. He'd abandoned Mozzie for several hours. The least he could do was offer his assistance. Not that Mozzie would probably accept it.

Mozzie had worked through most of the night before finally collapsing on the couch. Building working models of all the Apian wheels had become his new obsession. When Neal tried to help, he shooed him away, mumbling to him in Latin. Even if Neal didn't understand the language, it would have still been abundantly clear he was being given the brush-off.

As Neal headed upstairs, he was surprised to hear voices coming from the loft—not just Mozzie's, but a higher-pitched voice. Was June with him?

"The complex bouquet in my osso buco can only be achieved with a wine from the Piedmont region, preferably—Ah, I see our host has returned." Mozzie, interrupting himself, gave a cavalier wave in Neal's direction.

A curious sight awaited Neal when he walked in. Sitting at his table between mountains of paper, Mozzie and El were having a picnic. "May I join the party?" he asked with a hopeful smile.

"Please do," El said. "I'd brought you some of Jacques's creations from the event last night. I believe there are still some left, although I'd hoped there would be more."

"Why have you been keeping El away from me?" Mozzie asked as he scooped up papers from one of the chairs so Neal would have somewhere to sit. "She's delightful. My opinion of the suit has risen several notches already. Wine? You must try the pâté. It's outstanding."

The next day at Columbia University.

"Honestly, Peter, he was quite charming. He even insisted we trade telephone numbers to share recipes."

Despite El's reassurance, Peter was far from convinced that he wanted her anywhere near the man, let alone exchanging telephone numbers. If he knew Mozzie's last name—and could run a thorough background check—then perhaps they could "share recipes," but until that time, keeping Neal's odd friend under quarantine was the far safer strategy.

But for the rest of the day, Peter was happy to exclude Mozzie from his thoughts. They'd parked close to the campus and were now walking through the quad to the Family Day opening reception for Visual Arts families.

"Once you enter the quad, it's hard to believe you're in Manhattan," El said as she scanned the buildings around them. "It seems so peaceful and serene." She hooked her arm through his. "How does it feel to be on campus visiting your kid?"

"Lucky, in a word. We bypassed all those awkward high school days: learning how to drive, dates ... I shudder at what the birds and bees talk would have been like."

She smiled. "And don't forget, we're also not saddled with a mountain of college debt. Columbia is such an expensive university. When I heard that Neal had been accepted, I was overjoyed, of course, but I also worried how he'd be able to afford it."

"I know what you mean. Hughes had looked into the FBI tuition-assistance program but since he's on contract status, Neal's not eligible."

"Here are some familiar faces!"

Turning around, Peter saw Neal's aunt hurrying up the path. Noelle was dressed simply in a pullover sweater and skirt, her blonde hair shining in the brilliant midday sun. She'd abandoned her customary high heels for flats more suitable for the amount of walking Neal had warned them about. They stopped to let her catch up.

"I hear you saw Joe last night," El said. "Where'd you go?"

"He took me to a lovely Italian restaurant in Murray Hill. He happened to be in town visiting clients."