White Collar: An unofficial novel - part 9

Confession

Neal sat down on the windowsill in Peter's room after shaking hands with Wilson once again.

"So, gentlemen?" He looked from Peter to Neal and back again. What's up?"

"One of our agents has arranged for the Burmese consulate to hand over a DVD with Christofer's confession," Peter told a stunned Wilson. "We would like you to watch it with us in the conference room."

Peter gestured and Wilson walked ahead of them. Neal joined last.

"I don't know how he pulled it off. The Burmese have been stonewalling since Chris' arrest. We weren't even aware there was a tape."

"Well, you can thank Agent Berrigan for this," Peter said indicating Diana who waited for them.

"The regional director of Southeast Asia's a friend. She was able to pressure them into turning over proof of life."

"The good thing about this is they wouldn't let us see it unless he was all right," Peter pointed out and nodded to Diana. "Go ahead."

She picked up the remote and started the film on the screen.

There was a picture of Christopher, tired and pale, but nerveless. The quality of the footage was amazingly bad, especially around the edges, Neal noted. A man spoke what he figured was Burmese and an interpreter said:

"State your name."

"Christopher Harlowe."

"I have some questions. Are you prepared to answer them?"

"Yes, sir."

"Are you being treated well?"

There was a pause and then the answer:

"I've been given everything I need."

Neal noted that Wilson was emotional, which surprised him.

"Did you steal the ruby?"

"That's what I'm accused of."

Someone gave him a nudge and spoke in the other language. The interpreter translated:

"Did you steal it? Yes or no?"

"Yes."

"Who helped you?"

"I was alone."

That was the second time Christoper moved as if in discomfort and seemed to scratch himself. On another place than last time.

"How did you manage such a feat?"

"I crossed the stream into the base. Then I bribed a guard to get the ruby."

Neal was certain the kid was lying. You would need a fortune to bribe your way to the ruby, and he said he only bribed one. Still, it was a confession. He said he had stolen it.

Wilson turned the DVD off.

"That's gonna be hard to refute," Neal told Peter. Peter gave a nod in agreement before turning to Wilson.

"When you came to us, you already knew that he had confessed."

"Yeah, sorry. I should've mentioned that. But Chris has absolutely no criminal record whatsoever."

"'Chris'?" Peter repeated. "We're meeting outside your workplace. You're comfortable calling him Chris. Chris isn't just any kid, is he?"

Peter had noted the same thing as he and suddenly the pieces came together.

"He's your son," he said.

"That's why you really came to us."

Wilson looked at them. Then closed his eyes and nodded.