White Collar: An unofficial novel - part 15

Impersonate an FBI agent

Peter and Neal walked inside the Drakemore Hotel that the truck was parked outside. Peter flashed his badge in the reception and asked to speak to the head of security. Less than five minutes later a man hurried up to them.

"Sean Loomis, head of security," he shook their hands. "How can I help the FBI?"

"Do you recognize him?" Peter asked, holding Ben's photo.

"Yeah. He's one of the painters working on our remodeling."

"Is anyone from the phone company here right now?" Neal asked.

"Yeah. But my assistant already spoke to them. Their credentials check out."

"Pick up your phone." Loomis frowned but did as Peter asked. Stunned he tried it once more.

"Line's dead."

"Jones," he said over the radio, "bring the team to the Drakemore Hotel. The robbery is taking place here." He turned to Loomis again. "Where are those repairmen?"

"The junction room."

"What else is back there?" Neal asked.

"The house safe." The man had already turned and hurried away. Peter and Neal joined him.

"How much is in it?" Neal wanted to know but got no reply.

"How much?" Peter pressed him.

"Seven and a half million. There's a gem convention in town. A lot of our guests wanted us to keep their cash in our strong room. Our safe is impregnable."

Then why in such hurry, Peter wondered.

They left the main lobby and passed a ripped-off panel where cables hung out.

"You sure about that?" his pet convict said. Then there was a bang further down the corridor. Peter pulled his gun and with Loomis's directions flung the right door open.

The room was empty and there was a hole in the wall.

"Oh, I guess they couldn't crack the safe," Neal said.

"So they took the whole damn thing," Peter huffed and glanced through the hole. "What is on the other side?"

"I'll take you there," Loomis said and they ran out. There was a door right by. Peter told Loomis to wait and he and Neal run down the corridor and down the stairs.

There they saw two men with nylon stockings over their heads hurrying with a cart on their way out.

"FBI! Stop!"

While the first took the safe out, the second turned and fired his automatic. Peter was glad for his reflexes and got him and Neal out of the way.

"We're outgunned," Peter concluded.

"Yeah, I think so."

It was quiet and Peter glanced round the corner. It was empty. He ran down to the door and rushed out. There he saw the two men get into a green van and take off.

"You guys okay?" Jones asked, running up to them.

"Yeah. Except my neighbor just took off with seven and a half million dollars."

Neal kept quiet as they returned to the office. Peter was not in the mood for talking or analyzing yet. When they stepped out of the elevator, Jones met them.

"Peter, we found the van abandoned a half mile away," he reported. "No sign of Ben, Connor, or the money."

"These guys know what they're doing," Neal told them. "They had this planned to a 't.' Ben got a job as a painter to case the place. They had a drop car lined up. They even did a dry run on the same alarm system the hotel has."