White Collar - as an unofficial novel - part 2

Monday

It was Monday morning and Neal Caffrey stepped into the office of the White Collar division in New York. For the first time in a week, the smile on his face was genuine. In the office of Reese Hughes, he saw his handler, Special Agent Peter Burke, sitting with his back to him.

Peter had been on vacation for a week and it had not been the same without him. Not only was his handler the only one in the office who treated him with respect, though he was a convicted felon, he had also been confined to his desk in Peter's absence. Jones and Diana had accompanied him for lunch twice. It had been nice, but without Peter, their comments about his conviction or his anklet had felt harsher than he thought they intended.

Neal had just been out for two weeks. He knew he had to keep up and do his job to stay out of prison. With the other agents, his team members, he was not yet sure if they wanted him there or not.

Peter gave him an odd form of comfort. He knew Peter wanted him there. If he did something wrong, Peter would tell him. He also knew his handler would cuff him and take him back to prison if needed. But he would do so with care and respect. The reason for Peter to put him back would also be Neal committing a crime, not because someone did not like him.

Neal sat down by his desk and opened the file he had been mulling over when he went home last Friday. He heard the door to Hughes' room open and Peter's and his boss' voices. He raised his head and saw Peter watching him. They shared a smile. The agent nodded for him to come.

They sat down in his room.

"Good to see you, Peter. Had a fine week?"

"The best ever," Peter returned with a wide smile. "And you?"

Neal shrugged.

"Not the same without you."

"Someone treated you bad?"

"No."

Peter glanced at him. It was the truth. But he was a convicted felon and his teammates had been the ones chasing him. It was an odd situation for both parts. Peter did not push it further.

"Is the anklet still chafing your leg?"

"It's still there."

"Annoying?"

Neal shrugged. He did not think much about it during the days any longer, but every time he changed clothes it was there as a bulky, heavy thing. Not to mention the constant awareness of being watched.

"Let me check it," Peter requested and pointed at the empty chair beside Neal.

"That it's still there? Trust me. It is."

"That it's not too tight."

"Or too loose?"

Peter slid around the desk on his chair and pattered with his hand on the empty seat. Neal sighed and put his left foot on it, exposing the anklet.

Peter placed two fingers under the strap of the anklet. It was not too tight. Or too loose for that matter, but that was rarely a problem. It was far more common that restrains of any kind was pulled too tight. His guts told him it would go far before Neal complained, even if he had the right to do so. He did not want the kid to suffer because he for any reason did not tell if the anklet caused him pain. Neal was in an exposed position and it was Peter's job to keep him safe.

"Alright." He nodded to Neal and the kid took his foot down. Jones had left him a report of Neal's movements during the week. It was a dull read. It seemed as his convict was extremely cautious. Had Neal not felt safe when he was gone? Had he moved as little as possible not to catch Jones' attention? Time would tell.