White Collar - as an unofficial novel - part 2

The Locket

"So how upset were they that you lost the hundred grand?" El asked. They had met up for a lunch together and walked back to Peter's office. He had been sitting in a meeting with angry and frustrated people all morning.

"'Upset' is a bit of an understatement," Peter sighed. "They've started an administrative inquiry."

Peter saw the sudden worry in his wife's eyes.

"Everything will be fine if I recover it—." He squeezed her hand. "When I recover it."

"Well, the good news is Neal didn't take it," El told him.

"Yeah," Peter agreed. He became subject for an inquiry and Neal did not steal easy money. "This is progress."

Had the kid not taken them because he thought he would get caught, or because he had not had a chance? Or because it was too easy? Or because he simply did not want to? He had not run away with Barelli's Bible. It had been two months and not a single thing to blame him for.

"Do you think he had anything to do with it?" Elisabeth must have seen a troubled look upon his face.

"No. But..." Peter hesitated, finding words for his thoughts. "The thing about Neal... nothing is ever what it seems. The guy is a contradiction. He's obsessed about Kate but you should have seen him flirting with this girl." Peter knew he was not much of a romantic guy, but how could he flirt with other women than the one he claimed to truly love?

"Honey, that's who Neal is. That's never gonna change." El hugged his arm. "That's what I love about you so much."

"What? That I lost all ability to flirt when we got married?"

She laughed.

"Honey, it was even questionable then."

"It was," Peter agreed with a grin. But he had caught the best woman of them all.

"Who's the new girl?"

"Taryn Vandersant."

"Mm. Don't know her."

"She's a buyer at the Lambert gallery. She's beautiful. Seems nice."

"Well, if Neal is interested, you should encourage it."

Peter stared.

"Encourage it? I need that like a hole in the head."

"Honey, if he falls for the new girl, he might actually stop chasing Kate."

Well, that would indeed be progress. He was sure Neal had not given up the search. Neal just kept him out of the loop since he had denied the kid to go to San Diego.

They said their goodbyes and Peter walked back to the office.

On the way in he met Neal, also returning back from lunch. He had not had a chance to have a proper talk with him about that fake arrest. When they got the elevator for themselves he took the chance.

"Are you okay about yesterday?" Peter asked him out of the blue.

"How do you mean?"

"I know you don't like cuffs."

There was an apologetic tone in his handler's voice.

"You were kind of pissed off," Neal pointed out.

"Yeah," Peter agreed. "I know that too."

Neal smiled at the unspoken apology he wanted to read into it.

"It was part of the plan, Peter," he assured him. "Don't worry. But I think Taryn enjoyed it more than me," he added with a grin.

The elevator doors opened and they stepped out and continued into the office.