White Collar - as an unofficial novel - part 5

Magnum bottles

Peter was quite pleased with himself and Neal's work. He had been by the kid's apartment on the way to the office and checked on the progress. The bottle itself was almost done. There was so much the FBI could learn from Caffrey. He just wished that more of his colleagues could see it that way.

He looked up from what he was doing when Hughes walked into his office.

"This can't be good."

"Why does everyone say that when I walk into their office?" Hughes asked.

"So you have good news?"

"No," his boss admitted. "I contacted the auction house. They're closed to new entries."

Peter stared.

"Closed?" he asked. "We can't submit our bottle?"

"Sorry, Peter. Now quit the fool's errands and catch this guy."

So much work and walking in gray areas to stop now. It felt wrong, but it was not his call. He put on his suit jacket and took a walk to Neal's place.

Neal held the finished bottle carefully with a clean rag between the glass and his hand. He brushed the label with a soft brush under the magnifying glass.

"You've outdone yourself, Moz," he said full of awe. They were such a perfect team together, him and Mozzie.

"Flatterer," his friend replied. "What's next?"

Neal placed the bottle on the table, rose, and walked to the gear.

"I set up the vacuum pumps." He grabbed the tube lift it to the table. "And transfer the wine."

They both stopped at the knock at the door.

"Expecting someone?" Mozzie asked. "Keller maybe?"

Neal leaned his head to the door and listened.

"June?"

"Noo," came the answer from a familiar voice.

Neal unlocked and opened the door ajar.

"Peter, hey. What you doing here?"

It was not that his handler did not know what he was doing in the room behind him, but he had not actually seen it be done, nor seen Mozzie, though Neal was pretty sure Peter guessed as much.

"Got some bad news," Peter said chewing on a wrap. "The auction house is closed to new entries."

Neal sighed and let Peter inside.

"I appreciate your A-Team run here, guys, but I can't let you take your bottle to Weatherbys." Neal stared Peter. They were almost done and it was a perfect opportunity to catch Keller. "It's Hughes. He pulled the plug."

"If we don't, they won't run the cesium test," Neal objected. "Keller gets away with a half-million dollars and murder."

"What if he wins? Or worse, what if you win?" Peter asked. "This guy will stop at nothing."

"That's why we have to stop him," Mozzie said. "No offense, but... your team... hasn't."

Neal glanced at Mozzie. That was a bold statement coming from Moz to Peter. Peter, however, did not seem to think about it that way. His handler just looked at the unfilled bottle.

"You're right," Peter said at last and Neal felt oddly proud. "Keep going. Let's take him down." He turned to Mozzie with the rest of the wrap. "Finish?"

"Lactose," Moz answered with an apologetic gesture.

"See you in the morning," Peter said walking to the door. "I'll call Jones and figure out a way to get this bottle into the auction."