White Collar - as an unofficial novel - part 2

Neal had texted Peter where he was and his handler turned up, angry as a bee. He did not stop but just marched by, and Neal tagged along. He listened to Peter muttering about that he would send Neal back to prison if Neal did not do what he was told. He kept quiet while Peter let his steam out.

"What was that about?" Peter huffed. "You had me off my game."

"You told me to watch her reaction. I did."

"By breaking and entering?" Peter growled but Neal kept calm. He had not done anything that illegal.

"Phil let me in."

"Who's Phil?!"

"The guy at the door—" Neal informed him, but Peter held up his hand. "You wanna know what I found?"

"No!"

"She got rattled when she heard FBI," Neal continued anyway. "She went to her desk and locked something in a top drawer."

"Oh, God!" Peter stopped and breathed as if he saw his whole career vanish in front of his feet.

"I didn't steal it," Neal assured his handler. "Photocopied it."

He pulled it out of his pocket and held the folded paper out to Peter, who ripped it out of his hand.

"It's a pawnshop ticket," Neal informed him. "Bet I know what she was pawning."

"No, I didn't see this," Peter told him and crumbled the paper in his hand. He pointed and Neal. "You didn't see this."

Peter marched away and Neal found it best not to follow along this time.

"But I did see it."

And even if Peter had to ignore it, Neal had no such limitations. He brought out the second copy he had made of the pawnshop ticket. From Peter's lessons about what to do and not as a federal agent, he had had a hunch this could happen.

He brought out his phone and called Mozzie. The friend answered.

"Hey, Moz, I got a favor to ask you."

"What's up?"

"Check out a pawnshop ticket for me."

When Peter came home a movie was on the TV and both women sat in their pajamas petting Satchmo. Peter had never wished more to be invisible. Now he was unwelcome in his own home. El saw him and he waved for her that he would go upstairs but she gestured for him not to. She rose and they met in the small area between the two sets of front doors.

"How is she holding up?" Peter whispered.

"As good as can be expected," El replied. She gave him a look that very much reminded Peter of Neal's puppy-look when he wanted something.

"Do you think we could finish watching the movie?" she asked. Meaning him out of the way.

"Little girl time?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

She nodded.

"Yeah."

"Yeah. I'll find something to do," Peter sighed. He was rewarded by a big kiss from his wife.

"Good man."

"That's what I keep telling people."

"Have fun," she smiled at him as she returned inside. What a joke.

What on Earth would he do now? It was too late to spend a couple of hours in the library. He could call Jones to see if he was up for a beer. But what he really wanted was to get Dana out of the house and get his home and wife back. Beers with Jones could not help him with that.