Disclaimer: White Collar and no characters from White Collar are mine and are owned by creator Jeff Eastin.
Peter stepped out of his office and into the conference room. His team was already gathered around the table looked up expectantly. In his hands he held a new case, one he was hoping would catch the attention of a very bored looking Neal who was twirling his pen leaning back in his seat.
"Hopefully it's something a bit more exciting than mortgage fraud" Neal said.
"How about bond forgery?" Peter responded starting to pass out the case files."
"Mildly, but hardly anything to get excited over." Neal retorted.
"Well it probably beats playing cards with other inmates" Peter smiled.
The agents started flipping through the case file. Treasury bonds had set off red flags at several banks after someone started cashing out 10,000 dollar EE bonds that were issued in the mid 80's.
"Not a bad take. Should be about 30k a piece now." Neal said.
"30k a piece and they've cashed in 34 of them so far. 1 million dollars" Peter responded.
The person was smart, they had kept changing banks all throughout Manhattan. It was actually the treasury that had sent up a red flag to the White Collar unit. After reviewing the bonds they had realized they were impeccable forgeries and all had been issue prior to the majority being electronic. In the file there was only one image that was of any use. A girl, young, cashing one of the forged bonds.
Peter put her image up on the screen. That was their only lead and it was hardly a lead at all.
"A kid" Jones was the first to break the silence.
"A kid" Peter repeated back. "No leads on who she is but her picture is now circling at the banks in Manhattan as well as the police stations, homeless shelters, schools. Pretty much anywhere we may be able to get a lead on a name."
"You don't think a kid is capable of pulling this off do you?" Neal asked. "I mean a few bonds here and there, maybe, but millions? That's big time. That's like asking for the FBI to come knocking down your door."
Peter agreed with Neal. It was unlikely that a child was the brains of the operation. It almost felt like she was the fall guy for whoever the money was for. Who could use a child for such a purpose was all Peter could think to himself. The team broke from the meeting room to start contacting various organizations to try to put a name with a face.
It was two days later Peter got the call. A principal at Washington Heights had just received the picture the FBI was circling throughout Manhattan.
"Agent Burke?" the principal started.
"Speaking" Peter responded.
"Hi, this is the Principal at Washington Heights, Leslie Moore. I just got to the papers on my desk and found the picture of the child and a note from the FBI. I think I may be able to help you with who this is."
"Really? Is she a student there?" Peter said, thankful for the lucky break in the case. In two days they had gotten exactly nowhere in the case.
"She is, 10th grade. Exceptional child really which is why I'm concerned that the FBI is looking for her. Her name is Hannah Blake."
"Is she in school today? I'd love to be able to talk with her."
"She is. Her parents will have to be notified, I'm sure you understand that."
"If you could have them come to the school, that would be great. Can we not let Hannah know right away?"
"I'm sure that can be arranged Agent Burke."
Peter hung up the phone, a smile on his face. For once they were having some luck. He grabbed his jacket and gestured for Jones to follow him.
Peter and Jones walked into the school and were promptly greeted by Leslie. She had a concerned look on her face as she shook hands with both of them. She began explaining as they walked down the hallway. After hanging up the phone with Peter, Leslie had had her secretary pull out Hannah's file. It was then she realized she had never met Hannah's parents before. Being a model student, it had never occurred to her. As she flipped through the file she noticed it wasn't like a typical file, there were a lot of missing pieces. For instance, even though Hannah had been a student for almost 3 years now, not one single parent/teacher note was in her file. Most parents wrote at least once in a while. She had called all the contact numbers on the sheet, they were all disconnected. She contacted the apartment complex however they didn't have any tenants under the name Blake.
"Honestly Agent Burke, I'd really like to know what's going on" Leslie finished passing Hannah's school file across the desk. I've asked them to call Hannah down to the office, she should be here any minute.
A gentle knock at the door made all three turn. The secretary popped her head in. "Ms. Moore? Hannah Blake is here."
"Thank you Marie, I'll be right out."
Hannah sat in the chair in the office. She had never been called to the office before. She couldn't figure out what she had done. Her feet swung gently back and forth and her backpack was in the seat next to her. Ms. Moore stepped out of the office, Peter and Jones could be seen sitting in the office. Hannah stood up and swung her backpack over her shoulder her eyes raising to meet the principal's. At that moment she glanced into the office and saw both Peter and Jones. She quickly surveyed the scene and realizing something was not right did the only thing her 15-year-old brain could tell her to do. She turned and ran.
Peter and Jones jumped up as fast as they could to take after the 15-year-old who was now sprinting down the hallway. Ms. Moore yelled for her to stop and come back but it was nothing but fear and adrenalin driving Hannah now. She didn't know who those men were, but when people come looking for you, it's never for a good reason. She quickly pushed through the doors to the outside and took a quick look to her left and right trying to figure out the best way to go before choosing to go left. Peter and Neal weren't far behind but by the time they got to the end of the hallway and out the doors, Hannah was gone.
Peter stomped his foot and ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "We were this close!" he gestured with his hand. "Well I guess we know she's guilty now."
Hannah stopped only when she was so out of breath she couldn't run anymore. She ducked into an alley and stood with a dumpster between her and the road, obstructing her from view. She slowly slid down the wall and buried her head in her arms on her knees. She had no idea what she was going to do. If people were questioning her, it wouldn't be long until they realized all her school records, parent information, her whole life, was one big forgery and if they realized that, then what? All that work building her life and hiding her past, gone, in the blink of an eye. Her pocket started to buzz and she pulled out the phone. "Malcolm" sighing she answered.
"Yes?"