Disclaimer: I don't own White Collar, just sharing my imagination for fun.

The sight of Agent Philip Kramer in the office sent ripples of near panic through Neal Caffrey. He was tempted to retreat back out the glass doors on sight. Only the stubborn, rebellious streak in him prevented it. One thing he knew from being a felon was never to show fear, unless you wanted the other guy to know your weakness. The last thing he would show Kramer was that he was afraid of what he could do to him.

Peter was right at his side, and he too, paused for a split second. Kramer had been his mentor and friend. Now Kramer was convinced Peter was being played at best and crooked at worst. Peter was convinced the man had crossed a line.

They hadn't heard from him since Neal had returned from his escape to Cape Verde. Neal had never asked whether getting Kramer off his back was part of the deal Peter has worked out to get him back to White Collar in exchange for taking down the fugitive McLeish.

"What's he doing here?" Neal kept his voice low.

"No idea." Peter murmured back.

They met Jones and Diana, trying to keep an eye on Kramer, who was up by Hughes office. "Well, guys? What's he want?"

"He hasn't talked to anyone but Hughes." Diana said. Even as she said it, Hughes appeared, Kramer alongside and gave both of them the double finger point.

Neal glanced at Peter whose mouth had set in a grim line. He himself was acutely aware of every exit point from the building and who lay between him and them. He was also aware heading for them might tank Peter's career. In spite of their personal conflicts it would be a poor way to show his gratitude.

"Come on." Peter nudged him and Neal followed, reluctantly. They headed into the conference room.

Neal didn't pretend to relax as he noticed the artwork posted on the wall. He studied it silently.

Peter and Kramer greeted each other, a good deal more coolly than in the past.

"Agent Kramer has reason to believe this stolen painting is in the area." Hughes said briskly. Neal glanced at him. Hughes eyes were moving between them and clearly he was avoiding mention of the previous conflicts. "And we may have an edge in finding it."

"What edge is that?" Peter asked, wary.

A folder was flipped open showing numerous pictures including a prison ID. Neal's brows rose, mildly surprised. The name was Riley Harriswood. And it certainly rang a bell.

"I believe your CI knows him, right Neal?"

Neal felt a growl of dislike rise in him. He liked people he respected using his first name. Somehow Kramer saying it made it feel dirty.

"We've met. Been awhile."

"How long?" Peter asked.

"Mm..." Neal's eyes rolled to the ceiling, thinking. "Long time...ten years at least..."

"Surely not that long." Kramer stated calmly.

Neal's eyes narrowed. "Yes, that long. Last I heard, He hasn't been in the States and I haven't been to Europe." He'd been in prison. He'd been on a tracking anklet. He'd been to Cape Verde and a few islands between. That was it.

Peter glanced between Kramer and Neal. He was resisting the urge to intervene, for both their sakes, Neal suspected.

"When did this painting go missing?" Neal finally asked, glancing at the Rubens look a like on the wall.

"En route to a DC art exchange from England."

"And the forger?" Peter regretted asking as soon as he said it. But he wasn't seeing any reaction from Neal to suggest he was the forger, and if he read Kramer right, that is precisely what Kramer was fishing for.

"Unknown. But the painting failed authentication because it was in an accident right outside the museum. It got chemicals on it and when they cleaned it, they found it was a fake."

Judging from the way Kramer was looking at him, Neal knew the man suspected him. It was with some small relief that he knew he hadn't done this one.

"However, we checked along the route and came up with evidence that this Riley Harriswood was in a diner along the route. And he had what could've been a painting with him."

"That's a lot of maybe's." Peter observed.

"Would be, except someone at the shipping company rolled over under pressure and admitted they were hired to switch it out for the man."

"And now it's here in New York." Hughes observed. "And Caffrey knows the man selling it."

"Knew the man selling it. Like I said, it's been awhile."

"That might be a good thing. After all, he might not have heard your working for the FBI." Kramer cocked his head in what Neal sensed was a challenge.

Peter looked uneasy. "What else do we know about this guy?"

"Not much in his file." Kramer observed. "Used to be a fence ranging the East Coast until he was picked up and sent to prison." He eyed Neal. "When he got out, he apparently went to Europe, where he's suspected of other crimes. No convictions."

"We want you to get in touch." Hughes told Neal, still glancing between him and Kramer. The air was crackling with the challenge between them. Peter was uneasy about it.

"I gathered that." Neal said. "Then what?"

"Meet with him and get intel on who he's working for. We get him to sell the painting, possibly to you, then take him down."

"Okay..."

"No problem with it?"
"Not so far. Should I have?" Neal asked.

"Not if you haven't done anything."