2.
FBI White Collar Unit Headquarters, New York City, late afternoon.
"Peter Burke" he answered his phone; the number came up private.
"Hey, Peter!"
"Neal?"
"Yeah...how are you?"
"Good, good...and you?"
"No regrets Peter, like I wrote..."
"Yes, thanks for that wordy note...but at least I knew you were okay..."
Peter sat down, turned his chair to face the window.
"Get my letter?"
"That's why I'm calling..."
"And?"
"And I am going to give it a try..."
But Neal's voice wasn't over the phone, he had just walked into Peters office, smiling.
Peter whirled around, got up, and went over to Neal...for an awkward moment the two men just looked at each other, and then they hugged, patting each other's back.
"Damned, Neal...you look...well, you look wonderful!"
"And you look tired...might try a trip to Cape Verde..." Neal smiled, took off his fedora, and sat.
"Where are Diana and Jones? Hardly anyone here I know anymore"
"They are out involved with this latest case...but before we start on that, clear up a few things for me, will you?"
"Peter, if it has anything to do with my life it's off limit's..."
"Well then, that answers that..."
"Yes, that answers that. Now, I have a question for you...Mozzie?"
"Clean as a whistle, suspected of stuff, but nothing that will stick. He with you?"
"Oh yeah..." Neal said, then asked,
"And Angela Fonchetti? Got anything on her?"
Peter shook his head 'no'
"Nothing. Where did she wind up, anyway?"
Neal smiled, and then whistled as he looked up at the ceiling.
"Oh no you didn't" Peter said. Neal gave him a big smile.
"Oh yes we did...and she's off limit's, too. We are living in Cape Verde now. When I got your letter, she was very supportive of me doing this..."
Neal fiddled with the hat he held.
"Oh, before I forget, I know how expensive equipment is, so I think you might need this..."
He reached into his jacket pocket, took out the key to the anklet that Angela took. He handed it to Peter, who shook his head, grinning.
"Unbelievable, Caffrey..."
"She's the one, Peter. She's my Elizabeth...as a matter of fact I would love for El to meet her. Maybe we can have dinner soon...Mozzie, too"
"Well, I have to be honest, I am curious about how all this happened, but if you're happy, then I'm happy for you..."
"I am the happiest I have been in my life...now, what's this new case and what will my salary will be?"
Both men decided to walk outside and talk. Slowly they went uptown, both relaxed, hands in pockets. Neal was enjoying being back in New York. He missed this city.
"We have been getting information about some break-ins into different types of businesses: the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington DC, New York Passport Agency here in New York and the Federal Reserve bank in New York. We only just got information that via security video and partial prints, they are the same perps, there are two of them, but they have no priors so they are not in the system. I'd like you to take a look at the video, go over the file, and give me your ideas..."
"No problem, I can do that...but I can easily tell you now that if it were me, those are the places I would go to get the plates to make counterfeit money, the paper, and passports...somebody is looking to have a lot of cash, get a counterfeit passport made, and get out of the country"
They stopped walking and faced each other.
"All they are missing is the ink...have they gotten their hands on ink?" Neal asked.
"We haven't gotten reports on that. But what we do need is your input on who out there might be organizing this..."
"Well, let me take a look at the video, the file, and see what I can come up with..."
"Good, good...come on back tomorrow. I'll have Diana and Jones in to get you up-to-date."
"Okay, tomorrow is good...got to see what Angela and Mozzie are up to."
Neal put out his hand, Peter shook it.
"It's good to have you back, Neal..." Peter smiled.
"Yeah, it's good to be back...on my terms!" Neal said, and then he tipped the brim of his hat smiling and turned to walk back to the hotel.
As Neal was walking, his phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Hello Neal Caffrey..."
Neal stopped walking, looked around.
"Stop looking over your shoulder Caffrey...I'm still in prison..."
"What do you want, Keller?"
"Glad you remember my voice, Caffrey. Say, you remember where I am, right?"
"Keller...get to the point..."
"Come visit me, Caffrey...we need to talk"
Keller hung up. Neal shut his phone and sat on a bench. Of all the shitty luck, this was bad...his history with Keller was bad...
Neal looked at his watch and continued walking.
