Flashbacks flooded Neal's head, about him, her, and his parents.
"Neal, this is special agent…"
"Mackenzie Ocean" Neal cut off Peter
"Wait you're first name is Mackenzie by any chance are you the daughter of Daniel Ocean?" Peter questioned like he was in an interrogation
"Yeah and don't tell me that I should also be put in jail when he robbed the casinos cause I already went over this three times. I was not involved I talked with my dad before he did it but I had nothing to do with the robbery" she clarified.
Neal looked at Mackenzie knowing that not only was she involved with the robberies but she was the one directing everyone and she finalized her dad's plan.
"Where is your dad now?" Peter asked
"On a trip he went with my mom to Italy for their anniversary."
"Oh, because he was on the FBI's most wanted list for a long time."
"I'll tell him that, he was just shooting for revenge didn't know he was so"
"Ocean, quit it Burke will be overseeing your services here at the Bureau. Peter," Hughes jumped in, while giving a keep- your- eye-on-those-two look. Hughes left the conference room, which allowed Peter to start asking more about Neal's past.
"Ok well I'm in charge so spill it; I want to know this back story." Peter said
"What back story?"
"Oh stop come on Neal, I saw your face once you saw her. I know something went down." Peter said digging into Neal's past.
"Fine" Mackenzie started, "We met in the 4th grade. It was the first day of school and Neal was new."
"I just moved and the teacher had Mackenzie show me around. At that age she was a complete jerk, and we hated each other's guts." Neal Continued
"Why you seem like pals now?"
"Yeah well 4th grade finished and we moved onto 5th. Every day he stole my homework, I would tell the teacher, and he would use that smile of his to get out of it. I was pissed"
"So, Neal was a felon even since he was 11 your point?"
"My point is he made me do something I would have never done. I was the sweet kid who did their homework every night and played in the sandbox at recess. We were at a class assembly and Neal was running for President as was I when he got up to give his speech I got up and pull down his pants in front of the entire school. Both of us were pulled from the race. Later that year our parents made us say sorry and made us have a 'play date.' At that point I said sorry then I kinda guilted him into saying sorry."
"The next year passed normally. We became best friends by the time 7th grade came." Neal updated
"That was quite the year. Ok so we were at a school dance and our friends pushed us together saying we should date I totally refused cause it would be weird having to date your best friend. But then later that night we both left the dance"
"At different times" Neal was sure to add.
"Yeah, and then we crossed paths don't really know how or why but he kissed me."
"We never talked about it again and we figured that it was easier if we forgot about it and that's exactly what we did."
"Then we got older and curious." Mackenzie said strangely
"Wait don't say it." Peter said before things got awkward.
"So what we talked to my dad and he taught us how to pick locks forge signatures and other stuff like that and I kept talking to my dad about the things he did because it was fun. Meanwhile Neal was home and was grounded like he always was for getting bad grades."
"Not true I got grounded because I was picking locks to other people's cars." Neal argued.
"Oh ok whatever then Neal and I had 'study sessions' together where I taught him how to make forgeries and all that good stuff."
"So you're the reason why Neal was locked up."
"Whoa don't blame it on me I just taught him" Mackenzie defended herself.
"It doesn't matter who taught who all that matters is that now I'm stuck on this tracking anklet and we have a case to solve and Jones seems pretty anxious about it.' Neal said moving on as he gestured to Jones gripping a manila folder with both hands as he sped up the stairs skipping steps on his way. Diana seemed just as anxious also making her way to the conference room.
"Peter, you need to see this case." Jones said
"Ok Jones what's up?"
"Ok, a painting was stolen from The Museum of Modern Art."
"That doesn't sound too hard. We can handle art thieves" Peter said looking at Neal
"Yeah but this painting was The Starry Night by Van Gogh."
"Shit. Neal…background" Peter ordered.
"The painting was painted in 1889, and was one of his most popular pieces. There is not much to say."
"How much would it go for on the market?"
"Not sure, hard to tell, all I know is that his most expensive piece sold was over $71 million."
"Peter…" Jones tried to squeeze in.
"That's a pretty big lump of cash." Peter cut off Jones, "So do we have any suspects."
"PETER," Jones got in, "you never let me finish. The kicker of this whole thing we already know who stole it."
"Really? Who?" Peter, Neal, and Mackenzie said simultaneously as they looked at Jones in shock.
"Ok then who is it" Hughes jumped in.
Jones took a deep breath looked at Neal then looked Peter silent. And he slowly spoke one name.
"Matthew Keller"
