Neal shifted uncomfortably, the leather chair in the conference room creaking. He wasn't sore from yesterday-the redness was completely gone-but he was embarrassed at the memory. He was not looking forward to announcing he was being blackmailed-and he really didn't want to give up the copy of the journal. Mozzie was going to be furious. With a sigh, Neal straightened the stack of books and pictures and printed documents on the table in front of him, and waited for everyone else to file in so the work day could start.
Jones was the first, and he set down his cup of coffee on the table and nodded at Neal in greeting. Diana was on his heels, looking energized. "Have a good weekend?" She smiled at Jones and Neal in greeting.
"It was...eventful." Neal answered. All three turned in unison when they heard Peter step through the glass door. He, too, was holding a mug of coffee.
"Okay, guys, the museum curator will be here in an hour." Peter leaned against the window. "Before they get here, do you guys have anything?"
Diana shot Jones a look, wondering if he was going to voice his concerns about Neal. They had spent considerable time on the phone Sunday afternoon discussing Peter's inaction and the mounting pile of evidence against Neal.
Neal cleared his throat. "I have some stuff you guys need to see."
"Let's see it." Jones leaned back in his chair.
"Well, Ammon slipped me something during the hand-off. I didn't find out until later. But, this is what it was." Neal held up the thumb drive. He tossed it to Diana, "Want to plug it in?"
Diana caught it smoothly, and stood up to plug it into the large computer display at the end of the conference room.
"It's a threat. He wanted me to find something for him. He said if I didn't, he'd start stealing more paintings and leaving forgeries with my signature in them."
Diana couldn't help herself, she made a little scoffing noise. "Wait, what?"
"Yeah, look at the last document, the .jpeg file." Neal shrugged.
Diana made a few clicks and was surprised to see pictures of the paintings they had in evidence. She looked at Peter over her shoulder. He raised his eyebrows, and looked at Neal, waiting for him to continue.
"He said that he'd give me until today, noon, to find what he wanted and turn it into him." Diana opened up the word document and read it thoughtfully.
"Today, noon?" Jones asked.
"Yeah." Neal shifted, and looked at Peter. He gave a slight nod to encourage Neal.
"So, this is what he wanted." Neal pushed the two journals over to Jones. "I spent most of the weekend tracking it down, and making a copy. One of those is my forgery."
Jones opened the cover and his eyes popped open wide. "Well, well. Is this what I think it is, Neal?"
"Yeah. It is." Neal shifted again. "Anyway, if I don't get it to his minion, Davis, by noon, he's gonna steal more paintings and release more forgeries. And he also threatened to kidnap me."
Diana turned and shot Neal a serious look. "You have proof of that?"
"Yes, the audio file." Diana opened it, and everyone in the room listened with rapt attention. Peter caught Neal's eye and nodded his approval. Neal brightened visibly.
After the file finished, Neal cleared his throat. "So, that's everything. I know, um, I know it looks suspicious, those paintings. But I didn't...I didn't steal it. I really did hand it over, and then the agents took it. They took it, and that was the last time I saw it." Neal shrugged, a little helplessly.
Diana reviewed the files on the thumb drive again, and turned to Neal. "This answers a lot of questions that we had. Ammon planted some pretty convincing evidence. I think this, and especially the phone call, clears your name."
Neal gave Diana a grateful look.
"Do you think Davis would flip on Ammon? Give testimony that he has the Portraits of a Young Sailor?" Jones leaned back in chair and took a swig of coffee. "Maybe he could tell us who was forging them?"
Diana shot Neal a curious look. "Maybe you could look at them, along with the guys from the museum and insurance agencies. You've got a good eye, and there aren't that many people in your..." Diana hesitated to find the right word, "community."
"Community?" Neal grinned.
"Community of art thieves." Diana grinned.
"Alleged art thieves." Neal smiled, glad some of the tension from earlier had clearly dissipated.
Peter walked toward the table, and pulled out a chair. "Before Neal does that, though, we need to assemble a team so that we can catch Davis when Neal attempts to give him the forged copy of the journal. Also, I would like someone from tech to get in here and plant a bug so that, worst case scenario, we're able to track Davis if he manages to steal it."
Jones pushed the two journals together. "Which one is the original that we need to log into evidence?"
Neal smirked. Diana stood up and peered at the journals over Jones' shoulders. She looked at Neal, and then looked up at Peter, expecting him to make Neal tell them which one was the one he forged.
Peter shrugged at his agents, and took a sip of his coffee. He figured Neal needed a moment to bask the fact that his forgery skills were unparalleled. His ego was really sensitive, despite all his bravado. "I guess we should look for his signature."
Jones started to chuckle at Peter's comment, even though he knew it was Peter's way of gently saying "I told you he didn't paint those forgeries." Diana and Neal were soon laughing, too. Peter rolled his eyes, with a smile, at his crew.
"Seriously, though, Neal, you're to work with the tech guys and get a bug planted in the forgery and get the original into evidence. Jones, Diana, get a crew together so that when we have a location for this hand-off, we can have eyes and ears at the scene, and I want Davis apprehended. Neal, let us know as soon as he gives you the location."
All three answered Peter that they understood his instructions, and began making preparations to carry out their duties. Neal reached across the table and pushed one of the journals toward Jones. "That's mine."
Jones gingerly picked up the original. "I'll get this checked into evidence and send a tech guy up here. Diana, you cool with getting the team together?"
"Sure thing. Do you know where this hand-off is supposed to go down?" She asked Neal, seriously.
Neal fished his phone out of his jacket pocket. "He said he would text me a location." He looked at the phone screen. "Looks like he wants to meet at the Barnes and Noble on Warren Street."
Diana walked purposely toward the door. "Alright. I'll get a team in place, and we'll have a mobile unit in case he changes the location at the last minute."
Peter followed Diana to the door. He reached out and patted Neal's shoulder. "Good job. I'm going to call the museum and insurance agents to explain the new evidence and suggest we reschedule their meeting until after we've apprehended Davis."
"Oh, and Neal-I need to talk to you in my office for just a second." Peter walked into his office, leaving Neal to look after him nervously.
Neal followed Peter, mind racing. What could Peter possibly want to talk to me about?
He walked into the office and stood in the doorway. Peter motioned for him to sit down. Neal complied, sitting on the edge of his chair. Peter set his coffee mug in one of the few spaces on his desk that was free from stacks of paper, and picked up a ruler. He flexed it absentmindedly, causing Neal's eyes to widen. When he realized what Neal was thinking, he immediately set the ruler on the edge of his desk, behind a stack of papers-out of Neal's view. Peter said "I just wanted to tell you I'm proud of how you handled that. I know you didn't want to give up the journal. And I know you didn't want to let everyone know you were being blackmailed. I just wanted to say thanks."
Neal brightened at the praise, his smile reaching his eyes and causing little crinkles. "I hope we catch him today, Peter."
"Yeah, me too, kid. Me too." Peter paused, and then shooed Neal out of his office. "Go get back to work."
Author's Note: Sorry this chapter is so short, and kind of a weird transitional chapter. I hope to update this weekend, though. If all goes according to plan I'll be back on the twice-weekly update schedule. Thank you again for the encouragement and kind words regarding the previous chapters. I'm considering introducing Neal to soap (that got a much different response from you guys than I was expecting!). I'm not sure if I have enough for another story line yet, or if I'm just going to do a few one-shots. Either way, I promise more Neal!Whump and Stern!Peter...
kiss kiss!