The Watch

At the office the next morning Peter noted Neal was quiet. He did not blame him. It was a hard blow to arrange a trap and catch the wrong guy. In the position Neal was in, he was extra vulnerable. Well, their consultant had done nothing wrong and no harm would come to him because of this.

"Thanks for the wine and the cheese," Peter said, out of the blue. Neal stared at him, not getting it. "I set a trap for you once, remember?"

Neal smiled at the memory.

"Yeah. The Monet."

Peter was glad Neal trusted him enough to at least admit to these episodes although he more or less confessed to doing a break-in.

"No one lost their job because we were outsmarted by you. Relax, Neal. You did a good job yesterday."

The kid seemed to loosen up and sent him a grin.

"Ghovat did not leave us any wine though."

"Yeah, too few do," Peter agreed. "The Champaign was a nice touch too."

"It was New Years Eve. I felt sorry for you guys," Neal shrugged.

Peter and Jones had been in the van, surveying a party where they had heard Neal Caffrey would show up. Proof that he was there, and they would call for backup and arrest him.

"Were you at the party?" Peter wanted to know.

Neal chuckled.

"A friend of mine was there first and found your bugs. Then I found your van." They shared a grin. "It was a close call though."

"Was it your friend who helped you with the Dutchman?" A mystery man Peter was dying to meet one day.

Neal nodded.

"He's paranoid. Sometimes it's a good thing."

Lauren stood in the doorway.

"Got some info for you, Agent Burke."

They walked into the conference room and Lauren got the screen started.

"So, our ghost finally has a name," Lauren said as she presented images from the party on the screen in the conference room. "It's Idil Hazeva."

"Let's stick with Ghovat for now," Peter decided. "Do we know anything more about him?"

"Not much. No criminal record. Name's not coming up on any of our international watch lists. We can't find him registered in town." The footage they took at the night showed Ghovat place his phone in the other man's pocket. They could have seen it in the van if they had observed the right man at the right time. They had not.

"Anything about the girl?"

"A model," Lauren shrugged. "We're looking into her."

"What about Dmitri?" Peter wanted to know.

"Andrei Dmitri, Uzbekistan national. Linked to a handful of enterprises." Peter noted pleased that Lauren spoke to both of them, including Neal in the team. "Arms trading, money laundering, prescription-drug fraud."

"Not the kind of guy you'd expect to show up at Fashion Week," Neal noted with a faint smile.

"Yeah," she agreed.

Peter was thinking.

"Does he still think he got away clean?"

"Yeah. He slipped out the northwest exit. Jones is sitting on him."

"Tell Jones to keep his distance. Don't want him getting tagged. See where this guy leads us. Good work."

Lauren smiled.

"Thanks," she beamed.

Peter checked his watch.

"We'll reconvene in an hour." Peter left for his office to get ready for his meeting.

"Where we headed for lunch?" Neal asked. He stood in the doorway between Peter's office and the conference room with his hands in his pockets.

"I'm gonna have to take a pass. Elizabeth wants to meet me in the park."

"Picnic? That's romantic."

"Yeah. Should I be worried?" This was unlike Elisabeth and when something broke from the pattern he became suspicious.

Neal frowned.

"Did you do something wrong?"

"Probably." He had no idea what, which made him nervous. He had checked his calendar and there were no birthdays or anniversaries he had missed.

"Show no fear." Words Neal lived by every day. "Maybe she's gotten used to spending time with you."

"You think?"

"I'm not the best person to ask," Neal admitted. Peter knocked on his desk for good luck and left for the door.

"Hey, Peter, before you go, I need a favor."

He stopped and turned.

"Yeah?"

"The last time Kate visited me in prison before she disappeared, you saw that security tape?" Peter blinked. That came out of the blue. They had not spoken about Kate since one of Neal's first days out. It was just a little less than two weeks ago, but still…

"Yeah."

"I'd like to see it."

Peter looked at Neal.

"You think that's a good idea?"

"It's the last time I saw her. I just want some closure." Did he want to close the case and move on? He looked like a lost, lovesick, unhappy young man where he stood by the door. Innocent and exposed. That was no lie. But Neal could nevertheless have another use for the tape.

"Help me wrap up this case and I'll see what I can do about that tape."

Neal accepted the answer. Whatever he might be up to, at least he was in no hurry to get there it seemed.

Peter and Elisabeth sat on a bench in Central Park by a lake, eating lunch. Or rather his wife ate. He was too tense.

"This is nice" he squeezed out. "Right?"

"Really nice," El agreed.

"Great." He relaxed. That had not made her explode at least.

She chuckled.

"Relax. You're not in trouble."

"Oh, thank God."

She laughed.

"Why do you think I asked you to lunch?"

"I don't know. That was what scared me."

"Okay, hold on. I got you something." She put her food away and searched her bag.

"You did? What-?" She handed him a white box with a red ribbon. "Wow. It's a nice box." Oh, God, was all Peter could think. Please, do not let me ruin this. "Okay." He opened the box. Inside was a maroon one, glossy. Inside was a new watch. "Wow."

"I noticed you were kind of looking at that really nice watch at the warehouse. It's not as nice, but… it's close." Like she excused herself for not spending a fortune on a watch. All that was needed was something that showed time.

"It's perfect," he smiled at El and studied his gift again. "Yeah."

"Okay, try it on." Peter took off his old one and got help from Elisabeth to put on the new. It had a different latch and the strap was stiff and awkward.

"There you go. There," El finished. Peter stared at the watch. It felt wrong and clunky and a thought about Neal's anklet crossed his mind.

"That's—" He had to admire it, thank his wife. But the words got stuck on the way. "That's—" His phone rang and he grabbed it. "This is Burke… All right. I'll be there at…" He tried to figure out what time it was. There were just two arms and no markings. "Uhh… I'll be there in five minutes. Bye." He grinned at his wife. "Look at that. It works. It works." Elisabeth smiled, pleased with her gift and his reaction.

"It looks good on you."

Damn, if he at least could see what time it was.

Neal got back to the office after lunch and saw Tara sitting with a suitcase by her side.

"Hey. What's going on?"

"They're moving me now."

"To protective custody?"

She nodded and Neal understood why she looked so miserable.

"No one's threatening you."

"They're not taking any chances." No, she was the only one who could identify their killer's voice. "Came here to get an agent, make contacts. Not this."

Neal leaned down, put her hand on her shoulder and sent her an assuring smile.

"It's gonna be okay, all right?" She returned the smile. Peter came into the office. "If anybody can catch Ghovat, it's him." Neal pointed. Tara seemed to not be sure if he was serious or not.

"Really?"

Neal rose and jammed his hands in his pockets.

"He's the best."

"Hi," Peter said with a vague wave to Tara, like he was afraid she would start crying. He gestured for Neal to come.

"I just got word from Jones." Peter scratched his neck.

Neal stared at the beauty on the agent's arm.

"Whoa! New watch."

"Yeah. Gift from Elizabeth." To Neal's surprise, Peter sent him a glare. "Thank you very much." Elisabeth must have been inspired by his founding in the storage.

"No sundial to clutter it up. Very nice." Elisabeth had good taste but that did not surprise him at all. "What's Jones got?"

"Dmitri's at a fashion shoot."

"Lucky him."

"Guess who's with him."

"Who?"

"Remember that model that was with Ghovat last night?" No words needed to be said. Dmitri was no designer or photographer. The model and Dmitri had no known connection except Ghovat. Time to leave the office for a ride.

Outside where Dmitri was supposed to be Neal stopped him.

"You just want to sneak in?"

"Neal, we've talked about this." Peter still had the church where Neal lied to the priest in fresh memory.

"Peter, I just want to know if you want to slide in unnoticed, or if you plan to walk in and question everybody."

It was tempting to not need to flash the badge.

"No lies," he warned Neal, who nodded.

"No lies."

"Alright," Peter agreed. Let us see what the kid could do.

Neal patted him in the chest with a grin and then seemed to remember what Peter said last time.

"Oh, I hit you. Sorry. Come. Just follow me."

Neal turned the confidence and the charm on, placed the hands in his pockets and strolled inside the building as he came there every day. How did he do that, Peter wondered. When you walk into an unknown building you tend to look around and find your way. Neal did not seem to do that.

It was not a matter of security, only a matter of blending in and behave as you owned the place. It was not a bank or an office, but a place with the wanted design and background for a fashion shoot. They stood in what once might have been a dining hall. The ceiling was ornamented and golden, held up by fake marble pillars.

"However you got us here, I don't wanna know," Peter mumbled. Though it was not completely true. He did want to know.

"That's our girl." Neal watched the blond short-haired beauty pose in a golden sofa.

"That's our Dmitri," Peter tried to refocus Neal to the one of importance "The guy always looks like he's waiting for something to happen. Maybe he's waiting for Ghovat."

"He lost his phone last night," Neal pointed out. "If that was his only connection—"

"The only way back in is through the girl."

"I'll buy that. You wanna go check it out?"

"No, I can't," Peter sighed. "I start flashing my badge, they'll scatter like rats." When they had got this far it was a shame to ruin it. A federal agent could not stroll around and ask questions without identifying himself. By the other door to the room stood someone who was probably Dmitri's bodyguard. Neal glanced at Peter with that cunning look on his face.

"You trust me?" he asked.

"Nope."

"Trust me to talk to Dmitri?" Neal rephrased.

"What are you thinking?" He was not letting Neal lose on this. On the other hand, they could not stand chit-chatting there for too long or people would notice.

"Stand and look menacing," Neal demanded.

"What?"

"Stand there and look menacing," the kid repeated. Peter put the hands on his hips and put on an angry face. "No. Peter, 'menacing'. You look like your kid just struck out." What? He had dealt with dangerous men. He knew how to scare people.

"This is menacing."

"It's not."

Peter gritted his teeth and protested but Neal continued to shake his head and object.

"It's menacing!" He almost raised his voice.

Neal finally agreed.

"Okay, that's it right there. Cross your arms."

Peter did not have time before he got his arms crossed for him. Then his con man pulled at his suit, making it look bulky.

"What are you doing?"

"I want to let him know you're packing." Peter let him continue but to his horror, he got a pair of ray bans across his eyes. "Yeah." Neal was pleased. "Now say, 'I'll be back.'"

"No."

Neal sighed. Guess he had to be satisfied that Peter at least agreed to stand still with an intimidating pose. It would have been fun though. Half the charm of what he did was the fun. It was a shame Peter did not get that. Hands in his pocket he crossed the room with a direct aim at Dmitri.

"Dmitri, right?"

The man focused on him and recognized him at once.

"I never got your name."

"No, you didn't."

Dmitri got the intimidating hint.

"What are you doing here?"

"Same thing you are. Just waiting for a chance to talk to our beautiful friend," Neal nodded towards the model. It was so easy to give people an impression of something, making them draw conclusions. "Did you enjoy the party?"

"A little too much excitement for my taste."

"You know what they say, it's not a party until the police break it up."

"Your little event may have attracted a wrong element. As a matter of fact, my phone was stolen."

"That can make it tough to contact people. But… there are always ways to get in touch with someone." Once again Neal nodded towards the woman posing on the sofa in a lovely blue dress.

"All right, let's cut the act. We both know why we're here. I don't know who you are, but you're way out of your league. This takes way more than money."

Neal gave him a superior eye.

"You're not the only buyer interested."

"I'm the one that matters," he stated with ironclad certainty. "You and your friend should take a walk." Dmitri nodded towards his guard who moved towards them. Peter moved too, as any bodyguard would, keeping the menacing pose.

Neal had no problem to let it go. He was there for information, not to win a cock fight. He grinned, and strolled out the door with Peter behind him like a cartoon version of Arnold's terminator. Dmitri's man followed them out. When they left him behind, outside, Neal informed Peter:

"He is definitely here to buy. That girl could lead to where Ghovat is staying."

"I'll have Jones keep tailing him."

"Hey, man, for the record you are much scarier than that other guy. Much."

Peter accepted the appreciation patting a fist on Neal's shoulder. If he had returned Neal's grin he would have had to leave the character. Somehow, Neal got the feeling Peter enjoyed the act after all. Not to mention that he never got his sunglasses back.