Chapter Three
"So, what has Neal done now?" El asked. Peter was frowning at the food on his plate; fork poised but never finishing its task. He had been angry and distracted ever since he arrived. Such volatile emotions in her husband almost always had to do with Neal. Sometimes his partner Neal Caffrey, sometimes his friend Neal Caffrey, sometimes his CI Neal Caffrey, but apparently this afternoon, it was the Albatross-around-his-neck Neal Caffrey.
"He went off script and almost blew our take down of Bellington today."
Her eyebrows raised but not in surprise. "Really? Who was it?"
Peter looked up at her in confusion, "What do you mean? Who was what?"
"Was it Mozzie?" Peter's only answer was a blank look. Elizabeth sighed.
To take such pride in being the world's leading expert on Neal Caffrey, sometimes her husband was clueless. "Peter, Neal doesn't go off script without a good reason. Usually, he is trying to fix something he thinks he's messed up, or he is trying to protect someone he cares about."
Peter answered her sigh with one of his own, dropping his fork into his plate. He wasn't hungry. "Alex Hunter," he said.
His wife nodded, "Did he succeed?" she asked "In protecting her?".
"Yeah," Peter admitted "Alex walked away unscathed, free to continue her life of questionable legalities, hopefully outside my jurisdiction."
She smiled. "And you got Bellington?" At her husband's nod, she continued, "Then why are you mad at Neal?"
Peter stood up. It was hard to explain his anger at Neal. The look Diana had sent him when Alex's name had come up over the wire was "Did you know this?" and his answering look was clear—no he didn't. Neal had acted off step the past couple of days and now he knew why. Alex Hunter was going to be a factor; Neal knew this but didn't tell him. This fact, as he sat in the van and listened to Neal adjust, alter and manipulate the plan to meet his own agenda, had caused his face burn with anger. Neal should have come to him and told him. Together they could have figured out something. Instead, he had manipulated the situation to make sure nothing could stick to his old partner. Peter had felt like a fool in the van, trying to play catch up, having been left in the dark by his own CI.
"I felt like an idiot, sitting in the van with Jones and Diana, listening to Neal do his thing," he said finally. "He should have come to me and told me when he realized Alex was involved. He shouldn't have kept that information from me. He made me look like a fool."
"So you are mad because he embarrassed you?" Her voice made it sounded petty; like he was just suffering from a wounded ego.
"No," Peter fumed, "It isn't about my pride, El, it is about his loyalties. He can't choose friends over his obligation to the Bureau." He stood up, pacing the room. "When the FBI makes a deal with a criminal, there is usually a clause in the agreement about cutting ties with former associates. It helps eliminate conflicts of interests like the one that occurred today."
"But where would you be if Neal cut ties with his former associates?" She asked. "How many times have you used Nick Halden and his associates to catch a bad guy? How many times have you used Mozzie? And even Alex? You can't expect Neal to use his friends to help you close cases, and then be angry at him for having them."
"I am not angry at him for having friends," He argued, "I just question his judgement where they are concerned." Neal had been out of line today. He had a right to be angry at him; to question his motives.
"Well, it sounds like you are." There was a disapproving tone to her voice and it irritated him. She acted like he was unreasonable.
"It just that he would have blown the case today...for a friend. He has a sweet deal, but he belongs to the FBI until his time is served." He grabbed his jacket from the chair, looking quickly at Elizabeth. "That is where his loyalty needs to be, first and foremost, to the Bureau ." And to me, he added in his head. "Today it clearly wasn't and I am not good with that." He slammed the door behind him harder than he meant to. He needed to walk.