Note: This was one of those chapters that didn't end up going where I thought it would...oops. ;) There might be a longer wait for the next chapter, I'm headed to Canada next week for a trip. Hugs!

Chapter Six

"Well…it was a good thought."

Having spent the past few hours sifting through the video surveillance footage Neal hadn't found anyone that had looked like they were casing the place. Whoever it had been had clearly been in the gallery before considering how they knew exactly where to go and where the cameras were. At the same time if they had been there in the past two weeks they didn't appear any different than any other guest. Which either meant: they were good, they cased it further back than two weeks ago, or they had gotten the information another way. Neal had noticed one thing wading through the two weeks worth of footage and that was the fact that Fitz hadn't made a single sale in that time.

Considering all the world travel Fitz did in the name of his charity company the over head of his non-profit had to be extraordinarily high. The half a million dollars that the Bone Baron had offered him had to have been tempting. Unless Fitz had some other source of cash that he was hiding he was probably in need of money to keep his gallery afloat. If he was in bad financial straights it would suggest an inside job. Even though the physical height and weight of the man in the mask didn't fit Fitz's description it wouldn't have been difficult to find someone willing to break in particularly with a cut of half a million on the table.

Neal stared sightlessly at the footage that had started to replay while he thought back over his interview with Fitz today. If he had been lying he'd been good at it, he hadn't come across as nervous at all although he had been quick to point them in another direction. Neal was brought out of his thoughts by a light knock at his open office door. Looking up Neal smiled at Peter who was standing in the entrance way. Peter had been good about not to pressing for more information on Neal's plans tonight with Frost on the ride back to the office, but Neal could see how hard it was for him not to ask more questions. Even now he took a breath to say something but then visibly thought better of it.

Neal had thought about jut lying when Peter had first invited him over tonight and telling him that Vivian had canceled her flight and wanted to dinner among other things knowing that Peter would have instantly lose all curiosity for any details, but he was tired of vicious cycle of keeping secrets and then having to ask for forgiveness when Peter found out later. At least this way Peter knew he could have the truth if he just asked for it. Looking as though he was seriously contemplating asking for more details and yet clearly not wanting them Peter remained standing in the door way in indecision.

"You really don't need permission to enter my office Peter." Neal offered to break the new found tension between them. "I never knocked on your door."

"I know, it was annoying."

"Which was actually what I was going for at the time," Neal smiled "so point taken."

"Find anything good on the video?" Peter asked as he finally stepped up to Neal's desk.

"No." Neal sighed. "I'm starting to seriously suspect Fitz had the skulls stolen to sell to Avis."

"Why bother? Why involve not only a middleman but also law enforcement, when it would have been completely legal to just sell them to Arvid in the first place. Seems needlessly risky."

"Half a million is worth taking risks over. I think Fitz might being trying to have his cake and eat it too. He has a public image as a 'good guy', the only real reason anyone would buy the high price no name art he has is to feel like they are helping a cause. If he privately sells one of his gifts his image would take a hit even if he did put the money right back into charity. This way he gets to sell the skulls, keep the money under the table, avoiding a serious amount of taxes, and then when the FBI finds Avis with the stolen skulls he would get them back. The perfect crime."

"Perfect?" Peter questioned doubtfully.

"Well, maybe not 'perfect', but certainly not the worst idea."

"I'm not quick to trust these world hopping non-profit types, but we don't have anything to tie Fitz to this."

"I don't suppose we can get a warrant for Fitz's financials?"

"Not without at least a hint of evidence that he's doing something wrong. As it stands Fitz is the victim here."

"It's a shame I don't know any of the thieves for hire in this area, if someone tried to pull this same trick in New York I'd have a name by the end of the day." Neal paused on that thought before the kind of smile that made Peter nervous lit up his face. "You know what I need?"

"No, don't even thi…"

"I need a CI." Neal finished despite Peter's protests.

"You want a CI you have to catch one first, trust me it's not easy."

"How hard could it be?" Neal teased "You did it."

"You do realize that's more of an insult to you than me, right?"

"I realize it as I was saying it, but it was too late to turn back." Neal admitted. "In any case our best lead is still this 'Bone Baron'."

"We'll go talk to him tomorrow. I looked into him while you were going through the video. He's very open and proud of his collection, he has an extensive website devoted to it."

"Creepy."

"Very." Peter agreed. "His collection is close to fifteen million dollars in value."

"Doesn't really sound like he would need to steal. If he wanted one of these skulls he could fly to Peru and buy one himself."

"And according to his web site he already has one in his collection, so it's not like it's the 'finale piece' he needs to complete his collection."

"Considering how much he likes to show off he might not even want a bone that he couldn't show off."

"He's still worth talking to."

"Anyone willing to spend millions of dollars on dead things has to have fascinating stories and is worth talking to guilty or not."

"We're going to have to agree to disagree on that one."

Neal smiled at the look of disgust on Peter's face at the prospect of having to step into Arvid's living mausoleum. Without any other leads to explore right now the conversation died off momentarily. The silence that settled over them had the same uncomfortable feel to it as when Peter first stepped into the office and Neal wasn't sure how to best fix it. Peter glanced behind himself at the clock on the wall although Neal suspected that Peter had already known it was close to five when he'd left his own office to come talk. Neal knew that Elizabeth had been enjoying having her husband come home at a more regular time since their move to Washington and she probably hadn't been happy that Peter had ended up working late on Neal's first day, even if it wasn't his fault. At least Neal hoped it hadn't been his fault and that Frost had been telling the truth about not having anything to do with Peter getting called back in.

"You should go home." Neal offered. "I was just about to wrap up for the day myself."

"Your day here." Peter clarified.

"Frost is picking me up in about an hour." Neal confirmed. "I need to stop by my apartment first."

Peter didn't seem to know how to react to Neal's open answer. Neal was having second thoughts again about deciding not to lie about his meeting with Frost tonight. Five months ago Peter had somewhat begrudgingly agreed to the idea of turning a blind eye on Neal's sanctioned criminal activity, but now that it was actually happening he was having a hard time with it. It was easy to make a deal with the Devil, it was harder to pay up when the time came. Neal furrowed his brow at his last thought as he realized that he didn't really see Frost as a devil. Even though he hadn't been happy with the petty theft assignment Neal still felt that it was a small price to pay for the new chance and life he'd been given. At the same time he could understand where it would feel like a much steeper cost to Peter since his part in this went heavily against his strong ethical code. Having gotten lost in thought Neal looked up when Peter cleared his throat as though he was going to say something but then didn't follow through.

"Peter?"

"Do you…" Peter hesitated, needing to take a deep breath before continuing. "Do you need back up?"

"Back up?" Neal repeated surprised. "Peter, are you offering to help me on a hei…"

"No." Peter interrupted firmly. "No, nothing like that. However I am offering to watch your back."

"Thank you, but I'll be okay." Neal declined the offer. "Frost and Bryant will be there for the off chance that something goes wrong. Besides it's an easy job, nothing I haven't done before."

"Amazingly enough that doesn't make me feel any better."

"I know it doesn't. I'm sorry."

"I don't want you to be sorry," Peter replied seriously "I just want you to be safe."

"I will be. Frost has no reason to hurt me or to put me in any true danger." Neal assured. "Even if I'm just an asset, I've been a very expensive one. He'll protect me, to earn more on his investment if nothing else."

"In other words he'll protect you until you're more trouble than you're worth."

"It doesn't sound good when you put it that way...I'm a lot of trouble."

"Yes, you are."

"I hope I've been worth it."

"I wouldn't have come this far with you if you weren't."