Chapter 2

Peter didn't get a chance to explain until much later during lunch. After taking a bite of his Devil's Ham sandwich Peter began, "So you want to know how I got the idea for Sister Anna."

El nodded after taking a bite from of her chicken salad sandwich.

"It all started when a friend from Boston PD called. Do you remember me telling you about Detective Vince Korsak?"

"Yeah, doesn't he work with Detective Jane Rizzoli?" replied El interested.

Peter nodded, "Where he was telling me about something that happened recently with a case. It seems that the young detective that works with them and Jane's cop brother were dancing to a music video and the Nun who works there was so incensed with their gyrations that she smacked them on their butts with her ruler. Right then I got the idea and called Mother Superior of our church and explained about Neal. She said she had just the one for me…Sister Anna Marie and that she would send her over starting tomorrow. She would explain her duties to her. I told Jones to introduce Neal to her tomorrow and to explain to the Sister to not hold back when punishing him…because you know as well as I do that Neal will misbehave."

"Boston PD has a nun working for then? What does she do?" asked El curiously.

"She got a grant to work with crime victims and Jane describes her as 'being the meanest nun in the history of mean nuns'. Her name is Sister Winifred Callahan and if Sister Anna doesn't work out maybe Sister Callahan will."

Tuesday morning found Neal arriving a bit earlier than usual. He wanted to spruce up Peter's office for his "babysitter" a term he really didn't like but it pretty much was what Peter had arranged. He thought that if he could sweet talk her with a pretty plant and his winning and charming personality the rest of the week would be smooth sailing with nothing to fear. I bet she is some nice old lady, Neal thought as he placed the flowering plant on the edge of Peter's desk.

That assumption came to a crashing end when he heard from behind, "You must be Neal Caffrey. Agent Burke warned me that you might try something like this."

Neal turned hoping to see some petite and motherly figure and instead saw a formable woman standing behind him in full nun attire carrying a large shopping bag and had to fight not to let his reaction show. "Yes ma'am," he finally responded as he smiled as charmingly as possible.

"You can just cut the malarkey young man," Sister Ann replied with a smile. "I've heard them all from my young men at the Catholic School I recently retired from. I was their Assistant Headmistress and my main job was disciplining those that needed it…and from what I've been told about you I may have to continue in that capacity."

It only took Neal a few seconds to react with a declaration, "No ma'am, I only wanted to brighten up Peter's office. It was kind of drab and thought you might like something more cheerful," he added with a smile.

Sister Anna took a long look at the young man standing before her trying his best to assure her that he wasn't trying to get on her good side but knowing in her heart that he was trying to do just that. "Well I thank you for the plant, yellow mums are a favorite of mine," she replied with a smile of thanks.

Neal nodded and left assured that he had in the end won her over to his charms and that he wouldn't have to worry about the rest of the week. He would have quickly changed his mind if he had stayed while she unloaded her shopping bag.

She first took out the knitting she had been working on along with a book of crossword puzzles before pulling out a wooden ruler and a small hardwood paddle. She knew they would come in use with the charming young man she had just met.

Sister Anna made herself at home with the White Collar unit quite quickly. She took it upon herself to keep the coffee pot filled and to bring homemade cookies for the agents to snack on.

It was later that afternoon that she heard angry voices as they entered the office and looked out to see Agent Diana Barrigan talking angrily with Neal Caffrey. It sounded like he had disobeyed her in some way and from his body language he was trying to talk her out of something. She sat back down to wait…she knew they would be coming to see her soon.

And she was right. About five minutes later Diana knocked before pulling in a protesting Neal behind her. "Sister Anna, we have a problem. I believe one thing and Neal believes the other. We are going to tell you both sides and have you make the decision…if you don't mind," Diana said at once.

Sister Anna nodded and motioned for her to continue. "We are working on a stolen art case. I told Neal to go in and plant a bug. We had cause and approval to do only that," she paused before giving Neal a glare.

"And did Mr. Caffrey obey you?"

"Yes…only on the way out Neal also stole the item that we were looking for. It seems that on his way out he took a side trip that took him to a locked room and after picking the lock located the item and took it. We have now recovered the item, so-so speaking, but not legally and we can't prosecute the person because he decided to take a few short cuts," Diana finished heatedly.

Sister Anna turned to Neal and said, "Your turn Mr. Caffrey…why shouldn't you be punished for not following Agent Barrigan orders?"

"P-punished-d…who said that this discussion was going to end with punishment?" asked Neal.

Sister Anna turned back to Diana and asked, "That is the real reason for the visit, isn't it dear to let me decide whether this young man needs my attention?"

At Diana's curt nod Neal knew he was doomed and began to talk quickly. "Agent Barrigan did tell me to plant the bug but at no time did she tell me that I couldn't look or recover an object I knew to be stolen," Neal said as he pleaded his case.

"Mr. Caffrey; how old are you?"

"I'm twenty-fiv….."

"And remember if I find out that you have lied to me I will be adding licks…now how old are you," asked Sister Anna sternly.

Neal paused as he considered his options and after glancing quickly at the nun mumbled, "I'm twenty-one," and after a gasp from Barrigan he added, "It was easy to forge my own birth certificate."

"No wonder you act like a kid so much of the time…you are a kid," muttered Diana shocked. "Peter is going to be shocked but I'm surprised that El didn't figure it out."

"She did mentioned more than once that I didn't look my age…I just told her that I'm like Dick Clark and look younger than I actually am," replied Neal.

"You lied," accused Diana.

"I conned her," argued Neal until he heard a ruler crack down hard on the desk and turned around to see Sister Anna with ruler in hand.

"I can see that I have my job cut out for me with you Mr. Caffrey.

"Agent Barrigan, you do not have to say another word…we all know what the outcome of this conversation will me. You can leave Mr. Caffrey with me and I will handle him from now on," Sister Anna said at once.

Diana nodded and without another word walked out leaving Neal to his fate.

"Mr. Caffrey, please close the door behind you and then close the blinds before you bend over my desk. I will then take care of your disobedience so you can return to your desk where you will write five hundred times, 'I will obey Agent Barrigan from now on'," she ordered sternly.

Neal opened his mouth but closed it as he took a look at the Sister and then meekly did as he was told. He soon found himself draped over Peter's desk.

It didn't take Sister Anna long to take up her place behind and to one side of him or for the licks to fly. Neal gasped as the pain quickly built in his backside determined not to make a sound. He knew Peter's office wasn't sound proof and he didn't want anyone to hear his cries.

Sister Anna gave him a total of twelve hard licks with the majority of them falling on his sit spots making sure he would be feeling them while writing his lines. "You can go now Mr. Caffrey and I had better receive those lines before the end of the day unless something official comes up.

Jones and Diana naturally looked up as Neal passed by them and was astounded to see him frantically rubbing his backside in an effort to ease the sting. They exchanged a glance before returning to their reports but couldn't help but wince in sympathy. Diana heard him gasp as he sat down, since her desk was closest to his, but out of decency didn't turn around to stare. However after a few minutes of hearing what she took for writing did get up to see what he was doing.

"You're writing lines?" she asked as she read what he was scribbling on a pad.

"Yes and I have to have them finished before the end of the day or suffer with more licks," he added as he squirmed yet again trying to find a more comfortable sitting.

"How many do you have to write?"

"500"

"Well, I had better warn you that if they aren't eligible she's isn't going to accept them…and you will be getting another thrashing with more lines to write," warned Diana.

Neal paused to look up at her. "How do you know?"

"When I was a child I went to a Catholic school. I know about nuns and the discipline they hand out," she replied.

"That was then…doesn't mean that it is the same now," Neal replied. He had already written the sentence fifty times and didn't want to have to do them again.

CRASH! Neal jumped as the ruler came down on the paper. "You should listen to her Mr. Caffrey…it hasn't changed since Agent Barrigan was a child. I want to be able to read each and every sentence…this is scribbling and if you continue we will have a further discussion about neatness….do them over again!" Sister Anna said sternly.

Neal gulped and nodded meekly as he quickly threw away the lines he had written and started again. This time the lines were easy to read and after a while the Sister nodded and strolled away.

"I'm impressed Neal…maybe Hughes should hire the Sister…she is doing a wonderful job with you. When Peter returns he won't recognize his CI," she replied with just a small bit of challenge in her comments.

Neal didn't have time to reply…he was too busy writing lines and squirming. He had only the afternoon to finish or receive another thrashing…but all the while he was thinking on how he could avoid this type of punishment in the future and still do things his way.