Chapter 4

It was while they were walking in that their conversation could be heard by all, even Sister Anna. "You are just lucky that Peter wasn't in charge when you pulled this stunt. He would have busted your butt for endangering your life like this," Diana lectured angrily.

"Did I disobey you in any way Agent Barrigan?" Neal replied smugly.

"No."

"Then there is nothing you can do and nothing the Sister can punish me for," Neal retorted as he dropped into his chair.

"Agent Barrigan…would you and Mr. Caffrey please join me in my office please," Sister Anna called from the second floor.

Diana got up and walked as calmly as she could with Neal following behind. He was safe he thought since he didn't disobey anything Diana had told him to do.

As soon as they arrived, Sister Anna motioned for them to sit down. "I could hear your argument all the way to my office. Would you please fill me in on what happened this afternoon Agent Barrigan?"

Diana told her what had happened ending it with, "What it boils down to Sister Anna is that Neal conned me into sending him in to a dangerous situation when it could have been accomplished in another, less dangerous method. I received a tip that the counterfeit operation was being held in a thrift shop in the back room. I was assured by the caller that this operation was being run by newbies…college kids trying their hand at making a fast dollar…nothing to worry about; so with that information I sent Neal in wearing a wire to gather the information we needed to get a warrant, only it didn't go as we hoped when the counterfeiters called Neal by name…These weren't the non-violent college kids we had been led to believe, since one pulled a gun and took a shot at Neal. When that shot fired, we didn't need a warrant and busted in and arrested the lot and confiscated the counterfeit bonds and equipment. The case is closed, and the felons have been arrested and taken into custody."

"And how do you know that Mr. Caffrey conned you?" asked Sister Anna wanting to give Neal the benefit of doubt.

"After they were taking everyone and everything away I saw Neal and Mozzie meet and unbeknownst to them I overheard Neal thank Mozzie for his help and Mozzie asked if all had gone according to plan. Neal replied that it had except for the gun that was fired. Then I heard Mozzie tell Neal that there might be a problem since he had assured me the ones that were running the operation were college kids," replied Diana. "It was then that I confronted them."

"I see and what do you have to say about all of this Mr. Caffrey?" asked Sister Anna.

"I didn't disobey Agent Barrigan in any way and as I see it I'm in the clear," Neal replied arrogantly.

"No as I see it you did exactly as Agent Barrigan asked however disobeying Agent Barrigan isn't the only offense that you can be punished for. Before he left Agent Burke gave me a list of other crimes that I could punish you for: picking pockets, lying or conning his agents in any way can cause me to take my ruler to your backside. But the worse offense on his list is if you ever endanger your life needlessly," Sister Anna informed him.

Neal started to lose his arrogance and looked fearful at the ruler lying on her desk as she read the list out to Diana and him.

"Agent Barrigan I think I can take it from here…you may leave and if you wouldn't mind please, close the door behind you. I'm about to have a long and painful discussion with Mr. Caffrey about his behavior today. I do assure you that when I'm finished you will not be having any more trouble from him until Agent Burke's return."

Diana nodded but before she left she bent down and said. "Neal if anything had happened to you today it would have been my duty to inform Peter and if you had been seriously hurt it or killed it would have destroyed El and Peter. Don't you realize how they feel about you…you are the son they couldn't have…they love you. I'd rather the good Sister tear your butt up a thousand times then for me to tell Peter that you won't be coming back because of some stupid or foolish plan…we care too much for you to see that happen."

After Diana left, Neal looked up and Sister Anna could see the tears in his eyes and asked sympathetically, "Didn't you realize just how much you are loved by all here?"

Neal shook his head, "I thought they only tolerated me except for Peter and El. I knew that they cared but not that they loved me."

"Why do you think Agent Burke had me take his place…he wants you to keep you safe. He knows that by making you learn that there are consequences to your actions. Maybe you won't make the same mistakes you did earlier that landed you in jail. He sees something great in you Mr. Caffrey and he wants you to see it too," explained Sister Anna sincerely.

By then Neal could no longer keep the tears away and they began to flow down his cheeks and Sister Anna features soften as she pulled him into an embrace and held him until he had regain his emotions.

"Do you feel better now?"

"Yes ma'am," and then with all the boldness he could manage Neal stood up and started for the door; that is until he heard the clearing of Sister Anna's throat and he turned towards her. "Was there something else sister?"

Sister Anna couldn't help but smile at his attempt to escape punishment. "Just the matter of your conning Agent Barrigan today," and pointed to the front of the desk with her ruler.

"Oh, I thought we had discussed that already," Neal replied innocently as he smiled convincing at her.

"Neal you are just like one of my boys, always trying to get out of a spanking for the mischief he has done today," she said with a laugh.

"You called me Neal instead of Mr. Caffrey…Why?"

"Because I just recognized that you are still a boy underneath all of that charm and from now on I'm going to treat you like one. Now you have two choices either you bend over my desk for your chastisement or over my lap for a spanking…the choice is yours," she said as she got up and closed the blinds giving the boy in front of her a chance to make his decision. She wasn't surprised to find him bent over her desk when she turned back around.

Twelve licks later Neal was walking down the stairs and back to his desk. She had punished him for conning Agent Barrigan but as to her instructions by Agent Burke before he left, if Neal endangered his life he would take care of it upon his return. That was a more serious offense that he didn't want to leave to the Sister to handle.