Chapter 2

As soon as the door closed behind Kramer El was at the phone calling her husband waiting impatiently for him to answer.

"El, I've just now arrived; let me call you back once I get to my office…"

"Peter he's here and he's after Neal!"

"What? Who's here? What happened Hon? What are you talking about?"

"Peter, Phillip is the one in Neal's nightmare, the one that terrified him so, and he's also the one who attacked our son while he was checking the security at the MET earlier."

"Calm down El, and tell me what happened?" Peter restarted his engine and sped out of the FBI garage intent on finding either his son or Agent Phillip Kramer, his former mentor and now former friend.

"He was at the house when Neal walked in and Phillip cuffed him as soon as he recognized him. Neal was frozen with terror or I'm sure he would have fled on the spot. He said that he caught Neal casing the MET and wouldn't believe me when I told him that he was wrong."

"So Phillip has Neal? Is Philip taking Neal to the office?"

"Not really…I…attacked Phillip and that gave Neal time to pick the lock on the cuffs and get away. I told Neal to find you."

"You what!? El you can't do that…Philip could arrest you for interfering in the arrest and obstruction of justice."

"Peter, Phillip never identified himself or read Neal his rights. What he did do is viciously shake our son and scared him when he put the cuffs on. I wasn't going to stand by and let him take Neal away without trying to protect our son…and to tell you the truth, even if he had identified himself, I would do the same thing to save Neal!"

Peter sighed as he rubbed his forehead to try and ease the headache he could feel coming. "Neal is on foot and Phillip is chasing him and he knows that Neal is heading to the office?"

"YES! You've got to find him and save him from Philip."

"I'm on my way and don't worry I will get to him before Kramer does. Don't worry El I'll find him first," and with that Peter hung up and headed for home hoping to spot Neal on the way.

Neal slowed down and swerved in between two homes down the street; homes where he knew the owners wouldn't be at home at this time of the day. He watched as Kramer sped by a few minutes later. His mother's attack on the agent gave him just enough time to get down the block and hidden.

Peter's phone rang again and thinking that it was his wife again said, "I haven't found him yet, honey," but instead of hearing his wife's voice he heard the scared voice of his son.

"Dad?"

"Neal…are you okay, son?"

"Yeah…I got away, thanks to Mom. I'm hiding down the block at the Schiller's home…in their backyard."

"Stay there…I'll be there in five minutes and then we are going to the office."

"But Kramer will be there…I'm scared Dad."

"You will be with me and Diana and Jones and we won't let Kramer touch you. Trust me son, he will not lay a hand on you, I promise."

"Okay Dad, but I'm still scared."

"It's okay son; it's okay to be scared, just don't let your fear rule you. Now, I'll be there in a few minutes. I'm going to pick your mother up and we all will face Kramer together as a family."

It was about twenty minutes later that Peter and Neal entered their home.

"Honey? I've got Neal and we are heading to the office to confront Phillip at work where I have the power. Do you want to come along?"

El ran to engulf her family in a hug, kissing both son and husband before replying, "Yes…let's go, the sooner Neal is cleared of Phillip's ridiculous charges the sooner I can get rid of my anxieties."

Peter wasn't surprised to see Kramer blocking the way into the building or that he had a couple of marshals along as backup. "Thanks for bringing your boy to me, Petey. I just need to put the cuffs on him and then we can be on our way." Kramer stepped forward as to cuff the terrified boy.

Peter and El stepped forward as if one to block Kramer's excess to Neal. "I don't think so Kramer. Neal is in my custody and the Marshall's have no control over him. I alone am responsible for him. Jones, Diana, will you please escort Neal into the building and to my office," Peter added as he caught sight of his junior agents.

Phillip watched angrily as his quarry walked past him accompanied by Agents Jones and Berrigan and turned back to Peter.

"This isn't over yet Petey. I caught him casing the MET and that is proof enough for me that he is either the Monet thief or his partner," and with that he followed the three into the building with Peter and El bringing up the rear.

By the time Peter made it to his office he and El weren't surprised to see both Jones and Diana guarding the entrance to prevent Agent Kramer's entrance but he was to see that his superior, Reece Hughes standing between his junior agents and Kramer adding his support as well.

"Neal is not your man Agent Kramer. We have documented proof to collaborate that as well as statements from his parents to show that he was nowhere near the cities where the previous robberies took place. His tracking anklet alone should be proof enough but if you like I can call on any agent here to state that he was either in this department or out in the field with Peter."

The fact that this was coming from the head of the department only deflated Kramer's sails a bit before he shot back, "Well, if he isn't the thief then I bet he knows who is and that would make him an accomplice to the actual thief and just as guilty. I did catch him casing the MET. Open your eyes and see the facts…this boy is just as guilty as he was when I caught him trying to steal a Monet when he was a teen."

"He wasn't casing the MET Phillip; he was checking the security of the museum. He was doing the job I assigned him to. He has changed from that scared fourteen year old that you caught trying to steal a painting to a member of my team and my son and I trust him explicitly." Peter reply was so forceful that Kramer had to take a step backwards. However it didn't stop his attack on Neal.

"Didn't you learn anything I taught you Petey? Once a thief always a thief but what really floors me is that you adopted the little hooligan…don't you realize that he is playing you and your wife? He is no more interested in being your son, only what it can gain him in the end."

"And it has gained him a family that loves him and will protect him to the nth degree if that is what it takes and you are wrong about him not being interested in being a son to El and me or a grandson to my folks he cares a lot. You try and take him and you will have to fight the whole Burke clan."

"This isn't over Petey, I will win in the end and your "son" will face the justice he deserves."

"You know I have never liked the nickname "Petey" and I wish you would stop using it. My name is Peter Burke and you had better watch it Agent Kramer or I might produce some charges of my own, like attacking my CI in the performance of his duty. The proof of your attack is clearly shown on his face."

Peter and El pushed their way past Phillip to enter the office where Neal was nervously pacing. Peter afforded himself a smile when he heard Jones bar the door when Kramer tried to follow.

"Sweetie, it's going to be okay. Reece is on our side and he won't allow Agent Kramer take you away." El had her arms around their son offering comfort.

"That's right, we have too much evidence for any of Kramer's charges to stick. He's just angry that the thief managed to steal a Monet under his nose and in the city he's sworn to protect. When he saw you he saw an easy way to solve the theft by blaming it on you or someone you know."

"But Dad what if it is someone I know that is doing the stealing?"

"Then you can help bring him to justice."

"But what if it is a friend?"

"That is something we will have to deal with after he or she has being identified but whether you know them or not does not mean that you were in on the thefts. Don't you allow Kramer's fantasies to make you feel guilty?"

"I'll t-try," wavered Neal before seeing the determination in his parents' eyes to reply stronger, "I'll won't!"

"That's my boy...now let's get to work on showing Agent Kramer just how good Burke and Son are in solving art crimes...with the help of Jones and Barrigan," Peter added hastily with a smile.

"Yes, sir. Should we meet in the conference room now?"

"You do that son...tell them to bring all they have gathered and I'll join you in a moment." Peter smiled at the change in his son. The anxiety that he was showing earlier was gone. Peter watched as he walked past Kramer to his desk stopping along the way to tell his father's junior agents about the conference about to occur.

"I see that I am no longer needed...take care of our boy. Tell him that I will be fixing Cornish hens for supper tonight...don't be late," El said before kissing her husband goodbye.

Peter watched her leave smiling as she ruffled Neal's hair on the way out. He was such a lucky man to have such a wonderful wife and mischievous son. He paused as out of the corner of his eye he noticed Kramer stopping El before she left the floor but relaxed as he saw her brush past him without speaking.