(Chapter 2)
Neal had the strange feeling he was being followed but when he would turn to check the car or figure they were always going towards another person, parking or otherwise doing something normal. Maybe he was just nervous worrying about the absence of his friends but Peter's sudden illness when he had been fine the day before continued to bother the young man. He had tried several times to call his friends and even El's cell phone but nobody answered. If Peter was home sick, wouldn't El be able to answer?
He started to feel the hair on the back of his neck rise again. There was something definitely wrong with this picture and he wanted to find out what. Neal went back to the Burkes' at night and knocked on the door. Nobody answered. He saw the Taurus parked outside and peeked inside without being suspicious. He also walked around the back of the street and jumped the fence. The house was dark except for one light he knew they always kept on in the den / living room area. He was going to break in when he heard sounds next door and ducked into the darkness.
"Have you seen the Burkes' today? Usually they're home this time of night and I hear them talking but they sure are quiet today. Looked like their dog might have been hurt. I saw her husband... He was taking the dog in the car early this morning and it was whimpering. Poor thing!"
The voices faded as they walked inside and the door shut. Neal had hoped to hear more but thought that was more than enough. So El wasn't here apparently if it was quiet and neither was Peter. Plus the fact Satchmo had been taken away by he could only assume Peter made him suspicious. This was getting more mysterious by the moment or maybe... just maybe he was being paranoid. Peter and El did have a life away from him.
It's possible El was out on a trip for her catering company and Peter was visiting someone. It was still early enough to see a doctor if you had one that didn't close till 7. Or maybe he was out getting medicine at the drugstore down the street. Neal was trying to think reasonably. Not everything was a conspiracy, or so Peter told him once. Satchmo could have fallen and hurt himself or any number of normal things. He was a rambunctious dog.
Neal stood up and brushed himself off looking at the house and feeling foolish as he jumped back over the fence and made his way down the street again. Neal glanced back only briefly before he hailed a cab and headed back to his own apartments. It had been a long day and Mozzie was going to come over to discuss the tape again. As the cab drove away the lights went on out of sight in the bedroom on the second floor of the Burkes' home. Someone peered out the window and then the curtain closed.
()()()
Saturday came and Neal still hadn't heard anything from either El or Peter. He went to Central Park and sat out on a bench in a quiet area. He was trying to figure out what to do about the situation with Peter when he finally decided to go home.
Neal made his way out to the street and started looking around for a taxi. He was going to stop by the Burkes' again and see what was up. It was unusual for Peter to be sick but it was weirder that he was texting in. Maybe he really had laryngitis but it seemed fishy when Neal stopped by their house and it was obvious nobody was home. He was thinking about this when he saw a vacant cab coming his way. He was just raising his hand when he saw them. He saw a car across the road with a figure obvious watching him. He couldn't see who the figure was but when they saw him staring right at them, the car took off quick. He didn't get a hint of the driver, since the side windows were tinted, and the car was obviously a rental so tracking it might not turn anything up. Neal mentally took down the temporary plates as the car zipped by, looking up as the cab stop before him.
"Need a ride buddy?" The driver had rolled down the passenger window and Neal nodded jumping inside.
"I know this is going to sound weird but... follow that car." He pointed at the rental and the man nodded as they took off. The cabbie was a young guy in his twenties with blondish brown hair and green eyes. He looked excited as he weaved safely but efficiently in and out of the New York traffic.
"So what are you? A cop? I've never gotten a fare like you before but I've seen enough movies. This is exciting!" The guy was having fun but at some point the car disappeared down an alley and when the cabbie tried to follow they came up short with a delivery truck blocking them. Neal sighed and the young cab driver did the same.
"Wow... that was like... WOW!" He was just gushing, turning to him and smiling but Neal just added another twenty.
"It's ok... just a friend of mine I wanted to catch up with." He gave the driver an address just up the block from June's not trusting the guy might have a hero complex and had him drop him off there. The man kept smiling at him, honking a good-bye as he left. Neal sighed tiredly. He wondered who the person was that had followed him and why. He couldn't think of anyone who they reminded him of although the figure did seem familiar despite the distance. He walked up to June's, unlocked the door and closed it behind him as he headed up the small hallway to the foyer and practically ran up the stairs. He had his phone in his hand and pushed it to his ear.
"Answer me these questions three..." Mozz sounded like some bad Monty Python skit but he was too impatient for this.
"Mozz, I need you to come over... now. Some thing's going on and I need your expertise." He heard silence on the other end then a soft intake of breath.
"Fine fine... don't play the game. What's up?" Mozzie was talking but Neal could hear him moving around, a door close and then footsteps. The little guy was on the move.
"Just get over here and I'll tell you." He hung up the phone feeling somewhat nervous and wondering now if the tail had anything to do with Peter's illness. It might also explain El's sudden disappearance. Last he heard she was clear of a schedule till Monday. Something was amiss. He only looked up when he got to his room to open up the door with his key. He stepped inside and closed the door, dropping his hat on the table. Neal opened up the French doors and looked out over the city thoughtfully. His gaze turned in the direction he knew Peter's home was and although he couldn't see it he could imagine it in his mind's eye.
"The thoughtful soul to solitude retires.(Omar Khayyam )"
Neal turned to see Mozzie standing in his doorway, the little guy smiling slightly before he caught Neal's worried look.
"Some thing's the matter... spit it out, Neal." Mozzie had walked over to where he stood looking over the city and peered out with him. Neal sighed and turned, sliding down with his back to the wall and sitting there. Mozzie sat down beside him after a moment.
"Maybe I've gone off the deep end but... I think some thing's wrong with Peter. He hasn't been at work for the past day and he texted in that he was sick. He didn't even let me know and I'm his partner!" Neal sounded frustrated, but he kept on before Mozzie could cut in.
"And some one's been tailing me but I don't know who. I caught a plate today but it's a rental. Maybe you can find out what's going on. I haven't had a chance to look it up yet. I'm going back to Peter's later to figure out what's going on. He's home sick but their house is empty and his car has been parked and unmoved far as I could see. I heard the neighbors in the backyard talking about them being absent. Some thing's going on. I just don't know what yet." Neal stood up suddenly and walked over to the kitchenette inside and pulled a bottle of wine from the rack. Mozzie stood and followed quickly behind him.
"Neal, you're sounding paranoid. That's not like you. Maybe the Suit is just sick like he said. What is he supposedly sick from?" Mozzie was already pulling out his laptop from his bag and nodded as Neal placed a glass of wine beside him.
"Thanks... let me set this up and.. ok I'm on. What was the plate of the car you saw." Mozz was typing away, Neal walking over with the bottle and glass and sipping at it a moment.
"THN456" and it looked to be an Audi I think... Tinted windows..." Neal didn't say much more as Mozz smiled and interrupted.
"The car was rented by a J. Simkins. Hey... Why does that name sound vaguely familiar." Mozzie was scratching at his chin when he hear a shattering of glass. He looked up to see Neal's face pale as a sheet and the wine glass he'd been holding in pieces on the floor.
"Neal? What's the matter? Do you recognize who this is? I know I don't although it does sort of ring a be..." He was interrupted by Neal pulling the chair out and sitting down, pulling the laptop roughing towards him and seeing the screen for himself. There was a receipt slip on the screen and a signature. He knew that signature even though the name wasn't the same name that the handwriting belonged to.
"Mozzie... you need to go." Neal stood up, the glass crunching beneath his expensive leather shoes as he picked up his hat and made his way to the door and opened it again.
"Neal, tell me what's going on and I'll help. Do you need to hi..." Mozzie saw the look on Neal's face as his cheeks flushed red and he nearly screamed at his friend.
"Just go... I don't want you to be here. Just... Get out of here. Please..." His voice softened a bit on the end and Mozzie packed up his stuff and nodded with a nervous twitch. He paused briefly but saw that look and left without another word. Neal closed the door and slid down to the floor, his back to it as he listened to Mozz' footsteps disappear down the stairs and then the voice of June as she spoke to him.
"Mozzie, I heard shouting. What's going on?" She sounded worried, her muffled voice just making it up through the door.
"I don't know... Neal's... I can't say. It will be alright tomorrow. I need to go. Thank you June. I'm sorry I can't stay." Mozz' voice sounded sad almost broken up he thought but he had to send the little guy away. If what he thought was true, he couldn't chance Mozz getting hurt. He had to know what was up before he got anyone else involved. Maybe he should leave June's until he was certain of the truth. Or maybe he should just go meet with the tail on their own ground.
"Neal? Neal dear, are you ok? Neal?" June's voice was on the other side of the other side of the door. He hadn't heard her footsteps but he reached up and locked the door from where he sat. He heard her obvious sigh and her footsteps start to move away.
"I'll be here if you need to talk. Ok?"
He wanted to tell her what was going on but he wasn't certain. Something was wrong and it involved Peter. He was going to have to figure this out on his own. He couldn't go to Jones or Diana and El was no where to be found when he tried to call her. He was alone.
Neal must have sat there a while till the sun was low in the sky and the stars came out. He finally rose from the floor, grabbed a mop and went to clean up the mess he'd made with the glass. The wine hadn't stained much but then the floor was a dark wood. He swept up the glass and after that he picked up his hat, pushed it onto his head and headed out. He was just locking up when he turned to find June at the bottom of the stairs looking up at him curiously. He slowed his steps some as he came closer, a flushed feeling to his cheeks as he felt some shame at how he had acted before with her and Mozz.
"Neal honey... are you ok? I heard you arguing with Mozz. He looked worried." She was looking at him as a friend more than anything, no chiding in her tone. He just bowed his head some and continued to feel a warmth on this face. Neal felt guilty but it had been necessary to send Mozz away.
"I'm sorry, June. I didn't..." He paused as she nodded and hugged him gently.
"It's ok honey. Everyone has fights. I'm sure it was nothing and you'll both forgive one another... right?" She was arching a brow at him in a motherly way and he nodded with a chagrined smile.
"Yeah... I'm sorry you heard that. I'll apologize to him as soon as I can. I'm sorry for ignoring you earlier. I wasn't myself." He was still flushing and she gently tapped his cheek with her hand and grinned.
"Like my son never gave me the cold shoulder... or my daughter when they were having a bad day. It happens. Forgive me for being so nosy. Happens when you've had kids. You become so nosy about things but then you're not my child." She gently brushed his hair from his face and smiled in a matronly way to him. He felt a bit better as she did so.
"Now, I have some dinner I can warm up for you if you're in the mood." She was smiling but he shook his head and apologized.
"I actually had plans. Peter's home sick and El's out of town so I thought I would go see how he's feeling." He felt bad not staying but he really did need to check if Peter was ok and his clue from the rental place. June nodded understandingly.
"Not a problem. Tell him I hope he feels better." June smiled at him and gave him a quick hug and peck on the cheek before disappearing into the dining room. Neal felt guilt at not spending time with her but he had to check on his lead. He pushed his hat on to his head and made his way outside, locking up the door behind him. Neal walked down the block, his pace quickening when he saw a vacant cab ahead. He was just about to run towards it when someone came up and pushed something hard and metallic into his back. Neal paused.
"Just keep walking like nothing's going on. We're going to turn up ahead here to this alley way and just keep going, ok?" Neal wanted to turn but he heard the gun cocked and stopped realizing they meant business. He kept his face neutral as he followed the man's directions and they turned into the alley way ahead. Inside he saw the rental car from earlier.
"So it was you I saw! I should have known but you were too far away and the windows... Why? I don't understand why you're tailing me? Why this? J. Simkins... Jared Simkins. Tell me what's going on?" He turned despite the gun and saw the man who had hijacked him. The man looked tired like he hadn't rested. His brown hair was disheveled, bags under his eyes and some minor bruising on his face and neck. Neal wanted to plead for answers, the gun still pointed at him by the man with an unwavering glance. Those eyes looked haunted, frightened and terrified. Something had made him change in only a short period of time and now he was desperate. Neal had felt like that once but someone had helped him, changed him. Now... now he saw that same desperation echoed in two brown pools.
"Peter, why are you doing this? I don't understand..." Neal just looked at his friend and the gun, a cold chill running down his spine but his friend just stood there and stared at him without speaking. It was frustrating to know that his friend was doing this so he moved forward, grabbing Peter's hand and pushing the gun to his ribs.
"You want to kill me... Kill me! It's better than not knowing what the hell is going on! I know your took Satchmo to the vet hurt. I know El is away. Just shoot me now or tell me what's going on, Peter!" He had his finger on Peter's hand but heard the gun uncocked, the safety click on and Peter pull away from him.
"Just run away Neal. Cut your anklet and run now. Just run away already, Dammit!" He dropped the gun on the ground and fell into a crouch, face in his hands. Peter looked like a man at the end of his rope but one who had been ready to kill him. Neal just stood there and stared at his friend uncertain what to say or think. Peter had been ready to shoot him but he didn't. He crouched beside him after a moment and nudged him.
"Peter... why would I run away? What's going on? Tell me why you've been tailing me since Friday? Why did you text into work sick? You always tell me I should tell you the truth... now do the same. What's going on, Peter?" Neal poked him again but fell back on his butt when Peter had the gun in his face again.
"They said I had to do it or... Dammit! I can't do this! I want to do it not because I hate you or anything. Don't think it's because of anything you've done. You're my..." Peter hesitated saying what he wanted to say finally throwing the gun away again till it bounced off the wall to the pavement. He stood up and started to walk to the rental car.
"Just cut your anklet and run. If anyone asks... I'll say I approved it. Go Neal... before I change my mind and at this point, I might just do what they want. I don't have much time left." Peter entered the vehicle and closed the door, sitting in the driver's seat a moment. Neal pushed himself up unsure what to think as he grabbed up the gun and walked towards the vehicle. He saw the brake lights go on and tapped the top of the roof. He kept knocking on it till he heard the passenger door open and he slipped inside, handing the gun to his partner.
"Peter... tell me what's going on? Shoot me if you have to be tell me what's going on first. Please?"
Peter shifted uncomfortably in the seat, head looking away till finally those brown eyes turned back at him in the dim light of the dash. They were watery and Neal could just make streaks of tears falling down his friend's cheeks. He pulled the handkerchief from his pocket and offered it to the agent.
"Neal... you can't be here. I'm sure they're watching me. They'll know if we meet. I've seen them watching so I haven't told anyone..." He hesitated, wiping his eyes gingerly with the hanky before handing it back.
"El... they have her don't they? Why else would you be so terrified. I've never seen you this upset except when Fowler went after her." Neal hesitated and felt a coldness wash over him. Someone had taken El and threatened her life if Peter didn't kill him. Neal shook his head in disbelief and put a hand on his friend's arm.
"Peter, I'm sorry. God... to think you've been dealing with this since Friday. But who is it and why did they ask you to kill me?" Neal sighed deeply, hugging his friend briefly. He thought about Kate when she was captive to the ring man. He had been terrified of what might happen to her. He was willing to do anything to get her back but would he have killed?
"I don't know who they are. They just showed up in the middle of the night. I heard Satchmo yelp in pain and then I was being held down and told what to do as they took El away. They said I couldn't talk to anyone or she would be killed. God... what if they're watching us now! Neal you have to get out of here. Please... I don't trust myself. I... if I lose her I don't know what I'll do." His voice was barely a whisper, Neal shaking his head.
"No... you always told me no more secrets. You helped me... I'm going to help you the way I should have let you help me before the music box. Maybe... no maybes. We'll get El back. I promise you." Neal took his friend's hand in his and saw those brown eyes staring back with fear.
"I can't... Neal, you have to go!" Peter reached across and opened up the door pushing the young man out before he could respond. Neal fell out of the vehicle to the pavement as Peter closed the door and took off.
"Peter! PETER!"