Neal walked into the White Collar unit the day after he had the talk with Kate. He was just showing up to see what he could do because he was bored. Mozzie told him to go to work, so he did just that. He raised an eyebrow at the fact that everyone was busy but just went to his desk. He watched Diana go by to go up the stairs to the conference room and then turn around and come back to Neal's desk. He smiled up at her. "Busy day?" He asked as he took off his hat and waited for an answer.
"Peter's waiting for you," Diana replied before she walked off again. "Bring his coffee!" She called over his shoulder.
"Should have never got him into espresso," Neal muttered to himself as he got up and got coffee for himself and Peter. He went up to the conference room, handing Peter his coffee before sitting down at his usual place. He set down the cup of coffee and picked up the briefing book, flipping through it. "This is a good joke," he said as he saw that they were meeting about the music box.
"It's not," Peter replied to Neal. "Someone stole it from the Russians and they want us to get it back. Mostly because they were able to get information that it came through to us. So now we need to spend some time tracking it down."
"Are we the only ones working on this?" Jones asked as he looked through the booklet.
"No," Peter replied. "We're working with other White Collar units throughout the country. So keep your cell phones on and be willing to talk to people on camera. Neal, we're going to be giving you the blueprints to the building so you can look over how to get in and out."
"Always fun," Neal said with a smile. "Do I get to be involved on the video calls?"
"Depends," Peter replied.
"On what?" Neal asked as he raised an eyebrow.
"Playing well with others," Peter replied. "We have another agency coming in to speak with us. You need to behave."
"I know how to behave," Neal pointed out.
"Alright," Peter said. "We've got security camera footage as well," he said as he moved and pressed the play button. As the footage started to play, they all noticed someone coming out of an air vent and get the music box. "That doesn't surprise me. So we're looking for someone who is thin enough to fit in any sort of air vent." He pressed play again and the face was well shown to the camera. He rewound the tape and looked at it again.
"That's not possible," Neal said quietly as he got up and went over to the screen. "That's Kate. But she's dead, right?" He asked and looked to Peter. "Right? She's dead?"
"From what we saw," Peter said and looked worried. "There wasn't anything really left of a body, Neal."
"Plus I cremated what was left," Neal said and looked over the footage again. "She never taught anybody. I taught her a bit, but she was a bit clumsy at times. But it's her movements and her way of cracking codes."
"I don't know what to tell you, save that the Russians don't want to hear that a ghost stole their music box," Peter replied.
"Nor does Interpol," a familiar voice said as he came into the room.
Neal looked up and then at Peter. "I'm not working with him."
"You said that you would behave," Peter said and smiled at Sterling. "Good to see you."
"And to you, Agent Burke. I didn't realize that you are collecting your collars to show off in the office," Sterling said.
"Neal is a consultant now," Peter said to Sterling. "He's willing to help us on this case and any others. Plus he knows the woman who stole the music box."
"She's supposed to be dead," Neal said. "Also, how come I have to be nice and he isn't told to be so?"
"He has an Interpol badge and can take you off to be questioned if he wants," Peter replied to Neal.
"Oh," Neal said and just smiled at Sterling. "How's Nate Ford?"
Sterling glared at Neal for that. "Who is the woman then?"
"Kate Moreau," Neal replied. "Died when a private jet exploded. At least we thought she was dead. Appears that I was wrong."
"There's rumor that she's related to Damien Moreau," Sterling said.
"I'm not the one to tell you if that's right or not," Neal said with a shrug. "But she's probably using one of my tricks. I'll know more when I look over the blueprints and see the tapes a few times."
"Fine," Sterling said. "You'll keep me informed?" He asked of Peter.
"Of course," Peter replied. "Need to go smooth over ruffled feathers?"
"When do I not?" Sterling asked. "When this is over, I do need to speak to Caffrey on different Interpol cases."
"Talk to Hughes about that," Peter said with a shrug.
"Fine," Sterling said as he turned and walk out of the room.
"You're going to actually let him talk to me? Do you know what he's going to do to me?" Neal asked.
"Hughes won't let him," Diana pointed out. "So calm down."
"She's right," Peter said with a smile. "But it is fun to see him worked up."
"I am never bringing you coffee again," Neal muttered as he sat down to look over the blueprints.
"Famous last words," Peter said. "What I really want to know is how Kate is alive. We've been over everything – you more than me."
"There's no way she was able to get out," Neal said. "Unless…unless it was a very good body double. And I wouldn't know until we got all the way up."
"But it was enough to pass for everyone else but for you," Peter said as he thought about it. "And from a distance, it looked exactly like her. But why?"
"Don't know," Neal replied quietly. "Alex contacted Mozzie. I could call her. She's here."
"Wonderful," Peter said and thought on it. "Call her. Set up a meeting and tell her I'm going to want to be there."
"She's not going to like it," Neal pointed out as Peter walked out.
"I doubt that he cares," Diana said with a smile as Jones got up and followed Peter. "I'm sorry Neal."
"For?" Neal asked with a smile.
"That you thought you were done and now she's back," Diana said quietly.
"Thanks," Neal said as he pulled out a cell phone and called Alex's number. "Hi," he said.
"That only took about a day longer than I thought," Alex said with a chuckle.
"Peter wants to meet with you," Neal replied.
"Tell him no but I'll gladly meet with you while you're wearing a wire," Alex replied.
"You're being nice," Neal pointed out as Diana raised an eyebrow at that.
"I want to see you again," Alex replied. "And maybe ask you a few questions after you're off the wire. If you don't mind."
"I don't," Neal said and grinned. "When and where?"
"Tonight, around eight. How does Blue Fin sound?" Alex asked.
"I like Le Bernardin," Neal replied. "How about just a nice out of the way café? I'll see if Peter okays it, call you back, and we'll meet there. They have a very nice wine selection."
"Call me back then," Alex said and hung up.
Neal grinned from ear to ear as he got up. He went to go speak to Peter about the meeting and it was approved. It only took five minutes to call back to Alex and he was happy. He was going to find out about Kate, flirt with Alex, and probably get some good wine while he was at it.