A/N: Hey y'all! I just want to start off saying I am sooooo thankful for all the views Of Law and Angels has received so far. I never dreamed it would grow as quickly as it has, and I feel so blessed by all of you!
Please, remember to R&R!
Chapter 3: A Clean Slate
Watching the sunset over New York City, the uncanny criminal now known to the FBI as The Gentleman lounged in a plush, velvet loveseat and replied to an earlier comment.
"Of course I got it. And yes, the client is happy. The arrangements are already being made."
There was a pause while the voice at the other end replied.
"That's good news; did they end up finding anything in the vault?"
Another, shorter pause.
"I had hoped not. It really is good to know that I'm still at the top of my game." The Gentleman gave a short laugh. "It won't be long before the FBI has another shot at me, don't worry. I don't plan on taking a break while there's work to be done."
The Gentleman began fiddling with a long-stemmed rose while listening to the voice on the other end of the line; a nice red rose should always be kept on hand, in the opinion of the crafty thief.
"Good, as long as the right buyer is buying, I'm ready to go. It's always wonderful to talk with you Alice." After the usual formal goodbyes, the line went dead. So, for that matter, did the phone. Seventeen stories was a long way to fall for a cheap burner cell. The bay below would consume any trace of the call, if the phone wasn't crushed on impact. Once again, the Gentleman was careful.
Another day, another heist. Mused the art thief. And maybe this time, it might even be fun.
Jones and Neal had gone to inspect the scene of the crime, and Neal had looked like a kid on Christmas when Peter had told him to go to the museum's restoration vault . Peter and Diana would join them after getting the employee and volunteer records.
Tonia Schultz, a thin, frail young woman, was helping the clean-up crew pack up when Peter and Diana arrived.
"I'm sorry, you can't be in here-"
Peter pulled out his badge.
"Agent Burke, FBI. This is Agent Barrigan. Do you have time to answer a few questions for us?"
"O-of course, agents. Will you just follow me? I know where we can speak privately." She seemed more than a little flustered, spilling her clipboard full of papers across the floor. She scampered around, picking them up hurriedly on her way to the door of a tiny conference room. Ushering them inside, she looked uncertainly from Peter to Diana and back.
"Well, what seems to be the problem, agents?" She seemed to have regained at least some of her composure, motioning for them to take a seat. "I assure you, our agency is completely legitimate-"
"We aren't here looking for fraud, Miss Schultz. We would like to have a look at the employee records for every man employed here or who volunteered last night for the auction." Peter was trying to soothe her, for she had flustered again as soon as they sat down.
"Well," she said, calming once more, "I can do that, but whatever for? And why only males?"
Peter was taken back to that very conversation back in his office.
How can we be sure this thief is female?
Diana, the general body structure-
-From what we can see in that video-
Yes, from what we can see in the video, is male. The lab analysts concur with this; thick torso, long legs, and lack of…um…
Breasts?
Yes. That is the main proof. He might not be the most broad-shouldered individual, but I suppose that's useful to a thief. Plus, do you really believe that a female thief would dress up like that, just to confuse us?
Come to think of it, no. Women have more common sense than to be that cocky.
Diana's response brought him out of his reverie.
"We have reason to believe that a male suspect from a local theft was here last night before pulling the heist." She was deciding to be upfront with Tonia. This will be interesting, thought Peter exasperatedly.
"What?" Tonia Schultz was incredulous, and Peter sighed inwardly. While Diana was an amazing agent, her social skills could be lacking at times."I do not hire criminals! Even if the government seems to think otherwise." She seethed.
"We just need those personnel files, Miss Schultz. That way, we can exclude your employees and volunteers from our search, if possible." Peter was trying to smooth things over, with questionable results. A phone rang through the silence. Still glaring, the enraged coordinator stepped outside to take the call.
"Do you think we'll find him here? I profiled all the workers on the way in-most are blond or brunette, and the two with dark hair are too tall." Diana shook her head. "We might have just hit another dead end, Boss."
"Well, let's hope for the best. Maybe the guy was one of the Bachelors." Peter most certainly hoped so; this case was quickly escalating, and if news got out that they weren't able to catch this guy…Well, between the copycat thieves end the paperwork, Peter would have his work cut out for him. He just hoped it wouldn't come to that. He rose as the still-pissed organizer reentered the room.
"Here," she thrust a small stack of papers at him. "now, if you'll see yourselves out, I have work to do." She spun on her heel and left.
Meanwhile, the Metropolitan's restoration vault was a clean slate. No fingerprints (the employees wore gloves in there at all times), and nothing had been disturbed except for the missing piece. Nothing out of the ordinary, minus one, glaring exception. The rose. The lab analysts had placed it precisely where it was found originally, deeming that it had, in fact, been preserved. Neal sighed at that. No way to know when it was purchased, so no luck there.
Nothing unusual about it; it was a fine specimen, a bright scarlet bloom that appeared almost at home amongst the art.
The art that made Neal feel like a kid in a candy store.
It was sitting here, collecting dust. He sighed. One of the good guys, he remembered. He was silently wondering if the good guys ever got to have any fun when Peter and Diana arrived. He exasperatedly explained the findings.
"As far as crime scenes go, it's a clean slate." Finished Neal.
"Not only the crime scene," Peter said, shaking his head, "this entire case is just that: a clean slate."
"Well," said Jones, "back to square one then."
A/N: What do you guys think? I love to hear from you! Once again, thanks to my wonderful beta, ccluvshorses101! Please remember to R&R, so I know whether or not you guys like how it's going!