The Cat in the Hat
March 15, 2017
NYC
FBI
White Collar
The Office of Burke, Peter
Peter Burk was pouring over a case of Mail Fraud. Someone posing as a Priest of a 'small congregation' was mailing old folks seeking donations for a children's refugee relocation fund. The suspect had collected a little over 3 million.
His desk phone rang.
"Burke… Hi Honey, sorry that I am working late … repeat that. 'Mozzie called you to say… the Archivist has a message for 'The Dentist from Detroit' about the 'Cat in the Hat'.' No idea what that was about… but I will look into it. Love you." the grizzled agent hung up, as he stared at the phone for a count of five. With a wordless swear, he threw himself to his feet, as he stepped out the door of his office. "Jones, Drake." He turned back into his office to stare out the window.
"Yeah Boss?" the black man lounged on the door as the rookie peered over his Shoulder.
"The Dentist from Detroit just called my Wife."
"Who?" the new guy asked.
"A retired wise guy." Jones had stood upright. "Rumored to be the Best Grifter in Detroit, before coming to New York. Once Here, he faded into the background, kept his nose clean, but kept his fingers in many pies." Jones adjusted his jacket, "What did he want?"
"It's this 'Cat in the Hat' that has me worried. You know who that reminds me of?"
"Caffery." Jones spat.
"And with him supposed to be dead…" Peter twisted to glare out his window.
"Mozzie called your wife?" Jones frowned.
"How would 'the Dentist' know your wife?" the rookie asked.
Peter frowned, "They have a book-club together. He watches over Neal." He grabbed his coat, and Headed out. "Calling it a night."
CitH
Peter hit the Door at just short of a run.
"Hi Honey! I am Home!" Peter called from the door.
"In the Dining Room!"
His Lovely wife was admiring a Painting ,30in x 50in, with a short man of the balding persuasion.
"What have we here?"
"It looks like a true Degas." Elizabeth sipped her wine.
"And how can you tell?"
"It was run through an x-ray machine, and had this under the paint." Mozzi handed over a photo.
Certified copy
Neal Caffery
Nov. 3, 2016
"Two years after…" Peter turned to the short man. "This Archivist, How reliable is he?"
"He is much like me. Many Fingers in many pies, but not enough to attract the attention of the Man or the Suites." Mozzie looked a little smug, "He warehouses things more than Moves them. This came into his possession last week, and he thought I might know what to do with it. He has it listed as a N. Caffery reproduction, but the Fence that had it was calling it an original Degas. When it was scanned, the Fence walked away. He knew I was connected to Neal…"
"Will he talk to me?" Peter looked back at the painting
"Don't think so." the re-made man smirked, "He is even more reclusive then I am. He has been active since the 90's, but even I only know him as the Archivist. Until that little mishap with Mr Jeffrys, I was just Mozzy to him, a Jack of the Shadow Trades. When he called me this Morning, He asked to make an appointment with the Dentist!"
"And the 'Cat'?"
"That was who the appointment was for." Mozzy was working himself into a tizzy.
"I see." Peter waved for a cup of coffee, as his wife was quick to pass him it. "That means either this a Forged Degas, a Forged Caffery, or …"
"He Lives." Mozzy clasped in a kitchen chair. "And just when I stopped seeing him around every damn corner!"
Peter snorted, "Yesterday, I asked Jones for a Sit-rep on Caffery."
Elle rolled her eyes and shook her head.
TCTH
Peter carried in the Painting, and set it up in the conference room.
Once the gang had assembled, he called Dianna to give him a run down of the painting.
"It Looks like 'Entrance of the Masked Dancers'." Dianna stepped closer, "But We know where the real 'Masked Dancers' is. That means this is a reproduction. The Only Reason I am not calling it a forgery is a gut feeling. The Artist that did this, mimicked the Master's style almost perfectly."
Peter tossed out a photo of the painting x-ray.
"No." She whispered. "He Signed it, before he painted it… But that Date…"
"Yes, and with that phone call yesterday…" Jones trailed off. "If he is back…what does that mean for us?"