White Collar: An unofficial novel - part 10

I've got something better

"You what?!" Peter spat as he finally arrived to the scene.

"I introduced myself as Peter Burke," Neal repeated. Peter stared at him. The kid shrugged. "What was I supposed to do? Cuff her?"

"Use your calming smile!"

"She needed an agent," his pet convict said. "She needed Peter Burke. Not a charmer."

Peter stared at the both of them.

"How come that every time I leave you two alone, something horrible happens?"

"Not every time," the kid smiled. "Remember when I was over for dinner, and you needed to get something upstairs?"

"Stop it. Just stop it. I don't want to hear anymore. El, get hold of Brooke and tell her I want to meet her at the office as soon as she can. Neal, we get back to the office."

Driving back to the office, Peter's fury did not leave him. He was a trained and experienced federal agent. A representative of the US government law enforcement. One of the big, lofty ultimate good guys.

Neal was his opposite in almost everything. That this young criminal could even think about telling anyone that he was a federal agent was a joke. That he impersonated one and convinced Brooke with such ease was an outrage. And that Neal had had the guts to claim his good name and his wife, which made him want to send the kid not only back to prison but into the darkest dampest cell they had.

The young convict stood smiling beside him in the elevator.

"You should be happy I was there," the kid said. "You didn't get there in time."

"I was on time," Peter hissed. The door opened, and they stepped out "You impersonated an agent!"

"You told me to do whatever I needed to do," the always so carefree man responded.

"I didn't say commit a federal crime."

"I convinced her to come in."

They walked up the stairs from the bullpen to Peter's office.

"Yeah. And now is the time to correct the situation by having her meet the real Peter Burke."

"She will blow out those doors so fast you won't see her shadow," Neal returned. "You know why? 'Cause the lights will be out from the power outage, she couldn't help us stop."

To his horror, the kid walked ahead of him into the office and headed around Peter's desk.

"You do not get to be me anymore." Peter's words had absolutely no effect. The kid dropped his hat on the little table. "That doesn't go there." And Neal sat in his chair! "What are you doing? Get up!"

The kid did rise from the chair.

"Peter, she's skittish. If I try to explain to her that I impersonated you, she'll never trust you, me, Elizabeth, or the FBI."

Neal had a point. Peter had to admit that. But there must be a way around this circus. Brooke did not deserve to be met by a convicted felon impersonating a federal agent within the office of the Bureau. Peter figured he must be able to explain.

The phone rang, and both he and Neal moved to take the call.

"No. Don't touch that!" Peter rebuffed him. "Hello?" he answered.

"Hello, hon."

"Oh, hey, El."

"I'm downstairs with Brooke now."

"Great. Listen, I talked to Neal, and we're just gonna be honest with her."

"Seriously?" El returned, and Peter was baffled at the tone of rebuke in her voice.