White Collar - as an unofficial novel - part 4

Dan

It had advantages to be rich. An elevator direct to your apartment was really handy. You were let inside on the bottom floor and the one living in the apartment let the elevator take you there. No stops or other people entering on the way.

"We should talk to June about getting an elevator," he said as he stepped out into an apartment which was more like a luxury villa, in a sky scraper.

"Didn't think you're staying that long," the kid replied.

Peter scanned the room as a jolly young man bounced down the stairs from the upper floor.

"Hey, FBI guys. How's it going?"

"I'm Agent Peter Burke," Peter presented himself. "This is Neal Caffrey."

"Not Agent Neal Caffrey?"

"Consultant," Peter said after a glance from the kid.

"What do you consult on?" Mr. Picah asked him curiously.

"Frauds, forgeries, cons," Neal answered and slid away, surveying the room, obviously trying to avoid further conversation.

"Awesome hat trick," the man burst in admiration. "Can you teach me that?"

Peter had to fight a smile. Obviously Neal had put his hat on in his usual manner and got an admirer. He turned to see the kid with a wide, overly polite grin all over his face. Peter saw a gray bust with a fedora hat on that had caught Neal's interest.

"You like that statue?" Mr. Picah asked. "Don't worry. It's real."

The man was intense. Peter was used to dealing with odd people in his work for years and could handle most of them. He smiled politely and looked at the bust.

"He uses a Boaz Vaadia bust as a hat rack," Neal whispered upset. "Do you know how much this bust is worth?"

"I paid four-fifty for that," Dan Picah answered and to Peter's amusement, he saw the man trying Neal's hat trick in front of a mirror. It was not the same when you had to use two hands.

"I can't be here," Neal said and moved to leave. Peter stopped him.

"Mr. Picah."

He put the hat back on the hook beside the mirror.

"Hey, we're friends. Call me Dan."

"Okay, Dan," Peter agreed and hoped that Dan would address him as Agent Burke. "Have you been in contact with any beautiful women recently?"

"Sure. It's New York. I'm dating all the time. Why? What's going on?"

Peter dug in his pocket and produced a photo of the woman called Pierce. He held it out to Dan.

"Well, have you been in touch with her?"

"No, but she's pretty. Should I be in touch with her?"

"We think she might be after something you own," Neal said. "Something... rare."

"I got tons of stuff," Dan said, stating the obvious. The apartment was littered with expensive objects. "What do you think she wants?"

"We were hoping you could tell us," Peter said.

Dan's eyes ran across the room.

"Maybe it's my sword," he suggested, walking past them, pointing at a samurai sword in a stand. "It's a Go Yoshihiro. Japanese, 13th century. Cost me two hundred and twenty thousand dollars, if you can believe that. I love history. Do you like history?"

Peter nodded while Neal left Peter's side and strolled away without replying.

"Silent type. I get it. Do you ever pull your weapon?" he asked Peter. This man was a child in an adult body.