White Collar - as an unofficial novel - part 5

Mozzie makes a bid

"Thank you again for your patience," the elegant Englishman began in front of all the eager potential buyers. "We apologize for the delay. But as some of you are aware we have had to conduct a cesium test to verify the authenticity of the two bottles we have been presented with. The test shows that one of the bottles is a forgery."

Neal blinked. One?

"One of the bottles?" Peter whispered beside him.

"The other, represented by Miss Grace Quinn, is authentic," Sir Cattigan said. "Thank you for your patience. The bidding will commence shortly."

Neal frowned, not sure where it was all heading.

"You said it was impossible to fake," Peter huffed beside him.

"It is impossible."

They looked at each other. They knew at the same time.

"Unless he had the real bottle all along."

Keller owned the real bottle! For how long? How long had he planned to use it this way, to humiliate him?

"If Keller had the real bottle, why would he go through all this?" Peter asked. "Why pretend to have a fake?"

Neal watched the people at the auction, the people on the phones taking bids. It was quite a stir. He made a gesture towards the crowd.

"He wanted to drive up the price," Peter concluded. "Damn. That's it."

"Surround the bottle with controversy. Now everyone is dying to get it."

"It will go for double, even triple the price now."

"Which gives him more money to pay off his debt to the Russians. He used me to do it."

He hated to feel like a fool and he hated even more that it was Keller behind it.

"This was his plan the whole time," Peter nodded. "He's good."

"We have to arrest him now," he urged his handler. "This auction ends, he's gone."

He got a tired stare in return.

"What am I gonna arrest him on? I mean, we have nothing on him now."

Neal felt the frustration he guessed Peter must have felt many times, especially chasing him, knowing a lot but with no real proof. But they had caught Al Capone on tax evasion... Suddenly he remembered something.

"Trespassing."

Peter stared at him. Sighed when Neal nodded. The agent gave it a moment's thought.

"Can't believe I'm gonna ask you this," Peter said, "but have you seen him trespassing?"

"I have, actually," he answered with pride. "At a construction site. It had a no trespassing sign and everything." No need to tell that he was on the same side of the fence with Keller.

"All right, we may not be able to hold him for long," Peter checked his watch, "but finding Keller is gonna take a bit."

"I'll stall until you can get him," he assured the man.

"Nothing—"

"Illegal, I know," he answered and held up his hands.

Peter rushed away and Neal wondered how to stall an auction. It would take a while yet before it was Keller's bottle's turn, but would it be enough? He walked outside and made a phone call.

"Yo," Moz answered.

"Hey, Moz, it's me."

"Is the auction over?"