White Collar - as an unofficial novel - part 5

Death by card crash

Peter sent in Jones and a team under him inside the airport to check if they saw Neal or Reilly. They were all undercover and there to keep a low profile and not blow anything. After a minute or two, Jones reported that it was nothing of interest inside.

Peter waited outside, dressed in a jacket and a cap. He scanned for Neal among people walking towards the terminal.

Then he saw the kid. Not the smiling charmer, but a grave and worried appearance. To Peter's amusement, the always observant young con-man passed him without noticing his friend and handler. Peter hurried after him.

"You know where I can catch a shuttle to the city?"

Neal turned, and Peter saw a brief smile of relief.

"No need for the cloak and dagger, Peter," he said and walked towards the entrance door Rice held open. "Wilkes isn't here."

"We're here to help you get out of this," Rice said as the kid passed her.

"That's ironic coming from you, Agent Rice."

So the kid had figured that out. Good. Then it would not come as a surprise later.

"Listen," Peter said, following Neal, "this Loze guy you're going after, it's Edward Reilly."

Before Peter had any time to tell who this guy was, Neal cursed.

"Damn. No wonder Wilkes doesn't wanna be anywhere near this."

Still, the guy did not slow his steps. Whatever the kid was thinking of doing, he was determined to continue. Peter took a step in front of him and stopped Neal.

"You go through with this, Reilly will hunt you down."

"If I don't get his briefcase to Wilkes by four, he'll kill Lindsay."

Neal was so good-hearted it was painful sometimes. Why, oh why, did he had to be a criminal? Peter sighed.

"You sure about that?" he asked.

"Her guard wasn't wearing a mask. And he has a silencer."

"So you saw her," Peter read between the lines.

"Yeah."

"Where?" Rice cut in.

"I don't know. They tased me," Neal cut back in a tone that told her he had no interest in talking to her. The kid turned back to Peter. "Tell me you're close to finding her."

If Neal had seen her, there was not a chance that Peter knew more than Neal.

"She's in an old building near the water."

He thought Neal would sigh, but his eyes lit up.

"Her guard was eating from a restaurant called Wok of Fire."

"Chinese takeout near the water," Rice said to Peter.

"We can work with that." It narrowed it down a lot. "Come on."

"Hey, I'm staying here," Neal said, not moving. "If you don't get to Lindsay in time—"

"Yeah." That was Neal in a nut-shell. Peter did not want to put the kid in danger, but they were short on time. To argue would not get them closer to find Lindsay. He put his hand in his pocket and handed Neal a small earpiece.

"It's a two-way transceiver," he said, and Neal put it in his hear. "Jones will keep an eye on you. His team will stay out of sight." But hopefully able to stop Reilly from killing Neal. "Don't do anything stupid."

Neal sent him a grin.

"Too late."

Peter smiled.