Reverse WCBB - Big Brother - Elledeegee (Chapter 4)
Big Brother - Chapter 4
Corsan didn’t spill any major details about the meet but they knew he was responsible for Neal’s disappearance only because of some grudge he held for snitches. That was enough for Peter, booking the man on that as he paced outside of holding only stopping when Jones approached him.
“That solves the mystery of why Caffrey’s anklet went offline but not why they were meeting. Corsan isn’t someone you met casually for a cup of coffee. If they were planning something…”
He paused obviously not wanting to think about what Neal could have been up to with the man. Peter was pretty much the same way. This was like Wilkes only a hundred times worse. The case on Corsan had been put aside some time ago due to lack of evidence but now he was finally being put away for an unrelated matter: Neal Caffrey’s disappearance. They didn’t know if the con were alive or dead but Peter hoped for the former as he nodded grimly back at his colleague.
“Keep combing the Bridge area near the carousel and have someone… have someone sweep the river nearby. If you need warrants...”
Jones nodded before he left the ASAC alone. It had already been 8 hours since Neal’s mystery disappearance but Peter wasn’t ready to let this go. He’d pushed his friend away since his release from prison and something had happened to draw him to Corsan, something he didn’t want to think about. He could hope it had been a chance meeting between the two criminal but with Neal nothing was ever by chance.
It was after 10 PM when he arrived home, tired and emotionally drained. Elizabeth was sitting on the sofa waiting for him, blue eyes glancing up at him as he stepped inside. She was immediately on her feet, moving to greet and hug him, a curious look on her face.
“Did… you find Neal?”
He had let her know more or less what was going on in between interrogating Corsan and looking through footage of cameras around the carousel area. Now he was home and his mind was still working out the why but had found nothing so far.
“Not yet but we put the man away responsible. We have people on it. Jones knows to call me if they find anything.”
He didn’t want to leave but he was exhausted, needing a nap or something to eat. He wasn’t sure what as he continued to hold onto his wife and she him. Finally she settled him on the sofa, his head leaning back on the cushions as she helped him remove his coat and shoes.
“Relax honey. Have you eaten? I could warm up some leftovers.”
El was doing her best to comfort him, the agent nodding as his eyes started to close and he fell into a light sleep. He felt a blanket gently placed over him just before he passed out, his mind immediately returning to a moment from last week.
So how are things with Rebecca?
He probably shouldn’t have asked but it was important he knew what was going on in the con’s life. He might not be a traditional parole agent but he was still there to make sure Neal didn’t make any dumb mistakes. He had only seen Rebecca the two times, first at the case with the missing painting at the Gershone and later at the restaurant when he crashed his friend’s date. Neal had looked less than happy and even more surprised, if not a bit embarrassed. Once he knew the reasons for his friend’s deception and the random FBI pen, Peter had let the issue go. He wasn’t going to leave it completely but for now it was going to be something he kept an eye on. He didn’t need another Kate in his friend’s life or another Alex. For now the pretty fence had vanished along with some greek antiquities from a heist. The pieces were already stolen and he’d arrested the owner, the original thief. He’d later discovered a few of the higher end pieces had been returned to the original owners, the agents curious why the fence would be so generous.
Rebecca? Uh… good actually.
Neal didn’t exactly open up to him with that remark but there was a spark there he hadn’t seen since Sara left. His friend was as proud as any other man, the stigma of being a con and serving parole not exactly the first thing a woman wanted to hear on a first date. In a way he could understand the subterfuge but Neal seemed happy for the first time in a long while. It made Peter happy.
The conversation changed from Rebecca to the cases at hand and then to having dinner because Elizabeth had invited him. Peter had been busy and this was the first time he’d come to visit the con in over a week. Neal seemed at ease with him and also cautious but not for the usual reasons. Peter knew he would never get underneath every layer of his friend but it didn’t stop him from being curious. He left when Mozzie showed up and started harping on about UFOs in Central Park and alien hybrids in DC. The latter probably wasn’t far off but Peter wasn’t in the mood for crazy theories and Neal looked ready for him to go. For once he would follow that instinct and take his leave. He thought about what Neal had said when he crashed the dinner:
She looks at me the way El looks at you…
Those words resonated with him, Peter wondering how much Neal had told the young woman about himself. They had only discussed it in a cursory manner but it appeared Rebecca had not run off from the truth and was still in the picture. As he left, her name was mentioned and he saw a look on Mozzie’s face that made him think of the con’s relationship with Kate. The little guy had not trusted her and neither had Peter but this new woman didn’t have that vibe. They’d investigated her as had Siegel for the Gershone case and Ms. Lowe’s file was squeaky clean. There was nothing to make him think she wasn’t a good match with Neal. She had many of his same interests so he could only wait, see and watch.
Hun… Peter, hun. Wake up.
He heard his wife’s voice, coming to and looking up into her worried eyes. There was someone standing behind her and he sat up immediately, afraid it was some thief but it was only Jones, the Special Agent holding up a hand as El left them alone a moment.
“Jones… what are you doing here. It’s after… after 11:30. Guess I was more tired than I thought.”
Peter had slept just over an hour, stretching some as he gave the agent his attention. Jones looked serious but happy.
“News. There’s a figure lurking at the carousel. The owners said they saw a person enter the premises. They were told to call and they’re waiting for us to respond. This is what was taken from the footage from just a few minutes ago.”
Jones pulled out a photo, handing it to him. Peter wiped at his face sleepily before taking the item and flipping it over. He was instantly awake, brown eyes wide in surprise. It was a surveillance photo taken from a camera near the carousel. In it was a figure somewhat disheveled but certainly familiar, tall and lean and very much looking like Neal Caffrey. He looked at his friend, the agent nodding.
“Who else knows about this, Clinton?”
He was worried the Marshals would grab up Neal or even the NYPD but right now he was just happy the con was alive. Jones leaned over.
“Nobody but us. I figured you’d want to check this out before anyone else did.”
Peter nodded back, standing up as he put his shoes on and grabbed his jacket. He was still in his suit pants and shirt which he quickly tucked in as Elizabeth peeked back in with a curious look.
“I’ll wait up. Here’s some coffee for the trip. Bring him back safe.”
The two agents nodded back at her, a thankful look for the coffee as Jones went outside with the thermos and Peter hugged and kissed his wife before leaving. It had been one long week and an even longer day. Hopefully something good would come of what was left of it.
()()()
His head was aching as he stumbled across the bridge walkway and ended up on the other side of the river. It was past sunset and late from what he could tell, the moon high in the sky but washed out by the city lights surrounding him. He almost sensed a happiness within at going to see the man in orange. A faint smile crossed his lips as he wandered in a daze towards a small cul de sac of businesses most of which were now closed with only an employee or two still around to clean or lock up. There was one building still lit up but currently gated, the glass walls surrounding it showing horses inside. It didn’t take long for him to approach the gate, pulling something out of his pocket and using it to get inside. He could see the horses prancing around in a circle frantic to be free and the clock they ran around ticking off time until some moment he couldn’t recall. He just knew it was important he find the clock and the horses would lead him to the man in the paper gondola.
For you… but you have to give it to my friend if he shows up. Ok?
Suddenly the scenery changed, the carousel was alive again and music and voices filled the air around him. He wasn’t sure what was going on as the memory engulfed his dazed brain and he saw himself handing a small paper boat in the shape of a gondola to a little boy. The kid looked awestruck, nodding happily up at him. There was a woman, the boy’s mother smiling at him but he couldn’t hear what she said as the memory continued and he sensed a figure behind him as the two left.
If it isn’t Nick Halden.
He turned quickly, looking at the memory of the man and seeing a much calmer version of himself replying. He had been here before, earlier in the day and seen the boy with his mother. That man had come up after the fact and they had spoken about something to do with the clock. It was starting to come back to him, his mind frantic to know what as he felt water and coldness enveloping him, collapsing to his knees as he sensed himself suddenly drowning. His back arched as if he were struggling to get free, right shoulder throbbing anew with the memory of dislocating it to get his arms in front so he could get out of the river. The water was choppy but he pushed his head to the surface, floating like a log on his back as he fell in and out of consciousness. His memories were returning.
I know how to make Peter Burke a free man...
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