White Collar Fic "When it rains, it pours", Parts 4 & 5
When it rains, it pours
See Chapter 1 for more information
Chapter 4
The nearer Peter came to his home town, the more nervous he got. But in spite of everything he was glad to have Neal with him, for he was grateful for his moral support as well as for the distraction. They had talked about Ithaca and despite Neal's initial fears had come up with some very attractive facilities. After Peter had dropped him off at the hotel, and reminded him (once more) to stay out of trouble, he had to admit that Neal's idea of staying at the hotel wasn't that bad at all. He had to focus on his family now and couldn't take care of Neal at the same time. And somehow he was still full of hope that his friend and partner would listen to him (just once). With mixed feelings he drove towards his parent's house. It had been years since he had been here together with El. Now he regretted that they hadn't visited more often. Maybe this time...it would be the last time to see his father. Shaking his head, he thought, You can't think like that. Think positive!
His heartbeat increased after he finally stopped the Ford in the driveway. Turning off the engine, he remained seated. For a moment he was just sitting in silence, looking through the windshield at the well-maintained brick home. Childhood memories came to his mind and he smiled as he thought of those days he played ball with his father and brother in the backyard. He remembered the day his father took him and his brother to New York to watch a game at the Yankees Stadium. At that time it had seemed like a trip around the world and the very active metropolis had impressed him very much. Everything had seemed much bigger, higher and louder and even his father had fallen at the sight of the countless skyscrapers in Manhattan. He and his brother had eaten so many hotdogs that they got sick by the end of the day. But despite that, the two of them still thought of that special day every time they met each other and started to look at the old pictures.
A sudden knock at the window startled Peter and he was torn from his thoughts. Blinking, he turned his head and saw Robert standing besides the car. He quickly unbuckled his seat belt and took the car keys from the ignition before he climbed out. Then he stayed silent for a moment while he just looked at his younger brother. Robert was eight years younger than him and Robert's outward appearance left no room for speculations if they were related. Robert had the same build and hair color, still he was a few inches shorter than Peter. "Hey," Peter said softly and hugged him.
"Hey," Robert nodded and returned the gesture and additionally tapped him on the shoulder. "Long time, no see."
"I know," Peter admitted a bit awkward and stepped back to end the embrace. "How are you?"
"According to the circumstances," Robert sighed, "I'm fine. Are you coming in? Mom is still a bit tired, but she has repeatedly asked for you. Do you have any suitcases? And how was your trip?"
"To be honest, I slept most of the time. And no, I have only one duffel bag."
"So it wasn't a bad idea to travel two by two."
"Yeah, and I'm grateful that Neal has agreed to come along."
Robert smiled. "And where is he now? Or have you forgotten him somewhere?"
"No," Peter laughed and knew what his brother was referring to. As a teenager they once went to a concert, but they had arrived late at the venue because Peter had to drive back to the drug store they had stopped by earlier that day. One of their passengers had been left behind but nobody had noticed it at first, so it hadn't been entirely Peter's fault. This incident had led to a significant delay and -of course- a lot of laughter afterwards. "He insisted on staying at the hotel."
They walked slowly to the door. "Too bad, I have been looking forward to meeting your partner after I've heard so much about him."
"Don't worry, he will be coming here tomorrow morning. He was sick last week and isn't up to 100% yet. I think he will be going to bed early tonight."
...
After he had arrived at the hotel, it had been only a matter of a few minutes to collect his room key. He quickly stowed away his few belongings and went to the window to look outside. Compared to New York, Ithaca was frighteningly quiet. Although he had looked forward to meeting both Peter's and Elizabeth's families for a long time, he also knew that this wasn't the time. Therefore, he had chosen a hotel. And this also was a family emergency, so the decency simply commanded not to stay at the Burkes.
Still, he hadn't offered his help entirely altruistically. For the first time in more than seven years he was able to see something different. And it was far less dangerous than his "excursion" to Cape Verde had been. At that time he had risked a lot be free. But in reality he hadn't been free at all. Having to look over his shoulder constantly had taken much of his impartiality. So this was the first opportunity - the first LEGAL opportunity - to leave his radius. If this wasn't tempting at all...
The offered evening events he had found at the hotel lobby sounded far less tempting however. Since it was still early, he decided to explore the city by foot and look out for a nice restaurant. For the first time in days, he felt really hungry and that made him confident. According to Peter there were many places to go, so the chances to find a cozy restaurant were good.
After a few minutes he had reached the Moosewood Restaurant. On his way over he had spotted a bookstore that offered used and rare books and had stopped to look through the window. He would have loved to rummage through it, but unfortunately the store had already closed. Therefore, he decided to stop by the next day. Just a few steps ahead he could see the sign of the Moosewood. Once there, he was assigned to a table and studied the menu. It didn't take long to choose and Neal let his eyes wander. The place was crowded. A young couple with three little children was seated behind him. Two tables behind him sat a grey-haired and stocky-looking man with the back facing him. With two half-filled wine classes on the table, Neal assumed that his companion was probably somewhere around. The waitress came back a short time later and took Neal's order.
Despite the rush of visitors, it didn't take too long until his meal was served. After taking a few bites, Neal knew that he had already fallen in love with this restaurant. And even though he hadn't wanted to admit it at first, he had to admit that the city had its own charm. The longer he stayed, the better he liked it. Satisfied, he took a sip of water and leaned back in order to pursue one of his favorite pastimes - watching people. His life as a con artist had made it necessary to assess his opponent correctly. He noticed that two pretty young ladies were whispering in the hallway and looking at his direction. Both repeatedly pointed at him and seemed very excited. Smiling broadly, he readjusted his tie. Yes, this city was very lovely.
Giggling, the girls came towards him and he stretched his back a little. With his patented Caffrey smile he cleared his throat. But his smile disappeared and was replaced by a frown when the two passed by and stopped at the second table behind him.
"Can we take picture with you?"
A picture? Of the gray-haired man? The question surprised him and made him blink. Had he misjudged that much? What was so exciting about the man? While he thought about it, he could hear someone answer the question.
This time Neal was amazed. That voice sounded familiar! And it certainly didn't belong to the grey-haired man. Curiously, Neal turned around and raised his eyebrows. No wonder that the man drew attention to himself. After all, that man was known as New York’s most wanted bachelor who liked to flirt very often. "Rick! What a surprise!"
The brown-haired man was still busy with the two ladies and it took a few seconds to respond to Neal's address. With a broad smile, he said, "Hey! What are you doing here?"
Neal stood up and answered, "I could ask you the same."
Rick watched after the two women, before he responded. "It's been a damn long time since our last meeting. Good to see you, Neal."
The two embraced briefly and patted each other on the shoulders. "Seems like your fan base has doubled, Castle," Neal laughed and winked at him.
"Yeah, fantastic, isn't it?" Rick laughed out loud and didn't mind Neal's crooked comment. "But you haven't answered my question."
"The same goes for you."
Castle raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were still located in New York at least for one more year?" Then he pointed to his table. "Come on, sit down with us and let's talk about the good old times."
Neal didn't hesitate and nodded, took his glass and the plate and walked over to where his old buddy Rick Castle and the other man were seated.
"Edward Simmons, meet Neal Caffrey," Rick stopped short and seemed to consider. "Um, Neal is, well..."
Neal put the dishes down before he replied, "No need to worry." He waved his hand smiling before he offered it to Simmons. Of course he had recognized the concerns from Rick. "I'm a convicted bond forger, who offers his tremendous knowledge as a consultant to the FBI for almost three years now."
Simmons hesitated, but then returned the greeting gesture. "Bond forger, consultant for the FBI, huh? An interesting career, that's for sure. Pleased to meet you, Mr. Caffrey."
"He also acted as the model for one of my fictional characters," Rick explained and smiled. "Neal, this is Dean Simmons from Cornell University. He teaches English and Literature."
"The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Simmons. Literature! Which era?" He was immediately hooked on this topic.
"Nineteenth century. My secret hobby though is the English Love Poetry..."
Without further ado Neal began to quote a poem from Lord Byron, "Away with your fictions of flimsy romance, those tissues of falsehood which folly has wove!"
Simmons nodded approvingly and finished the paragraph. "Give me the mild beam of the soul-breathing glance, or the rapture which dwells on the first kiss of love." He smiled afterwards. "I'm impressed, Mr. Caffrey." Then he looked at Castle. "And above all, of course now I want to know how the two of you have met."
"Yeah, he's a man of many talents," Rick grinned and waved for the waitress. "How about a glass of wine? I guess we have a lot to talk about."
...
"There's not much to say," Robert sighed as the two walked slowly to the house. "Mom called me this morning. Completely upset. After I got here, the EMT's were already here. Then we drove to the hospital, but you know the drill. It took hours until all the tests had been done. At the end, the doctor said that Dad has had much luck because the ambulance had been here so fast. Mom still was very upset, so he gave a sedative and sent us home. That's all for now. We can visit Dad tomorrow and hopefully there's more information about his condition to tell."
Peter nodded. Basically, Robert had already told him that over the phone, but it was different to hear it in person. "Well, in this case, no news is good news." His heart beat faster when he approached the front door. He had no idea how he should react in regards of his mother and wished that El would be here with him.
Robert opened the door and stepped in, so that Peter could also enter the house.
Although Peter had grown up here, the house felt strangely alien to him. It was uncharacteristically quiet. Usually the radio was on with the local sports channel or the channel of the Ithaca College. His Dad didn't want to miss a single game from the Bombers, the college baseball team. He paused and looked around. Robert's voice brought him back to reality.
"Mom's in the living room. I’ll stay a little bit and then head home to talk to Pam after she's back. Jeremy and Amy desperately want to stay overnight, but I don't think that's a good idea."
"Why not? I think the two are old enough to decide for themselves and I also think that Mom wouldn't mind. A little distraction isn't that bad." He knew exactly how it felt to be alone. After Elizabeth had been kidnapped by Matthew Keller. Of course, it was hard to compare those two situations. But he knew the feeling when the beloved partner was suddenly no longer there. How it felt when you were suddenly faced with an event that you couldn't control and you were left behind feeling helpless. He knew the feeling when you almost perish of concern. And all you wish for was to be able to change everything back. He knew exactly how it felt when you would give anything in order to be together with your partner. But the reality looked different. "Say hello from me to Pam, will you?" Pamela was Robert's wife. "Too bad I missed her."
"Will do, thanks. She was here all afternoon today. A viral infection is going around at school so that means there will be no teaching this week. Tonight is open school day to clarify what to do next. And I guess at least one of us should fulfill the parental responsibilities," he said with a wink. "She's coming over again tomorrow."
"Don't worry about the children. We will look after them." By "we" he meant his mother, but Peter didn't say that aloud. It wasn't like he couldn't deal with children. He was doing fine with kids - as long as they behaved, stayed quiet, were able to employ themselves and didn't use a 515 form as a coloring book. Plus, he knew Jeremy and Amy right from the cradle. Nothing he couldn't handle. If he could deal with Neal, he would also come to terms with his niece and nephew. Right?
"Just call if there's a problem, okay?" Robert said and walked over to the living room. With a pat on the shoulder he added, "After you, big boy."
Peter went ahead with mixed feelings, but stopped short after a few steps and looked at his brother. Then he put the duffel bag down, took a deep breath and entered the room. The curtains were drawn. The TV was running and eerie shadows danced on the walls. Peter could see Lucy sitting in one of the two armchairs staring at the TV, but she apparently wasn't neither paying attention to the program, nor did she notice him. She was so lost in thoughts that she didn't react when Peter approached her from the side and gently placed his hand on her shoulder. "Hey, Mom," he said softly.
Lucy turned around and looked at her oldest son for a long moment. "Oh, Peter...," she sighed, stood up and fell around his neck.
At the same time the Lab was on his feet and came running towards the visitors, happily wagging his tail.
Robert took a step forward and knelt down to pat the dog. Spot’s attention was now focused entirely on Robert. A few moments later all was forgotten and Spot went back to his dog basket.
Peter took one more deep breath and replied his mother's embrace while he gently stroked her back. "Everything will be okay, don't worry."
A few moments later she took a step back and rubbed her eyes, slightly astonished. "What are you doing here?" She asked him. It was obvious that she was confused and somewhat messed up.
"I told you that Peter was on the way," Robert said, stood up and shrugged with his shoulders as he looked at Peter.
Clearing his throat, Peter answered, "I drove here as fast as I could, to be with you."
After hearing that, Lucy burst out in tears. Her whole body was shaking.
Peter felt uneasy. Crying women always made him feel that way. A bit hesitant he put his arms around her because he was unsure what to do. Lucy was at least 12 inches shorter than him, but to him she had always been a confident, strong woman. Quite contrary to his memories, Lucy now seemed very fragile while she stood in the middle of the room. The silence was broken by the soft sobs from her.
"I-I'm sorry," she sniffed after a few moments and pulled out a handkerchief from her pocket. She dried her tears and then blew her nose.
"No problem," Peter replied, but also had to swallow hard to keep himself under control. He quickly exchanged a glance with Robert and said to his mother, "Let's sit down."
Lucy reluctantly obeyed and looked at Spot, who leisurely lounged there, but didn't let his people out of his sight. "He saved Dad's life," she said, sobbing.
"What exactly happened?" Peter asked. "We haven't had the time to talk about it."
"I left around 9 am and got a call from Mr. Cagle around 11 am. He had called an ambulance after he had looked out of the window because Spot wouldn't stop barking."
The investigator in Peter spoke up. "How could Mr. Cagle have known that Dad needed an ambulance just because Spot barked?"
Lucy pointed to the window. "Dad suffered the heart attack outside. Mr. Cagle could see him laying on the ground," she explained quietly and remained silent. Her lower lip began to tremble.
Sensing her sudden mood change, Peter leaned forward and looked at her anxiously. "What's up?"
Again, tears began forming in her eyes. "That was my fault...," she finally managed to say. "If I hadn't insisted that he should get Buddha down out of the tree, nothing would have happened."
Confused, Peter looked at her. "Why should you be the one to blame? It's not your fault. And who is Buddha anyway?" Peter felt lost and looked at Robert, who already was about to reply.
But Lucy was faster. "Our cat," she murmured. "Basically he doesn't come down a tree once he made it up there. Like this morning. I asked Bill to get him down." She sniffed a few times.
In the meantime Peter had wandered to the window and looked outside and saw the ladder still leaning at the tree. A cold shiver ran down his spine as he thought about it what had happened a couple of hours before.
Robert stood beside him. "I have to go. Pam is supposed to be back home soon. And I have to work on some urgent projects that can't be delayed."
"That's okay, my boy," Lucy answered who had watched her two sons. "I understand that."
After Robert was gone, Lucy sighed and then smiled at Peter. "Are you hungry? How about a steak?"
"You don't need to-," Peter said, but then stopped. "Hm, did you say steak?"
To be continued...
Chapter 5
Tuesday Morning
8 am
When Peter woke up the next morning, he was whacked. The night had been strange, because falling asleep and waking up without El didn't feel right. The evening before he had worried about his mother, who had been so upset that she had started to wander around in the house. Fortunately Robert and Pamela had come back earlier and the three of them had been able to convince her to lie down. After that he had been laying awake for a long time.
Dressed with blue jeans and blue/white button down shirt he walked down the stairs. When he came into the kitchen he met Jeremy and Amy who were busy preparing the table for breakfast. The two had been shocked, too of course after they had heard about their grandfather. Robert had come home and wanted to take the children with him, but the two had insisted on staying with their grandmother. Pamela had stayed here last afternoon and had taken the kids home afterwards. It hadn't taken long for the two children to nag their parents about going back to Lucy. Therefore, Robert and Pam had returned them last evening.
"Uncle Peter," the two almost simultaneously greeted him and rushed towards him.
Peter knelt down and hugged them both. "Hey, you two," he smiled and looked around. "Where's grandma?"
"She's in the basement," Jeremy answered. "To get some jam." The children continued to set the table.
Lucy walked into the kitchen a short while later. When she saw the empty chair from her husband at the table, she fought hard not to lose her composure.
"Good morning, Mom," Peter smiled at her and walked to her.
"Hello my boy," she answered and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Did you sleep well?"
"Like a rock," Peter nodded, although it wasn't true and he still felt exhausted. "Robert is coming at 9 am so we can go visit Dad," he told her. Turning towards the children, he said, "Neal will be staying with you while we're gone." Yet, nobody knew about Bill's condition, so they decided to leave the kids at home. Nevertheless, Peter felt more comfortable if Neal would take care of the children in the meantime. Or vice versa. Whatever worked better.
"Who is Neal?" Amy wanted to know.
"Oh, that's my partner at the FBI and he came with me," he told her and sat down at the table while Lucy was busy at the stove. "He will stay here while we're going to see grandpa."
"Do you want scrambled eggs?" Lucy asked. "With bacon? I know that you love it."
"Uhm, I don't know," Peter stammered, thinking of Elizabeth and how she would react if she would find out. He certainly would pay a high price if she knew what he was going to eat. She always cared about his diet. And THIS wasn't exactly what she had in mind when she talked about healthy nutrition. "Maybe a little bit."
"Do you need to pick your partner up? He's at the hotel, right?"
Peter flipped through the newspaper and replied without looking up, "Yes, he's at the William Henry Miller Inn. And no, I don't need to pick him up. Neal met an old friend last night and that man will bring him here." To be honest, this fact didn't surprise him as he had learned about it after he had talked with Neal over the phone. Neal's circle of acquaintances was huge and the world small after all.
After breakfast they still stayed at the kitchen when the doorbell rang. Peter nodded. "I'm answering it. Must be Robert." Shortly afterwards, the brothers came back, where Robert first greeted his mother and then was hugged by his kids.
"As soon as Neal's here, we are free to go," Peter told them, looking at his watch. They had agreed to meet at 9.15. Now it was 9.08 am.
"I'll be right back," Lucy smiled and went up to the second floor to get the travel bag for Bill, in which she had packed a few personal belongings of her husband.
After Lucy was gone, Peter went to his brother. "How's the job?"
"Can't complain," Robert answered.
"And Dad is still working at the office." This wasn't a question. Peter shook his head. "He should reduce work time."
"We always tell him that, but so far we fall on deaf ears. You know him. He just can't let go." Robert grinned crookedly. "But who am I talking to, Mr. Workaholic?"
"I'm not that bad," Peter shot back immediately.
"No, not at all," Robert said with a broad grin. "Although I've heard some rumors that say otherwise. From a confidential source."
"You mean El, right?"
"Wow. I must say you have a quick mind. I'm impressed."
"There's a reason why I'm working with the FBI you know," Peter laughed. It felt good to joke with his brother. Even if their meeting had a serious background.
"Speaking of...where's your partner?"
"He should be here any second," Peter nodded. If he was sure about one thing, it was that Neal always was on time.
...
William Henry Miller Inn
9.05 am
"We're running late," Neal said and frowned, wondering if he should call Peter in the first place. Last night after he had met Rick, plenty of alcohol had been poured. But Neal was professional enough to hide his headache caused by too much alcohol and too little sleep. A quick side glance at his driver told him that they needed more coffee. So he got back to the hotel to get another freshly brewed coffee. His own cup was already half empty and he wouldn't mind a second one. But too much caffeine wouldn't do him any good, especially if he was going to meet Peter's family. The first impression was very important and Neal didn't want to ruin that. Because he was traveling, he didn't wear one of his usual Devore suits, but dark jeans and a light blue shirt along with a grey/blue striped tie.
Rick leaned against the hood and shook his head. He was wearing sunglasses which was probably due to the fact that he, too, had a hangover. "Relax. It'll be only a few minutes. You make it sound like the end of the world," he replied calmly and climbed back into the car. "What's the address?" He asked and tried to turn on the navigation system. Unlike Neal, however, he seemed not fully awake yet because he needed a few attempts to find the right buttons.
"Good question," Neal admitted, setting the cup onto the dashboard before he took out his cell phone. He had to call Peter anyway. Even though it was already obvious that they were running late. "Good morning, Peter," he greeted his friend. "My driver was late." With a quick glance at Rick, he continued, "I was perfectly on time, just for you to know." This statement caused a slight nudge on his upper arm from Rick. But he should have known better. Rick had always been a golden boy and took life the easy way. Neal was actually cast in the same mould, but when it came to appointments, his sense of duty was much more pronounced. "Oh, and I need your address."
Sighing, Rick started the engine and even managed to type in the data. "I still feel tired out. Hopefully the caffeine kicks in shortly. Otherwise my speech won't be entertaining enough."
"Well, well. You're getting old," Neal teased him and sipped his coffee.
"Hey!"
"Sorry, my mistake. You ARE old."
"One more word and you're going to walk over there." Rick shook his head and wanted to add something, but Neal beat him.
"Too bad I can't attend your lecture." He skillfully changed the subject with his innocent smile. "Sounds very interesting. Especially the female audience will be present in large numbers, I suppose."
"You still can come with me."
"Unfortunately, no. Peter has other plans for me. And speaking of, we should really go now. You can drink your coffee while you drive." He ostentatiously put on the seat belt. "Hurry up!"
"Since when do you take orders from others and let them dictate what to do?" Rick didn't seem to hurry up at all, but then he stepped on the gas pedal.
"Since I've started to work for the FBI," Neal answered, looking at the display of his cell phone. 9.12! Damn! They would definitely run late. "That's part of the deal."
"Just call this Peter and tell him that we have a breakdown. Or something like that. You're good at improvising."
Neal grinned. "Thanks. But I can't. He knows where I am." To underline his statement, he lifted his left leg pant, revealing the anklet. "Remember?"
"Oh, right. Isn't that annoying?" Rick looked at him for a split second before he set his eyes back on the road. He seemed to consider. "This is an interesting situation. You are free and still you can't move freely. Trapped in a different kind of prison."
"Well, yes, I knew what I was getting myself into. And it's not forever. Only one more year. Then this here," he pointed to the anklet, "will all belong to the past."
They stopped at a red light and Rick used the break to drink his cup. "Have you ever thought about your future?"
"It's not easy to find a well-paid job when you're a convicted felon, that's for sure," Neal admitted honestly. They had briefly discussed this issue last night. "Maybe I'll stay with the FBI. I like it here and my colleagues are fantastic. However, the payment could be better."
...
Standing in the driveway, Peter looked down the street. A few minutes ago he had talked to Neal and had learned that his partner and his friend were on their way. It was unusual having to wait for Neal. Well, there's a first time for everything, he thought, looking at his watch again. 9.28 am. His nervousness rose. Basically, he had no idea where Neal was right now and if he had told him the truth about being on the way. On the other hand - where else should Neal go?
With each passing minute, Peter felt more uncomfortable. They should have been on their way to the hospital a long time ago. Robert and his mother had already packed the stuff in the car and even if neither of them said it aloud, they were just as tense as he was. All they wanted was to see William as soon as possible. Peter sighed and pulled out his phone for the second time and dialed Neal's number. Before he could say anything, he heard his voice.
"We just turned into the street, Peter."
Still holding the cell phone on his ear, Peter went to the road and looked in both directions. In fact, a silver car slowly drove down the street and he smiled in relief. With his free hand he waved to the driver, but the man made no attempt to stop and simply drove on. "Neal," Peter whispered into the phone, "I warn you. If this is one of your jokes, then..."
"What are you talking about? We're almost there."
"What kind of car do you drive?"
"It's a black Ford Escape SUV. And I don't want to hear anything about that name."
Just as Peter's patience gave out, he saw the SUV and deeply breathed in and out for a few times. "I see you."
"Vice versa."
Peter hung up and stepped out onto the sidewalk. The car stopped and the passenger door was opened immediately. Neal got out and began to apologize.
"I'm very sorry that we are late, Peter. I know that you have-"
"What's important right now is that you are finally here," he interrupted and eyed Rick in his typical FBI fashion, who also had stepped out. The man seemed about the same age and size like himself. "I suppose that's your old friend?"
"Richard Castle. Nice to meet you," Castle said and shook Peter's hand. After that he took off his sunglasses and blinked. "I'm sorry about the delay."
"Peter Burke," he nodded and returned the gesture. "It wouldn't have been a problem if we hadn't had an important appointment." He looked at Neal, and put his hand on Neal's upper arm. "Can I talk to you in private for a minute?"
Rick was faster. "I don't want to disturb you any longer. In fact, I should leave for college anyway."
"You are a teacher?" Peter wanted to know, because the investigator in him was always vigilant and somehow the name Richard Castle sounded familiar to him. Besides, he was sure he had seen this face before. On a wanted poster from the FBI? Or maybe in a case file? Did this guy have a common past with Neal? Was this man more than "just an old friend"? Probably a partner in crime.
"Oh no, Mr. Burke. I'm a writer and I'm going to give a lecture about creative writing."
"Ah, okay," Peter said, but at the same time made a mental note. Maybe this was the reason he had heard about the name. Hadn't Elizabeth raved about those books? Out of precaution he would later call Jones or Diana. Better be safe than sorry. "Then I wish you success, Mr. Castle."
"Thank you," Rick said and turned to Neal. "We'll talk later, buddy." Then he got into the car and drove away.
"Okay," Peter exhaled. "Listen, I don't know how long we'll be gone. If anything comes up, don't hesitate to call me." Admonishing he raised his index finger. "No monkey business, got it?"
"I'm honored again and again how much confidence you have in me." Neal let his eyes wander over the estate and muttered, "Hmm...no cameras...is there an alarm system?"
"Neal!"
"Hey, just asking. In case the alarm goes off by mistake shouldn't I-"
"By mistake?!"
"You know what I mean," Neal smiled and tried to look as innocent as possible and shrugged briefly. "I don't want to cause any uproar, you know."
Peter looked at him irresolutely, as he debated with himself whether he should tell Neal the truth. "I know I might regret it later what I'm telling you now." He paused for a moment. "But there's no alarm system. This is a safe neighborhood. At least it was safe until now. Because now you are here."
"Like I would do anything unlawful."
"I made an inventory of the house."
"Exactly what I've been expecting," Neal said. His blue eyes flashed briefly. "Peter, you can trust me." On his face appeared his patented 100 megawatt grin, while he adjusted his already immaculate sitting tie.
"Whenever you start grinning like that, I'm starting to get worried." Peter noticed that Neal was looking at someone behind him and turned around. He sighed when he saw his mother and brother standing there. "Okay, back to business. Neal..."
Neal looked at him with puppy dog eyes. "Relax, Peter." Confident as ever, he went to Lucy and held out his hand. "I'm pleased to meet you, Mrs. Burke," he greeted her with his charming smile. "I'm Neal Caffrey."
Lucy seemed reluctant and studied him before she took his hand. "So you're the forger Peter had chased for so long and in the end arrested you three times?"
Neal nodded as he shook hands. "Yes, that's me and yes, he has." Taking a step back to the side, he leaned over to Peter. With a low voice he asked him, "Is there anyone at all who doesn't know about this 3:0 thing? Whereby the third one doesn't count."
Grinning broadly Peter stretched his back. "I was very proud of my success and I might have bragged a little about it."
"Just a little?"
"Well, it may be that from time to time I..."
"Anyway," Neal changed the subject and smiled at Lucy. "I'm sorry we had to meet under these circumstances and I hope that your husband will be better soon. Peter told me that his condition is stable?"
Lucy nodded. "We are confident."
Robert spoke up. "Pete, do you really think that it is a good idea to let him into the house?" He obviously wasn't comfortable with idea of letting Neal take care of his children.
Stepping even closer to Peter, so he could whisper to him, Neal said, "What exactly did you tell them about me?"
"I trust him, Rob. Otherwise I wouldn't have made the suggestion." With a quick side glance at his friend, he continued, "He wouldn't do anything illegal. Am I right about that, Neal?"
"No way." With his most innocent look Neal smiled and held out his hand to Robert. "Scout's honor."
Robert seemed not fully convinced yet, but nevertheless returned the gesture.
To be continued...
See Chapter 1 for more information
Chapter 4
The nearer Peter came to his home town, the more nervous he got. But in spite of everything he was glad to have Neal with him, for he was grateful for his moral support as well as for the distraction. They had talked about Ithaca and despite Neal's initial fears had come up with some very attractive facilities. After Peter had dropped him off at the hotel, and reminded him (once more) to stay out of trouble, he had to admit that Neal's idea of staying at the hotel wasn't that bad at all. He had to focus on his family now and couldn't take care of Neal at the same time. And somehow he was still full of hope that his friend and partner would listen to him (just once). With mixed feelings he drove towards his parent's house. It had been years since he had been here together with El. Now he regretted that they hadn't visited more often. Maybe this time...it would be the last time to see his father. Shaking his head, he thought, You can't think like that. Think positive!
His heartbeat increased after he finally stopped the Ford in the driveway. Turning off the engine, he remained seated. For a moment he was just sitting in silence, looking through the windshield at the well-maintained brick home. Childhood memories came to his mind and he smiled as he thought of those days he played ball with his father and brother in the backyard. He remembered the day his father took him and his brother to New York to watch a game at the Yankees Stadium. At that time it had seemed like a trip around the world and the very active metropolis had impressed him very much. Everything had seemed much bigger, higher and louder and even his father had fallen at the sight of the countless skyscrapers in Manhattan. He and his brother had eaten so many hotdogs that they got sick by the end of the day. But despite that, the two of them still thought of that special day every time they met each other and started to look at the old pictures.
A sudden knock at the window startled Peter and he was torn from his thoughts. Blinking, he turned his head and saw Robert standing besides the car. He quickly unbuckled his seat belt and took the car keys from the ignition before he climbed out. Then he stayed silent for a moment while he just looked at his younger brother. Robert was eight years younger than him and Robert's outward appearance left no room for speculations if they were related. Robert had the same build and hair color, still he was a few inches shorter than Peter. "Hey," Peter said softly and hugged him.
"Hey," Robert nodded and returned the gesture and additionally tapped him on the shoulder. "Long time, no see."
"I know," Peter admitted a bit awkward and stepped back to end the embrace. "How are you?"
"According to the circumstances," Robert sighed, "I'm fine. Are you coming in? Mom is still a bit tired, but she has repeatedly asked for you. Do you have any suitcases? And how was your trip?"
"To be honest, I slept most of the time. And no, I have only one duffel bag."
"So it wasn't a bad idea to travel two by two."
"Yeah, and I'm grateful that Neal has agreed to come along."
Robert smiled. "And where is he now? Or have you forgotten him somewhere?"
"No," Peter laughed and knew what his brother was referring to. As a teenager they once went to a concert, but they had arrived late at the venue because Peter had to drive back to the drug store they had stopped by earlier that day. One of their passengers had been left behind but nobody had noticed it at first, so it hadn't been entirely Peter's fault. This incident had led to a significant delay and -of course- a lot of laughter afterwards. "He insisted on staying at the hotel."
They walked slowly to the door. "Too bad, I have been looking forward to meeting your partner after I've heard so much about him."
"Don't worry, he will be coming here tomorrow morning. He was sick last week and isn't up to 100% yet. I think he will be going to bed early tonight."
...
After he had arrived at the hotel, it had been only a matter of a few minutes to collect his room key. He quickly stowed away his few belongings and went to the window to look outside. Compared to New York, Ithaca was frighteningly quiet. Although he had looked forward to meeting both Peter's and Elizabeth's families for a long time, he also knew that this wasn't the time. Therefore, he had chosen a hotel. And this also was a family emergency, so the decency simply commanded not to stay at the Burkes.
Still, he hadn't offered his help entirely altruistically. For the first time in more than seven years he was able to see something different. And it was far less dangerous than his "excursion" to Cape Verde had been. At that time he had risked a lot be free. But in reality he hadn't been free at all. Having to look over his shoulder constantly had taken much of his impartiality. So this was the first opportunity - the first LEGAL opportunity - to leave his radius. If this wasn't tempting at all...
The offered evening events he had found at the hotel lobby sounded far less tempting however. Since it was still early, he decided to explore the city by foot and look out for a nice restaurant. For the first time in days, he felt really hungry and that made him confident. According to Peter there were many places to go, so the chances to find a cozy restaurant were good.
After a few minutes he had reached the Moosewood Restaurant. On his way over he had spotted a bookstore that offered used and rare books and had stopped to look through the window. He would have loved to rummage through it, but unfortunately the store had already closed. Therefore, he decided to stop by the next day. Just a few steps ahead he could see the sign of the Moosewood. Once there, he was assigned to a table and studied the menu. It didn't take long to choose and Neal let his eyes wander. The place was crowded. A young couple with three little children was seated behind him. Two tables behind him sat a grey-haired and stocky-looking man with the back facing him. With two half-filled wine classes on the table, Neal assumed that his companion was probably somewhere around. The waitress came back a short time later and took Neal's order.
Despite the rush of visitors, it didn't take too long until his meal was served. After taking a few bites, Neal knew that he had already fallen in love with this restaurant. And even though he hadn't wanted to admit it at first, he had to admit that the city had its own charm. The longer he stayed, the better he liked it. Satisfied, he took a sip of water and leaned back in order to pursue one of his favorite pastimes - watching people. His life as a con artist had made it necessary to assess his opponent correctly. He noticed that two pretty young ladies were whispering in the hallway and looking at his direction. Both repeatedly pointed at him and seemed very excited. Smiling broadly, he readjusted his tie. Yes, this city was very lovely.
Giggling, the girls came towards him and he stretched his back a little. With his patented Caffrey smile he cleared his throat. But his smile disappeared and was replaced by a frown when the two passed by and stopped at the second table behind him.
"Can we take picture with you?"
A picture? Of the gray-haired man? The question surprised him and made him blink. Had he misjudged that much? What was so exciting about the man? While he thought about it, he could hear someone answer the question.
This time Neal was amazed. That voice sounded familiar! And it certainly didn't belong to the grey-haired man. Curiously, Neal turned around and raised his eyebrows. No wonder that the man drew attention to himself. After all, that man was known as New York’s most wanted bachelor who liked to flirt very often. "Rick! What a surprise!"
The brown-haired man was still busy with the two ladies and it took a few seconds to respond to Neal's address. With a broad smile, he said, "Hey! What are you doing here?"
Neal stood up and answered, "I could ask you the same."
Rick watched after the two women, before he responded. "It's been a damn long time since our last meeting. Good to see you, Neal."
The two embraced briefly and patted each other on the shoulders. "Seems like your fan base has doubled, Castle," Neal laughed and winked at him.
"Yeah, fantastic, isn't it?" Rick laughed out loud and didn't mind Neal's crooked comment. "But you haven't answered my question."
"The same goes for you."
Castle raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were still located in New York at least for one more year?" Then he pointed to his table. "Come on, sit down with us and let's talk about the good old times."
Neal didn't hesitate and nodded, took his glass and the plate and walked over to where his old buddy Rick Castle and the other man were seated.
"Edward Simmons, meet Neal Caffrey," Rick stopped short and seemed to consider. "Um, Neal is, well..."
Neal put the dishes down before he replied, "No need to worry." He waved his hand smiling before he offered it to Simmons. Of course he had recognized the concerns from Rick. "I'm a convicted bond forger, who offers his tremendous knowledge as a consultant to the FBI for almost three years now."
Simmons hesitated, but then returned the greeting gesture. "Bond forger, consultant for the FBI, huh? An interesting career, that's for sure. Pleased to meet you, Mr. Caffrey."
"He also acted as the model for one of my fictional characters," Rick explained and smiled. "Neal, this is Dean Simmons from Cornell University. He teaches English and Literature."
"The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Simmons. Literature! Which era?" He was immediately hooked on this topic.
"Nineteenth century. My secret hobby though is the English Love Poetry..."
Without further ado Neal began to quote a poem from Lord Byron, "Away with your fictions of flimsy romance, those tissues of falsehood which folly has wove!"
Simmons nodded approvingly and finished the paragraph. "Give me the mild beam of the soul-breathing glance, or the rapture which dwells on the first kiss of love." He smiled afterwards. "I'm impressed, Mr. Caffrey." Then he looked at Castle. "And above all, of course now I want to know how the two of you have met."
"Yeah, he's a man of many talents," Rick grinned and waved for the waitress. "How about a glass of wine? I guess we have a lot to talk about."
...
"There's not much to say," Robert sighed as the two walked slowly to the house. "Mom called me this morning. Completely upset. After I got here, the EMT's were already here. Then we drove to the hospital, but you know the drill. It took hours until all the tests had been done. At the end, the doctor said that Dad has had much luck because the ambulance had been here so fast. Mom still was very upset, so he gave a sedative and sent us home. That's all for now. We can visit Dad tomorrow and hopefully there's more information about his condition to tell."
Peter nodded. Basically, Robert had already told him that over the phone, but it was different to hear it in person. "Well, in this case, no news is good news." His heart beat faster when he approached the front door. He had no idea how he should react in regards of his mother and wished that El would be here with him.
Robert opened the door and stepped in, so that Peter could also enter the house.
Although Peter had grown up here, the house felt strangely alien to him. It was uncharacteristically quiet. Usually the radio was on with the local sports channel or the channel of the Ithaca College. His Dad didn't want to miss a single game from the Bombers, the college baseball team. He paused and looked around. Robert's voice brought him back to reality.
"Mom's in the living room. I’ll stay a little bit and then head home to talk to Pam after she's back. Jeremy and Amy desperately want to stay overnight, but I don't think that's a good idea."
"Why not? I think the two are old enough to decide for themselves and I also think that Mom wouldn't mind. A little distraction isn't that bad." He knew exactly how it felt to be alone. After Elizabeth had been kidnapped by Matthew Keller. Of course, it was hard to compare those two situations. But he knew the feeling when the beloved partner was suddenly no longer there. How it felt when you were suddenly faced with an event that you couldn't control and you were left behind feeling helpless. He knew the feeling when you almost perish of concern. And all you wish for was to be able to change everything back. He knew exactly how it felt when you would give anything in order to be together with your partner. But the reality looked different. "Say hello from me to Pam, will you?" Pamela was Robert's wife. "Too bad I missed her."
"Will do, thanks. She was here all afternoon today. A viral infection is going around at school so that means there will be no teaching this week. Tonight is open school day to clarify what to do next. And I guess at least one of us should fulfill the parental responsibilities," he said with a wink. "She's coming over again tomorrow."
"Don't worry about the children. We will look after them." By "we" he meant his mother, but Peter didn't say that aloud. It wasn't like he couldn't deal with children. He was doing fine with kids - as long as they behaved, stayed quiet, were able to employ themselves and didn't use a 515 form as a coloring book. Plus, he knew Jeremy and Amy right from the cradle. Nothing he couldn't handle. If he could deal with Neal, he would also come to terms with his niece and nephew. Right?
"Just call if there's a problem, okay?" Robert said and walked over to the living room. With a pat on the shoulder he added, "After you, big boy."
Peter went ahead with mixed feelings, but stopped short after a few steps and looked at his brother. Then he put the duffel bag down, took a deep breath and entered the room. The curtains were drawn. The TV was running and eerie shadows danced on the walls. Peter could see Lucy sitting in one of the two armchairs staring at the TV, but she apparently wasn't neither paying attention to the program, nor did she notice him. She was so lost in thoughts that she didn't react when Peter approached her from the side and gently placed his hand on her shoulder. "Hey, Mom," he said softly.
Lucy turned around and looked at her oldest son for a long moment. "Oh, Peter...," she sighed, stood up and fell around his neck.
At the same time the Lab was on his feet and came running towards the visitors, happily wagging his tail.
Robert took a step forward and knelt down to pat the dog. Spot’s attention was now focused entirely on Robert. A few moments later all was forgotten and Spot went back to his dog basket.
Peter took one more deep breath and replied his mother's embrace while he gently stroked her back. "Everything will be okay, don't worry."
A few moments later she took a step back and rubbed her eyes, slightly astonished. "What are you doing here?" She asked him. It was obvious that she was confused and somewhat messed up.
"I told you that Peter was on the way," Robert said, stood up and shrugged with his shoulders as he looked at Peter.
Clearing his throat, Peter answered, "I drove here as fast as I could, to be with you."
After hearing that, Lucy burst out in tears. Her whole body was shaking.
Peter felt uneasy. Crying women always made him feel that way. A bit hesitant he put his arms around her because he was unsure what to do. Lucy was at least 12 inches shorter than him, but to him she had always been a confident, strong woman. Quite contrary to his memories, Lucy now seemed very fragile while she stood in the middle of the room. The silence was broken by the soft sobs from her.
"I-I'm sorry," she sniffed after a few moments and pulled out a handkerchief from her pocket. She dried her tears and then blew her nose.
"No problem," Peter replied, but also had to swallow hard to keep himself under control. He quickly exchanged a glance with Robert and said to his mother, "Let's sit down."
Lucy reluctantly obeyed and looked at Spot, who leisurely lounged there, but didn't let his people out of his sight. "He saved Dad's life," she said, sobbing.
"What exactly happened?" Peter asked. "We haven't had the time to talk about it."
"I left around 9 am and got a call from Mr. Cagle around 11 am. He had called an ambulance after he had looked out of the window because Spot wouldn't stop barking."
The investigator in Peter spoke up. "How could Mr. Cagle have known that Dad needed an ambulance just because Spot barked?"
Lucy pointed to the window. "Dad suffered the heart attack outside. Mr. Cagle could see him laying on the ground," she explained quietly and remained silent. Her lower lip began to tremble.
Sensing her sudden mood change, Peter leaned forward and looked at her anxiously. "What's up?"
Again, tears began forming in her eyes. "That was my fault...," she finally managed to say. "If I hadn't insisted that he should get Buddha down out of the tree, nothing would have happened."
Confused, Peter looked at her. "Why should you be the one to blame? It's not your fault. And who is Buddha anyway?" Peter felt lost and looked at Robert, who already was about to reply.
But Lucy was faster. "Our cat," she murmured. "Basically he doesn't come down a tree once he made it up there. Like this morning. I asked Bill to get him down." She sniffed a few times.
In the meantime Peter had wandered to the window and looked outside and saw the ladder still leaning at the tree. A cold shiver ran down his spine as he thought about it what had happened a couple of hours before.
Robert stood beside him. "I have to go. Pam is supposed to be back home soon. And I have to work on some urgent projects that can't be delayed."
"That's okay, my boy," Lucy answered who had watched her two sons. "I understand that."
After Robert was gone, Lucy sighed and then smiled at Peter. "Are you hungry? How about a steak?"
"You don't need to-," Peter said, but then stopped. "Hm, did you say steak?"
To be continued...
Chapter 5
Tuesday Morning
8 am
When Peter woke up the next morning, he was whacked. The night had been strange, because falling asleep and waking up without El didn't feel right. The evening before he had worried about his mother, who had been so upset that she had started to wander around in the house. Fortunately Robert and Pamela had come back earlier and the three of them had been able to convince her to lie down. After that he had been laying awake for a long time.
Dressed with blue jeans and blue/white button down shirt he walked down the stairs. When he came into the kitchen he met Jeremy and Amy who were busy preparing the table for breakfast. The two had been shocked, too of course after they had heard about their grandfather. Robert had come home and wanted to take the children with him, but the two had insisted on staying with their grandmother. Pamela had stayed here last afternoon and had taken the kids home afterwards. It hadn't taken long for the two children to nag their parents about going back to Lucy. Therefore, Robert and Pam had returned them last evening.
"Uncle Peter," the two almost simultaneously greeted him and rushed towards him.
Peter knelt down and hugged them both. "Hey, you two," he smiled and looked around. "Where's grandma?"
"She's in the basement," Jeremy answered. "To get some jam." The children continued to set the table.
Lucy walked into the kitchen a short while later. When she saw the empty chair from her husband at the table, she fought hard not to lose her composure.
"Good morning, Mom," Peter smiled at her and walked to her.
"Hello my boy," she answered and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Did you sleep well?"
"Like a rock," Peter nodded, although it wasn't true and he still felt exhausted. "Robert is coming at 9 am so we can go visit Dad," he told her. Turning towards the children, he said, "Neal will be staying with you while we're gone." Yet, nobody knew about Bill's condition, so they decided to leave the kids at home. Nevertheless, Peter felt more comfortable if Neal would take care of the children in the meantime. Or vice versa. Whatever worked better.
"Who is Neal?" Amy wanted to know.
"Oh, that's my partner at the FBI and he came with me," he told her and sat down at the table while Lucy was busy at the stove. "He will stay here while we're going to see grandpa."
"Do you want scrambled eggs?" Lucy asked. "With bacon? I know that you love it."
"Uhm, I don't know," Peter stammered, thinking of Elizabeth and how she would react if she would find out. He certainly would pay a high price if she knew what he was going to eat. She always cared about his diet. And THIS wasn't exactly what she had in mind when she talked about healthy nutrition. "Maybe a little bit."
"Do you need to pick your partner up? He's at the hotel, right?"
Peter flipped through the newspaper and replied without looking up, "Yes, he's at the William Henry Miller Inn. And no, I don't need to pick him up. Neal met an old friend last night and that man will bring him here." To be honest, this fact didn't surprise him as he had learned about it after he had talked with Neal over the phone. Neal's circle of acquaintances was huge and the world small after all.
After breakfast they still stayed at the kitchen when the doorbell rang. Peter nodded. "I'm answering it. Must be Robert." Shortly afterwards, the brothers came back, where Robert first greeted his mother and then was hugged by his kids.
"As soon as Neal's here, we are free to go," Peter told them, looking at his watch. They had agreed to meet at 9.15. Now it was 9.08 am.
"I'll be right back," Lucy smiled and went up to the second floor to get the travel bag for Bill, in which she had packed a few personal belongings of her husband.
After Lucy was gone, Peter went to his brother. "How's the job?"
"Can't complain," Robert answered.
"And Dad is still working at the office." This wasn't a question. Peter shook his head. "He should reduce work time."
"We always tell him that, but so far we fall on deaf ears. You know him. He just can't let go." Robert grinned crookedly. "But who am I talking to, Mr. Workaholic?"
"I'm not that bad," Peter shot back immediately.
"No, not at all," Robert said with a broad grin. "Although I've heard some rumors that say otherwise. From a confidential source."
"You mean El, right?"
"Wow. I must say you have a quick mind. I'm impressed."
"There's a reason why I'm working with the FBI you know," Peter laughed. It felt good to joke with his brother. Even if their meeting had a serious background.
"Speaking of...where's your partner?"
"He should be here any second," Peter nodded. If he was sure about one thing, it was that Neal always was on time.
...
William Henry Miller Inn
9.05 am
"We're running late," Neal said and frowned, wondering if he should call Peter in the first place. Last night after he had met Rick, plenty of alcohol had been poured. But Neal was professional enough to hide his headache caused by too much alcohol and too little sleep. A quick side glance at his driver told him that they needed more coffee. So he got back to the hotel to get another freshly brewed coffee. His own cup was already half empty and he wouldn't mind a second one. But too much caffeine wouldn't do him any good, especially if he was going to meet Peter's family. The first impression was very important and Neal didn't want to ruin that. Because he was traveling, he didn't wear one of his usual Devore suits, but dark jeans and a light blue shirt along with a grey/blue striped tie.
Rick leaned against the hood and shook his head. He was wearing sunglasses which was probably due to the fact that he, too, had a hangover. "Relax. It'll be only a few minutes. You make it sound like the end of the world," he replied calmly and climbed back into the car. "What's the address?" He asked and tried to turn on the navigation system. Unlike Neal, however, he seemed not fully awake yet because he needed a few attempts to find the right buttons.
"Good question," Neal admitted, setting the cup onto the dashboard before he took out his cell phone. He had to call Peter anyway. Even though it was already obvious that they were running late. "Good morning, Peter," he greeted his friend. "My driver was late." With a quick glance at Rick, he continued, "I was perfectly on time, just for you to know." This statement caused a slight nudge on his upper arm from Rick. But he should have known better. Rick had always been a golden boy and took life the easy way. Neal was actually cast in the same mould, but when it came to appointments, his sense of duty was much more pronounced. "Oh, and I need your address."
Sighing, Rick started the engine and even managed to type in the data. "I still feel tired out. Hopefully the caffeine kicks in shortly. Otherwise my speech won't be entertaining enough."
"Well, well. You're getting old," Neal teased him and sipped his coffee.
"Hey!"
"Sorry, my mistake. You ARE old."
"One more word and you're going to walk over there." Rick shook his head and wanted to add something, but Neal beat him.
"Too bad I can't attend your lecture." He skillfully changed the subject with his innocent smile. "Sounds very interesting. Especially the female audience will be present in large numbers, I suppose."
"You still can come with me."
"Unfortunately, no. Peter has other plans for me. And speaking of, we should really go now. You can drink your coffee while you drive." He ostentatiously put on the seat belt. "Hurry up!"
"Since when do you take orders from others and let them dictate what to do?" Rick didn't seem to hurry up at all, but then he stepped on the gas pedal.
"Since I've started to work for the FBI," Neal answered, looking at the display of his cell phone. 9.12! Damn! They would definitely run late. "That's part of the deal."
"Just call this Peter and tell him that we have a breakdown. Or something like that. You're good at improvising."
Neal grinned. "Thanks. But I can't. He knows where I am." To underline his statement, he lifted his left leg pant, revealing the anklet. "Remember?"
"Oh, right. Isn't that annoying?" Rick looked at him for a split second before he set his eyes back on the road. He seemed to consider. "This is an interesting situation. You are free and still you can't move freely. Trapped in a different kind of prison."
"Well, yes, I knew what I was getting myself into. And it's not forever. Only one more year. Then this here," he pointed to the anklet, "will all belong to the past."
They stopped at a red light and Rick used the break to drink his cup. "Have you ever thought about your future?"
"It's not easy to find a well-paid job when you're a convicted felon, that's for sure," Neal admitted honestly. They had briefly discussed this issue last night. "Maybe I'll stay with the FBI. I like it here and my colleagues are fantastic. However, the payment could be better."
...
Standing in the driveway, Peter looked down the street. A few minutes ago he had talked to Neal and had learned that his partner and his friend were on their way. It was unusual having to wait for Neal. Well, there's a first time for everything, he thought, looking at his watch again. 9.28 am. His nervousness rose. Basically, he had no idea where Neal was right now and if he had told him the truth about being on the way. On the other hand - where else should Neal go?
With each passing minute, Peter felt more uncomfortable. They should have been on their way to the hospital a long time ago. Robert and his mother had already packed the stuff in the car and even if neither of them said it aloud, they were just as tense as he was. All they wanted was to see William as soon as possible. Peter sighed and pulled out his phone for the second time and dialed Neal's number. Before he could say anything, he heard his voice.
"We just turned into the street, Peter."
Still holding the cell phone on his ear, Peter went to the road and looked in both directions. In fact, a silver car slowly drove down the street and he smiled in relief. With his free hand he waved to the driver, but the man made no attempt to stop and simply drove on. "Neal," Peter whispered into the phone, "I warn you. If this is one of your jokes, then..."
"What are you talking about? We're almost there."
"What kind of car do you drive?"
"It's a black Ford Escape SUV. And I don't want to hear anything about that name."
Just as Peter's patience gave out, he saw the SUV and deeply breathed in and out for a few times. "I see you."
"Vice versa."
Peter hung up and stepped out onto the sidewalk. The car stopped and the passenger door was opened immediately. Neal got out and began to apologize.
"I'm very sorry that we are late, Peter. I know that you have-"
"What's important right now is that you are finally here," he interrupted and eyed Rick in his typical FBI fashion, who also had stepped out. The man seemed about the same age and size like himself. "I suppose that's your old friend?"
"Richard Castle. Nice to meet you," Castle said and shook Peter's hand. After that he took off his sunglasses and blinked. "I'm sorry about the delay."
"Peter Burke," he nodded and returned the gesture. "It wouldn't have been a problem if we hadn't had an important appointment." He looked at Neal, and put his hand on Neal's upper arm. "Can I talk to you in private for a minute?"
Rick was faster. "I don't want to disturb you any longer. In fact, I should leave for college anyway."
"You are a teacher?" Peter wanted to know, because the investigator in him was always vigilant and somehow the name Richard Castle sounded familiar to him. Besides, he was sure he had seen this face before. On a wanted poster from the FBI? Or maybe in a case file? Did this guy have a common past with Neal? Was this man more than "just an old friend"? Probably a partner in crime.
"Oh no, Mr. Burke. I'm a writer and I'm going to give a lecture about creative writing."
"Ah, okay," Peter said, but at the same time made a mental note. Maybe this was the reason he had heard about the name. Hadn't Elizabeth raved about those books? Out of precaution he would later call Jones or Diana. Better be safe than sorry. "Then I wish you success, Mr. Castle."
"Thank you," Rick said and turned to Neal. "We'll talk later, buddy." Then he got into the car and drove away.
"Okay," Peter exhaled. "Listen, I don't know how long we'll be gone. If anything comes up, don't hesitate to call me." Admonishing he raised his index finger. "No monkey business, got it?"
"I'm honored again and again how much confidence you have in me." Neal let his eyes wander over the estate and muttered, "Hmm...no cameras...is there an alarm system?"
"Neal!"
"Hey, just asking. In case the alarm goes off by mistake shouldn't I-"
"By mistake?!"
"You know what I mean," Neal smiled and tried to look as innocent as possible and shrugged briefly. "I don't want to cause any uproar, you know."
Peter looked at him irresolutely, as he debated with himself whether he should tell Neal the truth. "I know I might regret it later what I'm telling you now." He paused for a moment. "But there's no alarm system. This is a safe neighborhood. At least it was safe until now. Because now you are here."
"Like I would do anything unlawful."
"I made an inventory of the house."
"Exactly what I've been expecting," Neal said. His blue eyes flashed briefly. "Peter, you can trust me." On his face appeared his patented 100 megawatt grin, while he adjusted his already immaculate sitting tie.
"Whenever you start grinning like that, I'm starting to get worried." Peter noticed that Neal was looking at someone behind him and turned around. He sighed when he saw his mother and brother standing there. "Okay, back to business. Neal..."
Neal looked at him with puppy dog eyes. "Relax, Peter." Confident as ever, he went to Lucy and held out his hand. "I'm pleased to meet you, Mrs. Burke," he greeted her with his charming smile. "I'm Neal Caffrey."
Lucy seemed reluctant and studied him before she took his hand. "So you're the forger Peter had chased for so long and in the end arrested you three times?"
Neal nodded as he shook hands. "Yes, that's me and yes, he has." Taking a step back to the side, he leaned over to Peter. With a low voice he asked him, "Is there anyone at all who doesn't know about this 3:0 thing? Whereby the third one doesn't count."
Grinning broadly Peter stretched his back. "I was very proud of my success and I might have bragged a little about it."
"Just a little?"
"Well, it may be that from time to time I..."
"Anyway," Neal changed the subject and smiled at Lucy. "I'm sorry we had to meet under these circumstances and I hope that your husband will be better soon. Peter told me that his condition is stable?"
Lucy nodded. "We are confident."
Robert spoke up. "Pete, do you really think that it is a good idea to let him into the house?" He obviously wasn't comfortable with idea of letting Neal take care of his children.
Stepping even closer to Peter, so he could whisper to him, Neal said, "What exactly did you tell them about me?"
"I trust him, Rob. Otherwise I wouldn't have made the suggestion." With a quick side glance at his friend, he continued, "He wouldn't do anything illegal. Am I right about that, Neal?"
"No way." With his most innocent look Neal smiled and held out his hand to Robert. "Scout's honor."
Robert seemed not fully convinced yet, but nevertheless returned the gesture.
To be continued...