The Con Man

The next morning she woke up, feeling wonderful, but empty at the same time. But when she rolled over there he was. She was shocked; he was lying just like her but awake. ‘Good morning’, he said. ‘Good morning’, she said. He breathed a sigh & she asked ‘How long you been up’ ‘Not long, June brought up some breakfast, its outside if you’re hungry’, he said. ‘Thanks, I’m starving’, with that she got up & made her way outside. They ate in silence; she could tell that he was stressed. ‘Do you want to talk’, she asked. ‘About what, nothing to talk about’ ‘Peter will figure this all out Neal, you know he will’ ‘I just hate being stuck in here all day. Do you have to leave today’, he asked. ‘Yes, I’m sorry; Elizabeth wants to go over stuff for the party. But I promise, I won’t be gone all day’, she said. ‘Okay’, he said. ‘As a matter of fact I’m going to call her right now and see if I can’t come over now so I can be back home by noon, that way we can spend the whole day together’, she said. He didn’t say anything, just looked away. Andi got up & went to where the phone was at she called Elizabeth, soon she was off the phone & back outside. ‘I’m going to get ready and head over’, she said. ‘Okay’, he said back. She kissed him good-bye & headed over to the Burke’s. ‘He’s really very miserable and it’s only been a day. I hope Peter get’s this figured out soon or else he’s going to lose his mind’, said Andi after taking a sip of her Sprite.’ ‘He’ll be fine’, said Elizabeth. ‘I hope so’, said Andi. They finished their work & Andi was headed back home 15mins until noon. She knew Neal would be happy to see her come home early. She opened the door to their place & said ‘Neal, I’m home early’ She heard voices outside, she didn’t recognize one as June’s, Peter’s, or Mozzie’s. No, she knew who it was & she knew it was going to get ugly really quick. She stepped outside ‘Neal’, she said. Neal turned at the sound of her voice & so did the person Neal was speaking too. ‘Your home early’, said Neal with enthusiasm in his voice. ‘Yea, Elizabeth and I got done early’, said Andi. ‘Well that’s great’, said Neal kissing her on the cheek. ‘What’s she doing here’, asked Andi. It was than that Alex turned around. ‘Thought I’d come and see an old friend. Got a problem with that’, she said. ‘Well yea I do. You being here could get him in trouble. I really don’t want him going to prison’ ‘Whatever, I have the right to come visit Neal, he’s a friend, you I don’t know what you are’, said Alex. ‘Oh me, well I’m just his wife’, said Andi. ‘Wife’, said Alex with confusion in her voice. ‘Yea, wife, what Neal didn’t tell you’, she said. ‘No, I saw the ring, I just thought it was a joke’ ‘I told you I married Andi’, said Neal. ‘Sorry, I must not have heard that’ ‘Yea, you don’t hear a lot of things. But hear this Alex, get out of our home; you are no longer welcome here. If I ever see you here again I’ll have the feds on you so fast you won’t know what alias to use’, said Andi. ‘I’ll leave when Neal asks me to’, said Alex. Andi stood there waiting for Neal to do something. It was silent for a long while, finally Andi turned & started to walk out, Neal was right behind her. ‘Don’t go’, he said. ‘I’m your wife Neal! I shouldn’t have to leave, but it’s obvious you’re not going to back me up. I can’t believe you allowing here in here after all she’s done to try and destroy you. I know you have a past Neal, I’ve accepted Mozzie, hell I accepted Kate after everything she did to you, but Alex. No, I won’t accept her and if you don’t ask her to leave than it won’t be hours you’ll be without me, it’ll be days or even months’, said Andi. ‘I’m sorry, your right’ ‘Don’t patronize me Neal. If you want her gone, than go tell her to leave. Don’t make me out to be the bad guy! I love you, but I won’t come second best in your life’ Neal didn’t say another word but walked back outside, she heard his voice & than second’s later Alex came walking out. ‘You think your somebody, Andi, but your not. Just because you have that ring on your finger doesn’t mean anything. You think he loves you, he doesn’t, he loved Kate, so remember that’ just than Neal came walking in the room ‘I do love her, I love her more than I ever loved Kate and Andi supports me, she doesn’t run out on me and doesn’t get me in trouble. If it weren’t for her I’d still be running. Like I just said, get out! Don’t ever come back here Alex, don’t bother trying to contact Mozzie either’ with that Alex left. What Alex had said really hit Andi hard & looking up at Neal a single tear slid down her face. ‘I’m sorry’, said Neal rushing over to her. He hugged her & they stood like that for a long time. After Andi had calmed down & Neal had wiped what was left of her tears he kissed her & said ‘It’s okay, I promise nothing like that will ever happen again. You’re my wife, I love you, and no one comes before you.’ ‘I know, I was just I don’t know. You think she’ll say something about seeing you’, said Andi. ‘No, she won’t, because she knows I can turn her in just as easily as she can turn me in, besides the whole bureau is behind us’, said Neal.

The next few days Andi stayed home with Neal, after their run in with Alex she didn’t want to leave him for anything. On their 9th night at home a knock came on their door, Andi got up & went to the door ‘Who is it’, she asked. ‘It’s Peter, let me in Andi’, he said. She opened the door & he stepped in. ‘Sorry, can never be too careful’, she said. ‘He teach you to say that’, asked Peter looking at Neal who was sitting at the table eating dinner. ‘What’s going on’, asked Neal changing topics to cut the awkwardness in the room. ‘Yea, he’s enlisted Diana for some reason. He doesn’t seem to trust any of us.’ ‘He has no idea I’m back in New York’, asked Neal. ‘As far as we know, after you said that Alex had been here we’ve had eyes everywhere, no sign of her. Diana said Kramer hasn’t said anything about speaking with her’, said Peter. ‘Good to know’, said Neal. ‘Yea, every time Diana has a meeting with Kramer we wire her up, so far he hasn’t said anything about you or the painting’ ‘Peter, we can’t live like this much longer’, said Neal. ‘Sorry, if you hadn’t of stolen that painting we wouldn’t be in this situation, you think I like having to do my job sitting behind a desk? Because I don’t, it’s no fun’, said Peter. ‘Is there anything we can do’, asked Andi. ‘Yea, keep your butts here, especially you’, said Peter pointing at Neal. Neal shook his head in agreement. ‘I’ll be back in a few days, hopefully I’ll have some good news’, said Peter. ‘Thanks for stopping by Peter and let Elizabeth know I got her email, I just haven’t had a chance to look at it, but I’ll get back to her when I can’, said Andi. ‘Will do’, said Peter & with that he left. Neal finished his dinner & than he & Andi snuggled up on the couch with a movie.

The next morning Andi woke up & found herself alone, she sat up panic filling every part of her mind. ‘They got him’, she thought, ‘Neal’, she said out loud. A few minutes passed & nothing, finally she screamed ‘Neal!’ He came running from outside & sat on the bed with her. She grabbed him & he held her, ‘I’m sorry, are you okay? I was just outside’, said Neal. ‘Yes I’m fine, I was just worried’, she said. She pulled away from him & he wiped the tears coming down her face. ‘I won’t leave you, ever, I promise’, he said. ‘But what if you have to? What if Peter can’t figure this thing out? I don’t want to lose you Neal’, said Andi. ‘Peter is good at what he does, he will figure this out and than we’ll be alright’, said Neal. ‘I hope so’, she said back to him. He grabbed her hand & held it for a moment & than looked into her eyes ‘Come on, June made us breakfast, it’s getting cold’ he said. They went outside & enjoyed their breakfast. After they had both had a shower & were sitting down to watch another movie they heard a knock on the door, they looked at each other but Andi got up. ‘Who is it’, she asked. ‘Just open the door’, said the person on the other side. She opened the door & was shocked to see Mozzie standing on the other side of it. ‘Mozzie’, she said in confusion. Seconds later Neal was behind Andi, ‘Moz, what are you doing here’, he asked. ‘May I come in’, asked Mozzie. They stepped back & let him in. ‘What’s going on’, asked Neal. ‘I heard you guys had a visitor’, said Mozzie. ‘Yea Alex, what about it’, asked Neal. ‘She came to see me at the island’ ‘When’, asked Neal. ‘Two day’s ago’, said Mozzie. ‘You have to tell Peter’, said Neal. ‘No’, said Mozzie. ‘Why not’, asked Andi now well aware of the situation. ‘Because I’m going no where near the feds, you know how I feel about them’, he said. ‘Fine than, I’ll tell Peter’, said Andi. ‘Yea, that’s what I was going to suggest’, said Mozzie. ‘Do you know where she is now’, asked Andi. ‘Yea, she’s still on the island.’ ‘Does she know you’re here Moz’, asked Neal. ‘No, when last seen her she was sitting on the beach listening to an iPod’, he said. ‘So she didn’t see you leave than’, asked Neal. ‘Precisely’, said Mozzie. ‘I have to meet with Elizabeth about the party this afternoon, I’ll have her call Peter to meet us at the house and I’ll let him know. Maybe if the feds get a hold of Alex than we can settle this whole thing’, said Andi. ‘What makes you say that’, asked Neal. It was than that Andi looked at Mozzie, ‘Tell him, now’, she said. ‘Okay, so here’s the thing, Alex is working with the feds, not the suit, but Kramer’, said Mozzie. ‘What’, said Neal in confusion ‘Yes, she told me herself, the only reason that she didn’t turn you in when she saw you was because she knew that Peter would go after her and after conferring with Kramer he said that it was best if she disappeared for a while so not to throw suspicion on him’, said Mozzie. ‘My next question is, how did you know’, asked Neal looking at Andi. ‘After we got the burn phone I sent the number to Mozzie just in case something should happen to us. When Alex showed up here I called him to let him know’, said Andi. ‘So than you already knew that Alex had visited Mozzie’, said Neal. ‘Yes, but I had no idea he was going to show up here in New York. You said you weren’t coming back’, said Andi to Mozzie. ‘Well believe it or not I missed you two’, said Mozzie. ‘Okay sure, what time was your meeting with El’, asked Neal. ‘It’s at two o’clock, don’t worry, it’ll all be okay’, said Andi. ‘I sure hope so’, said Neal.