The Con Man

Two o’clock rolled around & Andi found herself flying down the stairs of the house & into a cab that Peter had sent over for her. Before long she was outside the Burke’s house knocking on the door. Seconds later the door opened & Elizabeth Burke stood on the other side, ‘Hi Andi’, she said. ‘Hi El’, said Andi. Elizabeth let her in & they went & sat on the couch. ‘Elizabeth I need you to call Peter and tell him to come home. Tell him it’s urgent’, said Andi. Elizabeth set down the tray of food & went for the home phone. ‘Every thing okay’, she asked. ‘Kind of, I just really need to talk to Peter. But don’t tell him I’m here. Just say honey, I need you to come home and make up some excuse as to why you need him home’, said Andi. ‘Why can’t I tell him you’re here’, she asked. ‘Because, I have a feeling your phone is being tapped, just call him, please El’, said Andi. ‘Of course’, said Elizabeth. She dialed the number & seconds later her husband came on the line. ‘Hi Peter, I need you to come home’ there was a pause on her end & than ‘The toilet in the upstairs bathroom is clogged, I can’t remember where you said the plunger is.’ Another pause & than ‘Okay, see you soon honey’ than she hung up. ‘Okay, he’s on his way’, she said to Andi. ‘Thanks’, said Andi. ‘What’s going on’, she said. ‘Let me tell Peter first.’ said Andi. ‘Of course, let’s work on this party’, said Elizabeth. They were going over place settings when Peter came through the door. ‘Okay El, the plunger is under the sink in the bathroom, I told you that’, but he cut himself off as soon as he saw Andi sitting on the couch. ‘There’s nothing wrong with the toilet is there’, he asked. ‘Yea, Andi had to speak with you’, said Elizabeth. ‘Of course, she does’, said Peter looking at Andi. ‘This is important. Sit down’, said Andi. He sat down & Elizabeth went to order the stuff she needed for the party. ‘Okay, so what’s so important you couldn’t wait for me to come over tonight’, asked Peter. ‘Mozzie’s back’, said Andi. ‘In New York’, asked Peter. ‘Yes’ ‘I should had known’, said Peter. ‘Now wait Peter, listen to me before you say anything else’ ‘Go on’ ‘He said Alex came to see him two day’s ago’ ‘Right, where you were with him and Neal’, asked Peter. ‘Yes, so she told Mozzie she knew where me and Neal where. She apparently had a confession to make’, said Andi. ‘A confession’, asked Peter with confusion in his voice. ‘Yes, apparently there was a reason why she didn’t turn me and Neal into the feds’ ‘Why’s that’ ‘Because she’s working with Kramer.’ Andi waited a moment, letting what she had just said sink into Peter. ‘Working with Kramer’, asked Peter. ‘Yes, I guess she’s his mole. Anyways, she told Mozzie that she told Kramer about seeing Neal in New York. But he knew that if he tried to arrest Neal that would only throw suspicion back on himself’, said Andi. Again Andi waited for the information to sink in. ‘Peter, don’t you understand what’s going on here’, she asked. ‘Yea, we got the son-of-a-bitch’, said Peter. ‘So what are you going to do’, asked Andi. ‘First where’s Alex’, he asked. ‘Mozzie say’s she’s still where we were’, said Andi. ‘Andi, your going to have to tell me where that is’ ‘I don’t really know where that is, all I know is we were on some island. Your going to have to ask Neal’, said Andi. ‘Okay, I don’t want to raise any suspicion, let me talk to Jones and Diana. If we can assemble a team to get Alex, maybe if we offer her a deal she’ll flip on Kramer’ ‘What makes you think she’ll flip on him’, asked Andi. ‘Because, once she knows she’s facing charges of her own she’ll do anything to keep herself out of prison’ ‘What are you going to do’ ‘I’ll give her two choices, either flip on Kramer or face criminal charges that could put her in prison for the rest of her life’, said Peter. Just than Elizabeth came back into the living room, ‘Okay Andi, come on. Were going back to your and Neal’s place’, said Peter. ‘Everything alright’, asked Elizabeth. ‘Yes, unfortunately were going to have to postpone the party plans for now’, said Andi. ‘That’s quite alright, be safe honey’, said Elizabeth looking at her husband. ‘Always am’, he said kissing her on the cheek. ‘This will be all over soon’, said Andi. After that they rushed out of the house & back to June’s.

Neal told Peter where they had been & 7 hours later they had apprehended Alex & had her back at FBI head quarters. Neal & Andi waited patiently for the news with Mozzie. ‘So how’s the married life treating you guys’, asked Mozzie. ‘Right now, it’s okay, but it’ll be nice once this is all over’, said Andi. ‘Yea, about that, what’s happening after the party’, asked Neal. ‘Party’, asked Mozzie. ‘Yea, Andi and Elizabeth have been planning some party, since not every could be at the wedding were going to have a party’, said Neal. ‘Sounds nice’, said Mozzie. ‘Yea nice, what are you talking about Neal’, asked Andi. ‘Are we going to stay here in New York or’, asked Neal. ‘You want to know if I want to go back to Illinois’, asked Andi. ‘Pretty much’, said Neal. ‘Your life is here Neal; you have a job here, a good job. My home is where you are. I’ll go wherever you want to go’, said Andi. Neal suddenly felt lighter, ‘That sounds good to me’, he said & than kissed her. Peter stood outside of the conference room staring at the person they just apprehended. Jones came up & handed him a file ‘Here ya go boss’, he said. ‘Thanks Jones’ ‘Got a plan’, asked Jones. ‘Yep, mind coming in with me’, he asked. ‘Not at all’, he said. They went in & Peter sat down across from Alex. ‘You caught me, good job’, said Alex. ‘Well you kind of made it easy’, said Peter. ‘What’s he, your body guard’, asked Alex looking up at Jones. ‘Nope, just want to make sure you don’t say anything and take it back later’, said Peter. ‘If you think I’m going to flip over on your buddy Kramer, your wasting your time’, said Alex. ‘He’s no buddy of mine. But from what I hear, he’s your buddy’, said Peter. ‘From who, Mozzie, like you can really trust him’, said Alex. ‘I trust him more than you, besides what makes you think I want to talk about Kramer’, asked Peter. Alex got this look on her face & it was than that Peter knew it wouldn’t be long before she let the cat out of the bag. ‘Maybe I want to ask you about Neal’, said Peter. ‘As if you don’t already know where he is’, said Alex. ‘I have no idea where he’s at, but if you do please do tell’ ‘He’s shacking up with his ‘wife’ Andi’, said Alex. ‘Wife, funny, I didn’t know he was married’, said Peter. It was then that Alex felt sick to her stomach. ‘Oh whatever, as if you don’t know’, said Alex. ‘No I don’t know, but I’m curious to know how you know’, said Peter. ‘Well I saw them’, said Alex. ‘Really, where did you see them’, asked Peter. ‘At that old woman’s house just two day’s ago’, said Alex. ‘Really now’, asked Peter. ‘This is ridiculous, you know exactly where the now Mr. & Mrs. Caffrey are, stop jerking me around’, yelled Alex. ‘I honestly have no idea where they are, well at least I didn’t. Is there anything else you want to tell me’, asked Peter. ‘Before I say anything else I want a deal’, said Alex. ‘Depends on what you have to tell me, because what you’ve told me here is actually not bad, but I could get you for aiding and abiding a criminal, those alone bring some hefty jail time’, said Peter. Alex thought about her options & finally said ‘Fine than, I’ll tell you what you want to know, but first, I want a deal. I want to know after I’ve said what I want to say that I can walk out of this room a free woman’ ‘I don’t know if I can promise that’, said Peter. ‘Fine than, I want a’ ‘Okay, okay, you got a deal’, said Peter cutting her off before she asked for a lawyer. ‘That’s what I thought. Okay, I know what Kramer is up to. He hired me to track down Neal’, said Alex. ‘Okay, so you knew where he was, why didn’t you tell him’, asked Peter. ‘I did, but he said if he went all gun’s blazing to get Neal than you guys would get suspicious and than it would come back on him that he was only seeking Neal to put him back in prison, so I kept my mouth shut’ ‘Why the sudden change of heart’, asked Peter. ‘Um maybe the fact that you guys got to me before I could report back to Kramer that and he didn’t pay me a dime for doing what he should had done in the first place’, said Alex. ‘Fair enough, so do you know what Kramer’s up to now’, asked Peter. ‘Yea, he’s waiting to hear from me and if he doesn’t hear from me by tonight he’ll know something is up. I can get him to confess to his plans for Neal; I’m telling you he’s not going to sit on what he knows for long. He’s itching to get Neal’, said Alex. ‘Fair enough, let us put a tap on your phone and than call him’, said Peter. ‘Well you have my phone, go for it’, said Alex. If you give him any signals I swear you’ll go to prison, there won’t be any hearings or trial, straight to prison’, said Peter. ‘Okay’, said Alex. ‘Jones, go get a tap on that phone’, said Peter looking back at Jones. ‘Got it boss’, said Jones.

An hour later a knock came on their door Andi & Neal almost fell off the couch. ‘I’ll get it’, said Andi getting up. She went to the door ‘Who is it’, asked Andi. ‘Peter, let me in’ Andi opened the door & let him come in, ‘What’s going on’, asked Neal stepping to Andi’s side. ‘We got him. You can come out of hiding’, said Peter. Andi turned to Neal & fell into his arms ‘It’s over Andi’, he said. ‘I know’, she said, tears coming down her cheeks staining his shirt. ‘Yea, real sweet’, said Peter. ‘What now Peter’, asked Neal. ‘Well I spoke with the agents who got him and they said if you come in on your own they won’t arrest you. They realize now that you were set up. Sara vouched for you said that you returned the painting and her bosses and the owner’s of the painting weren’t going to press any charges’, said Peter. ‘Remind me to thank her’, said Neal. ‘Come down to the bureau right now and all this will be truly over’, said Peter. Andi had already pulled herself back from Neal & was looking at Peter ‘Is it okay if I come too’, she asked. ‘Of course, you are his wife’, said Peter. The three went together; unfortunately Andi had to stay outside while the agents spoke. As she was waiting she heard footsteps come up behind her, she turned at them, it was Sara. ‘Hi Sara’, she said. ‘Andi or I guess Mrs. Caffrey’, said Sara. ‘Um yea’, she said. ‘Congrats, I hope you two have a long and happy marriage’, she said. ‘Thank you Sara and thank you for helping Neal, we both appreciate it’, she said. ‘Of course, I didn’t want seeing him go back to prison’, said Sara. ‘I don’t know what you’ve been told but Elizabeth and I have been working on a party for me and Neal, we would love it if you would come’, said Andi. ‘Thank you, but I think I’ll pass’ ‘Can’t we be friends’, asked Andi. ‘I’d like that, but’, said Sara. ‘I understand’, said Andi. Just than some agents came through the door with Kramer & Neal was coming out of the upstairs office. ‘Caffrey’, screamed Kramer. Neal looked down at him ‘Agent Kramer, good to see you, nice bracelet’s’ said Neal. ‘I don’t know what kind of a deal you made, but you’ll never be free’, he said. ‘Oh I think I will’, said Neal. Andi ran to him & just than Kramer broke free grabbing a gun out one of the agent’s holsters. ‘Neal’, screamed Andi & just than the gun went off. It was as if everything went black & it was than that Andi realized she had been hit, not Neal. She fell to the floor, ‘Andi’, said Neal rushing to her. ‘Call an ambulance’, screamed Peter. ‘Neal’, asked Andi. ‘I’m here, don’t worry, an ambulance is on the way, just hold on’, said Neal. ‘Get him out of here’, said Peter. Andi was looking at Neal; she could feel the life drain out of her. ‘Neal, I love you’, she said. ‘No, don’t say that, you’re going to be alright’, he said. He wondered where the ambulance was, it felt like eternity there. ‘Here, put pressure on it’, said someone handing a rag to Neal. He grabbed it & placed it over the wound on Andi’s stomach. ‘Hang on Andi, it’ll be okay’, said Neal. All of a sudden the past month flooded her vision; she saw everything, the fight’s, the wedding, the first night they spent together as husband & wife. ‘It’s so beautiful’, said Andi. ‘What is’, asked Neal. ‘Our life together, I can see it all’, she said. ‘Where’s that ambulance, I’m loosing her’, said Neal screaming out to the crowd standing behind them. ‘Hold on Andi’, said a voice, but she didn’t recognize the voice. The EMT’s finally arrived & it was Peter who had to pry Neal from Andi’s side. They took her out & all Neal could say was ‘I’ll kill the bastard’ ‘No you won’t Neal, come on, let’s go to the hospital’, said Peter.

7 month’s later…

Neal was looking at himself in the mirror as he put his black tie on. He looked at the ring on his finger & touched it. The past few months all seemed like a blur to him, like they had never happened. But he knew they had happened. Just than a knock came on the door, Its open’, he said. June stepped inside ‘Neal, were all ready’, are you’, she asked. He turned at the sound of her voice, ‘Yes, I’m ready’, he said. Sitting in the limo he was thinking still about her. He didn’t even realize they had pulled up in front of the hall until June touched his hand ‘Were here Neal’, she said. ‘Okay’, he said. They got out & made the walk. Opening the door he looked around everyone, none were a face he knew. He kept walking until he spotted someone he knew. ‘Is this tie okay’, he asked. ‘It’s fine, although I would had liked the blue tie better’ ‘I know, but I couldn’t find that one’, he said back. ‘You haven’t said anything about what I’m wearing’ ‘You look beautiful, as always’ ‘Thank you Neal’ ‘No thank you, Mrs. Caffrey’ & than he kissed her.