Caffrey Flashback

Chapter 8: Byron

"I think Jones should go to Boston and talk to Bickerton."

"I can't," Jones protested. "If I ask him about Adler or Perdue, he's going to know we're on to him. He'll clam up, and might find a way get a warning to Adler."

"Don't talk to him about his client. Ask about Highbury Professional Connections. Tell him you think they're using the estate for illegal purposes, and you want the owner's permission to search Enscombe for evidence."

Impressed, Peter leaned forward. "That's good. With the owner's permission, we don't need a search warrant. Would he risk it, knowing that Adler was using one of the suites?"

"He might not know Adler left anything behind," Neal said. "And if he refuses permission to search the property, that refusal could draw suspicion. He won't want the FBI looking into Enscombe's owner."

Jones nodded. "I could make that work."

"Make it work over the phone," Peter said. "That keeps it low key. For Adler we'd send an agent from New York. For a suspected blackmailer, a phone call asking for the estate owner's contact information is sufficient. If Bickerton is still acting as Adler's agent, he could grant permission on the owner's behalf. And if he says no, we can still accumulate evidence to ask a judge for a warrant."

Jones left to prepare for his conversation with Bickerton. Neal drifted toward the door, then turned around and said, "Peter?"

"Yeah?"

"Mozzie has an interest in those U-boat rumors."

"So?"

"Just be careful what you say around him."

###

"... or Hitler clones," Mozzie was saying. He'd listed a dozen different theories of what might be in a sunken German U-boat, each wilder than the last.

Peter glared at Neal, who grinned and shrugged. "I warned you," the kid said under his breath. Then he interrupted his friend. "Another glass of wine, Mozz?"

When Neal walked away to refill his friend's glass, Peter dropped the glare. He wasn't angry. His prior conversations with Mozzie had prepared him for this. Peter had walked into it willingly, aware that he and Neal were playing a game of sorts, and that Neal needed this moment of lightheartedness.

Peter had driven Neal home, and they'd entered the mansion together. June had asked Peter if he wanted to see Byron, the unspoken context being "one last time." The vibrant man Peter remembered now lay in a hospital bed. Byron turned his head toward the voices around him, but couldn't seem to form words. Peter walked to the bedside, announcing himself in the hopes that Byron remembered him, and thanked the man for acting as a mentor for Neal. He honestly didn't think Byron followed what he was saying.

And Neal... Smooth-talking Neal stood stiff and tongue-tied at the doorway. When Peter nodded toward the bed, Neal walked over, took Byron's hand and said, "Thanks, Byron. I'm going to bring fedoras back in style for you."

Peter was surprised to see Byron squeeze Neal's hand. It seemed the man was more aware of his surroundings than he'd realized. Peter wasn't sure if that made him glad, or sad. He thought maybe in Byron's place he wouldn't want to be aware. But no, he'd want to be able to hear El to the end even if he had to endure the pity of the people around him.

Neal had been silent on the way upstairs, and monosyllabic when talking to Mozzie. Peter gladly mentioned the U-boat theory to bring Neal back from whatever dark place his mind had gone.

Now Peter turned the conversation toward the investigation of Highbury, and the idea of sending Mozzie undercover as a bartender. They started building a resume for Dante Haversham, and even called El to ask if the gallery would give Dante a reference.