Mozzie and Billy Feng took them to an office in an industrial complex, where Billy introduced them to his brother-in-law. Akoni explained that he owned a business that purchased pearls deemed not suitable for jewelry; they ground the pearls down for use in makeup. "Mostly we sell to cosmetic companies, but some people believe pearl powder has medicinal uses. Occasionally a doctor or individual will contact me to purchase the powder. When this gentleman first contacted me, that's what he said he wanted. I sold him a few ounces of pearl powder a month ago. Last week he returned, saying he was pleased with the quality of the powder."
"He wanted to buy more?" Peter asked.
"Yes, but this time he said he would supply the pearls to be used. He asked for a tour of our facilities, and wanted assurances that we could clean our tools so that no other pearl dust would be mixed with the powder from his pearls." Akoni spread his hands. "It was eccentric, but that didn't worry me."
"Not at first, but you're worried now," Neal commented.
"Yes. He asked for assurances of privacy, and I assumed that was because of his..." Akoni cleared his throat. "He made it clear he believed that pearl powder could be used in a remedy for, um... That is, he intended to use it in a product to um..."
"Viagra," Mozzie said. "This cretin thinks he can use ground up pearls to make a drug superior to Viagra. Got it?"
"Yeah," said Peter. He avoided looking at Joe, who was grinning ear-to-ear. Of all the cases to get for his brother's bachelor party, it would have to be this one. It was almost overwhelmingly tempting to joke that he'd like to buy some of that pearl powder as a wedding gift. Keeping his expression stern was taking all his willpower.
"You think he had another reason for wanting privacy?" Neal asked.
Akoni nodded. "He mentioned that the pearls he will supply would be very old. Family heirlooms, I assumed. I was dismayed, but thought they were probably inferior specimens. I told myself that if they looked valuable, I would advise him to have them appraised, first. In fact, last night I asked my niece Ulani if she could be here when he returns with the jewels next week. She has a jewelry store that specializes in pearls, and even goes diving for pearls in Tahiti a couple of times a year. When I shared what my client had told me about the number, size, color and age of the pearls, she seemed worried. This morning she spoke to a friend at the Honolulu Art Museum and told me her fears were confirmed."
When Akoni seemed reluctant to continue, Mozzie broke in impatiently with, "An exhibit of famous pearl jewelry will open on Friday. It's called 'Pearls for Lovers' and each piece of jewelry has a history of being owned or worn by famous lovers. Casanova. Rudy Valentino. The list goes on. Someone plans to steal those jewels and destroy them. You have to stop him!"
"Do you think your client plans to steal the jewels himself?" Peter asked.
"No. He's an old man. I can't imagine him as a cat burglar. But he's obviously wealthy."
"He hired someone to steal the pearls," Neal concluded.
"What's the name of your client?" Henry asked.
Akoni grimaced. "He paid in cash last time, and I didn't ask to see ID. The name he gave was a Chinese equivalent of John Smith. I'd be very surprised if it's his real name."
"He was here a week ago." Peter looked around. "Is there anything he touched that would still have his fingerprints on it?"
"Probably not. He didn't touch anything that my employees haven't handled a dozen times since." Akoni gestured up at his security camera. "But I still have him on film."
"That's a start," Peter said. "Get me that footage, and I'll take it to the local office of the Bureau to see if they recognize him. Dad, Joe, you'll come with me. Henry, we'll get a copy for you and Graham. Take it to the museum and see if anyone there remembers him. He may have been hanging around, maybe asked for a sneak preview. Neal, take Edmund and Mozzie and check out the museum security. Let them know about the risk of a robbery. Try to get a look at the space where the exhibit will be, and find out if the jewels have already arrived." He checked his watch. "We'll reconvene after dinner, and decide what steps we can take to prevent the jewels from being stolen." Looking at his crew he added, "And one more thing. Let's not say anything about this to the girls, okay? I don't want them worrying that we'll get involved in something that will disrupt the wedding plans."
"Ahem." That came from Mozzie, and Peter sighed.
"They already know?"
Mozzie nodded. "From the looks of them, at the very least they want to be kept informed. You can expect an inquisition over dinner. And I think Angela will insist on joining you for the next phase."
"Yep," Henry agreed. "That's Bossy Pants for you."
###
Shortly before they left the museum, Neal signaled Henry that he needed to talk to Mozzie alone. Henry deftly pulled Edmund into a conversation with Graham about their suspect, and Neal led Mozzie around the corner to a quiet office. "We don't have much time. Tell me the rest."
"I don't know who the client is, but I know who he hired to steal the pearls."
"How? Who?"
"A few weeks ago, someone contacted me. Someone who knew I have ties to the Rainbow State asked if I'd be available to plan a jewel heist from a Honolulu museum. I said I was busy, but I knew someone with impeccable skills in the South Pacific." Mozzie looked up at Neal, his eyes full of regret. "I told him how to contact Adrian Tulane."
Neal leaned against the desk. Adrian Tulane was a legend in the cat burglar community. "You know Tulane?" He was surprised Mozzie had never mentioned the man before this. "When did you meet?"
Mozzie sat in one of the office chairs. "When you first joined the FBI, I didn't expect it to last."
Neal nodded.
"But it went on longer than I expected, and then you enrolled in grad school. I thought you wouldn't have time or interest in your old friends anymore."
"Mozzie," Neal said reproachfully.
"I thought we would naturally start to drift apart, so I took the first steps away. I took a few jobs as the semester started. Some with Gordon Taylor, and then an opportunity came up with Tulane. You'd already warned me not to share details of any illegal activities, so you wouldn't be obligated to tell the suits."
"Where is Tulane staying?" Neal asked. "If we tell him the Bureau is lying in wait for him, then he'll leave. The pearls don't get stolen; they don't get ground into powder; problem solved."
"I'll find out," Mozzie promised. "Do you want to be there when I talk to him?"
"Yeah," Neal said. He'd wanted to meet Tulane for years. The things he could learn... And on the drive back to the hotel he fretted about that. He worked for the FBI now. He shouldn't be impressed by criminals, shouldn't be a fan of their work. It had been over a year now. He was supposed to have changed.
What would Peter say if he knew?
###
Peter insisted that they shouldn't talk about the case in a public place, and therefore they were forced to find other things to discuss over dinner. The poker game and spa experience were the main topics, but Neal had something else on his mind. He sat beside Angela and they discussed their strategy for discovering Henry's nickname. "It might be based on a trait he rarely exhibits anymore," Neal said.
"True. After all, I don't bounce around like a bunny these days."
Neal kindly refrained from pointing out that she did still have a tendency to bounce when excited. "And I certainly don't growl like a bear when I'm grumpy. I must have grown out of that as a kid." Edmund was sitting nearby and Neal asked him how old they'd been when their nicknames were decided.
"Must have been less than six months," Edmund told them.
"Who picked Henry's nickname?" Angela asked.
"Oh, that one was Irene's choice."
"What's your plan?" Neal asked his cousin after the waiter refilled their water glasses.
Angela smiled in the direction of their grandmother. "She has a weakness for babies, and I noticed there's a path near the beach that's used by young families. The sand is packed down so strollers can be pushed without too much effort, and it leads to a shallow pool for little kids. If we take Dressa down there in the morning, she'll play with the kids. We could see what traits she comments on. Maybe she'll even say one of the kids reminds her of Henry."
"That could work," Neal agreed. "Let's give it a try."
###
After the meal they gathered in the suite Peter and Elizabeth shared with Peter's parents. "Joe, why don't you kick off the briefing?" Peter offered, thinking his brother would like to describe the case. "Tell us about the crime we want to prevent."
The laughter continued longer than he expected as Joe revealed the client's motivation for stealing the pearls. Peter hadn't realized the women had such a ribald sense of humor. Even his mother was telling off-color jokes. When he looked at her in shock she tsked him. "What do you think we talk about at bachelorette parties?"
He glanced helplessly at his nieces. Surely they were too young for this. "Joe, maybe Rosalind and Viola..."
"Uncle Peter," Viola said, rolling her eyes at him, "this is mild compared to what we've seen and heard in R-rated movies. You know that. We're not kids anymore."
He kind of wished they were still innocent kids, but he had to accept her logic. A man seeking a cure for erectile dysfunction was hardly the most risqué thing that college students were exposed to. Rather than argue, he turned things over to Luke. "Dad, fill us in on what we learned at the Bureau."
It was interesting hearing a civilian's take on the case and what they'd learned so far. Luke said that the local FBI agents had recognized the client as a Chinese citizen who frequented Hawaii and other parts of the South Pacific. They didn't know his real name, but he had a reputation for expensive, sometimes illegal tastes, and he was suspected of breaking the law to get what he wanted. So far there'd never been a direct connection between the man's expressed desire for something, and the actual theft. The local agents believed he hired professionals who couldn't be traced back to him.
Nodding in approval at his father's summary, Peter noticed that both Joe and Luke were beaming with pride. He hadn't realized how excited they were about participating in a case. They hadn't been kidding when they said they were awed at having an FBI agent in the family. It gave Peter his own internal glow of pride. "Henry, what did you and Graham learn at the museum?
As representatives of Win-Win, they were old hands at giving updates on cases, and their status was short and to the point. No one had recognized the client, and it seemed he was keeping his distance so he couldn't be tied to the theft when it happened. Edmund added that Neal had suggested upgrades to the museum's security. "The pearls themselves are interesting due to their history," Edmund mentioned, "but the jewelry isn't particularly valuable. The museum certainly didn't expect the collection to be targeted."
Peter was about to cover the next steps in the case when it occurred to him that Neal hadn't said a word. In fact, the kid seemed to be reading texts on his cell phone. "Neal, anything to add?"
He looked up. "Yeah. I'm getting an update from Mozz. From what we know of the client, he'd spare no expense. He'd spring for a top-notch thief who's familiar with Hawaii. Adrian Tulane is at the top of our list."
"I don't recognize that name," Peter said.
"That's because he hasn't done any jobs on the East Coast yet. He's Australian, and his forays into the U.S. have been limited to Hawaii and the West Coast. The local agents probably know of him, and Interpol would. He's made a big splash in Europe."
"How certain are you that Tulane took the job?"
"I'm positive. Mozzie contacted him while we were eating. Tulane already has a flight booked to Honolulu. He arrives right after New Year's. He was also here a week ago, probably scoping out the museum's security."
"Why not strike before the exhibit opens?" Peter wondered. "You're always saying that this kind of stuff is least secure in transit or in storage."
"I'm sure that would have been his preference, but what I'm hearing is that Tulane had other commitments he has to work around." He looked down at his phone again and scrolled through more messages. "Mozzie's setting up a meet. We'll talk with Tulane shortly after he gets here."
"We will?" asked Peter.
"No, not us," Neal said. "Tulane would make you as a Fed in a minute. He knows Mozzie, so that's my in."
Peter crossed his arms, aware that his frown was about to turn into a scowl. He really didn't want to have an argument about the case in front of their families, but as Neal's boss he was ready to put his foot down. He tried to be tactful. "What exactly do you think you're going to accomplish at this meet?"
Neal looked surprised. "Convince him that he shouldn't go through with the theft."
"And how does that lead to his arrest?"
"It doesn't," Neal said. "But if I do this right, the pearls will be safe from Tulane, he'll put out word that they're a bad risk so others won't try stealing them, and we'll get enough information to take down his client." He put his phone away. "Preventing a theft is more important than catching a thief in the act, right? That's what Jones said last New Year's when I tried to set up a sting while on a case."
That wasn't exactly what Jones had said, but Peter let it slide. It was true that the bigger win would be to identify and arrest the client. Tulane could be added to the FBI's wanted list; he wouldn't elude justice for long. "And how are you going to convince him to flip on his client?"
Neal shrugged nonchalantly. "I've got a week to figure that out. I'll take a look at the client's FBI file for ideas. Something will click."
"That click had better happen before you meet with him," Peter warned. He didn't say that he'd put a stop to the meet altogether if Neal didn't have a clear plan heading into it. "And if I don't go along, you can be damn sure I'll be nearby, listening in." He could tell Neal wanted to protest, but was holding back due to the audience.
"We'll work out the details," was all Neal said.
A/N: Adrian Tulane was in the episode "Free Fall" and cornwankies on AO3 requested using him in a story.