White Collar s02e03 Episode Script
BCW203 - Copycat Caffrey
How you doing today, sir? - Very well, thanks.
Thank you.
I hope you're not admiring your own work.
I wish I was.
But I got a pretty good alibi.
I was working with you yesterday.
I'll back you up when we talk to the Lampson Gallery.
- Curator is waiting for us upstairs.
- I love a good art heist.
- Solving a good art heist.
- That's what I said.
Let me see that.
Lewis Thayer's Untitled Number Two.
It's worth 4 million.
You'd think for that money he'd have come up with a title.
Well, it is one of his seminal pieces.
Is it a fad or talent that drives up the price? Both.
Neither.
Don't try to understand the peculiarities of the pop art market.
- Would you pay 4 million for that? - Pay? Yeah.
You're the wrong guy to ask.
Miss Jeffries.
Special Agent Burke.
This is Neal Caffrey.
How you doing? What happened? Well, as you can see, the Untitled Number Two was simply cut out of its frame.
How does someone pull a down and dirty slash and grab from a major gallery? One of the options left if you wanna knock over a high-security - I was talking to her.
- Mr.
Caffrey's right.
We have sensors in the frame, but nothing attached to the canvas.
- Cutting it out circumvents the alarm.
- Got it.
Security cameras? The theft occurred during our daily security tape swap.
So we're not dealing with complete amateurs.
Actually, it sounds like a pretty good plan.
What are the odds you'll be able to recover the painting? Well, it would've made my job a lot easier if you had kept it from the press.
- We did.
- Somebody didn't.
- Anonymous tip.
- You think our thieves called it in? Good chance.
Headlines attract black market buyers.
- They wanna move the painting quickly.
- I can ask around.
Good, run your street contacts.
Diana, you've got Europe.
Check with Interpol.
Jones, you're on Asia.
- Check with the Alat over there.
Yup.
- What? - Do you mind? I need to check my contacts.
- Mozzie? - He's good at this kind of thing.
- You sure he didn't do it? - Slash and grab.
Frame's too high.
Yeah.
Hello.
- Mozz, the Lampson is missing a Thayer.
- I didn't steal it.
- I know.
- Reward? - Sizable.
All right.
I'm on it.
What are you doing here? I said meet me in an hour.
You found a source in less than an hour.
That's pretty quick, Mozz.
I only deal with professionals.
And you asked about a reward, which you never ask about.
I'm starting to think you're talking to somebody and not telling me.
- You're paranoid.
- Who's your fence? I am friends with many people of unsavory character.
Mm-hm.
- How long you been talking to her? - I know not of who you speak.
Sorry, meeting aborted.
My sources spook easily.
They have to think I'm a vault.
Meeting aborted.
Sounds like the meeting's still on.
I can't believe I'm saying this.
I saw a mockingbird in the park.
What color was the mockingbird? - The bird died, let's go.
What are you doing here, Alex? I've never known you to go skulking around after reward money.
After the plane blew up, a lot of people were asking questions.
I'm trying to stay off the radar.
Makes it hard to find work.
- You came to Mozzie? - He's not tethered to the FBI.
Two taps meant abort, by the way.
Or you could've just yelled "abort.
" I found the missing Thayer painting.
It was fenced in Dubai.
Thanks.
You didn't come all this way just to say that.
What are you doing here? I needed to talk to Mozzie.
Alone.
- What did I do? - We'll talk.
We're not friends anymore? - What's up, Peter? - News about the painting.
- Meet me in the office.
- On my way.
Gotta go back to the office.
We'll talk later.
- What are we talking about? - I've got a big problem.
Yeah.
Great, great.
Overnight it.
- I found the painting.
- How'd you find it? I found it.
- Where? - Fenced to a textile magnate in Dubai.
A hotel heiress in Budapest just turned hers in.
- Good news.
- You found the painting overseas.
- Scotland Yard has it.
- It's also in Dubai and Budapest.
They're forgeries.
- All of them? How do you know? Because custom clamps down when a theft occurs.
The risk of getting the original out are high.
Make forgeries ahead of time, take them out of the country before the heist, you're clear.
Steal, leak the theft, sell the forgeries.
- The original never leaves the country.
- You've seen this before.
- I know someone who - Allegedly.
- allegedly pulled it off before.
- We have a copycat on our hands.
- Who are they copycatting? Me.
Oh So you've confirmed these are all forgeries? Yes, all of them.
Neal.
- Neal.
- Don't think our forger went off a photo.
- They stood in front of the original.
- How do you know that? Thayer used the benday dots method to show shading.
He spread paint across a paper stencil and pushed it against the canvas with a brush.
The shadowing in these paintings is more deliberate.
It's minute, but these dots grow starker at the bottom.
Forger probably started in afternoon light when the color was more red.
They caught the painting when the light was directly down on it causing a contrast at the bottom.
There's no lighting overhead.
Was this painting ever hanging below that skylight? Yes, in late April.
We had a pop art show.
We wanted to display the Thayer prominently.
Then we should check the registration log for April.
Looking for a student.
Talented, but experimenting with technique.
Someone like Justin Magary from Eastside University.
He stopped by on the 21st of April at 1:45.
That would be afternoon light.
What's that on your face? I haven't seen you this happy in awhile.
You know, it's a beautiful day.
You're excited someone's copycatting you.
Imitation, flattery, you know what they say.
- You ever been on a campus? - Not as a student.
And yet you have three MBAs and two doctorates.
- Clearly something wrong with the system.
- Too bad you faked it.
They could've made copies of you and filled up a frat house.
Oh, are we bitter we weren't invited to the party? Oh, it's just with my father's construction salary I had to stick to the grindstone.
Four years of advanced math on scholarship and then two years of accounting.
I still can't imagine you hunched over a desk with a little visor doing my taxes.
- You're lucky the FBI hires mathletes.
- I was not a mathlete.
- I was an athlete who was good at math.
- Yeah.
We fraternity guys call you "nerds.
" So why'd you forego school and go to New York? Sorry, we're here to interrogate someone else.
See what you missed out on? I'm reconsidering my position on college.
- Focus.
- All right.
Peter.
- Ahem.
Justin Magary? - Yes? We need to talk to you.
Why? What do you know about Lewis Thayer's Untitled Number Two? Nothing.
I mean, I know it of course.
You ever painted one? - That's a good question.
- I shouldn't say anything.
We've got you on a camera sketching it at the Lampson Gallery in April.
That's legal, right? Not when three of your copies are fenced as the real thing.
That turns them into forgeries.
Which is illegal.
I can vouch for that.
It's looking pretty bad for you, kid.
If you talk to me, I can help you.
A while ago, I answered an ad in the school's list server for reproductions.
I get an e-mail commissioning seven copies of Untitled Number Two.
Seven? Did you wonder why somebody would want seven copies? You know how hard it is to make money as an art student? Who hired you? I didn't meet them.
They dropped the materials in my mailbox.
They said to leave the paintings in the rec center and the money would be left in my box.
It was weird that they didn't want to meet So you stayed and watched the pickup? Yeah.
I wanted to make sure it was legit.
And she seemed normal, so I let it go.
If you sat with a sketch artist, think you could remember what she looked like? - May I? Yeah.
This is her.
It's your fault.
- This would've never happened if you kept a lower profile.
This is why I work in code.
- Anything I can do? - Don't.
- She needs your help.
- Alex.
- Someone's looking for her.
Who? - It has something to do with the music box.
- Why? - Well, she thinks - Let her talk.
I don't know who, but they've got a powerful reach and they've turned over a lot of stones.
All right, what can I do? - Krugerrands? - I needed the money to disappear.
I hooked her up with somebody who deals in Krugerrands.
- I've been fencing some in increments.
- Who's the guy? Russell Smith.
Old friend from Detroit.
Some friend.
Found out someone's looking for me and he's gonna sell me out.
I need you to shut him up.
Short of killing him, I'm open to ideas.
- Ugh.
- All right.
Give me some time.
I'll figure something out.
You know I won't let anything happen to you.
Thanks.
She comes to you and not to me? Well, far be it for me to act as therapist, but maybe Alex doesn't wanna see you heartbroken over Kate.
- Or maybe it's the tracking anklet.
- Sure, the anklet.
Found our girl.
Justin's got talent.
If ever we're short a sketch artist, I know who to call.
- Who is she? - Veronica Naylon.
- Did she send the e-mail? - Can't be sure.
Account's defunct, address was generic.
Ad and e-mail were created at the school computer lab so anyone could've done it.
Here's her workup.
Junior.
Majoring in Archeology.
Mediocre grades.
No priors.
How does an average 21 year old from the Upper East side pull this off? - You think she has accomplices.
- Maybe this is where she met them.
She's an Archeology major, but she's currently acing a criminology class.
- The one class she's pulling an A.
- How appropriate.
Oh, if you like that, you'll love this.
Syllabus for the class.
Oh.
He's gonna be impossible after this.
Where's Neal? Oh, look at you.
You'd think being copycatted was like winning the crime Oscar.
I'm not allowed to revel? Take me through your version of this scam.
How many players are involved? - You need a forger, a thief, a couple fences.
- Not the thing you'd pull off by yourself.
Not unless you can be in multiple places at once.
It's a sophisticated job.
I doubt Justin or our girl thought of it themselves.
No, but they might have figured it out by studying you.
Our mystery girl, Veronica, she's acing a criminology class.
Here's the syllabus.
Spent a week on me? You're one of the interesting criminals of the 21st century.
"A new breed of forger, technological virtuoso.
" Wow.
"With a classical artistic foundation.
" They got it.
Yeah, yeah.
I read it.
They covered the Antioch manuscripts.
I know, relax.
They only covered you for a week.
By the end of the year, they won't remember your name.
Well, obviously a few of them will.
Think she formed a crew in this class? People have been known to fall for a pretty face.
If Veronica had help I don't wanna scare them away by my talking to her just yet.
- Well, I could talk to her.
- Now you're reading my mind.
- Anklet? - I'll pull it for this one.
- You ready to go back to school? - I think I can handle that.
- Because I'm a technological virtuoso.
- Okay.
- With a classical artistic foundation.
- Yes, okay.
Okay, read it to yourself.
Quiet now.
- Did you guys see this syllabus? We don't need to share.
I'm in it.
Go, team.
Yup.
The Koechert Diamond Pearl was stolen by Gerald Blanchard in 1998.
It took them a full two weeks to realize that the jewel was missing because Blanchard replaced it with a pretty darn good costume replica.
He circumvented the alarms at the Viennese castle by parachuting onto the roof, if you can believe it or not.
Some people have called this the perfect crime.
I wouldn't say he was perfect.
And Blanchard overshot his landing.
He slipped on the tiles, saved himself by grabbing a railing on the roof.
So I'd say he loses marks for style.
Excuse me.
I believe we have a celebrity in our midst.
Who? This is Mr.
Neal Caffrey.
To what do we owe the honor, sir? I understand you study the best criminals.
And I share that interest.
Wow.
You.
You seem like a very capable teacher.
Oh, please.
You know, you would be a far better t Hey, why don't you? Could you come up here and answer some ques? No.
- Wouldn't you love to have Neal Caffrey up here teaching? Really? Really? Come on.
We would love to have some of your expertise.
- Pleasure to have you.
Pleasure to be here.
Please.
We'll stick to the hypotheticals.
Anything covered by the statute of limitations.
Who's first? Oh, wow.
Right.
How about you? No, in theory, the carrier pigeons only delivered the vault combination.
They didn't carry the manuscripts.
Next question.
When executing a heist, Mr.
Caffrey, do you prefer boxers or briefs? I think some things are better left to the imagination.
There's not much written about your arrest.
How'd you get caught? Momentary lapse in concentration.
- So the FBI had nothing to do with it? - Oh, they'd like to take credit for it.
But essentially, I turned myself in.
Recently, you were suspected in the La Joyau diamond heist.
Suspected and then cleared.
I served my four years, decided I didn't wanna go back.
Been living like all you ever since then.
Or trying to.
Okay.
Let's thank Mr.
Neal Caffrey.
Thank you, class.
Remember, everybody, read chapters Yeah, I am.
Yeah, I wanna go.
- Thank you so much, Mr.
Caffrey.
- Oh, no.
- Fascinating.
- It's the least I could do.
I thought I should participate in my own copyright infringement.
Excuse me? It's green to rip off someone's con unless you improve it.
- You and your kids could use tutoring.
- I'm sorry, I - I don't know what you're talking about.
- The Thayer theft? Hey, don't get me wrong, man.
I'm flattered.
But l'd like to be cut in, you know? I did lay the groundwork.
Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm a professor who teaches crime.
I don't go out there and commit them.
Okay.
Mr.
Caffrey? Um, I get together with a group of students after class.
- You got some bright kids here.
- There's a few of them.
We go to a bar called The Globe around the corner.
Be thrilled if you would join us.
- The Globe? - Yeah.
- I'll think about that.
- I think you might find it interesting.
- Have a great day.
- Thank you.
And thanks again.
Thank you.
So the FBI had nothing to do with it? They'd like to take credit for it.
But essentially, I turned myself in.
I think we've heard enough.
Suddenly, I don't feel bad about telling you this.
You're not the only person they've been copying.
- What? - Seems those who can, also teach.
We crosschecked all of the crimes in Professor Oswald's syllabi since he started teaching 10 years ago.
We suspect he counterfeited a bank note forged an Emerson letter, smuggled Egyptian artifacts.
He copied Tokley-Perry? Well, felony by proxy, you gotta give him credit.
We also think that he might've stolen Matisse's View of Saint Tropez.
Matisse? That's a serious payday.
Unfortunately, this is all speculation.
Oswald is taking advantage of his students.
And Justin is going to go down for this unless we can prove it wasn't him.
Well, we have one card left.
We know about the Thayer.
- Oswald's hiding it somewhere.
- He's not gonna give it up soon.
Interpol found the fences who sold the forgeries abroad.
They know they're being watched.
They're out of play.
So he'll need a local fence.
- Have something in mind? - Maybe.
What's the FBI policy for drinking on the job? Good.
Okay, show us something else.
Bet you another 20 I can drink this shot without touching that hat.
You're on.
- Done.
- You didn't drink it.
Done.
That's not fair.
Oh, I didn't say it was fair.
- Said I could drink without touching the hat.
- I'm only mildly impressed.
This is all small-time.
Oh.
You guys want something bigger? Manny, I think I saw a 50 in your wallet.
Can I have it? - Why? - You're paying with hundreds, Manny.
- I don't think you'll miss it.
- Just give him the 50.
Where's my wall? - How did you do that? - Always make your lifts with two fingers.
That way your thumb doesn't bump up against the mark.
Tell me something I don't know.
And never, never think you're the smartest guy in the room.
Unless you're the smartest guy in the room.
Wanna keep your place in that deck, keep your finger in the brief.
- I think I know what I'm doing.
- You wanna put some money on that? - Hey.
- Sure, who's the mark? That's my 50.
How about her? Hi, I'm Eric.
Alex.
Nice to meet you.
Alex, pick a card.
This looks like fun.
Just put it back on top and cut it for me, would you? Okay.
Okay.
Now.
The card I stop at is gonna be yours.
He doesn't think it will be.
He's wrong.
Two hundred bucks says he's right.
No, no.
I can't take your money.
Why not? You can't make bets with girls? And that's your card.
And no, it's not.
Well, that was supposed to be your card.
Now, I guess he was right.
Sorry.
I believe this is her card, Eric.
She and Caffrey played you.
She's his inside man if you will.
Nice catch.
Look, we weren't gonna take your money.
- Yeah, right.
- Check your pocket.
Ha, ha, ha.
I guess the lesson here is "Never con a con man.
" We all know the lesson for today, don't we, Eric? Yeah, I guess I'm not the smartest guy in the room.
Hey, congratulations.
You humbled him.
That's not easy to do.
Ha, ha.
- I'm Professor George Oswald.
- Alex Hunter.
- Hi.
- What do you do besides card tricks? She's in the moving business.
Oh.
Well, nice to meet you.
If you wanna join us for a drink, the next round is on Eric.
- Nice to meet you.
Be right there.
Hey, hey, hey.
Thank you for backing me up in there.
Mozzie tells me to come to the bar because you have a plan.
And now I'm out - Do you trust me? - No.
Okay, I assume we're doing more than baiting frat boys with bar tricks.
What's with the Dead Poets Society in there? You know, it's my current case.
And the solution to your problem.
Russell wants to meet on Sunday to fence the rest of the Krugerrands, but it's a setup.
He's gonna sell me out to whoever put the price on my head and your plan is to bring the Feds into it? I tell the FBI that Oswald and his kids are gonna steal the Krugerrands.
They'll pull Russell in to talk.
It'll kill his reputation.
No one will be buying information if they think he's with the Bureau.
- You're crazy.
- It'll work.
- You're crazy.
- Are you in or are you out? I'm in.
The kids do the legwork.
Oswald fences the goods and kicks them back a share of the profit.
- lf the kids get caught - Oswald can sell them out.
He'll say he was teaching a class and they took it too far.
He's more slippery than you.
- Thank you.
- You can get him to reveal the painting? I don't know.
They spent the night talking about the next heist.
- Which way are they leaning? - Everything from diamond heists to stealing boats.
- But I think we can choose for them.
- How so? I happen to know a petty crook who's moving Krugerrands on Sunday.
- Gold Krugerrands? Of course you do.
- His name is Russell Smith.
Bingo, racketeering, extortion, robbery.
And I don't like him.
We intercept Russell with the Krugerrands.
Send Jones down the street with the coins and I get the kids to steal them from him.
Watch them, follow the case back to Oswald.
Tell me more.
How do you know him? - He's a friend of a friend.
- Mozzie.
You can convince Oswald and the kids to go after him? I can still be slippery.
I'll get them to convince me.
If jewels are the target what are the challenges of extraction and export? How do we buy enough time to get the jewels out of the country? Lt'd be cool to pull a Blanchard.
Buy a replica and replace it with the real thing.
We could tunnel.
I'm not really big on shovels, Manny.
Could you excuse me? Everything is all set, okay? You can't back out now.
Okay, look, keep your voice down, okay? He saw me.
It's over.
You can't walk away.
I already have a buyer.
Get someone to make the grab or tell your buyer to back off.
So I'm out a ton of money because you made a stupid mistake and got spotted? - Yes.
Thanks for nothing.
What's she talking about? Is she talking about money? Great, now walk away.
Can I slap you? That hurt.
Sorry about that.
That's a little awkward.
Lovers' quarrel? Oh, we have a history.
You know, we just - We don't work well together.
- Sounded like a certain job went awry.
I'm reformed, remember? Yes, of course.
All right, listen.
I have a class to teach, so why don't you keep brainstorming? And remember in this theoretical discussion, there is no better teacher than this man here.
All right? See you all later.
You know, you can tell us.
What's your history? - Former girlfriend? - Something like that.
Sounds like she has a job for you, but you went and got spotted by the target? Oh, you heard all that from over here? Oh, she can be a little loud.
No, look, guys.
It's just a melon drop, okay? I'd tell you, but you'd say it was small time.
- Well, what's the take? - Krugerrands.
Gold.
- Sure the kids will be there? - They'll be there.
- They think this the easiest score ever.
- Oswald better show.
He will.
The kids get me the Krugerrands.
I drop them in the locker.
Oswald delivers them to his fence.
- Just like that? - Just like that.
Russell is headed your way.
- Our courier has arrived.
Russell Smith.
FBI.
Feds? I didn't do anything.
I need you to come with me.
Krugerrands.
Where'd you get these? They fell off a truck.
- I wanna talk to my lawyer.
- Of course, what honest man doesn't? You ready for this? Born ready.
- Dude, watch where you're going.
Sorry about that, let me help.
Get your hands off my stuff.
What's going on? You know how much I paid for those? - Here comes Manny.
Guy runs into me, now he's trying to pocket my stuff.
I'm not trying to steal anything.
I'm just trying to help you here.
- Try to hit and run me.
- Calm down.
Just listen to the lady and handle it yourself, okay? How about that? Walk along.
Yeah, Jones deserves an Oscar.
Manny's approaching the drop.
Smooth.
Glad he's on our side.
Caffrey's headed toward the lockers.
- How's it going? - So far, so good.
- You're a convincing mark.
- Wait till they find out what I do for a living.
- Should we take the kids in? - Not yet.
I don't wanna spook Oswald.
We wait.
You guys should invest in some of those little Christmas tree air fresheners.
You don't like the van.
Noted.
Peter.
Peter, can I talk to you? We took Russell back to the Bureau.
- He didn't call his lawyer.
- Who'd he call? Play it.
Neal.
Neal.
- What, I didn't do anything.
- Explain this.
Play it.
I'm not working with the FBI.
They got me with the case.
What was I supposed to do? Tell them we can still get Alex, but they gotta post bail.
- Why is Russell talking about Alex? - You know who he was talking to? - It went to a burner phone.
- Answer my question.
Alex is in trouble.
Alex is back.
Damn it, Neal.
I can't let my guard down for one day, can I? You used us to take Russell out of play.
- lf you jeopardize this case - I didn't, Peter.
- Diana? - It's 8:00.
- I don't think Oswald's gonna show.
- Yeah, I guess he conned all of us.
- Check the locker.
- Why? Check it.
The case isn't here.
Damn it.
- Did we ever lose visual on the locker? - No.
Then how'd he get the bag? He was here the entire time.
- So help me, if this was part of your plan - It wasn't.
Oswald improved my con.
Then you better figure out how to catch him.
Hey.
Oh, why is he here? I asked for Alex.
Understandably, my client does not trust the FBI.
She has asked her lawyer to preside in her absence.
- You got a nice practice going.
- I do all right.
Helps when you're friends with criminals.
Thanks to you two, I got a pound of shrapnel in my ass from today's misfire.
Tell me why you really put us on to Russell.
And it better be good.
Someone's looking for Alex.
Russell said he could deliver her, and we took him out before he could.
- Who's looking for her? - Probably the same people who killed Kate.
If Oswald has the coins, he'll try and fence them eventually.
That's what I'm counting on.
You're gonna help that happen.
We're gonna make Oswald reveal the Krugerrands and the painting.
Well, how? Those coins belong to someone who probably wants them back, right? Tell me who.
Um, Russell may or may not be an old connection from Detroit of the Don Corleone persuasion.
- The Detroit mob? - Yeah.
I'm gonna have to convince Oswald I'm in with them.
- What if he recognizes you? - He won't.
The Bureau makes sure my picture doesn't get in the paper.
He knows you.
You, I don't trust.
- So - Impossible, he studies crime for a living.
You need an expert on the Detroit mob to pull that off I just found my expert.
Hello? Can I help you? You took something of mine.
Is that so? Tell him you're the peacemaker.
That's an old Detroit player.
Do it.
I'm the peacemaker.
Well, I don't recall starting any wars.
I'm sure this is a misunderstanding.
You stole my Krugerrands and I want them back.
Kru Listen, I don't have time for jokes.
Okay.
When it's a matter of our missing money, I never joke.
I never joke.
This picture tells a story, professor.
I don't see myself in that story.
No, but you see the case.
And now you've got it.
Tell him you'll cut off his hands if he doesn't pay up.
- What? - It's the Detroit mob, not the Girl Scouts.
I wouldn't want anything to happen to your hands, professor.
- I said, cut off his hands.
- Quiet, Mozz.
All right, listen, if you're the peacemaker, I'm sure we can find some common ground.
The Krugerrands were worth 2 million.
I want three for my trouble.
Well, well, that's simply not possible.
Make it possible.
Deliver it tomorrow.
Or I'll start with your thumbs.
Or I'll start with your thumbs.
I can get you 200,000.
- Two hundred? - Ten percent.
No, no, no.
Thirty percent is the going rate.
- Six hundred thousand, fine.
- Okay.
I need that wired today.
- Okay? - No problem.
- How much can I get for this? - Original Thayer, nice.
I'll give you half a mil.
Where does it say "dumb schmuck" on my face? The painting's been sliced.
Take it or leave it.
Listen.
It's cut at the frame line.
Re-stretched, you're not gonna lose even an inch of canvas.
You won't have any trouble finding an enthusiastic buyer in Macao or Singapore.
And I think you know that.
- Ah.
The professor's done his homework.
- Yes.
- Okay, 2 million.
- Wired today.
Got it.
I'll need your account and routing number.
Testing me, were you? There you go.
It's a pleasure doing business, George.
- I wish I could say that it FBI.
Don't move, hands on the table.
Hands on the table! George Oswald, you're under arrest.
No.
No.
Good to see you again, professor.
Careful with his hands.
I wanna see my lawyer.
Come on, get moving.
Thank you, Miss Hunter.
And I believe you've been looking for this.
Per Neal's suggestion, we booked you on a secure flight to Italy.
And we made sure we publicly thanked Russell for his thoughtful and continued cooperation with the FBI.
Neal said you were the best.
Hello, everyone.
Your professor, George Oswald, will not be joining you today.
Instead, I'm here as a recruiter for the FBI.
Hi, I'm Special Agent Peter Burke.
And these are some of my colleagues.
They studied criminology just like you and now they get to catch bad guys for a living.
FBI, you're under arrest.
- Guys, stay calm.
- Oswald, he made us do it.
- Good job, way to stay calm.
- Let me handle this.
Listen to me, no, no, no.
You don't understand.
If you think it's fun reading, wait until you experience the feeling of catching them.
He was gonna grade us badly.
We didn't know what to do.
For the record, I still maintain that I basically turned myself in.
The full weight of the FBI was bearing down on you.
I wear a badge.
He wears a tracking anklet.
Applications are on the table.
You think we don't know how this works? Shut your mouth.
I got this.
There's a lot of information that we have for you.
Manny, shut up.
DA's dream.
Tripping over themselves to cut a deal.
They're young.
We'll probably give it to them.
Look at us.
Saving America's youth from a life of crime.
We're a regular after-school special.
One second.
- Diana.
Boss, you have some time? I have something to show you.
At first, I thought one of the cherubs had broken off.
But take a look.
Narrow tunnel with a slight ridge.
There's something there.
Ah.
Leaving so soon? Venice is calling.
Oh, you know what? I'm gonna actually keep that up here with me.
You know, it's interesting.
We searched Oswald's house and found several things he was suspected of stealing.
Jewelry, Egyptian artifacts.
But there was a Matisse.
Matisse? Hmm.
It was rumored Oswald had it, but it wasn't at his house.
That's a shame.
Be worth a fortune.
Yes, it would.
It's about the size of your box there.
I'll keep an eye out.
I could use the reward money.
I'm sure you could.
Goodbye, Neal.
Alex.
Be careful.
You too.
- lf someone's looking for me - They're coming after me too.
That's the last piece of the music box.
I'm giving up my obsession.
- You're suggesting I give up mine? - Kate's gone.
The rest of us are still here.
Bye, Alex.
Whatever this thing's hiding, it's not the music.
- I think it's a keyhole.
- A key to what? - Could we get it into X-ray? - Not without alerting somebody.
I don't wanna take a hammer to it just yet.
It could self-destruct.
Wouldn't surprise me.
Let's see if we can find that missing piece.
Maybe our friend knows where it is.
Thank you.
I hope you're not admiring your own work.
I wish I was.
But I got a pretty good alibi.
I was working with you yesterday.
I'll back you up when we talk to the Lampson Gallery.
- Curator is waiting for us upstairs.
- I love a good art heist.
- Solving a good art heist.
- That's what I said.
Let me see that.
Lewis Thayer's Untitled Number Two.
It's worth 4 million.
You'd think for that money he'd have come up with a title.
Well, it is one of his seminal pieces.
Is it a fad or talent that drives up the price? Both.
Neither.
Don't try to understand the peculiarities of the pop art market.
- Would you pay 4 million for that? - Pay? Yeah.
You're the wrong guy to ask.
Miss Jeffries.
Special Agent Burke.
This is Neal Caffrey.
How you doing? What happened? Well, as you can see, the Untitled Number Two was simply cut out of its frame.
How does someone pull a down and dirty slash and grab from a major gallery? One of the options left if you wanna knock over a high-security - I was talking to her.
- Mr.
Caffrey's right.
We have sensors in the frame, but nothing attached to the canvas.
- Cutting it out circumvents the alarm.
- Got it.
Security cameras? The theft occurred during our daily security tape swap.
So we're not dealing with complete amateurs.
Actually, it sounds like a pretty good plan.
What are the odds you'll be able to recover the painting? Well, it would've made my job a lot easier if you had kept it from the press.
- We did.
- Somebody didn't.
- Anonymous tip.
- You think our thieves called it in? Good chance.
Headlines attract black market buyers.
- They wanna move the painting quickly.
- I can ask around.
Good, run your street contacts.
Diana, you've got Europe.
Check with Interpol.
Jones, you're on Asia.
- Check with the Alat over there.
Yup.
- What? - Do you mind? I need to check my contacts.
- Mozzie? - He's good at this kind of thing.
- You sure he didn't do it? - Slash and grab.
Frame's too high.
Yeah.
Hello.
- Mozz, the Lampson is missing a Thayer.
- I didn't steal it.
- I know.
- Reward? - Sizable.
All right.
I'm on it.
What are you doing here? I said meet me in an hour.
You found a source in less than an hour.
That's pretty quick, Mozz.
I only deal with professionals.
And you asked about a reward, which you never ask about.
I'm starting to think you're talking to somebody and not telling me.
- You're paranoid.
- Who's your fence? I am friends with many people of unsavory character.
Mm-hm.
- How long you been talking to her? - I know not of who you speak.
Sorry, meeting aborted.
My sources spook easily.
They have to think I'm a vault.
Meeting aborted.
Sounds like the meeting's still on.
I can't believe I'm saying this.
I saw a mockingbird in the park.
What color was the mockingbird? - The bird died, let's go.
What are you doing here, Alex? I've never known you to go skulking around after reward money.
After the plane blew up, a lot of people were asking questions.
I'm trying to stay off the radar.
Makes it hard to find work.
- You came to Mozzie? - He's not tethered to the FBI.
Two taps meant abort, by the way.
Or you could've just yelled "abort.
" I found the missing Thayer painting.
It was fenced in Dubai.
Thanks.
You didn't come all this way just to say that.
What are you doing here? I needed to talk to Mozzie.
Alone.
- What did I do? - We'll talk.
We're not friends anymore? - What's up, Peter? - News about the painting.
- Meet me in the office.
- On my way.
Gotta go back to the office.
We'll talk later.
- What are we talking about? - I've got a big problem.
Yeah.
Great, great.
Overnight it.
- I found the painting.
- How'd you find it? I found it.
- Where? - Fenced to a textile magnate in Dubai.
A hotel heiress in Budapest just turned hers in.
- Good news.
- You found the painting overseas.
- Scotland Yard has it.
- It's also in Dubai and Budapest.
They're forgeries.
- All of them? How do you know? Because custom clamps down when a theft occurs.
The risk of getting the original out are high.
Make forgeries ahead of time, take them out of the country before the heist, you're clear.
Steal, leak the theft, sell the forgeries.
- The original never leaves the country.
- You've seen this before.
- I know someone who - Allegedly.
- allegedly pulled it off before.
- We have a copycat on our hands.
- Who are they copycatting? Me.
Oh So you've confirmed these are all forgeries? Yes, all of them.
Neal.
- Neal.
- Don't think our forger went off a photo.
- They stood in front of the original.
- How do you know that? Thayer used the benday dots method to show shading.
He spread paint across a paper stencil and pushed it against the canvas with a brush.
The shadowing in these paintings is more deliberate.
It's minute, but these dots grow starker at the bottom.
Forger probably started in afternoon light when the color was more red.
They caught the painting when the light was directly down on it causing a contrast at the bottom.
There's no lighting overhead.
Was this painting ever hanging below that skylight? Yes, in late April.
We had a pop art show.
We wanted to display the Thayer prominently.
Then we should check the registration log for April.
Looking for a student.
Talented, but experimenting with technique.
Someone like Justin Magary from Eastside University.
He stopped by on the 21st of April at 1:45.
That would be afternoon light.
What's that on your face? I haven't seen you this happy in awhile.
You know, it's a beautiful day.
You're excited someone's copycatting you.
Imitation, flattery, you know what they say.
- You ever been on a campus? - Not as a student.
And yet you have three MBAs and two doctorates.
- Clearly something wrong with the system.
- Too bad you faked it.
They could've made copies of you and filled up a frat house.
Oh, are we bitter we weren't invited to the party? Oh, it's just with my father's construction salary I had to stick to the grindstone.
Four years of advanced math on scholarship and then two years of accounting.
I still can't imagine you hunched over a desk with a little visor doing my taxes.
- You're lucky the FBI hires mathletes.
- I was not a mathlete.
- I was an athlete who was good at math.
- Yeah.
We fraternity guys call you "nerds.
" So why'd you forego school and go to New York? Sorry, we're here to interrogate someone else.
See what you missed out on? I'm reconsidering my position on college.
- Focus.
- All right.
Peter.
- Ahem.
Justin Magary? - Yes? We need to talk to you.
Why? What do you know about Lewis Thayer's Untitled Number Two? Nothing.
I mean, I know it of course.
You ever painted one? - That's a good question.
- I shouldn't say anything.
We've got you on a camera sketching it at the Lampson Gallery in April.
That's legal, right? Not when three of your copies are fenced as the real thing.
That turns them into forgeries.
Which is illegal.
I can vouch for that.
It's looking pretty bad for you, kid.
If you talk to me, I can help you.
A while ago, I answered an ad in the school's list server for reproductions.
I get an e-mail commissioning seven copies of Untitled Number Two.
Seven? Did you wonder why somebody would want seven copies? You know how hard it is to make money as an art student? Who hired you? I didn't meet them.
They dropped the materials in my mailbox.
They said to leave the paintings in the rec center and the money would be left in my box.
It was weird that they didn't want to meet So you stayed and watched the pickup? Yeah.
I wanted to make sure it was legit.
And she seemed normal, so I let it go.
If you sat with a sketch artist, think you could remember what she looked like? - May I? Yeah.
This is her.
It's your fault.
- This would've never happened if you kept a lower profile.
This is why I work in code.
- Anything I can do? - Don't.
- She needs your help.
- Alex.
- Someone's looking for her.
Who? - It has something to do with the music box.
- Why? - Well, she thinks - Let her talk.
I don't know who, but they've got a powerful reach and they've turned over a lot of stones.
All right, what can I do? - Krugerrands? - I needed the money to disappear.
I hooked her up with somebody who deals in Krugerrands.
- I've been fencing some in increments.
- Who's the guy? Russell Smith.
Old friend from Detroit.
Some friend.
Found out someone's looking for me and he's gonna sell me out.
I need you to shut him up.
Short of killing him, I'm open to ideas.
- Ugh.
- All right.
Give me some time.
I'll figure something out.
You know I won't let anything happen to you.
Thanks.
She comes to you and not to me? Well, far be it for me to act as therapist, but maybe Alex doesn't wanna see you heartbroken over Kate.
- Or maybe it's the tracking anklet.
- Sure, the anklet.
Found our girl.
Justin's got talent.
If ever we're short a sketch artist, I know who to call.
- Who is she? - Veronica Naylon.
- Did she send the e-mail? - Can't be sure.
Account's defunct, address was generic.
Ad and e-mail were created at the school computer lab so anyone could've done it.
Here's her workup.
Junior.
Majoring in Archeology.
Mediocre grades.
No priors.
How does an average 21 year old from the Upper East side pull this off? - You think she has accomplices.
- Maybe this is where she met them.
She's an Archeology major, but she's currently acing a criminology class.
- The one class she's pulling an A.
- How appropriate.
Oh, if you like that, you'll love this.
Syllabus for the class.
Oh.
He's gonna be impossible after this.
Where's Neal? Oh, look at you.
You'd think being copycatted was like winning the crime Oscar.
I'm not allowed to revel? Take me through your version of this scam.
How many players are involved? - You need a forger, a thief, a couple fences.
- Not the thing you'd pull off by yourself.
Not unless you can be in multiple places at once.
It's a sophisticated job.
I doubt Justin or our girl thought of it themselves.
No, but they might have figured it out by studying you.
Our mystery girl, Veronica, she's acing a criminology class.
Here's the syllabus.
Spent a week on me? You're one of the interesting criminals of the 21st century.
"A new breed of forger, technological virtuoso.
" Wow.
"With a classical artistic foundation.
" They got it.
Yeah, yeah.
I read it.
They covered the Antioch manuscripts.
I know, relax.
They only covered you for a week.
By the end of the year, they won't remember your name.
Well, obviously a few of them will.
Think she formed a crew in this class? People have been known to fall for a pretty face.
If Veronica had help I don't wanna scare them away by my talking to her just yet.
- Well, I could talk to her.
- Now you're reading my mind.
- Anklet? - I'll pull it for this one.
- You ready to go back to school? - I think I can handle that.
- Because I'm a technological virtuoso.
- Okay.
- With a classical artistic foundation.
- Yes, okay.
Okay, read it to yourself.
Quiet now.
- Did you guys see this syllabus? We don't need to share.
I'm in it.
Go, team.
Yup.
The Koechert Diamond Pearl was stolen by Gerald Blanchard in 1998.
It took them a full two weeks to realize that the jewel was missing because Blanchard replaced it with a pretty darn good costume replica.
He circumvented the alarms at the Viennese castle by parachuting onto the roof, if you can believe it or not.
Some people have called this the perfect crime.
I wouldn't say he was perfect.
And Blanchard overshot his landing.
He slipped on the tiles, saved himself by grabbing a railing on the roof.
So I'd say he loses marks for style.
Excuse me.
I believe we have a celebrity in our midst.
Who? This is Mr.
Neal Caffrey.
To what do we owe the honor, sir? I understand you study the best criminals.
And I share that interest.
Wow.
You.
You seem like a very capable teacher.
Oh, please.
You know, you would be a far better t Hey, why don't you? Could you come up here and answer some ques? No.
- Wouldn't you love to have Neal Caffrey up here teaching? Really? Really? Come on.
We would love to have some of your expertise.
- Pleasure to have you.
Pleasure to be here.
Please.
We'll stick to the hypotheticals.
Anything covered by the statute of limitations.
Who's first? Oh, wow.
Right.
How about you? No, in theory, the carrier pigeons only delivered the vault combination.
They didn't carry the manuscripts.
Next question.
When executing a heist, Mr.
Caffrey, do you prefer boxers or briefs? I think some things are better left to the imagination.
There's not much written about your arrest.
How'd you get caught? Momentary lapse in concentration.
- So the FBI had nothing to do with it? - Oh, they'd like to take credit for it.
But essentially, I turned myself in.
Recently, you were suspected in the La Joyau diamond heist.
Suspected and then cleared.
I served my four years, decided I didn't wanna go back.
Been living like all you ever since then.
Or trying to.
Okay.
Let's thank Mr.
Neal Caffrey.
Thank you, class.
Remember, everybody, read chapters Yeah, I am.
Yeah, I wanna go.
- Thank you so much, Mr.
Caffrey.
- Oh, no.
- Fascinating.
- It's the least I could do.
I thought I should participate in my own copyright infringement.
Excuse me? It's green to rip off someone's con unless you improve it.
- You and your kids could use tutoring.
- I'm sorry, I - I don't know what you're talking about.
- The Thayer theft? Hey, don't get me wrong, man.
I'm flattered.
But l'd like to be cut in, you know? I did lay the groundwork.
Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm a professor who teaches crime.
I don't go out there and commit them.
Okay.
Mr.
Caffrey? Um, I get together with a group of students after class.
- You got some bright kids here.
- There's a few of them.
We go to a bar called The Globe around the corner.
Be thrilled if you would join us.
- The Globe? - Yeah.
- I'll think about that.
- I think you might find it interesting.
- Have a great day.
- Thank you.
And thanks again.
Thank you.
So the FBI had nothing to do with it? They'd like to take credit for it.
But essentially, I turned myself in.
I think we've heard enough.
Suddenly, I don't feel bad about telling you this.
You're not the only person they've been copying.
- What? - Seems those who can, also teach.
We crosschecked all of the crimes in Professor Oswald's syllabi since he started teaching 10 years ago.
We suspect he counterfeited a bank note forged an Emerson letter, smuggled Egyptian artifacts.
He copied Tokley-Perry? Well, felony by proxy, you gotta give him credit.
We also think that he might've stolen Matisse's View of Saint Tropez.
Matisse? That's a serious payday.
Unfortunately, this is all speculation.
Oswald is taking advantage of his students.
And Justin is going to go down for this unless we can prove it wasn't him.
Well, we have one card left.
We know about the Thayer.
- Oswald's hiding it somewhere.
- He's not gonna give it up soon.
Interpol found the fences who sold the forgeries abroad.
They know they're being watched.
They're out of play.
So he'll need a local fence.
- Have something in mind? - Maybe.
What's the FBI policy for drinking on the job? Good.
Okay, show us something else.
Bet you another 20 I can drink this shot without touching that hat.
You're on.
- Done.
- You didn't drink it.
Done.
That's not fair.
Oh, I didn't say it was fair.
- Said I could drink without touching the hat.
- I'm only mildly impressed.
This is all small-time.
Oh.
You guys want something bigger? Manny, I think I saw a 50 in your wallet.
Can I have it? - Why? - You're paying with hundreds, Manny.
- I don't think you'll miss it.
- Just give him the 50.
Where's my wall? - How did you do that? - Always make your lifts with two fingers.
That way your thumb doesn't bump up against the mark.
Tell me something I don't know.
And never, never think you're the smartest guy in the room.
Unless you're the smartest guy in the room.
Wanna keep your place in that deck, keep your finger in the brief.
- I think I know what I'm doing.
- You wanna put some money on that? - Hey.
- Sure, who's the mark? That's my 50.
How about her? Hi, I'm Eric.
Alex.
Nice to meet you.
Alex, pick a card.
This looks like fun.
Just put it back on top and cut it for me, would you? Okay.
Okay.
Now.
The card I stop at is gonna be yours.
He doesn't think it will be.
He's wrong.
Two hundred bucks says he's right.
No, no.
I can't take your money.
Why not? You can't make bets with girls? And that's your card.
And no, it's not.
Well, that was supposed to be your card.
Now, I guess he was right.
Sorry.
I believe this is her card, Eric.
She and Caffrey played you.
She's his inside man if you will.
Nice catch.
Look, we weren't gonna take your money.
- Yeah, right.
- Check your pocket.
Ha, ha, ha.
I guess the lesson here is "Never con a con man.
" We all know the lesson for today, don't we, Eric? Yeah, I guess I'm not the smartest guy in the room.
Hey, congratulations.
You humbled him.
That's not easy to do.
Ha, ha.
- I'm Professor George Oswald.
- Alex Hunter.
- Hi.
- What do you do besides card tricks? She's in the moving business.
Oh.
Well, nice to meet you.
If you wanna join us for a drink, the next round is on Eric.
- Nice to meet you.
Be right there.
Hey, hey, hey.
Thank you for backing me up in there.
Mozzie tells me to come to the bar because you have a plan.
And now I'm out - Do you trust me? - No.
Okay, I assume we're doing more than baiting frat boys with bar tricks.
What's with the Dead Poets Society in there? You know, it's my current case.
And the solution to your problem.
Russell wants to meet on Sunday to fence the rest of the Krugerrands, but it's a setup.
He's gonna sell me out to whoever put the price on my head and your plan is to bring the Feds into it? I tell the FBI that Oswald and his kids are gonna steal the Krugerrands.
They'll pull Russell in to talk.
It'll kill his reputation.
No one will be buying information if they think he's with the Bureau.
- You're crazy.
- It'll work.
- You're crazy.
- Are you in or are you out? I'm in.
The kids do the legwork.
Oswald fences the goods and kicks them back a share of the profit.
- lf the kids get caught - Oswald can sell them out.
He'll say he was teaching a class and they took it too far.
He's more slippery than you.
- Thank you.
- You can get him to reveal the painting? I don't know.
They spent the night talking about the next heist.
- Which way are they leaning? - Everything from diamond heists to stealing boats.
- But I think we can choose for them.
- How so? I happen to know a petty crook who's moving Krugerrands on Sunday.
- Gold Krugerrands? Of course you do.
- His name is Russell Smith.
Bingo, racketeering, extortion, robbery.
And I don't like him.
We intercept Russell with the Krugerrands.
Send Jones down the street with the coins and I get the kids to steal them from him.
Watch them, follow the case back to Oswald.
Tell me more.
How do you know him? - He's a friend of a friend.
- Mozzie.
You can convince Oswald and the kids to go after him? I can still be slippery.
I'll get them to convince me.
If jewels are the target what are the challenges of extraction and export? How do we buy enough time to get the jewels out of the country? Lt'd be cool to pull a Blanchard.
Buy a replica and replace it with the real thing.
We could tunnel.
I'm not really big on shovels, Manny.
Could you excuse me? Everything is all set, okay? You can't back out now.
Okay, look, keep your voice down, okay? He saw me.
It's over.
You can't walk away.
I already have a buyer.
Get someone to make the grab or tell your buyer to back off.
So I'm out a ton of money because you made a stupid mistake and got spotted? - Yes.
Thanks for nothing.
What's she talking about? Is she talking about money? Great, now walk away.
Can I slap you? That hurt.
Sorry about that.
That's a little awkward.
Lovers' quarrel? Oh, we have a history.
You know, we just - We don't work well together.
- Sounded like a certain job went awry.
I'm reformed, remember? Yes, of course.
All right, listen.
I have a class to teach, so why don't you keep brainstorming? And remember in this theoretical discussion, there is no better teacher than this man here.
All right? See you all later.
You know, you can tell us.
What's your history? - Former girlfriend? - Something like that.
Sounds like she has a job for you, but you went and got spotted by the target? Oh, you heard all that from over here? Oh, she can be a little loud.
No, look, guys.
It's just a melon drop, okay? I'd tell you, but you'd say it was small time.
- Well, what's the take? - Krugerrands.
Gold.
- Sure the kids will be there? - They'll be there.
- They think this the easiest score ever.
- Oswald better show.
He will.
The kids get me the Krugerrands.
I drop them in the locker.
Oswald delivers them to his fence.
- Just like that? - Just like that.
Russell is headed your way.
- Our courier has arrived.
Russell Smith.
FBI.
Feds? I didn't do anything.
I need you to come with me.
Krugerrands.
Where'd you get these? They fell off a truck.
- I wanna talk to my lawyer.
- Of course, what honest man doesn't? You ready for this? Born ready.
- Dude, watch where you're going.
Sorry about that, let me help.
Get your hands off my stuff.
What's going on? You know how much I paid for those? - Here comes Manny.
Guy runs into me, now he's trying to pocket my stuff.
I'm not trying to steal anything.
I'm just trying to help you here.
- Try to hit and run me.
- Calm down.
Just listen to the lady and handle it yourself, okay? How about that? Walk along.
Yeah, Jones deserves an Oscar.
Manny's approaching the drop.
Smooth.
Glad he's on our side.
Caffrey's headed toward the lockers.
- How's it going? - So far, so good.
- You're a convincing mark.
- Wait till they find out what I do for a living.
- Should we take the kids in? - Not yet.
I don't wanna spook Oswald.
We wait.
You guys should invest in some of those little Christmas tree air fresheners.
You don't like the van.
Noted.
Peter.
Peter, can I talk to you? We took Russell back to the Bureau.
- He didn't call his lawyer.
- Who'd he call? Play it.
Neal.
Neal.
- What, I didn't do anything.
- Explain this.
Play it.
I'm not working with the FBI.
They got me with the case.
What was I supposed to do? Tell them we can still get Alex, but they gotta post bail.
- Why is Russell talking about Alex? - You know who he was talking to? - It went to a burner phone.
- Answer my question.
Alex is in trouble.
Alex is back.
Damn it, Neal.
I can't let my guard down for one day, can I? You used us to take Russell out of play.
- lf you jeopardize this case - I didn't, Peter.
- Diana? - It's 8:00.
- I don't think Oswald's gonna show.
- Yeah, I guess he conned all of us.
- Check the locker.
- Why? Check it.
The case isn't here.
Damn it.
- Did we ever lose visual on the locker? - No.
Then how'd he get the bag? He was here the entire time.
- So help me, if this was part of your plan - It wasn't.
Oswald improved my con.
Then you better figure out how to catch him.
Hey.
Oh, why is he here? I asked for Alex.
Understandably, my client does not trust the FBI.
She has asked her lawyer to preside in her absence.
- You got a nice practice going.
- I do all right.
Helps when you're friends with criminals.
Thanks to you two, I got a pound of shrapnel in my ass from today's misfire.
Tell me why you really put us on to Russell.
And it better be good.
Someone's looking for Alex.
Russell said he could deliver her, and we took him out before he could.
- Who's looking for her? - Probably the same people who killed Kate.
If Oswald has the coins, he'll try and fence them eventually.
That's what I'm counting on.
You're gonna help that happen.
We're gonna make Oswald reveal the Krugerrands and the painting.
Well, how? Those coins belong to someone who probably wants them back, right? Tell me who.
Um, Russell may or may not be an old connection from Detroit of the Don Corleone persuasion.
- The Detroit mob? - Yeah.
I'm gonna have to convince Oswald I'm in with them.
- What if he recognizes you? - He won't.
The Bureau makes sure my picture doesn't get in the paper.
He knows you.
You, I don't trust.
- So - Impossible, he studies crime for a living.
You need an expert on the Detroit mob to pull that off I just found my expert.
Hello? Can I help you? You took something of mine.
Is that so? Tell him you're the peacemaker.
That's an old Detroit player.
Do it.
I'm the peacemaker.
Well, I don't recall starting any wars.
I'm sure this is a misunderstanding.
You stole my Krugerrands and I want them back.
Kru Listen, I don't have time for jokes.
Okay.
When it's a matter of our missing money, I never joke.
I never joke.
This picture tells a story, professor.
I don't see myself in that story.
No, but you see the case.
And now you've got it.
Tell him you'll cut off his hands if he doesn't pay up.
- What? - It's the Detroit mob, not the Girl Scouts.
I wouldn't want anything to happen to your hands, professor.
- I said, cut off his hands.
- Quiet, Mozz.
All right, listen, if you're the peacemaker, I'm sure we can find some common ground.
The Krugerrands were worth 2 million.
I want three for my trouble.
Well, well, that's simply not possible.
Make it possible.
Deliver it tomorrow.
Or I'll start with your thumbs.
Or I'll start with your thumbs.
I can get you 200,000.
- Two hundred? - Ten percent.
No, no, no.
Thirty percent is the going rate.
- Six hundred thousand, fine.
- Okay.
I need that wired today.
- Okay? - No problem.
- How much can I get for this? - Original Thayer, nice.
I'll give you half a mil.
Where does it say "dumb schmuck" on my face? The painting's been sliced.
Take it or leave it.
Listen.
It's cut at the frame line.
Re-stretched, you're not gonna lose even an inch of canvas.
You won't have any trouble finding an enthusiastic buyer in Macao or Singapore.
And I think you know that.
- Ah.
The professor's done his homework.
- Yes.
- Okay, 2 million.
- Wired today.
Got it.
I'll need your account and routing number.
Testing me, were you? There you go.
It's a pleasure doing business, George.
- I wish I could say that it FBI.
Don't move, hands on the table.
Hands on the table! George Oswald, you're under arrest.
No.
No.
Good to see you again, professor.
Careful with his hands.
I wanna see my lawyer.
Come on, get moving.
Thank you, Miss Hunter.
And I believe you've been looking for this.
Per Neal's suggestion, we booked you on a secure flight to Italy.
And we made sure we publicly thanked Russell for his thoughtful and continued cooperation with the FBI.
Neal said you were the best.
Hello, everyone.
Your professor, George Oswald, will not be joining you today.
Instead, I'm here as a recruiter for the FBI.
Hi, I'm Special Agent Peter Burke.
And these are some of my colleagues.
They studied criminology just like you and now they get to catch bad guys for a living.
FBI, you're under arrest.
- Guys, stay calm.
- Oswald, he made us do it.
- Good job, way to stay calm.
- Let me handle this.
Listen to me, no, no, no.
You don't understand.
If you think it's fun reading, wait until you experience the feeling of catching them.
He was gonna grade us badly.
We didn't know what to do.
For the record, I still maintain that I basically turned myself in.
The full weight of the FBI was bearing down on you.
I wear a badge.
He wears a tracking anklet.
Applications are on the table.
You think we don't know how this works? Shut your mouth.
I got this.
There's a lot of information that we have for you.
Manny, shut up.
DA's dream.
Tripping over themselves to cut a deal.
They're young.
We'll probably give it to them.
Look at us.
Saving America's youth from a life of crime.
We're a regular after-school special.
One second.
- Diana.
Boss, you have some time? I have something to show you.
At first, I thought one of the cherubs had broken off.
But take a look.
Narrow tunnel with a slight ridge.
There's something there.
Ah.
Leaving so soon? Venice is calling.
Oh, you know what? I'm gonna actually keep that up here with me.
You know, it's interesting.
We searched Oswald's house and found several things he was suspected of stealing.
Jewelry, Egyptian artifacts.
But there was a Matisse.
Matisse? Hmm.
It was rumored Oswald had it, but it wasn't at his house.
That's a shame.
Be worth a fortune.
Yes, it would.
It's about the size of your box there.
I'll keep an eye out.
I could use the reward money.
I'm sure you could.
Goodbye, Neal.
Alex.
Be careful.
You too.
- lf someone's looking for me - They're coming after me too.
That's the last piece of the music box.
I'm giving up my obsession.
- You're suggesting I give up mine? - Kate's gone.
The rest of us are still here.
Bye, Alex.
Whatever this thing's hiding, it's not the music.
- I think it's a keyhole.
- A key to what? - Could we get it into X-ray? - Not without alerting somebody.
I don't wanna take a hammer to it just yet.
It could self-destruct.
Wouldn't surprise me.
Let's see if we can find that missing piece.
Maybe our friend knows where it is.