Well. That hits at a place Neal wasn't expecting to be struck, and it does it as sharply as anything Peter has ever said to him. A stranger shouldn't be able to bring that kind of ammunition to bear.

He's off his game. He knew it already, but damn does this place keep driving it home.

Neal laughs faintly. "Once bitten, I guess."

Deep breath. He shrugs. "I consult with the FBI as a condition of my freedom. The condition, really. They had me on the inside for bond forgery, I convinced them I would be more valuable helping them catch people doing all the stuff they couldn't prove I did."

He rocks back and forth on his heels. "I've been assisting them for just over a year and a half. I was supposed to get a commutation hearing before this little foray into Wonderland."