Shining the Spotlight on Clinton Jones

Writing a long series has given us the luxury of fleshing out many of the supporting characters in White Collar. Agent Clinton Jones is a case in point. Although he appeared in most of the canon episodes, he seldom got to speak more than a few lines and relatively little is known about him. What does Jones do in his free time? What hobbies does he have? Is there any romance in his life? Penna and I've been working to fill in those blanks while also giving him the opportunity for larger parts.

Warning for minor spoilers for the Caffrey Conversation AU

In the canon episodes, we learned that Jones is a conscientious and dedicated agent. He served in the Navy and obtained his law degree from Harvard Law School. We know he's single, has an ex-girlfriend, likes to drink Scotch, but not much else.

During the first several stories, Penna gave him a more substantive role. When Neal started working at White Collar, Jones was the next youngest member of the team, and the two quickly formed a friendship. Peter complicated matters when he asked Jones to help keep an eye on him. During the first few months, Peter wanted to trust Neal but worried that friends from his former life would cause issues. He asked Jones to help monitor his new recruit. The tracking stopped a couple of months later, but Jones was later called upon to perform a similar service in Caffrey Disclosure. It was a time of hidden agendas when Peter was frustrated by the secrets he knew Neal was keeping. Midway through the story, Neal discovered what was going on. The initial awkwardness was alleviated by Neal's understanding that he was partly to blame.

In these early stories, Jones also demonstrated himself to be a loyal and valuable friend. In Caffrey Flashback, he was able to put his Navy training to good use when he saved Neal's life by commandeering a chopper and flying him to a hospital.

We now know Jones has a married sister who lives nearby as well as a niece and nephew. He also has an ex-Navy buddy, George Knightley, who lost his lower right leg during military service (Caffrey Flashback).

In The Woman in Blue, Jones reveals that he's an avid video gamer. His 7-year-old nephew Ethan was introduced to the series in The Queen's Jewels. Jones also disclosed that he has a girlfriend, Helen Broussard, who works in the D.A.'s office.

Jones's responsibilities are constantly evolving. He assumed the liaison role with Win-Win after Peter's brother Joe married Henry's mother Noelle. Jones became Peter's second-in-command when Agent Tricia Wiese transferred to the Behavior Analysis Unit. As part of the strategy to unmask Azathoth, Jones began a blog about the Cthulhu Mythos (The Dreamer). He also is a member of the Arkham Round Table.

Jones plays a key role in the Vincent Adler investigation. In Caffrey Flashback, he developed the theory that Vincent Adler was searching for a lost U-boat which contained Nazi plunder. In The Dreamer, new evidence comes to light which makes the theory seem not so far-fetched. Even the most hardened skeptic was won over when Neal discovered corroborative documents of a World War II shipment of missing paintings (The Mirror). Jones's interest in U-boats paid an unexpected dividend by providing a reason for a very mistrustful Mozzie to smoke the peace pipe with him. When Jones displayed an unexpected talent for Klingon cosplay and even mastered a little of the language (The Mirror), Mozzie was ready to take him on as an apprentice in the art of strategizing through board games. (Echoes of a Violin).

In Nocturne in Black and Gold, Jones reveals yet another side to his personality—a healthy respect for ghosts. Mozzie has long been a believer in Hitler clones. Jones probably would never admit to a similar belief, but a Nazi ghost or two? Best not to ask.

Nocturne in Black and Gold on Archive of Our Own
Nocturne in Black and Gold on FanFiction