Ghosts of Caffrey Disclosure

It's no secret that I was inspired by Penna's Caffrey Disclosure for many of the scenes in Nocturne in Black and Gold. Several times Peter and Neal mention events which took place in that story. Sometimes the comparisons are unsettling. Could the ghosts of Caffrey Disclosure be haunting them now?

The previous summer Henry was hiding from his friends and family. He'd taken a leave of absence from work in order to apprehend a crooked musical publisher, Masterson Music. Since then, much has changed. Henry is now in charge of the New York office of Win-Win. His team has been working in close cooperation with the White Collar team. It appears that Henry has shed his lone wolf image for good. But not so fast. When Henry decides to sneak into a hideout in Argentina, is that the Henry from last summer making a return visit? Many leap to that conclusion, believing that Henry planned the caper in advance. He can rightfully lament he's being treated unfairly. In this instance, he wasn't working a hidden agenda. He'd made a snap decision, knowing there'd be hell to pay.

As for Neal, in Caffrey Disclosure, he was keeping his knowledge of Henry's involvement in the Masterson case a secret. In Nocturne in Black and Gold, the secret concerns his own past. Since March, Neal has been hiding his connection to a painting by Georges Braque. A year ago, Neal opened up to Peter in order to save Henry. In this story, he maintains the deception to protect not just himself but Peter as well. Neal's situation is somewhat analogous to what he faced in Season 5 of the TV series. There he didn't tell Peter how he'd forged evidence to secure Peter's release from prison. When Peter discovered the truth, he was furious.

In Caffrey Disclosure, Peter knew Neal was pursuing a hidden agenda. Frustrated, he resorted to extreme measures to uncover what Neal was up to. Peter acted without Neal's knowledge, convinced that his actions were justified because he was trying to protect Neal. It's an attitude which was not unlike to what Neal is doing in Nocturne in Black and Gold.

Neal, Peter, and Henry learned valuable lessons in Penna's story as they arrived at a highly satisfying conclusion. In my story, the future is murky. All three are pitted against formidable enemies who stand poised to take advantage of any mistakes they make.

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