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Yascha Meir watches his partner throw a stack of files on their table. The atmosphere has been grim at the FBI's white collar division ever since the Benedict case has humiliated the police forces of Nevada. 160 million dollars gone and everyone knows who is to blame.
Danny Ocean.
Agent Norris is leading the investigation with his team of hot shot agents. They are investigating the heist, trying to find any possible people involved who could have worked with Ocean.
Yascha and Nora aren’t part of that. They are tasked with combing through Ocean’s past and sussing out anyone who might have had a connection with Ocean leading up to the heist.
Nora pins another picture to the cork board behind her chair.
“We both know Ocean is meticulous. It will be impossible to find him based on traces he leaves behind in Vegas.”
She mainly says this to make Yascha feel better. They both had hoped that they earned enough trust to go out in the field with Norris’ team, but once again they are stuck at the desk working basic background checks.
“Ocean was in prison for several years, got released and immediately pulled off this job. Ocean couldn’t be in contact with any of his colleagues while in prison. So I say we go back to when he was still a free man and look at anyone he was close with.”
Yascha nods in agreement. That sounds good. Maybe, if they find some good leads this way, it’ll shoot them up the ladder and into Norris’ eyesight.
He sighs looking at the endless stacks of files waiting for him to comb through. A few days of hard work are laying ahead.
-
“So. The last job Ocean worked on before getting arrested was an art theft in Chicago.”
Nora points at the big ‘Chicago’ sign on the board.
“That robbery never took place, but Ocean had planned it for several months before leaving the city, probably because he realised the cops were onto him.
Some of his associates connected to this job talked to the police for reduced sentencing. Sadly they weren’t in Ocean’s inner circle and Ocean was already in jail by that time. The FBI just questioned them because they tried to bust his network but never got far.
Ocean is smart, he always puts together a team that fits the job and breaks it apart after, to make sure if we find one of them we can’t find the others. So the Chicago leads mostly come up dead. Except for one.”
Yascha’s partner takes a dramatic pause like she loves to do.
“One of our informants claims Ocean worked with someone unusual on the Chicago job. They claim he was basically functioning as Ocean’s right hand man and it wasn't someone well known in Ocean's network. A young man, Caucasian, mid twenties. They didn't know his name, but if we comb through some of Ocean’s frequent flyers, we might find him. As far as I know, he isn’t on Norris’ list of suspects.
He was really close to Ocean only months before the FBI arrested him. If that is true, he’s one of the last people we know of who were part of Ocean’s inner circle. If we find him, we might find Danny.”
-
It's all basic police work. They narrow down Ocean's partners to around twenty and pay one of their informants a visit in prison. The man doesn’t hesitate for a second before pointing at one brown haired man in one of their pictures.
“That's him. He had far more ridiculous hair at the time, but it's him.”
Yascha picks up the picture and flips it around.
Shawn Spencer. Born: March 24, 1977. Con man.
On their way back to base, Nora combs through Spencer's file.
“He went to prison a year after Ocean's arrest but got out after 12 months. Since then, he seemingly had no connection to Ocean or any of his network.”
Yascha bites his lip and tries to think.
“He lays low and stays off the radar so that we don't even have him clocked as one of Ocean's potential helpers. Most crucially: Other than most of the people on this list he isn't in prison.”
Yascha points at the list of possible suspects they put together to find Spencer.
“So it's possible that he could have laid the groundwork for the Benedict heist. When Danny gets out of jail, everything is ready to go and they can start so soon after his release.
If the rumours are true and he was something like a right hand man to Danny before the arrest, he would have all the knowledge and connections to make it happen. We need to find out as much as possible about Shawn Spencer.”
Nora grimaces and nods at the file.
“I know just where to start.”
-
Todd McCallum has the reputation for being a hard ass. He frowns constantly, he’s a bummer whenever he gets involved in water cooler talk and his only reaction to a good pun is a raised eyebrow.
In other words: He’s no fun.
Yascha hasn’t worked for the white collar crime unit long enough to know if the attitude built up because of his job, or if he took the job because of his attitude. Either way, no one fits in his position better. Todd’s speciality is con men. The big talkers.
Con men are usually naturally charismatic, it’s one of their weapons to build trust in their victims. They are funny, smart, a little loose. They can lie themselves out of every situation.
And here comes unflappable Todd, unimpressed with any moment of fun or charme someone might have and deeply affronted by people daring to look at the world like a game you get to play in. Yascha has to admit, he always envied con men a little bit. They have one ability to a super human extent that Yascha somewhat lacks: Confidence. As per their name.
Todd greets Nora and Yascha with a wordless, joyless grunt when they enter his office. Yascha decides he’ll take that as an invitation to sit down.
“What do you want?” He asks.
“We wanted to talk to you about Shawn Spencer.”
Todd freezes and looks up. Yascha has never seen him smile before and he regrets it right away - he looks more like a shark than a human.
“Really? Why?”
He’s keeping his cards close to his chest, which makes Yascha wonder if they should do the same. And also if they even have cards and if so what they say.
“We are searching for anyone who might be connected to the Benedict heist and Spencer worked closely with Ocean before his arrest. It said in his file that you worked his case.”
“Oh yeah,” Todd chuckles. It’s unsettling. “I was the one who arrested him.”
There is a sharp glint in his eyes that Yascha can’t figure out. Does he like Spencer? Hate him? Miss him?
“You think he’s involved with the Benedict heist?” Todd asks.
“We have no evidence, Sir. We are just checking Ocean’s background for any leads. We suspect that someone, probably Spencer, planned the heist while Ocean was still in prison.”
Things get momentarily worse because Todd decides to chuckle, which makes him sound like a deranged murder clown.
“You don't sound convinced,” Nora notices.
“I would be surprised, sure. But we are dealing with a master of deception here. Ocean I mean, not Spencer. And the most improbable ideas could lead us to something important.”
“Why don’t you think Spencer was involved?” Yascha blurts out. Todd just raises his eyebrow. Then he sighs and takes a deep breath.
“Ocean picked up Spencer when he was a kid. Barely 20 years old, just escaped from home and ran cons to earn some money to get by. He was a nobody, but Ocean recognised how smart he was. He picked him off the street and made him work a job for him. Paid him well too. And Spencer did good.
He's a perfect con man, infinite confidence to blind you with, a mouth that can run for ages and a smart head to roll with any punches.
On top of that, his cop father basically taught him everything there is to know about police work, so Spencer was amazing at dodging the cops. Saved his head several times.
So Ocean puts him on his payroll. Whenever he needs a reliable con man as part of a job, he calls up Spencer.
The two become closer over the years. A perfect combination. A kid with a troubled relationship with his dad in search for a father figure and Danny Ocean. At this point Ocean becomes obsessed with Gaspar LeMarc, the greatest thief to ever live. A legendary French art thief. LeMarc had taken on a protege, his student. He's only known as the Nightfox, a brilliant thief in his own right.
Danny feels he's invincible. He just pulled off the biggest job yet, no one can catch him and people name him in the same breath as his idol LeMarc. So his head gets too big and he decides he wants a student too. Someone who might take over one day, carry on his glamorous legacy.
The only person he can think of is Spencer. And on paper, he's probably right.
I know you haven’t met him yet, but Spencer is incredibly smart. His greatest trick is getting people to underestimate him so that they aren’t looking at him when he's finishing the job.
Danny decides on a trial run in Chicago. He plans to rob a private art collection in town. He calls Spencer in to plan the thing with him. And that works well at first. Spencer can suss out potential threats, he even recognises an undercover mission by the FBI trying to infiltrate Ocean's team.
But he isn't built for Danny's job. Spencer's abilities are perfect for being in the field. He's best when he can touch stuff, distract people and twist their heads. He's their specialist for executing ideas, not planning them.
Even worse: Spencer is a man child. He doesn't take things seriously, he nearly decapitates an associate because he doesn't know how to eat lobster. Danny dines at the Ritz and Spencer eats Happy Meals at McDonalds. You get the picture.
Well, Danny gets annoyed. If Spencer made some effort to blend in, he could be a perfect master thief, even rival LeMarc. He's a genius at what he does. But he treats nothing and no one with respect, he gets caught up in petty fights and he simply has no interest in pulling the strings.
In the end, he's a con man and he stays that way. He never lets himself live up to his potential.
That's how this story ends: Spencer gets in a fight with one of Danny's hired muscle because he fixes a card game. Things get heated and out of nowhere, Spencer skips town before they come after him. Leaving Danny behind with a half planned job and no right hand man. The robbery falls through once Danny realises how close the FBI is to busting him. A couple of months later, he ends up in jail.
And Spencer stays what he was. A year later he too ends up in handcuffs and they try him for fraud, not even theft.”
He says that as if it's somehow embarrassing not to be tried for theft.
“Shawn Spencer never came close to taking over for Ocean. He never even became his student. He's just a scumbag con man who can't keep his mouth from running. And that's all he'll ever be.”
Wow. Yascha hasn't heard Todd speak that much since he started working here. Maybe he should ask him about his work more often. Or now that he thinks about it, maybe not.
“That sounds like you know a lot about him.”
“He is one of the criminals you can’t keep your mind off of. During the trails he kept making Judge Judy jokes.”
It sounds like Todd has found his mirror human. The Anti-Todd.
“So you don't think Spencer planned the heist?” Yascha concludes.
“I don't think he could, even if he wanted to. That's all Ocean. But I read the files. They don't know who was part of the job, right? Who Danny recruited?”
“You mean that Spencer might have been one of the people at the casino?” Nora whispers excitedly. It would be a huge find to capture one of the collaborators.
“I'll tell you this. If I was planning a job this quickly under these circumstances, I would want to have the best people in the field. And Shawn Spencer would be the second person I would call… after my driver.”
He grunts this out as if it hurts him to say.
“Well, if that's true we can give up now. Ocean's people are impossible to find,” Nora sighs.
“I wouldn't be too sure about that. I know exactly where Shawn Spencer is.”
Yascha can't help but smile. They are so going to join Norris’ team.
–
Juliet watches Shawn skip into the police station with a huge grin on his face. She wonders how many police stations are blessed with this energy. Her time in Florida definitely didn't feel like this. No matter how the officers feel about Shawn, there is no doubt he's brightening up the place. He has several bets with policemen going, he taught Dobson chess during a slow week once and he somehow manages to befriend almost all the people he comes in contact with.
With few exceptions. The main one scoffs at Shawn as soon as he sees him.
“Lassieface! What is this sniffling I hear? Are you sick? Did you forget to take your supplementary vitamins to strengthen your immune system? You know scurvy is still a big issue, people are underestimating that-”
“Let him be, Shawn. He's had a difficult morning,” Juliet stops him but she can't keep the smile off her face.
“Oh no. Did they cancel ‘Desperate Housewives'?”
“No. But Vick has a couple unusual visitors today and Carlton bet me that he could figure out who they are if he was in the same room. He interrupted their meeting, got yelled at by the chief and couldn't tell me anything about them apart from the fact that their suits are well tailored.”
Carlton had looked furious as he was handing over the twenty bucks he lost.
Shawn immediately turns around to see into Vick's office, presumably to show up Carlton and devine a vision that would undoubtedly turn out right.
But after Carlton's entrance Vick shut the blinds. Carlton perks up behind his monitor.
“Right, psychic. Tell us who is behind that door. I'm sure you can look right through it with your ‘third eye’.”
Shawn chuckles and shakes his head.
“When will you learn, sweet summer child. The spirits only tell me things I need to know.”
“And you don't need to know who they are even if it would make you win twenty bucks?”
“No can do Lassie. They won't kiss and tell, because they know in a few moments those suited up people will tell me who they are themselves.”
“Right. They didn't say hello to me and I'm the head detective. How are you so sure they would even talk to you?”
“Because,” Shawn draws out that word, “The chief called us in for a meeting and technically we should have been here an hour ago. The line at the smoothy stand was longer than anticipated and one of their mixers broke. Gus can’t function without fresh pineapple juice.”
“And Shawn spilled hot chocolate on his shirt and needed to change,” Gus jumps in.
“Anyway… I conclude whoever is in there, is actually here for us. So of course they will tell us who they are.”
Carlton just scoffs and turns back towards his monitor. Juliet knows his eyes are sharp as ever when Vick opens the door and points at Shawn.
“Spencer, I would like to talk to you.”
Shawn and Gus start to walk towards the office, but Vick stops them.
“Only you, Shawn.”
There is something strange in her voice, or maybe her eyes. She is serious, almost uncomfortable. Tense. Shawn doesn't seem to pick up on it, greeting the chief with a big smile and a joking apology.
The door falls shut behind them and Juliet imagines it has more finality than usual. Even Gus looks slightly concerned. But Juliet knows Shawn can manage it. He has lived through so many serious moments. He'll be fine. He always is.
–
The first thing Yascha notices are Shawn Spencer’s eyes. Anyone else would have missed the way they fly over all three of them, scanning them within the fraction of a second. Only Yascha is trained to read his opponents.
Spencer’s smile doesn’t dim one bit, even after he sees Todd. He’s a good actor.
“Hey! Look at that, I always wanted to meet the men in black. I have to say two of you really pull off the look.” He winks at Nora. “I have to agree with Lassie, beautiful tailoring happening here.”
“Spencer!” Chief Vick barks out like a warning. Surprisingly enough, it gets Spencer to stop. “As you probably already know, this is Special Agent Todd McCallum and Agents Nash and Meir. They work for the FBI.”
For the first time, Yascha sees a break in Shawn’s act. For one moment he falters, not knowing what to say next. He glances towards the chief. Oh, Yascha thinks. He isn’t sure how much Vick knows of his past and he’s trying to act like he doesn’t know them. Or at least not give away his hand right away.
“They are here for a serious investigation.”
“And here I thought they just wanted to catch up,” Spencer deadpans. Todd wasn’t lying, he really is charming, with a certain youthful energy that pulls people in.
“Cut the crap, Spencer! We both know why we are here.”
And now the smile dimms. Shawn drops his fake cheerfulness at least a bit, but his eyes are still sharp when he turns towards Todd.
“Well not exactly. I do wonder why a threesome of FBI agents barge into my life with such force. The only crime I’m aware of commiting is being underdressed today. C’mon, no one told me there was a dress code!”
Spencer points at his jeans and flannel shirt combination that stands in high contrast to the formal wear the rest of the room is sporting.
“We are here to investigate the theft of 160 million dollars from Terry Benedict’s casino vaults in Las Vegas. I’m sure you’ve heard of that?” Nora jumps in, levelling out Todd’s rather direct style of questioning.
“Everyone heard of that. It was in all the papers, even in Thrasher’s magazine where I personally caught the news.” He turns towards Nora. “I make a great figure on a skateboard.”
“You can roll back straight to jail,” Todd mumbles but Spencer doesn’t hear it.
“We would like to interview you about it,” Yascha informs him.
“Interview me? What, do you want me to give a quote?” Shawn chuckles but he keeps glancing at Vick. He’s nervous and he really doesn’t want to blow his cover.
“Spencer, you are under suspicion to have aided the theft of the Bellagio hotel. If you don’t want us to arrest you on the spot, I suggest you start playing nice.”
“What me? How could you come up with such… bamboo’s land?”
“Do you mean bamboozlement?”
“I’ve heard it both ways. Chief, why aren’t you stopping this?” He asks looking at her for help. His back is against the wall now, figuratively, and his voice is cracking.
“I will collaborate closely with the FBI on this.”
“Why?” Spencer cries out.
“Because with your history, I need to make sure you didn’t rob the casino, in order to keep working together.”
“My history?” Spencer whispers. Now Yascha can see real cracks in the facade. He has barely known Spencer for more than two minutes, but even for him seeing him look so vulnerable is weird. It’s that sad look in his eyes.
“Yes. Your history. You’ve accumulated two and a half years behind bars and you were a career criminal for ten years.”
“You know that?” Spencer asks softly. Yascha has the distinct feeling he shouldn’t witness this.
“I hired you. Do you think I let anyone work this closely with us without background checks? Do you think that little of my work?”
“No, it’s just that Lassie probably checks my background five times a day in case he missed something and he never found out about my past.”
“Yes. And I think it’s better for everyone if it stays that way.”
Spencer’s head suddenly snaps up, his eyes glowing. He really isn’t good at hiding the moment he figures something out.
“You hid it from him?”
“I needed you guys to work together. And to establish at least some semblance of trust.”
Now the happy face returns.
“Chief! I didn’t know you had it in you!”
Vick rolls her eyes, but Yascha can clearly see how fond she is of Spencer. The only question is why. Is she smart enough to see through him but like him anyway or did he somehow manipulate her into trusting him?
Looking at Spencer and the bag of Skittles poking out of his pocket, Yascha is beginning to seriously doubt him as some sort of evil mastermind. Why is Todd so hung up on him?
“Now that we have that out of the way… Kelly!” Spencer throws his arms in the air. “Wow, you are going full silver fox now. You haven’t seen me in years, so can’t keep claiming I’m the one giving you grey hair. That’s all you, baby!”
Todd's head looks redder than usual. No wonder he hates Spencer, he embodies everything wrong in Todd McCallum’s universe. Also Kelly? That’s something to tuck away for later.
“You haven’t changed a bit. Do I need to repeat the seriousness of this situation? You are a suspect here, Spencer. So you better start talking.”
“I don’t have much to say. I didn’t do it. Is that enough?”
“Okay.” Todd reaches for the handcuffs on his belt. “We’ll walk you through this station to the interrogation room if that’s what it takes.”
“Wow! Wow, calm down cowboy.”
Spencer holds his hands up defensively. Yascha can see the real fear in his eyes. Chief Vick might know about him, but whoever ‘Lassie’ is doesn’t and Yascha got the impression he wouldn’t take it lightly. Spencer has a lot to lose.
Nora pushes one of Vick’s desk chairs towards him and Spencer finally sighs, letting himself fall down on it.
“I wasn’t lying, I don’t have much to say. After I went to prison for a whole year, I decided to quit. I didn’t want to live like this anymore. I went back to my hometown to figure out the next steps and stumbled into this job. I’ve been clean of crime ever since and that was four years ago! I wasn’t in contact with any of Ocean’s people, I was never that close with him in the first place. I don’t know why you would think he would come to me of all people. If I were involved, I would be hiding right now, I’m way too easy to find!”
Todd scoffs which makes Spencer roll his eyes.
“What’s with the scoffing today?” He whispers to himself.
“Being a bad criminal isn’t an excuse. Danny could always count on you for screwing things up, right?” Todd sneers.
“I’m innocent! Do you have any evidence I might be involved in this apart from old grudges?”
“Why did your chief just corroborate the story that you bet several policemen in this very building that there would be a big robbery involving a casino in the next couple of months then?” Todd spits out and Spencer sinks back into his chair. He starts scratching his hair nervously.
“Well I am psychic,” he jokes clumsily, but he sounds choked up.
“I’ll personally escort you out of here if you don’t give me a viable reason you knew about the job and if you claim to be psychic again you know how this ends,” Todd tells him.
Shawn looks over to the chief again, almost apologetically.
“I got tipped off. An old friend told me Ocean was planning a big job involving a casino,” Shawn admits. “But that’s all I knew!” He bursts out. “I didn’t want to hear any more, because if I knew if I got too involved, this exact thing would happen.”
He points at the FBI agents.
“I want nothing to do with this anymore, okay? As soon as he talked about the job, I stopped him because I didn’t want to hear too much. I’m done with that life.”
“Why didn’t you tell the cops?”
“I had almost no information and I didn’t even know if it was legit. What would you have done, infiltrate every casino in the country? That’s probably millions.”
“It’s not,” Nora replied. “Who tipped you off?”
“I can’t tell you that.”
“Why?”
“Because I value my life. I know the police won’t protect me from my own problems. What do you think criminals do when you betray them and tip off the cops?”
“I thought you were clean, but you are still in contact with criminals who threaten to kill you?” Yascha asks.
Shawn sighs again and he’s starting to get frustrated by how much he has to explain himself.
“That’s the issue with my job, I’m easily findable. This guy just turned up at the office and tried to talk me into working with him. And I said no! The same way I would have said no to Ocean or Rusty or Goldfinger for all I care.”
He is starting to get emotional now. If he’s telling the truth, it’s probably old wounds opening again. It must have been hard coming back to his hometown, to the dad who kicked him out and people he burned just to start from the bottom again. How much did he have to work to build up this new life? To earn the trust back?
“I’m broke, okay? I live in a laundromat because I can’t afford a normal apartment. I had to go a month with no electricity because I didn’t pay the bill. I chose this life! Don’t you think if I was still running cons I would have moved out asap? I earn my money by working, like any other person. I’m with the police, for god’s sake. I’m basically a saint! I’m catching bad guys now, just like you.”
“You claim to be psychic.”
“I’m a PI. That’s what I get money for and ask the people in this building, I am delivering results. It’s not some kind of front. I’m constantly around cops, I couldn’t even slip away to do something like this.”
“So I’m guessing you have an alibi?”
Shawn squints for a moment like he’s trying to think of something. Then his whole body deflates. He rubs his head and swallows hard. He’s realising something.
“I don’t,” he whispers. “I was sick that week. I didn’t even talk to Gus for three days, I didn’t come to work. I was at home alone. No witnesses.”
Yascha bites his lip. Spencer knows as much as they do that he looks too suspicious to let him go. All the questions they have can be answered by the same story. One Todd is ready to tell.
“Let’s say you are right. You wanted to leave the life. You get out of jail and build up a good name by working with the cops. You admitted that yourself, you stumbled into the job. It was a gift from god. But you are broke and you miss the old days. Maybe you still owe Ocean a favour.
Danny hears of this, the articles in the papers calling you a hero and the fact that the police trusts you, and recognizes it as a perfect cover. You said it yourself, you have a whole police force of character witnesses that like you. No doubt in part due to your ability to manipulate them.
You see the chance to pull off one last job for Danny. So you work with them, fake an illness and drive over to Nevada. You live close enough to not trigger any suspicion. Danny knows it’s hard to make that much money disappear, especially when he’s on the run. He can’t transport that all over the country. And Benedict's goons are onto him.
So he stashes the money at your place and sends the police on wild goose chases. When all of that dies down, he comes back here and gets his share. By that time the police aren’t looking out for the stolen bank notes anymore and he can wash the money clean. He just has to wait a little.
Only you couldn’t keep your mouth shut. As I said, Danny could always count on you for screwing it up. You made bets with police officers about the whole thing, thinking your ‘psychic’ abilities could cover for you. Danny Ocean’s masterpiece theft and he falls by the hands of the very man he once wanted to be his predecessor.”
It all makes sense, but looking at Spencer Yascha can’t stop but question this story. Maybe Spencer really is that good. Maybe he can make you like him this much, that even Yascha has fallen for it. The curled up man wearing a puka shell necklace watching them with the saddest eyes he’s seen. Spencer looks like a desperate man in crisis. A man who is in danger of losing everything.
Did he tell the truth? Or is this still part of the game?
“If I knew I was getting millions of dollars soon, would I bet with someone over fifty books?” He tries to argue.
“We know how bad you are with money. One time you spent all the money you made on a job on a perfect replica of the papamobile.”
“That was worth it. Also I still can’t believe the only guy allowed to drive that thing isn’t even a papa. He can’t live up to that awesome name! He’s not allowed to do it, did you know that?”
“Everyone knows that,” Nora mumbles.
“Shut it!” Todd barks at her. “Spencer, stand up.”
He grabs his handcuffs again.
“Wow! Wait a minute, all your evidence is superficial.”
“Circumstantial,” the chief corrects him.
“That too. I mean c’mon.”
“Shawn Spencer, I’m arresting you for aiding the robbery of the Bellagio hotel.”
“Hey! Kelly, I’m only trying to protect you from embarrassment. I’m innocent!”
Spencer jumps away from Todd, who’s trying to grab his arm.
“If you don’t stop, I’ll top it off with a resisting arrest charge.”
“Okay! Stop this, listen!”
Shawn is holding up his hands in defeat but still not coming closer.
“I’ll come with you. You can search my apartment, my office, my dad’s place if you really want. I’ll answer every question you have. But please, please. Be discrete.
I know you don’t trust me, Kelly. How could you, I lied to you all the time. But you only knew me back when I was still a criminal. I’m as rehabilitated as I’ll get. I’m trying to do good. I’m helping people. I’m making amends.
Do you know how long it took for my dad to even talk to me again? I never managed to be a cop, but I hope I’m making him proud even a little, using the things he taught me to bust criminals, not be one.
I wasn’t part of that heist and I don’t have the money stacked somewhere because that would mean I’m skipping town again. And I don’t want to do that.
This is the only home I ever had. I came here when I had nothing and needed to come to terms with the fact I had wasted ten years of my life. This was my rock bottom. And you know what I found? A best friend who is managing half my life for me and who loves me despite all my faults. I have a life here now, my father and I are rebuilding our relationship. On the other side of this door are a whole group of cops I consider close friends. I’m on their softball team.
And if you walk me out of here, telling everyone the truth about my past, they will never trust me again. I will lose the only job I ever manage to keep. I will lose my dad’s trust again and all the friends I worked hard for. I will lose the only existence I found that was worth holding on to. A chance to have a future.
The truth is this, even if you don’t believe me, I know I’m innocent. You will find nothing on me because I have nothing to do with the Benedict heist. You’ll leave this place the same way you came, empty handed. But you have a choice about what you’ll leave behind.”
“You are still lying to your friends,” Nora says. “They don’t know who you really are.”
“No, they know exactly who I am. The man you came here for is gone. They know who I am right now and that’s all that matters.”
Everyone in the room is staring at Todd. Yascha wonders what that history is about. Todd knows far too much about Spencer for him to just be a random case.
I lied to you all the time.
Spencer was right, Todd came here because of a grudge. And his pride is being insulted. His old nemesis, the Anti-Todd, is asking him to be the bigger man. He knew where Spencer was without having to look it up. He’s keeping tabs on him, secretly furious that he got out and is still living his life like he always has, now treating investigations like games the same way he used to treat cons.
But he’s faced with the big question: Can someone like Shawn Spencer really change?
“Chief, you are a smart woman. Why did you hire Spencer despite knowing about his past?” Todd asks.
“Because his methods work. Because he can see things most people can’t and he’s using it to help us. And because Shawn always believes in the good in people. A while ago he helped a pathological liar prove his innocence. No one, including me, believed him but Shawn did. He helps people who can’t get help any other way. The Shawn Spencer I know is a good man. That’s why I trust him.”
Yascha can see in his face how much hearing this means to Spencer. He swallows hard and blinks a couple of times.
“Listen, if you are right and you find evidence connecting me to Ocean, we’ll walk right back in here and you can arrest me in front of everyone. I promise.”
And Todd McCallum, the grumpy old man searching for vindication, lets go of his handcuffs and nods.
“Okay. You’ll come with us.”
Spencer nods. Before they open the door, Yascha sees him put on a brave face again. He walks out of that room flanked by Yascha and Nora and the FBI agent who had waited by the door immediately gets behind him to make sure he’s surrounded.
“Hey Lassie! I was right!” Shawn calls over with a big smile. Lassie turns out to be the lanky police officer who walked in on them. His frown rivals Todd’s. Spencer seems to have a type.
“But I can’t tell you, or I would have to shoot you.”
“You aren’t licensed to carry!” Lassie throws back.
“I’m not, but he is,” he answers and points at Yascha, who is a professional FBI agent trained to not react to anything. So he stoically keeps walking but on the inside, he’s grinning at least a little bit.
He can’t help it. Con men are too cool. And being in on a joke with Spencer feels good. Of course he can make the world revolve around him. He’s too damn likeable.
But looking at the strain in his smile, Yascha wonders how big the burden can get, to always stay a child when people can see you. He saw it in the room, the darkness in his eyes. Staying in prison must have been hard for him. He burned a lot of bridges, but he came back to rebuild them.
And doing the job they do, dealing with criminals daily, Yascha doesn’t just believe Spencer because he can pull off the necklace and out-talk Todd McCallum. He chooses to believe Spencer because he can’t let himself get jaded. He has to keep trusting that criminals like Shawn exist, who turn the corner. Who make their job worthwhile.
Something in him is sure they won’t find any evidence here. And while Todd will probably leave thinking that Spencer just outsmarted him and hid the money somewhere else, Yascha likes to think that he was telling the truth. He has to.