Trama

Unbeknownst to Peter, Neal considers assisting a thief in stealing a valuable piece of art in exchange for information about his past.

A device set to disable a museum's security system at 3PM prompts the summoning of the FBI to protect its art. Neal and the bureau discover the mystery thief to be a highly perceptive, calculating woman who later makes a private deal with Neal -- she'll steal hard-to-get records on Ellen for him if he'll appropriate a mobile from the museum for her.—statmanjeff

Open with a recap.

Ellen's funeral. Peter promises Neal they'll find out who did it. Neal tells him about Sam, whom he thinks is watching from behind a tombstone. Neal calls out his name. Sam runs, clearly spooked by the circumstances. Neal and Peter give chase, but Sam gets away. Since marshals control Ellen's case, with a complete lockdown of her apartment, Neal wants Peter to try getting a digital copy of all her personal effects from the crime scene report. It won't be easy.

Neal tells Mozzie he wants to handle Ellen's case "Peter's way. .. for now."

Walking down the street, Jones asks Peter how it feels to be back and on a new official case. "Like the higher ups are watching and waiting for me to screw up," he says. Peter expects Neal to take some grief time for Ellen, but Neal shows up for work mere yards in front them, ready to join them in entering the Kessman Museum (which he can't enter without an FBI escort).

A janitor found a black box, set to disable the security system at 3pm. It seems someone was planning to steal a priceless piece of art. The FBI is there to figure out who and for what.

The team will be monitoring surveillance footage from inside the museum, with Peter and Neal planning to pose as patrons. Diana will be a museum docent. Neal thinks he'd make a better docent, but Diana informs him that the museum doesn't want an infamous art thief (Neal) outfitted in one of their uniforms.

Museum security is top notch. Speculating, Neal tells Peter, if it were up to him, he'd try to spill a drink on a painting in order to get it moved to a different part of the museum, namely the restoration room where security measures are less tight. Peter spots a woman who is timing the guards by tapping her heel.

Peter retires to the surveillance van, sending Neal to join Diana. The woman in question catches Diana staring and walks over to her and Neal. She introduces herself as Abigail and ends up giving Diana her phone number. Soon after, Abigail approaches Neal and tells him she recognizes Neal and has noticed the anklet. He tells her he's out of the game. She says she'll see what she can do. At Abigail's behest, a kid touches a piece of art, setting off an alarm. Abigail leaves.

Back at the bureau, Peter briefs the team about Abigail, who has been a personal shopper for the city's elite. She paid the kid $20 to touch an art piece and set off the alarm. Abigail has been texting Diana. Diana leaves to return the calls. Aside, Peter tells Neal the U.S. Marshals have agreed to help them with respect to Ellen, but only in a limited capacity. Neal isn't happy. He gets a little heated then excuses himself to get back under control.

At home, Peter frets over how to get info from the marshals.

The next day, Mozzie and Neal discuss ways to break into the Marshals' building where Ellen's file is held. It will be very difficult to get in. Abigail walks by and, dismissing Mozzie, says she has a proposition. Abigail guesses Neal has switched sides. She shows him the piece of art she wants and offers a trade: He steals the art for her and she gets Ellen's file for him.

At the bureau, Diana and Christie have what looks like an unpleasant phone conversation as she's told about Abigail. Neal believes he and Peter stand witness to a personal breakup.

Mozzie shows Neal a few tricks: A special hat that will obscure his face from cameras, and a stink bomb. Mozzie thinks Neal should take Abigail up on her offer, while Neal hopes she steals the art early and he won't have a choice.

Neal, Peter and Jones listen in on Diana and Abigail's date. Abigail correctly guesses there is another woman in Diana's life. Diana says it's not going well with the person she's seeing. The guys aren't sure if this is real or a story. Diana offers her a behind-the-scenes tour of the museum. Abigail passes. She suggests the following day instead.

Peter tells Neal the Marshals aren't going to give them help getting in touch with Sam.

At his apartment, Neal tells Abigail he's not going to take her up on her offer. He advises her not to go after the piece of art. She hands him one page of Ellen's Witness Security file from the Marshals. She says she'll give him the entire file if he helps her. He still says no, at which point she says she planted some of his hair in the room. If he doesn't help, she'll frame him for stealing Ellen's file.

The plan is for Mozzie to run interference, giving Neal time to steal the piece of art, which is a large mobile. Neal's idea for getting it out of the museum has something to do with trash.

Diana tells Neal she was "playing a role" with regard to things Christie. He doesn't buy it. Peter tells Neal he noticed via the anklet he was outside the Marshalls' office. Neal swears he's not up to anything. As the team awaits Abigail to make her move, Abigail kisses Diana, just before Mozzie springs into action.

While the team chases Mozzie, Neal puts on an identical outfit/hat and makes Jones think the man Peter is chasing is in a different room. Mozzie and Neal keep tricking Jones, allowing Neal to put the mobile into a trashcan, covered with a false top made to look like actual trash. Neal is able to get away seconds before Peter arrives, circling around and suggesting they check the roof. Peter guesses Abigail had an inside man.

The trash is taken outside by an employee, with Mozzie waiting to take it away.

At the next team briefing Peter tells Neal he thinks at least two accomplices were involved. The museum staff has been vetted and seems clean. Neal leaves. Peter's face falls as he re-reviews security footage -- Neal is missing from shots of the team.

Neal shares his qualms with Mozzie over stealing art behind Peter's back. Mozzie says it's just a piece of art against finding out what happened to Ellen.

Later, Diana drops by Neal's place and asks for a drink. She says she has feelings for Abigail. Things with Christie aren't going well. He advises her not to run from her problems, even though it means giving something up.

Diana arrives at the office where Peter and Jones have figured out Neal's fishy movements during the theft. Peter quickly determines Abigail must have gotten access to Ellen's file, which compelled Neal to help her. Diana tells the guys about confiding in Neal and wonders openly if his advice to her was true. Peter is also furious Neal may have betrayed them.

The team watches Neal meet with Abigail. He gives her the art piece, referencing her blackmail, but he does not take the flash drive containing Ellen's file, saying "the price is too high." The second she leaves, he calls Peter and tells her where he can find Abigail and the art. Jones instantly grabs Abigail. Neal looks surprised the team got there so fast. Peter walks up and tells Neal he figured out what was happening. Neal tells Peter about her planting hair inside the Marshals' office. Neal asks if he's going to be arrested. "We'll see," Peter says.

Diana is happy Neal didn't take the drive.

During the interview with Peter, Neal says he was thinking about protecting Peter. The Marshals are not pressing charges against Neal provided the break-in is kept hush-hush. Peter is not placing him under arrest, only because he called him the instant the meeting with Abigail ended. Neal says Peter's trust was more important than the drive. Peter smiles and gives Neal a copy he made of the drive. Peter makes him promise to tell him if he finds anything on the file leading to Sam. Neal leaves. We see Peter has another copy of the drive.

At home, Peter tells Elizabeth he's worried Neal was involved in a long con against him, realizing once the flash drive found its way into evidence, Peter would have had access to it.