EVENING, EPPES RESIDENCE.

Don, Alan, and Charlie raised their beers. “To the successful publication of yet another groundbreaking paper by Professor Charles Eppes,” said Alan. “And to the hope that one of these days, something you write will actually tell me how to get my retirement fund back.”

Don laughed. “Keep dreaming, dad.”

There was a knock on the door, and Charlie jumped up to answer it. “David! Glad you decided to drop by.” He peered out and saw the rest of the FBI team standing behind David. “Oh. You guys don’t look like you came by to celebrate. Another case?”

“Yep,” said Colby, his expression blank.

“Well, hey, guys,” Don greeted, joining Charlie at the door. “Come by for some free beer?”

“Charlie, can you step out here for a minute?” asked David, consciously ignoring Don's greeting. Charlie joined him, surprised when David put a hand on his shoulder and held him.

Colby stepped forward, pulling out his handcuffs. “Don Eppes, you’re under arrest for fraud. Put your hands behind your back, please.”

Don raised his eyebrows with a grin. “Guys, it’s not April fool’s day.”

“And I’m not fooling, Don,” said Colby, his bearing quiet and sober. “Don’t make this harder than it is. Hands behind your back.”

Don obeyed, a hint of worry beginning to show when Colby actually cuffed him. He glanced at Charlie, the person most likely to reveal it in his expression should this simply be an elaborate prank.

“Look,” said David. “This isn’t even our case, the financial crimes unit caught it. We’re just making the arrest because they figured it would go down quietly this way. I’m sorry.”

Charlie’s heart sank to the depths of his stomach when Colby started to escort his brother towards the back of a waiting car, and he tried to run towards Don. David was still gripping his shoulder, and he wrapped his arms around Charlie and held him, ignoring his struggles while Don climbed into the back of the sedan in a shocked stupor.

Only then did David let go, talking to Charlie quietly. “I’m sorry. I really am. We’re taking him to the office, and you can ride down there with me. You need to understand this isn’t our case, and we need to tread carefully if any of us want to stay involved at all. Understand?” Charlie nodded with a gulp, watching the sedan drive away with Don in the back seat.

“What can I do?” asked Alan from the doorway, speaking for the first time. His remarkable calm was betrayed by the beer bottle at his feet where it had fallen, forgotten, from his hand.

Charlie took a deep breath, trying to clear his head. “Uh – dad – call my lawyer. The guy I used when I sent that research to Pakistan. And – um – let Robin know. I – I gotta go.”

“He didn’t do this, did he?” asked Alan.

“Do you really have to ask?” snapped Charlie. “Of course he didn’t. He didn’t commit the Kennedy assassination, either.”

“Boys – listen,” interrupted Liz. “We’re not jumping to any conclusions, but you don’t arrest an agent like Don without solid evidence. This isn’t going away.”