"Laid it on a bit thick back there, don't you think, Felicia?" Remington asked as Fred sent the limo away from the twin towers.
Felicia smiled like the cat who had swallowed the canary. "Darling, wasn't that the idea? Either they'll hate me- or they'll decide that I'm MUCH more right for you than dear little Lisa could ever be," she said, placing a hand on his thigh.
Remington took that hand in his and brought it to his lips. "Just remember, darling, we're only play acting. The only result I want out of this is for Laura to agree to marry me."
The woman looked at him for a long moment. "You really are quite smitten with that little school girl, aren't you?"
"Be careful, Felicia. That little 'school girl' could probably show you a thing or two." He saw her doubtful expression and smiled. Taking her hand, he said, "Now, since it's too early for lunch, any suggestions about what we might do?"
"Well, darling, since I'm quite certain you would refuse my first suggestion," Felicia said with a seductive smile, "a friend of mine suggested I drop into an art show while in Los Angeles."
"Who's the artist?" Remington asked.
"Oh, you wouldn't know the name. He's quite new- practically just discovered, really. As I said, a friend put me onto him. I believe the showing is at the -Hopewood Gallery?" she said in a questioning tone.
"I know of it. Small, intimate little place."
"I'd really like to hear your impression of the man's work. You've such a good eye for things like that, darling."
Remington shook his head, then leaned forward to tell Fred, "The Hopewood Gallery, Fred, if you please."
***
Murphy was still at Mildred's desk when Laura emerged from her office, "What time is Mr. Gelbart due, Mildred?" she asked.
"Any minute," the receptionist replied warily.
"Good. The sooner we get down to business the better. At least SOME of us remember that this IS a business," she muttered, then noticed that Murphy and Mildred were watching her closely. "Well, what are the two of you staring at?" she asked. "If you're worried about me, don't be. I'm fully aware of what our Mr. Steele is trying to do."
"You are?" Mildred asked.
"Of course. Don't you see it?"
"See what, Laura?" Murphy asked.
"He's using that- that-"
"Barracuda," Mildred supplied.
"Blonde bimbo," Laura said, "to make me jealous. So that I'll change my mind and-"
"And?" Mildred questioned as Laura stopped talking.
Murphy covered his mouth with a hand as Laura turned back toward her office. "This isn't suitable office conversation," she declared. "Let me know when Mr. Gelbart gets here, please, Mildred." The door closed firmly behind her.
"Do YOU think that's what the Boss is up to, Mr. Michaels?" Mildred asked.
"No way of telling, Mildred. I guess it's possible."
"But it could backfire, couldn't it? And it's so- underhanded."
"I think it's a brilliant idea," Murphy defended their boss. "IF it works. But Laura's such a loose cannon, there's no telling what her reaction might be."
"Loose cannon? Miss Holt?"
"Oh, she's not as bad now," Murphy said. "These last six months she's really applied herself. But when she first started at the agency-"
The glass doors opened to admit a middle aged man with a fringe of graying hair around his bald head. "I'm Morris Gelbart," he told them. "I have an appointment with Mr. Steele-?"
"Mr. Steele was called out of the office," Mildred explained, picking up the telephone, "but he's arranged for you to discuss your case with his associate, Miss Holt. Just a moment." She pressed the button for the intercom. "Miss Holt, Mr. Gelbart is here."
"Send him in, please, Miss Krebs."
Murphy sighed and shook his head as he listened to his friend's voice. Businesslike, professional- no one would ever know that inside she was seething at Steele's little ploy. "I have to make a phone call, Mildred," Murphy said. "I'll be in my office when my ten o'clock shows up."
"You got it."
Murphy sat down and dialed the number for the limo. "Steele here."
"Steele, just thought you should know that Laura's onto you."
"Onto me?"
"She knows that you're using Felicia to make her jealous."
"Am I really?" Steele asked. "I wasn't aware of doing any such thing."
"Just trying to keep you on your toes," Murphy said.
"Say I WAS trying to -make her jealous- would you say it's working?"
"Like a charm. But you know how Laura gets when she thinks someone's taking advantage of her-"
"Thanks for the warning, Murphy. I'll keep it in mind."
"Enjoy lunch- and when you get a chance, we need to talk."
"By all means. Later." Remington hung up the telephone. "Murphy just wanted to let me know that it's working. Apparently Laura was none to please to see you."
"Yes, well, I could have told you that, Michael." When he looked at her, Felicia smiled and shrugged. "Sorry, darling. Old habits die hard, I suppose. You really can't expect me to call you 'Remington' when we're alone- not if we're just- play acting." Her fingers found his leg once again.
"Behave, Felicia," Remington admonished gently, curling his hand around hers. "Claws in."
"There was a time when you didn't mind my claws," she reminded him, then sighed. "But that was before you became Remington Steele, solid pillar of the community. I never expected you to sell out so thoroughly, darling."
"I didn't sell out, Felicia. I adapted. As I always have."
Felicia shook her head. "No, darling. This Remington Steele persona isn't the usual thin veneer that you've always adopted so easily. No, it goes much deeper than that. You have become Remington Steele somehow," Felicia said in a sad voice. Then she smiled again, taking his arm. "But you'll always be Michael to me."
"But not in public," Remington reminded her as the limo came to a stop before the Hopewood Gallery.
"Whatever you say, darling."
***
When Daniel Chalmers entered the office, Mildred sighed, but wasn't sure why she did so. Whenever Mr. Steele's father came for a visit, the boss tended to get edgy and nit-picky. But for some reason, Mildred found herself liking Chalmers. Maybe it was the smile- or the accent. Or maybe it was the sad, lost look in his eyes whenever his son ignored something he said.
Whatever the reason, Mildred worried that he couldn't have chosen a worse time to drop in on Mr. Steele. "Hello, Mr. Chalmers," she said, smiling- but not TOO much, she hoped. "You're looking well."
"So are you, Mildred. And I do wish you'd call me Daniel. Your calling me Mr. Chalmers makes me feel like a doddering old man."
"Oh, you're not that, -Daniel," Mildred assured him and was rewarded by that smile. No need to ask where the Boss had gotten his charm. It was evident upon meeting his father. "I'm afraid he's not here."
"Oh, I'm not here to see my son. I have a luncheon appointment with Laura."
"You and Miss Holt?"
"She called earlier- seemed most upset about something."
"That's an understatement," Mildred commented. "She thinks Mr. Steele is trying to pull a fast one on her and she's furious."
"Harry? Pull a fast one? What ARE you talking about?"
"Well, did Miss Holt tell you what happened earlier?" she began, only to stop as Laura's door opened and that woman came out with a client.
Laura smiled at Daniel. "I'll be with you in a minute," she said, leading the client to Mildred. "Mrs. Hall needs to make an appointment for next week with Mr. Steele, please."
"Any particular day?" Mildred asked Mrs. Hall.
Once Mrs. Hall's appointment was made, Laura escorted the woman to the glass doors, then turned back to her office to grab her hat and purse before grabbing Daniel's arm and pulling him to the doors. "I'll be back by one, Mildred," she said.
"Yes, Miss Holt."
As soon as the doors closed behind them, Mildred rose and went to Murphy's door, tapping once.
"Come in."
"Mr. Michaels, you'll never guess who Miss Holt just left with . . ."
***
"You sounded more than a little upset earlier," Daniel told her once they were seated at the table he'd reserved earlier.
"I wasn't upset," Laura insisted. "I was angry. And I'm STILL angry that he'd think I would let him get away with something like this."
"Something like what, precisely, my dear?"
"He's trying to make me jealous," Laura said. "Using Felicia- do you know her?"
"Felicia? Why, we've met, of course, but she was always Harry's friend, not mine."
"Then you've never worked a con with her?"
"With Felicia? No. Never." Seeing Laura's glance, Daniel sighed. "Well, perhaps once. Why do you ask?"
"No reason." She glanced at the menu. "I'm not really very hungry."
"Nonsense, my dear. You have to eat something," Daniel insisted, perusing the offerings as the waiter arrived. He placed an order for something light, then turned back to his companion. "Why are you so certain that Harry's playing this little game? Isn't it just possible that he's decided to get married, and since he can't marry the woman of his choice, -"
"You don't really think he'd marry that- peroxide piranha, do you?" Laura asked, and Daniel hid his smile behind a cough.
"Excuse me," he said, taking a drink of water. "Harry's an odd one. I told you last night that once he sets his mind to something, it's virtually impossible to make him stray from that goal. If he's decided that he wants to get married, and suddenly there Felicia is, willing to settle down and become Mrs. Steele- I'm not quire sure what my son might do."
"But- Felicia?" Laura questioned. "She's part of his past. Part of a life that he's not a part of anymore. Why not find someone more local? Before I met him, he was seeing any number of women-"
"All of them not quite all there," Daniel reminded her, tapping a finger to his head. "Harry needs someone who can keep him on his toes," Daniel told her as their food arrived. "Looks wonderful," he said, picking up a fork. "While he might not always be able to trust Felicia, he would certainly never be bored by her."
"What makes you say he couldn't trust her?" Laura asked. "I mean, *I* don't trust her, but I doubt it's for the same reason you're talking about."
"Well, she did almost get him caught once, I believe, left him hanging when they stole the "Five Nudes of Cairo". And Felicia tends to have a bit of a roving eye. Something, of course, that Harry's more than aware of. But if she promises him that she's changed- and perhaps she has-."
"In a pig's eye," Laura muttered, stirring her salad around without eating it. "Daniel, what do you think Harry would do if *I* found someone else?"
Daniel's fork froze in mid air as he lifted it to his mouth. "I beg your pardon?"
"I mean, fight fire with fire. Sauce for the goose and all that. What if *I* found someone else and started seeing him? Flaunted HIM in front of Harry the way he's flaunting that floozy in front of me?"
"I don't know, Laura. I mean, it wouldn't be very fair to whoever you chose, would it? I mean, you'd just be using him to get back at Harry."
"He's using Felicia."
"IF you're right about what he's up to, I'm sure that Felicia is more than aware of the rules of the game, my dear."
Laura took a bite of her salad and chewed it thoughtfully. "I'd just have to choose someone who knew what was going on and was willing to help me. Someone that Harry would NEVER expect me to be attracted to."
"I hope you're not thinking about Murphy, Laura."
She shook her head. "No. Not Murphy, Daniel." Her dimples appeared as she smiled across the table. "I know the perfect answer. Someone that Harry would be FURIOUS about my seeing."
"Who? Not that ex boyfriend of yours- the banker- Winston, wasn't it?"
"Wilson." She shook her head. "No. Besides, he's engaged to be married. Wedding's scheduled for next month. I'm talking about you."
Daniel choked on a piece of crouton, grabbed his water glass and took a drink. "Me?"
"Why not? You're the perfect choice."
"And it could easily end any chance of a future relationship with my son," Daniel pointed out, shaking his head. "I don't think that this is a very good idea at all, Laura."
"Then you'd rather let him get away with this little scheme?"
"Uh, Laura, What if he's really serious about Felicia? What if this isn't some scheme to make you jealous so you'll agree to marry him?"
"It works for either scenario," Laura pointed out. "He's trying to make ME jealous, I'll make him jealous by seeing the last man on earth he'd expect me to see: You. And if he IS serious about Felicia, then it won't matter, will it?"
"Somehow, the logic of all that escapes me," Daniel muttered, taking another drink of water.
How the devil had he gotten himself into this mess?
To Be Continued . . .