Harry went directly to his room, and placed another call to Hugh Carter. "What did you find out, Hugh?" he asked the sleepy-voiced man who answered the telephone.
"Uh- nothing, so far, your Lordship," Hugh said. "Inspector Dixon asked me to tell you that he would see what he could find out, but he has no idea where Mr. Chalmers might be."
"He's here, Hugh," Harry said, sitting on the bed. "In Los Angeles." His attention was captured by something out of place across the room. Standing, he picked up the phone, and carried it over as he listened to Hugh's response.
"You're not serious, sir," Hugh said. "You've spoken with him?"
He had placed his suitcase beside the dresser, against the wall. It was still in the same basic spot, but now it was several inches from the wall. "No. But I saw him earlier. At least, I believe it was Daniel. If it wasn't then he has a twin." He lifted the case onto the bed and opened it, but found nothing out of the ordinary.
"Oh, I don't think he does, your Lordship. I'm sure that-"
Harry, his mind now focused on why his suitcase might have been moved, sighed in frustration with the older man's literal mind. "I was being- never mind, Hugh. Let me know as soon as you hear from Inspector Dixon."
"I shall, your Lordship- er, Harry."
"Go back to sleep, Hugh. You've a big day tomorrow." He hung up the telephone, then went to the bath. He was a creature of habit, he supposed. He always set out his toiletries the exact same way wherever he might be. The cologne was out of place. Someone had been in his room while he was at dinner.
The only person he could think that might search his room was Daniel. Returning to the bedroom, he went to the phone again and dialed the number for the front desk. "Yes, I was wondering if perhaps you've a guest registered under the name Nathan Ford? . . . I see. What about- Daniel Chalmers?" Harry frowned in disappointment at the negative response. If he was here, then Daniel was using another of his aliases. And for the life of him, Harry couldn't recall any of the various names the man had used over the years. "No. Thank you anyway." He hung up the telephone and went to the window, looking out over the street below.
Daniel was after the collection. The tiara in particular. First thing tomorrow morning, he would have Hugh tell Laura that the man she knew as Nathan Ford was a fraud so that she wouldn't make the mistake of trusting him with any vital information regarding the collection.
As he stood there, his mind turned toward his evening with Laura Holt. She was an enigma. Strong, yet with a curious vulnerability that he was willing to bet she would never easily give into. His research into her background had been interesting, but had only been dry facts. None of them were nearly as interesting as the woman herself. He hadn't been prepared for the living, breathing embodiment of Laura Holt, PI in the least.
He almost wished that she didn't have to find out who he really was. The admission that he was Lord Harrison Michael Bryce-Davies, the eighth Earl of Bensonhurst, usually preceded a sudden, intense interest by members of the fairer sex. Usually with visions to becoming Lady Bryce-Davies. Would Laura Holt be impressed with his title, he wondered? Or would she be angry that he'd lied to her, even by omission?
***
Hugh left his room the next morning before his Lordship had a chance to call with more questions. There was still no word from London, and the idea that Daniel Chalmers might be in Los Angeles made Hugh very nervous. That nervousness increased ten-fold when the lift doors opened and Hugh found himself face to face with the very man he'd been thinking about. "Daniel!"
Daniel smiled at him. "Hugh, old man. It's been quite awhile, hasn't it? I'm glad we ran into each other. We need to talk."
"Uh, yes. We do. His Lordship knows you're here."
"Why don't we go somewhere and have our chat?" Daniel suggested. "Your room, perhaps?"
"No. His Lordship might call-"
"Fair enough. My room, then." He indicated that Hugh should enter the lift, then pressed a button for the fifth floor.
"You can't seriously intend to steal the tiara, Daniel," Hugh said in a quiet voice.
"Steal the-" Daniel repeated, and then laughed. "Where did you get such a ridiculous idea, Hugh?" He held up a hand. "Never mind. I'm sure it was Harry's idea."
"Can you blame him? You DID try to steal it when he had it on display in London," Hugh pointed out as the lift doors opened and he followed Daniel down the corridor. "And in Paris, as well-"
"I'm a changed man, Hugh," Daniel insisted, placing a hand to his chest as a sign of his sincerity. "I give you my word. My only concern is the safety and security of the tiara. I might not be planning to steal it, but someone else IS." He unlocked the door to his room and let Hugh enter before him.
Hugh's eyes grew wide. "Who? You should tell Miss Holt. She's responsible for security."
"The two men I'm talking about are far too dangerous for someone like Laura Holt to handle safely," Daniel insisted. "The best thing to do is to keep an eye on them."
"Who are they?"
"Johnny Davis and Leo Mason."
"I've heard those names."
"Very unsavory characters," Daniel assured him. "I'm going to need some help in watching them, Hugh. Think you're up to the task?"
"Me? But- what would I tell his Lordship? He'll want to know-"
"You'll tell Harry nothing," Daniel said in a firm tone. "Once it's over, then we'll BOTH tell him that we saved the tiara from those two ruffians."
Hugh gave him a look of marked distrust. "And what is 'in it for you', Daniel?" he asked. "I've known you for too long to believe that you would do this out of the kindness of your own heart. You always have an - angle."
Daniel sighed deeply. "You cut me to the quick, old friend. My only concern is for Harry. Now, will you help me?"
"I've no idea what these two men look like. How could I possibly-"
"I'll point them out to you. I'm supposed to meet them down in the lobby. Once we part, I'll need you to follow them. Please, Hugh? For old times' sake?"
"I have never betrayed his Lordship. I will not start now."
"I'm not asking you to betray Harry, Hugh. I'm trying to help him. Now, are you with me?"
***
Johnny and Leo were waiting in the lobby as Daniel appeared. Leo tapped Johnny's shoulder to get his attention from the blonde he was staring at. The two men waited for Daniel to reach them. "Any news?" Johnny asked.
"Not yet. I'm going to meet with Laura Holt and find out the security measures that she's taken for the collection. We'll meet again afterward to compare notes."
"Where?" Leo asked.
"My room?" Daniel suggested. "Say, around, four o'clock?"
"We'll be there, Chalmers," Johnny confirmed.
Leo's knife found the small of Daniel's back as he warned, "Don't be late."
"Wouldn't think of it," Daniel assured him. He watched as the two men moved away toward the exit, and glanced to where Hugh was hovering at the desk. Daniel nodded in the direction of Johnny and Leo, then smiled as Hugh took a deep breath before following them.
Rubbing his hands together, Daniel sat down to wait for Laura Holt to arrive.
***
Harry knocked on Hugh's hotel room door, frowning. There'd been no answer when he'd tried to call the older man, and now it appeared that he wasn't in his room. It wasn't like Hugh to disappear like this. He considered trying to pick the lock, but it had been so long since he'd had reason to do something like that- and besides, most likely Hugh had simply gone downstairs to have breakfast. No doubt his agent was at this moment enjoying a hearty meal in the dining room. The idea of breakfast sounded delightful to Harry, and he turned toward the lifts.
Some coffee sounded just the ticket before he placed a call to London.
***
When she didn't see Hugh Carter in the lobby, Laura started toward the elevators, but found herself smiling at Nathan Ford as he rose from one of the chairs between her and her goal. "Miss Holt. Good morning."
"Mr. Ford. Have you seen Hugh Carter this morning? We were supposed to meet outside to go and pick up the collection-"
"Oh, he's been- detained, I'm afraid," he informed her. "Some- important calls to London before Lord Bryce-Davies arrives. I volunteered to stand in his stead. He said he was going to call you and inform you of the change in plans- I suppose it slipped his mind."
"Yes, I- suppose so," Laura agreed. "Well, we'd better be going if we're going to meet the plane carrying the collection."
"By all means." He walked with her out to the Rabbit, and got into the passenger side as Laura started the engine. "How was your dinner last night?"
"Oh, informative. Have you and Harry ever met, Mr. Ford?"
"Oh, our paths might have crossed on occasion. My job is to protect things- his is to -"
"Steal them?" Laura asked, glancing into the mirror to verify that the armored car was still behind the Rabbit.
"Why do you ask?"
"He noticed me talking to you in the lobby and asked about you. He SAID that he was mistaken, that he didn't know you, but I knew he was lying. But by the time Lord Bryce-Davies arrives this afternoon, we should know everything there is to know about Harry."
"What do you mean?"
"My associate Mr. Michaels got into Harry's room last night while we were having dinner. He didn't find any evidence that Harry was going after the collection, but he DID find a fingerprint. We're having it run through right now."
"Indeed?"
Laura glanced ahead of them . "There's the airplane that's carrying the collection," she said, pointing to the Lear-jet that was just approaching the nearby airport. "We're right on time." She turned the Rabbit into the gate leading to the small field as the armored car followed.
Daniel's attention turned from his concern about Laura Holt discovering the truth about Harry to the laundry van that was parked at a nearby hangar. He sat beside Laura as the armed guards from the armored car accepted the sealed metal attaché cases and placed them into the van. From a rear doorway of the small jet, someone pushed a laundry cart toward the linen truck. Daniel recognized Laura's associate Murphy Michaels as they white uniformed man opened the back doors of the van to accept the dirty linen.
The rear doors were closed on the armored car, and Laura put her small car into gear to follow it from the airport on the return trip back to the hotel.
As they turned into the hotel parking area, Daniel noticed that the linen truck passed them to turn behind the building. He stood beside Laura as the guards unloaded the cases from their van. "Well, that went well, don't you think?" he said, not following her as she turned toward the hotel lobby.
"Without a hitch," she agreed, pausing as she realized he wasn't behind her. "You're not coming in?"
"I- have some things to see to before this evening," Daniel told her, glancing through the glass doors to where Harry was already approaching their position.
"Of course. I'll see you later." Laura frowned as he jumped into a waiting taxi, then shook her head to follow the guards into the lobby.
"Miss Holt. May I have a word with you?"
Laura turned to find Harry standing there, watching her. He was wearing the jeans and leather jacket from the previous day, and she wondered momentarily if that outfit and the suit were the only clothes he had with him. She waved the guards on ahead. "You go on. I'll be right behind you." She lifted her brown eyes to meet Harry's blue ones. "I'm a little busy, Harry-"
"I know. I just wanted to tell you that you're making a mistake."
"Yes. Maybe I am," Laura said, suddenly tired of playing this little game. "I think it's time we DID have a talk, Harry- or whatever your name is. I'm onto you, you know." His expression of worry was Laura's reward.
"You are? How did you find out?"
"Nathan Ford told me all about you. You are NOT going to get your hands on that collection- OR that tiara."
"Nathan Ford," he repeated, then blinked at her words. "You think that I-" He began to laugh.
"I don't see anything funny about this,-" she sighed in frustration. "Do you HAVE a last name?"
"Uh- as a matter of fact, yes. But, I'm not *quite* ready to let you know what it is, just yet." He dipped his head toward her. "Don't let me keep you from your work. I'll see you later, Miss Holt."
Laura felt him watching her all the way to the security room, and a glance back as she waited for the door to be opened revealed that he was still there, a strange expression on his handsome face.
Murphy was just locking the collection into the safe, and looked up at her. "What took you so long?"
"I was side-tracked by Harry. Any word on that fingerprint yet?"
"I'll call Bernice and see if she's got anything," he told her, going to the telephone on the desk. As he dialed, he asked, "Why was Ford with you at the airport? Where's Carter?"
"Mr. Carter had some things to take care of, apparently. He asked Mr. Ford to take his place."
"Hello, Bernice? . . . Yeah, what've you got? . . . You're kidding, right?" The surprise in his voice caused Laura to look at her partner. He was looking at her, his dark eyes filled with surprise. "Yeah . . . bring it over with you . . . Okay." He hung up the phone slowly.
"What is it, Murph?" Laura asked, placing a hand on his arm.
"That fingerprint?"
"What about it?"
"You're not gonna believe it."
"They had a match for it?"
"Uh, yeah. They had a match."
She shook his arm in frustration. "Who *is* he, Murphy?"
"Bernice told me the full name, but all I can remember is that he's Lord Bryce-Davies."
"Oh dear God," Laura moaned, burying her face in her hands. "No. Tell me you're joking, Murphy. Please," she begged, looking up at him.
"Not according to what Bernice was able to find out. Why?"
"Because I just accused our client of trying to steal his own collection," she admitted with a sinking feeling.
To Be Continued . . .