Jessica was putting the dishes
into the dishwasher when the telephone rang. "Shall I answer
it?" Nicky offered, reaching out his hand.
"NO," Jessica said with more force than she intended,
beating him to the phone. If it was Antony, the last thing she
needed was for him to hear Nicky's voice again this evening. "I'll
get it." She picked up. "Hello?"
"Jessica, it's Laura. Could you come out here?"
"Is something wrong, Laura?" Concerned for her friend,
she didn't notice Nicky's increased attention.
"I just- my FATHER just called. He's on his way out here-"
"Your father?"
"I won't see him, Jessica. I need someone here-"
"Where is Remington?"
"Tony called a half-hour ago. He picked Remington up and
they went somewhere- I can't call Frances. Robert and Katherine
are at a Hepburn-Tracy festival-"
"I'll call a taxi-" Jessica was saying, but Nicky got
her attention.
"Nonsense, Jessica. My rented car is downstairs. I can take
you out to your brother's house."
"Laura, Nicky had dinner here. He's offered to drive me out."
"Thank you. And please hurry."
Laura hung up the telephone, looking up at her husband's concerned
face. She smiled at his concern. "You'll just be out in the
garden," she reminded him. "I'll be fine."
Larsen cleared his throat. "When the agent who's going to
double for your father arrives, Laura, he'll lure Radikin into
the garden and give the man an opportunity to kill him. And don't
forget that as far as Miss Beecham and Radikin are concerned,
you're still mad as hell at your father."
"It should be easy to remember that, "Laura told him.
"I've spent the last fifteen years rehearsing what I would
say to him if he ever came back. I think I can remember most of
it."
Laura let Jessica and Nicky in to the house. "Is he here
yet?" Jessica asked.
"No. But he should be any minute. The NERVE of the man!"
she ranted, leading them into the living room. "For fifteen
years not one word- and suddenly he calls and invites himself
out here."
Jessica watched her pace the room, worried. "Didn't you tell
him that you weren't supposed to become upset? Surely he knows
that you're pregnant. If you told him-"
"He didn't give me a CHANCE, Jessica," Laura said.
On the outer edge of the garden, Remington noticed Mitch Larsen
arguing in quiet tones with a silver haired, broad shouldered
an. He approached in near silence, believing it to be total until
the older man turned. Seeing the face, Remington easily recognized
the man who had tracked him down after he had stolen a diamond
and sapphire necklace from a Contessa in Rome. Remington had eluded
capture, but the man's relentless pursuit had rattled him so much
that he had sought refuge in America- and another chance at stealing
the Royal Lavulite gems.
Larsen quickly moved to make the introductions. "Remington
Steele, Edward Holt."
Edward extended a hand, smiling. "Of course. I'd recognize
that face anywhere." His sharp gaze pinned Remington as he
continued. "Such a newsworthy private detective."
Remington considered decking the man. His desertion of Laura had
been responsible for her inability to commit to a relationship
for a long time. But knowing the truth behind that desertion,
knowing that Laura had managed to forgive him, made a difference,
and Remington shook his hand. "I'm surprised to find you
here," he said truthfully. "I was under the impression
that another agent was going to pretend to be Laura's father?"
Larsen shrugged. "That WAS the plan. Until Edward showed
up."
"I stopped into Mitch's office and discovered that he was
here- and why. When he called in to request a look-alike, I came
out myself. I refuse to risk Laura- and my grandchildren's lives,
by having Radikin recognize a ringer. He's too smart for that."
"So you're going in?"
"The plan's the same. I'll get Radikin out here. He won't
try anything inside with the women there."
"Not quite the same," Remington pointed out. "Laura's
expecting a double. Not the real thing."
Edward looked at him. "How do you think she'll react?"
"That's hard to say. Laura's a very strong woman, used to
thinking on her feet. She's extremely adept at improvising in
unexpected situations. But considering her present condition,
I think she should be forewarned."
A car's engine brought Laura's head around. "Try to stay
calm, Laura," Jessica began, only to stop as the sound retreated
back down the drive and the front door opened.
"Laura?" Remington called, coming into the room. "Jessica.
Radikin." He went to Laura. "Are you all right?"
She went into his arms. "I am now. My father called here
earlier-"
"Your FATHER?" Remington repeated.
"He's in Los Angeles and want to see me. How's that for nerve?"
She moved to the bar and picked up a bottle of spring water, but
it slipped from her fingers to the floor, spilling. "Damn!"
She ran from the room, heading toward the study.
Jessica retrieved the bottle. "I'll clean this up, Remington.
Go after her. She's so upset-"
"I thought you were going to stay outside," Laura whispered
when he took her into his arms again.
"There's been a slight change in plans. The man who arrives
here in a few minutes will be your father."
Laura went still, her eyes on his face. "You mean an agent-"
Remington shook his head. "No. I mean Edward Holt. He should
be here any moment-"
Jessica's voice called out. "There's a car in the drive.
It might be him."
"We're on our way." He leaned down to Laura. "You're
on, my love."
Jessica went to Laura's other side as there was a knock on the
door. "Would you prefer I answer?" Remington asked.
"I can send him away-"
"No," Laura told him, her voice curiously calm as she
stood in the living room doorway. "Since he's come all this
way, the LEAST he owes me is the chance to tell him what I think
about him to his face."
Remington opened the door. "May I help you?"
"Mr. Steele. I'm - Edward Holt. I'd like to see my- I'd like
to see Laura."
"Come in," Remington told him stiffly. "And the
invitation is against my better judgment, Holt. If you upset her-
You'll answer to me."
"Believe me, Steele," Edward Holt said, his eyes sincere,
"I want that less than you do." His gaze shifted to
the woman who stood in the middle of the foyer. "Laura-"
He lifted his hand, only to let it drop when he saw how cold her
eyes were.
"What do you want?" she asked, her voice lowering the
temperature of the room by several degrees.
"To see you. To try to- explain-"
"Explain?" Laura repeated, her voice rising. "Explain
what? How you decided to desert your family? That you UNDERSTAND
what it was like for us after you left?"
"Laura-" Edward said again, taking a step toward her.
"NO! I don't want to hear it. And I don't want to see you
ever again!" She turned toward the stairs, not looking back
as she climbed them. "Good bye." Once she crossed the
landing, Laura leaned against the wall. A pain in her abdomen
nearly drew a moan from her, but she held it back and continued
to the bedroom.
Remington's gaze fixed on Edward as he spoke to Jessica. "Jessica,
go and make certain she's all right, will you?"
"Of course. Excuse me, Nicky," she said to the man who
had remained in the living room during the scene.
Once Jessica had started upstairs, Nicholas Radikin stepped into
the foyer. "Mr. Holt. It's been a long time."
Edward seemed distracted, his eyes still on the stairs. "Radikin?
What are you doing here?"
"So Mr. Radikin was right," Remington mused. "You
HAVE met."
Edward nodded. "Yes. A lifetime ago, it seems. I'll be going,
Steele."
Nicky stepped in front of him. "Oh, not before we have a
chance to renew our acquaintance, Mr. Holt," he insisted.
Glancing at Remington, he said, "I'm sure Mr. Steele wouldn't
mind allowing us to stay a few minutes-"
Remington shrugged. "A few minutes won't hurt, I suppose.
And once Laura has calmed- she might reconsider her decision-"
Edward shook his head. "I doubt it. She was always stubborn."
"Why don't you go into the garden?" Remington suggested.
"Through the doors, behind the stairs. I have to go check
on Laura-" Once the two men were outside, Remington made
his way to Laura's office and out the French doors to join Tony.
Jessica entered the dark room, and paused. "Laura?"
Her voice came softly from the balcony doors. "Over here."
"Where is the light switch?" Jessica asked.
"Leave it off. I don't want him to know anyone's watching."
Frowning, Jessica started toward the woman. "Laura, what
ARE you talking about? You don't want WHO to know?"
"Your friend. He's here to kill my father, Jessica."
"N-Nicky?" Jessica's voice was filled with disbelief
and she looked down at the garden.
Laura's hands tightened on the doorframe as another pain began.
The only light in the garden was in the gazebo, and it drew Edward
toward it, with Nicky at his side. "I suppose I should have
expected you to be nearby, Radikin," he said tiredly.
"Of course. It was a simple matter, once I heard that you
were wanting to see your daughter, to find her. I knew it was
only a matter of time before you turned up."
"It's been thirty years, Radikin. I should think you would
have accepted-"
"Accepted what, Holt? That you killed my father? That you
destroyed any chance I might have had for a future?"
"I didn't kill him. I merely presented the evidence of his
treason to the proper authorities. If anyone is responsible for
his death it's the people to whom he sold government secrets.
Once he was exposed and of no further use, they simply left him
out in the cold. They made no attempt to protect him or bring
him back in. They'll do the same to you, once you're of no further
use." He deliberately turned his back to the man, his gaze
moving upwards, toward the room above Steele's office. Was Laura
up there, watching? "But then, this isn't an official hit,
is it? You don't have any orders to kill me. Your only motivation
is vengeance."
"You're not going to talk me out of this, Holt."
"I don't expect to." Edward raised his hands slowly
and turned to face him again. "As you can see, I'm unarmed.
I didn't think I would need a gun to visit my daughter."
"Too bad you won't have another chance to talk to her-"
Radikin said, pulling a small revolver from his pocket, the barrel
pointed at Edward's heart.
"You're not going to do it here. What will you tell everyone?
Self-defense against an unarmed man? Won't stand up-"
Radikin's smile sent a chill down Edward's spine. "I'll simply
tell them that you drew the gun, and before I could stop you,
you turned it on yourself."
"No one will believe that."
"Why not? Your daughter just ordered you out of her life-
you knew she wouldn't change her mind- and took the only way out."
Laura bit into her lower lip, tasting blood as another, stronger
pain hit her, and her knees gave out. Jessica put an arm around
her. "Laura? Let me help you to the bed. How long have you
been having these pains?" she asked, her focus of concern
now here, in this room instead of downstairs.
"They started earlier- just after dinner. But I didn't mention
them to Remington."
"How far apart are they?"
"Six minutes," Laura said.
Jessica picked up the telephone. "I'll call an ambulance-"
"No. Not until-"
"Laura, we might not have the time-"
"Just a few more minutes, Jessica."
Jessica shook her head and picked up the telephone as two gunshots
shattered the silence.
Edward waited until he saw Radikin's finger begin to squeeze the
trigger, then jumped out of the way. He rolled into some flower
bushes as Radikin fired, coming to his knees to see the man's
surprise as he was surrounded by four men, all with guns pointed
at him. Before anyone could stop him, Nicholas Radikin turned
the gun to his own temple and pulled the trigger.
Remington went immediately to Edward's side, helping him to his
feet. "Edward?"
The only sign of damage was a bullet hole in the outer edge of
the man's jacket. "I'm all right. Lucky, I guess."
"Remington!" the fear in Jessica's voice caused Remington
to lift his gaze to the balcony. Jessica was trying not to look
at Nicky's still body. "You'd better get up here! Laura needs
you!"