Laura came upon Robert Brandon
sitting in a small wooden gazebo in the middle of the garden.
"Mr. Brandon? It's Laura Steele."
He sighed heavily, and when he spoke, his voice was rough and
emotion filled. "Pamela told me that she had called you.
It's good of you to come. Is your husband with you?"
"Yes," Laura told him, sitting beside him on the bench.
"He's-"
"Looking for clues, no doubt. Something to prove that I didn't
- kill Lily." He smiled. "It was she who first brought
your agency to my attention. A photograph of you being congratulated
for solving an embezzlement case, I believe. It was the name of
one of the culprits, I suppose. Lily Martin. I remember that I
wondered aloud why we'd never seen any photos of Remington Steele."
He took her hand in his. "Lily remarked that, with such a
capable detective as yourself, there was no need for him to be
in the spotlight."
Laura found herself wishing that she had met Lily Brandon, and
was grateful for the darkness that hid her blush. "He- traveled
quite a lot in those days," she told him. "Business
in Europe, Asia. It was only when an important client demanded
to meet him that he was forced to take a more active interest
in the agency."
"You remind me of Lily. Down to earth, dedicated- ."
He drew another shuddering breath. "She saved me, you know.
Before I met her, I wasn't a very likable person. My father had
all but given up on my ever taking any interest in his business.
I spent my nights in various gambling houses or worse, and my
days trying to recover from those excesses. Most of it's a blur
-for which I'm grateful at times. My father paid so many people
off to protect the family name. When he died, his will gave me
the choice of either learning the business or watching everything
go to charity."
"So you settled into the family business," Laura said,
wondering at last what that business might be.
"Not easily, I assure you. I fought as hard as I could."
"Until you met Lily."
He nodded. "Yes. She needed me- at first because of her own
father's death. But that need was a two way street. I needed her,
as well. Now that she's gone, nothing matters anymore."
Laura gripped his hand. "Nonsense. You're still alive. I
never met her, but I'm certain that Lily wouldn't want you to
simply give up."
"No. She wanted me to sell the house- to travel, perhaps."
"Then that's what you should do."
"With a murder charge hanging over my head, Mrs. Steele?"
"You didn't do it, and we're going to prove it."
"Are you so certain?" he asked, his gaze fixed on some
distant point. "How do you know that I didn't grow tired
of Lily's constant begging me to put an end to her suffering -
and mine? That I didn't take that pillow, and hold it over her
face until she slipped away? Away from the pain- away from me?"
he asked her, his voice breaking.
"Because Laura just happens to be an excellent judge of character,"
Remington said, having approached the gazebo unheard. "Lt.
Jarvis is here. He wants to speak to you."
Robert looked at Remington. There seemed no need for introductions
as Robert stood. "Of course."
"Would you like us go to with you?" Laura asked.
"No," he said, shaking his head. "This is something
I must do myself. An- adjustment to life alone."
She watched him walk away. "He seems so lost," she said.
Remington, knowing how he would feel were he in Robert Brandon's
shoes, said, "I'm sure he is." He put his arm around
her, drawing her back against his chest. "You've grown rather
fond of the old gentleman, haven't you?"
"He's- special, somehow. He reminds me a little of how I
think you'll be at his age." She felt his surprise. "Did
you find anything in Lily's room?"
"Why don't be both go and take a look?" he suggested,
starting to move in that direction, but Laura stopped him.
"In a moment," she said, turning into his arms, resting
her head against his chest. "This is nice."
"Ummm. It certainly is a lovely garden. Surely Mrs. Brandon
had someone else tending it since her illness. It's in excellent
condition."
"There's a live-in gardener. Harley- Grange, I think. I met
him earlier. He was very fond of Mrs. Brandon. I wonder where
he is? If he knows-"
"Mrs. Steele! Mr. Steele! You've got to help him," Pamela
Craig pleaded, coming from the house.
The couple moved toward her. "What's wrong, Miss Craig?"
Remington asked.
"That- lieutenant. He's arresting Mr. Brandon- for murdering
Miss Lily!"
It was a foot race into the entry hall- a race that Remington
won. "Jarvis, you're arresting an innocent man," he
insisted, as Robert shook his head.
"It's no use, Mr. Steele. The lieutenant is satisfied that
he has the guilty part."
"Well, I'M not," Remington said.
"Nor am I," Laura agreed.
"He's confessed, Laura," Jarvis told her. "I don't
have any choice here. I'm sorry."
"Is that true, Mr. Brandon?" Remington asked.
"Why should I lie, Mr. Steele?" he asked.
Eyes narrowed, Remington asked, "Have you a lawyer?"
"I don't need one. Shall we go, Lt. Jarvis?"
The moment the door closed, Pamela sank into a chair. "He's
given up. I was afraid this would happen once Lily was gone."
"There has to be SOME thing we can do," Laura insisted.
"He's innocent. He no more killed her than either of us did."
Remington saw the expression of concern on her face and picked
up the telephone, dialing a number. "Hello--" He frowned.
"Antony?" Consulting his pocket watch, Remington said,
"Rather late to be visiting--Yes, Yes, I would." He
waited a moment. "Jessica. Sorry to disturb you---we'll discuss
it later. At the moment, I need your help. Or rather, a client
does-. . ."
"Who is he calling?" Pamela asked.
"His sister- Jessica. She's a lawyer. A very good one."
Remington hung up, turning to Laura. "She's going to meet
us at the station."
"I'll go with you-" Pamela began, but Laura shook her
head.
"No. I want you to find Harley. If he hasn't heard about
what's happened-"
"You're right. With everything else that's been going on,
I'd put him out of my mind."
"We'd better go, Laura."
"Good luck," Pamela said, going in search of Mrs. Hobbs.
"I'm still not sure if my coming along was such a good idea,
Jess," Tony said as they waited in the front room of the
station. "Steele wasn't too happy about my being at your
place-"
"He's only my brother, Antony. Not my keeper. I am free to
see WHOM ever I wish WHEN ever I wish."
"Yeah, but I DO work for him, remember?"
"I think we'll wait to finish this conversation," Jessica
decided. "Remington and Laura just entered." She crossed
the room to greet them.
"Have you seen him?" Laura asked.
"No," she responded. "I seems that Mr. Brandon
has refused to retain counsel."
"I'll talk to him," Laura decided, only to stop as her
husband interrupted.
"You've already tried, Laura. I think it's time the gentleman
and I have a chat." He caught sight of Lt. Jarvis coming
out of a room. "Oh, Lt. Jarvis-"
The man waited for Remington to catch up, and as Laura watched
them move away, Jessica took note of Laura's worried expression,
and was about to comment on it, when Laura said, "Before
you ask, I'm fine. As for the two of you--I thought you both agreed
to keep a low profile with your relationship?"
"Jess made dinner," Tony explained. "We were cleaning
up - how were we to know he would call?"
"You should always assume that he might call her, Tony. She
IS his sister. Next time, let Jessica answer the telephone."
Her gaze moved down the way that Remington and Jarvis had gone.
"Right now, I'm more concerned about a very nice old man
who's in a lot of trouble."
Jessica put an arm around her sister in law. "We'll do whatever
we can, Laura."
Robert entered the interview room and was obviously surprised
to find Remington there. "I expected your wife would be here."
"Laura's very worried about you. And I don't like it when
she worries." He smiled. "Besides which, I think I might
be more immune to your charm than she is."
Robert smiled back, a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"You're suggesting we remove the gloves, eh?"
"Something like that. You can't really intend to just give
up, Robert. You're not the type of man who would do that."
"Oh? Tell me, Remington, what would YOU do if you were in
my shoes? If something happened to Laura? Just go on, continue
to be the great detective-"
"No, but that's different," Remington began, only to
have Robert cut him off.
"Why? Because you and Laura haven't been together as long
as Lily and I were? Because Laura isn't the reason you wake up
every morning?"
Remington blinked, surprised to hear his own feelings for Laura
coming from this man about his own wife. Laura was right. There
was something quite special about him. "You're NOT giving
up, Robert. I won't let you. If, God forbid, I WERE in your position,
I would hope that those who care about me would help- and that
I would be wise enough to accept that help gracefully."
Robert shook his head. "You are stubborn man, Remington Steele."
He took a deep breath. "Very well. I'll accept your offer
of assistance."
Remington smiled. "Thank you. I'll go and get your lawyer."
In the corridor, he told them, "He's agreed to talk to Jessica.
Antony, will you take Laura home?"
"I'm not going-" she said.
"Jessica and I will likely be tied up here most of the night.
You need your rest." He touched her face, brought he hand
to his lips. "Can we please not argue about this?"
"He's right, Laura," Jessica said softly.
"You'll let me know-"
"The moment anything happens," he promised.
"I'll make sure she gets home," Tony told Remington.
"See you later, Jess?"
"Of course."
To be Continued----