More Steele With a Twist Episode 5

More Steele With a Twist
Episode Five
"What are you going to do, Harry?" Daniel asked in the silence that followed his son's revelation that Reginald Malcolm was trying to blackmail Remington Steele into stealing the Halifax Diamond.

Steele's blue eyes narrowed dangerously as they looked at Daniel. "Right now isn't the best time to ask me any questions, Daniel."

"We can't discuss it here," Laura agreed, deliberately misunderstanding Steele's warning. "Why don't we regroup at the office?"

Bernice Fox gave a frustrated sigh. "Can someone please explain to me what's going on? What is there about Mr. Steele's past that this man can use to hurt him?"

"Not here, Bernice," Laura said again.

Steele frowned as he considered his options. "I can't leave the gallery until the display closes," he reminded them. "This might very well be the last task that the Remington Steele Agency takes on, but I can't shirk that responsibility. Daniel, why don't you take Bernice back to the office-? Tell Fred to take you there and then return here, Bernice. Once you get there, lock the doors and keep the lights dim. No need to attract undue attention to being there. And if you would, Daniel, save the explanations for me to give, hmm?"

"When will you join us?" Daniel questioned.

"As soon as Laura and I can get away," Steele assured him.

"As you wish, Harry," Daniel said, his eyes filled with concern. "Be careful." When Steele seemed to ignore his words and turned away, Daniel sighed deeply.

Laura touched his arm and leaned closer. "I'll keep an eye on him," she promised. "Do as he says."

Daniel nodded, then offered his arm to the brunette who was still trying to figure out what was going on. "Shall we, my dear?"

Amos Cosgrove cut off Daniel and Bernice's attempt to leave. "Chalmers. Leaving so soon?"

"Miss Fox and I are going for a late supper," Daniel explained. "And seeing the diamond again so soon was a mistake. I'm beginning to regret having sold it at all."

"But I am so glad that you did. It's the perfect center piece for my collection, don't you think? I wanted to ask you about a topaz that I've been thinking of acquiring- "

"The Bellaize Topaz?" Daniel inquired.

Cosgrove appeared surprised. "How did you know?"

Daniel might have told him that he had once stolen the magnificent square cut blue yellow stone, but thought better of that confession. "The gem collection community isn't so large that a person can keep such things quiet, Mr. Cosgrove," Daniel reminded him. "I had considered purchasing the Topaz myself, but once I heard that you were interested, I decided to leave the field open."

"Then you think it would be a worthwhile investment?"

"Indeed, Mr. Cosgrove. Indeed. And now, if you will excuse us-?"

"Oh, of course. Of course. Enjoy your evening." He lifted Bernice's hand to his lips. "But how could you do otherwise with such a captivating companion?"

Laura covered her grin as she watched the exchange with her hand, then glanced to see if Steele was watching as well. HE wasn't. His attention was focused on the gem room doorway. "What are you thinking about?" she asked him, slipping an arm through his to get his attention.

"Getting the lay of the land, I suppose, in case I have no choice but to risk the last five years of hard work."

"What risk? My original plan will still work," she assured him. "We just have to- modify it slightly."

Steele turned to look at her, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up again.

***

"Mr Chalmers," Bernice asked as Daniel went to the window of Steele's office and peered through the blinds again, "I'm just a little confused here-"

"I'm sure that Harry-" Daniel paused, forcing himself to edit his remarks. "That Remington will explain everything to your satisfaction once he and Laura join us."

"You could explain things, couldn't you?"

"I could," Daniel admitted. "But I won't." When Bernice sighed, he said, "I've already done enough to anger my son this evening, Miss Fox. I think I should honor his wishes in this, at least."

Bernice stood up. "I'm going to fix some coffee. It looks like we're going to be here for awhile."

"Just remember to keep the doors closed and lights to a minimum," Daniel reminded her, his attention once again focused on the street below.

***

Amos Cosgrove turned to smile at Steele as the last guest left the room. "That went splendidly, didn't it?" the old man asked, his eye glowing with excitement.

"Oh, indeed," Steele agreed.

"Exciting," Laura added, stifling a yawn. "Excuse me. It's been a long day."

Cosgrove nodded, yawning himself. "I am all but exhausted, I fear."

"I'm sure you are," Laura agreed sympathetically. "I have an idea- Why don't you go on back to your hotel, Mr. Cosgrove? Mr. Steele and I can see the gems are secure for the night."

The little man looked at Steele. "You're sure you don't mind, Mr. Steele?"

Steele hoped his smile was sincere as he answered. "Not at all. After all, the Steele Agency was hired to see to the safety of your gems, Mr. Cosgrove. Therefore seeing them safely to "bed", as it were, is part of the job."

Laura took Cosgrove's arm. "Why don't I walk you out," she suggested, "While Mr. Steele starts making the arrangements?"

"I'll see you tomorrow, Mr. Steele?" Cosgrove asked.

"Either myself or Mr. Michaels," Steele confirmed, the weight of the fake diamond in his pocket made heavier by the added weight of his guilt. He waved at his client as Laura led him toward the doors.

Sgt. Masters, head of the group of security guards that Steele had hired for the job, approached him. "We've got all the doors secure, Mr. Steele. All that's left to be done is to arm the system inside the display room."

"I'll take care of it," Steele told him, turning toward that room. "Send Miss Holt in when she returns, please. I promised Mr. Cosgrove that we'd inspect the cases personally before turning on the system."

"That's something I don't understand about that type," Masters said with an amused grin. "If they're so terrified that someone's going to steal their gems or whatever, why put them on display all? Why not just keep them locked up in a vault somewhere?"

"But if they did that, Sergeant," Steele pointed out, "They might be safe, but none of the rest of us would ever see them."

"That's true, I guess." He nodded. "I'll make sure everyone's at their posts."

"Thank you." Alone, Steele turned his steps toward the display room, pausing as he entered. The light above the center display case seemed brighter, like a beacon, drawing everyone to it. It was an illusion, of course. A carefully crafted illusion to make the diamond the centerpiece of the collection. He looked around, knowing that once upon a time, he would have given his eye teeth to be in this position- the "fox in the hen house", as it were. If things went badly, he might just have to fall back on that former profession to put food on the table.

He started inspecting the cases in a circle, moving slowly closer to the case containing the Halifax Diamond. Each case was lifted, the gem and bed inspected to make sure the alarm mechanism was in place, then gem and case returned and latched.

He was lifting an emerald from the white velvet when Laura spoke. "He's gone."

Steele almost dropped the gem, barely catching it in his hand. "Dammit, Laura, give me some warning next time."

"Sorry," she apologized, watching as he inspected the mechanism, then helped him replace the case into its groove and latched her side while he tended to the other. "Mr. Cosgrove really was tired. He told his driver to wake him up when they reached the hotel."

"Let down," Steele commented, unlatching another case. "He's probably been running on adrenaline all evening-" he let Laura lift the case, and removed the gem- this time the sapphire that they had been admiring earlier.

"Are you really going to do it?" Laura asked him.

Steele didn't look at her as he continued to concentrate on the job at hand. "I don't have much choice, do I? Either I do as he asks, or he unmasks me as a fraud, and kills not only Daniel but you, Murphy and Bernice as well." He finished with the inspection and returned the blue stone to the white velvet. Once the case was back in place, their attention turned to the only remaining case in the room: the Halifax Diamond. "Keep between the case and the door in case someone looks inside," he said quietly as he unfastened the first latch, then the second. Laura removed the case, holding it, being sure to block any view of Steele's activity from outside. He lifted the diamond, and held it up to the light. "Lovely," he announced, then coughed softly. He reached into his pocket for his handkerchief, held it to his mouth as he coughed again. "Sorry. Got a bit choked up." He returned the square of cloth to his pocket and then replaced the diamond on the velvet after inspecting the alarm sensor. "Now the case," he told her.

After the final snap, he led Laura to the doorway, then went to the control panel just inside the room to arm the system, giving himself ten seconds to join Laura in the main hall before the hairs on Laura's arms raised. "Look at that," she told him, pointing out the phenomena.

He nodded absently. "It's because you're standing so close to the doorway. The electric field." He pointed to the wire running around the inside of the doorway's frame." When she started to move her hand in that direction, he grabbed it. "Uh, uh. If you break the field, the alarm goes off thirty seconds later."

"Ah. I'm impressed. But-" Her eyes were full of questions, but Steele turned away, forcing her to follow him.

Steele led her to where Sgt. Masters was standing beside a security desk. "The alarm's set. I'll see you tomorrow."

"We'll keep an eye on things, Mr. Steele. Get some rest. You look worn out."

"Good night," Steele replied, following Laura out to where Fred had the limo waiting for them. "Good man, Fred," he said as the driver closed the back door. Steele sat back, exhausted.

"The office, Mr. Steele?" Fred asked.

"Please."

Laura looked at him. "I thought you were going to switch them," she said accusingly.

"I did." He pulled out his handkerchief and dropped the diamond into her hand.

"This is the real diamond?" she asked, her eyes wide. "I never saw you-" Realization dawned. "You did it when you coughed."

"Umm. I slipped the diamond into my cuff, brought the fake one out with my handkerchief, and slipped the real one INTO the handkerchief before putting it back."

"I never saw you do it," she said in amazement.

"Some things you don't forget," he told her. "No matter how hard you try."

Laura inspected the diamond in the flashing lights of the oncoming traffic. "You're sure it's not the copy?"

"Quite sure," he said, taking it from her and putting it back into his pocket, patting it as if to reassure himself that it was there.

"I guess I should apologize for getting you involved in all of this," Laura told him. "If I hadn't diverted Daniel,-"

"No. I lay all of this on Daniel's doorstep," Steele told her. "Even if you hadn't -diverted him, he would still have shown up there tonight- and the same for Malcolm. At least this way, I was slightly forewarned about what might happen instead of being surprised by it." He looked at her. "But I do blame you for going behind my back," he admitted. "THAT is something we have to discuss once all of this is finished. AND your rather- troubling fascination with larceny of late. Assuming that we get out of it with the agency and our skins intact."

"We will. I can't believe that Malcolm would risk telling the truth about you. I mean, he's been able to avoid prison up until now. If he tells them that you stole that Monet for him, he could be arrested for that-"

"He's a desperate man," Steele muttered, his tone thoughtful.

"Well, now all we have to do is wait for Malcolm to contact us," Laura said.

"Oh, we have a few more things to do than that, I think," Steele told her.

"What do you mean?"

He smiled. "Now *I* am the one who has a plan, Miss Holt. Thanks to you."

"Me? What did I do?"

"You'll see."

***

Murphy ran a hand over his face, trying to force away sleep. So far, nothing had happened, the black Ford that he'd followed here hadn't left again. And the only person to leave by cab had been a tall, leggy blonde that Murphy figured was a hooker leaving a customer. He glanced at the coffee shop across the street. He'd be able to see the hotel from the shop- and all he needed was a cup of hot strong coffee to go. Wouldn't take a minute to pop in-.

He looked at the hotel once more, as if to verify that all was quiet, then got out of the car and crossed to the coffee shop. The waitress smiled at him, got his coffee as Murphy stood near the windows, watching the hotel.

"You looking for someone?" the woman asked.

"I'm a private detective," he confided.

"Thought so. Didn't look like FBI. We get them in here all the time, watching that place across the street. Course, some of the guests come in here occasionally. As long as they're money's green, what's it matter?"

"Yeah," Murphy agreed with an understanding grin as he took his coffee. "Thanks."

"Good luck."

Murphy got back into the car and put his coffee on the dash to settle in, only to freeze as he felt cold steel against his neck.

"Don't move," Reginald Malcolm said. "We're going for a little ride. Start the car- carefully. This knife's sharp."

Murphy turned the key, bringing the engine to life. "Where to?"

"You're going to take me to your boss- and my diamond."

"What if he doesn't have your diamond?" Murphy asked, and felt the knife's edge glance across his neck.

"You'd better hope he does, lad unless you're ready to die."

To Be Continued---