More Steele With a Twist Episode 7

More Steele With A Twist
Episode Seven
No one moved in the offices as Steele, his gun aimed at Malcolm's back, and began to count. "One. Two-"

Malcolm pushed Laura away and turned, obviously intending to take Steele out. But before Steele got off a shot, one of the policemen opened fire, sending Malcolm to the floor to lie still.

Steele went to where Laura was laying on the floor, looking at Malcolm's body. "Are you okay?" he asked, helping her to her feet.

"Yes. Daniel?"

"Flesh wound," he assured her, then turned to the police lieutenant. "Thank you."

"You should have called us the moment you found out he was holding your people hostage, Mr. Steele."

"I had to wait until I could get the copy of the diamond," he reminded the man. "Speaking of which- do you mind?" He bent and retrieved the gem from Malcolm's pocket. "A memento, as it were." Steele looked at the policeman. "You'll remember our agreement?"

"No mention of the diamond," the man nodded. "Just that he was holding your people hostage in retaliation for something one of them had done involving a classified case," he repeated. "Got it." He looked behind Steele to where Laura and Murphy were with Daniel. "Does he need an ambulance?"

Steele glanced in Daniel's direction, saw him shake his head once. "No. It was a flesh wound."

"Okay. I'll be in touch. And you owe me one, Steele." He held out a hand.

Steele took that hand. "And I'll make good."

"You always do." He turned to the remaining men. "Let's go, guys."

"He could have killed you, Daniel," Laura was saying as she cleaned the wound on the outside of Daniel's arm.

"I'm good at ducking," Daniel told her.

"Or tap dancing," Steele added.

"Bandage, please, Murphy," Laura said.

"What'd you tell the police?" Murphy asked Steele.

"That Malcolm had taken the three of you hostage to try and force me to bring him the diamond."

"What if he'd been captured?" Laura asked. "He would have told them everything!"

"Malcolm wasn't about to let himself be taken alive," Steele told her. "You made me realize that in the limo. He was desperate- he's spent too many years trying to stay OUT of prison end up there for theft- or murder. The moment I involved the police, his death was a forgone conclusion."

"That sounds a bit- cold, Harry," Daniel commented, frowning.

Steele's features tightened. "Would you have preferred that I simply let him take what was due him out of your hide, Daniel?" he asked. "It's late- and we've a long day tomorrow. And I have to replace the diamond. I suggest we all get some rest and regroup tomorrow."

"I'll say my good-byes now, then," Daniel said, and Laura saw the pain in his eyes- pain caused by Harry's harsh words, not his wound. "I'll be catching a flight back to London in the morning. Thank you, Harry. For-everything."

Steele took a deep breath, but didn't move as Daniel turned and left the room. "Daniel!" Laura called out, following him. She caught up to him at the glass doors. "You can't go like this!"

"He doesn't want me here, Laura. Nothing's changed, if anything they're worse."

"Stay in touch, okay? Call if you need anything?"

"I will. Thank you for trying. Take care of him for me."

"I will."

"And remember your promise." He gave her kiss on the cheek, then turned and left the office, walking resolutely toward the elevators.

"What're you gonna tell Bernice?" Murphy asked Steele as Laura wandered back into the office.

"The truth, most likely. I think she's earned the right to hear it after this evening." He pulled the diamond out of his pocket. "Hard to believe that this was the catalyst for everything that's happened this evening, isn't it?"

Laura held out her hand. "May I see it?" She took the gem and held it up to the light. "It's the real diamond, isn't it?"

"Yes. And I have to get it back into the display before it opens tomorrow morning."

"That shouldn't be too difficult," Murphy said. "Considering that you go it OUT with no problem." He shook his head. "You know, it never fails to amaze me just how lucky you are, Steele."

"Luckier than most, I guess," Steele agreed. "But having good friends is the best luck of all." He extended a hand. "Thank you, Murphy."

"I didn't do anything except get myself captured," the man said, but he shook Steele's hand anyway. "Thank you." Seeing Steele's raised brow, he added, "for being you. I'll see you both tomorrow morning."

Murphy clasped Laura's hand for a moment, then left the room.

Laura waited until she heard the outer door close, watching as Harry moved to the window. "We need to talk."

He ran a hand over his face, rubbed the back of his neck. "Not tonight. It can wait until tomorrow-"

"But-"

"Laura, it's been a long evening," he said sounding on the verge of exhaustion. "We're both tired, and I don't want either of us to say something we'll regret later. We'll talk tomorrow." He opened his eyes and looked at her. "Tomorrow," he repeated firmly, as if to forestall any further attempt on her part. "I have to get the diamond back into the exhibit before it opens."

"Want some help?" she offered.

"The exhibit opens at ten to the general public. They'll need an hour to clean it beforehand. Meet me there at eight thirty. I'll let Sgt. Masters know that I'll be there to disarm the system."

"Okay."

"Go home right now, get some sleep. I'll see you then."

She went to the doorway, and then stopped, turning to look at him. "Before I go, I have to tell you that I'm sorry things went so badly- but I'm not sorry for trying to help you and Daniel find each other."

"Eight thirty, Laura. Don't be late."

She sighed and left the office. Remington Harrison Steele was most likely the most stubborn, most infuriating man she'd ever met in her entire life. But all things considered, she was very glad that she HAD met him.

***

Laura was waiting for him when the limo arrived at the museum at eight thirty. "You look terrible," she told him, noting his tired expression.

"Didn't get much sleep," he confided, taking her elbow to escort her into the building.

"Really?" Laura questioned. "That's funny. I slept like a baby," she lied, grateful that she had been able to cover the dark circles under her eyes with makeup- a luxury Harry didn't have, being a man.

"Umm," he murmured as he smiled a greeting to Sgt. Masters. "Everything quiet last night?"

"Like a tomb," Masters replied. "I'm going off duty. I'll see you later."

"Okay." Steele led Laura to the exhibit room door. "Stay here until I disarm the system," he told her. Laura rubbed her arms in reaction to the tingling caused by the nearness of the electrical field, then winced as he crossed through it to access the control panel. She felt, rather than heard, the system deactivate, as the tingling ceased. "You can come in now," he told her.

He went to the center case and fidgeted with one of the latches. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"I noticed that this latch was loose last night," he told her, in a voice loud enough for anyone outside to hear. "I need to tighten it down. But I'll have to remove the case to do it." He released the second latch and handed the case to Laura. "Hold that for me, will you?" From his pocket, he produced a small screwdriver and turned some screws. "Might as well double check the weight sensor as well," he told her, lifting the copy from the velvet.

This time, she watched carefully, and caught his sleight of hand as he switched the paste diamond for the real thing. He took the case and returned it to the base, fastening the latches with a flourish. "There we go."

"Ah, Mr. Steele. Sgt. Masters told me that you were here," Amos Cosgrove said as he entered the exhibit room. "And your charming associate as well. Miss Holt."

"Good morning, Mr. Cosgrove," Laura said with a smile. "You look much better today."

"Oh, I slept wonderfully. I tell you, there is nothing like a good hotel for getting rested. Everything ready for today's showing for the general public, Mr. Steele?"

"Everything's in perfect order, Mr. Cosgrove. My associate Mr. Michaels will be arriving shortly and will remain on the premises all day to keep a watchful eye on things."

"Excellent. Excellent. I can't thank you enough, Mr. Steele. And believe me, if anyone should ask me if I know of a good detective firm in Los Angeles, I shall be sure to send them your way."

"Thank you, Mr. Cosgrove," Steele said, shaking the man's hand. "Thank you. What more could we ask?" He smiled at Laura. "Shall we, Miss Holt? I believe we have some important matters to discuss at the office?"

Outside, Steele dismissed Fred. "I'll drive on to the office with Miss Holt," he said. "Take the morning off. I don't think there's anything of importance on my calendar."

"Yes, sir, Mr. Steele."

Steele turned to Laura, extending a hand. "Shall we, Miss Holt?"

Laura led him toward the Rabbit, her mind in turmoil. Calling her "Miss Holt" was something he usually reserved for two occasions- while with a client, or when he was angry with her.

He frowned as he tried the passenger door and found it open. "You didn't lock it?"

"I seldom do," she said with a shrug, sliding behind the steering wheel. "I mean, who's going to steal a Rabbit? It's WAY down at the bottom of the list of cars most often stolen. I checked. Besides, if anyone wanted to get in-" she tapped the fabric roof, "all it takes is a knife."

"Hmm. Just the same, perhaps we'd best get you a parking spot in the garage. It's a bit more secure than the outdoor lot."

Laura smiled as she put the car into gear. At least that meant that she was going to be around to NEED a spot.

"In fact, why don't you use Murphy's spot for the day, since he'll be tied up at the museum? I'll take care of getting you a slot of your own this afternoon."

***

Steele's presence in the car gave it easy access to the underground garage, and Laura felt a sense of elation as she pulled the Rabbit into the spot marked "M. Michaels", imagining that it read instead, "L. Holt". She shut off the engine and reached for the door handle, only to find her right arm grasped by Steele's hand, keeping her there.

"Let's talk here, shall we?" He glanced around the dark cave like room. "At least it affords a modicum of privacy."

Laura eyed him warily, wishing she could see his eyes better. "All right. I've already apologized-" she began.

"I know. And I'm aware that you had no idea what you were getting into- what you were getting all of us into." He sighed. "This- fascination you seem to have developed for larceny is- deeply troubling, Miss Holt."

"Fascination? TWO TIMES, Mr. Steele. And, if I may remind you, the FIRST time was with YOU. When we stole the-"

He lifted a hand to stop her. "Very well. We'll let that pass- but in the future, try to remember that we don't CREATE crimes- we solve them. Okay?"

"Okay." She waited for him to continue, and when the silence became so thick that Laura felt she was suffocating, she finally asked, "Is that all?"

"Not quite. While I- understand your- desire to see- Daniel and myself- reconciled," he began in a halting voice, "you also have to understand that if it does happen, it will be on mine and Daniel's time table- not yours." Something must have shown on her face, because he lifted a cautionary hand. "Now, I don't want you to jump to any conclusions- but I just wanted to tell you that. And to request that we both promise never to lie to each other again- about anything."

"You mean- like my not telling you that I'd spoken to Daniel? Or that he was at my house, don't you?"

Steele nodded. "Yes. And in the spirit of that new found honesty, I want to tell you what your mother and I discussed that day in my office."

"I KNEW it! I knew there was more to that conversation than just my wanting to be a private detective!"

"We did discuss that matter," Steele informed her. "But we also discussed Abigail's fear that your career would prevent you from finding a suitable husband-"

"AUGH!" Laura cried out, resting her forehead on her hands as they gripped the steering wheel. "I hope you told her-" she turned and looked at him, suddenly suspicious. "What DID you tell her?"

"That she needn't worry about that. Because your future was already taken care of."

"You told my MOTHER that-? AUGH!!!"

She saw him look at her, thought she saw a glimmer of humor in his eyes. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Oh, no. No. It's a wonder she hasn't already sent out invitations! Started picking out china and silver patterns!"

He touched her arm. "She promised to wait until YOU were ready," he confided. "Laura, no one's going to rush you into turning our relationship into anymore more than it is right now."

She met that look squarely. "You promise?"

He moved closer. "I promise," he whispered, and Laura was more than willing to let him seal that promise with the kiss she knew was coming. But the sound of a car's engine and flash of headlights made him draw back as their privacy ended. "We'll finish this over dinner tonight."

"Your place or mine?" Laura asked him as they got out of the car.

"Mine, I think. But that reminds me." He joined her at the elevator. "We need to look into replacing and upgrading the locks on your doors. It was entirely too easy for me to-" he stopped talking as the elevator doors opened and Laura began to laugh. "I'm glad that you find my concern for your security so amusing, Miss Holt," he told her as the doors closed.

"Oh, it's just that- someone else suggested the same thing recently."

"Oh? Who- Daniel?"

She nodded. "As I said, 'Like father, like son'. I think you and he have a lot more in common than you want to admit."

"Me? Have something in common with that aging con man? Don't be ridiculous, Laura," he said, stepping out of the elevator onto the eleventh floor.

Laura smiled and led the way to the office, where Bernice was just returning to her desk.

"I'm just ready to put the last forty eight hours out of mind," Steele said, pushing the door open. "Pretend they never happened." He smiled, picking up his messages. "Morning, Bernice."

"Not so fast, Mr. Steele," the receptionist said in a determined tone of voice. "I spent all night worrying about what was going on here. You promised me an explanation, remember?"

He took a deep breath. "So I did. And you shall have it. Would you mind joining me in my office?" He watched her precede him.

"Good luck," Laura wished him as he followed to join Bernice in the conference area.

"Now, I know this is going to be difficult for you to believe, Bernice, but..."

The End

Author's note: Be watching for "Still More Steele With a Twist", furthering the adventures of Los Angeles' favorite detective Remington Steele and his free spirited associate, Laura Holt.