ReJoined Steele

Part Fourteen

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Harry peered through the dark windows of the limousine as he and Tony were driven ever closer to their destination. "Not a good sign," he muttered, causing Tony to lean closer.

"What?"

"The fact that he's letting us see where we're going. Not a good sign that he's planning on letting us go," he responded with a smile in the direction of one of Hepplewhite's thugs. The man had seemed to enjoy frisking the two men down after the cab dropped them at the top of Reseta Drive. Now, he turned suspicious green eyes on them before turning back to the front.

The car turned off of the main road onto a smaller one that gave way to graveled surface. Trees filled their line of sight on either side of the roadway, and all Harry could tell was that they were still heading in a generally northeasterly direction.

At last the car entered a small clearing where a single log cabin sat. "Bit of a come down for your boss, eh?" Harry commented to the thug, only to find himself jerked roughly from the car and pushed toward the front door. He glanced around to make certain Tony was following. He was, wincing as the man behind them prodded him along with the barrel of his gun.

Inside, Harry looked around appreciatively. For all its outwardly plain appearance, the house offered quite a few amenities. A wood burning fireplace, comfortable furnishings. He could almost see what Hepplewhite had probably once seen in the place. He and Tony stood in the main room, under the watchful eyes of three men, all carrying weapons- and all of them looked very ready to use them if necessary.

Lucas Hepplewhite came from one of the doors. There were three of them leading off of the living area/kitchen. Which one was Laura behind? Harry wondered as the little man approached. "Do you have my gems?" he asked.

Harry patted his pocket. "I do. Do you have someone to authenticate them?"

Hepplewhite jerked his head toward the left bedroom, and one of the men went to the door, opening it. "Come in, please. I have something I want you to see." So Laura had to be in the right bedroom, Harry surmised.

Mr. Davis avoided Harry's gaze as he entered the room. He was nervous, but from what Harry had seen, that was normal for the jeweler. "The Lavulite?" he asked.

Hepplewhite extended a hand toward Harry. "If you please." Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out one gem, placing it into the old man's gnarled hand. "Where are the rest?"

"Safe. You'll get them when I see Laura Holt and make certain she's unharmed."

Hepplewhite handed the blue stone to Davis, who inserted his loupe and examined it. "Well?" he asked impatiently. "Is it real?"

"Y-Yes," Davis said, the loupe nearly falling to the floor as he spoke and stared at Harry. "It's- quite real." He handed the stone back to Hepplewhite, who took the gemstone gently.

"Open Miss Holt's door, Henry," he told the man who had driven them to the cabin.

Laura heard the bolt drawn back, and upon seeing Harry and Tony standing in the other room, started forward. She found her way blocked by Henry's arm across the doorframe. "That's far enough, my dear," Hepplewhite told her. "You can see for yourself that she's quite unharmed, gentlemen. And she'll remain so- if you give me the rest of my property. Now."

"Are you all right, Laura?" Tony asked.

But it was Harry she spoke to when she answered, her dark eyes meeting his in silent communication. "Yes. For the moment."

"You see? Now, the gems, if you please."

Harry took the remaining stones from his pocket, but stopped short of handing them over. "I need some guarantees first."

"Guarantees? Of what?"

"Our safety. I don't think you're planning to let any of us go."

Hepplewhite's eyes narrowed. "We will discuss it AFTER you give me the gems."

Davis swallowed heavily. "Mr.-Mr. Hepplewhite, may I go now? No one said anything about m-murder."

"I'm sorry, but- I've been meaning to tell you that I've decided to take my business elsewhere," Hepplewhite told Davis in an apologetic voice, then brought out a derringer from his pocket and fired it point blank into the man's chest.

"Why you-!" Tony made a move toward the scene, Laura gasped, and Harry held Tony back as the other three weapons in the room were pointed in their direction.

"Easy, mate. Icy calm."

Pocketing the gun, Hepplewhite brought out a handkerchief and wiped his hands- and the gem. "Pity. He was an excellent jeweler. It will be difficult to replace him. Now, Steele, or Chalmers, or whatever you wish to call yourself- my Royal Lavulite." When Harry hesitated, the derringer appeared again, this time pointed directly at Laura. "I shan't ask again."

Harry met Laura's gaze, then opened his hand to drop the rest of the gems into Hepplewhite's hand. "Are we free to go now?"

"One other- small detail first," Hepplewhite said, gazing at the gems, having returned the small pistol to his pocket. "Miss Holt stays with me."

"No way!" Tony burst out. "That wasn't the deal, Hepplewhite!"

"He's right," Harry agreed. "Our deal was that we would return the gems in exchange for Laura."

"I should think that your lives would be payment enough. I've simply decided that I'm not ready to dispense with the lady's charming company just yet." Hepplewhite moved toward Laura's bedroom door as he spoke, and took her arm, holding it in a surprisingly strong grip. "I'd agree to my terms, gentlemen. The alternative isn't very pretty."

"Antony and I could go," Harry mused, ignoring Tony's outburst of disbelief. "But that isn't going to solve your problem."

"The police? I've been on the run for many years," Hepplewhite told him. "This is just a temporary setback. They can have everything in the house. THESE," he said, holding up his hand containing the gems. "THESE are what is important. I can go anywhere- I have connections."

"And what if those connections were suddenly cut off?" Harry asked. "What then? Where would you go? There are very few places in the world that would welcome a former officer in the SS with open arms."

"No one knows about that."

"But they will- IF the three of us aren't released by three o'clock."

"What are you talking about?"

"Just that a reporter friend of mine knows all about you. Even your penchant for helping attractive ladies to-uh- shall we say, disappear? If he doesn't hear from me by three o'clock, informing him that myself, Antony AND Laura are free, he'll run the story. By this time tomorrow, there won't be anywhere you can hide."

"And if I let you go?"

"I can convince him to hold the story for a few years, anyway. By then, it won't matter."

"You're bluffing. What's the reporter's name?"

"Ah, no," Harry said, laughing in a way that sent a chill up Laura's spine. "I don't think I'm going to share that little bit of information. Now. What's it going to be? Freedom for you and us? Or the- unattractive alternative?"

Hepplewhite's breaths were deep with anger. "GO! And if I EVER set eyes on any of you again, it will be the last thing you ever do!" His men lowered their weapons as Harry held out a hand for Laura to join him. For a moment, Hepplewhite's hand tightened on her arm, and she feared that he'd changed his mind. But then his hand was gone, and she was taking Harry's hand.

"Let's get out of here," he said, and the three of them backed out of the door.

Tony put a hand on Laura's arm. She nodded to reassure him as they kept moving. "What now?" he asked Harry, watching the house.

"We'll take one of the cars." He pointed toward the limo. "Know how to hotwire one of those?" he asked.

"Thought that was more in your area of expertise," Tony said, sliding behind the steering wheel as Laura and Harry got into the back. He started fumbling for the wires he needed.

"I wouldn't dawdle, Antony. He could always change his mind."

"I'm not- dawdling!" Tony yelled. "If you can do it faster, why don't you?" he was asking as the engine roared to life.

"Let's get out of here!" Laura told them both. "Please!"

Harry glanced back behind the car, and was relieved to see that there didn't seem to be any pursuit. Beside him, he felt Laura shiver and removed his jacket, placing it around her shoulders, then put his arm there as well. "Are you really all right? Did he do anything?"

"No. Harry- Harry, he's a murderer. He's killed at least one woman two years ago."

"More than that, love," Harry told her, pulling her close and holding her. "But it's all right now."

She pushed away from him. "No, it's not!" she cried out angrily. "He's going to get away with it! He'll vanish into another country and no one will know what he did! He'll NEVER be brought to justice!"

Harry picked up the car phone and dialed a number. "Mike? Run the story. Yes, yes, we're fine. But run the story anyway. And watch your back, mate. If he finds out it's you, you'll be in danger." He hung up the phone and dialed 911. "You're looking for Lucas Hepplewhite, I believe? Charges of possession of stolen property? Well, I can tell you exactly where to find him. But you'll have to hurry. I think he's planning on leaving the country."

Laura shook her head, smiling at last, her arms going around him.

Tony watched the scene in the rear view mirror and knew that he'd lost Laura. Of course, he'd never really had her to begin with. He'd just been a stopgap, someone to keep her company until HE came back.

Laura put her head back to look up at Harry. "God, you're good," she told him.

Harry grinned at the old joke and lowered his lips to hers.

It was definitely time to move on, Tony decided.

***

Laura handed Clarice a file folder. "Who's the next appointment?" she asked.

"Um, Mr. Carlisle," Clarice told her, consulting the calendar on the desk. "In about fifteen minutes."

"Let me know when he gets here," Laura told the younger woman, sighing as the sound of the door opening signaled an arrival. Thinking it was the aforementioned Mr. Carlisle, she looked up. Her businesslike smile changed into a wider one as she saw the man who stood there. "Harry."

He came over and gave her a brief kiss on the cheek, and Clarice's eyes widened. It wasn't at ALL like Miss Holt to do something like that in the office. The one time Tony Roselli had tried to kiss her, she'd pushed him away.

"How did it go?" Laura asked.

"Splendidly. He agreed to write the story I gave him AS I gave it to him. All about a poor little, nameless orphan lad from Ireland who wound up in this country as a front man for your agency. Nothing remotely illegal about any of it."

"Good. Any word on Hepplewhite?" Laura asked as they moved toward her office.

"You haven't heard?" Clarice asked them, causing them to look at her. "I was listening to the radio," she told them, showing them the earphones she'd stuffed into her desk. "Lucas Hepplewhite had a heart attack in jail this morning. He's dead."

""Thank you," Laura managed as she and Harry continued to the office. Harry closed the door behind them and Laura rested her forehead on Harry's chest as the realization hit her. "He's managed to evade judgement again."

"Oh, I don't think so. He'll face the highest judge there is now." He took her by the shoulders as he heard Clarice greet someone in the reception area. "I know you're busy, but I was hoping we might have dinner this evening? Discuss your going to Ireland with me to get things ready to move over here?"

"Sounds nice," Laura agreed, "And I did agree to discuss it, but that's all."

"Oh, I'm sure my powers of persuasion will win the day," he said with a charming smile that practically turned her bones into water just before he lowered his lips to hers.

Clarice opened the door without knocking. "Oh, excuse me," she said, obviously embarrassed. "Mr. Carlisle is here."

Laura straightened her jacket and collar. "Show him in, please, Clarice."

Carlisle entered the office with a smile in Laura's direction, a smile that widened upon seeing the man with her. "Mr. Steele. I wasn't aware that you were back with the agency."

"I'm not, actually," Harry quickly clarified. "Just dropping by to see Miss Holt. And, just for the record, the name's not Steele. It's Harry Chalmers." He moved toward the door. "I'll see you later, Miss Holt. To discuss that- merger?"

"Just a minute," she called after him. Turning to Carlisle, she said, "Excuse me. I'll be right back." Closing her office door, she caught up with Harry. "How are you getting around?"

"Taxis. Why?"

"Why not use the limo? I'll call and have Fred wait downstairs in the garage."

"That's very kind of you, Laura, but -"

"Please? I wasn't planning on going anywhere the rest of the day. It will give Fred something to do."

"Very well. I'll take the limo," he agreed, squeezing her hand before leaving the office. The second he was out of sight, Laura turned to Clarice. "Clarice, get Mr. Carlisle some coffee, tell him I'll be delayed a few minutes." She knocked on Mildred's door. "He's on his way down," she told the woman.

Mildred hurried to keep up with her friend. They boarded the second elevator seconds after Harry got on the first one. "He's going to be so surprised," Mildred told her.

When the elevator doors opened, Harry looked around for the limo- but there was no sign of the black Cadillac. The only car waiting for him was a white one. Harry reached out, touching the finish, looked into the interior. The Auburn. HIS Auburn. He never heard the elevator door open and close behind him, so caught up was he in the memories of this car.

"Surprise," Laura said, and he turned to find she and Mildred standing before him.

"Yeah, surprise, Harry," Mildred repeated through her tears. He laughed and gave them both a hug.

"Thank you. Both." He handed Mildred his handkerchief.

Laura held out the keys to the car. "It's yours. I got it out of storage this morning- had it serviced. It's all ready to go."

Harry looked at the keys, and got into the car, starting the engine. "Purrs like a kitten," he said. He looked at Laura. "Come with me?"

"Oh, -um-Mr. Carlisle," she said, but Harry could tell that she wanted to say yes.

"I'll handle Mr. Carlisle," Mildred assured her as Harry reached across to open the passenger side door for her. "Go on. You two kids deserve some time to yourselves."

Laura gave Mildred a hug and a murmured "Thanks," then ran around to climb into the car beside Harry.

"Where to, Miss Holt?" he asked.

She smiled. "Los Amantes Lookout," she told him.

Harry's brow lifted at her choice. "Los Amantes?" With a knowing smile, he put the car into gear. "Ciao, Mildred!" he called out.

Mildred wiped the fresh tears away and turned back toward the elevator. Her kids were finally together- and there was still rk to be done. The client awaited her return.

***

At Los Amantes, Harry watched as the light breeze stirred Laura's hair. She'd been quiet during the drive up here, and he worried that she was regretting her impulsive decision to play hooky from the office. "I'll take you back to the office if you'd like, Laura," he told her.

She looked at him. "No. I'm where I want to be," she assured him. "Well, - almost." She moved as close to him as she could and rested her head on his shoulder.

"There. Is that better?" he asked as he wrapped his arms tightly around her.

"Hmm. Much." She sat there, silent for a moment. "I was wondering, Harry- that gem that Davis authenticated. He sounded as if it were real."

"Because it was."

She looked up at him. "But you gave them to Jackie."

"All except one. I kept it as part of my fee."

"Why? In case you needed it to catch Hepplewhite?"

"No. I had something far more important in mind for it," he said, taking her left hand in his. "I'd intended to have it set into a ring for you. An engagement ring."

"Oh." She didn't know what else to say. To keep from having to look into those eyes, she laid her head back onto his shoulder. "Don't you think that we're a little too old to be talking orange blossoms and planning weddings?"

"Not at all. Just think how happy it will make your mother." He kissed the top of her head, smiling as he felt her laughter. "I do love you, you know."

"I know." She turned her head to look up at him. "I know," she repeated as his lips captured hers.

The End

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Original content ©1999 by Nancy Eddy