"Laura?" A hand was waved in front of her face. "Hey, Cupcake," her father said with a teasing grin, "where are you?"
Laura returned the smile half heartedly. "Oh, just thinking about things."
"You've been distracted ever since we left the office. Tell Daddy what's wrong and I'll try to fix it."
"I'm just- surprised that Mr. Steele decided to go to London, that's all," she admitted.
"From what I've gathered, he used to stay gone more than he was here."
Laura nodded. "A long time ago. For the last four years, he's taken a VERY active interest in the Agency's day to day operation."
"He said it was only for a few days," Edward reminded her. "If I were you, I'd view this as a god send." Laura frowned at him. "It's an opportunity for you to show everyone that you don't need him. Including yourself."
"Maybe," Laura agreed slowly. "But you have no idea what kind of trouble he might get into over there. The last time he went to London, he was almost killed. And getting him back into the States-" she stopped, trying to decide whether or not she was ready to tell her father the truth: That the man he knew as Remington Steele had been a con man/jewel thief/art thief and who knew what else before he'd swept into her life. Of course, the knowledge that the agency was in fact HERS might make him back off a little, she thought.
"Why would he have trouble getting into the US?" Edward asked.
"He- didn't have the right passport," she said. "It's a very long story, Daddy."
"I've got time," Edward said, sitting back.
"Well, to explain, I have to start back several years ago- when I closed the doors of Laura Holt Investigations…"
***
Laura entered the office to find Mildred away from her desk- and a familiar voice coming from the main office. "Thank you…Yes, I'm sure I'll be in touch…Thank you for the information. I should be able to track her down now…thanks."
She paused in the doorway as he hung up the telephone and turned his attention to the notepad on his desk. A file folder was open, and papers were scattered around the usually immaculate surface. "Well, well, doing a little paperwork, Mr. Steele?" she asked.
Remington looked up, and then began gathering the various papers into the folder as he spoke. "Ah. Laura. I hadn't realized it was so late."
"Daddy had an appointment to see a house this afternoon," she explained, "And since I thought you wouldn't be here, I told him that I had to get back to the office. Mildred's not at her desk."
"She went to get some paperclips, I believe," he informed her, closing the folder.
She nodded toward the folder as he put it into a drawer. "What case is that?"
"It's not. I'm just gathering some information for an old friend."
"Oh."
"Nothing remotely tainted, I assure you."
Laura perched on the edge of his desk. "I thought you were- leaving," she said slowly.
"My plans changed." He looked at her. "I can't tell if you're disappointed or glad that I'm still here."
"What's that supposed to mean? Of course I'm glad you didn't leave."
"I couldn't have told by the way you sent me off earlier," he told her. "You seemed almost eager to be shed of me."
"That's ridiculous! This is about my decision to take a more visible part in the agency, isn't it? To stop hiding in your shadow?"
"Now who's being ridiculous?" Remington asked. "I don't give a flying fig whether I ever attend another boring luncheon! You're welcome to take them all on," he said. "What bothers me is WHY you've suddenly decided to do it." He rose from his chair and approached her. Lifting a hand, he touched her cheek. "We need to talk, Laura."
"I can't-"
"I know," he said with a sigh. "Your father's here and needs you to hold his hand. He's got another daughter in the area," Remington reminded her, his hand falling to his side. "Has he talked to Frances yet?"
"No, not yet," Laura admitted defensively. "He wants to get settled in first. To make sure that he and I are okay. Besides, Frances wasn't nearly as close to Daddy as I was. She was always more like Mother."
"He's still her father-and I'm sure that she would like to know that he's back in Los Angeles and why he stayed away for so long." He paced across the office. "Why did he stay away? Why come back now? Do you realize that you've never told me WHY Edward Holt left his family?"
"He fell in love with another woman," Laura informed him. "A secretary that worked where he did."
"And where was that?"
"He was an insurance salesman. In fact, he was head of his division when he met Grace."
"Was she married as well?"
"No. She was a LOT younger than Daddy- I couldn't understand then how much he loved her. To have been willing to give everything up to be with her…"
"Where is she now?" Remington asked.
"She died a few months ago. An accident of some kind. Daddy doesn't like to talk about it."
"Understandable, I suppose," Remington mused, remembering his own reluctance to discuss Anna's "death" with anyone. But then, HE hadn't been responsible for Anna's death, either. "You're certain that you can't change your plans this evening?" he asked again. "There are some things I really need to discuss with you- in the proper setting…"
"The proper setting?"
"Good food, soft music, a roaring fire, wine chilled to perfection-"
Laura sighed. "Sounds lovely, but-"
"When you decide you can work me into your schedule, Miss Holt, let me know," Remington said, returning to his desk to get his jacket.
"Where are you going?"
"We have an appointment at one fifteen with Mr. Jackford," he informed her. "And here at the office, at least, we're still a team."
"Mr. Steele, once Daddy's settled things will calm down. Right now, he just needs a little extra attention- "
"This isn't about my being jealous of your spending time with him, Laura," Remington insisted. "Really. It's concern for you."
"Concern for me?" Laura asked, but her question went unanswered as Mr. Jackford arrived for his appointment.
***
As Laura saw Mr. Jackford to the door, Remington grabbed the folder from his desk drawer and followed them out. Laura turned back and said, "Are you going somewhere?"
"Someone I need to see," he told her. "I'm sure you and Mildred can handle the rest of the day."
"But- I was hoping you would explain what you said earlier."
"Earlier?"
"About being concerned. Why are you concerned? I don't-"
"Wasn't thinking. Call me later if you get a chance, okay?"
"Okay," Laura repeated slowly, watching him leave the office. She looked at Mildred. "Mildred, has Mr. Steele mentioned anything about a friend of his who's in trouble?"
"Not to me," Mildred said. "He does seem to be acting a little strange, though. Guess he's just worried about your father being back."
"Why? You'd think he'd be happy for me-"
"Oh, honey, you know how Mr. Steele is. He's used to having you all to himself- its going to take a little time for him to learn to share your attention." Mildred looked at her. "Of course, it might help if you made a little time for HIM- I'm sure your father can handle one night on his own, can't he?"
Laura was thoughtful. She knew Mildred was right, she'd ignored Mr. Steele terribly since her father's return. "I'll tell Daddy tonight that I'm having dinner with Mr. Steele tomorrow. I'm sure he'll understand."
***
Remington was about to get into the Auburn when a voice came from the dark corner of the parking garage. "Who are you, Steele?"
Remington took a deep breath and turned to confront Laura's father. "Mr. Holt. What a surprise. Laura mentioned that you were looking at a house this afternoon. Finished already?"
"Didn't suit me," Edward Holt said. "Laura told me everything."
"Everything? About what, precisely?"
"About how you and she met- about how you conned your way into the role of Remington Steele and into her life. She doesn't need you anymore. So you can go back to doing whatever it is you were doing before you came to Los Angeles four years ago to steal the gems she was hired to protect."
"And if I prefer to remain here? What are you going to do? Unmask me as a fraud? That would hurt Laura, both professionally and personally."
"It might be worth it to get you out of her life."
"Why? Why is it so important for you to get me out of the way, Mr. Holt? So that you can do to her what you did to Grace Davenport?" For a moment, Remington was certain that he saw fear mixed in with the anger that flared in Edward's eyes.
"You don't know what you're talking about. Grace fell down some stairs. It was an accident. The police cleared me of-"
"Ah, yes. They bought the grief stricken lover routine, didn't they? Even though you'd been under a court order to stay away from her just six months before her death? A court order that SHE asked for because you'd threatened her life?"
"I'm not going to try and justify myself to you, Steele- or whatever your name is."
"I'm quite comfortable with the name your daughter gave me," Remington assured him. "And I've no intention of giving it up anytime soon." He opened the door of the white car. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an appointment."
"I wouldn't tell Laura these lies, Steele," Edward, said in a threatening tone, as he rested his hands on the passenger door of the car. "She won't believe you."
"We'll see, shall we?" Remington replied, starting the engine and pulling away.
In the rearview mirror, he watched as Edward Holt stood there until the Auburn turned a corner and he was lost to view.
Remington couldn't believe that Laura would have told her father the truth about the Agency's beginnings. But where else would he have learned that the great Remington Steele wasn't exactly as he appeared to be? It was just one more example of Edward Holt's strange hold over his younger daughter. A frightening example, Remington was forced to admit as a shiver ran down his spine.
He stepped on the brake at a stop light, then frowned as it went to the floor. The brakes were out, and he had no way to stop the car as a truck entered the intersection before him.
Turning the steering wheel hard right, he pressed the emergency brake, sending the car sliding sideways, barely missing the huge wheels of the truck. It came to a stop in the middle of the road, facing the wrong direction.
Remington sat there, both hands on the wheel as the truck driver got out and came up to him. "You okay, buddy?" he asked. "What the hell happened?"
"Brakes are out," Remington said, getting out of the car on shaky legs and lifting the hood to examine the engine. He ran his fingers on the bottom of the fluid reservoir, pulling them out to reveal red fluid. Someone had punctured the container, allowing the fluid to leak out.
Apparently Edward Holt had just upped the ante.
To Be Continued…