Arthur Grawley had just left the office when Murphy strolled in with an armload of papers. "You would not believe what you have to go through to research a title in this town," he commented. "Stacks of paperwork in triplicate-"
"Did you find anything?"
"Yeah. Hamilton's right. The property is his. I found a will filed by his uncle two weeks before he died leaving everything to Roger Hamilton. And the property search on the land itself looked pretty clear."
"Good. You can tell that to Mr. Hamilton tomorrow morning when you give him your report. Right now, I need your help on this." She held out a file folder.
"What's this?" he asked, taking it.
"Our new case. Let's go into my office, shall we? Bernice, I need you to call around, see if you can find out where Daniel Chalmers is staying. Check all the local hotels, medium range and up. Mr. Grawley says that his cousin likes to go first class."
She picked up the telephone as Laura's office door closed.
Murphy studied the folder in his hands as he sat down in the chair that Grawley had vacated minutes earlier. "Late sixties- early seventies, white hair, wears thick glasses? He wants us to find his cousin because of an inheritance- yet he doesn't have anything more than a vague description for us to go on?"
"Apparently they haven't seen each other in well over thirty years. Chalmers left England and set out on his own at an early age. He left under the mistaken impression that his uncle was extremely disappointed in him and planned to disinherit him."
"Why is it so important that he find Chalmers now?" Murphy asked. "Why not just wait until he turns up?"
"According to the terms of Mr. Grawley senior's will, his son can't inherit *his* portion until Chalmers has his," Laura explained.
"Ah," Murphy said, nodding as he understood. He glanced toward the connecting door into Remington's office. "He in on this?"
"No. In fact, I've no idea where he's disappeared to. I walked Mother out to the limo, and when I got back, he was gone."
"Your mother's here?" Murphy asked, watching her warily.
"She arrived earlier," Laura confirmed in a grim tone.
"I take it she met - Mr. Steele," he said, looking at her with curiosity written all over his boyish face. "What happened?"
"What do you think happened?" Laura asked. "He turned on the charm, and-" she snapped her fingers, "she was wound around his little finger. He's invited both of us to dinner tonight to get to know her better."
Murphy frowned in frustration. When he'd called Abigail upon her return from Europe and put the bug in her ear about Steele being here all the time now, he'd thought she would have come in and order him to either marry her daughter- or get out of her life for good. He hadn't counted on the guy charming Abigail Holt. "She didn't take him to task for-?"
"Not one peep, Murphy. You should have seen him; it was almost sickening the way he poured on the charm. And even more sickening the way she ate it up." Bernice buzzed them on the intercom. "Yes, Bernice?"
"Chalmers is registered at the Bonaventure, Laura. Room 315. He just checked in this morning."
"Thank you, Bernice." She looked at Murphy as he stood up. "Looks like this one might be easier than I thought. Tell you what- I can handle this. I'll make contact with Chalmers and get him in touch with his cousin. You get started on that report to Hamilton about his uncle's will."
"Yeah," he agreed absently, trying to figure a way to upset Steele's applecart.
Laura gave him a curious look. "No comment about how I always get the easy ones?" she asked, referring back to an old joke between them.
His expression cleared slightly as he grinned. "Would it make a difference?" he asked.
"Nope," she confirmed with a grin. "I'm still the boss."
"Then I'll pass this time," he said, heading toward the door that led into his office. His hand on the knob, he stopped. "Uh, where are you having dinner this evening?" he asked.
"I don't know. He made reservations at some Italian place, I think. Probably La Scala. Why?"
"Just curious, that's all. Think Rikki would mind a trip to Fun-Time Pizza?" he asked. "It's been awhile since I took her anywhere, the way he's been monopolizing her time lately."
"Murphy-"
"I know, I know. He's her father. I'm just her god-father. Look, Laura, I've backed off over the last couple of months like we agreed to give him a chance - but, well, I kinda miss being with her. Has she- asked about me?"
"OF course she has, Murph," Laura quickly assured him. Rikki *had* asked where her Uncle Murphy was, but with Remington always there, she hadn't been nearly as upset when Laura had explained that Murphy was busy with work at the moment. But she couldn't tell him that- and besides, she owed him some time with Rikki. Murphy had been there for both of them long before *he* had come back into her life.
The only reason she'd asked him to back off had been because *she* had been caught in the constant battle of one-upmanship between them. Spending time with them at the office had been difficult enough- but the night they had both shown up at Rikki's piano recital- Murphy with a single red rose, Remington with an arm full of the flowers- had been the last straw- and had upset Rikki as she'd finally picked up on the tension between the two men in her life.
Laura smiled at Murphy as she gave in. "Pick her up at seven-fifteen."
He gave her a grin. "Thanks."
***
Remington held the door open for his companion, and then closed it, watching the older man wander around the apartment as Remington put the single suitcase he carried down near the credenza.
"You've done very well for yourself, my boy," Daniel said.
"Thanks in no small part to your excellent tutelage, Daniel," Remington said, picking the case up again to carry it into the extra bedroom.
"Oh, I think this is a case of the pupil far surpassing the teacher, Harry," Daniel insisted as Remington returned. "But I still don't understand why you decided to settle here. You've been here for- six months now? That's almost an eternity for you."
"Hmm," Remington nodded. "I have my reasons, Daniel. I'll get us some wine. Make yourself at home."
Daniel moved around the room, studying the framed movie posters on the wall, and a very nice print of a Renoir on another until Remington returned with the promised wine. "A girl, no doubt," Daniel commented, taking his glass. When Remington frowned, he clarified, "your reason for staying."
"You- might say that," Remington said, sitting down on the sofa, putting his arms along the back. "I've never met anyone- quite like her. She's adorable."
"Adorable?" Daniel questioned. "That doesn't quite sound like your usual type, my boy."
Laughing, Remington nodded toward the photograph of Rikki that sat on the mantle over the fire. "That's her photo there." He watched as Daniel picked up the picture of Rikki that he'd taken at her birthday party in October.
"Good Lord, Harry" he said after studying the photo for several moments. "She looks like y-" he paused, as if he'd been about to say something else, and then completed his comment. "You."
"There's a good reason for that, Daniel," Remington admitted quietly, rising to take the picture and look at it. "She's my daughter. Her name's Rikki."
"Rikki?"
"Long story," he said, and put the picture back where it belonged. "And I don't think that's why you're here."
Daniel was still focused on the picture. "How old is she?" he asked.
"She's five. And as smart as a whip," he said proudly. "I don't think you really want me to get started. Laura accuses me of being one of those parents who's always bragging. Before you know it, I'll have a wallet filled with photos that I'll show to perfect strangers," he said, laughing. He found himself wondering why Daniel wasn't laughing as well. So he cleared his throat. "Now, about why you're here?"
Daniel forced his attention away from the photograph and looked at Remington. "Ah, yes. Why I'm here," he said, and stole another glance at the child before continuing. "I've decided that it's time to retire," he announced.
"Really?"
"I'm getting a bit long in the tooth to be bouncing around the continent, relieving greedy people of their ill-gotten gains. You remember the Major?"
Remington nodded. "Of course. How is he?"
"He's dead." Remington turned to look at his old friend. "To finance my retirement we ran a simple con on a fence by the name of Arthur Grawley. Successfully, I might add. Took him for two hundred thousand." Remington looked impressed. "I managed to get out- the Major wasn't so lucky." He shrugged as Remington gave him a sympathetic look. "One gets older, it's bound to happen. The problem is, that before Grawley killed him, the Major gave him my name."
"I see."
"So, I let it be known that I was heading in this direction- and had a solicitor that owned me a favor drop the name Remington Steele in Grawley's ear."
"I beg your pardon?" Remington asked, his glass halfway to his lips.
"Grawley has by now undoubtedly hired your associate- Linda, wasn't it-?"
"Laura," Remington corrected. "Laura Holt."
Daniel shrugged at the correction and finished, "- to find me- so that he can exact his pound of flesh."
"Daniel-"
"And with the assistance of your Linda-"
"Laura," Remington said again.
"He'll find me. Did you do what I asked?"
"Yes, I booked a suite in your name at the Bonaventure. Left the telephone numbers you gave me to be traced."
"Excellent. Then all you have to do now, Harry, my boy, is to make sure that Arthur Grawley never sees you as Remington Steele. I have a very special part for you to play in this-"
"Daniel, I can't do anything to jeopardize my relationship with Laura - it's tenuous enough as it is-"
"Relationship, Harry?" Daniel questioned.
Remington nodded as he took another sip of his wine. "Laura is Rikki's mother."
Daniel sat down. "A private detective, Harry?"
"Oh, she wasn't a private detective when I first met her," Remington assured him.
"Exactly where *did* you meet her? I don't recall your having mentioned her name before."
"Because I haven't. Until I came to Los Angeles six months ago, I had no idea what her name was-" he laughed a bit nervously when Daniel gave him an uncertain look. "Remember when I went to Mexico City six years ago to try and recover the Marchesa Collection?"
"Of course. You wound up spending an extra week in Acapulco until things cooled down."
Remington nodded. "Ever heard of a nightclub there called Pepe's?"
"Of course. A bit loud and raucous for my tastes, but I've been there a few times."
"I decided that I needed a bit of company- sitting in my room was driving me crazy- you how restless I get- used to, anyway," he amended as Daniel smiled.
"So you met her at Pepe's. Waitress?" he suggested.
"Not quite," Remington said. "She- um- she was there with her boyfriend, well, her fiancé, actually. He was a banker- there was a convention . . ."
Glossing over various parts of the story, Remington recounted the events that had thrown he and Laura together as Daniel listened. "I went back to London, she came back here and discovered that her fiancé had moved out of the house they were sharing."
"And -the child?" Daniel asked, his eyes once more on Rikki's photograph.
"She says she tried to find me when she found out- but once she realized that I'd been using an alias, she had no chance of success. So she continued on, had the child and kept it, thank God. Finished her training and built her career."
"Sounds like a -remarkable young woman," Daniel commented. "I'd like to meet her. Once all of this is over with, of course."
Remington sat forward. "Really? I'd like that as well."
The doorbell rang, and Remington's eyes widened. "Who is it?" he asked.
"Laura," she called back.
"No time like the present," Remington said- then paused. "But she's looking for you-"
"The Daniel Chalmers she's looking for is a few years older, white haired, and wears very thick glasses," he explained. "I'll handle it, Harry," Daniel promised, putting his wine glass onto the table at his side as the door bell rang again.
"Coming!" Remington yelled, rushing to open the door. "Ah, Laura. Come in. Come in."
"What took you to so long?" Laura asked as she entered. "And where did you disappear-" she saw Daniel standing there. "To? Who are you?"
"An old friend," Remington told her.
"Col. Reginald Frobish," Daniel said, stepping forward to take Laura's hand and bring it to his lips. "Tenth Royal Hussars, at your service. So- you're Laura. I've heard quite a bit about you," he said, ignoring Remington's attempt to silence him.
"Have you really?" Laura questioned, shooting Remington a threatening look. "Have you known- Remington long?" she asked.
"For almost twenty years, I'd say. His father and I served together." Remington frowned. That was a new one that he couldn't recall having heard before.
"Indeed? So you know his-"
Remington grabbed Laura's arm and pulled her away from Daniel quickly. "Uh, Laura, I really want to apologize for disappearing the way I did, but when Daniel called and told me that he was at the airport, well, I couldn't just leave him standing there, could I? Uh, did you have a reason for coming by?"
"We have a new client who wants to see you," she explained. "Arthur Grawley from London. He's looking for his cousin, a man by the name of Daniel Chalmers." Remington gave Daniel a knowing look over Laura's head as she spoke. "I managed to trace Chalmers down to the Bonaventure Hotel, but he wasn't in. There were some telephone numbers on a note pad in his room, though-"
"Fascinating, Laura," Remington assured her. "But I haven't seen -Reggie in ages- can't you handle this- Mr. Grawley with your usual competence?"
"He *insists* on meeting Remington Steele," she told him.
Daniel shook his head in Remington's direction, then smiled when Laura turned to look at him. "I've come quite a long way to see my old friend, Miss Holt," Daniel reminded her. "Surely you can spare him for the afternoon, at least? I've no doubt your client while be just as delighted to finally meet with Remington Steele tomorrow instead of today?"
Laura sighed. "I do have to trace down those numbers," she agreed. "All right, tomorrow morning." Remington laughed, and knew he sounded a bit nervous when Laura turned to look at him. "I'll give your regrets to Mother," she said. "And Rikki."
"Regrets? About what?" Remington asked.
"Dinner this evening. I'm sure, with Col. Frobish in town, you'd rather spend the evening with him instead of the two of us-"
"But-," Remington began, but it was Daniel who saved the day.
"I'd be delighted to have dinner with all of you," he said. "In fact, I was just about to suggest that very idea to-" Remington signaled him over the top of Laura's head again, then smiled as she noticed the movement and looked at him. "My friend here."
"I don't think that's a good idea," Laura said. "Mother-"
"I'm sure your mother will be delighted with the idea, Laura," Remington insisted, pulling her back to the door. "We'll be round to pick you up at seven, as per our original agreement, eh? Now, I'm sure you have work to do- looking for those telephone numbers and all." He stopped at the door. "Why my regrets to Rikki?" he asked.
"The puppet show in the park tomorrow?" she reminded him.
"Nonsense," Remington insisted. "I'll be there." *Somehow* he added silently.
Laura looked around at Daniel. "It was nice to meet you, Colonel," she said. "I suppose I'll see you later, then."
"I'm looking forward to it," Daniel assured her, watching as Harry escorted her to the door. When his protégé turned from the closed door, he was smiling. "Attractive," Daniel noted. "Not- quite your usual type, however."
"No," Remington agreed. "She's not. Laura's- unlike anyone I've ever known, Daniel. I don't know what I'm going to do about tomorrow. I did give my word to Rikki about taking her to that puppet show-"
"Then do so, Harry," Daniel said quietly, his gaze moving once again to the laughing little girl's picture. "Nothing that we have to do is as important as keeping your promise to your daughter."
"I suppose you're right. I mean, what chance is there that Grawley will be in the park tomorrow, eh?"
"Precisely," Daniel agreed. "What's Laura's mother like?"
"A bit overbearing," Remington said. "But I really think she means well. Now, tell me what my role in all of this is supposed to be."
"I think it's time we brought Johnny Todd out of retirement, Harry," Daniel said, and smiled when Harry winced.
***
Laura entered the house that evening and heard her daughter's laughter from the living room. The sound brought a smile to her tired face, lifting her spirits, even if the laughter was the result of Abigail Holt's presence. They were playing Chutes and Ladders, and Abigail looked up when she entered the room. "Hello, dear," she said, smiling.
"Hello, Mother," Laura replied, and grabbed Rikki up in her arms to give her a hug. "Hi there. I missed you."
"Missed you, too. See what Gramma brought me?" she asked, wiggling free to return to the game.
"I see." Laura surveyed the board. "Who's winning?"
"Me!" Rikki declared smugly. "Your move, Gramma."
"So it is. Let's see," Abigail said, turning her attention back to the game.
"How would you like to go to Fun Time Pizza tonight, Rikki?" Laura asked.
The game was forgotten. "Yes! Fun Time Pizza!"
Abigail was frowning. "I thought we were-"
"We are. But Rikki's Uncle Murphy wants to spend a little time with his favorite girl."
"Uncle Murphy?" Rikki asked. "Not Uncle Rem?"
"Mommy and Grandma are going to dinner with Uncle Rem tonight, sweet heart," Laura explained. "But it's a grown up place, and you wouldn't like it. So Uncle Murphy decided you needed some fun, too. Why don't you go tell Maria for me, okay?"
"Okay," she said, and started to run in that direction.
"No running in the house," Abigail called after her. Rikki's head long dash slowed only a little. "Really, Laura, you'd think that Murphy would find a nice girl and start a family of his own now that Remington's back in the picture."
"Murphy's a good friend, Mother," Laura reminded her. "He's been here for us-"
"Laura, I wasn't going to tell you this, but- do you want to know exactly how I knew about Remington being here? And it certainly wasn't from you calling."
"You said you saw some pictures and interviews in the paper-"
"Do you really think that I have nothing better to do than to sit around reading the Los Angeles papers in Connecticut, Laura?" Abigail asked. "When I got home from my trip, there was a message waiting for me to call Murphy."
"Murphy?"
"I got the impression from him that Remington didn't really want anything to do with Rikki."
"That's not true. Remington adores her. He spends every minute he can with her-"
"Trying to make up for not having been here most of the previous five years, I'm sure," Abigail pointed out. "But the point is that Murphy needs a family of his own."
"He'll find someone when he's ready, Mother," Laura insisted, inwardly fuming at her old friend's attempted interference in her life. "I'm going to take a shower and get ready for dinner- Oh, there'll be four of us."
"Really?"
"An old friend of Remington's dropped in out of the blue apparently. Reginald- Frobish. Some kind of Colonel in the Tenth Royal Hussars, I think he said."
The dreamy look was back on Abigail's face as Laura turned around. "How romantic."
Laura sighed and went to her bedroom to get undressed. It was going to be a long evening…
To Be Continued---