Remington glanced at his watch as he entered the apartment. After showing Grawley the "set-up" by which Johnny Todd intended to get back at his employer, he had just enough time to shower, change clothes and get to Laura's to pick up Rikki. He froze in his tracks when he saw Laura sitting in a chair across the room, watching him. Something about her expression didn't bode well, he thought.
"Laura," he said, removing his leather jacket and running a hand through his greased hair. "What a surprise."
"Where were you this morning?" she asked.
"This morning?"
"We were supposed to meet with our client, remember? At ten?"
"Oh, I'm sorry, Laura. It completely slipped my mind."
"What were you doing?" she asked, indicating his attire. "Trying out for a remake of "West Side Story"? A little old to play Tony, don't you think?"
"Doing a bit of research," he explained. "Back ground on Grawley, as a matter of fact. Did you know that he-"
"We don't investigate our *clients*, Remington," she pointed out. "And *you* aren't supposed to be investigating *anyone*."
"Then I'll stop," he assured her, heading for the bedroom. "Right now, however, I have to change clothes or I'll be late picking Rikki up for the puppet show-" He was in the doorway when she spoke again, and braced himself against the frame at her words.
"Fine. After you bring her home, you and I can go and tell Mr. Grawley that I've found Daniel Chalmers." He turned slowly to look at her as she picked up the wig and eye glasses from nearby. "He's masquerading as a Colonel in the Royal Hussars."
"Laura-" Remington began, trying to choose his words carefully, "I know it's been an uphill struggle for me to earn your trust- and on the face of this, I wouldn't blame you for losing whatever trust I've managed to earn in these last few months - but there is a reason-"
"I'm listening," she told him coolly.
"Grawley's a fence. Daniel took him for two hundred thousand pounds. A close friend of Daniel's lost his life. Now, Grawley is using you to lead him to Daniel."
"I don't think Grawley is the only one who's using me," Laura pointed out.
"Daniel got you involved without telling me, Laura, I assure you."
"And what does he have in mind for my mother?" Laura wanted to know. "Sending her roses, making her giggle like a school girl?"
"Perhaps- perhaps it's as simple as he likes her," Remington suggested, taking a step nearer to her as he saw her look of patent disbelief. "Laura, just because a man makes his living on that side of the street doesn't mean that he isn't capable of caring very deeply, very passionately about someone- and he might even attempt to change. To cross over to the other side of the street." He took a deep breath, knowing that he wasn't referring to only Daniel with that statement. "Laura, I'm just trying to keep an old friend alive until he can retire. Will you help me?" he asked softly.
"I need to speak to - Daniel first. And I need to know more about what you're both up to."
"Fine. Just let me change for our outing, and I'll explain while Rikki is enthralled by the puppets."
"Our outing?" Laura asked, following him into the bedroom as he pulled the tee-shirt over his head.
"Is there something else you'd rather do?" he asked, slipping the boots from his feet with a sigh of relief.
"What is *with* that get up?" Laura asked.
Remington grinned. "To find out, you'll have to come with Rikki and me," he said, dropping a light kiss on her lips as he moved toward the bath. In the doorway, he said, "Unless you'd like to join me in a shower?" he suggested, releasing the button on his jeans and starting to lower the zipper.
He saw her gaze drop, then her face turned red. "I'll just- wait in the other room," she told him.
"Coward!" he called after her, laughing as he closed the bathroom door.
***
Daniel opened the door to Remington's apartment that evening, little expecting to find Laura Holt standing there. "Linda," he said, smiling. "What a surprise."
"Reggie-" Laura smiled tightly as her mother came around the corner.
"Hello, Mother."
"What are you doing here?" Abigail asked.
"I needed to speak to Remington about something," Laura lied.
"He's not here," Abigail said quickly as Laura started to remove her coat. "So there's no reason for you to stay."
Laura looked at Daniel, who gently turned Abigail back toward the kitchen as Laura finished taking off her coat. "I need to have a word with your daughter, my dear- if you don't mind-"
"Well, I suppose it *would* be a good idea for the two of you to get to know each other," Abigail decided, smiling at him. "I'll go- baste the rabbit," she told them.
Once she had disappeared into the kitchen, Daniel said, "Pity to waste the music, don't you think?"
Laura shook her head, ignoring the music that played softly from the stereo system. "I think I've been danced around enough." But as she went to move past him, she found herself held lightly in his arms as he drew her into a waltz. "I'm aware of what's going on, Mr. Chalmers."
"I see. And are you going to help- or hinder the effort?" he wanted to know.
"It depends. First, I want to know everything you know about the man I call Remington Steele."
"And who you first met as Richard Blaine six years ago," he told her, smiling grimly at her reaction. "Harry told me about it."
"His name's Harry?" Laura asked, her eyes wide.
"It's what I took to calling him in self defense," Daniel admitted. "When I found him, he was barely fourteen, as best he knew. Bitter, angry, uneducated. And he had a hatful of names. I doubt he knows to this day which is his real one. He'd grown up surrounded by violence and who knows what else. He was living on the streets, hustling for quid when he tried to pick my pocket. I saw the potential in the lad right away."
"So you took him in."
Daniel smiled as he spoke. "Perhaps as the son I never had," he told her.
"And like any good father, you taught him the family business. How to be a charming con man- a thief."
"But he was so good at it, my dear. I don't think I'd ever seen anyone take to the life quite as well as he did. The years were good to us- and after awhile, he became restless and moved on. We met from time to time, and I was always amazed at how much élan he had acquired during his travels. Somewhere during that time, he met you in Acapulco."
"I'm not here to discuss that, Mr. Chalmers," she told him as the music ended.
"But it's the reason Harry's still here, isn't it?" he said. "Because of his daughter? If she *is* his daughter," he suggested softly, watching for her reaction to his words.
"How dare you," she said, and moved away from him to pick up the photograph of Rikki. "It's there. The eyes, the hair. The smile. He's her father."
"I'm not denying that he could be," Daniel said. "Considering Harry's background, I know that he'll never return to the life as long as he believes that little girl is his."
"Are you suggesting that I like to him? Tell him that she isn't his daughter?" Laura said.
It was tempting. Oh, so tempting to have Harry back with him in a last hurrah, as it were. But Daniel couldn't do it. "No. Of course not. Forgive me, my dear. I'm a selfish old man who's had things his own way for far too long." Those blue eyes that gazed up at him caused his hand to shake slightly as he took the photo. "She's Harry's daughter, well enough. I'm convinced of that." He smiled at her, returning the photograph to the mantle. "Now, are you going to help or not?"
"On one condition," Laura told him. "That you end it with my mother. Tonight."
"But she's such an utterly delightful woman-"
"I don't care. One charming con-man entangled with this family is one too many. Two would be a disaster. End it. Gently." She picked up her coat. "Do we have a deal?"
Daniel took her hand. "I'll do my best," he assured her as she opened the door. "Where are you going?"
"I'm meeting Remington for dinner at home."
"Congratulations," he told her, and smiled at her confusion. "You've done something no other woman has managed to do. Domesticate him. I can almost see the apron strings from here," he told her, and laughed softly when she slammed the door as she left.
Abigail came out of the kitchen again. "Did Laura leave?" she asked.
"Yes," he said, leading her into a dance as the music began to play again. "Abigail, we have to talk."
"Yes, Reggie?" she asked, starry eyed.
"About that. I'm afraid that I haven't been- entirely honest with you, my dear-"
***
Remington and Rikki were playing her new favorite game when Laura entered the house. Remington looked up at her, trying to read her expression. Rikki sighed as he beat her, frowning at the board as if trying to figure out where she'd gone wrong.
"Hello there," Laura said, trying to get her daughter's attention.
"Hi, Mommy," Rikki said, going to give her a kiss as she sat down. "Uncle Rem won."
"So I see." She caught Remington's wink over their daughter's head. "Why don't you go see if Maria has dinner ready? And then go wash up."
"Okay," Rikki agreed, and ran toward the kitchen.
"Rikki," Remington said, and her headlong rush slowed to a slightly more sedate pace. He stretched out his legs as he levered himself from the floor onto the sofa beside Laura. "What happened?"
"Nothing, really. I'm in on the con, though. I'll call Murphy later and get him into the loop."
Remington nodded, trying to figure out what her wary expression meant. "What else is there?" he asked.
Laura busied herself with putting Rikki's game back into its box. "Nothing," she said.
She'd said it too quickly. He was already learning that that meant exactly the opposite. So he moved to help her with the game, and in the process managed to take her hand in his. "Laura, what's wrong?" he asked softly. "Did Daniel say something to upset you?"
"He- implied that the- only reason you're still here is because- because of Rikki," she finally said.
"What?"
"That if it wasn't for her, you wouldn't have stayed-"
Remington took the box out of her hands and placed it on the table before putting his hands on her upper arms. "He's wrong, Laura," he said, and then lifted her chin so that she would look at him. "And do you want to know why?" She just sat there, looking at him. "Because I've been haunted by the memory of Ilsa for six years. I have to find out if she's still in there, somewhere."
"And if she's not?"
"Then I want to get to know the lovely woman she grew up to become," he said, pulling her close for a kiss as Rikki's voice rang out upon her return to the room.
"Maria says that dinner's-" she stopped as Laura tried to pull away from Remington's hold- and he refused to allow it. "Ready," she finished.
"We'll be right there, poppet," Remington said, giving her a reassuring wink. "Did you wash your hands?"
"I forgot," she said, and was gone again.
When Laura would have tried again to draw away from him, Remington shook his head. "She has to get used to seeing us together sometime, Laura. Listen, I know that my little- prevarication regarding Daniel has damaged your trust in me- but I want you to know that when it comes Rikki and you on a personal level- well, I'm just trying to say-"
Laura finally smiled. "You know, Rikki's the only think that I *do* trust you with," she told him, giving him half a loaf, he supposed. She hadn't said she trusted him not to hurt *her* . "Anyone can see how much she means to you. I don't think you'd do anything to hurt her." Her smiled altered slightly. "Except for spoiling her rotten, that is."
"Well-"
"That's okay, too," she said. "I mean, Daniel told me a little about your childhood."
"He did?" Remington asked. Now it was his turn to be wary- and to remind himself to have a little chat with his old friend.
Laura nodded. "I guess when a person doesn't have anyone to spoil him as a child, he tends to go a little overboard with his own kids."
"Uh, what- exactly did Daniel tell you?" he asked.
"It doesn't really matter- did you really try to pick his pocket the first time you met?"
Remington smiled at the memory. "I *did* pick his pocket. He just doesn't like to admit it. Hates to think that a still wet behind the ears kid managed to take him."
"Just don't go teaching that little trick to your daughter, okay?" she asked, leaning forward to give him another kiss- only to be interrupted again by the child's entrance.
"They're clean," she announced, then stood there, head tilted to one side, watching them, her little hands still spread out before her for inspection.
Laura and Remington both started laughing at the second interruption as Laura turned to look at Rikki's hands. "Let me see here." She made a great show of examining the pair of hands, top and bottom. "They pass."
Remington scooped the child into his arms and gave her kiss. "Let's go have dinner, eh?"
***
The next morning, Remington, as Johnny Todd, was standing beside his "boss" when Arthur Grawley appeared in the doorway to the salon of the luxury yacht they were using as the betting parlour. Daniel nodded in his direction. "Welcome aboard."
"Thought I'd check the place out," Grawley told him, "Seein' as how I'm stuck in this town for another day or so til my business is completed. You don't mind, do you?"
"Be my guest," Daniel said, then looked at Remington. "Check him out."
Grawley submitted to a quick search, then moved around the room, watching the monitors above the betting cages, all of which showed races in several different places, then switched to results. Remington sidled up to him near the bar. "You bring the money?" he asked, keeping one eye on Daniel as if worried he might see his "employee" talking to Grawley.
"It's right here," Grawley assured him, patting his pocket.
"The horse you're bettin on is called Purple Haze in the second," Remington informed him, stuffing a stick of gum into his mouth. "Real nag. Odds are twenty-five to one."
"You're sure he'll come through?"
"Guarantee it."
As Grawley turned toward the cages, the doors burst open and Laura stood there, a sneer of disgust on her face. Daniel rose to greet her. "May I help you, Miss-?" he asked as Remington joined him.
"Holt. I'm looking for someone."
"Are you with the police?"
"Private," she answered shortly. "But I can tell the cops about this place and have you shut down like-" she snapped her fingers in his face, "that unless you let me look around."
"Be my guest," Daniel said. "Who are you looking for?"
"Fella by the name of Chalmers," Laura told him. "Older than you, gray hair- wears thick glasses. I was told he might be here." Daniel indicated that she could look for her quarry.
Grawley ducked behind a partition, scanning the room. Remington joined him. "Did you place the bet?"
"There's someone here that I don't want to see me until I'm ready for him to," Grawley informed Remington.
Remington frowned in disappointment as the screen above the cages announced that the betting window was closed for the second race.
Suddenly the doors opened again, and Abigail came into the room. Daniel rose as she stalked over to his table. Remington narrowly managed to keep Laura from spoiling things by rushing to divert her toward the far side of the room, behind another partition, as Abigail yelled at Daniel. "There you are!"
"Abigail, my dear," Daniel began, but she obviously didn't want to listen.
"My dear? You send me a note saying it's over? Not even a phone call?"
From across the room, Laura watched. "I have to stop her before she ruins everything," she hissed.
"You can't go out there," Remington reminded her. "Grawley figures out you're related, he'll smell something rotten."
"Then you stop her!"
"And have her recognize me as Remington Steele?" he replied as Laura examined the gold chains that lay against his dress shirt.
"Nice look," Laura said with a frown, dropping the heavy chain against his chest.
"Let Daniel handle it, okay?"
"To everything there is a season," Daniel was telling the distraught woman. "And I'm afraid- yours has passed. I'm truly sorry."
"You won't get away with this!" she insisted, as Daniel nodded to the two security guards that had followed her into the room. They each grabbed an arm and pulled her back toward the door, struggling as she tried to free herself. "You didn't even get my name right!" she yelled as they pulled her away. "It's Abigail with an 'i'!"
Remington went back to where Grawley was still hiding. "You missed the bet," he said with a disappointed frown.
"There'll be another chance later, Johnny," Grawley assured him, still looking around the room for Chalmers.
Laura approached Daniel as he stood looking at the now closed doors. "What happened?" Laura asked. "I thought I told you to let her down easily?"
"Apparently your mother doesn't take rejection well," he commented. "I just hope she doesn't go off the deep end and do something foolish."
***
Laura tried to call her mother's hotel room upon her return to the office, but there was no answer. All the hotel would say was that yes, Mrs. Holt was still registered, but no, she wasn't in her room at the moment. And Maria hadn't heard from her, either. Murphy came from the bathroom as she hung up. "Think I'll do?" he asked, drawing her attention.
"Fine," Laura said, not looking at him, worry about her mother distracting her attention from matters at hand. "Where could she be?" she wondered.
"Who?"
"My mother," Laura told him, then glanced at him and laughed. "Oh, Murphy."
He had slicked back his blonde hair, taming the waves that gave him his boyish appearance. It had the effect of hardening his handsome features, making him look older. Instead of his usual jeans or chinos, he was wearing dress slacks and a white shirt- with suspenders. "Remington Steele?" he asked.
"Perfect," she nodded, picking up the telephone to dial Grawley's hotel number.
"What's with your mother?"
"She didn't take Daniel Chalmers' ending their budding relationship very well," Laura explained. "Now I can't find her anywhere." Grawley answered the other end. "Mr. Grawley? Laura Holt . . . Good news, sir. Mr. Steele wants me to inform you that we've found your cousin . . . Yes, Mr. Steele would like you to be here in the office in half an hour so that he can bring you up to date in person . . . We'll see you then." She hung up, wrinkling her nose at the phone. "Chauvinistic cretin."
"He on his way?"
"Said it was about time a real detective got on the case."
Murphy laughed and sat down in Remington's chair, putting his feet on the desk. "You know, I could get used to this. I don't know why we didn't think of this before now. I could've been Remington Steele," he told her, he blue eyes on her face.
Laura moved away from the desk, and Murphy sighed. *Yeah right, and pigs have wings* he thought as she brought the wig and glasses over to him.
***
"Johnny" was just getting off of the elevator as Grawley was getting on- his suitcase in hand. "Hey, where're you going?" Remington asked.
"The man I've been looking for has just turned up. I have to pay him my respects."
"What about our deal?" Remington asked in the frustrated tone of a man who sees his one chance slipping away from his grasp. "My shot to get back at Tucker?"
"Put a bullet between his eyes," Grawley suggested as the lift doors closed on his smirking face.
***
Remington returned to the yacht, only to discover that Daniel was out of pocket. Expecting Grawley's phone call, he sat down at the bar and picked up a deck of cards that was laying nearby. After a quick shuffle, he laid them out to play Solitaire. As he was losing the fourth game, he pulled a card from lower in the discard pile out to play it.
"That's a danger signal," Daniel noted in an amused voice from over his shoulder. Remington looked at him. "Cheating at Solitaire. You're sure I can't lure you back to Europe, Harry?"
"No. This is where I belong, Daniel. I thought we settled this last night, mate."
"We did. But you don't have to stay here to be her father. You could keep in touch with the child," Daniel pointed out. "Phone calls, gifts. The occasional visit- after all, it's more than she's used to having from Remington Steele over the last few years."
Remington shook his head, but before he could answer, the telephone rang. "Hello?" He smiled. "Good . . . Okay . . . Just tell him not to get too used to my chair, okay? . . .The next part's the tricky one . . . I'm sure you will . . . Bye." He hung up. "Grawley bought it," he told Daniel as the phone rang again, and he picked it up once more. "Hello?"
This time, it was Grawley. "Johnny?"
"Yeah. I thought you blew town?"
"Plans changed. I need a real long shot, Johnny. I'll be there at four."
"I'll have something," Remington assured him, and hung up. "We're on," he told Daniel. "Look, Daniel, things could get a bit rushed later- I just want to say- thanks."
"Ah, Harry," Daniel sighed, and embraced the younger man. He pulled away and reached behind the bar to pull out a revolver.
Remington frowned. "Is that really necessary?" he wanted to know.
"I'm afraid so," Daniel told him, his expression grim as he loaded the weapon.
To Be Continued---