Steele Sweet on You - Postscript
By
Gilmoradict
 
A season two story - have no rights to the characters, just want the stories to continue…
 
 
"Remington? Donald Piper here!"
 
Steele smiled warmly at hearing Laura's brother in law on the phone.
 
"Ah, Donald! How are you?" Steele replied cheerfully. The two men had enjoyed spending a few days together when Frances had followed Donald to LA for the convention where he had delivered a key note address.
 
"Terrific, Remington, just terrific. Frances and I really enjoyed our visit to Los Angeles ," Donald assured Steele, "And it was such a pleasure to finally meet the great Remington Steele."
 
"Well, I don't know about that Donald - at least the 'great' part. The myth about Remington Steele is mainly just that - more hype than reality." Steele countered modestly. "The Holt women are truly the women behind the men, wouldn't you agree Donald?"
"I'm with you there! I don't know what I'd do without Frannie, the way she manages our life together - the kids, the house, well, you know." Donald's voice grew thick with emotion.
 
"More your area than mine, I'm afraid, but you and Frances certainly seem to have something special," Steele agreed, feeling somehow oddly envious of something he had never contemplated wanting himself.
 
"And Laura!" Donald collected himself and charged on, "She's something really special. Brightest girl in her class! Full scholarship to Stanford. Frances was always going on about her baby sister! A little envious I think of everything Laura accomplished."
 
Steele had no difficulty appreciating Donald's enthusiastic description of Laura, a smile spreading across his face as he answered Piper. "Quite the whiz our Miss Holt, eh? I'm certainly glad she's part of my team. All that brain power and so beautifully packaged."
 
"Well, yes! You couldn't miss that, could you!?" Donald ventured tentatively on. "Remington - about Laura. I have a little problem I'd rather Laura wasn't brought in on."
 
"Oh? You mean a different problem than having your partner and hygienist involved in an extra marital affair, a patient kill them and attempt to kill you to somehow stop the carefully crafted amalgamate impression of his teeth from revealing him to be a murderer and thief?" Steele said, unable to resist a little Grouch Marx impression. complete with imaginary cigar motions, as he tackled this recitation.
 
"When you put it like that, this is more like a situation," Donald said. "Listen. When Frances came out to find me she was concerned I was having an affair."
 
"Yes, how relieved she and Laura both were to find that not to be the case." Remington interjected dryly.
 
"Well, Frances was determined to save our marriage. To pull out all the stops in her effort to win me back from Cookie's arms." Donald cleared his throat. "She brought with her some particularly attractive lingerie."
 
"An admirable woman." Steele felt distinctly uncomfortable with this information in direct proportion to Donald's clear discomfort in relaying it.
 
"And a book."
 
Silence followed. It was who Steele finally broke the silence. "A book?"
 
"A book. A book which described various positions in which one might....Ah..." words failed Donald altogether at this point.
 
"AAHHH," Steele said, understanding dawning. "And did this material work well for the two of you?
 
"Very well, thank you," Donald assured Steele. "However, in the flurry of packing we seem to have left this book in Laura's loft."
 
"Laura's loft?" Steele was beginning to understand Donald's stress.
 
"Remington - Frances knows Laura is a grown woman, not without her own experiences, but there are some things Frances just isn't comfortable discussing with her."
 
At the thought of Laura's 'own experiences' Steele sobered. "Of course. Those are intensely personal experiences."
 
"Exactly. I knew you'd understand. Steele, would you consider entering Laura's loft, in your capacity as detective, to find this book before Laura does? Frances and I would be more than willing to pay you your usual fee for your time and trouble" Donald's words tumbled out faster and faster toward the end of this request.
 
"Donald, believe me, I would happily do anything for a member of Laura's family - at no cost - but really, you don't think we are in the habit of breaking and entering as part of our normal operations?"
 
"Steele, I'm a desperate man," Piper begged with a hint of panic in his voice. "Frances is beside herself. There's no reasoning with her. Please, help."
 
Steele wrestled briefly with a request to enter Laura's bedroom, a place where he had often contemplated spending time, engaged in romantic pursuits. "Donald, you and Frances left LA almost three days ago. Surely you realize that had there been anything out of place in her loft the intrepid detective Laura found it within hours of your departure.."
 
Donald sighed. "I suppose you're right Remington. Oh well. A little embarrassment. Perhaps I can take Frances out to dinner tonight and smooth things over with a glass or two of wine."
"That's the ticket, Donald. You'll see. When Frances next calls she and Laura will laugh about the whole thing."
 
"I hope you're right." Donald cleared his throat. "O.K.. There's one more thing Steele."
 
"What's that, Donald?"
 
There was a pause before Piper continued. "You've met Abigail Holt, haven't you?"
 
"Indeed I have. Lovely woman. Self assured, cares deeply about her daughters," Steele said, feeling the need to be politic about someone he knew best as a source of anxiety for Laura.
 
"Yes. And from what I can tell by years of observation, while Frances lives up to all of Abigail's expectations, Laura must be more like the girls' father; a little less bound by convention."
 
"Do you actually know Laura's father?" Steele asked, curious about the man who loved circuses.
 
"Met him once or twice - he already had one foot out the door by that time. Don't really have much of an impression of him. Frannie was always her mother's daughter. But Laura....it's almost as if she tries to do exactly the opposite of what Abigail wants her to."
 
"Daddy's girl. Rather figured that." Steele waited for Donald to go on.
 
"LIsten, Laura works for you. She's the greatest - you know that already. Frances just worries about her. If she takes more risks than you're comfortable with, plays by her own rules..." Donald sounded a little sheepish at delivering this message. "Frances just hopes you'll cut her a little slack."
 
"Donald, I value Laura for that very independence. Believe me. Frances needn't worry." A smile twitched about the edges of Steele's lips at the thought of HIM forgiving Laura for being adventurous. Why, were it not for Laura's risk taking, there would be no Remington Steele!
 
"Thanks, Remington! Oh, and I'd really appreciate your NOT mentioning anything about our concerns to Laura," Piper cautioned Steele. "I guarantee she wouldn't want either Frances or me trying to shelter her - not that she in any way needs us to, but..."
 
"You care. She's fortunate to have a brother in law like you Donald, as well as a sister who worries. Put your minds at ease." At the sound of Laura's quick rap on the connecting office door, Steele stood and faced that door. "Believe me, I owe more to Laura for all she's done for me than I can ever possibly repay."
 
Laura opened the door and leaned in, as Piper finished his conversation with Steele. "Remington, once again, it was great to meet you. Hope we'll see you again soon. Why don't you come out this way for a visit some time?"
 
"Love to. It was a pleasure meeting you too. Bye now." Steele returned the phone to its cradle as Laura approached, file in hand.
 
"Who was that?" she asked, a quizzical expression on her face.
 
"That was... Donald actually. Just calling to thank Remington Steele for his assistance. Invited me to come visit in Connecticut," Steele challenged, pulling Laura as close as was possible with the file held between them in her hands.
 
"Really! My sister's Donald? Just when do you propose making that trip, Mr. Steele?" Laura asked, her concern at the implications of Steele spending any more time visiting with her family evident in the pucker of her brow.
 
"Only when the time is right, Miss Holt," Steele assured, taking the file from Laura's hands and setting it on his spotlessly clear desk. Steele tipped Laura's face up with the gentle stroke of his hand under her jaw, leaning in to lightly kiss her parted lips before asking "Read any good books lately?"
 
The End
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