Steele Vengeance

Part Five

"St. Clair MEANT to do exactly what he did, Antony," Steele told the other man as they exited the elevator. "He wanted to warn me again that he can get to me anytime he wants to. Only this time, he used a gun and your arm to do it."
Tony frowned. "You really think he only meant to nick me?"
"He's a killer, Antony," Steele said seriously. "He doesn't make mistakes." He pushed open the glass doors to the office, surprising Jessica as she came from the main office.
Seeing the sling on Tony's arm, she gasped and came forward, keeping her voice low. "Tony," she said, startling him. Jessica NEVER called him "Tony". "What happened to you? Are you all right?" she asked.
"It's nothing," Tony said, shrugging. "Just a scratch-"
"You're certain? Are you all right, Remington?"
"Yes. Where is Laura?"
"Doing some paperwork in your office. I came down so Mildred could go home- over protest, I might add. She left you a note on your desk. Estelle Becker called, and wants to set up an appointment with you and Laura."
"I'll call her tomorrow," Steele said.
Jessica held up the empty coffee mug. "Laura sent me for a cup of coffee-"
"Why don't you take Antony to the loft and give him a hot meal?" Steele suggested, too tired to be amazed at his suggestion. "I'll look after Laura."
"Shall I call Katherine?" Jessica asked.
"Please. I'll try to call her later, too. She doesn't know about-"
"No. But she's certain that you're in danger."
"What about St. Clair?" Tony asked Steele.
"He'll have gone back to ground. No sense in trying to find him tonight. We'll regroup tomorrow."
"Yeah. Maybe Hansen will be ready to forget that we were out there today."
"Lt. Hansen?"
Steele put a hand on Jessica's shoulder. "Antony will explain everything," Steele assured his sister as the other man drew her out of the office. Locking the doors, Steele went into the office. Laura was reading a paper and didn't look up.
"Did you have to brew a fresh pot?" she asked.
"I read somewhere that coffee wasn't recommended for expectant mothers," he said softly.
Her head came up, her eyes searching his face. "Are you all right?"
"Just tired," he told her, coming around to read the paper in her hand over her shoulder. "Is that the Ford account?"
"Yes. Where's Jessica?"
"I sent her home with Antony. Speaking of home, Mrs. Steele-"
"But what about the stake out? Who's watching the hotel?"
"The police, probably," he told her, rubbing her shoulders. "Lt. Hansen discovered St. Clair's location and set up a raid."
Laura heard the result in his voice. "He got away, didn't he?"
"Yes. But he left me a calling card. While I was in the hotel, he took a shot at Antony."
"Tony was hit?" she asked, starting to get up.
Remington kept his hands on her shoulders. "He's fine, Laura. Just a flesh wound. St. Clair just wanted to let me know that he'd not going to leave until it's settled between he and I."
Laura deliberately closed the folder and turned out the light on the desk. "I'll finish this tomorrow. Let's go home, Mr. Steele."
"An excellent idea, Mrs. Steele."

 

Remington started to put his key in the lock, but something stopped him, and he signaled to Laura to stay back as he examined the frame. "What's wrong?" Laura asked.     

"Perhaps nothing. But it appears that someone's been tampering with the door."
Laura shivered. "St. Clair?"
"Possibly." He looked at her. "Stay here. I'm going up to the roof and down the fire escape to the window. I'll let you in when I get inside.  I won't be a minute."
"Be careful," she said as he entered the stairway. She crossed her arms, trying to fight off the sudden chill, and when the elevator doors opened, she turned, eyes full of fear. She relaxed as she saw Albert Hansen. "Lieutenant. I'm glad you're-"
He staggered, reaching out a hand. "Mrs.- Steele-" He fell forward, towards her, and Laura knelt beside him. Suddenly she realized that the elevator doors hadn't closed, but before she could react, she heard another voice.
"Good evenin' t'you, Mrs. Steele."
The sound of that Irish brogue chilled Laura even further. "St Clair."
"I wouldn't turn around, lass. Stand up." She did, and felt the cold steel of a knife blade against her arm. "Don't make any sudden moves, now, and you won't be hurt. Shall we be goin'?"
"I'm not going anywhere with you," Laura said with more bravado than she felt.
"As you wish. We'll just wait here for your husband t'open that door. I'll kill him then."
"One knife for both of us, St. Clair? Because if you kill him, you'll have to kill me too."
"Surely the lad's told you what happened t' his friend earlier? Would you prefer I use that, lass? It's admittedly messier, but I won't hesitate to do so if I have to. Let's go." He pulled on her arm, dragging her toward the elevator. . .

 

Steele entered the apartment through the bedroom window- lucky he hadn't lost his touch at jimmying locks, he thought, and quickly inspected the rest of the rooms for intruders. Satisfied, he examined the door, relieved that there was no explosive device after all, then unlocked the door. "False alarm, Laura - Laura?" There was no sign of her, but Albert Hansen was on the floor, a dark stain on his trench coat. "Hansen." Pushing aside his concern for Laura for the moment- perhaps she had simply gone to get help for Hansen- he knelt and pressed his fingers to the man's neck. There was a weak pulse. Returning to the apartment, he called for an ambulance, informing them of the victim's identity. He then went to retrieve a blanket with which to cover Hansen. While he was in the hall, the telephone rang, and Steele rushed to pick it up. "Laura?"
"The lass is safe- for the moment, lad. I'll be in touch. And- don't go do something foolish like involving the police, or the next time you see her, she won't be nearly so pretty."
"Let her go, St. Clair," Steele said, knowing he was begging, but not caring. "This is between the two of us. If you harm Laura-"
"Well now, that will depend on you, lad." The line went dead. Steele replaced the receiver, surprised to find that his hand was rock steady. Picking it up again, he dialed a number. "Jessica, is Antony still there?"
"Remington? What's wrong?"
"I need to talk to him, Jessica."
Tony came on the line. "What's up, Steele?"
"Are you feeling well enough to come over here?"
"I've had worse cuts shaving," he said.
"As soon as possible, Antony."
Tony sensed that something was terribly wrong. "I'll be right there."
Steele returned to Hansen as the elevator doors opened and deposited two paramedics and another man. The third man showed Steele his badge. "Lt. Barnes, Mr. Steele. What happened?"
"I don't know," Steele said. "I was in my apartment when I heard a noise. I came out and found him like this."
Barnes' lips thinned. "I told him not to take off on his own." He turned to the paramedics. "How is he?"
"He's lost a lot of blood, Lieutenant. He's in shock-"
"He's regaining consciousness, Hal," the other man said.
Steele and Barnes bent over the gurney. "Al?" Barnes asked, "Can you hear me?"
Pain clouded eyes found Steele. "St-Clair. After- Mrs. Steele-" He lifted a hand grasping Steele's arm, his eyes full of concern.
"Don't try to talk," Steele cautioned. "Save your strength."
Barnes agreed. "Get him to the hospital," he told the other two. "I'll be right behind you." He watched as the elevator doors closed. "Is your wife here, Mr. Steele?"
"No, she's not. She's spending the evening with my sister and aunt." The elevator opened again, and Tony burst into the hallway. "What's going on, Steele?" he demanded to know. Seeing Al Hansen on that stretcher had set off every alarm in Tony's head.
"Antony. This is Lt. Barnes. Lt. Hansen's associate. St. Clair came here looking for Laura, and apparently Lt. Hansen got in his way." He forced a smile in Tony's direction. "Lucky for us that Laura is with Jessica and Katherine, isn't it?" he asked pointedly.
"With-sure," Tony agreed, confused. "Have you told her about this yet?"
"No. I'll call her later," Steele said. "Will that be all, Lt. Barnes?"
The police detective looked from one man to the other. "Not at the moment. But I'll be in touch."
"I hope Lt. Hansen recovers," he said, leading Tony into the apartment.
Once inside, Tony turned to him. "Laura's not with Jess, Steele."
"St. Clair has her," Steele told him, sitting down on the sofa.
"What? Why didn't you tell that to the police? And how do you know he's got her?"
"He called. He said that if there's any police involvement, he'll kill her."
"How did he get her?"
Steele recounted the events of the evening, moving to the windows that overlooked the street. "Lt. Barnes didn't waste any time, I see," he commented. "There's an unmarked police car watching the building."

 

Albert Hansen shook his head, grimacing at the slight pain that the medication hadn't eased. He had insisted on talking to his partner before they took him into surgery. "I don't care WHAT Steele told you, Del. Laura Steele was in that hall when I stumbled out of the elevator. There's no way she could have escaped St. Clair."
"I'd better have a little chat with Mr. Steele, then-"
Hansen frowned. "You'll just get his wife killed."
"Well, I'm not going to stand by and do nothing, Al," Del Barnes insisted.
"Keep an eye on him. He'll ask for help. I just hope he doesn't wait until it's too late."
"I've already taken care of that, Al," Del assured him as the nurse entered the room to take him to surgery.

 

To be Continued----

 

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