Steele With A Twist

Part 14

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Steele and Laura entered the Hopewood Gallery through a rooftop ventilator shaft. Laura followed Steele through the small shaft in silence, waiting when he stopped to open a grill that led into the main gallery. He used a small harpoon gun to shoot a line across to the opposite grill. The line was high enough not to be easily seen by any passing guards. She watched as he slid across to a raised platform that supported a large statue that would shield them from the entrance. He turned to signal Laura to follow him, catching her to lower her beside him. Kneeling on the platform, he opened the bag she was carrying and began to pull out the round, fur covered motorized creatures, then handed her a key to begin winding them up. He placed them on the floor where they would go through the entrance, then signaled for her to continue while he found his way to the alcove where the painting was on display.

A sleepy eyed security guard shook his head and looked up as the door opened. "Took you long enough, Hank. Thought you would never get here."
"Anything happening?"
"Nah. Quiet as a grave. Sorry. Guess that wasn't too funny, what with Mr. Morrison and all." He picked up his thermos and lunch box as Hank sat down before the monitors.
"What the-"
Harvey returned to look at the screens. "What- What's going on?"
"I don't know," the younger man said, reaching for the panic button.
Harvey grabbed his hand. "Uh-uh. Not until we know what's going on. Turn off the alarm and we'll go check it out first."
"Still think we need to call the cops."
"I've been in this business longer than you have, Hank. You don't call the cops until you KNOW something's going down." He hit the button to disable the gallery alarm and led his partner through the door. They found the hallway filled with little furry creatures. Hank picked one up.
"Where'd they come from, Harvey?"
"In the main gallery, looks like. Cover me, okay?"
"Sure."

Laura heard them coming and dropped the last creature back into her knapsack, pressing herself against the statue. Okay. The alarm was turned off. Now it was up to Mr. Steele.

"What do we do, Harvey?" Hank asked.
"Pick 'em up and get rid of them," he said, putting word into action.
"But, Harvey-"
"There's no one here, Hank. Everything's just like it was the last time I made my rounds. No one's gotten into this building. If I called the cops they'd laugh me out of a job." He stuffed a couple of them into Hank's hands. "Now start picking them up."

Steele looked for a moment at the canvas, making sure that there was no alarm on the wall behind it. "Cover up, ladies, might catch a chill." He smiled, and easily cut the painting from the frame. He normally disliked doing such a thing- but this time it would be impossible to complete his plan if he kept the frame as well. Rolling the canvas up, he put it inside the fabric sleeve he had brought, then began his transformation, hoping Laura was ready to start the next part of the plan.

Laura peeked from behind the statue carefully, aware that the alarm might sound at any moment - as soon as Laurel and Hardy remembered that they had shut it off - or saw her on the monitor. She saw Steele moving cautiously toward a rear entry. When he was at the door, she lowered the black ski mask over her face and stepped from behind the statue and moved in that direction.

Hank tossed the creatures into a trash bin, then turned to look at the monitor. "Harvey! There's someone in there!"
"Turn the alarm back on!" Harvey ordered. "Damn! Let's go!" he said, as the building filled with the sound of ringing bells.

Laura made a break for the back door, only to stop as she found herself held by one of the guards. "Harvey?"
"Police ought to be here any minute," he told his partner. "I'm goint to silence the alarm. Bring her along."
Laura struggled to free herself, but the younger man was too strong for her. As they moved through the entry toward the security office, there was a tapping on the glass door. Harvey ducked back into the security room to turn off the alarm, then went to the doors. A young police officer stood there, his hat pulled low over his face. "Got a call about the alarm," he said. "This the thief?"
"Yeah," Hank told him. "Little scrapper. Kicked my shins real good."
"I'll take her on ahead," the officer said. "Sargent'll be right along to ask you two questions."
Hank gratefully handed the thief over to the policeman. "Hope you got strong shins, buddy."
Laura gave the officer a swift kick, causing him to grunt in pain. He pulled her arms behind her and put on some handcuffs. "Let's go." He noticed the older guard's frowning expression and moved quickly toward the entrance.
They were barely out of the doors when Harvey's voice reached them. "Stop them, Hank! He's not a cop!"
"Run for it!" They both sprinted down the block, easily outrunning the out of shape security guards. Once they were certain that they had escaped the men, Steele grasped Laura's arm to slow her a bit, keeping behind her as if she were indeed his prisoner. They moved at a brisk pace until they were at Laura's car, and Laura sank gratefully into the passenger seat, trying to catch her breath as Steele did the same. After tossing the police hat into the back seat, he started the car and drove at a slow, sedate speed in the opposite direction from the gallery. "No need to draw any undue attention, right?" he asked.
Laura struggled with the handcuffs. "You didn't have to put these on so tight, you know."
"I had to make it look authentic, Laura," he reminded her.
She turned in her seat. "Give me the key."
"Key? What key? Was there a key?" he asked.
She looked at him. "Mr. Steele- "
"Consider it payback for that kick in the shin." He laughed, reaching over to place the key into one of the cuffs, freeing her to release the other one. "Well, what did you think of your foray into larceny, Miss Holt?" Her eyes were shining, her face flushed.
She grinned, rubbing her wrists. "It was - exciting. I could get addicted to the high."
"It wears off rather quickly," he told her.
"Pity. Then I'll have to enjoy it while it lasts, I suppose." She leaned close to him as he turned a corner.
"Laura-"
"What's wrong, Mr. Steele? Making you nervous?"
He wasn't paying attention to her. "Damn."
"What is it?"
They passed his apartment building. "Felicia's rented car is parked on the street. I don't doubt she's up there waiting for me to return."
"You can't very well show up dressed like a policeman."
"No. We could go back to the office-"
"My place." When he looked at her, she shook her head. "Not the apartment. My house. We can wait Felicia out there."
He turned the car in that direction. "Very well, Laura. Your place it is."

Inside the house, Laura led Steele into the dark living room. There were several boxes in the room, and Steele managed to bang into at least one. "Ouch!"
"Sorry. Here." She found a sturdy box for him to sit on. "Are you okay?"
"Wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't the same leg you kicked earlier." Laura coughed, but it sounded more like a laugh to Steele. "I thought the movers weren't going to start bringing things over until tomorrow?"
"I guess they changed their minds," Laura told him, opening the nearest one. "We're in luck."
"How so?"
"Blankets and pillows. Must be the things from the linen closet. At least we won't have to sleep on the bare floor." She drew out some things and disappeared.
"Laura? Where are you going?"
"Into the bedroom."
"Is there any chance that the electricity is on?"
"Probably. But I wasn't sure you'd want to risk a neighbor seeing the light and calling the police."
"It's YOUR house," he reminded her. "You have every right to be here. Even at midnight." He rose from the box, trying to avoid the others, unsuccessfully. "Damn!" Another stifled laugh. Hobbling on one good leg, Steele found the light switch and flipped it on. A dim bulb illuminated the room. "That's better," he said as Laura came from the bedroom. There were blinds on the windows, he noticed. No chance of anyone outside peering in.
"Everything's ready in here," Laura told him, coming over to pull his arm around her shoulders and flipping the light off again. "I've turned one on in there," she promised.
"Just keep me away from those boxes, okay?"
"Yes, Mr. Steele," she agreed sweetly.
The light in the bedroom revealed only one hastily made pallet on the floor, and Steele turned to look at Laura. "I think we need to discuss sleeping arrangements, Laura."
She helped him to another box. "What about them?" she asked, her eyes wide.
He rubbed his bruised shin, wincing, and heard another soft laugh. "And if you laugh once more, Laura-"
"You'll what, Mr. Steele?"
He grabbed her arm, dragging her down into his lap. "I'll put those handcuffs back on," he threatened, before lowering his lips to hers. There was a knock on the door, and Steele stifled a groan.
"Get into the bath room," she whispered, pulling her sweater and jeans off and wrapping a sheet around her. "Go on."
The knocking was more insistent. "Open up! Police!"
Laura fluffed her hair into disarray, then padded toward the front door. "Is there some problem, officer?" she asked the tall, grey haired man who stood there. She blinked a few times for good measure.
"We had a report from the neighbors that someone was breaking into this house -"
"It's my house. I just rented it. My name's Laura Holt. I work for Remington Steele Investigations- I've got some things over here already and didn't want to leave the house unoccupied-"
"The neighbors said they saw TWO people, Miss Holt."
Laura smiled, embarrassed. "My boyfriend. He didn't want me to stay here alone -"
"Where is he?" the younger policeman asked.
She grinned. "He's - not exactly - dressed for meeting people-" she explained. "I'm sure you understand -"
"I guess we'll be going then, Miss Holt. Sorry to have bothered you -"
"Quite alright. At least I know that I'll be safe here once I move in. Once I tell Harry, I'm sure he'll feel much better about my taking the house." She watched as they moved away. "Good night, officers."
"Night, Miss Holt."
She closed and locked the door, then turned back to the bedroom, only to find Steele standing in the bathroom doorway, shaking his head. "Harry, Miss Holt?"
"Only name I could think of. Would you have preferred that I told them my boyfriend's name was Remington?" She dropped the sheet to the floor and continued toward him. "Now where were we?"
"About to discuss sleeping arrangements, I believe," he told her, watching as
Laura began to unbutton the uniform shirt.

"Who said ANYTHING about sleep, Mr. Steele?"
He grabbed her hands. "Laura-"
"I've got to work off this adrenalin rush," she told him. "And the best way I know to do that, is this-" She pulled his head back down to hers.
Steele banked his response to her. "I have to get back to my place before sunrise, Laura. I can't be seen in these clothes-"
She sat down on the crate. "You're the most infuriating - I practically throw myself at you, and all you can do is push me away. What's wrong with me? Was SHE right? Too common-"
Steele knelt before her, cradling her face with gentle hands. "No. Oh, no, Laura. You're not common. Not at all. You're a rare, wonderful creature. And there's nothing wrong with you. I've explained why I -"
"Oh, I know. You want to protect me. Well I don't NEED protecting. If I'd wanted that, I wouldn't have decided to become a detective."
He smiled at her, his thumb moving over her lips. "You just ended a long term relationship-"
"That was over a long time before Mexico."
"Laura, if we take that step, it will change our relationship. I'm just not sure you understand what that means for me."
"Then explain it."
"I'm tired of the parties, of giggling society princesses, of a different girl every night. I'm ready to settle down, share my life with one person."
"You're talking commitment, right?"
He nodded, and seeing the wariness come into her brown eyes, sighed. "Not necessarily marriage. Not right away, but I'm past the games, Laura. Too old and too tired to play them any longer."
"Nothing wrong with living together," she told him, sliding her arms around his neck. "I did it for four years-"
"But there's still your career to consider - your reputation. And no matter how much you downplay that angle, it's still important. And I know you need your independence right now. This house is a symbol of that."
"Then were does that leave us?"
"Here," he said. "Together."
"But not together."
"Depends on how you look at it, Miss Holt."
Laura smiled at him. "If you call me 'Miss Holt' one more time tonight, I'm not going to be responsible for my actions, Harry."
"Laura-"
"It's the name your father gave you. The only real thing you have to hold onto. Why does it bother you so much when I call you that?" She looked at him. "You can't hate him that much, that you'd deny the only concrete thing he gave you. After all, you DID keep it as a middle name, remember."
"Did anyone ever tell you that you talk entirely too much?" he asked, rising to his feet and holding out his hands toward her to pull her up as well.
"Sometimes." He let her hand go and went to turn off the light, hitting his shin on the box that she had been sitting on. Laura laughed, then found herself enclosed in a pair of strong arms.
"I warned you not to laugh at me again," he reminded her.
"You shouldn't keep running into boxes, then," she told him, as the sound of his laughter joined hers before his mouth covered hers.
"Then perhaps the wisest thing for me to do would be to simply stay right here," he told her at last, dropping to the makeshift bed and pulling her with him.
"Sounds like a plan to me, Harry," she whispered, her eyes glittering in a shaft of light from the window edge. "A perfectly WONDERFUL plan."
He remained there, looking down at her for a long moment, as if he wanted to say something more, before pressing his lips to hers once again.

He woke to feel Laura's arm around him, her body snuggled up to his back. Picking up his watch from the floor beside the pallet, he looked at the time in the dim light. Nearly five. "Laura." Turning onto his back, he groaned. "I'm getting to old for this," he muttered. "Laura, we have to go." He shook her gently, then leaned down to drop a light kiss on her lips.
"Uh-uh," she mumbled. But her arms slid up around his neck as her eyes opened.
"Good morning. We have to get back to my apartment."
"And I have to go to mine and change. Mother's NEVER going to understand this."
"Just tell her you were on a stake out." He tossed her jeans and sweater to her. "Get dressed. I don't want anyone to see us returning to the apartment."
She put the clothes on, then found her shoes and socks before running her fingers through her chestnut hair. This time it was Laura who ran into a box that Steele somehow managed to miss on his way to the door. She frowned at his soft laugh as she rubbed her shin. "Paybacks," she said. She'd tossed the blankets and pillows back into their box, and soon they were on their way back to the high rise penthouse apartment. This time Felicia's car was nowhere to be seen, and Steele drove the Rabbit directly into the garage.
Luckily they didn't meet anyone on the elevator or in the hallway, and Laura sighed with relief as the door closed behind them. Sinking onto the couch, she said, "Wonder how long the barracuda stayed last night?'
"No telling," he said, looking around. He was glad that he'd hidden the box and several other items before he and Laura had left the evening before. "Want some coffee?" he asked.
"Sounds good," she said. As he turned, she told him, "Mind if I use your shower?"
"Be my guest," he told her.
She hesitated in the doorway. "I wouldn't mind some company," she told him.
Steele paused. "Some other time," he said. "Go on. I'll have the coffee and some breakfast ready when you get out."
"Your loss, Harry," she told him, smiling as she turned away.
Steele shook his head. What had he gotten himself into? he wondered as he headed toward the kitchen.

Laura appeared in the kitchen doorway wearing the dark jeans and the white blouse that she'd worn with her suit the previous day. "I don't think I'll have to go home at all," she told him. "With my jacket, I think this will do fine for the day -"
"Putting it off isn't going to help," he told her, handing her a cup of coffee.
"I'm not putting anything off," she insisted. "Just- delaying things. I really don't want to have to explain to Mother why I didn't come home last night."
"I think you might be selling your mother short, Laura."
"Don't start defending her -"
"Why shouldn't I? You were defending Daniel last night-"
"That's different," she told him.
"How?"
"At least I'm still SPEAKING to MY mother. Every time your father makes an appearance you run like hell."
"I do not- run like hell." He emptied the eggs onto plates, then put them on a tray with the toast. "Bring the coffee."
"You're doing it now," she accused. "Just mentioning him sends you scurrying for some kind of cover."
"Eat your breakfast before it gets cold." He sat down and picked up his fork. When she would have said more, he looked up at her, his blue eyes like glittering ice. "The subject's closed, Laura. Either eat or go back to your apartment. It's your decision."
She stood there, watching him, then pulled out her chair and sat down. "No reason to let this go to waste just because you're a stubborn-"
"Laura."
She picked up a fork. "So what's the next part of the plan?" she asked.
"We go to the office, wait for Felicia to contact me about the robbery."
"Will she know you did it?"
"I think so."
"And then we have her put us in touch with Gutman."
"I think he'll come looking for us." He finished his coffee. "I'm going to take a shower and change clothes. Would you mind seeing to the dishes?"
"Not at all," she told him. He was still angry. She could see it in his eyes. Until he settled with Daniel Chalmers, Remington Harrison Steele was going to keep running from the problem. Laura refilled her cup and considered what she was going to about solving this particular problem.

Murphy was all smiles when they entered the office. "You look like a man who's gotten good news," Steele commented.
"Paul Howard was released this morning and the police arrested Terrance Carter on suspicion of murder."
"That is good news." He glanced at the messages on Bernice's desk. "What's the first appointment today, Bernice?"
"Mr. Brownley is due at nine," she told him. "And Laura's supposed to be at Mrs. Davenport's at ten to survey for the security system."
He looked at Laura. "Do you need Murphy or I to go with you on that?" he asked.
"No. I think I can handle it, Mr. Steele," she assured him. "I'll be in my office," she announced.
"Don't forget to call your mother," Steele called out to her, drawing a sigh.
"Speaking of your mother, Laura," Bernice said, causing the woman to stop, "she called here a little while ago, looking for you - said you- hadn't been home all night?"
Murphy looked from Laura to Steele, then noticed that Laura was wearing the same jacket and blouse as she had the day before. Shaking his head at Steele, he disappeared into his own office. "I'll call her," Laura said.
Steele turned to Bernice, speaking loudly enough so that Murphy could hear. "Miss Holt and I were on a stake out last night," he said. He heard a disbelieving laugh from Murphy's office.
"Whatever you say, Mr. Steele," Bernice said as the telephone rang.
Glancing toward Murphy's office, Steele turned toward his own door as Bernice called out. "It's for you, Mr. Steele. That Felicia woman again."
"I'll take it in my office, Bernice."

"I was on a stake out, Mother. No, I couldn't call - Yes, I'll meet you at the house this afternoon unless something happens. They did? So quickly?" She heard Bernice announce Felicia's call. "Mother, I really have to go. This case - Yes. Yes, Mother. I'm sorry. I'll try to call next time. Good bye." She hung up and went through the connecting door as Steele picked up the telephone.
"Steele here." He sat down behind the desk, his eyes meeting Laura's. "Felicia. How nice to hear- what was that? Stolen, you say? How odd. No, I hadn't heard a thing about it - haven't seen the paper this morning - Really, Felicia. How could you think such a thing? Why would I-?" He paused, eyes narrowing. "I see. Where?" he wrote down an address. "When? Alone? Felicia - When you put it that way - very well. I'll see you then." He hung up.
"What did she say?"
"She says that Gutman is threatening to kill her if she doesn't find the painting. She knows we have it- or at least that I do. She says that the newspaper says that there were two thieves. A tall, dark haired man and a woman."
"Any description of her?"
"Only that she's about five three, slightly built. She knows me well enough to recognize my style on a job. Or perhaps I should say she KNEW me."
"What's the address?"
"A warehouse on Front Street. She wants me to meet her there at one with the painting. Or else Gutman will come after you as well."
"Only I'm going to be there with you," she told him.
"Miss Holt-"
"You're not going in there without backup," she insisted. "He'll kill you."
"I was thinking of bringing Murphy in on this -"
"It's too late to fill him in," Laura insisted.
"Fill me in on what?" Murphy asked, standing in the connecting doorway.
"Keep this afternoon free," Steele told him, watching as Laura turned and stalked away to the other side of the room, clearly angry. "I'm going to need you to watch my back when I meet someone."
"The Morrison case?" Murphy asked. "I read about the painting being stolen in the paper. Must have taken a real pro -" he stopped, glancing from Steele to Laura and back again. "Wait a minute. The description of the thieves- a tall, dark haired man and short woman-" he shook his head. "Tell me you didn't-"
"Murphy -"
"You took Laura on a - Steele, if you'd been caught-"
"We weren't."
"And his plan was brilliant, Murphy -"
"Would you mind explaining to me WHY you did something like this?"
"If you back me up this afternoon, I'll try and explain everything later, okay? Because if this doesn't go right, it won't matter anyway."
Murphy looked at him. "Alright. You've got backup."
"I'm still in on this," Laura insisted, facing Steele. "I was part if it last night, I'll be part of it today."
"Laura-"
She shook her head. "Murphy will be there to back us up. But you're not going to cut me out of this. Look, I'm a detective, remember? Just like both of you. And I don't need to be protected-"
"What about the Cave?" he asked. "Tell me that you had that situation under control. That you didn't need protection then."
"Alright. But the situation was different. I got in over my head. But Murphy will be there this afternoon. Mr. Steele - even if you tell me to stay here, I'll still go. I know where the meeting is being held and when-"
Steele glanced at Murphy. "Alright. You can go. Against my better judgement."
"And mine," Murphy agreed.
The intercom buzzed. "Mr. Brownley is here to see you, Mr. Steele."
"Thank you, Bernice. Send him in, please."

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