Steele With a Twist 3:
Tarnished Steele
Episode 8
The outer office was full of secretary applicants when Remington entered the next morning. All of them turned to smile at him when he opened the door. "Good morning, ladies," he said, greeting them with a smile that caused a collective sigh to echo through the small room. "If you'll give me a few minutes, we'll begin interviews."

He crossed to knock on Murphy's door. "Come in," Murphy called out warily. When he saw who it was, he smiled. "Am I glad to see you. How're you doing?"

"Better. Still a bit wobbly, but the doctors say that it'll pass. I just- well, I just want to say thank you for sticking by me yesterday."

"Well, I've worked with you long enough to know what kind of person you are."

"You mean what kind of person I am now, don't you?"

Murphy grimaced. "Yeah, well- Jarvis said he'd drop by later today to finish things up- get a statement from you and Laura."

"Things okay with him now?"

"I think so. Seems that my little confrontation with him did some good. When he left Mildred's he went back to the station and started doing some digging on his own. He'd just found out that Descoine had been released when Mildred called him and told him what Laura had figured out."

"She's quite a detective, isn't she?"

"You'll get no argument from me on that."

"Once we take care of the interviews for the day, I'd like to talk to you about an idea I have."

"Sure."

Remington pointed to Laura's' office door. "Is she in there?"

"She was last I knew. Doesn't seem to be in a good mood this morning. You two didn't have an argument last night, did you?"

"There wasn't time for one to begin. No doubt she'd simply dreading the one that we're going to have."

"She saved your life, Steele," Murphy reminded him. "Even if she did cut a few corners in the process-"

"Oh, it has nothing to do with what happened yesterday, Murphy," Remington replied, tapping once on Laura's door before opening it.

"Come in, Murph-" Laura's words faded into silence as she looked up and met Harry's blue eyes. "I didn't know you'd arrived, Mr. Steele."

Murphy frowned behind Harry, but the man himself simply smiled. "Good morning, Miss Holt. Ready for the inquisitions to begin?"

"Past ready," Laura agreed, moving toward the connecting door to his office. "Time for things to get back to normal around here." As she entered the larger office, Laura reflected on her sleepless night. Harry had broached the subject of marriage before, of course. But last night he'd sounded VERY serious about it. She had spent most of the night tossing and turning, trying to figure out some way to steer him away from the subject. Finally she had decided that maybe if she was totally professional in the office- calling him "Mr. Steele" instead of her usual "Harry", he'd get the idea. "You're looking much better this morning, Mr Steele." And he did, damn him. Freshly pressed suit, shaved, his dark hair combed into its usual neat style- damn him. Laura's resolve was already starting to crack.

"I feel much better." He sat behind the desk and glanced at the mail that Laura had left there for him before setting it aside. "Call the first one in, will you, Murphy?"

The auburn haired woman who entered had impeccable references, even if she did seem to be shy a few bricks, Remington thought to himself after the four of them had talked for ten minutes. Glancing at Laura's uncertain expression, he considered hiring her just to torment Laura. Having Miss Jones around would certainly be easy on the eyes, he admitted. And if it had the extra added attraction of kick starting Laura's jealousy.

But before he could make the decision, the outer door opened and a familiar face entered.

Mildred Krebs pulled Miss Jones up out of her chair. "Okay, honey, official business, IRS. Need to speak to Mr. Steele alone," she said, pulling the woman to the door. "There you go. Thank you." She closed the door and turned to look at Remington, Murphy and Laura.

"Ah, Miss Krebs. Here about the audit, I presume?" Remington asked.

"Actually, part of the reason is that I wanted to make sure for myself that you were okay," Mildred informed him, and Laura could easily make out the light of hero worship in the older woman's eyes. "Are you?"

"Fit as fiddle, Mildred," Remington assured her, taking her hand. "And I'd like to thank you for all the help you rendered yesterday. Without you, I'm not sure what we would have done."

Mildred smiled as if he'd just given her a Nobel Prize. "I didn't do anything, really." She sat down and put her briefcase on the table in front of her. Opening it, she pulled out a piece of paper. "The final resolution to your audit. It came out clean once we eliminated that bogus account from the mix."

Remington took the report. "Thank you."

"And that," Mildred informed them, closing her briefcase with deliberate movements, "was my last official act with the IRS."

"They fired you?" Laura questioned in disbelief.

"If you'd like, I could call them," Remington offered. "Try to explain that you were more or less forced into going along-"

"Oh, no. They didn't fire me- exactly. It was more of a- mutual decision. I told you that I was getting tired of the job, remember, Mr. Steele? I guess I just needed a good enough reason to tell em to shove it."

Murphy sighed, shaking his head. "So what are you going to do now, Mildred?" he asked.

Mildred looked at each of them, her dark eyes finally coming to rest on Remington. "Well, I can't help but notice that you're still looking for a receptionist for the Agency-"

"Oh, but aren't you a bit overqualified for that position, Mildred?" Laura asked.

"Hey, after the last twenty years with the IRS, this would be a piece of cake. Besides, you never know when having an ex-IRS auditor on the staff could come in handy," Mildred suggested, looking at Remington again.

"I think it's a good idea," Murphy commented.

"Mr. Steele?" Mildred asked, breathlessly awaiting his decision.

Remington smiled, placing an arm around the woman's shoulders. "Just one question, Mildred- Can you make a decent cup of tea?"

"Sure."

"Well, then, that settles it. Murphy, you can tell the ladies outside that they can all go home. Our search has ended. And then, if you wouldn't mind, show our Miss Krebs around the place, eh, while Miss Holt and I discuss a matter of the utmost importance."

Laura froze and looked at Harry. "Why don't I show Mildred around?" she suggested. "You know, girl to girl- that sort of thing."

"Nonsense," Remington insisted, capturing her elbow as she would have turned away.

"I don't mind," Murphy told Laura. "Shall we, Mildred?" he asked, going to the door.

"Thank you, Mr. Steele," Mildred said as she went through the door ahead of Murphy.

As he closed the door, she heard Miss Holt's voice. "Now listen, Harry-"

"Ah, so we're finally back to Harry instead of Mr. Steele," Remington noted.

"Only because this is a personal conversation- which I don't think we should even be discussing here in the office-"

"Why, Laura," Remington said, leaning back against the edge of his desk, "aren't you the one who only two weeks ago came into this very office after Murphy had gone home and proceeded to-"

"That was before I realized that you were right about my career," Laura reminded him, trying not to think about that evening. "I spent a lot of time last night thinking about this, and I've decided that from now on-"

Remington extended his hand and pulled her closer to him.

"Mr. Steele-" Laura said, "You're not listening to me," she accused.

He began to nuzzle the side of her neck, placing feather light kisses down its length to where it disappeared into the collar of her blouse. "On the contrary. I hear every word you're saying," he objected. "You thought about things last night and decided-" he prompted.

"I- decided that-" Laura paused, trying to force herself to ignore the onslaught of his lips as they moved down to the vee at the front of her blouse. "That while we're- at the office, it would be -better to act -like the professionals- we are. Please, Harry," she murmured as his fingers found the top button and slipped it free.

Remington smiled as he sensed victory. "Please what? Please stop? Or please DON'T stop?" he asked, placing his lips on hers, his tongue slipping past her lips to join with hers.

At last Laura, out of breath, pulled away. "Don't do that! I can't think when you do that!" she begged as she moved across the room.

"I think that's the idea," Remington commented, his arms folded across his chest as he watched her flushed face. "I don't know why you're resisting the idea of marriage, luv," he sighed. "I've told you before that it's where I intended our relationship to end up one day."

"Yes, ONE DAY," Laura agreed. "But not now. It's too soon! We haven't known each other that long-"

"I think we've known each other all our lives," Remington corrected her.

"What about my career?" Laura asked.

"You might want to check out the afternoon paper," he told her. "Before you ask that. And I was serious about making you and Murphy full partners in the Agency- if Murphy's willing, that is."

"Why should I look at the paper?" Laura asked warily.

"I was interviewed this morning by the reporter who broke the bogus blackmail story. He was most eager to make amends for his inaccurate reporting of yesterday. I told him the entire story- including how you saved the day- and my life."

"Oh." She paced across the room. "I'm sorry, Harry, but- I just don't think I'm ready for marriage yet. Why don't we just continue as we have been?" she pleaded. "Enjoying each other's company- being together-"

Remington crossed to stand before her, touching the back of his fingers to her cheek. "Because I want to wake up with you at my side every morning for the rest of my life," he said softly. "Because I don't want to risk something happening to either of us before we take that step."

"I'm not big on commitment, Harry," Laura reminded him. "Besides, you and I know that marriage doesn't necessarily mean anything anymore. My father-"

"I'm not your father, Laura," Remington said. "I'm me."

Her sloe eyes were fixed on him, watching him. "I'm sorry," she said simply.

Remington took a deep breath, then sucked in his lower lip before nodding. "Okay. We don't have to discuss this right now. But I warn you, Laura, I'm not giving up. We'll play things your way around the office, Miss Holt. However, on our off time, all bets are off." Sliding his hand around the back of her neck, he pulled her closer and lowered his lips to hers again as the outer door opened.

"Oh. I'm sorry," Mildred apologized.

Remington sighed and turned to look at the woman. "Quite alright, Mildred. Just trying to get something out of Miss Holt's eye." He glanced at Laura. "Better now?" he asked.

Laura grabbed the handkerchief from his pocket and pretended to dab at her eye, then blinked. "Yes, thank you, Mr. Steele. If you'll excuse me, I have a report to finish."

Remington went around to sit behind his desk as the door closed behind Laura. Smiling, he looked at Mildred, belatedly seeing his bone china cup and saucer in her hand. "Yes, Mildred? Something I can do for you?"

"I- made you a cup of tea- Murphy told me how you like it." She placed the cup before him, then put the newspaper that was under her arm beside the cup. "And here's the morning paper. He- also told me that you like to start your day with a cup of tea and the headlines."

"Ah." He took a sip of the tea under her watchful, concerned eye. "Perfect," he declared, and was rewarded by Mildred's relieved smile. "Haven't had tea this delicious since my last visit to London."

"Thank you. Um, I do have one question, Mr. Steele- I know it's probably none of my business, but- Why does Miss Holt call you "Harry"?"

"My middle name. Laura isn't overly fond of the name Remington for some reason, so she adopted my middle name instead."

"Oh." Mildred frowned. "Remington Harry Steele?" she asked with a confused frown.

"Harrison," he corrected. "Anything else I can answer?"

"No. I'll go back out and try to get things organized the way I like them- if that's all right with you."

"Of course, of course. The reception area is entirely your domain, Mildred," he said broadly. "To do with as you will- within reason, of course, keeping in mind that this IS a place of business and that we must present an air of security and trust to clients and potential clients."

"You got it, Chief," she said, going back out into the reception area.

She sat down at the desk and began going through the drawers, and was bent over examining a cache of office supplies in the lower one when a throat was cleared. Mildred sat up to find a graying haired man standing there. "Can I help you?" she asked.

"I don't believe we've met," he said in a voice tinged with a British accent. "Daniel Chalmers."

"Mildred Krebs," she told him, reaching around to take her name plate from the oversized purse she had brought with her. She placed it on the desk before him. "Now, Mr. Chalmers, can I-?"

Laura came from her office, having heard the familiar voice through the open doorway. "Daniel. What are you doing here?"

"I told you that I was en route," he said. "How is Harry?"

Mildred's ears perked up at the use of Mr. Steele's nickname.

"He's fine," Laura insisted. "I know you said you were coming, but I thought I'd talked you out of it-"

The door to Remington's office opened, and that gentlemen appeared, his jacket off, carrying a folder. "Mildred, could you get Miss Holt to show you-" He stopped upon seeing the man at Laura's side. "Good Lord. What are you doing here, Daniel?"

"I heard what happened, Harry, and when I spoke with Laura yesterday-"

"You called him?" Remington asked Laura, then noticed Mildred watching the trio with a curious expression on her face. "Why don't we go into my office and finish this? Excuse us, won't you, Mildred?" he asked, herding Laura and Daniel into his office.

Murphy came from his office as the door closed behind him, carrying a folder as well. "I need you to find the Miller file for me, please, Mildred." When Mildred didn't move, but simply sat staring at Steele's door, he waved a hand in front of her face. "Earth to Mildred."

"Oh, Murphy," she said with an embarrassed smile. "The Miller file? Sure." She got up and went to the file cabinet in the corner.

Murphy looked at the closed door. "What were you thinking about?"

"Oh, just wondering- some guy came in looking for Mr. Steele- and when Miss Holt saw him, she was upset. He- called Mr. Steele "Harry" just like she does."

Murphy sighed. "Daniel?"

"Yeah. Daniel Chalmers. I guess you know him?"

"Daniel Chalmers is Steele's father," Murphy informed her.

"His father? Mr. Steele didn't look any too pleased to see him."

"Tell you what, if you'll bring that file into my office, I'll try to explain the relationship."

***

Remington shook his head. "Daniel, Daniel, Daniel. When are you going to figure out that -"

"I was concerned, Harry," Daniel said. "Laura didn't call me, well, not the first time, anyway. When I heard the news about the blackmail accusation, I tried to reach you, but you were out of pocket, so I left a message for Laura."

"And then you called him back," Remington said to Laura.

She backed toward her office. "Why don't I leave the two of you alone to hash this out?" she suggested. "I'll talk to you later, Daniel," she said quickly, her hand finding the doorknob. She closed the door behind her and sank against it. She'd completely forgotten about her conversation with Daniel the previous afternoon. Well, she decided, there was nothing she could do about it now. Daniel was here- and who knows?- his obvious show of parental concern might just be what Harry needed to finally settle with his father.

***

"Don't blame Laura, Harry. She did try to convince me not to make the trip, but-"

"But you were worried," Remington finished. He'd heard this story before. He moved to the window and looked out over the city, his expression thoughtful. "You know, old man, you COULD make it up to me- I might even be willing to wipe the slate clean and start fresh if you're willing to help me with something."

"Anything, Harry. I'll do anything I can to help you. Surely you must know that by now."

Remington turned to smile at his father. The first real smile he'd given him in over seven years. "I want your assistance in convincing Laura to marry me. Nothing overt, the job requires a light, subtle touch- right up your alley, as a matter of fact."

Daniel's answering smile reminded him of the old days when they had been planning a con. "How should we begin, my boy?"

The End
"SWaT3: Tarnished Steele"
(Stay tuned for further adventures in the "Steele With a Twist" universe.-N.E.)
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Original content ©2000 by Nancy Eddy