"As sands through the hourglass…" MacDonald Carey's voice was saying, but Laura wasn't listening. She was trying so hard to become the woman she thought her father had really wanted her to be. The woman he'd wanted her mother to be. To avoid becoming MORE like her father. But it wasn't easy. Especially when Remington took advantage of her agreeable mood the way he had been over the last twelve or so hours.

She knew that he was doing it JUST to make her lose her temper, to break the promise she'd made at her father's graveside to stop trying to control everything and everyone in her life. From here on out, she was just going to sit back and let HERSELF be the one controlled. There were worse things, she supposed, frowning at the TV. Picking up the remote, she flipped the channels until she found a black and white movie. It looked familiar, and she watched a few scenes before realizing what it was: "The Maltese Falcon".

After watching a few minutes of Bogart's macho "Sam Spade", Laura turned the machine off and tossed the remote across the room in frustration. Things had been fine until this morning- then HE had shown up. Standing there in the door, smiling like the cat who'd swallowed the canary.

"Damn!" Laura said aloud. Daniel Chalmers' appearance always spelled trouble with a capital "T". The hairs on the back of her neck were standing on end. Remington and his former mentor were up to something.

The question was: what? If Daniel was here to try and steal Remington away, or to lure him into yet another con, could she simply stand by and do nothing?

Laura picked up the telephone and dialed the Agency's number.

Mildred answered the telephone when it rang with her usual "Remington Steele Investigations."

"Mildred. It's Laura. Is he in?"

"No, Miss Holt. He WAS- for a minute. But then he and Daniel- Mr. Chalmers- left again. He promised to call you when he could."

"Did they say where they were going, Mildred?" Laura asked. "I need to find out what he wants to do about dinner this evening. With Daniel here and all-"

"Sure, honey. I understand. I think he mentioned something about an appointment with a prospective business partner of Daniel's."

"Oh. Did they happen to mention where Daniel's staying?"

"At your old loft. In fact, I think I overheard them talking about Daniel's possibly sub-letting it on a full time basis."

"Full-time?" Laura repeated, looking around for something to throw before she exploded. "Daniel is-"

"Thinking about staying in Los Angeles," Mildred finished. "The Boss is delighted. You should have seen the two of them, making all kinds of plans…"

"I'll just bet," Laura muttered.

"What was that, Miss Holt?" Mildred questioned. "I didn't quite catch-"

"Nothing, Mildred. Thank you. If Remington does call in, tell him that I had to go to the grocery store- to -to pick up some ingredients for more peanut butter cookies."

"You got it. And don't forget the peanut butter this time."

"I put it in last time," Laura insisted. "Just not enough in the first batch, and TOO much in the last. You should have told me they were awful," Laura accused.

"I didn't want to hurt your feelings, hon," Mildred insisted. "And I needed to visit my dentist anyway."

CLICK!

Mildred pulled the phone away from her ear, wincing. She looked at the two men standing and watching her. "That woman is NOT a happy homemaker," she informed them.

"Think she's taken the bait, Harry?" Daniel asked.

"I hope so, Daniel, I hope so." The office doors opened to admit a blustery, round faced man. "Ah, Mr. Davenport," Remington said, crossing the lobby to greet the client. "So good to see you again. If you'll just step into my office, I'll be right along." He paused to tell Mildred, "Keep Daniel out of trouble, please, Mildred."

Mildred grinned as the door closed behind him. "Some guy, isn't he?"

"Harry is- one of a kind, Mildred," Daniel agreed. "I've never met anyone quite like him."

"You've known him a long time, haven't you?"

"Since he was ten," Daniel responded, then quickly added, "- or thereabout, I suppose. Rather difficult to say, since he's not sure when he was born."

"Did he REALLY pick your pocket when you and he first met?"

"Who told you that?"

"He mentioned it one day in passing," Mildred said with a shrug.

"He tried," Daniel recalled with a fond smile. "But it's hard to pick someone who's done it for a living himself. Harry was good. Smooth as silk-"

"But not QUITE smooth enough, huh?" Daniel laughed softly. "Why him?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Why'd you take him under your wing? I mean, there had to have been other boys in similar circumstances. Why did you bring Mr. Steele off the streets?"

"Kismet," Daniel suggested. "We were both in the right place at the right time. I saw the lad's potential right away. The idea of his wasting his talents in Brixton,-" Daniel shuddered at the thought.

"Talents as in picking pockets and running cons?"

Daniel sighed. "No doubt you think I would have served Harry better had I shipped him off to school somewhere- kept him out of the life."

"Something like that."

"Would it surprise you to know that I tried that?"

"You did?" Mildred asked, her eyes wide.

"I arranged for Harry to attend one of the most prestigious schools in England- but after only a week, he ran away. I spent the better part of the next six months tracking him down again. After that, the mere mention of school would put the urge to flee back in those blue eyes of his. I couldn't risk it. So, my only option became to teach him the only thing that *I* knew: larceny."

"Why was it so important for you to find him and keep him safe? If he was just a kid you'd pulled off the streets-"

"Really, Mildred, you're almost as much of a terrier as Laura. Must you know EVERYTHING, my dear?" Mildred sat there, looking at him with her best "IRS audit" glare. Daniel sighed. "I had a very good reason, Mildred. One that I'm not quite ready to talk about at the moment- with you- or with Harry. I've noticed that you and he seem quite- close."

Mildred allowed him to change the subject. "I never had any kids of my own- and well, Mr. Steele seems to need a little- mothering every now and then. He doesn't really have anyone else- I call both of them my 'kids'. I'll do anything I can for those two."

"Mildred, do you think- after all of this with Laura is resolved- that you might see your way clear to have dinner with me before I return to London? I think you and I have a great in common, whether you know it or not."

"It depends," Mildred said slowly.

"On what?"

"On whether you're really here to help Mr. Steele or to break those two up. Miss Holt told me that you're always trying to convince Mr. Steele to go back to London with you," she said.

Daniel leaned over her desk to answer, his voice low. "If you breathe a word of this to Harry, I'll deny it, Mildred, but- ," he glanced toward the still closed door to Remington's office before continuing. "As much as I try to tempt Harry back into the life, I truly believe that Laura Holt is the best thing that's ever happened to the lad."

"You do? Then why-?"

"Have dinner with me and I'll try to explain," Daniel urged as the door came open. "At least think about it," he said.

"Mildred, Mr. Davenport is ready to sign a new contract with the Agency. Would you mind seeing to that while Mr. Chalmers and I attend to another matter?"

"Of course, Mr. Steele," Mildred said, taking the contract from him. "Can I ask where you'll be?" she called as he and Daniel turned toward the door.

"Baiting a trap," he replied.

***

Laura decided to use the fire escape to climb up to her loft. She didn't want any of her neighbors seeing her and telling Daniel or Remington that she had been here, so it seemed the easiest way. She knew how to slip the kitchen window lock- she grasped the end of the metal ladder and tried to pull herself onto it.

It took two tries. "You're out of shape, Holt," she muttered. "Too much soft living." Since most of the other tenants kept their shades securely drawn, reaching the third floor was a piece of cake after that. She reached for the nail-file in her purse, but the tall, narrow window over the kitchen counter was already unlatched. Evidently Remington had opened it to air the place out, she thought.

Cautiously, she entered the loft, dropping from the counter to the floor. The room was dark, even for this time of day, and she turned on a light to survey her surroundings. It was the first time she'd been here in over a week, and while she felt pangs of homesickness, they weren't nearly as strong as she thought they would be. It was like- going back to the place where you grew up after being away for a long time. It seemed smaller, more confining. She touched the piano, ran a hand over the gleaming dark wood, wondering what would happen to it if she did decide to stay at Remington's apartment. There was no way it would fit in that place. And the idea of putting it into storage wasn't something she liked to consider.

Not sure what she was looking for- Daniel and Remington probably hadn't been here long- Laura moved up to the stairs that led to the raised bedroom area. Seeing the suitcase laying on the stand at the foot of the bed, she opened it and threw back the lid to survey the contents.

There were a couple of medicine bottles that she tossed aside after glancing at the prescription. So he was using "Daniel Chalmers" at the pharmacist's. Laura rummaged through the clothing- and stuffed into the toe of a pair of dress shoes she found a velvet pouch.

Believing that she'd hit paydirt, Laura opened the pouch and poured the contents into her hand. Pink gems. Five of them. She wasn't sure of the size, but they weren't small. She held them up to the light and tried to remember what Remington had told her about gemstones.

These looked like glass. Cut glass. Pink, cut glass. At least, that's what they looked like to her in the filtered sunlight coming through the window. She needed better light…

The sound of someone at the sliding metal door caused Laura to return to stones to the pouch and then put them back into the shoe, closing the suitcase as she looked for a place to hide…

***

"Sounds like a good scheme, Daniel. But do you really think you can pull it off?"

"By myself? I think so. It would be easier if you were to help me-"

"Daniel, I haven't made a decision about anything, remember? Show me the stones first. The last time you tried to rope me into something like this, the fakes were bloody awful. Couldn't have fooled a toddler, much less someone like Charles Harrigan."

"Really, Harry," Daniel said with a long suffering sigh, "Your lack of trust in me is most disheartening."

"The stones, Daniel."

***

Laura listened from beneath the bed as Daniel's footsteps came up the stairs and across to the bed, mere inches away from her. She felt a sneeze coming on and buried her face in her arm to stifle it, then went totally still. When there was no apparent notice taken of the sound, she took a breath, trying to remember to tell cleaning lady that vacuuming under the bed was essential.

***

Daniel opened his suitcase, then glanced at Remington and nodded toward the bed. Remington nodded in understanding and crossed the living area to join him. As Daniel pushed the clothes aside, Remington picked up a medicine bottle.

"What's this?"

"Nothing," Daniel assured him, taking the bottle and stuffing it back into the case. "Just some vitamins, that's all. I'm not a young man anymore," he sighed. "Have to use whatever edge is available to keep up." He picked up the shoe. "Ah. Here we are."

Remington took the pouch and emptied it into his hand. He tumbled the stones for a moment, watching the light play on them, then went to the light beside the bed and turned it on. Sitting on the bed, he held one up to the light. "Daniel, I've seen better pieces of glass on doorknobs," he announced.

"Harry, the mark is nearly ninety. I seriously doubt that-"

"And he'll have an expert on hand to verify that he's got the real stones, Daniel."

"But that's where you come in, Harry, my boy. Remington Steele is known world wide as an expert in precious gems. If you were to offer your services-"

"Daniel, I can't do this as Remington Steele. I can't risk-"

"If you're worried about Linda, don't be. What she doesn't know won't hurt you."

"I just don't know, Daniel. The idea of using the agency's good name to help you run a con-"

"Harry, we're talking an easy quarter of a million American dollars. Charles Harrigan is so desperate to have those pink diamonds that he's willing to pay a half million for them."

"A quarter of a million, eh?" Remington mused thoughtfully.

"You know, Harry, with Linda out of action, you and I could still do a few jobs now and then-"

"I thought you wanted to lease this place-" Remington reminded him.

"As a base of operations, nothing more," Daniel said. "I've little doubt that you will still refuse to leave Los Angeles- and if I'm here-"

"I need to think a bit more about it. I guess I've been on the straight and narrow for so long now that it's difficult to consider any other way."

"Harry, will you at least think about it? I don't have to make contact with Harrigan until tonight- so I need your answer quickly."

"I'll think about it," Remington agreed slowly. "Things aren't the same anymore. I mean, yes, Laura and I are finally- together, but- I miss- Oh, Daniel. Sometimes I wonder why I stay."

"I think we both know the answer to that, my boy," Daniel commented dryly. "I'd better put the stones back in their hiding place."

"Hmm," Remington said, returning them to the bag, then handing it to Daniel. He noticed a second, smaller pill bottle in the case, but Daniel closed the case before he could ask about it.

"Do you know of anyplace where we could get a decent cup of tea around here, Harry? It's getting on that time," Daniel pointed out, looking at his watch.

"Since when were you such a stickler for tradition, Daniel?" Remington asked, going to the door with his old friend. "But I think we can convince Mildred to brew us up a decent cuppa- IF you promise to behave yourself."

"Harry," Daniel said in an aggrieved tone as Remington opened the door, "When have I ever NOT behaved myself?"

"Let's go, Daniel. I don't have that much time."

***

Laura waited for the sound of the lock on the metal door being closed before sliding out from under the bed. She was furious, first that Daniel would be trying to take advantage of her mental state to lure Remington into a con, and second that that LOUSE would even consider joining him. And to use the AGENCY'S reputation to carry it off, yet!

Well, she could nip this thing in the bud before it went ANY further. Opening the case, she dug out the stones, and put them into her purse. Seeing the medicine bottles, Laura paid closer attention to the contents this time. They weren't vitamins. Noting the name of the doctor who'd had prescribed them, Laura left the loft the way she had entered.

***

On the street, sitting in Daniel's rented sedan, Remington watched the corner of the building. "There she is," he told Daniel.

"As predictable as ever," Daniel commented, watching as she went toward the white Rabbit that was parked one block down beside another building. "Think we gave her an earful in there?"

"Enough that she's probably about ready to take BOTH of our heads off and THEN ask questions," Remington admitted. He slouched down in the seat as the Rabbit passed their location, but managed a glance at Laura's determined face. He opened the door.

"Where are you going?"

"You have to warn Charles Harrigan that she's probably on her way to see him."

"But she doesn't know where he is."

"We're talking about Laura Holt, Daniel. It won't take her long."

***

In the loft, Daniel dialed the number for Harrigan while Remington wandered toward the bedroom. One of the latches weren't fastened on the case, and sure that Daniel had fastened them earlier, Remington undid the other and lifted the lid. He reached into the shoe.

"Damn."

"What is it, Harry?" Daniel asked, as he waited for someone to answer the telephone on the other end of the line.

Remington held up the empty shoe. "She took the diamonds."

To Be Continued…

---

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Original content ©2001 by Nancy Eddy