Woman Of Steele

Thanks to Bernice Gamboa for supplying me with the dialogue transcript that allowed me to complete this episode. I really appreciate the help on this project!

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The episode opens with Laura and Mr. Steele approaching the County Fine Art Museum. Laura is walking briskly, and Steele is hard pressed to keep up. He manages to get ahead of her to open a door, only to find the one he's chosen is locked. Laura opens the other and enters the museum, and Steele again tries to keep up with her.

In another part of the building, a woman is watching as workmen install light beams for security. One of the men glares at her, causing her to pull away.

"Ah, Laura," Steele says as he follows her through the rooms, "just think of the beauty, the inspiration that surrounds us here. Picasso, Matisse -"

Laura is moving quickly, not giving him time to dawdle. "It's not Matisse I'm thinking about. It's Caroline Wells. I'm not so sure how resounding her trust is in the security system that we installed for the exhibit."

"Ah, then this unbounding step is apprehension and not one of joie de vive. Oh, well, then Laura, don't worry about it, I'll take care of everything," he assures her, straightening his tie.

Neither of them see the blonde woman and her companion in an alcove who looks at them as they pass by.

"Actually Laura, I've always admired the Walter Patton Collection."

"I'm sure you have. That's exactly the sort of admiration that we're meant to protect it from."

"Oh, Laura, you've cut me to the quick. I'm totally reformed. My past is exactly that, the past."

Laura looks at him doubtfully as they approach Caroline Wells, who manages the museum. She's the woman watching the workmen setting up the security system. "Mr. Steele-" she begins, smiling at him.

Steele returns her smile, moving forward. "Ah, Mrs. Wells-"

Laura tries to grab his arm, but she's too late as Steele steps into the laser beam of the security system being installed and the alarm goes off. Steele looks confused and looks around.

Laura pulls back, "Oh-"

Caroline beams approval at them. "Brilliant, Mr. Steele. I've spent the greater part of the morning trying to find a polite way to get these gentlemen to demonstrate your security system and you merely stepped in and do it."

Steele laughs. "Oh-"

Laura laughs as well, only hers is tinged with nervousness. "Mr. Steele has a way of dispensing with formalities."

"All in the way of testing, Mrs. Wells," Steele assures the woman.

Caroline pulls out her cigarette case and hands Steele her lighter. She gets one out and Steele lights it for her. "Well, I promised Herbert I'd stop," she tells them. "But it'll have to wait until the exhibit opens. What he doesn't see won't hurt me, I suppose."

Laura moves to reassure the woman as well. "We can understand your apprehension, Mrs. Wells. But the Remington Steele Agency has an extensive knowledge of security systems. In fact, Mr. Steele has- 'tested' any number of systems around the world. Or would you say the Western Hemisphere, sir?"

Steele looks a little annoyed at Laura: "World-wide will do, um Mrs. Wells let me exp-" Steele looks across the room and sees the blonde woman and stops. A look of confusion and astonishment cross his face. Laura notices his distraction and looks toward the woman.

Caroline doesn't notice his distraction. "I do appreciate your dedication Mr. Steele. If anything went wrong, I would be most unhappy."

Steele doesn't respond as he is still looking at the woman. Laura jumps in to try and bring him out of it. "Mr. Steele is going to explain the pattern of photoelectric beams. Aren't you sir?" she asks pointedly.

Steele isn't paying attention to Laura and hastily says, "Would you pardon me please?" before he hurriedly leaves the two ladies to go in search of the woman.

"Where's he going?" Caroline asks, confused.

Laura is obviously annoyed by his abrupt departure, but replies: "Mr. Steele always insist of a complete lay-out of the premises."

"Oh, how thorough of him." Caroline comments, obviously pleased.

Steele looks around the museum, trying to find the blonde, but as he steps into the alcove where she had been earlier, he stops when he sees a portrait of her. He looks at the portrait with confusion and stunned disbelief.

**********

Outside the museum, the mysterious blonde woman and a man walk out of the museum. "You look shaken, Anna, I take it this was an unexpected event for both of us," the man says.

"I had no idea he was here, Raymond, in this city, in this country," Anna assures him.

"What does he know?" Raymond asks.

"What could he know? I haven't seen him since Monte Carlo."

Raymond stops and faces Anna. "Of course, you have no desire to rekindle the relationship."

"Raymond, if you are so concerned about it why don't you go and get the car so that we can get out of here?"

Raymond looks at her doubtfully and leaves. Anna opens her purse and takes out a newspaper clipping with Steele's picture in it. She looks at the picture and then crumples the paper.

**********

Later, in a restaurant, we see Laura and Steele having dinner with Caroline and Herbert Wells. "Mr. Steele," Caroline is saying, "I must admit I was a little disturbed this afternoon when you took off- but then Miss. Holt explained how thorough you are-"

Steele smiles. "Remington Steele Agency prides itself with it's thoroughness."

"And when Mr. Steele sees something that attracts his attention, he won't hesitate to track it down, will you sir?" Laura asks.

Caroline stands up. "Herbert, be a dear and entertain our guests, I must freshen up a bit."

Herbert watches her go with a smirk on his face. "She's going to the ladies' room for a smoke," he tells them.

Laura smiles and looks at Steele who was still very quiet and pensive. Music starts to play and Steele looks confused. He looks around and sees the mysterious woman enter the restaurant with the same man she was with in the museum. Steele can't believe his eyes.

Herbert says, "I must say, I'm- I'm- extremely proud of Caroline. Almost any museum in the country would have given their endowment to show the Patton Collection."

"This is Mrs. Wells first coup as a new trustee, isn't it?" Laura asks, trying to maintain a conversation while Steele is so obviously distracted. He keeps looking across the room to where Anna is laughing with her escort about something.

Herbert laughs. "Yes, she kept after Patton until she got it. It's a pretty song, isn't it Mr. Steele," he asks, noticing Steele's enthrallment.

Steele is still staring at Anna and Raymond. "-Yes, yes it is," he agrees absently.

Laura looks at him and sees him looking past her and so she glances at what has him so spellbound. Seeing the woman who was at the museum earlier today, she becomes annoyed. In a sharp voice, she asks Herbert, "Would you care to dance, Mr. Wells?" Herbert looks surprised and confused glancing at Mr. Steele, certain that Laura would prefer to be dancing with her escort. Laura throws her napkin on the table. "Oh, I'm sure Mr. Steele wouldn't mind. The music seems to absorb him so."

Herbert Wells and Laura stand up and go to the dance floor. Steele who is obviously in emotional turmoil, rises to approach the table of the mysterious woman and her escort. As she dances, Laura watches him cross the room.

Steele, looking and feeling awkward, says, "Excuse me-"

She looks up at him, smiling, no recognition in her eyes. "Yes?"

"Anna?"

"Have we met before?" she asks.

Steele, now looking embarrassed, continues. "I thought so, ah- you- you look so much like a woman I used to know."

"We've never met." She assures him, and looks away but notices that he was still there and says, "I'm sure I'd remember. You must have me confused with someone else."

Steele nods absently. "Yes, I- I expect I do. I'm- sorry to intrude." He turns and walks back to his own table.

"Twice in one day," Raymond comments.

"He must have come here with the Wellses," Anna decides.

"Interesting coincidence."

She looks surprised. "Is it so odd that Caroline Wells and I would frequent the same places?"

Steele approaches the table and is surprised to find Laura's chair empty. "Where's Miss. Holt?" he asks Herbert.

Herbert looks a bit surprised and confused. "Well-, she had to leave, she remembered an important meeting she had with a client."

"A client?" Steele questions, not knowing anything about any meeting.

"Well, yes, a Miss. ah- Mildred- Krebs, I believe."

Steele understands what's happened. "Miss. Krebs, yes-, a very demanding woman. Ah, ah, Mr. Wells would you excuse me please, I too have to be at that meeting." He stands up and shakes Mr. Wells hand.

Herbert smiles at him. "You private detectives certainly lead an exciting life."

"Ah, yes, sometimes more unsettling than exciting."

As Steele walks out of the restaurant, he glances once more at the table where Anna is sitting , still amazed at the woman's resemblance to his old friend, then he leaves.

"I think I've convinced him," Anna tells Raymond. "He's confused."

"I certainly hope so."

"Well, my hair's different now, and my whole look's different."

Raymond looks doubtful. "I wonder-"

"About what?"

"I wonder about you, my dear. If you have some idea that your old friend is going to simplify your life by easing me out of it, then you are playing a very dangerous game." He takes a sip of his drink. "Dangerous for both of you."

**********

Laura is making tea when she hears her door buzzer and opens the door. Steele's standing in the doorway looking guilty. "May I come in?" he asks.

Laura ushers him in and closes the door. More than a little annoyed, she asks, "Isn't it a bit late to be straying from your neighborhood, Mr. Steele?"

"I'm sorry about the club, Laura. I - ah didn't mean for you to leave."

Laura sips her tea. "What did you expect me to do, spend the evening looking at the back of your head? It happened in the museum, that was alright, now it's happened again. Watching you with that blonde is not my idea of a rollicking night out."

Steele sits down on the piano seat, with his head bowed. "I know, I know, I know. You have every right to be angry."

"I don't want to be angry. I just want to be let in on the joke. I feel like the only person in the room who doesn't know the punch line."

Steele looks at Laura. "The woman in the club... is the mirror image of someone I used to know."

"Someone?"

"Anna Simpson. She was ah-, she was a woman I knew in Monte Carlo."

"But the blonde isn't she?"

"Anna's dead. Ah-, she died the night we were to go away together."

"I'm sorry."

"I don't know who she is, but she, sounds so much like Anna, she looks so much like her." He stands up obviously feeling frustrated and confused. "Oh Laura, if this was some normal case we're working on I'd blithely come up with a string of movies to explain it all. Vertigo, James Stewart, Kim Novak, Paramount, 1958. A man becomes obsessed with the image of a woman he loves. Obsession, Cliff... Cliff... Cliff Robertson, Genevieve Boujold, Columbia, 1976. But this is my life, Laura, my own bloody life come back to haunt me!" Steele releases his breath and sits down again. "I wanted to tell you, I really did, I- I don't know, I just- I was afraid it'll all sound so, I don't know so- insane."

"Maybe- maybe not. Some people in our lives are meant to never leave us."

Steele looks at her, feeling exhausted. "Hmm, thank you." He stands up, going to Laura, who looks confused.

"For what?"

"Understanding."

Steele takes Laura's face in his hands and leans over to kiss her passionately. Laura kisses him back.

**********

Steele enters his apartment. He tries the light switch near the door but the lights won't come on. He then switches the lamp on.

Anna comes from the shadows. "Remington Steele. What an odd name."

Steele turns and looks surprised as he whispers, "Who are you?"

"Don't you know?"

"Anna?" Steele sits down on the arm of the couch, as if the wind has been knocked from him. "Oh my god!... Oh, why didn't you tell me... why didn't you find me-"

"I couldn't-"

Steele's voice cracks as he recalls, "A five line obituary. Death by drowning-"

"I was in danger, you would have been too."

"Do you know what it was like for me? I waited the entire night for you Anna, I was still waiting the next morning when I read the paper. I mean, all I can remember... all I can see were the words that you were married and that you were dead."

Anna approaches him and takes him in her arms, telling him, "I had to. It broke my heart to leave you, but I had to do it."

They kiss and Steele holds her tightly. "Oh, why did you come back, eh? I'd finally accepted the fact that you were dead. I mean... I've begun to build a new life... at least I'm trying."

"I only came here because of what happened tonight at the club. You have to stay away from me."

Steele looks confused: "Anna what are you saying-"

"If I see you again, if you even come near me, he'll make things worse. I'm still in danger-"

"What? What are you saying? What kind of danger?"

"I can't tell you."

"Anna please, I'll help you-"

"No! Whatever happens, you have to stay away from me, pretend that tonight never happened-"

"Oh for heaven's sake Anna please-" he begs, his voice tortured.

Anna kisses him and goes towards the door: "Do as I ask."

Steele looks at her retreating figure, obviously still in shock.

Outside Steele's building, Raymond is sitting in a car, watching Steele's apartment.

**********

The next morning, as Steele enters the office, Mildred comes around her desk to greet him."Good morning, Chief."

Steele looks pensive. "Morning Mildred," he says absently, starting toward his own office.

"Coffee?" she offers.

"No thank you, Mildred." His mind is obviously elsewhere as he continues toward the door.

"Oh Boss, Miss. Holt would like to see you." Steele just looks at her and continues to proceed to his office, still looking thoughtful, only to stop as she says again, "Mr. Steele-, Miss. Holt."

"Yes Mildred," he responds in an annoyed tone.

Steele knocks on Laura's door and enters to her smiling greeting. "Good morning."

"Good morning. You wanted to see me?" he replies, not smiling.

"I think there's something in this morning's paper you might find interesting. It seems our mystery woman isn't such a mystery after all." Laura hands him the paper with Anna's picture on it. "Her name's Lydia Van Owen, and she's going to marry Walter Patton. Not a bad marrying, if you like fortunes-" Laura notices that Steele is looking thoughtfully at the picture. "What is it? I don't understand. Did something happen? Did something change from last night?" Steele puts the paper down and leaves the room. Laura follows him. "Where are you going?"

Steele turns to look at her. "Out."

Laura stands in her office doorway. "Mr. Steele if you recall we do have business to conduct."

"I'm sure you can manage without me for a while." Steele turns and goes out the door.

"I suspect I'll have to," Laura calls after him as he leaves.

A confused Mildred approaches Laura. "What happened?"

Laura looks very annoyed. "You tell me. What would you assume when a man kisses you in the evening then turns into a total stranger the next morning?"

Mildred looks interested. "You mean, you and Mr. Steele?"

Laura frowns. "Hard to believe from that."

Mildred looks thoughtful. "Oh, there must be some explanation."

"Yes. And I think I know where to find it." Laura gets the directory and starts leafing through it as Mildred looks on.

**********

At Patton's mansion, Steele is walking in the gardens, when Anna appears and approaches him. "You shouldn't be here."

Steele looks annoyed: "Why didn't you tell me you were getting married to Walter Patton? That you were living in his house?"

Anna looks a bit put out. "Well, it wasn't Walter I was concerned about."

"Oh, who is it then?"

"No one as respectable I can assure you. The man I was with in the club last night? His name is Raymond. Raymond Merleau."

Steele nods. "Ah, yes... your obituary... Anna Simpson Merleau?"

"Oh, you don't understand. I never loved Raymond. I married him to... carry off the insurance scheme." She sounds somewhat embarrassed. "That's why I died, to collect on the policy he took out on my life. Oh, I wanted to tell you about it believe me. I did."

"Why didn't you, then?"

"Well, how could I?" she asks. "I lied. I'd staged my own death. I was nothing but a swindler." She and Steele start walking.

"Last night, you said you were in danger."

"Raymond's come back into my life. He left me in Monte Carlo without a cent. I was a dead woman, no past, no present. To all intents and purposes I didn't exist. One day I grew too tired from running and I had to stop. I became Lydia Van Owen, in a third class coach to San Moritz."

"Is that where you met Patton?" Steele asks, stopping.

"Walter saw me one night and asked me to dance, the way you did."

"If you're going to marry him, why is Raymond still around?"

Anna replies sarcastically, "To congratulate me. He showed up after the engagement to remind me that whether dead or alive, we were still man and wife. He offered to share Walter with me if I share Walter's wealth with him. And if I refused he threatened to tell Walter everything."

"So Patton doesn't know."

"As far as he's concerned, Raymond and I are old and dear friends. He's even staying in the house. And Raymond won't have Walter believe otherwise, as long as I marry him-"

"And if you don't?"

"Don't you see I was content to go through with it. Until you came along. But now, if I don't... if Raymond should see us together, he'll know that you're a threat to his plans. And he'll make it his business to get rid of you. Stay away, I don't want you to get hurt."

Steele has a determined look in his face as he tells her, "I'll take care of Raymond. You don't have to worry about him anymore." He turns and leaves her.

As he approaches the Auburn, he sees the Rabbit coming through the gates. He stops and waits for Laura to stop the car and get out. "What are you doing here?" he asks.

Laura crosses her arms in consternation. "Trying to understand what's happening... between us. Look, I'm not a child. If there's a woman in your past, I can accept that. But I want you to be honest with me. You knew Lydia and Anna were one and the same when you walked into the office-"

"Ah, Laura, please let me understand the facts of my own life then I'll give them to you, okay."

Laura is now exasperated and angry: "If you give them to me. What we have here is a game Mr. Steele. You dole out pieces of your past and I'm supposed to be grateful for your trust. I may have given you your name, even decided your line of work but your past... your damned past- I always knew you had that over me. I was hoping your present would come to mean as much to you." Laura turns to leave but Steele takes her arm and moves to face her.

"Do you honestly believe that all the time we've spent together means so little to me, eh?"

"How can I answer that when I have no idea what came before? Or what you're feeling now? You're the one who knows what I'm up against. You have to decide, not me." Laura touches his arm and gets back into her car, leaving a very confused Steele behind.

**********

Raymond is in his room, when someone knocks on the door. "Come in." Anna enters the room. "An unexpected pleasure."

"Mr. Steele was here," she announces.

"Did he come on his own or was he summoned?"

"Why would I summon him?"

Raymond laughs sarcastically. "I don't know, Anna my dear, I never know quite what you have in mind."

"If I had something in mind, why would I tell you he was here today?" Anna asks.

"Why did you go to his apartment last night?" he asks. "You see I followed you, I just can't bear to let you out of my sight."

"He forced me to go to him last night. The same reason he was here today. He's blackmailing me. He'll expose me to Walter if I don't pay."

"Oh, I see. Then he will have to be dealt with."

"I know what he's like Raymond, he won't stop until he gets what he wants."

"Don't underestimate me, my dear-"

Anna comes closer and starts to arrange his tie, telling him, "You have to move quickly. Walter will be home the day after tomorrow."

Raymond takes Anna's hand in his. "When he is, Remington Steele will be no more than an unpleasant memory."

**********

Steele is standing on a curb talking into a pay phone. "Raymond Merleau- M-E-R-L-E-A-U. Right. Well, ah, I know he was in Monte Carlo about three years ago so start with Interpol okay." He then sees Merleau drive by. "Yes, Mildred, okay, thank you. Bye." He quickly gets into his car and takes off to follow Merleau.

*****

At the Remington Steele Agency office, Mildred is on the phone when Laura enters. "Okay, thank you." She puts the phone down and sees Laura. "Oh, Mr. Steele's not back yet."

Laura is obviously angry. "Did I ask for him?" Mildred's surprised at her outburst and when Laura sees this, she apologizes. "I'm sorry Mildred, I'm sorry." She puts both her hands on Mildred's desk and bows her head and lets out a sigh.

Mildred gives her a motherly smile. "Sounds like someone's giving you a rough time, honey. Oh, Miss. Holt, I don't know much about yours or Mr. Steele's private life."

"Join the party-"

"But this morning you told me-"

"That was this morning. One day I decide our relationship is strictly professional. Laura I say, you work with the man. So alright, you're attracted to him. Forget about it. Maybe in the future-"

Mildred stands up, joining Laura: "Maybe that future isn't so far away," she suggests.

"I know there's something between us. And I know he feels it too. It's as if we're groping towards each other but every time our fingers touch, something happens. One of us pulls away."

"Oh Miss. Holt, I'll be straight with you. I've seen you and Mr. Steele. And I'll admit that sometimes the dance you do around each other makes my head spin. Maybe if one of you would just stand still long enough."

"I have no hold on him and if his past can just blow in and wipe out the present, maybe I should forget him."

Mildred chuckles. "From what I've just heard, that sounds the last thing you want to do."

Laura walks towards the couch and sits down. "Mildred, Mr. Steele and I have gone out. We've had our fun. But we've NEVER done anything more. Hah! So why should I care if he wants to see someone else, why should I feel like I wanna KILL him!"

Mildred also sits down, smiling knowingly. "Because you're not being rational -even though you want to be."

"Of COURSE I want to be rational."

"Oh, honey-"

Laura looks thoughtful. "You know, Mildred, the more I think about it, the more it seems that Mr. Steele and I are being forced apart. I let myself get sidetracked today."

"When you went to Miss. Van Owen's?"

"A woman who suddenly reappears in his life? Twice in one day? A woman who's supposed to be dead? This time I'm not going to get sidetracked." Laura gets up, gets her purse and walks out the door as Mildred smiles approvingly.

**********

Steele is in his car watching a pawn shop. He sees Merleau leave the store, get into his car and drive off. Steele gets out of his car and walks to the shop, looking around when he enters.

The man behind the counter watches him closely. "Can I help you?"

"Oh, oh, just browsing."

"Well, this ain't a bookstore," he sneers.

"Amazing, eclectic establishment you have here. Nothing seems to have a serial number on it."

"You in a market for something, bud?"

"The gentleman who just left. Would you mind telling me what he purchased?"

"Hey, you can't be a cop."

"A distant cousin, I'm a private investigator."

"Oh, then we both know I don't have to tell you anything."

Steele looks annoyed. "You really ought to let more people know about the wide array of merchandise you have here, perhaps you advertise, say, ah- in the police gazette-"

The salesman gets angry and knocks on the door behind the counter, yelling: "Marcus!"

A big man opens the door: "Is that you getting noisy, boss?"

The man nods at Steele. "Our friend there, gets his kicks from shooting the breeze with the police. Maybe he oughta talk to you first."

The big man looks at Steele and approaches him with an angry look. Steele is looks as if he might back away. "Ah, you don't impress me as the kind who engages in an idle chatter-" Steele takes the toaster and throws it to the man and then he drops a typewriter on the man's feet. When the man bends over he lands a punch right on the man's face. The man then drops unconscious to the floor. Steele then grabs the salesman by his tie and pins his face on the counter. Steele: "Now then, who else do I need to have to go through in this bureaucracy, eh?"

"A gun," he says. "He bought a gun."

"Glad we had this chance to chat." He pats the man's face and leaves the store.

**********

Laura is at the museum and sees the portrait of Anna, and begins to study it as Carolyn Welles joins her.

"Miss. Holt, you wanted to see me? It's been a nerve-racking day. One of the curators knows Herbert-, " she explains noticing Laura looking at the portrait at the same time pulling out a cigarette. "Ah, gorgeous isn't she?"

"Yes, she is," Laura agrees. "How well do you know Lydia Van Owen?"

"Oh, well enough to know that she has Walter Patton completely smitten. Imagine one of the richest men in the world, and he fawns over that girl like a schoolboy in short pants. But then I imagine you know Lydia rather well yourself."

Laura looks surprised. "What makes you think that?"

"Well it was she who recommend that I hire the Remington Steele Agency."

"Did she really," Laura comments thoughtfully.

"I supposed then that she worked with Mr. Steele rather than you?"

"Did she give you that impression?"

"Well, it just seems whenever I speak to Lydia I end up filling her in on my comings and goings with Mr. Steele."

"Did you happen to tell her that Mr. Steele and I were going to be dining with you at the club the other night?"

"Yes, I suppose I did-"

"And that earlier we'd be at the museum?"

"I must have. She's taken such an extraordinary interest in the exhibit." Caroline gives Laura a curious look. "Darling, did I say something wrong?"

"Not in the least," Laura assures her.

**********

Late that evening, Steele enters his office and goes directly to his desk. He opens the drawer and takes out the agency gun and checks it.

**********

The next morning, Steele is going through some papers in Mildred's desk. Laura is about to enter when she sees Steele inside. She's surprised and hesitates for a moment before entering.

"You're here bright and early," she comments.

Steele laughs a little. "You've corrupted me."

"Should I be encouraged?" she asks.

"Well- I've become a slave to my work."

"Security for the museum?"

"Hmm. Another matter."

"A professional matter?"

Steele hesitates before answering. "Anna's in trouble. She needs my help."

"What kind of help?" Laura wants to know.

"A man's threatening her. I promised to remove that threat."

"And then?"

"She's free to marry Walter Patton," he says.

"Is that what you want?"

Steele looks confused as he admits, "Hmm, I don't know. I suppose I haven't thought that far ahead."

Laura hesitates before saying, "I feel little like the messenger bearing bad news. I may get my head lopped off. But I haven't been using it much lately anyway." She pauses. "Anna Simpson's reappearance into your life was not accidental."

Steele frowns. "What do you mean?"

"She persuaded Caroline Wells to hire the Remington Steele Agency... she knew you were going to be at the museum... and she knew where you're going to have dinner that night."

Steele raises his voice and looks annoyed. "I TOLD you, there is a man threatening her, he watches her constantly that's why she had to make our meetings appear to be accidental so he wouldn't become suspicious."

Laura is obviously hurt by his tone of voice: "I hope your right." She then turns away but Steele grabs her arm and forces her to stay.

"Laura listen, just... please... please... I have to take this one step at a time. And the first step is to remove that leech." Steele looks at her as if he wants to say more, but instead, he turns and leaves the office.

"I hope you're right," Laura says again, but this time to an empty office.

**********

In Raymond's room at the Patton mansion. Steele is packing clothes in a suitcase. Raymond enters the room to ask, "What do you think you're doing?"

"Saving you the trouble. Packing can be such a bore."

"But then, I'm not going anywhere."

"Guess again mate."

"I suppose you think you're stepping in."

"In a sense. I'm protecting Miss. Van Owen."

Raymond chuckles mirthlessly. "Is that what you call your game?"

Steele pulls some papers from his pocket and show them to Raymond: "You're a very popular fellow, half the police in Europe have been after you." He fastens the suitcase and throws it to Raymond. "So you can forget all your plans. You come near Anna one more time and you'll have your pick of jails, you understand?"

Raymond is angry now. "Yes, I understand mate."

"Oh, one more thing, where is it?"

"Where's what?"

Steele turns him around and frisks him looking for the gun. "The gun you purchased. Ah, there we go. Yes, I'll see that you get a refund." A car horn is blowing. "Ah, just in time. Your taxi. Come on."

They go down the stairs and Steele opens the front door to usher Raymond out. "They say Rio is lovely this time of year." Steele closes the door. He approaches the butler and asks, "Where's Miss. Van Owen?"

"She left a while ago, sir."

"Did she say where she's going?"

"She did mention something about the museum."

"Thank you." Steele turns toward the door.

**********

At the museum, Laura approaches Anna. "Miss. Van Owen. My name is Laura Holt. I work with Remington Steele."

"Oh, from everything I hear about the man, you are very fortunate."

"It's a little late in the game for that tack, Miss. Van Owen. I suspect the two of you have QUITE a history."

"Does that depress you?" Anna asks.

"It intrigues me. After all these years you come back into his life. Why?"

"A happy coincidence," Anna suggests, smiling.

"I just came from the club where you happened to run into him the other night. That song they played when you arrived absolutely mesmerized him. I'm sure it holds great meaning for both of you. Oh, by the way, the orchestra leader is very appreciative of the generous tip you gave him for playing it. Anytime you have another request, just ask," Laura tells her.

"Are we discussing my relationship with Mr. Steele or yours? Exactly what are you to him anyway?"

"We were in the process of working that out when you came along."

"If I was a better person, I would wish you good luck, as it is I bid you goodbye." She turns away, only to stop as Laura speaks again.

"You have more that marriage to Walter Patton on your mind."

"Perhaps I've found someone else I want to spend my life with."

"Before or after he gets rid of the man who's threatening you?" Laura asks. "What can someone possibly have that could frighten a woman about to marry one of the wealthiest man in the world? Interesting question, wouldn't you agree... Anna?" She pauses, "I'll let you know when I find the answer. And as far as you and Mr. Steele are concerned, I wouldn't be too quick to celebrate victory. We haven't even put on the gloves yet." Anna leaves with a strange smile on her face, and Laura looks after her quizzically.

Laura follows as Anna leaves the museum and gets into her car. She leaves the parking lot, and Laura follows her in the Rabbit.

**********

In a hotel room, Raymond puts down his bag and dials a number on the telephone. "Miss. Van Owen, please... Mr. Merleau... would you give her this number, it's 555-6200 room 9. Have her call me the minute she gets in... Thank you."

**********

Anna parks her car and enters a bar. Laura also parks her car and watches Anna enter the bar. Inside, Anna looks around then sits at the bar and orders a drink.

"Whisky please." She then looks around again and finds a cowboy sitting in a table all by himself. Anna gives him a sultry look. The man looks behind him, as if thinking she might be looking at someone else, then smiles. She opens her purse to get a cigarette, only to have the cowboy she was staring at appear at her side to light it for her.

Meanwhile, outside the restaurant, Laura is still inside her car waiting. She sees Anna and the man walk out of the bar and enter a motel. Laura looks puzzled but not at all surprised.

In the motel, Anna and the man enter the room. "That sounds great to me," he's saying. Anna takes off her coat. The cowboy grins appreciatively. "Oh yeah, lady you are in for the gallop of your life." He then takes her in his arms and kisses her passionately.

Anna pulls back, sighing. "Perhaps next time you'll get it right."

The man looks at her quizzically and kisses her again, now with more passion.

Anna looks disappointed: "What a pity." She then turns and moves away.

He takes her arm and forces her to look at him: "Hey, what the hell is it with you lady?"

"Take your hands off me," she hisses.

"Oh... like to tease a little bit, do ya? Does it make it better for ya?"

Anna's tone is more forceful now. "I ASKED you to take your hands off me."

"Okay. That's over, can we get down to business now?"

"Do you really think I'd want you to put your hands on me even for a moment?"

Confused by Anna's hot and cold routine, the man frowns. "What?"

"You disgust me!" she tells him haughtily.

The man gets angry and hits her."Why you-" She falls on the bed. He lunges after her but Anna pulls out a gun.

"Uh, uh, that will do."

Seeing the gun, he backs off. "Whoa. Come on."

Anna stands up and goes to the mirror. She looks at the red mark beginning to show on her left cheek. "Yes!"

"Lady I don't get this."

"You don't have to," she assures him. "You've done your job. Thank you." She backs out of the room.

Laura sees her walking out of the motel and notices the red mark on her cheek. She then sees the man walk out of the motel and back to the bar. Laura follows him inside.

"Tequila," he tells the bartender. Laura enters sits at the bar near him. He downs the drink, then sets the glass back on the counter. "Again."

A Hank Williams song is coming from the jukebox. "Nobody can sing the blues like he can," Laura comments.

"If you're another broad on a trip, try the next station-"

"She give you a rough time?" Laura asks.

"Who?"

"The blonde?"

"Take a walk."

"That was some shiner you gave her."

"What's it to you babe?" Laura opens her purse and gets her private investigation license and throws across the counter it to the man . The man opens it and looks at the id. "What the hell am I getting myself into here... Okay what is it. Is it some kind of set-up?"

"You might need a friend if she decides to press charges."

"She was asking for it. She got what she wanted."

"What's the matter? Didn't she want to play cowboys and Indians?"

"Now wait a minute. I was sitting here minding my own business. The hotel was her idea."

"Maybe she got cold feet," Laura suggests.

"She was cold alright. Like ICE. And I'm telling you she was LOOKING to get belted. The minute we got into that room, she started saying things, laughing at me. It was like she had some kind of plan or something-"

"What kind of plan?"

"I don't know, but after I clipped her, she checked her face like she had something to show. Then she thanked me."

"Thanked you?"

"Yeah. For getting the job done."

Laura takes out money from her purse and puts it in front of the man. "Have one on me. Don't worry, you won't be hearing from her again." She then gets up and leaves the bar.

**********

Steele walks up to the doorstep of the Patton's mansion and rings the bell. The butler opens the door. "I'm here to see Miss. Van Owen-" he announces, but the butler doesn't move.

"I'm afraid she's not seeing anyone, sir."

"She'll see me."

"I'm sorry, sir."

Steele is concerned. "Is there anything wrong?"

Butler looks uncomfortable. "I can't say sir."

Steele pushes past the butler and enters the house. He notices a movement in the darkened living room and turns that way. "Anna?" He switches on the lights and sees her sitting in a chair covering her face. "Anna, what is it?" He approaches her cautiously. Anna won't look at him. He kneels in front of her. "Hmm?" he asks, then notices her hand to her cheek and pulls it away. "Hey, hey" He sees the bruise on her face. "Oh my god! Oh, what happened?"

"I fell... on the stairs," she lies, not very convincingly.

Steele doesn't believe her, as she expected. "Raymond."

"No!" she insists fearfully.

"Damn him! I thought I pushed him out of your life for good."

"He'd kill me if he know I saw you again. He'll kill you as well."

Steele stands up, furious. "Where is he?"

"What are you going to do?"

"Just tell me where he is."

Anna hesitates a little, looking up at him with tear filled eyes. "The club. I have to meet him there with the money, my FIRST installment."

"Okay." He leaves.

Anna stands up, calling after him. "Don't go, please!"

Steele gets into his car and turns on the ignition when Laura's Rabbit enters the gate. But this time he doesn't wait for her and zooms out of the gate. Laura stops her car and shouts: "Wait!" She quickly puts her car in reverse and follows Steele.

Anna, meanwhile, picks up a telephone and dials a number.

In Raymond's hotel room, he is lying in bed. The phone rings and he answers. "Yes."

"He wants the money tonight."

"What happened?"

"He just called. He insisted that I bring ten thousand dollars. As a FIRST installment."

"Where?"

"The club. He's on his way there now."

Raymond's face is a mask of determination. "So am I." He hangs up the phone and goes to the bed, reaching under the pillow to pull out a gun. He checks it and gets his coat and leaves the room.

Anna also puts the phone down, rises from her chair, gathers her things and leaves the house

**********
.
At the club, Steele arrives and parks his car at the back of the restaurant. Finding the door locked, he picks the lock and enters deserted building. He pulls out his gun and starts looking around the room. In a little while, Raymond enters the room. Steele sees him first and aims the gun at him. He's got the shot, but killing someone in cold blood goes against his nature, so he pulls back and says, "She's not coming, Merleau."

Raymond sees him and fires at him. Steele ducks and hides behind the drums but drops his gun. Raymond hides behind the tables. The sound of a car arriving can be heard and a door opening. Steele sees Laura entering the restaurant.

"Laura, get back!" Steele warns.

Raymond shoots at Laura and hits a vase. Laura ducks and hides under a table. Steele uses the distraction to get his gun and fires back at Raymond. "Laura are you alright?" he calls out, worried.

"You've been set up!" she tells them. "Both of you. I know you don't want to believe that but it's true! This is EXACTLY what Anna wants!"

"Just get down and stay quiet," Steele tells her.

"She wants you to kill Raymond. That was her plan from the very beginning. She told you Raymond beat her didn't she?"

"I never touched the woman," Raymond says.

"Of COURSE you didn't. But she needed something that would drive YOU over the edge," she tells Steele. "Something that would make you put Raymond out of the picture completely. So she set up an unsuspecting cowboy in a western bar this afternoon and ridiculed him into hitting her!"

Raymond looks less than impressed. "Persuasively put young lady, but I'm afraid it doesn't change anything. I've invested too much to allow either of you to walk away from this."

Outside, Anna brings her car to a stop before the restaurant, and waits.

Raymond starts to move towards Laura and Steele pushes one of the drums to create a diversion. Raymond shoots at the drum and Laura pushes a cart of utensils at him, causing him to loose his balance. Steele hurriedly tackles Raymond and both fall backwards to the floor. They struggle a bit and after Steele forces Raymond to drop his gun, Raymond pushes Steele away from him, causing him to fall backwards on top of Laura. Raymond quickly runs toward the door. Laura and Steele get up and follow him but stop as they hear a gun shot. They look at each other and wait. Raymond returns, clutching his chest, then falls to the floor dead. Steele motions for Laura to hide. She ducks under one of the tables and both wait to see who comes in the door.

Anna enters the room holding a gun. She looks surprised to see Steele standing there. "Darling... you're alive."

"You just had to see who came through that door, didn't you, hmm?" Steele asks, sounding disappointed.

"Darling, I was afraid he'd kill you. I though he had."

"And you can claim self-defense. I mean after he shot me he came after you."

"Well what difference does it make? He's out of our lives."

"No, Anna, no," Steele says sadly. "He'll always be with us."

"What are you saying?"

"You murdered him. And unhappily for both of us I can prove it."

"You wouldn't send me away, not now, not after we've found each other again." Steele looks at her. Anna's arm comes up to point the gun at him. "We could have so much together..." she begins, sighing.

Laura sees the gun and stands up, pushing Anna's hand away as the gun goes off. Laura gets the gun from Anna and points it towards her. Anna's eyes are filled with sadness. "Good bye Remington Steele."

Laura looks at Steele and pushes Anna towards the door.

**********

Later, Laura is in her loft, wearing tights as she practices ballet movements. Her door bell rings and she moves towards the door to answer it. Steele is there, holding a champagne bottle. He grins awkwardly. "Ah, ah thank you gift- from- Caroline. I felt the urge to- share it immediately."

"How thoughtful." She ushers him inside and closes the door.

"Ah, actually I felt the urge to see you. Explain some things."

Laura leans on the door and looks at him skeptically. "There's no need."

"It might help put some things in perspective... for us."

Laura takes the champagne bottle and moves towards the kitchen counter, not stopping him from talking. "Ah, when I went to Anna's, ah, it was for two reasons. First, was to say that I'd sent Raymond packing and the second, the more painful, was to say that I, I felt that we, ah, didn't have a future together. She'll always be a part of my past but I ah, realized that-, that's where that relationship belonged."

"What made you realize that?"

Steele looks shyly at Laura. "You... I'm not the same man I was when I walked into your life, Laura. I've changed... you changed me."

Laura smiles. "I only changed your name."

Steele smiles a little as well. "Yes, well, merely the most obvious alteration."

Laura opens the bottle and pours the champagne into two glasses. "Oh, well, what shall we drink to?" she asks.

Steele suggests, "Ah, um the present, eh?"

Laura: "The present?"

"Ah, yes and- the future."

"Isn't that getting a little brazen for us, Mr. Steele?"

Then a song begins to play on the radio, the same one that mesmerized Steele in the club. He and Laura both freeze. Steele then reaches over to the radio and turns it off, returning to Laura to smile nervously. "Let's be brazen, eh?"

Laura smiles. They lift their glasses and drink their champagne with their arms entwined, a lover's toast, then kiss.

The End

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