Steele Working It Out Part 5

Steele Working It Out Part 5 By Kristen McNeil
Disclaimer: See part 1 Author's Notes: See part 1

*****
"He has more than one alias," Daniel began. "Like you and I it's necessary for him to survive. He's been Bryce Woolsey, Adam Trent, Quenton Travis and many others. Now, as you know, he's Andrew Styles."

"Wait a minute, did you say Adam Trent?" Harry questioned. Daniel nodded.

"Why?"

"I knew an Adam Trent." Was Harry's reply. "Back when I was Douglas Quintaine! We pulled a few cons together. I met him when I was with Shannon Wayne in Paris. She used to be involved with him apparently and as soon as I mentioned I knew you, he became very interested in pulling a few jobs...I just assumed you were friends."

"What exactly did you tell him Harry my boy?" Daniel questioned worriedly.

"Only that I was your protoge and that you taught me everything I knew."

"Dammit!" Daniel swore to himself. This was worse than he thought. If Silver knew that Daniel was close to a Douglas Quintaine, what happened to Dicky may very well happen to his son if he couldn't convince Harry to leave London. "You have to get out."

"Out of London?" Harry echoed. "Oh no, not until I know exactly what he did to you and why. Laura is involved in this and I can't let her get hurt. This isn't just about my safety."

"You don't know what you're dealing with Harry!" Daniel protested.

"Then fill me in." Harry replied patiently. "You know I won't leave until you do." Daniel sighed in defeat.

"Alright." He conceded. "I met him when I was seventeen. My parents had been killed in a car crash and I was left with nowhere to go. I had no next of kin. Being a kid on the streets of London is no picnic."

"I know." Harry agreed quietly.

"Anyway, I was new to the idea of stealing to survive and to be honest, not entirely comfortable with it either. I met Dale in an alley way I was sleeping in one night. Even though he was five years younger than I was, he was no stranger to the con business. He taught me everything I know."

"This sounds familiar." Harry remarked, amazed at how similar Daniel's situation had been to his own life. At least he'd known his parents though.

"Anyway, we became best friends, Dale and I. For ten years we worked cons together. We started with small time stuff, like simple B&E and then moved onto tougher things, like museum robberies and such. In fact, it was when I was casing the interior of one museum in London that I met Annie
O'Neil....the assistant curator."

"You fell in love with her." Harry stated. He could tell just by the look in Daniel's eyes as he remembered her. Daniel had never told him so much about his past before. It had always been somewhat off-limits to him as his past was to Laura. Daniel nodded sadly. Harry couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He knew, just by the look on Daniel's face that something had gone
horribly wrong.

"She was Irish." Daniel continued, ignoring the emptiness that seemed to overtake him as he remembered her. If only he could tell Harry that this wonderful woman he was describing was his mother. "She was living in London because of the museum job she had acquired. I fell in love with her the moment I saw her. The only problem was, so did Dale. We fought like crazy
over her. Incidentally, she chose me." Daniel sighed. "Silver didn't take the rejection very well. The looks he gave me at times actually managed to frighten me. We pulled the museum job together despite that however. The only thing that bothered me was that I no longer trusted my partner and best friend of ten years. As you know when stealing expensive art work you have to trust the one you're working with....it's crucial."

"I know." Harry agreed.

"In order to protect myself just in case Silver tried something I decided to get some blackmail material on him. You see, my part in the museum heist was to disconnect all the security cameras while Dale lifted the paintings. I left one running so that it captured everything Dale stole on film. Then I took the tape for myself just in case."

"Ah, enter the mysterious videotape." Harry mused knowingly. "Always were the one with the foresight, weren't you Daniel?"

Daniel smiled regretfully.

"Sometimes I wish I'd had a bit more." He admitted. "I didn't mention the tape to Dale at first because I thought things were OK between us after that. They seemed OK anyway. He almost seemed to accept Annie and I being together."

"Did she know you were a con?" Harry questioned.

"No, I never told her." Daniel admitted in shame. "I didn't want her to leave me. After the museum job, I decided to retire from the con business and get a real job. I even asked Annie to marry me."

"I take it your partner wans't pleased." Harry guessed. Daniel laughed bitterly.

"To say the least!" He replied. "He didn't seem angry at first, but as soon as I told him Annie was pregnant, he lost it. I came home to her one night and found her unconscious on the floor. He had managed somehow to poison her food very close to when the baby was due."

"The doctor said she'd recover, as would the baby, but the poison had weakened her so much he wasn't sure if she'd survive childbirth."

"What did you do?" Harry whispered, shocked at the secrets Daniel was revealing.

"I got her out of England as fast as possible!" Daniel exclaimed. "I sent her on the first flight to Ireland, back to her family to have the baby. I stayed to find Silver. It took me almost a three weeks but I finally found him. I hadn't been in contact with Annie during that time because I didn't want Dale tapping or tracing the lines. It was then that I showed him the videotape and warned him that if he ever tried to hurt any of my family or friends again, I would release the tape to the authorities."

"Did he agree to stay away?" Harry wondered. Daniel nodded.

"After that, I went to Ireland to be reunited with Annie. When I got there however, things were completely different than what I had pictured." Daniel drew a shuddering breath. "Annie was dead."

"What?" Harry whispered. Daniel nodded, his eyes down-cast.

"She had died on the plane ride over went she went into labour 30 000 feet in the air. She had never told her parents about me, we'd planned on doing that together. Since I wasn't around when she gave birth, they thought the father didn't care about his son and gave the baby away to various foster homes where he was shipped around endlessly. I searched and searched for my son but couldn't ever find him." He paused and kept himself from adding 'until I met you'. Harry noticed a tear in Daniel's eye.

"Oh Daniel I'm sorry for bringing this up." Harry apologised. "You never saw Silver again after this?"

"Not until now, no." Daniel answered. "That's why I can't give him the tape. If I do, I let go of the only piece of evidence I have against him and Annie's death was for nothing! As long as I have this tape, I have him scared."

"Daniel this is bigger than simple revenge!" Harry exclaimed. "This is life and death!"

"Look Harry, that's as much as I can tell you OK? Please, please get out of London. Take Lulu with you if you must, but go."

"It's Laura and we're not exactly on speaking terms at the moment." Harry replied crisply. "Besides, I want to help catch this guy."

"It's my problem Harry, not yours." Daniel argued.

"Wrong." Harry interjected. "We're partners right? Or rather we used to be. Why split that up? We can wrap this up without Laura and Murphy's help at all." He looked to Daniel, pleading with him to agree. It wasn't as if he was eager to put himself in danger, but rather eager to get Laura out of it.
As it was, it seemed the only way to do that was to expose Andrew Styles as a crook.

Daniel looked at his son and his willingness to contribute to his enemy's downfall yet knew he couldn't agree to it. If anything happened to Harry because of Silver, Daniel didn't know what he'd do. It had already happened once, he wouldn't let it happen again no matter what.

"We're not partners any more Harry. You know it and I know it. You have the agency to protect....and Laura. The best thing you can do is to get out of London and take her with you."

Harry noticed this time as Daniel spoke that he called Laura by her actual name and not some sort of L derivative. This was definitely very serious.

"Daniel what else is it you're not telling me?" He inquired. Daniel shifted his gaze.

"Nothing. Look, I lost Annie to this guy and I don't want you getting involved in this. You're the closest thing I have to a son Harry." Daniel looked him in the eye, realizing that was the best he could do in terms of telling Harry what it was he was hiding. Harry sighed and stood up, a
determined glint in his eye.

"Daniel I'm not leaving London. There are things still left unfinished for me here. You want my advice? Give the tape to the police and turn Silver in." With that, Harry exited the hotel room, leaving Daniel alone and unhappy.

"If only I could my son." He said to himself. "How would I make sure you were safe then? He'd most surely come after you. Just like he did to...." No, he wouldn't think about her...

****

"So where do you want to go Laura?" Murphy asked her as he pulled the rental car out of the hotel parking lot. He had no trouble asking Laura out to dinner. She had probably just assumed he wanted to discuss the case. Little did she know he had other plans.

"Anywhere." Laura replied, somewhat sullen and subdued. She couldn't stop thinking about her encounter with Mr. Steele and how the meeting at the coffee shop would determine their future together...if they even had one. She had to admit, things would get pretty lonely without him. What was the point in even giving someone your heart? In the end, it always seemed to get
stomped on.

"Earth to Laura..." Murphy said, waving his hand in front of her face. Quickly, she snapped out of her reverie and brought her attention back to Murphy.

"Sorry, you were saying?"

"I was saying that I know a nice Italian place not too far from here. How does that sound?"

Laura smiled, realizing Murphy was doing his level best to bring her out of her funk. She was lucky to have a friend like him.

"It sounds wonderful." She agreed with a decidedly cheerful smile. It was fake and forced, but only she seemed to know it. Murphy seemed innocently oblivious.

They reached the restaurant and were seated within the half hour. Laura began the dinner by discussing the case and the next direction she thought they should take. Murphy silenced her by touching her hand and meeting her eyes seriously.

"Laura, I wanted to talk to you about something else tonight." He told her, taking a deep, calculated breath. She blinked curiously, still unaware of Murphy's true feelings.

<Here it goes old boy> Murphy thought. <just tell her!>

"What is it Murphy?" Laura asked him. "You look sort of nervous."

What could he say? 'Laura I love you, that's why I'm nervous'? No, that wouldn't work at all.

"Laura, I have something I want to tell you. Something I've wanted to tell you for quite some time now. I've waited long enough to say this so I'm just going to come out and say it right now."

"For heavens sake Murphy what is it?" Laura exclaimed. "Now you're making me nervous!"

"There's no need to be!" Murphy said quickly. A little too quickly in Laura's opinion. "It's just that....Laura, I care for you."

"I care for you too Murphy." Laura replied with a smile. Murphy felt his hopes rise. They were then dashed with the next sentence. "You've always been such a good friend to me and I..."

"No, not as a friend Laura." Murphy interrupted. "As more than that. Laura....I've been in love with you ever since I first met you. I just felt that it was time I told you that. I know you have feelings for Mr. Steele, but I guess I'm hoping you can find it in your heart to love me in return. What do you say Laura?"

Laura sat at the table, her mouth open in shock and surprise. She'd always known Murphy was jealous of Steele and maybe had a small thing for her, but she never suspected he felt so deeply for her. How could she tell him she didn't feel the same way? She'd break his heart. Still, there was no way she could lead him on. Her heart, despite her better wishes belonged to Mr. Steele...for better or for worse.

"I'm flattered Murphy, I really am..."

"But you don't feel the same way." He concluded softly. Laura nodded apologetically.

"It's not you Murphy, you're a wonderful man and any woman would be happy to have you. It's me. Murphy, I love Mr. Steele and I know now I always will. No matter how it works out, I know I'll always love him." That was the first time she'd ever said those words out loud to anyone and in doing so, she only managed to scare herself further. What if he didn't show up? How would
she cope?

Murphy sighed and fought the urge to say horrible, nasty things to Laura about how Steele was simply using her to plan his next con. She wouldn't believe him anyway and it would just make him appear the poor loser.

"I understand." Murphy said with a defeated sigh. "I don't know what I thought I'd accomplish by pouring my heart out to you like this. I guess I've always known how you feel for him."

"Murphy please, try to understand." Laura pleaded. She needed him to tell her things were still OK between them.

"I'm trying Laura believe me. Every time I shut my eyes I try to see what it is that Steele has that I don't. I hate him Laura. I won't hide that from you. I don't think he's right for you at all. I won't stand in your way though and I don't want you to feel bad about turning me down. However misguided it may be, you have to follow your heart."

With that, Murphy stood up and placed some bills down on the table to pay for the meal.

"Where are you going?" Laura asked him. Murphy turned his eyes back to hers fighting the urge to get lost in them.

"For a walk. I need to think. I'll take a cab back. The rental is all yours."

"Are you sure?" She asked him worriedly. "I could keep you company."

"Actually Laura, I'd rather you didn't." Murphy replied, not at all unkindly. "There are some things I need to think about and I can do that more clearly when you're not around."

"I'll see you back at the hotel then?" Laura asked, still worried about Murphy's well-being. He nodded.

"Bye Laura." He said as he left the restaurant. Laura sighed and slumped back into her seat.

"Oh Murphy I'm sorry." She whispered.

****

The day Steele was to meet Laura, Murphy knew what he had to do. Laura wasn't in love with him. This he knew for sure now. Even though it hurt like hell to be turned down, especially for a man like Remington Steele, Murphy knew her happiness was more important than his ego. Right now, he knew she wasn't happy. She hid her feelings well, but every now and then, when she thought Murphy wasn't looking, he'd catch a glimpse of the deep sadness that loomed in her chocolate brown eyes. He longed to see her smile a genuine smile once again and laugh the way she used to. Wild, and free. If he couldn't be the one to make her smile that way, he'd have to go to the only
man he knew that could. No matter how much it hurt to do so.

He knew where Steele would be heading. He had been there with Laura when they arranged the meeting at the coffee shop. He had left a half an hour early in hopes that Steele would show up there before Laura did. That way, he could speak with the man and tell him just how much Laura needed him. If Steele had any true feelings for her, Murphy would make him confess them. Laura deserved that.

Luckily Harry decided to come ten minutes early. With no sign of Laura anywhere, Harry was surprised to see Murphy standing there, seemingly waiting. For who, he couldn't be sure.

"Don't think I'm not glad to see you Murphy," Harry said as he approached, "but where's Laura? We were supposed to meet here."

"I remember." Murphy said evenly. "I wanted to talk to you first."

"What's this about?" He wondered, his curiosity piqued.

"You." Came Murphy's reply. "Look, I'll be honest with you Steele. She's in love with you."

"And you're in love with her." Harry observed, silently elated by information Murphy just gave him. Still, his gaze remained cool and indifferent. He still didn't know what Murphy was getting at.

"Yes I am." Murphy admitted. "That's why I don't want to see her get hurt. She's going to be here in a few minutes, expecting some answers from you. If you don't tell her what she needs to know, I'm afraid she might never recover. She already has problems trusting you and I admit I haven't been
much help in that department but it's her happiness I want now. What I want to know is how long you plan to stick around."

Harry sighed. He wanted to assure Murphy that he planned on telling Laura the truth, the whole truth and nothing but, but he couldn't. What Daniel had told him was not Harry's business to tell and coming here to find his real name no longer seemed as important as it originally had. Getting Laura out of danger was the prevalent thought in Harry's mind...even if it meant losing her for good.

"I can't tell her why I'm here Murphy." Harry said sadly. "You have to convince Laura to leave London. It's not safe here."

"Steele what are you involved in?" Murphy demanded menacingly, taking one step closer and jabbing Harry in the chest.

"I can't tell you." Harry replied, his voice his patented icy calm tone. "I'm not the only one in the middle of this Murphy. You and Laura are in grave danger if you don't leave London immediately. That's what I came here today to tell her. That she needs to leave."

"You actually think she'll listen?" Murphy exclaimed with an incredulous laugh. "This is Laura we're talking about! You tell her it's too dangerous and she'll want to know why. Then, she'll investigate, put her life at risk while doing so and all to get the answers you could just as easily give to her."

"It's not that simple." Harry argued. "I know she may not listen to me but I have to try. Even if it means she never speaks to me again, I have to try." Looking away he swallowed, his throat suddenly very thick with emotion. "I love her...and if anything was to happen..."

"This isn't the way to go about it and you know it." Murphy seethed. "Why can't you ever just level with her? Why do you have to always play the cloak and dagger spy?"

"You don't approve of my methods, that's fine." Harry argued, getting angry himself. "I don't need your counsel or your help Micheals. Laura's going to be here soon so I think maybe you should go. I'm doing what I think is right."

"Well you're wrong." Murphy retorted. "You hurt her Steele and I'll..."

Murphy's sentence was cut off however, when he received a sharp blow to the head and slumped to the ground, completely unconscious. Before Harry had time to react, a heavy hand clamped itself around his mouth and he felt a stinging pain in his head, proceeded by a sick-sounding crack. Then,
everything was black.

****

Laura arrived a the coffee shop, disappointed to see no one was there. She tried to tell herself to relax, that he'd be here, but couldn't ignore the heavy feeling in the pit of her stomach. Her mind kept saying that he should be here already.

Maybe it was the past days events making her think this way, but all Laura wanted was for things to go back the way they were. Murphy re-entering her life and declaring his feelings for her only served to complicate matters that much further. Murphy....her best friend and partner. Would things ever
be OK between them?

He had been gone before she woke up that morning, leaving a note that said he had to talk to someone and that he'd be back for lunch. Did this mean he had gone about the case on his own without her? Was he angry because of the other night? Laura couldn't tell. Things were so upside down in her life lately.

Five minutes late....where was he? Didn't their relationship matter to him in the slightest? Why must she always be the one doing everything to keep it together?

Then, she saw it. Mr. Steele's watch, the one his father had wanted him to have was lying on the ground, smashed up pretty badly. The tune, 'When Irish Eyes Are Smiling' was playing five times slower than it was meant to. There was also blood on the ground. Laura knelt down and retrieved his watch, just to make sure it was his.

It was.

Something terribly wrong had obviously happened. Mr. Steele had been attacked and....no, she wouldn't think killed. Whoever did this had to have kidnapped him...yes, that was it. He wasn't dead. He couldn't be dead.

Mind numbing fear settled itself in the pit of her stomach. He was right when he told her it wasn't safe. She had to find him out what happened to him. She couldn't lose him...not when they were so close to finally having everything they ever wanted.

Looking down at the Mr. Steele's cherished broken watch, she felt an unwanted, solitary tear slide down her cheek. She'd get him back. This, she silently vowed.

Time to get to work.

****

"Ms. Holt?" Mildred's voice came over the line muffled and surprised. "What's going on hon? Is something wrong?"

"Very." Came Laura's grave reply. "Mildred I want you to close up the office and get on the first flight down here. Mr. Steele's in trouble and I need your help getting him out."

"You got it honey!"

END PART 5
(Feedback please!)

Back Home CaseBook E-Mail Next