- Steele Connections Part 3
Date: Fri., 3 Mar 2000
By SJ <hantaks@mtco.com>
Mildred made a call to discreetly pump Frances for some information.
Mildred admitted to herself that both of their plans were equally
effective. Miss Holt arranging to get Mr. Steele tickets to the
Oscar ceremony was brilliant. Likewise, Mr. Steele's "case"
of tracking down an Internet predator would send Laura racing
to her keyboard. The only drawback in either plan was the timing.
The Oscars were weeks away and orchestrating all the players
in Mr. Steele plan would be tiime consuming as well. The be started
out as a amusing sideshow. Mildred watched as they playfully
tormented each other, but four days into the wager it was escalating
into something ugly. Mildred couldn't stand much more of their
childish behavior. Their harmless bet spilled over into other
aspects of their life. They became combative over everything;
cases, agency spending, coffee mugs, ... you name it. When Mildred
noticed they were no longer coming in together in the morning,
it was time to put an end to this .
Mildred decided to work on Laura first. Walking into her office
she decided to play it casual, "The boss is really hanging
in there on this no movie thing."
"I guess I underestimated him a bit."
"He must really be confident that you're going to cave first".
Laura was intrigued, "Why?...What do you mean?"
"He's in his office making vacation plans for the two of
you."
"I hope they are refundable"
"Oh, Miss Holt, if you knew what he was planning, I don't
think you would mind losing.
She wasn't biting.
Mildred then added in a conspiratorial tone, "I know I shouldn't
say anything, but its incredibly romantic."
Mildred baited one hook and went into the other office to set
the second.
In an act deserving an academy award itself, she approached Mr.
Steele.
"Sorry to hear about you losing the bet, Chief."
"I haven't lost, Mildred, what the devil are you talking
about?"
Motioning to Laura's office, "Well Miss Holt looks like
the cat who swallowed the canary. She's in there making vacation
plans, I just assumed you lost."
"Nonsense, Mildred." Remington defended.
"Oh I don't know boss, from where I sit, a week on a sailboat
doesn't seem like a shabby way to lose."
"Sailboat?" A hopeful grin told her that she got his
attention. She strolled back to her desk confident that did the
trick.
After lunch, Mildred returned to the office to administer Laura
a second dose. Laura was immensely more stubborn than Mr. Steele.
Convincing her to intentionally lose the bet would take more
persuasion than the few remarks earlier in the day. After Mr.
Steele left for an appointment, Mildred walked into Laura's office.
"I thought you should know, he's planning for the week of
the fourteenth"
"The fourteenth?... what's the fourteenth?"
"Mr. Steele. He's asked me to clear both your calendars
for the fourteenth"
"Overconfidence is going to be his demise." Laura replied
callously.
"Miss Holt, its none of my business, but if I had a man
who wanted to sail away with me on a sleek, private, yacht ..."
At that moment Mildred put her hand to her mouth feigning that
she had said too much.
"Well that *could* be relaxing" Laura conceded with
a slight smile . Mildred left Laura to consider the thought.
When Laura left uncharacteristically early that afternoon, Mildred
knew her scheme had worked.
Laura went straight to his apartment. Although they were in separate
cars and hardly spoke at all that day, they both had imagined
very similar, very elaborate and very sexual fantasies involving
the two of them and a sailboat. Remington arrived soon after
her. As if on cue, they fell into each other's arms and eagerly
kissed. All the tension that built over the last few days vanished.
They both started at the same time, " Can we just forget
this bet?"
They pulled away from each other with puzzled looks.
They again spoke it at the same time, "What did you say?",
.
Laura put her hand up to his lips and conceded, "You win...
I want to call off this stupid bet and let you take me sailing.".
She then removed her hand covering his mouth and replaced it
with her lips.
Remington broke the kiss, "Me take YOU?.... I think you
have that backwa..."
Before he could finish it dawned on both of them. Again, in unison,
they stated,
"Mildred".
"I think we've been conned, Miss Holt", Steele pointed
out.
"Our Miss Krebs is a very clever woman." Laura agreed.
Remington grabbed her hand and led her to the bedroom,
"Remind me to thank her in the morning".
The End.
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