- Steele Giving Thanks 5/6
Date: Wednesday, November 14, 2007
- From: "Lori" <LJLanham@gmail.com>
-
- ===================================================
-
- "Your wife, I take it,"
Sara said, sipping on her tequila sunrise as Remington hung up
his phone. When her companion didn't answer, she went on. "You're
all alike," she said. "What happened? Did you just
get bored?"
-
- "What?" Remington asked,
trying to refocus his attention. His thoughts were with Laura,
worried about what she may be going through, but knowing at least
that she was safe since their suspect was sitting across from
him.
-
- "Men," she said. "You're
all alike. I'll bet she worked to put you through school, then
she raised the kids by herself while you were busy becoming successful.
Then what? She turned forty and you started shopping for another
model?"
-
- "No." Remington shook
his head. "That's not it at all," he said. "I
happen to love my wife very much."
-
- "Then why are you here with
me?"
-
- *~*~*~*
-
- After several attempts, Laura was
able to wake Libby from her chemically induced slumber.
-
- "Ms. Wexler," she said.
"I'm Laura Steele," she paused for a moment as the
other woman tried to gain her bearings. "Neil Larsen sent
me to find you."
-
- At the mention of Larsen's name,
Libby's eyes grew wide and she began to panic.
-
- "It's all right," Laura
soothed. "Everything is going to be all right. My husband
and I are private investigators, and we've come to take you home."
-
- "Steele?" Libby asked,
her head clearing. "Private investigator
"
-
- "That's right," Laura
said.
-
- "Remington Steele?" Libby
asked quietly.
-
- "Yes," Laura answered
with a smile. Sometimes fame was a good thing. Libby seemed to
relax a little. She would trust the great Remington Steele. "That's
my husband. He'll meet us very soon, but now we've got to get
you out of here
"
-
- She stopped talking as her cell
phone rang. Recognizing the number, she answered.
-
- "What have you got, Murph?"
-
- "A Swiss bank account opened
a few days after Ms. Wexler and Mrs. Larsen disappeared,"
he said.
-
- "And?"
-
- "Three million in the name
of S.R. Malloy," he went on. "And Malloy is Sara Larsen's
maiden name."
-
- "Perfect," Laura responded.
"That's exactly what we need. I'm with Ms. Wexler now; she's
been drugged, apparently by our suspect. I'm taking her out of
here. Do me a favor," she said. "Call Mr. Steele, tell
him what you just told me and ask him to meet me in our room
A.S.A.P."
-
- "I'm on it," he said as
they hung up.
-
- Laura turned her attention back
to Libby, who was now fully awake and regaining her senses.
-
- "She's crazy, Mrs. Steele,"
she said. "I don't think she intended to hurt me, but I
don't trust her not to."
-
- "You're safe now," Laura
assured her. "But let's get you out of here."
-
- *~*~*~*
-
- "I'm here with you," Remington
answered, picking up his glass, "because I don't like to
drink alone."
-
- "Oh, I see," Sara said,
disbelieving.
-
- "Tracy can shop for hours,"
he told her, draining his glass and setting it forcefully on
the bar. "Not my idea of a good time. You seemed to be alone
and I thought you might provide interesting conversation,"
he was saying as his phone rang. "Excuse me," he said
before turning away from the bar to take the call.
-
- "Richard Blaine," he said.
-
- "Mr. Blaine," Murphy said
from the other end. "I've got information from Mildred and
a message from Laura."
-
- "Go on."
-
- "Mrs. Larsen opened a Swiss
bank account in her maiden name with the missing money, and she's
been sedating Ms. Wexler. Laura has Ms. Wexler with her and wants
you to meet her in your room as soon as possible."
-
- "That's wonderful news,"
Remington responded. "Thank you." He turned back to
Sara as he hung up.
-
- "Good news?" she asked.
-
- "Yes, as a matter of fact.
Business, actually. Some information I've been waiting for just
came through," he went on. "Requires my immediate attention.
I must get back to the hotel, I'm afraid," he said, paying
for their drinks.
-
- "I think I'll join you,"
she answered, pausing as he turned back to her. "If you
don't mind," she said. "We could share a cab."
-
- "Excellent idea," he said,
stepping back and gesturing for her to lead the way out of the
restaurant.
-
- In the cab, he took out his cell
phone to call Laura.
-
- "Tracy darling," he said
when she answered. "I got a call
from the office and there is an urgent matter that demands my
attention. I'm in a taxi headed for the hotel as we speak."
-
- "Tracy?" Laura asked.
"Is Mrs. Larsen with you?"
-
- "That's right," he answered.
-
- "This could work," Laura
said. "I think we have enough to
confront her. She might even confess. Bring her with you if you
can."
-
- "Whatever makes you happy,
Darling," he said. "Have fun with your shopping and
I'll see you when you get back."
-
- "I love you," she said.
-
- "Me, too."
-
- *~*~*~*
-
- Remington and Laura stood with Libby
Wexler in the lobby of the Sierra Del Sol Hotel. The three of
them watched as Sara Larsen was taken away by the police.
-
- "I can't thank the two of you
enough," Libby said to them. "Like I said before, I
don't think Sara ever really intended to hurt me. And for what
it's worth, I'm truly ashamed for my part in all of this."
-
- Remington nodded, but Laura remained
still and silent, happy that the case was solved but trying to
keep her personal feelings in check.
-
- "There's my taxi," Libby
said. "I'll be glad to be home. And we've got the Nike presentation
in two days," she said, patting her portfolio. "Thanks
again," she said before picking up her suitcase and walking
toward the waiting taxi.
-
- "You're welcome," Laura
said as Remington pulled her close.
-
- *~*~*~*
-
- That night, they had dinner in their
room. Laura was quiet and her husband wasn't sure what to say
to bring her out of it as they sat next to each other on the
sofa.
-
- "I don't know what I would
do in her position," she said quietly.
-
- "Whose?" he asked, already
knowing the answer.
-
- "Sara Larsen's," she answered.
-
- "Ah," he said, pulling
her close. He kissed her temple then said, "It's a good
thing you'll never have to find out, then."
-
- "I'm sure that's what the Larsens
thought, too."
-
- "We've come so far, Mrs. Steele,"
he said. "Don't go doubting me now."
-
- "I'm not," she said, leaning
into his embrace. "Not really. I'm just thinking about Mrs.
Larsen. She was just pushed beyond her limits. After sacrificing
her own career dreams to help her husband achieve his and then
raising the children practically by herself while he was working,
only to find out he was cheating on her---and not with some young
thing, but with his business partner. She felt even more betrayed
because he chose the `career woman' that she could have been
over her."
-
- "Not everyone is lucky enough
to be able to mix business with pleasure," he said with
a lopsided grin.
-
- She smiled despite her mood, thinking
of their weird and wonderful relationship. Her thoughts quickly
turned back to the case.
-
- "I don't think she was ever
thinking clearly. She didn't really plan out leaving. I don't
think she really wanted to---not in her heart of hearts. But
then again, three million dollars is one hell of a start to a
new life."
-
- "And she found the note that
Libby left for Larsen letting him know she'd be down here and
followed her
"
-
- "Right, again without a plan.
I think she thought that if Libby went missing at the same time
as the money that her husband would either suspect Libby or be
so worried about her that he wouldn't realize she was gone until
it was too late
"
-
- "
She'd retrieve the money
and move on with her life. By the time anyone realized she was
gone, they'd never be able to find her," Remington said,
picking up the story. "But I'm surprised she'd ever leave
her children."
-
- "I don't think she would have,"
Laura said with a sigh. "They were all she could talk about
before the police took her away. I feel badly for her. She isn't
a bad person. She's just a woman who was afraid she was losing
her husband. She thought it would be easier to leave behind life
as she knew it rather than have it taken away from her."
-
- to be continued...
-
- To Part
6
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