This story is intended for amusement purposes only. This story is not meant to infringe on the names of Remington Steele, Laura Holt or anything that would cause MTM productions or anybody else to sue me. This story is the property of Lisa Watson ã 2001.
Rico was none too gentle as he shoved Laura toward her bed. She landed face down and was quickly turned on her back. Laura knew Remington was downstairs and attempted to do something that would alert him. She tried to kick at Rico but he quickly covered her body with his blocking her attempts. Laura tried to scream but he placed his right hand over her mouth muting the sound.
"Face it Laura, I've won. You thought you'd scared me off didn't you? I am quite focused when I want something, nothing deters me from my objective and right now I want you!" He breathed in to her face.
Laura could feel her legs hanging over the side of the bed. Laura tried wriggling lower in an effort to get her feet firmly on the floor so that she could try kicking the floor to make some noise. Rico was all over her and Laura was truly panicked at the thought that this time he would suceed in raping her. Rico's body jerked sharply above Laura. It was so forceful that she looked up in response. Rico had a surprised look on his face and for a moment their eyes locked before Rico collapsed on top of her. He wasn't moving and Laura waited a few seconds to see what would happen. When he continued to remain still Laura tried pushing him off her. He wouldn't budge.
Suddenly Rico's body was wrenched off of her and she was free. Laura raised herself up to sit on the edge of the bed. She looked over at Rico in confusion, he was still immobile. She got up and went over to him. Laura recoiled immediately when she spotted the knife sticking out of his back.
"Laura, are you alright?" She heard a familiar voice ask.
Laura looked up and saw Abigail Petry standing a few feet in front of her. She nodded as Abigail sent a distasteful look towards Rico's prone body.
"He was gorgeous, no doubt about it but he was an idiot. I tried to talk him out of his ridiculous notion to bed you but he just wouldn't listen. Well when you brought him low at his house I knew he would come after you. His vanity would have it no other way," Abigail laughed prettily. "Well I just couldn't have him causing you serious injury now could I Miss Holt? With him hell bent on taking you, I couldn't take the chance of him accidentally killing you now could I?" Abigail said looking at Laura.
"I suppose I should thank you for saving my life, but something tells me that would be stupid wouldn't it Abigail?" Laura asked quietly.
Abigail smiled as she raised a gun and pointed it at Laura. ""Well one could look at it that way, since killing you is going to be my job," Abigail informed her.
Remington could hear waves crashing against the shore and a clock ticking in the distance. He was faintly aware of an indescribable taste in his mouth. He slowly opened his eyes wincing immediately at the pain in his head. Carpet. He thought to himself. The unknown taste in his mouth was carpet because he was laying on the floor. Actually it was an area rug in Laura's living room that had accomodated Remington's head while he was unconscious. He gingerly raised himself off the floor, pausing every so often to forcefully expel the breath from his mouth in an effort to keep from fainting. His head felt like it was ripped off his neck and slammed back on again. He blinked often in an effort to clear the haze from in front of his eyes.
"What the bloody hell happened?" He asked the living room couch. He actually paused as if he expected an answer. "I remember hearing a noise. I was headed toward the stairs and then..." You were struck by a blunt object and the lights went out. His mind supplied him with the answer. Realization dawned slower than the knot that was forming on the back of his head. He winced when he tried feeling it. He didn't feel any blood but that did little to assuage him. Suddenly his thoughts were directed elsewhere as he looked at the stair case.
"Laura," He breathed as he rushed up the stairs.
His head screamed with the effort of his expeditious movements. When he reached the bedroom he was hardly prepared for the scene that greated him. A man was prostrate on the floor with a knife protruding from his back and Laura was being held in front of a woman with a pistol pointed at her head. Remington looked at Abigail and then at Laura.
"Ricardo Forrester I presume," Remington concluded.
"Actually the late Ricardo Forrester," Abigail chuckled. "Pity I had to kill him, he was an exceptional lover which Miss Holt would have found out soon enough if I hadn't intervened," Abigail replied.
Remington's jaw clenched as he tried to come up with a plan. He refused to think the situation hopeless but he knew the odds weren't stacked in their favor. Abigail Petry was holding a gun on Laura though Lord only knew why, he was defenseless and it was apparent that Abigail had already killed once and wouldn't hesitate to do it again.
"Well, you certainly have our attention Mrs. Petry so would you care to explain what it is you want?" Remington inquired.
"Funny you should ask Mr. Steele. Suppose we ask Miss Holt that question?" Abigail said as she pressed to Laura's shoulder.
"I don't know why you've gone through such an elaborate set up Abigail. It makes no sense to me why you'd do this," Laura replied.
"No sense? You've nailed it right on the head Miss Holt. That's exactly what I got! No cents! No dollars, no nothing by the time you were through poking your nose in my business!" Abigail stormed.
"I don't understand," Laura said mildly.
"Well allow me to explain Miss Holt, it's high time you knew. It was seven years ago today that you ruined my life. You were hired by my husband or should I say ex-husband, Matthew Cavenaugh. He was rich, powerful, handsome and I fell madly in love with him. We had a wonderful marriage at first. I was the most envied woman in our circle friends. I had it all but then things started going bad. Matt started working longer hours and traveling all the time. He took me with him at first but after a while he started making up excuses. He changed towards me and I did everything to try to hold on him. Nothing worked and soon he stopped making love to me. I begged him to tell me what was wrong. What I'd done to cause him to withdraw but he just said he had things on his mind, work was keeping him bogged down. I tried to show him I loved him but nothing I did helped, it just made it worse. This went on for over a year. He wouldn't touch me or come near me. I had needs too and his rejection hurt terribly. I begged him to seek professional help but he told me that nobody in his family had ever discussed personal matters to outsiders and he wasn't going to start. Finally I gave up and found ways to satisfy my needs elsewhere. I was discreet and never had lovers come to the house. One night I came home and found Matt there waiting for me. He'd been drinking and I could tell he was angry. He verbally attacked me, saying things I'd never thought a husband would say. He said he had proof I'd been unfaithful to him. He threw pictures in my face. I looked at them, they were of me and a few men I'd been with. I couldn't deny it, not with the proof right there in black and white. I tried to explain my side of it but he wouldn't hear of it. He told me he'd suspected I would cheat on him so he'd hired a private investigator to watch me. He threw me out, divorced me and left me without a penny. I had loved him, what a fool I was. I finally saw him for what he was, vicious, cruel and manipulative. He admitted it finally, he didn't give a damn about me he married me to get the inheritance that his grandmother left him, he had to be married by his 35th birthday or it would go to charity. To him I was just a means to an end. He knew he was going to divorce me but he didn't want me getting a dime of his precious fortune so he set me up. He played me like a violin and knew that the only way he'd keep his damn money was if I could be accused of adultery. That way it would be all my fault! The bastard knew I'd fallen in love with him but that didn't matter! Nothing mattered except that he came out ahead," It was you Miss Holt that gave him those damn pictures and followed me around spying on me. You helped him destoy my world and you are going to pay, just like he did!" Abigail finished triumphantly.
"Listen Abigail, I'd never seen you before you walked in to our office to asking us to take this case." Laura told her.
"You saw just what I wanted you to see Miss Holt," Abigail said as she stood back.
Laura and Remington watched as Abigail slowly tugged at her hair and a wig pulled free from her head. She took her sleeve and wiped at her face until most of her makeup was gone. Remington showed no recognition because he wasn't with Laura at the time, but recognition slowly dawned on Laura's face.
"Jennifer Cavenaugh," Laura said shakily.
"So, you do remember me after all Miss Holt," Abigail sneered. "Good! I wanted Matt to know who I was before I ended his life and now you too have that privilege."
"Abigail..Jennifer don't! If you want revenge, I'm the one you should fault. Laura was on that case because I assigned her to it. Blame me not her," Remington said stepping towards them.
Jennifer raised her gun and pointed it towards Remington halting his advance. "You know you're right. It's your agency so you're just a much to blame as she is. I think I'll kill you and have her watch. That would be perfect," Jennifer said as she took aim.
"No don't! Please don't kill him," Laura sobbed as she stepped forward.
Jennifer pulled Laura back. She put her arm around her neck and pointed her gun at her.
"Why should it matter to you? He's just your boss," Jennifer reasoned.
Laura didn't answer so Jennifer looked closely at her and then at Remington.
"You didn't answer me Miss Holt. Why should you care if I shoot him? Does he mean a great deal to you?"
"Yes..Yes he does. And he's lying. He wasn't at the agency then, he had nothing to do with my working on your husband's case. Just let him go Jennifer. Don't hurt him, I'm the one you want," Laura pleaded.
"Well, what an unexpected twist to the plot," Jennifer laughed. "You love him don't you?"
Laura looked at Remington, he was scowling. She knew it was because he was as helpless against this lunatic as she was. She was shaking her head before the words had time to catch up.
"Yes, I do love him," Laura said firmly.
She saw him flinch slightly but otherwise remain immobile. It was a helluva time for the declaration but Laura couldn't help it. She wasn't about to leave this life without him knowing how she truly felt. She smiled sadly at him. So much time...wasted. Remington gave her his signature lopsided grin. She could have sworn he winked at her.
"Tell me Mr. Steele, do you love her?" Jennifer asked.
"Absolutely," came his immediate response.
"I see," Jennifer said. "Pity," she said firing her gun at Remington.
As it happened Laura wondered how fast a split second actually was. She screamed out and brought her hand up trying to keep Jennifer from inflicting a fatal wound. She saw Remington spin around with the impact of the the shot and crash to the floor. Laura heard the gun hit the floor but Jennifer's arm was still about her neck keeping her against her assailant. Laura leaned over as far as she could and clamped her teeth down on Jennifer's arm. She screamed and immediately released her hold on Laura's neck. Laura threw herself against Jennifer as hard as she could. Both went tumbling backwards against the bed. Laura was the first to scamble up but Jennifer caught her arm and yanked her back. Laura landed on Jennifer with a thud. Laura took her elbow and sent if forcefully in to Jennifer's abdomen. The air emptied from Jennifer's lungs causing her to gasp loudly. Laura steeled herself and sent her head back as fast and hard as she could against Jennifer. The back of her head connected with Jennifer's forehead, rendering her unconscious. Laura's head was pounding but she got up, took in Jennifer's still form and rushed towards the door. Laura fell to the floor in front of Remington's still body.
"Oh God, please dont...don't do this Remington," Laura cried as she turned him over and onto his back. Her eyes roamed his body trying to find the entry point of the bullet. There was blood everywhere which hindered her task. She tried to find a pulse but her hands were shaking too badly.
"Remington don't do this! Please don't die on me," Laura said repeatedly as she ran for the phone to get help.