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.
Taking a very deep breath, Richard slowly began. "It all started years ago, before I left. I was hired by a man, Cecil Lincoln to prove that his business partner, Peter Vestry was using company funds for shady enterprises."
"Peter Vestry? As in Senator Peter Vestry?" Laura interrupted.
"The same," Richard said gravely.
"Anyway, Lincoln wanted airtight proof so I set about digging up what I could find. I set up surveillance, tailed him closely and kept records of the people he'd meet with. After awhile I gathered enough information on Vestry to confirm Lincoln's suspicions. I presented my findings to Lincoln and submitted my bill."
"Sounds pretty cut and dry to me." Laura remarked.
"I wish it were that simple. A few days later Peter Vestry phoned and asked to see me. When I arrived he told me that Cecil had confronted him with the evidence I'd compiled but had used it to blackmail him instead. Vestry told Cecil his interests had changed, that he'd decided to run for political office and sever all ties with his business partner. Cecil didn't take the news well and became enraged. He left and returned a few hours later, heavily intoxicated, he threatened to expose Vestry and ruin his chances for political office. Cecil became flustered when Vestry wasn't intimidated and stormed out. After telling me all this he asked me to disclose the information I'd obtained on him and that he and Cecil would deal with the matter between them. I informed him that Cecil was my client and I was obligated to maintain my client's trust and privacy and then I left."
"What happened then?" Francis breathed.
"Well that's when it got ugly.
Vestry telephoned me again a few days later and told me that Cecil had been in an
accident. Apparently Cecil had been drinking and loss control of his car; he ran off
the road and over a cliff. It exploded on the way down, he didn't survive."
"And you bought that?" Laura said incredulously.
"Of course not, would you have bought a convenient story like that? I knew full well Vestry killed Cecil and made it look like an accident but I couldn't prove it. I went to Vestry's office and told him I would expose him and bring him to justice for his crimes. He told me it wouldn't be wise and there could be ramifications. The bastard actually suggested I take some time to think about my decision before I acted. I told him he had lost him mind and stormed out of his office. I went home, discussed the matter with your mother and told her I was going to blow the lid off the whole thing. Abby was worried, but understood I had to do what was right. That's when suspicious accidents started happening; the next day in my office a wire short circuited in the wall and started a fire. Two days later my assistant, Joan was crossing the street and was almost run over by a car."
"Maybe it was just coincidence," Laura concluded.
"I thought that too, until Abby's accident." her father said grimly.
"What?" Laura and Francis said in unison.
"Abigail was on her way to pick you girls up from ballet when the brakes failed and she hit a parked car."
"Oh, I remember that Dad, Mom was in the hospital a few days and we had to stay with Aunt Miriam." Francis recalled.
"Yeah and your mother felt sure it was her fault, but I knew better. We'd just gotten the car serviced a week before and if something was wrong with the brakes Joe would've told us about it. I knew then things were getting out of control and that Vestry was making good on his veiled threat. Your mother and I argued about what to do. She insisted I report my findings to the authorities and let them handle Vestry but I didn't think that was wise. I couldn't risk him retaliating against me further. We both knew Vestry could find out where we lived and we didn't want either of you harmed."
"Why couldn't you just go to the police, have them protect us until Vestry was brought in?" Francis inquired.
"Your mother refused to upset your lives and police protection wasn't a guarantee. We didn't know how powerful Vestry was and it was foolish to underestimate him. Hell he wasn't even in office then, can you imagine what he could do once he became a politician?" Richard replied.
"So you left." Laura said flatly.
Richard noticed the hurt in her voice and ached to go to her.
"Your mother and I thought it was best that I leave so Vestry and I made an arrangement; my silence for my family's well being. He knew I'd go straight to the top to expose him and with his political aspirations, he couldn't and wouldn't risk being implicated in any wrong doing."
"But why didn't you tell us? We were old enough to handle the truth." Laura said hotly.
"Any slip up would've meant the end Laura. I thought that was too much pressure to put on you and Francis. You were only teenagers at the time, I thought I was protecting you both." her father replied.
"By having us think you abandoned us? You knew how we'd feel, the strain mother would be under and the guilt. And you still did it." Francis accused.
"Your mother knew what was required of her, we both knew the sacrifices we'd have to make but they were worth it. Nothing was more important to either of us then the two of you. You were our lives and we'd do anything to keep you safe. Besides, the whole perdicament was my fault. I was the one that brought this power hungry killer to our front door and I had to be the one to insure we all survived my mistake."
"And was it easy leaving us?" Laura asked.
"Lying to and leaving my family was the hardest thing I'll ever do in my lifetime. Harder than keeping silent about my client's murder, harder than compromising my honesty, integrity and work ethics. Harder than giving up being a detective. And yet I'd do it again, without hesitation." Richard said with conviction.
Laura struggled with emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. It was all so incredulous, so hard to fathom that she just couldn't process it all. Her voice shook when she finally spoke. "Why have you come back? Why now, after all this time?"
"I'll admit it wasn't a coincidence. Peter Vestry died a few weeks ago so I thought it was safe to return. And then there was Abigail."
"So you knew about mother before you arrived?" Francis said with shock.
"Yes. Her lawyer had instructions to contact me if she died. I tried to get back sooner but I had to tie up loose ends and my arrangements took some time."
"I see. So you and mother took it upon yourselves to deny Francis and I a complete family and a father! What gave either of you the right to alter our lives on a "what if?" You weren't completely sure Vestry would do anything and yet you just up and left us without an explination. And now you tell us mother was in on it too. That's just great! And here I thought I knew both of you and it turns out I don't know either or you." Laura shot back.
"Laura we are your parents, for better or worse, and along with that responsibility comes the need to make decisions not just for our benefit but our children too. You may not like our solution to the problem and I can't say that I blame you. We didn't like it either but we felt we had no choice. Do you think I liked giving up my family because some greedy son of a bitch threatened to destroy me? I didn't! I can't begin to explain the hole it left in my heart, in my life. But if you need to lay the blame on someone, lay it on me not your mother. None of this was her fault and she and I both did what we felt would insure our safety, all of us."
"I'm sorry but this is past incredulous. I can't process all this, not yet. I know I wanted to know the truth and I got what I asked for didn't I." Laura said bitterly. "I'm sorry, I have to go...I need time to think." Laura said abruptly and ran out.
Richard stood up and looked at Francis. "I suppose it is hard to accept, for both of you. I don't ask for forgiveness from either of you but I just wanted you both to understand that I didn't leave you for any other reason than to insure your safety." Richard said sadly. "I'm sure Abby would've told you both the truth if she'd known...if she'd had time before she died. I couldn't leave this earth without telling you both the truth. I could handle you thinking I was a selfish bastard for the last sixteen years, but somehow dying with that on my conscience and having to deal with it for an eternity, well let's just say I didn't think I could handle that."
"You're not ill, are you?" Francis paled.
"No, Francis, I just didn't want to run the risk of it not being said in time," he clarified.
"I know Dad, and I'm glad you told us. Deep down I'm sure Laura is trying to make sense of all this. It's just hard opening up old wounds. Laura has never been good at forgiving people. At least not since you left."
"I can't say I blame her. You've both grown into exceptional women and that was strictly your mother's doing because you didn't have a father. I can't erase the years I've been gone Francis but I can offer you the time I have left, if you're willing to except me back into your life." Richard said emotionally.
Without hesitation Francis went into her father's arms and hugged him tightly. Richard embraced his daughter tightly and felt the tears slide down his face. It may not be a smooth beginning but it was one he'd gladly take.
After Francis left Richard laid across the bed and stared at the ceiling. He felt a twinge of guilt but there was no help for it. He hadn't been completely honest with his daughters and it tore at his heart. He hadn't told his daughters that Abigail had threatened to leave and take them with her. That she'd had an affair and was planning on divorcing him. It was irrelevant now. Abigail was dead and there was no point in telling them things that would add more hurt, pain and confusion to a situation already ripe with it. No, he'd done the right thing by not giving them all the details of that terrible time. Vestry trying to kill Abby to buy his silence was bad enough.
I'm sorry, Abby. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when you needed me. That I caused you to turn to another man. Please forgive me darling, I've never stopped loving you. I promise to look after our daughters now that you can't. I won't fail them like I failed you--like I failed us. That I swear to you.
With a heavy heart Richard closed his eyes and let sleep overtake him.