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 2003.

Steele Playing By The Rules - Part XII

    "Laura, you're going to pace a whole in the carpet.  Will you sit down please?"  Murphy said softly.

    "I can't just sit and do nothing Murphy.  This isn't like him, he doesn't just not show up and not call.  Something's wrong."  Laura said, emphatically.

    "How do you know?  He's pulled disappearing acts before, what makes it different now?"

    "Everything is different now."  Laura blurted out.

    Murphy scrutinized Laura for a few seconds before speaking.  "Like what?"

    Laura realized she'd backed herself into a corner and tried to cover.  "Well for one, Mr. Steele and I had reservations for lunch at The Chateau."  Laura said pointing to the calendar on his desk.  "Do you really think he'd miss that unless something was up?"

    "Laura that's hardly conclusive..."

    "And he missed his appointment with Mr. Smythe."   Laura continued.

    "His tailor?  Good grief, his is missing!"

    "Hit him again, maybe he'll get a sudden urge to remember who hired him."  William Riddley said, angrily.

    Cat smiled and slapped Remington across the face again.  "It will go better for you if you tell us what we want to know darling."

    Remington's head snapped back yet again from the blow to his face.  His skin was burning from Caterina's persuasion techniques.  He felt blood at the corner of his mouth but still managed a smile.

    "Where's Grayson Dunlow?"  Remington demanded.

    William Riddley's bony face swelled with anger.  The glasses on his nose slid precariously toward the tip as he waved his fist in the air.  "We're the ones asking the questions around here, Mr. Steele, you aren't in a position to demand anything!"

    "Easy Bill, you don't want to tire yourself."  Cat soothed stroking his heaving chest.

    "I'll kill him if he doesn't talk!  You know I will!"  He wheezed.

    "Of course you will.  Now run along and make sure our other guest is comfortable."  Cat smiled.

    Riddley eyed Remington with contempt before leaving the room.  Once the door shut Remington chuckled. 

    "That suit alone was enough to give me a heart attack."

    Cat turned and slapped Remington hard across the face.  "You don't seem to grasp the gravity of the situation do you Mr. Steele?  You and your little girlfriend are going to die unless you cooperate."

    Remington's chest heaved as he pulled against the ropes holding him securely in the chair.  "What have you done with Laura!?  If you harm her I swear I'll..."

    "You'll what?  Exactly what are you going to do?  You're strapped to a chair Mr. Steele.  Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I'll go question Miss Holt."

    "No!"  Remington yelled as Caterina headed toward the door.  "You want to know who hired us to find Dunlow?  I'll tell you.  I'll tell you everything."

    "Try again Murphy."  Laura nodded.

    Murphy pressed the buzzer again.  After a few moments a surly looking man wrenched the door open.

    "Do you know what time it is?"   He ground out.

    "I need to speak with Madame Tulane."  Laura said pushing her way inside.

    "Whoa there Miss.  You can't come barging in..."

    "Oh I assure you I can."  Laura said and flashed her badge under his nose.

    "It's alright Joe, let them in."

    Madame Tulane walked down the stairs looking like it wasn't the middle of the night and she wasn't just awakened from a sound sleep.

    "Miss Holt, what brings you here at this hour?"

    "I'm looking for my associate, Remington Steele."

    "I'm sorry but he's not here.  He left hours ago Miss Holt and hasn't been back."

    "Have you seen Caterina Rshenko?"

    "No.  She called in today.  Why?  What's this all about?"

    "Mr. Steele is missing and I believe Ms. Rshenko can shed some light on his whereabouts."

    "Do you have surveillance cameras covering the outside of your estate?"  Murphy asked.

    "Of course."

    "Would you mind if we looked at the tapes for today?"

    Madame Tulane looked at Joe and nodded.

    "This way."  Joe grumbled.

    Laura and Murphy followed him into a room at the back of the house.  He introduced them to the head of security and gruffly told them he'd be right outside the door.  Laura asked to see footage of the parking area from the last few hours.  Laura's breath constricted as she saw Remington walking to his car and then Caterina Rshenko rushing toward him. 

    They watched the scene from a few hours before play out on the monitor.  Laura's heart slammed against her chest as she saw them get into his car and a few moments later an unconscious Remington being carried by Caterina and Riddley to his car.  Caterina got into the driver's seat of Remington's car and they both sped off.

    "We've got to find them Murphy."  Laura said in cold resolve.

    "We will Laura."

    Remington pulled against the rope at his wrists and felt it give.  A few more seconds of pushing and pulling and the slack loosened.  He was just about free when the door opened.  He stopped his movements and pretended to be unconscious.  Riddley walked in and stood before him.  

    "You can't still be sleep.  You promised to tell us who sent you.  Wake up!"  He shouted.

    When Remington didn't respond, he stormed forward and grabbed Remington's head and wrenched it upward.  "I said wake up!"

    Remington freed his hands and slid the rope down and before Riddley could move he toppled himself and the chair on top of the little man.  All three crashed to the floor, the impact caused Riddley's glasses to fly across the room.  Remington got out from under the chair and pulled Riddley forcibly to his feet.  Riddley was still dazed from the impact.

    "Wake up sunshine, I want you to feel this."

    Riddley shook his head and looked at Remington.  He opened his mouth to speak but it was too late.  Remington pulled his fist back and flattened it onto Riddley's jaw.  The sound of bone against bone resounded loudly in the quiet room.  Seconds later Riddley was sprawled on the floor out cold.

    "You got off light."  Remington eyed him with distaste.

    Remington swayed slightly and had to steady himself.  His jaws ached and his right eye felt in danger of closing but he knew his time was limited.  He cautiously went to the door and opened it.  There wasn't anyone in the corridor so he eased out and along the wall.  

    Spotting another room a few feet away, he walked stealthily towards it.  He tried the handle but it was locked.  He felt around in his pockets for his lock picking kit but they were empty.  He cursed when he heard footsteps approaching and had barely slipped around the corned when he saw a man approaching the door.  The man pulled a key out of his pocket and unlocked the door.  He was opening it when Remington ran full tilt and slammed into him. 

    The man and Remington went down.  Both recovered quickly and jumped to their feet.  The man swung at Remington but he dodged the blow.  He landed a punch to the man's midsection and then an uppercut to his jaw.  He fell backward and Remington kicked him in the stomach for good measure.

    Remington looked at the prostrate man and rubbed his shoulder.  "I've got to find an easier way to knock people out."

    Opening the door, Remington cautiously entered the room.  He saw a man lying on a cot against the far wall.  He ran over and knelt by the bed.  The man was unconscious but a quick feel to his neck indicated that he was alive.

    "Grayson Dunlow, I presume."

    "You presume right, Mr. Steele."

    Remington turned and saw Caterina standing in the doorway with a gun trained on him.  His face was grim as his hands went up into the air.

    "You've caused a great deal of trouble Mr. Steele."

    "Not as much as I'm going to cause."  A voice sounded behind them.

    Caterina turned and gasped as Laura's fist connected with her face.  Caterina fell into the room, her gun slid across the floor and into a wall.  Remington ran to pick up the gun just as Laura pulled Caterina to her feet.  Remington pointed the weapon at Caterina and told her to put her hands in the air.

    "Laura?  Laura?"

    "This way Murphy!"  Laura called out.

    "Ah, the calvalry has arrived."   Remington replied wearily.

    Laura looked at him and finally noticed his disheveled clothes and his well-beaten face.  A roar of anger burst from Laura's mouth and she spun Caterina around to face her.

    "Don't worry darling, he didn't enjoy it-too much."  Caterina taunted.

    "Oh, well allow me to return the favor."  Laura said and punched her.

    Laura released the woman and let her hit the floor.  Caterina grabbed her jaw and started to stand.  Laura was already lunging toward her when Murphy rushed to keep the woman away from Laura's wrath.

    "It's over Ms. Rshenko.  You'd better save your strength.  Where you're going, you'll need it."  Remington informed her.

    "Are you sure you're ok?"   Laura said, worriedly.

    "Laura, I'm fine.  Well not fine, but I'll heal."  Remington assured her.

    Laura ran her fingers lightly over his face and frowned when he flinched.  "What were you thinking putting yourself in danger like that?"

    "Sorry Miss Holt, getting caught unawares and drugged tends to reduce a person's sense of peril."

    Laura leaned in and kissed his bruised lips.   "I don't like seeing you all battered and bruised."  

    He put his arms around her and pulled her closer.  "Believe me Laura, I don't like living up to the rough and tumble end of this profession.  Still, I'd rather it be me than you on the receiving end of Crazy Caterina and her faithful companion Riddley."

    "It's hard to believe Riddley and Dunlow used to be in business together.  When Dunlow met Eliza and wanted to dissolve the partnership, Riddley took it personal."  Bernice said from the doorway.

    "Knock much, Miss Wolfe?" 

    "He told Dunlow he'd take care of everything and didn't.  He switched Dunlow to a "silent partner" to maintain his clientele."  Laura told Bernice.

    "And when Riddley came across that insurance policy on the two of them, he thought his financial prayers were answered."  Murphy called from Laura's doorway.

    "Good Lord, it's stereo."   Remington grumbled.

    "Fortunately for Mr. Dunlow, Caterina convinced Riddley that Grayson was worth more alive then dead."  Laura chimed in.

    "With Eliza and her family fortune, they could just kidnap Dunlow and extort money out of Eliza." Bernice concluded.

    "Holding him for ransom seemed a better solution to murder."  Murphy interjected.

    "At least this had a happy ending; Eliza and Grayson Dunlow are reunited and living happily ever after."  Bernice said, dreamily.

    "Well, now that another crime has been successfully concluded by the Remington Steele Agency I feel a much needed vacation is in order."  Remington eyed Laura intently.

    The tension that filled the air and smoldered back and forth between Laura and Remington wasn't lost on Bernice and Murphy.  Bernice nudged Murphy in his side and nodded toward the door.  Murphy looked between Laura and Remington again and shook his head.  Bernice nodded again for confirmation before forcibly pulling Murphy into the reception area.

    It was a full two minutes before either one noticed their associates had left the room.

    "Hey, where did everyone go?"  Laura asked looking around.

    "Don't know Miss Holt, but what say we make the most of their absence, eh?"  He leaned in and winked devilishly.

    "And just what did you have in mind, Mr. Steele?"  Laura breathed.

    "Actually there's this little thing you do with your..."

    Laura shrieked and quickly covered his lips with hers to silence any further conversation between them.  Remington smiled to himself as he pulled Laura into his lap.  He'd finally found the perfect way to silence Laura and he was planning on using it to his full advantage.

The End.