London Pass Part One

The morning after they had finished building the chicken coop, Craig pulled Terry into his office and shut the door. She watched him go to the wall safe and take out the moneybox. That piqued her curiosity.

"What's up, Craig?" she asked.

He turned back to her and handed her some money from the box. It was a lot of money.

"I'm going to be gone for a week. I'll let the guys have a forty-eight hour pass to London." He grinned at her. "Let Actor set up the accommodations. He usually does it. I just need you to go in with them and pay for the room and go back and pick them up later."

"Okay," said Terry slowly. "You trust them in London by themselves?"

"Pretty much," replied Craig. "If they get themselves thrown in jail, you might have to go bail them out. But, they're usually pretty good about staying out of trouble when they go to London."

Terry was a little surprised that Craig would let them do something like this and also let her be in charge. "What are you going to be doing?"

"I can't tell you," said Craig.

"Great," she said with a touch of sarcasm. "Do you need me to drive you somewhere and pick you up?"

"No," replied Garrison. "I'll take the jeep and let you have the Packard."

He didn't say anything to the men until he was packed and ready to go out the door. Four pair of eyes moved between the grip and the lieutenant.

"Goin' somewhere, Warden?" asked Casino, cards in front of him forgotten.

"I have another mission," said Craig. "You have a forty-eight hour pass to London. Terry's in charge. Try to stay out of trouble."

"I am sure there will be no trouble, Lieutenant," said Actor smoothly. "How long will you be gone this time?"

"A week."

"Well, be careful," admonished Terry, coming down the stairs. "Sure you don't want me to drive you?"

"Positive."

Goniff grinned broadly. "See, Warden don't like 'er driving either."

"Thanks Goniff," said Terry with a grimace.

"It has nothing to do with her driving ability," said Garrison.

Terry smirked at her brother. She had the feeling Craig didn't want her to see the girlfriend. "Say hi," she said.

"I will be sure to give Major Richards your regards," said Craig back with a smart grin of his own. He let himself out the door before Terry could come up with anything else.

The door had barely closed when Casino tossed his cards on the table. "Oh boy, London here we come."

Chief turned his head to look at the con man from his window perch. "Hey, Actor, can you get us that place you did the last time? Nice place."

Actor shook his head. "I believe the lieutenant said Teresa is in charge."

Terry walked over behind Casino and started playing his solitaire game over his shoulder. "You are in charge of accommodation," she told Actor. "I am in charge of transportation and finances." Casino graced her with a dirty look as she moved cards around on the table in front of him and snatched the cards from her. Terry ignored him and continued speaking to Actor. "I don't care where you stay as long as I have enough money to pay for it."

"In that case, I would be pleased to book us at the Windsor," said Actor.

Goniff looked brightly at Terry. "Hey, Love, you doing anything for the next couple days?"

"Not really," replied Terry. "I can drive you guys back and forth. No problem."

Actor smiled at her. "Would you like to come with us?"

"What? You mean for the whole two days?"

"Yes," Actor grinned now. "I know you like to dance."

The idea of staying in London for the two days had not entered Terry's mind, but it was a tempting thought.
"There's only one problem," said Terry. "Chris has people staying at her flat. And I don't have the cash on me to pay for a room at a hotel right now."

"You may stay with us," said Actor.

"I'm sorry?" asked Terry not sure she had heard right.

Casino stepped forward, "Sure Babe, we get a suite. You can have your own bedroom. We can rearrange the sleeping quarters."

The idea of sharing a suite with them did not bother Terry too much. She did it on missions all the time. Granted her brother was there. But this was a little different. She looked rather quizzically at Actor. "Yeah, but . . . uh . . . what if . . . I mean . . ."

"What if . . .?," urged Actor.

Terry frowned and then shrugged. "Okay, what if you guys pick up girls. Wouldn't it be a little awkward?"

"Naw," said Casino offhandedly. "If that happens we usually go somewhere else. Besides, it don't happen that often. The only one of us what usually scores is Actor and his little black book."

Terry shot an amused look at Actor and said to Casino, "Hey, he doesn't even need the little black book."

Actor got a smug expression on his face.

"So what do you say, Love?" asked Goniff eagerly.

Terry nodded, "Okay. But I get to keep the car."

"Agreed," said Actor.

Card games were forgotten as Terry and the other three went upstairs to get packed while Actor got on the phone and called London.

There was a knock on Terry's door as she was packing her bag. She opened the door and let Actor in. She wondered what he wanted, but he didn't say anything right away. Instead he studied the clothes laid out on her bed.

"Why don't you bring that cream evening gown you have?" suggested the con man. "I will take you dancing."

Terry raised an eyebrow. "Is Craig paying you to do this again?"

Actor looked askance at her. "You really must get more confidence in yourself, Little One. You are an excellent dancer and I do not need to be bribed to wish to dance with you. I enjoy it when we are on a mission. It would be nice to enjoy it without having to watch for trouble."

Terry had to admit she really did enjoy dancing with the Italian. She walked over to the open armoire and took out the cream gown. As she brought it over to the bed, she said with a smile, "I would be delighted to go dancing with you."

"Wonderful," said Actor with a grin.

He left her and went to his room to pack. As he was carefully folding his tuxedo and putting his dancing shoes in his grip, he pondered on what had possessed him to agree so wholeheartedly to take the girl along with them. It would definitely put a cramp on any plans he might have made for tonight. Well, there would still be tomorrow night. He had to admit, he took a certain pleasure from dancing with Teresa. She was the perfect height with heels on. She knew all the dances and executed them well. She smelled and felt good. And she was the Warden's sister and she was too young and not one to trifle with.

GGGGG

Chief put the last of the bags in the trunk of the Packard. He watched Casino and Goniff loudly fooling around and dreaded getting in the back with them. It was automatically assumed Terry would ride in the front with Actor.

Terry was standing next to Actor by the steps, watching the antics. "Do they settle down or can we drop them off a bridge somewhere?

Actor shook his head. "Hopefully they will settle down before we get there. Once we are there, they go off on their own."

"Do I have to bail them out?" asked Terry in mock resignation.

"The Warden would probably expect that."

"The Warden has some strange expectations," said Terry. She pulled the roll of money out of her pocket and stuffed it in Actor's pocket.

Actor looked at her with a crooked smile. "What are you doing?"

"Craig put me in charge of money and car." Terry looked up at the Italian. "I don't want to be the CO. You made the reservations, you pay for it. Can't I just be the Second?"

Actor laughed, "Of course you can, Little One." They started walking toward the car. "Would you like me to drive?"

"Sure," said Terry. "I know everyone hates my driving."

"Just Casino," corrected Actor. "You should not have frightened him."

Actor took the keys from her and opened the passenger door. Terry was about to get in when she noticed Chief standing by the back of the car. He was looking at Casino and Goniff in the backseat with a resigned expression. Taking a deep breath he gave a sigh. Terry startled the young man by stepping back and grabbing his hand. He was not used to anyone just grabbing him and stiffened. Terry ignored it and pulled him to the open front seat door.

"I'll sit in the middle," she said with a wink at him. She was pleased to actually get a smile out of him.

Actor went around the front of the vehicle and got in the driver's side. He looked across Terry at the Indian as Chief shut the door. "Smart move," he said dryly.

Arriving in London in the early afternoon, Actor pulled over to the curb a block from the Windsor Hotel. Casino and Goniff climbed out of the back. Chief got out and pulled Terry out with him. The Indian took Actor's place behind the wheel. Actor helped Terry into the back seat and joined her. There had been no discussion of this and the men seemed to find this a routine occurrence.

As Chief drove off, leaving the other two men on the curb, Terry smoothed her dress and turned to Actor. "Are we suddenly on a mission?"

He chuckled, "No Cara, this is how we will get five of us into the suite and only pay for three. We will just have a different twist on it than we usually do. Play along with it."

Terry looked at him and laughed. "Do you guys ever do anything legal?"

"What would be the fun in that?" asked Actor seriously. "Switch your ring to the other hand," he instructed.

Terry took the gold band used during their cons from the ring finger of her right hand and slipped it onto her left.

Chief pulled to the curb in front of the hotel. A doorman opened the passenger door and held an elbow out to Terry. She placed a hand lightly on the arm and elegantly left the car. Actor climbed out behind her. The Italian escorted her through the revolving door into the marble floored lobby. Terry accompanied him to the registration desk. He was his usual aristocratic self so she became the same.

The manager came out to personally assist the Italian. "Ah, Count Mancini, it is a pleasure to have you back at our hotel."

"Thank you," replied Actor with just the right touch of class. "May I present my wife, the Contessa Teresa Mancini."

"A pleasure, Countess," said the manager.

Terry inclined her head with a gracious smile. She waited patiently as Actor signed the registration and paid for the stay in advance with cash. By the time they headed for the elevator, Chief and the bellboy had caught up, bringing their luggage on a cart. Terry kept her hand tucked into the crook of Actor's arm on the way to the top floor. She strove to maintain an air of disinterest as they were escorted into the main room of the largest suite, Terry had ever seen. The main room had marble floors, two sofas with white velvet upholtery, several large comfortable overstuffed chairs, a wet bar, a side board, and a large white table with a bright fresh flower arrangement in the center. Actor tipped the bellman. Terry waited to be sure he had gone down the elevator before she burst out laughing.

"You don't do anything in a small way, do you?" she asked Actor.

"Hey, don't knock it," said Chief. "He's good at what he does and it works for us."

Terry grinned at Chief. "Yes, and he's finally married me. I'm tired of being a mistress all the time."

"I am merely trying to safeguard your reputation," said Actor.

"Oh, yeah. I live alone in an isolated house with five men and I'm checked into a decadent suite in a posh hotel alone with four men. What reputation?"

Terry had been given the middle bedroom. She cocked a jaundiced eye at the leather grip sitting on the floor beside her suitcase and makeup kit. With a mischievous smile, she carried the grip to the door, opened the door, set the grip down and eased it into the little hallway with her foot. Her door being in a direct line with the living room gave Chief a view of what she was doing. He grinned at her. She grinned back.

"Hey, Actor, I think you've been evicted," drawled the Indian.

"I beg your pardon?" asked the Italian. He followed Chief's gaze. The bedroom door closed, leaving his grip in front of it. "Ah, yes." The con man walked forward and picked up his bag, turning to take it to the room on the left he would be sharing with Chief.

"It was a good try," said the quiet drawl.

Actor stopped dead in his tracks and turned his head to look at the Indian. Chief very rarely joked about anything. "I was not trying," the con man said firmly and with a hint of indignation.

Chief ignored him and continued digging his bag from the pile that had been left in the living room so Actor brushed it off as some strange utterance and started toward the bedroom.

"It was still a good try."