Laura cheated
Steele never thought that leaving the office that night would become one of the worst moments of his life. He was calm, happy to end the day and go home where Laura was waiting for him with little Remington perhaps in his arms, trying to make him sleep a little before their arrival so that they could have some of their private and intimate moments that they tended to become glorious for their sexuality very well taken and fully enjoyed by both. Livvy was four years old, Junior was about to complete her second year of life and both children had stopped being problematic at bedtime. They rested without interruption all night.
When he felt in his side the pipe of something resembling a revolver and they gave him the order not to turn around he remained static. He walked at the command of a gruff masculine voice towards the waiting car with a lighted engine and a blow to the nape of the neck rendered him senseless. The car moved at full speed of the parking lot and the Rabbit remained in the place that had always been Laura.
Laura was playing on the carpet with Junior. "Wow, little Steele, like your father, you have mommy on the carpet, where you want ... your dad always likes this carpet with me in it ... she hummed softly and put the baby on her belly. When do you fall asleep, love? When do you sleep, huh? She sang again with that voice that since pregnancy had been the best soothing for her son.
After a while he had been looking three times at the wall clock whose minute hand seemed not to move. But after a long time, when she looked at the device for the fourth time, she saw that it was getting too late and Mr. Steele didn't arrive. That was very strange. He always flew home to enjoy the children. Those were delicious moments when the little family laughed at the witticisms and the funny way of telling their day that Olivia had and with the new "monadas" of the little Steele that captivated both of them equally.
Laura saw that her son surrendered to a good dream and stealthily took him to his crib, depositing him gently. She tried the huge mobile phone they had acquired a few weeks before and that Steele hated to carry in his pocket given the large size of the device and as expected didn't answer the call. Surely he would have "forgotten" him in the office. DID HE EVER BE FRIEND OF THE TECHNOLOGY?
Concerned she called Mildred. Apologizing for the hour, she spoke:
Mildred, I wouldn't have bothered you if it was not absolutely necessary ... I'm very worried. Mr. Steele has not arrived yet. Do you know what he did when he left the office?
No, I don't Laura ... I retired before ... Replied Mildred, taking as her the concern of her beloved adoptive daughter.
Was there a late case? She ask
No, your husband had to sign some papers and leave me checks ready for some payments that I will make tomorrow, but outside of that, he would be left alone in the office. Maybe someone called him ...
But he never stops warning if that happens ... said both women in unison.
When Steele awoke from his faintness the shock of the blow stunned his head. He looked around and saw himself alone in a large bed in an elegant room that he couldn't identify. Maybe Laura ...
He thought of the very remote possibility that Laura had played a joke on him and had tried to surprise him and then appear and ... but she wasn't as unpredictable as that. Laura didn't leave the office before nothing but her children and their surprises always involved them until they moved into intimacy in other, less brusque ways ... Her wife could be very passionate but she would never hurt him to surprise him even though sometimes she let her passionate and devilishly seductive girl that was bubbling inside her. When he touched his head he felt his fingers sticky. The blood was almost drying on his scalp. Auch ... he complained about his own touch.
Among the shadows of the room a hooded man from whom he could only see the eyes, ordered him:
Stand up, Steele!
He obeyed trying to clear his eyes to see who spoke to him but could only verify the man's stature. He was much taller than him. He had a revolver in his hand. The voice was again harsh and unmodulated. He could not distinguish an accent in the tone. He tried to mentally review how many big men that man had known and probably put in jail. He couldn't think of any at that moment. Another firm order took him out of his musings.
Undress yourself, Steele!
Who are you? Why should I undress?
Do it! The man shouted now getting closer.
Steele wanted to move towards the guy but stopped him in his tracks:
One more step and shot, Steele ...!
Laura while still calling with Mildred who in turn contacted Fred, to find out if the boss had used the limo and the new guys from the agency, even those hired sporadically to see if they had seen him. Nothing. Before his increasingly loud voice because he was falling into a certain degree of hysteria and anger. Livvy called from her room ... Dad? Daddy? Laura went to see before Junior woke up and chaos began to reign.
Daddy hasn't come yet, love, go back to sleep ...
The girl, very sleepy, nodded her head and continued to sleep. Thank God, Laura thought.
Without warning in twenty minutes Mildred and Fred were in the house of the Steele.
Sorry, Laura, but Fred brought me because you can't go through this alone, something bad must have happened to Mr. Steele. Fred went through Century and ... the Rabbit is parked in his place ...
Fred nodded. I expected orders. Laura sat down on the couch visibly despondent.
Time to call the hospitals and the police, Mildred? He asked with a little voice coming out of his throat
Mildred went to work taking the phone but nothing was in the guards, nor a police report. He contacted two or three friends on duty that night and was more than certain that whatever was going on, something or someone had Mr. Steele captive or out of the game and not yet discovered. Fred said he would tour the city, some bars, asking if they had seen him and even restaurants that used to frequent them. Laura agreed. The fact that Remington didn't call was too much. Something prevented him. Laura's eyes were close to tears but she had to be strong and wait, her children should not be scared by the father's absence. She was enjoying a few days off from the office to dedicate them to them. THEY WERE THE ADVANTAGES OF BEING THEIR OWN CHIEF, and they had agreed to it.
Three or four days his children were a total and absolute priority for him and her. In those days she didn't allow herself to miss work for more intriguing and juicy cases and he did the same, playing, walking, sharing with Livvy and Junior quality time. Every so often, especially some long weekends, the two took a break and shared fully with the kids a trip or special moments. If the cases required to break these new customs and investigate together or mimic the places and jobs of their clients, the boys were under the loving supervision of Mildred and they wanted to finish soon whatever it was that occupied them to return their little children with everything. the love that they were both capable of. If Mildred was an active part of a particular case, then they turned to Frances. Never only the nannies. The children needed relatives, they agreed. Always family.
Remington, upset as he could, began to undress until he took off his coat, tie, shirt, pants, shorts, socks and shoes. He was ordered to remove his stockings and shoes. Remington tried to do something very risky. He kicked the shoe away to distract the guy but he only managed to get the man to get his gun in his hand and whisper in a murderous voice:
You do something like this again and I kill you, asshole ...! "And he twisted his neck while he stuck the cold spout of the revolver between Steele's ribs
Each sentence the man in question ended up slowing down as if he wanted to add something else, Steele noted taking that as a clue to something ...
No more jokes, Steele ... sit on the bed, I'll show you something.
Steele obeyed.
Sitting on the bed, he saw the man take something from his pocket while pointing it. Suddenly he felt cold not only because he was almost naked but because of what was coming, although he didn't know what it was or wanted to guess. But on the wall of that room began to project a movie. Steele was dismayed to see a girl appear on the screen. Her beloved Livvy ... it was her!
Bastard ... my daughter! If you've done something to my daughter ... "Steele roared, standing up.
To bed, Steele! It was the blunt command of the guy Steele really did not know how to attack ... his little daughter ...
Actually the projected video showed a girl with the pink coat of Livvy, her favorite, showed her by the hand with a man, a big guy, with whom the girl walked holding hands. But it might not be Livvy, he calmed down. Although ... two seconds later, Mildred appeared on the scene. Mildred happy to see the man, greet him with familiarity and taking Livvy with her.
What is this, damn! Howled Steele furious.
Come on, man ... this is for you to see that I know your executive secretary, I have confidence with your daughter and with her and ... I have your daughter with me, beautiful child ...
Saying that, he raised his face with the spout of the revolver.
I have your daughter ...
That video is not my daughter. It could be his clothes but that's not my daughter. "He growled, wanting to believe his own words. How do you prove that you have her?
Oh ... I'll send someone to give you that test.
Claire ...! He called
A tall, blond, beautiful woman came in, bare-faced. She was barely dressed in a short nightgown and held in her hand ... Livvy's favorite pink coat! Remington felt himself die. What perverse game was this? Where Laura was, her Laura ... where was her little girl, her treasure, her very life, called Olivia ...
The man spoke in a strange, broken tone now, as if he were a stutterer. But in reality, he noticed again the detective that Remington carried thanks to Laura inside himself, who stopped speaking as if he wanted to say something that would not fit. He thought again of enemies that tall but could not do it because the images of his daughter were intertwined and that infuriated him.
Woman! He ordered the guy. Get in bed and you know what to do.
The girl obeyed, taking off her dressing gown and staying only in negligee.
Don't even think about doing something to her or rejecting her, amigo. "Growled the guy. You will let her do it. John! He called in turn with a shout, always pointing Steele with the gun.
A tall, thin man of the same height and physical build as Steele entered. Also the hair was of similar color and of the same hairstyle. Without a word, he began to dress in Remington's clothes, stockings, and shoes.
Smile, Steele, smile ... we're filming ... ordered the hooded.
Remington thought at that moment that what was being prepared there was a stage set for Laura. Surely someone would blackmail Laura or want to destroy his beautiful marriage and his no less wonderful family. He instantly decided that it would give him absolutely imperceptible codes that only Laura's trained eye could detect if filming was for her. For the time being he didn't take off his watch and the man didn't order him to do so at any time. Laura could interpret that as not being an important relationship for him. He always peeled off his watch when they ...
He felt deathly cold when the woman began to caress him and kiss his back kneeling behind him on the bed. Laura Laura I love you. Laura He said in his head. I love you, Laura, I don't feel anything. I feel absolutely nothing.
I'm thirsty. Steele said.
The man growled: Shut up, you're being filmed, imbecile ...!
You take?
Wisky with ice. Steele said resolutely.
Another clue for Laura. He always preferred wisky with cold water, not ice.
Serve her, beautiful ... "the guy ordered the woman
The woman got out of bed, poured the glass of whiskey from a small bar that was almost next to the bed and walked with feline steps towards Steele. He stroked it, sliding a hand with long false nails painted deep red on his shoulder and his collarbone up to his neck. He gave him the glass. Steele took just a sip. He left the glass on the night table, another thing he never did. He had never liked to leave out of place specific things like a glass that could mark the wood.
The guy growled:
Cut.
Come on, Steele, collaborate ... Hey, you John, show this prude how to do it. Filmen, now.
The man dressed in Steele's clothes stepped towards the woman with studied steps and Steele was pulled out of the corner of the bed where he was sitting devastated. I already knew what was happening. The man kissed the woman passionately, his hands cupped at the nape, almost like he used to kiss Laura, but he did not kiss in that vulgar way as the plagiarist was kissing her. The plans undoubtedly would be sent to the replacement's back because it didn't look anything like him. He had dark eyes and an aquiline nose, he would not even look in profile.
Cut.
Now, slowly remove the sack so that the shirt is visible.
Filmen.
The woman began to remove the sack and when he had just a part and the shirt was enough to be caught in the camera ordered cut again: Cut ... and again Steele noticed how the man seemed to want to continue talking but suddenly I braked.
All right. Now to Steele, go and kiss him.
Nobody said kisses, you told me that he would only kiss with me ...! interrupted the John guy.
Next scene ... The hooded guy replied sternly and fired with total coldness killing John. The girl screamed a strangled cry.
... Don't be stupid like your boyfriend ... Don't you dare approach the body ... He shouted the hooded menacing. Action. Kiss it. Remington saw the horror in the girl's eyes. He himself was desperate. When the woman put her lips on his and kissed him, despair made him respond to assure her that he would get her out of there. But Laura appeared in his mind and his coldness again seized him. The girl caressed him almost piously.
It's okay…
What we have? He said to the darkness from where someone was filming.
"It came out perfect." He heard someone say off.
Focus on that imbecile on the floor ...
I have it. Answered the voice in off
…Short.
Done, Ches ...
Shut up stupid! The hooded man shouted into the darkness with a shot that tormented Steele and the girl who looked at each other without understanding anything, but Steele, quick as a flash, understood at that moment who was his executioner.
Laura did not go to the agency and Mildred did not. They canceled all the meetings from the Steele house, taking advantage of the first hours of the morning before the children woke up. Olivia would want to see her dad and Junior, normally very calm she would be nervous if she saw that her sister was crying or screaming stubbornly to see her father.
Mildred quickly answered by knocking on the Steele's door before the bell rang again.
He was a messenger. The man brought a light package very well wrapped in wood paper sealed neatly.
She barely thanked the guy and ran to give the package to Laura. She unwrapped it as she had never before unwrapped a gift, tugging at the wrapping.
That was a compact disc. Immediately she went to the computer and introduced it. The images that appeared hit her squarely. She couldn't articulate a word. The scenes were very clear and revealing. Your husband with another woman in bed. At first she felt angry, mocked, overwhelmed. But the call of Livvy waking up and looking for her dad made her leave that state of shock first and take care of her daughter afterwards.
It was the time that Remington dedicated to the girl. She invaded the matrimonial bed and played with the ears of her Da, with his hands, with some pendant or medallion that her beloved father had around his neck, he would lull her so that she wouldn't awaken Junior with her joy and effusiveness and endured the Little feet of the girl on his side, the plump little hands doing theirs in his hair and the profuse kisses of Livvy on his face.
Laura and Mildred were in Olivia's bedroom on the spot and the sight of Mildred distracted the creature for a moment.
Mildred gave herself completely to games to fool the cunning little girl and avoid questions that she would not know how to answer. Laura tacitly left her in charge. Soon Fred would come with some information and he would take Olivia to the preschool in the limousine.
Laura returned to her husband's small movie theater and returned to the movie. Laura looked at the screen once and for all.
She squeezed back and play again and again, back and play. That man who was naked was Remington. By zooming her male back revealed two or three brands well known to her from the hobre that was her husband. But there was something that did not fit ... The man dressed in the beginning with Remington's clothes was not Remington, she noticed because no one looked so splendidly the Italian court suits of his Mr. Steele as HIS Mister Steele.
Olivia began to ask questions while Mildred cooed with invented songs on the fly, trying to make her beautiful to go to school. Mostly she wanted to see her father.
Dad Steele is traveling, he had to leave last night very quickly, said Mildred
The girl whimpered, how had he gone on a trip without saying goodbye to her?
Oh, it was late, he came to see you, he kissed you because you were very sleepy, he told you that he loved you and ... he had to leave, treasure ...
The girl believed with absolute confidence in Mildred's words.
He'll call later, you'll see. Now, let's have your breakfast and you'll be on your way to your school.
Well done, Mildred congratulated Laura when after kissing her daughter and wishing her a nice day at her school they fired her until later.
At least seeing Mildred again with the film alone was a relief for Laura.
But little Steele woke up. Mildred went to see him, the babysitter would arrive soon and she wanted to watch that video before Laura made the wrong decision.
When Junior saw his mom he stretched his arms to her with adoration and a PURE STEEL smile on her beautiful face.
Where will that scoundrel be? She asked herself to herself. She opened her blouse the night before and sanitized with a wet wipe her son's favorite breast nursed Junior who was already diapered and thirsty for her.
Breastfeeding was a special time for her and she tried to make it pleasurable for her son. He did not need a hysterical baby growling later for sipping his breast milk full of nerves. She took him to the bedroom and made breastfeeding something as sweet as they always did and their special mother-son connection. Suddenly, the baby, satisfied, searched all over the place and did not find something ... or someone ... Remington had a habit of appearing when Laura stopped breastfeeding Junior and took him in her arms to burp, or simply lulled him affectionate. The baby looked for "that someone" and found it in the photograph of Steele and Laura that was on the bedside table. Smiling, Junior pumped his little legs and said something that made Laura move: Dad ... Dad ... Dad ...
Laura felt her eyes fill with tears. She had hoped that the first word of her second son was mom because she was very clear that her son adored her with her eyes but he, like Olivia, preferred to call dad before her ...
He took a deep breath ... and kissed the rosy cheek of little Steele saying in a whisper ... You say dad for the first time and your father is not here to be proud of it or to make fun of me ...
Steele saw himself surrounded by three huge men, the hooded man who had killed two hooded people more than tall, who began to beat him savagely. Her last conscious Thought was Laura ... Laura ... the children, Laura ... take care of yourself and take care of Our children, my love ...
Mildred had stopped watching the video in Steele's first passionate kiss or those who played on stage on the screen. Laura, knocked down by horrible sensations, knew that something did NOT fit. I'm a detective for herself, This can not be happening to me ...
You will not believe in this real garbage, Laura?
No, I do not think so ... Something in all this can not be real. What have you seen, Mildred?
I do not want to see it again but I think it's best to see it in sequence ...
Taking advantage of the Half-morning-of-Junior Dream, watching the movie together ... they were deducting ...
Observe ESO, Mildred ... it looks like a mounted stage, completely eliminates the hotel for hours ... For it to be a department there are things that are missing ...
Of course! almost shouted Mildred
There is no closet and there are no lamps on the bedside tables!
Laura's eyes lit up with a very special glow and for the first time in hours she allowed herself a smile.
Bingo! If you're a great detective, Mildred!
Now I ... let me see ... look at Mr. Steele ... what do you see?
Hmmm ... I do not know, his face does not seem relaxed, at least not like someone who is stuck in something rough ...
The sleeves of the shirt, he never loses his composure so much that his twins can not be seen and they do not look ... he also does not fit his fists ... added a PERPICAZ Mildred
Point for Mr. Steele ... Laura murmured biting her lips to add:
He did not take off his watch and that's ...
Wisky on the rocks! they said in unison
Unless he has changed his tastes in a couple of hours ... he does not like the wisky on the rocks but with cold water ...
Laura finished.
It is not the boss. said Mildred sure
If it's the boss, in some shots it's the boss, Mildred but it's not Remington Steele ... he has given us signs, the drink, the clock ... his face ... that does not look like the face of a happy man cheat on his wife right?
Exact! Mildred exclaimed, snapping her fingers
He doesn't fool me, right, Mildred dear ...?
No, treasure, if I know anything about the boss, about that son of mine that I love ... it is that ... he has left behind the nonsense with silly blondes and dazzling brunette ... he loves you ... now what I want is to know where my son is…!
Mildred wiped her damp eyes with a cloth handkerchief ... one of her beloved boss and adopted son, Remington Steele and clearing her throat said ...
I think something bad may be happening to him and we here looking at that garbage ...!
The phone rang and Laura flew to answer.
Speak you
Mrs. Steele ... or should I say now Miss Holt? said a low but familiar voice ... which put Laura's brain on alert
I guess he saw the movie.
Laura sighed yes and with a sign made Mildred raise the other extension in the kitchen and listen to discern then if something noticed in the voice of the unknown caller.
"The same video came to me this morning.
I will not stop until I destroy Steele ... to you and to all your descendants ... he dared with my wife ... I will not rest until I see him in ruins ... "
threatened the man and cut without Laura could ask anything.
Now she was disconcerted.
Look, Laura, said Mildred resolutely, I will not be very useful here now that Jésica has arrived, that she can take care of Junior, what do you think if I go to the office and see what kind of vermin we have put in prison have regained freedom and they want revenge ... and we see what conclusions we can get ..
Mildred was willing to do anything for Remington. She was taking out her mother's claws at any price for him. Laura only nodded still wrapped in great confusion after the call.
Will you be well?
Yes, Mildred, go, go find those answers ...
The telephone rang. It was Frederick Holt.
Ah ... hello, dad, good morning also for you, oh ... Mildred goes to the office ... of course ... yes, here she is ...
Mildred here ... yes, Fred, I wasn't at home and I'm leaving for the office Laura needs you here, darling, come as soon as you can ... uh ... not now, she will explain to you.
Laura made gestures not to involve her father in these dark moments of her married life.
Mildred cut and said:
Laura, your father loves you and now you need a man to contain you and take care of you. In addition soon Livvy will return and you will not like to deal with your questions ... alone ...
Laura with a gesture of his face gave him the reason and gave him a goodbye kiss that both women pressed a moment embraced, comforting each other.
As soon as Mildred left, the phone rang again. It was the police. In the Ceddar Sinai, Remington Steele was very hurt.
Laura gave a few instructions to Jessica and asked her to tell her father not to go to the hospital but to wait at home, with her that Livvy arrived. She didn't know how she would find Remington.
Remington had been thrown from an unidentified car in motion, outside the emergency room and left there. Nobody had seen anything, because it was at a time when a little man apparently had a fit of madness. Those in the car, took advantage or generated that stir to throw Remington from the vehicle causing more bruises.
Laura saw it and broke down crying in a way she had never cried since they had blown up her house years ago.
He lay unconscious, with several wounds all over his body. Someone told him that they were evaluating him and that they were going to perform a tomography immediately. She could not stay there, the doctor on duty in charge of Steele would come out and report.
Laura called Mildred and Jessica. Mildred in turn gave him two bad news ... they were free Carl, the Bullet case and his brother Jules ... and what was worse, Chester, the fake money case and the fake Majak ...
Laura looked at Remington's naked body ... so strong and so weak at the same time ...
She couldn't continue at his side, she took his hand and kissed her without being able to say anything, because her mobile phone was ringing.
It was Jarvis, alerted by them in the night. Jarvis who had found three corpses at once, one with clothes and documents from Remington Steele. A girl and two men lying in ravines in different places. Could Laura tell him what was going on?
Laura told him that Remington had apparently been beaten and thrown at the doors of the Hospital, almost naked, that doctors still didn't inform her about his current condition
She didn't tell Jarvis about the movie. But maybe they were the ones involved in this. Jarvis said he would go through the hospital while the morgue was taken in charge of the corpses found in three different locations in Los Angeles County.
TO BE CONTINUED