Laura went home. She slept for a few hours, but was about to head back to the office when Steele arrived. "What's happened?" she said.

"Nothing. I'm going to see Jack." He looked at his watch.

"You came here to tell me that?"

He looked around for a moment, as if seeking inspiration, then he said, "I came here for two reasons. The first is to tell you Kate asked me for help."

"To steal the necklace?"

"No, to punish the man who betrayed us on that heist."

Laura took a step back. "Why didn't you mention that last night?"

"I didn't know where to start. Plus, the whole thing came as a bit of a shock. First Kate, then hearing it was Granger that was the informer! I introduced him to Jack. I trusted him so Jack trusted him. I might as well have called the police myself." He looked miserable. "My judgement isn't great, is it?"

Laura put her hand on his arm. "I could take that personally." she said gently.

"I don't mean about you. You must admit, you've spent a lot of time pulling me out of trouble my lack of judgement has caused."

"We all make mistakes."

"Mine was a blinder! It explains why she was so upset when I refused. She probably sees it as my fault too. Then I wouldn't put it right."

"You made the right decision." said Laura.

"There was no decision to make. I gave you my word."

"You refused for me?" She was pleasantly surprised.

"Mainly. For you and for Kate, who has no idea what she'd be getting into. For me too, because I do know what I'd be getting into. So, for all three of us, I told her I wouldn't help, even though I once told her I'd make whoever did it pay."

"You were right."

"I know I was right. So why do I feel like I've let Jack down twice?"

"Is that why you're here? Putting off the time when you have to face him?"

"No, Laura. I'm here to pick you up. I want you to go with me."

"A fugitive is unlikely to want to see me."

"He'll see you if you're with me." said Steele, "It would be less confusing if you call me Paul while we're there."

"Paul suits you, but I've never been sure Fabrini does."

"I rather like it."

"Better than Steele?"

He opened the door. "That's what worries you, isn't it?"

"I know you had an exciting past."

"Well, parts of it set my pulse racing, but it gets plenty of exercise in the present, too." he said. He fiddled with his tie.

"You're nervous."

"Yes." he said.

"Of seeing Jack Martin?"

"Of my old life meeting my new one and one or both of you deciding I'm not the man you hoped. If Jack thinks that, it'll be a kick in the teeth. If you do ... just don't."

Laura seized the lapel of his jacket. "Commit this to memory, Fabrini! Nothing I see or hear today is going to make me decide anything of the kind."

He put his arm around her. "Do you know what I love about you, Laura?"

"No. What?"

"Almost everything. Now, let's go."

"Do I need to change?" she asked.

"Don't ever change!" he said.

"I mean my clothes."

He looked at the cream suit she was wearing. "You look great."

"What's Paul Fabrini like?" asked Laura.

"I'll let you be the judge of that." he said.

Jack welcomed them both warmly. He was smartly dressed, but in a style about five years out of date. "Fabrini! And this must be Laura. You're a detective now, I hear."

"Yes, working for the famous Remington Steele." said Steele.

"Name means nothing to me, but then, I'm not local. He must pay you a lot. I never saw you as the type to stick to a career."

"I like my work." said Steele.

"Good. And you, Laura, do you like the work?" He poured out glasses of brandy and handed them one each.

"I love it." she said.

"And you trust Steele not to expose Paul? He's taking a big risk, keeping Paul on the staff."

Steele sighed. "Jack, what are you trying to say?"

"From what Kate said, there are only three choices. One, your Steele is a bigger crook than you are. Two, you made him up. Three, he doesn't know anything because he's never around."

"All wrong." said Steele, "Laura made him up. I just stepped into the role when I needed something to hide behind."

"So she runs the agency?"

"Beautifully." said Steele.

Jack saluted Laura. "You're an exceptional woman."

"Did Kate tell you what happened last night?" asked Steele.

"Yes, and believe me, I've told her what I think of what she did. I'm glad she met you two."

"Did she tell you why she did it?"

"She told me she knows who sold us, but she wouldn't say who."

Steele glanced at Laura. She moved closer to him. As her arm brushed against his, he said, "Jack, it was Granger."

"Granger? Well, I knew it was someone I saw as a friend. I'm sorry it had to be your friend too."

"If I'd known ..."

Jack turned to Laura. "Fabrini's still the same as ever, still blaming himself for everything. Listen, Paul, he fooled us both. The circles we moved in, I'd have met him anyway, and trusted him. He was a good liar, that's all."

"I still brought him to you and said you could trust him."

"Months later, you also told me you thought someone had broken the brambles behind the house. I seem to recall I said you were paranoid. If I'd listened to you then, I'd never have been caught. We're both alive and both free. We both seem to have fairly good lives. I went over and over what happened in prison, and it was a worse cell than the one I lived in. Don't give Granger a chance to haunt you. He betrayed us, but he didn't destroy us. It's over."

"Kate thinks I'm a coward."

"Kate's idolised you since you brought her out of that school. Don't worry about things she said when you argued. She cared enough to pick the lock on your boss's desk."

"I compromised myself and Laura to get her out of trouble last night. Now, I'm not pretending I was in a great position integrity-wise before, but the agency can't afford to have let someone go who then goes out and does it again, and Laura doesn't deserve to suffer for my past affiliations. Talk to her, please. Make sure she doesn't do it again, or go after Granger in any other way."

"Don't worry. I won't let her follow in our footsteps. It's not your problem now, Paul, it's mine."