Chapter Three

They were late. The long, narrow hallway was dimly lit making it seem even later. Weldon said his purchase manager left promptly at four and Steele was practically running to her office with Laura left to try and keep up.

She had spent the afternoon reviewing their plans for their early morning stakeout at the warehouse while Steele had disappeared saying he had to buy supplies for it. He returned with little time left to get to the main office of the electronics stores. She couldn't imagine what they needed that it would take all afternoon to buy it but when she asked to see it he said he had already packed all away in the Auburn.

"Ah, here we go, Laura. Hurry along." He looked at his watch. It was 4:01. He knocked on the door with the nameplate that read: Isabel Kinder. He waited for Laura to catch up and then went in.

"Ms. Kinder, I am Remington Steel and--" He turned to introduce Laura but Ms. Kinder had already risen from her chair and taken his hand.

"Oh, Mr. Steele, I am so glad to meet you. When the younger Mr. Weldon said you were coming I just had to wait. I've seen you on TV!"

"Yes, Ms. Kinder. Can I call you Isabel?" He let go of her hand.

Laura rolled her eyes. She was sure Rem could call the woman anything at that point. "Mr. Steele--Ms. Kinder. We appreciate your waiting but we are in a bit of a rush." She would have to hurry to be ready for dinner by six.

"You have the purchase orders? And delivery receipts?" Steele smiled apparently in no hurry.

"Right here." She handed him a file. "I also made up a document showing the discrepancies between the purchases and deliveries. I did it by store." She smiled.

"Wonderful! Now we just have to figure out how the stuff is disappearing." He waved the file and turned away then turned back. "Of course, we can call on you if we need anything else?"

"Oh, yes, anytime, Mr. Steele."

Back in the hallway Laura glanced at Mr. Steele. "We can look those over on the way to dinner. We need to hurry."

"I'm ready, Laura." And he was. Well-tailored suit. Perfect shirt and tie. Dark hair. Blue eyes. Tall. But then he always looked impeccable. Even after digging through trash he came out looking better than she did.

"Well, I'm not and I have this darn leg to work around!"

"I'll come with you then. That will save time."

She raised an eyebrow at him.

"No need for Fred to take me all the way home and then back to get you."

"I guess." She shrugged.

"And I can carry you up and down the stairs." He grinned.

"Oh, no, you won't. We're not in that much of a hurry."

"We did tell the Weldons six o'clock. Don't want to make a bad impression." Steele chuckled.

"Wait." Laura stopped walking. "Isn't Fred picking up the Weldons? There isn't time to get them if he waits on us."

"I guess I'll have Fred take me home to get my car. I'll drive us."

Laura sighed. Why did she have the feeling that was the plan all along?