"I can't believe we let her pull the wool over our eyes, Boss," Mildred said back at the office. "I mean, I can't help thinking that Miss Holt would have looked into Mary Anderson's past before buying that stupid "vision" story."
"You're probably right, Mildred," said Steele. He had placed the duct tape and the Diazepam on the table in his office, and both he and Mildred sat staring at it. He couldn't attest to Mildred's thoughts, but the horrors parading through Steele's mind made his heart race. Laura, bound, drugged – it was nearly more than he could bear.
"What did you dig up on our Ms. Anderson?" he finally asked.
Mildred opened the file she had created for Mary Anderson. "She doesn't work at a pet store like she told us," Mildred said. "Her brother does, though. He just served seventeen years out of a twenty-year sentence for armed robbery. A robbery in which he took a hostage and held her against her will for three days during a stand-off with the police. It's because she wasn't harmed in any way that he didn't get life."
"Well," said Steele, stating out loud what both of them were thinking. "Then maybe Laura has a chance."
"Mary works as a . . ."
"Nurse," interrupted Steele. "But where?"
"At the LA Free Clinic normally," Mildred said. "She works part time. But get this: before she worked at the clinic she came from Pine Ridge."
"Where's that?"
"In the mountains," said Mildred. "It's one of those yuppie resort towns. Boss . . ." She looked pointedly at him. "This time of year, it's pretty cold in a place like Pine Ridge."
Steele eyed Mildred. They had all these puzzle pieces, but everything was scattered. Nothing was fitting into place. "Let's review the facts," he said. "We know Laura was abducted in her parking lot. We were told by a psychic . . ."
"By a good psychic," interrupted Mildred.
". . . that Laura was drugged. Not exactly fact, since it came from a psychic. But we did find Diazepam in Mary's house."
"Diazepam is a tranquilizer," said Mildred. "Valium. I've never seen it like this, though. I think it's usually a pill."
"Mary could have access to the drugs at the clinic," reasoned Steele. His heart was pounding. It felt good to be doing something.
"Or her brother could have gotten it," said Mildred. "The pet place where he works is connected to a veterinarian's office. They use Diazepam on animals, too."
There was a knock at the door. "Hello!" It was a woman's voice. Mildred and Steele shared a look.
"I'll get rid of whoever it is," said Mildred. "Then we can do more digging."
They stood together. At that moment Mary Anderson peeked in. Steele slid quickly in front of the table, blocking her view of the duct tape and Diazepam. Thinking and moving quickly, Mildred hustled Mary into the main office. "Thank you for stopping by," Steele heard her saying. He gathered the stolen tape and drugs and whisked them into his own desk drawer. Mildred was still talking: " . . . just on our way out. Would you like to make an appointment?"
"I had another vision," he heard Mary say.
"Mildred," called Steele through the door. "Maybe we can take a moment to hear what Ms. Anderson has to say."
He caught Mildred's withering gaze, directed toward the back of Mary's head.
Mary Anderson looked around Steele's office in wonder and amazement. "I can't believe I'm standing here in the office of Remington Steele," she said in a breathy voice. "The Remington Steele."
"Hey, wait a minute," challenged Mildred, her eyes narrowing. "You said you had to look Remington Steele Investigations up in the phone book."
"I did," said Mary. Steele thought her eye darted, maybe just a bit.
"Then how can you be oohing and aahing over being in his office?"
Without missing a beat, Mary answered, "Well, I had to find out who I was dealing with, didn't I? I looked up some stuff in the library, some old newspaper clippings. I found out some things. It's just . . . such an honor to be here." She grinned, looking around the office, taking in every detail. "And I'm helping. I'm actually helping with a case. If things don't work out with Laura Holt, maybe I can get a job here."
There was a stunned silence. Steele didn't know what to say or how to say it. What was she insinuating? What did she know?
Mildred opened her mouth to speak, but before any words came out Mary was talking again. "But of course we'll find her," she said.
"We?" said Mildred.
"Sure. I had another vision, didn't I?" She settled down into a seat and looked at Mildred expectantly. Frowning, Mary finally said, "If it's not too much trouble, could I get a drink or something?"
"Sorry," Mildred said through clenched teeth. "I've been a little preoccupied. My friend is missing, you know." She left and returned momentarily with a glass of water. Mary frowned a bit deeper at it, then took a sip.
"Thanks," she said. "Okay, well, I was home alone, just like last time. And it got very cold. And I heard the woman's voice. She said, 'Rem . . ."
"Remington Steele," said Steele dryly. "'Get Remington Steele. Help me.' Yes, yes, we know all that. What did she tell you that might help us find her?" he asked.
Mary looked a little stunned. Steele would play along with her for now, but if it came down to it, he would do anything to help Laura Holt. Even if it meant holding this woman upside down from her ankles outside his office window.
Cheeks flushing hot pink, Mary took another sip of water and cleared her throat. "Okay," she said quietly. "I can see you don't believe me. The lady said, 'Nero,' if that means anything to you. As if you care." She stood to leave. "It doesn't matter to me," she said, walking toward the door. "I won't help you anymore. And without my help, you'll never find Laura Holt." She looked at them, as if she expected them to say something, then turned in a huff.
Steele heard the main door open and close. "Dig up what you can on Pine Ridge and on Mary's brother," he told Mildred. "I'm going to follow her. Maybe she'll lead me right to Laura."
"Was there anything about Laura's cat Nero in the paper?" Mildred asked, rushing toward the door so as not to lose Mary Anderson.
Steele shook his head. "Nothing," he said as Mildred dashed out the door. "Mary Anderson definitely knows something about Laura's disappearance."
