Chapter 25

The small boat bounced across the waves as Laura and Remington headed back to Imperial Beach, leaving John Holt and the other FBI agents on the island. Special Agent Molloy assured Laura her father would be safe on the island, and he would remain there until after the grand jury trial. Laura settled herself against Remington and silently stewed in her thoughts as they sped across the water. At one point, Remington even checked to see if she had fallen asleep only to see her pensive expression as she stared out at the horizon. They arrived at the red dock as the sun was beginning to dip in the sky, leaving long shadows on the ground. "We'll be in touch soon," Agent Murphy nodded as Laura and Remington slowly departed the vessel.

"For what it's worth, your father never stopped talking about you," Special Agent Molloy assured Laura before they went their separate ways. The boat sped back toward the island, and Laura and Remington returned to the Rabbit for the ride home.

"You drive," Laura stated before handing him her keys.

Remington exhaled slowly and suggested, "Laura, let's stop for a bite to eat."

"I'm not hungry," she muttered her reply as she climbed into the car and slammed the door. Remington watched as she rubbed her fingers across her furrowed brow, a clear sign she was frustrated.

He climbed into the drivers' seat, but instead of starting the car, he turned to her and took her hand in his. "Laura, you need to eat. You haven't eaten anything all day," Remington tried.

"That's not true. I ate breakfast," Laura defended without looking at him.

"I beg to differ. Pushing your breakfast around your dish this morning does not constitute eating a meal," Remington disagreed. "Look, I know today was hard, but just think… you've finally gotten some answers anyway."

Laura twisted in her seat to look at him, her dark eyes burning, "So what, it's over? The end? We should all live happily ever after now?"

"No," Remington shook his head, "No, I see this more like the beginning. And this isn't a fairy tale we're living in, although I'm still pinching myself from time to time, hoping everything isn't a dream."

Laura gave him a weak smile as she inhaled sharply, "But where do we go from here? Like you said before, I'm not that sad child he left behind. I'm a grown woman with a career, a business, a new husband. Where does he fit in this now?"

Remington cradled her face in one hand, his thumb stroking the soft, freckled skin on her cheek. "He fits where ever you want him to fit. Or he doesn't fit at all. It's up to you," he suggested.

Laura dropped her eyes and focused on the rhythmic stroke of his thumb. She relaxed slightly, the tension beginning to lessen in her jaw. "I guess you're right."

Across the parking lot, Remington noticed a small group of teenage boys gathering. "We should get a move on, love. I have a feeling this isn't the type of neighborhood we want to get caught in after dark," he nodded. He quickly inserted the key, and the Rabbit roared to life. Before the group reached them, Remington was speeding across the parking lot to the street.

They drove in relative silence until they were beyond the outskirts of Imperial Beach heading toward I-5. Twenty minutes later, they pulled off the highway and found a small restaurant in San Diego. Once their meal arrived, Laura began pushing the pasta around the plate until Remington raised an eyebrow, pointed at the dish with his fork, and ordered her, "Eat."

Several bites later, Laura's hunger took over, and she finished her dish happily. Deciding she needed to talk about something neutral, she asked, "How do you like having Bernice back around the office?"

Remington chewed his bite thoughtfully before stating, "Well, she's not as efficient as Mildred, but I guess that's to be expected."

"Not as efficient? What makes you say that?" Laura asked incredulously. She thought back over the last few days, and everything Bernice had done. She had quickly learned the new filing system Mildred had created, never let the phone ring more than twice before answering, took excellent phone messages, and even stayed late to learn the computer system.

Remington raised his eyebrows playfully as he teased, "Well, let's see. The morning paper wasn't on my desk yesterday, nor was the coffee ready and waiting for us. I had to ask her several times to get the new file for Recovery together, and she used my bathroom, Laura. I thought those days were long gone."

"What?" Laura blinked several times as she processed his words.

"I'm just going to say… she left hair in the sink after she fixed herself up for that big date she had," Remington continued with a smirk. It took another few seconds before his infectious grin had her laughing as she realized he was only joking with her. "Actually, Laura, I'm quite pleased with Ms. Foxx. She's done a remarkable job, stepping into Mildred's shoes," he admitted.

Laura grinned back at him. "I see you've finally gotten her name right. It really is nice having her back. It's like a piece of home all over again. She was there from the beginning, and I forgot how much I missed her."

Remington lifted his fork and pointed it in Laura's direction, "Don't get any ideas about Murphy. As much as he and I have our understanding, I'm not ready to go toe to toe with him every day."

Laura shook her head, "You don't have to worry about Murph. He's quite happy in Denver. And, as a matter of fact, I wouldn't be surprised to hear wedding bells ringing for him and Sherry soon."

"Hmmm, well, I'm sure when the time is right, he'll ring you straight away to give you the good news," Remington assured her. He glanced at his watch and sighed, "We've still got a two-hour ride ahead of us. We should get going."

"Very well, Mr. Steele. And tomorrow, we should check in with the builders. See what progress they've made on the house," Laura suggested.

"Yes, good idea, Mrs. Steele. Monroe called me to give me an update, but we should take a ride by. After all, your mother hasn't decided exactly when she's moving, and we should be prepared for anything at this point," Remington agreed.

Laura looked down at her wedding rings. She toyed with the gem-encrusted jewelry for a moment and added, "And I'm sure Gladys Lynch will be making an appearance soon. It's been a while."

Remington wiped his mouth with his napkin and signaled for the waitress to bring their check. "I still don't understand how she can dispute the legitimacy of our marriage after all the evidence we've presented to her. Not only did we give her a full album of photos from both Ireland and Greece, but we've also got pictures with friends and family, an actual marriage certificate, and a sworn statement from Father Michael," he stated firmly. "What more could the woman want?" he added.

"Well, considering our track record of honestly didn't start off on the right foot, I'm sure she's going to be as thorough as she has to be. And I have a feeling she will take the entire two years to prove our marriage is false. I'm sure your forced smiles and stuttering each time she's around doesn't help the matter," Laura shrugged.

"Forced smiles? Stuttering? What about your treakly tones?" Remington shot back.

"Treakly tones? I'm just reacting to you, lambchop!" Laura replied between clenched teeth as she attempted to keep her volume low.

Remington opened his mouth to reply when he realized a few of the other patrons in the restaurant were now staring at them. He swiped at his mouth before he whispered, "Excuse me for trying to keep things… things… happy when Ms. Lynch is in our presence. Perhaps this is what she should really see, eh?" He folded his arms defiantly and leaned back in his seat, his eyes searching for the waitress.

Laura immediately began laughing when she remembered the look on Gladys Lynch's face when they first arrived home from Greece. "I think she already has, Mr. Steele. Remember the hallway of the apartment? You couldn't find your keys?"

"And you and I were arguing about the flight home," he smiled back, his ire subsiding. "You know, speaking of that argument, I haven't seen that bathing suit since we've arrived home."

"You haven't brought me anywhere to wear it," Laura simply replied.

"That sounds like a challenge, Mrs. Steele," Remington leaned forward onto his folded arms.

Laura leaned forward, and with a wink, she added, "Are you up for it?"

"When it comes to you, my love, that is never a question," he teased back before puckering his lips and blowing her a kiss.