Chapter 26
Just as Laura suspected, Gladys Lynch did indeed make her appearance at the office first thing in the morning. Laura was sitting in her office, reviewing the monthly bills when she heard the dry tone of Gladys' voice, "Mrs. Steele."
"She's in her office. Do you have an appointment?" Bernice asked politely.
"It's that door, isn't it?" Gladys questioned as she stepped toward Laura's mostly closed office door.
Bernice stood and called out, "You can't go in there!"
Inwardly, Laura groaned as she steeled herself for another onslaught of questions from the INS representative. She stood and opened the door, finding Gladys only a step away. "It's okay, Bernice, Ms. Lynch doesn't need an appointment. It's nice to see you again. Would you like to come into my office and we can talk," Laura stated with a forced smile.
Gladys rolled her eyes, "Where is Mr. Steele?"
As if on cue, Remington could be heard shouting in his office, "Bloody hell! What do you mean there's going to be a delay? Isn't that what they're getting paid for?"
"He's on the phone right now," Laura stated dryly. She held the door as Gladys passed her. She glanced over at Bernice, who was now mouthing "Who is she?" to which Laura simply mouthed back, "Later." She closed the door behind the woman and eased back to her chair. "What brings you by this morning, Ms. Lynch?"
"Well, it's been a while since my last visit. I have reviewed all the documentation you've sent to my office, and I have to say, I'm impressed with your thoroughness this time. We've requested character statements from the staff at Ashford Castle, as it seems you spent a fair bit of time there prior to your second marriage ceremony, as well as credential requests from Father Michael O'Callaghan in Tinalehy," she stated.
"You're questioning a priest's credentials?" Laura asked incredulously.
Gladys just blinked back at Laura before she replied, "You can never be too careful. Besides, there is a little matter of an amendment to Mr. Steele's passport we need to address. It appears his birthdate has been printed incorrectly?"
Laura nervously fingered the collar of her blouse. "Yes, well, it appears so. I mean, who really looks at those things anyway," she stuttered.
The door between her office and Remington's flew open, and he burst into her office, hollering, "Dammit, Laura! One of these days..." He stopped his tirade when he noticed Gladys standing before him and Laura nervously smiling back at him. "Oh, Ms. Lynch. I didn't know you were here," he backpedaled.
"So I gather," she stated. "I'm here specifically regarding the request to the amendment of your birthdate on your passport," she explained with a raised eyebrow.
Remington panicked for only a second when he smiled and, with a flourish of his hand, uttered, "Must have been someone's first day on the job. Slipshod work if you ask me." He stopped long enough to give her a toothy grin as she blinked to process his suggestion. "Anyway, I was just coming in to inform my wife about an issue we are having in London. It seems the painters working on the building we will be using for our foundation have made a royal mess of things," he explained.
Laura tipped her head to the side and asked, "What's happened now, dear?"
Remington sidestepped Gladys and leaned against Laura's window sill. He straightened his tie before smoothing the silk material, and stated, "They've painted the woodwork in the grand ballroom. Can you believe that? Painted the woodwork. Those intricately carved architraves are now ruined, I'm sure of it." He folded his arms and humphed loudly for added effect.
Laura held back her laughter as she tried to smooth her husband's ruffled nerves, "I'm sure it's not that bad."
"Not that bad? Laura, you do realize how old that woodwork is," Remington continued his tirade.
Laura pulled a sheet of paper out of her desk drawer and handed it to him. "I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but the ballroom was renovated back in the 50s. All the old wood was rotted out and replaced after the ceiling leaked. Mildred figured it out when you asked her to look into the history of owners."
Remington stared at the paper, flustered. "You mean… that wood isn't original?"
Laura shook her head, "Nope."
"It was all replaced with some… some… replacement wood made to look like the original?" he stammered.
"Sounds about right," Laura replied as she tried to hold back her laughter.
Remington pressed his hand to his chest and inhaled sharply. He quickly tossed the paper back onto Laura's desk and stated, "Well then, who cares about some painted wood then, eh?" He turned to Gladys, still standing across from them and asked, "What brings you to us today, Ms. Lynch?"
Gladys blinked several times before she asked, "What is this about?"
"What is what about? The ballroom? Well, I just thought the painters had made a grievous mistake painting the wood trim, and it seems my lovely wife is steps ahead of me with her information," Remington explained.
"No. You just said something about a foundation. What is that about?" Gladys demanded.
Laura settled herself into her office chair and began, "Upon his death, my husband's father left him a rather large inheritance with the request he organizes a foundation for homeless boys in the London area. With the help of a lawyer in London along with Lady Catherine Galt, Mr. Steele has been actively ensuring the request becomes a reality. We are expecting the doors to the Harry Daniels Foundation for Boys to open before the end of the year."
"The Harry Daniels Foundation for Boys? What will it do exactly?" Gladys questioned.
Remington settled himself onto the corner of Laura's desk as he stated, "Basically, it will give homeless boys in the London area a fighting chance of survival as well as give them the education and support they deserve."
"Really?" Gladys asked incredulously. "And what makes you such an expert on what they deserve?"
Remington smoothed his tie once more as he stated, "Because, for a time, I was one of those boys. My mother passed shortly after my birth, and by no fault of my own, I ended up on the streets of London until my father found me."
Gladys tipped her head to the side slightly and asked, "Would you care to elaborate further, Mr. Steele?"
"No," Remington replied. Laura quickly added, "I think what my husband is trying to say is that his childhood has no bearing on our marriage, and the reason you are here."
Gladys straightened her shoulders and replied, "I guess not." She inhaled sharply and stated, "I'll be seeing you again. We are not finished with our investigation."
"Ms. Lynch, before you go… would you like to take a ride with us to see the progress of our new home? After all, you will need the new address once our residence is finished," Remington flashed her a crooked smile.
Gladys narrowed her eyes in his direction as she asked, "You are building a home?"
"We most certainly are. As you well know, we've been splitting our time between the apartment at the Rossmore and the loft. Laura still owned the land where her house originally stood before it was blown up while we were working on a case a few years ago. We've recently started construction to rebuild on the property," Remington boasted.
"And where is this property you claim you still own?" Gladys turned her attention to Laura.
Laura gave her a brilliant smile and stated, "Follow us! It's only about a twenty-minute ride… if that fits into your tight schedule, that is."
Gladys sighed, "I suppose I should see this new location as you claim. After you."
"I'll get my keys," Laura declared.
"And I'll inform Mildred and Ms. Foxx we will be heading out for a short period of time," Remington announced before he disappeared back into this office.
Laura retrieved her purse from the top of the filing cabinet behind her desk, "Coming, Ms. Lynch?" Gladys fell in step behind Laura without a word.
"Ms. Foxx, we will be heading out with Ms. Lynch for a bit. Please hold any messages until our return," Remington called out as he reappeared in the lobby. He stopped at Mildred's new office door, knocked twice before opening the door, and stated, "Mildred, Laura and I will be back in an hour or so. Just heading over to check on the construction crew with Ms. Lynch."
"Sure thing, Boss," Mildred muttered past the pencil in her teeth as she hammered away at her keyboard.
Remington closed the door and announced, "Ladies, shall we go?" They left the office, Remington guiding Laura with his hand on her lower back and Gladys Lynch in tow.
Bernice scrambled out of her seat and immediately headed to Mildred's door. She had barely opened the door when she hissed, "Who was that woman?"
"Gladys Lynch. Representative of the Department of Immigration and Naturalization Services. And one tough cookie," Mildred informed Bernice.
"INS? Why?" Bernice questioned. "Is Skeezix getting deported?"
Mildred shook her head and stated, "Not if Mrs. Steele can help it!"