87. Not With My Daughter . . .
Chapter 2
Goniff followed Meg into her bedroom, leaving the door open. It would not have mattered any way. Casino was right there watching him.
"Wot's your problem, Mate?" asked the Cockney in irritation.
Casino leaned against the door frame with arms crossed. "We and she have enough trouble right now without your sticky fingers pickin' up something for 'Mum'."
"Rodney?" asked Meg.
Goniff turned back to her. She looked rather lost. She motioned him over to where she was partially into the closet. Picking up clothing, leaving the metal hangers dangling from them, Meg laid them across his outstretched arms. From the back of the closet, she pulled out a suitcase, opened it atop the bed, and began stuffing it with the contents from her dresser drawers. The undergarments were shoved in quickly under Casino's gaze. The small jewelry box she had received from Goniff last Christmas was laid in with a bit more care.
"Casino, I think there is a box in the room off the kitchen. Could you get it please?" Meg asked. "I promise he won't take anything."
The cracksman nodded and straightened.
"You two act like I can't control me urges," grumbled the slight blond man.
"That's cuz you can't," said Casino, heading down the hall.
Finally, the two had a moment alone.
Goniff tried to peer into her face. Meg made herself busy gathering what few personal belongings she had, a bottle of perfume and a couple books on her night stand.
"You all right, Love?" asked Goniff quietly.
She nodded. "It's been coming for a long time. Father has become more intolerant of everything. I know I promised my Mum to take care of him, but there is only so much I can take of his demanding ways."
Goniff frowned. "'E don't hit you or nuffin' does he?"
Meg looked down and gave a tiny nod. "He has on occasion. It wasn't anything I did. It was just because I was handy. He used to hit Mum too."
"The scanky blighter!" exclaimed Goniff.
"Rodney, I don't know what to do," Meg said, quickly wiping away a solitary tear that escaped down her left cheek. "I don't have any place to live. I don't know what G-2 will do about me."
Goniff had his arms full and couldn't pull her into a hug like he wanted to.
"Right now, you're coming 'ome with us," he said. "Just take it one step at a time, Love. It will work out.
Meg looked at him with a slightly tremulous smile and nodded.
"'Ey," said Goniff brightly. "It sounds like Major Richards might help out. And maybe the Lieutenant will too. He's good at coming up wif ideas. And there's Terry and Actor. We ain't blood family or nuffin', but we're close."
The girl dropped a sweater into the suitcase and leaned around to give the blond man a quick kiss and a smile. "I don't know what I would do without all of you. Especially you. You make me smile."
Casino came back into the room, carrying a medium sized cardboard box. "What goes in here?" he asked.
Meg looked at the bookcase in the corner of the room. "Just those books over there."
The safecracker went over to it and began putting the few books in the box. He looked up at the black framed photograph of Meg standing between a younger Major Schaeffer and a pretty woman with Meg's curly hair and sweet smile.
"I know it has your dad in it, but do you want this picture of you and your mother?" he asked.
"Yes. Thank you, Casino."
He carefully laid it atop the books. Looking around, he realized how stark the bedroom was. There were no girly things. Just the one picture. Nothing on the walls. It was the opposite of what his sister's room looked like.
"Anything else, Babe," he asked. "Anything out in the living room?"
"No, nothing," said Meg, closing the suitcase.
Casino and Goniff exchanged concerned looks. This was the first time Goniff had even been here. The lack of anything personal was not in keeping with the bright cheery façade that Meg put on in the office.
She deserved better'n this, thought Goniff. It just wasn't right. Another glace at Casino showed the safecracker was of the same mind.
"If that's it," said Casino, "then let's get outta here, in case somebody lets him out."
They headed out of the flat and to the Packard. The box and suitcase were put in the trunk and the clothes laid out on the backseat. Meg got in the middle of the front seat, between Casino driving and Goniff next to the passenger door with his arm around her shoulders.
"What about Terry and Actor and Chief?" asked Meg.
"Chief's taking Terry's motorcycle and Actor and Terry are taking the MG," said Casino.
GGGGG
There were still a couple soldiers in line waiting to talk with the Bobbies when Terry joined the two men at the bar with an irritated Kit Gallagher.
"Just what exactly the hell went on here?" demanded Kit in a low voice.
Terry gave her the abbreviated version.
Actor quietly spoke, "I suggest we get to the Mansion and get the Lieutenant settled down before Meg gets there."
The other two agreed. Kit just shook her head; aware she would be there a long time cleaning up alone. It wasn't the first time. Probably wouldn't be the last either.
"Where's the motorcycle?" drawled Chief.
Terry answered. "In the alley on the other side of the garbage bin. The car is out there too."
"Let's go," said Actor not very enthusiastically.
GGG
Actor drove with Terry silently sitting beside him. She seemed to be focused on the glove compartment.
"Teresa, I would suggest allowing me to speak to the Warden with you," said the con man. "You are his sister. He will probably vent some anger onto you. I might be able to diffuse things and mediate if necessary."
Terry nodded. Finally, she looked at him in the dark. "Am I wrong, Vittorio?"
Actor took a puff off his cigarette before answering. "Does our good Major Schaeffer deserve it? Most likely. Should you have? I can't answer that yet. I don't know how far this will go." He glanced at the girl. "You said Major Richards declined dropping the charges?"
"Yeah," replied the woman. "We aren't the only team who has problems with him."
"Teams like ours?" asked Actor with a frown.
"I don't know. I didn't ask him."
They reached the Mansion a quarter hour later. Actor parked the car and Chief pulled up beside them, walking the motorcycle under the roof of the lower level. The three took a deep breath and went up the steps and inside. Chief took one look at the thunderous expression on Garrison's face and peeled off to take his seat at the window, watching for the arrival of the others.
Garrison stood just outside of his office, legs spread and hands on hips. "You two, in my office now!" He did not wait for their reaction before striding into the office and to his desk. He did not sit but stood in front of his chair hand on his desk and arms locked straight.
Terry stopped in front of the visitors chair, also not sitting. Actor was just to her right a foot behind her.
"Whatever possessed you to arrest and file charges on Major Schaeffer of all people?" the Lieutenant blasted. "You know there will be retaliation."
Terry looked boldly back at her brother. "Yes, but sometimes it is just the right thing to do."
"Right for who?"
"Right for Meg Schaeffer. Right for Goniff. Right for Teresa's business. And the right thing to do by us," said Actor calmly.
Garrison gave Actor a droll look. "Right thing to do is great coming from a confidence man."
"Craig!" objected Terry. "What is the matter with you? I told you I notified Major Richards before you and offered to drop the charges. He is the one who said no."
Actor glanced between the two siblings who now wore identical glares at each other. No, this was not going to go well.
Terry shook her head. "What is it, Craig? Reverting back to your beginnings with this group? Your family, your friends, and your men aren't important, just any damage to your career? I thought you were a better person than that, Brother."
"Teresa, that is enough," said Actor quietly but firmly. He turned to the officer. "Perhaps, Lieutenant, you could call and discuss this with Major Richards in the morning. I am sure he has his reasons for not dropping the charges."
"Oh, I fully intend to call Major Richards in the morning and try to do damage control through him. And not because you suggested what I should do, Actor." said the Lieutenant. "I know Chief is at the window. Where are the other two?"
"They have taken Meg home to pack up her belongings and bring her here. She is not welcome in her father's home anymore and Major Richards thought here would be a safer place for her to reside temporarily until other arrangements can be made," explained Actor, ignoring the previous remark.
"They're here," came a drawl from the other room.
There was now silence in the office. Terry was simmering and Actor was trying to decide the best method to defuse the situation if the Lieutenant decided to carry on against Meg Schaeffer. Garrison was watching the door and not the two people in his office.
A couple minutes later, the front door opened, and the curly haired young woman came inside first. She was followed by Casino carrying a box with clothing draped over it and Goniff with the suitcase and more clothes over his free arm.
Meg saw the three in the office and made a beeline for the doorway. "Thank you, Lieutenant Garrison. I am sorry to impose on you like this."
Garrison's tone was calmer and quiet. "You didn't think he would retaliate like this?"
Before the other two could object, Meg spoke. "I knew he would retaliate against me. He's done it my entire life. I didn't think he would be this bad with your men and Terry."
Garrison took a deeper breath to control his emotions. It was one thing taking it out against his sister and Actor, and another thing taking it out on the young woman in front of him. Even if she did have the misguided idea of dating one of his men.
"I'm sure Terry would be happy to show you to your room," said the Lieutenant.
One way of getting rid of Teresa before she threw a punch at him, thought Actor. Perhaps Garrison could be reasoned with in the morning. "Come, Teresa, let us both show Meg where she will be sleeping."
Terry put on a smile the conman knew was a fake as his own. "Come on, Meg. Your room is next to mine. And you even have your own bathroom."
The three walked out of the office with Terry leading the way up the stairs and Actor taking up the rear in case the Lieutenant decided to follow them. They went to the door of the spare bedroom. Casino and Goniff were just leaving.
"Common room," whispered Actor in passing. There was a nod from Casino.
The con man remained in the doorway of the bedroom, watching. There were clothes laid out on the bed. The suitcase and box on the floor. Teresa was pointing out the amenities.
"Bathroom's there," Terry pointed to the closed door. "You can hang your clothes in the armoire."
Meg nodded and opened the doors on the carved wooden clothes closet. There were skirts and blouses loosely hanging from the rod. "Um, Terry?"
The woman smiled. "Some of those belong to Chris and some belong to Actor's daughter, Julie." She reached around Meg and shoved the clothes and hangers up against the side wall. "There, now you have room."
Meg shook her head. She shot a look at Actor. "Is your daughter coming here soon?"
"No," reassured Actor. "She is in a boarding school." He would have to call the school in the morning and let them know Julie could not come home at this time. His eyes went to Teresa. "Sala commune," he said casually. "I will leave you ladies to your unpacking." He turned and left he room, pulling the door closed behind him.
Now Meg turned to Terry. "Lt. Garrison isn't happy about this, is he?"
Terry made a face. "No, he isn't," she admitted. "He's not mad at you, or even the guys, so much as he is mad at me." She gave a smile. "That's nothing new. Say, do you want some help?"
"I think I can figure it out," said Meg with a little smile. "I bet you and the guys want to have a little meeting of your own."
"Yeah, something like that," shrugged Terry.
"I'm fine," said Meg. She paused a second. "Thank you for doing this for me."
Terry smiled. "You're one of us," she said. "We take care of our own." She pulled a face. "Well, maybe not one of them," she cocked her head toward the common room.
"Oh, I don't know," Meg said. "I might be."
Terry studied the girl and shook her head. "No you're too nice." She grinned. "I'll go see what Actor has up his sleeve. If you need anything, my room is next door, or the common room, or if you hear yelling in a strange language, I'm in Craig's office."
Meg nodded and watched Terry leave. Only then did her face crumple into a frown, but as she always did, she pulled herself together and began unpacking the things she would need while she was here.
GGG
The men looked up when Terry entered the room. Actor turned to their scout and nodded toward the door. The younger man ambled over past the woman to keep a close eye out for the Lieutenant or Meg.
Per force of habit, Actor pulled a chair out at the scarred wooden game table in the center of the room. Teresa sat down and the three men followed suit.
"All right, Beautiful, you called this little session," said Casino. "What's on your mind?"
"It seems the Lieutenant isn't too happy with the events at the Fox tonight," replied Actor.
Teresa spoke up. "I think he's more upset with me than you guys."
"Wot about me and Meggie?" asked Goniff worriedly. "I don't want nobody doing nuthin' to her."
Actor shook his head. "I don't believe the Warden would take any action against Meg. Major Richards will handle that, hopefully in the girl's favor."
"I'm more concerned about Schaeffer coming after Meg when he gets out of the stockade," added Teresa.
"Major Richards will look into that too I am sure," continued Actor.
Casino shook his head. "How's Richards gonna do anything? He has the same rank as Schaeffer."
Actor nodded. "Very true, Casino. However, I would imagine Richards will bring in someone of higher rank. Possibly British, but maybe someone from Allied Command."
"Yuh know, we can't keep court-martialing everybody," remarked Casino. "We'll run out of officers."
Actor looked at Teresa. "Did Major Richards mention anything to that effect when you spoke with him?"
Terry shook her head. "He didn't say much of anything other than we wouldn't be dropping charges."
"Wot charges, Love?" asked Goniff.
"I filled charges of assault and battery," replied Terry.
Casino snorted. "That wasn't much assault and battery."
"Technically it is enough for a court of law," explained Actor. "He was threatening, and he laid hands on Goniff and Teresa."
Casino was getting into his usual form. "Yeah, but what about Geronimo pullin' his blade on him?"
"I did too," inserted Teresa.
Actor gave a cock of his head. "Chief was ready to defend Meg as need be. And in Teresa's case it falls under self-defense."
"So wot are we goin' to do now, Actor?" asked Goniff worriedly.
"Now we wait and see what Major Richards' plan is," answered Actor, leaning back in his chair and pulling his pipe and bag of tobacco from his shirt pocket.
8