Sorry that it has been so long since I updated. I'll try to finish this story off in the next few weeks. Just a few more chapters left. They are already written, just need edited. Thank you saides, Harm Marie, hoellenwauwau for kindly replying. I truly enjoy replies from readers. Let's me know if the story is any good. :)

Hardison was certain he could feel each individual brain cell dying from complete boredom, which was sad as the morning had started out with so much promise.

For the last two days, every time Eliot was at the Home Keepers office, the place threatened to break out into a telenovela as Lauren cornered—Eliot's words—him repeatedly. Although Hardison had trouble imagining Eliot Spencer unintentionally cornered by any woman. Then Paul would show up and things would get tense fast.

Glancing around the suite, the hacker wished that Parker had stuck around. More importantly, he wished he knew where she was and what she was up too. Visions of Serbian orphanages and gun runners danced in his head.

Even Nate had abandoned him to go to the Community Hope and work with the director, Sylvia.

Digging into the cellophane bag, Hardison's fingers searched about. "What?" He pulled his attention from the screen and looked at the bag. "Damn," he complained upon realizing he was out of gummy frogs.

Sinking his chin into his palm, he turned his attention back to the screen. Watching Eliot replace rotted wood and spackle holes in walls was about as interesting as watching paint dry.

Paul hadn't done much of anything of interest and Hardison thought he would fall asleep watching the man wander about the house. Paul was clearly checking the place out, but had yet to make a move. Of course, there was more than one way to steal from a little old lady, the mark's habit of upping the price at the end of the job was a prime example.

Still, if that had been his Nana taken for a ride, he didn't think he could be so calm. Sure, they were going to destroy this guy and the company that allowed him to get away with it, but damn, he was a professional criminal and would never stoop so low.

If that was his Nana, she'd probably have taken a rolling pin to a guy like that. He smiled, remembering a time someone had tried to start trouble with one of his foster siblings. You wouldn't think a woman that big could run that fast.

Hardison suddenly became alert. "Hey, hey man! Eliot!"

He could see Eliot at the edge of one of the views from the bedroom camera that Parker had planted. The man was completely fixated on leveling a window pane.

"Are you just ignoring me or did take out the earbud? Eliot!" He sank back in the chair. Shaking his head. "Oh, that's not good."

Eliot listened to Paul's retreating footsteps and shifted to reach for a pencil in the toolbox. Using the casual motion, he glanced toward the doorway Paul had disappeared through on his fourth break, not including a long lunch, since starting the job that morning. In fact, Eliot had done much of the work, save fielding Rose's often questions early on, but the woman had grown weary or satisfied and returned to her chair where she spent most of her time reading. The job had been easy and thankfully there were no cats involved and Rose kept her hands to herself.

Other than Paul trying to drop some piping on his head first thing this morning, the day had been almost relaxing. Well, it had been once he had pocketed his earbud as Hardison just would not stop talking.

Paul appeared in the room and nodded out the window. "Isn't that your truck?"

"What?" He leaned back and looked.

Eliot followed Paul's line of sight. Sure enough, his truck and Parker were sitting at the curb in front of the house. "Dammit," he growled and took off to investigate.

Parker was half leaning out the driver's side window. An unreadable expression painted her features.

"If you screwed the starter up—"

"Is Rose okay?" she asked just as Eliot reached the truck.

"She's fine, Parker." Eliot stole a glance over his shoulder and spied Paul watching from the bedroom window. "What are you doing here?"

"I was worried." She slipped back into the cab, pulled the key out of the ignition and held it up. "I used your spare."

"How did you—I never told you—"

"I've known for a while," she answered with a shrug.

Eliot just closed his eyes and tried to let the frustration slide away. Yet there was that nagging little thought in the back of his mind where he wondered just how much else she knew. "Parker." It was almost a whisper. "You shouldn't be here."

"But Rose."

Shifting a step, Eliot used the truck bed's reflection to see if Paul was still watching, but the window looked empty. "You're not helping her by being here. Take my truck back to where you found it and go back to the hotel." After a beat. "She's fine," he added.

Parker looked at Eliot. He was upset with her. She knew that Nate would admonish her too when he found out, but she just could not help herself. She was worried. Being with Rose gave her that warm feeling like when she was with the team and she didn't like the thought of something happening to Rose.

Exhaling deeply through her nose, she stared at Rose's house for a while and then nodded. Pointing a finger in Eliot's face, she said, "Don't let anything happen to her."

"I won't," Eliot replied. The fire having dissipated. He stepped back and watched as Parker reluctantly shifted the truck into gear and drove off.

"Man!" Hardison gave up yelling at Eliot—whom he was going to have a long talk with about taking his earbud out on a job—and watched as Paul made the most of Eliot's sudden absence and circled back to Rose's bedroom. "Come on, big guy. I know you're hot for that ring." The hacker leaned forward, watching the screen.

Paul glanced at a photo on the wall and then looked back toward the living room where Rose sat. Slowly, he approached the dresser and reached into a dish full of coins and clearly pieces of costume jewelry. All except for one piece of course.

"Touchdown!" Hardison roared and punched the air the moment Paul secured a man's wedding band.

Paul didn't stop there and pulled open each of the top dresser drawers.

"Oh, now that's just nasty snooping through granny's panties." But, as Nate had seemingly known and instructed Parker to hide something in the drawer, Paul found the wad of cash and pausing, he glanced about before stripping off half the bills.

"Like she's not going to notice that's missing?" Hardison asked.

"That's the thing, isn't it?"

Hardison turned with a start and stared at Sophie standing in the open doorway of the suite. "She'll likely think she misplaced it or gave it away. She might not even notice it is missing for days, weeks or longer. And if she does find it missing, she might be too embarrassed or ashamed to think she was taken by someone." She walked in and tossed her jacket on the couch.

"Nah, Rose would make some noise."

"Until they silenced her like they did Bernard." She looked around the room. "Where's Parker?"

"Yeah, about that . . . ."

"There was some extra work involved, being a two man crew and all, you'll have to understand the difference in price." Paul's voice was friendly and easy going.

Rose fretted and wrung her hands as she leaned closer to the clip board that Paul held. "That's much more than you quoted me. Are you sure there isn't a mistake?"

"The house is old, ma'am," Paul said. He shrugged and took a step back. "There was a lot of wear around the windows. The damaged to the walls was significant." A shake of his head. "These days, supplies just aren't cheap." A light touch to Rose's shoulder. "If it would be easier, I could call in and see if Mrs. Brandt would let me break the bill up into two or three payments."

Rose looked at the bill for a long time and finally shook her head. "No. I'll pay it all now."

Eliot listened as he finished packing up the tools. Remembering the earbud in his pocket, he retrieved it, but still hesitated long enough to brace himself for the awaiting onslaught.

"And did you know—"

"Have you been talking this whole time?"

"It's about time." Hardison sounded indignant. "He could have been sneaking up behind you with a gun and you would have never known."

"Unlikely."

"Lucky for you. He cleaned granny out while you were out talking to Parker."

"About that—"

"Nuh uh," Hardison protested. "I had nothing to do with that."

Locking the metal toolbox, Eliot checked the area to make sure everything was cleaned and picked up and then headed for the kitchen. He arrived just as Rose tore the check from her checkbook and handed it to Paul.

"Ma'am," he said, tipping his head to her. He wasn't in a hurry to leave until he was sure Paul was going too.

"Got everything?" Paul asked as he folded the check and poked it into his jacket pocket.

"Yeah."

Paul was right behind as they got to the front door. Eliot paused and looked back. "You didn't have to charge her extra. It was a one man job," Eliot said in a low tone even as he pushed the door open and stepped out onto the porch.

"Call it a surcharge for the annoyance. You haven't dealt with these old prunes long enough to really get to hating them. In a week or two, you'll be wanting to tack on a service charge too." A beat. "Don't bother running to Lauren with this. How do you think I keep her little business afloat? She would do this for free if she had her way." A cold smile. "I'm sure that little girl of yours wouldn't be too pleased supporting a slacker again. Now pack up the truck."

Eliot bit his tongue and did exactly as he was told. He would be patient and wait.