SquidgeWorld Archive

28. Busman's Holiday

May 1958



Greenwich, Connecticut. It hadn't changed all that much since he was here last,
about ten years ago. He picked up his army duffel bag from the platform and
headed for his cousin's house. The town was a bit busier and there was a sign
in the train station saying that the town was once the home of Steven Taylor.
He was smiling when a young girl about ten years old came up to him. "Want
me to show you where he lived, mister? My mum runs the boarding house. You c'n
stay there."



"That would be nice, thanks." He put his duffel over his shoulder and
followed the girl.



"You're not from around here, are you?"



"No, but I've visited before."



"What's your name?"



"James."



"I like your voice. It sounds nice."



"Thanks."



She turned onto a side street. "Short cut," she explained.



Up ahead he could see the roof of quite a large house. As he got closer, he saw
that it was an old house, possibly built at the turn-of-the-century. It was
natural shingle covering three floors. It also had a large porch that wrapped
around one side and the front with wicker furniture arranged to watch the road.
They went in the front door. "Mom!" the girl called. "A man
wants a room!"



"Jessie, hon, we don't have any more rooms," came a woman's voice
from a different room.



"There was this morning," Jessie protested.



"You forgot about Mrs. Corbett."



The man listened in amusement. He thickened his English accent. "I'm sorry
to cause this trouble. If you'd be so kind as to recommend another boarding
house of some sort, it would be greatly appreciated."



The woman came out. She was about five-foot-five with brown hair tied back with
a scarf. "There's the Pattersons' down the-- Oh, my Lord!" She put
her hands to her face in surprise. "I don't believe it!"



"What's wrong, Mom?" asked Jessie with concern.



The man smiled. "It's been a long time, Sheila."



"I still can't believe it. Come into the kitchen for tea."



The girl tagged after her mother. "What's wrong? You're crying."



"I'm crying because I'm happy. This is your cousin James."



James smiled again. "You might know me better by my other name:
Steven."



"You're..?"



"Yep. But keep quiet about it. I'm here to relax."



She nodded, eager to please her famous cousin.



"Now go off and play, but remember, not a word." Jessie kissed her
mother and ran off. She turned back to Steven. "Are you sure you're
telling me everything?"



"Of course. I'm here 'to get away from it all' as the phrase goes. I can
avoid the boarders by climbing the tree to my room. If need be, my name will be
James Sumner of Bath, England." He sipped his tea.



************************************************



That night after dinner, Steven decided to go jogging. Sheila thought him
crazy. "To all appearances, I'll just be an Englishman enjoying the fresh
air. I'll be back in about two hours. Ta!"



Steven made his way down the tree outside his room and began to jog down the
road. He was on the receiving end of many strange looks, but only because they
were unaccustomed to joggers. On his way back from the exclusive neighborhood
of Belle Haven, he heard a car come speeding past. He threw himself onto the
side on the road. "You nutcase!" he shouted after it. "You
could've killed me!" He picked himself up off the ground and was brushing
the dirt off his legs when he heard the crash. "Oh, my God!" He ran
down the hill faster than he had before. He ignored the blaze as he ran for the
car.



He surveyed the land about him and saw that the driver had been thrown clear.
Steven knelt beside the man, realizing he was barely alive. The man's eyelids
flickered. He saw Steven and mumbled. "Airplanes...crash...reds...
win...randolf...stop." He coughed and died.



Steven carefully left the man where he was and headed for the nearest phone. He
didn't want to be there when the police and firemen arrived. He reached a phone
in town and called the police. "There's a terrible wreck on Horseneck
Lane. A man's dead." He hung up the phone and ran back to the house.



He took his shirt off, went into the bathroom, filled the sink with cool water,
and submerged his face. It cooled his nerves which were on edge. He had just
come up for air when he noticed Sheila standing in the doorway.



"What's happened? I've never seen you look this upset."



She handed him a towel as he sat on a stool. "A man just died in my arms.
God, I've never felt this helpless in my life." He patted his face with
the towel. "The strange thing is, he was speeding down Horseneck Lane and
left a dying message. Six words: airplanes, crash, reds, win, randolf, stop.
They've got to have something in common."



"You came here for rest and already you're involved in a mystery."



"I think it's something more." He rubbed his arm where the dead man
had gripped it. "That man was terrified. The look on his face told me as
much."



"When you say 'something more', do you mean murder?"



"Remembering his face, that's all I can think of." He stood and went
back to his room. Sheila followed. "I'm going to make an attempt to
decipher this message in the morning, see where I go from there."



"Good night." She kissed him. "Try and get some sleep tonight.
Maybe you'll have more information in the morning."



**********************************************



When Steven woke the next morning, he knew exactly what he had to do. He
showered, shaved, and dressed in a suit and tie. He went down the backstairs
and out the kitchen door. He strode purposefully through town to the police
department. "I have information in relation to that accident last
night."



The sergeant looked ip from his papers. "The Captain'll want to talk to
you himself. If you'll take a seat, he'll be right with you."



The door to the captain's office opened. Steven looked up and saw an elderly
man backing out of the office. "That's what I would've done. 'Bye."
The man turned to the sergeant. "He's a stubborn one."



"Not as stubborn as you, Haskins," said Steven.



Haskins turned around. "Good Lord! Steven! It's wonderful to see
you!" He held out his hand.



Steven shook it. "It's been awhile."



"What're you doing back in town?"



"I came here for a quiet time, but it didn't quite work out. I was there
last night when that man crashed."



"You were there? Why didn't you stay?"



"He died in my arms and I was too shook-up. At least I called."



"True. C'mon into the office. You'd better tell Morris all about it."



Captain Morris rose from behind his desk and held out his hand. "It's an
honor to meet you. When I first started to follow your 'career', I thought up
all these things I'd say if I ever met you. Now I can't think of one."



"Thank you. You do realize that this is the first time I've stepped into
this building voluntarily. Even so, it gives me the creeps."



"What's the information you have for us?"



Steven told them everything, including the message. "Randolf could be a
name," said Morris.



"The only Randolf I know lives over in Belle Haven. He could be the
one."



"He has to be. I think that the brakes were fixed. Otherwise, he wouldn't
have sped 'round the curve. He was terrified. Something is definitely going on
and I plan to do something about it."



"Like what? You can't just go up to Henry Randolf and accuse him of
murder."



"Oh, can't I?" Steven had a conspiratorial smile on his face.



"Fine. We'll just deny everything if you get caught. You'll be on your
own, unless, of course, you gather definite proof."



"Isn't that always how it was? Just thought you deserved to know." He
thanked them for their "assistance" and left.



At this point, he didn't care if people recognized him. He walked with
determination through the town, taking almost the same route as the day before.
There were stares and pointing fingers, but no one approached him. The look in
his eyes must have warned them away. When he reached the boarding house, he
stormed through the front door. "What ignoramuses! They can't see the
proof starin' them in the face!" He stopped, realizing that Sheila had
company. "Excuse me, ladies. I do apologize for losing my temper."



The women just stared at him. "Would you care for some tea, Mr.
Sumner?" asked Sheila.



"Thank you, no. I've a few things to do in my room." Steven went
upstairs feeling like he had made a total fool of himself.



As he was about to go into his room, Jessie came out of hers. "Hi."



"Why aren't you with your mother having tea?"



"And have to put on a dress? No way. I'd rather listen to you."



"Oh?"



"Yeah. You must have great stories like defending national secrets and
stuff."



"I've never done anything like that. I've mainly solved mysteries."



"Murders?"



"A few." He smiled. "I don't think your mother would approve of
me telling you."



"She doesn't mind me reading spy stories."



"Those are stories." An idea came to him. "Let's pretend for a moment.
What would you do if a dying man trusted you with a strange message?"



"Try to figure it out and solve the mystery. What's the message?"



"Six words." He repeated them for her.



"Randolf is probably a name. It makes more sense if it goes 'stop Randolf'."



"Good thinking. What about the rest?"



"I'll think it over."



"Give me reports of your progress. It'll be our own game."



"Great!"



Steven went into his room and changed into a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. He
decided to visit Randolf's mansion that night. If they (Randolf & Co.) were
responsible, they'd talk about it. All he had to do was avoid getting caught.



After dinner he went out again on the premise of jogging. When he reached Belle
Haven, he went off the road down a side path running alongside the Randolf
estate. He climbed over the fence and crouched in the bushes. He listened
carefully and waited for the security to pass. He crept through the shrubbery
and made his way to the house. No one was about. He walked quietly to the side.
He heard voices and ducked out of sight.



"And what is our purpose, gentlemen?" said a voice.



"But what about Saunders?" asked a second.



"That was most unfortunate, but necessary." Steven assumed that the
first voice was Randolf.



"There's word going about in town that it was witnessed by some man,"
stated a third.



"We shall have to deal with him, then. We must be discreet, however. A
second death would attract attention."



"You don't understand, Randolf. The man we're dealing with is--"



"In danger of his life. We must move on to the points of business. The
government has approved the prototype and we can start manufacture within the
week."



"What about the flaw?" asked yet another voice.



"It's been taken care of."



"I have to tell you that the man we're dealing with is St.--"



Steven tried for a better vantage point but only succeeded in knocking stones
loose from the path. "Damn!" He attempted to hide in the shadows, but
he was too close to the others. He broke cover and ran for the gate.



Randolf and his associates came out of the house and began to chase him.
"Don't let him get past the gate!" The other men pulled out guns and
began to shoot.



Steven heard a bullet whiz past his ear. "Lovely." He saw the main
gate and the other men there to head him off. He veered right and vaulted over
the wall.



Randolf reached the spot too late. "Who was that?"



"That's what I've been trying to tell you. That was Steven Taylor."



"The Steven Taylor? How interesting."



"He's the one that was with Saunders when he died."



"It seems, gentlemen, that we will have to be on our guard. I don't know
how much he heard."



*****************************************************************



Steven didn't stop until he reached home. That conversation shed new light on
the cryptic message that the man-- Saunders--left. Planes crash. That must have
to do with the flaw in the prototype. Randolf stop obviously meant stop
Randolf. What could..? "That's it!" he yelled on the front porch. He
remembered where he was and quieted down. "If the planes are for the
government and they have flaws and crash, the Russians will win!"



He wanted to tell someone of his discovery, but realized that he first had to
contact Washington. He knocked on the door to Sheila's room. "Come
in."



"Hi. I need to use the phone. Important call."



"Okay. I was going down to make a cup of tea, anyway. Want anything?"



"Not now, thanks." After she left, he pulled a card out of his wallet
and dialed the number.



"Central Intelligence Agency. May I help you?"



"Richard Johnson, please."



"One moment, I'll connect you."



Steven heard the phone ring. "C'mon, answer." He told himself to let
it ring five more times before hanging up. It was answered on the third ring.
"Hello, Rick?"



"Mr. Johnson is on vacation right now. May I help you?"



"When do you expect him back?"



"The day after tomorrow. Is there any message?"



"Just tell him that Sebastian Talbot called from Connecticut. I'll be here
for a few more days." Steven gave him the phone number then hung up. Until
he heard from Rick, he was on his own.



Sheila knocked on the door. "Wanna talk?"



"Remember what I told you last night? Well, I found out more information.
It seems that friend Randolf is purposely manufacturing flawed planes for the
government. Saunders--the man who died--wanted to tell the authorities so he
was killed. I'm next."



"What was that phone call about?"



"I was trying to get a hold of a friend in the CIA."



"You really think you should call them in?"



"It's a matter of national security. They should at least be notified."



"Was your friend there?"



"No, he's on vacation, but they expect him back the day after tomorrow.
I'll just have to work this out myself."



"Dave will be coming back from Hartford tomorrow. Maybe he'll help."



"I don't think your husband ever approved of my gallivanting about. He's a
good lawyer, but you know we don't think alike."



"I'm sure he'll help, whether by giving advice or actual running about
with you, I don't know, but he will help."



"I'll mention it to him. How's Jessie doing? I haven't been able to talk
to her."



"Her friends have found out that you're here. As a matter of fact, all
Greenwich knows."



"So that's how they knew it was me. What did Jessie say?"



"Nothing. She didn't know if she should deny or admit it."



"She's real smart. You lucked out."



"What about Jamie? Surely you can't be upset with how he's turned
out?"



"Well, that's different. He was already ten when I adopted him, and a
developed personality."



"True, but adolescence is the hardest time a child goes through. That's
the time when they really need someone."



"And where am I? An ocean away."



"But you've sent him to an excellent school and were willing to give up
your life to save his." Steven said nothing. "There, I've proved my
point: you a re a good father."



Steven looked at her and gave her a quick hug. "Thanks."



********************************************************



The next morning, Jessie's schoolfriends came early in the hopes of seeing her
famous cousin. Normally, Steven would have slept in, but since Dave was coming
home, he wanted to present a favorable impression. As he walked Jessie to the
door, he asked, "Do you remember that message I gave you?"



She nodded. "I've almost figured it out."



"I'll want a report on it when you get home."



"Yessir." She saluted and walked out the door.



He walked back to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee. "So,
when do you expect your husband home?"



"In about a half hour. He's taking an early train."



"Ah." He went to the refrigerator and took out two eggs. "Want
some?" She shook her head. "You're going to have to keep a sharp
look-out. They know who I am so they'll know where I'm staying." He began
to scramble his eggs in the pan. "Could you put some toast on?" She
obliged. "The next move is up to them. I've done all I can for the
moment."



The toast popped up and Sheila buttered it for him. "Here's your
plate."



"Thanks." He sat down. "I just want you to be careful. If you
see anyone hanging about, let me know. If I'm not around, tell Dave."



"Tell Dave what?"



Sheila walked over to her husband. "You're back earlier than I
expected." She kissed him.



"No hold-ups in New Haven. Hello, Steven. What're you doing in these
parts?" They shook hands.



"I came here for a bit of a vacation. It hasn't worked, though."



Sheila tried to put off the conversation. "Do you want any
breakfast?"



"I ate on the train, but I'll have some coffee." He turned back to
Steven. "What are you talking about?"



"It's a long story. Do you have the time?"



"Give me the condensed version." He listened patiently throughout the
narration and waited until the end before saying anything. "You've really
gotten yourself in deep this time, haven't you?"



"I try."



"You were right in calling the CIA. I really don't know what else you
should do. I think that all you can do is wait for them to make the next move.
If this is as serious as you say, I'll help in any way I can."



"Thanks for the support. I was a bit doubtful that you'd even give
it."



"I'll be at the office for most of the day if you want me."



*****************************************************



Steven spent most of the day helping Sheila around the yard. It was mostly jobs
for which Dave didn't have the time. They stopped at 2:00. Back in the house,
they found themselves alone, all the boarders had gone out. "I'm going to
change out of this grubby shirt then come down for a sandwich," said
Steven. "What about you?"



"Sounds fabulous."



Steven went up to his room and opened the door. As he did so, he felt a
tingling along the back of his neck. Something was wrong. He never found out
what it was because he was knocked unconscious from behind.



"C'mon!" called a voice from the stairs. "We've got his
cousin!"



"What about him?"



"You remember what Randolf said. Get on with it. I'll be outside."



The man took some rope from his pockets and tied Steven's hands behind his
back, then bound his legs together. He searched the bureau and found a
handkerchief for a gag. He then dragged Steven into the closet. He made sure
all the windows were shut before he tossed something into the wastebasket. He
shut the bedroom door and ran downstairs and outside. "Okay, let's
go."



They put Sheila in the back of the car and drove off leaving her to wonder what
they had done to her cousin.



******************************************************



Jessie's friend Liz was the first to see the smoke. "Jes, your house is on
fire!"



Ron went for the firemen, declaring, "I'll be real quick."



The rest went to the house. It hadn't spread and seemed to be isolated to the attic
room. "That's James's room!" cried Jessie. She ran into the building.



"Come back, Jes!" cried all the children. Some of the neighbors who
had gathered tried to call her back, but to no avail.



Jessie stopped midway up the stairs, grabbed the scarf out of her hair, and
tied it over her nose and mouth. Just like Nancy Drew. She made her way
to her cousin's room and coughed as the acrid smoke greeted her. She ran and
opened a window to clear some of the smoke. She looked around and saw no flames
and no Steven. There was a faint knocking that seemed to come from the closet.
She opened the door and saw Steven bound and gagged, waiting for someone to let
him out. She undid his gag then his bonds, helped him out of the room, down the
stairs, and outside. He was weak from being tied up and smoke inhalation.



The firemen had just arrived with Ron riding alongside on the running board.
Steven greeted the captain shakily. "It was only a smoke bomb." He
coughed. "I was going to my room to change when I was knocked out. I came
to in the closet, tied up and breathing smoke." Sudden realization came to
him. "Sheila! They've got Sheila!"



"Who're 'they', Cousin James?"



"Remember that message I gave you? Well, it wasn't made up. They came and
took your mother and tried to kill me." He turned to the fire captain.
"Can I have a lift to Morris' office?"



"Sure. Someone can bandage your head on the way."



"Great. Thanks. Now, Jes, I want you to call your father and tell him I'll
be stopping by after I see Captain Morris."



"Okay." She went inside.



"All set." He stood and was a bit shaky on his feet. "Let's get
this thing settled." He was helped into the captain's car where a
paramedic bandaged his head. It was a little tender, but took a back seat to
the problem now at hand.



The firehouse was right behind the police station so he just cut across the
parking lot. As he passed Morris's window, he heard a voice he recognized.
"You were supposed to keep him elsewhere!"



"If I had discouraged him from going, he would've gotten suspicious. You
didn't have to shoot at him!"



Morris was in on it with Randolf! Not in any major capacity, of course,
probably just to keep the police from investigating anything that went on in
Randolf's neighborhood. Steven kept walking down the street to Dave's office.
The hard part would be the explaining.



Dave's secretary let him right in. Dave stood, concerned. "Jessie called
and told me you'd be stopping by. I couldn't get much else out of her. What
happened?" Steven filled him in. "What's Morris going to do?"



"Nothing."



"What?"



"He's in Randolf's pocket. He's not gonna go against that."



"What are we going to do?"



"You are going to take the rest of the day off and join me in an excursion
to the home of Greenwich's finest crooks."



"Do you think she's there?"



"If not, we should be able to find out where."



"Count me in."



They drove up to Randolf's house. Steven had Dave pull up before they reached
the main gate. It was wide open. "I definitely do not like the looks of
this." They walked carefully inside, expecting a trap. "I really
don't like this. Something's wrong."



"They knew you knew about this place, so they moved. They obviously didn't
want the police after them."



"And you call yourself a lawyer. Use your head. If they think I'm dead and
they've got the locals in their pocket, why bother?" He went up to the
house. "Someone--or something--else surprised friend Randolf, otherwise he
wouldn't have left. Wherever he is, Sheila's with him."



"Do you think Morris backed out of the deal and offered an
ultimatum?"



"From the tone of the conversation, I'd say it was impossible."





Inside the house, they slowly walked about the rooms looking for clues. Steven
came upon Randolf's study and immersed himself in the papers on the desk.
"Nothing! Only small jottings of no particular value whatsoever!" He
slammed his fist on the desktop and a small drawer opened. "A-ha, I spoke
too soon." He pulled out a red appointment calendar. "Today is
circled in red."



"What?" Dave came in from one of the other rooms.



"He's circled the date. It must be important."



"Does this room smell smoky to you?" Dave sniffed.



"Now that you mention it." Steven turned to the fireplace and sifted
through the ashes. "Hallo, there's a bit of paper that's not completely
burned." He pulled the crisp paper from the hearth and placed it on the
desk. "Parts of it are illegible, but there's enough to see why today is
important." He put the paper into the calendar and brought it with him.
"Nothing more to do until this evening at the civic center ."



"Would you please tell me what's going on?"



"You'll have to figure it out for yourself because I'm not telling you
until tonight."



An unknown car was outside the house when the two arrived home.
"Jessie!" called Dave. "We're back!"



"I'm in the kitchen helping Mrs. Putnam with dinner! There's someone in
the living room waiting for Cousin James!"



Dave went into the kitchen as Steven walked into the living room. A man rose
from one of the chairs. "Rick." He shook his hand. "I thought
you weren't due back until tomorrow."



"I am, but I called to check for messages and got yours. It must have been
important for you to use an alias."



"Let me tell you about it."



When he was done, Rick looked at him in disbelief. "All that in three
days? You must have been busy." He sobered. "Are you sure about that
last part?"



"Pretty sure. Want to join in on the fun?"



"I don't think he'd take it seriously unless you had someone representing
the government."



"I'll introduce you to Dave, then go have a lie-down because my head is
throbbing."



"You'd better. You'll have to be functioning properly to be of any help
tonight."



"Thanks," Steven said with a smirk.



******************************************************



That night after dinner, Steven stated he was ready. Dave made sure that Jessie
had done all her homework and asked Mrs. Putnam to put her to bed at the proper
time. With the family business taken care of, he too, was ready.



"Now, we all remember the plan. Dave, you'll go look for Sheila. Steven,
you find Randolf, and I'll talk to the head." Rick got behind the wheel of
his car and turned on the ignition.



Dave climbed into the back seat. "You mean the speaker tonight is behind
everything?"



"It would be hard for Randolf to handle the international discussions
himself without suspicion," Steven said, getting into the front seat.
"He needed someone higher up to tell him."



"But...I thought you thought Randolf was going to attempt to assassinate
him."



"What would Randolf have to gain by killing him?"



"He's in charge of the armament committee working on new defense planes.
He could have discovered the flaws weren't repaired."



"He demanded the flaw." Steven glanced out the window to see where
they were. "Turn left up here." He looked back at Dave. "He also
has access to the Soviet Embassy. He can talk with personnel at galas without
attracting attention."



"I never thought of that."



"I'll pull up beside the auditorium so it won't be so obvious." Rick
turned off the engine. "If you can't handle something by yourself, try and
get one of the others." They nodded. "Okay, let's go."



All three walked in the stage door with very little hassle. The guard
recognized Steven who vouched for Dave and Rick showed his CIA badge. Once
inside, each went a different direction. Steven went towards the audience to
look for Randolf. Rick went backstage to watch the speaker, and Dave went to
search the rooms backstage for Sheila.



Steven seemed to have the hardest chore: to locate one particular person out of
a sea of faces. He decided to check n4ear all the doors in case Randolf needed
to make a quick exit. He let his eyes "casually" look over the
audience, when, in actuality, they were studying each face. Out of the corner
of his eye, he saw something. He glanced back. There was Randolf with a
self-satisfied smirk on his face. Steven sauntered over and bent to whisper in
his ear. "Would you mind following me, sir? Someone would like to speak
with you backstage."



"Certainly," replied Randolf.



Steven turned his face away before Randolf recognized him. He kept walking
after he passed through the door. "Where are you going? The stage is this
way."



"Pushing for the limelight, Randolf? You're going to get it, but in a
different way."



Randolf didn't like the man's mocking tones. "What's going on? Who are
you?"




"Don't you recognize me? You tried to have me killed this afternoon."
Steven turned around. "You disappoint me, dear heart."



"Taylor!" He reached in his pocket and pulled out a gun. Steven was
unarmed and could do nothing. "You said I'd get the limelight and I will;
for killing you!"



A door opened into the hallway knocking the gun from Randolf's hand. "Did
I interrupt something? How terribly clumsy of me."



Steven rushed Randolf and grabbed his arms. "Quit hamming and help me tie
him up."



Dave nodded and grabbed some rope from a storeroom. "Let's give him a
taste of his own medicine." Dave smiled, and, catching on, opened the
storeroom door wider. "Enjoy yourself, friend." Steven placed a gag
over Randolf's mouth, placed him in the room, and locked the door.



Clapping from the audience brought their attention to the end of the speech.
"We'd better check with Rick."



Rick had a perfect view of the speaker. When the speech was over, the man went
into the wings and Rick walked straight into him. "Excuse me, Mr.
Senator."



"Yes? What do you want? I haven't much time."



"You, sir, are under arrest."



The senator's mouth dropped open. "What are you talking about? Under
arrest? What's your name?"



"Richard Johnson, CIA"



The senator ran off-stage , right into the waiting arms of Steven and Dave.
"Going already, Senator? Why, we haven't discussed your speech yet."
They firmly held onto one arm each and marched him back to Rick.



The senator's personal security men were shocked. They had no idea of what he
had been doing. "You haven't got anything on me," he said.



"Wrong, Senator. That escape attempt was an admission of guilt."



"Besides, Randolf talked and told us everything," bluffed Steven.



Almost everything," said Dave. "We still don't know where Sheila
is."



Steven applied some extra pressure to the senator's arm. "Where's my
cousin?" The senator kept quiet. "When I get mad, I get tense. When I
get tense, I have to break something. Your arm is the closest."



He jerked the senator's arm behind his back. The senator yelped in pain.
"Okay! She's at my hotel. If her guards don't hear from me, they'll take
her away and kill her."



Steven threw him to the guards. "Take him away!"



"What about Sheila?" demanded Dave.



:Steven, are you sure?" questioned Rick.



"I know what I'm doing! Get rid of this low life! Don't forget his lackey
in the closet!" He stormed off.



Rick stared after him. "In all the years I've known him, I've never seen
him blow up like that." He turned to the guards. "Go on, take
him."



"You, too? You can't be so cold. If he doesn't call, Sheila's as good as
dead."



"Everything'll work out. Don't worry."



They walked to the car where they were met by a smiling Steven. "Why the
long faces?"



"Quit trying to make up for not letting the Senator call. It won't
work."



"But he did call. Sheila's safe, for the time being."



"Please, explain yourself."



Steven cleared his throat and spoke in a voice closely resembling the
senator's. "The meeting has gone according to plan. There will be two men
sent over to pick her up."



"Unbelievable."



"When do we get her?" asked Dave.



"You and Rick are going to do it. They know me. We'd better head over now
before it leaks out over the news."



**************************************************



Outside the hotel room door, Steven thought he heard the TV. "Be careful,
I think they've got the news on."



Dave knocked on the door. "Randolf sent us."



"Yeah, just a sec." A man cautiously opened the door and saw only
Rick and Dave. "Can't be too careful. Someone's onto us."



"That's why Randolf said to move her. Where is she?"



"In the other room, that way." The second man motioned towards the
connecting door.



Dave walked in first followed slowly by Rick. The first man shut the door.
Rick's eyes looked over the main room of the suite. "You guys seem to have
the cushy job."



"It's not bad."



The newsman on TV then grabbed everyone's attention. "This just in from
our correspondent covering the senator's trip of the state. From Greenwich we
hear that the senator has just been arrested for conspiracy in the manufacture
of faulty planes. Also arrested was Henry Randolf of Randolf Industries,
manufacturers of the planes. On hand at the arrest, we are told, was his Grace,
the duke of Edinburgh, a one-time resident, who became involved with the case
just a few days ago. We will have further news on this story as it
develops."



The second man turned off the TV and looked straight at Dave and Rick, who
stopped in their tracks. "That must've happened after we left," said
Rick.



"If that's true, you'd've been here a-ways back. What's your story?"
The first man had a gun in his hand. "I'd better like what I hear."



*****************************************************



Steven didn't want to leave those two in there alone. He went down to the next
door and picked the lock. Being unfamiliar with the hotel, he didn't realize he
was in the other room of the suite until he heard a woman's voice whisper his
name. He turned and saw Sheila sitting on a straight-backed chair. "You're
alive," she whispered. "I thought they had killed you for sure."



"Ssshhh. Dave and Rick are in the next room and I think they've been found
out." He put his ear to the connecting door. "Go sneak out the back
way and go to Haskins. Don't stop until you're a safe distance away. Go
on." She gave him a quick kiss then darted away.



When she was gone, he turned his attention to what was going on in the other
room. He heard the man's threat and decided to help. He peeked through the
keyhole and could see Dave and Rick in profile on either side of a bulky
outline of a body. With the right amount of force, that man would be thrown
aside and temporarily immobile. Steven prepared himself, then pushed.



Rick and Dave made use of Steven's entrance and each took a man. Once the guns
had switched hands, the guards weren't so tough. Rick motioned for his gun for
them to start out of the room. "No funny business. I do have a gun in my
hand." Though far from meek, they complied.



Dave went straight to the other room once he had the chance. "She's not
here!"



"I know."



"What?"



"I know. I sent her to Haskins. She'll be okay with him."



Dave relaxed. "Thank God."



"I think you'd better get a taxi and go see her. I'll help Rick with our
two friends. He'll need someone to watch over them while he drives."



"Right. Thanks."



************************************************



The next morning they were headline news--including Jessie. Steven mentioned
how she had gotten him out of the house. "If it weren't for her..."



The Senator and Randolf were to be tried for espionage and treason. Rick, as
the arresting agent, gave his statement. Morris resigned before his connection
became public.



Before the trial (which was to be held in Washington), Steven moved out of his
cousin's house to avoid publicity. "I just want to be off for awhile. You
know, the reason I came here in the first place?" He smiled. "See you
in DC ."



Steven stopped at a payphone outside a drugstore and made a long distance call.
"British Embassy. How may I help you?"



"Ambassador Warrington, please."



"The ambassador is in conference at the moment, sir."



"Tell him James Stuart is on the line."



"He won't wish to be disturbed--" She then realized who he was.
"One moment, your Grace."



There was a long pause before a deep, Welsh lilt answered. "How are you,
your Grace? I've read about you in the papers."



"Can't escape them. I'll tell you the story when I get there."



"You're coming to Washington?"



"I have to be there for the trial."



"That's not for a few days. Surely, you'd rather stay there in the quiet
country?"



"The quiet country isn't all that quiet now. Is there any problem with
sending a plane my way?"



"None at all. I'll call them after."



"Fine."



*****************************************************



In-between the time of his arrival in Washington and the beginning of the
trial, Steven tried to keep away from the press and was almost successful. On
the final night before the trial, the Embassy gave a gala. Steven couldn't
remember the reason for it, but all the same, he wished it wasn't happening.
Since he was of the highest position there, he had to make an appearance. The
paparazzi was out in full force and they found him.



After what he thought was a sufficient length of time, he left. He borrowed a
car and drove along the Potomac. It was a good thing he was scheduled as a
first witness so he could leave after he was done. He had to admit that it was
a bizarre twist of fate that brought him to Greenwich when it did. If he hadn't
encountered Saunders for that brief time, the U.S. might have fallen to the
Soviets. That might seem a bit dramatic, but it was the truth. He pulled up
alongside the river and parked. He got out and stayed there for close to two
hours, just looking.



*****************************************************



He arrived the next morning at the District Court amidst the flash of cameras.
He took his place behind the prosecution. As he sat down, he felt that all eyes
were on him. A few minutes later, the defendants walked in. The senator walked
in proudly while Randolf glowered at everyone. When his eyes set on Steven, he
practically growled.



The justices entered and everyone in the court rose. Chief Justice Warren told
them why they were there and asked if each of the lawyers would present his
case.



Then came Steven's turn. He told of his involvement in the case from when he
first discovered Saunders to the arrest. The defense tried to question the
propriety of his eavesdropping, but Steven replied that he had had good reason
for Randolf's name had been mentioned in connection with questionable
circumstances. Therefore, he felt that he was within his rights.



He stepped down from the stand and waited along with everyone else. He listened
to some boring testimony from members of the senator's household and other
uninteresting statements.



Recess was called for lunch.



When they returned, Rick was called to give evidence and his account of the
arrest. He mentioned that the senator's attempt to escape was taken as an
admission of guilt. Randolf, he said, tried to resist arrest by drawing a gun
on Steven. Sheila was called to tell of her kidnapping and what, if anything,
she had heard during that time. What she stated was a reiteration of what was
already known: the defendants were planning on selling the government defective
planes because they were in the employ of the Soviets.



It was decided to call recess until the following morning.



Steven went back to the Embassy and told security to be on the lookout in case
some "friends" of the Soviet persuasion decided to pay a visit. He
decided to stay until the jury went into deliberation. Since the conversation
with Sheila a few weeks ago, he was in a hurry to be home.



The next day was for the defense. Steven sat with Sheila, Rick, and Dave, and
watched as the lawyer tried to find loopholes in the prosecution. He almost had
the perfect one when he talked about the arrest. "The investigation was
started by a British citizen, and the arrest was made by a British
citizen." He smiled smugly.



Steven tapped the prosecutor on the shoulder and whispered in his ear. The
prosecutor stood. "Objection, Your Honor."



"On what grounds?"



"The arrest was made by a government agent and his Grace has a dual
citizenship."



"Objection sustained."



The defense continued, but Steven thought his efforts futile. The evidence was
strong against them.



When the jury went into deliberation, Steven took leave of the building and
went back to the Embassy. A plane was ready to fly him back to London and would
leave within two hours. Steven had tea with Warrington while he waited.
"Thanks for putting up with the press while I've been here."



"Don't worry. We've had similar occasions before. I'll admit, though, not
with such an eminent person as yourself." There was a polite knock on the
door. "Come in."



A secretary walked in. "We received a phone call from the Supreme Court.
The jury is finished and they wish to know if his Grace would like to be there
when sentence is passed."



"That was quick," remarked Steven. "I thought with a case of
this magnitude, they'd've taken their time."



"Possibly the weight of the evidence sped their decision."



"I'd better get going. I'll leave for the airport from there so you might
as well have my bag put in the boot."



When Steven arrived, he walked into the assigned court to be greeted by a quiet
comparable only to a doctor's waiting room. He made his way to the front and
took his seat. "I didn't expect them to hold it for me."



"You were the driving force behind it, so it's only fair," said Rick.



Sheila leaned over. "Besides, Rick told them to call you."



The jury filed in and stood, waiting. The justices entered and sat. Chief
Justice Warren asked if they had reached their decision. "Yes, Your
Honor," said the foreman. "We find the defendants guilty on all
charges." He resumed his seat.



Warren looked at the defense who stood and motioned for the senator and Randolf
to do the same. "You have been found guilty of treason against the United
States. Does the defense have anything to say?" The attorney shook his
head. "The only sentence for such a crime is death, to be carried out as
soon as can be arranged." He banged his gavel upon the desk, calling an
end to the trial.



Steven congratulated the prosecutor and said good-bye to Rick, who had to return
to work. He then walked with Dave and Sheila to the waiting limousine.
"Have to catch a plane."



"I'm sorry your vacation was ruined. Give my love to everyone." She
kissed him.



"I don't know what I would have done without you," said Dave.



"You probably wouldn't have had the problem."



"True," he laughed. "It was good working together, and we only
had one argument."



"Give my love to Jessie."



"I will." They shook hands.



The limousine drove to the airport and Steven relaxed. Hopefully, there
wouldn't be anything pressing at home so he could spend some time with Jamie
like a real father. Take him to see a cricket match, go on holiday in Jersey,
or go fishing in Scotland, just something they could do together.



"What will you do when you arrive in London, your Grace?" asked the
driver.



"Be a father."