The Expendable One

Chapter 12

The next morning, after his run and breakfast, Garrison locked himself in his office and began making phone calls. Terry kept him supplied with coffee. He wasn't sure if she was being sisterly or trying to find out what he was doing. He stopped talking every time she entered his office. Finally, she quit coming in and went upstairs to empty the trash from each of the bedrooms.

It was late morning and Garrison had still not emerged from his office. Carter and Goniff were playing solitaire at the table. Casino was sprawled on the sofa, playing with a combination lock. Chief was at the chess table, studying the last move Garrison had made.

Actor came from the kitchen with a steaming cup of coffee. He took a sip of the hot liquid, set it on the table beside the Cockney and puffed on his pipe, leaning a forearm on the back of the chair in a manner he knew annoyed the man while he watched the pickpocket cheat at cards.

Carter cocked a quizzical look at Actor. The con man sensed a question coming and waited patiently.

"So, did you steal the Monet from the Louvre in '35?"

Actor gave a little smile while the other men grinned and watched to see his response.

"If I had, I most certainly would not admit to it."

Carter nodded. "Never hurts to ask."

"Ask all you wish. But I may not answer."

Reaching down, the Italian moved a card from one column to another. It earned him a dirty look. He grinned as Goniff slapped the card back where he had it before.

The front door opened and Christine entered. She glanced at the men and did a double take at the tall Italian standing at the game table.

"Actor!"

She ran forward.

Actor straightened and held a hand out in caution. "Careful!"

Chris put the brakes on and almost collided with him. "I forgot. Craig said you had been shot when he had to leave you." She smiled widely. "I am so glad you are back."

Actor smiled back at her. He kept his left arm against his chest and held his right one out. She moved in carefully and gave him a hug. This was a welcome he could enjoy. It pleased him the youngest girl was no longer afraid of him.

"You're still hurt?" she asked with concern. "Is Terry taking care of you?"

Casino laughed. "She took care of him all right. She popped him one."

Chris stepped back and looked up at the tall man. "She hit you?" she asked in disbelief.

Actor gave an unconcerned shrug.

"Yes, I hit him," said Terry descending the stairs with a can full of trash. "I thought he deserved it."

"Terry!"

Actor chuckled. "It's all right, Christine. She was just upset."

Chris gave her sister a mock dirty look and smiled up at the tall man giving him another squeeze. "Well, as long as she didn't hurt you."

Terry sent an apologetic look at the con man. "I broke his rib again."

The younger girl leaned back and looked up into twinkling hazel eyes. "Would you like me to hit her for you? I know you are too much of a gentleman to do that."

"No," chuckled Actor. "I think there have been enough fists flying around here for awhile."

Garrison came out for a quick lunch. He seemed lost in his thoughts and probably could not have said what it was he ate.

"Just what are you doing?" asked Terry out of curiosity.

"I've been making a lot of phone calls," said the lieutenant. "Now I'm writing letters of appeal."

"Appealing what?" asked Chris.

"A couple things," replied Garrison vaguely.

Terry glanced at Actor. He seemed unaffected by this, but she could see the wheels turning in that intelligent mind. Somehow she knew he was worried about the outcome of this.

"You – uh – want me to call Uncle?" she asked her brother.

Craig looked up. That avenue was not out of the question, but he would rather do it without pulling in that much rank. "Let's see how this turns out," he said. "And if need be I will call Uncle."

"Warden," objected Actor. "I do not want you to get in trouble for this."

That brought a smile to the officer's face. "Don't worry, Actor. If this works, I won't be in any trouble."

"Hey," said Chief, "we already lost him once. We don't need to be losin' you."

"You won't," said Garrison confidently.

After lunch, the officer again locked himself in the office. A few hours later, he emerged, briefcase in hand and looked at his middle sister.

"I need to borrow your car," he said.

That was a first. Terry eyed him from the game table where she was in a poker game with the three middle men and her sister. The eldest and youngest of the group were taking advantage of the comfortable chairs.

"There something wrong with the Packard?" asked Terry.

"I need speed."

Now they all looked at him. The Warden never sped unless it was an emergency or they were being chased. Terry reached in her trousers pocket and retrieved her keys. She tossed them to Craig.

He nodded and put his cap on and took his Ike jacket off the coat tree. "I won't be back until late. You guys can go to the Fox, if you want."

"If we want," muttered Casino. "Like we would say no?"

Garrison grinned and went out the door, a bounce in his step.

Chris looked across the table at her sister. "He's up to something. Sometimes he worries me."

"You haven't been living with him enough," said Terry. "He worries me more than sometimes."

GGG

Dinner that evening was a hurried affair. The dishes were left to soak. Chris borrowed some of Terry's clothes and the two girls put on dancing shoes. The men dressed nicely in trousers, turtlenecks and jackets. By 2030, they were almost ready to leave. Terry motioned them to wait while she went to the phone and dialed a number.

"Major Schaeffer's residence," came a British female voice.

"Can't you just say 'hello'?" asked Terry.

"I'm sorry, the Major has retired for the night," said the girl going along with the teasing.

"Too bad," said Terry insincerely. "Care to meet us at the Fox?"

"How many are involved?" asked the girl.

"All of us," grinned Terry.

"I believe that can be arranged."

"Meet you there."

"Yes, well, hurry," whispered Meg. "I'll be waiting."

It was a boisterous group that trooped out to the Packard and stopped. There were seven of them to squeeze into the car. Three men in the backseat took up the whole thing. Now there was one girl too many.

"Who's driving?" asked Terry.

"Me," said Chief.

Terry took over. "Chris, you sit in the middle of the front seat. Carter, you get the front too."

That left Casino, Goniff, Actor and Terry.

Goniff grinned at Terry. "So who are you sitting on, Love?"

"Not you," she shot back with a grin of her own. "You're too bony."

"You can sit on me," offered Casino lecherously.

"She can sit on me," said Actor firmly.

Terry glanced up at him. "What about your rib?"

"You will be sitting on my legs, not my rib."

With some grunting and pushing, they managed to all fit in and Chief took off at a faster speed than he normally drove to get there before a fight broke out in the backseat.

Entering the Fox, they saw Meg already there and a couple tables pushed together to accommodate eight of them. Chief and Chris paired up as did Meg and Goniff. Terry found herself between Carter and Actor. Casino was not happy to be on the other side of Carter.

Kit brought two pitchers of ale on a tray of glasses. "You guys want more ale, get it yourself."

"No problem," said Terry with a grin.

Drinks were poured and the group settled down. That did not last long. Glenn Miller came on the jukebox. Casino got up and stood behind Terry, hands on her shoulders.

"Wanna dance?" he asked.

"Sure."

The others watched the safecracker and Terry. One thing they knew was the two of them could Swing. The song ended and a slow one came on. Chris yanked on Chief to get him on the dance floor. Goniff grabbed Meg's hand and led her out there too. Casino stayed with Terry.

Carter grinned and pushed his chair back. Actor found himself sitting alone at the table while the young con man walked up to tap Casino on the shoulder. Terry smoothly transitioned to her new dance partner, leaving the safe cracker standing in the middle of the floor.

Actor watched Terry and Carter dancing. He was joined by Casino. The cracksman lounged in his chair and took a long drink of ale.

"Pushy," he said, eyes on Carter.

"Not for long," intoned the Italian.

Casino grinned as Actor rose and moved between couples. His grin widened when Actor tapped Carter on the back and lifted Terry's hand from his shoulder. The girl made no objection and moved into the Italian's embrace. Now Carter was standing alone. With a shrug, the blond man weaved his way back to the table.

"Staking your territory, Actor?" said Terry softly in amusement.

That was exactly what he was doing. "I think it is time to practice our dancing," he said. "Don't you agree, cara?"

"You can't tell me you didn't practice with the Duchess," she said with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Not once," Actor assured her. "Bernardo would have had my head if I had."

"Or some other part of you," teased the girl. "I find it amazing you still have all your parts."

"Really, Teresa," he objected.

She moved closer and they danced as though they had never been apart.

"I'd rather be in London," murmured Terry.

"Delightful idea," murmured Actor back, "but not an option I am afraid."

A thought crossed the girl's mind, besides the contentment she was feeling in being held by the Italian.

"You best not make use of the key to my flat," she said. "Chris is living there. She lost her flat to a German bomb."

That was another thing that had not changed for the good, thought Actor. The corner of him mouth turned up. "Did she like the sheets?"

Terry looked up at him with a grin of her own. "Not at first. Now she loves them."

Actor chuckled and held her closer.

It was after midnight when they returned to the mansion after dropping Chris off at Terry's flat. It made the drive back a little less crowded. The MG was back in the car park. When they entered the house, the door to Garrison's office was closed, but there was no light. They trooped upstairs and went to their rooms. Garrison's bedroom door was closed too. They would just have to wait until morning to find out what the lieutenant had been doing.

GGG

At breakfast, Garrison was being tight-lipped again. He refused to answer any of the questions put to him about his trip to London. Again, he locked himself into his office. At a little before ten, he opened the door and called the two confidence men and Terry into his office.

The three took seats at the table, Terry in between the two men. Garrison took his seat at the head of the table. The seating arrangement of the other three was not lost on him. Actor had been right when he said two confidence men working together would not work. Though there was nothing overt about Carter, Garrison had a strong sense there was competition between him and Actor. Garrison took a deep breath, let it out and leaned back in his chair, looking at his two confidence men and avoiding his sister.

"I might be able to secure that parole for Actor, under the circumstances." He shook his head. "But the army would be more inclined to throw one or the other of you back in stir."

Both cons silently watched the officer. Carter waited to see what came next. Actor recognized Garrison had his plan at least partially worked out.

"Randy has been trying to find a replacement for . . . what was his name?"

"Fox," said Terry with distaste.

Both of the con men stared in shock at the girl. Neither had ever bothered to find out the name of the man Teresa had been partnered with.

Actor was uncharacteristically vocal. "All this time you have been working with . . ."

"The Fox?" exclaimed Carter.

"You two know him?" asked Garrison, surprised at the spontaneous reaction of both men.

"By reputation only," said Actor. "And that was bad."

"I met him once. Braggart. Full of himself. Total idiot," said Carter. "How did anyone let him out of stir?"

Terry eyed her brother with a patent smile. "Now you know."

Brushing that aside for now, Garrison turned speculative eyes on Carter. "Think you can work with another team?"

"As opposed to going back to stir? Of course," said the blond man. It didn't surprise him that he would be the one leaving the group. He had to admit the older man had more experience and polish than he did, though it did not make the decision any more palatable.

Garrison now focused on his sister. "You'll still be going in with Randy on occasion. Can you work with Carter that way?"

The girl made a face, "Craig, I've been working with Carter for three months now. I don't have a problem with it, if he doesn't."

"No problem," said Carter with a grin. At least he would get to keep the girl part of the time.

Garrison turned to Actor. "You would have to work with Terry again.

"I suppose I can manage," said the Italian with a dramatic sigh.

Terry cocked an eyebrow at him. He squeezed her knee under the table. Actor felt a touch of relief. Though he had been fairly certain his place on the team was secure, there was that wild card of what the Brass thought that could have changed the game.

"Hey, Warden!" Chief's voice came through the door.

"I know," said Garrison. "Show him in."

A couple minutes later, the door opened and a blond first lieutenant walked in, leaning lightly on a wooden cane. He nodded to Craig and walked behind the other three. His paused behind the girl and rested a hand on her shoulder. Her hand came up to cover his and she smiled up at him.

"Okay?" she asked quietly.

"Getting there," he said.

Garrison stood and pulled the chair next to him out. "Lt. Randy Johnson." He started the introductions. Looking at the blond man seated next to him, he said, "This is Carter." Craig nodded toward the older man. "This is Actor."

Randy stopped and glanced at Carter, but his attention went to the dark man at the end of the table. He had met Actor one time before. The man had an aristocratic air that Randy could never hope to achieve and his reputation had preceded him. Randy would have killed to have him on the team, but would have had a hard time not feeling intimidated by the man. His other cons would have been intimidated by Actor.

"No."

The single word was uttered with firm amusement by the woman. Lt. Johnson took a seat and shook his head. No, the younger blond man would be a better fit.

"Would you be interested in joining my team?" Randy asked Carter.

There was a nod. "As long as the stakes are the same."

Garrison confirmed that. "Duration and six months and if you survive, a parole."

Carter studied the other officer. "You okay working with me?" He realized the first choice would have been the Italian.

Johnson nodded. "I think you would be a good fit with my team." He looked at Terry. "I trust you. What's your opinion?"

Terry looked between the men on either side of her. "I think your guys would work better with Carter." She looked apologetically at the man in question. "I'm sorry, but our guys worked with Actor for what, a year and a half now? They're kind of set in their ways. And I'm sorry to speak ill of the dead, but Randy's men would welcome you after what they have had to work with."

Garrison had to have a verbal responses for his report. "So Terry, you're amenable to keeping Actor and letting Lt. Johnson have Carter."

"Sure," said the girl with a smile. "Win-win. I get to keep both of them. No problem."

Now Garrison looked at Actor. "What is your choice, Actor?"

"I have no objections to picking up with your team as before."

Garrison nodded. He looked at Lt. Johnson. "Conference call to the Brass?"

"Let's do it," said Randy with a grin.

"Okay you three. Out. Let us get to work."

The two con men and the girl got up and went out.

"What's goin' on?" asked Chief.

"They're working things out with G-2," said Terry. "Carter goes with Randy and we get stuck with Actor."

Ignoring that, Actor looked at Carter. "You do realize we are not in the clear yet? The Brass could reject any or all of this."

"I know," said Carter with a calmness he did not feel.

They took seats at the game table and waited.

GGG

An hour and half passed before the door to Garrison's office opened and the two officers emerged. All eyes focused on them.

Garrison wore his military expression. "The Brass accepted it. It's a matter of the paperwork and signatures now."

Open looks of relief crossed the faces of the two con men while pleased responses came from the other men.

"It will probably take another week before this is done," added Johnson. Randy turned and shook hands with Craig. "Thanks for the idea and solving my problem."

Garrison grinned. Randy did not know how much a relief it was to him also.

Randy started toward the door, to be intercepted by Terry.

"How long before you're released back to duty?" she asked.

"Doctor thinks another two weeks."

Terry smiled. "You take care of yourself. If you need anything, holler at me."

"I will."

Terry moved in and gave him a careful hug which he returned.

Casino looked at Actor. "You're screwed, Babe," he said.

Everyone looked at the safecracker in confusion.

Actor finally had to ask. "And why is that, Casino?"

Casino grinned. "He's wounded and she didn't clock him."