Chapter 1

Terry, pouring ale, looked up at the newcomers. She groaned to herself. It was the cons. Craig was at some two day meeting in London and she was supposed to be con sitting again. Goniff spotted her and bounced up with a wide grin.

"Hi, Terry Love," he bubbled. "We thought we'd come keep you company."

"Really? After I told you guys to stay put at the mansion."

Goniff shrugged a shoulder. "We didn't think you meant it." He leaned an elbow on the bar with his chin in his hand. "Can we 'ave a pitcher and glasses, Love?"

"As long as you pay for it," said Terry resignedly.

She delivered the ale she had poured to a customer farther down the bar. After ringing up the drink, she poured a pitcher of ale. Looking around, she saw that Actor had taken her usual seat at the end of the bar. She handed the pitcher to Goniff and three glasses to Chief. The Indian mouthed thanks to her and she couldn't help but smile back. Shaking her head as they walked over to a booth in the corner that Casino had laid claim to, Terry made her way down the bar to Actor.

"So just what are you doing here?" she asked the con man.

"It was Goniff's idea. He thought if you were tending bar, Kit would not be here and it would be safe to visit the establishment."

"And you didn't try to stop them?"

"Why would I do that?"

"You're as bad as they are."

"I beg your pardon," said Actor arrogantly.

Terry laughed. "What would you like tonight? Beer, brandy, or cognac?"

"Cognac, of course."

"Cheap or expensive?"

"Expensive."

Terry eyed him for a second and went behind the curtain into the back room. In a couple moments she returned with a ten year old unopened bottle of Courvoisier and held it out to him for inspection. The Italian's eyebrows rose.

"How did you acquire that?"

Terry got a snifter and opened the bottle, pouring some in the glass. "We try to keep some quality stuff on hand. Shiv does the buying."

Actor smiled at her, "And may I buy you a drink?"

"Not while I'm working," said Terry. "But thank you for the offer."

She excused herself and went to pour more ale and a few more drinks. Meg Schaeffer entered with a couple girlfriends. She walked up to Terry. Before she could say anything, Terry grinned and said, "Table back in the far right corner." Meg blushed. Terry grinned. "You drinking beer?" Meg nodded. Terry handed her a glass. "They have a pitcher. Make them pay."

With a lull, Terry walked back to Actor. He held the snifter out toward her. She let him feed her a sip. "Oooh, smooth. Much better than that stuff at the mansion."

"I see I will have to add liquor to your education," said Actor with a grin.

Terry could not help but grin back at him. She dragged a barstool over and sat so she could see the bar, yet still converse with Actor.

"You have tended bar before." It was more of a statement than a question.

"Jake used to have a speakeasy on the lower west side."

"What was the name of the place?" asked Actor curiously.

"Real original. It was Jake's Place." She looked narrowly at him. "Please don't tell me you used to drink there."

"Hardly. I avoided the place."

Terry grinned at him. "I know, beneath your dignity."

"I did tend to frequent higher class establishments."

"Snob."

Before he could respond to that, she was off the stool and down the bar. Actor watched her with amusement. He was actually beginning to enjoy her irreverence. She was starting to tease him, but without the sharpness of the cons. It was several minutes before she returned.

She hadn't been back long when Actor saw her tense. He followed her gaze to the door. Major Percy Schaeffer had just entered.

"Get Meg away from Goniff," she murmured to Actor.

Terry got off the stool and started down the bar. Schaeffer spotted her and walked up to the middle of the bar. Actor flowed off his stool and began threading his way across the room. Terry stopped in front of the British major.

Her voice not exactly oozing friendliness, she asked, "What can I get you, Major?"

"Nothing. I came to see what kind of place my daughter seems to like to frequent," said the Major with derision.

Terry was keeping a surreptitious eye on the far table. Actor bent over and whispered to Meg. She hurriedly scooted out of the booth and returned to the table with her girlfriends. Actor began making his way back to the bar.

"Well, you've seen it Major. If you'll excuse me, I have work to do. You want a drink, let me know." Terry started back down the bar. Schaeffer followed her. She ignored him and refilled a glass that was handed to her. She took the money and turned her back to put the money in the cash register.

When she turned back around, Actor was back at his seat. Schaeffer walked up to the Italian. Terry was becoming annoyed. She walked back to take her seat.

"What is he doing here?" demanded the major.

"I was having a nice quiet drink," answered Actor haughtily.

"Who gave them permission to come here?" Schaeffer wanted to know.

"I did," said Terry. "I'm supposed to be watching them and I had to tend bar tonight. I can't be in two places at once, so I gave them permission to come. This way I can keep an eye on them and work at the same time."

"We have a stockade they can stay in when you have to work," said the Major.

Terry sensed Actor was about to intervene. She gave him a swift look telling him to back down. Her left hand was under the bar, finger pushing persistently on the buzzer that went to the basement.

"Excuse me Major, but I don't find that necessary."

"Well, I do."

"Well, seeing as I live with them and I'm in charge when Craig's gone, I say they don't go to the stockade."

Jake appeared at the curtain and leaned against the wall watching to see what was going on. It didn't take him long to figure it out. Garrison's superior officer was standing next to one of Garrison's men and giving Terry a hard time.

"Hey, Terry, how about another round?" came a yell across the room in broad Australian.

Terry started to move away to pour another pitcher of ale for the group at the middle booth. Schaeffer was having none of that.

"I'm talking to you, Miss Garrison!"

"I'm too busy for this, Major. If you're just coming in here to make trouble then I suggest you leave."

One of the Australian Lieutenants saw there was a problem and came up to the bar. He turned back and called to his mates, "Hey, Colonel, there's a Brit Major here giving our Sheila a hard time."

Actor just sat back to watch this in amusement. A colonel rose from the booth and started toward the bar. Jake straightened and came forward.

"It's okay, Colonel," he called to the Australian. "I've got it." He walked up to Schaeffer. "Major, you're bothering my staff and my patrons. Get out."

"And just who do you think you are?" demanded Schaeffer.

"Name's Jake Bradford. I own this place and I have the right to refuse anyone I want. Now I suggest you leave."

"What about Garrison's men?"

Jake looked at Actor and the far table. "They're just quietly drinking and not bothering anybody. I have no problem with them. Now get out and don't come back. You come back in here again and I'll have you arrested."

Jake backed the major up until the man decided it would be in his best interest to retreat. Terry poured a pitcher of ale and passed it to the Lieutenant. The Australian leaned over the bar and flicked Terry under the chin with his finger. Terry grinned and wrinkled her nose at him. Jake slapped the man on the shoulder with a smile.

"This one's on the house, Mate."

"Good on you, Jake," grinned the Aussie.

Terry walked back down to her seat at the end of the bar. Jake ambled down. He gave a smug look at Actor, bent around and kissed Terry on the cheek. Terry pointedly ignored him. Jake sent another look at Actor and disappeared in the back.

Actor looked at Terry. "Is that a problem, Cara?"

"No," said Terry wearily. "That one was for your benefit. He does it in front of Craig to annoy him. Craig's not here, so you get it."

"What is the purpose?" asked the Italian.

Terry shrugged, "Payback. Thumbing his nose at Craig."

Actor was silent, sipping his cognac and mulling over what he knew of the situation. Terry watched him. She knew he wouldn't pry, but he would worry it to death in his mind trying to figure it out. Sometimes she wished there was someone who was not family she could talk about it to, but that wasn't an option. "Actor, I'm sorry, but it isn't open for discussion. It's a family matter. And you really don't want to get into the middle of it." He already was in the middle of it, what with Craig's accusations and innuendos that she was sleeping with the con man. She just hoped it never got back to the Italian. Terry decided it was time to try to get some background out of the con man. "So where in Manhattan were you?"

"I had a suite on Park Avenue overlooking Central Park," replied Actor offhandedly.

"My, my, conning must have been profitable," teased Terry.

"Very," replied Actor.

"So if you were in New York, how did you wind up in Alcatraz and San Quentin?"

Actor thought about discussing this with Terry. If she was going to live with cons, then she might as well know the system. "I spent the first four months in Attica. The prison system trades convicts when there are problems. I kept to myself, but I was traded when the other prisons needed to remove someone from their facility."

"Seems to me, if you were not a troublemaker, the prison you were in would not want to get rid of you."

Actor took a sip of cognac. "I was not privy to how the wardens negotiated in stir."

Terry wasn't sure how personal she could get with the con man, but she was still curious. "You didn't kill anybody. How come you got put in maximum security prisons?"

Actor looked at her. She seemed genuinely interested. There was no sarcasm in her voice as there was from others who had asked that same question. Maybe for that reason, he answered her. "I was considered to be a 'flight risk'. I could generally talk myself out of any situation. They were afraid I would talk a guard into helping me escape."

"Couldn't talk your way past the judge?" she asked.

"Not that one."

"So did you know Wheeler?"

Actor looked at her sharply. "Not personally. Just by reputation on the Rock. What do you know about Wheeler?"

"He was the fifth con. He was killed on your first mission, supposedly by Chief." She held up her hand when he opened his mouth to object. "I don't want to know and I don't care if he did do it or not. That's just what I heard. Anyway, Craig wanted you bad and got stuck with Wheeler in order to get you."

Actor's face remained impassive, even though this was something he had not been aware of. So Wheeler had not been the Warden's choice like they all thought.

"How do you know so much about Wheeler?" asked Actor casually.

Terry chewed her left cheek. "You know I have a lot of clearance. I worked at the War Department for my father and two other generals. When Dad started hinting he was thinking of sending me over here, I started digging into this little project."

"You really were sent here by the War Department?" asked Actor in surprise.

"Of course. How else do you think I could get into the mansion?" Terry looked at him in amusement. "What did you think, that I just wandered over to England and asked Craig if I could stay with him?"

Actor shrugged. "You said you had been sent to spy on us. I was not sure whether to believe you or not."

"I was sent to spy on you. I send reports in once in awhile." She did a double take at the look of distrust on Actor's face. She patted his arm. "Hey, I'm on your side. I'm covering your backsides." She smiled, "You guys get in so much trouble it takes two of us to keep you from being sent back to stir."

"Hey, Terry, come here a minute, Love!" It was her friendly Australians again.

"Be right there, Mate!"

Terry got up and as she walked around the end of the bar, she leaned over and kissed Actor on the cheek. She whispered in his ear, "Don't get your shorts in a knot, Caro. I'm being straight with you."

The cons stayed until closing. As the evening progressed, the crowd became thinner and Terry had more time to sit and talk with Actor. She found his conversation fascinating. He talked to her about life in Europe during the '20s and '30s. She managed to pry a few stories from him about some of the major cons he had pulled over the years.

For his part, he found talking with the young woman to be a novelty. She seemed to be genuinely interested in what he had to say. The women Actor generally had for companions were always more interested in talking about themselves or fashions or the latest gossip. He usually sat and allowed them to talk, not particularly following the conversation, but pretending to have an interest in what they were saying while just listening to the feminine voices. Now he found himself actively conversing with Teresa. There was intelligence about the woman that showed when she commented or asked him questions. And she teased him, gently and affectionately, not with the harshness of others who had made fun of his courtly manner and aristocratic airs. Not that she did not try to poke holes in his aristocratic bubble, but hers were pinholes compared to the fist-sized ones of, say, Casino and men of his nature.

It was closing. Actor got up from his seat. Terry was busy with some of the patrons who stopped to talk on their way out of the bar. He glanced at the quart mason tip jar sitting beside the cash register. It was half full of coins and a couple five pound notes. If that was all she was making, it was little wonder the woman did not have many decent clothes. Actor carefully folded a bill and placed it under the cognac bottle as a tip for Terry. He went back to the others. Goniff was saying goodbye to Meg so the rest of them waited.

Terry picked up the bottle to put it away and saw the money. She set the bottle down and unfolded the bill. It was a hundred dollar bill, American. Terry was stunned. There was no excuse for that large of a tip other than he was feeling sorry for her and wanting to give her money. She hated accepting the gifts of clothing from him, but really had no choice. She did not accept handouts, she earned her money. She folded the bill back up. In embarrassed anger, she went around the bar and stormed up to the Italian. She grabbed his jacket and pulled it open, shoving the bill into his inside pocket.

"How dare you! I will not be insulted by you!"

"I wasn't trying to be insulting!" he objected.

"Well you did a good job of it!" She turned to the others. "Go on back to the Mansion. I've got to close up. I'll meet you there later."

She turned on her heel and stalked off.

"Teresa!" called the Italian in confusion.

"Get stuffed, Actor!"

She went back behind the bar and started water in the sink to wash glasses. She studiously kept her back to the group.

"What did you do, Man?" asked Chief.

"I just left her a tip for the drinks I had," said Actor.

"How much did you leave her?" asked Casino.

"A hundred. "

"You jerk! What did you do that for?" spouted Casino.

"I know she does not have much money. She doesn't seem to make much here. I was just trying to help her."

"Man, that's like giving her charity," said Chief.

"That's more than she makes here in a month," added Goniff.

"I do not understand the problem?"

Casino shook his head, "You really don't do you? Just because you got it and she don't, don't mean you have to throw it in her face. The lady's got pride."

Late the next morning, Terry was washing the dishes when Actor stepped cautiously into the kitchen and leaned against the counter, looking at her. She ignored him.

"I wish to apologize to you," said the Italian quietly. "It was never my intention to offend you or insult you."

Terry still did not look at him. "I believe you. You obviously have 'funds' from before your incarceration. How would you feel if suddenly those funds were gone and somebody tried to hand you money because they felt sorry for you?"

There was a brief silence. "I have been there. It is why I learned the confidence business."

Now Terry looked at him. The eyes that looked back at her told her this wasn't a con on his part. She said nothing, going back to the dishes.

"May I ask you something personal?" requested Actor.

"You can ask. I might not give you an answer."

"I thought your family had money. You own a ranch. You have spent time in your youth in Europe. What happened?"

"The depression and the war," said Terry. "The demand for horses went down. We still have the ranch. We let all the hired help go. That's why I went to Washington and not back to the ranch. One less mouth to feed."

Actor chewed on that awhile. "You allow me to buy you clothes."

"It's necessary for working with you." Terry turned back to him. "That last gown you bought me . . . I would have had to sell two horses to pay for that gown. Craig couldn't afford it on what he gets paid and the army sure wouldn't pay for it."

"You told me about the parties in Washington with your father. Surely you had clothes for that."

Terry nodded. "Dad bought me a couple evening gowns. Not of the quality of the one you bought me. I sold them when I was coming here. I didn't know I was going to be playing your mistress to the Germans. I sold them so I would have money when I got here. I can't live off of Craig. He's helping pay for the flat as it is. I'd give the flat up, but he really does not want me living here."

Actor puzzled it out for a moment. "What about the jewelry from the last couple missions? There should be quite a bit of money in that."

"Yes, there probably is. But how do I get it?"

"Where is the jewelry?"

"In the safe deposit box in Brandonshire."

Actor's eyebrows went up and he sighed. "Would you allow me . . . allow us . . . to help you liquidate that? It never occurred to us that you would not know how to do that. It is common for all of us."

"How?"

"Goniff!" called the Italian.

Terry wiped her hands on a towel and followed Actor into the common room. Goniff was up and heading in their direction. "What's up, Mate?"

"Teresa needs a fence."

Terry looked at him skeptically.

Goniff was looking at the girl. "Blimey, we never thought about that. You don't know how to fence do you?"

"Uh, no."

The Englishman grinned broadly. "Oh, have I got a fence for you."