CHAPTER ONE: A LASS FROM THE PAST

PARISMONDAY

8:15 am. Kelly's apartment

Kelly slammed down the phone.

"I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS IS HAPPENING TO ME! THEY GAVE HER MY STORY!!!  I'VE BEEN AT IT FOR ALMOST A WEEK AND SHE GOT IT JUST LIKE THAT! THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS! I'VE GOT A GOOD MIND TO..."

"Woah! Calm down Kelly, don't get all worked up..."

"I AM NOT WORKED UP...I AM PERFECTLY CALM..." Kelly turned away fom Max and continued to mumble curses under her breath, still  antagonised. What a lousy Monday morning this is turning out to be!

Max was used to this as he prepared for the backlash. Kelly always get worked up when the issue concerned her and her story.

Yikes. Sounds like someone has taken her front page story ...

He decided that the best thing to do... well the safest anyway... was to do nothing. It will die down eventually.   Kelly was normally so calm, collected. Rational. But Max also knew better than anyone else that when Kelly gets this angry, it was difficult to talk sense into her. And heaven help those that try to get  in her way...

"ARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!"

Then again, Perhaps a walk will do her good. Max decided to go against his better judgement.

"Kelly..."

"WHAT?!"

Max took a step back  catiously." umm.. shall we go over to Lupin's?  Grognard uhh.. he has to pass me uhh... something and he uhhh.. he promised to bring me.. uhh..." Max paused and shuffled his feet, hoping that Kelly did not see through his little ploy.

Kelly turned to face him, and her anger gradually gave way to guilt when she saw Max's half-frightened face, trying hard to be brave.   She knew that Max was trying to pacify her, and she didn't like herself very much when she got angry and vented her anger on other people, and especially at Max.  It was totally uncalled for.

Ashamed by her sudden outburst, she toned down her voice and gingerly put her hands on Max's shoulders.

"Oh Max, I'm so sorry for shouting at you like that...it's just that I'm just so vexed... " Kelly paused as she tried to find the right explanation for her behaviour.

"Forgive me?"

Max nodded his head understandingly. After all, even the best of us lose out tempers once in a while.

Kelly walked towards her writing table and opened the top left drawer, retrieving an all familiar calling card with an address written on the back. She turned to Max again as she took her coat from the hanger.

"Let's go out for some air, it's getting real stuffy in here don't you think?" She mustered up a smile.

Max couldn't help but smile back.

@-'---

10:13am. Hotel chantelle , room 813.

The radio played softly in the background as Grognard opened the curtains to let in the morning light. Yesterday had been a rather busy night, but Grognard prided himself at being a punctual person. He always kept to his schedule, such that he was up and all dressed before the clock even struck eight. 

"Grognard!" Max's voice could be heard coming from the outside.

"Well hello Max, Kelly." Grognard greeted both of them as he opened the door.

"It's good to see you again." Max gave his adult friend a warm  hug and managed to whisper, "ix-nay on the ews-nay" directing his eyes at Kelly.

Grognard was used to the code that Max used to warn that Kelly was not in a very good mood. He winked back and whispered.

"Bad day?"

"You don't know the half of it Grognard...."

Max suddenly realised that the hotel room was a lot bigger than he had expected.  He started to scan the area excitedly.     

"Wow.....This place is great.....check out this bed Kelly!!!"

Forgetting his manners, Max made a dash towards the bed and dived right onto the fresh covers, jumping up and down in delight as Kelly walked in.

"Max...behave yourself." she  looked at him disapprovingly. Max gave a sheepish grin as he  restrained himself, it wouldn't be a wise move to provoke Kelly on her bad day.

"It's quite alright Kelly..Kids will be kids." Grognard said as he helped to take Kelly's coat. He looked at the bed, now a messy sight and shook his head in amusement. Max stuck out his toungue embarrassedly as Grognard gave him a subtle repremanding stare for untidying the sheets.

"Where's Ars�ne?" Kelly looked around.

"He's in the next room...  I'll  go check if he's awake."

"There's no need to Grognard..." Lupin was up and all dressed. He was clearly still tired  but surprisingly happy, probably because the morning wheather was cool and sunny just the way he enjoyed it. Seeing  Kelly and Max, he greeted them with his ever dashing smile.

"Well  this is quite the pleasant wake up call ...now if I can just get some coffee..." he turned to Grognard.

"Already on it boss." Grognard walked to the side table where a small pot of steaming coffee sat.  Lupin sat himself next to Max as he let out a little yawn.

"You seem tired Lupin. Been up all night?" Max asked, concerned.

Lupin laughed as he playfully ruffled Max's hair. "That's why you should always get your eight hours Max... Oh thanks Grognard."  He took over the china gratefully and settled it on the table for it to cool a little.

A knock was heard again.

"Allow me." Lupin offered as he walked up and answered the door. A young lad in uniform greeted him.

"Ah.. right on time."

"Room service Mister. Here are your morning papers as you requested. Had to run down to the next street to get it." The bell -hop handed him a set of  The New York Inquirer as he smiled shyly.

"Why thank you my good man."  Lupin cheerfully replied as he took the papers from him. " Join us for a cup of coffee?" he offered." He opened the door wide open as the others sitting on the bed waved politely.

"My boss wouldn't be too pleased to catch me goofing off. Thanks for asking though." 

Lupin nodded understandingly. "Some other time then ... and I presume you'll be sending me my morning papers tomorrow?"

"Yes Sir, the New York Inquirer everyday prompty at 10:15am for as long as you'll be staying here." he  recited from memory enthusiastically.

"I knew I can count you... " Lupin reciprocated his smile as he laughed. "And here's a little something for your trouble..."   he dug into his pocket and slipped a hundred dollar bill to the youngster , who hesitated for a moment about accepting such a generous tip, but  finally pocketed the precious note as he  ran off  down the corridor.

"Nice fellow wouldn't you say?" Lupin grinned as he closed the door behind him. 

Max almost choked when he saw Lupin approaching them with the papers, his sudden remembering of  the morning's 'little incident'.  So much for not reminding Kelly about her work!

He held his breath as Lupin sat down and proceeded to flip through the news articles, looking at Kelly for signs of any sudden change in  her expression . Luckily there was none...so far. Max breathed a sigh of relief but still kept his eye nervously on Kelly. After all, it's always calm before a storm...

The headlines stood out in bold black typing :

Lupin said nothing as he picked his cup up and sipped silently. As if on purpose, he skipped the first page where the headline splashed across and proceeded to  the next page, rather amused by whatever it was that he was reading.

"Ars�ne...you don't seem the least bit concerned about all this.." Kelly directed his attention to the  foul accusation.

"Well, you can't believe everything you read these days...." Lupin trailed off musedly, his face buried behind the papers.

Now normally,  such a comment would have been taken lightly as a joke, but Kelly was still sore from being denied her story, and to have Lupin mock the newspaper was a direct insult to her profession.  Lupin sensed something was amiss as he lowered his papers and was greeted with a cold condensending stare.   Kelly was obviously not amused. 

Uh-oh.  First rule of thumb,  never offend the press. Unfortunately in his case, the press means Kelly.

"Unless of course they were by you dear Kelly..." Lupin tried to sweet talk his way through.   Nice save, or so he hoped.  Grognard obviously thought that was the lamest attempt he has ever attempted as he slapped his forehead in disbelief. Luckily for Lupin though, Kelly seemed pacified..well almost.

"Of course..." she answered back curtly.

Max was relived. Kelly must have cooled off . Had Lupin attempted a stunt like that ealier today, Max was sure he would have gotten more than a blunt remark from Kelly...unless... that was just the beginning?!...

"So errm tell us the details? What did they say?" Max quickly said, trying hard to divert attention.

Lupin settled his cup on the table next to him as he flipped back to the first page. "Well, it says here that a jewelry store was broken into last night. There was no forced entry and only the diamonds went missing. No clues, no fingerprint. " Lupin shook his head. "How 'original'."

"Think it had something to do with the other jewel robberies the past week?"

"I'm certain of it. "

"Karst is out to frame you again?"

"Probably...but  that's what puzzles me. " Lupin raised an eyebrow. "We checked out the crime scene yesterday night. Doesn't look like  Gila and Diesel's handiwork.

"Mayhem?" Max deduced again based on his process of elimination.

"Perfect alibi.." Lupin flipped into one of the articles inside the paper where a photograph  showed the countess and  the rich entreprenuer Howard Karst, being escorted into the airport. "This was taken yesterday at about the same time the shop was broken into."

"... so that's two strikes." Grognard mumbled. " I think Karst may have found new help... with the likes of Gila and Diesel I wouldn't be too surprised."

"Yes... I think we need to pay Karst a little visit to find out what he is up to Grognard. So far everything seems too quiet.... I'm starting to wonder if he's thinking of going straight. " he looked at Grognard as they both paused for a moment, then  smiled as if on cue.

"NAAAHHHHH!" 

Kelly finally giggled. At least her sense of humor wasn't all gone.

"You still haven't told me why you're staying in this hotel Ars�ne..."

" It's simple really..." Lupin said as he laid the papers on the table. " There's going to be a big party held in the banquet hall in this very hotel come Friday night. That I'm sure you know already Kelly....but.." He paused and picked up his coffee to sip again, as if to tease her and keep her in suspense a little longer . " ..what you might not know is that a very big diamond will be gracing the stage...."

" ..so  you think that that diamond is the next target right? " Kelly eyes quickly lit up as she finished his sentence.

"We thought we'd check out this place before the party... you know.. get to know the guests a little.." smirked Grognard.

"You wouldn't be thinking of crashing the party now would you Ars�ne?" Kelly asked in half-jest, half-seriousness.

"Of course not my dear Kelly.... I'll be invited." Kelly saw Lupin directing a smug wink at Grognard.

" Grognard?"

"Hey! Like the boss said.."

"You two.." Kelly threw her hands up in mock annoyance. "But how could ...?  Nope..never mind...forget it...  I don't think I want to know."

Kelly watched in exasperation as the two grown men chuckled among themselves, but she was not too bothered. After all, Kelly Kincaid always gets her answers, one way or the other.

"But wow! A big party! Sounds like a hot news story to me eh Kelly?" Max nudged at her.

"Only if I can get the exclusive..." Kelly smile returned again. She has decided that this news story is just what she needed to get her back on her feet again, and if Lupin is hanging around the hotel, something tells her that it is going to be worth its weight in gold. She glanced at her watch.

"Oh that reminds me....I have to make a stop at the office. Paper work you know." Come on Max or we're going to be late!" She quickly grabbed her coat off the hanger.

"How about Lunch together?" Lupin asked as he got up to see them out.

" Pick me up at two?"

"I'll be there." 

"Bye Lupin! Bye Grognard! I'll be seein..." Max waved as he grabbed his cap from the bed.

"MAX!"

"Coming!" 

Lupin walked back to the table and poured himself another cup of coffee. Cupping the drink in his hand,  he stood at the balcony  as he watched   Kelly and Max emerge downstairs and dissappear into a taxi. 

"Ah... there's nothing like waking up to the sight of a beautiful lady to make your day complete eh Grognard... " Lupin turned to his companion and smiled.

"That.. "Grognard laughed. "And a double strong brew...."

@-'---