Belts – Not Just A Fashion Accessory
She was a woman on a mission. Her high heels clicked on the pavement as she darted down the street toward her objective. She pulled open the doors and wound her way around the aisles to the escalator.
Twenty-four hours later and she still couldn’t believe she’d done that to Lee. It wasn’t like she did it on purpose. She’d simply come up with a method to get them out of the handcuffs. One that had worked, she might add.
What she hadn’t thought of was that both his hands were cuffed together and he wouldn’t be able to remove his belt. That she would have to do it for him.
Her mind raced over the rest of the events from yesterday. Lee pushing his lower body toward her so she could reach the belt buckle and undo it. Her fingers trembling as she reached for the clasp, not sure if her reaction was due to the fire getting closer or the fact she was getting closer to Lee. A lot closer.
When she’d jerked on the buckle, he’d yelled, “Ow.” Oh my gosh! What had she done? All she could do was apologize. When she unclasped the metal prong, she realized what had happened. She couldn’t believe she did that! She’d only been attempting to get a good grip on the clasp. Instead, she pulled too tightly and pinched him. Plus, she’d somehow gotten hold of the waistband of his boxers and given him a bit of a wedgey. At least she assumed they were boxers. All she could remember was the feel of soft silk on her fingertips. And briefs weren’t made out of silk.
Wait a second. Why was she thinking about what kind of underwear Scarecrow wore? Okay, so she’d had some fantasies about her partner lately. She figured it was just because their working relationship had become more relaxed, and there was that element of the unknown she felt every time she worked on a case with Lee. Also, she wasn’t doing as much typing as she had in the beginning of her employment with the Agency. Her work had become more hands-on. It was bound to happen. After all, he was handsome. And it wasn’t like she had any other man in her life at the moment. Who else would she fantasize about?
She shook her head to clear her thoughts and found herself in the department she needed. Her mission today was to purchase a new belt for Lee. His had been left hanging over that machine they’d been handcuffed to. During their escape from the fire, grabbing it was the last thing on her mind. Since it had been her idea for him to take it off, the least she could do was replace it. Right?
Tons of belts hung from a display in front of her. Black and brown leather ones with fancy buckles, and others that were plain. So many different styles. Which one should she buy? She pulled one from the display. The leather felt hard against her fingertips.
“May I help you?”
Amanda turned around to find a young man standing behind her. “Yes. Uhm. I need a new belt for a friend.”
“The one you have in your hand is an excellent choice.”
“Is it?” She looked at the belt closer. Something wasn’t right. Then it dawned on her. It was way too long. “I don’t think it’s the correct size.”
“Well, that’s no problem. What size do you need? We have a wide range available, from small to extra large.”
Amanda squinted her eyes and furrowed her brow, trying to envision Lee’s waist size. She held out her hands in front of her and tried to adjust them to what she thought would fit him.
“You’re not sure, are you?”
“I’m sorry. No.”
“Not a problem. How much does he weigh?”
Amanda shrugged in response.
“Okay. How ‘bout this? Is there anyone around who looks to be about his size?”
An excellent idea. Amanda scanned the customers in their general area for a man who was the same size as Lee, or at least as close as she could tell. No one seemed to fit. Then she took a good look at the salesclerk. He was almost the right height. And he seemed to be the same weight. “He’s about your size, a little taller though.”
The clerk smiled. “Perfect.” He pulled a belt from the display. “This one should fit him. If not, you can always come in and exchange it. Shall I ring it up for you?”
“Yes. Thank you.”
Half an hour later, Amanda pulled into the parking garage at the Agency. If she was lucky, she’d be able to catch Lee when he came back from his late afternoon meeting. She didn’t want to give him the belt in front of prying eyes. Someone could get the wrong idea!
She sat in her car, waiting to hear the telltale sound of the Porsche’s engine. After only five minutes of biding her time, she saw the familiar silver sports car careen into the entrance of the garage. Exiting her car, package in hand, she waited for him to park.
“Did we have a meeting?” Lee unfurled his long body from the car.
“No, but I wanted to give you this in private.” She handed him the package.
“What’s this?” He turned it over in his hand.
Amanda stared down at the cement floor. “It’s a new belt. We forgot yours yesterday in our escape from the fire, and I wanted to get you a new one.”
Lee opened the box and pulled out the belt. “You didn’t have to. I forgot all about it. And I have others.”
“I know, but it was my fault that you lost it. I . . . I . . . also wanted to say how sorry I am for, um . . . pinching you.” Were her cheeks red? They sure felt like they were on fire. She couldn’t look him in the eye.
“You’re forgiven. You really didn’t hurt me, you know.”
“Really?” She looked into his twinkling hazel eyes and knew he told her the truth.
“Really.” He put the belt back in the box. “Thank you. Are you through for the day? Did the debriefing go well?”
“It didn’t take long at all. Then I went shopping.”
Lee unlocked the car door and placed his gift on the seat. “Well, I guess I’d better go make my report. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Right, see you in the morning.” Amanda stepped toward her car.
“I almost forgot to tell you.” Lee came up behind her and placed his hand on the small of her back.
“What’s that?”
“Leatherneck said he’s going to use your technique in his training class.”
“What technique?”
“How to use the metal prong of a belt to escape from handcuffs. He’s calling it ‘Unusual Objects to Use to Set You and Your Partner Free.’ And he’s giving you credit as the creator.”
Amanda dropped her keys in astonishment. “You’re kidding.”
“Nope. When I told him what you did to set us free, he said he’d incorporate it into one of his training classes. That it was something he would never, in a million years, thought would work. But now that he does know, he has to make sure all agents know that they have options to escape using fashion accessories.” Lee knelt and picked up her keys and handed them to her.
“Thanks. I’m stunned and honored.”
“You should be. Not many get to say they showed seasoned agents a new trick. I’d better go before they send the cavalry after me. Bye.” He strode off toward the elevator.
Amanda got in her car and stuck the keys in the ignition. She sat there for a few minutes and replayed the scene. A smile spread across her face as she recalled what Lee told her. To think, she--Amanda King--had contributed something to Agency training. Maybe now they’d take her requests seriously and send her to Station One.
The End
Story Notes:
Disclaimer: Scarecrow and Mrs. King and its characters belong to WB and Shoot the Moon Productions. No infringement is intended. This is written for entertainment purposes only. Please do not redistribute or reproduce this story without my permission.
Thanks: Rita and Miss Edna, you make my stories readable by catching all my grammar and other errors.
Thanks: Rita and Miss Edna, you make my stories readable by catching all my grammar and other errors.