Chapter 2
Lee drove to Amanda’s house wondering why, exactly, he felt the need to "spy" on her. ‘What if she had a date and didn’t want to tell me? What if it was some guy she’d just started seeing, and didn’t want to ruin her chances by breaking a date? I mean, I only assumed she’d broken up with that Don guy since she hadn’t mentioned him on our last assignment we had been forced to work together on.’ His tight lips turned into a sneaky smile, he knew the guy’s name, but it was so much fun to tease her by getting it wrong. He may not have been Amanda King’s biggest fan, but he knew she didn’t belong with a dunce like Dean McGuire. He had seen him on T.V. doing the weather; the guy was such a dork.
As he rounded the corner onto Maplewood Drive, he parked his car as out-of-sight as possible. He watched as a fairly handsome man, in his mid-thirties, climbed out of a black BMW. Lee narrowed his eyes at the casual stance the man had, as he appeared to be surmising the appearance of Amanda’s home. The blond-haired man gave his car a gentle pat before heading up the sidewalk to Amanda’s door.
If Amanda had blown off the Agency for a date, he’d be extremely ticked. ‘If she’s going out with some guy, and sticking me with the witch, I swear, I’ll get even with her.’ Looking closer at the man, who was now knocking on her front door, he noticed the guy’s outfit. He was dressed in faded jeans and a Harvard sweatshirt. Hardly the attire for a "date."
He watched as Amanda opened the door, said something to the guy, walked away and then returned into view. Exiting her house, she closed the door behind her. Lee sat with his mouth gapped wide open as he noticed that she was dressed in her tight jeans, pink t-shirt, and that silly sweatband around her head. "Now where the devil are they going?"
Quickly jotting down the tag number of the BMW, his curiosity piqued, as he watched Amanda toss the keys to her Station Wagon towards the man whose hand rested against the small of her back.
Before taking his Porsche out of park, he sneered openly that this guy would take Amanda out in her own vehicle, leaving his own "precious" vehicle behind. Putting his own car into drive, he slowly pulled away from the curb and followed Amanda’s car.
Lee began to feel a little uneasy, as he realized that his physical characteristics, and his state of dress, would definitely become more conspicuous in the neighborhood they were now entering. This was what most called the "slums" of D.C. Sighing in relief as the Station Wagon finally pulled off the road and stopped before a rundown apartment building, he pulled his own vehicle off to the left and parked. "What on earth is Amanda King doing going in there?"
Thumping his fingers against the leather steering wheel, he watched as the "couple" exited the car. The guy held out his hand for Amanda to take before entering the building. "What kind of self-respecting man takes a fragile woman like Amanda into a place like this? ‘If his sweatshirt means anything, the guy must have attended Harvard.’ Lee thought before verbalizing his next words with a low hiss. "All book smarts and not a lick of common sense!"
Deciding that they wouldn’t be able to handle themselves if a bad "situation" arose, Lee opened his car door and stepped onto the sidewalk. No sooner had his feet hit the ground than he heard the distinct wolf calls coming from a group of teenage girls. The young women were sitting on a picnic table located in the run down park next to where he had just parked.
"Hey, Baby. You lost or something." Lee turned and narrowed his eyes as one of the "young ladies" approached him. "Yeah, man. You look like you need a date. Want me to keep you company?"
Rolling his eyes at the comment, he merely shook his head and began to head for the apartment complex. He continued to grumble under his breath about the situations Amanda always managed to get him into. As he walked up to the front entrance, he thought about all the situations she had put him into in the last few months and decided he needed to talk to Billy about getting her out of this business soon.
Hearing Amanda’s laughter echo down the hallway through the open doors, he stopped. "Shoot, all I need is to get caught." Racing back to his car, he shook his head at the sight of the girls that had been in the park, now making themselves at home on the hood of his baby. "Excuse me, ladies, but I need to leave now."
A tall girl, around six feet tall, according to his estimate, with short black hair, and dark brown eyes, jumped from the hood of his car and stood before him. "Where you heading so quick, your highness?"
Lee sidestepped the girl, and quickly moved to unlock his car. Looking back at where she stood, hands on hips, he gave her one of his famous Stetson smiles. "The palace, of course."
The girl rolled her eyes at the smart comment, and motioned for the remaining girls to abandon his vehicle with the wave of her hand. "Tell Prince Charming that we’re waitin’ on him."
Turning the key in the ignition, he flashed her a smile of acknowledgement, then pushed the gas pedal a little more forcefully than necessary to leave the parking space, causing his "racer" to spin a wheel as he pulled away. As he rounded the corner he pulled off to the side to wait on Amanda’s car. "What I put myself through for that woman!"
His wait was short lived as the Station Wagon passed his car, hopefully without noticing him. He was pretty sure she hadn’t. ‘Heck, she could barely out run a bunch of Russians without running her car into a ditch.’ Thinking back to the incident with Magdha, he was positive she hadn’t noticed his out-of-place Porsche. Just in case, however, he decided he would keep his "Agency Manual" surveillance distance. Putting his car in drive, he pulled out into the city streets to follow her. Glancing at his watch, he sighed heavily as he pulled out behind them. "Okay, Amanda, I've got thirty minutes before I pick up my ‘hot date.’ Where are you going?" His eyebrows raised when he noticed the vehicle now carried four occupants instead of two. "What the…"
Lee kept up the "cat and mouse" game for another fifteen minutes through the winding streets of D.C. before realizing that his playtime was up, and it didn’t look like they were going to be stopping anytime soon. Grumbling in anger that he would have to put his curiosity on the backburner for an undetermined amount of time, he swung his Porsche around in the middle of the semi-busy street and made an illegal U-turn, and headed for Ms. Gultch’s home. He cursed Amanda one more time, as he realized that he would be escorting his date for the evening in his Porsche, after all, and not in the Agency Sedan that was waiting for him.
Shifting his weight from one foot to the other as he waited impatiently for the older woman to answer the door, his mind focused on the BMW that was now parked at Amanda’s house. He was planning on giving the tag information to a friend of his in legal, but he’d have to wait till after the fundraiser to get the information back. Frowning at his own curiosity regarding the man Amanda was with, he realized he wasn't exactly sure why he was doing this. For some unknown reason, he wanted to find out just exactly who this arrogant man was that had had his hands all over Amanda.
Lee tapped the door a little louder this time, fearing that the woman was deaf. "Come on, lady. I don’t have all—"
His words ceased as the door opened and the woman in question stood before him. "Mr. Stetson?"
Lee’s furrowed eyebrows straightened as he looked at the woman before him. His image of the witch diminished as he took in her features. "Yes, ma’am."
Her light laugh caught him off guard as she opened the door for him to enter. "Amanda said you were quite the looker. I’ll be just another few minutes. Make yourself at home."
Lee blinked his eyes as the small woman left him standing alone in the middle of her living room. Gathering his wits, he began to move around. The walls were filled with pictures, awards, diplomas, and a variety of art. Rubbing his jaw with his hands, he began to study the black and white photo that hung above the fireplace. A young couple, wrapped in each others arms, smiled brightly for the camera. The youthful woman in the picture was, without a doubt, Ms. Gultch. Rubbing his eyes with his hands, he looked back at the picture. He could have sworn that he saw the eyes on both Ms. Gultch and the man twinkle at him.
Taking a step back, he glanced at the smaller pictures that filled the mantel. Most appeared to be family photos with the same man and woman hugging each other, and children littered the backgrounds, here and there. Moving from left to right, he picked up one that was encircled by a small silver frame. The picture screamed of happiness as he studied the faces of the two teenage girls, two teenage boys, several smaller children, and one adult male.
Moving to sit in the oversized rocking chair that sat in residence beside the slate fireplace, he glanced up to be sure his date was still preparing to leave. Satisfied that she was unaware of his scrutiny of the picture, his eyes focused on the smiling brunette. Her hair was long, falling just below her waist, and an unseen breeze seemed to wrap her hair around the child on whom her hands rested.
Although the picture had faded, her brown eyes carried the same trust and innocence that they did today. Pulling his attention from the familiar face, he looked at the other three teenagers in the photo. The other girl was slightly shorter than the familiar brunette was, and was standing behind a young boy. His eyes moved to the two teenage boys. The first was a boy he didn’t recognize, but the second was definitely the boy, now a man, who had picked Amanda up tonight. Unaware of the soft eyes watching him, he sighed heavily.
"Quite a bunch of misfits, huh?"
Startled by the musical voice, he looked up at her like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "Hmmm?"
Smiling at his obvious discomfort, she reached forward and took the picture from his hands. "This bunch."
Studying the woman with the eyes of a trained agent, he remained quiet. Her silver hair, highlighted with touches of golden brown, was short compared to modern day styles, falling just above her neckline. Her small frame only came up to his chest in height. The long evening gown she wore accented her hourglass shaped body to perfection. Her jade green eyes held the same twinkle of mischief as the picture that hung over the mantel. To be exact, the woman had not changed much at all from her youthful years, except for a few "laughter" wrinkles that graced her face. 'She’s quite a beautiful woman for someone in her sixties.’
Clearing her throat to regain his attention, she placed the photo on the table in front of her. "They helped me a great deal that year."
Lee titled his head to the left and was just about to ask how, when she stood and picked up her coat. "Okay, Mr. Stetson, lets party."
Standing, Lee offered her his arm as they headed for the door. "Please call me Lee, Ms. Gultch."
As she placed her arm around the one offered, she smiled up at his pleasant tone. "Please, call me Nancy."
Lee patted his breast pocket for the third time that evening, reassuring himself that the cassette was still firmly in place. The operation had been pulled off without a hitch thanks to Nancy graciously accepting a dance with Donovan. She effortlessly took the "information" from him, and had put it inside a pocket in her dress without missing a beat. Glancing around the crowded room, he found it comforting that he was able to find Nancy with ease.
She now glided across the floor with a handsome man, who was approximately her age. He watched in awe as she moved with an air of grace that he hadn't seen in years. Perhaps the last time he had seen such a woman, he realized, had been his own mother.
Shaking his head at his own tendency to rush judgment on people, he headed for the bar. As he waited for the bartender to bring him his glass of scotch, he thought back to the conversation he and Nancy had started before leaving her place. She had intentionally avoided answering the question he was about to ask by rushing them out the door.
Taking a swallow of the beverage the bartender had placed in front of him, he began to think that she would have been one fine agent in her day. She definitely had the smarts for it. ‘And the slyness of a fox to boot,’ he mused as he listened to the music end. Setting the now half-empty glass back down on the counter, he moved to the dance floor to see if this mysterious woman would allow him a dance. As he neared the couple, he could hear her soft laughter from behind the elderly man that towered over her as they danced. Tapping the shoulder of her current dance partner, his own smile widened at her blushing features. "May I have this dance?"
If he didn't know better, he would have sworn her green eyes turned a warm shade of blue in happiness that he had asked her to dance, as she thanked the gentleman and accepted Lee's arm. "Certainly, Lee."
The lively music faded to a slower pace as they began to drift across the dance floor. "I would have thought that a man, such as yourself, would have danced the night away with," nodding her head towards the group of young women that stood off to the side, "one of those lovely wallflowers."
"Been there, done that. Tonight I'm working. Besides. . . I believe in staying close to my 'partners.' I could ask you why you accepted this assignment," Lee retaliated with the same teasing tone she had just used.
Laying her head against the broad chest of her dance partner, she shrugged her shoulders. "I'd do almost anything to help Amanda." Pausing, she lifted her head to briefly look at him. "Now don't change the subject, Lee. I've heard a few things about your social life."
Lee was surprised at the robust laughter he heard coming from his own chest. "What exactly has Amanda King told you about me?"
Titling her head back to look up at the now sparkling green eyes of Lee Stetson, she shook her head slightly. "I never said that Amanda was the one who told me."
Lee looked at her questioningly. He was just about to ask how she had heard, if it wasn't through Amanda. He knew I.A. was good, but he didn't think they listened to the rumor mills.
Nancy smiled and interrupted him before he could open his mouth. "Now you should know better than to ask an old woman to give up all her secrets."
Unconsciously he pulled her closer to him as they moved across the dance floor. The couple remained quiet until the dance ended, both enjoying each others company in their own way. Pulling apart as the music ended, Nancy excused herself to head for the ladies’ room.
Lee protectively watched her as she left him to walk towards the back of the ballroom. ‘Something about her is hauntingly familiar.’ Taking a seat to wait for her return, his thoughts drifted, once again, to the picture of a young Amanda King and her "odd" group of friends.
He was pulled from his trance as he felt cool hands caress his face from behind. "Hello, Lee."
Lee turned towards the voice he couldn't place a face with. Never letting his guard down, he shifted in his seat to look at the redhead with a bright smile as he suddenly connected the voice and face. "Hello, Bambi."
Her hands drifted lower to his lapel as she purred, "I haven't heard from you in ages. Want to go "talk" about what’s been happening in our lives?"
Lee gently removed her hands from his chest as he glanced towards the restroom. "Not tonight, Bambi. I'm here with someone."
Her pouting lips and disappointed face made Lee's forehead wrinkle. 'Did I just turn down a night with Bambi?' Hearing the chair slide out beside him, he glanced from the voluptuous, pouting, redhead to look at the smirking smile of his date. Standing to assist his date with her chair, he looked from one woman to the other. "Bambi, this is a friend of mine Nancy." Giving Nancy an apologizing smile, he looked to Bambi. "Nancy, this is Bambi."
Nancy smiled sweetly towards the obviously "put out" Bambi and extended her hand. "Pleasure to meet you."
Bambi stood in a daze, as she took in the sight of the older woman Lee Stetson had as his date. Lee’s light touch on her arm brought her back to her senses. "I'm sure."
Lee returned to his seat and ran his index finger around his collar as he felt the heat in the room rise. "Perhaps we can get together another evening, Bambi."
The once passion-filled eyes were now shooting cold daggers at him. "Doubtful." With that said she sauntered off to another equally handsome man.
Lee sheepishly looked back to Nancy. "I'm sorry-"
Nancy patted his hand, which was now resting on the table. "Don't apologize, Lee. A young man, such as yourself, should have the ladies chasing after him." She paused and looked around at the now thinning crowd, before turning back to look at him. "That is, of course, if you don't already have someone special in your life."
Lee turned his hand over, and took her hand into his. He thought about how at ease he suddenly felt. For some reason she caused a calming, almost peaceful feeling in him when she touched him or looked at him with her gentle eyes. A flash of Amanda touching his arm earlier that day came to his mind. As much as she annoyed him, Amanda's touch always had the same effect on him. Closing his eyes briefly at the crazy notion, he quickly opened them and smiled confidently at the pondering eyes of the older woman. "Nope. No one special."
Nancy nodded; she had been expecting that to be his answer. "That's a shame, Lee. You're missing the best years of your life by spending them alone."
Following her line of vision, he watched couples, ranging in age from the very young, to the very old, holding each other as they swayed to the music. "Maybe so, but I tend to do better as a loner."
She continued to concentrate on the dance floor as she thought over his words. "Perhaps, but just keep one thing in mind, Lee Stetson. . . "
Her serious tone caused Lee to concentrate on her face. "What?"
She turned to look into his curious eyes. "Life is very short. Years pass by, and you don't realize how fulfilled your life could have been until you’re sitting in front of your fireplace. . . alone. No soft whispers or loving words from your partner in life. No grandchildren to take away the emptiness that fills your days." Her words faded as Lee watched her eyes glaze slightly from tears.
Pulling her hand from his, she patted it tenderly. "Believe me—I understand better than most, that a man in your business has a tendency to head down that path, but it's very dark at the end of the tunnel."
Before Lee could reply, she stood, nodding towards the door that led outside. "Our mission is accomplished, my prince charming. Shall we head home before it gets too late?"
Lee smiled at her ability to change the subject just before it delved into her own personal life. 'She could definitely have been a great agent in her day.' Glancing at his watch, he was amazed that it was already ten o'clock. He stood and extended his arm. "The evening slipped away quickly, didn’t it?"
She accepted his arm as they headed to retrieve their coats. "Yes, it did, Lee." Smiling at the back of the lean form that was handing the tickets for their coats to the clerk, she began to form a plan in her mind for the remainder of the evening with Lee Stetson.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.