“An Affair to Remember”

Amanda Stetson hesitantly walked into the bar of the hotel. Drinking might not help the matter at hand, but it couldn’t hurt. It had been an excruciatingly long and difficult day. Today she and her partner and husband, Lee Stetson, not only wrapped up a tough case but also had a huge argument that tested their marriage.

The case seemed straightforward when Billy first had explained it to them . . .

“Okay, you two, listen up. Senator Derick Hennesy was found dead this morning in his Georgetown apartment. It looks like foul play. His aide found him in bed, the victim of an apparent heart attack.” At their looks of confusion he explained further. “I say ‘apparent’ because the preliminary ME’s report says he had needle marks on his arm. We’re still waiting for the toxicology report about any foreign substances in his bloodstream.”

“Any idea who wanted him dead, sir?” Amanda looked to Billy and then Lee.

“From everything that I’ve read about him, he was just a moderate Republican,” Lee said.

“Hardly anything to be killed over,” Amanda added.

“The police are questioning Hennesy’s girlfriend . . .” Billy glanced at the file in front of him. “ . . . Ms. Elizabeth Conrad. Whether or not she’s involved--that’s for the two of you to figure out.”

Amanda looked over at Lee. He looked strange--upset, perhaps, or uncomfortable. When she caught his eye, the expression quickly disappeared, replaced by what she mentally termed “the Scarecrow facade.” When he stood and offered her his hand, she walked with him into the bullpen.

On their way to the elevator, she placed her hand on his arm. “Anything wrong? You seemed a million miles away in there.”

“Huh? Oh, no. I was just thinking. I’m not sure, but I think I know our suspect.”

“You ‘think’?”

“Yeah, I’m not sure but it could be an old . . .”

“Girlfriend? Is there anyone you haven’t dated, Stetson?” She laughed, shaking her head as she pressed the elevator button. She was amazed he was able to get any work done with all the dating he did back then.

Inside their office she stretched to grab the ringing phone.

“Film Library, Amanda Stetson speaking.”

“Yes, may I please speak to L . . . Lee Stetson?” the shaky voice replied.

“May I ask who is calling?”

With a little more confidence, the caller answered, “Elizabeth Conrad.”

“One moment, please. Lee, it’s Elizabeth Conrad on line one.”

Amanda looked down at her reports on her desk, trying to appear nonchalant.

“Lee Stetson.”

“Hi, Liz. Yeah, it has been a long time.”

“Just take it easy. My partner and I will be there in a few minutes. Which station house do they have you at? Okay, don’t worry; we’ll get this whole thing cleared up.”

As Lee hung up the phone he caught Amanda’s eye. “I guess I do know her,” he told her shyly.

“So I gathered.” She smiled.

He walked over to her desk and perched on the corner. “Amanda, she’s just an old friend. I haven’t seen her in years.”

“I know that. I trust you.” She leaned forward and gave him a soft kiss, then grabbed her purse and headed toward the door.

“Good.”

“Are you coming, sweetheart?”

“Uh, yeah, right behind you.”

While Lee learned all he could about the case from Detective Montez, Amanda sat in an interview room waiting for Elizabeth.

Upon hearing someone enter the room, Amanda looked up to see a tall blonde being escorted in by a female officer. Elizabeth had shoulder length-hair and blue eyes and wore what appeared to be a very expensive black Armani suit. The slender beauty looked like she should be strutting down a runway rather than sitting in a musty office answering questions about a murder.

“So, you’re Mrs. Stetson? I didn’t believe it when I heard that he had married. I mean, someone actually snagged Lee Stetson! What a coup.”

“Yes, well he has changed a lot over the past four years.” Amanda cleared her throat. “Elizabeth, how do you know Senator Hennesy?”

“I’m sorry, I made you uncomfortable, didn’t I?” Amanda could hear the sarcasm dripping from her voice but stayed focused. “Lee and I dated for a while a few years ago, as I’m sure he told you. He was such a tiger back then . . . well, as you said, he’s changed.”

Amanda wondered how seriously Elizabeth was taking the murder of her boyfriend if she was so concerned with the life of a former boyfriend and his wife. “About Senator Hennesey?”

“I met Derick at a charity event several months ago. I was working with a non-profit organization to develop stricter laws for patient rights. He was there as a favor to some constituents. It seems to help their cause when they have big names attend. We struck up a conversation, had a few dances, and, as they say, the rest is history. We saw each other practically every day from that night on. Derick is such a caring man, well . . . I mean . . . he was.” She grabbed a tissue and dabbed her eyes.

Amanda nodded, understanding the confusion Elizabeth must feel. Her boyfriend was alive and well one moment and dead the next. Yet she didn’t get the feeling that Elizabeth was really distraught. It was just a hunch, but her hunches were usually on target.

Just as Amanda was about to ask Elizabeth another question, Lee walked in and greeted them. “Hi, Liz. It’s been a long time.” He held out his hand but she bypassed it and wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him into an embrace.

“Lee, it’s been way too long.”

“Well, how about we get out of here and get you home, huh?” He gave his wife a quick wink and escorted the two of them out of the room.

Walking up to Elizabeth’s brownstone in Georgetown, Amanda was captivated by the building’s beauty. The architecture, with its long columns and eighteenth-century moldings, was quite impressive. Ms. Conrad must be very well paid to afford housing here.

As they entered the foryer, Elizabeth broke the silence. “You know, I really do appreciate you getting me out of there so quickly, Lee.” She glanced at Amanda. “You too, Mrs. Stetson. Of course.”

“Liz, why don’t you start from the beginning and tell us how you met the Senator?”

“As I told Mrs. Stetson, we met at a charity event several months ago. We struck up a conversation, and ever since then we’ve been seeing each other.”

Elizabeth motioned for the couple to have a seat as she entered the kitchen. “I’ll just go make some tea. Make yourselves at home.”

She began to shake as she poured the hot water into the cups on the coffee table. Lee helped her to return the kettle to the tray.

“Ms. Conrad, when was the last time you saw Senator Hennesy?” Amanda began a mental inspection of the living room, noting the Faberge’ Egg collection in a display case and what appeared to be an original Renoir above the mantel.

Lee finished pouring the water, placing the tea bags in the cups, and handed one to Amanda and then Elizabeth.

“As I told the police earlier, we had a date last night. Derick asked me to stay the night, but . . . ” From the look on her face, she was obviously remembering the outcome of her decision.

“Why did you decide to leave that night, rather than stay? Was that something that you normally did, stay over?” Amanda asked.

“Yes, most nights. But I had an early morning appointment that I needed to prepare for. He said he understood, and I left him shortly after midnight. The doorman can confirm that.” She looked to Lee, who nodded.

“Liz, did he mention feeling ill before you left?”

“Not that I remember. He’s in great shape, he works . . . worked out a couple times a week. He was only forty-three. I just don’t understand how this could have happened to him.” She placed her teacup on the table and looked thoughtful. “Wait, when I arrived at his place Friday night, he looked winded. I asked him if he was all right, but he just shook it off.”

“Did he mention any enemies? Anyone he was afraid of?” Lee continued.

“Not to me. I would imagine he ticked off someone along the way. You may want to ask his assistant, Talbert, um, Edward Talbert.”

Amanda studied the other woman’s face. There was nothing obviously wrong in her answers, but she thought the woman was concealing something. The way her hands were shaking, her quavering voice, was so much more prevalent than at the police station only an hour ago. It was as if she was putting on an act for Lee’s benefit. Lee’s face showed nothing but concern, however, so she pushed the feeling away and finished her tea.

After Lee assured Elizabeth they would do everything they could to get to the bottom of things, Amanda walked with him out the brownstone.

Amanda sat down at the bar and motioned for the bartender.

“What can I get you, Miss?”

She paused for a moment. “Scotch, please”.

After what seemed like an eternity, the bartender delivered her drink. “Here you go, enjoy.”

“Thanks.”

She took a big gulp of the amber liquid and nearly choked. The fiery substance burned all the way down her throat. How did Lee drink this stuff?

The sight of apparently happy couples seated around the room only made her more depressed. Why weren’t she and Lee enjoying each other’s company right now? How did this case get so out of hand?

They walked to their car hand-in-hand after leaving Elizabeth. “I think the first thing we need to do is check her alibi." Amanda said, breaking the silence.

“Are you serious? We need to head over to Hennesy’s apartment to see if the police missed anything,” Lee said, obviously irritated.

“Lee, you can’t possibly believe her story! I mean, it seems so . . . so . . . convoluted.”

“Convoluted? You’ve never heard of someone leaving their lover’s apartment in the middle of the night because they had to get home early? Hell, Amanda, you of all people should understand that.”

She pulled her hand away. “This isn’t about our ‘mystery marriage.’ That’s ancient history. This is about a case.”

“Oh, come on. I’m just saying that it’s plausible that she left because she had an early appointment.”

“And all I’m saying is, let’s contact her office. See who this appointment was with. If, in fact, there was an appointment.”

Lee rolled his eyes. “Fine, let’s go.”

A call from the Q Bureau to Elizabeth’s secretary established that her calendar was clear for the morning.

With a sinking feeling in his stomach, Lee got up from his desk and began to pace. “So, she had an appointment that wasn’t scheduled through her secretary.”

Amanda glared at him. “I think she’s lying.” She crossed her arms on her chest. “Why are you so positive that she’s innocent? Are you feeling a little regret about breaking things off with her?”

He knew she was upset, perhaps more about his past relationship than about the current case. “Look, she was going through a rough spot in her marriage. I’d just lost my partner. We were both looking for something to hang on to. But it was over almost before it began, Amanda.” He noted the disappointment in her eyes when he mentioned that Liz was married at the time of their “encounter.” “It’s not something that I’m proud of, and I’d just like to forget about the whole affair.

Amanda’s expression softened. “No regrets about ending things?”

He leaned down to wrap his arms around her and planted kisses down her neck. “I’m quite happy with my beautiful wife.”

“Mmm-hmm, sure. You’re a pretty smooth talker, Stetson.”

“Nope, just telling it like it is, Mrs. Stetson.” Reluctantly, Lee pulled away. “Why don’t you get started on contacting Hennesy’s staff and I’ll head over to his apartment to see if Metro missed anything.”

“Sounds good. I’ll bet I find out more than you.”



Lee rolled his eyes as he gave Amanda a peck on the cheek. “I’ll meet you back here at 4:30. Then we can head home for dinner with the family,” he threw over his shoulder as he walked out of the office.

“That’s when it all went wrong,” Amanda muttered to herself, staring into her drink. After signaling to the bartender for another, she slumped back into her seat and thought about the past day’s events.

Amanda stopped in front of the desk of the plump receptionist. “Hello, I’m Amanda Stetson, from the Agency. I’m looking for Mr. Talbert. I phoned earlier.”

“Yes, of course.” The woman smiled. “He’s expecting you. Just go straight ahead, into Mr. Hennesy’s office.”

As she waited for Talbert, Amanda rifled through the Senator’s desk while keeping one eye on the door. The last drawer she opened seemed shallower than it appeared from the outside. After sliding it out, she found a false bottom. She quickly gathered the few papers inside, but when she heard a voice outside the door, she placed them in her briefcase and hurried around the desk to a chair.

“Mrs. Stetson? I’m Edward Talbert.” The man extended his hand, and Amanda stood and shook it.

Edward Talbert looked surprisingly young, perhaps in his early twenties. He was tall, with dark hair and eyes so green she knew they must be enhanced by contacts.

“As I stated on the phone, I’m interested in anything you can tell me about your former boss’s affairs. Any information you can give me, personal or professional. Even a small detail could prove important.”

“Of course Mrs. Stetson. I’m anxious to help, any way I can, to bring Senator Hennesy’s murderer to justice.”

“So you think he was murdered? Not a victim of a heart attack?”



“Yes, definitely.” Talbert nodded. “Senator Hennesy ran five miles a day. He never smoked, and he only drank socially. There’s no way he had a heart attack.”

“And he was in good health?”

“He had annual check-ups. I know because I scheduled them myself. And he was a young man. No, ma’am, he was murdered.”

“Do you have any idea who may have wanted to see Mr. Hennesy dead?”

“He never mentioned any enemies to me, but that doesn’t surprise me. He was a very private man. I do know he had a girlfriend. I met her on several occasions. They were practically inseparable.”



“I’m curious. Why did you mention her when I asked about the Senator’s possible enemies?”

“His whole demeanor changed after he met her.”

“How so?”

“Well, he started coming in later, seeming more distracted. Right before he died he seemed kind of,” he hesitated as if searching for the perfect word, “depressed.”

“Did he say what was bothering him?”

“I asked if there was anything I could do to help. He said he ’dug the hole’ so it was his responsibility to get himself out.” The young man shrugged. “I’m not sure what he meant. I never got a chance to ask him. He got a phone call from Ms. Conrad and rushed off.”

“When was that?”

“Yesterday afternoon, around 2:30, I think.”

“Was that kind of response unusual?”

“Ms. Conrad,” his lip curled with distaste, “was very involved with his personal and professional calendar. Mr. Hennesy told me to provide Ms. Conrad with his schedule and any changes to it daily. She would contact me and dictate what he was and was not going to be attending. He followed it to the letter.” Talbert’s voice dripped with sarcasm.

“Was there any pattern to the type of events she wanted him to attend?”

He grabbed the desk calendar and leafed though it. “Mostly charity events. Several of them were hosted by a tobacco company, Albert & Ross Industries. Along with other companies and non-profit agencies.”

“I’d like a copy of that calendar sent to my office as soon as possible.”

“Of course. I’ll see to it myself.”

“Mr. Talbert, when you saw the senator and Ms. Conrad together, did they seem happy?”

“Well, I guess so. That is, up until about last week. Then Ms. Conrad seemed less interested in Mr. Hennesy romantically, like they were business associates rather than lovers. I don’t know, it sounds silly but . . . she didn’t even seem to like him anymore. Does that make sense?”

Amanda looked up from her note taking to smile and nod. “Perfect sense.”

“You know he didn’t seem as taken with her as he once had been, either.”

“Is there anything else? Did Mr. Hennesy have financial problems, for example?”

“Not that I was aware of.”

Amanda stood up. “Well, I really appreciate you answering my questions.”

“I’d do anything to help Senator Hennesy. And I guess it’s all I can do for him now,” Talbert said with a frown.

“If you remember anything else, anything at all, please call me.” Amanda handed him her card.

Amanda stared down at the papers from Hennesy’s false drawer, spread out on her desk at the Q Bureau. “So, that’s why you were killed. You decided to go to the authorities rather than be compromised and vote no on the upcoming tobacco industry sanctions bill. But how does Elizabeth Conrad fit into all of this?”

“She doesn’t fit into this, Amanda.”

At the sound of Lee’s emphatic voice, she jumped. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

“I’m a spy. You’re not supposed to.” Lee dropped into the chair behind his desk.

Sensing the tension in the room, Amanda tried to change the subject. “So, what did you find at Hennesy’s apartment?”

“Not a thing. I guess the boys downtown are getting better at their jobs. It was clean as a whistle. What’d you come up with at Hennesy’s office?”

Amanda walked over to Lee’s desk and pushed aside enough files to give her room to sit down. “Well, as a matter of fact, it was pretty interesting. His chief aide said Elizabeth spent every minute with him since their first meeting. She had his ear when it came to his personal and professional life, all in a matter of a few months.” She raised an eyebrow and waited for his response.

“So, he likes, ‘liked,’” he corrected himself, “spending time with her and used her as a sounding board. That doesn’t mean she killed him. Honestly, Amanda, I’m starting to think you just don’t like Liz because of her history with me.”

Amanda bit her lip and mentally counted to ten. “Lee, don’t you think it’s odd that a senator would allow another person to dictate his professional life the way she did?”

“Not necessarily.”

“Okay, how about this? I found a false bottom drawer in his desk. Inside were some compromising pictures of Hennesy. Along with a note saying he either does what’s asked of him or the photos go public. Plus, there was another note telling him how to vote on the upcoming ‘Tobacco Industry Sanctions’ bill.”

“So, you think he decided to stop playing their game and they killed him to get him out of the way?”

“That’s what it looks like.”

“Nice work. Billy gave me this on my way up.” He motioned to the folder in his hand. “It’s the toxicology report from the ME’s office. He was drugged with some experimental drug that causes the heart to stop within a matter of seconds.” Lee glanced

at his watch, noticing the time and decided to call it a day. “Let’s try and have a pleasant evening with our family. We’ll see what we can do about finding out who sent those notes in the morning.”

“Sounds good to me.” Amanda grabbed her purse and preceded Lee out the door.

“Fellas, we’re home,” Amanda called, as she came through the back door with Lee right behind her.

A second later, Phillip and Jamie clattered down the stairs. “Hey, Mom, hey Lee!”

“What’s for dinner? I’m starved.” Philip rubbed his stomach for emphasis.

“Yeah, me too.”

Amanda and Lee looked at each other and shook their heads. As the boys continued to grow into young men, they found it harder and harder to satisfy their appetites.

Amanda began to prepare their dinner of spaghetti and meatballs, while Lee fixed garlic bread and a salad.

After dinner was eaten and the table was cleared, the boys went to their rooms to finish their homework. Lee and Amanda found their usual spot on the sofa in the den and curled up together.

“You know, you never did tell me how you met Elizabeth.”

“Well, there’s not much to tell. Elizabeth was a lobbyist, and I happened to be assigned to a case that revolved around a senator and some of his illegal activities. We just happened to be at the same party and struck up a conversation.” Lee seemed to find the upholstery pattern fascinating.

“A conversation, huh? I’ll just bet you conversed.” Amanda giggled.

“All right, I deserve that. But you have to admit I’m a changed man.”

“Oh, I never said you weren’t.” She leaned over and kissed his neck.

Lee pulled Amanda’s arms above her head and began planting feather-light kisses on her jawbone and neck. She began to squirm under the weight of her husband and his ministrations. She’d need to move if she was going to gain the upper hand.

She somehow maneuvered herself on top of her much larger husband and pinned him down. After a quick kiss, she jumped up and headed to the stairs. She stopped and called over her shoulder, “Last one to the shower has to teach Philip how to drive.” When Lee shrugged, she added, “Using their own vehicle.” She had to stifle a laugh at the look of horror on her husband’s face. But she quickly recovered and shot up the stairs and into their bedroom, with Lee hot on her trail.

TBC

Well at least she didn’t regret that night. Making love with Lee was always wonderful. Amanda swirled her finger around the ice in her glass, thinking back.

But there were other things she regretted. Things like not explaining her theories to Lee in a way that didn’t make him think she was only being jealous. Maybe if she had, they wouldn’t be apart now. No, as usual, she had to prove him wrong. How stupid could she be?

“Amanda, I’m going to head over to Capitol Hill to talk to some of Hennesy’s colleagues this morning. Do you want to come along?” Lee took another sip of his coffee and glanced over at his wife. She was obviously engrossed in what she was reading on the computer screen.

“Earth to Amanda”

She kept her eyes glued on her monitor.

Lee rose out of his chair and strolled over to her. He perched atop her desk, but she didn’t seem to notice. Finally he reached out and caressed her shoulder.

“Hey.”

“Hmmm? Oh, Lee. I’m sorry, did you need something?”

“Amanda, what has got you so interested that you didn’t hear me talking to you for the past five minutes?”

“I’m sorry. I’m just trying to learn as much as I can about this tobacco bill. It’s the only thing we can link to the blackmailer. I thought if I poked around, I might find a lead.” She grabbed her coffee mug and brought it to her lips.

“Did you find anything?”

“No, not yet. I’m going to keep at it though. There has to be something here, I just know it. Now, what were you saying?”

“I asked if you wanted to head to Capitol Hill with me, to talk to some of Hennesy’s colleagues. Looks like you have enough there to keep you occupied. I’ll see what I can come up with.”

“Sounds good. We’ll get more accomplished if we split up.”

“Only on this one task. Usually we’re much more productive as a team.” He leaned down to kiss her lips.

“Mmmmm, you are so right, Mr. Stetson, so right.” She smiled when he winked at her on his way out the door.

After several hours of research, Amanda still hadn’t found a connection between Hennesy and the upcoming bill. She was just about to take a break and head out for lunch when she found the link. “Well, I’ll be. There it is, just what I thought. She’s in this up to her neck.” Amanda stared at the document about cigarette manufacturer Albert & Ross Industries. The name “Elizabeth Conrad” nearly jumped off the computer screen.

Lee headed down the steps of the Capitol Building and had just reached his car, when his car phone rang. ”Stetson.”

“Lee, it’s Liz. I was wondering if you’re free for lunch. I wanted to talk to you about the case.”

“Sure. I’m near your office now. How ‘bout I swing by and pick you up?”

“Great, I’ll be waiting. Bye.”

In a small Italian restaurant, Lee listened to Lizs talk of possible enemies that her lover might have made during his time as a senator, and jotted down notes.

After lunch, he dropped her off at the curb in front of her office building. ‘Nice lady, too bad she had to get involved in all this,’ he thought, as he steered the Corvette in the direction of the Agency.

At the sound of the door opening, Amanda glanced up to see her husband entering the Q Bureau. “Hi, big fella.”

“Hey there, beautiful. How’s the research coming?” Lee made his way over to his desk and sat down.

“Well, it was slow going until a few minutes ago. Take a look at this.” She nodded in the direction of the document in her hand as she walked over to his desk and sat on the corner.

“What is it?”

“It’s a bulletin, written by a lobbyist for Albert & Ross Industries. It’s about the upcoming tobacco bill.”

“Am I missing something here, Amanda?”

“Look who it’s written by.” She pointed to Elizabeth Conrad’s name.



Lee raised a skeptical eyebrow. “So what if Liz works for this Albert and Ross? She’s a lobbyist, that’s what she does. That doesn’t make her a blackmailer and a murderer.”

“Well, it’s pretty darn suspicious, after what I found in Hennesy’s drawer. And she was the last person to see him alive.”

“No, the murderer was the last person to see him. Liz left.”

“And, of course, you believe her!”

“Why shouldn’t I believe her? I’m really starting to believe you have something personal against her, Amanda!”

“The one who has personal issues here, is you, Lee! And it’s making you blind to all the evidence.”

Lee got to his feet. “Like you know all the evidence. Liz told me at lunch that Hennesy had quite a list of possible enemies.”

Amanda slipped off the desk and put her hands on her hips. “So now you’re having lunch with our main suspect?”

“And you’re ready to send out the lynch mob!” Amanda heard his voice rise in pitch, the way it did when he was very upset.

“That was uncalled for, Stetson. I’m just doing my job.” Amanda took a shaky breath. “Now I suggest you take a walk, to cool off, and come back ready to do yours.”

“Fine!” Lee pivoted and strode across the room.

When the door slammed shut, Amanda headed back to her desk, sank into her chair and rested her head in her hands. Lee’s reaction surprised her, but so did her own. Maybe they both needed to take a step back. She’d call him later; there was no need to stir him up again. In the meantime, she’d see what else she could learn about Elizabeth Conrad.

“Now, how ‘bout we take a look at your financial records, Ms. Conrad? I’d like to see how you can afford that fancy house and all that expensive artwork.” Amanda began typing data into the computer and watched as it returned the information. Her eyes grew wide as she saw several 250,000 deposits that were made into Elizabeth’s bank account over the past few months. Regular deposits made from an account in the name of “Albert & Ross Industries.”

“Gotcha!” She jumped out of her chair, intending to go see Billy, but stopped abruptly at the door.

Her husband. She needed to let him know what she’d uncovered.

When she dialed his car phone, she got no answer. She dialed the switchboard at the Agency and left him a message, letting him know what she found and that she was headed to speak with Billy. Then she took a deep breath and offered an olive branch. “Look, I’m really sorry about what happened earlier. I should have handled it differently, instead I—“

A beeping sound, followed by a dial tone, cut her off.

‘I guess I do tend to ramble,’ she thought. After hanging up the phone, she headed down to the bullpen.

Once he reached his car, Lee headed to his usual spot--the place he always went when things weren’t going well on a case or in his personal life. The Reflecting Pool was somewhere he could be alone and think without interruptions. Sure, there were plenty of tourists roaming about, but he still felt at peace and alone in his thoughts.

Today, he had a lot to contemplate. Why had he jumped down his wife’s throat at the first mention of Elizabeth being a viable suspect? Why had he assumed Amanda was only being jealous? He had always trusted her instincts, so why did he question them now?

Lee sank down on an empty stone bench and raked his fingers through his hair. It was simple. He wanted to believe that the old friend who helped him to cope with the loss of his partner was all he remembered her to be.

Years ago, Elizabeth Conrad kept him from going crazy with guilt, helped him to see that his life was worth living. That he shouldn’t give up. That Eric wouldn’t have wanted that for him. Sure, they were a lot younger back then, with ideals that had long since dissolved. But surely she couldn’t have changed that much from the sweet, innocent girl he met years before.

With a sigh, Lee got to his feet. “I need to make things right again. I need to talk to Amanda.”

After explaining to her Section Chief what she uncovered, Amanda received Billy’s approval for a wiretap and for tailing Elizabeth.

She didn’t have to wait long outside Elizabeth’s office building before the lobbyist appeared.

Elizabeth entered what appeared to be a brand new Mercedes and drove off, heading north. Amanda followed in her own car, careful to hang back so as to not be recognized.

After about an hour on the road, Elizabeth pulled into the parking lot of the Fairfield Inn on Nursery Road, about a mile from the Baltimore airport. Amanda watched as the other woman got out of the car, pulled a suitcase from the trunk, and headed inside.

Amanda checked her watch and drummed her fingers on the steering wheel, a habit she picked up from her husband. She needed to give Elizabeth enough time to register and go up to her room before she headed inside, but waiting wasn’t easy.

As Amanda walked up to the concierge’s desk, she took note of her surroundings. Quickly scanning for possible entrances and exits, she noted a bar toward the back of the hotel and a gift shop in the opposite direction.

“May I help you, miss?”

Amanda turned toward the woman sitting behind the desk and smiled.

She pulled out her Agency I.D. and flashed it. “I’m sorry to bother you but this is a matter of national security. The tall blonde woman that came in just before me, could you tell me what name she registered under and her room number, please?”

The receptionist looked curious. “Of course, that was a Miss Sarah Johnson. She’s in room 243.”

Amanda requested the room right across from “Miss Johnson.” After a quick thank you and a word of caution about not mentioning this to anyone, she headed out to the parking lot to collect her equipment.

It took an hour to get word from Billy that the wiretap was in place. She then began working on setting up her end of the equipment in the room across from Elizabeth’s. When she finished, Amanda sat back and thought about her husband’s reaction. How would he respond when he found out that he was so wrong about his old friend? She knew he was only seeing the good in Elizabeth and blocking out the obvious clues that she tried to point out.

Well, maybe they could clear this case up tonight. Then they could go home and resolve the issues that had plagued them over the past few days. She trusted Lee and knew that he loved her. Still, it hurt to think he didn’t believe her when she came to him with her suspicions.

‘Amanda was right,’ Lee thought. ‘I did need to take a break and cool off. He opened the door to the Q Bureau, eager to tell her so, but the office was deserted. ‘She must be in the bullpen.’

When he headed through the glass doors into the busy office, Francine greeted him, smirking.

“Scarecrow, since when do you let your partner do all your dirty work?”

“What are you talking about? What dirty work?” The knot that formed in his stomach told Lee he was not going to like the answer.

“Ask Billy. I’ve got a meeting upstairs.”

Lee made long strides through the bullpen and bounded into Billy’s office without knocking.

Billy looked up from a pile of printouts. “Well, Scarecrow! So glad you decided to join us today.”

“What’s this shit about Amanda doing my dirty work?”

“Ah, I see you talked with Francine.”

“Yeah, so what gives? Where’s Amanda? What’s she up to? I think I have a right to know where my wife is.”

“Hold up, Lee. She’s just following a lead. You were nowhere to be found so I sent her on her way. With the strict understanding that she call for backup the second things started to break. Relax. You know as well as I do that Amanda knows her job.”

Lee opened his mouth to answer but was interrupted by the ringing of the phone on Billy’s desk.

“Melrose. Ah, Amanda…” Billy glanced up at him and nodded. “We were just talking about . . . what? All right. Yes, I understand. I’ll send him out there right now. Yeah, I know the place. He’s on his way. And, Amanda . . . hang tight.”

Before Billy could hang up the receiver, Lee grabbed his arm.

“What’s going on? Where is she? Is she in trouble?”

Even to his own ears, Lee knew he sounded more like his wife and partner every day.

“Slow down, Scarecrow. She’s fine. Things are starting to happen now. She’s at the Fairfield Inn in Baltimore, about a mile from BWI airport.”

“Yeah, I know exactly where that is.” Lee hurried to the door.

“Uh, Scarecrow! Don’t you want her room number?”

He stopped and pivoted. “Well?”

“Room 242. And be careful.”

“I will. Thanks, Billy!” Lee headed to the elevator.

Lee arrived at the Fairfield Inn in record time. On a normal day the drive would have taken him far longer. But what were a few red lights and traffic jams when your wife was in possible danger?

He strode through the lobby of the hotel to the bank of elevators and waited, tapping his foot, for a door to open. When one finally did, he stepped in and punched the second floor button. Running his hand through his hair, he paced the small space. ‘Oh, Amanda, what have you gotten yourself in the middle of this time?’ The ding of the elevator broke him out of his thoughts.

When he reached room 242, he tapped lightly. “It’s me,” he whispered. When the door swung open, he hurried inside.

“Amanda, what is going on? When I got back to the office, you were gone. Billy said that you had moved on a lead. Why’d you leave without me?”

Amanda sighed. “Lee, what was I supposed to do? I know I asked you to go cool off, but you didn’t bother to tell me where you were going. You didn’t answer your car phone, and you obviously haven’t picked up your messages. If you had, you would know why I left. It’s not my fault you don’t pick up your messages often enough.”

“So you just rushed ahead without me?”

“Did you want me to sit around waiting for you to return from . . . wherever you were and just forget about what I found? I had to move fast. Looks like our suspect is heading out of town. I couldn’t let her just take off, now could I?” She looked at him expectantly.

“You know damn well that if I just took off to follow up on a lead you’d be pissed. And what do you mean ‘our suspect’?”

“Elizabeth Conrad, of course.”

“Oh, you mean your suspect. Now it’s a crime for Liz to come to Baltimore. God, Amanda, lobbyists travel. It’s part of their job.”

“Murderers running from the authorities travel, too.”

Lee rolled his eyes. “Oh, please. I don’t understand why you are so obsessed with the fact that Liz and I were an item over five years ago, Amanda. This just isn’t like you.”

“That’s not what I’m doing.”

“I don’t even want to know what you had to come up with to get Billy to okay this whole operation,” he growled, throwing up his hands. “I thought maybe you’d gotten into something dangerous, but I guess you’re just stalking Liz. Tell you what, why don’t I let you get back to your cat and mouse game? You obviously don’t need me around.”

Turning his back, he headed out of the room. God, he needed to take a walk and a stiff drink. Not necessarily in that order. Luckily he’d spotted a bar at the back of the hotel.

A few moments after Lee left, Amanda heard the distinct sound of the wiretap machine kicking on. She made her way over to it and donned on the headphones. As she jotted down notes from the phone conversation, she quickly ascertained that Elizabeth was speaking to Michael Ross, the CEO of Albert & Ross.

“Ms. Conrad, are you certain this time that our replacement for Hennesy is completely on board? So unfortunate that Derick wouldn’t play along. He’d still be alive and a very rich man.”

“Yes, sir. I’m sure.”

“You better be. Otherwise you’ll need to kill another senator, and I won’t pay you for a second murder. Another dead senator would lead to a lot of questions that we don’t want to answer, now do we?” Amanda couldn’t help but hear the sarcasm in his voice.

“No, sir, we don’t.”

Amanda noted that Elizabeth sounded self-assured, a contrast to the woman she met earlier in the week. She’d heard enough. It was time to call Billy for the backup he promised her. Time to bring in Elizabeth Conrad and Michael Ross for the murder of Derick Hennesy.

Billy congratulated her on a job well done and told her to pack up the equipment and head home.

“Amanda, before you go, where’s Lee? Didn’t he make it to the hotel?”

“No, sir, he made it. He was checking into another possible lead.”

“I see. We’ll see you in the morning for your debriefing.”

“Yes, sir. Goodnight.”

After Amanda packed everything into her truck, she headed back into the hotel lobby to check out. She placed her room key on the counter and looked to the receptionist expectantly.

“All set then? I take it you got the bad guy, er, bad girl?”

Amanda nodded. All she could think about was her fight with Lee. She needed to find him and work things out. This had been a very long couple of days for both of them. She signed the receipt and headed for the door. She could hear music drifting from the small bar just to the right of the rear exit.

“I sure could use a drink before I deal with Lee tonight,” she murmured, trying to convince herself to go in.

After returning from his walk around the perimeter of the hotel, Lee could hear all the commotion in the lobby. Lee walked over to Erikson and asked what was going on. Just as he was finishing his conversation with his colleague he heard the elevator announce its arrival and saw Liz Conrad being man-handled by two agents. He could only shake his head in disgust. How could he not see that she was capable of murder and blackmail? But, most of all, how could he believe that his partner’s instincts were so far off?

He looked at his watch and decided it might be a good idea to get a room in the hotel for the night. It was getting late and he wasn’t sure if he was ready to face Amanda.

On his way into the bar, he heard Liz complaining that she was being set up. With a bitter laugh, he kept walking.

Inside the bar, Lee found a booth in the back corner that would give him the most privacy. He had a lot to think about. When the waitress came by, he ordered a Scotch.

After a couple of drinks, the bartender brought her a Strawberry Daiquiri. When she looked at him with a raised eyebrow, he said, “It’s compliments of the gentleman at the end of the bar,” and rolled his eyes. She smiled at his obvious attempt at humor and declined the drink.

A few minutes later, she felt a presence behind her and turned around. Her eyes connected instantly with his. Then she turned away to start playing with her drink.

“Hello, there. Is it all right if I sit here? You’re much too pretty to be drinking alone.”

She nodded.

“Mind if I buy you a drink? You’re drinking Scotch?”

“I usually don’t, but in the mystery novels I read, the characters always drink Scotch when they’re upset. It seems to soothe their nerves.”

He laughed. “So, why do your nerves need soothing?”

She was feeling relaxed from the drinks. Looking into his eyes, she said, “I had an argument with my husband.”

“He sounds like an idiot. Doesn’t he know how lucky he is to be married to such a lovely woman?”

She shrugged and swallowed the last of her drink.

“The man’s a fool, and doesn’t deserve you. I don’t mean to be forward, but would you like to join me in my room for a nightcap? I’m a good listener.”

She looked at the man in front of her, then at the bartender who was obviously listening to their conversation, and nodded.

When they arrived at the man’s room, he opened the door and let her enter before him. Not a word was spoken as he made his way to the honor bar. He gave her a smile and pulled out a small bottle of wine. “I’m afraid it’s not a very good year.”

She brushed his arm with her fingertips. “I’m not really thirsty anymore,” she said in barely a whisper.

She looked up into his eyes just as his mouth descended onto hers. She ran her fingers through his hair, and he pulled her closer to his chest. His tongue requested permission to enter her mouth and she gave it readily. Her heart was beating so loudly now, she was sure he could hear it. She felt his hands roam down her chest and begin to unbutton her blouse.

That action seemed to open up the floodgates to all that transpired over the past few days. All the arguments came rushing back to her, and she pulled herself out of his arms. She tried to slow her breathing down, but the feeling was so intense, she wasn’t sure she could.

He wrapped his arms around himself, as if mourning the loss of her. Then he sought her out again. Slowly, tenderly, he cradled her in his arms from behind and nuzzled her neck.

“I’m sure your husband realizes now that he hurt you and feels terrible about it. I’ll bet he would do anything to make amends,” he whispered in her ear.

Amanda pulled from his embrace and turned around to face him, looking deeply into his hazel eyes. “Lee, you did hurt me. You hurt me so badly by not listening to me and by assuming I was just jealous of Elizabeth. I know she helped you through a rough time. But you’ve always at least listened to my ideas before discounting them.”

“I am so sorry, Amanda. I never meant to hurt you, I just wasn’t thinking rationally. I met Liz when I needed a friend and she was there for me, no questions asked. It was so hard for me to see her as a murderer. I should have realized something was wrong when your ‘radar’ went off just after you met her. You’re usually right about those things. I love you so much, Amanda. Please say you’ll forgive me.” His eyes pleaded with hers.

“I love you too, sweetheart. Of course, I forgive you.” She stroked his cheek, then made her voice teasingly stern. “Just see that it doesn’t happen again, Stetson.” Snuggling deeper into his embrace, she thought to herself, ‘Now this is an affair to remember.’

The End