The next day found Amanda Stetson standing in front of the Library of Congress Building. She waited for the appearance of T. Percival Aquinas. Just as she and Billy had agreed to do, she had called for a meeting with him, only to be told that he was quite eager to meet with her as well. It seemed he had news to tell her. Amanda hoped this news was a corroboration of Dougan's tale.
In the car at the corner, Francine waited for her to return. No matter how many times Francine accompanied her on their meetings, T.P. simply wasn't comfortable with the blond. So to keep this operation flowing smoothly, Francine waited in the car. As Amanda recalled the early days of her work with the Agency, she almost felt sorry for her partner.
She scanned the steps leading to and from the entrance and saw the unique form of her contact come into view. He wore bright white pants and a loud yellow shirt with an accompanying blue sweater vest. The older man lumbered down the steps, his briefcase in his hand and a rather determined look on his face. He was so focused on his own objective that he would have bypassed Amanda had she not intercepted him then fallen into step beside him.
"Oh, Amanda! Hello. I was just coming to look for you." T.P. swallowed and for the first time since Amanda had known him, he seemed awkward and unsure of how to proceed. "Oh my dear, I have to tell you something. And I am not quite sure how to go about doing it."
"Well, how about if you just tell me what you know about who has Lee and how I can find him and then we'll see if it agrees with what I know?" Amanda smiled at the man and chuckled slightly as he gaped, slightly like a fish out of water.
"Oh well, I see. I just heard today, I assumed that the Agency didn't know yet. But then again, when you called me, I should have known..." He shook his head at his own naivety. "I really found out quite by accident you know. It seems that Phillip Marsh is at it yet again. He has secrets to tell, but he wants to sell tickets to the show. He's bragging that he has valuable information about the Silverstone project." By this time they had made their way to the bench under the tree where they usually met and were sitting, T.P. holding his briefcase and Amanda leaning forward, listening intently.
"Now I knew that case was Lee's and yours and no one else would have that kind of information pertaining to the case. I knew there was no way you had been talking. So I had to assume that Lee might have been compromised before his death. Imagine my surprise when I overheard Marsh discussing how he got this information. He told his prospective buyer, a big burly German, by the name of Rolf, by the way, that he not only had the information but the source and that both were for sale."
Amanda interrupted. "You heard him admit that he had Lee? That Lee was alive and that he is holding him captive?"
"Well, not in so many words. But he did say Silverstone and team leader and that he had the information and the leader in his custody. Now, we both know that Lee was the team leader for that project and that it was of a particular interest to the Germans. That was enough to have me hightailing to the nearest park bench to meet the most resourceful, not to mention attractive agent I know."
Amanda nodded thoughtfully. It all added up. The Dougans worked for Marsh and Marsh sold whatever he could find out by whatever means necessary to whoever paid him the most money. She gripped T.P.'s hand briefly. "Thanks. I know a lot more now than I did. You didn't happen to hear him say where he was holding Lee, did you?"
The historian, slightly put off by her touch, hesitated before answering. He had been quite startled the first time he had seen her following Lee's presumed death. An attempt to lay a comforting hand on her arm had earned him a snarl and glare. He hadn't tried again. This was the first time she had reached out in weeks. "Uh, no, no. But I do know that Phillip Marsh keeps a rather out of the way cottage near the river, just outside of Riverton. Might bear looking into, seeing as how he has been making regular trips to the cottage for about the last eight weeks."
"T.P., you're the best. I've got to go. Give me a call if you hear anything else?" Amanda rose and was already walking toward the car and the waiting Francine.
"Of course. Oh, Amanda, you will be careful?"
The only response he got was a wave as she climbed into the passenger seat and the vehicle drove away. He returned to his office, assuring himself that she had had the best teacher. He hoped that would be enough.
The next two hours were spent in a similar manner, Amanda meeting contacts and Francine waiting in the car. Neither Augie nor Rhonda had heard much but the mechanic did know more about the cottage T.P. had told her about. It was indeed very out of the way. According to Marsh's driver, who'd brought his car to her for it's last oil change, they were going to the cottage this very weekend. And they were taking some VIP's with them. Amanda's sense of urgency increased. They had to get Lee and quick, before he ended up on the wrong side of the Berlin Wall.
They hurried back to the Agency to fill Billy in on what they had learned and to prepare for their stake out this evening. The two Agents strode into the Georgetown foyer and gave Mrs. Marston the correct password. They headed for the elevator, only to be stopped by the receptionist/watch guard. "Oh, ladies, I was told to have you proceed to the Q Bureau when you arrived."
The pair exchanged cautious looks. Francine, more than a bit protective of her partner's emotional balance, questioned, "By whom? Who wants us in the Q Bureau?"
"Mr. Melrose."
They breathed a sigh of relief, but it was premature.
"He went up there with Dr. Smyth about twenty minutes ago." Her tone was almost apologetic. Amanda had been very kind to her over the years despite the fact that she would never give the password on the occasions that Amanda had forgotten it. And that had been quite often at first. She had missed the woman in her emotional absence. The buzz was that something big was in the works and Mrs. Marston hoped against hope that it might bring the old Amanda back to light.
Amanda nodded then took a deep breath. She laid her hand on the banister and took the first step. She hesitated and Francine began, "I could go up without you, tell Smyth that I came in alone?"
Above them a door slammed and a puff of smoke preceded the thin man who produced it. He rounded the corner and beckoned them with his crooked finger. "You could, Ms. Desmond, but why lie? Do you forget that I have eyes everywhere? Please join us, Ms. Desmond, Mrs. King." He pivoted and disappeared into the hall that led to the Q Bureau.
Amanda shrugged and resolutely marched up the steps. She really disliked Smyth and she really wasn't sure she could actually go into the office she had shared with Lee. But as much as she disliked Smyth, she disliked letting Smyth see her weak even more. So she swallowed the uncertainty and walked into what had once been their haven.
She was immediately bombarded by memories. Their desks remained side by side just as Lee had arranged them when he surprised her with her own space several years ago. She could almost see him sitting there glaring at the computer that was always confounding him. His laughter echoed in her mind as she recalled the chases around the desks, if you could call it a chase when she really didn't want to get away.
She looked at her desk and saw on its surface, a small blue box with a white satin bow. She saw Lee perched on the edge and recalled him sliding the ring, now nestled under her shirt, onto her finger.
It all seemed so real and even oddly comforting. She had thought it would be too painful to enter into this, their private domain. Instead, she found it eased the ache in her heart. It relieved the total lack of everything that had been the special bond she shared with Lee.
She inhaled sharply and reached out to caress the arm of the couch snuggled against the wall. She felt the texture and recalled how it felt pressed against her back, as Lee pressed her into the cushions with his larger frame. She yearned to feel that again and that yearning strengthened her resolved to leave this office with Smyth's cooperation to search for Lee. She pulled herself out of the safe cocoon of memories and faced the other occupants of the room, more determined than ever to leave here with Smyth's full cooperation in the matter.
The looks on their faces said that they were waiting for some kind of reaction from her. Billy and Francine's countenances were pensive, worried for her well-being. Smyth appeared almost hopeful. He liked nothing better than to see an underling weakened. He was going to be disappointed. Unlike in the past, this interlude with Lee's memory had strengthened her.
Fifteen minutes later, they all left the office. Smyth had given permission to pursue the matter, with the warning that if it blew up in their faces, he would deny all knowledge of the situation and brand them all wild cards who had acted on their own. After all as he touted, 'We mustn't upset the powers that be.' And until proven guilty, Phillip Marsh was indeed, a power to be dealt with.
Amanda and Francine made plans for the drive to the cottage that night for the purpose of "observation", parting after agreeing on a time and a place. Amanda drove home, preparing mentally for the coming encounter with her family. She knew her mother would settle for nothing less than the truth about tonight's journey and thankfully, now she was able to give it. She also intended to speak to the boys about her behavior the past few weeks. She had a lot of fences to mend and she intended to start this afternoon.
TBC
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.