Billy’s Case Files
By Ermintrude
See part 1 for disclaimers
Part 29
Stemwinder 2 September 26, 1986
It was late—Scarecrow and Mrs. King were long-gone. He’d decided to call it a day. He was back in his office after spending the afternoon at Amanda’s home interrogating her mother and children. The boys knew nothing—so he let them go up to their rooms after a few questions. He stayed with Mrs. West—more out of a sense of responsibility than anything else. The woman clearly knew nothing about Amanda’s secret life. He had to admire Mrs. King—it couldn’t have been easy all these years keeping her connection to the Agency secret. And he once again marveled at the resemblance between Dotty West and her daughter. ‘She’s more of a talker than Amanda. I wouldn’t want to be on the wrong end of one of her interrogations. Amanda’s a lot tougher than I thought if she can continually resist her mother’s endless questioning.’
Billy was torn—secretly he was very pleased Lee and Amanda had managed to get away without a trace. That showed both of them were very good. But he also wanted to help them—and also make sure they were safe from Smyth’s D1. Granted—he was heading the operation—but Billy didn’t trust Smyth to not send out a couple of independent trappers on his own. The man was like that—he loved running his own private operations in parallel.
Hopefully they were secure for the night. Francine had coordinated a team tracking down all of Lee’s family—his contacts. Hopefully if one of them tried to hook up they’d be on it. Billy had a more complete list of Lee's family than Lee knew. He presumed there were a couple more out there he didn’t know about—but he figured he only needed the ones in the DC area.
He turned out his desk light and prepared to go home. He knew there would be some long days—and nights—until this case was wrapped up—one way or another. Hopefully it would end well—with Scarecrow clearing his name—and that of his partner. Because now she had fled with the man—she was just as highly implicated as he was. If she had stayed behind—Billy may have been able to shield her somewhat—but not now. Still—they were his best team and he had every confidence in them. ‘I think I’ll drop by Sweet Rita on the way home. I’ll leave a message that he can contact me if he needs to. It’s on my way—and maybe Scarecrow will decide to reach out. It couldn’t hurt.’
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When Billy arrived the next morning it was to receive a report that agents had trailed one of Lee’s unofficial family contacts—but the man had still managed to pass them food, weapons and cash—and the two fugitives had gotten away. When Billy had questioned the Agent who had Scarecrow in his sights but hadn’t shot—the man had mumbled something about worrying about hitting Mrs. King accidentally. Privately Billy had breathed a sigh of relief. He’d checked Sweet Rita—the message drop on Rita Ave. in Arlington—on the way to work—his message had been picked up—but none left in return. That was OK—it left a message in itself—Scarecrow was aware of the drop and could contact him that way.
He went back to Amanda’s house—he decided now that Lee’s contacts were cut off—their best hope of contact would be through Amanda’s family. So he determined to set up shop there for at least the morning. Once Joe arrived—Billy was able to apprise the man of the real situation. Hopefully he’d take some sort of action and they’d be able to track Amanda that way. Joe was smart—and resourceful. But he was no agent—so maybe he’d slip up and they’d capitalize on that. And his presence would be a calming influence on the family. So Billy felt secure enough to leave and get back to the Agency. There was a team on the house—so the family was safe—and they were watching all the individuals. Hopefully if Amanda tried to get a message through—they’d spot her.
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At the end of another long and frustrating day—Billy had to admit the score was Scarecrow 2—Agency 0. Billy reviewed the day over a small glass of bourbon. ‘How Amanda managed to get those kids to take her note—dressed as she was—she’s able to make friends with most anyone. We’re following TP Aquinas and several of Lee’s other contacts—but TP is an old spook himself—so he lost us several times throughout the day. The old man seems to be making something of a game of it. Spare me the antiquarian’s antics. At least he let us know that Sonja is Alexi’s granddaughter—which puts a whole different spin on the peacock dance. Just who was leading that dance? I suspect Lee was being set up from that first contact.’
‘Hopefully tomorrow will be better for us. Smyth is impatient at the best of times—and with no good results—he’s livid. All we can do it play the game as it comes down—and hopefully anticipate any upcoming moves. And try to help Scarecrow and keep him and his partner alive. They’re too good to waste on a vendetta of Smyth’s.’
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Billy was reading the morning classifieds—and there it was! ‘The gall of the man! I can’t believe he’s offering to defect. It has to be some sort of plan to smoke Alexi out. Smyth will go nuclear over this one—I’ve got to keep up the manhunt—and keep hoping we can do something. I’ll arrange for a final appeal. That’s the best I can give the man. I know he’s monitoring Sweet Rita—so I’ll leave a message for a meet. I pray he’ll take me up on it—because if he doesn’t I’ll have to pull out all the stops, and shoot to kill. Scarecrow’s playing a dangerous game—if this doesn’t work out he and Amanda will have to defect—because otherwise they’ll be dead.’
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Billy watched Scarecrow duck out of sight—effectively escaping from the trap Dr. Smyth had set. ‘Damn that man! How could he violate a final appeal? Unless I fix this—nobody will believe that’s an option in the future. Too many possible defections have been stopped by the tactic. We need all the resources we can get. It’s a dirty and difficult game. And Smyth just breaks the rules when it suits him. He’s on a witch hunt for Scarecrow and Amanda. I’ve got to stand between them and Smyth—otherwise they’ll both end up dead—branded as traitors.’
As Billy rode back to the Agency he thought about the aborted meeting. ‘They surely planned that whole thing well. It seems Scarecrow expected Smyth—or someone—to violate the truce.’ Billy shrugged. ‘Paranoia is a survival tactic when everyone is out to get you. Amanda is valuable backup—they work together so well in the field. All they have is each other now—unless I can manage to help. I’ll leave another message—Smyth has crossed the line. If Lee needs me I’ll do whatever he wants to help him catch Alexi Markharov. I owe it to him—and to stick my thumb in Smyth’s eye. Damn that man!’
‘Please God—keep those two safe and let them find Alexi, and solve the case.’
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Once Smyth had breezed down the corridor, Billy and Francine retreated to Billy’s office—he and Francine sat quietly.
“Billy—I know this has to be tough for you.” Francine was sympathetic.
“Lee is a friend—I owe him my life—I owe Amanda my life, too. I can’t just hunt them down without hearing their side of the story. And now we have proof Alexi is here in DC.”
“And Smyth blows it off.” Francine was angry. “I can’t believe that man. He’s more worried about his job than the lives of two agents who have risked their lives repeatedly for this Agency. Doesn’t that count for anything anymore?”
“Apparently not.” Billy sounded defeated. He asked suddenly. “Are you hungry?”
Francine looked taken aback for a split second—then replied. “Yeah—I could go for some food. C’mon—it’ll be my treat—I know a little place just down the street.”
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Once installed at a small table tucked in the corner of a busy deli—Billy and Francine ate their sandwiches while they planned.
“You don’t have to do this. If anything goes wrong—it would be a disaster if both of us ended up in prison.” Billy was trying to warn Francine off.
Francine was decisive. “Smyth is a bastard. The way he ambushed Lee at his final appeal—we can’t let that go unanswered. So whatever you’re planning—count me in.”
Billy nodded and smiled. “OK—I’m expecting Lee to contact me—we’ve seen Rostov’s reply and the defection is set for tomorrow. So we have to be ready to help however we can.”
Francine nodded. “Can we get anyone else?”
Billy shook his head. “The fewer that are in on this—the better. We can arrange for the team to be ready to converge if we get anything that can help Scarecrow. When I find out the place for the meet—I’ll post the rest of the team a few blocks away. That way we can call in backup once things start coming down. But initially—it will be just the two of us in there.”
“And Lee and Amanda—don’t count them out—they’re a pretty formidable team.”
“Yes they are—and if anyone can break this case and come out on top—it’s those two.”
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Billy was at his desk wrapping up the paperwork on Stemwinder. He heard his door open, and Dr. Smyth—wreathed in a cloud of cigarette smoke entered his office and sat across his desk.
“Well Melrose—I guess our boy was right about Alexi Makharov. Good thing he and his partner managed to capture him. No telling what mischief the man might have managed if he was allowed to go free.”
Billy stared at Smyth incredulously. His blood was boiling. He slowly and deliberately stood, and moved to close the blinds. And then, equally slowly he sat back down at his desk and folded his hands in front of him. He tried very hard not to think of the loaded weapon close at hand in his desk drawer.
“Smyth—this time you went too far. YOU ordered the D1 manhunt on Scarecrow and his partner—YOU refused to listen to anything about Alexi Markharov—and YOU followed me to Scarecrow’s final appeal. What is it that you have against the man? Because this has all the earmarks of a personal vendetta, and I WILL NOT allow such behavior towards agents in my unit!” At the end of his tirade, Billy was standing behind his desk, pointing accusingly at the Agency Director and shouting at full volume.
Dr. Smyth sat impassively for a few moments—then he answered—calmly and dispassionately. “Scarecrow is a maverick. He bends or breaks the rules when it suits him. He’s a hotshot and grandstands to get his kicks. He revels in rubbing my nose in his achievements—and refuses to ever admit he’s made any mistakes or could have done anything in a better—more quiet less disruptive manner. I expect MY agents to operate quietly—efficiently—in the shadows—like our motto.”
Billy shook his head. “If we had been able to pursue the leads on Alexi Makharov and Sonja Chenko we might have been able to spare this unit the expense and disruption of the D1. Now I have to modify all my budgets for the rest of the year. Some of your pet projects will certainly have to be put on the back burner—because I’m almost below the line now—assuming you plan on keeping the regular day-to-day operations intact.”
“I’m sure you will find a way to manage.”
“What do you plan to do about Mrs. King?”
“The housewife? What should I do about her? She won’t be fired—if that’s what you mean.”
“FIRED! You should thank her personally! On bended knee! She’s half of my—of OUR best team! And she’s still just a civilian auxiliary.”
“It saves your unit money to have her operating at the lower pay level.”
Billy shook his head. “The woman needs agent training. She needs to have the skills and resources any other agent has. She’s survived these past three years with luck, the help of her partner and some amazing natural instincts. She and her partner managed to evade the full resources of this Agency for several days—engineer a fake defection—send and receive messages to her family right under our noses—track and capture Alexi Markharov and Rostov—and solve the murder of Philip Dart. If she’s this good now—imagine how much better she and her partner can be once she’s completed the training course.”
Smyth’s reply was swift and delivered in a flat voice. “She flunked out of Station One. Twice.”
“And you have the authority to bypass that requirement. Don’t you think her performance this week is the equal to—or better than—a passing grade at Station One?”
Smyth sat back in thought. Then he replied. “I’ll take it under advisement.”
Billy nodded. “I expected that response from you. I’ll be sure to include it in my report that goes up the street.”
Smyth puffed on his cigarette and elevated his eyebrows in question.
“Since the Salee and Food for Flight cases I have been copying all their reports to the White House. At the President’s request. Seems he’s taken a personal interest in their work.” Billy sat back and allowed this little bombshell to detonate under Smyth’s chair. It felt very good to finally have the opportunity to play his ace.
Smyth finished his cigarette. And quietly disposed of the butt and prepared and then lit another. After the first couple of puffs he spoke. “See to it that the housewife is enrolled in the next round of freshman agent classes. I expect her to work hard and pass with good grades.” Smyth smiled. “Her good work should be rewarded.”
“I’ll let her know.” Billy replied. “Anything else?”
Smyth looked pensive. “Melrose—have you considered you will not have this position forever?”
“And have you considered that next fall there will be someone new in the White House?”
“I am on very good terms with the Vice-President. I have every confidence he will prevail in the upcoming elections.” Smyth was smug.
“Times change—administrations change. You know it’s only a matter of time until the other party will regain the White House. I know my position is pretty immune to such changes. Not yours.”
“And I’ll deal with that contingency when it occurs. Until then—I’m still the director of this Agency. And—any time in the future you receive such a request from the White House—I expect you to inform me of it.”
“Unless I am ordered to keep it in confidence.” Billy quietly replied with a stern look. “When your request for signed pardons came down—I was requested to report on the situation. In confidence. And when I did, I was released from my order to keep the reports confidential. This is the first time I have seen you since my release from that order. Now you know.”
Smyth nodded slowly. “You play the game well, Melrose. Shame you’re not a few years younger—you’d make a worthy successor when the time comes.”
Billy shook his head. “That isn’t my ambition. I’m happy where I am.”
“Let the housewife know I’m pleased with her performance this week. I’ll leave it to you to make the arrangements for her training. Oh, and I hope she will also keep up her schedule working with her partner. We can’t afford to lose her services just because she’s going to school, can we?” Smyth breezed out of Billy’s office not bothering to wait for a reply.
Billy sat back and let out a breath. ‘I finally managed to get Amanda the training she’s needed for the past three years. And Smyth expects her to keep up with her partner while she’s in training.’ He shook his head. ‘I guess the man has to save face somehow. She has a lot of the skills and knowledge already—I’ll manage to get Scarecrow on more security details and other lighter stuff until she’s done. It’s only a few months. She’s managed up to now—and I know she’ll be thrilled to get the training.’
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