PART 3 - CLASS ‘C' INTERROGATION

Amanda stood in front of her closet clutching a black T-shirt to her chest. She was dressed and ready to head into work but unsure if she should return the shirt or, if she even wanted to return it. The shirt still carried with it the faint scent of the man who had been wearing it last. Bringing it to her face, she slowly sniffed and rubbed the shirt against her cheek. Her eyes took on a dreamy look as she recalled the events that the shirt represented.

It had been almost a week ago that her simple mission had turned into an embarrassing but erotic afternoon interlude. All she was supposed to do was leave a note for Lee in a secret slit located in the seat of his motorcycle. Lee had been posing as a member of a motorcycle gang heavily into drug dealing and the note had contained vital information about a sting scheduled for the next night.

Everything had gone surprisingly well until after the drop had been made. Unfortunately, Amanda had attracted the attention of two of the bikers but, through some fast thinking, Lee had managed to save her from their unsavoury hands by pretending he had designs on her himself.

Some rather "heated acting" on both of their parts had been needed to maintain their covers. The two agents had finally ended up in a bedroom pretending to be passionately involved before the bikers had lost interest and left them alone. During the encounter the red T-shirt Amanda had been wearing was ripped beyond repair and Lee had given her his black one to wear instead. It was only after the two bikers had passed out from a combination of drugs and alcohol, that Lee had managed to get Amanda away from the gang's headquarters.

Now she stood recalling the events and the feelings they had evoked. Amanda and Lee were not "involved." They were coworkers, casual friends and sometimes partners as part of their work for The Agency, a covert government group involved in national security, gathering intelligence and almost anything else that needed to be handled with more discretion than the FBI or CIA could provide.

Due to the secret nature of their work, Amanda wasn't able to share the typical "How did your day go" type stories with her family or friends. As a matter of fact, no one even knew that she was a part-time "spy." Sometimes she even wondered if she wasn't dreaming the whole thing and would wake up to discover that the last year and half was all a figment of her imagination.

To counteract this feeling of unreality, Amanda had taken to keeping a few small mementos of things that had happened to her. Nothing that could be considered "evidence" of course, or that could tie her to a particular case. Just simple things, like a cocktail napkin or a matchbook. A few things were larger, like the football that Lee had given her when she had posed as a reporter interviewing a football player...

Lee had kissed her during that case, too. It had, of course, been part of maintaining their cover, just like this last mission. Of course, the former occasion had just involved one kiss and Lee had been his usual clean-shaven self - no whisker burn from that kiss, which was definitely not true for their latest encounter. This time Lee had been a tough, scruffy, unshaven biker and had left evidence of his unshaven ways all over her!

Amanda blushed as she once again relived the moments spent with Lee in that bedroom, pinned beneath him, his lips travelling across her chest, up her neck and meeting hers in a deep, passionate...She forced herself to stop that line of thought. It was just part of their cover! It didn't mean anything...even if it had been very pleasant, her mind couldn't help but add!

Making her decision, Amanda bundled the T-shirt into the back of her closet. She certainly didn't want her mother to see it again! There had been enough questions to answer when she had come home wearing it. Her mother had accepted her convoluted explanations but...no point in pressing her luck! That story wouldn't hold water if examined too closely...

Five days earlier:

Amanda pulled into the driveway of 4247 Maplewood and put the car in park. Please let Mother and the boys be out, she said to herself. She glanced at the pink marks on her face and neck from where Lee's whiskers had rubbed. Her lips still had that puffy thoroughly kissed look about them and her clothes! Skin tight torn jeans that had been part of her original "cover" and a T-shirt that was too big and kept falling off her shoulders or drooping daringly low in the front, revealing her slight cleavage and, worst of all, more whisker burn!

She pulled on a cardigan she had left in the car a few days ago. Too bad that it was 80 degrees and mid-June! She buttoned it up a high as it would go - darn, it was a V-neck! The black t-shirt could still be seen. Amanda pulled and adjusted the t-shirt until the neckline was up higher, tucking the excessive material in as best as she could.

Grabbing her purse, she left the car, head down and made a bee-line for the house, thankful that no neighbours were outside to see her dishevelled appearance. Noticing that the boys' bikes were gone, she thanked her lucky stars that at least they weren't home. Now if her luck would only hold and Mother was at her garden club or playing cards! She opened the door and headed for the stairs...

"Amanda! Is that you?" Dotty called out.

"Yes, Mother," Amanda said forcing herself to walk towards the stairs rather than run. She didn't want to make her mother suspicious! She was almost there, just 3 more steps and she'd be...Darn! Too late!

"Amanda! Why are you wearing those ratty old jeans?" Dotty stepped out of the kitchen and approached Amanda.

"Why am I wearing these jeans, Mother?' Amanda stalled by repeating the question, still keeping her head slightly down and not looking directly at Dotty. "Well, do you remember that Ms. Desmond with the pet chimpanzee? Well, I saw her at the store the other day and she invited me over to see him. Well I knew that the chimp was rather energetic so I didn't want to wear my good clothes..."

"Oh," Dotty nodded, "That explains the rip on the thigh - the chimp did it! I knew I had raised you better than to wear torn clothing away from home. And those jeans, they're way to tight. Women who wear jeans like that are only looking for one thing, you know! You wouldn't want to give people the wrong impression. I know I'm always telling you that you need to find a man and go out on a few dates but the type of men you'll attract in jeans like that," Dotty shook her head.

"Yes, Mother." Amanda thought of the type of men she had already attracted today in these jeans. If her mother only knew! "They must have shrunk since I last wore them. I'll be putting them in the rag bag."

"I think that's a good decision. You know, Amanda, that T-shirt looks a bit big on you - it's sort of drooping at the neck."

Amanda clutched the offending garment closer to her neck while explaining, "The chimpanzee stretched it a bit, Mother. He just grabbed hold of the neckline and wouldn't let go!"

"Now I ask you, why would anyone want an animal like that for a pet?"

"Oh, you know how it is Mother. Some people like cats and some like dogs. Ms. Desmond just has unusual tastes," Amanda explained all the while stepping closer to the stairs.

Dotty half turned to go and Amanda gave a quick sigh of relief but then the older woman turned and asked, "Why are you wearing a cardigan on such a hot day?"

"Hot day? Well, yes, it is a hot day but I was feeling a bit chilled."

Staring hard at her daughter, Dotty exclaimed, "Chilled? Amanda, you're flushed! Your cheeks are pink! Let me feel your forehead - you probably have a fever. You know, Mr. Watkins down the street? He had a fever and a dreadful 'flu bug last week and was in bed for 5 days! I told him about my grapefruit remedy and, I know some people don't believe in it, but he used it and is feeling just fine this week!"

Dotty explained all of this while walking closer to Amanda, who, at the same time, was trying to keep her distance by stepping backwards. Dotty finally cornered her daughter against the wall, and grabbed her by the chin, looking critically at her face.

"Now isn't that strange? You're only flushed around your cheeks, mouth and neck...and it seems to be going down your chest. I've never seen a fever that does that...and your mouth - it's sort of swollen too!' Dotty stepped back and stared at Amanda in puzzlement.

"Well... you see Mother...chimps are tropical animals and Ms. Desmond feeds him tropical fruit but it's also fruit that people can eat so while I was there, she offered me some and I guess I was allergic to it because my mouth started to swell and this rash appeared and then I got the chills, which is why I have the sweater on!" Amanda finished in a rush, pleased with the almost plausible explanation she had given.

"I see," said Dotty looking thoughtful. "What kind of fruit was it? I've never known you to be allergic to a food before."

"It was..." Amanda thought rapidly - what was the name of a tropical fruit that she'd never eaten? Ah ha! "It's called passion fruit, Mother"

"Really? And you've never had it before? Well, I suggest you tell the doctor so he can put a note in your file."

"Yes, Mother, that's exactly what I plan to do!" Amanda agreed and rushed up the stairs, thankful at making her escape with no further questions.

Dotty watched her retreating figure, shook her head and said, "Hmph! Passion fruit!"