++++++
Thursday, 9:30 a.m. Agency Bullpen
“Don’t worry. I have everything under control. ‘Operation AnniPar’ is right on schedule.” Francine’s smile slipped a bit as she listened to her partner in crime.
“Yes, I took care of that.” She paused. “That, too . . . Not yet, I’m tackling that this afternoon . . . I’m checking on that tonight on my way home from work. Don’t worry. I’ll be in touch. Bye.”
Hanging up the phone, she shook her head in frustration. For the umpteenth time, she wondered how she’d let herself be roped into this. If it didn’t concern the two people she counted among her closest friends, she certainly wouldn’t have gotten this involved. It would all be over by tomorrow night, and then her life could get back to some semblance of normality.
She clipped her earring back on her lobe, stood, and tugged down the jacket on her Chanel suit. Her long stride ate up ground as she hurried out of the Bullpen toward the elevator that would take her up to the Georgetown Foyer.
She ducked under the camouflage coats and emerged just in time to see the objects of her quest collect their identification badges from Mrs. Marston.
Amanda looked exhausted as she stood next to Lee, his right hand supporting her lower back, his left hand resting protectively on her distended stomach. Dark circles marred her usually flawless peaches and cream completion. Francine imagined sleeping had to be difficult, and carrying all the extra baby weight around couldn’t be easy. No wonder the perky agent had slowed down a bit.
“Good morning, you two. I’m glad I caught you. Saves me a trip upstairs.”
“Good morning, Francine,” Lee and Amanda chorused together.
“Lee, a message came in for you down in the Bullpen. One of your snitches . . .” She pulled the pink paper from her pocket and glanced at it. “Augie Swan. He said he had something you would be interested in and it was urgent he speak with you. He wouldn’t give me any more information than that.” She handed him the paper. “Could you make sure he has your office number, please? I’m not your secretary.”
“I’m sorry, Francine. I’ll make sure he calls my number in the future.”
“Thank you.”
Lee laced his fingers with Amanda’s. “Come on, let’s go up and see what Washington’s worst antiquities dealer has to say.”
Francine turned and pushed the elevator button. The doors slid open, but Amanda’s voice stopped her from slipping back under the coats.
“Go on up and make that call. I need to speak to Francine for a minute.”
An army of frogs chased butterflies around in Francine’s stomach, and she placed her hand there to try to still them. Somehow, Amanda must have found out about “Operation AnniPar.”
Flipping through her mental Rolodex, she tried to find something, anything to satisfy Amanda’s curiosity. Then, like a flash of lightning, the phrase “need to know” popped into her head. She could honestly tell Amanda “AnniPar” was need to know, and, at this moment, Amanda didn’t have a need to know.
Taking a calming breath, she prepared to face the music. “So, Amanda, what did you want to speak to me about?”
“Do you have plans for lunch?”
The simple question surprised Francine, and she fumbled over the answer. “Lunch?”
“Yes, lunch.”
“I have no plans for lunch, why?”
“Well, I have a favor to ask you. Will you drive me to the mall? I have to pick up an anniversary present for Lee, and since Doctor Adams forbade me to drive, Lee will not leave me alone long enough to shop for one. It shouldn’t take long. I know exactly what I want to get for him. When we’re through, we can grab something to eat--my treat. So will you do it?”
“Sure. I’d love to join you, as long as nothing vital happens between now and then. Around twelve-thirtyish.” She slipped into the closet elevator, and once the doors closed, heaved a sigh of relief. “Operation AnniPar” was still top secret.
She looked forward to her lunch date with Amanda. It should be fun, as long as Amanda didn’t drag her into one baby store after the other. She didn’t think she could coo over baby clothes all afternoon.
Thursday, 9:50 a.m. Q-Bureau
Lee dropped the phone back into the cradle. The door creaked open, and he looked up into the smiling face of his wife. “Hi.” He smiled back at her.
“Hi yourself.”
He walked to her desk, scooped up some files, and leaned back against it. “Did you have a nice chat with Francine?”
“Oh, sure, just girl talk. I hope you don’t mind, but Francine and I are having lunch together this afternoon.”
“More girl talk? I swear, you two are trying to make up for lost time. I don’t mind at all. In fact, I’m relieved. I told Augie I’d meet him at his store this afternoon, and knowing you’re with Francine, that’s one less thing I’ll have to worry about.”
“You don’t need to worry about me at all. I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself.”
“I know, but I love you.”
“I love you, too.” She gave him a quick peck on the lips. “Besides, I have a whole bunch of wiretaps Billy asked me to transcribe for him. That should keep me occupied most of the day.”
“Then I’d better let you get started.” He bent and kissed her. Taking the stack of files with him, he headed into the vault to put them where they belonged.
The rat-a-tat-tat of the keyboard echoed into the vault, and he could picture Amanda sitting at her desk, headset in place, fingers flying across the keys, her face a mask of concentration as she listened for all the subtle nuances associated with each individual speaker.
He found himself opening and closing file drawers in tandem with Amanda’s keystrokes. She usually took care of the filing, but, lately, it had become harder for her to do. All the bending up and down wreaked havoc on her back. He’d stepped up to the plate and temporarily assumed the loathsome chore.
Lee absolutely hated to file. He always ended up singing that stupid alphabet song, and it stuck in his head for days. That was why his desk looked like a war zone when Amanda wasn’t around to pick up after him.
It took most of the morning, but he finally stuffed the last folder into its proper place and slipped back into the office. Amanda had just finished loading a fresh cassette into the player. She had placed the finished pages, together with their corresponding audiocassette, into an evidence bag and sealed them inside.
Before she started on another tape, he tapped her shoulder to gain her attention. She slid the headphones off her ears, resting them around her neck like a huge necklace. “Hey, aren’t you supposed to meet Francine?”
She checked her wristwatch. “You’re right. Thanks for reminding me.” She ejected the tape and put it back in its case.
“I’ll walk you down. I have to meet Augie.” He slipped on his suit jacket while she secured the untranscribed tapes in a locked drawer.
His hand rested at the small of her back, steadying her while she walked down the short flight of stairs to the Georgetown foyer. He pressed a quick kiss to her cheek.
Amanda, an armload of evidence bags in hand, stepped into the closet elevator.
He tossed his badge to Mrs. Marston and headed out to meet his snitch.
Thursday, 12:30 p.m. Bullpen
“Oh, Amanda, I was just coming up to meet you.”
“Great. Just let me drop these off with Billy and I’ll be ready to go.”
“Okay, I’ll meet you by the elevators.” The phone on her desk shrilled, and Francine grabbed her purse and headed out of the Bullpen.
She knew better than to sit at her desk. It seemed that whenever she made plans, five minutes before she had to leave something always came up and ruined them. If she wasn’t sitting at her desk, then she wouldn’t know about it until she got back from wherever she needed to go.
Once she spotted Amanda heading out of the Bullpen’s glass doors, she rang for the elevator. Instead of turning right toward the elevators, Amanda turned left. When she realized Amanda was bound for the ladies room, Francine chuckled.
She had spent so much time in there lately that maintenance should just move her desk into the lavatory until she gave birth.
The elevator dinged its arrival, and Francine held the doors open, waiting for Amanda to join her. Slowly, Amanda waddled down the corridor and slipped under the coat rack.
“So, where are we headed?”
“Tysons Corner. But first, do you think we could stop at the bakery?” Amanda rubbed small circles over her stomach. “The baby wants some pastry.”
Francine nodded. “A chocolate éclair sounds wonderful right about now.”
After a quick stop at the bakery, they drove to McLean in relative silence, the quiet broken only by their moans of ecstasy as they devoured the creamed-filled cakes.
* * * *
Cars jammed the parking lot from end to end. It looked as if they would have to park all the way at the other end of the lot. As Francine turned down one section, they got lucky. Someone vacated a space right in front of the mall entrance.
She helped Amanda exit the compact car. They entered the mall, giggling like a couple of schoolgirls. A cacophony of sound assaulted their ears as they walked through the main doors and into the mall. Lunchtime shoppers crowded around the food court. The noise faded into the background the further away from the food vendors they walked.
“So which way are we heading?” Francine looked in both directions.
“That way.” Amanda pointed to her right. “I’m going into Brooks Brothers.”
“Please, don’t tell me you are buying Lee a suit for your anniversary. That’s not very romantic.”
Amanda laughed. “No. I’m not getting him a suit. Leather is the traditional gift for the third anniversary. I thought I’d buy him a new leather jacket.”
“A leather jacket, Amanda? Come on, you can do better than that. How about a sexy pair of leather pants? Or better yet, leather chaps and no pants?”
She smiled as she watched heat crawl up Amanda’s face. She loved teasing her. Letting her eyes fall on Amanda’s midsection, she quipped, “Well, obviously you've already gone the no pants route.”
“Frannn-cinnne, will you behave?”
“I’m sorry. I just couldn’t resist. Come on, let’s go pick out a jacket for that husband of yours.”
A distinguished-looking man with gray hair, and wearing a pinstriped suit greeted them as they entered the store. “Good afternoon, ladies. My name is Nigel. May I help you find something?”
“Yes,” Amanda answered. “I’m looking for a jacket for my husband.”
“A sport coat, blazer, or outerwear?”
“Outerwear.”
“Very good. Right this way, please.”
They dutifully followed the sales clerk as he led them through racks of suits, aisles of shirts, and around row after row of trousers to the back of the store.
“Here is our selection of outerwear.” He held up a three-quarter, cashmere jacket.
“It’s lovely, but I’m looking for something a little more casual.”
“Very well, this way, please.”
They trailed behind him. Amanda rubbed her back as she walked.
“Here is our selection of fine leather and suede outerwear.” He offered up a sheepskin jacket.
“It’s beautiful, but not what I had in mind.”
Next, the gentleman presented them with a black leather jacket. “This is one of our top sellers. High quality, made of exceptionally lightweight lambskin leather. One hundred percent Bemberg diamond-quilted lining.”
“It’s nice,” Amanda commented.
“I don’t see Lee in that. The pockets on the side are too . . . too there.”
“You’re right, Francine. It’s not Lee,” Amanda agreed. “Do you have a different style of leather jacket?”
“Certainly. Here we have the more traditional bomber style jacket. It, too, is made of exceptionally lightweight lambskin leather, with Bemberg diamond-quilted lining and genuine Corozo buttons. We carry it in British tan and cocoa brown, as well as black.”
“It’s perfect. I’ll take it in the brown.”
“An excellent choice. What size would you need?”
“Forty-four long.”
“The jackets are sized as small, medium, large, and extra large,” Nigel tersely informed them. He pulled out a jacket sized large and handed it to Amanda.
Amanda held the jacket up against her chest and extended the sleeve to measure its length. “What do you think, Francine, large or extra-large?”
She thought about it for a moment. Large would fit Lee, but if he carried his weapon, the jacket would be too snug to conceal it. “I think you should get the extra-large. It’s better a little bigger than too small.” She hoped Amanda understood her meaning.
“I think you’re right.” Amanda turned to the sales clerk. “I’ll take it in an extra-large, please.”
“Very well, madam.” He selected the proper jacket from the clothes rack and handed it to Amanda.
“Oh, would you hold that up front for me? I’d like to look around some. See if something else catches my eye.”
“Of course, madam. I’ll be close by, if you need anything else.” He turned and disappeared to the front of the store, carrying the jacket as if it were made of gold.
“Come on, Francine. Let’s go check out the pants.”
“Okay, but I don’t think you’ll find any chaps here.”
“Too bad, Lee looks great in them, especially without any pants.” Amanda winked and picked up a pair of black trousers, a pair of chinos, and a pair of jeans.
“Buying Lee a new wardrobe?” Francine asked, as they walked to the checkout counter.
“Oh, no, Lee needed new pants, and I can use them to conceal the jacket. This way, if Lee peeks in the bag, he’ll only see the slacks.” Amanda handed over the pants and her credit card, and Nigel boxed her purchases.
* * * *
Francine carried the weighty bag, and they window-shopped until they reached the restaurant. They sat at a table in the back and scanned their menus.
The waiter came over to take their order. Since she’d wolfed down two éclairs earlier, she ordered a garden salad and an iced tea. Amanda requested a tuna salad sandwich on a cinnamon raisin bagel--ugh, a strange hormonal craving if Francine had ever heard one--and a bottle of mineral water. The waiter left them to their conversation.
“I wonder how Lee’s meeting is going. I hope he hasn’t killed Augie.”
Francine laughed. “He wouldn’t do that. He’d break a few bones, but I don’t think he’d resort to murder.”
Thursday 1:00 p.m. Augie’s Antique Emporium. Old Towne, Alexandria, Virginia.
When Lee entered the store, the bell overhead jingled a merry greeting.
A disembodied voice called out, “I’ll be right with you.”
He stepped down into the hodgepodge of furniture crowding the main showroom and began to browse the merchandise. Lee had been in enough antique stores to recognize substandard pieces. Poor Augie. It looked like this venture was destined to fail, just like all the rest.
Lee ran his finger over the top of a table and could actually see the trail he’d made in the dust. Brushing his hands together, he walked to the opposite side of the shop.
“Hey, Augie, I haven’t got all day!”
Something crashed in the back, and he winced. ‘Hope he saved all the pieces.’
The door opened, and Augie emerged, dressed in a demure black suit, white shirt, and black tie. He looked like an undertaker.
“Lee, my man, glad you could make it. Where is your lovely wife?”
“She’s busy. Wha’d’ya got for me?”
“Gee, too bad she didn’t join you. I have a wonderful seventeenth-century cradle I wanted to show her. It would be perfect for the baby.”
Lee felt his anger rise. He clenched his teeth and tried to control the urge to break something. Like the man standing in front of him. He had left Amanda to come and hear what Augie had for him, and the jerk wanted to sell him furniture. If something should happen to his wife and he wasn’t there to help her, Augie would be a dead man.
He grabbed Augie by his lapels and levered him six inches off the floor. “I swear, Augie, if you brought me down here to look at furniture--”
“Lee, Lee, take it easy. Have I ever steered you wrong?”
Lee hoisted him higher.
“On purpose.”
Lee thought for a moment. Augie hadn’t always been accurate, but his information usually panned out. “No.” He lowered him back to the floor. “Okay, what’s so important you needed me to come down here?”
Augie looked both ways, even though the store was empty except for Lee. “I heard it from a guy who used to deliver liquor to the mud wrestling bar, he heard from a friend of a friend that . . .” Again, he looked around for any unwanted ears.
“Will you get on with it!”
“Okay, okay, but a guy can’t be too careful. If you know what I mean.”
“What you’re going to be is black and blue if you don’t tell me why you dragged me down here.”
“Sheesh! Didn’t anyone ever tell you you’d catch more flies with honey than vinegar?” Augie rubbed his thumb against his index finger in the universal gesture for money.
Lee extracted a few bills from his wallet and slapped them into Augie’s outstretched palm. “There, now talk.”
Carefully, Augie folded the bills and slipped them in his pants pocket. “Well, like I said, my liquor guy heard from a friend of a friend that Frankie Columbus is trading assault weapons to Central American rebels for some primo drugs. Deal’s going down tomorrow.”
“Augie, this time I think your source is mistaken. Columbus is still doing time in a triple-maximum security prison. There’s no way he could have brokered a deal like that.”
“Not the old man, Lee. Frankie junior. From what I hear, he’s even worse than his father.”
“Frankie junior? Are you sure?”
“Of course I’m sure. My guy said the deal is set for eleven in the morning at some old retired general’s home in the mountains.”
“Exactly where in the mountains? It’s a big place.”
“Umm . . . Mount Virgil or something like that.”
“You mean Mount Vernon?”
“That’s it!”
Lee shook his head. “Augie, Augie, Augie, what am I going to do with you? Mt. Vernon is George Washington’s home. You remember Washington, don’t you? The guy they named the city after. The first president of the United States.”
“Wow! I didn’t know he lived in the mountains.”
“I’ll have my people check it out. Thanks, Augie.”
“No problem, buddy. Hey, if this pans out, wha’d’ya say you bring your sweet wife in to look at the cradle?”
“I’ll mention it to her, but I think she has some family heirloom she wants to use. I’ll be in touch.” When he left the store, the bell jingled again.
Instead of getting on the expressway, Lee drove through the local neighborhoods. He’d take this opportunity to pick up Amanda’s anniversary present.
* * * *
He parked the Jeep in the lot next door and walked into the jewelry store. The twinkling gems winked at him as he strode up the aisle. Thumbing through his wallet, he located the claim check and handed it to the man behind the counter.
The salesman checked off the numbers on the receipt and headed into the back of the shop. He returned a few moments later carrying a slim, black-velvet case.
Lee picked it up off the counter. The hinge creaked as he pried the top back. His breath caught; the bracelet was even more spectacular than what he had pictured. He couldn’t wait to see how amazing it would look on Amanda.
The master craftsman had brought life to Lee’s idea of combining their birthstones. He hadn’t thought emeralds and opals complimented each other, but seeing the twin strands braided together changed his mind. The deep-green stones snuggled between the milky-white ones shot fire and highlighted the subtle hues threaded in each creamy stone.
He paid the balance owed and slipped the box into the inside pocket of his jacket. He would have to find a good hiding spot for it when he got home.
* * * *
On the ride back to the office, he thought about the logistics of preventing the drug deal from going down. Mt. Vernon was huge, and without the exact location of the buy, it would take a lot of manpower to apprehend the perpetrators.
Thursday, 4:00 p.m. Agency Bullpen
Tucking the phone in the crook of her neck, Francine pulled a nail file out of her desk drawer and evened out a jagged nail while she waited for the caterer’s event coordinator to pick up his phone. She’d had an appointment with him this afternoon to go over the final details for tomorrow night’s surprise party but had canceled it when Amanda asked her to go to lunch. She hoped to stop in and meet with him after work this evening.
Lee, toting an armload of files, entered the Bullpen, Amanda not far behind him. He gestured for Francine to join them in Billy’s office.
She held for a few moments longer, before the party coordinator came on the line and agreed to meet with her.
Hanging up the phone, she tossed the nail file on her desk and strode across the Bullpen to Billy’s office. She gave a sharp rap on the door before entering.
“Glad you could tear yourself away from your manicure and join us, Francine,” Lee quipped.
She opened her mouth to reply, but Billy cut her off before she had the chance. Standing behind Lee and Amanda, she stuck her tongue out at the back of Lee’s head before she faced their boss.
“Are we through?” Billy scolded her. He turned back to Lee. “Okay, we’re all here. What’s going on?”
Lee passed around some of the folders before he opened his own. “I met with a sometime snitch of mine, Augie Swan, and he had some enlightening information for a change. It seems our old pal Frankie Columbus has a son--Frankie junior--and Junior isn’t as lily white as he’d like everyone to think.” He flipped some pages in the file, and everyone followed suit.
Giving the paper a quick scan, she noticed it contained a lot of information dealing with narcotics. “It says here, Junior is heavily into drug trafficking. That’s DEA’s bailiwick. Shouldn’t they handle this?”
“Normally, I’d say hand it over to them,” Billy replied. “But I think there’s more to this. Right, Lee?”
“Right. It seems Junior is getting his drugs from various Central American rebels and using some heavy firepower--assault rifles, grenade launchers, and assorted automatic weaponry as payment. All the necessary ingredients for a nice coup d’état. Now I find it hard to believe Junior has the expertise to arrange a deal like this. There has to be an intermediary somewhere. Amanda and I did a little digging, and we have reason to believe Raul Santiago brokered the deal.”
Francine gasped. They had been after El Tigre for several years and were no closer to putting him in a steel cage.
“This could be our chance to nab The Tiger.” Lee continued, “He’s on the wanted list of at least a dozen different agencies. It’d be a nice feather in our cap if we were the ones to take him down.”
Billy leaned forward in his chair. It seemed he held his breath, waiting for Lee to continue his briefing.
“The deal is going down at Mount Vernon. Amanda pulled up some aerial photos, and our best guess is Columbus will use Forest Trail for the swap.” Lee spread the enlarged photo across Billy’s desk. His fingers tapped a spot on the upper right hand side. “It’s the most isolated spot on the plantation. There’s a lot of ground to cover. I’d like to set up several surveillance teams around the grounds so we don’t miss anything. I’ll lead a team down along the trail. Francine can coordinate from the command truck.”
Francine shook her head and waived her arms, trying to get Billy’s attention to remind him about the party. For some strange reason, she couldn’t seem to catch his eye. She hoped she wouldn’t have to resort to jumping up and down.
Finally, Billy looked up and winked. “Sorry, Lee.”
“What do you mean, sorry?” Lee exploded. “This is the perfect opportunity to catch Santiago.” He ran his fingers through his hair and began to pace. “I can’t believe you’d let this opportunity slip by us.”
“If you’ve finished ranting, I’ll explain my decision.”
Lee flopped back into his chair.
“I didn’t reject your plan, only your request for Francine. Right now she’s working on something very important, and I can’t spare her for this.”
“What could be more important than getting a bead on El Tigre?”
“That’s need-to-know, Scarecrow. Now, staking out the Forest Trail and other likely spots is necessary. Let’s see, who can we get to baby-sit? Fielder? Beamen? Dempsey?”
“I can do it, sir,” Amanda whispered.
“No! Absolutely not!” Lee steamed. “You are NOT working in the field.”
“I think that’s a wonderful idea.” Billy totally ignored Lee. “You’ve navigated before, and that would free up agents for surveillance.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“A-man-da!”
Amanda placed her hand on Lee’s arm, and he visibly relaxed.
It always amazed her how just a simple touch from Amanda had the power to calm Lee. From the very first day the suburban homemaker entered the Agency, she’d held Lee in the palm of her hand. Francine hated her for that--then. Now, she marveled at the power and cheered her friend on.
“Let me help. I’m your partner, and it’s my job to watch your back. I can’t do it in the field right now. But I can do this. You know every time you go out alone I worry something will happen. At least, this time I can be there to keep an eye on you.”
“I don’t want to have to worry about you sitting in that van all alone. Suppose something goes wrong . . . like the last time.”
Francine knew Lee spoke of Birol. She’d never seen him so out of control--before or since that dreadful time. He’d almost lost Amanda on that case. They’d almost lost him.
Amanda held her palm to his cheek. “Nothing is going to happen. I can do this, Lee.”
“It’s settled then,” Billy chimed in. “Amanda, you’ll head up the command center. She won’t be alone in the van. I’ll keep her company. If we succeed in capturing Santiago, I want to be there to see him go down. Lee, notify your teams. Let me know if you run into any trouble. We’ll meet in the conference room tomorrow morning at nine sharp. That’s all, people. Great work.”
Lee held the door open, and they filed out of Billy’s office. Since there was nothing pressing waiting for her on her desk, Francine decided to leave for the day and tackle all the last minute details for the party.
* * * *
Francine joined her co-workers on the elevator ride up to the Georgetown foyer, bid them a good night, and handed her badge to Mrs. Marston.
Remaining at the front desk, she watched Amanda trudge up the stairs, Lee gallantly aiding her. Her gaze wandered over Lee. Married or not, that man still had one fine rear end.
Recalling her earlier conversation with Amanda, she grinned at the mental picture she painted. It was a shame Amanda didn’t buy him leather pants.
Friday, 9:30 a.m. Agency conference room.
“Everyone clear on their assignments?” A quick scan around the room showed nods of assent from each agent present at the meeting. Lee gathered up the papers spread across the table, tapping them gently to neaten the stack, and sat back down next to his wife, turning the meeting over to Billy.
“Okay, people, let’s roll. Watch your backs. We don’t need any dead heroes.” Billy dismissed the briefing and turned to Amanda. “I’ll meet you out front.” He closed the conference room door behind him, leaving them alone.
“Are you sure you don’t want to stay here?”
“Lee, I thought we’d settled this last night. I’m going to do my job and coordinate this mission.”
“But--” She placed her fingers over his lips, halting his words.
“I’m going to be fine.” Amanda took his hand and rested it on her stomach. “We are going to be fine. Billy’ll be there. I won’t be alone.”
He could feel his baby move. First, a firm nudge against his palm, then a soft flutter as she moved to a new spot. He caressed Amanda’s stomach, following the movement of their child. His heart caught, emotion clogged his throat, and he smiled. If he looked in a mirror, he’d probably see a goofy grin displaying both dimples.
She was right, of course. She’d be fine. He was just being overprotective. He couldn’t help it; sometimes the mere thought of possibly losing everything scared the shit out of him. If he could, he’d place his family inside a giant bubble and never let them out. “Come on, let’s go and make some history.”
He held the door open, and once they stepped over the threshold, he wrapped his arm around her waist and escorted her to the waiting communications van.
Friday, 9:45 a.m. Agency Bullpen
Francine watched as the team of agents filed out of the conference room, picking up their gear as they went. She wished she could join them on this mission, but someone had to stay behind and hold down the fort. Besides, she still had some last minute things to do for tonight’s party.
The excited chatter and general din of hustling agents died, leaving the Bullpen feeling empty. Francine filled her coffee mug, grabbed her file of party paraphernalia, and the morning reports, and settled comfortably behind Billy’s desk. She’d closed the door behind her, shutting out the usual office noises of ringing phones and clacking keyboards.
Between updating the suits on the Hill and the mundane tasks of scheduling assignments and Station One rosters, she called the caterers, florist, and disc jockey to reconfirm the timetable set for the shindig.
Keeping her fingers crossed that no new crisis would arise, she made an appointment with her hairdresser and manicurist. Of course, everything hinged on her getting out of work early.
She had agreed to meet Dotty at the Community Center at six. The caterer planned to arrive then, and he demanded they be there to show him where to set up the food. Plus, she wanted to talk to the DJ one more time before the guests started to arrive.
The morning flew by without any major disasters. She reviewed the evening dispatches from the European sectors over lunch, flagging anything she felt warranted closer attention and making notes on things she thought Billy might want to keep an eye on.
The door to the office opened, and she looked up into the unsmiling face of her section chief. She didn’t have to ask how it went; she could see for herself.
However, just like the proverbial cat, she had to know all the gritty details. “So, judging by the scowl on your face, things didn’t go according to plan, did they?”
“Well, Lee’s information was dead on, and we managed to take an estimated fifteen million dollars worth of drugs off the street. Not to mention the crates of weapons, but we lost Santiago. I swear that man could put Houdini to shame. We had him boxed in, and he managed to disappear on us. We think he jumped into the back of a sanitation truck and rode out the side gate.”
“Ouch.” She winced. “And which of our stellar colleagues faced the wrath of Scarecrow?”
“Fuller.”
“Fuller, the germophobe? The guy’d work in a hazmat suit if he could. There’d be no way he’d go near a garbage truck.”
“I almost felt sorry for him. Lee really let him have it with both barrels. If Amanda hadn’t been there, Fuller probably would have ended up hospitalized.”
“So where is mister calm, cool, and collected?” she quipped.
“I left them in debriefing. He’s either torturing Franklin or wearing a hole in the carpet, waiting for Amanda to finish being debriefed.” He checked his watch. “It’s almost three-thirty, why don’t you get out of here. I’ll see you tonight at the party.”
Taking her party file with her, she detoured to her desk, gathered her purse and coat, and hightailed it out of the office before Billy could change his mind. If she caught the traffic just right, she’d make her nail appointment.
Friday, 4:30 p.m. Q-Bureau
“I swear, Amanda, Fuller needs to go back to Station One. How could he let Santiago slip by him like that?” Lee unlocked the door to the Q and ushered Amanda inside.
“Well, that garbage truck was filthy, but you’re right. Arresting Santiago was more important than avoiding a few pesky germs.” She pulled out her chair, and he helped ease her into it. She sighed and rubbed her stomach.
Maybe he’d call Billy and tell him they’d hand in their reports on Monday. He could take Amanda home to rest. Oh, who was he kidding? She wouldn’t leave without handing in her report, no matter how exhausted she felt.
He dropped into the chair behind his desk and began to write his account of today’s mission. The faster he finished, the sooner Amanda could type it up for him and he could take her home. He’d type it up himself, but with his wonderful typing skills, it would take twice as long and she would only have to retype it anyway.
Lee put his pen down and reread his report once more, before handing it to Amanda. He hadn’t thought it would take over an hour to write it up, and he hoped it would take her less time to type. He really wanted to get her home so she could put her feet up and relax.
She typed steadily, calling him over every now and then to interpret his chicken scratches. She’d just about finished when a soft knock sounded on the door.
He walked over and unlocked the door, opening it wide. Billy stood on the threshold, a thick packet tucked under his arm.
Lee pointed at the envelope. “You’re not bringing that in here! It’s late. I want to get Amanda home. Whatever it is can wait until Monday.”
Billy ignored him and stepped into the office. “Amanda, I realize you’re getting ready to go home, but I’d really appreciate it if you’d help me out.”
Amanda extended her hand to their boss, and he placed the packet into her open palm. “I’d be happy to. What do you need me to do?”
“A-man-da,” Lee growled. They’d disregarded his objections and continued as if he wasn’t even in the room.
“This just came in from Dulles and needs to be transcribed tonight. I don’t have anyone in the steno pool with the right security clearance.”
“I’d be happy to do it, sir.”
Lee huffed out a breath and plowed his fingers through his hair. He sighed in defeat. There was no way he’d win this battle.
“Thank you, Amanda. You can just give it to Agent Saunders when you’re through. I owe you one.”
“I will, sir, and you’re welcome.”
Lee held the door open for Billy and closed it tight, locking it again.
Amanda had already donned her headset and started the cassette.
Picking up the newspaper, he plopped down on the sofa and settled in to wait for his wife to finish her latest project. The steady rat-a-tat-tat of the typewriter lulled him, and he began to nod off.
The shrill ring of the telephone made him jump. His heart pounding, he stumbled to his desk to answer the call.
“Stetson.”
The frantic voice of his mother-in-law greeted him. She rambled on about party decorations, car trouble, and her friend going to the mechanic and leaving her stranded. She spoke so quickly and continuously he wondered how she didn’t pass out from lack of oxygen.
“So, will you do it?” she asked.
Unfortunately, once he’d determined she wasn’t in any danger, he’d tuned her out. “I’m sorry, Dotty. Will I do what?”
“Pick me up, of course.” After answering his question, she prattled on again about how distracted he had been lately, maybe he should get more rest, and if he ate a healthy breakfast, he wouldn’t be lethargic during the day.
“Because,” he mouthed along with her, “after all, breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”
He really couldn’t listen any longer and absently told her they’d swing by and pick her up on the way home from work. It’d be about another hour, and he asked if she’d be able to wait for them until then.
Dotty agreed to wait, and he hung up the phone. He returned to the couch and resumed reading the sports page.
He’d just finished reading about a player swap between the Capitals and the New York Rangers. The deal should give the Caps a solid forth line for the remainder of the season.
Then he heard the distinctive z-z-zip-p-p of paper pulled from between typewriter rolls. Amanda had finally finished transcribing the tape for Billy. He walked to her desk, tossing the newspaper in the trash. “Your mother called and asked if we could pick her up at the Community Center.”
“She mentioned going there to decorate for her club’s Valentine’s Day party. But I thought she was riding over with Mrs. Garvey.” Amanda dropped the cassette and the transcription into an evidence bag and gathered her belongings.
“Evidently she had some trouble with her car and brought it to the garage, leaving Dotty stranded. Wha’d’ya say after we pick up Dotty, we swing by Tony’s and bring a couple of pizzas home?”
“It’s all right with me, but you know how the boys feel about pizza.” She winked. “It’s going to be tough to get them to eat any.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” he teased. “Maybe we’d better get three pies.”
Hand in hand, they went down to the Bullpen to see Agent Saunders, before leaving for the weekend.
* * * *
They’d encountered heavy traffic on the way to Arlington. The dashboard clock read eight-ten by the time Lee pulled the Jeep into the empty parking lot.
Just as he got out from behind the wheel, his mother-in-law rushed out the door and strode across the parking lot.
“Oh, Lee, thank you for rescuing me. I have one more favor to ask you. Will you carry out some boxes for me?”
Before he had time to agree, she’d opened Amanda’s door and tugged her out of the car. “Amanda dear, you’ve just got to see the hall. I can’t believe how wonderful it looks. We did a pretty nice job on the old place, if I do say so myself.”
Dotty wrapped one arm around him and the other around his wife and marched them into the Community Center lobby. Amanda broke free and headed into the rest room.
“So where are these boxes you need me to carry?”
“Oh, Lee, let’s wait for Amanda, then we can all go inside together.” Dotty tightened her grip on his arm, keeping him in the hallway.
Just then, Amanda emerged from the women’s room. Dotty caught her arm again and led them to the double doors.
He held the door open, and Dotty slipped past Amanda and entered the room first.
Amanda stepped in front of him, and he placed his hand on the small of her back.
The hair on the back of his neck stood on end. Something was off. The room seemed too dark. He nudged Amanda behind him and reached into his jacket to unholster his weapon.
“SURPRISE!”
The lights blazed on, and he blinked. He quickly scanned the room.
His mother-in-law and Philip stood in front of them, holding up a sign that read “Happy Anniversary, Amanda and Lee.” Billy and Jeannie stood off to the side near the light switch, and Francine stood slightly behind Dotty, wearing a big silly smile.
When Jamie snapped their picture, Lee saw dots flash before his eyes. He slipped his gun back into the holster and stood straight. His heartbeat returned to normal, and he surveyed the room again.
Amanda appeared at his side and snuggled her hand in his. “Oh my gosh!”
It seemed that half the Agency stood in front of him. Leatherneck, Beaman, Mrs. Marston, Gino from the motor pool, Rosie from accounting, and even Stan from Crypto. To Lee’s immense surprise, Dr. Smyth--sans cigarette--honored them with his presence.
Amanda’s family had come to celebrate, too. Aunt Lillian, Uncle Herman--all the way from Vermont--and even Joe and his wife, Kari. Not to mention most of the neighborhood. The Garveys, the Fergusons, the Eberhearts, the Petersons, Edna Gilstrap, and Buck--wearing a tie, no less. All were smiling at them.
Dotty came forward, threaded her arms with theirs again, and escorted them to a table in the middle of the room. Philip and Jamie fastened the homemade banner to the wall, and Francine hung their coats in the closet.
The pop of champagne corks echoed throughout the room. All the guests lifted their glasses while Billy toasted them. He congratulated them and wished them long life and happiness. When he took the credit for putting them together in the first place, laughter erupted.
Lee touched his glass to Amanda’s. She took just a sip of the bubbly and leaned over to kiss him. The crowed applauded, and he kissed her again.
Music spilled out of the speakers, and the DJ invited them to open the dancing.
He led Amanda onto the small dance floor, snuggling her as close as he could in his embrace. She rested her head on his shoulder and kissed his neck ever so gently.
“So, did you know about this?” he whispered.
“Not a clue. You?”
“No, but it explains a lot. Like all the whispering between the boys. I suspected something was up, but I thought it was about the new girl in Jamie’s photography class. I’ve been patiently waiting for him to ask for some advice. After all, I’ve had some luck with women.”
She chuckled and nestled into his embrace.
The DJ invited other couples to dance, and the small space soon became crowded.
He led Amanda around the floor once more. When a table heaped with festively wrapped boxes caught his eye, he ushered her over for a closer look. He couldn’t begin to imagine what could be in some of the oddly shaped boxes and hoped he’d be able to squeeze them into the back of the Jeep.
When the music changed to something slow and dreamy, the DJ announced dinner was served.
Lee ushered his wife back to their table, allowing the guests the first opportunity to fill their plates. “I guess this means we won’t be stopping for pizza.”
Amanda rubbed her stomach. “Don’t be too sure of that. Your daughter just may need a slice or two to tide her over.”
He placed his hand on her stomach and rubbed along with her. He leaned down and spoke directly to his daughter. “You don’t want pizza. Grandma and your brothers went to a lot of trouble getting this party together, and you are going to be happy with whatever Mommy feeds you.” The baby kicked him. Whether it was in agreement or not, he didn’t know.
“Hey, you two, Grandma had some help with all this. She couldn’t have done it without Francine,” Dotty said.
“At least that explains why Francine’s been so jumpy lately,” Amanda replied.
The line at the buffet thinned out, and hand in hand, they walked over to get something to eat. He piled his plate high with stuffed mushrooms, clams casino, shrimp Parmesan, a smidgen of coq au vin, and a bit of sausage and peppers, topping it all off with some chicken Marsala.
Amanda helped herself to a little chicken Marsala, some egg noodles, and salad. He carried both plates back to the table.
Once everyone finished eating, the DJ played more dance music. Lee walked over to his mother-in-law and asked her to dance. She readily agreed and placed her hand in his, and he escorted her to the dance floor. He confidently guided Dotty around, keeping time with the tempo.
“So are you enjoying yourself?” Dotty asked.
“Yes.” He should say more, but his heart lodged in his throat and he couldn’t seem to get the words past it. Still, he should at least try to say something. “Thank you doesn’t seem to be enough. Dotty, I--”
She placed her finger over his lips. “I know, Lee. I should be thanking you. Amanda has never been happier, even when she was married to Joe. If you breathe a word of that to anyone, I’ll deny it. And the boys are growing into fine young men, thanks to you. So you see, this little party here, it’s the least I can do for you.”
As far as he was concerned, he was the lucky one. He’d never thought he’d be this happy. When the song ended, he brought Dotty back to her date.
He needed to thank Francine. She sat with Amanda, so he walked over to her, took her hand, and led her to the dance floor. He held her close as they glided around the floor.
After a few moments, he pulled back and looked into her eyes. “Thank you, Francine.”
“You’re welcome.” She rested her chin on his shoulder, and they finished the dance in silence.
Amanda danced with both of her sons, Billy, Buck, Uncle Herman, and--much to Lee’s chagrin--Joe.
The old green-eyed monster showed its face. He quickly beat it back and danced with Kari. He really liked her, and the four of them got along fairly well. Of course, he got the better end of the deal.
He also cut the rug with Jeannie, Mrs. Marston, and Aunt Lillian. Amanda cut in, and he finally got his wife back in his arms. He wasted no time drawing her as close to his body as she could get. They weren’t actually dancing, more like swaying to the music. When the DJ announced it was time to cut the cake, their euphoria ended.
The dancing ceased. Francine and Dotty wheeled out a three-tiered confection decorated with pink and yellow flowers and topped with a plastic bride and groom.
Everyone sang “Happy Anniversary,” while he held his hand over Amanda’s and they jointly cut the cake. It was delicious, and he was shocked to learn that Dotty had baked it herself. He couldn’t have been more stunned if someone told him Francine had baked it. This was the best party ever.
One by one, the guests headed home, stopping by and wishing them a happy anniversary on their way out.
Billy and Jeannie came over and sat with them for a bit, before saying good night. Billy kissed Amanda. “You look tired. Get some rest over the weekend.” He turned and hugged Lee. “You see that she does. Oh, and I took you both off the duty roster for Monday. Have a nice long weekend.”
“Gee, thanks, Billy. We appreciate that.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Lee took a good long look at his wife. Billy was right. She looked exhausted. He corralled the boys, and together they loaded the gifts into the back of the Jeep, leaving Amanda to convey their thanks to the rest of the departing guests.
He crammed the last box into the back of the car and headed back inside to collect his wife. “The car’s all loaded. Come on, Amanda, let me take you home to bed.”
She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his chest. “That’s the best offer I’ve heard all day.” Her hands traveled down over his butt. She gave him a firm squeeze. “We can continue with our own private celebration.”
He kissed the top of her head. “I’m sure that can be arranged. We need to say goodbye to Francine. Did you see where she went?”
“I think she’s in back with Mother, dealing with the leftovers.”
Saturday, 12:30 a.m. Arlington Community Center kitchen
Francine smiled. The party had been a success. Not that she’d worried or anything. Okay, maybe concern that Lee or Amanda would find out beforehand and ruin the surprise had given her one or two anxious moments. But they hadn’t, and she’d actually had a good time tonight.
She covered the last tray of food and placed it into the box. Dotty’d invited her to dinner on Sunday to help finish off the leftovers, and she was looking forward to it.
A lone bottle of Dom sat on the counter. She picked it up and expertly popped the cork. Champagne bubbled and fizzed over the top of the bottle, running in rivulets down the side to pool on the floor.
She poured a generous amount into two paper cups and handed one to Dotty. “To us and a job well done.” They touched their cups together and downed the contents in one swallow.
Lee entered the kitchen. “There you ladies are. We’re ready to leave. We’ve had a long day, and I want to get Amanda home to rest. Everything was marvelous. Dotty, do you still need a ride home?”
“No, thanks.”
“Okay, we’ll see you tomorrow.”
Dotty carried the box of food out of the kitchen and gave a final wave goodbye, leaving Francine alone with Lee.
He kissed her gently on both cheeks. “Thanks, pal.”
“You’re welcome, Lee.” She wrapped her arm around his waist, and they walked out of the kitchen together.
Francine watched him tenderly ease Amanda off her chair and lead her out the door. The smiles on their faces made all the agonizing details and annoying phone calls worth it.
She smiled. “Operation AnniPar” had gone off without a hitch. She picked up her mink coat, and, after shutting off the lights, she closed the door to the Center behind her.
End
Story Notes:
Disclaimer: Scarecrow & Mrs. King belong to Warner Brothers and Shoot the Moon Production Company. The original portions of this story, however, are copyrighted to the author. This story is for entertainment purposes only and cannot be redistributed without the permission of the author. No infringement of copyright is intended.
Thanks, Ermintrude, for allowing me to borrow your disclaimer.
A very special Thank You to the MAN, Bruce Boxleitner, who graciously answered all my questions about what size jacket he wore.
Virtual season 7, episode 10
Thanks, Ermintrude, for allowing me to borrow your disclaimer.
A very special Thank You to the MAN, Bruce Boxleitner, who graciously answered all my questions about what size jacket he wore.
Virtual season 7, episode 10
Chapter End Notes:
Author’s Note: You can see a photo of Lee’s leather jacket at this site:
http://www.brooksbrothers.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=1&Section_Id=572&Product_Id=1370957&Parent_Id=569&default_color=Brown
Unfortunately, Amanda’s bracelet is a figment of my imagination, so I don’t have a photo to show you.
http://www.brooksbrothers.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=1&Section_Id=572&Product_Id=1370957&Parent_Id=569&default_color=Brown
Unfortunately, Amanda’s bracelet is a figment of my imagination, so I don’t have a photo to show you.