In Search of . . . Emily
The tap tap tap of typing sounded through the Q bureau as Amanda wrote a report, while Lee finished proofreading another. They had a rhythm going and hoped to have the massive backlog of paperwork cleared up by the end of the day.
Billy burst through the door. “Lee, Amanda, we have a problem.”
“What’s the matter, sir?” Amanda stopped typing.
“It’s Emily.”
“Emily!” Lee threw the report down. “What happened?”
“From all initial reports, she came to DC for a brief vacation and attended a Shriners Circus last night. No one has seen her since.”
“Oh my gosh.”
Lee began pacing and ran his hand through his hair. “How do we know she was at the circus?”
“One of your family members saw her there, Lee. He saw her throw something in the trash.”
Lee stopped mid-stride. “Which one?”
“Augie.”
“Where is he? I want to talk to him. Now! Where’s the message?”
“Hold on, Scarecrow, I’ve already debriefed Augie, and I have the report right here.”
Lee grabbed it from Billy and began reading.
Amanda joined him and read over his shoulder. “Sir, it doesn’t tell us much. Where is the message he found?”
Billy handed Amanda another piece of paper. “This is a copy. The original is in Crypto. They’re trying to decipher the parts that were smudged with garbage.”
Amanda sat down at her desk. “Well, let’s see if we can figure out what it does tell us.”
“I’m going back down to Crypto to light a fire under them. And then I have a meeting with Smyth in ten minutes.”
“Good. Tell them if they don’t have it up here in ten minutes, I’ll go down there and drag it out of their asses myself.”
“Scarecrow, let them do their job, and you two see what you can come up with.”
“Yes, sir.” Amanda looked at the message again.
After Billy left, Lee sat on the edge of Amanda’s desk. “We have to find her.”
“I know. She means a lot to both of us. We will find her. We just need to figure out what she’s trying to tell us.”
Fifteen minutes later, they were still trying to figure out what had happened to Emily.
“She could be anywhere.” Lee stopped pacing and stared at the map of the world.
Amanda placed her hand on his arm and pointed to the map of the United States. “Anywhere from right here in Washington D.C.--”
“To Timbuktu.” Lee flopped onto the couch and reread the message that Crypto had finally decoded.
“We need to figure out where to start our search.” Amanda sat next to him. “Read it to me again.”
Lee gingerly smoothed the smudged napkin and began reading. “Dear Nephew and Niece, I don’t have much time. We need to meet I know it’s not convenient, but I need to see you both, and I don’t want anyone to know. Go to ~~~n~~~~ in ~~~I~~~ I’ll see you both there.”
“I think that might be an ‘m,’ not an ‘n.’”
“No, it’s definitely an ‘n.’ Damn, I wish Augie could’ve gotten to the note before someone threw their garbage on top of it.”
“Oh, and that’s a ‘T.’”
“No, that’s just a piece of dirt.” Lee flicked the spot away.
“And what are these doodles? Hearts?” Amanda pointed to them.
“I’m not sure. They’re too round to be hearts.”
The door opened, and Billy entered, carrying a stack of files, videos, and photographs. “This is everything we could get on that circus. Luckily, someone was taping it for use in commercials. ‘Ernie the camera’ looked it over and couldn’t find anything, but maybe you can.”
“Thanks, Billy.”
“And, by the way, word came down, from above Dr. Smyth, on this one. Whatever resources you need are yours.”
Lee dropped the tapes on his desk. “This is going to be impossible.”
Amanda picked up one of the photographs and jumped out of her chair. “I know where she is!”
“Don’t keep me in suspense. Where is she?”
“She’s in . . .”
Now on with the show:
Amanda nibbled her lower lip, studying the photo.
Lee placed his hands around her waist. “Are you going to tell me, or make me guess?”
“I thought I knew, but now I’m not sure.” She lifted another photo from the stack and studied it.
“Then we’re back to square one.”
“Not necessarily. Look here.” Amanda spread several photos on the desk. “An arts and crafts fair was held in the area adjoining the circus. These pictures show Emily browsing through several booths.”
Lee leaned over the desk and studied the prints. “I see it, but what does it tell us?”
“Look at this one.” She handed it to Lee.
“Okay, what am I looking at?”
“Look at all the others.” She pointed to her desk. “None of them show that she made a purchase. But in this one, she’s carrying something. Whatever she bought could be a clue.”
Lee returned to his desk and read the report again. “Augie doesn’t say Emily carried anything.”
“Whatever she bought could’ve fit into her purse. It’s huge enough. I need a magnifying glass.” Amanda set the picture on Lee’s desk and pulled the lamp closer.
“Here.”
“Thanks.”
She scrutinized the photo and batted Lee’s hand away when he tried to take the magnifying glass from her.
“What’s that in the corner?” Lee attempted to grab the glass for the third time.
“Wait. I know. Let’s go.”
“Where?”
“The arts and crafts fair. According to the pamphlet, it runs concurrently with the circus this week. I want to check out ‘Lisa’s Collectibles.’ Whatever Emily purchased, she bought it there.”
*******
As they sped along the highway, the silence in the car was almost palatable. Amanda glanced at Lee and knew his troubled expression mirrored her own. She shared his unspoken hope that their friend was safe. But, considering their line of work, the odds weren’t good. Should she tell him what she’d noticed in the photo? She didn’t want to worry him, in case she was wrong. When she had looked closely, she’d detected numbers--a two and a thirteen--inscribed on the object Emily carried. A date, perhaps? Did Emily know about their marriage? And if so, who else knew?
*******
“Geeze! This is a nightmare!” Lee yanked the steering wheel and drove the ‘Vette down yet another row of the parking lot. As she searched for an empty space, Amanda’s frustration matched her husband’s. Why did every school in the district need to schedule a field trip to the circus today, of all days? Bright yellow school buses monopolized the majority of the allocated parking. Lee drove slowly to avoid the hundreds of children, running every which way and yelling at the top of their lungs.
Finally! Lee swerved the car into an empty space, barely missing the departing van filled with Boy Scouts and stuffed animals. Amanda squeezed her eyes shut. Her husband was an excellent driver, but sometimes he seemed to revert to his Monte Carlo days.
At the entrance to the fair, Amanda looked for a chart showing the location of the booths, while Lee questioned a maintenance worker.
The only thing she found listed the names of the craftsmen in attendance, not where they were located. She scanned the area, hoping “Lisa’s Collectibles” would be near the entrance. No such luck.
A group of young girls ran past her, laughing loudly.
“According . . .”
Amanda jumped at the sound of Lee’s voice behind her.
“I’m sorry.” He slipped his arm around her. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
“I know.” She kissed him lightly. “Now what were you saying?”
Lee placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her toward the booths. “The maintenance man told me there isn’t any rhyme or reason to the set up. You just have to follow the path and look for the place you want.”
“Okay, I’ll look on the right, and you cover the left.”
They passed booths labeled: “Bubba’s Scroll Art,” “TJ’s House of Music,” “Rita’s Dog Figurines,” “Candles by Nancy,” “Everything Aussie by The Kris,” “Lush’s T-shirts,” “Alleycat’s Art,” and dozens of others.
A small amusement area, with rides and vendors selling food, occupied the center of the fair. Kids almost ran them down in their rush to reach the small Ferris wheel and Tilt-a-Whirl. The scent of fried chicken, corny dogs, and cotton candy hung heavy in the air.
“There it is.” Amanda pointed to a booth.
They entered “Lisa’s Collectibles” and found themselves surrounded by a myriad of homemade items.
“Welcome. I’m Lisa. May I help you find something?” she asked, smiling.
“Yes, please.” Amanda pulled out the photograph. “Can you tell us if you recognize this woman?”
“Why, yes. She came in here last night. I helped her myself. Is there a problem?”
“Oh, no, we’re,” she gestured toward Lee, “with a documentary film company. We think this woman is unique and want to get more footage of her, for a project we’re working on. This is the only picture we have, and we wondered if she gave you her name, or told you where she might be staying?” Yes, it was a lame excuse, but it was all she could think of.
“Sorry. She didn’t tell me. She was very sweet. Said she was looking for a gift for friends. The only thing I remember is her lovely accent. I just love the British.”
“You have some very nice things here.” Amanda picked up a carved figurine.
“Thank you.”
“Could you tell us what she bought?” Lee asked.
Well, Lee certainly believed in cutting to the chase. She’d been working toward the subject herself. Hopefully, he hadn’t aroused Lisa’s suspicion. But Lisa didn’t seem fazed by his question, as she walked over to a display and picked up a plaque.
“It was one like this. For some friends, she said.” She handed the heart-shaped plaque to Amanda.
“It’s a wedding plaque.” Lisa indicated the two wedding bands intertwined with a ribbon etched on the plaque. “I inscribe the date and names of the bride and groom in the center of the wedding rings.”
“It’s very nice. You know, I think I’ll buy one for some friends who recently married.”
“What names and date would you like on it?” Lisa took the plaque to her worktable.
“Lee and Amanda.”
“What! You’re not going to believe this, but those were the same names the English lady wanted on her plaque.”
“Oh my gosh. I’m sure it couldn’t be the same Lee and Amanda. Their wedding date was February thirteenth.”
“That was the date she gave me. Small world.”
“Yeah.” Amanda glanced at her husband’s suddenly pale face. “I just remembered. Lee told me he had an aunt who lived in England. This must be her.”
“Yes. If it is, you’ll be able to do your documentary.”
“Thank you, Lisa. I guess I’ll have to find another gift for my friends.”
“No problem. Take my card. I have a small shop in Arlington. Feel free to stop by and look around. I only have a small sample here.”
Amanda shoved the card in her purse. “Thanks, I’ll be sure to stop by.”
********
“Emily knows.” Lee ran his hand through his hair, while the muscle in his jaw twitched.
“I thought she did.” She put her arm around his waist to halt his agitated pacing.
He placed his finger under her chin. “And just how did you figure that out?”
“The photograph.” She met his intense gaze and smiled.
“Photograph? How?”
She withdrew the picture from her purse and pointed to the plaque Emily held. “See here? You can make out the numbers on it. Who else do we know named Lee and Amanda who were married on February thirteenth?”
“We still don’t know where she is. Or if she’s in trouble.”
“Sweetheart.” She kissed his lips. “I know where she is, and she’s not in trouble.”
“Amanda, how can you say that?”
“I figured out the note. She wants to meet with us alone, probably to tell us she knows.”
“Then why did she throw the note away?”
“Maybe she thought it was too mysterious.”
“We still don’t know where she is.”
“She’s at the Crystal Springs Inn. When you add the missing letters, that’s what the note says.”
“You’re kidding?” Lee looked dumbfounded. “How could she know about the Inn, too?”
“We’ll have to ask her when we see her.”
As they weaved their way through the food vendors, Amanda’s stomach rumbled. Now that they’d figured out what Emily was trying to tell them, she realized she hadn’t eaten since breakfast.
“Can we get something to eat? I’m starved.”
“What would you like? Looks like they have everything.” He gestured toward a booth painted red, white, and yellow and shaped like a giant wiener, complete with bun. The delicious aromas compensated for the raucous décor.
“I think I’ll have one of those.” She pointed to a sign bearing the picture of a timid-looking hotdog wearing tennis shoes.
“You sure you don’t want anything?” Amanda took a bite of her corn dog.
“No, but I smell Cuban coffee, and I haven’t had any in ages.”
At “Ana’s House of Cuba,” Lee placed his order and then quickly drank the small cup of rich coffee.
********
Lee parked the ‘Vette in front of the Crystal Springs Inn. As they sat in the car, Amanda reflected on the last time they had been there.
“Remember the maid?” He chuckled.
“Oh my gosh, I thought she’d never leave. But we knew the room wasn’t ready when we checked in.”
“I know, but I thought she’d at least get the hint.”
She smiled and squeezed his hand. “Ready?”
Minutes later, Lee knocked on a door. When the door opened, Amanda closed her eyes for a moment and let out her breath in a long sigh of relief.
“Lee, Amanda, what are you two doing here? It hasn’t been a half hour since I left the message for you. Come in.”
Lee immediately engulfed Emily in a bear hug.
“Oh, my, what brought this on?” Emily laughed and patted him on the back.
“Hi.” Amanda greeted her with a kiss on the cheek.
Lee stood in the middle of the room and stared at Emily, spreading his arms like an eagle in flight. “What’s going on? We thought you were in trouble.”
“What gave you that idea?”
“This.” Lee took the note from his pocket and handed it to her.
“But I threw this in the trash. I changed my mind. I thought the note was too cloak and dagger.”
“One of my family members recognized you and retrieved the note. But, as you can see, it got smudged. We thought you were in danger.”
“Oh, dear, I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I’m sorry.” Emily sat down on the edge of the bed.
Amanda sat beside her and placed her hand on top of her friend’s. “It’s not your fault.”
Lee knelt in front of them, taking both their hands in his. “Emily, we have to know. How did you find out about our wedding? Who else knows our secret?”
“Patience.”
“I can’t be patient. We have--”
“Lee, I didn’t mean patient. I said Patience. Patience Bowman told me.”
“Who the hell is Patience Bowman?”
When she heard the last name, Amanda knew who had told Emily. But how did they know each other? “How do you know Mrs. Bowman?”
Lee stood and raked his fingers through his hair. “Will someone please tell me what is going on?”
“Remember the woman who took our photograph at our wedding? Her name was Bowman.”
Apparently recognition dawned, and Lee sank into an overstuffed chair. “You mean she told our secret?”
Emily touched his shoulder. “Not really. She and I went to college together. I’d called her on Valentine’s Day to wish her ‘Happy Birthday,’ and we started chatting. She told me about a couple who were married the day before. Said how much in love they were, how handsome the groom was, and how pretty the bride was. Then she told me their names--Lee and Amanda.”
“Our names aren’t uncommon.” Amanda joined Emily and stood next to Lee.
“True, and I didn’t think any more about it. That is, until the other day. I met Patience at her home for lunch, and she was in the middle of working on her scrapbook. She has a picture of everyone who has been married by Judge Tagsworth. I looked down, and who do I see but the two of you. Last night, while I was at the circus, I thought of an idea how to tell you I knew, but I changed my mind. You’ll find a message at the Agency to meet me here.”
Lee stood and hugged Emily. “I wish I’d been the one to tell you. We didn’t want it to be a secret. It’s just better this way.”
“I know. In this business, sometimes we have to do strange things. I knew the first time I meet you, Amanda, that you were the one for him--that you would be special. And I knew it would take time to break down his barriers.”
“It took me a while, but I wasn’t going to let him get away.”
“I’m glad you didn’t.” Lee wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her.
“Congratulations.” Emily handed them the plaque. “I know you’ll have to keep it at Lee’s, but I wanted you to have something.”
“Thank you,” Amanda said, as they each kissed her cheek.
“I think you’d better call Billy and let him know you’re okay.”
“Good idea. Why don’t you two go down to the dining room and order some champagne. I’ll join you after I make the call.”
*******
Outside in the hallway, they both leaned against the wall. Amanda returned her husband’s smile. She didn’t know which was greater--the relief that their friend wasn’t in danger, or the relief someone they knew and trusted shared their secret.
The End
Story Notes:
Disclaimer: Scarecrow and Mrs. King and its characters belong to WB and Shoot the Moon Productions. No infringement is intended. This is written for entertainment purposes only. Please do not redistribute or reproduce this story without my permission.
Notes: This is a “You finish it” type of story. Take this story start and finish it in any way that you choose and in any rating. Stories are to be posted no earlier May 1st. Do not share your ideas, so as not to sway other potential writers. Rita has volunteered to be official beta for the stories and has taken a sworn oath not to reveal anyone’s ending. It will be interesting to see how many different directions this story can be taken. Good luck and have fun.
Notes: This is a “You finish it” type of story. Take this story start and finish it in any way that you choose and in any rating. Stories are to be posted no earlier May 1st. Do not share your ideas, so as not to sway other potential writers. Rita has volunteered to be official beta for the stories and has taken a sworn oath not to reveal anyone’s ending. It will be interesting to see how many different directions this story can be taken. Good luck and have fun.