Chapter Five                                       

Wednesday, December 27, 1989

Francine sat in Billy's office, waiting for the Section Chief to join her. It had been an interesting morning, to say the least. When she and Ephraim had arrived for the day, they'd immediately joined Amanda and Lee in the Q's conference room. There, Lee shared the information he'd gleaned from two of his family members, Lana and Lou.

Apparently, Jonathan had become somewhat of a regular at Emelio's bar in recent months. Lou had shared with Lee that, over time, Jonathan's appearance had become more and more disheveled and he appeared to be somewhat fearful. Lana told Amanda that the Ambassador was rumored to have ties to a drug cartel in Colombia, dating back to when he'd been the Ambassador to that country.

Francine fidgeted in her chair. While they'd been trying to piece together the frustrating puzzle Jonathan had presented them with, Billy had called for her to come down. She looked up as her boss walked into his sanctum, closed his door, then his blinds, signaling to Francine that this visit was to be completely private.

"Good morning, Francine," Billy greeted his former assistant.

"Morning, Billy, what's up?" Francine returned. She glanced up at him as he took a seat next to her.

"I understand you have a meet set up with Jonathan Stone this morning," he began.

"That's right. He sent me a package yesterday indicating he wanted a meet at ‘our special place'. I assume he's talking about a park bench in Rock Creek Park," she shared.

"Are you all set up for it?"

"Yes, Ephraim is going to be behind a grove of trees nearby, while Lee and Amanda wait in the van. Leatherneck has already given me the wire he wants me to wear," Francine outlined.

"Good," Billy nodded. "Sounds like you all have it ready to go."

Francine nodded, then looked down.

"Francine," Billy said as he touched her hand. "I know this has to be very difficult for you. Amanda called me last night and said she's very concerned about you."

"Amanda worries too much," Francine muttered.

"Francine, I want you to promise me that you'll be careful around Stone. You've got a good team behind you, and you need to make sure that you don't get in too deep."

"Billy, Jonathan Stone has absolutely no hold on me any longer. I realize now that I wasted a lot of time on him, but that is in the past. I know what I've got going for me now, and I'm not going to let that snake ruin it for me. But," she confided, "I do appreciate your concern very much."

"All right, Francine. By the way, I spoke with Dr. Smyth this morning. We've decided that you and Beaman make a good team. We're ending the trial period and making your partnership official."

"That's wonderful, Billy," Francine beamed. "I assume Dr. Smyth is aware that we have a personal relationship as well?"

Billy grinned and answered, "Yes, I think that's been pretty obvious to everyone. I assured him that you and Beaman would continue to behave in a professional manner, just like the Stetsons." He gave her a wink and she grinned.

"Thanks for everything, Billy," Francine said as she stood up. She reached over and gave him a hug. "I won't let you down."

Billy cleared his throat, then harrumphed, "Well, now, get to work, young lady. I expect to hear good results from you this afternoon."

Francine walked out the door and Billy smiled to himself. She'd definitely grown into a fine agent and friend over the years.

SMK SMK

At 10:50 a.m., the Q Bureau team arrived at Rock Creek Park, ready to meet Jonathan Stone. Amanda ran Francine through a couple of checks on her wire, and was satisfied that it was working. When everyone was assured that the electronics were working, Francine and Ephraim exited the van.

Ephraim pulled her close and whispered, "I won't be far away. If you need me, just give me a wave and I'll be there in a heartbeat."

"I know," Francine whispered. "I love you so much...please remember that."

"I love you, too," he smiled. Francine waved him away and walked over to the park bench. She sat down and opened a book, trying to appear nonchalant.

A moment later, she saw Jonathan walking down the path. He saw her and grinned, then hurried over to her.

"I knew you couldn't stay away," Jonathan said as he put an arm around her shoulder.

"Jonathan, don't," Francine warned, pushing his arm away. "I came because I'm concerned that you've gotten yourself into something over your head and you've chosen to drag me into it. Now, let's get down to brass tacks. What is going on?"

Jonathan stared at her, then shook his head. "I knew there was a reason I loved you. You are the smartest woman I know. You're right- I made a serious error in judgment and I need your help."

"What exactly do you need?"

"I need you to help me get Ambassador Clare off my back," Jonathan confided.

"From what I understand, he's been pretty good to you. Eloise told me you're up for an attaché position with the UN," Francine retorted.

"You've spoken with Eloise?" Jonathan gulped, then glanced around him.

"Oh, yes, I met her yesterday. She was quite distraught that her ‘Johnny' was missing. She seemed quite taken with you and wanted me to tell you, dear brother, that she still loves you and wants you back," Francine shared.

"Oh my God," Jonathan sighed. "What all did she tell you?"

"She told me about the State Department jobs, the apartment ‘Daddy' is buying for you..." Francine continued. "You sure know how to get around, don't you?"

Jonathan stared at her in disbelief. He started, "Francine, I..."

"Don't start giving me that ‘I still love you' crap. It's obvious that you saw Eloise as a meal ticket and she fell for your line. What I don't understand is why you're running away from it. This seems like the perfect setup for you- young, adoring wife who just happens to be the sole heiress to a fortune, a father-in-law willing to set you up in cushy jobs...why'd you throw it away?"

"You don't get it!" Jonathan seethed. "Clare is in deep with some pretty scary people. I need your help in getting out of all this. You've got resources that could help me."

"Why should I help you?" Francine probed.

"I know you. You and I are two of kind. We always find our way back to each other. I know you don't want to see me hurt...and that's what's going to happen if I don't marry Eloise unless you help me. They are going to kill me," Jonathan whispered as he grabbed her hand, kissing it several times. "You don't want to see me killed, do you?"

"Of course not," Francine admitted. "But, I don't want you back...ever. I'm involved in a great relationship, and you are not going to ruin it."

Jonathan shook his head in disbelief and whispered, "I've got to go. I'll be at your place tonight." Then, his face paled as he noticed something over her shoulder. Before she could ask what he saw, he kissed her cheek and took off.

Francine looked over at the far end of the path and saw two men in trench coats watching Jonathan leave, then focus on her. She stood up and quickly made her way to the van, catching up with Ephraim at the door. As they got in, she saw the men rushing up to where she had just been standing.

She glanced at Ephraim, who pulled her close. Lee gunned the engine and they sped off.

SMK SMK

Back in the Q Bureau, Francine stood at the window in her office, staring into space. Her thoughts tumbled over and over, unable to come to any conclusions. Jonathan had been afraid, of that she was sure. She'd never seen him like that before. He was always so confident of what he wanted but, today, he'd seemed frustrated.

She heard a noise and turned to see Amanda walking in the door. She gave her a weak smile, then turned back to the window.

Amanda walked over to her and said, "Are you OK?"

"Sure," Francine said sarcastically. "Nothing like spending some time with your ex to brighten your day."

Amanda smiled and said, "I know. It can be difficult when your personal past blurs with your professional present."

Francine nodded and Amanda continued, "I think we're getting somewhere, though. Lee and Ephraim are in the conference room. We've got some ideas but want to run them by you. Want to join us?"

"Oh, Amanda," Francine sighed. "What do you think Ephraim thinks about all this? We're in a good place and now Jonathan is back and it seems like he's going to screw everything up."

"Ephraim is not going to let Jonathan muck things up. Sure, this is difficult for both of you, just like it was difficult for Lee and me when Joe was in trouble back in '85. At least you and Ephraim know how you each fee about each other. Back then, Lee and I were still floundering around, unwilling to admit anything. Yet, we made it through just fine," Amanda shared. "Give Ephraim some credit. He knows who Jonathan Stone is."

"She's right, Francine," Ephraim added as he walked into the room. "I know exactly who Stone is." Amanda smiled and left the room. Ephraim walked over to Francine. "I told you we'd get through this together, and I meant it."

Francine smiled and nodded. "Did I tell you that Billy got the OK to make us partners officially?"

"That's great, Francine," Ephraim grinned. "Once all this mess with Jonathan is over, we need to celebrate. Sound like a plan?"

"Sounds like a plan," Francine agreed, and put her arms around him.

"Now, let's get to the conference room and get this figured out," he said, leading her out of the office.

Lee looked up as Francine and Ephraim entered the room. "Let's get started," he said, giving them a smile. "Lana called a few minutes ago. Apparently, Ambassador Clare does have some interesting connections in Colombia, particularly with Miguel Del Llorado."

"Llorado?" Amanda interrupted. "Isn't he the guy they tried to tie those plane accidents to?"

"The same," Lee agreed. "Apparently Llorado has carved out a niche in pharmaceuticals and Clare may be one of his ‘partners'. The planes that crashed a few months ago had been outfitted to carry drug shipments. Unfortunately, none of it was found and nothing concrete could be tied to Llorado."

"I'm beginning to understand why Jonathan is running scared. He's never minded getting dirty, but drug cartels are way out of his league," Francine added.

"We need to find the ties between Stone, Clare, and Llorado. Somehow, this attaché job has to be tied into it," Ephraim said.

"Where do we start?" Amanda asked.

The two teams discussed their game plan and finally decided that Ephraim would begin looking into Llorado's background, especially when he'd been in the US and if they could put Llorado and Clare together. Francine would research Clare's activities when he was the Ambassador to Colombia, as well as when he was in Panama, and Amanda  and Lee would go see T.P. Aquinas.

SMK SMK

"Ah, Miguel de Llorado," T.P. sighed as he took a bite of his ice cream. "You've set your sights on a big fish this time, Lee, my boy."

Lee looked at the older man with affection, then glanced at Amanda. She smiled as she took a bite of her chocolate cone and Lee answered, "So, do you know anything about him?"

"Miguel de Llorado is as big a kingpin as they come. He practically runs the country of Colombia out of his well-appointed living room. If Llorado is tied to a case you are working on, it's not going to be pretty," T.P. shared. "He has connections with a lot of the muckety-mucks around here. You need to tread lightly."

"Muckety-mucks?" Lee responded. "One of them wouldn't happen to be Steven Clare, would it?"

"Ooh," T.P. crowed. "You hit the nail on the head, my boy! Steven Clare is very tight with Llorado. The current Mrs. Clare just happens to be the former Maria Del Llorado."

"His sister?" Amanda exclaimed. "Ambassador Clare is married to a drug kingpin's sister?"

"Try his daughter," T.P. corrected. "When the first Mrs. Clare died, the Ambassador had just been appointed to Colombia. Not long after Clare's arrival in the South American country, Miguel was quick to welcome the new diplomat, as well as to pay his condolences, and offered the services of his daughter as a sort of au pair to Ambassador Clare's daughter. Wasn't even a year before she became the second and current Mrs. Clare."

"Well, I think we can safely say that Clare has some interesting in-laws, wouldn't you say?" Lee shared. "But, how does Jonathan Stone tie into all this?"

"Jonathan Stone?" T.P. questioned. "The lad who left Clare's daughter in the lurch? I wouldn't want to be in his shoes right now. Word on the street is that Clare is mighty unhappy with him. I'd wager that Llorado has some men out looking for him as we speak. From what I hear, he's put a damper on Llorado's plans. I'll see what I can find out for you about exactly what those plans are."

"Thanks, T.P," Lee said as he and Amanda said goodbye to their old friend. This case was not getting any better the further they dug.

SMK SMK

Francine entered her bedroom with a sigh. She and Ephraim had finally gotten home a few minutes ago, and Ephraim was in the kitchen, putting their dinner on plates. He'd suggested they pick something up on the way home and she'd readily agreed. As she put her purse down on the bed and toed out of her shoes, a man jumped out of her closet.

Without thought, she whirled around, smacking him in the head with a back fist to the skull, threw a ridge hand at his neck, and then twisted his arm behind his back, forcing him to the floor. She pulled his hair back, and he moaned, "Francine, let me go!"

She realized that it was Jonathan and let go of his arm. She muttered, "You should know better than to jump out at me like that, Jonathan."

"I forgot you were a black belt," he moaned as he rubbed the back of his head, struggling to get to his feet.

Ephraim walked out and saw Jonathan stumbling. "Oh," he said. "I see he startled you. Back fist or ridge hand?"

Francine smiled, saying, "Both," and pushed Jonathan to the couch. Ephraim walked over and told her, "Why don't you go call Lee and let him know about our visitor? I'll keep him company."

When Francine walked away, Ephraim looked at the disheveled man sitting morosely on the couch. "Well, looks like you've really screwed your life up, Stone."

"You're telling me," Jonathan muttered. "How long have you and Francine..."

"Long enough," Ephraim retorted. "You and I need to get a few things straight here. I'm here to stay. You have no place in her life anymore. If you hurt her in any way, you will answer to me...and I can promise you it won't be pretty."

Jonathan stared at Ephraim, then smirked, "Look, man, I get it. She's definitely entertaining, but you need to realize this- I always get her back. Doesn't matter who she's with or for how long, she always comes running back to me."

"No," Ephraim insisted, grabbing Jonathan by the shirt collar, "You don't seem to understand me. Francine is different from the girl you knew. She's not going to waste her time on scum like you ever again."

"We'll see," Jonathan muttered, seeing Francine walk back in. "So, Francine, I'm really sorry I startled you. You really have improved."

Francine gave him an annoyed look, then sat next to Ephraim. "Lee said that he'll be here in a few minutes. Amanda can't come- Dotty and Lillian were going to a movie and the boys were already gone."

"Why don't you and I go ahead and eat while we wait. Our guest can stay where he is," Ephraim suggested.

"Oh, don't mind me," Jonathan muttered sarcastically. "I haven't eaten dinner yet..."

Francine responded, "Oh, we don't mind...you can eat our leftovers."

SMK SMK

Lee arrived thirty minutes later. He went straight to Jonathan and said, "Looks like you've gotten yourself in pretty deep this time, Stone. I suggest you tell me exactly what scared you off and I want details. Then, we'll see what we can do to get you out of this mess."

Jonathan glanced over at Francine, searching for support. When he found none, he sighed, "Fine. At first, everything seemed to be going great. Eloise was like a little puppy, eager to do anything I wanted. She hooked me up with her dad, who seemed pleased that someone had taken an interest in his daughter. He lined up first one job, then another for me at the State Department. I thought I'd finally gotten everything I wanted. I figured I'd marry the girl and then I'd be sitting pretty. That's when it turned. Steven called me into his office one morning and told me he'd found a perfect job for me with the UN. I'd be the attaché to the UN ambassador and he was going to buy Eloise and me an apartment in New York. I was all for it. Then he called in his father-in-law. Let me tell you, I was floored when I saw who it was...Miguel Del Llorado."

"We know that already," Lee stated. "What we don't know is what exactly scared you off. Can you get to that, please?"

"All right, all right. Llorado is looking to expand his operations beyond drugs- he wants more power. He wanted me to tell him information that I learned in meetings I would attend and see what else I could learn about the various ambassadors. I think he wanted me to help him blackmail them. I was also supposed to make ‘deliveries'. Well, I knew that would be a great way to set me up as a scapegoat and I wasn't going to do it. So, I broke it off with Eloise, figuring I would just cut my losses."

"But the Ambassador didn't take kindly to that," Lee clarified.

"No, he sent one of his thugs to my apartment and roughed me up. He told me Steven expected me to marry his daughter and follow through on their plan. If I don't do it by New Year's Eve, they're going to kill me," Jonathan confided. "So, I figured Francine would help me out." He looked at Francine imploringly and begged, "You've got to help me out!"

"Well, see, here's the problem," Lee explained. "It's your word against Ambassador Clare. There's nothing we can do without proof. Was there anyone else in that meeting that could help you? Any papers? Any tapes?"

Jonathan shook his head, then suddenly sat up. "Wait a minute! There's a tape! We met in the Ambassador's office, and I know for a fact he has it wired. He uses it to get information on people that he can use when he ‘needs' it."

"Any ideas on how to get in there?" Lee asked.

"Yes!" Jonathan exulted. "The office is closed on Thursday mornings. No one is there until 1:00 p.m. He always plays golf on Thursdays, so he gives his staff the morning off. We could get in then- I know where the tapes are kept."

"All right," Ephraim said. "I say we go for it."

"Meet us here tomorrow morning at 6 a.m., Stone," Lee advised. "We'll go from there. Do you have somewhere to stay tonight?"

"Well, I kind of thought Francine would let..." Jonathan began, giving her a brilliant smile.

"Nope, no way," Francine insisted. "Take him to a holding cell. He'll be safe there."

"You know," Lee chuckled. "That's not a bad idea. Come on, Stone." Lee pulled Jonathan off of the couch and dragged him to the door. "See you in the morning," Lee called out as he escorted the unwanted man out the door.

Francine breathed a deep sigh as Ephraim enveloped her in his arms. "Looks like it's almost over, beautiful," he breathed as she pulled him closer.

"I hope so," she said.