Chapter 1: Busted!

Lee Stetson shook his head vigorously, then ran his hands through his hair furiously. "No, no, no, Billy! We can't do this! Amanda's been through too much, and I've already called her anyway. You know she's got things with her kids that she's been missing out on! This'll take way too long, plus, I'm not sure she's qualified."

"You always say that," Billy protested. "Yes, there was a time when it was true, but it's not any longer, and you know it. Besides, anyone can do this one, Lee. You could go through that black book of yours if you wanted; all she has to do is be with you on vacation … in Hawaii. Now how hard is that? Ask her again, Lee, and if you can't get her to go, or if you can't find a date yourself, then I'll send Francine with you."

The slender blonde sidled up to Lee, her arm going around his waist. "I'd be happy to go with you, Lee. You can forego Amanda; problem solved." She made big eyes at him, smiling at the prospect.

Lee gently disengaged himself from her and said, "No. Just … no." Ignoring Francine's hurt expression, Lee turned back to Billy. "Alright, Billy, I'll give Amanda the spiel, and take it from there." He threw his sport coat over his shoulder and stormed out.

"Have fun, Lee," Billy called, laughter evident in his voice, as Lee left.

Scarecrow grumbled, but closed the door, refusing to rise to the bait. He had already called Amanda about it, but he figured that one last attempt could not hurt. He would just drive over, knock on the window like he always did, and give her the spiel.

Amanda would probably agree, and Lee thought that that was a damned shame. The woman wanted nothing more than to be a mom, but the pressure of a government agency was often just enough to pull her away and make her agree to whatever Mission Scarecrow brought to her. He had often let her know that it was not his idea. Amanda always seemed to take this as an insult, but it was not; Lee was genuinely looking out for her. He really did not think that anyone else saw her as anything more than a convenient civilian too. But Lee Stetson did not work that way. He did not use people casually, and he hated that so many in the business did.

Lee slowed his Corvette and parked down the street from Amanda's house like he always did. He was still missing the old Porsche a little, but the Vette's effortless power and slot-car like handling had really grown on him. It was a lot more comfortable than the old Porsche ever thought about being. The car phone was nice too. He had the targa roof in the back, enjoying the balminess of the early summer night. A date, he thought. This car is perfect for dates. Too bad I don't have one that means a darn.

Billy made light of Lee's extensive list of social contacts, but to Lee's disappointment, that extensive list had produced no lasting relationships. Well, here goes, he thought as he snuck around back. He checked the window, and it looked like the coast was clear. No Amanda, but no Dotty either. Perhaps Amanda was out for the evening. He raised his fist to knock on the window of the back door, looking behind him to make sure that nobody could see him. Knocking on the door, he turned around, seeing the door open. He was disappointed; he hoped Amanda simply would not be there, saving him having to trouble her again. Lee did a double take when he realized that it was Dotty, Amanda's mother, who had answered. She wore a long silk robe, but it was unbuttoned at the top, revealing a hint of cleavage.

"Lee Stetson," she said eagerly. "I knew you'd be here eventually!"

"Uh …" Lee had no idea what Dotty was getting at, but she clearly knew who he was, and that was a problem.

"Oh, don't be shy, Lee," Dotty said cheerfully as she opened the screen door and took Lee's hand to lead him inside. "Now, you just come right on in, Lee Stetson. I'll get a cup of coffee for you … unless you'd prefer something … stronger."

Lee really did not want to go in, but at the same time, he needed to know how Dotty knew who he was, if she knew what he was, and if so, how much she actually knew. "Okay, Mrs. West."

"Oh, just Dotty, Lee."

Lee went with her and took a seat at the kitchen table as Dotty directed. "I'm sorry, but have we met in person? Amanda's told me about you, but I don't recall us ever having contact."

Dotty poured drinks for them both and sat down across from Lee. He never specified what he wanted, but the liquid from the gin and tonic bottles did not constitute coffee. Dotty moved very quickly from the door to the cabinet, to the table with the drinks, but once she sat down, she adjusted herself carefully in the seat and turned to face him very deliberately, a coy smile on her face. While her hair was blonde like Francine's, Dotty was going gray, and her face, though very attractive, was lined from age and beginning to lose its tautness. She took a drink from her glass and then explained.

"Now Amanda always thinks she can keep secrets from me." Dotty made a grand, sweeping motion with her hand. "Now I just play along and let her think she's hiding whatever it is she's doing. She is a grown woman, after all. But that doesn't mean that I'm as oblivious or as gullible as she thinks I am."

Lee noticed that she did a lot of talking with her hands. She also projected very, very well. He took a draught from his gin and tonic, and realized that Dotty had made him the best gin & tonic he had ever tasted. Dotty continued:

"Now, when she started having covert chats with a man who was sneaking around to the back door and trying to distract me while she answered, I got curious." Dotty leaned forward, her right elbow on the table, chin resting in her right hand. "So I would leave the room and act like she had privacy. Then I'd wander around to the back, and while the two of you were in deep conversation, I could observe without being seen." Then she sat up straight and made 'voila' motion with her hands. "I didn't even have to hide!"

"I'll have to talk to Amanda about what 'the coast is clear' actually means," said Lee, only half joking.

"Well be that as it may," Dotty went on, "when I saw you, I was so happy! I mean, you're a much better looking man than Dean, but I was curious as to why she would hide you from me. So I started listening when you would drop by. I also noticed that you were in weird places. Like when Amanda and I went to the grocery store, and she was talking to the milk."

"But it was me on the other side," Lee confirmed.

"Exactly! That was when I realized that this IFF was really a front for your … agency? Is that what you call it? And that you are a spy, codenamed Scarecrow." She took another drink. "Now, mind you, it took months to piece all this together, but as you can see, Amanda gets her knack for … whatever it is you two are doing from me."

"Dotty, you're not supposed to know about any of this," Lee scolded. "This is … a potentially serious security breach, and …"

"Oh, no; not at all! I'm as American and as patriotic as George Washington himself! Why, I'm more American than that Columbia woman they have at the beginning of the movies!" Then she leaned forward, her chin propped on her hands, elbows on her knees. "Your secret's safe with me, Scarecrow."

"I could take steps to ensure that," Lee politely threatened. "But Amanda has told me enough about you that I think you're word is more than sufficient."

"Oh, you have nothing to worry about, Lee Stetson," Dotty assured, holding her hands up in a gesture of surrender. "But I'd submit to any security measures you deemed necessary. After all, I'm behind this country of ours one hundred percent! Two hundred if need be."

Dotty took another drink, and Lee joined her, actually somewhat amused by Dotty's display of patriotism.

"Now, I have to admit that I was a little disappointed that my Amanda had not struck up a relationship with you," Dotty lamented, but then she looked up and to the right, as though contemplating and said, "But then I realized …" She leaned forward again, looking deeply into his eyes, her elbows back on her knees, but her hands down. "I realized that maybe I should meet the Scarecrow myself and see just what kind of man he is."

Dotty spoke seductively, and Lee did have to admit that the older woman was quite attractive. Surprisingly, she was much more spontaneous than her daughter. He had to admit that Dotty's instincts were actually pretty good, and she was very patriotic. With Mrs. West's only daughter grown and having kids of her own, Dotty was free to travel and to go where she wished when she pleased. Lee began to piece together a plan, certain that Amanda would not mind.

"You know, Dotty, I have an idea, and it just might work."