Title: His Heart and Soul, parts 4-6
Author: Marcy
Summary: Lee is framed for a crime he didn't commit. Can he find Amanda in time to prove his innocence?
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Characters belong to Shoot the Moon and Warner Bros. But the idea and story are mine.
His Heart and Soul, parts 4 – 6
Part 4
T. Percival Aquinas sat at his usual table outside the Ice Cream Shoppe and watched as Lee and his two stepsons crawled out of the Corvette parked across the street. Lee lay a fatherly hand on each of the boy's shoulders as they crossed the street and TP smiled proudly.
Lee gave TP a sideways glance and a single nod. TP also nodded once.
Stopping outside the door of the Ice Cream Shoppe, Lee handed Philip a 20 dollar bill.
"Guys, I see a colleague of mine over here. Go on in and order whatever you want and I will be with you in a few minutes."
The boys went into the Ice Cream Shoppe and Lee walked over to TP's table. He sat down, raising his eyebrows at TP.
"Hi, TP. Whatcha know?"
"I know a lot, Lee my boy. You?"
"Not enough." Lee leaned forwards, frowning almost painfully. " My wife is missing and I am very carefully being set up for her impending murder. I want to stop that, before that happens."
TP nodded, opening his briefcase. "I know."
"I think Auggie Swann has her. Who has Auggie been seen with lately?" Lee asked.
TP raised a knowing eyebrow. "Gregory."
Lee groaned, frowning angrily. "Sounds like his caliber, and Gregory, of course, is at the Soviet Embassy, right?"
TP nodded again. "Virtually untouchable. Gregory has been asking around about the Stanislaus Theory. He is trying to get back in good favor with the KGB."
Lee sighed, looking around uncomfortably. "Do you know what the Stanislaus Theory is?"
TP shook his head, surprised. "No. You don't?"
Lee shook his head, frustrated. "Not a clue."
TP looked through the window at Philip and Jamie. "What do the boys know?"
Lee ran his fingers through his hair. He could feel it growing grayer by the second.
"Nothing yet. They were suppose to go on a camping trip with the Junior Trailblazers, but I told them that something came up and bribed them with ice cream if they withheld all of their questions until we got back to the house. I am trying to not look too concerned, but I'm scared TP." Lee admitted, looking through the window at the boys.
TP smiled. "You are a good father Lee."
Lee looked at TP and sighed. "Thanks, I am trying."
Billy sat behind his desk, anxiously watching Effram Beeman fidget in the chair he was sitting in.
"I'll ask you one more time, Beeman. What is the Stanislaus Theory?"
Beeman pushed his glasses up higher on his nose, shaking his head. "Sir, that is classified information."
Billy came out of his chair with a slow intimidation, leaning forwards, his hands on his desk top, to look down at Beeman with a threatening scowl.
"Beeman, of course it's classified. Everything around here is classified. Mrs. King is missing, that is classified also, but you are aware of it, aren't you?"
"Y-Yes, I heard, Sir."
"And we have determined that is has something to do with this Stanislaus Theory, only, no one but you and Amanda seem to know anything about it. Why is that? Why don't I know anything about what MY Agents are working on? Why doesn't Amanda's partner know anything about it?"
Beeman stood up anxiously, running a nervous hand over the back of his neck. "Sir, Mr. Melrose, I am not at liberty to tell. My job could depend on this."
Billy raised his eyebrows and replied calmly, "Well, you better figure out what is more important, your job, or your life, because your job, isn't going to mean shit, when Lee gets a hold of you."
"Hey, Lee knows what classified means, "Beeman began defensively, "Mrs. King may be his unofficial partner, but she is my-"
"No, Beeman," Billy said with a calm and quiet anger, "She is your nothing. Yes, she may be the Scarecrow's unofficial partner, but she is also Lee Stetson's wife, and you know how Lee can get when it comes to Amanda."
Beeman swallowed hard. Rumors told of how far the Scarecrow would go when it came to Amanda's welfare.
"Wife?"
Billy smiled proudly. He knew that would do it. If anything, Beeman was a coward.
"Yes, wife." Billy confirmed. "Now, what is the Stanislaus Theory?"
"OK." Beeman sighed, knowing he'd rather face any Administrative Board than Lee Stetson. "Dr. Smythe came to me two weeks ago…"
Billy simply shook his head and sat down as he listened to Beeman's story.
Dr. Smythe.
Why was he not surprised?
Lee followed the boys into the house and shut the door quietly. He had seen Curt's Monte Carlo at the curb and knew that now was the time for the questions.
Sure enough, Dotty met Lee on the steps as he entered the den.
"What is going on?" Dotty demanded quietly. "Where is Amanda? Why are the boys with you and not on their camping trip and why is Amanda's computer on the coffee table?"
Lee looked to Curt, who was standing against the island in the middle of the kitchen, and then he looked at Dotty.
"Dotty, Boys, come and sit on the couch." Lee directed.
Dotty led the boys to the couch and sat with a grandson huddled to her on either side. Curt sat on the back of the couch, laying a hand on Dotty's shoulder.
Lee sat on the coffee table next to the computer and clasped his hands together, rubbing one thumb over the other anxiously.
There is no easy way to say this, and I am probably going to muddle it up, so bear with me." Lee began. He took a deep breath and looked into Dotty's tear filled eyes. "Amanda's Wagoneer was found in the Potomac this morning. Amanda was not in it, nor has she been found in or near the water. The windows of the Wagoneer were rolled up, the doors were locked, and her keys were in the ignition when it entered the water. Divers are still looking in the water for her, but I don't think she is in there." Lee stopped to let the information sink in.
"So where could she be?" Dotty asked quietly.
Lee shook his head. "I honestly don't know."
"Are the Police looking for her?" Philip asked.
Lee nodded, hoping he looked more reassuring than he felt.
"The Police, and another Agency." Lee looked from Philip to Jamie. "There are a lot of people out looking for your Mom, and they will find her, I promise." Lee looked to Dotty. "I'll be staying here, if you don't mind."
Dotty nodded. "That's fine. Was her purse in the car?" Lee shook his head and with just a shared look, they understood that whoever had Amanda, also had knowledge of where they all lived. "I am glad you are staying." Dotty said softly.
Lee looked from Philip to Jamie. "Now, you boys can stay here, or I can call Joe, wherever you want to go."
Both boys shook their heads and only Jamie spoke. "I want to stay with you and Grandma."
Lee nodded and couldn't help but smile softly. "Then you will stay here." Lee looked at Dotty. "But I think maybe we should let Joe know what is going on."
Dotty nodded. "I'll call him. He'll probably want to come over."
Lee stood, running a hand through his hair as he walked towards the bookcase.
"Yeah, probably."
Dotty stood and walked to the phone. It rang as she stepped into the kitchen. She answered it quickly, hoping it was Amanda. "Hello."
"Mrs. West, " she heard, "This is William Melrose. Is Lee Stetson there?"
Dotty raised her eyebrows.
"Yes, he is, Mr. Melrose. Hold on for just a moment, please." Dotty looked at Lee as he walked over to her. She covered the mouthpiece with her hand. "Why would Mr. Personality be calling you here?"
Lee raised his eyebrows. "I called him. I figured he could have some of his people out looking for Amanda too. I think he owes us that much at least after that huge security mix up, don't you?"
Dotty nodded, handing the phone. "Good point."
Lee put the phone to his ear and Dotty walked back over to the couch to sit between the two boys.
"Stetson." Lee said.
"Lee," He heard, "I think you better come in for awhile. I've got some information you'll be interested in."
"I'll be there as soon as I can." Lee told him before he hung up. Lee walked back over to the couch and sat on the coffee table to look at Dotty.
"Mr. Melrose wants to meet with me. I'll bring dinner back, OK?" he said, looking from Dotty to Curt.
Curt nodded. "I'll stay."
Lee nodded back at him. "Thank you." Lee leaned forwards and lay his hands on the boy's knees. "I love your Mom, and I am going to make sure that everyone looks for her, until she is found. I won't give up, and I don't want either of you to give up either. Promise?" As he looked to each of the boys, they nodded at him. Lee stood and leaned over to kiss Dotty's cheek warmly. "I won't be gone long. Call Joe."
Inside Billy's office, Billy and Francine waited for Lee.
Francine shook her head as she looked over Billy's notes.
"Why would Dr. Smythe turn over something so sensitive to Beeman and Amanda of all people?" Francine asked incredulously.
Billy shook his head. "God only knows, and I can't find Smythe anywhere."
"Of course not."
Billy's office door opened and Lee strode through it, closing it behind him.
"What did you find out from Beeman?" Lee asked anxiously.
Billy raised his eyebrows.
"After some brow beating, Beeman told me that Dr. Smythe wanted Beeman and Amanda to work on this Stanislaus Theory. He told Beeman that he was thinking of partnering Amanda with him after her formal training was over. My guess is that Beeman liked the idea, and that is why he went along with the secrecy."
Lee raised his eyebrows, shaking his head. "Oh, no. She is my partner, Billy."
Billy raised his hands up to stop Lee's words. "I know, I know. Beeman doesn't want her now, anyway."
"Why wouldn't he want her?" Lee asked defensively. "She is a damned good Agent."
"And he knows that you would kill him if he ever let anything happen to your wife."
"Damned right." Lee mumbled under his breath. "Did he tell you what the Stanislaus Theory was?"
"The Stanislaus Theory is the antidote for a new biological warfare virus being developed by the KGB. McJohn has been trying to develop an antidote for it, before it hits American soil. The antidote was coded in a mathematical theory. Beeman and Amanda have been working with McJohn. How Smythe got the theory, I don't know."
Lee nodded. "I do. Gregory." Lee said simply. "I talked to TP. Gregory has been asking around about the Stanislaus Theory. He got Auggie to kidnap Amanda, and set me up."
Billy looked at Lee angrily. "Auggie Swann? That mud wrestling womanizing money hungry grease monkey took Amanda?"
Lee nodded again. "Yes. I recognized his voice on the recording. Either Gregory is paying Auggie very well, or he is blackmailing Auggie for something."
Francine, who had been quietly observing, shook her head. "This doesn't make sense. If Gregory gave Dr. Smythe the coded theory in the first place, why does he want it back?"
Billy shook his head. "We are talking about Gregory and Dr. Smythe. It doesn't have to make sense, as long as they get what they want."
"And unfortunately," Lee said sadly, "Neither one of them cares who they hurt, to get what they want, and in this case, both would probably take great delight in getting to me through Amanda."
Billy nodded. "Smythe won't make the trade."
Francine frowned. "And Gregory would kill her without a thought."
Lee snapped his fingers, smiling hopefully.
"But Auggie won't. He doesn't have it in him. All we need to do is find Auggie, and then Auggie and I will have a right nice come to Jesus meetin' before I wring his sleazy neck." Lee bit out with a barely controlled anger as he opened the door. He stood in the doorway and turned back to Billy. "Oh, and Billy, I'd tell Beeman to steer clear of me, until my wife is found."
Part 5
Amanda looked around the dark sub-basement, finally able to turn her head slightly. Whatever drug she had been given was starting to slowly wear off. Her mind was starting to clear. She remembered leaving Lee's apartment early in the morning and driving along the quiet road towards Arlington. At a stoplight, a black limousine seemingly stalled in front of her. When she attempted to back her own car up and go around it, Auggie Swann had stepped out of the drivers side of the limousine and walked over to Amanda's car. Amanda had rolled down her window and with her typical morning cheerfulness, asked Auggie if he needed any help. When Auggie had joined her at the window, he smiled, then sprayed something in her face. All too quickly after that, her world had done dark.
"Oh my gosh, Auggie," she muttered hoarsely, "what have you gotten yourself into this time?"
Lee walked into his bedroom at the apartment, closed the door, and headed straight to his dresser. He opened his sock drawer and dug under the matching socks to find his ring box missing. He slammed the drawer, and then slammed his fist into the dresser in frustration. How had someone gotten into his apartment without him knowing? Gideon and Tyler had searched his apartment thoroughly and hadn't found any listening devices around, so the question of how someone had known that he was wearing a gray suit and blue tie still remained unanswered. The Wagoneer had entered the Potomac at approximately 7 that morning, but Lee hadn't even left his apartment until 7:30.
Lee leaned his hands against the top of the dresser and hung his head despondently.
"Think Stetson, think. You're missing something here." Lee muttered to himself.
The witness. Who was this witness?
Just then he heard a knock at his bedroom door. Lee straightened and turned to the door.
"Come in." Lee called.
Agent Gideon opened the door and looked at Lee. "Detective Trudeau is here and he wants to talk to you."
Lee nodded, shoving his hands into the pockets of his gray trousers.
"Good. I want to talk to him, too. You guys go ahead and grab something to eat. I'll be here for at least half an hour. Tell Manny I'll be out in a minute."
Lee changed into a close fitting blue polo shirt and blue denims, threw some more clothes into a duffel bag, and as he turned from the bed, knocked the bag to the floor.
And that's when he figured out where the bug was, and when it was put into Amanda's purse.
"OK, Manny," Lee called as he strode out of his bedroom, gun in hand. "Let's get it over with."
Manny turned away from Lee's bookshelf and raised his eyebrows at Lee, and then at Lee's gun. Lee opened the chamber, looked inside, closed it, and then shoved the gun into the back of his pants.
"You are a hard man to find." Manny told Lee.
"Obviously not." Lee quipped cynically. "Cut the crap Manny. Who is this witness who claimed to see me run my wife into the Potomac and then watch as her car proceeded to sink into the water?"
Manny shook his head.
"What's your hurry, Stetson?" Manny asked suspiciously.
Lee folded his arms across his chest, raising a cynical eyebrow. "Someone needs to be in a hurry, your boys in blue sure aren't."
"Stetson, come on. We have a few things to clear up."
"And I have my own things to do, so lets clear your things up." Lee replied impatiently.
"Your wedding ring was found…"
"I heard. Where is it?"
Manny pulled the ring from his pocket and handed it to Lee. Lee looked at it for a moment, looked at the inscription on the inside and then the smooth gold on the outside. Then, Lee smiled with relief and shook his head.
"This isn't mine."
Manny frowned. "What do you mean it isn't yours? Is that not an inscription from your wife?"
"Oh, it's the same inscription, but it isn't the same ring."
"And you know that, how?"
"Mine has a scuff mark, on the outside."
"Excuse me? How do you remember a scuff mark on a ring?"
"I have a habit of hitting walls, when there isn't any other target. On our honeymoon, Amanda was shot. She almost died. I was upset. I hit a wall, with my left hand, and scuffed my wedding ring. I didn't notice it, but Amanda did, and then proceeded to lecture me on the uselessness of hitting inanimate objects." He handed the ring back to Manny, smiling smugly. "This isn't my ring."
Manny looked at the ring and then slid it back into his pocket.
"Can anyone else back that up?" Lee shook his head.
"No. Up until this morning, the fact that Amanda and I were married was a secret."
Manny pulled a gold cufflink out of his pocket, handing it to Lee.
"Is this yours?"
Lee looked at it speculatively. It was a square shaped cuff link with the initials LS.
Lee shook his head. "It has my initials, but it isn't mine. I've never seen this before. Where did you find this?"
Manny took the cufflink and turned it over to show Lee a small splotch of blood on the back of it.
"In your wife's car. Stetson, there was blood on the headrest, and this cufflink was embedded in the seat. Analysis proves that this blood on the headrest, and on this cufflink is the same type as your wife's."
Lee unfolded his arms slowly, looking at Manny.
"Blood? Amanda's blood? Oh god." He mumbled, running his fingers through his hair. "This just keeps getting worse and worse. Manny, every time I come up with something, and think I'm on the right track, something else pops up and kicks my butt."
Manny slides the cufflink back into his pocket. "When did you see her last?"
Lee shook his head incredulously. "Manny, I didn't do it. You know I didn't do it."
"How do you know what I know?" Manny asked.
"If you thought I really did it, you'd have all of that as evidence at the station, and me in cuffs. Manny, you needn't concern yourself with it anymore. It's an Agency matter now, and all of your other so called evidence is being picked up by Francine right now."
Manny shook his head. "Do you know who has her? Do you know where she is?"
Lee shrugged, his hands on his hips. "Not officially."
Manny shook his head, walking towards the front door.
"You Spooks." Manny muttered "You always got to do things your way." Before he opened the door, Manny turned to Lee. "If you need anything, let me know. I always liked Mrs. King, and no, I never thought you did it, but I had to have some answers."
Lee raised his eyebrows at Manny. "Who is the witness, Manny? Who said they saw me at the Potomac?"
"I can't tell you that, you know that." Manny told Lee.
"It was Auggie Swann, wasn't it?"
Manny looked at Lee for a moment, and only nodded before he walked out the door, waving a hand at Lee.
Lee sank to the couch and dropped his head into his hands. Amanda's blood on the seat? If Amanda was hurt, Auggie was a dead man.
Before Lee left his apartment, he had all of his calls forwarded to a message phone at the Agency so that Francine could keep an ear out for another call from Auggie. While in the car, driving to Arlington, Lee called Billy and gave him the latest news. Billy told him that he had Agents out looking for Auggie, but none had seen him yet.
Lee nodded, watching the road, his eyes angry. "Yeah, well, Auggie's not the brightest pumpkin in the patch, so he'll give himself away soon." And then as an afterthought, Lee added, "Oh, and Billy, I figured out where the bug is. It's in Amanda's purse."
"Amanda's purse?" Billy asked. "How did it get in there?"
"Amanda and I were at Emelio's having a drink before dinner last Thursday, and Auggie appeared. He was talking with us, and he knocked Amanda's purse off of the bar. When he bent to pick it up, he must have dropped it into her purse. He left to go chase some skirt, and neither one of us gave it a thought. Amanda always keeps her purse in the bedroom, and that's how he knew we were married, how he heard where I keep my ring and which suit and tie I was wearing this morning."
"I'm glad that part is solved, and that the wedding ring evidence is cleared up but the blood worries me." Billy said, concerned.
Lee nodded. "It worries me too. It worries me a lot. I'm on my way to the house Billy. Call me if you find out where Auggie is. I want to be the one to talk to him."
"You'll know, as soon as I know, and then he is all yours."
When Lee parked in the driveway of the house, he looked to the right and saw Joe's car parked at the curb, and Jamie sitting on the front porch. Lee frowned. The boy shouldn't be out front by himself.
As Lee stepped out of the car with his duffel bag and two pizza cartons, he looked across the street at the supposed Cable Company van. He nodded at the van and then walked towards the house.
Jamie met him at the little white picket gate and took the pizzas from Lee.
"Jamie, you should be in the house." Lee said, walking through the gate and then closing it.
Jamie looked up at Lee.
"Have they found my Mom yet?" Jamie asked sadly.
Lee shook his head, laying a hand on Jamie's shoulder. "Not yet."
"Dad is here."
Lee nodded. "I know. I saw his car. Has he been here long?"
Jamie shook his head. "No, just a little while. He says he wants to stay the night."
Lee takes a deep breath, nodding.
"Do you want him to?"
Jamie shrugged.
"Might be weird."
Lee had to chuckle. "It just might be, Jamie."
They walked into the house together. As they walked towards the den, Lee dropped his bag at the foot of the stairs. In the den, they found Dotty, Curt, and Joe sitting in the den.
"Grandma, Lee brought pizza." Jamie announced, setting the pizza cartons on the counter. Dotty and Joe both stood up from the couch.
Lee nodded at Joe. "Joe."
Dotty walked over to Lee as he and Joe stared at each other. She touched Lee's arm as she stood in front of him.
"Any word? What did Mr. Melrose say?"
Lee lay his hands on Dotty's shoulders and shook his head as he looked down at her.
"He has every available man looking for her."
Dotty nodded emotionally. "Good. Good."
Joe walked into the kitchen. "Lee, can I talk to you?"
Lee looked at Joe over Dotty's head. "Yes, but later. I have a few phone calls to make first." He looked back down at Dotty. "I am going to use the phone in Amanda's room, OK? And if the phone rings, let me answer it. It could be Mr. Melrose, or the Police."
Dotty looked up at Lee. "OK."
Lee looked down at Jamie and tried to smile. "Go up and get Philip. After dinner, I want you boys to clean up the kitchen, OK?"
Jamie nodded and left the kitchen.
Joe frowned impatiently. "Lee, I really want to talk to you about this,"
Lee sighed, removing his hands from Dotty's shoulders. "And we will, after the boys go to bed, which will be at their normal time." He said, the latter to Dotty. "We'll keep their routine as normal as possible."
Curt smiled at Lee's take charge attitude. He watched Joe's shoulders stiffen when Lee told Jamie what to do, so Curt moved to stand behind Joe.
"I agree." Curt said, nodding at Lee. "Let's get started on that pizza."
Part 6
Amanda looked up as she heard the opening of a small trap door above her to the right. The dim light that shown through was bright to her eyes and she closed her eyes. When she heard movement, Amanda opened her eyes again to see Auggie climbing down the ladder into the basement.
Auggie turned his flashlight on and pointed it at Amanda's face.
"You're awake. I wish you weren't. Now I'll have to give you more of that stuff."
Amanda cleared her throat, "What stuff, Auggie? I still can't move anything from my shoulder's down."
Auggie walked over to her and kneeled down next to her shoulder. "It's a paralytic, to paralyze you, so I don't have to worry about you breaking out of here."
"What did you get yourself into, Auggie? You're in a lot of trouble, you know."
Auggie nodded. "I had to do this, I needed to."
"Who got you into this?" Amanda asked, her voice hoarse.
"Gregory. He is paying me a quarter of a million, to keep you here until he gets what he wants." Auggie admitted.
"And that is?"
"The Stanislaus Theory. He wants Lee to get it for him."
Amanda closed her eyes.
"Oh my gosh," she sighed. She looked at Auggie. "The Stanislaus Theory is classified. Lee doesn't know anything about it. He won't be able to get it for you."
Auggie raised his eyebrows. "He better get it, or Gregory is going to kill you."
Late that evening, Dr. Smythe walked into Billy's office nonchalantly, puffing on his cigarette.
"I hear you have been looking for me, Melrose."
Billy looked up at Dr. Smythe from his desk and ran a hand over his weary face and over his head. "All damned day."
"I also heard that the King woman is missing, and at the hands of our very own Scarecrow, no less."
Billy stood up, shaking his head. "You would love that, wouldn't you."
Dr. Smythe shrugged, puffing smoke Billy's direction. "No matter to me, Melrose."
"Lee didn't do it." Billy said. "She was abducted, over the Stanislaus Theory. We think Gregory has her. He wants the Stanislaus Theory in trade for Mrs. King's life."
"You mean, Mrs. Stetson. I'm not too pleased about that, by the way." Dr. Smythe added, shaking his head. "No trade, Melrose."
Billy raised his eyebrows cynically.
"Now, how did I know that?" Billy shook his head. "Whatever possessed you to give something as important as the Stanislaus Theory to them? I could have understood you giving it to the Scarecrow and Amanda King, but Beeman and Amanda King? And without my knowledge?"
"Melrose, who better than Bumble-Beeman and the little housewife? No one would have ever suspected them to be working on it." Dr. Smythe shrugged, turning to look out the window of Billy's office at the crowded bullpen. "Gregory gave the coded theory to me, by way of a little trade of information. Then, suddenly, Stanislaus was killed, the true antidote still in his head. The fool thought that as long as he was the only one who knew the antidote, he would be safe. All that was left was this coded theory that both the KGB and we Americans have. Now it seems that Gregory wants to get in good with the KGB again, and hand over the actual antidote." Dr. Smythe turned back to Billy and smiled, puffing more smoke Billy's direction. "The KGB is now in a full-scale scramble, because they have this virus, and no antidote. It would make the Russians look pretty foolish if the Americans broke the code before they did, and we all know how the Russians hate to look foolish."
Billy folded his arms across his chest, shaking his head. "McJohn hasn't cracked it yet."
Dr. Smythe nodded. "Yet. And there will be no trade. The housewife knew the risks, and so did the Scarecrow, when he married her."
After the boys were in bed, Joe cornered Lee in the den.
Lee was standing at the bookcase, looking at the picture of he and Amanda when Joe walked over to him.
"I want to talk to you, right now." Joe said tightly. He was tired of being put off by this Secret Agent Man.
Lee looked back at Joe and nodded. "Let's go out back."
They walked out the back door and over to the picnic table.
"What do you want to know?" Lee asked.
Joe raised his eyebrows.
"Well, for one thing, does this have anything to do with the Agency?"
Lee looked at Joe for a moment, and then nodded. He knew that he could trust Joe, and that Amanda had planned to tell Joe eventually.
"Yes, it does." Lee admitted.
Joe looked at Lee angrily. "Damn it. I wish I had kept a tighter reign on Amanda after I came back from Estocia. If I had, she would have never gone to work for you, never gotten mixed up in your business, never fallen for you, and she wouldn't be missing right now. That's why she is missing, right? They are holding her against her will, because of you."
Lee sighed, sitting on the tabletop.
"Joe, Amanda and I have known each other a lot longer that you think, than anyone thinks. She was already working with me when all of that went down with Estocia. We pretended not to know each other, because nobody knew that she worked for the Agency. She is my Partner, Joe, not my secretary, not my Assistant. She is an Agent, she is working on something very important, and that is why she is missing."
"Amanda? A Spy?" Joe asked in disbelief.
"Yes." Lee replied.
"She works with you, and so now, my family is in danger, while you are here in this house." Joe concluded matter of factly.
Lee shook his head. "No, everyone is safer, while I am here. We also have Agency teams, watching the house."
"Well, just the same," Joe started, "I brought my things, so that I could stay the night. You don't need to."
Lee stood up angrily. He had had enough. He was having a very tough day, to say the least. Lee was tired of having to be a nice guy, when all he wanted to do was throttle someone and Joe was pushing him to that limit.
"Where do you get off suddenly becoming this family's protector? After being gone for so long, what makes you think that you can just waltz in and take over?"
Joe raised his eyebrows. "Because this is my family. What makes you think that you can take over?" Joe countered.
Lee folded his arms across his chest, to keep his fists in check and said calmly, "Because this is my family now. Amanda and I were married in February."
Joe took a step backwards, surprised and shocked. "Without telling anyone?"
Lee nodded. "We didn't want the family to be in danger. I have made a lot of enemies over the years, and Amanda and I have put away quite a few people. We never wanted anyone to use our family against us, never wanted to get them hurt."
Joe shook his head. "No. Your enemies will just go after your partner instead. If you really loved Amanda, her safety would be your first priority and she wouldn't be in this mess in the first place."
"You are hardly one to talk about priorities and this family." Lee bit out. "And as I told you, this doesn't even have anything to do with my enemies, or me, yet."
"Yet?" Joe asked.
"We may have a lead, and when we get some concrete information, I am going to go after her, and I am going to get her back and that sorry son of a bitch is going to wish that he never laid a hand on her." Lee answered with a quiet and angry voice. "Now trust me and get off my back. I have been taking care of this family, for years, before you even came back into the picture. I love Amanda, I love Dotty, and I love those boys. My first priority is this family, so don't you EVER question my actions again."
Joe regarded Lee for a moment and then shook his head in resignation. "I am still going to stay tonight."
Lee nodded, running his fingers through his hair. "Fine. You take the couch in the den and I'll sleep in the front room, by the front door."
Joe turned to walk towards the back door. Lee frowned at Joe's back.
"Joe."
Joe turned to Lee, his eyebrows raised, "Hm?"
"I am going to get her back." Lee told him confidently.
Joe nodded. "I've seen you in action. I don't doubt that you will."
Joe walked into the kitchen and found Dotty and Curt standing at the sink, both looking quite shocked. Joe cleared his throat.
"I take it, you heard?" Both Dotty and Curt nodded. Joe sighed. "How much did you hear?"
Dotty raised an eyebrow.
"Enough." She said in a surprisingly calm and quiet voice. Dotty looked up at Curt. "I think I will go out and talk to my son in law."
Curt nodded, dropping a kiss on the top of her head. "You go ahead. I'll keep an ear out in here."
Dotty looked back at Joe. "You don't have to stay."
Joe frowned. "It's my place, to stay with my family."
Dotty shook her head. "No, it's not your place anymore. Curt is going to stay. You go ahead and go home."
Dotty walked out the back door quietly and looked at Lee.
Lee was sitting at the picnic table, his elbows on the tabletop, his head in his raised hands. Dotty sat next to Lee.
Lee, feeling the movement on the bench next to him, looked up slightly to try and smile at her. "Hi."
Dotty lay a hand on the back of his neck and sighed, an eyebrow raised. "Shouldn't that be, Hi Mom?"
Lee raised his eyebrows and smiled sheepishly. "How much did you hear?"
"All of it. Curt and I were in the kitchen. Your voices were raised, the kitchen window was open," Dotty shrugged. "I can't say I understand why my daughter decided to become a Spy, or why you kept your marriage a secret," she stopped to smile and she rubbed his neck, looking at him as only a mother would look at her son. "I can appreciate the fact, that you must love my daughter very much, to be married to her, and still be separated every night, and that you do it to keep your family safe."
Lee sighed, shaking his head. "I don't ever want any of you to be harmed."
"But Lee, wouldn't we be safer, if you were under our roof, if we were all together?" Dotty asked quietly.
Lee nodded. "I am beginning to think so."
Dotty cleared her throat. "Do you know what I think?"
Lee raised his eyebrows. "I'm afraid to ask."
"I think," Dotty said softly, "you two owe me and the boys a wedding, and I plan on giving you one soon, so I suggest, for the boys sake, you propose to my daughter again, as soon as you find her."
Lee smiled. "Thanks."
Dotty smiled back at him. "You are welcome."
The back door opened and Curt stepped outside.
"Lee," Curt said quietly, "Mr. Melrose is on the phone."
Lee looked at Dotty and raised his eyebrows. "Here we go."
To Be Continued.