After publishing this story on another fan site, I noticed that there was already a story on this site with the same name. I didn't want to change the name of my story, and I hope this doesn't cause too much confusion. The other "Just Like Old Times" was written by Gloria2 in 2013/2014.
Setting: Lee turned 65 on June 17, 2015 (while I'm writing this story, in fact). I don't know whether forced retirement is still legal or practiced, but it was a good device for "Humbug" in "The Mole" (Season 1) so I'm making the assumption in this story that it is still enforced. I wanted to have Lee retired and unhappy about it. After all, 65 isn't nearly as old as it used to be. The story is set slightly in the future – the Autumn after his retirement.
Rating: PG-13 Disclaimer: Warner Brothers and Shoot the Moon Enterprises own these wonderful characters. All I get from writing about them is the chance to visit with Lee and Amanda from time to time. The story is my own.
Just Like Old Times – by AlaskanFan
Stetson Household, Rockville, MD
Friday evening, October 16, 2015
"Sweetheart, we're here." Amanda called as she and her guest walked through the door. The sun streamed through the lace curtains reproducing the lace pattern in silhouette on the tiled entry.
"Great." Lee's enthusiastic response boomed from the family room as he rushed to welcome his friend. "Aah, it's good to see you, you old rascal." Leatherneck barely had time to drop his bag by the front door before he was enveloped in a manly bear hug.
"Ace, it's been too long." The two men clapped each other on the back twice and stepped back, grinning at each other in delight. Lee leaned to give Amanda a quick kiss in greeting and then snaked his arm around her waist.
Amanda enjoyed seeing their pleasure. They had all been looking forward to this weekend. Forced retirement had been a rough adjustment for her husband and she hoped to relieve some of his boredom by helping him reconnect with good friends.
"Leatherneck, you're looking fit. Do you get so much exercise chasing women?" Lee laughed as he complimented his friend. The cobalt blue, cable knit sweater showed no bulges as it skimmed Leatherneck's taut torso. When he moved, his supple jeans rippled with strong thigh muscles under the fabric. His thick brown hair had thinned into a fringe of salt and pepper. Lee's face had gained more laugh lines and the furrows on his forehead had taken up permanent residence. His light brown mane had faded to white and was clipped short. Amanda knew that Lee's loose Redskins sweatshirt concealed a body just as trim as his friend's. Amanda wore the years lightly. Her pleasant face also had more laugh lines and her brown hair sparkled with tiny bits of sliver and white hair. Her hair was shoulder length with just a hint of curl at the ends.
"The only women I chase are the ones ahead of me on the triathlon courses." The marine shook his head ruefully. He envied Lee and Amanda's vibrant relationship. His only regret was that he hadn't managed to duplicate it. Relationships with women just hadn't worked out for him – a couple of failed marriages, a few long-term relationships.
"How many of those have you completed? Hawaii last month, right?" Amanda felt badly that she hadn't asked him about the Iron Man results already. Besides a warm greeting at the airport, the trivia of travel had occupied the ride home.
"I've finished five so far, and yes, I competed in the Hawaii Iron Man last month. I was the sixteenth finisher in my age group." He grinned shyly and thrust his hands into his pockets as he reported his achievement. He was pleased she had asked.
"What age group is that?" Lee asked. "Sixty to a hundred?" Competing in an iron man triathlon had never been one of his ambitions. Nevertheless, it was an impressive achievement.
"No, I'm in the 65-69 age group. There are nearly twice the number of competitors in the 60-64 group. The number of finishers dwindles with age, as you would expect. I think I'll manage another one or two events but I don't expect to compete much longer." Like roosters in a barnyard, he and Lee had expanded their chests demonstrating their prowess to the hen.
The marine was rewarded with Amanda's fond smile and compliments. "I'm sure it takes a lot of hard work and dedication, Leatherneck. You're obviously in great shape." Lee was awarded the grand prize of a kiss to his cheek and a one-armed squeeze around his waist as she exited. "I'll just put the finishing touches on dinner while Lee shows you to your room. You can settle in while he opens the wine. Dinner will be ready in about 20 minutes."
Dinner passed pleasantly with laughter and warm affection among the friends. They moved to the family room after the meal and continued reconnecting. The room was intended for comfort rather than elegance. The love manifested by strong family relationships lingered like a fragrance in the room blessing both visitor and host. Amanda went to bed around 10:00 providing an opportunity for "man talk." As she hoped, the wine and reminiscences opened the way for deeper conversation.
"You've been retired a couple of years now. Does it get any better?" Lee asked pensively.
"No, Ace. Can't say that it does. Marathons and mechanics don't satisfy the itch to do something important."
"I can stomach only so much golf and gardening; this enforced retirement is driving me crazy. Amanda's still saving the world one charity event at a time, but that's not enough for me."
"I hear you, but it's not like I can open a "Spy Gadgets R Us". I'd have every crook in the world beating a path to my door."
"Yeah. I could contribute by writing "Espionage for Dummies". Between us, we'd commit major treason. Going to jail would be even worse than forced retirement." The men smiled ruefully at each other.
"What about the kids and grandkids? Don't they keep you busy?"
"Not nearly as much as I'd like. We see them occasionally, but most of the time Amanda and I rattle around in this nearly empty house. Maybe it's time to think about moving into something smaller."
The men sat in companionable silence for a minute or two. "So, Ace, what's the story on your knee?"
Lee snorted in disgust and shifted in his chair. "I first injured my lateral collateral ligament when Walt Kimbell went ballistic in the bullpen. You remember that, right? It healed well enough then, but I injured it again maybe ten years later. That was the beginning of the end of my field career; couldn't chase the bad guys with a gimpy knee. I would get desk duty while I rehabbed my knee and then I'd get out in the field again only to reinjure it and get another round of physical therapy and desk jockey assignments. Within the year, it was clear that I should take an administrative position. You know, Billy had been pushing me towards administration ever since I got serious with Amanda. After 10 years, I finally admitted he was right. You were, where? In New York by then?"
"Yeah, I always thought I'd come back to D.C. but every time there was an opening here, I was in the midst of tinkering with some new gadget and I just couldn't get away. New York until '98 and then Chicago. I never appreciated D.C.'s mild winters until I went elsewhere." Leatherneck was everyone's friend, but few people were privy to the secrets of his heart. Part of his agenda for this trip was to test the idea of moving back to D.C. Now that he was retired, he could live anywhere he wanted, and the brutal Chicago winters were definitely driving him south. "So, which bad guys have you been chasing to send you back to therapy?"
"No bad guys this time. We had a big family party about a month ago and we were all playing something like touch football – Philip always makes up crazy rules and handicaps for everyone. Anyway, I slipped on some wet grass and Monday morning I was back in PT. Today was my last appointment or I would have been with Amanda to meet you at the airport. I've been given parole with a list of exercises and I have to go back for a recheck in three months."
"That's rough. I can see you haven't gone soft though. Weight training?"
"That and we have an elliptical machine. Plus, I swim three or four times a week at the gym. We can sign you up for a visitor's pass if you want to swim this weekend."
"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind. I go jogging for a couple of hours every morning. Since I'm not in active training for a race, I can skip the pool workouts for a few days."
The hall clock chimed quietly signaling midnight. Lee yawned and stood and stretched. "It's good to have you here, Leatherneck. Let's call it a day."
Saturday Morning
Lee woke up to an empty house and savored a quiet cup of coffee on the deck. The fall migration brought different birds into the yard and he enjoyed identifying the various species as they passed through. He tidied the kitchen, exercised on the elliptical (being careful not to overuse his knee) and took a shower. He selected a dark red, knit shirt because he knew Amanda couldn't resist caressing its waffle texture. Yesterday's jeans were clean enough to wear again today. Without the need to dress professionally, their laundry load had diminished to just two or three loads a week. He took a plastic container of Amanda's chili out of the refrigerator and ladled a generous portion into a sauce pan.
"Sweetheart, I'm home." His wife's voice brought a smile to his lips. His eyes lit up as she entered the kitchen. The cool weather had caused her cheeks and nose to turn a lovely shade of pink. Her hair had been pulled into a pony-tail for a morning of hard labor, but it was drooping now and her clothing bore smudges from her work. Her satisfaction with the morning's project was evidenced by her contented demeanor
"I've just started heating the chili, and you wanted to serve that bowl of fruit salad with it, right?" He snuggled her close, and rubbed his face against her silky hair. As he had hoped, she rubbed both hands up and down his back several times as they hugged. She pulled back enough to kiss him and then broke their embrace.
"Right, chili, fruit and fresh bread from that bakery you like. It's still warm ." She pointed to the sack on the counter. "I passed Leatherneck out on the main road, so he'll be back any minute now. Let me go get cleaned up. I smell like a dumpster." Lee couldn't disagree about how she smelled, so he patted her buns to send her out of the room and turned to set the table.
After Amanda returned from her shower, she selected a few flowers from the garden for a simple centerpiece. Leatherneck entered the kitchen with his hair still wet and they all sat down for lunch.
"Amanda, you look fresh as a daisy, but I know you've been up for hours already. You were gone before I got up." After her shower, she felt fresh, too. Her hair was loose, brushing the collar of her crisp cotton blouse. The red and black plaid shirt was turned back at the cuffs and tucked into black jeans. The rhinestones on her leather belt emphasized her slender waist.
"Thank you, Leatherneck. I had a neighborhood clean-up project this morning with the Boys and Girls Club downtown. Rockville is surrounded by beautiful neighborhoods and country clubs, but the city center is struggling. We hauled off tons of debris from one of the apartment complexes. Lee, I heard from Mary Pat today that there was another purse snatching at Cheap Goods last night."
"That's the sixth one in the last two months. You'd think the police would be able to stop that." Lee shook his head in regret as he swallowed a bite of bread.
"What do you know about the incidents? Are they related?" Leatherneck sat up straighter and leaned over the table. The muscles in his shoulders and arms shifted under his dark green, long-sleeved polo.
"They don't have a good description of the perpetrator. The police have staked out the parking lot a few times, but nothing happened on those nights and they can't devote many resources to something like that." Responding to Leatherneck's interest, Lee's mind clicked into agent-mode and he shifted from conversation with a friend to briefing a fellow agent. "The victims were women of various ages but all accompanied by children. They had all used the automatic teller machine just before returning to their cars, so they lost varying amounts of cash in addition to credit cards and personal data. The culprit jumps a fence into an apartment complex and disappears. The incidents have occurred late in the evening, around 9 or 10."
"So the women are tired, distracted by children, and vulnerable." The marine summed up the victims' profiles.
"Amanda, what are the details from last night?" Lee's demeanor was more suited to the Agency bullpen than the kitchen table.
Amanda had been busy refilling tea glasses and suddenly realized that the two men had become two agents. She regretted starting this conversation and tried to downplay the incident. "It was a friend of Mary Pat's; another elderly woman raising her grandchildren. You know, it's so sad when the retirement years are burdened with the expense and exhaustion of raising small kids. I know they love their grandchildren, but it's tough to have them 24/7 like that. I can't count the number of mother's friends who saw their retirement dreams diverted by family cares. I was grateful for mother's help, but I didn't abandon my children to her custody."
Lee wasn't deterred by Amanda's effort to change the subject. "We could go check out the store - just to see what there is to see."
Leatherneck nearly leaped at the chance. "I need to buy some batteries and I'm sure they have just what I need."
"Hold it right there, fellows. Leatherneck, I'm sure I have every kind of battery you could possibly need." Amanda realized she was fighting a losing battle, but she continued fighting against the odds. She opened a drawer and started slapping various batteries on the counter. "I have double A, triple A, C batteries, D, these flat batteries for the remote controls, 9 volts – what do you need? We don't want to spend your limited visit shopping at Cheap Goods." Amanda struggled to be firm and still hospitable.
"Actually, Amanda. I really do need batteries and you don't have what I need. I have to buy hearing aid batteries."
"But you were always so careful to use hearing protection on the gun range." She was mildly surprised but not shocked. Being physically fit doesn't negate all the effects of aging.
"I was careful at work, but not always careful in my workshop at home. Machine noises can get quite loud and the sustained volume results in lasting damage. Over time, I realized that I had lost a significant part of my hearing. I guess my mom was right when she said all that loud music would make me deaf. I attended dozens of rock concerts in the '60's and '70's. It just caught up with me." He shrugged nonchalantly. His soft drawl as he explained to Amanda was dropped as he turned to Lee. "Let's go."
Amanda tried again. "Lee, don't be getting ideas about this. Your knee is NOT stable and you two have no business playing Starsky and Hutch."
"A-man-da, we're just going to buy batteries. We'll be back in a little while." Lee kissed her to stop her next words, and grabbed his jacket from the rack on the wall as he raced out the door behind Leatherneck.
Cheap Goods
The Cheap Goods store where the purse snatchings had occurred was near the center of the city. There had been various efforts to revive the district, but nothing had been very successful.
"Let's get a feel for the area before we go into the store. Drive around a bit." Lee drove while Leatherneck surveyed the surrounding neighborhoods. "It's rather seedy, isn't it?"
"Sure is." Lee frowned in concern, "Amanda comes over here on various projects. I should have checked it out before this. I won't be able to stop her, so I might have to get involved more often." Lee sighed and shook his head fondly over his wife's enthusiasm for doing good. She was an amazing woman and he was thankful to have her.
The friends parked at the back of the lot taking the chance to look it over while sauntering into the big box store. The advertising logo glared in neon green from the front of the building - "Where all the Goods are Good and Cheap." It was a busy place with shoppers, drivers and delivery trucks in constant motion. Cars beeped in response to remote controls. Dogs barked inside vehicles. Voices were raised in whining pleas, sharp commands, laughter, and conversation. A long line of shopping carts were being gathered and returned to the store by an employee using a motorized lift. There were bits of debris – bottles and broken glass, discarded food wrappers and cups, plastic bags. The sun glinted sharply off car metal and windows from a wide array of SUVs, trucks, sedans and vans. Three bicycles were chained to a rack in front of the store.
"Dense housing over there. Probably a maze of escape routes beyond the fence."
"Lights have been knocked out on that side of the lot, too."
"Crates near the fence provide a boost to get up and over in a hurry." It was a six-foot tall fence of vertical boards. Once over the fence, the perpetrator wouldn't been seen by pursuers.
"Chain-link fence on the right side. The empty lot makes that direction a less likely get-away route."
The men agreed that the board fence to their left was the only viable escape route, which limited the perp's options. They kept their pace casual as they entered the shopping cart lobby of the store. There were a few video games, gumball machines, a movie rental kiosk and several electric shopping carts plugged in to charge. The ATM was located just beyond this entrance opposite a fast food restaurant and the floral department.
"Lots of places to loiter watching for ATM use. The video games, the movie rental machine and the burger joint are ideal. Even the floral department provides good cover." Lee stopped just beyond the entrance with both hands on his hips.
Leatherneck walked past him several feet and then turned and said, "Are you coming with me, or should I just meet you back here in a few minutes?"
Lee startled and laughed, "Do you really have to buy batteries?"
Leatherneck's eyes opened wide and his eyebrows shot up as he replied, "You don't think I'd lie to your wife, do you? She can see through any lie at 20 paces. I wouldn't want to get on her bad side."
"Shoot, you know my wife doesn't have a bad side. But you're right, it doesn't pay to lie to her."
"Besides needing batteries, since we're here anyway, we ought to look over the rest of the store."
"And the employees."
"Right."
The two men canvassed the store, bought the batteries, and returned to the car.
"You know... two old geezers bent over a car engine could probably keep an eye on the parking lot for quite a while."
Lee nodded thoughtfully. "That would be a lot less conspicuous than a patrolman pacing the sidewalk in front of the store."
"With a new moon, that edge of the parking lot will be nearly dark tonight. You didn't say anything about having plans for the evening."
"No, we didn't make plans. Amanda considered several things but decided to keep things low key. It's been ages since we've seen you and you certainly don't need to get the typical tourist tour of monuments and such."
"Maybe we could have dinner and be back here by 8:30."
Lee's eyes twinkled with excitement. "Let's do it."
Stetson Home
Lee sauteed shrimp and vegetables while Amanda made a tomato-cucumber salad and sliced the rest of the bread from the bakery. Amanda embellished the fruit salad by adding another peach, a kiwi, and several grapes. Conversation at dinner was light, but she could feel the hum of excitement from both men. As the meal ended, she voiced her objections again.
"Leatherneck," she began sweetly, putting her hand over his on the table, "you were never an agent. I know you had military experience and you were involved on the periphery of Agency operations for many years, but you didn't actually chase the bad guys. Things can go haywire really fast in the field."
"Now, don't you worry about me," He drawled, patting her hand. "Like you said, I do have military experience and I performed well under fire. This isn't a war zone, Amanda. We're just going to watch the parking lot tonight." Leatherneck gave her his best smile, but it was a bit lopsided around the edges because he was uncomfortable lying to the charming brunette.
Lee came to his rescue. "We're just setting up light surveillance, Amanda. We'll be home before eleven. There's nothing to worry about."
"Lee, I know you. If you witness a purse snatching, you will NOT just watch the parking lot." Amanda's voice rose an octave as her frustration mounted. "You will forget all about protecting your knee and you will launch yourself into some hero-maneuver without a second thought."
"Amanda, we'll be very careful. I'll wear the knee stabilizer just to be safe. It's some punk who needs a reality check, that's all."
"If you insist on doing this, I'm coming, too." Amanda crossed her arms in front of her and looked sternly at her husband.
"Oh, no, you don't. Leatherneck and I will handle this. We have our cell phones and I'll call you if anything happens that you need to know about." His tone was just as firm as hers.
"Lee, you know I have to watch your back. Leatherneck is NOT a trained agent and I will not let you out of this house without me." She wondered for a split second how many times they had had this conversation – different words, different scenarios but the same message to "stay in the car."
"A-man-da, this isn't an operation. We're just watching the parking lot. I can watch without having someone guarding my back."
Amanda suddenly switched tactics. "Fine, I have an errand to run anyway. I promised Mary Pat some of my chili and I'll just take it to her while you two play Starsky and Hutch."
Leatherneck smiled in relief at Amanda's capitulation, but Lee was more suspicious. He looked at her sharply, "You'll take her some chili and come straight home?"
"Lee, I will take her some chili and we'll probably visit a while, but I won't go anywhere else and come straight home afterwards." Amanda smiled innocently. Lee suspected there was something he was missing, but he didn't press the issue.
Amanda bustled around the kitchen packaging the chili and gathering a few things she might need. "You boys dress warmly. Standing in the parking lot will get a lot colder after the first 15 minutes."
The two men left about 8:15 and Amanda locked up the house 10 minutes later. She knew Lee was suspicious, and she didn't want him to know that she was heading in the same direction. Her community clean-up project this morning had been in the Sleepy Hollow apartment complex beside the Cheap Goods parking lot. Amanda intended to take the chili to Mary Pat, who lived in that complex, and then keep an eye on Leatherneck and Lee from one of the knot holes in the fence. Since the fence was close to Mary Pat's apartment, Amanda counted that as "not going anywhere else". She was pretty sure Lee wouldn't have agreed with her logic, so she didn't bother discussing it with him. They worked best as a team. End of discussion.
Cheap Goods
Mary Pat was pleased to see Amanda and the two women visited briefly. Amanda used her Class C interrogation skills to get more details about the purse snatching incidents. She confirmed her suspicion that the criminal had crossed the fence where the mattress had been discarded. There was an open space which was intended to be used by the Fire Department in case of emergency. Unfortunately, it was regularly used by the residents as a dump, and the Boys and Girls Club had worked hard to clean it up today. The mattress had raised no alarms until Amanda started thinking about escape routes from the Cheap Goods parking lot. She didn't share this information with Lee because it would have been like pouring gasoline on a fire. But since the enthusiasm of "being on a case" couldn't been smothered, she decided to use the information herself.
Lee and Leatherneck had regretted ignoring Amanda's warning about the cold. The cold seeped through their shoes first then crept under their light jackets, and they took turns sitting in the car to "try to start it now." After the first hour, they were each hoping the other would suggest giving up for the night, but neither wanted to be the first to wimp out. Maybe tomorrow night, they could think of a scheme for watching from inside the store.
They had selected their position carefully. Too close to the fence might spook the purse snatcher and they weren't here to prevent the crime. They were here to catch a criminal in the act. They decided that the middle of the store parking lot would be best. They took the precaution of damaging the crate by the fence, and turned its undamaged side towards the parking lot. They wanted the thief to trust in the escape route, but they wanted the escape route to fail. Splintered boards and busted corners should work in their favor.
The parking lot had gotten busier in the last fifteen minutes as high school football games had ended. There were teens and families wearing clothing supporting their favorite teams. A burly man exited the store with a large pack of disposable baby diapers. Young couples sauntered to and from their cars. Lee nudged Leatherneck and motioned with his head toward the store entrance. Leatherneck nodded to confirm that he saw the person following a mother with an infant and toddler. Both men turned slowly to keep the stalker in sight.
"Uh oh, she's parked awfully close to the fence."
"Damn, we might not be close enough. We need to take him down on this side of the fence. I don't think we have a chance of going over it quickly enough to catch him on the other side."
"I'll wander over that way to throw away this bottle. Maybe I can get a jump on him." Leatherneck started angling across the parking lot towards a trash bin. With his gimpy knee, Lee was glad that Leatherneck would be positioned closer to the action. He surreptitiously checked his weapon and double checked the safety. As a civilian, he could only use the gun in self-defense. However, waving a weapon could be very persuasive in getting someone's cooperation. He tugged at the neoprene knee stabilizer and flexed his leg, ready for action.
The young mother thumbed the remote and a car several yards in front of her turned on its lights and unlocked its doors. The stalker paused in the shadow of a van and waited, scanning the parking lot. Crouching, Lee moved between an SUV and a van, across the aisle and stood in the shadow of a pick-up truck. The woman pushed the buggy close to the car and opened the back door. She lifted the toddler into a car seat then turned to pick up the infant. As she leaned into the car with the baby, the stalker silently approached the cart, snatched the purse and bolted for the fence. He dropped the purse down the front of his jacket so that both hands were free for the escape. Lee could see that the mom was still buckling the kids in their safety seats and was unaware of her loss. He was moving even before the thief reached the buggy and was in good position for pursuit.
Leatherneck was closer to the fence, but also closer to the store. He wasn't much closer than Lee when their race started. Marathon runners train for endurance rather than speed, but he was confident that they could catch this guy. His course to intercept the thief was diagonal to the parking lot. He dodged around parked vehicles, was balked by cars backing out of parking spaces, and frustrated by oblivious customers.
Lee and the purse snatcher dashed directly across the parking lot towards the fence. The criminal seemed unaware of pursuit, and wasted no time on subterfuge. He focused on sprinting to the fence and a safe getaway. Lee was hindered as he ran between the parked cars by large mirrors and by a long line of carts being returned to the building. The obstacles were more dispersed as they approached the fence.
As Leatherneck came in from the side, the thief became aware of pursuit and sped up. Feet thundered on pavement. Having lost the element of surprise, Leatherneck shouted, "Stop thief! Stop!" The criminal looked around wildly to assess the situation. Two men. There was only one place along the fence where crossing was possible so evasive maneuvers weren't an option. The only plan for a safe escape was speed and agility. Once over the wall, he'd be able to hide, catch his breath and wait.
Leatherneck still had the bottle and threw it at his target. His aim was good and the bottle hit the perp's head hard causing the thief to stagger and giving a slight advantage to Leatherneck.
Lee shouted, "We caught you red-handed - Stop!" but seeing the crime wasn't the same as catching the criminal. Lee wished he could fire a warning shot, but he wasn't here in any official capacity. The fence was within reach of the trouble-maker.
Leatherneck summoned a final burst of energy and launched himself to tackle the thief just as the thief sprang up on the crate. Leatherneck's hand made contact with a rubber-soled track shoe but he couldn't grip the foot and he fell heavily on the pavement. Lee aimed a full body slam at the thief as he hoisted himself over the fence but slammed against the boards in failure.
Both men were stunned when a bright light suddenly blazed behind the fence. They heard a meaty whack followed by the dull thud of a body hitting the ground and a cry of pain. Their astonishment soared when they heard the unmistakable metallic sound of a shotgun being cocked "shik-shik" and a gruff voice saying, "Hold it right there." The light slicing between boards and through knot holes provided the crime fighters with glimpses of the action on the other side. The purse snatcher lay face down ten paces from the fence. A broom lay on the ground beside him. Amanda held the narrow opening of a soda bottle firmly against his shoulder blades and sat on his back.
Sleepy Hollow Apartment Complex
"I'm putting the gun down, but don't forget, my friend with the shotgun has you covered." Amanda grabbed the culprit's hands and, plucking strips of duct tape off her jeans, wrapped the hands securely behind his back. Muffled grunts and complaints accompanied her work. She then slipped the roll of duct tape off her wrist and wrapped fresh tape around the thief's wrists, to be quite sure of the restraints. "We aren't the police so we don't have to tell you about your right to remain silent, but you might want to practice that right of silence because we'll be sure to tell the police everything you say."
Amanda raised her voice, "Men, since everything is under control here, perhaps you'd like to join us. There's a loose board in the fence about thirty yards to your left that the locals use. Marine, you might go assure the victim that her purse has been recovered. We'll leave it here for the police to see the evidence. If she hasn't already called 911, perhaps you can take care of that for us."
Lee angrily ducked through the fence and limped towards her, analyzing the area and the situation. "A-man..."
She instantly overrode his comments, "A man in this situation should practice discretion. Now if you'll wrap this guy's ankles, we can get his face out of the gravel and make him a little more comfortable." With a significant look, she underlined the hint that they shouldn't use names.
Lee bent to the task, but didn't abandon his train of thought or his anger, "You promised to deliver the chili and go straight home." Lee was proud of his wife, but his mouth had gone dry with fear when he realized that he was on the wrong side of the fence while she was in a dark alley with a criminal.
"My friend lives in these apartments. I didn't go anywhere else after I delivered the chili. I just waited here for you. And I promise I'll go straight home – after we've finished with the police." Lee finished wrapping the ankles and he and Amanda together rolled the perp over and scooched him a few feet to the right to sit leaning against a fire hydrant. They were surprised to find that the purse snatcher was a young woman. Her frightened eyes scanned the lit area and probed the dark shadows.
Lee gestured at the surly young woman. "I saw her tuck the purse down the front of her jacket. Perhaps it would be best if you were the one to verify that it's still there."
Amanda nodded at the sensible suggestion and patted the thief's jacket to confirm that the purse had not been tossed aside or lost during pursuit. She proceeded to assess the thief's injuries – some discomfort to one ankle, tenderness on the right arm where the broom handle made contact, minor swelling on the scalp, no bleeding.
Leatherneck ducked through the fence grinning as he heard how Amanda had outsmarted her husband. He looked at the camp Amanda had assembled for her surveillance. She had a folding camp chair, a super bright lantern, two thermoses, and a small cooler. The smell of apple cider was a welcome scent among the mix of smells typical to an alley. "Next time we do surveillance, I'm coming with you, Angel, rather than with Ace. We weren't nearly as comfortable." From her warm boots to her snug cap, she was much better prepared for a long wait in the chill night than the men had been.
Amanda grinned at the compliment. She turned to Lee, "Sit down, right here, Ace. I have an ice bag for your knee."
"That's not necessary. I'm fine." Lee bristled as Amanda turned to first aid duties. He was still looking for the man with the shot gun.
"Look me in the eye and tell me that your knee isn't throbbing right this minute," she challenged. Lee's angry eyes dropped as he looked away. "Sit down," she coaxed. She opened the cooler and handed him the ice pack, then she moved the cooler to serve as a step stool. He reluctantly sat and elevated his foot. He wouldn't admit it but he knew he would pay a price for abusing his knee tonight.
Amanda produced two tin mugs and opened the thermos of warm cider. She gave one mug to Leatherneck, and gave one mug to Lee along with two pain relievers. He swallowed the pain relievers and leaned his head against a fence closing his eyes. Now that he was off the leg, the pain sensors were working overtime. He could trust Leatherneck's eyes while he focused on subduing the pain.
Leatherneck sipped the warming beverage. "The young miss was grateful for our help and will wait in the parking lot for the police. She'll send them our way when they arrive." He carefully flexed his right shoulder and hip to assess the damage from his attempted tackle. "While we're waiting, maybe you want to tell us just what happened here." Seeing his movements, Amanda handed him the bottle of pain relievers and he took two with a nod of gratitude.
Amanda was eager to share her clever scheme. "While we were cleaning up today, we hauled away an old mattress. I confirmed this evening that the residents of the complex believe that the purse snatcher crossed the fence and landed on the mattress. They all think it's funny that he - excuse me, she didn't use the loose board. Without the mattress, I figured the landing would be rougher than expected. Couple that with a blinding light and a broom handle and I was pretty sure I could catch the thief."
Opening one eye Lee asked, "And who provided your back up with the shotgun?"
Amanda glanced quickly at the young woman against the fire hydrant who appeared eager to hear the answer to that question, too. "Oh, that. It was... um... my buddy, John."
Lee opened both eyes and lifted his head to look directly at her. "John?" Lee's jealous streak added a certain edge to the question.
Amanda bit her lip and looked down. She raised her head revealing her sassy grin and said, "You know, John Wayne." She shrugged her head to the right, "I recorded it from an old movie onto my phone."
Stetson Home
It was very late when the Stetsons and their guest finally made it home. Lee eased himself onto the couch and gingerly positioned his foot on the coffee table. The pain relievers were helping, but he knew he would have to pamper the knee for a few days.
He chuckled, "Making the world a better place sure feels good!"
Leatherneck clapped Lee on the shoulder as he passed, "You've got that right! We returned the purse to its rightful owner and we caught the criminal. A good day's work in anyone's book."
Amanda bustled around with first aid supplies. "Coffee's on its way and I have some fresh banana nut bread, if you'd like a slice."
"That sounds great. Crime fighting is hungry work." Lee's eyes twinkled at his wife as she checked the minor scrapes on his neck and check. The area was sensitive under her gentle fingers but she satisfied herself that there were no splinters, and settled for simply wiping the abrasions with a little antibacterial cream.
"Leatherneck, how's your shoulder?" The marine had landed badly on a patch of broken concrete when the thief had eluded his grasp.
He slid forward in his chair and moved his arm in all directions. "It's stiffening up some, but I don't think anything's torn."
"Would you like me to rub some muscle ointment into it? We have a sling, if you think that would help. If you'll roll up your sleeves, I'd like to check the cuts on your wrists. You can't be too careful with the filth from a parking lot."
Leatherneck was accustomed to taking care of his own first aid needs and areas he couldn't reach generally didn't get treated. He looked carefully at Lee to judge his reaction to Amanda's intent.
Lee raised an eyebrow at his friend and nodded his head. First aid treatment was a high priority for Amanda and it was one way of expressing her care. "Take your shirt off, Leatherneck. She won't be content until she has doctored all of the injuries."
Feeling shy, Leatherneck turned his back on his friends and unbuttoned the two buttons on his shirt. Pulling the long-sleeved garment over his head, he sat on the ottoman to allow Amanda easy access to his shoulder.
Amanda and Lee exchanged a look. Amanda's surprise was met with Lee's nod that he already knew about the scars. He mouthed, "Vietnam." Suddenly, the pieces fell into place. The marine had sustained enough damage that he hadn't been tempted to risk the life of an agent. Instead, he had contributed to justice in a meaningful, but safer, capacity.
"It looks like a nasty bruise, but the skin isn't broken." She rubbed the ointment thoroughly over the shoulder blade and around his torso along his ribs. "We'll let that dry some while I tend these scrapes." She cleaned the abrasions with a moist cloth, applied some antibacterial cream, and efficiently wound gauze around both wrists. Taping the gauze in place, she said, "That was a hard fall on your hip, but since you aren't limping I'll trust you to treat your own injuries. I'll leave all of this on the kitchen counter so that you can help yourself. You can put your shirt back on." Gathering her supplies, she returned to the kitchen for their coffee.
The room settled in peace as each man pursued his own thoughts. Homely noises from the kitchen soothed the nerves jangled by the adrenaline rush. Amanda brought the coffee and snack plates. Each snack plate included the banana nut bread, several almonds, thick slices of gouda cheese and slices of a tart apple.
"Amanda, you're a wonderful hostess. Thank you." Leatherneck appreciated her tender loving care.
"Well, it's been a long time since dinner and we've all been working hard." She smiled, exuding contentment.
"Seems like old times having you here, Leatherneck."
"Right. Your wife providing first aid, feeding everyone in sight, and stopping the bad guys without a fire arm. Just like old times." Shared laughter indicated agreement.
Rockville Police Station
later that night
Lazlo poured a steaming cup of coffee and took a cautious sip. It tasted burned, and he shrugged in resignation.
Murphy joined him at the snack table and poured his own cup. "Who'd you bring in tonight?" He pushed a handful of coins into the snack machine, selected some chips and squeezed his hand through the door to retrieve the small package.
"Caught the purse snatcher from Cheap Goods."
"Hunh - I didn't know we were still staking out that location." He gripped the bag in both hands and carefully pulled it open.
"We weren't. Three retired spooks made a citizens arrest." Lazlo rolled his eyes and shook his head.
"Oh, Lord, not again," Murphy groaned.
"At least, it worked out well, this time." Lazlo was willing to give credit where credit was due.
"When they wrote the mandatory retirement laws, they should have included the stipulation that the retiree move at least 100 miles from his place of employment. That would have saved us a lot of headaches." Murphy opined. Both men laughed and returned to the paperwork piled on their desks.
The end