Title: Double or Nothing
Author: Almira Gulch
Story Summary: Amanda's chance to prove herself as an agent puts her in the line of fire.
Rating: PG-13, for implied situations and violence
Setting: Mid-3rd Season
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters copyrighted by Warner Bros. Television and Shoot the Moon
Productions, except as noted and is meant for entertainment purposes ONLY. The fiendish plot is mine – all mine.
Author's Notes: Dedicated to my newly rediscovered friends on the SMK E-groups lists. Thanks for the encouragement (and the demanding letters) to fix and finish this.
Part 4
**********
Lee rapped his knuckles against the door of Suite 406 twice, then paused and knocked a third time. It was opened by Francine Desmond, who greeted them with a sardonic smile and a flip remark. "Oh, look – it's Prince Charming and Cinderella back from the ball." She glanced at the watch on her left wrist and sighed, "You just made it too. It's five minutes til midnight!"
Amanda followed Lee into the lavishly appointed room and sat down tiredly on a dark burgundy settee. She slipped off her shoes and took the time to appreciate her surroundings, while Lee briefed Billy about Dr. Smyth's cryptic message to Amanda. She had been so nervous preparing for the reception earlier that she didn't notice that the suite was gorgeous.
The double doors of the suite opened into a small foyer with a beautiful entry table and gilded mirror hanging over it. A fresh flower arrangement occupied the Duncan Phyffe replica table. A row of windows looked out over the DC skyline on one side. On the other, a couple of small windows had a lovely view of a fire escape and several heat and exhaust ducts.
The sunken sitting area was three steps down from the foyer and contained the settee, two queen Anne chairs with their trademark swooped backs and cabriole legs and an exquisite Oriental rug. There were two bedrooms. The largest was separated from the reception area by french doors.
She was so tired. I could probably sleep sitting right here, she mused to herself.
"Any leads?" Lee questioned Billy and Francine.
Billy was not happy that they had so few leads to go on. To top it off, Mrs. McKenna had received another threat through the White House that afternoon.
"We're going through all of her cases for the past three years looking for names of possible suspects. Mrs. McKenna has been one busy lawyer. She's been involved in at least a dozen sexual harassment and military misconduct cases involving multiple defendants. We're checking the list of potentials but it's going to take some time. I'm afraid you're going to have to go on that tour tomorrow, Scarecrow."
Lee's anger was palpable. "Damnit! Billy, we'll be out in the quad - totally in the open. There's a hundred places to hide."
Amanda slipped unnoticed from the sitting area to change. Some agent I am. They're talking about me as if I weren't even in the room!
Billy stood to his full 5'6" height. "Well there's more bad news. The White House received this late this afternoon." Billy handed Lee a folded newspaper.
Lee looked down at the slightly crumpled newspaper and he clenched his teeth in worry and frustration. There was a picture of Amanda, or rather Mrs. McKenna, meeting with the President. Her face was circled in red with a large X drawn through it. Lee forced his emotions under control and glanced up at Billy.
"Did…"
"Already on it, Lee," Billy intercepted his question, with a raised hand. "They're running the prints tonight. But, with all the cases involved here – we might not get anywhere for a while. That's IF this is connected to a conviction." He paused at the doorway. "We'll have our team in place three hours before you set foot on the mall and we'll go over the area with a fine tooth comb, okay? Get some rest and we'll see the two of you tomorrow morning. What time are you scheduled to leave?"
Lee breathed a small sigh of relief, hoping that the lab boys could work their magic on those prints before 12:30 tomorrow. "We arranged for the limo to pick us up at 12:30."
Billy nodded his approval. "Good." He checked his watch. "That gives us almost…12 hours to get some answers. Francine, tell Harper and Mason that we're shutting down for the night." He then left his agents to complete their orders.
Francine called the security detail assigned to watch the exterior of the hotel and informed them that Scarecrow and Mrs. King were secured in the suite. She then gathered her coat and briefcase and was about to take her leave when she got a surprise.
Amanda, dressed in a bathrobe, walked over to one of the windows, spread the curtains and nudged the window open about an inch.
"What do you think you're doing?" Lee demanded, from his position at the coffee table. A large map of their walking tour was spread out before him. He had removed his white jacket and his bow tie was askew. The furrows in his hair showed where he had run his fingers repeatedly through the strands.
"I'm getting ready to go to sleep," Amanda retorted and turned towards the suite's bathroom once again. "What does it look like I'm doing?"
Lee walked over, closed the window hard enough to rattle the glass and locked it. Then he closed the curtains and turned angrily towards her. "Well it looks to me like you're trying to get yourself killed!"
"Lee…" Amanda began but was cut short by his tirade.
"Amanda, can't you sleep one night without having the window open? I know you like the fresh air, but humor me, okay?"
A fascinated Francine Desmond watched and listened intently. If possible, her left eyebrow was close to disappearing into her hairline. She was about to comment when Lee glanced her way. She quickly did an about face and left the suite. They didn't even notice her departure.
An exhausted Amanda turned towards him. "I didn't think, Lee. I'm sorry." As she walked towards the bathroom she muttered morosely to herself, "No wonder you think I'm incompetent."
Lee didn't hear her and regretted yelling at her. He crossed to the door and secured both the deadbolt and security chain.
The two partners said little to each other as each made their preparations for bed. Amanda, safely ensconced in the suite's master bedroom, had to sleep without her supply of fresh air. Lee refused to take the other bedroom and instead slept on the elaborate settee that Amanda had admired earlier. He wanted as few doors as possible between him and Amanda.
***
Lee woke with a start and glanced at his watch - 3 am. He'd been having a nightmare. She was sprawled on the ground and he was holding her tightly, rocking her like a baby in his arms. Blood – her blood, was everywhere.
Amanda! Amanda, don't do this to me. Please don't leave me. Amanda, I love you…
And then Amanda died in his arms.The image stayed in his mind and he couldn't get back to sleep. He threw the blanket he had been using away from him and stood up. Dressed in nothing but a pair of loose fitting gray sweats, he padded over to the french doors to check on Amanda.
She slept on her left side. Her hair was tousled and a strand had slipped over her face. As Lee stood and watched Amanda sleep, he had an overwhelming urge to reach out and tuck it behind her ear
He moved stealthily into her room and stood for a moment, just looking at her. From the first time that Lee had spotted Amanda at the train station, he knew his life would never be the same. No one had been able to break down the wall of aloofness and cavalier nonchalance he had adapted after losing so many people who were important to him. First his parents were taken away from him, then Dorothy, and so many others their faces seemed to blur together. He vowed not to let anyone else close enough to hurt him.
Until Amanda. Her faith in him and his abilities and her unwavering friendship had put a crack in that wall and today you could drive a tank through it. He was a better person and a better agent because of her.
Knowing that sleep was going to be elusive, he decided to stay close to her. How do you explain your presence in her room if she wakes up? Say it's all part of the job like always, Stetson. He sank down into the chair next to her bed and continued his vigil.
Amanda had taught him a lot. Lee smiled, remembering how Amanda had also taught Francine a few things. Like how to be a maid when they went undercover together. He would have loved seeing Francine Desmond with a toilet brush in hand, scrubbing in some Diplomat's bathroom.
She certainly was tolerant of people too. And understanding.
And forgiving. He tried hard to forget her concern for him and understanding when everyone else thought that he had 'burned out.' He regretted his treatment of her during that case. He would rather subject himself to several sessions with "Dr. Pain" than remember the hurt in Amanda's eyes when he had slapped her at Nedlinger's.Then his expression changed. It was almost pained as he thought about all the times she had been put in danger. Mostly because of me.
She had played another role once – of a made-up romance novel socialite by the name of Victoria Greenich. She could have died during that assignment. The Muscuri she had been injected with was a dangerous drug.
It also still unnerved him a little to think that he could have been fooled into believing that…that imposter was Amanda. When she said, 'Oh my gosh,' while clinging to that building, he KNEW that it was her. But what if it hadn't been Amanda?
His dark thoughts, compounded with his exhaustion made him fall into a fitful and troubled sleep.
***
The stalker silently made his way down the fire escape in the pre-dawn hour. How convenient. His room was on the fifth floor. Her suite was on the 4th. This wasn't part of his plan, but sometimes tactical strategies needed to be updated when opportunities presented themselves.
He was dressed for a nighttime attack – covered from head to toe in black. Only his eyes, full of malice, were visible in the darkness. "The gavel is about to fall on you, Mrs. McKenna," he whispered. He wanted this woman to feel fear before he carried out her sentence. "This should be a nice little wake-up call," he murmured while double checking the string of small explosives.
He approached the set of windows to the McKenna woman's suite and paused. He made sure his escape route was open and flipped open the silver cigarette lighter.
***
The sound of glass breaking and what sounded like gunshots woke Lee instantly. He instinctively dived onto the bed and atop Amanda to protect her. Damn! My gun – where's my gun?!
Amanda awoke to gunshots and a man's body sprawled on top of hers. A man's nearly naked body. She opened her mouth to scream Lee's name when a hand covered her mouth.
"Ssshh, it's me - Lee," he whispered. "Are you okay?
She just stared up at him with eyes wide with shock and nodded.
The shots stopped and he could smell gunpowder. "What the hell?" He grabbed for the phone and punched in the numbers for the night watch. When they answered he spoke tersely into the phone, "Security breached at The Sherman. Notify Billy Melrose ASAP. This is Scarecrow - priority one!"
"Ummm, Lee…" Amanda was having a little difficulty speaking, not to mention breathing. "Lee?"
He listened to the agent's questions. He replied tersely. "I don't know! It sounded like gunshots. Just get your asses up here!" he yelled into the receiver, before slamming it down on the night stand.
"Lee? Could you…maybe, please – get off of me before those other agents come bursting in here?"
***
continued in part 5