May I Have This Dance?
Chapter Two
Matt turned another corner and checked his watch. Dang. I'm gonna be late. These avoidance patterns are taking forever, he huffed to himself. Get off my back, Enriquez! Matt ducked into another doorway and looked back carefully, but Enriquez had disappeared. At least my tail isn't some terrorist. Matt checked his watch again and walked quickly down the street.
Matt slipped into the building. He knew he should have gone straight to the delicatessen as usual, but he really wanted more time together. Picking her up at work would give him that time. Hopefully he had lost Enriquez.
He did not even get as far as the reception desk before he saw her emerge from an office and turn to speak to a colleague. Her dark hair fell around her shoulders and her tailored suit showed off her slim figure and her long legs. His breath caught a little. She was so lovely. Before he could move closer and call her name, someone did it for him.
"Sarah!"
Matt quickly ducked out of her line of vision as Jeff walked up to the reception desk. He was dressed in the same khaki pants and button down shirt he'd worn the first time Matt had seen him. Sarah met Jeff at the desk.
"Hi, Jeff—"
"I thought I'd surprise you—take you out to lunch." Jeff spoke quickly. He moved toward Sarah and reached for her hand.
Stunned, Matt backed away and out of earshot. Feeling foolish for assuming that Sarah had broken off her relationship with Jeff, Matt's stomach clenched. Forgetting that Enriquez might be nearby, he rushed out of the International Spy Museum before he could be seen by Jeff or Sarah.
Enriquez stayed behind for a minute before following Matt out the door. He ran to catch up with the young agent, who stood down the street, looking like he had been sucker-punched in the gut.
"Hey, Granger!"
Matt looked back at Rene, his brow furrowed. "What are you doing here? I thought I lost you."
"You didn't try hard enough… You know, we look like idiots, rushing around in our suits among these tourists."
Matt gave Rene a look and started to walk off. Rene matched his stride and walked beside him. "Listen, why did you leave? Weren't you meeting Sarah for lunch?"
Matt looked at Enriquez. "Don't try a soft interrogation on me. I could have been there for any number of reasons."
"At the International Spy Museum? You don't need to come all the way over here. I'm thinking the Agency is a spy museum all by itself." Rene laughed at Matt, and then grew serious. "Listen, buddy, you don't have much time. If you are going to have lunch with Sarah, you're going to be late."
"I already am too late. Her boyfriend is taking her."
"You idiot. She told him she had other plans. She left in such a hurry, it was all I could do to keep her from seeing me."
Matt looked at Rene sharply. "She really said that?"
"Didn't you see her surprised face? She didn't expect the guy."
After thinking for a moment, Matt relaxed a bit and started walking quickly toward the restaurant. "Why were you following me, anyway? You even got on the Metro with me."
"I'm trying to cover for you. You have been way too obvious the way you hightail it out of the meetings every week. Johnson and Gonzales think you have a girl."
"I suppose you all have bets. Now you'll be telling them it's Sarah. And she's not my girl. She's Jeff's. We're just friends."
Rene rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure, Granger. I'm not blind. Besides, I've heard both Phillip and the chief knocking that loser." He clapped Matt on the shoulder. "I'm not going to tell anyone anything. I just wanted to know for sure before I make up some story to get Gonzales and Johnson off your back."
"We've only had lunch a few times. Like I said, we're just friends."
Rene nodded indulgently. "Your secret is safe with me. I'll tell them you are going to the chiropractor or something. Here's a Metro stop. I'll see you later." Grinning, Rene gave Matt a wave and ran down the steps.
Matt hustled off down the street, hoping to catch up with Sarah before she got to the pub.
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As Sarah hurried along the sidewalk, she tried to fight the feelings of frustration bubbling up inside. I told him I would call him tonight. Why did he have to show up at work like that? Now I'm going to be late meeting Matt. She smiled to herself as the image of the tall, fair-haired agent came to mind. He's got to be as tall as Daddy, he's practically as built as Captain America, and he has those amazing eyes. Sheesh, girl. You're acting like he's some piece of meat…he's also sweet and thoughtful, he's fun to talk with, and he's a gentleman. Sarah had had this conversation with herself before. He's got an even better personality than his looks. Besides, he's just a friend… I can't wait to see if he'll take me up on my invitation… Sarah almost laughed out loud. Look who's rambling now. I'm getting to be like Mom.
Sarah was just getting to the door when Matt ran up and opened it for her. "Allow me."
Surprised, Sarah looked around and flashed a smile of recognition. "Matt! We got here at the same time. I'm glad you didn't have to wait for me."
Matt couldn't help but grin back. "Hi, Sarah. I'm glad you didn't have to wait for me, too. I was delayed on the way over here." Matt placed his hand on the small of her back as he followed Sarah into the restaurant and they took a place in line together. "Let's try getting our sandwiches and going to the park this time. The weather is really nice today—the rain last night sure helped cool things off."
Sarah looked up at Matt and grinned. "That would be great."
Sarah was so animated and friendly, it was hard for Matt to feel uncomfortable. Still, he was worried about seeing Jeff at the Smithsonian. I was an idiot, he chided himself. I knew she had a boyfriend. What was I thinking? This is only friends getting together.
Sarah looked at Matt expectantly. "You were a million miles away just now. I was asking if you've ever tried the special. It's chicken with pesto."
"I haven't had that one, but it sounds good. Did you want to split it? We could get some salad to go with it."
"Sounds good! You sure you don't mind sharing?"
"Not at all. The sandwiches are huge here, and I like having extra stuff with mine, anyway. That will fill me up."
While they were chatting in line, Matt and Sarah did not notice the two Agency employees watching them from the booth in the back of the restaurant.
"Oh Jamie, they're friends. We had Matt over for dinner as a thank you for helping Lee and me. He and Sarah became friends during the case. You know Sarah hasn't completely broken up with Jeff." Amanda was trying to convince Jamie that there was nothing to seeing Matt and Sarah together, but she herself wasn't convinced.
Jamie stared pointedly at Amanda. "Come on, Mom. Sarah confided in both you and Jennifer that she refused Jeff's proposal. They haven't seen each other in a month—he didn't even come for Sarah's dinner when she got her Master's. We didn't even see him at Sarah's hooding ceremony that day. I think it's over. Come to think of it, she's been pretty happy and upbeat the last few times we've talked—that's not like a mourning girlfriend."
Jamie is just like Mother sometimes. Oh, who am I kidding. He's just like me, too. He can read people like a book. "Well, what are we staring at anyway? Matt is a great guy. He's a gentleman—there's nothing to worry about."
"Mom, you know Lee is going to flip if he finds out Sarah is seeing an agent. He's been keeping her away from the young recruits since she graduated from NYU. In fact, I'm surprised Matt didn't know better. Surely Enriquez has warned him."
Amanda sighed. Suddenly she felt very tired. She knew she'd have to deal with this at some point, but she just didn't have the energy to cope at the moment. "We'll just have to cross that bridge when we come to it. Like I said, Matt is a gentleman. He is far more mature than the typical freshman agent. Let's change the subject. Why don't you tell me about the boys?"
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Matt guided Sarah to a bench under the shade of a tree and sat down next to her. They divided the sandwich and Sarah handed Matt the bag, which still held his chips and the salad. "Are you sure this is enough for you, with half a sandwich?"
Matt was amused. "You don't need to mother me. Besides, you gave me about two-thirds. Now I'm worried you won't have enough."
"Oh, I'm good. I keep stuff in my desk. Protein bars, bags of nuts, fruit—you know…" She took a bite and closed her eyes with satisfaction. "Oh, this is so good."
Grinning back at her, he took a bite of his share of the sandwich and nodded in agreement.
They chatted for a while about the tour groups Sarah had led that day at the museum and the exhibit she was helping to plan, and then grew quiet as they continued eating. Matt ate part of the salad and passed it back to Sarah. Trying to think of a way to bring up the subject of Jeff, he didn't realize how preoccupied he'd become. He was startled when Sarah spoke.
"Um, I have a question. This may seem really out in left field, but do you dance—you know—ballroom dance? My friend can't make it, and I won't have a partner tomorrow night."
Matt was surprised. He thought for a moment. He had not been out dancing since the spring of his senior year of high school. "Actually, I have before. When I was in high school, a friend from another school asked me to go to her formal. We went to classes and had dance cards—the whole nine yards. That was a while ago, though."
"Really? That sounds like fun. It's not a problem if you are a bit rusty. This is a class. We are intermediate dancers, so it will help if you know a little."
Matt was uncomfortable. As much as he dreaded Sarah's answer, he needed the truth. "Won't Jeff be a bit jealous if I go in his place?"
"Oh, Jeff doesn't go to this class. He never joined it—he was always teaching at night. It's my friend's little brother. He has a shift at the restaurant where he works. They messed up his schedule. Would you mind?"
It seemed to Matt that Sarah was skirting the truth. Since they had sat down to lunch, Matt had grown more certain that Sarah was as attracted to him as he was to her. But he refused to be a part of a love triangle or some other mess—even for someone like Sarah. "Sarah, before I say yes, I need to know something. Are you and Jeff still together? I don't want to make him think I'm after his girl or something. We didn't hit it off well that time we met."
It was Sarah's turn to be startled at Matt's direct question. Even though today was the first time she had seen Jeff in the last month, they had never officially broken up. They just were not engaged, as Jeff had hoped. But they had spent no time together, either—not even the day that Sarah had been awarded her Master's degree. But then, she had not invited Jeff to the family dinner held in her honor, either. Sarah was not surprised to find that she was not missing the man who probably still thought he was her boyfriend. Somehow she and Matt had stayed off the topic of Jeff until today.
She hedged. "Jeff doesn't mind about the dance class. He knows how much I enjoy it. We haven't seen each other in a month anyway." There. Now I've said it.
Matt looked Sarah in the eye and thought for a moment. "Well, if you're sure. It sounds like fun."
"Great! The class is at seven o'clock. Do you want me to pick you up? I know you could find it, being an agent and all, but it would be easier if I showed you." She smirked a little at her joke.
"Sure. I'll text you directions to my place." Matt good-naturedly smiled back, his gray eyes twinkling.
"Great! Thanks!" Sarah grinned at Matt and shifted in her seat a little. Her expression changed. "You know, Matt, you haven't told me a lot about high school, Texas—all that stuff. I know from Mom that you were in Army Intelligence and went to A&M before that. Weren't you in the ROTC there?"
"Yeah. We call it the Corps. It was pretty intense. But, it was great for keeping me on track with my studies. We wore uniforms, stayed in the same dorm together, had to be in bed at a certain time."
"Then you were in the Army. Do you miss the routine?"
Matt laughed a little. "I think after seven years I was ready to be managing my own schedule—as much as one can at the Agency. Besides, Army Intelligence was interesting, but I'd always wanted to work for a place like the Agency—since I was a kid."
"Do your parents know where you work? Are they still in Texas?"
"Yeah. They seem pretty set on staying in the same house we grew up in. My mom works occasionally as a nurse, but her first job has always been homemaking—she's still home with my youngest sister. Emma graduated from high school last year, but she is going to a junior college. Lauren is at A&M, living in student housing. She graduates in a year."
Matt sobered. "I can't tell them what I do. They think I'm a military consultant with IFF. Sometimes, when we're all together at home, or when things get intense here, I wish I could tell them things. You know, just have my dad or mom to talk to. I always could talk about stuff with them when I was a kid. It was hard when everything happened with Birol." Matt looked away for a moment.
Sarah reached out and touched his arm. "I'm glad we could have you over for dinner. You probably know that my mom is a good listener. She thinks a lot of you. You can talk to her if you need to. You can talk to me, too—if it isn't classified."
Matt looked back at Sarah with an enigmatic expression. Her hazel eyes searched his face, but she could not read him.
Her eyes are so beautiful, he thought to himself. He loved her sincerity. She's not like other girls. But she's not available. Despite his thoughts, he put his hand on top of hers and kept it there. "Thank you, Sarah. It means a lot. More than you know." They continued staring at one another for a moment before Matt lowered his eyes and finally removed his hand. He looked at his watch. "You need to get back and I need to meet my partner."
Sarah forced herself to stay nonchalant. She hadn't missed the spark that had passed between them. "Routine surveillance or a stakeout?"
"Nice try." Matt laughed, knowing Sarah was teasing him. "You know I can't tell you that."
They gathered their trash and walked together to the dumpster, then toward the street. "No one in my family has ever allowed me near a stakeout or surveillance. They think I'll be in danger or something. Sheesh, I'm in more danger crossing the street."
Matt grew serious. "Trust me, Sarah. It can get dangerous. They have your best interests in mind."
"Still, with my studies in history and foreign affairs, I would bet I could offer some help with analysis or background information. I would love to help on a case sometime."
"I didn't realize you were itching to help. I thought the case with Birol had upset you so much you were scared off for good."
"I didn't say I wanted to be an operative."
"Maybe sometime I can ask you for some background information." They were nearing Matt's Metro station. "I'd walk you back to the museum, but I'll be late meeting Enriquez. See you tomorrow at six-thirty?"
Suddenly, Sarah reached up, surprising Matt with a quick peck on the cheek. "Thanks, Matt. That would be great. I'm glad you can come."
Before he could respond, Sarah was off down the street. Matt brought his hand to his cheek and allowed himself a small smile before growing serious. Take it easy, Granger. It was just a thank you kiss. He studied her retreating form for a minute, and then walked down the stairs of the station.
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Lee adjusted his tie and stepped off the elevator. He knew he was being observed, but he had gotten used to having his every move at the Agency tracked. He buttoned his jacket and stepped up to the Agency director's door. After looking into the retinal scanner and offering his thumbprint, the security guard waved him in. "Thanks, Hal." The guard nodded as Lee walked past. He continued towards the receptionist, who smiled as Lee greeted her.
"He'll see you now, Mr. Stetson."
Gil Barclay was the same age as Lee, but had gotten his post by rising up through the ranks of the State Department and by making friends with the right politicians. Despite his lack of experience in the field and his political ties, Lee couldn't help but like the man. Barclay was smart enough to give the people he managed the respect they had earned. And, he was willing to listen before making a decision. Amanda had said more than once that Gil Barclay knew how to rub Lee the right way. He had forged a career on learning how to do that with even the most difficult individuals, bringing out the best in them.
It was Barclay who had recruited Lee and Amanda to the State Department in the mid-90s. After working together for ten years there, Barclay asked Lee and Amanda to follow him back to the Agency when he was asked to take over as director of the comparatively small and shadowy counter intelligence organization. The Agency had operated under the radar of the average citizen since its inception in the 1960s. Lee was an Agency veteran, having worked as an agent there for twenty years following his recruitment by the Agency's founder, Harry V. Thornton.
Gil rose from his desk and greeted Lee with a firm handshake. Although Lee's six-foot, two-inch frame towered over Barclay's, the men were more similar in appearance than not. Each sported silver hair and a vitality and energy that belied their age.
"On time as usual, Stetson. Have a seat." Barclay gestured to the seating area away from his desk. Two leather chairs were arranged around a coffee table and matching couch. A water pitcher and glasses stood on the table.
Lee positioned himself in the corner of the couch. He sat back, but did not relax.
Barclay seated himself in a chair and poured them each a glass of water.
"I hope everything in the field section is going as smoothly as it was in your last report."
"No changes. I have some teams on surveillance this afternoon, but no current activity."
"I understand Francine Beaman is coming back to the office."
"Yeah. She took a week off after Amanda and I returned to duty, and has been at Langley off and on for the last two weeks. She had a meeting there today to wrap up the dirty bomb investigation. She hasn't fully updated me, yet, but apparently they completed their debriefing of the suicide bomber. I plan to have a chat with Francine this afternoon before I leave."
"Marjan Masood. I heard she had recovered somewhat. I have put a little pressure on my friends at State to offer her family asylum. As for Marjan, I can't guarantee at this point that she won't be tried—we'll have to see if the CIA's investigation turns up anything."
"Amanda will be glad to hear about the Masood family."
"How is Amanda?"
Lee could sense that Barclay was not asking just out of curiosity about his section chief's wife. He wanted to know if the field section's freshmen supervisor was fit for duty. Lee's expression remained neutral. "She's only working part time for the next two weeks, but she is staying on top of her agents' cases. Three of the surveillance teams out today include freshman agents."
Barclay shifted in his seat. "Nagy said she was in danger of burn out if she didn't cut back her hours."
Lee's jaw clenched and he fought to control his expression. He did not want to jeopardize Amanda's job. It was crucial he convince Barclay that Amanda was still fit for duty. He decided to be honest. "Amanda has done nothing to warrant a review. As a precaution, I asked her to schedule a session with Kirby today—just to make sure she has no lasting psychological effects from the kidnapping. As I said, Amanda is staying on top of things. Believe me—I just waded through a pile of her paperwork and it was all completed according to regulations."
Barclay chuckled. "Relax, Lee. I'm not going to make you fire your wife. I just have to be sure anyone who is in the field or overseeing agents in the field is not a liability to the Agency or to national security. In fact, I should ask you to see Kirby as well. You are due for a follow up evaluation."
It was Lee's turn to laugh. "Well, Amanda is one step ahead of you. She made an appointment for me, too." He paused. "Actually, I was going to request a two-week vacation for us both. We really need to get away. It's been a long time since we had a real break—those days off we had a few weeks ago were partially spent shuttling back and forth to the Agency to see Dr. Nagy."
Barclay smiled, then grew thoughtful. "Lee, didn't you tell me once that you only took the section chief job out of loyalty to the Agency? You and Amanda were both comfortable at State."
"Well, you asked us to join you here—Marzetti quit when Billy retired as Director. I think Billy always wished I'd taken his place as Section Chief…" Lee was not sure where the conversation was going.
"But now that you have been here six years, do you think it might be time to move on? I know of several positions that would be an excellent fit for you. The hours are a lot lighter."
Lee relaxed a little. "Actually, Gil, I've even considered retirement. But I think I would go nuts if I had nothing to do but play golf all day. I haven't even suggested it to Amanda in a while. She hasn't been too receptive to the idea."
"What if you eased into retirement with a little consulting work for the Agency? Maybe some world travel? I have a friend in the oil industry who has had some trouble at his interests in Kazakhstan."
"I'm not sure police work in a third world nation is what I had in mind…"
Barclay laughed. "You know it's not that bad. The oil money has helped the economy there. And, this work requires highly skilled professionals. A couple who could pose as rich investors, perhaps. Intelligence operatives who are smart enough to avoid being caught. If the need goes beyond private interests to a counter terrorist or counter intelligence angle, the Agency would take over and you could go home."
"Amanda and I aren't young agents anymore, Gil."
"I'm not saying you'll be caught by the SVR and interrogated, Lee. You just have to be careful, that's all." Barclay shifted in his seat and leaned forward. "Tell you what. You and Amanda take those two weeks. Go to the beach, the Keys, wherever. Relax first, and then talk about it. Let me know what you decide. You can leave as soon as you want. Next week, even."
"What about my replacement? Francine does fill the post well—she might consider being Section Chief now that her girls are nearly grown… But, you may have to do some restructuring to get the hours down."
"Actually, Lee, that was one reason I thought the timing for all of this might be perfect. Even if you decide to stay with the Agency awhile more, it is time to restructure things again. Since the 9/11 restructuring, the organization has grown beyond that and Thornton's original conception. For now, as long as Efraim continues to work as a full-time consultant, I am guessing that Francine would be willing to stay and watch over the D.C. operations."
Lee still looked doubtful. "A vacation I can handle right now—and I'm very grateful, Gil. I know Amanda won't fully recover from the Birol case unless she does have a change of scenery. However, getting Amanda and myself involved in potentially dangerous work…I don't know."
The two men rose. "Again, Lee. This would be milk run level work. We would have our people take over—or at least help get you out of there—if it became anything more. Let me know what you decide. I'll wait a few weeks to hear from you. Meanwhile, I expect you to go home tonight and plan a vacation—after wrapping things up with Kirby so your file is in order."
Lee grinned. "Thanks, Gil. I wasn't even sure how to bring all of this up."
"You've done your time, Lee. You and Amanda could retire with honors. We'll be in touch."
The two men shook hands and Lee departed. He almost did not mind having to visit Kirby now.