Bunny Tale

Chapter 2

Amanda was awakened the next morning by the guard and her cellmates, who were arguing profusedly.

As she came down from her bunk she yawned interrupting them and queried, "Can you tell me what time it is, please?"

The guard was not the same one from the night before and was a bit surlier as he opened the cell and answered while rolling his eyes, "Well, the big hand is on the twelve and the little hand is on the eight. C'mon, Sleeping Beauty! Your bail's set! Make your phone call already!"

Amanda stepped out wincing from the man's tone and commented slowly, "Okay, okay. Sheesh!"

She dialed the hotel room number and waited for an answer as Barb remarked, "Don't bother calling Jimbo. He won't help you."

Amanda tiredly sighed and looking at Barb without missing a beat replied, "You know Barb, I actually know a few people that could shut you up for at least five minutes! Why don't you try that on your own while I finish my call, hmm?"

The room became eerily silent as Barb glared at her responding, "You must have a death wish real bad, Honey! I can't believe you just said that to me! When I get outta here, I'm gonna-"

Amanda hung up as the guard growled, "Oh knock it off, Barb!"

He then looked at Amanda's face and sarcastically stated, "Let me take a wild guess. No answer?"

Amanda shook her head and gave him a pleading look as she asked, "Could I possibly try someone else?"

As the guard was about to refuse her request there were voices coming closer to the area and then a door opened on the opposite end of the room with an officer entering and Lee of all people right behind him!

When Lee saw Amanda in her outlandish outfit, he clamped down the urge to laugh by clearing his throat.

Swallowing hard he commented, "Um...Jeffreys was in town here last night seeing a play with his wife just across the street and called Billy who naturally called me."

Suddenly Amanda felt all eyes in the room boring into her and truly wondered if anyone could actually die from this kind of embarrassment!

Breathing deeply to calm herself as she noticed Lee's face twitch with obvious amusement she replied with a steely glance to him responding slowly, "If you say one word-"

Lee shook his head quickly and commented, "N-No, no! I promise. Let me just take care of the bail and we can leave, all right?"

Amanda sighed and nodded answering softly, "Fine."

She then looked at the guard and queried, "May I go change now?"

The guard nodded and got her bag out of the cage where other personal belongings of inmates were.

Barb then screamed in the cell and everyone looked and she gulped nervously to the guard whispering, "S-Spider... near my foot. Help me, Kenny!"

Amanda had enough as she turned to Lee and stated irritatedly, "Give me your shoe-"

Lee looked incredulously at her and answered sputtering , "I'm not giving you my... Do you know how much these things set me back?!"

Amanda shaking her head smacked his left leg and he yelped pulling the foot up as she retorted taking a shoe off, "Men can be such babies!"

She then stated to Kenny, "Open the cage so I can get rid of the thing!"

Kenny jumped up and opened it quickly as Amanda pushed both women aside and found her target and slammed the shoe to the floor making the mouse from the previous night scurry away squealing!

Getting up she glared at both ladies and responded, "Gee. Not so tough after all, are ya? Well, enjoy your stay."

Amanda then left the cage and went to go change her clothes as Kenny closed the door remarking to Lee, "You know? She reminds me of my wife. Pretty, but bossy as all get out!"

As Lee chuckled uncomfortably Linda was eyeing him appreciatively when she queried, "If you ever get tired of Cinderella in there, you could always look me up?"

Lee commented carefully, "I appreciate it, but I think I've had enough excitement for one weekend."

Just then Amanda came out and handed the bag with the outfit to Kenny stating, "Here. I won't be needing this ever again. Maybe one of the ladies would like it."

She then gave the shoe back to Lee replying, "Here. It's clean now, trust me. Let's go, huh?"

Lee felt dazed and hesitantly commented, "Uh, yeah. Okay... Oh, the bail?"

Kenny pointed in the opposite direction and responded, "On your way out."

Lee nodded and as he put his shoe back on and went to pay the bail Amanda went out the door to the fresh air, leaning against the building.

Lee came out a few minutes later and seeing her face remarked concernedly, "You okay?"

Amanda chuckled and with a sarcastic tone answered, "Never better! Can we get back to the hotel now?"

Lee nodded and responded, "Sure. You can get packed up and find out what happened to your friend and I'll book a flight for us to get home-"

Amanda shook her head commenting, "No, it's all right. I drove here so why don't you just come back with me instead of wasting money on a airline ticket?"

Lee sighed and replied, "You don't have to do that-"

Amanda shrugged replying, "It's the least I can do since you flew out here to get me out of jail...Thanks."

Lee half smiled and answered softly, "It's okay."

The cab ride back to the hotel was quiet as Lee was mystified wondering how Amanda wound up getting arrested on a soliciting charge!

He shook his head thinking, Because it's Amanda. No matter what goes on in the world, somehow she lands herself in the craziest messes!

Meanwhile Amanda thought to herself, I'm so ashamed! I can't tell Debbie Ann let alone my own mother what happened to me! Darn you, Debbie Ann! All I wanted was a nice weekend with you and you talked me into... Nope! Don't blame others for your silly mistakes. You're a grown woman, Amanda Jean. You've always had good instincts. This was on you...

Soon, the two were back at the hotel and Amanda checked with the front desk about any messages left for her.

The clerk handed her one and asked, "Will you be checking out today?"

Amanda nodded replying, "Oh, yeah. Definitely. Check out's at noon, right?"

The clerk nodded and stated, "Yes, Ma'am. We hope you enjoyed your stay with us."

Amanda commented, "Well. In order to have done that I would've had to have been here last night, but thank you. Maybe next time..."

Lee clearing his throat responded to the clerk as he took Amanda's arm leading her to the elevator, "Uh, thanks."

When they got inside the elevator Amanda punched the floor button she needed and they were soon going up.

Lee asked, "Did you have to be like that with him? He didn't know what you'd been through last night-"

Amanda answered with a sigh, "And you're just dying to know, aren't you?"

Lee shrugged and remarked, "Well, I think I have a right to know since Billy sent me here to haul you out and-"

The elevator then stopped on the floor Amanda needed and they both exited as Amanda responded angrily, "Let's just say it was a mistake in judgement and leave it at that, okay?"

She got her hotel key and let them both into the room as Lee shook his head arguing, "No, I won't! The bail wasn't exactly cheap, you know. As for that outfit-"

Amanda rushed to shut the door as a couple of people walked by and she answered, "Shh! Stop! Okay, I'll tell you. But first, I gotta shower and get the jail smell off of me. Would you please order room service? I haven't eaten yet today and I'm a little famished. Do you want anything?"

Lee smiled down at her and chuckled lightly stating, "I'll take care of it. Go on and clean up."

Amanda half smiled back and getting a fresh outfit from her suitcase, gathered her toiletries and makeup and headed to the bathroom closing the door.

Lee called down to Room Service and ordered a breakfast platter with coffee asking, "Do you happen to have Poppyseed muffins?"

Smiling as he heard the response he answered, "Great. Thank you very much."

Hanging up he then dialed Billy and filling him in commented, "It was a simple misunderstanding. Uh, look. Amanda drove here so I'm getting a ride back with her and I'll see you in the morning, all right? Okay, bye."

Sighing he then thought for a moment and decided he had to check the bottom of his shoe.

Not that he didn't trust Amanda's cleaning methods but he had to be sure.

Taking the shoe off he carefully turned it over and made a face!

Some remains of the insect were still in the grooves of the bottom of the shoe! Shuddering, he took the shoe and going to the bathroom door knocked stating, "Amanda? Don't panic. I just want to use the sink for a minute, okay?"

There was no answer as the shower was still going so he came in and wet a washcloth and began working to remove the crud.

Just as he was finishing up the shower went off and he gulped remarking, "Amanda, stay put there. I just want to finish cleaning off my shoe-"

Amanda was stunned and queried, "Lee Stetson, why are you in the bathroom?"

Lee swallowed and replied, "Relax, will ya? I told you I was just cleaning off the shoe-"

Amanda tersely stated, "Get out now, Buster!"

Just then there was a knock at the hotel room door.

Amanda gasped asking, "Who's that?"

Lee sighed and responded, "Room Service, all right? I'm going to go now and you can finish dressing."

He left closing the door as Amanda shook her head grumbling, "Gee! Thanks a lot, Pal!"

When Amanda came out a few minutes later she was dressed and Lee answered, "Breakfast is served, Madame."

Amanda went to her suitcase and putting her things away queried, "Is your shoe fixed now or do we call in an expert?"

Lee sneered at her answering, "Ha, ha. C'mon, let's sit down and eat before it all gets cold."

Amanda sighed and sat at the table across from him taking a sip of coffee and swallowing remarked sadly, "I'm-I'm sorry. It's just that I've had better weekends, you know?"

Lee nodded and commented, "I know. Me too. So, do you want to tell me what happened?"

Amanda saw something in his eyes and groaned responding, "Oh, God! You have the mugshot and the negatives! How much more humiliation can I take here?"

Lee put up a hand and stated quickly, "I swear, I'll put them in a safe place. But it might make you feel better if you talk about it, huh?"

Amanda commented, "No. Just give me back the negatives and the mugshot. No one else has to know about this."

Lee hesitated and responded slowly, "Yeah. Well, Jeffreys knows and Billy knows because it was Agency funds that paid for your bail...wait. What if I don't give you back the stuff? What exactly do you want for them?"

Amanda chuckled as she ate her eggs and swallowed stating, "Um, let me think about it a while and I'll get back to you..."

Lee poured his second cup of coffee and worked on his Poppyseed muffin as he watched her eating and thought, What's the worst she could do if I keep the negatives and mugshot?

TBC