Quickly turning her back on Lee, an indignant Amanda tore into the new arrival, "This is ridiculous, my mother couldn't possibly have done anything that could get her into trouble with the CIA."

"Nobody said that Mrs. West was in any trouble, but her actions and associations threatened to compromise one of our operations this morning," the agent stated matter-of-factly.

"Actions and associations, you're making her sound like a common criminal," she bristled, moving close enough to be on the brink of encroaching on the man's personal space.

No longer able to keep Dotty's secret, Lee decided to intervene to prevent his wife from ending up sharing the small cell with him.

"Amanda, please calm down, and let me explain-"

"Now you want to explain," she snapped at him. She studied him, her brown eyes glowering until she noticed that his attention had suddenly shifted from her to the doorway behind them.

"Maybe you should let me help you to explain before this situation becomes any more tense," suggested Captain Curt Weller, as he moved to stand between Amanda and the bars of Lee's cell.

She visibly sagged, as her husband and her mother's sometime suitor exchanged a wary glance. Oh my gosh, this can't be happening again, my mother is either dating a criminal or a…spy?

Author's note: I apologize for the long wait and the extremely short update. I'm fighting a stomach virus that's been going around at work. I'm feeling much better, and I hope you'll accept this brief entry to tide you over for another day or two until I can complete a full-fledged chapter. Thanks for your understanding.