Chapter 4

Back in the Q-bureau, Amanda held the receiver to her ear and listened intently to what the caller on the other end was saying. "Okay, I'll try to get there as soon as I can."

"Get where as soon as you can?" Lee asked Amanda once she'd hung up the phone.

"Oh my gosh, you startled me! I didn't realize you were back," she stammered then rushed on. "I just need to pick up some things from the church. I donated a few items that didn't sell for the fundraising bazaar that took place last month." After Lee gave her a quizzical look, Amanda continued, "If I don't get them soon, they'll be thrown out."

"Oh, I thought you were done with that already; well, I just assumed that you would have taken care of that while I was away."

"Well, Lee, I can't do everything! I just forgot," Amanda snapped.

Lee felt like he had been slapped. "Amanda, I didn't mean it that way," Lee hastened to assure Amanda as he perched himself on the edge of her desk.

She flushed. "Lee, I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me."

"Are you okay?" Lee asked as he looked at Amanda, his brows furrowed with concern.

"Just a little tired, I think."

"You should be, from this weekend," Lee winked as he reached out and kissed her on the cheek. "But, honestly, even while I was away, you seemed rather testy. I'm concerned about you and just between you and me, so is Billy."

She looked at him thoughtfully. "You are right, Lee. I have been feeling out of sorts. Maybe it's just the end of the holiday blues or something like that."

"Amanda, if it was something more like you weren't feeling well or something happened while I was gone, or I mean something about your health. You'd tell me, wouldn't you?"

"Sweetheart, of course, I would."

"You promise?" He looked her straight in the eyes, looking for confirmation.

She met his gaze and smiled, "Yes, Lee, I promise!"

"Okay." He wasn't completely convinced.

"But I am okay. Honest." She touched his sleeve to reassure him. "I guess I better get to fixing this paperwork." She turned her attention to the folder on her desk.

"And I have some phone calls to make."

Lee stood up and walked over to his desk and settled into his chair. He glanced at her thoughtfully before turning to his Rolodex and flipping through its cards before making his first call. They worked quietly for almost an hour; Lee alternated between making phone calls and using the computer to cross-reference the new information he had gleaned while Amanda typed. Lee started to notice Amanda's eye straying several times to look at her watch.

Finally, by the fourth time, Lee asked, "Amanda, why do you keep looking at your watch?"

"Am I looking at my watch?"

"Yes, Amanda, why do you keep checking the time?"

"Oh, no reason!" she replied sharply and went back to typing.

Lee looked at her and frowned. He grabbed the notebook and pen off his desk and started towards the door. "I need to talk to Billy. I'll be back soon." He left without her responding.

When Lee returned to the Q-Bureau, Amanda was gone along with her coat and purse. Amanda was usually very good at leaving him notes, and they were normally somewhere easy to spot, like taped to the computer. He noticed that the typewriter still had a page, from a report Amanda hadn't finished. After not finding any clues to her whereabouts, Lee called down to Mrs. Marston's desk and asked her whether Amanda had left or not.

"Yes, Mr. Stetson, she did and she left you a message. I'm sorry, I didn't tell you sooner. I didn't know you were back in your office." Mrs. Marston said right away upon hearing Lee's voice. "I must have been on the phone when you returned, and I didn't see you."

"It's okay, Mrs. Marston, I went to the Q-bureau using the back way."

"That would make sense."

"So what did Amanda say? What was the message?"

"She said that she was just going out for some air and that she'd be back shortly. And not to worry about her."

"Did she say exactly where she would be going, to get air, I mean?"

"No, she didn't say." Lee could imagine Mrs. Marston now shrugging her shoulders.

"Okay, thank you! If she comes back in, can you make sure to call me if she goes down to see Billy instead of coming straight to our office? It's really important."

"Yes, Mr. Stetson, I'll make sure to do that!"

Don't worry about her! Just how in the hell am I supposed to do that? Lee asked himself. Seems to me that's all I've been doing since the very first day I met her.

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