The club was dark and the music and crowd were almost overwhelming. There was strobe lights flashing and he couldn't get his bearings. A figure appeared in front of him, running a hand down his chest. "Well, there you are, Handsome."

"Andy?"

"Could be."

He was straining now, blinded by the strobe, unable to clearly make him out, but suddenly doubtful. Was it Andy? Or was this the night he'd met Kim Fairfield in London?

"Who are you?"

"Who do you want me to be?"

Now the figure was shifting shape, and it was Amanda in front of him, looking up with a concerned expression. "Why are you still here? Come home."

"I want to," he insisted. "I want to come home to you!"

Someone – Andy, Kim, he couldn't tell – slipped their arms around Amanda's waist and pulled her into the dancing crowd, calling back to him. "Better hurry then!" He didn't know how he could hear that jeering comment over the music, but somehow he did. He began pushing his way through the crowd, trying to catch up, trying to get her back. But she was disappearing into an encroaching darkness and he lost sight of her.

"Amanda! Amanda, where are you?" He was calling her over and over but no matter where he looked in the dark writhing crowd, he couldn't find her but he could hear her calling him over the pounding bass of the music.

Lee woke up, gasping. The pounding music of the dream was matching his pounding heart and slowly he realized both were in sync with someone knocking on his door.

"Coming," he called, dragging himself to the door and opening it to find an Austrian detective who looked far more awake than Lee thought he should be allowed to.

"You are alright?" asked Dieter with concern. "I could hear you yelling from next door."

"Yeah, I'm fine," answered Lee, running a hand over his face. "Just dreaming, I guess."

"We need to find Hollinger and get you home," said Dieter still looking worried. "I do not think you are sleeping well."

"I'm fine, I'm fine," answered Lee, waving him off. "You getting sick of me already?"

"Well, you know, I prefer my blondes more, you know," quipped the detective, miming the hourglass shape again. "And not quite so tall, ja?"

Lee leaned on the doorframe and smiled tiredly at him. "I really do have just the girl for you." He gave a long yawn, then finally managed to ask "Have we heard anything else yet?"

Dieter shook his head negatively. "Nothing yet – if he is in a hotel, it is not any the owner here knows – he has asked all his friends."

"Okay." Lee stretched and shook himself, trying to wake up. He looked at his watch and did the math. "I'm going to shower, and then I need to check in with my boss. He won't be in the office for another few hours though, so we could grab something to eat first and figure out what we do next."

Dieter nodded. "I need to check in with my office as well. I do not think they thought it would take this long; they will be pleased that we are closing the trap. Come and knock when you are ready."

Lee felt better after a shower and a croque-monsieur at the nearby brasserie, but couldn't get rid of the antsy feeling he had as it continued to be so difficult to find Harry. He wanted to go home, he wanted to see Amanda, and he really wanted to not be here anymore. He gave an inward laugh as he walked back to the hotel to call Billy.

How times have changed he thought. Time was, he had loved nothing better than to be in constant motion around the world, but that had been when Andy was with him, and then later, when he'd been trying to run away from remembering him, but now? Nothing would make him happier than to be home.

Out of habit, he called Amanda's desk first, disappointed when she didn't answer. Hanging up, he dialed Billy instead, feeling cheered at the sound of a familiar voice, even though it had only been twenty-four hours since his last check-in. He ran a hand over his face; the way this case was bringing up old memories was getting to him more than he thought.

"Hey Billy, just checking in."

"I take it from your tone of voice that you haven't found him yet."

"No," Lee sighed. "But we're close – we know he was picked up at a bar a few nights ago, and we're fairly certain he's still here. We're going to split up tonight and hit as many places as we can. I really feel like we're going to get him soon."

"I had a chat with my counterpart at Interpol. Thanked him warmly and unofficially for all the help Volkenauer's been giving you. Thought it might help him get to stay with you for a while longer anyway."

"Yeah, it's been a godsend having someone like him along to grease the wheels," answered Lee absently. "I'm just getting sick of this one, Billy. It's so frickin' frustrating."

"I hear ya," Billy said. He could hear the exhaustion in Lee's voice and wondered if he should be bringing him home, whether or not they found Harry. "Anything I can do to help you more?"

"No, you're doing enough." There was a pause and then Lee went on, in a voice that sounded way too much like he didn't care. "So what did Amanda say about that thing you wanted her to work on?"

Billy tried to hide the smile in his voice. "She agreed and she and Francine left last night."

"You going to tell me what it is yet?" asked Lee, trying to sound calm.

"Not yet, no." Billy could hear Lee starting to splutter and went on in a soothing tone. "Lee, she's fine – it's nothing dangerous and it's only for a few days, I promise. She'll probably be home before you are."

"I still don't like that you won't tell me what it is," said Lee fretfully.

"It's not dangerous," repeated Billy, "but it is has some personal connotations. I'm sure she'll tell you all about it – after she's done, Scarecrow."

"What do you mean personal connotations?" Lee's voice was rising.

"Scarecrow! Calm down. Amanda has expertise that was useful in providing Francine a cover, that's all." Billy was torn – part of him saw the humor in Lee's frustration, but he knew that he was on a knife's edge anyway with his personal involvement in his own case. "Look, I'll tell you what – if you find Harry before she gets back from helping Francine, you can go help them out instead of coming home straight away, how does that sound?"

"Really?" said Lee, his tone a mix of suspicion and hope.

"Yes, really. Now is that enough incentive to find Harry?"

"I've always had enough incentive, Billy – I just don't trust - "

"Trust who?" Billy interrupted him. "Trust me not to send Amanda into something dangerous? Trust Francine not to look after her? Trust Amanda to know what she's doing after almost three years of putting up with you?"

"Billy!"

"Lee, seriously. Calm down, go find Harry, come home. That's an order."

Lee sighed, knowing he was defeated. "Fine. Talk to you tomorrow Billy. Sooner if we find him."

"Call me at home if you have to when you do find him, Lee. I want to know this one is off the To Do list, you understand?"

Lee could only imagine the pressure Billy was on at his end for Harry having slipped through the net for this long, and felt guilty that he hadn't solved this faster. "I will. Thanks, Billy."

He hung up and walked to the window of the hotel. It was a beautiful June day and the streets were thronged with people. Lee shrugged off the uneasy feeling he had about that conversation with Billy and headed for the door. Fresh air would do him good, he decided, and there was always the chance he'd find Harry along the way. He tapped on Dieter's door to let him know where he was going, but got no answer. He's probably doing the exact same thing, he realized.

Out on the street, he did feel calmer; something about the warm air and the sun on his face chased some of the shadows out of the corners of his soul, at least momentarily. The crowds made it difficult for him to move anywhere at speed so he contented himself with drifting with the throng, glancing into every bar as he passed, scanning the outdoor cafes – all to no avail.

A sudden scent of jasmine stopped him dead in his tracks and he glanced over to see that he was passing a parfumerie. There was something in the mix of florals scents coming from the doorway that reminded him of Amanda – that time he'd borrowed and broken her atomiser – he couldn't even remember why now except for her groan of dismay when it had shattered and the scent had filled the room. On an impulse, he found himself in the shop, explaining to the clerk what he was looking for. Thirty minutes later, he'd had a fairly complete lesson in perfume notes and he was carrying a bottle of a special house blend that he knew Amanda would love.

And it's not a scarf, he thought with real pleasure.