"Back so soon?" Remington asked, as they walked back inside the den.
"The restaurant was closed, and I had an idea how we could get inside. It required coming back by here," she explained.
"Why didn't you think of this idea earlier?" he inquired, as she ignored him and headed up the stairs, followed by Amanda and Mildred. "Women," he muttered.
*****
"We can say that we're with the Department of Public Health, and we were sent to inspect the facility," Laura told them, as she searched through her clothes that she had brought along with her.
"You can borrow something of mine," Amanda suggested. "Well, I mean my regular clothes. Not maternity, of course."
"Thanks for the offer, but I think this will do just fine," she said, taking out a brown business skirt suit.
"Laura, I can call you Laura, right? Won't it look a little awkward if a pregnant woman is 'sent to inspect the facility'?" she asked her. "You could go with Mr. Steele, and while you're distracting the people I could perhaps sneak away and get what we needed."
"That's a great idea. Except for the fact that Mr. Steele is staying here with Lee," Laura reminded her, selecting a pair of matching high heels.
"Mildred, would you mind staying here with Lee instead?" Amanda asked her.
"No, of course not. I won't mind at all," she answered.
"Thank you so much," she told her. "And I think that I might could get you a fake ID to get inside the restaurant."
"Really? That'd be great. How?"
"I'll get Francine on the phone and ask her to get two IDs for you. It...shouldn't be too hard," she said, as she walked out of the room. She dialed the Agency, and got Francine on the line. "Francine? Listen, I hate to ask a favor, but I really need you to do something for me."
"Alright. What?"
"Could you get two IDs for the Department of Public Health for me?"
"Amanda, you know good and well that that is strictly..."
"I know, I know. But please, just this once. I don't like to break rules either, but this... this...could end up being a matter of national security," Amanda said, trying her best to convince Francine.
She heard Francine sigh, and then she finally answered, "Alright. I'll do it. But if Billy finds out..."
"Thank you so much Francine," Amanda interrupted. "How fast can you get them?"
"I'm working on it right now. Department of Public Health you say?"
"Yes. Two environmentalists. Male and female IDs."
"Since I'll be headed towards your way, I can just drop them off. Give me fifteen minutes."
******
"Thank you so much for doing this, Francine. I truly appreciate it," Amanda told her, when she had arrived.
"No problem," she replied. "I still don't understand why you need them."
"Oh, I'm sure you'll find out, soon enough," Laura told her.
"Well, I need to get going. Talk to you later," she said, turning to leave.
"Okay. Thanks again," Amanda said, closing the front door behind her. "Here. Are you ready to go?"
"I think so," Laura said, putting her Health Department identification on. "Now you know what to do, right?"
"Yes. You distract them while I get a look at their reservation records for last night. If there's time, I'll also see if I get a security tape."
"Right. And Mildred, you know to keep your eye on Lee, and not to let him get outside, by all means," Laura told her.
"Yes ma'am. He's sort of settled down since I turned on 'Gone With The Wind'. He's acting much more mature," Mildred answered.
"That's good to know. We'll be back later," Laura said. "Good luck."
"You too," Mildred replied.
Laura, Amanda, and Remington got into the Wagoner and drove back to L'Ornate.
*****SMK*****RS*****SMK*****RS******SMK*************
"Here's our identification. This won't take long, I assure you," Laura explained to the manager, in a somewhat nasal tone. "I assume that we'll find everything in order, but if not, the inspection will take longer."
"Okay. Come on," he led the couple towards the kitchen. Once the door to the kitchen had closed, Amanda poked her head out of her hiding spot from behind the counter to make sure that the coast was clear. She made her way to the book containing reservations. She read the names for the night before. She saw nothing unusual, and searched through several other large books. She found one which contained orders from the previous evening. Then she found what she was looking for: John Smyth, who purchased a bottle of wine for Mr. and Mrs. Lee Stetson. Now she needed a security tape.
*********
Meanwhile, back at the Stetson home, Mildred and Lee were playing Clue, the board game.
"I suggest Miss Scarlet, in the Kitchen, with the candlestick," Lee exclaimed, for the fifth time since they had started.
Mildred sighed deeply. "Why don't we play a different game?"
"I don't want to play any more games. Hang on a minute. I'm gonna go get something from my room," he jumped up and ran upstairs.
She quietly followed him to make sure that he didn't escape. She walked back to the den, and waited for him to return. He came running back into the den, and sat down beside her. He was holding a copy of "Sky Chief Rides Again".
"I want to read," he stated proudly.
********
"I think that we have found everything in order," Remington said, as they exited the kitchen. "Thank you for letting us carry on with our inspection. We'll be on our way now."
"Yes," Laura told the man. The couple walked outside the door and waited for Amanda. They then spotted her in the Wagoner. They ran over to where she was. "I think that we were pretty convincing. What did you find?"
"Well, I found that a bottle of wine for Mr. and Mrs. Lee Stetson was purchased last night by someone named John Smyth; spelled with a 'y'. I also was able to find a security tape, from last night," she informed them, before she cranked up the Jeep.
"That's good news. Well, not *good* news, but..." Remington said.
"We get the picture," Laura interrupted.
*********
"Forgive me for startling you with the impetuosity of my sentiments, my dear Ms. Krebs- but it can't have escaped your notice, that for some time past, the friendship I had felt for you has ripened into a deeper feeling, a feeling more beautiful, more pure, more sacred-dare I name it- can it be love?" Lee asked Mildred, kneeling down in front of her on his left knee.
"Mr. Stetson, you're married!" she told him. "You're married to Amanda Stetson! I think you've had too much 'Gone With The Wind'. I think that you *have* gone with the wind."
Just then, the door opened, and Laura, Amanda, and Remington walked in the room. "What on earth is going on here?" Laura exclaimed, when she saw Lee kneeling before Mildred.
"He just proposed to me, Rhett Butler-Style," Mildred informed them nervously. "I think he's had too much 'Gone With The Wind'."
"Better you than me," Remington remarked.
"Howdy, pretty gal," Lee said, walking up to Amanda. "The name's Stetson. Lee Stetson. And who might you be?"
"Lee, it's me! Amanda! Your wife!" she tried to explain.
"Yeah. And I'm Princess Di," he said. "Now what's your real name?"
"That reminds me..." Laura whispered, hinting at Remington.
"I'm Amanda," she said. "I think you need a nap."
"I think I don't."
"I'm in charge here."
"Not anymore."
"Yeah," Mildred said, standing from her seat. "He's right. You're not in charge here any more. I am. Now, you, Cowboy, you get on up to the corral and lasso yourself to the bed for a nice, long nap."
"The restaurant was closed, and I had an idea how we could get inside. It required coming back by here," she explained.
"Why didn't you think of this idea earlier?" he inquired, as she ignored him and headed up the stairs, followed by Amanda and Mildred. "Women," he muttered.
*****
"We can say that we're with the Department of Public Health, and we were sent to inspect the facility," Laura told them, as she searched through her clothes that she had brought along with her.
"You can borrow something of mine," Amanda suggested. "Well, I mean my regular clothes. Not maternity, of course."
"Thanks for the offer, but I think this will do just fine," she said, taking out a brown business skirt suit.
"Laura, I can call you Laura, right? Won't it look a little awkward if a pregnant woman is 'sent to inspect the facility'?" she asked her. "You could go with Mr. Steele, and while you're distracting the people I could perhaps sneak away and get what we needed."
"That's a great idea. Except for the fact that Mr. Steele is staying here with Lee," Laura reminded her, selecting a pair of matching high heels.
"Mildred, would you mind staying here with Lee instead?" Amanda asked her.
"No, of course not. I won't mind at all," she answered.
"Thank you so much," she told her. "And I think that I might could get you a fake ID to get inside the restaurant."
"Really? That'd be great. How?"
"I'll get Francine on the phone and ask her to get two IDs for you. It...shouldn't be too hard," she said, as she walked out of the room. She dialed the Agency, and got Francine on the line. "Francine? Listen, I hate to ask a favor, but I really need you to do something for me."
"Alright. What?"
"Could you get two IDs for the Department of Public Health for me?"
"Amanda, you know good and well that that is strictly..."
"I know, I know. But please, just this once. I don't like to break rules either, but this... this...could end up being a matter of national security," Amanda said, trying her best to convince Francine.
She heard Francine sigh, and then she finally answered, "Alright. I'll do it. But if Billy finds out..."
"Thank you so much Francine," Amanda interrupted. "How fast can you get them?"
"I'm working on it right now. Department of Public Health you say?"
"Yes. Two environmentalists. Male and female IDs."
"Since I'll be headed towards your way, I can just drop them off. Give me fifteen minutes."
******
"Thank you so much for doing this, Francine. I truly appreciate it," Amanda told her, when she had arrived.
"No problem," she replied. "I still don't understand why you need them."
"Oh, I'm sure you'll find out, soon enough," Laura told her.
"Well, I need to get going. Talk to you later," she said, turning to leave.
"Okay. Thanks again," Amanda said, closing the front door behind her. "Here. Are you ready to go?"
"I think so," Laura said, putting her Health Department identification on. "Now you know what to do, right?"
"Yes. You distract them while I get a look at their reservation records for last night. If there's time, I'll also see if I get a security tape."
"Right. And Mildred, you know to keep your eye on Lee, and not to let him get outside, by all means," Laura told her.
"Yes ma'am. He's sort of settled down since I turned on 'Gone With The Wind'. He's acting much more mature," Mildred answered.
"That's good to know. We'll be back later," Laura said. "Good luck."
"You too," Mildred replied.
Laura, Amanda, and Remington got into the Wagoner and drove back to L'Ornate.
*****SMK*****RS*****SMK*****RS******SMK*************
"Here's our identification. This won't take long, I assure you," Laura explained to the manager, in a somewhat nasal tone. "I assume that we'll find everything in order, but if not, the inspection will take longer."
"Okay. Come on," he led the couple towards the kitchen. Once the door to the kitchen had closed, Amanda poked her head out of her hiding spot from behind the counter to make sure that the coast was clear. She made her way to the book containing reservations. She read the names for the night before. She saw nothing unusual, and searched through several other large books. She found one which contained orders from the previous evening. Then she found what she was looking for: John Smyth, who purchased a bottle of wine for Mr. and Mrs. Lee Stetson. Now she needed a security tape.
*********
Meanwhile, back at the Stetson home, Mildred and Lee were playing Clue, the board game.
"I suggest Miss Scarlet, in the Kitchen, with the candlestick," Lee exclaimed, for the fifth time since they had started.
Mildred sighed deeply. "Why don't we play a different game?"
"I don't want to play any more games. Hang on a minute. I'm gonna go get something from my room," he jumped up and ran upstairs.
She quietly followed him to make sure that he didn't escape. She walked back to the den, and waited for him to return. He came running back into the den, and sat down beside her. He was holding a copy of "Sky Chief Rides Again".
"I want to read," he stated proudly.
********
"I think that we have found everything in order," Remington said, as they exited the kitchen. "Thank you for letting us carry on with our inspection. We'll be on our way now."
"Yes," Laura told the man. The couple walked outside the door and waited for Amanda. They then spotted her in the Wagoner. They ran over to where she was. "I think that we were pretty convincing. What did you find?"
"Well, I found that a bottle of wine for Mr. and Mrs. Lee Stetson was purchased last night by someone named John Smyth; spelled with a 'y'. I also was able to find a security tape, from last night," she informed them, before she cranked up the Jeep.
"That's good news. Well, not *good* news, but..." Remington said.
"We get the picture," Laura interrupted.
*********
"Forgive me for startling you with the impetuosity of my sentiments, my dear Ms. Krebs- but it can't have escaped your notice, that for some time past, the friendship I had felt for you has ripened into a deeper feeling, a feeling more beautiful, more pure, more sacred-dare I name it- can it be love?" Lee asked Mildred, kneeling down in front of her on his left knee.
"Mr. Stetson, you're married!" she told him. "You're married to Amanda Stetson! I think you've had too much 'Gone With The Wind'. I think that you *have* gone with the wind."
Just then, the door opened, and Laura, Amanda, and Remington walked in the room. "What on earth is going on here?" Laura exclaimed, when she saw Lee kneeling before Mildred.
"He just proposed to me, Rhett Butler-Style," Mildred informed them nervously. "I think he's had too much 'Gone With The Wind'."
"Better you than me," Remington remarked.
"Howdy, pretty gal," Lee said, walking up to Amanda. "The name's Stetson. Lee Stetson. And who might you be?"
"Lee, it's me! Amanda! Your wife!" she tried to explain.
"Yeah. And I'm Princess Di," he said. "Now what's your real name?"
"That reminds me..." Laura whispered, hinting at Remington.
"I'm Amanda," she said. "I think you need a nap."
"I think I don't."
"I'm in charge here."
"Not anymore."
"Yeah," Mildred said, standing from her seat. "He's right. You're not in charge here any more. I am. Now, you, Cowboy, you get on up to the corral and lasso yourself to the bed for a nice, long nap."
