Chapter Nine: Air Force Base – June 25
The military transport taxied down the runway at Andrews Air Force Base in Prince George's County, Maryland. Jet-lagged, but greatly relieved to see his homeland, Lee disembarked and scanned the surroundings for a familiar face. Wishing for a tall brunette to fling herself into his waiting arms, he realized her warm welcome was better suited to a private moment.
Certainly someone had been delegated to meet his plane. Probably two field-section rookies would appear in a standard issue, modest sedan from the Agency motor pool. Given the top-secret nature of his assignment and the fuss he'd caused by finagling permission to return home, he'd be lucky if he wasn't escorted in handcuffs and assigned to an Agency holding cell until a hearing could be arranged.
Much to his surprise, a limousine moved toward him. "Oh, no," he mumbled, certain that Dr. Smyth had arrived to retrieve his wayward agent. Bracing for the fallout, he watched in dread as the dark side window slowly opened.
"Welcome home, Scarecrow."
"Billy," Lee called as relief washed over him.
The normally serious section chief abandoned all formality as a wide smile spread across his face. Exiting the vehicle, he greeted Lee with a firm handshake and an affectionate slap on the back. "Good to have you home, man."
"God, you can't imagine how great it feels. Thanks for cutting to the chase and ending my banishment to the Soviet Union."
"I'm sorry about your exile, Scarecrow." Billy held the door while motioning for his senior agent to enter the limo. "Smyth blindsided all of us."
"I know," he replied, swallowing the string of expletives that were better left unsaid. Their vehicle was no sooner underway, when Lee asked his burning question. "How's Amanda?"
Melrose offered a knowing look. "She's missing her partner, but faithfully keeping the Q-Bureau in good order."
"When do I get to see her?" he asked, the eagerness in his voice betraying his deep-seeded feelings for Amanda.
"I'm afraid the reunion will have to wait until after the debriefing," Billy said, carefully observing his agent. "You know the drill, Lee. You've been gone a long time and suffered physical and emotional stress. Dr. McJohn will need to administer a battery of tests, and then the Agency will need a day or two for the 'Q and A'. The Medical staff will provide you with a comfortable bed."
"Billy, come on, I don't want to be held hostage. I need to see my . . ." He stopped before allowing the word, "wife" to slip passed his lips.
"Who do you need to see, Stetson?"
"Just forget it."
"Did you mean partner, girlfriend, or . . . wife?"
Slack-jawed, Lee faced his boss. "You know, don't you?"
"Yes, I did a little poking around." Billy's expression morphed from authoritarian accuser to affirming friend. "Am I the first to congratulate you?"
Chagrined, Lee accepted the handshake. "Nobody at home or work knew about our marriage until Amanda finally told her mother and Joe King on the day I left for Moscow. Even the kids don't know. We planned to tell you soon, but suddenly I was gone."
"I wish you both owned up to your decision long before now," Billy scolded. "However, for the foreseeable future, your secret is safe with me. I've informed no one about the marriage of Scarecrow and Mrs. King. Eventually, though, you will need to enlighten the Agency."
"How did you figure it out?"
"Don't kid yourself, Lee," Melrose said with a toothy grin. "The mutual attraction between you and Amanda was obvious to nearly everyone who saw you two together on a daily basis."
Lee squirmed. "Maybe, but most colleagues chalked it up as friendship. With me gone, I imagine the gossip died down."
"Just the opposite," Billy countered. "Amanda was visibly anxious about your overseas assignment, and her behavior around me was totally out-of-character. I've known since last fall that something was up between you two, and I never quite bought your February story of separate vacations in California."
"Pretty transparent, huh?"
"Hey, Stetson, the Agency doesn't pay me big bucks to ignore a budding romance between two of my best agents. Therefore, when Amanda was inordinately stressed by your absence, I investigated and turned up a marriage license."
"Did you confront Amanda?"
"Not immediately. Since I'd ordered her to see the Agency doctors, I postponed the conversation until she completed a medical exam and had her counseling sessions well underway."
Alarmed, Lee tensed. "What's wrong?"
Billy placed a fatherly hand on Lee's shoulder. "Dr. Pfaff says she's suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder initiated by February's gunshot wound and then worsened by the loss of her partner. Your abrupt departure overseas apparently exacerbated the problem and temporarily exhausted Amanda's coping skills. Needless to say, I took her out of the field for the time being and placed her on desk duty."
"God, what next?" Lee mumbled as he raked trembling hands through his hair.
"Take it easy, Scarecrow. Amanda has made great strides in recent weeks. She seems relieved that I'm on-board with your secret marriage. And, too, once she learned of your circumstances in Moscow, she's been energized by the focus of bringing you home. "
"So is she cured?"
"Maybe 'cured' isn't the correct word," Billy said, with a hint of doubt. "However, she's managing a lot better now that she understands the trigger for her excessive stress."
"What trigger?" Lee asked, desperate to understand his wife's emotional turmoil. "Is she scared of getting shot again?"
"No, Lee." Melrose hesitated for a beat. "Amanda is afraid of losing you."
"Me?" he said as realization finally hit home. Stymied by remorse, Lee placed his arms on his wide-spread knees and cradled his head in his hands. "I wasn't in the car when Amanda was shot during our honeymoon," he stammered in a voice filled with self-incrimination. "Nor was I at the hospital when she finally awoke from her coma."
"Stetson, you can't blame yourself."
"The hell I can't," he bit back. "Amanda was languishing in a California hospital while I took the law into my own hands, tracked down the shooter, and beat him senseless. Then she was barely moved out of intensive care when I returned to Washington."
"You were recalled by the Agency," Billy countered. "Besides, Dotty West flew out to be with her daughter."
Lee rejected all reason as his repressed guilt spilled from his soul. "God, I shut Amanda out of field work after she healed, and I went home alone to my apartment each night. Worst of all, I abandoned her at the Jefferson Memorial just before heading overseas. Hell, I've let Amanda down from the moment the justice of the peace pronounced us husband and wife."
Billy studied him with somber eyes. "No, Lee, the Agency let you down. For years, you've been treated like a powerful machine instead of a human being entitled to some personal happiness. Actually, I'm delighted that you found the courage to marry Amanda."
"Thanks," Lee said, sucking-up the last evidence of his raw emotion. "I'm grateful for your approval."
"My pleasure," Melrose said with the paternal assurance he reserved for his favorite Agency team. "I'm just sorry you were allowed only two months to be Mr. and Mrs. Stetson before Dr. Smyth severed your ties indefinitely."
"Humph," Lee grunted, the tic in his jaw pulsating with aggravation. "There wasn't much to sever. We missed out on the honeymoon and the wedded bliss stage. God, we nearly went straight to "until death do us part."
Empathy was etched on Billy's face. "I'm sure it was rough. However, I have faith in you two. In truth, you and Amanda were emotionally married long before you made it official. I've been waiting for your union for a long time."
The beleaguer groom nodded, realizing his boss had their relationship pegged from the first time he saw Scarecrow and Mrs. King enter his office. Maybe, despite his fervent denial, Lee had sensed it, too. When he'd grabbed Amanda at the train station and looked into her piercing brown eyes, the lock on his grieving heart had opened. Love may have taken years to grow to fruition, but the seeds were planted that fateful day, and the childhood trauma of orphan Lee Stetson slowly began to heal.
"Are you okay?" Offering a quizzical look, Melrose pulled Lee from his musings. "With all the secrecy, I assume the alien world of husband and stepfather has been littered with minefields."
The reminder of his failed attempts to adapt fueled Lee's anger. "Hell, adjusting to marriage and family proved harder than outsmarting Soviet agents. By living apart, Amanda and I found it difficult to carve out any alone time for ourselves. As for family life, I barely made the team. While Dotty and Phillip welcomed me as Amanda's steady boyfriend, Jamie recoiled whenever I entered their house."
Melrose nodded in understanding. "I imagine step-parenting was difficult, especially when you couldn't lay legitimate claim to your place in the family. Even worse, you had to compete with the boys' idolized father on a regular basis."
"You got that right. Despite missing most of his sons' childhood, Joe could be pompous about his role in the family. Then I'd get testy and slam the door on my way out of the King home. However, at the office, Amanda was the perfect balm to sooth my anger. God, I hope we aren't about to face a permanent split at work."
"Lee, I've always known Amanda could calm your hair-trigger temper. Therefore, I'll do everything in my power to keep your partnership intact."
"Come on, Billy, we can both anticipate repercussions from reversing Dr. Smyth's orders. He already has enough ammunition against Amanda and me. A mystery marriage could obliterate our careers."
"Give me some credit, Stetson. I obtained approval for your reassignment to D.C., so trust me to smooth things over for you and Amanda. Contrary to Dr. Smyth's negative assessment of my methods, I still hold considerable influence in the intelligence community."
Relieved to have his mentor and friend share his burden, Lee released a harsh breath and relaxed into the comfort of the limo. "So, Billy, since you command so much respect, maybe you can arrange for Amanda to see me today."
"I'd be happy to reunite the two of you with a phone call, but I'm afraid she's not available."
"Hell, she's expecting my return. Where is she?"
"Calm down," Billy said, pumping his hands. "None of us could guess when you'd show up, so under advisement from her doctors and section chief, Amanda's getting some rest and relaxation."
"Did you check her into a damn rest home?"
"No, she's on vacation."
"Vacation," he growled as Easter memories came to the fore.
"Yes, she's out in the boondocks somewhere, camping with her family."
Lee balled his fingers into a tight fist as his temper ignited. "God, you mean she's gone whitewater rafting with a bunch of tenderfoots. I distinctly asked Amanda not to go without me." Turning his face away from his boss, the synapses of his brain sprang into action. One way or another, he was going to join her, with or without the approval of the Agency.
Agency: June 26
For Lee's first overnight stay, the Agency had pulled out all the stops to keep Scarecrow tethered to the medical floor. Alarmed by his high blood pressure, dehydration, and state of exhaustion, Dr. McJohn had prescribed medication, hooked him up to an I.V., and ordered uninterrupted sleep in the infirmary.
Finally waking from a deep sleep, Lee heard footsteps moving about the room. Slowly he recalled returning to Washington and being confined to the Agency. The first word out of his mouth was "Amanda."
"She's not here," a nurse answered. "Amanda King is in West Virginia."
"How long have I been out?"
"You've been asleep for sixteen hours."
"Hell," he said with alarm. Convinced that the King family was in certain jeopardy on a river of doom, Lee bolted upright and attempted to crawl from the covers.
Immediately the nurse pushed the call button and more medical staff sprang into action. Even his section chief joined the fray. "Sorry, Scarecrow," Billy said as he hovered over the patient and held him in place with a herculean effort. "You're not going anywhere."
Lee continued to struggle. "Does Amanda know I'm home?" he bellowed.
Melrose motioned for calm. "Dotty West has been informed of your safe return, but our attempts to contact the King family were unsuccessful due to their remote location and the strong storms that knocked out the power to the mountain wilderness."
"God, I've got to get moving and find them. Anything could have happened."
"Lee, you don't need to panic. Rangers have spotted them on a regular basis. When the rains came, they got off the river and made camp for the night. They're doing fine."
"Are you positive?"
"Yes, Stetson. In two or three days, they should finish their hiking and rafting and start home." Backing toward the door, Melrose pointed a finger at his unruly agent. "If you behave yourself for the debriefing, we'll probably discharge you in time for Amanda's return."
"Then let's start the interrogation now," Lee said as he yanked out his I.V., rolled out of bed, and tugged on his skimpy hospital gown that hardly covered his lanky frame.
"Scarecrow," Billy yelled. "Stay put or I'll have the nurses wrestle you into a straitjacket."
"Don't even try," Lee warned. "If your debriefing team wants answers, then I'm giving them now." Holding the back flaps of the gown together with one hand, Lee pulled his clothes from the locker with the other. "I'm out of here, man."
The 'Q and A' took longer than expected. By six o'clock in the evening, Lee was chomping at the bit to flee the premises.
Under much duress, Billy reluctantly released him for the night on the condition he'd go straight home and return to the Agency by noon the next day in order to finish his debriefing. To be certain that Scarecrow followed orders, he was transported by agents Duffy and Fielder who were also assigned to stakeout his residence for the duration.
As soon as Lee reached the privacy of his apartment, he set a plan in motion – shave off his mustache, dress for the backwoods, and pack emergency gear. Maybe his colleagues wouldn't search for Amanda, but, come hell or high water, he was going to find his wife and stepsons.
Leaving by the rear exit, he hurried between neighborhood dwellings to pick up his Corvette from the parking garage. Then speeding through the deserted streets, he headed for Arlington. Certainly Amanda wasn't there, but her mother was probably keeping the home fires burning. Maybe Dotty West had crucial information of the family's whereabouts.
Maplewood Drive:
Relief washed over Lee as he parked the Corvette in front of the charming Cape Cod with the white picket fence. God he was finally home. Memories of the modest abode had kept him sane in the darkest hours of exile.
Years before he'd ever walked through the front door, the light in the kitchen had shown like a beacon, welcoming him in from the cold. Even during his first tentative encounters with the housewife turned wannabe spy, he'd often found himself drawn to the King family as he peered in their window while waiting for Amanda to join him.
The awful loneliness, only an orphan could know, had risen to consciousness as he'd watched the two young boys thrive in an environment of love and understanding. Slowly over months and years, just a glimpse of his favorite suburban mom in action had chipped away at his self-avowed loner status. Gradually his walls of self-preservation had crumbled, and he'd come to abhor the solitary life. Maybe, just maybe, he could learn from his Agency protégé and transform himself into a family man.
Shaking off the poignant memories, he finally exited the car. Old habits beckoned as Lee chose the familiar back patio and a knock on the kitchen door. Aching for Amanda's intimate embrace to envelop his weary body, he was temporarily pacified when Dotty greeted him with a genuine cry of delight and a fierce hug.
"Hello, stranger," his mother-in-law said, using the exact words Amanda often employed when they reunited after separate assignments.
Smiling at the enthusiastic welcome, he planted a kiss on Dotty's cheek as his eyes scanned the cozy surroundings that usually bustled with activity. "How's everybody?"
"I wish I knew," his mother-in-law said with a sigh. "They're still on their wilderness adventure. A phone call from Amanda would relieve my worries, but I guess that won't happen until they return to civilization."
Lee frowned, unable to stop the accusatory words that flew from his mouth. "Dotty, how could you let her go? From what I've been told by my supervisor, she's been kind of . . . fragile."
Dotty snorted at his statement. "My daughter is thirty-six years old. Amanda hasn't allowed me to dictate any of her decisions since she was in sixth grade and hid Debbie Ann Macabie in our attic."
Running a hand through his hair, Lee exhaled a harsh breath. "Sorry, Dotty, I know it's not your fault. I've been on the receiving end of her stubbornness, too."
Patting his arm, she tried to reassure him. "Lee, I recognize that Amanda's been a bit down and anxious, but don't count her out of anything. Certainly you realize she's not the type to be babied. Besides, she's well trained in wilderness survival and even owns a snake bite kit. She's also been certified by the American Red Cross in first aid and water safety. What else could go wrong besides bugs bites, bee stings, and sunburn?"
Lee sighed, the endless scenarios of Amanda's misadventures playing like a loop in his brain. "Dotty, your daughter has a knack for attracting trouble. I just hope to God the family's lazy river adventure doesn't turn into the "river of no return."
Dotty peered at him over the top of her reading glasses. "Lee, darling, Amanda often touts your positive nature. I'm afraid you left your famed optimism in Moscow."
Caught off guard by her reference to the Soviet Union, his mouth dropped open in surprise. "I was on a top secret assignment. How did you find out about my mission?"
Dotty had the grace to look embarrassed. "In case you didn't suspect, let me warn you that I'm a certifiable snoop." With a sly smirk she prepared him for a lengthy ramble. "Ever since Amanda told me the truth about her clandestine life, I've made it my business to pay closer attention to my daughter's activities. When I caught her watching late night newscasts, I joined her for the reports about the United States Embassy in Moscow. Then when a State Department translator showed up on our doorstep, I unabashedly eavesdropped. When it comes to Amanda and my new son-in-law, I'm well within my rights." With a brief pause, Dotty's scolding frown softened into a warm smile. "Welcome to the family, Lee."
"Thanks," he said, nervously clearing his throat. "I assume Amanda's career in espionage and her marriage to a federal agent were quite a shock."
"That's putting it mildly," Dotty said sarcastically. "However, let's save any bloodletting for another day. Right now, you're well-being is my main concern. Lee, you look like you've been through the wringer."
"You've got that right. The Agency's debriefing team has been at me for hours."
"Those government slave drivers," Dotty mumbled as she reached for the coffee pot and filled two cups. "No wonder you and Amanda fell in love. You were with each other day and night."
"Yes, we were practically inseparable," Lee said as he seated himself on a kitchen stool and gratefully sipped his jolt of caffeine.
Dotty fretted over him like a mother hen. "Why don't you go upstairs and sack out in Amanda's bed. Maybe in a few hours we'll have some news from the campground."
Lee was tempted by the offer. "Thanks, but I'm determine to find Amanda and the kids tonight. Besides, my boss won't be happy when he discovers I outwitted my keepers. I'm supposed to be snoring away in my apartment tonight and be delivered back to the Agency at noon tomorrow for the rest of my debriefing."
"Are you always on the run?" Dotty murmured with dismay. "The last time your colleagues showed up here, you and Amanda fled through her bedroom window. I hope we won't have federal agents running around our yard like a gaggle of geese."
Lee laughed. "So, you see my point. I have to leave soon. Do you have any clues to our family's whereabouts?"
"Well, yes, Amanda left you a map and some pamphlets. Before the storms arrived, she called me about some changes in their itinerary. Also, Jamie mailed me a roll of film to develop. Honestly, my grandson took more pictures of strangers than he did of the family."
Lee perked up at the mention of photos. "Let me have a look," he said as he followed her to the family room.
Sitting on the sofa, he thumbed through Dotty's offerings. The benign family poses of Amanda with her boys made him smile, but he snorted when he came across the photo of Joe and Carrie in their off-beat outfits.
The next pictures were candid shots of tourists on the riverbank. The last photo stopped him cold. "It can't be," he murmured. Holding the photo closer to the lamp, he zeroed in on a mysterious twosome, especially the man who towered over the crowd. Hell, could it be Gregory? He wasn't positive, but trouble may be stalking Amanda.
"What's wrong?" Dotty asked with alarm.
Lee transferred the photo to his mother-in-law. "The lanky character standing in the background seems familiar to me."
Dotty perused the picture. "Do you mean Jack Sprat?"
"Who?"
"Sorry," she said, waving off his question. "Jack Spart is a nursery rhyme. You know, 'Jack Sprat could eat no fat; his wife could eat no lean'."
Lee shot his mother-in-law an incredulous look. "Please, Dotty, spare me the Mother Goose."
"Of course, dear. However, the man with the skinny physique is memorable. In fact, he may have been a substitute mailman a few days ago."
Lee's jaw clenched. "Here?"
"Correct. I was out on the front step watching the family leave for Harpers Ferry when suddenly he appeared. It was the strangest thing, because, he only handed me circulars. However, several hours later, our regular mailman delivered letters and bills."
Stunned, Lee closed his eyes to the news. God, danger was marching in lock step with his family.
"Lee, why the long face? Should I be worried?"
Shaking his head in disbelief, he hesitated to fuel Dotty's concerns. "I'm not a hundred percent sure, but I think the gangling giant and the shorter guy next to him are Russians."
"I'm guessing you don't mean friendly Russians?" she said with growing apprehension. "The mailman seemed pleasant enough, but in retrospect I was far too trusting. Heaven only knows how many unsavory people I've warmly greeted at the door over the years."
"Don't be hard on yourself," he soothed in his mellow tone of voice. "In suburbia, it's natural to welcome strangers. Many times you've opened the door to agents, too."
"Humph," she said with a jaded laugh. "I must be a terrible judge of character. Several times, I've tried to turn away your supervisor, Mr. Melrose."
"Billy gets that a lot," Lee replied. "His authoritarian demeanor can be intimidating." Absently skimming through Jamie's photos again, he remembered all the pictures were taken days ago. "Would our family still be in Harpers Ferry?"
"No, they only stayed for two days. Amanda said they'd be traveling to 'The Gorge,' a place with more challenging whitewater. Joe bought a package deal for four days of primitive camping and rafting. Each night they planned to camp along the river."
"Great, they've gone deeper into the wilderness." Burying his nose in the map and pamphlets left by his wife, he avoided Dotty's probing eyes. Consulting his watch, he strategized a plan of action. "If I leave now, I can reach their location before dark. They're probably camping in rough terrain, but ATV rentals may be available for moving people back and forth to the river."
Dotty paced, wringing her hands together. "Are you driving your Corvette?"
"If you don't mind, I'd like to pull it into the garage and take the Wagoneer."
"Perfect," she muttered, almost to herself. "If your spy chums come knocking tonight, I can't plead ignorance – not if your sports car is on the premises."
Lee couldn't help but grin. "Improvise, Dotty. If they show up, you'll think of something to 'throw the dogs off my scent.' Like Amanda, you're a terrific 'black belt confuser'."
Rising quickly, he brushed a kiss across his mother-in-law's cheek. "Trust me," he said as he headed for the door. "I'll find our family and bring them home."
TBC
