Billy and Francine looked at one another in silence for a moment, both still reeling from Dr. Smyth's tirade before Billy walked around his desk and sank into his chair wearily. He picked up the file, skimming it briefly before putting it back down with a sigh. "We need to get started on this," He said without looking up.

"Billy, you're not serious," Francine said her eyes wide.

"I am," Billy said with a glance at Dr. Smyth's retreating figure through the window. "The old man...something about the way he was acting..."

"Like he's a politician instead of an agent," Francine suggested. "If he had ever spent the time that we have, dodging bullets, chasing bad guys-"

"Enough, Francine," Billy said. "This doesn't change the assignment I gave you. I still want you to run down that florist just like I asked you to do."

"But Smyth?"

"Never has to know about it," Billy said. "You made a good point. Whoever is after Amanda could try again. Lee seems to think that whoever it was, was only after her. I'm going to look at all the case files she's worked on in the past year. When you get done with the florist, check with Beaman, see if something in one of her class assignments may give us a clue." Francine nodded and proceeded to the door, but was stopped by Billy's voice, "And Francine?"

"Yes," She said pausing with her hand on the doorknob.

"If Dr. Smyth should catch on to what you're doing, I want you to protest yourself. Tell him that I ordered you to do this and that you were just following orders. Let me take the heat with him."

"Billy, no," Francine said with a shake of her head. "This is Lee and Amanda. I want to help. I need to."

"I know," Billy said with a nod. "But the old man doesn't need to know that."

"But-" She sighed then said, "I'm not gonna' let you take the fall for this."

"Yes, you are and that's an order," Billy said. "Now, don't argue, just do it!"

Francine jumped a little a Billy raising his voice. She knew that tone and knew when hearing it that he wouldn't be swayed. "Yes, Sir," she said and hurriedly left the office to follow her boss' orders.

After she left, Billy once again opened the file on his desk, intending to peruse its contents more thoroughly, feeling that with Dr. Smyth's behavior, there must be some piece of it related to Amanda's attack. He looked at the details of the attack on the prison transport, reading that they had been picking up prisoners who had been injured during their capture and had been recuperating in a guarded hospital and rehabilitation center before being transferred into the federal prison system. As he read through the file, he still didn't see what was so important that Smyth felt this deserved their attention when Amanda was in danger. "Damn it," he swore as he continued to read the accounts of the hijacking from the guards assigned to it, smoke bombs, guys with guns, blah, blah, blah. "Come on, where is it?" Billy said aloud looking for the pieces to complete the puzzle.

As he flipped to the next page, he was interrupted by the ringing of the phone beside him. "What?" he snapped in irritation. Now was not the time. "Sorry, Mrs. Marston," he apologized as he listened to her reason for calling. "Oh, I see. I'll be right up...Yes, me!" He snapped at her argumentative reply. "It's time for the secrets to end." He slammed the phone down flung open the door to his office where he found Francine at her desk on the phone. "Francine," He said to her.

Francine quickly covered the mouthpiece, "I'm on hold with the Embassy right now waiting for their events coordinator to get on the phone, what's up?"

"Hurry up with that phone call. We're gonna' need a sketch artist, then get Ernie in gear, interrogation room one, pronto!"

Francine sighed, "But what about the florist?"

"I think we just got something better," Billy said.

"You got it," Francine said as hung up the phone and quickly began to dial again as Billy exited through the glass doors of the bullpen and waited impatiently for the outside elevator.

Upstairs in the Georgetown foyer, Dotty fidgeted nervously wondering just what was going on and why Joe had insisted on leaving the hospital and why he'd taken her to IFF. She looked at her ex-son-in-law and said, "I don't understand, Joe. I should be at the hospital with Amanda."

"I know, Dotty," Joe said in a soothing tone, "But you're a witness and your statement could be very useful in helping to bring Amanda's attackers to justice."

"I understand that, Joe," Dotty snapped impatiently. "I'm not a complete idiot, but why are we here where Amanda works? Shouldn't we be talking to the police? I mean, there were two police officers that arrived to watch Amanda's room just as you were dragging me away from her. Couldn't they help?"

"No, the police think they already have their culprit. This is better," Joe said emphatically.

"But what can a bunch of film people do? I mean, I know they have government contacts...Oh, that's it, isn't it? You think that maybe some of their government friends can help, don't you?"

"Just trust me, Dotty," Joe said. He then turned to the matron at the desk and said, "What did he say?"

"He's on his way," Mrs. Marston replied coolly as she peered over the top of her glasses at them. So this is Mrs. King's mother, she thought and thought how appropriate the nickname Dotty was.

"Actually, he's here," a deep voice said from behind them as Billy exited the elevator. When Joe and Dotty both turned his direction, he took in their faces, Joe's look of relief and Dotty's of surprise, who looked quizzically at Joe. "Joe," He said with a cordial nod, then turned his attention to Dotty, and said, "Mrs. West, how nice to see you again. I understand that you have some information that may be useful to our investigation into the attack on your daughter."

"Your investigation," Dotty said. "I'm afraid that I don't understand. Why would federal agents being investigating an assault on my daughter like this one."

Billy sighed and said, "I know this is confusing for you, Mrs. West, but I promise that I will explain everything to you...or as much as I can anyway. I'm sure that you understand from our previous encounters that there are some things that are classifi-"

"Don't you dare finish that statement," Dotty snapped. "I do not want to hear the word "classified" come out of your mouth again! I heard that too many times during our last two encounters! This is my daughter's life we're talking about here and I need...No, I demand some real answers!"

Joe placed a hand on her back to calm her and said, "Easy, Dotty."

Dotty let out a deep breath and said, "Mr. Melrose, please, what is going on here?"

Billy himself sighed and said, "The reason that we're investigating this is because the attack on Amanda was related to one of our cases."

"How does this keep happening?" Dotty said. "You and your agents were hunting her and her boyfriend down as if they were common criminals just a year ago and now you think that she was attacked because of one of your cases. Why? I just don't understand. I realize that IFF works for the government, but what on earth could a simple documentary film maker have to do with a federal investigation?" Billy and Joe exchanged a knowing glance, which was not lost on Dotty. "What?" She turned to Joe and said, "You know, don't you?"

"Dotty, if you'll just give Mr. Melrose a chance..." Joe said.

"Please, Mrs. West," Billy said as he reached for her arm. "If you'll just come with me."

"NO!" she said as she backed away from him. "I am not going anywhere with you until you tell me what's going on here!"

Billy sighed again, glanced for a moment at Mrs. Marston's animated facial expression, who seemed to be getting entertained by watching him squirm. He then turned back to Dotty and said, "I know you want answers and I'll give them to you, but I should warn you that you may not like what you hear."

"I'm listening," Dotty said as she folded her arms across her chest.

Billy took a deep breath and began, "The reason that we were investigating Lee and Amanda a year ago and the reason that we're investigating her attack now is that she's not a simple documentary film maker. She never has been and neither has Lee."

"Mr. Melrose, I don't understand. I saw the IFF sign out front clear as day when we came in here. Her paychecks all say IFF on them. What you're saying doesn't make any sense."

Billy nodded and said, "I know. The simplest way that I can explain to you is to tell you that IFF is not what it appears to be. It's merely a cover to protect the government agency that we work for."

"When you say "we," you mean..." Dotty stopped having trouble reconciling the thought in her head with what she knew about her daughter.

As if reading her thoughts, Billy replied, "Yes, Mrs. West, Amanda is one of us and so is Lee."