7
Scotch Thoughts
Always Look a Gift Horse
In the Mouth
Lee Stetson propped his cowboy boots on the coffee table and leaned back into the couch, scotch in hand. He let out a contented sigh. Another assignment successfully completed. He had kept the crowned Prince and Princess of Zakir safe from a money hungry crazy man and his gift of a killer horse. And he had done it without causing them to side step any of their social obligations. He shook his head as he thought of how Prince Rheza had insisted that he and Penelope continue to attend the reception even after an assassination attempt had been made. There was no wisdom in that Lee thought. He would never allow someone connected to him to be knowingly exposed to danger. That was one of the reasons he did not become emotionally involved with anyone. His life was too dangerous due to his career choice and it would never be fair to ask another person to risk their safety. His life as a loner was the one he chose; it was the safest way for him and everyone else.
But Rheza had married and so Penelope had to go along with the dangers that came with that relationship. Well, at least the princess had made a friend in Amanda. It had been good for the case that they had gotten along so well, it had given him the ability to keep someone closer to the princess, even if it had caused some troubles when they disappeared to Amanda's house and Amanda had gotten into the saddle of that killer horse. They must have really hit it off though, he mused. After Amanda had told him that Penny thought that he and Amanda were having "a thing" his interest was piqued. What had those two been talking about the other night when he had shown up to confer with Amanda?
He stopped his thoughts abruptly. This was not what he was supposed to be thinking about right now. He was supposed to be ordering his thoughts not following them down dead end rabbit trails. Having a "thing" with Amanda was definitely not even something to waste time pondering, although it was funny. How could he have an affair with a woman who couldn't even say the word? And it would put her in even more danger. Nope, she was not his type, she was the kind of woman that required something more than he would be willing to give her. He took a long drink of the scotch that he had poured and had as yet not touched. Going back over the case he viewed it with satisfaction so he began to close the book on it in his mind. He finished what was left in his glass, laid his head back on the couch and closed his eyes.
In his mind's eye he was at the reception watching Rheza and Penelope go to greet people. He followed them with his eyes as they walked and his gaze landed on Amanda. She really did look nice, not frumpy at all, in that black dress. She had a classic sort of beauty even while having a cast on her leg. He wondered if he would have an occasion again to work with Amanda when she would be dressed in a gown… that wouldn't be such an awful thing, would it?