Authors' Notes: This story was written because I have a true love of Scarecrow and Mrs. King. I rediscovered it over a year ago and I have been enthralled with it ever since. I hope that you, the reader, will take the story as it was written, just for fun! This has been Beta read by two people. Any errors not caught, I take total responsibility for!

A big thanks and shout out to Tracey and Karen for once again taking on the task of Beta reading this story. Your help is very much appreciated.

Comments and feedback are welcomed! Hope you enjoy.

Chapter 21

Joe's Hotel Room

Amanda heard the light tapping on the door, and then saw the door open slowly and slightly. She quickly reached around and grabbed the nearest thing she could find; a lamp. The lamp was poised in her hands, just over her head, ready to aim and crack over whosever head it was that poked through the door.

The door pushed open wider. Amanda prepared herself to swing. Lee moved even more into the room, Amanda began the downward strike when she heard Lee call out,

"Amanda, it's me. Lee!" Lee was completely in the room now.

"Lee, you nearly scared me to death!" Amanda said the lamp still poised over her head.

"What do you think you did to me, when I finally realized that you just might come over here anyone, after I clearly asked you not to?" Lee asked.

"Lee, I-" Amanda began as she put the lamp down.

"Amanda, I told you as clear as I know how," Lee cut Amanda off, "that you should not come over here tonight, that you should wait until tomorrow when I could come with you."

"Well…Lee," Amanda began.

"Look, we can talk more about it later. I don't know, but I have a bad feeling about this and you might be right." Lee said. Amanda crooked an eyebrow. "About Joe…anything look amiss?"

"Not really, the phone is off the hook, I guess he could have knocked it over on his way out, he was rather upset when he came over the other night..." Amanda answered, paused and then continued. "But Lee, I don't think he did knock the receiver off the hook. In any case, something doesn't seem right to me."

"I definitely agree with you there." Lee acknowledged and then said. "On another note, Dirk is here and I can't for the life of me figure out; just what in the world he is doing here." Lee said.

"Dirk? From the Agency?"

"Yeah. Let's get out of here, so we can try to figure out what happened to Joe."

"Okay," Amanda agreed.

In the Meantime—Dirk Headed Towards Joe's Room

Okay, now to find Mrs. King. She should still be there. Dirk thought to himself as he headed towards the elevator.

Lee cracked the door of Joe's room and peeked out, then motioned behind his back for Amanda to follow behind him.

"Lee, I forgot my purse," Amanda said as they stepped into the hall.
"Amanda!" Lee let out a grunting sound. "Stay here, I'll get it."

Lee went back in for Amanda's purse. "Where exactly did Amanda leave her purse?" Lee asked out loud, as he moved around Joe's room. Once, it wasn't anywhere in sight, Lee headed towards the bathroom.

Back in the Hallway

The elevator doors opened and out stepped a short, bald-headed man.

"Hi there, Mrs. King I presume?" Dirk said in his distinctive voice.

"Hi," Amanda said hesitantly.

"You don't know me, but I know you. I'm Dirk Fredericks from The Agency."

Amanda moved slowly back towards Joe's room. Amanda wasn't sure, but something about his voice sounded menacing, even though he was quiet. Besides, Lee said he had a hunch and she trusted Lee with her life.

"Yes, I know that you are connected to The Agency."

"Well, what you don't know is that I know your husband, your ex-husband, Joe King." Dirk replied.

"How do you know Joe?" Amanda asked.

"Your ex-husband doesn't know me, but he and I have a mutual acquaintance," Dirk replied as he moved even closer to Amanda.

"And, just who would that be?" Amanda asked, as she stretched her hands back to try and feel to see if she was almost at Joe's room.

"Someone from his past," Dirk nearly sneered as he leaped forward and grabbed Amanda towards him.

"Oww!" Amanda yelped as Dirks arms tightened around her wrists.

As Lee headed back to the door, he heard Dirk's distinct voice. He froze and stood perfectly still, as he listened and waited to try and figure out the status of things. Lee heard Amanda's yelp of pain and snatched the door open.

"Dirk, just what in the hell are you doing?"

"Don't step any closer or I'll have to hurt your precious Mrs. King." Dirk moved back towards the elevator.

Dr. Smythe remained still where he was, still waiting to see how things were going to play out, before he stepped in, if he stepped in at all.

"If you do that Dirk, you better kill yourself, because I'll find you, no matter where you go," Lee threatened.

"Where is Joseph King? You tell me and I won't have to hurt Mrs. King."

"That's what we want to know, we don't know where he is either," Lee said.

"Well, what about the woman?" Dirk questioned.

"What woman?" Amanda asked.

"That's right, we were getting to that a minute ago…you don't know about her do you?" Dirk replied.

Okay Smythe, time to make a move. Dr. Smythe moved out from where he'd been hiding at the other end of the hallway. The sudden noise and motion from behind him caused Dirk to turn around. His hold on Amanda loosened a little, giving her enough leeway to pull one of her arms free. Amanda reared back and jabbed Dirk in the stomach. Dirk immediately let Amanda go and she jumped back. Dirk reached into his hoister for his gun, but Dr. Smythe fired one shot towards Dirk, hitting Dirk's right shoulder, which caused his gun to fall out of his hand. Lee in the meantime, jumped forward, his body hit square against Dirk's. Dirk managed to reach up and sock Lee hard against his left cheek. Lee shook off the blow, then pulled back his fist and punched Dirk square in the jaw. Dirk's head wobbled a few times as Lee grabbed him by his collar.

Amanda came back immediately to Lee's side. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. What about you?"
"I'm okay." Amanda confirmed.

Lee turned back to Dirk then looked back towards where Dr. Smythe had been standing.

"Now, do you mind telling me exactly what the hell is going on here?" Lee asked Dirk.

"Yes, that's what I want to know." A tall, wirily looking man said, as he stepped off the elevator.

"And just who are you?" Lee asked.

"I'm the night manager. There seems to be quite a commotion going on up here. And I want to know what is going on."

"We are federal agents!" Dr. Smythe said as he pulled out his badge and stepped closer to Dirk, Lee and Amanda. "This man is being arrested on charges of attempted kidnapping and will also face charges to commit treason against the United States as well as charges for murder—three murders to be exact."

The hotel manger's mouth flew open as he heard the list of charges.

"Amanda are you okay?" Lee asked, his eyes upon Amanda.

Dr. Smythe turned to Lee. "Scarecrow, thanks for your help, but I'll take it from here."

Dr. Smythe grabbed hold of Dirk and reached into his pocket and retrieved handcuffs that he quickly secured to Dirk's hands.

"Well, are you going to tell us what all of this was about?" Lee asked Dr. Smythe.

"And what does Joe have to do with any of this?" Amanda wanted to know.

"Later," Dr. Smythe said as they all entered the elevator, his hands firmly holding Dirk's cuffed hands.