Chapter 26 - Change of Plans

After Officer Frank grabbed Edward at the casino, he pulled him toward one of the paddy wagons while Edward fought him the whole way. He finally was able to shove him inside and the van took off towards the police dept. As soon as they were away from the others, Lee slipped out of the handcuffs that had been put onto him.

"How do you think it went?" He asked Frank.

"I think it was convincing. Hang on, I'll turn on the speaker from the vehicle that Amanda and Larisa are in."

They listened as Larisa yelled at Amanda to sit down. Then all went silence and nothing more was said by either of them. Lee worried that this was not going to work in the end. Frank pulled into an underground parking lot and he hurried Lee in through a secret side door and up an elevator that was away from the public traffic. He ushered him into a conference room where others were already watching Larisa being brought into the room to be photographed, searched (privately of course) and finger printed. After all those things were done, she was brought down to a cell where Amanda was waiting for her.

Lee was impressed because Amanda had done something to her makeup to make it look like she had been crying. She then held her own with Larisa as the woman tried to belittle her and tested her. Amanda played her part beautifully but then something went wrong. Lee leaned forward as he saw Larisa's body language change. She was completely in control and she knew it. Then she told Victoria that she only wanted her help and not Edward's. It felt like Lee's heart stopped beating for a minute as he absorbed how much danger he was putting Amanda into.

He got up and began pacing again. "Damn it. She's too good. She knows that Amanda is more vulnerable and easier to control. I'm sure she doesn't intend for her to walk away from thing. I'm betting that Amanda is meant to take the heat for everything while they all slip away. Frank, can you send a man down to take her to make her phone call? I need 10 minutes with Amanda."

"Sure Lee, we'll keep her busy for at least 10 minutes." Frank motioned to one of the other officers to head down to get her. Meanwhile, Frank led Lee down a different way and they waited for Larisa to be led away.

As Lee came out of hiding, he noticed that Amanda looked relieved to see him but then a spark of panic came into her eyes as she worried that Larisa would see him there. He quickly reassured her that her time away was arranged. He then tried to talk Amanda out of this plan. This was not the plan, not the safe plan they had created. But deep down; he knew she was right. They would have to make this plan work if they wanted to catch her. Lee shook his head as he watched Amanda insist that they go through with it. She was truly amazing. This single, divorced mom showed so little fear when he knew she was probably terrified deep down. Why would she do all of this? None of this was worth her sons being without their Mother. In the end, he agreed to let her try. It would be more challenging to keep her safe but somehow he would figure out a way. He needed to call Billy so they could come up with a new plan.

Lee told Amanda to get to the Greenwich house as quickly as she could and then he hurried away before Larisa returned.

He asked Frank to monitor the ladies and to let him know if anything else important was said while he headed back to the agency. He also asked Frank to hold onto them for 2 more hours even if someone showed up to bail them out. Frank eagerly agreed and guided Lee back down to the garage and let him borrow his car. Lee headed back to the agency. He rushed to Billy's office and after a quick knock, entered without waiting for permission.

"It better be important if you are busting into my office." Billy said.

"It is. We have trouble. Larisa is cutting Edward out of the plan and taking just Victoria."

"So Mrs. King did a good job convincing her then?"

"Billy! Damn it, this is Amanda we are talking about. She's going to have to do this all by herself."

"Lee, I think she has proven herself. We'll keep people around as much as possible. We can put a wire on her."

"How? Larisa will find a wire in a second. Billy, come on! You know we can't keep her safe if I can't be there."

"I'll get Leatherneck to figure out a wire for her. You won't be able to be right with her but you can be nearby Lee. It is what we have to work with. We have to make it work."

"I don't like it Billy. There is too much that can go wrong."

"Lee, I have asked you before and I'm going to ask you again. Is there something between you and Mrs. King?"

"Billy! There isn't anything between me and Amanda. I'm just worried. Larisa is a very dangerous person. This is way out of Amanda's league and experience level. Look, I know she has handled herself pretty well up until now. But you really think she can go head to head with the likes of Larisa?"

"I think we won't know until we let her try." Billy suggested.

Lee sighed and ran his hand through his hair and then reluctantly said "Okay, we'll try then. But the first sign of trouble and we pull her."

"Okay. Well I'll get Leatherneck working on that wire. In the meantime, you should go find Mrs. King and begin helping her prepare for this."

Lee nodded and headed out of the office. Along the way Francine tried to stop him but he brushed past her.

"What's up with him now?" She asked out loud to no one. She shrugged and headed back to her desk. It likely had something to do with Amanda and Francine just didn't want to know.

TBC