Chapter 29 – Sensing Amanda
The waiting was the worse part. The three of them took turns pacing around the cabin. Finally Lee sat down and asked "Do you know how I met Amanda?"
"No, please tell us." Penny begged.
Lee began telling about how he had been chased by the bad guys to the train station and couldn't figure out a way to get onto the train to hand off the package he had to his contact. As he was panicking about what to do, he saw this beautiful woman walking toward him. She had the kindest eyes and he knew in his heart she would help him. She refused at first but he began begging and she agreed. He told her to hand the package to the man in the Red hat...not realizing there was a Shriner's convention going on and a whole bunch of men in red hats were on that train that morning. Lee chuckled as he told the story and Penny asked "What did she do?"
"She kept the package. Only, later her Mother mailed it not realizing that Amanda didn't really mean to mail it. I told her to stay away from the agency. She was a young single Mother with two young boys. She didn't need to be mixed up with us. But you know Amanda; she was intrigued and couldn't stay away. It was good she didn't too because I was grabbed by the bad guys and they were going to kill me but as they were putting me in a helicopter, Amanda pretended she had a gun and was able to distract him so I could take him out with my feet. We were still in trouble though so since I was tied up, Amanda had to fly the helicopter and get us out of there. I never gave her credit for saving my life that day. She had never flown a helicopter but she did as I told her. I complained all the time in those early days about her tagging along but over and over she saved my tail. Damn it, now she needs me to save hers and I can't." He said as he fought back the tears.
"Lee, she's still alive. I know she is. I feel it." Penny said as she rushed over to hug him to her. "Now you listen to me Lee Stetson. Our Amanda is a fighter. She wouldn't give up until there was no hope. I know she is still fighting and I know we are going to find her. We have to find her. It is my fault for inviting her up here. If she was back with her family, at least she would safe." Lee pulled his head from Penny's chest and said "Don't you start. There are no guarantees she would be safe. Sheila is a nut and she would have taken her out right at her own house the first chance she had."
The phone interrupted them and Rheza answered it. "Lee, it's Billy."
Lee jumped up and raced to the phone. "Anything Billy?"
He listened for about 5 minutes and then said "Tell Francine that I owe her. She did a great job."
Lee hung up and turned to them both. "Sheila confessed. She also confessed that she slammed the car off the road. It is a long way off the road over an embankment near a river somewhere north of Concord. Any thoughts?" Lee asked.
"Well that gives us more to go on. I'll call my helicopter guy and give him this new information."
"I want to be in that chopper" Lee said. Rheza hesitated and turned around and then nodded "I think you should be."
Rheza talked to the Helicopter Company for about 10 minutes and then came back and said "They will be here at 6am to pick you up. Penny and I will follow the best we can in the car. We are going to find her this time."
Lee nodded and said "I think it is going to be a long night so I'm going to head to bed. I'll see you in the morning."
Lee headed to his room and laid down on his bed without removing his clothes. "Hang on Amanda. We're coming." In his heart he heard her answer "Hurry Lee, I'm almost out of time."
TBC
