Chapter 16

Ten minutes later, an exasperated Lee carried the two car seats into the house. The twins were still sleeping soundly, strapped in tightly. He brought the seats to Amanda, reclining on the couch. "Sorry. I got caught up on the phone with Billy," he muttered apologetically. "He's going to swing by in a bit. I need to talk to him about a few things," he quickly added.

Amanda studied his face carefully. The twitching muscle in his cheek and his inability to make eye contact was all she needed. "Lee, sit down and tell me what's going on," she commanded softly yet firmly.

Lee glanced over his shoulder toward the garage door and shook his head. "No, I can't. I'm going to bring the gifts in, but please, just stay here, in the house," Lee begged.

Amanda reached out to touch his arm and tried again, "Tell me what's happening."

Lee closed his eyes, sighed, and pursed his lips tightly. "I don't know how to explain this," he whispered.

"Start from the beginning, Sweetheart," Amanda encouraged.

"That package your mother brought in… came from Sorenson. I didn't want to tell you before, but that's why I was late getting to the hospital the other day. He sent a package there, too," Lee explained nervously.

Amanda's eyes widened as she processed his admission, "So, you're telling me Sorensen has targeted us? Why?"

Lee lifted his shoulders as he shook his head, "I don't know. The last time I crossed paths with him was just before you and I met, and even then, I didn't do much. I was part of the team that helped find him, but even then, I wasn't there when they took him down."

Amanda reached out and grasped his hand. "Lee, think. What did you do that helped find him?"

Lee squeezed her hand and thought back to the original Sorenson case. "I interviewed his sister, his family, his girlfriend…" Lee paused as his fingers began to snap. "Wait… his girlfriend. Something… something happened to her during the takedown… I vaguely remember reading it in the original report, but it's been so long, I don't know now," he stammered as a small flicker of recognition registered in his brain. He glanced at his watch and stood quickly. "Billy's bringing the bomb squad and the truck, so please, just stay here. I'm going to get it as far away from the house and everyone as I can right now," he explained.

A cold shiver snaked down Amanda's spine. "Lee… are you telling me there is a bomb, right now, in our garage?"

Lee took two steps toward the doorway and stopped. He turned back to face her and nodded slowly, "Not for long. Just stay here, with the girls. Keep your mother here, too. Whatever you do, don't come outside. Please."

Amanda looked down at their sleeping daughters, her eyes welling up with fear-filled tears. "Lee," she called. "You better come back. I can't do this alone. Not now," she stated huskily.

Lee closed the gap between them to brush his lips against her forehead. He turned and left the room without another word. He closed the interior garage door before he hurried to the metal trash can. He carefully lifted the bin and made his way to the street. Glancing around, he calculated the safest place to move the receptacle was the middle of the street just before it widened for the cul-de-sac. He silently thanked the developer who had the sense to only build two houses at this end of the street and for having spaced the others apart for privacy. He checked his watch and groaned as the seconds ticked by too slowly for him.

The sound of a rattling garage door startled Lee. He jumped nervously before he noticed his neighbor slowly backing out of his driveway. Lee stared at the metal can before he carefully lifted it and moved it aside. His neighbor stopped and rolled down the window. "Congratulations, Lee! How's Amanda doing?" he asked.

"She's good. Tired and sore but doing good. Thanks, Jim," Lee smiled at him.

His neighbor studied the trashcan before he raised an eye and stated, "Pickup isn't until Wednesday. Everything okay?"

Lee paused for a second before he quickly stated, "Yeah… we found a skunk in the garage. We think it's sick or something. I'm waiting… for animal control. I figured I'd get it out here, so if it sprayed… you know." Lee shrugged his shoulders for added emphasis.

"It's that time of year again," Jim, the neighbor, announced. "Just so you know, I'm picking Jill up at work, and we are heading out of town for the night. We're going to go visit her parents in Philly for Father's Day."

Lee exhaled unconsciously, "That's great. Tell her we said hi."

"Will do!" Jim replied cheerfully. With a final wave, he continued to roll up the street, away from Lee and the cul-de-sac.

Lee checked his watch again and backed away from the middle of the street. He crouched down on the edge of the sidewalk and scrubbed his face with his hands as he waited. Fifteen long minutes later, the lumbering sounds of a truck got his attention. He stood, shook his legs one at a time, and waited until the truck came to a stop, Billy's car behind it. Four men dressed in tactical gear descended the back stairs of the large vehicle.

"It's in there," Lee pointed to the can.

Billy hurried over to stand beside Lee. "You doing okay, Scarecrow?" he questioned.

"I will be when that package is far away from here and my family," Lee admitted.

The bomb technician carefully opened the lid, and using a handheld device, scanned the package inside. He gave a thumbs up to the other members of his team before he replaced the cover. He lifted the can and carried it back to the truck where another member of the team unscrewed the lid of the bomb containment chamber, mounted inside. Methodically, they removed the brown paper-wrapped package and placed it into the chamber, sealing it off safely. One technician pulled off his hood and announced, "All clear."

"Sir, we'll take care of this and report back to you ASAP," another technician stated.

"Thank you," Billy nodded. He turned back to Lee and assured him, "We're putting surveillance on your house, so Sorenson can't get this close again."

Lee ran his hand through his hair nervously. "Billy, I think I might know why he's doing this. What happened to his girlfriend? Gina… something or other… She was there during his initial takedown and got hurt. That's all I remember."

"I was just going over that report. She succumbed to her injuries about a week later," Billy informed him.

"Was there an autopsy done? I have a hunch, but I want to confirm it," Lee nodded.

Billy rubbed his jawline and said, "I think so. I'll have that sent over by messenger. But listen, you shouldn't be dealing with his now. You should be enjoying time with your family, not working. Remember?"

Lee pursed his lips tightly before he stated, "I can't enjoy anything until we get Sorenson out of the picture, now that we know he's targeting us."

"I understand," Billy agreed. They watched as the mobile tactical truck slowly rolled around the cul-de-sac and away from them. "Does Amanda suspect anything?" he joked.

Lee put the lid back on the metal can, grabbed it by the handle, and chuckled, "I had to tell her. She knew immediately when I asked her to stay in the house."

Billy laughed along with him, "Well, let's see what I can do to help calm her fears. I'm sure she's fit to be tied right about now."

"Yeah, something like that," Lee smiled. He relaxed slightly as they walked toward the house, side by side.