Chapter Two

"Scarecrow there is no law against a man and a woman having a tryst?"

"With a ton of muscle outside? What were they there for? To help set the mood? Remember Billy we saw Martinet drug the woman's drink. I am telling you…something is going down."

"All right. Let's assume that there is and I am not saying that I believe that yet. We cannot afford to tip our hand to Krutiov."

"All right. Agreed. Agreed. Listen, could you send Francine to the Potomac Plaza to do her hooker number and a low profile surveillance?"

"You got it. And as soon as Amanda gets changed you get back here with those photos. If we can ID the woman maybe we'll really have something"

"Okay…will do."

Billy hung up the phone. About an hour later Billy yelled out for Francine. She looked up and he motioned for her to come into his office. She walked in and said "What's up Billy?"

Billy sat down at his desk and took a deep breath. "Well, apparently our Scarecrow had a run in with some friends at the Potomac Plaza."

He noticed Francine's face sink. She's probably thinking they were there together…not on Agency business. I wish I could tell her to get her head out of the gutter. Lee and Amanda are not there yet. She should know that.

"Friends, Billy? What kind of friends?"

"I'm not sure. They followed Valentine and Martinet each there separately. Martinet was meeting some woman. Lee and Amanda had to jump off a balcony and into a swimming pool to get out of there. They are at Amanda's house now so she can change.

"Swimming pool? You mean to tell me that Amanda King jumped off a balcony and into a swimming pool?"

Billy was beaming. He loved Amanda. He loved seeing how quick on her feet she was and how she always managed to come out on top. He also loved how it annoyed Francine greatly. But hearing that Amanda jumped off a balcony….that was some pretty daring stuff but he knew Francine would give credit where credit was due.

"Okay…so what do we do now?"

Billy leaned back into his chair. "Well, Scarecrow asked me to get you to do your happy hooker cover and a low profile surveillance at the hotel. See if you can get in with these guys and find out who the woman is."

Francine was grinning from ear to ear. He knew that she loved playing that role. It gave her something to do that didn't involve reports and she could flirt with the best of them. Maybe he would send her out into the field more often. She walked out the door and said 'I am on it Billy. Heading to the wardrobe department to find something! I will check in once I get there!"

Billy listened to Francine give her report of her surveillance. Lee and Amanda were there as well. "Well, I did my happy hook number on the muscle at the Potomac Plaza and the last thing they wanted to do was talk." Francine poured herself some coffee and sat on the corner of Billy's desk. Billy looked at her outfit and rolled his eyes. She was wearing a bright pink velveteen dress with a huge necklace and earrings. He wondered if her hair would even move. Even for Francine, Billy thought the outfit was something.

"Anyways, the woman left the hotel at six o five this morning under heavy guard. She seemed perfectly fine."

"Where'd she go?" Lee asked as he looked over the pictures he had taken.

"Uh, an apartment at the Watergate. The lease is in the name of Jones."

Amanda muttered "Original"

Lee glanced over at Billy "Did the question and answer boys get anything out of that big Russian?"

Francine waved her hand in the air. "Oh Neyt, they've been working him over for hours and all they know is he's Krutiov's chauffeur."

Lee turned around to face Billy. "This whole thing hinges on the woman, Billy. We have got to ID her."

Francine turned towards Billy a little bit. "Listen, we know where she lives. Why don't we just bring her in and find out what's going on?"

Billy shook his head. "We can't go dragging people in here without sufficient cause."

Lee was getting irritated. "Oh come on. Krutiov will fill that bill!"

"Agreed, but we have to know more before we do. That way we're smart and tough at the same time" Billy didn't like to charge in unless they had a real reason to. Once they got a positive ID on the woman then they could make their move.

Lee shook his head and escorted Amanda out of Billy's office. They were heading to Ernie to see if he could ID the woman.

Billy looked at Francine. "Help them get the ID and then head home. I expect you back by this afternoon. I am not sure what's going to happen once we figure out who this woman is."

Francine nodded and left his office. He watched as Lee and Amanda walked out of the bullpen and smiled. Lee had his hand on the small of Amanda's back and they were both smiling at one another. I really wish they would tell one how they feel. They really are so good for one another. Billy shook his head and went back to the stack of files on his desk. A break in this case had to happen soon.