I Would Never Cause You Pain
Armon had followed the silver Vette to a secured parking garage near a building designated IFF. He parked his Mustang on the street and waited. He was a patient man. He wanted both Lee and the King woman, but the timing had to be perfect. He smiled staring at the vials of clear liquid. Yes he certainly would enjoy this one.
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"No mother I haven't had time until now to tell you." Amanda answered her mother's twenty questions over the phone. She knew that there was no easy way to explain her neck and ribs away. Two weeks ago she was able to appease her mom with 'I was dehydrated because I had a really bad case of the flu and I got those bruises because I fainted down some stairs. Yes those are circles under my eyes, no I haven't slept well in the past four days and yes I'm a little jumpy.' Now she seriously doubt I had the flu would explain her neck. She settled on "I was mugged."
"You were what?!" Dotty's voice could be heard as Amanda held the phone away from her ear.
"I'm at the hospital." Again Amanda held the phone out of yelling range bracing for her mother's response.
"You're where?!"
"Mother don't worry I'm fine. I'll be home in about an hour."
"Don't worry? How am I supposed to not worry?"
"Just don't." Amanda answered simply. "Tell the boys I love them and will be home shortly."
"How are you getting home?"
"It's been taken care of."
Dotty was quiet for a moment. "Well will we see Mr. Stetson when you get here?"
"I don't know mother," Amanda replied smiling. "Good bye." Hanging up the phone she shook her head. Her biggest fear in life was that the axiom 'you grow up to be just like your parents' was true. She loved her mom dearly but she was just hard to take some days.
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Lee got out of his car at the hospital parking garage. As he headed for the elevator he felt a prick on his neck. His hand shot up to examine the area, bringing his hand down he saw a small drop of blood and spun around to face Armon. Lee tried to react but his vision blurred and he felt his world going dark. As he hit the pavement he heard Armon telling him something but he couldn't make out the words and he surrendered to the darkness.
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Amanda waited quietly on her bed. She had called Lee almost an hour ago and he still wasn't there. The drive from IFF to the hospital, even if the traffic was bad, was only 30 minutes. Amanda smiled in spite of herself. Funny how she knew that, obviously they frequented this place way too often. "Maybe he got tied up with paper work or something." She said to herself and gave 15 minutes before calling him again. "Geez Amanda King you're way too paranoid." She continued to talk to herself unaware that the door had opened.
"I try to tell her that on a daily basis but she never listens. 'Amanda King' I'd say, 'you're way too paranoid who do you think you are a spy or something?' and then she'd—" Lee stopped as Amanda punched him in the arm. "— slap me on the arm. Ow! Since when did you punch?" He asked still in a good mood as he rubbed his arm.
"Since I started taking self defense with Dr. Pain and since you stopped calling when you're running late." She answered in mock seriousness.
"Late? Amanda I left right after I hung up the phone with you." Lee replied a little confused. He had a strange feeling that something happened but he could place it.
"Lee that was an hour ago. IFF is only 30 minutes away."
"What time is it?" He asked now very confused.
"5:30. And while were on the subject I think we come here too often. I mean why should I know that at six in the morning the trip will take 22 minutes but at five in the afternoon the trip will take 31 minutes. Don't you think that's odd. Don't you think—"
"Amanda you're rambling."
"I know I'm rambling. I just want to leave here and I want to see if we could not come back for the rest of the month. Is that too much to ask?"
"I love it when you ramble. Come here." Lee answered putting his arms around her waist and gave her a soft kiss on the lips.
"I love you too you just had me worried."
"I know. I don't know what to tell you I left right after you called. Hey maybe I met some hot babe—"
"Watch it Scarecrow or I'll punch you again." She laughed as Lee gave her another more passionate kiss to silence her. "Can we go?" She asked.
"Your chariot awaits." He answered breathless from the kiss. Reluctantly he released her.
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Armon watched as Lee and Amanda turned out of the hospital and followed them a discreet distance before turning off. He had some details to attend to before his guests arrived. The drug in Stetsons system would work for another 4 hours; plenty of time to prepare. Soon Raul would be avenged and he wouldn't have to lift a finger.
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They pulled into Amanda's driveway and she began to get nervous. "Lee I told mother I was mugged. I'm not sure if that was the right story."
"Amanda, I know you hate lying but what else could you do?"
"Tell them I was trying to apprehend an international terrorist when I was accosted from behind and threatened with a knife while my partner could do nothing and so I had to shoot…" Amanda stopped. "I guess that would lead to too many questions huh." She finished quietly.
"Yeah and I've got that hot date tonight remember. No time to explain to Dotty why that partner of yours wasn't on the ball."
"Lee—" Amanda started but was interrupted by Jamie knocking on her window.
"Mom? Are you okay? Grandma said you were in the hospital again." Jamie asked in one sentence.
Amanda got out of the car and closed the door, "Jamie I'm fin— ugh" She moaned as Jamie gave her a big squeeze his arm pushing on her injured ribs. She leaned against the car trying to stay on her feet as Lee came to her rescue.
"Jamie she's okay. Why don't you go open the door for us alright." He walked back to the house as Amanda leaned heavily on Lee. "Amanda talk to me are you alright? Are you breathing?"
Amanda nodded her head searching for her voice. "Need to sit." She whispered. Lee supported her while she walked to the door. Once inside Amanda released her grip on Lee's jacket and walked into the family room. Lee followed closely behind her and helped her sit on the couch.
"Amanda is that you? I've been worried sick…" Dotty stopped seeing her daughters pale face and the bandage on her neck. "You're not okay Amanda King." She scolded dropping in front of her.
"Mother I'm fine. Jamie just caught me by surprise outside. I got the wind knocked out of me."
"Uh-huh and your neck?"
"A few stitches. The doctor said it should heal with no scar." Amanda answered. "Where's Phillip?"
Dotty looked at her daughter. She knew a subject change when she heard one. "He's always at basketball practice until six on Thursday."
Amanda was grateful that she had kept some extra cloths at IFF or she would have had a lot more explaining to do. She made Lee destroy her other shirt. It was stained with Raul's blood. But she still felt like she need to shower to rid herself entirely of this day. "I'm going to go shower and change. Lee do you want to stay for supper?"
"Actually I'm going out with Curt and the boys have that overnighter at Bobby's." Dotty interjected.
"On a Thursday night." Amanda questioned disapprovingly.
"They don't have school tomorrow. Teacher in-service. I told them they could. I thought maybe you'd want the night off." Dotty answered pointedly glancing at Lee.
"I see. Thank you mother. I'll be right down Lee."
"I'll probably be gone when you get done. Have a good night. I'll stay out late if you want."
"Mother!" Amanda complained and headed for her bedroom.
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Amanda had changed and was drying her hair with a towel as she stepped out of the bathroom. She stopped suddenly seeing Lee sitting on her bed. "You shouldn't be up here. Mother…"
"Is gone. So is Jamie. The house is ours." Lee smiled wickedly.
"I see." Amanda answered. "Dinner?"
"I think I'd like to skip right to dessert."
"Oh. That hot babe of yours uh."
"Yeah she looks great with damp hair."
"Really Stetson?" Amanda replied closing the space between them and leaned in for a kiss. Just before their lips met the phone rang. "Oh brother." Amanda picked up the receiver. "Hello. Yes he's right here." She handed the phone to Lee and went into the bathroom to finish getting ready. Amanda heard the Lee hang up the phone and saw his reflection in the mirror. He had a very odd blank stare. Concerned she asked, "Who was that?" No answer as he moved toward her his expression still blank. "Lee you're scaring me. What's going on?" Lee grabbed her wrist and stuck a needle in her arm emptying its contents. "Lee… what…" She mumbled as she slumped to the floor blacking out.
To be continued…