The Q bureau was alive with sound and activity
as Lee and Amanda attempted to clear their desks in preparation for their
upcoming weekend. They had plans with the boys for their spring break and were
eager to get started. They were going to the mountains to stay in a rustic
cabin in the wilderness, near their favorite campsite.
Plans included hiking, fishing, and even a
fireside cookout, if the weather permitted. Phillip and Jamie were psyched and,
so was Lee. Amanda had been calming them down for two days and this morning,
when she woke at five AM to the sounds of Lee and the boys pulling out
backpacks, tents, and camp cook wear, she simply gave up and let them have
their fun. She had even joined in by starting to organize what they would and
wouldn't need, and by making a list of supplies to pick up on the way home this
evening.
Now, they were just turning off the computer,
filing their reports for this week, and heading out the door, when the phone
jangled loudly.
"Don't answer that!"
"Lee, we have to answer. Mrs. Marston
knows we're still here. If we don't answer, whoever it is, might just call her,
and we are going to be caught." Amanda's voice was calm and logical.
Lee just grimaced and shook his head.
"Let'em call her. I'll go bribe her. She loves flowers, I bet!"
The phone rang for the fourth time. Amanda put
her hand over the receiver and rolled her eyes at her husband. "Lee, you
don't have any flowers and Mrs. Marston can't be bought! You should be
ashamed." She picked up the phone and answered, "Q Bureau, Amanda
King speaking."
She shot an affectionately exasperated glance
at the now sulking Scarecrow and listened to the voice on the other end of the
phone. As the voice began to speak, she sat up straighter and visibly tensed.
"Yes, Sir. We'll be right there, Sir." She hung up the phone and
sighed hugely before facing her husband who had flopped on the sofa and was
refusing to look her in the face.
"Lee?"
"Lee."
She walked to the sofa and kneeled next to it.
Her voice was soft and persuasive, "Lee, look at me."
He angrily turned his head to the wall, crossed
his arms, and shut his eyes tightly. "No." The response was short,
but certainly not sweet. Amanda laid her hand on his arm and firmly pulled his
hand into hers
"Lee Stetson, now you listen to me. You
stop this sulking right now." Her tone was firm and brooked no argument.
Lee opened his eyes and stared at her.
"Amanda, I am not one of the boys."
"Then stop acting like one of the boys.
Now, that was Dr. Smyth, and he wants to see us before we leave today."
She smiled to soften the blow.
Lee closed his eyes, again, and groaned.
"I told you not to answer that phone."
"I know. Come on. It might not be
anything. Maybe he just wants to yank our chains before we take our long
weekend. You know how he is."
Lee straightened his long frame and grasped her
other hand in his. He pulled Amanda up to sit with him and said, "Yes, I
do know exactly how he is. He would love to find a reason to stop us from
taking this much needed break. We've been working six days a week, for the last
two months, to wrap up this last case, and I am not going to let him take this
away from us."
She laid her hand on his knee and pressed a
soft kiss to his lips. She nuzzled his cheek briefly, and knew that taking away
their weekend was probably exactly what Smyth intended. Ever since they had
'come clean' about their marriage in January, Smyth had been contemptuous and
even more belligerent than usual. Only the interference of Billy Melrose, on
several occasions, had saved Scarecrow from his own temper and its
consequences. Amanda looked deep into Lee's eyes and recognized that same anger
now coming to light. She shook her head at him and began to talk.
"Lee, there is no need for you to get all
angry and upset. Dr. Smyth is going to do what Dr. Smyth is going to do. We
can't argue with him and we can't do anything about it. We might as well go on
down there, and maybe we can save at least part of our weekend."
"It isn't just us, Amanda. It's the boys.
You know how excited they are about this weekend. How can we go home and
disappoint them like this?" He ran his hand through his hair and sighed in
frustration.
Amanda had no answer for him, and, so they left
the Q Bureau, headed toward the suite of offices that housed the head of the
Agency, Austin Smyth.
In his luxurious office, Austin Smyth stared
with heavy lidded eyes at the report in front of him. He had been quite
surprised when it crossed his desk this morning. After all these years, he had
his first real lead in a case he had desperately tried to forget. He had
forgotten, at least, that was what he assured himself. Until this morning, that
is. For the last eight hours, he had wrestled with this decision. His first
instinct was to run, run as fast as he could and take care of this himself.
Then he remembered, he questioned his instincts, and began to think of other
ways to take care of this. He had immediately thought of his best team,
Scarecrow and his partner, his wife, Amanda King.
Smyth grimaced as he thought of the pair.
Without a doubt, they were the best team of agents he had in this section,
possibly in the entire Agency. Unfortunately, they had crossed the line when
they married. Then they had flung it in his face when they proclaimed it to the
rest of the world.
The rage that had enveloped him had been
overshadowed only by the renewed coldness that had encased his heart when the
memories had overcome him. That coldness had tempered the fire of his rage and
saved the partnership of Stetson and his housewife. As long as they got the job
done, and stayed out of his face, he had decided to leave them be. After all,
one never knew when such leverage could be very useful. Now was going to be one
of those times.
His intercom beeped and Smyth responded to his
receptionist, "Yes, Ms. Tyler?"
"Dr. Smyth, Lee Stetson and Amanda King
are here to see you."
Smyth sneered at the use of the housewife's old
name. So she was an independent woman? Well, he knew about them as well.
"Show them in, by all means." He sat up straight in his padded chair
and turned to face the window behind him.
The door opened and closed and footsteps
stopped near his desk. After few minutes, Stetson cleared his throat. "Dr.
Smyth."
The chair turned, and the cool, cynical face of
Smyth, wreathed in a puff of smoke from the ever-present cigarette, stared back
at them. He perused them briefly then handed over the folder containing airline
tickets and an address. 'You're both going to Kansas, Scarecrow. Tonight. How
fitting is that? However, you can fly from Dulles on TWA, instead of in the eye
of the storm. And I doubt that you'll see the other side of the rainbow."
Lee held the folder and his temper tightly. He
exchanged looks with Amanda and handed the file back to Smyth. "No, sir.
We are not going to Kansas. We have a long weekend and we are just about to
leave for it." He laid the file back onto the desk when Smyth refused to
take it.
Smyth leaned back in his chair and propped his
feet up on the desk. "So how are you enjoying married life, Scarecrow?
Waking up in the same bed, eating dinner with the family, homework and dessert
after dishes? Sounds idyllic, really…" His tone clearly stated that this
was the farthest thing from idyllic he could imagine. He picked up the folder
and re-extended it to the pair in front of him, thrusting it into Lee's hands.
"So much wedded bliss and you get to work together, too. How lucky can one
couple be? Just like the fairy tales, happy ever after. If you want to stay
that way, I suggest that you pick up this folder and get your bags packed.
You're going after a witness for an Agency related case. Her name is Melanie
Michaels and you will find her at the address included."
Lee, trembling with rage, began to throw the
file back down. Amanda, seeing the glint in Smyth's eye, and fearing that Lee's
outrage was precisely what the man wanted to see, laid her hand on Lee's arm
and intervenes. "Dr. Smyth, perhaps we need a bit more information. Who is
this Michaels woman and what case is she involved in? What does she look like?
Do you have a picture, in case we have to search for her, other than at that
address?"
Smyth, now more than slightly angry himself,
threw her placating manner back in her face. "No, Mrs. Stetson, I do not
think you need a picture to do your job. I suggest that you get your tamed
Scarecrow and get him on the plane to Kansas, now, before you only have the
happily ever after in your own little castle. Despite obvious beliefs to the
contrary, I am the head of this Agency, and if I want you separated, you will
be separated!" Smyth pushed the button that opened the door to the outer
office and dismissed them with a wave of his hand. He then turned away once
more.
Lee started around the edge of the desk, but
was stopped by his wife. She shook her head, pulled him through the door, and
out of the suite.
"How dare that man threaten us that
way?" Lee exploded.
"Because he is the head of the Agency,
just like he said. Lee, we don't have any choice. Now, let's just go see if
Billy knows anything about this, okay?"
With one last glare at the suite behind them,
Lee acquiesced, led his wife down the hall, and to the elevator to seek out
their Section Chief, Billy Melrose.
Chapter
Two
Amanda and Lee stood in their bedroom,
discussing how to break the news of their imminent departure to Dotty and the
boys. Despite their obvious misgivings about their newest mission, they knew
that they had no choice, and that they would be on the flight to Wichita,
Kansas, as planned.
"Look, Lee, there is no sense in lying to
them. We should just tell them that we have to go away on business, and that we
will be back as soon as we can."
Amanda's ever practical approach made sense to
Lee, but he hated to think that his stepsons were going to believe that he was
putting his job before them, just as their father had. He grimaced at her
logic, but in the end, he agreed that her way was best. They descended to the
family room, where the boys were watching TV, and broke the news.
Lee and Amanda stood at the doorway to the
family room, where both boys were, for once, quietly sharing the TV and the
remote. Lee cleared his throat and began the conversation. "Uh hum, hey,
guys, can we talk to you a minute?" He approached the couch and perched on
the arm, uneasily. He really hated doing this, and he really hated Smyth at
this time more than ever.
"We have to tell you something."
Amanda's tone was calm and Lee drew his cue from her.
He spoke quietly but firmly, hoping they would
understand and believe that he and their mother were very sincere in their
apologies. "We're going to have to cancel the trip this weekend. Your
mother and I have to go out of town for a few days and we have to leave
tonight."
"Aw, man! I knew it. I knew something
would happen to get in the way. It was just too perfect." Phillip shook
his head in disgust. Just when they had Lee and their Mom all to themselves,
work had to interfere.
Amanda attempted to smooth the ruffled
feathers. "Now, look, fellas, we're just as disappointed as you are. We
were really looking forward to this a whole lot. It just can't be helped."
While Phillip continued to grouse, Jamie took
in the expression on his stepfather's face. What he saw surprised him. Lee
really was sorry. It wasn't like when his dad canceled and apologized. When that
happened, the look on his face said he just wanted to get away as fast as
possible and return to his own life, without his sons.
"Hey, Phillip, they said they were sorry.
Give'em a break, huh?" Jamie elbowed his big brother and nodded in Lee's
direction.
His face had been growing increasingly somber
and even Phillip knew that this was not the time to be a whining teenager. He
nodded, suddenly understanding, "Oh, sure. We understand."
Lee and Amanda exchanged surprised glances. Lee
studied their faces and asked, "Are you sure you understand? I hate to
disappoint you and me. I've been really looking forward to spending some time
with you two. I don't want you to think I am going to make a habit of this,
like your…well, like anyone else might."
Amanda had shot him a quelling look when she
realized where he was going with that line of thought. Quickly, he rethought
and rephrased. He really didn't intend to put Joe down in front of his boys. He
had promised himself he wouldn't be that kind of a stepparent, and, so far, he
had done well.
Jamie, hearing the near slip and knowing what
it really meant, eased their minds with his next comment. "We know that
you would never be like…anyone else, I mean, you're Lee not…anyone else, and we
know that you mean what you say, right, Phillip?"
"Right. And when you say that you will
make it up to us, we know that you really mean it." He grinned widely as
his parents picked up on his obvious hint of bribery, offering forgiveness for
an even better trip next time.
Lee only shook his head and grasped both boys
by the shoulders as he stood from his perch on the couch arm. "You know I
will, we will." He grinned at Amanda over their heads. "How about we
do this later in the week? Maybe we can stay another day and take a trip to
that theme park you like so well?"
To their surprise, Phillip and Jamie took the
change in plans quite well. They chose a philosophical approach. They agreed
that they would return from their father's early at the end of their spring
vacation, and attempt to have their wilderness outing at that time. They also
decided to go ahead to their father's now. They didn't want him to feel cheated
of time with them when they told him that they would be returning three days
earlier than planned. Phillip went off to tell his girlfriend of the change in
their plans, while Jamie went to repack his bag for the trip to Joe's apartment
instead of the cabin.
As Lee and Amanda were congratulating
themselves on a job well done, Dotty arrived and they moved to the kitchen and
started to tell their tale, again.
"Uh, Dotty? Amanda and I have been called
away on business and we will be leaving for Wichita, Kansas tonight," Lee
began the spiel, and Amanda took up when he left off.
"We'll only be gone a few days and there
shouldn't be any danger, so there is no need for you to worry while we're
gone."
"Well, Darling, if you are going…"
Dotty began.
Amanda held up her hands to indicate that she
wasn't through when Dotty attempted to break in to the conversation.
"We've already spoken to the boys and they are just going to go ahead to
Joe and Carrie's, and you won't have to change your plans, you can still go
away with Kurt this weekend."
Dotty began to speak once more, "Amanda, I
am…"
Lee headed her off before she could finish that
thought as well. "We are planning to be back in plenty of time to take the
boys on our trip to the cabin next weekend, and they really do understand, so
don't feel like you have to go out of your way to do anything special with
them, really, just enjoy your weekend away." He smiled winningly and
shrugged his shoulders.
Dotty threw up her hand in exasperation.
"Well, really! If you two would stop trying to convince me long enough for
me to speak, I can tell you what I want!" Her daughter and son-in-law grew
silent and sheepish in the face of her outburst. Amanda smiled hesitantly and
shrugged her own slim shoulders in response. "Sorry, Mother. What is it
you want to say?"
Dotty shook her head at the pair before her and
started to explain, "While you are in Wichita, I wondered if you would
mind looking up an old friend for me?"
Lee stared at her, "You mean, you have no
objections to our winging off like this?"
"Why, Lee, why would I have any
objections? You are both grown, responsible adults. And I am sure you know
exactly what you are doing." Dotty seemed truly perplexed.
Lee and Amanda exchanged surreptitious glances.
They could never predict what kind of reaction they were going to get from
Dotty.
Dotty waited for more interruptions. When no more
were forthcoming, she began to explain again. "I would like for you to go
to see my friend, Nancy. She is very sick. She has cancer and a very short time
to live. I spoke with her on the phone last week and she was very worried about
her daughter. I want her to know that she can call on me anytime. She was a
very good friend, and if she needs me, I want her to know that I'm here for
her."
"Mother, I didn't even know you knew
anyone in Wichita. Of course, we will be happy to see her for you." Amanda
laid her hand on her mother's on the counter between them.
"Oh, I met Nancy while you were away at
college. She was new to the area and we met at the grocery store. One thing led
to another, we had tea, then lunch, and soon we were very close. It just broke
my heart when she up and left. I so wanted to help her, but she wouldn't let me
and before I knew it she had moved. We've kept in touch briefly over the years,
and her call last week really upset me terribly." Dotty smiled sadly and
Lee found himself reaching out to comfort her.
He laid his strong arm around her shoulders and
hugged her, slightly. Dotty affectionately patted his hand. "It's so nice
to have a man in the house, Dear. There is nothing more comforting than a
strong shoulder to lean on. And I don't worry too much about you two as long as
you're together, you know. I promise, I won't worry if you will just check in
on Nancy and Melanie for me. Their last name is Michaels and here is their
address."
She took the envelope from her purse and extended
it to them. Without waiting for a response, she walked briskly up the stairs,
presumably to prepare for her evening dinner date.
Meanwhile, Lee and Amanda stared at each other
in amazement. Lee shook his head before he began to speak. "No way,
Amanda. There is simply no way that it can be the same person. I mean, what are
the chances?"
"This is our life and our family we are
talking about. I don't question chances anymore, Lee. It just isn't safe."
"You're right. Go ask your Mother if she
has a picture of either Nancy or Melanie. I'm going to tell Billy we need a
background check on this Nancy Michaels."
"Right."
Lee headed to the phone, and Amanda to the
bedroom her mother occupied upstairs. She paused outside the door and tapped as
she called out, "Mother? May I come in?"
Dotty's wavering voice responded, "Yes,
Dear."
She eased the door open and found her mother
sitting on her bed with a framed picture in her hand. "Mother, are you
okay? You've been crying!"
"Oh, Darling, I just can't imagine what
Nancy must be going through right now. To know that you are dying is bad
enough, but to know that you are leaving your sixteen year old daughter alone
is just terrible."
"Melanie Michaels is only sixteen years
old?" Amanda softly inquired.
"Yes. Look, this is the both of them. I
got this just last week, right before I got the phone call." She held out
the photo, and Amanda saw a dark haired woman of about 45 with her arms around
a lovely blond girl. Both wore big smiles and stared back at her through the
glass with beautiful blue eyes. "They are so close, like you and me,
Amanda. I've never met Melanie, but I've spoken with her on the phone, so often
that I think I know her." Dotty sighed and her shoulders slumped
dejectedly. "I just wish I could help them."
"Mother, I know how you feel. And I
promise that we will do anything we can for them while we are in Kansas. Do you
mind if we take this picture?"
"Well, okay, just so that you are very
careful with it. It is very dear to me." Dotty clasped the picture to her
chest, briefly, before handing it over, while staring thoughtfully at her
daughter. "Amanda, why do you want the picture? I gave you the address.
And Nancy has seen pictures of you. I sent her a snapshot just last month of
you and the boys."
Amanda held the picture in a manner similar to
her mother's, then leaned over to hug Dotty. "Mother, I may as well tell
you, we've been sent to Kansas to find someone and that someone's name is
Melanie Michaels. Now, we know that the chances are slim that it is the same
person, but we've seen more bizarre things happen, and my gut tells me that
this is related."
"Your gut?" Dotty seemed dubious.
"Yes, Mother, my gut, my instincts. Lee
agrees with me. He's asking for more
information right now."
Amanda voice and face were sincere, so Dotty
questioned no more. She only sighed mightily. Amanda patted her mother on the
hand. "Oh, Mother, you're so upset. Is there anything I can do for
you?"
"No, Dear. I'm going to stay in tonight.
I've already called Kurt before you came upstairs and told him. You go and
hurry home. I'll miss you both."
Amanda walked slowly downstairs, gazing at the
smiling visages of the women in the photo before her. She felt deeply for their
plight. How on Earth would she feel knowing that her mother was dying and that
there was nothing she could do about it? Not to mention how, as a mother
herself, her own heart ached as she thought of leaving her boys alone and
without the comfort and security of parents who loved them.
She vowed to herself, right then and there,
that no matter what Smyth was up to, she would do everything in her power care
for and safeguard Melanie in the weeks that were to come. She would, also, try
her best to comfort and reassure the dying Nancy that her daughter would be
cared for, and to ease her passing from this world.
Unaware that she had halted at the top of the
landing and was leaning against the banister, Amanda was somewhat surprised
when Lee called her name, dragging her back into the present.
"Amanda? What are you doing? Are you all
right?" Lee stood at the base of the stairs and looked up at her, concern
on his face.
"What? Oh, yes, I'm fine. Sorry. I guess I
sort of zoned out there for a minute. Lee, here is the picture of Nancy and
Melanie." She now rushed down the rest of stairs, holding the picture out
to him.
"Nice looking people…wonder how Smyth
knows them?" Lee sarcastically intoned.
"I don't know. Did you get anything from
Billy?"
"Not much. He says Smyth isn't talking and
no one else seems to be aware of the case. I ran the names by him, but they
didn't ring any bells. He says he'll let us know if he comes up with
anything." Lee shrugged as if to indicate that he wasn't holding out much
hope.
"Well, I don't like this. Something is
wrong with the whole situation. Why on earth would he send us to bring in a
kid? And not mention the mother? I just don't like it, Lee." She shook her
head vigorously as she repeated her sentiment.
Lee reached out to pull her close and rubbed
his hands along her back. "Shhh…I know. I don't like it either. Look, I'll
go get our bags and we'll swing by the Agency before we head for the airport.
We'll get answers from Smyth, one way or the other!"
"Right!" She headed to the family
room to call the boys and yelled for her mother to come downstairs. "Boys,
we're leaving now. Come say goodbye."
She quickly grabbed both boys into hugs and
kissed their heads. They ducked out quickly and headed back to the TV. They
passed Lee on the way and exchanged hi-fives and 'see ya' laters.' Lee and
Amanda both admonished them to behave in their absence, and kissed Dotty on the
cheek on their way out the door.
Lee paused long enough to whisper. "Don't
worry. I'm going to take care of her and she's going to take care of me. We
always do."
Dotty smiled and patted his cheek. "I
know, dear. I don't worry, too much."
Amanda looked back to see what was holding up
her husband, and grinned at his closeness to her mother. In many ways, Dotty
seemed to have accepted Lee, not only as a son-in-law, but as a second child as
well. Just like Amanda, mothering came naturally to the older woman and Lee
never turned it down. That was quite a change from the Lee that Amanda had
known just a few short years ago. The sight of this Lee and her mother together
always made her smile.
Lee joined her on the stoop. They loaded the
car and headed out to confront Dr. Austin Smyth about the exact nature of their
case.
Chapter
Three
Lee and Amanda entered the hall outside the
offices of Austin Smyth for the second time that day. The hour was late, and
they weren't sure that Smyth was, indeed, still there. They approached the
receptionist, Ms. Tyler, and asked to see the man. Ms. Tyler, thinking to save
her boss and herself from another late night, immediately began to tell them
that Smyth was not available at that time.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Stetson, Dr. Smyth isn't
available right now. Perhaps you could make an appointment to see him in the
morning?" She stood as if to usher them out of the office.
"NO, that won't be possible, Ms. Tyler. We
must see him tonight, now…" Lee began to step toward the inner door and
put one hand on the knob only to feel the door swing open from the inside.
Smyth stood framed in the doorway, looking the
other man straight in the eye. "Scarecrow, what can I do for you? Did you
forget the way to the Emerald City? Need me to call the Munchkins to show you
to the right airport terminal?" His tone mocked the Stetson's and Lee
began to grow angry again.
"Now, you look here, Smyth…" Lee
forced his way into the room, brushing past Smyth rather roughly.
"Lee, let's just discuss this rationally,
all right?" Amanda stepped into the office behind them with her hands
outstretched. "Let's just all sit down. Dr. Smyth, we need to ask you
something about Melanie Michaels."
"Glenda, the good witch, always trying to
maintain peace and harmony, eh? Very well, what is it you want to know?"
Smyth retreated behind his desk and lit another of the thin cigarettes he
preferred and inhaled through the elegant holder.
Amanda, as irritated as Lee by the overuse of
the Wizard of Oz references, decided to cut right to the chase. She thrust the
picture of Melanie and Nancy Michaels in his face and abruptly asked, "Is
this the same person you want us to bring back here, and do you know that she
is only sixteen years old?"
Austin Smyth slowly laid down the cigarette and
reached for the frame. His gaze swept the faces captured there, and for several
long seconds, Amanda would have sworn that such a look of intense pain and
anguish was seen in his eyes, that she very nearly reached out to comfort the
man. She thought better of the action, and instead, sat in the chair directly
across the desk from him, watching as the cool blue eyes took in every detail,
then quickly shuttered themselves behind the same old mask of sardonic
amusement.
"Where did you get this?" Smyth
irreverently tossed the frame back at Amanda.
"That's not important. What is important
is for you to answer the question. Is this the same person we are going to
see?" Lee spoke again, still obviously feeling angry toward the man across
the desk.
"Not just see, Scarecrow, to apprehend and
bring back to the Agency. Or don't come back at all, at least not
together."
Amanda interceded again. "So this is the
same person? Dr. Smyth, we can't just bring her in, she's a minor. She has a
mother and they have rights. Why do you want her so badly?"
"Not that I think it any of your business,
Mrs. Stetson, but I suppose you have a need to know a bit of background."
Smyth paused just long enough for Scarecrow to become even angrier than before.
Lee leaned to the edge of his chair to look
directly into Smyth's face. "Oh, yes, this time you had better believe we
deserve to have more information. It's our lives we're putting on the line
every time we go out into the field on some crazy stunt you've dreamed up, not
yours."
His voice had taken on the deceptively calm
tone that indicated how angry he really was. He stood from his chair and leaned
over the desk, dangerously close to his superior.
"It's our family that's sitting at home
wondering if we're coming home for dinner, or at all for that matter. It's our
children that miss us when we're on some all night stake out, trying to bring
in the bad guys, so that you can gloat up to the White House and take all the
glory!"
Smyth, blown away by the pain that had overcome
him as he heard Lee expound on all the things that he could have had with
Nancy, and what he could only assume must be his child. Their child, had she
not betrayed him so many years ago. He grew enraged at his loss and began to
speak in the icy tones that had brought many other agents to their knees.
"Don't you dare throw your total lack of
respect for the rules and regulations of this Agency in my face. You should be
on your knees, both of you, thanking me for not breaking your partnership up,
for not charging you with insubordination and everything else I can think
of!"
Smyth paused for air in the midst of this
diatribe, and Amanda decided to intervene once again before this situation grew
totally out of hand.
"Dr. Smyth, sir, we didn't come here to
argue with you. We just felt like we needed a little more information to do
this job correctly and safely." She picked up the previously discarded
frame and weighed it thoughtfully in one hand, hoping to draw his attention to
it. When his gaze had indeed come back to the photo and away from Lee, she
added, "Safely, for everyone concerned."
After briefly seeing the faces in the picture
again, with a curt nod, he concurred with her statement and turned away from
the couple to compose himself.
Amanda turned to her husband, who had paced
several steps away from the desk as she spoke, and raised one hand to his chest
to stroke softly over his lapel. His fists were clenched tightly at his sides
as he struggled to contain his temper. After several moments and the sound of
Smyth turning to again face them, Amanda stepped away from him and together
they approached the desk again.
All three sat, and after a few seconds, Smyth
began to speak. His normally sarcastic tone was subdued and he spoke in a near
monotone. "Nearly twenty years ago, I worked in the field, just like you.
I was under the direct supervision of Harry V. Thornton. He was still Section
Chief, then, and had personally recruited me. Shortly after I started to work
for the Agency, Thornton presented me with a partner. Her name was Nancy
Michaels. She was one of the first women to be recruited to the field section
of the Agency and I was to be her preceptor, her trainer, and eventually her
partner."
Smyth stopped and relit the cigarette he had
discarded during their previous 'discussion.' He inhaled deeply, then continued
in a slightly stronger tone of voice. "We had worked together for nearly
three years when I was sent on a solo run to Europe. I returned to find that
she had disappeared. Quit the agency and totally dropped out of site. I've had
no knowledge of her, until today, when a report of her and her daughter crossed
my desk this morning. It said that they were living in Wichita, Kansas."
"Sir, if I might ask, why are you so
concerned with her now? Especially her daughter, Melanie?" Amanda held the
photograph, once again, tipped it toward Smyth, and pointed at the young, blond
girl.
Smyth, never once looking down at the picture
or betraying the emotion in his heart by the tone of his voice, said,
"Because when Nancy Michaels dies…she has cancer and has very little time
to live…she will be leaving her daughter alone. Left to her own devices or with
Nancy's family, she might become just like the mother, a traitor. To prevent
that, I, myself, am willing to take on her care."
He spoke the last quite calmly as if he
confessed to the desire to raise an orphaned child everyday. He next stood and
reached for his coat on the rack behind his desk. He pulled it on and walked
past the stunned pair to the outer door. He looked back and offered one more
comment. "Now, I suggest that you do not miss that plane. Or else, you
will be coming back to separate offices and separate jobs!"
After a few moments of stunned silence passed
with Lee and Amanda attempting to assimilate the information that had been
shared with them, Ms. Tyler appeared at the door.
"Mr. Stetson, Mrs. King? You really must
go now. Security will be here soon to lock up the offices."
Lee and Amanda filed past her and into the
outer hall. They looked into each other's eyes and spoke almost as one,
"Well, what do you think?"
Lee shook his head and answered, "I'm not
sure. We still don't have the whole story. I'm sure of that much, anyway!"
"I agree. What are we going to do?"
"We're going to Kansas. Come on, or we'll
miss our plane. Suddenly, I'm very eager to see just what this Nancy Michaels
has to say about all this." Lee grabbed her hand. They rushed out of the
Agency, headed for Dulles and their plane.
Chapter
Four
Marshall Henderson and his son, Ricky, sat at
the end of the bar at Nicky's Hideaway lounge. They were waiting for Nicky,
himself, an old informant, to show up and reveal what urgent information had
prompted him to call them down to the bar this late at night.
At least Marshall knew him as an old informant.
Ricky just thought he was a good, although strange, friend of the family. For
several years now, Nicky Donner had been calling his dad and leaving weird
messages, or just showing up at unexpected times and pulling his dad away for
private conversations. His dad always seemed glad to see him, and Nicky usually
always had pocket change he was willing to pass on to the younger Ricky. As
Ricky grew older, sometimes, Nicky even slipped him the odd cigarette or a can
of beer.
So when the phone rang at ten thirty Friday
night, and Ricky heard his dad greet the other man, he wasn't extremely
surprised to see Marshall leaving for the bar shortly afterward. What had
surprised him was Marshall's agreeing to let his son accompany him, for the
first time.
Ricky had recently turned eighteen, and while
he still wasn't of legal drinking age, he could enter the bar and drink soda as
his father nursed his whiskey. Besides, sometimes, Marshall overindulged and
Ricky felt better knowing that he was available to drive him home when the
night was over.
Now, as they sat in the smoky room and listened
to the jukebox belt out drinking songs, Ricky watched the ladies flirt with his
dad, and his dad flirt with the ladies, and he waited patiently for his chance
to break away and do a little flirting of his own with the small blond sitting
in the corner by the back door.
As he imagined how he would offer his best
line, he heard Nicky enter and loudly yell at his old man. "Hey, Marsh!
You no good, cheating, whiskey-drinking son of a gun! How ya been?"
Ricky rolled his eyes and saw his father jump
up to return the sentiment in equally fond terms, and he used the distraction
as his chance to escape to try his opening line on the cute little blond, who
was also eyeing him. Ricky totally forgot them both as the blond took his hand
and led him to the dance floor way in the back of the room.
Big, burly Nicky lit his cigarette and took a
long drag through thin, hard lips. His dark eyes watched Henderson intently as
if determining how to play this little exchange to his best advantage. He and
Marshall had had this little arrangement for quite some time now, years, to be
exact. Nicky listened to the air around him and heard interesting things. Then,
he'd call good ole Marsh, who paid him big bucks to tell him what he heard.
Marshall finished his shot of whiskey, ordered
another, and finally looked to the man across from him. "Well? What have
you heard? Is she really there?"
"Yep. She's there. Been there for about
seventeen years now. Seems to have settled in Wichita after leaving DC and
never left." He shrugged his shoulders, and the black, serpent adorned
T-shirt stretched over the large biceps. "She's been living a nice quiet
suburban life, with her daughter Melanie."
"Daughter? What daughter?" Henderson
looked genuinely surprised. He'd been watching out for Nancy Michaels since she
had left DC years ago. He just wanted to make sure that she followed
directions, so that he kept his own hide intact. Unfortunately, she'd been well
trained, and when she disappeared, she disappeared completely.
"The one she had about six and a half
months after moving there." Nicky watched as the other man's eyes gleamed
with the information and knew that he would be well paid tonight.
"Six and a half months, huh?"
Nicky nodded and said no more. He sat back and
waited for the questions he knew were coming.
"Why now? Why is she contacting the Agency
now? It's been nearly two decades. If she was going to talk, she would have
already would have, damn it." Henderson slapped the small table and
sloshed his whiskey over the rim of the glass.
"Maybe she didn't contact them? Maybe they
found her? You said yourself that Smyth still works for the Agency. Maybe he
still wants her?"
"No, I saw Austin Smyth after he came back
from searching for her all those years ago. He was through with her and all
women. He never bothered to remarry or get attached in any way."
"Well, there may be one reason…"
Nicky's voice trailed off, and he waited for Henderson to rise to the bait.
"The kid? You think Smyth is her
father?"
"Well, maybe…" His tone said there
was more, for a price.
Marshall Henderson recognized the message. He
reached for his wallet and began to leaf through the bills. He pulled out two
one hundred dollar bills and laid them on the table between them. He left one
finger on the corner of the bills and waited for the rest of the information.
Nicky thought briefly, then nodded. He pulled
the bills toward him, pausing as Henderson resisted. "Yeah, I think she's
Smyth's. And according to my sources, soon, she's gonna be an orphan."
The finger on the corner of the bills lifted,
and Henderson watched as the other man swiftly pocketed it. "How?"
"The broad has cancer. Only got a few
weeks to live." Nicky Donner shrugged as if this was inconsequential to
him.
Marshall thought about this newest twist. What
if Smyth was looking for Nancy and the girl? Who knew? Maybe Nancy would feel
compelled to confess all when she was reunited with her lost love. He wasn't
about to take any chances.
Henderson hailed the nearest waitress and
inquired about his son, Ricky. After learning that he was on the dance floor in
the back of the bar, he sent the girl to bring the boy back to his table. Nicky
left after promising to keep Henderson informed of any further developments,
and soon, Ricky appeared with the small blond attached to his right arm.
"Yeah, Dad?" Ricky grinned from ear
to ear and was obviously proud of his prowess with this particular female.
"We've got to go, son. We've got a flight
to catch."
Disappointed, he watched as the perky blond
wandered away, disinterested in the father-son interaction. "Flight? What
flight? Where are we going?"
"The flight you are going to book for us
as soon as we get home. I've got some business to attend to. So you're going
home to call the airlines, and I'll join you as soon as I get done."
Marshall Henderson stood and left several bills on the table to cover his bar
tab. He pulled his credit card from his wallet and handed it to the young man.
"Use this and we'll pick up the tickets at the airport."
"But Dad, I still don't know where we are
going!"
"Wichita, Kansas, my boy." With those
words, he ducked into a phone booth at the back of the bar and left the baffled
Ricky staring after him.
"Wichita, Kansas?"