~VIII~

Stepping onto the bathmat, Amanda wrapped the warm terrycloth robe around her. Pulling off the plastic shower cap, she fluffed her hair, smoothing back a few damp tendrils that curled around her face. Like the mat, those standard issue hotel caps always seemed to be just a little too small.

At least the water had relaxed her. Wiping a large round spot in the steamy mirror, she studied her reflection. The face of frustration, she thought, rolling her eyes.  The weekend certainly hadn't turned out the way she'd envisioned. Between the 'group campout', the ill-timed phone call and the unforeseen family crisis, she and Lee would have had more privacy at home.

Retrieving the bottle of lotion from the edge of the tub, she began to apply it to her legs with unusual enthusiasm. This whole business with Phillip and Joe disturbed her more than she wanted to admit. She knew she shouldn't let it get to her, but it did. Why was her ex-husband's relationship with his sons still so important to her?

Pride, she thought dourly, pure and simple. If the three of them still functioned as a family unit - at least on some level - then her first marriage couldn't be classified as a total disaster.

Folding her towel, she draped it carefully over the side of the tub. Perhaps Lee would be able to get the bottom of things tonight. Phillip had certainly made no bones about wanting to talk to him alone. What a change from his behavior only a few short years ago. At least that was one father-son relationship that didn't need her constant intercession. 

She didn't really understand Joe at all any more. How could he have so little understanding of what it took to be a parent? He'd enjoyed such a warm, loving relationship with his own father, whereas Lee . . . Amanda smiled wryly. No, she definitely wouldn't call the Colonel the demonstrative type. Yet here stood her husband, with no role model to speak of, an exceptional father and stepfather. So much for nurture vs. nature.

Stretching, she headed into the other room, stopping by the door to release the chain she'd engaged while she was in the shower. No percentage in locking Lee out. With any luck, they could still salvage some of their evening when he returned.

The sudden, unexpected knock made her jump. Willing her pounding heart to still, she instinctively glanced over at the clock.  It couldn't be Lee and Phillip, not this soon. Not even Lee could solve a problem in twenty minutes.

"Who is it?" she called, unconsciously pulling robe closer around her.

"It's me, Amanda. I'm sorry to bother you, but I need to talk to you for a minute."

Joe's voice sounded oddly strained. "Uh, sure," she replied, holding the lapels of her robe together as she opened the door.

Hands in his pockets, Joe King was busy tracing the small, boxed pattern on the carpet with his toe. Biting her lip, she struggled to conceal her annoyance. "It's late, Joe," she said, a bit more curtly than she'd intended.

He gave her a tired sigh. "I know, Amanda. I really am sorry, but . . ." Tilting his head to one side, he reluctantly encountered her eye.

His little-boy expression looked so much like Phillip that she found herself taking a sharp breath. "Come in," she said, her tone softening in spite of herself.

He entered expectantly, but his face fell as soon as he saw the empty room. "I'm sorry to bother you," he said again, drawing his hands in and out of his pockets. "I was . . . hoping . . ."

"Phillip's not here," she informed him tersely. "He and Lee went out to get something to eat."

"I wasn't looking for Phillip," he quickly rejoined. "I thought maybe Carrie . . ."

"Why would Carrie be here?" she asked, realization hitting as she watched him flinch. Phillip's earlier information came flooding back. "Oh, Joe - you guys had another fight?"

He shrugged. "We've been doing that a lot lately," he stated with a bitter smile. "As I'm sure you've noticed."

Her annoyance waning, she reached out to give his arm a tender squeeze. "Yeah, well it was kind of hard to miss."

He nodded, sitting down despondently on the bed. "We had a pretty big one tonight. When she didn't come back . . ."

Amanda sat down beside Joe, resting her hand lightly on his knee. "She probably just needs some space. She'll be back, you'll see."

"I don't know. I said some hurtful things, some things I should never . . ." He let out a long breath. "I guess I was grasping at straws, but I'd hoped she'd come here to talk to you."

"No, I haven't seen her." She hesitated, adding, "Was she angry enough to head home?"

He shook his head. "I have the car keys, and she doesn't have any money. She ran out in such a hurry . . . left her purse, everything." His voice caught a little. "She didn't even take a coat. That's why I thought . . ."

"Then she'll be back, Sweetheart. If she's not here . . . well, it's not like she knows anyone else . . ." She stopped a bit too abruptly, frowning as she bit her lip.

"What?" Joe asked quickly.

Rising, Amanda walked over to the window, pulling back the heavy room-darkening drapes a crack to stare out onto the lawn. "It's nothing," she said quickly. "I'm sure."

Joe came up behind her, his hands on her arms as he slowly turned her to face him. "Amanda, please, if you know something, just tell me. I don't deserve to be 'spared', trust me. I just want to find her."

She looked away, kneading her neck muscles with her right hand. "Well, earlier today, while you guys were at the football game . . ."

"Amanda," he entreated again as she faltered.

She looked up, wincing slightly as she caught his eye. "We ran into Phillip's advisor, Jim Walters. I'm sure it's nothing, Joe, really. He's just a very friendly person, that's all. Some people are like that, you know. And they're both professors, so they had a lot in common. It's perfectly natural that they would have a lot to say to each other," she explained, her words spilling out faster and faster. "Really, I don't think . . ."

"Amanda, are you saying . . ."

"No, of course not," she put in breathlessly. "I was just thinking that if she needed someone to talk to . . . well, he seemed very happy to lend a sympathetic ear, that's all."

Exhaling loudly, Joe turned away, pacing agitatedly in front of the two double beds. Amanda watched as he absently massaged his right leg, his face crinkling into a taut frown. She could see a light sheen of sweat beginning to form on his forehead. She suddenly remembered Carrie mentioning just last week that the leg was giving him some trouble again. She had a sinking feeling that wasn't the only reminder of Santarilla that was giving Joe pain.

Wincing, Joe turned to her. "Amanda, I can't just wait here, I've got to at least do something. Do you have any idea where I can find this Walters guy?"

"I have no idea where he lives," she told him. "I've only been to his office on campus."

"But . . . he'd probably have a home address on file there, don't you think?"

"Yeah, maybe," she agreed, folding her arms across her chest. "But it's late, I'm sure his office is locked now." Her ex-husband looked at her expectantly.  "No way, Joe," she stated resolutely.

"Amanda . . ."

"No, Joe," she repeated forcefully. "I'm not breaking into the man's office for you."

"But you're a federal agent," he cajoled.

"Who's officially still on maternity leave," she protested, a little more weakly this time. "And agent or not, I just can't go around breaking into people's offices. Not without cause. My gosh, Joe, you should know that; you're a lawyer."

"I just need his address."

"Joe . . ."

"Please, Amanda," he entreated again. "I have to find her. I can't leave things this way between us. If she left me . . ." He paused, slowly raising his head to engage her eye. "Please. I'm in real trouble here."

She rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath, "The last time I fell for that line I ended up taking an unscheduled joyride in a helicopter."  Seeing Joe's mournful look, she added in a louder voice, "Okay, okay. When will I ever learn?" Still grumbling, she began to rifle through the small canvas bag. "Lee must have a half rake in here some place." 

"Thanks, Amanda," Joe said, heaving a relieved sigh as she located her husband's favorite double diamond.  "Like you said, I'm a lawyer. If anything goes wrong, I'll be happy to represent you – no charge."

"Gee, thanks, Joe," she muttered, rolling her eyes. "But if anything goes wrong, I think I'll take jail. It'll be easier than explaining to Lee." She grabbed a dark sweater and matching jeans. "I'll just be a minute," she assured him. Despite her misgivings, she could feel that old familiar rush beginning to build.  It felt good to be back in the action.

TBC