Chapter Thirteen
Billy scanned the casino for Agent Ross. He found the agent in a secluded corner, on his cell phone. As Billy motioned for him, Agent Ross motioned with a finger for Billy to wait. As he spoke to the caller, Billy's agitation grew. Finally, Agent Ross ended the call and turned to Billy, worried.
"Amanda's wire isn't transmitting. We haven't heard from her for over an hour." Agent Ross said.
"I know. Now Lee's disappeared and something else has happened." Billy said grimly.
"What's happened?" Agent Ross said.
"Leslie Stetson was spotted about twenty minutes ago here in the casino. One of our agents saw her in a rather heated conversation with Lee, then they both disappeared, apparently upstairs." Billy said.
"Damn!" Agent Ross exclaimed. "So, what do we do now? Leslie Stetson's appearance and involvement puts Amanda and Lee in greater danger." Agent Ross said.
"We've got to get upstairs. One of our D.C. agents has informed me that they've detained Sergei Vlotkin and his henchmen to check the status of their visas. Meanwhile, I have a bad feeling Amanda found exactly what she was looking for and now Brousseau is onto her." Billy said.
"OK." Agent Ross said. "I'm going to get one of the other floor managers to get us a card key. We'll try to get up there without arousing any suspicion here on the floor and without security alerting Brousseau." Agent Ross said.
"Right, let's get moving now!" Billy said as he followed Agent Ross to the Customer Service desk.
Lee was escorted into Brousseau's office, Leslie and Brousseau's bodyguard right behind him. As his eyes adjusted to the dimly lit office, he saw Amanda sitting in the chair in front of Brousseau's desk. Brousseau's bodyguard pulled up another chair beside Amanda's and shoved Lee down into it. As Lee sat down he looked over at Amanda.
"Are you all right?" Lee asked her.
"I'm fine Lee." Amanda said with a small smile.
"Oh, how touching." Leslie said sarcastically, perching herself on the edge of Brousseau's desk, between Lee and Amanda. "What a lovely reunion." She said.
"Leslie, just explain one thing to me." Lee said, "Why this?"
"Lee it was really too easy. When Andre offered me the opportunity to become a millionaire with so little work, it was too tempting to pass up." Leslie explained. "And you were so easy to manipulate. I looked so much like your dear Amanda, all I had to do was say the right things and I twisted you around my finger."
"Until I put the pieces together." Lee said quietly.
"But by then, I had you where I wanted you. Amanda was out of the picture, and I knew you'd never turn me in." Leslie said.
"That's what you think." Lee said. "Amanda's been working with the New Orleans field office. We've got enough information to put both of you away for a very long time."
Leslie's perfectly made up face tightened. Her skin turned an unflattering crimson as she jumped off her perch and began to pace in front of Lee and Amanda.
"I despise you so, Lee Stetson. All those nights, spending them alone with you, only we never were completely alone. Amanda was always there, in your thoughts. How many times did you call me by her name when we were together? Everyone could see how in love you were with her, even me. When you looked at her, it was written all over your face! I took that away from you! You married me, not her!" Leslie screamed, pointing her finger at Amanda.
"A fact I'll be remedying soon, Leslie." Lee said.
Lee's words stopped Leslie. She turned on her heel and glared at him and Amanda. Leslie walked over to Brousseau's desk and picked up the gun laying on the edge. She pointed it at Amanda and motioned for her to get up. Amanda remained motionless. Leslie cocked back the hammer and pointed the gun at Amanda again.
"Lee doesn't know that I do know how to use this." Leslie said to Amanda. "Unless you'd like Lee to watch you die, I suggest you move." Leslie said, motioning with the gun towards the door.
Amanda stood shakily. Her legs were refusing to move and her heart was hammering against her chest. As she stood, Lee moved to stand in front of her. Brousseau's bodyguard grabbed Lee, punching him in the stomach. As he doubled over, Amanda leaned down to help him. Lee looked at her and said, "I'll be there soon to get you." He whispered. Amanda nodded as Leslie stood with Amanda and pushed her forward. As Leslie and Amanda approached the door, Lee turned to face Amanda.
"Amanda, I love you." Lee said and smiled.
"I love you too Lee." Amanda answered as Leslie's face contorted with rage.
"Too bad that's the last time you'll ever hear those words Amanda." Leslie said, giving Amanda a sideways glance.
"I don't think so, Leslie." Amanda said. "You've been underestimating Lee since you met him. I've never doubted anything he's ever told me. Lee will find me. I know he will." Amanda finished.
"Let's see what he thinks of you, IF he finds you, when you're not so pretty anymore after I've gotten through with you." Leslie snapped as she approached a staircase.
Amanda glanced up at the steep, dimly lit staircase as she approached it. She knew by the blueprints she and the other agents had studied, that this was the entrance to the roof. She wasn't sure if Leslie was going to kill her up there or try and throw her off the roof, but she knew Leslie's mental state was fragile. It wouldn't take much to push her over the edge of sanity. Amanda felt deeply sorry for her even as she tried to figure out how to get away from Leslie. Amanda felt Leslie point the barrel of the gun into her back and push her forward.
"Go on, up there." Leslie demanded. "I don't want any witnesses but me watching you die."
Amanda forced herself to climb the stairs, slowly, one at a time. As she slowly made her way up the staircase, she hoped Lee was still alive and that Billy and Agent Ross were on their way up to Brousseau's office.
Andre Brousseau studied Lee across the expanse of polished cherry wood. Brousseau studied the set of his jaw, the clenching and unclenching of his fists, the glacial expression in his eyes. Yes, Brousseau thought, this is a man on the verge of exploding. Rarely had he seen such control of one person's feelings. Lee Stetson was a formidable opponent. The Cajun/Creole blood that flowed through his hot veins would never allow for such control. Andre continued to grudgingly admire Lee for a moment, concluding that it was such a shame he was going to have to kill him.
"Mr. Stetson, your appearance has disrupted a great many of my plans. Plans for me, plans for Leslie, even the plans I had for the beautiful Amanda." Brousseau said.
"I'm glad I could be such an interruption Brousseau, now where's Leslie taking Amanda?" Lee demanded.
"Somewhere you'll never find her Mr. Stetson." Brousseau said, "In fact, knowing Leslie, Amanda's probably dead already." Brousseau smirked.
Lee's control of his temper snapped. As Brousseau walked out from behind his desk to approach Lee, Lee turned around and grabbed Brousseau by his tuxedo jacket. Brousseau's bodyguards slammed into Lee, pulling him off Brousseau. As Brousseau picked up his gun, Lee punched one of the bodyguards in the face. There was a sickening sound of bone breaking as the man reached for what remained of his nose. Lee turned to the other bodyguard as he grabbed Lee from behind. He hoisted Lee off the floor and into a coffee table. Lee's body hit the coffee table and it splintered in all directions. Lee slowly picked himself up as the bodyguard picked up a broken table leg. He held it like a baseball bat as he swung at Lee. Lee narrowly missed getting his ribs broken as the bodyguard tried to hit him. Lee grabbed the other end of the leg as the bodyguard swung again in a wide circle. Lee felt the sting of splinters going into his hands as he yanked the weapon out of the bodyguard's hand. Lee brought the table leg up and around, connecting with the bodyguard's head. The bodyguard slumped unconscious at Lee's feet as Lee turned around to Brousseau. Brousseau had the gun pointed at Lee as Lee turned. Lee could see the hate in Brousseau's eyes. Brousseau took a few steps towards Lee, stopping in front of a pile of papers. He smiled at what he saw.
"Your Amanda forgot all of her evidence." Brousseau said. "How unfortunate."
As Brousseau bent over to retrieve the papers Amanda had dropped, Lee saw his chance. He sprang forward as Brousseau's head was bent over his task. He tackled him to the ground and jumped on top of him. Lee began pounding Brousseau's face with his fists, swinging again and again. Lee was dimly aware of screaming at Brousseau to tell him where Leslie and Amanda had gone. Brousseau's face was a bloody, unrecognizable mess when Lee felt himself being pulled off Brousseau. He looked to see Agent Ross and Billy pulling at his arms. The other agents had entered the room, guns drawn, expecting to see a grisly mess. Billy grabbed Lee by his upper arms and shook him roughly.
"Lee, snap out of it. We need to find Amanda!" Billy yelled at Lee.
"Did you see where Leslie took her?" Agent Ross said.
Lee shook his head negatively. As Billy and Agent Ross pushed Lee towards the door, Brousseau's voice stopped them.
"The roof. Leslie asked me how to get up there and I showed her. She may have taken her up there." Brousseau said thickly.
"Let's go Billy!" Lee exclaimed, grabbing his gun and running down the hall. Billy and Agent Ross hurried after him, each hoping they weren't too late. ______________________________________________________________________
Billy scanned the casino for Agent Ross. He found the agent in a secluded corner, on his cell phone. As Billy motioned for him, Agent Ross motioned with a finger for Billy to wait. As he spoke to the caller, Billy's agitation grew. Finally, Agent Ross ended the call and turned to Billy, worried.
"Amanda's wire isn't transmitting. We haven't heard from her for over an hour." Agent Ross said.
"I know. Now Lee's disappeared and something else has happened." Billy said grimly.
"What's happened?" Agent Ross said.
"Leslie Stetson was spotted about twenty minutes ago here in the casino. One of our agents saw her in a rather heated conversation with Lee, then they both disappeared, apparently upstairs." Billy said.
"Damn!" Agent Ross exclaimed. "So, what do we do now? Leslie Stetson's appearance and involvement puts Amanda and Lee in greater danger." Agent Ross said.
"We've got to get upstairs. One of our D.C. agents has informed me that they've detained Sergei Vlotkin and his henchmen to check the status of their visas. Meanwhile, I have a bad feeling Amanda found exactly what she was looking for and now Brousseau is onto her." Billy said.
"OK." Agent Ross said. "I'm going to get one of the other floor managers to get us a card key. We'll try to get up there without arousing any suspicion here on the floor and without security alerting Brousseau." Agent Ross said.
"Right, let's get moving now!" Billy said as he followed Agent Ross to the Customer Service desk.
Lee was escorted into Brousseau's office, Leslie and Brousseau's bodyguard right behind him. As his eyes adjusted to the dimly lit office, he saw Amanda sitting in the chair in front of Brousseau's desk. Brousseau's bodyguard pulled up another chair beside Amanda's and shoved Lee down into it. As Lee sat down he looked over at Amanda.
"Are you all right?" Lee asked her.
"I'm fine Lee." Amanda said with a small smile.
"Oh, how touching." Leslie said sarcastically, perching herself on the edge of Brousseau's desk, between Lee and Amanda. "What a lovely reunion." She said.
"Leslie, just explain one thing to me." Lee said, "Why this?"
"Lee it was really too easy. When Andre offered me the opportunity to become a millionaire with so little work, it was too tempting to pass up." Leslie explained. "And you were so easy to manipulate. I looked so much like your dear Amanda, all I had to do was say the right things and I twisted you around my finger."
"Until I put the pieces together." Lee said quietly.
"But by then, I had you where I wanted you. Amanda was out of the picture, and I knew you'd never turn me in." Leslie said.
"That's what you think." Lee said. "Amanda's been working with the New Orleans field office. We've got enough information to put both of you away for a very long time."
Leslie's perfectly made up face tightened. Her skin turned an unflattering crimson as she jumped off her perch and began to pace in front of Lee and Amanda.
"I despise you so, Lee Stetson. All those nights, spending them alone with you, only we never were completely alone. Amanda was always there, in your thoughts. How many times did you call me by her name when we were together? Everyone could see how in love you were with her, even me. When you looked at her, it was written all over your face! I took that away from you! You married me, not her!" Leslie screamed, pointing her finger at Amanda.
"A fact I'll be remedying soon, Leslie." Lee said.
Lee's words stopped Leslie. She turned on her heel and glared at him and Amanda. Leslie walked over to Brousseau's desk and picked up the gun laying on the edge. She pointed it at Amanda and motioned for her to get up. Amanda remained motionless. Leslie cocked back the hammer and pointed the gun at Amanda again.
"Lee doesn't know that I do know how to use this." Leslie said to Amanda. "Unless you'd like Lee to watch you die, I suggest you move." Leslie said, motioning with the gun towards the door.
Amanda stood shakily. Her legs were refusing to move and her heart was hammering against her chest. As she stood, Lee moved to stand in front of her. Brousseau's bodyguard grabbed Lee, punching him in the stomach. As he doubled over, Amanda leaned down to help him. Lee looked at her and said, "I'll be there soon to get you." He whispered. Amanda nodded as Leslie stood with Amanda and pushed her forward. As Leslie and Amanda approached the door, Lee turned to face Amanda.
"Amanda, I love you." Lee said and smiled.
"I love you too Lee." Amanda answered as Leslie's face contorted with rage.
"Too bad that's the last time you'll ever hear those words Amanda." Leslie said, giving Amanda a sideways glance.
"I don't think so, Leslie." Amanda said. "You've been underestimating Lee since you met him. I've never doubted anything he's ever told me. Lee will find me. I know he will." Amanda finished.
"Let's see what he thinks of you, IF he finds you, when you're not so pretty anymore after I've gotten through with you." Leslie snapped as she approached a staircase.
Amanda glanced up at the steep, dimly lit staircase as she approached it. She knew by the blueprints she and the other agents had studied, that this was the entrance to the roof. She wasn't sure if Leslie was going to kill her up there or try and throw her off the roof, but she knew Leslie's mental state was fragile. It wouldn't take much to push her over the edge of sanity. Amanda felt deeply sorry for her even as she tried to figure out how to get away from Leslie. Amanda felt Leslie point the barrel of the gun into her back and push her forward.
"Go on, up there." Leslie demanded. "I don't want any witnesses but me watching you die."
Amanda forced herself to climb the stairs, slowly, one at a time. As she slowly made her way up the staircase, she hoped Lee was still alive and that Billy and Agent Ross were on their way up to Brousseau's office.
Andre Brousseau studied Lee across the expanse of polished cherry wood. Brousseau studied the set of his jaw, the clenching and unclenching of his fists, the glacial expression in his eyes. Yes, Brousseau thought, this is a man on the verge of exploding. Rarely had he seen such control of one person's feelings. Lee Stetson was a formidable opponent. The Cajun/Creole blood that flowed through his hot veins would never allow for such control. Andre continued to grudgingly admire Lee for a moment, concluding that it was such a shame he was going to have to kill him.
"Mr. Stetson, your appearance has disrupted a great many of my plans. Plans for me, plans for Leslie, even the plans I had for the beautiful Amanda." Brousseau said.
"I'm glad I could be such an interruption Brousseau, now where's Leslie taking Amanda?" Lee demanded.
"Somewhere you'll never find her Mr. Stetson." Brousseau said, "In fact, knowing Leslie, Amanda's probably dead already." Brousseau smirked.
Lee's control of his temper snapped. As Brousseau walked out from behind his desk to approach Lee, Lee turned around and grabbed Brousseau by his tuxedo jacket. Brousseau's bodyguards slammed into Lee, pulling him off Brousseau. As Brousseau picked up his gun, Lee punched one of the bodyguards in the face. There was a sickening sound of bone breaking as the man reached for what remained of his nose. Lee turned to the other bodyguard as he grabbed Lee from behind. He hoisted Lee off the floor and into a coffee table. Lee's body hit the coffee table and it splintered in all directions. Lee slowly picked himself up as the bodyguard picked up a broken table leg. He held it like a baseball bat as he swung at Lee. Lee narrowly missed getting his ribs broken as the bodyguard tried to hit him. Lee grabbed the other end of the leg as the bodyguard swung again in a wide circle. Lee felt the sting of splinters going into his hands as he yanked the weapon out of the bodyguard's hand. Lee brought the table leg up and around, connecting with the bodyguard's head. The bodyguard slumped unconscious at Lee's feet as Lee turned around to Brousseau. Brousseau had the gun pointed at Lee as Lee turned. Lee could see the hate in Brousseau's eyes. Brousseau took a few steps towards Lee, stopping in front of a pile of papers. He smiled at what he saw.
"Your Amanda forgot all of her evidence." Brousseau said. "How unfortunate."
As Brousseau bent over to retrieve the papers Amanda had dropped, Lee saw his chance. He sprang forward as Brousseau's head was bent over his task. He tackled him to the ground and jumped on top of him. Lee began pounding Brousseau's face with his fists, swinging again and again. Lee was dimly aware of screaming at Brousseau to tell him where Leslie and Amanda had gone. Brousseau's face was a bloody, unrecognizable mess when Lee felt himself being pulled off Brousseau. He looked to see Agent Ross and Billy pulling at his arms. The other agents had entered the room, guns drawn, expecting to see a grisly mess. Billy grabbed Lee by his upper arms and shook him roughly.
"Lee, snap out of it. We need to find Amanda!" Billy yelled at Lee.
"Did you see where Leslie took her?" Agent Ross said.
Lee shook his head negatively. As Billy and Agent Ross pushed Lee towards the door, Brousseau's voice stopped them.
"The roof. Leslie asked me how to get up there and I showed her. She may have taken her up there." Brousseau said thickly.
"Let's go Billy!" Lee exclaimed, grabbing his gun and running down the hall. Billy and Agent Ross hurried after him, each hoping they weren't too late. ______________________________________________________________________
