Suspects Everywhere

.

Chapter 17

"Amanda, I hope you're not saying what I think you're saying," Dean reluctantly stated, as they stood in the backyard of the Estate.

"if it's that I'm breaking up with you, then I'm sorry that you've got it right, Dean," she responded back as gently as possible.

"After I bring you home to meet my family?" Dean questioned in a sardonic tone, "and then tell you that I love you?"

Amanda looked down, apologetic, "The timing is wrong, I know," she admitted, and then eyed him directly, "but this trip has made me realize one thing. You and I will never be able to find the right person if we don't let go of the wrong person."

She expected Dean to be in shock or defensive, but it was almost as if he expected it.

"I always felt you were holding back on me, Amanda," he accusingly told her.

She shook her head, "No, Dean, I gave it my all, regarding us. I really did. But don't you see? We shouldn't have to work so hard to be happy together."

His eyes narrowed as he bitterly asked, "It's Stetson, isn't it?

"No," she adamantly shook her head, "There wasn't a third person involved. There was just a huge gap between what we wanted and what we expected from one another. What happened between us concerns only us."

He pursed his lips, "You sound so certain about breaking up with me. You sure I cannot change your mind?"

Amanda knew she needed to stay strong. She'd rather be alone than fake emotions she would never feel.

"I'm sure, Dean. But if possible, I'd like us to be friends," Amanda suggested.

His tone sounded harsh, "You're only fooling yourself, Amanda, if you think we can do that."

"You're probably right," she admitted, defeated, "I'm so sorry about everything, Dean. If it makes you feel better, I'm hurting, too, but I know we are not right together," then she gloomily added, "You probably want me to go upstairs and pack now. I'll leave, if that's what you want. I can call a taxi to get home."

"No, no, you don't need to do that," he answered quickly, "I'm humiliated and wounded, of course, but there's no need for you to leave so hastily. But if you could do me one favor, it would help ease my pain."

Amanda dreaded whatever he might say, "Alright; I'm listening."

Dean started out slowly, "I was thinking...that perhaps we could pretend we're still together in front of my family until this investigation is over. That way, I can keep my pride with my family a little longer."

Amanda looked doubtful "I don't know, Dean..."

"-They'll accuse me of being a loser because I couldn't hold onto you," he quickly added, "You know how arrogant and unempathetic they can be! I'm just asking you for two days, tops, and then it'll be over for you and you can walk away from me. I'll accept your decision. And I promise to tell my family everything before we leave. You have my word."

Amanda couldn't believe he wanted to stretch out the agony of their relationship. And he was asking her to lie as well. Another lie she had to remember in addition to the lie that she told her family about working at IFF. She felt that it was all too much.

She hesitated, "I don't think I can do that, Dean. Please don't ask me to lie about our relationship as well."

Dean looked baffled, "'As well?' Whatever do you mean by that?"

That's when she realized she had let something slip that she shouldn't have. She tried to make it not a big deal "Oh, it's nothing. Just a fib I told my mother about what I do at work. It's nothing, really, but it's enough to make me hate stretching the truth."

Dean explained, "It's not lying, exactly, Amanda. I was thinking that maybe you could just...not mention that we've broken up. You know, just go on as we did before. Just continue to smile and be your pleasant self. And maybe occasionally hold my hand or send a loving look my way..."

Amanda looked doubtful, "I don't know if I can..."

"Of course you can!" Dean insisted, "You can do anything you set your mind to, isn't that what you've always told me? I'm not asking for much, Amanda. For you, it'll be over in a couple of days. It's the least you can do for me. We've shared some good times together. Haven't I always been good to you?"

Her guilt weighed heavily on her, Amanda had to admit that, yes, Dean had been very good to her.

She gave it some thought, "I won't deny it if someone asks if something is wrong between us," she dared him.

"Fair enough."

"And...and I'll not reach my hand to you, but, yet, I won't pull away from you, either."

Dean knew he had her, "That's all I ask of you."

"I guess I could do it for two days," she reluctantly agreed, as she put up her index finger, "but if this investigation ends earlier, I'm leaving, and you'll have to tell them the truth!"

"Agreed," Dean stated, "That's my gi—friend," he quickly corrected himself.

But inside he was beaming with victory. He had two days to change her mind. He'd better work fast.

####

Meanwhile, Lee was upstairs in Olivia's office, helping her with some more Senate work.

The whole time Lee was working with taking notes with Olivia, he was thinking about Amanda. Ever since he arrived at the Wellington Estate, he felt he was fighting his feelings for her.

It took seeing her with Dean to make him realize that she held a special place in his heart. She was soft and warm, but showed strength and resilience when needed.

And she made him laugh, even on days when just faking a smile was an effort

"Alright, Lee," Olivia affirmed, breaking into his thoughts, "I think we've done enough research regarding EPA air quality standards. I can write up our findings on my own and then I'll forward the report to Senator Whitley tomorrow."

"Great," Lee tiredly stated as he jotted down the reminder and then closed the work notebook. But his day wasn't done.

Although he had already questioned Olivia regarding the murder, new questions had arisen with the knowledge that Eunice the maid had been blackmailing everyone at the house. Lee wondered if Olivia was being blackmailed as well.

"Before I go, Olivia," Lee began, "I need to ask you something else about the investigation."

She did not look pleased as she brusquely stated, "I hope this won't take long, Lee, because as you know, I'm on a tight schedule!"

"Was Eunice blackmailing you?" he bluntly asked. With Olivia, it was best to get directly to the point. No dilly-dallying with her.

Olivia's brows furrowed together, "Did you just ask me if my own maid was blackmailing me?"

"I did," Lee acknowledged, waiting.

"Why would you ask such a ridiculous question?"

Lee explained, "It turns out that Eunice had been quite a busybody. She had been eavesdropping on everyone in the house and then at a later time, blackmailing them in exchange for keeping quiet. I figure if she had done it to them, then it's likely that she had approached you as well."

Lee kept a steady look on Olivia, carefully watching for her reaction.

Olivia's face remained expressionless. Instead, she reached over and removed the lid off a gold box that was sitting at her desk. Taking out a cigarette and a lighter, she lit it and then took a calming breath from the cigarette.

Lee waved away the smoke, although it had never reached him, "I thought you had quit."

She half-smiled, "Then that would make me a quitter, and I'm no quitter, Lee. On anything."

Lee ignored the smoke as best he could, "You never answered my question about being blackmailed."

Olivia scowled, "No, she wasn't blackmailing me, and I really resent the fact that you think someone would have control over me!"

"To be fair, Olivia, I'm not singling you out. I've asked everyone the same question," Lee pointedly stated, "And if you don't mind me saying, with you being active in politics and all, you have the MOST to be blackmailed with."

Olivia took another puff before responding, "Rubbish! If Eunice did blackmail my family, she did that part on her own! I had nothing to do with that!" she angrily retorted back. Her hand was shaking as she vigorously tapped the cigarette ashes into her ashtray.

Lee had listened very carefully to Olivia's response, "So what you're saying is...you may have not known about the blackmailing, but you knew about something. You need to tell me what that something is. Or else."

Olivia narrowed her eyes, "I don't intimidate so easily, Lee."

"And I am tenacious when I need to be," Lee confidently responded back, "So you might as well come clean now, because I will never back down. You know that about me. That's why you hired me." He then opened his small black notebook, preparing to write down anything she would say.

Olivia firmly pursed her lips, "Fine!" she exploded, "But let me preface it with...what I did, I did to save the Wellington reputation! So yes, I had paid Eunice a little extra to keep her eyes and ears open regarding my family," she held her head up high, "and then she was to report to me any activity that wasn't conducive to being a Wellington! But that was all she was supposed to do!"

"That's what you care about? Your reputation as a Wellington?" Lee incredulously asked.

"Don't you dare judge me, Lee!" she argued, as her eyes flashed, "What do you have if you don't have your reputation? What could be more important than your reputation?"

"Your character, for one."

She waved that comment aside, "Is there really much a difference?"

"Yeah, there is," Lee responded, "Character is who you are. Reputation is who people think you are. And in case you haven't figured it out, the first one surpasses the second one by miles."

"Don't talk to me in that tone," she coldly warned him.

"How can I respect someone who spies on her own family?" Lee asked.

"That's rich, coming from a person whose JOB is to spy on people!" she haughtily pointed out, as she took a slow puff.

"Yeah, and right now, that method of spying is turning up things I don't like!" he disdainfully admitted, "So in light of these new facts, where were you in the morning hours before Eunice had been found murdered?"

He had to wait until Olivia finished exhaling the smoke, "I told you, I was asleep."

"And what time did you wake up?" Lee asked.

"I woke up at- oh wait..." she paused, "I take that back...I did wake up much earlier than I had previously mentioned...yes, now I remember," Olivia looked as if she had an epiphany, "It must have been...some time before 3 in the morning. I couldn't sleep, so I went to the library to do some light reading. Ironically, I was reading a murder mystery book!"

Lee paused his writing. He recalled back then when he and Amanda were under the Oak tree in the backyard, they saw the light on in the library. That was around 3 am. But Dean had already admitted that he was the one in that room.

"Hold on," Lee stated, "I earlier had taken testimony from Dean, who had acknowledged that HE had been in the library around that time. So which one of you is lying about being in the library?"

Olivia took another puff of her cigarette. This time it was a long, exaggerated one. She held her lips in a big 'O' formation, and was able to blow out a huge smoke ring, which slowly dissipated. Satisfied, she looked over at Lee.

"Isn't that for YOU to find out?" she opaquely asked.

####

Meanwhile, Amanda had just gotten in back into the mansion from the backyard with Dean. She was alone when she heard a feminine voice call out her name.

"Amanda!"

Amanda looked up to see Liz approaching her. Oh boy. She was not in the mood to hear Liz go on and on about whatever suited her. After all, Amanda had just broken up with Dean.

"Amanda! Am I glad to see you!" Liz stated, as Amanda continued into the kitchen. Amanda opened the refrigerator to pour herself some orange juice. She needed some kind of distraction.

"Hello, Liz," she politely greeted her with a forced smile.

"I need to talk with you," Liz ordered.

Amanda tried to calm herself down, "Can we do it at a later time, Liz? I have so much to do this morning!"

"But it's about the morning of the murder!" Liz whined.

That got Amanda's attention. She took a big gulp of the orange juice to settle her nerves. Somehow, she knew she would need it.

"Alright. I'm listening."

Liz looked nervously around, "It's just that in the early morning hours on that particular day, Daniel wasn't with me in our bed!"

Amanda's eyes widened, "Oh? Where had he gone to?"

"I don't know," Liz told her, "He had gotten up, claiming he couldn't sleep and left." She then leaned in closer, her eyes large and unblinking as she stated in a whisper, "Amanda, he was gone from the bedroom at around the same time Eunice had been murdered!"

.

.

Please review