Being careful
.
Chapter 21
Amanda had just announced to all of Dean's family members at the dinner table that she knew the identity of the killer. She had made a rushed decision, knowing the police chief would soon arrive to take back the case. And she wanted to make sure that Lee got the credit for the investigation.
The only problem was that she, along with Lee, was stumped as to the identity of the killer.
Lee and Amanda were still in the library. Amanda could see the look of worry in his eyes.
"It's going to be okay, Lee," she reassured him, "You'll catch the killer and save me at the same time."
Lee hoped she was right, "I'm just worried that everything is happening too fast, you know? The killer probably realizes that he or she will have to make the move tonight before any more officials arrive."
Amanda nodded knowingly, "I was thinking the same thing."
"Then how about this," he suggested, "I could hide in your bedroom closet tonight and then I'll be able to watch you all night."
"Watch me all night? That's a little creepy, Lee."
He looked indignant, "You know what I mean!"
"I do, and I really appreciate the offer of staying in the room with me tonight, Lee," she gratefully told him, "but I have a feeling the killer is very smart and he or she might check your room first to make sure you're in your own room before coming after me."
"You're probably right about that," Lee reluctantly agreed as he breathed out a tired sigh, "I just want this to be over with. I hope the killer takes the bait."
"...the bait being me."
"Yeah, unfortunately," Lee stated, now in deep thought, "I'll think of something. In the meantime, just know that I'm across the way, and if I hear any threatening sounds coming from your room, I'm coming in."
"I hope that's a promise."
"It's a guarantee," he pledged.
Amanda smiled. She always felt safe with Lee. Except when it came to expressing their feelings, that is. When it came to that, she didn't know what was scarier...letting him get too close or pushing him away when he does.
"Heyyy, you gonna go back to the dining to rejoin the family for dessert?" Lee was asking, "You can actually mess with their minds now because every time you look at one of them, the guilty one will think you know!"
Amanda smiled, "Somehow, I have a feeling that you'll get more out of that kind of situation, than me!" Then she got serious, "Actually, Lee, I think I'll go up and take a relaxing bath, maybe read a good book. I'm rather tired tonight."
"I don't blame you. I'll walk you up to your room."
He walked her up.
When they got to the top of the stairs, he stated, "Remember, Amanda-"
"I'M JUST ACROSS THE WAY..." they both stated in unison and then shared a smile.
They were at her bedroom door now.
"So...we've arrived," he stated, his nearness making it hard for Amanda to breathe.
"We have."
Amanda was looking up at him. She'd never thought she'd be interested in a man like Lee. Talk about opposites. She was all about safety and he was all about danger. But somehow their partnership worked. For her, adjusting to living a spy's life made her pulse race. HE made her pulse race.
She continued gazing at his handsome face, searching for something, but she saw nothing in his expression.
"Well, it's been a long day..." she began, when the silence was stretched too long.
Lee didn't want to leave just yet, but he couldn't find a reason to stay.
"Yeah, so... just...don' worry about a thing. It'll be over soon," he told her, gazing at her longer than necessary, and then taking a deep breath out, " 'Night, Amanda."
She wished he would stay.
"...Good night, Lee," was the only thing she could come up with.
And then she watched as he turned and she continued viewing his backside as he walked away from her.
####
The bubble bath felt soothing to Amanda. Especially when soaking in a marbled Roman-style bathtub. She lingered a long time among the bubbles, her thoughts on Lee.
Earlier, he had stated hat she had made a tiny space in his heart.
Or, as he stated, a crevice.
She thought about that as she got out and dried herself.
Okay, she sardonically thought, not the most romantic reveal, and not an admission of anything, but it's a start…
And so she relived that moment in her mind. The way his eyes softly grazed her face made her think he felt more than a working partnership.
But enough of wishing and yearning; she needed to be mentally preparing herself for what was to come tonight. After brushing her teeth, she wiped her hands on the plush towel and then opened the door to the bedroom.
The room was dark, of course, and she reached up to find the light switch.
As her fingers felt the wall, she continued to peer through the darkness and gasped when she saw a male silhouette sitting on her bed.
Fumbling now, she quickly found the light switch and upon finding it, she flipped the switch and the entire room lit up.
And quietly sitting atop her bed was Dean.
"Dean!" she exclaimed, as she clutched the collar of her bathrobe tighter.
"Sorry, did I scare you, Amanda?"
"Well, I just didn't expect you!" she told him.
Dean looked so casual as he sat on top of her bed. He was dressed as if he were going out, with black slacks, a white button-down shirt, with a beige Members Only jacket finishing up the outfit. She made no move to step closer to him and instead, she backed up against the wall.
"We never did finish our talk and we have so little time left," Dean was explaining, as he patted an area next to her bed, "Come here and sit, Amanda."
She hesitated at first, but at last, she came over and lowered herself onto the bed.
"I'm not sure if we should be alone in this bedroom together, Dean," Amanda was saying, "I mean, it doesn't seem appropriate to be here like this under your mother's roof."
"It's okay. I already explained everything to my family. They know the truth about our situation; that we were not meant to be," he told her, ending with a regrettable sigh.
She stared down on her lap. "Oh. Welll, I'm...glad they know, Dean."
He next blurted out, "Amanda, I'm leaving here."
Her head shot up as she stared at him, "Y-You're leaving here? Tonight?"
"Yeah," he sounded a little bitter, "I could tell you it's my work situation that called me back, but I'd be lying. I just...can't deal with seeing you now, Amanda. I'll be dropping by the police station on my way out to give a statement and then I'll be gone. But don't worry. Earlier while you were in there bathing, I asked Stetson to drive you back and of course, he said 'yes'."
"That's quite...thoughtful of you, Dean...and...I'm sorry how we ended."
"No you're not," he coldly stated.
Amanda furrowed her brow, "We're not going to have an argument before you leave, are we?"
"No, but I really don't think you've been fair or honest with me, Amanda. You're probably glad Stetson is driving you back."
"It's not what you think," Amanda began slowly, "actually, Dean, there's something that you need to know about Lee and me..."
"I knew it," he arrogantly stated, "There WAS something going on between you two!"
"No, you've got it wrong, Dean. Just listen and stop jumping to conclusions," she stated, as she paused to think, "You see, the reason why Lee and I seem so um, familiar with one another in such a short amount of time is because I just didn't meet him this weekend. I've known him awhile. Lee and I work together at the same place."
"What? You work with him?" Dean looked flabbergasted, "but I thought you work for a film documentary company."
"I do. And he works in the same company."
"You mean he's not a government agent?"
"He...works at IFF, just like me," Amanda explained, trying to keep it as truthful as possible without giving away too much.
"Son of a gun!" Dean stated, "I knew you seemed different when you went to work at that place. Were you seeing him behind my back?"
Amanda looked shocked.
"No! Of course not, Dean! I would never do that to you!" she insisted.
"But you have feelings for him."
He stated it like a fact.
Amanda tried not to look guilty, "Like you've said, he's not my type. Besides it's not him that has changed me. Since I've been on my own, I've learned something about myself. I can stand on my own. I'm not a woman who needs a man, but someday I want to be a woman a man needs."
She seemed quite please with her statement. However, Dean was staring off in the distant.
"I've always admired a woman with quiet strength," he mumbled.
She blushed, "Thank you, Dean."
He shook his head, "Oh, I wasn't talking about you, Amanda. I was...I was just thinking about Lisa. And that maybe I should give her a call."
"Oh."
"It's not that you don't have a quiet strength about you, don't get me wrong," Dean corrected himself, "but your strength is more like a talkative strength."
Amanda smiled, "Talkative strength. That's quite clever, Dean!"
But Dean didn't return the smile and Amanda's bright expression fell.
"That wasn't a joke, was it?" she asked.
"I never joke, Amanda, you should know that."
And that's why Dean would never be the one.
"I think you should give Lisa a call," suggested Amanda.
"Maybe. The problem is...I'm still not over you."
He said it in a way that made Amanda feel sad.
She gave him her most sincere look, "I don't know what to say except I'm sorry, Dean, that it didn't work out for us."
A darkness seemed to settle in his eyes, and it made Amanda lean back a bit.
"You broke me, or I thought you had," he stated, "but I'm going to walk out of here with my pride."
Amanda nodded, "Good for you, Dean."
His expression didn't change.
"There's something I want to give you before I go," he stated as he reached into his jacket pocket.
"No, Dean, that not neces-" she stopped as she recognized the object, her eyes as large as saucers.
From his pocket, Dean had pulled out a taser. He held it out towards her while at the same time pushing the trigger. The two wires held by the two probes immediately lit up with a burst of electricity.
Oh my gosh! Amanda screamed in her head, as the walls seemed to be closing around her.
Why hadn't she see it earlier?
Dean was Eunice's killer!
A pulsating rush of blood went throughout her body. Amanda grabbed the book that had been on her bed and shot up from the bed while placing the book in front of her to act as a shield. She silently told herself that if she had to, she would use the book to knock out Dean with it.
Too bad the book wasn't a dictionary.
"No, Dean...you don't... want to... hurt me!" Amanda dramatically insisted. She couldn't move away as her mind went numb while her body felt as though they were weighed down by cement blocks.
"What?" Dean looked in complete bafflement as he turned off the taser, "Amanda, what's got into you? I just wanted to show you how the taser worked!"
It took some time for Amanda to understand what Dean was trying to say.
Amanda slowly "Um...you just wanted to show me how the taser worked?" she nervously repeated.
"Yeah, you just push down here, okay?" he verified as he turned it around so that the handle was facing her, "Here, take it. I thought you might need it for protection. Keep it near you, Amanda."
Relief washed over her as she reached out and accepted it, "Uh, thanks, Dean," she meekly stated and then added, "for everything."
"And to you, Amanda, thanks for nothing," he bitterly responded back.
####
It was well past midnight when Amanda had awakened. She turned over and tried to fall back asleep again. Seemingly, only a minute later, she was awake again. Her heart was thudding hard in her chest.
A dark sensation seemed to vibrate against the walls of the bedroom as dread surrounded the darkened room.
She turned and glanced at the clock and saw it was 1 am. When she turned back, she almost jump out of her skin.
A shadowy figure stood to the right of her, an object in its hand. With a flick of a switch, the blue light from taser pulsed back and forth, mesmerizing her, as it quickly headed towards her.
.
.
Please review
