Chapter 12

His senses on high alert, Lee entered the warehouse. Though it was just after 3 pm, he was taking no chances. The warehouse was deserted, dilapidated with a musty smell. Holes in the roof provided light for him to see. The two Agency cars were stashed out of sight behind crates.

Looking for a place to wait, he rounded a corner and found himself face to face with Sandoval; Amanda an arm's length away. Inwardly he cursed.

"Agent Stetson, it's good of you to join us. I see we were both eager to meet. Please drop your weapon."

His mind froze in fear. Unarmed, Sandoval pointing a gun at Amanda. The nightmare had come to life. He shook his head to clear it. Focus, Stetson. Amanda's life depends on it.

"I'll only say it once more. Drop your weapon."


She saw Lee hesitate, then shake his head. He dropped his gun. The gun landed a couple of feet from him. Trying to keep his attention on both of them, Sandoval did not notice this.

She looked at Lee's body language; his expression. Alert and tense, his face hard. He was in full agent mode, so different from the gentle, kind man she knew as Lee Stetson.

"Sandoval, we have a deal," Lee said, his voice harsh. "You take me and let Amanda go."

She had to stop him. "Lee, no, please don't do this. He'll kill us both."

Sandoval nodded. "Amanda is very perceptive. I have no issue with her. My issue is with you, it was always with you. My original plan was to just kill you, but then I thought, what would be crueler than seeing your wife killed in front of your eyes. That's why I took her. Of course, I can not let you live, but for a few minutes at least, you will see your beautiful wife's dead body."

There was madness in Sandoval's eyes. It frightened her more than the gun. He was capable of anything.

Standing a few yards away, Lee's expression darkened further as he struggled to remain calm. Then his composure returned, and she saw a glint come into his eyes. "Amanda, you know what to do." He slowly looked down, then looked back up.

What does he mean? I… Then she knew what he meant. She glanced down at the ground. Next to her foot was a large piece of wood. A nail protruded from one side. An idea grew in her mind.

She looked up again and nodded. He looked at her with love in his eyes. Those beautiful hazel eyes. "Scarecrow, do what you have to," she said, firmly.

Lee looked surprised for a second, then he smiled and nodded.

Sandoval frowned and glared first at Amanda, then Lee. "What is this Scarecrow nonsense? What tricks are you up to, Stetson?"

Distracted by their conversation, Sandoval aimed first at Lee and then back at her.

Lee smiled at Sandoval, a dangerous smile. One she had only seen occasionally in situations such as this.

"Oh, we're just having a little husband and wife conversation," he said.

She put Sandoval out of her mind, and concentrated on Lee, waiting for a signal. They made eye contact.

"Now!" he yelled.

She dropped straight to the ground. Taken by surprise, Sandoval's shot went over her head. In one motion, she grabbed the wood and swung as hard as she could. The piece of wood impacted Sandoval's leg, driving the nail into his calf. He screamed and lurched backward.

"You perra!" he howled.

There was a moment of sheer terror as Sandoval aimed at her head.


Lee dove for his weapon. He heard Sandoval's shot and a scream of pain.

Praying the scream had not been Amanda, he rolled onto his stomach and saw Sandoval, his expression a mask of pain and rage, take aim at Amanda. There was no time to try for a non-lethal shot. Lee aimed at Sandoval's chest and fired.


Lee's shot reverberated in her ears, and she watched Sandoval grab his chest and groan. He went to his knees, stared at her for a brief instant, then collapsed, dropping the gun.

Amanda took a deep breath and climbed to her feet.

Then Lee was there, "Honey, are you okay?" he asked anxiously. Impulsively he took her in his arms, holding her tight.

She could feel his heart pounding against her. Or maybe it was her heart. Maybe it was both their hearts. It did not matter, they were alive. "I'm fine. I felt the bullet go over my head," she laughed shakily.

They went to Sandoval, who was moving feebly. Lee kicked the gun out of his reach and turned him over on his back.

"That's for Felipe Ruiz and all the other people you murdered. And especially for shooting at my wife and calling her a perra!"

Barely alive, the Labadan looked at Lee, hate in his eye. "You ruined everything," he gasped then took a final breath.

They heard footsteps approaching. Billy, Francine, and the two other agents rushed up to them.

"We heard shots," Billy said. He glanced at Sandoval, then at them. "Are you two hurt?"

"No, we're fine. He decided to get here early too," Lee said.

I'll let the Labadans know Sandoval's dead. I think we should be able to keep the local police out of this."

"Thanks, Billy," Lee said.

"What about the other man, Garcia?" Amanda asked. Her expression grew anxious. "Lee, are mother and the boys all right?"L

Lee nodded and smiled."We caught Garcia down the street from the house. They're fine. I didn't have to tell them anything."

"Oh, that must be why Sandoval was upset, and why we had to bring my car," Amanda said. "It's in the alley."

"We'll pick it up."

"Garcia is still talking," Billy said. "He told us about this guy, Enrique Diaz. Diaz works in the Labadan Embassy. He was using Ms. Gonzalez and some other Embassy staff as his source, then he fed the information to Sandoval. He'd been doing this for years without their knowledge. We've got some leads on his whereabouts. We'll get him."

"Good deal," Lee said. He looked intently at her cheek. "Did he hit you?"

She touched her cheek. "I wouldn't tell him our home phone number. I gave him your car phone number. My cheek's just a little sore. I think he just did it to scare me."

Lee glared at Sandoval's body. She patted his arm. ''It's over. He can't hurt me."

He nodded, still frowning. "Are you ready to go?" he asked, his arm around her shoulders.

"Gladly," she said.

They first made their way to the Corvette, then drove into the alley to pick up her car. She stopped and turned back, then leaned into his car window. "Lee, what does perra mean? I assume it's not a compliment."

"Uh, no, it's not a compliment."

"So what does it mean?"

He hesitated. The meaning was an insult to any woman, especially a woman like Amanda.

She touched his arm. "Sweetheart, you can tell me. I'm not going to faint."

He pursed his lips. "It means bitch."

"Really? Oh, that's all? Okay." With a devilish smile, she climbed into her car.