Chapter 2
It was nearly four o'clock in the morning when Lee staggered into his apartment, more exhausted than inebriated. His body couldn't take the abuse of drinking and late hours that his Scarecrow persona had made legendary. Maybe he was out of practice. All the nights of staying home and turning in early in recent months had made him soft and put him on the receiving end of a number of jokes.
Hell, Fred Fielder managed to bring down the house at Monk's bar, by poking fun at his colleague. "Stetson's secretary keeps him on a very short leash," Fred announced to a crowd of operatives. "She's domesticating him like a well-trained puppy."
Collapsing on the sofa, Lee pulled off his tie and propped his feet on the coffee table. Unbelievably, he came home alone, after being propositioned by five . . . no, make that six women? Everyone noticed when the parade of glamorous females failed to get him in the mood. Certainly his behavior would be gossip for the Agency's water cooler crowd tomorrow.
With a loud groan, he stretched out on the couch and punched the blinking light on the answering machine.
Beep! "Hi, Le-eee. It's Marci. I was so-oooo glad to see you tonight. My offer's still open for Saturday and Sunday, or any night next week. Bye Bye."
Beep! "Hello, Sugar, it's Candi. It's not too late to reconsider. I promise I'll have a sweet deal for you if you drop by my apartment."
Beep! "Darling, it's Alyssa. If you're ready to spice up your life again, just give me a ring."
Lee sat up quickly and slapped the control button to end the messages. He couldn't take anymore reminders of his famous playboy lifestyle. God, would he ever live down his past choices?
Laying his arm across his forehead, Lee wondered what he was doing. A night on the town wasn't what he needed at all. None of the old club crowd held one iota of appeal. No matter how many women tried to cozy up to him or drag him onto the dance floor, they couldn't cure what ailed Scarecrow. And no amount of vintage wine or burning scotch could fill up the emptiness in his heart. Tonight's useless quest created more problems than solutions.
He had a lot of questions weighing on his mind, and the bar stool wasn't going to give him his answers. Somehow, he had to master the puzzle of a certain brunette housewife who had invaded his career and private life.
What was Mrs. King to Scarecrow? Certainly a valued partner. Sometimes a confidante. Definitely a great friend. She was all of these things, but, oh, so much more. Despite his reservations about their different lifestyles, he felt irrepressibly drawn to Amanda. Without a doubt, he was spending extra time with his partner, outside of work - at least he was until Joe King resurfaced and monopolized Amanda's time. How she felt about the unexpected change of events was a question he couldn't begin to answer.
If Lee Stetson was going to confront the uncertainty in their relationship, he needed more time with Amanda, not less. First thing in the morning, he would call her. One way or another, he had to find out the truth.
SMK-SMK-SMK
Lee's sense of unrest gnawed at his gut all weekend. He tried to telephone Amanda several times but the answering machine at the King residence repeatedly picked up the calls. His anxiety only heightened when he arrived at the Q-Bureau on Monday morning to find she had not returned to work.
Pacing the tight confines of his office, he was caught off guard when the door suddenly swung open, simultaneously accompanied by a light knock. "Damn it, I thought you'd never get here." Whirling around, he greeted his surprised boss.
"Good morning to you, too, Scarecrow." The section chief smiled, ignoring Lee's obvious distress.
Raking his fingers through his hair with several vigorous swipes, Lee sighed heavily. "Sorry, Billy. The comment wasn't meant for you."
"So I gathered." Quickly changing gears, Melrose waved off the awkward moment. "I didn't mean to startle you so early in the morning, but I'm on an errand for our esteemed leader. Dr. Smyth wants some immediate action on the Jacob Hochleitner case. I need the file before I meet with the big boys on Pennsylvania Avenue." Billy stood with hands on hips, waiting for a response from his agitated agent.
Lee managed to appear accommodating. "Ah, yeah, sure, Billy - the Hochleitner file, right. Have a seat." He motioned toward the small leather sofa, and began searching through the file cabinet. Coming up empty handed, he slammed the drawer closed and beat a hasty retreat to the vault. Working the combination lock, he caught the amused expression of his supervisor.
Lee shot him a stormy look. "What, Billy?" He watched the face of his boss sober up immediately.
"Nothing, nothing at all. I'm a patient man, Scarecrow."
Several minutes ticked by with no success. Lee muttered a running litany of profanity while he tore the vault apart trying to find the illusive Hockleitner file. Hell, if Amanda would get here, he wouldn't have to parade around the office like an inept intern.
"Take your time, Scarecrow," Billy called. A note of sarcasm had definitely crept into his voice.
A flustered Lee emerged from the vault with nothing to show for his efforts, but a clinched fist and escalating temper. "Damn it, I don't know where the hell she hid the thing. Amanda does the filing. I'll have her bring the folder to you, if she ever decides to show up."
Billy cleared his throat. "Well, she's my other item of business."
Lee halted his frenzied motion and froze in place. "Item of business? What's going on with Amanda?" His vivid imagination went wild with possible scenarios, all equally unappealing.
"Sit, Scarecrow," Melrose ordered with a tinge of annoyance creeping into his voice.
Lee's dry mouth felt like cotton as he sat down with a heavy thud. Silently, he braced for bad news. "Come on, Billy, what gives?"
"I had a call from Amanda early this morning." The section chief kept a steady gaze on his agent, but made his words as neutral as possible. "It seems the home front needs her full attention."
"What's wrong? Is she okay? Are the kids all right?" Lee felt his body sag under the weight of his concern.
Billy cleared his throat and hastened to correct the false impression. "They're fine, Scarecrow. There's no cause for alarm. Amanda merely needs some personal time away from the office."
Confusion clouded Lee's thoughts. "What the hell's going on here, Billy? Just what kind of time are you talking about? She took several days off last week. Things are piling up around here without her."
"I know that, Lee, but you'll have to make do for a couple of weeks. I'll send up Frank Duffy to help you out. He's familiar with the Q-Bureau."
"A couple of weeks! Damn it, she can't stay away that long." Lee clutched the arms of his chair, fighting down a more colorful tirade. This couldn't be happening - not when he hoped to have her back at his side today. Swallowing his pain, he felt the iron Scarecrow mask lock into place as he ventured another look at his boss. "Billy, this doesn't make any sense. Amanda hasn't said anything to me about not coming back this week."
"I know, Lee. She asked me to tell you. I take it things have been a little tense with the two of you, since the investigation of Joe King." Billy raised his eyebrows, pinning his agent with the clear accusation. "Amanda didn't give any details, but she did ask for privacy while she works through her family situation. I assured her we will respect her wishes."
Lee lowered his eyes to the floor, deflecting the flash of sympathy in his boss's face. He didn't want pity; he wanted Amanda. "Damn it, Billy, did you try to talk her out of it? I mean, what the hell is going on with her?"
"Well, for starters, her ex-husband has just returned, under very upsetting circumstances. Joe King also happens to be the father of her children. Whether you like it or not, he's an important part of Amanda's family. Give them some space, Scarecrow. At this point, he is the priority in her life."
Standing abruptly, Lee signaled the conversation was over. "We'll just see about that, Billy." Grabbing his sports coat and slinging it over his shoulder, Lee fished his car keys from his pocket and yanked open the office door.
"Hold it, right there, Scarecrow." Melrose rose to his feet and rushed to restrain his hot-headed agent. "I'm not finished with you, Stetson."
Billy's warning echoed through the hallway, but Lee never paused to look back. Rushing down the stairs, he blew right by Mrs. Marsden, charging through the Georgetown foyer and slamming the door behind him. Swearing under his breath, he raced toward his car. Someone would have hell to pay. He'd spent day and night busting his butt to clear Joe King's name, and what thanks did he get? Amanda left him drowning in a sea of paperwork while she opted to entertain her ex-husband. She owed him an explanation, and he fully intended to hear it from her lips.
SMK-SMK-SMK
Amanda rinsed the last cereal bowl and placed it carefully in the dish drainer with the other breakfast dishes. Sighing softly, she gazed out the kitchen window for the tenth time in fifteen minutes. Her eyes ignored the neighbor's Tabby cat sleeping on the picnic table and the rays of sunlight poking through the cloudy sky. Instead she scanned the patio, searching for the familiar face of her colleague. Any minute now, Lee may be popping up at her window.
"Be careful what you wish for," she told herself. "What was I thinking? I should have found a way to talk to Lee before I requested extended time off. What if he barges in here like gang busters, demanding an explanation?"
"Are you talking to yourself, again, sweetheart?" Joe strolled into the kitchen sporting a white v-neck tee shirt and beige Dockers. In his hand, he clutched a sopping wet, blue pin-striped shirt - the one he worn when he joined the family for breakfast. "Sorry about the mess. I rinsed this out in the bathroom sink. Now I'm afraid it's dripping all over your kitchen floor."
"Here, Joe, let me throw that in the wash." Amanda rescued the shirt and deposited it in the laundry. "I can't believe Phillip spilled his hot chocolate all over you at the breakfast table. At least, you removed it, before you suffered a nasty burn."
Joe's easy smile reached his eyes. "Thanks for taking care of me, sweetheart." He reached for the dish towel to dry the moisture from his hands. "The boys' behavior was a little over the top this morning. I'm surprised you allowed their 'monkey business' at the table. They aren't little guys anymore."
Amanda raised her eyebrows at the reprimand. "Well, sweetheart, I think the shenanigans were for your benefit. The boys were so excited to see you, they got a bit carried away."
Joe laughed. "Maybe tomorrow I'll take advantage of the Continental Breakfast at the Holiday Inn. Obviously, I'm disrupting your morning routine by appearing so early in the day."
"Oh, Joe, we're glad you joined us." Amanda reached out to embrace him. Pulling back a little, she looked into his eyes. "Sweetheart, you'd better get used to adolescent nonsense. It won't be long before we have two hormonal teens tearing up the place."
"You're right about that. Thanks for including me." Returning her hug, he placed a chaste kiss on her cheek. "I really appreciate you spending some time at home, Amanda. Maybe we can do something special today - possibly take in a movie or go on a picnic. Better yet, let's see if we can take the boys out of school this week and spend a few days at Virginia Beach. They really want some quality time with all of us together."
Stepping out of his encircling arms, she plunged her hands back into the tepid dishwater and resumed her scrubbing. "I don't know, Joe." Hesitating at the offer, she glanced out the window and let out a squeal. "Oh!" There was Lee staring back at her with horror written all over his face.
"What's wrong, sweetheart?" Joe leaned against the counter with his back to the window.
"Oh, nothing. I think I nicked my finger on a chipped plate." Keeping one eye on Joe while he sipped his coffee, she frantically motioned for Lee to get away from the window. He didn't budge. She could well imagine the scathing speech he was preparing for her benefit. Wanting to diffuse the situation as fast as possible, she turned to Joe. "Sweetheart, you wanted to go upstairs to shave. I think Mother is out of the bathroom. After you're finished, we can sit down and talk about today's agenda. I've circled some apartment rentals in the classified section of the newspaper. Maybe, we can go look at a few possibilities this morning."
Joe gave her an odd look. "Amanda, you seem awfully nervous. Are you all right?" He turned toward the window, hardly a second after Lee ducked out of sight.
She stifled a gasp at the close call. "Ah, well, I'm little distracted by all the things we hope to accomplish this week. You know we're going to visit with Phillip's history teacher at three o'clock today, and Jamie's orthodontist wants to consult with us tomorrow. Also, don't forget the boys are getting citizenship awards during Friday's school assembly."
"Yeah, I'd better write all this down." Joe shook his head in disbelief. "I don't know how you keep up with it all."
"It's not easy, being a single working mom," she said, immediately regretting her slip of the tongue. Where did that remark come from? This wasn't the time to lay on the guilt. Fortunately, Joe seemed oblivious to the comment. Smiling warmly, she gave his arm a gentle tug, trying to get him moving toward the stairs. "Take your time in the bathroom, sweetheart."
When he was safely out of sight, Amanda hurried to the backdoor. Stepping onto the patio, she found her colleague leaning against the side of the house, looking as miserable as she felt. Taking a deep breath, she opened the conversation. "Oh, Lee, I know we need to talk, but this is not the time." She approached him cautiously, hesitantly placing a hand on his chest.
Recoiling from her touch, he retreated like a wounded animal. "Amanda, when were you planning to inform me of your leave of absence? I'm the one you work with everyday, remember? Why, in hell, did you have Billy spring it on me? I deserve to hear it from you."
"Yes, Lee, you do, but after the way you behaved at Dooley's, I wasn't ready for another confrontation."
Pointing a shaking finger at her, Lee responded through gritted teeth. "Now, don't try to blame this on me. I'm the one you relegated to the back of the line for the last week."
Closing her eyes, she prayed for the strength to reason with him. "Please try to understand! I have to take time off. My family life is very unsettled right now, and I need to give it my full attention." Her eyes filled with unshed tears. Biting her bottom lip, she turned her body away from his hard gaze.
Heedless of Amanda's discomfort, Lee's bitterness was beyond containment. "Just what is your 'ex' doing here, living under the same roof?"
Realizing he was misinterpreting what he saw, she tried to explain. "Lee, it's not what you think."
"I bet." Cutting her off, he pounced with another verbal attack. "I thought Saint Amanda would never compromise her straight-laced values. Since when do you accommodate adult males in the King household without a legal marriage license?"
Amanda reeled in shock from the barrage of insults. Lee had certainly outdone himself this time. A slap in the face would have been less painful.
He must have gotten the message, because he lowered his head, shame written all over his face. Finally he took a step toward her and gently touched her arm. "I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that remark."
Not appeased by his apology, Amanda pushed his hand away. With majestic dignity, she addressed him again. "Whether or not Joe's here is really none of your business, nor is what I may or may not do in the privacy of my home. And furthermore, just because you have a loose lifestyle, doesn't make someone with principles a puritanical prude. I don't want you accusing me, or judging me, and what's more, I don't want you spying on my family! Have you got that, Stetson?" Amanda jutted out her jaw with righteous indignation. She knew her words hit their mark when a look of hurt flashed across his face.
Silence overcame the two, and they both retreated to separate corners of the patio to nurse their emotional wounds. Amanda wanted to return to the house, but her body felt like it had turned to stone. Pinching the bridge of her nose, she bit back more angry words, as he sagged against the gazebo fence.
Barely composed, Amanda spoke again. "Look, Lee, we have to stop arguing. We aren't solving anything by our nasty words." Her nervous hands pulled a tissue from her pocket and slowly twisted it into shreds of debris that floated like confetti to the concrete slab.
Lee turned his back and made no attempt to respond. Afraid that he might run, Amanda closed the distance between them and delicately slid her fingers across his slumping shoulders. She felt the muscles under his tweed jacket tense at her touch, but for a brief moment he stood perfectly still. Just when she hoped he might relent, he shook free of her hand and stepped beyond her reach.
Giving him a wide berth, she paced in a tight circle, wringing her hands in perpetual motion. "Lee, please be patient with my decision. I have to be supportive of my family. I want to help Joe refocus his life, especially since he may not be returning to Estoccia."
"What?" Lee whirled around. "You mean Joe may stay in D.C.?"
"Well, he's had an offer to join a law firm in northern Virginia. He hasn't made a decision, yet."
Amanda took a step back as she watched the muscle in his jaw twitch with renewed anger. "Lee, my ex-husband's future is not the only issue here. The boys aren't accustom to extended time around their father. They need me home to help them navigate the new territory that involves their dad. You have to remember, I didn't choose for life to play out this way, but it did, and now I have to rise to the challenge."
Lee blew out a slow breath. His Scarecrow facade was firmly in place when he spoke again. "Well, I guess you have to do what you have to do, that's all." He nodded curtly and finished his speech with clipped words. "I promise not to interfere in your personal matters. Let me know if and when you want your Agency life back." With that, he turned on his heel, and in a few quick strides was out of sight.
To be continued