Scarecrow … and Mrs. West?
Dotty had put on a red dress and heels and gone with Lee Stetson to Nedlinger's Bar for drinks. It reminded her of her first date with Benedict West in December of 1949, who had picked her up in a '47 MG Midget TC, a tiny British sports car with a convertible roof. It was a magical evening of jazz music at the opening night of the Birdland in New York. Charlie Parker, Harry Belafonte, and others had performed live that cool December night.
The cool spring air was much warmer, and Lee's Corvette was much more refined and comfortable, and of course, they were not going to a now legendary jazz club on its opening night. But it was a night out with a very handsome gentleman. And Lee had been a true gentleman, Helping her with her coat, holding the doors, helping her into and out of the very low slung Vette, and offering his arm to her as they entered Nedlinger's.
Lee ordered a martini and Dotty had ordered a cosmopolitan. They made small talk until their drinks came, at which point, Lee got straight to business.
"Warren Jakes has an estate on the big island, and every year, he has an exclusive soiree," Lee explained. "Only the insanely wealthy are invited; very exclusive. My cover is this," Lee paused to remove an issue of Scientific American from his briefcase. He was on the cover, under the name of Lee Steadman, holding a computer part of some kind in his hand, and being heralded as "The Tech Genius Who Will Revolutionize Movie Making for the Twenty First Century."
Dotty took the magazine, her mouth dropping open. "How on Earth did you manage this?"
"A lot of cajoling and negotiation with Scientific American," Lee explained. "This, along with some other high profile outings on my part, has gone toward solidifying a believable background story. But for this event, I will need a date, and some of the gossip columns have actually picked up Lee Steadman's story, speculating as to who he'll show up with at this, that, or the other event. We really had to go all out on this, Mrs. West, and …"
"Lee, please!" Dotty put her hand over his. "Dotty. Just Dotty. Please; I haven't been on a date in years, Lee, and you calling me Mrs. West just makes me feel … old." Dotty did not mind being on a date with a man young enough to be her son. In fact, she thought they looked quite good together. Her age did not bother her, but she did not need to be reminded of it any more than Lee's being so much younger already did.
"Sorry, Dotty," Lee said somewhat bashfully. "Anyway, as you can see, we've really gone all out on this, so much so that Lee Steadman is in danger of becoming a minor celebrity."
Dotty had actually seen the name come up in People magazine, though she did not recall if there was an accompanying photo. "Lee, this can't just be so you can get into a party. There's got to be more to it than that."
"Absolutely, Dotty. Also in attendance will be Bill Fence, founder of Macrosoft. Not only is he the founder of a major American tech company, but he also is designing the defense grid for our Strategic Defense Initiative program."
"You're talking about Star Wars, aren't you?"
Lee nodded.
"Is he in danger? Or is he selling out the government?" Dotty could think of no other reasons for an agency operative to be going to an exclusive soiree on account of Fence.
"The former," Lee confirmed. "Warren Jakes is very cozy with a man called Borislav Zolnerowich, known internationally as the Red Mantis, and Zolnerowich will be in attendance. Intelligence points to Fence being a possible kidnapping target."
"If they got Bill Fence … they'd know exactly how Star Wars is supposed to work and …"
"And the entire Strategic Defense Initiative would be compromised," Lee finished for her. "Not to mention that a man with a wife and family would probably never see them again, disappearing instead into some KGB facility deep in the USSR."
"That's unthinkable!" Dotty pounded the table with her palm, saying, "I'm in, Lee Steadman! Now what do you need me to do?"
"Usually, Amanda just talks to people," Lee explained. "She serves as a distraction while I covertly move on my intended target. Now, sometimes, she decides to show … initiative, and starts investigating on her own. She's quite good at it actually. But I don't need you to do any of that. Just enjoy the party." Lee then put his hand over her own, saying, "Now, you're outgoing, you're beautiful, and you seem to have a pretty good grasp on a wide array of topics."
"Beautiful, huh?" Dotty smiled coyly and patted the back of her hair as she batted her eyelashes at him.
"And outgoing, which is the key," Lee emphasized. "Now, Amanda tells me that you have a way of … taking over the room, and getting everyone's attention. Your cover is that we met here; may as well since we're here, and Lee Steadman was so smitten with the sophisticated Dotty West that he began an affair with her."
"A torrid affair, Lee?" Dotty leaned over the table, propping her chin in her hands and looked deeply into his eyes. "I think we may need more than just a chance meeting at Nedlinger's to make that one convincing."
"Mrs. Wes … I mean, Dotty," Lee held his hands up. "I don't mean to suggest anything improper."
"Neither do I," Dotty replied, though she maintained her posture and continued looking into his eyes as dreamily as she could. She was really enjoying this. "But we do need to be seen together more than just once or twice, don't you think?"
"Part of the plan is to make a big showing in Kona after we arrive. We already have reservations for an oceanfront suite at the King Kamehameha Hotel. Now, we're supposed to traveling together as lovers having a … what did you call it? a torrid affair, so we'll be in the same suite, though I don't expect you to share the bed with me. I've made sure that Amanda never has," he added.
"I knew Amanda would insist, but it raises my already high opinion of you, Lee." Dotty resumed a more casual seating posture leaning back in her chair and took a sip of her drink. "But I still think we should make a few … local dates before we go to Hawaii. I mean, how many women just go off to Hawaii with a man they only just met? I mean, some women do, but I'm not that kind of girl, Lee Stetson. If you want me on this mission, you're going to have to romance me like a lady should be romanced."
"I honestly wish we could, but our flight leaves in two days. Not much time for heavy dating. But I thought you might bring that up, so I have an idea that I think you'll approve of, and it should help get us seen by the right people." He reached into his coat pocket and produced tickets, saying, "Voila! Two tickets to see Swan Lake at the Kennedy Center. Dinner reservations are for five at Maison Blanche before the show."
Dotty's eyes went wide. "That place is like … fifty dollars per person! At least!"
"Yup," Lee said with a laugh. "And I get to take an elegant lady on the Agency's tab."
"Lee Stetson, you really are the best! Consider me your Gal Friday!"