Well, the medical dilemma back home is slowly improving, so maybe I won't be spending quite as much time making long distance calls every night after work. Thanks to all of you (you know who you are and I fear I might miss someone ) who have lent kind words and prayers during all of this. It has been greatly appreciated.

And now, back to the story.

The Silent Killer

Chapter Seven

Wednesday – July 22nd - 9:35 AM (4247 Maplewood Drive)

"Fellows, come on!" Amanda hollered up the stairs. "You dad is gonna be here any minute."

"Coming Mom!"

"Be right down!"

Amanda sighed as she took one last look at the pile of stuff they had packed. She knew she had double and then triple checked the list, but she always felt like she was missing something and that it would be her luck for it to be something important.

Just then the doorbell rang.

Amanda maneuvered her way around the boys' luggage and hurried to the door. Upon opening it, she was met by the sight of her ex-husband. He was wearing a pair of cut-off jean shorts, T-shirt and a huge grin. Closer scrutiny made it obvious to Amanda that he was certainly more relaxed than the last time she has seen him.

Joe greeted her with a hug.

"Good morning, Amanda."

"Good morning, sweetheart," she told him. "Come on in."

Joe entered the house and closed the door behind him.

"I bet you're really happy to be getting away for awhile," Amanda told him.

"Yeah, I am. Who would have ever thought that planning a wedding could be so complex and so crazy? We didn't have this much anxiety with ours, did we?"

Amanda shook her head. "I don't think we had time to, not with school and everything. Besides, we kept it simple, remember?"

Joe smiled. "We did. I wish Carrie wanted simple."

"Joe," Amanda said softly. It's her first wedding. She's thrilled; she's in love. Let her enjoy it. Come on in and have some coffee."

"Not quite ready, are they?" Joe asked with a laugh as he followed Amanda into the kitchen.

"No. I've been so busy with work and they told me they'd have everything ready last night by the time I got home."

"You knew better, right?"

"Oh yeah," Amanda laughed as she poured him a cup of coffee.

"So, how's work?" Joe asked.

"Oh, you know. Busy."

He accepted the coffee from her.

"Thanks. And does that mean I don't have a need to know or does it mean you're really busy?"

"Really busy," Amanda laughed and then lowered her voice, not wanting to take the chance of the boys overhearing.

"I've been helping out with one of the classes. The instructor is on vacation, so I've been teaching it. Introduction courses, nothing too hard."

"Really? You like it?"

Amanda watched as Joe's smile lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Not you too," Amanda groaned. "I think Lee would be thrilled if I took it up full-time."

"Not too wild about you being back full-time, is he?"

"No," Amanda sighed as she took a sip of her coffee, her third cup this morning.

"Amanda, I know you don't like all of this coddling," Joe began.

"Oh Joe, it's not that. I appreciate it and I understand it, but it's just that I've worked so hard to get where I'm at and I refuse to let what happened in California hold me back. And," she said with a smile, "even though the list appears to be growing, I refuse to let the men in my life chain me to a desk."

She took another sip of her coffee.

"It can be just as dangerous crossing the street or going for groceries. It comes down to just being in the wrong place at the wrong time, you can't change fate."

"You can't blame us for trying."

Amanda nodded and then, suddenly sneezed.

"God bless you," Joe told her. "Have you been near horses lately?"

"No, I don't know what triggered this. It started this morning. I think the pollen count or mold or spores or something is up rather high, what with no rain lately. Jamie's been sneezing off and on for a few days and I did pack him some allergy medicine, just in case it gets too bad."

Just then the boys ran into the kitchen and greeted their dad with hugs.

"Why don't you two start loading the Jeep while your mother and I talk? Okay?"

"Sure Dad."

Phillip held out his hand towards Amanda.

"Keys," the teenager demanded with a wide grin.

Amanda shook her head and Joe laughed.

"At least he's only packing the car, not driving off with it."

"Yeah," Amanda sighed as she handed her eldest son the keys.

Jamie and Philip ran out of the kitchen.

"And don't turn the engine on!" Amanda called out to them as they heard the front door open.

Then she and Joe just looked at each other, both wondering how their sons had gone from diapers to this, seemingly overnight.

"You're going to have a wonderful time," Amanda told him. "It's supposed to be gorgeous weather."

"Yeah, I'm looking forward to it. No wedding plans, no decisions, no stress. Just fishing and camping with the boys."

Amanda laughed.

"You sure about the no stress part?"

Joe laughed. "Believe me Amanda, nothing stressful is going to happen. You remember how wonderful the lake is?"

She nodded. They had gone to Lake Raystown several times, the first being right after they had gotten engaged and Joe's friend, Mark Wensel, had invited them to come up for a week right after college had ended for summer break. Mark had ended up having to cancel due to a family emergency with his then-girlfriend and Joe and Amanda had had the cabin to themselves.

It had been a wonderful week, for both of them.

"Amanda?" Joe's voice interrupted her memories.

"Huh?"

Joe laughed. "It was a good week, wasn't it?"

She felt herself actually blushing.

"It was and I really think we should go check on the boys. It's much too quiet."

"Oh dear," Joe said as he quickly rose from his chair. "Maybe I spoke too soon about no stress."

Both of them laughed as they headed off to see what the boys were doing.

Wednesday – July 22nd - 9:55 AM

Lee Stetson was pacing around Billy Melrose's office like a caged animal. The Scarecrow was venting in a rapid Amanda styled spiel, covering everything from the lack of coffee to missing meeting attendees and everything in between.

Billy sat quietly at his desk; thankful that he had not yet opened his office blinds this morning and that, for the moment, his office door remained closed. He was, however, silently lamenting the fact that his morning donut remained untouched and that his coffee was growing cold.

Finally, Lee paused to inhale, and Billy had to fight back the urge to chuckle at his best agent. At one time, the Agency Section Chief would have sworn that nobody else could fit that much dialogue into two or less sentences and do so without pausing for oxygen other than Amanda. Apparently, it was true what they said about partners picking up habits from one another.

Trying to assume as dignified a posture as possible, Billy concluded and then proceeded with a calming voice, obviously his wisest approach to the agitated agent.

"I understand all of this Lee, I really do," Billy told him.

"There's nothing that either of us can do about Meyers being ill and besides, you received the notes from the original NSC meeting and the memo from the President and what they expect. They didn't put the ball in your court last year because of your good looks and charm. I trust you Lee, the NSC trusts you. You were here until nearly midnight last night. You can handle this today."

"Yeah, yeah," Lee grumbled as he ran his hands through his hair.

"I know that. What I also know is that for every one person on the Hill who believes we can make more of a difference there's another three who can't justify the extra backing. It comes down to a numbers game and we don't win the game when team members are on the sidelines."

"Lee, I've been in your position, time and time again. It would be easier with Meyers presiding over this with you, but one missed meeting doesn't lose the game. The President was highly impressed with what the ATAC team did last year. Hell, I was impressed. Granted, it didn't run by the book, but it worked, you achieved results. Given the circumstances, I know that you can adapt. Besides, when did you ever play strictly by the book anyhow?"

Lee gave his boss a look that, although it appeared frightening, really didn't mean much to Billy. He'd known Scarecrow for a long time. Sometimes it was better to let him vent and spew like a volcano and then get on with it.

And so, Billy continued on in a calm voice.

"Second, they're pulling another coffee maker to bring up to the break room. Ragmop will clean up the mess in there and everyone will get their caffeine fix for the morning. Problems solved."

"No," Lee shook his head. "Problems not solved. It's awfully hot in the conference room Billy. I would know. I've been there since seven setting things up. Are you sure we don't have a problem with AC system?"

Billy sighed.

"I will have them check into it. You will have your coffee; the day will be fine. Trust me."

"I guess I have to, they pay you the big bucks."

Billy grinned.

"Now go, you're scheduled to start," Billy glanced down at his watch, "five minutes ago. And I need to find out where Smyth is."

"What, he took a little side trip to Siberia that we don't know about?"

"Wipe the smile of your face Stetson and get back to work."

Lee left Billy's office, still wearing a smile, and Billy thankfully crossed one avoided crisis off the ever growing and always present list. For a moment, just a moment, he was going to focus his attention on his donut and coffee.