The Silent Killer

Chapter Ten

Part 4

Amanda leaned back against the kitchen counter and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Lee, it's been five months," she told him.

"I know," he agreed.

"Do you? Do you know how frustrated I am? I've worked hard to get to where I am," she said as she looked at him with dark intense eyes. "Or, should I say where I was?"

"Amanda," Lee began.

"No," she interrupted him. "The Agency was wonderful, they allowed you time to go back and forth between here and California. Beaman videotaped lectures so I wouldn't fall behind, Billy adjusted my schedule so I could make classes up, so that I could work part-time and deal with Jamie and Phillip and everything else. Everybody kept telling me to be patient, to give it time and I did. But now that I've been cleared for field duty and I'm back to full-time, nobody seems to have the guts to let me do what I want."

"Amanda," he tried to interrupt.

"No, you're gonna listen to me. I don't mind helping Beaman, I really don't and I'm flattered that Billy thinks enough of me to let me help in that position. But I didn't work this hard; I didn't lie to my Mother and my children and lead this double life just so that I could end up teaching. I do not want to be like Beaman."

"Trust me, you are nothing like Beaman," Lee informed her, waggling his eyes as he looked at her.

"Don't even try it," Amanda warned as she moved from the counter to the refrigerator. Then, before she opened the door, she turned around to Lee.

"Lee, I have good instincts, we work well together. I do not like being chained to a desk. When do I get the chance to prove that I can do it?"

"Hey," he said as he walked over to her and pulled her into his arms.

"I feel like even my ex-husband is on it," she told him with a frown.

"Okay, so Joe and I have had a few brief chats," Lee admitted. "But Amanda, can you blame us? You said it yourself earlier today; there aren't any second chances when you are out there. We almost lost you, I almost lost you."

"How many times have I nearly lost you?" Amanda asked him pointedly. "Do I ask you to sit behind a desk?"

Lee shook his head.

"No."

"I'm good at what I do and what I want to do is watch your back, just like I've always done."

Lee leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"I promise to try and be more understanding and open. I can't guarantee I'm going to like the idea but I won't lie to you and say that I can adjust overnight either."

"It's been five months," Amanda reminded him.

"Amanda, I love you," Lee told her. "In five months we've gone from being two single people to two married people, with a botched honeymoon, your youngest son finally opening up to me, your mother dropping hints left and right and I can actually have a conversation with Joe now and then."

Amanda smiled at him.

"I'm not in love with Joe," she reminded him. "And Joe is not my partner at work and I do not get to see my partner enough at work to suit me."

"You better not be in love with Joe," he teased her as he clearly recognized his own words coming right back at him. He reached out and caressed her cheek.

"My point is, we've both had to have a lot of patience with this marriage and your boys and with work. All I'm asking is for you to be patient with us, okay? You may be ready to go back, but we're not quite there yet, okay?"

"Will you ever be ready?" Amanda asked him quietly.

"Beaman's back next week," Lee told her. "Now, I can't promise what's going to happen in the field, but I will promise that whatever assignments come up, we'll at least sit down and talk about it before I try to chain you to a desk. Deal?"

Amanda looked at him, as though seriously considering his offer. Then she sniffled.

"Deal. Now, let's eat before it gets cold. And then, I can watch your back."

"Mmm, promises Mrs. Stetson, promises."