Written by Scooplet

Concept by Cheryl and Scooplet

Scarecrow and Mrs. King characters are the property of Shoot the Moon Productions and Warner Bros. Television. No copyright infringement intended. Not for commercial use. Sarah Stetson, Matt Granger, and the other characters not found in the television show are my creation, however, so please respect my right to claim ownership of them—I do not authorize permission to use them in stories not authored by me.

The Eyes of the Father

Chapter Two

After settling himself on the bench, Matt took the offered sandwich from Sarah. The weather being unseasonably warm, they had opted to have their lunch date at the park near the Agency. With many of the trees' and shrubs' branches now bare for winter, they no longer had the privacy they had grown used to having on their favorite bench. But it was pleasant in the midday sun, so neither of them minded. And while neither would acknowledge it out loud, they both were aware of the scrutiny of other Agency personnel, some of whom might also be visiting the park on the unseasonably warm day. They sat quietly for a while, eating their lunch and enjoying one another's companionship.

Finally, Sarah broke the silence. "So, you seem busy this week. You were missed while you were on vacation?"

"I guess so. Rene was all too happy to share some of the grunt work with me. We're looking into some possible espionage activity on a college campus." At Sarah's raised eyebrows, he continued. "It's not at your alma mater. It may come to nothing. But we're running background checks and surveillance on some individuals. Can't really say anything more." Matt swallowed some water. "What about your morning? Now that you're a whiz with small arms, what has Leatherneck given you to do for today?"

"At some point he wants to take me out to the track and have me practice some maneuvers. I also worked on lock picking again—or rather, how to pick more locks than Phillip taught me to pick. I was in handcuffs today. But I couldn't get them open. I need to practice some more." Sarah lifted her sandwich to her mouth and took a bite, her sleeve slipping down momentarily to reveal a bruise.

"Wait. Let me see your wrist again." Matt's brow furrowed as he tried to catch a glimpse of the skin that was hidden by her sleeve when she placed the sandwich back in her lap. Setting down his own sandwich on the wrapper next to him on the bench, he took her hand and pushed up her sleeve.

"Oh now. It's just a little red mark. I was trying to pick the lock on the handcuffs. Leatherneck already chastised me for putting them on too tight."

Releasing her hand, he resumed eating his sandwich. "Well, you are enthusiastic. Just don't go getting covered with bruises. Someone might get after me."

Despite the light banter, Sarah could see Matt was somewhat serious about the bruises. A smile flitted across her face briefly at his protective behavior. "Like I said, Leatherneck gave me a lecture."

"When do you get to try out the Glock?"

"I already did."

"Oh! Really? How did that go?" The bruise forgotten, Matt was animated now.

"I was kind of nervous, but we just used some simple targets. It seems like a good weapon. I also tried a Smith and Wesson."

"What did you think?"

"I like the Glock better. It fits in my hand okay, so the size is fine. I liked how easy it was to use. And my aim is better. I just have to be careful of the recoil."

"A lot of enthusiasts swear by that model. That generation of it was very reliable."

"And this one is in pristine condition. When I cleaned it, it looked like it had hardly been used." A memory flitted across the recesses of Sarah's consciousness. She tried to grasp it, but it was gone.

"A penny for your thoughts. You seemed a million miles away for a moment there."

"Something about all this talk about the gun brought some memory to my mind. But it was gone just as quickly as it came."

Matt had an idea that the memory might have something to do with the missing parts of Sarah's recollection of their attack in the park, but Dr. Kirby had urged that Sarah be allowed to remember things on her own, without any prompting. Matt thought wryly that his request was more for the benefit of the attorneys than for Sarah herself.

Realizing that Sarah was speaking again, Matt focused on her.

"…was saying that I take to guns better than my mom did. He said he was worried I'd not want to fire one."

"Maybe you take after your dad."

"But I'm no expert, like my dad. He has a reputation for his aim with a handgun."

Matt had read the report of Lee's latest work with a handgun. While Matt and Sarah had knocked two of their assailants unconscious at the beginning of their attack, Matt had been severely wounded in a knife fight with Piedro Gomez before Matt could kill him in self-defense. Lee had stopped Luis Santiago, the Mexican cartel member who was trying to drag Sarah away, with a bullet to the center of his forehead. Matt pushed the thought from his mind.

"So, how was your aim? Ready to take on the simulations?"

"You sound like my mom."

"Seriously, you will be more than prepared after Leatherneck finishes with you."

"My mom confided in me that she had a rough time at the old Station One. But she thinks I'll be fine with the Arena and freshmen training. I'm not so sure. I know she's seen a lot of people through it, but she's probably biased about me."

"I agree with your mom. I think you'll do just fine. You've already mastered some of the things that are covered there." He gathered up all their trash and took it to the waste receptacle nearby, then perched on the edge of the bench. "I should tell you. Wong has asked me to handle the hand-to-hand training for your class. He's already processing the paperwork so I'll be official. I'll be teaching self-defense and offensive techniques."

"Just as long as you don't pick on me too much."

"We'll see about that." Matt winked at her, and then gave her a kiss on the lips before adding suggestively, "We can demonstrate our techniques."

"Very funny, Agent Granger. Let's get back to work."

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Waiting for Leatherneck to finish some paperwork and make a few phone calls, Sarah was practicing her aim in the firing range on Thursday of that week. As she emptied the last cartridge from the magazine of the Glock, she noticed a movement out of the corner of her eye. Pulling off her protective glasses, she was surprised to see her father watching her on the other side of the window. She walked out to talk with him, removing her headset once she was outside the range.

"Nice work, Sarah. At this rate, Leatherneck will start giving you 'live' targets."

"Daddy! I didn't expect to see you here." She did not miss the fleeting expression of discomfort on his face at her words.

"Oh, well. I had a meeting. I thought I'd look in here and see what hoops Leatherneck was making you jump through today."

"We're heading out to the track soon."

"Don't forget you have to meet your mom at the mall. I've been informed I'm batching it tonight."

Rolling her eyes, Sarah was unsympathetic. "Oh, Daddy. We both know that means heating up leftovers. You'll probably sit in front of some spy thriller and enjoy yourself."

Chuckling, Lee changed the subject. He reached for the handgun. "Let's take a look at the Glock." Working deftly from his years of experience with weapons, Lee had the sidearm dismantled and was examining its inner workings before Sarah had a chance to finish checking the results of her target practice. When she came back out of the shooting range with her targets, Lee was eager to talk about her gun.

"Looks like it's in great shape. You should get years of use out of this piece." He glanced over at Sarah. "That Gyrene really does have a soft spot for you. Even if he does call you Junior."

"Junior's her name, in my book. And thanks for the compliment. My dad was a Gyrene—one of those who never gave up in the field. I'm just an old Marine." Leatherneck offered Lee a slow, teasing grin.

Lee grinned back at his old friend. "If the shoe fits… Thanks for giving Sarah a nice piece."

Although Lee knew Leatherneck's real name—Allen O'Brien—it was through tacit agreement that no one at the Agency used it. And it was not just because of O'Brien's fondness for nicknames. Leatherneck, who like his father was Marine veteran, had seen service in Vietnam. Rumor had it that after leaving the Marines, he stayed in Southeast Asia to work as an operative for the Central Intelligence Agency. He had married while he was there, but one of his cases nearly cost him his life, blowing O'Brien's cover and causing the end of his marriage. Leatherneck was all too happy to put his past behind him when he started at the Agency. In all the years he had known him, Lee had never gotten Leatherneck to give any further details about his personal history.

Now looking at Sarah's results, Leatherneck motioned for Lee to come over. "Take a look at these, Ace. I know the missus became a decent shot over time, but Junior here does not seem to be following in her footsteps—her results are impressive."

Lee remained where he was, not sure whether he was astounded or riled. "Geez, Leatherneck. If that wasn't a backhanded compliment to my wife…"

"Now you know I think the world of Mrs. S. But she did not take to guns quickly."

Only somewhat mollified, Lee frowned at Leatherneck and glanced at Sarah. As close as Leatherneck was to his family, Lee never tolerated remarks from anyone that remotely belittled a family member, especially his wife. Especially in front of his daughter.

Still backpedalling, Leatherneck tried to cover his faux pas by explaining himself to Sarah. "Your mom didn't like guns. She did fine once she got used to them."

Now it was Sarah's turn to roll her eyes. "Mom is the first person to admit she hated guns and was a lousy shot when she started here." She glanced at her phone. "Look, I only have a couple of hours before I have to meet her. We'd better go."

Leatherneck reached for the Glock, which Lee had already reassembled. "Before we go, your dad should look at your results."

While Leatherneck locked up the sidearm, Lee stepped over to see the targets. He let out a low whistle. "Even better than I thought." A proud grin spread over his face as he placed a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "Well done, Pumpkin."

"I guess I learned a few things from you, huh, Daddy?"

"Yes. You were paying attention. I shouldn't have been so hard on a teenage girl."

Sarah searched her father's face. "You were never hard on me. And I wasn't too young to learn how to use a gun. Just too young to appreciate it."

Leatherneck appeared in the doorway, his jacket in hand. "Ready, Junior?"

The threesome walked to the parking garage together.

"So what's next for Sarah, Leatherneck?"

"Simulations. We'll start with the video simulations. Time to see how Junior does when they're moving."

By simulations, Lee and Sarah knew that Leatherneck was talking about video game-type exercises. The guns used in this simulation were not real, but felt like real weapons. The computer controlled the speed of the images' movements until they mimicked the actions of subjects, eventually preparing the freshman agent for advanced simulations and obstacle courses, which represented real life field scenarios. The agents running the simulations and obstacle course would be forced to make almost instantaneous decisions on whether a subject was friend or foe, threat or harmless, then fire their weapon, this time an actual sidearm, when appropriate.

Lee waited for Leatherneck to get in his car and then stopped Sarah with a hand on her arm. "Hey, Sarah. Dr. Kirby said he cleared you for field duty. Said you were okay for light operations."

Brow furrowing, Sarah responded slowly. "Yes. Do you think it's a problem? I have to go in the field sometime. Until I'm trained, it couldn't be anything very dangerous."

"No, of course not. I was just a little surprised, since you'd had the flashback."

"But I was fully aware of my surroundings."

"Well, I guess Kirby knows best." Lee gave Sarah a quick hug and a kiss on the forehead. "Just take it easy on the track. The weather is great, at least."

"I'll be fine, Daddy. Love you." Sarah unlocked her car and got in.

"Love you, too, Pumpkin. Have fun with your mom tonight. Don't spend too much of my money, okay?" He gave her a dimpled grin before closing her car door.

SMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMK

Amanda was sipping a cup of tea and reading a magazine when Lee arrived home. Walking over to the couch, he bent over to give her a kiss before sitting down beside her.

"How was it? You look cheerful."

"Sarah's a whiz with that Glock. You should have seen her." Lee's expression held a faraway look as he remembered watching her at target practice. "Her score was better than some veteran agents' scores."

"I'm sure it's nice that your progeny takes after you."

Lee did not miss her sarcastic tone. He put an arm around her shoulders. "Oh, now. I wasn't talking about you. Once you got used to holding a handgun, your aim was quite good."

"Sure, Stetson. We both know I'm not a crackshot. But I am glad Sarah takes after you. It's a different world out there. She needs to be able to defend herself and her fellow agents—and possibly civilians." Amanda turned to face Lee. "But I was asking about your session with Kirby."

His demeanor noticeably changed, Lee was noncommittal. "Oh, it was fine. I go back next week."

Brow furrowed, Amanda did not let the comment go. "Fine? What did he say?"

"Look, we didn't get anywhere. I told him what the problem was, and he asked a lot of questions. I think he's trying to figure out what to do with me. Gave me the same old line that I was just doing what I'd been trained to do."

"He's right."

Lee sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I let being an operative come first. I should have been a father first," he muttered in an exasperated tone. "You know, he cleared Sarah for field duty. Light operations."

"The man knows what he's doing, Lee."

He sighed again. "I know. It just seems like a risk, since she had the flashback recently. But she told him she was aware of her surroundings the entire time."

"He can't keep her out of the field unless there is good cause."

"No."

Amanda only raised her eyebrows as she queried him on another subject. "So, did you see Francine?"

"Yeah, I dropped by her office. She is tied up on that case that Matt is assigned to. Sounds like some possible trouble at UVa. Matt and Rene are posing as grad students."

"I'm surprised Sarah didn't mention it."

"He can't tell her the details. The only reason I know and can tell you is that we still have high enough clearance." Lee got up. "I'm going to check my emails. I'll come out and read with you when I'm done."

"Sure. I don't have to leave for over an hour." Glancing up at his retreating back, Amanda smiled to herself. Since they had retired, Lee seemed content to spend more and more time relaxing companionably with her. The regular consulting appointments or ventures to the Agency, like today's, seemed to take the edge off the restlessness that would have been consuming her husband in his younger days.

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"Well, this has been a profitable trip, I'd say. We got a great deal on those bridesmaid dresses, and we picked up a few Christmas presents at the same time." Amanda glanced around the busy Italian restaurant, thinking they had been wise to eat early. The establishment was now full and a crowd of people waited in front. As much as she did not enjoy large crowds, she was glad for the cover that the noise made. She and Sarah could speak rather privately as they sat at their small table. She took a bite of pasta and looked at her daughter.

"Yes. Once I wrap these, I'm ready for Christmas—well, except for Matt's gift."

"You're certainly on top of things." Amanda raised her eyebrows. "You do realize that some people don't start shopping until a few days before."

Sarah could help rolling her eyes. "If you're referring to Daddy, you don't have to worry. He's got his shopping done, too."

Laughing, Amanda replied, "Well, you've certainly reformed your father."

"Uh, I wouldn't say reformed." Sarah would not tell her mother that for at least the last fifteen years, she had badgered her father into getting his shopping done early. She changed the subject. "It was really sweet of Jennifer and Amy to suggest that I ask Lauren and Emma to be bridesmaids." Sarah sliced into her chicken.

"Yes. I know you wanted to ask Jennifer and Amy, but they've been in their share of weddings and they want to help Cheryl. Besides, they're hosting that shower for you in a couple of weeks."

"I suppose they'll enjoy wearing something they picked out for themselves, too—and not having to march down the aisle."

"Now, Sarah. You picked out very tasteful dresses. And it will be nice to have a small party. The church is cozy."

Still concerned, Sarah continued, "I hope Phillip and Jamie won't mind that Matt asked his friends from home."

"I think they want to be with Jennifer and Amy on the sidelines." Amanda placated her daughter. "It's fine, Sarah." She took another bite of her pasta. "Tell me about Texas."

"My fiancé is a romantic. I never really told you about the Riverwalk. We had such a good time. He knows I love all the historical stuff. But he enjoys it, too. We went on a boat tour after we visited the Alamo." Sarah took another bite of chicken.

"Oh, how nice! Your father told me a little about the Alamo and the Mexican food. We don't need to talk about your drive afterwards." Smiling ruefully, Amanda leaned towards her daughter. "How did things turn out with David, really? You were rather vague on the phone."

"Well, you know that David had his reservations about us marrying so quickly. He and Matt butted heads a few times." Sarah blushed and took a sip of her iced tea. "He thought I might be pregnant and Matt was just trying to do the right thing."

"Oh, sweetheart." Amanda reached out to put her hand on Sarah's. "But you worked it all out."

"We were doing pretty well until he thought he overheard me two-timing Matt. Or whatever he thought."

"What? You didn't tell me. He seems like such a nice man."

"He's just protective of his family. Like Daddy."

"Why did he think you weren't being faithful to Matt?"

"He overheard me talking with the guys from the San Antonio office. That was incredibly awkward in so many ways."

"You told me about that. That's why you told David and Sharon you're…" Amanda looked around and seeing the woman at the next table glance over, did not finish her sentence.

"Mom, we made him suspicious. We weren't being truthful. He has that 'parent radar.' He just couldn't figure out what wasn't truthful. He overheard us talking about me not being able to work with Matt as a team, running off, and having admirers—he turned it all around."

"You must have been hurt."

"I was. And I was worried that I was coming between Matt and his dad. I was so worked up I even said I could not be the person that came between them. Matt did not take that well. Of course he thought I was going to break things off."

"Oh, Sarah. That would devastate him. And you. Why suggest it?"

"I felt so awful. It was the final straw. I kept feeling as if I was the reason they weren't getting along."

"But Sarah, you just can't say things like that to a man. They are far more sensitive than we give them credit for. Their self-worth is connected to how we see them."

"I didn't say I didn't respect or admire him."

Amanda took a sip of iced tea and watched as Sarah played with her food. "Sarah, even strong men need constant affirmation from their women. It can affect their ability to do their job. I've seen your dad affected that way."

"I could see him panicking when I said it. I felt terrible. I guess I won't be that thoughtless again."

"You meant to be selfless."

"I guess so. I don't like conflict at all." Sarah swiped a tear from her cheek.

"Well, it appears that you and Matt got things resolved. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry, sweetheart." Amanda passed Sarah a tissue. Sitting back in her chair, she grew thoughtful. "Matt was operating as a loner before he met you. How quickly men in this line of work can change when they meet the right person."

"I guess you're right. You know, I met some of Matt's old friends. He hung out with a lot of kids from his church during high school. He must have been lonely here in D.C."

Amanda's forehead wrinkled as she swallowed a sip of iced tea. "Well, he's a reserved person. He's certainly coming out of his shell now." She smiled wryly. "I'd hardly call him lonely now. You see him every day."

"Almost." A grin flickered across Sarah's face.

"I'm sure it was hard for you both to give up this evening." Amanda pursed her lips, but could not hide her amusement.

"It wasn't that hard, Mom." Sarah laughed a little. "Matt's good about encouraging me to do stuff with you and Daddy." She grew thoughtful. "Seriously, I forget sometimes that Matt was a loner before I met him. I guess I don't think about him being by himself because we've been friends since the time we met."

"Even Rene had trouble drawing him out."

"Well, it makes sense now. He's sociable with my friends, but he just hasn't opened up with them the way he has with Rene or Philip and Jamie. We went out for pizza last night with the dance class people and he was still reserved, even after all of these months."

"Just give him time. Your father was very reserved around your grandmother and the boys for a long while. I guess it also comes with being in the... Well, you know."

"He's told me that he's really glad I can be his confidante. I wonder how he came to trust me so quickly."

"Probably because of your dad and me. You're safe, in his eyes. You must know that by now. He and I hit it off right away, too." Amanda finished her iced tea. "If you really want to know, I think he missed his mom and I was a helpful substitute—someone who understood what he really did for a living. Then you came along—his soul mate, to use your grandmother's term—and he found what he really needed. As you said, a confidante. Someone he could love and trust."

"Aww, Mom. It's nice of you to put it that way."

"It's true."

"And it makes sense." She drank the last of the water in her glass and glanced at her phone to check the time. "I guess we had better get going. Thanks for the talk and advice, Mom."

"You're welcome. I love you, Sarah." She reached over and patted Sarah's hand again.

"I love you, too, Mom."

"Do you want a doggie bag? I need to go to two more stores on our way out." She waved to the server.

"Aren't you tired from jetlag?"

"Oh, not too bad. I slept in this morning. Besides, you know how I hate to put off Christmas shopping."

"I feel the same way. There's enough to do for this wedding. I want to enjoy it. Thankfully I finished that shopping tonight. I just need something for Matt. I want it to be special, but he said not to spend much money."

"Good idea. Christmas isn't just about the gifts. Besides, getting married is a nice gift by itself." Amanda signed the receipt and soon they were headed through the mall.

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"Junior, I have this thing on the easy setting. You should be able to get all of those targets."

With a sigh of resignation, Sarah raised the "gun" and aimed at each target. Hitting each of the "assailants," she effectively ended the simulation.

"Your accuracy there was perfect, but you failed the overall simulation."

"I know. I'm not into video games. This seems too real."

"Which is making you hesitate. They're killing you before you can aim your weapon."

"Maybe I need to keep working on my target shooting. I'm still only at eighty-five."

"Which is more than a passing score. We can bring that up before your training starts. We need to help you stop hesitating. One more time through before we call it a day."

Sarah sighed again. Reluctantly, she prepared herself for the next simulation.

Watching her, Leatherneck decided to hold off for a moment. "You need to think of the targets in this simulation as enemies. Because they are your enemies. How do you think Granger manages to do it?"

"Oh, I don't want to think about that."

Speaking gently, Leatherneck persisted. "No. Of course not. But he is a damn fine soldier. That's why he works here. How does he do it?"

Remembering the wild boar, Sarah replied, "He does what he needs to do. He doesn't think twice. He just reacts. He killed a wild boar that way. He took out the cartel men…" Her voice drifted off.

Eager to keep her mind from dwelling on disturbing memories from the park, Leatherneck continued. "How did you manage to take out the guy in the bar? Or any other time?"

"I just used the techniques Daddy and Matt taught me. I recognized a situation that was getting out of control or dangerous and I did what needed to be done. I got an earful when I knifehanded the guy who had a gun on Matt. I was not armed and I had no idea who I was up against."

Leatherneck chuckled. "An agent doesn't always know who they're up against. Your dad just didn't want you using the techniques unnecessarily when Matt, who was more highly trained, could have taken the guy out himself. But you saved Matt's hide. No wonder he chased after you."

Sarah frowned. "That wasn't it. He didn't chase after me. Let's do the simulation."

Leatherneck merely raised his eyebrows as he turned back to the computer.

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After lunch Sarah found Jamie busy in his office. She waited in the doorway until he glanced up at her.

"Hey, Sarah. I'm sorry I missed our lunch date again."

"It's probably the same case that has everyone missing lunch."

Jamie smirked at her. "I think you're right." He regarded her for a moment. "Come on in and sit down. Now that the rush is over, I'm just doing some internet research. It's not classified at the moment, so you can take a look-see at what I'm doing. You'll be helping me out here soon."

"Francine wants me to help you next week. She says she's expedited my first security clearance so I can do a little research. I guess you folks need help." She sat down in a swivel chair near Jamie.

"You can say that. We're searching the internet based on certain key words. I can give you more details about where the sites are likely to be located and what we're looking for once HR gives the all-clear."

"Matt and Rene have been spending a lot of time in the field."

Jamie glanced at her. "Yes. And you've been spending a lot of time learning about small arms, from what I hear. How's that going?"

"Okay." Sarah sighed and looked at his computer screen. "Hey, I did some research on this for my Master's. That's a great search engine, but for that topic, you might also want to try…"

"—just okay?" Jamie would not be deterred.

Sarah was quiet a moment. "It's a drag. I don't like simulations."

"Lee said you're going to be a crackshot."

She laughed softly. "He'd like to think so."

"From what I hear, he's right. Why the trouble with the simulations?"

Now Sarah stared at her brother. Is he really going to make me say it? "I don't like shooting at the people. They look too real. It isn't the simulation itself. It's just that it reminds me of…things."

Jamie turned to face her, and reached over to turn her chair to face his. "No one in their right mind likes to shoot people, Sarah. But in this world it's necessary to have operatives, and it's necessary that they be trained to defend themselves and the agents and civilians around them."

"You're right. I know that. Leatherneck even reminded me that I haven't hesitated to use the knifehand on people when necessary."

Jamie smiled grimly. Sarah was not yet twenty-four, but at her young age, she had had more "field experience" with assailants than he had had in his twelve years with the Agency.

"In fact, after he said that, I stopped failing the simulations. I got a passing score on the next two. It's just hard to get used to the idea of using a gun."

He brightened and attempted to encourage her. "Hey. A passing score is all you need. If it makes you feel any better, I felt the same way about guns. But you know, I never fired my sidearm when I worked in the field. I brandished it at suspects a couple of times, but that was it."

He reached over and patted her arm. "Listen, I could use some help here. If you have an hour or so, I'll mark it down in your file so you can get credit from Wong."

Checking her watch, Sarah saw that it was still early. "I have more time than that."

"I hear your fiancé may be heading home in an hour. He's being debriefed right now." Jamie smiled slyly at her.

Sarah grinned back at him. "Then I guess I'd better not stay too long." She turned her chair back to the computer and took the keyboard from her brother.

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On Thursday of the following week, Sarah was practicing her lock picking when Lee came into the armory. "Hey, Daddy. You here for another meeting?"

"Yeah. You're mom asked me to remind you that you and Matt are supposed to come over for dinner tonight. She's making meatloaf."

Sarah grinned at her father knowingly. "She really likes to pamper Matt—that's his favorite. You didn't see him?"

"I cruised by the bullpen, but no one was there. Even Phillip was out. Jamie was pretty distracted. I guess he stood you up for lunch again? He said to apologize. Guess it was the second time in the past two weeks?"

Distractedly, Sarah mumbled, "That's okay. He already did apologize." Picking up her phone, she checked for texts. "Oh, Matt texted me while I was meeting with Leatherneck. I guess he's out in the field all afternoon."

"How did surveillance with Tanaka go this morning?"

"Just as boring as everyone said it would be. Except it wasn't boring for me." She grinned at her father. "All we did was sit in a car and take photos every so often. Grace told me that nothing came of it. But still, it was interesting."

Lee could not help but grin back at her. "Yeah. I remember the excitement of going into the field for the first time. It was not even important enough to be called a milk run, but I was still excited." He stepped over to watch her work with the handcuffs.

"Hey, Stetson. You interfering with my trainee?"

Lee pretended to be irritated. "Oh, let up, old man. She's doing just fine on her own," he growled.

Leatherneck chuckled. "Sarah, why don't you pack it up and go home? You've done enough for today."

"Thanks." Sarah gathered up the contents of the training kit, returning it to the quartermaster's office. She came back with her purse and coat. "Ready, Daddy?"

"Later, Ace. See you tomorrow, Junior."

Lee rolled his eyes again at the nickname as he placed his hand on Sarah's back and guided her out of the armory.