Lee strode quickly down the corridor leading to the bullpen in hope of arriving before Billy's morning staff meeting ended. As Lee walked through the double doors at the entrance to the bullpen a crowd of agents was exiting the conference room; he pivoted quickly but Billy spotted him before he was able to escape unnoticed.
"Scarecrow, I want to see you in my office now," Billy barked.
"I'll just grab a cup of coffee and then I'll join you there," Lee said tiredly.
"You'll join me now or I guarantee you that you'll need something a lot stronger than coffee when I'm finished with you," Billy demanded and then turned and walked briskly to his office with Lee following him. "Close the door; I don't want an audience for this conversation," Billy said quietly.
"Ahh, Billy, I'm sorry that I was late for the morning briefing," Lee offered lamely as he leaned against the office window.
"Sit down," Billy said in a firm tone as he placed his forearms on his desk and steepled his fingers.
"I'd rather-," Lee interrupted him.
"I don't care what you'd rather; I said sit down." Once Lee was seated Billy continued," Yesterday morning the confrontation between you and Francine delayed the beginning of the briefing and then Francine and Amanda failed to be there once it did begin. This morning all three of you missed the briefing; I've tolerated a good deal of insubordination from you over the years but now your bad habits are rubbing off on them. Where are they?"
"Maybe Amanda got off to a late start this morning. I'm sure she'll be here any minute. Francine might have overslept; I could call her place and check," Lee suggested helpfully.
"I thought of that an hour ago when she wasn't here to help me prepare for the briefing. I phoned her apartment and got no answer. Now would you care to tell me where Francine and Amanda actually are and why you are looking so sleep deprived this morning?"
"Last night was just one of those nights…I had trouble getting to sleep and then when I finally did, something woke me up."
"If I were to accept your excuse at face value," Billy replied as he eyed Lee skeptically, "that still doesn't explain why Francine and Amanda aren't here." Lee frowned as he considered possible responses he could offer.
"What makes you think I know where they are? They're both very independent women with lives of their own…they don't tell me-"
"Spare me, Scarecrow, I might have accepted that line a year ago or even a month ago but after what I've seen over the last few days I simply don't buy it." Billy rose from his chair and seated himself on the corner of his desk. "The three of you have been thick as thieves; aside from yesterday morning's blowup in the bullpen. What are the three of you up to?"
"Up to?" Jeez, I must be getting desperate, I'm answering questions with questions like Amanda does. "Do you really believe that we could all agree on something AND then continue to get along with each other long enough to engage in a successful conspiracy?"
"During the last year or so I've gotten the impression that Francine and Amanda are getting along much better; wouldn't you agree?"
"I… I think they've come to see things in each other that they didn't see initially. They've developed a much better working relationship."
"Do you think that it's possible that they've become friendly enough to start sharing confidences," Billy asked Lee who was squirming internally but trying to keep his face as neutral as possible.
"It's possible but if they're sharing confidences with each other how would I know about it," he replied thinking that that response would get him off the hook. Billy stood up and walked behind his desk, reached into a drawer and reached for an antacid. They'd reached a stalemate so Billy sat down in his chair and scowled at Lee as he popped the antacid into his mouth.