Lee and Amanda had allowed Jeff Davis to precede them to the building's elevator, but when the doors slid open revealing an empty car, Lee shoved the younger man into it.
"What's your problem," Davis challenged, "I arranged to meet you; why are you acting as though you're afraid that I'm going to make a run for it?"
"I don't know who you think we are; we've never spoken to you before," Lee replied as Amanda looked on silently.
"Are you denying that you're a fed?" Davis looked the pair over closely for the first time since they crossed paths. "She doesn't look like one, but you sure as hell do," he said derisively as he tried to hide his own nervousness.
"Since we're the ones with the badges, I suggest that you tell us exactly who you think we are," Lee countered hotly.
"You're FBI agents; I called you this morning when I realized that I couldn't clean up this mess alone. I need your help…I don't care what it costs me personally…I never wanted to see the old man hurt…this has all gotten out of hand. Will you help me or do I need to go to the local police?" The elevator chime dinged as the car opened on a crowded lobby. Amanda stepped out, followed by her male companions who continued to eye each other suspiciously. Lee reached out to grab Davis, but was stopped by Amanda's hand on his forearm.
"Not here, Lee, I think he's being honest with us. Maybe we should take him back to the office to talk; we aren't accomplishing anything this way." Lee stood silently clenching and unclenching his fist at his side.
"The three of us won't fit in the 'vette and I won't leave you here."
"Use my car, just don't keep me standing here like a human target, he's crazier than I ever imagined." Davis scanned the lobby as he used the agents to hide behind.
"Okay, I drive," Lee agreed, planning to take Davis in through the Agency's secret underground entrance after a circuitous ride around DC.
An hour later, the agents sat down across an interrogation table from their guest/suspect.
"Your antagonistic relationship with your father-in-law is no secret. Why shouldn't we believe that you decided that getting him out of the picture would enable you to resolve your marital problems? The 'old man' as you referred to him is at the root of your differences with your wife isn't he," Lee accused.
"Leave Megan out of this," Davis stated hotly, but his anger cooled quickly. "She's the real reason you came looking for me." He hung his head sadly. "She thinks that I tried to have her father killed," he concluded in a broken voice.
"Did you?"
"Of course he didn't," Amanda interrupted with conviction in her voice.
"A-man-da!" Lee raked his hand through his hair and sighed tiredly as he looked at his wife.
"I didn't say that he didn't play a role in what happened." Lee smiled smugly at Davis. Amanda shot him a 'please grow up' look and continued. "I think he may have inadvertently set events in motion-"
"How'd you guess," a dumbfounded, yet relieved Davis asked.
"I don't believe you would have contacted the FBI if you'd actually tried to have your father-in-law killed. More importantly, you certainly wouldn't have arranged for a bomb to explode where your own young son routinely plays." Amanda turned to her husband to gauge his reaction to her assertions.
"My partner is usually a good judge of character. Convince me that she's right about you," he challenged a visibly sagging Davis.
"She's right…I was angry and I said some things that I shouldn't have…but I never guessed that he would…" He covered his face with his hands and shuddered imperceptibly. "We grew up together, our lives went in different directions, but we kept in touch. I knew he could be a little…unstable at times… but I never imagined that he was capable of violence. I didn't ask him to…he thought that getting rid of Megan's father would solve my problems…he thought that I'd be grateful to him. He came to me before the explosion; to brag about what he'd done for me. I was appalled; he could see it in my eyes so he took off. I called Megan to warn her, but the car blew up while I was talking to her, our son almost died because I shot off my mouth once too often."
"Mr. Davis, we…I believe you, but I'm going to need a name and I'm going to need to find evidence to back up what you've told us. Can I count on your complete cooperation?" Amanda offered him a sympathetic smile as she awaited his answer.
"I'll cooperate fully. I'm afraid that he'll come after me next now that he knows that I don't approve of what he did. My father-in -law has tons of protection now, but I'm the one who may actually need it."
"We both believe you," Lee conceded, "We'll protect you."
As Jeff prepared to answer all the questions he was about to be asked his thoughts turned to his wife and their son. Will Megan believe me? Is it too late for us to be a family again?
Author's note: I'd like to thank Lanie for graciously continuing to act as my beta-reader. I would also like to thank all the readers who've followed this story for the past several months. Please watch for the final chapter that I expect to post soon.