Unfinished Business, Unresolved Feelings chapter 9
Francine and Amanda got out of the small red sports car and began walking the short distance to the entrance of Chez Nouvelle. Amanda was thinking about what Francine had told her about Elisa Danton and although Amanda generally tried to avoid dwelling on Lee's romantic past she couldn't help being curious about Elisa. Amanda abruptly stopped walking and it took a few seconds for Francine to realize that Amanda was no longer next to her. Francine turned around to face Amanda with a questioning expression on her face.
"Francine, I'm sure that your information about Miss Danton is correct but I really don't think that Dr Smyth would share information about the Agency with any woman; no matter how attractive she is. He's more protective of the Agency itself than he is of the people who work there"
"I didn't say that Dr Smyth's relationship with Elisa was romantic", Francine responded with a knowing smile.
"Well, I, I understand that in this business some of you have, um, relationships for business reasons", Amanda said while looking at her feet.
"We can discuss having personal relationships in this business later. Dr Smyth has known Elisa since she was a little girl. Her late father was a close friend of Dr Smyth's so Dr Smyth views Elisa almost like a favorite niece. Her father had an exemplary military career and then he made his fortune in the defense industry. Even if Dr Smyth didn't tell Elisa anything about the Agency she'd still have her own extensive connections in the military, the defense industry and in government.
"Now I'm really confused. If Elisa thinks of Dr Smyth as extended family than why would he worry now that she's sharing information that could be detrimental to the Agency", Amanda asked.
"It's getting late. I'll explain inside; I don't want us to lose our reservation." Geez, I don't know how Lee deals with all her questions. I should be glad that she's killing time but I'm getting hungry and I can't field all her questions on an empty stomach.
The two women walked into the restaurant and were immediately greeted by the hostess.
"Good afternoon, Ms Desmond. It's so good to see you again. I have your table waiting for you", she gushed while picking up two menus with a flourish.
"Thank you so much, Renee. I appreciate that you fit us in at the last minute", Francine responded in her sweetest voice as they were led to their table. Amanda followed them but wasn't listening to their discussion of the lunch specials. She was trying to take in the elegant décor and look over all the other diners before she'd have to sit down. There are quite a few beautiful women here but none of them look like the type that Lee used to date. Is Elisa actually here?
"Madam, is this table to your liking", Renee asked when Francine sat down at the table but Amanda was still glancing around the room.
"Yes, I'm sorry, I was distracted by the lovely surroundings", Amanda said as she hurried to sit down.
"I'll give you a few minutes to look over the menu and then I'll have your waiter come over to take your order. Would you like something from the bar", Renee asked Francine.
"No, thank you. This is a working lunch", Francine responded as she reached for her water glass. She sipped the water until Renee was out of earshot. Francine picked up her menu and began to look it over while waiting for Amanda's next question. A slightly embarrassed Amanda picked up her menu also.
"Is she here yet", Amanda whispered from behind her menu.
"She's the woman in the navy blue dress at the table that's four tables to our left", Francine whispered back. She could envision Amanda's attempt to discreetly sneak a look at Elisa but she didn't dare watch because she knew she wouldn't be able to keep a straight face.
"Francine, why did Dr Smyth send us here to watch someone who he has no reason to distrust?"
"It isn't Elisa that he doesn't trust. In this business and in the circles that they travel in people routinely use each other. People use each other to make contacts, arrange deals or simply pass information. It's routine most of the time but occasionally the wrong people get involved and damage can be done. Dr Smyth is worried that Elisa may have fallen for a man who is using her to get info about the Agency"
"If Elisa is as sophisticated as you've described she wouldn't fall for someone like that. She'd be too jaded. The people in this business don't have the same feel-"
"Are you telling me that you believe that anybody that's been working in or around this business for a long time doesn't have the same emotions as other people? People who've been devoted to the Agency for a long time aren't capable of having normal, loving relationships. We're all bad risks. Is that what you think", Francine challenged a shocked Amanda.
"I didn't say that. This business changes people; but everyone handles their experiences differently. There are happily married agents with families. Mr. Melrose is a perfect example", Amanda answered. "All I meant to say was that if a person was going to get involved with someone new they should take it slowly. If you don't take a long, hard look at the person that you're considering sharing the rest of your life with you could end up making a terrible mistake", Amanda concluded in a thick voice.
"Now I'm the one that doesn't understand. If you've decided that Lee is a bad risk than why are you jeopardizing your career to help and protect him? Your involvement in his rogue investigation of Blackthorne could hurt your future as a full time agent."
"Every new relationship involves risks. I've thought long and hard about whether or not to become romantically involved with Lee. I know all the reasons why it is a bad idea but I've also gotten to see a side of Lee that no one else has. I'm not going to sit here and discuss everything about the side of himself that he's not ready to share with others. What I am going to tell you is that I love him and he loves me. Lee accepts me for I am; every aspect of who I am. He'd never deliberately hurt me. I'd still be married if my ex had considered my needs and feelings over the course of our marriage even half as much as Lee has over the past few years."
"I'm sorry if I've misjudged your relationship with Lee without truly understanding it. I hope you'll both be happy but I'm still worried about you professionally", Francine said sincerely. "We're both women working in a male dominated profession. We are held to a different standard. We have to be smarter and tougher than the men just to be given the chance to compete for the same opportunities. I never thought that I'd admit this but you've earned your spot as an agent candidate; don't risk it."
"I appreciate your concern and I'm going to surprise you by admitting that you're partly right. When this whole mess with Blackthorne started all I could think about was being there for Lee. I got so caught up in placating him that I wound up making choices that weren't in either of our interests. I started to realize that earlier when I was working on my report for Mr. Melrose. Lee is still in rough shape and I plan to be there for him but not at the expense of my career"
Amanda and Francine's conversation was interrupted by the arrival of their waiter. They spent the remainder of their lunch engaging in small talk and watching Elisa's table. Francine decided not to risk upsetting Amanda by confessing that their assignment wasn't real so they spent the afternoon following Elisa on a shopping trip through Georgetown's finer boutiques. After following Elisa home Francine dropped Amanda off at the Agency to pick up her car.
Amanda arrived home just as her mother was beginning to prepare dinner. Amanda greeted her and explained that she would help her with dinner once she went upstairs and changed into comfortable clothes. When Amanda returned to the kitchen her mother was answering the phone.
"It's for you Amanda. It's Mr. Melrose", Dotty said as she handed Amanda the receiver but made no move to give her any privacy.
"Hello, Sir", Amanda said as neutrally as possible so that her mother's curiosity wouldn't be aroused any further.
"Is Lee with you", Billy demanded without any preamble.
"No. I haven't seen Lee since yesterday afternoon. I thought that you went to see him this morning"
"I did see him this morning. Our talk was cut short and I told him I'd be back this evening to have dinner with him", Billy explained.
"Are you looking for Lee because he didn't meet you for dinner?"
"I planned to meet him in his apartment because he wasn't in the best of moods. When I got to his apartment his car was still parked where it was this morning. The doorman let me go up but when I rang the doorbell he didn't answer. I rang several more times but he didn't answer so I picked the lock."
"You're inside his apartment and he isn't there", Amanda asked slightly apprehensively.
"If it were just that I wouldn't have called you. The apartment is a mess. There are things strewn all over the place", Billy advised her.
"Well you know Lee. When he's in a mood his housekeeping tends to suffer", Amanda said while trying hard to panic.
"Amanda, the apartment isn't just a little untidy. It's been ransacked. I think you should come over. Maybe you can tell if anything is missing."
"I'll be right there", Amanda answered and then ran out of the kitchen without offering her mother any explanation.