SMK Too Close to Home – Chapter 29
Day 12, Saturday
The Agency - Late Morning
As soon as the elevator door closed, Amanda turned toward Lee and let her eyes wander over his face.
Feeling the weight of her gaze, Lee turned. His eyes crinkled at the corners and the delicious dimple Amanda loved appeared. "What?"
She smiled back. "Nothing."
Lee chuckled. "No, really. What?"
Amanda's eyes gentled, and her smile softened. Planting a hand on his arm for balance, she reached up and deposited a tender kiss on his cheek. "Thank you."
Lee turned and encircled her with his arms. Rocking her slowly from side to side, he gazed into her eyes. "Thank you for what, Darling?"
The elevator dinged, signaling its arrival at the Georgetown Foyer. In the past, Lee would have pressed the stop button to keep the doors closed, but ever since Fred Fielder had abducted her from the stopped elevator and tried to kill them both, he was afraid of triggering a flashback.
Allowing the doors to open, he took her by the hand and led her into the Foyer. Alone because Mrs. Marsden only worked weekdays, he reached for her again and held her as close as Little Bit would allow. "So? What are you thanking me for?"
"For proving to me that saying our family is your top priority wasn't just lip-service."
The inside corners of Lee's eyebrows lower just a bit. "You were concerned?"
Amanda stared at the button she was fiddling with on his shirt. "Oh, you know..." Feeling slightly embarrassed, she shrugged a shoulder. "...Joe always said we came first, but he was always off doing important things to..." She raised an eyebrow. "...save the world."
Lee raised his eyes to the ceiling and let out a sigh. Gazing back down at her, he titled her chin up so he could look her in the eye. "Manda..." He crooned her name. "...how many times do I have to remind you that I'm not Joe, huh?"
Her eyelashes swept down to brush her cheeks, and she shrugged again. PTSD plus pregnancy hormones were making her more emotional than normal.
"Besides." He gave her a little squeeze. "What good would it be if I gained the whole world but lost my own wife?"
Amused eyes lifted to his, and a bright smile broke over her face. "You've been reading it."
Tilting his head forward, he acknowledged her observation. "I've been reading it." Out of nowhere, he felt a slightly stinging swat on his midsection. He gave an exaggerated gasp and pulled slightly away. "What was that for?"
She tried to fake a frown, but it was nearly impossible when looking into those beautiful hazel eyes. "That's not how it goes, Stetson."
One corner of his mouth quirked upward, and his eyes sparkled with humor. It was his turn to shrug. "So, I paraphrased."
Amanda gave a short snort through her nose and shook her head at him. "Just a little."
"Just a little." He grinned, then his eyes softened as he reached for a lock of her hair. "Seriously, though. You do know you're everything to me, right?"
She ran a finger from his collar bone to his sternum. "Yes, I know. And that's why I'm going to encourage you to take Dr. Smyth up on his invitation to be the one to confront Daniel Foster."
"No, Amanda..."
"Listen, Lee..." She gripped either side of his waist and looked up into his eyes. "You know you need to do this, and I know you'll be back later today and will keep the promise you made to me and Dr. Pfaf. It's okay. Really."
Lee regarded her face for a moment, trying to decide the wise thing to do. She was right, after all. He did feel like he needed to do this. "You're sure?"
"I'm sure." She smiled. "You go. I'll spend some time with the boys; it'd probably be good for just the three of us to talk after everything that's happened, and I'll have dinner ready when you get home."
Emotions that had no names filled his eyes as he gazed down at her, infusing her with a warmth she wanted to last forever. "Have I told you today how much I love you, Mrs. Stetson?"
"Yeah..." She touched his cheek. "I think you have. But it's okay to tell me again."
Lee laid his hands on either side of her head and leaned his forehead against hers. Of their own volition, his eyes fell upon her lips just as she raised her eyes to meet his. Slowly, tenderly, with passion in check, his lips captured hers and lingered a moment.
With a contented sigh, Amanda pulled away. Her eyes smiled up into his. "I love you, too, Mr. Stetson.
Lee Federal Penitentiary
Saturday – Day 12
"Well, if it isn't the hotshot agent man." In a Deja-vu type moment, Daniel Foster entered the room in his orange jumpsuit and chains. "How's that lovely family of yours doing?"
"They are just fine, thank you." Casting an icy glare at the lawyer who entered the room with Foster, he decided to go on the offensive right off the bat. "I see you've got yourself a new lawyer." He glanced back at Foster. "I'm surprised he'd be willing to represent you after what happened to your previous lawyer." Lee motioned for them to sit at the table. He sat with them, shaking his head and clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth in an exaggerated show of concern. "Nasty business. Poor woman never stood a chance." Lee raised his eyebrows, feigning horror. "Did you know he suffocated her in her bathtub with her own pillow?" Giving a shudder, Lee set a file on the table. "Too bad. She had such a bright future ahead of her, but then you had to go and have it snuffed out."
Lee pinned the lawyer with a look. "Be careful. I wouldn't do too much of his dirty work for him, especially if he asks you to call in a hit on someone."
Obviously trying to remain stoic, the lawyer countered the narrative with a predictable defense. "You have no evidence that my client committed any of those offenses." He pushed his round, very lawyerish glasses farther up onto the bridge of his nose. Good. He was looking for things to do with his hands.
Lee pushed the file toward the lawyer with one finger. It always proved to be a good, intimidating gesture. "I've brought the receipts, Mr...?"
"Benson. Harvey Benson." Mr. Harvey Benson reached for the file. "What are you charging my client with this time?" He opened the file and scanned the document inside.
Lee noticed a bead of sweat break out on his brow. "Let's try drug manufacturing and cultivation, drug trafficking and distribution, two counts of solicitation of first-degree murder, extortion, ten counts of inducing a minor to sell and distribute drugs, five counts of accessory to kidnapping after the fact, and ten counts of accessory to child trafficking after the fact...just for starters. Need I go on?"
"Prove it," Foster snarled.
Lee leaned forward, resting his arms on the table. "Oh, I already have, Foster. I've got a confession from Tania as well as one from Tom Watson. Oh, did I tell you he confessed just before I was forced to put a bullet through his skull?" Foster tried to cover the shocked look that momentarily blanketed his face. "Oh, and I've got it all on tape...for posterity." Laying another paper on the table, Lee leaned back in his chair. "This, my friend...Oh, wait. I don't want to say that even in sarcasm...This, you bastard, is a warrant for your arrest on these charges...and several more."
Lee leaned forward to look more closely at the document and pointed to the last paragraph on the page. "And do you see this right here?" He waited for the lawyer to pull the paper toward him so he could read it. "It's buried inside a bit of legalese, so I'll translate it for you. It says that all these charges are with special circumstances."
"What's that mean?"
"I bet your lawyer knows..." Lee swiveled his head toward the other man. "...don't you?" Just then, a bright light came on revealing the shadow of another tall man standing in the corner of the room. A small red glow came from what was obviously a cigarette, and a trickle of smoke was exhaled to flitter into the air.
Foster readjusted himself in his chair, obviously uncomfortable with this new, intimidating figure. "Who's that?"
"That, you dirtbag, is the man who is going to ensure the special circumstances are carried out to the letter including, but not limited to, your own personal escort to solitary confinement..." Lee turned back to the lawyer. "...and the protective custody of Mr. Benson. Starting when we leave this room."
"Wait a minute! You can't do this! This can't be legal!"
Lee's smile was so frigid, it brought a chill into the room. "Imagine. You worrying about what's legal." He shook his head. "Well, I assure you; it's perfectly legal. I'd let your lawyer explain it to you, but..." The door to the interrogation room opened, and a prison security guard entered accompanied by an F.B.I agent. "...your escort is here to usher you to solitary, and Benson's escort is here to usher him into safe-keeping."
Lee retrieved the file from the table and stood as he tapped the edge of the file to straighten the papers inside. "As of now, you have a new, court appointed attorney. Unfortunately, it's the weekend and he's out fishing. He'll come see you Monday morning."
Lee motioned for the guard to take Foster away, and then the F.B.I. agent came for Mr. Benson. "You'll thank me for this someday, Mr. Benson. I wasn't joking around about Foster's last lawyer."
Speechless and eyes wide with fear, Mr. Benson allowed the agent to lead him away. The door closed behind them.
"Did that feel good, Scarecrow?"
Lee turned to the voice still in the shadows and tapped the file on the table again. "Yes, it did. It sure did."
"I thought it would." The cigarette glowed and smoke curled around the shadowy head. "What do you say we get out of Dodge, then?"
Lee smiled at the shadow. "I say there's nothing I'd rather do."
Day 12 – Saturday evening
King House
Lee came in the back door. His eyes slid closed, and the corners of his mouth turn up as he slowly breathed in the homey kitchen aromas. Ahhh! Amanda's delicious chili. He'd died and gone to heaven.
Expecting to find Amanda, Lee stepped into the kitchen only to see Philip sitting at the counter eating a bowl of cereal. "Hi, Philip." Lee clapped him on the back and sat on the stool next to him. "Too hungry to wait for dinner, huh?" Lee smiled to take any sting out of his words.
"Hey, Lee." Philip's eyes stayed on the back of the cereal box. "Yeah, this joker of a step-dad I've got's late getting home again." He took a bite and swallowed. "Throws my whole night off - a bunch of us guys from school are supposed to go Trick-or-Treating." The corner of one side of his mouth tipped upward, and he turned his head throw and amused smile Lee's direction.
Playing along with Philip's verbal repartee, Lee struck his chest with a fist as his brow furrowed. "Ouch!"
"Aw, it's no big whoop." Philip turned back to his cereal box. "The dude's kinda growin' on me, anyway."
The smile slipped off Lee's face as a whole new set of emotions took root in his heart. Knowing this nearly 15-year-old young man wouldn't want any kind of emotional scene, Lee reached out and squeezed his shoulder; a soft smile graced his lips. "Philip, you may never know how much that means to me, man." He squeezed again and took the chance of saying one more thing. "I want you to know how proud I am of you, Philip."
Not wanting to push his luck, he patted Philip's shoulder... "I'll leave you to your pre-dinner dinner." ...and stood to leave.
"Wait, Lee?"
Concerned by the uncertainty in the boy's voice, Lee turned. "Yeah?"
"Thank you for saving my mom's life."
Lee's breath whooshed out of him, and he shook his head. Leaning on the door jam, he decided to let Philip see inside his heart just a little. "One of the scariest moments of my life, Philip. But there was no way I was going to let that piece of trash hurt your mom." He had no intention of explaining just how many "scariest moments of his life" he'd had with Philip's mom over the last five years.
Philip stared at him a moment and inclined his head in acknowledgement of Lee's statement. "Yeah."
Just as Lee turned to leave, Philip threw out another question. "Where'd you learn to shoot like that, anyway?" Lee stopped dead in his tracks. "And how the heck did Mom know when to drop to the ground? Almost looked liked you two had practiced that move."
Oh, boy. These boys were getting to old to be able to fool. "Well, uh..." Lee turned and flipped his keychain around on his finger. "...I spend a lot of time at the shooting range..."
"Uh-huh." Philip continued to stare.
"...and your mom's taken a few self-defense courses as part of her work for IFF."
Nodding his head, Philip returned to his cereal bowl and deadpanned. "Sure. That explains it completely."
"Well..." Not wanting to dig himself a deeper hole, Lee pushed off the doorjamb and flipped his keys again. "I'm going to go find your mom and let her know I'm home."
"Yup." Eyes glued to the back of the box, Philip lifted his glass of orange juice in salute.
Relieved to escape the scrutiny, Lee's eyes widened as he turned to head up the stairs only to stop suddenly when he found Amanda sitting in the stairwell. Heart in his eyes, he reached down for her hand.
Hearing Lee's Vette in the driveway, Amanda had come down the stairs eager to greet him; at basically seven months pregnant, she didn't dare trot down them the way she could a few months ago. By the time she got to the bottom landing, Lee's and Philip's voices were coming from the kitchen, so she decided to sit on the stairs and listen.
The exchange between them melted her heart and filled her with gratitude, both for the boy and for the man. Closing her eyes, she leaned her head against the wall. By the time Lee found her, tears were burning at the back of her eyelids. Eyes never leaving his, she reached up, took his hand, and let him lead her to their bedroom.
"Oh, it's good to be home." He wrapped her up in his arms and swayed gently back and forth.
Tucking her head into his shoulder, she closed her eyes and savored the feel of him – hard, but soft; strong, but tender. For the first time in days, she felt safe.
"You heard my conversation with Philip?"
"Yes. You know, I didn't mean to be nosy, but I was..."
"Nosy, yeah..." Lee chuckled, "I think we've played that scene before."
"Are you going to tell me how it went with Foster?"
Lee paused the swaying motion, dragged in a deep breath and let it out slowly as he thought about how to answer. Resuming the rhythmic movement, he tucked his chin close to her ear. "No, I don't think so. At least, not right now. I just want to enjoy an evening without all that hovering over us. Don't worry; I'll tell you all about it tomorrow, okay?"
"Sure, Sweetheart. I like that plan."
Giving her a little tighter squeeze, Lee kissed the side of her head. "What I will tell you right now is that I love you so very much, and I'm looking forward to having more time with you and the boys over the next several months."
Amanda snickered. "Yeah, let's see if you're singing the same tune next month, Big Fella."
"Okay, I admit it will be a big adjustment, and I might get restless from time-to-time. But to everything there is a season, right? A time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace; a time to kill, and a time to heal." Lee pushed away from her just far enough to look deeply into her eyes. "And this is our time to heal, Mrs. Stetson."
A light beamed gently from behind her eyes. "You've been reading it."
"Yes," He stroked her hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear. "I've been reading it." Leaning down, he captured her smiling lips with his, igniting his always banked and ready desire for her. Her hands slid up his chest and around his neck to play with the back of his hair.
Just as he deepened their kiss, they heard the back door slam shut. "Hey everyone! I'm here! Dear Lord, it's so good to be home!" Amanda pulled away and chuckled.
Leaning his forehead against hers and stroking her hair, he sighed. "Now it really feels like we're home."
"Yeah." She took his hand and led him to the door. "We can pick up where we left off later. For now, let's go have some chili."
"I'm going to hold you to that."
"You'd better." Stopping, she turned to him and planted one more kiss on his lips.
"Hey! Where is everybody?"
Eyes laughing, Amanda shook her head and turned back toward the stairs. "We're here, Mother! Welcome home!"