In Limbo

Chapter 17

As Dotty went to sit in the family room on the wing chair, her mind raced...A call from the local paper? It was turning into a real brouhaha, which wasn't her intent at all!

Amanda came to the couch, and sitting down adjacent to her mother, she replied gently, "Mother, a Mr. Daniels from the paper phoned earlier this afternoon in regards to the letter you had written to the Ask Penny column..."

Seeing the nervous reaction her mother gave, Amanda nodded, stating, "And before you ask, yes, I saw the letter from Friday's paper...Mother, I love you dearly for your care and concern, but I'm fine, I tell you, alright? I do not need to find someone to fill my life with now, because before we moved, I already had a co-worker, who was also a friend, from my former IFF job, and we were contemplating dating at the time, but before we could make any real concrete plans-"

Dotty sighed, answering, as she took Amanda's hand in her own, "The Government relocated everyone? Oh, Sweetheart...I'm so sorry...All this time, it appeared as though you were just consumed with settling us in our new town, and getting your new job, and you frankly looked a bit lost, like you did after the divorce from Joe, and-"

Amanda, shaking her head, went to give her mother a hug, and gulping, "Oh, Mother...I never want you to worry unnecessarily, but there's really nothing you can do...The Government relocated all of us, and our names are changed, and-"

Dotty, pulling back for a moment, asked, "Wait...Dear? You know the man's former name, right? And what he looked like?"

Amanda shrugged responding, "Well, of course I do. What are you getting at?"

Dotty slowly smiled, as she commented excitedly, "Then maybe there is a way to find him, hmm? Call the FBI or whoever, give them a detailed description of the man, and-"

But Amanda answered, "No, Mother! The FBI only tracks down dangerous people, like serial killers and arsonists...They don't do people searches unless they've broken the law in some way-"

Dotty added, stating, "Then a private dick-"

Amanda shushed her, as she glanced quickly towards the stairs, hoping the boys didn't overhear the derogatory slang term and answered quietly, "Mother! You've been watching too many old films! I believe the term you're looking for is detective?"

Dotty nodded, remarking excitedly, getting up from the chair to go find the local phone book they had in the kitchen, "Yes, that's it! We'll find someone here in town, and I know they're a bit expensive, but-"

Amanda groaned, and getting up from the couch, watched Dotty going through drawers, and as her mother pulled out the phone book finally, Amanda quickly grabbed it from her amid protests of "Amanda Jean! Stop!"

But Amanda shook her head, replying as she headed for the stairs holding the phone book, "No, Mother! Enough! Now, I'm taking this, and putting it someplace you can't find it."

Dotty quipped, "Oh, right...Like the marshmallows? Suppose I need to call a plumber or someone else important, and you're not at home?"

Amanda turned midway while holding the banister, and answered quickly with a gesture, "Emergency numbers, as well as Joe's number, as you know, are posted on the fridge. Be right back to help you start dinner..."

As Amanda then darted up the stairs, Dotty, shaking her head, turned to pull the leftover chili out of the fridge, along with the cornbread, muttering with a sigh, "That girl! She's exhausting, I swear! She inherited the stubborn streak from you, Carl...Wish you were still here to shake some sense into that daughter of ours..."

-SMK-

Meanwhile, Lee was in Mark's office, after Sandy had left for the day, and he asked Mark, "You didn't fire Sandy, did you? C'mon, I mean, she was only trying to help me, you know, and-"

Mark sighed answering, "I get it...But no, I didn't fire her...She is scaled back from most of the double duty she's been doing though. And from now on, she's only helping me...Uh, until she's done with the Ask Penny letter, that is-"

Lee queried, "What? The hoopla letter? I thought you told us to scrap the thing-"

Mark nodded and stated quickly, "Yeah, that was the idea, but the higher ups say it's become an uproar from the public's response to it..."

Lee asked, "Meaning what?"

Mark chuckling lightly, replied, "Get this, alright? They have this crazy idea, that if you go out to Trenton, talk this person down that complained in the first place about your answer to the Ask Penny letter, it might just blow over."

Lee groaned, and queried, "Ever hear the expression, "Needle in a haystack?"

Mark nodded, but narrowing his eyes at Lee, asked, "Ever hear the term, "Unemployment line?"

As Lee slowly paled, Mark nodded, responding, "Yeah, we're all in trouble unless we send you to smooth things over..."

Going into his top desk drawer, Mark pulled out an envelope, and sliding it over to Lee, commented, "There's a plane ticket...You leave tonight for Trenton, and return in a week...I don't know why you're sweating this...Sandy said you told her you knew these people?"

Lee sighed uncomfortably in the chair across from Mark's desk, and taking the envelope, replied quickly as he cleared his throat,"I-I had an inkling...I don't have a sure answer though."

Mark shrugged, stating firmly, "No matter...Have a safe flight...Oh, when you land and get settled, go first thing in the morning to the Trentonian office and speak to the managing editor. I phoned ahead of time, and told them to expect you...Now, get outta here..."

Lee nodded as he left Mark's office, and heading to his car in the parking lot thought sarcastically, Oh, yeah...This will be a piece of cake...

TBC