What To Do

Chapter 1

As Francine came through the Agency doors that busy Monday after her week off, she was ready to tackle whatever laid ahead.

Putting her purse in her desk drawer, she sat down to look at her messages and files when her phone rang.

Picking up the receiver, she stated, "Desmond...What line? Okay, thanks."

Pressing Line 2, she answered, "This is Francine Desmond."

Listening intently to the caller, she then interrupted, commenting, "Wait-Hold on...There wasn't any package delivered to my home. I've been away, and-"

Doing a double take, she slowly sank back in her chair asking, "It's not that kind of package...Okay, so what is it? Hello?"

She grunted as the line went dead...Terrific, she thought as she got up from her chair.

Knocking on Billy's door a moment later, she saw him wave her in, and as she entered, Billy answered with a smile, "Welcome back. Did you enjoy your vacation?"

Sighing, Francine remarked quickly, "Yeah, it was great...Listen, I know I just came back, but I have to go take care of something at Dulles-"

Billy put up a hand commenting tiredly, "If they lost some of your luggage, take care of it by phone and let's get on with our day! I'm still waiting for-"

Just then, Lee entered and greeting the two, answered with a smile, "Morning..."

Billy, looking at his watch, responded to Lee strangely, "There must have been a full moon last night because here you are, on time for a change. What gives?"

Francine gave Lee the once over, stating with a grin, "Wow! Clean shaven, and his suit isn't half bad...Must not have had a late night with a girlfriend, or had to pick Amanda up today."

Lee groaned, remarking, "C'mon, will ya? She's away with her family for a few days, remember?"

Francine chuckled answering, "Aw, too bad...No camping stories, no baseball stories...Just peace and quiet-"

Billy cleared his throat stating with a growl, "If you're going to Dulles, go already! We'll postpone our meeting!"

Francine nodded with a swallow quickly and answered, "Thanks...Be back as soon as I can."

She asided to Lee on the way out of Billy's office, "Must not have gotten his doughnut and coffee yet..."

Lee smirked, and then caught Billy giving him the evil eye, and clearing his throat, asked, "I was just going to grab coffee. Can I bring you some?"

Billy remarked in a steady tone, "No, thank you...How about you get your own coffee and get busy with your files, hmm? "

Lee gulped and answered, "Sure..."

As he left Billy's office, he managed to see Francine at the elevator, and rushing to her, asked concernedly, "Hey! You said you're going to Dulles? Is there trouble?"

Francine shook her head, saying as the elevator doors opened, "No...There's something about a package that they couldn't ship or deliver by mail to my place. Weird, huh?"

Lee nodded solemnly remarking, "Yeah...Careful, alright?"

Francine nodded, responding with a shrug as they closed, "Always..."

-SMK-

At the Dulles security office, the TWA agent, Joyce, commented to the woman officer , Becky, in charge, "I'm telling you what the flight attendant, Terri, told me as they were leaving L.A. This kid stowed away in the cargo hold of the plane. Luckily, Pete found her before anything happened, but they had her stay in the back of the plane with Terri for the rest of the flight. They didn't know what else to do since it was too late to turn around."

The girl in the room with them who they guessed was thirteen, and looking a bit disheveled stood up angrily stating, "I got rights! Do I need a lawyer here?"

Becky put up a hand responding, "This isn't a jail, Miss. But we need to find out who you are, since you don't seem to have any ID on you and you don't want to help us out either-"

The girl shook her head commenting, "You don't need to know anything! I'm outta here!"

But as the girl attempted to leave quickly, another security officer, Ted, grabbed her outside the door, and putting her back in the chair, looked to Joyce, asking, "Can you have the plane checked one more time for anything she may have had with her? People have been waiting to get on the next flight."

Becky sighed, and getting on the phone, dialed a number. When the party answered, Becky stated, "Have Marie and Al check the plane thoroughly before boarding the next group of passengers, please...If it's clean, let me know and you can continue the flight plan...Yes, I've called the person in question, she's on her way...Thanks."

Hanging up the phone, Becky then noticed the young girl looking a bit nervous and replied with a slight edge to her voice, "Well, I take it you heard what I said on the phone...You see, one of the flight attendants told Joyce that you told them that you were one Francine Desmond and that you misplaced your boarding pass and your ID...Now, when the woman arrives, we can and will settle this matter immediately, or you will be heading out of here with a social worker...Is that clear?"

The girl swallowed and muttered with an air of indifference, "You're bluffing..."

Becky glanced at Joyce and Ted, and giving a slight eye roll, sighed, and stood up from her desk, deciding to take an easier approach.

Looking at her watch, Becky asked carefully, "Hey, look. While we're waiting for the lady, what do you say I have Joyce here get us some breakfast, huh? Some of those egg and cheese biscuits, with coffee for me and juice for you? I mean, c'mon, that was a long flight, Kid...You gotta be at least a little bit hungry by now, huh?"

The girl nodded slightly, and Becky breathed a sigh of relief, saying to Joyce, "Okay...Please go see if you can get that order for us, and-"

The phone rang, and Becky answered, "This is Becky...Okay, great, what was it? What? Really? That was all you found?"

She suddenly realized the girl staring at her intently, and Becky clearing her throat stated, "Yeah, get it to me ASAP. Thanks..."

Hanging up, Becky answered to Joyce as she glanced at the young girl, "They're bringing something to the office that was left behind on the plane...Something that may solve part of this mystery..."

TBC