Part Ten
 

Monday Morning March 30th
 

Lee Stetson couldn’t seem to fall back asleep.  He lay in bed, and watched Amanda, who was curled up next to him, snuggled cozily under the comforter.  She was sleeping soundly, despite the challenges she would face, later in the morning.  Glancing at the alarm clock, he saw it was a few minutes before six.  Plenty of time before they needed to get up and prepare for the sting, which was set for eleven.  Unfortunately, he was too restless to sleep.

His physical desire for his wife was only adding to his frustration.  Being so close to her was more than a mere distraction.  The numerous conversations they’d shared over the past few days had brought them close to breaking down the last walls separating them.  The past fifteen months had been difficult for them both, emotionally and physically.  After today’s confrontation with Casper, Lee hoped their long separation would finally be over.

With his apprehension mounting, he slipped from their warm bed and padded quietly into the living area of the cabin.  The cool mountain morning gave the room a chill, and a barefoot Lee, wearing nothing more than his boxer shorts found himself shivering.  The fire was down to its last ember, so Lee took the time to rebuild it.

“Will you come back to New York with me this time?” Lee whispered contemplatively, while he continued to fan the fire.  He knew whatever happened today would either help clear the path for them to get back together, or extinguish it forever.

Warming his hands by the fire, he sighed heavily.  Despite the evidence they had against Casper, they didn’t have conclusive proof of Amanda’s innocence.  The sting was critical in proving that, but Lee Stetson knew a lot could go wrong.  Before they could get back together as husband and wife, they had both reluctantly agreed that all obstacles needed to be out of the way.  The charges of treason against Amanda were still very real.

He placed a thick log on top of the now roaring blaze, and the firelight illuminated the room.  When he stood up and dusted the grime from his hands, he was surprised to see the silhouette of his wife watching him from the bedroom door.

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” he said in a soft voice.

“You’re up early.  Is everything all right?” she queried coming into the room and sitting on the couch near the fire.

“Everything’s fine.  I was getting… antsy,” he answered distractedly.  Torn between sitting with her on the couch, and keeping his distance, Lee couldn’t help but notice her brown eyes silently inviting him to join her.  Her dark hair, mussed from sleep, seemed to shimmer in the firelight.  Her effervescent smile, even at this early hour, was welcoming.   Uncertain that he could resist temptation, he wandered over to the window.  He placed his finger onto the frosty pane, and watched as the frost melted from the heat of his finger.

Her warm voice broke his reverie.  “Let me guess, you’re worried about our meeting later this morning?”

“Yeah, so much could go wrong…” he nodded, gazing out the window, as the first vestiges of day was shadowing through the treetops and across the ridge.

“Lee, come sit down,” she called to him in a soothing voice, patting the spot next to her. “You know, we’ve both been in tighter spots.”

“True, but we didn’t have to rely on a Congressman’s wife before,” he replied, taking a deep breath before he crossed the room and sat down next to her.  He put his arm around her shoulder and found comfort in the simple contact.  “If something happens to Mrs. Burke today, the warrant out for your arrest will be the least of our problems.”

Amanda ignored his fears and reassured him.  “Nothing’s going to go wrong,” she stated firmly.  “Candice will follow the script we worked out.”

“I hope you’re right.”

“Trust me when I tell you, Casper won’t do his homework.”

He leaned over and kissed her forehead.  “Francine said the same thing.”

“Francine and I agreed on something!  How unusual,” she laughed.

“Amanda, I’ve been thinking.  I really don’t want you at the house with Candice.  I think it’s better if either Francine or I confront Casper, instead of you…” he began.

“Lee, we’ve been over this before,” she interrupted, shaking her head.  “If I confront him after Candice gives him the money, it gives you time to get her out of the house and avoid any problems.  Even more importantly, I want to make sure we nail him on tape about everything – I don’t want any loose ends hanging over my head.”

“Let Internal Affairs do their job,” he suggested.

“If Internal Affairs had done their job, I wouldn’t be in this mess in the first place,” she argued hotly.  “The evidence we have doesn’t exonerate me entirely.  It only proves that Casper and his brother are guilty.  He could say I was part of the NCF scam.  We need his confession.”

Raking his hand through his messed up hair, he knew she was right.  “Amanda, we’re so close to fixing things between us.  I don’t want anything to go wrong.”

Amanda gently touched his face with her hand and stroked his cheek.  Her voice was soft, but encouraging.  “That’s why I want to be there.  To make sure things don’t go wrong.  Please, trust me?”

“I do trust you, but damn it, you’re working with a civilian, a Congressman’s wife to boot!  She doesn’t even know how to use a weapon and you can’t use one either with your shoulder injury.  You’re taking a big risk.”

“It’s a risk I have to take,” she answered in a no-nonsense tone.  “You and Francine don’t know Casper like I do.  I know I can get him to brag about the scam; his boasting is what will help vindicate me.  If we don’t get him to admit I’m not involved, there might not be any way to prove I’m not.  I can’t take that chance.”

“I know you’re right.  Francine told me the same thing on the phone last night.”

“Wow, this is really scary.  Francine and I agreed twice in the same week!”

“She’s also hoping we get back together,” he added.  “The last few days she’s raked me over the coals about me not being there for you...”

“Francine’s actually been very supportive the last year,” Amanda acknowledged, “but she shouldn’t have said anything…”

“No, she had every right, and I’m glad she did,” he corrected, glancing down at the floor.  “Sometimes you need the perspective of an objective third party.  A lot of what she’s said this past week has sunk in and helped me think.  Spending time with you these last few days made the emptiness I haven’t been able to shake all last year, disappear.”

Amanda nodded her agreement. “Maybe something good can come of this whole mess?”

“When this is all over, you and I need to sit down together and have a serious discussion… about our future.”

“We will…” she replied, resting her head on his shoulder.  “Trust me, today, Lee.  I’m not just doing this for me.  I’m doing this for us.”

“Everything’s going to work out fine,” he said, pulling her close, hugging her tightly.  With a kiss to her forehead, he made a wish that it would really come true.
 

****
 

A few minutes before eleven that morning, Amanda stared out her bedroom window silently watching the cars drive down the street.  With each passing car, she became a little more anxious.  The Congressman’s wife, Candice Burke, was waiting downstairs in her family room at 4247 Maplewood Drive.  Lee and Francine were parked in a surveillance van down the street, watching and listening.  At last, a fancy sports car pulled to the curb and Amanda immediately recognized the man behind the wheel.

“Casper just pulled up,” Amanda warned Candice, calling down to the other woman from her vantage point upstairs.  “Good luck!”

“Thanks,” Candace Burke replied tensely as she sat waiting for her prey to knock.

Only, there was no knock on the door.  Instead, Casper Conrad walked right in as if he owned the place.  Amanda hid upstairs on the landing, but close enough to hear the verbal exchange…

“Candice, so nice to see you again,” he quipped arrogantly when he walked into the family room where she’d been waiting.  “I liked our other meeting place much better than this.  I see you’re slumming it now in the suburbs.”

“You’re lucky I’m meeting you at all,” Candice bristled, her tone venomous.  “This is the last dime you will ever get from me.  I’m here today to tell you, I’m through with you and your blackmail plot.”

“Maybe,” Casper challenged, grabbing the envelope she held in her lap.  “Maybe not, after all, we’re becoming such fast friends.  You wouldn’t want your husband to find out about your affair now, would you?”

“Do you really think he won’t find out?  How am I supposed to explain to him where $50,000 has disappeared to in less than a month?”

“I don’t really care, Candy.  Tell him you lost it gambling,” he snickered condescendingly, but then scoffed at the idea.   “Hmm, no you probably aren’t the type to go to the racetrack.  I’ve got it!  Tell him you bought yourself some expensive jewelry.  He’d probably believe that.”

“And when he asks to see my new jewelry?  Maybe I should tell him that I invested with a deceptive company.  Who did you have me write the first check out to?  National Financial something…?”

“Yes, you certainly have made some very poor investment choices, recently,” Casper mocked.

“My first mistake was giving you a dime.  Take your money and get out, Casper!”

“Not so fast, Mrs. Burke,” he replied, opening up the envelope, pulling out the wads of money and flipping through them.

“Don’t you trust me?” she questioned snidely.

“I want to credit your account properly.  And it’s National Capital Financial.”

“Oh, you do that.  Now get out of here.  The sight of you makes me sick.”

“No kiss goodbye?” he asked, leaning down, grabbing her face with his free hand and kissing her hard.

“Get out!” Candice shouted, pushing him away.  Pointing towards the front door, she ordered, “Don’t you ever touch me again!”

“I don’t know; I’ve always fantasized about an older woman.  You might be fun in the sack.  Maybe we should take this upstairs?” he grinned as he nodded towards the stairs.

“Take your hush money and get out,” she shouted at him, jumping up from the couch, and retreating towards the kitchen door.

“We’ll talk again soon,” he winked as he left the family room and started for the front door.  Before he could turn the knob, a familiar voice called out to him.

“Leaving so soon, Casper?”

A stunned Casper stopped at Amanda King’s front door with his mouth gaping open, totally speechless.

“I’ll take that,” Amanda said calmly, reaching for the envelope in his hand while he was still trying to figure out what was happening.

“Mrs. King?” he finally choked out, trying to regain his composure.  Attempting to take the package back from her, he asked.  “What are you doing here?”

“Chatting with a new friend,” she advised, holding tightly onto the envelope containing the hush money.  “I found out that both Mrs. Burke and I have something in common.  Candice doesn’t think much of you, either.”

“Give me back the envelope, Mrs. King, and I’ll forget that I ever saw you here today,” he warned menacingly.

Amanda didn’t waver.  Instead, she pressed on, hoping to provoke Casper to confess to as much as possible.   “I have to admit, your frame had me guessing for a while.  I know your generation is talented when it comes to computers.  You did an admirable job planting those fake files.”

“Thank you!  I didn’t spend all my teen years playing computer games,” he boasted, unable to conceal a grin on his face.  “I did learn a thing or two about the way they work.  It took me less than an hour to hack your password.”

“I was very impressed,” she replied, then added.  “You know, the Agency has some of the best computer forensic scientists.  Last year’s freshman class had one from MIT and another from Stanford.  Unlike you, they’re sharp men who do their homework.  It won’t take them long before the Agency knows what I know.”

“I doubt they’ll waste their time investigating your case, Mrs. King.  They’ve already bought the plant.  They think you’re dirty.  The money in your savings account sealed the deal.”

“Ah, yes, the money,” she nodded.  ”How unimaginative…”

“Why would you say that?” he questioned furrowing his brow, somewhat intrigued despite himself.

“I’ve been in this business a long time, Casper.  Did you really think I’d give up without a fight?” she questioned him.  “It didn’t take long to put the pieces together.  A close friend of mine chased down the wire transfers to National Capital Financial.  You should have paid more attention in class when we went over tracking them.  You and your brother were… sloppy.”

Casper paled like a ghost.  He swallowed hard and stared at the package in Amanda’s hand.  Suddenly, he sounded less confident than he had moments earlier.  “You know about… my brother?”

“Ryan, yeah,” she nodded, pleased that Casper had incriminated himself.  “It was clever, Ryan Conrad and Conrad Ryan, but you left too many clues…”

“All right, Mrs. King.  What if I cut you in on it… say ten percent?”

Amanda scrunched up her nose.  “Nope.”

“All right, twenty,” he concluded.  “That’s my final offer!”

“No thanks, I’m really not interested in your money.  I get mine the old fashioned way; I earn it.”

“What do you want then?” he pressed nervously.

“I want my name cleared.  Turn yourself in,” she suggested.  “They’ll go easier on you that way.”

“Sorry, that would be enormously… inconvenient.”  Casper tugged on the envelope one last time, but Amanda held it firmly in her grasp.  Flustered, but unwilling to concede defeat, he reached inside his jacket and pulled out his weapon.

“Casper, don’t shoot!” Amanda warned loudly.

Casper looked uptight.  Obviously, he hadn’t planned for this scenario.  “You leave me no choice, but to shoot you.  I’ll tell them that you resisted arrest.  Lucky for me, you’re wanted for treason!”

“Put the gun away,” she said fearfully, trying to remain calm, and stepping away from him.  “Don’t add murder to your other crimes.”

“Not so brave now, are you, Mrs. King?” he grinned deviously, brandishing his weapon towards her, suddenly giving him a feeling of power.

She continued to backpedal away from him, towards the family room, in a vain attempt to escape, but there would be no reprieve.  “Oh my gosh!” she cried out.

Remorsefully, he admitted.  “I never wanted it to come to this, Mrs. King, but you’ve left me no choice.”

In an instant, three bullets were fired from his gun.  The noise was deafening.  Amanda felt the stinging impact, and she crumpled over in pain before dropping to the floor, gasping for breath…

End Part Ten
 
 
 
 
 

SECOND CHANCES
 

Part Eleven
 

Late Monday morning
 

Casper Conrad couldn’t look at Amanda’s body only a few yards away from him.  Instead, focusing on the envelope of money, he snatched it swiftly, and headed for the front door.   He reached for the doorknob and turned it, opening the door.  However, he didn’t get a chance to take a step outside.

Lee Stetson stood there like a fullback, and forced him back into the house with a brutal shove.  Off balance, Casper didn’t know what hit him.  Before he could make sense of what was happening, he was introduced to a vicious left fist, which snapped his neck to the side.  It was followed by a right hook, which sent him flying across the room.

Casper crashed into a wall, knocked over a table, and landed on the floor with a loud thud.  Stunned, he blinked furiously, trying to get his wits about him.  Standing above him was a furious man, egging him on.

“You son of a bitch!” Lee shouted irately at Casper.  “Get up and fight like a man.”

With blood dripping from his nose and lips, his eye already swelling and unable to focus, Casper Conrad stayed on the floor.  His grasp on his gun tightened, and for a split second, the man considered using it again.

Lee Stetson noticed Casper’s grip tighten on his gun and stomped on his hand.  The bones mashed onto the floor with a grinding crunch, causing Casper to totally release his grip on the weapon, and scream in pain.

“Scarecrow!” Francine shouted at him, coming from the family room, her gun trained on their quarry.  “Amanda needs you.”

“Roll over on your stomach, now!” Lee ordered, shouting at him as he kicked the gun away from Casper, “unless you want my foot to help you.”

Casper complied without resistance, allowing Francine to handcuff him.

Lee Stetson rushed into the family room where Amanda was, crumpled in a heap, wincing in pain.

“Amanda, are you all right?” he asked, dropping to his knees beside her.

Gasping out in short bursts, she clutched her arms around her chest and answered.  “I hurt… so bad…”

“Thank God you wore the vest,” he replied, placing a comforting arm around her shoulder.  He wanted to hug and hold her, but he was afraid he’d hurt her even more.

“Yeah…” she forced out, grimacing at the pain.  “But… I never expected,” she drew in another short breath, “to hurt this much.”

“You’re alive.  That’s the most important thing.”

“Amanda,” Francine entered the room with Casper in tow, still bleeding from his nose.  “Do you want me to call an ambulance?”

She shook her head, forcing out.  “No, I’ll be all right.”

“We’ll have the doc at the Agency take a look at you.  Come on, Casper.  We’ve got a lovely pair of interrogation cells waiting for you and your brother.”

“You should be arresting her.  She’s wanted for treason,” Casper argued unsuccessfully.

Francine laughed at him.  “You basically confessed to everything on tape.  You screwed yourself, Casper.”

“On tape?” Casper gulped uneasily.  “She was wearing a wire?”

“You were right, Amanda.  He doesn’t do his homework,” Francine said, rolling her eyes at the ignorant trainee.  “You have no clue whose house this is, do you?”

Casper shrugged.  “No, should I?”

“This is Amanda’s house,” Francine explained with delight.  “The Agency wired it when she became a runner.  Your frame backfired; you fool.  You convicted yourself and acquitted her at the same time.  I can’t believe you didn’t do any basic research on whose house you were meeting at before you showed up.  You’re an idiot.”

“Damn it, I thought this address looked familiar,” he swore.

Gritting her teeth, Amanda made one last comment to Casper.  “If you think this place is slumming it, Casper, I really don’t think you’re going to like where you’re heading.”

They all laughed at that comment, and Amanda flinched again at the pain.

“We’ll need you both down at the Agency to give your statements.   Take your time, though.  I’m sure Internal Affairs is going to have a field day with all the evidence we have on him.”  With that said, Francine shoved Casper forward, and out the back door.

“Are you sure you’re all right?” Lee worried.  “Maybe a visit to the hospital isn’t a bad idea?”

“I’m sore, but I’ll live,” she said, the pain starting to subside.  “What took you so long to come in?”

“In the process of clearing Candace out the back door, we unexpectedly ran into Ryan.  He took off and I chased him half way down the block.  We stuffed him into the van, but by that time, Casper had already shot you.”

“Three times,” she groaned.  “Once wouldn’t have been painful enough?”

“Come on,” Lee said standing up and carefully helping her off the floor.  “It might help to get that Kevlar vest off you…”

***

“Hey Doc, how is she?” Lee asked when Dr. Kelford came out of the exam room.

“Scarecrow, it’s good seeing you again!” Dr. Kelford greeted, extending his hand to Lee.  “The x-rays confirm there are no broken ribs.  She’ll be sore for a few days and certainly black and blue.  How are you doing?”

Thankful at the diagnosis, Lee let out a sigh of relief.  “I’m fine, Doc, what about her shoulder?”

“Luckily, there’s no additional damage.  She still needs surgery, but I told her that last year.  Once it’s repaired, she’ll be almost as good as new.”

“I’ll talk to her about it,” Lee promised the doctor, surprised that Amanda hadn’t mentioned surgery was an option.

“Make sure she takes it easy the next few days.  She’s getting dressed now, but it might take her a few minutes.” Scribbling on his prescription pad, he tore off the top sheet and handed it to Scarecrow.  “Amanda said she didn’t want anything for the pain, but she might change her mind later.”

“Thanks, Doc,” he nodded, tucking the prescription in his pocket.  The doctor went back into his office leaving Lee alone with his thoughts.  He paced the small waiting room impatiently, and was about to knock on the door to offer his wife some help, when Francine entered the room.

“How’s she doing?” Francine asked.

“The Doc just finished with her.  No broken ribs.”

“Good, glad to hear it.  I’m here to escort you down to debriefing,” Francine informed him.  “They’re waiting for you.”

“I’m waiting for Amanda…”

“There’s a debriefing room ready for her, too.  You need an escort since you’re no longer an Agency employee.  Amanda’s been reinstated.”

“Already?” he exclaimed less than enthusiastically.

Francine nodded as they started out of the clinic.  “Amanda did a good job getting everything on tape that we needed to exonerate her.  Now we’re trying to contact the other ‘clients’ on the list to figure out how much money those two embezzled.”

“Glad you’re stuck handling damage control,” Lee laughed as they walked to the elevator, happy that responsibility would be left to the Agency.

“Dr. Smyth is not amused.”

“Forgive me if I’m not all busted up for that bastard,” Lee snarled.

Francine nodded, and pushed the button for the elevator.  “Fortunately, I was on the bust, or I’d probably be the one making those phone calls.”

“I see the elevators around here are still slow.”

“Yeah, some things never change,” she agreed as they waited.  When the doors finally opened, a slightly overweight, middle-aged man hurried out of the elevator, nearly knocking them down.

“Oops, so sorry, excuse me,” he apologized quickly before rushing down the hallway.

“Who the hell was that?” Lee asked as they stepped into the elevator.

Francine rolled her eyes and shook her head.  “That was Sam Lieberman.”

Lee glanced down the hallway at the man before the doors closed.  “The guy who’s been chasing after Amanda?”

“He’s the one.”

“He’s not her type!”

Francine burst out laughing.  “I said the same thing about you years ago.  He’s more her type than you ever were.  He’s a widower with a teenage daughter, and lives in Alexandria.  For God’s sake, they’re made for each other.”

“Whose side are you on?” Lee snarled back.

“Lee, I’m just pointing out the facts.”

“And I’m telling you the facts,” he reiterated.  “He doesn’t have a chance in hell with her.”

“Does that mean you two are getting back together?” Francine questioned with a raised eyebrow.

“If I have anything to say about it, yes!” he answered definitively.

The elevator arrived on interrogation level and they walked down the corridor to the debriefing room.  Francine stopped at a door and nodded towards it.  “Here we are.  Have someone page me when they’re finished with you.  I’ll make sure you two get reconnected.”

“Thanks, Francine, I really appreciate your help these last few days,” he said before going into the room.

End Part Eleven
 
 
 
 

SECOND CHANCES  by Robin
 

Part Twelve
 

Monday afternoon

Lee Stetson was back in the bullpen, talking and laughing with some agents, waiting for Amanda.  For a while, the camaraderie of his fellow agents made it feel like he’d never left the Agency.

“Scarecrow, I hear you’re making it big in New York?” Fred Fielder said, slapping Lee on the back when he joined the group.

“I’m doing all right,” Lee replied.

“I’ve always loved New York.  I’ve even applied for a couple of Agency openings up there, but they get snatched up quickly.  Maybe it’s time to work in the private sector.  Any chance you’re looking to expand your business?”

“I’m not hiring field agents at the moment,” Lee explained to Fred Fielder.

“Hi,” Amanda said softly when she joined the group.

“How are you feeling?” Lee asked his wife.

“I’m all right,” she said in a tired voice.

Lee smiled in relief, and then looked back to Fielder.  “I’ll keep you in mind if something opens up.”

“Looks like old home week,” she commented, glancing at the group.

“It was good seeing you all again,” he waved, and then reached for her hand, gently guiding her away from the group.  “Thanks for the reprieve.”

“You seemed to be enjoying yourself.  I’m surprised you’re still here.  When I finished at the clinic, you were gone.  Sam told me you’d already left,” she commented in a deflated voice.

Lee gritted his teeth.  “I was escorted to debriefing under duress by Francine.”

“Oh,” she whispered, apparently relieved.

“Come on.”  Placing his hand on the small of her back, he escorted her from the hectic bullpen.  Once they were alone in the hallway, waiting for the elevator, he turned her to face him.  In a reassuring voice, he said, “I left you once, a little more than a year ago, and have regretted it ever since.  I don’t plan on making the same mistake twice.  Are you free to go?”

“Thanks to you, yes,” she smiled appreciatively.

“I thought you might need a ride.”

“Yeah, I do,” she answered when the doors opened.

“Shall we?” he asked, offering her his elbow.  “Apparently, I need an escort around here these days.”

Once outside the Agency, Lee helped her into the car and soon they were on their way to the house in Arlington.  “How are you feeling, really?”

“A little sore,” she admitted truthfully, pulling at the safety belt that was rubbing her chest uncomfortably.

“That’ll be tender for a couple of days.  Thank God you wore the vest.”  He reached out for her hand and squeezed it gently, his fingers caressing hers.

“Yeah, I’m glad you talked me into it.”

“I understand you’ve been reinstated,” he probed, curiously.

“Yes, Mr. Wharton was very apologetic about the whole ordeal,” she remarked, shaking her head.

“So you’re not leaving the Agency?” he surmised, releasing her hand from his.  His heart pounded while he waited to hear her answer.

She turned towards him, her hand grasping his again.  “Lee, I told you that day in the park, I wasn’t going back to the Agency.  That hasn’t changed.  Dr. Kelford put me on medical leave.  Wharton thinks I’ll change my mind before the week’s out, but I won’t.  I won’t work for Smyth ever again.”

Lee let out a long breath, and smiled over at her.  “I’m relieved.”

“So am I.”

Turning onto Maplewood Drive, he pulled the car into the driveway.  It had been months since he lived there, but to him it was more than just a house.  This house represented the first real home he’d had since he was a child.  “Home sweet home.”

“You’re not going back to New York tonight, are you?” she asked, gingerly easing out of the car.

“No,” he shook his head.  “I called my office after they finished debriefing me.  I told them I’d be back sometime tomorrow.”

Walking into the house, Amanda stopped just inside her front door, noticing the blood that had splattered on the floor and wall from Lee’s fight with Casper.

She stared at it before looking him over.  “I never asked if you were all right?”

“Me, I’m fine,” he smiled at her, and then glanced down at his fists.  “Never even laid a hand on me.”

“You got the better of him; that’s for sure.”

“We got the best of him – together.” Lee observed wisely.  Then, nodding towards the family room he said, “Why don’t you go sit down and rest; I’ll take care of this mess.”

“It can wait, Lee,” she replied, tugging gently on his hand.  “It’s time for us to talk; we need to work some things out.”

Lee stood by the door, shaking his head.  “Amanda, we can’t.  Not now…”

She stared at him in disbelief, croaking out confused and hurt, “What could possibly be wrong now?”

“Amanda, you’re forgetting one thing,” he whispered, glancing around the room.  “The Agency obviously hasn’t been here yet to… clean up.  Your house is still bugged!”

“Oh my gosh, it slipped my mind!” she gasped.

He nodded his head back towards the front door.  “How about we go back up to the cabin for the night?  It’s secluded, and we can talk privately, without interruptions.”

Nodding her head in agreement, she appeared relieved at his suggestion.  “Let me grab a few things.”

Soon, they were back on the road driving up to the cabin.

“You look exhausted.  Why don’t you try to get some sleep?  Dr. Kelford made me promise I’d make you rest.”

She smiled over at him.  “I guess I am a little tired.”

“Close your eyes and take a nap.  We’ll be at the cabin in no time,” he promised.

For once, Amanda didn’t argue, and within minutes, Lee could tell she’d fallen asleep.  The weather was clear, the traffic light, and the ride into the mountains flew by quickly.  The car snaked up the mountain switchbacks as they neared the cabin.  The motion jarred Amanda awake.  She yawned and stretched.

“How are you feeling?” Lee probed with concern when she glanced over at him.

“A little stiff,” she answered with a slight grimace as she tried to get comfortable in the passenger seat.

“Only a couple more miles,” he consoled her.

A few minutes later Lee turned onto the dirt road that led to the cabin.  Soon he pulled the car onto the gravel pull off, and parked.  They walked down the path to the cabin, hand in hand.  After retrieving the key from its hiding spot, he opened the door.

“After you,” he gestured gallantly, crossing his fingers behind his back for luck, in the hope that they were finally on track after all these months.

Amanda headed straight for the couch and sank into its comfortable cushions, letting out a long, relaxing sigh.  “I can’t thank you enough, Lee, for everything you’ve done.”

Lee sat down next to her and stretched his weary body.  He placed his hand tenderly on Amanda’s thigh.  “I’m glad I could help, but I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“Yeah, you could have.”

“Maybe, but I’m glad I didn’t have to,” he said, and turned toward her, his voice taking on a serious tone.  “I meant what I said back at the Agency.  I really regret leaving without you last year – more than I can ever tell you,” he said remorsefully.  He ran his hand through his hair and shook his head.  “I was wrong to do that.”

“Lee, we were both at fault for how we left things,” she cut in.

“You know, our relationship fell apart because we stopped talking.  It started when I wasn’t truthful with you about what happened at the hospital.  I did it to spare your feelings, but things spiraled downward from there.”

“True, but I was as much at fault as you were.  I believed the anger and hate I saw in your face was directed at me because of what happened the day I was shot.  If I had asked you about it then, maybe none of this would have happened.  We both made wrong assumptions that kept forcing us further apart.”

“You really did plan to come up to New York after they caught the shooter, didn’t you?” Lee commented with a raised brow.

She nodded.  “Yeah, I did.  I even spoke with a realtor about selling the house.”

“Then you called the office that day and Carly answered the phone…”

“I should have trusted you,” she replied ashamedly.

“It was an emotional day for you.  Considering the state of mind you were in, I realize why you might have imagined what you did,” Lee answered, letting out a long sigh.

“It was a tough day for me,” she admitted.

“I should have called you after I spoke with Francine.  I let my pride get in the way.”

“I did the same thing when you gave me what I thought was a lame excuse for not coming to Thanksgiving dinner.  I never considered you really were working.”

“I came down to surprise you for Christmas, hoping we could make amends.  I waited in the car until after it got dark outside.  When nobody came home, I figured you’d made other plans.  I put the flowers on the front porch and drove up here, to the cabin,” Lee reminded her.

“I dropped off some baked goods at the children’s shelter before coming home.  That’s why I was running late,” she admitted.  “Lee, we can’t change the past; it’s part of us.  I’m more concerned about our future.”

Nodding his head, he picked up her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it affectionately.  “I love you, Amanda.  I want you back in my life.  This last week together proved to me what I’ve known in my heart all along.  We belong together.”

“I love you, too,” she whispered hoarsely, her voice filled with emotion.  “When you left for New York last year, I wasn’t ready for such a drastic change.  I was still grieving for our baby.  I needed time to accept all the things that had happened.  Over the last few days, I’ve had a lot of time to sort out the truth.  I’ll never forget what happened that day, but I’m ready to leave the past where it belongs, behind us.  I want a new start – with you.  Does your offer to join you in New York still stand?”

“You bet it does,” he replied, pulling her close and hugging her, careful of her sore ribs.

“Too bad you’re not hiring,” she commented, resting her head on his shoulder.  “I also need a job.”

“Who said I’m not hiring?”

“You told Fred Fielder you had all the staff you needed.”

“I told Fielder I wasn’t hiring field agents; and I’m not,” Lee chuckled and in a low voice, he added.  “Not to mention, he doesn’t have the right skills.”

“And I do?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Oh yeah, you definitely do,” he replied with a dimpled grin.  He gently lifted her chin and turned her face towards his.  He leaned in, captured her lips, and kissed her seductively.

When the kiss broke off, Amanda gasped for breath and teased him.  “Interesting job skills you’re looking for.”

“I promise, I have a real position just for you, as soon as you have your shoulder surgery,” he warned.

“Lee, I can manage,” she said while rubbing her sore shoulder self-consciously.

“That’s not negotiable, Amanda,” he answered firmly, giving her a no-nonsense stare.

Sighing heavily, she asked, “Are you going to be my Bedside Bluebell?”

“As long as I don’t have to wear the uniform,” he teased, kissing the tip of her nose.  His voice was soothing and supportive.  “Whatever you want, Amanda, whatever you need.  I’ll take some time off; hire a nurse…”

“You’ve already taken too much time off this past week,” she was quick to point out.

“Considering the end results, I think it was time well spent.”

“The rehab on the shoulder may take a few months,” she warned.

“That will give you plenty of time to get to know the rest of the team.  We’ll ease you into the position,” he explained happily.  “You can take on as much as you want, at your own pace.”

“What exactly is the position you have in mind?” she questioned curiously.

“I want my partner back.”

“Partner?!” she exclaimed with a mixture of surprise and worry.  “Lee, as much as I’d like to be your partner again, you already have a staff.”

“I’ve always believed in my heart you’d join me in New York,” he reassured her, his voice warm and welcoming while his hand caressed her back.  “I’ve already told you about my assistant, Carly; there’s so much you can teach her.  Roz, my computer whiz, you two will hit it off great.  She retired from the FBI in DC and moved to New York to be closer to her grandkids.  Jake, my field investigator needs Carly out in the field with him.  Unfortunately, she’s stuck in the office doing research, helping prepare presentations and handling publicity.  As good as Carly is, she doesn’t have the people skills you do.”

“Your partner,” Amanda repeated, apparently warming to the idea.  “I kind of miss that old title.”

“I’ve searched in vain for someone who can juggle all the things you used to accomplish with ease.   All those years in the Q Bureau, you made everything appear so effortless, but I know it wasn’t.”

“We were a good team.”

“We are a good team.  This past week proved it.  You’re smart, quick thinking and you see more than meets the eye.   I’ve lost a couple of contracts I should have nailed.  I know I would have nailed then, with you at my side,” he paused, and gently stroked her face; their eyes were staring at each other.  “Amanda, I need you.”

“Oh, Lee,” she whispered, a bright smile grew across her face.

“What do you say, Amanda Stetson?  Will you join me in New York?  I personally promise you’ll enjoy all the fringe benefits!” he whispered with a devilish grin, and a sexy overtone,

“When can I start?”

Lee grinned.  “I guess tomorrow is pushing it, huh?”

“Maybe just a little; how’s next week?” she nodded leaning her forehead against his.

Pulling away from her slightly, he asked.  “You’re going to see a surgeon about your shoulder, right?”

“Yeah,” she conceded.  “I promise.”

“Welcome to Oz Security, Mrs. Stetson,” he whispered huskily.  With a delighted grin, he asked.  “Do you believe in second chances?”

“I’m starting to, Mr. Stetson,” she whispered, placing her hands on each side of his face, she captured his lips with her own and initiated a passionate kiss.  When they broke away, she asked. “Are you flying up to New York in the morning?”

“No, we’re flying up in the morning.  I’m not going to New York again without you,” he reminded her.

She grinned happily.  “Good thing I packed enough clothes for a few days.”

“I thought your bag was a little heavy for an overnight trip,” he teased, as he caressed her face.  “Good thing I made plane reservations for two!”

“You did!” she exclaimed in surprise.

“Uh huh,” he nodded.  “You know, there’s something I’ve wanted to do since I saw you at the Inn last week.”

Amanda’s eyes sparkled at him.  “What was that?”

“I want to make love to you, Amanda,” he replied, and then glanced towards the bedroom.  His hand tenderly reached out for her, caressing her face, neck and wandering downward.  “How about I start a fire, and we can move this into the bedroom?”

“Why bother with the fire?”

“I thought it would be romantic and help keep us warm tonight…”

“I guess it would be romantic,” she continued, “but, I’m pretty sure we can figure out a way to stay warm in the bedroom.”

Lee chuckled at her comment and leaned over, capturing her lips with his.  “You’re probably right.  Come on,” he said standing up and reaching down for her hand.  “Let me show you just how much I love you, Mrs. Stetson.”

“I thought you’d never ask, Mr. Stetson.”

End Part Twelve
 
 
 
 

SECOND CHANCES by Robin
 

TAG scene
 
 

Several months later…

“Hey, you’re back early!” Lee Stetson commented, looking up from his computer and raising a curious eyebrow when Amanda walked into his office at ‘Oz Security’.  “I told you they weren’t going to bite.”

Amanda glanced at her husband, and carefully placed a file in front of him on his desk.  “I’m back early because it doesn’t take long to sign a contract!”

His eyes opened wide.  “They signed!  I don’t believe it!”

“You know, Stetson, I’m very disappointed by your lack of confidence in me!” she replied, unable to conceal her bright smile.

“They wouldn’t even give me an appointment last year,” he reminded her.  “You’re not pulling my leg?  They really signed?”

“Signed, sealed, and personally delivered,” she answered with a grin, as she flipped the contract to the page with signatures.  “Turns out they have a wealthy celebrity client who highly recommended our services.”

“Seriously?” he asked.

“Absolutely!  My research showed she’s a client of theirs.  I included her letter of recommendation in the presentation.  Once they saw that, the rest was a piece of cake.”

Lee grinned at his wife proudly.  Standing up, he crossed around his desk and stood beside her.  “Then maybe you’ll forgive me for missing Thanksgiving dinner last year?”

“Maybe,” she looked up at him, tilting her head slightly, “if you threw in a kiss as an added bonus.”

“Knowing what that contract is worth, that’s definitely a bargain,” he replied, wrapping his arms around her waist.

“I didn’t take this job for the money!”

“Oh, really?!  Then tell me, why did you take this job?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

Wrapping her arms around him, she whispered huskily, “I took it for the fringe benefits.”

“Ahhh, that’s right.  I did promise you fringe benefits, didn’t I?!” Lee teased, nodding his head.  “You really went after this contract to make sure we got that house you like so much?”

“I do love that house,” Amanda smiled brightly, but then loosening her grip on him, she sighed heavily, “but, Lee, it’s so expensive.”

“This is New York, Sweetheart.  Everything up here is pricey.  It’s a beautiful house.  I think we should buy it,” Lee replied, taking his hand and gently caressing her face.  “Besides, it’ll be worth every cent if I get to see your face light up each time we pull into the driveway.”

“You’re serious?  You really want to buy that house?” she asked excitedly.

Nodding his head, he reassured her.  “I like the house, too.  The lot is secluded; the neighborhood is great, and we certainly can afford it.”

“Have I told you how much I love you, Mr. Stetson?”

“Not in the last couple of hours, Mrs. Stetson,” he whispered, kissing her forehead.

“I really do enjoy the fringe benefits,” she cooed.

”I’ve been enjoying them a lot myself,” he admitted, leaning down and capturing her lips.  They enjoyed a few moments of intimacy before they heard the office door chime.

“Some things never change!” Amanda grumbled as they broke off their kiss.

Glancing at the surveillance monitor, they observed Carly and Jake coming into the office and down the hallway.

“They’re back early.  That’s either really good news,” Lee commented, releasing his hold on his wife and groaning.  “Or their cover was blown.”

Moments later, his two field agents came into his office, chattering cheerfully.

“Hey, great, you’re both here!” Jake exclaimed happily and pulled a videotape out of his jacket pocket.  “I think you’re gonna really like what we got this afternoon!”

“The file wasn’t even planted a day before sticky fingers went for it,” Carly added excitedly.

“Who’s the culprit?” Lee asked.

Jake shook his head.  “I should have sided with Roz.  She had him pegged from the start.  It’s the guy from research and development.”

“Let’s take a look,” Lee nodded for Jake to put the tape into the VCR.  “We’d better call Roz in here.”

Amanda went over to the phone to buzz her office, but before she could push the button, Lee shouted down the hallway, “Roz, get in here!”

Amanda rolled her eyes.  “You know, we do have an intercom system.”

A few moments later, Roz sauntered into the room with a knowing look.  “You bellowed!”

Pulling out his wallet, Lee removed a fifty-dollar bill and handed it to her.  He nodded towards the television screen.  “Rumor has it you won the pool.  It was the guy from research.”

Jake fast-forwarded the tape to the point just before the file was lifted.  They watched while the perpetrator skulked into the room, opened the file cabinet, and removed the file.  Moments later, he departed with the planted information.

“You did a great job on this case,” Lee commented quite pleased, patting both Jake and Carly on their backs.  “The CEO and the stockholders will be very relieved to find the source of the leak.”

“Thanks, Lee, but Carly was amazing,” Jake explained proudly.  “She revealed, rather cagily I might add, that the file was there, without blowing our cover.  I wasn’t sure she could pull it off, but she did.”

“I never thought he’d bite so quickly,” Carly replied.

“Normally they don’t,” Roz answered.  “Consider yourselves lucky you weren’t waiting a week or more for some action.”

“Do you mind if we cut out of here a little early, Lee?” Jake asked.

“Uh, no…” Lee replied with a shrug.

“Thanks,” Jake said, then turned to Carly.  “Come on, I’ll buy you a drink.”

Lee glanced at his watch.  “Tell you what.  We’ll turn on the answering machine early this afternoon and we’ll all go out for a drink.”

Amanda and Roz shot worried glances at each other before Roz piped in.  “Thanks for the offer, but count me out tonight.  I’m babysitting my granddaughter.  My son’s taking his wife out to dinner and a Broadway show.  Maybe another time,” Roz suggested, glancing again at Amanda before she slipped out of Lee’s office.

Amanda reached for Lee’s arm and reminded him with a stern glare.  “Uh, Lee, we have other plans this evening.”

“Really?” he replied, glancing at the calendar on his desk.  “I don’t have anything on my schedule.”

“I’m sure of it.  What’s more, we need to call the CEO and set up a meeting with him.  He’s going to want to view that tape ASAP.”

“I guess it’s just the two of us then.  Bye guys!” Carly grinned happily, and Jake took a hold of her hand, tugging on it gently.  Within moments, they were walking back down the hall, and out of the office.

“We could have gone out for drinks with them, Amanda.  I can call the CEO and make an appointment to meet him tomorrow.  I doubt he’ll be available tonight on such short notice,” Lee reminded his wife with a disappointed look on his face.  “It was a big day for you, too.  I thought it would be nice to celebrate two big wins with our staff.”

Amanda shook her head and chuckled.  “Another time, Lee, I really think Jake and Carly would like to spend some time together.”

“They’ve been together all day,” he reminded her.

“Lee!” Amanda gasped.  “They’ve been working.  They want to be together – alone!  You know, as in couple.”

“A couple… Amanda, they’re co-workers.”

“Lee Stetson, those two are more than partners in the field!” she disputed.  “They’re in love with each other.”

“In love?” he repeated skeptically.

“You can’t tell me that you haven’t noticed the stolen glances, or the way he touches her, and the way her face lights up when he walks into the room?” she contended.

“I’ve been kind of busy lately with… other things,” he admitted, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.  “Now that I think about it, they do work very well together.”

Amanda placed her hands on the lapels of Lee’s suit jacket, pulled him close, and kissed him.  “Mmmm, now you’re on the right track.  If we were anything like they are, I’m surprised we kept our relationship a secret for so long.”

“Well, maybe it’s a good thing they didn’t want to have drinks with us.”

“Why’s that?” Amanda asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Now you and I can celebrate your landing that big deal together… alone.  You know as in couple,” he grinned, wrapping his hands around her waist again.

“Oh, yeah,” Amanda giggled, “and just what did you have in mind, Mr. Stetson?”

Leaning back against his desk, he pulled his wife into a loving embrace.  “How ‘bout we start with a romantic dinner, Mrs. Stetson, and take it from there…”

The end.

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