The Ties That Bind: A Scarecrow and Mrs. King Continuing Story Book 1

Chapter 10

Day 2

The silence in the elevator was thick, but neither of them wanted to cut through it as they rose to the Georgetown portal, the main entrance hall where Mrs. Marsden sat guard and where stairs went up to the Q-Bureau.

Amanda glanced over at Francine, turned back to face the elevator doors, and sighed.

"You have something you want to say?" Francine didn't bother turning her head.

"Huh?" Amanda turned again to look at her. "Oh, uh, no." She faced forward again, but quickly swiveled her head back to Francine – one eyebrow raised. "You?"

Francine gave her a quick glance. "Uh...no. I don't think so." They stood in awkward silence another moment. "Actually," Francine clipped the word. "I think I do, but I'm not sure Lee would appreciate it."

"I'm a big girl, Francine. We don't need Lee's permission to have a conversation." Amanda reached over to the buttons on the panel to the right of the doors and pressed one. The elevator stopped.

"What are you doing?" Francine looked frantically at the buttons.

"It's fine, Francine. I'm just giving you an opportunity to get everything off your chest here where we're all alone." Amanda settled her shoulder against the back wall and leaned into it. "Give it your best shot, Francine. I'm all ears."

"Fine," Francine huffed as she abruptly turned to face Amanda square on. "You want my best shot? Here it is." She took a deep breath, ready to give Amanda both barrels. "I worked my butt off trying to make it as a woman in the man's world of field agents. I put in the over-time hours; I put up with the jokes and the insults; I did the menial "women's" tasks; I overlooked the harassment; I even used my charms when I had to, but I made it. I mastered hand-to-hand combat; I became a highly qualified sniper; I mingle effortlessly with the rich and powerful, and I speak several languages fluently."

She paused to take a breath. "I had Billy's respect, Lee's respect...I even had him in my bed at one point..." Francine seared Amanda with a look, "...and was well on my way to getting him back. Then you walked in." Anger coursed through her, and she gestured up and down Amanda. "You, with your bumbling ways, your middle-class, suburban style..."

"Ouch."

"...your two kids, your station wagon, and your annoying child-like enthusiasm." Francine shook her head. "What in the world Lee started to see in you I'll never know because whatever it is, he certainly didn't at first."

She paced the small elevator as Amanda just stood there and absorbed her venom. "And somehow, you got on Billy's good side enough for him to think it was a good idea to pair you up with Lee." She shook her head. "I hope you know that Lee wasn't terribly thrilled with that."

"Yes, I'd say that's a pretty profound understatement," she snickered.

Francine's eyes widened. "You know that, huh?"

"Uh, yes, Francine. I think that would have been difficult to miss."

"Huh." Francine stared at Amanda for a moment. "Well, why the hell did you stick around when you were very obviously not wanted?"

Amanda shifted her position against the wall and shrugged her shoulders. "Honestly, Francine, I'm not sure. I actually did walk out once early on when he made it quite clear he didn't want me around. I even went to a job interview and was almost hired, too. I was totally ready to cut whatever small ties I had with the Agency."

"I didn't know that. So, what happened?"

"Well, Lee showed up in the middle of the interview pretending we were married and saying that I needed to be home taking care of our triplets, of all things." Amanda chuckled at the memory. "I was shocked. Just a couple hours before, he had made it very clear he didn't want me around. Then, all of a sudden, there he was sabotaging my job interview."