Too Close to Home: A Scarecrow and Mrs. King Continuing Story - Book 2

Chapter 26

Day 11, Friday evening – The King house

"Efraim posted the number to your SAT phone on the refrigerator, right?" Leaning back against the car door, Amanda looked around Lee and out his window toward their home. Amused, Lee turned his head and reached out to pat her leg. "Yes, Amanda. Efraim posted the number on the refrigerator. He told us that before he left, remember?"

"Of course, I remember." Obviously nervous, she soothed one hand over her belly and used the other to tap her knee. Lee's amusement vanished, replaced with compassion. If this was difficult for him, he could only imagine what knowing Philip was in the house with a bunch of teens and access to drugs was doing to her.

"Amanda, look at me." She sighed and shifted her eyes to lock with his. "I know this is hard; it's one reason I didn't want you here. You and the baby don't need this stress." He tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear.

"It'd be more stressful to not be here." Frowning, she turned her head to let her gaze roam the street behind them. "Won't anyone watching think it's weird that we're just sitting here in this car?"

A soft smile graced his lips. Reaching his arm out, he hooked her neck and pulled her toward him. "Not if we're making out." His lips brushed the side of her neck. She sighed, but it wasn't a good kind of sigh.

"Uh, Lee?"

"Yeah, Sweetie?" His lips nibbled at the sensitive skin behind her earlobe.

"I don't think I can handle this particular cover when I know Philip is in the house putting himself in danger."

He paused and leaned away. "Okay. Yeah, I hear you." Pulling her into an embrace that was much more comforting than titillating, he sighed. "Remember the first time we were stuck in car together on surveillance?"

Amanda chuckled. "I wish I didn't, but boy, do I."

He smiled against her hair. "You totally made a pass at me."

"I did not. I was playing the cover that you started."

"Oh, yes you did, and don't try to deny it, Mrs. Stetson." Lee stroked the back of her hair as he cradled her against his shoulder. "We could have played our cover minus you caressing my cheek and whispering against my jaw about the probability of you having a secret love affair."

Amanda groaned. "Don't remind me. I'm still so embarrassed that I cringe any time I think about it."

Lee chuckled. "I think that whole exchanged surprised you as much as it surprised me."

She glanced up at his face. "Well, it was a very confusing time in our relationship, you know. Sometimes you acted like you cared about me, and sometimes you couldn't get rid of me fast enough...like then."

Lee laughed out loud. "After all this time, you still haven't figured that one out?" He gave her a squeeze. "I couldn't get rid of you fast enough because I was suddenly and desperately tempted to really make out with you."

A car drove slowly past behind them. Lee tried to get a look at it in his side mirror, but it went past their house, down the street, and turned the corner.

"This is torture." Amanda buried her face in his shoulder.

He sighed and held her a little more firmly. "I know, Sweetheart. I know." Head on a swivel, he continued to survey their surroundings. "And the waiting and not knowing when things are going to happen are the most difficult parts. Unfortunately, it's all we can do until Philip makes the call."

Jennifer simply didn't know if she could do it this time. Tania felt like Brad was becoming a threat because he knew too much, so she'd prepared two little baggies: one filled with the regular E to pass around, and one with a single dose of the mixed E. But then she'd not been there to give them to her last night or this morning.