Spys’R'Us Chapter 2
Spys-R-Us
Chapter 2
Amanda walked into the kitchen and placed her purse and keys on the counter. “Lee, can I get you something to drink?”
“No thanks, I’m fine.” Lee felt a little out of sorts having entered Amanda’s house through the front door. Usually he was sneaking in through the back door or peering in through the kitchen window. Walking through the front door made him feel - well - normal.
“Well, I’m going to fix myself a cup of tea - go ahead and make yourself at home. The boys wont be home for another couple of hours. I’ll be there in just a few moments.”
Lee slipped his hands into his pockets and ambled over to the living room couch. He picked a Redbook magazine off the seat cushion, sat down, and began flipping through the pages. “So where’s your mother?”
He could hear the kettle begin to boil and the sounds of Amanda working in the kitchen behind him. “She’s out doing something with the ladies at Eastern Star today. She’s not supposed to be home until just before dinner. That gives us a couple of hours.”
Amanda walked into the living room and placed her cup on the coffee table. Before sitting down she went to the bookcase and pulled down two oversized books. She handed them to Lee.
He looked at them a little perplexed. “What are these for?”
“Well you have to have a convincing background right? These are the boys’ scrapbooks. I thought perhaps we could look over them, you know, to give you a bit of a background.” She paused to take a sip of her tea.
“Amanda, I’m sure this is a wonderful idea - but I’m not sure how this is going to help me…”
“Look,” Amanda put down her tea cup. “You need to be a convincing parent. This is a family company - one that makes childrens toys. You want to find out about a persons background, blend in - you bring up kids. Works everytime. Only last week I was window shopping at a furniture store with mother and the sales lady came up to us and was trying to sell us this bedframe…”
“Amanda…”
“We started talking and the subject of children came up and we discovered that one of her sons had been in the same Junior Trailblazers camp as Jamie. Well, the conversation kept going and pretty soon she was telling us that we really didn’t want that bedframe because it was really poor quality.”
“Amanda, the point of the story is…”
Amanda sighed. “The point is Lee, that when parents talk to other parents about their kids they become more relaxed in conversations. It’s familiar territory. And when people are more relaxed they can let things slip.”
“I see,” smiled Lee. “But I could have created a profile at the agency - we didn’t need to come here.”
Amanda shook her head. “Uh-uh. You need a background Stetson, not just some facts from a computer. The computer can’t teach you how to act around kids.”
The corner of Lee’s mouth slid into a lopsided smile. “Amanda, I know what’s going on here. You want me to learn more about your sons. You don’t have to do that, I know they are wonderful boys.”
Amanda managed to protest only half heartedly. “Lee. Really. We’re trying to do a job here.”
“Oh we are, are we? A busy workday and we’re sitting here at your home all alone looking at family pictures. We’re spending more time alone now than we have all week.” He leaned in closer so he could whisper in her ear. “I can think of some other things we could be doing.”
“Lee, we are working, otherwise…” Amanda started to lose concentration as he started nibbling on her ear, “we… would… be ditching.”
“Mm-hmm”
“Lee…” Amanda, now a little breathless, turned to Lee and met his lips with hers. The touch was electrifying and she momentarily lost all thoughts of work.
Then there was a noise at the back door. “Dotty? Amanda? When did you guys get your locks changed.”
Amanda pushed Lee away from her. “Buck. Oh my gosh it’s Buck.”
Lee looked up in annoyance. “Who’s Buck?”
“Our neighbor. You have to get out of here quick. If Buck sees you Mother will find out.”
“Maybe he doesn’t think anyone’s home.” Lee said hopefully.
“Hey Amanda, I know you’re in there. I can hear the TV set!”
“It’s always someone,” mumbled Lee. He grabbed his jacket and started towards the backdoor.
“No, not that way! Buck’s that way. You have to go out the front door. Here take these.” Amanda shoved the scrapbooks into Lee’s hand and propelled him towards the front door. She gave him a quick kiss, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Amanda, I - ” But it was too late. Lee was talking to the door. He sighed and made his way over to his car and drove back to his apartment.
The next morning Lee pulled into the parking lot at the Kenny Toys headquarters. He had been up for most of the night going over background files of people he was going to meet. He was hoping to get a look at the scrapbooks Amanda had given him early that morning but he had been running late since he woke up. He had thrown the scrapbooks in his briefcase in the hopes that he would be able to take a look at them later. Luckily he had also grabbed a “parent” profile from the agency computer and had been able to scan that.
He pulled out the briefcase and closed the car door. He took a moment to adjust his tie and brush off his gray trousers, and then he made his way in through the front door.
The Kenny Toys main office was certainly impressive. It had a high domed ceiling and almost all of the walls were made of glass. In the center of the room it boasted two 12 foot tall nutcrackers amidst a jungle of undistinguishable smaller creatures. Located in the center of this jumble was a oversized receptionists desk and a short, slightly plump woman wearing large hornrimmed glasses. Lee made his way over to her.
“Hi, I’m Lee Steadman. I have an appointment with Simon Mercer.”
The receptionist appeared to be engrossed in a cheap romance novel and barely acknowledged him. “He will be right with you sir. May I ask what you are here for?”
Lee cleared his throat. “I’m the new marketing manager.”
The woman looked up and saw Lee’s handsome figure before her. She fumbled with her book and grabbed for the phone. “Oh I’m sorry Mr. Steadman, I wasn’t aware that you were the new Marketing representative. Mr. Mercer wanted me to contact him as soon as you arrived. It won’t be a moment.”
She grabbed the phone and began to dial the extension. Lee flashed one of his most charming smiles and mouthed the words “Thank you.” The poor receptionist was blinded by Lee’s charm and it took her a few moments to realize that there was a voice on the other end of the line.
“Oh sorry sir. Mr. Steadman is here for you sir. Yes. Right away sir.”
She hung up the phone and found herself gazing into his eyes. “Mr. Steadman you just go down the main hallway and it is the first door on your left.”
“Thanks.” Lee picked up his briefcase and headed toward the hallway. As he departed he heard the receptionist let out a sigh. He chuckled to himslef - in the good old days he would have played it for all it was worth. But now… now he had Amanda and playing the game with other women didn’t seem to hold the excitement it once did.
Lee knocked on the door to Simon Mercer’s office. A jovial, deep male voice called out from within. “Come in Mr. Steadman. I’ve been waiting for you.”
Lee opened the door. His first impression of the President of Kenny Toys was one of sheer size. This man was huge! And Lee at 6′3″ had never considered himself short. Not only was this man tall, he was also built. Bright blue eyes twinkled above a rather large beard. He looked like a bear. He would have looked like a Mountain Man if it hadn’t been for the expensive tailored suit. Lee reminded himself that getting into a tangle with him might not be a good idea.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you Mr. Mercer,” Lee walked over and shook his hand.
“Please call me Simon. You come highly recommended Mr. Steadman. I hope you can help us with our latest project. The Animatron 5000. It has more bells and whistles than a Macy’s Day Parade. We should have it ready to ship just before Christmas - and with the marketing campaign you’re sure to come up with I know this will be a blockbuster event. But you’ll find out about that at the staff meeting. Let’s get you moved in.”
Simon escorted Lee out the door and across the hall. “Here’s your office. Right here on the ground floor. Why don’t you go ahead and move your stuff in and get settled and I’ll have Janie, the receptionist you met earlier, give you a tour of the facilities. The staff meeting is at 2:00 and I have set up a lunch meeting for you with Johnson from development to give you the run down on the new features of the Animatron 5000.”
Lee opened his briefcase and took out paper and a pencil to take notes.
Simon grinned at him. “I think you’re going to do just fine here Mr. Steadman. We work hard here but we know how to have fun. Oh, are these your sons?”
Simon had noticed the scrapbook in Lee’s briefcase and was now thumbing through it. Lee started to protest, “Actually…”
“We’re having our annual picnic this Friday afternoon you should bring them along. We have softball games and three legged races, and of course toys for all of the kids. My wife Anna and I get to barbeque for everyone too. How old are your sons? My son Kenny is 13 and my daughter Kerri is 10. They can’t wait for the picnic. Then again they can’t seem to wait for anything at that age.”
He paused and grinned at Lee. “I’m glad you’re here to join our family Mr. Steadman. Kenny’s toys always needs good family men like you.”
Simon looked at his watch. “Well I’m off - have a meeting with the board before the staff meeting today. I’ll see you at 2:00. Just call Janie when you’re ready for the tour - she’s extension 0. And if you have any other questions you can give me a ring - extension 9.”
Simon left and closed the door on a stunned Lee. The man’s happy-go-lucky attitude and loquaciousness had caught Lee off gaurd. He had been expecting someone a little more… well business like. And what was worse, the man thought Amanda’s sons were his and had invited them to a picnic. Somehow this was not working out as Lee had planned.