Picture courtesy of Anke Lantin

Lee and Amanda attend a party being given by a Judge Morland. Attorney, Harrison Slater who works for life time mobster, Johnny Selinos has arranged to meet them there. Selinos has decided to turn State’s evidence and Lee is there to meet with Slater so that he can obtain the various statements the mobster has made. Slater has put the all the evidence in his library wall safe but as Lee is filling Amanda in on what they are there for, a waitress, Sally, enters the library and breaks into the safe using an electronic device that cracks the code. She steals the papers and hides them on her person then closes the safe and removes the decoder.

As Lee meets with Slater, Amanda excuses herself to the powder room and opens the door to the library by accident. She sees the waitress, who has just finished hiding everything, and asks the way to the bathroom. Sally tells her and Amanda leaves. Later that evening, all the waitresses leave and the thief tells her friend to go without her as she already has a ride. They go and then a white car pulls up and Sally gets in. She hands over the papers to the two guys, Vic and Malcolm Burling, who are in the car and tells them that she wants out as she nearly got caught. It appears that the brothers are using their waitressing/maid service to break into rich people’s homes and make money. Malcolm reads the papers and hands them to his brother saying that the evidence is worth a lot. Sally threatens to talk to the D.A. unless they pay her off. They do and tell her she’s free to go. However, once she gets out of the car they follow her and force her into a dead end alley where Malcolm shoots her. The brothers then put her body in the trunk of their car and Malcolm takes the money back.

Next day at the Agency, Billy, Francine and Lee are trying to work out how the papers where taken from the safe. Francine points out that they’ll have to start all over again and Lee is disappointed that it’s gone wrong. Amanda arrives, at Billy’s request, but tells her boss that she didn’t see anything. Francine asks if Judge Morland knew anything and Lee tells her that he doesn’t and that he gave strict instructions to the help that the library was out of bounds to the party guests. Only Slater and Lee were allowed in the room. This prompts Amanda to ask if a maid was allowed to be in the room. At Lee’s demand to know ‘what maid’, Amanda explains how she walked in on the woman the night before. Billy says she could be the thief and Lee asks Francine to check with the Judge which catering service he used.

Meanwhile, in a butcher’s warehouse, signed Columbus Meats, the brothers have a meeting with Frankie Columbus, the owner. He’s the mobster that Selinos worked for and ratted on. The brothers get $25,000 off him for the papers they stole and after explaining to Columbus what they do, he offers them protection which Malcolm declines. They go leaving behind a very unhappy Columbus who wants to see Selinos dead.

Back at the Agency, Lee says that if someone is taking classified information from people’s home then it would explain a lot of the leaks in the past. Billy agrees then says that Amanda going to the wrong room is the biggest lead they have. Francine makes a crack about it being a good thing that Amanda’s the type of person to mistake a library for a powder room and Billy then drops the bombshell that she’s to go undercover as a maid for Private Party. Lee thinks the idea of Francine as a maid is hilarious and although indignant at his attitude, Francine can’t name one cleaning product when asked. Billy decides that she’s going to need a lot of help.

Cue Amanda King who has just finished spring cleaning her whole house. She takes the last of the mats outside and hangs them up then starts beating out the dust unaware that Lee has arrived and is standing the other side of the rugs. She apologises and tells Lee she’s been spring cleaning to which Lee replies that she won’t want the job he’s got to offer her as she’s probably worn out. Amanda insists that she’s fine and asks what she has to do. Lee informs her that he wants her to become a maid.

At Private Party, the interviewer, Mrs. Flanagan, seems happy with Amanda but not so impressed with Francine. Mrs. Flanagan gets called away by the brothers mid interview and when she comes back out she introduces Vic and Malcolm to all the women who are applying for a position. Vic tells them that they all have to have a trial run before the final decision is made and that Mrs. Flanagan will be in touch. The women leave and the brothers ask Mrs. Flanagan if anyone looks useful. She says that Amanda seems promising especially because during the interview she said that she needed the money. The brothers say to keep an eye on her and ask where she’s going to be working the next day. Mrs. Flanagan tells them Amanda will be at General Oliver’s garden party.

Next day at the party, Amanda tells Francine that she’s overheard a couple of the other maids talking about being able to earn extra money working at these parties. They decide to try and find out more but as they head out, Francine recognises one the guests as a chap she dated once. Fearing that she’ll be recognised herself, she freezes but Amanda asks her what cover she gave the man. Francine says that she told him she was a model and Amanda replies that now she’s a maid and urges her to try and stay out of the man’s way and if she can’t then to act professional.

Back at the Agency, after the party, Amanda tells Billy how the job works. She explains that they go to the head office, get changed then are taken to the job in a van then brought back. Billy says it’s a good controlled atmosphere then asks Francine if she has any hunches. The agent says that the thefts are definitely at staff level and she can’t see anyone else running the operation apart from the brothers. She also adds that she thinks Mrs. Flanagan is in on it as well. Just then, Lee walks into Billy’s office with a police report and tells them all that Selinos’ body has been found in the trunk of his car. Six months work, up in smoke because the papers had obviously been sold. Billy decides that they’ll get the people who sold the information instead and asks the women what their next job is. Francine says it’s at Senator Wrightwood’s house and Amanda adds that they have to go clean up during the day first.

The next day, Francine and Amanda go to work cleaning the house. Francine tries to get Amanda to clean the guest bathroom for her so that she can have the less ‘disgusting’ chore of cleaning the master suite. Amanda refuses saying that Mrs. Flanagan was insistent that she be the one to clean the room so Francine grudgingly agrees. Later, back at the Private Party office, Amanda has been called in to see the brothers. They tell her that the Senator’s wife has called and reported that a pair of diamond earrings have been stolen. They ask Amanda to empty her bag as she’s the one that cleaned the room. She is shocked but complies and finds the earrings in the bottom of her purse. She hands them over, still shocked, but they tell her that they can arrange for the earrings to be replaced by Mrs. Flanagan the next day during clean-up as long as she does them a favour – steal some papers from the Senator’s office.

She phones Lee and tells him and he’s pleased because it could be the break they need. He arranges to meet Amanda an hour before she’s due to start work and give her some dummy papers that should fool the Burlings. He then says he’ll follow her back to the Burlings office that night and reassures her everything will be fine. That night, job done, Amanda turns up at the office with the papers and goes in. Lee and some other agents go in after her watched from a nearby parked car by Vic. Inside the office, Amanda finds Malcolm Burling dead.

The next day, Amanda, Francine, Lee and Billy are all discussing Malcolm Burling’s demise. They discuss whether Vic could have killed his brother but Lee cuts in and says that Francine and Billy both know the M.O. and only one person could have done it – Columbus.

At the cemetery where Malcolm is buried, Vic is mourning by the graveside when Columbus and his right hand man, Paulie, arrive and drop a huge wreath of flowers on the grave. Columbus offers his sympathy then takes a walk with Vic and says that he told him this would happen because they had no protection. Not realising he’s conversing with his brother’s killer, Vic says he’s willing to work something out.

At the Agency they guess correctly that Columbus made the brother’s an offer which Malcolm refused and paid for. Surmising that Columbus and Private Party are now in league together, Lee suggests that they go on the offensive and get Amanda to go to Vic and Mrs. Flanagan and ask for more work. This time, however, they will supply the bait and hold their own party. Billy loves the idea.

At the party, Lee is mingling using his IFF cover and Billy is using the cover of being the African Minister of Defence and he’s even dressed appropriately! He heads over to talk with Lee who tells him that he’s just planted a list of confidential arms bids in the office. Billy asks if he’s spoken to Amanda yet and Lee says he’s just going to.

Meanwhile, Paulie is acting as a bar steward and a nervous Vic moans about him being there. Paulie says that Columbus just wants him to keep an eye on things.

A few feet away from Vic and Paulie, Lee catches up with the waitressing Amanda and tells her where to find the papers. She, in turn, tells him that she thinks something is up as Vic Burling is attending the party and he never has before. She points him out and goes as Lee wanders over to the two men. Vic gets rid of Paulie by telling him to get some more ice and then asks Lee if he can talk to him. Lee goes with him to a secluded place behind some bushes and Vic explains that he saw Lee on the night his brother was killed and asks if he’s police. Lee says he’s close enough and Vic explains his situation and Lee realises that Vic is worried he’s going to be next on Columbus’ hit list. Lee offers protection but can’t offer anything more but Vic just wants out. Billy then arrives and Lee tells him that Vic’s on their side now. Just then, Paulie appears behind them with a gun and takes Lee’s gun and then Billy’s. Then, he tells them to move so they can leave the party.

Meanwhile, Amanda goes inside to the office to get the papers and as she passes the window she sees Vic, Billy and Lee being forced into a limo outside. She rushes out and finds Francine and tells her that Lee and Billy are in trouble. They go around the front in time to see the car pull away and take off after them in a van.

At the Columbus Meats warehouse, Vic, Billy and Lee are hanging up by their tied hands on meat hooks and Columbus himself is there to do the interrogating – complete with butcher’s knife.

Outside, Francine and Amanda pull up and the agent tells Amanda to go and call for backup while she goes inside. Amanda says that Lee’s done a lot for her and she wants to help and that she wants to go in with her. Francine seems surprised at Amanda’s loyalty to Lee and reluctantly agrees on the understanding that at the first sign of trouble, Amanda leaves.

In the warehouse, Columbus has taken Lee and Billy’s wallets and realises that they’re not police but could be feds. Lee tells Columbus that they and many other people have seen the Selinos papers after the Burlings put them back. Columbus points out that with Selinos dead, they’ve got nothing.

Francine and Amanda creep in unnoticed just as Columbus slices across Lee’s torso, cutting through his tie and shirt. As they hide behind some crates and decide what to do, Amanda comes up with a plan to act as a distraction as she’s known by Vic as being a thief. Francine tells her to speak only to Columbus while she covers Paulie and Columbus’ other man, then adds that when she says jump, she jumps. Amanda agrees and takes a deep breath before walking out. She introduces herself to Columbus and Paulie backs up her story that she is a thief. Columbus likes her and as he turns around, Amanda picks up a large plastic container and smacks him over the back of the head. She then pushes and trolley under Vic, Billy and Lee and they free themselves from the meat hooks.

A fight ensues. Lee takes out Paulie, Billy takes out Columbus and Francine gets the other guy. Just when they think everything is wrapped up, Vic appears with a gun and prepares to run but Amanda suddenly knocks a hanging pig’s carcass into him, pushing him over and Francine grabs the gun. The bad guys are caught.

Francine tells Amanda that she did great and when she and Billy leave with Columbus and his henchman, Lee adds his own glowing praises saying that her bravery saved his life.

The next day at the Agency, Lee has a little present for Francine. He and Amanda discuss the fact that Columbus got arrested as they wait by the blonde agents desk. When Francine arrives, she’s happy about the fact that she arrested Mrs. Flanagan that morning and got to ask her all the embarrassing questions she’d been asked at the Private Party interview – height, weight, age. Lee then hands her the boxed gift and says it’s a little memento of the case. Francine is please until she opens it up and finds a feather duster nestled in the paper. Not amused, she hands it back to a laughing Lee while Amanda tries, but fails, to smother her own amusement.

SCENE’S TO WATCH OUT FOR:

Lee asking Francine how she would clean Billy’s office and he and Billy laughing at the fact that she’s got to go undercover as a maid.

Amanda beating out the mats covering Lee in dust and making him sneeze.

Francine’s interview for Private Party.

Francine and Amanda arguing over who cleans the guest bathroom.

Lee telling Amanda how great she was as they pick up Vic’s unconscious body.

Tag.

ROMANCE:

Another strong friendship episode. Amanda really shows her loyalty to Lee when she stands her ground on entering the warehouse with Francine. She’s appreciative of Lee’s help in the past and wants to be there for him now. It’s a nice moment that’s made even nicer by the fact that she surprises Francine with her commitment, allowing the female agent to finally get a glimpse of the determined person Lee sees quite regularly.

There’s also a rather sweet moment at the end when Francine tells Amanda she did great and it’s almost as if the approval of one of his fellow agents is enough for Lee to actually deliver his own words of praise. And words of praise they are indeed. He tells her she did great and also commends her bravery, saying that her courage saved his life. And from the look he gives her, he definitely means it. Amanda is touched and her huge smile tells us exactly how much it means to her to have him say that.

It was just so good to see Lee finally acknowledge all the terrific work she’d done and comes across as being another tentative step in the right direction of their blossoming, but still as yet unrealised, relationship.

QUOTES:

LEE: I'm really, very sorry Amanda. I know I'm not being very much fun tonight.

AMANDA: Oh that's alright Lee, we never have much fun.

BILLY: Do you realise that Amanda running into that maid last night is the biggest lead we have?

FRANCINE: Yeah, it's a lucky thing for us that she's the type who could mistake the library for the bathroom.

FRANCINE: Uh, Lee! I am a trained…a highly trained agent. I can adopt any cover and make it work.

LEE: Is that so?

FRANCINE: Yes.

LEE: Well, how about a little test? Suppose you had to clean Billy’s office. What would you do?

FRANCINE: Well, I’d…I’d clean…I’d just clean it up.

BILLY: What would you use for the job?

FRANCINE: I would use…cleaning things.

BILLY: Oh boy, she’s gonna need a lot of help on this.

LEE JUST LAUGHS SOME MORE

MRS. FLANAGAN: Uh, Miss Desmond, under height you have 5 8’ or 5 9’ and then, D.O.H. What is D.O.H?

FRANCINE: Depending on heels.

AMANDA: It’s really gonna be kind of fun, I’m sort of excited; we’re working together for the first time.

FRANCINE: Nifty, isn’t it?

FRANCINE: Silly me. After all these years I thought the vacuum was a labour saving device.

FRANCINE: Do you know what that slave driver, Mrs. Flanagan, wants me to do later on?

AMANDA: No.

FRANCINE: Clean the kitchen.

AMANDA: No problem.

FRANCINE: Oh! No problem! That’s easy for you to say. Amanda, I am an expert at hand to hand combat…small arms weaponry…wealthy men between 30 and 40…but definitely not a kitchen person.

AMANDA: What a terrible way for Malcolm Burling to die.

LEE: Yeah, his hands tied behind his back and he had a piano wire around his neck.

FRANCINE: Obvious suicide.

AMANDA: Francine I might be able to help. Lee's done an awful lot for me and if there's a chance that I can help him then I want to do it.

LEE: You were great Amanda.

AMANDA: Well, I really didn't do so much.

LEE: No, no you were absolutely….that was great, that was great. I mean you went undercover. You kept your eyes open. You got Francine. You followed us here tonight and look, I mean it took a lot of courage to walk into this room Amanda, really it did and I just wanna say that, well, your bravery saved my life.