ODDS ON A DEAD PIGEON

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At a hotel in DC, and agent called Credle is having lunch with Amanda. He says he always thought she and Lee were an item but Amanda cuts him off with a kiss and says that they’re not. She then asks for the key to the room and tells him that she’ll go up and he can follow. Up in the room, Amanda lets him in and they kiss heatedly. He asks again if there’s anything between her and Lee and she assures him there isn’t. He starts to undress and comments that when he ran into her earlier, he never would have thought they’d end up at a hotel. Amanda agrees and takes his jacket and gun from him over to the bed where she sits down, grabbing a pillow and holding it on her lap. Credle tells her that he remembers seeing her the first time at the Agency and noticing how lost she looked but because she was always with Lee he never made a move. He undoes his tie and walks over to the end of the bed, saying that it’s funny how things work out. Amanda agrees then stands up, still holding the pillow in front of her and suddenly shoots Credle through it with his own gun. She then drops the pillow and just stares at the dead man coldly.

Some time later at the Agency, Lee, Francine and Billy discuss Credle’s death and try to figure out what the connection is between his murder and another agent’s called, Trellawgan. Both where killed by their own gun in a hotel room that had the bed turned down. Billy is surprised that Credle was at the hotel room at three in the afternoon because he was married and Billy didn’t think Credle was a ‘player’. Lee agrees and says that the other agents are starting to get nervous because two agents have been killed in the last two weeks. Lee suggests that instead of Credle and Trellawgan being connected somehow, someone may just be having a random run at the Agency. Billy agrees and puts the unit on alert with immediate effect, saying that everyone cans their social life until they find out what’s going on. He then orders Francine to check the last six months records of Credle and Trellawgan just in case something does connect the two. Lee says he’ll go back to the hotel and see if he get find out more about the woman the Credle was with.

At Amanda’s house the Junior Trailblazer’s are having a meeting to discuss the camping trip they are going on to a National Park.

Elsewhere in the city, Amanda’s double, Karen Brinkman, is at an apartment with her employer, Gordon Reading. Gordon shows Karen a video of Amanda and her family and asks her to tell him who they are. She objects at having to go over it again but he tells her that after paying her $100,000 each for killing Credle and Trellawgan and him being willing to pay $250,000 for Lee, she should indulge him. She reels off the family members names and then reaches for a cigarette. Gordon admonishes her, saying that Amanda doesn’t smoke and she, Karen, reeks of the stuff. He tells her that it’s the little things that can get her caught. Karen arrogantly tells him that she’s the best at her job that his, or anyone else’s money can buy. She reminds him that he learned of her when he was serving a jail term whereas she’s never seen the inside of a prison. She reiterates that she does what she does very, very well. He counters that she has to be perfect and she claims she is. She’s worked on copying Amanda King for months. She has her face, has the same voice and speech patterns and even has the same wardrobe. Karen even states that Amanda’s own mother wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. Gordon is not convinced and says that Amanda’s mother is the one she has to fool then adds that there’s something still not quite right with her and plays the video again. Karen has had enough and pauses the tape saying that she got rid or Credle and Trellawgan and can’t understand why he’s doubting she’ll get Lee. Gordon says that Lee’s closer to her than the other two but Karen points out that they’re not as close as he thought because they’re not lovers, they only work together. Gordon knows this and is frustrated at not knowing where the Agency is situated. Karen says it’s the one thing she couldn’t ask because she’s supposed to work there. She then apologises for losing her temper at him, saying that she wants to get it over with as much as he does. He disagrees saying that she hasn’t spent the last seven years of her life planning this, like he has – six of those being spent in jail where Lee put him after killing his brother. Karen then tells him that Amanda is going away for the weekend with the Juniors Trailblazers and her family. She explains that once Amanda leaves, she’ll move in. Gordon asks what will happen if Lee doesn’t contact her and she replies that she’ll think of something else. Either way, Lee’s a dead pigeon.

Back at Amanda’s house, she and Dotty are loading up the car with their camping equipment and they and the boys leave. Parked outside, Karen sees them go and lets herself into the house. She makes herself at home and helps herself to an alcoholic drink then starts going through Amanda’s mail. At Gordon’s place he’s getting nervous and calls Karen to see what’s happening. She tells him that while she’s talking to him, the line will be busy if Lee calls and puts the phone down. A few minutes later, Lee does indeed call. He says that they’re short handed at the Agency and could really use her help but he couldn’t remember if she was camping this weekend or next. Karen says that it’s this weekend but she wasn’t feeling well so she stayed behind while Dotty and the boys went. Lee’s sympathetic but Karen says she thinks it was just an allergy and she’s fine now and would like to help. Pleased, Lee asks how long it’d take her to get there and she tells him that her car’s not working. Lee offers to pick her up and she says that she’ll leave the door unlocked for him in case she’s upstairs and doesn’t hear him arrive.

Lee arrives at Amanda’s house and Karen sits in her car opposite watching him walk up the front path. As he approaches he notices the front door’s slightly open and calls out for Amanda. When she doesn’t reply, he gets out his gun then backs up against the side of the door and pushes it open. Karen has rigged a shotgun to go off when the door opens and she watches in dismay as her plan fails, the gun missing him entirely. Annoyed, she drives off and Lee enters the house taking note of the mess the place is in. Dirty dishes in the sink, half empty tumbler of drink, a pack of cigarettes and saucepans left on the cooker – so unlike the Amanda he knows.

Back at the Agency, Francine tells Billy that she’s cross referenced Credle and Trellawgan going back a year but can’t find any link between the two. Lee arrives and tells them that he thinks something’s happened to Amanda. Her bed’s been slept in but she’s not there, plus, the house is a mess. Billy smiles and reminds him that she’s away but Lee tells him that she didn’t go because he spoke to her and he suspects that someone was telling her what to say. He then goes on to explain about the rigged shotgun and Francine asks if he ever worked with Credle and Trellawgan. Lee confirms that he did, seven years before, which then prompts Billy to remember Gordon Reading. Billy asks if he’s still in prison and Lee says he should be and should’ve got life, not just ten to twenty for espionage. Billy leaves his office to go and check whether Gordon is out, leaving Lee to tell Francine about the case. Gordon and his brother had an electronics firm that was doing well but he got greedy and started selling secrets to the highest bidder. The bust went bad and Lee killed Gordon’s brother. Lee adds that there was a lot of money involved but it was never found. Billy comes back in and tells them that Gordon was out in six years, which means he’s been free for the best part of a year but it was only about a month ago he stopped checking in with his parole officer. Billy tells Lee that it’s time to keep him under wraps. Lee objects saying he can take care of himself but he’s worried about where Amanda is.

Amanda is, in fact, back home after Jaime fell on some Poison Oak and was feeling too uncomfortable to stay. The boys go in and as she and Dotty unload the car, Karen drives by and isn’t best pleased to find they’re home. She goes and tells Gordon then says that they need to get rid of Amanda because there can’t be two of them walking around the house…and she needs to be in the house because it’s the only sure way they have that Lee will contact her. Gordon asks how she’s going to get rid of Amanda, but Karen tells him that she’s not…he is.

That evening at Amanda’s house, Dotty and Amanda are wearing gloves and are waiting for the police to arrive as the mess Karen left behind makes them think they’ve been burgled. Nothing’s been taken however, and luckily, just as Lee appears at the kitchen window, Dotty remembers her mother’s silver and goes to check on it. Amanda steps outside to talk to Lee and he says no to worry as the guy is after him. Amanda says she doesn’t know what he’s talking about and Lee reminds her of the phone conversation they had that afternoon. Naturally, Amanda tells him she didn’t talk to him and Lee’s confused but tells her to take the family to a hotel for the night and then meet him back at the house the next day so they can have a good look around. She agrees.

Next day, Amanda is at the house when Gordon turns up dressed as a mail man and hands her a parcel, saying it’s special delivery. She signs for it then goes and sits down and opens it. As she takes the lid off the shoe box inside, something sprays up at her and she stands up then drops the box before falling to the floor unconscious. Out of the box then slithers a coral snake, heading for her prone form. A few moments later, Lee arrives and when Amanda doesn’t answer his ring on the doorbell, he goes around the back and looks in through the window. Seeing her lying on the floor with a snake moving towards her, Lee breaks in through the back door. Grabbing a wastebasket, he empties it out and places it over the snake, containing it. He then goes to Amanda to check if she’s alright. She wakes up briefly and he carries her to the couch then grabs some tongs and puts the snake into a tin box just as Amanda wakes up again.

Outside, Gordon and Karen watch the house and see Lee and Amanda leave in Lee’s car. Gordon urges Karen to kill them now but Karen says that she will tell Gordon when she decides to do it.

Lee takes Amanda to the local hospital and asks for tests to be run while the lab boys at the Agency run tests on the vial of gas that knocked Amanda out. Amanda says she feels fine and doesn’t want to stay in hospital so Lee asks if she’ll do it for his peace of mind and she agrees.

In the hospital parking lot, Karen and Gordon sit in a car having followed the two spies. They see Lee leave and Gordon once again urges Karen to kill him but she has other plans and drives off to ‘get a few things’.

Meanwhile, at the Agency, Francine tells Billy that they can’t find Gordon or his accomplice. They’re not checked into any hotel in DC, large or small, nor with any rental agency because Francine has shown his picture to all of them and nothing. Billy surmises that the woman must have checked them in and they don’t have an ID on her at all. Just then, Lee walks in and tells hands the box containing the snake to Francine. He then tells them about what happened to Amanda and asks if they have any further news on Gordon. They say no and Lee heads off back to the hospital.

At the hospital, Gordon turns up in an ambulance and pulls out a stretcher from the back. Dressed in exactly the same clothes as Amanda, Karen then enters the hospital and Gordon follows a couple of seconds later. Gordon waits by reception until the nurse gets a phone call and then leans over to find out Amanda’s room number. He then goes there where he’s joined by Karen. Inside, Amanda is talking to Dotty on the phone when Karen enters. Not realising she’s there, Amanda puts the phone down then looks up, shocked to see herself staring back at her. Karen stays at the hospital posing as Amanda and waits for Lee. Gordon takes Amanda to a half finished high rise building, somewhere in DC and ties her up. He’s amazed at how perfect the likeness is between her and Karen and proceeds to tell Amanda how the first two men he hired to kill Lee had been killed themselves. Then he talks about Karen and how he got the idea for substituting her for Amanda when he saw how close in colouring and build she was. He says that Karen is in her place, Lee drops his guard and is killed. For a moment, Amanda thinks Lee is dead but then Gordon says ‘he will be soon’.

At the hospital, Lee goes to visit Amanda and tells her that he’s spoken to the doctor and she can go when she wants. Karen says that she wants to go now but before he agrees, Lee sits down and apologises for getting her mixed up in everything. Karen says not to worry and Lee pauses for a moment to look at her. She asks if anything’s wrong and Lee says he was going to ask the same thing. Karen says that she just hates hospitals and wants to go home. Lee believes what she says and then tells her that she still has to stay at the hotel until they find Gordon. Karen nods and then they leave. Once outside, Lee talks about Gordon and says he wishes he knew where they could find him. Karen says not to worry as she can take him right to him. She then pulls a gun out of her purse and shoves it to his stomach telling him to not try anything as they have Amanda. Lee hands over his gun and she tells him to get in the car. He asks who she is but she doesn’t tell him instead saying that she might go for the Nordic look next or did he prefer the ‘Amanda’ look. Lee says he prefers the real one and then they drive over to where Gordon is holding Amanda.

They go up to the top of the construction and Gordon appears with Amanda. He lets her go and she moves to the side and starts cutting her ropes on the edge of an iron column. Karen stands next to Gordon and asks if he wants to kill Lee or watch. Gordon says he’ll watch but for her to make it slow and start with a kneecap. She aims, but Amanda is free and lifts a wooden plank, knocking the gun out of Karen’s hand and to the edge of the building. Amanda runs for the gun, while Lee fights Gordon. Karen also goes for the gun and the two women get into a tussle, ending with the gun going over the edge and both the women following. Lee knocks out Gordon then dashes over to where the women are dangling over the edge, hanging on for dear life. Lee has a decision to make. It’s not until one of the Amanda’s says, oh my gosh, that Lee knows which is the real one and pulls her to safety as Karen falls to her death.

That evening, Amanda and her family are back at home. Dotty and boys go upstairs and Lee turns up at the back door. He asks if she’s okay and she says she is then he goes on to tell Amanda that Gordon won’t be getting out on parole this time. She’s glad and starts babbling about how it was strange to see someone who looks exactly like her. Even though, as a child, she’d always wanted a twin so they could have alternate days at school, seeing someone that could walk straight into her life and take her place – very strange. Lee assures her that no-one could ever take her place. Just then, one of the boys calls out to remind her to put marshmallows on the hot chocolate and she tells Lee he’s right – no-one can take her place because she’s the only one who knows where she hides the marshmallows and they laugh.

SCENE’S TO WATCH OUT FOR:

The opening scene where ‘Amanda’ is with Credle – shocker!

Lee and Amanda’s confusing conversation about the phone call.

Lee and the hospital doctor walking down the corridor talking about Amanda like she isn’t there even though she’s walking just behind them, trying to get their attention.

Karen pulling a gun on a surprised Lee in the hospital parking lot and their subsequent conversation in the car.

Lee having to choose which ‘Amanda’ to save.

Tag.

ROMANCE:

Really nice episode that mainly shows us glimpses of how Lee is becoming to care about Amanda. After being nearly shot at her house, he heads straight for the Agency to tell Billy about the fact Amanda’s missing. What I like about this was the way Billy smiled at Lee when he patiently reminded him that Amanda was away for the weekend. Yeah…Billy’s smile…said it all really. It said, ‘you can’t fool me, I know you like her more than you admit otherwise you wouldn’t be so worried.’ It was as good as seeing Lee worried enough that he actually told Francine to ‘can it’ when she made a flip remark about Amanda being a secret drinker and smoker – gone are the days when he’d laugh and make a snide comment back, it seems.

Another sweet moment is when Lee rushes in to save Amanda from the snake. He’s so gentle with her and worried, it’s just one of those ‘moments’ where actions speak louder than words. He picks her up and carries her to the couch and his tone is so soothing when he agrees that she should just rest. Then, when he takes her to the hospital, he wants every test the doctor can think of run just to make sure she’s okay even though she says she’s fine – how sweet is that? Well, very sweet according to Amanda when Lee then asks her to stay at the hospital for his own peace of mind. It’s a touching moment that stuns Amanda for a couple of seconds after she half clarifies what he means. When it hits her, she’s pleased and tells him that he’s very sweet. Just another tiny scrap of evidence that shows how much he cares.

I also like the scene where Lee apologises to Amanda (Karen) in the hospital and pauses for a moment, knowing that something isn’t quite right with her. I think it shows that there’s more feelings between them than mere friendship if he can suspect something that’s really, very subtle. Nice. And, of course, when Karen asks what type he prefers, the Nordic look or the, ‘Amanda’ look, Lee’s reply of, ‘the real one, yeah’ is so telling. I know, I know, he’s angry at being duped and worried about Amanda, but still, to me, it says a lot about how much he cares and likes Amanda, maybe even a little bit more than that by now, but still so unwilling to admit it to himself.

Also love the part where he has to choose who to save and knows her so well that, ‘oh my gosh’, is enough for him to know it’s her – so sweet and a couple of lovely hugs for good measure too. First one? Understandable. Second hug? Happiness and comfort with just a smidgen of ‘because they wanted to’ thrown in. J

And lastly, the tag is just so cute. As Amanda babbles on about wanting a twin when she was younger, Lee’s face is a picture as he tries to keep with what she’s saying and when she finishes with the comment that someone could just walk into her life and take her place, he just has to say that no-one could ever do that.

So, Lee and Amanda, friends? Yes, very much so. Love yet? Getting there in a big way J

QUOTES: 

LEE: Did you see the description they have on that woman with Credle? Average. Now what is that supposed to mean, average?

BILLY: It means no one was paying attention.

LEE: Yeah. 

FRANCINE: Discretion is the better part of hotel keeping.

LEE: Well, I’m going to find her. I want to see just what kind of woman can set up two of the best agents that we had.

KAREN: This weekend Mrs. King and her mother and two boys will be going on a camping trip with the Junior Trailblazers. Soon as they're gone I'll move in.

GORDON: Yes and if Stetson doesn't contact you before they're back?

KAREN: I'll think of something else Gordon. Lee Stetson is a dead pigeon.

LEE: What’s the harm in running a few tests…

AMANDA: I don’t wanna…

LEE: …for your own peace of mind?

AMANDA: I don’t need any peace of mind. I’m have perfect peace of mind.

LEE: Okay…okay…for mine, hm?

AMANDA: You mean that…?

LEE NODS

LEE: Come on, you’re in here. (He gestures to the room behind him). Come on. (He takes hold of her arm when she doesn’t move)

AMANDA: Lee? That’s really, very sweet.

LEE: Is there anything more on Reading, anything at all?

BILLY: Zip. We know he’s here, we just can’t find him.

LEE: Yeah. Well, try not to worry Billy, I have a feeling he’ll be trying to find me.

LEE: Yeah, I thought we had a line on all the top guns. I’m impressed.

KAREN: I’m very excited that I impress you.

KAREN: How do you feel about the Nordic type? I think that might be my next look or do you prefer this Amanda look, hmm?

LEE: The real one, yeah.

KAREN: You know I was really disappointed to find that you and she are only business acquaintances. Could have been interesting, you're very attractive. Do you find me attractive?

LEE: I don't know, I've never seen you.

AMANDA: How did you know it was me?

LEE: Look, who else do I know who's last words would be 'oh my gosh'?

AMANDA: To really look at somebody who looks exactly like you, who could just walk right into your life and take your place…

LEE: Amanda, I don't think ANYONE could pull that off.

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