"No." Ramona soundlessly mouthed, then held out Chelsea's arm as the former OSI chief waved the object over the baby's wrist. Suddenly Rick realized why the detector his father-in-law held went off. His grandchild was wearing a hospital id bracelet, and he knew for a fact the one Chelsea had come home with was saved in the baby book Jamie had started.
"Oh, honey, she's got a rash on her arm…I think Rudy needs to look at her." Rick said aloud, and instantly Laurie got his meaning.
"Honey, why don't you call him, and I'll take Chelsea and clean her arm, see if maybe if she's allergic to something?" she told him, then carried the cooing child to the bathroom. Ramona followed, then held Chelsea as Laurie pulled out a pair of nail scissors and quickly snipped off the plastic band. Grabbing a Kleenex, Laurie gingerly took it and returned to the living room. There she handed it to Oscar, who said loudly, "Rudy can't come today, so maybe you should take the little one to her pediatrician."
"I'll call them right now, Uncle Oscar…good idea." Ramona chimed in, then breathed a sigh of relief as the older man wrapped the bracelet in the Kleenex, then left the room.
Returning a moment later, he somberly told them, "I've put the bug in an envelope in your office, Rick. You can give Ron a call in a few minutes….but just to make sure…Ramona, go ahead and call Dr. Adams. Tell him Chelsea has a rash and see what he or his nurse say."
As her daughter-in-law punched in the number, then hit "speaker", Laurie quietly took over the cooking duties so Rick and A.J. could surreptitiously listen in.
"Hello, Dr. Adams office, Jennifer speaking."
"Yes, Jennifer, it's Ramona Simon…how are you doing?"
As the two women exchanged pleasantries, Robin and Ian Simon and their children arrived, and quickly Oscar took them into the kitchen to brief them on what was going on.
"Jennifer, can I speak with Dr. Adams..I think Chelsea has a rash on her left arm.." Ramona explained.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Mrs. Simon, but Dr. Adams is out of the office this afternoon. Would you like to set up an appointment, I think he might be able to see her tomorrow…." At that Rick nodded, then mouthed, "set it for 2, honey."
"Well, if he's not around…okay, say about 2 pm?" Ramona asked, then wrote down the time on a piece of paper as the receptionist said, "Yes, we open back up at 2, just bring Chelsea at that time, and …" there was a moment where someone else was speaking, then Jennifer came back on.
"Uh, Mrs. Simon, make sure you write down any new medications she might be on and also..does she still have her id bracelet from the hospital on?"
Startled, the young woman looked at Rick and A.J., who glanced at each other before Rick signaled for her to respond, "No."
"No, Jennifer….when we saw the rash on her wrist, I noticed it was around the scratchy part of the band, so I took it off. Of course it's going into her baby book."
Again there was a mumbling sound in the background, then the receptionist replied, "That's okay…just wondering the same thing, I mean, if the wet plastic irritated her skin. Doctor will be able to figure it out. Well, we'll see you tomorrow."
"Yes, thank you." Ramona answered, then hung up the phone as everyone in the room breathed a sigh of relief.
"Dad, that was awful….they already knew Chelsea didn't have that id band on!"
"I know, honey, you did great though…..and I'm sorry you had to fib to that girl, but now we know they're up to something. Now we can call Ron and let him take care of it from here." Rick said, putting an arm around her shoulders.
"I'll call him, Rick….you go ahead and make sure Sis didn't burn the steaks.." A.J. attempted to lighten the moment and Ramona smiled and dropped a kiss on his cheek.
"Thanks, Uncle A.J…..I won't worry since you guys are on the case….now let me see if Mom needs help setting the table."
The relief felt by the senior members of the family lasted until after dinner when Ron Johnson returned A.J.'s call. As Rick came into the living room, he saw his brother's face darken with anger. His stomach dropped, then he felt Laurie come up behind him, and whisper, "Let him tell us, darling." Worried, he sat in his easy chair as Laurie stood next to him.
"You've got to be kidding me…not enough evidence?"
Rick's attention was immediately diverted to A.J.'s angry tone, but he waited until his brother tersely said goodbye, then got up and put a mollifying hand on his shoulder. Just then Linda and Ramona and Robin came back into the living room.
"What is it, A.J.?" Linda was concerned at the expression on his face and went to his side. A.J. disgustedly flopped onto the sofa, then calmed as Linda put an arm around him.
"Ron says the unit investigating the baby selling ring won't help us…not enough evidence against Dr. Adams or his office. And there's not one trace of a connection between the doctor and "Loving Homes". He says that when he asked the detective in charge if he could supply two "inspectors" to check out the home, he was told "this is police business, we do things by the book."
"Why that snotty little…..I bet it was Martin, that brown-noser from the SV department." Rick growled, as Oscar and Rudy Wells came in from the kitchen.
"The one and the same, and the worst part is that Ron would be violating policy if he went against the jerk and his officers. The only thing he can do is treat the trespasser and our suspicions about Adams as a separate case. That means we can lay a trap for this guy, and Ron can have department support, just not a whole lot." A.J. explained with a frown.
"Wait a minute, I think we should cancel the whole thing, appointment and all, if they aren't going to protect Ramona." Robin said with a shiver. Rick saw the fear in his daughter's eyes, and decided to back her up.
"Robin's got something, since Phoenix PD is taking this so lightly, I don't think we ought to risk her or Chelsea."
"No, Dad…" Ramona piped up, surprising the older Simons. Robbie turned to look at her. "Honey?"
"It's true, love, I'd be looking over my shoulder everywhere I go, whereas if Dad or Uncle A.J. and Uncle Oscar were there, and took Chelsea out of harm's way if something happened….." the young woman explained.
"Then we control the situation…." Robbie finished her statement, then reached over and kissed his wife.
Rick had tears in his eyes at the faith Ramona had in them, then heard Oscar clear his throat.
"If, and I say, if we let you take Chelsea to Dr. Adams, I want both a diversion and a back up in on this…" he said firmly, and immediately Rick grinned.
"If you're thinking what I'm thinking….they'd be mad if we left them out of this…"