Going back to the house, Rick started to think about multiple cases of the worst case scenarios about what Lesley could be going through assuming she was still alive because judging by the trail that was left behind Rick couldn't help but think the worst that she was hurt and the animal didn't bother to her or think to care to stop the bleeding.

" Rick this is a serious matter…. Whoever was here decided they had a personal beef with you or your family and really could've done irreversible damage." Robert commented

" Thank you Robert I would think by now you'd know that i'm fully aware that with Lesley's medical history and her current condition, that her life right now is at stake. I'm also fully aware that I very well don't have my wife and I may have just lost everything other than my kids." Rick answered

" Where are the kids.?" Robert asked without hesitation.

" I sent them to stay with Monica and Alan Quartermaine. They can handle hiding the kids for me to keep them safe I did this once before from the last time Lesley was attacked. Robert tell me that you are gonna find my wife! Tell me that you're going to find Lesley?!" Rick got out

" Rick, i'm going to do what I can… Is there a place you can stay for awhile? I'm gonna have to declare the home here a crime scene." Robert asked.

" I'll arrange to stay for a while at Kelly's just please Robert find my wife." Rick said, trying not to sound like he was about to panic.

Rick went upstairs to put a suitcase together and realized that Lesley was without her medication and that meant she was definitely in trouble. " Robert!!!" Rick called out from upstairs

" Rick? What is it?" Robert replied.

" Whomever abducted my wife…. They either didn't listen to her or they brushed it off… because she's without her medication and if she goes without it her chances of survival are slim to none. We have to find her fast.!"

Over the following month and without a trace of where Lesley was, Rick tried his best to continue a normal schedule with his work… Granted Rick knew Lesley was safe and she was taken care of with Jessie's help, something in Rick continued to tell him he had to continue the front that he had no idea what happened in regards to Lesley's disappearance…. Robert on the other hand as much as he hated to think this way and he wished he was wrong, it started to make sense that Rick was involved but for the life in him he didn't know what the extent was of his involvement.

" Bert if I wasn't serious I wouldn't be here…. I think that Rick is involved with Lesley's disappearance and maybe even possibly we could have a murder on our hands. I don't want to believe that Rick is involved with that kind of situation but right now evidence seems to point that Rick is involved."

" I don't agree. Rick is too devoted to being the family man that he is. He put up a hell of a fight with me when his girls were be harassed and Jesslyn nearly committed suicide. He also put up one hell of a fight when she last disappeared and he went out on his own search and rescue… I wanted to arrest him but I didn't because I knew better that he was just looking to save and fight for Lesley."

" Like I said I don't want to believe it either but my gut is telling me that he's involved." Robert repeated.

Back at the hospital Rick was in the middle of his rounds when Steve paged him to his office at Captain Ramsay's request after about a half an hour after Robert left Bert's office.

" Steve if I was aware or if I was to have any more information on Lesley's disappearance don't you think I'd be there telling the police and helping them get to Lesley sooner?"

" I'm not suggesting Rick that you had anything to do with Lesley's disappearance but Captain Ramsay and Robert requested that I page you here to my office. They have more questions."

" In other words you're telling me I'm the prime suspect… That's great… wonderful… Lesley is out there scared and hurt, maybe even dead by now and they're eating precious time with me." Rick expressed

" I don't think it's a waste of time Rick to question you more….. I think you had something to do with Lesley's disappearance and I think you know more about the situation than you're leading on."

" Robert I would never hurt or do something that would endanger Lesley's life. She means everything in my life…."

" That's funny I never said you did… but now I'm more curious as to why you would make that statement."

" You are gonna have to come with us to the station… I'm holding you as a person of interest and on suspicion to possible murder." Robert stated

" Steve call and tell Lee to meet me now…." Rick asked

Sitting in the precinct, Rick stayed quiet at Lee's advised while he wrestled with Robert and Bert on the ridiculous charges.

" I'm sorry Rick…. I couldn't get Robert to back down on this.."

" I know you're trying to help Lee so thank you… I just hope that something turns up."

About 14 hours after Rick's arrest, Ramsay got a helpful break that concluded to Robert on his suspicions that he feels he's right that Rick was involved up to his neck when the forensic files came back that they had found what they were sure of that was Lesley's remains found for buried in trash

" Are they positive that this is Lesley's body for sure.?" Robert asked

" They can't be 100% but they are certain that it's Lesley's body… I'm waiting to hear back from the M.E on the autopsy report."

" Ramsay I don't want to believe that Rick has anything to do with this but you know as well as I do the evidence is uncanny and is pointing that Rick is involved."

" I was hoping we would be wrong but I think you're right that Rick is involved in her murder."

" You're gonna have to charge him with murder. I'm gonna have to speak to the D.A on this."

Waiting with Lee in the interrogation to be released was driving Rick crazy as he knew he was innocently protecting his wife but knew he had to do what he had to even if it meant that he was charged with her murder or disappearance

" Rick Webber you are under arrest for the murder of Lesley Webber. You have the right to remain silent if you give up that right anything you say it can and will be held against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attorney if you cannot afford one then counsel will be provided for you. Do you understand these rights as I've explained them to you?"

" Ramsay, you are making a big mistake. I didn't hurt or kill my wife, she is my whole life."

" I'm sorry Rick but I have to do this. Let's go. I have to process and book you."

After spending the night in jail, Lee and Gail left early to meet Rick at his arraignment and bail hearing.

" On the docket case #41785723 in the matter of the state versus Rick Webber one count murder in the first." court appointed stated

" On the charge of murder in the first degree how does the defendant plead?" judge Donnelly asked

" Not guilty, your honor." Lee answered without hesitation

" People on bail?"

" considering to the ties to the community, the people request that bail be set at $500,000. The investigation is still ongoing but the evidence is uncanny to suggest the defendant's involvement."

" Your honor, my client has no prior convictions or any other involvement with the law and I have requested bail to be set at at least 100,000." Lee suggested

" The people also ask that upon bail, the defendant is to wear an ankle monitor and is placed under house arrest pending trial."

" So ordered. The defendant is to be placed under house confinement and is to wear an ankle monitor pending trial. Bail is set at 30,000." Judge Perkins hits her gravel and calls for the next case.

" It's not gonna be an easy fight Rick but we're off to a good start…. Gail and I are going to post the bail and you can stay with us if you'd like. l would recommend that as your best option."

" Thank you Lee, I appreciate this." Rick stated before he was taken back to lock up

~~~

" I wonder what's going on with Rick… Jessie, it scares me that he's in trouble."

" Lesley Rick can take care of himself…. We have to protect you. That threat to me was meant to frighten me but it was meant as a target to you… faking and staging your murder was the only thing we can think of to really help you."

" Jessie what are you telling me?! What do you mean by this." Lesley asked

" They would've arrested and arraigned Rick for an indiatment for your murder most likely today." Jessie answered

" And you let him do this…. Jessie if he is convicted he'll never have custody or see the kids again….. We have to stop this."

" Lesley…. Steve is appointed guardianship of the kids until this is all sorted out… Robert and everybody is in on this from the D.A to a couple judges and Captain Ramsay.." Jessie explained

" How?"

Jessie explained the whole plan and pointed out that her role will come out as if she was discovered as Lesley's biological mother and she had to appear to be overshadowed by her grief during her testimony and when she would have to give a victim impact statement.

" I still think it's a risky move for Rick to make. But I think this is why I love him…. Rick has been the only one who would do this, he's the only one who'd risk his freedom for me."

~~~

Seeing that bail was set Rick had to stay in the house no exception other than his appearance to court. And while Lesley was against this, she understood what Rick was trying to do and Jessie understood why Lesley wasn't okay with what they were doing to protect her the best way they knew how.

" I hope that Lesley is okay, Lee. I mean I know she's safe with where I put her but it bothers me that I still have to worry about her."

" I'm sure she's fine… the plan to keep her that way has worked out so far. Hopefully it'll smoke out who's trying to go after your family…. Look the trial isn't gonna be long and i'm sure you just might be convicted of her murder."

" I hope I won't be but the hope is I will be to hopefully smoke out whoever's trying to hurt my family."

Rick made his first appearance to court as the prosecutor was on his way and later Lee started his opening statement after the D.A made his and later the first witness to the prosecution was called. What made things appear to be worse was as part of the believable plan, Jessie had to be called to testify as falsified documentation concluded Lesley was in fact the lost child found that Jessie lost nearly 50 years earlier.

" Lesley and I have had our moments where we have been very close… Losing a child… It never gets easier and by that time I had just learned that my daughter's case had became a cold case as her remains were never found. Lesley understood what I was going through and she refused to allow me to brush off what I was thinking and feeling at that time."

" And when did you discover that the victim was in fact your long lost abducted daughter? " ADA Barba stated

" A few weeks before she was discovered missing however I didn't have the heart to tell her that her parents she thought were her real family were in fact not and that she was the victim to a kidnapping that happened years ago."

" Why did you feel you couldn't tell her that she was in fact your lost child?" Barba asked

" The guilt that I carry is still haunting. I was her mother… I'm supposed to be there to protect my child and I wasn't there to stop it from occurring."

" Over the last year, were there any changes between the defendant and the victim.?" ADA Barba asked

" Objection, leading the witness." Lee called out. " sustained." Judge Donnelly answered

" I'll rephrase." ADA Barba started. " over the last year did the victim show any indications that there were any problems between her and the defendant.?"

" Not directly, no. But Lesley has had a few periods where she was afraid or worried that something was bound to happen."

" What did she mean that something was bound to happen?"

" There were times that Rick was rough about certain things especially when they would be in a fight."

" So Lesley was afraid or worried that her husband was gonna become abusive towards her?"

" I can't speak to that. She never spoke much about their private issues."

" No further questions." ADA Barba say down

Following after court, adjourned for that day Rick was pleased at how well his plan had been pulling off and he asked Lee to take Jessie back to the cottage where she and Lesley had been and asked him to check in on Lesley just to see how she was hanging in there.

" Lee, thank you for the ride back…. I hope the act was convincing enough.. you think the jury was buying that Rick would actually hurt or even take Lesley's life?"

" It looks that way. I just hope this plan of his works." Lee commented and went inside with Jessie.

" Lesley…?" Jessie called out.

" Lesley it's Lee I just came to drop her off and check on you."

" How could Rick think that this plan of his was a good idea? Risking his freedom like this! How could you let him do this?"

" Lesley it's not a real trial…. It's all a show to smoke out who's trying to make it known that they're gonna come after you or even the kids." Lee tried to assure Lesley that everything wasn't actually real.

" Lee, could you give a message to Rick for me?" Lesley asked " Tell him while he's going to be in the backyard house for a very long time for doing this, tell him I love him and l'm so grateful that he's my husband."

" I'll tell him when I get home. You hang in there Lesley." Jessie showed Lee out and told him she'd see him tomorrow.

~~~

Over the following few days the trial continued and finally the prosecution called their final witness to testify to the injuries and the autopsy report to the body found in the allyway where the body was found.

" Doctor Warner you have been the Chief Medical Examiner for which department and for how long and where?" ADA Barba asked.

" I have been the C.M.E for the Mattattan SVU department for 32 years but was transferred to general homicide as of 3 years ago."

" As stated in the autopsy, what was the official cause of death to the victim?"

" Lesley Webber was bound at wrists and ankles and had abrasions to the hands, chest, stomach and abdomen as well as abrasions to the thighs. I listed the official cause of death as blunt trauma. She bled internally." Warner testified.

" So it's fair to say that she essentially died as a result of being beaten to death?" ADA Barba asked

" Objection your honor leading the witness." Lee called out

" Sustained witness will answer." Judge Donnelly replied

" I didn't say she had to have been beaten to death. Autopsy showed no bruising or wounds consistent with someone who was beaten. Her 3rd and 4th bilateral Ribs were broken and it was that injury that indicated what the victim died from. She easily could've been pushed or thrown into something that would result in this kind of injury.." Warner answered

" Doctor Warner, you testified just a moment ago that Lesley Webber suffered internal bleeding that was ignored leading to her death. Which was it internal bleeding or a punctured lung?"

" Both intially. When your lung is punctured, you then start to have bleeding that ends up building up in the lung itself. If not caught, say once you're brought in after a vehicle accident, the lung will collapse causing the victim to essentially suffocate. In Lesley's case, Lesley bled into her lungs and chest causing both lungs to collapse."

" Thank you… No further questions… your witness." ADA Barba stated when he went back to his seat.

Lee stood up to start his line of questioning just a moment later.

" Doctor Warner you testified that the victim died of soffocation of her respiratory system is that correct.?" Les asked

" I said that was the injury of several that contributed to her death. She had blunt force trauma to several areas to her body her head included." Warner answered.

" But you don't know for certain that that specific injury was the exact resulting facter to her death isn't that right?" Lee comment

" No I can't say for certain however the injury to her Ribcage did lead to the soffocation which is what I listed as the official cause of death."

" What other injuries did you find on her autopsy?" Lee asked

" Trauma to the head, neck, abdomen and chest." Doctor Warner answered.

" And seeing what Lesley's medical records are, are you aware that after the car accident that nearly left Lesley paralyzed, and after she and Rick welcomed their twin girls, Lesley was on the list for a transplant?" Lee pointed out.

" I noted that in my findings as I looked at her records before I performed the autopsy."

" So you are aware that just shy of 6 years ago Lesley was abducted from general hospital and was later found stripped in an outside shed with her head bashed in out in the middle of nowhere?" Lee asked.

" No I was not aware of what her past history was as a result of, I only recorded what I currently found."

" Thank you. Nothing further." Lee said when walking back to his chair.

" The witness may step down." Judge Donnelly stated " We heard alot of compelling testimony today."

" Your honor in the matter of this case the prosecution has decided to rest it's case." ADA Barba stated.

" As you wish, counselor. We are adjourned until tomorrow morning in which counsel will give their closing arguments." The judge stated and hit her gravel where everyone started to leave the courtroom to go home.

Leading into the early hours of the night Rick started to find it hard to try to get some sleep as he realized that the reality was he was about to really risk his freedom for the woman that he loved most even though he knew it wasn't a true trail that he was on for murder, Rick couldn't help but feel unsettled that he could be possibly convicted for something as heinous as murder and not just any kind of murder but the murder of his beloved wife.

Getting up the following morning Gail was up before dawn incase She saw Rick up and it would give her the chance to talk to him incase he needed someone to talk to before they left to head to the court house.

" Rick, may I join you or would you like to be alone?" Gail asked

" No it's alright, I would love your company." Rick held out a hand for Gail to join him at the table.

" Rick, how are you holding up?" Gail asked

" I'm okay…. Scared that I may actually be convicted of something that didn't actually happen but at least right now I know that Lesley is actually safe and everything with her is okay." Rick answered

" Rick you hold your head up because this case is not over." Gail stated

Everyone was waiting for judge Donnelly to come in from her chambers and shortly enough the judge came in where she requested that everyone sit down before she allowed both counsel to give their arguments and then to where she'd call a recess for the deliberation of the jury.

" I don't think the jury will take long. I pray Rick that I did the best that I can to help you." Lee commented

" Lee I know you're doing the best you can to defend me. The important thing is we're doing everything we can to ensure Lesley is safe once we deal with whomever it is that's wanting to go after her." Rick answered.

" All rise!" The bailiff called out as the jury came back in and Judge Donnelly walked in from chambers.

" You all may take your seat as we continue." Judge Donnelly stated as she sat down " Seeing that everyone is back in their seats we can get started. Has the Jury reached a unanimous verdict?" Judge Donnelly asked.

" We have your honor." The jury answered

" Will the defendant please rise….. Please read the verdict aloud." The judge requested

" We of the jury."