Chapter 3
Entering the first floor entrance of their office building, Rick got a cold feeling, like something bad was about to happen. His steps echoed weirdly in the dark corridor, and he felt uneasy as he climbed the stairs to their office. Trying the handle on the suite door, Rick found it was unlocked, and opening it, called out, "I'm here, now where's my wife?" Out of the darkness, a strange voice came, "Come in Mr. Simon, shut the door behind you, but don't touch the lights." He moved forward, "I came like you said, now, where's Laurie?" Behind him, he heard a creaking noise, and turning, saw in the dim light the closet door open. "Inside, Mr. Simon, you'll find her inside", the voice vibrated like feedback. Rick went toward the open door, only to feel a pair of hands shove him in the back. Off balance, he went into the closet, sprawling on the tiny floor, and heard the door slam behind him.
Getting to his feet, he pressed a light on his watch, and using it as a flashlight, shone it in front of him, then to the side, where he saw Laurie, slumped on the floor. Panicked, he bent over and lifted her up, pulling a scarf from her mouth.
He heard a deep breath, then "Rick, no", she moaned, starting to come to. "Sweetheart, it's all right, wake up." He held her close to him, and found her wrists bound with tape. He ripped off the bindings and then rubbed her wrists, careful not to put pressure on her bad hand. "Just hold on to me, Laurie, I'm going to get Towne and A.J., they'll get us out." "Rick, it's a trap, the door's electrified," she whispered, fully conscious now. "I heard a man's voice say if you tried to force it, an electrical charge will go off, so familiar, wish I could remember". "It's ok, we'll figure it out," he replied, speaking into the transmitter in his pocket, "A.J., Towne, come in".
He got a earful of static, then "Rick, where are you, someone just came out of the office." Just then smoke started to enter under the door. "A.J., get in here, we're locked in the closet and they set the office on fire." "Coming in, Towne's going to take this guy down! Hang on!" came his brother's voice. Rick heard the inner door burst open, then a glow started to come in the slats of the door. "A.J., don't touch the doorknob, it's booby-trapped, " he yelled. There was silence except for the crackling noise of the fire, then, "I see it, stand away from the door", his brother yelled. Rick pulled his wife into his arms, then stood close to the Back wall. There was a flash, then smoke billowed into the tiny prison. Rick felt a hand on his shoulder, pulling at him. "Rick, this way!" A.J. yelled in his ear. Keeping his head low, Rick put his arm around Laurie and the two of them followed the younger Simon out of the closet and dashed out of the office. Coughing and choking on the thick smoke that trailed after them, the trio stumbled down the stairs, only to find Towne at the bottom of the flight, directing two firemen upstairs.
"Good work, A.J.," he panted, helping lead them outside into the cold afternoon air. The younger Simon plopped down on the steps, gasping for air. "Rick, are you two ok?" he coughed, as his brother and Laurie collapsed next to him. Rick nodded, then brushed the hair from her eyes, holding her as she took in a deep breath. She looked at the two brothers, and managed a smile. "Thank God you guys found me, I feel so stupid following for that trick. The voice was so familiar, I thought it was Officer Nelson at the door." A.J. gave her a kiss, and then told Rick, "I'll be right back, I should let them know we got our firebug."
Laurie looked up at Towne, "When you said he wasn't on duty, I started to shut the door, only he forced it open and grabbed me by the throat. He showed me a gun and used that horrible voice, saying he'd kill everyone in the house if I made a sound. That's when he dragged me out." The detective swore under his breath, then reached down to hug her, saying "You're not stupid, hon, this guy is a madman, he's got a long history of crimes against women, I think his threats against Rick and A.J. were just a smoke screen." She returned the embrace, then shaking her head, said, "It doesn't make sense though, 'cause I thought I heard two voices. someone stuck a cloth over my nose, but just before I blacked, I heard something.."
She put a hand to her head, "I wish I could identify that voice, it was so familiar." Rick put his arms around her and said, "It's all right, sweetheart, it'll come to you. Right now, I want you to go to the hospital for them to check you out." "Ok, but you two should come too, in case you have smoke inhalation." She looked around, "Rick, where'd A.J. go?" He grinned, "he went to tell Gary we caught our attacker, bet he'll be relieved to hear that." Laurie jumped up, nearly toppling over in her haste.
"Rick, Towne, that's who I heard, it's Gary, he's out to kill us because we're standing in A.J.'s way!"
Rick stared at her, "Sweetheart, what are you talking about, we've known Gary for years, he wouldn't do anything like that!"
"Rick, it's true, I remember now, he kept arguing with someone, not to kill us, just get us out of the way so someone, I don't know who, would have a chance with A.J. We've got to stop him!"
Towne looked at her frantic expression, "I hate to say it, Rick, but she might have something. Who else would have been one step ahead of us the whole time, but someone who knew our plans."
Laurie stamped her foot in frustration, "Rick, if you don't believe me, fine, I'm going to stop that maniac", then took off at a wobbly run. Both men ran after her, and catching up with her at the door of the building management, Rick grabbed her by the arm. "Laurie, wait!" She stopped, frustrated as her husband said, "I'm sorry, I believe you. Stay out here and Towne and I will go in." She opened her mouth to argue with him, but he kissed her instead, and as he let her go, he added, "Please wait here, Towne's called for back up." "Ok." she replied, reluctantly. "Be careful."
Rick led the way into the building, and hearing voices, quickened his pace to the end of the main corridor, where he halted, waiting for Towne to catch up to him.
Suddenly the voices became louder, and they heard A.J., in disbelief, say, "I don't believe you, how could you try to kill my brother and sister-in-law, and say it was all for me!" The voice of Gary Allen answered, "A.J., I didn't want to kill them, but you had such a promising future as an attorney, and all these years you threw it away to keep your brother out of trouble.
Now, you have a chance for a real future. She's waited all this time for you to realize your potential, can't you see it's for your own good to give up your partnership?" "No! All I see is that you tried to kill me, terrorize Laurie and take my brother from me, and for what, for Marla?
Put that gun away, I won't go with you!" Rick heard the fury in his brother's voice, and tried the door, only to find it locked. He backed up and kicked It in, gun drawn. Before him was his brother, sprawled on the floor, apparently having been knocked down by the man before him, holding a gun on him. As he turned, Rick shot the weapon out of Allen's hand, causing the building manager to grasp his hand in pain. Staring at him with narrowed eyes, he said "A.J., are you all right?" "Yeah, just sore," his brother said, getting a hand up from Towne.
"How did you know about him," he said, indicating their former friend, head down in dejection. Rick grinned, "Laurie, she remembered who sounded so familiar. When Gary here grabbed her from our house, he slipped and used his own voice. She overheard him and someone talking about having a chance with you if we were out of the way."
A.J. smiled wryly back, "She's really my guardian angel, isn't she? Where is she?"
"Right here, so nobody move or she really will be an angel". A cold voice came from behind Allen, and Rick froze as his daughter Marla appeared through a back door, holding a struggling Laurie in a headlock and leveling a pistol at the three men. "Marla, no," her father said, lifting his head to stare at his daughter. "There's no way out, it's over, let her go." "No, dad, this interfering bitch is our ticket out, Rick, you and the cop put your guns down or she's dead", the woman said, jerking her arm into Laurie's throat and causing her to gasp. Rick reluctantly started to lower his weapon, only to see his wife mouth the word "faint" at him.
Pretending to lower his gun, he pleaded with Marla, "don't hurt her, she can't breathe!" Just then Laurie moaned "I feel faint", then started to slide out of the woman's grasp. Startled, Allen's daughter dropped her arm away from Laurie's neck, prompting her to stomp on Marla's foot, then lower her shoulder and judo throw her to the ground. Allen saw this and yelling, "No!" went for his gun.
Rick pushed Laurie towards A.J.and the two tumbled to the floor as Allen came up firing, with Towne emptying his service revolver at the desperate man. Once the shooting stopped, Rick grabbed a set of cuffs from the detective and secured the Allen woman, then came over to A.J. and Laurie, who was sitting up holding her arm. Seeing his brother was unhurt, he dropped to one knee "Sweetheart, are you all right, did she hurt you?" "My hand, Rick, I think I broke it when I threw her." A.J. put an arm around her as Rick gently raised her sleeve to reveal a rapidly swelling wrist.
"Laurie, I'm going to take you to the hospital, ok?" She nodded, and picking her up in his arms, Rick carried her outside with A.J.'s help.
Once there were in Towne's car, Rick put his arm around Laurie, who buried her head in his shoulder and started to shake. Startled, he looked over at his brother, who patted her on the back And said "It's ok, honey, let it out." Rick held her until her sobs Diminished, then raised her face and kissed the tears from her eyes. "Darling, it's all right, you're safe." She drew a shuddering breath and said "I'm ok, I was frightened out of my mind. It's so dumb, I didn't know she was out to get rid of us. She asked me why I was waiting outside and when I told her what her father had done, she grabbed me around the neck and forced me inside."
Rick whispered "I'm sorry, my brave girl, forgive me for doubting you." "Oh Rick, there's nothing to forgive, you didn't know your friend was behind this nightmare," she sniffed. "I only wanted to protect you two."
He handed her a Kleenex, making her smile as she tried to blow her nose one handed, then said, "You did, my love, now it's our turn to take care of you."
Entering the first floor entrance of their office building, Rick got a cold feeling, like something bad was about to happen. His steps echoed weirdly in the dark corridor, and he felt uneasy as he climbed the stairs to their office. Trying the handle on the suite door, Rick found it was unlocked, and opening it, called out, "I'm here, now where's my wife?" Out of the darkness, a strange voice came, "Come in Mr. Simon, shut the door behind you, but don't touch the lights." He moved forward, "I came like you said, now, where's Laurie?" Behind him, he heard a creaking noise, and turning, saw in the dim light the closet door open. "Inside, Mr. Simon, you'll find her inside", the voice vibrated like feedback. Rick went toward the open door, only to feel a pair of hands shove him in the back. Off balance, he went into the closet, sprawling on the tiny floor, and heard the door slam behind him.
Getting to his feet, he pressed a light on his watch, and using it as a flashlight, shone it in front of him, then to the side, where he saw Laurie, slumped on the floor. Panicked, he bent over and lifted her up, pulling a scarf from her mouth.
He heard a deep breath, then "Rick, no", she moaned, starting to come to. "Sweetheart, it's all right, wake up." He held her close to him, and found her wrists bound with tape. He ripped off the bindings and then rubbed her wrists, careful not to put pressure on her bad hand. "Just hold on to me, Laurie, I'm going to get Towne and A.J., they'll get us out." "Rick, it's a trap, the door's electrified," she whispered, fully conscious now. "I heard a man's voice say if you tried to force it, an electrical charge will go off, so familiar, wish I could remember". "It's ok, we'll figure it out," he replied, speaking into the transmitter in his pocket, "A.J., Towne, come in".
He got a earful of static, then "Rick, where are you, someone just came out of the office." Just then smoke started to enter under the door. "A.J., get in here, we're locked in the closet and they set the office on fire." "Coming in, Towne's going to take this guy down! Hang on!" came his brother's voice. Rick heard the inner door burst open, then a glow started to come in the slats of the door. "A.J., don't touch the doorknob, it's booby-trapped, " he yelled. There was silence except for the crackling noise of the fire, then, "I see it, stand away from the door", his brother yelled. Rick pulled his wife into his arms, then stood close to the Back wall. There was a flash, then smoke billowed into the tiny prison. Rick felt a hand on his shoulder, pulling at him. "Rick, this way!" A.J. yelled in his ear. Keeping his head low, Rick put his arm around Laurie and the two of them followed the younger Simon out of the closet and dashed out of the office. Coughing and choking on the thick smoke that trailed after them, the trio stumbled down the stairs, only to find Towne at the bottom of the flight, directing two firemen upstairs.
"Good work, A.J.," he panted, helping lead them outside into the cold afternoon air. The younger Simon plopped down on the steps, gasping for air. "Rick, are you two ok?" he coughed, as his brother and Laurie collapsed next to him. Rick nodded, then brushed the hair from her eyes, holding her as she took in a deep breath. She looked at the two brothers, and managed a smile. "Thank God you guys found me, I feel so stupid following for that trick. The voice was so familiar, I thought it was Officer Nelson at the door." A.J. gave her a kiss, and then told Rick, "I'll be right back, I should let them know we got our firebug."
Laurie looked up at Towne, "When you said he wasn't on duty, I started to shut the door, only he forced it open and grabbed me by the throat. He showed me a gun and used that horrible voice, saying he'd kill everyone in the house if I made a sound. That's when he dragged me out." The detective swore under his breath, then reached down to hug her, saying "You're not stupid, hon, this guy is a madman, he's got a long history of crimes against women, I think his threats against Rick and A.J. were just a smoke screen." She returned the embrace, then shaking her head, said, "It doesn't make sense though, 'cause I thought I heard two voices. someone stuck a cloth over my nose, but just before I blacked, I heard something.."
She put a hand to her head, "I wish I could identify that voice, it was so familiar." Rick put his arms around her and said, "It's all right, sweetheart, it'll come to you. Right now, I want you to go to the hospital for them to check you out." "Ok, but you two should come too, in case you have smoke inhalation." She looked around, "Rick, where'd A.J. go?" He grinned, "he went to tell Gary we caught our attacker, bet he'll be relieved to hear that." Laurie jumped up, nearly toppling over in her haste.
"Rick, Towne, that's who I heard, it's Gary, he's out to kill us because we're standing in A.J.'s way!"
Rick stared at her, "Sweetheart, what are you talking about, we've known Gary for years, he wouldn't do anything like that!"
"Rick, it's true, I remember now, he kept arguing with someone, not to kill us, just get us out of the way so someone, I don't know who, would have a chance with A.J. We've got to stop him!"
Towne looked at her frantic expression, "I hate to say it, Rick, but she might have something. Who else would have been one step ahead of us the whole time, but someone who knew our plans."
Laurie stamped her foot in frustration, "Rick, if you don't believe me, fine, I'm going to stop that maniac", then took off at a wobbly run. Both men ran after her, and catching up with her at the door of the building management, Rick grabbed her by the arm. "Laurie, wait!" She stopped, frustrated as her husband said, "I'm sorry, I believe you. Stay out here and Towne and I will go in." She opened her mouth to argue with him, but he kissed her instead, and as he let her go, he added, "Please wait here, Towne's called for back up." "Ok." she replied, reluctantly. "Be careful."
Rick led the way into the building, and hearing voices, quickened his pace to the end of the main corridor, where he halted, waiting for Towne to catch up to him.
Suddenly the voices became louder, and they heard A.J., in disbelief, say, "I don't believe you, how could you try to kill my brother and sister-in-law, and say it was all for me!" The voice of Gary Allen answered, "A.J., I didn't want to kill them, but you had such a promising future as an attorney, and all these years you threw it away to keep your brother out of trouble.
Now, you have a chance for a real future. She's waited all this time for you to realize your potential, can't you see it's for your own good to give up your partnership?" "No! All I see is that you tried to kill me, terrorize Laurie and take my brother from me, and for what, for Marla?
Put that gun away, I won't go with you!" Rick heard the fury in his brother's voice, and tried the door, only to find it locked. He backed up and kicked It in, gun drawn. Before him was his brother, sprawled on the floor, apparently having been knocked down by the man before him, holding a gun on him. As he turned, Rick shot the weapon out of Allen's hand, causing the building manager to grasp his hand in pain. Staring at him with narrowed eyes, he said "A.J., are you all right?" "Yeah, just sore," his brother said, getting a hand up from Towne.
"How did you know about him," he said, indicating their former friend, head down in dejection. Rick grinned, "Laurie, she remembered who sounded so familiar. When Gary here grabbed her from our house, he slipped and used his own voice. She overheard him and someone talking about having a chance with you if we were out of the way."
A.J. smiled wryly back, "She's really my guardian angel, isn't she? Where is she?"
"Right here, so nobody move or she really will be an angel". A cold voice came from behind Allen, and Rick froze as his daughter Marla appeared through a back door, holding a struggling Laurie in a headlock and leveling a pistol at the three men. "Marla, no," her father said, lifting his head to stare at his daughter. "There's no way out, it's over, let her go." "No, dad, this interfering bitch is our ticket out, Rick, you and the cop put your guns down or she's dead", the woman said, jerking her arm into Laurie's throat and causing her to gasp. Rick reluctantly started to lower his weapon, only to see his wife mouth the word "faint" at him.
Pretending to lower his gun, he pleaded with Marla, "don't hurt her, she can't breathe!" Just then Laurie moaned "I feel faint", then started to slide out of the woman's grasp. Startled, Allen's daughter dropped her arm away from Laurie's neck, prompting her to stomp on Marla's foot, then lower her shoulder and judo throw her to the ground. Allen saw this and yelling, "No!" went for his gun.
Rick pushed Laurie towards A.J.and the two tumbled to the floor as Allen came up firing, with Towne emptying his service revolver at the desperate man. Once the shooting stopped, Rick grabbed a set of cuffs from the detective and secured the Allen woman, then came over to A.J. and Laurie, who was sitting up holding her arm. Seeing his brother was unhurt, he dropped to one knee "Sweetheart, are you all right, did she hurt you?" "My hand, Rick, I think I broke it when I threw her." A.J. put an arm around her as Rick gently raised her sleeve to reveal a rapidly swelling wrist.
"Laurie, I'm going to take you to the hospital, ok?" She nodded, and picking her up in his arms, Rick carried her outside with A.J.'s help.
Once there were in Towne's car, Rick put his arm around Laurie, who buried her head in his shoulder and started to shake. Startled, he looked over at his brother, who patted her on the back And said "It's ok, honey, let it out." Rick held her until her sobs Diminished, then raised her face and kissed the tears from her eyes. "Darling, it's all right, you're safe." She drew a shuddering breath and said "I'm ok, I was frightened out of my mind. It's so dumb, I didn't know she was out to get rid of us. She asked me why I was waiting outside and when I told her what her father had done, she grabbed me around the neck and forced me inside."
Rick whispered "I'm sorry, my brave girl, forgive me for doubting you." "Oh Rick, there's nothing to forgive, you didn't know your friend was behind this nightmare," she sniffed. "I only wanted to protect you two."
He handed her a Kleenex, making her smile as she tried to blow her nose one handed, then said, "You did, my love, now it's our turn to take care of you."