Epilogue
"Mom, you want me to sign your cast?" Rob perched on her chair and teased her with a pen. She gave him a tired smile and offered her elbow- length cast for him to scribble on. Robin came in with a glass of ice tea and scolded her brother, "Rob, that's not fair, I wanted to sign it first!"
Laurie laughed, ready to relax after a day at the police station. "Too late, both of you, your Uncle A.J. beat you to it!" Rick came in just in time to see her try to pull her arm out of its sling to show them, but couldn't manage it. "Oh no you don't, missy, you heard what the doctor said!" He came over to his wife and lifting her up, kissed her. "Honey, how's your arm feel?" She smiled up at him, then teased him by saying "With my hand, what else?" He made a face at her, then swung her around until she laughingly cried "Ok, Uncle!" He put her down in her chair, as Rob and Robin both got up greet him and after hugging both kids, pulled up his chair and quietly said, "You have to come to the arraignment,
sweetheart, Marla's lawyer's is trying to say what she did wasn't premeditated. I know you hate these court things, but if you don't come, it's our word against hers."
She shook her head in disgust. "She's just plain evil; first putting her father up to this, then saying she didn't plan it, sheesh!" "Well, after the hearing, we'll go home to Silver Rock, and just come back for the trial when we're called." Rick soothed, worried by the dark circles under her eyes.
Both he and Rob noticed she couldn't lift her drink with her left hand, so her son put a straw in her glass and held it up for her. "Thanks, Robbie, " she took a long drink, then leaned over to give him a kiss. Her daughter sat down next to her and Laurie put her arm around her.
Seeing this made Rick grateful that Rob and Robin both seemed unscathed by the whole experience. He knew Laurie wasn't, when she woke up this morning, she'd had a moment of fright when she thought she was trapped in the office closet, and only Rick's whisper of, "You're home with me, safe and sound" seemed to
reassure her. He felt her eyes on him, and glancing over at his wife, saw her smiling at him. "Rick, I'm fine with going to the hearing. I just have a bad feeling about the whole thing, especially Marla's obsession with A.J. How is he doing?"
Rick paused, then said, "He was blaming himself, saying he should have wondered about all the favors they were supposedly doing for us. I told him there was no way we could have seen it coming, and then Towne told him what Gary said before he went into surgery, that he wouldn't have done any of it except for Marla's going off the deep end from getting dumped by her boyfriend. Now I think he's realized he's a victim, too. It's just going to take sometime."
The next day, Rick watched his brother carrying the last of their files from their office down to his truck. A.J. had refused to let Rick help him; it was his turn to face the ruin of their office, he said. His brother had let him have his way only because he thought it might be a way of working through his feelings about leaving. Rick glanced at his watch, they were due at the Allen's arraignment in an hour. Laurie was supposed to meet them in a few minutes, despite her assurances to the brothers that she was fine, he knew how nervous she was about facing their attackers.
As A.J. plopped the records in the bed of his truck, Rick walked over and said "All done?" His brother grinned wryly, "Yes, Thank God. The place smells like a bad Southern barbeque. Thanks for letting me go in by myself." Rick gave his brother a hug. "No problem, little brother. Now we just need Laurie and we can go to the Courthouse." "Did I hear my name in vain?" her voice sounded behind him, as she hopped out of her car and came over to A.J., giving him a hug then to her husband, who reached out and gave her a kiss.
"There's my girl, are you ready?" Rick couldn't help but smile at her, she was trying to be so upbeat. "Yes, Mr. Simon." she said cheekily, and his heart did its usual flip-flop. A.J. snickered at his expression, and opened the door of his car to her. "Your chariot, milady." "Thank you, sir," she trilled, sliding into the middle seat. "Shameless flirt," her husband groused, climbing in next to her. All three Simons laughed and bantered back and forth until they pulled into the courthouse parking lot. Laurie shivered in her thin jacket, and Rick put an arm around her as they parked. "I'm here, darlin', you're safe." She leaned into him as he helped her out of the car, saying, "I just wish I didn't have this sense of something bad happening, plus this cast weighs a ton!" A.J. took her good arm, "If you don't feel good, we'll leave, ok?" She shook her head, managing a smile, "I'm fine, just don't let go."
Entering the hearing room, they met up with the D.A. and Towne, who took them aside. "They're bringing Gary Allen in his wheelchair, then Marla. I don't think they'll be able to put up much of a defense, not with their victims sitting in front of them. Are you guys ok?" A.J. nodded, with Rick chiming in, "We'll be all right as soon as they take those two away." Towne was suddenly joined by the D.A.'s assistant, Simon Waterman, who looked at Laurie and said, "Mrs. Simon, you're the only one I'll probably call regarding bail, the Allen's attorney seems to think you might be the weak link, especially since you didn't recognize Marla's voice until she attacked you outside their office." Rick saw Laurie's jaw set in anger. "Mr. Waterman, I am ready, you ask me the questions and I'll say what the two of them did to us".
As Waterman walked away, Rick whispered, "good girl, I'm right here." She looked at him and replied, "Darling, if we weren't in court, I'd kiss you here and now." Taking his seat, her husband muttered, "Promises, promises." Just as they were settled, the Allens were brought, and Rick was relieved to see both were shacked, even Gary in his wheelchair.
Once the proceeds started, both brothers were surprised at the speed the judge ran the defense motions and setting the trial dates. The defense recognized this and immediately told the magistrate that both Allens were prepared to plea bargain. Rick was angered at the turn in events, and told his brother "No deal, I don't care if he wants to bargain, they're guilty!" At this moment, the D.A. had Laurie called to the stand. Her back stiff, she slid past Rick, catching her fingers in his hand briefly. Taking the oath, she immediately put her chin up and followed the D.A.'s lead in questioning, giving very descriptive answers. When the prosecutor finished, she sat calmly and waited for the defense attorney to start the cross-examination. Rick leaned forward, waiting to see what he was going to ask her, when he noticed Marla Allen lean over and say something to him. Immediately he got a bad feeling about what was going to happen, and took action, pulling out a a transmitter and whispering "Be ready."
The defense attorney stood up and said "No questions, your Honor." Fixing him with a stern glare, The judge requested a bench conference, at which the attorney and prosecutor met with him.
After a moment, the judge waved both to their respective seats, then turned to Laurie and indicated she was to step down. As she came down the aisle toward her seat, someone put his or her leg out into the aisle and tripped her, causing her to pitch forward.
As A.J. and Rick jumped forward to catch her, Marla Allen came out of her seat and caught the younger Simon around the throat with her chains, yelling at the same time "Nobody move, or I strangle him!" Frozen, the bailiffs were caught unawares, as the crazed woman pulled A.J. upright with her manacles, then demanded the keys to her cuffs.
The bailiff hesitated, at which Gary Allen came out of his wheelchair, producing a gun. Pointing it at Laurie, who had caught hold of a bench and was half-standing, half-kneeling, and said "The keys, now!" Rick was caught in between knocking the gun from Allen's hand and trusting A.J. to wriggle free from Marla or rushing them both when he got a beep from the transmitter in his pocket. Locking eyes with his wife, he whispered, "Don't move, sweetheart." She nodded, then made no attempt to resist as Allen grabbed her good arm and marched her in front of him as a shield, followed by his daughter holding A.J.
As soon as they passed, Rick bolted out the side door of the courtroom, and ran down the side corridor, exiting out a maintenance door. Taking up a position outside the back door, he spoke into his transmitter, "They'll be outside in 5." Suddenly the door burst open, and the Allens came out with their hostages, only to have Rick knock Marla Allen's arms upward, then pushed her to the ground, allowing A.J. to duck under her chains and dive into the bushes. At the same time Downtown Brown appeared on the other side, lifting Laurie up and away from Gary Allen with his left arm, and catching him with a right hook, causing him to collapse to the pavement. Before either Allen could move, ten policemen surrounded them and hauled them away.
Rick lifted his brother from the shrubs, and after making sure he was unhurt, rushed over to Towne who was supporting his shaking wife. "Good work, Towne, I guessed right. Sweetheart, are you ok?" She managed to catch her breath, "Yes, Rick, just can't stop shaking. How did you know they were going to try something?" Taking her from the detective, he wrapped his arms around her and said, "You said you had a premonition, sweetheart. I just wanted to be prepared in case the Allens had something planned. I didn't count that both of them weren't shackled at the ankles, or that Gary wasn't manacled to his chair. I set up a little extra protection with Towne yesterday, just in case."
Towne grinned at Laurie, "Hon, your husband has a great capacity for out- thinking these creeps. He figured that if they tried to use you as a shield once, they might try it again. I'm afraid the sheriff's department is going to find more then one bailiff blew on this." A.J. came over and leaned on his brother, "Why didn't you tell us, Rick, what you had planned?" His brother shook his head.
"I was going to, A.J., but what if I was wrong, you and Laurie would have been all worked up for nothing." Laurie looked up at him and said "I knew it was going to be ok when you warned me, darling. " She turned and hugged Towne, who, misty-eyed, turned and stared at Rick.
"I'm not going to tell you how much I'll miss you guys, but are you sure you want to leave San Diego?" Rick looked at his brother, who shook his head and replied, "I need a change", then turned to see Laurie's face, as she said, "And I need to go home, Towne, San Diego isn't home anymore." Rick kissed her, then said, "That's your answer, my friend, we'll be back in the summer, but it's time we made Arizona our home."
The detective laughed. "There's one thing for sure, San Diego's never going to see the likes of you Simons again. Heaven help Phoenix P.D.!"
"Mom, you want me to sign your cast?" Rob perched on her chair and teased her with a pen. She gave him a tired smile and offered her elbow- length cast for him to scribble on. Robin came in with a glass of ice tea and scolded her brother, "Rob, that's not fair, I wanted to sign it first!"
Laurie laughed, ready to relax after a day at the police station. "Too late, both of you, your Uncle A.J. beat you to it!" Rick came in just in time to see her try to pull her arm out of its sling to show them, but couldn't manage it. "Oh no you don't, missy, you heard what the doctor said!" He came over to his wife and lifting her up, kissed her. "Honey, how's your arm feel?" She smiled up at him, then teased him by saying "With my hand, what else?" He made a face at her, then swung her around until she laughingly cried "Ok, Uncle!" He put her down in her chair, as Rob and Robin both got up greet him and after hugging both kids, pulled up his chair and quietly said, "You have to come to the arraignment,
sweetheart, Marla's lawyer's is trying to say what she did wasn't premeditated. I know you hate these court things, but if you don't come, it's our word against hers."
She shook her head in disgust. "She's just plain evil; first putting her father up to this, then saying she didn't plan it, sheesh!" "Well, after the hearing, we'll go home to Silver Rock, and just come back for the trial when we're called." Rick soothed, worried by the dark circles under her eyes.
Both he and Rob noticed she couldn't lift her drink with her left hand, so her son put a straw in her glass and held it up for her. "Thanks, Robbie, " she took a long drink, then leaned over to give him a kiss. Her daughter sat down next to her and Laurie put her arm around her.
Seeing this made Rick grateful that Rob and Robin both seemed unscathed by the whole experience. He knew Laurie wasn't, when she woke up this morning, she'd had a moment of fright when she thought she was trapped in the office closet, and only Rick's whisper of, "You're home with me, safe and sound" seemed to
reassure her. He felt her eyes on him, and glancing over at his wife, saw her smiling at him. "Rick, I'm fine with going to the hearing. I just have a bad feeling about the whole thing, especially Marla's obsession with A.J. How is he doing?"
Rick paused, then said, "He was blaming himself, saying he should have wondered about all the favors they were supposedly doing for us. I told him there was no way we could have seen it coming, and then Towne told him what Gary said before he went into surgery, that he wouldn't have done any of it except for Marla's going off the deep end from getting dumped by her boyfriend. Now I think he's realized he's a victim, too. It's just going to take sometime."
The next day, Rick watched his brother carrying the last of their files from their office down to his truck. A.J. had refused to let Rick help him; it was his turn to face the ruin of their office, he said. His brother had let him have his way only because he thought it might be a way of working through his feelings about leaving. Rick glanced at his watch, they were due at the Allen's arraignment in an hour. Laurie was supposed to meet them in a few minutes, despite her assurances to the brothers that she was fine, he knew how nervous she was about facing their attackers.
As A.J. plopped the records in the bed of his truck, Rick walked over and said "All done?" His brother grinned wryly, "Yes, Thank God. The place smells like a bad Southern barbeque. Thanks for letting me go in by myself." Rick gave his brother a hug. "No problem, little brother. Now we just need Laurie and we can go to the Courthouse." "Did I hear my name in vain?" her voice sounded behind him, as she hopped out of her car and came over to A.J., giving him a hug then to her husband, who reached out and gave her a kiss.
"There's my girl, are you ready?" Rick couldn't help but smile at her, she was trying to be so upbeat. "Yes, Mr. Simon." she said cheekily, and his heart did its usual flip-flop. A.J. snickered at his expression, and opened the door of his car to her. "Your chariot, milady." "Thank you, sir," she trilled, sliding into the middle seat. "Shameless flirt," her husband groused, climbing in next to her. All three Simons laughed and bantered back and forth until they pulled into the courthouse parking lot. Laurie shivered in her thin jacket, and Rick put an arm around her as they parked. "I'm here, darlin', you're safe." She leaned into him as he helped her out of the car, saying, "I just wish I didn't have this sense of something bad happening, plus this cast weighs a ton!" A.J. took her good arm, "If you don't feel good, we'll leave, ok?" She shook her head, managing a smile, "I'm fine, just don't let go."
Entering the hearing room, they met up with the D.A. and Towne, who took them aside. "They're bringing Gary Allen in his wheelchair, then Marla. I don't think they'll be able to put up much of a defense, not with their victims sitting in front of them. Are you guys ok?" A.J. nodded, with Rick chiming in, "We'll be all right as soon as they take those two away." Towne was suddenly joined by the D.A.'s assistant, Simon Waterman, who looked at Laurie and said, "Mrs. Simon, you're the only one I'll probably call regarding bail, the Allen's attorney seems to think you might be the weak link, especially since you didn't recognize Marla's voice until she attacked you outside their office." Rick saw Laurie's jaw set in anger. "Mr. Waterman, I am ready, you ask me the questions and I'll say what the two of them did to us".
As Waterman walked away, Rick whispered, "good girl, I'm right here." She looked at him and replied, "Darling, if we weren't in court, I'd kiss you here and now." Taking his seat, her husband muttered, "Promises, promises." Just as they were settled, the Allens were brought, and Rick was relieved to see both were shacked, even Gary in his wheelchair.
Once the proceeds started, both brothers were surprised at the speed the judge ran the defense motions and setting the trial dates. The defense recognized this and immediately told the magistrate that both Allens were prepared to plea bargain. Rick was angered at the turn in events, and told his brother "No deal, I don't care if he wants to bargain, they're guilty!" At this moment, the D.A. had Laurie called to the stand. Her back stiff, she slid past Rick, catching her fingers in his hand briefly. Taking the oath, she immediately put her chin up and followed the D.A.'s lead in questioning, giving very descriptive answers. When the prosecutor finished, she sat calmly and waited for the defense attorney to start the cross-examination. Rick leaned forward, waiting to see what he was going to ask her, when he noticed Marla Allen lean over and say something to him. Immediately he got a bad feeling about what was going to happen, and took action, pulling out a a transmitter and whispering "Be ready."
The defense attorney stood up and said "No questions, your Honor." Fixing him with a stern glare, The judge requested a bench conference, at which the attorney and prosecutor met with him.
After a moment, the judge waved both to their respective seats, then turned to Laurie and indicated she was to step down. As she came down the aisle toward her seat, someone put his or her leg out into the aisle and tripped her, causing her to pitch forward.
As A.J. and Rick jumped forward to catch her, Marla Allen came out of her seat and caught the younger Simon around the throat with her chains, yelling at the same time "Nobody move, or I strangle him!" Frozen, the bailiffs were caught unawares, as the crazed woman pulled A.J. upright with her manacles, then demanded the keys to her cuffs.
The bailiff hesitated, at which Gary Allen came out of his wheelchair, producing a gun. Pointing it at Laurie, who had caught hold of a bench and was half-standing, half-kneeling, and said "The keys, now!" Rick was caught in between knocking the gun from Allen's hand and trusting A.J. to wriggle free from Marla or rushing them both when he got a beep from the transmitter in his pocket. Locking eyes with his wife, he whispered, "Don't move, sweetheart." She nodded, then made no attempt to resist as Allen grabbed her good arm and marched her in front of him as a shield, followed by his daughter holding A.J.
As soon as they passed, Rick bolted out the side door of the courtroom, and ran down the side corridor, exiting out a maintenance door. Taking up a position outside the back door, he spoke into his transmitter, "They'll be outside in 5." Suddenly the door burst open, and the Allens came out with their hostages, only to have Rick knock Marla Allen's arms upward, then pushed her to the ground, allowing A.J. to duck under her chains and dive into the bushes. At the same time Downtown Brown appeared on the other side, lifting Laurie up and away from Gary Allen with his left arm, and catching him with a right hook, causing him to collapse to the pavement. Before either Allen could move, ten policemen surrounded them and hauled them away.
Rick lifted his brother from the shrubs, and after making sure he was unhurt, rushed over to Towne who was supporting his shaking wife. "Good work, Towne, I guessed right. Sweetheart, are you ok?" She managed to catch her breath, "Yes, Rick, just can't stop shaking. How did you know they were going to try something?" Taking her from the detective, he wrapped his arms around her and said, "You said you had a premonition, sweetheart. I just wanted to be prepared in case the Allens had something planned. I didn't count that both of them weren't shackled at the ankles, or that Gary wasn't manacled to his chair. I set up a little extra protection with Towne yesterday, just in case."
Towne grinned at Laurie, "Hon, your husband has a great capacity for out- thinking these creeps. He figured that if they tried to use you as a shield once, they might try it again. I'm afraid the sheriff's department is going to find more then one bailiff blew on this." A.J. came over and leaned on his brother, "Why didn't you tell us, Rick, what you had planned?" His brother shook his head.
"I was going to, A.J., but what if I was wrong, you and Laurie would have been all worked up for nothing." Laurie looked up at him and said "I knew it was going to be ok when you warned me, darling. " She turned and hugged Towne, who, misty-eyed, turned and stared at Rick.
"I'm not going to tell you how much I'll miss you guys, but are you sure you want to leave San Diego?" Rick looked at his brother, who shook his head and replied, "I need a change", then turned to see Laurie's face, as she said, "And I need to go home, Towne, San Diego isn't home anymore." Rick kissed her, then said, "That's your answer, my friend, we'll be back in the summer, but it's time we made Arizona our home."
The detective laughed. "There's one thing for sure, San Diego's never going to see the likes of you Simons again. Heaven help Phoenix P.D.!"