Chapter 3
"Rick, I was supposed to meet Rob here, have you seen him?", Laurie said, coming over to the truck. He shook his head. "Sweetheart, Ramona called, he didn't show up at his last test, so she thought he might have called us." "I'm worried, Rick, it's not like him to skip a class, and, wait a minute," she frowned, "didn't he say he was going to see Robin between classes?" "Yes, he was going to meet her in the Campus Center." Just then one of the Campus Security guards came over to them.
"Mr. Simon, did you come to move Robert's car?", he said, walking up to them. "No, Dave, why, where is it?", he replied, a sinking feeling in his stomach. "It's in the teachers parking area, I just spotted it, and I was going to ticket it until I saw you and Mrs. Simon here." Laurie grabbed her husband's arm, "Rick, what if Mike and those buddies of his did something to Rob after he talked to the Dean?" She turned to the guard, "Dave, show us where his car is, hurry!" Rick took her hand as he said "This way," and ran up the parking ramp.
Reaching the teachers parking area opposite the darkened Student Center, Rick heard a strange thumping noise, and acting on instinct, called, "Rob, where are you?" His wife gasped and dropping his hand, raced to the small Corvette parked crookedly across a handicapped spot. "Robbie, where are you?" she cried, then all three of them heard a muffled yell, "Mom!" Laurie opened her purse, then shakily pulling out a spare key, opened the trunk of the sedan. As it popped open, they saw Rob, bound with tape, wedged into the small storage space. She dropped her purse, then tore at the bindings on her son and helped him sit up.
Rick reached in and carefully pulled Rob out, saying, "Are you ok, Rob?" He took a deep breath, then nodded, "Yeah, Pop, just sore.
Mike and Tose jumped me when I came out of the Dean's office, they called me a snitch. I told them all I did was put a stop to their stupid videos and that's when they dragged me to my car and stuffed me in. Tose must have moved my car up here 'cause tomorrow's Saturday." Laurie put her arms around him and said, "Thank God Dave noticed your car, we were waiting downstairs for you when he asked if we were going to move it,.."
"Wait a minute, Pop, Robin, he's going to hurt her," Rob interrupted, glancing around and focusing on the Student Center. "We were supposed to meet in there, that's where Mike was going to do his next snatch film!" Laurie turned around, then seeing an open door into the building, told the Campus guard, "Is anyone supposed to be in there right now?" Dave pulled out his radio, then talking to his dispatcher, looked up and said, "No, but somebody activated a burglar alarm just now, and
Captain Johnson of Phoenix PD is looking for you two, I'll have him meet us here."
Just then a girl's scream was heard, then they saw someone closing the door to the building. Laurie bolted for the entrance, calling, "Rick, they've got Robin!" As Rob, A.J. and Rick ran after her, she reached the door first and flung it open, going inside as Rick frantically shouted, "Laurie, wait!"
Reaching the hallway to the entrance, he was horrified to see the door slam shut, and when they got to the entry, found it was locked. "Dave, quick, we need your keys!", he yelled, as the guard raced over. Unlocking the door, all four went inside and Dave flipped the lights, only to see a disheveled girl come running from the opposite end of the hall. "Pop, Pop!" she cried, flinging herself into his arms. "They've got Mom! She stopped them from taking me away, and screamed at me to run. They're going to hurt her!"
Rick put his daughter into Rob's arms. "Stay here, don't leave her alone, Captain Ron will be right here!" Come on, A.J," the three men rushed down the hall, then turned into a dark corridor where they followed the sound of fighting.
Reaching a lighted gym area, they saw a couple of guys scuffling, and Dave pulled his weapon, calling out, "Security, freeze!" The students stopped in mid- scuffle, then one of them saw Rick, and yelled, "If you want to see your wife again, you better go after Mike!"
Just then Captain Ron came in, as Rick demanded, "Which way did he take her?" The boy dropped his head, saying "He's going to film her drowning in the swimming pool, he's really sick!"
Dave told Rick and A.J., "It's just down the next hallway, here's my keys just in case," tossing them to Rick. As they ran out, the policeman handed the guard an extra set of cuffs, then raced after the two brothers.
Arriving at the pool area, the two men heard Laurie screaming, "Rick!", as he hurriedly unlocked the entrance. Going inside, they saw Kincaid trying to drag her toward the edge of the pool, her wrists bound in front of her. "Kincaid, let her go!" Rick called, and when he turned, Laurie pushed him away and threw herself to the cement.
A.J. cocked his gun and said, "One move, mister, one move toward her and you're history!" The student froze, as Rick raced to Laurie's side, out of the line of fire and lifted her off the ground. Captain Ron ran in, then took charge and motioned Kincaid away from the pool as Rick held his wife and untied her wrists. "Honey, did he hurt you?", he growled, angrily looking at the student being led away. "No, he tried to slug me, but I ducked. He had someone grab me from behind, that's the only reason I couldn't escape with Robin. Is she all right?" Laurie anxiously looked at both of them.
Sternly, Rick nodded, "yeah, just scared. I left her with Rob. We'll go find them." As they walked away from the water, she shivered, "Thank God you guys found me, he was going to throw me in and watch me die." Rick led her out into the hall, then suddenly turned and shook her, startling his brother.
"Laurel Light Simon, don't you ever, ever, run ahead of me into an unknown situation again. He could have killed you both. Did you think of the fact Kincaid was willing to take both of your children by violence, what made you think you could go in there without a weapon?"
Startled, she looked at him, then sputtered, "Rick, I know it was d..dangerous! But you heard Robin scream, I had to get to her, I know I should have waited, but." "But nothing, if you had waited even one minute, we would have been right behind you, instead of having to battle a locked door!," he yelled.
Laurie gazed at him, then he saw she realized what almost happened. She took a deep breath, then said, "I'm sorry, darling, you're right, I didn't think of anything but getting to our daughter, but I could have put us all in bad trouble. I promise, I won't go anywhere without you next to me again." She glanced up at him, seeing his face soften. Laurie put her face in his shoulder, as he embraced her.
"Sweetheart, I'm sorry, you scared me something awful, I know," he saw her shaking, "it's ok, darlin'," he kissed her, then held her gently until she calmed down. She snuggled against Rick, saying, "I love you " and kissed him back as he walked her down the hall. Seeing A.J. waiting at the entrance, Laurie went to hug him, saying, "I'm sorry, I scared you too, I guess". He shook his head, patting her on the back, then looked at his brother. "What are we going to do with her, Rick?" He put an arm around A.J. "I never want to find out!"
Watching from the doorway of the Campus Center, Rob laughed at his friend Dave's puzzled expression. "What was that all about?" the guard wondered. As their parents came toward them, Robin answered, smiling at her brother, "Pop was just reminding Mom how much he loves her, he never gets that mad at anyone unless he cares about them." Dave shook his head, "You guys are lucky, those three just about went crazy
when they thought you were in danger, now look at them!"
Rob grinned, putting an arm around his sister and said, "Yeah, and I am never, ever going to take them for granted!" Robin agreed, then seeing her folks approaching, added, "Or forget how much they care!"
Laurie saw their children waiting for them, and opening her arms, the brother and sister ran to them, taking turns hugging Rick and Laurie and their uncle. As they settled down, Rick shook Dave's hand, thanking him for his help. "No problem, Mr. Simon, I'm just glad I got to help catch the bad guys. One thing though,", he cocked an eyebrow at Rob, "I still have to have you move your car!"
Groaning, Rob put him in a headlock, and went off to bring his car around to the entrance. Laurie saw her daughter gazing at the security guard, then with a pained expression glanced at Rick and said, "It's your turn to talk to her!"
"Rick, I was supposed to meet Rob here, have you seen him?", Laurie said, coming over to the truck. He shook his head. "Sweetheart, Ramona called, he didn't show up at his last test, so she thought he might have called us." "I'm worried, Rick, it's not like him to skip a class, and, wait a minute," she frowned, "didn't he say he was going to see Robin between classes?" "Yes, he was going to meet her in the Campus Center." Just then one of the Campus Security guards came over to them.
"Mr. Simon, did you come to move Robert's car?", he said, walking up to them. "No, Dave, why, where is it?", he replied, a sinking feeling in his stomach. "It's in the teachers parking area, I just spotted it, and I was going to ticket it until I saw you and Mrs. Simon here." Laurie grabbed her husband's arm, "Rick, what if Mike and those buddies of his did something to Rob after he talked to the Dean?" She turned to the guard, "Dave, show us where his car is, hurry!" Rick took her hand as he said "This way," and ran up the parking ramp.
Reaching the teachers parking area opposite the darkened Student Center, Rick heard a strange thumping noise, and acting on instinct, called, "Rob, where are you?" His wife gasped and dropping his hand, raced to the small Corvette parked crookedly across a handicapped spot. "Robbie, where are you?" she cried, then all three of them heard a muffled yell, "Mom!" Laurie opened her purse, then shakily pulling out a spare key, opened the trunk of the sedan. As it popped open, they saw Rob, bound with tape, wedged into the small storage space. She dropped her purse, then tore at the bindings on her son and helped him sit up.
Rick reached in and carefully pulled Rob out, saying, "Are you ok, Rob?" He took a deep breath, then nodded, "Yeah, Pop, just sore.
Mike and Tose jumped me when I came out of the Dean's office, they called me a snitch. I told them all I did was put a stop to their stupid videos and that's when they dragged me to my car and stuffed me in. Tose must have moved my car up here 'cause tomorrow's Saturday." Laurie put her arms around him and said, "Thank God Dave noticed your car, we were waiting downstairs for you when he asked if we were going to move it,.."
"Wait a minute, Pop, Robin, he's going to hurt her," Rob interrupted, glancing around and focusing on the Student Center. "We were supposed to meet in there, that's where Mike was going to do his next snatch film!" Laurie turned around, then seeing an open door into the building, told the Campus guard, "Is anyone supposed to be in there right now?" Dave pulled out his radio, then talking to his dispatcher, looked up and said, "No, but somebody activated a burglar alarm just now, and
Captain Johnson of Phoenix PD is looking for you two, I'll have him meet us here."
Just then a girl's scream was heard, then they saw someone closing the door to the building. Laurie bolted for the entrance, calling, "Rick, they've got Robin!" As Rob, A.J. and Rick ran after her, she reached the door first and flung it open, going inside as Rick frantically shouted, "Laurie, wait!"
Reaching the hallway to the entrance, he was horrified to see the door slam shut, and when they got to the entry, found it was locked. "Dave, quick, we need your keys!", he yelled, as the guard raced over. Unlocking the door, all four went inside and Dave flipped the lights, only to see a disheveled girl come running from the opposite end of the hall. "Pop, Pop!" she cried, flinging herself into his arms. "They've got Mom! She stopped them from taking me away, and screamed at me to run. They're going to hurt her!"
Rick put his daughter into Rob's arms. "Stay here, don't leave her alone, Captain Ron will be right here!" Come on, A.J," the three men rushed down the hall, then turned into a dark corridor where they followed the sound of fighting.
Reaching a lighted gym area, they saw a couple of guys scuffling, and Dave pulled his weapon, calling out, "Security, freeze!" The students stopped in mid- scuffle, then one of them saw Rick, and yelled, "If you want to see your wife again, you better go after Mike!"
Just then Captain Ron came in, as Rick demanded, "Which way did he take her?" The boy dropped his head, saying "He's going to film her drowning in the swimming pool, he's really sick!"
Dave told Rick and A.J., "It's just down the next hallway, here's my keys just in case," tossing them to Rick. As they ran out, the policeman handed the guard an extra set of cuffs, then raced after the two brothers.
Arriving at the pool area, the two men heard Laurie screaming, "Rick!", as he hurriedly unlocked the entrance. Going inside, they saw Kincaid trying to drag her toward the edge of the pool, her wrists bound in front of her. "Kincaid, let her go!" Rick called, and when he turned, Laurie pushed him away and threw herself to the cement.
A.J. cocked his gun and said, "One move, mister, one move toward her and you're history!" The student froze, as Rick raced to Laurie's side, out of the line of fire and lifted her off the ground. Captain Ron ran in, then took charge and motioned Kincaid away from the pool as Rick held his wife and untied her wrists. "Honey, did he hurt you?", he growled, angrily looking at the student being led away. "No, he tried to slug me, but I ducked. He had someone grab me from behind, that's the only reason I couldn't escape with Robin. Is she all right?" Laurie anxiously looked at both of them.
Sternly, Rick nodded, "yeah, just scared. I left her with Rob. We'll go find them." As they walked away from the water, she shivered, "Thank God you guys found me, he was going to throw me in and watch me die." Rick led her out into the hall, then suddenly turned and shook her, startling his brother.
"Laurel Light Simon, don't you ever, ever, run ahead of me into an unknown situation again. He could have killed you both. Did you think of the fact Kincaid was willing to take both of your children by violence, what made you think you could go in there without a weapon?"
Startled, she looked at him, then sputtered, "Rick, I know it was d..dangerous! But you heard Robin scream, I had to get to her, I know I should have waited, but." "But nothing, if you had waited even one minute, we would have been right behind you, instead of having to battle a locked door!," he yelled.
Laurie gazed at him, then he saw she realized what almost happened. She took a deep breath, then said, "I'm sorry, darling, you're right, I didn't think of anything but getting to our daughter, but I could have put us all in bad trouble. I promise, I won't go anywhere without you next to me again." She glanced up at him, seeing his face soften. Laurie put her face in his shoulder, as he embraced her.
"Sweetheart, I'm sorry, you scared me something awful, I know," he saw her shaking, "it's ok, darlin'," he kissed her, then held her gently until she calmed down. She snuggled against Rick, saying, "I love you " and kissed him back as he walked her down the hall. Seeing A.J. waiting at the entrance, Laurie went to hug him, saying, "I'm sorry, I scared you too, I guess". He shook his head, patting her on the back, then looked at his brother. "What are we going to do with her, Rick?" He put an arm around A.J. "I never want to find out!"
Watching from the doorway of the Campus Center, Rob laughed at his friend Dave's puzzled expression. "What was that all about?" the guard wondered. As their parents came toward them, Robin answered, smiling at her brother, "Pop was just reminding Mom how much he loves her, he never gets that mad at anyone unless he cares about them." Dave shook his head, "You guys are lucky, those three just about went crazy
when they thought you were in danger, now look at them!"
Rob grinned, putting an arm around his sister and said, "Yeah, and I am never, ever going to take them for granted!" Robin agreed, then seeing her folks approaching, added, "Or forget how much they care!"
Laurie saw their children waiting for them, and opening her arms, the brother and sister ran to them, taking turns hugging Rick and Laurie and their uncle. As they settled down, Rick shook Dave's hand, thanking him for his help. "No problem, Mr. Simon, I'm just glad I got to help catch the bad guys. One thing though,", he cocked an eyebrow at Rob, "I still have to have you move your car!"
Groaning, Rob put him in a headlock, and went off to bring his car around to the entrance. Laurie saw her daughter gazing at the security guard, then with a pained expression glanced at Rick and said, "It's your turn to talk to her!"