Chapter 4
Rick woke up from a deep sleep to the sound of crying, then a voice moaning, "No, a trap, no, Rick!" Coming completely awake, he realized Laurie was tossing next to him, and gently put his arms around her. "Sweetheart, it's all right, wake up, Laurie, it's ok." Suddenly she opened her eyes, then realizing Rick was holding her, let out a jagged breath. "Darlin' it's ok,
just a bad dream," he rocked her in his arms.
"Oh, Rick, it was such a nightmare, thank you for waking me, darling." She tried to smile at him, as he wiped tears from her eyes. "Laurie, you had a bad dream last night too, tell me what it's about, my angel," he pleaded, continuing to stroke her forehead.
She took another deep breath, "Rick, I dreamt I was supposed to meet you and A.J. someplace, and I wandered into a warehouse looking for you. Suddenly a man grabbed me, and tied me to a rope, then hoisted me in the air. I was screaming and crying for help, then I saw you and A.J. burst in.
You were calling for me, you couldn't see me, then the man had an automatic weapon in his arms and he started firing at you two. I saw you fall, and I was begging for you to get up then the rope broke above me and I woke up." She shivered and he tightened his embrace.
Damn, he thought everything had gone back to normal too fast. Rudy and Doc had let her go home after running all kinds of tests. Other then a bruised hand and face, Laurie seemed fine. She wasn't to leave the ranch without one of them with her, but she was happy enough with Rob and Robin both staying with her during the day. Now a few days later, she was having these horrific nightmares, they had to find out what was causing them.
He felt his wife's eyes on him, "Rick, I'm all right, really I am. Rudy warned me I might have a reaction of some kind to being terrified like that, what bothers me is I can't remember the last part of what Kendall said waving the pendant in my face." He kissed her, then said, "I want you to see Doc and Rudy, maybe there's some medicine they can give you to help take the nightmares away."
Laurie's smile was back, "My love, you're the best medicine I have to take the fear away, just your touch..." "Like this?" he grinned, kissing her neck, then her cheek, and her lips. "Hm, that's it, darling,"she murmured. He gently caressed her face, then watched her fall asleep. Seeing no reoccurrence of the dream, he closed his eyes, hoping for the rest that they both needed.
"Rick, I'm coming over, Oscar's back from Washington and he's upset we didn't send for him sooner about Laurie." Rudy said over the phone the next morning. "Thanks, Rudy, I guess I wasn't that worried before because she seemed ok. I want to stay home, only Captain Ron thinks he has a clue to where Randall is holed up. A.J. and I will be at the office until 12, why don't you and Oscar come for breakfast and then you can take a look at Laurie," he asked, relieved.
"Son, that's a good idea, especially if Robin is making breakfast. You go ahead and go, I'll call you after I've had a chance to examine our girl." Rudy agreed. Hanging up the phone, Rick looked up to see Laurie in the doorway, a sad look on her face. "Darling, were you talking to Rudy?" she softly asked. He came over to her and took her in his arms, "Yes, sweetheart, he and Oscar are coming for breakfast." She put her head in his chest, "Rick, please don't feel bad , I want you and A.J. to go back to work." she sniffed. "Oh, my love, don't, please," he comforted her. She raised her face to his, then started kissing him. "I love you so much, darling, I'll be fine."
He swung her up in his arms, and kissing her back, told her, "I know you will, because your uncle and Rudy will take care of you for me while A.J. and I take care of business. Now you and I are going to have a cup of coffee together so I can go to work and come home that much sooner, ok?"
Putting her arms around his neck, she laughed, "Ok!"
Once Rick went to work, Rudy and Oscar sat with Laurie and had her go over what happened from the time she saw the Kendalls enter the Gypsy's tent. Once or twice she grabbed for Oscar's hand, and he hung on to give her strength. When she got to the part where the illusionist tried to hypnotize her, she broke off, saying, "Rudy, I'm not sure now what all he did, I remember his pendant, and something else, but it just won't come to me."
"Honey, maybe we should try something else. I keep thinking your nightmares might be linked to some kind of post-hypnotic suggestion that monster forced on you, maybe he didn't even realize it took. Will you let me try to take you back to that period; I won't put you in a trance, just bring your subconscious to the point of the trauma it endured." he asked, looking her in the eye.
She nodded. "I trust you, Rudy, I've never liked the feeling of being in a trance, but maybe if you can just help me remember. What do you want me to do?"
"Do you still have the fortuneteller's crystal?", the doctor inquired.
Laurie looked in her purse, then pulled out a bluish crystal, about an inch long, then handed it and the chain it was on to Rudy. "This will do fine. Oscar, I want you to sit next to Laurie, and just hold her hand. Honey, look straight at the crystal. Look at the light, just stare at the light in the prism." Laurie did, then listened as Rudy told her to close her eyes. "Laurie, can you hear me?"
"Yes."
I want you to go back to the carnival, do you remember walking past the Gypsy's tent?" She nodded.
"What do you see?" he questioned.
"The Kendalls, they're going in. I have to tell Rick, I think they're going to rob the gypsy." Laurie replied. "What is happening now, Laurie?" Rudy looked at Oscar.
A pause, "I just told Rick I saw the Kendalls go in. He wants me to go to meet them at Bing's office. "No! someone's grabbing me, something over my mouth, can't breathe!" she tightened her grip on her uncle's hand.
"It's all right, Laurie, help is coming, Rick and A.J. heard you. Where are you now?" Rudy continued.
"Being carried, can't struggle, so dizzy. I hear voices, something tight around me, trying to hypnotize me, no!" Laurie cried. "Go on, Rick's coming," "A voice, my eyes so heavy, he keeps swinging a jewel at me, " "What is he saying, honey, it's all right, we're here," Rudy emphasized.
"He says if I don't tell him what I know, Rick and A.J. will die. I'll be the bait to lure them to their death and he's going to kill them! No, I won't help you, I won't!" Laurie gasped. "Laurie, it's only a dream, I want you to remember that, only a dream. Rick and A.J. are all right. Remember that, you'll remember everything that happened at the carnival." Rudy told her. She took a deep breath. "All right, when I count to three, you'll remember everything, that you're safe, that Rick and A.J. are safe and nothing's going to happen to them. Ok, one, two, three."
Laurie opened her eyes, then took a ragged breath. "Rudy, that was awful, I remember now!" She reached forward to hug both men. "Rudy, bless you, no more bad dreams!" Her uncle handed her a Kleenex, "It's ok, you'll feel better now. I want you to take it easy today. Why don't we go look at the new barn, I'm sure you can use some fresh air."
She let both of her friends give her a hand up, then walked them out the new structure, still needing a roof. Robin came out of the small metal storage shed next to the larger building, then seeing the smile on her mother's face, gave her a hug. "Feeling better, Mom?" Laurie hugged her back, "Yes, darling, no more nightmares. Now let's show the guys what we got for the next time they go fishing." Showing them around the new flock of chickens, Robin told the guys about her acceptance to the Culinary Institute for the summer, to study basic American Cuisine. Oscar laughed, "I see you'll have plenty of chickens to practice your lessons with!"
After displaying a new freezer for keeping Rudy and Oscar's catches fresh, they all walked back to the house. Just as they came into the living room, Robbie drove in and buzzed the gate. Speeding in, he barely turned off his motor before jumping out and running toward the house.
Concerned, Laurie opened the door, just as he was about to knock. "Mom, is Pop and Uncle A.J. here?" He asked, not stopping to catch his breath. She shook her head, "no, Robbie, they were going to be at the office until noon, why, what's happened?"
He grabbed his mother in a tight embrace, then looking her in the eye, said, "I got a call from Captain Ron, Pop's truck was found abandoned in the parking lot of their office, he thinks Kendall got to them."
"No, Robbie, no," she groaned, holding his arm, "They were supposed to meet the Captain to see about a clue, he never saw them?" "I don't know, Mom, he said someone called that there'd been a fight in their parking lot. When he got there, the truck had both doors unlocked but no sign of Pop. I called Aunt Linda, she said Uncle A.J. drove his car in today, but there was no sign of it at the office."
Oscar interrupted, "Robbie, I'm going to call the Captain, something doesn't sound right here, Honey, is your transmitter on?" Laurie looked at her watch, no light. She hit the switch as Oscar got on the phone, then as the red dial lit', set it for receive. Hitting the directional setting, the hands of the watch quickly showed her husbands' location as northeast of the ranch. Suddenly she heard familiar voices, then one of them got louder, "All right, Mr. Simon, you're going to call her or I put a bullet in your brother's head."
Rick woke up from a deep sleep to the sound of crying, then a voice moaning, "No, a trap, no, Rick!" Coming completely awake, he realized Laurie was tossing next to him, and gently put his arms around her. "Sweetheart, it's all right, wake up, Laurie, it's ok." Suddenly she opened her eyes, then realizing Rick was holding her, let out a jagged breath. "Darlin' it's ok,
just a bad dream," he rocked her in his arms.
"Oh, Rick, it was such a nightmare, thank you for waking me, darling." She tried to smile at him, as he wiped tears from her eyes. "Laurie, you had a bad dream last night too, tell me what it's about, my angel," he pleaded, continuing to stroke her forehead.
She took another deep breath, "Rick, I dreamt I was supposed to meet you and A.J. someplace, and I wandered into a warehouse looking for you. Suddenly a man grabbed me, and tied me to a rope, then hoisted me in the air. I was screaming and crying for help, then I saw you and A.J. burst in.
You were calling for me, you couldn't see me, then the man had an automatic weapon in his arms and he started firing at you two. I saw you fall, and I was begging for you to get up then the rope broke above me and I woke up." She shivered and he tightened his embrace.
Damn, he thought everything had gone back to normal too fast. Rudy and Doc had let her go home after running all kinds of tests. Other then a bruised hand and face, Laurie seemed fine. She wasn't to leave the ranch without one of them with her, but she was happy enough with Rob and Robin both staying with her during the day. Now a few days later, she was having these horrific nightmares, they had to find out what was causing them.
He felt his wife's eyes on him, "Rick, I'm all right, really I am. Rudy warned me I might have a reaction of some kind to being terrified like that, what bothers me is I can't remember the last part of what Kendall said waving the pendant in my face." He kissed her, then said, "I want you to see Doc and Rudy, maybe there's some medicine they can give you to help take the nightmares away."
Laurie's smile was back, "My love, you're the best medicine I have to take the fear away, just your touch..." "Like this?" he grinned, kissing her neck, then her cheek, and her lips. "Hm, that's it, darling,"she murmured. He gently caressed her face, then watched her fall asleep. Seeing no reoccurrence of the dream, he closed his eyes, hoping for the rest that they both needed.
"Rick, I'm coming over, Oscar's back from Washington and he's upset we didn't send for him sooner about Laurie." Rudy said over the phone the next morning. "Thanks, Rudy, I guess I wasn't that worried before because she seemed ok. I want to stay home, only Captain Ron thinks he has a clue to where Randall is holed up. A.J. and I will be at the office until 12, why don't you and Oscar come for breakfast and then you can take a look at Laurie," he asked, relieved.
"Son, that's a good idea, especially if Robin is making breakfast. You go ahead and go, I'll call you after I've had a chance to examine our girl." Rudy agreed. Hanging up the phone, Rick looked up to see Laurie in the doorway, a sad look on her face. "Darling, were you talking to Rudy?" she softly asked. He came over to her and took her in his arms, "Yes, sweetheart, he and Oscar are coming for breakfast." She put her head in his chest, "Rick, please don't feel bad , I want you and A.J. to go back to work." she sniffed. "Oh, my love, don't, please," he comforted her. She raised her face to his, then started kissing him. "I love you so much, darling, I'll be fine."
He swung her up in his arms, and kissing her back, told her, "I know you will, because your uncle and Rudy will take care of you for me while A.J. and I take care of business. Now you and I are going to have a cup of coffee together so I can go to work and come home that much sooner, ok?"
Putting her arms around his neck, she laughed, "Ok!"
Once Rick went to work, Rudy and Oscar sat with Laurie and had her go over what happened from the time she saw the Kendalls enter the Gypsy's tent. Once or twice she grabbed for Oscar's hand, and he hung on to give her strength. When she got to the part where the illusionist tried to hypnotize her, she broke off, saying, "Rudy, I'm not sure now what all he did, I remember his pendant, and something else, but it just won't come to me."
"Honey, maybe we should try something else. I keep thinking your nightmares might be linked to some kind of post-hypnotic suggestion that monster forced on you, maybe he didn't even realize it took. Will you let me try to take you back to that period; I won't put you in a trance, just bring your subconscious to the point of the trauma it endured." he asked, looking her in the eye.
She nodded. "I trust you, Rudy, I've never liked the feeling of being in a trance, but maybe if you can just help me remember. What do you want me to do?"
"Do you still have the fortuneteller's crystal?", the doctor inquired.
Laurie looked in her purse, then pulled out a bluish crystal, about an inch long, then handed it and the chain it was on to Rudy. "This will do fine. Oscar, I want you to sit next to Laurie, and just hold her hand. Honey, look straight at the crystal. Look at the light, just stare at the light in the prism." Laurie did, then listened as Rudy told her to close her eyes. "Laurie, can you hear me?"
"Yes."
I want you to go back to the carnival, do you remember walking past the Gypsy's tent?" She nodded.
"What do you see?" he questioned.
"The Kendalls, they're going in. I have to tell Rick, I think they're going to rob the gypsy." Laurie replied. "What is happening now, Laurie?" Rudy looked at Oscar.
A pause, "I just told Rick I saw the Kendalls go in. He wants me to go to meet them at Bing's office. "No! someone's grabbing me, something over my mouth, can't breathe!" she tightened her grip on her uncle's hand.
"It's all right, Laurie, help is coming, Rick and A.J. heard you. Where are you now?" Rudy continued.
"Being carried, can't struggle, so dizzy. I hear voices, something tight around me, trying to hypnotize me, no!" Laurie cried. "Go on, Rick's coming," "A voice, my eyes so heavy, he keeps swinging a jewel at me, " "What is he saying, honey, it's all right, we're here," Rudy emphasized.
"He says if I don't tell him what I know, Rick and A.J. will die. I'll be the bait to lure them to their death and he's going to kill them! No, I won't help you, I won't!" Laurie gasped. "Laurie, it's only a dream, I want you to remember that, only a dream. Rick and A.J. are all right. Remember that, you'll remember everything that happened at the carnival." Rudy told her. She took a deep breath. "All right, when I count to three, you'll remember everything, that you're safe, that Rick and A.J. are safe and nothing's going to happen to them. Ok, one, two, three."
Laurie opened her eyes, then took a ragged breath. "Rudy, that was awful, I remember now!" She reached forward to hug both men. "Rudy, bless you, no more bad dreams!" Her uncle handed her a Kleenex, "It's ok, you'll feel better now. I want you to take it easy today. Why don't we go look at the new barn, I'm sure you can use some fresh air."
She let both of her friends give her a hand up, then walked them out the new structure, still needing a roof. Robin came out of the small metal storage shed next to the larger building, then seeing the smile on her mother's face, gave her a hug. "Feeling better, Mom?" Laurie hugged her back, "Yes, darling, no more nightmares. Now let's show the guys what we got for the next time they go fishing." Showing them around the new flock of chickens, Robin told the guys about her acceptance to the Culinary Institute for the summer, to study basic American Cuisine. Oscar laughed, "I see you'll have plenty of chickens to practice your lessons with!"
After displaying a new freezer for keeping Rudy and Oscar's catches fresh, they all walked back to the house. Just as they came into the living room, Robbie drove in and buzzed the gate. Speeding in, he barely turned off his motor before jumping out and running toward the house.
Concerned, Laurie opened the door, just as he was about to knock. "Mom, is Pop and Uncle A.J. here?" He asked, not stopping to catch his breath. She shook her head, "no, Robbie, they were going to be at the office until noon, why, what's happened?"
He grabbed his mother in a tight embrace, then looking her in the eye, said, "I got a call from Captain Ron, Pop's truck was found abandoned in the parking lot of their office, he thinks Kendall got to them."
"No, Robbie, no," she groaned, holding his arm, "They were supposed to meet the Captain to see about a clue, he never saw them?" "I don't know, Mom, he said someone called that there'd been a fight in their parking lot. When he got there, the truck had both doors unlocked but no sign of Pop. I called Aunt Linda, she said Uncle A.J. drove his car in today, but there was no sign of it at the office."
Oscar interrupted, "Robbie, I'm going to call the Captain, something doesn't sound right here, Honey, is your transmitter on?" Laurie looked at her watch, no light. She hit the switch as Oscar got on the phone, then as the red dial lit', set it for receive. Hitting the directional setting, the hands of the watch quickly showed her husbands' location as northeast of the ranch. Suddenly she heard familiar voices, then one of them got louder, "All right, Mr. Simon, you're going to call her or I put a bullet in your brother's head."