Chapter 3
"There's going to be a formal inquiry day after tomorrow as to the arson fire at the office building. Some reporter heard how you alerted myself and the fireman where Rick was trapped, and the fire department is asking questions as to how you knew." Captain Ron explained.
"It seems the starter was found near where Rick was, unfortunately he doesn't remember anything after he came into the office this morning. I'm afraid you may be "asked" to answer some questions, honey." A.J. added, putting an arm around her.
Suddenly it hit her; she would have to tell about her transmitter, leaving her and Rick open to discovery about her ex-agent status. Worse yet, what if they questioned about her relationship with Oscar and Rudy, their identity as Government agents would be exposed.
"Oh, no, A.J., I can't, it'll put Oscar and Rudy at risk, I'll have to tell about my watch!" she told them, trying to remain calm.
"No, honey, I don't think you'll have to say anything about them. Unfortunately, you probably will have to explain about the "private eye" gadgets you and Rick wear." Captain Ron assured her.
Laurie drew a shuddering breath, "I hope that's all I have to do, I really don't like doing any kind of testimony, but if I have to.... Oh, A.J., they won't make Rick appear, will they? He's not strong enough, and Allen says he's not to strain his voice."
"No, Laurie, I don't think so. Don't worry about it, we'll take care of it when the time comes. How many people saw you in the building, by the way?", A.J. tried to change the subject.
"Old Sam, the guard, Ron of course, and, oh yeah, the two lawyers from Brim and Stone, they were trapped in the fire escape and I walked down with them.", she explained.
"Ok, honey, why don't you say good night to Rick and let me take you home for a while.", A.J. offered, seeing the exhaustion in her face.
"Bless you, A.J., but I want to be with him for a while, if you don't mind. I promise to sack out for a while after he's asleep. You go ahead, do you want me to see if Mom wants to go with you?", she suggested.
The younger Simon nodded, so Laurie went back into the hospital room and found Robbie and Robin making everyone laugh by teasing Rick over his doodles. He fixed his gaze on her when she came over to the bed, then drew a heart with two eyes and a smile. "I love you too, Rick, ", she smiled then kissed him.
Just then a nurse came to tell them visiting hours were over, and Cecilia insisted that Rob and Robin get some rest at A.J.'s.
"Ok, we'll see you in the morning, Pop!", Robin told him, as her brother gave him a hug. As everyone else left, Laurie scooted her chair right next to the bed, then put her head next to Rick's. "Thank you for coming back to me, darling, I love you so much!", she whispered. Raising his hand to her face, he stroked her face, then mouthed back to her, "I love you, too. Close your eyes and sleep, darlin'."
A few minutes later, Rudy and Oscar peeked in, ready to say their good nights, only to see both Rick and Laurie fast asleep. Rudy got a blanket from the closet and covered her up, then kissed her cheek and tiptoed out. Oscar stood for a moment, then gently picked his niece up and put her on the bed next to Rick. Making sure she was settled, he kissed her forehead, then quietly left.
The next couple of days were trying for the Simons. True to their word, a formal investigation was launched into the arson attacks, with several city commissioners questioning why the arsonist hadn't been caught yet.
As Captain Ron was called to testify, he came to talk to A.J. and Rick about the notes they had made during their analysis. Rick still had fuzzy memories of that day, he remembered as far as going to the basement now, but nothing after that. When the Phoenix police Captain finished his questions; he turned to Laurie, then shamefaced, handed her the "request" to appear at the hearing.
"It's all right, Ron, it'll be ok. I'll just need to suck it up, that's all.", she told him, trying to make light of the appearance.
Rick gave her a searching look, then rasped, "Why should she have to talk to the commission, she came to find me, that's all. What do they want to know?"
Squirming under his stare, the Captain told him, "They want to know how she knew where you were, she's going to tell them about your transmitters." As Rick started to raise up in protest, Laurie put a hand on his shoulder. "Not my watch, darling, please calm down. I'm going to tell them how you called me over the transmitter you keep in the truck, that I heard you and found Captain Ron, that's all."
Settling back down, he shook his head. "That's just going to bring trouble, Ron, I don't want Laurie to have to appear."
Taking a deep breath, she took his hand and tried to explain.
"Rick, they're on a witch hunt, if I don't go they may try to insinuate we're hiding something. They could even say we or Captain Ron know who the arsonist is! I promise I'll leave if I don't feel good, ok?", she said, as he brought her hand to his lips.
"All right, sweetheart, but the first time they treat you bad, you leave, ok?", he whispered. "Ok, my love, then I'll come right back here.", she kissed him as he took her in his arms.
As Laurie and her friends entered the hearing room, a battery of cameras and media stood in the background.
Already there had been several stories about the famous author having to appear, although they had taken on a decidedly sympathetic tone. The majority of columnists saw her being called as an intrusion into a worrisome time in her life, with her husband in the hospital and all.
As a clerk seated Laurie and Captain Ron at opposite ends of a table, Rudy and Oscar slipped in with A.J., Robin and Robert. Laurie hadn't wanted they to come, she feared if it got nasty her family might not be able to contain themselves. Laurie had asked Cecilia to stay with Rick, she feared he might relapse if someone wasn't there at the hospital to keep him calm.
Once the proceedings started, the strident voices of criticism were silent as official after official began their summary of the actions taken to locate and arrest the arsonist. Captain Ron was questioned for over 30 minutes; Laurie became very nervous when he was asked about "special favors", he had done for some of the local investigators.
Angered at the inference of favoritism, Laurie felt her nervousness decrease, then relaxed as the Captain answered the allegation point by point. When asked about his relationship with the Simons, he sat stiffly up straight and answered, "They are my friends as well as the best investigators in the Phoenix area. I have relied on their expertise as well as helping to break several cases."
The lead questioner, a thin businessman named Peters, fixed his stare on Laurie, then asked if she could speak next. Inwardly quaking, Laurie took her place at the center of the table next to her uncle, who took her hand, saying, "just hold on to me, honey, it's ok."
They had already discussed what to do if the questioning got too close to revealing the sensitive nature of their background. The Secretary had been notified, and he had responded by issuing a memo to be presented to the presiding member of the task force, declaring the nature of the questions to be against national security.
Now, facing the skinny little man, Laurie was surprised when he started to bring up the "various" times she had received police protection. Responding, she identified the incidents, especially those involving Willowby and the carnival killers, as matters of life and death. When Peters shifted focus to the arson fires, he asked her to explain how she heard where her husband was. "Due to the sometimes confidential and dangerous work my husband and brother-in-law perform, they
each wear a transmitter wire sometimes, I happened to have had mine with me when my husband alerted me to the danger he was in."
Abruptly, a clerk came over to the commissioner, then handed him a paper.
Looking at it, Peters raised his eyes and fixing a sarcastic smile on his face, asked "Isn't it true, Mrs. Simon, that public resources were used to protect you from an ex-general; and two members of a mafia family? That the transmitter used to help rescue you is the very same device you heard your husband call out to you on, not just a "private investigator tool", but ..."
Captain Ron immediately interrupted Peters, "I thought this hearing was to help find an arsonist, instead of a series of personal attacks on Mrs. Simon!"
"Silence, Captain Johnson, or I will hold you in contempt of this meeting!" the Commissioner barked.
Laurie couldn't stand it any longer, she felt dizzy then she heard a murmur and raising her eyes, saw Rick in a wheelchair coming in the meeting room door.
"Rick," she cried, then saw a flash of fire and herself trapped in the middle of it. Laurie felt everything start to go around, and collapsed into her uncle's arms.
"There's going to be a formal inquiry day after tomorrow as to the arson fire at the office building. Some reporter heard how you alerted myself and the fireman where Rick was trapped, and the fire department is asking questions as to how you knew." Captain Ron explained.
"It seems the starter was found near where Rick was, unfortunately he doesn't remember anything after he came into the office this morning. I'm afraid you may be "asked" to answer some questions, honey." A.J. added, putting an arm around her.
Suddenly it hit her; she would have to tell about her transmitter, leaving her and Rick open to discovery about her ex-agent status. Worse yet, what if they questioned about her relationship with Oscar and Rudy, their identity as Government agents would be exposed.
"Oh, no, A.J., I can't, it'll put Oscar and Rudy at risk, I'll have to tell about my watch!" she told them, trying to remain calm.
"No, honey, I don't think you'll have to say anything about them. Unfortunately, you probably will have to explain about the "private eye" gadgets you and Rick wear." Captain Ron assured her.
Laurie drew a shuddering breath, "I hope that's all I have to do, I really don't like doing any kind of testimony, but if I have to.... Oh, A.J., they won't make Rick appear, will they? He's not strong enough, and Allen says he's not to strain his voice."
"No, Laurie, I don't think so. Don't worry about it, we'll take care of it when the time comes. How many people saw you in the building, by the way?", A.J. tried to change the subject.
"Old Sam, the guard, Ron of course, and, oh yeah, the two lawyers from Brim and Stone, they were trapped in the fire escape and I walked down with them.", she explained.
"Ok, honey, why don't you say good night to Rick and let me take you home for a while.", A.J. offered, seeing the exhaustion in her face.
"Bless you, A.J., but I want to be with him for a while, if you don't mind. I promise to sack out for a while after he's asleep. You go ahead, do you want me to see if Mom wants to go with you?", she suggested.
The younger Simon nodded, so Laurie went back into the hospital room and found Robbie and Robin making everyone laugh by teasing Rick over his doodles. He fixed his gaze on her when she came over to the bed, then drew a heart with two eyes and a smile. "I love you too, Rick, ", she smiled then kissed him.
Just then a nurse came to tell them visiting hours were over, and Cecilia insisted that Rob and Robin get some rest at A.J.'s.
"Ok, we'll see you in the morning, Pop!", Robin told him, as her brother gave him a hug. As everyone else left, Laurie scooted her chair right next to the bed, then put her head next to Rick's. "Thank you for coming back to me, darling, I love you so much!", she whispered. Raising his hand to her face, he stroked her face, then mouthed back to her, "I love you, too. Close your eyes and sleep, darlin'."
A few minutes later, Rudy and Oscar peeked in, ready to say their good nights, only to see both Rick and Laurie fast asleep. Rudy got a blanket from the closet and covered her up, then kissed her cheek and tiptoed out. Oscar stood for a moment, then gently picked his niece up and put her on the bed next to Rick. Making sure she was settled, he kissed her forehead, then quietly left.
The next couple of days were trying for the Simons. True to their word, a formal investigation was launched into the arson attacks, with several city commissioners questioning why the arsonist hadn't been caught yet.
As Captain Ron was called to testify, he came to talk to A.J. and Rick about the notes they had made during their analysis. Rick still had fuzzy memories of that day, he remembered as far as going to the basement now, but nothing after that. When the Phoenix police Captain finished his questions; he turned to Laurie, then shamefaced, handed her the "request" to appear at the hearing.
"It's all right, Ron, it'll be ok. I'll just need to suck it up, that's all.", she told him, trying to make light of the appearance.
Rick gave her a searching look, then rasped, "Why should she have to talk to the commission, she came to find me, that's all. What do they want to know?"
Squirming under his stare, the Captain told him, "They want to know how she knew where you were, she's going to tell them about your transmitters." As Rick started to raise up in protest, Laurie put a hand on his shoulder. "Not my watch, darling, please calm down. I'm going to tell them how you called me over the transmitter you keep in the truck, that I heard you and found Captain Ron, that's all."
Settling back down, he shook his head. "That's just going to bring trouble, Ron, I don't want Laurie to have to appear."
Taking a deep breath, she took his hand and tried to explain.
"Rick, they're on a witch hunt, if I don't go they may try to insinuate we're hiding something. They could even say we or Captain Ron know who the arsonist is! I promise I'll leave if I don't feel good, ok?", she said, as he brought her hand to his lips.
"All right, sweetheart, but the first time they treat you bad, you leave, ok?", he whispered. "Ok, my love, then I'll come right back here.", she kissed him as he took her in his arms.
As Laurie and her friends entered the hearing room, a battery of cameras and media stood in the background.
Already there had been several stories about the famous author having to appear, although they had taken on a decidedly sympathetic tone. The majority of columnists saw her being called as an intrusion into a worrisome time in her life, with her husband in the hospital and all.
As a clerk seated Laurie and Captain Ron at opposite ends of a table, Rudy and Oscar slipped in with A.J., Robin and Robert. Laurie hadn't wanted they to come, she feared if it got nasty her family might not be able to contain themselves. Laurie had asked Cecilia to stay with Rick, she feared he might relapse if someone wasn't there at the hospital to keep him calm.
Once the proceedings started, the strident voices of criticism were silent as official after official began their summary of the actions taken to locate and arrest the arsonist. Captain Ron was questioned for over 30 minutes; Laurie became very nervous when he was asked about "special favors", he had done for some of the local investigators.
Angered at the inference of favoritism, Laurie felt her nervousness decrease, then relaxed as the Captain answered the allegation point by point. When asked about his relationship with the Simons, he sat stiffly up straight and answered, "They are my friends as well as the best investigators in the Phoenix area. I have relied on their expertise as well as helping to break several cases."
The lead questioner, a thin businessman named Peters, fixed his stare on Laurie, then asked if she could speak next. Inwardly quaking, Laurie took her place at the center of the table next to her uncle, who took her hand, saying, "just hold on to me, honey, it's ok."
They had already discussed what to do if the questioning got too close to revealing the sensitive nature of their background. The Secretary had been notified, and he had responded by issuing a memo to be presented to the presiding member of the task force, declaring the nature of the questions to be against national security.
Now, facing the skinny little man, Laurie was surprised when he started to bring up the "various" times she had received police protection. Responding, she identified the incidents, especially those involving Willowby and the carnival killers, as matters of life and death. When Peters shifted focus to the arson fires, he asked her to explain how she heard where her husband was. "Due to the sometimes confidential and dangerous work my husband and brother-in-law perform, they
each wear a transmitter wire sometimes, I happened to have had mine with me when my husband alerted me to the danger he was in."
Abruptly, a clerk came over to the commissioner, then handed him a paper.
Looking at it, Peters raised his eyes and fixing a sarcastic smile on his face, asked "Isn't it true, Mrs. Simon, that public resources were used to protect you from an ex-general; and two members of a mafia family? That the transmitter used to help rescue you is the very same device you heard your husband call out to you on, not just a "private investigator tool", but ..."
Captain Ron immediately interrupted Peters, "I thought this hearing was to help find an arsonist, instead of a series of personal attacks on Mrs. Simon!"
"Silence, Captain Johnson, or I will hold you in contempt of this meeting!" the Commissioner barked.
Laurie couldn't stand it any longer, she felt dizzy then she heard a murmur and raising her eyes, saw Rick in a wheelchair coming in the meeting room door.
"Rick," she cried, then saw a flash of fire and herself trapped in the middle of it. Laurie felt everything start to go around, and collapsed into her uncle's arms.
