Chapter 4
"Flights to the East Coast have been delayed, as new snow falls across the eastern seaboard." The weatherman announced. Watching the morning news, Rick shook his head, that would be all they needed.
"Rick, it's okay, worst comes to worst I can stop over somewhere for the night then arrive in time for the service tomorrow." Laurie told him, bringing his thermos to him.
Taking the container from her hand and setting it down, he pulled her into his arms. "Sweetheart, you spoil me. How am I going to make it without my brave girl." he murmured in her ear, then kissed her neck.
"The only reason I'm brave is you, darling." She smiled, burrowing into his embrace. They stayed in each other's arms until Oscar's car beeped at the gate.
Reluctantly letting go of one another, the two Simons picked up their bags and went outside into the icy sunshine.
When they arrived at the Phoenix airport, both Rick and Laurie verified that their transmitters were in working order, only Laurie realized she would have to leave hers off so it wouldn't be picked up by in-flight transmissions. Checking the arrival screens, Laurie sighed, her flight would be delayed 2 hours.
"Rick, there's no use you hanging around here for half the day, why don't I sit next to the ticket agent's desk and you can go check on stuff at the office." She offered.
"Laurie, I'm not going anywhere until they call your flight. I'll call Oscar so he can contact the Collins's and let them know you'll be late." he said firmly. Taking her arm, Rick walked her over to the waiting area.
Taking a seat not far from the phone bank, Laurie waited with their bags while Rick went to call A.J. to notify him about the flight delays. As she watched his animated expression as he spoke with his brother, a call came over the loudspeakers. "Mrs. Simon, Mrs. Laurie Simon, please pick up a courtesy phone."
Catching Rick's eye, she picked up their bags and walked a few feet further away to a white phone. As Laurie lifted the receiver, a sudden cold feeling ran through her, then she heard Rick "call" to her. "Laurie, go for Oscar, now!"
Turning, she looked at the phones and saw Rick wasn't there. Frightened, she obeyed his request, picking up their bags and heading for the end of the terminal, all the while calling for Oscar on her transmitter. As she made it to the doors, Laurie saw Oscar just outside, then a sudden shock of pain from Rick stopped her in her tracks.
Dropping the bags, she rummaged in Rick's suitcase, then pulled out his spare gun. "Oscar, Stinson's got Rick, he's going to kill him! I've got to stop him!" she told him firmly, inserting the clip then sticking the weapon in her pocket.
"Laurie, no! I've got a fix on him, wait for me!" her uncle's frantic order came through the receiver. Hesitating, she realized he was right and ran out the automatic doors to meet him. Throwing their luggage inside his car, she told Oscar "He's beating Rick, we've got to get to him now!"
"All right, Laurie, follow me, but stay back until I tell you, promise?" he said firmly, getting out of the car. She nodded, trying to stay focused on reaching out to Rick, telling him they were coming. As she followed Oscar, Captain Ron's voice came over her transmitter, letting them know he had seen Stinson enter the parking garage earlier in a grey panel van. "A.J.'s with me, we're coming in from the front." Relaying the information as they crept into the parking garage, Oscar spotted the van, then pulled Laurie behind a pillar.
"Honey, you cover me, I'm going to come behind the van, as soon as I see a way to draw Stinson out, I'll signal you. You can get in and take care of Rick while I take out that animal and Ron blocks his exit, understand?"
"Yes, Oscar. But, please be careful." she said, grasping his arm. He looked at her, then put his hand on hers. "I will, honey." he whispered.
Just then Rick sent her an urgent call, "don't come near the van, Stinson has a gun, he's waiting for Oscar so he could shoot him." "Darling, Oscar's coming from the back, Ron from the front, can you distract him?" she told him.
Laurie could almost feel a little humor from her husband. "Does a duck have wings?"
As she crouched, gun in hand, Oscar waited until a car went past before running between cars and getting close to the van. Suddenly Laurie realized Rick had managed to turn on his transmitter watch, and she heard Christopher Stinson taunting her husband that he had an outside camera rigged to show anyone approaching the vehicle. Using her pendant watch, she called to her uncle to stay put until Rick could keep Stinson from looking at the monitor on the dashboard.
Abruptly Rick sent a call to her, "Okay, now!" and Laurie relayed it to Oscar and Ron. Instantly Oscar ran to the back of the van, then took out the camera mounting as Captain Ron zigzagged his way to the front hood, then on the count of three, simultaneously broke the front window as Oscar did the same to the back panes.
Laurie heard Rick yelling then she saw someone run from the van as a cloud of smoke enveloped the area. "Darling, are you all right?" she called on her transmitter, then he answered. "I'll be fine, just got to get out of this choking smoke, wait a minute, where's Stinson?"
As she came out from behind the concrete column, Laurie saw a figure running toward her then realized it was her husband's assailant. Pulling her weapon out, she yelled "Stinson, freeze!"
Laurie caught sight of his face closing on her and she automatically pulled the trigger, squeezing off a round before he collided with her and knocked her to the ground, sending the gun flying. Dazed, she tried to fight the bleeding criminal off her, only to have Stinson punch her in the face, then grab her by the arm. "No!" she screamed, only to have her voice cut off by a hand over her mouth, as Stinson got up and started to drag her toward the garage exit. Struggling with him, Laurie pulled fruitlessly at his arm only to hear Oscar order "Let her go!"
She saw Rick come around the corner and yell at her to "Drop!" and she managed to thrust herself out of Stinson's reach and fall to the concrete floor as he and Oscar fired at him.
Laurie lay on the ground as the last of the shots echoed away, then footsteps ran toward her.
"Laurie, angel!" Rick's voice sounded above her, as she opened her eyes to see his bloodied face.
"Oh, my poor Rick!" she gasped, "my love, what did he do to you?" then clung to him as he lifted her off the cold cement. . "Sweetheart, did he hurt you?" he asked frantically. "He punched me, but I'm all right, we've got to get you to the hospital!" she cried, as she took the edge of her sweater and tried to dab at the cuts and swellings on his face. "No, no, angel, let me get that off you." Rick urged, pulling the blood-stained garment off her. Feeling her shivering, he wrapped his arms around her, ignoring his painful ribs.
"Laurie, it's okay, my brave girl. You did good, darlin'." Rick soothed her. "When I didn't see you upstairs, I was so afraid. Don't let go, darling, please." she whispered. "Never, sweetheart." he promised, as a weary Oscar, A.J. and Ron came up to the two of them after seeing Stinson's body taken away by the coroner. Laurie reached out and hugged them from the comfort of Rick's arms.
"Nice shooting, Laurie, I can't figure how he kept going after you nailed him. It took both Oscar and Rick here to stop him!" the Phoenix captain grinned. "A.J.? where the hell did you come from?" the older Simon said, realizing his brother had an arm around him. "You're not the only one who got tired of being babysat!" A.J. replied, casting a concerned eye on his brother's swollen eye.
"Let's get both of you to the hospital, especially you, Rick, I want to make sure he'd didn't break any of your ribs." Oscar told them, then as they passed under a light, he saw Laurie's face. "Honey, let me see, I didn't know he hit you." he said angrily. Putting his hand to her chin,
Oscar's face darkened as he saw her split lip and bruised face.
"I'll be all right, but, Dad, I'm sorry, I should've wondered who would page me here. It happened so fast.. I should have been .." Oscar interrupted her, "Baby, it's all right, you didn't do anything wrong. Stinson had days to plan this, you had seconds to react."
"Sweetheart, Oscar's right. I never heard him coming, one moment I'm talking to A.J., the next Stinson had a gun in my side and said he'd shoot you if I called or made any move toward you. But you listened to me and Oscar, you helped save my life." Rick reassured her with a kiss, as she lay her head against his shoulder.
He saw tears in her eyes. "Rick, I'm going to Maine as soon as I know you're all right. I need to at least try, darling. " Oscar shook his head. "You're going to go home, baby. Barnabas will understand. Besides, the airport in Bangor is closed anyway, you wouldn't be able to get there in time for the service tomorrow."
The group of men saw her shoulders slump, then taking a deep breath, Laurie tried to smile at them, "Okay, I guess I can't fight you guys or the weather."
Rick grinned as he stole another kiss. "I wouldn't put it past you, darlin'." he declared as he helped her into Oscar's sedan. "But I'd lay odds on you." he said.
She laughed wearily as they settled in for the trip to the hospital, then kissed him back. "And you'd win."
"Flights to the East Coast have been delayed, as new snow falls across the eastern seaboard." The weatherman announced. Watching the morning news, Rick shook his head, that would be all they needed.
"Rick, it's okay, worst comes to worst I can stop over somewhere for the night then arrive in time for the service tomorrow." Laurie told him, bringing his thermos to him.
Taking the container from her hand and setting it down, he pulled her into his arms. "Sweetheart, you spoil me. How am I going to make it without my brave girl." he murmured in her ear, then kissed her neck.
"The only reason I'm brave is you, darling." She smiled, burrowing into his embrace. They stayed in each other's arms until Oscar's car beeped at the gate.
Reluctantly letting go of one another, the two Simons picked up their bags and went outside into the icy sunshine.
When they arrived at the Phoenix airport, both Rick and Laurie verified that their transmitters were in working order, only Laurie realized she would have to leave hers off so it wouldn't be picked up by in-flight transmissions. Checking the arrival screens, Laurie sighed, her flight would be delayed 2 hours.
"Rick, there's no use you hanging around here for half the day, why don't I sit next to the ticket agent's desk and you can go check on stuff at the office." She offered.
"Laurie, I'm not going anywhere until they call your flight. I'll call Oscar so he can contact the Collins's and let them know you'll be late." he said firmly. Taking her arm, Rick walked her over to the waiting area.
Taking a seat not far from the phone bank, Laurie waited with their bags while Rick went to call A.J. to notify him about the flight delays. As she watched his animated expression as he spoke with his brother, a call came over the loudspeakers. "Mrs. Simon, Mrs. Laurie Simon, please pick up a courtesy phone."
Catching Rick's eye, she picked up their bags and walked a few feet further away to a white phone. As Laurie lifted the receiver, a sudden cold feeling ran through her, then she heard Rick "call" to her. "Laurie, go for Oscar, now!"
Turning, she looked at the phones and saw Rick wasn't there. Frightened, she obeyed his request, picking up their bags and heading for the end of the terminal, all the while calling for Oscar on her transmitter. As she made it to the doors, Laurie saw Oscar just outside, then a sudden shock of pain from Rick stopped her in her tracks.
Dropping the bags, she rummaged in Rick's suitcase, then pulled out his spare gun. "Oscar, Stinson's got Rick, he's going to kill him! I've got to stop him!" she told him firmly, inserting the clip then sticking the weapon in her pocket.
"Laurie, no! I've got a fix on him, wait for me!" her uncle's frantic order came through the receiver. Hesitating, she realized he was right and ran out the automatic doors to meet him. Throwing their luggage inside his car, she told Oscar "He's beating Rick, we've got to get to him now!"
"All right, Laurie, follow me, but stay back until I tell you, promise?" he said firmly, getting out of the car. She nodded, trying to stay focused on reaching out to Rick, telling him they were coming. As she followed Oscar, Captain Ron's voice came over her transmitter, letting them know he had seen Stinson enter the parking garage earlier in a grey panel van. "A.J.'s with me, we're coming in from the front." Relaying the information as they crept into the parking garage, Oscar spotted the van, then pulled Laurie behind a pillar.
"Honey, you cover me, I'm going to come behind the van, as soon as I see a way to draw Stinson out, I'll signal you. You can get in and take care of Rick while I take out that animal and Ron blocks his exit, understand?"
"Yes, Oscar. But, please be careful." she said, grasping his arm. He looked at her, then put his hand on hers. "I will, honey." he whispered.
Just then Rick sent her an urgent call, "don't come near the van, Stinson has a gun, he's waiting for Oscar so he could shoot him." "Darling, Oscar's coming from the back, Ron from the front, can you distract him?" she told him.
Laurie could almost feel a little humor from her husband. "Does a duck have wings?"
As she crouched, gun in hand, Oscar waited until a car went past before running between cars and getting close to the van. Suddenly Laurie realized Rick had managed to turn on his transmitter watch, and she heard Christopher Stinson taunting her husband that he had an outside camera rigged to show anyone approaching the vehicle. Using her pendant watch, she called to her uncle to stay put until Rick could keep Stinson from looking at the monitor on the dashboard.
Abruptly Rick sent a call to her, "Okay, now!" and Laurie relayed it to Oscar and Ron. Instantly Oscar ran to the back of the van, then took out the camera mounting as Captain Ron zigzagged his way to the front hood, then on the count of three, simultaneously broke the front window as Oscar did the same to the back panes.
Laurie heard Rick yelling then she saw someone run from the van as a cloud of smoke enveloped the area. "Darling, are you all right?" she called on her transmitter, then he answered. "I'll be fine, just got to get out of this choking smoke, wait a minute, where's Stinson?"
As she came out from behind the concrete column, Laurie saw a figure running toward her then realized it was her husband's assailant. Pulling her weapon out, she yelled "Stinson, freeze!"
Laurie caught sight of his face closing on her and she automatically pulled the trigger, squeezing off a round before he collided with her and knocked her to the ground, sending the gun flying. Dazed, she tried to fight the bleeding criminal off her, only to have Stinson punch her in the face, then grab her by the arm. "No!" she screamed, only to have her voice cut off by a hand over her mouth, as Stinson got up and started to drag her toward the garage exit. Struggling with him, Laurie pulled fruitlessly at his arm only to hear Oscar order "Let her go!"
She saw Rick come around the corner and yell at her to "Drop!" and she managed to thrust herself out of Stinson's reach and fall to the concrete floor as he and Oscar fired at him.
Laurie lay on the ground as the last of the shots echoed away, then footsteps ran toward her.
"Laurie, angel!" Rick's voice sounded above her, as she opened her eyes to see his bloodied face.
"Oh, my poor Rick!" she gasped, "my love, what did he do to you?" then clung to him as he lifted her off the cold cement. . "Sweetheart, did he hurt you?" he asked frantically. "He punched me, but I'm all right, we've got to get you to the hospital!" she cried, as she took the edge of her sweater and tried to dab at the cuts and swellings on his face. "No, no, angel, let me get that off you." Rick urged, pulling the blood-stained garment off her. Feeling her shivering, he wrapped his arms around her, ignoring his painful ribs.
"Laurie, it's okay, my brave girl. You did good, darlin'." Rick soothed her. "When I didn't see you upstairs, I was so afraid. Don't let go, darling, please." she whispered. "Never, sweetheart." he promised, as a weary Oscar, A.J. and Ron came up to the two of them after seeing Stinson's body taken away by the coroner. Laurie reached out and hugged them from the comfort of Rick's arms.
"Nice shooting, Laurie, I can't figure how he kept going after you nailed him. It took both Oscar and Rick here to stop him!" the Phoenix captain grinned. "A.J.? where the hell did you come from?" the older Simon said, realizing his brother had an arm around him. "You're not the only one who got tired of being babysat!" A.J. replied, casting a concerned eye on his brother's swollen eye.
"Let's get both of you to the hospital, especially you, Rick, I want to make sure he'd didn't break any of your ribs." Oscar told them, then as they passed under a light, he saw Laurie's face. "Honey, let me see, I didn't know he hit you." he said angrily. Putting his hand to her chin,
Oscar's face darkened as he saw her split lip and bruised face.
"I'll be all right, but, Dad, I'm sorry, I should've wondered who would page me here. It happened so fast.. I should have been .." Oscar interrupted her, "Baby, it's all right, you didn't do anything wrong. Stinson had days to plan this, you had seconds to react."
"Sweetheart, Oscar's right. I never heard him coming, one moment I'm talking to A.J., the next Stinson had a gun in my side and said he'd shoot you if I called or made any move toward you. But you listened to me and Oscar, you helped save my life." Rick reassured her with a kiss, as she lay her head against his shoulder.
He saw tears in her eyes. "Rick, I'm going to Maine as soon as I know you're all right. I need to at least try, darling. " Oscar shook his head. "You're going to go home, baby. Barnabas will understand. Besides, the airport in Bangor is closed anyway, you wouldn't be able to get there in time for the service tomorrow."
The group of men saw her shoulders slump, then taking a deep breath, Laurie tried to smile at them, "Okay, I guess I can't fight you guys or the weather."
Rick grinned as he stole another kiss. "I wouldn't put it past you, darlin'." he declared as he helped her into Oscar's sedan. "But I'd lay odds on you." he said.
She laughed wearily as they settled in for the trip to the hospital, then kissed him back. "And you'd win."