Chapter 2
"Oh, no, not him. Rick, he's supposed to be in prison for life!" Laurie said, fuming.
Rick pulled her closer to him, "I know, sweetheart, Oscar's on the phone right now with Gregson. He'll find out what's happened." Laurie shook her head, then looked at Father Nick as he came back into the room with Oscar.
"I'm sorry, Father, I wish that creep hadn't gotten you involved. Bless you for telling Rick, though, now we can be prepared.", she told him, getting up from the sofa and giving the downcast priest a hug.
"No, thank you, honey. I just hope my warning was in time. You know, God must have loved your Grandmother very much to let her see you and your family, Laurie. The times she's appeared have been some of your most difficult, as well as special." Father added.
"You're right, but I always feel better knowing she's looking after Rick and the children, only today, she was there for me." Laurie replied thoughtfully, as her husband came to her side.
Rick leaned over and kissed her. "That's because you deserve to be looked after, darlin'." She looked up tenderly at him, then smiled. "All I ask for is to do the same for my knight." she declared.
"You two amaze me, every time I wonder about marriage, I only have to think about this family." Father Nick chuckled, then hugging the two of them, patted Oscar on the shoulder and went to the guest room.
"I'm glad he's staying here tonight, Rick, I don't trust Carr to leave him alone." the big man said after Father had closed his door.
"Oscar, what did Gregson say, you were pretty intense in there." Rick asked, sitting back onto the sofa and pulling Laurie into his lap.
"It's not Miles's fault, he just found out that Carr was up for parole for good behavior last week and when he was granted a hearing, he skipped town. The last trace anyone has on him was to San Diego." Oscar told them.
"What I don't like is if it was him in the barn, how did he get in without us seeing him. What if Robin had decided to look for Mike instead of me." Laurie shivered and Rick immediately put his arms around her, comforting her.
"I think he came through the field, darlin'. Oscar and I found a fresh cigarette butt over on the road, where there's a gap in the fencing. Until we know different, I don't want you or Robin going outside or anywhere by yourselves, understand?" he told her firmly. "Yes, Rick." she sighed, then seeing Oscar's stern look, held out her hand to him. "I promise, just so you guys won't worry. "
Sitting next to her, the big man took her hand. "Laurie, we just want to keep you safe. I'm worried what Carr may do next, he knows I won't let anything happen to you or Rick." Watching the man who she called dad pull her into his embrace, Rick had blink back tears. Whatever happened, they had to keep Oscar from surrendering to the ex-con.
He heard Laurie sniffing, then as she pulled away, wiping her eyes, she tried to smile at the two men."I love you both so much, now let me pull myself together and make us some dinner, then we'll have to figure out what we're going to do."
Helping her up, Rick hugged her again, whispering "my brave girl." She kissed him gently, then went to the kitchen, where he knew she'd finish her tears.
Adjourning to the dining room table, Oscar unfolded a sheaf of papers, then began tracing the last known whereabouts of Allen Carr.
It was after 10 pm when Oscar got a call from Gregson. Allen Carr had been spotted in Phoenix. Immediately Rick froze, "Oscar, what if he's after A.J. and Linda, we've got to call Captain Ron."
"Gregson already contacted him, a patrol car is in front of A.J.'s house now, but Ron says A.J. had gone to the office to pick up something. He's at a crime scene right now but he's going to check on A.J. if he doesn't show up at home in the next 15 minutes." Oscar started to grab his jacket, then Rick stopped him. "I'll go to A.J.'s, Oscar, you stay here with Laurie and Father Nick, I'll call when I get there."
Laurie came in from the kitchen with a pot of coffee and Rick saw she'd heard the exchange. "Rick." she stopped, then put the container down. Crossing the room to him, she put her arms around him, saying, "I love you, please come back to me." Almost to the point of tears, he kissed her, then held her tight. "I need to go, sweetheart, please mind your father for me?" he whispered. Laurie nodded, then he released her and went out the door.
Waving as he left, she went back inside and hugged both Oscar and Father Nick, who had heard the phone and was now up and dressed. "Honey, you're exhausted, I want you to lay down for a while. I'll wake you when Rick calls." Oscar told her, guiding her to her room.
Ready to argue, Laurie realized she was tired. "All right, just for a little while." she managed
a smile. At the doorway, she turned. "Whatever you do, please, dad, promise you won't give in to whatever Carr wants."
Seeing how serious she was, Oscar nodded, then kissed her and shooed her inside the room.
Sitting down at the kitchen table, he poured a cup of coffee for himself and one for Father Nick
then looking up, saw a quizzical look in the priest's eye.
"She'll never forgive you if you don't keep your promise."
"I'll do my best not to, but I won't let Carr hurt her." Oscar said somberly.
Silently the two men drank their coffee, understanding each other.
After an hour, Rick called, A.J. was still missing, so he was going to the office to meet
Captain Ron. Oscar hesitated, then told him, "Laurie wanted to know when you called,
I'll see if she's asleep." Going to the bedroom door, he started to open it only to hear
her voice, "Oscar, is that Rick?"
Shaking his head, he handed her the phone as she came out, looking a little more refreshed.
"Rick, are you all right?" she asked, then paled as he told her about A.J. "I'm sorry, darling,
maybe his car broke down, did you try his transmitter?"
"Yes, sweetheart, but, wait a minute, something's beeping." Rick got off the phone for a moment, then came back on excited. "Bless you, Laurie, he's in the parking lot of the office, his battery died. I'll call when we're on our way home."
"Be careful, my love." She told him, relieved, then handed the phone to Oscar. Going to sit next to Father Nick, she told him the news and saw the worry lines on his forehead lessen.
"Guys, it's almost 12, why don't we take turns staying up, there's no use for both of you to wear out." Laurie said. "I'll stay up for a while, I can easily wake you up if something happens, and Mike'll let us know if anyone's in the vicinity!"
"Good idea, honey." Father Nick looked over at Oscar. "I'll stay up with Laurie while you get some sleep, then we'll trade places." "All right, but wake me when Rick gets here." Oscar sighed, then grinned when Laurie took his arm as if to walk him to the guest room. "Good night already!" he chuckled, as she kissed his cheek.
As he closed the door, she pulled out some cards, then seating herself opposite her friend, said teasingly, "Ok, Father, poker or gin, what's your pleasure?"
"Neither, you silly girl. I want to talk to you. You've spent so much time trying to do everything and be everything to everyone, when has anyone listened to you." Father said, taking the cards from her hand and putting them on the table.
Laurie stared at him, then she sighed. "When did I think I'd ever get anything past you, Father?"
"When you tried to tell me you were okay with how your, well, your stepparents treated you." I knew then like I know now something's wrong." he countered.
She sat for a moment, and then took a deep breath. "Father, you know I found out who the rest of my family was, my great aunt Elizabeth and Uncle Roger, and my cousins. I'm so grateful that I know who I am and what I have. But, Father, I always told myself that as long as I didn't know all my roots, that not having children was okay. I love Robbie and Robert more than almost anything or anyone in this world, but..."
"But what, honey, you can't have children, from what I understand you can't physically have them now, and Rick told me he didn't want to you to even try back when you were first married." Father Nick took her hand, then looked her in the eye.
"If you're missing anything, it's the fact that Rick would go crazy if anything happened to you. I realize it's not fair that a person with so much love to give a child, can't have one that's biologically yours. But, the caring you gave Robbie and Robin growing up that got them ready to be parents, and the example you set for A.J. and Linda, Laurie, that's what being a mother is all about."
Tears ran down her cheeks. "I know, it just hurts that I couldn't give Rick a baby. He's the best father, and every time I see him with little Andy, oh, I feel so bad." "Honey, he's not hurting at all, on the contrary, he's never been happier, except of course, this danger you two face. You are his life." Father told her, putting his arm around her and handing her a handkerchief.
"I know, he makes me feel special everyday. I get scared about things, then he puts his arms around me, and I'm not afraid." she sniffed, understanding finally Father Nick's point.
"And that is why I say when people talk about the failure of so many marriages, I just point to you two. The love you could have possibly shown a baby, goes one hundredfold to your husband and your children and all of us. I'm selfish enough to say I wouldn't trade the girl I know for one hundred mothers!" he grinned, as she blew her nose, then hugged him tightly.
"Thank you, Father, I am a lucky woman. I have so many people who care about me, I just needed a kick in the, well, you know where to remind me!" she laughed.
Just then the sound of a truck sounded in the driveway, and Laurie jumped up. "Father, it's Rick, oh I'm so glad he's back." Beaming, she ran for the door, then remembering to look outside first, saw his truck making a u-turn then pausing next to the gate. As she opened the door, she turned and told the priest, "Oscar wanted to know when Rick arrived, could you get him?"
"Sure." Father smiled, then Laurie went down the walk toward the truck. As she approached, she suddenly got a cold feeling, then realized that Rick wasn't in the cab. "Rick!" she called, then the passenger door opened, and the smirking face of Allen Carr leaned out, a silver tube or stick in his hand.
"Not a sound, Mrs. Simon, or I'll kill your husband." he warned, as she opened her mouth to scream. Abruptly he grabbed her with one hand and shot out a stream of gas out of the silver tube toward her face. Everything began to spin, and Laurie found herself sinking, then being pulled into the truck cab.
Instantly the truck began to move, and as if from far away, she could hear Oscar's voice calling her name.
She tried to sit up, to fight off the arm now pinning her arms down with the seatbelt. Carr's voice was in her ears. "Don't fight it, Mrs. Simon, I'm taking you to your husband, isn't that what you want?"
"No, don't do this!" she tried to tell him, but a scarf was over her mouth, and she could only make a muffled sound.
"Dear God, what did I do!" she thought dizzily, and then everything went silent.
"Oh, no, not him. Rick, he's supposed to be in prison for life!" Laurie said, fuming.
Rick pulled her closer to him, "I know, sweetheart, Oscar's on the phone right now with Gregson. He'll find out what's happened." Laurie shook her head, then looked at Father Nick as he came back into the room with Oscar.
"I'm sorry, Father, I wish that creep hadn't gotten you involved. Bless you for telling Rick, though, now we can be prepared.", she told him, getting up from the sofa and giving the downcast priest a hug.
"No, thank you, honey. I just hope my warning was in time. You know, God must have loved your Grandmother very much to let her see you and your family, Laurie. The times she's appeared have been some of your most difficult, as well as special." Father added.
"You're right, but I always feel better knowing she's looking after Rick and the children, only today, she was there for me." Laurie replied thoughtfully, as her husband came to her side.
Rick leaned over and kissed her. "That's because you deserve to be looked after, darlin'." She looked up tenderly at him, then smiled. "All I ask for is to do the same for my knight." she declared.
"You two amaze me, every time I wonder about marriage, I only have to think about this family." Father Nick chuckled, then hugging the two of them, patted Oscar on the shoulder and went to the guest room.
"I'm glad he's staying here tonight, Rick, I don't trust Carr to leave him alone." the big man said after Father had closed his door.
"Oscar, what did Gregson say, you were pretty intense in there." Rick asked, sitting back onto the sofa and pulling Laurie into his lap.
"It's not Miles's fault, he just found out that Carr was up for parole for good behavior last week and when he was granted a hearing, he skipped town. The last trace anyone has on him was to San Diego." Oscar told them.
"What I don't like is if it was him in the barn, how did he get in without us seeing him. What if Robin had decided to look for Mike instead of me." Laurie shivered and Rick immediately put his arms around her, comforting her.
"I think he came through the field, darlin'. Oscar and I found a fresh cigarette butt over on the road, where there's a gap in the fencing. Until we know different, I don't want you or Robin going outside or anywhere by yourselves, understand?" he told her firmly. "Yes, Rick." she sighed, then seeing Oscar's stern look, held out her hand to him. "I promise, just so you guys won't worry. "
Sitting next to her, the big man took her hand. "Laurie, we just want to keep you safe. I'm worried what Carr may do next, he knows I won't let anything happen to you or Rick." Watching the man who she called dad pull her into his embrace, Rick had blink back tears. Whatever happened, they had to keep Oscar from surrendering to the ex-con.
He heard Laurie sniffing, then as she pulled away, wiping her eyes, she tried to smile at the two men."I love you both so much, now let me pull myself together and make us some dinner, then we'll have to figure out what we're going to do."
Helping her up, Rick hugged her again, whispering "my brave girl." She kissed him gently, then went to the kitchen, where he knew she'd finish her tears.
Adjourning to the dining room table, Oscar unfolded a sheaf of papers, then began tracing the last known whereabouts of Allen Carr.
It was after 10 pm when Oscar got a call from Gregson. Allen Carr had been spotted in Phoenix. Immediately Rick froze, "Oscar, what if he's after A.J. and Linda, we've got to call Captain Ron."
"Gregson already contacted him, a patrol car is in front of A.J.'s house now, but Ron says A.J. had gone to the office to pick up something. He's at a crime scene right now but he's going to check on A.J. if he doesn't show up at home in the next 15 minutes." Oscar started to grab his jacket, then Rick stopped him. "I'll go to A.J.'s, Oscar, you stay here with Laurie and Father Nick, I'll call when I get there."
Laurie came in from the kitchen with a pot of coffee and Rick saw she'd heard the exchange. "Rick." she stopped, then put the container down. Crossing the room to him, she put her arms around him, saying, "I love you, please come back to me." Almost to the point of tears, he kissed her, then held her tight. "I need to go, sweetheart, please mind your father for me?" he whispered. Laurie nodded, then he released her and went out the door.
Waving as he left, she went back inside and hugged both Oscar and Father Nick, who had heard the phone and was now up and dressed. "Honey, you're exhausted, I want you to lay down for a while. I'll wake you when Rick calls." Oscar told her, guiding her to her room.
Ready to argue, Laurie realized she was tired. "All right, just for a little while." she managed
a smile. At the doorway, she turned. "Whatever you do, please, dad, promise you won't give in to whatever Carr wants."
Seeing how serious she was, Oscar nodded, then kissed her and shooed her inside the room.
Sitting down at the kitchen table, he poured a cup of coffee for himself and one for Father Nick
then looking up, saw a quizzical look in the priest's eye.
"She'll never forgive you if you don't keep your promise."
"I'll do my best not to, but I won't let Carr hurt her." Oscar said somberly.
Silently the two men drank their coffee, understanding each other.
After an hour, Rick called, A.J. was still missing, so he was going to the office to meet
Captain Ron. Oscar hesitated, then told him, "Laurie wanted to know when you called,
I'll see if she's asleep." Going to the bedroom door, he started to open it only to hear
her voice, "Oscar, is that Rick?"
Shaking his head, he handed her the phone as she came out, looking a little more refreshed.
"Rick, are you all right?" she asked, then paled as he told her about A.J. "I'm sorry, darling,
maybe his car broke down, did you try his transmitter?"
"Yes, sweetheart, but, wait a minute, something's beeping." Rick got off the phone for a moment, then came back on excited. "Bless you, Laurie, he's in the parking lot of the office, his battery died. I'll call when we're on our way home."
"Be careful, my love." She told him, relieved, then handed the phone to Oscar. Going to sit next to Father Nick, she told him the news and saw the worry lines on his forehead lessen.
"Guys, it's almost 12, why don't we take turns staying up, there's no use for both of you to wear out." Laurie said. "I'll stay up for a while, I can easily wake you up if something happens, and Mike'll let us know if anyone's in the vicinity!"
"Good idea, honey." Father Nick looked over at Oscar. "I'll stay up with Laurie while you get some sleep, then we'll trade places." "All right, but wake me when Rick gets here." Oscar sighed, then grinned when Laurie took his arm as if to walk him to the guest room. "Good night already!" he chuckled, as she kissed his cheek.
As he closed the door, she pulled out some cards, then seating herself opposite her friend, said teasingly, "Ok, Father, poker or gin, what's your pleasure?"
"Neither, you silly girl. I want to talk to you. You've spent so much time trying to do everything and be everything to everyone, when has anyone listened to you." Father said, taking the cards from her hand and putting them on the table.
Laurie stared at him, then she sighed. "When did I think I'd ever get anything past you, Father?"
"When you tried to tell me you were okay with how your, well, your stepparents treated you." I knew then like I know now something's wrong." he countered.
She sat for a moment, and then took a deep breath. "Father, you know I found out who the rest of my family was, my great aunt Elizabeth and Uncle Roger, and my cousins. I'm so grateful that I know who I am and what I have. But, Father, I always told myself that as long as I didn't know all my roots, that not having children was okay. I love Robbie and Robert more than almost anything or anyone in this world, but..."
"But what, honey, you can't have children, from what I understand you can't physically have them now, and Rick told me he didn't want to you to even try back when you were first married." Father Nick took her hand, then looked her in the eye.
"If you're missing anything, it's the fact that Rick would go crazy if anything happened to you. I realize it's not fair that a person with so much love to give a child, can't have one that's biologically yours. But, the caring you gave Robbie and Robin growing up that got them ready to be parents, and the example you set for A.J. and Linda, Laurie, that's what being a mother is all about."
Tears ran down her cheeks. "I know, it just hurts that I couldn't give Rick a baby. He's the best father, and every time I see him with little Andy, oh, I feel so bad." "Honey, he's not hurting at all, on the contrary, he's never been happier, except of course, this danger you two face. You are his life." Father told her, putting his arm around her and handing her a handkerchief.
"I know, he makes me feel special everyday. I get scared about things, then he puts his arms around me, and I'm not afraid." she sniffed, understanding finally Father Nick's point.
"And that is why I say when people talk about the failure of so many marriages, I just point to you two. The love you could have possibly shown a baby, goes one hundredfold to your husband and your children and all of us. I'm selfish enough to say I wouldn't trade the girl I know for one hundred mothers!" he grinned, as she blew her nose, then hugged him tightly.
"Thank you, Father, I am a lucky woman. I have so many people who care about me, I just needed a kick in the, well, you know where to remind me!" she laughed.
Just then the sound of a truck sounded in the driveway, and Laurie jumped up. "Father, it's Rick, oh I'm so glad he's back." Beaming, she ran for the door, then remembering to look outside first, saw his truck making a u-turn then pausing next to the gate. As she opened the door, she turned and told the priest, "Oscar wanted to know when Rick arrived, could you get him?"
"Sure." Father smiled, then Laurie went down the walk toward the truck. As she approached, she suddenly got a cold feeling, then realized that Rick wasn't in the cab. "Rick!" she called, then the passenger door opened, and the smirking face of Allen Carr leaned out, a silver tube or stick in his hand.
"Not a sound, Mrs. Simon, or I'll kill your husband." he warned, as she opened her mouth to scream. Abruptly he grabbed her with one hand and shot out a stream of gas out of the silver tube toward her face. Everything began to spin, and Laurie found herself sinking, then being pulled into the truck cab.
Instantly the truck began to move, and as if from far away, she could hear Oscar's voice calling her name.
She tried to sit up, to fight off the arm now pinning her arms down with the seatbelt. Carr's voice was in her ears. "Don't fight it, Mrs. Simon, I'm taking you to your husband, isn't that what you want?"
"No, don't do this!" she tried to tell him, but a scarf was over her mouth, and she could only make a muffled sound.
"Dear God, what did I do!" she thought dizzily, and then everything went silent.