"Rick, have you seen the Valley Sun today?" A.J.'s voice was quietly angry.
"No, A.J., I just dropped Laurie off at the Cultural Center, I was going into the office to check our messages. Why?" Rick pulled into the driveway of the ranch to let a faster moving car pass.
"That picture Nash took of Laurie on Saturday, well it's on Page two of the front section with a really sick caption. They're all but saying that Laurie's involved with Ron." his brother replied tightly.
"WHAT!" Rick couldn't believe he heard A.J. right. "Did you just say that rag is accusing Laurie of..? I mean, that's insane!"
"I know, I know. I'm sorry, Rick, I should have waited until you got to the office to call you, but when Linda opened up the paper then saw how they altered the picture...." A.J. stopped, as he heard his phone ring.
"Go ahead and get that, A.J. I'll hold." Rick told him, seething. Getting out of his truck and going into the house, Rick picked up the newspaper off the porch, then opening the first section, gaped at the picture on the inside page.
Cropped to just show his wife hugging "Santa", the caption read, "What prominent local author has a thing for the new Chief of Detectives at Phoenix P.D? Only Santa knows for sure who's naughty and who's nice after hours?"
"I'll kill Nash, that's what I'll do, I'll smash his face!" he growled, then heard his brother yelling his name on his transmitter.
"I'm here." he said, trying to calm down.
"Thank God, I was afraid you'd run off the road." A.J. took a deep breath. "That was Ron. He got a call from his boss, and Nash had better hide, that's all I can say! Ron's in the clear, Branson knows nothing's going on and as a matter of fact advised Ron to call the paper and demand a retraction."
"Retraction nothing! I'm going to call and threaten that scumbag with the biggest fat lip in history if he doesn't apologize in print to my wife. Oh God!" Rick thought of Laurie finding out from a crack someone might make to her.
"A.J., I don't want Laurie to find out from someone at the Center. I'm going to go get her, then we'll call her attorney and get that bastard fired!"
"All right, but just keep calm, Rick. I'm going to call Mom, I don't.. oh no, that's her now at the door!" Rick heard his mother in the background, sounding very excited.
"A.J., tell her we're going to handle this, I'll call the Chief and have him pull Laurie aside after her class. I'm going to call the paper now, then head over there." Rick took a deep breath.
"How can somebody do something to her and Ron like this, isn't it supposed to be Christmas?"
"Yes, Rick, and it's just a couple of nasty little minds at a two bit rag; she's going to be okay." the younger Simon told him. "Just as long as she has you with her.
"Thanks, A.J.. I'll call you as soon as I talk to Laurie and get this taken care of." Rick said. Signing off his transmitter, he picked up the phone and dialed the editor's office of the Phoenix Valley Sun. As soon as the operator heard Rick identify himself, she quavered, "Mr. Simon, I'm sorry, Mr. Talley's on the phone right now with Chief Johnson."
"Operator, please put me on hold, I'll wait my turn with your editor." he said firmly, at the same time wondering where he'd heard her voice before.
"Sir, I'm really sorry, I was at the festival, I told my boss Mrs. Simon didn't do anything wrong. He told me to stay out of it, but, well, I love your wife's work and I've seen her and you, she's not the type to be like that!" the girl told him.
"Thank you, ma'am. I appreciate it, Ms. uh?" Rick realized he couldn't remember her name.
"Lopez, Tasha Lopez. I'm a friend of Robin's."
"Tasha, of course. It's been a while since we've seen you over. How are you?" he asked, then chatted with her. "Just a minute, Mr. Simon, he's free now. I hope you get him to straighten this out." she added.
"Thank you, Tasha, Mrs. Simon'll be glad to hear I spoke with you. Robin'll be home tonight and I'll have her give you a call." Rick promised.
After a moment, a deep, gravelly voice came on. "Mr. Simon, this is Henderson, I understand you have an issue with a picture in today's paper."
"Yes, Mr. Talley." Rick refused to play friendly. "Issue is an understatement. Your paper took a picture of a good man playing Santa to a bunch of children, and a woman who was only saying thank you, and made something dirty out of it. Your photo was edited to exclude the twenty or so people in the background, as well as myself and members of my family. If that wasn't bad enough, you infer my wife has a "thing" for Chief Johnson."
"Well, Mr. Simon, I agree that the photo may have been edited for space, and perhaps our captions editor may have used a poor choice of words to describe the way your wife feels about Chief Johnson. But the fact is, we have a source who gave us information that Mrs. Simon has been more then friendly with the Chief." the editor replied, a note of uncertainty in his voice.
"Your source lies, Talley. And your paper might choose to hide behind a lie, but my wife and I will seek a full apology and retraction from your newspaper, or you will answer to our attorney." Rick spat out.
"Well, I will investigate your complaint, Mr. Simon. We will be in touch with the results of our research. I do have one question, Simon. Have you spoken with your wife about this?" Talley asked, a touch of smugness in his tone.
"No, and God help you if she is upset in anyway from this." Rick refused to contemplate her reaction, bad enough this jerk was even hinting about any truthfulness to the slander. "I'll be discussing this with her."
"I understand. I do hope we can resolve this satisfactorily." Now he could hear the editor's nervousness. "You'd better, Talley, you'd just better. Good bye." Rick slammed the phone down, drained.
Just then there was a knock on the front door, then Rick heard his wife's voice. "Rick?"
Startled, Rick opened the door, then saw a somber Laurie on the porch. "Sweetheart, how did you get here?"
"The Chief dropped me. Rick." she opened her arms and he hugged her, feeling her trembling against him. "Laurie, get in here, it's freezing." he pulled her inside and closed the door against the icy wind.
"Darlin', it's all right, everything's going to be just fine, angel." he told her soothingly.
"I'm okay but, why, Rick, why would anyone think such a thing?" she asked, raising a worried face to his.
"Laurie, I don't know, but I've already called that excuse for a newspaper and demanded an apology. Ron's called them too, I hear. We'll get this straightened out, I promise."
He kissed her, then she took a deep breath and managed a smile. "I love you, Rick. When the Chief took me aside and told me, all I could think of his how hurt you and Ron must be. It's such an insult to you guys, like I would....oh that's what they did."
She caught sight of the paper, as Rick sat her down on the sofa. He saw Laurie's expression as she read the caption, then a look of anger crossed her face.
"How dare that nasty man do that, make such a horrible statement?" she seethed. "He had no right, darling, no right to do that." Rick took her in his embrace and held her as she calmed down. "Sweetheart, he had no right, I know that. I'm going to talk to Ron, then I want us to call your attorney and demand a retraction from that paper. I already spoke with that Henderson Talley, he seemed to think this was fun and games, but he's got another thing coming!"
Laurie relaxed against her husband. "Rick, I don't want you to get in trouble, even though," she gave him a kiss, "the idea of my knight defending my honor is tempting."
Responding to her lips, Rick returned her kiss then caressed her face. "Don't worry, princess, I won't do anything to get in trouble."
"How can I be upset when you say such wonderful things, my love." Laurie kissed his hand, then added "No one can hurt me as long as you hold me."
Suddenly the phone rang, and instinctively Rick tightened his embrace. "Let the machine pick it up, darlin."
Laurie shook her head.. "No, Rick, I refuse to let that jerk make us afraid to answer our phone. What if it's David? He was trying to get a flight for the day before Christmas"
Reluctantly Rick leaned over to answer it. "Simon Residence."
"Rick, it's Temple, what's going on there?" Rick smiled at his wife, then replied "a piece of stupidity, that's what. I'm glad you called, honey." Filling their friend in on the libelous picture, Rick got an idea. "Temple, when are you taping your next show?"
"Tomorrow, Rick, but Towne and I want to come over today. Why, ohhh, I get it! Let me talk to my buddy." Temple told him.
Handing the phone to his now cheerful wife, Rick went to make some ice tea, then came back in to find Laurie listening intently to Temple. "Honey, I just don't know, what if this hurts Rick and Ron, I mean, I hope nobody I know would believe such a thing, but still..."
"Laurie, I know you wouldn't look at another man, you're his, hook, line and sinker. The last thing I want is to give this rag more attention. But you have the chance to expose this scum. Ben Nash has gotten away with this stuff for years; I think we can nail him good this time." Temple explained.
Laurie took a deep breath, then turned to look at Rick. "Darling?" she asked, then grinned as he kissed her hand. "Sweetheart, we'll ask Ron, but I think it's a good idea, I don't want anyone to get away with mudding your reputation."
"All right, Temple, but let's talk to Ron first. He's already had to face his boss." Laurie added. "Listen, can you and Towne come for dinner, we can talk this over then."
Later, Rick was glad Laurie was insistent about speaking with the chief of detectives first, as Ron called while Towne and Temple were just arriving.
"Rick, I'm sorry I didn't call earlier, is Laurie all right?" Rick heard the worry in their friend's voice.
"She's more worried about you and me, Ron. Laurie was upset that anyone would try to make something bad out of your good deed." he replied.
"Well, I've already demanded an apology of the Times, but they tried to put me off with talk of a mystery source. Have you and Laurie spoken with her attorney?" Ron asked.
"Yes, George is going to file papers with the newspaper, but Temple Brown is taping a show tomorrow and wants Laurie as a guest to clear her name and yours" Rick said.
"No, Rick this isn't a good idea. I'm almost certain I know who this so-called "source" is. If I'm right, both you and Laurie are in danger." the chief detective told him vehemently.
Puzzled, Rick pressed for information. "What do you mean, danger?"
"I can't talk about it right now, I got a phone call, and if I'm right, I'll have an answer for you tomorrow. Whatever you and Laurie do, don't let her talk about that picture on Temple's show." Ron pleaded, sounding upset.
"Okay." Rick agreed, feeling there was more to his friend's request. Abruptly a signal cut in, and Rick discovered it was Robbie..
"Hey son, where are you?"
"I'm just leaving Phoenix P.D. Have you heard from Ron, that picture's really got the other officers stirred up." Robbie replied. "Half of them want to take Nash's head off!"
"Listen, I've got Ron on the other line. He's checking out a lead about that phony story, can you back him up so he doesn't get into trouble?" his father asked.
"Sure, I'd like to nail this jerk too, put me through, Pop."
"Ron, are you still there?" Rick clicked over, then heard the chief's impatient voice.
"Yeah, but I've got to go." Johnson sounded tired. "I'm supposed to meet this "source" in 10 minutes in back of the market at 14 and Gallegher."
"Do me a favor, Robbie's just leaving the station, I'm going to conference you two, have him meet you in front and keep an eye out for you." Rick insisted.
"I can't ask him to..." Ron started, then... "Ron? It's Robbie. I can be there in five minutes." The young deputy interrupted.
"Ok, partner, Five minutes." The chief gave in, then sternly added. "Rick, you do that again, I'll make it two collection boxes for toys!"
"You do that, Ron." Rick couldn't help but chuckle. "Leave your transmitters on just in case, A.J. and I will be listening in."
"Thanks, Rick, I'll explain everything when I can." Ron started to hang up when Laurie came over to her husband. "Rick, is that Ron, let me talk to him."
Handing her the phone, she said, "Ron, how are you?" "Laurie, I have to go, but, honey, I'm sorry, that Nash went too far this time. I already talked to Rick, but, please don't worry about that picture, all right?"
She heard how worked up he was about the whole incident, and hastened to reassure him. "I'm fine, Ron. I won't let it bother me, we'll get through this."
"Good, I'll talk to you and Rick later." the chief promised then hung up.
Suddenly Laurie had a cold feeling. "Rick, something's wrong, I feel it."