Chapter 2
"Robbie, stay down!" Rick hollered.
"Rick, take the rear", Ron's voice over the transmitter crackled with anger; he was furious at seeing his men under attack. Abruptly Robbie sounded over his watch, "Pop, I see the guy, he's on the roof of the store with the guards's bag."
Rick spotted a hooded man, and promptly replied, "Robbie, hold your position. Ron?"
"Take you shot, Rick." the chief came back to him, as suddenly the man started to move.
Quickly Rick fired a round at the shooter, and caught the man in the torso, causing him to collapse onto the store marquee. Ordering a careful move toward the roof, Ron had the police and sheriffs under his command hold their fire as the SWAT team started toward a back staircase.
At once another shot ricocheted, and Rick turned to see his son duck behind a garbage can in the rear alley.
"Rob, don't move!" Ron yelled, then called on a helicopter hovering over head to seek out the second shooter.
"Can't see him, wait a minute?" The officer stopped, then reported, "second suspect behind the truck on the parkway."
As another round went off, seeming aimed only at the young deputy, Rick made a calculated decision to draw the fire from his son. "Ron, cover me!" he transmitted, then raced across the alley to the opposite corner where his truck was parked. Instantly several pings were heard, then the deputy in the helicopter fired off a couple of shots, giving Rick the time to get within reach of the shooter.
Scarcely had the older Simon gotten behind his vehicle when something hit the ground, then smoke exploded near the last sighting of the gunman. Taking advantage of the smoke cover, a car engine was heard, then a truck roared away through the divisionary explosion.
After a moment, Ron signaled an "all clear", freeing Rick to race to his son.
"Robbie?" he called, then gasped to see the deputy stand up, clutching his arm. "Pop, the guy got lucky." he managed, as his father grabbed him then helped him to the nearest police cruiser.
"Ron, Robbie got hit!" Rick yelled, then everyone converged as the paramedics got him to a gurney, then applied pressure to the blood oozing from his left shoulder.
Once he was stabilized, Rick got permission to ride with his son to the hospital, as Chief Johnson and the others secured the crime scene. "I'm here, son." Rick climbed in next to him, seeing Robbie with a worried expression after he was loaded into the ambulance.
"Rick, I'll take care of things here, you just make sure he's okay." Ron told him, giving Robbie a pat on his leg.
"Thanks, pal. I'll call Laurie myself, God knows I don't want her to find out from the t.v." Rick sighed, then caught a similar look on Robbie's face. Ron saw it and put a note of authority in his voice. "Your mom's going to be fine, let me know if you want me to go get Ramona and Andy, okay?"
"Thanks, Ron, and thanks for letting Pop help." Robbie gave a brief smile and got one in answer before the paramedics closed the doors.
"Nice shooting, Pop. I thought the guys and I were sitting ducks. Who'd guessed that a store robbery would cause all this." he added as the vehicle took off.
"Never underestimate the stupidity of a criminal, Rob. What I don't like is that second guy, is that who got you?" Rick watched as the medics expertly cleaned and patched up the nasty looking wound in his son's upper arm.
"Yes, Pop, I had just started to shift position when bam!" Robbie explained, wincing at the sting of the i.v. in his arm.
"I can't believe this all started with trying to stop a purse snatcher ring." Rick grimaced, thinking how close he'd come to losing his son. The young deputy shook his head.
"And to think we laughed when Grandma said we were on "senior patrol"....