Chapter 4

"Get away from them, Andrew!" Laurie said angrily, leveling her weapon at the fake doctor.

Slowly the mustachioed man backed toward the balcony with a strange smile on his face. "I'll see you again, Mrs. Simon", he whispered, then broke through the sliding doors and jumped the railing, landing feet first on the top of the parking garage.

"Rudy, call security and Ron! I'll signal Rick!" she told him, automatically following their assailant to the balcony then taking the outside stairs. As she ran, she hit the send on her watch, then called her husband.

"Laurie, where are you?" he responded. "I'm following Bear now, he's gone into the parking garage. Rick, I'll wait for you at the entrance to the top floor, I'm sure he's still there." she told him.

"No, sweetheart, come back into the hospital and wait with Robbie, he's too dangerous!" Rick came back to her immediately, sounding panicked.

"Rick, don't worry about Robbie, security will be there in a minute. I won't go into the garage, I promise. I just want to make sure that creep doesn't get away this time!" she explained, frustrated at Rick not seeing her point.

"Laurie, you don't understand, please trust me on this, go back to the hospital, please!" he sounded desperate, and her heart melted.

"All right, darling. I'm going back up the stairs, but be careful, my love, for me." she gave in, then walking up to her son's room from the outside, she felt her husband's relief.

"I will, my angel," Rick answered, then he signed off.

Going into Robbie's hospital room, she found him sitting on the edge of the bed, talking to Rudy as Oscar berated someone on the phone.

As Laurie picked her way in carefully through the broken glass, both men heaved a sigh as Robbie said "Mom!" then took turns embracing her.

"Thank God Rick got a hold of you, Missy. That was dangerous what you did, following that psycho." Rudy was upset and took her hand as Oscar gave her a stern look and ended his phone call.

"I'm sorry, Rudy, I didn't mean to scare you. I was armed; I just wanted to make sure he didn't get out of the garage." Laurie put her arms around her old friend, then looked at her father. "I'm sorry, Dad, but I won't let anyone hurt my son."

"Honey, you don't understand, Robbie, you tell your mother." Oscar glanced over at the young deputy.

"Mom, Bear is still obsessed with you; he told me when he pulled that gun that he was taking my place with you. "Either she goes with me or she dies." he said, I was afraid he'd seen you at the door. If you hadn't been armed...." Robbie couldn't finish as he saw the meaning of his words hit home with his mom.

"Oh, no, darling. I. I didn't know. Dad, he wasn't going after Robbie and Rick, he wanted me." Laurie choked out, fear coursing through her body.

"Yes, Laurie, plus that fake guard was supposed to make sure Bear took you away. Thank God he was spooked when you barged in." Oscar put an arm around her and sat her in a chair.

Suddenly she heard a noise over her transmitter, then the sounds of a scuffle.

"Robbie, it's your father, he's fighting with that creep, I feel so helpless." Laurie told them, upset. "Mom, he'll be all right, Uncle A.J and Ron are with him," Robbie reassured her. Oscar kissed her cheek. "He can handle himself, just in case let me have his pistol." Laurie handed the Range Rider over and Oscar headed to the parking garage.

At the same time, Rick was in the middle of chasing Andrew Bear down the ramp of the lower level parking garage. He'd lost contact with his brother and Ron after they split up on getting Laurie's call. As the older Simon neared his quarry, he suddenly saw the young man turn, then take a small, round object from his pocket.

Fearful it was one of Bear's smoke bombs, Rick pulled out his weapon and fired a round at the fleeing madman. Catching the panicking escapee in the hand, Bear dropped the explosive from his hand, fortunately not hard enough for it to break and disperse in the garage.

"Move one more muscle or you'll be returning to the hospital feet first." Rick yelled, then saw him reach as if for a weapon and shot him again, this time in the upper arm. The would–be killer fell like a rock, and Rick immediately called "A.J., Ron?"

A thumping noise met his ears, and at once he realized why neither responded to his call.

Locating the source of the sound, he saw movement from behind a van, and found his brother and Ron Johnson bound and gagged with tape, wedged together.

"Are you guys all right!" Rick asked frantically, pulling the tape off both men's mouths.

"Yeah, thanks, Rick!" A.J. gasped, as his brother released both of them.

"Couple of fine detectives we are, Rick, good job." Ron groused, moving slowly to get up, then giving the younger Simon a hand up. "He took us by surprise, he's got more moves then a snake!"

As Rick went back to the wounded prisoner, he found Oscar holding him at gunpoint. "Thanks, pal, I knew Laurie had a good idea to bring that." Just then Andrew Bear looked up at them, then smirked as he saw Rick holster his weapon.

"That's not going to help you, Mr. Simon. I was meant to be with your wife, she's the mother I never had. You might have stopped me today, but I'll be back." he promised with the same unwavering look in his eyes.

"You'll never again get near my wife, Bear. You do and you're dead!" Rick said furiously, then watched security arrive to take the mentally ill man away on a stretcher.

"Rick?" he suddenly heard his wife's call, and immediately he hit the send function on his watch.

"Laurie, darlin', it's all right, we got Bear. He's never going to see the light of day, I promise you that." he answered, then he and A.J. immediately went inside as Ron and Oscar went to make sure Bear didn't escape again. As they re-entered the hospital, Rick saw A.J. limping and made him see Dr. Allen for an x-ray.

When Rick came into his son's room, he saw his wife and son with anxious expressions on their faces, then opened his arms as Laurie came rushing to him. Taking her in his arms, he smiled reassurance at Robbie.

"Rick, thank God you're safe." Laurie clung to him, then kissed his cheek before releasing him to his son's hug. "Nice work, Pop. I heard you stop Bear. I'll be so glad never to hear his name again!" Robbie asserted.

"You won't, son." A.J. came into the room, then gave Rick a pat on the shoulder. "Andrew Bear is going right back to Tucson, except this time to maximum security. He'll never be a threat to any of us again, thanks to your father!"

"You mean thanks to my trusty assistant, who stopped him from hurting our son again, then pointed out his location and stayed out of harm's way, like I asked." Rick put an arm around Laurie, then kissed her.

"I'll assist you anytime, boss!" she grinned, then returned his kiss.

"Come on, Robbie, Ramona and Andy are in the family room, we'll let your folks finish thanking each other." His uncle laughed and hustled their son out of the hospital room.

"Like I'll be able to finish thanking you ever." Laurie whispered, "just don't let go." Laurie snuggled deeper into his arms.

"Never, my princess." he promised, then dropped a kiss on her hair. "It's been a day, let's go home where I can continue showing my appreciation."

"Yes, my prince." Laurie caressed his cheek, then gazing up at his face, murmured "Your lady can think of nothing better!"