Laurie heard a door open, then she felt herself moving forward then stopped. Abruptly the coverings over her were removed and she saw Sims looking down at her.
"Our time together is over, Mrs. Simon." He said, almost sadly, then lifted her out of the cart. Setting her down on the bed, he tossed the bed linens on the floor, then looked at his accomplice.
"Put her in the bathtub and turn the water on, then lock the door. I'll set the fire, then when her husband comes in, knock him out."
"No!" Laurie made a muffled cry, then twisted around to look at the casino chief. He met her eyes, then pulled the gag out of her mouth. "Please, don't do this. Rick didn't do anything bad, and if you're judging us by the Bible, what about "thou shalt not kill!" Laurie began, only to have him put a hand over her mouth, muffling her protest.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Simon, but your husband gambled with the devil's money. You will be the price he pays. I don't want you to suffer, so I'll have Ross end it quickly." Sims told her, then nodded at the security chief. Sims half-stuffed the gag back in her mouth then crumpled up some paper and dropped it in the wastebasket, following it with a lit match.
At once the security chief went into the bathroom, then she heard the water running. Returning, he picked Laurie up, then carried her as she struggled into the bathroom and started to put her down into the water. As she tried to wriggle out of his grasp, he dropped her into the tub, causing the water to splash up into his eyes. When he tried to blink the water out of his eyes, she managed to spit the cloth out of her mouth, then screamed "No!" Instantly she saw Ross draw back his fist as if to hit her. Suddenly a figure came running into the room. "Police, freeze!"
Rick didn't wait to unlock the door, he kicked it open then found Sims on the floor where the door had knocked him down. "Oscar, you take care of him! Laurie!" he called, then saw Jim Brass go flying backwards out of the bathroom and land, dazed, on the carpet. Rick ran toward the bathroom, then found the security chief trying to force Laurie under the water in the bathrub.
"Let go of her!" Rick yelled, then pulled the man off his wife with one hand and grabbed Laurie and lifted her out of the tub and onto the floor with the other. Leaving her gasping and coughing, he slugged her assailant, driving him against the wall. Ross rebounded and attempted to headbutt Rick, only for Rick to sidestep him, sending him headfirst into the bathroom door. As he scrambled to his feet, both men saw smoke coming from under the door. Instantly the groggy criminal grabbed the doorknob and propelled himself out of the room, slamming the door behind him. A wild yell sounded almost immediately.
"Laurie, sweetheart." Rick picked her up and untied her wrists, then hugged her wet form tightly.
"Rick, darling, you came." Laurie gasped, then sniffed the air. "Rick, they set the room on fire, we've got to get out of here."
Looking around, Rick found a towel, then wet it in the half-filled tub. "Laurie, hold on to me," he told her, lifting her in his arms then wrapping the towel over their heads.
Putting her face up to his, Laurie kissed him, them murmured, "I love you, Rick, whatever happens."
"I love you too, now put your face against my chest." He said, then heard Oscar calling them, "Rick, Laurie?"
Using the towel to open the superheated door, he was confronted by a wall of flame, then saw through the smoke two figures beckoning them.
Rushing through the smoke-filled suite, Rick made it into the hotel hallway, then leaned against the wall, coughing and trying to catch his breath.
Oscar was next to him in a moment, as Brass managed to get the fire extinguisher then hit the fire in the room with the foam. Oscar helped unwind the scorched towel from Rick and Laurie, then embraced them.
"Dad, thank God you and Jim came. They were going to drown me then leave Rick to burn to death." She shakily told him, raising her face to look at him while holding onto Rick tightly.
"It's all right, baby. We got Sims, and that Ross, he's lucky Jim pulled him out, I'd have left him." Oscar replied angrily. Laurie shook her head. "No, Dad, he's not worth it. I'm all right, I just can't stop shaking inside. I was so afraid I wouldn't be able to hold him off…."
"My brave girl." Rick kissed her gently. "You're safe, he'll never get near you again."
"That's right, Laurie." Brass came over and gazed at the two Simons. "When the D.A.'s done with Sims and Security Boy here, they'll be lucky to get the chair. Thanks to you two."
"No, thank you for stopping him from, well, from keeping him from hurting my angel." Rick couldn't bring himself to think about what almost happened. He put his face against hers and she kissed him, soothingly telling him, "I'm here, my love. You guys saved me."
"Anytime, Rick. We make a good team, maybe you and your brother ought to come to Las Vegas and…" Brass broke off, laughing at the look of horror on Oscar's face.
"Oh, no, I have enough grey hair from what he and my daughter get into at home!" he complained facetiously.
Rick put on a look of mock innocence. "Who, us?" as Laurie giggled weakly.
Just then several officers came up to Brass and advised him they had caught the other two accomplices.
"What a relief!" Rick sighed, then managed to stand up. "Come on, sweetheart. I want to get you dried off and checked out at the hospital. Jim, you can take her statement then, can't you?"
"I'm okay, darling. I just want to go to Robin and Ian's and get warm. Please?" Laurie got up stiffly then put her arms around her husband. He met her eyes, then sighed "all right, but straight to bed with you, capice?"
"Straight to bed, with you." She echoed teasingly, prompting a groan from Oscar.
Rick picked her up, then winked at the others. "See, she listens to me, that's why we're still married."
"And I always will." She answered, putting her head against his shoulder.
A week later Rick stood and looked out over the windswept countryside outside their ranch,
For three days they had stayed with Robin and Ian in Las Vegas until Martin Sims and his accomplicies were arraigned and held on no bail. Despite their ordeal, Laurie and he had felt fine, and once they were rested, Robin and Ian had come home with them for the weekend.
"I've got your bags, Ian, now where's our girls?" Rick asked, putting Robin's suitcase down on the porch.
"Inside, Mom's talking to Robin in the kitchen. I'm glad we got to help celebrate your anniversary, even belatedly." Ian told him, then laughed as Mike came racing out the door with a cookie in his mouth.
"Mike, you bad dog, that was for Ian!" Laurie's voice carried through the house, and Rick and his son-in-law howled at the unrepentant dog, who gulped the treat then came jumping into Rick's arms.
"Mike, there's no denying it, you are a cookie monster." The older Simon chuckled, then petted his dog.
"See Robin, I told you he'd come running to your father." Laurie led her daughter out of the house, carrying a care package of homemade treats.
"Yeah, he knows when he's in deep doo-doo." Rick snickered, causing Laurie to roll her eyes then giggle as Mike covered his eyes with his paw.
"Pop, that is so bad. Only you would make that pun!" his daughter paused to ruffled Mike's fur, then hugged Rick.
"Call me when you and Ian get in, honey, okay?" Rick asked, then dropped a kiss on her cheek.
"I will, Pop. By the way, Mom feels bad about something, I think she's still upset about what that Sims tried to do to you." Robin warned him in a soft voice, then turned as Laurie embraced Ian then Robin.
"Thanks for the goodies, Mom. I'll call later." She repeated, then climbed into their car and drove away.
Rick looked at his wife's face, her mouth drooping as their daughter disappeared from sight.
Making a quick decision, he swept Laurie up in his arms. "Come on my princess, let's go in."
Startled, she smiled nonetheless at his romantic action. "Yes, my lord. Anything you want."
As he carried her inside and kicked the door closed, Rick weighted what he should say.
Despite her outward appearance, Rick could tell something was haunting his wife and he meant to find out.
"Sweetheart, I need to talk to you, and I have a special present for you." Rick took her into their room, then put her down on the bed.
Sitting next to her, Rick quietly said, "Laurie, I love you. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you. Something's bothering you, won't you tell me what's wrong?"
She stared at him, then turned red.
"I'm, oh I'm so ashamed, darling. I remember how I acted when that woman came on to you. I had no right to talk like that." She said, putting her head down. Rick took her hand in his.
"Angel, look at me, please, darlin'" Rick felt his heart aching, he couldn't bear her being so upset.
"Laurie, listen to me, you didn't do anything wrong." Rick explained, "She was a plant, paid to distract us while they drugged the two of us. I'm not happy about the way I …liked the thought of being fought over."
" But, I told her to find her own man, Rick. I was so, I acted like a shrew. I .." she broke off with a surprised look, then the ghost of a grin crossed her face.
"You liked being, oh you rascal!" she giggled, then sniffed when he took both her hands in his and kissed them
"My sweetheart. I am yours, don't you know that? My heart, all of me." He whispered, then placed his lips to hers, dropping her hands and encircling her with his arms.
She returned his kisses, then buried her face in his shoulder. "I love you so much, and when I'm with you, I almost forget what they did to us. But I'm afraid of having to testify against those men now, I don't want to have to relive being put in that cart, or shoved underwater."
Rick groaned, understanding why his wife had gone pale when Brass had told them about the hearing they had to attend. "Laurie, it's all right to be scared, what happened was awful. But you fought back, you didn't let them take you from me." He stroked her hair, then kissed the tears from her eyes.
She took a deep breath, then kissed his neck as he added, "I'm not budging from your side, my angel. I'll be with you every single moment, it'll be all right."
"Thank you, darling." She gave him a smile then put her head against his chest. "You are so dear, I'm yours, and as long as I have you with me, I can face those horrible people."
"That's my girl." Rick gazed proudly down at her, then reminded her "I still have part of your anniversary gift, close your eyes and hold out your arms."
Laurie grinned, then held our her arms as Rick unboxed her jacket, then slipped it on her. He kissed each arm as he pulled the sleeves up then met her lips, as she tasted his mouth with hers until they were both breathless.
"Oh, Rick, oh my love." Laurie blinked as she caught sight of the cream-colored jacket in the mirror, then reached for him, kissing and hugging him tightly.
"Do you like it, darlin'?" Rick started to choke up at the expression of joy in her face.
"Yes, Rick, but how did you remember?" she managed.
Suddenly it came to Rick, why the jacket looked so familiar.
"Now I can play Range Rider with you and A.J." Laurie wiped her eyes then smiled as he snickered.
"I forgot that Clifton and Jerry wouldn't let you play cause your stepmother wouldn't get you a western jacket. We never played with those kids again, Mom was so mad that they made you cry. If it weren't for the fact that their father was A.J.'s coach…."
"It was all right, Mom taught me to play bridge that day and I knew how much she loved me when she cried with me." She reminisced, taking his hand in hers and bringing it to her cheek. "Thank you, love."
"I'll call A.J., I think he won't mind coming over to play." Rick chuckled, then turned his fingers over to caress her face.
"You need to see what else I brought my favorite playmate." He added, pulling out the matching skirt and gloves.
"Oh, Rick, you didn't need to get me all that." Laurie replied softly, stroking the soft gloves, then putting her arms around his neck.
"All I want, " she kissed him then put her face against his, "is you."
"What my cowgirl wants, my cowgirl gets!" Rick grinned, then pulled her into his arms.
Good to his word, Rick called A.J. and the next day found the two Simons on horseback.
"There you are." A.J. came out of the house.
"What kept you, little brother? Laurie giggled then leaned down to kiss his cheek.
"I couldn't find my jacket, so I was going to borrow Ricky's." A.J. laughed, then ducked the attempted mussing of his hair by Rick.
"Nice move, A.J., now let's see how you do on Hopalong." Rick needled, then indicated a grey horse standing docilely by the barn.
"Don't mind Rick, Hoppy's a very nice horse, you'll like him. I trained him to take Ricky and Ceci, he's used to people." Laurie shook her finger at her husband, only to have him grab it then pull her to him for a kiss.
"Hm… I'll have to chide you more often, darling." Laurie laughed.
A.J. just shook his head, then Rick teased "Okay, I get to be the Range Rider, A.J. you're the faithful sidekick, Sweetheart, do you want to be Jane, the rancher's daughter?"
"Yes, as long as I'm don't have to be as wimpy, I refuse to squeal at the appearance of a bad guy." She warned them facetiously.
As they rode away from the ranch, Linda and Cecilia came out from the kitchen and watched them galloping toward the foothills. "I don't believe it, three adults playing cowboys." Cecilia sighed as Linda laughed.
"Mom, you wouldn't believe how excited A.J. was when Rick called, seems he's been wanting to ride a horse ever since Ricky and Ceci learned. I thought he didn't like to ride."
"That was before Laurie promised to train a horse for him, plus he and Rick enjoyed talking to Buck so much at the convention, guess he had good memories of when they did play "Range Rider." Cecelia replied, smiling at the thought of her sons youth.
An hour later, Rick was ragging A.J. as he complained about his sore backside.
"Don't worry, little brother, the faithful sidekick always fussed about something, you're just in character."
"Very funny, Rick, next time I get to be Buck." A.J. shot back, then managed a smile when Laurie edged Brick between them.
"Come on, admit it. That really was fun, guys, you do ride well, A.J.. Ricky'll be so happy he can ride with you now."
"Thanks, sis. Once I recover, that is." He groaned.
As they reached the barn, Linda came out to greet them with some ice tea, and A.J. gratefully slid off his horse and gave her a hug.
"Thanks, honey, you're a lifesaver." He told her then moaned as he tried to sit down.
"Oh, A.J., I should have told you not to ride so long. What hurts, darling?" Linda put an arm around him, then laughed in spite of herself when he whispered where the pain was.
"I think you should come with me, I can game play too, you know." She promised with a devilish smile.
"Yes, Linny!" A.J.'s face lit up, then he winked at Laurie and Rick as Linda took his hand and led him to the house.
"That stinker, he didn't put Hoppy away." Rick groused half-heartedly, then smirked as Laurie held out her hand for him to help her off.
"Don't look now, love, but I'm sore too. I guess I should ride more often." She surmised, then let out a giggle when Rick pulled her off Brick then kissed her.
"Well, Dr. Simon's got the cure for that soreness, how about some bed rest, hmmm?" he raised his eyebrow then chuckled as she replied " that's one prescription I'll be happy to have filled."
As Rick walked arm in arm with his wife after stabling the horses, he caught a glimpse of Grandmother Kasey smiling at them from the barn doorway.
"Don't look now, Laurie, but Grandmother's here." He quietly said, then Laurie turned and said "Hello, Grandmother. Thank you for looking after us."
"Everything is all right, my child. Your Richard will always come through." The spirit murmured softly,
"Just remember what you have between you, and everything will be just fine."
"Thank you, Grandmother." Rick replied after a moment, then embraced his wife. At that, Kasey faded away.
"I love you, I know you'll be there." Laurie answered emotionally, then sealed her belief with a kiss.
"Yes, my angel, never without me." Rick promised, then seeing his mother standing at the back door, heaved a sigh.
"Somehow I think Dr. Simon's house call will be delayed."
"Oh, I think we can reschedule for later, " Laurie teased, then greeting her mother-in-law at the door, gave her a hug.
As the Simons all went inside, Grandmother Kasey stood watching from a distance, then smiled as A.J. came to the door and peered out.
"Thank you for looking after Rick and Laurie, Grandmother." he said nervously, not seeing her, then went back inside.
"You're welcome, my son." Her voice softly echoed…...