Rick nervously waited for Robbie to return with the walkie-talkie and the sealed message from Fischer. He was certain that Fischer's brother was the new voice heard over his wife's transmitter, and he was equally aware that his plan could fail if either brother suspected they had located the area Laurie was in.

"He's back, Rick." A.J. opened the front door for his nephew, who immediately rushed in with a small bag.

"Here it is, Pop. Rob's going to call us the minute Dennis comes back in."

"Thanks, son." Rick saw the anxious look on Robbie's face, then grabbed his shoulder. "Hey, it's going to be okay. We're going to have her home in a couple of hours."

"Thanks, Pop." Robbie enveloped his father in a hug, then Rick opened the bag.

He found a small standard walkie-talkie, and put it carefully on the coffee table. Opening the small white envelope, he saw a small typed note.

At 8am, you will turn on the walkie-talkie, at which time you will be able to speak briefly with your wife.

Then you will call the sheriff's office and request that Sheriff Gomez retrieve the silver box which is in the vehicle seized at the Brown's home. He will release this box to you, then you will go and pick it up, then return home and turn on the walkie-talkie at 10am for further instructions. No further contact or tracing for the police or your wife will die.

"What the…son, did Rob take all the stuff out of the truck when he took Randolph in?"

"Yes, Pop. But he was puzzled by a couple of things Aunt Temple said weren't theirs." Robbie frowned, then he grabbed the phone. Punching in a number, he waited a moment, then said, "Rob, are you by yourself?"

"Robbie, how did you know Jake Dennis wasn't here?" The sheriff 's tone was puzzled.

"Cause we just heard him on Mom's transmitter, he went to check on her. He didn't know about Mom's being told by Fischer she could talk to Pop." Robbie explained. "Pop has an idea, while he talks to Mom, I can go in and when Fischer leaves, get her out."

"Well, he's not back yet, tell me what I can do." Rob asked.

As the hours dragged on, Rick sent his son to the backside of the hills overlooking Silver Rock, telling him, "Wait outside until you see him leave, Robbie. If you hear him threatening her, though, move in!"

Just then Oscar called in on A.J.'s transmitter. "We're in position. Ron is at the canyon entrance and Joe is waiting for Robbie at the summit. Towne will radio us if Dennis doubles back past the turnoff from town."

Laurie found herself dozing fitfully while waiting for Fischer to make his appearance, the cold and damp making it hard for her to sleep. A sudden coughing fit drove her to try rubbing the gag off again, and finally she snagged it on a sharp piece of rock, cutting her cheek in the process. Ignoring the sharp pain, she jerked her face up, pulling the scarf off her mouth.

"Rick, I got it off!" she gasped, then heard him respond thankfully, "Sweetheart, take a deep breath, it's almost eight now. As soon as he lets me talk to you, I'll be there. I love you my brave girl."

"I love you too, darling." She whispered, her courage renewed by his words, then heard footsteps. "Someone's coming."

"Close your eyes, Mrs. Simon." Rick heard what he knew was Fischer's voice now, then the intake of breath that told him his wife was being blindfolded.

"Remember, angel, just do as he says." He " reminded" her.

Turning on the walkie-talkie, he listened as Fischer said "Mr. Simon, can you hear me?"

"I hear you, where's my wife?" Rick tried to stay calm, then he listened as Fischer told Laurie, "All right, Mrs. Simon, here's your husband."

"Rick, it's me." He wanted to smile at the "me" as he replied, "Laurie, darlin', are you all right?"

"I'm all right, Rick. It's so cold, though. Please give him whatever he wants, I want to come home." She sniffed.

"I promise, sweetheart." He replied, meaning every word.

At once Fischer came back on the device. "All right, Mr. Simon. I've kept my end of the bargain. You go do your part. I'll call you at 10am. If you don't have what I want, it'll be the last time you hear from me or your wife."

Abruptly there was static.

Immediately Rick turned his transmitter up, then heard something gave him a chill.

"Well, Mrs. Simon, I think this is the end of the road for you and I. See this?" Fischer's voice held a menacing tone..

"No, you said I could go home, you're going to blow me up?" Laurie's voice was panicky.

Rick frantically got up. "A.J., we have to go now, he's going to kill her." Just then Rudy came in from the guest room where Mike was. "You'll have to go without Mike, son. That leg just isn't healed …."

He froze in mid-sentence as Rick turned his transmitter up.

"No, my dear. This is only if your husband doesn't give me what I want. If he does, I'll leave him the directions to this cave in your mailbox, in plenty of time to rescue you. If he doesn't….well."

Rick grabbed his jacket and was out the door, followed by A.J.. "Wait, Rick, we'll take my car, get down in the back in case Dennis is watching!"

Reluctantly Rick disappeared into the back of A.J.'s sports car, then as he closed the rear door, he yelled to Rudy, "Call the guys, tell them to back up Robbie, I'm on my way!"

The older man nodded then closed the door and turned on his transmitter, only to hear Oscar already telling Robbie, "Don't wait for Joe, wait until he leaves then get Laurie out of there."

As they raced toward the entrance to Blackhawk Canyon, where Laurie's signal was coming from, Rick listened with growing anger as Fischer seemingly decided to terrorize his wife.

"Of course, Mrs. Simon, you could decide to go with me, I'd enjoy having you with me to spend all the money we've earned. But, I don't think my associate would appreciate being a third wheel. Instead, you'll have a few hours to figure out how much your husband loves you." Again he laughed, then a series of beeps went off.

"There you go, my dear. I gave you 3 hours, because you have been such good company. But, just in case." Rick cringed as he heard Laurie struggling with Fischer.

"No trouble now, Mrs. Simon, or I might forget to give your husband the right directions. Au revoir!"

As his footsteps faded away, Rick held his breath, then A.J. told him, "Here's the turnoff, up that trail then behind those rocks. I'll hide the car."

Rick slipped out of the vehicle, then ran up the old firebreak through the scrub brush. Suddenly he heard footsteps, then flattened into the ground as Jake Dennis climbed up the slope, then he leaped out and tackled him, knocking him into the bushes.

As the man lay panting before him, Rick pointed his revolver in his face and snarled, "one word, one sound and I'll shoot you dead. Now move!"

"Wait a minute, Mr. Simon, you've got me all wrong.." Dennis protested, then Rick released the safety.

"I said one word, I'll won't let you alert that bastard. What you've done to my wife….now get going!"

Pushing and bullying the now cowed deputy, Rick marched him down the hill to a waiting Ron Johnson, who took him roughly by the arm and handcuffed him on the backseat of his car.

Putting on his transmitter, he called to his son, "Robbie, son, have you found your mother?"

"Almost there, Pop." Came his quiet response.

Rick "called" "Laurie, darlin', Robbie's coming."

"Rick, he's here." She responded then a few moments later he heard her over his transmitter, panic-stricken. "Rick, Fischer's coming back, oh no!"

Suddenly Rick heard sounds of a struggle. "Robbie, look out!" Laurie's voice called out in fear, then Fischer's voice ordered, "Put it down, Simon, or I'll kill her in front of you!"

"A.J., Towne, get up here, quick!" Ron radioed, then turned to tell Rick help was on the way, only to see him barreling up the hill.

Inside the caves, Robbie was frozen with helplessness, seeing the library clerk pointing a gun at his mother's head.

"Now!" Fischer cocked the trigger, then released it when Robbie put his weapon down.

"All right, take your handcuffs, and cuff your right hand." Laurie was paralyzed with fear at the sight of her son in danger. Fischer reached over and yanked his left arm behind him, then locked the cuff on it. "All right, get over there and face the rock." Robbie slowly turned, then Laurie saw Fischer raise the butt of his gun, as if to knock him out. Suddenly she heard the voice of her Grandmother, "Don't let him hurt your son!"

Abruptly the fear that left her weak turned to anger, and Laurie screamed "No!"

Using the rock she was leaning against for support, she pushed off and whipped her legs at their assailant, causing him to collapse to the ground. As he tried to get up, Laurie yelled, "Hurt my son, will you?" and kicked furiously at him.

Losing his gun in an effort to avoid her surprise assault, Fischer grabbed at her ankle, then twisted it, causing her to cry out in pain. Seeing he was starting to get the upper hand, she gave one more jerk, and landed a blow to his face. Bellowing in pain, he picked up a rock.

As if in slow motion, Laurie saw him coming at her, then shots rang out, and with a look of surprise on his face, Fischer fell to his knees, then dropped lifelessly to the rock floor.

Robbie called out, "Pop!" as Rick came out of the shadows.

"Rick, the bomb…." She managed to gasp, then watched as he tore the wires from the timer, disarming the clock. He went and uncuffed his son justas A.J. rushed into the cave, stopping as he saw the body of Fischer on the ground. "Is everyone all right?" A.J. asked, gingerly picking up the bomb.

"Robbie", Laurie looked up to see him leaning against the rock, a look of relief on his face. "I'm okay, Mom. Pop, where did you get your timing?"

"I've learned from the best, son." Rick said as he gathered Laurie into his embrace. A.J. hugged his nephew, grateful they had gotten there in time.

"Rick,." She collapsed against him, then buried her head in his chest as he reached around and untied her wrists and arms. He nearly lost it when he saw her bloodied shoulder.

"It's all right, my Laurie, my brave girl." He choked, then picked her up in his arms.

"He was going to kill Robbie, darling. I wouldn't let him. Please, just hold me, don't let go." She wept, then raised her eyes and seeing the naked emotion in his face, stopped crying long enough tokiss him.

"My brave men, you saved me." She managed, looking over at her son, who wiped his eyes then came over and hugged his parents.

"What about you, Mom, how did you bring him down like that?" Robbie asked wonderingly.

Reaching out with her good arm to stroke his face, she smiled and told them, "Grandmother reminded me that no one is going to hurt my children, ever." A.J. just looked at them, "Grandmother?"

"A.J., she was here, if I didn't have your voices or her strength to prop me up…"

"My Valkrie, you're the one who was strong." Rick assured her, holding her gently. He carried Laurie out of the darkness, following their son into the morning light as A.J. trailed behind them.

There was an emotional reception as the four Simons came down the rocky path, as Towne and Ron met them on the trail and insisted on helping carry Laurie to Oscar's Jeep.

Sheriff Rob embraced her, then told the others. "Get her to Rudy, I take it Fischer's dead."

Rick nodded. "He was going to kill them both, I made sure he'll never terrorize anyone again."

"Good work, guys, now I'll take care of him." Rob promised, then grinned as Ron sighed. "What a relief, that's usually my line."

"Well, I didn't say I couldn't use help!" the sheriff chuckled, then waved the caravan of cars off to the ranch.

On the way home, Oscar got Rudy on his transmitter, "We'll pick you up and head for the hospital…."

"Dad, no, no, please, just take me home. I'm so wet and cold." Laurie interrupted him to protest frantically.

Rick looked at her upset face and tried to soothe her. "Sweetheart, we need to have you looked at, look, .."

His voice softened as he said, "I know you want to go home where you'll feel safe. I promise as soon as Rudy has you checked out, we'll take you home."

He saw her resistance melt and she replied pleadingly, "Please, can I at least stop and change, I'm wet all over."

Rick felt ashamed that he didn't realize how uncomfortable she had been for so many hours. "I'm sorry, angel, of course we'll stop."

"Oh, love, I'm sorry too." She gulped. "I don't mean to be so stubborn, but it was so…I hated begging and saying thank you for a drink of water when I was sick from that monster did to me. I felt so powerless!"

In the front seat, Oscar swore aloud as Rick hugged her tightly to him. "I know, darlin' I know. I'm sorry he did that to my Laurie. But sweetheart, the only ones who are going to boss you around here are those who love you and want you to be well."

He felt her relax against him then she raised her face to his. "Por favor, mi amor." She whispered.

Rick answered with the only Spanish he could muster at that moment. "Si, mi chequita." then kissed her.

Oscar sighed. "Rudy, open the gate, somehow I don't think we're going to the hospital."