"All right, I think that's enough of a workout, darlin'." Rick came in from the kitchen to see his wife standing on the treadmill, drops of perspiration on her forehead.
After a week in the hospital, then two weeks of therapy, Laurie was walking with assistance, but the way she was pushing herself….Rick was going to put his foot down.
"I'm okay, Rick." She smiled weakly at him, gripping the support bar while she caught her breath.
"Laurie, you know what the doctors said, and not just Rudy." Rick frowned as he saw Laurie's obstinate expression. "Rick, I'm fine. I want to keep going, just another 10 minutes."
"No, sweetheart." He walked toward her and she shook her head.
"Yes, Rick. I have to ."
He ignored her and picked her up, then kissed her as she tried to protest. Immediately she melted against him, and he felt her arms around him.
"Laurie, " he kissed her face, then her neck. "You're wet through, here." He carried her unresisting to their room.
"Darling, I'm sorry to be stubborn." She wearily looked into his eyes, then rested her head on his shoulder. "But I'm so close to being able to walk on my own….." "I know, my princess." He stroked her hair. "I love you, and I want you to be able to get around by yourself. But you won't get better if you overdo it." Rick put her down on their bed, then helped her change into dry clothes. Smiling, she put her arms around his neck.
"How did Mrs. Simon get so lucky to have Mr. Simon?" she cupped his face and kissed him tenderly.
Catching his breath, Rick grinned at her. "Mrs. Simon smiled, and Mr. Simon was a goner. Besides," he started kissing her neck then working his way up her throat. "Mr. Simon needs another timeout."
"Ooh, then Mrs. Simon will just have to …oh, Rick…." She gave a moan of pleasure as he reached a certain spot, then started unbuttoning her top, kissing her all the way back down.
At that moment a loud buzz announced someone at the gate, and Rick made a rude noise.
"Darling…." Laurie giggled, then she released him from her arms and lay back down on the bed as he mock-ordered, "you stay put, whoever it is can just come back later."
As Rick walked in the living room, he saw a police car at the gate, then recognized Chief Branson.
Startled, he pressed the gate button to allow the car to drive in, then called back to Laurie, "It's Chief Branson, I'll go see what he wants."
As he opened the door, he saw the younger man get out of the cruiser. "Hey, Chief, what's up? Any news on our missing suspect?"
"Yeah, Rick, sorry I didn't call before I came." Branson said. "I just came to show some pics to Laurie, see if anything rings a bell. Oh damn…"
"What's wrong?" Rick saw the Chief bend down to look at the rear left tire.
"I picked up a nail somewhere, shoot, lucky I made it this far." The man straightened up as Rick responded, "I've got a spare in the barn, Chief. Go on in and make yourself at home, I'll go get it."
"Thanks, Rick, I'll go say hi to Laurie." Chief Branson beamed, then headed into the house.
Curious as to what the police chief was there for, Laurie made her way over to her walker, only to hear the extension ring in the kitchen. As she went to answer it, she saw her husband go into the barn.
"Simon Residence."
"Laurie, where's Rick?" A.J. was on the line, sounding frantic.
"He's in the barn, A.J. Is something wrong?" Laurie had a cold feeling come over her, then she saw Chief Branson approaching the barn door.
"Ron's on his way over, has Chief Branson come by?"
"Yes, he's here right now, A.J., oh, no!" Laurie saw Branson put the crossbar on the barn door, locking it. At once she "called" "Rick! Chief Branson just locked you in!"
Rick was rolling a spare tire over to the barn entrance when he heard his wife's "call". "What!" Rick "answered ", then his transmitter lit up. "Rick!" A..J. called him "Branson's after you, Ron thinks he's the mystery man at the Fun Zone. He packed up and took off this morning before they could question him!"
"A.J., get Rob and get over here quick. I'll bust out of here, have Laurie lock herself in her room." He responded.
"Laurie" he "told" her, "Ron thinks Branson's the lookout. He took off before they could question him and A.J. says he's after us!" he explained, trying to open the barn door.
Unable to lift the bar blocking the latch, he rushed to the back door, which was partially blocked with blown dirt.
"I'm coming, sweetheart, lock yourself in the bedroom and I'll come in the window." He relayed, then he "heard" her tell him, "He's at the door, Rick!"
"A.J., he's in the house, hurry!" he told him over the transmitter.
Laurie huddled on the bed, phone in hand, then heard the "friendly" voice, "Laurie, it's Chief Branson, can I see you for a moment?"
Remaining silent, she heard the doorknob rattle, then the footsteps moved away.
Releasing the breath she was holding, Laurie turned and opened the window, only to be startled by the door being kicked in.
Wheeling around on her bed, she dropped the phone, then saw Branson in the doorway, a gun in one hand.
"I'm sorry I startled you, Laurie." He gave her an apologetic smile, then motioned with the gun. "this way, my dear. We're going to take a little ride together, just to the border."
"No, please, Chief. Don't do this." She pleaded, not moving, then he quietly warned, "I don't want to hurt you, but if you don't come with me, I'll go get Rick, and he won't be coming back!"
She heard Rick call to her "No, stall him darlin', I'll be right there!"
"I can't walk without my walker." She hedged, moving forward slightly.
"That's all right, Laurie." He smiled again, then abruptly yanked her off the bed by her arm then pushing her against the wall, pulled out his handcuffs.
Holstering his gun to handcuff her, Laurie took advantage of the distraction and elbowed him in the stomach, then jerked herself away from his grasp. As he doubled over, she managed to urge her legs into moving away from him out of the room, then pulled the door closed.
Stumbling into the living room, she struggled to get to the back door. She was almost to the door when Branson grabbed her from behind, then picked her up and put a hand over her mouth as he started to drag her, kicking to the front door.
"No!" she cried, her protest a muffled whimper, then he pushed her roughly against the wall while he went to open the door with his other hand. Suddenly the door was slammed open, knocking him backward and releasing his grip on her. She fell to the floor, then heard Rick yell, "don't move, Laurie!"
A shot rang out, then she saw the police chief stagger out the door, then a loud thud indicated he'd collapsed outside.
Laurie stayed down, frozen with terror, then she heard Rick calling her name.
"Laurie, Laurie!" Rick frantically went to her side, then gently lifted her up. "Sweetheart, are you all right, did he hurt you?"
He saw her eyes open wide, then she shook her head. "No, darling, he was so rough, but" she reached up and put her arms around his neck. "I'm all right. I just can't believe he did this to us. And to his family, Rick, he would have killed you if I didn't pretend to go with him!"
"Shh, no, darlin'…" Relieved, he cuddled her to him then lifted Laurie onto the sofa and kissed her as A.J. and Ron came running in. "Rick, is she.., Laurie!" A.J. saw her, then came to her side.
"A.J., I'm okay, how did you get here so fast?" Rick helped her sit up so she could hug both men.
"I was at the sheriff's office when I heard Branson bust in your door, Ron blew past me and I jumped in my car and drafted him all the way here." A.J. managed a smile when Laurie giggled weakly at the mental picture.
"Little brother, I can just see it; Ron, oh, it's all right…" she stopped when he wiped his eyes then dropped a kiss on her forehead.
"Honey, when I heard what Branson said, then I saw him dragging you through the house…I should have suspected he had something to do with Patrone." Ron stopped when Rick put a hand on his shoulder.
"Ron, you couldn't have guessed, how long have we known him? Five years? Besides," he added, sliding behind his wife and putting his arms around her. "He was so on top of all this, what tipped you off?"
"Remember when you mentioned the man in the shadows and how you were afraid someone might try to intimidate you and Laurie? He got a call right after that and said something about a break and for you to two to go home." Laurie nodded, then Rick let out a whistle.
"That's right, we never did hear what that break was. That must have been one of Patrone's men."
"Yeah, Rick, but the topper was Randolph Patrone's admission that Branson knew all about him and kept quiet in exchange for him staying out of the "right part" of town. He's willing to testify to that in exchange for a lighter sentence." A.J. smirked as Rick's jaw dropped. "And to think Laurie and I risked our lives for his ex-wife and kid..."
It hit Rick he'd left the chief bleeding on the walk so he could take care of Laurie. "Ron, who's guarding Branson?"
"Rob's watching him, I think you had something more important on your mind?" Now Ron was grinning, then Rick felt Laurie snuggle against him.
"Thanks, Ron. You and A.J. saved both of us." He kissed her neck and made her laugh. "My Valkrie."
Just then the ambulance arrived, and after assuring Laurie and Rick that he'd deliver their statements himself, Ron took off with the wounded police chief.
After Rob came in, Rick decided his wife had had enough excitement. "Laurie, I want you to rest now, Robin and Ian will be here soon, and I'll get dinner started."
"All right, Rick. Rob, A.J., you are staying, aren't you?" Laurie got up with Rick's help, then let go of his hand and started for the bedroom, not seeing the three men's amazement.
"Light, you've done it!" the sheriff grinned. A.J. sputtered, "Sis?"
"What?" she turned around in the doorway, then it hit her. At once she held out her arms and Rick came to her, catching her up in his embrace and kissing her. "Laurie, that's how you got to the back door! You're walking!"
"Darling, I had to, it hurt but I almost got to the kitchen door before he grabbed me, oh I can walk by myself!" she cried joyfully. A.J. hugged her, bragging, "That's my sis, wait until Oscar and Rudy see you go!"
