The ringing phone startled him as he finished the breakfast dishes.

"I'll get it, Rick!" Laurie's voice came from the living room, where she had taken her cup of tea and gift list.

A moment later she appeared in the kitchen door. "Rick, Ron's on the phone. Have you seen Tim?"

"He's taking out the trash, he'll be right in." Rick sighed, putting down the dish towel and picking up the extension.

"Morning Ron."

"Hey, pal. I've got some information on the Michaels, can you come into the office?", his friend asked.

The tone of his voice gave hope to Rick, maybe the kid's folks had been found?

"Sure, I'll bring Tim in with me, what's up?" Rick asked, then Ron's voice sharpened.

"Leave him home with Laurie, Rick. I don't think he should hear what his parents have been up to. Can you reach A.J. and meet him here?"

"I'll call him now, see you in about an hour." Rick winced as he hung up the phone. This didn't sound good.

"Mr. Simon? Was that Chief Ron?" Tim came into the kitchen, then closed the door, a hopeful look on his face.

"Yes, son. I have to meet with A.J. and Ron about some information we've received. I'll be back in a while." Rick didn't want to reveal too much about what Ron had said. "

"Wait a minute, why can't I go with you? If you know something about my folks, I need to hear it."

Tim retorted defiantly. Rick felt the hair rise on his neck.

"Chief's orders, Tim. We're dealing with confidential information apparently. As soon as I talk to him, I'll call you." He replied firmly.

"Besides, Tim, I could use your help with exercising the horses." Laurie came into the room and smiled hopefully at the boy.

Tim's mouth opened as if to argue, then, surprisingly, he nodded. "Okay, Mrs. Simon. Can I ride Boots?"

"Of course, we can go for a ride until Rick comes back." She beamed at Tim, then turned to Rick.

"Go ahead and call A.J., darling. I'll make you a thermos of coffee."

"Yes, sweetheart." Rick grinned then picked her up and gave her a kiss. "Thank you, my angel."

He whispered, letting her know how much he appreciated her reaching out to Tim.

"You're most welcome, love." Laurie giggled as he put her down, then went to use the phone.

An hour later he and A.J. stood looking at a file on Chief Ron's desk. Rick shook his head angrily.

"I'm a prize dope, why didn't I make the connection?"

"Because you were busy feeling sorry for the mother and her son, Rick." A.J. said, putting an arm around his brother.

Ron looked him in the eye. "You did what any caring person would have done. The Michaels are pros at this, who would have guessed they'd be using the "Badger Game" in this day and age? At least we know where they were yesterday, we can run their pictures on the news tonight and hopefully catch them before they pull their act again."

"I know, but if I'd even thought about that sketch, I saw the guy, and so did Laurie….."

Suddenly Rick had a cold feeling in his stomach.

"Ron, where did the report say Sharon Michaels was spotted?"

"In Tempe, she was on the phone outside a restaurant when the sheriff's unit saw her. Unfortunately by the time they called in to their station, she'd taken off." Ron frowned as Rick's meaning became clear.

"I'll call them back, see if they can trace the call from the payphone."

Within minutes Ron was hanging up the phone. "Rick, call Laurie and have her and Tim get in the house and lock up. The last two calls on that phone were to information and your house."

Immediately Rick rang the house. The phone rang and rang, then the answering tape came on.

"Laurie, it's Rick. You and Tim stay in the house and lock up, I'll be home in 20 minutes." He said, desperately hoping she was in the vicinity.

"Let me try again for you then I'll follow you to the ranch." Ron told him, as Rick and A.J. raced out of the office.

Once they were on the road, Rick called to Laurie on his transmitter. "Laurie, sweetheart, please answer."

A burst of static sounded, then her voice loud and clear. "Rick? Is anything wrong?"

Relief flooded through him as he replied "Yes, Laurie, is Tim with you?"

"Yes, love, we just finished our ride, we're in the barn. It's okay, Tim, he can have a carrot." Laurie's aside to the boy reassured the two brothers.

"Laurie, you and Tim need to get into the house now. Don't say anything, just get him and Rex and go. A.J. and I are on are way." Rick told her firmly.

"All right love, just let me…..Oh!" Rick heard a thump, then the sound of angry voices.

There was a few moments of silence, as Rick called out frantically, "Laurie, Laurie, answer me. Are you all right?" A.J. immediately called for help on his transmitter.

An intake of breath was heard, then a frightened call. "Rick?"

"Sweetheart, what happened?" he responded, his heart thudding in his chest.

"Rick, someone pushed me….from behind….We're locked in the barn, oh, no!" Laurie caught her breath at the sight that greeted her as she pushed at the barn door.

Smoke was coming in underneath the door, causing her and Tim to cough and choke.

"Rick! The barn's on fire! Hurry, darling!"

"Hold on, Laurie!" Rick yelled into his transmitter, then gunned the truck recklessly around the Rocky Point curve and down the straightaway towards the ranch

"I've got Robbie, Rick. Son, call the fire department, the barn's on fire and your Mom and the kid are inside!" A.J. told his nephew, then his transmitter crackled with Robbie's voice. "I'm on my way, Uncle A.J."

He called her name again, then heard footsteps, and a voice. "Mrs. Simon, I can't open it!"

It was Tim's. Frantically he called, "Tim, can you hear me?"

Apparently the crackling in the background covered his yelling, as he heard panting and Laurie's telling he kid, "Stay low, Tim, that's it! Now try pushing that latch again."

As he rounded the final curve, Rick saw the smoke turning white in the air, then screeched through the gate and slammed to a halt. Tim was collapsed next to his wife on the porch.

"Laurie!" One moment he was in his truck, then next he was holding her as she clung to him.

"Rick, someone locked us in the barn, if Tim hadn't gotten the back door open … but you heard me, .." she choked, then Rick rocked her in his arms and soothed her. "Sweetheart, thank God you're safe….I'm here."

He looked carefully at her, then seeing she was unhurt save a scraped knee, asked " Tim, are you all right?"

The boy coughed, then nodded. "Yeah, thanks to that fire extinguisher you keep next to the stalls. I hit that rusty old door with the foam, and it loosened the latch so I was able to push the door open. When we got out, I managed to put the hay bales out." Rick swore inwardly, he'd make sure that door opened without a problem from now on.

The sound of cars halted Tim's explanation, and all three of them looked up to see Rudy and Oscar jump out of one car, while Robbie and Ron vaulted out of their police cruisers. Right behind them was the local Fire Department, which immediately unloaded their hoses and finished putting the fire out.

"Mama!" Robbie ran to her side as she tried to smile. "Honey, I'm all right, but the barn, oh Rex, where is he?" Laurie tried to get up, then settled down as Rudy shushed her. "Easy, Missy, we'll look for him. Rick?" he frowned, looking at him for answers. Oscar put an arm around Laurie as Rick explained.

"Someone tried to kill Laurie and Tim by locking them in the barn and setting the hay bales on fire. If Tim hadn't been here…Son, I can't even begin to say thank you." Rick turned to the boy, only to see him look away. "Tim, what is it?"

Ron came up the walk just then, and hearing Rick, faced the boy "It was your father who locked Mrs. Simon and you in the barn, isn't it?"

Tim raised his head, then haltingly said, "I wouldn't have let him hurt Mrs. Simon…I turned around and saw him push Mrs. Simon to the ground, then he spotted me. I yelled at him but he slammed the door shut."

Ron put an arm around the boy. "It's all right, Tim, we know all about your folks, and we won't let them hurt you. I need you to come back to Phoenix with me, son. We'll make sure your father and mother don't …"

"No!" Tim sprung up from the porch bench. "My mom, you don't understand, he makes her do bad things. He …he'll hurt her unless she helps him. She called me…tried to warn me he was coming….."

"Okay, Tim, that's good. We'll find them and get her to safety before he can harm her again." Ron calmed him down, then Rick added, "It's going to be all right, son. As soon as it's safe, you can come and stay with us."

"Thank you." A look of relief was on Tim's face, then he let Rick and Laurie give him a hug before joining Ron in his squad car. As they pulled out of the ranch driveway, the firemen came from the barn, one of them holding a wriggling, ash-covered dog.

"Rex, oh, Rick, he's all right!" Laurie gasped, then Rick took the excited dog from the firefighter and put him in Laurie's arms.

"Oh, baby dog, where were you? Thank you for saving Rexy!" Laurie held him as Rudy insisted on checking her over. She saw the worried faces of her father and friend.

"I'm all right, Rudy, my knees are the only thing that hurt, they got scraped when I got knocked down." she said, then smiled with relief when their friend agreed.

"You did all the right things, Missy. Knowing that staying low to the ground and being calm kept you and the boy free from smoke inhalation. I want the three of you to rest. Yes, you too, Rex." Rudy said sternly, then laughed as the little dog barked then jumped onto his lap.

"Laurie, honey, I don't want you going so much as a step without one of us with you." Oscar told her sternly, and she sighed.

"Yes, Dad. I promise. I don't want those people using me to hurt Rick or Tim."

Rick's worry lightened and he put an arm around his wife. "My brave girl. We'll catch that creep, now why don't we go inside and have some lunch. Then I'll finish putting the Christmas lights on."

"Oh, that's the best offer I've had all day!" she teased, then Robbie kissed her cheek. " I'll help Pop, Mama. I did our lights already."

"Thanks, Robbie. Your uncle and I can use the extra talent." Rick snickered as Laurie added, "That's what we Simons have, talent!"

"Yeah, among other things!" Oscar quipped, then he scooted into the house ahead of a laughing Rudy.

The next day Rick stood and surveyed their house with pride. "Okay, sweetheart, you can come look now."

Carefully coming down the icy walk, Laurie stopped, then clapped her hands with excitement.

"Darling, it's beautiful, I love the chasing bell lights! And the moving Candy Canes, that's so cute."

"I told A.J. that's what you'd notice first! I found those in Prescott…hang on…" Rick stopped as he heard the phone ring. He went back into the house and picked up the extension.

"Simon residence"

He heard a whispered voice, "Mr. Simon…it's Tim. I know where my folks are hiding out."

"Tim, where are you? Where's Chief Ron." Rick started, then Tim interrupted him.

"No! My dad'll hurt my Mom if he sees the police. I need you to meet me here, at your old offices. That's where my dad has my mom. You can call the Chief once you get here. Please."

Suddenly the phone clicked off, and Rick hit his receiver to see where the call came from.

The caller id flashed. It was his and A.J.'s old office.

"Rick, who was it?" Laurie came shivering into the living room, then her smile dropped when she saw her husband's face.

"Rick, was that about the Michaels?"

"It was Tim, he says he knows where his parents are. He wants to meet me at our old office building. I'm going to call Ron and have him meet me there. I can't understand how the kid got away from him to begin with." Rick groused, dialing the Chief of Detectives.

Unfortunately Ron's voice mail was on, and after leaving a message, Rick hung up and went to get his weapon.

"Rick, I don't want you going by yourself. Robbie's off today, please call him or A.J." Laurie asked, a familiar fear running through her.

Rick saw the look in her eyes, and put an arm around her. "I will, sweetheart. This guy's not going to get away this time."

"I know, darling. Why don't I go with you, I'll stay in the car and keep an eye out while you…" Laurie started, then Rick put a halt to her suggestion by kissing her.

"No, Laurie." He said, releasing her lips reluctantly. "I'm not taking any chances, after that premonition of yours, you're not going anywhere near the office."

Laurie started to shake her head, then gazed into Rick's eyes, and nodded instead. "Yes, Rick. Promise me you'll be careful, please."

"I will, princess." Rick embraced her, then grabbed his jacket. "I'll call your Dad on the way, he and Rudy will stay with you until I get home, okay?"

"Si." Laurie managed, then smiled at her husband. "Be safe, Rick. I love you."

"I will, sweetheart." It was his turn to be emotional. Rick kissed her, then hurriedly left the house and climbed into his truck. Laurie followed him out, and he suddenly felt the need to lean out his window and tell her "I love you, too."

"I know." She whispered, then waved as he put the truck into gear and drove off.

As he drove down the highway, something kept nagging at him in the back of his mind.

"How did Tim go wandering off by himself?"