As she watched his car disappear in the distance, Laurie had the same thought. Rushing into the house, Laurie dialed Phoenix PD and found that Ron had not come back from lunch. Worried, she called Abby Johnson.

"Hon, have you heard from Ron?"

"No, Laurie, and he was supposed to call me to say if Tim was coming here for dinner or if Rick was supposed to pick him up. Something's wrong." The former detective was obviously trying to stay calm.

"I'm going to call Dad and Rudy. This smells like a trap." Laurie said, then caught her breath as Abby added, "I think Tim's more involved then Ron thought. You get a hold of the guys, I'll go meet Rick at the office parking lot."

Immediately Laurie hung up then called her husband on his transmitter. "Rick, pick up."

"Sweetheart, has Ron called?" his anxious voice answered. "I'm about ten minutes from town."

"No, love. Abby's worried. She's going to meet you at the parking lot of your building. Dad and Rudy aren't here yet, so as soon as they come we're going to rendezvous with you and Abby." Laurie was firm.

Rick sighed. How was he supposed to keep his wife safe? "All right, Laurie. But you and Abby are going to stay put when we get there. I'll see you in a while."

Just then Oscar Goldman's car pulled into the driveway, and the older man got out and met Laurie at the door.

"I'm glad you're here, Dad." She hugged him, then filled him in on what had happened.

"Rudy's still in town, so I'll drive us to meet Rick. Remember, honey, " Oscar wagged his finger at his daughter. "You are staying in the car, I'll go back up the others, understand?"

"Yes, Dad. I promise." Laurie sighed. The two of them got into Oscar's sedan and headed out on the highway.

Twenty minutes later Rick turned into the parking lot of his and A.J.'s old stomping grounds, he had gotten caught in the holiday traffic. Unfortunately his son had gotten called into work, so he was hoping A.J. would get there at the same time to back him up. As he entered the driveway, he braked sharply. Hidden behind a truck was a familiar police cruiser. Backing up, Rick parked next to it, then got out and carefully approached the car.

"Ron?" He called, then a frantic thumping noise caught his ear.

"Hang on, Ron, are you in the trunk?" Rick looked in the car and found the keys in the ignition. Grabbing them, he quickly came round the rear of the cruiser in time to hear a muffled "in here!".

As Rick went to unlock the trunk, Laurie blessed Oscar for having taken the faster surface streets. Not seeing either Rick's or Ron's vehicles, she had him pull to the other side of the office building.

"I'll call Rick from the lobby, honey. You stay here and wait for Abby." The former OSI chief ordered, then leavened his tone with a hug for his adopted daughter.

"Thank you, Dad. Be careful." She whispered, then watched him go inside, a cold sensation forming in the pit of her stomach. Something was very wrong here.

Scarcely had he gone out of sight when Abby pulled up in her sports car. Getting out, she came to the side of Oscar's car. "Hey, buddy. Where's Oscar?"

Before Laurie could answer, the click of a safety being removed froze the two women. A female voice, cold and threatening interrupted them.

"Don't turn around, don't call out or scream. Or both of you will watch your husbands die."

Laurie saw Abby's eyes narrow, and she immediately mouthed "I have my gun."

"Rick! Mrs. Michaels is out here, she has a gun on Abby and I….." Laurie "called " to him.

"All right, Mrs. Johnson, open the trunk of your car, now!" the woman ordered, and Laurie tensed, quietly opening the car door. She saw Abby palm her weapon, then out of the corner of her eye she witnessed the now brunette woman back up as her friend came around and unlocked the trunk. As the hatch opened, Laurie saw Sharon Michael raise her hand, a 45 revolver clutched in her fist.

"Abby, duck!" She screamed, then tackled the woman's legs just as she struck Abby a glancing blow. As Abby stumbled and half-fell into the open trunk, Laurie sprang up from the ground, knocking the gun from their attackers hand. Amazingly, Sharon Michaels rolled to her feet, then pulled a knife.

"You're going to die, Mrs. Simon, I'll take care of your friend here first." She smirked, then cried out as Laurie grabbed a handful of gravel and flung it into her face.

"I'll kill you!" the woman sputtered, as Laurie ran, hoping to lead the would-be murderer away from Abby.

As she ran toward the office building, Laurie heard the pounding footsteps of her pursuer, and knew that Abby was safe.

"Laurie, when you get to the entrance, drop!" Rick's voice sounded in her head, and relief washed over her.

"Yes, Rick." She "answered", then saw the double doors coming up. As she reached them, she dashed inside and let herself fall, only to feel strong arms catch her before she hit the floor.

"What the…..no!" Sharon Michaels' scream reverberated through the lobby, then Rick shouted, "Drop the knife and spread'em, Mrs. Michaels!"

Rick saw the woman collapse on the floor, then he looked over to see Oscar holding Laurie protectively. "Sweetheart, are you all right?"

Laurie looked up at her father and smiled, then gazed at Rick. "I'm fine, darling. I prayed you'd hear me, she was going to hurt Abby."

"No, no, angel. Ron and I were coming when you knocked this …piece of work down. Abby's all right." Rick restrained himself from slapping her assailant in the face.

"Dad, where's Tim? Did you find him or Mr. Michaels?"

Oscar jerked his head angrily. "He was hiding in your old offices like you thought. A.J.?"

The younger Simon came out of the elevator, pushing a disheveled Jeff Michaels and his son ahead of him at gunpoint.

Rick's eyes darkened as the woman on the ground let loose a string of profanity. "Good work, little brother. His trick almost worked." He growled.

Hearing a quick intake of breath, he saw disillusionment on his wife's face. "He did try to lure you into a trap, Rick. Why, Tim?" she said quietly.

The boy refused to look up, then mumbled, "Because you and Mr. Simon were the only ones who could have tied us into the killing in California. I didn't want to see you hurt, but you were in the way."

Rick's stomach turned. Everything he'd believed about Tim Michaels was a lie. Even his age, he wasn't 12, he was 16, from what Ron had found out.

"Everyone okay in here?" Ron came into the lobby, a bandage around his head. He saw Oscar helping Laurie up, then eyed the three Michaels' with disgust. "All right, men, take them in and read them their rights." He ordered, as the four deputies with him took the would-be killers into custody. "And you can book the boy into Juvenile Hall, he's still young enough to go there."

"We're all right, Ron. Is Abby okay?" Laurie asked, then sighed with relief as the Chief smiled.

"Just a bruise on her face, honey. You really saved her life. Abby wants you on her "Capture The Flag:"team next time they play, she says you're tough enough."

"That I'd have to see!" Oscar teased his daughter, then released her from his arms to Rick, who hugged her tightly.

"Thanks, Dad. Nice catch." He told his father-in-law, then saw the relief in his eyes.

"I guess my reflexes are still there." Oscar answered proudly, then A.J. spoke up.

"Guess nothing, I didn't even see Michaels until his shadow moved! I'm sure glad you did."

Seeing the puzzled look on Laurie's face, A.J. added, "Oscar and I went up the fire stairs to our old place, where Tim was waiting to ambush Rick. That animal", he jerked his head at the scowling killers being led away, "was hiding in the main stairwell in case you escaped his son. Fortunately, Oscar got the drop on him."

The older man grinned. "Looks like we make a good team, son. Sure you don't want to trade Rick in?"

Relieved laughter answered him, then Harry the old security guard shooed them all out, grumbling about extra overtime.

As they filed out of the office building, Rick kept a tight hold on his wife's hand, then saw her smile at him. "Darling, it's all right now. I'm sorry Tim was involved, but you and A.J. and Dad got him and his folks before they could hurt us." Laurie raised his hand to her lips, then Rick slid his arm around her.

"My brave Valkrie, I'm so proud of you. Santa's going to bring you an extra good present." He murmured.

"Well, then we need to go home so I can tell Santa about my very good husband." Laurie whispered, then kissed his ear.

"Last one to talk to Santa's a slow poke." Rick snickered, then pulled her along, pretending to race his friends to their cars.