"Thank you, Mr. Morrison. I'm glad we were able to help." Rick Simon couldn't help but smile at the thought of a job well done, as his brother got up and shook hands with their client.
"You did, thank you. Here's your fee." The businessman handed A.J. an envelope. "I hope you'll be available the next time my assistant decides to hire someone without checking with me first."
"Thank you, sir." A.J. replied, then showed the man out. Just as A.J. started to close the door, a small voice started calling, "Dadddddy!"
Rick laughed as A.J. sighed, then called back in a sing-song voice, "Whaa-aaat?"
Instantly two giggling children rushed in, and he scooped them up. "Robin, what have you and Melly been up to, are you in trouble?" he asked, trying not to smile.
"No, Daddy. We're playing hide and seek with Ceci. She'll never look for us here!" Robin said importantly, then Melly threw her arms around his neck. "Wuv you, Daddy!"
Rick nearly choked up as A.J. beamed then kissed his daughter and son. "I love you too, Melly. And you, big boy."
"A.J., have you seen…there you are!" Linda came down the hall then apologetically smiled at the brothers. "I'm sorry, guys. I didn't see them leave the playroom."
"That's okay, Sis. Mr. Morrison just left. Besides, we needed a break anyway." Rick told her, as A.J. put the children down.
"Can we take a break with you, Uncle Rick?" Robin jumped onto Rick's lap, and A.J. chuckled at Melly's trying to follow him.
"Sure, Rob, up-sidaisy Melly!" he grinned, hoisting the toddler onto his chair.
"Rick, you'll spoil them." A.J. groaned half-heartedly, then Linda shook her head.
"Between you and Laurie, I don't know who's worse. Still, if you could watch them until I get lunch…."
A.J. just laughed. "Linny, you win the prize." He pulled her into his arms and kissed her, to the giggles of their children. "Mommy and Daddy are kissing like you and Auntie, Uncle Rick!" Robin announced.
"Is that so?" came a familiar voice, then Rick lit up at the sight of Laurie, hand in hand with Ceci.
"Yes, sweetheart." He smirked, then surrendered his niece and nephew so he could stand up and greet his wife.
"Is Mom with you, Laurie?" Rick asked, giving her his patented "Rick" hug.
"Yes, she's just bringing dessert in." She replied, dropping a kiss on his cheek. "Ricky and Ceci were being extra helpful, Sis, I think they've both earned extra TV time tonight." Laurie added, turning to Linda.
"I think so too, Ceci. You and Ricky can pick what ever program you like." Linda started, only to stop when Cecilia's scream was heard outside.
"A.J., Rick!"
Not wasting time, Rick bolted out the utility door then raced around the front of the house to the driveway. There he found his mother pointing down the street where a car was peeling away down the block.
"Rick, something just happened to Mr. Patterson, I saw a man hitting him, then when I screamed for you, he jumped in that car and left." Cecilia was shaking and immediately Rick turned to A.J., who was right behind him.
"Stay with Mom, A.J., I'll see what happened."
Running down the block, Rick reached the house in question and discovered a man crumpled on the ground, blood already staining the driveway. A woman was on her knees, crying next to him.
"A.J., have Linny call 911, hurry!" Rick yelled, then took off his jacket and put it under the man's head.
"Please, please help him! He's bleeding, and it's my fault!" the woman moaned.
"Mrs. Patterson, it's okay, help's on the way. Are you all right?", Rick asked, his heart going out to the older woman.
"Yes, but….I told George to give him his wallet, but when that maniac tried to take my wedding ring, he…George pushed him, then that man hit him, and kept on hitting him. I tried to stop him, but he threw me to the ground, then ran off."
Just then a siren blared, then the injured man opened his eyes. "Simon?"
"Yes, Mr. Patterson, it's okay. Help's almost here." Rick began, only for A.J.'s neighbor to gasp, "take care of her", then go limp.
"No! George!" Mrs. Patterson began to sob, and A.J. came forward to help her up as the paramedics knelt down and began to take care of the unconscious man.
Rick got up, shaking his head. As he caught his brother's eye, he silently acknowledged that Mr. Patterson was dying. "Mom?"
"Laurie and Linda are with her." His brother assured him.
Suddenly Chief Ron Johnson's voice sounded. "Rick? A.J.? is everyone alright."
The two Simons were glad to see their friend taking charge. "We're okay, Ron. But my mom's neighbor, George Patterson, we think he's dying….he's been beaten pretty bad."
"Terrible…." Ron let out a deep breath. "At least we've got some surveillance tapes on who might have done this." Rick looked confused, then realized what Ron was talking about.
"The guard gate-right…" he replied, then added, "At least Mrs. Patterson's all right. Maybe she can look at the video and identify their attacker."
"So can Mom." A.J. replied, his face serious. "Ron, she's the reason Mrs. Patterson's still alive. Her yelling for help drove the attacker off." Rick nodded, adding, "Once of us is going to stay with her until they catch this maniac."
A couple of hours later, Cecilia was still running on adrenalin while Rick and A.J. were tiredly leafing through mug shots at the police station. Mr. Patterson had died before reaching the hospital, so it was now a murder case.
Amazingly, their mother had taken everything in stride. She already filled out a witness statement, called her neighbor's daughter to let her know about the attack, and had sat with a sketch artist to put together a composite of the murderer.
"I still think this guy was a pro, Rick. He had one of those expensive cars, you know, like an executive or something. Wait a minute…" Cecilia stopped in mid-sentence, then came back to the table where A.J. was trying not to yawn.
"Didn't Ben Warren, that new guard say there'd been several homes robbed in the next complex over, A.J.? And that all the victims said they'd seen a couple of very nicely dressed men going around, they were supposedly real estate agents?"
Rick sat up straight, then grinned at her.
"Some mother we have, little brother. Looks like you've been holding out on us, Mom."
"Yeah, but, Ron didn't mention anything like that," A.J. added, then left the room in search of their friend.
Almost immediately he was back, with an agitated Ron Johnson in tow.
"Cecilia, when did this Warren mention these robbers?" he asked, a worried look on his face.
"Why, Sunday night, that's when Joe brought me back from the ranch. He was extra cautious when we signed in, too." She replied, then Rick crowed, "That's it! That's how these guys figured out when to break in, when their marks were coming back home."
"And we know who did the warning, let me have this Warren picked up." Ron just shook his head and picked up a phone. After telling one of his officers to have the suspect brought in, the chief of detectives hung up then faced the three Simons.
"Until we know our murderer is in custody, I want Cecilia under 24 hour protection, now my guys can do it, or you and A.J.."
Forestalling any refusal, Rick turned to their mother.
"Now Mom, " he began, seeing her shake her head at Ron.
"Ron, I'm sure this horrible man is far away, but …" she stopped seeing the fear in Rick's eyes, then continued, "but, well, I'll be safe with my sons looking after me."
Rick got up and hugged her tightly. "Thanks Mom."