"C'mon, Mr. Monk!" Natalie yelled impatiently to Monk, who was cringing as he desperately tried to walk through the crowded mall without touching anyone.
"This is inhumane! What would possess someone to go shopping?" Monk replied, panicking as a hillbilly with a dirty flannel shirt on sneezed in Monk's face as he walked by him. "Aahh! Wipe! Wipe!" Natalie threw a wipe at him and pulled on Monk's shirt as she quickly walked through the crowds.
"We need to hurry up. I want to buy Julie's gift before the store closes," Natalie said as she walked into Macy's. Natalie eyed the jewelry on the round table stands by the entrance. "Ooh, these are pretty. Mr. Monk, help me look through this stuff." Monk walked past her to the final clearance section, which sported a sign that read 'Last Chance. Everything Must Go!'
"How about a scarf, or gloves, or some socks?" Monk remarked, looking through the accessories. "I myself can remember how wonderful it was to receive freshly pressed socks from my mother on my birthday." Monk grinned, reminiscing. "Every birthday in fact." Natalie looked up, shaking her head.
"Well, I'm sure your extensive sock collection was wonderful, but girls are different. Ooh…" Natalie grabbed a silver locket from the table. "This is nice." Before Monk could comment, an announcement came over the loudspeaker.
"Attention customers, the mall will be closing in 15 minutes." Natalie quickly went up the counter with Monk and handed the necklace to the cheerful older lady at the counter.
"Hello, dear." The lady said, putting the necklace box in a bag and taking Natalie's money. "Did you find everything O.K.?"
"Yes, thank you. You always have beautiful stuff in here," Natalie commented. The lady smiled.
"Oh, I know. I love working here, especially on weeks like this where we are having super clearances. Do you know that at the end of today, if everything isn't bought from that clearance rack over there, employees get the products free?"
"That's nice. Isn't that nice, Mr. Monk?" Natalie asked, smiling at Monk. His face didn't budge from its stoic, expressionless gaze.
"Great," Monk mumbled. At that moment, a young blond woman with a store badge on bumped into Monk, frantically pushing the jewelry on the tables into a large cardboard box. Monk let out a squeak.
"Easy, Arlene. The store isn't closed yet," the lady behind the counter replied. The lady stopped and nodded, still looking ruffled, and continued cleaning up.
"Julie is going to love this necklace," Natalie exclaimed, waving the necklace box in her hand as Monk and her walked away.
"Randy!" Captain Stottlemeyer screamed, walking out from his office and into the precinct. He looked around, his face all red. "Randy!"
"Yes, sir?" A voice called from right behind him. Stottlemeyer jumped as he turned to find Randy inches from his face. Stottlemeyer caught his breath.
"What did the lab find about the Johnson case?" He asked, walking back towards his office. Randy quickly followed behind him, grabbing a file off his desk as he passed it.
"Not much, sir," Randy answered, closing the door behind him as he entered Stottlemeyer's office. "The crime scene came back negative for any DNA besides the DOA's. We are checking out the fingerprints but with it being an alleyway, there were dozens of them."
"Then check all of them! Dammit!" Stottlemeyer said, frustrated, pacing behind his desk with his hands on his hips. "Two cops are beaten and killed, their bodies thrown in an alleyway and we can't find a damn clue of who did it! I will not have a cop killer on the loose, Randy!" Stottlemeyer took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "These officers were partners. Did you check out all the recent arrests they've had and cases they've been working on?"
"Yes, sir, but so far, nothing substantial," Randy answered.
Stottlemeyer plopped into his chair, thinking hard. "Maybe it's time we bring in Monk," he said a little reluctantly.
"Didn't the chief of police order Monk to take a leave of absence due to…" Randy paused. "Well, that last incident?" Stottlemeyer huffed, rubbing his eyes.
"Yes, but it's the only thing I can think of."
"Do you know where he is now?" Randy asked. Stottlemeyer stopped rubbing his eyes, looking up at Randy.
"Happy birthday to Julie," Monk sang in a low, deep voice next to a smiling Natalie. Julie sat in front of a birthday cake, her face glowing as she fondled the locket in her hand. It sported a picture of her father that Natalie had put in it the night before, its diamond-studs shimmering on the front.
"Happy birthday to you." Julie blew out the candles as Natalie clapped. Monk immediately put on rubber gloves, carefully picking up the candles and wiping off the icing with a spoon. As Natalie shooed him away in order to cut the cake, the doorbell rang.
"Mr. Monk, please answer the door," Natalie said, cutting the cake. Monk hesitated, trying desperately to wipe away the icing that had a smidge of wax on it.
"But…"
"Mr. Monk, answer the door!" Natalie said a little more forcefully, glaring at him. Monk reluctantly got up and answered it. Stottlemeyer and Randy were standing there.
"Captain?" Monk asked, surprised.
"We need to talk," Stottlemeyer growled, walking in with Randy. Monk quickly followed.
"Captain, what a pleasant surprise," Natalie said, standing up.
"Is it someone's birthday?" Randy asked, looking at the cake and the birthday hat on Julie's head.
"Yes, it's Julie's," Natalie said, gesturing to Julie.
"Well, happy birthday, Julie!" Stottlemeyer said pleasantly. "I'm sorry to bother you but I just need to borrow your mother and Mr. Monk for a second." Julie nodded as Stottlemeyer walked with Monk and Natalie into the other room.
"Can I get a piece of cake?" Randy asked, walking over to Julie but Stottlemeyer grabbed his shirt and pulled him abruptly with him into the other room, closing the door behind them.
"What's wrong, Captain?" Monk asked as they entered the other room.
"Monk, I know you're supposed to be on leave, but we need your help. Two cops were killed a few days ago." Monk and Natalie's faces dropped.
"I didn't see anything in the papers…" Monk began to say.
"We're keeping it out for the time being," Randy remarked.
"Monk, this is a tough one we've got here." Stottlemeyer conceded. Monk could tell by the look in his eyes that this was serious.
"O.K., well then let's go," he said, turning towards Natalie.
"Wait a second, I can't go with you," Natalie said. "It's Julie's birthday. You can go without me, can't you?"
"No!" Monk, Stottlemeyer, and Randy all screamed at the same time. Stottlemeyer walked closer to Natalie.
"Natalie, I'm sorry to interrupt your party, but you remember what happened the last time," he whispered.
"I know, but I can't just pick up and leave her here," Natalie said. "Besides, Mr. Monk is a big boy. He'll have you guys."
"No, Natalie, I'm not." Monk said, walking over to her and pulling her aside. They whispered to each other for a long time, Natalie looking annoyed and Monk looked like a scared little puppy. Finally, they turned back towards Stottlemeyer and Randy.
"Alright I'll come, but who will watch Julie?" Natalie asked with a huff.
"Well, Randy can stay here while you and Monk come to check out the crime scene," Stottlemeyer answered. Randy took a step back, looking shocked.
"But…but shouldn't I be there too? I'm a cop, not a nanny! Can't you get a babysitter, Natalie?" Randy complained.
"No Randy, you are staying here!" Stottlemeyer bellowed angrily. Monk and Natalie were taken aback by his harsh tone. "You've had three days to work on this case and you've done nothing! I have two dead cops here, grieving widows, children left without fathers, and a media team who is just itching to find out about all the secrecy!"
"But…But I can help," Randy said quietly. Stottlemeyer looked very frustrated and tired.
"Randy, you haven't helped since you've been here!" Randy lowered his head, hurt. Stottlemeyer walked out, still fuming. Monk walked slowly behind him. Natalie approached Randy.
"He didn't mean that," Natalie offered. Randy shrugged it off.
"Just go," he said.
Five minutes later, Julie gazed out the window as Stottlemeyer, Monk, and Natalie walked out of the house into their car. None of them noticed a suspicious black van parked across the street.
"So, what would you like to do?" Randy asked Julie, trying to be cheerful. Julie turned back.
"Um, there's a park a few blocks away," she said. Randy rubbed his hands together.
"O.K., great. Get your coat and we'll walk down." She grabbed her coat and they walked out, Randy locking the door behind him with the key Natalie left him. They sauntered down the street. The black van followed them, unbeknownst to Randy or Julie.
"So, do you feel a year older?" Randy asked awkwardly.
"Uh, not really," Julie said blankly. Randy fidgeted as he walked, totally unaware of what to talk about with a pre-teen. He heard a faint grumble behind him. He turned to see a black van driving slowly behind them, which suddenly sped up. He watched it pass him and to his shock, it turned dramatically onto the sidewalk, a few feet from Julie and him. Randy instinctively stopped Julie from walking with his hand. The van doors opened and out jumped two men dressed in black jumpsuits, wearing black ski masks. Randy's hand immediately went for his gun but the men had already grabbed him and pushed him back.
"Julie, run!" Randy yelled, trying to push the two guys off of him. Someone else dressed in black jumped out of the driver's seat and went for Julie, who was frozen in terror. Julie fought off the intruder's hands, which were clutching at her neck.
"Get off of her!" Randy screamed, punching one of the guys in the face as he reached for the perp that was grabbing a screaming Julie. He pushed the perp back, who fell to the ground. The other man punched Randy in the jaw and pulled him roughly back as he pinned Randy's hands. "Julie, run!" Randy screamed again. This time, Julie ran as fast as she could. She looked back as she saw one of the men punch Randy in the stomach. She stopped as Randy fell to the ground, the men dragging him into the van, but started running again as she saw one of the perps run towards her. She gasped in breath as she ran in terror. A million thoughts flew through her head. She glanced back and saw that no one was following her anymore, but her legs obediently kept on moving.
Stottlemeyer and Natalie waited impatiently as Monk looked around the crime scene, his hands moving around, trying to picture the event.
"Monk, I know you need time to think, but it's been over a half an hour and you haven't said a word." Stottlemeyer finally said, sighing loudly. Monk looked around, confused.
"They weren't killed here. They were dragged here from the street," Monk said, pointing to the street.
"We know that already," Stottlemeyer commented tiredly. "What we don't know is who did it." Natalie's cell phone suddenly rang.
"Hello?" she answered. "O hi, Mrs. Ryerson, how are you doing?" Natalie paused. Her eyes widened in fear. "What?"
"What's wrong?" Stottlemeyer asked.
"Oh my God, is she alright? Put her on!" Natalie said, looking frantic.
"Natalie?" Monk asked, now walking over to them.
"Oh God, honey, are you O.K.? Are you hurt?" Natalie looked like she was about to cry as she listened to Julie talk, her mouth open wide in shock. Natalie looked up at a puzzled Stottlemeyer. "O.K., calm down, Julie. We'll be right there. You just stay right there." Natalie hung up.
"Someone just tried to kidnap Julie!" Natalie exclaimed fearfully.
"What?" Monk asked.
"Where's Randy? Was he with her?" Stottlemeyer asked. Natalie paused, not knowing how to say this.
"They took him."