The next day Rick was getting ready to drive into Phoenix when the phone rang, and he heard Laurie answer it, "Simon residence." At once he went into the living room and found her listening intently to someone.
"Yes, I am in good health, you can speak to my doctor, he's in residence at Silver Rock Hospital Clinic ….." she replied after a moment. Curious, Rick sat on the sofa as she took down some information, then said, "I'll have to speak to my husband about it…but I am willing to donate and I'll be happy to give my permission for you to get my records."
Ending the call, Laurie hung up the phone then turned to Rick with a surprised look on her face. "Rick, do you remember my signing up to be a bone-marrow donor, when Robin's friend Tasha was sick?"
"Yeah, I remember, she ended up being matched with some guy who ended up being a cousin or something…..why?"
Laurie sat down on the sofa next to Rick, then took his hand in hers. "I just had a call from the Bone-Marrow unit over in Phoenix, it seems I'm a close match to a teenager who needs a bone-marrow transplant. This kid has aplastic anemia and his previous match changed their mind. Now he's had radiation and all and if he doesn't get a donation…he'll most likely get sick again and die."
Rick matched her look of surprise with his own. "Sweetheart, I don't know what to say, except…thank you for saying you needed to speak to me about it. How do you feel about donating your bone-marrow?"
"It's funny, I'm …I'm almost honored. Just think of it, if I'm a match, this young boy will have a chance at a healthy life, because of me. And I know that the way they take the donation isn't as painful or risky as it used to be." Laurie replied.
"Well, Laurie, if Rudy says it's okay, and if the Bone Marrow register picks up all the costs, I think it's a great thing to do." Rick answered after a minute.
At once he pulled her to his arms and stroked her hair as he added tenderly, "And I will hold your hand and make sure it doesn't hurt, sweetheart."
Laurie snuggled happily into his embrace as she lifted her face to his and kissed him. "I love you, Rick. You are my strength, and I would never do anything like this without your knowing about it."
Only the chiming of the clock interrupted any further discussion or togetherness, as Laurie caught sight of the time. "Oh, oh, it's time for you to head to Phoenix for your meeting, darling. Dad should be here in a little while and he'll drive me over to A.J.'s, so don't forget to pick me up for lunch."
Rick stood up with her in his arms, then kissed her again and set Laurie on her feet. "I won't forget. I'll call you when I'm done at the station."
As he was ready to climb into his truck, Oscar Goldman pulled into the ranch driveway, then leaned out his window. "Rick, did Laurie get a phone call a little while ago?"
"Yeah, Dad. The Bone Marrow register called, she's a match for some kid?"
The older man nodded with approval. "Good, 'cause Rudy got a call too, they checked with him that she's healthy and of a good frame of mind."
"That she has." Rick chuckled. I appreciate you taking her to town, Dad. I'll call you as soon as we find out what happens next with the DA."
As soon as Rick said goodbye and drove off, Oscar parked and went into the house, where Laurie was giving Rex a fresh bowl of water. "Now you be good, Rexy, Daddy and I'll be home later."
"One of these days he's going to answer you, honey."
Startled, Laurie looked up, then laughed at her surrogate father. "You're the one he'd answer to first, Dad….I thought I heard your jeep."
"I'm glad you heard something, but next time lock the door until you know who's here, okay?" he warned her sternly, then he reached out and gave her a hug.
"I will, thanks, Dad." She replied affectionately, hugging him back.
As they left the house together, neither of them saw someone watching them from around the bend. Through a stand of brush, eyes watched as Laurie and Oscar got into his car then pulled onto the highway.
Ahead of them, Rick was almost to the courthouse when a beeping from his watch let him know his brother was trying to reach him.
"What's up?" Rick asked, hitting the send button on his transmitter.
"Hey, Rick, is Laurie on her way into town?" A.J. asked, then sighed when his brother replied, "Yeah, Oscar's bringing her by, she should be there in 15 minutes."
"Good, cause Rudy called, the Bone-Marrow registry needs her to go to Phoenix General, seems they need to move up her appointment to be checked out to today. I didn't know she was registered to be a donor."
"Yeah, back when Robin's friend Tasha was diagnosed with some form of cancer. She wasn't a match for her but I guess she is for some kid." Rick explained. "Listen, don't forget we have to meet Ron at the courthouse early, okay?"
"I remember, thanks Rick….see you later." A.J. answered, then disconnected. As Rick went to call his wife, he heard a funny bit of static, then silence.
"That's weird." He thought, then hit the button again, and was rewarded with "Hey, Rick!"
"Hey, sweetheart. Are you close to A.J.'s?"
"We're about 10 minutes away….is everything okay?" He could hear Oscar in the background, then she added ,"Dad says hi."
"Tell Dad I say hi back, and that Rudy called. They need you at Phoenix General earlier then expected, darlin'. Seems they need to move up your appointment, because of the kid you're a match to is pretty sick."
"Oh no! Well, I'll have to go by myself then, maybe you can pick me up there?" Rick grinned, he knew hospitals were not his wife's favorite place.
"I'll call you when I'm on my way, Laurie." He answered, his attention diverted by a glance at his oil gage. "Sweetheart, I'm going to stop at Leo's to have my oil checked, so I'll call you later."
"Okay, love, be careful." She replied, then signed off.
Upon arriving at the courthouse, Rick signed in then went to meet Chief Johnson at the DA's office. When he got there, he found an angry Ron Johnson pacing, while a sheepish-looking man sat with a uniformed officer standing over him.
"Ron, what's going on?" he asked, his stomach suddenly tight with dread.
"Howie Bush almost bought it just now, and according to this piece of work, Bush's new attorney is the one who did it."
Rick stared at his friend. "You've got to be kidding me, how?"
"Bush was put in a holding cell while Matthews here", Ron indicated the attorney, "was filling out the paperwork to sign over his representation. He says he looked up and saw Bush's new lawyer walk by, then the sound of Howie yelling made him call for security. When the officer got there, he saw Bush fall to the ground with a knife wound, then the attorney running down the hallway."
At that Mathews anxiously broke in. "It's not worth it-this guy with the knife is a killer! I've seen pictures of him before, he used to be a cop, too."
"A cop?" Rick started, then Ron held up his hand. "It gets worse, Rick. Surveillance cameras caught this guy entering a security area." He pushed a button and the closed-circuit television in the room lit up. As the four men watched, a shadowy figure appeared on the screen, flashing a badge to an officer at a desk, then walking past the camera. Ron froze the picture, then programmed it to magnify. At once Rick recognized the face, then swore as Ron quietly said, "l checked with the prison in Douglas, the warden's office says Bill Branson went on a medical leave two days ago. Now his alarm bracelet is off-he's AWOL."