"What the…how did that happen?" Rick started to raise his voice, then managed to calm down as the chief of detective shook his head. "I don't know. They did put out an APB when the bracelet alarm went off, but someone fell down in notifying us. As soon as Bush is stable, the doctor will let us talk to him, find out when Branson contacted him."

"Well, thank God Laurie's in a safe place, but let me call A.J., warn him." Rick told Ron, then made his way out of the conference room to a telephone.

As he called his brother's house, he saw Ron come racing down the hallway, then stop and wait for him outside the phone booth.

"Simon residence." Rick sighed with relief on hearing A.J.'s voice. "Hey, A.J., it's Rick."

"Rick, hi, did Laurie get there yet?" Rick was puzzled at the question. "What do you mean, isn't she at the hospital?"

"No ..wait a minute…she came back after the preliminary tests, and was waiting for you when she got a call that you had a flat, and could she pick you up at Leo's…about 15 minutes ago…"

A.J. stopped as Rick replied frantically, "A.J., I didn't have a flat, I'm at the courthouse still…God, no…call Leo's and see if Laurie's there, if someone from there called her."

"Rick, I'm sorry, I should have gone with her, she borrowed my car to go to you…" his brother started, upset. Rick cut him off. "It's okay, A.J., just call….I'll call you back."

As he hung up, then opened the door, Ron's face told him things were bad. "Rick, Bush just confirmed that Branson was paying him to rob people, that he was to get our attention without being caught. The last instructions he got was to mug you, then stab you and leave."

"Ron, we have to get to Leo's Garage….someone called from there and said I needed a ride. Laurie borrowed A.J.'s car to pick me up…" Rick told him, running for the elevators. At once Ron picked up the pace, then as they stopped and waited for the next car, he pulled out his radio and put out his own call to have a police cruiser meet them at the garage. Rick instinctively "called out", "Sweetheart, where are you….please answer me." . Just then the elevator arrived, and the two men got in and went to the garage level, where Ron's cruiser was parked and ready to go.

Across town, Laurie was wandering around the back area of Leo's garage, looking for Rick. As she walked toward the work area, she heard a noise, then someone grabbed her from behind, covering her mouth with a powerful hand and lifting her up.

"No!" she gurgled, struggling to break free of the iron grip around her. She tried to bite down on the hand over her face, and succeeded in clamping her teeth down, hard. A yelp of pain signaled she'd hit pay dirt, and the weight over her mouth disappeared for a moment. "Help! Help me!" she screamed, then a voice in her ear struck terror in her.

"One more sound, and I'll kill Rick and A.J.."

Instantly Laurie froze in terror, then a cloth was over her face, and something sickly sweet was making her dizzy. She felt her legs give way, then the sound of Rick's voice echoed in her head.

"Rick!" she tried to call, then everything went blank.

At the same time Rick turned on his transmitter, then called out to his wife, "Laurie, come in….Answer me, sweetheart."

Nothing but silence. Rick repeated his call, only to get static. As Rick climbed into the cruiser, he "called out" to Laurie, trying to reach out to her. "Laurie! Please answer me…."

"Rick!"

He "called" back, then felt her disappear.

"Ron, something's happened to Laurie,…she called out to me, then ..nothing." Rick told the chief as they pulled out onto the street, then sped toward the outskirts of Phoenix.

Minutes later Ron drove at high speed through the alley behind the popular garage, only to screech to a halt in front of the parking area, where two police cars were stopped, surrounded by 3 agitated men in mechanics dress. Jumping out of the cruiser, Rick ran toward them, then saw something on the ground…..his wife's purse.

"No!" he stopped, then picked it up as Ron showed his id, then spoke with the officers present. Looking inside, he saw Laurie's wallet, cosmetic bag, and personal items.

"Is anything missing?" Ron asked him, putting a hand on Rick's shoulder.

"No….did they see anything?" Rick asked hopefully, then winced as Ron quietly told him, "Leo and his mechanics were surprised by a masked man while they were eating lunch. He tore out the phone cords and locked them in the office for about an hour. One of the men thought he heard a woman scream for help, then silence. When they managed to break out of the office, they found that car…it's A.J.'s, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is…was there anything in it, any sign of who took her?" he asked, then one of the officers handed them a folded piece of paper. Ron opened it first, then scowling, showed it to Rick.

"I have Laurie Simon. No harm will come to her if my instructions are obeyed. Call Chief Ron Johnson of Phoenix PD and give him this note. Information will be forthcoming."

"Ron….it's got to be Branson…it's too coincidental not to be him." Rick said after a moment. His friend nodded.

"You're right, but just in case I want a team to go over this area as well as any surveillance cameras….somebody had to have seen something. Call A.J. also, see if Laurie or anyone has contacted the condo. Do you want to call Robbie and have him check the ranch?"

"Yes, good idea…just in case…" Rick managed, his chest tightening with fear. Laurie in danger, so afraid her voice reached him from a few miles away. What was Branson going to do with her?

"We'll find her, Rick….Branson can't get too far, and even he won't do anything to her…" Ron started, then Rick looked at him.

"He wants me….that's why he kidnapped Laurie. He wants revenge on me…for putting him away. I just hope he doesn't make my girl pay." He stopped, then fury washed over him.

"But if anything happens to her….I'll kill him, Ron….no one on earth will stop me if he hurts Laurie, I promise you that!"

Ron started to warn him. "Rick, don't do anything dumb, or…." Then stopped, seeing the anger and fear in his friend's eyes.

"If he does…anything to her, you'll have to stand in line, Rick. Now come on, let's get a hold of everyone, we're going to need help."

Hours later, Rick and A.J. stood in the condo living room, listening to one side of Ron's conversation with PD headquarters. Linda and Cecilia were in the kitchen, heating up coffee and sandwiches, after sending all four Simon children to stay with Robin and Ian. Rick had convinced Robbie to remain at the ranch with Ramona and their children, just in case Laurie or whoever had her tried to call there.

Now Oscar and Rudy were trying to turn Laurie's transmitter on by remote, with no success. "I'm sorry, son. Since I'm no longer associated with the OSI, I can't use the locator beacon." Oscar had explained, seething with frustration under his calm exterior.

"All right, Captain Shaffer, let me know if you can trace the car." Ron said, then banged down the telephone, catching everyone's attention.

"What happened, Ron." A.J. asked, dreading the answer.

"The surveillance cameras at the garage were disconnected five minutes after the masked man took over the place, so we don't even have Laurie on tape. Plus whoever took her stole a car in Chandler, their police department was balking at using the tracking device it has until I told them it was used in a kidnapping….hopefully we can track Branson ..or whoever with it." Ron ran a hand through his thinning hair as Rick added, "that's the problem, we don't know for sure Branson took Laurie, …but…"

A beeping noise interrupted him, then he noticed his transmitter light was on. Hoping it was Laurie, he switched it to receive.

"Hello---Laurie?….Darlin', is that you?"

Static answered, then Oscar realized his watch was also on. "I'll go outside, son…" he whispered, then disappeared through the patio door.

At once a voice was heard, and Rick was white with fury as he recognized it.

"Sorry, it's not your Laurie, but it is her watch. I'm glad you two don't change much." Bill Branson answered.

"Branson, you bastard, what have you done with my wife….if you hurt Laurie.." Rick snarled, then stopped when Bronson dropped his faux friendliness.

"You'll do nothing….fortunately I like Laurie, she's not changed much in three years. And don't bother to trace this signal, I'm nowhere near where she is." Bronson added.

"All right, what do you want." Rick swallowed his anger and tried to calm himself.

"Now, that's more like the Rick Simon I know…What I want is $100,000, and you. If I don't get both, I'm going to save your family the cost of Laurie's burial."

Furious, Rick had to take a deep breath, then replied, "The bank's closed, how am I going to get the money tonight? And what proof am I going to get that she's still alive.?"

"I took care of arranging for your bank to let you make a "withdrawal", nice that the president of your branch still lives in the same place. You need to meet him in one hour at the branch drive-thru, then turn on your transmitter and I'll let you talk to Laurie. One hour, if not, well, I'd hate to kill her, but I will."

Click.