Chapter 18

On the outskirts of the dance floor, Mort caught of glimpse of Seth and Jessica dancing. They have come such a long way in finding their love for one another, he thought to himself, and they truly bring out the best in each other.

Meanwhile on the dance floor, Seth's heart raced wildly as he possessively held her. To him, Jessica's waist sweetly curved beneath his fingertips, bringing a peculiar tightness to his chest. The scent and feel of her was so familiar yet intimate.

"Seth," Jessica broke into his thoughts, "I never knew you were such a fine dancer."

"Only if I have the right partner, Jess," he responded as he whirled her around, "and dancing with you is like experiencing perfect harmony!"

Jessica loved the feel of being in Seth's arms. It was wonderful feeling love and protected; she had forgotten how much she missed that. She could hardly draw a breath around the billowing excitement she felt as they danced their first dance as a couple.

And tonight she floated in her partner's arms, all the way to the last line of the song.

Just the way you look... to-night...

The song may have ended, but not their feelings for one another. The people on the dance floor dispersed as Seth and Jessica joined Mort, who had just finished questioning some of the guests.

"You two looked great out there," grinned Mort.

"Thank you, Mort," Jessica blushed, "And did you find out anything?"

"I did. I found out where Greg and Garrett are in the building."

Seth's voice abruptly sounded urgent, "Then we better leave quick-like 'cuz lookee over there..the boys' mother is fast approaching us!."

Sure enough, Laurie Reynolds was striding towards them, an angry look plastered on her face. And who could blame her? They had actually crashed her niece's wedding.

"You're right, let's get outta out," Mort stated quickly.

#

They were out in the hallway.

"This way," Mort instructed them as he gestured to the double doors across the hall, "a couple of the guests mentioned that they saw the boys heading towards the room that held all the wedding gifts."

They approached the door of that room. Mort tried the door knob. It was unlocked.

Seth's voice automatically dropped to a whisper, "If this is the room with all the presents, wouldn't it be locked?"

Jessica pointedly responded, "Normally, yes, but take a look at the lock..there are scratch marks all around it..."

"I see that," Mort observed, "Amateurish job."

Mort radioed Andy and Logan to inform them of their location. Next, he opened the door slightly. Some muffled sounds could be heard coming from inside.

"Stay behind me!" Mort warned Seth and Jessica, who stood behind him. He opened the door further and the three of them stealthily walked in.

#

What they witnessed when they entered the room was a sorry sight. Torn presents were spewed everywhere as Greg and Garrett were gleefully stuffing expensive gifts into their duffel bags. As soon as the boys spotted Mort with his gun drawn along with Jessica and Seth, they froze.

"The party's over, boys," Mort told them, "so why don't you drop what's in your hands."

Greg and Garrett stopped and exchanged unreadable glances.

"Don't try anything fancy," Mort ordered, "or the presents won't be the only thing shredded to pieces. Just put your hands up behind your heads."

Dropping the gifts and bags, Greg and Garrett did as they were told, not saying a word, but just glaring at the new arrivals. It was then that Greg noticed Seth.

"Hey! I know you!" he stated accusingly, "you're that nosy old man who testified against us in court!"

"And I will continue to be as long as people are doing the wrong thing!" Seth claimed.

Jessica looked about at all the gifts the boys had planned to steal.

That's it? Was all this planning just for a few gifts? Jessica thought to herself. Sure, the money value would be quite a bit, and the boys knew their parents would never report them, but it just seemed so...not worth the effort for all that planning they had done.

As Mort went to towards the boys, handcuffs in hand, he was suddenly interrupted by the shouting of an angry female's voice.

"GET AWAY FROM MY BOYS!"

Laurie Reynolds defiantly stood at the doorway. She brusquely proceeded forward, stepping over the torn-opened boxes and strewn gift wrappings.

Jessica stepped up.

"Mrs. Reynolds, please stay where you are and let the sheriff do his job," Jessica warned her.

"Nonsense! These are my boys and you need to stop persecuting them!" she brushed past Jessica, "I don't understand this vendetta you have on them! Is it because they come from a respected, well to do family?"

"Let the law take it's course, " Seth blocked her path, "The boys deserve what's coming to them."

In her anger, she actually shoved him.

"Nonsense! And after I take my boys home, all of you will be hearing from my team of lawyers!"

She was within an arm's length now. Jessica noticed Garrett was eyeing something on the floor, but in the confusion of the gift boxes, wrapping papers and drama, she couldn't see what it was. Suddenly they heard some noise behind them. It was Andy and Logan arriving, getting their guns ready. Unfortunately it was another bit of distraction.

Too late, Seth shouted, "Mort, look out for Garrett!"

Mort swung his arm and gun around, but it was too late.

It happened so fast. Greg had grabbed his mother by the arm and pulled her straight into him. At the same time, Garrett reached down and grabbed something and quickly handed it his brother. In one swift movement, Greg now had his forearm around his mother and with the other hand he pointed a pair of scissors directly at his mother's neck.

It was now a hostage situation.

"Listen, boys," Mort said, his voice intentionally calm while Andy and Logan still with their guns trained on the brothers, "Put the knife down. Slowly. You're only making the situation worse."

"You don't know nothin!" Greg claimed as he pulled his arm tighter around his mother.

"Greg!" his mother cried out, "You're... choking me!"

"Shut up, Mom!" Garrett ordered her, "You deserve this for threatening o cut off our allowance!"

"Yeah!" Greg also yelled at his mother, "but now thanks to Uncle Bob's wedding, we've got enough loot here to take us to Mexico!"

Angrily Greg now turned to Mort, Logan and Andy, "Now, put the guns down, or I swear, I'll kill her!"

"Greg!" his mother finally looked scared, "How could you even THINK of doing that to me!"

"He will if you don't shut your trap, Mom!" Garrett told her, "And if he doesn't, I will!"

Laurie Reynolds had the good sense to remain still and stoically silent.

Mort warned them, "Listen, boys, if you hurt your own mother, you'll be back inside the slammer again, and this time for life. You really want that?"

But Greg would not listen to reason.

"I SAID...put down your weapons," he made a jerk and the knife slightly pierced Laurie's skin as she gasped in fear, "I'm serious!"

Mort slowly lowered his gun, "Okay. Okay. We get it. No need for violence," he turned to Logan and Andy, "everyone calmly put down your weapons."

Andy and Logan had no choice and placed their guns on the floor, too.

"Kick them over here!" Greg insisted.

When it was done, Garrett quickly grabbed them up.

"Greg, we know you're serious," Mort acknowledged, knowing a law official should never provoke a hostage taker, "but believe me, what you're doing now is just getting yourself into more trouble."

"We'll see about that!" Greg said as he began dragging his mother towards the emergency door exit, "Garrett! Grab the bags!"

Garrett managed to grab the duffel bags and put the guns in one of them. He backed up against the push door and both boys went through the door opening.

Jessica didn't know what to do. She could see that the mother was not putting up a fight. Of course she wouldn't. And if she were freed from this situation, she would never press charges against her precious boys. So since Mrs. Reynolds wouldn't press charges, the only thing they could seriously charge the boys with would be felony theft of stolen wedding gifts and officers' weapons.

It seemed as though Greg and Garrett were going to get away with their crime.

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