"Dad, Uncle Rick, I didn't…." Ricky started, as the door closed behind the principal. At that A.J. put his arm around his son.
"Ricky, don't worry. I know you didn't steal anything….this is just what your sister and Coach said, someone figured out they'd better stop you from telling what you know."
"Thanks Dad." Ricky choked, then drew his sleeve across his eyes and visibly tried to control his emotions. Rick seethed with anger at the sight, then managed to control himself as the minutes ticked by.
After what seemed an eternity, Mr. Jones returned to his office, a satisfied look on his face. Closing the door behind him, he cleared his throat.
"You can stop worrying, folks. I examined the note from your accuser, Juan Martin, then looked at the locker room security tapes of the day he said his money disappeared."
At the noise of surprise from the two teenagers, A.J. and Rick nodded. "I figured these days you'd have to have something to protect the kids." A.J. said.
"And the fact that Ricky reacted just as he did, Mr. Simon, it confirms his innocence. The only one near Juan Martin's locker was Juan Martin. I already called his parents and notified them of his lies. They are removing him from school pending a suspension hearing. Unfortunately, this means that Ricky and Ceci might be in for some trouble." Mr. Jones added.
"I don't think so." Coach Kerita interrupted hastily. "The only ones who know that Ricky and Ceci were here is Juan Martin, right? And your staff. So if anything goes down, we know you have a leak in your office, or …."
"Someone involved with the point's being messed with in our school's games." The principal sighed.
"Well, just to make sure there's no problems, we're going to keep Ricky and Ceci out of school tomorrow and Friday. That should give you and your office time to investigate this point business and Chief Johnson can investigate who your student's outside connection is." A.J. stated. Rick shook his head as both kids started to protest.
"I know you both can handle yourselves….but a good detective takes themselves out of the case, when it might hurt the investigation."
As brother and sister sank back into their chairs, Mr. Jones smiled. "Mr. Simon, it's nice to see someone who still likes being at school. I'll call our legal people and staff, and I'll also let Chief Johnson know what happens."
Relieved, both Rick and A.J. shook hands with the two gentlemen, then ushered Ricky and Ceci out a side door.
As they climbed into A.J.'s sports car, Ricky spoke up.
"Dad….thanks. You too, Uncle Rick. I never thought this would be so…."
"Dangerous?" Rick asked, then Ceci answered, "Risky. Dad, now I know why Mom was so adamant about us being old enough to learn about what you and Uncle Rick do."
Moved, Rick reached over and patted both his nephew and niece on the shoulder. "No, thank you…we just want you guys to be safe. But while you're at home, doesn't hurt to show you the safe way to do what we do."
True to his word, Rick and A.J. took turns showing Ricky and Ceci how to lift fingerprints, take notes, and research the background of a client and suspect. Surprisingly, Ceci was the better student at figuring out who a suspect was in some of their "old" cases, whereas Ricky was faster at research. When the two brothers got stuck, Laurie took over on things like body language and how to listen to a witness, drawing on her experiences. The younger Simon's "vacation" from school stretched to almost a week before A.J. got a call from Chief Ron. Rick and Laurie were finishing lunch with all four of their nieces and nephews when he walked into the dining room.
"Well, looks like school is back in, guys." Ceci and Ricky stopped eating and looked at their father.
"You mean it, Dad? What happened? What did Uncle Ron say?" Ricky asked, as Ceci shushed Robin and Melly.
"Well, after looking at tapes of your last four games, Coach talked to Mr. Jones and Chief Ron, and had Russ Johnson and Juan Martin brought in for questioning. It was Russ who broke down and told Ron he and Juan and Jimbo Lopez were the ones manipulating who scored what and when during those games. Turns out he was in deep to a bookie in Chandler and paid him off by helping increase or decrease the final point totals. Ron just has to nail down where this guy is ….., then he can bring the case to the DA."
Ricky let out a deep breath, then shook his head. "Dad, I know it sounds naïve, but ….I just can't see the guys pulling something like this by themselves. Who taught them to figure out the points spread? It just feels, weird."
"I know, son….but two of these guys have been messing with gambling for a couple of years. It's easy to cheat, but even easier to get caught on something like this." Rick explained, feeling bad for his nephew. A.J. saw his downcast son's face, and gave him a hug.
"I'm proud of you, son, for sticking with this. It's okay to feel bad for guys you've known for a long time, but remember, they made their own choices."
"I know…." Ricky told him, then grinned as Ceci added, "Besides, Ricky, at least we got to learn how to be detectives. So, it isn't all bad!"
"You're right, sis. Plus this way we can catch these two when they get into my basketball stuff or your art case." He teased, messing up Robin's blond curls. At once he looked up from his dessert as Melly yelled indignantly "Who, me?"
"Yes, you, Miss Melly." Linda came in with the older kids dessert, then pointed at her youngest. "What did I say about yelling in the house?"
"Sorry, Mom." Melly put a penitent face on, then giggled as Rick mussed her hair. "It's okay, Melly. You gave your brother and sister someone to practice on!"
Abruptly Laurie got up from the table, saying, "I need some water, does anyone want anything?"
Getting a chorus of no's, she vanished into the kitchen. At once Rick felt cold inside, and immediately he followed her into the other room.
"Sweetheart?" he said quietly, seeing her leaning against the sink, shivering.
"Rick…oh, hold me…." She turned, then collapsed into his arms. Instantly he wrapped his arms around her and guided her to a seat at the kitchen table.
"What is it, darlin…..are you having a premonition?"
For a moment she just leaned against him, then shook her head. "No, love, just ….just a bad feeling, like something's going to happen." Slowly Laurie calmed down as Rick just stroked her hair.
"Better, sweetheart?" he asked, then was relieved to see her smile up at him. She lifted her hand to his face and caressed his cheek.
"Yes, darling. Thank you for always being there for me. It's just so frightening when it happens….like a blanket of cold squeezing me. I'm all right, I just want to keep an eye on the kids for a little while longer." She said. Rick kissed her fingers, then lowered his lips to hers.
"It'll be okay, Laurie. Just in case, we'll take turns getting them to school and back." He replied after a breathless moment.
As good as his word, Rick and A.J. shuttled the four children to school the next few days, one of them sitting at the high school in the morning and one in the afternoons.
The day before the President's Day break, Rick was sitting outside of the high school when his watch beeped. Seeing it was his brother's id, he pressed the transmission button.
"Hey, A.J….what's up?"
"Ron just called, seems Russ Johnson gave us a bad name for his bookie. Apparently he's ready to give up the right name, and Ron wanted us there." The younger Simon explained.
"Okay, why don't I have Laurie come get Ricky, Linda already picked up Ceci to take her to the dentist." Rick reminded him. A.J. chuckled.
"That's right, Ricky kept humming "the Dentist" at her this morning. Okay, call sis and I'll meet you in 15 minutes at Ron's office."
Signing off, Rick pulled into the high school parking lot, then went into the principal's office and had a note sent to his nephew while he called Laurie.
"Of course Rick, I'll pick Ricky up then I can go get gas, I'm down to a quarter of a tank." She told him. "I'll be there in 20 minutes, by the way, Dad and Rudy were looking for you…they're on their way to Mom's."
"That's good, Mom's been missing Dad. I'm on my way now, I'll see you in a while." Rick started his engine as Laurie replied, "Okay, love, you say hi to Ron for me."
"Sure, darlin….be good." He teased, then heard her giggle before he disconnected.
Parking at police headquarters, he leisurely strolled into the visitor's area and snagged a badge, then went into his friends' office.
"Hey, Rick….glad you guys could be here." Ron greeted him, nodding at A.J. who was already seated. Pressing a button on his intercom, the chief requested that Russ Johnson and his father be brought in.
"I thought just in case that you two might be able to tell if the kid's lying this time or not." Ron explained. "His father claims he's scared of being a target, I think he just doesn't want to serve time."
"Who does?" A.J. smirked, ducking his brother's headlock. At once the door opened and a nervous-looking teenager came in the room, followed by a gray-haired older man and a man in a suit, who identified himself as their attorney.
"Sit down, Russ, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Redfern. I understand you have the correct information on the bookie who came up with the points scheme?" Ron directed his gaze at the teenager, who squirmed in his seat.
"Yes, Chief Johnson…Russ is willing to give you the correct identity of his contact, just as long as you provide him and his family protection." The attorney spoke first, then nodded at the younger Johnson.
"Uh, yeah, but, you guys got to know, Ricky's in danger….Morgan's furious and said he's going to make him pay for ruining things." Russ Johnson said, looking at Rick and A.J.
Startled, A.J. asked, "How did he know my son was involved? Who told him?"
"It wasn't me, Mr. Simon….it was Mr. Hoff….he's the one who said it was easy money, he made the bets with Morgan Ford…that's the bookie Brian hooked us up with." Johnson explained in a rush. Rick suddenly realized the name was familiar.
"Wait a minute, doesn't he own a couple of gas stations just off the freeway?"
"Yeah, that's how he and Mr. Hoff would exchange money, Mr. Hoff would pull in, go pay for gas and hand him the bets and the money, then pump some gas and drive away." The boy replied, then it hit Rick…..
"Laurie…Laurie's going to stop for gas after picking up Ricky….I've got to call her."