As morning dawned, it was harder to stay in a good mood as the time neared for the three Simons to leave for the courthouse.
"Rick, it's going to be all right." Laurie came up behind him as he aimlessly stared out the front window at the police car parked across the street.
"I know, darlin'." he said, then turned and wrapped his arms around her. "We'll be fine, I know."
"Of course we will, love." She leaned against him, then pulled back to look him in the eye. "We have our family and friends looking out for us. We will be safe."
"That's my girl." Rick finally smiled, then kissed her. A laugh behind them let them know they had an audience.
"All right, who's the wise guy?" Rick pretended to get annoyed, then whirled and scooped up a squealing Melly in his arms. "I am, Uncle Rick!" she giggled, then Laurie sat down and he deposited their niece in her lap. "All right, you silly girl, have you had your breakfast?" she asked.
"No, 'cause I wanted to eat with you!" she proclaimed. Laurie took a deep breath, then calmly replied, "You go ahead and get your cereal, sweetie, Grandma's not hungry right now. ."
"Sis, I have some tea for you, just come have a cup." Linda appeared in the doorway of the living room, and Laurie let Rick help her up as he answered, "Okay, I'll have some coffee too, thanks, Linny."
The warm beverages were scarcely finished when Ron knocked on the door. "Come on, guys, we need to get going."
"Coming, Ron.." Rick told him, helping Laurie into her vest, then holding her coat for her. Clad in his usual sheepskin jacket, he was glad for the cool weather that allowed for the extra bulk in their outerwear.
Grabbing their paperwork, Laurie stopped and hugged Linda, then let Ron escort her out of the condo, as Rick hung back and spoke briefly with his brother. As they were leaving, Oscar pulled up, and A.J. quickly embraced Linda.
"I'll be back in a couple of hours, honey, we'll call when we're on our way home." He promised.
"You'd better, otherwise I'll come get you myself." She calmly told him, then released him from her arms to get into the car. As they pulled away, another car parked in the driveway, and Abby Johnson emerged, picnic basket in hand.
"Oh, Abby..how did you know?" Linda's lip trembled, and Abby came up the walk and took her arm. "Honey, I've done enough waiting to know. Now let's have some breakfast and play with the kids."
As the two women went inside, a car pulled out of a nearby driveway, then gunned past the house. As it passed, Abby happened to turn at the noise, then narrowed her eyes.
"Linda, pour me a cup of coffee, I need to call Ron."
Across town, Ron was just pulling into the parking garage when his radio beeped.
"Here's the secured entrance...okay, there's Oscar behind us." he told them, then a familiar figure came to Rick's side of the car.
"Judge Mason, I mean, your honor." he said, then opened the door and got out.
"Simon, it's good to see you, but it's just Mr. Mason now. I'm with the parole board." The older man said, then held out his hand.
Relieved, Rick shook it, then helped Laurie out. "Judge, I mean, Mr. Mason, this is my wife, Laurie. Darlin', Mr. Mason is on the parole board we're meeting with today."
"Mr. Mason, I'm glad to meet you." She smiled, giving him her hand.
"And I you, my dear. Thank you both, and, your brother, for coming." The former jurist replied. Rick had often wondered what had happened to the former judge, since the time A.J. served on a trial headed by Mason. Only through the efforts of the two brothers had the guilty party been brought to justice, but in the end the revelation that Mason was related to the defendant cost him his position.
As they reached the building entrance, the police chief rushed up to them.
"Rick, we have to get you inside, someone followed Oscar from A.J.'s condo... I already called him, and he's verified someone is shadowing him."
At once Mason signaled to an officer, then a side door in the garage wall opened, and the Simons were ushered inside. Squeezing their escort, Mason, Rick and Laurie into the service elevator, Ron told them, "I'll wait here for A.J. and Oscar, then take them up myself. I'll see you in the hearing room."
"Thanks, Ron." Rick grinned reassuredly, then the doors closed and the elevator began its ascent.
As the elevator stopped and the doors opened, Rick was surprised by the quiet of the corridor, and the absence of foot traffic as they stepped out. "Uh, Mr. Mason, are we the only hearing today?" he asked, holding tightly to his wife's hand.
"Yes, for security reasons." He answered, then the officer led the way to a room marked, "Hearing Room A." Opening the door, he stood aside as Rick and Laurie went inside.
Rick had a feeling of disquiet as he saw two people seated at a long table, then three chairs placed in front of them. A row of benches filled the rest of the room, and in the glaring light he recognized Fred Stinson, his wrists hidden, sitting at the table next to a nervous-looking man. Instinct made him reach for his watch, then flick on the transmitter.
"Please have a seat, Mr. and Mrs. Simon." Mason's voice suddenly changed, and Rick turned to see a gun in his hand, pointed at his chest.
"What the.." He started, then Stinson's laugh filled the room.
"You heard the man, you and the wife sit down!" he yelled. Rick saw regret in the older man's eyes. "You and Mrs. Simon better take a seat, or I'll be forced to use this, " he indicated the weapon in his hand.
"It's okay, Rick." Laurie whispered, then still clinging to his hand, moved forward and sat in one of the chairs, as Rick took the one next to her.
"Thank you, Mr. Simon. Now, put your hands together, and don't move." Mason stepped in front of them, now holding a pair of handcuffs. "Mrs. Simon, take these, and put one on your husband's left wrist, then pull it around the arm of the chair, and fasten the other one."
Rick saw her eyes flash with anger. "If you're going to kill us, Mr. Mason, do it. I won't help you!"
"Brave words, Mrs. Simon. .Okay, Mason, shoot her!" the gray-haired murderer yelled, then Rick spoke up.
"Darlin', it's all right, just do it, please."
Biting her lip, Laurie took the cuffs, then with her back to Stinson, slowly clasped one then the other over his wrists, hoping he wouldn't see she didn't put the cuff around the chair arm. Once he was restrained, Mason took the other cuffs, then leveling the gun at Rick's head, calmly snapped them on her wrists.
"Okay, bring her over here..I want Simon to see what he's going to be missing.." Stinson boasted. Furious, Rick could do nothing but watch as Mason took his wife's arm and pulled her up, then forced her towards Stinson. As they approached, the man sitting next to Stinson stood up, trembling.
"I did like you said, Stinson, now I'm getting out of here, I want no part of this."
"Okay, Maddox….here you go!" the criminal barked, then shot the man dead.
Laurie cried out as Maddox fell to the floor, then Mason growled, "You didn't have to do that, Stinson."
"Yes I did, Mason, and if you want to live, shut your trap. One phone call, and your sister is dead. Now, bring her here." Stinson yelled.
Rick knew Mason was being forced into helping the convict, and he spoke up. "Listen, Mason, you don't have to do this..we can help protect your family."
"Shut up, Simon, or I won't wait…I'll kill her in front of you.." Stinson snarled, reaching out and wrenching Laurie out of Mason's grasp. "Now, Mason, you go find the other Simon, and take care of that cop Johnson, now!"
"Judge, please, you don't have to do this, go for help." Rick whispered, then he saw an imperceptible nod.
"Sorry, Mr. Simon." Mason said quietly, then froze as Stinson pulled a squirming Laurie against him.
"Come on, Mrs. Simon..let your husband see what you're going to be doing when I take you with me." he smirked, one hand holding a gun on her, the other tearing at her jacket. Suddenly he swore as he found she had the Kelvar vest on. "Bitch…this won't help you!"
Tearing it open, Laurie struggled and cried out "No, No!" as one of his hands found its way onto her breasts. The heartless killer started fondling her, then started to shove his hand down her pants.
"Rick!" Laurie screamed, fruitlessly trying to free herself from his grasp. Immediately Rick shot up from his seat, then found himself shoved aside as Mason pushed him away and aimed his pistol at Stinson.
"Let her go, or you're dead and your nephews spend their lives locked up."
At once Stinson fired, hitting Mason in the shoulder just as the former judge shot back, catching the murderer in the arm. Rick lunged for Mason's gun as it slid across the floor, then another shot caught him in the chest, knocking him backwards.
"No, Rick, no!" Laurie screamed, then threw an elbow into her captor's stomach and arm, diving away from him to land next to Rick. Before she could touch him, Rick mouthed, "Don't come near, bullet resting on my heart, run for help!"
Seeing her husband was emphatic about her leaving, Laurie bolted upright, then took the pistol from Rick's hand and pointed it at Stinson.
"Move one finger, and I'll kill you." She warned.
"I'll do it first, lady!" he snarled, then ducked behind the table as Laurie fired at him. He returned fire, then hid again. Seeing Stinson had moved away from the side door, she made a dash for it, then screamed as he came from behind his table and threw himself on her, knocking her gun away.
Rick managed to reach for it, firing two shots at Stinson, then watched with horror as his wife fell onto the floor, followed by Stinson's body.
"Rick, Laurie!" A.J.'s voice sounded, then the door was forced open and Ron Johnson and Oscar followed him in . As Ron stopped to check on the prone body of Mason, A.J. came and instantly pulled the dead Stinson off Laurie. She clutched at his hand for support, then her eyes focused on her husband..
"Rick..oh Rick." Laurie sobbed, stumbling to her feet. Rick reached under his vest, then pulled out the bullet that had landed so close to its target. Tossing it to Ron, he got to his feet, then rushed to his wife.
"Laurie, Laurie." he said over and over, gathering her to him and kissing her face.
"He shot you, darling..I forgot you had on a vest.. I thought he killed you.." She sniffed, returning his caresses. Laurie's sobs eased as he stroked her hair, then told her, "No, sweetheart, he just gave me a bruise, .no more tears, you're safe my Valkrie."
Rick smiled over her shoulder at a relieved A.J., who patted her back.
"Glad you didn't get caught in this..."
"Glad, heck...when we got to the hearing floor and didn't see you anywhere, I thought I'd go crazy, until your transmitter sounded." A.J. told him somberly.
"What I want to know is why this piece of work, did this." Oscar growled, indicating the wounded ex-judge. At that Mason opened his eyes, then grated, "Stinson threatened my sister...said he'd kill her if I didn't do as he said. He was listening on a device in my pocket ..I had to help him. But I wouldn't have let him kill you folks, I swear!"
"And the officer?" Ron frowned as Mason lowered his eyes. "He owed me a favor, I'm sorry for you to have gone through this.."
Just then two paramedics arrived, and promptly loaded Mason onto a gurney, followed by the body of Fred Stinson.
"Rick, Laurie, .God I'm sorry. This shouldn't have happened." Ron blurted out, then Laurie lifted her head from Rick's shoulder.
"It wasn't your fault, Ron.. At least Mr. Mason helped save us..but ..I just want to go home, please."
"Anywhere you want to go, darlin'.." Rick told her, then saw her look down at her torn blouse. "Laurie, look at me.."
Startled, she raised her eyes to his, then moaned as he bent his head and kissed her neck, then down her chest. "You are so beautiful, so brave..I'm sorry..."
"Oh, Rick.. all the world can't hold my love for you...I'm all right. As long as I don't lose you." She replied, then a smile broke through when Rick promised, "Never, darlin', never without me."
"Okay, lovebirds, I think we'll call it a day." Oscar grinned, "Let's take this back home, where Rudy can look after you both."
"Now that's a plan I can live with.." Rick crowed, putting an arm around Laurie, who involuntarily winced.
"Honey.." Oscar saw this, and immediately peeled back her jacket and vest to reveal a bruised right shoulder, and another bullet wedged in her Kevlar vest.
"Laurie..when did he…when did Stinson shoot you?" Rick gasped, then subsided when she said, "I think when I ran for the door, I felt something knock me sideways, but I thought he hit me before he landed on me." She reached up and cupped his face, as she added, "If you hadn't had me wear that vest.."
"I told you I'd protect you, sweetheart, always." he kissed her hand, then took a deep breath and looked at the grateful faces around them.
"Let's go home, I think we've had a day."