After Father Nick came back in from his "meeting" with the younger Simons and Whiteclouds, Rick decided to take his turn at persuading the older man to go in for whatever treatment his doctors recommended.
Finding his mentor in the shed where the fishing equipment was stored, Rick swallowed hard at seeing Father having trouble lifting a heavy tackle box.
"Father, hang on, let me give you a hand." Rick said, stepping forward. Seeing a relieved look on his face, Rick picked up two fishing poles and the old metal box, then led the way to the small creek in back of the barn.
"Thanks, Rick….don't have too much "get up and go" today." Father said finally, once the two men settled down.
"Well, a few days of sunshine and rest at Casa de Simon should help you." Rick replied, then he stopped when Father Nick shook his head."
"No, son….although it is going to help some. I know you and Laurie mean well, but I'm not going back to California. I plan on staying around here to make sure my family is okay, for as long as I'm needed."
"And you are…very much." Rick told him, his instincts telling him this was the one chance he might have to change the older man's decision. "Not just A.J. and I, but Laurie and Linda and all the kids. And…well, I think Oscar and Mom would like to have you bless their marriage-I know it would make us happy."
A smile lit Father Nick's face, and he reached over to pat Rick on the shoulder. "Thank you, son. You don't know how much it means to see you open up like that. When I think of the closed-in look you used to get after your father died…well, I have to say you've grown up to be a man he'd be so proud of."
Tears welled up in Rick's eyes, and he took a moment to clear his throat. Finally he replied, "Thank you, Father. But Laurie, you know how she cares about you. She's afraid you've given up and that we're going to lose you."
"No, no, Rick..I'm not giving up, but I want what time I have left to be of purpose, and I think staying here, with all of you, will give me that chance. At least I can step back and decide what I'm going to do." Father Nick added.
"Well, if you're going to do that anywhere, I'm glad you at least decided to do that here." Rick admitted, then let out a yell of surprise as both men's lines suddenly bent.
"All right-here we go!"
As the afternoon wore on, A.J. and Robbie and Rob all came to join the two fishermen, and it became a race to see who caught the largest fish. When the dinner bell at the ranch called them in, the Simons and their friends were surprised to see they had caught over 2 dozen fish.
"I hope your grill heats quickly, son." Father Nick grinned, seeing the strings of fish being lowered into the ice chests both Rob and Robbie were toting.
"Oh it will, Laurie got me a really good set up for my birthday. Give me ten minutes and it'll be …." Rick started, then a loud ringing of the bell at the ranch interrupted him. Almost instantly his watch beeped, and he turned on the send function.
"Laurie, what is it…is something wrong?"
"Rick, we got another call….a voice is threatening Ramona and Robbie, saying they have to "pay the price"!"
Seeing his brother's reaction to his wife's call, A.J. quietly said, "Let me have your poles, Rick…" The older Simon immediately handed them over, then ran across the grass to the back door of the ranch, where Laurie stood waiting.
"Darlin'…are you okay?" he asked, taking the phone from her with one hand and embracing her. She nodded, then took a deep breath and calmly told him, "I hit the recorder, Rick…it's the same voice as before. Linny already dialed Ron so he can run a trace…"
"Good work, sweetheart." Rick kissed her, then led her back inside as the others caught up with them. Making sure the younger Simons were busy in the living room with a game, Linda came to join the others in the kitchen as Rob turned on the answering machine and hit play.
"Time to pay the price, Mrs. Simon…it's going to be a big one from your son and daughter-in-law…" The voice once again was metallic, and a furious Laurie's retort came next.
"Who is this? And what are you talking about! Only a coward makes anonymous threats.." There was a click, then a dial tone. Turning off the recorder, she furiously told the others, "I'd like to fill him full of lead if he tries to …"
At that moment the phone rang, and Rick answered it tersely. "Simon residence".
"Pop, it's Robin….Is everyone okay there?" Frowning at the shaking in her voice, he replied, "We're fine, just your mother and I were wondering….."
"I saw something, Pop...I was getting the kids ready to come to the ranch, then ...I felt cold, and Petey helped me sit down.
Just then I saw you and Mom...you were both outside the Center. Someone was shooting and then you both fell and I heard Mom scream..."she blurted out.
"Oh, Robin….." Rick let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. He wrapped his arms around Laurie as she asked for the phone.
"Here, darlin'…I'm calling Rudy, you keep talking to her..".Rick said firmly, handing her the receiver. In a few minutes, the whole family was alerted, as Rick decided to have Petey drive his mother and the rest of the kids to the ranch. Just as they arrived, Rudy Wells pulled into the driveway. "Good timing, son.", he greeted the younger Whitecloud, as he helped a weakly smiling Robin out of their van, followed by his sister Katie.
"Thanks, Uncle Rudy, I'm glad you were just up the road at the clinic. I've never seen Mom have a vision before…I did try to get Dad but he must be at practice because he didn't pick up his office phone…is Mom going to be okay?"
"Yes, Petey…Honey, do you feel dizzy or anything?" the old doctor asked, with Rick and a relieved Laurie coming out of the house in time to hear his question.
"No, Uncle Rudy….just scared…Oh, Mama." Robin let go of her son and immediately went into her mother's arms.
"There's my girl….we're all right…." Laurie reassured her, then the group went into the living room where Linda and the rest of the fishing group had gathered.
Rudy insisted on taking Robin into her old room for a check up, so Petey and Katie joined Father Nick and their cousins in taking care of the fish.
"Rick, someone is tipping Adams off every time your family is here, otherwise how would he know when someone will answer the phone?" Ron asked when he arrived from Phoenix?
"I don't know, pal…but something's got to be done, once and for all!" Rick told him emphatically. Once he saw his daughter was all right and occupied with fixing dinner, he gathered A.J., Ron, Robbie, and Father Nick into his office to brainstorm.
"Okay, let's try to figure out who could have known when your family's here…..and why they'd be helping out Adams." Ron began. Almost immediately A.J. interrupted him.
"Ron…did we ever find out who the families were who first got the kidnapped babies, and if any of them are still trying to adopt?"
A light went on in Rick's mind; as Robbie added, "And who got paid off for these "services".
"Nice thinking son…" Rick gave a deep sigh, then chuckled as Ron observed, "And to think how small your first clue was…..good work, Robbie."
To Rick's surprise, his son shook his head, a despairing look on his young face.
"It's not good work, Ron….I'm flat out scared that someone is still out there after Ramona and I …what if this monster tries to take Chelsea again? I feel like everything's turning back on us!"
At that Father Nick spoke up, his calm voice easing the tension in the room.
"Robbie, listen to me. It is all right to be scared…someone you trusted has done a evil thing….betrayed trust given to him to care for your family. If this Adams is trying to hurt you through your family-then you fight fire with fire. But you don't do it alone….We're here to stop whatever he or his accomplices have planned. Don't forget that."
The younger Simon looked at him, despair in his eyes that lessened as Rick added, "And believe me, son…no one is going to get anywhere near Chelsea or Ramona or any of the kids…do you hear me? Have we ever let you down?"
For a moment tears filled Robbie's eyes, then he managed to smile. "No, Pop….none of you..none of my family has." He wiped his eyes, then said, "Thanks, Father….for reminding me…"
"That's what I'm here for…and to make sure that nothing and no one hurts anyone in my family." Father Nick replied, determined. Patting Robbie on the back, he turned to the list Ron produced from his pocket.
"Just in case I had a list of the adoptive parents made…Let me call the major crimes detail and find out from their investigators if any of their contacts heard from Adams since the trial."
Just then Linda appeared in the doorway. "Guys, dinner's ready….Father, can you say grace?"
"Of course, after all, I did help provide the meal." The old priest teased, as Rick protested, "and what did I do?"
"Help carry them home, my provider." Laurie said with a smile, peeking from behind her sister-in-law.
As the group laughed, Rick got up, saying "Just for that, I think I have to carry something else around here." Pretending to chase his wife, Rick caught a giggling Laurie up in his arms.
"Now what do you say?" He asked, grinning. For an answer, she simply leaned down and kissed him.
"Okay, it can wait until after we eat, guys." A.J. groaned, then laughed as Linda pecked him on the cheek.
"That's a good idea, honey." She joked, as he blushed.
The next day saw the ranch bursting at the seams as Robbie and Ramona and Robin decided to keep the younger children home from school. Laurie had the idea to have them visit the Cultural Center's art classes, as they could both enjoy some activities and be in a safe place.
"Thanks, Mom….Robbie can come have lunch with us, and I can even put Chelsea down for a nap in the nursery." Ramona told them gratefully, as Robbie loaded the little girl's car seat in his cruiser.
"Okay, but son, if you get busy, let me know, and I'll go pick my fun bunch up." Rick grinned, tousling Davey's hair as he sat in the back seat.
"Grandpa..I just brushed it!" the young boy protested, then blushed as his cousin Katie declared, "He's just trying to look nice for Sara…..she thinks he cute!"
"Katie, quit it!" Davey complained, then matched his grandfather's grin as Robbie said, "That figures…..my son's already got admirers."
"Never mind….the thought that my grandson likes girls already…" Rick pretended to shudder, making the carload of Simons and Whiteclouds laugh.
As the day wore on, Rick and A.J. did their own calls, to both the jail and to the attorney for Dr. Adams. They struck out on both fronts, as the surveillance tapes only showed George Abbott going into the cell, then a figure wearing his cap and shirt exiting. When they visited Marcus Conroy, Adams attorney, the very nervous man could only tell them of the last meeting with his client.
"I warned Dr. Adams of what his actions and words could cost him. He just would smile and say, "We'll see"." Conroy told them, his unhappy eyes darting back and forth. "I actually told him he should retain that other attorney if he was so unhappy, but he just laughed".
Rick had been writing notes but stopped to peer at the other man. "What other attorney?"
"One of the parents trying to adopt one of the..um…stolen children kept visiting Dr. Adams, until they had a row one day, then I didn't see him until the day Abbott was hurt."
"Abbott? You mean Gregory Abbott?" A.J. saw the incredulous look on his brother's face, then flushed with anger himself as Conroy nodded.
"Yes, seems like Mr. Abbott's daughter couldn't have children, and Abbott was crazy about the idea of having a "grandchild"…. So he contacted Dr. Adams and was all set to adopt until the ring was busted…."
Numb, both Rick and A.J. excused themselves, then quickly left the attorney's office. As soon as they got outside Rick burst out "That's it….but I can't believe that Gregory would betray us like that…."
"Believe it, Rick….looks like we'd better get a hold of Ron…" A.J. started, then saw a red light blink on his transmitter.
"Speaking of….oh, hi, Mom."
Rick chuckled for a moment as A.J. spoke with his mother, then smiled at some noise in the background.
"Sounds like the gang came home early."
"Oh, they had a good time." Cecelia Goldman replied, "You should see the beautiful dishes the kids made. "
"Well, I can hardly wait. What are Sis and Linny doing?" A.J. asked, as he followed his brother to Rick's truck.
"Linda's here making cupcakes, but Gregory Abbott called and said he needed Laurie to sign some papers with Rick…so she said she'd meet the both of them at the Center's library."