CH19

"Kate, the man of your dreams is still up. Though he is in his motel room and it is midnight there." Lucile tells her. Since her, Rick and Alexis are still up waiting for him to go to bed.

"I see your sense of humor is getting better Lucile. Keep it up and maybe someday I'll unplug you." Kate teases back. Simply getting a smile from Lucile. "I wish he would hurry up. I want to get some sleep." Kate is beginning to hate this guy even more.

Rick and Alexis just give her a knowing smile.

"Barbara has been horizontal now for the last 30 minutes." Lucile tells them, finally.

"Barbara?" Alexis questions.

"I borrowed the name from a WWII movie with Clint Eastwood." Lucile explains.

"'Kelly's Heroes'. I remember that movie. Telly Savalas was teasing this one guy that his name was Barbara when his real name was Babra. It was a good movie, I liked it." Alexis explains.

"Let's give him another 10 minutes just to be safe, and then we take him just like last time." Kate tells them.

It went off like clockwork. All three stepped thru and stunned him while lying in bed then took him to his new home. Stripped him naked and left him there.

"That should put a kink in his plans." Kate yawns. "I need some beauty sleep." And heads for the bedroom.

It was now a month later and late January:

Natalie and Jim had taken Rick and Kate up on their offer and had gone to Montana. After a nice warm Christmas and frozen with snow on the ground New Years a week later had been quite a change.

Kate had talked Alexis into coming with her to St. Johns a couple of times just to get her out of the house a little. Except for the job at the Zoo that Lucile had helped her get, she never left the house and Kate was getting worried. Alexis was shutting herself off from the world and Kate needed to find a way to get her to open up again. Thinking that maybe a trip would get Alexis out of her funk that Ray had gotten her into.

Art and culture in Florence and Tuscany

Gutsy Women's popular eight-day Magnificent Florence and Tuscanytrip to Italy is a case in point: Besides all the usual inclusions and sightseeing, the package price also covers indulgences such as a horse-and-carriage ride through Florence, a Tuscan cooking lesson, and a treatment at the Excelsior Spa Centre in Montecatini.

Past clients have also been impressed by the quality of the local guides used on the trip. "The tours of the museums and cathedrals were made very intriguing and interesting by our local guides, who carefully explained the history of what we were seeing and told stories about the artists," says Indiana resident Marsha Parry, who went on the Italy trip last year. "Our experience in a local vineyard in Tuscany—where we were treated royally by the owner who gave us the history of the wine along with tastings—made you understand the romance of Italy."

Rick and Kate had arranged for the trip for Alexis as a Christmas present. Alexis had to get out and see there was more to do than moping around the house about what no longer was. They had high hopes she would see what could be. And what place better than a trip to romantic old school Italy. Paris might be the typical choice but Alexis would have seen thru that and maybe refused to go or go with a closed mind and a closed heart. Italy they were hoping would sneak up on her and the old or maybe a new Alexis would return.

She would have a roommate and they had already been talking to each other before they even got there. It was a requirement of the travel company. Alexis seemed to be smiling more after each of their conversations.

It was late and Rick and Kate were in bed wrapped up in each other's arms again. Alexis was leaving tomorrow morning for the trip.

"This needs to work Rick. I'm worried about her. Ray has done a number to her self esteem. She's not the Alexis I remember anymore." Kate talks into Rick's chest.

"I know, there are things I want to do to him. … But it wouldn't help her any. Though it might make me feel better." Rick tells her. "You know we could just go get him and let him spend some time isolated from everyone for a week or two in Turkey or Oman? Naked of course" Rick really does kind of like the idea.

"According to Lucile and Ray's hospital trip, Jim broke his right wrist so bad they had to put pins in just so he could keep the hand. And his knee cap is so shattered he is going to need a cane to help him walk and that's after at least a year of physical therapy." Kate reminds him.

"I know, but that was Jim. All I get to do is punch the air while I watch my daughter fall apart right in front of me." Rick's tears are starting again.

Kate can feel him stiffen up and can feel the tears in his voice. "Let's just see if this trip helps her any first. If not we can visit this topic again. …. DEAL?" Kate asks as she turns her head to look up at him.

Rick takes a deep breath and is silent for a moment. "Deal." Rick finally agrees.

"We'll find her Rick. She's our daughter. We'll get her back." Kate settles in and talks into his chest again.

"How's the morning sickness?" Rick asks changing the subject.

"It's getting better. Now you get to adjust to my mood swings and my elevated sex drive." Kate reminds him from the previous pregnancies.

"I'll adapt to the mood swings and I'm looking forward to the latter." Rick grins while squeezing her tighter.

Kate just grins into his chest and chuckles silently. And settles in for some sleep.

Three days later:

"Richard, Kate, Michael Thornton is on the phone with his brother Alan. He is requesting an update on the satellite coverage of the house. Alan has indicated that he can task the satellite in about 3 hours. He is also asking for infrared coverage." Lucile tells them.

They both stop making sandwich's for lunch. "So he is still interested. Even after losing his latest guy he hired but never heard from again. I don't get it? What does he think we have or know?" Kate is still lost in motive. "Lucile has he talked to his son lately?"

"He has not called, tweeted, emailed or made any other attempt that I can detect." Lucile provides equally perplexed.

"Damn it! What is it? Lucile can you go back and review things we or our family did before Alexis married Ray?" Kate asks.

"What are you thinking?" Rick asks.

"If Ray marrying Alexis was his father telling him to, then it was something we did or knew before that time. Did the NSA find us and Alan learn of it and tell his brother? Or is he just using his brothers to get men or information from?" Kate wonders out load.

"This lasts much longer and I'm likely to take you up on your offer and just go get him and take him someplace to cool off for a while before we interrogate him." Kate tells Rick.

Rick's only response to is to pump his arm in celebration.

"Lucile let us know when the satellite is in position. We've got roughly three hours to come up with something for them to see." Kate points out. She wants to play with their minds.

"I've got an idea." Kate finally comments. "We are going to need a whole lot of smoke. A whole lot and a fire in the fire pit on the roof. Come on we have some shopping to do."

Two and a half hours later they are back and up on the roof.

"Kate care to share this plan with the rest of the class?" Rick asks.

"Go start a fire in the fire pit. Then we will add all these newspapers to the fire. We also have a couple of tires already soaked with either lighter fluid or gasoline. Then just moments before Lucile tells us the satellite is watching we will pop as many of these smoke grenades as possible (Our Tactical Smoke Grenade - TSG - is designed to meet the extreme needs of today's paintball and airsoft enthusiasts. These high quality smoke grenades are very affordable, producing a thick white plume of smoke to cover your movement and provide a major strategic advantage.). Then we lay down and not move pretending to be down and overcome with smoke." Kate tells Rick.

"You want them to think the house is on fire and that we have been overcome with smoke while our house burns down?" Rick is wondering.

"Yup and when the smoke begins to clear because it will run out eventually, Lucile will hack the NSA computer and stop the satellite from continuing to watch, or keep it running on a continuous loop." Kate concludes giving Lucile something to do also. "You think you can do it Lucile?"

"That powder puff of an ancient Atari game set will never know what hit it." Lucile is more than ready.

"Ten minutes." Lucile tells them.

"How's the fire?" Kate asks Rick.

"It's getting there, slowly." Rick responds.

"You may need to add some lighter fluid in a few minutes." Kate tells him.

"Way ahead of you." Rick states holding up his little plastic bottle. Getting a grin from Kate.

"Five minutes." Lucile tells them.

"These are yours. Pull the pin and throw as many of them as you can." Kate tells him as she places them on the ground near Rick.

"Why do you have more than me?" Rick pouts sounding hurt.

"Because while you are throwing newspaper on the fire and lighting the tires on fire, I'm going to start throwing mine." Kate explains.

"But you still have more than me." Rick still pouts.

"I'll make it up to you tonight if you are a good boy." Kate teases.

"You enjoy teasing me don't you?" Rick is not really complaining. While Kate just grins at him.

"Two minutes." Lucile tells them.

Kate takes her smoke grenades and moves to another section of the roof.

"One minute thirty." Lucile tells them.

"Light the tires on fire and put the lighter fluid on the fire and get ready to throw the paper on it." Kate tells him as she grabs the first grenade and puts her finger in the pin.

Kate can see the fire suddenly flame up high as dense black smoke starts to come up from the two used tires.

"One minute." Lucile tells them.

"Go Rick." Kate yells and pulls the pin and throws it.

One after the other they each pull pins and throw them to various parts of the roof until Lucile. "Hit the ground and don't move." Lucile tells them.

Four minutes later. "Ok you can get up and put the fires out. I've placed what they are viewing on a continuous loop while adding in more smoke and a touch of more fire." Lucile tells them.

"Good it's cold up here I could use something to warm me up with." Kate comments.

"Hot chocolate perhaps?" Rick suggests.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup milk
Pinch salt
2 oz. milk chocolate, finely chopped
2 tbsp. Irish cream liqueur, such as Bailey's
Whipped cream and shaved chocolate, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat milk in a 1-qt. saucepan over medium heat until just beginning to bubble at edges, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, add chocolate and liqueur, let sit for 1 minute, then whisk until smooth. Serve with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

"You always could read my mind." Kate tells him with a smile. "Just leave out the liquor part." Kate reminds him sadly.

By the time they make it to the kitchen. "Satellite coverage has ended." Lucile tells them.

"Let's see what they think of that." Kate states while waiting for Rick to make her drink. "I really, really want to know how Alexis is doing, but if I check up on her, I don't want her to think I don't trust her."

"It's going to be a long ten days." Rick agrees. "Here is your drink Professor."

"Why thank you Mr. Crystal." …. "Hhmmm." As Kate takes a sip of her drink.

"Do I get a grade Professor?" Rick is playing with her still.

"Oh I'd say you get a 'B' Mr. Crystal." Kate plays with him.

"Only a 'B'?" Rick sounds hurt.

"You can make up the difference tonight at finals." Kate tells him grinning.

"I look forward to it Professor." Rick arches his eyebrows a couple of times. Getting a grin from Kate while sipping her drink. And Rick goes back to making sandwich's for lunch before they were interrupted.

"When do your classes start again?" Rick asks her after finishing his sandwich.

"January 22, however I have to be there two days before to get ready." Kate tells him.

"Meaning you have to be there tomorrow then." Rick states if he has his dates correct.

"Yea, sorry. The next break is in early May for spring break. Before that will be late April for Easter recess." Kate explains her time frame they have to work with.

"That's ok, It'll give me time to write the next book in the series." Rick explains.

Just as Rick and Kate come back inside from taking Guiness and Maggie outside for a walk. Which was more stop and smell than walk, however the dogs did seem to enjoy it.

"Richard, Kate, I'm monitoring a phone conversation between Alan at NSA and his brother Michael. The talk is about how the house may now be a burned out shell. Michael is asking for someone to go to the site and verify and search medical records to determine if you died in the fire." Lucile informs them.

"What do you think? Should we Play Dead?" And Kate notices that Guinness and Maggie are immediately on the floor lying still.

"Bang." Rick says and they both roll over to their other side and lay perfectly still. Kate heads for the kitchen and comes back with 2 large dog biscuits. "Ok you two, up." And Kate gives each of them a biscuit along with a "Good boy", "Good girl".

"Do we want to be dead or just injured and in the hospital overnight for observation?" Rick asks.

"We just need for them to think we are out of the house long enough for their guy to try and get inside. That way they will send him, we take him and leave him in his new home and wait to see what they do next." Kate comments.

"Ok, hospital it is. Lucile?" Rick makes a choice.

Hospital records are created along with a dispatch of fire trucks and two ambulances. One for each of you. Records indicate that you will be discharged tomorrow after only suffering from minor smoke inhalation." Lucile provides their cover. "Just in time for Kate to attend St. Johns as intended."

"Which means we are going to have company again tonight." Rick notes with a grin.

Kate swats him in the chest. "You don't have to enjoy it so much you know." Kate chastises him a little.

"He hurt my baby. He's lucky I haven't had Lucile take every penny he has or given everything he owns to some charity organization for what he has done." Rick tells her still mad.

"Suspected to have done." Kate corrects.

"Please tell me you are not on his side." Rick is just checking. He knows Kate better than that.

"Oh hell no. If I knew he was behind it I'd let her loose on him and maybe watch while Jim and Natalie played with him and his brothers a little." Kate tells him just as mad.

Rick grabs Kate and wraps his arms around her. "It's been a little while since I've seen 'BAB'." Rick tells her.

"BAB?" Kate questions knowing how much her husband loves using letters for certain events.

"Bad Ass Beckett." Rick explains.

Kate chuckles. "It has been a little while hasn't it?"

"Maybe Bad Ass Beckett needs a spanking?" Rick comments lifting his eyebrows a couple of times.

"Are you suggesting I've been a naughty Professor?" Kate asks with a whisper of a voice.

"I think we should move this downstairs and review your report card, very closely." Rick tells her and takes her hand and leads her downstairs.