Chapter 81

"He had run out of the bus station and was driving off in a stolen car when I jumped through the window and got him," Woody informed her.

"You never would have been caught if I hadn't shot him!" Jordan chimed in.

"But it was me that chased him through the streets of Boston knowing he had Riley with him!" Woody added.

"Well I couldn't very well have gone after him with a bullet in my gut!" Jordan protested.

AJ was watching Mac as her head turned back and forth between Jordan and Woody as if she were watching a tennis match. When it seemed that a new round of one-up-man-ship was about to start, she demanded, "Could someone please tell me in chronological order what happened after the fight at the cemetery?!"

Woody and Jordan looked at each other trying to decide who should tell the story when AJ said, "I seem to be an impartial third party here, maybe I could get it started and you two could fill in any holes I might make?"

The two in question nodded and AJ began, "It is my understanding that after you were stabbed, Woody stayed with you until help arrived. In doing so, he saved your life. While he remained with you, Palmer headed over to their apartment to kidnap Riley. Jordan shot Palmer, but he managed to get a shot off as he was hit. As Jordan laid there wounded, he got away with the baby. Woody took chase after Palmer as soon as the paramedics arrived and took over your care. Palmer boarded a city bus and rode it to the terminal where he killed a man just to get a change of clothes. Woody saw him leaving the terminal and ran after him. Palmer stole a car and was getting away, but Woody threw himself into the open driver's window. He reopened Palmer's gunshot wound during their struggle in the car. Palmer broke Woody's nose and he fell out of the car just before it crashed into the police barricade."

When AJ paused for a breath in the telling of the story, Mac jumped in, "So we did get him!"

"WE?!" Jordan exclaimed. "I was the one that shot him!"

"But Jordie, I captured him and saved our son."

"That's all well and good," Mac told them, "But I almost DIED!"

With a laugh, AJ tried to appease them all, "Okay, you three! Can't you all just agree that it was a team effort, and be glad that you have put an end to Palmer's manipulations for good!?"

With rueful grins the three nodded and there were please smiles all around.

THE END

Fade in: Two months later, Palmer sitting in his cell lifting a homemade weight with his left arm, a painful smile as he plotted his revenge…