A Price too High
February 2004
All Disclaimer’s apply.
Rated: PG – a few curse words
Author’s note: Surviving Rick’s bad mood is the least of A.J.’s problems.
*****S&S********S&S*****
Whoever said that counting to ten would help calm a person down obviously never met Rick Simon before!
Inhaling a deep, steady breath, Rick’s sibling held it in his lungs for several seconds and then just as expertly released it. A.J. felt only a small fraction of his pinned up tension, that he had been forced to endure for the last few hours, depart from his body. As far as he was concerned, it wasn’t nearly enough. He had the high blood-pressure to prove it. Even from a distance, one could tell that his normal sparkling blue eyes, which most women found particularly attractive, now radiated with irritation and annoyance as he counted silently to himself.
One… two… three… That’s it. Stay calm. Don’t let him get to you.
A.J. knew it was futile effort on his part but he wasn’t positive what else he could do at the moment as he unconsciously drummed his fingers across the steering wheel of his sport car. His eyelashes lifted as he stared out of the windshield and over into the vehicle parked in front of his. A family of five practically danced around their car as they excitedly made that last minute check to ensure that their outdoor equipment was securely strapped on. A.J. somehow wished he could join them.
For a second he actually smiled.
A horn blasted somewhere off in the distance and A.J. quickly came out of his reverie. Now where was he?
Oh yeah…four…five…six...
Tense with expectation, he slowly tilted his head sideways hoping to sneak a peek at Rick without being detected.
It was not meant to be.
His older brother head jerked around and shot him one of meanest drop-dead look that A.J. had seen in a long time.
Seveneighnineten… The remaining numbers rushed forward through his mind. Realizing he could well overreact in a big way, A.J. forcefully took in another deep breath and sat back in his seat before speaking.
With a steady calm that even surprised him, he finally asked. “Rick, would you like for me to bring you something from inside? Soft drink? Chips, perhaps? An aspirin for your headache?”
A.J. saw in a blinding flash his mistake.
“What in the hell is that suppose to mean?” Rick thrust out his chin and challenged back. “Who said anything about me having a headache?”
Sitting so close to his brother, A.J. practically felt the nerve endings in his brother’s body begin to explode simultaneously. For one awful moment, he thought his brother was going to go berserk on him.
Fighting the huge lump that suddenly developed in his throat, he tried nonchalantly to swallow it. Forcing himself to meet his brother’s stare, A.J. couldn’t help but think how much Rick reminded him of a rabid dog. Dangerous. Very dangerous.
Oh hell. He had nothing else to lose. Rick wanted to fight, well so be it.
Slamming his fist against the steering wheel, he retorted back without as much as a blink. “Well then Rick, I just don’t understand it. It’s more than obvious to me that something is bothering you. So I’m asking you again, if you didn’t have a fight with Jennifer last night, you didn’t lose at some poker game, you haven’t been evicted from your apartment, and now you’ve claiming not to have a HEADACHE, then would you mind please explaining to me what the hell your problem is and why you keep snapping my freaking head off?”
Rick couldn’t believe his ears. For one thing, he didn’t think he was acting that badly. And number two, if A.J. hadn’t gone behind his back last night, maybe he wouldn’t be in such a foul mood today. How dare his brother throw this back on him? His first initial thought was to tell his little brother to go to hell but instead he murmured something in return that wasn’t very intelligible.
A.J.’s jaw knotted. “I beg your pardon?”
Although his words were whispered low, Rick practically spat them at him. “Drop it kid, I mean it.”
A.J. swore under his breath, earning a censuring gaze from his brother. At least he had the intelligence to know when to shut up.
But after several minutes of long tense silence, A.J. couldn’t stand it anymore and finally repeated his original question, “Would you like something or not?” This time there was no sarcasm in his voice.
“No, I don’t want anything.” He started to say something more but quickly clamped his mouth shut.
“What?” A.J. asked and then suddenly regretted it.
“You pump the gas this time. I’m going inside and pay.”
A .J. mouth gaped open as he studied Rick for a long, careful moment.
Rick was offering to pay for the gas? Now he definitely knew that something was amiss.
Brushing his hand through his blond hair, A.J. opened the door and slid out of the red sports car. He automatically flinched inwardly when he accidentally slammed it a little harder than he had intended too. He didn’t need to see Rick’s face to know that it didn’t set well with his brother. He could have sworn he heard a growl coming from inside the vehicle as he quickly made his way towards the back of the car.
Twisting the gas cap off, he began pumping the gas into the tank. He felt a slight quiver in his stomach when his brother quietly opened the passenger door and stepped out.
Rick glanced briefly at his younger brother and shook his head. Taking a few steps towards the convenient store, he halted when he heard A.J. call his name. Turning around, he faced his brother.
“Buy me a coke?” A.J. asked shyly, giving his brother a lopsided smile hoping to disarm him, as he angled his body sideways against the trunk.
Rick wasn’t fooled by his brother’s antics but nevertheless his jaw involuntarily went slack and a small grin crept in the corner of his mouth. "Sure, no problem."
A.J. watched Rick slowly make his way across the parking lot, arriving at the door at the exact moment a very attractive blond did. Even from his distance, he could hear his brother mumble "good morning" to her, his hand instinctively reaching up and tipping his cowboy hat.
Then, with what A.J. could only describe as classic Rick Simon’s move, his brother pulled back on the door with a little too much enthusiasm causing it to smack him squarely in the face. He heard the woman giggle as she entered the convenient store, followed by a much embarrassed Rick Simon.
A.J. shook his head and released the breath he was holding. As he continued to pump the gasoline into his tank, he could only hope that Rick would get lucky and land the woman’s phone number. Hopefully that will put him in a better mood.
His face began to frown again.
Whatever Rick’s problem was, it had to have happened last night. But then again, you never knew about Rick. Maybe he was still sore over the Cleveland case. A.J. hoped not. Things certainly got a little heated in the office yesterday, but he was pretty sure that Rick had gotten over it by the time they ate dinner and he dropped him off. One thing he did know, his brother was furious by the time he arrived at his house this morning and no amount of prompting on his part would get him to open up.
With the gas now pumped, A.J. began the tedious chore of cleaning his windshield, keeping an eye out for his brother.
When Rick still hadn’t show up ten minutes later, he decided it was time to find out “what” or should he say "who" was keeping him and so he made his way towards the store. Entering through the door, he did a quick scan of the area and spotting his brother standing not twenty feet away. Taking a few steps towards him, he suddenly noticed the expression on Rick’s face. The fear in his eyes was unmistakable.
A.J.’s steps falter, at the same time he sensed someone approaching him from his left. What happened next, he would never exactly be sure. One second he was turning, the next second he was on the ground staring up at the ceiling. Pain like he never felt before shot across his chest and then radiated down his spine. Then he felt nothing. It was like his body suddenly shut down, refusing to obey even the simplest of commands.
Frightened, A.J. tried desperately to call out for his brother but a sudden roaring sound blasted near his head and he squeezed his eyes close trying hard to block it out. It would take several minutes before his mind finally registered that the sounds he was hearing were that of gun shots but the "who’s" or "why’s" he couldn’t yet comprehend.
A.J. felt his head begin to spin and his breathing came unevenly. He tried one last time to cry out for Rick but when he opened his mouth to talk; he was dismayed to find that he couldn’t speak. Within seconds, his eyes rolled back into his head and fell unconscious.
****S&S*****S&S*****
Rick Simon heart exploded into a pounding frenzy as he kneeled down behind the aisle keeping one eye on the man holding the store clerk hostage and the other eye on the blood that was quickly spreading across his brother’s shirt. He shouted several times asking "if he was okay" but his brother didn’t react to his voice or his surroundings.
And that scared the living hell of out of Rick.
He quickly reloaded his gun and without hesitance aimed it again at the robber. He knew his brother’s only chance of survival was to get him medical attention and the sooner the better.
Rick’s eyes turned hard as he stood up again. Emotion vibrated in his voice. "Mister, I’m going to count to three and then I’m going to blow you’re god*d*mn head off."
The robber blinked.
Surely he hadn’t heard the cowboy correctly. Didn’t this idiot realize he was holding a gun? Giving Rick a fierce look, he shouted back, "I seriously doubt ..."
Rick interrupted him before he could finish. "One" he cocked the hammer back on his .45 and the sound echoed through the store.
The gunman took a cautious step backwards, his eyes searching for another way out of the store.
Out of desperation, he shouted. "Stay back. I’ll shoot her, I swear." He moved again, this time a few steps to his right dragging the woman with him.
Rick heard the woman crying and he ignored her tears. Moving closer to the gunman, his expression darkened. "Two"
The cowboy’s uncaring attitude rattled the robber. He quickly moved the gun away from his hostage and aimed it towards the crazy man standing not six feet away from him.
It was the opportunity Rick had waited for. He fired a bullet directly into the man’s left hand, forcing the gun to drop to the floor. He heard the man scream out in pain along with a strand of curse words. His hold loosened on his hostage and the clerk immediately took off running away from him. Rick approached the robber, his gun aimed directly at the man’s head.
"Three."
Realizing that the cowboy was about to shoot him, the man cowered and squeezed his eyes shut.
Rick gritted his teeth, the muscle in his jaw flexing rapidly with his driving compulsion to do bodily harm. Finally with his eyes blazing, Rick’s fist connected solidly with the man’s midsection. The man’s body folded and he fell to his knees. Rick hit him on the back of the head with his gun and the man crumbled to the floor.
"That’s for my brother, you son of a b*it*ch." Rick placed his gun back into its holster and without a backward glance ran to his brother’s prone body. He dropped to his knees beside A.J.
Reaching out, Rick felt for a pulse on his brother’s neck and sighed with relief when he felt a weak thumping against his fingers. In the background he could hear the distant sound of sirens.
The store clerk yanked several t-shirts marked 3 for $10 off a display and folded them. Handing them to Rick she said. "Here, use these to apply pressure to his wound. Sounds like help is on the way. I’ll go wait for them outside."
Rick grabbed the shirts from the woman. If he hadn’t been so scared for his brother’s life he would have remember his manners and told her thank you. But as it was, he barely could keep from panicking, much less anything else. God there was so much blood. How could someone still be alive and lose that much blood?
The other unfortunate customers, which had been in the store during the robbery, slowly began to emerge from their hiding places, including the blond who had enter the store at the same time Rick had. Rick paid them little attention. His total focus was on his brother.
"A.J., can you hear me?" Rick watched his brother’s face for any kind of reaction. When he received none, he closed his eyes briefly and swore under his breath. He knew he really screwed up today. And there was no way around that fact.
Half a dozen officers entered the store a short time later. Two of them picked the suspect off the floor and led him out. Someone stood beside Rick. For a disorienting moment, he wasn’t able to process the fact that Detective Brown was calling out his name. He finally looked up and stared at his friend.
“How is he?” Town asked.
Wordlessly, Rick returned his attention back to A.J., afraid that if he looked away too long that his brother would stop breathing. He felt Town’s hand on his left shoulder. "Come on pal, you need to move back and let the EMT’s do their job."
Rick raised his head, looked over at the nearest EMT, then back at Town, and said, "Town, he’s really bad."
Town closed his eyes. His friend’s pleading eyes was almost his undoing. For the first time in his life, Town wished he were a doctor rather than a police officer. "Rick, they’ll do their best."
Rick unwillingly stood up and moved out of the way.
He watched anxiously as the paramedics went to work on A.J. Something in their eyes told him that they thought it was hopeless. But for his sake, they were willing to give it their best shot.
To his utter astonishment, Rick heard one of the EMT announce, "He’s in respirator arrest. Start CPR."
Rick stepped forward but Town’s hand held him back. They both stared in shock as one of the EMT started chest compressions while the other began hooking A.J. to a defibrillator. At one point, one of them hooked an I.V. into A.J.’s arm.
"He’s in V-fib."
"Charging."
"Clear."
Rick watched in horror as his brother’s body practically lifted off the ground from the jolt of electricity that traveled through his body.
"No conversion."
"Hit him again."
"Clear."
Again, A.J.’s body jumped but the movement wasn’t as dramatic as the first time.
A.J. wasn’t going to make it. The realization shot through Rick like a ton of bricks.
He stood there, fighting for control. But his tears wouldn’t be denied and they streamed down his face.
"Flat line."
"Again."
Rick wanted to scream every time he watched the men shock his brother’s body. He wasn’t aware that he was whispering "hang on, A.J….stay with us…" over and over.
But Town heard him and he squeezed Rick’s arm several times trying to give him what comfort he could.
It felt like hours as he stood there. Rick watched as one of the paramedics plunged a needle into A.J.’s chest and it turned Rick’s stomach.
The EMT shocked his brother one more time. Four pair of eyes watched the monitor. A small beep appeared and then another one.
"He’s in sinus rhythm."
Rick felt his legs tremble and it took everything he had to keep himself upright. Had it not been for Town’s strong arm holding on to him, he would have collapse on the floor beside his brother.
"We’re going to have to wrap and run." The paramedics announced and loaded A.J. onto the gurney and whisk him out within seconds.
"You can follow us to the hospital, but I afraid you can’t ride with us." The EMT stated, looking sympathetically at Rick, as he closed the door behind him.
"That’s alright. I’ll give him a ride to the hospital." Town replied. Rick let himself be led towards Town’s patrol car. Once he was inside the vehicle, he remembered A.J.’s car next to the pumps.
As if reading his mind, Town reassured Rick that someone would bring A.J.’s car to the hospital so that Rick would have a ride home. Rick handed Town his spare key and let his hand drop awkwardly back to his side. Town gave it to one of his officers with instruction on what to do.
“Town, I’m not sure where mom is. We’ll have to try and track her down. It might take awhile, there’s no telling where she is.” Town
saw the look of anguish of Rick’s face. He knew the only place Rick wanted to be was at the hospital.
"Don’t worry about Rick. I promise I’ll find her myself and bring her to the hospital after I drop you off."
Rick’s eyes spoke volumes to the gratitude he felt for Town at that moment.
"Thanks Town. I owe you, I owe you big-time."
"No, you don’t. Beside, what are friends for?"
Town started the car and paused. Placing his hand on Rick’s shoulder, he asked, "You ok?"
Rick nodded his head and turned and faced the window. He sat in silence all the way to the hospital. Town must have understood his need for privacy, for he never once tried to engage him into a useless conversation.
When Rick burst through the doors of the hospital a short time later, he stormed into the triage area with the full force of a killer tornado. The nurse on duty immediately informed him that A.J. had already been sent into surgery and simply directed him to where the Surgery Waiting Room was. She calmly but firmly explained that a physician would be in as soon as one was available to explain his brother’s condition.
Rick made his way down several corridors before he reached the door marked “Surgery Waiting”. Pushing the door open, he was grateful to find no one else was in the room. He needed time to be alone.
He was mad, real mad.
He was angry with the gunman for shooting his brother and he hated himself for not being able to stop A.J. from entering the store.
This was all his fault. He should have been able to protect his little brother.
Rick began pacing the floor.
Several hours later he finally sat down in the chair.
“Where in the hell was that doctor?” He glanced at the clock on the wall what seem to be the hundredth time.
He was still waiting, and damned if he knew why.
Suddenly, the sound of the phone ringing on the end table caused Rick’s heart to thump painfully in his chest. Clenching his fists, he took a deep breath and closed the distance between it and himself on the second ring. His voice was a near gasp as he spoke into the receiver. “Hello.”
Rick felt rooted to the spot as he listened to the caller ask for someone he didn’t know. He barely managed to get the words out, “No, I’m sorry. There’s no one here by that name.”
Rick’s dark head dropped in disappointment as he hung up the receiver back into its cradle. Stupid tears burned at the back of his eyes and his hand brushed across his face as he fought for composure.
A muffled cry brought his head up.
"Rick?"
"Mom." Rick rushed over and pulled her into his arms and held her tightly against him. Over her shoulder, he spotted Town standing behind his mother.
"Any new?" Town asked.
"No. Nothing." The anger and worry in Rick’s voice was apparent to both.
"I’ll go find out what I can." Town turned and left the Simon’s in the waiting room.
Cecilia drew back. "Rick, what happened? Town said that A.J. was shot."
Rick ushered his mother into a nearby chair and he quickly sat down next to her. He went over the details the best as could to her, along with the admission of guilt for his part in not protecting his brother.
Cecilia poked Rick hard in the chest with her index finger. "You listen to me Rick Simon. What happened today was not your fault, do you understand me?"
Rick wasn’t having any of it but his mother would not let up. "Mom, please. You weren’t there."
Cecilia watched her son’s brow draw together. "No, Rick I wasn’t. But I know my sons” Cecilia dabbed her nose with her handkerchief as she spoke, “and I know that neither one of you would let anything happen to the other unless you couldn’t prevent it. So you listen to
me. I can’t do this alone. Your brother is going to be fine and we’re both going to need you." she pleaded.
Rick’s eyes closed. "You don’t know that for sure."
"Rick, yes I do. I feel it in my heart. Don’t ask me how but I just know it, I just do."
He was silent a moment, absorbing what she said, then his eyes open and their eyes locked.
"God, I hope you’re right." He commented.
Cecilia took a deep breath; put a shaky hand on her son’s check.
On the verge of losing control on the thin thread of his emotions, Rick wondered what he would ever do if it weren’t for his mother keeping him sane at times like these. He smiled down at her. His eyes were suspiciously moist.
"Thank you," he said quietly.
"You’re welcome." She said without hesitation.
Almost immediately she asked, "Maybe we should have Town stop by A.J.’s house and pick up some things for him."
"You’re amazing. You’re so sure of yourself, aren’t you?"
"Yes." Cecilia gave him a reassuring smile. "Besides, when have I ever been wrong?"
Rick’s arms crossed over his chest. "Never" he answered, "and that is why it so annoying."
Rick hugged his mother and he silently prayed with all his heart that the doctors wouldn’t prove her wrong.
Several minutes later, the door opening caught his attention and he shot to his feet, knocking the chair against the wall in the process.
Town and a doctor, that Rick didn’t recognize, walked into the room and stopped abruptly in front of him.
"Mr. Simon?"
"I’m Rick Simon and this is my mother."
Cecilia started to stand up but the doctor motioned for her to remain seated.
"Rick, maybe I should leave." Town said.
"No, if it’s alright with mom I would rather you stay." Rick looked down at his mother and she returned his glance with a warm, genuine smile and nodded her head.
Town sat down next to Cecilia and she placed her hand over his.
Rick could feel his palms began to sweat and he unconsciously wiped them on his pant legs.
Dr. Fritzgerald introduced himself as the surgeon who assisted with A.J.’s surgery and then wasted no time getting down to business.
"Mrs. Simon, as you probably already know your son A.J. was shot in the chest today. The bullet entered here – the physician pointed to a spot on his own chest just above his left nipple. As the bullet passed through A.J.’s body it fractured the fifth rib on the way in, bored through both lobes of the left lung, resulting in A.J.’s lung collapsing. It had to be surgically re-inflated. Right now he has a chest tube in. If everything goes alright, we’ll be able to remove it in a few days."
So far everything sounded pretty basic to Rick but he had a feeling the doctor wasn’t finished yet.
"Your son lost a lot of blood before he was brought in and we’ve managed to replace most of it. We’ll watch him for any signs of kidney or liver failure but so far there’s been no sign of either." The physician shifted uncomfortably for a second before he continued. "Now this is where things get slightly complicated."
Rick’s body tensed.
"The bullet hit the seven rib after leaving his lung. Had it continued its path it would have exited about here.” Again the physician pointed to his own body showing them approximately where the bullet should have exited. “It would have been better for your son if it had. But unfortunately the bullet ricocheted and lodged itself near A.J. spine."
"How near?" Rick asked, feeling the tears rush to the surface again.
"As near as you can get it without it actually piercing the spinal cord." The surgeon stated.
Cecilia stared up at the physician, with panic etched on her face asked. "What you saying?"
The surgeon faced her squarely. "A.J. has already showed signs of paralysis’s from his chest down."
Cecilia gasp and she felt Town’s arms go around her.
"Mrs. Simon, it is my opinion that the paralysis is due from the swelling rather than from actual spinal nerve damage. There’s a good chance that the paralysis will only be temporary."
"How soon will we know?" Cecilia asked.
"It maybe as short as a few days or as long as a couple of months. There’s no way of telling until the swelling goes down. I assure you Mrs. Simon, nothing is guaranteed at this point. The important thing here is to remember that your son is alive. Although he’s not completely out of danger yet, I do expect a full recovery."
The surgeon reached up and rubbed his eyes. "Your son should be out of Recovery by now and settling down into I.C.U. Why don’t you two go see him and then we’ll talk again tomorrow."
Rick and Cecilia shook their heads simultaneously. Despite the ache in her heart, Cecilia stood up and grabbed the surgeon’s hand with her own and patted it. "Thank you for everything you did for my son."
Rick’s throat was too constricted for him to say anything, so he nodded his head in agreement.
Town glanced at his watch, a sure sign he’d used up the time he’d allotted for spending time at the hospital. Reminding Rick to stop by the station to sign the official police report, Town said his goodbyes. He promised to stop by A.J.’s and retrieve the items that Cecilia wanted for her son.
He had a suspect that needed to be question.
*****S&S********S&S*****
There something about entering an Intensive Care Unit that instantly reminds you of just how precious life is. For Rick Simon, it felt like he had just entered the halls of death. The sensation of dread that came over him was positively overpowering.
Trying hard not to show the emotion that was tugging heavily at his heart, he stumbled forward beside his mother and the surgeon. As they approached the nursing station, he took note to the way the staff avoided looking directly at them. He tried not to think about what it meant. The physician opened the glass door to Room 5 and he and his mother entered it together.
The first thing Rick observed was the paleness of his brother’s face. That alone, made him feel ill. Next, he noticed the clear plastic tubing invaded his brother’s left nostril and the beeping of the machines keeping a constant vigil over his vitals.
It reminded Rick of some freak show and he found it impossible to take his eyes off his brother’s face.
“Rick?” his mother’s voice penetrated though his deep thoughts. “Are you alright?”
Absently, he answered her. “I’m fine.”
Putting away his own fear, he moved forward the rest of the way into the room and stood next to his brother.
"A.J.?" He grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "Hey bro, it’s your big brother. Come on sleepy head wake up."
Rick watched the rapid eye movements underneath A.J.’s eyelids but disappointedly they remained closed.
Rick bent closer to A.J.’s face and whispered into his ear. "Please A.J.; open your eyes."
After a time, A.J.’s eyes fluttered open and Rick was rewarded with two unfocused blue eyes staring out, searching for him.
"I’m right here." he moved into A.J.’s line of vision and he watched his brother’s eyes show recognition. He should have felt relieved but instead Rick felt anxious.
"How do you feel?" he whispered.
He had to strain to hear A.J.’s groggy answered. "Lousy." His eyes began to drift shut.
A second later he mumbled, "you?"
Rick shook his head. Leave it to A.J. to be more concerned about me and not himself.
"I’m fine knuckle head. You’re the one lying in a hospital bed; you worry about yourself and not me."
"Can’t… help… it." A.J. mumbled and then promptly fell asleep.
Rick swallowed hard and a light frown creased his forehead.
Cecilia watched the emotion play on Rick’s face and she knew he was back to beating himself up for what had happen to his brother.
"Rick?"
"Mom, I’m sorry. I have to leave." He made a move away the hospital bed but Cecilia stopped him with her hand.
"Rick, where are you going?"
Rick glanced anxiously around the room as though looking for something. "Mom, it’s important. Tell A.J. that I’ll be right back if he wakes up before I return."
Cecilia narrowed her eyes and studied her son carefully before she nodded her head briefly. As Rick took another step to leave, a sudden thought crossed her mind. “Rick, you’re not going to do anything crazy like trying to take things in your own hand are you?”
Rick wasn’t surprised by her blunt statement. Everyone considered him a hothead, the fact that his mom came right out and said it just confirmed it.
“No. I’m not going to do anything crazy. Rick rolled his eyes as he spoke. “I’m going to the office. Does that make you happy?”
“Just promise me, okay?”
Rick kissed his mother’s forehead and patted her shoulder. "I promise. And you promise me that you won’t leave him until I get back."
"You know I won’t."
Rick opened his mouth for a rebuttal, but nothing came out. Instead he straighten his hat a little and silently walked out of the room.
Worry etched Cecilia’s face as she watched him rush out of the hospital room and she turned and looked up towards the ceiling and whispered a quick prayer, "Jack, please watch over him."
Knowing it would be awhile before A.J. was conscious again; Cecilia took advantage of it to take care of some personal business. Crossing the room, she picked up the phone and dialed it. Within ten minutes, she had cancelled all her appointments for the day. Her only concern now was her sons.
*****S&S********S&S*****
Rick Simon had no problem finding his brother’s car where the officer had parked it. He climbed in and drove it out of the parking lot, turned right and headed for the office. By the time he open the door to the detective agency, his head was pounding fiercely from the day’s event.
With his hand in his pocket, he stood at the doorway his gaze concentrating on the interior of the room. For a moment, the present slipped away, and he was back to the day before.
“Rick, we don’t have a case. Why can’t you see that?”
“Well, I happen not to agree.” Rick retorted back. “I really think I might be on to something with this mistress angle.”
A.J.’s voice held the unmistakable sound of patience wearing thin. “Please not this again.”
Rick raised his voice. “And why not? Our client confirmed that her husband arranged a meeting with Thomas to be at that warehouse that night. Don’t you find it a little strange that Sarah Thomas would accompany her husband, especially since they were in the middle of a messy divorce?”
“We’ve been through this before Rick. There’s no proof what-so-ever that Sarah Thomas and William Cleveland were having an affair. As far as we know, they never even met before that night. And even if they were, how do we substantiate that Bill Thomas found out about it, so he deliberately set fire to that warehouse killing his wife and our client’s husband. For God sakes Rick, the man received third degree burns on 30% of his body trying to get them out.”
“Maybe he burned himself on purpose. You ever thought about that? You’ve got to admit, it takes a lot of the suspicion off of him.”
Rick heard A.J.’s chair scrape behind him. “Rick, that’s the most ridiculous thing I ever heard. A person would have to be completely out of their mind to do something like that. Besides, where’s your proof?
Rick remained quiet.
“That’s what I thought. Until Bill Thomas comes out of his coma, we have nothing to go by. And even if he does, something tells me that he’s innocent.”
When Rick found his voice he turned around and was face-to-face with his brother. “So just because you think he’s innocent, that’s it. Forget what I think. You’re right and I’m wrong.”
“I never said that and you know it.” A.J. said with a shade of disbelief.
“Yes you did. You just don’t realize it.”
If there was one thing A.J. was positive of, it was that nothing good would come out of this. Exhaling a breath of frustration, he desperately tried to defuse the situation, “Look this is not getting us anywhere. We’re both tried and hungry. How about we get something for dinner and then I’ll take you home and we can sleep on it, okay?”
When Rick didn’t move, A.J. added, “I’ll let you pick the restaurant. I’ll even buy.” He walked towards the door and opened it, hoping that Rick would follow him.
He glanced back but his brother stood rooted to his spot. A.J. caught a faint hint of something indefinable flash across his face that he, knowing Rick so well, easily read.
A.J. frowned.
Rick held out his hand as if to ward him off. “No, you go ahead. I think I’ll stay here for a little while.”
“Rick.”
“You go ahead.”
“Are you sure?”
Rick couldn’t help but see the hurt look on his brother’s face. For a brief second, he faltered on his decision.
A.J. saw the indecision on his face and quickly spoke up, “Please.”
Rick sighed heavily.
Again, A.J. pleaded, “Pretty please.”
“Anywhere.”
A.J. flashed him a smile. “Anywhere you want to eat, I promise. I won’t say a word.”
Rick finally resigned and nodded his head and walked towards the door behind A.J.
Under his breath, A.J. mumbled, “No matter how bad it is.”
Rick lifted one cynical eyebrow. “I heard that.”
A.J. cleared his voice and tried to change the subject quickly, “By the way, when is your truck getting out of the shop?”
Rick was still annoyed but he willing let the subject drop for now. “Tomorrow sometime. Carlos is giving me a call when it’s ready.”
“I still think….” He paused as A.J. checked the front door to make sure it was lock.
As soon as A.J. turned around, Rick continued to talk to him as they both walked down the hallway. “that all we need to do is..” The rest of the conversation was lost as they exited the building, heading for the restaurant.
It wasn’t until later on that night when Rick received a panic phone call around 1:00 am from their client, Lisa Cleveland, who had just returned home from her sister’s house after being gone all day, discovered a message from A.J. on her answering machine stating that due to lack of evidence the case had to be close.
Rick Simon spent an hour calming her down and another thirty minutes reassuring her that he would be more than willing to continue working on the case despite his brother’s decision to quit. Three hours later, Rick headed to bed, finally able to calm down himself enough to sleep.
He would deal with A.J. in the morning.
Rick shook his head, the present returned in full force and he stumbled to his desk and flopped down into his chair. God, how petty is all seemed now. Giving A.J. the cold shoulder when he first arrived at his house. The snide remarks all day long. Hell, at one point he actually felt fear coming from his brother.
Was he really that bad? And now his brother lay in a hospital, the certainty of him never walking again a real possibility. Damn it! Rick slammed his fist down into his desk.
Absently, his left hand rubbed across the painful knuckles of his injured hand as he silently swore under his breath. Still lost in another world, it took him several seconds to recognize the sound of the phone ringing on A.J.’s desk.
He turned his head, stood up and stumbled toward it, a questioning look on his face.
With each step, fear grew inside him. What if it was the hospital calling to inform him that A.J. had made a turn for the worse? He anxiously picked up the receiver.
“Rick Simon.”
“Hey Rick. It’s Town.”
Rick picked up on the concern in Town’s voice immediately. “You heard something from the hospital? Is it A.J.?”
Town sat up straight in his chair. “Calm down, Rick! No, I haven’t heard anything. Your mother told me where to find you.”
Rick practically collapse into the A.J.’s chair and the sound of air exhaling from his lungs could be heard across the room. He pushed his hand up through his hair and then his eyes narrowed thoughtfully making his ruggedly handsome features looked older somehow. “Damn it Town. Don’t scare me like that.”
“Scare you? You scare me!” Town leaned back in his chair again. “Besides, why aren’t you at the hospital?”
His question was left unanswered.
“Never mind. Whatever it is, it can wait. This is important.” Town held up a file in his hand. “I’m afraid I have a bit of bad news. Guess who just made bail?”
“If you are about to tell me that…that son of b*it*ch is out of jail…I’ll…I’ll?” Rick sputtered.
Town froze at the coldness in his tone. “Yes, I’m afraid so.”
Rick was on him in a flash.
“How?” Rick stopped long enough to suck in a quick breath that caused his chest to shudder. “How in the hell did you let this happen? For God sakes Town, he shot my brother.”
“I know perfectly well he shot A.J!” Town said loudly. When he received several stares from co-workers, he forcefully lowered his voice. “We both know that just because he’s out of jail on bail doesn’t mean he’ll get away with anything.”
“That animal doesn’t deserve bail.” declared Rick. “He needs to be in cage and I’m going to make damn sure he stays in one.”
“I agree, but the law is the law and until he goes to trial YOU are to stay away from him. I mean it Rick.” Town took in a breath. “Don’t force me to arrest you for obstruction of justice. This is an on-going investigation and I don’t need you messing things up. Besides, I’m having one of my patrol officers keep him under close surveillance. He won’t go anywhere without us knowing about it.”
“How in the hell does someone like that get the money to post bail?”
“Apparently someone posted it for him.” Town searched for the name on the report, “A women by the name of Margaret Allen. Says here, she’s an aunt or something like that. Look Rick, I’m sorry. I just wanted to call and let you know.”
Rick closed his eyes. His headache was now in full force and he unconsciously rubbed his temple.
Town listened to the silence on the phone. He wasn’t sure which was worse, Rick screaming out loud or him not saying anything at all.
“By the way, your assailants name is Kevin Brown. AKA: Kenneth Morgan. AKA: Chris Turner. He’s got a rap sheet as long as my arm. Mostly petty thief, shop lifting, stuff like that. This is the first time our boy resorted to something like arm robbery. But what I find interesting is his list of job skills. Seems our boy has a degree in Computer Science. Fixes computer viruses, stuff like that. Makes you wonder why someone like that needs to rob a convenient store.”
Rick was already thinking ahead. “You’re getting at something, aren’t you?”
“Guess where his last know employment is?”
Rick was completely absorbed. “Where?”
“Richland College.”
It just didn’t make sense to Rick. “So, he works for a college. What’s the big deal about that?”
Town knew any other time Rick would have picked up on it on his own, but with stress of A.J.’s condition it was understandable that he wasn’t his usual smart self. “Guess who else works for Richland College?”
“Damn it Town, just tell me.”
“Margaret Allen.”
“Let me get this straight. Margaret Allen manages to get her nephew Kevin Brown hired at her work as a computer nerd. The same Aunt who bails him out for shooting A.J. in a robbery attempt today. Town, I admit it stinks but I’m not following you. It’s not unusual for someone in your own family help you out.”
“True. What’s unusual is the little side jobs he does for her. According to some neighbors of Kevin, Mr. Brown.” Town cringed at the thought of someone like Kevin giving the last name BROWN a bad rap. “Has been bragging about how his sweet Aunt Margaret sent him to her best friend’s house to look at her computer problem a few weeks ago. Got to know her very well, if you know what I mean. Said she made an offer he couldn’t refuse.”
“T o w n!” Rick had just reached the last of his patience.
“The woman’s last name is Cleveland, Rick. As in your client, Lisa Cleveland.”
Rick’s head spin. The implication was unbearable.
So what if Lisa Cleveland knew Kevin Brown? There was no way he would have known that A.J. and he would be stopping by that convenient store this morning. Are could he? What if for some reason Kevin Brown was hired to follow A.J.’s normal routine, that would have certainly explain how he would have the knowledge that his brother often visited that particular establishment. Sometimes as often as once a week. Hell, he stopped by the store twice as often himself. Anyone with a half a brain would have been able to figure that out. Damn, all Kevin had to do was wait patiently inside until he saw A.J.’s car pull up, then began a robbery attempt. But why go to all the trouble of staging a holdup? Why not just shoot A.J. at home or the office? Why shoot A.J. at all?
Town heard Rick swear and what sounded like a small explosion of objects hitting the floor. Town could only guess that Rick had taken out his anger by clearing off someone’s desk the hard way. He hoped it wasn’t A.J.’s.
Before Town knew it, Rick yelled out, “I’ve got to go Town.”
Town screamed into the receiver. “Rick, you hold on for one second!”
It was too late. Rick had already dropped the receiver down into its cradle.
“Shit.” Town hung up his phone and quickly headed out the door.
He had to catch Rick Simon before he did something they would both regret.
*****S&S*****S&S*****
A.J. felt the warm sensation of a woman’s fingers touching his bare shoulders and listened to her angelic voice whispered near his right ear something about how cold it felt. Then like magic, his blanket was tuck snuggly beneath his chin. He felt himself smile inside. Her soft hand stroked his cheek and before he knew it, she gently placed a light kiss on the same spot.
A.J. Simon like this dream. He liked it very much.
“Umm…do that again.”
“A.J.? Sweetie, are you awake?”
A.J.’s eyes fluttered. He knew that voice. “Mom?”
Backing away from the bed, with the corner of the blanket still clutched in one hand, Cecilia smiled down at her son. “Why yes sweetheart. Who else did you expect it to be?”
A.J. refused to meet her gaze but Cecilia saw his cheeks burned with embarrassment.
“Oh,” she replied after the situation finally dawned on her. “Sorry to disappoint you, dear.”
Recovering from his initial shock, A.J. replied in a quiet voice. “You could never disappoint me mom, you know that.”
Cecilia grinned. “Glad to hear it. How are you feeling?”
A.J. started to reply back but at that precise moment the Morphine began to wear off and pain exploded in his chest forcing him to literally gasp for air. Small beads of sweat instantly formed on his forehead.
“What is it? What?” she begged, almost frantic with worry.
The initial white-hot torment started to diminish, and A.J. took in a quick breathe.
“My chest,” he croaked. “It feels like it’s on fire.”
Cecilia instantly retrieved the call button located near the left side rail of the bed and summoned help.
A nurse with long, straight black hair entered into the room and within seconds, checked the wound, rechecked his vitals and then administered the much needed medication into A.J.’s I.V.
The results were immediate. Cecilia watched her son’s face relax and she sighed in relief, not wanting to admit even to herself how shaken she was.
Satisfied that her patient was now resting comfortably, the nurse turned to leave the room but not before Cecilia reached out and touched her arm. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome Mrs. Simon. You call me if he needs anything else.” She gave Cecilia a reassuring smile and walked out.
A.J.’s mouth felt like cotton. He ran his tongue across his lower lip hoping to add some moister to it. “Mom, can I have some water?”
Despite the fact that her hands were shaking so, Cecilia reached down and picked up the water pitcher off the bed tray and poured a small amount into a nearby cup. She placed the straw against his mouth. “Just a little. You know how you are when you first come out of anesthesia.”
A.J. managed to take in a few sips of the cool liquid before his face paled. His mother was right. His stomach turned and he moved his head away from the cup. He closed his eyes and swallowed hard to keep it down.
“Are you alright?” His mother’s concern voice reached his ears.
A.J. trembled slightly. Or at least he thought he did. A strange sensation that something wasn’t quiet right washed over him but his mind was beginning to cloud from the recent shot to comprehend exactly what that was.
He nodded his head ever so slightly to reassure her. A.J. felt himself starting to slip back into unconsciousness again but he wasn’t ready to give in to it just yet, so he fought it off the best as he could.
“Mom, where’s Rick? Did he go home?” he asked weakly. He didn’t bother to reopen his eyes.
“No. Your brother had to take care of something at the office. He said he would be right back.”
Whether or not A.J. heard her, Cecelia wasn’t sure. The steady rhythm of his chest told her that he was now sleeping. She reached over and smoothed back a lock of blond hair away from his forehead. Sadness welled up inside her as she thought about what the next few days would bring for him.
Once again she reached down and brushed her lips across his cheek. “Sleep well, honey.”
*****S&S******S&S******
Forty-five year old Lisa Cleveland surveyed the room of her best friend one last time.
An eerie sort of laugh tore from her throat as she reflected how simple her plan had come together. Reaching into her purse she pulled out a cigarette lighter, a present from her late husband no doubt, and flicked the flame to life. The custom stationery that she held in her other hand suddenly burst into flames and she nonchalantly threw it into the carefully placed trash can and waited for it to ignite.
As predicted, the flames crawled its way up to the top and she smiled as the nearby curtains caught fire. Lisa felt the adrenaline course through her icy veins and like a child she giggled with anticipation. Ignoring the three bodies lying of the floor, she turned around and strolled out of the house. She had an appointment to keep at the hospital.
*****S&S*****S&S*****
Too intense in making his way to the front door of his client’s house, Rick Simon ignored the other vehicle pulling up to the curb. Besides, he had a pretty good clue as to its owner. Sure enough, Det. Brown emerged from his patrol car almost before it came to a complete stop.
“Hold it right there Rick!” he screamed in vain.
“Stay out of this Town!”
Reaching his destination, Rick’s fist fiercely pounded on the front door like a total madman.
By the time Town’s foot reached the porch, Rick had came to the conclusion that the occupant inside wasn’t going to answer it and headed for the side of the house to look for another way in.
“Damn it Rick. I said stop!”
Rick ignored him completely.
With the look of pure determination, he fought his way around the maze of trees and bushes standing in his way. Reaching a glass sliding door, he jerked on the handle, only to find it lock. Furious, he looked desperately around and spotted a white metal lawn chair. With a death grip, he picked it up and hurled it through the door. The sound of glass echoed all around him.
Before Rick made a step forward, he felt a hand grab his arm and instinctively turned: his fist already in motion to strike.
Town froze.
Rick saw the intended target and pulled back on the punch at the last second, just millimeters from Town’s face. With nostrils flaring, he step back and slowly lowered his arm letting it drop to his side.
Town stood mobile fighting off the urge to yank out his handcuffs and jam them around Rick’s wrist.
“I should haul you butt to jail.” Town spoke, gritting his jaw. “You give me one good reason Rick why I shouldn’t arrest you right here and now for breaking and entering?”
Rick, not blinking or verbally responding stood there simmering. Oh, he could have given Town several reasons not to arrest him, one of the more important one was lying in a hospital bed, but he knew Brown enough not to reply.
Town took a step forward and met Rick with a brutal stare. “You wait here and I mean right here. You so much as think about moving, I’ll have you wishing you were never born.”
He waited for a second longer, daring Rick to defy him before moving around him and entering through the damage doorway.
Town took his time, searching every room. Finding no one, he returned to find Rick kneeling on one knee; the other was raised and bent. A small black cocker spaniel lay sprawled on her back wagging her tail as Rick rubbed her stomach.
Almost immediately, the anger went out of him.
“Who’s your friend?”
Rick looked up. His face remained expressionless.
“Neighbor’s dog the best I can figure.”
Town held his stare for several seconds and then looked towards his vehicle.
“I think it’s time we give Kevin Brown a visit. If I let you follow me to Margaret Allen’s house, you think you can keep that temper of yours under control?”
Rick didn’t hesitate with his answer. “I’ll try.”
“You’ll have to do better than that, Rick. This case may depend on it.”
If nothing else could convinced Rick to keep his head, than this would. He wanted the person responsible for setting up A.J. His chest rose and fell gently as he stood up. “You have my word.”
“Good. Let’s go.” Town looked back at the broken doorway. “You know you’re going to have to pay for that.”
Yeah, Rick knew.
Rick gave Town a nod and both men walked to their cars. Town pulled out in front, while Rick followed behind. Both men headed for the Allen residents.
*****S&S*****S&S*****
The house was fully engulfed by the time they reached it.
Rick swore dryly.
His mood instantly darkened and he knew, with absolute certainty, what they would find once the dust settled. So much for Town’s added surveillance on Kevin. He didn’t bother to exit his vehicle. Someone, Lisa Cleveland most likely, was disposing any and all witness and that meant only one was left.
Bill Thomas.
His raised voice finally caught Town’s attention above the chaos. He watched Town approach the vehicle, his eyes telling Rick, he too, knew.
After expressing his concern to him, Town steadily agreed with his theory. While Rick headed for the hospital, Town got on the phone and called the hospital Security.
He hoped, this time, they wouldn’t be too late.
*****S&S*****S&S******
When Rick Simon entered his brother’s room several hours later, he was shocked when his mother showed no concern for his well being whatsoever. After all, he had been shot.
Well, to be honest it was just a flesh wound. But damn it! It hurt just the same. Okay, so maybe he didn’t really expect her to baby him. Heck, she never was the babying type anyway, more like the “I swear Richard; I can’t take my eyes off you for one minute” type. But was it too much to ask for a little sympathy? He did solve five murders.
Rick turned glanced over at his mother as she continued her rampage.
“Rick Simon you promised me.” Despite the fact that her son was much taller than she was, Cecilia Simon stretched her full five-foot four inch body as far up as she was able to, so that she could look directly into his eyes. “Because if this is what you call not taking things into your own hands, than I think you and I need to have a little talk about exactly…” Cecilia stopped in the middle of her sentence when her oldest son placed his fingers to his lips and “shhh” her.
“Mom, you’re going to wake up A.J.”
Cecilia turned to her youngest son and watched him stir restlessly in his sleep. After several seconds, he settled back down.
“Come on mom, sit down and I’ll explain everything to you, okay?”
Cecilia let herself be led to a nearby chair and she reluctantly sat down. Her eyes never left Rick’s face.
“Okay, I’m sitting. Now you explain to be Rick Simon, where you’ve been for the last eight hours. And it better be good!”
Rick shifted uncomfortably in his chair. For a second he felt like a six year old.
“Well, it’s sort of like this. It all started when our client, Lisa Cleveland, panicked when she started hearing rumors that her husband was tired of their marriage. She knew he was about to ask her for a divorce. And since she had sign a prenuptial agreement, she pretty much figured she was about to lose everything she was custom to. The big house, the fancy car. You know.” Rick relaxed slightly and settled down into the chair. “Anyway, she figured the only way out of it was to kill her husband and make it look like someone else did it.”
“I’m confused. Isn’t she the one that hire you boys?”
“Yes she was.”
“Well if you asked me that was kind of stupid on her part, don’t you think?”
“Gee, thanks for the load of confidence mom.”
“Oh, Rick. You know I didn’t mean it that way.”
Rick acted like his feeling was hurt. “Well, I should hope not.”
“Our client intended for A.J. and I to find just enough evidence against Bill Thomas to place the blame on him. Therefore, taking all the suspicion off of her. The insurance company would have no choice to pay up and Mrs. Cleveland would live out the rest of her life as the poor rich widow.”
“I see.” Cecilia was starting to get intrigued in Rick’s story. “So, how does your client know Mr. Thomas? Or did she?”
“The best we can figure they both belong to the same health club. Town’s still checking into that.”
“Anyway, his wife had left him recently for another man and despite his best effort he couldn’t seem to find out who it was. So Lisa, gets this brilliant ideal. What if she convinced Mr. Thomas that it was her husband, William Cleveland that was having an affair with his wife. That way, she could arrange a meeting for all three to be in the same place, at the same time and have her husband and Mr. Thomas’s wife murdered. Then, Mr. Thomas would be a suspect for their killings. Oh course, she never intended for him to live long enough to make to any trial.”
“I still don’t see why she hired you?”
“Well, if you really think about it, it’s kind of ingenious. For starters, she was afraid that the police, thinking they had the right person, wouldn’t bother to look any place else except at her. And two, that even if she did convince them of her innocence, there was no guarantee that they would follow up on the clues that she left behind. You know how our local police departments are swamp with unsolved cases and she didn’t want hers to be one. So what she needed was for someone who had both the time and proper motivation to search for her husband’s murderer. Lisa hires a couple of private investigators,
points us in the right direction and before you know it, we’re off collecting evidence on the wrong person. And it would have worked if not for one thing. A.J. decided to quit the case.”
“That doesn’t sound like your brother. He’s always been very profession about his work. What on earth would make him want to quit?”
“Something about the case bothered him. A lot. He was convinced that Bill Thomas was innocent. If fact we sort of had a big fight about it.” Rick’s face went sober as he envisioned the scene again in his mind.
When her son remained silent for several minutes, Cecilia reached over and touched his knee with her hand. “Rick, dear? Are you alright?”
Rick blinked. Seeing the worry look on her face, he tried to smile. “Yeah, I’m okay.”
“So what happen?”
“A.J. calls her up and tells her that we’ve decided to close the case. She was furious as you can imagine. She needed us to make her look innocent and it was far too late for her to get anyone else. Apparently she had a few past due bills and with the lawyers having her accounts tied up; she needed to be proven not guilty ASAP. So after talking my ear off for an hour, I told her I would continue the case even if A.J. didn’t. But for whatever reason, she must have started worrying that A.J. would talk me out of it and that was something she couldn’t risk. Or at least that what I’m thinking her motive was. It’s not like she came out and admitted it. Anyway, she decided that if A.J. was out of the way permanently, there would be nothing standing in my way from continuing the case and proving that Bill Thomas killed her husband.”
Rick hesitated for a second before continuing.
“So she hires a friend and arranges to have A.J. shot. Apparently, she knew our routine. Where we shop, where we eat out. Down to where we stop and get gas. Town found a folder in her car with pictures of both A.J. and I. All of them taken long before she hired us.”
“She gets a friend to stage a random convenient store holdup.” Rick spat out the last few words. “Have A.J. shot and no one would be the wiser. Except I ruin it for them. I went into the store first. Something that I would never had done normally. They expected A.J. to come in and pay for the gas. But instead it was me. And of course the shooter couldn’t very well shoot me, Lisa needed me too much. All he could do was find a way out of the store. If only I had let him leave. Then A.J. wouldn’t be lying in a hospital bed now.”
“Rick, stop it. I told you, this is not your fault.”
His eyes narrowed thoughtfully. Rick decided this was not the time to go into that. “But, A.J. did end up entering the store a short time later. The man saw his opportunity and shoots him.”
This part of the story infuriated her as she listened to the story being told.
“With A.J. temporarily out of the way, all was left for her to do is rid herself of the other three witnesses. Kevin Brown, his aunt and Bill Thomas.”
“I know who Bill Thomas is but who are the other two?
“Kevin Brown is the man who shot A.J. and his aunt was Lisa’s best friend. Lisa and Kevin were lovers. Lisa must have presented the idea to Kevin and he went along with it. Margaret, Kevin’s aunt, knew that Kevin and Lisa were having an affair. If Lisa killed Kevin, then she risks Margaret going to the police later on. So she needed to get rid of them both. There was only one problem. Town had an undercover officer following Kevin. That meant she had to kill him too. And the only way she could dispose of three dead bodies was to set the house on fire.”
“That’s awful.”
Rick shook his head. “Yea I know. It’s amazing what money will do to someone. The funny thing is that Lisa wasn’t aware that Kevin had already bragged to some neighbors about their little sorted affair. It came out anyway.”
“Rick, that doesn’t explain how you were shot?”
“Oh I’m getting to that.”
“You see, everyone that could testify against Lisa was dead, except for one. Bill Thomas. He was in a coma, but still very much alive in the hospital. So I figured it had to be her next stop. What was so disturbing was that she had a pretty good head start on me. I knew I would never reach the hospital before she would. I guess it’s ironic that she ran out of gas on the way.”
Rick smiled.
“Oh course, she didn’t have a clue that I had already figured out everything or she would have fled. For once, luck was on our side. Triple AAA filled her gas tank up and she headed to the hospital, not a care in the world. Town had already called Security and with their help, we moved Bill Thomas into another room. It was easy for me to take his place with him being burned so badly. All they had to do was bandage me from head to toe.”
“Once the nursing staff rapped me up like a mummy, we waited for her to make her move.”
She sighed with impatience. “Is she the one who shot you?”
Rick looked down for a second. Cecilia barely heard him when he mumbled, “Not exactly.”
When he looked up, Cecilia saw the embarrassment on his cheek.
“Actually, Town shot me. He insists that it was an accident, but I’m not too sure.”
He definitely had Cecilia’s attention. “Oh Rick, why would you say something like that?”
“It’s the way he said it. He was laughing the whole time.” he grunted.
“Rick!” she exclaimed.
“Okay, it was an accident. Lisa shoved Town into me when she tried to get away and my elbow knocked his gun out of his hand. A shot rang out when it hit the floor. The bullet ricocheted off some steel tray and graze my shoulder. There, you happy?”
“Well, I am glad that you are alright sweetheart.” She smiled.
Rick pretended to still be upset. “Then you’re not mad at me?”
“Of course not and I’m sorry I snapped at you earlier.”
A smile tugged at his lips for several seconds before he gave into it.
“Thanks.” Rick rubbed his shoulder and eyed his mother. “You know it really does hurt.”
“Try getting one in your chest.”
Both adults startled when they realized that A.J. was awake and listening.
Rick levered himself out of his chair in a flash.
“Hey buddy. How are you doing?”
A.J. saw the concern in his brother’s face and he gave him a reassuring smile back. “I’ll live. Did I hear you right, Lisa Cleveland murdered her husband?”
Rick eyed his brother. “Yea, you heard right.”
“Then that means of course that Bill Thomas was innocent.”
Rick knew where this was heading. He gritted his teeth and reluctantly admitted, “Yes, that means Bill Thomas is innocent. Go ahead and say it. I told you so.”
A.J. looked over at his mother and smiled. Turning back to Rick, he replied. “Nah, I just wanted to hear you say it.”
Rick rolled his eyes at first but a second later he spoke. “Okay, you were right and I was wrong.”
“See I told you. If you would just stop and listen to me once and awhile…”
“Oh, like that would ever happen.” Rick sat down at the end of the bed.
“See. That’s what I’m talking about. You’re always interrupting me. You are so…”
Cecilia Simon sighed and sat back listened to her son’s bicker back and forth. For the moment the world was right again. She turned to look at A.J. His eyes were sparkling and his complexion was lively. He seemed to be enjoying himself immensely. Rick had the same look.
Suddenly, Rick leaned against bed table and without meaning to, knocked the pitcher of water over. Despite the fact that he picked it up quickly, water ran across it and leaked over the edges. The bed was soaked in seconds.
A.J. squirmed around. “Jesus Christ, that’s cold. I swear Rick, you can be such a klutz.” A.J. began jerking the blanket off of him when he noticed that no one else was moving. “Well, why are you just sitting there? Help me clean this mess up. ”
Rick’s hand stopped in midair and he stared over at his mother. Her face registered shock too.
For a second no one spoke. Rick was the first to break the silence. “You felt that?”
It wasn’t so much as what Rick said, as to how he said it that made A.J. looked up. For a second he just stared up at his brother wondering why in the heck he would ask such a stupid question. Oh course he felt that. Why wouldn’t he? But when he looked over at his mother’s face, she wore the same expression. Finally, he asked. “Why? What are you not telling me?”
Cecilia stammered with her answer. “Honey, we thought you couldn’t….I mean the doctors told us ….but I didn’t think.”
Rick decided to give her a hand.
“What mom is trying to tell you A.J. is that the doctors said that you were showing signs of paralysis.” Rick watched as a look of terror crossed his features.
“Dr. Fritzgerald was pretty sure it was temporary but he thought is might be days or weeks before we knew one way or another.” A.J. face didn’t change and Rick gave his mother a concerned look.
“A.J.? Are you alright? Hey, this is a good thing. You have feelings in your leg.”
A.J. shook his head. “I can’t believe this.”
Cecilia took her son’s hand and squeezed it. “It’s going to be all right.”
“No, you don’t understand. What I can’t believe is that neither one of you bother to tell me.” A.J. jerked his hand away from his mother’s hold. He gave them an accusing stare. “How could you not tell me?”
Cecilia couldn’t believe her ears.
“Honey that’s not fair. You’ve been asleep most of the time. We didn’t have a chance to.”
A.J. rejected her explanation. “You should have tried. I distinctly remember being awake a few times. Why didn’t you tell me then?”
No longer tolerating her son’s disrespect, Cecilia put a halt to it.
“What good would it had done if I had told you then? You tell me that? It would have only upset you and your body needed to rest and I made sure you got it.” Cecilia yanked the blanket off the bed as she spoke. “If giving you a few hours of peace of mind is a sin, well, then I’ll just have to be guilty.” Picking up a towel off a shelf, she began drying off her son’s leg. “And I would do again in a heartbeat.” She looked up and pointed her finger at each one of her sons. “I swear you two are going to be the death of me one of these days.”
A.J. felt immediate shame. “Mom?”
“What?”
“You’re right. Look, I’m sorry.”
She stared at him squarely in the face. “Well, you should be.”
She sat down on the edge of the bed. “You know this has been hard on all of us.”
“I know.”
“We almost lost you, sweetheart.”
It was enough to break his heart. “I’m really am sorry.”
Cecilia nodded her head. She was grateful that the doctor chose that moment to enter the room.
“Great. I see you’re awake.” Dr. Fritzgerald grabbed A.J.’s chart off the end of the bed and scribbled down a few notes.
“And he’s moving around.” Rick added.
Dr. Fritzgerald looked up surprised at the new information. “Is that so?”
A.J. gave him a slight nod of his head.
“Well, if you two wouldn’t mind, I’d like to give my patient a complete Neuro exam. It should take about an hour or so. Why don’t you two have some coffee down in the cafe?”
Rick patted A.J.’s leg and together his mother and he left the room.
True to his words, the exam took about an hour.
By the time they returned to the room, A.J. had drifted back to sleep.
“Everything looks great. I’d say he’ll be out of the hospital by the end of the week.”
“So he’s going to be alright?” Rick asked.
“Barring any complications, I say he’s on his way to a complete recovery. Of course, he’ll have to take it easy for about six weeks, but other than that, he should be back to normal in no time.”
“Anymore questions?”
Rick couldn’t think of anything right off hand so he shook his head “no”.
“Good, if you need anything just let the nurse know at the desk.”
“We’ll move him into a regular room tomorrow. Until then why don’t you two go home and come back in the morning? My patient needs his rest and by the look of you two, you could use some too. By the way Mr. Simon, if you don’t mind me asking, what happened to your arm?”
“Someone took a shot at me.”
“Does this sort thing happen a lot in your family?” Dr. Fritzgerald asked in concern.
Cecilia answered before Rick could open his mouth. “More than you’ll ever know.”
“Well, it’s none of business, but I would suggest you two think about finding another profession.” Dr. Fritzgerald walked them out the door as he spoke.
“See Rick. Isn’t that what I’ve been telling you two all along? Your jobs are way too dangerous.” Rick look back and gave the physician a dirty look as he continued to walk down the hall with his mother. Dr. Fritzgerald shrugged his shoulders and turned and went off in the opposite direction.
“Rick Simon. Are you listening to me?”
Rick turned his attention back to his mother. “Yes mom. I hear you.”
He nodded his head several times as he pushed the down button for the elevator.
God, he couldn’t wait for A.J. to get home. What he needed was a vacation. Maybe Carlos and he could head down to Mexico on a fishing trip. That would be nice. Oh course that meant he needed…. A sudden thought crossed Rick’s mind.
When the elevator arrived, Cecilia entered and turned around. She was surprise that Rick didn’t follow her inside.
“Rick, aren’t you coming?”
“Uh, I’m sorry mom. I just thought of something I have to do. You go ahead.” Not giving his mom a chance to reply, he stood back and watched the elevator doors close.
Rick tugged at his hat and headed back to A.J.’s room but not before stopping at the vending machine.
Making sure he didn’t make any noise, he walked up to his brother’s bed and looked down at A.J.’s sleeping form.
After a second, he reached up and placed the soft drink he held in his hand down on the bed table.
Quietly, he bent down and whispered in his brother’s ear. “I know it’s a little late but I didn’t want you to think that I had forgotten.”
He studied his brother features for a few minutes before saying “I love you” and turning around and walking out.
A.J. waited until he heard the door close before his eyes slid partially open. He smiled when he saw the gift his brother was talking about.
His last thought before drifting back to sleep was he wondered if Rick realized he bought him a Pepsi instead of a Coke.