For personal use and select distribution only © by Addmom

DISCLAIMER: "Emergency!" and its characters © Mark VII Productions, Inc. and Universal Studios. All rights reserved.

The poems and songs used in this story do not belong to me. I have indicated the singer/writer of each one.

No infringement of any copyrights or trademarks is intended or should be inferred. This is a work of fiction, and any similarity to actual persons or events is purely coincidental. This story is only written for entertainment. No financial gain is being realized from it. The story, itself, is the property of the author. Please ask before archiving elsewhere and/or using characters created by the author.

I am in no way connected to the medical profession and take responsibility for all mistakes in dealing with treatments, diseases, etc.

Unwanted Attention

 
April, 1979

Life had settled into a routine for the family and friends of Station 51s A-shift. On the days Johnny worked, Nicole would stay at the DeSotos. The doctors had wanted to make sure someone was with her all the time since she had miscarried once, been shot in the chest and had smoke inhalation from the fire. Plus with the expectation of twins, she was on complete bed rest. So every night Roy and Johnny would call the DeSoto home and talk to their wives.

The day was quiet. For once there were no calls. All the men had the chance to get their chores done and they got through lunch. Then the call came for an MVA on the freeway. They knew that when four squads and engines were called out that it was a bad one.

Johnny and Roy shook their heads when they arrived at the scene. There were about 20 cars involved. Johnny sent up a silent prayer of thanks that most of the injuries were minor ones. From the looks of it, the injuries could have been a lot worse. The most severe injuries were in the four front cars. Seeing that three squads were already at work, Johnny and Roy took the fourth car. Inside were two women.

Johnny smiled to himself as he worked. Up until two years ago, he would have wanted the phone numbers of both these women. Now he thought of them as pretty, but he wasn’t interested. He thought quickly about Nicole and then shoved all thoughts except of his job out of his mind.

It took them 20 minutes to get the two women out of the car. Both men were a little concerned that neither woman had regained consciousness during that time. It was just as they were getting ready to transfer them to the ambulance stretches that both women started to come around.

Callie and Mandy both woke up to see two handsome men bending over them. Callie’s heart raced as she felt the dark haired man holding her hand. She didn’t want to consider that he was just trying to get her pulse. He must really care for her—he was here beside her when she was injured and he was holding her hand.

Mandy was having similar thoughts about the sandy haired guy. He had his hand on her forehead checking her skin. But she believed he was comforting her. Neither woman acknowledged that these two men were paramedics just doing their job.

Roy and Johnny both rode in with the ambulance. It made it crowded with the ambulance attendant, two patients and two paramedics, but Rampart wanted IVs, vitals, and conditions on both patients throughout the ride and it would take both paramedics.

Callie looked over at Mandy and smiled. These men cared about them. They were so concerned they were even going with them to the hospital. Both women knew that they would be marrying these men—at least in their minds they would be.

During a break in starting IVs and checking vitals, Roy and Johnny made small talk. “Hey, Johnny, are you planning anything special for your anniversary?”

“Yeah, we can’t do too much with Nicole being so close to her due date, but we will have a nice quiet dinner and evening. Have you and Joanne decided where to take the kids on vacation this year?” Johnny wanted his first anniversary with Nicole to be perfect.

“Not yet. We’ve narrowed it down to three choices, but we are still debating.”

“Hey Johnny, I heard that Nicole’s going to have twins. Is that true? And if so, are you ready for two at once?” The ambulance attendant wanted to see if the rumors that were going around Rampart were true.

“Yep, I have the privilege of getting two at once. And we are ready and can’t wait until they are here.” Johnny was filled with pride.

Callie and Mandy were watching the paramedics as they talked. Then Roy and Johnny started to take their vitals again as requested by Rampart.

Johnny turned to Callie. “How do you feel?” He smiled at her.

Callie’s heart melted. He really cared about her. “My shoulder and leg really hurt.”

“Well, you have a dislocated shoulder and a broken leg. I relocated your shoulder, but it will be sore for quite a while. I’m sorry I can’t give you something for the pain. Dr. Brackett wants to see if you have a head injury. You were out for some time and have a nice sized lump on the back of your head.”

Callie loved the crooked smile Johnny gave her as he patted her arm.

Roy was busy with Mandy. “Does your head hurt?”

Mandy smiled at the kind face that was watching her. “Yes, and so does my arm.”

“Well, we will be at Rampart shortly and they will be able to give you something for the pain after the doctor checks on any possible head injury you may have. I can tell you that your arm is broken in two places.”

Mandy’s heart was doing flip-flops at the smile Roy was giving her. Mandy looked at Callie and both women shared a knowing smile. Being twins they had the uncanny ability of knowing what the other was feeling and thinking without any verbal communication. Mandy knew that Callie had the same idea she did.

Johnny went into treatment room 3 with Callie and Roy went into treatment room 4 with Mandy. When they had given the doctors the information on their patients, they met at the nurses’ desk to wait for whoever would be bringing in the squad to pick them up. They would check later on the extent of the women’s injuries just like they did with every patient they brought in.

“Hey Dixie, how’s your day going?” Johnny was the first one out.

“Today has been quiet. I just hope it stays that way. How’s Nicole doing? Are you ready for your twins?”

“Nicole’s doing great. She is so beautiful, but if you asked her she would tell you she feels and looks like a beached whale. I keep telling her that she is beautiful.”

“Who’s beautiful? Are you two-timing your wife, Junior?” Roy knew that Johnny loved Nicole and wouldn’t do anything to hurt her. He just liked to tease his partner.

“Nicole’s beautiful and she is the only woman in the world for me.” Johnny knew that Roy was teasing. “How’s Mandy?”

“Well, it looks like she has a concussion and her arm is broken in two places. She’ll be here for a few days. How’s Callie?”

“She has a concussion, too, and her leg was broken. It was a clean break, but she has won a few days’ stay here at hotel Rampart, too.”

Before Dixie could say anything the tones sounded and Johnny and Roy were on their way to another call.

***************************

The guys were tired. They were just getting back from a huge fire in the warehouse district that had taken about nine hours to put out and another three to clean up. All they wanted to do was to get back to the station, take their showers, eat supper and relax. They were all praying that they didn’t get toned out again. They were just too tired.

Johnny, Roy, Mike and Marco headed for the day room as Cap headed towards his office and Chet headed for the shower. Mike was the first one to see the dinner set out on the table and the presents in the middle.

“Who do we have to thank for this? Do you suppose Nicole and Joanne did all this?” Mike walked over to the table and picked up the card that was on top of the presents. “They’re for Roy and Johnny.”

Roy walked over, took the card from Mike, opened it and read it. “This is to say thank you for all you do. Please take care of yourselves. We don’t want anything to happen to the loves of our lives.” Roy looked at Johnny. They both knew that the handwriting didn’t belong to either Joanne or Nicole. “It’s signed with all our love, your special girls.”

“What’s in the presents?” Marco wondered what was going on.

Johnny picked one up and opened it. Inside was a very expensive watch. There was a note that read, “To my one true love, your secret admirer.”

Roy opened his and an identical watch and note in his.

Johnny set the watch down and went to the phone. He quickly called the DeSoto home. “Hi, Joanne, can I talk with Nicole.—Hi, sweetheart, how are you feeling today? What did you, Joanne and the kids do today?—Nicole, I love you so much. Goodnight sweetheart.—Yeah, Roy would like to talk with Joanne.” Johnny handed the phone to Roy and went to sit down at the table. Roy finished talking with Joanne and came to sit with Johnny.

“Nicole hasn’t been out of bed all day. Roy, the girls did not bring this stuff nor did they send someone to do it for them.” Johnny wondered who would have done this and how they could have gotten into the station.

“I know, Johnny. Joanne and Nicole would let us know if they had done this. Besides we both know they wouldn’t just go out and buy these watches without checking with us first. I don’t like this at all.” Roy had a very strange feeling about this.

“Don’t like what?” Captain Stanley and Chet walked in just in time to hear Roy’s last statement.

“Hey—dinner. Did Nicole and Joanne bring it?” Chet didn’t notice that no one else was eating. He just sat down and started to dig in. He had his plate full and was just getting ready to take his first bite when he noticed no one else was even trying to eat. “What’s going on?”

“No, Nicole and Joanne didn’t bring it. We don’t know who brought it.” Johnny didn’t like the idea of someone bringing them gifts and leaving that kind of notes.

“To answer your question, Cap, I don’t like any of this. We walked in and found dinner ready, watches for Johnny and me and love notes. The notes tell us to take care ourselves, that we are the loves of their lives and are signed our secret admirers.” Roy was really upset.

“And you’re sure Nicole and Joanne didn’t do it?” Chet put down his fork.

“Yeah, we’re sure. We called and talked to them. They didn’t have anything to do with it. I’m going to go take my shower.” Johnny was unusually quiet as he walked out of the room.

“Yeah, and I think I’ll go get ready so I can take mine when he’s done.” Roy followed Johnny to the locker room.

Marco, Chet, Mike and Captain Stanley just stood and looked at each other.

Mike reached over and picked up the notes. “Maybe this is a one time deal and nothing will happen again.”

“We can hope, but looking at these notes, I don’t really think so.” Captain Stanley wondered how far this was going to go.

***************************

“Roy, I wish we could return the watches. I wonder who sent them.” Johnny had a very bad feeling that this was not going to end with just the dinner and watches. He was wracking his brain while he dressed trying to think of who had written the notes and sent the watches.

“Yeah, Junior, I agree. I’m not going to wear mine. Maybe we can talk to Vince and see if he can find out from the store on the boxes who bought them and we can send them back.”

“That’s a great idea, Roy. Let’s talk to him as soon as we get off our shift tomorrow.”

“Hey, Johnny?”

“Yeah, Roy?”

“Why don’t you and Nicole stay with us? Joanne and I talked about it and we feel that it might be better for Nicole if she didn’t have to travel back and forth in the car so often. We’d really like to have you guys stay with us.”

“We would love to. We had been talking about it, too. I didn’t like having to take her back and forth so much. Thanks, Roy. We’ll really appreciate it.”

***************************

After they had all had their showers, they ate the dinner deciding they didn’t want to waste it just because they didn’t know who brought it. But dinner was quiet, both because they were so tired and because they were lost in thought. Luckily the tones didn’t sound. They actually got through dinner.

The six men worked together to clean the kitchen and do the dishes. Just as they finished the phone rang. Captain Stanley was the closest so he answered it. “Hello, Station 51, Captain Stanley speaking—Sure—just a minute.” He turned to look the five men standing by the sink. “Johnny, it’s for you.” As he gave the phone to Gage, Hank whispered—“it’s a woman, but not Joanne or Nicole.”

“Hello, this is Johnny—Yes, we got them, but we really want to return them.—Because we can’t accept them and really don’t want them.—Will you please tell me your name and let me know where to send them?—Hello, hello.” He turned and looked at the puzzled looks on the faces of the others. “She asked me if we got the dinner and presents. Then she asked if we liked them. When I asked for her name and address so we could return them, she just said that the presents were to show they loved us and hung up. I still don’t know who it was.”

“Did you recognize the voice at all, Johnny?” Roy was hoping Johnny would recognize the voice.

“It sounded familiar. I know I’ve heard it before, but I don’t know where and it was only once.” Johnny was defeated. “I’m tired, I think I’ll turn in.” Johnny walked out of the day room.

“I think I’ll turn in, too.” Roy was right behind him and the others soon followed suit. Roy and Johnny were actually thankful when the station got toned out about an hour after they turned in. Neither man had been able to get to sleep, and both were thankful to be able to concentrate on something other than their mysterious “admirers.”

***************************

On the way home after their shift Johnny and Roy talked about the gifts and phone call. They both decided that they would tell Joanne and Nicole what had happened. Neither man had ever thought of keeping something from their wives and they weren’t about to start now.

Roy and Johnny had quickly eaten the breakfast Joanne had prepared for them. When they were through they told Joanne they needed to talk to her and Nicole so they headed for the guest room where Nicole was lying in bed. Then they told them about the events of the evening before.

“Maybe they got the hint from your conversation on the phone last night.” Nicole knew that this was bothering her husband and his best friend.

“I hope so, but we asked Vince to stop by here this afternoon. We are going to give him the watches and see if he can track down who bought them so we can send them back.” Johnny just wanted to lie down next to his wife and hold her for the rest of the day.

“Well, until he gets here, it looks like you both need to get some rest. And since we are staying here now, why don’t you come to bed now?” Nicole slid to one side and turned down the covers inviting Johnny to do just what he wanted to do.

“And why don’t you come with me and we can get some rest, too.” Joanne led her husband from the Gages’ room.

Roy and Johnny both slept for the better part of the day because they were holding their wives and had only pleasant dreams.

***************************

Vince stopped by the DeSoto home at 2:30 that afternoon. Johnny and Roy gave him the watches and asked him to check with the store to see who had purchased them so they could return them. Vince took the watches and said he would see what he could find out.

***************************

The last two shifts had been plagued with phone calls, but nothing else from Johnny and Roy’s “secret admirers.” They enjoyed the breaks between shifts because they were and uneventful for the DeSotos and Gages. Roy and Johnny both hoped that their secret admirers would soon tire and give up.

Johnny was whistling as he and Roy entered the locker room. They had enjoyed their days off and Johnny was in a good mood. But he stopped dead in his tracks when he opened his locker.

Roy noticed the look on Johnny’s face. “What is it, Johnny?” He quickly looked in Johnny’s locker and saw the package. With a feeling of dread, he opened his locker and found he had one, too.

Just then Captain Stanley walked into the locker room and found the two paramedics staring into their lockers. He walked up behind them and saw the packages. “Where did they come from?”

Both men jumped since they had not heard their Captain walk in. Johnny was the first to recover. “We don’t know, Cap. They were there when we opened our lockers.”

“Well, take them out and open them. Then we will deal with how they got in there and who they are from.” Captain Stanley had the same feeling the two men had—that these were more gifts from their “secret admirers.”

Carefully, as if they were handling bombs, both men took out the presents and opened them. Inside were two very expensive sweaters. And two cards that read, “For my sweetheart to keep you warm until you are in my arms. Your secret love.”

“I don’t like this one bit.” Johnny was getting a very strange feeling about the whole situation.

“I don’t either, Junior.” Roy was getting the same feeling. “How did whoever did it get into the station to put these in our lockers? And how did they know which was our lockers?”

“Let’s go ask C-shift if they know anything.” Captain Stanley wasn’t happy that someone might have gotten access to the station when no one else was around. He didn’t like it one bit.

The uneasy feelings grew and spread as no one had seen anyone. There had been no visitors to the station and no one asked to leave anything in anyone’s locker. Now C-shift’s Captain was beginning to worry, too.

Roy and Johnny quietly went back to the locker room and quietly changed into their uniforms. They were both glad that they were done and on the way back to the kitchen before any of the other guys arrived. Both men were wracking their brains for a way to dissuade their “secret admirers” once and for all.

Hank, Roy and Johnny were sitting at the kitchen table staring at their coffee cups lost in thought as Mike, Marco and Chet entered the room. It was Chet that finally broke the spell. “Hey, you guys zoning out on us? We expect it of Johnny and once in a while Roy, but you, too, Cap?”

Hank looked at Chet. He didn’t have to say a word. The worried look on his face put all three of the other men on alert.

“Cap, what happened?” Mike was the one who asked the question.

“Guys, grab a cup of coffee and sit down. We’re going to skip roll call today. We have to talk.” Captain Stanley was not only worried about the fact that someone had gotten into the station; he was worried about his paramedics.

Chet knew that it was something serious for Cap to cancel roll call. He followed Mike and Marco as they got their coffee and headed back to the table.

“Guys, someone got into the station and left something in Roy and Johnny’s lockers without anyone knowing about it. Captain McGregor is pretty sure that it happened when they were out on a run, but they aren’t ruling out that it may have happened during the night.” Captain Stanley looked at the faces of his crew.

“But they are very light sleepers. Surely they would have heard something if it happened in the middle of the night.” Chet didn’t like what he was hearing. It was an invasion of privacy.

“Well, they were on that big warehouse fire yesterday, so headquarters took them out of service around midnight. They had just returned to the station after a 16-hour battle. Each one of them had a glass of milk and went to bed and fell asleep almost immediately. However, when the wake-up tones went off, they could hardly wake up. They all felt like they had a hangover. Captain McGregor found some pills on the floor by the refrigerator. Jim and Dan looked at them and figured out they were sleeping pills. Captain McGregor didn’t think anything about it until I told them about the presents in Roy and Johnny’s lockers. He is in the office calling headquarters and the police right now. So whatever you do, don’t drink the milk.” Hank was once again staring at his coffee cup.

Roy and Johnny both turned white when they heard about the sleeping pills. They knew paramedics on C-shift and believe they knew what the pills were. Captain Stanley had not told them that part. They were beginning to fear for their shift mates and other firefighters who worked out of station 51.

Looking at Johnny, Roy knew they were thinking the same thing. “Cap, maybe Johnny and I should take some time off until we get this thing straightened out. We don’t want to put anyone’s life in danger.”

“Roy, I don’t think that’s—“ Hank never had a chance to finish his statement.

“What happened this morning?” Vince had just walked in the room and overheard Roy’s statement.

“More presents from our ‘secret admirers.’” Johnny looked at Vince with pain in his eyes.

“And we think they may have put sleeping pills in the milk that C-shift drank last night.” Roy went on to explain the situation to Vince.

“Do you have the gifts and the notes? Maybe they left fingerprints and we can track them that way? And I’ll take the milk and sleeping pills with me to have them checked out.” Vince didn’t like the way this case was headed.

“I’ll get the gifts and notes.” Johnny needed to get away from the looks of his friends.

Roy followed his friend out of the room. He knew that Johnny needed to talk to him alone and they needed to decide what to do next.

“I have the sleeping pills.” Captain McGregor was just getting ready to leave.

“Hank, I think we need to talk. I have put the station out of service for the time being.” Chief McConikee had broken several speed limit laws to get to Station 51. “Where are Johnny and Roy?”

“They are in the locker room. Vince wanted the presents and notes they received this morning.” Hank Stanley wondered what the chief wanted.

“What presents?” The Chief realized there was more to this than just the sleeping pills.

Hank explained to him what they had found in the paramedics’ lockers when they arrived that morning.

Vince looked at the chief and then Captain Stanley. “I think the five of us had better talk in your office, Hank”

Johnny and Roy had walked back in with the presents and notes for Vince. “Here, I hope you can find some fingerprints. We put everything in plastic bags for you.”

Just then the phone rang. Macro answered it. “Station 51.—No, they are not available right now.—No, I’m not sure if they received them or not.—Can I tell them that you call?—I need to know your names so I can tell them that you called.-------------Yes, I’ll give them that message, but who do I tell them called?” Macro turned as he hung up the phone. “That was one of your secret admirers. She was mad when I said you were unavailable. She said that they knew you were here and that you’d better not be trying to avoid them. Then when I said I didn’t know if you had received their presents, she got even madder and said that you had better not give them to the police like you did the watches. She said they knew you were talking to the police and you had better stop if you didn’t want something terrible to happen. When I asked her name, she started yelling and said to tell you that you would know who they are if you thought long enough and that you had better stop playing these games with them or you would be sorry and then she hung up.”

Johnny’s legs were unstable and he sank into the closest chair he could find. Who were these women and what did they want?

“Well, I came to tell you that I didn’t have any luck with the watches. They were paid for with cash even though they cost $2,500 a piece. Since it was a cash transaction, the store didn’t have any records of the name of the purchaser. But we did find some fingerprints and hopefully can match them to any we get off these presents.” Vince did not like the turn of events. “I’ll take these out in a box. I don’t know how they found out about the watches, but if we can make it look like I am taking out something else, I can take these out in the bottom of the box.”

As they collected newspapers, etc., to make it look like he was taking them somewhere, Vince placed the gifts, notes, sleeping pills and milk in the bottom of the box. Then the papers were put on top and Vince turned to carry it out to the car. “I will let you know as soon as I find anything. We will be sending an unmarked police car to every run this station is sent on until we find out who these women are.”

***************************

Nicole was lying on the couch in the living room while Joanne sat in the chair. They were enjoying a late breakfast together. Just as Joanne was collecting their dishes to take them back to the kitchen, the phone rang. “Hello, DeSoto residence.—Would you please repeat that?—I’m sorry you must have the wrong number.—That is where you are wrong. We both know that our husbands love us very much and that you are harassing them.—No, they do not love you. They don’t even know who you are. They have told us all about your presents and your calls and the fact is they don’t want them.—No you cannot speak to Mrs. Gage. She is resting right now and cannot be disturbed.----Who are you?” Joanne sank into the chair as she hung up.

Nicole didn’t like the ashen look of her face. “Joanne, I know that was our husbands’ ‘secret admirers,’ but what did the caller say?”

“She said that Johnny and Roy really didn’t love us. She said that soon they would leave us for those women and they would take our children with them. They are just waiting for you to have your babies so they would all be together as a family. She said that Johnny and Roy didn’t want to leave their children in the care of women they hated. Then they said that we should be careful as something terrible will happen if we stand in the way of Johnny and Roy leaving us to be with them.”

Nicole had been able to tell that the voice on the other end of the line had risen in volume, but she hadn’t been able to make out the words. When Joanne told her what was said, her already highly emotional state took her over the edge and she started crying so hard her body shook.

Joanne knew that it wasn’t good for Nicole to be crying so hard. She tried to calm her down, but was having no success. Then the contractions started. Knowing that multiple births usually meant a premature delivery, Joanne prayed that this wasn’t too soon. She picked up the phone again and dialed Station 51.

***************************

Vince had just reached the squad in the bay on his way to the car when the phone rang again. He turned and headed back to the day room to see if it was anything important.

Mike answered the phone. “Station 51.—Oh, hi, Joanne.—Yeah, he’s standing right here, just a second.” Mike turned to see seven sets of eyes on him. “Roy, it’s Joanne and she’s really upset.”

Roy reached for the phone and Johnny moved closer to him. “Hi, honey, what’s wrong?—What exactly did she say?----------Ok, we’ll be there as soon as possible. Why don’t you put Nicole on the phone and I’ll let Johnny talk to her. Maybe that will calm her down.” He handed the phone to Johnny. “I’ll tell you everything later, but Nicole is really upset and has gone into premature labor because of it. See if you can calm her down and we’ll call in a still alarm and then head over there.”

Johnny took the phone and began to quietly talk to his wife as Roy turned to the others and told them about the phone conversation that had upset Nicole so much. Captain Stanley ran to the mike and called in the alarm stating that the whole station would be responding and an ambulance needed to be dispatched. Chief McConikee got on the mike and told headquarters that Station 51 was still out of service until further notice. This one run was a family emergency. By that time Johnny, Roy and everyone else was in their designated places and Vince had radioed for an unmarked car to meet them at the DeSoto home. Captain Stanley ran to his seat and the two vehicles were on their way with the Chief following behind. No one noticed the car that followed the caravan down the road.

***************************

Joanne was glad that Johnny had been able to calm Nicole down somewhat. Now she was just dealing with the pains the contractions were giving her. Joanne wasn’t too worried when Nicole’s water broke, but the sight of some blood did worry her. She was at the door the second the men from station 51 arrived on the scene.

Johnny was the first one in the door and crossed the room in record time. Roy was close behind and had the equipment set up before the others could even get into the house. Roy had told Johnny about Joanne’s phone conversation on the way to the house, so he could better deal with his wife. Johnny held Nicole in his arms for a few seconds and then turned on his paramedic mode. Nicole was bleeding and neither man liked it. Neither did Rampart. Nicole and Roy were on their way to the hospital in less than three minutes. Captain Stanley had Chet drive Johnny in the squad since he wasn’t sure Johnny could handle it. Chief McConikee drove Joanne to the hospital stating that he would drive her home when it was all over. So the caravan headed to Rampart. Again, no one noticed the car following behind.

***************************

Five hours later Johnny was sitting next to Nicole’s bed watching her sleep. He had been released from duty. The ordeal in the emergency room had worn Nicole out. Johnny was sure that she didn’t remember the birth and that both babies were healthy and weighed at least six pounds each or the surgery afterwards. They were all going to make it—including Nicole. Johnny prayed a silent prayer of thanks that Nicole’s bleeding had only been from one of the kids pushing a little too hard to get out and causing a slight tear that was repairable.

Nicole stirred and saw her husband deep in thought. “Hey, daddy, how are you doing?”

Johnny’s face lit up. “I’m doing great. I like the sound of the word daddy. How are you doing mommy?”

“I’m sore but I couldn’t be happier. When do I get to see our precious angels?”

“They will be here soon. You were pretty tired by the time the second one came, but you did great. Then you fell asleep. You and our children are fine. We have two beautiful daughters.”

As if that was their cue, Joanne, and Roy entered the room each pushing a hospital baby crib. Hank, Chet, Marco, Mike and Chief McConikee followed. Chris and Jenny brought up the rear.

“Hi, everyone.” Nicole smiled as Joanne and Roy placed the babies they were pushing into her arms.

“What are you going to name these two?” Chet was almost as proud as Johnny.

“Yeah, what are you going to name them? I need to get their birth certificates under way.” Dixie had joined the group.

“Well,” Nicole looked at the girl asleep in her right arm. “This is Melinda Rachel. And this is Melanie Renee.”

“Welcome Melinda and Melanie.” Jenny had pushed her way through the grownups to stand next to her Uncle Johnny. “Welcome to the family.”

Everyone laughed and echoed, “Welcome to the family.”

No one knew of the two ladies standing outside the door listening to the group within. ~Soon you will be ours. Now we will have our family. Now that the babies are here, we will become the family we should be.~

***************************

Johnny was whistling as he entered the locker room. He had taken his family home the day before. He hadn’t gotten much sleep with two new babies in the house, but he couldn’t be happier. Roy grinned at his partner as he followed him into the locker room. It had been a sight to see Johnny as he brought Nicole and the babies over to the DeSoto home to spend the day. He was happy for his best friend.

The morning started out fairly quiet and for once the men were glad. Then the phone rang. Marco answered it as he was cleaning the day room. No one thought anything about the call until Marco walked into the bay. He was glad to see Captain Stanley standing with the paramedics. “Johnny, Roy, that was your ‘secret admirers’ again.”

Johnny turned white and looked at Roy, then his Captain and then at Marco. “What did they say this time?” By this time Mike and Chet had joined the group.

“That now the babies are here it is time for all of you to become a family. They said they know you talked with the police and they will teach you a lesson. They said that soon you would be with the women you love instead of the women you hate. Every move you make is being watched carefully according to the caller and it won’t be long now.” Marco wondered who these women were.

Johnny walked out of the day room and into the locker room. That’s where Roy found him a few minutes later. “Johnny, are you alright?”

“Are you?”

“Well, I guess not. Cap is calling Vince right now. Maybe we should take our families and go somewhere for a few days.”

“They are watching our every move, Roy. How are we going to go somewhere without them finding us?”

“You’re right. We are just going to have to watch our backs until Vince can find out who these women are.” Roy was just as frustrated as Johnny.

***************************

Joanne smiled at the sight before her. Nicole had fallen asleep on the couch with one hand in each bassinet holding her daughters. It was the first chance Nicole had gotten to rest all morning. Joanne prayed that she would get at least an hour’s rest.

Just then someone knocked on the front door and Joanne hurried to answer it before anyone could bother the two sleeping babies and Nicole. “Hello.” Joanne had no idea who the two women standing in front of her were.

“Hello, may we come in?” The woman standing there was surprised to see that Joanne was really actually quite pretty.

“Um, no, now is not a good time.” Joanne had a bad feeling about this situation.

“Oh, but why not?

“Because I don’t know who you are or what you want. And there are some children and my friend sleeping in the living room and I really don’t want them disturbed.” Joanne tried to close the door on these two intruders.

The woman standing on the first step down looked at Joanne. “I think you’d better let us in.” She pulled Jennifer out in front of her and pointed a gun at her head. Jennifer was terrified.

Joanne didn’t say anything but moved to one side to let the women in. The first woman closed and locked the door. Taking out a gun she motioned for Joanne to go into the living room and Joanne did as she was told.

Nicole looked up as the group entered the living room. She had woken up at the knock. Looking at Joanne and then Jennifer, Nicole knew right away who the two women were—the secret admirers. When Callie let go of Jennifer, Nicole pulled the little girl into her arms. Mandy watched as Joanne went to set on the couch beside her “sister” and her daughter.

Nicole had calmed Jennifer. “Who are you and what do you want?”

“I am Callie and this is Mandy Wandell. We are your husband’s lovers and are here to get the children. Johnny and Roy asked us to pick up the kids and meet them. We are leaving town tonight. We are going to our mountain cabin. You know how much Johnny loves the mountains. The sunrises and sunsets are beautiful in the San Andres this time of year. Oh, I probably shouldn’t have said that. Oh, well, it doesn’t matter.”

“Johnny and Roy are on duty. They would not leave town tonight.” Nicole was hoping to call Callie’s bluff.

“Yes they would and they are going to. Joanne, call Chris down here now.” Mandy’s tone left no room for argument.

“Chris, come down here now.” Joanne watched every move either one of the women made. She didn’t want them to do anything rash to any of the kids. Both Joanne and Nicole said a silent prayer that the babies were asleep.

Chris came down the stairs mumbling the whole way. He stopped at the bottom when he saw the two women he didn’t know and the guns they were holding.

“Chris, you and I are going into the kitchen and make chocolate milk for all of you and formula for the babies. They are supposed to eat soon.” Callie pushed Chris ahead of her into the kitchen.

As they prepared the milk and the bottles, Callie mixed in some kind of powder. Chris didn’t like what was happening, but he did as he was told. He led the way back into the living room carrying a tray with the glasses of milk. Callie followed carrying the bottles.

“Ok Joanne and Nicole let’s feed the babies. Chris, you come over here and sit with me. Jennifer, you sit with Mandy.” Callie handed a bottle and baby to Nicole and one to Joanne. She took the tray of milk from Chris and motioned him to sit on the floor next to his father’s easy chair. Callie sat in Roy’s chair and Mandy sat in the other stuffed chair motioning for Jennifer to sit on the floor next to her. It was quiet as the babies were fed. Both Joanne and Nicole had a bad feeling, but didn’t know what to do to get out of the situation.

Nicole watched as Melanie and Melinda happily ate and then fell asleep. There was a feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach. Sure the babies usually fell asleep shortly after they ate, but she knew that they were awake enough when they started eating that they should have stayed awake long enough to play for at least a few minutes. One look at her face and Nicole knew that Joanne felt the same way. As it was, the babies almost didn’t finish eating before they were asleep.

Mandy and Callie put the babies back into their bassinets. Callie handed Jennifer and Chris a glass of milk and told them to drink it. Jennifer loved chocolate milk so she drank hers fast. Chris was still wondering what Callie had put into the milk and didn’t want to drink it. One look at the guns and he decided he better do it anyway. So he followed his sister’s example.

Callie turned to Nicole and Joanne. “Now it’s your turn.”

Joanne and Nicole both drank the glasses of milk they were handed and watched as Chris and Jennifer both drifted to sleep. Both women were trying to think of some way not to drink the milk, but knew there was nothing they could do.

“Ok, now, let’s go upstairs.” Callie made both women go in front of her upstairs to the DeSotos bedroom. There she told the women to lie down as both of them realized they had been drugged. “Good night ladies. The children are ours now, so don’t worry. We’ll take good care of them.” Both Nicole and Joanne lost the fight to stay awake.

Callie laughed as she went back downstairs and helped Mandy load the twins, Chris and Jennifer into the Gage’s van. Then they pulled the van around the corner and while Callie stayed with the kids, Mandy went back to the DeSoto home and started the living room furniture and drapes on fire. She quickly left as the blaze took hold.

***************************

Johnny and Roy were working together on the dorm when both of them felt a chill run down their spine. Exchanging glances both knew the other felt it.

“Roy, something is wrong. We need to call your house.” Johnny’s chill was a strong sense of dread.

“You’re right. Let’s go.” Roy led the way into the day room. Johnny paced beside him as Roy picked up the phone and dialed his home. Roy knew that Nicole was spending the day at their house and Joanne was going to let her rest. When the phone rang for the 20th time and was not answered, Roy’s feeling grew stronger.

“Johnny, there’s no answer.”

Johnny’s reply was cut off by the tones. As the men headed towards their vehicles, both Johnny and Roy stopped dead in their tracks when the address given was the DeSoto home. Quickly exchanging looks, they were in the squad and out the door before Hank Stanley could give them the run slip. He would give it to them later, knowing who’s address its was.

Roy drove faster than he had ever driven before and it was only three minutes before he pulled up in front of his house. Johnny was out of the squad and halfway across the yard before Roy could put the squad in park. Both men ran into the house and called for their wives. Seeing the blaze and not getting an answer, they ran upstairs to check it first. Roy opened the door to their bedroom and found both women on the bed. Yelling at Johnny, he grabbed Joanne. Johnny raced into the room and grabbed Nicole. Both men ran down the stairs. The engine crew was there by the time Johnny and Roy got back outside. The unmarked police car had gotten hit by another car so never made it to Roy’s house.

Seeing Roy and Johnny had the women, Captain Stanley sent Marco and Chet into the house to look for the kids. He figured Roy and Johnny would take care of their wives, so he walked over to Mike to get the hose and start fighting the fire.


Continued in Unwanted Attention Part II