"Okay, Kermit," Savannah comforted, "go ahead and say it. 'Stop meddling. Stop matchmaking. It'll blow up in your face.' Yadda yadda yadda....Come on, get it over with."

Kermit had just arrived home to find his wife cooking dinner. For four. Them and Peter and Jody. He was not pleased. "Can't you just give it a rest?"

Buzzing past him to set the table, she answered, "Why, no, dear man. I can't. Now, would you be a love and check on your daughter? Please?" Giving in to fate, he retreated to the nursery.

Peter and Jody arrived and were not at all surprised to find that they were the only guests invited. "Hello there," Jody greeted her hostess. Then, whispering in her ear, she added, "You pushy broad!"

Savannah gave a forced giggle and, shoving a drink into her hand, directed her to join the other victim in the den. "Ya'll just sit and talk. Put on some music. I've got just a bit to finish in here!" she called from the kitchen.

"Deja vu!" Peter commented out the side of his mouth.

Jody sat down next to Peter on the couch. "It does seem that we've been in this situation before. Wonder if she'll lock us in the bedroom this time?"

Peter started to laugh. "Dunno. Wouldn't put it past her. Actually," he said, waggling his eyebrows suggestively at her, "that might not be a bad id-" He was interrupted by a yelp from the kitchen.

Kermit was already there before Peter and Jody were off the couch. Coming in to investigate, they found, to their horror, that Savannah had sliced her hand with a kitchen knife. There was blood dripping down her arm and Kermit grabbed a kitchen towel to stop the bleeding.

"Hold on, Scarlett. Let's survey the damage."

Her hand was laid open from below her index finger all the way across her palm.

"It's nothing...really." She had barely gotten the words out when her knees buckled.

Kermit caught her and Jody grabbed the towel to keep pressure on the wound. "Oh, yeah. Nothing, all right. Looks like a trip to the ER for you."

"NO! Those people always give us funny looks when we come in. Besides...I've got dinner to finish and there's Kat."

"Scarlett, you've GOT to be kidding!"

Peter spoke up. "We'll stay with Kat. You go take care of that gusher."

Kermit hurried her out the door. Pale and shaky, Savannah managed to throw over her shoulder, "Sorry...."

Peter and Jody stood there in the midst of the uncompleted dinner. "You don't think she'd do that on purpose, do you?" Jody asked as she began to clean up the counter.

"Let's try not to think about it, okay?" Peter asked as he pitched in to help. "Let's see...what's left to do for this dinner. Shame for all her efforts to go to waste."

Jody felt a little embarrassed. She wanted this but...."Peter, if you don't want to stay, it's all right. I can handle things here. After all, you were kind of tricked into this evening...AGAIN."

"So were you," he said, squeezing her arm gently. "Come on, let's get started."

The phone rang.

"Geez, Grand Central Station!" Jody commented.

"I just hope it's nothing private," Peter said, crossing to the phone. "I can take a message, though, as well as anyone....Hello?"

There was a moment of silence as the caller wondered if he had gotten the right number. But since he also wanted to talk to Peter....

<Hey, YO, man!> a familiar voice sounded over the receiver. A VERY familiar voice.

Peter pasted a grin on his face for Jody's benefit. "How're you doing, Wolf?" he asked with a sigh. A long pause, then "Really? Well, that's great....Of course I will....No, I doubt he'll mind....Well, you'll have to ask him about that one....WHEN are you coming???" Another silent sigh. "Okay - we'll watch for you two....See you soon. Bye."

Jody turned a disparaging look on Peter. "So, we have the honor and pleasure of Mr. Gannett's company again, do we?"

"Yep - Mr. AND the future MRS. Gannett as well. He wants to get married here and guess who's been recruited best man?"

Jody's jaw dropped. "Who'd marry WOLF???"

*****

Days later, a grinning Wolf Gannett with his bride-to-be strolled into the precinct, interrupting police business to introduce Nicole Harrison to his friends. Nicki was her usual gracious self, shaking hands and greeting everyone warmly, even greeting some by name, since Wolf had told her about them.

Strenlich hung back to grin at Kermit and Peter. They had already warned them about the fact that Nicki wasn't a poster-girl type but nobody had believed it. Now, they saw for themselves that Kermit and Peter were right. "She sure isn't what I'd expected," Strenlich commented.

"What did you expect?" Peter asked, grinning.

"She seems to have a brain."

"Excuse me, babe, gotta go talk to my buds." Wolf squeezed Nicki's shoulder.

"Of course," she smiled and he made his way over to Peter and Kermit.

*Here it comes,* Peter thought with delight. He decided not to warn Kermit about the actor's special request. It would be more fun that way.

"Heeeeeyyy, guys!" Wolf beamed.

"Wolf, congratulations!" Peter said, clapping him on the shoulder.

"Decided to give in before Savannah got her matchmaking hooks into you again?" Kermit asked curiously.

"Nah, man, just figured it was time to give the little lady all that she deserved!"

Peter and Kermit glanced at each other, amused at the double meaning.

"So, whattaya say?" Wolf began to drape a friendly arm over Kermit's shoulders until an icy look stopped him. He settled for rubbing the small amount of mousse around by rubbing a hand through his hair.

"What do I say to what?" Kermit asked as Peter inched away to greet Nicki - and to get out of arms-reach of the ex-mercenary.

"Didn't Pete tell ya? YOU are gonna be my best man!"

Peter wished he'd had a camera. Kermit looked like he'd just been hit with a 500-lb sledgehammer. He was stunned speechless.

Meanwhile, Jody had inched up to Nicki Harrison, wondering what was so wrong with this seemingly nice and normal girl to want to marry Wolf. She didn't look like the groupie type, either. Mary Margaret had come up to Nicki and hugged her enthusiastically.

"NICKI!" came a cry from the doorway. Savannah came barreling in and hugged her friend for all that she was worth. "Congratulations! I can't believe it! Wolf finally did the sensible thing! Come on, the stores await! We have got so much to do! Have you picked out your colors yet? Do the guests know where to come to? Is Caine officiating or have you asked him yet?"

"Savannah, when you pause for breath," Nicki smiled, "I'd like to ask you to be my maid of honor."

"And do you really think I'd trust anyone else to do it?!" Savannah demanded, hands on hips. Secretly, she was pleased by Nicki's request. She had already gotten started on the wedding plans when Peter told them about it but was worried that Nicki might have had someone else in mind to undo all that she had done. But she wanted to do all the preparations - it was a gift to her friend and pure pleasure for Savannah - so she had gone ahead regardless, despite Kermit's warnings. Now, she was glad she had gotten a head start. "You just put yourselves in my hands, sugar! You won't have to worry about a thing!"

Wrapping her arm around her friend, she began to escort Nicki out, only to be blocked by Detective Jody Powell.

"Okay, I've just GOT to know," Jody demanded. "You seem to be an intelligent girl. Why in this world would you want to marry Wolf???"

Nicki threw a look back at Wolf, who was busy trying to see if Kermit was still breathing after his announcement. She smiled mischievously as she leaned closer to Jody, and, of course, Savannah leaned in as well. "You know that old joke," Nicki asked, "about men just being little boys with big feet and paychecks?" Jody nodded. "Well, Wolf is just more...open about it than most men. And I like honesty!"

Jody shook her head. "Still...this is WOLF!"

"Well, there are other reasons," Nicki told her. "You have to admit that he's very good-looking." She inclined her chin toward Peter, trying to keep out of Kermit's line of sight, and Jody admitted to herself that she had a point. When un-moussed, Wolf was Peter's exact double. Jody wondered exactly how far the similarities went....Savannah covered her mouth, trying not to laugh. Nicki couldn't know that Jody had a thing for Peter yet she pushed the perfect button for Jody.

"Also, he's very rich," Nicki continued with a smile, not worrying that Jody might think her a gold-digger. Anyone who watched her around Wolf should know better than that. "And he needs me. How could a girl turn down a combination like that?"

"The stores await!" Savannah cried out again with delight. "We've got a LOT of work to do!" Ignoring Nicki's dubious glance, she waved good-bye to the men that they were off.

Meanwhile, Jody went to her purse, fished out a twenty-dollar bill and handed it to Skalany. "You were right," Jody said sullenly. "She has a brain."

Skalany, grinning, pocketed the money and went back to work.

*****

"You know, Nicks, I have NEVER seen a woman protest clothes-shopping the way you do!" Savannah exclaimed. She had suggested six different wedding gowns so far and every one of them had been politely rejected. And Nicki still hadn't chosen the colors of the wedding.

"I appreciate your efforts, really," Nicki said, biting her lip, "but why bother getting a fancy, expensive gown if the wedding is going to be small and personal?"

"Because it makes you feel *wonderful*," Savannah told her. "*MY* wedding was small and personal, too."

Resolutely, Nicki stuck close to the racks that held the simple white dresses. "I feel wonderful already," she said, not wanting to tell Savannah the real reasons for her choices. She already felt on display; a flashy gown would just make her more uncomfortable. If she had had her choice, they would have married somewhere overseas where no one would know and then gone on with their lives together. Her love for Wolf and his friends was the only thing keeping her in the frilliest, laciest shop in town. Nicki knew she was a very private person, revealing only bits of herself at a time, but she was fighting the urge for Wolf's sake. Of course, the whole thing stemmed from her childhood, she knew, but....

"Nicki?" Savannah interrupted, almost reading her mind. "I know you'd want to invite your brothers and sisters, but...ah....your parents...?" Savannah didn't know how to broach the delicate subject. Nicki had confessed her father was an alcoholic but Savannah had had no idea how painful her parental relationship was. When Nicki's answer was not immediately forthcoming, Savannah's mind groped for an out and giggled when she found one. "What about Wolf's parents? I can imagine that a few people will very much want to meet them!"

Nicki giggled as well. "Wolf's mother died about ten years ago," Nicki revealed, "but he's on reasonably good terms with his father. I've already taken the liberty of calling him. It should be interesting-"

"Okay, hold it right there."

The two women turned to see a young man about their age holding a gun on them!

"Which one of you is marrying Wolf Gannett?"

Nicki, taken by surprise that their secret was out, just dropped her jaw in shock. Savannah, more used to extraordinary things happening to her, was quicker on the uptake.

"*I* am," Savannah told him.

Nicki's gaze and the gun both swung in her direction.

"Come with me," the young man ordered.

"Savannah-" Nicki protested, finally finding her voice.

Savannah quickly turned her back on the young man, bringing her finger up to her lips.

Nicki frowned. "I'm not about to let you be in danger for me," she said. "*I'm* Wolf Gannett's fiancée."

Savannah turned quickly. "No, she isn't. She's just trying to protect me. I'm the fiancée!"

"Savannah, STOP that! *I* am!"

"No, *I* am!"

"Shut up!!!" They both looked at the young man. He was beginning to sweat through his denim shirt. Running a hand over his damp blond hair, he groaned out his decision. "I'll take BOTH of you! Now, come on!"

"Look, Mr...uh...."

"Tim."

"Tim." Savannah almost laughed in her tension. *Tim?* It didn't sound like a killer. Come to think of it, neither did *Kermit*. She was trying to stay calm all though she was actually scared purple. Pay attention, get details, and, above all, think. Kermit's lessons were ringing in her head. No way she could have reached the .38 in her purse so she did what she could to keep the enemy from using it against her. Leaving her purse. Hopefully, someone would find Kermit's number inside. Slipping her precious wedding ring off her hand and to the floor was difficult. But he would know, when Kermit found it, that she had been taken. "Look, Tim. You haven't hurt us. Just let us go and it's all forgotten."

"No, ma'am. Can't do it." Time was holding the gun in his pocket. Herding the two women before him toward a old wood-panel station wagon.

Nicki was pale and shaking beside her seemingly-calm associate. Trying to comfort her, Savannah shot her a quick wink. "Whatever the problem is, Tim, I'm sure we can work it out."

"Keep movin', ma'am." Tim dropped his car keys over Nicki's shoulder. "Ma'am, I'd like you ta' drive, please."

"I'd rather not." Nicki was trembling and didn't feel safe to drive.

"Would you mind drivin', Miss...?"

"Savannah. And I don't think so." She was angling for a way to separate him from his weapon. "Why don't you drive?"

"Well, if she won't drive, I guess you'll have to, ma'am." Tim returned to Nicki and plan A.

"I said I'd rather not."

"She'd rather not," Savannah restated politely.

"WELL...FINE! I don't care! You drive! That's it!" He threw the keys to Savannah.

Indignant, she caught the keys. "You don't have to yell. I'm right here."

"Yes. We're just nervous." Nicki threw in her attempt at distraction.

Tim raked his hands over his face. A frustrated gesture Savannah had seen Kermit use in reaction to her twisted logic. This wasn't going the way he planned. Grab the bride-to-be. Walk to the car. Not all this talking. "I'm...sorry! Would you PLEASE drive, Miss Savannah?"

"Well, of course. All you had to do was ask me nicely." Savannah took the keys in hand. "Can Nicki sit up front with me?"

For a moment, he considered arguing but saw another lengthy exchange on the horizon. "Sure. Go ahead, ma'am." He opened the door and Nicki sat down. Tim slid into the back seat. As Savannah cranked the ancient automobile to life, Tim warned, "No tricks. Pull out of the lot and take a left." Tapping the gun on the back of her seat, Tim warned, "Don't make me use this."

"Wouldn't dream of it." Savannah followed his instructions and tried to smile reassuringly at a pale Nicki.

*****

They drove to a decrepit apartment building on the outskirts of town. Savannah made sure to note the exact directions in case they would allow her to call Kermit - perhaps she could give him a clue. As they pulled up to a stop, Tim thrust the gun in between them again. "Okay, stay right there...."

As Tim clambered out, Nicki whispered, "What are we going to do? Should we make a break for it?"

"No," Savannah whispered back. Another Kermit lesson. *Don't make a break for it unless one, you have a clear getaway, or two, unless it's run or die.* Neither one of those scenarios applied. "Just stay calm. It'll be-"

"Okay, get out. You first, ma'am." Tim opened the door for Nicki, who climbed out, followed by Savannah. "Go on, ladies."

Meekly, they walked into the apartment building with Tim following. The lanky young man opened a flimsy door into a second story apartment and gestured the two inside. The dismal apartment was aptly reflected by the shabby exterior. Brown and gold shag carpeting and equally decorative olive green drapes set the mood for the decor. The combination living and dining area held Salvation Army reject furnishings. A rickety table and chairs, one beat-up plaid sofa, and a black and white television adorned with rabbit ears was all that filled the depressing space. Two doors flanked the main room but they remained closed.

"Carrie Ann!" he called out. "I got 'em."

"You got who?" a voice asked from the kitchen.

"The actor's fiancée," Tim returned.

"WHAT?! We're nowhere near ready-" A woman with bleached blonde hair dressed in a tank top and cut-offs came around the corner, wiping her hands on an apron. Her mouth fell open as she saw the two women surveying their surroundings. "What-?"

"They wouldn't tell me which one was marryin' the actor so I had to take them both," Tim explained. Closing the door behind them and beaming in his success, he announced, "It's the women from the picture and one of them IS the fiancee."

"I am," Savannah supplied quickly, earning a glare from Nicki.

"No, *I* am," Nicki countered with a sigh. Puzzled by Tim's comment, she said, "Picture? Not THAT picture!!"

"Yes ma'am," piped Tim, as if offering a compliment to his sister, "The Globe sure had a nice picture of the two of you."

Savannah rolled disgusted eyes toward the ceiling and groaned, "Dear Lord....will that EVER go away?"

Tim deftly produced the photo in question. Tabloid fantasy built around an innocent shot of Wolf Gannett, arms looped around two 'unnamed bombshells' at his post-premier party in Malibu. Savannah could still see Kermit's fury upon reading the libelous scribbling about Wolf Gannett's TWO lovers 'duking it out' for his affections. It took two weeks and a litany of threats to stop the ribbing Kermit endured at the precinct.

"Tim...I can't BELIEVE you did this!!!" Carrie Ann approached the hapless kidnapper and snatched the clipping from his hands. "We don't have room for the both of them! Besides, I told you we weren't ready! You have to get that lock fixed first! That's what you went to town for!"

"I saw them go into the bridal shop," Tim explained lamely. "It's right next to the hardware store. I wanted to...surprise you?"

"Well, ah'm surprised, all right!" Carrie Ann clenched her fists. "One woman was dangerous enough but now, these two might be able to overpower us! And they can identify us, Tim! You were supposed to get masks, too! Remember??!!"

"I forgot..." Tim mumbled, wincing.

"Would you like to argue this out amongst yourselves?" Savannah asked. "We'd be happy to step out for a minute...."

"Hey, that's real nice-"

"Idiot!" Carrie Ann snapped, taking the gun away and pointing it at Savannah, who tried not to flinch. Carrie Ann was much more dangerous than Tim and they both knew it. "Did you get the lock for the door?"

"Yes," Tim mumbled.

Carrie Ann sighed. "Go fix the door. I'll watch these two." Tim immediately began his repairs a few feet away as Carrie Ann perused her prisoners. Holding the gun with one hand, and tugging on the edge of her denim shorts with the other, she asked, warily, "Tim, where's their purses?"

Tim looked up. "Purses?"

"PURSES! Purses! Women never go anywhere without their purses, Tim!"

"Oh, yeah. Guess we must've forgotten them."

Carrie Ann sighed again. "Ah don't believe any of this."

*Neither do I,* Savannah groaned in her mind. These two were giving her a headache. In fact, it resembled something out of a movie. Reaching up to massage her temple, she thought, *Figures. Wolf comes to town and I'm stuck in some bad mystery movie.*

Tim glanced back as he struggled with the lock and how to improve Carrie Ann's humor toward him. "Hey, hun, one of these ladies is home folks. Talks just like one of the fam'ly."

Her patience disintegrating, Savannah shot back with enough force to make the bumbling kidnapper flinch. "*I* am not YOUR home folks! Your *home folks* live in some aluminum nightmare surrounded by junk cars and are MARRIED TO THEIR COUSINS!!!"

"Well, ya' don't have ta' be so nasty, ma'am," replied the hurt kidnapper.

"FIX THE LOCK, TIM!!!"

"You tell 'em, Carrie Ann!" Savannah egged her on.

Whirling with the rhythm of her own headache, Carrie Ann screamed, "YOU shut up, too!"

"Ma'am?" Nicki began tentatively as Savannah eyed her, ready to proclaim her engagement to Wolf, "it's obvious that you have something against Wolf. I'd be happy to help-"

"The actor's already screwed us over," Carrie Ann spat. "I know he won't be happy to help. Just let us do this our way."

"If you'd just tell me-"

"Too late to make nice," Carrie Ann snapped. "Maybe if the actor is a little nicer to people, he wouldn't get his fiancée kidnapped. Maybe this'll teach him a little lesson."

Savannah and Nicki looked at each other as Tim called out, "Done with the lock!"

"Good. Now find an extra chair and tie them up. In you go, ladies." Carrie Ann gestured with the gun. The two walked into a small, cramped bedroom and reluctantly sat down on the chairs that Tim found for them. "Now, Tim's going to tie you up and you're goin' to let 'im," Carrie Ann instructed. "I'll be right outside with the gun so don't try anything." She slammed the door behind her.

Tim winced and offered a sheepish smile to his 'guests'. "She's not usually like that," he explained, "she's just like that." Savannah and Nicki threw looks of 'Huh?' at each other as Tim found the rope.

Savannah watched Tim tie Nicki's hands behind her back with trepidation. She was beginning to get very nervous about this whole thing. She knew at a glance that Tim was a far cry from that maniac Ericson but just the association of being tied up started to make her heart beat faster, trying to control the anxiety rising in her stomach.

When Tim approached her, she fastened her gaze to the far wall in an effort to control the fear she was beginning to feel. When Tim touched her arm, a flood suddenly burst forth. She couldn't stop it - all the terror that she had felt with Ericson was coming back in a rush, choking her....She plunged her face in her hands, doubled over, trying not to be hysterical as she wept her fear.

Tim was both befuddled and panicked. The woman had seemed very calm in the face of a kidnapping. So far, things had been so easy.... "Oh, geez, lady, don't..." He began pacing next to her chair. "Lady, I'm not gonna hurtcha....PLEASE stop crying! Please....I'm not gonna...look, I'd love to letcha go but I can't. I'm not gonna hurt you, just make sure you don't go anywhere. Lady...please! Aw, shit...." He dug into his pockets for a handkerchief and, when he came up empty, ran into the other room.

"See what you've done??!!" shouted Nicki, watching helplessly as she listened to her friend sobbing just a few feet away.

"I'm sorry...really I am, lady," he babbled as he came back, bearing a toilet paper roll proudly, and gave it to her.

Savannah took the roll, unrolled some tissue and blew her nose, trying to get herself under control as Nicki looked on worriedly.

Tim knelt by her side. "Look...I'm not gonna hurt you. I promise. Okay? Even if you don't trust guys, you can trust my wife. If I got a notion to do something, she'd slap me silly. Don't worry, okay? All we want is the money, then we'll let you go. I just GOTTA tie you to make sure you don't run away....How about if I tie your feet real good and tie your arms kinda loose? Would that make you feel better? Please, lady, don't cry. It's gonna be okay, promise."

Savannah couldn't help smiling through her tears as this young man pleaded his case to his kidnapee. He was so earnest, it had to be on the level. In fact, he was almost funny. She looked at his pistol, wondering if it was even loaded. Leaning over, she got the careful examination she was hoping for. "Okay," she said, wiping her face.

"Great!" he exulted, glad that he had come up with an idea to make her happy.

Savannah smiled again through her waning tears as he tied her arms gently as promised. She had had an opportunity - several, in fact- to escape his clutches but she couldn't be certain if Nicki could escape with her. If she got away and things turned ugly for Nicki, she'd never forgive herself. She hated to worry Kermit or Wolf but Tim's thoughtfulness toward her welfare just made her more determined to find out what his problem really was. She could see no other way to do that but to go along.

Tim finished the tying-up quickly and left as if he was worried that Savannah might burst into tears again to make him feel guilty.

As soon as he left, Nicki turned a worried frown in Savannah's direction. "Are you okay, Savannah? Don't worry. Wolf will pay whatever they ask for-"

"It's not that," Savannah managed. "I...umm...I've been through this before...with a kidnapper who wasn't so nice. I'm afraid I just had a flashback...." She swallowed, holding back the tears.

"Oh, Savannah...I'm so sorry," Nicki murmured sympathetically.

Savannah looked up at the ceiling to divert her attention. "Kermit's going to blow a fuse when he hears about this."

Carrie Ann returned quietly to her two forced house guests. The earlier anger replaced by concern. Leaning slightly over Savannah, she patted her arm. "Are ya' all right? Tim was just beside himself. He wouldn't do anything...well...anything to hurt a woman. Really, he wouldn't."

"Except kidnap us," added Nicki softly.

Ignoring the remark, Carrie Ann explained, "You don't have to be afraid. Now that we have you tied up and you can't get away, we won't even need the gun no more."

"Carrie Ann," Savannah asked, taking advantage of the moment, "what did MY Wolf do to make you two so angry?" She almost wanted to grin at the look Nicki burned into her at that remark.

Straightening, Carrie Ann answered, "Look, ma'am, I'm sure Mr. Gannett doesn't include his fiancée in his business and I'm sorry you got drug into this mess but it's the only way for us to get what he owes us." With that, she turned and went to reassure Tim that he hadn't inflicted any permanent damage.

Savannah waited a few minutes, listening to the couple's footsteps to make sure that they couldn't hear, then turned to Nicki. "Nicki, do you have ANY idea what they're talking about with Wolf?"

"How would I know?" countered Nicki. "YOU'RE his fiancée!"

Savannah rolled her eyes. "Nicki! Don't do this!"

"You know, Kermit won't know whether to be insulted or fall down laughing hysterically when he hears about this," Nicki pointed out.

"I know, I know. I'm curious myself," Savannah smiled. "But DO you know-"

"No! I've never heard of either one of them. Maybe it happened before I was hired."

"Maybe." Savannah sighed. All they could do now was wait.

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