An hour later, the two hostages fidgeted uncomfortably. Carrie Ann was away, doing who-knew-what, while Tim was trying to compose a ransom note and working out each sentence one at a time like he was working on a novel. Finally, he looked up at the captive audience and slapped the paper triumphantly.

"How's this sound? 'WE HAVE YOUR FIANCEE. YOU WANT TO SEE HER ALIVE AGAIN, YOU HAVE TO PAY ONE MILLION DOLLARS OR SHE'LL DIE. IF YOU CALL THE POLICE, SHE WILL DIE.'"

Savannah and Nicki looked at each other. It wasn't exactly poetry.

"Who asked you?" Tim snapped irritably.

"One million-" Nicki mused.

"Think I oughta ask for more?" Tim asked. Savannah rolled her eyes silently, just wishing for this nightmare to be over.

Suddenly, Nicki gave a little gasp and bit her lip.

"What?" Tim asked.

Nicki shook her head. "Nothing," she said in a weak voice. Tim frowned and raised the gun. "I saw a mouse," Nicki lied swiftly. "Right over there...." As Tim looked over in the corner indicated, Nicki threw Savannah a look of desperation, but Savannah didn't know what was really bothering Nicki - besides their current situation.

"I don't see it," Tim said, examining the cracks in the wall. "Oh, well, if it comes back, holler and I'll come back and kill it. I gotta show this note to Carrie...."

Once he left, Savannah snapped a look at Nicki. "WHAT?"

"Wolf can't get the money."

"What are you talking about?" Savannah said in horror. "I thought he grossed-"

"He did! DOES! I mean...." Nicki bit her lip. "Wolf HAS the money - he just can't get a million dollars in cash!"

"WHY NOT?!!"

"Savannah, calm down. Yelling isn't going to do anything," Nicki said softly. "When Wolf wants to buy something expensive, he just tells them to call me. *I* expedite the paperwork and arrange for payments. He doesn't know his account number at the bank. The money's not even in his name - it's under the company's name so fans can't track it down."

"So what happens if you're sick or something?!"

"Then Wolf's lawyer has the power of attorney to draw funds. But Wolf's never met him. I don't think Wolf knows who his lawyer is!"

Savannah closed her eyes in pain. "WHERE ELSE ARE WE GOING TO GET A MILLION DOLLARS?!!!" she yelled in frustration.

"I DON'T KNOW!!!" Nicki yelled back.

"I can't believe a grown man wouldn't know anything about his own financial information!"

"That's what *I'M* here for! So he doesn't have to know!" Nicki shot back, defending her fiancée.

"Why didn't you just keep your mouth shut in that dress shop?!!"

"Because I couldn't let you be in danger alone!"

"SHUT UP!!!" Carrie Ann stuck her head inside the door. "SHUT UP, BOTH OF YOU! Good God! Expect Madonna or Princess Di and instead, we get Lucy and Ethel!"

"Or Laverne and Shirley!" Tim contributed, grinning.

"You shut up, too!" Carrie snapped, bopping him on the arm and slamming the door behind her.

*****

"Look, man, I NEED you behind me. You know...up there in front of the preacher."

"Priest." Kermit Griffin just didn't get it. He barely knew the actor. Made every effort to snap his ego in two. Why the hell would he want him to be his best man???

Wolf Gannett flitted around the detective's office like a man on fire. "Okay, priest. Right." If he was going to go through with this, he needed some sympathy. Or support. He wasn't certain which. "Look, just say you'll do it. I'll make it worth it for you."

"Will you listen to yourself?" Kermit was further baffled at the notion of Wolf Gannett bribing him into his wedding party. "Look, don't you have any brothers or friends or SOMEBODY...ANYBODY close to you that you'd rather have as best man?"

Throwing up his hands in admission, Wolf spat, "No! Hell, no, I don't! Well, except for Peter...he's gonna help his old man." Sitting down in a corner of the detective's rumpled office, he tried his hand at honesty. "Man, you understand this. This one-woman-for-life crap. If you can do it, I can go through with this. We're kind of alike on that point."

"We are not alike!" Kermit snapped. Being blood brothers of romance with Wolf Gannett was above and beyond the call of duty. But he did understand that desperate longing - and bone-chilling fear - that came with the realization that you'd found the love of a lifetime. Kermit elected to show mercy. This time. "All right, dammit. Savannah would have a fit if I say no so might as well avoid the hassle. I'll do it."

The reluctance was lost on Wolf. All he heard was yes. "Great! Now I have to-"

"Explain what you just said." Kermit made a rare peek over his shades at the actor.

"What?"

"You said, 'go through with this.' Not exactly eager anticipation. You sure you want to do this?" The reasons had to be right. Kermit knew from experience.

The nervous pacing resumed. "Sure. I mean, I love Nicks. She's great and kind and she loves me. I don't want to lose her. Getting married is what she should have to-" Wolf's confession was cut off by the buzz of Kermit's private line.

"Hold that thought," Kermit said, reaching for the phone. Only a handful of people had this number. These calls wouldn't wait. "Griffin!"

<Mr. Griffin? My name is Mrs. Beckman. I'm the manager at The Bridal Path downtown. Do you know a Savannah Griffin?>

"Yes, that's my wife. What's happened?" Panic. Instant panic.

<Well, I'm not sure, sir. She and another woman were here shopping. I went into the back to pull some dresses for them and, when I returned, they were gone. Your wife's purse was on the floor under one of the racks. I found your number inside.>

Savannah didn't get two feet from that purse. "Anything else?"

<Yes, the other woman's purse - Nicole Harrison - was found as well. Then I found a ring on the floor. A lovely marquis solitaire with an inscription on it. Here, it reads....>

The woman read the inscription and Kermit felt his back slowly stiffen. "Don't touch anything until I get there." Kermit slammed down the phone.

A worried Wolf Gannett jumped up as the ex-mercenary dove into his coat and grabbed his gun from a drawer. "Wha...what is it, man? Dollface had a fender bender?"

"Come with me. Something's happened to them...." Kermit emphasized 'them.' Wolf went white but followed obediently.

*****

Minutes later, Detective Griffin stalked purposefully amongst the white lace and chiffon of the bridal shop. Wolf Gannett had babbled nervously during the entire trip. Kermit was thinking. Wolf was rationalizing.

"Chicks lose their purses all the time, man." Wolf refused to admit the gravity of the situation. He preferred to twist his hands inside his leather jacket and ignore the facts.

"Not my wife," Kermit spat as he shoved through billowing symbols of virginity to find the store manager. "Ma'am? Are you the manager?"

The elderly woman looked disturbed. Pulling off her glasses to address the odd man in the dark suit, she replied, "Yes. Yes, I am. You must be Detective Griffin."

"Yes, ma'am." He quickly flashed his badge in identification. "Show me what you found."

Reaching below the counter, she retrieved Savannah's favorite black leather bag. 'Saddlebag', Kermit called it. Too big for her body, yet not big enough for all the things she insisted she needed to get through the day.

The manager carefully handed the bag to the detective, then put the ring in his hand. "It was just so odd. One minute they were here and the next..." She regarded the tense expression of this curious man. "And when I saw the ring...well, I didn't think I should wait for her to come back."

He could only slip it onto the tip of his little finger. Tearing his attention away from the icon of his marriage, he quickly dug through Savannah's purse and questioned the manager at the same time. "Did you hear or see anything else? Anyone else?"

"No, sir. I was in the back....Say, aren't you a movie star? Wolf something?"

Wolf flashed his fan-appropriate grin and took her hand. "That's right, babe. Wolf Gannett. The brunette was my...lady friend."

"Oh," the woman grinned. She had a scoop fit for any tabloid and she knew it.

Annoyed at the shift in focus, Kermit placed his card in her hand. "If you remember anything or if they come back, you can reach me at these numbers." Grabbing the purse in one hand and Wolf Gannett's arm in the other, he quickly left the shop and headed toward the car.

"Hey, man! Wrinkles!" Wolf shook off the grasp and straightened the jacket arm. "Don't you think you're overreacting? Dollface dropped her purse and forgot it. And jewelry. Man, it mighta' just fell off. Nicki's always leaving her rings laying around on the sink. Somethin' about lotion or other female stuff. I can't keep up with it-"

Wolf found himself shoved up against the car. A .38 pistol in his face. "THIS is why I know Savannah didn't just MISPLACE her purse. She carries a gun and wouldn't set it down unless she was leaving it on purpose." Dropping the weapon back into his wife's bag, he held the ring up to the stunned actor's face. "And once you marry this poor unfortunate woman, you'll understand what this means. It's not just jewelry."

Reality was starting to sink in. Kermit released him and got quickly into his car. Wolf Gannett shifted from casual to panicked in seconds. "We gotta get people on this! You're a cop! Call your cop friends! Use the police radio - that's what you guys do, right?! Peter! Call Peter!!!" Wolf flipped his cellphone open but before he could dial, Kermit snapped at him once more.

"Just SHUT UP for a minute! Let me think!" This idiot was giving him a headache. "Call your hotel."

"Yeah, good idea. I'll do that. Right now."

"Shut up and do it."

"Okay, okay." Wolf was dialing their suite. No answer. The call transferred to the front desk after five rings.

<Sutton Place. This is Dena, may I help you?>

"Yeah, babe. This is Wolf Gannett. Has Nicole Harrison been in this afternoon?"

<No, sir. She dropped off her card key this morning and it's still here. Oh! But you did receive a special delivery envelope a while ago. It'll be waiting for you at the desk.>

Wolf held the phone down to his chest. She says she hasn't seen Nicks but I just got an envelope delivered."

"Tell her to open it and read the message."

Twisting a frown at the older man, he protested, "I don't let just anybody read my mail-"

"READ THE DAMN LETTER!"

"Read the letter, please," Wolf told Dena. He listened - then dropped the phone into his lap.

*****

"WHATTAYA MEAN, I CAN'T GET THE MONEY!!??!!" Wolf bellowed at the customer service representative at the bank.

Kermit suppressed a sigh. He might have known that it wouldn't be that easy. His first clue was Wolf's response to Kermit's question of which bank he used: "Uh...well...lemmee see...the name of it should be on the checks, right? Nicki always handles this stuff for me...."

The customer service representative, a Mrs. Mary Futridge, glared at the actor screaming himself hoarse. "MR. Gannett, we can clear you for a draw of $100,000. Any more and we'd need a power of attorney from Wolflick Incorporated in our files."

"But...but I'm the PRESIDENT of Wolflick Incorporated!"

"Then you should have no trouble producing the needed documents! Sir, this is for your own protection as well as ours."

"DAMMIT! NICKI has all the papers in her office!!!" Wolf smashed his fist into the counter, causing Mrs. Futridge to reach for a certain button under the table.

"Ma'am, excuse me," Kermit interjected quickly. Flipping out his badge and showing it to her, he said, "I apologize - he's just under a lot of pressure. No need to call security. We're leaving."

"What do you mean, 'we're leaving'???"

"I mean, we are taking our leave of this establishment. Come on," Kermit said, grabbing Wolf and dragging him out. Kermit had slipped into mercenary mode. He was worried out of his mind with Savannah's and Nicki's safety but, in order to free them, they needed access to Wolf's money. He put aside his frustration and worry as he dragged Wolf off. "I'll just hack into their computer," he whispered as they left.

"Is that legal?" Wolf asked as the doors shut behind them.

*****

An hour and a half later, barricaded in his office at the precinct, Kermit was beginning to wonder if he had gotten rusty somehow. Nicki just HAD to pick a Triple-A bank for Wolf's funds. She also had the money sequestered into about twelve separate dummy corporations, each of which would taken approximately forever to break into. That kind of time they simply did not have. Kermit grinned; he found it slightly ironic that Wolf was already having to ask for permission from Nicki to spend money.

"Well, Wolf," Kermit said, leaning back, "The good news is that you have yourself one hell of an efficient assistant. Nicki's spread your money out so thin, it's virtually impossible for someone to steal a significant amount from you."

Wolf grinned. "That's why I hired her."

"The BAD news is that, if I can't get in there, I can't get the money we need for the ransom!"

"Oh."

The door creaked open as Blake popped his head inside. "Kermit, I need-"

"I'm busy!" he snapped, slammed the door in his face, then returned to his work. It was too risky to bring anyone else in now. Kermit drummed his fingers on the desk. There had to be an easier way to do this. "Wait a minute - you said the necessary papers are in Nicki's office?"

"Yeah. In Malibu."

Kermit thought furiously. It would be faster to fly to Malibu and back, rather than having to hack into each corporation individually. "I've got an idea," Kermit said triumphantly, looking up at Wolf.

"What?"

Looking as if the solution was clear all along, Kermit said, "I'll just have someone break into Nicki's office."

"WHAT?!!!"

Kermit held a silencing hand up to the actor as he typed furiously on his machine. "Just...go get some coffee, will you?" Kermit asked not looking up. "And DON'T talk to anyone about this." He sighed in relief when the actor trudged outside. Kermit figured this case was difficult enough without Wolf breathing down his neck. What was even more difficult was that he couldn't really blame him. If just Nicki had been kidnapped alone, it would have been the same thing. But now, he just had to get the documents from Nicki's office. He hoped and prayed that someone he knew was in California and that that someone owed him a favor.

Bringing up the desired data file, he read the names currently stationed in the Los Angeles area. He sighed a heavy, long-suffering sigh as he read the one of the names, hoping it wouldn't have to come to that. But one glance told him otherwise.

There were only three currently in California that he could possibly call on for a favor. Falcon was in San Franciso but he despised Falcon. No great loss - Falcon despised Kermit, too. He wouldn't give Kermit a drop of water if he was dying in the Sahara. Hell, he just might stand around and watch him dehydrate.

Max was in Oakland but he was next to useless, the Maxwell Smart of the Agency. Kermit, along with every other agent who met him, constantly wondered how the man got his job done with his stupidity...and how the man even survived his missions! Kermit figured he had a mile-high good luck streak but luck was bound to run out someday and there was no way that Kermit was going to entrust Savannah's life to him.

That left the third agent. The best and the worst. Kermit reluctantly reached for the phone and dialed a number. In twenty years, he still remembered it by heart. He had no choice. None. He had to put pride aside and call for help. That didn't mean that he was going to enjoy the process.

"Hello?" a breathy, familiar voice greeted him.

"Vanessa?" Kermit was a little surprised to hear her warm response on the other end of the line. Vanessa was notorious for screening her calls. More notorious for not responding to the sound of his voice.

<And who else were you expecting, Honey Buns?> The flirtatious tone selected to annoy her ex-husband bounced in every syllable.

"Some brainless college boy disguised as your personal trainer," he flipped back reflexively.

<Speaking of personal, did you have business or may I bid you farewell and hang up?>

"No! Look, I need a favor." It nearly choked in his throat. Asking Vanessa for help and enduring the incessant gloating to follow forced him to swallow an enormous chunk from his cache of pride. A meal he rarely ordered. The giggling that filled his ear pounded through his brain like a jackhammer.

<Hehehehe!!!!! You need WHAT??!! Help? From me??!! I don't believe it.> Vanessa's glee rivaled the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in all its splendor. <Okay, dear. I'll bite. What is it that finds you so swathed in ineptitude that you must beg help from a lowly female?>

"I need you to break into the office of a Nicole Harrison at Wolflicks in Hollywood. I need her files for the personal bank account of Wolf Gannett. Specifically, the account number and bank routing codes. Power of attorney. Anything else that might be useful."

<Things that tight, Kermit? If you need a loan, I could...>

"Shut up, Vanessa! This is serious!" His vehemence shot over the line and broke through her sarcasm.

<You shut up! Don't waste my time with a kiddie crime like this!>

"There's been a kidnapping and I have to have that information. Now."

Vanessa knew when the joke was over. There was no 'take it or leave it' in his tone. <All right. I could use the practice, anyway. We'll work out a payment later.>

Not willing to offer gratitude just yet, Kermit answered in his cut and dried style. "Good. I need the information by midnight. Call me on my private line."

<By the way, just who am I doing this for anyway, Kermit? If I'm about to ruin a perfectly good manicure climbing through a window, I'd like to know who the victim is so I could maybe have a motivation.>

"Savannah."

There was momentary silence then a heartfelt commitment. <I'll get it for you. Don't worry.>

Kermit tapped the phone back to stand-by and breathed a slight sigh of relief. The information was as good as in his hands. Vanessa was the best cat burglar he'd ever met. She could be in your house and on her way home with valuables in the time it took to wash your hands. Once committed, she wouldn't let him down.

"WELL??!!" Wolf, walking back into the office without knocking, had grown tired of waiting for an update.

Ignoring the frantic actor, he clicked the phone back to active and dialed another number. "Annie, how's my girl behaving? Good. I have a favor to ask." Kermit summoned his extensive catalogue of lies. "Can you hang on to Kat for a couple of days so that Savannah and I can go out of town? Yes, spur of the moment trip to some bed and breakfast she's been trying to drag me to for weeks. Great. Be back in two days. If you need me, just call the cell. Thanks."

Wolf Gannett's classic fear of the ex-mercenary was drowned out by his panic. Pacing and ranting, he spit his tangled emotions across the room. "I don't get you, man! Why don't we get all those cop friends of yours on this. FBI, CIA, DEA! I don't give a damn!"

Deceptively calm eyes stared back at him. "Because, my forgetful friend, we were instructed not to by the kidnappers who were after YOUR fiancée and grabbed MY wife in the bargain. Because whoever our boy is, he has enough surveillance on you and yours to know your personal life and I'll bet where you are right now." Voice still held to a incongruous monotone, he added, "And, because no one is better motivated to find my wife than I am."

The actor's knees gave way out of fear and worry, depositing him on the sofa. All of his money, his luxurious life for privilege had put the person he cared about more than anyone on earth in danger. Holding his head in his hands, he whispered, "What if you're wrong?"

"Statistics argue against it." In an uncharacteristic move, Kermit walked over to pat the younger man on the shoulder. The other statistic - the one that said the majority of kidnappers killed their victims - he would keep to himself. "We'd better head for your hotel room and wire it. That's the place that they're most likely to call."

"What can I do?"

Kermit sighed silently. Giving the panicked civilian something to do was always the hardest part for him. "Go to the hotel and wait for me. Be visible, move around, talk to people so that whoever's watching the hotel will notice that you're there."

Wolf dashed for the door, leaving Kermit to shake his head in bemusement as he grabbed a duffel bag and prepared to help himself to Blake's bag of tricks.

*****

That evening was the longest in Wolf Gannett's memory. There was nothing to do. A crossword puzzle book lasted approximately six seconds and People magazine lasted not too much longer that that. Nicki always knew what to do....

Kermit wasn't much better. Hooking up the telephone and wiring the room in case the kidnappers decided to visit didn't take much time at all. He studied the note that was left at the hotel until he nearly went blind. There were no clues for his thoughts to grab a hold of.

Finally, Kermit was almost bored enough to ask Wolf about his latest movie when the phone rang, startling both of them. Wolf jumped up but Kermit headed him off, blocking the way to the phone until he was sure the equipment was ready. Then, he stepped aside and nodded to Wolf to pick up the phone.

Wolf gingerly picked up the receiver like it was a live snake. "Hello?" he asked. Sighing, he said a moment later, "Out of rigatoni? Yeah, linguini's fine." He and Kermit, both dejected, hung up the phone. Thirty seconds later, it rang again. "Probably out of the beer I ordered," Wolf joked as he picked up the phone. Seconds after listening, he extended the receiver to Kermit. "It's for you."

Kermit took the receiver. "Griffin."

<Guess who, Honey Buns?>

Kermit turned his back to Wolf Gannett so the actor wouldn't see him grimace at the nickname. "Well?"

<The information is coming through over your fax now,> Vanessa reported. <One of the easiest jobs I've ever pulled. Files neatly organized, everything in its place....Think *I* could hire this girl to straighten out my mess?>

"Doubt it," Kermit answered. "Nicki's good but she's not a miracle worker." He decided against mentioning that organizing Wolf's chaos was a miracle in of itself. "So it wasn't that much trouble for you?"

<I didn't say THAT,> she retorted. <The alarm systems - THREE of them! - were the best on the market and the password on the computer was a bitch to get through. The frustration that entailed is going to cost you. Worry lines cause wrinkles, dear....>

Kermit frowned. "What was the password?"

<I should make you figure it out,> Vanessa grumbled, <but in the interest of time....'dwarves'.>

"'Dwarves'???"

<I had to run little Miss Harrison's personnel file. The dear is the oldest of seven kids....>

Kermit snickered. He knew that about Nicki but would probably have had a tough time with that password himself. "You're right © I owe you big. Thanks, Vanessa." He hung up before she could purr nonexistent fantasies into his ear as repayment. Turning his attention back to Wolf, he nodded reassuringly. "The documents are being faxed to the office. I'm sure the bank will be more receptive tomorrow."

"Let's go to another branch, okay?" Wolf Gannett had no intention to be humiliated a second time by Mrs. Mary Futridge.

Kermit was nodding agreement when the phone rang again. Wolf answered it and Kermit paid close attention, noting the look of shock that crossed Wolf Gannett's features.

"YEAH! I'm Wolf Gannett!!! Yeah!"

Kermit began the tracing equipment, as he gestured at Wolf to calm down and then whispered, "Try to keep them talking."

Wolf swallowed. It had been on the tip of his tongue to call this kidnapper every name in the book but that might anger them into hanging up. He choked down his anger and panic as he lifted the receiver once more. "Yeah. You have my fiancée?"

<We do. Did ya'll receive the note?>

"Yeah, I got it. You'll get your money. Just don't hurt her." Wolf looked at Kermit, who was gesturing to extend the conversation. "I wanna talk to her. T' know that she's okay."

<Before ya do that, I wancha ta' tell me somethin'. Is your fiancée blonde or a brunette?>

Wolf covered the receiver and quickly relating the information, looked to Kermit for guidance, who shook his head vigorously. Obviously, they didn't know who was who and the mistaken identity might be the only thing keeping both women alive.

"Sorry, man," Wolf told him. "I wanna talk to one of the ladies you got."

<No deal. Jus' get the money. We'll call back tomorrow at 9 p.m.>

CLICK!

Wolf hung up the phone as Kermit clicked his monitoring device off in frustration. The detective shook his head at Wolf's questioning look. "Not enough time for a trace," he stated sharply.

"Sorry I couldn't keep him on, man. He didn't seem in the mood for a conversation." The worry had begun to pain dark circles beneath the normally youthful appearance. He didn't care about how he looked. All he wanted was one little dark-haired woman safe and sound at his side.

Kermit's initial intent had been to vent his anger on Wolf for not holding the kidnapper on the line. The look on his face immediately drained his venom. Wolf had no experience with panic. Kermit Griffin had had too much.

"I know. Did you recognize his voice? Could it be someone who worked for you? Maybe a fan?" Kermit tried to redirect the man's mind into more useful territory than the realm of worry.

Shaking his head, Wolf answered, "No. The only person I know who talks like that is your wife."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, he sounded like Dollface. You know, with the accent."

"He had a Southern accent? How strong?" Kermit fought to keep his voice even, suppressing his excitement. A clue at long last!

"Pretty strong. He said 'ya'll'. That's good news?" He watched intently as Kermit rolled back the surveillance tape in the machine so that he could also hear the kidnapper's tone and accent.

"It's a clue. Any clue is good news." Gathering up his equipment, Kermit prepared to leave the suite. "All we can do tonight is get ready for the instructions we'll receive tomorrow. Maybe we can get a trace then. He said he'd call at nine, so I'll be here by eight to get ready."

Just as Kermit was nearly out the door, Wolf shouted, "Wait! Uh...you wanna just stay here, man? I've ordered dinner...I mean...uh...."

Normally, the prospect of spending time with Wolf Gannett was about as enticing as an afternoon spent covered with honey and staked to an anthill. But tonight, he felt compassion for the man. Shrugging his shoulders and closing the door, Kermit came back into the room. "Why not? Save me a thirty minute drive in the morning."

"Great!" Wolf grabbed the phone and ordered a second dinner for his unlikely partner.

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