A Friend to Assist by Katie 59
Chapter One
Walker and Trivette were on a stakeout outside a car garage in a better off section of town when Trivette asked him " Hey Walker does Alex know anybody that would be interested in going out to the opera with me on Sunday night? I asked Charice to go but she said that she had other plans for Sunday." Walker answered " Trivette if you want Alex to fix you up with someone ask her not me."
" I would ask her but Jollie and Swisher don't replace us until midnight. I can't call Alex that late at night and ask her to set me up with someone. Didn't you tell me that she has court in the morning? If I wake her up from a sound sleep she'll kill me." Trivette replied so Walker said " Okay. I'll tell Alex in the morning that you need a date for the opera. Now how about you go get us some food?" Trivette left to get them the food. After they had eaten the food Trivette looked at his watch and muttered " Why exactly are we here at this time of the night anyhow? Walker nothing has happened the entire week we've had this place staked out. Are you sure that we haven't been made?"
" Trivette did it ever occur to you that they are just biding their time? If this group is the one that's been stealing the antique luxury cars they have to know the heat is on them. A lot of people think that they killed that grandmother when she tried to stop them from taking her Rolls Royce. They could just be waiting for the heat to die down. When they think the coast is clear they will start stealing cars again. When they bring the cars back here we can bust the entire operation." Walker answered his partner who said " Okay you've made your point. Just wake me up when Jollie and Swisher get here." Trivette then stretched out as much as he could in the front seat of Walker's truck while sliding a hat down over his eyes.
When Walker arrived home he found Alex on the living room couch sleeping. After locking up he shook her shoulder to wake her up. After getting her bearings Alex asked her husband " What time is it Walker?" He answered " One in the morning. Why did you wait up for me? I thought that you had court in the morning?"
" I did but the case was postphoned until the defendant could find himself a new lead attorney. It seems like his last one had a sudden and unexpected heart attack. Judge Lorne agreed to the continuance over my very strong objections." Alex said to her husband as she got up from the couch. Walker put his arm around her shoulder to lead her to the stairs but Alex told him " Honey I put a plate of food for you in the fridge. Do you want me to heat it up for you?"
" I ate during the stake out. Alex I might as well ask you this and get it over with. Do you have a friend that would be interested in going to the opera with Trivette on Sunday?" Walker said to Alex who teased him " What are you matchmaking now? Was the stakeout that boring?"
" Trivette asked if you knew anyone but was afraid to call you himself. He said that if he called you after we got off of the stakeout at midnight you would kill him for waking you up from a sound sleep. To get him to be quiet for a little while I said that I would ask you myself." Walker said as they headed up the stairs. Alex told him " I'll call Gina tomorrow to see if she'll go to the opera with Jimmie. Then I'll call him and let him know. Not to change the subject but how about you check in on our children while I turn the covers down?"
Walker kissed his wife on the cheek and checked on both of his children. Seeing that Beth had kicked her covers off yet again Walker replaced them then he went and checked on his son little Cord who was sound asleep. Walker then went into his bedroom where Alex was in bed with the covers pulled up to her chin. He then questioned her " I thought that you told me you were going to turn the covers down?" Alex replied " Just as soon as you have your clothes off I'll turn them down." Walker quickly stripped and Alex turned the covers down to reveal that she wasn't wearing a thing. Walker slid into bed with his wife and pulled her into a deep kiss. After they were done Alex said " I've missed you this past week." Walker pulled her close while saying " I missed you too lady. How about I show you how much?" Alex didn't answer because Walker was busy showing her how much he had missed her.
The next morning as they were getting ready for the day Walker asked " When are you going to call Gina?" Alex replied " Around nine and if she says yes I'll call Trivette right after that to let him know, okay?" Walker nodded okay then headed downstairs to cook breakfast while Alex checked on the children. Later on as they were getting ready to leave the house the phone rang. Alex answered it to find out that it was her father. He told her " Alex I had to call you myself to let you know that the law firm that I work for is now defending Elwin H. Zane. As a matter of fact I'm going to be the attorney of record for him. So I thought that it was best if you knew this from me. I objected to the assignment but I was told to take him on or lose my position with the firm."
" Okay dad. Until this matter is resolved I think that it's best that we have no further contact." Alex formally told her father and hung up the phone. Walker questioned his wife " What was that all about?"
Alex explained " My father is now the attorney of record for one Elwin H. Zane, that's all." Walker informed his wife " If it's the E. H. Zane that I knew in Vietnam I hope that your father can help him. I owe that Zane my life."
" I hope that it's not because the one that I'm prosecuting is a slick con man who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. If it's the last thing that I do I will see to it that he goes to prison for a very long time. He's only been charged with physically abusing his step-daughter and smacking her mother while he was drunk. That is this time but he has a long rap sheet. He's skated on a lot of charges. Nothing major each time but still he should have been put in prison by now. He has this arrogant attitude that rubs me the wrong way." Alex informed Walker who told her " The man that I knew in Vietnam would never have done something like abusing his wife and step-daughter. He was always talking about how his mother had raised him to respect women. Zane was very respectful to anyone that he met. E. H. Zane is a very good man, one that I would be glad to call friend." When Beth neared them they dropped the subject of E. H. Zane.
Chapter Two
As soon as Walker entered Ranger headquarters Trivette started pesturing him about Alex finding a date for him " Hey Walker did Alex find me a date yet? What is she waiting for? She does know that it's Thursday already, doesn't she?" Walker calmly got his cup of coffee went to his desk and sat down at it before answering " If you must know Trivette Alex said that she'll call Gina and see if she'll go to the opera with you Sunday. And before you question me again, Alex said that she would call you after talking with Gina. Now have you've gotten anywhere on your computer search?"
Trivette went to his desk picked up some papers returned to Walker's desk and handed him the papers as he was saying " Now hear me out before you say anything. I think that grandmother's death didn't have anything to do with that car theft ring but instead had to do with greedy relatives. Edna Mavis had a will that left her considerable fortune to three of her four adult grandchildren. Now the fourth grandchild, a man by the name of Zachariah Dywer had a life insurance policy on her that paid double if she was murdered or killed herself. Just last month Edna Mavis ended up in the hospital from an overdose of sleeping pills and Dywer said that she was upset about something and may have intentionally overdosed. The other three grown grandchildren filed papers after that to have him removed from her home. A family court appointed a legal guardian for her who in turn had Edna Mavis' bank accounts frozen. It could be that this Dywer heard about the theft of high end cars and decided to make it look like a murder during a car jacking." After reading over the papers Walker said " You could be right about that Trivette. What about Edna Mavis' other Grandchilren? How much money do they get from her estate?" " The oldest one, Robert Mavis gets the bulk of the estate. Somewhere in the range of 50- 75 Million. The next oldest Roberta Mavis-Jentry gets 10 Million. Jasper Dywer, the older brother of Zachariah Dywer gets 5 Million. I was thinking that we could investigate all four of them to rule them out. Then if need be we can go back to staking out that garage." Trivette replied. Walker reading over the papers said " You'd do anything to get out of that stakeout."
Trivette told him " While I hate stakeouts I have a valid reason to investigate these people. Haven't you always said that we shouldn't overlook anything?" Walker replied " No. That was my wife A.D.A. Cahill-Walker who's pounded that into our skulls. But since it can't hurt to be sure, why don't you go ask Harland to see if you can get us off of stakeout duty?" Trivette was headed to Harland's private office before Walker had finished talking.
A short time later Trivette came out of Harland's private office with a smile on his face so Walker muttered " Great I hate being stuck in an office."
Trivette suggested " Hey Walker how about we go interview all four of them? You seem to be able to tell just by looking when someone is lying to you. How do you manage to do that anyhow?" Walker picked up his hat then asked " What are we waiting for?"
Trivette said " Well I was hoping to stay here until Alex calls and lets me know if her friend Gina will go to the opera with me on Sunday." Walker headed to the door while saying " We'll stop by Alex's office on the way." They entered Alex's outer office and asked if Alex was busy and her secretary told them " I think that she's free." Without knocking they went into Alex's private office where they overheard her saying " I undertand. Please tell Judge Lorne that I'll be there in twenty minutes." After hanging up the phone she said to them " Yes Jimmie, Gina has agreed to go to the opera with you Sunday night but wants you to call her first. Here's her phone number." Trivette took the phone number and went to Alex's outer office.
After Trivette left Alex's private office she told her husband " I have to go now. There's an emergency hearing in the Zane case. I'll call you later." She left her private office so Walker went into the outer office where Trivette was charming Gina on the phone. After seeing Walker standing there Trivette told her that he would call her Saturday and then ended the conversation.
They went and interviewed all four of the grandchildren and when they were done and headed back to Walker's truck Trivette said " He's guilty." Walker asked " Which one? Robert Mavis or Jasper Dywer?"
" What are you talking about? Zachariah Dywer is as guilty as they come. Did you see the way his eyes teared up when you asked him about his grandmother's death? Those were tears of guilt. You don't believe me? How about I bet you that I'm right? When he's found guilty you can buy me a dinner at LaMancha's. How does that sound?" Trivette rattled on so to stop him Walker answered " You'll be buying my wife and I dinner at LaMancha's when I win the bet. Trivette I'm not sure which one killed her yet but both Robert Mavis and Jasper Dywer are somehow involved in Edna Mavis' death."
Trivette scoffed " Yeah partner. This is one time your famed instincts are wrong. I can't wait for you to treat me to dinner." Walker just started driving. On the way back to Ranger headquarters they stopped by Alex's office to find the receptionist leaving for the day. She told them " A.D.A. Cahill-Walker is pretty upset about something. She was muttering something about strangling that man. I pity that man whoever he is." Trivette looked at Walker and said " She's your wife you have to go in there. I don't. See you later partner."
Walker entered Alex's private office and asked her " What's the matter lady?" Alex snapped the pencil that she was holding in half and answered " Judge Lorne is the most unreasonable judge that has ever sat on the bench. How can a sitting judge just up and remove an attorney from a case because they're related to an attorney on the other side?"
" Judge Lorne removed your father? Won't that delay the case yet again?" Walker questioned his wife who stood up so quickly that her chair slammed into the wall behind her desk. With a barely controlled anger Alex slid her chair under the desk turned off her computer and picked up her briefcase. While turning off the lights she finally answered her husband " No. Judge Lorne has seen fit to remove me from the case. Apparently the new lead defense attorney was able to convince him that my being the prosecutor on the case was somehow prejudical to his client, the slimeball better known as E. H. Zane. Judge Lorne removed me from the case and when I protested he found me in contempt of court. He then informed me that if I uttered another word of protest I would spend the night in jail. I shut up and he suspended the contempt of court citation. A.D.A. Holland is now handling the case. Since I don't have a court case coming up I'm going home for the day. What about you? Are you done for the day?" " No I'm not. We might have a new lead on the grandmother who was killed when her Rolls Royce was car-jacked." Walker answered Alex who said " See you later then."
Chapter Three
It was now Monday morning and when Walker entered Ranger headquarters Trivette got up from his desk and went over to Walker's desk while saying " Hey partner I have a feeling that this is going to be a very good day." Walker asked " And why is that Trivette?"
Trivette answered " Well for a couple of reasons. One of them being that Gina and I had a very good time last night. She's agreed to go out with me again next weekend and if I play my cards right I'm going to get lucky." Walker just sighed so Trivette added " All right I get the hint. I had the lab techs go back over the evidence from the Edna Mavis crime scene and they found out that the steering on her Rolls Royce had been tampered with. I talked with the owner of the garage where the Rolls was kept tuned up and he told me that the car had just been thoroughly inspected recently and that there wasn't anything wrong with it when it left their shop. He also said that he kept very detailed records on that Rolls Royce. That if we needed the records for anything to just let him know. Walker that means when we find out who tampered with the steering we can then find out who the killer is."
" I think I know where we can find out the answer to who tampered with the steering. " Walker told Trivette as he reached for his hat. Trivette followed him to his truck. They drove for a while until they came to a garage where Walker got out of the truck followed by Trivette who grumbled " Walker do we really have to ask 'Shady' if he knows about the Rolls being tampered with? You know that I have to fend off his girlfriend Star every time we're here." Walker didn't answer his partner but headed inside the garage. Once they were inside they heard the sound of a man in the office area pleading for his life " Listen man don't shoot me. How was I to know that old lady would end up dead? I had nothing to do with it. My old lady took a liking to this jerk and did that deal on her own." Walker kicked open the office door while Trivette said " Texas Rangers, freeze." The three men put up a fight but Walker and Trivette were able to subdue them. Once the police took them away Shady said to the Rangers " Not that I mind you being here since you saved my life. But what brings two Texas Rangers to my garage?"
" I think that you know what brings us here Shady. The death of Edna Mavis. Where's Star at?" Walker said to Shady who didn't answer so he got out his cuffs and cuffed Shady while Trivette read him his rights. Shady protested " What are you arresting me for? I run a clean business here and no one can say or prove otherwise."
Trivette answered " You're being arrested for conspiracy in a murder case. Which in this state means that you can face the same death penaly as the killer. As can Star. So if you know where she's at tell us now and we might be able to see to it that you face lesser charges. If you don't co-operate I'm sure the D.A. will charge the both of you as codefendants in a capital murder case."
Shady quickly said " Star is at the beauty salon over on Baldwin getting the royal treatment. When I asked her where she got the money for the works she told me that it was none of my business where she got the money. I know that she got it from the jerk who got her involved in that fatal car jacking. Hey I'll bet that jerk is one of that old lady's grandchildren. Why else tamper with her steering? He wanted to make the death look like part of a car jacking ring when it wasn't. Walker I'll tell the court all about that jerk. They will they let me go then, won't they?"
Walker shook his head no and started to lead Shady towards his truck but Shady dug his heels in and said " Please Ranger Walker give me a chance here. I can prove what I'm telling you. If you don't believe me go review my tapes from the cameras that tape everything that goes on in my garage. When Star brought that man into my garage I knew that he was trouble from the way she fawned over him so I kept the tapes just in case I was right. I have them locked in my private safe. I can show them to you. It can't hurt for you to look at them. Now can it?"
They went back into the garage where Shady produced the tapes and after watching them Trivette said " You and that damn intuition of your's Walker. It looks like you were right about the death of Edna Mavis. Shady you are going to have to come down to Ranger headquarters to give a statement in this case." Shady replied " Can we stop and get Star on the way? If you let me talk to her I know that I can get her to see that she has to tell you everything that she knows about that jerk." They picked up Star on the way to Ranger headquarters and after first refusing to say anything Star admitted her involvment once it was pointed out to her by Shady that she was facing the death penalty. As for the three men who had been threatening Shady at his garage they refused to answer any questions without their lawyers being present so Captain Harland told Walker and Trivette to go make the arrests for the death of Edna Mavis. That he would assign other Rangers to finish up the work on the car jacking ring.
After they had arrested Robert Mavis for the death of his grandmother he said that it had all been her fault anyway for threatening to change her will so that Zachariah Dywer would get most everything with Roberta just getting a pitance. While he and Jasper would receive nothing. Then he started screaming that he wanted his attorney.
Walker and Trivette then headed back to Ranger headquarters where they found Gordan Cahill waiting there for Walker. Trivette went to his desk to get started on seeing wether or not Edna Mavis had been planning on changing her will. At Walker's desk Gordan said to him " Walker I need your help. Now don't say anything before you hear me out. I was able to get Judge Lorne to agree to allow my client Zane into a diversion program for first time offenders but in order for this to work Zane has to clean up his act. Now when I talked to him about what was expected of him Zane expressed a great deal of remorse for his actions that night. He then admitted that he had struck his wife while he was drunk and that when his step-daughter tried to stop him that he accidently hit her too. Walker he told me that he had been drinking that night to drown out the voices that were haunting him from Vietnam. I can get him into a rehab place but not until a month from now. Until then he needs a place to stay. Do you know of any place where Zane can go? Can you help me out?"
" I can help you out. Bring him out to the ranch this evening." Walker offered. Gordan thanked him and left Ranger headquarters.
Chapter Four
Alex arrived home at her ranch house with both of her children to find her husband Walker already there. He had the children play in the living room while he talked to their mother in the kitchen. After they were in the kitchen Walker said " Alex your father has asked me to help him out with E. H. Zane." Alex warily asked back " Just how do you plan to do that Cordell Walker?"
" Your father told me that Zane needed a place to stay for a month until he was able to get him into a rehab center so I told Gordan to bring him out here this evening." Walker answered and when he saw that Alex was getting mad he said " Alex please hear me out. If this is the Zane that I knew in Vietnam I owe him my life."
Alex broke in to say " If this is the Zane that saved your life in Vietnam I will tell him that I'm thankful for that. But let me make this very clear to you Cordell. The man that I was prosecuting is not someone that I want around my children."
" Alex if he's the man that saved my life I owe him the chance to get his life back on track. So if he turns out to be the Zane that I knew I will let him stay here in our house until your father gets him into rehab." Walker told his wife who then said to him " Walker did I or did I not just tell you that I didn't want him around my children?" Walker was saved from answering by the doorbell.
Opening the door he found Gordan there with Zane who asked " Is that really you John Firewalker?" Walker answered as they came into the house " Yes it's me Zane. I go by Cordell Walker now. My father-in-law said that you needed a place to stay until you go to rehab."
" Yes I do. Would you happen to know of such a place? I wouldn't ordinarily ask you if you knew of a place that I could stay at since your father-in-law told me that you're a Texas Ranger but I'm really desperate right now. I want to get my life back on track and the diversionary program is the only way that I can do it. The judge wants me where someone is close enough by to help stop me if I start to give in to the temptation to drink." Zane replied as Alex came into the hallway from the kitchen. Zane then said " I didn't expect you to be here tonight Miss Cahill. Are you here in an official capacity?"
Alex snapped " My name is Mrs. Walker and I'm here as Walker's wife and the mother of his children. Now what's this about you needing a place to stay?" Zane answered " My attorney here was able to get me in a diversion program for first time offenders but in order for me to fullfil my end of it I have to go to rehab but they don't have an opening until next month. I need a safe place to stay until then."
Walker started to say something when Alex told him " Cordell I need to talk to you in the kitchen. Dad please keep an eye on the children." Alex went into the kitchen followed by Walker who told her " Alex that's the Zane who saved my life in Vietnam so I'm going to let him live here until he goes to rehab."
Alex strongly objected " Over my dead body. I know that you owe him your life but there's no way that I'm going to allow someone who I feel is a threat to my children to live in my house with them. " Walker rebutted " Alex he is not a threat to our children. Do you really think that I would allow anyone that was a threat around my family?" When she didn't answer he added " Alex don't you trust me? Zane is a decent guy. Honey you'll see that I'm right. Now how about we go out there and tell him that he's welcomed here?"
" No we are not going out there and tell him that he's welcomed there. Walker you know that I trust you with my life. That I have always put my faith in you to be right but this time everything inside of me is screaming that you're wrong about this man. If you're right I will apologize. But if we let him move in here and you're wrong about him it will be too late to protect our children then. Walker please try to understand this. Everytime I look at him I feel as though he's going to do something very bad and I don't want anything bad happening to my babies."
Walker answered " Alex he's staying here and that's final." Walker then went back into the hallway followed by Alex. Walker said " Zane you can stay here." Alex glared at Walker and Gordan who had noticed that jumped in " Walker how about that cabin that you have? Zane can stay there can't he? If for some reason he can't stay here? I should be able to get Judge Lorne to go along with him staying at your cabin by himself." He then told Zane " You'll like it there it has it's own kitchen and everything. You can stretch out as much as you want there while here you'll only have a bedroom to call your's. What do you say? Would you be interested in staying in that cabin if Judge Lorne approves of it?"
Knowing that he had to appear grateful Zane answered " Any place would be great. The cabin sounds like a good idea and I'm sure that Judge Lorne would approve of my living in a cabin on a Texas Ranger's ranch instead of living in his house with him where he can keep an eye on me." Gordan said " That's settled then. Walker I'll bring Zane back to the ranch and get him settled into that cabin tomorrow. As long as Judge Lorne approves of it. If not maybe Zane can stay stay here for a couple of days until I find find him another place to stay. Are you two okay with that?" Walker replied that it was okay while Alex said nothing. After they left Alex went into the kitchen to make dinner. After they had eaten in almost total silence Alex took the children outside to see the horses while Walker did the dishes.
After they had the children asleep for the night the Walkers went into their bedroom where Walker brought up the subject of Zane again " Alex why do you hate Zane so much? Aren't you the least bit glad that he saved my life in Vietnam?" Alex replied " Walker let me ask you something. Do you trust me?"
Walker answered " You know that I do but what's that have to do with the way you feel about Zane?" Alex went to where her husband was standing to look him in the eyes as she tried to explain " Walker you have always counted on your instincts and they've usually been right. I have done the same thing with the same results. But in this case one of our instincts are very wrong. If you're right everything will be okay but If I'm right and I really think that I am one of our children could very well be hurt."
Walker tried again " Alex he is not going to hurt either one of our children." Alex snapped at her husband " You may be willing to take that chance but I'm not Cordell Walker. So that means if you move him in here I will take the children and move out." This got Walker mad and he snapped back " You would take our children and move out on me because I let the man who saved my life move in?"
" No. What I would do is to protect Beth from a man who reminds me of Jethro Dwayne Robertson. Please honey I know that you owe him your life and because of that I won't say anything if he moves into the cabin. Although I would prefer that he didn't. But I can not have him living in my house. I have to think about the children's safety first." Alex said to Walker who went and looked out the window. Knowing that her husband needed time to himself Alex turned away from him. Awhile later Alex was getting ready for bed when Walker turned around to tell her " If it means that much to you Alex I'll tell your father that he can live at the cabin and not here with our family." Alex simply nodded okay.
Chapter Five
Zane was permitted by Judge Lorne to move into the cabin on Walker's ranch. After making sure that he was settled in okay Walker was getting ready to leave for his house when Zane brought up Vietnam " John Firewalker I mean Cordell Walker. Do you ever think about Vietnam?" Walker answered " It's Walker. Sometimes I do, why?"
" Well I hate to bring up bad memories for you but I was wondering if you when you had the time could talk with me about what happened there. A therapist I saw once suggested that I talk with someone who understood what it was like there. I'll understand if you can't find the time to talk with me. You must be a very busy man, what with being a Texas Ranger, running a ranch and then having a family on top of it. But I would like to be able to put that behind for once and for all so that I don't get drunk in an effort to drown out the voices. I can't hurt my family ever again. If you can't help me yourself maybe you can help me find someone else who can help me. I don't want to lose my wife and my step-daughter. They are the best thing that I've ever had in my whole life. So can we talk some day about Vietnam?" Zane said to Walker who told him " How about the two of us take a ride tomorrow after I get home from work? We can talk then." Zane agreed to Walker's suggestion and he left the cabin.
Walker and Zane began to take horse rides after Walker got home from work in the evenings and on every one of them Zane brought Vietnam up and how bad things were over there. Several times Zane talked about the time he had ended up saving Walker's life and when Walker had thanked him for that Zane had each time told him Walker that he was just glad that he had been in the right place at the right time. When Walker got back to the ranch house after his rides with Zane he was withdrawn and spent a lot of his time in his den. Alex not liking the way Zane was drawing her husband back into the past decided that she was going to talk to Walker about it. One evening when Walker came back into the house after a ride with Zane Alex stopped her husband from heading into the den by saying to him " Walker would you mind helping Beth with her homework?"
Walker answered " Why can't you do it Alex?" Alex carefully replied " Because our daughter asked me earlier this evening why you aren't spending any time with her anymore now that your friend is living at that cabin. Now Walker before you say anything else I know that you've been going on those rides with Zane in an effort to help him and even though I dislike that man I find your efforts to be admirable. But you also have two children that need you to be there for them. So I was thinking that maybe you could get Zane into some sort of veteran's group and they could help him when he needed to talk about Vietnam."
" Alex I owe that man my life." Walker objected to Alex's line of thinking but she told him " I know that honey. I'm not saying that you shouldn't help him out. What I am saying is that he may need more help than what you can give him. It can't hurt to see if he can get help from a veteran's organization."
" Okay lady you made your point. I'll go and help our daughter with her homework." Walker answered then headed upstairs to help his daughter with her homework.
Walker arranged for Zane to join a veteran's group and drove him there himself but after attending several meetings Zane told Walker that while he was thankful for Walker arranging for him to join the veteran's group that he just couldn't bring himself to talk to strangers about what had happened to him in Vietnam. That he felt more comfortable talking with Walker about it, because they had been there together. Zane then said that he hoped that Walker would still talk to him about the past but would understand if he couldn't. Walker told Zane that he'd be glad to help a friend out. The horse rides resumed and Alex was getting more concerned about how her husband was becoming more withdrawn after the rides. One night in their bedroom Alex brought up the subject of Zane and tried to gently suggest that maybe Zane was just using the fact that he had saved Walker's life in Vietnam. This bothered Walker and he told his wife in no uncertain terms that he was going to do what he had to do for Zane. That he owed the man a debt that he Walker never could repay enough. Alex then asked her husband " Did it ever occur to you that Zane is using his past connection to you? That his saving your life all those years ago was the one and only decent thing that he ever did? That he's conning you?"
" Alex for the last time Zane is my friend and I'm going to keep on helping him. Why can't you just trust me to know what I'm doing?" Walker answered his wife who stated " I trust you and you know that Cordell Walker but I don't trust Zane and I can't wait until this month is up so he can go to rehab and be living elsewhere. I don't like having him anywhere near my babies." Walker retorted that Alex knew how he felt and to drop it and they got into a fight. That night they went to bed mad at each other. Each one of them was convinced that the other was wrong and neither one was about to budge. The next night they ended up agreeing to disagree about Zane because neither one of them wanted to stop making love. They both knew that if they slept in the same bed that they couldn't keep their hands off of each other.
Trivette who had picked up on the fact that Alex and Walker were agreeing to disagree about Zane decided that instead of just treating Walker to dinner at LaMancha's that he and Gina would have a double date with Walker and Alex and made the arrangements. When Trivette asked Walker if he and Alex would go out to dinner with Gina and himself Walker answered " Yes Trivette that is if we can find a babysitter for that night."
" Alex already said that both C.D. and her father were busy that night." Trivette told Walker who then said " I can see if Zane can watch them."
" Not if you like breathing partner. Now Walker before you start defending your friend Zane listen to me. You can't ask someone that you really don't know to watch your children when their mother doesn't like this someone. Alex may or may not be wrong about Zane but that doesn't really matter here. What matters is that she gave birth to your two children and she has this mothering instinct that takes precedent over your instincts, no matter how right they may be. What I'm saying partner that if you want to stay married you'll ask someone else. Just to keep the peace in your marriage."
Walker didn't answer Trivette but he did leave it up to Alex to find a babysitter and she asked Josie to watch Beth and Little Cord that night. Zane went to Ranger headquarters to see Walker who asked him what he was doing there and Zane replied that he simply wanted to see where his friend worked. Walker nodded okay and started to show Zane around when Alex called to say that she would be stuck in court and could he get the children from daycare. Walker went there with Zane to get the children and when Zane got close to Beth she shied away from him so Zane said " That's okay. It's good to be shy around people that you don't know."
Walker put his children into his truck and asked Zane if he was getting in but Zane told him that he had his car in a parking lot nearby and that he had something to do in town. After he drove off Walker got into his truck where Beth told him " I don't like that man Daddy."
" Why not Beth? Did your mother say something to you about him?" Walker questioned his daughter who answered " Mommy didn't say anything to me about him Daddy. He makes my skin feel like it's trying to crawl." Walker changed the subject. When Zane found out that Walker and Alex were going out to dinner with Trivette he offered to babysit but Walker informed him that Alex already had a babysitter lined up. Zane then told Walker that he hoped Alex and Walker had a nice evening out.
Chapter Six
The next day Alex arrived home from work early with both of her children so she decided that they would take a ride and went into the barn where she saddled her horse while Beth started getting her horse ready. Little Cord would be riding with her in a papoose that was custom made for toddlers to ride on horses with their parents. Zane came into the barn and went over to where Beth was standing. He reached around Beth and grabbed Belle's reins as he said " Let me do that for you honey. My you sure are a pretty young thing." Alex quickly moved to where her daughter was and grabbed the reins from Zane while telling him " Mr. Zane I would appreciate it if you would keep your hands off of my daughter. As a matter of fact I want you to stay away from my family. Go back to your cabin that you conned my father and my husband into letting you stay in." Zane backed away saying " No need to be so...well I can't say that word in front of a child. On second thought I can. You lady are acting like a bitch and you know it. Acting like I was going to molest her or something just as bad. What's wrong with you? I was just trying to help her and you get all bitchy on me. So Miss A.D.A. go ahead and tell Firewalker your sick lies about me if you want to. He's not going to believe you. I saved his life once and he'll listen to me instead of you. He owes me, big time. You should grateful that I did that by the way. Otherwise you wouldn't have this cute little boy of your's. Now would you?"
" If you want me to thank you for the one decent thing that you've done in your life I will. Thank you for saving Walker's life in Vietnam. And just so you know, Walker owes you his thanks for you saving his life and nothing more. E. H. Zane I know that there's more to the story of you hitting your wife and step-daughter and I will get to the bottom of it. You are not as innocent as you would have people believe that you are. Now leave this barn. I don't want you around my children." Alex told Zane who smirkingly answered " Sure thing. I'll just take my ride with your husband later and tell him all about how ignorant you and your daughter are to the man who saved his life." Alex didn't reply to that and Zane left the barn. Later on that evening when Walker was getting ready to leave the house to go riding with Zane Beth asked her father " Daddy why did that man put his arms around me to take Belle's reins? Didn't you tell him that I don't like him? Mommy made him leave us alone after he called Mommy a bad name."
" What name was that Beth?" Walker asked his daughter who answered " I can't say that name Daddy but it began with a B and ryhmes with witch. You can ask Mommy what he called her, she'll tell you." Walker nodded okay and left the house. Walker went to the barn to saddle his horse only to find out that Zane had already set out on a horse ride. Walker caught up to him and when he did so Zane said " Hey Firewalker, I'm sorry I mean Walker. I have to tell you that I accidently called your wife a bad name earlier. You have my promise that I will never do that again. I'm really sorry about what happened but she was acting like I was going to do something bad to her daughter when I was just trying to help the child out. She all but accused me of trying to molest the child. You know me, I would never do anything like that to anyone let alone the step child of my best friend."
Walker drew his horse to a stop in front of the horse that Zane was riding on forcing him to also stop his horse. Walker got off of his horse then informed the other man " The only reason that you are still able to walk is because you saved my life in Vietnam otherwise you wouldn't be in one peice right now. Just as soon as Gordan gets you into that rehab center you are going to leave my ranch. Once you leave here you are to never come back here. Until then keep your distance from my wife and our children. Got that?"
Zane objected " Come on. I said that I was sorry and that I wouldn't do anything like that again. Why are you so worked up about me trying to help your step-daughter out, anyhow? If I didn't know better I would think that you were jealous about me showing an interest in the child. Before you turn your back on me over her I think that you should remember that I'm your friend and that you owe me for saving your hide in Vietnam." Walker snapped as he yanked Zane off of his horse " I owe you my thanks, which I've given you. Beth is my daughter, not my step-daughter and no one calls my wife a name, ever. Stay away from my family, or else." After shoving Zane away from him Walker then led the horses back to the barn leaving him standing there.
After getting the horses setttled into the barn Walker went into the house where Alex looked up from the T.V. when he came in then quickly looked away. Walker took the remote from her and switched off the T.V. as he said " Alex from now on Zane will not be anywhere near you or the children. I'm sorry that he called you that name."
" Did Beth tell you about what happened in the barn? I didn't want to bother you yet again about him. Walker I was really hoping that I was wrong about Zane but in the barn when he took the reins from Beth he reached around her to do so. Well his being that close to Beth made me very uncomfortable so I told him to leave her alone." Alex said while she was getting up from the couch. Walker then pulled his wife close and told her " Alex I told Zane that as soon as he was in rehab that he was leave here and never come back. That until then he was not to go anywhere near you or our children. Speaking of children, where are ours?"
" Little Cord is sleeping but Beth is still up. She was reading a book in her room. Why don't you tell her it's time to go to sleep? Then maybe we can go to bed ourselves." Alex answered Walker who teased " Are we going to sleep dressed or undressed?"
" Undressed cowboy." Alex teased back. Walker went upstairs to get Beth to go to sleep while Alex locked up for the night. A short time later Walker went into his bedroom where his wife was standing by the bed fully clothed. Walker turned off the lights causing Alex to tell him " I'll take your clothes off if you'll take mine off." Walker agreed with his actions.
Friday afternoon Alex was in her private office getting ready to leave for the day when her secretary opened the door to tell her " Alex there's a woman in the outer office and she begged me to let her in to see you. She looks pretty upset about something. She said that her name is Laverne Zane and that you had been prosecuting her husband. Can you see her?" Alex said for her to show the lady in then she could leave for the day so her secretary showed the lady in. After taking a seat Zane's wife Laverne asked " I know that you're not prosecuting Zane anymore but is there anyway that you can see to it that he's arrested for what he did to us?"
" He has already been judged by a court so unless there's another crime that you know he's involved with there's isn't anything that I can do. Did he do anything else that you know about?" Alex asked the woman who started crying while shaking her head yes.
After talking with Zane's wife for a good hour Alex told her that she would start the paperwork for the arrest warrant but until Zane was arrested that maybe Laverne should take her daughter and go to a woman's shelter. Alex then wrote down the contact number for a woman's shelter and handed it to Laverne who took it then thanked Alex and left the office. Alex picked up her phone and called her husband " Walker I don't have time to explain things right now but I need you to go to the daycare center and get the children then take them to Ranger headquarters and watch them until I can get there. Also tell Trivette that we can't make that dinner at LaMancha's with him and Gina. After I do the paperwork on the arrest warrant for Zane I'll come there and explain things to you. I'll call Josie to let her know that we're not going out tonight." Alex then hung up the phone.
Chapter Seven
Walker hung up his phone and looked over at Trivette who asked him " What's up Walker?" Walker answered " That was Alex, she wants me to get the children and bring them back here. She also said to tell you that we can't make that dinner with you and Gina this evening." Walker then headed for the door to leave Ranger headquarters. Trivette got up from his desk and followed Walker out the door saying " I'll go with you. Did Alex say why she wanted you to get the kids?" Punching the button for the elevator Walker replied " She said that she was working on a arrest warrant for Zane."
They got to the daycare center where the woman in charge told Walker as she handed him Little Cord " Ranger Walker there you are. I have to tell you that I don't like it when parents arrange for only one child to be picked up instead of both of their children. Now keep that in mind the next time you decide to have someone pick up your daughter while leaving your son behind." Taking his son Walker asked " Where is my daughter Beth at?"
" With your friend E. H. Zane, the one you brought in here the other day. He said that you wanted him to get just Beth for you. I must say Ranger Walker that your daughter wasn't very happy about it and refused to go with your friend but I told her that she had to go with him because he had a signed statement from you saying that you wanted him to pick her up. Mr. Zane then said something to her and she went without another word." The lady answered Walker who just stood there. Trivette took out his cell phone and called Ranger headquarters to tell them that Walker's daughter had been kidnapped. After ending the phone call Trivette said " Walker Captain Harland is on his way here to interview this lady. In the meantime why don't we go see Alex and find out exactly what Zane was going to be arrested for?"
Alex was ending the phone call to Josie when Walker and Trivette entered her private office. Hanging up the phone Alex got up from her desk and took Little Cord from Walker. Alex then asked her husband " Walker where is Beth?" Trivette said " Alex we need to know exactly what Zane was going to be arrested for."
" Child molestation. Walker for the last time, where is my daughter at? And don't you dare tell me that he has her." Alex replied. Walker told his wife " With Zane. He told the daycare worker that I wanted him to pick Beth up and showed her a signed statement. Alex I will get her back unharmed."
" Just as soon as he gets my baby alone somewhere he is going to do something very bad to her and you know that. So don't tell me that you're going to get her back unharmed because it's probably already too late. Get out there and find her. Don't bother to come back here without her." Alex snapped at her husband who turned and left his wife's office followed by Trivette.
A few hours later Alex got a phone call, the person on the line told her " Ma'am my name is Swanson. I'm with Dallas P.D. and I just found a child crying in an alley saying that he was going to hurt her. She told me that her name was Beth and for me to call this number to tell you that the police have her. Right now she's in the back seat of my patrol car."
" Thank god you found her. Officer Swanson please take my daughter to Methodist hospital. Don't let anyone else take her from you under any circumstances what so ever. Please do not let her out of your sight until I can get there. My daughter was kidnapped several hours ago by a man by the name of E. H. Zane who has an arrest warrant out on him. My name is A.D.A. Cahill-Walker and my husband Cordell Walker of the Texas Rangers and I will meet you there with our son. Also my daughter is not to be examined by a doctor until I get there." Alex answered Swanson who asked her " Can I ask you what this Zane has an arrest warrant out on him for?"
" Child molestation. I'll meet you there." Alex said then hurried out of her office with Little Cord. Taking out her cell phone she called her husband at Ranger headquarters " Walker, Beth was found crying in an alley by a police officer named Swanson. I told the officer to take our daughter to Methodist hospital and that we would meet her there. That she was not to let Beth out of her sight until we got there. I also told Officer Swanson that I didn't want our daughter to be seen by a doctor until after we got there. Meet me in the courthouse lobby."
Alex along with Walker who was carrying their son hurried into the E.R. at Methodist where they asked about Beth. After checking their I.D.'s the head nurse led them to a examination room where Beth was sitting on a bed with Swanson sitting in a chair by her bed. The nurse told Alex that she would have the doctor come look at Beth. Beth looked up when her parents came into the room and asked her father " Why did you let that bad man take me Daddy? I didn't want to go with him but he told me that you said that I had to because you had given me to him. Did you give me away Daddy?" After handing Cord to Alex Walker went over to pick Beth up to assure her that he hadn't done that but she flinched away from him so Alex suggested " Walker why don't you go with officer Swanson into the hallway and have her tell you how she found our daughter? I'll wait here with Beth to see the doctor." Walker left the room.
Swanson went with Walker and told him about how she had found Beth crying in an alley and saying that he was going to hurt her. Walker explained that Zane had kidnapped Beth from the daycare center. Swanson then said " If it's all right with you Ranger Walker I'd like to stay here to see if the child was hurt in any way." Walker nodded okay because he knew that if Beth had been harmed a police report would have to be filed. When the doctor arrived to check on Beth Alex came out into the hallway and handed her son to Walker then went back into the examination room without a word.
Chapter Eight
Trivette and C.D. approached Walker as he was pacing the hospital hallway. C.D. took Little Cord from Walker as Trivette said to his partner " Walker, Captain Harland told me that since a Ranger's daughter was kidnapped that our office couldn't handle the case. That Dallas P.D. are going to be handling it. Harland told me that Beth was found in an alley by a member of the Dallas P.D. Uhm Walker I hate to ask you this but is Beth? Well was she...I mean... Has she been hurt? Did they ...do...you know an assault kit on her?"
Walker exploded " For god's sake Trivette Beth is only ten years old. How can you ask me something like that about my daughter? She's a little girl, not a grown woman. What's the matter with you? Thinking like that about a child." Officer Swanson who had overheard the exchange said " Ranger Walker as hard as it is for you to hear something like that we do need to know if the child has been harmed in any way and that does includes the way an adult woman can be hurt by a man. I called my captain and he told me that since I found your daughter hiding in the alley to get a statement from her. So with the permission of you and your wife I would like to do that. That is if the doctor says that it's okay. We need to find out what to charge E. H. Zane with besides kidnapping."
When Walker started to protest again C.D. told him " Son you know that it has to be done. Just let the Officer do her job." Walker resumed his pacing. A short time later the doctor left the examination room where Beth was at. Walker went into it followed by Officer Swanson who asked " Beth can you tell me what happened after you were taken from the child care center?'
" Do I have to tell you in front of my Daddy? Can just my Mommy be here while I tell you?" Beth questioned Swanson who looked at Alex so she said " Yes honey just Mommy will be here when you tell Officer Swanson what happened. Your Daddy will be out in the hallway waiting with Uncle Jimmie, Grandpa C.D. and Little Cord." Walker left the room taking his son with him. Alex followed him out into the hallway to tell him " Walker the doctor didn't find any signs of...well you know what but Beth does have several bruises on her upper arms and there are what appear to be welts on her doctor also said that it looks like Beth sprained her right ankle. I'll tell you more later but right now I have to be with her while she talks to Officer Swanson."
After Alex returned to the room Beth was in Walker stated " I'm going to find Zane and make him pay for what he did to Beth." Trivette grabbed Walker's arm to stop him from leaving while C.D. told him " No you are not Cordell. In the state that you are in you are not going anywhere." Walker ignored C.D. and shrugged off Trivette's hands. Trivette then said to him " Walker if you find Zane you and I both know that you will be acting like a wronged father and not the Texas Ranger that you are. I know that this is tearing you up inside but you have to let Dallas P.D. handle it because if you don't you will have thrown your family away just to get revenge. You are going to have to stay here, not just for yourself and your future in the Rangers but for your wife and daughter. Alex and Beth are going to need you at home with them and not sitting in a jail cell awaiting trial for killing Zane. Think about them before you do anything, okay?" When Walker stopped walking away from them Trivette said " How about I go get us some coffee?" After Trivette went to get the coffee C.D. told Walker " Jimmie was right you know. Your family needs you now more than ever. Zane will pay for what he did to Beth. The justice system will see to it." Walker nodded that he knew Trivette had been right.
About fifteen minutes later Beth came out into the hallway followed by Officer Swanson and Alex. Beth went limping to her father to tell him " Daddy, Officer Swanson said that I was a brave little girl to get away from that bad man like I did." Walker answered his daughter " That you were honey. How about we go home now?" Beth said " Okay Daddy but can you carry me to the truck? The lady doctor told me that I should keep my weight off of my leg that I hurt when I ran away from the bad man." Walker picked up his daughter as C.D. and Trivette both said that they thought Beth had been a brave little girl too. She then told them " I had to get away from that bad man because he kissed me like Daddy kisses Mommy when he thinks we're not looking. Mommy told me one time when I asked her why her and Daddy kissed each other like that and didn't kiss me or the baby like that that was how adults who loved each other kissed. That adults kissed children differently. So when he kissed me like I was an adult and not a child I scratched him in the eyes then kicked him as hard as I could below where he had his belt. Before he kissed me he smacked me in the back with his belt a couple of times when I told him that I wanted my Daddy. When I told him that I was going to tell Mommy about him hitting me with his belt he grabbed my arms and shook me until I started to cry, then he stopped shaking me. Uncle Jimmie, Grandpa C.D., Mommy once told me that if ever someone tried to take me that I should try to scratch his eyes out then kick him as hard as I could below his belt. When I kicked that bad man there he let my arm go and fell to the ground. I ran away from him as fast as I could."
Alex wiped a few tears away so Beth told her " Mommy why are you crying? Did someone hurt you?" Alex answered " No sweetheart. No one hurt me. I'm just glad that my baby is okay. That's all." Beth replied " Mommy, Little Cord is your baby, not me. I'm Daddy's big girl."
Walker said to his daughter " That you are, now and forever." Officer Swanson took Alex aside and said to her " I'll file my report as soon as I get back to headquarters. In the meantime should Beth remember anything else please don't hesitate to call headquarters." Alex replied " I will Officer Swanson. Thank you for being there for my daughter." Swanson told Alex that she had just been doing her job and left. As Walker was putting Beth into the truck she asked him " Daddy when I kicked that bad man below his belt why did he fall to the ground? Did I hurt him?" Walker looked at Alex who answered their daughter " Beth all that matters is that you remembered what I taught you and that you used it to get away from that bad man who's going to be put in jail where he can't ever hurt you again."
Beth then said " Good Mommy because he was really bad to take me away from you and Daddy. I hope he stays in jail forever." Alex answered " I do too Beth." After they had the children home Beth asked if they could have pizza for dinner and Walker said that he would go get it. Alex followed him outside to ask " Walker how long will you be gone?" Walker answered " Just long enough to get pizza, you have my word." Alex nodded okay and he left.
When Walker got back home with the pizza he found his father-in-law waiting on the porch for him. Gordan said " Walker I can't begin to tell you how sorry that I am that I went along with E.H. Zane staying here. Will you ever forgive me?" Walker replied " Gordan there's nothing to forgive you for. I know that you were just doing your job. If anyone needs forgiveness it's me. Alex told me that she didn't want Zane around her children but I told her that he wasn't a threat to them. I was wrong and now Beth has been hurt because of me."
A shocked Gordan asked " Walker are you trying to tell me that my grandaughter was sexually assaulted by my former client?" Walker quickly assured him " No. What I meant was that Beth has bruises on her arms, welts on her back and a sprained ankle. Beth was able to get away from him by doing what Alex had told her to do should someone ever take her from her family. I'm sorry Gordan."
" Walker we should really talk about this some other time but for now how about we enjoy eating pizza with our family?" Gordan suggested to Walker who followed him into the house with the pizza. Later on after Gordan had left the house Alex told her daughter " Beth it's past your bedtime. Come upstairs with me while I run your bath for you." Beth kissed her father goodnight and went upstairs. After Alex had Beth asleep she returned back downstairs. Walker who came into the living room from the kitchen said " That was Trivette, Zane has been arrested and is in the county jail."
" I checked Beth over when she was taking her bath and I didn't see anything else wrong with her. Thank god she was able to get away before..." Alex trailed off getting upset by the thought of what could have happened to her daughter. Walker went to his wife and pulled her into his arms. After Alex calmed down he asked her " Alex will you ever be able to forgive me for placing Beth in danger?" Alex looked into his eyes while answering " You did not place our daughter in danger Cordell. Yes, Beth has some bruises but they will heal. She could have been hurt a lot worse than she was but she wasn't. Let's just be grateful for that, shall we?" Alex said to her husband who told her " I am Alex, I am."