Disclaimer: Chuck Norris, Aaron Norris, CBS and others own the characters of "Walker Texas Ranger" and "Sons of Thunder". Any new characters and story lines that come into play are of my own creation and no copyright infringement is intended. This is a fan fiction intended for entertainment purposes only and I am not making any money from it.
Chapter 10: Warnings
"Hey, Kim," Carlos greeted as he set the coffee down on the office manager's desk. He was glad that he had been right and that Kim was at Thunder Investigations at almost five in the morning.
Kim picked up the coffee and took a sniff. "That smells heavenly."
"Wait until you drink it," he remarked, knowing that Kim would appreciate the deliciousness of the coffee.
"What's up?" Kim asked after looking from him to Lucy and back to him with a strange and questioning look on her face.
"We think Pilar might have an alias," he answered.
"We think alike. I was just looking into that," Kim reported, as she pointed at her computer screen. "I looked at those named Pilar who had once worked for Eli Parker. She had used her mother's maiden name, Flores."
"She knows Parker and the hit man," Lucy declared. "That's the connection we have been looking for but we still don't know why she went to Joe Smith's electronics store two days before Cruz was murdered."
"Tony may have found out about Pilar's past and he was looking into it?" He suggested, but he felt as though there were more to it than a passing interest.
"She was charged with prostitution," Kim filled in.
"Any other names pop up along with Pilar Flores?" He questioned rather animatedly, glad that something was coming into focus.
The office manager smirked. "Yes. In fact, it is a name that has occurred several times among Pilar Flores."
He placed his hands on Kim's desk and leaned towards her, knowing how she could get sometimes. "Kim, what's the name?"
"Daisy O'Mara."
"Alias?" The DPD detective questioned.
"Yup, her real name is Blanche Rose Fletcher," Kim answered as she shook her head and laughed. "Apparently, her mother was a fan of the Golden Girls."
"Address?" He questioned, that strange feeling he got whenever the case was beginning to get on the right track.
"I'll send it to your cell. Both of your cells," Kim amended, apparently having seen Lucy about to ask for it be sent to her as well.
"Thanks, Kim." Carlos said as he spun around and headed to the door.
"Yes, thank you," Lucy spoke sincerely, following Carlos.
"Keep bringing me this delicious coffee and that's all the thanks that I need."
"You got it," Lucy replied as Carlos motioned for her to go through the door first.
As they left Thunder Investigations, they headed to Lucy's car. "Let's go see Daisy. Hopefully, she will know where Pilar is or where she would go."
"Well, we can stop for a cup of coffee first. Who knows if Daisy is there at five in the morning," he suggested as he got into the car.
He watched as she nodded her head, but he knew that her thoughts were on Pilar and the increasing chance that the woman would be found dead. He hoped it wasn't true because it would be his fault if Pilar were dead. He had failed Tony but he wasn't going to fail Pilar.
Lucy was thinking about the case on the way to Daisy O'Mara's condo. The murders of Tony Cruz and Joe Smith had been on her mind. Eli Parker was responsible as was his hitman. She hoped that Daisy would have the information they needed to find Pilar alive.
She parked across the street from the condo. After she shut off the car, she studied the surrounding area and saw that some people where beginning to wake up, retrieving newspapers, walking dogs or even heading off to work, appointments and school. The normal hours of some jobs, that never really appealed to her.
"So, ready?" Carlos asked.
There was something in the private investigator's voice that she couldn't identify but she knew that he was anxious to find Pilar before Parker's men found her first.
"Let's go. She should be up."
"And if not, we are going to be waking her up," he remarked.
He rapped his knuckles on the door.
The door opened and the first thing that caught her attention was the painted nails that were painted red with white polka dots. The bleach-blonde hair
"I don't know where Pilar is at. I haven't spoken to her in, like, six months."
"If you do hear from her, please call," Carlos said as he handed her his card.
She knew that Daisy was lying. She could tell by the way that the woman nervously played with her hair. She also knew that if pushed too hard, they wouldn't get anything out of her. She knew that she had to try or Pilar would die.
Lucy took a step forward. "Pilar's life is in danger. Her boyfriend, Tony, was killed not long ago and we believe that she knows who did it and could help bring his killer to justice. You may not wish to be involved, but we know and you know that you are in deep in this as Pilar. Don't make the same mistake she is making by not helping us."
"Look, I want you two to leave." Daisy tapped her fingers on the doorframe and then pointed toward the street.
"All right, I've given you fair warning that your friend is in danger and you may be as well."
Daisy slammed the door and they could both hear the sound of locks clicking.
Carlos turned and looked at Lucy. "That was a little, harsh."
"Truth, Carlos. It was the truth." She turned around and walked down the narrow driveway.
"Right. You're right." He agreed nodding his head, his stride matching her quick walk to the car.
"Let's inform the others about what we have so far," Lucy said as she got in the car.
"Yup. Hopefully, this new information will lead us somewhere."
She didn't respond as she started the car, put it in gear and pulled out into the road. She tried to organize her thoughts, but all she could see in her mind were the dead bodies of Pilar and Daisy.
While Trent and Darryl were keeping an eye on Daisy's house, Sydney and Gage were staking out Joe's Electronics. Walker and Trivette were keeping a discreet eye on Parker and his associates. Carlos had already headed back to his apartment to get some rest and Kim was at Thunder Investigations working on ferreting out more information about Pilar, Parker and anyone else in his or her immediate circle.
Lucy stepped outside of DPD and was ready to head home for some rest. As she headed toward her car, she saw a man leaning against it. It was the reporter from the Dallas Gazette, Jake Snyder.
"Good morning, Detective Silver." Snyder greeted warmly.
"Mr. Snyder," she responded waiting for him to do what he came to do so she could head home and take a quick catnap.
He flashed an award-winning smile as he took off his sunglasses and his eyes instinctually squinted against the brightness of the morning sun. "I am honored that you've remembered my name."
"I like to know the names of the people I will be arresting in the future."
His smile didn't waver. "So, I was hoping that you and I could share information."
"I don't share information with reporters," she responded firmly as she headed to her car.
He came around the front of her car and placed a hand on the hood. "Well, we are working the same case."
She narrowed her eyes, keeping her gaze locked onto his face and not the hand on her car. "Mr. Snyder, the media has its place, but not in my investigation."
"Your investigation? I thought it was a joint investigation between you, your partner, and the Rangers."
"I suggest that you find something else to write about, Mr. Snyder."
"Actually, I find the case and one of the detectives in the case rather interesting." He explained, as he stepped towards her, his eyes locked onto hers. "So, I won't be finding something else."
Her eyes hardened. "This investigation is on going, and if anyone, and I mean anyone who interferences and disrupts this case will face something much worse than prison time."
He raised his eyebrows and nodded his head. "Ok. I have been warned."
"Yes, you have," she remarked as she opened her car door and got in.
As she drove away, she dared to glance at the reporter and she saw that he had the look of a man whose determination was stronger than any warning. She sighed and wondered if it was Texas that created these men or if she just happened to attract them.