Chapter 2
Later At Erica and Jimmy Trivette's Home
Gage stood with Walker at the corner of the patio watching the children play in the Trivette's yard. Jimmy had always claimed that someday he would have a spread like his partner instead he had settled for this huge old house, that needed a lot of renovations, that sat in a big old yard with lots of trees just made for kids.
"I have something I want you and Sydney to look into undercover starting tomorrow," Walker was saying to Gage as Trivette joined them.
"What's that Walker?" Gage asked turning his attention to his boss and away from the children.
"The Tyler Mental Facility," Walker replied watching Gage's face.
"And just what are we looking for?" Gage asked.
"Abuse of the patients, especially the younger, prettier, female ones," Trivette answered for Walker. "There have been two deaths."
Gage glanced at his wife she was talking with Erica and Alex. Younger, prettier, female ones he knew that is where Sydney came into this assignment.
"We thought that you could pose as a married couple and your wife is suffering with a nervous breakdown. That way you can have her committed."
"No way Walker," Gage interrupted standing firm. "If she is going in as a patient I'm going to be inside with her. There is no way I'm leaving her that vulnerable in a place like that. I want access to her at all times."
Walker looked at Gage knowing how he felt, if it was Alex he would be feeling the same way he nodded his head revising his plan.
"All right Gage we'll get you in working as an orderly at night, Trivette the same during the day shift. Sydney can pose as my wife and I'll sign her in," Walker told him easing his mind somewhat.
Once again Gage fixed his gaze on Sydney she caught him this time and smiled at him wondering what the three of them had been talking about.
"You want to explain it to Sydney and let me know later tonight what the two of you decide?" Walker asked.
Turning to face his boss he shook his head yes, "I'll talk to her once the kids are in bed, then give you a call."
The discussion ended with Angela Walker running to her father tears in her eyes crying, "Daddy, Daddy I'm never playing with Piper Gage again."
Everyone was looking at Angela waiting for the explanation of what had happened, what Piper had done this time. Angela was sobbing now as Walker picked up the wailing child.
"Why don't you want to play with Piper Angela?" Walker questioned trying to get to the bottom of things.
"She's playing with the boys and when I told her to stop she threw a big clump of mud at me," wailed Angela, "Now my new dress is all mud."
"I'm sure Mom can get it out," Walker soothed his daughter, while Gage stepped off the patio to find his.
Piper sat a top of a big mud pile with Marcus Trivette and her brother Chris driving cars, smashing them into each other all three laughing and having a wonderful time. Gage smiled the new pale pink dress her mother had spent two weeks deciding on was totally covered in mud as was Piper.
Suddenly Piper looked up and seeing her father shouted out, "Daddy," running to him her dirty little body wrapping around his leg.
"Oh Piper Lynn," Gage moaned knowing his suit pants were going to look like her.
"We're crashing cars Dad," Chris informed him.
"I can see that but we need you back at the house for now," Gage told the boys taking Piper's little hand in his. "Chris can you and Marcus run ahead I need to speak with Piper for a minute."
As the boys ran for the house Gage squatted down to Piper's level and taking her other hand asked, "You weren't very nice to Angela were you?"
Piper remained silent looking down at her muddy shoes she didn't like it when Daddy was not pleased with her.
"I don't think it was very nice to throw mud at her new dress do you?"
Piper shook her head no kicking the toe of her shoe.
"What are you going to do about it?"
"Say sorry," Piper replied.
Taking her hand they walked towards the house.
~~~~~
Sydney had just finished washing the mud off her daughter and left her to play in the water while she picked up her new clothes and headed to the laundry room.
"This dress is ruined I don't think I'll ever get all the mud out of it," she told Gage as she came into the kitchen where he sat reading the files Trivette had given him. Gage looked up and she held the little dress up for him to see.
Smiling up at his wife he put his arm around her and hugged her to him as Syd sighed.
"We can always get another dress," Gage told his wife.
"I know," she replied her eyes catching the folders she asked, "What's all this?"
"Our next case," Gage answered just as Piper called for Mom. "I'll go look after her," Gage smiled as his wife sank into a chair pulling a file in front of her.
Standing at the bathroom door Gage watched his daughter for a moment. She lay on her tummy in the water taking big breaths and blowing bubbles with her nose. As she came up for air Gage walked into the room asking her if she was ready to get out.
"Watch this Daddy," she responded once more submerging her face in the water and blowing with all her might.
"Very good," her father praised her adding at the same time, "But aren't you afraid of scaring all the fish?"
"There aren't any fish in here," she replied looking up at him with his own half grin.
"All the same I think it is time you got out," he told her lifting her from the tub and wrapping her in a towel.
Picking her up to carry her to her room she threw her little arms around his neck and kissed him whispering to him as she did, "I love you Daddy."
Gage hugged his daughter back repeating the words to her wondering how this loving little bundle could find so much trouble.
Later At Erica and Jimmy Trivette's Home
Gage stood with Walker at the corner of the patio watching the children play in the Trivette's yard. Jimmy had always claimed that someday he would have a spread like his partner instead he had settled for this huge old house, that needed a lot of renovations, that sat in a big old yard with lots of trees just made for kids.
"I have something I want you and Sydney to look into undercover starting tomorrow," Walker was saying to Gage as Trivette joined them.
"What's that Walker?" Gage asked turning his attention to his boss and away from the children.
"The Tyler Mental Facility," Walker replied watching Gage's face.
"And just what are we looking for?" Gage asked.
"Abuse of the patients, especially the younger, prettier, female ones," Trivette answered for Walker. "There have been two deaths."
Gage glanced at his wife she was talking with Erica and Alex. Younger, prettier, female ones he knew that is where Sydney came into this assignment.
"We thought that you could pose as a married couple and your wife is suffering with a nervous breakdown. That way you can have her committed."
"No way Walker," Gage interrupted standing firm. "If she is going in as a patient I'm going to be inside with her. There is no way I'm leaving her that vulnerable in a place like that. I want access to her at all times."
Walker looked at Gage knowing how he felt, if it was Alex he would be feeling the same way he nodded his head revising his plan.
"All right Gage we'll get you in working as an orderly at night, Trivette the same during the day shift. Sydney can pose as my wife and I'll sign her in," Walker told him easing his mind somewhat.
Once again Gage fixed his gaze on Sydney she caught him this time and smiled at him wondering what the three of them had been talking about.
"You want to explain it to Sydney and let me know later tonight what the two of you decide?" Walker asked.
Turning to face his boss he shook his head yes, "I'll talk to her once the kids are in bed, then give you a call."
The discussion ended with Angela Walker running to her father tears in her eyes crying, "Daddy, Daddy I'm never playing with Piper Gage again."
Everyone was looking at Angela waiting for the explanation of what had happened, what Piper had done this time. Angela was sobbing now as Walker picked up the wailing child.
"Why don't you want to play with Piper Angela?" Walker questioned trying to get to the bottom of things.
"She's playing with the boys and when I told her to stop she threw a big clump of mud at me," wailed Angela, "Now my new dress is all mud."
"I'm sure Mom can get it out," Walker soothed his daughter, while Gage stepped off the patio to find his.
Piper sat a top of a big mud pile with Marcus Trivette and her brother Chris driving cars, smashing them into each other all three laughing and having a wonderful time. Gage smiled the new pale pink dress her mother had spent two weeks deciding on was totally covered in mud as was Piper.
Suddenly Piper looked up and seeing her father shouted out, "Daddy," running to him her dirty little body wrapping around his leg.
"Oh Piper Lynn," Gage moaned knowing his suit pants were going to look like her.
"We're crashing cars Dad," Chris informed him.
"I can see that but we need you back at the house for now," Gage told the boys taking Piper's little hand in his. "Chris can you and Marcus run ahead I need to speak with Piper for a minute."
As the boys ran for the house Gage squatted down to Piper's level and taking her other hand asked, "You weren't very nice to Angela were you?"
Piper remained silent looking down at her muddy shoes she didn't like it when Daddy was not pleased with her.
"I don't think it was very nice to throw mud at her new dress do you?"
Piper shook her head no kicking the toe of her shoe.
"What are you going to do about it?"
"Say sorry," Piper replied.
Taking her hand they walked towards the house.
~~~~~
Sydney had just finished washing the mud off her daughter and left her to play in the water while she picked up her new clothes and headed to the laundry room.
"This dress is ruined I don't think I'll ever get all the mud out of it," she told Gage as she came into the kitchen where he sat reading the files Trivette had given him. Gage looked up and she held the little dress up for him to see.
Smiling up at his wife he put his arm around her and hugged her to him as Syd sighed.
"We can always get another dress," Gage told his wife.
"I know," she replied her eyes catching the folders she asked, "What's all this?"
"Our next case," Gage answered just as Piper called for Mom. "I'll go look after her," Gage smiled as his wife sank into a chair pulling a file in front of her.
Standing at the bathroom door Gage watched his daughter for a moment. She lay on her tummy in the water taking big breaths and blowing bubbles with her nose. As she came up for air Gage walked into the room asking her if she was ready to get out.
"Watch this Daddy," she responded once more submerging her face in the water and blowing with all her might.
"Very good," her father praised her adding at the same time, "But aren't you afraid of scaring all the fish?"
"There aren't any fish in here," she replied looking up at him with his own half grin.
"All the same I think it is time you got out," he told her lifting her from the tub and wrapping her in a towel.
Picking her up to carry her to her room she threw her little arms around his neck and kissed him whispering to him as she did, "I love you Daddy."
Gage hugged his daughter back repeating the words to her wondering how this loving little bundle could find so much trouble.