Chapter 3

Start of the Investigation

Ranger Headquarters

Gordon Cahill along with his daughter was in Walker's office when Sydney and Gage arrived at work the next morning. Seeing them Cahill called out, "Francis grab you and your wife a coffee and join us."

"Dad why do you do that to him?" Alex scolded her father who was grinning from ear to ear.

"I'm sorry Honey I just can't help myself," he laughed turning to greet Sydney. Taking her hand he leaned forward kissing Syd's cheek. "How are you keeping Sydney? Gage still taking good care of you?" he asked her at the same time.

"Yes Gordon he's taking good care of me. You are looking well," Syd replied squeezing his fingers.

"No complaints my dear," he grinned as she turned taking her coffee from Gage. "As soon as Ranger Trivette gets her we can begin."

The words were no sooner out of his mouth then Trivette came through the door. Catching sight of the group in his partner's office he headed straight over.

"Hey Gordon," Trivette greeted Alex's father, "I hope you have some good news for us."

"I hear you are the one with all the good news," Cahill greeted him extending his hand in congratulations.

"Thank you sir," Trivette beamed back.

"Enough with the pleasantries," Cahill continued. "Lets see if we can get you and your little hellions out of trouble. Looking over these summons on the surface they look very flimsy but because of the way the violence has been accelerating in our schools we don't want to take the chance that the state or the country for that matter might not want to take a long hard look at things."

"So what do you suggest then Dad?" Alex spoke up.

"This David Stewart was the only one hurt?" Gordon asked.

"No Piper got a pretty good shiner that is why she kicked David in the face causing his nose bleed," Gage volunteered.

Gordon chuckled at the thought of little Piper causing bodily harm to anyone before clearing his throat. "I'm sorry," he apologized, "it's just the thought of your daughter… well a lot like her mother I think. When you get home tonight take her picture make sure you get a good shot of the eye."

"All right," Sydney agreed.

"Now we need to get the names of the other children involved in the fight because as it reads here it is made to look that for no reason at all Danny, Piper and Marcus just attacked and beat David."

"The other two boys that helped provoke the fight were suspended as well Principal Hart can provide us with that information." Alex spoke up. "Not only that he promised a full investigation into the incident."

"That's a good start I'll speak with him myself," Gordon told them patting Alex's arm at the same time. "I'm going to try and make this just disappear and go away but prepare as if we are going to trial. Is there anything else anyone has to add?"

The group all stared blankly at one another for a moment with everyone's gaze including Gordon's coming to rest on Walker who cleared his throat and began, "We are investigating John Stewart and his father on gambling and racketeering charges."

Cahill's hand went to his face rubbing up and down a couple of times before letting his hands rest on his hips saying to his son-in-law, "You are investigating him for racketeering and gambling. Anything else you neglected to mention to me?"

"Only that John Stewart is Sam Clay's son. He began using his mother's maiden name when his father went to jail," Walker continued to fill him in.

"Sam Clay's son," Cahill repeated. "This just keeps getting better and better doesn't it?"

"Daddy one thing has nothing to do with the other," Alex cut in.

"You really believe that Honey?" he asked his daughter watching her shake her head no. "In fact…"

"You're right Gordon," Walker finished his sentence.

"What? What are you two thinking?" Alex began questioning.

"That the kids need to have some sort of protection," Gage spoke his thoughts aloud as Walker shook his head in confirmation.

"I'll look after that right now," Sydney told them heading out of Walker's office to her desk.

Walker stopped her for a minute saying, "Not just the school Sydney the HOPE Center too."

She nodded her head and went to her desk and phone.

Turning back to Walker Cahill asked, "What is next on your agenda?"

"We are going to go about putting a stop to Stewart and his organization," Walker matter-of-factly replied.

"Fair enough," Cahill nodded and picking up his briefcase added, "Keep me abreast of things."

Walker nodded his reply as Gordon Cahill got up and Alex called to her father, "Let me walk you out Dad."

The two of them left passing Syd who was returning to Walker's office. "Sydney?" Walker questioned as she re-entered, "Did you get that profile finished on John Stewart yesterday?"

"I was just starting to scratch the surface when Gage came in with the kids," she answered.

"You and Gage go ahead and finish up on that," Walker told them then thinking aloud asked, "Have you met John Stewart does he know what you look like?"

"I've never made his acquaintance at all," Syd replied thinking back over the times she had been at the school.

"Good you seem to be the only one not to make his hit list," Walker commented, "maybe we can find a place to fit you into his operation."

Gage felt an uneasy feeling move into the pit of his stomach as he followed Syd to her desk where she turned on her computer. A couple of clicks and she had brought Stewart's face back up to her screen, Gage sucked in a deep breath as the man's image appeared.

"So what have you got so far Syd?" her partner asked leaning over her.

"The usual stuff nothing that is really sending up flags with him. He's just one step above the law," she mumbled as much to herself as Gage.

"What about David is he an only child? What about his mother?"

"Just a second Gage I'm getting to that… okay here we are… divorced a couple of years ago," Syd relayed what she was reading.

"No contest John got soul custody of David," Gage read aloud leaning closer to his wife as his hand covered her hand as she moved the mouse.

"Gage what are you doing?" Syd asked trying to turn around to face him but he was leaning to close for her to move his eyes still glued to the computer screen.

"Tammy Eastman," he was still reading the screen. "Think maybe we should drop by and see what that no contest was and why her son lives with her X-husband?"

His cheek was against her head and if she hadn't caught his attention by lowly calling, "Francis," he would have had his arm around her holding her tight.

"What is the matter with you today?" she scolded him bringing him back to the fact they were in the office.

"I… um… think I'm more worried about this lawsuit and Piper and maybe you then the case," he confessed pulling a convenient chair close to Syd's to sit down as he spoke.

"Me?" Syd asked making a slight face at him, "Gage what is going on in your mind?"

"I'm going to let Walker know we are going to check on Tammy Eastman," Gage replied avoiding her question.

"Gage?" she softly called watching him disappear into Walker's office. She decided she would let it ride until she got him alone in the car."

She turned back to her computer while she waited for Gage and clicked a few more keys and hit search her eyes lighting up as the results began popping up. She became entirely engrossed with what she was reading not noticing that Gage was once more looking over her shoulder.

"So that's why he dropped Clay from his name," Gage commented as Syd hit print so she could look over John Stewart Clay's arrest record deciding to let him drive. "Look at these assault charges no wonder David is like that. What is it they say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree?"

"Look at this Gage looks like Tammy new him when he was John Clay. She filed three different assault charges on him and each time the charges were dropped," Syd pointed out to him.

"Yeah and she married him any way," Gage commented dryly. "Come on Shorty lets go see what Ms. Eastman has to say about things."

HOPE Center

"Erica why don't you lay down for a little while," Josie asked watching Erica rest her head on her arms on her desk. The morning sickness was getting the better of Erica; she could feel her stomach rolling and the beads of perspiration on her brow.

"Oh Josie would you mind terribly?" Erica asked looking like death warmed over.

"Of course not I'll wake you in time to have lunch with Marcus," she smiled helping Erica to stand.

"Mom," Marcus came racing into Erica's office just in time to see his mother race to the bathroom to be sick again.

Piper and Danny stood on either side of their friend who stood wide-eyed with worry over his Mom.

"How bout you guys go back to what you were doing for now Marcus' Mom isn't feeling too good right now," Josie told them sending them back outside to play.

"What's wrong with your Mom Marcus?" Danny asked with genuine concern.

"She's going to have a baby," Piper announced before Marcus had time to say anything. "My Mom was so sick before Cat was born that Dad had to do all the cooking and the cleaning and we had to help. One good thing though we did get lots of pizza."

"I like pizza," Marcus said trying to look on the bright side of things.

"I heard Dad say to Mom that he had never seen her stay in bed so much ever not even on their honeymoon what ever that means," Piper continued on.

"But Marcus no matter how hard you think it is now just remember it is going to get lots worse," Piper told her friend hoping to enlighten him in every aspect of this baby business.

"Piper Torrie was a baby too once," Marcus interrupted her trying to let her know that he did know a little bit about all this.

"So you know that you have to be quiet and if you wake the baby up cause you are fighting with Torrie there is big trouble."

"Well yeah sort of I knew that," he replied looking at her.

"And I don't know how anyone so cute can smell so bad."

"Boy I hope my Mom doesn't want one any time soon," Danny said listening to the horrible tale Piper was spinning.

"Piper Gage," Josie cut in wondering what the child could be telling now, "Come help me with Cat."

"The thing that you really have to remember no matter how much you plead with your Mom and Dad you can't give them back once they are here," she finishing on that happy note.

In Route to Tammy Eastman's

Even thought Gage's eyes were fixed on the traffic as he expertly drove to Tammy's apartment Syd knew his mind was million miles away. Suddenly the cars ahead of them began to slow and Gage didn't.

"Gage!" Syd screamed out jarring him back to reality as he slammed on the breaks just in time.

"Gage you want to tell me what is going on with you?" Syd questioned her heart still racing.

"Honey I'm sorry," he got out gripping tight to the steering wheel making his way to the exit ramp and off the freeway. A couple of minutes later he had pulled into a gas bar and stopped.

Syd unbuckled her seat belt and scooted over the seat towards him and he instantly took her in his arms something that just didn't happen when they were working. "I'm sorry I don't know what it is about this the more I learn about this John Stewart the more I worry about you and Piper."

"How so Gage? We have only just opened this investigation we really know very little about him," Sydney tried to alleviate his worries.

"I've met him Syd you haven't. Yesterday at school he tried to get in Alex's face twice. You and I both know that Alex can be a pretty tough cookie when she wants to be. One on one in a courtroom most people don't stand a chance with her, but yesterday in Principal Hart's office I felt compelled not once but twice to put myself between her and Stewart. I think Principal Hart was glad I was there.

Anyway I told Walker the same thing before we left that he better keep close watch on Alex I just didn't like the feel of things."

"And he said?" Syd asked.

"He thanked me and picked up the phone to have guards posted outside her door."

"She's going to love you Francis," Syd smiled at her husband.

"It's worth it if she's safe. I just wish it was that easy to keep you safe," he told her pulling her close opening up a small battle that had gone on between them for years.

"Gage," she began as he joined her and they said in unison, "I can take care of myself."

"Well I can and you know it," she insisted.

"Yes I know it," he agreed to avoid an argument, "But this time is going to play out a little different. Stewart knows us all but you and if you go in undercover you'll be on your own with nothing but a wire. I just don't like it Syd and I can't get it out of my mind. I can't get that out of my mind nor the fact that the trouble with Piper isn't over yet or that she isn't in as much danger as you."

Syd sat quietly for a minute trying to think of what she could say to help him not worry as much. "Gage you are letting your imagination get the better of you."

He opened his mouth to say something more but closed it again knowing she was probably right. "Syd just promise me you'll keep a close watch on the kids and be extra cautious all right."

"Yes Gage all right. If it's bothering you that much I'll be careful I won't let anything happen to the kids or me," she told him in earnest letting her hands go to the back of his head and pull him forward for a very hot kiss even though they were on duty. "Now keep your mind on that Ranger Gage where it belongs and lets get back to work," she told him scooting back over in the seat to rebuckle her seatbelt.

Gage grinned at her wiping his thumb and finger across his lip before putting the car back in drive and heading out again.

~~~~~

Tammy Eastman lived in a dump in comparison to where John Stewart lived with their son David. Stopping the car the partners got out and headed towards Tammy's apartment.

"Did you get any info on Tammy?" Gage asked walking long side his partner.

"Nothing until she met up with Stewart, then there was a couple of drug related charges but she was acquitted of those," Syd replied.

Neither ranger had time to say any thing more their thoughts were broken by a loud scream and gunfire.

TBC