Chapter 5

Another Door Closes

Sydney and Walker drove in silence for a few minutes until Walker finally asked, "All right Sydney who are we up against here? Who could have known enough to bring Derek Shaw into the picture to set up Gage?"

Sydney quickly told Walker about Hunter Blake popping up again and Ken Rankin's comments about Derek and her. That Derek had hooked Rankin up with Blake to spy on Anna B and she and Gage were trying to put a stop to it.

"Hunter Blake that's very interesting," Walker remarked letting his mind wander to how they might be connected.

"Walker Gage is going to be kept away from the rest of the general population isn't he?"

"It's standard procedure but I had Trivette put a special request in for it as well. Gage didn't make sergeant by being nice to the criminal faction," Walker attempted to joke with Syd.

"Yeah sergeant one day murderer the next. I don't know what I'm going to tell the kids."

"That he didn't do it and we are going to find out who did end of story.

What about the gun? When was the last time you actually saw it?" Walker quizzed.

"That gun was my father's my mother gave it to me when he died told me I might need it for protection except I didn't even know how to load it. Derek used to say…" her voice trailed off. "That son-of–a… he knew I had that gun and I'm a creature of habit locked in a strong box in the back of the top shelf of the linen closet."

"I'm going to send forensics over there to look for Shaw's prints. At least we have a place to start. We have to find out who is working on the outside with Blake he can pull the strings but he couldn't have pulled the trigger," Walker speculated driving into the parking at headquarters.

Trivette and Sumner were waiting for them upstairs when they walked in. "Anything knew?" Syd automatically asked.

"The call about the murder came in right about the time it took place and it was an anonymous call. They even gave a tip that they saw a tall blonde guy throw something in a dumpster and take off out of there in an older model car," Trivette relayed the report.

"Great didn't they get the plate number too," Syd commented dryly.

The phone rang and Trivette picked it up, "For you Syd," he said putting it on hold while she went to her desk to take the call.

Walker quickly explained to the other two what Sydney had told them about the gun and Shaw. "Sumner you met him what's your impression of him?" Walker asked.

"Good looking man, ladies man, after what I heard him say to Gage I figure he was quite cable of doing all the things he was convicted of. If I had been in Gage's shoes I probably would have done the same thing," Sumner admitted.

Sydney came back into the office. "That was Jeff McDonald on the phone Gage is being arraigned today at four. He says the DA's office is going to be asking for a hundred thousand bail he's going to try and get it down but I should be prepared with that," she explained.

Glancing at the clock Walker suggested to Sydney to go with forensic team back to her place and that he would meet her back at the office by three thirty to go with her for the hearing.

She nodded slightly knowing she wanted to put the house back in order and had the bail money to arrange. "Yeah Walker all right," she agreed her mind still numb from what had been happening around her.

Sydney and Gage's

The fingerprint people had been to work about an hour as Sydney watched anxiously on.

"Almost done Ranger Cooke," one of them spoke to her. "We got lots of good prints I hope one of them pans out," the print guy smiled.

"Me too," she sighed before going outside for a breath of fresh air.

"Hey Ranger Cooke," the voice from their neighbour's teen greeted her.

"Hey Greg," she called back.

"Ranger Gage home?"

"Uh no not just at the moment, can I help you with something?"

"No it's okay he just promised to have a look at my bike that's all," the boy replied. "He's got his purring just like a kitten I know it's his bike the moment he starts it up. I'll catch him later."

"I'll let him know you were looking for him," Syd told him turning to go back in the house wanting to at least have the children's room put back together.

Headquarters

Walker, Trivette and Sumner were all waiting for her when she stepped into the office. All three had intended on going with her for moral support. Trivette's phone rang just as they were about to leave and they stopped to wait for him to answer it.

"Slow down Fred will you I can't understand a word you are saying," he said into the phone obviously speaking with his father-in-law. "What are you talking about? No she's not even planning a trip, Fred she's going to have the baby any time now. I dropped her at the center this morning… Fred stay put I'm on my way."

"What is it Trivette?" Walker asked.

"Fred and he wasn't making any sense," he replied picking up the phone to dial the HOPE center. "He said he got a frantic call from Erica that she was at home and that she had gone into labour and couldn't get a hold of me could he come and take her to the hospital." The line connected and he turned to the phone. "Josie is Erica there? Okay thanks," he replied after listening a moment and then hung up. Turning to the rest he began to tell them, "Erica had got a call from the school that Torrie was sick and she had better come get her. So she borrowed Josie's car and that was a couple of hours ago… I've got to see if I can find her you guys go on without me."

"Let us know what's going on all right Trivette." Walker answered for all of them.

"Thanks I will," he retorted taking off without them.

Alex was waiting outside of the courtroom for them. "This actually landed on my desk. I'm doing the bail hearing then I'm being excused from the case. I won't be opposing bail but I have to ask for a hundred thousand."

Sydney nodded her head in understanding and they all proceeded in. Gage was just being brought in his lawyer was standing waiting. Syd gasped slightly seeing her husband he had a bruise on the side of his cheek that he hadn't had that morning. The cuffs had been removed and he stood there quietly his confident self some how removed from the equation.

The charges were being read as they took their seats, Alex was standing speaking asking for the bail to be set at a hundred thousand dollars. Gage's lawyer was arguing that his record proceeded him and that he wasn't a flight risk. The judge said fifty thousand and banged his gavel calling, "Next."

Sydney hurriedly went to arrange the bail and in a matter of twenty minutes she had her husband standing beside her. "Let's get you home Honey," she softly spoke to him raising her fingers to caress his face and the bruise that was there. He nodded his head letting her arm go around him to head out.

Alex was the only one waiting for them in the corridor. "Where is everyone?" Syd asked.

"They've gone to Trivette's Erica and the kids seemed to have disappeared."

"Disappeared?" Sydney questioned.

"How do you mean disappeared?" Gage even for his predicament was concerned too.

Alex explained what she knew, "It seems Erica got a call that Torrie was sick, she borrowed Josie's car and went to the school to pick her up. When she got there she had Marcus brought out too and left for home. When she got there she called Fred to say she was in labour and couldn't find Jimmy could he come take her to the hospital. When Fred got to their place, there was no Erica or kids just a note that she needed time to think.

"That's it?" Sydney asked, "No explanation nothing?"

"What does Walker want us to do?" Gage asked forgetting momentarily what was going on with himself.

"Go home and stay put for now," Alex relayed Walker's words.

"And do nothing?" Syd asked.

"He wants you to concentrate on getting to the bottom of what is going on with Gage," she stressed.

"But Erica and the kids…"

"No buts Gage he was very specific you are to go home both of you," Alex recounted Walker's words once more. "Besides you both look like you could use some down time."

"We want to be kept informed about what's going on though Alex," Sydney firmly stated. "And please tell Walker and Trivette if there is anything no matter how small we can do…"

"They know that. Guys they don't like leaving you in a lurch like this either…"

"Tell them just to find Erica and the kids," Gage cut in hugging Syd close to him.

Alex nodded her head in agreement.

Sydney and Gage's

The phone was ringing off the hook when Gage opened the side door to let everyone in. Both Chris and Piper made a mad dash for it as Gage flopped into the easy chair in the family room totally exhausted from the day's events. Syd had put a lot of the stuff away but the room still looked like a tornado had past through.

"Mom it's work," Piper sang out to Syd as she took the phone from her hand.

"Chris you and Piper get started on your homework," Syd instructed sending them to their rooms before putting the phone to her ear.

Gage had closed his eyes his mind going over and over what it had been like to be the on the opposite side of that interrogation table today. The eyes being on him he could feel them even now. Slowly he looked up to find Cat standing in front of him smiling. She stood with her book looking at him until he opened his eyes then she proceeded to climb onto his knee. Winding her little arms around his neck she gave him a big smooch and then giggled just before whispering, "I love you Daddy."

"I love you too Honey," Gage whispered back holding his little daughter close to him fighting to keep tears from his eyes. Sydney had come to the doorway catching sight of the two of them. She smiled even though she cussed Derek Shaw softly under her breath for doing this to them. She stood watching father and daughter for a couple more minutes before taking a step back and clearing her throat to let her presence be known.

"Gage?"

"Yeah Syd?" he smiled still holding tight to Cat.

"Can I steal you away for a minute?" she asked. He nodded giving Cat another light kiss promising they would read after he talked to Mommy. They both watched as she scurried from the room.

"That was the print boys at the lab Derek was in our house. They got a print off the handle of the closet door and two off the strong box," she told him as she took his hand. "In all likely hood he took the gun himself."

"Now all we need is someone to believe it," Gage smiled at her.

"If they can believe you would hunt someone down and kill them in cold blood they can believe this," she smiled leaning forward to kiss him catching the bruise on his cheek. He winced a little at the touch still not telling Syd what happened.

"What are we going to tell the kids?" he asked still clasping tightly to her hand.

"The truth Gage it has to be the truth. They know you and know that it is impossible that you'd killed anyone. They love you Honey, they'll know that you didn't do it.

"I wish I could have your confidence," he smiled slightly at her.

"You do Gage we both have lots of confidence in each other its that self confidence we seem to be lacking." He had brought her fingers to his lips only to be interrupted by Cat who had brought her raggedy teddy bear with her to read the book with Daddy. She pushed her way between her mother and father to climb back in Gage's lap. "I know when I'm not wanted," Syd laughed as she stood to retreat to the kitchen. "I'll call you when supper is ready."

Erica and Jimmy Trivette's

A makeshift command post had been set up in the huge kitchen at Erica and Jimmy's home. An all points bulletin had been put out on Erica and the kids but as of yet there had been nothing. Erica hadn't returned Josie's car so it was presumed that she was still driving it. Both Fred Carter and his son-in-law racked their brains as to where she could possibly be going.

"Man one of the last things she said to me this morning was she could hardly wait until the baby was born so I could stay home and pamper her," Trivette told the rest. Now less then twenty-four hours later his family had vanished into thin air.

The phone rang jarring them to attention and Jimmy snatched it up. "Trivette," he snapped into the phone.

"Ranger Trivette, I'm Sergeant Peter Ross of the highway patrol I think we found that red sedan that you are looking for," the voice at the other end told him.

"They found them," Trivette said placing his hand over the phone before returning to the caller, "Thank God where bouts?" Walker and Sumner had both stood up as they heard their friend speak.

"We just found the car ranger," Ross was explaining. "It was out route ninety-three, it looks as if the driver missed the curve, went off the road and into the river.

Trivette could feel his knees buckling and dropped into one of the kitchen chairs. Walker took the phone from his hand and identified himself.

"Yeah Ranger Walker like I was telling the other ranger we found the car in the river but who ever was driving took off after the crash their was no one inside."

TBC....