Author's Note: FINALLY! I've done it, folks – I've completed this story. But before I let you read the conclusion, I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed this little piece of fiction. Really, reviews are the only thing that keep me writing. I couldn't have done it without you – enjoy!
Gage's call to Trivette proved extremely valuable to the case, as the senior Ranger revealed information he'd recently found that cleared up the niggling questions both Sydney and Gage had been wrestling with concerning Mary Tyler and her behavior. When the last piece of the puzzle fell into place, Gage's face lit up with surprise, drawing an interested stare from Sydney, who was keeping watch at the window while he talked on the phone. (Their wandering discovery of the previous night had reminded the two of the potentially dangerous situation they were in and the necessity for tight security in order to assure their own safety and the integrity of the case.)
"I'll call you soon, Jimmy," Gage concluded the call. "And thanks."
"You will never believe this," Gage was speaking to his partner almost before the phone was away from his ear. "Loretta Timmerson is crazy."
"Gage," Sydney frowned. "You may not like her all that well but that's…"
"No, you don't get it," he cut her off. "She's crazy – like in the head. Certifiable. Trivette did some research and apparently she hasn't been quite right since their daughter's death. Frank subsequently murdering that doctor didn't help things, I'm sure. He even had her committed at one time, which is how Trivette came across the information in the first place. Apparently she's created this false world and moved in, so to speak, to the point where she has no idea what's going on anymore. Based on what he knows, Trivette doesn't even think she realizes that her husband is a killer and she probably thinks she's on an actual trip to this resort."
"I guess that explains a lot of her behavior," Sydney wrinkled her forehead in thought. "But what about the file room? She was definitely looking for our file and there would be no reason for her to do that unless she was in on this entire plan."
"Got that one covered too," Gage told her, seating himself at the table and facing his partner. "Loretta used to work in Frank's office as a receptionist and file clerk. Undoubtedly he somehow convinced her that they were still at the office and she needed to pull our file for him. He probably figured that if she got caught she could feed a believable story to whoever saw her and Frank would still be in the clear."
"So it sounds like the real mastermind behind this whole thing is Frank Timmerson," Sydney concluded thoughtfully. She gave a rueful shrug. "And to think we wanted to pin this on Dr. Ehrlich from Day One."
"After that first couples' therapy session, can you blame us?" Gage asked her in a pained voice.
"I didn't say it wasn't justified," she responded with a smile, then added, "And speaking of Dr. Ehrlich, I assume we're thinking the same thing about what our next move should be."
Gage nodded. "Go in, tell him who we are and why we're here, and get him to roll on Frank Timmerson."
"You got it," Sydney agreed.
Gage stood and stretched. "Shall we get to it then? The sooner we wrap this case, the sooner we can stop attending our couples' sessions."
"Oh come on Gage," Sydney stood too and gave him a teasing look, "weren't you the one who told me when we got the assignment that this might be a good thing?"
"I think it was Walker who said that," he told her as they headed for the door.
"We should send he and Alex to one of these things and see if he still thinks that when they're through," Sydney suggested.
"I'm not touching that idea," her partner said. "If he sent us to couples' therapy for fighting in the office, imagine what sort of awful place he'd dream up to send us next."
***
Getting a private appointment with Dr. Ehrlich, the two Rangers had learned during their stay, required either very early planning or a marital emergency. Due to their time constraint, the pair chose the latter as their means of entry into his office following the morning sessions. It was agreed that they would feign a major argument in the lobby of the main lodge within hearing distance of his office, something that came surprisingly easily to them despite the fact that they'd been getting along very well since the night of their incredibly revealing argument. Apparently there was some validity to the saying that old habits died hard after all.
"I can't believe you would say such a thing!" Sydney screamed at Gage as they entered the front door, pretending to be on their way to the dining hall.
"I didn't mean it that way!" he pleaded, following her lead.
"I think that's the most hurtful thing you've ever said to me!" She sounded genuinely wounded and Gage almost smiled at how convincing she was, then reminded himself that she might actually be drawing on personal experience with him for her performance and maintained his frown.
"Well I'm sorry that you took it that way," he feigned confusion at her behavior, "but you interpreted it all wrong. If you want me to take it back, I will."
"Take it back?" she screamed. "How can you take something like that back?"
The girls behind the front desk were staring, open-mouthed and Gage saw one of them lift the phone to her ear, undoubtedly calling the doctor to report the trouble. He decided to give the situation a little nudge.
"Look," he lowered his voice and pretended to be mortified by her behavior, "you're making a scene and I think this is best discussed somewhere else…"
He stepped forward and placed a hand on Sydney's arm, not at all surprised when she slapped it away and fighting the urge to smile once again as he saw the smoldering quality her dark eyes had acquired during their exchange. He could admit to himself now that that was undoubtedly one of the reasons he had always liked fighting with her in general because, though it sounded corny and overused, she really was beautiful when she was angry. Eyes glowering and cheeks flushed, she was irresistible. Still, Gage vowed never to tell her at the risk of physical harm to his person. After all, she could be rather scary sometimes – attractive, but scary. Right now, for example, she was walking the fine line between the two extremes as she spat another angry sentence in his direction.
"Making a scene?" Her eyes met his and he noticed that she was fully in character. Always the professional, he knew she would never let anything get in the way of her job – not even the ridiculousness of this particular situation or her recent admission that she loved him. "Oh, I hope I'm not embarrassing you, John! After all, I would hate to let the entire resort know that you're a mean and spiteful person – whatever would all of these perfect strangers think of us?"
"Elena!" he hissed, looking furtively around him. "Let's go."
"No!" She pulled herself up to her full height, which only served to emphasize her shortness in comparison to him.
Dr. Ehrlich rushed out of his office and over to them, crying, "John! Elena! What is going on here?"
"He," Sydney pointed an accusatory finger at her partner, "is completely vindictive and hurtful and I hate him."
Gage had to work to swallow back a complete guffaw as he noticed that the only thing separating his partner's behavior at that moment from that of a four-year-old having a tantrum was a stomping foot. Yet as soon as he thought that very thing, she added the stomp for emphasis and he had to fight the laughter again.
Thankfully Ehrlich didn't seem to notice. Instead, he waved the couple distractedly into his office, saying, "Let's discuss this in private, shall we?"
The Rangers followed him dutifully, assuming a walk that, had they been dogs, would have put their tails between their legs. Still, the glance they exchanged as Ehrlich closed the door behind them was the equivalent of a high-five.
Ehrlich seated himself at his desk, folding his hands before him and looking at the pair over the tops of his glasses. "All right, John and Elena – what's going on?"
Sydney and Gage exchanged another look that, had Ehrlich been paying closer attention, would have revealed a complete one hundred and eighty degree turn in their behavior. The anger had vanished completely and had been replaced with the harmony that accompanied the pair's working relationship.
Gage offered casually, "Well, from what we can tell, this couples' resort is being used as a front for a black market organ-selling operation, doctor. That in itself is pretty big, but is there anything else going on that we should know about?"
Ehrlich's face whitened in shock and his mouth opened and closed several times without making any sounds. When the words came, they were scattered and gasped: "How…? Wha-? Um…"
"We're Texas Rangers," Sydney supplied, her tone very assured.
"Rangers," he repeated blankly. His hands flew to his face and he seemed to be feeling himself in order to find out if he was still physically there. "I knew something like this would happen and I told them…"
"Dr. Ehrlich," Sydney began, her voice level the way it was whenever she dealt with suspects and anyone who was upset, "my partner and I overheard the conversation you and your wife had with Dr. and Mrs. Timmerson in this building last night. We know about the ring and we know that Frank Timmerson is the head of everything."
"Then you also know about my, um…" he faltered.
"We know about your medical boards," Gage finished his sentence for him. "We know about Loretta Timmerson's history of mental instability as well."
"Am I under arrest?" the doctor looked at them with pleading eyes.
"That depends on you," Sydney told him. "You see, we know everything but we can't substantiate it. You know how the courts work these days – we need hard evidence in order to get a conviction. I assume that you have such evidence and, if you're willing to share it with us, I think we can persuade the D.A. to come up with a deal for you and your wife."
"What do you need?" he asked quickly, hands shaking as he folded them before him on the desk.
Gage and Sydney exchanged another visual high-five and Gage responded coolly: "What have you got?"
"Everything," the doctor told him earnestly. "I have records, files, e-mails, faxes – you name it. They go all the way back to the first victim."
"You're a very thorough man," Sydney observed in a tone that neared admiration. "How is it that you've managed to have all of those problems with your medical license?"
"Let's just say that I'm not so thorough about everything and leave it at that," Ehrlich demurred, rising to his feet. "Shall I take you to the files now?"
"Lead the way," Gage replied, standing as well, Sydney beside him.
At the door to his office, Ehrlich paused before opening it and shook his head in disbelief, turning back to say, "So you're really Texas Rangers?"
Sydney nodded. "I'm Ranger Cooke. He's Ranger Gage."
Ehrlich shook his head again. "Well you gave a very convincing performance. I could have sworn you really were married – especially after that incident in the file room the other day."
Sydney didn't have to look at her partner to know that his face had gone red because she felt her own cheeks flush instantly at the memory. Determined not to appear rattled, however, she told him evenly, "Let's just say we're committed to our work and leave it at that."
Ehrlich seemed content with her reply and opened the door – only to run right into the rigid form of Frank Timmerson, who was pointing a gun at chest level.
"Mr. Tyler!" Ehrlich exclaimed, as though hoping that he could hold onto the fake world that it seemed he shared with Loretta Timmerson.
"Cut the crap, Gregory," Timmerson snapped, gesturing with the gun that he and the Rangers should move back into the office. "I knew you'd turn me in the first chance you got and now here we are. It's a fine mess you've gotten us into."
"Sounds like you created the mess in the first place," Gage put in from his position beside Ehrlich, crossing his arms defiantly over his chest.
"Is that so, John?" Timmerson countered. "Or should I say, Ranger?"
"It's about time we dropped the pretenses anyway, Frank," was Gage's pointed reply, his gaze never wavering. Beside him, Sydney was also standing her ground, her own eyes darting back and forth between Ehrlich and Timmerson.
Timmerson chuckled. "Well now that we're all acquainted, let's get down to business, shall we? You know all about what I do and I know everything I want to know about what you do so this should be pretty simple. See, you're the lucky pair that was chosen to be the next donors to my little organ gathering program anyway. Now that you know all about it, I think we should up the ante, though. In fact, why don't we all move into the back room of this building and get to work, Rangers. Gregory, you'll assist with the procedure, of course."
"Much as I'd like to help," Gage cut him off in a jovial, yet guarded tone, "I don't think that's going to be possible today."
"Why not?" Timmerson's eyes narrowed and his grip on the gun tightened.
"Well, you see it's my partner here," Gage told him. "She's really against the idea of donating her organs while she's still using them and I have to say that I can't blame her, really – I'm pretty attached to mine as well."
Timmerson's gaze never left Gage's face – which was exactly what the blond Ranger was counting on, as it gave Sydney a chance to inch slightly to the side, placing her perfectly perpendicular to Timmerson and his outstretched weapon. The instant he noticed her, she was ready with a swift kick that dislodged the gun from his hands and sent it flying into Gage's firm grasp.
With a shrug and a smirk, the Ranger told Timmerson: "See? I told you so."
Timmerson growled in response and Sydney frowned and shook her head, stepping forward to place him under arrest.
"Frank Timmerson, I'm placing you under arrest for…" was as far as she got before the office door burst open again, revealing Loretta Timmerson (a.k.a. Mary Tyler) who also held a gun in her hands and pointed it desperately at Sydney, then Gage.
"Let him go," her voice had a shaky quality, as did her entire body and she seemed more fearful than pointed in her delivery.
"Mary – where did you get that gun?" Frank demanded before anyone else had a chance to speak.
"It was in the box under the bed," she replied. "I saw you take yours and I thought there might be trouble so I followed you."
"Mary, put the gun down," Sydney told her carefully, not moving from her position beside Frank Timmerson. Gage held his hands low but did not release the weapon he held in his right, his eyes nervously monitoring the woman for signs of what would be her next move.
"Let him go," she repeated, her voice pleading. "I'll shoot you, Elena – I swear it."
"Mary," Gage ventured, causing her to turn and point the gun at him, "we don't want anyone to get hurt here. Your husband is being placed under arrest for crimes against innocent people and this will all go much more easily if you put your weapon down and let us do our jobs. I'd like to put my gun down, but I can't do that until you put down yours."
"Elena," Loretta turned desperate eyes to Sydney, "what's your husband talking about? Arrest Bob? What has he done?"
"Mary, my name is Sydney Cooke and I'm a Texas Ranger," Sydney tried another tactic. "The man over there is my partner, Ranger Francis Gage. Please give him your gun so he can set his down."
"Lies!" Loretta spat. "You're all liars!"
"The only liar here is your husband," Gage said softly. "He pretends to be doing the world a service by placing more organs for sale on the black market, but all he's really doing is causing more pain and suffering."
Frank had remained silent during the brief exchange and when he spoke again it was in a gentle, fatherly tone. "Mary, give them the gun. It's over."
"Bob?" her voice became childlike. "Bob, what are you saying?"
"They're telling the truth," he sighed. "Part of you knows that; I can tell. Let the Rangers do their jobs."
"You can't leave me alone," she insisted. "They'll take you away and I'll never see you. I already lost my daughter and if I lose you I'll be all alone. I need you."
Gage felt his heart twist sharply at her pleading words and he wanted nothing more in the world than to help ease the poor woman's suffering. Yet the constraints of his job held him back and he stuck fast to the rules of conduct firmly established in his mind concerning execution of the law – he could not relax until he and Sydney were in full control of the situation and that could not happen until Loretta Timmerson surrendered.
Beside him, Gage heard Ehrlich mutter under his breath and made out the word "suicidal." Loretta's face was being traveled over by a series of emotions and she seemed utterly torn. Frustrated, Sydney shot a glance over her shoulder at Gage that mirrored his exact feelings – desperation at being unable to help her and utter sadness at the heartbreak that must have brought the woman to such depths in the first place.
"I need you," Loretta repeated softly, like a chant. "I need you."
She was still chanting the words as she lifted the gun to her temple and pulled the trigger.
***
Sydney had packed up the contents of their cabin by the time Gage returned from the main lodge, having finalized the last remaining details of the case with the reporting officers concerning the delivery of Dr. and Mrs. Ehrlich into protective custody, the detainment of Frank Timmerson, and the removal of the body of Loretta Timmerson/Mary Tyler. The petite Ranger was a flurry of motion, tossing technical equipment into cases and zipping duffel bags with rapidity. Gage knew that it was all a way for her to get her mind off of what had occurred in Ehrlich's office and wanted nothing more than to walk over, stop her, and pull her into his arms. Still, he knew that despite everything that had happened, such a tender moment would never be allowed. She'd knee him in the groin and walk out the door first.
Deciding to try words, he asked, "So have you talked with Trivette?"
"Yeah," her hands never quit folding the wire in her hand and her eyes never lifted. "He and Walker know about the situation and are waiting for our full reports when we get back to Dallas."
"Good," the word felt empty as he spoke it.
"Everything taken care of at the lodge?" she wanted to know.
"All set," he replied.
"Good," she said, striding into the bathroom to pack her toiletries.
Gage seated himself on the couch and rested his head in his hands, mulling over the events that had occurred since they'd first arrived at Arroyo Grande. He didn't hear her re-enter the room and didn't look up until he felt her sit down beside him. The sidelong glance he gave her was gentle, but questioning.
"She was ready to kill for him, Gage," the words were soft and crestfallen and Sydney didn't meet his eyes right way.
"I know," he told her.
"She couldn't see living her life without him," she added.
"She loved him," he said simply.
"She was an amazing woman," Sydney said. "There was more complexity to her than met the eye."
"That's true," he agreed softly.
"You know what my first thought was when I saw her with that gun pointed at you?" Sydney asked him. Gage shook his head and Sydney gave a short laugh that indicated she couldn't believe she was about to share her thought with him. "I thought she was going to shoot you and I wondered what I'd do without you."
"You wouldn't have anyone to fight with," he ventured with a half-smile.
She took a deep breath and said, "I need you, Gage." The words were followed by a wry smile and, "Loretta Timmerson made me realize it this afternoon. Somehow you've completely weaseled your way into my life and now it doesn't seem right when you're not there."
Gage feigned a swoon. "Words every man wants to hear from the woman he loves – 'you've completely weaseled your way into my life.' Who knew you were so romantic, Shorty?"
Sydney elbowed him sharply. "Hey, you have no idea how romantic I can be, Francis!"
"Oh yeah?" he grinned broadly at her, then laced his fingers through hers and pulled her in for a kiss. "Why don't you show me?"