~Chapter Two~
The Effects of Yesterday
Ranger Headquarters
"I'm going up to Alex's office," Syd announced standing up from her desk. Her partner looked up from the paperwork he had been working on and simply nodded. She moved around behind him on her way out and let her hand run across his shoulders.
Reaching up he grabbed hold and held on to her fingers saying, "Don't be too long."
"Won't even miss me," she answered as she squeezed his hand. Letting go she headed for the door and up to the ADA's office. She absently hit the button for the elevator as her thoughts returned to the big scene that had taken place at home that morning…
Julie had said she thought she would pick the kids up after school for a movie and some dinner if that were all right with them, which of course sent up a chorus of cheers from the kids.
Gage had picked up his coffee saying, "I really don't know about that, I don't know that it is a good idea."
"Why not Dad?" Piper had asked staring at him in disbelief. Aunt Julie always took them out when she came to visit. They always did something special with her.
"It's the middle of the week, you have homework, you had a late night last night…" Gage had been firing off the excuses to the kids.
"But Dad its not fair we hardly ever get to see her," Chris argued.
"You'll see her at supper," Gage answered.
"But we want to go to a movie," Piper cried out.
"And I said no," Gage snapped back.
"That's not an answer Dad," Chris argued more.
"Is being grounded a better answer?" Gage had asked his voice raising.
"Chris Piper take Cat and find another place to be for a few minutes," Syd had stepped in before things got any worse.
"Francis aren't you being a little unreasonable here?" Julie asked once her nieces and nephew had left the kitchen.
"I guess maybe I should have asked you that last night and maybe I wouldn't be thinking twice about the kids spending time with you," Gage challenged back.
"Stop it both of you," Syd had stepped in a second time. "You two sound about like Chris and Piper. You have a serious difference of opinion to sort out here between the two of you stop using the kids as pawns." She had looked from Julie to Gage as she spoke.
Both had sat unspeaking till Gage had finally stood up looking at his sister saying, "Go ahead and take them out tonight but this doesn't change anything between you and I." With that he had turned and had gone in search of his kids.
"I didn't think he would be so bitter about this…" Julie had begun to say only to be cut off by her sister-in-law.
"How did you expect him to feel Julie? He could have died by their hands; you have a lot to talk over with him but don't push him. How he came to terms with it and how you came to terms with it is evidently two very different things."
She had left Julie sitting there and went to look for her husband and children who were in the family room. Gage had Cat on his knee and Piper beside him with his arm around her. Chris sat in front of them on the coffee table.
"Guys I'm sorry about this morning," Gage was saying. "I got up on the wrong side of the bed and I know that is no excuse I really am sorry I lost my temper. If you want to go to the movies and to dinner with Aunt Julie then by all means you can go."
"Thanks Dad," came shouts from all three as they hugged tightly to their father...
The elevator door popped open and Sumner rushed out almost running right into Syd. "Hey Syd where you headed?" he asked.
"Just up to see Alex for a minute," she replied holding the doors open.
"Gage in the office?" was his next question.
"Yep," she smiled stepping on the elevator.
Reaching his hand out and stopping the doors before they closed Sumner asked, "Have you got a minute before you go upstairs? I think you'll want to hear this too since Chris was indirectly involved."
A red flag immediately went up with Syd. "Chris?" she questioned stepping back out of the elevator to walk back to the office with the junior ranger.
"Yeah we had an unexpected visitor last night," he began to inform her as he pulled the office door open for her.
Gage looked up as his wife came through the door with Sumner and headed towards him. "What's up?" he asked.
"You guys know that John McMurtrie is out of jail?" he asked point blank of them.
"You sure?" Gage questioned.
"Positive. He showed up at the door when Anna B and I got home last night," Sumner informed them.
"What did he want?" Syd asked the memories of what had happened the last time they had seen the man flooding her mind. The death threats against Chris and Anna B, the hoops her and Gage had been made to jump through, Annie McMurtrie's murder.
"He started by saying that he loved Anna B and wanted to be back in her life. When she told him in no uncertain terms she wanted no part of him he turned mean, said this wasn't over yet. That's when I stepped in and warned him to stay away from her. To which he replied, 'and if I don't are you going to go call Gage?"
Sumner finished the story saying he told McMurtrie he thought he could handle cuffing him himself.
"How's Anna B taking it?" Gage asked going into his big brother father role.
"Upset but she didn't let her father know it"
"Syd have you made it up to Alex's office yet?" Gage wanted to know.
"No I ran into Sumner and came back here."
"Get Alex to put a restraining order in place, Sumner you get to work on where he is staying and working, anything you can find out. I'll go bring Walker and Trivette up to speed," Gage began handing out orders getting up to head to Trivette's office.
"You got it Gage," Sumner retorted as he and Syd began to move.
Alex's Office
"Ranger Cooke to see you," Alex's secretary said into the phone as Alex picked up.
"Send her in," Alex replied looking up from what she was doing to see Syd open the door.
"Hey what do I owe to this pleasure?"
"Favours," Syd smiled at her friend. Quickly she explained about John McMurtrie and the need for a restraining order.
"You got it," Alex replied knowing something else was bothering the ranger. "What else Sydney?" she asked her friend.
Taking a deep breath Sydney began, "I need to know off the record what the DA's office has on a Lillian Millson and I don't want Gage to find out I asked."
Alex waited quietly for Syd to explain. "She almost let Gage die when he was a kid in her care," Syd stated looking out the window into the distant horizon.
Again Alex sat quietly as Syd explained what was going on. "I'll let you know as soon as I find out anything and Syd I'll keep this just between you and me"
"Thanks Alex I really appreciate this," Syd half smiled as she left the office.
Walker's Office
Sumner, Gage and Trivette were all in Walker's office when Syd returned so going over she rapped lightly on the door opening it the same time to slip in beside her husband.
"The restraining order?" Walker asked.
"Alex is taking care of it as we speak," Syd replied.
"Good," Gage expressed the sentiments of all of them.
"McMurtrie might be telling the truth about this Gage," Trivette tried to sound convincing. "After all he had been intending on taking her with him the first time. It was LeBeau who threatened you and killed his wife."
"All I know is Anna B wants no part of him and I'm going to see that he stays clear of her," Sumner told the rest of the group.
"That's exactly what I want too." Gage spoke up.
"I have to confess I feel the same way," Syd added. "I don't want him near any of my family."
"I'm just saying people can change," Trivette argued.
"Like I told someone recently I don't think that I can change enough to accommodate these people," Gage bitterly answered indicating he was cutting McMurtrie no slack.
"All right Gage lighten up we get the message," Trivette replied wondering what was eating him.
"Sumner did you get an address?" Walker asked.
"Yep both work and home," Matt retorted.
"Matt and I will deliver the order as soon as it comes down," Trivette volunteered.
"Syd and I are going to look into the circumstances of his release, who his associates are just what he is up to these days," Gage informed them.
Nodding their heads in agreement all four left the office.
Gage followed Syd to her desk asking even before she sat down, "What did you find out from Alex?"
"About what?" Syd tried to be evasive.
"About Lillian's case?" Gage interrogated his partner.
"I didn't think you were interested in her case," Syd answered.
"I never said that. What I said was I wasn't interested in helping her. I'm more interested in making sure it's airtight," he replied sitting down to dial the warden at Huntsville.
"I'll let you know what Alex has to say about it," Syd retorted pulling all McMurtries files.
The Woman's Detention Center Dallas
Lillian Millson sat very meekly waiting for her one and only visitor to appear and Julie Gage didn't disappoint her.
"Lillian how are you today?" Julie greeted the woman.
"Julie dear I didn't think you were going to make today," Lillian anxiously grasped her hand. "Did you speak to Francis?"
"Lillian I did…" Julie began.
"He won't help me will he?" she down troddenly asked.
"It's not that he won't… he just can't. What happened all those years ago he can't forget. What happened in your home still haunts him," Julie explained.
"It haunts me too. I guess this is just poetic justice that the one person in this world that can help me I've alienated completely from my life," the tears glistened in Lillian's eyes as she spoke.
"Lillian don't you be giving up. Francis is a good person and I'm sure that he is going to come around," Julie answered taking the woman's hand.
"It's all right dear," Lillian smiled squeezing Lillian's hand. "I know you tried. I should have tried half as hard to stand up to Luke."
A shiver went through Julie at the mention of Luke Millson's name. She quickly dismissed it smiling at Lillian saying, "Don't give up I'm sure Francis will come around."
Her words carried more confidence then her heart did. Julie had not seen Francis so hurt and upset in a very long time. Nor had he ever wanted t keep the children away from her. Maybe she should drop this… yet there was something in Lillian's face she had to try to reach Frankie one more time.
"You are too kind dear," Lillian cried holding tightly to her hand again before letting Julie go.
Smiling Julie patted her hand. "I'll try to be back tomorrow with better news."
"Bless you dear bless you."
The Gym at Ranger Headquarters
"Francis you're not concentrating," Syd chided her partner her foot delivering another blow to the side of his head. They had been sparing for twenty minutes and Syd was definitely getting the better of him.
"You think so?" he answered her pulling out of his thoughts. Stretching out his long leg he quickly knocked her off her feet shooting forward to pin her to the mat with his body. Bringing his face close to hers he let his lips tease her ear whispering, "I was thinking of taking you but not in the sparing ring."
"Umm get your head back in the game Gage," Syd teased back adding, "We'll discuss option two later tonight. Giving him a quick shove she manoeuvred her way out from under him to turn the tables and straddle his chest.
A moment later they were both on their feet dancing around each other and throwing punches. "Hey Sydney little brother," they suddenly heard coming from the sidelines. Stopping to see the source they were both surprised to see Julie Gage standing there. As Gage watched his sister Syd made a quick move jumping at her husband and catching him in a scissors hold dragging him to the mat.
"Told you, you weren't concentrating," she quipped rolling from on top of him leaving him lying there.
"The bad guys will get you Francis if you don't do better then that," Julie called to him.
"Everyone is a critic this morning," he retorted dryly dragging himself to his feet. "So was there something you needed Jules?" was his next question.
The use of her nickname Julie took at as a good sign at least he wasn't quite as mad at her. "I was hoping you and Syd might be able to join me for some lunch," she told him.
"Why don't the two of you go ahead I have some things to finish up so I can clear my desk," Syd told the two of them thinking maybe the time alone would be good for them.
"Actually Julie we're kind of busy how bout we talk at home tonight," Gage answered. "In fact Shorty we should be getting back upstairs," Gage said to Syd hoping she wouldn't argue with him.
Sydney was about to say something until her eyes caught his pleading look. "You're right Gage," she agreed instead saying to Julie, "I'd better go get changed."
Brother and sister stood watching her go and Gage was about to follow suit until Julie put her hand on his arm. "Frankie I really need for you to hear what I have to say. I need you to know why I'm helping Lillian. Can you give me that much?"
Gage remained silent his eyes focused on Julie for a few minutes before he spoke. "You know its like I don't even know you any more Jules," he told her walking away.
Julie bit her lip his words cutting deep. "That's why we have to talk."
"We'll talk all right," Gage informed her. Not turning back he added, "I just need a little more time."
Julie watched for a few minutes as he kept walking heading for the locker room with not so much as a goodbye.
"I do love you Frankie," Julie whispered under her breath as she watched him go.
John McMurtries Apartment
"This him?" McMurtries companion Damien Trask asked looking at the picture that was on the computer screen.
"That's him," McMurtrie growled back a look of pure hate on his face as he stared at the image. "He is the one who turned my little girl from me and my own mother. Being a Texas Ranger he was able to alter the evidence to put me away for a long time."
Trask watched a look of pure hate come across McMurtrie's face as he talked about this Ranger. "So how are you going to get her back?"
"I'm going to steal the Ranger's family," McMurtrie replied.
Before he could elaborate they were interrupted by a loud banging on the door followed by Ranger James Trivette demanding McMurtrie to open up Texas Rangers.
TBC
