Chapter Two
"Gage what is it? Who was on the phone?" Syd had stopped in her tracks hearing Gage's side of the conversation.
Gage was all ready dialling headquarters for a trace on the number the doorbell sounding as he began to speak.
"Gage get dressed," Syd hissed at him she trying to do the same so she could answer the door.
With phone to his ear Gage grabbed up his discarded clothes and made for the stairs just as Syd scrambled into her shirt to head for the door. As he hit the second floor he heard Sydney greet his sister Julie.
Quickly he completed his call getting dressed at the same time. "The Cactus Flower Inn off the highway," he repeated into the phone before thanking the woman and hanging up.
He could hear Julie talking as he started down the stairs. "So where is my brother hiding?" she was asking Syd.
"Right here," he answered grabbing Julie into a hug from behind.
"Francis," she shouted squirming to turn in his arms to give him a big hug. "Are you all ready to say your I do's?"
"Yeah I'm ready," he vacantly replied. "Look I've got to take off for a bit…"
"Where to?" Syd questioned still in the dark to what was going on concerning the call.
"What's wrong Frankie?" Julie questioned reading him like a book.
"Nothings wrong I'm marrying the best girl in the world what could possibly be wrong? I just have to go and check something out," he tried unsuccessfully to cover as he swung his arm around Sydney's shoulder pulling her close to kiss her forehead.
"You tell me little brother," Julie persisted looking hard into his face.
"Gage just a minute I'm coming with you," Syd butted back in.
"Syd you have things to do for the wedding," he told his fiancée, turning to his sister Gage addressed her. "Man Jules you've been here five minutes and all ready you're bossing me around," he complained getting nothing more then an 'I'm waiting,' look from Julie and Sydney.
"All right you win," Gage hesitated a moment more before just plunging right in. "Have you gotten any weird phone calls lately," he asked Julie.
"What kind of weird calls?" Julie asked as Syd's mind went to Mattie Winslow and the call they had received only a few minutes ago.
"Mattie Winslow called me this morning," he told his sister watching her face pale slightly at the recognition of the name.
"Mattie Winslow?" she questioned swallowing hard. "What did she want?" Julie demanded to know.
"To meet with me because she said she had information about Mom and Dad's accident."
"The car went off the road in the wet icy weather what else is there to tell?" Julie's voice cracked slightly as she spoke.
"I don't know," Gage stated relaying what happened to the woman before he had a chance to speak with her.
"That is weird," Julie mused her mind going to the day their parents had died replaying it in her mind just as Gage had.
"Yeah but that isn't the weird part Jules," Gage had continued with the story. "Not five minutes before you knocked on the door I had another call."
Syd had let her fingers wrap around Gage's fingers, she didn't know what the caller had said only that it had been very disturbing to him.
"It was a woman and she called me by name, said she didn't expect me to remember her because you and I were just kids," Gage paused taking a deep breath. "Julie who ever this was claimed to be Mom."
"Mom?" Julie cried out looking at him as if he had sprouted horns and a tail.
"I know, I know," Gage tried to soothe going to his sister trying to put his arms around her.
Julie would have no part of it. No part of this ludicrous idea or Gage consoling her. "What exactly did she say?" the older Gage demanded to know.
Swallowing Gage repeated the words, "Francis I know this is hard to believe… I can't talk right now they're after me… I'll be in touch I won't loose you again." Gage's eyes went from Syd to Julie as once again he spoke, "I've got the call traced to a room at the Cactus Flower Inn, it's a dump off the highway, I was just going to check it out…"
"What are we waiting for?" Julie pounced on his words.
"Julie we don't know what we are walking into here," Sydney tried to explain to her almost sister-in-law. "You'd better leave this to Gage and me."
Julie opened her mouth to reply but Gage beat her to it. "That's right Syd I don't know what I'm walking into and since you are on desk duty you aren't going either. Don't you have a wedding or something to get ready for?"
"You're not going by yourself," Syd cut back in ignoring his comment.
"Sydney is right you aren't going by yourself," Julie started as well both women arguing with him at the same time with him.
"I'm not taking either of you and that's final," Gage shouted over both of them grabbing his keys to head out…
Outside Room One Hundred Three At The Cactus Flower Inn
"I'm warning you both neither of you get out of this car until I make sure the coast is clear. Am I making myself understood?" Gage questioned his sister and partner looking from one to the other.
"We understand Francis," Julie cut in.
"Syd?" Gage looked at his fiancée. As much as he could trust them he knew that he couldn't trust them to just sit tight.
"Yes Gage just get moving will you," Syd snapped out annoyed she wasn't going to be at his side on this.
They watched as Gage disappeared into the office both women sitting silent. As the minutes dragged by Julie spoke up, "I can't stand it what's taking him so long?"
"I don't know," Syd replied opening the door at the same time, "but I'm going to find out."
"I'm right behind you," Julie declared she too opening the car door.
Nearing the office Syd motioned Julie to move up behind her as close to the old dilapidated building as possible while she reached for her service weapon. Peering in the dirty office window Sydney could see Gage talking with the man behind the counter even though she couldn't hear what was being said.
The office manager appeared to be reaching beneath the desk for something. From her vantage point Syd could see that it looked like a night-stick and that he was about to crack Gage in the head with it.
Shoving open the office door Syd called out at the same time, "Gage look out!" Instantly Gage's hand went up wrapping his hand around the stick and yanking the greasy little manager towards him grabbing the front of his shirt and holding tight.
"Now you weren't thinking of hitting me with that were you Willie?" Gage questioned the man his nose almost even with Willie's.
"Looks like a clear cut case of an attempted assault on a Texas Ranger," Syd answered for the man as she re-holstered her gun.
"I think you maybe right Syd," Gage told her his eyes still on the man he had half hauled over the desk. "Now Willie you think this time I might have the key to the room that Colleen Gage was registered to?"
"I was just trying to protect the lady," Willie began to croon as Gage still holding tight to Willie moved around behind the desk with him.
"Sure you were Willie," Gage sarcastically agreed relieving him of the key.
Julie who once seeing her brother was all right had begun to riffle through her purse until she came upon what she was looking for. Stepping forward and holding out a well worn photograph she asked the manager, "Is this the woman who rented the room?"
"Take a good look and answer the lady," Gage who still had a hold on him ordered.
After taking the picture in his hand and staring at it for a moment Willie answered, "Could be her many years ago. The lady who rented the room, this Colleen Gage was a lot older then the woman in that picture."
Julie's eyes shot to Gage just as quickly as his went to her. "Let's go have a look at that room," he said to Julie and Syd. "Willie you come with us so I can keep an eye on you."
"I can't leave the desk," Willie began to protest.
"Syd can you call transport and keep an eye on Willie until they get here…"
"All right, all right," Willie interrupted walking along with Gage as Julie and Sydney lead the way to Colleen Gage's room.
Gage handed the key to Sydney who let her fingers linger against his hand for a moment before taking it from him. Quickly she inserted it into the lock and began to turn only to stop a second later hearing a loud crash from the other side. Backing against the wall with Julie following suit she quickly drew her gun once again. Gage on the opposite side of the door did likewise yanking Willie against the wall beside him. Giving a quick nod to Syd to cover him he stood back giving the door a hard kick with his foot breaking it open surprising the two inside who were turning everything upside down in a desperate search of the room.
"Texas Rangers don't move," Syd shouted gun poised and ready to shoot if the pair didn't comply.
The one man froze in his tracks while the second made a lunge at Gage who brought his foot up catching his attacker in the chest.
The second seeing his partner rush the ranger thought he had the perfect opportunity to wrestle Sydney for her gun. Charging her he grabbed for her wrist and gun only to hear and feel the gun going off the bullet lodging in his shoulder. Taken back for a moment he once again came at Syd, before he could reach her Julie brought the heavy old desk lamp down on the back of his head knocking him cold.
Meanwhile Gage's attacker was quick to get back to his feet and mount a second attack. Blocking the punch Gage very easily threw a couple of good solid hits of his own finishing up with a spin kick to knock his opponent out on the floor as well.
Drawing a deep breath he called out, "All right Syd, Julie?"
"Fine Gage," Syd called back.
"Me too," Julie answered.
"On your feet," Gage barked at his assailant. "You want to start explaining what you were doing here?"
"I ain't got nothing to say to you rangers," he sneered back.
"Maybe you'll change your tune after you've cooled your heels in a cell for awhile," Syd interjected.
"I ain't changing my tune for anyone," he answered grinning from ear to ear.
With lightning speed Gage had the suspect by the throat and thrust hard up against the wall. "You'll talk when I'm through with you," he snarled.
"Transports on it's way Gage," Syd interrupted putting her phone back in her pocket and going to where her partner was. "I've alerted Walker and Trivette too."
Letting his hand ease up on the man's throat Gage nodded his head in acknowledgement his eyes not leaving the guy's face. "Thanks Syd," he sullenly muttered wanting nothing more then to beat the tar out of the intruder.
Julie in the mean time had begun looking around the sparse room trying desperately to find something that would indicate who this woman was that claimed to be their mother. Suddenly her eyes came upon something on the dresser. "Francis look," she cried snatching up the old framed picture with the faded picture inside.
Turning Gage's eyes caught sight of what she had. He hadn't seen that frame in years but without seeing the picture he knew what it was it had been taken the summer before the accident…
It was a hot sweltering summer Texas day and their mother had turned on the sprinkler in the backyard for them to run through. Gage had just dragged Miss Puss kicking, hissing and spitting into the water the eight year old laughing thinking this was great fun Julie on the other hand was yelling at her brother and rushing in to save her pet.
"Mom," she cried as Colleen Gage appeared on the patio a tray with glasses and lemonade on it. "Tell Frankie to leave Miss Puss alone."
"Francis stop teasing Miss Puss and your sister," his mother gently scolded.
"I thought she wanted to cool down too," he had innocently replied, "I don't know what the fuss is."
""Kitties don't like water," she answered with a smile saying at the same time, "Come have some lemonade."
Both children had come running to the picnic table that was shaded by a big old oak tree. Julie picked up her towel and wrapped her beloved pet in it the cat not minding anything was better then Gage and that water sprinkler. "That was mean Frankie," Julie reiterated just as her father came out the back door.
"What was mean?" he questioned Julie going through the whole tale once again.
"Well I think that Miss Puss is going to live," Mathew Gage replied trying to hide his smile. "How bout everyone moving close so I can snap a picture," he told them trying to make Julie forget the incident. "You too Colleen."
"You don't need me in the picture," she protested.
"The prettiest girl in Texas, yes I do," he smiled at his wife.
"Come on Mom," Gage called out to her, "Please."
"All right, all right," she agreed standing behind the children bending down so her face was between them just as Mathew snapped the picture.
Now Gage stood behind Julie looking over her shoulder at the photo, his mother, Julie, himself and Miss Puss.
"Walker, Trivette," Syd's voice brought him back to the moment, he turned to face the senior partners.
"What's going on Gage?" Walker asked him although his eyes were trained on Julie Gage.
"Walker you remember my sister Julie," he began.
Walker nodded his head in acknowledgement waiting for Gage to continue. Quickly he related everything that had happened since the incident with Mattie Winslow that morning right to the discovery of the picture.
"Gage," it was his partner speaking to him. "Your friend Willie from the front desk just told me that these two paid him pretty well to let them in here and alert them if anyone came nosing around about the room or the woman registered to it," she relayed to them.
"Gage is there any possibility no matter how remote that your mother may still be alive?" Walker knew how difficult the question was but he also knew it had to be asked.
His eyes went to Julie he could see the tears forming there and watched her shake her head no before he too strongly answered, "None they both died."
Julie had turned away from the group the memories of that night and the days that followed being dredged up as if it had happened yesterday plaguing her mind.
"All right leave this with Trivette and me we have to get you married," Walker spoke to him putting his hand on his shoulder. "We'll find out who is doing this to you and put a stop to it. You just concentrate on Sydney and getting her to the alter."
"Thanks Walker I appreciate it but all the same I want to be kept abreast of what's going on," Gage answered.
"I understand Gage," Walker told him promising to keep him up to date.
Julie had gone back to the task of sifting through the belongings in the room but no other discoveries were made. "How did she get the picture Frankie? I mean where has it been all these years?"
"I don't know Jules I just don't know," Gage answered her the questions and the unknowing distressing him too.
"Guys there is nothing more we can do here…" it was Sydney trying to coax the two of them into going home.
Throwing his arm around her shoulder Gage pulled her to him in a hug. "You're right Hon," he whispered before saying to Julie, "Come on Sis lets get out of here."
Nodding her head she went to Gage's side letting him put his arm around her as they headed back to the car.
Back At Sydney And Gage's…
"Oh great!" Syd exclaimed as they drove in the roadway to their townhouse. In the driveway was her father's blue sedan and he stood leaning against the back of it.
"Syd I'll talk to him…" Gage began to say by now knowing how cutting his father-in-law to be was.
"I can handle my Dad you just say hi and then go on inside and help Julie get settled," Syd interrupted.
"You sure?"
"Yep besides Mom is in the car for moral support," she smiled leaning over to kiss his cheek.
Pulling in beside the Cooke's Syd opened her door wide calling out to her father, "Hi Dad."
"It's about time," Joe Cooke huffed. "Do you realize that you have kept your mother and I waiting all day without so much as a phone call."
"Hello Joe this is my sister Julie," Gage greeted Syd's Dad.
With a short hello Joe carried on his speech as if he had hardly heard Gage. "Is this what is going to go on at the wedding? Are we all expected to sit and wait until you and Francis show up?"
"All right Dad we get the message," Syd began to say as Gage opened the front door to help Julie inside happy to leave Joe Cooke to his daughter.
"Don't be smart with me young lady," her father came back.
"Oh Joe will you stop fussing," Syd's Mom had gotten out of the car stopping to give Sydney a hug and kiss.
Hugging her mom back she addressed her father, "Dad this couldn't have been helped."
He was about to but in again until he got a stern look from Amanda Cooke letting Syd go on with what she had to tell them.
"And Francis is certain that his mother is really dead?" Joe asked.
"Both he and Julie are," Syd told them. "It was just one day of visitation and both Julie and Gage were allowed to see their parents before the caskets were closed. They both agree that the possibility just doesn't exist."
"We'd better get inside," Joe was taking command once again. "Francis will need the support of this family right now as will his sister."
Gage had just helped himself to a beer and flopped on the couch when the Cooke family came inside. "Did you get Julie settled?" Syd asked going to sit beside him.
"Yeah she's going to unpack a little and try to take a nap," Gage replied taking Syd's hand holding it tight.
Joseph Cooke cleared his throat, "Francis I'm not so old and bull headed to even pretend to know how you feel," he cleared his throat again. "Amanda and I want you to know we feel like you are the son we never had and if there is anything just anything we can do…"
"Thanks Joe just expressing your feelings to me means more then you'll ever know," Gage replied standing up and offering the man his hand.
Taking his hand Joe pulled Gage into an embrace adding, "I meant every word son."
Pulling back Joe began to address the women, "So ladies everything is ready for this wedding is it?"
"Pretty much so we just have the rehearsal and dinner to get through and then we should almost be home free," Syd retorted.
"And I for one can hardly wait," Gage piped up trying to let his mind drift away from what had been going on in his life that day.
As Syd and her mother began to get into the last minute details Gage offered Joe a beer. Giving Gage the high sign with his eyebrow and the two men migrated towards the front door and the little alcove porch to sit and relax. "Let the women work out those details they are much better at it anyway," Joe told Gage.
"Have a seat," Gage offered smiling at Joe's comment.
"You know Francis," Joe began sitting down and pouring the beer into his glass. "Every once in a while you have to let the girls have their way with things it goes much better for you in the long run. Or at least let them think they are having their own way," he offered Gage his fatherly advise.
Gage smiled in amusement at the suggestions although agreeing with him all the same.
"I know Sydney is headstrong," he continued Gage's eyes drifting to a car that had stopped a few driveways down. "I suppose she gets that from me. Something wrong?" he questioned trying to see what Gage was looking at.
The car door opened as Gage kept watch the occupant a woman stepping out. Gasping out, "Oh my God," Gage suddenly took off on a dead run towards the woman.
"Francis what is? What's wrong?" Joe called after him Gage paying no heed.
The woman seeing Gage running towards her got back in the car slamming the door shut. As quick as she could she had it started and in gear almost hitting Gage as she made her getaway.
"No wait come back, come back," Gage shouted after the fleeing car chasing it on foot as it sped away.
"Gage, Gage," Syd was calling to her fiancée her father alerting her to what was happening.
Gage had stopped running leaning forward putting his hands on his knees catching his breath. "Gage what is it?" Syd cried out catching up with him placing her hand on his back.
"It was her Syd… it was her…" he gasped out between breaths.
"Her who?" Syd questioned.
"My mother," he exclaimed still looking down the road to where the car had disappeared.
TBC.