Chapter Six
Put Your Trust In Your Friends And Family
Walker's eyes were on the street nothing getting past him as he watched the comings and goings of The Lone Canteen . There was nothing suspicious or out of the ordinary going on, Sumner had gone in about thirty minutes earlier but he was reporting nothing unusual either.
"Gage just pulled up," Trivette acknowledged.
"Yeah I saw him," he curtly replied not meaning to be so short with his friend but his worry over his son was beginning to get the better of him.
A moment later there was a light rap on the back door of the van just before Syd and Gage climbed inside.
"What did you find out?" Walker questioned his eyes fixed on the door of the club.
"That the drugs that Piper had in her possession are Chloe Whelan's stash. Becky found them asked our three to help her save her sister. She thought that if she took the stuff she would keep Chloe from taking them. What she didn't know was the pills weren't actually Chloe's she stole them from Denny Cromwell's office," Gage was explaining only to be interrupted by their boss.
"And now he wants them back."
"Badly," Syd continued the story, "Jeannie Whelan hasn't seen Chloe for two days, then this morning Tommy Slick showed up threatening Jeannie and Becky. It was Slick who called your place looking for Danny and threatening Angela. He claims that they are still looking for Danny," she finished up the words hardly leaving her mouth when Danny Walker appeared.
Walker's hands clenched and unclenched forcing his emotions to stay in check, willing himself not to bolt out the back of the surveillance van. "You all right Walker?" Trivette questioned his friend knowing how hard this must be for him.
The captain nodded his head yes his eyes still on the entrance of the club where his son had disappeared. Picking up the headset he held it to his ear listening as Trivette warned Sumner that Danny had gone inside.
"See him," Sumner came back, "How you want me to play this?"
"Sumner hang back until you see what Danny is going to do and we'll play it from there," Walker spoke up taking command of the situation.
Sumner had no time to reply Danny had all ready caught sight of him and was heading for the table where he sat. Jumping up quick Sumner grabbed the front of Danny's shirt slamming him against the wall. "You little punk I've been looking for you," he shouted in Danny's face, "Where the hell is my money?"
"I don't have your…" Danny tried to get out only to have Sumner cut him off.
"Then we have a big problem here don't we Walker. I guess I'm going to have to use you to set an example." With that Sumner grabbed Danny by the arm twisting it behind him.
"Is there a problem here?" It was Denny Cromwell asking the question.
"What's it to you?" Sumner came back.
"You're harassing one of my patrons," Cromwell answered signalling to his people to be alert.
"Your patron owes me a lot of cash," Sumner replied not backing down, "And as soon as he forks it over he can do what ever business he wants with you."
"Seems like you've been a busy boy haven't you?" Cromwell posed the question to Danny before addressing Sumner again. "Seems Danny boy has got himself more trouble then he can handle. Just so happens that he and his friends have helped themselves to some of my merchandise too."
"You're just going to have to take a number then aren't you?" Sumner shot back. "Because Danny boy here is going to answer to me first. If there is anything left of him you can have him."
"Ha, ha, ha," Cromwell snickered, "You forget whose house you're in." With a nod of his head two of Cromwell's underlings began surrounding Danny and Sumner.
A wide grin began to spread across Sumner's face his eyes focused right on Cromwell's face. "I didn't forget a thing Mister…"
It was Cromwell's turn to grin once more letting a laugh escape him before announcing, "Cromwell, Denny Cromwell."
"Well Denny Cromwell I'm sure we can come to some sort of amicable solution to our dilemma."
"The only solution I can see is that you mark things up to an unpaid debt and leave Danny boy here to me," Cromwell stated an eerie chill in his voice.
From inside the surveillance van the rangers listened to the exchange that was going on ready to move at a moments notice, waiting for Walker to give the command. Glancing at his boss Gage could see the man focusing on the entrance of The Lone Canteen he like the rest had been in Walker's position and knew it was almost unbearable when your child was involved.
"Gage Sydney take up positions around back and wait for my signal," Walker barked both rangers immediately began to move. Sydney had all ready fitted a radio receiver into her ear and now she followed Gage out to move around back to wait the order.
"Get ready to move Trivette," Walker's voice was cool and calm his underlying feelings buried deep.
"That solution just isn't acceptable to me," Sumner's voice once again came over the speaker.
"It's the only solution that's being offered," Cromwell replied signalling his people to capture the two of them, he could get rid of two as easy as one.
"Well it's not good enough," Sumner repeated releasing Danny and at the same moment spinning around to bring his foot into the first man's gut. Taking his cue from Sumner Danny too spun into a well executed kick, the result of many hours of intense practice with his father, hitting the second thug in much the same manner as the ranger.
"Move now," Walker thundered the van door opening he and Trivette barrelling out towards the club, Syd and Gage entering from the back.
Inside half a dozen men had come charging in to help with Danny and Sumner's capture the same instance Cromwell drawing his gun to take aim at Danny. Before the gun could discharge Cordell Walker feet first came flying into Cromwell knocking him face first into the first row of tables. With in moments the rangers had things under control, Walker with his hand of the scruff of Cromwell's neck yanked him to his feet.
"Where's Chloe?" Danny demanded.
Cromwell remained tight lipped glaring at both Danny and Sumner.
"Answer him," Walker prodded his voice having once again become menacing, his grip tightening on Cromwell's neck.
"I've got nothing to say to any of yeah," Cromwell defiantly smirked.
"Get him to hell out of here," Walker ordered shoving the man at Sumner.
"But Dad…"
"Danny this is a ranger matter, when we get home it will be a father and son matter until then I thank you to keep your protests and opinions to yourself," Walker told him with a look of warning Danny knew better then to defy.
"Yes sir," the young man answered his eyes trained on the floor.
"Yeah kid just shut up or Daddy will put you in jail," Cromwell jeered.
In a flash Walker had Cromwell against the wall his hand around his throat squeezing, his eyes locked with Cromwell's. "You got something to say you say it to me," Walker snapped. "You have enough to worry about because if anything has happened to Chloe Whelan I'm holding you personally responsible. And you don't need to think the law will be protecting you from me."
Something in Walker's voice, his eyes maybe suddenly hit Cromwell. "The storage room in the basement, I just need to call McPherson when we get the drugs back."
Sydney was all ready heading for the basement Gage close behind her they could hear Walker telling Cromwell they were going to stick to the plan you're going to call McPherson… Gage's phone suddenly rang, he grabbed it from his pocket as he kept up to his wife answering it with, "Gage."
"Dad, Dad you and Mom have to get to the hospital."
"Piper what's wrong?" Gage had stopped dead in his tracks.
"Dad Aunt Julie called she's going to have the baby and Uncle Robin is undercover Chris just went to get her and take her to the hospital."
"Okay, okay Piper what hospital?"
"Memorial."
"Gage," Syd was calling him.
"Be right there Syd," he called back before answering Piper. "You stay put your Mom and I are on our way."
Hanging up the phone Gage tore down the last few steps where Syd was coming upstairs supporting Chloe. Going to them Gage swung Chloe up in his arms to carry her upstairs talking to Syd at the same time. "That was Piper on the phone Julie is in labour and Chris went to take her to the hospital."
"Chris? Where's Robin?"
"We need paramedics," Gage shouted laying the young girl down on the bench seating of one of the booths. Trivette was all ready dialling while Syd knelt down beside Chloe who was weeping and clinging to Syd's hand.
Reinforcements were all ready pouring into the place and taking charge of the prisoners, looking around Gage caught sight of Walker who stood with his son. "Walker," he called out going to where his boss stood to quickly explain about Julie being labour and Robin's absence.
"Get going and take Syd with you," Walker told him adding with a smile, "You'd better hurry Chris isn't going to want to be delivering any babies."
"We're leaving that up to the doctors this trip," Gage assured him looking to where Syd was getting up to let the EMTs move in to help Chloe. Together both Gages hurried to get to the hospital.
Memorial Hospital
"We're looking for Julie Gage Chafe," Gage breathlessly blurted out at the desk nurse.
"Mr. Chafe?" the young woman asked.
"Francis Gage her brother, her husband is out of town," Gage explained not stopping to take a breath before asking if they could see her.
Smiling the nurse stood up from behind the desk saying right this way as she headed down the hall towards Julie's room. Pushing open the door they were greeted with a cry of pain followed by Chris proclaiming, "Thank God you're here."
A flurry of nurses and her doctor were attending her as Julie lay back against her pillow panting trying to recover from the last contraction seeing her brother she called out to him, "Frankie did you find Robin?"
"No Honey I haven't been able to yet," Gage answered not admitting he had been too worried about her to think about Robin.
"Gage why don't you and Chris go out to the waiting room and make that call, I'll stay with Julie," Syd began to take charge.
"Yeah all right," Gage readily agreed Chris all ready leading the way. They could hear Julie grasp out another contraction beginning to hit her, her doctor telling her she needed to push the baby was almost there.
The door closed and Gage pulled out his phone to begin to dial, "This is Ranger Francis Gage I know that agent Robin Chafe is undercover but it's a matter of great importance, a family matter."
Gage paused the colour draining from his face as he listened to the voice at the other end of the phone. He had paused and now fell heavily against the corridor wall listening in disbelief to what was being said to him.
"Dad what is it?" Chris had watched his father slump against the wall, a weary sad look coming across his face.
"I'll look after telling her," Gage spoke into the phone just as Sydney appeared in the hallway looking for him and her son.
"You're an Uncle Gage," she called catching sight of them. "A baby boy seven lbs, four ounces… What's the matter?" Her eyes had caught her husband's face and she grasped his arms firmly in her hands.
Hesitating a moment Gage numbly told her, "Robin was found dead this morning, his body burnt beyond recognition."
"Gage no, no it can't be, there has to be some sort of mistake," tears were brimming in Syd's eyes.
Chris turned away from both his parents his own tears of sorrow burning his eyes. He heard his mother softly ask, "Oh God how are we going to tell her." To which his father replied, "I just don't know," his voice barely a whisper.
Taking Sydney's hand in his the Gages turned to slowly walk back to where Julie and her new born son were. Pausing outside the door Gage took a deep breath before raising his hand to tap on the door.
"Come on in," Julie cried from beyond. Stealing another glance at Syd he swallowed hard and pushed the door open. "Francis come see your nephew, he may be a Chafe but he is going to look like the Gages. Did you find Robin?"
"Julie Honey…" Gage's voice faltered.
"Julie can I hold the baby," Syd cut in reaching out for her nephew.
Surrendering the babe to Sydney Julie focused on Gage, "Frankie what's going on? Where's Robin?"
"Julie you know that we all take chances in this job…"
"Francis no, no he can't be… he just became a father… he can't be," the words stuck in her throat the angry tears and sobs taking over.
"I'm sorry Julie, I'm so sorry," Gage tried to enfold his arms around her but her fists were flailing into his chest.
"No, no, no, you're lying, you're lying," she cried over and over Gage finally overpowering her to hold her to his chest.
Several Days Later…
Julie Gage Chafe sat looking straight ahead hardly hearing the words the pastor spoke over Robin. Her sleeping son, Michael Robin Chafe, lay in her arms oblivious to it all. Louise Chafe, Robin's mother, sat on her left weeping silently while Gage sat on her right his arm around her. Suddenly the riffles began to crack the cold clear air in salute to the fallen officer, the noise waking Michael and he wailed loudly in protest. An officer was in front of mother and child handing Julie a folded honour flag, she let Gage take it for her as she brought her son to her breast to comfort him.
Then it was over. "Julie?" Gage's hand was on her shoulder.
"Can you hold Michael?" she responded pushing his nephew into his arms to turn and lace her arm through her mother-in-law's. Together the two women made their way to the edge of the open grave each placing a hand on the coffin pledging their final good byes.
Coming up behind Gage Walker softly asked, "Can I have a word with you back at the house?"
"Sure Walker," Gage answered wondering what the boss wanted. He and Syd had been off since they had found out about Robin and Walker had said to take all the time they needed, Gage began to let his mind wander. He and had raced to the hospital to be with Julie, while Walker had set his plan in motion capturing McPherson and putting him out of business. Now Gage wondered what was up.
Seeing the inquisitive look on Gage's face Walker smiled slightly, "I'm sure it's one you and Syd won't want to be left out of.
Michael cried out as if in approval and Julie turned to retrieve her son. With Louise at her side she murmured lets go home.
The End