For Disclaimer, notes, etc., please refer to the Right Turn From Reality Table Of Contents
High Five
Job?
(Stephanie)
As Stephanie sat waiting for Randy Briggs to come back, but her mind was anywhere but on her skip.
She still couldn’t believe that she had asked Ranger for a job. Still, he was Caleb’s father, so who better to provide for them right? Given the cars he drove, he could probably provide for them quite well.
Stephanie grit her teeth at that. While it was a sentiment she’d heard before, she was just too stubborn to act on it. If he was going to be involved in their lives, it would be because she trusted him to be, because he wanted to be, not because she forced him to be legally. Besides, she was a strong woman, an independent woman; she could support herself and her son on her own. She had for five years and she would again. She just needed to get through this pinch before she would be able to pick up again.
Closing her eyes, Stephanie forced those thoughts out of her mind. As she did, the image of Ranger’s face appeared before her. She once again saw how normal and friendly he was when he offered investment help and how quickly his face closed off when she clarified her position.
He certainly wasn’t all that receptive to the thought. A part of her wondered if his reluctance was due to her penchant of making mistakes, but there was much more to his reluctance.
He was still his normal open self – she snorted in disbelief at that description – when he asked if she needed investment advice. It didn’t cross her mind at the time that, given his reputation, it would be very unusual for Ranger to offer investment advice, especially if the rumors were true. Now, she saw it as a little odd. She was well aware that there was much more to Ranger than she knew, than she suspected, but that hinted at a side that was, for lack of a better word, intimidating. Powerful men had always been a little intimidating to her. Still, if she had to describe it, he seemed almost disappointed that she wasn’t seeking him for investment advice, as if he had hoped she saw beyond the image, as if he expected more of her. In some ways, she did see beyond the facade. She knew there was a lot more to him than just being “Ranger”, but that’s not what she needed right now.
His whole demeanor changed when she told him she needed to make money. She knew he was trying to scare her off, trying to keep her from participating in whatever it was he didn’t want her to know about, but she needed to make rent this month on the apartment. There was no way she was going to be able to stay at her parent’s house and driving to and from Newark every day was out of the question. That meant she needed to do whatever job it was he asked of her.
Her mind drifted to a few months before when he had chased Joyce away for her. He had seemed to only being partially teasing her as he claimed he would ruin her for all other men. Actually, a lot of his actions toward her had been hinting at a bit more than just a night in bed.
A shiver ran down her spine at the thought of him being close to her.
It would be far too easy to give in to him, to find out what she had missed or forgotten about that night, too easy to find out if there was even a modicum of truth in the dreams of him that plagued her.
She knew she couldn’t do it. Not now. Not when he was just beginning to let her see different parts of him, different sides to him that hinted at the reality of the man rather than the larger than life superhero he seemed to portray. She needed to know more about him before moving forward. There was just too much at stake.
Now, of course, he was going to find a job for her. What sort of job she didn’t know, but she’d made it clear what sort of job she was willing to do. She could only hope that he didn’t go out of his way to find something for her. She hoped he just had something sitting around, something that would disabuse the rumors she encountered regarding his activities, something to counteract his own words.
What she would be doing she had no clue, but she had asked, so she would do whatever was necessary to see it through and show him she was capable of handling things. A small part of her thought that if she showed him she could do the jobs he asked of her that he might begin to let his mask drop and let Carlos show through.
It was worth a try, anyway. That and she could really use the money. She didn’t want to miss her rent payment, that would really make her feel like a failure. It was bad enough she was thinking about touching the money she set aside for Caleb.
As she thought of the money, she also thought of Ranger’s offer. If she invested what was already there, would she really be able to increase the money in time? She knew she could put some in a CD or something and let it collect interest, but maybe Ranger knew something different to do with it, something more profitable. It would be great if she didn’t have to worry about Caleb’s tuition.
Letting out a sigh, she pushed away all thoughts of her financial situation and forced herself to think of something else. Like the shoes she’d spotted at Macy’s the other day.
(Ranger)
He wasn’t happy that Stephanie had come to him with questions earning income. He kept a loose accounting of her skips and had an idea of how much she had made over the past year. Yes, her cars, insurance and rent would probably eat up a lot of her savings, but a month or two with very few skips shouldn’t leave her strapped.
Though, he was reluctant to do so, he admitted to himself that he had at first offered investment advice because he wanted to impress her, to show her who he really was outside of the Ranger persona he wore so well. He wanted to show her Carlos, a side of himself he kept well hidden. That was who he wanted Stephanie to know, that was who he wanted to be. Carlos could still walk in the light. Ranger was darkness. But she had rejected that offer.
He frowned slightly and shook his head. He had deliberately teased her about his jobs to scare her away. She didn’t scare. That, even more than the lack of money, made him suspicious. He didn’t want to believe that she was trying to trap him.
Of course, if he had been wrong and she was a plant, then he would need to be much more careful around her. He shook that thought off. Nothing about the woman screamed she was that sort of trouble and Ranger had been faced with plenty of temptation over the years.
Perhaps a quick search of her apartment would be in order, just to confirm her lack of funds, and make sure she was what she appeared to be.
If it did all check out, he would need to figure out a job that would meet her criteria.
Taking three turns, he was headed back toward Stephanie’s apartment. If she was there, he would just come back later, but he was fairly certain she would be after her skip. He briefly regretted that this trip meant putting off his shower, but it needed done. Of course, spending any time in Vinnie’s office meant the shower was needed as well, but this was more important. Using Vinnie as his intermediary to Harry The Hammer was just one more thing he wouldn’t regret when this job finally ended. Of course, that still left the other job he had going, which, fortunately, hadn’t yet picked up.
Reaching her building, he let himself in and climbed the stairs to her apartment. Her locks took him only seconds to open.
Stepping inside, he closed and locked the door behind him. Though he doubted the locks could keep a toddler out, at least he would hear someone opening them and have a few extra seconds to prepare.
As he stood by the door, he scanned what he could see of the apartment. She certainly hadn’t spent any of her money on furniture and decorations, though it did all look different than he remembered and there was fresh paint on the walls.
The fresh paint triggered the memory that her apartment had been firebombed by Sugar a few months prior. Having to replace everything – clothes, furniture, etc, could eat up her savings fairly quickly. And if she had been as hard last August as he thought she was, she might have been carrying debt forward with her.
Still, she had been bringing in skips and doing jobs for him fairly regularly and nothing he saw could account for all that money being gone, not the way she lived, anyway.
Stepping into the living room, he looked around for a desk.
There wasn’t one.
He then moved to the coffee table and scanned the papers there.
Again, nothing unusual for her – T. V. Guide, a few pieces of junk mail, a few women’s magazines.
His eyebrows rose as he read the front of one of the magazines, “Twenty Five Positions To Keep Your Man Happy”. His interest was piqued.
Glancing around to make sure he was unobserved he reached down and flipped through the magazine until he came to the article in question.
A slow smile appeared on his face as he read through their suggestions. There were some he had tried before, but there were some that were completely new to him.
A few of them stoked his imagination and he wondered what it would be like to try out some of them with Stephanie.
In her apartment, surrounded by her things, by her scent, the visual he had been imaging became more real, more tangible. He unconsciously settled on the couch and let his eyes drift closed as he lost himself in the fantasy. He could felt he brush of her skin against his, hear the small gasps and moans of pleasure, smell her and her essence, her wetness and need, taste her skin, her mouth, all of her. He would open her eyes and watch her face, flushed with pleasure, here eyes open and deep blue, almost navy, her red hair falling back…
That last thought brought his fantasy to a screeching halt.
His eyes flew open and his jaw dropped a little in shock.
He had been so drunk that night, under so much stress, and he had left so quickly the next morning, he had never been sure what she looked like. He’d only been left with the impression of her. But, he knew. Now, he knew.
Maybe it was the scents that surrounded him, maybe it was just his mind putting the pieces together, but he now knew with absolute certainty that Stephanie Plum was his redhead from Newark. She was the wraith who had haunted his dreams for so long, who haunted his dreams still.
Did she remember him? If she did, that could put a crimp in a whole lot of his plans.
She’d never said anything, so that could mean either she didn’t know it was him – a comment his ego protested, but his rational mind admitted could, very well, be true – or she did remember him but wanted nothing to do with him. If Stephanie had remembered him, why hadn’t she said anything in the fourteen months they’d been working together?
Though he was certain of his determination, he decided he needed confirmation. Lester, Bobby and Tank were all there that night. All of them still gave him a hard time about the redhead. Maybe he could find a job that wouldn’t be too dangerous, would be morally right, mostly legal and would allow him to bring along his friends so they could confirm that Stephanie Plum was the right woman.
“Renovating,” he murmured to himself. He could set up a renovation job. He’d make it early enough that she would be tired. If he remembered the bar in Newark properly, she had spent time with Bobby and Lester before he had claimed her. That could be good. If he got her up early enough in the morning, she probably wouldn’t really look at them and they could study her without her realizing she knew him. If she even remembered him, or them, that is.
If they confirmed that Stephanie was the redhead… If they confirmed that, then what?
It wasn’t as if he could pursue her. He knew she came with strings and she had made that abundantly clear in the way they interacted. His life at the moment didn’t have room for such things. It probably never would. Still… if it was her, he’d been with her once, perhaps, under the right circumstances, she would be receptive to another encounter. This time, though, he would make sure they were both sober for it.
His decision made, he wrote her a quick note and stuck it to the refrigerator. He would be back later with dinner.
Ranger headed back toward Haywood with more questions than answers running through his head than answers.
Stephanie Goes Boom!
(Stephanie)
She hated hospitals. And she made sure everyone – her doctors, her nurses, the janitors, the other patients, the visitors – knew it.
Actually, it hadn’t been her intent to let everyone in the place know she was dissatisfied with her current location, but the ringing in her ears was enough to keep her from knowing how loudly she was speaking.
Of course, the ringing was dying down, but she still felt separated from the rest of the world.
Her mind wandered over the past few days.
She really had no idea where to look for Uncle Fred. She knew she needed to go down to the trash hauler’s office and speak to the people in person. It was possible that he had shown up and whoever was there just didn’t want to talk to the cops. It wouldn’t be the first time.
Thinking of Uncle Fred brought to mind the pictures she had found. Feeling he stomach flip, she quickly forced those thoughts away and turned let them drift in another direction.
She was going to need to call Caleb and Grandma Plum when she got out. Hopefully she’d be able to hear by then.
A smile tugged at her lips as she thought of her talk with Caleb the night before.
Caleb was doing well at school. Before she’d gone to meet Tank for their shift, she had called him to check in. As she listened to her son bubble over with excitement about class, his teacher and even most of his classmates, she became more certain of her decision to send him to the school she did. One of he main concerns was that he might be teased about not coming from a two family home, but the school seemed to emphasize “family” in all forms, not the traditional nuclear family. The fact that he wasn’t the only single-parent child or even the only child being raised by his grandmother was a help.
She wasn’t naive enough to believe he would never have problems with teasing on the topic, but she hoped it didn’t come until much later in his life.
Of course, that just meant that she would have to be better about earning money. The additional work from Ranger was… not exactly what she was looking for. But, on the other hand, she really didn’t know where else to go. He was the only person she knew who had more than one business interest.
A soft snort escaped her. At least she thought it was a soft snort. Ranger’s ‘business’ was as mysterious as the man Carlos. People only saw what they wanted to see of him and only what Ranger wanted them to see of his business.
Somehow, Stephanie was certain that there was a lot more going on than just security and bounty hunting. She didn’t believe the stories about him running guns or anything like that, but, as she had found out through her own work, the right contacts made bounty hunting easier to do. Given the nature of Ranger’s skips, he needed to know a completely different type of person.
It was a relief that she only went after small-time skips. There were some segments of the population she preferred denying existed.
As her mind wandered over the mystery that was Caleb’s father, she couldn’t help but wonder at what she had seen recently. The only word she could think of to describe him recently was tender. Aside from his eagerness to help her with investment, he was taking care of her. He brought her dinner, ate with her, guided her through the job, given her his baseball cap and tucked a curl behind her ear.
He was being a gentleman in both senses of the word, or at least more of one than she was used to seeing. What in the world could it mean?
Of course, he hadn’t stopped by the hospital to see her, but, then, no one else had either. She was actually OK with that. She only hoped that Tank was doing well. She hadn’t seen any blood on him the night before, but she was still worried about him. He seemed like a nice enough person, even if he didn’t talk all that much, or at all, beyond the requirements of the job.
Despite her initial qualms about the job, she had to admit that she hadn’t minded doing security until the psycho came and wanted his drugs. Had it not been for that, or the bomb, maybe she would have tried sticking with hit.
But, she knew herself well enough to know that she wouldn’t be comfortable doing more of that. Not when there were such threats that she wasn’t prepared to handle. Maybe if she was training or something it would be an option.
She’d have to tell Ranger that she wouldn’t take the job.
Still thinking of the job, she thought about the men with Ranger. They had all been at the bar back in Newark. How every part of that night except the most important could be burned into her memory she would never understand. Of course, by the time Carlos made a move, she was pretty far in her cups. And, apparently, so was she.
A part of her was surprised none of them recognized her, but then, aside from having her hair died red and straightened; she didn’t go home with any of them. Most men in bars looking to hook up didn’t remember you if you weren’t willing to be with them. At least, that’s what she’d always thought. Still, none of them seemed to recognize her, so her secret was still safe. Carlos wouldn’t know who she was until she revealed it to him – if she ever revealed it to him.
Now, she just needed to get out of the hospital.
(Ranger)
If it all went according to plan, he was certain he would be giving thanks that it was done. With this job off his plate, he could focus on his business and on the other job. That one required a bit more finesse and a lot more planning.
He also needed to focus more on his businesses and maybe, just maybe, starting something with Stephanie.
A silent sigh escaped him as he thought of the curly-haired vixen.
The “interior decorating” job had gone more smoothly than he thought hit might. Stephanie had been startled by it, but faced it, nevertheless. In an odd way, she almost seemed to fit with the guys. That, more than anything else, had impressed him.
That’s not to say that her reactions and comments weren’t amusing and didn’t give them a laugh or two, but it had gone better than he expected.
Of course, he was still not sure what to do about the other information.
Lester and Bobby were well known for never forgetting a lady, they had also been far more sober than he that night.
Both of them had taken one look at Stephanie and confirmed that Ranger’s suspicion was correct Stephanie Plum was, indeed, the redhead from Newark.
It was hard for him to figure out how he felt about that. In some respects, he was just thoroughly relieved, not only to have the mystery woman identified, and, therefore, no longer be a mystery. He was also relieved she was someone he could respect. For as much as she amused him, Ranger did respect Stephanie for what she had accomplished and for herself.
On the other hand, he found it disturbing. He had spent quite a bit of time dreaming about Stephanie and being with Stephanie. Now he found out he had been with her and couldn’t remember anything about it. If she was even half as good in reality as she was in his bed, he needed to be with her again, and this time, sober. He would want to remember being with Stephanie Plum.
Naturally, that led him to questioning if she remembered their night together. If she did, what did that mean? Once again, it could mean she was a threat to him and his jobs. She had a vulnerability, a motive of revenge if she did remember. But such thoughts just didn’t mesh with what he knew of Stephanie Plum. The woman couldn’t lie to save her life. She couldn’t be hiding anything from him. Well, nothing big. Could it be that she remembered their night and was ashamed? Or perhaps scared?
He just didn’t know.
Another thing he had to think over was the fact that he was courting her.
That was the term Tank had used, anyway. In truth, Ranger hadn’t even realized he was doing it. But Tank had pointed out how deferential he was being, compared to how he usually treated women. He wanted to disbelieve it, but he couldn’t deny he was attracted to Stephanie, that he wanted her to know him better. The things he did, giving her the Seals hat, tucking a stray curl behind her hair, gently guiding and instructing her, he did completely unconsciously.
The problem was that his life really didn’t lend itself to relationships. He had no set schedule and could be called away at a moment’s notice, not to mention the fact he could barely find time for himself, let alone for someone else.
No, it was best he not pursue Stephanie Plum. Besides, she hadn’t shown much interest in being with him, not with Joe Morelli around.
Weaving his way through Trenton, heading toward Rangeman, he couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to be with her everyday, to wake up with her, to go to sleep with her, to make love with her whenever he wanted.
“Ha!” The sound of derision escaped him as the Rangeman building came in sight, a large reminder of exactly why such Disney endings couldn’t happen in his life. He’d seen people less dedicated to business than he was try and fail at relationships. None of them really succeeded. Even when they managed to stay together, they shared a bed but led separate lives. As with everything he did, if he was going to become involved, he wanted to commit himself completely and he would expect the same from his woman.
No, there was no room and not time for such things in his life. Besides, with his business growing, it was far easier to have whatever woman he wanted for a night. Less likely to threaten what he’d built as well.
Before heading up to his room, he would stop by Tank’s office and see how the shift went with Stephanie.
Tank was in charge of the security division of Rangeman, so whether or not to hire Stephanie on was up to him. It was a good idea to have a woman on the payroll for certain jobs, so, if she came close to working out, perhaps it could be worked.
Parking his car, he headed up to the fifth floor to speak with Tank.
Stepping out of the elevator, he noticed the hush that fell over the floor. It wasn’t unusual for that to happen, but there was something different about this hush than he was used to hearing. The only other time he heard this hush was when Julie had fallen and broken her arm. The only conclusion he could come to is that something had happened to someone about whom he cared.
It didn’t take him long to make his way to Tank’s office. The door was partially open.
He peered inside and noticed Tank was rubbing his chest. He stepped into the office and closed the door behind him. “Report,” he commanded.
Tank looked up, guilt flashed briefly in his eyes before they went blank. “Had a run in with one of the junkies tonight, but all the important people are all right.”
Sinking into the chair opposite Tank, Ranger raised his eyebrow in disbelief. He knew there was more to the story and he wasn’t about to ask. Tank knew better than to hold out on him.
With an audible sigh, Tank leaned back. “Stephanie and I were on the graveyard shift as planned. She got bored a few hours in and settled in for a nap,” a faint look of disapproval passed over his face. “I saw one of the junkies from this morning heading toward the door and moved. She immediately sat up and asked what was going on. By the time she was up and ready, the junkie had gotten in and pulled a gun. He shot me in the chest. The vest stopped the bullet, but the force knocked me backward. When I fell back I hit my head and was knocked unconscious for a few minutes.
“As near as I can tell, Stephanie put her gun down and followed the junkie upstairs to the apartment. I followed them up as soon as I came to. Turns out the junkie had a bomb strapped on him. One of the neighbors came out of her apartment armed. Stephanie was talking them both down when the junkie lost it and fired. The neighbor shot the junkie setting off the bomb.
“The bomb blew out the door and the wall of the apartment. Major renovation needed there. The largest part of the junkie they found was his foot. The neighbor was knocked down and suffering from temporary tinnitus,” Tank reported.
Ranger felt a clenching low in his stomach. It was supposed to be a simple security job on a quiet night. Nothing dangerous, it was one of the reasons he’d let her take on the job. “And Stephanie?”
“She was knocked unconscious. She came to before she left the building, couldn’t hear a thing. As soon as she realized she was headed toward the hospital, she tried to get off the gurney.” A small smirk appeared on his face. “It seems she hates hospitals as much as you.”
Ranger’s face remained blank as he absorbed the information. He was thankful that Stephanie had come through the encounter relatively unscathed, but wasn’t thrilled that either she or Tank had gone through the ordeal. He made a mental note to drop in and check on her later. “You OK?” he asked.
“I’ll be fine,” Tank acknowledged. “You know how it is to take one to the vest. I’m just thankful I don’t have broken ribs this time.”
“I hear that,” Ranger agreed, rising from his chair. “We need to meet to discuss the next few weeks. Things are coming to a head on the Plantation job. I’m expecting mid-November for the takedown.”
Tank shook his head. “Who comes up with the names for these things?” he asked rhetorically.
Ranger made no response, knowing none was needed.
“I’ll make sure everything’s set in the conference room and gather everyone for a meeting in four hours. That will give you time to take a shower, grab some rack time and see your woman,” Tank informed.
“She’s not my woman,” Ranger automatically denied.
Tank just smirked at him. Opening a drawer, he pulled out a .38. “Bring this to her when you go to see her,” he said, holding the gun out to his friend.
Ranger just glared for a moment before taking the gun. He stepped to the door and had his hand on the knob when Tank piped up once more.
“So,” he began, “now that you know she’s the redhead who’s haunted you for the past five or so years, what are you going to do about it.”
Contemplating whether or not to answer his friend, Ranger finally decided he owed Tank too much not to answer. “Nothing,” he replied. “I don’t have time for a relationship and she has too many strings attached.” He turned and looked Tank in the eye to let his friend know he was serious about what he said.
“And after November?” Tank pushed.
Ranger’s lips thinned. “After November, there’s the other job and Rangeman.” When he saw Tank’s mouth open, he cut his friend off by saying, “My life doesn’t lend itself to relationships.” He then turned and left.
Just before he was out of earshot, he heard Tank add, “That doesn’t mean you don’t need one with her.”
Ranger kept his face blank as he headed toward the elevator. He turned his thoughts to the information he gathered and the meeting coming up in a few hours. He needed to make sure the plan was solid and there were no gaps or holes. It was too close for any mistakes to take place. He needed to get this done.
Stepping into the elevator, he keyed it to head toward the seventh floor. Tank’s parting words burned under the surface of his thoughts, seeping into his heart and soul. When the doors of the elevator opened on the seventh floor, he stepped out and made his way to his door.
Once inside his apartment, he dropped the keys and gun on the small table and headed off to the shower. He would need to write up the report from the previous night before he caught a few moments sleep.
Stripped, he adjusted the water temperature of the shower. He ducked his head under the water and grabbed his shampoo. He was sorting through personnel and assignments in his mind, but beneath his thoughts, Tanks words continued to torment him.
Rinsing his hair, he finally addressed the niggling torment. “I don’t need her,” he declared to no one. “I don’t need anyone.”
Ranger relaxed as the hum of the highway soothed the tension from his muscles. It had been a stressful night, but he had not only gotten the information he needed, he had managed to pass it on without being suspected. The fist job should be done by Thanksgiving.
A Day Of Revelations
(Stephanie)
Stephanie dropped on her bed and pulled the covers over her. She was physically exhausted, but her mind was racing.
What in the world had she done? Tonight she traded (future) sex with Joe for information. Was she that desperate? Never in her life would she have thought herself capable of such a deal, of such a move. But at the time… At the time, it hadn’t seemed that way. At the time, it had been an excuse to get what she wanted without guilt. She enjoyed being intimate with Joe. He did amazing things to her in bed. But she had a feeling they were headed in different directions with regard to their expectations. The fact that he had already once brought up marriage when they weren’t together was telling.
Of course, he’d brought it up as much to offer her protection from Ramierez.
A shiver ran down her spine at the thought of the psychotic ex-boxer. The man had interrupted a distraction she’d been doing for Ranger, though, when looked at from a distance, it was probably a good thing he had interrupted since her target was on his way out and reluctant to stick around to be with her.
She’d been incredibly thankful to see Ranger step into the bar that night.
Ranger… Now there was a mystery no amount of thinking would answer.
He had been changing her view of him over the past few days. Actually, he’d been changing her view of him for longer than that - a few months, at least.
But what did she do with the pieces of the puzzle she’d discovered tonight.
He valued people more than things. That was obvious when he shrugged off the Porsche being smashed to bits. The man actually brought her along on a business deal afterward.
Ranger was into real estate, apparently. That, coupled with the investment question gave her an entirely different view of Ranger than she’d had before.
But, then, maybe he wasn’t showing her Ranger, maybe he was showing her Carlos. She more hoped than believed that to be the case. There was a very small part of her, one that she took great care to bury as deeply as possible, that hoped she and Carlos could get together and become a family with Caleb, that dreamed of a Happily Ever After.
She had learned too much of life over the past years to believe that, though. It was why she only very rarely took out that thought to look at and toy with. The glimpses of him she’d gotten tonight had broken down the walls she’d built around that seed of hope and set it free. Hopefully, that was only a temporary condition. There was still too much she didn’t know about Ranger for her to have any faith that things might work out for the best.
Whatever else he was, though, he was an amazing man. It wasn’t just the power and control he exuded. He was smart, far smarter than Stephanie. At least she knew from where Caleb’s intelligence came. He was driven, focused.
He was divorced and had a daughter.
Caleb had a half-sister out there.
He’d told her that he visited his daughter whenever he was in the area. Would occasional visits be good for Caleb? Would he benefit from them? Or would it do more harm than good to have an occasional father? That was something she was going to have to address soon. The older Caleb got, the harder it would be for him to bond with Ranger.
Of course, she could help that along.
Now that she knew more positive things about Ranger, she could share some of the information if Caleb ever asked. At least she wouldn’t have to struggle to search for positives while ignoring huge swaths of darkness that seemed to make up Ranger’s life.
He had opened up to her at dinner, shared with her. Stephanie had been tempted, more than she ever had before, to tell him about Caleb, to tell him she knew they had been together so long ago. But something held her back. She knew part of what held her back was fear – fear of who really lurked behind the mask of Ranger, fear that Ranger would reject her and Caleb, fear that he wouldn’t reject them and, most of all, a fear that he would take Caleb away from her.
She knew this last fear was ridiculous, or, at least, she tried to convince herself it was ridiculous. After all, he had one child and didn’t seem to have custody. But that didn’t mean he didn’t seek it. That, and she was pretty sure it was different for a man if it was a son instead of a daughter.
Sighing and rolling over, Stephanie tried to put those thoughts out of her mind.
With everything else happening, she just didn’t have time to contemplate the long-term with Ranger. She didn’t really have time to contemplate a short-term with him either. And, then, with Joe in the picture… She’d been right early. Ranger was a whole different problem.
Thinking of Joe, she felt a little disgruntled. He was shutting her out of things. She had been the one who uncovered the skimming at the garbage company. Well, Uncle Fred had discovered that, but she was the one who brought it to Morelli’s attention, who, of course, passed the information along to Bunchy. Bunchy. Now there was another can of worms she didn’t want to open. A Treasury agent. Not the first time she’d dealt with the Treasury either. A few months ago, the mess with Maxine had ended up in the Treasury’s lap.
What was it with her stumbling into federal cases? Normal people didn’t just find themselves in the midst of a government operation. Of course, normal people didn’t get bombed, shot at, have crazy stalkers, people breaking into their house or little people sleeping on their couches, either.
Then, again, as Grandma Mazur always said, “Normal is overrated.”
A smile curved her lips as she thought of her feisty grandmother saying that.
Her eyes drifted closed as she thought, my life may be messier than the table after Caleb finger paints, but at least it’s not normal.
(Ranger)
Things were changing. He was changing.
No matter how many times he told himself he shouldn’t get involved with Stephanie Plum, he just couldn’t seem to stop himself.
He smiled and chuckled softly as he remembered the condition of his Porsche. Never in his life would he have imagined something like that happening, at least, not outside the movies. It had been a struggle not to laugh out loud at the sight.
As it was, when he got back to the office, he had no choice but to share with Tank, Lester and Bobby. He had found them together in the gym along with Hal. The laughter finally came as he was describing what he had seen and what had happened. He, honestly, couldn’t remember the last time he’d laughed so hard with the guys.
As he’d told Stephanie, he wasn’t worried about losing the Porsche. It was far more important that she was unharmed. He could see she didn’t fully believe him, but there was little he could do about that. It was a difference in their beliefs, in the way they grew up. One of many that could prove amusing and entertaining for years to come.
That thought brought him up short. What was he doing thinking of the future like that? Between taking government contracts, his job and the danger in both their lives, there was little hope of a future together. He was being foolish and sentimental. Maybe it was time to go see Rachel and Julie again. Rachel had a way of curing him from thoughts of settling down.
His mind went back to one of his previous thoughts. The danger in their lives.
He walked a fine line in his life between legal and illegal. It was a line he couldn’t cross, wouldn’t cross, but it meant he had elements of danger in his life that most didn’t. It also meant he had to avoid weaknesses. The biggest weakness most people had was family. He had been very careful about distancing himself from his family. He hadn’t spoken to them in years, despite being nearby. His trips to Newark and Miami on business brought him close to them. Despite the image he portrayed, he was just a man and, at times, the lure of family was too much to resist.
In Miami, he would visit Julie on occasion as well as call her. He was proud of his daughter and all she accomplished, but felt disconnected from her. He had no part in her rearing and that was the best for everyone involved. He couldn’t knowingly endanger her. Besides, the visits were usually enough to cure him of wanting a kid. Kids asked way to many questions. Still, she was the only family he allowed himself to see and he looked forward to each visit.
He had surprised himself that night when Stephanie asked him about himself. Normally he would have found a way to avoid answering, but he felt safe opening to her. He knew instinctively that she wouldn’t spread it around that he had a daughter or that he visited her. And letting Stephanie in just a little bit fed the need within him that had been building for five years. It brought him a little closer to solving the mystery of the redheaded woman.
A bark of laughter escaped him. He had spent so long wondering an imagining the woman in his dreams, he was having a hard time reconciling the reality of it. Stephanie Plum wasn’t someone he could easily categorize. Knowing her was an adventure. But it was almost pathetic how he had been so hung up on her for so long. Still, he just wanted to know more of her.
He knew that even his friends might wonder at his thoughts, he certainly was. He’d been Ranger for so long; he kept forgetting that Carlos was under there somewhere underneath the mask he wore so comfortably. But he let Carlos show through with her, more than he should. He couldn’t help but wonder what she thought of him. It had been easy to see her image of him shifting and changing as she tried to fit in the information she gathered. A part of him hoped he came out looking better than he had before.
Sitting up straight, he berated himself for getting lost in her. Neither of them was in the right place for any sort of non-professional involvement, but she was just too tempting.
Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly and shook his head. Now was not the time to get hung up on Stephanie Plum. The papers for the Boston office had been signed tonight. That meant he would need to find time to go up there and view the building once more. He already hired the interior designer and knew what he wanted.
The best time for the trip would be in a week or two. Hopefully, by then, whoever was bombing Stephanie would be caught. Of course, with Morelli sniffing around and on the case, he probably didn’t need to worry.
A frown appeared on his face. Morelli wasn’t known for pursuing women after he bedded them. It had been quite obvious a few months ago that he had definitely found his way to Stephanie’s bed. So why was he hanging around? Why have you been hung up on her for five years, his subconscious taunted him.
Letting out a curse, Ranger stood up and walked to the kitchen to retrieve a bottle of water. He wasn’t supposed to be thinking of her now. And he absolutely was not to be thinking of Morelli as competition. After all, Ranger wasn’t looking to get involved with Stephanie Plum.
But Carlos is, his heart whispered to him.
A growl of frustration escaped him as he grabbed some folders he’d put on the kitchen counter earlier. If he couldn’t forget about her and focus on business while he was relaxing, he would do it while working.
Heading toward his home office, he felt determination and purpose fill him. He should be able to get a few more things done before retiring for the night.
Ranger hit the play button, allowing smooth, soothing jazz to flow over him. He allowed his head to drop against the back of the couch and his eyes to drift closed.
Bad Ideas
(Stephanie)
Stephanie let out a sigh as she settled into Morelli’s car. She was more than ready to go someplace she might feel safe, and Morelli could easily provide that.
Glancing at him as he slid behind the wheel, she once again contemplated what life would be like with Morelli. He would still probably work ungodly hours, be on call and have to dash away at a moment’s notice. But, she decided, she could get used to that. His having to work late hours with Terri Gilman, however, was something she wasn’t so sure about.
Of course, then there was the whole Caleb question. Would he love her son? Then again, would he mind being tied to Ranger? If she ever brought Caleb up to Trenton, it was a sure thing that Ranger would find out about their son and probably demand visitation or something.
At the thought of Ranger, her mind immediately conjured the kiss from the parking lot.
It was a bad idea. Not only because she was working for him but because they were hiding things from each other. He was hiding who he was and she was hiding their son. Not to mention Joe.
Her mind, though, latched onto the sensation of Ranger’s lips pressed against hers as she drifted to sleep.
(Ranger)
“We’ll need the final pieces in place within the week,” he instructed.
“They’ll be there,” a voice on the other end of the line confirmed.
Ranger hit the disconnect button on the phone, ending the conference call.
He shifted a few of the papers in front of him and lifted the one he’d been looking for, the one that gave the details of the shipment.
One of the Washington guys had not only been able to confirm what Ranger had discovered, but had even managed to get a few more details as well. Ranger made a mental note to see if the guy might be interested in working in the private sector, specifically, for Rangeman. He could always use a few more good men and with needing to staff the Boston office, the agent could work out well.
A knock sounded on his door. “Come,” he commanded.
“Boss,” Lester greeted once Ranger’s eyes met his. “I thought you stopped by the lovely Miss Plum’s tonight?”
Ranger’s mind immediately flashed to the kiss. He hadn’t meant to do that, but seeing her there, tears rolling down her eyes, it was impossible for him not to kiss her. Deciding not to answer, he simply stared at Lester, waiting for more.
“Apparently someone named Alan Shempsky was in her apartment waiting for her.”
One of Ranger’s eyebrows raised in query. He felt a little uncomfortable. He’d been at the apartment, but it never crossed his mind to check it out, especially knowing that Randy Briggs was there.
“Word has it he was there to kill her. Almost succeeded, too, except Ramirez showed up and interrupted.”
Ranger’s jaw clenched tight. Ramirez was not his favorite person. The thought of that psycho getting his hands on Stephanie Plum was almost too much to be tolerated.
“Shempsky took out Ramirez and then bolted,” Lester finished. “Shempsky is apparently wanted in connection to Morelli’s current Treasury case.”
“And Stephanie?” Ranger asked.
“Went home with Morelli for the night,” Lester informed with a speaking look.
Ranger let it go. As much as he didn’t like Morelli being the one there for Stephanie, she had been right, they both had been. Being involved with Stephanie was a bad idea. Seeing Lester still standing in the door, he responded, “Then she’d safe.” He could berate himself for not checking her apartment or walking her up later. “Sit,” he commanded. “We have things to go over on the Plantation job.”
Lester moved into the room and took a seat across from Ranger
Ranger was sitting behind his desk, finishing a conference call with the team in Washington D. C.
The Weekend Before Fred’s Viewing
(Stephanie)
She looked around her apartment. It was clean and sparkling.
A glance at the clock told her it was now early morning.
Stretching, she could feel the tension and exhaustion mingling in her body. The place might be clean, but she didn’t yet feel safe. She knew she would have to go to Uncle Fred’s viewing on Monday and she knew she owed Morelli a night, but for now, she was going to get in the Buick and drive to Newark. She may be exhausted by the time she got there, but she knew without a doubt, not only that she would be safe, but also she would be able to put the nightmares behind herself for a while. Caleb had a way of helping her forget the nightmare portions of her life as a Bounty Hunter.
A happy sigh escaped her as she thought of Caleb. Yes, it would definitely be worth the trip to see her son, to catch up on his life and discover, in person, what he had learned at school.
Moving to the bedroom, she quickly tossed a few clothes for the weekend into the bag, grabbed some supplies from the bathroom and headed toward the door. She picked up Rex, slung her bag and her purse over her shoulder and headed toward the door, making sure to lock it behind her.
She stowed everything away and headed toward Newark.
As she drove, all thoughts of stalkers, skips, deals, Joe, Ranger and Ranger’s magical kiss, faded away. Instead, she began plotting Halloween costumes for herself and her son as well as what adventures they could have this weekend.
(Ranger)
Ranger had been gritting his teeth and ignoring the imbecile during the entirety of the meeting. One of the agents he with whom he’d been working on Plantation was out for emergency surgery. The idiot they had put on the team as a replacement was so green Ranger was surprised he didn’t have rabbits stalking him. Within thirty seconds it became obvious that not only did the new agent not have any field experience, but the man hadn’t even bothered to read anything related to the case.
When the agent’s boss had called him on it, the nimrod had insisted that not reading the case first had allowed him to come at it with fresh eyes.
But now, an hour later, Ranger had enough. He would tolerate no more.
Leveling his most menacing gaze at the young agent, he felt a small flare of satisfaction as the man paled and seemed to shrink in on himself. “By contractual obligation,” Ranger began, “I am in charge. I make the decisions and I say this is the way we’re handling it. If you plan on being part of this team, you will read all report, you will listen, you will obey and you will not speak unless spoken to. Understood?”
The young agent’s eyes had grown impossibly wide as he listened. When asked if he understood, the man just nodded vigorously, keeping his mouth closed.
Turning his attention back to the table, Ranger didn’t miss the relieved looks on the other men’s faces. They already understood that he was in charge.
“Now,” Ranger continued. “I want to place alpha team…”
“I don’t see why we can’t adjust…” the suit to his left began.
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