For disclaimer, notes, etc, please see the Right Turn From Reality Table Of Contents
Interlude Three
Be Mine, Valentine
(Stephanie)
Stephanie checked herself in the mirror one last time. The dress was quite modest, but appealing. Her makeup was understated and her hair swept up.
A soft knock on her door drew her attention from her last minute check. “Come in,” she called.
Grandma Plum opened the door and smiled at her granddaughter. “Are you ready for your date?” she asked.
Stephanie rewarded her with a bright smile. “Absolutely,” she agreed. “I’ve been looking forward to this for weeks.”
“Good,” Grandma Plum replied, chuckling softly. “He’s a little nervous, but very excited.”
Stephanie let out a light laugh. Grabbing her purse, she followed her grandmother out of the room.
Making her way downstairs, Stephanie’s smile brightened when she caught sight of her date.
Caleb was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs holding a tissue-paper rose he had made in preschool. He was dressed in his Sunday suit and had his hair neatly combed. “This is for you, Mommy,” he said, holding the rose out to her.
Stephanie crossed the distance to him and crouched down, taking the rose from his hand and placing a kiss on his cheek. “Thank you, Caleb. It’s beautiful.”
Standing back up, she reached out for his hand. Holding hands, they headed toward the front door.
“Have fun, tonight,” Grandma Plum called out as the couple walked out, chuckling softly to herself.
Stephanie looked over her shoulder and smiled at her grandmother. At least tonight she was guaranteed an agreeable date and wouldn’t have to worry about post-date expectations.
At the car, Stephanie opened the back door and quickly got Caleb into his booster seat. Once satisfied that he was safely buckled in place, she closed the door and moved to the front where she slipped into the driver’s seat. “Where are we going?” she asked, meeting her son’s eyes in the rear view mirror.
“Belle’s,” Caleb stated, with a smile.
“Sounds wonderful,” Stephanie encouraged. Belle’s was a local family restaurant just outside of Newark that she and Caleb visited fairly regularly. There was always something fun for the kids to do and the food was good as well as healthy. While not the most romantic place in New Jersey, it was a perfect place for their date.
She was very proud of her son. When he had first heard about Valentine’s Day and the various traditions, he had been very thoughtful. Without a word to Stephanie, he had spoken with Grandma Plum. He had laid out his plan of taking Stephanie out to dinner on Valentine’s Day. Together, they had figured out how much it would cost for both of them to eat and then Grandma Plum had assigned chores for Caleb to complete each day, such as making his bed, picking up his toys, helping to clear the table and other little things around the house. At the end of each week, he was given his “pay” for the work he had done and soon he had what they thought would be more than enough for dinner and a tip.
The week before Valentine’s Day, Caleb had asked his mother out on a date. Naturally, she was incapable of refusing.
To be honest, although they were just now pulling into Belle’s, it had already been her best Valentine’s Day date ever.
After parking in the lot, Stephanie slipped out of the car and quickly got Caleb out as well. She smiled as her son took her hand and led her to the door. When he opened the door for her, her smile grew wider and she thanked him.
Stepping inside, she glanced around the room and noticed the paper hearts hanging from the ceiling. The restaurant was filled with families sitting at the tables, laughing and enjoying their time.
“Reservation under Plum, ma’am,” Caleb announced to the hostess.
The older lady smiled down at Caleb as she looked down at a list and made a mark next to his name. Grabbing two menus, she grinned widely and advised, “Right this way, sir.”
Mother and son were led to a table for two in a back corner. The hostess and Stephanie exchanged amused looks as Caleb stood behind Stephanie’s chair, waiting for her to sit. Once she was seated, he moved to the other side of the table and climbed into his own seat.
Gazing over the top of her menu, Stephanie watched her son. He looked so much like his father; she couldn’t imagine how she ever doubted Ranger was the man so long ago.
Setting his menu aside, Caleb looked up at his mother. “Do you know what you want, Mom?” he asked politely.
Stephanie smiled at her boy as she set her own menu aside. “I’m going to have the chicken fingers with macaroni and cheese on the side instead of fries,” she informed. “What did you decide on?”
“I’m going to have the junior Angus burger with fries,” he replied, his voice firm.
“Good choice,” Stephanie assures, smiling at her date.
After dinner, Stephanie waited for Caleb to come to her and stand by her chair. He was too small to help her move it in and out, but he waited for her to come and took her hand.
As they walked out of the restaurant hand in hand, Stephanie couldn’t help smiling down at her boy. She was so proud of him. He had behaved with perfect manners and even remembered to leave a tip.
Somehow, Caleb always managed to amaze her. They didn’t go out to eat often, but it was obvious he knew what to do. They never went out with gentlemen, but he had been remarkably chivalrous. Of course, it was possible that Grandma Plum had drilled them, but it wasn’t the first time he had surprised her.
Letting her eyes drift to the rear view mirror, she looked at her little boy, smiling as she saw he was already asleep. He was growing up so fast and she was missing so much of it.
She loved working as a bounty hunter. It made her feel alive. Reestablishing a relationship with Grandma Mazur and her parents was proving to be rewarding, but her heart longed to be at home every day. Home was wherever Caleb happened to be.
Pulling into the driveway, she shut off the car and went to get him out of his seat. It was too early for him to go to bed.
Gently waking him, he held out his arms to her. Reaching in, she lifted him up, holding him close as he wrapped his legs around her waist, his arms around her neck and rested his head on her shoulder.
She paused outside the door to the house and waited for him to look up. “Thank you for a wonderful evening,” she told him, smiling. “I really enjoyed myself.” Leaning forward she kissed his cheek and was rewarded with a huge smile in return. “You can be my date anytime,” she assured.
“You, too, Mom,” he replied.
“Are you going to stand out there all night or are you going to tell me how your date went?” Grandma Plum asked from the other side of the door.
All three of them laughed. Grandma Plum opened the door and ushered Stephanie and Caleb into the house.
It was a very good Valentine’s Day.
(Ranger)
Craig Randolf was not an easy customer, but he was one of Rangeman’s first. Unfortunately, that meant he felt entitled to be a complete nightmare to handle. As a result, on more than one occasion, Ranger had been tempted to drop him, but the prestige of Randolf’s company combined with the marketing that customer loyalty reaps, meant that the company had to stay with Rangeman. That did not mean, however, that Ranger couldn’t make the man pay for his services.
In reviewing the customer’s history, Ranger had taken into account what features Randolf had used in the past, what advances had taken place, as well as what new options the man might like. He added in a slight increase for troublesome customers and, realizing that Randolf’s family was of primary importance to the man, quickly set the meeting for the next family-oriented holiday - Valentine’s Day.
Ranger had no qualms about taking the man’s money; it was, after all, in his nature as a mercenary to look at personal gain first. Of course, that didn’t mean he would avoid helping others. He just made sure that he would benefit as much or more than whomever he was helping.
A small voice in the back of his head asked, “Why, then, are you helping Stephanie Plum?”
The question took him by surprise, but while Randolf was reading over the new contract to assure himself the terms were acceptable, Ranger focused on finding the answer.
In truth, helping Stephanie had begun as nothing more than a favor to Connie. Actually, it was a return favor for helping him get started and for the information she always provided for free. So, in taking on Stephanie, he had paid that debt in full. The question was what did he gain from his help?
Stephanie always paid him a portion of the bounty. Though a comparatively small amount, money was money and any gain was welcome. She provided a pleasant looking partner. She might not be a beauty, but she was pretty. She usually made him laugh at least once each time they worked together. And finally, she provided plenty of fuel for his fantasies.
In short, he was mostly entertained by her. Being entertained and earning a few bucks wasn’t a bad combination.
Of course, if he really wanted to be entertained, he should spend some time with her in bed.
Unfortunately, she wasn’t the time of woman you could have some fun with and walk away from. There were strings attached, a price to pay for time in Stephanie Plum’s bed, most notably, a relationship. Ranger had no time or room for strings in his life and a relationship would be impossible given his current schedule; there just wasn’t enough of himself left to give to someone.
His thoughts were drawn back to the present by the sound of papers straightening.
“This is a pretty large price increase,” Randolf observed.
Ranger offered a slight smile, mentally biting back the thought that it should have been more. “The new enhancements to your current package are well worth it,” he replied instead. He almost smiled as he saw Randolf glance at his watch. Normally negotiations would kick off and the price would be adjusted. Since it was almost 5:00 P. M., and Ranger was certain his client needed to get home, he doubted that negotiations would begin at all.
When Randolf glanced at his watch a second time in less than a minute, Ranger knew he had his sale and that Randolf would take the package as written.
“I’ll sign,” Randolf agreed. “I’m not sure I need all of these bells and whistles, but you haven’t let me down yet.”
Ranger offered a slightly wider smile, one designed to build confidence. “I promise you won’t be disappointed,” Ranger assured. Even if I have to hire someone to prove the new measures work, he added silently.
With the papers signed, he left the client copy of the contract on the table, shook Randolf’s hand and exited the building, pleased that all had gone as planned. In celebration, he would return to his apartment, eat the wonderful dinner Ella would provide and spend the rest of the evening sorting through offers and contemplating what to do with the latest bonus he had earned for himself.
Sliding being the wheel of his Porsche Boxter, he contemplated getting a new car. The Porsche Turbo looked nice. One could never have too many Porsches.
Ranger stared at the man across the table. He had deliberately scheduled this meeting for late on Valentine’s Day.
Hoppity-Hop-Hop
(Stephanie)
Stephanie grumbled in frustration as she used her crutches to clomp down the hall to the elevator.
On the up side, it was only a minor sprain, so she should be up and walking again in no time. On the down side, she was stuck on crutches and the trip to the emergency room, aside from being an added expense, had delayed her trip to Newark.
Of course, she hadn’t even gotten her paperwork filled out before her mother was calling to find out what was wrong, why she was in the Emergency room and if Stephanie needed anything.
Now, instead of heading home right away, she needed to sleep off the painkillers she’d been given. One way or another, though, she was getting to Newark today. She hated that she missed spending the morning with her son. She was not going to miss their traditional dying of Easter eggs today or the Easter egg hunt Sunday.
Entering her apartment, Stephanie listened to the sound of Rex running on his wheel.
She was just collapsing in to a chair when her cell rang.
Thankful that she hadn’t dropped her purse yet, she flipped open her phone. “Hello?”
“Mommy!” came Caleb’s joyous shout. “Are you feeling better from your boo-boo?”
Stephanie smiled at the phone. The first and only call she had made was to Grandma Plum. She had also spoken to Caleb. “Just a bit. I need to take a nap and then I’ll head out. I can’t wait to see you.”
“OK, Mommy. We have the Easter egg stuff all ready to go,” Caleb enthused. “Do you think the Easter Bunny will hide the eggs again this year so I can go looking for them? My suit’s all ready for church, too. Grandma says I look very handsome in it.”
“I bet you do, sweetie,” Stephanie agreed with a smile, wishing she had been there to help him pick it out.
“Did you find a new Easter dress?” he asked.
Stephanie hesitated. She had meant to look for a new dress for Easter, but with her sprained ankle, there just wasn’t time to do so. Thinking through the dresses she had at home and the ones she had in the apartment, she finally settled on one that she could wear. It was something she’d gotten up here in Trenton and only worn once to appease her parents. “I have a dress too,” she said with a smile.
“Good. Grandma got one too, so we can all look pretty for the Easter picture,” Caleb enthused.
Stephanie chuckled softly. Caleb was the exact opposite of her when it came to getting his picture taken. Where she hated it, Caleb loved getting his picture taken. Of course, she was probably responsible for that as much as her Grandmother was. One of the many things she and her grandmother had discussed was the fact that someday, Stephanie’s parents might actually find out about Caleb. On the off-chance they would accept him; they wanted to have pictures to mark each major event. It wouldn’t be the same as being there, but it would be something.
In the back of Stephanie’s mind, she had always had the mysterious ‘Carlos’ in mind when putting the scrapbooks together. Of course, now that she’d met him again, she was reluctant to let him know about his son.
“Can we watch the bunny video tonight?” Caleb asked.
The question brought Stephanie back to reality and she smiled. She well recognized that particular tone of voice. It was the tone Caleb always used when he wanted to get his way and was fairly certain he wouldn’t. The previous year, they had seen an Easter special on television about the Easter bunny and there was an evil bunny in it called ‘Iron Tail’. Though a little scary for Caleb then, her son was utterly in love with it. He had somehow convinced Grandma Plum to buy a copy of it and now wanted to watch it every chance he got. Stephanie had insisted it be put away until Easter. “We’ll see,” she replied, knowing that she would be sprawled on this couch later that night with Caleb on top of her and a bowl of popcorn nearby.
“Thanks, Mommy!” Caleb cried.
“You’re welcome,” Stephanie replied, smiling. She was suddenly overtaken by a yawn.
Obviously having heard the yawn, Caleb commanded, “You go take your nap so you can get here sooner. I’ll hang up now. Bye, Mommy!”
“Bye, Caleb,” she said to the dial tone. Chuckling softly to herself, she turned off her phone and set it aside. Debating within herself, she decided it would be too much trouble to get up again and head into her bedroom.
Adjusting her position on the couch, Stephanie propped her sore ankle on the throw pillow at one end and rested her head on the throw pillow on the other end. Before she had time to realize it, her eyes drifted closed as she fell asleep.
(Ranger)
How contract negotiations could go so wrong so quickly was almost beyond him. They had started out as fairly straight forward things. The client wanted full-time live security and a body guard available at all times while in Miami.
Given that the client was only in Miami three months out of the year, it should have been a fairly easy sell and one that would have a fair profit. That was, of course, before negotiations went fubar.
I call at five o'clock Monday had resulted in a breakfast-time conference call. That three hour call resulted in a trip to Miami for him and two fourteen-hour days of negotiation and appeasement.
In the end, the contract signed would bring in an almost 100% profit for his company. The down sides, however, were numerous. Now that the client had dealt with him once, Ranger knew the client would demand to work with him each time the contract came up for renewal. It also meant that any and all problems would result in a direct call to him.
"Another prima donna," Ranger muttered as he pulled the top paper from his in box. He had a company to run and didn't have time to cater to each and every client. As it was, the development in Boston was continuing apace. If it continued to grow as it was, then he would need to buy a building soon in order to expand. Currently it wasn't economically feasible, but, a few larger clients and he'd be bringing in more money than Miami and Trenton combined. It was just a matter of waiting and watching.
Glancing at the page in his hand, he saw it was a report on Stephanie Plum. He couldn't understand why it was here, until he remembered telling Tank how amusing he found her. That answer had come in response to the question of why he was still helping her. After relaying a few stories, Tank had shown some interest in finding out more about the woman.
Apparently, while he was away in Miami babysitting a client, Stephanie had some trouble with a skip. She was now on crutches.
Ranger smirked as he read the details of the incident. He didn't like to see her hurt, but knowing the resulting injury wasn't anything serious allowed the humor of the situation to show through.
Setting aside the report, he paused for a moment, a frown on his face.
Why was it so important to him to make sure she was in good health? The only reason he could think of was that he'd become emotionally attached. That wasn't good. In fact, in his line of work, it could be the kiss of death- literally. Not just his death either, but their deaths. Being emotionally attached to someone left you vulnerable, gave you a weakness. The distance he had created from his family, from his ex-wife and from his child gave both him and them a good amount of protection. The only true relationships he had were business relationships. True, there was an element of friendship in his interactions with Tank and a few others, but none of them was ever allowed to see Carlos, to see the man he had so carefully hidden away.
That was yet another danger of the strings that came with a relationship, it would require him to open himself and show someone who he really was, to let someone else know what he was like once the Ranger facade had been stripped away. A part of him yearned for someone with whom to share himself, but every carefully honed instinct he possessed cried out against it.
No, right now his emotional attachment to Stephanie Plum was purely entertainment. It was definitely a working relationship. If it ever stopped working, then he would end it. Before he did so, however, he would find a way to make a few of the dreams that plagued him come true. If she was even half the woman in bed that he dreamed she was, it would be a night to remember.
Ranger placed the folder on his desk and sank into his leather chair. The chair had seemed an indulgence, but then, he had the money and how he spent it was no one's business but his own. Besides, ultimately, the cost of the chair would be passed along to the customer. From a purely comfort standpoint, a rough day chasing skips or a few weeks working a job, sinking into a comfortable chair was an indulgence he deserved. The fact that he was just returning from his Miami office and felt like he had spent two weeks in the jungle made the soft leather more welcome.
Memorial Day Weekend
(Stephanie)
Stephanie and Caleb set of to find a good picnic spot. It was a beautiful day and Stephanie was looking forward to this almost as much as Caleb was.
It hadn’t been an easy time since Easter. In fact, she hadn’t been able to get back to Newark at all while Caleb was awake or at home. She had managed a quick visit with her grandmother, but that happened after Caleb’s bed time. Hopefully the rush on skips would slow down a little and allow her to catch up with things like spending time with her son.
The one trip down had been to enroll Caleb in private school.
There was a very good Parochial school in her grandmother’s parish and that was the one Stephanie wanted Caleb to go to. Fortunately, she’d been able to save up enough money to send him. The fact she got a slight tuition break due to being a single parent didn’t hurt either.
The fact that the plethora of skips she’d brought in had helped her begin saving for next year’s tuition was the only positive she’d been able to find.
It was hard to believe that Caleb would be in kindergarten in September.
“Mommy, can I play on the swings?” Caleb asked after they set up their chosen picnic sight.
“Sure, sweetie,” Stephanie agree, following him over to the playground. She settled on a bench nearby, making sure she had a good view of her boy.
Sitting back and watching him on the swings, Stephanie found it hard to believe it had been five years since Caleb was conceived, that it had been five years since she’d had sex.
A shiver ran through her at the thought of sex with Ranger. The man was almost too good looking to be real. Of course, he’d given no sign he was interested in her and that was fine. Stephanie really didn’t want to sleep with him while keeping Caleb a secret.
And then there was Joe.
Joe Morelli was a thorn in her side that refused to go away. Of course, right now she couldn’t be completely sure she wanted him to despite the fact that she hadn’t seen him since February. The man had been paged just when things were getting interesting.
Morelli had told her that he didn’t think a relationship with her would be a good idea; that he thought she deserved more than he could give. In many ways, he was still the world’s biggest jerk, but those kisses and those hands…
Stephanie slowly shook her head at the memory of the kisses they had shared. Those kisses had awakened something in her she’d locked away after her night with Carlos.
She knew that particular need would demand fulfillment soon. But she wasn’t sure that Joe was the right man to do the job. After all, it seemed every time things were getting interesting, something happened to bring things to a skidding halt. That, and she wasn’t entirely sure she trusted him. On the other hand, she knew Ranger wasn’t the right man for the job either.
Stephanie snapped out of her reverie as Caleb slowed his swing to a stop.
Rising from her seat, she stepped forward and met him. “Want to play Frisbee?” she asked.
“Yea!” he responded with joy.
Stephanie quickly grabbed the toy from one of the bags they brought with them and the two headed a little ways away from their picnic supplies in order to play.
Their laughter filled the air as they tossed the disk back and forth.
It was a joyous day.
(Ranger)
Today was Memorial Day, a day to remember those who fought for their country. Most people spent it as a day to remember those who gave their lives for their country. That was how he had always used it, as a day to remember all the men with whom he had served, those who came through it all and those who died in "training accidents".
He had never made it a huge day, a huge deal. He made sure that only those who wanted to worked on this day. He usually put in time during the afternoon to make sure people got to their picnic. The quiet time he was left he then used to reflect on his life and career.
That changed today with one simple message.
He had slipped out early to view the parade downtown, though he would strenuously deny it to anyone who asked. It was a tradition to him, a way to connect to his past without drawing undue attention. He would never march in one; he wasn't yet free of his service to his country. That was followed by a quick stop at the cemetery where he would say a quick prayer for those who went on before. Then he would return to his apartment and reflect once more.
The difference today was the message he found in his voicemail when he returned home.
The message was short and simple, which was amazing since it came from Stephanie. It was still longer than it needed to be and came with an explanation attached, but it was a surprise.
Looking down at his phone, he hit the keys necessary and listened to it once more.
Hey, Ranger. It's Stephanie. Each Memorial Day I call everyone I know who served in the armed forces and thank them. So, thank you. Bye.
Over the course of his career, he had been thanked only a handful of times. He knew because he remembered each time. The times he had been sincerely thanked were even fewer.
Stephanie's thanks, though, were sincere and he didn't know what to make of it. That she was truly thankful for the time he had spent in the service was obvious. The fact she took the time to call him while out of town meant more. That is was something that she did every year for everyone she knew who served showed a part of her generous heart that appealed to him more than he should let it.
What was worse was the way she continued to fill his dreams with her presence. While it is true that he would rather dream of her than the nightmares that normally plagued his sleep, dreaming of her was just too dangerous. His subconscious was setting a trap for him that could ruin a lot of lives and ruin them quickly.
"What ever happened to the redhead," he wondered aloud as he headed down to work.
Carlos stood at the window staring out at the skyline below.
A Day In June
(Stephanie)
“Any big plans this weekend?” Connie asked, finishing the check she was preparing for Stephanie.
“Nothing much,” Stephanie replied, flipping through the new folder Connie had just given her. “I’m going to be heading down to Newark.”
“You sure your ‘new’ car can make it that far?” Connie teased, looking at the rusted; beat up hunk of metal and fiberglass trying to pass itself off as a car.
“Hey!” Stephanie protested, though without any heat. Her car was currently at the shop. The hunk of junk was a loaner for the weekend. That was one of the reasons she was so happy to be getting the check from Connie as well as the new files, the repairs on the CRV would cost a bit.
“Newark, Babe?” Ranger questioned, stepping out of Vinnie’s office. “Need a lift?”
Both women startled. Stephanie almost dropped her folder at the sound of his voice.
Panic flashed through her. Her eyes flew to Connie’s before she realized that Ranger didn’t know about Grandma Plum and the feud. When she looked back at Ranger, she saw that he had one eyebrow raised, his version of drilling her with questions.
Letting out a sigh, she slipped back on the couch and explained, “This goes back to before I was born,” Stephanie informed. “My dad and my Grandpa Plum had some sort of falling out and stopped speaking to each other. Grandpa and Grandma Plum live in Newark. Grandpa Plum died a few years ago, but Grandma’s still alive. When I worked for E. E. Martin, I lived in Newark and saw a lot of my Grandma Plum. Now that I’m back here, I still visit her, but my parents, especially my dad, can’t find out or he would hit the roof,” she finished.
Ranger nodded that he understood. “Do you need a ride?”
Stephanie blinked, realizing that she had never answered his question. “Uh, no,” she replied fighting her rising panic. If Ranger dropped her off, then he would see Caleb, and that would be bad – very bad. “That car’s good enough to get me there.” That resolved, her curiosity finally broke through her near panic and she asked, “What are you doing in Newark?”
“Business,” he replied, slipping his sunglasses on and, with a nod to both ladies, took his leave.
As soon as the door shut, Connie accused, “What were you thinking? A man that hot volunteers to give you a ride, you take it!”
Stephanie looked at her friend and sighed. “A ride to my Grandma’s house?” she asked, voicing her disbelief. “Not exactly the impression I had in mind.”
“I would have snagged that opportunity in a New York minute,” Connie declared, “even if it was a trip to the DMV.”
Stephanie let out a sigh. There were too many reasons for her to not go with him. First, there was Caleb. Second there was the fact Ranger was extremely attractive and she was extremely frustrated. Third was that this was a trip to her Grandma’s house. Forth, there was something – she wasn’t sure what, but it was something – going on with Joe. And finally, there was Caleb! “Maybe next time,” she placated, taking the check Connie had finished and leaving the office.
(Ranger)
Vincent Plum was one of the most disgusting people he had ever met. Given all the people he had met, that was saying something.
Due to his frequent travel, and some of that to places where curable and preventable diseases ran rampant, he knew he was up to date on all his inoculations, but something in him couldn’t help but wonder what sort of diseases he might be exposed to here in Vinnie’s office.
Plum had called him in to discuss two high-bond skips he had recently bonded out. One was due into court the following day, but would most likely skip. The other had missed his court date that day that morning and Vinnie had a few leads on the low-life.
Ranger’s eyebrow quirked in curiosity as he heard the faint echo of voices coming out of one of Vinnie’s desk drawers. He wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to know what the pervert was up to, but suspected his curiosity would be satisfied without his having to ask. He was right.
“Oh, this is great,” Vinnie said opening his drawer and placing a receiver and small speaker on his desk.
Ranger immediately identified the equipment. It was a fairly standard listening device. It had been rendered obsolete about five years before. Though effective, the latest generation of detection equipment could easily pick it up.
“I just got this in,” Plum said.
Ranger easily identified the voices. “You’re spying on Connie,” he stated. For most people he would have asked the question. With Vinnie, it was just accepted that he would do something like that.
Vinnie just shrugged in reply and leaned forward to listen.
Uncertain if he should chance touching something Vinnie had touched and disconnect the receiver or just Alert Connie to the presence of a bug, he, instead, became caught up in the conversation.
“Here’s the receipt, Connie,” Stephanie said.
“It’ll just take me a minute to write the check, Steph,” Connie replied. There was the sound of some papers shuffling. “Here are some new files for you. You have until next Friday to bring the first in and two weeks on the other.”
“Hmm,” Stephanie replied.
Ranger shook his head, trying to figure out why he was listening to this and, even more than that, why he was so intent on finding out what Stephanie was saying when he wasn’t around. The realization of that desire disgusted him. It was a weakness he didn’t need.
He had begun turning toward the door when he heard Connie’s next question, “Any big plans this weekend?”
Ranger paused wanting to hear what Stephanie would respond.
“Nothing much,” Stephanie replied. “I’m going to be heading down to Newark.”
Ranger’s eyebrow raised in surprise at Stephanie’s announcement. He had already made plans to go to Newark this weekend. He would be combining business with a side trip to see his family. Visiting his family was something he did only when he couldn’t get out of it.
Given the frequency with which his dreams had been using Stephanie as the female lead instead of the redhead from Newark, spending a little time with her might not be such a bad idea. Then again, with any luck, he might stumble upon the redhead again while he was in Newark. Not that he had any luck in the past five or so years, but there was always that vague hope.
“You sure your ‘new’ car can make it that far?” Connie teased.
Having seen the loaner Stephanie was currently driving, Ranger couldn’t blame Connie for asking.
That thought gave him an idea, though.
Leaving Vinnie’s office, he asked, “Newark Babe? Need a lift?”
He saw both women started, but was fascinated by the expressions flitting across Stephanie’s face. The one that caught his attention, though, was panic. It wasn’t an emotion he had ever caused in Stephanie before and he couldn’t understand why she was feeling it now.
Certainly she wasn’t worried about spending time alone with him. After all the time they’d spent together on stakeouts and such, any nervousness should have long ago disappeared.
Given what he knew of her, he could easily rule out anything illegal.
Could she be going to meet a man? Certainly it was a possibility. He had noticed that every now and then she seemed happier and more at peace than at others, so it was possible there was a man involved. The only man he’d seen her with in Trenton was Morelli, so it was possible there was someone else.
Though he would never claim to know Stephanie well, he did know her well enough to realize that all he had to do was remain silent and she would tell him everything he wanted to know about the situation. He didn’t have long to wait.
Letting out a sigh, she slipped back on the couch and explained, “This goes back to before I was born,” Stephanie informed. “My dad and my Grandpa Plum had some sort of falling out and stopped speaking to each other. Grandpa and Grandma Plum live in Newark. Grandpa Plum died a few years ago, but Grandma’s still alive. When I worked for E. E. Martin, I lived in Newark and saw a lot of my Grandma Plum. Now that I’m back here, I still visit her, but my parents, especially my dad, can’t find out or he would hit the roof,” she finished.
Ranger nodded. He’d seen a lot of familial disagreements in his life and had been involved in more than one of them himself. He could understand her wanting to keep it quiet, though the panic seemed a little extreme. Then again, he’d heard how the Burg grapevine worked and figured she was just trying to avoid a confrontation with her family should word happen to get back to them. Of course, Stephanie still hadn’t answered his question. “Do you need a ride?”
Stephanie blinked a few times as if processing the question. “Uh, no,” she finally replied.
Watching her shake off whatever uncertainties had been upsetting her, he fought against a smile. She was so easy to read.
Stating with more confidence than he thought she felt, Stephanie continued, “My car’s good enough to get me there.”
He had to suppress a laugh at that. He’d seen her car and was fairly certain that it wouldn’t last past the outskirts of Trenton, but he was willing to let her have her pride. He also noticed the slight shift in her eyes that meant her curiosity was coming out to play.
“What are you doing in Newark?” she asked.
Not wanting to get into it, he simply replied, “Business.” Knowing that once Stephanie got going on the questions she wouldn’t stop, he slipped on his sun glasses and took his leave.
Walking out the door of the office, he made his way to his SUV and slid behind the wheel. He paused a moment after slipping the keys into the ignition. He was still bothered by the panic that his simple question had caused. It seemed out of proportion to the situation, even if she was trying to avoid a confrontation with her family.
Shaking off his concern, he started the vehicle and headed back toward the office. Stephanie Plum is exactly what she appears to be, he assured himself. There are no deep, dark secrets there; she wouldn’t be able to keep them to herself. A smirk appeared on his lips as this last thought crossed his mind.
By the time he arrived at his office, all thoughts and concerns about the encounter at the bond office were wiped from his mind. He was focused on the tasks ahead.
Ranger stood halfway between the guest chair and the door.
On to Right Turn From Reality - Chapter 4: "Four To Score"
To the Right Turn From Reality Table Of Contents
To TT's Story Index
Email TT at ttsmiscellany@yahoo.com