For Disclaimers and such see the Table Of Contents
Chapter One: "One For The Money"
About Four Years Later
(Stephanie)
"No way! There is NO WAY in hell I'm doing THAT!" Stephanie shouted, spinning on her heel and heading for the door. She had been laid off of E. E. Martin eight months ago. She and Caleb were living with Grandma Plum while she searched for a new job.
She finally found one, and the first two weeks seemed to be going well. In fact, the only drawback in the small office was that the owner was a little on the slimy side. He wore his hair well oiled and slicked back, his eye constantly wandered from one woman in the office to another and his hands were never far behind.
Normally Stephanie would have stood up long ago and put a stop to it, but she desperately needed the money the job provided. But this was the last straw.
Her boss had called her into the office and informed her he would be attending a conference. He then told her that each year he chose one of the women in the office to come with him to attend with him.
She had nodded her head, assuming she would be working. What she discovered is that he had a completely different definition of “working” than she did.
Offended to the point she could feel her face heating in anger, she had shouted at him, grabbed her few things and stormed out of the office. She would fax in her resignation the following day.
As she sat in her car and headed back toward Grandma Plum's house, she began to calm down. As she calmed down, she knew she had done the right thing, however, she also worried about money. Grandma Plum had been supporting them for the past few months as Stephanie lived off of her savings, but her income only stretched so far and was never intended to support three people.
She sighed and wondered once more what had driven her to invest so much of her divorce settlement in a Roth-IRA. Now she couldn't touch it until she retired unless she wanted to incur penalties. There were a few circumstances that would let her access the money – like buying a house – but she wasn't in any of those situations. Of course, the rest she had put into a trust for Caleb thinking that her job at E. E. Martin would carry them through. She never thought she'd be laid off.
She had looked everywhere in Newark and in the suburbs, but other than a minimum wage cashier job, she just couldn't find anything to pay the bills.
Pulling into the driveway, all worries and concerns fled her mind as the front door burst open and Caleb came charging out.
“Mama!” he shouted, stopping before he reached the driveway.
A broad smile on her face, Stephanie put the car in park, turned it off and quickly got out.
Opening her arms wide as she crouched down, Caleb took the final few steps and flung himself in her arms.
“Mama, you're home early,” the four-year-old observed.
“Yes I am,” she said, grunting slightly as she stood, holding her son. She definitely agreed with the doctor that he was in the top percentile for height and weight for his age. As she walked toward the house, she spotted Grandma Plum standing in the doorway, concern and worry etching her face.
“Are you alright, Stephanie?” she asked as she hugged her granddaughter.
“I'm fine,” she assured the older woman. “I'll explain later, but I'll have to go job hunting again.” Setting Caleb down on the floor in the house, Stephanie asked him, “So what do you say we get some lunch and then go to the park?”
“Yeah!” Caleb agreed grabbing his mother's hand and dragging her toward the kitchen.
(Ranger)
The business side of things was not his favorite side. He much preferred being out on the streets bringing in skips or doing something else physical. But, he was still the owner of the company and the man in charge of the Trenton office.
Tank, Bobby and Lester were close to getting their business degrees and had already taken over portions of the growing business. The Miami office was still thriving and, with the money they were making on their contracts, each of them was becoming wealthy. Ranger knew he was no where near “rich and famous” level money and a good portion of his money was still tied up in Rangeman, especially since they just opened an office in Atlanta less than a year ago and were beginning to look further north as another potential spot to expand. Still, he was more than comfortable and had even branched out a bit, investing money in other areas as well as his business. At this rate, he would be very well off by the time he was thirty-five, provided the assignments from his contract didn't get him killed before then.
There had been times he was fairly certain he wouldn't be coming back. Two of his friends hadn't. Those who had, he kept close to him, which was why Lester, Bobby and Tank all lived in the forth floor apartments that had been renovated so long ago.
The portion of his mind that had been tracking the meeting alerted him that it was drawing to a close. He trusted his men to make sure the deal was good. The research they'd done on this client had already revealed there were no secrets to reveal. The customer was exactly what they said they were and this meeting was just a formality.
As they rose from the conference table, Ranger smiled and shook their hands, allowing someone else to usher them out.
As he returned to his office, he loosened his tie.
“Santos, my office,” he commanded as he strode into the room he had spent far too much time in over the past four years.
“Boss?” Lester asked, knowing it would irritate Ranger. It always had.
Shooting a look at his friend, Ranger asked, “Anything good in the files today?”
Lester stepped into the room and settled in one of the chairs opposite Ranger. “We're doing the preliminary research now,” he informed. “We're going to have to go rattle some gang banger cages, though. You up for getting street?”
Ranger offered a small smile in response. “Something different,” he offered back. “Get me the info and we'll get started tomorrow. It could take a few days.”
“Will do, Bossman,” Lester retorted, standing and striding from the room.
Ranger just shook his head, knowing any comment would just be wasted.
A second later, he poked his head back in the office. “We're going out tonight, you coming with?”
Uncertainty made Ranger hesitate in his response. With his business here, he had to be more careful about where he drank and who he brought home. Or, more truthfully, with whom he went home. He never invited women to his place. Still, it had been a while. Business had kept him hopping. “Sounds good,” he agreed. He would just have to make sure it was an early night since he had a full day scheduled for tomorrow.
“Eight thirty,” Lester informed before disappearing once more.
Ranger made sure he looked interested in what the potential client was saying, but, in truth, he was bored.
Later That Night
(Stephanie)
Stephanie sat down at the kitchen table and waited while Grandma Plum brought over a cup of coffee for each of them. Once the older woman was settled at the table, Stephanie took a sip of her coffee before explaining, “He told me he had chosen me to go to a conference with him to 'entertain' clients.”
Grandma Plum sighed and nodded. “I'm not surprised from what you've told me about him in the past,” she said.
Stephanie looked shocked at her grandmother's words.
“Don't look so surprised,” she told her granddaughter. “I've lived in the world before.”
Stephanie took another sip of coffee and nodded. With a sigh, she said, “I know I was right to leave, but how am I going to provide? I need a job.”
Silence descended over the women. It was Grandma Plum who finally broke it. “Stephanie, I didn't want to bring this up unless or until you were out of options,” she said staring at her coffee.
“What is it, Grandma?”
“I was talking to my sister about a week ago. You remember your cousin Vinnie?”
Stephanie made a face. She remembered. She had even heard about the duck and really didn't want to imagine it. “Yes.”
“He owns a bail bonds company up in Trenton and needs a file clerk,” Grandma Plum informed. “You know why I didn't tell you straight off, right?”
With a nod, Stephanie acknowledged the reasons. Not only was Vinnie even slimier than her old boss, but it would mean she and Caleb would have to move. The down side of that is that she didn't have any money to pay for an apartment. “I don't see that I have too many options, but how can I afford to move? I could drive back and forth, I suppose, but...”
The older woman reached out and covered her granddaughter's hand with her own, stopping her mid-ramble. “My friend Mable is moving out of her apartment and leaving behind some of her furniture. The rent's paid up for the next two months, but then you'll need to take it over. It's only a one bedroom, but I figured you could just use it if the weather turned bad.”
Stephanie rested her head on her arms. “I hate that I'll have less time with Caleb, but it seems like the best option,” she agreed.
“I know it's not ideal, but it's something.” She hesitated a moment before continuing. “You do realize you'll have to spend more time with your parents once they discover you're back in town?”
A sigh escaped Stephanie followed by a whimper. “Yeah,” she agreed sounding more like a whining thirteen-year-old than an almost thirty-year-old.
“You have an interview in two days. If you can go up tomorrow, Mable will be there to arrange things with you and give you the keys.”
Nestling her face more deeply into her arms she mumbled, “I don't want to be away from Caleb.”
“I know, baby girl,” her grandmother said, using a nickname from Stephanie's childhood. “But it's only for a little while.”
Straightening in her chair, Stephanie nodded and smiled. “I better get to sleep,” she acknowledged. “I'll talk to Caleb tomorrow about it. You sure you'll be OK here just the two of you?”
“It'll only be sometimes and only overnight,” Grandma Plum assured. “We'll be fine.”
“O. K.” Stephanie said as she yawned. She leaned over and placed a kiss on her grandmother's cheek. “See you tomorrow.”
(Ranger)
Somehow his friends had known he was at the end of his rope. It probably came from being together for so long. Of course, being able to understand each other and their needs with just a glance had saved their collective lives more than once.
Bobby had stepped into his office a few hours earlier, took one look at him and announced, “We're going out after work. We're going to check out Domino's.”
Though strip clubs were not his favorite place to pick up women, he could at least be assured the woman he took home tonight would understand that there would, and could, be nothing more than just that night.
They'd been sitting at a table watching the show for a while. They were each buying rounds and occasionally leaving the table to talk with one of the ladies.
Lester, who had left to talk to a brunette, returned and sat down next to Bobby and Ranger.
Tank had already taken off for the evening leaving the three of them to pick and choose. Since it was a weeknight, the pickings were a little slim, but there was enough out there to be interesting.
“I saw this hot little redhead who would be perfect for you,” Lester informed Ranger. “I overheard her drooling about you to her friend.”
Bobby chided, “Don't talk foolish man. You know Ranger doesn't do redheads anymore. Not since Newark.”
Ranger shifted a bit. He hadn't actually realized he'd been avoiding redheads, and refused to think why.
Before he had to come up with an excuse or answer, however, a leggy blond approached him, never once looking away.
Scanning her body, Ranger decided she would do for an evening.
It had been yet another long and tiring day. Though he was used to pushing himself and working hard, Ranger knew he was hitting a point where he would need an outlet, something unrelated to work and his life in order to help him push aside all of the questions and doubts.
The Next Morning
(Stephanie)
“I'm going to run out and get donuts,” Stephanie called as she headed for the front door.
“We'll see you soon!” Grandma Plum called out.
“Mama!” Caleb yelled, running to his mom.
She bent down to catch her son and wrapped him in a hug every bit as tight as the one he was giving her. “Back soon, kiddo,” she said.
“Remember, double chocolate,” he whispered loudly before letting her go.
Chuckling softly at the instructions, Stephanie kissed his forehead and turned to leave.
Her favorite bakery was at the base of a T-shaped intersection. Parking was usually a pain, but the fates must have been smiling on her because she got a parking space right in front of the bakery today.
Stepping out onto the street, her attention was drawn to the street facing her. The sound of two engines heading her way caught her attention.
She paused in the doorway of the bakery and looked around for the source of the sound. It only took her a few seconds to find the two racing trucks. One was a bright blue the one chasing was black with darkly tinted windows.
The first truck got to the end of the road and went to turn.
Stephanie could see exactly what was going to happen before it happened. She wanted to shout out her denial, but found herself frozen in place, watching with wide eyes.
Just as she knew would happen, the blue truck swung around the corner. The discrepancy between the heavier cab area of the truck and the lighter bed caused the truck to fishtail as the driver took the corner too quickly. Had there been some sort of weight in the back of the truck, the following event wouldn't have happened, but the driver of the blue truck wasn't skilled enough to stop it.
The truck just happened to turn in such a way, that the back end hit the rear bumper of her car with enough force to collapse the trunk and force the car forward, over the lip of the sidewalk and into the concrete planter that rested on the sidewalk, filled with flowers.
The impact with the concrete planter contained enough force to crumple the front end of the car and cause the airbags to deploy.
The blue truck then tried to drive away, but, somehow, the rear bumper of the truck had become enmeshed with the rear bumper of Stephanie's car. The delay this entanglement caused was enough for the black truck to take the corner and come to a stop in front of it.
Two large men dressed in black came out of the truck, guns drawn and cautiously approached the blue truck, yelling at the person inside to get their hands up and get out of the truck.
Stephanie ignored the chaos of the scene, still too shocked by the destruction of her car to move. It wasn't until the police arrived that she was able to start functioning again.
By the time she went through the entire reporting process, contacted her insurance company and caught a ride home, she was exhausted. The insurance shouldn't be too big a problem since it wasn't the first car she'd lost. She had been allowed to reach into the car and retrieve her personal items including Caleb's booster seat. Now she was on her way home, wondering how she was going to be able to get around Trenton now. Getting there wouldn't be too hard, there were trains and buses, but once she was in town, she'd need a car to get around.
As she unloaded her things from the back of the car, she could hear the front door open. She turned and saw her grandmother and Caleb standing on the front steps, watching her.
“You broke another car, didn't you?” Caleb asked with as much seriousness as a four-year-old could muster.
“Yeah,” Stephanie admitted, struggling to force her mouth into a smile.
“Myrtle's grandson is selling his car for four hundred dollars,” Grandma Plum said, stepping moving down the sidewalk to help Stephanie carry the items. They all waved to the officer who had given Stephanie a ride home as he pulled out of the driveway.
Stephanie sighed. She'd almost rather be driving the big Buick her father had, but knew she couldn't ask for it until she got to Trenton since there was no way he would ever come down to this house. “What's his number?” she asked, knowing she didn't have a choice. It looked like she'd have to take care of everything the next morning instead of driving up today as she had planned.
(Ranger)
If he were being totally honest with himself, though, he would admit that he didn't want to be stuck in the office today.
Very early this morning they'd gotten a lead on one of the skips they had outstanding. He was said to be in Newark, but, because of the meeting this morning that he had to attend, Ranger had been unable to go to Newark himself in order to bring the skip back to Trenton. Instead, he'd sent Tank and Lester to go after him.
The guy was dangerous and neither of his men knew the streets of Newark very well. Then again, lack of knowledge of the streets in a given area had never slowed them down in other countries, so, he really couldn't believe it would be a problem here or now.
Still, there had been something about finding out the skip was in Newark that had him tense. It wasn't the same sort of feeling he had when faced with a mission about to go bad. This was different. Almost more like anticipation, like something was drawing him down there. Shaking his head, he was grateful the video-conferencing wasn't set up just yet. He couldn't let his mind wander.
Focusing on the meeting agenda, he took notes and got through the final minutes.
No sooner had he hung up from the meeting than his phone rang.
“Yo,” he greeted.
“Boss, we've got him,” Lester reported.
“Good. ETA?”
“Be a little later than expected. Seems the scumbag isn't quite the hotrod driver he thought he was. Man totaled a car while we were chasing him and the police need to interview him about it.”
“Problems?”
“No,” Lester assured. “They're not thrilled with us taking him back to Trenton, but after reading the paperwork, they're pretty anxious to get him off the street. Of course, from the looks of the woman whose car he totaled, I wouldn't mind getting her off the street.”
“Focus,” Ranger commanded, not pleased with Lester's observation, even if it was perfectly in character. “I'll change and be ready to take him to the station when you get back,” he informed before hanging up.
He let out a sigh and glanced at the folder he had sitting on the corner of his desk. One skip down, one to go this week. If he could get caught up on the paperwork and the new client, he might be able to get out to Stark Street this afternoon and start asking questions. If not, he'd have to wait until tomorrow to do it.
With a sigh, he settled in at his desk chair and grabbed the top sheets off of the stack in his 'In' box.
Ranger sat in his office on a conference call with his Miami office. He thought he'd done a good job with who he left in charge, but they were still having some problems. He would probably need to go down there before too long just to ensure everything continued to run as it should. That was the one downside of branching out – trying to keep control of the other branches.
Early-ish The Next Morning
(Stephanie)
“Thank you so much, Mrs. Kosniski. I really appreciate you letting me stay here,” Stephanie said as she shook the other lady's hand.
“It's no trouble dear,” she assured. “I know it's just a building filled with old people, but they're good people too. And thank you so much for keeping Rex for me. I'm afraid I just can't take him with me.”
“I'm sure they are nice people,” Stephanie agreed. “And Rex should be no trouble.” Hopefully the little hamster wouldn't mind the drive home every weekend. During the week, she could just stop by and feed him.
“I best be going, now. My ride's waiting out front,” Mable stated. “Good luck with that job, Dearie, I know you'll do well.”
“Thank you. I appreciate that.”
With the exchange over, Stephanie closed the door behind her grandmother's friend and surveyed the apartment. The furniture that was left reminded her of a dorm room, but there was a fair-sized closet in the bedroom. The colors in the bathroom, though... Words escaped her to describe that one.
Glancing at her watch, she realized it was time to get to the bond office. Picking up her purse, she headed downstairs to the crappy, rusted-out, brown car her four-hundred dollars had purchased for her that morning.
With a sigh of despair, she got in and headed toward the office.
(Ranger)
Stark Street wasn't his favorite place to be, but the answers he needed were here. He knew it. His logic told him that, his training told him that and his gut told him that. He was on the right path to catch this piece of scum, but he just hadn't caught him yet.
Seeing a familiar face, he pulled over to the side of the road and parked, waiting for the homeless woman to come nearer. He knew she would, she always did.
Ten minutes later, he was cruising again. She had good information and hopefully this would pan out.
He'd have to set Bobby and maybe Tank on a stakeout down here to keep an eye on the place. Then, if they saw the little scum, they could take him down. If not, he and Lester would take over for the night shift.
One way or another, the little scum would be his.
Ranger cruised down Stark Street. It was still a little early for the people around here to be out and about, but he hadn't found the information he needed yesterday afternoon or last night.
A Little While Later
(Stephanie)
What was she thinking? A bounty hunter? That was not what she needed to be, but the money looked good and Connie had thought she could do it. The only problem was, she wasn't going to be able to get home each night to spend time with Caleb. But she should be able to find some time.
Glancing at the folders beside her, she saw the name on top – Joe Morelli. It had been a long time since she'd seen him and she knew it wouldn't be easy to bring him in, but she needed the money, not only to pay her bills, get a decent car and pay the rent on the apartment, but so she could help Grandma Plum with her bills and with Caleb.
She really missed her little boy.
Pulling up in front of the diner Connie had told her about, she found a spot to park and made sure the rust-bucket wouldn't roll away on its own. She really, really needed a new car.
As she exited the car, she felt fear rise up at the thought of what she was doing, of the chances she was taking, of the possibility of getting hurt and leaving Caleb all alone except for Grandma Plum. But Caleb was also her strength of purpose. She had to do this for him, for them.
If she were being perfectly honest with herself, she was incredibly nervous about this meeting. She knew nothing about bounty hunting and wasn't entirely sure what to expect. But the determination to provide for her son drove her forward. As she reached for the door, she squared her shoulders and did her best to call up her Jersey attitude. She had a feeling she would need it.
As she stepped inside the small diner, she looked over the patrons. It didn't take long for her eyes to fall on him and when they did, she nearly gasped. Her mind immediately tried to deny what she was seeing, but she knew she had seen that nose, that chin and those cheekbones every day for the last four years. If that wasn't Caleb's father, he had to be a close relative. Caleb had Stephanie's eye color, so there was no way to tell for sure, but the black hair was just like her son's as well.
She made her way over to the man who, if she had to judge, looked more like a gang-banger or street thug than a bounty hunter.
When he shot her a smile, it was like the whole diner lit up and, for her, at least, that confirmed it. That was Caleb's smile without a doubt. But what was she going to say to him. He was hardly the type of man she would want to be her son's father. Would he even acknowledge Caleb if she tried? It was one drunken night almost five years ago and, given his looks, she was sure there had been many, many women since then, even if there hadn't been anyone else for her.
Shoving those thoughts away, she stopped by the table, determined to earn the money she so desperately needed. Everything else would have to wait.
(Ranger)
The diner wasn't really his type of place, but Connie was the one who'd set this up.
Normally he wouldn't spare the woman he was meeting even this much time, especially when he needed to be on Stark to gather intel about his skip, but he owed Connie.
When had had arrived in Trenton to set up the Rangeman office, she had not only given him a job at Vinnie's, but had also used her family and 'Burg connections to spread the good word about Rangeman as well as using her 'Family' connections to help Ranger set up his street persona.
He nodded to the waitress who had just placed a glass of water in front of him. Taking a sip, he looked out the window.
Bounty Hunting was a dangerous business. It wasn't a place for women, especially ones with little or no training. It was one of the reasons he hadn't bothered to change his clothes.
If the woman he was meeting wasn't intimidated by his street persona and talk, she might be worth spending an afternoon training. He would make sure to teach her enough so that she wouldn't get hurt. If she stuck around after the first week or so, he might even take the time to teach her right, but he knew he would never let her in, never let her see beyond the image he chose to portray.
Leaning back to ease the pressure of his guns, he spotted a brown rust-bucket of a car pull up to the curb and park.
A curly-haired brunette stepped out. She had a nice enough figure to take a look, and maybe a second one.
When she showed up in the doorway and looked around, Ranger realized she was looking for him. Obviously she was the new skip tracer.
As their eyes met, Ranger noticed something flash through them, but couldn't decipher it before it was gone.
He managed to scan her face before being drawn back to her eyes.
Physically, she was pretty in a “girl next door” sort of way, but those eyes...
He could fall into those eyes and he could swear he'd seen them before.
The last time he had been so entranced by a woman, by her eyes was in Newark.
Shaking off the spell she had cast over him, Ranger prepared himself mentally for this meeting.
Ranger settled in at the table he'd been shown.
A Few Days Later
(Stephanie)
Stephanie cursed herself for not following her instinct to go home, but things weren't going well with tracking down Morelli and she didn't want to bring trouble to her grandma's doorstep.
Still, the last thing she had expected was to be standing naked in her shower, the water slowly turning colder and colder, as she tried to figure out who to call to release her from the handcuff chaining her to her shower rod.
She couldn't call her parents and didn't know the building superintendent's number. She really didn't want to call the police or fire departments, but there was one man who didn't belong to either of those entities that could get her out of this situation.
He'd seen her naked before. Even if he didn't remember it, she knew his body did. The way they moved together, the way they interacted betrayed that closeness.
Her only question was what to do if he expected some sort of favor in return. After that night, she had vowed that men weren't worth the trouble, that she would only have sex in the confines of a committed relationship and marriage... well... marriage hadn't worked so well with Dickie, but a committed relationship would be nice.
As for kids, until she could be sure that the man in question was going to be in her life permanently, she wouldn't tell them about Caleb. As wonderful as her son was, she wasn't sure she wanted to have any more. Finding someone to accept Caleb would be hard enough, but adding in another child... She wasn't sure she could do that. The only reason she'd survived as a mother so far was because Grandma Plum had been there every step of the way.
The freezing cold spray of the shower snapped her out of her reverie and into action.
Taking a deep breath, she dialed the number Ranger had given her earlier in the day. She only hoped he would come.
(Ranger)
Turning his face upward, he tried to figure out what was worse, being stuck in the boardroom or working Stark Street.
He never would have thought that most days it would be a toss-up.
Of course, a small part of him mind was still wondering about Stephanie Plum.
He was shocked that she was still doing the work, still on Morelli's trail. There was definitely more to her than he would have thought. Maybe it would be worth it to keep an eye on her.
Shutting the water off, he quickly dried himself and slipped on the silk boxers he generally wore to bed. They were an indulgence that no one else knew about and that was the way he liked it.
His mind drifted over what he needed to accomplish the next day as he finished his nightly routine and climbed under the covers of his bed.
Allowing his eyes to drift shut, he let sleep pull him under only to be startled awake a few minutes later by the ringing of his phone.
Ranger stood under the spray of the shower, letting the warmth of the water sooth the aches in his muscles and wash away the stench of the day.
A Few Minutes Later
(Stephanie)
As she settled in to sleep, she thought it might be nice to be multi-lingual.
Her mind drifted back over the brief encounter in her bathroom. Despite her earlier thoughts, she realized there was more to Ranger than she originally thought. She was well aware he had looked at her, but he had acted like a gentleman and didn’t go out of his way to make her feel any more embarrassed than she already did.
He had wrapped her in a towel, freed her and even given her the name of someone who could help her with an alarm.
Connie had mentioned something about him being in Special Forces. She didn't know much about the military, but she knew it was difficult to get onto such teams and that they did very dangerous missions. They were men who earned respect for the risks they took protecting lives and freedoms of people like her.
As she drifted off to sleep, she thought that maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to have him be a father to Caleb.
(Ranger)
He'd seen a lot of things in his days in the Rangers and on the streets. In his younger, wilder days he was pretty sure he'd seen things more bizarre than a naked woman handcuffed to a shower rod, but the image of Stephanie Plum standing in her shower, naked and cold, was an image that he knew would stick in his mind until his dying day.
With a final glance at her window, he saw the light turn off. Starting his car, he put it in gear and headed back to his apartment, trying desperately to put thoughts of Stephanie Plum firmly out of his mind.
Of course, that only led him back to the woman in Newark. Trying to forget a woman always led him back to her.
Maybe if he could remember more about her, more about their night together, or even her name. He was pretty sure they had exchanged them, but, by sunset the next day he couldn't recall it if his life depended on it.
As he pulled into his parking spot, he could feel the exhaustion that had dogged him earlier return in full force.
Stephanie Plum was a mystery for another day, when he was actually awake enough to think about it.
Ranger sat in his car in the parking lot at Stephanie's apartment complex, staring up at her window.
The Next Day
(Stephanie)
Stephanie made sure the safety of her gun was on before removing her protective glasses and ear protectors. She glanced over and nodded at Eddie. It only took Eddie a few minutes to put his own gun away.
Together they headed out of the gun range. Stepping outside, they headed toward the parking lot. Stephanie was about to thank him again when a motion off to their left caught their attention. OK. So it caught Eddie's attention and she just looked too. It was to teens in the shadows kissing.
Eddie glanced at her and got an evil grin on his face.
Stephanie tried to contain her laughter. She was pretty sure Eddie was about to scare the living daylights out of the couple.
Sure enough, Eddie quietly walked up to the couple, put on his most stern cop-face and cleared his throat loudly. “A-hem!”
The first giggle escaped as Stephanie saw the two teens jump apart. A bucket of cold water couldn't have separated them any faster.
Catching sight of the teens' faces, Stephanie was unable to stop her laughter. It was funny to watch, but she was also laughing over her own youth and the times she'd been caught kissing where she shouldn't be.
After a few minutes, Eddie came back, grinning from ear to ear. “That was fun,” he said.
“When you're not being the one interrupted it is,” Stephanie agreed, starting toward her car.
“The boy was really embarrassed. Apparently it was his first real kiss,” Eddie explained.
“I remember my first kiss, my first real kiss,” Stephanie murmured.
“Yeah, so do I,” Eddie said, his face showing disgust. “Did you really have to kiss my cousin?”
Stephanie laughed and swatted his arm with the back of her hand. “Hey, you're the one who dared me,” she defended.
“Yeah, but, ew!” Eddie replied.
She met his eyes and they both started laughing at the memory.
Eventually they calmed down and Stephanie wiped the tears that had formed. “I needed that,” she said, thankfully.
“Yeah,” Eddie admitted, his smile still wide. “So did I. Pizza?”
“Pino's?” Stephanie responded.
“Yep,” Eddie agreed. “I'm buying.”
“Meet you there.”
Settling into her car for the drive to Pino's, Stephanie thought about kisses. She could remember kissing Eddie's cousin – a disgusting experience, he was a sloppy kisser – and she could remember a few others as well. She tried to forcefully block the memory of kissing Dickie and had mixed feelings about kissing Joe. As she thought about the various men she'd kissed over the years, the one she found herself most wanting to remember was the one she could never be sure she remembered correctly.
She wasn't even sure if what she did remember was dream or reality since the memories only seemed to come in her dreams. What did it feel like to kiss Ranger? Of course, given that it was just one drunken night, she was sure that it felt different than she remembered, after all, they were just strangers who needed each other, right? She remembered or dreamed of passion, fire and need, of something stirring within her and feeling an echo of it returned in his kiss. But then, she'd dreamed it so many times, she'd probably imagined it. She couldn't help but wonder, though, what it would feel like to kiss him and how much better it would be if they were in love.
She snorted in disgust at her own thoughts. “Never again will I read one of Grandma's Harlequins,” she swore to herself.
Shifting her car into park, she shook off those thoughts and feelings. Glancing over, she saw Eddie was getting out of his car.
Thinking back to the parking lot at the gun range, she felt her good humor returning. “Pizza time!” she said softly to herself.
(Ranger)
It was close to lunch time. Normally, that provided a nice break, but he had a client meeting scheduled at Rossini's for today.
The problem was his mind wouldn't stay on-task today. He kept thinking of Stephanie. The image of her from the shower last night was proving to be far too distracting.
What was disturbing him, was that she felt so familiar. It wasn't that he had touched her, but seeing her...
He blew out a breath and ran his hands through his hair. He was thinking about this way too hard.
He didn't have time to worry about women. He needed to get his head together and focus on business.
Shaking his head once, he turned back to the paperwork on his desk and tried to push images of Stephanie Plum from his mind.
Ranger sat in his office, staring out the window, but not seeing anything behind him.
A Few Days Later
(Stephanie)
Stephanie leaned her head back against the headrest of Joe's SUV.
It had been a very long week to this point. The worst part of it, though, was how desperately she missed Caleb. She’d found some time to talk to him every day, but it wasn’t the same as being there, receiving his hugs, seeing him smile… More than once she’d been tempted to just forget this all, take a job at Cluck-In-A-Bucket or somewhere and at least be there.
But being a bounty hunter satisfied her, made her feel alive, in a way no job had ever done before. Even Caleb had encouraged her.
A smile appeared on Stephanie’s face as she explained to Caleb what she did. He was so excited for her and told her he was proud of her. He thought the job “cool”. She could still feel her heart warming as he told her that he missed her, but that she needed to catch the bad guys.
As soon as this was over, she would definitely be there to see him in person. She needed to spend time with him. If nothing else, they needed to go school shopping together. He would be starting preschool at the end of the month and she wanted to be there for his first day of preschool. It was only three times a week and only for a half-day, but it was still important to her that she be there for him.
She shifted uncomfortably in the car seat and scanned her surroundings. There was no one around. Exiting the car, she headed up to the apartment, avoiding the stairs. The three miles she’d run that morning had been more than enough exercise and spending time on Stark Street by the gym was mentally draining.
As she entered her apartment, she set her bag down and headed for the couch.
She knew that she couldn’t call Caleb from here. Joe had some sort of listening device and she really didn’t want to let anyone know about Caleb yet. There were too many questions she didn’t want to answer.
Thinking over the past few days, she couldn’t help but find it strange that in the course of less than a week, she’d gone from a normal office-worker to a bounty hunter who regularly spoke to prostitutes, insane boxers and fugitives.
Her mind taking another turn, she had to admit she found it strange and a little awkward to be working with the man she believed to be Caleb’s father. Part of her wanted to get to know him better, to find out if she might remember her or at least be able to confirm that he was in Newark that night, but her conflicted emotions and his demeanor kept her from pursuing that course of action.
Maybe, if she kept doing this job after the whole thing with Joe was over, she would get to know him a little better. But could she really spend that much time away from Caleb? And did she really want to introduce a man into their lives? They'd gotten along fine so far, just the three of them. Of course, her mind then played back the questions he had asked about his father – there hadn't been many – and the envious looks he gave fathers and sons at the park.
Stephanie sighed. Maybe she just needed to get someone in their lives he could look up to as a father, even if it wasn't really his father?
Her thoughts were interrupted when her phone rang.
(Ranger)
He had just settled in when Tank knocked on the door. Ranger gave his friend a slight nod, indicating that Tank was free to talk.
“Saw that girl you're helping staked out on Stark,” he informed.
Ranger's eyebrow rose in surprise. “And?”
“Just thought I'd let you know,” Tank replied with a shrug. “She took off just before I did.”
Ranger nodded, forcing thoughts of her being chained naked to the shower curtain rod from his mind. “Any idea what she was doing there?”
“No,” Tank returned. “She shouldn't interfere with our search down there. Looked like she was staking out Jimmy Alpha's gym.”
Ranger nodded. A part of him was curious as to why she would stake out that place when she should be looking for Morelli. Not that he expected her to find Morelli or be able to bring him in, but this seemed totally out of left field.
Still, it was her time to waste. He'd filled Connie's request and helped. He lifted his chin slightly in thanks and dismissal, already turning his thoughts to the contract before him.
Ranger stepped off of the elevator and headed toward his office.
After Ranger Gets Shot
(Stephanie)
Stepping into her apartment, Stephanie felt nauseous.
She'd never been a fan of guns, had only gotten one because Ranger had recommended it, but she honestly never thought she would see what a gun could do first hand. The fact that Ranger had been helping her and had been shot with her gun only increased the sick feeling inside.
Despite his words, he hadn't looked well at all. He might have been hurt worse before – a thought she didn't even want to contemplate – but his leg injury was bad enough.
Could she continue doing this? Was a job she was beginning to love, a chance to know the man who might be Caleb's father and a chance to set straight her finances really worth it?
Now that she knew getting shot was a real possibility, could she continue taking the risk?
Needing to take her mind off these thoughts, she decided to see if she'd missed any calls. Sure enough, there were three missed calls.
Accessing her voice mail, she listened to the first one: “Stephanie Plum, this is your mother. What is this I hear about you and a shooting? I expect you here for dinner tonight to explain yourself, young lady.”
Stephanie let out a groan. That was another strike against staying in Trenton, working. The more frequent contact with her family would quickly drive her insane.
Continuing on, she listened to the next message: “Hello. We here at Roofing and Shingles...” She deleted the call wondering if it was worth getting on the no-call list to stop calls like that.
Pressing the play button she waited for the third message. “Mommy, I drew a picture of you catching the bad guys today. Love you. Bye.”
A smile spread across her face and her heart warmed. Yeah, it was worth it.
(Ranger)
Thinking back over the events that led him here, he couldn’t help wondering, yet again, why he bothered to help Stephanie Plum. It wasn’t like he was going to make a move on her. Even if he was planning on bedding her, he wouldn’t spend his time working with her on bounty hunting.
Of course, if he were being perfectly honest with himself, he knew exactly why he wasn’t trying to bed her and why he kept helping her. Unfortunately for him, the painkillers he was on allowed himself to be perfectly honest. That was just one more reason why he hated them. There were far too many things in his life he didn’t want to be honest about and Stephanie Plum was just one of them.
Now that he had started thinking about her, he knew that he wouldn’t be able to stop, at least not until he fell asleep, and then the dreams would start. But, his dreams wouldn’t be about Stephanie, they would be about her, the redhead from Newark. Even now, he couldn’t understand how one drunken night, like so many others he’d experienced, had stuck with him all this time. If he didn’t know better, he would think he was tied to that woman somehow.
Trying to force thoughts of both women from his mind, he thought about the open files he still had from Vinnie’s and his upcoming schedule for this week. His business was growing, but he still had some time for bounty hunting. He wasn’t thrilled with working with Vincent Plum, especially since he had a sneaking suspicion the man wanted him to play cabana boy or something equally disturbing, but hunting skips was still profitable for him personally and for his company.
Unfortunately, as always, thoughts of skips brought him back to Stephanie Plum. What in the world was he going to do with her? She had gotten him shot, for heaven's sake! The woman was completely inept. She had let the skip get her gun and didn't even bother to warn him properly. That sort of carelessness could get a man killed. In this case, him.
It nearly had.
He hadn't said anything to her at the time, but the wound was far worse than he had let on. He was in a lot of pain and knew the only reason he wasn't bleeding profusely was because the bullet had still been in there. Normally he would have been chewing out any of his men that had been so careless, but, somehow, he just couldn't do it to her. Instead, he found himself comforting her.
Stephanie was so innocent when it came to the world in which he lived, the world in which she had chosen to work. She was like a little kid just exploring the world around them, completely unaware of the dangers and consequences they were facing.
Remembering the look in her eyes, though, he knew that she had learned a very hard lesson about guns today. He wondered if she would ever bother to carry or use it again. Going after Morelli, she would need it. If she was serious about going after other skips, she would need it for them, too. Just, hopefully she wouldn't let the other skip get it.
Perhaps he should think about getting her an alternate form of protection, something that wouldn't land him in the hospital if he decided to help her out.
That would be something to think about later.
For now, he would need to figure out how to shift around his people to cover the time he would be spending on crutches and in rehab.
He really, really hated rehab, but there had been enough muscle damage to warrant it.
As he started reviewing duty rosters in his head, the pain medicine kicked in full force and he drifted off to sleep.
Ranger lay in the hospital bed and stared at the ceiling. He knew that Bobby was outside his door right now and that someone else would be there later. He also knew that setting guards always made the hospital staff antsy, so he should have little problem getting out of here tomorrow morning. The only reason they had him here now was because of the amount of blood he had lost.
After Morty’s Demise
(Stephanie)
She wanted to feel sick over what she had witnessed in the parking lot a little while ago, but she was still in shock over it. Her own burns were nothing compared to what she'd seen. She glanced at her phone and then at the keys to her car. She would need to get her beat-up Nova to get around. She would also need to get down to Stark Street and check in with Lula and Jackie. Maybe a talk with Jimmy Alpha wouldn't go amiss either.
She knew there was something that Joe wasn't telling her about what was going on with this situation and at that moment she also knew she couldn't turn her back on the case or her job. She was going to have to go forward with it. Beside, there wasn't anyone else to bring him in for Vinnie right now. Ranger was still injured and Morty... Well, she had little choice.
Before she did anything else, though, she needed to go home.
Picking up her phone and keys, she left her apartment and headed outside, calling Grandma Plum.
“Hello?” her grandmother greeted.
“Hi, Grandma,” Stephanie said, a smile coming to her face.
“Stephanie! How are you?”
“Oh... Fine,” Stephanie finally replied. She could hear the silent question to her response and blew out a breath. “Things are getting a little much. I...”
“I'll have a brunch for us by the time you get here. Caleb will be so excited to see you,” Grandma Plum interjected.
Stephanie smiled and felt relief fill her. She knew she wouldn't be able to stay more than about an hour, especially since it was about an hour to get to Grandma Plum's house and an hour back, but she just needed to see for herself why she was doing this, to hold Caleb and assure herself he was real. “I'll see you soon,” she said. “Love you.”
“Love you, too, dear,” Grandma Plum returned before hanging up.
Stephanie let out a deep breath and smiled. First thing she needed to do was get her car.
(Ranger)
Since there was no one to disturb, he'd put the police scanner on in the background in case the cops said something about his skips. It was unlikely, but always a possibility. Besides, it provided enough noise to make his silent apartment less so.
Ever since the call about the car explosion at Stephanie's apartment building, he'd been unable to focus on anything.
All he could do was wonder if she was alright, if she had been near the blast, if she was in the blast. He really hoped it wasn't that last option.
He had asked Tank to get more information on the incident and find out if Stephanie was fine or not.
It was only after Tank gave him an odd look and left that Ranger realized what he was doing. He was treating Stephanie Plum as if she was one of his.
A flash of fear ran through him as the thought took root.
In the army, he had been known for being choosy about who he claimed. He would work with whoever he needed to and watch their backs, but he didn't let people in, didn't make friends, unless he claimed you as one of his.
Tipping his head back, he stared at the ceiling for a few minutes. The last thing he needed was another fledgling.
In the army, he had taken in Bobby, Lester and several others. He had trained them, watched them, protected them as best he could and still lost too many of them over the years. After losing Benny on that last mission, he swore he was done with that. He might train people, he might hire them, but he would never let anyone close again and never claim one as 'his'.
Now, here he was, realizing he'd already claimed Stephanie before his conscious mind was aware of it.
If she kept up with her bounty hunting, the word would have to be spread on the street. Being tied to him could add danger to her life. There were certainly enough nightmares in his past to crawl out of the woodwork and take her from him. On the other hand, being 'his' would protect her on the street and from some of the families and other lowlifes around. They would know that if they messed with Stephanie Plum, they messed with Ranger and the rest of Rangeman.
It didn't hurt that she was well known by Trenton PD, either. A number of people would leave her alone simply because she was claimed by some of the cops as well. She'd been very public in appearing with Eddie Gazarra, among others. There were dangers inherent in that as well, but the more connections she had, the more people claiming her as 'theirs', the fewer people would use her as a pawn, or as a target.
A sigh escaped as he ran his hands over his face. Stephanie wouldn't understand any of this. She didn't live in his world. She didn't know the rules. Ranger knew with certainty that if he tried to explain them to her, she would be horrified and leave him.
Of course, it might be better for her to leave, to get out of his world before she got too far into it.
As for leaving him, he had no use for a woman right now other than to satisfy his carnal needs. He certainly didn't need the complications another newbie, and especially a woman would cause. Especially one who was independent and stubborn. The last thing he needed was someone who wouldn't listen to his commands when he gave them, someone who didn't understand that the orders he gave were for their protection.
Before he could continue his mental gymnastics, Tank came back into the room.
“Report,” Ranger commanded.
“Morty Byers was trying to steal Morelli's SUV. There was a bomb planted in it and it went off when he started the car. Ms. Plum is physically fine except for a missing eyebrow and first degree burns,” Tank informed.
Ranger shook his head. “Trouble,” he muttered.
Tank made no response other than a slightly raised eyebrow.
With a sigh, Ranger indicated the chair nearby. “Tell me about Michalson,” he commanded, ready to focus on their newest potential client.
Ranger cursed softly as he lay on his couch, laptop resting on his lap. He was still on restricted activity while his gunshot wound healed and had decided to do his paperwork from his apartment instead of going down to his office.
On The Way To The Station In The Freezer Truck
(Stephanie)
As the truck bumped over another pot hole, Stephanie winced. She was still angry with Joe for belittling her like he had, but she was also beginning to feel guilty about locking him in the cold truck. Still, it wasn't that long a drive to the station, so he shouldn't feel too many effects, certainly not hypothermia.
She snorted at that. “His temper's hot enough to melt everything back there,” she muttered to herself. She wasn't really worried about his temper, though. She knew hers was more than a match for his. No, Joe Morelli might have been the one with all the power in their relationship in the early years, but a jumped curve in the Buick had changed that. She wasn't going to be the victim, the weaker person in their encounters any more.
She had overcome her self-loathing and shame in time to welcome Caleb into her life with open arms. True, she had Grandma Plum there to help her and to help her be strong, but she was a mother now, and as before, the care of her son came first and foremost in her life. If that meant facing an angry Morelli, then that was what she would do.
Picking up her phone, she dialed the station to let them know she was coming in with Joe. After all, she may be strong and able to face anything, but that didn't mean she really wanted to face and angry cop alone.
(Ranger)
“Hey, boss,” he greeted, knowing the appellation would bother his friend.
“Santos,” Ranger replied, not amused.
“Just came in over the scanner. Your little, curly haired wannabe is bringing Morelli into the precinct here. Work has it that she has him locked in the back of a freezer truck,” Lester informed.
Ranger felt his lips twitch in amusement. He couldn't decide if he was proud of her or just amused. He finally decided on proud. “That all?” he asked.
Lester shrugged. “For now. I'll let you know if I hear anything else.”
With a slight nod, Ranger acknowledged the thought and turned his attention back to the paperwork in front of him. A smile crept across his face, not only at the thought of how she brought Morelli in, but at the tenacity and creativity she'd shown along the way.
There might just be enough metal to Stephanie Plum to warrant further involvement.
Maybe once he was back up to full speed, he'd find that alternative weapon for her. Maybe a stun gun would work well...
Ranger was in his office going over weekly payroll figures when Lester knocked on the partially open door and stepped into the room.
After Jimmy Alpha Met His Demise
(Stephanie)
She lay in the hospital bed staring at the wall. She really didn't want to be there, but she couldn't go back to the apartment yet and the only other option had been to stay with her parents. That was one option she wasn’t willing to explore just yet. The inevitable lecture about her new job, the fact that the police were at her house, the fact that she had murdered a man...
That last thought stopped her cold and brought tears to her eyes.
She had killed someone. She had taken a life. How could she face Caleb knowing she was a murderer? How could she go back and be a mother to her child?
Tears spilled over and down her face as she let the hurt fill her.
It didn't matter that everyone there, including Eddie had told her that it was self-defense, that she had no choice. It didn't matter at the moment that she knew without a doubt that there had been no other options for her.
The fact remained, a man was dead and it was by her hand.
Turning her face into her pillow, she felt the silent sobs tear through her body and tattered soul. No longer caring that she was face down with her posterior in the air thanks to the stitches she had. Her heart hurt too much.
As she lay there weeping, her door cracked open and the sound of crutches on the linoleum floor sounded too softly for her to hear.
It wasn't until a hand came to rest on her shaking shoulder that she became aware of another presence in the room.
With a gasp of surprise, she turned her head to see who was there and found herself looking into Ranger's eyes.
Tears continued to randomly fall down her face, even though her sobbing had stopped.
He reached up and wiped them away.
Staring into his eyes, she could see the compassion in his and swallowed. “I got Morelli,” she said, hating how hoarse and tear-choked her voice sounded.
The corner of his mouth twitched up into a grin and amusement and pride danced in his eyes for a few minutes. “I heard,” he affirmed. Then his eyes grew serious and seemed to stare into her soul. “I'm proud of you,” he stated simply. “You did what you needed to in order to survive. Don't question yourself. There were no other options. It doesn't make you a monster. It makes you a survivor.”
Stephanie stared into the compelling brown eyes for several minutes, seeing the honesty and seriousness in them. She thought about the fact he had been in Special Forces and realized he had, most likely, taken lives as well. She let his words sink in and found herself accepting them. The pain of Jimmy Alpha's death was still a raw wound in her soul, but the first tendrils of acceptance began to take root. She was a survivor. She'd done what she needed to do in order to get back to Caleb.
Eventually, she nodded her acceptance of his words.
Ranger nodded back and quietly left the room.
Stephanie lay her head back down on the pillows and allowed her eyes to close, giving in to the exhaustion and drugs that were in her system.
(Ranger)
Tank had interrupted him earlier, knocked on his door and come in, letting him know that Stephanie had killed Jimmy Alpha. Though he tried to lighten the mood by mentioning the sharpshooter's award and explaining about the five bullets within an inch of each other through a purse and into Alpha's heart, Ranger could see the shadows dancing in the back of his friend's eyes.
No matter how many times they had killed, no matter how much the target deserved it, it was never an easy thing to handle. When you took a life, you revealed a part of yourself that most people never knew, or wanted to know existed.
Over his years in service and the ones out of it, he had seen boys after the first kill. It was never easy and it was never pretty. At least, not with the men Ranger had on his team. If they had enjoyed killing, Ranger would have made sure they were reassigned and that fact noted on their charts.
The difference here was that those men had training, had been prepared not just physically, but mentally as much as they could be.
Stephanie Plum had never had that training.
He knew what he would say to her. It was a more personal version of the speech he gave the men under his command the first time they took a life.
Ranger was drawn from his thoughts as they arrived at the hospital. “Wait here. I shouldn't be long,” he informed his friend as he exited the SUV and settled his crutches under his arms.
Tank nodded to him, understanding in his eyes.
With a deep breath, Ranger headed into the hospital and stopped by the nurse's station to find out where Stephanie was being kept.
Knowing the hospital as he did, he headed off for her room, his crutches making only the slightest of sounds as he moved through the nearly deserted hallways.
It was only a few minutes before he found himself standing in front of the correct door. As he reviewed what he wanted to say once more, he caught the sound of muffled sobs.
Closing his eyes against the pain he knew she was feeling, he steeled himself as well as possible. He had seen some truly horrendous things over the years and didn't want to think about why the sound of Stephanie Plum's sobs touched him as nothing else had.
Pushing open the door, he paused and took in the sight before him.
His lips twitched slightly as he realized that she had been shot in the behind. He knew that any gunshot wound was painful, but the ones back there were just miserable. A person never realized how much he or she used those muscles until they were injured.
At another sob, all amusement left him. This wasn't funny.
Today Stephanie Plum had learned things about humans and about herself that would change her forever, that would alter her view of herself and others forever. She had seen something that he had fought to keep from American soil.
Making his way across the floor, he realized that she hadn't heard him come in.
When he reached the side of her bed, he stopped and reached out to touch her shoulder.
That was all it took to get her attention. She gasped and looked at him, surprise coloring her ever feature and chasing away the emotion pain, if only for a moment.
He could see the tears continue to fall down her face, though her sobs had stopped. They raced down her cheeks to her chin, a silent testament to the wound her psyche, or perhaps her soul, had received.
In an uncharacteristic move that he couldn't have stopped if he wanted to, Ranger reached out and wiped the tears from her face.
It was an intimate gesture and one he couldn't remember having ever done before, but he knew it was the right gesture to make.
She met his eyes and stared into them for a while. Ranger wasn't sure what she was looking for, but he met her gaze. He could read her pain there.
“I got Morelli,” she told him, her voice sounding rough from her crying.
Ranger couldn't stop the smile that appeared on her face. Here she was, in a hospital, injured, having just killed a man a few hours before and she was telling him she'd caught Morelli, sounding like a proud kid bringing home a good report card or earning a sticker at school.
Along with the amusement at her statement, he could feel pride at the way she was dealing with this situation. Not many men he knew, not many he had seen, could deal with what she had been through and handle it this well.
It was the thought of her having to handle the death of Jimmy Alpha that drove away his feelings of amusement, but the pride was still there.
In her eyes, Ranger could read the pain and shadows, but he also saw the one thing he knew he would have to remove if she were ever to heal – self recrimination.
Locking eyes with her, he told her some of the same things he had told many others, “I'm proud of you.” It was true. He was. “You did what you needed to in order to survive. Don't question yourself. There were no other options. It doesn't make you a monster. It makes you a survivor.”
He held her gaze for several more minutes, allowing the truth of his words to penetrate her emotions, willing those words to be accepted by her.
He knew he would stand there all night if need be in order to make sure she was OK. He would even try to find more words to comfort her if she needed them. The part of him that was aware of the painful throbbing of his leg was relieved when she nodded her acceptance of his words.
Seeing that she had truly accepted the truth of what he said, he nodded back and turned to leave the room.
She would be alright for now. There was still much they would have to do, but he would need to be fully recovered before he began his next adventure with Stephanie Plum.
Ranger sat in the back seat of the SUV. He could have sat up front in the passenger's seat, but he'd been on his feet too much today and his leg was bothering him.
A Few Days Later
(Stephanie)
Stephanie sat in the apartment. In her heart she longed to go home, to see Caleb and forget everything that had happened, but there was no way she’d be able to sit long enough to drive to Newark with the stitches. She’d already called and talked to him twice today and was trying to convince herself she didn’t really need to call a third time when there was a knock on the door.
Slowly, she made her way to the door and was surprised to see Joe there, with pizza. “Hi,” she greeted, wondering what his presence could mean.
(Ranger)
With deliberate movements, he rested his foot and lower leg on a nearby chair.
He was finally off those crutches, and not a minute too soon, but somehow, he had forgotten how painful physiotherapy could be. Of course, given the way he felt, the forgetting was some sort of psychological defense against trauma.
He really, really hated the whole healing process. It was one of the reasons he worked so hard to be so good – you never had to heal if you didn't get hurt.
Still, he wished there was an easier way to get better.
Of course, thoughts of his own wound brought back memories of Stephanie's wounds as well.
That always brought a smile to his face.
She had turned out to be something else.
The day after he had visited her in the hospital, he had found out that, somehow, she had been working with the cop, not just bringing him in as Ranger had instructed her to do.
Not only had Morelli been helping her and using surveillance equipment to monitor her, but had somehow convinced her to help him clear his name.
And she had.
He let out a soft chuckle at the thought. Stephanie had locked Morelli in the back of the freezer truck with everything he needed to clear his name. She really was something else. Ranger would just have to make sure she didn't try to solve the puzzle in the future. Her only job, if she chose to stay with Bounty Hunting, would be to get the file and bring the person back to jail. She wasn't a social worker or a detective. Trying to be either one of those could get her killed.
Letting out a sigh, he looked at the meal that had been prepared for him and tried to push all thoughts of Stephanie Plum from his mind.
There were too many other things to worry about, including changing his diet back to something more healthy. His doctor was a little concerned about his cholesterol levels...
Ranger sank down onto the chair at the dining room table.