I don't own the characters Janet Evanovich does. I also don't own Fuel or any of their songs.
Bad Day
Carl told me how she looked when she brought in her latest skip. Mike Mososki was working at the local quick lube shop. Steph went after him and he ran. She tackled him and they both ended up in the oil pit. They both were covered in the black greasy oil. When she dropped Mike off Carl called everyone to check her out. They couldn't help but laugh at her. In fact Big Dog won one hundred dollars off of it. It bothered me that they bet on her but I never said anything. I thought if she got embarrassed enough she would give up her crazy job.
I didn't mind if she worked. I know Steph's not a stay home kind of girl but I want her to be safe and being a bounty hunter is defiantly not in the safe category. We use to argue all the time about it but here recently she just sits and listens to me yell and doesn't even argue back. That worries me. It's not like Step to just take anything sitting down. I ask her if there's something wrong and she says no that she's fine. I know that even though she says she's OK I know somethings not right with her.
Last week at her parent's house she just sat there listening to her mom rant about how somebody's daughter didn't do this or why Steph couldn't be more like Valerie. I don't like Mrs Plum's tactics but I understand why she's doing it. She's scared for Stephanie and she's doing what she can to get her to quit her job. Steph just sat there and didn't say a thing. Sometimes I feel bad for her and feel guilty about us ganging up on her. I mean don't get me wrong I admire Steph's go get them attitude and I'm proud that she always gets her man or woman, but then I'm so scared that one day I'm going to get the call that she's laying dead somewhere or that her car blew up with her in it and I figure it's for the best. I would use any tactic I could to get her to quit. Carl told me she said she was going to my house to clean up so I headed over to my house to see if she was OK.
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"Report" I barked into the phone. I had just landed from picking up a skip in Georgia and needed to get an update on the company. "Everything is pretty calm here. We picked up three more accounts. I'll have the paperwork on your desk so you can look them over when you get here. What's your ETA?" Tank asked. "Probably twenty to thirty minutes, I have to drop this asshole off at the cop shop and then I'll head to Rangerman. Later." I said and hung up. I had been gone for three months trying to locate this guy. Every time I got close to him he would just vanish and I had to start over again. Finally his luck ran out and I got him outside a strip-club in Atlanta.
I was more than ready to be back home. I missed seeing Stephanie. I wonder what she was up to and how she was doing. I didn't leave on very good terms. The last time she saw me Jeanne Ellen was wrapped around me and she had kissed me. She was trying to get back in my bed but I wasn't biting this time. When I looked up Stephannie was standing there. She turned but not before I could see the tears in her eyes. She ran out the hall and down the stairs. I pushed Jeanne Ellen off of me and ran after Steph. When I got to the garage she was already pulling out.
The devastation in her eyes haunted me the whole time I was gone. I realized then how much she loved me. I guess I've know it since the Scrog incident but I pushed it and her away. My life didn't lend itself to relationships. I don't want Stephanie to be a target because of me but the one thing I realized while I was gone is that Stephanie would be a target whether or not we were together. I promised myself that when I got back we would talk and work everything out. I parked in the cop shop and pulled my skip out dragging him inside the station.
Carl was at the desk. "Hey Ranger. You just missed the show."
"What happened?" I asked. I generally didn't talk much but he had piqued my curiosity.
"Well Steph brought in this guy and they were both covered in motor oil. He tried to run from her so she took off and when she tackled him they both went head first into the oil pit. It was the funniest thing you ever saw. " He started laughing again. "Big Dog won a hundred off of her."
"She got the guy didn't she." I said low and dangerous "That's all that really counts. Now give me my receipt so I can get out of here."
Carl quickly sobered up. "Sure. Sorry, I forgot she's your little pet." He muttered something else I couldn't here before he handed me the receipt. I jerked the receipt from him. "What was that Carl I didn't hear that last part."
Carl looked up at me the fear evident in his eyes. "Mind repeating that last part." I asked.
Carl cleared his throat. "I said I wonder how Morielli likes the fact that his girl friend is whoring around with you and your men. Everybody's saying it I'm just surprised that neither of you have heard the rumors that fly about Steph and both of you."
I grabbed his shirt and pulled him up to my eye level. I was so pissed it took everything I had not to beat the crap out of him. "Listen here Carl. Stephanie isn't whoring around with anyone and if I hear anyone accusing her of that they will have to answer to me. And another thing while we're talking about Stephanie. I better not come in here again and either see or hear about money changing hands regarding her do you understand?"
"Yeah." I let go of him and then stormed out of the door.
I needed to stop at Vinnie's before I could track Stephanie down. I walked in and saw Connie and Lula fanning themselves. They had a habit of doing this when I walked in the door. They didn't think I saw them but I see everything. I handed Connie the receipt and she handed me a stack of files.
"Have you seen Steph?" I asked her.
"Yeah she came in earlier and gave me the receipt for Mike. She said she was going home to get cleaned up." Connie said.
I turned around to leave but was stopped by Lula. "White girl wasn't acting right. I've seen her come in here covered by all kinds of stuff, garbage, food, and things I don't even want to know about. Every time she would make some smart-alec comment and laugh about it but this time she just came in and left muttering something about going and getting cleaned up. I'm telling you something up and I don't know if I like it. I asked her what was going on but she just said she was fine."
I nodded and headed for the door. Lula's voice stopped me one more time before I left. "If your going to look for her she's not at her apartment anymore she's moved back in with Morelli." I didn't react I just walked out the door.
When I got in my car I called Tank. "Yo" he answered. "Change of plans. I don''t know when I'll be in the office today. If you need anything just call." I hung up the phone and headed over to Morelli's house.
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I was on my way back to my house to check on Step when my phone rang. It was Big Dog. "Morelli we just got a call from your next door neighbor Mrs Firolli. She said someone was playing music too loud at your house and wanted it stopped. I just thought you wanted to know."
"Thanks" I replied "I'm almost there."
I debated whether or not to put my Kojak light on as Steph calls it but I decided not to. Steph's day was bad enough without having everyone in the neighborhood to come and look at her. It was bad enough that her latest aprehension was all over the Burg by now. I pushed down on the gas and hurried to my house. When I pulled in I could hear the music. I stopped in the driveway and as I got out I saw a black Porsche Turbo pull up to the curb and Ranger angled out. He nodded to me and then
we both headed toward the door.
And she swears theres nothing wrong. I hear her playing that same old song. She puts me off and puts me on. I had a bad day again. She said I would not understand. She left a note and said I'm sorry I had a bad day again.
**********
I nodded to Morelli as we walked to the door. He struggled with his keys but finally unlocked the door. I had a bad feeling about this and the way Morelli was acting he must have sensed it too. He walked over and turned the stereo down.
We could hear the water running upstairs. "Cupcake. I'm home." he yelled. No response. We both made our way up the stairs Morelli in front of me.
"Babe. Talk to us. You OK?" Still nothing. We ran to the bathroom and found the door locked. We backed up and slammed our shoulders into the door breaking it away from the hinges. The room was full of steam. Morelli pulled back the shower curtain and Steph was laying in the tub. The water ran crimson from the cuts on her wrists.
"Jesus Christ Step!" Morelli yelled.
I grabbed some towels off the counter and jumped in the shower pressing them to her wounds. As I held pressure on her cuts Morelli and I was able to get her out of the tub and onto the bathroom floor. "Call it in Morelli and get her something to wear. I'm not letting them carry her away like this." Joe just stood there in shock and didn't move. "Morelli move it!" I barked.
He turned and ran back down the steps. I cradled her against me. Even as I put pressure on both her wrists I could feel her warm blood on my hands. " Come on Babe. Don't leave me. We need you , me, Morelli, the guys. Come on don't leave us. We'll help you get over this just fight. Please Babe come back to me." With the door open I could hear the stereo from downstairs.
Don't fall away, and leave me to myself. Don't fall away and leave love bleeding in my hands, in my hands again, leave love bleeding in my hands in my hands
love lies bleeding
So what do you think? Should I let Stephanie live or die? Vote at my profile. Poll ends 05-06-09 Thanks!