My name is Stephanie Plum. Former E.E. Martin's women's lingerie buyer and recently resigned bounty hunter. By recently I mean 20 minutes ago, as I had just stormed out of my cousin Vinnie's bonds office.

Here's the thing; nearly a year ago, I was married to a total asshole. The marriage might have survived for more than 10 months if I had not found him being humped on my dining room table.

Once I was newly divorced, I moved into a cheap, but suitable, apartment building where my hamster, Rex, and I were the only residents under 65. As if it couldn't get any worse, 6 months later E.E. Martin's went bust where I was laid off then later evicted after my rent was over a month overdue, forcing me to move back in with my parents and Grandma Mazur.

During dinner, my mom told me Vinnie was hiring at the bonds office. At first I was a little reluctant since my weasel cousin was rumoured to have had romantic relations with a duck. But with nothing to lose and with very little optimism, I actually got a job as a Bond Enforcement Agent after blackmailing Vinnie by threatening to blab to his wife. I was also reunited with an old acquaintance, Connie Rossolli, the real-life Betty Boop who had connections to wise guys.

3 weeks later, everything was going fine until my arch enemy walked in to the bonds office; Joyce Barnhardt, Jessica Rabbit's evil twin who was infamous for making everyone miserable in school and causing the breakups of several marriages of men who had more cash than braincells.

Turns out, Vinnie had hired her as a BEA too and I'd bet anything that he didn't even take a glance at her résumé.

So here I am, back at the dinner table staring at the gravy boat; doomed to an entire life of misery.

"Don't look like that," Grandma said, nudging me with a bony elbow. "You can't let these things get you down. If I sat around and moped after your grandfather passed, I wouldn't be here."

"And that's a bad thing?" My dad mumbled.

Grandma flipped him the bird.

Dad looked up from his plate. "Seriously though, Pumpkin. You won't get anywhere sitting around feeling sorry for yourself. You've got to pull yourself together and find a job."

"or husband." Mom interjected.

We looked up at her. Dad sighed and shook his head.

"I had a husband," I argued. "and he was an ass."

Mom acted as though she didn't hear me as she took away our empty plates. "Joe Morelli's been asking for you,"

My mouth fell open. "What?! That jerk?"

She frowned at me. "There's no need for names, Stephanie. I know I warned you multiple times about him when you were younger, but he's a police officer now and he inherited his Aunt Rose's house."

"I don't care if he can make it rain doughnuts! I want nothing to do with him. You know what he did to me behind the counter at the bakery when I was 16 as well as what he wrote about all over the school bathrooms."

"I know," Mom sighed. "But people change, Stephanie."

I had known Joseph Morelli my entire life. He's 2 years older than me and nailed every girl who was legal in high school. After doing the deed at the bakery, he promised to call once he left for the navy. He never did, and after seeing him walking down the street, I ran him over with grandma's Buick and broke his leg.

I never heard from him after that for some reason...

After dessert, I excused myself and went upstairs to my old bedroom. I said hello to Rex and slumped down on my bed.

I contemplated about getting started on searching for a job when I realised it involved getting up and talking to people. Neither which I had the strength to do.

My cell-phone rang. I looked at the caller ID and saw Connie's name.

"Hey," I said, "What's up?"

"I got some good news for ya," Connie answered, sounding excited. "I managed to get you a job interview from a guy who owed me a favour."

I got suspicious. "…what kind of guy?"

"A cool guy who owns a security company. He's looking for someone to work on computers."

"You mean a whiz-kid with half a dozen I.T. diplomas…who is not me in other words?"

"I said on not with. I let him look at your résumé and he thinks you'll be suitable."

I thought about it for half a second. "Okay, great. When is it?"

"Tomorrow at 3, I'll text you the details, and dress in black, he'll like it."

I thanked her and hung up.

A minute later, my phone pinged and Connie's text popped up.

Rangeman Security Corporation in Haywood, May 12th 3pm, remember to dress in black!

Now I just needed to find something to wear…

(\_/)

What did I get myself into?

It was 5 minutes to 3 and my palms were already sweating. Rangeman was a small 7 story office building with a fancy built-in parking lot.

It took me over 12 hours to realise that I never learned this guy's name and I agreed to meet for a job interview with him.

Stephanie Plum, do you ever learn?

Hefting a sigh, I got out of my car and did a last-minute check of my appearance in the reflection of the window.

I was wearing a pair of black slacks with a black shirt with a white sewn in collar and cuffs. I tamed my hair as best as I could with half a can of mousse so it fell in bouncy curls, and kept my make-up simple: black eyeliner, lots of black mascara, and dark red lipstick.

Well, here goes nothing.

I walked through the main entrance. A sturdy, blond man stood up from the front desk to greet me. He was dressed in a black polo shirt with the company name embroidered in white, and black cargo pants.

"Can I help you, ma'am?" He asked politely.

I put on my best smile. "My name's Stephanie Plum, I'm here for an interview."

He blinked at me. "With Ranger- Carlos Manoso?"

Ranger? What kind of name was that?

"If he's the guy who read my résumé yesterday at my cousin's bonds office, yeah."

He nodded. "Alright, I'll send for someone to walk you in."

He went back over to the desk and typed at a keyboard. A moment later he looked back up and smiled at me. "I'm Hal by the way. Don't take this the wrong way, but the only other woman who works here, is Ella the housekeeper."

I shrugged a shoulder. "I was told he needed someone to work on computers."

"Are you good with I.T?"

"…I know how to turn one on and I can send an email. I do use Google a lot..."

He laughed. "That's more than I can say for myself."

I laughed with him until a door opened and a massive building of a man walked in. I tried not to stare; he was at least a foot and a half taller than me with broad shoulders and bulging muscles. His skin was a flawless dark brown and his hair was buzz cut short. He wore a similar uniform to Hal, but his looked tailor made to fit his massive build.

"Ms. Plum," He nodded to me. "Mr. Manoso is waiting for you. I'll see you in."

I quickly followed him as he turned around and walked back the same way he came in.

"Good luck!" Hal called.

I sent him a smile over my shoulder before walking into an elevator. The man pushed a button, the doors closed and we went up.

"My name's Pierre by the way." He said, holding out a hand that was ginormous compared to mine as we shook. "But please, please call me Tank."

I blinked at him. "Okay…Tank. Is it an old nickname?"

He nodded with a smile. "I got it when I was in the army and from then on, it just stuck."

"It's a cool nickname." I grinned. "And it suits you."

Tank grinned back just as the doors opened.

He walked me out and led me down an open office where dozens of other muscled men in the company uniform sat at desks either tapping at their computers or talked on their phones.

We reached the far end of the room where Tank stopped at a door. He knocked once and walked in before me.

The room was decorated with a cool, dark vibe with a monochrome pallet. The walls were painted steel grey with a black carpet running across the floor. A black leather sofa stood at the far end of the wall parallel to a silver framed glass topped desk where my eyes fixed upon the occupant sitting at it.

"Boss, Ms. Plum's here for the interview." Tank said.

A Hispanic man with incredibly toned mocha latte skin, long dark hair tied back into a perfect low ponytail and warm brown eyes, wearing a black t-shirt that looked painted on and dark jeans glanced up at me over a grey computer monitor.

My mouth went dry.

The back of my neck tingled…

"Thanks, Tank." He nodded before gesturing to a leather chair in front of the desk as Tank left the room. "Please take a seat, Ms. Plum."

With my heart pounding against my ribs, I did as he said, noticing how he stared at me intently.

"Nervous?"

I shrugged. "A little. It was kind of surprising how fast a job opportunity came up only hours after I quit working for my cousin…even though I had no idea who this interview was with and I had only just learnt your name from Hal downstairs…"

"Yet, you still came anyway." He said approvingly. "You have nerve. That's what I look for when hiring. Anyway, did Ms. Rossolli tell you what this job position is that you're applying for?"

I tried not to gulp. "You wanted someone to work on computers."

He looked at me as though I had spoken a foreign language. "Do you know what you'll be doing on the computers?"

"Security…stuff?"

After a heartbeat-long hard stare, he shook his head. "You're lucky Ms. Rossolli told me you have excellent instincts and that you were good at tracking people as a B.E.A."

"That was nice of her."

"Hm. Anyway, if I decided to hire you, you're position at Rangeman will be fugitive apprehension investigator. You'll be doing searches on fugitives,"

"So I'll be using Google, then?"

"No," He said bluntly. "And do not interrupt me."

Jeez…sorry….

"As I was saying, you'll be looking for details on wanted people. Details such as a change of address, purchases, medical history, etc."

"I can definitely do that. It's not that much different from my last job…I won't have to go after them, will I?"

A smirk pulled at the corner of his lips. "I only allow professionals to go after certain fugitives. But one key aspect of you that we need is your gender."

I blinked at him. "…pardon?"

"Here at Rangeman, we don't just provide security. We also take down criminal rings that are involved in drugs, prostitution and…" He let out a sigh. "Child molesters…" He finished with gritted teeth. It looked painful for him to say it.

I nodded in understanding. "So, because I'm female, if children and/or young women are involved in…a situation, I'll be needed as a kind of chaperon, right?"

"Right." He said. "You catch on fast, Ms. Plum."

He picked up a piece of paper from the desk. He analysed it for a moment before saying, "Fortunately for you, I don't hire people based on their smarts,"

"Hey!" I glared at him.

"Don't take it personally, I have employees who can't even spell their own name. I wouldn't care if someone had 20 PhDs from Harvard and Yale, I only hire people who have skill and initiative. Ms. Rossolli's recommendation is only how you got this far."

He looked at the paper again. "I see you currently live in the Chambersburg."

"Yes." I replied dryly.

"Unless you have no problem driving to Haywood every morning, we do have employee accommodation although 20% is taken out of your salary for rent every month."

"Fine with me." I shrugged. "It's better than spending it on gas money every week."

He gave a nod. "Good. You start on Monday. But I suggest you think about moving in as soon as possible."

It took a while for it all to sink in. "I…I have the job?"

He placed down the paper and turned back to his computer, tapping at the keyboard without looking at me. "I just said you start on Monday."

I narrowed my eyes. A simple you're hired would have been nice.

"I've already registered your details into the employee database. All you need to do now is move in and be ready on your first day, Also, you need to give Ella your clothing size."

"Ella?" I repeated. "The housekeeper?"

"Yes. She embroiders the Rangeman logo onto the uniforms. She'll have to order some women's shirts for you." He turned to look me up and down. "In case you didn't already know, but the uniform is the company shirt and black pants."

I glanced down at my outfit. "I hope you meant that as a joke."

He ignored me. "You may leave now, Ms. Plum."

I rose from my chair. "Thank you, Mr. Manoso."

As I was about to open the door, an aggravated sigh stopped me. "From now on, you can call me either by my first name or my street name."

There are other things I'd like to call you…

I turned to smile sweetly at him. "Alright then. Thank you, Carlos."