Chapter 1

It was the end of the week, Friday, and normally I'd be overjoyed with that prospect, but as I walked into the bonds office I felt a tension emanating from within. You see I'm an apprehension agent, or bounty hunter, and the fact that there hadn't been any Failure to Appear was starting to get to me. It's not like I wanted to be over run with them, but at the moment a few would come in handy if I wanted to pay my bills and eat. Connie was sat at her desk but was frantically typing, she didn't even acknowledge me, and that was pretty unusual for her. Lula was sat on the couch, well laid on the couch with a magazine in front of her face. What was wrong with them this morning?

"Are you two just going to ignore me or what?"

Connie shrugged and Lula didn't move, but her eyes snuck over to the inner office door, Vinnie had pulled the door open and was looking at me.

"Stephanie, I need a word, in here"

I frowned and again looked to Connie and again she ignored me, so I followed Vinnie into his office as he closed the door behind me. Now don't get me wrong, Vinnie may be a relative on my father's side and maybe he did give me this job, but only after I blackmailed him, he was a sleazeball, and a pervert, which was how I'd threatened him in the first place. His wife Lucille wouldn't like the idea of knowing some of his perversions and Vinnie didn't want her to find out. For once Vinnie looked uncomfortable, his shifty eyes darting around the room.

"Take a seat Stephanie"

"I'll stand if you don't mind"

No way was I sitting down anywhere in here, not when I was privy to some of the sounds that came from here, especially when Joyce was around.

"I'm sorry Steph, but the office is closing, effective from Monday"

"What, why?"

"Harry is making me relocate down to Pennsylvania, he doesn't like the word out on the street about my, err, activities"

"So you and Lucille are moving?"

"Yeah, Harry has a job down there for me, under the watchful eye of some of his goons. I'm sorry Steph, I asked around at the other bonds offices but they don't need anyone. You'll be fine, you'll land on your feet"

"Land on my feet?"

I repeated what he'd said thinking back to how hard it had been just to get this job, let alone the disasters I'd had in between, like the dry cleaners and McDonalds. No one would want me with the reputation I had.

"There's some money gone into your account from Harry, kinda like a severance pay, you know to tie you over"

I walked out of the office and was met by two pairs of eyes, no wonder they didn't want to talk to me, they knew what was coming.

"Steph, you gonna be okay?"

"Yeah, I'll find something, I have to. What about you?"

"Well as much I didn't want to get involved with the family business, beggars can't be choosers, so I'm doing some admin work for my uncle"

"Lula what about you?"

"Well I just heard from my manicurist and seeing as how good I am at all that stuff, she's agreed to take me on, maybe I'll set up my own business once I get on my feet, aint no way I'm gonna go back on the streets"

Wow they had it all worked out, I was pleased for them, they deserved a break, but didn't I as well? I felt numb really, and I didn't want to talk now so I turned and opened the door.

"Give me a call so we can catch up, I need to start looking for a job"

I just drove down the street and somehow ended up outside my apartment block, what now? I needed to be positive; there'd be something for me out there. Once inside the building I went up a floor higher than mine and found a newspaper that hadn't been collected then made my way back down to my apartment. With a coffee in front of me, and the newspaper in my hands, I started to look through the job vacancies. By the time I'd finished there were only three circles on the page, so I started the arduous task of phoning first. Two were at fast food restaurants and as soon as I gave them my name they said they were sorry but the job had been filled. A local grocery store said I was too old; they wanted a college student, probably so they didn't have to pay the going rate. Sighing I put the newspaper down and looked at my watch, I realized it was nearly six and since I didn't have food in the place I decided I'd mooch dinner at my parents, I'm sure my mother would have heard by now of the office closing and was certain she'd be full of ideas for jobs for me.

I arrived just before six, and for once there was no one waiting on the doorstep, strange, the women in my family always seemed to know when to expect me. The answer hit me as soon as I walked in to the dining room; Morelli was there, grinning up at me.

"Cupcake, heard you're no longer a bounty hunter"

"That's the latest, hi mum, Grandma"

"Stephanie is it true?"

"Is what true?"

"That Vinnie's closed down?"

"Seems that way"

We all sat down to roast chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, it just didn't taste the same and I realized I wasn't eating with my normal gusto. Pudding was pineapple upside down cake; there was no way I'd miss out on that. It was during the cake eating that the inevitable talking came, starting with my mother of course.

"I hear they're taking on at the button factory Stephanie"

"Really"

"Do you want me to put in a good word with Evelyn, she's bound to help?"

"No, I'll sort my self out, thanks anyway"

"Well you need to get a job that's safe now, after all Joseph said he'd support you"

"Really"

No way was he doing anything near me, we'd had an argument about a month ago over who should clean the bathroom, he said I should, that it was a woman's job, I'd told him it was his bathroom and he could do it. Needles to say after that shouting match I'd left and hadn't spoken to him since, and to be honest I didn't miss him. There was more talk of jobs, all of which I avoided, I would never go near most of the ones she suggested, then as I was about to leave with my leftovers Morelli got up and walked out of the front door with me.

"Cupcake, you know this is an omen don't you"

"What is Joe?"

"Well now you're no longer a bounty hunter you can come live with me, I'll look after you"

"Really"

I think that was my new favorite word tonight.

"Yeah, I'll pay the bills and you can look after the house"

"Not happening, I told you after the last argument that we're through"

"But you could marry me, like we always said we'd do, and you wouldn't need to get a job"

I smiled at him and watched as his face took on that predatory look, with his soft bedroom eyes and a grin highlighting the dimple in his cheeks. He did look handsome, he was a good man, was I just being stupid for not wanting what he wanted?

"How's about we finish those leftovers at my place, and maybe watch a game. Bob misses you"

That was his undoing, his way of saying lets have sex, that was not going to happen and then I remembered the talk going on with Lula and Connie about Joe and a petite blonde who was a waitress at one of the local bars.

"Why Joe, little Natasha busy tonight, I don't think so"

At least he looked a tad ashamed at what I'd said.

"It's not what you think, Cupcake"

"Doesn't matter Joe, I'm going home, on my own"

By now we'd reached the cars parked on the street, as I opened the door to get in I noticed my mother peering out through the window, yeah she thought she'd set me up to get back with Joe, well mother, no more interfering with my life, I'd find a way to get through this on my own. I drove back to my apartment, I was resigned to be on the Internet most of the night chasing up jobs and doing online applications. I also needed to write a CV and print copies out, tomorrow could be a long day. The light on my phone was blinking when I got home, strange, I wasn't sure who would leave a message there, then as I checked my mobile I realized it was flat. I pressed the button to play the message and almost sank to my knees at the voice that came through.

"Hi Babe, I think you need to charge your mobile up, so I'm leaving a message here instead. I know I said I'd be gone a few weeks checking up with the other offices, but something's come up and I may not be around for a while. If you need anything then talk to Tank, Babe, don't hesitate; you know he'll help you. Please take care and I'll see you when I get back, I promise"

Well that wouldn't be happening, ironic that now I wasn't doing the bounty hunting I wouldn't need to talk to Tank, yeah I'd worked at Rangeman in the past, but that was always because Ranger insisted, he knew when I needed the work, but this was different, I couldn't ask for a job there any more without it being a pity job. Would I still see Ranger when he got back, now that our paths wouldn't cross, could our friendship still carry on? I didn't know and I felt a loss with that thought. Ranger was someone I could call my best friend, someone I trusted with my life, just not with my heart. I couldn't be a fuck buddy for anyone, neither Morelli nor Ranger. I needed to find a job, make new friends and get on with my life, but oh god, I would miss my Merry Men, but most of all I'd miss Ranger. I changed out the tape in the answer machine, call me sentimental, but that might be the last time I heard his voice and I wanted to replay it when I felt down. Now I needed to look for a job. I spent several hours uploading my CV onto job applications, then printed out as many copies as my ink would allow. I couldn't afford to replace it so hopefully there would be enough copies. As the last page printed I bundled the copies into a file for tomorrow, I'd mapped out where I wanted to go and with which companies to leave them with. Bed was calling my name; I was tired and just needed to sleep.

I'd set the alarm early so that I could get ready and head out, a shower and makeup, not too much, and dressed in a trouser suit and blouse I made my way down the stairs. I was walking, no point in wasting money I didn't have on gas. I'd worn flat boots so set out to canvass the businesses on my list. By mid afternoon my enthusiasm had waned, I'd left my CV with lots of places, but the look on their faces told me I shouldn't hold my breath for a response. I'd kept back one copy of my CV in case I decided to get some more photocopied. I was a few miles from home in an area I didn't really know and spied an ice cream van by a park. Why not, I'd worked hard today, my feet were aching and I needed something to cheer me up. The park was bigger than I realized as I wondered across the grass toward a bench by a lake with an ice cream cone in my hand. It was pretty here, and quiet, with only a few people walking their dogs or playing with their children. As I sat down to finish my cone a few ducks waddled over, they looked hopeful for a handout, so I broke the bottom off my cone and gave a small piece to the nearest one. Suddenly the ducks backed away and I looked up to see why, sat next to me on the seat was a young girl.

"Hi, can I feed the ducks with you?"

"Sure, hold this piece out to one of them"

She was looking really nervous at that suggestion, so I held her hand with the piece of cone while one of the ducks came forward and snatched the food away.

"You want to try on your own now?"

She nodded to me and held out her hand. I watched as another came forward and this time took the food more gently. I looked at the girl sat next to me; she was maybe 8 or 9, with long brown hair plaited down her back, pale blue eyes and pale skin. She looked so serious as she studied the ducks.

"Have you never fed the ducks before?"

She shook her head, not saying a word.

"Would you like to feed them more?"

She turned and gave me a beautiful smile and nodded.

"Here you go, that's the last of the food though"

I watched as she very carefully held out her hand and saw her smile reappear as the ducks proceeded to eat.

"Thank you, that was fun"

"Do you come here often?"

"No, but Aden said we had time today"

"Who's Aden?"

"He's that man over there watching out for me"

I turned to look over my shoulder and sure enough there was a man stood there. He looked to be about my age, with dark skin and dark hair. He had the stance of one of the Merry Men when they went into bodyguard mode, I wonder if that is what he is, her body guard.

"What's your name, I'm called Mia?"

"Stephanie, but most people call me Steph. That's a real pretty name Mia"

"I'm named after my mother, Maria, but she died when I was born so she's not here anymore"

"I'm sorry Mia, it must be hard for you"

"Not really, I never knew her, but daddy's told me about her"

There was the sound of a car behind us and I turned to see a black Bentley pull up, the tinted windows blocking out who ever was inside. I turned back to Mia to realize she'd stood up.

"Steph, thanks for letting me feed the ducks with you, but I need to go now"

I stood with her and as she walked toward the car the back window came down, a man looked out directly at me then turned and smiled at Mia.

"Mia, come, we need to go home"

She ran to the car and as the door opened she started to get in, then turned to me and smiled, giving me a wave before she disappeared. I liked that kid, there was something about her, she wasn't rude or arrogant like some kids I know are and she really seemed to enjoy our short time together. I finger waved at the car as it pulled out onto the road and then turned back to the path as I realized I had a long walk ahead of me just to get home. I took my time walking, and actually enjoyed the freedom to just play around with the thoughts in my head. If I forgot that I had no job, then I felt quite content, I wonder how much severance pay Harry gave me, something to find out in the morning. The apartment was quiet when I got home, but the answering machine light was blinking, I'd forgotten to switch my mobile back on after the last visit job hunting. My heart hitched; maybe Ranger had called again, don't be stupid Stephanie; he said he'd be away for weeks if not longer. He'd obviously gone into the wind; saving a country or stopping a coup, I worried about him. The message when I got to it was from Morelli.

"Cupcake, would you meet me for lunch tomorrow, we need to talk"

I now hated that name and everything it stood for, I felt it demeaned me because of how Morelli had come up with it. I went for an option that avoided having to talk to him, switching on my phone I waited for the pings of texts and voicemails to stop, then sent him a short reply "No, sorry busy" A look at my phone showed voicemail from my mother and Morelli, I deleted the ones from Morelli and called my mother.

"Hi mum, why did you message?"

"Don't you listen to those messages?"

"No, that's why I'm calling"

"Well, Joseph came by today to talk to your father, you know to ask his permission to marry you"

"Mum, I've told you, I'm not marrying him, so forget it"

"But Stephanie, he may be your last chance, you're not getting any younger and he's a good man"

"No, no, no. Stop it mum, I'll find someone and if not then it doesn't matter, I won't marry someone again just to please you"

There was a silence on the other end and I knew I'd hit the right spot with that comment.

"All right, I'll leave you to decide, just remember I'm here if you change your mind and want help with the wedding'

"Bye mum"

I was annoyed, how dare he think if he got my parents on his side that I'd change my mind, the scumbag. I decided that I needed to soak in the tub to soothe the ache in my legs and feet, so made sure the doors were bolted and soaked in fragrant vanilla scented

water; to be honest I almost fell asleep I was that relaxed. Dressed in one of Rangers T-shirts and a pair of shorts I made my way to the fridge to take out some of the left overs from last night. Chicken, mash and gravy, oh well, it was that or nothing. As I waited for the microwave to ping I noticed that a piece of paper had been slid under the door. Curious I tip toed over there and picked it up. Strange, it was a cream envelope with my name on it, inside was a folded sheet made from the same expensive paper as the envelope. I was so curious as to what it said I remained by the door and carefully opened it.

"Miss. Plum. My daughter was very taken with you after your meeting in the park; it isn't often that someone can make her smile. I have a position in my household as a companion/chaperone for Mia. She is very excited that you would consider it. A car will pick you up at 10am for us to discuss this position. Mr. E Burhan"

Was this for real, was he offering me a job? Surely he wouldn't use his daughter to trick me, would he? Food forgotten I grabbed my laptop and put his name into the Google search, I didn't realize how many people shared that name, so there was no way to find out who he was, I'd just have to trust my instincts and at the moment they were saying that I liked Mia, so why not just go along and meet him? That decided I removed the now just warm left overs from the microwave and decided that I couldn't stomach it and went with finishing the cake instead. Now to decide on what to wear for this meeting, he obviously had money, so I needed to look smart but casual.

I was stood panicking slightly outside the rear entrance to my apartment at 9.55. I'd woken up at 6 and couldn't get back to sleep. I needed the time though to decide on how to look. In the end I'd gone with a deep blue woolen dress with three quarter sleeves and a cowl neck, the hem just above my knee. I'd plaited my hair into a braid and only used a small amount of makeup. I felt good as I'd looked at my reflection, but now I was having second thoughts. Too late, the Bentley glided to a stop in front of me and the driver got out to open the back door for me. I'm sure it was the man from the park yesterday; Aden was what Mia had called him. I sank into the plush leather seats and relaxed as he drove us out of the car park and onto the main road. We seemed to travel for hours but it was in fact only thirty minutes before we turned off the road and through tall gates into the grounds of a very large house. The house was a large stone building with a double door in the middle. It was so big it was almost ugly; yet there was an old world feel to the place. There were plants and flowers arranged in pots at the front and a lawn that was beautifully manicured, the windows were spotless and the paintwork looked fresh. I was staring out of the window and jumped slightly when Aden opened the door for me. Don't gawk; act like you belong, so with a smile at Aden I proceeded up the steps and through a door into an elegant lobby. Aden took me by my elbow and guided me through another door into a large room.

"Mr. Burhan will be with you shortly"

Then he was gone, leaving me to look around at my surroundings. The whole place screamed money, from the plush beige carpet to the leather couches and brown drapes. There was a portrait above the fireplace that drew my eye but before I could get a closer look a man entered the room.

"Miss. Plum, I presume?"

"Yes, Mr. Burhan?"

"Indeed, please take a seat and then we can discuss the position I mentioned to you"

I sat in one of the single chairs, perched on the edge, not wanting to look as though I was getting too comfy; he sat in the opposite chair and sat back with a knee lifted across the other, I was feeling nervous and had to hold my hands together on my knee, is this for real? Could I do this?

"Miss. Plum, my daughter was very much taken with you yesterday and that doesn't happen very often. I've tried various nannies and companions but they just haven't got along with her. Believe me when she wants to be a cantankerous child she can be. So I'm looking for someone who will spend their time with her. She has a private tutor, and a trainer, but she needs the companionship of a woman. The post would require you start at 7 am and finish at 7pm, eat with her, help her to dress and bathe then accompany her through her scheduled lessons, and of course provide some leisure activities"

I sat and questioned myself, not my usual type of role, but why not give it a try? This could be a job that was safe and secure, no stalkers or attackers, and I did like Mia. So nothing ventured nothing gained, if it didn't work out I'd not loose anything.

"Miss. Plum?"

"Sorry, just thinking it through. Would I get any days off?"

"Of course, maybe we can play that by ear, unless you have something specific that happens on a particular day?"

"No, nothing routinely planned"

"Well then why don't you start now, Mia is excited to see you, Aden will take you home tonight, you can get used to the house and meet the other staff"

"Mr. Burhan, do you have a uniform or dress attire?"

"I'll get Ms. Randall to sort that out for you"

"Thank you Mr. Burhan for giving me this opportunity"

I extended my hand out to shake his and was surprised when he held on a to it little too long, it gave me an opportunity to really look at him. He looked maybe older than me and had dark skin with a complexion that had obviously seen acne as a kid, dark brown eyes but there was no warmth to them, he was slightly taller than me and obviously worked out by the feel of his hand and the way he carried his body. He let go and then took my elbow to lead me through the door.

"Yeah!"

"Mia that is no way for a young lady to greet someone. Take Stephanie upstairs and show her around, then make sure Ms. Randall meets her at lunchtime"

He turned to me after basically telling Mia off.

"I work most days Miss. Plum so you'll probably not see me, good day"

He left through the front door, but what I felt was strange was that he never once showed any affection toward Mia. I followed an excited Mia up the stairs and into her bedroom, or should I say suite of rooms. She had her own lounge, playroom, study room and bedroom. The opulence that I'd found in the downstairs room continued here, her closet was as big as my apartment and her bathroom, oh my, a girl could spend all day pampering herself in there. I spent the rest of my morning writing out her routines, she really was kept busy, with lessons and training, and more lessons. The time allocated for leisure was between 2 and 5pm, so I'd need to work out what would best suit both of us. At lunchtime she took me downstairs and into an enormous kitchen. There was a granite worktop on three sides, white cabinets complimented the darkness of the top and there was a large range in the center of one wall with pans already simmering.

"Mia, how are you this morning, and who have you brought with you?"

"This is Steph and she's my new friend"

"Well I'm pleased to meet you Steph, call me Marta, welcome to the household. I'm sure you'll love it here. Now I'm told I need to measure you for clothing, so stand there while I get that out of the way, then we can have lunch"

I stood still as Marta seemed to measure every aspect of my body, including my feet, she recorded all the measurements in a small notebook and when she'd finished placed it in a pocket of her apron.

"You've got lovely hair, how do you normally wear it?"

"In a ponytail or if I'm going out loose in curls, unfortunately my curls can get a life of their own"

She smiled as I said it and put her hand on my hair.

"Pretty, you have beautiful eyes"

Lunch was spent chatting with Mia, she really was a character, and tried to be assertive with me. Not happening little girl, I have nieces that I've practiced on. By the end of my time at 7pm I felt shattered but was surprised at how happy I felt, yeah maybe I could do this and do it well. Aden dropped me off at the door to my building.

"I'll pick you up at 6.30, miss"

"Oh, are you sure, I have a car?

"Yes, Mr. Burhan insisted"

"Thank you, I'll see you in the morning then"

He smiled back at me then drove away leaving me to watch his tail lights disappear into the distance. Once in my apartment I didn't need to eat, so made my way into the bathroom to shower, I had some calls to make later.

"Hi mum"

"Stephanie where have you been, you've not answered your phone?"
"Working mum, I got a job today"

"Oh, well that was quick, at the button factory?"

I don't know why but I didn't want to explain my new job to her, I felt that I'd done it on my own and didn't want to share my good news just for her to find fault with it.

"No mum, it's a good job, good pay but long hours"

"Well where is it then, is it safe?"

"Yes it's safe, how's Val doing?"

Yeah I know where her true feelings are, and it isn't with me. I chatted for a couple of minutes then feigned I had another call coming in. I chatted to Connie and Lula, they seemed to be getting on with their lives; in fact I think they'd already made new friends away from me, and it was at that moment I realized I'd already moved on. None of my friends were around, and they didn't seem to need me anymore. I wondered where Ranger was and if he would miss me, or like the others just let his life move him on. I felt alone and to some extent isolated, not a good feeling, but then change can sometimes be like taking a leap in the dark, not sure where you would land. I just hoped that this was the right thing to do.

The first week went by so quickly, I got used to waking up early and going to bed early, and the food that Marta prepared was amazing, so tasty and yes it was healthy, in fact she reminded me in some ways to Ella, always there and ready to help. The clothes she provided weren't really a uniform; they were of a higher quality than I was used to. Every set of clothes were a different color and cut, and varied from trousers to skirts and sweaters to blouses, as I checked my reflection each morning I was amazed how chic and sophisticated I looked, and there was no logo printed on anything. Except there were times I missed that logo, the black cargos and boots, but most of all I missed Ranger. The way he would raise just one eyebrow, tell me my food would kill me, his half smile, but most of all the way he made me feel when he pushed his body to mine and kissed me. Not in a lifetime could I forget that first night with him and our stay at Disney. I needed to forget about the past and as he would say, focus on the goal, and my goal was making this job work. I soon got into a routine for how the days were spent, Mia tried her moods and her stubbornness with me, but to be honest I couldn't stay mad at her for long. She was laughing more often and had a sparkle in her eyes, she and I were becoming really close; we almost depended on each other. I helped with her schoolwork, maybe I could have done better myself at school, and I even joined in with the exercise training. I never did see Mr. Burhan again, but Aden was a constant adult companion, picking me up from home and returning me in the evening. We had an easy friendship and found chatting comfortable. My mother was still leaving messages to be there for dinner so I'd arranged to have the Sunday off; I really needed to visit with my parents, catch up with all the gossip from Grandma and my least favorite task to clean my apartment and have some quality time with Rex. I arrived at 6 to both my mother and Grandmother on the doorstep.

"Hi there"

"Stephanie is that all you have to say?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"What about this new job?"

"It's a job, and I enjoy doing it, you haven't heard any gossip about me, so it must be good right?"

"Are you going to tell me about it?"

"No, I'm an adult mum and I don't need to explain everything to you"

She didn't like that, didn't like being kept in the dark.

"I don't see why Stephanie?"

"Ellen leave her be, can't you see she's happy, she's her own person, keep your nose out of her life"

Wow, Grandma could be blunt with my mother, I was pleased to see her on my side, though she always had been, it was just recently that she almost lived her life through me, I don't know why, probably since Granddad died and she came to live with my parents.

"Thanks Grandma"

"So when should I expect you to be home nowadays"
"I'll let you know mum, I tend to vary my days off, so nothing is routine with me"

"Have you spoken with Joseph?"
"No, and I'm not going to"

"He was interested that you got a new job"

"Good for him, but that's another reason why I won't tell anyone what the job is"

The meal was stodgy compared to what I'd got used to and my mother noticed that I wasn't really eating it.

"Stephanie, don't play with your food, eat it up"

I just looked at her and pushed the plate away from me.

"Sorry mum, but I'm not hungry, I can't seem to stomach this"

"But you've always eaten a roast with mashed potatoes and gravy"

"Sorry"

"Are you ill?"

"No, just maybe not hungry"

The visit went from bad to worse, as usual my father never said a word and as soon as he had finished his meal he was back in the lounge watching a game. Time to leave, and maybe call and see Mary Lou.

"Lou how are you, time for a chat?"

"Steph, honey, I've been worried about you, no calls or anything. You must be enjoying that new job of yours"

"Lou I'm really happy, it's better than I thought it would be"

"Well go on"

"It's so easy, well the whole job just seems to happen"

"Honey, you get on so well with people, you're a natural"

"But looking after a kid, me?"

"You would be an amazing mum, Steph, you just need to find the right man"

"Yeah, like that's gonna happen"

"It will, so is Joe still chasing after you?"

"He's chasing my mother, who is still pestering me. I haven't told a soul about this job Lou"

"Honey your secret is safe with me, pinky swear"

I knew I could count on Lou, she knew what the job was but none of the names, I felt Mia and Mr. Burhan deserved my trust and their privacy. I stayed and chatted, catching up with the latest gossip.

"Lou I know it's not late, but I have to be up early in the morning, so I need to get going, I'll call you later in the week, I promise"

"No problem, just don't forget"

I got a weird feeling as I got closer to my apartment block and for some reason decided to park away from the car park and scout it out. There at the front was Morellis truck, and the lights were on in my windows. Shit, I so did not want to speak with him. What the hell was I going to do? I waited for half an hour but he still hadn't left. It was only 9.30, normally I would call Ranger and he would always come to my rescue. He'd said to ask Tank, but I hadn't had any contact with him or the Merry Men for ages and felt that a rift was already there, so I took a gamble and called Aden.

"Hi Aden, it's Steph. Err, I've got a problem and could do with some help"

"What's happened Steph?"

"An ex of mine is inside my apartment"

"You want me to get him out?"

"He's a cop Aden, so I don't think he'd take kindly to you acting all macho with him"

"Well, how about I just pick you up and you come to the house?"

"Really?"

"Yes, can you hang on for half an hour?"

"Yes, I'll hide out in the car park"

True to his word Aden arrived just as he had said, the problem was though that Morelli came out of the back door just as I was approaching Aden's car.

"Cupcake, where are you going; come back here?"

He ran toward me grabbing hold of my arm, and then started to drag me back towards the building. I don't know who was the most surprised, Morelli, or me, but Aden had moved so quickly neither of us saw him coming. Morelli was flat out on his back, holding his nose.

"I'll do you for assaulting a police officer"

"Try it, and then try to explain why Miss. Plum has a bruise on her arm"

Aden placed his hand to the small of my back and steered me to his car, we were out of there before I could blink and on our way to the Burhan house. I felt on edge with what had happened, but what was really getting to me was that it should have been Ranger to come fetch me, to protect me, to lead me to his car with his hand at the base of my back. It almost seemed that Aden had taken over that role, and I wasn't feeling comfortable with that.

"Aden, thank you for helping"

"No problem, you know it might be better if you lived at the house"

"No, I like to have somewhere that I can call home"

"Why's that?"

"I married when I shouldn't have and then caught my husband on our new dining room table not long after. The divorce was legendary, but I lost everything, he even landed me with some of his debts. So I always said to myself that I would have somewhere that was mine to call home, somewhere no one could throw me out of"

"Wow, I can see where you're coming from"

We drove in silence after that and he dropped me off at the front door, Marta was waiting for me and showed me up to a room I could use.

"Mr. Burhan wants to take Mia out for the day tomorrow, so I'll wake you up in time to help her get ready"

I found shower gel and shampoo in the bathroom and was surprised that Marta had been in and placed sleep wear and some clothes out on the bed for tomorrow, trousers, sweater and a light knee length jacket, I wonder where we're going? I felt safe here away from Trenton; maybe I did need to move here? There didn't seem to be a reason to stay in Trenton anymore.

By 7 in the morning we were all inside the Bentley but neither Mia nor I knew where we were going, everyone was quiet and it was the type of silence that you didn't want to break, we were headed north, so maybe New York? I was speechless when we pulled into a private airfield and the car stopped along side a private jet. I knew I was feeling nervous and Mia caught on.

"Steph, don't you like to fly?"

"Not really Mia"

"You'll like it on this plane, there's food and movies and even a bedroom"

"Well it must be good then"

"Come on I'll take care of you"

I needed to be strong even if it was just for Mia. I must admit once I got over how plush the seats were and Mia's continual banter I did relax. I noticed Mr. Burhan watching us as we laughed at the video, yeah; I'd introduced Mia to Ghostbusters. Much to my surprise we actually landed in Washington; Mr. Burhan had a business meeting and thought it would be a good experience for Mia to see the sites; he'd brought in a tour guide and with Mia and Aden in tow he would take us around the city. I'd been here years ago on a school trip, but now as an adult I had a better appreciation of the attractions.

We arrived early at the Capitol Visitor Center and learnt about the history of the U.S. government. The main entrance was located at the East Plaza between Constitution and Independence Avenues, we saw the Hall of Columns, the rotunda, and the old Supreme Court chambers. Then it was onto The Smithsonian, which is actually comprised of 19 museums. Since we had limited time to tour the city, we chose to visit the National Museum of Natural History. There was so much to see and so little time, but we were in awe of the Hope Diamond and the other gems and minerals, the massive fossil collection, and a life-size replica of a North Atlantic whale and a 1,800-gallon-tank display of coral reef. After the museum it was definitely lunchtime and what better than a hot dog from a street vendor. Mia was in her element; she'd never eaten anything bought in the street, let alone ate as she walked along the street in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the crowds. Of course you can't come to Washington without taking a peek at the White House, we walked west on Pennsylvania Avenue and came to President's Park and the White House. Our next visit was the National Memorials; the monuments were truly spectacular to visit. The memorials were very spread out so we rode by pedi cab on a guided tour, and managed to see the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial and the Korean Memorial and finally we went up to the top of the Washington Monument. As we wondered round I thought about the loss of life through war, and prayed that Ranger came home safely.

We spent the evening walking round Georgetown, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Washington; it was a vibrant community with upscale shops, bars, and restaurants along its cobblestone streets. Then we walked to Washington Harbor enjoying the Potomac Waterfront views as we enjoyed a gourmet dinner. Once we'd finished we returned to the airport and boarded the plane. Mia was tired, and so was I, so we snuggled up on the bed in the bedroom chatting about all the things we'd seen and done, without meaning to I slowly drifted off into a deep sleep.