A couple of years ago I wrote a little story called Holiday Confessions. I loved writing it mostly because Christmas is one of my favorite times of year. So I decided to write another short Christmas story. Holiday Confessions was inspired by a corset I saw at Macy's. This story is inspired by a Christmas party I recently attended and that red dress Janet has told us is in Stephanie's closet.
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"North entrance clear," Lester's voice buzzed through the ear piece.
"West entrance clear," Manny reported.
"Clear in the elevators," Hal said.
"Party is in progress in the main dining room," Tank's deep voice answered.
Ranger walked into the room and my mouth went completely dry. Ranger in anything is a sight to behold. Ranger in full corporate mode was ah-maz-ing. He walked past where I was sitting at the bar nursing a Martini and my mind sort of fizzled and then I stopped listening all together.
"Stephanie?" Tank's deep baritone rang in my ear. "Report."
Ranger turned and looked across the crowd at me. Reflexively I licked my lips. He winked at me turned his attention back to the party. There was that fizzling sound again.
"Maybe her earpiece isn't working," Hal said.
"I can see her from my post," Lester replied. "I don't think it's the comm unit. I think her brain shorted out when she saw Ranger in that suit."
"Santos, mats tomorrow. Don't be late." Ranger's rich voice crossed the airwaves.
"Plum report in," Tank said a little louder this time.
"Everything is looking good," I managed to squeak.
"Oh yeah," Lester added. "I saw you walk in Bomber you're looking damn good."
"Santos," Ranger voice growled.
"Target just stepped off the elevator," Hal interrupted. "He's headed to the west entrance."
"Manny will you be able to intercept?" Ranger asked.
"Negative. Too many people in the lobby area."
"Stephanie looks like you're going to bat." Tank said.
I made eye contact with Ranger and gave him a smile before turning on my stool to face Manny's post.
I took another sip of my drink and waited on the target to walk into the party. Steven Smith was wanted on a bench warrant in New York City. Smith was an Investment Broker who'd scammed a few hundred people out of a couple of million dollars. He'd been hiding out avoiding arrest for almost a year. Then last week Ranger got a tip that he was in Princeton looking for investors in a new mutual fund opportunity. Smith is prying on Senior citizens promising their children will be rich after they die. Scum.
That brought us to tonight and this sting operation. I was here to meet Smith under the guise of investing my trust fund. I'd spoken to him on the phone assured me that I'd see a huge return on my money and asked how soon we could meet.
Ranger had pulled some strings with the Princeton Country Club and I'd called him this morning asking him to meet me here at their annual Christmas party.
As far as Christmas parties go it was a little boring. I'd seen a few people I knew from my days as Stephanie Orr. They'd been slightly surprised to see me. More than likely they'd been really surprised to see me but it was hard to tell. I think there's a lot of Botox in this room.
Steven Smith looked like the picture in the file. He was handsome in a Soap Opera star way. Slicked back hair, well cut suit, and a lot of swagger in his step. Manny stepped into the party behind him and cut off to the side. He was sticking close to the door in case Smith tried to bolt.
I gave Smith a little finger wave and took a long sip from my drink. He smiled and his eyes scanned my legs. I uncrossed them slowly and slid from the stool. I turned a little and set the empty glass on the bar before spinning around and strutting across the room toward him.
With each step I swung my hips so the skirt of my red dress swirled around keeping his attention on my legs. When I'd made my way across the room I stuck out my hand and introduced myself.
"Stacy Pardo,"
"Steven Smith. I'm so glad we were able to meet tonight."
"Me too, I've been so worried about paying taxes on my inheritance. When you said you could make it so I didn't have to pay a dime. Well… that sounded almost too good to be true."
"Let's have a seat at the bar, Ms. Pardo."
"It's Miss. but please call me Stacy."
"Of course but I insist you call me Steven," he said sliding my arm through his. "I think this could become a great partnership, Stacy."
I glanced at Tank and Ranger sitting across the bar as I climbed back up on the stool. Ranger gave me a dark look that I couldn't quite read. While Tank pretended to be checking out the score of the ball game on the tv over the bar.
Forty minutes of small talk and flashing my assets was what it took to get down to business. Ranger had remained at the bar no doubt listening to every word we'd spoken. Tank had walked away a few minutes after we'd sat down and he'd hadn't returned.
"So Stacy how much do you want to invest?," Steven asked looking over the various papers he'd asked me to bring. They were all fakes I knew. Probably created by Rangeman but they looked real to me. Thankfully they looked real to Smith too.
I looked at Ranger while Smith was distracted. I was hoping for some help instead Ranger had discreetly tapped his watch. I'd cut my eyes to Lester and he'd given me a single nod of the head.
"You know Steven this is a party and numbers bore me," I said leaning over to whisper in his ear. "Let's finish these drinks and let me show you around the club house. Maybe we could find some where more private to get to know each other better."
"We could do that."
I gave Smith my best supermodel smile and placed my hand on his. "Come on I know a great place just behind the locker rooms."
"I bet you do," Smith said tracing a finger over my collar bone.
I tossed a couple twenty dollar bills on the bar and slipped down from my seat. Smith looked at me from under his heavy eye lids and leaned in to kiss me. I managed to dodge the kiss but the cold barrel of the gun he pressed into my abdomen I couldn't miss.
"Miss. Plum I'm sorry to break up this party but I need to get going and the only way I see past the guards on the doors is with you."
"I-I don't know what you're talking about," I stuttered trying to play dumb.
"Oh come on, Stephanie Plum, the Bombshell Bounty Hunter, you're famous. We're going to walk across the room and out that door over there. You're going to cooperate or I'm going to put a bullet in you. Understand?"
I nodded my head that I heard him and waited for him to move. He grabbed me around the waist keeping the gun to my side and started leading me toward the West entrance.
Two steps in I stumbled over his foot. Smith tightened his grip on my waist. "No funny business," he growled in my ear.
"Sorry. I'm a klutz."
"Just keep walking," Smith said pressing the gun a little tighter to my ribs.
As we approached the door I looked around for Manny. Surely he'd save me from this lunatic. Only I couldn't find Manny. He wasn't around anywhere.
"Okay we're going to go over to the elevators and down to the parking lot. If you're a good girl I might let you go."
When we reached the elevator bank Smith lead me past them to a nearby door. "We're taking the stairs."
Of course we are I thought as I looked down at the five inch heels I'd chosen for the evening. Why is that men love these shoes on women but they don't understand how hard they are to move in or how painful they can be? I guess it was a question for the ages.
"Move it, bitch," Smith said giving me a little push.
I complied and walked through the open door to the stairwell. We walked down the two flights of stairs to the lobby. Smith pointed toward the side door with his chin and we started moving again.
"Get in," Smith ordered.
"Wait. No, just let me go. You can leave. No harm, no foul."
"Get in bitch," Smith growled pressing the gun to my side so tightly I thought he might break a rib.
"Okay, okay. Just please don't hurt me," I whimpered.
As Smith pulled the car from the parking lot I looked for Ranger over my shoulder. I saw nothing but an empty parking lot.
TBC…
This is a two part story. I'll post the rest soon. Also a lot of people have asked me about finishing From The Inside Looking Out, I have every intention of finishing that story. I'm sorry it's been sitting all year that was never my intention. We had some terrible things happen over the course of this year and I've been distracted and I think a little depressed. Things are looking better a little everyday so be on the look out for the final chapters sooner rather than later.