Lost and Found
Ranger's chocolate eyes were sad as he told her, "Babe, I wish I could give you more, but I can't."
"Ok," Stephanie whispered then turned right around and walked out of Ranger's office heading straight to her cubicle grabbing her purse and keys. Passing Ranger's office with conviction in her steps but never letting her eyes look anywhere but straight in front of her. She heard him call out, "Babe," but ignored it. Walking to the elevator and jumping on as Bobby and Lester got off.
"Hey, Bombshell," Lester said nudging her as she got on.
"Lester, Bobby," she called out as the doors closed.
As her SUV passed through the door of the Rangeman garage, she tossed her fob out. By the time she arrived at her parent's house, Ranger had called six times. She turned her phone off again after checking the messages. "Let him call all he wants. He said everything earlier," Stephanie thought to herself.
He even had the nerve to call on her parent's telephone, but Grandma told him Stephanie wouldn't come to the phone, but she would talk to him. Ranger thanked her and hung up. She knew he would show up at her apartment. Stephanie left her CRV at her parent's and took Old Blue. Making a few stops before going to her apartment, she checked the lot as she pulled in. No black vehicles in any of the parking spots.
Stephanie thought of Ranger's words from yesterday as she drove out of Trenton. That damn, stubborn Cuban man wouldn't even consider trying a relationship with her. They had a relationship based on trust and friendship. She wasn't going to wait anymore. She just had to get away from Trenton, away from her life, and away from Ranger!
On one of her stops yesterday, Stephanie bought a pre-paid cell phone to stay in touch if she needed. Trading cars with her father when she returned Old Blue in the morning, she left the SUV which Ranger had equipped with a tracking device there and took off in his Buick. She was glad Frank never asked any questions knowing she would have broken down. Her purse was dumped out on the breakfast bar and picked out only the things she needed, her driver's license, insurance card, her bank card slipping them in a small purse she bought at the mall. Throwing some things in a duffel bag, Stephanie grabbed Rex, her favorite pillow and blanket. She was going to disappear for a few days to think. Just her, her hamster Rex and her scattered thoughts.
Maybe, if she was lucky before returning a hoard of angry mutant fire ants would get really, really hungry and suck that Cuban asshole's bones clean!
Putting the keys in the Buick's ignition, Stephanie flipped a coin. Heads go north, tails go south. Stephanie flipped a quarter landing heads up on the top of Rex's cage.
"We're going North, Rex," Stephanie told him slipping on her sunglasses and pulling out of from her parent's house.
Driving North on Route 206, Stephanie had the windows down on the warm early May day. Bon Jovi was cranking on her father's CD player. She drove for a while until her stomach grumbled. "I guess I should feed the beast," saying out loud to Rex and the otherwise empty Buick. There was a road sign up ahead. Stephanie read it, 'Lost, New Jersey. Population 103. Home of the World's Largest Stuffed Bear.'
XXXXXXXXXXX
Frank Plum answered the knock at the door, "Ranger, come in."
Hesitating, "Could I speak with Stephanie, Sir?"
"Stephanie's not here," her father said. "She wanted to get away for a few days, but didn't want anyone to know, so we traded vehicles. She's driving my Buick."
"I tried calling her, but her cell phone was at her apartment." Ranger asked, "Do you know where she is?"
"No. but she and Rex would only be gone for a few days she told me. Let me guess, you opened your mouth and stuck your foot in it."
He just nodded at Stephanie's father. "Big time."
"You have that guilty look written all over you. It's funny, after all these years, you would think our male brains would have evolved more to prevent us from saying stupid things without thinking."
Ranger nodded again and reached for the door knob, "If Stephanie calls will you let her know I want to talk with her?"
"I will. Good luck."
Sitting in his truck, he called Tank, "Run a check on Stephanie's cards to see if there are any hits. I'll be there in 10."
A short time later, a black bad ass black truck was heading North n Route 206 heading for Lost, New Jersey. Stephanie used her bank card to buy gas, dinner, and a room.
A couple of hours later, Ranger came upon a road sign that read, 'Lost, New Jersey. Population 103. Home of the World's Largest Stuffed Bear.' It was approprate for how he felt. The town consisted of a large Victorian home which was a bed and breakfast, restaurant, and gas station all in one, a small white church with a tall steeple, and a few homes. One housing the stuffed bear he guessed.
He parked in the back of the building in one of the empty slots. On the side of the building was Frank Plum's blue Buick.
"Can I help you?" an older woman asked.
Ranger glanced around, only a few people were in the small restaurant he could see. None of them were Stephanie.
"Do you have any rooms available?" Ranger asked.
"Only one. I rented one out earlier today, so it's our last. It shares a bathroom on the second floor. You can lock the doors between the rooms when you're in it. I'm Ruthie."
"That's fine. I'm Carlos." Hopefully, Stephanie was in the other room.
Ranger handed the woman cash and filled out a registration card. "Could I get a salad and something to drink for dinner?"
"Yes, Young fellow. Want me to bring it up when it's ready?" giving Ranger a key.
"Ok." Ranger wanted a chance to check out the other room. "Also, what do you have for dessert?"
"Apple pie and chocolate fudge cake."
"Give me a piece of cake, too."
Ruthie explained, "Breakfast is served from 7 to 10. Will you be staying more than one night?"
"I'm not sure. Can I let you know in the morning?"
"Sure. Go up the steps," pointing to a staircase, "and third door on the left."
"Thanks," picking up his duffel and going up the stairs.
Ranger unlocked his door, dropping his bag on the bed, and immediately going to the bathroom. He listened at the other door and heard no sound. It was locked from the other side. Taking his lock picking tool out, he slipped it open. Silently, he opened the door a crack. The room was empty, but he saw a friendly sight. Rex was in his cage beside the bed. He relocked the door quickly when Ruthie knocked at his with his salad.
He was almost finished with his salad when Stephanie came back. Listening at the bathroom door, he heard her talking to the hamster. "I saw the stuffed bear. It was over twelve foot tall and a bunch of other stuff. I think I'll have a nice long bath and watch some TV. Let's have a movie fest, Rex."
Ranger listened as she ran water in the claw foot bathtub, the door on his side rattled as Stephanie doubled checked that it was locked. He heard her slip the small deadbolt on her side.
"Oh, this is heaven," she sighed as he heard the water splash. Waiting long minutes allowing Stephanie to relax, he discovered some candles in his room.
Silently unlocking the door, Stephanie's eyes were closed leaning her head on the edge of the tub. As he opened his bathroom door, he shut off the light replacing it with a lit candle.
"What the fu---," Stephanie sat up and turned to face Ranger. "What are you doing here?"
"Babe, I had to talk to you."
"I think you said enough, Ranger. Can I finish my bath?"
He knelt down beside the tub with his dark chocolate eyes intense watching Stephanie. "I'll talk and you can have dessert," holding up the chocolate cake.
Stephanie drooled at the sight of the fudgy delight. "I'll take the cake and you take a hike," Stephanie optioned.
Holding up the fork, "No," slipping it between her lush lips.
"Oh, that's good," the tip of her tongue licked some thick chocolaty icing off her lips.
"I love you," Ranger continued and fed her another piece as he looked in her blue eyes, "I don't know if I can give you what you deserve, but I also know I can't live without you."
After swallowing, "I just wanted you to try us. Is that so damn hard?"
Ranger nodded, "Yes, for me it is when there hasn't ever been anyone I let get close for a very long time. The exception has been you. I won't let you go."
Stephanie wiped her wet fingers on his t-shirt, scooping up some cake and holding them to Ranger's mouth. He sucked her fingers and licked the cake away.
"See dessert isn't so bad if you just try it. Just like us."
"Hmmmmmmm," Ranger said against Stephanie's lips. "I think you're right."
The next morning after Stephanie dragged him to see the huge stuffed bear, Ruthie told them about another oddity to see down the road a ways. A man had the largest Elmer Fudd collection. Driving, they read the sign, "Found, New Jersey. Population 119. Home of Willard's Elmer Fudd Collection".