This is a little short written for Sharon's 'Locked Up For A Moment' challenge on BabeSquad.

Psychodelic

By JerseyGirlinOxford

Part One

Connie shuffled through her paperwork as Stephanie and Lula polished off the remainder of the doughnuts. Stephanie licked the powdered sugar off her fingers as she thought about her life. It had been a rough month. Stephanie and Morelli had been in an 'off-again' phase since the end of September. Rangeman had kept Ranger running up and down the East Coast. He popped in and out to check on her and constantly reminded her to call Tank if she needed anything thing. October had been kind of lonely.

At least Halloween was right around the corner. Her very favorite holiday. Grandma Mazur confiscated her Zorro costume. She wanted to go as DonJuana to the costume party at the senior's center this year. Usually, Stephanie would dress up and help Grandma Mazur hand out candy to the kids. Stephanie had to figure out what she wanted to be. There was no way she would give up having fun on Halloween!

"A-ha!" Connie announced. "I've got one for you."

She slid the file across the desk towards Stephanie. After wiping the remaining sugar on her jeans, Stephanie grabbed the file ad peered inside.

"Norman Bates?" Stephanie cried out. "Is this a joke?"

Connie just shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. "I swear on my mother's honor."

"Who the fuck is Norman Bates?" Lula demanded.

"Norman Bates…you know…the guy from the Psycho movie," Stephanie explained.

"I don't watch no scary movies," Lula told them. "They always about ghosts, and people gettin' killed and shit. Hell no…that ain't for me."

"He was arrested for possession with intent to distribute," Stephanie muttered as she scanned the file. Pot heads were usually non-violent, but the high bond suggested something else.

"Why is the bond so high?"

"The judge didn't want to grant him bail, but money talks. He's jumped bail more times than Joyce Barnhardt had the clap," Connie replied. "The family is loaded. His father owns a chain of motels around the country."

Stephanie groaned. "Don't tell me…the Bates' Motel?"

Connie chuckled. "You got it. I wouldn't want to take a shower in that place."

Lula whipped out her iPhone and looked up Norman Bates. "God damn! He's one goofy looking motherfucker. He kind of looks like Anthony Perkins."

Stephanie and Connie laughed.

"That is Anthony Perkins," Connie told her with a snort. "He played Norman Bates in Psycho. This Norman Bates is twenty-eight. Look."

They studied the picture in the file. Norman didn't appear threatening. Just shy of six foot, he looked thin and gangly. He tried to hide his thinning hair with a comb-over that would make Donald Trump proud. They only had three days to bring him in. How appropriate that the witching hour fell on All Hallows' Eve.

This skip was going to be tricky, Stephanie mused. Definitely would have to do her research on this one. Sadly, she had the time with no man in her life. With the money on this one, she'd be able to pick her own misery though. Her mission was clear. Norman Bates' days of freedom were numbered.

Stephanie's spidey senses served her well. Bringing in Norman Bates was harder than she expected. She had staked out his parents' house, his favorite haunts, and a few of his customers. Nothing. She called Ranger but only got his voice mail. If anyone had any suggestions, Ranger would. She felt funny about asking Tank. With Lula and Tank's break up still fresh, it would be awkward working with both of them. She decided to grab some lunch, head back to the bonds office, and regroup.

"Guess what, White Girl?" Lula gushed as soon as Stephanie got inside. "I found that motherfucker. Look."

Lula thrust an orange flyer into Stephanie's open hand before grabbing the bucket of chicken from the other.

Halloween Spooktacular

October 31, 2011

8:00 pm until the Witching Hour

1630 Fairvale Road

Costumes a must!

"Word on the street is that Norman is throwin' this party," Lula insisted.

"Whose house is that?" Stephanie wondered aloud.

Connie's nails clicked on the keys as she looked up the address. "What a surprise? The owner is Joe Considine, but it's being rented to John Bates who is..."

"Norman's father," Stephanie finished with a sigh. "I guess we're going to a Halloween party. I still need to get a costume."

"I got you covered," Lula told her. "There wasn't much left bein' that tomorrow is Halloween and all. But I think we gonna look fine. Here."

Lula shoved a bag into her arms. Stephanie pulled out a hideous, pink paisley dress. "I got you the sexy hippie costume. You can wear that with them suede fringe boots you got."

Stephanie frowned as she held the dress against her body. It barely came down past her ass. Memories of that little black dress that she almost wore to Joe's cousin's wedding came to mind.

"You can wear them spanky pants underneath, White Girl. You ain't gotta wear no thong," Lula added. "Now wait 'til you see mines."

Lula pulled out a white Grecian goddess costume that was shorter than hers…if that was even possible. Then she pulled out a huge black, afro style wig.

"I'm goin' as Afro-dyte," she told them proudly.

"You mean Aphrodite," Connie corrected her with a smirk.

"That's what I said…Afro-dyte. She's the Goddess of Lovin', and I'm gonna look fine."

Lula held the dress up to examine it better. "Hmmm…maybe I better get some of them spanky pants, too. I wanta keep my stuff inthe house…if you know what I mean."

"Okay…the plan is to go in there, mingle a little bit, try to get him alone, and then cuff him." Stephanie described their plan of attack. "We can't draw attention to ourselves, or we could scare him off."

"If he's wearing a costume, how are you going to know it's him?" Connie asked.

Stephanie chewed on her lower lip. That was a good question. How would they be able to tell? Think, Stephanie, think, she demanded of herself.

"I've got it," she gasped as she snapped her fingers. "We'll just ask who the host is, so we can compliment him on throwing a great party." Burg manners did come in handy from time to time.

"I don't know, Steph," Connie warned. "You're kind of putting all your eggs in one basket. What if it's not Norman's party?"

Lula's lips smack with a tsk. "Nothin' ain't gonna go wrong, Connie. We're gonna look fine, and we'll get that motherfucker. Just you wait and see." Lula gathered up her costume. "I'm gonna head to Macys and get me a pair of strappy sandals. You know…the Roman kind."

"Aphrodite is a Greek Goddess," Connie reminded her as Lula rushed out the front door.

"Greek…Roman…what's the difference?" Stephanie said. "People are going to think she's escaped from some Studio 54 museum or something. This is Lula we're talking about. Let's just say Lula has a unique sense of style. It's Halloween, so nobody will know the difference."

TBC…..

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