I'd picked Morelli's SUV out in my parking lot, so I wasn't surprised when I opened my door and Bob bounced up to me. I scratched behind his ears and gave him a kiss on the top of his head. Morelli strolled in from the living room. The television was on.
"Suppose I came home with some hot guy, and you were here in your socks, watching television," I said.
"It would be awkward."
I set the bag on the counter and unpacked.
"Looks like you stopped off at your mom's house," Morelli said. "Oh man, is that chocolate cake?"
"Yes. And I have some sandwich stuff. Are you hungry?"
"Starved." He opened a plastic baggie and snitched a piece of ham. "I have good news for you. Berger got Raz."
"Get out!"
"Actually, he was dead by the time he got him, but he got him all the same." Morelli opened another baggie. "Corned beef. This is the mother lode."
"How did Raz get dead?"
"He escaped from the cemetery, but he stole a car sometime during the night, and this morning one of Trenton's finest spotted him. There was a chase, and Raz lost control of his car and hit a bridge abutment."
"Jeez."
He looked down at my knees. "I heard you brought The Rug in. Looks like you tackled him."
"Yeah, I should take a shower. The blood's caking."
"I could help with the shower." He put the corned beef down and picked up Annie's little bottle. "Your mom thinks of everything. I've had heartburn all day." He unscrewed the bottle and drank it before I could stop him.
I stared at him. "Um, how do you feel?" I asked.
He thought for a moment. "Better," he finally said. "Warm." His eyes got dark and soft, and the corners of his mouth tipped into a smile. "Very friendly." He reached out for me and pulled me into him. "Come here, Cupcake."
I was staring up at my sealing. Joe was next to me sleeping and was facing away from me. For some reason, all I could think about was the potion Joe took. I know he love me before and I know I loved him also. But as I was laying there, all I could think about is if I was in love with him.
This whole mess really opened my eyes. I got up and got dressed. I grabbed the photo and my purse as I walked out of my apartment. I got in my truck and drove to Rangerman.
I grabbed everything after I parked and waved to the camera as I waited for the elevate. I rode to the seventh floor and let myself in. One thing I did learn, when I stayed with Ranger. If you try and be sneaky, he'll know at once your there. But if you act like you should be there, most the time he'll sleep throw it. I put my keys in the dice and hug up my purse.
I walked throw the dark apartment and sat down in one of his chairs there were in his room. I never really understood why you needed a sitting area in your bedroom. I sat there and watched him sleep. I was understanding why he would watch me sleep. But nothing could last forever. He finely know I was there and woke up.
"Babe?" He asked me. He wanted to know why I was here in his room in the middle of the night.
"Turns out that grandma thought the guy in the picture was a hottie so she kept it. I couldn't think of a better person to have it and keep it safe." I told him. He sat up, I walked over and handed it to him. He took it, but looked up at me.
"Babe, you could have given this to me any time." I put my hands in my pockets and nodded.
"I could have." Then I moved over and sat back down. He just looked at me and waited for me to answer him. "Remember when I told you I was off men, we'll I think that's the only way I could find the answers I'm looking for. I know I just got back, but I'm going to take off for a few days." I told him.
"Babe,"
"I'll wear the watch, but I need some time." I got up and headed to the door.
"What do you have to think about Babe?" He asked me, I stopped at the door and looked back at him. I just smiled at him. He didn't stop me as I walked out. I know if I said anything I could just make things harder on the both of us. There were to many things going on in my life.
I had the money to do what I wanted, I didn't feel bad about this as I drove out of town. I parked at the beach and watched the sun come up. I knew I wasn't in love with Joe anymore. I really shouldn't have gone on that trip. I know I shouldn't have stayed with Ranger.
When I know I business were open, I turned on my truck and drove to find a place to stay.
I've been on the beach for two weeks. Joe and my mother have left more than enough messages in my answering merchant. I've listened to most, but didn't really need to hear what everyone had to say to me. The girls at the office, called and told me Ranger let them know I was going to be out of town for a little while. My dad also called me and made sure I was doing alright.
"You sure did get more of a tan Beautiful." I looked up from my book and saw Lester, I smiled at him and he sat down.
"What are you doing here?" I put my book said and looked over at him.
"Everyone wondering when you were coming back. At first everyone wanted to know where you were, all Ranger would say is you took off. But he left this morning to deal with some stuff down at a different office. Once he left the code team finely got to learn where you were. I'm here to get some answers." He told me. I nodded and leaned back in the sand. Not once have I took off the watch.
"Wait, Ranger's been hiding me?" He laughed at me.
"Want to explain why he did that."
"I needed time to think, this is a great place to do that. Too bad I still haven't got most the answers to the questions I've been asking myself." I told him.
"So, you came back to a beach to do some thinking. Do you think your any closer to getting those answers?" He asked me.
"Lester I don't think I'm ever going to get all the answers I want. Did you come to bring me back?" I asked him. He looked away from me.
"Mostly just checking up on you. Knowing where you are and knowing you're alright isn't the same thing. Where you waiting for someone to come and get you?"
"No, but my truck died. I don't know what's wrong with it. When I was ready to come home I would have called someone to come and get me. But seeing as you're here now, I guess I should come home." He looked over at me and smiled.
"Come on beautiful let's get you home." He got up and helped me up. I grabbed my bag and slipped on my shoes. We walked over to a black truck. I looked over at him.
"Today's my day off. The guys asked me to come and talk to you." He helped me up and got in himself. "Can I ask, what you're thinking about?" He asked as he drove to the hotel I've been staying in.
"I'm not in love with Joe." He looked over at me. Nodded slowly, then I saw something pass over his face. "Something I should know?"
"When was the last time you talked with him anyways?" He asked me.
"The night I took off. But I didn't tell him I was taking off. Why?"
"Finding out that you're not in love with him anymore might be a good thing. Shortly after you left he started seeing a school teacher. That's why the guys have been worried. We thought he broke up with you." I shook my head. I was pissed at first, but I knew what we had together wasn't meant to be.
"We would have to be together for us to break up. Are on again and off again thing was on the off part. We were both free to do as we wished, but most the part that meant he was free to do what he wished." He gave me a looked.
I packed my things up and got back into the truck with him. He was on the phone with someone to come and pick up my truck. The ride back, was quiet. I didn't know what to say, I didn't know what to think. I've been gone two weeks and I don't know if I was ready to go back. When Lester parked in my parking lot he turned off the truck and got out. We walked up to my apparent and walked in. It was clean, I turned and looked at Lester.
"Ellea," He shrugged. I hug my things up and followed him into the living room. "What else did you have to think about?" He asked me.
"Do you know what it's like to know what you want and know you'll never get what you want?" He looked my face over and his smile dropped.
"We'll all been waiting for you two to drop the act and finely get together, but when we think he's getting close you go back to the cop. Every time we think you get close, he takes off. Does he know how you feel?" He asked me.
"I already know how he feels about it, there's nothing to tell him." He shook his head again.
"Fine, the bond office is done and everyone has moved in." He got up and headed to the door. "Beautiful one of these days both of you are going to have to sit down and really talk about this." He walked out. I got up and locked the door behind him.
The next day I woke up bright and early and headed out. There was a new shiny black car waiting for me. The keys were inside waiting for me. I forgot I lost my truck. I drove to the bond office. Connie was behind the desk. She dropped her nail polish when she saw me.
"Where the hell have you been?" She asked me.
"Thinking, have I missed much?" She rolled her eyes and handed me a stack of skips. I sat down and read throw them. For some reason, I was in a really good mood. I waved at her and head out. I think my mood was for the car I was driving. I stopped when I saw who was leaning against the car.
"Cupcake," He said to me.
"Jo,"
"You took off in the middle of the night. It's one thing to do at my house, but this was your house." He told me. He didn't look pissed off at all.
"Had something I needed to deal with. I've got to work, is there anything you wanted to talk about?" I asked him.
"I meet someone." I couldn't tell if he was looking at me or not.
"I know, word got around, even where I was. I'm happy for you." I unlocked my car and opened the door.
"Steph don't be like that." I stopped and looked at him. Then smiled and leaned against the car.
"Really Joe I'm happy for you. I could never be what you needed or wanted me to be. You should be able to be happy." I told him.
"Are you happy?" He asked me. I didn't answer and started getting into the car. "If he can't see what's right in front of him, he's stupid. I've known for a long time that he was who you wanted. Be safe Steph." I got in the car and pulled away. Why was it everyone know but him?
I got some donates and looked throw the files again. I put them in order of who I wanted to get and pulled away. I looked throw my purse and saw I had everything I needed.
In 10 hours, I picked up four skips. Luck was back on my side. I went back home and throw something together to eat. When I was about to take a bit, someone knocked on my door. I got up and looked throw the hole. Tank was standing there waiting for me to open the door.
"You know you're one of the few who knocks." He smiled and walked in. I walked back to my food and looked at the folder he was holding.
"Can you work tonight?" He asked me.
"Sure, who is it." He handed me the folder and let me read it throw. "You could have called." I told him when I was done. He leaned against the bar and smiled at me.
"Wanted to see how you were for myself. I'll be back at 9:30." He kissed my head and let himself out. The guy I was looking for was a Danny Sweet. He was in his late 30's and was wanted for things I wasn't going to think about. I showed and got dressed for the night. At 9:30 I was in the parking lot waiting for Tank. He pulled up and I looked me over when I opened the door.
"Too much?" I asked him. I was in a short black skirt and see throw blue shirt. Under it I was wearing a black bar.
"I'm not saying anything." I smiled and got in. He handed me the mice when he pulled to a stop at the biker bar. I put it in place and nodded. "Both doors are covered, one guy behind the bar, three inside, and one at the door." I nodded and got out. I put more than enough hip in my walk. Ram opened the door me and winked at me.
I walked up to the car and Hal sat down a drink in front of me. His checks were red, and he was looking anywhere but at me. I took a drink as I looked around. Lester, Vince and Bobby were all around the bar. Lester pointed out the man I was here to get. I looked over and smiled when I saw he was already looking me over. I played with my straw and looked him over. It took him a few minutes to get up and walked over to me.
"Sandy," I held out my hand to him.
"Danny," I moved over a stool and let him sit down. I folded my legs and smiled when he saw my skirt hike up even more. "What's a pretty little think like you doing in a place like this?" He asked me.
"Looking for someone, but I don't think he's going to show up." I told him. "Why would you want to be the person I'm looking for?" Hock line and sinker. I got up and headed to the door. I looked back and saw he was right behind me. When we walked throw the door he grabbed me and pulled me against him.
"I know who you were a mile away." He said in my ear. "Tell Ranger this is a worrying." He said as I heard a gun. He pushed me away and someone caught me.
"I've got you little girl," Tank said and helped me back on to my feet. I looked back and saw Ram and Hal holding the guy up. Before I could saw anything, the world started tipping. Everything went black.
"We should tell her." I hear someone say.
"She'll find out soon enough." Someone else said. Slowly I pried my eyes opened and looked around. Tank, Bobby and Lester were sitting around my bed. I was in the stupid hospital again.
"What are you guys talking about?" I asked them. They all looked over at me. Lester and Tank took my hand. Bobby jumped up and started checking me out.
"Little girl you were shot." Tank told me.
"There must have been a reason for me to be here, why were you all worried about telling me that?" I asked them.
"Because you won't be able to go into the field for a sometime. We were thinking you could come to Rangerman for a while and work there." I looked at each of them.
"What am I missing?"
"Danny got out on bail and it gunning for you. Ranger won't be back in town for some time now and we want to keep you safe." Lester told me.
"If you go back to your apartment I'll be going with you, someone will always be with you watching over you. We want to know if you'll come to Rangerman till this blows over and till your better." Bobby told me.
"I've already talked to Ranger, you can you his apartment or you can use on down on Four. There's one open for you." Tank told me. I looked at each of them.
"How long will he be gone and how long will I have to stay?"
"Ranger will be gone for a few more weeks. Bobby is going to want to watch you closely for at less a week or two. I would like to rape this up as fast as we can." He said and was waiting for my answer. I looked all of them over again.
"Is there anything else you're hiding from me?" I asked them.
"Beautiful, you never like being put on lock down." Lester said. I smiled at him.
"Fine, I'll try it. Now when can I go home and when can I have something for the pain?" I asked them.
"If you want to go now, you'll have to wait on the pain meds." Bobby told me.
"Fine let go."
It took them an hour to get me out of the hospital and back to Rangerman. They got me set up in Rangers bed and Bobby gave me something for the pain. I was out before I could tell them I was alright.