Chapter Two Morelli Wins
Morelli sat in the front seat of his jeep with Stephanie and was silent for a while.
"Okay let's go to your place, and see what it is like there, hopefully there is not a dead body in your apartment." Morelli said out loud.
"Hey there that is not fair, and you know it. I know that you are upset, and I am too, but let's not say stuff like that out loud. Because you never know what can happen at my place." Stephanie answered him.
Morelli took a deep breath and put his jeep in drive and then they went to Stephanie's place.
When they got to Stephanie's building they noticed that Ranger's black SUV was there.
"Great, just what we need" Stephanie thought to herself.
She walked over to Ranger SUV and felt the hood, "Cold he has been here for a while." She told herself.
"Well looks like you have company." Morelli put his arms around her waist and began to kiss her neck.
"Hot cop, you can't wait until we tell Ranger that we are getting married, you have to start doing this now." Stephanie coasted around into his arms and they kissed very deeply.
"Cupcake you are what I want, and only you." He told her softly as he cupped her mouth with his lips.
"Let's go up and face Ranger." Stephanie told him softly and then took Joe's hand.
When they got into the into the building they noticed a very strong smell coming from the same floor as Steph's apartment.
While they were waiting for the elevator, Joe looked at his future wife and thought I have everything I ever wanted now.
Just then the elevator doors opened, and they saw Dillon walking out. He stopped in front of Stephanie, and told her in a mean voice, "That is it, you have had my apartment, blown up, it caught fire, and lord knows what else, but now the other tenants are complaining about some smell coming from your apartment. I am calling the cops and I want you gone Stephanie Plum." He then tried to storm off, but Morelli got in his way. "Okay Dillon, she gets the message, but just remember I am a cop and I will go have a look in there while you call the rest of the team." Morelli took Steph gently by her elbow and escorted her in. The got up to the fourth floor. Stephanie put her hand up to her nose, she definitely was familiar with that smell. "Hot cop there is a body in there, here you open it." She handed him the key.
Morelli took out his gun and told her to stay put. He unlocked the door and entered. He saw Ranger lying on the bed unconscious. He walked up to him. He then noticed a stab wound in his chest which was close to his lung.
He instantly pulled out his cell phone, "we need a medic and Tank from Rangeman here at Stephanie Plum's apartment right away."
Stephanie walked into her bedroom and saw Ranger laying across the bed with blood underneath him. She saw it on the floor next to the right of the dresser a small little black box.
"Joe, what is that?" She was pointing to the black box that she spotted.
Just then Tank came in, "Hey Morelli what is going on?"
"In the bedroom Tank. I guarantee that you are not going to like it." He answered Tank.
Tank walked in and saw Ranger on the bed.
"Oh man, Bobby get in here now, Ranger is hurt badly." Tank ordered him.
Bobby came in and started to work on Ranger.
"He was coming to propose to you little one. He wanted to finally settle down." Tank told Stephanie.
Morelli walked up to Stephanie and put his arms around her in a big hug. He was trying to shield her from this situation the best he could.
Just then two more detectives walked in and started to investigate the scene.
"All right Morelli you and your girl will have to go some where else tonight." Detective Jones told them.
"Okay we will be in the kitchen, because here comes the medics." Morelli lead Steph out of her bedroom and pulled a chair out for her.
She sat down and looked at Rex, who was buzzing in his wheel.
"Well we have two choices Cupcake, we could go to my mom's house and deal with my mom and grandmother or we could go to your parent's house and deal with your mom and grandmother. Either choice is not pretty." Morelli told her.
Stephanie just looked at Morelli and she started to cry.