Chapter 2

Lester loaded Steph into the passenger side of a big black RangeMan SUV and climbed into the driver's seat. Earlier, after the shooting, he'd called her from her parking lot telling her only that Ranger needed her. She'd run out of the building in a minute flat without a coat. Now she scrutinized him wanting answers.

"You going to tell me what happened? It's bad isn't it?"

Lester kept his eyes on the road, but nodded, yes. It was bad.

"Is Tank going to make it?"

He shrugged and cut his eyes to her, they were big and sad.

"Oh no," Steph cried softly.

"Look," Lester said, "I don't know for sure. Only, Bobby was more worried than I've ever seen him. That's all I've got to go on."

She was quiet for a minute.

"Ranger didn't know you called me did he?" she finally asked.

Lester shrugged again. "Ranger was fixed on Tank. I knew Lula would need you," was all he said.

"I'm sorry I threw you under the bus."

He snorted. "Doesn't matter. Ranger would have found out it was me anyway. You know how he is. Sees all, knows all, controls all."

Steph was thoughtful. "How long's he been like this?" she asked.

"Ranger? You mean being a bigger dick than usual?"

"Yeah, I guess that's what I mean."

"Well, let's see, when was the last time you talked to him."

She glanced at the clock on the dashboard. "Three months, ten days, sixteen and a half hours," she replied. "But, that can't be the reason."

Lester stopped for a red light. "Beautiful, I don't mean to bring up sore subjects, but the second you walked out that door, he turned into an honest to goodness larger than life fucking jack ass."

Steph struggled to keep her tears at bay. She wanted to forget that conversation more than anything. On some days she managed. Didn't look like today was going to be one of those days.

"Les, I didn't walk out the door, I was thrown out. Ranger," she swallowed a sob. "Ranger made it pretty clear he didn't want me around then or ever again."

"Nah, I can't believe that."

"You didn't hear the things he said to me," she murmured feeling her face flush at the memory.

"Like what?" Lester challenged.

"Like, 'Steph, it's just not working for me any more,' like 'go back to the cop where you belong and have his babies,' like 'sorry, Babe, the entertainment value is getting old.' The dam broke. "I knew he was leaving, Lester, I went there to tell Ranger that I loved him. Well, he took care of that." She lifted her chin; her voice turned hard. "I don't love him any more."

Lester shook his head. There was something wrong with this picture.

"I'm sorry, Beautiful, I didn't know. You know, anything I can do."

"I know, Les, you're a good friend."

"Hey, best friends just won't leave your side."

"That's Lula's building," she said pointing, "the next one up."

"Tank must be holding on," Lester declared.

Steph looked at him inquisitively.

"Or we'd have had a phone call."