After working undercover for the last six months I was finally back in Trenton. My caption had assigned me an ongoing case of smash and grab robberies. As I poured through the files and the evidence available to me I realized that something was missing. To get a better handle on the case I needed to look at everything , so I headed over to the Records /Property and Evidence office. Trenton PD was updating the station and had added a newly renovated building to house the department. In addition to the new space, they had trained and hired several civilians to manage this department so more police officers would be available to fight crime on the streets.
When I approached the counter the clerk had her back turned to me. I impatiently knocked on the glass window to get the attention of the woman behind the counter.
"Sign in please sir and I will be right with you," she told me as she continued to type on her laptop.
I looked around but did not see a sign in sheet. Hey, lady, I don't have all day. There is not sign in sheet here.
"You also don't have any manners." "I said I would be right with you," she told me as she spun around and glared at me.
Her blue eyes met mine and we both gasp in shock.
"Hi, there cupcake."
"Hey ,Joe." "You need to sign in on the computer," Stephanie said pointing to the laptop on the counter.
After signing in I listed the evidence and files that I would need. The information appeared on her screen then she printed out a form, Next She went looking for the items. Stephanie returned with a box examined the contents then checked off the items listed.
"You are going to need to sign this and then it's all yours."
I signed the form and we stood there staring in awkward silence.
"Hey, Lula, I need you to scan this form, then file it, please.
"Well, well , well, if it isn't officer hottie"
"Hey ,Lula ,you work here too ?"
" Sure do, I was here first. When skips got slow I told Steph she should come work her part-time."
"I thought you worked at Rangeman when skips chasing was not paying the bills."
"Not since her and Ranger Broke up. She quit, told him she didn't want nothing from…"
"LULA !" Stephanie screamed.
"Humph, I was just telling him what happened. You did the right thing. The man of mystery was being …..
"Enough Lula!" "Don't you have some filing to do ?"
"Don't get mad at me just cause …."
Stephanie cut her eyes at Lula and she stopped talking and walked away.
"Sorry to hear things with Manoso didn't work out ,Steph."
"So you're working the smash and grab case?" she said changing the subject.
"Yeah ,why?"
"You might want look into those pawn shop robberies over in Marrion county," Stephanie suggested. Then she went back to her computer.
"See you around ,cupcake."
"Later, Joe."
I spent the rest of the day interviewing the small handful of witnesses and suspects for the case. Then I went and visited the crime scenes. At the end of the day, I was not any closer to solving the crime than I had been at the start of the day. It was almost 9:00 P.M. and I was starving so I decided to stop by Pinos for a late dinner. I sat down and waited for my server. After pulling out the information I studied the case details hoping to discover something I had missed earlier.
"Mind if I sit ?"
"Hey Cupcake, what brings you here?"
She took a file from her shoulder bag and tossed on the table then sat down.
"I was just dropping off my latest skip at the cop shop when I saw you leaving your office. I knew you were still working on the case and I figured you could use this."
I slipped my finger through the belt loop of her jeans when she tried to go.
"What's the hurry?" Sit down have dinner with me."
We sat in the booth for the next few hours eating and working on solving the case. Thanks to Stephanie's help I was not only able to close my case but also the one in Marrion county.
Since I now had to see Stephanie for work almost daily our friendship was rekindled. Then our friendship blossomed into romance. Just like that, Stephanie Plum was my girl again. Things were going great until I received a call from a buddy of mine at the fire department. He told me that she had been inside an illegal Methamphetamine house when it exploded. They were still searching for the occupants.
When I arrived on the scene what was left of the house was engulfed in a raging inferno. My legs felt like jello as I scanned the area search for Stephanie. I took off towards the smoldering building when I could not find her. Before I could get to burning structure I was tacked by a brick wall. At least that is what it felt like.
"She 's at the hospital Morelli. Stephanie is not in there. She was blown outside of the house. Free from the fire and the fumes!" Tank explained.
I laid on the ground for a few minutes absorbing what he had said.
"Is she alright?"
"Don't know, Lula went with her."
My worry bubbled into anger. Before I knew it I was back on my feet pacing. I was flapping arms yelling and screaming about Cupcake's job. After listening to my rant along with some Italian cursing , Tank cuffed me upside the head and grabbed off my feet by my collar.
"This is why she left you, Morelli. She does not need this! This was not her fault she was just doing her job. That's all. If you really love her go comfort her , make sure she is alright. Don't go in there screaming at her !"
When I got to the hospital the staff knew who I was. They took me back to Stephanie's room right away. My cupcake was hooked up to I.V.s and covered in bruises. The doctor informed me that she had suffered a concussion from the explosions. They were waiting for her to regain consciousness. I sat down in the chair by her bed and held her hand.
Hours later after nodding off I was awakened by the sound of her voice.
"I'm sorry ,Joe," she murmured."
"Cupcake ? Hey , you have nothing to be sorry for, Stephanie. You were just doing your job. I'm not angry. When I saw that fire and I could not find you... I am just glad you are safe cupcake. That is all I want, is for you to be safe, Steph."
She looked at me in shock half expecting me to start yelling. Instead, I asked to be my wife.
Six weeks later we were married. It was a small simple wedding with just friends and family. Stephanie gave up her job skip chasing and went to work for the TPD full time. That is when I noticed how great she was at detective work. Stephanie did not just import the case file into the computer or file the evidence. She learned the details made notes and figured out the crimes. With her help, my caseload became much simpler.
Stephanie decided she wanted to go back to school to get her P.D. Licence. I told her I didn't get married to never see my wife. If she worked full-time and went to school, she would never be at home with me , her husband. We agreed that she would work part-time and go to school the other half of the day. My cupcake had not only managed to get her P.D. Licence, but also a degree in criminal investigation by putting in time both on campus and taking online classes. I was proud her, even if she still managed to burn dinner and had not given me a baby yet.
