Chapter 3

If you didn't know where you were going, the big building on Haywood Drive would be easy to overlook. It was a plain, mostly unmarked, non-descript, brick building. There was a front entry to the business, but Albert had only entered the building from the parking structure. Like always, he pulled his car into the parking space farthest from the elevators, as if he were reluctant to take any room from the men who worked here. As he walked over to the elevators, he remembered the first time that he had come here. Mary Alice had clung to his arm as they made their way to the door leading to the elevators.

If it hadn't been for Stephanie coming through that door, he was sure that Mary Alice would have turned and run back to the car. With a smile he recalled that had been hard to get her to come here at all that morning;

"Hey Mary Alice," Albert was trying to get her attention. "Do you have everything you need in your bag?" There was no answer, so he walked into the other room. "M. A.?" He continued to look for her, in all of her usual places, but couldn't find her. Finally he discovered her hiding under the kitchen table. Poor Mary Alice, Albert knew that she was still scared about the dreams she been having. But after all, that was what today was all about.

"Aunt Stephanie is waiting for you," Albert whispered. "She will be so sad if you don't show up soon." He watched her foot move out inch by inch. "Oh, I hope she doesn't cry!" he added with a dramatic sigh. He smiled as she scooted out from under the table. He knew that would work. His Mary Alice would never do anything to hurt Stephanie. He felt exactly the same way.

And Albert remembered the look on her face as Stephanie pulled Mary Alice into a huge hug. "Oh, I am so glad you decided to come today M.A.," she told her. "I can't wait for you to meet my friends!" He knew right then that Mary Alice would be okay.

Stephanie had a way about her. It was obvious as she led them through the comm room to the conference room. Everyone looked up and smiled as she passed by. She introduced Mary Alice and Albert to at least a dozen men before they made it to the room where Hank and Bobby were waiting. Albert was just a little bit surprised at how quickly Mary Alice responded to them. Of course, if he had thought about it, he would have realized that she knew that they were Stephanie's friends, and as such, she trusted them immediately. It didn't hurt that Hank was so great with her, talking to her and teaching her a complicated 'secret' handshake. And by the time Bobby was sharing his story with her Stephanie tugged on Albert's sleeve and pulled him out of the room.

"I think she will want to do this on her own now," she said simply as she turned to lead him to her cubicle. Albert hesitated for just a second, he had told Mary Alice that he would be there for her. Nodding slightly to himself he followed Stephanie down the hall. He realized that it hadn't been that

long since Stephanie had been dealing with these feelings herself, and he trusted that she knew that her friends could help Mary Alice, like they had helped her.

"Besides, I have some legal questions for you," she smiled as they sat down. For the next hour, Stephanie asked all kinds of questions. At the end of it all, Albert was able to piece together the story she was asking about.

"So, let me get this straight," he started. "They picked up the kid for stealing, but he didn't have anything in his possession." She nodded.

"The cops questioned him for hours without any adult supervision," he said with a frown and she nodded again.

"Are they hoping that he has connections to the gang in that neighborhood?" he asked. She nodded again.

"And they think that if he does, that he will just tell them everything he knows?" when she nodded this time, Albert rolled his eyes and sighed dramatically.

"This is wrong on so many levels," he stated. Stephanie nodded in agreement.

"RangeMan is involved how?" he asked.

"The robbery happened at a business that RangeMan has been hired to protect." Stephanie started explaining. "When our guys responded to the silent alarm, they found the kid. They saw that he was scared, and they could tell that he had been set up to take the fall for the gang." She looked very concerned when she finished explaining. "The cops showed up within minutes, someone had reported the break in. And it was not us." She looked up at him concern etching lines around her eyes. And he knew in that moment that he would do anything he could to help. "Albert, this kid Tony was set up, can you help him?"

Of course he would help her. Albert knew he would do anything for Stephanie, and he knew it meant that they could work together again, and that alone made his heart soar. But, as a lawyer, he was also very intrigued with the case. Gang related cases were always difficult and he knew this would not be easy, but he also knew, from what she had told him, that this may be the only chance the kid had. And he really wanted to help him.

They got started right away. Several times a week, Albert would bring Mary Alice to RangeMan to meet up with Hank for her swimming lessons. And while they were down the street at the community pool, he would work with Stephanie. He knew it would be difficult, if not impossible to clear Tony of the bogus charges. Not when the gangs were actively involved in criminal acts and still needed the poor kid to take the fall for them.

Stephanie was able to research a lot of information about the gang activities, and she found evidence that they were using these kids, all the time, as a shield to their dealings. But they were very good at covering their tracks. Everywhere Albert turned he hit another dead end. It was more than frustrating, and he was getting angry. Just when he was about to give up, and let Stephanie know that there was nothing he could do, Hector walked into his makeshift office. He stood there staring at Albert for a few long minutes, making Albert very nervous. What Hector had to say next changed everything.

At first Albert had been a bit worried to see Hector. He had only nodded occasionally at him when he would walk by. Albert didn't even know if he spoke English, and since he didn't speak Spanish, he thought that there would be no way to understand each other. So he just looked up apprehensively at him and waited.

"There was a witness," Hector simply said. Albert's eyes opened wide. He understood what he said, it was in English and Hector had only a slight accent. Before Albert could respond, Hector continued.

"The witness is another kid, a friend of Tony's, but not part of the gang," he said. "And he is scared to say anything to the police. He says that the cops are involved."

Albert was speechless, this changed everything! It took a few minutes for Albert to say anything; his brain was spinning with the new possibilities. Finally he looked up and started asking questions. Albert was taking copious notes and shooting questions for over an hour. It wasn't until hank brought M.A. back that he realized how long he and Hector had been at this. Hector stood to leave, he nodded briefly at Albert. They had an understanding. Both were ready to do whatever was necessary to help Tony.

Albert felt rejuvenated, and ready for a legal battle. But mostly he was so relieved that there still was something he could do to help Stephanie. He took a deep breath letting it out slowly.

He knew he had come so close to letting her down.