Chapter Three
Lester called Steph as they reached the outskirts of Brielle.
"NJD, Stephanie speaking!" she answered.
"Steph, its Lester. Tank and I are just coming into Brielle now, where do you want us to meet you?"
"Just the two of you?" she asked bitterly, but not giving them a moment to respond "meet me at Billy Mac's," she said, "it's near the wharf; you can't miss it. I'll be twenty minutes."
"Where are you? We can give you a lift." Lester offered.
"I'll meet you at Billy's," Steph said neutrally.
"Steph-" he tried to say something.
"Whatever." She said, a yawn breaking through her voice. She disconnected.
Lester glanced at Tank as he drove, "Bombshell's not that keen on seeing us." He observed.
"Sounds tired," Tank gave a partial protest; he had watched her wilt and fade in the weeks before she left Trenton – weeks when Ranger hadn't been around because he'd been in Miami looking after his family and searching for his brother. He wasn't entirely convinced, despite the impressive act she'd put on, that Steph had left of her own volition.
"I wonder why." Lester said, "Why did she leave, anyway?"
Tank shrugged – he'd never been much for talking.
"Well," Lester said, still musing, "she and the Boss had that thing going on; so why'd she leave again?"
Tank lifted his shoulders.
"Lula know anything about it?"
"Steph stayed in touch for a while," Tank offered, "but basically cut off all contact with Trenton a few months after she left."
"Did Ranger check it all out?" Lester asked, "I don't remember nothing about her leaving coming through the system, but it was ages ago."
"No. He didn't."
"That's strange."
"Julie was getting pretty regular threats then," Tank reminded him, "and Mateo disappeared a month or so before she left."
Lester suddenly wore a look of dawning comprehension, "it was about the time that he was obsessed with his family's security, wasn't it? We had everyone available staking out everyone's houses until some threat just disappeared. Fuck. And she just disappeared with only a note, as well, didn't she?"
"Yes."
"Did we ever trace her?" Lester asked curiously, "I mean she was sort of dating the boss at the time."
"Not officially." Tank said in answer to both comments.
"But you did anyway, right?"
Tank nodded in the affirmative.
"Where did she go?"
"West coast, and up to Canada for a while; then she disappeared completely."
"She had any hits since?"
"Woman in D.C. used her credit card, but it turned out to be someone else; and she'd stolen Steph's wallet."
"Huh." Lester shook his head, "how bizarre."
"There's the wharf," Tank pointed to the left and Lester turned, pulling into a park in front of what looked like a pub. They climbed out and headed over to the dank, rotting building, pushing open the door and grabbing a booth down the back.
"She's not here yet." Lester observed.
"We're early."
They waited about ten minutes, before the door swung open again and a slender woman of about thirty five stepped through the door, clad in skinny, dark denim jeans and a white singlet top with a black air force leather jacket. Her chestnut brown hair hung loose around her face, wavy and elegant it reached the curve of her breasts. She scanned the room, nodding and flashing a grin to a couple of men around the room, before her eyes alighted on Tank and Lester. They widened slightly, before she continued her scan. She finally walked across to a man at the bar and they exchanged whispered words, occasionally motioning towards the table that the RangeMen were at.
She eventually slipped into the seat opposite Tank and Lester. "Tank, Lester." She nodded to them.
"Bomber?" Lester expressed their surprise at her new look, and attitude.
"It's Stephanie," She corrected coolly, but without hostility. "Welcome to Brielle."
"Steph, then," Lester said smoothly, proving why he had always been known as the ladies' man, "you're looking good." He glanced at her hand, no ring but he didn't comment, "The last eight years have treated you well, obviously?"
She nodded, "yes." She agreed. "You look like you're doing alright, as always." She said, "I hope you're treating Lula right, Tank," She said, flashing a genuine grin at the big man.
"Yes ma'am." He smiled a bright smile, "I sure am, ma'am."
"You can drop the ma'am," She said, "I'm fairly sure that all things considered, you're allowed a level of familiarity."
He grinned; it was going to be fun working with the bombshell again.
