Just Leave me alone

Me, Bob and Rex where sitting on the couch watching a movie when my phone dinged with a text message alert. I disregarded it. The phone soon ,dinged again , then again. After ignoring it for five minutes my phone started to ring loudly. What , I said as I accepted the call.

"Hey beautiful", Lester half sang in to the phone.

"Hi Lester, what can I do for you", I ask cautiously, not knowing what Bobby had told him.

" No one has seen much of you since Ranger went out of town on business, and you had that very public break up with Morelli. Just wanted to make sure you were not sitting around eating Ben and Jerry's, and moping.", he teased.

"Wow, you really know how to make a girl feel good Les", I joked.

"So I have been told".

"Santos you are too much" ,I said laughing.

"Come on gorgeous, there is no such thing as too much Lester. The guys and I are going to Pino's tonight and we wanted to know if the Range Man Barbie would like to join us", he chuckled.

"No Les , not tonight ,I am really in to this movie I am watching, some other time Okay", I told him.

"So you are going to disappoint us to watch a movie" , Lester said with mock sadness.

"Sorry", I chimed playfully.

"I could bring you something by later then",he offered.

"No thanks, I said , I am not hungry"

"Wow, hold on a minute while I check to make sure I dialed the right number. Those are words that don' t come out of your mouth Steph."

" Believe it", I said. Now if you don't mind , I would like to get back to my movie"

" By beautiful", he said as he ended that call.

"Nice try Bobby , I said out loud , not falling for that one ."

I planned to stay in this house until these bruises faded ,and my body was less sore. Yesterday Tank had called and ask if I had some free time to help out at Range Man. They were supposedly overwhelmed with searches needing to be done. So many had come in that, the new guy was having trouble keeping up. Tank has never called me for any reason. I told him I could not , that I helping Mary Lou out because she was have a mommy melt down.

I pushed myself off the couch and winced in pain. Dragging my sore body into the kitchen, I went to the table took a pain killer and an antibiotic from the prescription bottle. I silently debated if I wanted to take them because they had to be messing with me. The shaky hands, and the restlessness I now felt, and those weird dreams that I could not remember. The pain won out, and I swallow the two pills , then realized that I had not eaten anything today. I pulled a single serve macaroni and cheese from the freezer and popped it into the microwave. Minutes later it was ready ,and I sat there picking at it with the spoon. I scooped a few spoonfuls into my mouth and then took a few noodles and dropped them in to Rex's bowl. After placing the plastic container on the floor , I called Bob into the kitchen to eat the rest. Opening the freezer I scanned the contents and then grabbed a pint of Ben and Jerry's. Laughing as I opened it , I thought about what Lester had said earlier. I spooned the ice cream into my mouth. I took a few more scoops , and then returned the carton back to the freezer. The ice cream just was not giving that same instant happy feeling tonight. For some reason, I was feeling a little off tonight ,could be just PSM.

After watching movies until late into the night , better yet the early morning , I still could not sleep. It was too late to drag Bob out so I just went to bed. I tossed and turned until sunrise and then finally fell asleep.

I was jarred awake by the sound of my cell phone. Hello I said half awake.

"Stephanie It's Friday and Vinnie said you need to get your butt in here today , we got a few new skips for you to round up." Connie chirped though the phone.

"Why won't people just leave me alone", I groaned as I got out of bed and my body painfully protested. While toweling myself off after a shower, I caught sight of myself in the mirror. I was going to have to use my best Jersey girl make-up tricks to cover what was left of the now ugly green and yellow bruises on my face and neck. The spot where my hair had been torn from my scalp needed to be covered. I chose an easy but sophisticated looking top knot style I found on Pinterest. It worked but there was still the stitches on my forehead. What was I going to do about them ? I ran down stairs to Joe's kitchen and grabbed a pair of scissors. With the aid of a comb, hair dryer a round brush, some mousse and the scissors, I now had bangs that looked pretty good.

I grabbed my bag , cell phone and keys, then I was out the door. As I sat in the drivers seat I had to two hand the key to keep my hands steady enough to get it in the ignition. This was starting to become a problem.

" Bout time", Vinnie yelled from his office. "Where you been on vacation?" he said, as I walked into the office.

" Don't start Vinnie , Just leave me alone. I took a week off, not really that big a deal" , I said.

Connie handed me the folders with the new FTA cases,and I stood flipping though them.

"The wizard is back", she informed me.

I nodded, my expression not changing. That is just what I did not need Ranger with his Spidey Senses and eagle eye. Prefect timing, I am going to have to keep my distance from him.

"Bet she already knows", Lula said, as she came though the door with the pink bakery box filled with donuts. "He probably sent out the Bat signal to her when he landed last night", she joked.

I flopped down on the ugly brown couch, and hoped no one heard the small yelp of pain that escaped as my ribs hit a little too hard. Lula came over and sat next to me , opened the box of donuts, and handed me a napkin. I peaked in the box and a wave of nausea hit me when I looked at the donuts. I glanced at Lula, and shook my head.

"No not now , I am full , I had a really big breakfast", I lied.

"White girl your skinny butt always has room for Boston creams", Lula laughed, as she pushed the donuts in my lap.

"I am good , maybe later", I said, pushing the box back to her.

Lula looked at Connie , and they exchanged shocked looks then, Vinnie suck his head out from his office.

"What , Stephanie Plum turning down donuts ,what's the matter your jeans don't fit."

I rolled my eyes ,and let out a loud grunt.

"So what , it's not a big deal, just leave me alone", I muttered.

I glanced up and Ranger was standing in front of me.

"Babe , those things will kill you", he said, looking at the donuts.

Lula and Connie giggled.

Ranger stood in front of me , and dropped a news paper in to my lap , the society page. I looked it over , and felt horror as my stomach did back flips.

I saw the picture, and It was a photograph of Yuri feeding me that mini donut.

The headline read " Bombshell Bounty Hunter gets Cozy with Ex NFL player turned wealthy business man."