Previous Chapter: Connie pulled out her cell phone and started texting. Seconds later it beeped. "Meet him tomorrow at noon, downtown at El Cholo's." She wrote down the address on a sheet of paper, ripped it off and handed it to me. "Don't worry. The guy will tell you everything you need to know."

She filled out a check for $400 and handed it to me, "Now go buy yourself a new bra, hun."

I smiled sheepishly as I took the check, "Thanks, Connie."

"Anytime, sweets. I'll see you in the morning."


The thing about Misty is, she could be wearing a brown paper bag and she'd still be a total knockout. I sat back as she modeled a royal blue, form-fitting halter dress with a plunging neckline that left little to the imagination about her cleavage. The material clung to every curve of her body accentuating her perfect figure or was it the other way around?

"Well, what do you think?"

"It's a really good dress, Mis. It was made for you."

"I think so too!" she shouted enthusiastically as she went back behind the fitting room curtains. "So when's the last time you went on a date, Alyssa?"

I scrunched my nose. "I don't know a few months ago I guess. I'm just not really in the position or mindset to be dating right now."

"Oh whatever! You're in the best position to be dating right now. You have no money and what better way to get fed then to be wined and dined by a man on his dime?"

"I'm not going to date a guy just to score a free meal!"

"Jeez, you need to learn to lighten up. Just go out and have fun! You don't have to commit to anything for the guy. Sometimes a man just enjoys the company of a beautiful woman. No strings attached. Go out, snag a guy, have your fun, and toss him back into the ocean with all the other fishes." She swung the curtain open and headed for the register.

"I don't know. I just haven't really been motivated to date. I'm enjoying the time I have to myself. It's peaceful."

"Bullshit! Nobody wants to be alone. You're just still hung up on that dipshit, Dickie Orr. That was over three years ago. Grieving time is over! An appropriate amount of time to feel sorry for yourself after a relationship gone bad is three months, not three years! It's time to get yourself back into the game!"

Dickie Orr was my ex-fiancé. I broke off the engagement three years ago after I came home early from work to surprise him on our two-year anniversary only to find him with Joyce Barnhardt — the town whore — on our dining room table. Dickie was dining on what you don't typically find on a restaurant menu.

"I will get back in the game, but after I've gotten my life pulled back together. I can't even get my act together much less make an attempt to be charming for someone else. "

"Pfft. Excuses, you're full of them."

"Can we just drop the subject please? I'm not in the mood."

"Whatever. I'm ready for some drinks let's vamoose!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I stumbled out into the hallway when the elevator doors opened and clumsily made my way towards my apartment. Misty talked me into a few too many drinks tonight with dinner.

I stopped short at the sight of Joe Morelli standing by my door looking devilishly handsome. He flashed me a million dollar smile as I approached.

"Why, Officer Morelli, what brings you to my doorstep at this time of night?" I slurred.

"Had a bit to drink tonight, Ms. Chau?"

"Maaayyybeee..." I smiled.

"Aren't you going to invite me in?"

I fumbled with my keys and stabbed at the keyhole a few times.

Joe took the keys from my hands and pushed the door open.

I made a grand gesture towards the door, "Officer Morelli, please do come in. Would you like something to drink?" I walked towards the living room and dumped my purse onto the sofa.

"No, thank you."

"Make yourself comfortable," I motioned to the couch as I plopped down, pulling my shoes off swinging my legs up on the couch beside me, leaned back and closed my eyes. I swear the room was spinning.

He sat down on the couch beside me.

I lifted my hands, "Stop moving so much...you're shaking the room."

He chuckled.

I opened my eyes and looked at him, "Is there a reason why you're here, Officer?"

He nodded, "Ms. Chau, may I ask where you were this afternoon between the hours of four and five p.m?"

"I don't recall exactly where I was, but I was out doing my job. Why do you ask?" Liar. You know exactly where you were.

"There was reported gunfire outside of the Stratton Construction site off of Beaumont Avenue around four o'clock this afternoon. Witnesses stated they saw an overly rusted Chevy Nova fleeing the scene. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that would you?" he raised an eyebrow at me.

I scrunched my nose and feigned concern, "No, Officer. This is the first I'm hearing of this. There has to be a ton of rusty Chevy Novas all over Trenton. I imagine you'll have you job cut out for you trying to figure out who's Nova is was."

Morelli tapped me playfully on the nose, "Something tells me, you know more than you're letting on."

I shrugged my shoulders and gave him a blank face, "Is this why you came here, Officer — to accuse me of something?"

"No, I'm just trying to gather the facts," he reached over and circled his fingers on my knees.

His fingers felt like they were sending Morse code up my thigh to my doodah.

"What happened here," Morelli whispered leaning closer into me referring to my skinned knees.

"I fell," I replied breathily.

"Must've been some fall. Are you still sticking to your story that you were nowhere near the Stratton Construction site this afternoon?"

I slapped his hand away from my knee, "If you're going to accuse me of something, just come right out and accuse me! I'm not changing my story. Unless you're going to arrest me, I suggest that you leave because I've had a long day and I'd like to get some rest."

He chuckled, "There's that sexy temper again. I could swear you have some Italian blood pumping in those veins of yours. But if you don't, I could help tuck you into bed and certainly take care of getting something Italian inside of you," he flirted ruthlessly.

Oh boy, Misty wasn't kidding when she said the Morellis had a reputation for being relentless womanizers.

"Wow, does that really work?" I stared at him in disbelief.

He grinned wolfishly, "Ninety-nine percent of the time."

I shoved him hard in the chest, "Well, I guess I'm the lucky one percent. So if you're quite done, Officer, I'm going to have to ask you to leave," I replied haughtily trying to maintain my focus.

He pulled back in defeat, "That's not all I came here for. I wanted to let you know that Lenny "Pinky" Lupinski was released this morning."

"And this means what to me?"

"He's the man that held you hostage the other night. He has a long history of violence and I wanted to warn you to be careful. I don't want to frighten you, Ms. Chau. I merely want to keep you informed in case of extreme circumstances. There's no evidence or real belief that he will come after you, but I would take extra precautions if I were you." He paused and said sternly, "That means no walking home alone at night."

"What would he want with me anyways? I was just his hostage. It's not like I even know who he is to begin with. I didn't even know his name until this very moment."

"When dealing with a dangerous criminal anything's possible. Technically, you're the one that took him down because you foiled his plans."

Great. I get hosed, stoned, shot at, and now I have a vengeful psychopath possibly out to get me. "I appreciate the warning, Officer. I will be sure to take extra precautions. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to go to bed."

I stood up and walked and tripped towards the door. Joe grabbed my wrist and steadied me. I yanked my hand away and swung the door open steadying myself in the door frame.

He leaned into me hooking his fingers into the straps of my tank top, "Ms. Chau, my offer still stands for the tucking in."

"Thank you, but no thank you," I huffed swatting his hands off of me.

"Please call me if you run into any trouble or if you just feel like something may be off. Lupinski is a very dangerous man."

"I will, Officer."

"I mean it, Alyssa. I'm dead serious. Promise me."

I blew out a sigh, "I promise."

"Good," he smiled. He then wrapped his hands around my waist and drew me in for a kiss.

His lips tasted sweet, his tongue thrust into my mouth with hungry passion. I melted into his arms and my knees went slack. He pulled me in tighter to his body. He set me back down on the ground gently and pulled away.

"Have a good evening, Ms. Chau," he smiled disappearing down the hall.

I stood there with my mouth wide open. What the hell just happened?


I know! You guys don't particularly "like" Morelli, but stick with me! The promise of Ranger will be coming in the next chapter. Thanks for your encouragement and support from the reviews. I truly appreciate it and it's really helping push me on! What do you think of my character Misty Plum so far?