Author's Note: Thank you so much for the reviews! Loved them all! BTW..not a doctor ..so it's either made up or I found it on the internet.. And.. we're going CSI ..so fingerprints and DNA results are faster than normal! Please Enjoy!
Can't Believe It!
Joseph Anthony Morelli looked on in horror at the empty food containers spread around Steph's kitchen. Empty food containers that he had brought her for breakfast and dinner. Empty food containers that Lester and some other of Manoso's men had brought her for breakfast and dinner. Empty food containers that went unclaimed by any of them. Empty food containers that held traces of a drug. A drug that had Steph looking like a walking zombie. A drug that could have eventually have killed her. Hell, it still could for all he knew. He hadn't heard from Steph or Manoso, so he didn't know what the drug was. All he knew is that it contained traces of heroin.
One of the CSIs had did some kind of a test to see if heroin, cocaine, or any other kind of drug showed up and heroin was number one on the list. Steph was being drugged with heroin. He shook his head as he watched the CSI team continue to bag and tag empty drugged food containers. How could he not have noticed? How could any of them not have noticed? Of course Manoso noticed as soon as he seen her. He knew something was wrong, but it was just luck that he ate a olive. He couldn't hate Manoso for this, he could only hate himself. Steph has been one of his best friends since as long as he could remember. He should have seen the differences in her. He couldn't change the past but he could find the person responsible.
They had so far fingerprinted every surface in Steph's apartment. That included everything in her refrigerator and cabinets. So far they haven't any fingerprints that didn't belong. Joe was about to give up hope. He figured this was going to end up a dead end.
"Detective Morelli?" Joe turned around to face the young CSI. She was cute. Pixie like. She was short with blond curly hair and bright blue eyes. Her name tag read Carly. She had one of those new IPad touches in her hand and her expression read serious and a little fear. The fear he didn't understand.
"Yes Carly. What is it?" He asked her.
She chewed on her lower lip. "We found a two fingerprints on the underside of the olive jar lid." She said firmly; stating fact, but she looked scared to death to even tell him.
"And?" He was anxious to know if they could find Steph's new found stalker fast before he ended up killing her.
"Sir, it's well.." She stuttered before thrusting the tablet in his hands. He took it from her and his eyes widen. "Are you sure about this?" He asked her. She nodded. "We ran both fingerprints and they both came back to him." He handed her back the tablet. "Who else knows this?" He questioned. She shook her head. "Only you, Sir." She told him quickly. He nodded. "Keep it that way." She nodded again and walked away.
Joe walked toward Steph's bedroom where he knew Lester, Tank, and Bobby were. They looked up as he entered. "I know who it is." He said simply. He knew he couldn't hide it forever. He just wanted to talk to him first.
"Who?" Lester practically shouted at him; his body radiating anger as Tank and Bobby's were.
"It's Mooch."
Their eyes widen. "Your cousin did this?" Tank asked. Joe nodded. "They found two fingerprints on the lid of the olive jar. On the underside of the lid. So he had to put the drug in the jar."
Lester moved forward. "Let's get him. We'll take him RangeMan. I'm sure Ranger would love some alone time with him."
Joe put his hand up to stop him. "I want speak to him first. Alone."
Lester shook his head. "Hell no! He's your cousin. You'll probably just let him go."
Joe clenched his fists in anger and his jaw tighten. "That's bullshit and you know it. I love Steph. I grew up with her. I hate that my own cousin would do something like this. I just want some answers. He's family. I need to know why."
Tank nodded. "We'll give you a twenty minute head start. After that all bets are off."
Joe nodded. "Thank you." He turned away from them and headed to square off with his cousin and what he thought was his friend.
Ranger felt Steph pull away from him; first emotionally than physically. She swallowed hard then looked at him. She tried to say something but it caught in her throat and she stopped. Ranger pulled her against him again. "Babe, we can get a second opinion. We don't have to trust this doctor." He told her.
Steph smiled up at him. "You're only saying that because the doctor argued with you." She teased him. Ranger flashed her his 200 watt smile and she melted once again against him.
"Babe, I think we should get a second opinion. My sister, Celia is a doctor at Princeton-Plainsboro Hospital. I can call her and we head there tonight." He told her; once again dawning his blank face.
Steph shook her head; hard. "My insurance won't cover that hospital, Ranger."
Ranger pulled back and grasped her upper arms. He waited until she was looking him in the eyes. "Babe, money isn't a problem. I'll pay whatever it costs."
Steph shook her head again. "I won't have you bleeding money for me, Ranger."
Ranger shook her. "It's not bleeding money, Stephanie. I have to know you're safe. I have to know if you're going to be okay. I love you, Babe."
Steph swallowed hard. She knew he loved her, she just didn't know how he loved her. "I'll go under one condition."
Ranger nodded. "Anything. Name it."
"I pay you back." She told him.
He kept his face blank. She wouldn't need to pay him back. Not now and now ever, but he would agree. "Deal." He flashed her a smile. "Should we seal it with a kiss?" Before she could answer he leaned forward and settled his lips over hers. Gently coaxing her lips apart until he dipped his tongue in to play with hers. He nipped her tongue before sucking it into his mouth. He continued to ravish her mouth until a throat clearing at the door had them pulling apart. Ranger dropped another quick kiss on her now swollen mouth before turning towards the door.
A nurse stood there holding papers. "A prescription and discharge papers." She handed them to Ranger and quickly turned away. She hit the door jamb hard, but snapped out of it and then continued out the door. Steph broke out in a fit of giggles. Ranger turned to her. "What are you laughing at?" He asked her.
She shook her head and changed the subject. "Are you going to take me to your sister?" She asked; grinning. She felt happy and she didn't know why.
Ranger nodded. "Come on. I'll call her on the way."
Joe took a deep breath and got out of his police issued POS. He knew he had to confront Mooch, but it wasn't going to be easy. Mooch's car was in the driveway so he knew he was home. He took another long deep hard breath and opened Mooch's front door.
He looked around, but Mooch was no where to be found. He called out Mooch's name. He heard noise in one of the bedrooms and followed the sound. It was coming from the guest bedroom. He didn't know what Mooch was doing or planning, but he didn't think Mooch would hurt him. He opened the door and let out a gasp of surprise.
Mooner was laying flat on his back, his arms over his head and handcuffed to the headboard. Mooner was quiet and deathly still. Joe walked over and felt for a pulse. Mooner had one but it was slow and weak. He wouldn't live much longer. He looked like he lost a lot of weight and by the blood on his wrists, he had been there awhile. Joe was guessing about two weeks.
He heard a noise behind him and turned. "Mooch." He said.
"What are you doing here, Joe?" Mooch asked him.
Joe narrowed his eyes. "I think you know why I'm here."
"You shouldn't have come."
"Why not?"
Mooch took a different approach. "Are you going to let me slip through your fingers?" He asked with a smile.
Joe almost laughed in disgust. "No, I'm going to arrest you. What the fuck were you thinking, Mooch?"
Mooch shrugged. "Why Steph, Mooch?" Joe asked him.
Mooch shrugged again. "Why not? She's a cute little thing. Apparently neither you nor Manoso can keep her from getting into trouble."
"So you thought what? That you could keep her drugged up?"
"That was only to bring her defenses down."
"Why Mooner?" Joe asked; changing the subject. He needed to know.
"I took Mooner to keep her busy looking. I knew she would be so concerned for him, that when food magically appeared in her kitchen, she would be so tired that she wouldn't even hesitate to eat it without thinking first. I was right. She never even asked, of course you and those thugs from RangeMan helped."
"How did we help?"
"You almost always brought the food, I just seasoned it a little." Mooch grinned. Joe's fists clenched painfully tight.
"Steph always ate. She kept so busy looking for him," Mooch pointed towards Mooner. "That she never questioned the food, she was only thankful for it. I kept those thugs from RangeMan busy too."
Joe cocked an eyebrow; his expression held confusion. "What do you mean?"
"They didn't tell you?" Mooch asked.
"I heard there was some break ins but I've been working on Mooner's case along with a few others." He confessed.
"I kept them dumbasses so busy, that they didn't have time to see how Steph was deteriorating in front of their eyes." Mooch let out a evil laugh.
Joe took a step toward him, but Mooch pulled out a gun. Joe stepped back; holding up his hands. "You could have killed her, Mooch."
Mooch shook his head. "I wasn't giving her enough to kill her. Although she is a lot tougher than I thought. It took a while before that drug took affect."
"I should kill you, Mooch. I love Steph. She's family."
Mooch laughed again. "What can I say? I wanted her for myself. I was tired of watching you and Manoso fight over her. She clearly needs a real man."
It was Joe's turn to laugh. "Are you saying that you're the real man she needs?"
Mooch grinned as he cocked the hammer back on the gun. Joe took another step back and the back of his knees hit the bed where Mooner lay; unmoving.
"Are you going to shoot me, Mooch? Your own cousin?" Joe asked him.
"I'm not going to be arrested. I know what will happen if I let you take me in."
"What?" Joe only needed a few more minutes. If only he could keep Mooch talking. RangeMan would be here any minute.
"I know Ranger's thugs if not the man himself is on the way here. I can't let that happen. They'll kill me after they have a little fun with me."
"Not if I do it first." Joe told him; his voice laced with venom.
"Sorry Joe." Mooch said before he trigger. Joe watched ,as if everything went in slow motion, as the bullet left the barrel of gun and came zooming faster and faster before slamming into his chest.
He fell to the floor of Mooch's guest bedroom. He heard the front door slam shut as his world went black.
