The moment I got up the next morning I called and left a message with Dr. Addison's service that I needed to see him. I had barely put down my bag in my office when he called and told me he had an opening that morning and I could come by. I was relieved to no end. I let Tank know where I was going. I liked telling Tank things. He never asked questions. He just raised a brow and nodded. If you wanted to talk to Tank, you could. But if you just wanted to impart information, you could do that too and then walk away. He was the best of both worlds. No wonder Lula wanted to marry him.

I arrived at Dr. Addison's office at nine and was ushered immediately into his office. I loved his office. Dr. Martin's office felt like a psychiatrist's office. She had the couch and the chaise and the boxes and boxes of tissues sitting out in the open. She expected copious weeping. Dr. Addison's office was more like your living room. There wasn't even a desk in that part. It was like you were sitting around having coffee with a friend who just happened to give really great advice. Plus he always had flavored coffee. You never knew what it would be, so it added a little bit of excitement to visit him. It made the whole thing much less scary.

"Egg nog," he grinned at me when I sat down.

"You're a Godsend," I sighed and took the cup from him. I sank back in the comfortable chair and sighed.

"Okay Stephanie," he said gently. "What happened?"

"I had a date last night."

"That's a good thing, isn't it?"

"Yea," I nodded. "It was. I could have been a great date. The guy is amazing."

"Do I know him?"

"Sure, it's Brian."

"The Federal Agent," he nodded.

"Right," I agreed.

"He's back in the picture? I thought he was waiting till you were not seeing Ranger any more."

"I'm not seeing Ranger any more," I sighed. "I mean, not like that. Ranger and I decided to just be friends and if things changed somewhere down the road then we could become more."

He sat back, "I think I see where this is going. So Brian really likes you?"

"Yea," I nodded.

"And you still have feelings for Ranger?"

"I am in love with him," I admitted.

"Stephanie," he said gently and leaned forward holding his cup of coffee with two hands "Is it realistic for you to believe that you and Ranger will ever have a life together? I want you to think about this seriously. You say that you want marriage and children and Ranger says he can't give those things to you. And frankly Stephanie…you're not getting any younger."

"Thanks for the reminder Doc," I rolled my eyes.

He grinned, "All I'm saying is that if you're holding out hope that Ranger is going to change his mind, then stop seeing other people. Stop putting someone else in a position where they can be hurt. If Ranger is what you want and you're willing to sacrifice children…maybe…then don't see Brian again."

"You know, I don't know if Ranger will ever change his mind," I said softly. "And if he does change his mind, how can I be sure that I didn't in some way coerce that decision. I don't want to be Joe or my mother. If he wanted what I want, he'd want it. He doesn't. I think I'm wasting my time."

"Then why are you hanging on," he raised a brow.

"Because I love him," I sighed.

He smiled, "then you have a real problem Stephanie."

"I know," I sighed. "That's why I'm here."

"A good doctor isn't going to tell you what to do. A good doctor is only going to give you the options so you can make the choice that's right for you. I don't know if Ranger or Brian is the right choice for you. I don't know if either of them is right. You're the only one who can make that decision for you. So, ask yourself a few questions."

"Okay," I nodded.

"If Brian walked away again, would you be sorry?"

I blinked at him.

"That's what you have to ask yourself. Ask yourself if you would regret it if you didn't pursue a relationship with him?"

"I think I see where you're going with it," I nodded.

"Is it worth it to forget your life and wait for Ranger to maybe change his mind? If it's worth it, then cut Brian loose. If you will regret letting Brian go, then you have to make one choice. If you wouldn't because Ranger is all you want and you're not interested in anything else, then you must make another choice. If you don't think it's worth waiting for Ranger and you wouldn't regret it if Brian took a walk, then you have to make another decision. But Stephanie, either way the choice is yours and yours alone to make. You can't ask me to make it for you. This is your life and your choice."

I sighed and wiped at the tears. "I know you're right. It's just going to be hard to make the decision I know is the right one."

"You're already made your decision?"

"Pretty much," I agreed. "I really have no choice."

"Then make your decision and don't look back."

I stopped at the lake on the way back to the office and found a bench in the blistering cold and sat down and just gazed at the iced over water. I knew what I had to do. I just wasn't sure that following his advice about not looking back was something I was capable of doing. Let's be honest here, burg people don't really forget anything. It just sits in the back of their minds and hearts and festers or whatever. I didn't want to end up hating Ranger. That was the root of my decision.

I reached for my phone, "Stephanie Plum."

"How long are you going to be out," Tank asked.

"I'm heading back now," I said quietly and got to my feet and started toward my SUV.

"Good because you missed a phone call that I know you wanted to take."

"Who called?"

"Marilyn Dinks," he said succinctly.

"Oh shit," I blinked.

"She's calling back in about half an hour."

"I'll be there," I said sliding into the driver's seat. "I'll be there."

I barely made it to my desk when the phone rang. "Stephanie Plum," I said softly.

"Stephanie," the wispy voice repeated.

"Marilyn," I asked.

"Yes," she blinked. "Stephanie…I'm in trouble."

"What happened Marilyn?"

"Somebody murdered my boss."

"I know honey. Where are you?"

"I can't say," she said softly. "But something is wrong. I mean something is really, really wrong. I don't want to tell you over the phone. Can you meet me somewhere?"

"Sure, where do you want me to meet you?"

"Meet me at the place Val and I used to sneak off to when we were freshmen."

Val and Marilyn used to sneak off to mall all the time. "Okay," I agreed.

"Come alone Stephanie. I mean it. If you don't come alone, I won't show myself. I'm scared. I'm real scared."

"I'll be alone," I assured her. "When do you want me to meet you?"

"Eight o'clock tonight. Don't tell the cops. Don't!"

"I won't," I assured her. "I'll be there and I'll be alone."

"Okay," she said and hung up.

Tank appeared in my doorway. "It was under two minutes. She was using a disposable phone. There was no way we could trace the call. We only got that she was in Trenton somewhere."

"Yea," I nodded.

"You can't go alone."

"I have no choice," I said raising my eyes to his. "The mall is dead quiet by eight pm."

"It won't be this close to Christmas."

"You think she won't recognize someone from Rangeman? Come on Tank! You guys are all big and burly with marine haircuts and size 14 boots. She's going to see you coming a mile away. I have to do this alone."

"Ranger wouldn't like it."

"Ranger isn't here," I bit out. I sighed and softened my tone. It wasn't Tanks fault that Ranger wasn't who I wanted him to be. It wasn't Tanks fault that Ranger had the desire to put his life in jeopardy every few months and just disappear. It wasn't Tanks fault that Ranger could have another…I mean a secret family hidden away with a wife that calls him Carlos and has his babies. It wasn't his fault. I took a deep breath. "I've known this girl my whole life. She's not a murderer. She wanted to be an actress. She's a femme fatale but not in a way that will even get her a part on cable. The girl is…well, honestly she's not the shiniest penny in the jar if you know what I mean. She's gullible. I know all the way to my core that she didn't murder Wilhelm. I don't want the feds or anyone else to get her into custody and think that they have caught the bad guys when…"

"They'll stop searching," he said softly.

"They will," I agreed. "And an innocent person will pay the price to get the job done. I know this girl Tank. She didn't do it."

"All right, you're going in wired and GPS'd out the ass," he said seriously.

"Fair enough," I nodded in agreement. "If you give me a GPS chip, I'll do what I have to and plant it on her. We can't turn in an innocent person, but we can track her."

"Deal," he agreed.

At eight pm I was at the mall…alone. At nine pm, she still hadn't approached me. At ten pm, she was still a no show and the mall was closing. At ten thirty, I had to give it up.

"I'm calling it a day boys. She's a no show."

"Okay," Gabe said over my ear piece.

"I'm heading home."

"Steph…I'm supposed to let you know that Morty escaped."

"What the… Mortimer Stray, the mousiest physicist on the eastern seaboard maybe the entire world escaped Rangeman where the biggest strongest guys on the planet are located?"

"We're keeping people out, not in," Lester said sheepishly.

"Do you have a trace?"

"We have nothing," he sighed.

"Fuck," I groaned. "I can't go buy tampons without you guys tracking it and a guy who has the secret to future warfare trapped in his head can walk to McDonalds without a qualm? Where is the justice in that?"

"Well…er, we don't actually know what you buy when you're at the drugstore," Gabe said in confusion.

"Then how do you know I buy tampons at the drug store and not the grocery store or some Wal-Mart or something?"

"Err…"

"Give it up Gabe," Lester said sadly, "she's like a dog with a bone."

"How did he get away," I said grimly.

"We have no idea. We have him on video just taking a walk out the front door," Lester sighed.

"Do the feds know?"

"They should," he said grimly. "Agent Marcos was supposed to be with him when he disappeared."

"You've done a thorough search of the building? Did someone check with Mooner?"

"Done and done," Lester said. "Do you have any ideas Steph?"

"None whatsoever," I sighed. "I'm coming in."

I walked stepped off the elevators on the fifth floor and was met by Brady, Brian, Tank and Lester, "did you find him?"

"No," Tank glared at Brady.

"Do I need to tell you the position we're in now," I raised a brow at Tank.

"Don't look at me," he raised his hands in innocence. "You need to talk to Agent Marcos. It was his watch."

I turned to Brady with a raised brow, "anything to say?"

"I nodded off," he grimaced.

"Have you reported this to your superiors," I asked.

"I have," he said grimly.

"What did they say?"

"Find him," he said succinctly.

"Then I suggest you do that," I turned on my heel and strode to my office. I picked up the phone and dialed Mooner's number. Mooner is not a day person so I knew it was safe to call even at almost midnight.

"Greetings earthling," he said when he answered the phone.

"Hey Mooner," I sighed.

"Hey Stephanie Dude," he slurred. "What's up?"

"The Feds lost Morty man. Do you have any idea where he might go?"

"Sure Dude. Did you check his place?"

"His place," I sat up straighter.

"Yea Dude. He's got a house in the Burg. It's a couple of streets over from your mothers on Wildwood."

"Okay, what's the house number?"

"Seventeen," he said.

"Mooner…you're a prince among men," I said with a smile.

"I know Dude. I know," he laughed and hung up.

I grabbed my purse and coat and walked out the door where the four men were still standing. "Lester, come with me."

"Where are we going?"

"To get Morty," I said grimly.

"Oh no," Brady said following me to the stairs. "This is our case."

"I thought it was a cooperative," I raised my brow at him.

"We're just…"

"Yanking our chain to get what you want," I glared at him. "You lost him. Maybe you better go find him."

"I don't know where he is," he frowned.

I just glared at him, "then maybe you better let me go find him."

"He's my witness," he blustered.

I just glared at him as though he was the idiot I sincerely thought he was.

Tank stepped between us, "I told you guys before that Stephanie knows the burg and its people. You would be better off letting her handle this. Besides, he's a witness and not a suspect. You can't legally hold him. He asked us for help, and not you. You've never arrested him or officially placed him into custody."

Brian leaned back on his heels, "let it go Marcos. Let them do their job."

Brady sighed and relented, but he didn't look happy. Well too freaking bad! I wasn't happy either. As a matter of fact, I was pissed.

I knocked on Morty's door and stepped back. I had my gun in my hand, but hidden. Lester was at my side with his gun drawn. He was out of eyesight of the peephole.

Morty opened the door. "I'm sorry," he said sheepishly, "you've been so nice to me and I shouldn't have run away. But I wanted my own stuff and my own place and to do something without everybody watching."

"I thought your house burned down."

"This was my grandparent's house. I own it too. I just don't live here. I didn't before now anyway. Now I will. I just…I needed to get away and clear my head."

"Do you feel safe?"

"No."

"Morty, by exposing yourself you've given someone the opportunity to identify you and pass that information on to your father's murderer. That person is clearly after you. You should have stayed put at Rangeman. I know it's hard. But we're just trying to keep you alive."

"I know," he stared down at his feet as he shuffled them.

"Will you come back with us?"

"Yes, let me get my bag," he said and reached inside the house for a duffle bag.

We drove into Rangeman's garage and went to the elevator and waited.

"Morty," I said softly.

"Yea," he blinked up at me with those big dumb puppy dog eyes.

"Don't do it again, okay?"

"I won't."

"The feds may move you to a safe house far away if you do something else."

"Can they do that," he blinked up at me.

"They can," I agreed.

"I'll be good," he promised.

"I hope so," we boarded the elevator and I pressed the button for five, "I sure hope so."