I didn't intend for the next update to take almost two weeks. I was on a roll, updating several stories and making considerable progress on this one when bam! A few days after I posted the previous chapter a family friend gave me a chocolate shake. All I tasted was chocolate, so I drank it without protest. It turns out that the shake had banana in it and I'm not supposed to have any, not even a little bit of, banana. It was as if I'd been poisoned and it was a pretty close call. Anyway, I'm finally better:) and learned the lesson the hard way to always ask 'what's in it?' even at the risk of sounding picky.

Thanks for the awesome support. I think this story might be finished before the end of summer;)

Disclaimer: The Plum universe belongs to JE.

Ranger's POV

Bobby probably had to fly a little to make it right before us. As soon as the SUV was inside the attached garage, I angled out and scooped Babe up. I was just crossing the threshold into the kitchen when I heard the garage door close.

"Here, here, here." Bobby ordered me to place Babe on the table. Without protest I did as he said. A feeling of helplessness washed over me as I watched Bobby use a pair of scissors to tear open Babe's ruined T-shirt. "Les!"

Lester appeared out of seemingly thin air with Bobby's kit. The two got to work and I took two steps to give them space to do their thing.

In my distracted state I bumped into McAdam. I completely forgot about her. Since I can't do anything to help Babe in the health department, I'll get to questioning McAdam. "Start talking." I'm not sure how much fault the woman before me has in all of this, but at the moment she's the only one that seems to know more than we do.

McAdam's wide gaze was focused on the scene behind me.

"Focus." I snapped my fingers at her, because frustration and fear were starting to get a hold of me. "Were you having an affair with the Senator?" I got right to it.

McAdam glared at me, surprised. "No." She shook her head as she murmured something I couldn't quite catch. "He had an affair with my mother."

And suddenly everything we'd concluded during our investigation was way off. McAdam wasn't just another lay for the senator. She was his daughter. Somehow, I feel like that's one hell of a secret worth keeping on the hush, hush. Hell, people have died for less.

"Ranger." Bobby's tone held a sense of urgency, so I ignored McAdam to give him my full attention. "I might be able to stop the bleeding, but I can't get to the bullet without turning this into meatball surgery." Bobby finally looked up to hold my gaze. "Bombshell's lost a lot of blood. She needs a hospital if she's going to have a fighting chance."

Without hesitation, I nodded. Keeping Babe alive will always be my number one priority. "Okay, let's do it." I nodded before I shot Lester a glance. "You're responsible for her." Pointing at McAdam, I made sure he knew I expected him to do whatever was necessary to keep her here.

I can't even remember the drive to the hospital or rushing Babe inside. Before I knew it I was standing by myself in the waiting area. The only consolation I had was that Bobby was in there with her.

S&R- Morelli's POV

"Anything?" I asked. Robin shook her head. "Fuck." I muttered. Manoso's a sneaky bastard. One of his men probably tipped him off. That's gotta be the why he's not here.

"There's nothing here." Robin gave me the look, the one that says we're just wasting our time, and cocked her head to the side for me to follow her out of the lobby.

"Tell Manoso he's not helping her." I said to his main thug, Tank, as I radioed everyone to wrap it up.

"Why are you so bent up on the idea that he's helping her?" Robin sounded ticked off, which pissed me off even more.

"I know he is." She just glared at me. Robin likes proof, not gut instincts. And just as I was running out of argument my cell phone buzzed. I listened to the information, smiled at Robin and motioned for her to follow me. "Told you." I said as we got in my SUV. "Stephanie's just been admitted to St. Francis." By no means am I glad that Cupcake's in the hospital, but Manoso just proved that he's been helping her. "Proof enough for ya?" I asked as I headed towards St. Francis.

"How did you get the warrant on such short notice?" Robin questioned as I sped past an intersection.

"What?" I glanced at her from the corner of my eye before stating, "I didn't order the warrant." I thought that's what she'd been up to this morning while I met with Manoso.

"Watch it!" I managed not to rear end a little Toyota that stopped for some unknown reason in front of us. "Maybe I should drive."

"I got it." I gritted my teeth and sped the rest of the way.

News travel fast in the Burg. Stephanie's parents and grandmother were already seated in the waiting room when Robin and I strolled in.

"Manoso." I flashed him my best grin to let him know that I have him now.

Manoso ignored my taunt and directed his attention to one of his thugs. "Bobby?"

Bobby shook his head very minutely as he slowly headed our way.

"No!" I shouted at him, hoping it was just some tactic to mislead us.

"She lost too much blood…" Bobby redirected his attention to the Plums. "Someone needs to… um… recognize…" At that moment realization sunk in and Helen lost it. Thankfully, Frank prevented her from running out.

"I'll do it." Grandma Mazur stood, squared her shoulders and shuffled towards Bobby.

"I'm coming with." I said to the old lady's retreating back.

As we neared the emergency room area a wave of nausea hit me. Taking a deep breath in hopes of keeping the feeling in check, I lagged behind as Grandma and Bobby entered the trauma area.

"Yes… that's my granddaughter Stephanie." The cold and detached tone Grandma used gave me chills, effectively rooting me to the spot.

I fought the urge to throw up and cry simultaneously as I finally took a step forward. The little old lady was shielding the worst part from my view, but all I needed to confirm was the peek I got at Cupcake's untamable curls.

I never thought it would end this way. I always thought that when she eventually got tired of his games that she'd decide to finally settle with me. Hell, sometimes I even had doubts and thought she'd end up choosing him. But never, ever did I stop to think that this could happen.

Manoso got her killed and for that he's going to pay.