Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde
This takes place after "It's a new day, it's a new dawn, it's a new year"
A/N Thank you so much for reading along and for all your wonderful reviews. They really do keep me going. :) Thank you :)
M rating (mostly for language)
Thank you Margaret for reading ahead as my Beta. :) I much appreciate :)
And her insistence that Joe is just a man 'ho, spurred me on :)
Don't own the characters (except for Clyde), just playing :)
Chapter 10—An Eye for an Eye
Ranger and Tank took off to call on Joe. I guessed Clyde took off after them; I had no way of knowing. I knew Artemis had much more experience with spirits than I did so I asked her.
"Do you think he'll be able to follow them? Keep up, I mean. They're in a truck."
"Well he said he thought he could do it, so he probably can. I'm more interested in knowing just what he intends to do when he gets there."
"He said he's moving in. I guess that means he has every intention of haunting Joe. I should have given him the background that Joe inherited his Aunt Rose's house. If he knew, maybe he could just pretend he was a female ghost."
"Clyde doesn't seem like he'd be into female impersonations. Did Aunt Rose have a husband?"
"I'm pretty sure she did. I just don't know his name. I can ask my grandmother. But how will we let Clyde know?"
"I guess you can try texting him; he texts you."
"Do you think it'll reach a few miles, he doesn't seem to have wifi or a data plan?"
"Didn't Hector say he broadcasts from an unlicensed band?" she laughed out loud. "I don't think he needs those things. Why don't you text him and find out?"
"And how does he read my texts without a phone?"
"That's too technical for me; maybe Hector knows. I'm glad you guys bought the place and I'm glad you made peace with Clyde. I have a funny feeling he's going to be sticking around. Might as well build him his own room."
"You're kidding right?"
"I don't kid about those things. And he pretty much told you he's not leaving."
I didn't know what kind of house Ranger wanted to build, but I was pretty sure we'd discuss it. I guessed I could mention a room for Clyde. After all, I didn't want him sharing our bedroom. Some people take their pets into consideration when they build; we'd be accommodating our ghost.
"Beautiful, want to head back to Rangeman? I have a date tonight and I want to shower first."
"I have to leave too," Artemis said. "We can come back tomorrow if you want to look around again before you bring in a demolition crew. Take the photo album with you. You can look through it while you wait for Ranger to get back."
She handed me the album while we got our things together. I planned on texting Clyde from the car so I kept my phone out.
"Can I meet you here tomorrow," I asked on second thought. "I'd like to see if Clyde makes it back."
"Of course. Is eleven o'clock good?"
We decided on the time and Les and I got into the Explorer while Artemis took the lead in her BMW X5. Jeez. And at one time I thought she was homeless.
Lester got in the drivers seat, which was fine by me. My face was still stinging from the slap and I wanted to have a conversation with Clyde. Once we were all buckled in and heading down the driveway up popped a new message. Yep it was from that familiar 454-545 number. Clyde.
"I don't like him."
"Don't like who?" I texted back, hoping it wasn't Ranger or Tank.
"Joe. He's arrogant and hot-headed."
"He's Italian," I wrote, as if that were a logical explanation.
"He hates Ranger, but he's going to hate me more."
"OMG, what R U going to do?"
"OMG? R U?"
"Sorry Clyde, I forget you're like 110 years old. OMG is 'Oh My God.' R U is 'are you.' Sorry."
"I am NOT 110 years old! I am 43. I've just been 43 for the last 67 years. Did you see my picture?"
"No. Where is your picture?"
"Shake the photo album. They should fall out."
"They? There is more than one?"
"A strip of pictures from a photo booth. I was with Hedy at the 1939 World's Fair in New York."
I reached into the backseat to get the photo album and I shook it. Sure enough, one strip of three photos fell out. They were brown with age, but there was no mistaking Hedy Lamarr. She was striking.
"Clyde, you are a handsome devil," I texted him after looking closely at the images under the overhead light in the SUV.
He had a little Clark Gable moustache and his probably light brown hair flopped over his forehead in a sexy, messy style. He was wearing a black shirt, a pinstriped jacket and a dark on light polka dot tie. Ranger would like his look. Well, maybe not the polka dots.
"Thank you. But if you actually knew me you might think differently."
"You look a little like Clark Gable."
"We all tried for Gable. Pencil mustache and as much sex appeal as we could muster."
"You pulled it off." "What's going on at Joe's?" I finally asked.
"No blows. Ranger is scaring ME with his threats."
"Clyde, what do you intend to do?"
"Scare the crap out of him."
I was good with that. No fists, but then I got another text from Clyde.
"Ranger just turned away and Tank punched Joe in the jaw after he threw down some pictures of you and Lester."
I guess they were stills from the long-range camera Hal had installed across the street. Shit, I was afraid of that. An eye for an eye.
"They just left. I'm setting up camp in Joe's living room."
I guessed I'd give Ranger about a half an hour to get back. I had already touched base with Ella and she was going to bring dinner up around seven thirty. We still had forty minutes.
I just remembered that I hadn't clued Clyde in that Joe inherited the house after his Aunt Rose died. I couldn't remember if Joe had ever told me the name of his uncle, but I thought for now Clyde should know about Aunt Rose, so I texted him.
"Good to know" I got back. "Maybe tomorrow I'll be Aunt Rose."
"Are you going to come back to the house after Joe leaves for work? I'm meeting Artemis there at eleven."
"Ok. Joe has ice on his jaw. Wish I could make it burn him." "Yeah, that worked."
"What did you do Clyde?"
"I thought it hot and it worked. He cursed and dropped the ice."
"Do you have super human powers?"
"Human? I'm dead. Remember you told me that."
"I'm sorry. Artemis told me I had to tell you."
"Yeah."
"Do you not like her?"
"She's ok. I like you better."
"Ah, that's sweet."
I heard the lock on the front door tumble, so I knew Ranger was home. I didn't want him to see me texting Clyde again—that damn jealous streak, so I sent one last text before going out to get Ranger's take on the Joe thing.
"Ranger's back. I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Well maybe not see me, but I'll be there."
"Thank you Clyde. Happy haunting."
I put my phone back in my bag and went out to Ranger. Then it hit me. Joe's Aunt Rose had been married to Uncle Sallie. Shit. I had to let Clyde know.
I went back to the bedroom to get my bag and brought it out with me to greet Ranger.
"Going somewhere?" Ranger asked, eyeing my bag on my shoulder.
"I just remembered Joe's uncle's name. I wanted to text Clyde, but then I heard you come in," I said pulling Ranger in close for a kiss. I used a lot of tongue to make my point; I really did prefer a living, breathing man…although Clyde was kind of cute.
"Mmmm Babe. What are you up to?" Ranger asked pointedly when we broke for air.
"Nothing. What do you mean?"
Ranger's POV
This ghost was going to be the death of me. Stephanie has been treating him like a fucking puppy. Cooing over his every move. Next she'd be leaving him treats.
I had a talk with Morelli. Hell, I threatened Morelli. Unfortunately I could tell by his body language that he was having none of it. He seemed obsessed with Stephanie. I believed it had something to do with her being the cover-up for his ongoing affair with Gilman. I had promised Steph that I wouldn't handle this with my fists, but I never made a promise for Tank. I was glad he took it upon himself to try to right the wrong.
I couldn't help but laugh…Morelli never even saw it coming. And I bet he's hurting right now; Tank packs some punch. Good for him.
I wanted to let Steph in on my thinking about the cop, so after she told me that Ella was on the way up with dinner, I took a bottle of red out of my small wine cellar and opened it to let it breathe. Sometimes talking to Stephanie about Morelli was easier when she was less defensive and I thought a glass of wine might help the matter.
Besides, I wanted her to relax a little. She's been so wound up the last few days. Not that I can blame her, she probably doesn't realize that sixth sense of hers has been working overtime. I know in the back of her mind she's been trying to figure out what Morelli's up to and also trying to make sense of our 'spirited' houseguest. Not to mention my confession and proposal, which were honorable, by the way.
She said she wanted to take a quick shower before dinner, but I had a feeling that was just a pretense. I was pretty sure she wanted to text the ghost again and didn't want me to know how often she's been 'talking' to him.
Granted, nothing made me smile more than seeing him say he was staying with Joe while we did the demolition. A good haunting would be good for the both of them. Maybe the ghost would get it out of his system and decide to head to his own world and I really hoped it would make Morelli think he was losing his mind. Or at the very least give him a good case of the shits.
I heard Steph turn off the water in the shower, so I got up to set the dining room table. Ella usually does that, but I wanted to dine by candlelight tonight. Aside from letting Steph know what went on with her ex today I had something else planned for the evening. And I wanted to set the mood.
I heard Steph turn off the hair dryer, which meant she was ready for the evening and either her hair was behaving, or it wasn't. I took the opportunity to walk into our bedroom and help her to the table.
"Babe, you look beautiful," I said, meaning it.
"Thank you Ranger, but I know what you're doing."
"What I'm doing? I'm complimenting my woman on how she looks. What did you think I was doing?'
"Buttering me up for something. You didn't kill Joe did you?"
"Madre de Dios. God help me, no. Where did you get that idea?"
"I don't know. You didn't exactly leave the house all smiles before. Anything could have happened. I'm glad I don't have to worry."
"You don't have to worry. Let me help you out to dinner," I said kissing her, then taking her on my arm for the short walk to the dining room. "It looks like Ella has outdone herself. Chicken Paprikash, spaetzle and a cucumber side dish, she said it's in honor of your Hungarian roots."
"Sounds yummy," she said, pausing before she continued. "Um Ranger. I know something is going on that you're not telling me. Give."
"Let's have dinner first. It has to do with Morelli, but we'll eat first."
I poured some wine into both of our glasses and proposed a toast 'to us.' I must say, dinner was fantastic; Ella really did outdo herself. And Steph seemed to enjoy everything. Ella even made a small chocolate cake for dessert.
"Oh God Ranger, "Stephanie moaned, "you've got to try this. I know your rules won't allow you to eat this regularly, but just take a bite, I promise you won't be disappointed."
I didn't want Steph to be in a pouty mood when I brought up Morelli, so I took a small bite off her fork. Stephanie nearly fell over.
"Ranger, you ate that! What did you think? Want another bite?"
"Good," I said, trying to get the chocolatey goo off the roof of my mouth.
"Another bite, maybe a piece?"
"I'm good Babe; enjoy yourself."
Once we finished, cleaned up and had the dishwasher going I took her into the living room to talk. I wasn't quite sure where to begin, so I went back to a place we'd been over before.
"Babe, remember we had the conversation about Morelli needing you as his foil so that he could keep his relationship with Terri without jeopardizing his career as a vice detective?"
"Yes?"
"Well I found out a little more. He's asked for a transfer."
"Out of Trenton or out of vice?"
"Out of vice. But if they can't find a place for him in either homicide or crimes against persons, he said he'd be willing to work in any of the surrounding PDs."
"Really? And you think this has something to do with Terri?"
"The Grizollis, yes. Vito Grizolli has brought in the heads of some of the other crime families on the east coast. Something is up."
"Where are they all staying?"
"He has a compound in an unincorporated area outside of Princeton. It's about seventeen acres. Protected with guards, cameras and dogs. Impenetrable."
"And I need to know this why?"
"I'm expecting Morelli to try to get back with you. He'll promise you the moon, stars and sun. He cannot be associated with Terri if he knows what I'm pretty sure he knows. I doubt he can find a Stephanie-replacement in under a week, so I'm assuming he'll be hell-bent on getting you back."
"But I love you. I don't want to go back with him."
"Just my point Babe."