Chapter 10

Ranger turned off the alarm at 4:00am. It was the day of the wedding, and he looked at Stephanie asleep beside him. He loved this woman. In eleven hours he was going to change his world for the rest of his life. This change was welcomed with open arms. Ranger bent over and kissed Stephanie on the cheek, he had done this every morning since he moved her into his home. He sat up on the edge of the bed; he normally slept longer in the mornings. But a certain young girl in the house would be downstairs within an hour. Ranger shook his head and went to go take a shower.

Ranger let the hot spray hit him in the face as his mind played back over the week. Getting Jessie back home had been a relief. She had curled up in the back of the BMW and cried the whole way. He had caught a few words and phrases she had said. He didn't do it. All a trap. Said it wrong, it's keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer. Ranger turned and let the hard spray pound on his neck. He knew the saying, and he knew who it had been attributed to. A masterful strategist of war, who lived in 400 BC Sun-Tzu.

He rolled his neck as the tension started to unwind. Ranger chuckled remembering about the Porsche, Tank had called him laughing. The Porsche had rolled into Giovichinni's Meat Market. It had raw meat all over it. At the time he wasn't happy about it. He had given Hal and Rodriguez extra duties as well as having Dutch work them out. Ranger didn't want them anywhere near his family at the moment.

The shower gel sat on the shelf and Ranger grabbed it. This stuff drove Stephanie wild, and he was glad Ella bought it for him. While he was at the office he'd grabbed a few extra bottles and brought it home. He started lathering his body and scrubbed the top of his head. His mind drifted back to the woman in his bed. He closed his eyes, in fifteen hours she would be his and only his for two weeks. No interferences. He stepped back under the hot spray and put his hands up on the shower wall leaning in letting the water rinse the suds. He watched as it pooled around his feet and slid down the drain.

Ranger ground his teeth together, just watching the suds slip away reminded him how Jessie's Uncle had done the same thing. Two days they had him watched, he sent a man inside to place listening devises and tracking and then he was gone; just like all the suds were now. Ranger closed his eyes and relaxed. Now they knew what he looked like, he knew he was trying to trap Jessie into something, but Jessie wasn't giving anything up. Ranger shook his head, he reached down and turned off the water.

Ranger stepped out of the shower, grabbed the towel, and proceeded to get rid of the excess off his body. He tossed it in the hamper and walked out of the bathroom. Stephanie hadn't moved and he knew she wouldn't, not until she started to wake up. Ranger moved to the walk in closet, grabbed a pair boxers, and then pulled them on. He took out a black t-shirt and pulled it on. This was his normal morning attire but today he had to put on something else. He pulled down the army sweats and stepped into them. Ranger went to the nightstand and put on his watch and looked at Stephanie. He smiled, contentment washing over him at the satisfied look on her face. Last night had been wonderful, it was well worth the few hours of sleep he was running on.

He turned and walked out of their room. Ranger paused and opened the door to Mel's room. She was crashed on the bed all spread out, the bedclothes crumpled in and around her body. Ranger smiled at her, she would be going back to Florida later today. He would have this last little morning ritual with her then wait until she came to visit again. He shut the door.

Ranger walked to the next door and opened it. Jessie was asleep on her stomach with her arms wrapped under the pillow. Her face was content at the moment, but he knew that it wouldn't stay that way long. As soon as she woke up, he wouldn't see that content face again. This was only the second time he'd seen it on her. The past week had been hard on her; she had come to accept that Daniel was dead. Ranger knew she was on the tail end of the healing process, but the last two days, both he and Stephanie had noticed a change in Jessie. Jessie had become apprehensive over the wedding. It wasn't the wedding itself that was the reason for it. Jessie hadn't said a word to them, but they both discussed the issue of abandonment that Jessie was feeling. The both of them leaving so quickly when she had come to actually lean on them to get her through her grief. Both of them figured out how to get her over that issue, Ranger smiled and looked down at his watch. He reached out and closed the door again.

Walking downstairs he went to start the coffee, he pulled down three mugs. Pulled out a juice glass and a bowl. He fixed his normal breakfast and juice and when the coffee was done he heard the knock on the front door. Ranger walked to the front door deactivated the alarm system and opened it. Lester stood there grinning like a fool with his bags. Ranger stepped back and let Lester pass him. He saw the man he'd spoken to several times on the phone. Ranger extended his hand.

"Captain Harris."

"Call me Sam or Cap please." Cap responded as he shook Ranger's hand.

"Jes is still asleep; I figure we have about thirty minutes before she comes down." Ranger said.

Cap gave Ranger a smile. Cap reached and picked up the bag he sat down and followed Ranger and Lester in. Ranger showed Cap into the kitchen. Lester was already sitting and drinking coffee. Ranger poured out coffee in the other empty mugs and handed one to Cap.

Ranger let the man sit down and took his coffee and looked Cap over, he stood six foot, a little heavier than himself, but not an ounce of fat on the man. He had blonde hair buzzed short to his head.

"How's she doing?" Cap asked.

"She's adjusting, but like I told you over the phone she's having a hard time with me and Steph leaving for two weeks. She hasn't said it, but you can see it." Ranger took a drink.

Cap set his mug down, he looked at Ranger. "Then I say you've gotten to know that little girl pretty well. Jes doesn't give up secrets easily. She won't tell you how she's feeling, not until she can trust you. That's just Jes."

Cap sat back and took a look around and then looked back to Ranger, "About the stuff Daniel was working on. I can't help you too much there. I asked, I snooped around, and the only thing I got is that it was coming out of the research department."

Ranger sat down in his normal seat turned to his left and looked at Cap. "Research department? How high up are we talking?"

"Don't know. I do know one thing, whatever he was working on, there were some other deaths." Cap bent down and opened his bag and pulled out a folder. He handed it to Ranger. "Four total that I could find out on our side. Four on the other. I almost got caught getting that. The fourth picture down is Jes' Uncle David. He's a real piece of work. Never really liked the man."

Ranger slid the folder over to Lester. "Get this picture copied; I want everyone to know his face."

Ranger turned to back to Cap. "What can you tell me about David?"

Cap shook his head and then looked at Ranger. "I know Daniel never really trusted him. I know for a fact he wasn't allowed to see Jes after his last visit and tell her that he worked for the CIA. Last time I saw him was three years ago. I know he isn't working for the CIA anymore. I checked on that." Cap pulled out a card in his pocket and handed it over to Ranger. "Found you a contact, he was working with David, before something happened. He said he wouldn't tell me, said he wanted to talk to you. Jes adored David. David would blow into town and he'd tell her what he'd been doing. He took her cave hopping the last time. He'd spun so many tells on her she was in awe of him."

Ranger tapped the card on the counter. "I don't know if she adores him so much now." He leaned on the counter taking his coffee with him. "David was here six days ago. Jes ran off from Steph, she was in denial over Daniel being dead. We got Jes away from him, I had him watched for two days then he pulled a Houdini."

Cap sat his coffee down. "Did you spook him?"

"I had his room searched, listening devices and tracers put in place. He came in, but we never saw him come out." Ranger looked at Cap.

"The person who searched his room, did he take anything out?" Cap asked.

Ranger looked at Lester. "Lester?"

Lester sat his coffee down. "I checked the door, found two strings in place, common thread taped them so they'd stay in place. I went through the room and left everything in order. I found a penny under the dresser. I placed the bugs, and then started out the door."

Cap looked at Ranger, "Have you searched Jes' room?"

"Yes, when she wouldn't talk. I found two pennies and Lester found a dime..." Ranger stopped and looked at Cap who was laughing.

"You've been busted boys." Cap said.

"How?" Lester asked.

"Never pick up the money. Jes was taught that by David, she marked those coins. She did it to Daniel all the time, she never busted him on it, but she knew when her Father was in her room. No one thinks of change found in not so common places. It's money, you pick it up and put in your pocket." Cap looked at them both.

"Shit." Ranger put his head in his hands.

Lester put his head down on the table. "Fuck. We messed it up."

"Don't feel so bad, at least she hasn't busted your asses on it. She busted mine. It's better you find out like this than have her bust you on it." Cap told them.

Cap took a drink of coffee. "It's not so bad. If I were you, I'd get rid of that change before Jes finds out which one of you went in her room. Get rid of the evidence."

Ranger looked at him, "How are the coins marked?"

"Well, Jes told me that David marked his right under the mint stamp. He marks it with an upside down pyramid. Jes now is cleverer. Her coins are harder to spot than his. She marks the back of hers, it almost looks like a flaw." Cap reached into his pocket, then pulled out a penny. "I was damned impressed and kept it." He slid the penny that was now in a coin holder over to Ranger. "Look at the steps, little shit is damn clever; she puts marks in the steps so they blend in with the monument. I don't know what she does on the other ones. She never would tell me."

Ranger looked to Lester, "Give me a penny."

Lester had all his change out and then found the penny that David had marked. "Upside down pyramid." He slid that penny to Ranger.

Ranger looked at the pyramid then flipped it over to the back. He saw the extra lines in the steps. "It does look like a flaw in the pressing." He looked at Cap who was grinning. "I'm going to have to go through my change and find those two pennies."

"Yeah well, I have five dimes in my pocket and I can't see the difference in them. I'm hoping I spent it." Lester said.

Ranger tossed Cap's penny back to him. He looked at his watch and then looked to the stairs. "I'll be back, she's an hour late. She's always down here by now."

He looked at Lester, "Put all this up before we get back." Ranger left to go see what was going on with Jes.

Jessie lay in her bed, she looked at the clock she now had on her nightstand by it. It was 0600, she knew she would have to get up, but she didn't want to. Over the last week she had yet to go school, not that she wanted to. It still hurt to even think about her Father, the first few days after seeing her Uncle David had been the hardest. Stephanie stayed with her most of the time. But it had been Ranger who helped her get through the anger when it came.

She rolled back over and pulled the covers over her head. In the short amount of time she had been here, she had gone from not knowing, to knowing, to wearing a dress, to being a bridesmaid. She had told them she was content watching, but since her Uncle David had shown up, watching turned into standing next to them and being in the bridal party. Lester being the permanent fixture attached to her for the whole time of the wedding and reception. Jessie didn't see why this needed to happen, considering the wedding was taking place at Rangeman, and the reception was going to be on the whole second floor of the building.

The knock on her door was soft; Jessie pulled the covers off of her head and saw Ranger leaning on the doorframe to her room. "How long are you planning on lying in bed?"

"All day." Jessie pulled the covers back over her head.

She felt the covers being ripped off of her and thrown to the floor. She sat up and looked at him. "Hey. What gives? I don't have to put the dress on till noon."

Ranger put his hands on the bed and leaned over till he was a foot from her head. "I know you don't. I've been waiting downstairs for an hour for you. You've been down there every morning at 5:00 until today. What's wrong?"

Jessie looked into his eyes then turned away. She didn't want to tell him that she didn't want him and Stephanie to leave. That she was scared that if they left, that they weren't coming back. Jessie felt the bed move and then Ranger's hand on her chin tilting her face back to his.

"Jes I want you to come downstairs. Come eat breakfast with me like normal. Trust me, it's going to be okay." Ranger kissed her forehead. "I need you to trust me on this, get dressed."

Ranger moved off the bed and went to the door. Jessie watched as he left the room. She went to the bathroom and did her normal thing, she was dressed twenty minutes later and headed down the stairs. Jessie walked through the living room and saw Lester sitting at the counter beside Ranger. She went over and took her normal seat in front of Ranger.

"I'm not hungry." Jessie told him.

Ranger was smiling at her. "Why is that?"

"Just not." Jessie saw both Ranger and Lester grinning at her. "What?" She asked them.

Cap had stood where Jessie couldn't see him. He watched her from behind. He could tell from the way she was sitting she didn't want to be down here. Quietly he moved in behind her, when he was a few inches from her, he whispered. "I'm hungry, why don't you have breakfast with me."

Jessie spun around, "Cap!" She launched herself at him and he picked her up.

Ranger picked up his coffee and watched Jessie. He was glad Stephanie and he had talked about this. This was exactly what Jessie needed. "I think I'm jealous. The hugs I get aren't like that."

He watched as Jessie kissed Cap on the cheek and then Cap put her down.

"I wouldn't be too jealous; she'll do this soon enough with you." Cap kissed Jessie on the top of her head.

Jessie turned and looked at Ranger. He could already see the tears coming. She came around the counter and Ranger put his coffee down and turned and she came into his arms as he opened them. He pulled her part of the way into his lap and looked into her eyes as she looked at him. "I told you to trust me."

"Thank you."

Ranger kissed her cheek. "You're welcome. Now what do you want to eat? The usual stuff?"

"Yes."

"That's my girl." Ranger sat her back on her feet and moved to get her breakfast.