Thanks once again for all your reviews, comments, and PMs for this story. Anything familiar belongs to Janet. The mistakes are mine.
Chapter 11
It's probably dumb to say, but I'm secretly watching my back. No, I didn't attract another crazy stalker or do anything illegal. It's worse. I'm living the good life and I know karma is crouched behind a bush, just waiting for an opportunity to kick me in the teeth. I passed the hurdle of my first trimester, and doctors and books seem to agree that the chances of a miscarriage now have gone down considerably. The baby is healthy and still a boy, no sex change happened there. My body and my outlook both have been getting easier to handle. And the Rangeman building has been undergoing some changes, too. Subtle ones, but no less life-altering to all of us.
Ranger, I, and a reluctant Tank have agreed to wait to move him and his office gear to a new place until I was actually going to require help. I envisioned needing to call Ranger just to help get me out of my office chair, or something equally mortifying. I just recently got my independence back - getting out of my toxic relationship with Morelli, and also the one with my mother - and I'm not ready to lose my freedom again. I'm going to keep things as close to how they are now for as long as this baby will let me.
"You're getting that look again, Babe," Ranger said to me.
"What look?" I asked, turning my head to glance at him.
How I have this man as my husband, I still have no idea.
"The one that says you should be pinching yourself to see if you're awake."
"Well ... you have to admit, everything has been going pretty good for me, if you overlook the whole surprise baby thing."
"You don't seem to mind the 'surprise baby thing' anymore," Ranger told me, coming closer to kiss the top of my head.
"You should talk, " I pointed out. "You've always been overprotective of me, but now you've become a bodyguard of epic proportions. You do balance out all the macho crap with nightly massages, so I don't mind."
"Those are so I can have my hands on you for an extended length of time," he said, putting said hands on my hips. "I'm using the pregnancy as an excuse to touch you."
I snorted. "Since when do you need an excuse?" I asked him.
"I don't, but I appear to be a good guy this way instead of a sex-obsessed guy."
"You're both, Ranger. You're also our guy. And you can touch me anytime - anywhere - you want to. Within reason," I quickly added, when I saw his eyes turn speculative.
I wouldn't put it past Ranger to let his hands roam when I couldn't express my appreciation, like in the middle of a restaurant or at the police station. Ranger's sneaky like that.
"You're no fun, Babe."
"I can be a lot of fun ... just not publicly."
"What about that time in the Turbo?" Ranger asked me, bringing up one of my more embarrassing moments.
"Temporary insanity," I told him.
"Yeah, I can see that. I've had plenty of those moments of insanity around you."
"Like kissing me in the alley next to the bonds office? Or hauling me across the seat of your truck and kissing me in front of my parents' house when you dropped me off there during the Abruzzi/Soder saga? Or are you thinking about when you kissed me for the first time in the parking lot of my building? You know ... you've spent a lot of time kissing me."
"I do what I'm good at, Steph," Ranger told me, wrapping his arms around my waist and showing me just how good he is at kissing me.
My arms crept up around his neck while Ranger's hands slid down to my ass. He grabbed two handfuls before he was finally ready to let my lips go. His hands were a little slower releasing me.
"We'd better head downstairs or we won't be getting anything done," I said.
"Steph, we need to get in all the alone time we can before the baby comes."
"That won't be for a while."
"And?" He asked.
I blew out a sigh. I'm going to choose my battles, and this is one I don't mind losing.
"And ... I like kissing you, too."
"You like doing a lot more than kissing me," Ranger said, his mouth skimming my ear.
"I do. And I have this baby as proof."
I felt Ranger's lips form a smile against my cheek.
"Care to demonstrate a few of them?"
"Sure. Later, though. I have to get to work. My boss is a tyrant."
"Really? Because I've heard that he's a fair man who brings out the best in his employees."
"You and my boss have a few things in common then."
"It's like we're one in the same, Babe."
"Hah, funny."
I said goodbye to Rex and followed Ranger down to the control room. Pretty soon we won't be going our separate ways once we get off the elevator, because I'll be right beside Ranger here on the fifth floor, too.
I decided me and the baby needed a computer break around noon. One good thing I've found about being pregnant is that I have a built in reason for getting up a lot, eating as much as I can stomach, and when I want to pounce on Ranger. Who knew the knocked up card was such a powerful one. I got some food from the control room kitchen and brought myself and my crap to Ranger's office. We were just finishing lunch when Vince knocked on Ranger's office door.
"I was going to go pick up some more paint chips for us to look through. You know, they have those books there with a hundred shades of the same color. You want to come with me, Steph?" Vince asked. "We can see what they have, and then maybe you can pick between stain or paint for the baby's furniture. They also sell shelving so you'll get an idea of how that will look if you want to go that route instead of buying dressers for all the baby's clothes and toys and stuff."
"Okay, I'll tag along," I said to Vince. "Most of my work is done and there's nothing I like better than a home improvement store."
"It's still shopping, Babe."
"That's true. Too bad you have business to take care of here or you could come, too," I said, half joking.
"I would if my schedule wasn't so full today," Ranger told me. "Why is your face doing that, Babe? You forget that I'm good at everything. I can navigate a Home Depot as well as The White House. When this building was being designed, I signed off on every purchase."
"Wow. Can you say control freak?" I said.
"It was quality control, Babe, nothing more."
"You do have high standards," I told him.
"Yes ... I do," he said, giving me a once over that made it clear to both me and Vince that I measured up to his standards in every way.
I smiled at him, before turning to Vince again. "Plus, if I go with you, I'll get to approve the colors so you guys don't pick smurf blue as payback for sticking you with Lula."
"Lester has almost forgiven you for that," Ram said, stopping at Ranger's door.
"Hey," Binkie added, joining Ram in the doorway, "Lester still has much more crap coming at him. He's the one who was willing to put everything on the line to prove his baby-predicting abilities."
Looks like we're drawing a crowd.
"Hal got a mini-vacation because of that," Junior said, towering over Ram and Binkie. "And I think we deserve one, too. Maybe Ranger's upstairs office needs to be cleaned out one staple at a time."
"You're not serious?" I asked. "That can be emptied in half an hour with all of us helping."
"Correction, Babe. All of them helping. You're not carrying anything up and down the stairs."
"I can use the elevator."
"No."
"Okay, fine. You all would seriously waste hours of your days off just to mess with Lester?"
That apparently was a stupid question, because I received a round of yeses, absolutelies, and hell yeahs.
The guys are all close, but that doesn't mean they can't be vicious towards one another.
"Take as much time as you think Santos will need in order to be taught a lesson," Ranger told the guys.
"Geez. If you're like this with a guy you consider a friend, no wonder people pee themselves when they see a Rangeman vehicle pull up beside them."
"A good reputation is half the battle," Ranger told me.
"And by good ... you mean scary as hell?"
"Yes. It's been working well for us, so I don't see why I'd change it."
It more than works. Skips throw themselves out of windows just to avoid a Rangeman-style takedown.
"Take Cal with you when you leave," Ranger said. "He's one of the more deadlier looking of the men."
"And I thought I was paranoid this morning," I said to Ranger.
"Why would you be feeling paranoid, Babe?"
"Yeah, no one's threatening you," Ram told me.
"And word has been spread on the street that if anyone harasses, threatens, or hurts you," Junior said, "they will live to regret it ... until they're no longer living."
"Is that like a reverse hit?" I asked them. "Instead of everybody trying to kill me, everyone's going to be watching out for me?"
"Yes," Ranger told me, dropping a kiss on my mouth. "They thought I was bad before, but everyone understands that if they even think about messing with my wife and child, they won't be breathing after the initial thought crossed their minds."
"Can you read criminal minds now?" I asked Ranger.
"How do you think I find who I'm hunting?"
"Computer searches and Stark shakedowns?"
"Those can help."
"Oh brother. Okay, I'll go get my bag and meet you and Cal in the garage," I told Vince. "You do realize that you have plenty of time to do the nursery, right? The baby still won't be here for like five months."
"But it give us something to do while we wait. We'll have time to tackle your office for you, too. You'll need that done before the baby gets here."
"You guys really don't have to do all of this," I told them. "I appreciate it, but I sort of feel like I'm taking advantage of you."
"Steph," Ranger said, "they offered. And their days off are theirs to spend however they choose. I'm not paying them, and Rangeman isn't paying them to do any of this. It's a gift from them to you and the baby, and you should accept it as it was intended."
"Fine. I know when to give in gracefully," I said to them.
"No, you don't, Steph," Vince told me.
"Shut up. I'm trying to say thank you here."
"No thanks are needed," Junior said. "You're always telling people how much we've done for you, but you've done just as much for us."
"He's right, Steph," Ram added. "Some of the men didn't have family until they were hired to work at Rangeman, and you've been instrumental in that. Here we all look out for each other ... and you most of all."
"You guys are the best," I told them. "And I think everyone should know it."
"The important ones do know it, Babe. The rest don't matter."
I knew he was thinking of my mother.
"They definitely don't," I agreed.
"We'll go get your things and then I'll walk you out," Ranger told me.
"You just finished saying that your day is packed. I can find my own way out."
We all left the office, and Ranger hit the button for the seventh floor instead of answering.
I sighed ... half in exasperation and half in pleasure. Ranger really seems to enjoy spending time with me. I'd hoped that we'd still like each other after we started dating, but I never would've thought we'd love each other even more the longer we're together. It's disgusting how much I care about Ranger. In every other relationship I've been in, being with the guy too much made me see that I didn't really like him as much as I thought I could. And I used to think there was something wrong with me because of it, but now I see that I hadn't been seriously looking for someone to share my life with ... until Ranger.
Ranger unlocked the apartment door and waited for me to gather whatever I thought I'd need. He then locked up behind us and we got back into the elevator.
"What's got you feeling on edge?" Ranger asked on our way down to the garage. "You said you were feeling paranoid."
"Everything has been going so well, I just can't help but wonder when reality is going to come crashing down on us."
"I think it already did when we found out you were pregnant, Babe."
"Yeah, it did, but we've both dealt with that, and are actually looking forward to the day the baby gets here," I looked over at Ranger. "We are, aren't we?"
"We are, Steph. Along with everyone else."
"See, that's what has got me so jumpy. We all have something to lose now, and I'm worried that something might happen to the baby or to me while I'm carrying him."
"Steph, your life is different now. You live in a secure building, you hang out more with ex-military men than Lula, and you're consciously watching out for yourself."
"Are you saying that I'm more aware of my surroundings?"
"Yes. Unless you're willing to stay here in the building for the rest of your life, there's a chance something could happen, but we'll deal with it like we always have."
"I know. I think I just needed to hear you say it."
When we stepped into the underground garage, I saw that Cal had chosen a Rangeman SUV - probably Ranger's orders, since they all have tracking gizmos on them. My car isn't the only vehicle around here weighed down by electronic crap. Cal had even pulled up near the elevator where Ranger and I usually park.
"Expect pictures if I need another opinion," I warned Ranger.
"Bring 'em on, Babe."
Ranger opened the door for me and then kissed me goodbye. He waited until Cal was pulling out of the gate before taking the stairs back to his office.
"I'm sorry that Ranger is making you come, too," I told Cal. "I'm sure you had other things to do today."
Cal flicked his eyes to me before putting them back on the road.
"I prefer driving you around than doing system checks," Cal said. "And we all want in on this kid's room."
"Yeah, Steph, this is gonna be fun," Vince added. "I'm still surprised Ranger is letting us touch his apartment."
"Me, too," I told him. "But Ranger is pretty mellow when it comes to certain things."
"Ranger is a lot of things," Cal said, "mellow is not one of them. Especially if your name's connected to it."
"Add in a baby, and it's a freakin' miracle that he hasn't microchipped you," Vince told me, grinning as he did.
"You're hysterical, Vince," I said to him. "Don't you dare give him any ideas."
"Steph, Ranger doesn't need ideas from anyone," Cal chimed in. "Why do you think his security business is so successful?"
Shit. Maybe I should check my body out tonight for anything unusual just in case.
We made it to the store, and I walked into the building safely sandwiched between Cal and Vince as if an outraged guy sporting a tool belt was going to come at me. Then again, maybe they have a reason to be concerned. I've been chased with a chainsaw and also threatened with a screwdriver, and they sell those and many other tools that can easily be used as weapons. I took a look around just to make sure I didn't see anyone I know - or have arrested - hovering nearby.
Nothing exciting happened on the way to the paint aisle and I suddenly realized why my ugly apartment bathroom stayed so freakin' ugly. There are way too many things to think about, and then do, in order to have changed it. I'm really glad the guys seem to have some idea of what they're doing here.
"What were your bedrooms like growing up?" I asked Vince and Cal.
"I had to share a room with my brother," Vince said. "I only had the room to myself when he graduated and left the house to join the Marines. I left two years later and signed up with the Army."
"I didn't have a room," Cal said. "I just remember a bunch of couches. My mother's until age seven, then my grandmother's sofa, followed by my aunt's. I crashed at friends' houses when I was older."
"Where were your parents?" I asked, not wanting to pry, but I know Cal wouldn't have said anything at all if the subject was one he didn't want to share.
"They bailed. My 'dad' didn't want to admit to being one, and my mother decided having a kid slowed down her partying. On the day of my seventh birthday, my mom brought me to my grandmother's house for a family party, then conveniently forgot to pick me up. I haven't seen her since. When my grandmother had a bad stroke a few years later, my aunt got stuck with me until I was old enough to take care of myself."
"No one would ever think of being 'stuck with you', Cal," I told him, narrowing my eyes, annoyed that he'd think that. "How can you say that? There's a reason why you're my favorite Rangeman."
"Hey," Vince said. "What about me?"
"You're my favorite, too. Just don't tell the others."
"Why?" Cal asked. "Because you told them all the same thing?"
"Yep. And it wouldn't be nice to brag that you two are really my favorites."
"You're full of it, Steph," Vince told me.
"Yeah, I am. Usually. But not about you guys."
"Stephanie?" I heard from behind us.
"Crap," I whispered, then turned. "Hi, Dad. Funny bumping into you here. You remember Vince and Cal, don't you?"
"Yeah," my dad said to them, looking uncomfortable.
I'd take uneasy over my mother's obvious distaste.
"What are you doing here?" My dad asked me, confused as to why I'd be shopping in a store he frequents.
"The guys want to do the nursery for us," I told him, my hand automatically going to my stomach. Damn. Now I've caught the same stomach touching disease Ranger's been suffering from lately. "Apparently I'm here to nix any colors I don't like."
"How are you and the baby?" He asked.
"We're good. I'm still pregnant, the baby is still a boy, and everybody is still being amazing to us both."
"Everyone except your mother?"
"I didn't say that," I told him.
"But she told me you won't speak to her, and that you don't want us near the baby."
"Again, that's not what I said."
"What did you say then?"
"Look, Dad, this isn't exactly the place to get into that. I told her that Ranger and I are calling the shots here, and any decisions regarding this baby are ours to make. Did you know she was already planning to buy baby furniture without asking if she should first?"
"He's going to need a place to sleep."
"He would if he was staying at your house, but I already told you guys that this isn't going to be a repeat of Valerie's life. Ranger and I live and work in the same building, so we're not going to need round-the-clock babysitters. We can take care of him ourselves at Rangeman. And the guys and Ella are there to help if we need it."
"So your mother was right about you wanting to keep our grandchild away from us."
Cal and Vince had left the idea of paint behind, and each stood at my side in case I need reinforcements. I wonder if they're ESPing Ranger as we speak to tell him that there could be a problem.
"Like I tried to explain to Mom, this isn't about you, her, or anyone else. It's about my baby. And I promised him, and Ranger, that I'll do whatever I can for, and to protect, him. And if that includes limiting his exposure to certain people, then I'm going to do it. Nothing else matters, not hurt feelings, grudges, or petty bickering."
My dad blew out a breath. Guess I don't have to wonder where I get that habit from.
"All right," he said. "I understand that you're not happy with your mother, but I don't want to get caught in the middle of it."
Oh boy, I could hear Ranger now. He already thinks my dad is ineffective as a parent. And not wanting to pick my - and his grandson's side - over my mother's is going to piss Ranger off even more.
"Like it or not, Dad," I told him, "you're going to be in the middle of this. If Mom doesn't knock it off, the only way you're going to see the baby is at Rangeman."
"That's not fair."
"Maybe not in your mind," I said, "but it makes total sense to me and Ranger."
"Listen, can we go have a cup of coffee so we can talk?"
"Stephanie isn't drinking coffee," Vince told my dad. "Caffeine isn't good for the baby."
"It's fine, Vince. I know not to drink it even if my dad doesn't."
"You can have tea, cocoa, or water," my dad said, "I don't care. I just want to speak to you for a few minutes."
Ranger would probably caution me against it, but I was at least willing to hear my dad out before telling him the exact same thing I told my mom.
"Okay, we can go somewhere to talk," I told my dad, "but I'm not going to be gone long."
"That's fine," my dad told me.
I turned towards Cal and Vince. "You can head back to Rangeman once you're done here. I'll meet up with you guys there and we can make a final decision on what colors to go with."
"I could go for a coffee," Vince said. "How about you, Cal?"
"I was just thinking I needed a caffeine fix," Cal told him.
"You guys are impossible," I told them. "I'll be okay. And now you both can have an early day for once."
"We don't mind coming along," Vince said. "We promise we'll give you some privacy."
"You don't have to," I said to them. "My dad can drop me off at Rangeman afterwards."
"Are you sure?" Cal asked me. "Because I really don't think it's a good idea for us to go back to Rangeman without you."
"Cal, Ranger doesn't expect you to be chained to me. Not yet, anyway. I'll let Ranger know the change in plans and make him swear not to chew you out, okay?"
Both of the guys looked torn, wanting to do what I asked, but not liking the idea of pissing Ranger off.
"I swear, I'll be fine," I told them, and started walking to the cash with my dad before Cal or Vince decided to cuff themselves to me now that I'd given them the idea.
My dad paid for his stuff and I went with him out to his car, texting Ranger to say where I was going. My dad parked his Buick at the Starbucks five minutes from the store and we went inside. He ordered a coffee while I chose yet another bottle of water, and we grabbed a table near the window.
"So ... what should we discuss?" I asked him. "Aside from Mom, because I have nothing else to say to or about her."
"I didn't ask you here to discuss your mother, what I wanted to talk to you about is your Grandma Plum's rocking chair. Valerie and I discussed it, and we want you to have it for the baby's room."
"You and Valerie were talking about me?" I asked my dad.
"Well, Lisa's old enough for Valerie not to need the chair, and we both think it should be passed on to you."
"I'm not sure what to say," I said to him.
"You don't have to say anything," my dad told me. "It's only right that both of you get to use it."
"But it doesn't feel right taking it away from Valerie," I told him. "I appreciate the thought, though."
"Valerie says three kids is her limit, so it makes sense for you to have it for your first."
"My only," I told him.
I'm pretty sure I've now said that to everyone I've ever met.
My dad turned serious.
"If that's true, then you can't cut us out of this child's life."
"That's not up to me, Dad. You and Mom are the ones deciding how often you see your grandson. I'm not trying to be mean, or purposely being bitchy about this. I can't protect him his whole life, so I'm going to make the years I can count. And I don't want Mom talking down to him, or making him feel stupid for asking questions, or different because he doesn't think the same way she does."
"Your mother ..."
Whatever my dad was going to say in my mother's defense was cut off when a stocky guy with longish hair and deep-set eyes, sidled up to our table. Good thing the Rangemen aren't here, I thought to myself, or this guy's cheek would be sporting a tile imprint due to his face being pressed flat into the coffee shop's floor by Cal probably.
"You Stephanie Plum?" He asked me.
"Umm ..."
"It's not a hard question," he told me. "A yes or no answer will do."
"Who wants to know?" My dad said.
Great ... another guy who felt he had to protect me.
"Name's Carter Manning. And I'd like to have a word with Ms. Plum."
"It's Mrs. Manoso now," my dad informed him.
Guess I wasn't staying anonymous for long.
"I just want to speak to you for a minute if you don't mind," he said to me.
I sighed. "Sure," I said. "What about?"
"We have a mutual friend that needs your help."
"What friend?" I asked.
He didn't look like someone Mary Lou hung out with. Dougie or Mooner are possibilities. I'd say Vinnie, but no one would ever admit to being friends with Vinnie.
The guy looked towards the door, then back at me.
"I'd rather keep this between the two of us," he said, nodding in my dad's direction.
"I don't think so," I told him.
I wasn't taking any unnecessary risks, and this guy looked like he could be a big one.
"It would be in this friend's best interest for you to talk to me," the guy said.
"Then say what you have to here."
"I'd rather not."
"Okay, then. It was nice meeting you," I said, and turned back to my dad.
The guy finally disappeared just as my drink from lunch wanted to reappear. The bathroom breaks are getting less immediate now, but I hate to think how frequent they'll be as the baby gets bigger.
"I'm going to hit the ladies room," I told my dad before standing up. "I'll be right back."
I was coming out of the bathroom, scanning the room in front of me to make sure my dad hadn't called my mom while I was gone, when I felt a gun press into my ribs, scarily close to where the baby is growing. The guy from earlier closed an arm around my neck and was quickly leading me out the back entrance before it even occurred to me to start screaming.
It's okay, Stephanie, I told myself. You have your gun and stun gun in your bag, and you're wearing your ass-kicking boots, you'll be fine. Just stay calm and figure out how to get yourself out of this. Manning didn't look especially crazy, high, or at all interested in me, so I felt confident that I could talk my way out of this.
"What's with the gun?" I asked him, scouting the parking lot for potential help when we cleared the building.
Guess that's why the gun was pressed into my side instead of my head, no one could see it. I bet he let go of my neck for the same reason, so we wouldn't attract any attention.
"Look, I'm not going to hurt you ..."
"I've heard that before," I told him.
"Don't take this the wrong way," he said, "but I don't really give a fuck about you."
"I've heard that, too."
"You're bait, nothing more."
Now we're getting somewhere.
"Bait for who?" I asked.
We made it all the way to a white pickup - his I assumed - before he answered.
"Joe Morelli. That asshole shot my brother, and I plan on making him pay for it."
I'd read in the paper a few days ago about Joe having to use deadly force when a suspect pulled a gun on him while Morelli was in the process of an arrest.
"What does that have to do with me?" I asked, stalling so I wouldn't be forced into the truck.
I remember hearing someone once say, never let an attacker take you to a secondary location, and that is my goal, but I didn't want to chance agitating him into using his gun, or anything else, on me.
"Everybody knows that you and Morelli used to be a thing, and the stupid fuck still has it bad for you."
"As my dad pointed out," I said to him, "I'm married to someone else."
"What the fuck does that have to do with anything?"
For one, Ranger is not going to be happy with a guy pulling a gun on me.
"I doubt Morelli is going to care that you have me," I told him.
"Then you don't know shit about men," he said to me. "Now get Morelli on the phone and tell him to meet us at that empty lot off Bridge Street."
"I still think you're wasting your time."
"And I know I'm not. Now ... call him. You really don't want me to get physical with you. You're a means to an end, but that doesn't mean I won't make it end for you right here if you don't do what I say."
As far as kidnappings go, this one isn't too bad. Maybe Ranger will cut Manning a little slack when he gets his hands on him. Probably not, though.
"I'm not fucking around," Manning said. "Get him on the line."
He had the passenger's door of his 4x4 open and me in between him and the seat, so I did what anyone would do if they were me in this situation. Instead of calling Morelli, I dialed Ranger.
"Hi, Joseph," I said into the phone.
I never called Joe ... Joseph, and Ranger would pick up on that. And he also knows that I have no reason to be calling Morelli. Ranger's danger detector will no doubt be telling him that I once again stumbled into something I hadn't planned on.
"I have a guy here with me who wants you to meet us at that abandoned lot off of Bridge Street."
I tried not to sigh at the sound of Ranger's calm voice.
"Are you okay?" He asked me.
"Yeah. Right now I'm still at the Starbucks on Market Street, but Carter Manning wants you to meet us at the other location so he can talk to you in person."
"Don't worry, Babe. I'm on my way. I'll be there before you know it, and I'll do more than 'talk' to him."
"Okay," I said, and disconnected.
Ranger is coming for us, and I'm sure I can keep the baby and myself safe until then.
"He said he's on his way," I told Carter.
"Good. Now get in the truck."
"He's already agreed to meet you, you don't need me now."
"I disagree. If Morelli decides not to show, or calls the station first, I'm going to need leverage."
"What are you going to do to Joe?"
"Don't worry your pretty little head about that," Manning said to me. "When I'm sure Officer Morelli is there, and alone, I'll let you go."
I had to say, he is one of the more easygoing abductors I've ever encountered.
"It'll be better for you if you just let me go now," I told him.
If only I could get to my stun gun without Manning noticing, but I didn't want to spook him which may result in him getting a shot off before I could get far enough away. I know I could probably survive a bullet wound, a baby I'm not as sure of.
"No. Now get inside," he said, trying to push me into the cab of the truck.
"I don't think so," I heard Cal say. "Drop the fucking gun, or your brain matter won't be the only shit splattered across your vehicle."
I don't know what Cal is doing here, but I'm happy that he's going to get Manning cuffed and away from me before Ranger shows up. I don't want Ranger in trouble for killing Carter Manning. Although Ranger's never admitted it, I know he's behind Abruzzi's 'suicide', and I don't want to ever put Ranger in that position again.
"Who the hell are you?" Manning asked Cal.
"Your worst nightmare. Now put the gun down before I remove it ... along with your hand, then your arm just for not listening to me."
Cal is one of the gentlest men in the Rangeman group, but even I was intimidated by his tone and threat. Cal would do that and much, much more if I was in trouble.
"Son of bitch," Manning mumbled, but did exactly what Cal told him.
And Carter didn't even know that Vince is probably around here somewhere. Manning dropped his gun onto the pavement and he was pulled away from me, his face meeting macadam instead of the coffee shop's tile like I pictured earlier. Vince was immediately there, reaching out an arm to tug me off the seat and away from the truck.
"Are you all right?" Vince asked me.
"Yeah. He was surprising polite for a guy trying to abduct me."
"Why was he after you?" Cal asked, securing both Manning's arms and legs.
"He wanted Morelli and thought I'd be a good way of getting Joe to come to him."
All other questions were put on hold as a flash of black raced into the parking lot. Batman had arrived, and he didn't look pleased. Well, he looked pleased and relieved when he saw me standing safely with his men, but I - and everyone else - could see that Ranger was out for blood ... Manning's, the guys' maybe, and I'm sure Joe is going to be hearing about this.
"Are you okay, Babe?" Ranger asked, as his arms closed securely around me.
"Yeah, I'm good."
"What happened here?"
"My dad wanted to talk to me, so we came here," I said to him. "This guy showed up and said we have a 'mutual friend' who needed help. When I wouldn't come outside with him to discuss it, he apparently waited around the place for me. When I came out of the bathroom, he stuck a gun in my ribs, forced me out the back exit, and then told me to call Morelli."
Ranger, Cal, and Vince all went still. Shit. I could tell they were trying to rein in their tempers.
"Manning wasn't acting like a complete asshole, and I was armed, so I felt that I had a good chance against him," I said to Ranger. "He really didn't seem like he wanted to hurt me."
"Looks can be deceiving, Stephanie," he told me.
"I know, but my instincts said Manning was telling the truth when told me he was going to let me go. Morelli on the other hand ... might not have fared as well. Remember that story in the paper about Joe?"
"Yes."
"Manning is the suspect's brother."
"So he's got a beef with Morelli," Ranger stated, not asked.
"Yeah. Seems Manning wanted a little payback."
"And he was willing to use you to get a meeting with Morelli."
"That was the plan," I said. "It didn't work, though, thanks to Cal."
Cal looked a bit anxious. "Stephanie told us she'd be fine with her dad, and that we could go back to Rangeman," Cal told Ranger, "but we didn't feel right leaving her so we followed behind them and stayed in the parking lot. We didn't realize she was in trouble until that asshole was crowding her against the truck."
"Don't blame yourself, Cal ..."
"Blame Morelli," Ranger told us. "And your father."
"You should be mad at Manning, Ranger, not my dad or Joe."
"One of the reasons I have issues with your father, Babe, is his lack of participation in protecting you. And once again, he wasn't there for you. Where were Cal and Vince?"
"Umm ... looks like they were right behind me."
"Exactly, because they care about you and the baby's safety and well-being," Ranger said to me. "Where the hell is your father? If we walk into that building right now, will we see a worried Frank on the phone with the police? Or will he be sitting there, sipping coffee and eating a black and white cookie, not noticing that you were in trouble?"
I wouldn't say it out loud, but my dad probably just ordered a second cookie.
"My dad didn't know what was going on," I told Ranger. "Manning dragged me out the back exit so he wouldn't have seen anything."
"So ... the father who is aware of the situations you've found yourself in, didn't think anything of his pregnant daughter being gone for ... how long now? Right after you were approached by someone you didn't know?" Ranger asked quietly. Anyone close to Ranger knows that quiet means pissed off. "And he still hasn't checked to see what's taken you so fucking long, has he?"
Looks like everyone is too upset today to worry about trivial things like cursing in front of me.
"Ranger, I really don't want you to beat the crap out of my dad."
"Would you feel better staying here with Vince?" He asked me.
"No. You can't kill my dad ... or Joe, either," I tried to tell him.
"Yes, I can, Steph, but I don't want you to think too long about that."
"Ranger ..." I said, knowing that he might not be joking.
"What did your dad want to discuss with you that brought you here in the first place?" Ranger asked me.
"He and Valerie decided I should get the rocking chair that was my grandmother's - on my dad's side - for the baby's room."
"We can get our own rocking chair if we want one," Ranger told me. "We don't need anything from your father."
"You're really upset with him, aren't you?" I asked him.
"Yes. You were going out to discuss paint options and you wind up almost being abducted," Ranger said to me. "I should be upset. If Cal and Vince hadn't stuck around, and Manning was feeling trigger happy, we could be having this conversation in the emergency room ... minus a baby."
I could feel the blood drain from my face. Ranger has every reason to be angry. It should be at Manning, though, not anyone else.
"I really don't think Manning was going to shoot me," I told Ranger, trying to calm him down. "He didn't seem very threatening at all. He was after Joe, not me."
"A person doesn't have to act threatening to be deadly, Steph," Ranger told me. "One bullet wound, intended or not, is all it'd take to completely change our life and take away our baby."
I suddenly felt like throwing up.
"Babe, you did exactly what you should have. You kept a clear head, didn't panic, and called me for backup. I'm just pointing out how serious this could have been, and how things could've gone very wrong."
"I get that. And I swear this is the last time I'm getting sucked into someone else's problem."
"If you figure out how to prevent that, Steph, please share it, because I still haven't found a way of combating your ability to land in this type of shit. Now let's send your father home so we can go home ourselves. You can talk to the police tomorrow if Mr. Manning ever gets to the TPD."
I wasn't asking any questions. Ranger said this morning that he's a fair man, and he is. Manning didn't really do more than point a gun at me, so Carter will most likely be turned over to the boys in blue.
"You're not going to pull any punches with my dad, are you?" I asked Ranger.
"No. Your family needs to learn that there are consequences to their actions."
"You're including my mother in that," I said.
"Yes. I'm tired of all their crap, and it's not good for the baby to have you constantly trying to reason with them, so I'm ending it now."
Uh-oh.
Ranger kept his arm around me, and led me back into the building, while Cal and Vince took Manning to God knows where. Hopefully he'd make it to the police station in one piece.
"Stephanie?" My dad said when he saw us. "When did Ranger get here?"
Yep, Ranger's going to let him have it. I'd like to stop it, but I didn't know how.
"Frank," Ranger said, his voice not rising, but it didn't have to, "what the hell is wrong with you?"
My dad's eyes darted back and forth between Ranger and I.
"What do you mean?" He asked Ranger. "Is there a problem?"
I could tell Ranger's anger went up a degree, though his expression didn't change as far as I could tell.
"If you call your daughter almost getting kidnapped and your unborn grandson being threatened a problem," Ranger told him, "then I'd say yes, there's a huge one."
"What happened?" My dad asked. "Stephanie said she was going to the ladies room."
"Let's take this outside ... again," Ranger said.
My dad stood up, but looked uncertain and confused. We all walked back out and headed to my dad's car.
"Okay, will someone tell me what the hell is going on?" My dad asked us.
"That man who wanted to 'talk' to your daughter, held a gun on her and your grandchild to get at Morelli," Ranger informed him.
My father went pale, but Ranger wasn't feeling particularly sympathetic towards him.
"He could have shot and killed your daughter while you were in there drinking coffee and thinking about dinner."
"I ..."
"There's no defending that, Frank," Ranger said, lacing into him. "Stephanie's life isn't a stress-free one, but incidents like this can be prevented with a little awareness."
"Ranger ..." I started to say.
"Let him finish, Stephanie," my dad said, "I want to hear what he has to say."
"Why weren't you looking out for your daughter?" Ranger asked him. "Every one of my men know that if a stranger approaches Stephanie, you follow as closely behind her as she'll let you afterwards to make sure she stays unharmed. Even Morelli managed to figure out that is standard Stephanie procedure. And again, you proved to me that Stephanie isn't a priority to you or your wife ... not when she was a child and not now. Why didn't you check to see where Stephanie was when she didn't come right back to your table? You couldn't put two and two together that Stephanie disappears a few minutes after a man she doesn't know was trying to get her alone?"
My dad didn't say anything for a few beats. "No. I didn't think ..."
Ranger cut him off. "You're exactly right, Frank. You didn't think. I'll never dictate who Stephanie can see, or speak to, but I will say that I don't feel comfortable with either you or your wife watching our baby. Any visitation will be supervised."
"Because I didn't know Stephanie was in danger?" My dad asked.
I inhaled. He couldn't have found a worse thing to say to Ranger.
"No," Ranger said to him, "because it never even occurred to you that she could be. You ready to leave, Babe?"
"Yeah. I'll meet you at the car ... okay?"
Ranger didn't like that, but out of respect for me, he gave me a slight nod and headed to his Turbo.
"I understand that Ranger is upset," my dad told me, "but he can't mean that."
"Dad, even if Ranger is blind with rage," I said, "it doesn't affect his decision making. Ranger always does what he feels is right. I already told Mom something similar to what Ranger just said to you. I'm learning from my mistakes so my kid doesn't have to make the same ones. And I completely agree with Ranger on this. Not because it'll make him happy, but because I think he makes a few valid points."
"Your mother and I love you. And we'll love our grandson ..."
"I don't doubt that. What I do question is the environment he'll be in. Mom dislikes anyone who doesn't agree with her, and even you were worried about me being interested in Ranger because he isn't Italian and likes 'foreign' cars."
"You know I don't hold any of that against him. I like Ranger."
"I'm sure you do, but that's not going to change our minds on this. We're not saying that you can't see the baby, just that you'll get to spend time with the daughter you say you love - and the man you just claimed to like - along with your grandson."
"That doesn't sound so bad, Stephanie. I don't like to admit it, Ranger did make sense."
"He always does, which is annoying, but also extremely helpful at times.
"Ranger is right. I haven't put my kids, or even my grandkids, before myself. Maybe these 'visits' you mentioned could change that."
"I hope so, but I doubt it'll change things with Mom."
"I'll work on her. I can at least do that for you."
"Good luck," I said. "You're going to need it."
My neck tingle was steadily getting stronger. I glanced over my shoulder and saw Ranger watching me. He was leaning against the back of the Turbo with his arms crossed over his chest. It was obvious that Ranger was intimidating everyone around us except me. I wasn't feeling nervous, I was starting to feel warm the longer I looked at him. And I'm certain the sun isn't the cause of it.
It's times like these that make me question reality, and make me want to pinch myself like Ranger had pointed out. To think that Batman is married to me, as well as my baby's father, is insane because I don't think I've done anything to deserve him. What's even crazier ... is that Ranger doesn't feel he deserves me.
"Looks like Ranger is getting impatient," my dad said to me.
"Yep. I'd better get moving before he makes someone wet their pants with something other than coffee. I'll talk to you later."
My dad caught my arm before I'd moved too far away.
"I mean it, Stephanie," he said. "I'm going to make an effort from now on."
"I heard you, Dad. And I'm willing to keep an open mind, but just know that Ranger and the baby are always going to come first."
I said goodbye and walked over to where Ranger was standing.
"What was so important that you needed me out of the way to say?" Ranger asked, as my dad drove away.
"I didn't need, or want, you 'out of the way'," I told him. "I just wanted my dad to know that I feel the same way you do so he can't say that the big, bad bounty hunter is bossing his poor, defenseless daughter around. I'm not a child, and I don't want him to see me as one anymore. I'm taking responsibility for my part in things now, and I expect my family to do the same."
"They should. And if they don't, they will be the ones missing out. I'm trying real hard not to force a Rangeman shadow on you, Babe, but after today if I feel it's needed, you will have a man or two with you when you leave the building."
"I can live with that. There is something interesting that came out of this," I told Ranger.
"And what's that?" Ranger asked, pushing off the car and walking me around the side of it.
"All those times Morelli warned me about being friends with you - or getting involved with you - because you and your lifestyle are dangerous, and Joe and his job were the ones who just got me held at gunpoint."
"And when Morelli realizes that, Babe," Ranger said, leaning slightly into my side of the car, "and calls you up to say how 'sorry' he is, I want you to hand me the phone."
"So you're not about to drop me off at Rangeman and take off to confront Joe? You're going to just yell at him over the phone?"
I guess I'm not the only one changing here.
"I don't remember saying that, Steph," he told me, and closed the door so I couldn't respond.
I watched Ranger walk around the hood of the car, and started thinking up ways of getting - and then keeping - Ranger inside the apartment. Helping the guys with the nursery, discussing furniture options, or maybe I'll fight really dirty and just use ... me.
