Chapter 10

At the words of his attacker, Ranger felt the rage boiling inside him but he kept a firm grip on it. Rule number one: Never act on emotions. Emotions get you killed. So he stayed immobile, careful of the knife at his throat. He had no doubt that the other wouldn't hesitate to kill him. Had the other wanted him dead, he would be dead right now, not a feeling he appreciated too much. But he was still alive, so he guessed the guy wanted something from him after all. And he was not kidding himself.

Interesting.

"Likewise," he answered, forcing himself to relax against the wall.

No, it really wasn't bad at all. So far no one had ever been able to break into this place. Some came over the fence, yeah, but never into his house. And so far, very few people had managed to sneak up on him like that – or pin him down like that for that matter.

Very interesting.

"It was a challenge."

Ranger felt as the other shifted his weight lightly, though not enough for him to do something. Light flooded his bedroom, finding McParrish's green eyes only inches away from his. Not that Ranger was surprised. He had recognized the voice the moment he had spoken.

"But I like a good challenge." McParrish's eyes had an amused shimmer in them.

Knife still steady at Ranger's throat, McParrish reached behind himself with his free hand and a nice Sig Sour lay in it when he drew his hand back. Slowly, McParrish pulled away from him to stand back a few steps and he flipped the knife close.

Ranger stayed where he was, one eye keeping the gun trained onto his heart in sight. "Any special reason for your visit?"

McParrish smiled. "I could think of several. But mostly I just wanted to see if you are as good as I was told."

Slowly, Ranger crossed his arms in front of his chest. "I am."

"Aye, you are," McParrish nodded. "And I'm very pleased about that."

Ranger raised an eyebrow. "What do you want?"

"I also heard you're efficient. Don't lose time." McParrish smiled, but then turned serious, all trace of humor leaving his face and eyes. "I need your help."

Now wasn't that interesting? Ranger looked at the gun then to McParrish. "I don't make business at gun point," he pointed out calmly.

"No?" McParrish raised an eyebrow. "And if I don't trust you enough to put up the gun?" he asked, curiously.

Ranger shrugged. "Shoot or leave."

For a moment, McParrish searched Ranger's eyes and then nodded. "You know, Manoso, I'm starting to like you," he said with a small smile and put up his gun, placing it back to where he had taken it from.

Ranger pushed away and walked over to his own glock and pushed it into the small of his back also. He motioned to the door. "After you," he said, ignoring McParrish's comment.

Again McParrish locked eyes with him for a few seconds before he slowly walked to the door, exposing his back to Ranger. Too bad. Ranger would have loved to have a reason to just shoot the guy and kick him out of his house. McParrish never hesitated while he led the way to Ranger's office, confirming Ranger's suspicion that McParrish had had also quite some time to look around before Ranger had gotten home. Or he had somehow gotten a correct blueprint of his house. Whatever it was, he would have to search for this leak. It was unacceptable that someone had such an easy time breaking in here.

Once in his office, Ranger nodded to the chair in front of his desk while he moved over to his own chair behind the desk. He sat up and told the computer to give him a report on how McParrish had been able to break in. Finally, he leaned back in his chair and faced McParrish.

McParrish was unfazed by Ranger's delay tactics. Actually, he seemed to be mostly amused. "You'll find that I came through the gates," he said.

Ranger didn't move a muscle.

Sensing that it was high time to get down to business, McParrish turned all serious. "I got word that you're running me."

Ranger still said nothing.

"So you'll have found out that I have a clean file, am a war photographer and have no family ties," McParrish said. "And I assume you also don't believe a word in this file."

"No," Ranger agreed.

"And you'd be right. Partly." For the first time, McParrish looked away. "You know the drill, Manoso. I know you want to know more, but I simply can't. So I hope it's enough if I tell you that I am a war photographer – but I'm not just taking pictures when I'm on assignment."

Now Ranger raised an eyebrow, his eyes piercing McParrish's profile. The Irish man was right: Ranger knew the drill – and he also knew that McParrish had just given him more information than someone in his position should. He had told him basically that he was an agent and doing cover ops for the government. This alone could mean immediate elimination in some of these groups. Ranger wasn't sure which branch this man worked for. There were quite a few, some known to the public, some not. He had a hunch that McParrish fell into the second category, which would make more sense. Ranger's network reached pretty deep so if McParrish was working for a first category organization he would have known it by now.

"I see," Ranger said with a nod. "What I can't see is what you want from me."

McParrish looked back to him. "It says in your file that you sometime take on jobs for the government. I'd like to hire you."

Well, that wasn't so much of a surprise. If McParrish had a job to do here in Trenton it was logic to search for help with locals who can be trusted. Plus, RangeMan had excellent employees with expertise on almost every field in this business. Some of his men even were former agents of sorts, though most were ex-army. Agents like McParrish usually operated alone or in a small team. If they needed more manpower RangeMan often provided them with it – to a very lucrative price of course. No, Ranger wasn't surprised that McParrish was searching for help for whatever was about to go down here in Trenton. What did surprise him though was that he had gone to the trouble to actually come here instead of just coming to RangeMan. Of course, if he had run Ranger, and he was sure McParrish had done that, then the Irish would have also found out that he was close to Steph and that for sure would explain why McParrish seemed to have a personal interest in him.

Ranger leaned forward and put his elbows on his desk, fingertips pressed at each other, and looked at the other man. "I need to know more."

"And if I don't want to tell you more before you accept?" McParrish asked.

"Then you know the way out," Ranger said, matter-of-factly. "But I'm getting tired of your little tests. Either say what you want or leave."

McParrish gave a short laugh. "I see why Nisha likes you so much." The smile that had formed at the mention of Steph died as fast as it had come. "Very well then. I'm coming to you because I have reason to believe that people I'm working with and thought I could trust them implicitly may be traitors. I can't trust them anymore, but I can't do this alone." His eyes were iron hard by now and Ranger finally understood why this guy had even Tank spooked. "You have a good reputation, you have a good network and excellent men at hand."

True. "Say I agree to help you: What do you expect RangeMan to do?"

"Help me find proof of the treason and bring the traitors down. If I'm right then he or they have sold me and the people I love out to my enemies and one of them is here in Trenton. I think he's the one who tried to kill Nisha today over at this Italian place. I need to find him and fast. I'm not familiar with the area. You are." He paused for a moment to lock eyes with Ranger. "You already have men on my wife, Manoso. I assume I'm right when I think you'll help me protect and save her. She needs protection 24/7 until I have dealt with my enemies, and I'd feel better if you can also provide security for her family."

Averting his eyes, Ranger leaned back, thinking. They both knew that he would agree to work with him, even though he didn't like the settings. It always got messy if you had to meddle with something internal. And from what he had been able to see in McParrish eyes these traitor or traitors were also people he had considered as his friends. Perhaps even a partner. Such complications could always lead to disaster – and the death of his men. It didn't matter that each and every one of his men, Ranger included, was prepared to die. When Ranger had founded this business he had also promised himself that personal losses were unacceptable. They had had enough of them while serving. So he stayed away from suicide missions and usually only accepted jobs he was pretty sure he could get his men through alive.

But this was about his Babe. And regardless of her being McParrish's wife, like the Irish was very careful to point out time and time again, or not, Ranger would do and risk everything for her safety.

Ranger sighed inwardly. He wouldn't look forward to work with McParrish. He respected the guy. His gut told him that he could even like McParrish. But he hated him for claiming his Babe for himself. And he feared him because he sensed that he could even do what so far no one had managed: Take his Babe out of Ranger's life.

He turned back to McParrish who had waited patiently for Ranger to come to terms with his job offer. "Why trust me?"

McParrish smiled. "You have a good reputation that I got confirmed from various sides."

Ranger waited. They both knew that wasn't it. And even though Ranger thought he knew what the final reason for McParrish turning to him was, he still wanted to hear it from him.

"You're right," McParrish gave a slight nod and met Ranger's gaze openly. "What brought me here are two things. One, the way you look at my wife."

It took Ranger years of training to not react to McParrish's words and remain silent.

"And second and foremost: Nisha trusts you implicitly," McParrish smiled. "She has good instincts, but you already know that. I trust her. You won't let her get hurt, of that I can be certain. And this is exactly what I need right now."

Ranger didn't say anything. What could he say? McParrish had spoken the simple truth. Instead, he sat up to activate all his systems.

"RangeMan's services are very expensive," he mentioned. Not that it mattered, but he was a businessman after all and wouldn't skip on a good opportunity.

McParrish shrugged. "That's not an issue."

Ranger nodded. "Let's start," he simply said.

Trying desperately to finally fall asleep, Steph flopped onto her stomach as she had done that perhaps already a few dozens times since going to bed.

Moments ticked by.

Ugh!

Exasperated, Steph turned again and sat up, pulling her knees up. Finding out that her dead husband was in fact very much alive was a real damper on sleep. She sighed and rested her chin on her knees, thinking. Not that she had done anything else but thinking since she had left her parent's home.

God, she needed someone to talk to!

Growling, she reached over to her nightstand to grab her cell and pushed speed dial.

It only took two rings. "Steph?"

Yeah! She had just known Mary Lou would be still awake. "Yeah."

For a moment it was silent.

"So…" Mary Lou said.

"Yeah," Steph sighed.

"He's alive, huh?" Mary Lou continued after another silent moment.

"Yeah," Steph sighed again.

"And what are his excuses?" Mary Lou asked, a bit more sharply.

Steph shook her head. "That's a long, long story." Then she changed the topic. "Are Lenny and the boys all right?"

"Yeah, Thank God. At first they were a bit shaken of course. Now the boys can't wait to go to school tomorrow," Mary Lou answered amused.

Steph grinned. "One gotta have love the Burg."

"You can say that out loud," Mary Lou replied and Steph could just hear the matching grin in her voice.

They fell into silence again. "You have some time?" Steph asked finally.

"Sure, honey. The diner?" Mary Lou simply said.

Steph nodded. "Be there in fifteen."

"See you there."

Like she had promised, Steph was over at the diner at the Hevingston Crossing in fifteen minutes. When she entered it she saw Mary Lou already sitting in a secluded booth, stirring a large cup of coffee. Steph slid in across from her with a small, thankful smile to her friend. But before she even had a chance to say 'Hi', Berta, the sixty and something old waitress that worked the night shift as long as Steph could remember, came over to ask what she wanted. She ordered a coffee and a lemon pie.

Berta brought Steph her order not two minutes later and finally the two friends were alone.

Mary Lou leaned back, looking closely at her best friend. "So, what were his excuses?"

Steph sighed and shrugged. "To make it short: first he was really unable to return for a year or so… And the rest of the years he thought I was still married happily to the Dick."

With a shake of her head, Mary Lou snorted. "Lame." She waited a moment. "You haven't already forgiven him, have you?"

But Steph avoided her sharp gaze. "It's not so easy 'Lou. He… there were some pretty good reasons why he came to believe this nonsense."

"And already he has you wrapped around his finger again," Mary Lou said with a sigh. "Steph, if he really would have loved you, then he would never have let you believe he's dead all these years. If you've meant anything to him at all, then he should have come the minute he got back, no matter if he thought you happy or not. It's the least you deserved."

Steph would still not meet her friend's eyes. Mary Lou knew a lot about Pat – but not of his real work. Yet, she secretly thought that Mary Lou had a very good point there – she had the same thought herself since Pat had gotten back.

"Perhaps. Maybe. But…" Her voice trailed off.

For a while the two friends were silent.

"Is it true you two are still married Steph?" Mary Lou finally broke the silence, changing the topic slightly.

Steph gave a laugh that sounded dangerously close to a sob to her ears. "Looks like."

Mary Lou sighed. "I feared so. I guess his return from death makes you his wife again, huh?"

Steph nodded, looking down. "We never got divorced after all."

Again the two were silent for a while, while Steph started to eat her lemon pie.

"What will you do now?" Mary Lou asked finally, not able to hold her curiosity back any longer.

Stopping the next forkful on its way to her mouth, Steph slowly put the fork down and sat back with a sigh. "I honestly don't know, 'Lou."

"I guess I don't have to ask what Pat wants, huh," Mary Lou asked sarcastically.

Steph shook her head. "He wants me back."

Mary Lou nodded. She hadn't expected it any other way. "So it comes down to the question if you want him back or not," she brought it to a point.

Steph's eyes flickered to her friend and away again. "I guess so."

"And?" Mary Lou probed.

"I don't know!" Steph flared up and she glared at Mary Lou. "God, I barely can believe he's back, alive… I've loved him so much, still do, but…" She broke off and shook her head. "His death was the worst thing I've ever went through, only followed by the loss of Brianna and it changed me… Then the thing with Dickie came and I changed some more. Then I started bounty hunting and things started to really change. What if Pat doesn't love the new me as much? And Pat must have changed as well. What if I don't love him enough anymore?"

She broke off and shook her head angrily. "I do love him… how could I not? And it feels so good to be in his arms again, to have him close after all these years… we talked and sometimes it felt like those seven years never happened. My body still sure wants him." She bit her lip and looked down. "And then those seven years are suddenly standing between us again like a big, deep gape and it's hard to believe we can ever manage to bridge this gap."

Mary Lou's heart went out to her friend and she reached over to take Steph's hand in hers. "It must be one hell of a tough situation for you," she said quietly.

Steph laughed and nodded, but said nothing.

"I know you think he was the love of your life, Stephie, but please… before you jump head over into a relationship with Pat again, think about what he has done to you." Mary Lou hated to play the devil's advocate, but Pat's supposedly death had nearly destroyed Steph and surely had broken her heart. She just couldn't watch it happen all over again.

For a moment Steph stared at her, not sure if she should be angry on Pat's account or touched by her best friend's worry. Finally, she shook her head. "I know you never liked him that much..."

"You can say that out loud. That man had way too many dubious parts in his life!" Mary Lou agreed full heartedly.

Steph wisely ignored her objection. "But please, no matter what you think, he loves me, 'Lou. More than life itself. Of that I never had a single doubt - still haven't. Pat may have acted wrong when he finally got back but he still did it because he thought it was the best thing for me. To protect me, my heart, my happiness."

Mary Lou snorted.

With a frown Steph squeezed Mary Lou's hand. "No, it is true. And believe it or not, but his decision to stay away from me was as hard for him if not harder as for me to keep believing him dead. He thought I was happy and resigned himself to a miserable life – out of love to me."

Mary Lou rolled her eyes in exasperation. "I see he didn't waste any time to use his Irish tongue on you – and it worked, didn't it?"

Offended, Steph shook her head and drew her hand back. "You haven't seen the pain in his eyes, 'Lou. You haven't heard the loneliness in his voice."

With a sigh, Mary Lou shook her head too. "Look, Steph, I admit I'm not his biggest fan – never was. But I know he's basically a good guy – more or less. But he still broke your heart seven years ago and I don't want to see him breaking it again."

Suddenly, Steph's eyes burned. She quickly looked down. "Thanks, 'Lou. I appreciate this. But there are things you don't have any power over it - nor me for that matter," she added in a whisper.

"Still don't have to like it though, do I?" Mary Lou retorted, stubborn. "And you, you don't have to expose your inner most to him again."

"Has it occurred to you that I don't want to hurt him either? I do love him," Steph asked her softly. She waited for a moment. "I took him home to dinner tonight," she added, casually.

Mary Lou raised her eyebrows in surprise. "And?"

"Well, we came out of it alive," Steph said, only half joking. There had been a few moment she really had feared for Pat a bit. "Turned out Dad knew all about us. Even about Brianna." She shuddered. "That was one long talk we had with Mom and Dad."

Mary Lou couldn't help but giggle. She would bet on that! But then she turned serious again. "So you told him about the baby?"

"I had to," Steph whispered.

Again, Mary Lou's heart flew out to her friend. She hadn't known herself about Steph's miscarriage until a few years later when it had broken out of Steph during a girl's night out. And only the obvious pain of Steph had stopped her from being totally furious with her best friend that she hadn't allowed her to be there for Steph through it all. "How he'd take it?"

"Hard," Steph said, not elaborating on it. She didn't dare to. She didn't want to break out into bawls here and have it spread all over the Burg by tomorrow morning.

Mary Lou wisely let the topic drop and instead asked the one thing she was sure would bring Steph back from her pained thoughts. "What about Ranger?"

TBC!

(Author's Note: Like promised, here another chapter. And not the last one of the old ones after all, as I've noticed. Well, the new parts still will come soon enough. In the meanwhile, I hope you enjoyed this one as well. Thanks for the wonderful reviews and of course it had been Pat! Who else?"