This has been another crazy week and I wanted to post this while I have the chance. All familiar characters belong to Janet. The mistakes are mine.
Ranger's POV
Tank and I agreed that the Raimes takedown should happen at twenty-two hundred hours - ten o' clock Stephanie time. There were no kids to watch tonight, and most of the 'innocent' citizens in Melinda Raimes' neighborhood would be tucked away in their homes by then so we could get her without including half of Comstock in the process.
I could tell Stephanie was nervous. She was used to dressing up and seducing men into doing whatever she wanted, which was to get them into cuffs and back behind bars. Taking in a woman who is just as dangerous as the crime bosses she grew up hearing about is not something Stephanie's all that familiar with.
"Steph, you'll be fine," I told her, as she checked her gun for the fourth time."And your gun is still loaded. The bullets can't take themselves out."
"I'm not thinking about me," she said."You guys are always watching my back, and I worry that one of these days your luck will run out and someone will be hurt protecting me."
"That's their job, Babe. Bodyguards are supposed to take a bullet for you."
"But my bodyguards just happen to also be my friends," she told me."I don't want them to take anything meant for me."
"I'd take that and a lot more for you, Stephanie."
"But I don't want you to ever have to."
"We all understand the risks, Steph," I said."And we willingly take them everyday if that means you're safe."
"And while I love you all for that, I can't stand thinking of anyone being injured period. Never mind on my account."
"That's why we'll be taking extra men besides Tank and Bobby. We'll have a man on each of us so things can't get out of control."
She let out a breath."That does make me relax a little."
"Good. Tank and everyone else are downstairs waiting for us."
"At least I don't have to wear heels for this apprehension," she said,"if I needed a bright side."
"I'm not ashamed to admit that I do miss the heels and your usual short skirt, Babe."
"But jeans and Cat boots are more practical."
"You do look mouth-watering in jeans."
"That was my intention," she told me, closing the couple inches between us and sliding her hands up the muscles of my chest.
She got up on her toes and kissed the corner of my mouth.
"Let's go get your woman," she said.
My arms closed around her, trapping her right where she was against me.
"I already got her," I whispered across her lips,"for months now."
"She's been yours for a lot longer than that, she just didn't tell you," Steph told me, and I couldn't resist taking control of her mouth.
We left the apartment and took the stairs to the garage. The fact that Stephanie didn't argue let me know that I was right in assuming she needed to work off a few of her nerves. Tank, Bobby, Lester, and Hal were standing by two black SUVs when we stepped into the underground garage.
"So ... Tank and Bobby are watching us, and Lester and Hal will be looking out for Tank and Bobby? Or each other?"
"No to both. They are also here to make sure you stay okay."
"Jeez. I know I attract trouble, but I don't think I need five men keeping me out of it."
"I wish that were true, Babe."
Stephanie elbowed me in the ribs and then walked over to the guys.
"Were all of you scheduled for this takedown?" She asked them."Or did Ranger rope you into it because I'll be coming, too?"
"Both, I guess," Bobby said.
"We knew Ranger would be asking you to be part of it," Lester said,"and we wanted only the most experienced men to be on the team with you."
"That's sweet and really cocky."
"Not cocky, Steph. True," Tank added."We take no chances with you."
I was going to clear Santos and Brown for this takedown for exactly that reason. The fact that they had come up to me, separately, and asked to be the one with Steph tonight showed that I had made the right decision. These are the men Stephanie would consider herself closest to, so they have a personal stake in getting her out of the capture unharmed.
"We're only going after one woman, right?" Steph asked everyone.
"Yes, Babe. But remember she's the head of a large organization, and we may anger a few 'employees' by taking in their boss. We're going to hit her apartment first," I told Steph."It's the safest place to grab her. If we do it on the street or at her club ..."
"Club?" Steph said.
"She owns a bar and a strip club."
"Raimes really is an entrepreneur, isn't she?"
"She is. She just doesn't feel that she has to go out of her way to adhere to the same laws as the rest of us to start her businesses and keep them running."
"It does make you curious about her, though," Steph said to me.
"You're curious about everyone, Steph," Bobby told her.
"That's true, but you don't see a lot of women in charge of this kind of thing. Usually they're the collateral damage. I don't know what it says about me, but my inner-feminist is cheering. It would cheer more if the strip club featured male dancers."
"Sorry, Babe. There's not a high demand for male dancers in that particular neighborhood."
"And you need to be alert, Steph," Tank told her,"not curious."
I agreed with Tank, but I gave him a look that clearly said 'shut the fuck up'. Stephanie is the woman we all care about partly because of that curious nature. She always wanted to know the whole story behind everybody and everything, which is why she's a friend to everyone here. And she didn't need to change, not even for this job.
Tank averted his eyes. Good. I made my point.
"Don't worry, Tank," she said, not noticing the optic exchange,"I promise to be on my toes all night."
"We're not concerned about your performance on the job, Steph," I told her."You have a unique blend of your own skills to make you an asset to any bust we do."
"Yeah, Steph," Lester said,"you can run with the big dogs now."
"I thought you got mad when women call you a dog," Steph said to him.
"That's a different kind of dog than what I'm talking about, Steph."
"I always learn something new when I work with you guys," she told us.
I would have said that Tank, Bobby, and Lester, were reasonably close, but that's nothing compared to how Stephanie has brought everyone here at Rangeman together.
"Get your ass in your vehicle, Cujo," Tank told Lester.
"Your takedowns are starting to sound a lot like mine and Lula's," Steph said, smiling up at me.
"Don't remind me," I told her.
Maybe Steph thought the guys acted like this whenever we go out. They don't. We didn't live through all the shit we have by joking around, but as soon as Stephanie gets called in for a job, they can't help themselves. You'd think we were all going to dinner instead of taking down a wanted fugitive.
"They aren't like this usually," Steph asked,"are they?"
"No. You bring it out in them, Babe."
"That doesn't sound like a good thing to me."
"For them, Steph, it's a very good thing," I told her."It helps them relax a little before heading into a war zone."
"If I can make them feel better at all," Steph said,"I'm happy to do it. Even if it's at my expense."
"It's never at your expense, Babe," I said, seriously."The men may joke around with you, like they do with each other, but make no mistake, if anyone of them hears something being said about you, they take it upon themselves to put an end to it. There have been one or two incidents involving Hal and Lester and a few of Trenton's not-so-finest."
"Oh no."
"I had to work my magic to make sure there were no assault charges pressed."
"You know that you're not much better, right?" Steph asked me."Did you get them thrown off the force, or have their badges taken away? Hmm ... now that I think about it, there are a few new faces around the police department."
"I'll never tell, Babe."
"It figures. I'm living with The Man of Mystery and he's still a mystery to me most of the time."
"Good," I told her."I wouldn't want to lose what drew you to me."
"Ranger, there is absolutely no chance of me losing interest in any part of you."
Steph got into the Cayenne after kissing my lips briefly. My mind flashed back to what she'd been able to do in the Turbo, and the Cayenne is a little roomier. Alley sex isn't my thing. I'd much rather take my time in a large bed with plenty of room for what I had in mind, but when Stephanie says she wants me, time and place become an afterthought.
I put that memory aside for later, got behind the wheel, and drove the ten minutes to Raimes' residence.
Steph was fidgeting, but she remained quiet, as close to a zone as she ever got.
I pulled into the abandoned area two lots down from Melinda Raimes' property. Her place was still visible, but our vehicles wouldn't be from her bulletproof windows.
Tank and Lester pulled up on either side of us. Tank and Bobby would be coming with Steph and I, while Lester and Hal would hang back, close enough to step in if needed but staying inside their vehicle in case something got fucked up. We are all armed, and prepared for anything, but if I thought Steph was in danger, I wanted her tucked safely away with Lester and Hal until the threat passed.
Steph didn't know that part of the plan.
"Her place is pretty nice for this part of town," Stephanie said, looking at the three-story brick building in front of us.
Raimes apartment is in actuality a remodeled apartment building. It used to be a shelter for every evicted addict in Trenton until Raimes came along and booted them all out. She had it gutted and redesigned as a home/business command center.
The ground floor is where her minions met during 'business' hours. The entire second floor is taken up by her extravagant office. And the third floor is Raimes' living quarters, leaving two floors and a fair amount of security between where she sleeps and the underbelly of Trenton and people like us who are set on arresting her.
I shut the Cayenne off and turned to Steph.
"Raimes is supposed to leave here in twenty minutes to make her rounds checking in on both the bar and club. One stupid move she repeats daily is she has minimal protection while she's here, assuming that a top of the line security system will keep her alive. It does help, but it's not foolproof."
"If she's as powerful as she sounds," Steph said to me,"isn't it a big risk not to have at least two people stationed outside her door? You do that automatically when anyone talks about wanting to kill me."
"It is. And that's why I insist on you having protection. One of Raimes' men will meet her in the driveway to act as a bodyguard until she comes back here around three am. Our goal is to get her as soon as she walks out," I told Steph."We can still make a capture if the muscle shows up, but I'd prefer not to have to."
"She has that whole building to herself?" Steph asked me.
"Most of the time. Raimes spends every minute of the day with a bead trained on her. She has to think about if today will be the day someone gets a lucky shot in, and question if she'll still be alive tomorrow. I think she set this place up as a sort of refuge so after hours she can pretend she has a normal life."
"I can see guys not minding a life like that, but women usually need friends or family around them."
"Not if your family is as screwed up as Raimes'," I told her,"and all your 'friends' are bought and paid for."
"Jeez," she said, making me smile,"remind me never to get into that line of work."
"No reminders are needed, Babe. If you were handed this organization, you'd flush the drugs, dump all the weapons into the Delaware, and pay the women to put their clothes back on."
"Yep, that's exactly what I'd do," she said."I'd suck as a crime boss."
"It's probably the only thing you'd suck at."
She moved towards me and gave me a swift, hard kiss.
"I'm good to go now," she told me.
I was, too.
Tank and Bobby got out of their vehicle and we all met by the driver's door of Santos' SUV.
"Raimes has security cameras mounted all around the building," I told them.
The men already knew all the specifics, but I repeated them now for Stephanie's benefit.
"There is no room for error here," I said."If she senses trouble before we grab her, half of Comstock and Stark will be joining us."
"We know," Bobby said."That's why it won't happen."
"See that it doesn't," I said, using the don't fuck this up tone they all recognized, looking first to Tank, then Bobby before catching Lester's eye.
They knew what I was actually telling them. Steph is the important one here. If there's a split second decision to be made, it'd be to get Steph out.
They all nodded to me before dispersing. Tank went one way, Bobby the other, and Steph came with me. Santos and Hal would move closer once we got into position.
We waited a good ten minutes for Raimes to show. It wasn't long enough for Steph to get impatient, but we were cutting it close. Stephanie is a lot of things, patient isn't one of them.
Melinda Raimes took a cautious glance around the parking lot before closing and locking the door behind her. During the day there is multiple tricked-out cars parked outside, and people of various 'ranks' milling around inside and out. At this time of the night Raimes has kicked everyone out and it appeared dead, which is why we're here. It pays to have life and death information on a knowledgeable rat inside her inner sanctum.
"She looks just like any other woman in the Burg now," Steph whispered, as we crept closer and watched Raimes step under one of the outside lights.
She did look better than her mug shot, but then most people do.
"On three, Babe," I said, close to Steph's ear."Ready?"
"Yes."
"One ... two ..."
Before I got to three, an SUV with tinted windows flew into the driveway. Guess the fucker is late. I didn't want any trouble to break out with Stephanie here, but we could still bring Raimes in even with the new arrival. I knew Tank would already be figuring in the party crasher, and would have the unlucky asshole subdued as soon as we stepped out.
Raimes acknowledged the guy with a nod and started towards her car.
"Okay, Babe. Now," I told Steph, and we took off after Raimes.
I got hold of Raimes' arms while Tank advanced on the escort.
This is why I always insist on my men going out in twos. It's too easy to be overtaken otherwise. The men I employ are all experienced enough to take care of themselves, but I leave nothing to chance.
Tank had the guy who looked to be in his early twenties on the ground, face first, hands cuffed tightly together behind his back.
"It's probably a horrible thing to say," Steph said, watching Tank,"but it is incredibly sexy when you guys do stuff like that."
"Babe, nothing Tank does should be sexy to you."
"It's not really Tank, per se, but the 'macho guy' thing in general. And you're sexier than all of your men put together, so you don't need to worry."
If my eyes were capable, I would have rolled them.
I held Raimes' wrists together while Stephanie searched her. I wouldn't jeopardize my reputation, or my company's, by putting my hands on Raimes in anyway I could avoid. I've heard countless stories of bond agents who weren't as smart losing their businesses due to charges of inappropriate handling of female fugitives.
Steph pulled out small handgun from Raimes' waistband, but nothing else.
"Really?" Steph asked her."One gun?"
She shrugged."I don't usually need more than one. I'm a kick ass shot. Is my guy going to live?"
"Yes," I told her,"as long as he doesn't fuck with us."
"He won't," Raimes said."Trevor's got the IQ of a pincushion. Which is what he was before I gave his dumb ass a job. And he still isn't grateful enough to get his ass to work on time."
"It wouldn't have mattered when he showed up," Steph said,"we've been here awhile."
"Steph, we've been here for thirty minutes," I told her.
"That's what I said." She snapped the cuffs on Raimes before speaking again."Maybe you should raise the bar on your employees in the future."
"Trevor was in a bad place and I felt sorry for him. He fucking sucks as a watchdog, though."
"I can honestly say that you're not what I'd expected," Steph said to her.
"What? You don't think a woman like me can have feelings or compassion? My fucking problem is that I have too damn much of both."
"Umm ..."
"I may be a bitch, and a used-up whore, but I can see a person who's heading in the same direction and want to give him an alternative."
"Very commendable," I told her, my sarcasm barely hidden in my tone.
"Don't bother blowing smoke up my ass," she said to me."I know what I am, and I'm totally fine with it."
Tank and Bobby had the guy up on his feet by then, and they were both listening to Steph and Raimes' conversation. Standard operating procedure when Steph is tagging along. When we do a takedown without Stephanie, we cuff the perp, throw him into the back of an SUV, and dump him at the station without a word being passed between us besides 'Bond Enforcement'. When Steph is helping out, we usually hear the whole backstory of the FTA before we drag them in. It looks like tonight wouldn't be any different.
"How can you survive this kind of life and still keep your soul?" Steph asked Raimes.
"I've been accused of, and called, a lot of nasty things in my life, but I'm determined not to be a total douchebag to people who don't deserve it. I'm trying to find a balance between "Queen of Comstock" and sucker. Apparently I landed on the side of sucker tonight."
"It's not wrong to think the best of people," Stephanie said to Raimes.
That's one of the things that Steph herself has struggled with.
"It is wrong if you keep doing it at your own expense."
"Maybe you should stop. Not believing in people, but breaking the law and ending up in jail because of it."
"It's all I know."
"I don't want to sound insensitive or anything, but how come you're still alive? I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt, too, and it usually ends up almost getting me killed," Steph said to Raimes, her charm sucking in a woman who is feared by half the gangbangers in Trenton.
Stephanie Plum is like a weapon of mass attraction, wiping out the defenses of everyone in her path.
"The simple answer is that I have to just to prove to my fucked-up parents that I'm capable of landing on my feet. They always said I wouldn't amount to anything, and look at me now, I own an empire."
"Yeah, but you're breaking at least twenty laws before breakfast every morning. I'm not even going to mention the people that you're rumored to have gotten rid of. And you're going back to jail today. Do you really think it's worth it?"
She shrugged."You do what you have to," Raimes told her."It's not like anyone would've given me a scholarship to Harvard, or let me work for their company after I dropped out of high school, never mind run it since I stopped being okay with people telling me what to do a long time ago."
"And I thought my parents did a number on me," Steph told her.
"Spite has been the motivation behind my existence since the day I was born. To give you just one example, my donor dad was still around when my mother went into labor. She ended up so pissed off at him because he was acting like an asshole in the waiting room, pretending he gave a shit and telling everyone who'd listen the name of the new baby before she could say a word. She made sure when he left the room to put a different name than the one he'd chosen on the birth certificate just to irritate him."
"Wow," Steph said.
"No surprise, he disappeared not long after I left the hospital. And after a few years of not seeing him, I made the mistake of asking my mother - who was coming down from a high at the time - why my 'father' who obviously didn't want anything to do with me kept sending birthday cards every replied - 'Oh that, he gets a twenty-four hour case of guilt because he was up my ass for weeks trying to get me to abort you when he found out I'd been knocked up, but I wouldn't. Of course the prick left and I got stuck with you. I should have listened to him.' And most days I agree with both of them," Raimes told Stephanie.
"You shouldn't," Steph said."Your parents don't define who you are. You can get out of this anytime you want and do something different with your life. And you should before you get killed by one of the people you work with ... or against."
"Yeah, and who'd give a shit if I was gunned down?"
"Believe me, all it takes is one person," Steph said, looking back at me,"to bring out the best in you. You just have to recognize them."
If it wouldn't have been unprofessional, not to mention the witnesses we'd have, I would have taken Stephanie then and there. I wanted her that much.
"I've been watching out for myself for so long," Raimes said to Steph,"I don't think I'd 'recognize' someone trying to help me without expecting them to want a job or to off me."
"Sounds like a horrible way to live," Steph said.
"You get used to it. And truthfully, it's easier. If no one gets close, no one can hurt you."
Steph was quiet, probably picturing the life she might have had with Morelli. She had confessed to me that she kept pushing me away because I had the power to hurt her when she'd already tuned out Morelli. Nothing Joe said affected her anymore, but if she thought I was disappointed by something she did, she felt physically ill. Even with all the cocky shit I've said to her, hearing her admit that shocked me. I didn't tell her at the time, but that feeling probably matched the nausea I experience when I think about someone harming Stephanie.
Stephanie gave the impression of an independent woman, but she used to listen too intently to other people's opinions. Over the last few months, she's come into herself. She's ready to tell the world, and her mother, to go to hell and I've never been more proud to call her mine.
Steph knows that she can live on her own, but she doesn't want to. She wants to live with me, and bewith me in all ways possible. And judging by the look on her face while she thought about Raimes' words, she didn't want to have to live without what we now have together.
"I actually would've agreed with you not that long ago," Steph said finally,"but I've discovered recently that if you find someone who likes and respects you, you'll never want to be without them again."
Her words were directed at both my skip and myself.
"That's why I avoid that shit," Raimes said."Once you allow someone to get close to you, they have more to use against you later on."
"Either way," Steph told her,"you need to get out of this life before you get killed. And who knows, maybe you'll eventually find someone who's worth the risk. A bad childhood, and a ton of bad decisions, doesn't mean you have to punish yourself for the rest of your life. Take this opportunity to change it while you still have a shot at one."
"Looks like Steph has gone from bounty hunter to lifestyle expert," Bobby said, after using another pair of cuffs to secure the 'bodyguard' to his own vehicle.
Someone will find him eventually. We couldn't bring him in on anything. 'Trevor' didn't have any drugs on him, only an unregistered handgun which we confiscated, and a cell phone. Tank checked and he had no warrants out on him, so he wasn't worth the extra time we'd waste lugging in two bodies. But that didn't mean he was going to be released so he could go find help for his boss.
"Shut up, Bobby," Stephanie told him."I'm just trying to be nice. Not every skip needs to be tossed around and told to shut up, you know."
"Babe, normally that's all we have a chance to do before the shooting starts."
She sighed."I know, but I usually try to talk my FTAs to death before I attempt to bring them in. They'll do anything to get away from me at that point."
Steph was only partially telling the truth. She's told plenty of people to shut it before kicking their legs out from under them or shoving their balls into their sinus cavity, but once in a while she'll sense that someone wants to change, and she was willing to expend a little time and sympathy if it could get them out of a dead end life.
"Whatever you say, Steph," Bobby said, not buying it either.
"You know I'm flattered that you thought I needed four people to bring me in," Raimes said, giving Tank and Bobby a once over."I know my reputation is good, but I must have underestimated it."
"Actually, there's a few more men," Steph told her,"you just can't see them. But they're here mostly for me. I also have a reputation, and no one ever underestimates it."
"Truer words have never been spoken, Steph," I told her."Now we should get out of here before Raimes' associates wonder why she hasn't checked in."
"Okay," she said to me, before turning to Raimes."I'm going to walk you to the car and buckle you in and you're not going to try anything. I may sound nice, but I will protect myself if I need to. Plus, if you make a threatening move towards me, these guys will get really upset. They won't hit you, but they will shoot without batting an eye. And they never miss."
Raimes had small smile on her face as they made their way over to the Cayenne and Stephanie got her settled inside it.
"We really should bring Steph with us every time we go out," Bobby said to me."We get the skip and a pretty decent reality show three feet in front of us."
"Can it, Brown," I said, and followed Steph back to the car.
Tank and Bobby returned to their vehicle and we then met up with Santos and Hal before heading down to the station. As we turned onto the street of the TPD, I got an uneasy feeling. I was betting the Escalade coming towards us is the reason for it. Maybe Raimes' guard had been late on purpose tonight. The apprehension had been easier than it should have been, and I knew we were about to find out firsthand why. To me, it looks like we played right into a double-cross.
The Escalade crashed into the front of the Cayenne, and I immediately flung my arm out to stop Steph from being jerked forward or hitting her head against her window. The airbags deployed and I managed to get both mine and Stephanie's belts undone and yank her down and under my body just as bullets tore through the vehicle. Since the gunfire wasn't limited to the front seat, I assumed Raimes was the real target. That's the price of power. There is always someone wanting to take it away from you. Usually in exchange for your life.
I heard shots fired from behind us, and the Escalade backed up and got the hell out of here. They hadn't counted on us having two sets of backup seconds behind us.
I saw Lester take off after the vehicle while Tank and Bobby stopped at ours. There is only one thing I cared about right now. Revenge would come later.
"Babe?" I said, touching her hair.
The fact that she didn't answer me right away had my stomach vying with my heart for room in my throat. The windows were broken, but I knew she hadn't gone through any of them. I was hoping it was just shock to blame for her not talking to me or opening those blue eyes of hers.
I starting running my hands over her body to check for injuries and could tell right away that the jeans we'd been joking about earlier were quickly becoming soaked with blood. Her blood.
"Tank!" I yelled.
"I'm here," he said, opening Steph's door.
"She's hit, but I don't know how bad. It looks like it's the lower part of her hip. There's a lot of blood."
"Bobby called for an ambulance as soon as we saw the crash. They're on their way."
"If they aren't here by the time we get out, we're taking Stephanie in ourselves. She's bleeding and it needs to stop."
"Ranger, use your head. If she has any spinal injuries ..."
"She doesn't. I made sure she got jerked around as little as possible."
"Still," Tank started,"her neck ..."
"I'm going to break your neck if you don't shut up and help me."
"What about Raimes?"
"I don't give a fuck about her, I care about Stephanie."
"It's nice to know you're concerned about my well-being and all," Raimes said.
Apparently there was nothing wrong with her except her mouth.
"Make no mistake, I could care less if you live or die," I told her, not even sparing Raimes a glance.
Tank helped me lay Steph down on the seat so I could find the exact source of the blood that hadn't let up yet.
"She has to be okay, Tank," I said, not looking away from Stephanie's now pale, but still beautiful, face.
The face I've loved for years.
"She will be, Ranger. Nothing vital has been hit. And you know Steph, she's going to wake up in a minute and bitch you out for making her go to the hospital."
"And then she'll thank all the cake she's eaten for helping to take a bullet for her," Bobby said, crowding Tank,"since it seems to have hit the fleshy part between her hip and thigh."
He was probably right about that. Steph has an interesting way of looking at things.
"Did Bobby just call me fat?"
Her voice was shaky, but it was Steph's.
"Babe, are you with me?"
"Yeah. I told you that you're stuck with me, didn't I?"
"Yes. And nothing makes me happier, Steph," I said, removing a few shards of glass from her curls before kissing the top of them.
"Welcome back, Steph," Tank said.
"Thanks. Now punch Bobby for saying I'm fat."
"That's not what I said, Steph. You know I think you're perfect."
"Yeah, whatever," she said, cringing."I hurt everywhere."
"Ambulance is on its way," Tank said.
"I don't want an ambulance," she told us, closing her eyes.
"Too bad, Babe. The ambulance is non-negotiable. And keep those beautiful blue eyes open for me."
"Melinda?" Steph asked.
"I'm okay," Raimes told her."Though I think your boyfriend would prefer me to be dead right now if it meant you'd stop bleeding."
"He's overprotective," Steph said, her voice getting a little steadier."He doesn't see it as a character flaw, though."
Because I heard the sirens getting closer, I was able to offer Steph a small smile.
"Maybe you should save your energy," I told Steph, making the decision to wait to move her more than we already had.
Tank was right, although I hated him for it right now.
"Since you're the one making me go to the ER, you're going to ride along with me, right?" Steph asked me.
"They'd need the entire police force to keep me out," I told her, even though I was sure I could take down the entire Trenton PD if they stood in my way, and more if I let Tank and Bobby loose on them, too.
The ambulance, firetruck, and two cruisers arrived. Eddie and a new guy in one, and Carl and Big Dog in the other.
"Shit," Eddie said, coming over to us with the paramedics."Is it Steph?"
"She's conscious and is already saying she doesn't want to go to the hospital," Bobby told him, moving out of the way.
The relief on both of their faces was obvious. I'm sure my expression wasn't far off from theirs.
The paramedics took Steph's vitals to make sure she was okay to move, and between me and the professionals, we got Steph out of the Cayenne without jarring her too much. Everyone was willing to work with me since I'd made it clear that my hands weren't coming off of Stephanie anytime soon. Pressure was applied to the wound. The deeper cuts she had were cleaned, and then Steph was loaded into the back of the ambulance, laying on her left side. They tried to give my cuts the same treatment, but I shook them off. It would take a whole hell of a lot more than a few superficial slices to get me to sit still for them.
"I hate this you know," Stephanie told me quietly, as I climbed inside and sat so I was facing her.
"I know, Babe," I said, taking her hand in mine and rubbing the backs of her fingers with my thumb."But if you didn't go this way, I was bringing you myself."
"I'm alert, I remember what happened, and I'm complaining, that alone should tell you all that I'm okay."
"You need to be looked at, Steph. And you may need stitches because of where you were hit. You only got clipped, but it was enough to do a little damage."
"It's not that bad, Ranger. I can tell."
"No, Steph, you can't."
"Okay then, I changed my mind. I'm fine with you guys taking me. You can just put one of the emergency blankets in Tank's SUV and drive me there." She paused after taking a deep breath."Shit. Is the Cayenne dead?"
"First off, the ambulance is faster," I told her, kissing her hand."And the Cayenne can be brought back to life anytime."
"Or replaced, you mean," she said.
"Since you mentioned a bright side earlier, Babe, the car was hit because of Raimes this time, not you."
"Good. Well ... not good for Melinda, but I'm not about to take the blame for this one."
"You're in the clear, Steph. Now we just have to get the doctor at St. Francis to say the same."
"I really am fine, Ranger. I just ruined a new pair of jeans and the interior of your car."
"This isn't something to laugh about, Steph. You could have been killed tonight."
"I think you were in more danger than I was," she told me."You were the one covering me, remember?"
"And I'd do it again."
"But what would have happened to me if you were badly hurt? I'm serious, Ranger, I don't know what I'd do if you died on me. Don't you dare do that again. I'd rather face fifty bullets than see you get hit with one."
"Stephanie, you're stronger than you know."
"Not about this. If that ever happens again, and you're the one to get shot, the bullet better pass through both of us."
My gut tightened at the image those words created.
"Tonight was a fluke, Babe. Someone knew what was going down tonight and we got caught in the middle of it. There will be no more bullets. In me or you."
It was a statement I couldn't back up, but I said it anyway. I wouldn't let my mind go there. I'm not any stronger than Stephanie when faced with losing her. There'd be no bringing me back, mentally or physically, if I didn't have Stephanie to come back to.
The ambulance stopped and Stephanie was immediately taken into the closest curtained off area to get checked out. She kept hold of my hand so I followed her and gave the doctor a dangerous look when he opened his mouth to tell me to wait outside.
Steph let go of my hand, but I didn't go far as her jeans were cut away and her hip was uncovered and cleaned. I made a mental note to have Bobby stop at Rangeman before coming here so Steph would have new clothes to change into. It was a nasty graze, but it looked like the bullet passed through, taking only a little tissue with it. It would hurt like a sonofabitch, but it wouldn't require a long recovery.
I allowed myself a complete breath finally, and tuned into the conversation around me. The only time I wasn't aware of my own surroundings is when Stephanie's hurt. Pathetic for a man who has been attacked with almost every fucking weapon invented.
"Ranger?" The nurse who just walked in said to me."I'm Elena Valceto. I went to school with Stephanie and I'll make sure she's patched up. There's a really big guy out there who's trying to get in here to talk to you, and he doesn't seem to like hearing no for an answer."
"There are few things Tank hates more."
"Tank?"
"Yes."
I saw her eyes drift behind me to where Tank is probably waiting.
"Hmm ..." she said.
I was familiar with that look. It's close to the one Steph wears when she's intent on having her way with me.
Elena dragged her eyes back to me and remembered why she came in.
"I'll keep an eye on Steph," she said."I promise she'll get the best care possible. The quicker you talk to your friend out there, the faster you can get back to Stephanie." We turned our heads when Stephanie raised her voice to tell the doctor he could just bandage her without stitches."And when you get back, she might be in a better mood."
"Not likely," I said, and walked to Steph's side.
"Ranger," Steph said to me,"tell him that I'm okay with a big Band-Aid. That's all you said I needed when Ramos shot me."
"If you need stitches, Steph, you're getting them. Make it easy on you, me, and everyone here by just letting them do what they need to. Please."
She sighed. I was fighting dirty, but I didn't care.
"Fine," she said, giving in gracefully."But you owe me."
"I'll have one of the guys go get you a get well cake from Tasty Pastry first thing tomorrow morning. One that serves at least fifteen."
She smiled."Did I tell you today that I love you?"
"You love cake, Steph."
"Cake has always been second to you, Ranger."
I bent my head and kissed her. I didn't care about witnesses this time.
"Will you be okay for a few minutes?" I asked."Tank is scaring people again."
Elena had moved closer to us."You know that delicious mountain of man muscle?" She asked Steph."I wouldn't mind climbing that."
Yeah, Tank is in deep shit.
"Of course I know Tank," Steph told her.
"Can you introduce me?"
"Umm, sure. But he's one of my favorite people, so don't pull a Petey Landski on him."
"Steph, I was fourteen," Elena said.
"I'm just making sure you don't string Tank along and then dump him for a guy with cooler friends. Not that you can find cooler men than the guys Tank hangs out with."
"They'd be happy to hear you say that, Babe," I told her."I'll be right back."
"Don't be too long. I want to get out of here as soon as I can."
"I'll pull every string I have to make that possible," I promised.
I left the room and Tank was already turning to walk to a less crowded area so we could talk without being overheard.
"Bobby's on his way back from dropping Raimes at the PD and Lester just called," Tank informed me."He and Hal got the two guys responsible for this, and are now waiting to hear from you. I know what I wanted to tell them to do, but I needed the go ahead from you first."
"Steph's okay for a few minutes," I told him,"so I'll call Santos myself. If they're finished before I get back, go keep Stephanie company. She's with someone she knows now, but trust me, you don't want Stephanie left alone in here for very long."
"Are you talking about the cute brunette?" Tank asked.
"She's someone Stephanie went to school with. Her name's Elena Valceto and she was asking about you."
He paused."I got this," Tank said with a thoughtful look, and stationed himself close to Steph, and probably Elena now.
I know Tank's top priority will be to make sure Stephanie's okay, but he might be able to keep himself entertained as well.
I walked outside, passing a few of my men as I did. As soon as I assured them all that Steph is going to be fine, I called Lester.
"How's Steph?" Santos asked immediately.
"She's got some lacerations from the glass, bruises from the seatbelt, and her hip got grazed by a bullet that thankfully ended up in the leather seat instead of inside her."
"She would have been worse off if you hadn't acted as fast as you did. Tank said that bullet could have hit her chest or stomach if she'd been sitting upright."
I could tell from his unusually flat tone that Lester wouldn't have been okay with that outcome anymore than I would.
"She's being cleaned up now and we should be leaving shortly."
"We got the two fuckers, what do you want us to do with them?" He asked me.
"What do you think I want you to do with them?"
Lester paused before answering."We'll take care of it," he said.
I disconnected. That's all I needed to hear, and I didn't regret giving the order. I would have carried it out myself if I'd been willing to leave Stephanie for longer than five minutes. I quickly called Bobby and told him to have Ella pack a change of clothes for Steph and bring it to the hospital with him.
The phone rang seconds after I hung up with Bobby, and the caller only surprised me in that it took her this long to find out and make contact.
"Mrs. Plum," I said into my cell."You heard?"
Guess Stephanie must have given Helen my number for emergencies back when they were on speaking terms.
"Yes. How is Stephanie?" Helen Plum asked."Frank told me to stay here while he found out the details, but I couldn't wait any longer."
She must have been desperate to risk calling me.
"She's got a few cuts and bruises and is probably getting a couple stitches by now," I told her.
"I'm just leaving the house ..." she said.
"Listen, Mrs. Plum," I told her calmly,"Stephanie has plenty of people here, the ER entrance is full of them, and my mother and Ella will be fussing over her for the next couple of days. Stephanie's in good hands. Just stay where you are."
"Stephanie needs her mother with her," Helen said.
I took a deep breath and tried to reason with a woman who is clearly beyond it.
"First Stephanie needs you to start acting like one."
I heard her shocked inhale.
"Despite popular belief, I do love my daughter," she said finally, trying to convince me with her tone.
And I did believe that up to a point. I think somewhere deep down in that judgmental little soul, Helen Plum loves her children. Whether she likes and respects them are the questions up for debate.
"Loving and liking are two very different things," I told her."And this isn't about you. Stephanie is a little banged up, but she will be fine. I'm not going to add to her discomfort by letting you near her right now."
"Let me?"
"Yes. Stephanie has wanted to deal with you in her own way, but she's not up to it right now, so I'm making the call. And I'm telling you to stay away and wait for Frank. I'd like to think that you wouldn't use this accident as a tool to make yourself feel better. Stephanie's needs should be the focus here, not your own."
Helen was silent on the other end of the line.
"Stephanie already decided that she doesn't want to talk to you, I'm only enforcing it. Mrs. Plum, she's going to be fine in a couple days, let her recover in peace," I said before I disconnected.
I was heading back to the area where Steph was when I saw Frank Plum walking in the same direction. I was a little surprised that Edna wasn't hot on his heels, but I knew if I didn't get Stephanie out of here Edna would show up within the hour.
"Frank," I said, when I reached Stephanie's father.
"How's Stephanie?" He asked me.
"She's okay. Not liking that she's here, but she'll be all right in a few days."
"I don't know how many more times I can thank you for saving her," Mr. Plum said.
"There's nothing to thank me for," I told him."If I wouldn't have asked her to join the team, she wouldn't be here right now."
He looked between me and where Steph is being looked after.
"What would Stephanie have done if she found out that she wasn't asked to go with you today?"
I smiled. I know exactly how she would have reacted.
"Steph would have killed us," I said."Or at least tried to maim everyone who was part of it."
"Unlike Helen, I do understand my daughter," Frank told me,"and the only times I've seen her happy since that bastard Orr entered her life, is with you or when she's doing her job. Stephanie would've been hurt anyway if she'd been left out. Maybe not physically, but emotionally. And we both know from recent events, that takes more time and effort to heal."
Sounds like things aren't any better at the Plum house.
"How are things between you and Mrs. Plum?"
He sighed."It's tough. I was raised to believe that when you make a commitment, you honor it. But just when I think Helen has learned something from all of this, I hear her talking to Joe Morelli on the phone or see her lip curl back when Edna mentions Ella's name."
"Those two did seem to hit it off," I told him.
"I've got my fingers crossed that Ella will rub off on her," Frank said."I heard about Valerie's emergency drop off, and so did Helen. The anger that she continually shows over Ella cooking for us, or sharing snacks with our grandkids, and your men being around the girls, isn't giving me much hope that she's going to change."
"That's the impression I got after just talking to her," I told Frank.
"Helen called you?"
"Yes."
"I told her to wait while I found out what happened, and she can't even do that. It's like she's purposely sabotaging her relationship with Stephanie."
"I'm not about to defend any of Helen's actions," I told Steph's father,"but I think this time Helen was, for the most part, concerned about Stephanie."
"It's possible, but Helen's not ready to take any blame in their relationship, she's still trying to avoid their issues. I don't know what to do anymore. I thought this would have resolved itself by now."
I would have felt worse for Frank, but he married Helen and stayed with her without standing up at all for his children until now. That didn't deserve sympathy in my opinion.
"I'm not going to speak for Stephanie," I told Frank,"but I do know her better than anyone else. She's acting like everything is great between the two of you now, but one day soon, when Helen isn't at the forefront of her mind, Steph is going to want to know why you let Helen rule the house, and your children, without speaking up for them or yourself. And you will need to be able to tell Stephanie something. You may want to figure that out yourself before she asks. Maybe what you come up with will help you decide what to do about Helen."
"I really don't know how everything went so wrong so fast," Frank said.
"It's been very wrong for a long time," I told him."The difference is now you'll be called out for your participation in it, and you can't pretend it doesn't exist anymore. But I know what Stephanie would tell you right now. Whatever you decide to do about your life, make sure it's right for you. Don't make Stephanie shoulder the blame for breaking up your marriage."
"Stephanie wouldn't be the reason."
"But she'll believe she is unless you convince her otherwise," I told him."Really think through any decision you make so you'll be able to explain it to Stephanie afterwards."
"I will," he said, before turning to leave.
"Do you want to see Stephanie before she's let out of here?"
"Judging by the men I saw walking in, she has plenty of company," Mr. Plum said."Just tell her that I will be over tomorrow to check on her."
"I'll pass along the message."
He thumped my shoulder with his hand and then I watched him walk away. Fuck. Now I actually felt sorry for the bastard. I couldn't imagine having to go home to someone like Helen. At that moment I heard a laugh that I know in my bones is Stephanie's, and I looked to where I knew she was waiting for me. I smiled to myself, thanking God that I was lucky enough to get to go home with her again tonight.
A/N: Everything medical in this chapter is probably inaccurate. I tried to use only basic information to describe Steph's injury and trip to the ER.