A/N: Hang in there, the 'boring' part is almost over… I have to admit, breaking 400 reviews really made me feel good and you'll get your reward later! Thanks to everyone who's stayed with me so far, I really appreciate your comments and encouragement!

Disclaimer: Most characters owned by Janet Evanovich et al, and used without permission just for fun. I promise not to break any of them and will return them when they're done playing…

Chapter 28

As soon as Cal was out the door I locked it behind him and rushed to the bathroom to shower. I didn't waste any time, just quickly took care of the necessities and got out, slathering lotion on my legs and arms and wrapping my hair in a towel. I rushed to the bedroom naked and pulled on a panty-and-bra set. I found clean jeans to pull on and searched through my closet to find something a little more feminine than a t-shirt, finally settling on a soft blue polo decorated with kanji and line-art flowers. I really wasn't kidding when I told Lula during our shopping trip that I didn't have any just 'good' clothes anymore. Even my old work clothes from EE Martin were gone, thanks to my various psycho stalkers.

I zoomed back into the bathroom and blasted my hair until it was mostly-dry, pinning it back at the sides and just letting it curl. I put on everyday makeup but added a little colored lip-gloss and stuck plain gold studs in my ears. Stepping back, I surveyed the result. Not bad. Going to the movie with Cal wasn't a date, exactly, but I still wanted to look nice. He, like the other Merry Men, had been in 'civilian' clothes this morning - dark wash jeans and a wine-colored polo shirt, which oddly enough didn't clash with his flaming skull tattoo.

I was giving myself a spritz of cologne when I heard him knock. One hour on the dot - and I was actually ready.

I grabbed my purse and a windbreaker on the way to open the door. Cal checked out my transformation with a smile.

"Wow," he said teasingly. "You look nice, and you're on time, too! I love prompt women!"

"I pride myself in always being on time," I informed him in my best 'Burg Princess voice, then grinned. "Besides, I'm hungry!"

"Where would you like to eat? Pino's?"

"Although I never get tired of it, I've had Pino's twice in the last two days so I'll let you pick. I like most food, and can find something I like almost anywhere."

"I'm guessing Cluck-In-A-Bucket is not a good idea?"

I laughed out loud. "If you take me in there you'll get chased out with fire extinguishers! They don't like me at all for some reason! When I want chicken I have to get Lula to go through the drive-thru for me."

Cal took me to an out-of-the way little Greek place. We sat in the back and ate gyros, Cal grinning at me when I licked the sauce off my fingers. He even ordered baklava. By the time we finished I had to go wash my hands again.

The multiplex was busy when we arrived, with a lot of teens and almost-teens hanging out in the lobby watching for friends. I started to ask Cal what he wanted to see but he'd already pulled tickets out of his pocket and was guiding me toward the auditorium doors.

The ticket-taker tore the tickets and handed the stubs back to Cal. He waited until we were several yards down the hall before he handed me my stub, and my jaw dropped.

I looked up at him in surprise. I'd expected him to want to see the new Bourne movie, or the new one with Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe -- this was almost the last movie I'd guess he'd choose.

"What?" he asked defensively. "I want to see it, and you know none of the guys would come with me. I hope you don't mind."

"I don't mind," I said, giving him a smile. "Actually, I've been wanting to see August Rush, too."

The little wrinkle between his eyebrows smoothed out and he smiled. "Thanks."

Cal was good to watch movies with. He didn't fidget or lean or talk after the lights went down. The first time the movie made me cry he just handed me a large white cotton handkerchief; the second time he put his arm around me. And when the credits rolled he led me out a side door directly to the rest rooms so I could check to make sure my mascara hadn't run.

Over ice cream we talked about the movie and I thanked him again for taking me, and for helping me baby-sit this morning. I gave him directions and on the way back to my apartment we detoured to drive by Cindy Solano's friends' houses. We spotted her car, but it was parked about halfway between one of the boyfriend's apartments and the girlfriend's. We got out of the SUV to sneak closer for a better look.

Cindy seemed to be at the girl's apartment; the boyfriend didn't appear to be home. The girlfriend lived in a basement apartment with ground-level windows but we were having a hard time finding a place where we could peek without being seen. Cal was looking around the corner of the building, thinking he'd heard something. He turned back to say something and his eyes went wide -- just as a pair of arms came around me from behind.

I reacted instinctively, throwing my head backwards first and hearing the dull thud of my head bouncing off someone's chin, then curling forward to break the grip. No one was more surprised than I was when my assailant flew through the air and landed at my feet.

Cal started to laugh, the snicker-and-snort kind that comes out when you're trying not to laugh. I just stood there looking down with my mouth hanging open as Lester looked up at me. The look on his face was a blend of shock, surprise, and a little bit of hurt as he reached up and rubbed his jaw.

"Ooww. What the he--heck was that?" he asked, making no move to get up.

"Lester! Are you okay? I'm so sorry, I didn't know it was you! You scared the shit out of me!" My heart was speeding right along on adrenaline. He really had scared me.

Cal offered Lester a hand to get up, still laughing under his breath. "Oh God, Les! I really wish I had that on camera - the look on your face…!" He cracked up anew when Lester reached back and rubbed his butt with one hand and held his jaw with the other, as if he couldn't decide which one hurt worse.

I brushed some dead grass off the back of Lester's leather jacket, absently noting he wasn't in RangeMan black either. I couldn't tell if his jacket got scraped when he landed, but I guess better the leather than his skin.

"Have you been taking judo lessons on the sly, Beautiful?" Lester asked in a teasing voice. "Because that was a damn fine throw."

My face heated and I hoped it was dark enough to hide my blush. "No judo. That was what Valerie used to do to me when we were kids and fighting about something. Only I usually let go before the flying part."

That set Cal off again, and then Lester started laughing. I sighed and leaned back against the brick wall to wait them out. Fortunately it didn't last too long and by the time they were back to normal I'd had an idea.

"Hey, guys, since you're both here, watch the back while I go to the door. I'm pretty sure Cindy will try to slip out instead of confronting me. Grab her for me and I'll buy pizza and beer."

They looked at each other, shrugged, and nodded.

"Sounds good to me," Lester said.

"Me too," said Cal, "but can I have a rain-check on the reward? I've got early shift tomorrow so I should be heading back before too much later."

"Okay. You can cash in next time you're off - just let me know."

The guys found a place to lurk unseen while I went in and found the right apartment. I slipped my handcuffs into my back pocket and had my hand in my purse on my stun-gun as I banged on the door of 4C.

Miranda, the short dark-haired 'girlfriend' answered the door. I started into my spiel and she tried to shut the door on me. I got my foot in the crack and slapped the door, hard, with the palm of my hand. Miranda started yelling at me, but in the next room I heard the stutter of a sticky window sash. Cindy was off and running.

I ran back around the building and found Cindy already in cuffs, a Merry Man on either side of her holding her loosely by her elbows. She was kicking and cussing up a storm and was drawing breath in to scream when I reached them. I pulled out my stun-gun and zapped her and the guys both jumped. Oops, I guess they got a tingle, too. The guys caught her as her knees buckled and eased her down.

Evidently she'd been loud enough to drown out an argument the guys were in the middle of, because now I could hear them.

"…I'm not that scary looking," Cal was grumbling.

"She turned around so fast she bounced off of me," Lester argued. "And I only said you looked a little scary."

"Steph doesn't think I look scary,"

"Man, Steph doesn't think Tank looks scary."

Pause. "Good point."

"Are you done arguing?" I broke in before they could get started again. "I think we should get Cindy delivered to lockup before she wakes up and starts screaming."

Lester and Cal picked Cindy up, and Lester bent down and hoisted her over his shoulder. Then he took off around the building and Cal turned to me.

"Lester said he'd drive you to the station and then home, if that's okay with you. Like I mentioned, I've got early shift tomorrow."

"No problem, Cal. Thanks for hanging out with me today, I had fun."

"Me, too," he grinned. "Even the babysitting was fun. I'm going to head home, but don't forget you can call if you need anything."

"Okay. And don't forget I owe you pizza and beer."

"I won't!" he promised. I impulsively gave him a hug. From the slight hesitation before he hugged me back I'd guess it had been a long time since he'd been hugged. "Thanks, Steph."

Cal walked me to Lester's truck. Lester and I headed to the station, and Cal headed home.

"Lester? I know there are apartments on the fourth floor of the RangeMan building, but who actually lives there? Does Cal?"

"At the moment, yeah, Cal lives in one full time, Number Three. Tank has Number One because it's too far to drive to his house except when he has a couple of days off. Two is set up more like a bunkhouse, I guess, than a regular apartment. There are two small bedrooms set up with two beds each, a bathroom, and a living room and kitchenette area. Several of us crash there when there's a lot going on or if the weather's being nasty. I think nearly everyone who lives off-site keeps a bag stashed in there for emergencies. Four and Five are empty right now, and I think Max just moved into Six."

He paused as I digested all the information.

"Why do you ask, Beautiful?"

I flashed him a quick smile. "I'm just being nosy. I've been curious for a long time but wasn't really comfortable enough to ask anyone." That made him grin, and it reminded me what Cal told me this morning. "I appreciate all of you spending time with me. It does help, and I like getting to know you a little better."

"It's our pleasure, Steph. You're fun to be around."

It was quiet at the police station - day business was done, and it would be hours before the bar-crawlers would start being brought in. Lester helped me get a still-woosy Cindy inside then went back to the truck to wait. I didn't know the desk sergeant on duty and he didn't appear to know me, just filled out my receipt and handed it over. I was climbing back into Lester's truck in only a few minutes.

"Where to, Steph?" he asked as he started the engine.

I looked the dark sky. "What time is it?" I asked, too lazy to find my phone to check. I'd given up wearing a watch after the last one got ruined.

"It's 18:58." Les said, then laughed when I gave him a pissy look. "It's two minutes before seven p.m." he translated.

"Well, it's too late to go by the bonds office, and I don't have any other skips right now. Have you eaten? I could buy you the pizza and beer I promise," I offered.

"Is pizza what you're hungry for?" he countered.

Dang, I must be transparent. "Actually, Chinese sounds better to me."

"That sounds good to me, too. Eat in, carry out, or delivery?" he asked. He looked over at me as he put the truck into gear and answered his own question. For some reason I was suddenly starting to droop. "Delivery it is. You call it in and I'll buy. I want sesame chicken if they have it, and crab Rangoon."

I called it in, adding pork lo-mein, egg rolls and fortune cookies to the order. Lester pulled the truck into an empty slot near my Jeep and reached into the back seat, turning back around with a Blockbuster bag.

The elevator was out again and we had to take the stairs, but he didn't make any comments about me being slow, just set his pace to mine. At my door he took my keys and opened it for me. He didn't do the full-out sweep of the apartment, but I did see his eyes checking to make sure everything looked okay.

"Do you mind if I change clothes?" I asked. For a moment Lester's face was easy to read as a lecherous grin flashed, but he refrained from saying what he'd been thinking.

"Its fine with me," he said.

I headed into the bedroom to find something more comfortable and maybe a little warmer to wear. The weather was starting to turn, and even though it wasn't really cold out yet my apartment tended to feel chilly if I wasn't moving around. Once the temperatures fell enough the building's heat would get cranked up; the older folks living here didn't like the ache their bones got from the cold. I settled on plaid flannel pajama pants and a long-sleeved t-shirt, and pulled on furry socks Valerie had given me for my birthday.

Lester was in the kitchen pouring soft drinks over ice. He'd already found dishes and napkins, and everything was waiting on the coffee table with the food containers and the bag of movies. I investigated the bag as Les carried the drinks over. There were two new action movies…and the first Harry Potter movie.

I raised my eyebrows at Les, who just shrugged. "I've never seen it," was all he said.

Actually, I'd never gotten around to watching it, either, and my nieces talked about it. So we put it in and parceled out the food. Lester shared his sesame chicken, so I was nice and shared my lo-mein and egg rolls, even getting brave enough to try my newly-acquired skill with chopsticks with the take-out ones. I wasn't at all surprised that Lester was good with them.

The movie was better than I'd expected, and when it was over we sat on the couch talking like kids about magic and what we'd do if we had a magic wand or a spell-book. Lester was comfortable to talk to when he wasn't flirting. I was snug on my end of the cushions with a lap blanket tucked around me, listening to Lester's voice…and dozed off.

I woke up at seven-thirty the next morning, tucked into bed wearing what I'd had on last night, still hugging my fleece lap blanket. I shuffled into the bathroom trying to decide if I should be embarrassed or not. I decided I should at least call him later and apologize. Especially since I found he'd cleaned up the kitchen and put the leftovers into the fridge for me. But what made me laugh out loud was the single wooden chopstick left on the coffee table -- Lester had colored it and decorated it with markers to look like Harry Potter's wand.

TBC…