Chapter 29-

I was walking down the aisle headed towards Carlos. Looking at his handsome face nearly knocked me off my feet. His eyes spoke volumes. I could see so many feelings reflected in his deep brown eyes. Love. Respect. Loyalty. Lust. Desire. I felt a smile slide across my face as his mouth tipped up until he was displaying his full two hundred watt grin. I kept walking towards him, nearly running as I sped up my pace.

When I reached the end I realized another man had been standing beside Carlos the whole time. I turned behind me and a beautiful woman was walking towards us. When I saw her face I knew. This was Amanda and she was marrying Ranger's friend Kinsey. We were to provide them security and I was playing Maid of Honor. I wasn't the bride, I wasn't marrying Carlos. He didn't want me because he doesn't do relationships.

"Estefania." Hector's voice broke through my reflection.

"Sorry." I said without even knowing why.

"You were squeezing my hand hard. Are you okay?" He whispered in my ear.

"I'm fine." I pulled my hand from his and patted his leg.

The pain I felt in my heart made me physically shake as I felt the chill move through my body. I had been in love with Ranger, in love with him since the beginning. I hadn't admitted it to myself or to him. I couldn't remember saying 'I love you' to anyone over the last few years, not even to members of my family. I remembered times that Morelli or Ranger had said it to me, but never straight on until recently.

I looked around the courtroom as I tried to reclaim my footing to where I was and what was going on. Morelli was watching me, his eyes had such a sharp and penetrating look it gave me goosebumps. Of course his mother and mine bookended him. All of the same Burg gossips were around. Several Rangeman and a few people I didn't recognize at all. I focused on the stand and realized Eddie Gazzara had just been sworn in and stated his name as Carlson walked towards him.

"Officer Gazzara how long have you been a member of the Trenton Police Department?" Carlson asked him.

"Almost fifteen years." He admitted.

"Have you ever worked personally with Detective Morelli?" He was asked next.

Gazzara shrugged. "Of course. We started off as beat cops together."

"You were partners?" Carlson wanted to know.

"No. We just worked the same shifts. When he moved up to vice we still came across each other from time to time. My particular area of assignment is the Chambersburg section of Trenton, it's a small place."

"And you live there as well?" Carlson wanted to know.

"My whole life, born and raised." Gazzara smiled.

"And Detective Morelli? He's from there also?" Carlson asked.

"Yes. Like I said it's a small town." He shrugged. "Not really even an official town it's just a section of Trenton."

"Did you know Mrs. Manoso or Detective Morelli growing up?" he inquired.

"We didn't hang out in the same circles but I knew of them. We went to the same High School." Gazzara admitted.

"What did you know of them?" Our lawyer inquired.

"Stephanie was a tomboy, a bit of a rebel. She didn't date much, from what I could tell she mostly just hung out with a classmate of hers." He thought for a moment. "Mary Lou"

"And Detective Morelli?" Carlson prompted.

Gazzara rolled his eyes. "He was well known by reputation."

"What type of reputation?" Carlson inquired.

"Objection." Cox rose. "Speculative. Is Officer Gazzara on the stand to talk about childhood indiscretions?"

"Just trying to understand the relationships and interactions between everyone involved." Carlson looked at the judge.

"Let's focus on the case before us and leave the past where it belongs." The judge informed Carlson. "Objection Sustained."

Carlson nodded and moved away from Gazzara. He slowly but methodically moved towards the table. He shuffled through a couple of papers and I used the time to glance around. The room was mostly silent except for a few whispers from the observers in the room. I watched my mom pat Joe's hand and whisper words that appeared to be filled with encouragement. When I looked at his face again his eyes were penetrating through me. I quickly looked away; I really had a deep fear of him. That feeling made me uncomfortable and embarrassed at the same time.

"Can you describe the scene when you answered the call for help at the Morelli house?" Carlson asked.

"When I got there it was chaos. The ambulance was already there and I wasn't the first officer on the scene so I didn't really know what I was walking in to. I was only told there was a shot fired." Eddie explained.

"What did you encounter when you arrived?" Carlson wanted to know.

"I saw Stephanie sitting on the front porch of the Morelli house." He explained.

"What did she look like?" He asked

"She was a mess. Her hands were covered in blood. She was shaking like a leaf." He gently shook his head.

"What did she say to you?" Carlson slowly moved towards the jury.

"At first she was making no sense, she was talking about all of the blood and she was worried about Angie. I tried to calm her down so she would be able to tell me what happened." Gazzara explained.

"Were you able to do that?" Carlson glanced at the jury.

"After a couple of minutes yes. I assured her that Angie was in good hands and the nurses and doctors at the hospital would take care of her. Soon Stephanie started to explain what had happened. She said she had some memories of Joe being violent with her so she didn't want to meet him alone. She told me Morelli held a gun to her head." Gazzara answered.

"A gun to her head?" Carlson leaned near the jury.

"Yeah. She lifted her bangs and there was a crescent sized shape on her head. It was red and looked like it was bruising. Obviously something had been pressed against it." He blew out a breath.

"Did you take a picture of it?" He glanced at the jury before he asked the question.

"I wish I had moved faster." He sighed. "She was trying to tell me what happened. She told me that Morelli had the gun to her head and was threatening to kill her. She told me he had the gun when it went off and hit Angie. She was still talking when Officer Gaspick approached us to arrest Stephanie."

Carlson looked surprised. "Weren't you the one interviewing her?"

"Yes. I was assigned to take her statement but Gaspick said he had orders from Detective Hawley." Eddie explained. "I felt like my hands were tied. I am sure the mark on her forehead was from a gun, my best guess would be a nine millimeter."

"Who asked him to guess?" Dickie jumped up.

Carlson shrugged. "Just asking for his opinion of events."

The judge nodded to Carlson and motioned for Dickie to sit back down.

"What type of gun does Detective Morelli carry?" Carlson asked.

"A nine millimeter, standard issue for Trenton PD." Gazzara explained.

"And who was in charge of the case?" Carlson asked.

"Detective Hawley was in charge of the scene." Eddie informed him.

"Hmm" Carlson thought. "This is the first time I am hearing about Detective Hawley. I wonder why he wasn't called to testify."

"He's on the run." Gazzara announced.

"On the run?" Carlson wanted clarification.

"He was put on administrative leave for tampering with evidence and poppng positive on a drug test. He disappeared and no one knows where he is." Gazzara elaborated.

"Doesn't sound like a good guy to me." Carlson remarked.

"Objection." Cox jumped up. "Mr. Carlson is not on the stand. No one wants to hear his opinion."

"Sustained." The judge glanced at Carlson. "Let the witness make the statements."

"Yes your honor." Carlson nodded before turning back to Eddie. "Did you think Hawley was a good cop?"

"No. I couldn't stand him. He was shady and always stepping out of line, pushing things a bit too far." Eddie told him.

"And Officer Gaspick? What do you think of him?" Carlson remained close to the jury.

"He's a rookie. He doesn't know how things work. He gives out traffic tickets to people going one mile over the limit." Gazzara cracked a grin.

"We've all done that." Several jurors nodded along with Carlson. "Why did he ticket these folks?"

"Power trip. The guy like the power of the badge." Eddie shrugged. "some cops get like that."

"Did Detective Morelli get like that? Did he like the power of the badge?" Carlson inquired.

"Objection." Cox muttered as she slowly rose.

"I'm just asking for his opinion." Carlson held up both of his hands palms out.

"Overruled. You may answer the question Officer." The judge nodded.

"He had his moments." Eddie shrugged.

"He did?" Carlson asked.

"Look." Eddie paused. "Joe was a great cop, he was the best of the Morelli men and then well I don't really know. I don't know what happened or what changed him."

"How did he change?" Carlson inquired.

"He wasn't himself anymore. It was around the time Eddie Abruzzi committed suicide." He shook his head. "At the time I assumed he was upset because someone was torturing Steph. Leaving snakes at her doorstep and threatening her."

"So you think that bothered him?" Carlson crossed his arms as he leaned back.

"Yeah of course it bothered him to see his girlfriend going through that. She had a guy cut in half and placed on her couch." Eddie blew out an exasperated breath.

"Was Detective Morelli acting different?" Carlson tilted his head.

"Yeah he was crazy. Ranger stepped up to help watch over and protect Stephanie. They both got a lot closer then." Eddie answered.

"Who got closer?" Carlson asked.

"Ranger and Stephanie." He shrugged. "He was mentoring her, he helped her become a better bounty hunter."

"It has been stated that she was a disaster." Carlson informed him.

"Nah." Eddie shook his head. "She has great intuition and she never gives up. When she gets too close to busting someone who has committed a major crime they try to take her out."

"Take her out?" Carlson again looked at the jury.

"Kill her, remove her. But she had Ranger and he always came to the rescue." Gazzara gave a small smile.

"And the relationship between Mr. and Mrs. Manoso during her case when Eddie Abruzzi was threatening her got closer." Carlson reminded.

"Yes." Gazzara nodded.

Suddenly the light bulb clicked for me. Carlson was pinpointing Morelli's attitude to line up with Ranger becoming a bigger part of my life. So far Carlson was getting across all of his points and facts without suggesting anything and without attacking anyone. He was starting to look like the good sensible lawyer. I finally saw what he was doing and it made sense. I glanced over at the jury and realized many of them were watching Carlson for his reaction and when he nodded a couple of the men nodded along with him. It was as if he had convinced them he was on the other side of the wall and was simply one of them.

"That's tough I guess." Carlson nodded.

"Yeah." Eddie smirked. "No one wants a guy like Ranger around your girlfriend so much."

"Would Ranger let her get hurt?" Carlson looked confused.

"No. Never." Eddie shook his head.

"Then why wouldn't a guy want her around him?" He tilted his head.

"Because he's Ranger, he so handsome and badass, I mean he's freaking Batman." The courtroom was filled with chuckles.

Carlson was done with Gazzara and dismissed him. Cox rose to her feet.

"Hello Officer Gazzara." She smirked.

"Good afternoon ma'am." He nodded.

"Are you related to Stephanie Plum?" She asked him.

Carlson cleared his throat and let out a heavy sigh.

"Excuse me Stephanie Manoso." She corrected herself.

"Not directly. I am married to her cousin Shirley." He informed her.

"I would consider that related." Cox noted.

"I guess." Gazzara shrugged.

"Officer Gazzara, why aren't you a detective?" She asked him.

"There are no available spots." He explained.

"Did you take the Detective's test?" She asked.

"Yes." He nodded.

"And you passed?" She asked.

"Yes." He nodded again.

"Who has the highest seniority for the next available opening?" Cox asked him.

"I do." He answered quickly.

"So, if Detective Morelli was let go you would move up to Detective?" She asked.

"I guess so." He agreed.

"No further questions." She smiled.

She strutted back to her seat and the smile remained plastered to her face. I felt bad for Eddie because she was trying to make him look like a liar. I expelled a deep breath while I watched him step down and slowly move across the courtroom. He walked out the heavy wooden door and the judge turned his attention to Carlson. I was anxious to see who would be called next. I wanted my turn to be up there again. I wanted a chance to redeem myself and stand up for Ranger.

"I'd like to call Lieutenant Luca Romano to the stand." Carlson announced.

Several heads turned as Luca pushed through the door. He wore a blank face as he walked towards the stand. He was wearing a dark blue suit that set off his emerald eyes. He looked incredibly handsome with his brown hair slicked back; he was definitely in cop mode. He took his seat and straightened his tie before looking over at Carlson. The room was silent as Carlson walked from behind the table and made his way towards Luca.

"Could you state your name for the court please?" Carlson asked him.

"Luca Romano" He answered.

"What do you do for a living?" Carlson moved towards the jury.

"I am a lieutenant for the New York City Police Department." He stated.

"How do you know Mrs. Manoso?" He asked.

"We met in Hawaii. I was her neighbor at the resort she was staying in." He continued.

"And you went to her bungalow to borrow some sugar?" Carlson suggested as chuckles could be heard.

"Not exactly." Luca smiled. "I noticed someone sneaking around the bungalow where she was staying. I went over to check it out and a man had broken inside and had a gun trained on her."

"That sounds scary." Carlson's hand went to his chest.

"She was trying to remain composed. I found out later it was the skip she was trying to capture." Luca informed us.

"Simon Ruguzzi?" Carlson asked.

"Yeah." Luca nodded.

"Did he escape?" Carlson was curious.

"No. The police and Ranger's men were able to work together to turn him in once I had him incapacitated." Luca glanced at Ranger.

"What did you think of Mrs. Manoso when you met her?" Carlson asked.

Luca smiled. "You could tell right away she was a genuine person, one of those compassionate heart type people."

"What brought you to that conclusion?" Carlson asked him.

Luca shrugged. "Call it instincts. I like to think I'm pretty good at reading people.

"Have you seen Mrs. Manoso since your initial meeting?" Carlson continued.

"Yes a couple of weeks ago." He affirmed.

"What happened?" Carlson wanted to know.

"She called me to come and pick her up. She needed a friend." Luca glanced my way.

"Where did you take her?" Carlson leaned against the jury wall again.

"I took her to my house." He answered.

"Alone?" Carlson looked curious.

"No. My daughter was there." Luca corrected him.

"Do you know Detective Morelli?" Carlson glanced at the jury.

"I met him." Luca nodded.

"When?" Carlson wanted to know.

"He came to my home while Stephanie was there." He responded.

"What made him come to your house?" Carlson's eyebrows drew together.

"He stated that he used her cell phone to track her down." Luca noted.

"Objection." Cox stood. "Where's the proof?"

"He doesn't need any, he is testifying to what he heard directly from Detective Morelli." Carlson held both hands out palm up.

"Overruled." The judge told Mrs. Cox.

"So he came to your home looking for Mrs. Manoso?" Carlson went back to questioning Luca.

"He told me he was looking for her as part of a police investigation." He gave his head a slight shake.

"What was the investigation about?" Carlson looked confused.

"There was none. He was trying to use his badge to get past me." Luca responded.

"That didn't work with you?" Carlson glanced at the jury.

"No. I offered to show him mine and he backed down." Luca's lips turned up in a slight smile.

"Then what happened?" Carlson looked riveted.

"He told me to fetch her." Now Luca actually smiled.

"Fetch her?" Carlson sounded confused

"Like a dog. He actually ordered me to fetch her." Luca shook his head.

"Then he left?" Carlson wanted to know.

"I asked him to leave but when he didn't I called for backup." Luca recalled.

"Then he left?" Carlson repeated.

"I went inside and could hear him on the porch. Eventually he left. But I am pretty sure he was hanging out nearby. A while later Mr. Manoso came to pick up Stephanie." Luca explained.

"And they left together?" Carlson wanted to know.

"Someone shot at his car but yes they both got out of there safely." He nodded.

"There were gun shots?" Carlson's mouth dropped open in shock.

"The driver's side window was shot up. It's an active investigation. I can't comment further." Luca sighed.

"So did you ever let Detective Morelli in? Even though he showed you his badge?" Carlson wondered.

"Not a chance. He even tried to play the Italian card. He tried to get me to go along with him and do what he wanted. He said 'from one Italian to another'" He shook his head.

"You're Italian?" Carlson leaned forward.

"Yes." Luca affirmed.

"Have you ever heard of Italian passion?" Carlson stepped towards Luca.

"No." Luca looked confused.

"No? It's supposedly well known." Carlson tilted his head.

"I've never heard of it." Luca told him.

"Well, maybe you have the signs since you're Italian." Carlson suggested. "Do you get angry easily?"

"No. That wouldn't be conductive to my job." Luca informed him.

"Do you find yourself grabbing someone you care about so hard you leave bruises behind? Maybe yelling and screaming when someone you love is in danger?" Carlson suggested.

"No." Luca responded.

"Objection. He's no expert." Cox announced.

"He's Italian." Carlson shrugged.

"You introduced it." The judge shook his head at Cox. "Overruled."

"So you never heard of Italian passion?" Carlson looked confused.

"No. It sounds ridiculous." Luca nearly rolled his eyes.

"Apparently it's very well known in Chambersburg." Carlson shrugged.

"Well, I've never heard of it. I would never put my hands on a woman in anger or hurt a woman in any way." Luca vowed.

"Thank you Lieutenant." Carlson nodded before he headed back to his seat.

Dickie jumped to his feet. "Did you put your hands on Stephanie?"

"No." Luca looked annoyed.

"Didn't she spend the night in your home?" Dickie smirked as he moved forward.

"Yes she did." Luca nodded.

"Where was your wife?" Dickie inquired.

"She passed away." Luca leveled a glare on him.

"I see. So as far as Stephanie spending the night in your home, where did she sleep?" Dickie glanced at the jury.

"In the guest room with my daughter. They had a sleep over." Luca noted.

"A what? Your daughter?" Dickie was surprised.

"Yes. My daughter got her sleeping bag and slept next to Stephanie in the bed." Luca smiled.

"That's hard to believe considering her reputation." Dickie smirked.

"I can assure you our relationship is strictly platonic." Luca told him.

"Detective Romano…" Dickie began.

"Lieutenant." Carlson reminded him.

"Excuse me. Lieutenant Romano…" Dickie straightened his tie. "Why did Stephanie come to your house?"

"She called me and I picked her up. She needed a break." He explained.

"A break? From her husband? Was she afraid of him?" Dickie wanted to know.

"No." Luca huffed out a laugh. "She just needed a break from the pressure of trying to remember everything."

Dickie's face fell. He was clearly disappointed. "Tell me again where did she sleep?"

"As I said, she slept in my daughter's room with her. The only unusual thing about her visit was Morelli stopping by." Luca glanced at Morelli.

"It's not very unusual for a man to seek out his fiancée when she is shacked up with another man." Dickie looked smug.

"Or maybe with you she was trying to make new memories." Dickie suggested.

"You're right..." Luca began.

Dickie snapped his head to look at Luca and a huge smile spread across his face. He walked towards Luca and leaned in. He was obviously waiting to hear something juicy.

"She made new memories. She had a great time with her friend and his daughter going to Coney Island. She was stalked and threatened by her ex-boyfriend and had someone shoot at her." Luca smiled.

"Oh." Dickie paused. "No further questions."

Dickie slumped back to the table and plopped into his chair. Luca was dismissed and I noticed a couple of women in the jury checking him out as he made his way out of the courtroom. He was an incredibly good looking man. I smiled to myself. Things were looking very good for us now. I watched Carlson as he looked down at his notes. I glanced over at the prosecution's table and Cox was shuffling through her papers while Dickie watched her. Carlson slowly rose to his feet.

"I'd like to call General Anders to the stand." He announced.

Heads turned as the door to the courtroom was pushed open. The presence of the man who walked through it immediately forced me to straighten up in my seat. This man oozed authority and demanded respect with every step. He wasn't tall and he wasn't particularly built, but there was something dangerous and alluring by the way he carried himself. He was wearing a dark green formal uniform with six rows of the colorful bars that are awarded to dedicated soldiers throughout their time in the service and the two stars denoting his general status, with his hat tucked under his arm, his salt and pepper hair was cut short, his brown eyes focused straight ahead. He pushed aside the low swinging doors and made his way to his seat.

"Good morning Sir thank you for coming to testify for us in this case." Carlson said once the General was settled.

"It is my pleasure to come defend such a great soldier."

"I have asked you here today to give testimony of Captain Manoso and what he is like under pressure. Can you start by helping us understand what his rank was in the Army and what his duties entailed?"

"Manoso is a Captain. Meaning he was in charge of his unit, a position that fit him well as he was a natural leader. Manoso was good at logistics he could figure out a way to accomplish any task given to him quickly and efficiently with minimal danger. Being in charge of his team meant being responsible for their safety, a position he took very seriously."

"And can you tell us what kind of jobs his team was called to perform?"

"No I cannot." The General answered.

"Why is that?" Carlson glanced at the jury.

"From the time he became an Army Ranger everything that was done is classified for the government."

"You say he was an Army Ranger can you tell us what that entails?" Carlson moved towards the jury.

"An Army Ranger is the best the Army has to offer. They are all officers, all taught to lead and be in charge and then they go through the most grueling physical training known to man. It is harder than the Navy Seals. It lasts over two months. The soldiers average 3 to 4 hours of sleep a night and they are expected to perform at a level of peak performance at all times. The average participant loses about 25 to 30 pounds of weight during this time. It is meant to be both physically and psychologically taxing and only the best or about 30 percent of the men that apply and start training actually get their Ranger Tab."

"Can you tell us what kind of Army Ranger Captain Manoso was?"

"Is. An Army Ranger is something you are forever." The General scolded Carlson.

"My apologies." Carlson gave a slight bow. "Can you describe to us the kind of Army Ranger Captain Manoso is?"

The General nodded. "Many people may use the term 'best of the best', those are words I don't use lightly. I have been lucky to spend a great portion of my career surrounded by a lot of the best men. Captain Manoso was the best of the best of the best. The Army Ranger motto is Ranger's Lead the Way and he exemplified this motto. He was the man to live up to and everyone under him aspired to be like him. Anyone who had the honor to work with him wanted to be half as good as Captain Manoso. His name was very well known in our ranks."

"Are Army Ranger's under a lot of pressure?"

"They are routinely in very stressful situations where their life and the lives of their men are in danger. In fact they willingly lead the way in dangerous and stressful situations. They are tested and trained to handle the worst kinds of stressful situations including being taken captive and tortured."

"How would you say Captain Manoso handles stressful situations?"

"Captain Manoso is a master of control, the definition of cool and calm under pressure. There was no assignment he couldn't complete, and for that reason he was often given the most dangerous missions. The so-called suicide missions." The General admitted.

"Suicide missions?" Carlson's eyes grew wide.

I watched him again as he glanced at the jury before focusing back on the General. It finally clicked in my head when a few members of the jury returned Carlson's glance with wide eyes. He had made himself one of them. Carlson had turned the jury into a group of peers and pushed his way into the mix. He sounded and looked as confused and interested as they did. He leaned against the short wall as close as he could to the juror's box without sitting beside them.

"A suicide mission is one that needs to be accomplished but thought impossible without loss of life for all that participate." The General's words broke through my thoughts.

"And soldiers willingly go on these missions?" Carlson sounded shocked.

General Anders shook his head. "No most soldiers are unwilling to accept such assignments."

"But Captain Manoso was?" Carlson asked.

The General nodded. "Captain Manoso always was."

"He must have faced a lot of difficult situations." Carlson assumed.

The General chuckled. "That's stating it mildly."

"Capture?" Carlson inquired.

"Yes." The General responded.

"Torture?" Carlson asked.

"Yes." The General nodded

"Being faced with someone pointing a gun at him would not stop him then." Carlson stated.

"No he has faced guns being pointed at him hundreds of times and still carried out his mission."

"Having someone threaten him with a gun wouldn't phase him?" Carlson questioned.

"The Captain is well trained, I would think having a gun pointed at him is small compared to the dangers he has been challenged with."

"Would you say that he would only attack if he or a loved one was threatened?" Carlson raised an eyebrow.

"I could easily say that he would only attack if that was the only alternative to a bad situation." The General gave one nod.

"Would you say he would keep his head about him in such a situation?" Carlson moved forward.

"I would say that he always keeps his head about him." The General glanced at Carlos.

"On the day in question there is testimony that he lost control. It's being said that he attacked a police officer and threatened his very own wife. It's been stated here that he went for the Officer's gun. Is there anything in his behavior in the past that leads you to believe he would attack someone and try to take their gun?" Carlson moved towards the General.

"First of all I want to congratulate him on his marriage. I am sure Captain Manoso is always armed therefore he wouldn't need to take anyone's gun. Manoso has been trained in lethal combat and can kill with his bare hands he doesn't need to take anyone's gun." The General noted.

"Have you ever seen Captain Manoso go after someone holding a gun on him?" Carlson stopped right in front of the General.

"The only time I have ever seen him attack anyone was to save another person's life. We had an incident on a base where a man with mental issues had decided he would kill his commanding officer. The young soldier entered the main building to head straight for his Captain's office. Captain Manoso just happened to be exiting the exact same building. Their paths crossed in the hallway as I was leaving my office for the day. Captain Manoso stopped dead in his tracks and immediately engaged the confused soldier in conversation. I noticed the soldier kept his hand on the gun at his side. Before I could react the soldier trained his gun on Manoso. The Captain had the soldier subdued and relieved of his weapon in mere seconds. He saved an untold number of lives that day." The General finished.

"That's quite a story." Carlson shook his head in surprise.

"Just stating the facts." The General informed him.

"Are there any final words you would like to add to your testimony in this case?" Carlson moved back towards the table where Carlos sat.

"I would like to say that I knew these charges were false as soon as I heard about them. If the situation was true and the woman he loved was going to leave him for another man, he would let her go. He is trained to keep his emotions in check. Under no circumstances would he go off halfcocked and attack the person he loved or the man of her desires. At the end of the day if he couldn't change her mind he would say 'C'est la Vie' and move on with his life. He is not going to waste his time on someone that doesn't want to be with him. My final words are that Captain Manoso is one of the finest men I have ever had the pleasure to serve with and the best damn Army Ranger we had. We could use a hundred more like him."

"Thank you for your testimony." Carlson finished.

Mrs. Cox approached the witness stand and started her questions.

"You stated that Captain Manoso has been well trained?" She inquired.

"Very." The General agreed.

"He is trained to kill?" She suggested.

"He is trained to defend our country." General Anders corrected.

"So he's a killing machine?" She asked.

"Objection." Carlson jumped to his feet.

"Sustained." The judge nodded. "Rephrase and tread lightly."

"Manoso was trained to kill people. That was his primary purpose?" She corrected her question.

"His primary purpose is to protect our country." General Anders corrected her.

"By any means possible?" She asked.

"Sometimes." He agreed.

"And you were trained the same?" She wanted to know.

"Yes." He nodded.

"Would you say you are brothers in arms?" She inquired.

"Yes." He nodded again.

"Always have each other's backs?" She pushed.

"Yes, it's imperative. The men must be able to perform without having to worry about the other men in their platoon." He informed her.

"And you would do anything for your comrades?" She moved towards the jury with a smug look on her face.

"Of course." He agreed.

"Does that mean you would lie for Manoso?" She smirked.

"No." He quickly responded.

"You would do anything for each other but you wouldn't lie?" She huffed out a laugh. "You expect us to believe that?"

"I don't expect you to believe anything. I can only tell you the truth." He leaned back in the chair.

"The truth? Have you ever lied for one of your men?" She asked him. "It doesn't sound like Army Rangers are the most ethical soldiers around."

"Objection, calling the man's reputation into question without proof is unacceptable and disrespectful." Carlson sounded angry for the first time in this case.

"Sustained." The judged glared at Cox." I should remind you that the General is a highly decorated member of our armed forces and should be treated with respect."

"Yes your honor." She huffed out a breath before she spoke again. "No more questions."

The judge turned to face General Anders. "I would like to thank you for your time General. It is a great honor to have someone like you in my courtroom considering your busy schedule."

"Always happy to do what I can to make sure the truth comes out." The General nodded.

The General was dismissed and the room was silent in respect as the man stood from the chair and moved towards the short doors of the courtroom. He stopped at the table where Carlos sat and suddenly Carlos was on his feet. The men saluted each other and then shook hands before the General took his leave. I felt a tear gather in the corner of my eye. I was in awe of the situation, in awe of these two strong men who had given up so much for their country. My country, the men who kept me safe and provided me with my freedom. Carlson's next words jostled me out of my thoughts.

"Your honor I would like to call Detective Joseph Morelli back to the stand." Carlson announced.

He turned around and glanced his way. Morelli got to his feet and patted his pants to straighten them out. He took a deep breath and glanced at me before he headed to the stand. He was reminded that he was still under oath and he took the seat. Carlson slowly moved around the table and smiled as he moved towards Morelli. He nodded to him and stopped a few feet from him.

"Good afternoon Detective." Carlson greeted him.

"Afternoon." Morelli mumbled with a forced smile.

"Thank you so much for making time to speak to us today." Carlson moved towards the jury.

"I am anxious for all of this to be over with." Morelli admitted.

"I'm sure we all are." Carlson agreed.

"Can we get on with it?" Morelli asked.

"Oh of course." Carlson nodded.

I watched as he leaned against the wall that the jury sat behind. He glanced at them before he began.

"What were you thinking when you proposed to Stephanie Manoso at your mother's house?" He asked him.

"I proposed to Stephanie Plum." Morelli glared.

"I hate to correct you Detective but her name is Stephanie Manoso." Carlson looked innocent.

"Her name is Stephanie Plum but you can call her Manoso all day long. You can tell the world that her marriage to Manoso is real, but deep down we all know it's a sham." Morelli looked smug.

Carlson glanced my way. "Well, I can't help but notice Mrs. Manoso is sitting in the courtroom behind her husband."

"She still hasn't regained her memory. She can't be held responsible for the things she says and does right now." He glanced my way and I immediately looked away.

"Let's move on." Carlson told him. "Tell me about Hawaii."

"What about it." Morelli whipped his head back to Carlson.

"You went there? As a surprise?" Carlson asked.

"Yes. Stephanie had invited me but I had work and wasn't able to go. I felt bad that she was there alone, so I got a couple of days off to fly out there. I hadn't expected Manoso to move in on her and take advantage of her during the case they were working on." Morelli shot a look to Ranger.

"Then what happened?" Carlson acted like he was a teenage girl juicy for gossip.

Morelli shrugged. "Who knows what ploys he used to talk her into his bed. I wasn't upset with Stephanie, she always comes back to me."

"Mrs. Manoso?" Carlson asked.

"Ms. Plum." Morelli sounded out each word.

"You weren't upset to find your girlfriend Stephanie Manoso in another man's company?" Carlson pressed forward.

"I was upset to find my fiancée Stephanie Plum cajoled and tricked into sex by the reckless thug." Morelli glared at everyone in general.

"We just heard testimony that Captain Manoso is a decorated man of honor." Carlson informed him.

Morelli laughed. "Sure we did."

"Are you calling the General a liar?" Carlson looked surprised.

"I'm saying that military men cover each other's backs." He looked smug.

"Kind of like police officers?" Carson suggested.

"We look out for our own, but we don't defend someone who has broken the law." Morelli informed him.

"Yes, you're right. Officer Gazzara is a prime example of that." Carlson agreed.

"Objection." Cox was on her feet. "Where's the question?"

"Get to it." The judge ordered.

"Yes your honor." Carlson nodded. "Why did you allow Stephanie Manoso around Mr. Manoso if you thought so poorly of him?" "I warned Stephanie time and again about getting involved with the thug but he forced his way into her life." Morelli shook his head.

"How?" Carlson was back to leaning against the juror's box.

"He gave her fake jobs when she needed money. He steered her into assignments that put her in danger so he could save her. He worked hard at making her feel indebted to him." Morelli noted.

"And still Mrs. Manoso chose to be around her husband?" Carlson glanced at the jurors.

"Stephanie Plum was naïve." Morelli glared at Carlson.

"I'm sorry but her name is now Stephanie Manoso." Carlson looked apologetic.

"You can call her Manoso all you want but her name is Stephanie Plum. My fiancée Stephanie Plum." Morelli growled.

"She's Mr. Manoso's wife, not your fiancée." Carlson corrected him.

"I refuse to feed into this crap." Morelli told him.

"It's her legal name." Carlson looked apologetic once again.

"It's a lie." Morelli confirmed.

"Why did you propose to someone else's wife?" Carlson asked

"I proposed to my girlfriend." Morelli corrected.

"Well now I'm confused. Was Stephanie Manoso your fiancée or girlfriend?" Carlson asked.

"Stephanie Plum was my girlfriend and we had plans to marry." Morelli enlightened him.

"But she married someone else? She chose to become Stephanie Manoso." Carlson asked.

"She was taken advantage of." Morelli shook his head.

"Like you took advantage of her when she was sixteen?" Carlson stepped away from the jury.

"I have never taken advantage of her." Morelli looked stricken.

"That's not how Mrs. Manoso remembers it." Carlson informed him.

"Lies fed to her by Manoso, she doesn't remember how things really were. He's had weeks to work on her memory. Weeks to tell her lies about me." Morelli shot Ranger a look of hatred.

"But yet Mrs. Manoso chooses to stand by her husband. Mrs. Manoso chose to be with him over you. Mrs. Manoso chose to stay married to Carlos. Mrs. Manoso told you no when you proposed. Isn't that right." Carlson moved close to Morelli.

Morelli sucked in a breath. "Her name is Stephanie Plum. Get that in your head. Her name is Stephanie fucking Plum and when she does change it her name will be Stephanie Morelli."

"Objection. Language." Carlson looked at the judge.

"Remember to watch your mouth. Foul language will not be tolerated in my courtroom." The judge admonished Morelli.

Morelli's lips tightened as he nodded at the judge.

"Do you understand that Stephanie has already legally changed her last name to Manoso? Do you understand that she has chosen to keep the vows she exchanged with Carlos Manoso? Do you understand the court has ordered you to address her by her legal name? You are to use her full legal name when you speak about her? Do you understand that?" Carlson asked Morelli.

"Objection. Does Mr. Carlson understand he is supposed to ask one question at a time?" Cox asked.

The judge nodded. "Please wait for an answer before you proceed." He ordered Carlson.

Carlson nodded at the judge before turning back to Morelli. "Do you understand that Mrs. Stephanie Manoso has chosen Carlos Manoso as the better man and married him?"

"Go fuck yourself." Morelli sneered.

**************************THANK YOU*************************

Thank you all for baring with me. I promise I will not leave this story incomplete, it's just taking me a bit longer than usual between chapters.

Thank you to Skye for pushing me to get this chapter out.

Thanks to Jenn my quick working BETA!