It hadn't. I watched in horror as the familiar face of my husband walked into the room. Dressed from the neck down as…Ironman? Twilight zone music started playing somewhere in the back of my mind.
I almost managed a smile, but the waterworks were already starting up again. For different reasons this time.
Ranger turned to the guards. "Would you mind giving us a moment?"
The officers politely stepped outside, and then it was just the two of us. Separated by lies, guilt, and of course the holding cell bars.
My eyes dropped immediately to the floor. This was so much worse than embarrassment. It was worse than humiliation. The guilt that was eating me up inside made me wish I could shrink to the size of a dust mite and disappear completely.
Ranger came and stood next to the bars. "Solicitation, huh?"
His words cracked the barrier I'd been trying so desperately to hold in place. The dam broke, and I suddenly morphed into a wailing, blubbering mess of a human being.
"I'm so sorry!" I bawled hysterically.
Ranger reached for me through the bars and without a word, pulled me into his arms. The embrace felt like such a relief that for the smallest of moments, I almost forgot I was in a holding cell on charges for solicitation and drug possession.
He brushed the matted hair away from my face and rubbed my arms.
"The corset's nice," he added, a hint of amusement etched in his voice.
I cried harder.
"There's not much I can say right now to make you feel better, is there?"
I gave a small shake of my head as the tears continued to fall.
"What would you say to some room service and shower therapy?"
I pulled back slightly to glance up at him. "They don't do room service…in prison!" I wailed.
Ranger gave a bark of laughter. It made me furious and yet somehow elated all at the same time.
"Don't worry, I think the prison situation is getting sorted out as we speak."
As if on some cosmic que, the middle-aged officer knocked and suddenly reentered the room.
"Looks like this really was all a big misunderstanding, Mrs. Manoso. My apologies for the…well, the rude remark earlier."
He unlocked the cell door before sliding it open. "You're free to go."
I wasn't sure whether to be relieved or terrified.
###
The drive back to The Four Seasons was an emotionally laden blur. I was still coming off an adrenaline high, and my mind had officially quit processing my day about the time Red Skull had me splayed execution-style up against the alley wall. And I still was having difficulty wrapping my mind around the whole Ironman thing.
"What's with the costume?" I finally asked.
"Felt like Batman would have been too on the nose."
He didn't look over at me, but there was a hint of humor in his voice. It felt a little forced, but I knew it was probably better than the alternative.
"It helped validate the story to spring you from prison," he added. "You were my date to the comic convention."
I rolled my eyes before sinking lower in my seat. "Is there even the tiniest of possibilities that we could just forget this whole thing ever happened?" I asked.
Ranger raised an eyebrow. "Do you really want me to answer that?"
"Yes!"
"Not a chance in hell."
Oh good. Glad we got that cleared up.
I glanced over at him. "You seem to be taking all of this rather well. You don't seem at all surprised to see me."
He shrugged, and the faintest hint of a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. "I've had some time to process."
At least one of us had.
"How much time?" Based on the darkening skies, it seemed like we were somewhere in the ballpark of late afternoon to early evening.
Ranger glanced at his watch and did some quick calculations in his head. "A week."
My eyes widened in surprise. "I'm sorry, did you just say a week?"
He gave one of his classic singular head nods.
"As is in the seven days kind of a week? Or it feels like it's been a week since I've seen you kind of a week?"
"Not really sure there's a difference, but I'd say more like the first one."
I shifted my weight in my seat so I could face him. "You knew?"
"Babe."
"But…how could you possibly…I…how…?"
"I got a call when one of my company laptops left the state."
Oh my gosh! Duh! How could I have possibly missed that?
"And Hector told me."
"Hector told you?" That rat. Well, he could just say goodbye to any future jalapeno popper surprises.
"My employees know who signs their paychecks, babe."
I made a face. "I believe I've been the one signing the paychecks lately."
"True." He paused. "Hector was just looking out for you. He didn't want anything bad to happen on his watch."
I blew out a sarcastic breath. "Kind of cut things a little close there, don't you think?"
Ranger frowned. "Maybe. And that's definitely something we need to talk about, but we're both coming off an extremely long day. My vote is to go clean up, order something to eat, and watch a few hours of pointless TV. Then we can go over what needs to be addressed."
I heaved a sigh and resumed my position of staring blankly out the window. It was pretty hard to argue with logic like that.
