Big thanks to everyone who has been reading and reviewing this story, especially the Guest reviewers since I haven't been able to thank you personally for continuing to leave some of the nicest comments I've received. All things familiar are Janet's. The mistakes are mine alone.

Chapter 36

Ranger's POV Continued ...

Everybody was quiet and seemed spent on the way back to the Rangeman building. Steph lasted until Matthew was fed, bathed, and changed, then she kissed me goodnight, hugged Julie, and crashed not long after our son did. It took Julie and I a little longer to shake the day off, so we sat together at the table in the kitchen, just discussing the evening and the people up here who love her.

"I wish I lived closer," she admitted, "or you guys lived closer to me."

I don't explain myself or the decisions I've made, but she seemed to want some type of reassurance from me.

"I've been rearranging my schedule to give you and Matthew more of my time."

She thought about that for a minute. "I love Matty ..."

"It's hard not to. He's Stephanie all over again."

She smiled. "He has our looks and Stephanie's personality."

"A potent combination."

"Is it wrong to say that I'm a little jealous of him?"

I'm not surprised to hear that, but I still hoped I wouldn't.

"Nothing you feel is ever wrong, Julie. It's understandable that you'd be upset that I've stayed in one place with him, but couldn't with you."

"It seems selfish, though. Mom and Dad are the best, but growing up I couldn't help but want what I have with them ... with you."

"We have that kind of relationship now."

Another smile. "We do. Now that I've gotten to know you, I think we're more alike than we are different."

"Don't tell your mother or Stephanie that or they'll begin to worry."

My daughter laughed and I felt a weight lifting. We're in this together. She finished her hot chocolate and then got ready for bed herself. I waited until I was sure she was sound asleep before I shed my clothes and slid into bed beside Stephanie. She made a soft sound as I wrapped my arms around her and rolled her into me. I went back over the day's events as I felt myself beginning to drift off.

Sunday morning was organized chaos, but between Stephanie, Ella, and I, we managed to get breakfast eaten, the dishes from them cleaned up, and the kids away from my men before noon. During the drive to the new place, Julie was alternating her attention between us and Matthew, attempting to maintain a conversation with Steph and I much to Matty's displeasure.

He'd kick his feet against his car seat or open and close the hand closest to her while 'aaahing' loudly whenever she looked away. He does the same thing with Stephanie and it's making me concerned for the female population of Jersey when he hits an age to really notice them. Flying under the radar isn't likely going to be his MO.

"What do you think I should get him for Christmas?" Julie asked us.

"He's not picky," Steph said, looking back over the headrest of her seat. "As long as it moves and makes noise, he's happy with it. But you don't have to buy him anything."

"I want to. Mom said he could take his first baby steps soon, and I want to get him a toy he can play with when he's sitting or standing. I saw a pull train that looked fun and also really noisy."

I inwardly cringed at the 'really noisy' description, but this is something important to her so I kept my reaction internal.

"He'll appreciate whatever you give him, because it came from you," I told her.

She rolled her eyes in true Steph fashion. "He won't know it came from me. He's too little."

"He'll see pictures eventually," Steph promised her. "And we'll make sure he knows which of his favorite toys you picked out."

She seemed satisfied with that, but I can tell with a glance at her in the rearview mirror that she's deep in thought even as she shook a rattle to amuse her little brother.

We got to the house without sitting too long in traffic, and Steph wasted no time trying to rope Julie into a project.

"First order of business will be to figure out what the heck to do with all these leftovers your grandmother gave us. When Matty takes his nap, what do you say we look for ways to combine all of them into something you, me, and your dad will eat so we can use them up faster?"

"Okay. I already know what I want to do for breakfast tomorrow. You'll like them, Steph. Mom made them with us last year for Thanksgiving morning."

Despite my mother unloading a feast on us, I see a store run in my immediate future.

"Go easy on me, Jules," Steph told her. "I've only recently strayed further than cereal, toast, and baby food."

"Oh, that reminds me," Julie said, looking around for the suitcase I'd brought in a few minutes before. "I saw this at a store that just opened up in the mall and thought it'd be perfect for the kitchen here. Mom tried to talk me out of getting it, saying it could be seen as rude, but I knew you'd find it funny." She dug around the contents of her purple luggage for a minute. "Here it is. I had to pack my clothes around it so it wouldn't get scratched or broken."

Steph and I both read the small sign she was holding up. As Julie predicted, Stephanie laughed.

"You were right. I love it! And we're hanging it right beside the table."

"Really?" Julie asked her.

"Yup. I'm leaving your dad in charge of hanging it, but it's definitely going there."

The plank-sized sign was painted a glossy black and had the words "Many have eaten here ... few have died" written in script in white across the center of it. Another example of how unlike Helen Stephanie actually is. Mrs. Plum would be appalled at the implication, whereas Steph only sees the humor and probability of it.

"I thought you said you brought something for your room?" Steph asked.

"I did. The lamp my dad brought back from Hawaii."

"Your parents went to Hawaii?" She asked Julie, clearly trying to figure out when Rachel and Ron had gone on vacation without her hearing about it.

Julie laughed. "No, Steph. When Ranger, aka my other dad, went to Hawaii to capture someone, he brought me back a pretty wood and paper lamp to put on the desk in my bedroom. Now I want it in my room here."

I felt Stephanie's eyes land on me. It's known to Morelli and the Plums that she and I were in Hawaii together half-heartedly trying to capture The Rug, but she didn't know that I'd gone off on my own to pick up something special for Julie during a slight lull in the sexual activity when she'd left our beach retreat to check out a lead. I might have picked up a ring at the same time if I thought for a second she would have accepted it. I waited a few months after we got back to purchase the one she now has on her finger.

I felt an unfamiliar warmth in my chest when it occurred to me how much Julie must love the carved Koa wood and rice paper lamp I'd given her if she'd been willing to fly it across the country just to put it in her new room here.

"Are you sure you want it here with you for only part of the time instead of having it in Miami full time?" Stephanie said to Julie, but her eyes hadn't left me.

For a woman who once thought she wasn't maternal at all, she gets just as emotional as my mother does whenever something involves a child ... good or bad.

Julie is also glancing at me, as if she wasn't sure of my reaction.

"Are you certain?" I asked her.

"Yeah. When you gave it to me ... we weren't as close as we are now and I wanted to have something from you with me. Now I know I can just call you whenever I want. I don't need a thing when I have you."

Stephanie was holding Matthew and the two of them moved closer, instinctively knowing this is an important moment for me.

"You could have called me at anytime ... even back then," I told her. "I've been your father from the moment you were conceived."

"I know, but before it felt a little weird whenever we tried to have a serious conversation. I get that I can talk to you about anything now without worrying about it ... as long as I don't mention a boy's name."

"A boy, huh?" Steph said, going for an Oscar win with her 'I don't know anything about a boy' performance. "I want details."

"There are no details," she said in exasperation.

"Been there, said that. How about we leave the guys in here and you and I can get your stuff put away in your room?"

"Nice try, Steph. Justin and I are friends."

Steph passed Matthew to me and looped an arm around Julie. "Okay. If you say so. You can tell me about your friend - who happens to be a boy - and everybody else in Miami. How are your sisters doing?"

As they were walking out of the kitchen, Steph lifted a hand and gave me a subtle thumbs up. In our bed tonight, she'll likely give me a more thorough rundown on everyone close to Julie than Vince could uncover using all my company's resources.

I kept hold of Matthew with one arm while I put everyone's things in their appropriate locations. I could hear the female voices drifting down the hall from Julie's open door, but I didn't feel excluded. I've earned my place in both of their lives and I'm secure in it.

I dropped Steph's overnight bag onto our bed and then brought Matty to his room, knowing it was around the time for his nap. I grabbed the book Bones got him from the small bookcase and sat down with him, letting him sprawl out in the curve of my arm. I read him the adventures of 'Petey the Porsche' until he finished his recap of the morning and started really listening to the low rumble of my voice. He slowly quieted down and was nodding off not long after.

Julie's only been here for about an hour, and in Jersey for 48, but I'm confident she'll be coming back to see us next month despite Rachel knowing about - and not being thrilled with - the Halloween bomb scare. I wasn't the best father, but she knows I'm damn good at protecting people. I have and will continue to protect my children with everything I have at my disposal.

All four of us were up relatively early Monday morning, but I'm the only one in the kitchen dressed in something other than pajamas. Matthew got a fresh diaper, but is still in the paw-printed, puppy-faced, footed pajamas Stephanie put on him last night. Julie's wearing black and pink pj's, which consisted of heart-covered lounge pants and a long-sleeved t-shirt with the word 'Dream' scrawled across it. It still catches me by surprise just how beautiful she's becoming ... and how grown up she really is.

Stephanie is also beautiful, but in a very 'adult' way. Flannel shouldn't look sexy, but the incredibly low rise on them left a tantalizing strip of skin exposed between the wide waistband of the form-fitting pants and the hem of a tight Henley-style top. This had me more than happy to stay in the kitchen just so I could watch her move around it. The room was filled with the scents of freshly-brewed coffee and cinnamon. Even though I know what was bought at the store, it took me a second before I registered what they're making for breakfast.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you not to play with your food, Babe?"

"Yep. Pretty much every time I sat down to eat." She gave Matty the toy she'd left on the counter and then came over to me. "Don't worry," she said into my lips, "yours and Matthew's breakfast will contain fruit and something dairy-like. You know those are low-fat cinnamon rolls and you and Julie vetoed my bacon choice, so we're stuck using turkey bacon for the tails ... which I guess is actually appropriate. The candy corns are still sugar-crack, but it's only one piece per cinnamon roll."

"Where is the bag with the remaining ones?" I asked.

"Julie ... your father wants you."

"Julie's busy," I said to her.

"Okay, the bag is hidden someplace safe so it won't get into the wrong hands."

"Yours?"

"No. Julie's or Matty's. I was weaned on the stuff, so my body can take a hit without incident, but theirs are more susceptible to junk. I know I have to be their body's guard against all that processed sugar."

"You're always thinking of someone else's welfare above your own."

Her head tipped to the side. "Was that sarcasm?"

"What do you think?"

"Can't you just answer a question without one of your own?"

"I don't know, can I?"

"Be careful or you may just find a few candy corns in an unlikely place," she warned me.

I can't let her get away with making a threat without giving her something to remember the next time she attempts it. I caught her wrist and tugged her close again so I could say something Julie won't overhear.

"Would in or on part of your anatomy count as an 'unlikely place'?"

Her face went bright red when she pictured potential candy-hiding holes.

"Great ... how am I supposed to look at candy corns without thinking dirty thoughts now? You're really evil, you know that?"

"I've told you I'm bad. You're the one who refuses to believe it."

"What did he do?" Julie asked, hearing the tail end of Stephanie's statement.

"He got the last word," she told my daughter. "Just like he always does."

"It's annoying, isn't it?" She asked.

"Yep. That's why he's so good-looking, to make up for irritating traits like that."

"Stephanie ..." I warned.

"And smart," she quickly added, not wanting Julie to think looks come before anything else. "A smart guy is hotter than a good-looking one. Remember that, Julie. I lucked out because your dad's both."

"I'll remember that if I'm ever interested in boys that way. Right now they seem so immature, loud, and kinda gross."

"I'm afraid they don't change much as they grow up," I cautioned her.

The expression on her face let me know she detecting the ulterior motive.

"I couldn't like anyone who thinks having brains is dumb."

I felt another moment of pride hearing that.

Steph did, too, and gave her a one-armed hug. "You're a great kid, Juuu-Juuu."

She laughed. "I know."

"And humble like your dad."

"I was just kidding, Steph," she told her.

"I know you were, but it's actually the truth in this case."

Matthew felt a little left out since we confined him to his high chair, and he decided to toss the toy he was just given onto the kitchen table.

"Okay, okay, little man," Steph said to him. "When we're done breakfast, I promise you'll be allowed to crawl around until you can't crawl anymore."

"We can eat in the living room, can't we?" Julie asked, taking over the bowl Steph had given me to feed Matty, spooning the last bite of his apple and squash breakfast into his open mouth. "Then he won't have to wait. The turkeys should only take a couple more minutes."

"You can eat wherever you'd like," I told her, remembering Stephanie being told she couldn't eat anywhere except at the table.

"You get the food," Steph said, "and I'll get the kid."

We migrated to the living room once their food was out of the oven, and a tray of cinnamon roll turkeys was set on the coffee table. Steph and I sat at one end of the sectional and Matty was between us facing the back of the sofa, looking expectantly at it. Clutching a cinnamon roll in one hand, Julie plucked off the pieces of bacon that made up the tail before kneeling down on the floor behind the couch, only to pop up seconds later with a surprise word. It started off as a typical Boo!, but she quickly learned that he likes certain sounds more than others.

She'd take a bite of her breakfast and then disappear and reappear shouting "Popcorn!" or "Apple Pie!" He especially liked "Yodel!" He enjoyed it even more when she attempted to actually yodel instead of just naming a favorite snack cake of Stephanie's.

"She thinks about food almost as much as I do," Steph whispered, as we sat there watching Matthew laugh so hard and bounce so enthusiastically at Julie's game, he came close to tipping over.

My arm shot out and I righted him before he could. "Julie," I said, "you may have to be less entertaining or he could hurt himself."

"Really?"

"No. He's joking," Steph informed her. "He's just not very good at it."

So she went back to playing and Steph draped her legs across my lap as she got a little more comfortable. I'm right beside her and the kids are having a good time in front of us, so she could relax. We stayed that way until Matty needed a diaper change and some actual clothes. Julie and Steph conveniently decided to take that opportunity to get dressed themselves, leaving me to tackle another diaper.

A little while after that, we headed outdoors. Steph had the kids with her for what Julie called a 'nature walk'. Since the temperature has remained tolerable we had agreed to eat lunch outside. I offered to get the food started so Julie and Matty could enjoy the beach a little longer before we had to leave. I had a top-of-the-line combined gas and charcoal grill delivered in preparation for days just like this one. Stephanie and Matty could get fresh air and I could keep an eye on both while getting us fed at the same time.

I was just about to light it when I heard Stephanie's panicked voice.

"Ranger!"

I was already running towards her. I'm too familiar with that tone not to be. We won't be getting a completely peaceful holiday after all. Someone's in trouble and it had better not be my family.

When I got to the beach, Julie was standing in the sand about fifteen feet from the water, valiantly trying to hold onto her wriggling little brother, but Stephanie was nowhere to be seen.

"She told me to hold onto Matty and made me swear I wouldn't let him go under any circumstance. Then she dove into the water."

Julie tried to point in the direction Stephanie disappeared, but she wasn't willing to risk Matthew getting away from her. I didn't waste time asking the whys of Stephanie's actions. The water is only fifty-degrees and although she's a good swimmer, I won't relax until my hands are on her or she's sitting safely on shore. Less than two minutes after I left the patio, I was diving into the ocean after her.

"Over here!" I heard. Then ... "I think he's dead."

I swam in her direction and took possession of the wet fabric she had a death grip on. I could tell immediately that the guy is in fact dead. There was no hope of Stephanie saving him. How he came to be dead became apparent upon closer inspection ... a small caliber, penetrating gunshot to the back of his head, execution-style.

I didn't let go of the body, but I also grabbed Steph's jacket so I wouldn't lose track of her out here and used my legs to propel us back to shore. The two of us are used to seeing dead bodies, Julie and Matthew aren't. My protective instincts were battling each other, much like Steph's were during the Halloween scare. I want her warm, dry, and not caught in the middle of another fucked-up situation. And I need my children in the house so they don't have to see this. The problem solving part of my brain was already sorting through reasons why a dead guy is floating in the water in front of our vacation home.

I pulled us to shore and made sure Steph was sitting in the sand. I left the dead guy in the water and tried to block the sight of the body with my own.

"Are you alright?" I asked her.

"I'm better than he is."

In my peripheral vision, I could see Julie coming towards us. "Get the kids into the house and have Julie watch Matty for a few minutes while you change and warm up. I'll make a few calls and have this handled."

"You're thinking he was murdered, too."

"It's extremely hard to shoot yourself from behind."

"Someone you know?" She asked, her teeth chattering with every syllable.

"Funny. I'm not stupid. I wouldn't dump someone where they could wash back up. From the look of him, he hasn't been dead long."

"Crap."

That summed it up.

"Is that guy dead?" Julie asked, once again hiking Matty up in her arms. She was taking her role as his protector very seriously. "Steph only said someone was in the water ... and then she was gone so I couldn't ask any questions."

"MaaaaDaaa," Matty added.

We knew he'd be right about saying 'murder' at some point.

"We're okay," Steph told them both.

"I'll take care of this," I promised Julie. "Stephanie needs to get out of those clothes. Can you handle Matty for a few more minutes?"

"Yeah. He's getting heavy though ... and impatient."

That's all Stephanie needed to hear before she acted. She doesn't want to leave me, but she knows I can take care of myself. We both know our kids are the ones who need to be looked after.

"It'll take us five minutes to reach the house, and another five minutes for me to change." Steph gave me a look. "I'm giving you only that amount of time before I come looking for you."

"Thanks for the warning," I told her, "but I'll be fine."

She ruffled Julie's hair to show there isn't anything to worry about. She can't hold Matty without getting him wet, so she tugged the cuff of his pant leg back down and kissed the very tip of his nose.

"Come on, Jules," she said. "We'll let Matty play in our bedroom, that way all you'll have to do it keep him from sticking a toy in a light socket while I quickly sneak into the bathroom to change."

"The outlets not in use are covered," I assured Julie. "I'll join you in a few minutes."

I gave Steph a brief kiss and waited until she got the kids inside before I dragged the dead guy's dead weight completely out of the ocean and I got out my cell. The company better not have been lying about it being waterproof. The man hasn't been in the water long because he still looks like one, so I snapped a picture of his face and sent it to Tank. I followed that up with a call and gave him more details regarding the guy's estimated height, weight, and hair and eye color in case we need to cross reference current threats. Only when that was done did I call in the local authorities.

I'd normally wait until the control room had definite answers for me before contacting the police, but I don't want Julie to start asking questions. If Rachel believes my life is as dangerous as I warned her it was when I agreed to let Ron adopt Julie, this could be the last time she gets to stay with us. If Julie sees that the police are involved, it will appear as if we're just in the wrong place at the wrong time, but I won't rule out that this is more than just a coincidence.

Word must have spread quickly about me buying a house in the area. Not only did multiple cop cars show up, along with the fire department, EMTs, and ME, minutes after I hung up, but the Chief of Police decided to personally check out the situation.

"Mr. Manoso," he said, holding out his hand. "I'm Chief Superion. I've heard a lot about you. I'm sorry to be meeting you under these circumstances, though. I don't have to tell you what happens now."

"You don't."

"Your wife is the one who found him?"

I barely nodded my head, but he caught it.

"Is she around?"

"She's keeping an eye on our kids."

"I'm afraid I'll have to speak with her before we're done here."

"She's expecting it. As long as you know she's not to be involved in this any more than necessary."

"Understood. I just need any evidence collected here to match what we already know. When I find who did this, I want to be able to put their ass away without the chance of the fucker getting off."

I understood that. Obtaining irrefutable information is much easier when you have no rules to follow.

I filled him in on my observations once I got a good look at the body, and repeated what Steph had told me. While his men scoured the beach and photographed and bagged the body, Superion followed me across the dunes and into my house, telling me why he thinks his missing person case just turned into a homicide.

I didn't see anyone in the kitchen or in any of the downstairs rooms, but Stephanie came down the stairs a minute later wearing jeans and a Rangeman sweatshirt. Not surprising, Matthew was with her. His head was lying on her shoulder and his face was turned to press into her neck. He didn't seem tired exactly, but he seemed to sense this isn't the time to play. He went even quieter when he saw the police chief standing behind me. I'd swear under oath he was sizing up the man.

"I didn't do it," she immediately told the chief.

"No one's accusing you of anything," I promised her. "Where's Julie?"

"In her room. I didn't want her to feel she had to keep me company while I stared out the window, risking a potential seizure from all the flashing blue and red lights. We made popcorn and I let her order a movie she's been wanting to see."

I moved everyone into the kitchen in case Julie decided to take a page out of Steph's book and eavesdrop on this conversation.

"This is the Chief Superion, Steph," I told her. "He's just following up on what he's already been told. Just tell him what you saw and we can call it a day."

I pulled out a chair for her while nodding to the chief to sit down so she would too. She didn't move Matthew, just carefully slid onto the chair with him in her arms. He had an impressive grip on her sweatshirt and his other hand was now in his mouth, an indicator to expect another tooth soon. He lifted his head when I ran my fingers over his dark hair and he rested his temple against Steph's cheek.

Seeing those two faces pressed together did something to me. What I feel for the two of them is literally painful. My reason for breathing makes it difficult to breathe at times. I stood by their chair and crossed my arms over my chest. Steph and the chief both know I won't be leaving them alone for any length of time, not even to get out of the wet clothing that's making small puddles under my boots. This isn't a social call and I don't want this visit to linger.

"The Chief?" Steph asked me. "Let me guess ... your reputation proceeded you out here?"

"I have heard the Manoso name mentioned a time or two," he told her.

That isn't news. The department has rules to follow, I don't.

"I can't help much," she said to us. "The kids and I were following a set of bird tracks we saw in the sand and I spotted what I thought was just a piece of driftwood floating about ten feet out. I pointed it out to Matthew, but then my brain kicked in and I realized the colors were all wrong ... trees aren't red. I went to investigate and as I got closer, I saw a face. I quickly passed Matty to Julie and screamed for Ranger so I'd know the kids would be okay, then I dove in."

"Just like anyone would do," he said, not sure what to make of her or of someone who would try to rescue a complete stranger without a second thought.

She looked confused. "Exactly. That's what anyone would've done if there was someone who may have needed saving. When my fingers curled into his shirt and I pulled him close enough to get a better look at him, I pretty much knew he was dead."

"At least this is one crime that doesn't involve us aside from you being the one to spot him," I told her, giving her the information I learned during the walk from the beach to our house.

My wet clothes didn't bother me as much as the resigned look on her face did.

"We believe this is the result of a drug deal gone bad," I continued. "His wife reported the guy missing a few days ago. He was a recovering addict who appeared to have recently relapsed. They fought early last week about a pipe she found in his car and he took off. She went to bed that night and when she woke up and found him still gone, she started getting worried."

"With good reason it looks like," she said, curling her arms tighter around Matthew and rocking him slightly, giving and receiving comfort simultaneously.

"Our kids will never end up like that, Babe."

"Not if I can help it they won't."

"What's this little guy's name?" The chief asked, glancing at the small yet serious face still staring at him. "Was it Matty you said?"

Although he doesn't have the skill set to head a proper interrogation, my kid's already got the unnerving stare down pat.

"Yep, this is Matthew," Stephanie told him. "He's not usually this quiet. He seems to be feeling the effects of the day."

"Aren't we all," he said, his flat tone hinting at the horrors he's faced on the job. "Aren't ... we ... all ..."

He refused the offer of coffee and left shortly after jotting down what Stephanie had repeated. Despite the somber occasion, when I came back into the kitchen after seeing him out, she had the slightest smile on her face.

"What?" I asked, not liking that I have no idea what she's currently thinking.

"When you were walking the chief out, I was just sitting here looking at Julie's sign ... about how no one died by eating in here. I guess it's a good thing she didn't find one that said something similar for our yard, since we just discovered a dead guy almost in it."

As he shifted in Steph's arms, Matthew let out a sound that I'm sure she believes is his version of an ironic laugh. I felt my own lips twitch in response to both of them. I've never been happier to not be dead than I am at this moment in my life.

A/N: The kitchen sign Julie gave Stephanie I saw online.