Chance Encounters
Chapter 38
oOoOo
Ranger's POV
Tank and I had just entered the Bonds Office to collect the Rangeman files. While Tank was perusing the high bond skips, I was about to grab the medium bond files. It occurred to me how satisfying it was going through the files with Stephanie. She gave us an entirely new perspective and her inside information proved to be so advantageous for all concerned, except the skips, of course. Tank liked my idea. Pfft. His idea, truth be told, he was the one who inferred the possibility.
He had already planted the seed during that very first brainstorming session over the medium bond skips after lunch at Shorty's. His observation really struck a chord with me, and I'm sure with the other guys, too.
"This is something we at Rangeman could benefit from, with your feminine wiles and finesse," Tank had remarked sincerely. He was referring to how women react, FTAs in particular, when they see us knocking at their front door ... big, mean-looking, scary dudes in black. Lester has been our best option, using his charm to fenagle them to come along quietly. We have to really go by the book, and never place ourselves alone with a female, okay, a woman, who was an FTA. The hysterics that often occurred with all things considered, made it more of a delicate issue in their capture. And stressful. You just can't punch a woman, it's not part of our MO.
Then, Stephanie's counter comment to Tank's remark, "Yes. I can see that being an issue at times for you guys. Something to consider later." That left the door open, an option to consider, seriously. I smiled as I recalled how she handled herself in our presence in that session, so competently and confidently. It seemed nothing fazed her about us. She trusted us, we trusted her. It was mutual respect from the outset.
Looking at the files, I noticed that Connie had added coloured post-it notes to the files with some information for Stephanie. Just at the same time, I felt a warm sensation go up my back and tingle around my neck. I smiled knowing she was right there. Tank looked at me curiously until he too turned around and saw Stephanie, smiling and looking delicious in her black on black gear. Feisty Vixen smiled at me and came up close, grabbing my shirt in one hand, pulling me down for a tantalising kiss, nipping my bottom lip. Without realising it, she had surreptitiously grabbed the medium skip folders out of my hand, grinning cheekily. Tank grinned at me having lost the awareness of my surroundings.
"Vixen one: Ranger zip," he chuckled.
"Hey, Connie. Are these all the medium skips for us?" She nodded, also smiling.
For us. I liked that. She was sassy and sexy. Tank had moved over to the window, using the natural light to scrutinise the high bond skips more closely. Yeah, right. I know my second in command was giving us some space, amused at how Stephanie had distracted me so easily.
"I reckon we should do what we did last time … go over the set of files together, if you like?"
"Yeah. That would be great. You gave us a good heads up on those skips."
"That was so cool, Steph. We liked your perspective and it was so beneficial for our team too. You have a knack. Good instincts too." Tank remarked respectfully.
"Rather than in a public place, like here or Shorty's, how about we use one of the Rangeman conference rooms. At 0900?" I suggested.
She smiled and nodded.
"That gives me some time to check a few details with Connie here."
Once again, she signalled for me to meet her outside. Who was I to disobey a direct command from the Vixen? I was ready for her this time. She was further down the laneway, leaning against the wall with her lovely long legs crossed over at the ankles, watching me as I strolled over to stand in front of her. Her eyes were drinking me in, just like mine were doing the same to her. Before she could push me against the wall, I pinned her first, simultaneously raising her off the ground and placing my hand gently behind her head so she wouldn't slam up against the wall. My lips were on hers at the same time. Mentally, I was thinking, Vixen one, Ranger one. Love all. Hmm, so much to love, as her lips responded hungrily in return, and, to my delight, she wrapped those legs around me. Madre Dios. My hands automatically reached for her delicious little ass, holding her in place. Her hands were in my hair, tugging at my leather tie.
"Mm. I have been wanting to do that for a long time," she said on a sigh, twirling the leather tie absent-mindedly. "You are so very kissable, your lips, your body too …"
Her gaze lingered at the minimal space between us. I kissed her nose, grinning, captivated by those sparkling blue eyes.
"Yours too. Maybe we can work on the rest, soon." My voice was evidently deeper and huskier.
She hummed her reply.
"Mmm. Ooh, yesss. I'd like that."
Reluctantly, I gently put her down, stealing a chaste kiss while tucking some errant wispy curls behind her ear, lingering on her neck with my touch. She shivered and smiled coyly through her long lashes. Taking her hand, I kissed her wrist and her palm as we walked out of the laneway.
Tank and Connie were waiting, pretending not to notice our slightly dishevelled appearance, my hair loose and hers with that, dare I say, that just fucked look. Her kiss swollen lips probably matched mine. Tank winked at Connie, signalling two all. Fucker.
"So, we meet at nine o'clock, at Rangeman."
We nodded and headed out. She took a sip from her water bottle watching us leave, holding the chilled bottle to her flushed cheeks for a moment. I sent her a parting one hundred watt-er and received a dazzling one in return. Tank thumped me in the shoulder. Man. I couldn't get annoyed with him, at all. I was looking forward to 0900.
o0o
As she came off the elevator, I greeted her with a squeeze around her waist and escorted her to the second conference room with my hand in the small of her back. Lester, Tank and Bobby were there already. Hector, Hal and Cal joined us shortly after. Without a word she handed each of us a folder. The room quietened as we read the files with just the sound of flipping pages breaking the silence. She placed them in two piles once we had read them all. Tank and I grabbed a couple again to recheck the details.
Hector looked at the sorted piles.
"Si. That is good Chiquita. Muy buena."
"Gentlemen. What are your thoughts?"
We all concurred with her sorting piles. She then proceeded to detail the interesting background details that she and Connie already knew.
"You know, I find it intriguing how you are able to dredge up the mud so readily on these bottom of the pond scum dwellers," Hal remarked, echoing our thoughts.
"Dredging. Hm. I like that. It is common knowledge for some, and gossip is currency as I told you. People love dishing the dirt. These four are obviously Rangeman fodder. You can have fun with those. I'll take these four and, probably with a partner, should be able to track them down over the week."
"Now, this one. Benji Carter. Only a week left. His file should already have been given to us. Vinnie tried, unsuccessfully to nab him alone, after giving me shit about catching my FTAs, when you guys conveniently strolled into the Bonds Office, last week. You quickly picked up on my pissed-off-at-Vinnie vibes," at which she chuckled.
She continued, perceiving our looks of recognition. Yeah. A fun day was had by all … except Vinnie.
"Benji Carter: a medium bond. Robbery with violence; aggravated burglary; discharging multiple firearms with threats to kill, and car stealing. Many vehicles were damaged in his getaway pursuit. He was the idiot televised on TV a couple of months back, heading from the Turnpike north along Route 1. Rolled the vehicle on Route 295 and ditched it on the greens of the Cobblestone Country Club. Citizen's arrest from angry club patrons wielding golf clubs and irons until the police arrived shortly after. I know of him already and he's a nasty piece of work. Definitely a product of his violent home environment, but it's not my place to judge. That's for the courts. Last time he re-offended whilst he was an FTA and here he is again."
"What the hell?" Cal growled.
"Yeah. Tell me about it. Pfft. I really question Vinnie's willingness to bail some of these idiots. Anyway, he's all yours."
We nodded.
"Looks like fun," Tank remarked coolly.
Stephanie took the two women, giving us a swift profile on them … definitely hysteria-potential cases. The other two were violent but not weapons related, just vehicular manslaughter or domestic violence. Pfft. Just. What am I saying?
Once again, she amazed us with her run down of these skips, making wise suggestions for starting places if there were family connections. Like this dude. I was looking at his file and she grinned.
"Sonny de Luci: DUI; drug possession with intent to sell; domestic violence, times four and a bigamist. Thinks he's another Don Juan, and surprisingly, succeeding at it." She rolled her eyes at that.
"What do you mean, domestic violence, times four? And he's a bigamist?"
"Yeah. Go figure. He's a skinny dude," and here she shuddered, "reminds me so much of Vinnie in appearance. Has four girlfriends, two of whom are wives, hence the bigamy charge. Between the four of them, he has fathered nine children with one on the way. I don't know what they see in him. Turns out they all lodged restraining orders on the same day and he appeared in court with all of them present, before the same judge, at his arraignment hearing. Apparently, the wives and girlfriends were baying for blood. The evidence of his brutality was plain to see. I reckon he'll have another girlfriend or two by the time I locate him. I already have a lead on one in Lawrence Township."
"How do you do that?"
"Connections."
"No shi-it!"
"He's a glutton for punishment."
"Stupid fucker."
She paused as she flipped one of our files, tapping it pointedly with her black manicured index finger. Why did I not notice that before, beautiful long black fingernails? I had certainly felt them as she ran her nails down my back. Focus!
"I reckon this guy is right up your alley. Sylvester, aka Sly, Malone: gun running; pimping; dealing drugs. He's often seen hanging out at the bikies bar hangout somewhere in outer Trenton, or at the local gym. Thinks he's another Ramirez and loves to play the Rocky theme music like Rocky Balboa and "Eye of the Tiger". Always has two large goons as body guards where ever he goes. Huge ego, short fuse. Easy to recognise with three large Betty Boop tats on his arm; always provokes a fight. He's big, but not quite as big as Tank, and certainly not as buff." She winked cheekily at him.
She collected her files as everyone departed. They were abuzz with the information and were pleased to have such a good head start. Walking up to me, she stopped in front of me, in my personal space. With her long black fingernails walking up my chest, she eyed me before speaking confidently, her head cocked in a questioning pose, like a cute blue-eyed puppy.
"Tonight?"
Confused. "Tonight?"
"Yes, tonight."
"Ah, the date."
I smiled mischievously.
"No."
"No?" Her weight was on one leg now, hand on her hip. I loved that look. Sassy and cute.
"Later, this afternoon, say around four thirty. I'll take you for a drive, to somewhere you like, near the coast."
I smiled as her reaction and body language instantly changed. She beamed at me.
"Dress code?"
"Casual."
"K …" and she closed the distance even more, giving me a chaste kiss before sauntering out of the conference room with a wink over her shoulder.
"I'll pick you up from The Den."
"At sixteen thirty. Right." Chuckling, she left me standing there.
"I'll get some research done in the meantime."
"Why don't you use one of our research stations. The cubicle next to Cal is available. It's all set up with double monitors. Allow me to show you," I said with a wolfish grin.
She followed me and was pleased with the location. As I pulled her chair out, she turned and gave me a hip nudge and was ready to get stuck into it, putting her files on the turn-around desk. I gave her the company passwords and her own user name, Vixen of course. Leaning over her, smelling her hair, and whispering in her ear so closely, was very tantalising. When she turned her head to me, our lips were in kissing range, so I took advantage. Just a sweet tender kiss.
Reluctantly, I left her to it and she had both monitors up and running, searching within minutes. She was adept at doing multiple searches, and when I walked past sometime later, she had all eight FTAs running, focussing on one of hers while the others were running their course. She was already familiar with the search engines we used, thanks to Hector.
A highlighter pen was in her mouth as she read one of the print outs, on my next pass. She was in a zone. Occasionally she vocalised some of her findings, some with frustration but others with evidence of success. Sweet mutterings, amusing Cal and the other guys nearby. It was obvious she loved the hunt and her insatiable curiosity and determination were there for all to see. The tone of the control room was different with her presence. She had an aura about her, and the ripple effect of her light and enthusiasm changed the atmosphere significantly.
After my conference call, I noticed she had already left. I was looking forward to our first date, finally. I dashed upstairs for a quick shower and a change to jeans and a button up shirt.
Duly, at 1430, I was knocking on her front door at the Den. With a huge smile she opened the door and invited me inside, kissing me sweetly. She dashed up the stairs to grab a light jacket, as it was cooling down in the evenings now. I followed her up the stairs, stopping halfway to look at the framed photos on that dark curved wall. They were all black and white photos, in black or white wooden frames. Beautiful photos, enlarged and beautifully detailed. Stephanie and her friend Mary Lou as primary school aged friends, at a Fourth of July picnic. A couple more with Mary Lou at Point Pleasant and another, I assumed, after her return from college. Nice age progression. She was so naturally beautiful. I noticed the conspicuous absence of any family photos. Then there was Hector and Steph together, and one of the proud owners of the Den. But the one at the beach really captured my attention.
She came beside me after she skipped down the stairs and smiled at me looking at her in the photo. She was in a cute bikini, white framed sunglasses eating an ice cream, looking so happy and radiant. It was quite a movie star-like pose. Obviously not taken by her parents.
"I was fourteen then, somewhat happier days. Mary Lou was there too, and the guys who are my friends from the TPD, Eddie, Giovanni, aka Big Dog, and Carl too. They were all in another photo eating a picnic lunch on a beach towel. Then I froze.
"What?"
"Look behind you, between you and Carl …"
"Omigod. No. Really?"
"That's me, and my brother, and these are two of my sisters. I'm the one holding the packet of crisps, sharing with Lester beside me. I seem to be watching you." I grinned. She looked more closely at the photo and beamed.
"How cool is that."
"Yeah. Six degrees of separation, they say."
"C'mon. Let's head out, to the very place we both loved growing up."
"Point Pleasant. Oh, that's a great idea."
The drive in the Porsche was an easy run. I parked near the board walk. She breathed in the fresh sea air and sighed as I opened her car door. We strolled, hand in hand, along the board walk. I like people watching and so did she. As we sat on one of the benches eating an ice cream, she did a running commentary on presumed conversations between couples and families. We laughed, and I added my bit too. Avoiding the arcades, we just held hands and took in the scenery. Sharing some hot chips with mayonnaise, was interesting, but she also added some ketchup and mustard. A corn dog and then some fairy floss. We watched the sky change colour as sunset drew near sitting on a bench with our feet resting on the wooden railings.
"I love watching the sunrise over the ocean, but one day, one day I would love to see the sun set into the ocean, from an island maybe, somewhere in the world."
Hm. Something to file away for someday.
Leaning against the railing, I stole a kiss, putting my arm around her shoulder, holding her close, enjoying the feel of her proximity. She was humming. I think she felt the same. Content and relaxed. It's not often that I take time out to just relax. I pulled her to stand in front of me, hugging her and kissed her tenderly. She hummed again.
"Carlos? Is that
your phone vibrating?"
Damnit. Phonus-interruptus. This had better be important to interrupt our first date.
"Speak."
Stephanie watched me as I took in the information, her grip on my shirt changed as she sensed my tension. She is very perceptive.
"On our way."
"Sorry, Babe. We need to go. That was Tank. Someone's been shot, one of the Rangemen at a break in. Let's go. I'll fill you in with as much as I know as we make our way to Princeton Hospital."
I had already started back to the car, her hand in mine, at a brisk pace, with Steph half running to keep up with my longer stride, but she didn't complain. She was just as keen to get out to the hospital, too.
"Who? Who's been shot? Is he alive? Is it bad?" as she buckled herself in.
oOoOo
TBC
I know. It's a cliffie. Chapter 39 is already well and truly started, just so you know. So, I won't keep you hanging in suspense for too long.
Being in the southern hemisphere, the seasons are opposite as we enter into Autumn. I hadn't actually set a specific time of year in this story, since, if you recall, it initially began as a one shot. You insisted on more and my Muse was happy to indulge your whims. Thank you for your lovely reviews and support along the way.
After dealing with a few ongoing major health issues, my Muse has re-surfaced with a clear head. The plot bunnies have been hopping around madly. And not because it is coming up to Easter next month.
Remember, not mine, but the plot and any mistakes are mine. I just enjoy taking them out to play and bringing some backstory to the characters we all love.
I hope you are keeping well and be safe, wherever you are in the world.
