Tracy arrived at eight, and I had a coffee with her prior to leaving for the day. The kids were climbing all over her, thrilled to see her, and they were happy to give her the pictures that they had made for her the week before.

We talked about the potential to adopt, and I told her what Ranger and I had talked about - that, if she wanted, she could bring the child to work with her, or bring the child here after school. "From what Joe said, you would still be interested in coming here during the day?" I said.

"Absolutely", said Tracy. "It would kill me not being with the girls each day. I found it hard enough not seeing the kids last week. Your family really is a part of my family."

"Whatever you need us to do to help you adopt, let us know. You and Joe would be excellent parents. You have so much love to share, and we want to do whatever we can to help you in your bid."

Trace smiled, but there were tears in her eyes. "Thanks, Steph. That means a lot to us. Our only concern was that we didn't want it to change anything in our relationship. Joe and I love the relationship we have with the two of you and your children. You have let us help parent the girls. Would you help us parent our child?"

I grinned. "Absolutely. We would like to be an aunt and uncle to your child, and we would value that role just as much as you do."

Trace grinned, but her eyes were wet. "Thank you."

I gave her a hug. "I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you. Let me know how things are going, okay?"

"I will."

"I'd better get to work. The sheets on the bed in the guest room are clean, if you want a nap at the same time as the kids."

"Thanks, Steph."

I gave her another hug. "I really am glad you are feeling better. It sucks to be sick."

Tracy smiled, and I left the kitchen as she turned to the kids. "Did you have a good week?" she said.

"I go potty", said Tia. "Gwacie and Wixi go potty too."

"Pandies", said Alix.

"Panties?" said Tracy.

"We buy panties for Gwacie and Wixi yesterday", said Tia. "Mine too big."

"Fwowers", said Grace with a smile.

"Do they have flowers on them?" said Tracy.

Alix giggled with joy. "Yeah."

As I left the apartment, I had a grin on my face. Tracy was going to have her hands full. The kids were so excited that she was back - and she would love every minute of it.

A few minutes later, I got to my office, opened it up, got a coffee, and on the way back to my desk I popped my head into Dirk's office. "Hey", I said.

"Come on in and sit down", said Dirk.

I smiled at him and came into his office. "Did you get a chance to review the Night Terror books?"

"I did. I am just finishing the report on them now."

"What did you find?"

"The trails are well hidden. Richard is a good accountant. However, there are twelve times that he has stolen money from the accounts over the last ten years. From what I could tell, that was when he became the club accountant. Once was to cover his nephew's medical bills. Six times were to cover his nephew's annual tuition. Once was to cover the purchase of a new motorcycle for him. The other four times were to help fund the purchase of a house. He owns a total of four houses. He lives in one and the other three he rents out. He earns a significant income from them and supports himself by the rents that he charges. In fact, judging by how well he is doing, if the club wanted to get out of the drug and call girl business, they could do well by getting into the landlord business."

"Okay. So it sounds like you audited both the club books as well as Richard's bank accounts."

"Yes. They were very interesting."

I was alerted that he had a bombshell to drop by the enthusiasm in his voice. "What's going on?"

"When Richard took over the presidency, he paid Todd's parents money from the club coffers. Todd's parents thought it came from Richard, and they paid the money back to him in a check when they rejected the bribe. That check was cashed by Richard, therefore giving him another five hundred thousand from the club coffers. It was a way of stealing the money and getting someone else to take the fall for it."

"Do you think they know?"

"I have no idea, but I wouldn't mind finding out."

I laughed. "Joe and Cal are interviewing the parents today. I'll send a text to them to let them know the results of your investigation, and to tell them that your report will soon be in their inbox. When you send it, would you please also text them to let them know that it is there? Their first interview is at ten."

"Will do. I should finish that in another ten minutes."

"Then I will let you get to it. Thanks for letting me know." I stood up and carried my coffee into my office, opened up my email, got caught up on messages, and anxiously awaited my lunch period.

By the time I had set up the week, the report from Dirk had arrived. I read the report and sent a note back to Dirk thanking him for it and telling him that he had done a good job. A few minutes later, I was copied on similar notes from Joe and Cal. They each had emailed Dirk to thank him for the work he did.

I thought about my weekend and then, for shits and giggles, I researched David's background. It didn't take long. He was, after all, only twenty - which already raised eyebrows for me. He had told Julie that he was seventeen like her, and if they'd had a sexual relationship he would have been committing statutory rape. I thought that was interesting. His marks were, as his dad said, not very good and, if they didn't improve he would never make it into law school. They had been good when he was in high school, but he had also been caught cheating once so I wasn't sure if he was cheating more frequently and just hadn't been caught, or he had been working harder at his studies. Perhaps, if he had been smoking pot since the start of his freshman year, that had killed both his ambition and his memory, and could account for the difference in marks. I know that certainly had happened with Mooner. At one time, he had been quite smart.

Another interesting thing was that he had a restraining order against him filed by another girl. In high school he'd had a crush on a girl in another school. He had pursued her despite her saying that she wasn't interested. He sent texts, called, and visited her house numerous times. The police had warned him. Finally, she had to get a restraining order against him and even then he didn't stop. He had been charged with harassment and given community time. He was seventeen at the time and, while his record was sealed, the newspaper article talking about it was still there.

He was eighteen when he graduated from high school, and he took two years to backpack around Europe before he started college. Unfortunately, I don't think he developed any maturity during those gap years. He would have been better off getting a job. He certainly would have learned more. While backpacking he would have learned an appreciation for art, for architecture, and for cultures and languages. However, working at a job would have taught him the soft skills - ambition, diligence, discipline, money management, leadership, loyalty, pride in yourself, and so on. It sounded like he could have used those lessons.

I was surprised that Ranger didn't find that when he was doing his research. Of course, he wasn't adept at using the new In-Spect system. In fact, I'm not sure if he had ever used it before. I sighed. Dirk and Miguel probably would be asked to do all the research of any future boyfriends after this. Ranger would forever be creating dossiers on his daughters' love interests.

I sat back trying to decide if it was information that Ranger needed to know, and decided that it was information that both Ranger and Julie needed to know. I wrote the findings into a formal report, attached it to an email to Julie, copied it to Ranger, and in the body of the email said, "looks like you might be a stopper again. Hope the Senator follows up on getting his son therapy. He's twenty. If he is charged again, it will be on his permanent record this time." I sent it off to Julie and Ranger.

Within minutes, Ranger responded. "Crap, I told you that you are our best researcher. I wish you had done that in the first place."

I shook my head. "And what would we have done with the information afterwards?"

I could see Ranger sighing as he responded. "Hell if I know."

I sighed. "That's my point. There is no use for the information, so it is better not to do the work. It's not fair to Julie."

A reply came back a few minutes later. "You're right. I don't like it, but you're right."

A few minutes later, Julie responded. "I feel like a victim. Why do I always attract the stalkers? What did I do wrong this time?"

"Stop. You did nothing wrong. Unfortunately, that is what stalkers are like. They wait in the weeds, and pounce when you aren't expecting it. The problem with you is that you are gorgeous, and you are nice, and you attract everybody - twisted and nice alike. The only way you can weed them out is to become their friend and assess accordingly as you get to know them better, then stand up tall and not take crap if they are assholes. There will be many good people who are attracted to you, who might not have made any moves yet, and that's okay. Give yourself a break. Enjoy getting to know people. Make lots of friends. You have done NOTHING wrong and I would say, in fact, that you have done everything right. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks, Steph. I was thinking of contacting the Philadelphia police and asking them whether they would like me to go to schools and deliver my speech. I had enjoyed doing that when I was in Miami, and I think it looks good on my resume. I was also thinking of adapting my speech to add a couple of paragraphs about 'no' means 'no' and the importance of respecting the wishes of another person."

"I think that would be awesome. I think if you have time to do that, it would be good for both your resume and you personally. I'd say to go for it."

"What do you think Dad would say?"

"He'd say to go for it as well if you have the time. The Philadelphia teens could use the message, and I know how well received your speech was when you did it in Miami. It is an important message to give. If it stops just one person from having to go through the torment you went through? It is worth it."

"Thanks. I got a lot of pride from doing that. I felt like I was doing something good for society."

I smiled. "You are just like your dad. He values that as well, and nothing makes him happier than knowing he is doing something to benefit people, whether that is within our company, within Trenton, or within the country. Like your dad, you are a good person."

"Now you have me tearing up. :)"

"Oops - sorry! =) How are your mom and Ron?"

"They are good. They said if you ever want to bring Tia and the twins down for a week or a weekend so that the kids could enjoy the beach, to let them know. Their guest room is always available if you don't want to stay at Rangeman and, if you do, they'd be happy to have you for as many meals as you have time for."

I smiled. "Your mom and Ron are the nicest. I'll mention it to your Dad."

"I'll pass it on. I have to go. A friend of mine and I are going to the beach to get a tan. I want to impress all those pasty-white Pennsylvanians."

"Ugh. As a pasty-white New Jersey girl, I am definitely jealous."

"LOL"

"Have fun."