Chapter 2

Stephanie's Choice

"Stephanie, I don't want you to go back to your place tonight," Helen told her daughter.

"I agree. The way that Joseph was eyeing and trying to boss you around makes me nervous," Frank told Stephanie as well.

"I have an answer. She can stay with me." Pierre said out in the open

"That would be great," Helen said out loud.

"I don't have a choice, do I" Stephanie sighed.

"No," all three of them said at the same time.

"Fine, I will stay with Pierre for a while." Stephanie stomped out the front door. When she got on the porch, she saw Morelli waiting for her.

"Pierre, come see the sunset," Stephanie yelled.

Pierre walked outside and saw Morelli waiting to talk to Stephanie.

"Morelli, what is it?" Pierre asked him.

"I wanted to apologize to Stephanie for what I did," Morelli told him.

"I accept your apology, but I am not getting back together with you. I am happy with Tank," Stephanie told him

"Why do you want to be with him. He is a muscle-bound jerk." Morelli spat

"He treats me like a queen. You don't now if you don't mind, I have to work tomorrow." Stephanie said.

Morelli stepped aside and let Stephanie and Tank leave.

Tank opened the door for Stephanie, and she was just about to get in when she saw Lula strutting up to them.

"What the hell, He-man? You are supported to be with me, not her." Lula yelled at him

"Lula, I have been dating Stephanie for six months, and I love her. Please leave us alone. I am not yours anymore. You have no right to say that I am still with you. You will find someone. It is just not me." Pierre told her. Lula all of a sudden swang her bag at Stephanie. Stephanie ducked, and it hit Tank squarely on the jaw.

"Lula" Stephanie yelled.

"I think I better go now. Watch out, white girl, he is mine" Stephanie and Tank looked at Lula, running away.

"shit, this just is not my day," Pierre said. Stephanie helped Pierre back into her parent's house.

"What happened," Helen said as she saw Pierre and Stephanie come back in.

"Lula use to date Pierre, and she is having a hard time seeing us together," Stephanie said. Pierre said down at the table, and Stephanie grabbed another ice pack and gave it to Tank.

Tank held the ice pack on his lower jaw. He picked up his phone, "Boss, Lula just found out about Little one and myself. She was not happy."

"I will talk to Lula about this," Ranger said and then hung up.

"I don't think you should go to work tomorrow, Little one," Pierre told her gently.

"Do you know how many skips I have right now? Pierre, I have to go to work. I am the only one that Vinny has right now. Everyone else quit because he is a dick," Stephanie told him.

"I know you do, but with Lula acting the way she is, I don't think it is a good idea, but if you want, I can have someone shadow you for a couple of days," Pierre told her.

"If I need help that I will call, I promise," Stephanie told him softly.

"All right, let's get going again," Pierre said. "Mrs. Plum, thanks for the ice pack. Don't worry. I will take good care of her."

Stephanie and Pierre walked out of the Plum's house for a second time that night.

Tank picked up his phone and called Ranger. We had a visit from Morelli at Stephanie's parents' house tonight, so I am taking her to the cave for the night."

"The cave, as in some dark, musty, damp place. I don't think I like that." Stephanie said.

Pierre started to laugh then.

"I don't think it is funny. I don't want to go to some cave," Stephanie yelled.

"Trust me, little one. You want to go to this cave." Pierre told her.

"Alright, let's go to the cave," Stephanie said as she was shaking her head.

Tank drove for about a half-hour. He went into the countryside of New Jersey.

Pierre drove down a dirt road and got to a two-story brick house at the end of it.

"Wow, okay, this is some cave," Stephanie said in shock.

Just then, Pierre's cell phone rang, "What, Morelli is here with a search warrant, Tank." Ranger told him.

"Fine, let him search Rangeman. They are not going to find anything there, boss," Pierre told him. "Let me know after they are done," Pierre told him.

"Got it," Ranger said and then hung up.

"What is going on?" Stephanie asked.

"The police and Morelli came with a search warrant for Rangeman," Pierre told her.

"What, huh, that makes no sense," Stephanie told him

"I know. Come on, let's go," Pierre said. He put the key in the side door. Stephanie entered and saw the kitchen. It had an island in the middle of the room. A double sink, and next to it was a gas range stove. And a stainless steel double fridge.

A few minutes later, Tank got the call he was dreading. "What? Sorry Tank, but Hal and Lester are being arrested for crack cocaine." Ranger told them.

He dialed a number, "Hey Thomas, Hal, and Lester has been arrested for crack Cocaine. I need you to get them out of jail now." Pierre screamed over the phone.

"Yeah, I am on it," Thomas said and then hung up.

He noticed Stephanie's mouth open. Pierre got on the phone again. "don't worry, little one, Ranger will figure this out. You know him."

"Oh, boy, did I hear right?" Stephanie asked in shock. "Hal and Lester in Rangeman.? She asked him

"Shit, what about us?" Stephanie asked, looking as though she was going to cry.

"Well, since we were not there. We are safe for now." Pierre told her.

Pierre walked up to her and just held her for a while.

Meanwhile

"Where is Stephanie Plum?"
"In a cave," Lester told him while he was in cuffs.

"What cave?" Morelli asked him.

"Old Creek Cave," Lester told him.

"Get him into a cruiser with the rest of them," Morelli said.

Morelli saw the crack cocaine go into evidence bags. He did not think, but the person who planted the Cocaine did not wear gloves for his setup.

A few hours later, Ranger stormed into Captain Patterson's office. "What the hell! Patterson. My men do not do any drugs. You know that because the drug tests are run through the police lab." Ranger shouted at the top of his lungs.

"I know, something is not right. I am making a call right now to the lab to see if we have prints on those drugs." Patterson got on the phone.

"Do we have prints on the drugs from Rangeman," Patterson said over the phone

"Yeah, a Doug Freeman, turns out he is a CI for Detective Morelli. The workers of Rangeman are clean. All of them did not do this. This was Doug Freeman's Cocaine, not any of the Rangeman crew." The lab tech said over the phone.

"Got it." Patterson got back on the phone, let the Rangeman crew out. They are clear of all charges, and contact, Morelli, now." Patterson yelled over the phone.

"Hey Captain, you wanted to see me?" Morelli said, and then he saw Ranger's face.

"Yeah, your CI Doug Freeman set up Rangeman. His prints were all over the Crack Cocaine, not any Rangeman Employees. Do you know why he would do that?" Patterson yelled at him. "Level with me, Morelli, and you might maybe save your job."

"Not a clue, Captain, Ranger. I don't know how those drugs got in there. I got a tip, and I followed the information that is all

"I want his badge," Ranger told Patterson

"It will be a pleasure. Morelli, get back in here now." Morelli walked back into the Captain's office.

"I want your badge and gun. You are suspended following an investigation." Patterson said.

Morelli handed his badge and gun. He left, shaking his head.

Ranger said to Patterson, "It is not enough Captain, he tried to ruin the reputation of two of my best men."

"Without any proof that he paid to set up your men, that is the best I can do right now. I promise we will find this CI and get a confession out of him." Patterson told Ranger.

Ranger shook his head and left the Captain's office.