3
Just then, Ranger's cell phone rang, "Carlos, it is me, Rachel. I need you to take custody of Julie for a while. Ron is unemployed and is drinking. I don't want her around him right now, please." Rachel begged her ex-husband.
"Okay, Rachel, I will come to Florida and get her if you are sure about this," Ranger told Rachel over the phone.
Stephanie looked at Carlos and saw that he was not in a good mood. "This is not good," Stephanie said out loud.
Ella waved her hand and then left the apartment
"Fine, but if she wants to stay permanently with me, you will not give me a hard time about it," Carlos said to her.
"I promise, I don't want her to see this right now. Ron is not in a good place. Besides it is for permanent custody, and I also had her name changed as well to your last name" Rachel said
"Okay, I will fly over to get her," Carlos said and then hung up the phone.
"Babe, I have to go to Florida to pick up Julie for a while."
"I will come, and don't tell me no," Stephanie said to him with her blue eyes flaring.
"All right, let's go," Carlos said.
The two of them packed a bag and went downstairs. "Tank, I need you to drive Stephanie and myself to the airport," Ranger told him.
"Right, do you want me to call a Rangeman jet?" He asked his boss.
"Yes," Ranger told him.
About twenty minutes later, Ranger and Stephanie boarded a Rangeman jet and left for Florida.
"Babe, why don't you go lay down in the bedroom for a while. I will let you know when we get there." Ranger told her.
"Okay," Stephanie went to the bedroom.
"Hang on, baby girl, I am coming," Ranger told himself.
Two and a half hours later, Ranger and Stephanie were landing at the airport.
Stephanie saw a Rangeman SUV waiting for them. She noticed a huge white guy with brown hair and hazel eyes waiting for them.
"James, take me to Rachel's now," Carlos snapped at him.
"Got it, boss."
"Carlos, relax. It will be fine. I promise you," Stephanie told him softly.
"Thanks, Babe," Ranger lightly kissed her on the lips.
A few minutes later, Carlos knocked on the door. Rachel answered it.
"Carlos, come in, please. Ron is out right now. So, the timing is perfect." Rachel told him.
"Rachel, this is Stephanie," Carlos introduced her.
"Yes, Carlos, I do remember her" Rachel told him.
"Julie is in her room, so let's get the custody papers signed."
Carlos looked at the papers. "It says Julie Manoso," Carlos said in shock.
"Yep, I changed her last name so she could have yours. This is in case Ron decides to do something stupid."
I know over the phone you told me that you wanted me to have permanent custody. Are you sure about this?" Carlos questioned her
"Yes, I don't know what will happen between myself and Ron. I want her in a stable environment right now. Which is what you can give her, I can't," Rachel said, almost in tears.
Carlos gave her a quick hug and signed the papers. "I am sorry, Rachel," Carlos told her.
"I know, so am I. Please take care of her, Carlos."
"I will, I promise," Carlos said. He got up from the kitchen table. Both Stephanie and he walked into Julie's room. The two of them saw the eleven-year-old girl walking into the kitchen. She recognized Carlos and held out her arms to him.
"Hey, baby girl," Carlos said. He walked up to Julie, and she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"You listen to your father," Rachel told her,
"Okay," Julie said.
"Okay, I think you three better get going," Rachel told them.
"Right" Carlos looked at Julie. The coca skin and brown-eyed eleven-year-old girl with long dark hair.
He picked her up. Stephanie grabbed her bag, and they walked out of Rachel's house. James was outside the house waiting. He opened the door for them. Carlos watched as Julie got in the back of the SUV and buckled up. He got in next to her. Stephanie got into the front seat.
"James, take us to Rangeman for the night," Ranger told him.
"Sure, boss," James told him.
They parked in the Rangeman underground parking lot and saw three police officers there with Ron.
"Perfect." Ranger spat.
Ranger got out of the SUV and went up to the police officers. "Is there a problem, officers?"
"Yes, it seems that Ron Dawson claims that you kidnapped his daughter Julie Dawson."
"I have custody papers right here that was signed by her mother granted me full custody of my biological daughter," Ranger said. He handed the paperwork over to the police officers.
"If you want, you can call her mother, and she can verify this," Ranger told the officers.
"That would be great." The officers asked.
One of the police officers got on the phone and called Rachel "Mam your husband here is saying that Carlos Manoso kidnapped his daughter" The officer told her.
"I am on my way with the lawyer," Rachel told him.
"Rachel Dawson will be here soon, with her lawyer, "the officer told her.
Just then, Rachel came up with Mrs. Jackson, who was Rachel Dawson's lawyer.
"Officer, I am Jayna Jackson, Mrs. Dawson's attorney and the one who drew up those custody papers. They are perfectly legal. If you look, you will see Judge Teagan's signature's on it." Mrs. Jackson told the officer.
"If you don't like this Mr. Dawson, then you can take it to family court. But I am looking at the papers and it has your signature on it too." The officer told him.
Ron looked at his signature on the custody papers, and saw his signature on it too.
"Damn, that is right I did sign this last night, but now I change my mind and I want her home with me and her mother" Ron said.
The girl can go with her Mother until we get this mess figured out." The officer said.
Ron smiled an awful smile and left.
Carlos handed over Julie to her Mother. "James make sure Rachel and Julie get to the courthouse," Ranger told his number one man
"Yes, sir." James walked away with Rachel and Julie. Rachel put Julie in her car seat that was in Rachel's car. James got in the driver's seat. Rachel got into the front passenger's seat and drove to the courthouse.
"Did you see Ron's grin," Stephanie asked Ranger.
"Yep," Ranger said. Ranger and Stephanie got into the SUV and met Rachel and Julie at the courthouse. Ron was also there waiting for them. While Ranger and Stephanie were on the way to the courthouse. Carlos called his lawyer that worked for him in Florida.
"Tom, I need your help. I am having a problem with Ron, he and Rachel signed custody papers for me to take Permanent custody of Julie and now he is changing his mind" Carlos told him
"Right Judge Thompson owes me one, so I will give him a call now so he can all see us. I am on my way" Tom said and then he was gone.
A fifteen minutes later everyone was at the courthouse.
" Mr. Manoso, Mrs. Dawnson, and Mr. Dawnson, the judge will see you now?" The clerk shouted.
All three of them walked into the courtroom. "I have looked over the paperwork, and I don't see a problem here. "Judge Thompson said.
"Your honor, I have raised Julie since she was a baby," Ron said.
"Yes, I am sure, but your wife signed and yourself signed custody of Julie over to her biological father. He has also been paying monthly child support for her. So, by rights, he has rights to see her or take custody of her."
"Your honor, please, I need her, so I can continue to get the payments from Mr. Manoso because I am not working right now," Ron told the judge.
"I have heard enough I am granting permanent and sole custody to Mr. Carlos Manoso, and I am granting a permanent restraining order on you, Mr. Dawson. If you go within fifty yards of Julie Manoso, you will be arrested on sight. This case is dismissed." The judge shouted.
Carlos, Rachel went out one way. Ron the other way.
Rachel handed Julie over to Carlos. "Take care of her," Rachel said to Carlos.
"I will, I promise. You take care of yourself and be careful." Carlos told her. He gave her a quick hug. Carlos, Stephanie, and Julie walked out of the courthouse. "James, get us to the airport now. Julie can sleep on the plane." Carlos told him.
"Yes, boss" fifteen minutes later, the three of them boarded the Rangeman jet and left for New Jersey.