Chapter 23

Hi everyone! I hope you all are safe and sound. It's been adventuresome here at the home of Plum sexy. Lots of things are keeping me away from writing. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter, and I hope it answers a great many questions you have about the story. If you have unanswered questions, post them in the comment section. Thank you for all the reviews! It really keeps me writing!

Convergence

Morgan Brock worked as head of security for Vito for thirty years. He was fifty-two, and his boss had kept him well supplied in money and guns. He spent most of his time with Roman, who was Vito's 24/7 driver. Today like most days, they sat in Vito's black limo waiting on him. Vito was at his long-time mistress's house. It was a first-time visit. Morgan had never been inside her home.

Vito's lady had been married a bunch of years. She had a couple kids and took care of her elderly mother. She lived in a typical burg home. She had broken up with Vito when her mother moved in, "claiming" the old brad was a lot to take care of. Vito had offered to put her up in Shady Pines, but Shady Pines had refused to take her. Apparently, the old geezer had quite the reputation of among the senior warehouses. This old bird was banned from entering thirteen nursing homes in the tri-county area, and it was rumored she was banned from a few in Baltimore. Apparently, she had some crackpot attorney who could bust these people out of the "Home." I saw a copy of her book in the house, "How to bust out of a nursing home." They were self-published on Amazon, and the inside cover said all the profits went to getting more old people out of nursing homes. Morgan laughed. If that old lady was the excuse she was using not to be his mistress, she lied. Old people were stupid, trusting, and they couldn't hear. No little ole lady could best him or keep him from good snatch. He wondered why she had changed her mind? Or was she trying to scam his boss? He secured the home before the couple entered then went back to his usual post of sitting in the limo.

"Morgan, look outback. Do you see headlights in the alley behind the house? Maybe you should go check on the boss?"

"It's that bounty hunter. I know his truck. He's probably just checking on the house to make sure it's safe."

"Won't he see us? Won't he see them?"

"I doubt it."

Morgan rolled down his window and looked around. You could hear a distant slam of a car door.

"Oh shit! Morgan, the Grandma, is walking up the drive!"

"Sit still. Act like you belong here. It's dark. She probably can't see who's in the car."

Edna walked up the side drive, peeked in the garage to make sure all was well, and continued to walk to the front of the house. If she went up the stairs, Morgan would be forced to detain her. Luckily Grandma didn't go up the stairs. She bent over and took three small packages from the mailbox, then turned around and made her way back down the driveway. A vehicle door closed again. They assumed it was Edna getting in the truck.

"That was close." Roman took out a hankie and dabbed at the sweat on his brow.

A gun met Romans temple.

"Put your hands where I can see them."

Roman and Morgan complied.

Joe Morelli flashed his badge, but he never released the gun pressing into Romans head.

"I received a call about a disturbance at this address. I want to know why are you two sitting in front of this house?"

Joe's concentration was broken when a scream came from the Plum home, then two more cries.

Roman wasn't stupid. He turned the car on and sped down the street at the distraction. Joe called in the plates into headquarters, saying they were a person of interest. He had detained them under a suspected burglary. Joe gave no warning shot at the limo. He headed up the yard to the porch and into the Plum's family home, where chaos reigned.

Tank was double-parked behind Ranger in the alley. Tank sat relaxed in the seat, his arm around Lula. Terri sat in the back with Bobby. The conversation had come to a lull as they watched Grandma Ranger and Stephanie enter the house.

"Tank, do you see that car parked in front of the house?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"It looks like my dad's, but I don't know why he would be here."

Tank and Bobby took off their seat belts simultaneously. Bobby looked at me.

"Do you have a gun on you?"

"Yes."

"Get it in your hands. Stay put. Stay ready." Bobby pointed at her IV bag hanging on the oh my god handle. Terri frowned

"I can take it with me. I won't need to arm myself if it's my Dad."

"She's not wrong," Lula interjected.

Tank pulled his gun out of his holster and laid it on the dash. He took his cell out and made a call.

"Hal."

"Yes, sir?"

"Possible activity. Cover from the front." He hung up without any more words. He picked his gun up then looked at Lula.

"Lula, slide over into my spot when I get out of the car. Back the truck out of the alley. Go up to the carryout on the corner and wait in the lot."

"But I'm Stephanie's sidekick if she's in trouble, I gotta go save her. And how am I supposed to back down the alley when Hal is behind us?"

"Hal just left." He looked at her. " I know you don't want to, but do it for me."

"Please." He added with a huff.

"It goes against my better judgment."

He smiled, then he tossed a look to Bobby.

"Let's move."

"Wait! I don't want you to shoot my Dad!"

They got out and shut the doors soundlessly, not acknowledging Terri's passionate outburst.

"I don't want them to shoot my Dad," Terri said again as she unbuckled her seat belt and produced a penlight. She was looking at her IV connection and disconnected it.

"Yeah, I get that. Normally I don't let anyone tell me what to do. I don't like that shit, you know what I'm saying?"

Click. Terri had also left the car. Lula had been talking to herself.

Frank Plum parked his rental car in the driveway of his home. It had been an upsetting few days. He was tired and ready for his bed or maybe his lazy chair and some cable tv. He never thought he would be coming home alone. Helen had asked to meet with him the second night of the retreat. He had thought it weird they didn't share a room, and why was her luggage outside the door? His mind jumped to conclude one of the girls needed her. Without warning, she told him she had cheated on him for most of their marriage, and she wanted a divorce. It had stung like a snakebite. He asked if the girls belonged to him, and she admitted Valarie might not be his daughter. She wanted to start living her life the way she wanted. Helen left the room without him.

The truth was Frank Plum was relieved. He felt like he was drowning in bad decisions after hearing how Helen had tried to control his daughter. Her deceit knew no bounds. The real problem was that he was comfortable but not in love. He had a wife that had made him dinner, never denied him a roll in the bed, and seemed to be an upstanding woman. The road ahead would not be easy. He would not enjoy being single. At least the boys at the lodge would sympathize with him. A few of the men had been through a divorce. He heaved his body from the car as if it weighed a thousand pounds, then retrieved his luggage and started up the front porch when he noticed the lights were on in the house.

He heard Helen scream. He ran into his home to make sure she was safe. It was an automatic instinct. He knew something was very wrong.

Terri was worried about… everyone. This could be the worst situation she had ever come across in all her life. She only hoped her Dad wasn't using the Plums as hostages. Her father could be pushed into desperate actions. She followed Tank and Bobby into the Plum home through the open door she could hear yelling.

Grandma- "Ellen Elizabeth Plum, you are going to go to hell!"

Stephanie- "Mother! What are you doing?"

Helen- "Vito, get them out of here!"

Vito- "I'm in a compromising condition with a gun to my head, dear it's kind of difficult to move."

Frank- "On the table? Vito? Why are you here? Stephanie? Ranger? Helen is Vito. Why you left me?"

Joe-"Holy shit Stephanie! I've gotta say I'm glad we are not married."

Ranger-"You need to cover up, Mrs. Plum."

Tank and Bobby- "What the Hell?"

Terri- "Daddy?"

Joyce-" Everyone shut the hell up."

And with the bang of a shot being fired, blood, sweat, and tears ensued.