Thank you everyone for your comments, reviews and encouragement. We're up to the start of Eleven on Top here, but since Stephanie spends that book quitting her bounty hunter job, we're going to diverge on to our own timeline and meet up with her later. When I first started this story, Ranger wasn't going to show up until much later on, around Book 13. I had the scene developed of when he'd first appear. But the while re-reading the books, I realised that he shows up even when it's not related to bounty hunter stuff, and that he'd have found his way into Stephanie's life even without the bounty hunting. And as it turns out, he has a lot to say for someone who doesn't talk much.

Ranger arranged for Vince to wait for the courier, and I packed up my stuff, ate another slice of pizza, and left with Ranger. He held out his hands for his car key.

"I thought this was my car?"

"I'm back now. You don't need the distraction. I'll drive in case we meet trouble on the way home."

I handed over the keys. We did not meet trouble on the way home. Ranger parked in the garage, and we went up to the fifth floor together. I headed to the break room to inspect the sandwiches. I was still hungry after sharing my pizza with Ranger, Ram, Zero, Vince and Tank.

"Tank sent me a message. Junkman was delivered safely to the jail. So were the Slayers that were the distraction team," Lester said, sticking his head into the break room. "You look great, Beautiful," he added, chuckling. I looked down at myself. I'd forgotten that I was covered in food. No wonder I was hungry, constantly smelling a meatball sub.

"Do you think Ella would mind if I went back to her apartment and showered?" I asked.

"I'm sure she won't mind but I'll call her to check and then let you in," Lester said. He left the room, reappeared a minute later, and I followed him to the elevator. He let me into Ella's apartment and stood at the door.

"Ella and Louis are offsite doing the shopping so there's no one else in the apartment. Do you need help shampooing your hair?"

"I'll be fine on my own," I said, shooing him away. I liked Lester. He was like an annoying cousin, except not creepy like Vinnie.

I took my time in the shower and changed into my all black clothes afterwards. Even my underwear was black. I felt like I could be a ninja. I yawned. I decided to lie down and think about my day.

"Stephanie?" I heard a voice softly calling. I yawned and opened my eyes. I blinked, trying to make the world come back into focus. I sat up. Ella was standing in the doorway.

"Sorry. Just needed a nap. Accidentally fell asleep," I said.

"Do you need dinner? Louis and I are going out to visit his parents tonight. I can make you something before we go," Ella said.

"No, that's fine. Thank you, Ella. I'll find something."

"The break room is having beef stew with rice if you want to head down there."

"Sounds perfect," I said. I washed my face and decided to head down to Floor 5 and see what I could find. I checked my phone, and it was lit up with missed calls and messages. I sighed. I decided to ignore my phone but did call Mary Lou to let her know that I was fine. Thursday was a usual work day for us, but I wasn't sure if things were settled down enough with the Slayers, so we agreed to decide in the morning and at least meet up for lunch. I told her that I was staying with Ella at the Rangeman building, and Mary Lou made me swear to give her details. I figured that when I told her that I'd actually slept in Ranger's bed, she might pass out from excitement.

Then, out of guilt, I sent my parents and Dickie a text letting them know that I was staying with Ella and perfectly safe. My mother rang back immediately but I let her go to voicemail like the bad daughter that I am. I didn't want to know what the grapevine news was that day, especially the parts that involved me.

I left Ella's apartment, and went down to Level 5. To my surprise although it was after business hours, the floor was still a buzz of activity. The monitor area was quiet and serious, although Hal waved briefly to me when I walked past, but I could hear noise coming from the break room. I stuck my head inside to see Lester, Tank and Vince eating dinner, along with someone who I hadn't met before.

"Hi Stephanie, your courier eventually arrived and I locked up your office and set the alarm. I'm also on duty tomorrow just in case, so we can drive over together in the morning," Vince told me.

"I'm Manny," the new Rangeman said, standing up.

"Manny is new in sales. He's also former FBI so was our contact with them for the Junkman contract," Vince explained.

"I'm Stephanie Plum. Temporary Rangeman resident. Nice to meet you," I said to Manny.

"Nice to meet you too. I know your brother-in-law Joseph Morelli, we worked together on a few cases when I was still with the bureau," Manny told me.

Manny looked Italian, and being former FBI, would make any Italian parents proud. My father would have been ecstatic if I'd brought home an Italian man. I was sure that he blamed Valerie's marriage breakdown on Steve not being Italian, not on Steve running off with the babysitter. But Valerie was married to Morelli now, and producing full blooded Italian children, so all was right in his world.

"Joe and I grew up together," I said to Manny, leaving out many, many details behind that statement.

"Estephania! Hola!" Hector said. He walked in and grabbed a plate, and started loading his plate up with food.

"Hi Hector! Where is your office? I wanted to visit you but I didn't know where you were," I told him.

"Hector lives in a cave in the basement like a troll," Lester said. I looked over at Hector. I'd thought that Lester's backchatting to Ranger was a result of them being cousins, but given the way he talked to Hector, maybe he was just suicidal. Hector's only response was to flash the bird at Lester, so maybe they were all good with each other.

My phone rang and I looked down at the display. It was Morelli, so I answered.

"Hello?"

"Hey Steph, it's your favourite brother-in-law," he started off with.

"Well that's a low bar to meet," I told him.

"One of the Slayers we took into custody today matches up to your description of the Red Devil. The team in charge want you go in and identify him, and Junkman too," Morelli said. I took a deep breath. I'd hoped to never see either of those two again.

"When?" I asked.

"As soon as possible," Morelli told me.

"I'll let you know when I'm on my way," I told him.

I hung up and explained the situation to Lester and Tank. I realised then that there was a presence behind me in the doorway. The hair on the back of my neck stood up.

"Go tomorrow," Ranger said.

"Why?"

"Tomorrow would be better. It's been a long day. My men need to go off shift and rest."

"I can take myself. I don't need a bodyguard," I argued, turning around to face Ranger.

I then wished that I hadn't. He was in workout gear, still slightly sweaty, and those thin gym shorts that he was wearing was not hiding anything. I bit my lip to keep from drooling.

"Been working out?" I asked.

"Company gym on this floor," he explained briefly.

"The Slayers are still active. There might be someone else trying to take over Junkman's standing by fulfilling his list. We have our informants working on it, but that's why I wanted you to stay here for another night," Lester said. I looked up at Ranger and he nodded slightly. I sighed.

"Cenar," Hector told me, putting a plate of food down at an empty place at the breakroom table. He gestured pointedly at the seat.

"He says eat your dinner," Lester translated.

"Si, Hector," I said, sliding in next to him and starting to eat. Ranger got food too and sat down opposite me, and we ate while Lester, Manny and Vince chatted, one big Rangeman family.

My phone rang again just after I'd finished eating, and I sighed. It was Morelli again.

"Hey Joe."

"Hi Steph. Are you on your way?"

"Ah…" I stalled.

"Seriously, Steph? These are the criminals that are targeting your life and you can't get your butt down to the station?" Joe asked.

"It's been half an hour, Joe. I don't have a car since those criminals graffitied all over it."

"You can't use Dickie's?"

"Dickie parks at the airport. He isn't here, remember? Anyway, I'm at Rangeman."

"Rangeman? Why are you there?" Joe asked.

"Criminals targeting my life, remember?" I snapped at him. Ranger raised his eyebrows at me. "It's Morelli," I huffed. Ranger held out his hand and I willingly handed over the phone.

"Morelli. Does it have to be now? Okay. We'll be there in twenty minutes. Be ready," he said, and ended the call.

"What happened to tomorrow?" I asked Ranger.

"You and I are going tonight. Vince and Ram have already given their statements. The FBI are putting pressure on the Trenton police force and Morelli is getting twitchy," he explained.

Ranger and I headed down into the garage and got into his car, the Cayenne this time. We drove in silence. I sighed and fidgeted. Even though I knew it was going to be a short car ride, I still hated the silence.

"You should be able to go home tomorrow," Ranger said, breaking the silence. "We'll keep the extra surveillance up for a few more weeks, but I'm not expecting any further issues."

"Lester said he was waiting on a report from an informant."

"Yes," Ranger said, and I sensed that was all I was going to get on that topic.

"Well, I'll be out of your hair soon anyway," I said, trying to keep it light hearted.

"I think the men have enjoyed having you around the building. You'll have to come by and visit us," Ranger said.

Neither of us mentioned Dickie. I suspected that Lester had given Ranger the full briefing on where he was. I also suspected that Ranger did not approve of someone who went to the Cayman Islands while his wife was being targeted by gang violence, even if the serial killer target wasn't known when Dickie left.

We drove into the police parking lot and found a vacant spot next to the back door. The door opened straight away. Morelli was waiting.

"You have twenty minutes," Ranger told him. Morelli nodded and took me inside.

He took me straight into a room with a window through to another room. "It's a one-way mirror," Morelli said. He stayed by my side, so I guess he was taking his role of bodyguard inside the police station seriously. The suspects were ushered in and out for identification. I was able to easily identify Junkman by his voice, and the Red Devil by his face.

At the twenty minute mark, Morelli opened the back door to the police station and ushered me out again. He nodded to Ranger who was leaning against the Cayenne.

"Keep safe, Steph," Morelli said, squeezing my hand. I gave him a hug goodbye and kissed his cheek.

"Give my nieces a hug from me," I told him. Ranger held the door open for me, then climbed smoothly into the car. We drove back to Rangeman in silence. Ranger took me up to the sixth floor and let me into Ella's apartment.

"Thanks Ranger," I told him. It seemed inadequate to simply say thanks, but I couldn't work out how else to say it. Thanks for letting me stay in your place. Thanks for going above and beyond to protect me. Thanks for being my friend when I needed it.

"Sleep well, babe," he told me.

"You too," I said, and closed the door behind me.