All recognizable characters belong to Janet Evanovich, I'm just playing.

Chapter 2

SPOV

"Afternoon, Detective Morelli. Vito sends his regards."

I'm frozen in place, shocked. Vito? Like, as in Vito Grizzolli, current head of the Grizzoli crime family? Why is someone from Vito's organization letting himself into Joe's house?

"You can't just show up at my place like this." Joe sounds pissed. Not surprised, just pissed.

The other man snorts. "Obviously I can. Should I have come and seen you at the station?" After a beat of silence, he starts talking again. "This is a mutually beneficial agreement, this thing between you and Vito. You keep your ear to the ground and pass along any useful tidbit that keeps us off the TPD radar. In exchange, he lets you live, and lets your association with his niece continue. That's an affair that should have died its natural death years ago."

I hold my breath, waiting for Joe to deny that he has something going on with Terry Gillman. I know that when he and I first started circling each other, and even after we first started dating, that they had something going on. There were too many rumors, too many sideways glances at me from the gossips, for it to have not been true. I never quite bought his explanation for why he was jumping out of her bedroom window while she was only wearing a negligee. But blew it off because I had my own complicated feelings for Ranger, and later on I didn't exactly restrain myself when it came to getting close to him. But the last time Joe and I fought about this, he swore that there was nothing between him and the mob princess and hadn't been for years. It hurts to know he might have been lying.

I haven't gotten up off the floor after my necklace search, and quietly crawl over to the bedroom door. It doesn't give me a view of the downstairs, but I can at least hear them more clearly. My stomach cramps when Joe remains silent about him and Terry, and the guy laughs. "I get it. Terry's still the looker, and she's hard to resist."

I'm not jealous, not really. We're not together, and I doubt we ever will be again. If nothing else, I'm hearing reason number 4,132 of why it would be a bad idea to go down the Plum-Morelli Freakshow road for another spin. No, I'm actually wondering what the hell Joe's thinking, getting involved with her again. I'm not sure what makes me do it, but I quietly ease my phone out of my back pocket and lay down on my stomach. I toggle the ringer on the phone to silent mode, open the camera, and slide it to video. There's only a smidge of guilt running through me as I scooch a little closer to the stairs and aim it toward downstairs and start recording their meeting.

"Like I said, you do for us, we do for you—"

"Because you fucking blackmailed me with pictures of Terry and me together!"

"What can I say? Vito likes to keep track of his ducks. And when you went back to sticking your dick in his niece, you became one of his ducks. Nice tip about the raid at the restaurant in Ewing."

Holy shit! Joe's a freaking idiot and stuck under Vito's well-connected boot. But instead of going to the cops and risking his job, it sounds like he started feeding info to the mob. I never thought I'd see the day, even if it is the Jersey way of doing things. And really, that all but confirms that he and Terry are still sneaking around together. At least now I know.

"What's he want this time?" Joe sounds resigned, and a small part of me feels bad for him.

Mystery man's voice is somehow familiar, but I can't place it. It becomes hard when he answers. "Manoso and his crew are becoming a problem. Vito wants him gone."

My breath hitches in my throat and Joe sounds a little bitter when he comments, "Manoso's always been a problem."

"In the past, he's been neutral with the Families, but now he's asking too many questions and poking his nose into places. He knows too much and is too connected to different law enforcement branches. All of that spells trouble, and Vito wants him taken care of, and he wants you to do the honors."

"No."

I can't deny that a rush of relief flows through me at Joe's refusal. Shit. I know that Ranger has all kind of connections, and it's not surprising that some of them have mob cooties, but this is serious. My stomach spasms at the thought of him in trouble. Unfortunately, my relief is short-lived.

"You need me free to keep an eye on the investigation that'll surely follow. Manoso and I have a fragile working relationship, but because of Stephanie, if something happens to him, I could be questioned. You don't want anyone looking too closely at me."

"What do you suggest, then? Do you really want me to go back to Vito and report that you're not cooperating? That would displease him greatly."

The silence is heavy, and I can imagine Joe standing with his feet shoulder width apart, arms crossed over his chest, and looking at the ground. It's what he does when I'm annoying him and he's trying not to lose his cool.

"No. It's no skin off my nose if someone takes the prick out. That actually helps me. I'll set it up so that Manoso thinks Steph is in trouble. He can't resist playing the hero, and since she's always stepping in shit, he'll believe it. I'll make something up about why, as a cop, I can't get involved. We'll funnel him somewhere off grid, away from his minions. Then you guys can do your thing."

It's a good thing that I'm already here, because I would have hit the floor, hearing Joe so casually discussing using me to send Ranger to his death. If there was any small, miniscule part of me that thought about giving Joe and I another chance, it died a fiery, explosive death right then and there.

The laugh the man lets out is grating. "Giving you a clear road to get Plum to the church, which gives you and Terry extra coverage. Smart. I like it."

Joe doesn't dispute that, and my surprise and shock are turning into a deep-seated anger, with a side bit of hate. Oh, Joe. Is this what you've turned into? How did I miss it?

"Grab a pen and some paper. We've got a cabin out in the Barrens you can direct him to and me and Joey P. will take care of it; it's been a while since we've had some fun. Sit on it for an hour or two so we have a chance to get everything set up before you sound the alarm for Plum going missing. We might need to grab her, so she doesn't fuck up the plan."

"Keep Steph out of it! I'll take care of getting her out of the way this afternoon. I don't want anything to happen to her. And make sure you drop his body somewhere near Stark Street, so I don't have to listen to her worrying over where he disappeared to and if he's ok."

Vito's asshole laughs again and agrees before rattling off an address and some directions. "Me and Joey will be over at Carmine's getting some lunch while we wait for your call that she's taken care of. Don't disappoint the bossman; it wouldn't end well for any of us."

I hear footsteps move through the kitchen before the back door opens and closes. Morelli takes a deep breath and lets it out just before Bob starts barking again. As gently and quietly as I can, I use the bedroom doorframe to help me stand and tiptoe my way over to the window. It overlooks the alley and looking through the gap between the curtains I realize why the voice seemed familiar. Bobby Fratelli, one of Vito's main enforcers. I've run into him a couple times that I've had to take in some of the low-level guys for penny-ante shit and he's always seemed helpful. I guess now I know why. He gets into the passenger seat of a grey Mercedes, and I watch it drive down the alley and hang a right.

I hear Joe moving around downstairs and tell myself I need to get out of sight in case he decides he needs to use the bathroom up here. No way do I want him finding me here or realizing what I overheard. Joe's steps stop in the living room, and I hear him playing with Bob. It sounds like they're wresting over something until Joe asks, "What the fuck, Bob? How the hell did I even get to this point, doing favors for the mob."

I start to panic when I hear him on the steps. His phone rings, and he stops to answer it, telling whoever's on the other line that he's on the way. Thank god. He reverses course, and after I hear the front door shut, I collapse against the wall and finally turn off the recording. It's doubtful that the last part was caught by my phone, but a quick check confirms that I have a recording of my ex-boyfriend, a decorated and respected cop, helping plan a mob hit on the person that means the most to me in the world.

Hitting speed dial one, I curse when it rolls over to voicemail almost immediately. Frustrated, I hit the speed dial again, with the same result. Now is not a good time for Ranger to be out of pocket! I need him to stay at Rangeman and stay safe. Just as I'm about to dial a third time, my phone vibrates in my hand, startling a shriek out of me. Good thing Joe already left! Looking down at my phone, I see that it's the rat bastard calling me. I let it go to voicemail, knowing that anything I say to him right now won't be good and will tip him off that I know about his plan.

I've stayed here at Joe's house too long. Taking a quick look around to make sure I haven't left any evidence of my visit; I head back downstairs and give Bob a quick and thorough head rub. No more Joe means no more Bob, and that's about the only part of the permanent ending that has me sad. Rather than give the neighbors another chance to notice me, I head out the backdoor, slinking along the same path as the man who's planning to end Ranger's life. That has me reaching for my phone again, but my call heads straight to voicemail again. Ranger's a pretty private guy, and I don't know how much he shares with the rank-and-file Rangemen about his government jobs, but I really need to get ahold of him. Calling the main number for the Haywood building, I'm connected with the front desk. When I tell them I really need to talk to Ranger, I hesitate to answer when they ask if it's an emergency. It kind of is, but if I say that, he might rush out of whatever he's doing, putting a target on him if they decide to just grab him. If I can't reach him, then neither can Joe. Instead, I punt the question and ask to speak to a member of the core team. I'm surprised when Ram answers the phone.

"Hey, Bomber. Gene said you needed Ranger or a member of the core team. They're all unavailable. Do you need back-up? Are you in danger?"

Sighing, I go for the truth. "I'm not in danger, but I really, really need to talk to Ranger. It's important."

"We're not expecting them to be back online for an hour or two. Do you need back-up?"

I'm still not sure what I'm going to do and answer as honestly as I can. "I don't think so. Not yet. If Ranger pops his head up, can you have him call me? As soon as he can?"

"Sure thing, Bomber."

Like his boss, he hangs up without saying goodbye. For a minute I stand at the end of the alley, unsure of what to do next. Normally, I would have gone to Joe for help, but Joe's the problem. Speak of the devil, my phone rings again. Not wanting to make him suspicious, I answer with a reserved, "Hello?"

"Cupcake! Been a while since we talked after our last time out. I was wondering if you wanted to catch an early dinner later? There's a new place in Princeton that supposedly has better meatball subs than Pinos. The boys miss you."

Son of a bitch! Not only is he trying to set Ranger up, but he wants to use me as his alibi. Praying for calm, I scramble for a reason to say no, beyond the fact that he's a lying jackass. "Sorry. I've already got plans for tonight."

"You're turning down free food?"

"Need to do a stakeout."

"On who? What's Vinnie got you mixed up in now?"

"Gotta go, Joe. Talk later." With that, I hang up and start walking back to my parents' house and my car. I might not know where Ranger is right now, or how to reach him, but I know where the man that means to do him harm will be, and that'll have to be enough. Hopefully I can come up with a plan that won't get both of us killed.