I do not own any of these characters, although I would really like to meet
up with Ranger in a dark room somewhere. I simply borrow and gently use
them for my amusement.
Chapter Four
Again with the staring. They were all clustered at the front window, Connie and Lula pressed against the glass. Probably discussing Steph's- my- car. Stephanie was standing with her back to the door, again. She didn't see me enter, but knew from the others' faces. She gave a quick glance over her shoulder as soon as I opened the door, then returned to her original position.
I walked across the room, stopping directly behind her. I rested my hand on her back. I loved to touch her, to feel her coolness against me, even if only in passing. It reminded me of what she had been like that night. I spoke directly to Connie. "Tank said that you wanted me to stop by."
Handing me a file, Connie said, "I originally gave this to Stephanie, but she's got a lot on her plate right now."
Tell me about it, I thought. Flipping through it, I recognized the loser. "I know this guy. The thumb belongs to Hector Santinni. Santinni stiffed Rodriguez on a drug sale, so Rodriguez chopped off Santinni's thumb and put it in a jar of formaldehyde. Rodriguez carries the thumb everywhere. Thinks the thumb gives him an edge." I got to know such wonderful people in this job.
I hoped that Stephanie was listening. Rodriguez was a shit, and weird, but still dangerous. I wanted her to realize what she would be going up against.
Connie spoke dryly. "So much for the edge. The police have the thumb."
I mentally shook my head. "A lot more where that came from." I shifted my full attention to Stephanie, skimming my hand up from her back and resting at the base of her neck. I was concerned about Stephanie going after this guy, but not overly so. Unlike Morelli, I knew and accepted that this was Stephanie's job. She wasn't the world's best bounty hunter, but she was getting better. If I took this one away from her, she would think I thought she wasn't up to it and would be pissed. Morelli might not want her to be a bounty hunter, but that wasn't me. I just wanted her to be a better one.
Practice makes perfect. "Your call, Babe. Do you want him?" I asked.
She paused. "Is he a gang guy?"
The question showed caution. I felt a bit better. "No. He's an independent nut case."
She looked me in the eye. "I'll keep him."
She always amazed me. Junkman looking for her, and she's out catching dangerous skips. Braver girl than most. Still, I tried to instill a little caution in her. "He's probably looking for a new thumb. So be careful." My hand tightened on her neck. "Most afternoons you can find him at the bar on the corner of Third and Laramie." I trailed my fingers down the length of her spine, regretting the lost of contact as I walked out. I knew she would be safe today. There were two of my men watching her, and they would follow her anywhere she went- a change in standard orders. No more waiting at the curb- Steph was getting better at evading her bodyguards. She was not going to slip away through a back door or get grabbed while in the ladies' room. I got into my truck and took off. If I paused, I would be tempted to go back in, grab her, and kiss. For the first time in a very long time, I had a real fear that I couldn't control a situation, even with Stephanie's cooperation. There were a lot more Slayers than I had men at my disposal to assign to guard her.
And that thought left me cold.
Chapter Four
Again with the staring. They were all clustered at the front window, Connie and Lula pressed against the glass. Probably discussing Steph's- my- car. Stephanie was standing with her back to the door, again. She didn't see me enter, but knew from the others' faces. She gave a quick glance over her shoulder as soon as I opened the door, then returned to her original position.
I walked across the room, stopping directly behind her. I rested my hand on her back. I loved to touch her, to feel her coolness against me, even if only in passing. It reminded me of what she had been like that night. I spoke directly to Connie. "Tank said that you wanted me to stop by."
Handing me a file, Connie said, "I originally gave this to Stephanie, but she's got a lot on her plate right now."
Tell me about it, I thought. Flipping through it, I recognized the loser. "I know this guy. The thumb belongs to Hector Santinni. Santinni stiffed Rodriguez on a drug sale, so Rodriguez chopped off Santinni's thumb and put it in a jar of formaldehyde. Rodriguez carries the thumb everywhere. Thinks the thumb gives him an edge." I got to know such wonderful people in this job.
I hoped that Stephanie was listening. Rodriguez was a shit, and weird, but still dangerous. I wanted her to realize what she would be going up against.
Connie spoke dryly. "So much for the edge. The police have the thumb."
I mentally shook my head. "A lot more where that came from." I shifted my full attention to Stephanie, skimming my hand up from her back and resting at the base of her neck. I was concerned about Stephanie going after this guy, but not overly so. Unlike Morelli, I knew and accepted that this was Stephanie's job. She wasn't the world's best bounty hunter, but she was getting better. If I took this one away from her, she would think I thought she wasn't up to it and would be pissed. Morelli might not want her to be a bounty hunter, but that wasn't me. I just wanted her to be a better one.
Practice makes perfect. "Your call, Babe. Do you want him?" I asked.
She paused. "Is he a gang guy?"
The question showed caution. I felt a bit better. "No. He's an independent nut case."
She looked me in the eye. "I'll keep him."
She always amazed me. Junkman looking for her, and she's out catching dangerous skips. Braver girl than most. Still, I tried to instill a little caution in her. "He's probably looking for a new thumb. So be careful." My hand tightened on her neck. "Most afternoons you can find him at the bar on the corner of Third and Laramie." I trailed my fingers down the length of her spine, regretting the lost of contact as I walked out. I knew she would be safe today. There were two of my men watching her, and they would follow her anywhere she went- a change in standard orders. No more waiting at the curb- Steph was getting better at evading her bodyguards. She was not going to slip away through a back door or get grabbed while in the ladies' room. I got into my truck and took off. If I paused, I would be tempted to go back in, grab her, and kiss. For the first time in a very long time, I had a real fear that I couldn't control a situation, even with Stephanie's cooperation. There were a lot more Slayers than I had men at my disposal to assign to guard her.
And that thought left me cold.