Story Title: A Devil's Bargain
Summary: What did Morelli and Ranger talk about in Hard Eight when she went for pizza, only to get kdinapped?
Story Rating: PG
Status: Complete
Genre: Drama
Couple: None
Spoilers: Hard Eight
Once Steph had gone, Morelli and Ranger met each other's eyes in a staring contest. The air was thick with tension. Neither man spoke for a long time. Morelli broke it first. "I see the way you look at her."
Ranger's face was expressionless. "The lady is fully capable of making her own choices. I notice that she's not living at your place these days."
Joe ignored the dig. "You know the world you live in is too dangerous for her."
Ranger nodded. "My world is a little dark. But she's well aware of that. And, again, she is capable of making her own choices." He crossed his arms, leaning against the door frame between the dining room and the kitchen.
Joe snorted. "Her decision making ability isn't the best. This whole mess tells you that."
"This particular mess isn't entirely her fault. Abruzzi was a late addition to the case; she didn't know it going in." Ranger shrugged. "Doesn't mean that she should have baited him, but there weren't many good choices open to her."
Joe sighed and leaned against the wall. "There still aren't many good choices left for her. He's not going to let up."
"No," Ranger agreed. "He's not. And the only way to keep her safe is for us to work together."
Running his hand through his hair, Ranger's words made him pause. "What are you suggesting?"
"She has no evidence to get him convicted of a crime. He has a grudge against her that she can't fix; the thing that he is after is long gone. The only thing left for him to do is go after her for vengeance." Ranger strained his neck in one direction, then the other when he felt a satisfying "pop."
"I can't protect her 24-7. I have to go to work, and you know she won't hide." Joe felt his irritation at Steph rising. How did she get herself into these messes? And why wouldn't she cooperate at resolving them? She was so hard-headed. "Christ, she doesn't do anything you tell her to do."
"There are other options open." Ranger's statement acknowledged the truth Joe spoke of, but also directed Joe's thoughts out in a wider circle, hinting at what he planned, but not just throwing it out there. He was fairly sure that Morelli would look the other way to save Stephanie, but he needed to feel out Morelli. "I'm not a cop. I'm not tied to the law."
Joe looked at Ranger- really looked at him, in the eye, measuring what Ranger had said and the meaning behind it. "Okay with me."
Ranger felt some relief that Joe didn't need it spelled out for him. "I'll have your cooperation?"
"As much as I can. Make it look good." Morelli stuck his hand out to shake Ranger's. "I still don't like you, Manoso, and I don't want Steph around you. But thank you for watching out for her."
Ranger nodded, then pushed off the doorway. His cell phone chirped, and he pulled it open. "Talk."
Tank's voice was tense. "Morelli's truck is sitting in Pino's lot, doors wide open and the keys next to it on the ground."
Morelli instantly sensed the change in Ranger's tone. "How long?"
"Not very. Probably missed it by seconds."
"Fuck. Be there in five." Ranger slapped the phone shut and turned to face Morelli. "Steph's missing."
"Shit!" Morelli cursed.
Both men headed out to Ranger's BMW, finding Stephanie the only thing on their mind. Each worried how long they had to find her before real damage was inflicted. "After we find her-"Joe felt his words get caught in his throat.
Ranger smiled evilly, showing his predator instincts. "Any hurt that she has, he's going to hurt worse." Joe nodded in agreement. He refused to consider what could possible happen to Steph now, but took some solace in the fact that Abruzzi was writing his own messy death warrant, and just how much Ranger was going to make him hurt before he killed him.