Ranger and Stephanie spent the night alone in a hotel room to enjoy their wedding night. Savannah, Lester, Edna and Tank stayed in the room Stephanie reserved for their trip. Frank, Hank and Chester used the second room Tank thought to reserve when they flew to Vegas. Julie stayed in another room with her mother and bodyguards.
Harry appeared in Edna's room. "Darling, it's time," he said.
Edna looked into her husband's face. "Let me leave a note for Stephanie first," she pleaded.
"You have thirty minutes. Shirley will come for you," Harry said. Edna felt him kiss her forehead. She only had the strength to write the access code to her phone.
Edna opened her camera app to record a video for Stephanie. Once Edna said everything she had to say, she ended the recording. Edna placed her phone on the nightstand to make it easier for Stephanie to find it. "I'm ready, Shirley," she whispered.
"Mom, I missed you," Shirley said. "I'm proud of you for watching Stephanie and my Shirley."
"It was the least I could do," Edna replied. "I'm tired."
"Close your eyes, mom. I'll take it from here," Shirley said. She waited for her mother to fall asleep.
Stephanie woke up at 4 am. She had the strangest dream. "Babe?" Ranger asked.
"Carlos, grandma's gone," Stephanie cried. "We have to get to her before Savannah finds her."
Ranger didn't question Stephanie. He knew to trust her intuition. If Stephanie said her grandmother had passed away, then she was right. Stephanie grabbed Ranger's shirt to pull over her body. She didn't care that she'd be streaking through the hotel wearing panties and a shirt. "Babe," Ranger groaned. "Put these on." Ranger gave her a pair of track pants to pull on.
Stephanie rolled her eyes but pulled the pants over her legs. She looked silly wearing track pants and a Rangeman shirt with cream-coloured heels. They ran from Ranger's room down three flights of stairs to the eighth floor. Stephanie used her room key to unlock the door.
"Hands up, fucker," Tank barked.
"Stand down," Ranger ordered. Stephanie ran past Tank to get inside her grandmother's room. Ranger, Lester and Tank followed her inside the room. "Babe?"
Stephanie shook her head. She left the bedroom to check on Savannah. "Mom?" Savannah sleepily said.
"Grandma's gone," Stephanie whispered. "She left me her phone and the access pin. Could you listen to it with me?"
"Sure." Savannah pulled the blanket aside for Stephanie to crawl into the bed beside her. Stephanie kicked off her shoes before sitting beside her daughter.
Her hands shook as she unlocked the phone. She noticed the camera app was still open on the device. Stephanie played the video. "Stephanie, my sweet baby granddaughter. It's my time to go. Harry gave me time to leave you a note, but my hands would only cooperate long enough to grant you access to my phone. I hope you're watching this video with Savannah because it concerns her too. Please, forgive me, Stephanie. I led you to believe Calvin and Serena Mazur adopted your daughter, Savannah. They were her guardians until you could resume custody. I'm sorry, Savannah. I hope you don't hate me." Stephanie paused the video when Ranger entered the bedroom.
She moved over on the bed, leaving room for Ranger to climb in beside her. "Continue," he said. Stephanie pressed play again.
"Over the years, you'd joke about my gypsy heritage. You have the gift. The dreams sparking your spidey sense is the clairvoyant gene passed down through the generations. Though, not all gypsies welcomed it. Your mother refused to be guided by her intuition. She preferred to listen to things she could prove through scientific evidence. Unfortunately, that translated into following rigid rules and governance by the Burg women. I knew your life would be more than what Helen wished for you. As a child, you would dream about another girl and her twin brother who would live a life worse than yours. You made me promise to protect that girl. Her brother would follow in his father's footsteps despite your efforts to make him a better man. Each year, your dreams showed you more about your twins. I realized you were talking about your daughter and son. If you raised them, your mother would force you to marry Joe. I knew when we discovered your pregnancy what I had to do. Protect you and your children. Losing your son was a blessing and a curse. Your grief helped you relate to the Merry Men suffering a loss. It was your willingness to share that healed them. Savannah, you, too, have the gift. I know from Calvin and Serena that you dreamed of being reunited with your mother."
Savannah stopped the video from playing. "I thought you signed the adoption papers," Savannah said.
"I was seventeen when you were born, and I know I signed away custody," Stephanie replied. "You should ask Calvin and Serena." Savannah sent a text to her parents. It would be hours before they respond. Ranger pressed the play button. He wanted to hear more of Edna's story.
"Stephanie, you're wondering about the custody papers. You gave Calvin and Serena Mazur temporary custody until you were ready to raise your daughter. I wasn't completely honest with you, baby granddaughter, but I didn't want you to run away scared. Ranger, I know you're with my girls. Protect them. As long as Joe Morelli lives, they are safer in Miami than Trenton." Edna laughed as though she heard a private joke.
"Stephie, when you met Ranger, I was ecstatic. I knew Ranger and his men would keep you safe. Each man you brought home for dinner suffered a tragedy they couldn't get past. I could see it in their eyes. Make sure they know that I'm sorry for grabbing them inappropriately. I could see the pain. I would dream about the place where they would likely heal. It's the reason for choosing those locations for my bucket list. I knew you would give up everything to help me. Your Merry Men are selfless and generous in funding our excursion. Carlos, thank you for loving my baby granddaughter. Give your little Mateo Carlos lots of hugs and kisses from his great-grandma. Heh heh. I bet you're wondering when Stephanie got pregnant. Does the shower in San Diego come to mind? Savannah, I love you. It took great courage for you to meet your mother, I'm proud of you. Stephie, you know how much I love you. Don't let anyone take your light, girls. Goodbye, my dears." The video ended.
Stephanie held Savannah as they cried. Ranger wrapped his arms around both women. They didn't realize Lester and Tank were standing in the doorway, listening. "Beautiful, you're having a baby?" Lester asked.
"I don't know. Anything's possible," she replied. "Does anyone have a copy of grandma's will?"
"I'll get Hector to get it from the safe," Ranger said. "Your grandmother gave me a copy before your flight to New Orleans." He sent Hector a text to contact Edna's lawyer, Kevin Walker.
"Bobby arranged to have Edna's body transported to the plane," Hank said as he entered the room. Savannah jumped off the bed to hug Hank. He rubbed his hand in circles on her back. Stephanie shook her head at Ranger when he moved to stop Hank from comforting Savannah.
"I left a message at Stiva's for Edna's funeral. Edna said she had everything pre-arranged," Frank said. Stephanie got off the bed to hug her dad.
"Steph," Julie ran into the room. She wrapped her arms around Stephanie's waist and cried.
"Um. It's getting a bit crowded in here. We should go into the other room." Stephanie guided everyone to the living room. Rachel timidly approached Stephanie.
"I'm sorry for your loss," she said. Rachel hugged Stephanie to whisper, "I put a test in the bathroom. Let me know when it's ready because I didn't keep the box."
Stephanie promised to get Rachel when she peed on the stick. She excused herself to use the washroom. It was the same brand Stephanie bought for Valerie when she got pregnant with Bert. She didn't need Rachel to interpret the results. Three minutes after peeing on the stick and her fingers, the plus sign appeared in the window. Stephanie was pregnant. She wrapped it in a towel. "Carlos, do you have a minute?" she called from the open door.
Ranger entered the washroom and locked the door behind him. "There are too many witnesses," he growled. After thoroughly kissing his wife, he asked, "Why am I here?"
Stephanie pointed to the towel. Ranger carefully opened it to reveal the test. He looked at Stephanie with a raised eyebrow. "Carlos, grandma was right. I'm pregnant. Do you want me to keep it?" Instead of answering, Ranger pressed his lips against hers to kiss her. "Is that a yes?"
"Yes. A thousand times, yes," he replied, using her words when she agreed to marry him. "We'll name him Mateo Carlos." Ranger never imagined he'd have a child with the woman he loved.
~~~~~~~~~~
Hector didn't like what he heard on the streets. Eugene Brown wanted to make Stephanie pay for his incarceration and the death of his gang friends. It didn't matter that Sally Sweet gunned down the gang with his Uzi. Eugene held Stephanie responsible. Hector's friends tortured Eugene Brown until he confessed. He had seen a woman resembling Stephanie in New York and followed her back to Cincinnati, Ohio. Eugene thought it was Stephanie since she disappeared from Trenton in January. He was surprised to learn it was the biological daughter of Stephanie Plum and detective Joe Morelli.
Eugene sent the pictures and letters to Morelli at the TPD. The delivery man was promised Savannah Mazur as payment for delivery. When questioned about the man, they learned it was an ex-slayer member. Hector's friends forced Eugene to lure the man into the alley behind the apartment complex across the street from the Comstock playground. Both Eugene and the man got exterminated to protect Stephanie and Savannah.
Vince and Rodriguez learned that Jose Amante hired Eugene to find evidence to use against Manoso and Rangeman. They tracked down every man Jose involved in his plot. Once the hard evidence was in their hands, they returned to Trenton to debrief.
Police chief Mack Mathieson, Trenton Major Joe Juniak and Police commissioner Jordie Howard met with Bobby Brown, Hector Almirez, Vince Capone, and Jorge Rodriguez met in a secure conference room inside Rangeman. The men produced the evidence they collected against Jose Amante. Mathieson and Howard recognized Joseph Morelli's undercover name with the Street Crimes and Gang Activity Unit. They had loaned Morelli's to the New York division when they needed another man to infiltrate the gangs.
"How did you collect this evidence?" Howard asked.
"Legally," Vince replied. He explained the chain of command when he gathered the information and followed the leads. Howard was impressed with their procedures.
"Where did you serve?" Howard asked.
"Army, sir," Vince replied.
"Marines," Rodriguez answered.
"Ex-gang," Hector said. "I served my time, and Ranger gave me a second chance. Everything I do is legal and within the law. I got court orders to retrieve the surveillance videos. Some of the footage got recorded by Rangeman. The establishments have Rangeman security."
"Hector has Confidential clearance with the government," Bobby added. Bobby suspected they would use Hector's gang affiliations against him. Howard looked at Hector with a new level of respect.
"You must have proved your skills to get that clearance. Do you still associate with your old gang?" Howard asked.
"No. I left that life behind when I got out," Hector replied. Hector didn't mention that Ranger rescued him.
Howard, Juniak and Mathieson reviewed the evidence. They were not impressed with detective Joseph Morelli's actions. Juniak stopped to stare at the image of the young woman. The date and time with the school uniform showed it wasn't Stephanie. "Who is she?" he asked. He saw the group of students standing at the 911 memorial.
Bobby lifted his phone and asked, "May I call Stephanie?" Howard waved his hand for Bobby to continue.
"Hey, Bobby," Stephanie answered. She sniffled a few times.
"I'm sorry for calling, but it's unavoidable. Hector, Vince, Rodriguez and I are in a meeting with Howard, Juniak and Mathieson. They asked about the young girl wearing a school uniform on a New York trip," Bobby replied.
Stephanie sighed. "Put me on speaker, Bobby. I may as well tell them." Bobby did as requested. She took a deep breath before asking, "Uncle Joe, do you remember when Joe Morelli wrote those poems all over Trenton?"
"Yes," he replied.
"Well, I got pregnant with twins. The boy died within the first twenty-four, but the girl survived. Her name is Savannah Mazur. My cousin and his wife raised her for me. Savannah went on a school field trip to New York last month. She's currently with me in Vegas for protection. I don't know who is after her, but I know Savannah's in danger," Stephanie explained. "What do you know?"
"You're correct. Savannah is in danger, but so are you. Is there any chance you could stay away for another few weeks?" Juniak asked.
"Sorry, but no. Grandma Mazur died early this morning. The coroner's office in Vegas just removed her body. They're going to prepare her for travel to New Jersey today. Ranger is using the Rangeman jet to transport the body. We should be home in the next day or two," Stephanie replied.
"I feel we should warn you that Morelli's out for blood," Mathieson added.
"Why am I not surprised?" she asked. "Keep an eye on Helen, too. With dad in Vegas, she would align with Morelli. I doubt Joyce could make him toe the line."
"Even more so from the grave," Juniak said.
"Joyce is dead? What about the baby?" Stephanie asked.
"The medical examiner said she ran down the stairs and slipped. She miscarried the baby, then died in the hospital from excessive blood loss," Juniak replied.
"I'm sorry Joe lost his daughter," Stephanie said. She was genuinely sad for Joe.
"I'll oversee the funeral arrangements for Edna," Juniak offered.
"That's not necessary. Hector, and Bobby, expect a call from Kevin Walker. Grandma named the two of you as executors of her will. Her funeral got pre-arranged," Stephanie said. She asked if they had other news. Stephanie grew angrier by the second. "Why won't he leave me alone?"
"In Morelli's opinion, you belonged to him since you followed him into the garage," Vince said.
"I was six fucking years old. I'm sorry, but I can't continue this conversation. I have enough shit to manage without Joseph Morelli's fucked up principles," Stephanie snapped.
"Did she just hang up on us without saying goodbye?" Bobby jokingly asked. Everyone laughed. "What are we doing about Morelli?"
"He's getting busted back to beat cop," Howard replied.
"We'll give him enough rope to hang himself," Juniak added. "Morelli's going to blow a gasket. Expect him to come out swinging."