Chapter Three

A wave of self-pity washed over me as I continued to consider my living space. A few weeks ago my roommate and pet hamster, Rex, was found dead in his soup can. I grieved as though I had lost a relative. The sounds that usually greeted me upon returning to my apartment were conspicuous in their absence. Before I realized it, there were tears welling in my eyes.

The apartment itself was nothing special. I kept it primarily to ensure that I always had a place to return to that didn't involve sharing a bathroom with my parents and grandmother. If it was truly over with Joe, I was right to keep some independence. "If?" I said out loud to empty refrigerator. Why had I used the word if? Wasn't I sure about this move? I thought about the things that Morelli said. Could he have been on target about Ranger? I had to admit that there was unfinished business between us, but I really thought Ranger was more interested in getting me in the sack than in any serious relationship. What did I just say? Wasn't I walking away from Joe because I didn't want a serious relationship? God, I hate it when I try to analyze myself.

Now seemed like a good time for a long shower. Maybe the water would wash away the doubts that threatened to creep over my conscious brain. Stop thinking, Stephanie! Nothing good ever comes of it.

I looked in the mirror after my shower, cringing at the sight of the unruly curls covering my head and drooping onto my face. Here was the face of a thirty something, unmarried woman who was trying to find herself in a career that was really better suited to the macho men that Ranger usually hired. Sure, computers were unisex, as the computer didn't care if the operator was male or female, but it was dealing with the day-to-day issues of the business that boggled my mind. I had to face facts. I wasn't sure that I was really cut out for this type of security work. I had no problem with the investigation type work that I started with, but the security details and having to carry the gun all the time were making me think twice about the job.

It was late by now and sleep would be my escape from dealing with my apprehensions over today's decision about Morelli. At least, I hoped I could sleep. What if I dreamed about Joe or worse yet, Ranger.

I didn't have to worry as it turned out because the phone rang. I let the machine answer it and was surprised to hear Grandma Mazar on the line.

"Stephanie, you know how Stiva's is closed. Well, Mabel Richards just learned from her son-in-law, the one that's in real estate, that a new company just bought Stiva's place. Looks like they may reopen the place. Thought you might want to know on account of it's been real slow in the social circles since Con's arrest. Oh yeah, and your mother wants you to call her about dinner tomorrow night. She says to bring Joseph."

Grandma Mazar hung up the phone.

Constantine Stiva was the funeral home director and in his own way, the social director for the over 70 crowd. It was widely known in the Burg that once you passed on, your family should only use Stiva's services. No one else even came close, at least in Grandma Mazar's book, to preparing the dead than Stiva. Of course, how the dead could look, in Grandma's words, "real natural" was beyond me.

Many in the Burg thought it was my fault that Stiva's Mortuary had closed. Why they couldn't see that the man was a murderer, I had no clue. Even my own grandmother had tried to make excuses for the man after he kidnapped me. It was hard for anyone to believe that the undertaker they all knew was capable of bombing cars and threatening to kill women. With Ranger's help, my murder was prevented and Stiva was due to be sentenced after being found guilty on all counts.

I thought back to the trial and the publicity that arose from that event. There were articles in the paper about my past exploits, about how I ran into Stiva's car with the borrowed Buick and about my new career with Rangeman. I remember the look on Joe's face as he read the paper. I also remember what I did to reassure him that while I might work for Ranger, I slept with him. God, I was going to miss Morelli.

I tried to go to sleep, but all I could do was lie there and wonder if I had just made the worst mistake of my life. I didn't think I fell asleep, but it was almost 10:00am when I heard someone moving in my living room. Before I could even think about getting up, Ranger was standing in the doorway.

"Yo, Babe," he smiled one of those smiles that really lights up the room.

"Yo, yourself. What are you doing here? It's not the middle of the night… your usual visiting time." Ranger had a habit of visiting me in the late of the night, usually after I had gone to bed and always without warning.

"You coming to work today?" he asked.

"Oh no, I forgot this was a workday," I started to explain, but thought better of it. Maybe Ranger should learn about Morelli and me like everyone else… the Burg grapevine. "Listen Ranger, I could really use the day off. Can you swing that?"

At first he just stared at me, like he was thinking of what to say. Finally he smiled and said, "Yeah, I can swing it. I happen to know the boss pretty well."

Normally that would have gotten him a smile or a laugh from me, but I really didn't feel up to it. I don't know how much sleep I had gotten, but I felt hung over without even having had a drink.

"Babe, you okay?" He moved closer to the bed and hesitantly sat down beside me.

I tried to take a deep breath. Somehow just being near him at times was enough to take my breath away. I was feeling a bit vulnerable and didn't think it would be a good idea to let him know. Feign illness, I thought. It was the safest way to deal with this situation.

"You might not want to get too close," I offered, "I think I'm coming down with something." I threw out a little cough for emphasis.

Ranger just laughed. "You'll have to do better than that. Bobby used that one this week already. Why don't you tell me what's really wrong?" He stared into my eyes, which I am sure had to be bloodshot.

"Did you have another fight with Morelli?"

Shit, I thought. I am not going to be the one to tell him. Okay, just tell him the truth. There was no fight… a disagreement definitely but no fight.

"No, no fight. I'm just not feeling well. I didn't get any sleep last night. I was up all night thinking about whether or not I am cut out to be a Rangeman employee." Well it was one of the things I was thinking about.

Ranger's eyes narrowed on mine. "What brought that on?"

I couldn't tell if he bought that line or not, but I knew it would get him thinking and it would certainly get me the day off. He'd want me to think about the job anyway and wouldn't want to pressure me. Yes, I was playing on his sympathy, so-to-speak, but I really didn't think I could deal with anyone or anything today. No, today was one of those days to just lie in bed and vegetate. Hell, I would just order a pizza and watch TV all day.

As if Ranger could read my thoughts, he stood up and walked toward the bedroom door. "You'd hate to spend the day watching TV. You're not the type to spend your days doing nothing, but if that's what you want for today, go ahead. You have the day off."

He left without another word. I got out of bed and followed him into the living room, but by the time I got there, he was already gone. I couldn't tell if he was upset with me or not. Ranger was a man of mystery, Batman without the cape. The thing is could I be cat woman or even Robin to his Batman? I seriously doubted it. I wasn't sure I even wanted to try.

I had just settled down in front of the television when the phone rang. I was a bit anxious that it could be Joe, but figured I had to deal with hearing his voice sometime. Not to worry, it was Lula.

"Hey girl, I got us a gig," her voice boomed into the phone. "This one's a rough SOB, but nothing that the two of us can't handle. I figure we stop first the McDonald's just to fortify ourselves and then we have at it. I can pick you up or you can meet me at Vinnie's."

This was all said as if the decision was already made. I wasn't being asked to assist, I was being told to be there. What the hell, there was McDonald's involved.

"Okay, pick me up in 20 minutes," I told her. "I'm currently without wheels, other than the Buick. I don't want to leave that parked at Vinnie's."

"You got it," Lula replied and hung up.

So much for my quiet day in front of the television; I just hope that Ranger doesn't hear about this.