Reviewers: Thanks for your patience. I was torn on how to proceed. This chapter is one of the versions I considered. Let me know if I should continue. This chapter builds up a bit, so there may not be as much action as you would like, but we'll get there shortly...

Disclaimer: Ranger, Joe & Stephanie are all part of the world created by Evanovich. Grandma Mazar seems to be part of everyone's family!

Chapter Nine

I had totally forgotten to turn on my cell phone after my night with Ranger. I had also forgotten that I was supposed to have dinner with my parents and that they didn't know where I was. I was in so much trouble it wasn't funny.

"Mom," I began when she answered the phone. That was the last word I said until she finished venting.

"Stephanie Michelle Plum, where have you been? You were supposed to be her for dinner, didn't have the decency to call, and now I hear your apartment caught fire. Why me?" I'm sure she said more, but I stopped listening at this point. My mother and Joe should start a support group.

"Mom," I tried again, "I'm really all right. I spent the night with a friend." I planned to use Lula as my cover if necessary. "I wasn't at the apartment. In fact, I only just now saw the damage."

My mother sounded like she was softening a little. "Well, I suppose you could move into your old room. At least that way I would know where you were." Okay, not exactly what I wanted to hear, but I needed to keep my options open.

I thought about the prospect of moving into my old room. It ranked right up there with crawling back to Morelli on my knees begging forgiveness. Then there was the option that Ranger offered. The only problem there was controlling my own libido.

"I've made other arrangements," I explained. My mother naturally assumed that they were with Joe Morelli. I quickly set her straight. "I already told you that Joe and I were through. I meant it, Mom. I can't stay with Joe any longer."

If my mother wanted to question me some more, it was not possible, as Grandma Mazar had now latched onto the phone.

"You know, Stephanie," she began, "if it were me, I'd be shacking up with the hunk with the impressive package. Did you ever find out if he had an uncle my age? Bet if he did, that guy would be able to get it up." Talking to my grandmother about sex seemed downright wrong, but I just listened. "I heard about you and Joe. Sadie Moscovitz tells me that there are thirteen ways to leave a lover, but she'll have to change that to fourteen now. You're such a pip. That Morelli boy wasn't bad looking either, but I didn't like how he treated you sometimes."

"Grandma, I interrupted. What have you heard about the way that I left Joe. What's the thirteen ways to leave?" Was she thinking of that old song? With Grandma Mazar, you never knew what to expect.

"I heard that you told him that you wanted to more excitement in your relationship; that being a Burg wife wasn't for you. I always knew that, of course, but I was surprised to hear you said it to Joe."

Joe must have talked to his mother. Grandma never gets the gossip quite as accurate as this. "Yeah, well, I guess if you want to count that as a way to leave, then you can." I really still had no idea of what we were saying, but Grandma appeared satisfied.

"You staying with that hot Cuban?" Grandma asked, a smile evident in her voice.

"I'm thinking about it, but don't tell my mother."

"Don't worry, it's just between us girls. She'd never understand those types of needs, what with her going through the change." Back to the sex talk... time to end this conversation.

"I have to go, Grandma. Please tell Dad and Mom I love them. I will be back in touch when I'm settled somewhere."

Since I was still sitting in my truck, Ranger came walking over. He didn't look happy.

"Babe, I just talked to Tank. Looks like my suspicions were right. Old Willard was seen near your apartment before the fire. He may have set the fire."

I could feel the fury build inside. Ranger had suspected that Lula FTA burned up my apartment. Why didn't he tell me?

"You could have told me what you suspected," I grinded out. "Why the hell does Willard want me? I only knocked on the door. Lula brought him in. The sudden realization was frightening. "Oh my God, is Lula all right?"

Ranger put his hand behind my neck, cradling and kneading at the same time. "I'm on it. I have a car parked outside Vinnie's right now. Let's get over there while she's still there."

I forgot all the things I had planned to do. I was so concerned about finding Lula in one piece. There was a lot vested in our friendship. Like Ranger was my mentor, I was Lula's. I felt like she was my responsibility. Ranger instinctively seemed to know that. I got out of my truck and followed him to the nearest SUV. He helped me in and kissed my on the forehead before closing the door.

"She's all right," he offered, his breath warm against my skin. How could I disagree with anything he said?

We traveled the short distance in silence, as usual. Tank was waiting at Vinnie's and it was obvious that Lula was on the warpath.

"She wanted to leave, but I stopped her," Tank explained. Lula was standing beside her Firebird, obviously unhappy.

"What's goin' on? Tall, dark and fearsome here says I can't go home," Lula demands in a loud voice.

"Calm down, Lula. I need to explain something." Lula followed me back into Vinnie's reception area. "Ranger seems to think that Willard Noble is responsible for burning up my apartment. It stands to reason that he might come after you as well. We need to figure out what's going on before anyone gets hurt."

"You weren't in your apartment were you?" Lula appeared to be fishing now.

"No, luckily I hadn't come home yet." Not a direct lie.

"Girl, you aren't even in the business anymore and they still find you. What did Morelli say?" Lula knew we weren't together anymore, but it only seemed natural that Joe would have come to check out the carnage.

"I haven't heard from him," I stated flatly. It was a realization that hurt on several levels. It shouldn't have bothered me so much that Joe didn't even bother to check to see if I was alive or dead.

Ranger must have sensed what I was thinking because his arm found its way around my shoulders very naturally. "Morelli did call," he explained. "I spoke to him before I told you about the apartment. He didn't think you too should run into each other yet." That last part was whispered into my ear.

I looked at Ranger's eyes. I could tell he was torn between his feelings about Joe and me and the hurt he knew I was feeling over Joe's dismissal of my current disaster.

"I'm not his problem anymore, Ranger," I whispered back. That statement got me a swift kiss on the forehead.

"Lula, I want Tank to escort you to your apartment where you should grab some clothes for an overnight stay. Until we find Willard, it may not be safe for you two to be out on the streets."

I didn't realize that this was where Ranger was going with the coming here. He was planning on taking Lula back to Rangeman. That action would definitely complicate my life. I really didn't want Lula to know that I was already staying at Rangeman's.

"Do you have enough room for both of us," I asked Ranger.

"I can always make room," he stated flatly. The lack of a reaction was more telling than not.

"Hot damn," whooped Lula, "I'm off to the bat cave."

Ranger just shook his head. He nodded to Tank, who took that signal to mean it was time to get Lula under control.

"Behave," I cautioned Lula as I turned to leave. I gave Tank a finger wave and walked back to the truck. Ranger didn't follow right away, stopping to give Tank some final instructions.

He climbed back into the truck silently, but before he started it, turned to face me. "If I had known how Willard would have responded, I would never have let you near him, Babe. I swear I didn't think he'd do anything like this."

He was feeling guilty. The big man's conscious was bothering him.

"You're feeling bad for setting us up with this big paying FTA, but you didn't force Lula or I to take it, you know. We knew what we were up against." Maybe we did, maybe we didn't. Jury was still out on that one, but the fact is that Lula brought him in and collected her body receipt.

I was actually surprised that Ranger was feeling guilty. Yes, he set us up, but he was also making sure nothing happened. We were under Rangeman guard. I knew that now.

"I'm not still upset about the fact that you arranged that diversion for me," I offered. "You couldn't have known what would happen. Besides, what makes you so sure that Willard set the fire?"

Ranger looked over at me before returning his eyes to the road. "There was a witness."

"Who?"