Three strawberry flavored condoms, hundreds of stray bullets, a can of defense spray, empty pack of chewing gum and a gun to go with the bullets. She lifted up the gun, and licked her finger to wipe off a finger print. She then spent the next half an hour polishing her Glock. A fine piece of machinery it was. And if Ranger didn't have answers, she swore to her self that she'd shot him.
Something deep in her gut told her that the ring was a set up. A prop in something they were doing. Or, maybe a charm to keep Morelli away.
Morelli had been too sweet. That had been his first mistake. He had a boquet of flowers in one hand, and a stuffed bear for Stephanie in the other. He was smiling as he handed them to Ellen. Second mistake, was holding a conversation with Frank. Frank didn't even look at him, and all answers were grunts. Frank Plum wasn't one for small talk, but he openly talked with Morelli and Ranger. Third and final mistake, Joeseph Morelli didn't seem too upset. A tear hadn't fallen down his cheek. If you loved someone the way Joe was playing, he'd had been in tears, and at the hospital in Ranger's place.
Soon enough, six thirty rolled around and Grandma Mazur packed herself in the passenger seat of Betty Sajack's Pontiac. Ranger was standing outside when they arrived, dressed in an appropriate solid black. "You can drop me here." Grandma Mazur pointed to the curb infront of Ranger.
"Some date." She said and parallel parked between a older Cadallic and a Toyota pickup.
"He's my grandaughter's." Grandma Mazur informed, and Betty nodded her head in understanding.
Ranger offered her a fake smile and a nod. But nothing else. No greeting, no handshake, not even a blink of an eye. His face suggested he was all buisness. Grandma Mazur stood infront of him for a few minutes, and then offered to go inside. Again, another nod.
The entered the first room. Not very many people were in there, only a few family members and a few other friends. The family looked torn apart, a mother, a wife and three small children with dirt on their faces. Three boys, suits all alike with holes ripped everywhere, and all sizes too small. The wife wasn't better. No make-up, no jewelery except for the simple silver band symbolizing her marrige. The mother of the decesed was the best off, but she looked drained and broken. Grandma Mazur noted that the casket was bottom-of-the-line.
Ranger made his was to the back, where he and Mrs. Mazur took a seat on a couch. Ranger choked on words. What to say to the grandmother to your make-believe fiance?
"Spit it out." She said, noticing Ranger's unusual trouble.
"It's for a job. A neighborhood of people have deep roots into the drug system, and they're selling it in large amounts. They're also suspect to counterfit twenties." Ranger said in one breath.
"Why Steph?"
"I need a newly wed happy couple. Steph is the only one I think can do this. We have to pull off for a good two weeks, maybe more. I was so into this job, and then Steph disapeared..." Ranger broke off.
Grandma Mazur stared at Ranger for a minute and her left eyebrow twitched. "There's more, isn't there." She asked after a long pause.
Ranger sucked in a deep breath and then began. "Yes. The neighborhood is run by the husbands. They have the connections, and they get the drugs. The wives go out and sell it, because no one will suspect a ditsy housewife to be in possession of ten kilos of pot in their backseat. There are two houses that run the counterfits, and they pass on twenties like a cold. Everyone has connections in that neighbor hood."
With another breath, he started again. "The Rangeman Computer was hacked."
"What danger is in that?" Grandma Mazur asked, dealing strictly business with Ranger.
"They know our clients. They figured out were looking into their business and they're scared. They've got access to everyone's social security numbers and... some of my employee's... legal... documents."
"Forged immigration cards?"
Ranger stared at her for a brief second. How could she possibly know that?
"Yes maam." He said. "Everyone's. Even mine and Stephanie's. And they have pictures of all my staff, except for me and..."
"Steph." Grandma Mazur said and bobbed her head.
"We're the only ones we won't recognise. We were going to set up alternate identities, and play from there. Just a happy little family." Ranger crossed his arms over his chest. "But now, I'm pretty sure she's going to back out."
"Huh!" Grandma Mazur laughed. "That girl has never listened to her mother. When she was little, all we'd hear was Stephanie wash your hands, or Stephanie comb your hair, or Stephanie clean your room, or my favorite, Stephanie you climb on that roof one more time and I will handcuff you to your bed."
Ranger smiled, and Grandma Mazur continued. "She always climbed to the roof one more time even though her mother told her not to. That child was as stubborn as a mule, and still is. You know how long Ellen's been trying to get her to quit that job of hers?" Before Ranger had time to answer, Grandma Mazur jumped back in. "Since the day she got it. Three years ago."
Ranger figured as much. "Now, if you excuse me, I have to visit the diseased." She sat up and brushed the folds out of her skirt.
Ranger sat, blank faced. She didn't seem phased the least bit about the trouble Stephanie could be in. Stephanie suddenly jumped into his mind, and he stood up quickly remembering that it had been almost six hours since he'd left her.
The drive to the hospital wretched his guts. He didn't feel right about any of this. Hurting Stephanie. Disobeying her mother. And he had the ungodly urge to punch Morelli's nose in. Finally, the drive was over, and Ranger hit the ground running into the building.
The door to Stephanie's room was cracked. He remembered closing it, and the nursing staff closed it for patients privacy. Hushed voices flowed out into the hall.
"Stephanie, honey, it'll be better off this way. I promise."
"No it won't Mom. You're telling me to just, give up, my life to be a traditional Burg Housewife. I can't do that Mom."
"You can't, or you won't."
"I can't. I can't just walk out of Ranger's life like that. Vinnie needs me, too. And I'd be leaving Lula and Connie too. I like my job Mom." Her words rung fresh in Ranger's ears.
"Vinnie can find another bounty hunter. You wouldn't be leaving Lula and Connie, either."
"You're leaving out Ranger."
"Ranger's a big boy. Handsome, too. I'm sure he probably has a girlfriend, baby. Did you ever think of that?"
"He wouldn't, or he would have told me."
"Everyone has their secrets. I don't want to see you hurt, like what happened with Dickie."
"MOM! I learned from Dickie, if anything. Ranger isn't him, or anything close." Clearly, Stephanie's divorce was still a hot spot.
"You hardly know Ranger."
"I know alot about him."
"How old is he?" Her mother asked in a mocking tone.
Stephanie went blank.
"Steph?"
"I don't know that. I don't know his birthday or his favorite ice cream flavor. I don't even know if he eat's ice cream. But mom, he's not going to be playing hide the sausage with anyone."
"I know you think this is best, but you're not thinking rationally and..."
Stephanie cut her off. "I'm thinking rationally enough, and I think that maybe you should just leave."
"Steph..."
"Go, Mom. You're not making my life any easier, and I'm tired. Just go." Stephanie's voice was breaking.
Ranger viewed this as his cue, and sunk into the shadows of the hallway until Stephaine's mother emerged from the room. Once she was in the elevator, Ranger slowly got to Steph's door which had only been pulled to a crack again. He knocked on it with the back of his hand.
She sniffled, and then asked, "Who's there?"
"It's me, Babe." He said into the door.
A little enthusiasm returned to her voice. "Ranger."
He leaned into the door and it opened. He stepped inside and closed the door behind him. Stephanie's curtains were pulled open, and the room was only lit by the light of the other buildings. "Hey." He said softly and crossed the room.
"How long were you out there?" She asked him between sniffles.
"Long enough. Look, Babe, I'm sorry and I shouldn't have..." He began, but Stephanie reached out with her finger and pressed it to his lip.
"This is between me and my mother. You have nothing to do with it."
Ranger smiled, and through her tears, she did too. Stephanie pulled away from him, and slid over on the bed, wanting Ranger to catch the hint and get on it too. He slid up behind her and cuddled her until her breathing slowed and her body turned to mush in his hands.
A heart pendant around a teady bear's neck caught the light from the office building.