Here it is – the end.
I hope you have enjoyed this little brainchild of mine. Thanks for all your feedback.
I had no idea it was going to be such a long fanfic, thanks for staying with me!
Spoilers: None. It's its own universe, I blame it all on the gin
Rating: G
Disclaimer: They're all JE's characters, except for Sandra. And no one would pay me for Sandra.
Out of my Mind – Epilogue
After a few days, the fog had lifted and I had grown tired of hospital life. Joe, Ranger, and the Merry Men took turns visiting me, so I'd never been bored for long, but I had been antsy to get out just the same. With a few prescriptions in hand, I was released after a week. Tank and Bobby had helped me clear the hospital room of all flowers, books and stuffed animals I had accumulated and had chauffeured me home.
The Senor was held without bail, awaiting his trial. I still didn't know if I'd be called to testify, it depended on whether or not they would add kidnapping and assault charges to the list of indictments. I was not looking forward to seeing him again. But in any case, he was out of the picture and his goons had wasted little time leaving the area. There were still a lot of outstanding arrest warrants against them, but the search for them was concentrated on their home turf in Miami. In the wake of his arrest, his lawyer, Sam Daltrey, had fled Trenton and was also a wanted man now. Several cops and judges had been outed as being on the Senor's payroll and had left the system, some awaiting trial, others cutting deals.
Jorge and Miguel had also been arrested and as a crucial witness in the case against them, I would definitely have to face them again. But that was in the future, and I had decided to deal with it when the time came.
After my statement while I was still in the hospital, RangeMan had been cleared of all charges, and it was acknowledged that they had aided in the arrest of wanted criminals.
I had placed a cowardly call to my employer, quitting my job at Harvard and with it my former life.
Ranger had RangeMan Boston employees clean out my apartment and move my belongings and cat from Boston to Trenton, where Ranger had rented an apartment in my name. My real name.
I had finally called my friend Jess and had told her the story from the beginning, although I doubted she'd believe me until she'd come down and saw for herself.
My parents had been informed and had called me crazy, all urgent formalities had been taken care of.
I leaned back on my couch and propped my injured leg up on the coffee table. Riley took that as his cue and jumped up on my lap.
I had been home for a week now, and I was getting excited about starting my job at RangeMan in the coming week. I'd be on crutches and typing would be slow one-handed, but I'd get out of the house.
Ranger had let me buy the Beetle from him after I insisted, and I paid the rent on my two-bedroom apartment in a nice part of Trenton I had yet to get to know. A merry man showed up every day with groceries and some time to chat. When the socializing time was over, I was instructed on RangeMan's computer search programs, business partners and benefits plan.
Joe had called every day and sometimes came over if his schedule allowed. It had been harder to tell him about my true identity than it had been telling Ranger, but he had eventually believed me that I had had no ill intentions and none of it had been planned.
I sighed contented.
True, my wrist and leg were still in a cast, and that made every bath time and adventure, and I had left my friends behind in Boston. I still couldn't face a mirror without grimacing and hoped my face would return to normal without scarring. A week from now, the stitches in my wrist and ankles would come out and I'd see if there would be lasting or visual damage.
But my new life came with an exciting job, great colleagues, a hotter-than-hot boss and a certain cop friend whom I intended to get to know a lot better as soon as I'd be able to walk again.
The past weeks had held excitement, pain, fear and worry, and yet I felt better than I had in years. I even had plans to do some light skip tracing when I got back on both feet, if Vinnie would let me.
Riley jumped up when the doorbell rang and I got up slowly and hobbled to the door.
Ranger had taken today's grocery delivery and he had a full-on smile on his face when I opened the door.
"You have a key!" I scowled "You didn't have to make me get up!" But I couldn't pull off the annoyed mood, I was too happy to see him.
He dropped the bag he had been holding and picked me up.
"Allow me!" He laughed and carried me back to the couch.
Apart from light hugs and kisses, I hadn't been close to Ranger since the afternoon at my studio at RangeMan. Without talking about it, we had agreed on a friendship that would hold up in a working relationship. I for one didn't rule out a real relationship for the future, but I had time to wait now.
Ranger made sure I was seated comfortably, then he retrieved the bag from the foyer and disappeared into the kitchen.
"You hungry?" He yelled out.
"You got TastyKakes?" I shot back and his laughter rang out to me.
I didn't get trans fat-filled pastries, but a tasty steak with a leafy salad, and it was divine.
Ranger looked pleased as I sat back satisfied.
"That was delicious." I said "You should cook for me more often!"
He smiled at that. "You'd have to pay me…"
I blushed and berated myself for letting him have such an effect on me.
We talked for a while about the upcoming week, and the he had to leave. To do the things Batman does, I presumed.
I made myself comfortable on the couch again and remoted the TV on.
Yes, I was ready. 'Trenton, here I come!' I thought.
Lindsay Taylor was dead. Although I intended to frame the driver's license and credit cards in her name as soon as I had use of my right hand again. A souvenir of the wildest time of my life. Well, thus far at least.
If I took the time to think about the craziness of it all, I'd go insane, so I went the Scarlett O'Hara route on that one. "I'll think about it tomorrow."
Or never.
