Chapter 14

Elsa slipped into her bra containing silicone to enhance her breasts. Her panties felt strange, but they included silicone to make her ass look meatier. She pulled on the pantyhose to lighten the tone of her legs. The black dress she wore accentuated her figure. Elsa got her mom to apply the makeup to her arms, shoulders and neck. Getting ready took hours, but when the makeup set, the result was astounding.

Dickie couldn't stop himself from falling over the buxom blond. He sat beside her at the bar. "May I buy you a drink?" Dickie asked.

"Sorry, sugar. I don't accept drinks from strangers," Elsa said in her southern twang.

"My name is Dickie. Where are you from?"

"Louisiana," she lied. Elsa was born in Alabama. Her father served in Vietnam with Frank Plum. "I'm Caroline."

The bartender poured Elsa a new drink. She got him to make her beverages virgin. "May I have a sip?" Dickie asked. Elsa rolled her eyes but let him sample her drink. "Is there even alcohol in here?"

"Of course there is," Elsa replied. "It's one of those drinks you don't notice it affected you until you stand up."

Dickie held out his hand for them to dance. She permitted him to lead her to the closely packed people gyrating to the music. He placed his hands on her hips, pulling her ass into his body. Dickie go turned on by her curves. Elsa was thankful for the silicone in her panties. She didn't have to feel his gross crotch pressing into her ass.

"Could we continue our dance in private, Caroline?" Dickie asked. His voice was thick from arousal. "I know of a place close by."

"You're too drunk to drive, sugar," Elsa said. "I have a driver waiting for me. All I need to do is call. He'll take us to a private location. Unless you don't trust me."

"I'll follow you anywhere," Dickie said, grinding into her ass.

Elsa pulled her phone from the small clutch to call her driver. She got her friend, Hunter, to drive the town car. Hunter had parked the vehicle near the front door of the cub. He got hired to take them to the location in the pine barrens. The car was a rental from Pennsylvania. Frank had paid cash for the vehicle.

"Our ride is here," Elsa said as she pulled Dickie out the door.

Dickie noticed the bottle of wine Hunter had placed in the back of the car. He opened the wine and poured a glass for them. Elsa accepted the glass of wine. She slipped a tasteless, colourless drug into her wine. "What's wrong?" Dickie asked.

"I've had too much to drink. I don't think I can finish this wine. Maybe I'll dump it out the window," Elsa replied as she started to roll down the window.

"The wine is too expensive to waste," Dickie said, removing the glass from her hand.

"Aren't you worried about drinking too much for your weight?" Elsa asked, hoping he'd give her his exact weight.

"I'm fine. I weigh 184 lbs. it would take more for me to become intoxicated." He quickly drank the wine and passed her the empty wineglass. "I don't feel too well," Dickie slurred.

"You're drunk, sugar," Elsa replied. "We're almost there."

Elsa was happy that Dickie didn't pass out when they arrived at their destination. She guided him down the slope leading into the underground cavern. Dickie giggled as he slid a few feet. When they got to the bed Frank placed in the cave, Dickie sat down and passed out. She pulled the syringe from her clutch and gave him enough drugs to keep him knocked out for two days.

Lester and Bobby moved from their hiding place in the cavern. They worked effortlessly to remove everything except his boxers. Tank restrained his ankles and wrists together. Cal and Hal carried a hod-tied Dickie up the steps and placed him inside the crate. Frank and Hector closed the latches and locked them using padlocks.

Tank, Lester, Bobby and Hector grabbed a corner to move the box onto the back of the truck. Frank grinned as his friend drove the van off the property. He'd receive a message once the crate gets transferred to the barge, another text when it gets loaded on the plane. Elsa and Hunter will notify Frank when the box gets dropped into Siberia.

"Thanks for your help, Elsa. When do you leave?" Frank asked.

"Hunter and I fly out tonight, Uncle Frank. We'll be on the cargo plane when the crate gets dropped. I have to report for duty a few days later," she replied.

"Stay safe," he said as he hugged her. Hunter entered the house to collect Elsa. She waved to the other men before leaving the house through the tunnel. It was closer to the car than the house.

Elsa hugged Hunter. "Thank you for agreeing to the plan. I don't know if I could have done it without you," Elsa admitted.

"There was no other way I'd let you go," Hunter stated. He grabbed Elsa's left hand to replace her wedding band. Hunter kissed her finger. "I don't like when you have to remove your ring."

"Neither do I. We should have told Uncle Frank we got married." She didn't like lying to her honorary uncle.

"He knows," Hunter said as he read the message on her cellphone. Elsa laughed as she read the note of congratulations. "I must admit, when you said my name, you could hear the love in your tone."

~~~

Joseph Morelli got tired of Helen Plum living in his house. She ruined many opportunities for women to stay overnight. It took a few months to relax and show her true self. What Joe had witnessed was deplorable. "Helen!" Joe yelled. "Shut your mouth for one minute."

"Joseph?" Helen asked, shocked by his tone. She placed a hand against her chest, attempting to still her racing heart.

"Listen, Helen. I can't let you live here anymore. If you treated Stephanie with a fraction of the criticism you're doling out to my female visitors, it's no wonder why she had left your home. I did what I could to help you, but I can't allow this to continue. My mom agreed to give you a home for a few months until you find a permanent residence," Joe replied.

As though they had it planned to the second, his mother entered the house. "Are you ready to leave, Helen?" Angie asked.

Helen shook her head, but Joe pulled her luggage beside the staircase. "I have her bags. I'll put them in the trunk," Joe replied. Hanging her head, Helen slipped on her shoes and left Joe's house.

Angie shook her head at her friend. Helen had changed since they were childhood friends. Moving to the Burg gave Helen the false sense of right from wrong. Her attitude around Stephanie's unplanned pregnancy made Angie wonder what Helen felt about her pregnancy with Anthony. Angie got pregnant when Anthony Sr talked her out of her panties. She also knew that Helen had slept with her husband. Helen may think it's a guarded secret, but her husband wasted no time disclosing the women he screwed to his wife. Especially the women who let him do dirty things to them.

It was strange how life worked. Angie got forced to marry Anthony Morelli because she got pregnant. She was foolish to permit Anthony to take her virginity. The man she really wanted, Frank Plum, had joined the Army, and she was upset. Angie didn't want to be an Army wife. Raising children while her husband got deployed was not the life she had imagined for herself. She felt foolish to learn that Anthony still had to register for the military. He got deployed with the Navy for a year. She gave birth to her son, Anthony Jr, while Anthony Sr was away. Going to war had changed the man. He was angry when he returned.

Joey is a lot like his father. Angie worried that Joseph's job as homicide detective would change him. She wanted him to get a better job that didn't investigate death. Joe knows how she felt about his position at TPD. He reassured her that he could handle things.

"Where's your car?" Angie asked.

"It belonged to Frank," Helen replied. "I'll receive the settlement from our divorce in a few months. When I get the money, I can find an apartment and buy a used car."

Angie hoped Helen wouldn't have to live at her house for long. "Do you have a job?" Angie asked.

"I'm working part-time at the dry cleaners down the road. I can pay my share of expenses," Helen replied. She didn't like working, but there were no other options. Angie was relieved to hear that Helen would contribute to the household costs. She wasn't running a charity.

"You're entitled to fifty percent of his military pension," Angie said as she drove towards home.

"I didn't know that," Helen confessed.

"Sue him for your fair share," she suggested.

"It would make things worse. I'll lose the money I get from the sale of the house. We both know I can't risk the settlement," Helen said. Angie had difficulty understanding why Helen didn't fight for what was rightfully hers. Sensing Angie's judgement, Helen added, "I'm not going to take him back to court. I need my independence."

Helen and Angie remained silent during the remaining distance to the Morelli house. Neither woman knew what to say. Angie didn't know what she would have done without Anthony's insurance and military pension. The pension wasn't too much money per month, but it helped pay the bills. Every penny helped. Angie knew that Frank sold the property below market value to a young family.

Even in the silent car, Helen could feel disapproval emanating off Angie. For a fleeting moment, Helen wondered if this was how Stephanie felt. Helen shook her head to dismiss the thought. Stephanie didn't worry about what others thought. If she had cared, she would have acted like a proper Burg woman. Instead, her youngest daughter got knocked up by a thug. Helen heard that her bastard child's father owned Rangeman.

Angie could practically hear what Helen was thinking. She muttered the odd word, giving away her thoughts. Helen muttered something about Joe and Stephanie. Angie shook her head, confused why Helen wanted Joe to marry her daughter. Joe and Stephanie would have a toxic relationship.

~~~

Frank contacted Valerie to inform her of the trip to Chicago. "When do we catch our flight, daddy?" Valerie asked.

"In a week. I closed the sale of the house," Frank replied.

"Where will you live?" Valerie wondered.

"I own a four-bedroom house located outside Trenton," he answered. Frank knew his daughter would ask a follow-up question. He explained before she got the opportunity to ask the question. "It belonged to my grandparents. My grandma left it to me in her will. Your mother doesn't know I own the property. I transferred ownership to Stephanie."

"You gave Stephanie a house?" Valerie asked in shock.

"Yes," Frank replied. "I gave you the equivalent cash value for the down payment on your house in LA."

"Oh. I didn't realize you gave us that much," Valerie stated. "Steve said you only gave us a five thousand."

"Valerie, I need you to text me all of your financial information. If Steve lied about something that huge, he's keeping more from you. I'm concerned for your financial future," Frank explained.

"Okay, daddy. I'll send you everything." Valerie sent her dad her bank account numbers and the credentials to access her records. Frank shook his head when he saw Valerie had given him full privileges to her bank.

While talking to Valerie, he accessed the accounts. "Val, what's in the Dominican bank?" Frank asked.

"We don't have an account in the Dominican," she replied.

"A few thousand dollars a month are sent to the branch. I can reverse the amounts or transfer them to another account. What's your preference?" Frank asked.

"He's stashing money?" Val asked, shocked. "Why would he do that?"

"How has your marriage been the past few years?" Frank wondered. "Has Steve expressed decreased intimacy?"

"I don't want to have this conversation with you, dad. It's been a few years since we shared the same bed. Mom said I should join a gym to lose the baby fat from Mary Alice. I've dyed my hair blond too," Valerie confessed. "Like Meg Ryan."

"Okay. Val, I moved the money through several accounts. It's settled in an account that only I can access. Whenever Steve transfers money to the Dominican account, it would get rerouted to the new one. Valerie, you must not let Steve know that you're onto his plan," Frank said.

Valerie wiped the tear off her face. "I promise, daddy. Can I leave with the girls now? I don't want to stay here a minute longer," Valerie asked. "Steve's out of town for a few days."

"Get the girls to the airport. I'll get you on the next flight. Stephanie will get someone to pick you up from the airport. Use the safe word Thumbelina," Frank said.

"Thanks, daddy. I don't know what we'd do without you. I'm bringing all of my jewelry, too," Valerie stated.

"Good girl," Frank said. "I'll see you in Chicago."

"Bye, daddy," Valerie said before hanging up. She packed her suitcase with everything article of clothes she owned. Grabbing the other luggage, Val went into the girl's bedrooms to pack their belongings. Once the bags got loaded into the car, she woke up her children to leave. "Wake up, Angie. We're going to visit your aunt Stephie."

"Now, mommy? Did daddy come home from his trip with Brittany?" Angie asked.

"Babysitter Brittany?" Valerie asked.

"Yes, mom. He went on a babysitter conference with her," Angie stated. "I asked my friends, and they said there is no conference for babysitters."

Valerie was furious that Steve told Angie a lie about the conference, but the truth about the affair. She wiped the tear threatening to drop from her eye. "We have to go now, Angie. Get your shoes on while I get Mary Alice ready."

While Frank got the airline tickets organized, he called Stephanie to give her the news. "Hello?" Stephanie answered.

"Thank goodness you're still awake. I'm sending Valerie and the girls to Chicago tonight. Their flight leaves in a few hours. Steve's gearing to leave Valerie and the children penniless," Frank quickly explained.

"We can't let that happen, daddy. He needs to get stopped," Stephanie nearly shouted.

"I've got it handled, pumpkin. Will you have someone pick up Valerie and the girls from the airport?" Frank asked.

"Yes. Text me the flight number. We'll be waiting to pick them up. Actually, Carlos said his man, Blaze, will pick her up," Stephanie replied. "Did you give Valerie a safe word for her ride?"

Ranger listened to Stephanie's conversation with her father. He sent a message to Blaze that he'd be required to pick up the family from the airport at 0600 hours. Blaze would be awake at 0500 to begin his day. It would give him ample time to drive to the airport.

"Yes," Frank replied. "Have the man say Thumbelina to Valerie. She'll know to trust him."

"Does she still have long, brown curly hair?" Stephanie asked.

"She got the Meg Ryan hairstyle," Frank replied.

"Okay. I've got it. I have recent photos of the girls to show Blaze. He has dark brown hair and green eyes. Blaze is around six-foot-two and muscular," Stephanie said.

"One of Ranger's men?"

"Yes, daddy. Tell Val safe travels," Stephanie said. Before she ended her call, Ranger said he'd get one of his men to return the car to the home. "Oh. We have a friend in the area who could return her car to the house."