Chapter 9

Stephanie's POV

Marco and I met dad at the IHOP. He surprised me by inviting Valerie. "Hi, Val," I said as I gave her an awkward hug.

"You look amazing, Stephanie," Valerie said as she patted my sore shoulder. Valerie didn't miss my cringe. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Val. My shoulder got injured a week ago," I explained. "I'll be fine in a few weeks."

"Dad, who is he?" Valerie asked while she pointed to Marco.

"Marco, I'd like you to meet your older sister, Valerie. Sweetie, this is your younger brother and Stephanie's twin, Marco," dad replied. Valerie was shocked. She didn't know I had a twin brother. "Sit down, Valerie and order breakfast. I have a lot to explain."

Valerie nodded and waited for dad to tell us the story. I already knew the details from Marco, but I wanted to hear dad's take on the events.

"When you were born, I was contracted with the Army. I applied for the Rangers program and got accepted. After training for six months, I went on my first special op. During the mission, my team had to eliminate a man. He was a significant threat to our military ground troops. Our military would lose hundreds of young soldiers. However, his father swore to take the life of my son. A few months later, your mother and I learned she was pregnant again. I was excited to get blessed with another child. When your mother learned she was expecting twins, she was happy and scared. She wanted a boy but secretly feared having two girls. Imagine her surprise when she got one of each. I got the son I wanted. Unfortunately, my enemy discovered I had a boy. How he learned, I would never know. He came after us a month before Stephanie and Marco's second birthday. Luckily, none of you received life-threatening injuries. My Army buddy, Sam Barker, took Marco and raised him as his child. I could never thank him enough for keeping you safe, Marco. We falsified the death certificate. Several years ago, the man who threatened Marco's life got neutralized by another Rangers team. I wanted to redact the death certificate and other documents created to keep Marco safe, but he was of legal age to decide for himself," Dad said.

I knew Ranger and his team removed the threat eight years ago during their first special ops mission. Neither Marco nor I mentioned how the man died. We suspected dad knew, but we couldn't tell anyone else. Valerie wiped the tears off her face. "I had no idea, daddy," she whispered.

"I want you to know your brother. I'm sorry that I couldn't tell you before," dad said as he lowered his head.

"Daddy," I said, touching his arm. "Everything happened the way it was fated to be. When I needed my brother, I found him. Marco trained me to protect myself. When I return to the bonds office, I can apprehend my skips because I got training. Marco asked to be my partner."

"I'm not upset either, dad," Marco added. "As Stephanie said, we were meant to meet as we did. Uncle Sam was an excellent father figure. I had a good life."

Dad nodded, but I knew he couldn't forgive himself. I exchanged a look with Valerie and Marco. We touched dad's arm and said, "Daddy, there's nothing to forgive."

"You protected our brother so he could return the favour. Marco protected me," I said.

"Yet you're my hero," Marco added. I laughed because I was nobody's hero.

"What do you mean?" Valerie asked. Marco told Valerie and dad what happened without naming names. Valerie was shocked. "You killed someone to protect Marco?"

"It's not much different than stealing the van while handcuffed to save my life, Valerie," I said. She raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Abruzzi." She shuttered when I said the name. Valerie didn't know she had killed one of Abruzzi's guards when she drove the van into the house.

"He hurt my baby sister. I had to get you before he killed you," Valerie whispered. Marco started laughing. "What's so funny?" Valerie asked.

"My sisters are kick-ass heroes," he replied. Valerie and I exchanged a look before laughing. We talked for another thirty minutes before the skank entered the IHOP with Bernie Kuntz.

Joyce saw Marco and me sitting in the back booth with our backs to the wall. Dad and Valerie were seated across the table. "Here comes the Trenton whore," I whispered. As Joyce approached the table, she saw my dad and stopped in her tracks.

"Good morning, Mr. Plum," Joyce said using a sickly sweet voice.

"Barnhardt," dad replied. "Go home. We aren't interested in playing with your diseased snatch." I was surprised my dad said that to Joyce.

Marco could see Joyce's face turn bright red. "Is she the one the guys call Barnyard?" Marco asked. I nodded. "Nasty. I wouldn't touch you with my enemy's dick. Run along. There's a farm up the road with a gnarly looking goat for you to screw."

"I could show you a good time. You don't need to settle for the cunt," Joyce retorted. I hated when she called me that nasty name. Joyce leaned closer for Marco to see down her top.

"Is there any part of you that's original? I can tell your breasts are implants, and I prefer women without fake enhancements. Stephanie and I are not and will never be intimate. Having sex with Stephanie is called incest. Right, sis?" Marco said.

"I think the closest we got was sharing mom's womb, right?" I asked.

"Yup. Barnyard, you are not wanted here. Please, leave my dad and sisters alone," Marco said. He made the shooing motion with his hand. Joyce stomped her foot and left with Bernie chasing after her.

"Every time she's around, I smell sulphur," I stated. "I'm surprised you heard about her, Marco."

"I've heard about you too, Steph, and I wanted to meet the woman who got those men to fall in love with her. I flew the extraction chopper for several of Ranger's special ops missions. They warned me against the red-haired, disease-ridden, bounty hunter wannabe called Joyce Barnhardt. Also known as barnyard," Marco explained.

"None of the stories about me are true," I groaned. Dad, Valerie and Marco laughed. Some of them were true. "Grandma was responsible for the funeral home."

"But you destroyed over twenty of Manoso's cars," dad added.

"Not. My. Fault," I said. "Well, the Porsche Boxster was kind of my fault."

Dad's watch alarm chimed. "It's time to head back. I have a fare to drive to the airport," he replied.

"Say hi to Uncle Joe for me," I said when dad dropped money on the table for our meal. Valerie left with dad because she didn't have a car, and we were heading in the opposite direction.

We were a few miles from home when Marco's phone chimed. He pulled it from his pocket and gave it to me to unlock. I smiled when he used the date we got reunited. It was the same passcode I used for my phone. "Read the messages," Marco stated.

"Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Plum, your house is ready to move in. Please, pick up the keys from the law office of Kline, Stratton and Connor by five pm today," I read. "We can get Hector to grab the keys. He has the day off."

"That would help. Hector can get the security system installed before moving in," Marco added. "What's the other message?"

"Manoso at Rangeman attempted to access your records. How do you want to proceed?" I read. "Um. Marco, we need to deal with Ranger."

"Okay. We'll close up the hideaway and move to your apartment. I can ask Buck and Tim to swap out your couch for a sofa bed," Marco said.

"Sure. I could always stay with Tank," I suggested. Marco thought we should stay in my apartment. I was surprised I didn't get evicted. "Who paid my rent?"

"Your friends at Rangeman," Marco said. "I think Axel said Lester, Bobby and Tank covered your rent. They also watched your apartment." I remembered calling Tank to get the more invasive measures removed from the unit. We had Buck and Tim watching my belongings.

When we got home, Marco and I went our separate ways. He had to pack clothes while I gathered the perishable food items from the kitchen. The food would get donated to the local food kitchen. They would use our supplies to help feed the homeless men and women.

Marco and I loaded the items into the backseat and trunk of my car. We decided to bring my piece of crap home. I'll drive it to the junkyard after purchasing a newer car with the money in my bank account. Thanks to Manny and Hal, I had an impressive bank balance. The money I made from helping Marco, Charlie, and Hawk eliminate Gomez got invested. I made a mental note to do something nice for Manny and Hal.

I called Hector to ask him to collect the keys. Marco and I electronically signed the deed, so we could have our friend gather the paperwork. Hector readily agreed. He was excited to set up our security system. "Thank you, Hector," I said.

"De nada, Angelita. I will renovate your floor too," he said before hanging up. Marco was laughing at my facial expression.

He turned to face the road before asking, "What did Hector offer to do?"

"Renovate the loft area. Hector seemed to know exactly what I wanted," I replied. It took a minute before I realized how he knew. "Do you think Hector saw our renovation plans on the dining room table?"

"Definitely. When I went to call the contractor, the blueprints were gone. I wouldn't be surprised if he stole them," Marco said. "You have generous friends, Steph." I couldn't agree more.

As we drove closer to Trenton, I started fidgeting. Going home was thrilling as much as it was frightening.

Ranger's POV

I reviewed the details of my mission with Jeanne Ellen. The file stated we should approach the wife, as Lester had said. At first, I thought he was full of shit, but he was right. Jeanne Ellen refused to give me vital intel to complete our mission promptly. I was trying to determine why she changed how she operated. We ran many operatives together without incident. The problems only occurred when my men were part of our team. It made me question her motives.

As her husband of record, I had to remove her belongings from her apartment. I found the code to her safe inside the locked desk drawer. Jeanne Ellen's lack of security frustrated me. I found a recording device inside the safe. Her jewelry was noticeably missing. Pressing play, I listened to Jeanne's words. "I had to sell the jewelry Carlos gave me to pay the rent. Les Sebring wasn't giving me enough medium or high bond skips to cover my basic needs. He wanted to get Ranger's precious Babe to work for his company. My capture rate wasn't high enough. We haven't fucked in weeks. When I asked why he said that I no longer aroused him." You couldn't miss the venom in her words. Jeanne Ellen hated Stephanie.

I waited another thirty seconds before a new day got introduced. "I followed Carlos today. He entered that bitch's apartment. What does he see in her? I'm leaner, more muscular, and can last all night long. Carlos and I had an active sex life until he met his precious Babe. She's not even attractive, yet she's holding all the Rangeman guys by the balls. I see how they pant after her, wanting to fuck her. I'm a wildcat in bed. There isn't anything I wouldn't do. If you don't believe me, ask Joseph Morelli. Stephanie was sound asleep in Joe's bed while I rode him like a cowboy. The stupid bitch slept through our sexual encounter," Jeanne said as she laughed before the recording stopped. The woman was delusional. How did I miss it?

Another recording began while the person cried. "What am I supposed to do? Carlos is in love with Stephanie. I'm his wife. I heard him say that one night with Babe wasn't enough. She ruined him for other women. Joe said she only had missionary sex. What could Carlos want with the vanilla woman? Carlos and I have done everything possible during sex. Wasn't it enough? I got a call from our handler. We need to go undercover again. Maybe I can get that cunt to stay away from my husband." Jeanne blew her nose and washed her face. I heard her continue, "I know what to do. Tomorrow is our eighth anniversary. If I go to Rangeman tomorrow afternoon when Stephanie shows up, I can get Stephanie to leave Carlos alone and get him to love me again. Okay, Jeanne Ellen. You can do this. Get your man away from the cunt."

I was furious because I suspected Jeanne Ellen had manipulated the scenario. If she weren't already dead, I'd kill her. I found her will, leaving everything to her cousin, Marco Barker. Another envelope was beneath a book. I opened it to read the documents. Jeanne Ellen was attempting to get my will changed. She found a law firm willing to make the changes for an exorbitant fee. I read the letter written by none other than Richard Orr Jr, who I know as Dickie Orr. It explained why she sold her jewelry and divested her funds. I used her cellphone to call Dickie's office.

"Dickie Orr," he said.

"It's Carlos Manoso on behalf of Jeanne Ellen Burrows. I'm calling to inform you that Jeanne Ellen no longer requires your services. I will have my lawyer forward a copy of her death certificate," I said before hanging up. I called the Rangeman lawyer next. "Send a copy of the death certificate for Jeanne Ellen Burrows to Dickie Orr at Clarkson and Baxter law offices." When he confirmed my request, I hung up.

I tossed all of her clothes into three suitcases. They would get left at the thrift shop for them to sell. Once I got them loaded into the car, I contacted the superintendent to either rent her apartment as furnished or bill me for the furniture removal. I didn't have time to deal with her shit.

After tossing Jeanne Ellen's luggage into the donation bin, I returned to Rangeman. Instead of going to my office, I took the elevator to my apartment. My laptop was on my coffee table. I pulled it into my lap to run the search on Marco Barker. There was a minute possibility that Marco would get notified that I accessed his file, but I hoped he hadn't set up the necessary protocols.

It was easy to locate the information I wanted. Before I could dig into the intel, I received a message, "Your request cannot be completed at this time. The personnel and military files of Marco Barker is banned from access by Rangeman Securities LLC. Have a nice day." I was furious when the intel disappeared off my screen.