Disclaimer: Everything familiar belongs to JE and the creators of Criminal Minds.

Warning: Adult Situations

Chapter 23: Monday, August 22nd, 1200-1400

MDPD

Stephanie's POV

I can't fucking believe that Joe came down to Miami to try and discredit Ranger. He is such an asshole. I know I need to confront him about Terry and Connie but doing so in Police Headquarters is not the time nor the place. At some point, I'm going to need to deal with him, but that will be later. Right now, I need to focus on helping Ranger, and the FBI find out who killed Julie's family.

"Based on something Julie said, I think there is a connection to one of the Families in Trenton. It would explain why the Goodwins started in Connecticut. She said that one of the guys said, in Spanish, "Double-crossing Manoso would be bad business up North, as he can cause us problems." The only people up North who are as sophisticated as these guys seem to be are the Families." I tell the room.

"How could double-crossing you be bad business for the Families?" Agent Rossi asks.

"I sometimes act as an independent negotiator for the Families. My handlers always know the content of the meeting, and I don't hide what I do from the powers that be in DC. However, the Families know that I will always work to keep the peace. For the most part, the Trenton Families are small time-mobsters, low-end, low profile. They are the drug runners, the gun runners, and they run the illegal and legal gambling. They don't put enough of their goods in the market to warrant the government shutting them down. Instead, the feds can keep track of what is in the market by talking with them. The three major Families in Trenton are the Grizoli, the Ramos', and the Rosollis. The Ramos' primarily deal with arms, the Rosollis drugs, and the Grizoli Family women and gambling. Yes, I know, 1950's mobsters." Ranger tells the room.

"Is there one family who you have a less than stellar relationship with, who may feel that your allegiance is never with them?" Rossi asks.

"The Grizoli's. I have a good rapport with Alexander Ramos, thanks largely in part to Stephanie as well as with the Rosollis, thanks to Connie and Harry the Hammer. Harry, who is the financial backer to Vincent Plum Bail Bonds, where I bring in the high-level skips, respects me for the money I bring in, as well as for helping Stephanie out as much as I do. I also help to keep his slimy son-in-law, Vinnie, in line."

"So that's why Vinnie always panics when you arrive for one of your closed door meetings."

"Yes. I'm there to inform Vinnie that Harry knows what and who he's been doing in his spare time, or I'm yelling at him for giving you a skip he shouldn't be giving to you, though the latter reason has decreased drastically."

"Wait a minute; Harry is a Rosolli?"

"Yes. That's why Connie works there. She also keeps an eye on Vinnie and reports back to Harry."

Suddenly the office dynamics make sense. Now I understand why Connie gets away with doing her nails at the desk and taking petty cash when she wants. She has Harry protecting her for feeding him information on Vinnie.

"But why are things not so good with the Grizoli Family?" I ask.

"Babe."

"Ranger."

"You."

"Me?"

"Yes, Stephanie, you. Since you and Joe started dating, anytime he's seen with Terry the Burg grapevine starts gossiping. The Grizoli Family wants to take over the other Families, and they try to feed Joe as much information as they can on the other Families, hoping to get them tossed in jail and their businesses shut down. However, with everyone knowing that Joe is with Terry, he can't report the information without the higher ups in TPD looking at the source more carefully. It is why he transferred out of Vice. Joe hasn't done anything illegal, unethical, maybe, but not illegal. Also, since you and I have developed our friendship, I'm not too pleased with the way they use Terry to push their agenda which often leaves you hurt. I've told them to stop playing dirty in such an obvious fashion. Vito didn't like that. Then, when you were hunting down Uncle Sunny, you made it on their shit list permanently. Once Sunny's men tossed you off the overpass into the Delaware River, all bets were off. They still don't forgive me for saving you."

"Wait a minute; gangsters threw you into the Delaware River from an overpass? How far was the drop?" Dr. Reid asks.

"I don't know. I try not to think about it." I respond.

"About 45-50 feet," Ranger replies, a haunted look in his eyes.

"How many bones did you break? How did you get to shore after falling in the water? The momentum that you hit the water with would have been high." Reid continues.

"Steph did not break any bones. The mobsters attempted to throw her off a bridge, but fortunately for Stephanie, the cinder block tied to her leg got caught on the guardrail, and dumb and dumber didn't have a knife on them. I got there in time to see Steph dangling over the water. I tried to pull her up, but the rope came untied from her leg, and she plunged. I dove after her the moment I saw the rope come off her leg."

"How did you know how to dive into the water?"

"I'm a Ranger. It's part of our training. The Seals aren't the only ones who are taught to dive." I reply.

"To be Special Forces you need to know how to dive," Simmons adds.

"Wow, there was something that the kid didn't know. I'm impressed." Rossi says.

"Why is that so surprising?" I ask.

"I have an eidetic memory. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Sociology, and Philosophy as well as Ph. D's in Chemistry, Engineering, and Mathematics."

"How old are you?" I ask.

"Three hundred forty-nine days older than you."

Damn. I barely graduated from Douglass College and here is a bona fide genius. I'm stupid.

"No, you're not, Babe. You're normal."

I shake my head, and we get back on track. "But what business would the Grizoli's have here in Miami? As far as I'm aware, drugs are the hot commodity here. Do the Grizoli's want to enter the drug trade?"

"It seems too easy, but a lot of time easy is the answer," JJ says.

"But why are they suddenly killing people. Somehow, someone must be getting too close to their secret business." Rossi infers.

"I was under house arrest about two months ago for getting home two minutes past curfew and had to go to Dad's office every day after school. I saw a woman who had an accent like you, Stephanie, coming out of Dad's office. She had blonde hair and a boob job." Julie replied.

"How do you know she had a boob job, Princesa."

"Papi, a girl knows these things."

I get out my phone, knowing I have a picture of Terry somewhere on the phone. I text it to Garcia and ask her to put together a montage of ten women with similar appearances to see if Julie picks her out. Garcia complies. About two minutes later, Garcia hands Julie a tablet.

"Julie, look at the pictures on the tablet. Tell me if you recognize any of these women." I glance at the tablet and admit, Garcia is good. I see Carlos looking at the tablet, impressed as well.

"It was her. Her picture is the second one from the right in the second row. That's the woman Dad was talking with that day."

"That's Terry Gilman, nee Grizoli," I state.

"Wait a minute; she's the one who Detective Morelli dated in high school?" Garcia asks. "My goodness, your life is a soap opera."

"The Burg could be the inspiration for a soap opera, though I doubt anyone would believe the stories that come out my little hometown. I don't believe half of them."

"Then again, Babe, half of the stories are about you, and they aren't true."

"Very funny, Ranger," I respond, failing in my Burg glare.

"Okay, so based on what we learned, the Grizoli family has to have people here in Miami, or they connect to someone here in Miami. Now we need to discover who that link is and where do we find them." Prentiss states.

I see Carlos look at his watch, then look at Lester. "Agents, I need to leave now. My daughter has an appointment with her therapist in an hour. Santos will stay here and work with you. I have two other men from Trenton flying in this afternoon, Manny Ramos and Woody Weston. They will also assist if you need. Before you ask, yes, Manny is related to Alexander Ramos, though he and his parents have nothing to do with Alexander's business. They see each other at family weddings and funerals, and rarely outside of that. He will not be biased against the other Families. He despises what Alexander and his sons do, but he respects that they leave him alone."

"Thank you for everything. Julie, if you think of anything else or if you want to speak with us, let us know. We have some techniques that can help you remember some of the details if you want to try them. Stephanie, thank you. I'm glad you picked up on the nuance. We might have missed that lead." Prentiss tells me.

"You're welcome. Thank you for believing me. Outside of Ranger and the men at Rangeman, not many people trust or understand my spidey sense."

I help Julie stand before we slowly leave MDPD. I'm looking forward to going home. I also am itching to start my research now that I have a lead. Hmm, I already think of Carlos' house as home. Strange, very strange.