Chapter 15

Tank snarled in frustration and set his phone down on Althea's kitchen counter. They'd been using her apartment as a base of operations, but she'd made it clear that was because she didn't want to explain his presence to her associates. He hadn't minded. They'd always worked well together, and this time was no different. He pointed at his phone. "Now the damn thing is not even ringing but going straight to voicemail."

"He's turned the phone off?" Althea asked.

"Most likely," Tank replied. "Most likely he's in the middle of something and doesn't want to be interrupted. The question is what's he in the middle of?"

"Do you think he's in danger, Pierre?"

"Don't call me Pierre!" he barked. He saw her recoil from the ferocity in his voice and shook his head. "I'm sorry." He was sorry. He knew he'd been a bear to be around and she'd worked hard for him. She kept insisting she was protecting her own interests, trying to find out if someone in her department had acted out of line. But he knew the truth. She was doing it for him.

"It's your name," she replied. "You'd rather I call you Tank?"

"I would," he said. "It's inconsequential right now though. I'm worried. I shouldn't have spoken so harshly to you, but there's something about you. You bring it out in me."

Surprisingly, she laughed. Tank felt the warm melodious tone wash over him and lower his blood pressure a little. "You bring in out in me too, like none other. I suppose it's something we should investigate at some point."

"We should investigate what it is between us?" he asked with a snort of laughter. "What's between us is you hate me. You've said as much. I think you want to kill me. You've said that, too."

"And yet you came to me when you needed help," she told him. "In spite of how you think I feel about you, you came to me when your friend needed help. He must be very important to you."

"I've lost a lot of what was important to me in my life. Ranger has been a constant. When he lost Stephanie, I almost lost him. Now, if this thing doesn't turn out right, I will lose him. So, if there is anything I can do to straighten out this mess, I'm going to do it. Anything. Do you understand what I mean?"

She gave him a long hard stare before she answered. "I understand. I also understand that maybe your friend Ranger isn't the only one who has been given a second chance. Despite the circumstances, it's good working with you again. What's our next step?"

"Our next step would be more defined if he'd answer his fucking phone!"

"You think he isn't answering or maybe that he can't answer? That he's in trouble?"

"I don't know. Probably not. I'm not sure why I feel so much urgency right now. This is a situation that's been ongoing for more than twenty years. And thanks to you we've uncovered information that will help, but we'll never have the complete picture without talking to Stephanie. That means I'm going to Georgia."

"Soon?"

"As soon as possible. Ranger is either off doing some investigating on his own, or he's gone to Georgia to reconnect with her. I'm betting on the latter, but it doesn't matter. It's time for me to get reacquainted with Stephanie, face-to-face."

"I'll make our travel arrangements," Althea said.

"Our? I think you've gone beyond and above for me," he said, "but going to Georgia isn't necessary. Officially, you've gone out on a limb to acquire some of the information you've given me. And I appreciate it. You don't need to jeopardize your position to help me any longer."

"I realize the jeopardy I've placed myself in," she said. "Unofficially, I still want to be involved. To see this case to its conclusion. Am I making myself clear…Tank?"

He looked down at her and without stopping to think about it he reached out for her and pulled her into his arms. His head bent and his mouth covered hers and stayed there for a long time. His body felt weak, like he needed to sit before his legs buckled under him. But at the same time, he felt strong. Strong enough to pick her up and carry her to her bedroom, and then… He closed his eyes and purposefully removed the image that was now clouding his brain.

This was not the time, but he knew with certainty he was going to find the time. Why was this happening now? At this stage of his life? He wasn't going to let the opportunity pass him by. He only had to put it on hold until he got Ranger's situation straightened out.

"I'll go make our travel arrangements," she whispered in his ear. He stayed still and watched her walk from the room. Why had he never attempted to reconnect? Simple. Because Ranger had lived his life as half a man and Tank had been there for him, to shore him up and to keep him going. Now, at this age, the age when most men were looking back on the events of their lives and preparing for retirement, Tank was suddenly looking forward.

He grabbed his phone and dialed a new number, this time grunting with satisfaction as the call was connected.

"'sup?" Luke Santos asked.

"I'm asking you what's up," Tank replied. "Are you sticking close?"

"Like glue."

"Things have changed here. I know Ranger told you it would just be a couple of days, but I'm not sure when I'm gonna be back. You good with keeping this up for a while? Will your schedule allow it?"

"Yeah, not a problem. She's nice. And hot. We've had coffee a couple of times. I like her."

"You've met her. Nice job of undercover surveillance, junior." His sarcasm went unnoticed by Luke.

"I've met her," Luke confirmed. "I'm not doing undercover surveillance. Ranger arranged our first meeting. That's when I introduced myself to let her know she had a resource in town. A friend she could turn to when you and Ranger were gone. And we hit it off."

"Hit it off? What the hell does that mean?"

"It means we like each other. Nothing more. I know I'm here to do a job and I'm doing it. She has no idea how closely she's being watched."

"Are you sure? She's pretty sharp. In any case, things have changed. There may be a credible threat. We have information that leads us to believe there is still someone in the Trenton area who might be monitoring the situation. If there is any hint that someone is investigating certain incidents, she could be in danger, so sticking to her like glue is good. Like super glue is better. It might be another week. Can I count on you?"

"Yes."

"I'm serious about staying close. If you have to come clean with her and tell her you're basically acting as a bodyguard, then do it. Don't leave her unprotected."

"Oh shit!"

"What?" Tank asked.

"I'm watching her place right now, and she's heading straight toward me. She's freaking bringing me a cup of coffee!"

"Coffee, huh? I guess that's one way to stay close. Ranger isn't presently answering his phone, so call me if a need arises."

"Will do."

The call was disconnected. Tank almost smiled. He remembered Stephanie's irritation when she'd found trackers on her car and in her purse. He wondered how Cally would react when she found out how closely she was being watched.

Luke rolled his window down and waited for Cally to approach the car. "Hi," he said as she neared. "I was just getting ready to come and see you."

"Nice try, Luke, but you've been out here ever since I got home. I just came to tell you that you can quit babysitting me."

"I don't know what you mean."

"Sure you do," Cally said. "Carlos has you watching me because he thinks I could be in some danger. We both know that. But you can quit now because I'm flying home to my mother's tonight."

"You're leaving town? Does Ranger know that?"

"He knew I was going to see my mom this weekend, but I've changed plans. I got a call from her today that was a little upsetting…I mean she sounded upset. I've tried to call her back, but her phone just goes to voicemail. I changed my work schedule and I'm heading out tonight."

"Come around and get in the truck," Luke told her. "We need to talk." He hit the unlock button and watched as she rounded the truck and opened the passenger door. "I haven't been completely upfront with you," he told her, "but now I'm thinking I need to be."

"I have it figured out," Cally told him. "Carlos told me he wanted me to have a contact in town that would help me if I needed it. That's what you told me too, but I've been aware that maybe you are more than just a contact. More like a stalker!"

"Hey! That makes me sound creepy."

"Okay, maybe a bodyguard?"

"Maybe something in between," he said with a small grin. "The thing is, Ranger is legendary. My dad has worked for him forever until just recently when Ranger retired and sold RangeMan. I know he doesn't fool around, and he told me he thought you could be in danger. I was being truthful when I said I didn't know too much. He only told me there could be an attack on you and if it came it would probably be vehicular."

"Vehicular?" she questioned weakly. "Like being hit by a car?"

"Exactly like that."

"That's how my husband died."

"I know," he said. "We talked about that before. About how it might not have been an accident. And now, just before you came out Tank called. He said he had been delayed and wouldn't be back in town as soon as he'd originally planned. He said he'd uncovered information that convinced him the threat to you was real."

He set the coffee she'd brought him in the cup holder and turned to face her. "I feel a little like I'm playing a game and I don't know the rules. Can you tell me what's going on?"

She met his gaze. "You said your father was a long-time employee of Carlos'. Would he have known someone Carlos was close to, a woman named Stephanie Plum?"

"Wow, yeah," Luke said. "I think he did. Dad is tight-lipped with information about Ranger and the other guys, but I have heard that name. I think she was important to a lot of the guys, although maybe not in the same way she was to Ranger. Is she connected to this?"

Cally nodded and took a deep breath. She was about to tell her story to someone she didn't know that well, but someone she instinctively knew she could trust. "Stephanie Plum was—is my mother. Come inside with me. This isn't a conversation for the front seat of your truck. I'll tell you what I know, but I don't think I have the entire story."

An hour and two beers later Cally fell back against the cushions of her sofa. "That's it. That's the whole story as I know it."

"That's amazing," Luke said. "Imagine if you hadn't made the connection between your patient Carlos and your mother's friend, Ranger. None of this might be going on."

"I would have made it eventually. There was a strange energy between us from the beginning. I'm sure our friendship would have continued after his treatment was done. I don't look a thing like my mother, but he saw something in me. He told me I reminded him of her from the first time we met."

She stood, collected the empty beer bottles and took them to the kitchen. When she turned to go back into the living room, she found Luke standing in the doorway.

"It's time for you to leave, Luke," she said. "I switched my upcoming ticket for one tonight on the red-eye out of Newark and I need to finish packing and get to the airport. It cost me all my travel points to do so, but I can't reach my mom so I'm going down tonight."

"I have orders to stick close to you."

"I know that, but once I leave and go back home there won't be any threat. No one knows my mom's real identity or location. I'll be safe there."

"Unless there is someone watching you and you lead them to your mother."

"Oh, no! I hadn't even thought of that."

"I'm going home with you. Give me your flight information and I'll get a ticket."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. Tank said to stick to you like super glue."

"Is that why you are standing so close? Because Tank told you to?"

"No. Standing close is entirely my own idea." He leaned into her and pushed her back against the door frame. He watched as her eyes widened and her lashes fluttered before she lifted ocean-blue eyes to his.

"I'm not sure what's happening here," she said. He lifted his hand and trailed a finger along her jawline.

"Nothing is happening, yet," he said.

"Luke, I haven't. What I mean is that since my husband, there's been…"

He moved his finger from her face and placed it in front of his lips. "Shhh," he said. "There is nothing to worry about here. We're just a couple of friends who are going to share a friendly kiss." He bent his head and softly touched his lips to hers. He felt her relax against the door and he leaned into her, deepening the kiss. And then he withdrew and whispered in her ear. "I'm going with you. It's my job to keep you safe and I take that seriously."

Her cheeks were flushed and he could tell she'd enjoyed the kiss. "Okay, you can come," she said. "But you can't kiss me anymore!" He smiled at her. "I mean it, Luke. You can't. And you can't say anything to my mother about Carlos. She doesn't have any idea that he's alive. He's going to meet up with her and explain everything, eventually, but for right now, we can't tell her."

"Then how are you going to explain me to your mom? If you'd let me kiss you, we could tell her we're lovers," he teased.

"We're not lovers," she fired back. "I'm not ready for that, and my mother would see through that explanation right away. I'll tell her…" Cally fell silent for a moment, thinking. "I'll tell her that you're pre-med and I'm helping you study for the MCAT. And that we've become friends. There's a guest room in the condo. You can stay there. Mother will love having you."