CHAPTER 22

To Close to Call

"We're Stephanie's parents." Helen's voice was shrill with worry as she desperately motioned between herself and Frank. "Why do you need to talk to him?"

The doctors' face was unreadable as she looked at Helen. "Legally, I'm only allowed to speak with Ms. Plum's health care power of attorney."

This put Ranger in an awkward position. He didn't want to start a war with Steph's parents. They had a right to know her condition. "You can speak freely." He informed the doctor.

Dr. Powell nodded, measuring her words carefully. "At the moment, Ms. Plum is in serious but stable condition."

"Will she be okay?" Helen sniffed, fighting back tears.

"I can't answer that at this time." Dr. Powell shook her head regretfully. "But I can tell you she is being treated for pneumonia in both lungs as well as a large pericardial effusion."

Frank leaned closer to the doctor as he put his arm around his wife. "What exactly is a pericardial effusion?"

"When an infection develops in the lining of the heart, fluid builds up, causing pressure that can lower or block blood intake. Essentially, your daughter's heart isn't getting the blood it needs."

Hearing those words made Ranger's own heart skip a beat. "Are you saying she might have suffered heart damage?"

Dr. Powell made direct eye contact with him and spoke softly but firmly. "Again, I can't answer that at this time. We're treating her with heavy-duty broad-spectrum antibiotics coupled with corticosteroids. Let's give the medication time to do its job and we'll reevaluate in a few hours." She gave him a thin smile.

Helen gasped and started crying in earnest, speaking in between sobs. "But what if that doesn't fix it? Will you need to operate?"

"Let's cross one bridge at a time." Dr. Powell smiled and turned back to Ranger. "While we were working to stabilize her, she woke up and became agitated. After the trauma she's suffered, that's to be expected, but her successful recovery rests on her ability to remain calm. So, for the time being, I've sedated her. Because you gave consent for us to take every measure to save her life, I've inserted an NG-tube." At their confused faces, she explained before they had a chance to ask. "It's a feeding tube that will allow her to recover essential nutrients." She cleared her throat. "I've consulted with Ms. Plum's primary physician and according to her last physical; she's lost twenty-five pounds. Wherever she's been, she wasn't given proper nourishment. As a result, she's suffering from severe malnourishment and dehydration. Considering that she didn't have any weight to spare, this is an immediate concern."

"Do whatever you need to do to keep her alive." Ranger looked directly into Dr. Powell's eyes to make sure he got his meaning across. "Do you understand me?" She gave him a nod of acknowledgement. "I'd like to see her," he stated.

"She's being settled in a private unit in the CCU. You can see her very soon."

A tall, lanky kid in a white lab coat cautiously approached and after Dr. Powell noticed everyone's attention directed behind her, she turned around. As soon as the kid caught sight of Ranger, his eyes widened, and he stumbled over his long narrow feet. As if remembering he was an actual doctor, he corrected himself and straightened to his full height. Dr. Powell smiled at him and then turned back to Ranger. "This is Dr. Harris. He's the neurologist consulting on Ms. Plum's case."

Dr. Harris looked at the group of muscular men, giving each of them a weak smile and then seemed to realize everyone was waiting for him to speak. "Yes, um." He swallowed heavily and then cleared his throat. "The patient has sustained several blunt force traumas to her head. At least two of them were with enough force to cause prolonged swelling in both her temporal and frontal lobes."

"Are you saying our daughter might have brain damage and heart damage?" Helen asked incredulously.

Dr. Harris' eyes darted from Helen to Ranger and back again. He straightened his spine and softened his gaze before speaking. "We have no way of knowing the extent of the damage, if any, until she wakes up. Her side effects could be as minor as headaches, dizziness, and confusion, or the damage could be more severe, including disorientation, memory loss, and loss of cognitive functions."

Helen gasped. "She might not remember us?"

"I'd rather not speculate, but that is a possibility." He gave Ranger a furtive glance, noticing his arms crossed over his chest in an intimidating stance, and gulped. "Right now, the only thing we can do is ensure that she avoids becoming agitated and gets plenty of rest." He tipped his head in parting and quickly retreated.

Dr. Powell focused back on Stephanie's loved ones, but before she could continue, Joe asked, "Is he even old enough to be a doctor?"

Dr. Powell pursed her lips and took a deep breath, clearly not thrilled with having her colleague's credentials questioned. "I can assure you Dr. Harris is qualified," she told Morelli. "In fact, he's a bit of a celebrity around here. Many refer to him as a prodigy in his field and we're quite fortunate to have him practicing at this hospital and on Ms. Plum's case in particular." Dismissing Morelli, she focused back on Ranger and the Plum's. "I guess you folks could use some good news." Everyone took a cleansing breath, encouraged by the prospect of something positive. "Given the extent of dehydration, her kidneys are showing no sign of damage. There are, however, some complicated breaks in her left hand along with three fractured ribs. The ribs will heal on their own in a few weeks, but she will require surgery on her hand as soon as the effusion has stabilized."

Helen sniffed again. "But she's going to be okay, right?"

"I can't give you any guarantees, Mrs. Plum." Dr. Powell gave her a reassuring pat on her shoulder. "She's not out of the woods yet, but her chances are good. However, emotionally—it might be a long road for her. She may need to talk to someone. I can give you a referral when she's ready."

"Thank you, doctor," Frank shook her hand.

"As soon as she's settled, I'll allow two visitors at a time to go back. You'll be able to visit longer in the morning."

Helen panicked. "I need to stay with her. She can't be left alone, not after what she's been through."

Dr. Powell paused to consider Helen's plea and then nodded. "I think you may be right. I'll make an exception in this case." Her gaze once again settled on Ranger. "Were you the one to bring her in?"

"Yes."

The doctor lowered her voice. "There are some other things we should discuss." She glanced over at the feds, taking notice of their visible badges. "I'm assuming you'd like to be present during this discussion?"

"Yes, doctor," Agent Kinkade said.

"There's a private room this way." Dr. Powell started walking and Agent Kinkade, Agent Hobbs, Morelli, and Ranger followed her to a conference room off the nurse's station where a middle-aged man in a white lab coat was already seated at a long mahogany table drinking a cup of coffee. He stood as Dr. Powell entered.

"Mr. Manoso, this is Dr. Webb, the emergency physician who treated Ms. Plum." As Ranger and Dr. Webb shook hands, Morelli stepped forward, offering his hand as well. Dr. Powell raised her eyebrow curiously. "I don't believe I caught your name."

"Detective Morelli, Trenton Police Department," he said as he grasped Dr. Powell's hand firmly and then Dr. Webb's. "Thank you both for taking care of my girlfriend." Dr. Powell's eyes darted back and forth between Ranger and Joe, trying to interpret the relationship between the two men and her patient. Given that Ranger held Stephanie's power of attorney; she had assumed they were a couple. Morelli did his best to hide his annoyance but having to defend his place in Stephanie's life to these strangers pissed him off. He smiled to cover his resentment. "Stephanie is a very special woman."

After all the introductions were complete, both doctors took their seats around the table with Dr Webb at the head, Ranger, Morelli and Dr Powell on his left and the two agents on his right. Dr. Webb opened his laptop and began to speak. "Ms. Plum has… "

Agent Hobbs leaned forward, his voice rising to an annoying level as he looked between the two doctors. "Were either of you able to recover any evidence supporting the 'theory' that Stephanie Plum was kidnapped?"

Inwardly, Ranger tensed. What the hell was this guy's problem? The hostility displayed toward Stephanie was mind boggling. He'd done nothing but malign her character, casting doubt on the severity of her situation at every turn.

"You have doubts she was kidnapped?" Dr. Webb gave Agent Hobbs an incredulous look. "I've been a doctor for twenty-three years and I can assure you, I've never seen anything like what's happened to that young woman." He dismissed Hobbs and turned to Ranger. "I'm going to be blunt. If you hadn't gotten her here when you did, she wouldn't be in CCU right now—she'd be in the morgue." He let that sink in, and then he pushed a form across the table toward Ranger. "Do I have your permission, as Ms. Plum's power of attorney, to speak freely with those in this room?" As part of hospital policy involving victims of violent crimes, he'd followed evidentiary procedure as his team documented each of Stephanie's injuries. While Ranger read and signed the form, Morelli glared at him with unconcealed hatred. Dr. Webb took the signed paper and opened his laptop, clicking on the first picture. The TV screen on the wall came alive with a close-up image of lash marks crisscrossing Stephanie's back. "As you can see from this picture, she was severely beaten."

Ranger's mouth went dry, and his hands started shaking under the table. He might have been falling apart on the inside, but his face was showing no emotion whatsoever.

But Joe, on the other hand, was much more verbal. "Fuck," he cursed and pushed back from the table. He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, breathing heavily. He couldn't get himself under control. The acid in his stomach was burning a hole through his insides. He leaned back, so he could fit his hand into his jeans pocket and pull out a roll of Tums, popping half the roll into his mouth.

Dr. Webb sat silently, giving everyone a moment before he continued. "This picture is only a small representation of her injuries. The lash marks extend down onto her buttocks and legs. Some of her injuries are older than others, indicating the abuse took place over several weeks."

The next picture was of Stephanie's bruised and swollen eyes, and another was of the bruises on her stomach and ribs. "I think these pictures speak for themselves," he said as he continued to flip through. "She suffered multiple cuts and contusions covering most of her body." He clicked again, displaying close-up images of her wrists, ankles, and neck—revealing ligature marks that had become raw and infected.

Joe's skin took on a green hue as he looked at each picture, wincing as if he could feel Stephanie's pain. "She was tied up and whipped?" His voice was a hoarse whisper, breaking at the end.

"She was restrained—but not with rope." Dr. Webb clarified. "If I had to guess, I'd say it was some type of metal cuff. This would explain why the broken bones in her hand look self-inflicted."

"You're saying she broke her own hand?" Ranger's voice was flat—controlled.

"Only she can confirm that, but I can tell you with certainty that this type of break wasn't from a fall. It would have taken repeated blows to the same area to accomplish that kind of damage. Considering she got away from her abductor, I believe she broke her own hand to free herself from the restraint."

As Dr. Webb continued flipping through the pictures of her injuries, Ranger and Joe broke a little more inside. Both were struggling with feelings of guilt for what Stephanie had been subjected to. While they were out of town releasing their sexual tensions in other women's arms—too caught up in their own desires to notice she wasn't around—Stephanie had been enduring unspeakable torture. The visible proof of her suffering was unbearable to see and only served to strengthen their guilt.

When Dr. Webb closed his laptop, Morelli swallowed the knot building in his throat and asked what they'd all been dreading. "Was she… was she… raped?"

Dr. Webb pressed his lips together. "The rape kit and internal exam were inconclusive."

Morelli jumped to his feet, causing his chair to tip over, hitting the floor with a thud as he moved around the room, muttering to himself. His face had lost all color, and he looked as if he was going to be sick.

Ranger's head fell forward, chin almost resting on his chest, taking deep breaths. Just thinking about Stephanie being assaulted sent him into a blind rage. He wanted to find the fucker and break his bones with his bare hands and then set him on fire and watch him burn. He should have protected her—should have seen someone following her. He was a highly trained member of an elite military unit and he owned his own fucking security company, but he still hadn't been able to keep the woman he loved safe. He raised his head, staring at the doctor, eyes flat and cold. "DNA?" he asked.

Dr. Webb turned to Ranger and swallowed, sensing barely harnessed danger. "There was no seminal fluid present, but we were able to scrape skin cells from under her broken fingernails. And if the blood on her clothing is from her abductor the police should be able to get a DNA profile."

He turned to Agent Kinkade. "My nurse will provide you with all the evidence we collected." He spoke into his phone and a minute later, a middle-aged woman with a motherly countenance entered, carrying a white evidence box sealed with tape. "Thank you, Cathy," Dr. Webb said as she sat the box on the table and moved to wait by the door.

While everyone else's faces reflected somber expressions, Agent Hobbs seemed unaffected by the extent of Stephanie's injuries. "I'll need a copy of those pictures." He spoke as if he was in charge. "And I'll need to talk to her ASAP."

"Ms. Plum is now under Dr. Powell's care." He got up from the table, offering his hand to Ranger, Joe, and Agent Kinkade. "Ms. Plum is in the best of hands. My thoughts will be with her as she recovers." With those parting words, he exited the room.

Agent Hobbs ignored the slight and turned to Dr. Powell, giving her a brilliant smile, expecting her full cooperation.

"My patients' recovery takes priority. Any questions you have will need to wait." She preempted him. "As for the pictures, they will be entered into her official medical record which I will make available after you submit the proper documentation."

Agent Hobbs geared up to say something else, but Agent Kinkade spoke first. "We understand doctor."

"Ms. Plum has been through quite an ordeal," she said as she looked at everyone in the room. "I want to make myself perfectly clear. I will not tolerate my patient becoming upset. Since she won't be waking for a couple days, you two can go home." She looked at the agents. "Leave your card with my nurse." She checked her watch then motioned to Cathy standing at the door. "I'll have her notify you when Ms. Plum is able to answer questions. You'll have to excuse me." She turned to Cathy. "Can you show everyone back to the waiting area?"

"Yes, doctor." She held her arm out, silently commanding they follow.

Ranger caught up with the doctor before she turned the corner. "The person who did this to Stephanie is still out there. My security company, Rangeman, will be posting two guards outside her door."

"Cathy will show you where to station your men." Dr. Powell gave Ranger a nod and continued walking down the corridor.

Ranger waited while Cathy led everyone else back to the waiting room. Just as the door was about to close, Morelli sent Ranger an icy stare, letting him know he wasn't happy about being kicked back to the waiting room while Ranger undoubtedly got to see Stephanie before anyone else.

Cathy made her way back to Ranger. "Follow me." She smiled and turned down another hallway leading to the CCU unit. They came to a stop outside a small glass walled room where two nurses were getting Stephanie settled.

As soon as they vacated the room, he stepped inside and reached for her hand, taking in every inch of her beauty. He didn't see the bruises on her face or the swelling around her eyes; he only saw love. "Babe." He smoothed her hair back and kissed her forehead. Her cheek. Her mouth. "Mi amor (My love)," he whispered as a small tear made its way down his cheek. "Quiero abrazarte pero incluso tengo miedo de tocarte. Tienes que mejorar Pensé que moriría sin ti. Nunca me dejes de nuevo, bebé." (I want to hug you but I'm afraid to even touch you. You have to get better. I thought I would die without you. Never leave me again, Babe.)

"Frank," Helen softly murmured from the doorway and rushed to the opposite side of the bed while Frank came to stand beside Ranger. He put his hand on Ranger's shoulder, clearly seeing how distraught he was.

"She's black and blue all over," Helen wailed as she gently ran her fingers over Stephanie's marred skin. "Look what that monster did to our little girl, Frank." She looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

"I see it, Helen." Franks nostril's flared as he clipped his words.

As much as Ranger hated leaving, he knew her parents needed some time alone with her. Reluctantly, he let go of Stephanie's hand and stepped into the hall, watching her parents hover over her.

"And she's so skinny. She's always been skinny, but this is… ," Helen's voice trailed off as her emotions overwhelmed her.

Usually a passive man, Frank was fighting his urge to kick the bastard's ass that hurt his baby girl, but he didn't know who to take his anger out on. The only thing he could do was hold his wife's hand in one of his and lightly grasp his daughter's frail fingers with the other, infusing them with some of his strength.

They visited for a few more minutes before heading out to let some of the others come back and see her. As they passed Ranger outside Stephanie's door, Frank locked eyes with him, wondering what was going on between him and Stephanie.

The next time the double doors opened, Morelli and Grandma Mazur walked through. Neither spoke to Ranger as they entered Stephanie's room.

Joe choked back a sob as he got his first look at her. The pictures had been bad, but this… this was so much worse. He swallowed hard as a dull roar filled his ears. He was seconds away from putting is hand through the glass wall. He straightened and turned away to gather himself. He'd seen the aftermath of assault plenty of times—too many to count—but this was different. This was Stephanie, and he didn't know how to handle it.

After he managed to get himself under control, he turned back to her, and tried to view her from a professional point of view—he had to if he was going to find whoever did this to her—but it was impossible. She wasn't just anybody. She was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. How was he going to catch this fucking bastard if he couldn't do his job?

He reached out, hesitantly, needing to touch her, but afraid he'd hurt her. He found a small place on her forehead that wasn't wounded and stroked it gently. "Cupcake… you keep fighting to get better." His throat tightened causing his voice to choke. He paused until he could speak again. "Bob sends his love." He swallowed the lump forming. "And so do I."

Grandma Mazur rubbed Stephanie's toes through the blanket while giving Joe a moment with Steph. When he finished, he stepped away, turning his back to the bed, breathing heavily.

Grandma walked closer, running her fingers gently over the bruises on Stephanie's cheek. "We come from hardy stock my girl. We might get knocked down, but we don't stay down. It's our Hungarian genes." Her voice got stronger. "So, don't be lazing away in this bed any longer than you have too. There'll be plenty of time for that when you're old like your mother."

Joe had been trying to give Grandma a moment of privacy, but he couldn't help his huff of laughter at the old lady's approach to life and knew Stephanie would appreciate it. He turned around in time to see her kiss her granddaughter on the cheek and wipe away her own tears with trembling hands. They visited for a few more minutes and Grandma Mazur returned to the waiting area, but Morelli paused in the hallway. He had some things to say to Ranger.

Ranger stood with his arms crossed over his chest and didn't blink as Morelli moved in close. "I don't know how you convinced her to make you her power of attorney, but if you do anything I don't agree with, I'll wipe the floor with you." Morelli arched his eyebrow and his nostril's flared. "That little tangle we got into in Hawaii will be nothing compared to what I'll do to you." He sniffed as he stepped back, eyes locked on Ranger, and then walked away.

Ranger had allowed Joe to say his piece without escalating the situation, but on the inside, he was seething with anger. Morelli considered himself a bad ass, but Ranger had used only a small portion of his skills on the man in Hawaii. He'd been holding back so he wouldn't end the asshole. Stephanie wouldn't have been happy if that had happened, and truthfully, Ranger knew he deserved a beat down for vacationing with another man's woman. But this wasn't the time or the place to have a pissing contest.

As soon as the doors closed behind Morelli, they opened again. This time Eddie and Mary Lou came back.

When they left, Tank, Lula, and Connie took their turn.

"I'm not sure I like this new weight loss program you're on, hon," Connie's voice caught as she whispered. "I think maybe it worked a little too well. But don't worry. When we get you back to work, I'll have dozens of donuts waiting for you."

"We'll have the ones with sprinkles and them Boston crème ones you like," Lula chimed in and then reached out to fluff Steph's pillow. She quickly pulled her hand back at the last second and looked over at Connie as tears ran down their cheeks. "I'm afraid to touch her," she sobbed and buried her head in Tank's chest. Then she pulled back, her voice taking on a hard edge. "You going to make whoever did this, pay?"

"There's no doubt about that, baby." Tank growled. "The real question is which one of the Rangemen will get to him first."

Connie and Lula nodded their head in satisfaction.

Ranger watched Hector and Lester come through the doors. They were two of the fiercest men he knew and they both looked stricken. Each took up a stance on opposite sides of Stephanie, gently touching her hands. The only tears Ranger had ever seen on Hector's face were tattooed on, but today there were real tears. "Angelita, I am so sorry I did not listen to you. If I had, you would not have been hurt." His voice broke. "I failed you."

"You didn't fail anyone," Lester interrupted, his voice edged with hardness. "And she wouldn't want you blaming yourself for something someone else did, man." Hector looked up, ready to argue, but also hoping Lester was right. "It's true," Lester said. "She'll tell you the same thing when she wakes up—right, Beautiful?" He looked back down at Stephanie. "You have to fight hard to come back to us. We still have two seasons of The Game of Throne's to watch."

Through the glass walls, Ranger watched his men interacting with his woman.

His woman? Was she?

It was how he thought of her, but he'd never told her.

Would he get the chance?

Hector and Lester left the room, taking up their post as first watch outside her door. Neither one of them were willing to leave the hospital until Stephanie was out of the woods.

Ranger went back inside, taking his place beside her bed. It gutted him to see her once vibrant body looking skeletal and broken. "Babe." He leaned in, his breath gently caressing her lips as he whispered. "I don't know how it happened, but I can't live without you." He held her hand to his lips, gently kissing each finger. "I want you to fight to get better. The hard part is over—you got away. I'm so proud of you, Babe." He straightened when Helen and Frank entered. "A room has been reserved for you at the hotel across the street—for as long as you need," he told Frank. "Just give them your name at the front desk."

"You didn't have to do that, son, but thank you." Frank held his hand out. "Thank you for everything you've done to find our daughter." They shook hands knowing this could have very easily turned out differently. Frank turned to his wife. "I think I'm going to head over to the hotel Mr. Manoso arranged for us." He gave Stephanie a kiss and then his wife. "Call me if anything changes."

After he left, Ranger pulled up a chair on one side of Stephanie's bed while Helen did the same on the other. He would have preferred to be alone with Stephanie, but he knew her mother wasn't going to budge, at least not tonight, and he was grateful she wasn't challenging his decision to stay. The thought of being away from Stephanie was unbearable.

He settled into the chair and reached for Stephanie's hand, stroking his thumb back and forth over her knuckles. It wasn't long before Helen's head dropped back against the chair, and soon she fell asleep. He couldn't help thinking she should have gone to the hotel with her husband.

He'd been sitting in this chair for hours, listening to the reassuring beat of her heart, and watching her chest rise and fall. Sometimes her breathing faltered, causing her chest to remain motionless for longer than he was comfortable with. It scared the hell out of him when it did that. Mostly, the incessant beeping of the monitors was a comfort. They confirmed she was still alive. But every time the high-pitched warning beeps went off, his own heart rate spiked, and he gripped the bedrail until his knuckles turned white.

The nurse had explained that the fluid around her heart was causing it to beat faster than normal, and there was nothing to be worried about unless the red warning light started flashing, sounding a piercing alarm. He hoped that never happened.

Several times during the night, Stephanie became agitated, flailing her arms and legs, wildly. Each time, Ranger whispered soothing words to her, and she would calm, but this time was different. It was as if she was fighting for her life. Her head was twisting back and forth on the pillow, sending her curls flying in all directions and the monitor was sounding its high-pitched warning beeps. Helen jerked awake. She was on her feet in seconds, standing opposite Ranger, helplessly watching the numbers on Stephanie's heart rate monitor rise higher and higher.

Stephanie's arms were flailing so badly, Ranger was afraid she'd pull out her IV or hurt herself. He applied gentle pressure to her arms, holding them in place, careful not to make her think she was still imprisoned.

"Stephanie, you have to calm down," Helen begged, but her words had no affect and neither did Ranger's. In fact, the tighter Ranger held her, the more forcefully her body bucked. "No one's going to hurt you, baby," she soothed, but Stephanie still didn't stop struggling. Helen looked over at Ranger with panic-stricken eyes. "Why isn't the nurse in here?" She reached for the call button and yelled into the speaker. "We need help in here."

Ranger looked up when Hector and Lester opened the door. "Hold her legs," he yelled to them as they each grabbed one of Stephanie's flailing legs and held on.

Cathy, the same nurse from earlier came running in. She immediately went to the monitor, checking Stephanie's numbers. She didn't say anything as she took her stethoscope from around her neck and listened to Stephanie's heart and flicked her light in her eyes.

"What's happening?" Ranger demanded. "Is she having a seizure?"