Behind Blue Eyes

Kind of a prequel to my earlier story "Brown Eyed Girl". This is the story about Steph and Ranger. Some details will vary from "Brown Eyed Girl", mostly regarding Steph – Morelli, and also regarding when things happened. I don't believe it will have an impact on the stories, and I will not change dates etc in "Brown Eyed Girl".

This story is finished. I'm still editing the last chapters, but I will upload regularly. And if you haven't read "Brown Eyed Girl" or "Breathe a Sigh", the chronological order of the stories are: 1. Behind Blue Eyes, 2. Brown Eyed Girl, 3. Breathe a Sigh.

The title is borrowed from the song 'Behind Blue Eyes' by The Who

English is not my first language, I'll do my best, but there is bound to be some strange words and sentences.

The world of Stephanie Plum et al. belongs to Janet Evanovich. Anything you recognize is hers.

Chapter 1. The end of an era

"Don't get shot."

"Don't go crazy."

Their usual parting words sounded hollow in Stephanie's ears. Ranger had come over to her apartment with a dinner from Ella. They had shared the meal, and even dessert, a chocolate cake that Ranger had tried a couple of bites from. It had tasted wonderful in Stephanie's opinion, but not once had she let out her trademark moan.

"Alright. Just tell me," she said.

Ranger gave her a raised eyebrow.

"I know you're here to tell me something. Something I won't like."

"I'm going in the wind. I can't give you any details, but it will probably last for at least three months."

She gave him an appraising look. For once she managed to out-silence him, and he finally relented.

"It's a complicated mission. Well, more like a cluster fuck."

He gave her a deprecating grimace.

"Obviously I'm meant to be the handyman to get it all cleared up. I'm getting too old for this shit."

He got up abruptly.

"If you need any help, any at all, contact Tank, Les or Bobby."

Stephanie gave him a long hug and a sweet kiss. And then their usual parting words:

"Don't get shot."

"Don't go crazy."

Ranger opened his mouth, but said nothing and just went out the door. Steph sat down on the couch and ate two more pieces of the chocolate cake. Even full to bursting she felt empty.

After cleaning up she went to bed, but sleep was elusive. She had a feeling that Ranger's mission was a lot more serious than what he had let on. He had told her a couple of months earlier that his government contract was running out, and he would not renew it. He had even told her he hoped that he wouldn't have to go on a last mission.

Steph sighed. Obviously that hope had been dashed. And also her hopes of straightening out where the two of them were headed. She had had a good feeling, but they had moved slowly, and never really talked about it. She finally drifted off to sleep. She would have at least three months to figure it all out, she thought.

x

The next day she showered, tamed her hair, dressed in jeans and boots and had a breakfast of leftovers before she went to the bonds office.

"Hey, skinny ass white girl," Lula said. "Where are the donuts?"

Connie looked up from where she was painting her nails.

"I thought you were on a diet," Steph said to Lula.

"What's that to do with my donuts?"

"I didn't want to tempt you if you're on a diet," Steph said.

"I'm not on a diet," Connie piped in.

"And besides, I've not had that many FTAs lately, so I'm a bit short of money," Steph continued. Inside she was wondering why it was always she who provided the donuts and assorted other foods. Both Connie and Lula had a steady paycheck, while she only got paid if she captured the FTAs.

"Any new skips for me?" she asked and started to look at the stack of files.

"Only a couple," Connie said and handed them to Stephanie.

Steph took the files and quickly skimmed them. Repeat skips, they hadn't caused any trouble last time, but not worth any big bucks. More like so low bond that it would barely cover the cost of gas to drive them to the police station.

"I'm free to come with you," Lula said. "We can get some food at McDonald's on the way."

Steph knew that Lula expected her to pay at the drive through. And to get half the money for the skips, even though she rarely did any of the job. More than once she had left Steph stranded at the police station, claiming an allergy against cops, or sometimes at a skip's place. A couple of times it had been pure luck that Stephanie had managed to get away from a violent skip.

Before Stephanie had a chance to answer Lula, the door to Vinnie's office opened, and Joyce Barnhardt came sauntering out. She wore a pleather get up, that emphasized her enhanced boobs, high heeled boots and her trademark red hair and blood red lips. She shot Stephanie a look full of contempt and said in a saccharine voice to Vinnie:

"Thanks for the files, Vinnie. I'll make sure to get the skips ASAP."

Vinnie hurried to lock the door to his office before Steph got a chance to get in there.

She turned to Connie.

"Is Joyce Barnyard getting the low end skips from Vinnie? Is that why I have barely been able to get enough money to pay my rent, never mind afford to buy food?"

Connie looked down on her painted nails.

"Yeah," she said.

"And were you planning to tell me that?"

"Vinnie told me not to."

"I see."

And she really did see. After all she had just thought that the way Lula and Connie treated her was not very friendly at all. She put the files back on Connie´s desk.

"Then you don't need to tell Vinnie that I don't want the skips that pay so little that Joyce don't want to bother with them. He needn't bother me at all. I quit."

Connie and Lula did not say a word when Stephanie left the bond's office. Outside she got into her POS du jour car, a rusty, mostly blue, Ford. She took care not to look towards the windows of the office. Connie and Lula most probably would be standing there gawking, but she needed a pause from them and their so called friendship.