A/N: So, I didn't get the job I was hoping for, but after some weird comments by the guy who interviewed me, I think it's for the best. I'll be starting my new job August 20th though, and I'm extremely excited. Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! Please let me know what you think about this chapter! Also I always appreciate any suggestions / ideas of what you think will happen. Enjoy!
Change is Hard by She & Him
"I was never no, I was never no
I was never enough
But I can try, I can try
To toughen up
I listened
When they told me
If he burns you
Let him go
Change is hard
I should know"
Defining Moments
Chapter 5: Fresh Start
Steph's POV
The next day I wake surprisingly early. I stretch as I lay in bed looking at the alarm clock. It's eight am, and I woke up on my own. What is this madness? Instead of turning over and going back to sleep, I get out of bed and put on some athletic clothing. I can't believe that I, Stephanie Michelle Plum, am deciding to go on a run at 8 in the morning. I shake my head in disbelief. I put on running shoes and pull my hair back into a ponytail. I head to the kitchen and put on my gun. I need to get used to wearing it all the time plus who knows who I might run into? I tap on Rex's glass and drop in a few grapes. I smile and quickly eat an apple so I will have some energy.
I head out the door, take the stairs down and walk out into the fresh spring air. I slide on my sunglasses and start out on a jog. I decide I might as well stop in at the Bond's office. I'll get it out of the way and the girls won't worry. My body feels sore from the day before, but I am able to jog farther without getting as out of breath. Once the office is in view, I slow to a walk. The bell tinkles when I open the door and walk in. Connie looks up in surprise.
"Morning Steph," she greets with a smile, "You're here awfully early." I nod as I take a seat on the couch.
"Woke up and figured I'd stop by. I'm planning to spend most of the day working on the Bianchi case," I inform her as I relax on the couch. I may not want to get up after this.
"Sorry, I have no new information on him, but I'll keep an ear to the ground," she says before taking a sip of coffee. "You should be careful on this one. It worries me." I nod and think about it. The Bianchi file Connie handed me is dangerous and something hinky is definitely going on. I don't want Lula getting involved with this because then someone will definitely get hurt. Lula is the file clerk here and my sometimes partner, but her version of bounty hunting usually ends up with a gun going off or her leaving me stranded somewhere. I love Lula, but she's not the best partner. I'm glad she didn't hear us discussing it yesterday.
"Don't mention anything to Lula about it," I say as I continue thinking about the file. Connie nods emphatically.
"Honestly, I wish RangeMan would take it because neither of you should have to deal with it," she replies sounding worried.
"Alright Connie. I better get going. I think I'll go visit my parents and see if Grandma has any information," I say with a sigh as I stand up from the couch. I groan and stretch before walking out the door. It's a little warmer as I exit the Bonds Office but not unbearable. I manage to jog all the way back to the apartment. I debate for a few seconds: elevator or stairs. Old Stephanie wouldn't have hesitated, but new Stephanie falters a second before heading up the stairs. I unlock the door, head inside, and greet Rex.
I open up the file on Ian Bianchi. I study his picture. Something about him is off. My Spidey-sense is tingling again as I read more about him. His family migrated here from Sicily two generations ago. I've heard the name around and know that they are one of the families involved in 'Family' stuff. I skim through the file. His mother died four years ago. My spidey-sense clangs more at that. Hmm. I make a note to look more into her death seeing that the file doesn't contain the cause. I continue reading and see his grandfather is the head of the family. Looks like Ian is not all the way at the top. Connie said they're in the drug scene, not guns, but are having trouble with the Ramos'. I make another note about checking into why they are having trouble with the Ramos family. I smile as I remember Alexander Ramos. I drove him around to get cigarettes. He was funny and kind to me. I giggle as I remember his proposal of marriage. I could probably ask him about Bianchi. I definitely need to do some digging on this case.
After showering, getting dressed, and putting on a face full of makeup, complete with a few swipes of mascara, I head out. I'm feeling confident after my new resolve. I even put on my gun again underneath my clothes. I drop a hamster nugget in for Rex before locking up and heading out. I get to my car downstairs, and I sigh when my door doesn't open. I try pulling it a couple times while the key is still in. No luck and the alarm goes off. Gee, just what I need. I decide to try the passenger side door. Thankfully it opens. The alarm is still blaring, and I'm starting to get a headache. I also notice a few other residents in the parking lot have stopped to stare. Just great. I'm sure my mother will hear about this somehow. I slide ungracefully over the console. At least I didn't have to crawl through a window. I put the key in the ignition and pray the alarm will stop. The alarm goes off twice more before going silent. I sigh and rest my head on the wheel.
I get to my parent's two-story duplex in twenty minutes. Not too shabby a time considering the traffic. I park in front of the house and Grandma Mazur and my mother appear. I swear they have some sort of daughter radar. The house is the same one I grew up in. It's painted a dark brown and the house connected is a dark green. I shut off my engine and try to open the door. I'm annoyed when the door still doesn't open. Out of frustration, I hold onto the handle latch and kick the door with both feet. The car rattles and the latch pops off in my hand.
"Just great!" I yell, frustrated. I see my mother and grandmother looking over here curiously. I toss the latch in the cup holder. I heave a sigh and cross over the console to exit out of the passenger side door. Once I'm out I make my way up to the porch. My mother's lips are pursed, and it looks like Grandma is trying not to laugh.
"Stephanie, what in the world is going on with your car? Can't you afford to get a decent one?" Mom asks skeptically, "Myra Walkowski's daughter doesn't have any car problems, and she works at the personal products plant. Such a nice, normal job."
I sigh heavily. Visiting my family is always this fun. My mom constantly compares me to everyone else, and I never meet her expectations. I'm a constant disappointment. My mother is Burg through and through. Chambersburg aka the Burg is a small niche, made up of mostly Italians, in Trenton where everybody knows everybody. No one can sneeze without the whole neighborhood knowing. My mother believes that the role of a woman is to get married, pop out 2.5 babies and have a house with a white picket fence. I have met none of those expectations except when I had my 5-minute marriage with The Dick. My sister did manage to make my mother semi-happy, but she came home after finding out her husband ran away with the 18-year-old babysitter. She brought along her two daughters and since then she's met a Pillsbury Doughboy look-a-like, ambulance chasing lawyer named Albert Kloughn. Now she has three kids, and they could barely afford her older two. I had to trick them into getting married. At least that's not the life I live. I love my nieces, I do, but I'm not sure I'm cut out to have kids of my own.
"I think it's kind of cool. You should just roll your window down and slide in and out of it!" Grandma suggests, "That'd be a real pip! You'd be like the Dukes of Hazzard only in an ugly car!"
Grandma Mazur is a spunky old lady who came to live with my parents after my Grandpa went to the big pork roast in the sky. Ever since then she's given my mother hell. The years have not been kind to her. She has more skin than her body knows what to do with. It pools in odd places on her bones, but that doesn't stop her. She used to be a looker back in the day as she likes to remind everyone. She wears clothing not "appropriate" for her age, sometimes carries a gun and likes to talk about men's "packages." She's also been one of my biggest supporters throughout the years. Today she's wearing a bright teal tracksuit and, as she turns, I see rhinestones glittering on the back and across her butt.
"I don't know what's wrong with it, but I go through cars so fast, is there really a point in getting a nice one?" I reply tiredly, "And if I leave the window down then anybody could get in and steal it."
"I guess you gotta point," Grandma says, her forehead scrunched up as she thinks about it, "But you really think someone would steal that?" She has a point, but better not tempt fate. My car karma is already in the crapper.
"Let's go inside. I just finished a coffee cake. Have you had breakfast yet?" my mother asks, avoiding any more car talk. My mother is always the doting, perfect hostess.
"No I haven't, coffee cake sounds wonderful Mom. And Grandma, I was wondering if you knew some people," I say as we head inside. In our family, we aren't much for physical affection and instead, we show our love through food. I know Mom offering the coffee cake was her way of saying she loves me, even if she doesn't approve of my lifestyle.
"Your father took the cab and went to the lodge, but I'm sure he would have wanted to see you," my mother says as she walks into the kitchen. My dad is a pretty quiet guy, but he's always been there for me.
"Am I going to get to help catch one of them bad guys you always go after? I just got a new gun! I named her Bessie," Grandma says excitedly, moving her dentures around with her tongue. I see my mother sigh and do the sign of the cross.
"No, nothing like that. I just need some information. And there will be no need for guns!"
"Well darn Stephanie, you don't know how to have any fun!" Grandma Mazur says, taking a seat at the table. She's one to talk, especially about guns. Sheesh. When I first started bounty hunting she found the gun I had in my purse and shot the turkey we were planning to eat for dinner. My mother was horrified.
I fix myself a cup of coffee as my mom cuts the cake. Once I doctor it the way I like, I sit down across from Grandma.
"So do you have any dirt on the Bianchi's?" I question taking a huge forkful of the coffee cake. I swear my mother knows the way to my heart. Her eyes go wide, and she moves her dentures around in her mouth.
"Oh boy, those Bianchi men!" she says with a smirk as she waves her hand to cool off as though she suddenly had a hot flash. I furrow my brow and look at her questioningly.
"What do you mean?" I ask, wondering if I was going to hear a sordid tale of my Grandmother and one of her many "packages".
"Nicolas, the head of the family, I met him at bingo once. We went out a couple of times, and he was a real looker. Smooth talker too. I broke it off with him after sweet Sarah went missing," she says sipping her coffee. I finish chewing the coffee cake before responding.
"Sarah as in Sarah Shupp? The one Ian Bianchi was dating?" I question as I try to figure this mystery out.
"The very one. My friend Annie is her grandmother, and she swears that Bianchi boy did something to her baby granddaughter! She told me she would never speak to me again if I kept seeing that man," she explains sadly, "Annie's one of my oldest gals, and I'd never do anything to hurt her."
"That was probably a good idea. I'm actually looking for Ian Bianchi now. He's FTA," I explain before taking another drink of coffee. Hmmm…I suddenly had an idea about getting her back into the dating pool. Specifically seeing if Nicolas had the whole scoop on what went down. I saw my mom eyeing me from across the room. I had a feeling she knew what I was thinking. I'd only use Grandma as a last resort.
"Well baby granddaughter, I'm sure Annie wouldn't mind if she knew I was helping catch the sumn'bitch who disappeared her precious Sarah," Grandma says thoughtfully as she slides her dentures around in her mouth some more. Oh no. I didn't want her to do it now.
"Mother!" my mom says shrilly, "You should not be going out with someone so.. so.. so dangerous!" Grandma cackles.
"Oh Helen, put a cork in it. I've lived a long life, and now I want some adventure," she responds gleefully. Well, I guess Grandma's on board. I sigh.
"Only if you really want Grandma, but try and be very careful," I say. She nods emphatically.
"I'll call him up and see if he'd like to go to the funeral home tonight," she says already in planning mode. I know my mom is not going to be happy with me about this. It's not like I asked Grandma or anything, she offered. I finish up my coffee and cake. My mother tries to convince me to invite Joseph for dinner the next evening. I carefully avoid that topic.
Armed with some new information, I decide I might as well head out and check out Ian's apartment. Not that I think he'd be there, but it's a good place as any to start. It's also the only address listed in his file. I might even find some information that could help me track him down. I'm surprised he doesn't live with the family, but I can't blame him. I find his apartment complex fairly easily. While the Ramos' live closer to the beach, the Bianchi's are on the complete opposite side. Ian doesn't live on the compound, but his apartment is nearby. I'm sure if I check I'd find that the complex belongs to their family entirely. The neighborhood is quiet. I'm sure nothing happens around here without the family knowing. I probably stick out like a sore thumb. I park a couple blocks down from the apartment, just to be safe. I only see one other car on the street. A dark blue nondescript sedan with no plates. The sedan's windows are tinted so I can't tell if anyone is in the car. Interesting. I try my mangled handle, but I have no luck. Gah, just when I do not want to attract attention. I try kicking it open again, but still nothing. I get myself over the console, right myself, and open the passenger door. I'm trying to be inconspicuous. I lock up the car and make sure my gun is fully loaded. I don't want to take any chances with this guy. He already beat a DEA agent half to death and most likely killed his girlfriend. I decide to go around back. I don't want anyone to see me.
The townhouse is a cream color with blue shutters. The back has a white fence boxing in the tiny yard. I walk quickly and open the gate. I notice no other people around. Hopefully, no one is peeking out their windows to see me breaking and entering. Not that I would be breaking. I'll use the nifty tool Lester taught me a couple of months ago. I now know how to pick a lock. Go me! The door opens quietly and I enter. It's cool and silent: a good sign. I shut the door carefully and enter slowly. It's clean which surprises me considering it's supposedly a bachelor pad. It seems too clean, and I feel like this isn't really where he's been staying. It has two bedrooms and one is being used as an office space. The bed is rumpled so maybe he has been here, but it's not where he spends most of his time. I check out the office and see no computer. He does have a calendar on it, and I take pictures with my phone.
Interesting…he only has one thing in the calendar and it says "Juliet." I don't know any of his acquaintances that go by that name. That's the only solid thing I found in the house. I head back out. I close the door behind me and don't lock it.
I turn around only to jump back frightened. Standing in front of me is a tall man with dark brown hair, piercing blue eyes and an inquisitive look on his face. He's dressed in a black suit with a white shirt and a thin dark blue paisley tie. I'd be worried he's Ian, but this man doesn't look like the picture. He clears his throat during my body scan of him. He's clearly wearing a gun underneath the suit. Oh shit. Maybe he's part of the Bianchi family and was watching the place. Oh god. I hope he isn't here to kill me.