Chapter Twenty

Joe didn't let me go. He kept me tucked tight against him the entire way into my building. Like he was afraid I'd vanish if he wasn't holding me. "Is it just me, or did that sound more like a threat than a passing of the baton?"

"He takes my safety very seriously."

"So do I, Cupcake, but I've never given someone the 'I'll gut you if you cross me' death stare. I mean don't get me wrong, I'm glad he was there to save your ass. I just wish you didn't need him to." He used his key when we got to my apartment. Locked the door behind us and dropped my bag onto the kitchen counter. Joe was tender when he looked me over. Lifting my red hands so that he could make sure I really was in one piece. "How you holding up?"

I shrugged. Not sure how to answer. I was still in the numbness stage. Hard to know what would come after that. I just kept playing the moment over again in my head. The fear on Thatcher's face. The blood spilling out hot and red over my hands. I've seen people get shot before. It's not something that gets old. I didn't know I'd started to cry again until Morelli looked pained.

"Shit," he murmured, folding me in his arms. "It's alright now, Steph. You're okay."

"What about Thatcher?"

"Thatcher will probably be okay, too." I wasn't sure if he meant it or if he was just trying to keep me from freaking out. It was kind of sweet either way. Even if it didn't make me feel better. He rubbed my back in strong, comforting circles. "Come on. Let's get you cleaned up. You'll feel better when you wash all that blood off."

I nodded. Joe kept an arm around me on the way to the bathroom. He turned the tap in the shower for me and made sure I had everything I needed. Looked me over one more time. "You look like you could use a beer. Want me to bring you one?"

I shook my head no. Not that I'd be able to have a beer even if I did want to. I was betting Ranger had made sure my apartment was a booze-free zone. If Joe tried to find one for himself, chances were good he'd be disappointed.

Joe left me alone to clean up. I couldn't help but be grateful for that. Even if I hadn't been bone tired, it would have been uncomfortable if he'd tried to get in the shower with me. I was way too confused. I love Joe. But every time I thought about how nice it might be to curl up in his arms and forget all the bad things that had happened, Ranger would pop into my head. Reminding me that we'd had plans together until he'd driven away and left me with Joe.

I peeled off my clothes and got in the shower. Trying to keep the tears back as I scrubbed Thatcher's blood from my hands. Could my life be any more screwed up?

ooo

I was alone in the bed when I woke the next morning. The sun not quite up. I could hear Joe in my kitchen. Probably making coffee. Scrounging for breakfast before he had to leave for work. It was kinda nice. Normal. Well, almost normal. Normal would have had me naked. I didn't have to put on clothes this time when I got out of bed, since I was still wearing my pajamas. Joe hadn't made a move last night. Mostly because I'd pretty much crawled into bed and passed out the second I got out of the shower.

He was searching my cupboards when I got to the kitchen. "Don't you have coffee?"

"It's right in there."

"All I can find is decaf. Since when do you even drink decaf?"

Ugh. Ranger. He must have switched it out hoping I wouldn't notice. Well, he was right. I hadn't. Might explain why I've been so tired lately. "I must have been distracted last time I went shopping."

"Speaking of which, I don't think I've ever seen your fridge this full. You've even got salad."

"You say that like I never eat salad."

A smile lifted one corner of his mouth. "Cupcake, you hate salad."

"Not all the time."

He chuckled and came over to me, wrapping an arm around my waist so that he could lay a gentle kiss on my lips. "It's alright. It's kind of a turn on that you hate salad."

"You think everything's a turn on."

"What can I say? I'm Italian. And it's not like you can't afford to buy salad you won't eat after catching The Rug, right?"

"Right."

I felt a little bad, lying to Joe. But then, I didn't really think he'd want to hear that the full fridge was Ranger's doing. Or why. Hell. I still didn't want to know why.

Joe kissed me again. His eyes tender. "I talked to the hospital this morning. Archibald Thatcher made it through surgery. He's still in the ICU, but they're hopeful. What was it that made you go there to meet with him last night?"

I shrugged. "Something in his voice I think. I don't know. But whatever it was, it had my spidey-sense tingling."

A tiny bit of humor poked through his seriousness. "You've got a spidey-sense?"

"Doesn't everybody?"

"No, Cupcake. They don't. But apparently you do. My contact at the hospital said it had been a close thing. If Rangeman hadn't gotten him to the hospital so fast, he would have bled out. The only reason he didn't die alone in that carwash parking lot was because of you. You saved Thatcher's life last night."

Wow. A chill moved down my body. If I hadn't listened to my instincts…God. I didn't want to think about it. "What about the other guy?"

"The gunman wasn't in surgery nearly as long. Clean shot just below his right collar bone. Through and through, no bone or organ damage. It was almost scary how accurate it was. Ranger really wanted to make sure this guy would live to spill his guts. He's locked down in an isolated ward. Him and a second suspect that showed up on the police station's doorstep this morning, trussed up like a Christmas goose. Seems someone had beat the shit out of him."

Our eyes held. No big mystery there. And judging from the expression on Ranger's face when he'd left last night, this guy was lucky he was still breathing too.

Joe's phone started to ring. He gave me another quick kiss and answered it. Stepping back toward the fridge with a few yeahs and uh-huhs. Then his face darkened. "Are you sure?" He listened for a second, then hung up. "That was Terry Gilman. Seems they had a death in the family last night."

"A death in the family? Or a death in the family?"

"The second one. Tommy Thumbs was found floating in his swimming pool."

"Drowning?"

"Depends. Does it count as drowning when the water gets in through a bullet hole?"

My nose wrinkled. "I don't supposed this was a random, mob related shooting."

"Too early to say, but I wouldn't hold my breath," he said, clipping his badge and his gun to his belt. "I have to run. I still have to take care of Bob and pick up some real coffee before I head into work. You doing your bounty hunter thing today?"

"Yeah. I've arranged to pick up Terry Kroychek this morning. See if we can get her into a judge."

Joe nodded. He snagged one of the healthy muffins from the fridge and gave me one last kiss. "I'll call you later. Be safe. This thing is getting uglier by the day. And I can't believe I'm saying this, but call Ranger if you need him, alright?" He waited until I nodded in agreement. Pressed a lingering kiss to my forehead. "I love you, you know."

"I know. I love you, too." I let him out, locking the door behind him. Let out a low breath. Then I called Ranger. It took a few rings for him to answer.

"Morelli still there?" he asked in way of greeting.

"No. He just left for work."

"How's your mental health?"

"About what you'd expect. I'm dealing."

"Good. Ramon is on his way over with your car. I'd appreciate it if you didn't leave the building until he gets there. We were only able to catch a second assailant last night. The third is still at large. Turns out they're from Skeezer's crew. Said they almost got two for the price one."

"Jeez."

"Yeah. Seems you were already on the hit list."

"Did you find that out before or after you beat the hell out of the guy?"

"Would you believe most of the damage happened during the initial takedown?"

"Do you want me to?"

He didn't answer. Pretty sure he was smiling. "The information we got out of him will be useful, but while it might make some things simpler, it also makes them a hell of a lot more complication. Skeezer's not smart enough to mastermind something this big. He's just choosing sides. That will have a predictable effect on the other kingpins. Problem is, it doesn't give us a single clue who might be behind it all, and now they've got a small army."

"How did you get him to tell you all that?"

"I asked nicely."

"Someone took out Tommy Thumbs."

"I heard. He was one of Grizzoli's triggermen. One of Colichio's was on the block, too, with the officers left behind by Stolle. It's a systematic sweep of all the major opposition. A demonstration of power to encourage the other players to choose sides too."

"Why am I on the list?"

"Because you started asking questions."

"So did you. Why aren't you on the list?"

"Who said I wasn't?"

"Jeez."

"Babe," he said, smiling again. "As long as you don't take any undue risks neither of us will be vulnerable to attack. And this is a good sign. It means we're getting close enough to ruffle feathers. Thatcher tell you anything useful last night before he was shot?"

"A little."

"Good. I'll find you later today. Until then, be careful. Keep Ramon with you. He'll come up and collect you from your apartment when he arrives."

"Just one guy? Are you sure you don't want to assign at least a dozen?"

I was sure that had earned me a full on Ranger smile. "Babe."

I wasn't sure what to do with myself after I disconnected. I was going to make coffee, but Morelli was right. All I had was decaf. Because Ranger thought I was pregnant. His reaction was still so surreal. I mean, he does kind of have a thing for protecting people, but Ranger didn't do relationships. He always said he wasn't going to do anything stupid, like marriage or pregnancy. And yet, here he was. Trying to protect the idea of a baby that might not even be there.

I had to stop dwelling on it. All I would accomplish by running in circles is getting myself dizzy. Time to move on. I got dressed and brushed my teeth. Ate some breakfast. At least Ranger wasn't insisting I start prenatal vitamins. Then I thought for a second. Stared at my muffin through squinty eyes like it would tell me all its secrets. Naw. Even Ranger wouldn't go that far.

Ramon was at my door twenty minutes later. "Ready to roll?"

"Yeah. Just let me get my bag."

I ran back into the kitchen. Checked to make sure Rex had everything he needed. Then slung my messenger bag over my shoulder and headed for the door.