Chapter Twenty-One

I was a little surprised to see my Audi looking clean and whole when we got down to the parking lot. The shattered front passenger window had been replaced. The seat too, judging from how perfect it was. How they had managed to get that done overnight was a mystery. Sometimes I wonder if Ranger really does have superpowers.

Ramon got into the passenger seat. "Ranger said we're picking up an assault with a deadly weapon this morning."

I rolled my eyes. "Only technically. Just let me handle this. This isn't going to require muscle. This is more of a kit kat bar kind of situation."

Just as I'd predicted, Terry Kroychek was waiting for us when we got there. Dressed for court and ready to go. She was a little wary when she saw Ramon, but only for a second. Ramon wasn't as adapt at scaring people as guys like Cal. I called my brother-in-law Albert to meet us at the courthouse. If anyone could argue the hormonal craziness that comes with pregnancy, it was him.

A couple hours later, Terry was back at home and I was walking into the bonds office with my body receipt and Ramon shaped shadow. Connie was filing her nails at her desk. Given that Lula was asleep on the couch, it was likely the only kind of filing that would get done today. "They got the front window fixed," I noticed.

"Yeah. DeAngelo got his guys in pretty quick after it happened. It'll probably cost Vinnie a pretty penny, but that just makes it better in my opinion. And DeAngelo said it would delay the work on Vinnie's office. Considering it was Vinnie's fault, I'm calling it karmic justice."

"Anything new come in?"

"Billy Martin skipped out on a public nudity charge. Should be an easy catch."

"That's it?"

"That's it. You still have Mina Velasquez and Earl Belter, but you've brought in everyone else."

A loud, rattling snore escaped from Lula. I tapped her and she woke with a jolt. "I was just restin' my eyes."

"Sure you were," Connie said. "The angry bear snoring was a dead giveaway."

"I don't snore. And even if I was, some of us need our beauty sleep. I can't help Stephanie here with her apprehensions if I'm not well rested."

"Speaking of, I got a public nudity. Wanna help me pick him up?"

"Could be fun. You think he'll be naked when we nab him? Cause that could go either way."

I gave her a palms up gesture. "It's Billy Martin. It'll come down to if he's back on his medication."

"Billy Martin, huh? Yeah, I'm with you. You and me'll apprehend the shit out of Billy Martin." She eyed Ramon. "Is Zorro here coming too?"

"That's the plan."

"I guess that's okay. I'll get my things."

Ramon was standing at my shoulder. "Zorro?"

"Just go with it."

ooo

Billy Martin was pretty well known in the Burg as a troublemaker and minor nuisance. He was mostly harmless. Every once in a while, though, he'd have a delusional episode and become convinced he was a bullfrog and he had to breathe through his skin. This is where the public nudity comes in. He would be pretty easy to find. When he was on his meds, he was usually at home. When he wasn't, all you had to do was check the nearest pools and decorative water features.

We found him in Mrs. Burgeon's azaleas. He froze when he heard us. Like he thought we wouldn't see the six foot tall frog man squatting in the flower bushes. This might require the gentle approach. "Billy? How are you doing today? You alright?"

He turned to look at me. Then his eyes got round. I've never had the pleasure of hunting down Billy Martin before. Figured that would give me an advantage, since he wouldn't know who I am. Yeah. Right. From the look on his face I could tell him I'm a naturalist or a zookeeper until I'm blue in the face and the human part of Billy's brain would still know I was the bounty hunter.

"No. No no nonono. You can't be here. You'll try to take me to jail."

"You don't have to go to jail. Vinnie could bond you out again—"

"No!" Billy started stripping off what little clothes he was still wearing. Guess the agitation was aggravating his froggy asthma. "I can't go to jail, I can't!" The tighty whities sprang free in my direction and he was off. Lula and I exchanged a loaded glance. I wasn't going after him. I'd promised Ranger I wouldn't tackle any skips. This time at least, I fully intended to keep that promise.

Lula rolled her eyes. "You owe me for this one. I didn't plan on jumping on a pasty-ass naked guy today."

"I'll get you a dozen jelly-filleds," I offered.

"Mix in some of the crème filled ones and you got a deal."

We shook on it and Lula was off. Chasing Billy Martin in a curious display that could have only been topped if it had been put to the theme from Benny Hill. She nearly caught him once or twice, but every time she got a grip, Billy would change directions and slip through her fingers, his member flapping in the breeze for all to see. He leaped over the wheelbarrow. Lula didn't quite make it. She tumbled ass over teakettle, taking the whole thing over with her, dirt and all. Billy was so busy watching her over his shoulder that he didn't notice he was running right for me. Ramon stepped into his way. They collided with a thud. A tangle of arms and legs and other naked parts. Ramon should have been able to subdue him easily. I'd seen him do it before. Guess something about Billy being naked as a jaybird had Ramon off his game. Billy was rolling around, trying to squirm free. A very unhappy Zorro grabbing onto any appendage he could hoping to find an arm. Took a minute.

I was trying really hard not to laugh when he finally had him face down and cuffed. I patted Ramon on his shoulder. "At least you'll get hazard pay."

From the frown, I was betting even hazard pay wasn't worth it.

Vinnie was in his office when we got back to the bonds office with my body receipt. Ramon still frowning. I marched into Vinnie's office and he flinched. "Jesus, Stephanie. What happened to knocking?"

"You don't have a door."

"I woulda had a door if your buddy Skeezer hadn't shot up your truck right in front of my place of business."

Ugh! "That was your fault for bonding him out, not once but twice. And you've got to stop with the ads. I can't do my job if every skip knows my face."

"Those ads are bringing in business."

"Enough business to make it worth it when I ring your worthless neck again?"

"You wouldn't."

"Try me."

The front door of the bonds office opened again and I could feel the tension change in the room. Either the entire cast of Magic Mike had come in with a six-tier wedding cake, or Ranger was here. Vinnie gulped. Yep. Ranger. I didn't take my eyes off of Vinnie when Ranger crossed the office, his charged atmosphere entering mine with the dizzying scent of Bulgari Green. His warm hand settled on my neck, his chest against my back. Vinnie wet his lips. "You called in the big guns?"

"Does she need to?" Ranger asked.

"We were just discussing how his stupid ads putting my face all over Trenton was effecting my performance as an bond enforcement agent. His argument is that his photoshopped wet dream fantasy was bringing in business. My argument was that if he didn't stop, even Grandma Plum and Auntie Mim wouldn't be able to save him."

"Alright, alright! You win!" Vinnie said, tossing his hands up. "I was getting chump change anyway. I'll take you off the ads."

"Wise choice," Ranger said. Then he looked down at me. Just inches away. "I need to talk to you." I nodded. Glaring at Vinnie before I followed Ranger out of the barebones office. Ranger cut his eyes to Ramon. Dismissed him with a look when he moved to follow. "Heard there was some excitement this afternoon."

"Never a dull moment. I feel bad for Ramon, though. He wasn't happy about it."

Ranger shrugged. "It wasn't the first naked guy Ramon's had to tackle." Ranger tugged me into the alley next to the bonds office and pressed me against the wall. His mouth an inch from mine. "So tell me about last night."

Oh boy. Was he asking about what happened with Thatcher or was he asking if I slept with Morelli? Ranger had shown mixed interest over my sex life in the past. Sometimes he would dispassionately drop me off or pick me up from Morelli's house like he was any other friend. And then there were moment that made me wonder. If he was a normal man, I might have guessed that he was capable of jealousy. Problem is, Ranger is several shades off normal.

He smiled like he'd read my thoughts. Kissing me softly. "What did Thatch say?" he clarified.

"He said Mini's afraid to reach out for help. Which I'm guessing she'll be even more reluctant to do, after what happened to Thatcher. And he said that when she was following the supply chains, it all kept leading back to Alvarez."

Ranger drew back an inch to look in my eyes. "How credible was her information?"

"I don't know. But she said that's why Alvarez ran. She confronted him about his involvement. Whatever was said between them, she must have been really freaked out by it because she skipped on easy charges a couple days later. Do you think she's hiding from the same people as Alvarez?"

"Hard to say. Gregorio didn't find a link between sellers, but he was trying to tread lightly. Obviously she was digging deep enough to make waves. We should go over the FBI files again. Talk to Carson. Maybe there were threats that weren't documented."

I grimaced. Talking to Carson wasn't high on my fun things to do list. Ranger was amused by that. "Babe, he's a good agent. Knows what he's doing."

"He's also a jerk."

"Aren't we all," he said, lowering his mouth to mine again. The heat uncurled in my belly and eased lower, making parts of me tingle. He pulled back much too soon. "I could meet with him and catch you up after, if you'd prefer."

"Maybe," I said, dragging two fistfuls of shirt toward me without thinking to pull his mouth back onto mine. He smiled and closed the last of the distance between us, deepening the kiss until my consciousness was floating somewhere above my head. God, I was in such trouble. After we spent the night together that first time, the reality altering sex hadn't done anything to dull the warning bells that being near Ranger set off in my head. The ones that told me a relationship with him was doomed to failure. But after Hawaii, it was so much harder to listen. My body knew his too well. To the point where it was difficult sometimes to hear the warnings at all. All my brain wanted was for me to wrap around that man and never let go. Stupid brain.

Ranger grinned and pulled back again, resting his forehead on mine. "I have appointments this afternoon, but we can discuss this when I'm through. In the meantime, you still have Mini's number?" I nodded. "You should try leaving another message. See if she'll be more willing to return it now that things are getting serious."

Oh boy. Were they ever. Ranger was amused when he laid one more kiss on my lips and tugged me back toward the street. His 911 Turbo was parked behind my silver Audi right in front of the bonds office. And behind it was a black SUV. I was afraid to ask if they were my backup or his. He slung an arm around my neck and kissed to top of my head.

We were about even with my passenger door when a dark pickup rushed by. There was a clatter of metal debris hitting the road. A silver paint can rolling toward us under my car. Ranger's body wrapped around me a second before the air shattered and started to burn, throwing us to the ground.