I looked at my watch it was eight-thirty. I needed to get to work, I grabbed my car keys, purse, and my coat then headed out the door, locking it behind me. When I was outside I walked over to my car, a dark blue Ford Taurus. Equipped with scratches and dents, oh the joy of used cars!
When I arrived at the office, Connie was at her desk and Lula was sitting on the couch with her head in a bucket of fried chicken. The door to Vinnie's inner office was closed, a "do not disturb" sign hanging from the doorknob. Usually I don't care what Vinnie is doing but today curiosity got the best of me.
"What's with that?" I asked nodding toward the door.
Connie looked up from her work and raised her eyebrows at me in a way that said do you really want to know?
"Never mind," I said I could take a hint, "What do you have for me today?"
Connie opened the top drawer on her desk and took out two folders. She handed them to me and as I opened the first one Connie started talking; "First is Carl Polaski, a first time offender. He's a domestic violence case, caught his girlfriend cheating on him and slapped both of them around. He failed to appear in court on Wednesday." It was Friday and by his picture he didn't look like he posed much of a threat.
"Second," Connie said as I opened the other file, "is Roger Blake, a repeat. He was arrested for carrying concealed and breaking and entering. Vinnie bonded him out and he failed to appear yesterday." Connie looked thoughtful for a moment then something clicked and she grinned. "Blake, I remember him. You brought him in before on B and E charges!" She stared into space remembering. I was also remembering but I was hoping no one else would, that wasn't an arrest I was particularly proud of. I had found Blake on the floor in his apartment passed out drunk and… naked. Eww! I wanted to leave him there but I had a deadline to make. The guys at the station haven't let me live down the time I had to drag in a FTA wrapped in only a blanket. He was heavy too. "You know," Connie said, serious now, "you can give this guy to Ranger he sounds kind of dangerous."
"When he's conscious." Lula added from beside me.
I rolled my eyes and opened my mouth to retort but stopped short when I realized Connie was no longer paying attention to me, rather something beyond my shoulder. I was guessing it was Ranger. I cut my eyes to Lula and she was fanning herself with her hand, which confirmed the Ranger theory. A few seconds later I felt the warmth of Ranger's hand on the small of my back and with his other hand he took the files from my hands. He was so close I could feel his breath on my neck.
"Carrying concealed and B and E," he said, "you want me to take… Wait." He chuckled lightly, "Blake I remember him."
"UGH!" I cried, "It wasn't my fault! I had to bring him in and I didn't want to touch him so I cuffed him then wrapped him in a blanket I found on his couch."
Behind me Lula coughed to hide a laugh and I swiveled around to give her my best death glare. She raised her eyebrows and returned the glare. I averted my eyes and sighed. I looked up and realized Ranger was looking at me expectantly humor shining deep in his eyes.
"No!" I snapped grabbing the files from him, "I can get him, thank you."
He grinned at that "Babe," he said leaning down to kiss my forehead, "call me if you need me." Then he was gone. I walked to the window and watched while he angled into his black Porsche Turbo and drove off. The place on my back where his hand was placed was still warm and I was starting to sweat. The fact that his scent was lingering in the air wasn't helping either I needed fresh air.
"Okay," I said, "I'm gonna go get Carl." I looked at Lula, "You coming?"