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Chapter 16

I could hear Ranger and Katrina arguing in the other room. Day 14 in the psycho hunt and nerves were fraying. It was Annelise's 25th birthday – one of Katrina's best friends – and Katrina had arranged a big party at the house. Complete with hundreds of guests.

Ranger was not happy. Hundreds of guests meant hundreds of opportunities for the stalker impressionists to get in.

Unfortunately, Annelise was fairly high up in the modelling world, and if Katrina hosted the party it would do wonders for her career. So, with gritted teeth and raised chin, Katrina argued for her right to party.

Eventually Ranger had to concede but I could tell he was unhappy with the situation. He insisted that all the guests would have to produce invitations and subject themselves to walking through a metal detector.

Katrina drew the line at everyone having to be frisked.

I don't know why she's complaining; probably most of the women guests would love to have Ranger frisking them, and as it was a fashion industry party, probably more than half the men too…

Suddenly I didn't want the frisking to occur either. Ranger's mine dammit, he's only allowed to frisk me!

Not that Ranger and I have been doing that much 'frisking' anyway. He's stubbornly holding to his 'no sex until you're 100 ok' thing. I've tried to explain that I've never really been '100 ok'; I think it was all the flying attempts when I was little - I must have hit my head one too many times - or maybe the flying incidents just prove that I've never been ok.

Ranger just flashed me 100 watts and told me that there was a difference between being ok and being normal. And he'd never insult me by calling me normal.

'Are you calling me weird?' I had asked indignantly, fighting the urge to smile.

'No.' Ranger had replied, his lips curving up in a slow sexy smile that made me stomach burn, 'I'm calling you special. Individual. Unique.' His voice dropped to a silky whisper, 'Gorgeous.' He kissed my neck lightly and I tilted my head involuntarily, giving him easier access to my neck. 'Sexy.' Another kiss. 'Smart.' Kiss. 'Funny.' Kiss. 'Divine.' Kiss. 'Perfect.'

'Ranger.' I had moaned.

'Babe? Babe, are you ok?'

'Ugh?' I said intelligently.

'Anyone home?' Ranger teased.

I pulled my mind back from my vivid flashback enough to send him a Burg glare. 'I had a flashback.' I said defensively.

All traces of humour were wiped from his face and his eyes flashed with concern.

'Not that kind of flashback.' I elaborated hastily.

'Not a Slayer flashback?'

'Nope.'

'Then what kind?' he asked, looking confused.

I felt my face turn incredibly warm, and Lester started to snigger.

'Oh.' Ranger said, struggling not to grin.

Katrina had no such compunction and was laughing her perfect model ass off.

I crossed my arms under my B-cup breasts and tried to change the subject back to the argument: to frisk, or not to frisk. That, apparently, was the question.

'So…frisking huh?' Sometimes my subtlety astounds me.

Lester sniggered louder and Tank shot him a fierce glare and gave him a solid not-quite-playful punch in the shoulder.

I smiled at Tank and he sent me a ghost of a smile and a slight shrug – he's allowed to hit people who are being mean to his 'sister'. My smile widened, and I smirked at Lester who was rubbing his shoulder and muttering under his breath.

'Enough children.' Ranger said firmly. 'Now, Steph's right, we have to sort this out Katrina.' Ooh, he used Trina's full name – he's getting pissed.

Trina's eyes narrowed and she drew herself up to her full height, 'you cannot invite people to a party and frisk them! It's bad enough as it is!'

Ranger's eyes narrowed as well, 'It's not just about you Trina! If Steph's right then you might not even be the target, in fact you probably aren't the target. Do you want to put your family in danger just so you can have your little soiree?'

'That's a low blow Ric, and you know it! I would never willingly put any of you in danger, but you wouldn't let me host the party anywhere else! At least here is 'secure'.'

'It's not secure when you invite a few hundred brainless idiots here!'

'Brainless? Is that what you think of me? That only stupid people are in the fashion industry? Thanks a lot Ric!'

'I didn't mean you!'

Ranger's famous ice cool composure was rapidly slipping away, and he was clearly confused about how an argument about security could get to an argument about his sister's career choice and her intelligence.

Misdirection.

I've used it more than once; just when they're in the middle of the argument, turn them upside down and back to front until they don't know what's happening and suddenly, Bam, everything is their fault. It was one of my favourite tactics with Morelli – admittedly, usually it was Joe's fault, but I made sure it was always Joe's fault.

It's a trick Burg women learn early on.

Trina gave an insulted screech and yelled 'I can't deal with you when you're like this!' Then she turned on her heel and stalked out of the room, not quite slamming the door behind her.

'What?' said Ranger. 'What just happened?'

I smirked at him, 'I could go talk to her for you?' I offered.

'Thanks.' Ranger said gratefully, still looking like he had been dropped in the middle of a hurricane when the weather announcer had promised a mild breeze.

I found Trina in the living room with Ranger's stepmom, Maria, and Trina didn't look upset or angry in the slightest. Bingo! Definitely misdirection.

'That was well done.' I complimented Trina. She looked me in the eye, holding my gaze for a full minute before she allowed her lips to curve into a smile, 'Thanks. Marks out of ten?' she asked.

'Nine.' I answered, 'you didn't slam the door forcefully enough.'

'If you slam the door too hard you get cracks in the ceiling.' Trina explained.

'I knew there had to be a good reason why you'd spoil an exit that had such good potential.' I smiled.

Trina sighed suddenly, 'he is being unreasonable though.'

'He loves you. All of you. He's trying to keep you safe.'

'I know. But this party is extremely important to me. I've been planning it for nearly six months – this could be a really big deal for me. It's bad enough that I had to change the venue and have a strict invitation policy and metal detectors – it's just not the way it's done.'

Suddenly I had a light-bulb moment - bing! An evil smile stole across my face, 'Then make the security part of it.' I suggested.

'Huh?' Trina asked. Maria looked similarly confounded.

'Well, first of all, your friend Annelise is a fairly big star – make out like the security is for her. And as for the frisking…just get Lester, Bobby, Cal and Junior to wear pink latex hot pants – and nothing else – while they frisk people. Make it an entertainment point rather than a rude imposition.'

Trina stared at me, and then a wicked smile appeared. 'I like your style Stephanie, but you're wrong about one thing.'

'Oh?' I asked.

'They need black bow ties as well – it is a formal party after all.'