AN: The long awaited plot twist. Thanks, Marie.

Chapter 19

Another week flew by with the team looking at every lead that came their way. There had been no new notes, no more threats from Martinez, but Ranger wasn't willing to let his guard down. I had not seen or heard from Morelli since that day at the house. Lester may have known more about what was happening with Anna, but I was kind of afraid to ask. I was going through withdrawals not being able to go to the office. Finally, Ranger asked if I wanted to go there with him. Of course I did, what a question.

"Why if it isn't Batman and his girl," quipped Lula as we entered the office. Ranger was at my back, careful to make sure I wasn't anyone's target. Of course, that didn't make me feel any better, knowing that a bullet would have to go through him to get to me.

"Hey Lula, how's it been going?"

Lula went into rhino mode. "You'd a known that if you just called. Don't you have a phone in that fancy house of yours."

I was in trouble, but not too sure what exactly I did. Ranger saw me sit down on the worn sofa and headed toward Vinnie's door. "He in?" he asked Connie.

She simply nodded and turned back to me and Lula.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"You didn't hear? His your friggin' cousin for goodness sake," she snapped.

"Connie, what's she talking about?"

Connie sighed. "Vinnie's decided to sell the business. Him and Lucille are moving in three months. Lucille came into some money from her mother's side and wanted to head south. I hear they may live in Florida or South Carolina. Lucille's there now looking at houses."

Wow, Vinnie's moving, the office is being sold. "What are you going to do? I mean, I thought you were like his partner or something."

"I have an interest in the business. Vinnie gave that to me instead of a raise a couple of years ago. He can't sell without my approval, but I get that he wants to leave Trenton. I can't force him to stay. I don't have that much clout."

Connie was being modest. She had a lot of clout in Trenton, just not with the normal society type folks. She was well connected with the mob, though.

"And where the hell does this leave me? I ain't going back to the streets. I had me a budding career in bond enforcement. I guess I just have to try the competition," Lula rambled.

I spoke without thinking, "I wish we could get the money together to take the place over."

Lula's eyes widened. "That's the ticket. We'll do that. How much money to do you think we'd have to come up with Connie?"

"More than we have," she snorted. "The weasel may be scum, but he made a lot of money over the years in this business."

I considered our options. I know I had some money set aside, but it wasn't nearly enough.

Lula brightened, "Steph here could ask Ranger to kick in. He could make up the difference."

I jumped up from the sofa. "Oh no I won't. I'm not taking Ranger's money. He bleeds money protecting me from psychos as it is. I can't ask him about this."

"Ask what, Babe?" Ranger asked as he exited the office.

"Nothing."

He wasn't buying the answer, but didn't push. "Need more time.?I can pick you back up in an hour, as long as you stay in the office."

I agreed to stay and also to stay away from the windows as much as possible. It would give us girls more time to figure out what to do about Vinnie's departure.

"I've been giving it a lot of thought, Steph. Lula's right about us buying out Vinnie. It would be a great idea, but we don't necessarily have enough money to make it happen. Do you think we could get a loan?"

"You mean a legitimate loan or a family loan?"

Connie snorted. "I could get the family to loan us money, sure, but we'd never afford the rates. Even the family discount puts the rates beyond our reach. We'd have to do this legit."

"Yeah, that's what I figured. How much would it take to buy the business, Connie?"

"I think we could get Vinnie to accept 500,000."

I swallowed hard. "That much?"

"Yeah, he's actually done pretty well. I keep his books, you know. He'd probably want more than that if it were anyone else. He leases this space, so that's not a problem either."

I thought about it. I didn't know how to run a business, but Ranger and Connie do. The thought of not having the Bonds office to turn to was pretty depressing. I didn't always like my BEA job, but it was a source of pride that I always got my man. If Vinnie closed down shop, what would Lula and I do.

"Maybe Lula could get a job at Rangeman," I suggested.

"Yeah, but what about me? It's not like Ranger needs someone like me on the payroll," Connie complained.

"Man, I hate to see this team split up," Lula cried. She was in the corner pacing and wringing her hands. "It's not fair, you know. We just all found each other. Steph got her man. I got my man. Connie's got a couple of men. Having this job was making my life complete, you know."

I sighed. I did know. I could work at Rangeman as much as I wanted now that I was the boss's main squeeze, but I liked the independence of being able to say that I worked for Vinnie.

"We'll think of something, ladies," I offered, but the rest of my hour was spent in meaningless conversation.

Ranger picked me up exactly as promised. He led me to the car and didn't say anything until we were on the road.

"Want to tell me what's wrong?" he asked, looking at me sideways.

"Vinnie's selling out," I began. "Connie and Lula don't know what this means for them."

He didn't say anything at first, then "What do you want to do?"

"What do you mean, 'What do I want to do?' Who says I can do anything?" Okay, so I was in a bad mood.

"Babe, I know it bothers you that your gang may break up. I also know that you three thought about buying Vinnie out."

My eyes narrowed on his face. "I destroyed Vinnie's bug," he explained, "but not before hearing the suggestion that you ask me for the money. Why were you so adamant that you won't take the money from me?"

"Because, that would be one more thing that I wouldn't be bringing to this relationship, Ric."

He smiled at the use of 'Ric'. He always liked it when I used that endearment. Most of his family alternated between Carlos and Ric. I settled on Ric. He introduced me to the name and it stuck.

"Have I ever complained?"

"You wouldn't."

We didn't talk again until we got home. He pulled me into the library and pulled a packet of papers would of his jacket pocket.

"Babe, you don't have to worry about what happens to Connie or Lula, because I am buying Vinnie's business. Vinnie will clear it with Connie, but I think she'll agree."

"Why are you buying it? You certainly don't need the headache of running that business."

"I'm not going to run it, Babe. You are."

I was speechless. "What are you talking about?"

"You and Connie are going to run the business as a subsidiary of Rangeman. It's a complementary business, so it makes sense to invest."

"How long have you known about this?" I eyed him suspiciously.

"Vinnie approached me a couple of weeks ago. I just gave him his copy of the documents today. This copy is yours."

"Mine?"

"Yeah, Babe. The business will now be Stephanie Plum Bail Bonds."

I took the papers without taking my eyes off his. I had no idea what to say.