Warning Death and angst.

Life for One

Chapter 7

Stephanie's Life

I smiled as I walked in the bedroom and saw Luke looking at me between the wooden slats of his crib. He smiled, and my heart melted. He held up his tiny arms toward me as I approached him.

"Mama."

"Hey little buddy, you slept all night again, Mama is so proud of you."

I reached inside the crib and picked him up. This was my favorite time of the day. I loved seeing his face the first thing in the morning. He wrapped his little chubby arms around my neck and squeezed. I sighed as I hugged him back. No one would have ever convinced me that a child could bring me this much joy. Now I couldn't imagine my life without him. I heard him grunt and I saw him stretch his hand toward the door and open and close his fingers. I turned and saw Joe standing in the doorway. He had a soft smile on his face.

"Hey little man you want to give Daddy a hug?"

I carried him over to Joe and he took him out of my arms.

Luke hugged him around the neck and Joe closed his eyes. I felt a lump form in my throat. Joe was going undercover on a big case and he didn't know how long he might be away. He opened his eyes and looked at me. He held out his other arm and pulled me against his chest. I inhaled his familiar scent and wrapped my arms around him. I pulled away and looked up at him. Luke patted me on the side of the face as Joe leaned down and kissed me. I felt all the love and emotion I had ever felt for my family in that kiss.

Joe pulled away and looked at me. "I love you Cupcake."

"And I love you."

Why was my spidey sense telling me that I might never know this sweet feeling again?

Joe and I had built our relationship into something most people never have, he was my rock, and he was leaving.

Three months later

I walked in the bond's office and saw Connie on the phone. Lula was nowhere to be seen. After Luke was born, I had continued to work for Rangeman. Ram had set up my computer at home with all the programs I needed to do research. It was more convenient for me to care for Luke and work from home. Vinnie said my job was still open and I missed bounty hunting, but I enjoyed working from home and not depending on someone for childcare.

Connie hung up the phone and looked at me I could tell something was wrong.

"What?"

"There's been a shooting. Tank, Lester and Bobby were alerted to a security breech at one of their accounts. When they arrived, they were ambushed and Tank and Bobby were shot. Tank is in surgery and Bobby is okay but in the hospital. Lester just called, he said Lula is at the hospital and she is hysterical.

"Is Tank that seriously injured?"

"Doesn't look good."

"No."

I felt tears clog my throat as I grabbed my bag and ran out the door. I heard Connie yell at me.

"Dammit I'm going with you!"

I never looked back; I reached my car and slipped inside. I saw Connie slip in the passenger seat beside me. I put the car in gear and squealed the tires as I rocketed away from the curb.

I closed my eyes and leaned my head against the wall behind me. The waiting was over. Tank had made it out of surgery; he had a bullet removed from his neck and one from his thigh. The one in his neck had caused the most damage. The surgeon said the next 24 hours were critical. Due to blood loss and clots, he may have suffered a stroke. It was still too early to tell. He could have visitors every two hours for fifteen minutes at a time. Lula was with him, she was beside herself with worry. Connie had left when Tank came out of surgery.

The waiting area was filled with off duty Rangeman employees. Their faces were blank but the worry in the room was palpable. I felt someone touch my arm and I opened my eyes. I saw Ranger standing over me. It had been well over a year since I saw him. He was still devastatingly handsome, but the fine lines around his eyes were more defined. I felt the familiar tingle when I looked at him.

"Ranger."

"Babe, how are you?"

"I'm good, how are you?"

"I've been better."

I sat up and took his hand as he sat down beside me. He rested his head against the wall as I had earlier.

"Business must be prosperous in Boston."

"It's too good as a matter of fact."

Business was the same way in Trenton. Lula often complained that Tank had no free time. I was happy for their success, but the last time I saw Tank he showed the same fine lines around his eyes. What was more important a successful business or enjoying life? I knew the answer Ranger would give, but I was not so sure Tank shared the same ideal.

"All work and no play makes for a very unsatisfying life." I quipped.

He gave me the half Ranger smile.

"Life is good for me Steph, how are Luke and Joe?"

"Luke is perfect. Joe has been undercover for the last three months. I haven't heard from him in over three weeks."

"What is he working on?"

I rolled my eyes. "You think he would tell me?"

"I'm sure he tells you what he can."

"He tells me nothing. When he calls I know he's alive but that's all I get."

"He's protecting you and Luke, it's for your best interest Babe."

I sighed. "I know, but sometimes I wish he would trust me more."

Ranger squeezed my fingers. "He trusts you, he just needs to do his job, and not involve you."

I was surprised to see Mia walk into the waiting room. She looked different, even more beautiful than before. Her hair was shoulder length and she was dressed in a pair of faded jeans and a black form-fitting sweater. She glanced at Ranger's fingers laced through mine and looked at me. She smiled as she approached us.

"Hi Stephanie, I didn't expect to see you here."

"Hi Mia, I 'm waiting for Lula."

She nodded and looked at Ranger.

"You need anything?"

"No take a seat, and wait with us." She slid into the chair beside of him. He dropped my fingers and rested his arm on the back of Mia's chair.

An alarm went off in my mind. Call it women's intuition but I knew that they were a couple. Ranger's body language changed the minute she sat down. I felt my stomach tense, and then I berated myself for the feeling. I am a happily married woman, I should be happy that Ranger moved on with his life. It was wrong to expect our relationship to remain what it once was. It wasn't as if I didn't see the writing on the wall. Mia and Ranger were made for each other.

So why did it hurt so bad to remember that everyone used to say the same thing about us?

Mia's voice jerked me back into reality.

"Stephanie how is Luke?"

I smiled. "He's growing like a weed. He can walk now, and he's into everything."

Ranger smiled. "I bet he keeps you busy."

"Definitely."

I watched Mia lean into Ranger and he slowly removed his arm from her chair. His eyes met mine and I couldn't read anything but his typical blank expression. Some things never change. I saw Lula enter the waiting room in my peripheral vision and I practically leaped out of my chair to get to her and away from Mia and Ranger.

The look on her face said it all. She was scared to death.

"How is he?"

"He's stable; they are keeping him medicated so his body can rest. The brain scan looks normal, so hopefully he'll be all right."

"Come and sit down with me, you need to rest and eat something."

She gave me a wan smile. "I couldn't eat if I tried."

Lula could eat anytime, anywhere, and practically anything, that was a stark indication of the depth of her concern.

Ranger stepped over to us and placed a hand on Lula's neck as she leaned into his chest. He held onto her rubbing her back and whispering in her ear.

I felt my heart twist inside my chest as the memories of how it felt for his arms to wrap around me flooded my mind. I had made a decision to make a life with Joe, not just for Luke, but for me as well. Joe and I had managed to work things out, and we were happy.

I made the decision to marry Joe because I knew I was a package deal now, a package that Ranger would never want. Even though he grew close to Luke in the first few weeks of his life, Ranger would never be a family man. I made the best choice I could for Luke, and me but just twenty minutes in the same room with Ranger had made me doubt the biggest decision I had ever made.

I pulled the vibrating cell phone off my belt.

"Yo."

"Manoso, it's Morelli I need to set up a meeting with you, it's important."

I looked across the waiting room at Stephanie huddled next to Lula. She gave me a questioning look, but I gave her no indication of the identity of the caller.

"Time and place."

"The docks at the warehouse district. I'll be aboard a boat called the Lucky Tide."

"Time."

"When can you be in Trenton?"

"I'm in town now."

"Be here in 45 minutes."

I heard a click and a dial tone.

I walked over to Santos and Mia who were standing in a huddle near the vending machines.

I looked at Santos.

"I have to leave for a while, keep me posted."

He nodded.

I turned to Mia.

"Have one of the guys take you back to Rangeman."

She stepped toward me and whispered.

"You want me to stay on four?"

Mia and I had been seeing one another for the past month. I had decided it was time to get on with my life. That was before I walked in the waiting room fifteen minutes ago.

I took one look at Stephanie and realized I was fucked for life. I was a fool; she was a happily married woman with a son. I had no place in her life.

"You can stay on seven; I don't know when I'll be in."

I gave her a look that told her not to push me and I walked away.

I approached Stephanie and Lula.

"You need anything just ask one of the guys. I have to leave for a while."

"I'll be here; Luke is spending the night with my parents." Stephanie said.

I looked into her eyes and realized this was a different Stephanie than the one I left behind. This Stephanie had pulled her life together. She had responsibilities and they made her change. I hadn't been around for the transformation, just another thing to chalk up in the regrets column.

I stepped aboard the Lucky Tide and slipped inside the cabin. The lights were off, and I heard nothing but silence. I had my gun drawn when a small light came on to the right of me. Morelli was sitting in the floor leaning against the wall. There was sweat beaded on his forehead and he looked like a dying man.

"I've seen you look better."

"No shit." He winced.

"You get hit?"

"Yeah."

"You want to tell me what this is about?"

"Remember how the burglaries mysteriously stopped last year?"

"The ones you were investigating when I left Trenton?"

"I've been trying to infiltrate this underground organization, called the War Criminals. I worked my way inside, helped on a couple of minor scams. Was working on getting my foot in the door on a big job. I was never sure of the identity of the head boss. He lives on an island near Nova Scotia. The island is like a fortress. He has a landing strip and several large yachts. I was on the island once about two weeks ago. I learned that the boss is none other than Stephan Brewer."

"Never heard of him."

"He's Eddie Abruzzi's step son."

Somehow I knew that name would come back to play in my life at some point.

"What's the big job he is planning?"

"Lifting war memorabilia totaling a billion dollars."

"From where?"

"Sotheby's auction house."

"New York?"

"Yes."

"I have no connection to Sotheby's security so why contact me?"

"Because you're a target."

"Because of his step-dad?"

"Yes, your men will be targeted first; he plans to pick them off one by one. I think he will try to harm Stephanie or Luke before he attempts a hit on you."

"I'll put someone on them 24/7. Do you think for Luke's sake she will agree to a safe house?"

"She will if she thinks Luke is in danger."

"How did you get hit?"

"I tried to break in the control room on the island. I wanted to hack in Brewer's log. He keeps every move he makes in a file. I was hit but managed to get away. I was in disguise it's unlikely they know it was me. I was presumed to have left the island two days before."

"If he has someone watching Stephanie, he knows you're on assignment. He could be on to you. If your cover is blown your life is not worth shit right now."

"I have taken steps to make him believe I still am working homicide. I've been around and visual."

"Does Brewer have any connections to Racine Industries?"

"I have no idea why?"

"There was a reported security breech today, when Tank and a couple of my men showed up they were ambushed."

"Any hit?"

"Yes."

"Serious?"

"Tanks in ICU, he survived but barely."

"Fuck."

"You don't look much better, you need treatment."

"I have to lose this boat and then I'm planning on spending a couple of days in a safe house."

"What if they know your identity how are you planning on getting back inside?"

"A plan is in place."

I could see the determined look in his eye, I knew where he was. I'd lived on that same determination before; it's the only thing that keeps you alive.

"Stephanie is worried about you."

"She doesn't need to know anything at this point. But I need you to look after her and Luke. If she needs anything, I trust you to take care of it."

"Understood. Where can I reach you if I dig up anything in the next couple of days?"

He struggled to his feet.

"I'll be in touch."

I nodded as he walked over to the controls and started the engine.

I slipped out the door and onto the dock. I heard him pull away from the jetty. I had parked about a block from the docks and walked. I pulled my cell off my belt and speed dialed Ram to start some research on Brewer. Before I could connect with Ram, I heard a large explosion and I was catapulted into the air. I landed several feet away face down on the dock. I jumped to my feet and looked out over the water.

The Lucky Tide was nothing more than a mass of flaming debris on the surface of the river.