Stephanie
"Did you file them?" I asked Paul when he returned to Rangeman. He stopped by my office to talk. Isabelle was baking a chocolate cake with Ella in her apartment. Carlos was out of the building on a job while I had to finish some research.
"Yes. I don't know why you wanted to do this for Valerie after everything she had done to you." Paul shook his head. I begged him to help Valerie. He reluctantly helped.
"It's not for Valerie. I'm doing it for Isabelle. I don't want her sisters to suffer. How much do I owe you?" I wanted to keep our transaction off the Rangeman records.
"Nothing. It's my gift to you." Paul had more work to do. He had an air of confusion or insecurity, as though something wasn't sitting right with him. Paul didn't know how to express his concerns to me.
"Everything will work out. Morelli will sign the papers. They may have pulled the wool over my eyes, but Angie and Mary Alice don't deserve to pay for their father's crimes. Valerie is still a victim. Paul, please sit," I requested. "What's bothering you?"
Paul reluctantly sat on the chair closest to me. "Joe has nothing left to lose. Men like him lash out and destroy everything in their path to regain some semblance of control," Paul replied. Was he concerned about my sister?
"No. I don't care about that spineless cunt. Valerie never asked where I worked. The woman just signed her name by rote. I could have put anything in the paperwork, and she would have given it to me. I'm worried about the repercussions for the girls. Trenton isn't safe for them," Paul replied, answering the question I thought was inside my head. "What if Morelli tries to hurt the children? What about Isabelle?" Ah. Finally, we're getting somewhere.
"You're wrong. When Morelli's charges get him incarcerated, everyone will see him for the man he is. Though, I suspect they already know after the trial today. Valerie should be made aware of how her actions could impact her children. She may have been a horrible sister, but from what I've witnessed, she loves Angie and Mary Alice. You know Isabelle is safe here. How long will it take for the motion to pass?"
"Given the circumstances, not long after Morelli signs the decree. Which should be happening any minute," Paul replied. "I should tell Valerie."
I moved my chair until I could touch his hand. "Paul, wait until the divorce is finalized before announcing where you work. I doubt Valerie would be receptive to the news," I warned. "Informing her now would undo everything I hoped to achieve."
"Which was?" Paul asked. His circular hand motion prompted my response.
"Money for Valerie to raise her girls. I don't have an ulterior motive. There's no payday I'm hoping to receive or punishment I'm waiting to dispense. Morelli doesn't have many investments or other assets. I supposed Valerie could sell the house, the new Cherokee SUV and the Ducati, but that money won't last long."
"Neither will the pitiful bank balance," Paul added. "She'll run out of money within a few months."
"Don't be surprised if Angie, Joe's mom, sues Valerie for custody and demands the house."
Paul thanked me for explaining my motives. He promised to ensure Valerie retained custody of the children and kept the house. All I wanted was to protect the innocent. It was something I wished someone in the Burg had done for me. I dismissed Paul, then returned to my desk to look deeper into Morelli's life as a cop. Everything I read made him appear to be a law-abiding detective until Rangeman opened a branch in Trenton. Why was Morelli trying to undermine Rangeman?
"I rejected his application," Carlos said from the doorway. "He lied about why he got discharged from the Navy. He was breaking the law and didn't want us to catch him in the act."
"It's because I broke his leg," I said, providing the excuse I had heard from Helen.
"No, babe. Morelli got dishonourably discharged a month earlier." Ranger's mouth twitched as I attempted to raise one eyebrow. "Breaking his leg wouldn't get him discharged. Morelli used it as an excuse."
Carlos closed, then locked the door. He lifted me from the chair and sat down, pulling me onto his lap. I watched him open the secured folder containing the rejected resumes and applications. Morelli claimed to be a Lieutenant Junior Grade but he never made it past the Seaman apprenticeship. He was one step above the Seaman Recruit.
"Okay, he lied about his service record." I didn't see why it affected a potential job at Rangeman. Carlos tapped on the screen. Woah. I never saw that coming. "Did you find out why?"
"Never asked. Morelli got dishonourably discharged a few weeks later," Carlos replied.
"I bet he played the victim?" I noticed the intel came from various men in the Navy. Carlos navigated to the site where I could compare the reports to the files on record. Someone offered Morelli the option of facing an inquiry or a dishonourable discharge. Carlos and I knew he selected option number two. It was the only way Morelli could join law enforcement. Personally, I think they should have charged Morelli with the crime. His actions should not have gone unpunished. The Trenton Police department never would have hired Morelli had they known.
Someone knocked on the door. "Yes. Enter," Ranger ordered.
"Oh. I wasn't expecting to see you here," a man replied. "I need to talk to Steph."
"Was there something wrong with the assignment?" I asked.
"No, Steph. She played into my hands as you assured me she would. Didn't blink before signing the papers," he replied. Carlos raised an eyebrow.
"I got Bones to approach Helen. He took a prepared will for her to sign. When she dies, Valerie inherits everything excluding half of Frank's military pension. That money goes to me since Valerie isn't Frank's daughter. Frank removed Valerie as a beneficiary. I also got her to sign an affidavit that she requested the life insurance policy, but someone was paying the premiums on her behalf," I explained.
"Did she read them?" Carlos asked.
"No," Bones replied. "I attempted to explain what she was signing, but she dismissed me. Marco has the documents."
"Thanks, Bones. I appreciate you dressing in a suit to handle my business." It wasn't like I could approach Helen to convince her to sign away her life.
Bones turned to leave the room. "No problem, Steph. Oh. Izzy said to add her name to the book. Cause of death is a heart attack for two hundred dollars," he said. We had car accident, choking, shot, strangled, stabbed, poisoned, car bomb, head trauma from a fall and now we have a heart attack.
"Does she have the cash if she loses?" I asked.
"Nope, but I'm sure her uncles would pitch in to pay her debt, or you could give her an advance on her allowance." Bones left before I could think of a response.
"How did Isa know about the pool?" I wondered.
"Babe, the men talk. Put the odds at twenty to one. Nobody guessed a heart attack."
"Thank goodness the life insurance policy covers accidental death, natural causes and medical issues," I mumbled. "Do you think five million was enough?"
"Not for my lifestyle. I'm sure Valerie could make it work for the girls." Carlos kissed the back of my neck.
Frank
Carlos Manoso surprised me by calling. I anticipated he would send a message using an encrypted email. He assured me it wasn't entirely a confidential conversation, yet he called me from his secured phone. "Plum," I answered.
"Any news to share?" Manoso asked. He wanted to know if my contact in Mexico confirmed where I heard Pacini go.
"Yes, I purchased a new Dodge," I cryptically replied. Manoso was intelligent and would pick up on the clue. "The salesman said the paint resists rock salt. I would still need to wash off the sand."
"I'll ask my supplier for the specs," Manoso replied. "The lost cat came home." I smiled, knowing Isabelle and Stephanie were reunited.
"Any damage to the furniture?" I jokingly asked, barely containing a chuckle.
Manoso laughed before replying, "No. The snakes are caged and venomous." Well, that was a dangerous combination. Helen ranted when Juniak delivered divorce papers on my behalf. She reluctantly signed them.
"Do you have the anecdote?"
"Yes. I have the snake charmer too. They danced to the song."
I opened the program on my computer to check the decrees filed. My divorce petition was on the docket for a judge to review in two days. I emailed my lawyer to attend on my behalf. He would reply with the decision. "The viper's offspring?" I asked.
Manoso paused for a few minutes, then replied, "Unceremoniously shoved into a burlap sack." I couldn't stop the bark of laughter. The mighty had fallen.
"Can we meet tomorrow?" I asked. I wanted a team to accompany me to Mexico.
"Yes. 0900 at the house," Ranger replied, then hung up. I gathered the intel from my computer and printed the pages. It was time to leave.
I arrived in Trenton several hours later. A black Mercedes SUV waited in the loading zone. "Sir, please get in," the man ordered. I climbed into the back seat. "I'm driving you to a safe house."
"Where is the safe house?" I asked when he pulled away from the loading zone.
"Trenton," the man replied. He drove to an office building a few blocks away from Rangeman. "Ella stocked the fridge and cupboards. Vince will pick you up in the morning."
"Thank you…" I waited for the man to offer his name.
"Rodriguez. Jose Rodriguez," he replied and pointed his thumb toward the man beside him. "His name is Hector." It didn't go without notice that Rodriguez never gave Hector's last name.
I nodded, then exited the SUV, grabbing my duffle from the seat beside me. Rodriguez waved out the window and drove away. I wasn't sure how to enter the house. They never gave me a key or access codes. My phone rang as I approached the door. I answered without a greeting, having recognized the number.
"It's mom's birthday for both," Isabelle said before hanging up. I smiled and entered the digits beginning with the year. Smiling, I opened the door and entered the identical numbers into the alarm pad.
A pleasant aroma came from the kitchen. I dropped my duffle beside the bedroom door and followed the scent. On the table was a casserole dish of lasagna, surrounded by flameless heat packs. My stomach grumbled, demanding I consume the tantalizing dish.
Mr. Plum,
Please be careful. The dish is hot. I took it out of the oven at 10 pm. I hope the heat packs kept it warm. There's plastic wrap in the drawer to the left of the sink. The plastic containers are in the cupboard beneath the microwave. Call Rangeman if you need anything.
Ella
Ella had set a place at the table for me to eat. It was kind of the woman to take care of me. I cut a piece of lasagna from the dish and placed it on the plate. After sitting in the chair, I took a bite of the food. It was the best lasagna I had ever eaten. I was sure it was a healthier version, but it was delicious. My stomach was full after I ate three pieces. It was too good to waste. I couldn't wait to reheat the food for lunch.
After packing the remaining food into plastic containers, I put them in the refrigerator and loaded the dishwasher. I set it to start the heavy cycle.
It was getting late, and I was tired from travelling. I grabbed my duffle, then entered the washroom to shower. Would Stephanie come to the meeting? I wanted to talk to my daughter. I had seen the magazine ads and thought she was a true beauty. She made me proud.
The water didn't take long to get to the ideal temperature. I stripped, then stepped into the hot water. It sprayed on my head and trailed down my back, relaxing my tense muscles. My phone chimed on the counter. I ignored it to finish my shower. The towels on the shelf were fluffy and soft. They resembled the towels in a hotel, but they weren't abrasive against my skin. Manoso would take my man card if he heard my internal monologue regarding the towels.
I dressed in track pants and a tank. My muscles rippled as I applied my deodorant. After brushing my teeth, I unlocked my phone to read the message. "Are you settling in?" Isabelle asked.
"Yes," I replied.
"Okay. Goodnight," she said.
"Night." I was expecting visitors. It wasn't like Manoso to arrange a safe house for someone and not check-in.
"He's not coming tonight," Isabelle added, answering the question I never asked.
"Oh?"
"You're a guest. Not a charge," Isabelle explained.
"It's a school night," I reminded her.
"Just finished my homework. Goodnight," she said. I smiled but didn't reply. My granddaughter needed her rest. I lie on the bed after setting the alarm for 0600 hours.
I woke up a few minutes before my alarm sounded. After completing a simple exercise routine, I showered and dressed in dark clothes. I found bagels and cream cheese for breakfast. When I finished eating, I washed the dishes, then went to brush my teeth.
Vince arrived at 0830 to drive us to my childhood home. We parked in the garage at 0855, giving me five minutes to spare. The door opened as Vince and I approached. "Welcome, sir," Manoso said. He stepped aside to let me inside.
"Hi, daddy," the sweetest voice said.
"Pumpkin?" I asked. I wanted to embrace my daughter, but I thought she'd object.
Stephanie squared her shoulders and approached me. Her arms wrapped around my waist as she buried her face into my chest. "I forgive you," she whispered.