Tank had left the hospital as soon as Bobby had arrived. He was headed back to the building on Haywood, he wanted to get Lula and get out of town like he had promised. None of this should be happening. Morelli is going to freak at having Bella around him and posing as his wife. At least they'll be out of the country when this happens, hopefully we can keep this quiet and no one in the Burg will find out about it. Tank pulled into the underground lot and jumped out of the vehicle he was in and rode the elevator to the fourth floor, when the doors opened he heard the argument.
"How many times do I have to tell you? Carlos is like a brother to me as well as the rest of the guys that work for him. I don't have any intentions toward any of the men here." Bella said in an exasperated voice.
"Umph! You say that now. Still don't mean you won't try something when we have our back turned." Lula said.
Bella looked at Tank as he was walking up, "Please tell her I would never do anything like that."
"Lula, Bella is telling you the truth." Tank walked up behind Lula and pulled her into his arms. "Bella already has an assignment and things will work out fine. She's going to work here for a short while until she figures out what she wants."
"I tried telling her that." Bella said. "She just wouldn't take my word for it. She thinks I'm going to dig my hands into Ranger the first chance I get or one of his men."
Tank laughed. "Lula, you have a lot to learn about Bella. She wouldn't do anything of the sort."
"I know a few people who have gotten married to their god-sisters. I just think it wouldn't be a good idea with her staying here is all." Lula said.
Tank turned Lula around in his arms so she was facing him and he tilted her head back. "Since when are you insecure with anyone?"
Lula pulled out of Tank's arms and put her hands on her hips. "You calling me insecure of some skinny ass little Italian woman? Hell, I ain't got no problem with it. I'm just looking out for Stephanie. Stephanie is the one who needs to be secure in things."
Tank flashed Lula a smile, "And here I thought I was going to have to take you, Miss Randall into my room and show you just how much I could make you feel secure that no one would be able to come in between you and me. Guess I was wrong."
Lula let her hands fall from her hips. "I guess I could be a little insecure."
Tank raised his eyebrows. "Is that so," he asked as he stretched his hand out to her, "In that case Miss Randall, would you accompany me into my abode and I'll see if I can rectify any insecurity you may have."
Lula took his hand and Tank saw the sheepish smile she sent towards Bella. Bella was grinning from ear to ear, "Please let me get out of your way."
POV Change
The intercom crackled and then the message came through the speakers: Detective Morelli, you have visitors at the front door.
Joe put his hand on the back of Alex's neck and squeezed lightly; she turned and walked with him. "I want you to stay with Lester around the corner from the glass doors until I know who it is. Understood?"
"Yes." Alex groaned out. "Are you going to start telling me what I can do and what I can't do and when I can do anything?"
Joe stopped before the glass doors and released her neck and turned to look at her. "Do you have a problem with this? Because, I won't go to China if you can't learn to do what I tell you. I only have your best interests at heart here. I don't want anything happening to you."
"You're not giving me any options here, it's not like I'm five. I've been taking care of myself for awhile now, it's not like I don't know how. If you don't want to go with me then fine, I'll ask someone else." Joe saw Alex turn to look at Lester.
Lester backed up, "I'm staying out of this. This is between you and Joe." Lester leaned up against the wall.
Joe reached up and took Alex's chin in his hand and turned her to face him. He wanted to see those blue eyes of hers. "You've been taking care of yourself real well, so well in fact that my boss just got you off the hook to keep you out of jail. You also have Shiropolli who wants to make sure you can't talk to anyone, and you have a nut that is leaving pictures of you all over the place. You've done a great job at taking care of yourself. So good in fact that if someone doesn't step in you'll be dead in a day or two."
He watched a small flash of anger as it washed over her and then fade back just under the surface, he saw her swallow and then look down.
"I'm right and you know it. So if you want to go to China, I suggest you swallow a little bit of that pride and that attitude you've got from growing up on the streets and let me help you through this so I can get to know the real you and not some little street shithead that may have a chip on her shoulder because she thinks she is a grownup and can't learn anything from anyone else."
Alex looked back up; he couldn't see any anger in her eyes anymore or anything else for that matter. Her face was totally blank. "Very well then, we'll see if your way works."
Joe narrowed his eyes and released her chin. "This isn't a game; don't think you can play me. I've been around the block a few more times than you have little lady." He backed up towards the glass door and slid his key card through access panel.
POV Change
Alex waited until Joe was through the doors and watched as he walked around the corner. She looked over at Lester who had his hands in his pants pockets and his foot placed on the wall. "Shit." Alex started walking down the hall back the way they had came.
"Alex, come here." Lester said.
She whipped her head back around, "You want to start telling me what I can and can't do now too?"
"No," Lester pushed off the wall. "But he has a point Alex. You can't do this all on your own."
"I know that damn it. I don't need it dragged up and dangled in front of me like I'm some dumb jackass that needs a carrot dawdled in front of its face to keep it moving." Alex turned back around and started walking away again and then turned back to look at Lester who was now a few paces behind her. "And since when do you think I want to hear anything from you. A few minutes ago would have been fine, but you have to choose now to give me advice when I don't fucking want it."
She heard Lester groan as he threw his hands up in the air. "I'll shut up now. No more advise Alex unless you want to hear it."
"I don't. I don't need it." Alex spat at him.
The glass door buzzed open and Alex saw Lester spin around as he shoved his hands further in his pockets. Joe walked through the door with two men.
"You two ready?" Joe asked.
She saw Lester nod to the two men and walk past them out the door. Alex walked slowly back over to where Joe was standing, he looked at Lester and then back to her. "Having problems?"
She saw a slight grin playing at the corner of Joe's mouth. "Nope, everything is just peachy."
POV Change
Ranger let Stephanie lead him down the Barbie aisle; he closed one eye and tried to hold back the grimace that wanted to cross his face. This was one toy aisle he really would have rather avoided, but when he saw Stephanie turn to look back at him he made his face as placid and unreadable as ever.
"While we are here, what does Julie like?" Stephanie asked.
Ranger looked over the shelves, "she likes the collector edition dolls. I don't see any here though."
Stephanie let his hand go. He looked back at her and saw a slight pout cross her lips. "Doesn't anything bother you at all?"
"Lots of things bother me, Babe." He slung his arm over her shoulders, "For instance. I don't like seeing that pout on your lips." He bent down and kissed her. "If you want me to tell you I don't like Barbie, I really don't Babe. GI Joe is more my style."
Ranger started walking; taking Stephanie along with him. "I thought you really wanted to find out what was in those slam books. I didn't think you wanted to toy with me."
"I couldn't pass it up, it's not like I know a whole lot about you." Stephanie said.
"You know more than most, don't discredit what you do know."
Ranger took them down a few more aisles and then they turned down the toy aisle that had martial art toys for kids as well as a few other things. Ranger reached out and grabbed the padded num-chucks and let Stephanie go. He turned around and started swinging them around in the air. "These are fun, want to try?"
Stephanie reached over and pulled out one of the toy rifles. She pulled down the cocking mechanism and then put the butt of the gun to her shoulder. "No, I think this will beat the num-chucks." Then she shot it, the echo from the gun rang out into the aisle. Ranger clutched at his chest and gave a twirl as he fell to the floor.
Stephanie lowered the rifle and walked over to him. She put the barrel of the rifle on one arm and gave a slight push. Ranger didn't move. "Ranger."
He moved his head and looked up at her, "Shh, I'm dead." He moved his head back to where it was laying on the floor.
Ranger heard the rackety wheel of the shopping cart as it was getting closer to the aisle they were on. He felt Stephanie push the barrel of the toy gun back into his arm.
"You're not dead," Stephanie said through the laughter that escaped while she spoke.
The rackety wheel turned down the aisle that Ranger and Stephanie were on.
"Stephanie Plum! What do you think you are doing?" Asked Mrs. Steeger, her third grade teacher.