Disclaimer: See ch. 1
Spoilers: Through 14
A/N: Thanks so much for enthusiastic replies to the last chapter. I'm actually really surprised that you all weren't reaming me out for Ranger leaving! Haha, here's the next chapter, as promised!
I was sitting on my couch with Lester, my Merry Man del día – he'd taught me that – when my cell phone rang.
"I don't know what you said to him, girl, but Tankie and me set a date. April 19th. Ain't that sweet? A nice spring wedding. Thanks a bunch, white girl."
"You're welcome, Lula." If only my own love life would fall into place so tidily.
"What's up with you?" Lester asked as I fell back into place beside him on the couch.
"Nothing," I lied.
"You've been moping around ever since Ranger left. You miss him?"
I glanced up at him. If I squinted real hard and tilted my head, he almost looked exactly like Ranger. Maybe I could…
"Beautiful? You're staring at me like I'm one of those 3,000 piece puzzles that no one can ever figure out."
I sighed. "I'm fine, Les."
"You're not. Now tell Uncle Les what's wrong."
I cocked an eyebrow at him. Okay, so I cocked two eyebrows at him, but he got the picture.
"Right. Little creepy. How about Doctor Les? Doctor's are kinda hot, right?
I rolled my eyes.
"Okay, sorry. But seriously, Steph, what's up?"
I gave a deep sigh. Lester was probably the best person to talk to about this. He knew Ranger pretty well, he was a fairly sensitive guy, and he wouldn't repeat every word I said for the 'Burg gossipmongers. That didn't mean I was going to tell him.
"I miss Ranger." It was the truth, I hedged, just not the whole truth.
Lester watched me through intelligent brown eyes.
"He'll be back soon," he told me after a moment.
"I know."
"He called in to the office earlier today and talked to Tank. So at least you know he's okay."
I nodded.
"That's not it, is it?"
Damnit, Lester, why can't you be oblivious to my moods like most of the other Merry Men?
"You don't have to tell me, Steph. Just…I'm here, if you want to talk."
I nodded again, trying to blink back tears. Who knew a Rangeman could be so sweet?
We settled back down to watch 'Meet the Parents', but my head just wasn't in it. Was I being stupid? I mean, why would Ranger have stayed with me the night before he'd left if he was seeing someone else? Because he feels responsible for your well-being, I told myself. I was so confused that I couldn't even figure out which voice was Smart Stephanie and which was Stupid Stephanie.
Well, why would he have said he'd try to call? One of the Stephanie's asked. Surely you didn't make time during an important trip – or whatever it was – to call someone you didn't care for. Well, he hasn't called yet, has he? And it's been two days.
"You're thinking so loud I can't hear the movie," Les said.
I groaned as I turned my head to look at him. Just ask him, Steph. Just do it.
"Is Ranger seeing someone?" I blurted out, then slapped a hand over my mouth in horror.
Lester's hand froze halfway to his mouth and the popcorn he'd been about to eat fell into his lap.
"I thought he was seeing you," he finally said.
I shook my head.
"Steph, I…I mean we all just assumed when you broke up with the cop…"
I shook my head again.
Lester reached over and pulled my hand away from my mouth.
"What is this all about?"
I let out a short laugh. I wasn't about to tell Lester that I loved Ranger before I told Ranger himself.
"I…I can't tell you," I said.
Lester took the popcorn bowl from me and set it on the coffee table.
"Listen, Steph, I don't know who Ranger's seeing, if he's seeing anyone." He laughed softly to himself. "Hell, I think he'd be an imbecile to ignore what's right in front of him. Because anyone with eyes can see that he loves you." Lester's eyes were soft and warm as he regarded me. "And I'm pretty sure you love him, too."
I sucked in a deep breath and turned away from him.
"I think I'm gonna go to bed now, Les."
I stood up and walked towards my bedroom. "Lock up when you leave."
I went into my room and shut the door. I heard the TV shut off. Two minutes later I heard the door open and close, then all was silent.
The next day was another blur of activity. Lula was her usual Chatty-Cathy self. In fact, her I'm-disgustingly-in-love smile was enough to make me nauseous.
I stopped by Rangeman in the afternoon to see if they had any new intel on Edwin Mortars. They didn't. Apparently he was almost as good at being in the wind as Ranger.
The margarita, the lab assured us, had been just that. No poison, no drugs, just tequila, lime juice, and Triple Sec.
"We'll get him, Steph," Tank assured me. "Why don't you go home and get some sleep. You're looking a little tired."
That was putting it lightly. I looked like the walking dead; most people were just too polite to tell me.
Truth was, I hadn't really been able to sleep since Ranger left. My brain was so jumbled with thoughts of Ranger with another woman and fear of crazy Edwin Mortars that sleep just never came. I lay awake watching the shadows, waiting for Mortars to come out and grab me. I tried to remember that there were Merry Men outside watching over me, but they were far away and easily forgotten in the inky blackness of midnight.
"Is Ranger okay?" I asked Tank now. "I mean, is everything going okay?" I didn't know what everything was, but I figured Tank could at least tell me how Ranger was.
Tank watched me for a moment before answering. "He hasn't had much time to talk," he said, "but from what he said yesterday on the phone, everything is going as expected."
What did that mean, 'as expected'? Had it been expected to go smoothly? Or had Ranger been expecting World War III? Stupid elusive Tank-speak.
"Okay." I nodded.
I lay in bed later that night, shivering every few minutes despite the thick comforter and the warm June air.
I could handle Mortars, really I could. My gun was on the nightstand, loaded and everything. There were Merry Men surrounding my building. I was safe. For some reason, my brain couldn't convince my body of that.
I almost jumped out of my skin when a high pitched ringing broke out from somewhere close to my head.
I reached over and grabbed my cell phone from the nightstand. I pressed the green button to answer the call and put the phone to my ear.
"Babe," Ranger murmured softly into my ear.
I sucked in a sharp breath. In my sleep-deprived state, I hadn't even recognized the Batman theme song.
"Uh."
Ranger chuckled softly.
"R…Ranger?"
"Yeah, babe. You okay?"
"Wh…why are you calling? Is everything alright? Are you okay?"
"Shh, babe. I'm fine. I said I'd call, so I am. I'm sorry it's so late."
I gave a silent sigh of relief. I was so used to Ranger not calling that his calling had worked me into a panic.
"Why are you still awake?"
"Because you called," I told him with an eye roll.
I heard him shift over the phone line, the subtle swish of fabric on fabric. Was he in bed? Oh boy.
"Babe, you were awake before I called. I've woken you up enough times to know what it sounds like."
"Uh, well, I…"
"Tank says you've been walking around like a zombie."
Stupid, big-mouth Tank. So this is why Ranger had decided to call; Tankie was concerned with my health.
"I'm fine, Ranger."
"Babe, please don't lie to me."
I closed my eyes briefly. There it was, the dreaded 'please'. And how could I lie to him, anyway? It didn't matter that he couldn't see me, he always knew.
"I haven't been able to sleep," I finally muttered.
"How long?" Ranger asked.
"Um, a couple of days."
"How long, Steph?"
"Since you left."
He was silent for several moments. If not for the gentle in and out of his breathing, I'd have thought he'd hung up.
"I'm sorry, Steph. I didn't want to leave, especially not now with Mortars on you and everything. If I could have stayed with you, know that I would have done it in a second. I wish you'd at least stay in my apartment. I'd know you were safe there."
I bit my lip to keep from crying. "It's okay, Ranger."
"No," he practically growled. "It's not."
I lay back on my bed and listened to him breath.
"Where are you, Ranger?" I finally asked.
I could practically hear the blank face falling into place. "Babe."
"You don't have to tell me anything you'd have to kill me over, Ranger. I just…I…" I trailed off, not knowing quite how to explain it.
He was quiet for a moment, and then I heard him sigh softly.
"Alright."
He was silent again, gathering his thoughts I hoped. If he was about to blow me off again, I was going to get very angry.
"The past four months," he began, "after the Brenda thing, I was…away…on a government mission."
I pulled the covers up over me and snuggled down into the bed. Omigod, Batman was about to actually tell me something.
"It was my last one. My contract is up and I'm not renewing it."
I was frozen. Ranger was done? Done with long, dangerous missions and trips out of the country? Done with starting coups in West Africa?
"I want to focus more on the business aspect of Rangeman. I'm getting too old for the government crap. I'll leave it to the younger men."
My mind flashed back to his 'my life doesn't lend itself to relationships' speech. Would this change all of that? Or was Rangeman still too big a part of his life to allow emotional attachments?
"Maybe it's time for me to settle down a bit."
My heart splintered. 'Not with me', 'not with me', 'not with me' it pounded. You don't know that, my mind answered.
"I'm in D.C. to tie up some loose ends and officially get out of the program."
I took a few moments to absorb all of this. My heart was just settling down in my chest when he spoke again.
"Stephanie," I heard him whisper. "I heard what you told Tank yesterday, about his job not lending itself to relationships."
I sucked in a breath. Ranger had heard? I was going to have to have a long talk with Tank about confidentiality. Then I remembered Lester telling me that Ranger had called the office. Had he been on the phone the entire time I'd been railing at Tank?
"Tank had me on speaker phone." Batman ESP. "Did you mean it, Steph? Did you mean what you told him?" He sounded anxious, almost desperate.
Here it goes.
"Yes."
He was silent for so long that I almost fell asleep. I don't know what I'd been expecting after that, declarations of love, promises for the future. I should have known better. Ranger didn't do love or future. I wondered, then, why did he care if I'd meant what I said or not?
"I can get one of the guys to come sit in your apartment. Would that help you sleep?"
A big, armed Merry Man a few feet away on my couch? Mortars wouldn't dare touch me.
"Yes," I whispered.
"I hate this," he ground out. "I should he there with you."
I was getting dizzy trying to read his mixed signals. "It's fine, Ranger."
He didn't reply.
"Bobby, Lester, and Cal are outside. Which one do you want?"
It didn't even surprise me anymore that no matter where he was, he knew exactly what was going on in Trenton.
"Lester, I guess."
Ranger chuckled softly. "You and Santos have been getting pretty close lately." I could hear an underlying menace in his voice. Batman was jealous. Well, good, because I was confused.
"He's just comfortable to be around," I said, purposely not negating the 'getting close' accusation.
"Go put a robe on and wait for him by the door," Ranger told me.
"A robe?"
"If you're wearing what you usually wear to bed, yes, a robe."
I glanced down at the black t-shirt I'd 'borrowed' from Ranger. Underneath I was wearing a pair of little blue cotton panties. I blushed clear to the roots of my hair.
"Wait," I suddenly exclaimed. "How do you know…"
"Babe," Ranger sighed. "The robe." There was a mischievous grin obvious in his voice as he continued. "I like the thought of you in my shirt. But if I don't get to see it, neither does Santos."
I hopped out of bed and retrieved my robe from the bathroom, all the while wondering how Ranger knew what I usually slept in.
"Okay, Ranger, I'm all robed up."
"Good. I have to hang up to call Les," he told me. "Try to get some sleep tonight. And be safe, mi luz."
I shivered. I loved the sound of the Spanish words slipping over Ranger's tongue. In fact, I probably loved it too much, because now I was picturing other things slipping over his tongue. Like my tongue. I shivered.
"You be safe, too, Ranger. Goodnight."
"Sweet dreams, babe."
I heard him disconnect. I snapped my own phone shut and headed to the door to wait for Les.
I slept better that night, knowing that Lester was in the next room keeping the boogiemen at bay.
I was sitting in the office the next day, enjoying a nice chocolate frosted with sprinkles when Tank walked in.
He went straight to Lula and planted a kiss on her lips, then he turned to me.
"Stephanie, I…"
"No, you're a big-mouth, secret-telling, tattle-tale meanie." Take that. Playground bullies had nothing on me.
Connie and Lula just stared at me. Tank's mouth was opening and closing like a fish.
"I…I tried to tell you that he was on the phone, but you wouldn't let me speak," Tank finally said.
I rolled my eyes. "You could have just hung up the phone."
Connie gasped.
"Hang up? On Batman?" Lula breathed. "My Tankie wouldn't dare."
Tank waved a hand, dismissing Lula's comment.
"I'm sorry, Steph. But this is something you should have discussed with him a long time ago."
I huffed out a breath and stood from the sofa.
"Whatever. Oh, and you didn't have to tell him I looked like a zombie, either. It was none of his business."
Tank's enormous chest pumped up to epic proportions. "Well, it seems to me that whatever he did got you to sleep, because you look well-rested today. You should be thanking me."
I walked to the door. "This," I called back over my shoulder, "was Lester's doing." Then I walked out the door.
I wasn't really mad at Tank. He was right; the relationship issue really did have to come up sooner or later. Too bad absolutely nothing had been resolved over it. Of course, if Ranger really was seeing someone – which I was beginning to doubt – the issue had already been resolved…for him at least.
And what did it hurt, really, that he knew I hadn't been sleeping? He had come up with a solution to catch me some z's, hadn't he?
I decided that today would be as good a day as any to go make my statement about Swarz at the police station.
Turns out Swarz had been a butcher – hence all the piggy parts – who had been in the wrong place at the wrong time. He'd apparently stumbled into the alleyway where a murder had recently taken place. Joe had picked him up in connection to the murder, but he'd been released shortly after when they discovered he had nothing to do with it. Like Ranger said, he'd seen Joe and me together and had joined my fan club. Seems he'd seen Joe going into Jeanne Ellen's apartment building late one night and had decided to do some investigating. He'd wanted to warn me about my boyfriend's pig-like tendencies. The fact that he was nutso didn't help matters any.
My phone rang just as I was leaving the station.
"Girl, what you talkin' bout Lester getting you to sleep? I know you ain't cheating on Batman, now."
I decided to ignore the fact that I couldn't cheat on Ranger, because we weren't together.
"Nothing happened with Les. I'll explain later, okay?"
Lula huffed over the phone line.
"Fine, girl, but you better be bringin' lunch, too."
I rolled my eyes. "Sure." Then I disconnected.
There was a neon pink slip of paper waiting for me on my windshield. I was pretty sure I had the same notepad at home. I plucked the paper from under the wiper and unfolded it, then almost dropped it. Written in thick, black lettering were the words:
When the bat's away, the whore shall play. Catch you later.
I was pretty sure 'catch you later' wasn't some kind of cute slang. I was pretty sure Edwin Mortars was a very literal kind of guy. I wondered briefly if he knew about my Batman thing, or if he'd just made the same connection on his own. Hm.
I walked over to the black SUV parked two spots away and a row over. Ram rolled down the window as I approached.
"Did you see who left this?" I asked, holding up the note.
"Some skinny kid in a fricking red leotard," Ram said.
I stared at him. "Fricking?"
He shrugged. "Boss discourages cursing in front of you. Besides, my momma always told me not to use harsh language in front of nice ladies."
Right.
"Anyway," Ram continued. "I thought he was one of your skips. Shiner, Moonshine…"
"Mooner," I muttered. Shit.
I was at Mooner's front door twenty minutes later. The door swung open and a cloud of happy-smoke escaped.
"Well, hey, dudette. You get that note I left you?" Mooner asked.
"Mooner, who gave you the note?"
The Mooner tilted his head to the side and watched me through unfocused eyes.
"Ummm."
I snapped my fingers in front of his face. "Focus, Mooner. Who gave you the note?"
"Oh, yeah, right." He laughed. "Some guy with freaky robot eyes paid me fifty bucks to put it on your car," Mooner told me.
"Robot eyes?"
"Yeah, all bright green, like those glowing eyes those robot always have."
Mortars. I shivered and resisted the urge to look behind me.
"Where, Mooner? Where did you see him?"
The Moondog thought for several long moments. I was just about to snap my fingers again when he spoke.
"In front of the cop shop. Figured he was an old friend and didn't know what you were driving these days. You've always got a new car."
"Right, an old friend," I muttered. "Thanks, Mooner."
"No prob, Bob. Glad to be of service."
I stood on Mooner's front porch for a few minutes after he shut the door. I didn't know where Mortars was, I didn't know if he was watching me, I didn't know how to get in touch with him, so I sent my demand out to the universe. "Leave my friends out of it," I thought angrily. Then I stomped back to my car.
A/N: Pineapple upside-down cake to Vicki and Magdalync for picking up on the speaker-phone thing! Very aware of their surroundings, those two, Ranger would be proud.
Did the Steph/Ranger phone conversation kinda make up for the lack of 'talk' in the last chapter? Let me know what you thought! More goodness to come!
Translations:
del día – of the day
mi luz – my light
