A/N: Almost to the end! If you've stuck with me this far, let me know why in a review!
THIRTY
My hand felt pleasantly numb, all stitched up and freshly bandaged, when a frazzled nurse stuck her head through the curtain of our ER bay. "There's a Joe Morelli here. Says he's a cop and needs to speak with you both. He insists it can't wait."
"Let him in," I replied. Ranger sat to my left, a physician's assistant currently applying stitches to the wound on his temple. He'd point blank refused to leave me or get treated until my hand was taken care of. He had the fingers of his right hand intertwined with my left.
Morelli appeared a few minutes later, just as the PA finished up. He stood moodily in the corner of the bay and didn't say a word until the PA departed.
"It doesn't look like you have good news," I remarked.
"We questioned Marcus Greenridge. He has a rock solid alibi for the time of your abduction and the fire."
"Of course he does," said Ranger. "He used hired thugs to do the dirty work."
"Bingo. But that means we've got nothing on Greenridge. They found the pictures of George Fortecelli on Frankie's cloud account, but none of the photos give any hint as to who killed him. They look to have been taken on a river bank, so they're going to dredge the Delaware and hope they get lucky. The cyber unit is trying to trace the IP address or owner of the e-mail address the pictures came from, but it could take a while. They pulled Frankie's body out of the warehouse, and we'd be waiting on dental records for an I.D. if you hadn't told us who it was. It'll be weeks before the ME report comes out. Assuming there is anything left of the bullet, we might get a caliber and the ability to trace it to a murder weapon. Chances are, though, the gun belongs to one of the hired thugs, and not Greenridge."
"So what you're saying is, nothing is going to stick to this guy," I confirmed.
"We can't even arrest him, because there is nothing to charge him with. And as a councilman, he's got lots of connections: judges, politicians, and probably high ranking cops."
"He's going to keep going after Stephanie until he silences her permanently," Ranger put in darkly. "He knows Frankie talked to her and he knows she gave his name to the police. It doesn't matter that no charges will stick, he's going to want her out of the picture. Especially as his political campaign heats up."
Morelli nodded in agreement. "You need to be in protective custody," he told me. "The problem is, I don't know who I can trust in my own department not to sell you out to Greenridge."
"I have safe houses," Ranger said. "She can go to one of them."
"And do what?" I protested. "Hide away for the rest of my life in the witness protection program. I don't think so. And what about my parents? My sister? What if someone goes after them to try to get to me?"
"I'll have men watch their houses," Ranger replied.
Morelli stepped closer to us, dropping his voice. "You won't be safe as long as Greenridge is around." He locked eyes with Ranger and I swear the two communicated telepathically.
"I'll take care of everything," Ranger said softly. "Can I borrow your cell?" he asked Morelli, who handed his phone to Ranger.
Ranger called Tank and asked for a car and a burner phone. "And I need you to get safe house three ready and arrange to get Steph there. We're at St. Francis, but I don't want her picked up at the E.R. entrance. We need to make sure she doesn't get tailed." Ranger ended the call and handed the cell phone back to Morelli.
"Can you stay with her while I go meet Tank?" he asked Morelli.
"Sure."
"Wait, what's going on?" I demanded.
"I'll explain after I talk to Tank." Ranger slipped beyond the curtain.
I turned to Morelli. "What did Ranger mean when he said he'll take care of everything?"
"He's referring to the safe house."
"Liar." I had the uncomfortable notion Ranger and Morelli were plotting a hit on a city councilman.
Morelli popped a few more Rolaids into his mouth and sat down next to me. "Try not to think about it."
"Easier said than done."
"So, someone actually got the jump on Ranger," Morelli commented with a chuckle.
"It's not funny. I saw him get hit with the pipe and thought they'd killed him."
Morelli mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like "would I be so lucky."
I elbowed him hard in the side and was rewarded with a yelp. "Be nice," I warned him.
"I'm trying," he replied. "I really am. Are you positive that you really want to try a relationship with him?"
"There's a Beyoncé song that fits this situation," I shot back. "If you liked it, then you should have put a ring on it," I sang.
Morelli glowered. "I admit I've made some stupid mistakes, you don't have to remind me."
That gave me pause. "You think not marrying me was a stupid mistake?"
"Clearly. And the worst part is, I wanted to ask you so many times, but I either decided the time wasn't right, or we had a fight, or you said something that made me afraid you'd say no. I even have a damn ring."
"I can't believe you are only telling me this now!"
"Does it change anything?"
I sighed. "No."
Morelli reached out and gently turned my face toward his. I grew afraid he would kiss me, as I knew that violated the "no sharing" rule.
"I love you and I want you to be safe and happy. I'm man enough to say that if another man is what makes you happy, I'll let you go."
"And hope he screws up," I added dryly.
Morelli grinned. "That too. There's a steep learning curve involved with dating you. I have confidence he'll mess up sometime."
I raised my eyebrows at him. "And right there is where I stopped feeling sorry for you."
"I never claimed I'd mastered the learning curve."
"I thought you weren't going to accept me if I came crawling back?"
"You know I didn't mean that."
"You sounded like you meant it when you said it."
Morelli sighed. "I shouldn't have said it. I was upset. I'll take you back in a heartbeat. I'll take you back right now, if you want."
I gave him a small sad smile. "You should see other women. Find someone who doesn't give you heartburn." I wanted Morelli to be happy too.
"I think I'm a masochist, because I want you and your heartburn. Maybe someday that will change."
Ranger returned twenty minutes after he'd left, offering me his hand to help me off the bed.
"Hal and Bobby are waiting in a van outside a back exit. They are going to take you to a safe house," he said as I hopped down, putting his arm around my shoulder protectively.
"And what are you going to do?" I asked him.
"I have a business engagement."
I narrowed my eyes at him, refusing to walk any farther. I had a good inkling of what he planned to do. "I don't like this. We don't know if Greenridge is truly involved. What if he's innocent?"
"What if he's not?" Ranger returned.
Ranger had killed to protect me before. I knew it and Morelli knew it. That didn't mean I liked it. I dropped my voice, "I don't want blood on my hands." Even though Greenridge seemed like a horrible specimen of humanity, I didn't need the guilt of his death on my conscience.
"It won't be on your hands," Ranger replied even softer.
I shook my head, putting my hands against Ranger's chest. "I don't want it on anyone's hands." During his time as Black Ops, the government expected Ranger to kill without question. I knew he carried scars from that time of his life, even though he never spoke about it. Sometimes it seemed too easy for him to fall back into that mindset. "Please. I'm serious. Promise me you'll try to find a way to get to Greenridge through the justice system first."
I felt, more than heard, Ranger sigh as he leaned his forehead against mine. His hands circled my waist gently. "It'll take longer your way," he warned. "And I make no guarantees. But I'll try. I promise."
Pushing myself onto the balls of my feet, I pressed my lips to his, my left hand reaching up to caress the side of his face. Morelli cleared his throat loudly behind us, drawing us apart.
Ranger and Morelli walked me through several back hallways of the hospital and out a small metal door. Hal and Bobby leaned against the outside of a white Ford Transit van, looking alert. They slid the door open as soon as they saw Ranger and I appear. A third seat looked like it had been welded into the cargo area of the van.
"You want me to ride in there?" I squeaked.
"I can't risk anyone seeing you through a window and telling Greenridge," Ranger replied.
"We brought you a tablet with a bunch of movies downloaded on it," Bobby added.
"Which movies?"
"Chick flicks. The Notebook, Pretty Woman, that sort of stuff," Bobby replied.
"Enough with the in-flight entertainment," said Ranger. "In you get."
"Ranger," I began but he silenced me with a look.
"I will come get you when it's safe. I hope that won't take too long." He pulled me against him for a brief kiss.
I climbed into the van, strapped myself into the seat, and Ranger slid the door closed behind me. Darkness descended instantly. I heard the passenger and driver's doors open and close and the van turn over with a grumble. A string of LED lights came on and I could see again. With a slight lurch, the van began to move.
Ranger had several safe houses in Trenton, but considering I'd been offered a tablet full of movies, I guessed my destination sat a bit further away. I flicked the tablet on and scrolled through the movies, finally settling on Notting Hill. When the credits rolled, I switched to Pretty Woman. Half way through Pride and Prejudice the van stopped and the engine finally cut off. The LED lights went out, leaving me only with the glow of the tablet screen. I heard Hal and Bobby get out, and a few seconds later the side door slid open.
I hopped out and looked around. The sun had set. We were parked in front of a small wood sided cabin with a lit porch light. A few bars of light escaped from behind a curtained window. Otherwise, darkness controlled the immediate vicinity. The door to the cabin opened and Tank's body filled the doorframe. Hal and Bobby hustled me inside.
The interior of the cabin reminded me of Deliverance. The rustic motif included mounted fish along the walls and a disturbing moose head above a cold brick fireplace and wooden mantle. Wide, lacquered wood boards covered the floors, with a carpet runner in the entrance and a large area rug in the living room. A few wooden columns broke up the otherwise open floor plan. We stood in a small foyer with a heavy wooden coat tree and wooden bench. A small kitchen appeared immediately ahead, containing a small refrigerator, two-burner stove, tiny sink, and microwave. Beyond the kitchen sat a dining and living area, with a round four-person table, sagging sofa with matching recliner, beat-up coffee table, and old tube style TV on a corner stand. Directly across from the front door, on the other side of the cabin, stood a back door. To my right, twin doors led to a tiny bathroom and bedroom. The sight of indoor plumbing provided some relief. It didn't escape the realm of possibility that Ranger might put me up in a place with an outhouse if it meant keeping me safe.
"It's cozy, right?" Tank asked hesitantly.
"I'm going to kill Ranger," I replied, causing Tank to grin.
"I brought up enough groceries for a few days," he added. "Ella grabbed you clothes and toiletries. You'll find the bag in the bedroom."
"I'm going to be here for a few days?" I tried to keep my voice from achieving a hysterical pitch.
"As long as it takes," Tank replied. Suddenly, I regretted taking the high road. Ranger's method might have me back home by sunset tomorrow. "Two guys will be up in the morning to relieve Hal and Bobby. If there is anything you need, have Hal or Bobby contact the command center." And with that, Tank left.
Hal and Bobby each grabbed a dining chair and dragged it to a door, taking up guard positions. I went into the bedroom and found the bag of clothes Ella had packed for me. I dug out a pair of jeans, t-shirt, sweatshirt, and clean underwear, then headed to the bathroom for a much needed shower. At least this hell hole had hot running water. After I got out, I quickly blew dry my hair and dressed, then went in search of food.
I opened a kitchen cabinet and found a bunch of canned goods: soup, boxed mac and cheese, peanut butter, and breakfast cereal. I opened the fridge next, finding milk, orange juice, lunchmeat, hotdogs, sliced cheese, butter, and condiments. A loaf of bread sat on the counter next to the fridge.
Pulling the butter and cheese out of the fridge, I grabbed two cans of condensed tomato soup from the cabinet. Locating pots and pans in the cabinets under the counter, I started the soup heating on the back burner of the stove. I set a fry pan on the front burner and started making grilled cheese sandwiches. Plating the sandwiches and ladling the soup into three bowls, I took Hal and Bobby theirs, which they ate at their respective posts. I ate at the dining room table.
I washed the dishes, then turned on the television. It got five channels: ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and PBS. I watched some Wheel of Fortune followed by Jeopardy, then some crime dramas. At eleven I said goodnight to Hal and Bobby and closed the bedroom door. I changed and climbed into the full-sized bed and eventually managed to fall asleep.
The aroma of coffee greeted me when I woke. I found a terry cloth robe in the bedroom closet, pulled it on, and ventured back out into backwoods hell. Hal and Bobby still guarded the doors, but both had a steaming mug of coffee with them. I poured myself a cup, added milk and sugar, and gazed out the kitchen window. With the sun up, I could see just how remote this cabin was. Through the bare trees, I spotted a lake in the distance. Nothing else. I settled on the sofa and flicked on the television. A local morning news show aired, from which I deduced I was somewhere in northeastern Pennsylvania.