A/N: All recognizable characters belong to Janet Evanovich. I use them for fun and not profit.

Chapter 9

The morning dawned sunny and for a moment it was easy to forget it was the middle of a nasty Jersey winter. I pulled my blankets up under my chin and tried to get back to sleep. The room was unseasonably bright and my bladder was full so I gave up the thought of spending the day in bed. As I swung my legs out of bed pain radiated the length of them. Yesterday's histrionics had been hard on me physically as well as emotionally. I'd been so tense throughout the evening my muscles were reacting as though I'd run a marathon.

I should've been full of despair and gloom but my 'glass half full' mentality was finding a little to be optimistic about. I'd survived two very bad things, mostly intact. Losing the baby was horrible, but losing Ranger too was almost more than I could bear at the time. My family and friends had attributed the change in my personality to my break up with Joe, when I'd hardly been giving Joe a thought. No one knew I'd been with Ranger, let alone that I'd been pregnant. Now I'd survived the meeting with Ranger and while I wasn't emotionally unscathed, I was functional.

I had plans to make. As I stepped into the shower my mind ran over a list of things to accomplish for the day. I was going to the bonds office. Even if there wasn't an FTA to bring in, I'd be at the office. Connie, for sure, and possibly Lula would know how I ended up with Mr. Poughkeepsie's g-string. I was going to solve that mystery today, and then I was going to sign a pledge to avoid tequila shots at all costs.

I had to call Joe and tell him about the new correspondence from the stalker. It was getting serious and I'd have to be careful. My gun would be loaded and accessible when I left the apartment.

I was going to formulate a plan to find my stalker. I knew Lula would help. I trusted Joe and the Trenton P.D., but this was personal and I was going to find out who wanted me dead and why.

The last thing on my list was the hardest. Ranger had been in my life for more than two years. I was in love with him and he loved me too, I was sure of it. I was walking away from that love because he'd already walked away from me, for reasons that were logical to him, but ridiculous and inconsistent to me.

I was moving on with my life. Eventually there would be another man I'd desire. I had all of the normal urges and I would find someone. When my want for another man became strong enough, then there would be need as well. I didn't think there'd ever be love again, but as the song says 'two outta three ain't bad'. If I could find someone I wanted and needed then I would build a life without love. Losing the baby had taught me one thing. I wanted children and I would have them. I would love them and that would be enough. Today was the day I made the decision to be open to seeing a new man. I just had to find him.

Once again I thought of my grandma and the lovely glow she wore last evening, along with an inside out sweater. I felt the twinge. I was envious of my grandma and her septuagenarian lover. She was the proof I needed to know my plan was right. I'd find contentment, if not love.

I was in the shower until the water started to go cold, but when I stepped out and wrapped myself in a big fluffy towel I was a woman on a mission. First stop, the bonds office. After I dressed I went to the living room to pick up the envelope and call Morelli. It was missing. I couldn't find it anywhere. Ranger! He'd taken it with him. I found my phone and called.

"Yo."

"Yo, your ass! Did you take the letter from my stalker with you?"

"Yes, I took it to Morelli. There were no prints on it other than yours."

I counted to ten and then back down to zero. I took in a deep breath and blew it out. "That was my property, Ranger, you had no right to take it. I am very serious when I say we are no longer a part of each other's lives."

"We will have to disagree on that, Babe."

I disconnected and called Joe.

"Yeah?" He sounded distracted.

"I understand Ranger gave you my latest letter," I said.

"Yeah, he brought it by the house early this morning. What's up with that? I thought the two of you had parted ways."

"We have," I said. "It's long and complicated story, but basically he stole the letter from me."

"Do we need to add him to the list of suspects?" Joe asked.

"Do we have a list of suspects?" I asked.

Joe sighed. "No, but we have some leads to run down. We're going to talk to your neighbors about the blonde woman, and I've got a guy searching databases for the pictures that were photo-shopped. We've added the latest to that. It looks like a file photo. I think Bunchy was right about that. Listen, I'm up to my eyeballs here. I'll call with any news." He disconnected.

I grabbed my purse and coat and stopped in my tracks. I'd left my car at RangeMan last night. I went to the bedroom and looked out the window. The beige Cadillac sat in its usual spot and it had been washed. I hoped they filled the tank while they were at it.

I walked into the bonds office, took one look at Lula and I knew. "You and Tank patched things up, I see."

"Damn Skippy, we did. How'd you know?"

The door to Vinnie's office opened and Connie came out and sat behind her desk. "Oh, I don't know, Lula," she said. "Maybe it's the funny bowlegged way you're walking, or maybe it's that shit-eating grin you're sporting."

"Well, I can't help it," Lula said still grinning. "Tankie is the man for me. I ain't taking no more side trips with other men."

"Really?" Connie asked. "What about Bert."

"Bert? Oh, you mean Bunchy?" Lula did a full body shudder. "He's a cop. He's a nice guy for a cop, but he's a federal cop. Bunchy's not the man for me."

"Are you sure?" Connie asked, "because I don't want to poach. He asked me out for dinner tonight."

Lula looked surprised, "I got no claim on him, but I didn't realize you knew him that well."

"They got acquainted the other night," I said, "when Bunchy took us home." Connie and Lula turned to look at me as if just remembering I was in the room. "And speaking of the other night," I continued, "I have a little problem."

I had their full attention. "I can't remember much after you found out about Bunchy, Lula."

"Girl, I'm not surprised," Lula said. "You were putting away them shots like crazy."

"I found Mr. Poughkeepsie's g-string in my apartment the next morning and I don't know how it got there. Do either of you know?"

"Sure," Lula said. "It probably fell out of your purse."

I stomped my foot in frustration, "Well, how did it get in my purse? And don't tell me it was because I put it there."

"I don't know how it got in your purse," Connie said. "The last time I saw it you had a death grip on it and it was still covering Mr. P's package. He was dancing right in front of you and you tried to stick a dollar in it to get him to move to another table." I had a fuzzy remembrance of what Connie was saying.

Lula picked up the story, "Then them two heifers from the table behind us jumped up and tackled him. You grabbed a hold of his g-string to keep him from falling and they pulled him backwards. Next thing I know there was a riot. Lester and Tankie escorted them women from the bar and Mr. Poughkeepsie had to run off stage with his credentials waving in the breeze, on account of it's against the law for him to be totally naked in public." Lula stopped to take a breath and I concentrated.

The memories of the later part of the evening were patchy, but I knew she was telling the truth. "I must have stuffed the g-string in my purse for safekeeping," I said. "I'll call the bar and see if I can get it back to him."

"No need," Connie said, waving small piece of paper in her hand. "He called here yesterday. "Apparently," she said, her eyes rolling toward Lula, "someone told security you had it and then gave him this number to reach you." I narrowed my eyes at Lula.

"What!" Lula said. "He was cute and he was looking at you like he thought you was cute too. It's been so long since you had a date I thought maybe I could help you out a little."

"I can vouch he wasn't doing any false advertising behind the g-string," Connie said. "I had a bird's eye view." She pushed the paper in my direction and I grabbed and shoved it into my back pocket.

"I'll call him," I said. "But only to return the g-string. This isn't a good time for me to be looking for a new boyfriend." Even as I spoke the words I remembered my list. I was going to look for a new man. I didn't really see a male stripper as the father of my children, but he'd shown us all he had the right equipment. "I have a new stalker and the guy means business. I have to catch him before I can concentrate on my love life. "

Lula and Connie gathered round and I told them all about my lingerie gifts and the letters that came with them. I told them about Bunchy's help and how he'd turned everything over to Joe. The only part I left out was Ranger's slight involvement. I wasn't ready to talk about him yet.

It was late morning by the time I finished my story, and I was hungry. It dawned on all of us at the same time. There'd been no donuts that morning. Connie closed the office and we headed off to Cluck in a Bucket.

We sat in a booth at the back of the restaurant. The nearby window looked out onto the drive-thru lane and we spent the lunch hour commenting on people waiting in line to order. We weren't malicious and it was good harmless fun. Toward the end of our lunch, conversation turned back to my stalker.

"I don't think anyone has any clues as to his or her identity," I said. "Bunchy found out about the lingerie the other night when he helped me into my apartment. I asked him to help and he did, but in the end he turned everything over to the Trenton P.D."

"Good thing you got over bein' afraid to talk to Morelli," Lula said, "'cause it looks like he's in charge."

"Morelli and I have reached an understanding," I said. "We are friends and I know he'll do everything he can to keep me safe. But we're done as a couple. He and Terry are still together, but I'm not sure if he's talking to his cousin."

Connie sucked the last drops of Coke out of her cup and set in down with a thud. "There's something not right there," she said. "I've known the Morelli boys as long as anyone. Terry was in my class so I've known her for a long time, too. I can't think why anyone in their right mind would choose Mooch over Joe." I'd thought the same thing.

"Terry is definitely in her right mind," Connie continued. "That makes me think she's up to something."

"Mooch claims she's trying to recruit him for her Uncle Vito," I said.

"That may be it." Connie nodded her head in agreement. "One thing about Terry, she's Burg through and through. She'll bend to family's wishes every time. That might make it rough for her and Joe, considering he's a cop."

I spent the afternoon at the bonds office doing a little private research. The last message I'd received made it sound like my stalker was a woman. Mr. Wolesky, Mrs. Bestler and Dillon had all seen a woman at my apartment. But who was the man she was warning me away from? There'd been no man in my life for months.

And then there was the business card from E.E. Martin. What was that connection? My former manager was still employed in the lingerie business at Baldicott, Inc. I found his office address and number. I jotted down his number and shoved it into my pocket, where he could keep company with Mr. Poughkeepsie. I had two phone calls to make before the day was over.

By late afternoon, I'd worked my way down my list of things to do and I was feeling pretty good about the day, until a shadow fell across my desk. I looked up to see Ranger standing in front of me. I was so engrossed with thoughts of my stalker I hadn't seen or heard him come in. My spidey sense was missing.

"We need to talk. Will you have dinner with me?"

"I don't think so, Ranger. We discussed everything we needed to last night." I heard a shuffling sound and Connie and Lula were inching their way closer to the desk. Ranger hadn't been in the office in months and it was clear they weren't going to miss any part of our exchange. It was the first time they'd seen us together since my confession of Joe finding Ranger in my bed.

"We do need to talk, Babe. If you'd rather do it here," he shot a look over his shoulder at Lula and Connie, "we can, but I had someplace more private in mind." There was more shuffling and another advance by Connie and Lula.

I sighed. "Okay, I'll have dinner with you. I have a couple of things to finish up here first."

"Come to Haywood when you're done. Ella will prepare something for us."

He nodded his head at Lula and Connie and stepped through the door. There was an audible whoosh like air leaking from a balloon as Connie and Lula turned back to their work. It was a sign of their friendship I wasn't immediately hit with a barrage of questions. They'd wait until tomorrow.