Life and Times of Stephanie Plum
Chapter 3
The next morning I woke up in my favorite way again. I really am a very lucky girl. Joe had a meeting with the team from last night, so he left while I was still in the shower. He stuck his head in to tell me he would grab breakfast on his way, and that Bob still needed to go out. Great, I love picking up Bob poop first thing in the morning.
Tank called on my way in and asked if I could swing by the bonds office and pick up the files Connie had for Rangeman. Great again, my morning is taking a nasty turn. If Vinnie was there, that meant a guilt trip about how I'm not pulling my weight and he was bleeding money. I parked in front of the office and regretted stopping by as soon as I walked in. Vinnie was standing in the doorway of his office waiting for me.
"I gave you a job when you needed one, you're family and this is how you treat me?"
"First off," I started. "I blackmailed you into giving me the job. Second, I'm only working for you part time. It's not my fault you're writing too many bonds."
"Lucille wants a boob job. Those puppies aren't cheap you know," Vinnie told me and eyed my chest before adding,"Maybe you don't."
"Shove it Vinnie!" I turned to Connie who was ignoring this exchange and painting her nails a shade of red I could only call Blood Red. "You have files for Rangeman"
"Top of the stack. What do you think of the color?" she asked.
"It makes a statement," I told her as Lula bust in through the door wearing a black leather skirt and leopard print spandex halter top.
"What makes a statement?" she asked
"You getting here on time for a change and fully clothed," Vinnie told her backing up into his office.
"Gotta go," I told them grabbing the files. "We can go out this afternoon and see if we can pick up anyone to help Vinnie get closer to his boob budget."
"Works for me" Lula told me plopping herself down on the sofa.
I spent the morning pulling the files I didn't get to yesterday and by three o'clock I was toast and need to do something different.
I turned my computer off and stepped out of my cubby to find Tank.
"I'm going to go grab some FTA's for Vinnie see you tomorrow. "
"Be careful Stephanie."
I picked up Lula at the office and we decided Marybeth Riveria would be an easy pickup. She was arrested for shoplifting from the Pleasure Treasures and didn't show for her court date. She lived in the Burg and I went to school with her back when her name was Olson. She was now divorced and apparently looking for the mechanical kind of love. She worked the 11-7 shift at the button factory, so she should be home at this time.
We parked at the curb and walked to the door. I knocked and Marybeth answered in her bathrobe and it didn't seem like anything else.
"Hi!" she said, "I know you. "
"Yeah, Stephanie Plum we went to school together."
"That's right. What can I do for you?"
"Well, I and my associate here work for Vincent Plum Bail Bonds and you didn't show for your court date. We need to take you in and get you rebonded."
Mary Beth looked at me, and then at Lula, then back to me . . . realization was setting in. When people recognize Lula and me, they remember all the crazy stories about us and every one of them thinks they can out smart us. What none of them realize is that within the last year, at some point, Lula and I got pretty good at this shit. After rolling around in everything imaginable, chasing after greased up naked guys and fighting off dogs and monkeys you learn a thing or two. Not to mention that Joe and I use take down techniques' as foreplay from time to time.
Before she even had time to turn around we had Mary Beth down on the floor and cuffed. As I suspected she had nothing on under her robe. Too bad she was thinking of running, if she had been reasonable I would have let her get dress. As it was, she was at least wearing a robe. Hell, I've brought in guys that were naked before.
Lula and I were on a roll. Marybeth was at the cop shop and we had our body receipt in hand all within the hour.
"So?" I asked. "Do we go after another?"
"Might as well," Lula agreed. "Lonnie Jones should be on his corner by now."
"OK, it's been a while since I've seen Lonnie. It'll be nice to catch up."
Lonnie Jones is a regular. He's an okay kind of guy - the type you would hang out with at a bar, except for the fact he was a low level dealer who sells his goods to the high school scene. We drove by the corner of First and Hamilton and I rolled down my window.
"Hey Lonnie … been a while."
"Yeah, I was wondering when you two would come around."
"Why don't you hop in the back and we can catch up on the way?"
"I'll go with you girls, the kids aren't out looking for me today." Lonnie confirmed.
"Leave your stuff before getting in." I told him and he stashed his case in the bushes.
"That was two in less than two hours." Lula said as we stopped by the Tasty Pastry before going back to the office.
"We are getting good at this." I answered her.
"Two Boston Crèmes", I told the girl behind the counter.
My phone was ringing as I got back in my car from dropping off the paperwork to Connie, it was Ranger.
"Yo." I answered.
"Yo, yourself," he replied. "What else can you tell me about this guy and his brother? I'm not having any luck finding either of them."
"Not much. I gave you all I had yesterday; I don't know either of them. Nick sells bonds I think. I can talk to my mother and see what she can tell me."
"Thanks. Let me know, I'm hitting a wall here," and Ranger was gone.
Ok, so I figured dinner with my parents tonight and I called Joe.
"Hey Cupcake. What's up?" Joe answered, sounding happy.
"Just checking in. I need to get some information out of my mother so I was going there for dinner. Want to come?"
"Sure, I'm wrapping up this case now. I might be a little late start without me. I'll be there before desert."
"I'm glad the case is closed. Everything go your way?"
"Yeah, the neighbor confessed an hour ago and everything checks out. I'll see you tonight," and Joe was gone. I called my mother next to let her know.
At 6 o'clock we were all seated and my mother was setting the roasted chicken on the table and pouring the wine. Bob was under the table, my father was sitting at the head of the table, waiting, and my grandmother was across from me having just set the dinner rolls on the table. Joe hadn't shown yet.
"So mom, what do you know about the Fiorito's these days?" Before she could answer, Joe was sliding in next to me.
"The Fiorito's?" he asked. "Why do you want to know?" Joe had his cop face in place.
"Viper went FTA, Ranger is trying to bring him in," I said. "What do you know?"
"Stay out of it Steph, Viper isn't a nice guy." Joe warned me.
"I'm not in it. Ranger tracked him to Chicago; I'm just looking for gossip."
My mother joined the conversation. "Dominick is in Chicago. I heard he has a big apartment that overlooks the water. He must be doing well selling stocks and bonds."
Joe still has his cop face on. He knew more but I knew I wasn't getting it out of him right now, so I moved back to my mother.
"So Nick lives on the water?"
"I heard that the oldest son just moved to Chicago too" Grandma added. This was news I didn't know.
"When was this?" I asked. "Thought he was still in jail."
"Nope. I was at the Clip and Curl this afternoon and Betty was there. Michael, the second oldest, he lives down by the park and apparently his neighbors were executed yesterday."
I looked over at Joe. He had his don't-ask cop face on now and I knew that was the case from yesterday.
Grandma continued, "Betty said Michael was the only Fiorito son still around. Everyone else left town."
"That's right," my mother added. "Margaret moved to Chicago last year after Sal died."
I looked at Joe again. He was shoveling food into his mouth quicker than my father was. OK so let's recap what I've learned, Michael executed his neighbors and turned himself in today, and everyone in the family is in Chicago. Michael was the closet in age to Viper. Mama, Sal Jr. and Nick all live in Chicago and Michael apparently snapped what little sanity he had while Viper fled into the safety of his family. Something didn't feel right about Michael, but at least I had other places for Ranger to check.
Dessert was served and Joe and I had plenty of leftovers. On the drive home, I called Ranger and gave him the rundown from the night. He was able to tell me that before Viper left the Burg he was living with his girlfriend and her sister next door to Michael Fiorito. This just kept getting weirder. I pulled into the driveway right behind Joe and hung up with Ranger before getting out. Joe had relaxed the Cop Face during dinner, but he knew I had questions and it was back on.
"Come on Cupcake. Before you start shooting off questions, let's get inside." Joe said wrapping an arm around my waist. He pulled us both a beer from the fridge and sat down at the table.
"Joe, I don't want to fight." The kitchen table is where we go for our heated discussions
"Good," he said. "But before I tell you anything you have to promise me one thing."
"What would that be?" I asked.
"You will not do field work on this. You are only riding the desk; your involvement is to simple pass on the information. The Fiorito's are crazy and they are dangerous."
"You got it. No problem. No field work for me. Besides they are all in Chicago." I told him.
"What do you want to know?"
"First is it true? Michael killed Viper's Girlfriend and Sister?"
"Yes and the sister's boy." Joe told me.
"Why and how?"
"Why? Because Fiorito is crazy. They all are. Michael and Viper are only a few years older than me and they made the shit I used to do look like I was a choir boy. They had a still in the basement. Michael drank from that cooper tube one too many times and it messed with him. He has only gotten worse as the years have gone on. Viper was here to keep him in control. The sister was tired of Viper being a bad influence on her son, so instead of moving out she turned him in. Viper had no problem with violence, but the girlfriend wasn't pressing charges so he was arrested only for drugs and weapons enough that he will be doing more time. When he fled Michael lost control, went next door, and shot all three straight in the middle of the head. Now that I know that Sal Jr. is living in Chicago with the rest of the family what Michael keeps saying makes sense."
"What did he say?" I was on the edge of my seat, this was all just too magnificent. Obviously not for the poor woman's family but for my research into Viper it was marvelous.
"They have all left me," Joe told me and added, "I suspect someone will come back now to take care of Michael and try to clean this up. I suspect it will be Sal Jr. and that's why I don't want you anywhere near this. Sal Jr. is just as ruthless and mean as Viper. He was just always better at not getting caught."
"I'm just passing along the information. So Michael is in lockup at the station. Mama Fiorito, Sal Jr., Viper and Nick are all in Chicago. Ranger said no one was staying at Nick's not even Nick, so that leaves Jr.'s or Mama's place and if Sal Jr. needs to come back here for Michael …" I let my thought trail off and Joe picked it up "the family will center around Mama Fiorito in a time of need. She has always been protective of her boys no matter what." He told me. "Go call Ranger then let's go to bed and forget about this."
Joe left in the middle of the night, he got a call that a couple of Slayers were in the wrong part of town. By the time the alarm went off he hadn't returned so I got up alone, got my shower, got dressed and went to get Bob out bed. He always stole Joe's spot when he got called away and I didn't mind. Bob was a warm body and he made the bed feel less empty, but Bob also liked to sleep in on those morning and didn't want to get out of bed for his walk. I clipped his leash on and dragged him outside. Once he got the taste of fresh air he was ready to go, but I was always exhausted from the workout of getting him outside.
Once around the block then I was off to Rangeman. When I arrived, news of Ranger's capture was spreading through the control room. Tank was confirming that Ranger located Mama Fiorito's place last night and everyone was there. Viper was held over at the CPD last night and Ranger was bringing him home this afternoon.
Tank had reviewed the FTA files I picked up yesterday and we would have a staff meeting at 11 am, so I got a couple of hours in before that and was ready for the break. Tank started the meeting by passing out folders to Lester, Cal and Zero, than he flipped Russell Riggins to me.
"Great." I said. "It's Friday night, so I guess that means I have a date at the Blue Fish."
"He should show about 9:00. You'll need to be in place by 8:30. Lester and Bobby will be inside, Hal and Cal and I will be on the outside." Tank told me standard op. Hal & Cal didn't blend into the background as well as Lester and Bobby. Besides they were my team and I felt safe with them. As I read the file on Russell Riggins I felt sick. Not only was he a Friday night regular at the Blue Fish, not the nicest bar on Stark Street. He was known to carry and had been accused of killing a guy in a bar fight last year. The charges were later dropped and it was said to be self defense, but that didn't make me feel better considering he was arrested this time for assault again. I think Russell Riggins needs an anger management class or two. The staff meeting concluded and we all went to Shorty's for lunch, when we got back the afternoon went fast. It was Friday night so even though we'd just had dinner over there last night, Joe and I were still expected at my parent's house at 6 o'clock. I had not heard from Joe so I gave him a call
"Hey," I said when he answered. "How's it going?"
"Not bad. I finished the paperwork on the case this morning, came home for a nap, woke up about an hour ago. Are we expected at your parents' tonight?" he asked.
"Yes," I told him, "then I have a date at the Blue Fish."
"Oh joy, are you on your way home?"
"Yeah. I'll be there in twenty." I told him and hung up.
Dinner at my parents was an uneventful treat. Grandma was on her best behavior trying to get out of the house for an evening viewing, so we were all finished and back home by 7 o'clock. I started to get ready for my job when Joe appeared in the doorframe and asked "Can I tag along?"