Well. Hi peeps. So sorry once again for keeping you hanging on that cliff edge.
My Muse has been dodging and bouncing in and out of her zone and was even hiding from the end. It's been an eventful and "interesting" time RL, but without any further ado, here it is.
I make no money but I have loved playing with these, our favourite characters. Thank
"It appears that there is a situation on the street. Alpha has been cornered by Ramirez. Ramirez is a raging bull full of revenge directed at Alpha for daring to harm you, Babe."
Another interruption as my phone buzzed again. Now that's interesting. I hear him out. I grin wryly inside but not outwardly, keeping a grim demeanour. This is most unexpected and, dare I say, convenient. I contemplate how to break the news.
…ooooOoooo…
Chapter 9 EPILOGUE
"That was Ram and Manny with Hector, on Stark. There's been a development, an unexpected development."
All eyes were on me, my men eyeing me with an element of knowing suspicion, Stephanie with wide-eyed curiosity. Tank folded his arms, stood taller as he opened his chest and raised an eyebrow a hair's breadth and I could see he had put two and two together. One by one my men gave that that silent, steady look of acknowledgement only given away by a raised eye brow, a chin lift, a tilt of the head ever so slight, a barely there nod of the head or the eyes opening that tiny bit wider. Stephanie watched us one by one. We knew how to read one another and say a lot without uttering a word. We understood the streets, the Hood, the ghetto. Street smart. Experience. Familiarity. Our Brotherhood from the military gave us that distinct ability to read each other's body language and the slightest and infinitesimal changes in facial expression. Having worked so closely together especially in the field both on our missions with our military training and in our business of security, it afforded us a special connection, a unique bond. It certainly has helped us survive many a near miss and life threatening situations.
"What?! Okay! Cut it with the ESP. What unexpected development?"
My phone vibrated again and I opened the link to see the new development in progress. I kept my blank expression, taking in the details. Definitely not what I expected. The room was silent and as is protocol, the vision was muted. After the events unfolded, I looked at my men and then at Stephanie.
Once again I had a captive audience.
"Apparently, Ramirez was very unhappy with Jimmy Alpha because Jimmy was being disrespectful to you, Stephanie,"
"What do you mean, disrespectful to me?"
"Ramirez didn't like that he used you with a bounty to try to redeem his funds and pay off his debts including Ramirez's cut of the winnings for the last few fights. He was after Alpha and when he caught up with him this morning he had him cornered. It seems that Alpha had called in Morelli to collect on his debts and that's when Ramirez went all apeshit. Ramirez was grinning like the proverbial Cheshire Cat when he found them both together."
"How do you know all this?"
"Let's say that our man Hector had front row seats and has recorded the whole shebang. It seems that Ramirez is not at all a Morelli fan because he too disrespected you. 'The Champ was not happy.' He was evidently listening to Morelli's rant in the parking lot yesterday and did not like what he heard." I paused to give her time to absorb the details and possibly anticipate what impact this had on the current situation.
The men were all listening intently as Stephanie took this all in, closely watching her reactions in a brotherly, guarded way. She was very quiet for a while, sitting down heavily with a dazed expression.
"Huh!" was her only response, somewhat surprised and confused at the same time.
"Okay … Okay, there's more, I guess. So … go on," she replied steadfastly, obviously bracing herself with a deep breath.
"In the course of their arguments, Hector heard Ramirez declaring Alpha a fraudster and an embezzler. He understood the match fixing and while it served its purpose, it bruised his ego somewhat that Alpha had blemished his integrity as a genuine boxer and his rep as 'The Champ'. Go figure. No honour among thieves. News is that Jimmy Alpha was also blackmailing Morelli. By this stage, Alpha knew he was a goner and was not going to make it with Ramirez so close and directing his rage towards him. Ramirez was hysterical like a shrieking banshee calling for divine intervention and an escort to Hell.
Alpha tried to redirect Ramirez's attention to Morelli's misdeeds to tone down his obvious aggression. Furniture was gradually flying round the room as Ramirez stalked his prey, still fixated on Alpha. Ramirez wasn't about to be deterred.
In the meantime, the TPD had arrived and Alpha started singing like a canary. He was naming his partners in crime, calling Morelli a dirty cop, giving details, very specific details. He was referring to when Morelli was FTA and before he could finish, Morelli, who has been on temporary suspension as you know, pulled a gun out and shot Alpha at close range. And the gun he used was, of course, not police issue. It may even have previous form. Ramirez totally snapped and attacked Morelli and in the process was shot by the TPD and by Morelli in self-defence. Morelli is on the way to St Francis in a critical condition and will expect to be in ICU for some time with gunshot wounds as well but still under guard. It looks pretty grim for him either way. Ramirez worked him over despite the gunshot wounds before they could intervene. Ramirez is dead. A few cracked ribs from the Ramirez death crush, Morelli copped more than one of the bullets and the question of direct hits is not being investigated too closely it seems."
We all looked at Stephanie to see how she would react to all this. She was quiet for a while with her eyes closed, breathing deeply through her nose, her fingers tips cradling her temples.
"Something's burning Babe…"
With an astounded sigh, she opened her eyes but stared into the empty space ahead.
"That bastard! That dirty bastard! He was dirty all along and to think I gave him his credibility back. I cleared his name. He used me! I feel so, so violated. He violated my trust. Well, good riddance to him." She snarled with a look of utter disgust, contempt and disappointment. She was silent for a while longer.
"He's as good as dead no matter which way you look at it. I guess if he makes it, he'll go to jail which won't be that cosy. He's as good as dead, a cop, a vice cop like him, going to jail? If he doesn't make it or survive in ICU or the CCU, he's dead anyway." It was as if she was talking to herself so we let her ramble with her thoughts. Her face was so expressive as she pondered this last realisation. But then her expression altered as she suddenly stood up.
"That lousy Italian shit! He played me. He played me all along!" she said to no one in particular. She was in shock, stunned and flabbergasted.
"He even took credit for some of your captures because of your clever deductions. You know the 'Burg so well and yes, he did use you. Gazarra, Costanza and Big Dog already made those observations known," Tank observed quietly.
"Okay. Enough morose Morelli talk. Stephanie? I bet you'd like a tour of this little 'ole house, eh?" Lester piped up brightly, waggling his sexy eyebrows. "Come on. I'll be your private tour guide. I know you are curious and really want to know. Besides I know some secret hidey spots," which was accompanied by more mischievous eyebrow waggling and the sure thing, the Lester Puppy Dog eyes which broke her resolve, just the dose of distraction she needed.
"Me too," Bobby replied winking at me. Stephanie giggled at their antics and much to my relief she willingly let them distract her.
"Milady, let us explore Casa Mañoso." They took her arm in arm and briskly walked her out of the room. Stephanie recovered pretty well. Lester and Bobby will be good for her, a distraction and a timely diversion.
"You know she's right. Morelli is dead either way." Tank remarked.
I nodded and also thought he was a dead man walking. Frankly, I'd rather have a choice in the matter, as I'm sure, every man here is also thinking. Part of me is disappointed at not being able to get a bit of redemption. The look of distaste on my men's faces as Morelli's name was mentioned was clearly evident.
"You know," said a wistful Hal, "I have been visualising a dozen ways to deal with that fucker Morelli."
"Only a dozen, man? I got a heap more than that after what he's done to Stephanie and as Hector so aptly put it, disrespecting her," came the sullen reply from Tank.
I took a few more calls and the men made themselves busy. Cal and Hal prepared a tasty frittata and a couple of large salads for lunch. Tank checked the main feeds and we set the table for seven of us on the poolside deck.
Laughter could be heard coming from above in the stairwell, hysterical laughter, hearty and spirited. Tank looked at me, smiling. Yep, that Lester and Bobby tag team charm always works a treat. Stephanie sounded happy yet defensive and they laughed even harder. As they cornered the room, it was Bobby with tears in his eyes who qualified their mirth as we eyed them curiously and quizzically yet unable to keep a smile from our faces. She did it again, that uncanny ability to disarm these big badass men and bring sunshine into our lives.
"Go on," he urged, looking at me directly, as if daring me. "Ask her about The Buick." With that Stephanie gave a classic Jersey eye roll but stood her ground with her hands on her hips.
"Well? The Buick?" asked Tank curiously. "C'mon Little Girl. You know you gotsta spill now. And The Buick is …?" and his hands gestured encouragingly to get her to share the joy. Lester burst into a fit of giggles as he and Bobby rolled their eyes simultaneously in perfect Stephanie style.
She laughed at their antics, giggled coyly and composed herself.
"Ahem. Well … er … you know how Morelli and I have some history?" This was met with a unanimous growl from all of us.
"Okay. Steady boys. After the Tasty Pastry, you know …" She blew a curl upwards off her face from her bottom lip and looked a bit uncomfortable so I opened my arms and she crept right in, turned to look at me with a sweet smile and then turned to face the men.
"Well, when Morelli left me … after he'd left and joined the Navy, he –"
"Navy! Ah fuck! He wasn't a SEAL. Please tell me he was just a sailor boy?" pleaded Cal disdainfully.
"He joined the Navy as a regular seaman, but, er… "
"It's okay Babe, we won't interrupt," as we all started to growl in unison again.
"Oh… This is hard. He left the next day but before he did … God, this is so embarrassing (big sigh). He wrote about it … on the walls. He left quite a few 'flattering' messages in bathroom and stadium walls around town." She hung her head for a moment in shame but then snapped herself out of it and continued with a captive grimacing audience.
My teeth were grinding as my jaw set so I slowly rubbed her arms to encourage her, calm me, ground me. I kissed her temple. "Querida. Go on." I noticed that Lester had his phone discretely recording, obviously keeping our hermano Hector in the loop.
"Okay. I can do this. Right. Apparently, that rat bastard was so proud of our … his deed, conquest whatever, that he wrote those rhymes on the walls around Trenton. Something about … me … sweet to ea-…" Tank's fist slammed into the door of the patio area. Stephanie wide-eyed and stunned looked at the blood dripping from the broken glass on his forearm and at all of us as we all cursed loudly, mostly in Spanish but I know she understood. Bobby quickly went into medic mode and while Tank smoothly grabbed Stephanie from my arms, picked her up and put her on his lap, he kissed her firmly on the cheek, apologising.
"Sorry Little Girl. I'll be alright. So … you were getting to The Buick?"
She half chuckled and leaned into his embrace.
"Yeah, this is the good bit, Beautiful."
"Right. OK Big Guy. You sure you're OK?" He nodded firmly. She looked at us all in turn.
"Two … No. three years later, Morelli returned from his stint in the Navy. I had been grounded and because of his not so tasteful words, every man and his dog thought, that I, Stephanie Plum, was fast and easy, a slut so to speak. I happened to be driving my Dad's car, a huge behemoth of a thing, The Buick, sometime later when I spotted him on the pavement and … before I knew it I had driven straight towards him and broken his leg."
With that look of sheer innocence, blushing modestly and those bright, sparkling blue eyes, we all stood there totally awestruck by this admission, but only momentarily. The room suddenly erupted into raucous peals of laughter, as Cal grabbed my Babe from Tank's arms and kissed her on both cheeks with an enormous squeeze hug. He passed her to Hal as each of us had to have a hold and a kiss between bursts of laughter. Lester and Bobby were practically rolling on the ground clearly enjoying their favourite part again as they mimicked her confession with a falsetto voice, role-playing a Tank and Stephanie routine. It was a cathartic moment for all of us. Dios. I love this woman! She has single-handedly disarmed my men into a bunch of giggling and guffawing idiots. In tears even! Such a rare and wondrous sight. It's like she has cast a magical spell, like Snow White with the Seven Dwarfs but in this case Stephanie Panacea Plum and the Big Bad Ass Bounty Hunters. She remained in my firm embrace because I'm reluctant to share her any more than what just transpired.
"That's the best story. I feel better already. You. Broke. His leg?" asked Tank.
Stephanie nodded like a child about to be remonstrated, her lips tightly sealed.
"Proud of you, Babe," I whispered into her ear. She beamed up at me.
"Did you lose control?" probed Hal.
"No. I did it on purpose." Was her matter of fact reply. More laughter. Lester and Bobby crying tears of elation, high-fiving everyone within reach. A brief pause and a resounding and unanimous "Hooah!" followed. Yes, this was so therapeutic, for us all.
"Did he press charges?" I speculated.
"Nuh-uh. He knew. He knew alright. He wasn't about to complain. Everyone still thinks 'silly Stephanie' lost control of that big ole Buick. I aimed … and hit him good, reversed quietly and left him to it. There wasn't even a dent on the Buick." Hal collapsed onto the floor, also in tears.
My phone vibrated. Stephanie watched my face closely. I listened intently, grinned at her as she was obviously trying to mimic my one raised eyebrow. Tank gave me that perceptive, knowing look.
"Si, hermano. It is time." I disconnected and once again found myself the focus of attention, especially from one blue-eyed Babe with a slightly suspicious air of questioning scrutiny. Tank nodded his approval.
…ooooOoooo…
Well. What do you think? Once again, they don't want to let go. It seems there's still some unfinished business. Forget the E word, for now. (Epilogue) Thank you for hanging in there for me.