January in Trenton is awful enough to make anyone want to eat a bullet. The cold, dreary, post-holiday hellscape kept everyone inside, including the criminals. Skips had been few and far between lately because the few people getting arrested kept showing up for court like good boys and girls. That meant I was broke and desperate for work, so I turned to my fallback position of begging Ranger for a job.

"I will even do the computer work if you need that," I told him as I sat across from him in his office. "I may fall asleep sometimes, but I swear it's just the boredom."

Ranger looked me over for a minute after I finished my plea. He was probably thinking he'd rather me get to work in the bedroom with him, but I wasn't willing to accept money for sex. Not yet at least.

"I have a job I need to get done and I've been trying to figure out who would be best for it," he told me. "It could be dangerous, but it would be over quickly. The only thing you have to do is not get caught. And I'd be there to back you up if you had any problems."

A one-time dangerous gig versus the monotony of weeks' worth of paperwork? I knew immediately which I preferred.

"Tell me about it," I said. "I'm interested."

Ranger said he would come to my apartment later that evening to explain it to me, as he didn't want to do so at the office and risk being overheard. I was surprised by this but agreed and said I'd see him later. I stopped by my parents' house for dinner and was sent home with an arm load of leftovers and dessert. I put them in my bare fridge and spent the time waiting for Ranger mentally kicking myself for not having more money or a better job.

Ranger opened my apartment door a little after eight. I was watching a hockey game on television and turned it off when he came in.

"I was surprised when you said you didn't want to talk about it at the office," I told him as he sat down on the couch next to me. "What's the big secret?"

"Can I have a minute to just enjoy being here with you?" Ranger asked, leaning over to pull me into a kiss. It was a nice kiss that deepened with the passing seconds, and then I felt his hands move up my shirt.

"We'll get distracted if we keep doing this," I said, pulling away from him. "Tell me about the job."

"I'd rather be distracted."

"Being distracted with you is fun, but I'm desperate for money."

Ranger stared at me in the hopes that I'd cave, but I held my own. Barely.

"You're aware that I have a silent partner in my business. I met him when I saved his life, not realizing who he was. As a thank you, he gave me some initial capital for Rangeman. He provided more capital down the line when I wanted to expand into different markets, but on the condition that I keep an eye on people or places he wants monitored in the same cities. I agreed, though sometimes I wish I hadn't and I'm trying to do enough for him to be able to buy him out completely. I'm not intimidated by many people, but he's one of them."

Whoa. "Who is it?" I asked.

Ranger considered me for a moment. "Are you sure you want to know?"

I nodded. "Yes, if I'm risking my neck by doing this job, I at least want to know who might break it."

"His name is Raymond Reddington. He's number one on the FBI's Most Wanted list. He's a former Naval intelligence officer that went rogue and built a criminal empire. He has the largest criminal network in the world. They call him the Concierge of Crime because he can provide almost any service you want. He does have his limits though, which is why I was willing to take his money. They are some similar lines that I won't cross."

My eyes must have been the size of dinner plates. "You're in business with the most wanted man in America?"

"A fact I'm trying to remedy," Ranger says. "Which you can help me achieve by assisting me with this task. If you don't want to do it, I understand."

I thought about it for a minute. I didn't believe Ranger would ask me to do something too dangerous. He cared about me. And God's knows I'd put myself in enough dangerous situations without him.

"Tell me about the job."

Ranger got up from the couch. "Do you have any wine? I need it right now."

We poured ourselves each a glass of my cheap wine and returned to the couch. Ranger took a minute to indulge himself, which didn't do anything to make me feel better.

"Are you this worried about it?" I asked. "Is it that dangerous?"

"It's not the most dangerous thing either of us has ever done, just risky," he replied. "Reddington had a close associate that he had a falling out with named Randall Bartolomeo. After Reddington fired him from managing one of his major trade routes in southern Europe, Bartolomeo settled in Hamilton Township under a new name. When Reddington discovered where he was he asked me to keep an eye on him, to get in with him as a security provider, and to pass on anything of interest. Bartolomeo, or Michael Geraci as he is now known, has been a Rangeman client the past three years. I've been in his home a few times to do security audits, which double as recognizance for Reddington. He has a safe in his home that he didn't wire into the system, and I doubt he's aware that I know about it. That's where he stores items he doesn't want anyone to find. I've never been in it because it requires scrambling a combination, but I have the device to do that. I need you to get into the safe and retrieve two small statues that Reddington believes he has."

That didn't seem too bad. "Okay, if you train me on how to use the device I should be able to do it. Are you going to keep him distracted long enough for me to do it?"

"We have his scheduled security audit in two days. I walk through the house with him and check on things with him. My plan is to have you doing the technical work of checking sensors, wires, and such while I talk him through the details of what else we can provide him. I plan to have you already in his library checking the system when I leave with him to go upstairs, which would give you time to get into the safe. You'll have a special section in one of your cases to put the statues in to keep them safe in transport. Once you have them out, carry on as usual and we'll get out of there as soon as we can."

I drained the rest of my wine. "That doesn't sound so bad. What did he do that caused Reddington to fire him?"

"He has a nasty temper and murdered ten people who worked for him in about two years. Reddington decided it wasn't good business if the boss kept killing his employees for minor mistakes. That's saying something considering Reddington's suspected body count."

Well, shit. If it were anyone else that would have been the point where I said no. But telling Ranger no wasn't one of my strengths.

Ranger spent the next forty hours preparing me for the job. Not only had I needed to memorize the layout of Geraci's home and had pictures of items I was looking for, but I also needed to know how to do actual Rangeman work. I gave the bare minimum to that part and focused on the stolen items. They were small wooden statuettes that had been carved to commemorate some long dead Egyptian nobleman and had been stolen during an uprising in Cairo in 2011. It wasn't clear which ones Geraci had, but I memorized all of them just to be safe. The eleven pieces had been sold off separately, and Reddington intended to find all the missing statues. Ranger said he likely had something he wanted from the Egyptian government and would use this as leverage.

"I think we need something to put in their place to prevent him getting suspicious right away," I suggested as Ranger and his tech guy taught me how to use the combination scrambler.

"The pieces were given to the buyers in small wooden boxes fitted with foam," Ranger replied. "You could put something in there to make up for the weight, but it would need to happen quickly. We don't know which ones he has to know exactly how much they weigh."

I made a mental note of the rough length and ballparked the weight on each. "I'll come prepared."

"Make sure whatever you bring hasn't been touched by your bare hands. Geraci may not go to the police, but he will undoubtedly have the ability to lift any prints and have them run through the system."

I gave a mock salute. "Yes, sir."

Ranger's tech guy left a couple of minutes later after being satisfied that I could use the scrambler and knew how to reset it if I had any problems. Once the Rangeman guy was out of the room, Ranger gave me a slap on the ass. Not painfully so, but it got my attention.

"Don't be a smartass in front of my employees while you're working," he reminded me. "It might make them think they can do it."

I looked over my shoulder at him. "Do they get spanked if they're bad?"

That earned me a rare Ranger smile. "No, that's just for you."

I hadn't thought of myself as someone who would enjoy spanking. I wasn't my perverted cousin or lecherous ex-husband, who gladly paid women to beat them with riding crops and whips. But Ranger's smack on my ass had been titillating. I wasn't sure if it was just him touching me or if it was the slightly sting of his hand, but I'd enjoyed it nonetheless.

Ranger and I ran through the plan three times the morning of the heist. I had started calling it a heist in my head because it seemed exciting and took away some of the anxiety I was feeling at the idea of being caught and murdered. He also had contingencies and contingences for the contingencies. I figured there had been less planning on D-Day.

Ranger and I drove separately to Hamilton Township. He was in his Porsche Cayenne and I was in one of the Rangeman service vehicles that came equipped with anything I'd need for the job. This would allow me to leave and get out of the house with the statuettes while Ranger continued to distract Geraci. I took a few deep breaths as we pulled into the winding driveway at Geraci's house. It was a recently built two-story home with a brick exterior. The landscaping was tasteful and expensive. An American flag stuck out from a pole by the front door. I parked behind Ranger and while he walked to the front door, I gathered my equipment and the ladder.

Ranger had reached for the video doorbell, but the door swung open before he pushed the button and revealed a stocky man in his fifties. He was about two inches shorter than me and probably outweighed me by a hundred pounds. He had a glass of something amber in one hand.

"Come in," he said. "I'm in a hurry today. I've got things to do." We followed him through the foyer and into the living room, which was decorated in dark wood and muted colors.

"Stephanie can get started on checking the sensors and wiring while we talk about your needs," Ranger said. I nodded and headed across the room to the window furthest away. I looked at the sensor and tested it on the device Ranger had provided me. I was pretty sure it was working, but since I didn't give a fig about whether this man's home was secure or not, I moved on without pushing the issue.

Ranger and Geraci had moved into the kitchen to discuss his current contract. I forced myself to focus on looking like I was doing the actual job and running through the plan in my head and not paying attention to Ranger's conversation with Geraci. It was always a bit jarring to see and hear him interact with clients and be the consummate businessman. He was good at it, even if he didn't always look the part. I moved on to the front door and the foyer, testing the locks and sensors on the front door. As planned, I picked up my stuff and headed into the kitchen, but Ranger shook his head.

"Why don't you move on to the library?" he suggested. "Mr. Geraci and I still have more to discuss."

The library was a large room that took up almost half of the first floor. It contained several floor-to-ceiling bookshelves that held multitudes of books along with pieces of art and photos. The room echoed slightly due to the uncovered wooden floors. I briefly thought about how there needed to be rug in the center of the room, but them remembered I wasn't there for interior design.

There was a safe that Rangeman officially knew about hidden behind a picture on the wall. While Rangeman didn't have the code to the safe, I was still able to check its sensors with the device. The safe Rangeman wasn't supposed to know about was hidden in the floor under Geraci's desk. I had intentionally set my things down by the desk while I climbed the ladder to check out the window sensors. I was told to check the security in the library and do all of that until I heard Ranger and Geraci go upstairs.

I had just finished checking the windows and was moving on to the wall safe when I realized there was a small camera sitting on a bookshelf. It was partially hidden by a golden statue of Buddha and was pointed directly at Geraci's desk. I didn't look at the camera to avoid drawing attention to myself, but I felt my heart start to race. Ranger hadn't expected a camera. This wasn't a Rangeman camera, but one of those that people can just plug into the wall and sync to their phones. Geraci probably had it connected to his phone and was watching me on it.

Thinking fast, I pulled out my cell phone and pretended to make a call on it while I had my back to the camera and looked at Geraci's desk. It was an ornate wooden desk with intricate details carved into it and likely cost more than a car. While I carried on a fake conversation with Hal back at Rangeman, I looked down at the floor where the safe was. Ranger said it was almost impossible to see and he was right. I could barely detect the outline of the compartment due to the way the wooden slats were laid out. A slight shimmer caught my eye and I realized it was a piece of tape on the floor. My gut told me Geraci was probably paranoid and had a way of making sure he knew if something had been disturbed. I ended my fake call and pretended to be looking up something on my phone. I snapped several pictures of the location of the chair and the tape so that I could put them back exactly where they belonged. But first I had to figure out how to solve the issue of the camera.

I left the library briefly and headed out to the Rangeman vehicle to give myself a moment to think. It would be too obvious to unplug the camera. I didn't know where the wi-fi router was to disrupt the active signal of the camera, but it would likely continue to record and Geraci could review the footage later. I had no way of getting into the safe without the camera catching me. My only option was to block it in some way that didn't look obvious. I grabbed a tool bag and was heading back to the door when I got a text from Ranger.

What's going on?

I replied with an emoji of eyes, hoping he got the message that I was under monitoring in the library. I could hear Ranger and Geraci still talking in the kitchen as I went back into the library and shut the door. An idea hit me as I walked across the room. I pulled out my cell phone as though it was vibrating in my pocket and heaved a disgusted sigh.

I feigned a tense phone call with my mother while I headed back towards the safe. I put the tool bag down on the shelf in front of the camera distractedly as I told my mother for the fourth time that week that I didn't want to go on a date with Mrs. Laminelli's son. I continued to pretend to argue with my mother while I waited to hear what was happening in the kitchen. As I suspected, Geraci's voice got closer to the library a minute later and the door opened. I was standing there with my phone to my ear and the device in my hand that tested the sensors. I turned to look at Ranger and Geraci and told my mother to hold on.

"Did you need something?" I asked innocently? "I'm having some trouble with this sensor on the safe. It might need replaced, but Hal walked me through a few things I can do before getting to that point."

Ranger nodded. "Fine. Did you need something in here, Mr. Geraci?" he asked Geraci.

Geraci looked relieved to see that I was just being an airhead and not a thief. He walked around his desk for a minute, glancing down at the floor as he picked up a piece of hard candy from a tray on the desk. "No, it's good. I just wanted to check in and see if she needed anything."

I gave a wide smile and thanked Geraci. I heard Ranger suggest they head upstairs to do the walkthrough and knew that was my chance. I continued the fake conversation with my mother while I squatted down by the desk and pulled on gloves. I moved the chair as little as necessary to get it off the edge of the door. I pulled up the tape from the edge of the floor and kept it attached the door to reveal the safe. I was surprised to find the door was on hinges and leaned it against the back of the desk. The safe was larger than I had expected, but I didn't waste time setting up the scrambler. It would take a couple of minutes to get the numbers so I took the time to get prepared. I had a separate tool kit with foam inserts to protect various tools and parts. If Geraci opened it up, it would look completely legitimate. He could even lift up the foam insert and would find nothing hidden behind them. That was because there was false backing on the foam that pulled away and allowed for me to store the statuettes without detection. I had placed the various items I grabbed to mimic the weight of the statuettes in that section to allow for an easy exchange. I had gone to the local hardware store and picked up some small pipes that I figured were about the same length. I had gone to Michael's and purchased some river-washed rocks just in case I needed to add a little bit of weight. By the time I got everything ready the scrambler had finished and read out the code.

18492

I typed the code into the safe and it unlocked. I lifted the lid and was surprised at how much stuff was in there. While I pretended to tell my mother about my most recent date with a construction worker, I took a picture of the interior so that I could put everything back exactly as it was. I carefully lifted items out to look for the wooden boxes. There were various papers in protective folders, what looked like cash but was probably counterfeit, several velvet boxes like the ones jewelry come in, and various other boxes.

The boxes containing the statuettes were at the very bottom of the safe. I pulled them out, opened the boxes and didn't give them more than a passing glance before putting them safely in the container. I pulled out a couple of pipes and were about the right size and weight and put them in the wooden boxes. I placed the boxes back in the bottom of the safe and began the task of piling everything back in. I was putting a large velvet box back in the container when I made the insane decision to open it and see what was inside. I had been expecting something like the enormous blue diamond necklace from the Titanic move and was surprised to find an ugly old pendant snuggly sitting in a foam setting. It was hideous, but it also looked old. It wouldn't be hiding out in the secret safe if it wasn't illegal, I told myself, and in a hasty move, pulled it out and replaced it with four small river rocks. I wrapped the pendant in a towel and placed it in the partition with the statuettes and hurriedly replaced the items in the safe. I looked down at the picture on my phone to be certain everything was exactly as it had been before closing the safe gently. I lowered the floor back down over it and placed the tape back as it had been. I consulted the photo I'd taken of the floor four times before I felt satisfied that the tape and the chair were in their precise placement. I closed up the case with the statuettes and the pendant and set it back up where I had been when Geraci had been in the room. I took off my gloves and put them deep into the pocket of my pants.

I made a big deal of sounding relieved and told my mother I needed to get off the phone. I pretended to end her call and pretended to call Hal back and tell him the sensor was finally working and that it had just needed wiped off. If Geraci didn't listen to the sound in the room later, I was going to feel like my efforts were wasted. I grabbed the tool bag off the bookshelf, picked up the other box from the floor and headed to pick up the ladder. I hoped I wasn't shaking because my heart was pounding in my ears.

I headed to the kitchen and checked the sensors in there while Ranger and Geraci were still upstairs. I was just finishing up when I heard them come back down to the kitchen.

"I got that sensor fixed," I told Ranger. "It must have been dusty or something."

Ranger nodded. "You can check the sensors upstairs now. Mr. Geraci has decided he doesn't want to do any upgrades to his system right now."

I nodded and was about to head toward the stairs when Geraci held up a hand. Fear flooded my system and I hoped there wasn't a puddle on the floor. He knew I'd been in his secret safe.

"Don't worry about it," Geraci said. "I need to get to an appointment and I'm sure those sensors are fine. They are on the second floor anyway. The only things up there are myself and my wife when we're sleeping. I can take care of myself, and I'd shake the hand of someone who decided to take my wife."

"Are you sure?" Ranger asked. "We can always come back later to check those."

Geraci shook his head. "Nah, it's fine. I'm going to be gone all day. If there's an issue with them, I'll give you a call."

We said our goodbyes to Geraci and headed out the front door. Ranger and I didn't say anything to each other as we climbed into the cars and drove back to Rangeman. I had the case with the statuettes and the pendant in the front seat next to me, my hand resting on it like a parent protecting their child who is riding in the front seat when they are too small to be there.

The panic that Geraci would murder me had eased and been replaced with the fear that Ranger might decide to do it instead once he discovered I'd taken the pendant. I slowed my speed a little so that I got caught at a red light that Ranger had made it through. I opened the case and dug out the pendant wrapped in the towel. What Ranger didn't know couldn't hurt me. I placed the towel in my messenger bag in a zippered compartment where I stored my tampons. It barely fit, but I doubted Ranger would be going through my purse.

I pulled into the Rangeman garage a few minutes later and found Ranger waiting for me in the car's assigned spot. I pulled in and he climbed into the passenger seat, placing the container on his lap. He opened it up and checked out the items.

"Any problems?" he asked.

"Did you understand my message?"

"That there was a camera in there? Yes. Geraci also confirmed it when he pulled out his cell phone and then headed towards the library. I could see over his shoulder and realized he had the camera connected to an app on his phone. You did well. He didn't panic once he realized you were distracted by the phone and the problems with the safe."

"Did he try to watch me anymore after that?" I asked.

Ranger shook his head and closed the case. "No. I kept him busy talking upstairs. I don't think he was suspicious."

I breathed out a sigh of relief. "That's good, because he's meticulous." I showed Ranger the pictures I had taken before deleting them from my phone and explained how I made sure to put everything back exactly as it had been.

Ranger pulled me towards him and kissed me deeply. "This is why I love you."

"Because I'm a good thief?"

"That's part of it," he said. "Reddington wants me to meet him in Philly tomorrow night to hand these over. I'm hoping that I can talk about buying him out of the business while I do it."

"I want to come with you," I said quickly.

Ranger raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"How many chances will I have in this life to meet the guy who is number one on the FBI's Most Wanted list?" I asked. "One, and this is it. Besides, I want him to know I helped you."

"No."

I crossed my arms. "Why? You can't stand a girl taking credit for your work?"

"I don't want you going because Reddington is dangerous. He doesn't need to know you."

"I disagree. I want him to know me and associate positive things with me in case I have to capture one of his best friends for skipping bail. Maybe then he won't murder me."

"Babe, men like Reddington don't have best friends."

"Associates then. Comrades. Frenemies. Whatever types of relationships a man like that has. I just want to be on his good side. You know me. I tend to get myself into messes with people I never imagined meeting."

Ranger looked like he'd rather lock me up in a padded room. "Fine. I'll pick you up tomorrow at seven."

I hurried home with my secret treasure and served myself a piece of pie while I examined the pendant. It had a dark blue diamond-shaped gem in the center and was surrounded on three sides by rust red rectangles of some other type of gem. What looked like pearls were set on three sides of the center gem and one hung at the bottom. I sat it next to my laptop while I googled various search terms to see if I could find a picture of it. But everything I looked up was of modern jewelry or stuff that was currently safe in museums. Apparently, the terms old and missing weren't sufficient. I spent half an hour with various search terms and looking at images until my eyes crossed.

I got up from the table, put my dishes away and poured myself the last glass of wine from the bottle in my fridge when my phone dinged. It was an alert from my bank that there had been a deposit in my bank account from Rangeman. I breathed a sigh of relief. That money would get me through a couple of months, but it still wasn't going to help me in the long run. I needed a better job with more stable income. I wanted a good job with great pay and benefits, no weekends or holidays, and no uniforms. I hadn't realized it until the drive back to Rangeman, but it had been the motivator for me taking the pendant. Ranger said Reddington was connected to everything, both legal and illegal. Maybe I could trade the pendant to Reddington for a good job somewhere. But I needed to know what it was and if it was something he would even want before taking that risk.

I sat back down and googled missing items in history pendant and hit enter. The first thing to pop up in the search was a Wikipedia page named List of Missing Treasures. I opened it up and scrolled through the page looking for any sign of a pendant. I nearly screamed when I saw the thirteenth item on the list. It was called The Three Brothers and was listed as being lost in the year 1645. A thumbnail photo showed a painting done of the pendant from 1505. I read the description next the picture:

A piece of jewellery created in 1389, made of three red spinels in a distinctive triangular arrangement around a central diamond. Owned by key historical figures such as Duke John the Fearless of Burgundy, the German banker (and richest man in history) Jakob Fugger, and English monarchs Elizabeth I, James VI and I, and Charles I. Part of the English Crown Jewels from 1551 to 1644, when it was possibly sold by the wife of Charles I. It vanished from records after 1645.

My mouth hung open as I read the description of the pendant and I slowly wrapped the towel around it again. That ugly piece of jewelry was almost 650 years old and had been missing for over 350 years. Surely that was enough to buy me an entry-level job at a good company.

Ranger was waiting for me at seven in my parking lot the next evening. I had spent the last twenty-four hours trying to figure out the best way to bring up the pendant and how to talk to Reddington. I wasn't sure if I was more afraid of Reddington or Ranger.

"How did you meet Reddington?" I asked Ranger as we made our way towards Philadelphia.

"I was on assignment when I was in Special Forces and got captured in Sudan by some rebel forces. I only had a couple of months left and this was my last field assignment before I had to start my separation process. I had been tasked with getting an NGO worker out who was being held hostage. I found the worker, but she had been murdered before I got to her. The rebels grabbed me and threw me into a prison cell with a white man. He had been tortured and beaten, but was still in good spirits and made sarcastic jokes about our circumstance. We were there four days before I had a chance to escape. I killed the guard who had come in to take Reddington out for another round of torture and was able to get us both out of there alive. Reddington had told me where to go so that someone could help us. It turned out his bodyguard was Sudanese and had been in the country with him when they'd been ambushed. The bodyguard got away and had been looking for Reddington. We were able to meet up with him and he got us both medical care. Once I was patched up, I left to make contact with my unit. Reddington stopped me as I was leaving and gave me his card. He told me if I ever needed anything to call him because he owed me his life. I never called him, but he had kept tabs on me and four years later found me after I'd moved to Trenton and was doing bond enforcement and building up my security business. That's when he offered me the initial capital."

"Did you realize who he was?" I asked. "When you took the money, I mean."

"He told me back in Sudan, but I hadn't bothered to look him up to see if the story was true. I saw a wanted post of him about a year later while waiting in line at the post office in Miami. I realized he had been telling me the truth and didn't think much of it until he showed up at my doorstep one day."

I googled Reddington while Ranger continued towards our destination. He was wanted on charges ranging from murder to wire fraud. He had once been charged with treason as well but had been able to show he was set up by a KGB agent and had been cleared. He was wanted by pretty much every country on the planet. He had been arrested once a while back and had been on death row when a last-minute call from the President had halted the execution. He had escaped while being transported to a hospital for medical care and hadn't been seen since.

And here I thought I was just going to offer this man a priceless artifact in exchange for a job. Why was I so stupid? I suppressed a shiver and tried not to panic as we hit the Philadelphia city limits. Just because I had the pendant didn't mean I had to give it to Reddington. No one knew I had it. I could just keep it and figure out some way to benefit from it. But I didn't know how I would do that without admitting that I'd robbed a criminal. Prison would be the least of my problems in that scenario. I also didn't want Ranger to know I had it. I had considered telling him on the drive, but after listening to his story about Reddington and googling the man, I had decided I'd rather jump out of the moving car in front of a semi than admit to him that I'd taken more than we were instructed. The entire situation not only felt dangerous, but embarrassing. Would Reddington laugh at me if I showed him the ugly jewelry and asked for a favor?

I didn't have much more time to figure things out as Ranger and I pulled to the side of a quiet street. There were several businesses on either side. A florist, a pet store, a small bank, and three restaurants. Ranger grabbed the box and I followed him down the block to a restaurant called Octavio's. A sign on the front door said they were closed for renovations until the spring. Ranger rapped on the door and waited until a tall black man with bald head appeared.

"Hello, Ranger," he said in a quiet, accented tone. "Mr. Reddington is waiting for you."

"This is Stephanie," Ranger told the man as he locked up behind us. "She helped me with the job."

The man gave a polite nod and indicated that we should follow him. The floor of the restaurant was covered in a paint tarp and other material indicating the hard work of the renovation. It was dark inside except for a square of light shining through a window in a door ahead. We pushed through the swinging door and were led to the back of the kitchen where a man in his early sixties sat a small table. He was dressed in an impeccable three-piece navy suit and a matching fedora rested on the table. He didn't look like a hardened criminal. He looked like a banker. He was focused on a newspaper crossword puzzle. I was so nervous I was sweating and took my coat off to cool down.

"Who was the home run leader in 1924 in the National League?" Reddington asked the room. "Eight letters, ends in an R and has a U in the third place."

"Fournier," Ranger offered. "Jack Fournier."

"I never took you for a baseball fan, Carlos," Reddington said as he filled in the little squares.

"My brother is. He made me help him memorize them all one year for a project."

Reddington laughed and shook his head. "The things we do for family. And who is this lovely young woman with you?"

Reddington turned his attention on me and was watching me with a pleasant expression on his face. I might have been meeting Ranger's third grade teacher instead of the most wanted man in the world.

"I'm Stephanie Plum," I offered. "I helped Ranger get the statuettes for you."

Reddington stood up and walked over towards me. He extended a hand and I took it. His grip was firm, but comfortable. He looked me over and the expression on his face was a combination of a proud parent and a man who wanted to get into my pants. I didn't know how he managed it, but he had. And I had no idea how I felt about it.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Plum," he said, his tone slightly deeper than it had been a few seconds ago. He released my hand and took the container from Ranger. He set it up on a counter and opened it to look at the statuettes.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" he asked me. "There were eleven of them carved as a commemoration of the funeral of nobleman Yuya. He lived over 3300 years ago in Egypt. It's astounding that these things have survived the millennia." He closed the lid and handed the container to his bodyguard. "Have you ever been to Egypt, Stephanie?"

I shook my head and laid my jacket over the back of a chair. "No, I haven't. I'm afraid I haven't travelled much of the world."

"If you're ever interested, I would be more than glad to show you around," he purred. "It's a fascinating country with a rich history of betrayal and seduction."

I caught Ranger's eye and saw a flicker of something I'd never seen before. Jealousy.

I smiled at Reddington. "Maybe someday. But I know Ranger needs to get back to Trenton."

"Yes, thank you, Carlos," Reddington said, turning around and extending his hand to Ranger. "I appreciate the work you have put into keeping an eye on Randall. You won't need to keep tabs on him for much longer, I'm afraid. If I'd had the information earlier I could have spared you the work, but it turns out Randall has a terminal cancer diagnosis and only has a few months to live. I only just learned this information today."

I didn't believe that for one second and I didn't think Ranger did either. This felt like a test for Ranger, and he had passed it.

"Good to know," Ranger replied. "And since you won't have an interest in keeping an eye on him much longer, I want to open up discussion of buying you out of Rangeman. I appreciate your help in getting it started, but I feel like I've reached a point where I would be able to pay you back your investment and would like to take full ownership."

Reddington nodded. "Very well. I'll have my lawyer get in touch with you. I believe we will be able to come to a price that makes us both happy." He reached out to shake Ranger's hand again. "I appreciate the work you've done these past few years. I won't forget it."

Ranger nodded and indicated to me that we should head out. I gave a small wave to Reddington and his bodyguard and followed Ranger back through the restaurant. We had gotten outside and taken a few steps when I stopped.

"I forgot my coat," I told Ranger. "I left it on the back of a chair. I'll go grab it. Why don't you pull the car up here and wait for me?"

Ranger nodded and I hurried back to the restaurant. I walked back through the front door and towards the kitchen. The bodyguard was standing in the middle of the room holding the case when I walked in. I saw him twitch slightly, as though ready to reach for his gun.

I took a split second to make the decision. "I forgot my coat," I said, pointing to it on the back of the chair. Reddington picked it up and helped me into it."

"Thanks," I said. I turned to face Reddington and set my messenger bag on the counter.

"Look, I don't want Ranger to know, but I took something else while I was in the safe yesterday," I said and pulled out the towel containing the necklace. "It seems important and valuable, and I thought I might make an exchange for it."

Reddington's eyebrows shot up and a smile crossed his face. "My, my, Miss Plum. We are ambitious."

"What do you say?" I asked. "I don't have much time before he gets suspicious." I opened up the towel and laid it out on the counter. "It's called—"

"The Three Brothers," Reddington said in a near whisper. He leaned forward and examined it closely. "It has been missing for over three centuries." After a few seconds, he shook his head as though to clear a fog. "I'll need to have it validated, of course. If it proves to be the real thing, I'll give you anything in the world."

"I want a job," I told him. "One that's legal, with good pay and benefits, and doesn't put my life in danger. I also want to stay in New Jersey."

Reddington looked at me as though I had three heads. "Stephanie, if this is the real deal, you're going to be entitled to much more than a middle-management position in Trenton."

"Just get in touch with me when you know if it's the real thing," I said. I handed him my business card. "I have to go."

I hurried back out of the restaurant and found Ranger idling at the curb.

"What took so long?" he asked immediately.

"Oh, Reddington was still offering to whisk me away to Cairo," I told him. "I almost considered it."

Ranger shook his head as he pulled away. "The last thing you want to go is get involved with Reddington in any capacity. Don't let the charm and gray hair fool you."

"I'm not fooled by him any more than I am you," I said. "You're both dangerous men who want to sleep with me."

I hid the smile on my face as I felt Ranger press down on the accelerator.

"He's old enough to be your father," he said. I wrinkled my nose at the image.

"I wouldn't marry him or anything," I said. "But he seems like he'd be good in bed."

The line around Ranger's mouth tightened and I couldn't hold back my laughter any longer.

"You're jealous!" I exclaimed.

"I'm not jealous," Ranger said, keeping his eyes on the road in case it decided to disappear.

"If you say so. But I saw that look in your eye back in the kitchen when he was flirting with me. If that wasn't jealousy, then what was it?"

Ranger didn't say anything else the rest of the drive back to Trenton.

Three weeks later, I came home after a long day of running down a middle-aged man who had beaten up his wife. I had chased in through his backyard in the pouring rain and we both slipped in mud. I had gotten him to jail but decided to go home and get cleaned up before turning in my body receipt. I was cold and dripping water as I walked through the building. I stripped out of my coat and threw it on the floor in the entryway when I walked into my apartment. I kicked off my shoes and was about to pull my shirt off over my head when I realized I wasn't alone. Reddington was sitting on my sofa and his bodyguard was sitting in a chair.

"Looks like you've had a rough day," Reddington observed. His gaze fell on my chest, and I glance down. My nipples were little pinpoints under my light green shirt.

"Did you get the pendant checked out?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Yes, my expert was able to confirm it is indeed the Three Brothers," he said. "Why don't you get dry and warm and then we can discuss your proposal."

I nodded and walked past him to my bedroom. I quickly stripped out of my clothes and put on dry ones. I towel dried my hair and was back in the living room within a few minutes. The bodyguard was gone, but Reddington was still in the living room. He had produced a bottle of wine and two glasses.

"This is a 1971 Chateau d'Yquem," he told me as he poured. "It gives notes of fig and banana, of all things. It's quite lovely." He handed me a glass and lifted his own before taking a sip. I also took a sip and couldn't really say too much about it. Maybe my palate had been ruined by Franzia.

"Thanks," I said. I sat down in the chair his bodyguard had vacated. "So what kind of job can you give me?"

Reddington smiled at me before sitting back down on the couch. "I like a woman who gets to the point. But I also hate to see her undervalue herself. You are worth so much more than a job in Trenton. You managed to steal priceless artifacts out from under the nose of my former associate without suspicion and had the ambition to take something for yourself while keeping Carlos Manoso in the dark. He's a man who knows just about as much about people as I do, and that's saying something."

"I appreciate that, but I just want something decent to do here. I want to stay close to my family."

Reddington looked wistful for a minute as he took another drink of wine. "I can appreciate that. Having family that loves and supports you is something money can't buy."

He finished his wine and placed his glass on the table. "I own a company that owns a company that has their corporate offices in Trenton. They manufacture ambulances and distribute them all over the country. They are in need of a recruitment supervisor who is tasked with finding and interviewing potential employees and getting them through training. You would be perfect for the role because I can see that you have a terrific read on people. The salary and benefits are excellent and there is plenty of upward and lateral movement available. Someone will be getting ahold of you tomorrow to get you set up for orientation."

I wasn't sure what I had been expecting, but it hadn't been this. It seemed too normal for someone like him. I took another sip of the wine and realized it was growing on me. "So it's all legal? No shady dealings?"

"All above board."

"Okay, thank you," I said. I stood up to shake his hand, hoping he would get the hint that I wanted him to leave. He held my hand in his and rubbed his thumb along the back.

"You're very welcome," he replied, his voice achieving that low growl like it had back in the restaurant. "Is there anything else I can do for you? Any needs not being met?"

I took a large sip of wine and pulled my hand out from his. Why did he have this effect on me? He wasn't very attractive, nor was he hideous. But he exuded a sex appeal that even Ranger didn't quite manage. It wasn't so much in the looks, but the voice and mannerisms. The mischievous glint in his eye and the tenderness in his touch. It was more subtle than Ranger. He was like vacation in the south of France, obscure old books, and aged liquor, whereas Ranger was more fast cars, dark alleys, and a shot of top-shelf tequila. I had the feeling that if I could combine the two of them into one person and remove the criminal element, I could make the perfect man.

"I appreciate this," I told him. "Really. It'll be nice to have a normal job and maybe even a normal life again."

Reddington stood and looked down at me. He was slightly shorter than Ranger, but still taller than me. He was very close and for a terrifying moment I thought he might kiss me.

"Stephanie, you are anything but normal," he murmured. "Don't ever change."