Marcus approached us when we got out of the car. I introduced Mia and they shared a smile and nod thing. Andy stood behind me a little bit and seemed very stiff. I didn't know what his problem was, but I honestly didn't care at this point. If Andy was going to be a jerk about it, whatever. His problem.

"Where is she?" I asked while Mia started checking her gun.

"I think she's somewhere on the third floor. I'm guessing that she's been up there about thirty, forty minutes." Mia nodded and I dug in my purse for my stun gun and checked the charge. It was a little low but it could probably handle this one. Does this sound a little excessive for a twelve year old? Well, at the moment I was considering that maybe she was the spawn of Satan. I dug out my cuffs and stuck them in my hip pocket. Mia and I were ready to go. I nodded to the guys, leaving them to entertain each other.

We silently climbed the stairs to the third floor. I listened as we walked down the hall.

"Mal, what is wrong with you? You led that bitch right to us."

I turned to Mia and pointed at a door about halfway down. She nodded and we moved closer.

"But, Daddy, it wasn't my fault!" Mallory Benedict's teary voice came through the door. Followed by the sharp sound of a slap and a small sob. Mia's hands tighten on her gun and I clinched my hand. I may not like what the girl has done, but I hate when someone hurts a kid.

"If you weren't so stupid and you worked harder, this wouldn't have happened."

"Daddy!" Mallory shouted, followed by a loud crash. I nodded to Mia. We had to go now. Mia stepped back and kicked the door next to the locks, splintering the door open. Damn, that girl has some moves. She moved in and had the gun pointed straight ahead. A man a few inches taller than me was standing over Mallory who was shaking on the floor. He was staring at us in shock.

"You led a cop to me?" His roar had diminished a bit. Suddenly, a man was to the right of the door slammed Mia's arms down, knocking the gun out of her grip. I was still in the hallway, out of sight. I rushed in, slamming into the man from the side.

"Oof." He turned to me, circling in a fighter's pose. This man was a real fighter. I circled with him, keeping me out of his reach. Mia was scrambled on the floor for her gun when Mallory's father kicked her in the nose.

"You bastard!" Mia shouted, falling backwards. Benedict advanced on her. She waited until he got close enough and slammed her Converse high tops in between his gut and his groin. He dropped down. Never underestimate Mia Brookline.

I circled away from the man, waiting for his move. Never make the first move. Martial arts were the most effective when used as a defense. This man didn't have the patience to wait for me. He swung a well aimed punch which I blocked and followed by a high kick to his chest.

He popped my leg down and I naturally retained my balance. We circled. He kicked low to my leg, which I snapped away, blocking his punch. He punched again, bringing his body closer to me. I ducked the punch, set my foot beside his and quickly kneed his thigh over.

He stumbled and fell, with my foot tripping him up. He hit the floor without resistance, kicking out with his foot into the side of my upper thigh. I fell next to him and he rolled on top of me, trapping my legs and one of my hands.

I grabbed the back of his neck with my thumb in front of his ear, cupping the side of his neck with my palm. I pressed with my fingers and rolled his head. Control the head, control the body. He moved off my right side and I kneed upward into the groin. He rolled off and fell to the floor. I roll him quickly to his stomach and cuffed him before he regained his senses.

By the time I looked up, Mia had her gun back and it was pointed at Benedict. She looked back at me and asked if I was alright.

"Peachy."

While she was looking back, Mallory rushed her and slammed her body like a linebacker. Mia kept her gun but in her surprise, she was taken back several feet. Benedict started to run out the door, leaving his daughter like the coward he was.

I roundhouse kicked him into the door frame. See, a roundhouse kick in a close fight leaves you vulnerable, especially if your opponent is more skilled, but it is also an incredibly powerful kick, putting your spin force into it. Benedict slid down, dazed. Brookline quickly had Mallory under control and we walked our three cuffed prisoners down to the car.

I stopped when I saw Andy and Marcus. They were talking like old friends. Andy spoke while he signed and he was a little slower than Marcus's signs but he was defiantly making an effort. Wasn't he just telling me that being friends with Marcus was a bad idea? I shook my head and hauled back Benedict by his cuffs with one hand and held onto Mallory's arm with the other. We led the two men to Mia's car, which was equipped to handle prisoners then I settled Mallory in Andy's SUV, engaging child's locks in the back and locking it up.

"Hey, guys." It was an interesting twist. The women just came back from kicking butt to the men who were chit chatting. Marcus nodded and showed Andy something with his right hand. I frowned at them and Andy grinned at me.

"He's showing me dirty words."

"Of course." What? Are they ten? Mia caught my eye and rolled hers. Boys.

XxXxXxX

We dropped off the three at the police station. It turned out that the mystery man that I fought was wanted for murder and Mallory's father had jumped bail about three weeks ago.

Guess who was in charge of bringing him in?

Jeanne Ellen Burrows.

I thought it was pretty funny, too. All in all, a very tidy bust, except Mia's bloody nose. Luckily for Miles Benedict, it wasn't broken or Mia might have gone in and kicked his butt again. Broken noses didn't fit into her plans.

Andy and I said goodbye to Mia, postponing the shopping until Tuesday because Dawn had an appointment. We were almost home, when I turned to him.

"What was that back there with Marcus?"

"He's a funny guy." Andy shrugged, not taking his eyes off the road.

"Oh? Now, he's funny. Before, he was a pompous jerk with an attitude."

"Okay, I was a bit hasty."

"You're kidding me, right?"

"Oh, I got to play with his phone."

"What sort of euphemism is that?" He smacked my shoulder.

"I got to read what you had said to him."

"Huh?"

"His phone does this thing, it puts what the speaker say into words and he just reads them."

"Sweet, where can I get one of those?"

"I think it's a special attachment. I guess it isn't that cheap."

"Why would he bother?"

"His family is pretty tight and they are all 'hearing'. He just kind of lives in the hearing world and he adjusted to them."

"Interesting. Why did he move away from his family?"

"Actually, it sounded like he is moving closer to them. They live in Staten Island and he didn't want to be too close to them but you know, still see them."

"Sounds like you two had a nice chat." He just smiled and looked to the side at the passing graveyard and shivered. "What?"

"Just, um, thinking." He quirked half a smile. "I'm, uh…Have I told you that I'm necrophobic?"

"Necrophobic? As in, attracted to dead bodies? Like sexually?" I frowned, trying to remember what I had learned about Greek root words. He released a bubble of nervous laughter.

"No, that necrophilia. I am the opposite. I am terrified of death and things that are dead. I hate cemeteries with a passion and I can't stand being near a body."

"But you went to a viewing with Grandma." I pointed out. He shook his head.

"That was different. There was a room full of living, breathing, warm people and I stayed on the other side of the room from the casket. Besides, there wasn't actually a body."

We pulled into the lot and we walked together up to the second floor. He stopped me at the stairwell door to it.

"What are you and Ranger doing tomorrow?"

"I was thinking we would just relax and spend the day together. You?"

"Nothing, I was going to veg out. I was thinking maybe tomorrow night I could come down and we could have a scary night."

"A scary night, huh?" I said with a grin. "How about we make s'mores and…"

"Tell ghost stories." He finished with a grin.

"But wouldn't that be a bit much for you?" I asked, thinking about his admitted fear.

"I like being scared." He smiled and walked on up. I smiled. We will see about that.

A/N: Do you guys have any scary stories? I have plenty of ideas but I would love to hear some of yours. If it gets to me before I post the next chapter, I might include it.

Thanks for all your wonderful reviews. They really make me want to write. Carolatte has been my go to girl for anything and everything deaf related, so you can thank her for a lot of Marcus. What I've messed up is completely my fault.

As always, I'm not Janet and I don't own Stephanie and her other characters. I do own the plots and my OCs.