I walked on the ship hand in hand with Ranger. The day had been lovely. I'd learned a lot. Mexico is beautiful.

Lula was waiting for me at the top of the ramp and she was wringing her hands and pacing like a mad woman. "I thought you'd never get here," she said grabbing my arm.

"What's wrong Lula," I said reaching for her other hand.

"I need to talk to you," she said casting a sideways glance at Ranger.

"Ranger…do you think you could give us a while before you come up to the cabin," I said sweetly.

"Of course," he nodded and gave me my dress bag. "I'll be in the cigar bar."

"Stay away from Daddy," I smiled.

"Like he's the fucking plague," he muttered walking away.

"I thought Ranger liked your Daddy," Lula said in confusion as we walked.

"He does," I smiled. "But Daddy can drink Ranger under the table. He's had some rough nights on the ship so far."

"So has Tank," she smiled as I opened the door. "Apparently Jean Luc can hold his own too."

"Well…they do own a wine distribution company," I smiled. "I suspect they know their way around alcohol."

"So it seems," she sighed.

"Your diction classes have really paid off Lula. You don't even sound like the same woman."

"Well, I wanted Felicia and Jean Luc to like me," she sighed. "But I have to tell you the truth; I don't feel like I'm being myself around them."

I went to the fridge and pulled out the leftover desserts and sank down beside Lula on the sofa. "You know…they'd love you no matter what. You've done something for them that they didn't believe could ever happen. You gave them hope for having grandchildren. Tank is happy and in love. You don't have to be someone else for them to love you."

"But I like that I can speak like this," she shrugged.

"So speak like this," I smiled. "But you need to let Lula out sometimes. You have to be who you really are. You can't let this fake Lula be you. You'll never be happy pretending to be someone that you're not."

"Stephanie…I just..."

"Lula," I said softly and took her hand in mine, "Tank loves you. He loves you when you're you. He fell in love with you and not with some vanilla version of you. How do you think he's going to be when you stay like this? This is not who he asked to marry him. Cut loose Lula…be Lula."

"Are you sure," she frowned.

"I'm sure," I nodded. "I let too many people for too long decide who I was supposed to be and look how all of that turned out. Lula…I almost married Joe." I shuddered at the very idea of it and saw her aghast expression before she grinned.

"And then you'd be the one with hairy babies," she snickered.

"Gross," I made a face.

"You don't need that," she grinned.

"And I don't need that," I shook my head. "Not to mention…Bella would have been my grandmother."

Lula made a sign of the cross and shook her head.

"I thought you were Baptist?"

"I'm catholic," she shook her head with a smile. "Most prostitutes are who are religious. It's the only religion that lets you get forgiveness and then go out and sin again."

"But you're getting married Baptist," I raised my brow.

"Tank's parents are Baptist. Tank's Baptist. It's fine. I don't mind. It's too much work to get married in the Catholic Church. You know that."

"Yea," I nodded and picked up a petit four from the dessert plate. "So is that what you wanted to talk to me about."

"No," she looked uncomfortable.

"What is it," I asked.

She just sat there for a few minutes wringing her hands. I knew it had to be a big deal. She hadn't touched the dessert sampler platters I'd put out.

"Lula…I can't read minds. I'm not Ranger. If you want to talk to me about something, you'll have to talk."

She sighed, "It's about Tank."

"Yea…what about him," I asked.

"Do you think he could have killed that guy?"

I blinked. "Do you think he could have?"

"Of course," she nodded. "He's Tank. He has killed before and if necessary he'll kill again."

"Do you think he killed Hunter?"

"No," she shook her head.

"I don't either. Ranger is right. If Tank did it, there would have been a lot of noise and bloodshed. There was neither. He didn't do it."

She sighed, "I just wanted to know that you didn't…you know…"

"I know…?"

"You know have one of your spidey senses about him and it."

"I promise you that I don't," I assured her. "I don't think there's any way he could have done it."

She sighed in relief.

"I mean, if its murder of course," I said softly.

"Of course," she agreed.

"Do you have any ideas who might have done it?"

"No," she sighed.

"Me either." I sighed and remembered my conversation with Ranger. "Do you think you can find something out for me?"

"Yes…will it help solve this?"

"I think it might. I have a feeling about it."

"Okay, what do you want to know?"

"I want to know about Ghost," I said softly.

"Ghost," she blinked.

"Ghost is the handle of one of the guys in their Unit in Afghanistan. According to Ranger, he was accused with the others of betraying the Unit. Tank and Ranger apparently never felt that he'd really been a part of it. He disappeared on maneuvers in Afghanistan. Ranger says he's better than he ever was."

"Why do you want to know about him, if he's dead and all I mean?"

"I don't know that he's dead," I said softly. "Ranger thinks he just disappeared and doesn't want to be found. I want to know about him."

"You think he could be part of this?"

"I think he could be part of it," I agreed. "When Ranger was talking about him, I had this…feeling."

"I'll ask Tank about him," she said.

"Be discreet."

"I will," she got to her feet. "Thank you Stephanie. I feel better already."

"What are friends for," I followed her to the door.

"Yea," she hugged me. "I'll let Lula back out."

"Do you promise," I smiled.

"I promise," she grinned and pulled away. "Be there for dinner. You'll see."

"I can't wait."

"I'll let Ranger know he can come home," she grinned and sashayed away. I could see Lula in her walk and I smiled.

I picked up my new Evanovich book and sank back on the sofa with a smile. Lula would be fine. Moments later there was another tap on the door and this time it was Tank at the door.

"Hey Tank, what's up?"

"I need to talk to you," he said looking around the cabin.

"Ranger's not here Dude," I said calmly. "What's up? Are you worried about this whole murder shit or what?"

"I'm used to that part," he sank to the sofa beside me. "Have you talked to Lula lately?"

"Yea," I nodded.

"She's being weird. Look, I know she wants to impress my family and not come off as some Stark Street ho, but she's barely even Lula anymore and…"

"And I already talked to her about that," I said patting his arm. "She's going to be fine."

"Steph…am I doing the right thing here? I mean…getting married is a big deal. What if I'm not ready? What if I screw it up? What if…"

"Calm down," I said seriously. "You're going to be fine. Do you love her?"

"I do…I love her very much," he assured me.

"Do you ever want to have a family of your own…I mean small children who grow to be adults?"

"Do they have to be teenagers," he sighed.

"Usually, yea," I smiled.

"Yea…I do."

"And do you want Lula to be their mother?"

"Yea," he sighed.

"Then don't you think you've answered the question yourself?"

"Yea," he leaned over and kissed me and left.

I smiled and reopened my book. My friends were all crazy.

Ranger came in a few minutes later and sank down on the coffee table. "Is everything all right?"

"Sure," I smiled. "Lula's just nervous about the wedding and whether Tank will be accused of murder. She wanted to know what I…felt."

"What did you say?"

"He's innocent," I smiled. "My heart told me that long ago."

"Thanks Babe," he smiled and leaned down to kiss me. "I'm going to get into the shower."

"Sure," I smiled.

"There's room for you," he grinned wolfishly.

"Not if you're naked," I said sweetly.

"Babe," he sighed and walked away.

My cell phone rang seconds later and I reached on the coffee table. It was Lula.

"Girl," she whispered excitedly.

"Yea…what's up?"

"I got Tankie all hot and bothered and asked him about 'The Ghost'. That's what he calls him. He calls him 'The Ghost', not just Ghost."

"Okay, what did he have to say?" I grabbed a pen and my new yellow legal tablet and began scribbling.

"Ghost's name is Mitch Wheeler and he's from Nashville Tennessee. Tank said his Daddy died in some military skirmish in Panama. He was a Ranger too. Anyway, 'The Ghost' always knew that's what he wanted to do…be a ranger I mean. His Daddy's name was Charles. Tank thinks his momma may still be alive. He thinks her name was Dorothy or something like that."

"This is great," I grinned. "Thanks Lula. I can work with this."

"You're welcome," she grinned, "gotta go. Tankie's ready for more."

"Yay," I shook my head and hung up. I got up and went to the balcony and dialed our offices in Trenton.

"Juliet," she said succinctly.

"Hey Juliet, how's my favorite shoe girl?"

"Hey Steph," she laughed. "How's the cruise?"

"Only one dead body so far," I said sardonically.

"Yea I heard. Ranger's got me doing some backgrounds on some guys. I'm guessing you want one too?"

"Yea…this one won't be easy Juliet. Ranger says this guy's better than him and he disappeared in Afghanistan twelve years ago while on a mission."

"Won't that make him AWOL if he's still alive?"

"Good point. Ranger thinks he was captured by the enemy. But if he's as good as Ranger thinks he is. I don't believe that."

"Who is it," she asked.

"His handle was 'Ghost' or 'The Ghost' depending on who you talk to. His real name is Mitch Wheeler. He's from Nashville Tennessee. His father was a ranger as well killed in Panama. His mother's probably still in the Nashville area. We think her name is Dorothy. The father's name was Charles. I know it's not much to go on…but if we can find a pattern…"

"I hear you," she agreed. "I'll see what I can find and then we'll figure out a way to get the information to you later."

"Great, thanks Juliet."

"So…are you having fun? How's the cabin?"

"Oh you know Ranger, he always travels in style. Our suite is huge."

"I'm betting," she grinned. "Crap…my other line's ringing."

"Grab it. I'll talk to you later," I hung up and sat back with satisfaction.

I wasn't sure what Ghost's relevance to this case was, but I was certain that there was something. I trusted my instincts. And my instincts sent up a big red flag when his name was mentioned. I was paying attention.