Chapter 12

"All right Chica, where does Mikel's mom live?" Hector said as he leaned back into his seat.

Shit, I guess it was time to be 100% honest, "Well we are not going to Mikel's today we are going after a guy named Vinnie Donaldson. I am at a standstill with Mikel and so I moved on to the guy I affectionately call Vinnie the creeper…. NOT to be confused with my boss aka Vinnie the sicko." I rambled off trying to sound like it was no big deal. I kept looking straight out the window refusing to look over at him because I knew he was giving me a look.

You know that look that said you are in deep shit.

"When I was doing searches yesterday I found nothing on Mikel like nothing, nothing. It actually makes me think that maybe there is too much nothing you know. Everyone has something on them, no one has that much of a blank space. I don't know maybe it was cause my head hurt so bad and I couldn't think past the pain." I said still rambling.

"Anyway I decided to look up my second skip and BAM, all this information just popped up and a few calls later and I figured out his grocery schedule. It was actually kind of perfect cause today is the delivery day so I can get a look at him, you know. See if he carries, see if I can get him in the car nicely or maybe talk to his mom after he leaves." I was running out of steam and stuff to say so I trailed off still looking ahead.

I decided to pretend everything was normal and I tuned the music on and started bobbing to the beat and humming…. still refusing to look at him. The silence was palpable and I felt like a knife could cut through the air in the car. After a few minutes I could take it and I glanced over at Hector who was just starting at me.

"Dude, its rude to stare." I said.

He just raised an eye brow at me and did a head tilt. I decided to keep ignoring him. Yep that was the answer and started to hum to the beat staring straight out of the window.

I made it all of one minute before I broke down.

I reached over and flipped the music off. "What," I said quick voice.

Still; he said nothing, stupid Merry Men and their ability to wait me out, stupid Hector and his endless amount of patients. When I glanced at him he had crossed his arms over his chest and he didn't look happy. It was one of the looks that he would give when I first met him, it sacred the bejeezus out of me.

"What", I said again. I was not starting this conversation in anyway. There were to many places to drown and I wanted to know what he was thinking before I gave him more ammo.

When I glanced over at him again he had a smile; the kind of smile that can chill you to the bone. "So you have a second skip?" he said. I nodded, I was taught silence was golden. "When did you get this skip Stephanie?" he asked, his voice clam and smooth.

Mayday, Mayday the ship is sinking I thought. "Ummmmmm, the same time I got the other skip." I said chewing on my lower lip.

"The same day," He repeated.

"Yes?" I said but it sounded more like a question.

"Am I to assume you didn't tell anyone about the second skip because you didn't want us to know about him?" he said with a low tone.

"Ummm no…. well I mean not really…. I mean, I just knew you guys would be upset that I had him. But I wanted to prove I could do it. Plus, I really do need the money." I rambled.

"You know if you need help all you have to do is ask right?"

I turned and looked at him through narrow eyes. "Money or help catching him?" I asked.

"Both." He stated.

"I don't need hand outs and I can certainly pay my own bills." I said through gritted teeth.

I could see that he realized that he had hit a sensitive spot with me and was trying to choose his next words carefully. "Stephanie asking for help is not a bad thing. Can I tell you something?"

I nodded surprised at the way the conversation was turning, I was expecting a lecture.

"When I was 17 I had just gotten out of jail, I really didn't speak English and I couldn't get a job. I was starving on the street when Ranger found me. I had nothing but my name and the fear that was associated with it. Ranger took a chance on me, he gave me a job and money. Now years later the reason I am loyal to Ranger is not because he gave me money to eat and have a roof over my head. I am loyal to him because he believed in me and helped me. He gave me a chance when no one ese did, and he trusts and relies on me. Can you trust me and rely on me?" he asked.

I thought about it for a moment, "It's easier said than done." I whispered. "I like to know that I did it on my own."

"Do you think less of me because Ranger gave me a hand up?"

I whirled my head over in surprise at him, "Never" I exclaimed.

"So then would it really be so bad to get help from me or any of the guys?" he asked.

Shit he had me there, he made it sounds so simple. Just listening the answer of course was yes I wanted and needed help; but pride was a funny thing and mine was hurting. However, the longer I thought about it the more I realized that he was right. You help your friends and family and you rely on them when you are down.

I looked at him again, he was still patiently waiting for my answer. "Hector I need your help." I said in a calm clear voice.

I watched as he gave me a small smile, "I will help you find and catch this guy and your other skip…. but you are on your own telling Ranger that you were not honest about having two skips."

I narrowed my eyes at him, "I thought you were going to help me." I said.

"I am" he replied. "With the things that you need help with, not to fix the dumb ass mistakes you made." He smirked. I flipped him the bird as I merged on the Highway.

"OK so what is so bad about Vinnie the creeper that you didn't want to share with the rest of us." He asked

"Well technically he is a mid-level skip. "I said, "Vinnie the sicko only gave him to me because he didn't want to pay Ranger the higher bond fee."

I watched as Hector had the scary smile again, "What's the look for." I asked

"I am imagining Rangers face when he finds out and then Vinnie's when he finds out that Ranger knows." Hector said with an evil smile, the smile that would give you nightmares. I swear if I didnt just eat lunch with this man and see the other side of him I would be running for my life.

I rolled my eyes at him and continued, "ANYWAY" I said super dramatically. "He was arrested for rape, public intoxication and public nudity and this was his second offence. I really don't know why Vinnie posted his bail."

Hector face got my thunderous with each word out of my mouth and by the end his eyes were narrowed so far I didn't think he could fully see. "You were going to go after this guy alone, with no help?" he practically spat at me.

"Nooooooooooo" I said shacking my head, "I was playing it by ear, I wanted to gather information. See if I could even find him then evaluate from there. Once I knew I was going to do a stake out today I even asked Ranger if I could bring someone with." I defended myself.

"Well it's nice to see that you are not completely without brains." He muttered.

"HAY" I yelled, slightly offended. But he did have a point, there was a time I would have gone after this guy alone. What can I say… I have grown in the last few years.

Hector sat up and started ticking things off his fingers, "Ok we are going to his moms' house; we are going to watch to see if he comes. We are NOT getting out of the car. We are NOT going to engage with him in anyway. As much as I hate to say it I am not 100% and I have no weapons on me. They were all taken before I was taken to the hospital last night." He listed off. "If you don't agree to any of the above turn around and go back to Haywood."

I looked over at him, "Yes, dad" I smart mouth off with a grin.

"I mean it Stephanie, not only will I be upset if anything happens, but Ranger will kill me." He said then stated to mutter in Spanish under his breath.

I was still grinning when we pulled up to Vinnies moms house. I decided to park down the road under a tree for some shade, "I wonder if we have binoculars in here." I said going to open the door to check in the back.

"What the hell are you doing!" Hector growled at me.

I looked over at him, "I was going to look in the back to see if there were binoculars. I parked really far back and I don't have super human eyes like you guys do!" I said back.

"No you stay in the car, I will go. You have an uncanny ability to get in trouble in the most basic situations."

"Hay I could take offense to that," I growled at him.

"You could but you know that I am right!" he said back.

"Fine you are right." I said. "But I am going to look because if anything did happen I can get around faster." He raised an eyebrow when I said faster. Shit he was probably right, even with a gunshot wound he could probably run faster than me. "Well I can move without pain?" I said jumping out of the car. It took me less than 3 minutes to open the trunk grab the binoculars and get back in the Cayenne. I handed him a pair after showing him a photo of Vinnie on my phone.

After 5 whole minuets I was board out of my mind, I don't do sitting and waiting well. "So when we get back to Haywood are you going to rest at all or hide in your basement looking for answers." I asked still looking at the house in front of me.

"I am going to run some algorithms through the system to see if I can find the weak point then go ahead and …" he kept talking but I didn't understand a word he was saying. After a moment he stopped to look at me, I must have had a blank expression and drool because he grinned and said, "I am going to run some tests that will take a while, I will have time to nap while they are going."

"Ohhhh" I said with a smile, "Why didn't you just say that." I asked.

He looked at me like I was crazy then turned to look back at the house. After a moment he whispered. "Hay, is that him?" I quickly lifted my binoculars in time to see Vinnie get out of a car that was idling in front of his mom's house.

"Yep" I said back watching him go to the passenger seat and grab out two bags. He walked up the stairs like he didn't have a care in the world and the front door was opened by a super sweet looking old lady. No one I would ever think of her as the mother of a serial rapist and if the research I did held any truth; a murder. I quickly wrote down the Tag on the car and the make and model. Vinnie handed his mom the bags, gave her a quick hug and kiss then was shooing him away with what looked like a laundry basket of clean clothes she had washed for him.

Now I could officially say that I had seen everything I thought in disbelief.

"Did she just hand him a basket of clean clothes" I asked out loud.

"Looks like it" Hector said

"Humm." I said.

I watched as he got back in his car throwing the basket into back. "His poor mom just washed and dried all of those clothes and he just threw them in the back?" I said shaking my head. "No respect man."

I felt more then saw Hectors look of surprise at me, "He rapes and possibly kills someone and you are worried about him throwing around clothes?" he questioned me.

"What," I defended myself "His mom probably worked really hard to get those clothes neat like that." I said still looking through the binoculars at Donaldson. Hector shook his head and started to mutter in Spanish again. I had a feeling I was really starting to affect him in a non-positive way.

After a moment Donaldson started the car and was pulling away when all Hell broke loose. I watched as another car pulled up in front of Donaldson blocking him in and one more pulling along the side. I watched in absolute horror as the passenger next to Donaldson pulled out a gun and started shooting. It lasted maybe only 1 or 2 minutes but it felt like an eternity, and as fast as the cars had pulled up they were rolling away.

Rolling right past where I was parked I thought in a panic, I was attempting to slide down my seat when the shooting car was passing us and I watched as the driver looked once; then took another glance at me. Shit, I knew this guy! I had brought him in once. This was not good. I watched as he slammed on his breaks and put the car in park. He slammed the door open and came over to my window.

"Yo, bitch." He screamed at the window, "Open the fucking door." I had already locked the window and door and was attempting to re-start the car when he began to slam his fist on the window.

"I said open the FUCKING window Bitch, I owe you for my stay in prison." He was screaming so hard spit was speckling the window, random thought that crossed through my mind at that moment was…. gross.

My hands were shacking so bad that Hector had leaned over and pulled the keys from it and was inserting them in when we both heard the glass shatter. SHIT this was not good…. really not good I thought as I felt a fist grab my hair and yank me towards the door.

Owwwww I thought. My head was sensitive already and this was not helping. I watched as Hector's arm shot in front of my face and into the face of the attacker. I felt more then saw him stumble back when he pulled my hair with him.

Then everything seemed to stop for a moment when we heard some who was still in the murdering car… yes I called it the murdering car, scream in pain. The guy let go of my hair and I watched as he turned to run back to his car. He only made it two steps when he was shot directly in the back from the sweet little old lady who gave Donaldson the basket of clean clothes. Evidently no one fucked with her son and lived to tell the tail. I watched as she walked up to my window and pointed the rifle at me, "and who the Fuck are you?" she said.

My eyes wide I knew I had to play to safe, I pointed to the guy laying in the street, "I was after that guy when he attacked me. I just got here a moment ago." I said with wide eyes.

She looked and me and said, "You lying little hussy, you have been sitting here for an hour. I am always watching this street and I have never seen you before today so I won't ask again who are you?"

Before I could say anything Hector grabbed the rifle and the little old and put her in cuffs, somehow when the guy let go of my hair Hector had gotten out to get him and instead got the little old lady.

After he cuffed her he looked up at me and said in a super calm voice, "See always getting in trouble."

-/-

After the old lady had been placed in the back of the Cheyenne and Hector had checked to see if Donaldson was actually dead, my phone rang.

I looked at the caller id and nearly wet myself, it was Batmen.

Crap he knew, I don't know what he knew but he knew.

"Hello" I said into the phone with false cheer.

"Stephanie is there something you have to tell me." He asked. Shit quick and to the point.

So I said the first thing that came to mind, "I didn't get out of the car."

"Well that is nice to hear," he said "Anything else." He practically purred.

This was not good!

"It wasn't my fault!" I said

"It never is." He said softly.

"I was sitting here minding my own business stalking my skip when out of nowhere this guy came up and shot him. Then he saw me and I may or may not have put this guy in jail before so he was a little angry. So he broke the car window and tried to get at me, but then the nice little old lady shot him. And then she was going to shoot me but then Hector handcuffed her and now we are safe. Donaldson is dead, the guy who attacked me is dead and the little old lady is going to be arrested when the police get here. See everything is ok." I took a deep breath when I paused.

I heard the line crackle with silence so after a moment I said, "Hello…. Ranger are you still there."

"You mean Mikel is dead." Ranger said in a soft deadly voice.

"Ummm, well I wasn't going after Mikel today." I whispered.

"I know that you don't mean Vinnie Donaldson…. correct?" Ranger said quietly "The same Donadlson that was bailed out by Vinnie last week wanted for rape and possible murder."

I was silent because I knew that there was nothing I could say to diffuse the situation.

"Stephanie, when did you get this file…. I assume it was a few days ago since you already did a search on him and found information."

Honesty, I had to go for complete honesty now, "I got both files at the same time." I whispered.

"So you lied to me and to the guys when we asked you about the files." He said in a very low and calm voice.

"No" I practically shouted. "When they guys asked me I told them I had two files, I just didn't tell them who the second file was on. And when I was talking to you I really was going after Mikel first, I just couldn't find anything on him. So when I looked up Donaldson and all this info came up I decided to stake him out today." I said rushing to get all the words out.

"Boss the cops are here to talk to us" I heard Lester in the background. "we gotta go."

"Ranger." I whispered tears threating to fall because I felt like I had failed him.

"Are you ok?" he asked, voice hard.

"Yes." I whispered.

"Then I can't do this right now, I have to go. Lester needs to talk to you to see about the incident report". I heard as he handed the phone over not saying another word and I felt my heart break a little.

"Beautiful" I heard Lester whisper, "How could you lie to us?" I could hear the disappointment in his voice to and I felt like I let everyone down around me.

"I am so sorry." I cried tears streaming down my face. No one had yelled at me or said one harsh word to me, and yet it was worse then if they had yelled. I still felt like I was the worst person in the world and that I had let everyone down. I felt like scum.

"Lester I just wanted to prove that I could do it on my own…." I paused my breath ragged "I knew that you wouldn't think I could. You would take it…. all of you would and you would do it for me like you always do. You don't think that I am smart enough or strong enough or tough enough." I said hiccupping through the steady stream of tears.

"Oh Beautiful, being strong is not doing things on your own. Its asking for help when you know you need it. And we all need help, I wouldn't have gone after Donaldson alone. Does that make me weak?" he asked.

"No, you are never weak." I said my head laying on the steering wheel in front of me and my lap filling with tears. This was the second time I was hearing the same thing in one day and I felt like I was seeing life in a whole new perspective. "I just want to be strong and smart like you guys and I want to know that I am valuable to the team and not a liability." I whispered with a broken voice.

"Stephanie we all have our strengths and weaknesses, and just because you are not strong with everything does not make you weak." He said gently. "Do you get it now?" he questioned.

"I think I am starting too." I said softly, after a few deep raged breaths I asked quietly. "He's really mad, right?"

"Yes he's really mad." Lester whispered. "Want to tell me what happened?"

So I explained the story as best as I could leaving out no details this time and when I was done, Lester explained that after all the paper work was done and we were released we should come back to Haywood. Evidently the alarms had stopped going off and everyone was headed back in. I looked over to the clock to see that it already 5pm. Ranger had been up for almost 16 hours on only 3 hours of sleep. When I looked over at Hector I could see his exhaustion too. If you didn't know him you wouldn't see it, but I could around the eyes and mouth.

After I hung up with Lester I walked over to Hector and gave him a gentle hug, "Thank you for saving me just now." I whispered and felt him nod and hug me back.

"I am sorry I wasn't honest with you guys." I whispered the tears coming again. I felt him give me another gentle squeeze.

"I promise to never do it again." I said into his chest.

"See that you don't." he replied. "Stop crying, I am not mad at you. I feel sorry for you."

I looked up at him in confusion.

"You have never had Ranger mad at you, like really mad at you. Good luck."

"Do you think he will hate me and push me out of his life." I asked.

Hector shook his head, "You still don't really get it." He responded, "He would walk on hot coals for you…. kill for you and the only thing that would push you out of his life is you leaving. He's pissed because he cares…. because you hurt him when you lied."

"I guess I am use to people shoving their love down my throat. Holding it over my head like a weapon or a control. I have never had anyone just love me and stand behind me gently supporting me. That's what he does though, he's always there when I need him, with everything I could need. And he never asks anything in return accept my honesty and trust. I didn't do either of those this week…did I?" I questioned.

"No" Hector replied shaking his head.

"Well I will just have to do better, be better and beg forgiveness." I said, "but most of all I have to trust him to…it's not going to be easy."

"Love never is my dear, love never is." He said grinning.

"Nice reference." I grinned at him, "and thank you for making me smile…you are really good at that."

"Well what are brothers for." He grinned down at me.

I rolled my eyes and walked towards the cops that had just pulled up.