Chapter 15

Okay, today was the day that I had to get back some semblance of my life back. I wasn't going to do anything that would put myself anywhere near Joe nor would I purposely lose my shadow. I planned my day with a visit to the Tasty Pastry to pick up a box of doughnuts. Fortunately, they were quiet and the girl behind the counter was new so I avoided bumping into anyone that I knew who might ask some awkward questions. To be honest I hadn't decided what to say to people. I knew that people would never believe a word that I said.

I found a spot to park just down the block from the bonds office, noticing a black SUV pull in behind me. Maybe I wasn't quite ready to explain my new mode of transport just yet to the girls and maybe if Ranger was right about how Vinnie was changing the business, then I wouldn't have to. I looked through the window before going in, seeing Connie with her feet up on the table reading a book and Lula sprawled across the couch with a magazine over her face.

"How's everyone doing?"

I asked as I walked through the door trying to behave as low key as possible. I didn't get to reach the desk to put the box of doughnuts down, because I was suddenly engulfed by the two women. I couldn't believe that they could have moved so quickly.

"White girl, you're back. We was worried about you"

"Yeah Steph, are you all healed up now?"

I was relieved with the questions because I could work with giving them answers to those without lying.

"I'm fine now. I just have to wear this brace for a few weeks. So how are things going here?"

I saw the look between the two women and then as Connie forced a smile onto her face. Lula had returned to the couch with a doughnut so after helping myself to a glazed one I sat down next to her.

"Spill it"

I said after savoring the first bite. To be honest their silence was unnerving me slightly.

"Yeah well, Vinnie, he's started to refuse any low bonds and is only taking on medium to high bonds"

Connie handed me three files that I rested on my lap and started to read through. A gang member charged with the murder of a rival gang leader's girlfriend was a definite no. After my dealings with the Comstock gang, I knew that finding the man, let alone finding him without his gang members would be almost impossible. The second file was for a man who was charged with accessory to murder. The victim had been a key witness against him when he was seen adding poison with a syringe to a container of juice in a grocery store. It was believed that the man Victor Cutliffe, had done this before. Unfortunately, because the witness was now dead that meant that Cutliffe had walked free from court, so they were going after him for soliciting to murder the witness. I almost didn't want to know what the third file was because the first two were bad enough but of course curiosity got the better of me. Gordon Gosblock charged with kidnapping and torturing two young women. Sheesh could Vinnie have picked up any worse.

"So what's happening to our regulars or any of the low bonds?"

Because the idea that Mooner or Eula would be struggling didn't sit well with me.

"Vinnie doesn't care. He says they're not worth doing the paperwork for, though I think that Harry has something to do with that"

Which was what Ranger had implied to me this morning. I suppose that Harry only ever seeing the bonds business as a source of revenue didn't surprise me, and Lucille, Vinnie's wife and Harry's daughter, wouldn't want her standard of living being impacted.

"He's only taking medium and high bonds now which is creating a problem. Rangeman are picking up the higher bonds, but we have a backlog of medium bonds"

I finished my doughnut as I considered how I felt about that. Did I really want to be picking up those skips on my own? Not really, because the chances of me getting seriously hurt were quite I wasn't sure that I was ready to face some crazy guy on my own.

"What the hell happened to you anyway? That officer hottie, he was darn right rude to me when I tried to talk to you"

I was grateful to Lula for the change in conversation because I needed to think very carefully about what I would do about these files. Of course Lula was one of the people that knew things weren't good between Joe and I prior to me getting hurt and landing in the hospital.

"For some reason Joe decided that I'd be better being looked after at his house"

I heard a snort coming from Lula so turned to look at her wondering what she was thinking.

"Yeah right. That bastard took complete advantage of the situation and your ma, well, all she could do was gloat about how you two were getting hitched"

Which was what I was aware of happening as well. Maybe people honestly saw it as a last ditch attempt by Joe to get me to change my mind. If that was the gossip, then I could tolerate that.

"As soon as I was better, I left and made it clear that any future between Joe and me wasn't going to happen"

I got up and picked up another doughnut hoping that would bring the conversation to a close. Though I was sure that they were purposely avoiding any further conversation about Joe. That was fine by me because to be honest I was so done with that man and wouldn't allow him to screw up my life any more than it already had been. Connie hadn't mentioned anything more about whether I still had a job so maybe she was assuming that I'd take on those medium bonds. The more I thought about that the less I liked the idea and Ranger's offer was looking better.

"Damn, I always wondered what happened to him"

I jumped as Vinnie's door opened and he walked out of his office, still looking at a newspaper he was holding in his hand.

"Who's that Vinnie?"

Connie asked as she tried to get a glance of the newspaper that Vinnie had dropped onto her desk. Fortunately, I'd stepped back to the couch, so Vinnie didn't seem to acknowledge that I was even in the office as he looked up to answer Connie.

"Silas Sullivan. Best damn bounty hunter I've ever come across"

Even from its position on the table Vinnie was still absorbed in reading the newspaper.

"Before your time. He and I worked for Creighton back in the days before Harry bought the place out. Sully was like a dog with a bone finding his skips. He worked for me for a few years before he was attracted to the bigger money up in New York City"

I'd never seen Vinnie lost in thought before, but I was sure that was where he was as he filled in Connie with the background on who Silas Sullivan was. He sighed and looked up, snapped out from his reminiscing, and was looking straight at me with a frown on his face.

"Why are you sat there. You disappear and then turn up. Well, if you're here to get your job back then get out there and bring in some skips. I got money tied up in those files"

And there it was. Vinnie had assumed from the gossip that I wouldn't be working for him anymore. Was I here to work? Was my life going to be forever lining Vinnie's pocket?

"No, not at the rate that you pay me. If you want those higher bonds brought in, then I want 15%"

I knew that was what Vinnie paid Rangeman, so I was confident that he'd baulk at the idea of giving me the same percentage as Rangeman. Was that why I'd said that, to goad Vinnie into paying me more or was I talking myself out of a job? Maybe I was even relying on Vinnie to say no so it didn't feel as though it was me who was quitting the job.

"Are you shitting me? I only pay Rangeman that for the really high bonds. They'd be higher bonds than you usually bring in, so you'll be able to bring in more money than you usually do. I ain't made of money, I'm bleeding money here"

I shook my head as I looked at Vinnie. I knew that he wouldn't go for paying me a higher percentage, hell, that he wouldn't even pay me as much as he did Rangeman just pissed me off.

"Not interested Vinnie. Get Rangeman to bring them in or better yet bring them in yourself, that would save you money"

You could have heard a pin drop in the office after I said that. Vinnie, for once was lost for words and immediately turned back to his office slamming the door closed behind him. Yeah, he'd have some thinking to do if he was going to continue running this business. Maybe he needed to employ another bounty hunter, though remembering the quality of applicants that we'd had once before, I doubted that he'd get anyone capable of doing the job for so little money. I turned and looked at Connie as her hand went over her mouth trying to cover a laugh. Lula though didn't seem as though she saw the funny side of what had been said.

"Are you serious? Why would you say that to Vinnie? You know that you need this job"

It was Connie who answered for me, and as usual Connie was spot on with what I'd been thinking.

"Not with the skips that Vinnie is bonding out. They're mean and nasty Lula. Steph's right, it isn't worth it, not when the chances are high of getting seriously hurt"

I saw the look of resignation cross Lula's face and as I thought about it, it occurred to me that what I'd said would have an impact on her. If Lula came out with me then I paid her a percentage of what I got. Obviously the higher the bond then the more I gave her. Much as I loved Lula, I would never feel confident or safe going after those medium bonds with Lula as a partner. Having food thrown at you was totally different to being shot at or having a knife appear. Lula would freak out and I'd be left in a very dangerous situation on my own.

"Lula, I know you help me out, but those files there, they're dangerous people. Either one of us could get hurt badly, that is if we could even find them let alone capture them"

I passed her the files hoping that as she read them that she'd understand what I was saying and picked up the newspaper to read while she did that. I was reading the headline for the man that Vinnie had known and how he was born and raised in Trenton before working locally. He'd moved to New York City and had been a successful apprehension agent before retirement. It didn't give a cause of death or where he had been and even any mention of relatives was missing. It was actually a very short report which to be honest made me wonder why it had been reported at all.

"Shit girl, I wouldn't want to go after any of these. We'd get beaten up by a gang, poisoned or have a hit on us by that man or be kidnapped and tortured. Why the hell does Vinnie pick ones like these?"

"Les Sebring probably picks up the better ones, but then again he has a couple of new experienced bounty hunters"

I watched as Lula dropped the files on Connie's desk and how she looked a bit deflated. Maybe Lula was as aware as I was that our time working for Vinnie was coming to an end.

"Maybe it's time to finish that course that I've been playing with"

I looked at Connie wondering if she knew anything about that because I certainly didn't.

"What course, Lula?"

I asked a little miffed that she hadn't said anything to me. Lula just shrugged her shoulders, but she knew that having mentioned it then she'd have to tell us, especially as we were both staring at her.

"Okay. Jackie kinda got me involved. She needed a sponsor for this group that she goes to and asked me. It's one of them places that helps women to straighten up. Jackie, she knew she were getting too old for standing on street corners and her pimp, well he was shaking her up for more money'

I was pleased that Jackie had made that decision, but appreciated that it couldn't be easy to change what you'd always known. It also accounted for why Lula wasn't always around.

"So how does this group help then?"

Connie had obviously heard, and it seemed that she was interested in what Lula had been up to as well.

"Help with health and how to look for a job. I know I aint the best person for that, but I actually get on great with the younger kids. The group provide housing for them, so I help out at one of them houses. Anyways, I ended up on some course or other, a diploma in counselling"

I was sure that my eyebrows had shot up to my forehead because I had never envisaged Lula doing something like that. It shouldn't have surprised me though because I knew that Lula had an awful childhood where there were so few options for what she could do. Having a mother as a ho seemed an inevitability for a young girl to get trapped into that way of life. Lula may be brash and loud on the outside, but I knew that behavior covered up a lot of the strife that she'd had to endure.

"I think that is amazing Lula. I bet that you're brilliant at doing that"

I could almost see Lula bristle with pride as I told her that. Yeah, she would make an amazing counsellor working with young girls, someone that the kids could relate to, and I was sure that there were plenty of jobs in that field once she got her qualification.

"That sounds like a good plan for you Lula, especially as you won't have to do any filing"

We all laughed at Connie's idea of a joke, but Connie wasn't wrong. Lula was hopeless at filing so would never be able to hold down a job in an office.

"Okay, as nice as it is to stay and chat, I need to catch up with Mary Lou and fill her in with what's been happening. I'll catch up later on in the week"

Which wasn't an excuse, I really did need to see Mary Lou and was just hoping that she was in and ready to listen to me. Mary Lou would have been one of the people closest to the Burg gossip so I was hoping that she would be sympathetic. As I reached the car, I realized that I was still holding onto that folded newspaper so shoved it into my bag before starting the car and driving away.

I decided to park at the back of Mary Lou's so no one would know that I was here and entered through her back yard. Lou was at the kitchen window and waved madly at me before opening the door.

"Where have you been, what happened?"

I waited until we were sat in the lounge on the couch with a mug of coffee before even thinking about answering.

"What do you think you know?"

Yeah, asking her that had her just looking at me with a frown on her face. Oh shit , her expression had me cringing just thinking about what gossip might be floating around.

"That bad?"

I asked because I wasn't sure what she knew and was almost regretting asking her. Lou took in a deep breath before standing up. I was actually worried that she didn't want to talk to me or that the news was so bad that she didn't want to tell me.

"Okay, but we need food to get through this"

I relaxed immediately at hearing that because that suited me fine as I'd only had two doughnuts all morning. Lou set out some sandwiches and freshly baked muffins on the coffee table before she settled down next to me.

"Well, I heard that you were at the bank when some men decided to rob the place and that a few of you were taken as hostages. Did someone get blown up?"

"No"

I remembered hearing something blow up and had vivid memories of explosives but as far as I knew no one had died from an explosion.

"Okay. Well word was that the robbers took you and kept you to stop the police from finding them, that maybe you might have known them. Next, we heard that you'd been found but were hurt and in the hospital. Morelli was bustling about and telling everyone that it was all your fault and that you'd probably annoyed the robbers"

How the hell could anyone say that it was my fault? I had no idea who they were or why they'd kept me, being hurt was all on them, not me.

"Rumors going round were that you'd had a nervous breakdown and wanted Morelli to look after you. That you'd had enough and wanted a normal life. He said that you being in danger wasn't helping and he stopped anyone from visiting, well except for your mother. According to the gossip you'd agreed to marry him and settle down"

I finished chewing and swallowing my sandwich before picking up a muffin as I went over Lou's versions of what might have happened to me. I suppose the more ridiculous ideas were funny but probably not too damaging for me.

"Of course, when Morelli said that you'd disappeared then the stories ranged from you being kidnapped and killed by the robbers to you changing your mind and running away with one of the robbers. You know, that Stockholm syndrome"

I coughed as a piece of muffin went down the wrong way. How could gossip like that come about? Were people so saddened with their own lives that they had to come up with such dribble.

"Okay, so how about you tell me the truth"

I looked over to Lou and knew that she deserved to know the truth, so I went through what had happened to me. Okay so maybe I did a bit of editing for my own sanity and so that Lou wouldn't have a mini heart attack on my behalf. I omitted mentioning about what happened after leaving the bank because I still couldn't remember. Explaining what had happened at Joe's was more difficult, probably because I couldn't quite believe what he'd done so I told her that yes, I was very ill, and that Joe had taken advantage of the situation and somehow misconstrued my acceptance of his help.

I added that my mother had helped to look after me but omitted about her being overjoyed that we were together again because there was something about him doing that that still had me feeling very vulnerable. I didn't see that me going down to Miami was relevant and to be honest I wasn't going to tell anyone about the state that I'd found Ranger in or what had happened while we were down there.

"So, what do you want let out to the world?"

Much as I loved Lou, I knew that she was part of the Burg and would always be around any rumors out there so that suited me. Thinking through what I'd already told her I didn't think that there was anything that they couldn't know. The rest were secrets that I'd keep to myself including repeating what my mother had said to me, besides slurring her through the Burg gossip wouldn't gain anything.

"What I've told you is the truth. I have nothing to hide"

It might not be as juicy or scandalous, but then the truth rarely was. Deciding that I'd probably outstayed my welcome, and her boys were due back from school, I was ready to leave. It was too late to go back to Rangeman, so I decided to head to Pinos slightly early. I was actually glad that Ranger had given me a new phone intrigued that while all my apps were there with my contacts, that it looked to have a different number. Maybe that was Ranger's way of letting me have control over who I spoke to without the hassle of receiving messages from my parents or the usual busybodies. I'd have to message my grandma though so that she would have my new number but held back doing that just in case my mother got a hold of her phone. I messaged Ranger to let him know that I was heading to Pinos hoping that he'd finished his meetings. As he'd never given me a time to meet with him, I didn't feel that I was pressuring him.

I parked the car at the back of Pinos cursing the brace on my arm and how it was restricting my movement. As I got out of the car, I noticed the SUV shadowing me, seeing Ram sat behind the wheel so finger waved him before turning to walk into Pinos. I couldn't help but look around wondering where it was that I'd been found. A shiver went down my back, so I moved through the back door quickly. It was quiet inside, too soon for the usual dinner crowd so I sat at the back booth with my back to the wall giving me a view of who was already inside or anyone who came in. I ordered a coke from the waitress and then sat and waited. For something to keep me occupied I got the newspaper out of my bag and unfolded it onto the table in front of me.

It was still at the page with the report of that bounty hunter, so I read that before my eyes drifted up to a photo of him. It wasn't good quality, a bit grainy, but there was something about it that had me frowning. To be honest the photo looked to be of a younger man than the reported age stated. Silas Sullivan had been 62 years old when he'd died so he must have been at least ten years older than Vinnie, maybe more. There was just something about that photo that kept attracting me to look at it.

"Stephanie, it's good to see you out and about"

I looked up to see Eddie stood in front of my booth, a smile on his face. Without asking he took a seat opposite me, but waved off the waitress.

"I'm sorry about what happened to you at that bank"

I shrugged my shoulders because I wasn't stupid. Shit just had a way of finding me, always had and probably always would.

"Morelli's gone real quiet so hopefully he'll leave you alone now"

Okay, that was good to hear though in my experience a quiet Joe wasn't always good news. It reminded me of when he was at Rangeman and the look that he'd had. I'd always been able to read Joe so knew a quiet Joe wasn't good news.

"Joe's been acting odd for a couple of weeks. I know he had a few murders on his desk but he seemed stressed out and was being bad tempered with everyone"

I was aware of that, especially with how he'd attacked me and how he always seemed to be watching my every move.

"Thanks for keeping him away from me when I went into the station Eddie, I appreciated that"

Eddie's smile told me that he was pleased to be able to do that for me, but my eye was caught when Eddie held up a large plastic bag and held it out to me.

"I wasn't sure where to find you. One of the guys let me know that you were here so I brought you this"

I was staring at the bag in my hands wondering what the hell was inside.

"It's your jacket that was left inside the bank"

I had totally forgotten about my jacket and to be honest hadn't even realized that it was missing.

"Thanks Eddie"

My attention was caught by the door opening and I was watching as Ranger walked into the restaurant. He must have come straight here because he was still dressed in a suit that fit him to perfection and made him look seriously sexy. Eddie turned, following my line of sight, before he stood up and left. I watched as he and Ranger did that nod thing acknowledging each other before Ranger was sitting next to me.

"Sorry, I didn't give you a time to meet, did I?"

"No problem. I haven't been here long"

I placed the plastic bag next to me and folded the paper up and returned it to my bag just as the waitress reappeared for our order. Having stuffed myself with sandwiches and muffins at Lou's I didn't want anything too heavy, so on the spur of the moment decided on a Waldorf salad. Okay it had lettuce in it, but it was also full of fresh apples, celery, walnuts, and grapes, dressed in mayonnaise. I chose to ignore the look that Ranger gave me but noticed that he ordered the same, without mayonnaise. While eating I told Ranger about my day, the goings on at the bonds office and my conversation with Lou. Ranger was quiet as I talked which wasn't unusual but what was, was when he started to tell me about the client visit that he'd gone to this morning.

It seemed surreal as I sat and listened to him, like we were a normal couple telling each other our day's events. I shrugged it off to maybe Ranger having had a good day and treated myself to an ice cream sundae. Hey, it wasn't filling, and I needed the sugar and fats that it contained.

"You ready to head back?"

I'd totally forgotten that I was staying at Rangeman and to be honest hadn't felt that I was in any danger while I'd been out and about. What if nothing happened and they never caught those men and Joe decided to stop harassing me? I couldn't stay at Rangeman indefinitely, it would literally kill me. I knew that Ranger loved me, in his own way, but he'd said that on numerous occasions that there would never be a ring, only a condom. Relationships weren't something in his life plan because of the danger through his work so he was bound to get fed up with me staying with him.

Ranger's arm around my shoulder pulled me toward him so that his face was next to my cheek giving a feel of intimacy and privacy between us.

"Luke made me look at what happened in Miami when you turned up and I realized that I needed you. I'd lost control and allowed the darkness to consume me because I thought that I'd lost you. I don't want to ignore what that means anymore"

I think that I was holding my breath as I listened to what he was saying. I mean I knew that he'd been in a deep, dark place and that somehow losing me was key to that, but I had never imagined just how much an influence I had over Ranger. Was that why he had once told me that I held all of the power?

As we reached the front door Ranger stopped me and held out his hand which confused me.

"We'll take my car so I'll give Miguel your keys so he can get your car back to Rangeman"

As we left the restaurant I watched as Miguel got out of a black SUV and swapped my keys for the SUV with Ranger. To be honest I didn't give it a second thought

Once inside the apartment I left my jacket and bag by the door and went through to the kitchen to find something to drink, preferably some wine. Ranger had walked straight through to the bedroom and returned wearing joggers and a T-shirt but seeing as he was pulling a bottle of red wine from a rack it seemed that he was thinking along the same lines as me. It was only as I stretched over the couch, leaning against Ranger and sipping my wine that I realized that we hadn't spoken a word since leaving Pinos. Was he regretting what he'd said and of me being here already?

I felt his lips kissing my head expecting him to clarify what he'd said to me at Pinos, but I'll be honest I was scared that he was going to confirm my worst fears, so didn't push him for an explanation.

The rest of the evening was spent cuddled up on the couch, touching, with the occasional talking. I'd never felt so happy before in my life and was sure that I fell asleep that night with a huge smile on my face.