Chapter 2
"We have less than two days to get Benito Ramirez off the streets. He's a mean mother fucker, and we need to be prepared. He's killed those women with his bare hands," I say. Ramirez is as dumb as it gets, yet he's been able to elude capture, much to our embarrassment. We've come close twice, but close is not enough. I listen as my men offer suggestions and hope we catch him in time to get the bounty.
"Uh, Ranger," Junior says.
"What? I thought I told you not to interrupt," I said.
"Um, you have a phone call."
"So what?"
"It's the President."
"The President?"
"Yeah, of the United States."
"Fuck, Junior, why didn't you tell me sooner!" I say as I jump up from my chair and run to my office, slamming the door. I sit in my big chair and calmly pick up the phone. "Manoso," I say.
"Mr. Manoso, this is Frank Plum. You know who I am?"
"Yes, Sir, the POTUS."
"Correct. I am in Trenton and would like to meet with you, ONLY you, in twenty minutes at the home of Joe Junaik. You know where he lives?"
"Yes, Sir," I say, beginning to calculate if I could get there in that time frame. "Sir, why are we meeting, if you don't mind me asking?"
"I have a job for your company. I will share the details in person. I'll see you in nineteen minutes," Frank said before hanging up.
Fuck! I thought. I again jumped out of my chair, grabbing my guns, knife, and iPad. With my keys in hand, I quickly run down the stairs to the garage and open my Porsche Turbo. The Turbo is the only vehicle to get me to Hamilton in 18 minutes. I open the gates remotely and speed out of our garage. After breaking several traffic laws, I arrive at Juniak's estate in 16 minutes. I sigh in relief and ring the doorbell. A gentleman opens the door, inviting me and showing me to the parlor. But before I can enter a Secret Service Agent wands me, finding my weapons.
"I need to take those."
"I have clearance to carry at all times. As a commissioned officer, I do not need to relinquish my weapons," I say.
"Well, I guess you're not going in there."
"Agent Morelli, let him in. He's cleared," Joe Juniak, the POTUS Chief of Staff, says.
I watch as Morelli holds back an eye roll while letting me pass. We enter the room, and the President invites me to sit in a leather chair in a circle around a table. Present are the POTUS, Frank Plum, Juniak, and Agent Morelli, of the Secret Service.
"I'm impressed you got here so quickly. You already passed the first test." President Plum says.
"It wasn't easy, but I hate being late for appointments."
"As you know, my wife is battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer. My daughter, Stephanie, is campaigning for me. Recently, we received some threats against her life." He takes out a folder and passes it to me. I review the contents and immediately am on high alert. They took the pictures at public and closed events requiring clearance and admittance. The President's daughter is in grave danger.
"I've shared these with my daughter, but she refuses to have a Secret Service detail. No matter what I say, she won't budge. Part of me understands her stance, but I must protect her. That is where you come in, Mr. Manoso."
"Please call me Ranger, Mr. President," I say.
"Ranger, I want to hire your company to protect my daughter. She will fight you tooth and nail. She is resourceful and will find ways to escape if you leave an opening. Stephanie will be rude, defiant, and a bitch, but that is because she hates people babying her. She needs her independence and freedom. I hope you can protect her while giving her the illusion of freedom."
"So she is not aware that you are hiring me?"
"No. That discussion will be difficult, but I am still Stephanie's father."
"May I ask why she doesn't want an SS detail?"
"Agent, can you please leave us," the President addresses Agent Morelli.
"Frank, I don't think,"
"Joseph, it is not a request."
Morelli gets up, shaking his head, and leaves the room, closing the door behind him.
"Joe is a good agent but is too close to Stephanie. Joe grew up here in Trenton; my oldest daughter, Valerie, was in his grade. We were friendly with his family, and he and Stephanie had some interactions growing up. After the Navy, Joe and Stephanie started to date and have been dating intermittently for the last five years, but Joe is not the man for her. He can be controlling and demanding. Stephanie feels that anything she does while around SS is reported back to Joe. If she converses with a male, he finds out and accuses her of cheating. I'm sure that is why she is refusing SS protection."
I listen to the President's words but feel his daughter will be a handful. "How busy is her schedule? Is she traveling?"
"She has appointments 4-5 days a week and will travel around the country. There will be days when she has two or three engagements. It will be a hectic schedule."
I contemplate my moves. I hate bodyguarding, and with Trenton opening only two months ago, the Core Team needs to be on deck. "Mr. President, I will have four men on your daughter's detail. Two will be with her at all times. If necessary, I can add one or two men for a few days to accommodate her schedule."
"You misunderstood my request, Ranger. I want you to guard my daughter. She will balk at multiple people. The most she will accept is two. So pick a man to work with you because you will be her main bodyguard."
Fuck! I don't need to be following the President's daughter. But I don't have a choice here. "Fine, the second man will rotate depending on my company's needs. I will start with Santos and employ Marco from Miami, James from Boston, or Hector. Depending on where we are, each of those men will bring something special to the table to keep your daughter safe."
"I understand this is an imposition on you and is not what you typically do. I do know that you have a company to run. I promise to compensate you at double your rate. My daughter Stephanie is special and very important to me. I don't want anything happening to her."
"I understand, Sir. If you give me a few minutes, I can write the contract, and we can sign it. I would like to have your daughter here to sign as well, but I understand if that is not possible."
"Stephanie will be here in about a half hour. I warn you, she will resist, but don't let up. No matter what she says, you must get her to agree."
I quickly modified the personal security contract to fit the President's requests and got ready to meet his daughter. I don't follow politics and do not know what she looks like. The President and Juniak review the contract signing in the appropriate places. I then sign, sealing the deal. Soon, I hear a soft knock on the door.
"You can come in, Pumpkin."
The door opens I see a woman walk in wearing a form-fitted blue t-shirt with dark wash skinny jeans and heeled boots. She has curly brown hair with hints of reds and blondes. Her skin is pale, not like her father's olive tone. But she has the most intriguing blue eyes I've ever seen. She is about 5'6" – 5'8", I can't tell for sure with her heels on, and she has an average body. She's attractive, but because of the way she carries herself. I feel drawn to her but don't know why. Walking in behind her is Agent Morelli, and I see the predatory look he has in his eye, which I don't like. That look says, "You belong to me, but I don't belong to you." I agree with the President; Morelli is not the man for this sexy woman.
"Stephanie, I invited you here because you need security. Now, before you start to object, it is non-negotiable. The threats are worsening, and I can't have something happen to you. I understand you don't want the SS protecting you, so I hired Ranger and his company." The President points to me.
"Ms. Plum, Ma'am, it's a pleasure to meet you," I say, playing up the accent I usually try to hide. I reach my hand out to shake hers. I see her hesitate and the fire growing in her eyes as she takes my hand. When our hands met, I felt a charge go through my body, and she did too.
"Steph or Stephanie, please."
I nod. "I understand that you do not want a security detail and don't want to feel oppressed or controlled. I promise that if you work with me and my security plan, you will have your independence. I will accompany you everywhere you go; another person will be with us as your driver. Is that okay with you."
"I'm not comfortable."
"Stephanie Plum, you will listen to Mr. Manoso."
"Yes, Father."
When dealing with reluctant clients, talking one-on-one without anyone else's input is beneficial. Usually, we can agree quicker. "Stephanie, if you don't object, I'd like to talk with you alone. I can give you information about what I will do to ensure your safety, and you can tell me what you would like in return. There will be some aspects that I cannot back down on, but I will try to adjust to make this as comfortable for you as possible."
"Okay, I think that's a good idea."
I see the President smile. I have a feeling that Stephanie will not be a cooperative client.
"Joe, Agent Morelli, let's move out little party to the yard. I have a couple of cigars we can enjoy." Juniak gets up excitedly, but I can see Morelli is not thrilled. Interesting.
"Don't you think I should stay? As a member of the Secret Service, I should know the plan."
"It isn't necessary, Morelli. I'm sure Mr. Manoso knows what he is doing."
The President and Juniak leave the room as Morelli stalks over to Stephanie. "Want to go to Pino's later, get some meatball subs, then maybe back to your apartment?" he asks as he wraps his arm around her waist, pulling her against his chest. Stephanie doesn't seem pleased.
"Morelli, let go. Do you think I forgot you were with that maid the other day? Right now, I want nothing to do with you. If it weren't for your position, I'd never be in the same room as you."
"Fine, Cupcake, be that way, but I know you'll be back. I know you miss my boys." Glancing down her shirt and grabbing her ass, he leaves the room. Asshole.
