Chapter 9

Lester pulls up outside Macy's, where Stephanie and Ranger get out. Ranger quickly escorts Stephanie into the store. She checks the store directory and goes to the woman's department. Going to her favorite designer, she looks through the racks, grabbing three dress suits, a pantsuit, and a traditional suit with a lacy camisole. Then, she decides to look in another area, pulling out several items, putting them back, and watching Ranger start twitching. She smiles and leads him to the cashier. Stephanie pays for the dresses and then goes to the shoe department.

Stephanie could easily spend half the day, but she knows what she needs to get practical, attractive, comfortable, and versatile shoes. She picks out a couple of pairs of pumps with three-inch skinny heels, two kitten heels, one nude and the other navy, and a pair of dress ankle boots. Purchasing her shoes, she tries to carry them and the clothes. Ranger, ever the gentleman, takes the shoes from her.

"I only need hosiery and makeup. We're almost done," Stephanie said. Ranger nodded in acknowledgment.

Thank all that it is holy that Stephanie isn't the typical woman. Thought Ranger. She's even an efficient shopper. I could deal with shopping trips like this. In the hosiery department, Stephanie purchases a couple of pairs of trouser socks, slip-like shorts, and two pairs of pantyhose. Finally, it was on to the make-up counter.

"Babe, how much make-up do you need to get?" Ranger asked.

"Foundation, eye shadow, lip liner and lipstick, more mascara, eyeliner, rouge, setting powder, remover, and other stuff."

"Please don't take this wrong, but why do you need so much stuff? I mean, you look beautiful the way you are right now. You don't need anything else."

Does Ranger think I'm beautiful? Thought Stephanie. How could a man like him find me attractive? "You think so?"

"Yes. You have nice skin, and your eyes pop."

Stephanie was confused a little, and she contemplated what he said. "Okay, I still have to get a few items."

When she went to the counter, she got fresh mascara, lip gloss, and rouge, but she also got her favorite eyeshadow, eyeliner, and one lipstick for more formal events. She didn't get any of her other usual arsenals. The eyeshadow was an earthy brown with a black liquid pencil liner. That combination made her eyes pop, especially after adding her mascara.

Ranger was pleased that she did buy all that other gunk. He never understood why women wore so much makeup. Especially if they had good skin, when it was caked on, it was apparent and never attracted him.

"I'm done. How long did we take?"

Ranger checked his watch. "Fifty-three minutes, with the shoes taking the most time."

"Not bad. Are we good to stop at Victoria's Secret before the hotel?"

"Yes. We can't check in until after one-thirty anyway."

Stephanie nodded, and they both walked out of the store. Even though Stephanie has been campaigning for her father, she is not often spotted by people. Her lack of SS detail helps, and when she is off duty, she dresses very casually. With that thought, she realized she didn't buy casual clothes.

"Maybe Ella can go to my apartment and send a few pairs of jeans and tops?"

"Not a problem. We can call her from the car or the hotel."

"We can wait until we get to the hotel."

Ranger called Lester, informing him they would be out soon. Lester was waiting at the passenger door and swiftly ushered Stephanie inside before he opened the trunk to stow her shopping. She could have had the purchases couriered to the hotel, but Ranger felt it was safer not to share where she was staying with anyone.

Once everything was in, Lester and Ranger got into the SVU. They drove the short distance to Victoria's Secret. "Any chance you'll stay in the car?" Stephanie asked, not wanting Ranger to stay in the car but not wanting him standing over her while she selected bras and panties.

"Babe."

"I had to give it a shot," said Stephanie, shrugging her shoulders.

Ranger got out of the car first, looked around; the opened the door for Stephanie. She was quickly ushered into the store, grabbing one of the black bags customers could use to hold their selections. She quickly walked to the t-shirt bra section, buying ten different ones, with style and color varying. Some were plain for when she wore t-shirts, and others had lacy embellishments or push-up capabilities for some of her dresses and blouses. She then selected about twenty pairs of bikini-style panties, mostly cotton for comfort but some lacey ones. She did purchase two thongs because, well, you never know. Finally, she moved to sleepwear. She found a few t-shirt-style sleep shirts. While she would wear some sexier numbers alone, sharing a suite with Ranger made her opt for a less showy style.

Ranger couldn't help but imagine what the lingerie she purchased would look like on and off her body. He hoped she would get sexier negligees but understood why she chose more modest pieces. He did make mental notes of her sizes, just in case. He tried not to stand directly behind her, but some women started to look at him weirdly, as though he were stalking Stephanie. Not to alarm anyone, he needed to get closer to her. He picked up a two-piece pajama set with a camisole-style top and loose pants.

"Babe, what about this?" Ranger said. Stephanie turned and looked at him, thankful he had selected something neutral. She picked up that they needed to appear like they were in a relationship.

"Oh, that's perfect. Here, put this in my bag." Stephanie checked the size and was surprised that it was her size. Then again, Ranger was observant and had been watching her shop for the last hour. Once they acknowledged each other, the strange looks stopped.

"I'm sorry," Ranger said as he approached Stephanie. "I think some other shoppers here thought I was stalking you."

"You kind of are, but they don't know it's on purpose and with my consent."

"True, but the last thing we need is for the police to be called. A thirty-something White woman being followed by a Hispanic man is not what your father's campaign needs."

"You're right," Stephanie said. "Let's act like we are dating. You can walk with me, and we'll talk. At least that way, we'll look normal."

"Okay."

Stephanie selected a few more bras and proceeded to the register to buy her cache. Even after she gave her coupon, her bill was well over $600. With everything in her pink bag, she and Ranger left the store. Once again, she was ushered into the back seat while Lester and Ranger put her shopping in the trunk.

"We're going to head to the hotel now. We can check-in. The hotel where you were originally booked has a decent restaurant. We can check into that hotel and have lunch at that restaurant if you want," Ranger said.

"That sounds good. I guess I should bring a small bag with me, keep up the charade."

"Yes. But Lester can sneak it out while we're eating. He'll turn down the bed and make the bathroom look used. You can check out from the TV, so he will do that tomorrow morning while we are getting ready to head to the airport."

Stephanie was amazed at how no stone was left unturned when with Ranger. He had all contingencies thought out. "Where are we staying?"

"The Peninsula."

Stephanie nodded. She heard of the hotel before but had never been there. "Lester will check us in, and once that is taken care of, we will walk into the lobby and take the elevator up to the suite. Again, he will take our luggage; we will carry just our laptop bags and your purse."

Soon, they arrived at the Hotel, and Ranger switched seats with Lester to park. Although they offer valet parking, Ranger prefers to pack the car himself. "Leave your Victoria's Secret bags here. We'll bring that in later. For now, though, your clothes from Macy's are in the suitcase Lester was wheeling. Our clothes are in the duffle bag."

"Everything the two of you need is in that one duffle?"

"No, my clothes are in there. Lester will be staying in a different room. I'll check him in later. Remember, we want to try and keep you staying here a secret."

A few minutes go by before Ranger checks his phone. "We're checked in. Here, put this scarf around your head and these sunglasses on. You won't look out of place. Many society people stay here and often want to remain unseen. We might be unable to keep this a secret tonight, but we'll do our best to try. You will, though, go into the other hotel as yourself and check-in. We want people to see you there."

Stephanie nodded, put the scarf over her head, and wore sunglasses. They entered the hotel and saw the opulent lobby with rich wood paneling, golden molding and accents, and colorful glass mosaics. As they went to the elevator bank, they had to pass the concierge and saw marble molding along the floor, sculptures and cases of jewelry and other items, and wide-open hallways. However, they went to the elevator bank and selected their floor instead of heading for the concierge. The doors opened on the fifteenth floor, and they headed for one of the Michigan Avenue Suites.

When Lester opened the door for them, and Stephanie walked in, she almost fainted. Now, here was a woman who spent nights in the White House and visited Buckingham Palace. But she never stayed in a room like this on her own. While she always stayed in higher-end hotels, she typically got a standard single occupancy room. She never splurged on a suite. The hand-painted artisan glass wall, silk wall art that looks hand-embroidered, and chic living area were lovely.

"Holy shit. This room must cost a fortune!"

"A little over $1200 a night."

"What? No, we are not staying in hotels like this every time we travel." Stephanie said.

"Stephanie, Babe, listen to me," Ranger said, bringing her over to the couch. "High-end hotels like this are much more known for their discretion. They are easier to secure because most people cannot afford to stay here. Their security tends to be better, and they are more accepting of what we require to keep you safe. Upper management knows you are here. We are not paying the standard rate. They will allow Rangeman access to their video feed so we can keep you safe. We will be monitoring this floor and all the entrances for our stay. Cheaper, more family-friendly hotels are not as cooperative."

Stephanie listened to what Ranger told her. Everything he said was true. It went against her bargain-hunting nature, but her safety was paramount. "I understand. I'm not used to living like this."

"I know, but you'll get used to it. Now, do what you must, so we can check you into your hotel."

"Can we order room service? I'd rather check in about an hour or so before my meeting. That way, when I leave after changing my clothes, it will appear like I'm staying there."

"Sure. Can you put your change of clothes in your laptop bag?"

"Yes. I don't need any electronics tonight."

"Let's look at the menu."

Thank goodness Boston still supports Rangeman Trenton. With Ranger and Lester away on assignment, it would be difficult for Bobby and Tank to handle. Yes, their team is strong, but it is not large enough yet to run without two of their leaders. They planned to start bounty hunting for Les Sebring and Vinny Plum, the two local bail bond agents, but so far, they only started with Vinny. Sebring will have to wait until Ranger and Lester are done protecting Ms. Plum. Tank rubbed his temples, anxious to get home and tend to his cats. Most thought it was strange that a man the size of Tank had cats, but they calmed and centered him. They helped make him feel needed and loved at home, not walk into an empty house. While he would love a couple of dogs, they couldn't handle his schedule. However, cats were more self-sufficient, and as long as he kept their litter box clean and provided them with fresh food and water, they were good. A knock on his door took him away from his musings.

"Tank, Officer Gazarra from TPD is here to talk to you. He said he has some information about the bomb at Ms. Plum's apartment."

Officer Gazarra was one of the officers who was thankful for Rangeman's arrival in Trenton. They were helping to clean up the streets further. The Youth Business Alliance was step one in limiting the number of young miscreants, but Rangeman was helping to dissolve the gangs and limit their recruitment opportunities. This was why he felt it necessary to tell Rangeman what he observed, even if he wasn't technically supposed to be here. When he mentioned his thoughts to his supervisor, he was told to keep it to himself and that TPD didn't need anyone poking into their records. But Stephanie Plum was his friend and cousin by marriage. He owed it to her to be forthcoming with what he knew.

"What can you tell me about Gazarra?" Tank asked Junior.

"He's friendly. He never harasses us when we do our job and always thanks us for our help. He'll pass along extra information when he can, and he lets the men off with warnings if he pulls them over. He's a good cop."

"Is he here on official business?"

"Since he's not in his uniform, I'm going to say this is off the record or personal."

Interesting. Why would the cop come here on his own? What could he possibly want? "Bring him here to my office. Since this might not be an authorized visit, it is best to bring him up here."

Junior nodded and left Tank's office. He walked down the five flights and escorted Officer Gazarra to Tank's office. After a knock, Junior opened the door and announced the cop.

"Good evening, officer. How are you today?" Tank asked.

"I'm good," Eddie said, gazing around Tank's large, masculine office. The black desk, chairs, table, and abstract art on the walls fit Tank. "Um, no one can ever find out I was here. I could lose my job for being here and telling you what I have to say. I wouldn't care so much, but I'm married with three kids."

"I understand. No one will know you were here."

Eddie nodded and seemed to relax. "I know you are investigating the bomb at Steph's apartment. That wasn't the first time I'd seen a bomb like that. I've seen that design at least twice before, both unsolved cases, and neither is related to Steph; at least, it doesn't seem so."

Tank did not expect Officer Gazarra to say that. The bomb looked familiar. "What can you tell me about the other instances?"

Eddie lifted his shirt to the back and removed a file folder. "This is a copy of the crime scene photos and reports from the other instances. I was the first on the scene at both locations, so I have access to the files."

Tank examined the notes and agreed with Eddie, which meant that someone more local was threatening Stephanie. But who? "Why are you giving this information to me?"

"Steph is my cousin by marriage. I married her cousin Shirley, her father's sister's daughter. We, Steph and me, went to school together. We've known each other since we were in diapers. I hate that someone is trying to her because she is the best person I know."

"I understand. Why are you not supposed to be here?" Tank asked, curious as to the way TPD viewed Rangeman.

"Overall, the Chief and most officers love that you are in Trenton. The crime rate is dropping, there are fewer robberies and break-ins, and we can concentrate more man hours on the sections of the community that need us, outreach, and controlling the guns and drugs. However, the Chief is pissed that you are investigating the bomb at Steph's. He feels we should lead an investigation in our backyard or report to the FBI or Secret Service. To have to cooperate with a non-law enforcement department grates on cops. We don't like letting the Feds in, but civilians?"

Tank understood. It was the same way in Miami, Boston, and Atlanta. Before long, though, they developed a good working relationship with those police departments and often helped them investigate. It will take time to develop those relationships here.

"Thank you for coming here and sharing the information. Having this enveloped dropped off inside our gates was a lucky break for us."

Eddie smiled. He understood that Tank was informing him of the story they would use. The Chief and others may guess that Eddie was involved, but he knew the men here wouldn't rat him out. "No, thank you for listening. Let me know if I can help."

Tank rose and shook Eddie's hand. "Come, let me walk you out." Tank and Gazarra walked down the stairs, and by the time they reached the visitor lot, Tank knew that this cop would help to smooth the way for Rangeman here in Trenton.

Once back upstairs, he called the other men to the conference. When everyone was assembled, Tank showed them the file he had received.

"An unknown person dropped this file off. Inside, it shows the crime scenes from two additional bombings similar to the one found in Ms. Plum's apartment last night. From what I read, the other cases are not related. Your job, our job, is to identify common links between these individuals and Ms. Plum to try and determine who our bomb maker is."

"I have started to reconstruct the bomb, and I have some ideas on what this was and how it worked, but I need another twelve to twenty-four hours to be certain. From what I observe from these pictures, these are from the same person," Ram said.

"Hector looked into Steph's admin, Amanda Grady. She is brilliant. She was valedictorian of her high school and graduated magna cum laude from ASU. However, she has a penchant for online games and spends almost twelve hours a day playing games, which explains why she isn't very effective. From what we can assess, Ms. Grady has no motive for wanting to hurt Stephanie," Bobby said.

"Right now, it seems our best lead in the bomb. Ram, continue to work on the reconstruction. If you need more hands, let me know who, and I'll see if I can approve them. We will reconvene tomorrow at oh nine-thirty, with Ranger, Lester, and Ms. Plum joining us. Any questions?"

When nothing but silenced met Tank, he dismissed the men and headed home to his kitties.