EYES WIDE OPEN

Stephanie POV

Chapter 11

oOoOo

Working on the fifth floor in amongst all my Merry Men in the control room feels like sharing space with my brothers, big brothers. Tank is watching from his office doorway, surveying the room, with his arms folded across his broad chest. His eyes capture mine, lifting his chin up in question. I nod in reply, saying I'm okay. He nods and gives me a wink in reply. It feels good to be doing something, contributing something to the team. I don't feel like a charity case and neither are they treating me like a precious china doll.

I glance at the photos on display in my cubicle, while I'm waiting for a search to reveal deeper secrets. I can't keep the smile off my face. Raccoons everywhere. I, of course, didn't need the camo army face paint. How they kept it a secret really surprised me. Even more the initial reveal in the break room around the chilli crockpot. It was so hysterical! It makes me chuckle every time, especially with the others prairie dogging from their cubbies, popping up like meerkats, grinning while revealing their raccoon eyes too. Hector had made a permanent poster on the display board of Raccoon Day. He captured some great shots. The group shots were my favourite, especially surrounded by my brothers. But, in all honesty, the ones I loved best were when Ranger kissed me, just before and also just after. I sighed at the beautiful images. Chemistry. We have a special connection, one which I have never felt before with any man. He said I was the sexiest raccoon he had ever seen. It made me swoon. Sigh. What that man does to me. With his camo smudges, he looked so much like Zorro, so sexy. Whoo! Mentally fanning myself.

Hector came to visit, grinning. "Muy sexy, si? Zorro," he nodded knowingly at our photos together including that kiss. He thought Ranger looked like Zorro too. I blushed then smiled, "Si Hector, mi hermano, es Zorro muy, muy sexy." He laughed out loud. He gave me a disc with all the photos on, with some extras I had not seen before. It was perfect for a new screen saver. I let the images scroll through, while I was highlighting key points on my research.

I dropped the highlighter and gasped. What startled me, in the nicest possible way, was one of Ranger and me, just staring at each other, with three photobombers behind us. Oh my God! We were completely oblivious. There were three shots with the photobombers making kissy faces, or just silly faces. But then a fourth one showed just the two of us, Ranger and me, staring intently at each other. He had the same look in his eyes as I did. Wow. It took my breath away. He takes my breath away. I had no idea. Hector must have photoshopped this one to eliminate Hal, Lester and Bobby. Another of the two of us with Cal and Ram imitating us in their photobombing action. There were others, beautiful captures of the two of us, without any photobombers. They were really nice. I looked up to scan the control room for Hector. He and Tank were watching me, grinning. I smiled, feeling that blush warming my face.

The elevator opened and my heart stuttered. Seeing Ranger in his corporate wear, like he just stepped off the cover of GQ just took my breath away. I really liked Ranger in his tight Rangeman t-shirt and cargoes, that hugged his firm thighs and emphasised his tight buns. Okay, I more than liked the look, I loved it. Ranger in his gym gear was a sight to behold to, displaying his amazing body. Love that, too, very much. I quickly touched the corner of my mouth checking for drool. But this … Oh my God … Armani Ranger was on a whole new scale. I sighed. I felt a sensational tingling all the way from my neck down to my core.

He suddenly stopped his motion towards his office, rubbed his neck, just like I did, and slowly cast his eyes in my direction. Two hundred watts of smile captured me. Be still my ovaries. I bit my bottom lip, being caught ogling him made me feel guilty, and, of course, I blushed. He crooked his finger at me in the universal come here gesture. Slowly I stood up and approached him, never taking my eyes off him. I handed my highlighter to Hal on the way, and the research to Cal as I walked, almost like I was in a trance. The view just got better up close as his Bulgari goodness enveloped me.

"You look a bit distracted, Babe," he smiled with a wolfish grin.

My fingers ran up his dark shirt and black silk embossed tie, before caressing down along the lapels of his jacket. Such luxurious fabric. I glanced up at him, his amused eyes were like dark pools of melted chocolate. I really like chocolate. On tiptoe I whispered, "Hey, handsome. Nice suit. You look pretty delectable."

"Pretty, Babe?" There was that elusive one eyebrow lift he does so well. So sexy.

"Okay, then. Pretty yummy."

"Babe," he deadpanned with a sparkle in his eye.

"Carlos."

Hm. Now that caused a reaction as his eyes darkened. I made sure to roll the 'R' in the Spanish way. He grabbed my hand and kissed my palm before dragging me swiftly into his office. I grinned and winked at Hector and Tank, willingly allowing myself to be led into his office.

"She's pulling the black panther's tail," Hector chuckled, was the last I heard as Ranger shut the door and slammed his lips onto mine in a possessive kiss, his hands in my hair, keeping me in place.

Is it hot in here? Oh boy. I blew a curl off my forehead as we came up for air.

"Playing with fire, Babe," he smirked, looking at me like I was his prey. Hungry eyes. Mm…

I caressed my open hands over his shirt and said, or maybe purred, "I like this look. Muy sexy, Carlos."

My hands were inside and under his jacket, running them up and down his shirt, feeling all those lovely muscles. It felt so silky. I may have hummed my approval.

He grabbed my hands and smiled down at me, "Feeling frisky, Babe?"

I rubbed my body against his, feeling his arousal, giving it an extra rub. "Hmm. Yes. So are you." I may have moaned some more. "Hang on a minute. Hold that thought," I said as I pushed away from him. He watched me curiously as I approached the door, putting my fingers to my lips. He grinned. I walked back to him and kissed him with a new fervour. "Oh, Carlos. Yes."

I broke away with a cheeky grin and yanked the door open. Three bodies tumbled into Ranger's office: Tank, Lester and Bobby. Carlos had hidden his arousal by sitting at his desk, arms folded, smirking at his core team sprawled on the floor.

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here," I chanted, taking a photo of the tangled bodies.

Hector and Cal were laughing from around the corner as they peeked in at the body pile up, scrambling to their feet, a bit red-faced.

Over my shoulder I said to my man, "Mats or monitors? I'll leave that up to you, Ranger. Places to be. Hal, let's go," I smiled at my partner as I reached my cubicle.

Chuckling, Hal high-fived me grabbing the files we discussed this morning. The door shut firmly to Ranger's office.

"Uh, oh. I think the core team might get reprimanded." Hal nodded grinning at me in agreement. Being allowed to do some field work was very validating and liberating.

I was feeling happy and perky. I was just kissed by a super sexy man who made me feel all sorts of wonderful things and I knew for sure there was more to come. Tonight's the night.

"Happy thoughts, Bomber," Hal smiled at me.

"Yup," I said popping the 'P' with a grin.

We drove to our first skip's regular haunt and waited for movement. Jerome Waddington, wanted for sticking up a liquor store, DUI and resisting arrest. He's due to be waking up around eleven, so now was a good time to catch him at home.

I knocked on his front door, with Hal standing to the side, out of sight. We heard movement inside and mutterings about holding our horses. I had The Cure in a paper bag, feeling confident. The door opened slowly, bleary blinking eyes appeared.

"Hey Jerry. I brought you the best hangover cure," I said perkily, holding the prize in my left hand.

"Huh?" Still waking up. "Stephanie?" Recognition.

He was confused. I nodded. "Stephanie Plum. We were at school together. Remember?"

"Yes. Jeez. I heard you got banged up. You okay now?"

"Yes. Thank you for asking. Now here is the issue, Jerry. You missed your court date and I need to take you in to get rebooked. See, I have the paper work right here. Now, we can go with Plan A or Plan B. It's up to you."

It was still too early for him but he understood the hangover cure. Beyond that, his brain was still catching up. He was a big guy, but lean.

"Plan A? What do you mean?"

"That's easy, Jerry. You come with me nice and easy and you get to eat The Cure - nice hot salty fries and a large coke." I slowly emphasised the ingredients with relish. He licked his lips.

"Plan B?" He was waking up and I could practically hear the gears whirling in his addled brain.

"I cuff you and we take you to the TPD."

He chuckled, but then Hal stepped into his line of vision, my big bad Halosaurus, his arms folded across his broad chest. Jerome gulped and nodded.

"Okay," he said rather sheepishly. "Plan A sounds best to me."

Hal cuffed him one-handed to the bracket in the back so he could eat The Cure. He was appreciative and thanked us. The processing at the TPD was smooth and easy. No betting. No snide remarks. Just a few waves and acknowledgments.

"Good to see you back," Robin said with a warm smile as she handed over the receipt.

Our next FTA was easy to find, predictably at his mother's house, but less agreeable. Alvin Donaldson, wanted for car jacking using a deadly weapon, and running a red light. He was also charged for possession of a controlled substance, which he claimed was not his. Too bad. Not our call. He tried to argue his innocence over that. His mother clipped across the ear and that's when I cuffed him. He tried to yank me off the door step by making a run for it, but froze when he bumped into the solid wall of muscle that was Hal. He meekly turned around allowing me to cuff the other hand. He was processed quickly at the TPD.

"Did he yank your shoulder?" Hal had asked concerned, planning to rough him up a bit to remind him of his manners, you know.

"It's fine, Hal. It wasn't my injured shoulder. I'm alright. Thanks."

We parked near the laneway further past the Bonds Office that gives access to the rear, where Vinnie usually parks his car. We reversed in, parking beside his Cadillac Seville. There were many extra vehicles taking up the kerbside parking bays, more than usual, probably tradesman renovating Fiorelli's Deli next door. We rarely have to park behind the strip mall.

"Hi Connie. We have two receipts for you. Parking is a bit of a challenge today."

"Tell me about it. I had to use those safety cones to hold my parking spot," she grumbled, indicating the two orange cones by the door. I smiled.

"You all alone today?" I asked noticing the conspicuous absence of a certain loud rambunctious person who usually resides on the Naugahyde couch.

"Yes. She's been coming in later than her usual already late start, now arriving after lunch. If it's Vinnie you want, he's in his office."

Hal shuddered. "No thank you. We saw his car. That's enough." I nudged Hal with a wry chuckle.

"You're looking great, Steph. Good to see."

"Thanks, Connie. Any new files for Rangeman?"

Connie handed over the new files and the cheques. As we made our way to the Rangeman SUV Hal suddenly pulled me behind him. WHOOMPH! An acrid smell wafted from our vehicle and something was smoking and bubbling from underneath the chassis.

Hal immediately called it in. That's when we noticed the tyres had been slashed as well, all four of them. Damn. I rang Connie to say that Vinnie might want to check his car too. But, maybe wait until the authorities had given clearance.

Ranger and Tank arrived with Hector. Hal had already sent pictures of the melting pot that was still fizzing and smouldering slowly underneath the chassis. Hector found a switch blade stuck in one of the tyres. Ranger wasn't taking any chances and had the bomb specialists checking it out. We made a full report to Carl Costanza and Eddie Gazarra from the TPD. A CSI team came and checked all around our vehicle and Vinnie's as well. Our SUV was the only vehicle targeted. The fireman were there on standby, watching all the excitement. Curious bystanders were trying to get a visual but they were safely cordoned off, well away from all the action. Until we knew what the threat was and the potential nature of the smouldering device, everyone was made to stand back.

Ranger came over and hugged me reassuringly, kissing me on my hair. No words but it was ever so comforting. He was back to wearing his regular work uniform, tight black t-shirt on black cargoes. He still looked sexy as hell. H O T. I smiled as I licked my lips.

"Hold that thought, Babe, for later," he whispered. I grinned doing a little happy dance inside.

Seriously though. Yes. This was a targeted attack. That's weird, because I'm sure I saw Lula's Firebird when we arrived, further up the strip mall parking lot. Hm … funny dat. It was no longer there. I pointed it out to Hal and he came to the same conclusion. The bomb specialists removed the offending home made device. They dismissed it as a pathetic effort by an amateur first time bomb maker, having used modified ingredients. Fingerprints were clearly visible on one section of the device.

I walked further up to the main parking area. I didn't need to go far when I discovered a broken shoe, a lady's shoe. The stiletto heel had broken off. It was just past the back tyre, the one which had the switch blade still embedded in it. Hector handed over the switch blade in an evidence bag to Eddie. I bet someone fell on their ass trying to pull it out, and not succeeding. Oh! Via Spigas. Probably knock offs, which is why they broke so easily. Hal looked at me quizzically. Hector grinned knowingly, called one of the officers over for another evidence bag. We both knew who did this.

"You know who it was?" Hal asked surprised, but then thought about it as he watched the broken stiletto being deposited into the evidence bag. "Lula?!"

"For sure," I confirmed. "That was from her favourite pair. I reckon she's going to be seriously pissed off. Apparently, she had to haggle a lot to get the cheetah print."

I looked up and around. Of course, Rangeman does security for this strip mall, as I spotted the security cameras. Hector grinned raising his eyebrows with a wicked grin.

Ranger and Tank stayed at the site after we gave our statements. Connie's car was checked as well, just to be sure. Tank arranged for a tow truck to remove our SUV, while Ranger was talking to the firemen.

"I know that look. You figured it out?" Tank asked.

"Yep."

"How?"

"Let's say, irrefutable evidence. We found a single broken knock-off Via Spigas stiletto. It had the highly sought after and alluring cheetah print," I hinted.

"Holy shit! Lula!" Tank gasped. Ranger had joined us and listened intently. He smiled with pride at my deductions.

"The one and only. I noticed her car further up when Hal and I arrived, so I was surprised when she wasn't lounging on the couch inside the Bonds Office reading magazines as she usually does. I already had a hinkey feeling when we saw the parking area so full. Her car is no longer there. But," I pointed to the security cameras, "Hal, Hector and I are going to check the feed and see if we can prove her presence, hopefully catching her in the act."

Tank grinned. "Go for it, Little Girl."

"Good call, Hal." Ranger knuckle bumped Hal, as did Tank.

"Babe," he said, which I figured meant, "I'm glad you're alright, you did well."

We returned back to Rangeman with Hector not wasting any time checking all the security cameras. Ranger could tell I wanted to get the evidence and nail the bitch.

Once we found some footage with her Firebird, we worked backwards and forwards, scanning the cameras to the next position, until after an hour and a half, we had her! Bending down on her knees with her ass up in the air putting the box under our SUV was not a pretty sight. Lula wearing a thong under her poison green leopard print mini skirt, made both my brothers cringe, shielding their eyes like they'd been blinded! Hector pieced together all the shots in sequence. Sure enough, she fell on her ass when she tried to remove the switch blade from the fourth tyre causing her heel to snap. She was pissed off.

I rang Eddie Gazarra at the TPD, letting him know we had visual evidence from our security cameras of Lula arriving, parking, carrying a box, and slashing all the tyres after she lit the fuse under our Rangeman SUV while we were inside the Bonds Office. Time stamps confirmed exact timing. Eddie was very pleased that we were able to piece together that footage. Without a doubt, it was premeditated.

Hal and I delivered the evidence immediately to the TPD, in person. There's no way she could talk her way out of that, especially since it began and ended with the Firebird, arriving and leaving, in a big hurry. Despite wearing a hoodie, we all knew her preference for spandex and especially her poison green mini skirt, which left no doubt to her identity. The final still shots Hal found were a clear full frontal as she removed the hoodie. No doubt. Gotcha Bitch! It was testimony to the quality of our equipment. Kudos to Hector.

"Huh. I wonder who will bail Lula? What do ya reckon? Morelli?" I laughed at that. Hal too. Not likely.

Arriving on the fifth floor, we were still laughing as the elevator doors opened. Everyone was pleased we were okay. Bobby came over, instructing me to take a rest period. He did a quick hydration test, pinching the skin on the back of my hand. Oops. He handed me a bottle of water with a pseudo stern doctor look. I nodded. Hal came over to my special chair, while I sat back, together we completed the report. Cal brought me a blueberry muffin to enjoy with my coffee.

"A girl could get used to this, you know," I smiled, enjoying the pampering and support.

"You're important to us, all of us, Bomber. You make us feel worthy. Even though it was a flop, we take any kind of bomb threat seriously, regardless that it was an amateurish device. Hal had your back. You two are a great team," Bobby explained on behalf of the other guys nearby nodding their heads in agreement.

In the conference room we had Lula's sequence of attack in still shots. Her face showed her aggression was real. I was surprised at the sinister, conniving expression on her face.

"Never underestimate your enemies," Cal said.

Wow. You never stop learning, I guess. Yes. Eyes wide open. I was back in my cubby checking on our new files. I was rubbing my shoulder subconsciously, the one which Alvin Donaldson tried to yank until he bumped into the wall of Hal. I smiled at his stunned expression and complete submission.

A knock on my cubicle wall made me look up. I smiled. Damn. He was a sight for sore eyes. He grinned at me as if he read my mind.

"You've had a big day, Babe," he whispered, "It's time to knock off. I have a nice bubble bath ready for you upstairs, and a reservation for a massage."

I swooned. Be still my heart. I did actually put my hand to my heart. What a man!

I saved my search and quickly tidied my desk while my computer was shutting down. I stood up, smiling, accepting his hand. He entwined our fingers and walked me to the elevator. I sighed happily as we waited for the car to come up. A bubble bath sounded so inviting, and then the promise of a massage. A Ranger massage. Better still, a Carlos massage. Oh, I am a lucky girl!

oOoOo

TBC