Valerie
Stephanie and I were watching the news eight days after Morelli missed his court case. The neighbours found a prostitute half-dead outside Joyce Barnhardt's house. The anchorwoman showed the woman's mugshot from her arrest record. "Oh. That's Tallulah," Stephanie said. "She goes by Lula, and her best friend is Jackie."
"Did she make it?" I asked. We listened for a few minutes. Lula died a few hours after the ambulance arrived. "Oh. That's horrible. Who would do that to her?"
"I don't know," Stephanie confessed. Stephanie contacted Hector to get information from the scene. "The way they found Lula makes me think she was a gift for Joyce."
"Who would do that?" I wondered.
"Probably the boxer," Stephanie replied, finally answering my question after reading something off her phone. Stephanie shared the rumours she heard from the hookers on Stark Street. Women spent a night with Ramirez. He beat some of them. Others disappeared permanently. I vaguely recalled Stephanie telling me that about Benito Ramirez. It wasn't something I wanted to remember.
"What about Joyce?" I asked. Stephanie rolled her eyes.
"We can warn her, but I doubt it would help. I need to wait for Hector to gather intel," Stephanie replied. She excused herself to return to work. Stephanie had a lot of work to manage without Ranger and the others.
A few workers arrived to fill in the gaps. It was strange for them to come from Miami when we had temporary workers to cover the other jobs. I quickly learned that Stephanie brought the men she was comfortable with around her children.
It was noon when Hector rushed into the building. He breezed past my desk to run up the stairs. I wondered why he didn't wait for the elevator. A few minutes later, Stephanie called for a meeting.
After closing the programs I had opened to enter information into the database, I logged off my computer. Managing the database was boring, but I had to help Stephanie. She was practically running Rangeman and needed to concentrate on other more important tasks.
Stephanie smiled when I entered the conference room. I glanced around the room and realized I was the last person to arrive. The men stopped talking when Stephanie cleared her throat. I loved how Stephanie commanded the room. Everyone respected my sister. Not because she was co-CEO of Rangeman or married to the boss. My sister was kind. She never talked down to the staff. Stephanie never behaved as though she was better than everyone else. My remarkable sister treated the men like family. In a way, they are family.
"I've asked everyone to come here to be aware of a situation. Ranger, Tank, Lester, Bobby and Ram left six days ago for an important mission. They should be heading back home in a few days. I called you to the meeting to discuss another issue. It seems the boxer, Benito Ramirez, murdered a few hookers and has his eyes set on Joyce Barnhardt," Stephanie explained.
"She's a nasty gold-digging whore. Trenton would be better without her. She's been trying to get her hooks in Ranger since you moved here. Why should we care?" Manny asked.
"We shouldn't care, but I don't want anyone from Rangeman in the middle of the mess Joyce created. Vinnie asked for our help to capture Morelli. Again, Rangeman declined," Stephanie replied. "I need a few men to watch Jeanne Ellen and offer assistance when needed."
"Why?" I asked. "She can take care of herself."
"Ramirez missed his court date. Jeanne Ellen received his file," Stephanie replied. A collective gasp filled the conference room. "Manny, let her in," Stephanie said when someone knocked on the door.
Jeanne Ellen entered, wearing black cargo pants and a fitted black top. She was gorgeous. Tank mentioned he briefly dated the woman, but didn't sleep with her. I couldn't stop myself from feeling jealous. Why would Tank want me when he could have her?
Catching my expression, Stephanie gave me a sympathetic smile. Jeanne Ellen slipped into the empty chair beside me. "Tank accompanied me to a wedding," Jeanne whispered, "he isn't my type, but your sister is. Don't tell anyone."
"Jeanne, did you get the cameras installed?" Stephanie asked.
"Yes. On all entrances," Jeanne Ellen confirmed. "They only record activity if anyone trips the sensors."
"Who are you monitoring?" Manny asked.
"Barnhardt," Jeanne Ellen replied.
"Jeanne will be living in Lester's apartment for the foreseeable future."
"Only until I capture Ramirez," Jeanne interrupted.
Stephanie smiled at Ranger's cousin, "That's reasonable."
What would happen when Lester came home to find a gorgeous woman in his bed? Jeanne Ellen whispered, "Cousin."
"Wait! What?" I stammered. Was Lester Ranger's cousin?
"Ranger and Lester are my cousins, but they aren't related," Jeanne added. I had to think about that one. Taking pity on me, Jeanne drew a crude family tree on a notepad. She had Ranger's mom and her mom as siblings. Then, Jeanne drew a box beside her mom. Her father, Robert Burrows, married Sofia Gomez, Ranger's aunt. Robert Burrows and Lester's mother were siblings. Jeanne Ellen was Lester and Ranger's cousin, but Lester and Ranger weren't blood-related. Were those cousins once removed? I didn't know and wasn't about to burst brain cells attempting to figure it out.
Stephanie continued talking about protocols for the children and helping Jeanne Ellen. Having Jeanne live inside Rangeman would provide easy access to the men assisting for the day. Jeanne planned to capture Ramirez when he arrived at Joyce's house.
Joyce recently divorced husband number three. She married to gain access to the man's bank accounts. Once Joyce bled them dry, she divorced them, often getting the house or car during the proceedings. Working for Vinnie was the only job Joyce held.
"What's the response time?" Stephanie asked.
Manny used the Google Maps option on his phone to determine the distance and travel time. "Twelve minutes if we don't get hindered by red lights," Manny replied.
"Fifteen if I'm asleep when the alert sounds," Jeanne Ellen said. "It's at least twenty-five minutes if I'm at home."
"Okay. A lot can happen in fifteen minutes." Stephanie debated playing the audio file she received from Hector. Sighing, Stephanie said, "You must know what we're up against," then played the recording.
A few seconds of silence filled the conference room after Stephanie hit play. There were laboured breathing and scuffling noises, and then someone moaned. A woman begged, "No. Oh God, no," before her terrible scream echoed through the room. The recording cut off. It began again with a man crooning, "Joyce, Joyce, Joyce. You shouldn't have stopped my message. I know you're listening. You missed the best part. You gotta know what the champ can do."
The woman's voice returned. "It was good," she cried, her voice breaking. "Oh God help me, I'm hurt. I'm hurt something awful."
"I know you're home, Joyce. Are you still listening? I saw you talking to Lula and Jackie. Saw you disappearing into the hotel with them. I didn't like that, Joyce. Made me feel bad. Made me feel like you liked them better than me. Made me angry because you don't want what the champ wants to give you. The champ could make you scream in pleasure. Maybe I'll give you a present, Joyce. You like presents, right? Maybe I'll deliver it to your door when you're sleeping. The present is gonna be just for you."
"Was Lula the present for Joyce?" I asked. Stephanie didn't have to answer, but she confirmed it. Ramirez killed Lula as a message to Joyce. I couldn't understand why Joyce would sleep with the hookers, but give Ramirez a wide berth.
Reading the question on my face, Stephanie replied, "Joyce would know Ramirez enjoyed hurting women. She might sleep with everything and anything, but she always avoided physically abusive partners. Joyce and I don't get along, but that doesn't mean I want her to get injured or murdered. Stay sharp. Watch Jeanne Ellen's back. Any questions?"
Stephanie answered a few questions about the skip-tracing files. After she handled everything, she dismissed everyone. I had asked Stephanie why she didn't want to murder Joyce for sleeping with her fiancé. Stephanie replied that Joyce had done her a huge favour. She wouldn't have met Ranger before getting tainted by a failed marriage. My sister firmly believed in happily ever after.
I hope Pierre and I have what Stephanie and Carlos share. It wasn't pessimism. I was insecure. Having Mom disapprove of my relationship with Pierre hurt. Mom was ecstatic about sharing grandchildren with Angie Morelli, yet disappointed neither of my children were boys. It seemed Mom wanted Stephanie to bear Joe's children. None of that mattered anymore. Mom changed her tune when Joe got arrested for murder and Stephanie got her tubes tied. She didn't think Joe was guilty, per se. It didn't look right to want her daughter married to a criminal. What would the neighbours think?
Manny had to pick up something before the girls finished school for the day. He asked me to cover his monitor shift for a few minutes. I sat beside Junior and caught something on the computer screen. "Can you check camera 14B?" I asked.
Junior changed his view to catch what I wanted him to see. "What am I looking for?" Junior asked.
"Stephanie had me help research Natalia's background and Sal Bocha, her uncle. Thirty minutes ago, I thought the delivery truck was parked behind Sal's butcher shop. A man resembling Morelli's description of the witness got inside. Now, I see that truck followed by a van and a silver sports car. It struck me as odd. I think Morelli's driving the van," I replied.
Junior flipped through the cameras, following the truck until it passed the last business Rangeman monitored. "Sorry, Val, I can do nothing," Junior said.
I slumped in my chair. It felt like someone was about to happen. What? I had no idea.
Stephanie rushed towards the monitors. She gently pushed my chair out of her way. I watched as she retrieved the camera footage Junior and I watched. "What are you doing?" I asked.
"Whenever someone links into a chain of cameras, I get notified. I'm trying to see what you are following. Shit!" Stephanie said. She left as abruptly as she arrived. A second later, a call went out to all men on patrol.
Woody replied that he was near the marina. Stephanie's relief was palpable. However, what it meant? I didn't know. "What do you need Bones and me to do, Ma'am?" Woody asked.
I smiled when Stephanie immediately replied, "Call me Stephanie or Steph. Ma'am is my mother. Woody, I need you to check the marina for a boat called "Sal's Gal." It should be a slip away from "Babe's Eyes," which is my boat."
Bones and Woody turned on their body cameras to record the events. Stephanie never sent the men into the field without a way to prove their innocence. I watched as Woody entered the parking lot. A woman resembling Natalia locked Morelli in the back of the refrigerated truck. Woody and Bones left Morelli, where he was trapped.
The men walked toward the boat slips, searching for "Babe's Eyes," as Stephanie indicated. They approached "Sal's Gal" after calling the police for backup. "Shit!" Bones screamed. "We have to go inside. Someone, please call an ambulance. We don't have time to wait."
Woody picked the lock to get inside. The men pulled latex gloves over their hands and masks to cover their mouths and noses. "Oh my God," I gasped. "That's Natalia Vicenza."
Junior contacted Woody. "Valerie identified the woman as Natalia Vicenza," Junior repeated.
Natalia convulsed on the floor. Her body shook from the drugs in her nasal passage and mouth. The guys had nothing on hand to counteract the reaction from the drugs. I watched Natalia's eyes roll to the back of her head, and she stopped moving. She overdosed on whatever drug she inhaled.
Woody went to the barrel beside Natalia. A thin wire ran along the top with a detonator on the lip. He checked the lid, finding another wire attached. Woody found the explosion pack tucked inside the barrel. "Stupid woman removed the lid without noticing it contained a small explosive. When the wire pulled from the detonator, it set off the explosion, blowing pure heroine into her face. She never had a chance to live once the bomb went off," Woody explained. It was a horrible way to die.
Stephanie grabbed the satellite phone from Ranger's office. She dialled a number and ordered, "Come home and check Pachetco Inlet Marina and Cold Storage. I think Natalia shipped the drugs using her uncle Sal's boat."
A few hours later, the cameras turned on at Joyce's house. Jeanne Ellen, Woody, Bones, Cal and Hal went after Benito Ramirez. Everyone else stood around the monitors, watching how Joyce reacted to her company. Ramirez knocked on the door. He covered the peephole with his index finger. "Don't open it," Stephanie said beside me. "Joyce, Don't open it." Stephanie kept begging Joyce to leave the door closed and locked.
Joyce opened the door to her house. Her face showed shock before she settled on fear. Ramirez stepped inside Joyce's house. Thankfully, we didn't have audio hooked up to the cameras. I didn't want to hear what happened next.
The others arrived in time to capture Ramirez before he escaped. Unfortunately, they were too late to save Joyce, even with the ambulance arriving simultaneously. It was probably for the best because Ramirez mutilated Joyce's body. Joyce wouldn't have been able to live the way she enjoyed.
Tank returned home later that night. Ranger and the others stopped at the marina to investigate as Stephanie demanded. The FBI took over the investigation once they determined "Sal's Gal" got used to transport the barrels of drugs. It shocked me when other barrels stored in the refrigerated truck, where Morelli got captured, contained the evidence required to clear his name. Carmen Sanchez's decomposing body and the missing weapon were in the same barrel. Joseph Morelli was lucky Sal Bocha had stored the body in his meat shop and didn't dispose of it until that day.
Vinnie gave the capture money from Joseph Morelli to Joyce's mother. It was just enough to pay for the funeral, with one night for visitation. Despite Stephanie's feelings, she attended the service.
Benito Ramirez sang like a canary, throwing his manager, Jimmy Alpha, under the bus. Jimmy ran because he told Benito which women to hurt. Every hooker who disappeared talked to Morelli.
Jeanne Ellen enjoyed capturing the murderer, Jimmy Alpha, and returning him to the system. Ramirez and Alpha were transferred to the same prison. A guard killed Ramirez after the boxer killed the manager in the yard. The world was a better place without Jimmy Alpha and the sick bastard, Benito Ramirez.
