Stephanie peeled the gauze from the pubic bone. Two days earlier, she visited a tattoo artist to get the Batman symbol with the Wonder Woman emblem and her wedding date etched onto the sensitive spot. Carlos got the matching tattoo on his body. "How do women wax themselves?" Carlos complained. He broke out in a sweat, attempting to avoid scratching the area.
"You can remove the bandage, which should reduce the itching," Stephanie said, pointing to her crotch. His eyes darkened. They couldn't have sex for forty-eight hours. Carlos peeled off his clothes and the gauze covering his pelvis. He crawled onto the bed from the footboard. With a satisfying rip, Carlos stripped away his wife's panties and feasted on the exposed flesh.
"Yes!" Stephanie screamed.
On the main floor, Tank, Bobby and Lester shook their heads. "Exactly forty-eight hours," Bobby said, checking his watch. The guys laughed.
"Come on, Bobby. Stephanie's going to be starving when they finish," Lester joked. Tank shook his head. When Carlos and Stephanie returned after getting married in Atlantic City, they kept the guys awake all night from multiple rounds of sex. They couldn't believe Carlos had that much stamina. The next day, they didn't have sex at all. Tank learned they got matching tattoos to commemorate exchanging vows. Stephanie got worried about an infection and got Bobby to examine her. Carlos was not amused but let the medic do his job.
Bobby's father was an Army medic who taught Bobby everything he knew before passing from prostate cancer. Bobby fast-tracked through college to get his undergraduate degree. He took a semester of medical school before joining the Army, which was a few months after his father passed away.
Lester and Bobby went to the kitchen to prepare dinner. Stephanie wasn't the best cook. She could reheat food but not cook from scratch. Bobby had marinated the steaks earlier that day. Lester prepared the side dishes of salad, baked potato and steamed broccoli. He turned on the oven to preheat it to cook the potatoes.
Tank grabbed the remote and turned on the television to watch Jeopardy. He turned it up louder, attempting to drown out the sounds of Stephanie screaming Carlos' name. Tank wondered if he could soundproof the primary suite. It was worth researching.
He thought about Carlos marrying Stephanie. It surprised Tank and the others because they assumed Carlos would remain single while serving his time in the military. Carlos had plans that didn't include a wife. He created a business plan to open a security firm for ex-military, ex-cops and ex-cons. Basically, Carlos wanted to hire men and women other companies refused to employ. The premise was solid.
Stephanie promised to help make the security firm's dream a reality. She had excellent ideas to build capital. It would take time, and everyone had to pitch in. They could capture men who failed to appear in court to earn at least ten percent of the bond. Accepting only the large bonds, they could invest the money, minus the overhead costs, into the company.
Tank grabbed the paperwork Carlos printed. He knew a corporate lawyer who could draft the contracts for the potential partners. They needed a lot of money for the equipment alone. With a sigh, Tank got up from the couch and turned off the television. He had research to conduct.
The second-floor shower was turned on. Tank rolled his eyes, went to the main office, and sat in the chair. Stephanie found one able to support his weight after he broke the previous one. It must have been expensive. She shrugged it off and refused to let him repay her.
He logged onto the computer and waited for the internet to connect. When he opened the browser, he laughed. Stephanie had it set to load on a security camera website. He shook his head and tugged the drawer to his right open. After removing the pad of paper from the desk, he laughed harder. His laughter echoed through the house.
Lester and Bobby rushed to the office to see what amused Tank. It wasn't often when they found him laughing. "What's so funny?" Lester asked. His amusement was evident on his face. Lester's eyes danced with humour.
"Little Girl thought of everything," Tank replied. He passed Lester the paper tablet to read her notes. Tank's previous concerns about Stephanie flew out the window. The woman had a natural talent for business.
Bobby whistled, "Wow. We need a lot of capital to afford all those cameras and surveillance gear. Where do we get it?"
"Smoke Signals," Stephanie replied, making the three men jump. Carlos laughed and commented about them not being aware of their surroundings. Tank expected Carlos and Stephanie to be in the shower until the water ran cold.
"What's Smoke Signals?" Lester asked.
"An investment firm," Stephanie replied. Carlos knew it was her company. She renamed the business after inheriting it from her Plum grandparents. Stephanie was the sole heir, much to Helen and Valerie's disappointment. They hoped to receive a portion of the firm's equity.
"What does it do?" Bobby asked.
Stephanie deferred the answer to Carlos, who wouldn't give away that she opened the company. "The CEO invests in new companies struggling with capital to get off the ground. After a few years, once the companies turn a profit, the partnership ends, and Smoke Signals gets repaid the initial investment plus a reasonable percentage of the profits," Carlos explained.
"How much will they invest?" Tank asked.
"What do you need?" Stephanie asked, unintentionally showing her hand. Lester raised a brow. He caught his cousin's eye and jutted his chin to Stephanie. Carlos nodded imperceptibly.
"At least five million." Tank was the numbers man. He wondered if Smoke Signals would front the cash for them to open the security company. "Who's the owner?" Tank asked.
"Smoke," Lester replied, reading the company information from the computer monitor. He didn't mention that Stephanie Plum-Manoso was Smoke. Bobby and Tank exchanged a knowing glance. Stephanie referred to herself as Smoke when contacting Ghost.
Tank pushed Lester away to read the background information on the owner to prove his theory. Smoke was currently active in the military and preferred to use his codename. The CEO, a man named Theodore Hawkins, ran the business. He was an ex-Army man in his forties. Theo made the decisions for the benefit of the company. He only contacted the owner whenever it involved more than a two million start-up cost.
Stephanie had already contacted Theodore, explaining her husband and friends planned to open a security business in two years. She said they might apply for an investment loan to launch the company. Theo promised to watch for the documentation.
"What do we need to apply, Tank?" Bobby asked, watching Stephanie's reaction to the answer.
"A solid business plan with the management team's names. You must agree to a thorough background check and provide a financial portfolio and personal references," Tank replied.
"Before you apply for the investment loan, you need to know something about me," Stephanie said. The guys figured it out, but she felt compelled to tell them the story. She wanted them to trust her.
"Babe," Carlos warned. He knew the men would keep her secret. Carlos wanted Stephanie to be sure she wanted to share.
"They have a right to know, Carlos. Guys, do I have your word to keep what I say to yourselves?" Stephanie asked.
"Yes," they replied.
"You already figured out that I'm Smoke." The men nodded as Stephanie smiled at her memories. "I earned the nickname from my Grandpa Plum. He used to take me camping all the time. When I was six, Dad gave me a magnifying glass to look at bugs. A few times, I would look at dried leaves to count how many insects crawled over the surface. It would smoke from the sun shining through the glass. Grandpa called me Smoke when I caught the tent on fire."
"Where is your grandpa now? I would love to meet him," Lester asked.
Stephanie shook her head. "He died after a plane crashed when I was a teen," she replied. She never liked talking about it. Too many innocent people lost their lives that day. It was one of the many reasons she joined the military. She wanted to honour her grandparents' memory. Grandpa and Grandma Plum were visiting the Trade Center that morning. They helped many others escape the building before succumbing to their injuries from falling debris and smoke inhalation.
Tank, Bobby and Lester hugged Stephanie, squishing her between their bodies. She felt engulfed in a cocoon of muscular men. "I'm sorry, Little Girl," Tank whispered. "I didn't mean to bring up unpleasant memories."
"It's fine, Big Guy. I miss Grandma and Grandpa every day," Stephanie mumbled. The men released Stephanie from their arms, and Carlos wrapped his arms around her tightly. "Grandpa used to own Smoke Signals, but he called it Plum Investments. He left me the business in his will and made me promise to keep Mom away from its operations. I took the company in a different direction and moved their money into another part of the business. They still earn their profits, but the money Smoke Signals uses to assist new businesses gets withdrawn from my personal accounts."
"You have that much cash on hand?" Lester asked. He was amazed by Stephanie. She didn't behave like a multimillionaire. Stephanie wasn't pretentious or greedy. He wondered if she had bought the house where they were living.
"Dad sold Grandpa's house and bought this one for my birthday," Stephanie quickly said, correctly reading the expression on Lester's face. "Grandpa and Grandma's life insurance policies were for five million each. I invested the money and doubled the funds. Every penny I earn goes into my business," Stephanie explained.
"Have you lost money?" Tank asked.
"Yes, which is why Smoke Signals checks applicants' financials," Stephanie replied. "I'm closing the other part of the business. As the clients' mutual funds mature, they move their money to another investment firm. I have two clients, my grandpa's closest friends, left in that part of the business. They plan to leave once their funds mature. My aunt and her husband own a company much like Plum Investments. Most of the clients pulled their money when Grandpa died and moved it to my Aunt's business. I do have a few clients associated with Plum Investments who believe in my vision."
Stephanie failed to mention those clients were her father, godfather and a few of their friends. They had seats on the company's board of directors received a percentage of the profits.
Carlos knew the details because Stephanie shared them with him. He signed paperwork to protect Stephanie's company and money. Stephanie said it wasn't necessary, but he insisted. Carlos would do anything to keep people from getting their hands on Stephanie's fortune. The document might not hold up in the courts, but Carlos was a man of honour. He wouldn't take Stephanie's money or company. They got the minister in the chapel to sign as a witness. Another woman, who claimed to be a notary, added her signature and stamp.
There was no possibility of Carlos and Stephanie divorcing. They were too much in love, despite just meeting, and vowed never to let their military careers interfere with their marriage. It was a promise they made when exchanging their vows.
Stephanie suggested they wait a few years before applying for the investment start-up and opening the security firm. The guys wanted to join the Rangers, and they had to get through the case General Plum assigned to the team on behalf of the FBI.
Bobby and Lester excused themselves to finish cooking dinner, leaving Tank with Carlos and Stephanie. They hammered out the details of the security company, including who they wanted in charge. Stephanie couldn't be part of the security firm's core team because it was a conflict of interest. She would remain in the background as a silent investor. They discussed the merits of keeping some of her investment in the company to open multiple branches. It wasn't something Carlos initially considered.
"Did your handler give you the date of your next deployment?" Stephanie asked during dinner. She knew Carlos had to leave soon. The question allowed Stephanie to learn who would keep her company in Ewing.
"I leave in two days," Bobby replied. Stephanie glanced at Carlos, who nodded. He couldn't provide details outside of saying he would be gone for two months. Tank and Lester would leave a few days after Bobby and Carlos returned.
Frank knew about Stephanie and Carlos getting married. He updated the files with the military. Only a few men had access to those personnel files.
Stephanie enjoyed the steak that Bobby barbecued to perfection. The loaded baked potato with sour cream, cheese and bacon was delicious. Lester only made Stephanie's with the extra ingredients, having learned she enjoyed eating.
Tank and Bobby purchased weight sets for strengthening muscles. Lester bought a treadmill to burn energy. The men could run outside, but Stephanie noticed they were drawing too much attention. She told a few neighbours they were students, making them sound much younger than their ages. Eventually, the neighbours stopped paying attention to Stephanie and her house guests.
Most days, Carlos and Lester accompanied Stephanie to school. They dropped Stephanie at her class and then visited with the campus police. The men suggested increasing security for women walking to the parking lots.
Stephanie found her classes to be incredibly dull. The two classes she was taking weren't for credit. She was taking them as a refresher to prepare for the classes beginning in January. Stephanie would have to take two courses during the summer.
She enrolled in the six courses required for her degree, intending to graduate in August and apply to E. E. Martin after receiving her certificate. Stephanie doesn't want to attend the graduation ceremony, giving Carlos the excuse of maintaining anonymity.
The day before Carlos had to leave, Stephanie invited Hector to her house in Ewing. He arrived on a rebuilt motorcycle. Hector parked the bike in the garage. Carlos grinned when he met Hector. He recognized him from Newark. Hector was a member of the gang Carlos belonged to in his youth.
It amused Stephanie when Hector and Carlos exchanged a complicated handshake. Speaking in Spanish, Stephanie asked, "Do you know Carlos?"
Hector grinned and nodded. He explained about meeting Carlos in the gang. It took several months, but Carlos helped Hector escape the gang life. Carlos didn't know Hector relocated to Trenton. The conversation continued in Spanish. "I protected her," Hector replied.
Stephanie gently stroked his tattoo, reminding the men about the story she shared about Hector saving her life. Carlos thanked Hector for keeping Stephanie safe.
"Steph, why did you invite Hector?" Lester asked, confused as to why he was at the house.
Rolling her eyes, Stephanie gave Hector the laptop she purchased after her economics class. He smiled when he checked the specifications and processor speed. Stephanie spent a lot on the device. She wanted Hector to have something powerful enough to create the database Carlos envisioned. Stephanie knew Hector spoke English but let the men think he only spoke Spanish.
Lester excitedly told Hector what he thought would be helpful in the security company. Hector asked to take the laptop to work on the programs. He promised to contact Stephanie with the ideas if Carlos was unavailable.
Speaking in Spanish, Stephanie asked, "Why don't you live here? I have an extra bedroom. Carlos and Bobby leave tomorrow for a few months."
Hector asked Carlos if he minded. Carlos said it would help keep Stephanie busy while he was away. Stephanie loved that Carlos trusted her judgement.