Ranger trained the new employees at Rangeman Miami. Stephanie lived with Abuela Rosa with the children, keeping them a secret from the men. Only the original employees knew Ranger was married and had children with Stephanie. Nobody asked Ranger or Stephanie about the children while they were inside the building. Zip, Manny or Hector stayed at Rosa's house while Stephanie had to work in the office. Most days, she was able to complete her tasks at home.
Pleased with Rangeman's success and the profits, the men quickly paid their investment share to Stephanie. She returned most of the funds to her private account but invested around two million into the other branches. Stephanie attempted to equalize the shares in the company. The men categorically rejected her offer.
Carlos and his team were still contracted as special ops for the Army and had sixteen months remaining on their original term. Stephanie supported her husband's decision to take on higher-risk missions despite leaving her short-handed at Rangeman. She often took reports home to complete.
At 0200 on July 28, 2012, three hours after Stephanie and Carlos relocated to Trenton, New Jersey, with their family and friends, Carlos received the call. He had to leave for a three-week mission to God knows where. Stephanie would receive details to assist the team on their deployment after the brief. She couldn't understand why the military didn't hire Rangeman before sending the special operatives into the field. It seemed ridiculous to her.
After finishing her term with the Air Force, Stephanie went through rigorous testing and interrogations with the Pentagon before they gave her clearance to know about the special operative missions for the military. She got Silvio and Rodriguez to apply for the same clearance level. Eventually, the Pentagon gave them the exact clearance as Stephanie. She negotiated a contract for Rangeman. The men didn't want to renew their government contracts. It took time for Stephanie to argue that Rangeman employees active in the military could be deployed whenever needed. They promised to discuss the option once the men's individual contracts expired.
Stephanie raised to her elbow and looked at her husband. He checked the clock before ending the call. "When do you leave?" Stephanie asked. It was fortunate they were already in their seventh-floor apartment at Rangeman. The children were secured in their bedrooms, and Stephanie didn't have to transport sleeping children to the building.
"Soon," Carlos replied. He pulled Stephanie closer. Carlos nuzzled into her neck. He made love to Stephanie before climbing out of bed. "The others will arrive while I'm in the shower."
"Okay." Stephanie got out of bed. She followed Carlos into the washroom to quickly clean. He jumped into the shower while Stephanie emptied her bladder and brushed her teeth. They weren't embarrassed by their bodily functions. Stephanie got over her aversion to Carlos hearing her pee.
A soft knock on the apartment door indicated Tank, Bobby, Lester, and Ram arrived. Stephanie quietly opened the door and motioned for them to step inside. "Is he ready?" Tank asked.
"In a minute," Stephanie replied when the shower turned off. "He wants to kiss the children goodbye."
"Any news on that other issue?" Bobby asked.
Shaking her head, Stephanie answered, "None of the family had seen Javier since Jeanne and Kyle's wedding."
"I never thought he could be that slippery. Was there any connection between him and the Smiths?" Bobby asked. He knew Stephanie had Hector and Silvio digging farther into their pasts and friends.
"Nothing that I could find. However, we learned they pulled the same stunt at other unsuspecting businesses. They moved to North Carolina once they got blocked in Miami," Stephanie replied. "Hopefully, he'll realize we're closer to home and look for us here. I'm afraid I'll have to make a scene."
"How?" Tank asked.
"I don't know. Start a fire or blow up a car? It has to be something to attract the media," Stephanie replied.
"None of the fleet vehicles, though," Tank warned. "Buy some piece of crap at the used lot for a few hundred dollars. You only need it until it goes to car heaven."
Stephanie giggled, "Are you encouraging me to set fire to a car?"
"No. I'm sure you can get one of the crazy low-bond skips to do that for you," Tank replied.
Lester pressed his lips together to prevent commenting about Stephanie's just fucked hair. He knew why Carlos delayed their departure time by ten minutes. Stephanie was glowing like a lighthouse beacon.
After kissing his children goodbye, Carlos slipped his hands around Stephanie's waist. She turned to face him and pressed her lips against his. "Don't get shot," she whispered.
"Don't go crazy." Carlos gave Stephanie an indecent kiss. The guys stared at their shoes to provide Carlos and Stephanie a semblance of privacy. "I know this goes without saying, but take care of our children." Carlos caressed Stephanie's face, memorizing the details, before he exited the apartment.
Stephanie nodded because her words got stuck in her throat. She waited until the team entered the stairwell to get to the roof before shutting and locking the apartment door. Stephanie went to the window to gaze at the cloud-covered sky.
"Is this why we had to meet you upstairs?" Lester asked, pointing to the chopper on the roof of Rangeman. Stephanie got Luis to build and paint a landing pad for the helicopter.
"It's quicker," Ranger replied. "Ace is flying us to the private airport."
The men climbed aboard the chopper and secured their safety belts. Lester sat in the co-pilot's chair to assist Ace. It wasn't necessary, though Lester needed something to occupy his mind and hands.
Stephanie stood in her apartment, staring out the window. She waited until the lights of the helicopter disappeared from sight. Sighing, Stephanie returned to bed. After changing the sheets, she climbed inside and fell asleep.
In the morning, Stephanie contacted Joe about the apartment he rented in her name. She had to move to draw Javier from beneath his rock. "None of the furniture is new," Joe warned when she met him in the parking lot behind the building. Stephanie took in her surroundings. She groaned when the only parking spot was beside the dumpster and took it as a sign.
Joe passed Stephanie the key to her apartment. She unlocked the door and stepped inside. "Where did it come from?" Stephanie asked.
"Mostly your Grandma Edna. She's moving into the house with your mom. Some of the furniture came from Eddie, Robin and Big Dog," Joe explained.
Stephanie wondered why her grandma was moving. "What about my grandpa?"
"I'm sorry, Steph. You had enough to manage. Harry Mazur passed away last night. He got rushed to the hospital in an ambulance, but he died on the way," Joe replied. Stephanie sat on the lumpy couch.
"But they must have planned to move sooner than his death," Stephanie reasoned. Joe knew he couldn't let the subject drop.
"They sold the house. It closed on Friday. The new owners gave your grandparents the weekend to move," Joe explained. Stephanie thought it sounded reasonable.
"When's the funeral?"
"Tuesday at one," Joe answered. "There's something else you need to know."
Stephanie turned to face Joe. "I'm sure there isn't, but does it have to do with our plan?"
Joe nodded. "Your mom knows you're in Trenton. Someone saw you in Quaker Bridge Mall yesterday," he explained.
Rolling her eyes, she said, "Thankfully, Ella had the children at Rangeman. Did you confirm or deny?"
"Confirmed. We're supposed to be at dinner tonight," Joe replied, making Stephanie groan. She didn't want her children to eat meals without her.
"Joe, there's something Carlos and I never told you. Though, I think you suspect. The man we've been looking for is Carlos' older brother, Javier," Stephanie confessed. She used her phone to show Joe a photograph. "We never bothered showing you his picture or providing his name because he never travels without a disguise or alternative identification."
Joe looked stunned. He suspected the asshole was someone Carlos knew but never considered it to be his brother. Joe looked at the photographs Stephanie opened on a website. None of them looked the same. The only similar feature was the height. Changing the subject, Joe said, "I told her you worked for Vinnie."
"Could this day get any worse?" Stephanie grumbled. Those were Stephanie's famous last words. She wanted to be seen in the area, to draw Javier into the open. Stephanie counted on people not recognizing her. She should have known that wasn't meant to be.
Hector arrived to install the Rangeman security system. Stephanie told him to place panic buttons throughout the apartment. He had one in every room and showed her where he hid them. Rangeman would receive the call when she pressed them.
Stephanie returned to Rangeman to inform the employees that Ranger, Tank, Bobby and Lester were offline. "How long?" Manny asked.
"I don't know. It could be one week or eight," she replied. "I'm staying in the apartment building on St James and Dunworth. Hector installed cameras outside the door and on the fire escape. He placed panic buttons throughout the unit." Stephanie explained that her children would live at Rangeman during Ranger's absence, and she would stay in the apartment overnight. Once Ranger returned, they would live in her Ewing Township home, which Rangeman monitored.
"Apartment number?" Binkie asked.
"215. I have to make an appearance at Helen Mazur's house on Roosevelt. The children are staying with Ella and Luis. Whenever I'm not here, please watch over them."
"HUA," the men replied after Stephanie dismissed them. She returned to her office to get everything situated the way she preferred.
Stephanie grabbed an elastic from her desk drawer and pulled her shoulder-length hair into a ponytail. She decided to let it grow. Carlos loved the short hair but enjoyed wrapping his hands in Stephanie's longer locks.
Binkie peeked inside Stephanie's office and lightly knocked on the doorframe. He wanted to discuss bodyguards for the children and Stephanie. "Close the door and take a seat," Stephanie said. She rubbed the space between her brows, attempting to erase the microscopic wrinkles that formed from stress.
"Boss, I think you should have a bodyguard at all times. It doesn't matter if Ranger's on a mission. When we're watching your back, it would be less stressful for Ranger," Binkie explained.
Sighing, Stephanie replied, "I'm wearing a subcutaneous tracker, which I'm testing for the military. Hector, Silvio, Lester and Ranger have the codes to access it." She paused briefly to suppress her irritation that Binkie was right. Binkie wondered if he had overstepped with the boss. Stephanie surprised Binkie. "You have a point. Nobody monitors the tracker unless I press the panic button."
"Would you like me to arrange the schedule with the others?" Binkie asked.
"I want someone monitoring the apartment building while I'm here, especially the fire escape. It was the only apartment Joe could find outside the Burg area and within ten minutes of this building, which was one of Ranger's criteria," Stephanie replied.
Curiosity got the better of Binkie, "What was the other?"
Stephanie smiled, "Not on the first floor." Binkie chuckled. He understood that restriction. It was the same one he gave his sister when she found a place to live. "I honestly appreciate your concern. We're attempting to draw out the person, so whoever is assigned bodyguard duty needs to keep their distance and wear regular clothes," Stephanie warned.
"Yes, boss," Binkie said.
"Dismissed," Stephanie ordered. She shook her head and smiled when Binkie left her office. Stephanie wondered how long it would take for Binkie and Manny to create the schedule. The men acted like her overly protective older brothers despite being younger.
After opening the Standard Operating Procedures on the computer, Stephanie modified the section on protecting the core team members. She entered the requirements for a bolt hole, where the staff can hide. Stephanie could use them as safe houses for clients or employees.
She added the protocol for her staying at the apartment during Ranger's deployments. It seemed strange to act opposite to the procedure in Miami. With the increasing rumours in the military, Stephanie knew Javier was devolving and prepared to take what he wanted. Only part of the procedure changes would get updated in Miami and Atlanta's branches.
Closing her eyes, Stephanie concentrated on Javier, letting her spidey sense guide her. "We'll find you," Stephanie whispered. She used her laptop to dive into the dark web and found a message from Amber. Javier was in the US. "Where is he?" Stephanie asked.
"I can't say. He'll kill me if the authorities arrive," Amber replied. "He never used those aliases I provided." Stephanie thought Amber's response was idiotic. She was dead once Javier finished using her.
"We assumed it was the case. Are you with him?"
"No, but I will be soon. I'm dumping my intel and proof soon. Check this link in a few days," Amber answered, leaving the connection to the file storage space. Stephanie sent the link to Hector to monitor. "I have to go."
Stephanie tracked the message, hoping to tag her IP address, but it didn't work. Like Stephanie's interactions in the dark web, Amber's location jumped between places, making it nearly impossible to pinpoint. It was an exercise in futility. Amber was carefully hiding her location. Stephanie felt sorry for Amber, knowing she was going to die when Javier finished with her. Alas, it was out of her hands. There was nothing she could do to protect Amber.
Jeanne Ellen stopped at Rangeman to have lunch with Stephanie and the children in her office. Ella made mini cheese pizzas with diced chicken for Ric and Hanna. Stephanie and Jeanne Ellen ate the chicken salad sandwiches. Hanna kept smiling at her Tia Jeanne. "Are you ready to move to Rangeman?" Stephanie asked.
Shrugging, Jeanne replied, "I think so. Working as a private investigator isn't as exciting as chasing skips or working distractions."
"You want Kyle's job," Stephanie teased.
"Absolutely," Jeanne Ellen laughed. "I've missed spending time with you and the children."
"Me too." Stephanie and Jeanne Ellen were best friends. Despite not living in the same city for the past few years, they constantly communicated through emails and phone calls. Jeanne visited whenever time permitted. She waited until Ace flew to Stephanie's location before leaving home, unwilling to risk having Javier track her actions through the airports. He never used the same latex mask twice, making it easier for him to move around.
"Ranger and I appreciate the work you and Kyle did to build our client base in Trenton. It made our move and start-up smoother," Stephanie said.
"It wasn't too bad. Sending the installation team certainly helped. Your lawyer was amazing. He was on the ball and got the contracts ready quickly. Do the other branches know about your marital status?" Jeanne wondered. Kyle said she couldn't mention anything about Stephanie being her sister-in-law. Jeanne didn't have to be too careful while she visited the family in Miami.
"The staff never discussed personal business. It was one of Carlos' rules within the building," Stephanie explained. She wiped her mouth and set her plate aside. Stephanie grabbed the wet ones from her drawer to clean Ric's and Hanna's faces and hands. Hanna giggled when Stephanie wiped her nose.
"Who knows?" Jeanne wondered.
"The original men we hired for Rangeman Miami. Some of the others we moved here suspect but don't dare to ask," Stephanie replied.
Ric giggled, "Mama fights them if they talk."
"What does that mean?" Jeanne asked.
"It means I take them to the mats and hand them their butts," Stephanie replied. "News travels fast, and the others learned to remain silent."
Jeanne Ellen snorted. "Right." The men in Les Sebring's office were worse gossipers than the women living in the Burg.
Stephanie shook her head. She raised the receiver for her phone and asked Sybo to come to her office. Before hanging up the phone, she asked Ella to collect the children. They usually spent an hour playing with blocks with Luis before Ella put them to bed for a nap.
"Yes, boss?" Sybo asked.
"One minute," Stephanie replied. Ella and Luis got the children to follow them to the elevator. Luis closed the door when he exited Stephanie's office.
Sybo sat in the chair beside Jeanne Ellen. "Why did you want to see me?" Sybo asked. He swallowed hard, making a funny noise in his throat.
"What happened when I heard you discussing my children and marital status?" Stephanie asked. Sybo's face paled. A bead of sweat appeared on his forehead and slowly streamed down his temple.
"Stephanie called me to the mats and handed me my ass," Sybo replied. "I would never discuss the boss or her family again. It's important to protect the children and the boss lady. Except for Ranger's family, outsiders don't know he's married to Stephanie. His parents and siblings don't know about the children. Shit. Am I in trouble for mentioning it now?" Sybo wiped his forehead with his arm, afraid Stephanie would take him to the mats again.
"Relax, Sybo. I'm not taking you to the mats. Jeanne Ellen is married to Kyle Burrows. She is also Ranger's sister and already knows about the marriage and children. Next month, she'll start working here," Stephanie replied. Sybo regained the colour in his face.
"Is there anything you need?" Sybo asked, glancing at the door and planning his escape.
"No. You're dismissed," Stephanie replied, maintaining her neutral expression but laughing on the inside. Sybo bolted for the door before Stephanie changed her mind. Jeanne Ellen burst out laughing.
Stephanie and Carlos knew that Javier Manoso didn't know they had children. Carlos suspected Javier thought he lied about being married to keep him away from Stephanie. It was apparent when Javier flirted and tried seducing Stephanie at Jeanne Ellen's wedding. Then again, Javier didn't care if the woman was married or dating. He chased whoever he wanted.
After working and updating her trusted employees, Stephanie grabbed a suitcase of clothes and went to the apartment on St James. She didn't want to miss time with the children, but it was inevitable. Keeping the children safe from Javier's notice was more important than her feelings.
She changed into her jeans and a nice, respectable top, hoping her mother would approve of her wardrobe. It didn't matter to Stephanie, but she wanted to avoid her mother's criticism of what she wore to dinner.
Stephanie tried to delay the unpleasantness. She checked her watch and noticed the time. "Ten minutes," Stephanie mumbled and slipped into her running shoes. Then, she dropped her gun into her purse and strapped a knife to her ankle.
Morelli was parked a few houses away from Stephanie's childhood home. She recognized his car and parked behind him. "Are you ready for this charade?" Joe asked when she approached him.
"Nope. Why didn't you park closer?" Stephanie wondered. She glanced around the neighbourhood. Curtains twitched on the windows as the nosiest women of the Burg tried to see who parked on the road.
"The same reason as you," Joe teased, tucking Stephanie's arm into the crook of his elbow. They walked toward the house on the uneven sidewalks. Stephanie's shoe caught on a raised edge. Joe chuckled and stopped her from falling. "Nosy neighbour alert," Joe whispered.
Stephanie rolled her eyes when she caught the neighbours peeking from behind their curtains. Their faces disappeared when she stared. "How many calls?" Stephanie asked and jutted her chin at her mother's house.
"More than we can count," Joe joked.
Helen and Edna were standing on the porch awaiting their arrival. Stephanie hugged her grandmother after releasing Joe's arm. "You're a sight for sore eyes," Grandma whispered.
"And you're making a scene," Helen snarled, pulling them into the house. "What would the neighbours think?" Stephanie noticed a child with brown curly hair and blue eyes galloping around the living room, making her smile. It reminded Stephanie of her childhood when she pretended to be Peter Pan and Wonder Woman.
"Mary Alice, sit down. You're making me nervous," an older blond-haired girl whined.
"I'm a pony, and ponies need to gallop," the other girl happily said as she continued galloping around the room.
"You heard Angie, Mary Alice. Sit down," Valerie ordered. Mary Alice cried and ran upstairs to hide.
"She wasn't hurting anyone. Hi, Valerie," Stephanie greeted. She hadn't seen her sister in years. "I love your haircut." Stephanie thought Valerie was attempting to emulate Meg Ryan with the wavy bob.
"Thanks," Valerie mumbled. She wiped her eyes and nose with a tissue. Helen and Edna went to the kitchen to check on dinner.
Attempting small talk with Valerie, Stephanie asked, "How long are you visiting?"
"Permanently," Valerie cried. Joe sat on the chair. He never realized Valerie and Steve had marital problems.
Stephanie sat beside Valerie on the couch and gently touched her arm. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
Turning and tucking a leg beneath her, Valerie looked at Stephanie with her red eyes. "Can you recover the money he stole?" Valerie asked.
"I can try," Stephanie replied. She used her phone to send a message to Silvio and Rodriguez. Hector and Manny were Stephanie's bodyguards for the night.
"Who did you text?"
"Some friends," Stephanie vaguely answered, unwilling to tell Valerie about Rangeman's services for checking into backgrounds. "Hopefully, they can find the money trail. Do we need to find Steve too?" Stephanie suspected Steve took the money and ran, leaving Valerie and the girls destitute.
"I have to find a job," Valerie sighed.
"No, you don't," Helen interjected. "You can find a nice Burg man to marry. Dinner's on the table." Helen left the living room after her announcement. Stephanie was furious that Helen wanted Valerie to move on as if nothing happened between her and Steve. The man was a selfish pig in high school. He only cared about his wants and needs. It was a shame Valerie never noticed the signs before marrying the asshole.
Joe caught Stephanie's eye and raised a brow. She was working hard not to scream at Helen for the suggestion. Valerie touched Stephanie's arm after recognizing the beginning of what promised to be an epic rhino-mode moment. "Let it go," Valerie replied.
"You married a Burg man, and look what he did. Val, you and the girls deserve better," Stephanie quietly stated. She felt torn between offering Valerie a job as Rangeman's receptionist and protecting her children.
"After we get the asshole," Joe whispered as he followed Stephanie to the dining room table. Joe knew what Stephanie was thinking. Ric and Hanna's safety was more important than Valerie's predicament.
"Thank you for making Stephanie come for dinner, Joseph," Helen commented as Joe and Stephanie sat at the table across from Valerie and the girls.
Stephanie quickly corrected, "Joe didn't make me do anything. I assumed Valerie and the girls would be here today, and I wanted to visit." It wasn't entirely true, but it sounded like a plausible reason to attend dinner.