Big Dog had Robin Russell in his car. "Call the hospital so they know to expect us," he ordered. Robin did as instructed, telling the staff the patient was arriving in a black SUV. The nurse indicated she had received two calls with the same information.
"How many gurneys do we need?" she asked.
"One and two wheelchairs. Mr. and Mrs. Manoso need to get examined for injuries, too," Robin explained. "They should arrive together."
"In an ambulance?" the nurse asked.
"Negative. The accident on the highway is preventing its expedient arrival," Robin replied. The nurse thanked Robin and prepared the teams to treat the three patients.
Hector sped to the hospital with his escorts. They sailed through the red lights to get Stephanie some medical attention. Bones and Bobby couldn't do much without scans to check for internal injuries. He knew Stephanie was bleeding into her abdomen. The darkened skin spread past the red marker line during the transport to the hospital.
Carlos stroked Stephanie's forehead. It was the only place on her face not bruised by Javier. "I'm sorry, Babe," he whispered.
"Wasn't your fault," she painfully said. Her chest ached from the broken ribs. "My babies."
"You want to see the children?" Carlos asked.
"Yes," she breathily replied. Carlos nodded at Bobby, who contacted Ella. They never questioned what Stephanie wanted. "Daddy," Stephanie whispered. She needed to see her dad before she died.
"Babe. Stephanie, look at me," Carlos demanded. "You are not dying today."
"So tired," she whispered. Stephanie's eyelids fluttered before she closed her eyes. She tried to keep them open, but her body wasn't cooperating. Carlos felt his heart leap into his throat. Stephanie was his life. He couldn't live in a world where she didn't exist. But he would live on for their children to tell them about their brave mother.
"We're at the hospital, Babe," Carlos said. "I'm going to help Bobby and Bones move you."
"Mmhmm," Stephanie mumbled. Carlos wiped a tear from his eye because Stephanie was still alert. She didn't leave him. Stephanie was fighting for survival. She was fighting to see her babies and fighting to spend the rest of her life with Carlos.
They used a backboard an intern passed them to move Stephanie from the SUV to the gurney. Within a few minutes, Stephanie was in an examination room. "My babies," Stephanie mumbled.
"Is she pregnant?" a doctor asked, concerned nobody warned him. He used the portable ultrasound machine to check Stephanie's abdomen. She groaned from the pain the pressure caused. Bobby was reluctant to give Stephanie medication before the doctor examined her.
"No. She wants to see her children before going for scans and surgery," Carlos announced.
"I have to take her now," the doctor warned.
"Babies," Stephanie cried.
Carlos gave the doctor a menacing glare. "You have one minute," the doctor replied, resigned to let his patient see the children.
"Mama," Ric cried. Ella rushed into the examination room with Hanna. Ric had run ahead of her to see his mom.
The emergency room was filled with Rangeman employees and Stephanie's family. Maria and Ricardo were taken to another room for them to be examined.
"Gentle with your mama," Carlos ordered.
"I love you, Ric. I love you, Hanna. Be good for Papi," Stephanie whispered. "Okay, doc. I'm ready."
Ric and Hanna kissed their mom's forehead. They cried when Carlos removed them from the room. He went to the emergency waiting room with his children hanging off him like monkeys. "Mama's going to be okay," Carlos said, hoping to calm his children.
Eddie's mouth popped open. He didn't know Stephanie had two children. Eddie suspected Stephanie was pregnant during her visit to Trenton several years earlier. When Eddie looked around the room, he noticed the Rangeman employees, Morelli and Chief Juniak, weren't the least surprised by the news.
"Tio Joe," Ric said when he noticed Morelli.
"Would you like to sit with me, Ric? Your Papi needs to talk to the police officers," Joe asked. Ric nodded. Hanna refused to let go of her dad. She stuck a thumb in her mouth and closed her eyes.
Shaking his head, Eddie moved to sit beside Morelli. "I knew she was pregnant when she visited Trenton when Shirley was pregnant with Ian. How long have you known?" Eddie asked.
"Since my vacation in April," Joe answered while keeping his attention on Ric.
"I want Mama," Ric cried.
"It's okay, Ric. Do you want your momma to get better?" Joe asked. Ric nodded his head. Joe carefully chose his words. "We need the doctors to fix your momma after a bad man hurt her."
"Okay," Ric whispered. He wrapped his arms around Joe's neck and fell asleep.
Valerie arrived thirty minutes later with Helen and Edna. "Where are the girls?" Eddie asked.
"With Shirley. I hope you don't mind," Valerie replied. "The children were sleeping when I left your house."
"It's fine. The boys would sleep through an explosion," Eddie joked. "Who called you?"
Valerie's eyes flicked to Joe. She noticed the boy in his arms and raised a brow as her heart warmed at the sight. Joe was a natural with the child. "Who is this little man?" Valerie asked.
"You may tell her," Carlos replied when he heard Valerie's question. Stephanie planned to announce her marital status and introduce the children to Valerie after they captured Javier.
"Ric Manoso," Joe replied. Ric opened his eyes to look at the woman. He tapped Joe's face to get his attention. "I'm sorry for being rude. Valerie, Ric is Stephanie's son."
"Oh," Valerie gasped. "I didn't know she had a child."
Pointing to Carlos holding Hanna, Joe said, "That little girl is Hanna, Stephanie's daughter. The man holding her is the father and Stephanie's husband."
"How long have they been married?" Valerie asked.
"Since she was twenty-two," Joe replied. It was how Stephanie told Joe, and it stuck in his mind.
"Five years next month," Carlos offered.
"Is that why you only pretended to date Stephanie?" Valerie asked. She sat on the chair beside Joe, shocked he went through all the ridicule from Helen and the Burg bitches to fake a relationship with Stephanie.
"It was the best cover to keep the children safe," Joe explained. "Everything I did was for the children." Valerie wiped a tear off her cheek. She never considered the ruse was because Stephanie was already married with children.
"But she doesn't wear a wedding ring," Valerie said.
"Stephanie has a tattoo," Joe replied.
"Have you seen it?"
"No. It's not somewhere where she could show other people," Joe replied. His cheeks turned pink. It took a few minutes for Valerie to realize where Stephanie got the tattoo.
Frank Plum arrived in time to hear the nurse's announcement, "Whoever is here for Stephanie Plum, please follow me. The doctor took her to surgery and assigned a waiting room for everyone to relax."
Valerie rushed to hug her father. She hadn't seen him since she had Mary Alice. He was too busy to visit her in LA, and she never had money for travel. "Did you know about Steph?" Valerie quietly asked.
Frank wrapped his arm around Valerie's shoulder as they followed the group to the waiting room. "Yes. It wasn't my secret to share," Frank said.
"Well, the cat's out of the bag now. Mom heard Joe Morelli telling me that Stephanie was married with two children. She left the emergency room. It's too late for her to call the neighbours," Valerie replied. Frank noticed Morelli carrying his grandson.
Valerie excused herself when she noticed her cousin Evelyn at the nurse's station. She spoke quietly to explain the situation, pointing to Carlos holding the toddler.
Everyone requiring a chair found one. Morelli passed Ric, who had fallen asleep on his shoulder, to Hector. "I have to file my report," he explained to Carlos. "I'll return when I'm finished."
Carlos nodded. Evelyn, Stephanie's cousin, cautiously approached Carlos, "Excuse me, sir. Valerie said you're married to Stephanie. I have a bed for your children if you want it. I'm Steph and Val's cousin, Evelyn."
He was still holding Hanna, but his arms were tired of remaining in that position. "Thank you," he replied.
"It's in this room. You can have some of your men inside the room and guarding the door," Evelyn said. She had noticed the sentry down the hall waiting near the elevators and assumed they were protecting the children from unwanted visitors.
Carlos motioned for Hector and Lester to come forward. "The nurse, Evelyn, prepared the room next door for the children. I want you two in the room with them. Tank and Bones will guard the door," Carlos ordered. Lester gently removed Hanna from Carlos' arms.
"Shhh, sweetie. Tio Lester has you," Lester quietly said, calming Hanna. Evelyn held the door open for Hector and Lester. She stared at Lester's ass when he walked past her. He chuckled, knowing what she had done. "Do you like what you see?" Lester teased.
"Absolutely. You have a sexy body, and you're great with children. What isn't there to like?" Evelyn joked. "Use the call button if you need anything for them."
"Thanks, Evelyn. My cousin appreciates you looking out for the little ones," Lester replied. It warmed Evelyn's heart. Not many men thanked the nurses for helping their loved ones. She started questioning the rumours her Aunt Helen spread around the Burg about the Rangeman employees. Evelyn suspected they weren't the thugs and criminals Helen claimed them to be.
Valerie sat in the waiting room until it got too late for her to stay. She had to get the children ready for school. Eddie offered her a ride to his house and a couch to sleep on. "Excuse me, Ranger," Valerie said, using his street name as she heard from the men, "I have to go. Can you have someone call me with an update?"
"Yes," he replied. "Your number?" She recited her mobile number, shocked he never wrote it down.
Frank approached Valerie and whispered, "Tank recorded the number in his phone."
"Oh. Thanks," she replied. "I guess you could call. I'm sorry, Daddy. I didn't think of you."
"I understand." In the past, Frank Plum never called Valerie with family updates. He left those notifications for Helen. Valerie and Helen were close and frequently talked. However, it seemed that was no longer the case. He heard Valerie's snort when she commented about Helen's inability to contact the neighbours because of the late hour.
Frank approached Carlos for an update on Stephanie. He spoke to the others and had a general idea of what happened. "He knew we were living in Trenton," Carlos said when Frank sat beside him."
"How?" Frank asked. They suspected someone besides Amber Meyers was helping Javier, but they couldn't find anyone among the ranks other than the medic, Jeremy Smith, who they transferred to Texas.
"The article the Trenton Times published when Stephanie's car caught fire, and Chester Deuce forwarded the intel," Carlos replied. "Stephanie rejected his resume because of something she sensed about his past. He never worked on missions involving Javier. Stephanie would have uncovered it."
"How did they meet?" Frank asked.
"I don't know," Carlos replied. There had to be a connection Stephanie couldn't uncover.
Maria and Ricardo arrived in the waiting room after the doctor released them from his care. "Mi hijo, I know how Javier met Chester. You were eight at the time. We sent you to visit Abuela Rosa with Lester and his family for the summer. Javier was on his best behaviour, so we sent him to camp for two weeks, where he met Chester. He had fun, and we thought everything would improve. It had for many years," Maria explained.
"Until I took the heat for him," Carlos sighed.
"Yes," Maria confessed. "He was always jealous of you. I never imagined him tarnishing your name and harming Stephanie." Maria cried. Carlos knew it wasn't his parents' fault for Javier's behaviour, but he couldn't help wondering if they could have done more to prevent the events of the past twelve hours.
"Son, we'll leave you with your friends. I want to get your mother home," Ricardo said.
Carlos removed a key from his pocket, "We have a house in Ewing. Jeanne and Kyle will take you there for the night." Maria and Ricardo accepted the offer. They promised to visit Stephanie when she recovered from surgery. Carlos never mentioned his children. Maria and Ricardo were unaware they had grandchildren sleeping in the next room.
Stephanie was in surgery for six hours. "Family of Stephanie Plum?" the surgeon asked. He was exhausted from the lengthy surgery.
Carlos got to his feet to approach him. Lester heard the announcement and traded spots with Manny. Dr. Shepherd noticed the worried expressions evident on the men's faces. "Ms. Plum made it through surgery," he quickly stated.
"Mrs. Manoso," Carlos corrected. "She's my wife. I'm Carlos."
Dr. Shepherd smiled. "Carlos, I'm pleased to say your wife will fully recover. We had a few close calls in the operating room, which is why we took so long."
"I'm the Rangeman medic, Bobby Brown. What did you repair or remove?" Bobby asked.
"I removed her spleen and repaired a few tears. She needs respiratory therapy and lots of rest. Your wife sustained a lot of injuries during her captivity. The x-ray showed six broken ribs. Her spleen ruptured, and she sustained bruising to her liver. Despite the injuries to her face and head, she doesn't have any brain injuries. I have her in a medically induced coma for the next twenty-four hours," Shepherd explained.
"When can I see her?" Carlos asked.
"I'll have Evelyn take you to her when she leaves the recovery room," Dr. Shepherd replied. He turned to leave but stopped. "Carlos, your wife is a fighter. Because you got her here quickly, she will recover fully. You and your men saved her life."
"Thank you," Carlos whispered. Lester caught him as he sunk to his knees. The men left the waiting room while Carlos reacted to his wife's injuries and prognosis. They didn't want to see their friend and boss lose control.
"Stephanie's okay, Carlos," Lester repeated while rocking Carlos in his arms. Sensing they were alone, Carlos let go and cried on his cousin's shoulder. He released the overwhelming emotions that threatened to drag him into the abyss of never-ending despair.
Carlos pulled himself together a few minutes later and checked on his children. Ric and Hanna woke up when he entered the room. "Ric, Hanna, I'm sending you home with Tio Hector and Tio Manny. They will bring you to see Mama after lunch, okay?"
"Yes, Papi," they replied. Hanna sleepily stood and reached for Manny. He smiled when she wrapped her arms around his neck. Hanna raised her head, leaning to kiss her dad's cheek. Ric copied his sister.
"Los amo," Carlos told his children. The kids repeated his words, making him smile for the first time since he found Stephanie battered and bruised. His son and daughter helped ease the ache. But Carlos needed to see Stephanie for reassurance that she was indeed okay.
Two hours after the children left the waiting room, Evelyn took Carlos to see Stephanie. She allowed the other men to enter the ICU after they washed their hands and gave Carlos a few minutes alone with his wife.
Evelyn took a second look at Lester. He appeared showered and changed since he was with the children. Lester's lip twitched, "The guys brought us clothes and products to shower. We can't have Stephanie see us out of sorts."
"You act like her family instead of employees," Evelyn observed. From talking to some of the men in the waiting room, Evelyn learned Stephanie was a part owner of Rangeman Securities. Evelyn promised to keep that information to herself. She didn't like when the other nurses shared things they overheard with their families, which got distorted every time someone repeated the story.
"I am family. Technically, her cousin-in-law," Lester replied. "Stephanie adopted the rest of the goofs." Evelyn walked away from Lester. "Hey," Lester called, making her stop and turn to face him. "Would you like to go for coffee sometime?"
Evelyn blushed and approached the sexy man. "Is that another way of inviting me into your bed?" she quietly asked.
"No. I can see you're classier than that type. Besides, Stephanie would kick my ass if I took advantage of her cousin," Lester replied honestly.
"I've been taking kickboxing and mixed martial arts. I could probably kick your ass myself," she purred.
"Coffee?" Lester choked.
"I like mine dark with a bit of cream. The exact shade of your skin," she whispered. "Stephanie has my number. Use it wisely."
Lester gulped. Evelyn reminded Lester of Stephanie with a few differences. Stephanie's eyes were blue, and Evelyn had green eyes and her hair, though curly, wasn't as tightly curled as Stephanie's hair. Lester felt the pull to Evenly. He prayed she was his match.
Evelyn returned to the nurses' station. She fanned her face. The electricity she felt around Lester was off the charts. It didn't take long to call her Grandma Edna for advice.
Helen Mazur waited until she learned Stephanie was out of her medically induced coma before visiting her. Carlos tried to prevent it but caved when Stephanie said it was okay.
"Stephanie Michelle Plum, I knew you would disappoint and embarrass me. Why me? Why does my daughter have to work with a bunch of thugs and criminals? You should have married Joseph Morelli instead of running away. This never would have happened," Helen yelled.
"Mom!" Stephanie yelled, holding her head. "Shut up!"
Helen gasped, "Don't you ever talk to me that way, young lady."
"Like what? The way you talk to me?" Stephanie snorted. Her head ached from assault and the monkeys pounding their drums. "Carlos?"
"I'm here, Babe," he replied.
"Tell the nurse to get me something for my headache, but nothing to make me drowsy. I want to see our children," Stephanie requested.
Helen's mouth opened and closed. She wasn't sure how to react. "You…you married that thug?"
"He isn't a thug, and I married him almost five years ago," Stephanie replied.
"What would the neighbours think?" Helen gasped.
"I don't give a shit."
"What about poor Joseph? Aren't you dating him?" Helen wondered.
"No. Joe was the best cover to help me capture the asshole trying to kill me," Stephanie replied. She didn't want to deal with the Burg's queen viper.
Helen felt a tug on her pant leg. "Oh. Who are you?" Helen asked, her demeanour suddenly changing when she looked into the eyes of an adorable boy and his sister. Both children had bright blue eyes. The girl's hair was messy from her spiral curls.
"Their names are Ric and Hanna," Stephanie replied. "Climb up to see me. Be gentle. Mama has owies." Carlos had moved the chair closer to the bed for the children and left to grab the medication for Stephanie.
A sharp pain ripped through Helen's chest. She grabbed her collar, attempting to loosen it. Stephanie helplessly watched as Helen collapsed. "Ric, press the button for the nurse," Stephanie ordered. Ric followed his mother's instructions.
"What happened to the lady?" Ric asked as the nurse entered the room.
"Oh my," the nurse said. She pressed the button on the wall to call for a crash cart and assistance.
Carlos rushed into the room. He saw Stephanie on the bed, holding their children while crying. Helen might have won the award for worst mother of the year, but she was still Stephanie's mom.
"I'm fine, Carlos," Stephanie whispered when he embraced his family.
"What happened?" the nurse asked when they removed Helen from the floor.
"My mom was being nasty and she clutched her neck like this," Stephanie said, tugging on the neckline of her hospital gown, "and collapsed."
"When did that happen?" she asked.
"After I asked my children to be gentle with me as they climbed onto the bed from the chair," Stephanie replied. The front of the chair seat was tight against the bed, with the arms at the sides. There wasn't a gap for the children to slip through, and the chair didn't have castors.
Ric and Hanna fell asleep beside Stephanie as she repeatedly explained the events leading to Helen's collapse. She had to give a statement to the police to ensure the timeline. It annoyed Stephanie, but she understood their procedure.
The doctor arrived as Lester collected the children to take to Rangeman. "I'm sorry to interrupt, Mrs. Manoso," he said.
"Lester, bring them back after supper to visit," Stephanie interrupted. Lester nodded and carried the children from the room. "Okay, I can tell you have bad news, and my children witnessed enough for the day."
"Helen passed away during surgery," he announced. It didn't surprise Stephanie. "Were you aware of any underlying heart issues?"
"No, but my mom was an alcoholic. Have you checked her bloodwork?" Stephanie wondered.
"Yes. Her levels were below the level permitted for driving. However, her liver enzymes indicated it was failing. Did your mother seek medical attention for treatment?" he kindly asked.
"I don't know anything about my mom's medical history. You'll have to ask Edna Mazur, her mother, or Valerie Plum, my sister. My mom never shared those details with me. Can you ask Dr. Shepherd when I can be released? I have a funeral to plan and attend."
"Sure. Thank you for the update, Mrs. Manoso. I'm sorry for your loss," he replied.
Epilogue
"Joseph Anthony Morelli, do you take Valerie Helen Plum as your lawfully wedded wife?" the officiant asked.
"I do," Joe replied.
"Valerie Helen Plum, do you take Joseph Anthony Morelli as your lawfully wedded husband?"
"I do," she answered. The officiant passed Joe and Valerie the rings. They slid them over each other's knuckles.
A baby cried. Stephanie removed her nephew from Angie's arms and put him over her shoulder. She gently rubbed his back in circles to stop the tears. Carlos quirked a brow when Stephanie smiled. Joey loved his godmother.
It was Christmas Eve, two years after Helen Mazur passed away. Since Helen never changed her will, the house went to Frank Plum, who gifted it to Valerie. A few months later, Joe Morelli inherited his Aunt Rose's house. They both sold their homes and purchased one closer to Rangeman. Valerie and the children stayed in the penthouse apartment, which used to belong to the Manosos.
Stephanie and Carlos purchased a house for Edna and her two friends. It was beside the seniors' community centre, which Edna appreciated. They joined the activities to keep active. One of the Rangeman employees took Edna to her appointments.
Whenever Stephanie and Carlos visited New Jersey, they stayed in their Ewing Township home. Jeanne ensured it was kept clean. They had relocated to Atlanta. It was closer to the military base where Carlos trained the soldiers.
Stephanie and Carlos gave Roy Marston more than enough chances to take charge of Rangeman Atlanta. They quickly realized he wasn't the right man for the job after opening the Trenton branch. The new manager of Rangeman Trenton was Joseph Morelli. Valerie was the receptionist. Jeanne Ellen was in charge of the BEA department. Kyle Burrows was Morelli's second in command. Joe and Kyle became close friends. Rumours about the Rangeman Trenton employees being thugs and criminals ended when Joe took over as its manager.
Watching Valerie and Joe exchange wedding vows seemed strange, but Stephanie couldn't be happier for her sister. Frank never cared for the things Morelli did to Stephanie. Joe explained that Helen had instigated those events. Stephanie talked to her dad, saying she had forgiven Joe. He deserved to be happy with his soulmate.
Carlos and Stephanie took their trusted employees from Trenton, trading them for the men who knew and liked Joseph Morelli. The three branches were thriving. They discussed opening a Boston branch but decided against it. Stephanie and Carlos planned to relocate to Miami once his contract ended in five years.
Lester and Evelyn got married. She couldn't travel because of the pregnancy. It was too close to the delivery date. They were inside Rangeman Atlanta until she went into labour.
Bobby married Emily, the nurse from Dr. Yang's practice. Emily was an army brat and understood the need for secrecy. She caught Stephanie's eye and winked. Her one-year-old son was asleep on Bobby's shoulder. Everyone was happy.
At the reception, Joe raised his glass, "I want to toast Stephanie and Carlos Manoso. Without their visible love for each other, I never would have wanted more. To the Manosos."
"Another toast to Stephanie and Carlos," Valerie said, holding her water high. "Thank you for showing me how a healthy family was supposed to look. I value your friendship. I'm glad you're my sister. To Stephanie and Carlos."
Joe kissed Valerie's temple. Angie and Mary Alice were happy with their new father. Joe adopted the children after Steve's body washed ashore in the Dominican. The money was never recovered, and the babysitter was never found.
Stephanie stood up. She raised her wineglass. "To Joseph and Valerie. I wish you both happiness and health. Congratulations."
Several phones rang after everyone toasted the newlyweds. Stephanie grinned. Lester and Evelyn had a beautiful little girl.
"The party's over!" Joe announced. "We have to get the children to bed. Tomorrow is Christmas Day."
Everyone hugged before leaving the reception hall. They would spend Christmas Day together before returning home.
At their Ewing home, Stephanie and Carlos put the gifts under the tree as the children slept. Stephanie closed her eyes. "I'm thankful Daddy introduced us," Stephanie whispered.
"Me too, Babe. I have never been happier," Carlos replied.