Disclaimer: I don't own them and I'm not making any money.

Chapter 3

The next morning, I woke up a little before eight. I did a full body stretch, luxuriating in the sunshine streaming through my window. As tempting as it was to lounge in bed, I grabbed my phone from the nightstand and checked the weather. It was going to be a nice day for mid-fall. So, I channeled my inner Ranger and got myself ready for a run.

I don't love running and it's never going to be something I do daily. But, it kept the donut belly away and helped me avoid getting outpaced by senior citizens. I looked at it as a necessary evil at this stage in my life.

Forty minutes after starting out, I was dragging my gasping, sweating body back into my parking lot. By some miracle, I was aware enough of my surroundings to notice the black SUV parked near the entrance and winced. I could do without the Merry Men seeing me like this. I wasn't sure what warranted this visit, but I was sure I was about to find out.

It was a bit of a shock when Ranger stepped out of the SUV, but also a relief. He'd seen me looking much worse and still found me attractive. I counted it as evidence towards his claim that he wasn't fully sane.

"Babe," he said.

His eyes roamed up and down my body, taking in my flushed skin, sweat soaked top, and hair that was making a valiant effort to escape its ponytail. And as tired as I was, I felt my body automatically react to his gaze.

Despite my annoyance with Joe yesterday, we were technically still 'on', so I tried to control my reaction. Judging by the smirk on Ranger's face, I wasn't entirely successful. I was still giving myself credit though. He was dressed as CEO Ranger and I didn't launch myself at him. That took more than a little self control.

"What's up?" I asked, breaking the building tension.

"You left the print outs from your search in your cubicle yesterday. I thought I'd drop them off on my way to a client meeting," he said, pulling a manila folder seemingly from thin air.

Guess I wasn't that aware of my surroundings. Or I was distracted by Ranger in a suit. I didn't hold it against myself though, the man was hot. Add a suit and he was downright panty melting.

"For the record, I feel the same way seeing you after a workout," he said, cluing me in that at least part of my inner dialogue snuck out.

I didn't get to reply before he gently brushed his lips across mine, tucked the folder into my hands, and told me to be safe. He was gone like smoke.

Before my encounter with Ranger, I was looking forward to getting back to my apartment and taking a cool shower. But now, I was thinking a warm shower and some quality time with my shower massager was in order.

An hour later, I was finishing up drying my hair and considerably more relaxed. Once that was done, I took another look at the information on Wright that I had printed yesterday. I wanted to go over it one more time, but I was fairly confident that I'd stick to my plan for the day.

As irritating as Joe's warning was, I had changed my approach. Originally, I'd planned on looking for Wright at his house. Now that I had a decent guess where he may be working, I'd check there first. If he was into more dangerous stuff than petty forgery, I thought that grabbing him at work would decrease the chances of him being armed.

Decision made, I geared up and motored my way towards the warehouse district which sat in the industrial port area. I'd tracked down a handful of skips there and it wasn't my favorite place to be. It wasn't threatening like Stark. It was more that it somehow managed to feel vast and desolate while having hive-like activity going on at the same time. And it could turn into a wild goose chase if the skip ran.

The main warehouse that Varanus Solutions used wasn't one with a security fence and guard. So that was a point in my favor. I'd be able to park and snoop around without having to announce myself.

I managed to drive around the huge warehouse without colliding with a tractor trailer or a forklift. I also didn't have anyone stop to ask what I was doing there. Unfortunately, I didn't spot Wright or see the vehicle he had listed on his bond agreement. Not that that meant anything. Criminals weren't always the best at giving accurate information.

My circuit of the building showed me where the employee parking was as well as a small lot on the other side that seemed to be for admins like the shipping clerks. I decided to park there since it might decrease my chances of getting spotted by Wright before I was ready to grab him. I walked the long way around the building to the other lot to avoid the shipping docks. I wasn't in the mood to play Frogger with trucks today.

By the time I made it, I was cursing my decision to run this morning. I should have known better. With all this walking, I was getting in two bouts of exercise. If I caught Wright, I was stopping at the grocery store and picking up a slice of cake on my way home to make up for all of this physical activity.

My mind was on the butter cream frosting in my future rather than my surroundings, which was how I heard voices before I saw the cluster of men ahead of me. I jumped, jerked from my frosting filled thoughts and ducked back around the corner of the building I'd just turned. I immediately started checking my gear - gun, defense spray, stun gun, cuffs - as my brain registered that one of the men was Benjamin Wright.

I could hear them from where I was and decided to do a few minutes of 'surveillance' before charging in.

"You got the stuff?"

"Yeah, but the price has gone up. I want ten grand."

"That's not what we agreed," a third voice said.

"One of your guys got sloppy. I was busted for the paperwork I made up for those goods you were bringing through customs." I assumed that voice belonged to Wright.

"And we agreed on prices before that," said the first voice.

"I've got feds sniffing around now. That changes things."

"I don't care how many feds you got sniffing. It doesn't change it ten grand."

They got quiet for a minute, and I decided to risk a look around the corner of the building. They were doing that manly glaring, stare-down thing. And unfortunately, one of the guys with Wright spotted me a few moments after my head poked into view. He pulled his focus from the other two, making them turn to see what he was looking at.

Suddenly, I had the force of all of their glaring on me. Fuck.

From what I overheard, I didn't think those guys were going to be any help in capturing Wright. It was more likely that they had a vested interest in keeping me from getting my hands on him. With that in mind, I started high tailing it back to my car. I'd try for Wright at his house or ask Ranger if I could borrow some muscle before I came back here again.

I heard shouting behind me, so I added an extra burst of energy. I was not in the mood to get grabbed today. I thought I was doing pretty well and had made it about half the length of the back end of the warehouse when I heard a gunshot. I didn't want to be grabbed and I really, really didn't want to get shot. I started weaving a bit, it would slow me down, but I knew from spending time with Ranger and the guys that it would make me a harder target to hit.

There weren't any more shots fired, but I could hear footsteps gaining on me. It took everything in me not to turn and look behind me, but that would slow me down even more.

My lungs were burning as I rounded the corner of the building. I nearly sang the hallelujah chorus when I saw a cluster of workers taking a smoke break on the stairs leading into the building.

I knew it wasn't a sure thing, but experience had taught me most criminals didn't like witnesses. And sure enough, the guys chasing me slowed to a walk. I finally risked a peek behind me just in time to see them duck back around the corner and out of view of the guys on the stairs.

Less than a minute later, I was safely locked in my car and urging my shaking hand to get the key into the ignition.

I didn't get Wright, but I was getting my fucking cake.

I'd run this morning, walked what felt like miles around the warehouse, run again, and I got shot at. I was taking the rest of the day off. I may even throw in a pint of Ben and Jerry's.

oOo

A/N: Thank you so much for sticking with me this far! I've been rereading the early books and I love that version of Steph. I noticed that she ran, practiced with her gun and isn't as stubborn about not needing help. I prefer to write her like that which may not align with 'fannon.' Feel free to let me know what you think!