All familiar characters belong to Janet Evanovich. I am not making any money from this. Mistakes are mine.
A/N In canon, Ranger tells Stephanie that he is in the process of selling his share of the Atlanta branch of Rangeman to his business partner. I've always wondered who his partners, silent or otherwise, were. I am certain that a massive amount of capital was needed to start Rangeman - to purchase buildings and furnishings, vehicles, top of the line equipment, weapons, and salaries and benefits for his employees, particularly as they seem to have excellent health insurance and are well paid! I thought it would be fun to write scenarios where Ranger's business partners were identified, especially if their wealth wasn't generally known. My intent is to make it a one-shot.
Ranger Meets with His Business Partners by Debra8652
Ranger's POV
Building Rangeman from the ground up took an enormous amount of capital in order to meet the standards I wanted in place to provide excellent service and protection for residences and businesses, as well as private security, bodyguarding and bond enforcement. The Core Team and I were paid well for our military missions but additional sources of funding were needed after we put up the original start-up funds. I was fortunate enough to find people who believed in me and were willing to invest their money to help create my vision. I make a point to meet with all my partners, individually, every year. Their identities have been kept secret, at their requests, and they are not even aware of the other partners. I have a table in a private room at Rossini's, which can be accessed from the back parking lot, and will spend this week meeting with my partners to show my appreciation for making Rangeman the success that it's become and to make my annual offer to see if they want to sell their shares. It's entirely their decision.
Monday evening: I met my first dinner guests in the very early days of Rangeman. The husband is an Army buddy of Frank Plum's. The wife comes from a wealthy family and was very willing to support additional security options in Trenton. I have a feeling she is ready to sell her shares of Rangeman this year.
I kissed the wife's cheek and shook the man's hand. After ordering an expensive bottle of wine - it is a business deduction, after all - we order our meals and begin our discussion. I appreciate the wife's forthright approach to business. She confirms what I'd already suspected - that her husband aspires to hold political office - Mayor, Governor and eventually aiming to represent the State of New Jersey at the Federal level. It's certainly no secret that campaigns of this magnitude require an endless supply of money plus they may want to sever their relationship with Rangeman to avoid any hint of a conflict of interest. As an individual, I will contribute my own funds to his campaigns. After our dinners are delivered, I thank them for believing in my vision and their financial support in creating my dream, and promise them a check for their investment plus dividends by the end of the month. After coffee, we left by the back door and said our farewells. Thank you, Chief and Mrs. Juniak.
Tuesday evening: I met tonight's dinner guest through Stephanie. You definitely can't judge a book by its cover. She arrives by cab and I greet her at the back entrance. She is dressed in an elegant yet understated manner. As much as I love giving my Babe diamonds and sapphires, this woman looks regal by accessorizing her dress with a single strand of pearls and matching earrings. She does not imbibe in alcohol so we drink a toast with tonic water and lime. We order our meals and begin our discussion. This amazing woman has done wonders to decrease the homeless population in Trenton by purchasing a vacant motel and turning it into free or low-cost housing while also using her own funds to provide food or other housing options. She wishes to retain her share of Rangeman and use the dividends to further her humanitarian efforts. After coffee, I escort her to her arriving cab and say goodnight. Thank you, Eula Rothridge.
Wednesday evening: I also met tonight's guest through Stephanie - another instance of not judging a book by its cover. He has an enormous heart and is particularly interested in using his considerable financial resources to help women who are starting over to find employment so they can become self-sufficient and provide for themselves and their children. He has turned several rooms of his home into a "Dress for Success" chapter to help women make good impressions at job interviews by providing them with clothing and accessories. He also wishes to retain his Rangeman investment and use the dividends to further his efforts to help empower women. After dinner and coffee, we say goodnight. Thank you, Salvatore "Sally" Sweet.
Thursday evening: I met tonight's guest through Stephanie's parents and grandmother. She is truly a down-to-earth woman who would never put on airs. Her late husband owned several banks and left her financially well-off. She didn't grow up with much and has never forgotten her beginnings. She is particularly interested in supporting parents of children with disabilities. In her late husband's name she funded the creation of a playground for children with disabilities. It's definitely become a source of pride for the city of Trenton. While visiting outside their respective homes, Frank Plum told her about an investment opportunity when Rangeman was under development and she eagerly came on board. She wishes to retain her initial investment and use the proceeds to continue her advocacy work. My personal feeling is that I wish she would paint the half of her duplex a different color but it reminds her of her humble beginnings when she had to buy paint at clearance sales. After dinner and coffee, we said our goodbyes. Thank you, Mabel Markowitz.
Friday evening: Tonight's dinner guest also has a connection to Stephanie as she lives on the second floor of my Babe's former apartment building. Not many people realize that her fondness for being an elevator operator stems from the fact that her late husband owned a chain of department stores that had been in his family for three generations. Due to the fact that my Babe often had break-ins to her apartment, this woman was very interested in the security business and approached me in "her" elevator, which I needed to use after suffering a leg injury. She is particularly interested in the social issue of crimes against the elderly, both physical and financial, and wishes to retain her investment to further her cause. After dinner and coffee, we said our goodbyes. Thank you, Mrs. Bestler.
While Frank Plum hasn't made a financial investment in Rangeman, he is very active in the local chapter of the American Legion and keeps his ears open for news of any potential employees for Rangeman. No matter how much I invest in the tangible facets of the business, it's the employees who make it a success. His help has been invaluable.
A/N Your reviews are appreciated.