I found a pint of Chunky Monkey in Ram's freezer and laughed. He must have stocked it as a reward for when I hit every target in the gun range. Ram knew it was my favourite ice cream flavour and used it to keep me focused while discharging my gun. I searched the drawers for a spoon, smiling when it was to the right of the sink, closest to the counter with a stool Ram used to eat breakfast.
It wasn't my first time in Ram's apartment, but it was my first time raiding his fridge and cupboards. I walked around his apartment as I enjoyed the ice cream. My cell phone rang. I stuck the spoon in my mouth to free a hand. When I saw Ram's phone number displayed, I smiled and answered the call on speakerphone.
"Yo," I said after removing the spoon from my mouth. I realized I should have left the spoon in the container, but I wanted to eat that bite while answering the call.
"Did you find it?" Ram asked. I sensed his amusement at searching his apartment for contraband. He permitted me to snoop.
"Find what?" I teased. I scraped the bottom of the carton to get every last drop of the tasty treat.
Laughing, Ram answered his own question, "You ate it."
"Yup," I replied, dropping the empty container into the trash can and washing the spoon. "Are you bored already?"
"No," Ram laughed. "I wanted to check on you. Is everything okay?"
"I'm going to be okay, Ram," I reassured him. "My good friends, Ben and Jerry, cheered me up." Ram's laugh boomed over the phone. I loved hearing the guys laugh. Their time in the military had left them jaded and feeling cynical. The men chuckled at the silliest of things because everything else around them was serious. However, the booming laugh I could hear through the phone's speaker was beyond what I was accustomed to from Ram. "Thank you," I added.
"It's my pleasure," Ram sexily said. "Is there anything else you need from me?" I heard Hal growling in the background and wondered why he reacted that way. Ram loved messing with his partner, Hal. I had to confess to finding it amusing. Does Hal know Ram and I are only friends? Ram was my brother from another mother. We kissed once. It felt like kissing my brother. Ram and I decided to be close friends but more of a sibling relationship.
I laughed at the cliche before answering Ram, "Nope. I'm good." I noticed the file sticking out of my messenger bag. "Wait!" I yelled when my eyes landed on his laptop on the coffee table.
"Steph?" Ram asked, his concern was evident in his tone. I never intended to scare him. Hal was probably reaching for his gun. What could happen to me inside Rangeman?
"Do you mind if I borrow your laptop to research my skip?" I wondered. I chewed nervously on my bottom lip.
"Have at it," Ram replied and ended the call. I smiled at his lack of etiquette. There was no point in asking the men to end their conversations with me politely.
Before sitting on the comfortable leather sofa, I grabbed my messenger bag. With a heavy sigh, I reviewed my file for Johan Smith. The police arrested him for aggravated assault and arson. Johan's specialty was lighting cars on fire. "Great," I mumbled, wondering how long it would take for him to burn my vehicle. I flipped through the pages, reading both sides, but Connie doesn't have much on Smith. Why would Vinnie bond him?
The file was too thin to contain anything else worthwhile. Basic information about Smith's charges and offences and census information, such as an address, offered little help in tracking the man. Only his propensity to set cars ablaze guaranteed my POC vehicle would likely meet its end at his hands.
Using Rangeman's research program, I entered Johan Smith's name, with other spelling variations, into the computer. It took five minutes for the program to spit out the results. It seemed the TPD and the ADA had no clue that the authorities in other states were searching for the man, whose real name was Jonathan Smith. I snorted at his lack of imagination when creating a cover name. His bond certainly should have been set higher and handed to Rangeman for apprehension upon skipping bail. Capturing Smith would pull me out of my financial rut. The man was loaded and used his inheritance to post and skip bail. It reminded me of the saying, "A fool and his money are soon parted."
Smith frequently visited Dominos, a gentlemen's club often used by the mob bosses of Trenton. The only option left to capture this man was a distraction. Getting into Dominos won't be easy. I had to dress the part and pray nobody recognized me.
Sighing, I retrieved my phone and called Ella. She answered on the third ring, "Do you need something, Stephanie?"
"Yes. I need the short jean skirt and the crop top from Ranger's apartment," I replied. "And anything else you think I might need for a few days."
"Should I bring them to your apartment?" Ella queried. That was one of the things I loved Ella. She never said no.
"Not my apartment, Ram's apartment on four," I answered. Ella promised to deliver the clothes in fifteen minutes. I ended the call and chewed on my thumbnail, wondering who I should ask to assist me. Ram was busy with his surveillance shift so that he couldn't help. I ran through the list of men I trusted to watch my back.
Lester, Bobby and Tank would assist, but they had to run Rangeman while Ranger worked in Miami. I never asked them for help, so doing so now would be out of character. Ranger likely assigned Lester and Bobby to watch my back.
A knock interrupted my thoughts. I answered to a smiling Ella. "Come in," I said.
She stepped inside, and I closed the door behind her. "Are you and Ram together?"
Her question surprised me. I never thought people would assume Ram and I were dating because I planned to stay in his apartment for the night. "No," I gasped once I found my tongue. "Ram and I are like siblings." She smiled and tapped my cheek.
"Are you in love with Ranger?" she asked, passing me the duffle containing my clothes.
"No," I quickly denied. Ella raised a brow. I quickly amended, "Yes, but he doesn't do relationships. I'm tired of the back and forth, push and pull of whatever Ranger and I shared. He's only interested in taking me to bed once Joe and I break up. Eventually, he pushes me back to Joe, thinking Morelli could give me the life I wanted."
"Could Joe give you that life?" Ella followed me into Ram's bedroom, where I deposited the duffle on his bed.
I shook my head unnecessarily as I replied, "No. I don't want to be a housewife and raise children. See? The mere thought gives me goosebumps." She watched as I removed the items from the bag. I smiled when I found enough clothes for six days. Ella wanted to tell me something.
She patiently waited as I unpacked the duffle, creating piles of shirts, pants and underwear. Once I emptied the bag, Ella smiled and led me to the couch. "Ranger loves you," she kindly said.
"In his own way, and a condom has more use than a ring. I'm only the entertainment," I interrupted. Ella gasped. I caught her expression and explained. "He has too many enemies, and tying himself to me will paint a target on my back."
"The same could be said about the other men inside this building. I recall you attract enough trouble without adding his enemies to the mix," Ella said. She gently patted my hand. "Why did you need the clothes?"
"I'm going after Johan Smith at Dominos. I need to dress like an exotic dancer to get in. Hopefully, the jean skirt, crop top and sheer shirt will get me inside the club. The bouncer would otherwise toss me out," I replied. Ella sat for a minute in quiet contemplation. I wondered what she had planned.
"Remember, players only love you when they're playing. Don't settle for less than you deserve." With that sage advice, Ella left me alone in Ram's apartment. I wanted to believe Ranger loved me outside of our physical connection. Ella was right. It was easy to profess your love during the throes of sex. Ranger deserved a partner who could take care of themselves. It embarrassed me when I thought about the multiple times he rescued me during the past few years.
The most memorable time was when I saw the pain and hurt in Ranger's face before he dove off the Delaware bridge and into the water to save my life. How we avoided getting hit by the plunging cinder block still amazed me. When I asked Ranger after he pulled me from the murky water, he said, "We weren't near where it fell." I begged to differ because I felt the splash once I pulled my head above water. It was too close for comfort.
On that day, two years ago today, Ranger showed me how he felt. However, it didn't mean he wanted a relationship with him. Sometimes, I wondered if he enjoyed being the superhero, the man to rescue me time after time like I was some damsel in distress who needed a knight in shining armour to save me. It made me feel pathetic. Why did I refuse the training? Right! Ranger demanded that I train. He never gave me a choice, which made my inner stubborn Italian dig in my heels, prepared for a verbal battle. Ram and Hector were wise to provide me with options. They achieved what Ranger tried to for three years. My only stipulation was, "Not at Rangeman."
I used Ram's shower and dressed in the fresh black bra, panties, and clothes Ella had brought from Ranger's apartment. Eventually, I should remove my clothes from the seventh floor. It doesn't feel right to keep them there as though they were an extension of my closet. When I exited the apartment, I realized Ella quoted a line from the song Dreams by Fleetwood Mac.
There I go again, letting my mind wander about what I had and what I lost. "Thunder only happens when it's raining," I sang. It dawned on me that Ella was trying to tell me something important.
Was Ella trying to tell me that Ranger was a player? I knew he was a self-proclaimed opportunist, which I interpreted as taking advantage of the opening a woman provided for having sex. Does Ranger have a Miami and Boston Babe? I wondered how many women he slept with while I dated Joe. It wasn't any of my business to know, but my heart ached all the same.
The driving need to take a vacation grew stronger. I had to get away from Trenton. Where would I go? Who would I tell? Ranger, that was obvious, but could I trust him to stay away if he knows where I went? Resigned, I decided Ranger would worry too much if he didn't know where to find me. I couldn't have him wasting more money trying to keep me safe. Who else should I tell? It had to be someone who would keep my location safe.
Lester and Bobby were worse than the Burg bitches for spreading gossip. I know Tank would keep the intel close to his chest. However, he was Ranger's right-hand man. Ranger would notify Tank and vice versa. I decided Dad was the only other person who should know. A devious thought entered my mind. Ranger would think I'm on the beach. Dad would know my actual destination.
I tucked the handcuffs into the waistband of my skirt. They were visible until I covered myself with the thin, shimmering blue shirt with a thick pattern around my waist. My black bra showed through the blue coverup. I glanced in the mirror before tucking the gun into my skirt and twisted to see if the shirt covered it. Once satisfied, I took a deep breath and exited Ram's apartment, carrying my messenger bag containing my phone and papers to apprehend Johan Smith.
When I arrived at my car in the garage, I found Hector leaning against it. I smiled and gave him my famous finger wave. He returned my smile before extending his hand for the keys. Reluctantly, I gave them to him. Hector opened the passenger side door so I could get into the car. I dropped my bag in the back and slid into the seat, hoping I didn't flash him my black panties.
He climbed into the driver's seat and turned the ignition. My car started for him on the first try. I rolled my eyes and mumbled, "Of course, the car works for you."
Hector laughed. "I have the magic touch," he replied, speaking English before repeating the sentence in Spanish a few times, giving me time to memorize the new word. "Where are you going?" Hector asked after I repeated his sentence accurately.
"Dominos," I replied. Hector nodded and turned right when we left Rangeman. He drove the six blocks to the gentlemen's club. I hoped having Hector with me wouldn't cause issues. "Wait here," I ordered when Hector parked down the block.
"I'm coming with you," Hector announced.
"I need to get inside," I whined.
"Let me," Hector said, grinning like he had the best plan. I trusted Hector almost as much as I trusted Ranger. We walked up the street, sticking to the shadows. I pretended to be slightly drunk and held onto Hector's arm while resting my head on his shoulder, obstructing my face from anyone watching. We walked down the dark driveway. Hector kept us in the shadows.
He stopped when someone opened the back door, propping it open with a door wedge to take out the trash. We slipped in without anyone noticing. I wanted to celebrate but vowed to wait until we captured Johan. Hector passed me his taser in case I needed it. He knows I don't want to shoot anyone. I raised my brows upon seeing a desk with a computer monitor. Nobody was at the station, but it sprang to life as we approached the desk. A number in the upper right corner indicated room five was available. The last room taken was seven and the customer resembled Johan Smith. I worried our faces would appear in the computer's mainframe when we entered the room. Hector smiled and shook his head. Someone had to enter the information into the computer's system. It didn't suddenly appear when someone used the room.
As we entered the private room, where a plus-sized exotic dancer was servicing Johan, she whispered something to him. Johan saw me and took off, choosing to run with his dick hanging out. I wondered how he knew who I was. That was when I noticed Lula was the woman with Johan. "Did you give me away?" I hissed.
I never gave her the chance to confess. Lula only cared about herself. She got me into more trouble as my sidekick than I got into alone. I don't want to believe she betrayed me, but how else would Johan know I was there to capture him?
Hector and I chased after Johan, who tossed something beneath my car. My piece of crap car caught fire through no fault of my own. The pattern repeated many times before. Hector managed to grab my bag as my rhino mode engaged. I cut through the parking lot of the liquor store beside Dominos. When I heard shuffling to my left, I turned and pressed the button. "Ugh!" Johan said as the barbs caught his arm. He fell to the ground. I removed the barbs and flipped him onto his stomach. Thankfully, I still had the cuffs tucked into my skirt. I used them to secure his wrists, tightening them enough to dig into his skin.
"Stupid fucker," I mumbled. I waited a minute until Hector arrived. He grinned and used his phone to call Rangeman for assistance. "Do you have my bag?" I asked in Spanish.
"Yes," Hector replied. He gave Rangeman instructions to pick us up. Johan groaned and cussed. Hector removed a knife from his pocket and cleaned his fingernails, making Johan close his mouth.
I silently thanked Hector for his assistance. Without the taser, I never would have captured him. Hector watched Johan as I dug the file from my bag. Ram and Hal arrived to help me take Johan to the precinct. "Do either of you have a contact with the FBI?" I asked.
"Ranger does," Ram replied as he helped load Johan into the back of the SUV and shackled his feet to the floor bolt. They moved the cuffs to the front. Johan wisely cooperated. He kept staring at Hector as he played with his knives.
Rolling my eyes, I called Ranger. "Yo," he answered.
"Hey, I have a situation," I quickly said.
He chuckled. "Did another vehicle go to car heaven?" he teased. I laughed at his joke.
"Yes, but that wasn't the situation I'm talking about. My skip, Johan Smith, is wanted by the FBI for committing crimes across several states. His legal name is Jonathan Smith," I explained.
I patiently waited for Ranger to verify the intel I had already gathered. "Check his left armpit for a scar about two inches long with a sword tattoo covering it," Ranger ordered.
Ram pulled Johan's arm to the side. It was awkward, but we could easily see the tattoo. "Confirmed, boss," Ram announced.
"Someone will meet you at the TPD. Proud of you, Babe," Ranger said and ended the call. A few minutes later, Ranger sent me the name and description. Brad Malcolm would meet us at the precinct in an hour. Great! I had to hang around the fucking police station to hand over my skip. Hopefully, Joseph Asshole Morelli wouldn't be there. His middle name was Anthony, but felt asshole was more appropriate.