Stephanie's POV
"No," Ranger replied. "We are not setting the trap. I don't want you anywhere near those men."
"And I don't want to be around them. We can have the TPD and the others lying in wait. The only way to nail Ramirez's ass is to catch him in the act. I called Uncle Joe earlier. He said the DNA testing on the semen is taking longer than anticipated. It seems the lab is backlogged. By the time it is confirmed Ramirez assaulted Hannah and Lula, he could have hurt more women. I can't live with that, Carlos. We have to do something," I argued.
"What are you proposing?"
"I return to my apartment and wait for Alpha to break in," I replied. Carlos shook his head. He doesn't want me to face Alpha.
Tank defended me, "She's right, boss. It's best to control the situation. We can hide in her apartment for Alpha to arrive. Our vehicles have to be parked a few blocks away."
I could see the plan forming. "We need plainclothes officers. They'll have to park elsewhere," I added.
"Does your father know about this plan?" Carlos asked.
"No. He's in LA with Valerie and the girls. It turned out that Steve slept with the babysitter before she turned eighteen. He'll spend a few years in prison for the crime. Dad recovered most of the stolen funds. The babysitter spent a few grand on frivolous crap. She disappeared when the cops arrested Steve," I replied, giving him more information than he needed to know.
"Is Frank moving your sister and nieces here?" Carlos questioned.
"Yes. They should arrive on Sunday. In the meantime, we need to handle Alpha and Ramirez before they set their sights on my nieces," I answered.
His eyes softened when I mentioned my nieces, and I knew he would agree to my plan. Carlos and Tank discussed strategy as I looked out the window, wondering what I had just decided to do.
Tank drove to Rangeman, where the others awaited our arrival. Detective Dembrowski was talking to Eddie and Lester. I never realized Carlos contacted the others about the sting operation. He must have texted Lester while I gazed out the window, lost in my thoughts.
"I need to go alone," I warned. "Alpha has to see me around town and drive to my apartment. Everyone should be in position before I get there. Once Alpha follows me, you won't get inside without him catching onto our plan."
The men talked over each other as they tried to hatch another plan so I wouldn't be alone. "Guys!" I shouted. We have to do this my way. I have my gun." I removed it from the back of my pants to show them. Everyone knows my aim is accurate."
"Drawing your weapon without provocation will land you in jail," Dembrowski said.
I rolled my eyes, "I have no intention of using my gun without Alpha taking the first shot. Hopefully, Alpha is a complete idiot and invites Ramirez to the party."
Dembrowski whistled, "Do you have a death wish?"
"No, but I don't want those men sharing the same air as us." Dembrowski raised a brow. "I'm not going to murder anyone. However, I will defend myself if they take a shot," I explained. Dembrowski nodded in approval.
"When are we doing this?" Lester asked.
I checked Ranger's watch and answered, "Now. Guys, get into position. I'm going to drive around Stark Street to catch Alpha's eye. Maybe I'll even drop by for a visit."
"Babe," Carlos growled.
"Fine. No visit," I acquiesced.
The others disappeared when Carlos ended our meeting. He wouldn't let me out of his sight. I thought he was being overly protective, though I enjoyed having him with me. Carlos gave me the courage to do whatever I had to do to get Alpha and Ramirez off the street.
"Babe, I'll watch your back. Hector will watch mine. We will keep you safe," Carlos promised when he accompanied me to the Rangeman garage.
"Thank you. I couldn't do this without your trust and support." I kissed him and climbed into my Miata. Carlos raised a brow when I lowered the top. "He has to see it's me," I explained.
Carlos leaned into my car to kiss me. "Stay safe," he whispered against my lips.
"Don't go crazy," I replied. Carlos stepped back when I started the car. "I love you," I shouted over the engine.
"Babe," Carlos replied, passing me his dog tags. I tucked them into my back pocket for safekeeping. He climbed into his SUV as I drove through the gate.
I felt Carlos near me as I drove along Stark Street. Having him watch my back was a much-needed comfort. He had no idea how good it felt to have him near. Keeping my word, I never visited Alpha, but I did park at the curb across the street from his office building. I sensed Alpha watching me from his window and glanced his way. Smiling, I waved at him. He disappeared from the window and suddenly appeared on the sidewalk outside the door.
When Alpha stepped off the curb, I drove away. He watched me turn the corner. I don't know where Alpha went, but I knew he was following me. Carlos would keep Alpha from harming me on the way to my apartment. The plan would fail if Alpha caused me to crash. Thankfully, Alpha wasn't stupid. I took the busiest roads leading to my apartment.
The only parking spot available was beside the dumpster. I raised the top and secured it. After grabbing my bag, I locked the car and entered the apartment building, ensuring the door was securely closed behind me. The only way Alpha could access my building was from my fire escape. I prayed he would fall for the trap.
Where was everyone hiding? I couldn't see anyone when I parked in the lot. The azalea bushes were an excellent hiding spot. I wondered who was hiding there. Was it Lester or Eddie? I doubt Ram or Tank could fit into that space. Bobby might fit, but he'd get the bushes tangled in his hair.
When I entered my apartment, I sensed people. They were invisible, but I knew they were there. I hung my bag on the hook near the door. While driving my Miata, I placed my gun inside the purse. Now that I was at home, I needed it on me. I removed the weapon, ensured the safety was on and tucked it into the waistband at my back.
My kitchen was to my left. I peeked inside and found Dembrowski sitting on the counter, eating from a box of crackers he had removed from my cupboard. He motioned for me to move along, dropping crumbs onto the clean floor.
I had to use the washroom, so I walked through the living room and turned to the right. The hallway had a door to the right for the washroom and another to the left, leading into my bedroom. I stepped into the washroom and stifled a scream. Tank exited from behind the shower curtain. He left the bathroom long enough for me to empty my bladder and wash my hands. "Go," I hissed when I heard my bedroom window open.
Quieter than I expected, Tank climbed into the tub to hide behind the shower curtain. I stifled a laugh when I saw his eyes above the bar. He would have fit into my closet.
"I hoped to find you alone," Alpha said when I entered my bedroom.
Stepping backwards, I asked, "Why are you here?" I wanted Alpha to confess his involvement with the Jamaican drug-running scheme.
"You ruined everything. I met with someone from Jamaica. He needed someone to push drugs through the states. I had the perfect pansies to do my bidding. It's a shame my best man, Ziggy, died. He had to get caught with Carmen. I sent him to dispose of her, but Detective Morelli showed up and killed him. Louis and Sal took off with Carmen. Sal was smart enough to grab Ziggy's gun and hide it with Carmen's body. The cop would go down for murder, and I could continue making money moving drugs for Striker," Alpha said.
"What does that have to do with me?" I challenged, walking backwards toward the front door.
"You stuck your nose where it didn't belong. I had the cop set up to take the fall. Then, you had to follow Louis to the marina and uncover how we shipped the heroin. Sal should have taken the fall. I had to shoot him and Louis. Now, it's time to shoot you," Alpha said. I turned to run. He fired his gun, tagging me in the ass.
"Asshole," I shouted as I removed the gun from my waistband and shot him. Alpha shot a few more times before collapsing. I dropped my weapon and waited for the others to storm into the room.
Carlos broke through the door and pulled me onto his lap. "Babe, are you okay?" he asked, feeling me for bullet holes.
"The asshole shot me in the ass," I replied. I removed the tags from my pocket. One had an indent. "My ass hurts."
"You're not bleeding," Carlos observed.
"Nope, but I'm going to have one hell of a bruise," I replied, dropping his dog tags into his palm. "This literally saved my ass."
Despite the severity of the situation, Carlos laughed. He kissed me indecently. We heard more gunfire outside my bedroom window. Carlos and I rushed to see what happened.
Benito Ramirez was lying on the ground, dead. Eddie, Lester and Carl had their weapons drawn. A six-inch knife had flown from Ramirez's hand, landing at Lester's foot. "I can't believe the fucker dove off the platform at us," Lester said.
"He looked possessed," Carl replied.
"Must have taken too many hits of that pure heroin," Eddie added.
Lester approached Benito to check for a pulse, "A lot of women can sleep easy tonight. The boxer can't hurt anyone else. He's dead."
I exhaled in relief. Alpha and Ramirez are dead. "What did this slug hit?" Dembrowski asked from the living room.
"My ass," I replied. Dembrowski looked at me in confusion. "I had Ranger's dog tags in my back left pocket. Alpha shot me in that exact spot. The tags prevented the bullet from tearing through my ass."
"Can I see?" Dembrowski asked. Carlos passed Dembrowski his tags and watched as the detective checked the indent. "You got lucky today."
"Do you need my gun for ballistics?"
"Drop it in the evidence bag. We'll return it in a few days," Dembrowski said. I was hesitant to relinquish my weapon, but I understood the protocol.
The coroner arrived with the forensic team. I stepped aside with Carlos. We weren't allowed to leave without providing our statements.
Joe Juniak arrived to dismiss us. They had everything they needed, including a video recording of the events as they played out. I wondered how Juniak had the footage. He pointed to the camera, but I never noticed. "Hector set up a live feed. We watched at the precinct. Alpha took the first shot. Stephanie tagged him, and he kept shooting. It's a clear case of self-defence. You're free to leave, Stephanie," Uncle Joe said.
Carlos wasted no time getting me away from the scene. He took me to the hospital for the doctor to check my ass. It wasn't enjoyable, but I had to go to put my husband's mind at ease. My life changed when I met Carlos a week ago. He was everything I wanted in a life partner.
After the doctor cleared me, I returned to Rangeman with Carlos. We made love to reconnect after a traumatic incident. It was loving and frantic. Once our sexual hunger was satiated, I said, "Carlos, I don't want to be a bounty hunter."
"No?" he asked.
I rested my chin on his muscular chest to look into his eyes. "No. Getting shot in the ass hurt, even if it only left a nasty bruise. This isn't the life I envisioned."
"Am I part of your future?" he sadly asked. I kissed his chest before pressing my lips against his.
"Damn skippy you are," I whispered. He chuckled and rolled me beneath him. "Yowser."
"Sorry, Babe. Would you like me to kiss it better?" Carlos teased.
"Hmmm. Maybe later. Right now, we need to discuss where I go from here," I replied. "I think the natives are getting restless."
"Babe, I want you as my partner in Rangeman. Your instincts are better than mine. Tank and I know you have the potential to take our Rangeman vision to another level. With your knowledge of the Burg, Lester and Bobby had no trouble rounding up the skips. Any day, the police would clear Morelli's name. You found the victim, the missing witness and the missing weapon," Carlos said. "Everything Morelli needed to prove his innocence."
"I never located the gun," I argued.
"It was with Carmen in the barrel. Eddie updated me while you were in x-ray," Carlos explained.
"I'm glad everything worked out in the end. We should get dressed to meet the guys. Where are they?"
"In the situation room."
"What's that?" I asked.
Smiling, Carlos explained, "It's similar to a conference room, but windowless. Hector hung television monitors on the upper third of the walls. The only space free of electronics is the door and the four foot of wall where it swings open."
"When do the new Rangeman employees arrive for training?" I asked. Carlos and Tank hired all the men I recommended.
"Soon."
I couldn't wait to see my cousin Vince. It had been too long since we were together. "Does Vince know I'm working for Rangeman?" I questioned.
"Not unless you told him." Carlos knew that wasn't a possibility. I haven't spent time away from Carlos since we got home. We took a shower and got dressed for the afternoon.
It was a crazy day, and I was starving. Hopefully, Ella cooked a delicious meal for us. Luis and Ella moved to Rangeman immediately. Ella shopped for furniture and desks for the offices on the fifth floor since we needed them operational within a few days. Rangeman Trenton had clients who were expecting the premium services we offered.
I was supposed to review Rangeman's five- and ten-year plans to see where we could improve the business model. Finding ways to improve an already impressive plan would certainly challenge me. Unfortunately, the only option might be selling the non-profitable branch. Until I looked at the financials, I couldn't make any recommendations.
The situation room was exactly how Carlos described it. I was impressed to find it already contained a large conference table and comfortable chairs.
Hector pulled out a chair near the head of the table, to Ranger's right. Tank grinned and took the seat on the opposite side. He winked at me and passed a stack of papers toward me.
"What's this?" I asked.
"Your contract and ownership documents," Tank replied.
"Carlos, we talked about this. I don't want to be a Rangeman owner," I warned.
"I was outvoted," Carlos grinned. "Each of us donated a portion of our shares to you. I still hold the controlling share of thirty-four percent. Tank holds eighteen percent. You, Lester and Bobby, own sixteen percent each."
"That doesn't make sense. If anything, I shouldn't have more than five percent," I argued.
"Beautiful, stop arguing and say thank you," Lester said.
"Fine!" I snapped. Pasting a sweet smile on my face, I replied, "Thank you for your generosity. I hope I can live up to the standards you invoke on your employees and other shareholders."
"Smartass," Carlos laughed.
We got down to business. Hector projected the financials on the screens for us to see. A few things piqued my curiosity and I highlighted them on the appropriate pages in front of me. Tank raised a brow after I went through the stack. Hector displayed the pages on the large screens, which helped me see the patterns.
The Atlanta branch had to be overhauled or sold. "Little Girl, what did you find?" Tank asked when I uttered a disbelieving snort.
"I compared the payroll between Atlanta and Miami. Outside normal differences in wage structures, the Atlanta branch pays more to the fugitive apprehension team than Miami. Is there a reason for the discrepancy?"
"What do you need to know?" Ranger asked.
"Miami splits the bounty among the men involved in the apprehension. Forty percent is reinvested in Rangeman to cover operating costs, and the other sixty percent is distributed depending on injuries obtained during the capture. Two men in Atlanta's Fugitive Apprehension Department receive more than the others, and that difference is taken from the operating costs. They were essentially using nearly one hundred percent of the bounty. Atlanta's fugitive department earns less than Miami's, yet they have a higher operating cost. It doesn't make sense," I explained. "Is there a reason for the men in Atlanta to receive money despite no involvement in apprehending the fugitive?"
"Babe?"
I pushed the papers to Tank. He reviewed the names and the schedules I highlighted. Two men received money while off the clock. Though they worked in that department, they weren't listed as part of the apprehensions. "It feels like those two people are getting paid to sit at home," I explained. "The men who rightfully earned the bonus received regular pay."
"What we discuss doesn't leave this room," Ranger ordered.