Morelli walked through the back door of Pino's, the best Italian pizzeria in Trenton. The smells of tomato sauce, pizza, and fried meatballs assaulted his nose as he entered the restaurant. The scent alone was enough to send him to olfactory heaven. Walking to the counter, he glanced around the restaurant, looking for fellow officers or friends.
"Hey, Morelli, over here," he heard and turned his head toward the voice. Sitting in one of the booths were two TPD officers, Carl Constanza and Eddie Gazzarra, and another man he didn't recognize.
"What's up, guys?"
"Joe, do you remember Tommy? He was in the same grade as your sister, Cathy. His older sister, Marisa, was in our grade," Eddie said.
Joe had to think back a bit. Cathy is four years younger than Joe, and he didn't bother with her friends. But the name Marisa rang a bell. He couldn't figure out why; then he realized that she was the girl who was killed.
"Yeah, now I remember. What brought you back to Trenton?"
"My cousin is getting married over the weekend, and I'm his best man. I came here for a meatball sub and saw Eddie and Carl. Why don't you join us?"
"Let me get my food, and I'll be back."
Joe went to the waitress behind the counter and ordered a meatball sub and a large soda. She handed him the soda as he walked back to the table. He'd much prefer a beer, but he was still on duty.
"What have you been up to, Tommy?"
"I went into the Air Force when I turned 18, and I'm contemplating retiring. I love the work, but I'm unsure how long I want to be in the service. I'm ready for a regular job, though I'm considering working as a pilot. However, living out of a suitcase gets old fast."
"Wow, Air Force, that's unusual. I was in the Navy, another not-so-common choice."
"I've been stationed on a few naval vessels. I don't know how anyone does a career living in those quarters. I'd prefer to live in a tent like the Army does to live on a ship."
"It's not easy. You can't make it if you're claustrophobic."
"I have an interview with a company I'd like to work for. They have offices in Miami, Boston, and here. I am interviewing for a spot in the Boston office, as I don't think I can stay here. Too many memories."
The table fell quiet while they all thought back to the weeks immediately following Marisa's murder. The fear they felt. Even though they were all young, in middle or high school, their innocence was forever taken away.
"What company is that? Rangeman?" Carl asked.
"Yes. I have an interview tomorrow morning at 10 with the owners, Ranger, Tank, Brown, and Santos. You know them?"
"We sometimes work with their company. They also do a lot of bounty hunting."
"Have any of you heard from Stephanie recently? The last I spoke to her, she was graduating from university."
"No, my wife, Shirley, occasionally speaks with her sister, Valerie, since they're cousins, but I haven't heard from Steph in years. Last I heard, she worked for the FBI."
"Wow, I never expected her to be a career woman. I thought, for sure, she'd be married with a bunch of kids now, like her sister." Tommy paused. "Weren't you and Stephanie an item?"
Joe, who was remaining quiet, had to speak up. "Yes, we were dating when I first went into the Navy. But once she moved away from Trenton, we lost touch. The last I saw her was at MaryLou's wedding. You know she married Lenny Stankovich, and they have three boys."
"I heard that. MaryLou sends me Christmas cards each year. It's nice to have a connection with one of Marisa's friends. However, Steph and Marisa were attached at the hip. I know it was hard for me to lose my sister, but I can only imagine how Steph must have felt."
Suddenly, a light bulb went on in Joe's head. The pictures of the crime scene looked eerily similar to where Marisa was killed. There had to be a connection. He wasn't sure if Stephanie or Rangeman made the connection, but he knew he needed to talk to Stephanie tonight.
"Earth to Joe. Are you here?"
"Oh, sorry, I just thought about a case I'm working on. What were you saying?"
The four men ate peacefully, catching up on their lives since high school.
Lester was sitting in the living room of Ranger's apartment, trying not to be agitated that he had to spend his time off with Agent Plum. "I don't understand why you had to invite her to dinner," he said to Rachel for the tenth time since he arrived.
"Lester, she seems like a wonderful woman, based on what Carlos has told me. She is here on her own and has dealt with you men. I'm sure she'd like to have some female companionship, and since she is a guest of Rangeman, I'm being hospitable. I don't understand why you are in such a state."
"Because you know I don't like women."
Rachel turned on Lester as her brows furrowed. "That statement is not accurate, Santos. You like women when they spread their legs for you or pleasure you. You don't like having to treat a woman with respect, one who is on your level and who isn't trying to get into your pants. It pisses you off that Agent Plum doesn't want to jump you because you can't exert your superiority over her. Well, Mr. Santos, you better get over it. Maybe if you put some effort into getting to know Agent Plum as a person, you might find that she is not the whore that you believe her to be. Maybe you will learn that other women, besides me and your sisters, are honest, trustworthy, and willing to be an equal in a relationship. You must let go of Ashley, or you will be lonely. What would you do if it ever stopped working? Stay at home alone every night? Get over yourself. Now, I am warning you, Lester Santos, if you cannot behave and act cordially and politely to Agent Plum, leave because I will NOT hesitate to call Abuela and tell her how you are acting."
Lester kept his mouth shut because he knew Rachel was right. He also knew she was waiting for his response. "Fine, Rachel, I will be polite to Agent Plum."
"Good, because you are seated next to her."
"What? Why me?"
"Pierre's girlfriend Sabrina and Bobby's girlfriend Abby are coming. Tia Ella and Tio Luis will also join us, leaving you and Agent Plum to sit beside each other. Now, I need to go finish our dinner."
Lester punched the pillow like a petulant toddler, to which Ranger hid a smirk. He sat in the chair across from his best friend and cousin.
"The man I saw with Agent Plum today was not the same Lester from two months ago. I know you are worried about her and are concerned about her. I know she is breaking through some of your walls, which scares you. Don't be afraid to let her in. It doesn't mean anything other than her becoming your friend."
"You don't know what you're talking about."
"How many panic attacks have you had since you came here from Miami? Think about that." Ranger paused. As he was about to continue, there was a knock on the door. "That's probably Stephanie. Behave yourself."
Admonished once again, Lester resigned to putting on an act for the night. He could do it to catch a skip if he had to, so he can do it at dinner tonight. There will be plenty of other people here that Les won't need to concentrate solely on Plum. He stood, waiting to greet her as she walked into the room, and he momentarily went stupid. She wore jeans that looked like they were made for her, showing off her long, shapely legs with a pair of heeled ankle boots. She had on a cerulean tank top with a white V-neck sweater over it, the blue matching the color of her eyes perfectly. Finally, she'd done something different with her hair, and it was falling in soft waves instead of the curls she usually had. She looked stunning.
"Agent Plum, you clean up nicely," he said when he finally found his tongue.
"Thank you. You don't look so bad yourself." Stephanie couldn't believe how handsome Lester was. While he always looked good, she finally saw how muscular and built he was. Les wore a green short-sleeved dress shirt, highlighting his eyes and showing off his muscular arms. He had on a pair of slate grey pants and black dress shoes. She could tell he had at least a six-pack with the fitted shirt.
At that moment, another knock was on the door, and Tank, Bobby, and their dates walked in. The awkward moment between Lester and Stephanie was over. After introductions, they sat at the dining room table. Bobby's date, Abby, was a Black woman about 5'5" with curly black hair. Her eyes were dark brown, with really long, natural lashes that Stephanie was instantly envious of. She wore a purple V-neck long-sleeve shirt, black skinny jeans, and heels that showed off her shape. Sabrina was from Barbados and had the most glorious accent. She was about Stephanie's height but had at least thirty to forty pounds on Steph. Sabrina wasn't overweight, but what Steph would call pleasantly plump. Her hair was done in braids, and she wore a pretty green sundress with pink and blue butterflies.
During dinner, Stephanie learned that the four men met in boot camp and became fast friends, going through Ranger school together. Lester and Ranger are cousins, even though Lester is older. Sabrina and Tank have been dating for two years, and Abby and Bobby for six months. Abby is a teacher at a school in Philly, and Sabrina is a professor of Caribbean history at a university in Florida. She teaches only remote courses to be with Tank in Trenton.
Stephanie also learned that Tank's name is Pierre, which she knew from her initial search, but she didn't know that he got the name Tank when he was playing JV football at his high school. Ranger got his moniker because he was the best Ranger at Ranger school.
After the women cleared the dishes and put the food away, they returned to the living room for dessert. As Stephanie was about to sit, her phone rang. She quickly checked the caller on her watch, then excused herself into the kitchen.
"Hi Joe, is everything okay?"
"Hi Steph, everything is fine. But I bumped into someone today, and I think you should know."
"Who?"
"Tommy."
"Tommy…Marisa's brother Tommy?"
"Yes, that's the one."
Stephanie was shocked. What was he doing here in Trenton? She pulled out one of the stools at the breakfast bar and sat down.
"How do you know?"
"I went into Pino's for a late lunch and saw him there with Eddie and Carl. He asked about you. Don't worry, I didn't tell him you were here in Trenton, but I suspect he'll find out tomorrow."
"What do you mean?"
"He has a job interview with Rangeman. He's retiring from the Air Force and wants to work in their Boston location."
"Shit. I can't let him see me, not now."
"There's more."
"More?"
"Yes," Joe said, pausing. "I realized something when I saw him. The crime scene photos."
"I know, we made that connection this morning."
"If you want me to, I can access it."
Stephanie cut off Joe. "No, don't. We don't want anyone to know we made the connection. I can't talk now, but I'll call you tomorrow. Just pretend you didn't notice. Please, Joe."
He heard the desperation in her voice and knew she was barely holding it together. It killed him that he couldn't be there to comfort her. "Don't worry, Cupcake, I'll let it be. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Are you going to be okay?"
"Yeah, I'll be fine. Night, Joe."
"Night, Steph."
Stephanie took a minute to gather her thoughts. Tommy was back in Trenton and coming to Rangeman. How could this be happening now? Part of her was cynical and thought that everything was tied together. Still, Tommy couldn't have anything to do with Marisa's death. He was only 13 or 14 at the time. But why would he suddenly be back in Trenton? She shook her head, stood, and reentered the living room. From how Lester and Ranger looked at her, she was certain she didn't hide her concern well enough. However, everyone else seemed not to notice the change in her demeanor. "I'm sorry, that was my sister. She was checking in."
Lester knew that something was bothering Stephanie. She came out of the kitchen looking like she'd seen a ghost. Steph was lying about it being her sister. If she wouldn't be upfront with them, how could they help her? This is why he hated women. They were always hiding something. Not wanting to get on Rachel's shit list, though, he kept his thoughts to himself and decided he would confront Stephanie later tonight.
After an hour of coffee, dessert, and laughter, everyone decided it was time to head home. Tomorrow was a work day. Bobby, Tank, and their dates were the first to leave, followed by Ella and Luis, Rachel's aunt and uncle. Soon, it was only Rachel, Ranger, Stephanie, and Lester.
"Thank you, Rachel, for the invitation. I had a great time. It was nice spending the night with others instead of alone in my room."
"It was my pleasure. I hope we can spend more time together. It's nice to have another female in the place and one who is close to my age."
"Ranger, thank you for your hospitality. I'll see you in the morning."
Stephanie didn't want to discuss Joe's call with Rachel and wasn't ready to share Marisa with anyone else yet. Determined to find out what was happening, Lester decided to leave with Stephanie.
As they exited Ranger's apartment, Lester said, "Stairs or elevator?"
"Stairs. Even though it's only one flight, it will work off some of the extra calories I consumed tonight."
With a nod, they both entered the stairwell. When they exited on the sixth floor, Stephanie went to her door and was surprised to see Lester standing beside her.
"I know that call wasn't from your sister. If you want us to help you, you must be upfront with us."
Sighing, Stephanie knew Lester was right. "Fine, please give me ten minutes to change and make some tea. Would you like some?"
Surprised at how easy it was to get Steph to tell him, he paused momentarily. "Yes, I'll have some tea. I'll be back in ten minutes.
Stephanie entered her apartment and sighed so much for having time to deal with it alone. She went to her room and changed out of her clothes into pajamas, a pink t-shirt, and pink and white striped pants. Steph put on a pair of socks. She wanted to remove her bra, but the shirt was too thin. Next, she went into the bathroom and took off her makeup. She twisted her hair in a sloppy bun and secured it with a butterfly clip. Next, she went into the kitchenette, measured out four teaspoons of loose tea, placed it in the filter, and turned on her tea kettle after filling it with water. In seven minutes, the tea will be ready. She checked her watch, seeing she still had two minutes left, and took her mugs, sugar, milk, and cookies. Then, she heard a knock on her door. She went to the door, checked the peephole, and opened it to let Lester in.
