Marion Floyd drives to his hideaway in the dilapidated house. He connects Terry's laptop to the internet and grins when he finds her passwords saved with her Google profile. It's easy to crack the authentication since Floyd has her phone. Her phone code is the date of her divorce from Jerry Gilman, information he has at the tip of his fingers.
Once Floyd has everything he needs, he resets the laptop to factory settings. Smiling, he runs a disk clean program and methodically checks to ensure nobody can recover his actions. He factory resets Terry's phone and removes the SIM card. One of his neighbours sells stolen goods. Floyd leaves the safety of his house to deliver the laptop and phone to the thief.
The darkness makes him happy. He hears the stealthy movements in the shadows, the soft sounds of animals running, and he laughs while imagining the hair rising on the back of someone's neck, thinking the animals are ghosts in the night.
Floyd wonders who will chase after him. Will it be someone in the Green Berets? Rangers, SEALs or marines? Any of those special operatives men can find him, but will they have the skills to capture him? In his opinion, the answer is no. He's the best of the best, with training and skills surpassing everyone else's abilities. Will his arrogance lead to his downfall? Probably, though he doesn't think it's a possibility.
Sticking to the shadows closest to the houses, Floyd approaches the rear entrance, where the thief has an uneven deck leading to his back porch. He finds it humorous to see the thief securing his property with a camera. Floyd doesn't scramble the camera since it isn't pointing at the porch. It will detect people arriving from a distance but not closest to the house.
The floodlight doesn't illuminate the area as he leaves the laptop and phone on the back porch. His boot displaces a stone. Floyd bends to pick it up, launching it into the thief's backyard. He steps around the corner of the house, disappearing into the dark shadows. Floyd smiles when the floodlight illuminates the yard and deck.
It's getting late, and he decides to get some sleep. Stephanie enters his dream. She taunts and teases that he is less of a man for giving in to his rage. "You're losing yourself to the beast," dream Stephanie claims. "Eventually, someone needs to put you down like a rabid dog."
"Nobody will catch me," Floyd argues.
"You may be The Hunter, but I know where you are," she taunts. For a few seconds, Floyd believes her.
"That's hilarious. You don't know where I am. I know you're holed up in the Rangeman building on Haywood. How many men have to die before I reach you?" The Hunter asks.
Dream Stephanie laughs, "None, asshole. They will kill you long before you reach me."
"I'm better than that. When I catch you, I'll have you begging for mercy," he retorts.
"I can hardly wait to prove how wrong you are," she laughs. "You'll be the one begging for mercy before I plunge a knife into your crotch." Dream Stephanie disappears as Marion gasps and sits up in bed.
His inner beast sees the spark inside the dream version of Stephanie, reminiscent of the one he saw at Joseph Morelli's house. Floyd needs to permanently remove that spark representing the little bit of good inside him. The loving, caring and generous man the military made him lose to the darkness by ordering him to maim and kill men, women and children. There's no way for him to claw out of the dark hole. At least not when the beast has his soul bound in its grasp.
Stephanie is everything The Hunter wants to be. His observations prove Stephanie is living the life he wishes for himself. Regardless of her ineptitude as a bounty hunter, her propensity to have her cars explode, or someone destroying her apartment, Stephanie rises above and never lets those events snuff out her spark.
The demon controlling his beast rears its head and pays attention to Floyd's thoughts. "I must have her," Floyd says to his reflection. He strips, steps into the shower and stands beneath the cold water, hoping it washes away the stickiness of sweat from his dream.
Stephanie is lying awake, waiting for Ranger to return with the guys. He left their bed less than an hour earlier. One of their clients thinks there's a problem at the Grizolli's home up the road. It's far enough away to make it feel like it isn't part of the neighbourhood, but the client, who went for a late stroll, thought he saw someone forcing Vito Grizolli into his car.
Rangeman's dispatch team sent a car to check. The Grizollis didn't use Rangeman to secure their house, but they went to the scene knowing The Hunter was after Terry Gilman and Stephanie.
Another call from the neighbour, also a Rangeman client, whose backyard backs against Terry Gilman's yard, thought she heard a gunshot from inside Terry's home. She claims calling Rangeman gets a quicker response than the police.
Stephanie's arrangement with the guys is to stay on the seventh floor inside Ranger's apartment, where she is safe from harm. She feels a chill and is unable to get warm. Burying her face in Ranger's pillow, she smiles as the pleasant scent of Bulgari Green shower gel with a hint of his musk fills her nose. It calms her briefly.
Needing more than the scent of Ranger's pillow, Stephanie climbs out of bed to shower. She smiles when Ranger's shirt drops to her mid-thigh and knows Ranger doesn't want her in their apartment naked while alone. Stephanie enters the bathroom, smelling the fresh scent of Bulgari Green. Ranger always showers before he leaves the apartment. His scent relaxes her. She loves how it makes her feel warm and content and surrounds her body in his scent.
As she washes away the stickiness of making love to Ranger, she thinks about the conversation with her mom after Joe's death. She wonders why Helen, her mother, is insistent on her marrying a Burg man. It will never happen, especially now that Joe's dead and she's off the market after marrying Ranger.
Stephanie and Joe were only together because they were both from the Burg and shared history, and it's what Angie and Helen thought would improve their status. It's a ridiculous notion for a Morelli-Plum union to improve anyone's perception.
Now that Joe's dead, who will Helen invite for dinner? Stephanie shakes her head. She's sad her childhood friend is dead, but she knows a marriage between her and Joe will only end in regret. Upon learning of Joe's death, Stephanie didn't feel the devastation that she felt the day Edward Scrog shot Ranger in her apartment. It's the day she admitted to being in love with Ranger. Her love for Joe didn't involve a ring or exchange of vows. At the time, Ranger left for deployment with the government as a mercenary. He did the jobs others were too afraid to do. Ranger couldn't commit to Stephanie while running missions for the government as a mercenary. It pays well, but it takes a toll on Ranger and Stephanie.
She steps beneath the shower spray, letting the hot water wash away the stale sweat and evidence of making love with Ranger. Stephanie moans as she washes her sensitive nipples with the loofah. The bite of pain reminds her of Ranger's attention to her breasts while making love earlier that night.
Stephanie rinses the conditioner from her hair and steps from the shower stall. She wraps herself in a towel and moves to the mirror to brush her hair. Faint bruising on her neck shows her lack of awareness, which makes her giggle.
With quick efficiency, Stephanie put anti-frizz serum in her hair. She covers the locks and flips her head over to get the back. Stephanie smiles at her reflection. Her riotous curls don't cooperate, but it doesn't matter since Ranger will only mess them up when he comes home. She dries her body and drops that towel in the laundry hamper. Ranger's black, silky robe on the back of the door catches her eye. Stephanie removes it from the hook and slips her arms through the sleeves. She wraps the robe around her and secures it with the silk belt.
Stephanie leaves the washroom and walks into the living room. She looks out the window, watching the traffic move up and down the street. The lights are off, and the windows are tinted to prevent people from seeing inside the apartment. She feels silly for thinking someone would see her staring out the window. Stephanie knows danger is on the horizon, feeling it deep into her soul. Her only question is, "Will Ranger save her in time?"
Shaking her head, Stephanie settles on the couch with a book she took from the control room floor, hoping it will provide the distraction she craves. She reads the description on the back and laughs, wondering which of her Merry Men loves reading romance novels.
A wave of fear passes over Stephanie as she reads the first chapter of the book. She stands while dropping the book on the coffee table. Stephanie returns to the bedroom to collect her gun from the safe Ranger hides in the closet. She tucks her gun into the tie, holding the robe. Having the weapon on her body makes her relax. Nobody can break into Rangeman, but Stephanie feels more comfortable with her gun.
She grabs a blanket from the linen closet and returns to the couch to read the book. In the first chapter, the main character, Chelsey, receives a call from her mother. She must arrive by five-thirty since they're having guests over for dinner. The family is wealthy, and Chelsey's mother, whose name happens to be Helen, wants Chelsey and the man, Edward, to date. It eerily reminds her of the conversation with her own mother the day after Joe's death.
Stephanie's inside her apartment, wiping the tears off her cheeks. She remembers the fear of hearing someone enter Joe's house. It isn't Joe. He always announces his arrival whenever her car is at the front curb. This man is silent.
The front door slams open, with Joe rushing inside. "Steph, leave. Now!" Joe orders. Stephanie sees a familiar expression on his face. It's the same one Ranger wore the day Scrog shot him. However, her reaction is different. She wants to protect Joe, not marry him. Stephanie loves him…as a friend.
"I have my gun. I can watch your back," Stephanie offers. Joe shakes his head and points to the door. When Stephanie refuses to move, Joe shoves her. She quickly grabs her hamper and rushes outside, calling Eddie Gazarra to help Joe. Unfortunately, it was too late. Joe is dead, and Stephanie blames herself.
Her cell phone rings from the living room. Stephanie shakes her head and she answers without checking the caller ID. It doesn't take long for her to realize it is her mother after she says, "Stephanie, this is your mother calling." Stephanie rolls her eyes. She recognizes the voice. Announcing herself is unnecessary, but it's a habit Helen cannot break.
"Yes, mother. I know it's you because I recognize your voice. Is there something that you want?" Stephanie asks.
"Well…" Helen replies, pausing briefly to determine how to word her request, "I was talking to Mrs. Brinkley this morning. Her son, Brian, just moved to town. I want you to come for dinner tonight at six sharp to have dinner with Brian."
"No, thank you, Mom. I'm not interested in having dinner with anyone," Stephanie says, keeping the "from the Burg" part of the thought to herself. "I have to stay at Rangeman until the police arrest the man who murdered Joe."
"What about your job?" Helen demands.
"Guess what, Mom? I'm not working for Vinnie, which should make you happy. I started working there full-time last week. The pay is stable. I have a 401(K) and a comprehensive benefit package," Stephanie patiently replies.
She walks into Ranger's kitchen. The dark grey tile floor with black cabinets and quartz countertop with silver flecks shows how much Ranger loves black. However, the fridge, stove, microwave and other appliances are stainless steel. Ranger's bathroom has similar features, whereas the living room, bedroom, home office and dining room have dark hardwood floors. The apartment has everything Stephanie's apartment lacks. She feels at home in the space. Stephanie looks at her engagement ring and frowns, feeling guilty for declining Joe's proposal.
Stephanie reaches inside to grab a tumbler by opening the cupboard beside the refrigerator. She opens the fridge to remove the water pitcher with a built-in filter. After pouring herself a glass of water, Stephanie waits for her mother to stop screaming her litany of demands that she settle down with a man, preferably one from the Burg, have children, and quit her job. "What would the neighbours think?" Helen demands.
"Mom, I told you I don't care about the neighbours. Why are you more concerned about their opinions than what would make me happy?" Stephanie argues.
"Stephanie," Helen whines, "you won't be happy unless you're married and have a child to raise. A woman's proper place is in the home, raising children, cooking dinner and serving it by six every night. Oh…and ensure your house is spotless, including squeaky clean windows. Why me? Is that too much to ask?"
Sighing, Stephanie explains, "Mom, living your life is not for me. I don't want to get married to a Burg man. I don't want children. Why do you think I need your life to make me happy? You already know my marriage to Dickie was a mistake. Are you aware he gave me an STD? That's how I learned he was cheating. I went home with the prescription for him to get treated. When I got home, I found him screwing the town whore on my brand new dining room table, which I had scrimped and saved every spare cent to buy. But did you listen to my concerns? No. You thought I should turn a blind eye and let him have his dalliance because, after all, if a man cheated on a woman within two months of marriage, then she is incapable of satisfying his sexual desires. Mom, I'm just done with your narrow-minded opinions."
Helen gasps, "Are you going to kill yourself?"
"Mom, I'm not suicidal. I can't have these conversations with you every few days. It's exhausting. Maybe I'll ask Ranger to transfer to another branch so you can stop hearing about me capturing Burg residents and stop embarrassing you," Stephanie snaps. "I'll go to Miami, where I can visit the beach after work. I can enjoy the sunshine."
"The humidity is horrible for your hair," Helen argues.
"I don't care about the humidity. Anywhere is better than here, where you constantly invite whatever Burg loser is single because no other woman wants him," Stephanie says.
"Stephanie, why?" Helen quietly asks.
"Like I said, Mom. I'm sorry you wanted me to marry Joe despite our toxic relationship. We broke up and got together more than we should have to make you and Angie happy. It made Joe and me miserable, and we developed an unhealthy habit," Stephanie replies. She looks at her beautiful engagement ring from Ranger. "Mom, I get to decide who I want to share my life with." Stephanie doesn't tell her mother she's marrying Ranger later that evening.
"I suppose you're glad Joe is dead," Helen smirks.
Stephanie can't believe her mother thinks that low of her. "I'm not happy that he's dead. Joe was a good cop when he wasn't using me to solve his cases. He grew too complacent. I don't know who he got involved with, but all I know is it does not involve me."
"Sure, Stephanie. It's always your fault. You probably crossed paths with somebody who just went crazy and killed Joe to make you cooperate," Helen replies, not believing anything her daughter is saying.
"Mom, why would I do that? It doesn't even make sense, and I wasn't working a case when Joe was murdered. I was working for Rangeman, handling client services. I'm not in the FTA department unless it's someone they can't capture without my assistance. From what I heard, a serial killer murdered Joe," Stephanie patiently explains.
Helen demands, "What makes you think that?"
"Because the signature is the same, Mom. The murderer only goes after the mob bosses like Vito Grizolli, Sonny Sunucchi and those other Dons who run illicit activity in Trenton. Throw in anyone else you can think of who's using businesses as a front to launder money and move drugs. Basically, add anyone who gets away with their criminal actions or buys their way out of serving time in prison. This guy gets involved with one of the daughters, wives or sisters to get close to the Don. He uses them to get what he wants. If the family refuses to pay the blackmail, he kills the women. The Dons often give him whatever cash he wants to keep everyone else alive. Sometimes, he leaves messages where the family can find the bodies, like what he did with Joe."
"The Morellis aren't involved in the mob," Helen says, ignoring Stephanie's explanation about how she knows a serial murderer went after Joe Morelli.
"How do you know, Mom?" Stephenie challenges. "Sunny Sunucchi was Joe Morelli's godfather. When Sunny dated Grandma, he murdered other women around her age. Don't you remember me saving Grandma? Unlike Sunny, this man murders in more gruesome ways. Sunny's related to Bella Morelli. How can you argue the Morellis aren't involved with the mob?"
"You're letting your imagination take over common sense, Stephanie," Helen says. "You always have your head in the clouds."
"Fine, Mom. I'll talk to you later. Goodbye," Stephanie says before hanging up on her mom. She turns off her phone. Stephanie uses the apartment phone to call the control room. She orders the men to call that line to contact her, tell her mother if she calls that she's unavailable to talk and dispatch a team if it's an emergency.
Stephanie hears the apartment door opening, breaking her from the sad memory. Ranger rushes to her once he sees she's crying. "Babe?" he asks.
"I'm fine, Carlos. I was replaying the conversation with my mom."