"What happened?" I asked, opening my eyes. I hoped I was home and not in the hospital. The sound of monitors beeping proved I wasn't at home. My arm ached. I looked at the bandages covering my left arm and cringed. "Where's Ramirez?"
"Dead," Ranger replied. "You killed him in self-defence. The cameras recorded everything. None of his blood got on your arm."
"That's good to know. I'm still going to exercise caution," I said. Ranger nodded. We might not like the implications, but it was necessary to ensure our health. Ramirez was a sick man. He could have carried any number of diseases, ones I wouldn't want to pass along to my husband. "When can I go home?"
"Babe, you lost a lot of blood. They need to check your levels before discharging you," Ranger replied.
"Who was my donor?" I asked, noticing the bandage in the crook of his arm.
"Lester and me," Ranger replied. "We have the same blood type, and I knew you would prefer to have us donate. I had your paperwork for the hospital."
"Are we in Helen Fuld?" I asked.
"We are."
"And we're free to talk?" I asked. Ranger shook his head. I glanced past him, where the nurses gathered at their counter just outside this trauma room.
A nurse rushed into the room as I opened my mouth to talk. "It's nice to see you open your eyes, Ms. Plum," she said. I stopped myself from correcting her.
"When can I go home?" I asked.
She grabbed the supplies needed to take a blood sample and frowned. "After I collected a sample for testing, your levels were too low, and we need to ensure they're high enough before discharging you," she explained. The nurse smiled politely at Ranger. She didn't flirt, bat her eyes or attempt to get his attention. It was a nice reprieve from the younger ones who lusted after his body.
"How long will it take for the results?" I asked.
"No longer than an hour," she promised, checking the IV bag to record the fluid level remaining. The nurse recorded a number on the chart and exited the room, carrying the vial of blood in her left hand.
"I want to go home," I announced.
"Soon," Ranger promised.
"Is Al following the other guy?" I asked, speaking Spanish.
"He is. Tank is overseeing the window glass and screen replacement," he replied, answering my next question before I could ask.
"How did Ramirez get out of the holding cell so quickly?" I asked during a lull in the conversation.
A flash of anger flickered in Ranger's eyes. "Alpha's lawyer convinced a judge to release Ramirez into Alpha's custody to prepare for the fight next Tuesday," Ranger growled. "The judge had bet on Ramirez to win."
"I thought Ramirez would be detained in the holding cells and transferred to jail to await his trial," I said, frowning.
"Alpha and the judge had too much money riding on Ramirez winning the fight," Ranger added. I stroked Ranger's arm to calm his raging beast, threatening to break free. Ranger rarely lost control, and I wasn't about to let it slip now. I gently squeezed his arm when he relaxed. Ranger leaned forward to kiss me. "Thanks, Babe."
"People do unspeakable things whenever money is involved," I said wisely. "Their greed overrides their sense of right and wrong. Alpha is neither the first nor last man to be tempted by a substantial payout."
I hoped Al was researching Alpha's financial situation. Did Alpha have thousands of dollars in an account or owe a loan shark money? Morelli and Gilman implicated Alpha. I had to find proof of his involvement. We couldn't arrest Alpha without probable cause.
"Babe, you need to be careful when you leave here," Ranger said. It was an unnecessary warning. If Alpha were involved, he would definitely come gunning after me because I terminated his prized fighter.
"How did Ramirez know which apartment was mine?" I asked. Dillon never put my name on the mailbox labelled with my apartment number. Several mailboxes were missing names. "Can you get that information on a web search?"
Ranger removed his phone and typed my name into the Google search engine. He showed me that you couldn't find me that way, which meant someone was watching me. The realization hit me like a battering ram. "He got it from the court documents," I said, resigned. Ramirez didn't seem like the type to make that connection, but Alpha most certainly was and likely the person who gave Ramirez my address from his copy of the document.
"Someone else could have provided your address," Ranger said. I rolled my eyes and glared at him, silently asking him who would endanger me. "Your mom, grandma or Morelli."
"How would Morelli get that information?" I asked. I gave Mom and Grandma my address. Grandma would never sell me out, but Mom was a different animal. She would sell me to the devil without giving it a second thought.
"He has a few loyal friends at the precinct. Your mother could have shared your address with his mother," Ranger wisely answered.
"I wouldn't be surprised if she had," I said. "But I bet Alpha shared my address with the boxer." Ranger pressed a finger to my lips.
I listened for the sound of soft footfalls in the hallway. A woman took a deep, shuttering breath outside the room before smiling and stepping inside. She gave Ranger a flirty smile and fluttered her eyes in what she thought was a sexy way. I rolled my eyes and politely smiled. "Did my results come in?" I asked.
"Oh. Um. No," she replied, flicking lustful eyes at Ranger. Her hand shook as she extended her arm to give Ranger a post-it note, which he ignored. He raised his left hand, displaying his wedding band. "Honey, I know you're not married, or you wouldn't be hanging around that loser," she snorted, flipping her long, blond hair in a flirtatious manner.
Ranger stood and glared at the woman. The way he was looking at the woman should have had me shitting my pants. It was intimidating and outright frightening. She shook in fear and stepped back, dropping the note with her name and phone number. "Pick it up," Ranger demanded.
"O..okay," she said. She turned her back to us and bent over at the waist, displaying her ass as the scrubs pulled tightly to accentuate the curves. It seemed like dark and dangerous turned her on. Great!
"Rip it up," Ranger ordered. Her lips trembled as she tore the paper. "Spread the word that I am unavailable to everyone. Get out of my wife's room and return to your floor." Ranger's tone was cold. As she trembled, I read her name tag: Carol S.
"Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't know Ms. Plum was married to you. She isn't wearing a wedding ring," she cried, pushing out her breasts in another attempt to get my husband's eyes to wander. Carol wasn't Ranger's type. Even if she were, he would never cheat on me.
Ignoring Carol and speaking Spanish, I jokingly said, "You blew my cover."
In Spanish, he replied, "The major players are detained or dead, and the DEA closed the case."
Heartbroken, nurse Carol left the room but watched our interaction from the doorway. Ranger sat on the edge of the bed. He removed the chain from around his neck and slipped off my engagement and wedding bands, slipping them over my left ring finger. I watched her face as Ranger lifted my hand to kiss the rings. "Do you need something, Carol?" I asked the nurse, catching her eye.
Her mouth opened and closed like a fish. "I told you to leave," Ranger barked. Carol turned on her heel and stomped away, complaining that I stole the hot man from her. She said I was too ugly to be with such an attractive man. I wasn't upset by her reaction to my husband. It happened a few times in other cities. Most women would apologize for not noticing his wedding band and leave him alone. It seemed the vipers in Trenton weren't that reasonable or respectful. They viewed a wedding band as a challenge.
"That nurse was unprofessional and bold," I said, shaking my head. "She looked barely old enough to be a nurse. Do you think Mateo flirted with her?"
"Not likely," Ranger replied. "She isn't his type." Mateo preferred brunettes with big, brown doe eyes, large breasts, and a bootie to shake, women like Rachel, his ex-wife.
"Once the doctor discharges you from this hellhole, we are going to pack up your clothes and go home," Ranger promised.
"What about the loose ends?" I asked.
"Everything will work out as it should," he answered.
An hour later, the doctor discharged me after I promised to take it easy for the next few days. Bobby or my general practitioner in Miami would remove the sutures when it was time.
One block from my apartment, I checked the cameras using my phone. It was an ungodly hour, and I felt the bed calling my name. I was exhausted. "Are you fucking kidding me?" I shouted.
"Babe?"
"Fucking Alpha is in my apartment. He went through my underwear drawer," I said, shuddering.
Ranger pressed a button on the SUV's screen. It rang twice before someone answered, "Mañoso, what do you need?"
"Jimmy Alpha broke into my wife's apartment," Ranger replied.
"And who is your wife?" the man asked.
"Stephanie Plum," Ranger said. "Juniak, have cops ready. My wife and I will enter the apartment hot and heavy."
"Is there a reason to have your weapons drawn?" Juniak, the current Trenton PD's chief, asked.
"Alpha's armed," I replied. "He entered my apartment through the bedroom window off the fire escape. The bastard cut a hole to unlock it. I just had that window replaced."
"A cruiser is in the area. I'll have someone secure the fire escape," Juniak promised. "Don't shoot first." The warning was unnecessary. Juniak ended the call. I suspected he wanted to be on site.
Ranger and I wouldn't shoot unless we were defending ourselves. In the military, there was a different set of rules. We had our orders and usually never fired unless someone was shooting at us. When Ranger served in special operations, his orders were to neutralize the targets. Most men were involved in human or drug trafficking, sometimes both.
I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth as I planned every contingency. Ranger would enter the apartment first, but my spidey sense guided me in another direction. "Carlos, I need to go into the apartment with my gun tucked into my waistband," I said.
"Why?"
Sighing, I replied, "We need him to tell us if he was involved with the drug trafficking ring."
"And the assaults," Ranger added.
"Alpha likely hired Sal, Ziggy and Louis to dispose of the bodies," I said. "We need to know his involvement."
"You think he will tell you," Ranger said.
"I do," I replied.
Ranger gestured to the glove compartment. I opened it to collect the microphone. He turned off the lights before pulling into the parking lot. Anyone looking outside my bedroom window wouldn't see him parking closest to the front corner. To view that spot, you would need to climb through my bedroom window and lean over the railing of the fire escape landing.
I tucked the microphone into my bra below my left breast. Ranger synchronized the microphone to his earbud, which was linked to his phone. "Babe, are you ready?" he asked.
"Yes. Can you hear me through the earbud?"
"I can. Go get him, tiger," Ranger said. I opened the SUV door and closed it. If Alpha were listening, he would hear it through the hole he made in my bedroom window.
My heart raced. The police arrived without sirens and flashing lights. They parked on the street and exited their cars. Nobody closed the doors, hoping to catch Alpha unaware. Ranger closed his door, quieter than I thought was possible. He disappeared into the shadows, following me into the building by tucking close to the wall. I knew he would protect me. "God, please let me be right," I whispered. I couldn't hear Ranger's response to my prayer without an earbud.
There was no turning back. I knew Alpha was waiting for me to arrive. Using my phone, I checked the cameras. Alpha was looking through the peephole of my door. I used the stairs to climb to the second floor. When the door slammed shut, I watched Alpha slip into the hallway leading to my bedroom and out of view when I entered the apartment. My hand twitched as I fought the urge to grab my gun. I tucked my phone into my back pocket. The cameras were recording everything. Alpha was an idiot for breaking into my apartment. He didn't check for recording devices. I prayed Ranger was catching every word Alpha dared to speak once I entered my home.
Why didn't I think of grabbing a bulletproof vest? Wearing one would have given me away. Alpha would know I was aware of his presence in my apartment. I prayed to God that Alpha was a lousy shot. This encounter was frightening. I wasn't sure what to expect. My spidey sense was sending warnings. I knew remaining calm was vital to my survival.
With a shaky hand, I removed the key from my pocket. I took a deep breath and pulled courage from deep inside. I had to confront Alpha, yet act surprised to find him in my apartment. My neck tingled as Ranger took his place beside me, but out of view of the peephole. I looked down to slip the key into the lock. In my peripheral, Ranger nodded. It was his cue for me to unlock the door. I turned the knob and stepped inside the darkened apartment.
The light switch was to my right. I flicked it on as I hung my purse and keys on the hook. Alpha stepped out of his hiding spot. "I wondered when you would get home," he said. I screamed when I heard the creaking of the fire escape. Someone was ascending the ladder to slip into my apartment through the window.
"What are you doing in my apartment?" I asked. Alpha pointed his gun at me.
"I'm here to kill you for murdering my prized fighter," Alpha said.
"He broke into my apartment and attacked me," I replied, pointing to my arm.
"Benito never knew his own strength. He often got carried away while spending time with hookers. I had to pay Louis and Ziggy to take care of the women before they charged Benito with assault. You see, Benito would get banned from fighting if they knew he enjoyed hurting women outside the ring. I did everything possible to get him to the fight. His death was a loss. I owe thousands of dollars to the sponsors demanding a refund," Alpha said.
"What does that have to do with me?" I demanded.
"You ruined everything. I had a great deal with Sal. He promised to give me a cut of the drug money if I let Ramirez play with the women who overheard his conversation with Ziggy. I needed the money. I saw you at the gas station. You didn't notice me. I gave the attendant a few hundred bucks to look the other way while I tucked an explosive beneath the driver's seat of the Jeep. It was supposed to explode when you turned the ignition, but I must have hooked it to the wrong wires. Luckily, I had a remote detonator. I thought you died until I drove past the station and found you cowering behind that crappy Nova," Alpha replied, confessing to murder and attempted murder. Juniak had enough to arrest him.
"Did you have a deal with Gilman or Morelli?" I asked.
Alpha laughed. "Those chumps never realized I stole several kilograms of their drugs and sold them to the kids on Stark Street looking for the next high. I never realized one of the boys was Harry the Hammer's grandson. He would kill me if word got out that I was responsible for his only grandchild's death," Alpha replied. What a fucking idiot!
Everything made sense. The DEA brought me on the case because my slimy cousin's son was killed from the drugs Morelli and Gilman were smuggling into the city and selling to Striker, who distributed them to his dealers. Harry the Hammer knew I was in the military. He knew I was skilled and trained at uncovering the truth.
Alpha cocked the gun. I reached into my waistband for my weapon. He aimed and fired. I felt the bullet graze my thigh. Several people discharged their guns. I watched Alpha's body shake from the assault before he fell to the floor.
Juniak cautiously stepped toward me. "Stephanie, lower your weapon," he said.
"It's empty," I replied, lowering my arm and dropping the gun. It hit the floor with a thud. "Did I kill Alpha?"
"Who knows? I shot him in the back, and Ranger shot him in the head. Costanza hit his legs. Are you injured?" Juniak asked.
"I don't think so. Alpha was a lousy shot. The bullet grazed my thigh. I need a bandaid," I replied. "Can I go home?"
"We need you to stay for a few days," Juniak said.
"I need to debrief with the DEA," I countered.
Ranger pulled me aside when the medical examiner arrived. We watched him examine Alpha's body. "Five bullets clustered together in the chest," he announced. His partner recorded the information on the tablet. "Six bullets to the back. One in the head and two in the left leg. It was overkill. The bullet to the head was enough to kill him."
He glanced at me. "Your leg is bleeding. Do you need treatment? I have paramedics outside," he said, pointing over his shoulder.
"Someone can wrap it," I said. "I'm already on strong antibiotics for my arm, so we don't have to worry about infection."
A paramedic used scissors to make the hole in my pants larger. "It's grazed. You won't need stitches," he announced. He cleaned it with a solution that burned. I hissed and waited for him to apply the dressing and bandage.
Eddie Gazarra and Robin Russell joined us in the apartment. They questioned everyone, including Chief Juniak, about the incident. "Who took the first shot?" Eddie asked.
"Alpha," Juniak said.
"I have everything recorded. I'll send a copy of the footage to the precinct," I added.
With Robin Russell supervising, I entered my bedroom to change my pants and pack my luggage. I was going home tonight.
Juniak's phone rang. He pulled it off his belt and answered. "Damn!" Juniak snarled and disconnected the call. Sticking close to the wall, Juniak rushed from my apartment.
"What happened, Chief?" Costanza asked, following his boss.
"Morelli is dead. Someone killed him under my nose," Juniak replied.