Virginia Safe House, later that day

Stephanie

Since Carlos and I were sharing a house with Charlotte and Melvin, it made sense have her join Gabriela and me for lunch. Connie had messaged that she was ten minutes out so we started getting the salad and sandwiches together. Charlotte was a great in the kitchen- well, really, she was good at everything, and her sandwiches were almost as good as Pinos… Almost.

God, I miss Pinos… And Tasty Pastries… I miss Trenton.

Charlotte seemed a little distressed and kept mumbling to herself. I know she has been working to track someone for Carlos, and from the sound of her, she wasn't having any success. But since we started sharing the house, I discovered that when she was ready, she would come to me to bounce her ideas around. It seemed she wasn't ready yet.


Connie arrived just as we were uncorking the wine, and asked for a glass straight away.

"Where are your uncle's henchmen?" I asked as we all sat down.

"Tank and Bobby offered to show them the weight room and pool area. And said they would make sure they got something to eat and a place to bunk down. From what I've seen, it looks like half of RangeMan Trenton is here." Connie dug into her sandwich.

"The other half is split between Boston and Miami, and guys from those offices are covering Trenton. We were worried some of our Trenton people who were known would be specifically targeted so we got them out of town." I had a big sip of wine. "And because we are so protected, I can move anywhere in the compound freely."

"Moving the staff around makes sense. Our compound is much smaller, I am so glad to get away from my brother and sister. God this sandwich dressing is delicious. Who is the chef?" Connie looked at me and Gabriela.

Gabriela shook her head, "Don't look at me, and we both know Stephanie here can barely boil water."

"Hey, be nice!" I protest. "I can microwave."

The girls laugh and then Charlotte offers, "When I am can't solve a problem, I create stuff in the kitchen."

"Well, here's hoping you stay stuck till I have to head back north." Connie says as she takes another sandwich from the tray. "These are amazing."

They were good, and I was really hungry and was on my third sandwich, and had another helping of potato salad when Charlotte finally spoke. "I just can't find a trace of the guy I am looking for and until I find him, the RangeMan Trenton expansion is on hold."

"I didn't realize RangeMan was looking to expand in Trenton." Connie looked over with interest.

"We need to at this point. Our buildings are the best protected in all of Trenton and the remaining businesses all want to sign up. And the money we are receiving from the Feds to work on securing Trenton from the cyber threats will cover most of the cost of the new building, so it's a no brainer from a business standpoint. Plus, with the data center here in Virgina compromised, we needed to relocate the entire set-up. Some of it moved down to Miami and some of it went north to Boston, but when this building is acquired, we can house everything together and have Miami and Boston as back-up." I explained to Connie.

Charlotte shook her head. "You sound so confident that you can buy 3240 Brian Place. I am feeling much less confident."

"Dickie Orr is anxious to sell the building and set himself up on the West Coast." I remind her, only to have poor Connie nearly choke on her lunch.

"Dickie got all the money?!"

"Every penny. And he has had all he can stand of Trenton. When word got to him that RangeMan was looking to expand, he called to offer a tour of the premises." I remember Woody calling to relay the message. It was after Ranger was released from the hospital. I told the guys to check out the space and see if the specs met all of Silvio and Hector's requirements.

"We were ready to sign the contracts and get construction started when the issue popped up." Charlotte was moving her food on the plate but not really eating anything. I couldn't tell if it was stress or her pregnancy.

"So, what's the issue?" Connie asked.

"The former building owner, who still has the use of the top floor, has right of first refusal, but I can't find him. And I am excellent at finding people."

Gabriela laughed, "I'd forgotten that you got your start as a Baked Potato, Charlie Q, right?"

Charlotte blushed.

"I thought the NSA was trying to hire you?"

"Me and Melvin."

"That's right- he was HotWiz, wasn't he? Is that how you guys met?"

"Not exactly. We were in High School together, but got to know each other on-line as Baked Potatoes. Then, while we were on lock down at RangeMan, we got to really know each other. And after Oswald Wednesday was… uhm… removed from Trenton, we worked as contractors at all the RangeMan campuses until the farm was established here in Virginia. Then we moved here after we married. This compound was for all the staff from the facility."

"So the Kinseys lived here too?"

Yeah, in the house the Martines were using. And Alamo and Halo shared a house with Juan Flores, who they call Blackjack and Chris Wren who is called Birdman. It was like a family…"

I needed to get off this topic. Connie didn't need to know the details of what Kinsey told us and I definitely didn't want to discuss the night Carlos was shot. "And then Carlos and I and all his rehab stuff moved in with you and life will never be the same."

"We like having you here. And the T-shirt war was great fun."

"T-shirt war?" Connie asked. "Do I want to know?"

Gabriela had chosen the wrong time to chug her latte. Milky coffee spewed out of her mouth and nose and Charlotte laughed, "You mean nobody told you?"

She then proceeded to tell the whole story… in detail… I could feel my face flaming.

"Wait a minute, are you telling me you haven't slept with Ric since before he was shot?" Connie looked horrified. "But it's nearly Christmas!"

"Well, when we found out about his child, I was gonna cave but then…"

I really didn't want to tell them. But the only way I could ensure Carlos did what was required was if those around him knew what his limitations were… But God, I didn't want to say it out loud. It makes it all too real.

"Stephanie, what happened?" Connie's voice was gentle now. I felt tears burning, trying to escape but locked them down.

"He has a new heart murmur. It was found by Bobby's cousin, Dr. Brown. He needs to have a bunch of testing… until it is all done, we are in a holding pattern…"

Changing the subject, Connie asked Charlotte who it was that they needed to find. "Between me and Stephanie, we may know someone who knows them."

"It's a guy named Lester March. And other than a rental apartment that he no longer rents, and the floor he has the long term rent agreement on in the building, I haven't found anything."

"That name sounds familiar." I comment.

"It should," Connie said as she finished her wine. "It was one of Charlie Shine's aliases."

"YES! I remember- and his safe house- the apartment was rented under the name."

Gabriela stood up and put her dishes in the sink. "I guess I will need to get back to Charlie and figure out what is going on with the building."

Charlotte jumped up. "I can give you the paperwork we need signed. I wonder if the prison has a notary…"

The two left the room, waving as they did so.


"Would you like dessert?" I picked up the empty plates from the table.

"Sure."

I put on coffee and said, "Charlotte made a chocolate layer cake and we have vanilla ice cream."

"Yes to both. God, I still can't believe my mother and Charlie Shine." She shivered.

"We all did dumb things when we were young." I offered diplomatically. "But yeah, as much as I regret giving it up to Morelli, a hitman seems so much worse."

We ate our cake and coffee and moved to the couch.

Connie continued. "Charlie wasn't made when they were together, that came later. It is the only thing that gives me solace."

"But Vito was made. Connie, what possessed you?" To sleep with Terry's uncle who had to be twenty years older… and the head of his Family with a capitol F.

"Vito has known me my whole life. And he and Uncle Jimmy, they kept the peace between the families. So, when they needed a secretary for the monthly gathering at Rossini's, Jimmy suggested me."

"Monthly meeting?"

"Jimmy, Vito, Harry, Alexander Ramos and Arturo Stolle- they would play cards and talk over grievances before they escalated. Some of the younger guys were not what you could call diplomatic."

"So how did it go from taking notes to an affair?"

"He was widowed and I am divorced… And it's not like just anyone would be acceptable to my family…"

I waited.

"It started after Ric came to one of the games and asked Vito, Harry and Alexander Ramos to put out feelers… that has to be two … almost three years ago… We started to spend more time together, because I was the go between."

"You… But everyone thought it was Terry."

"Vito wanted it to look that way. He wanted to get Terry out, give her a shot at a normal life."

"WitSec? He knew…" It wasn't really a question.

"Vito knew the risks and so did I. But it was important. We all had to work together to prevent the worst from happening… and yet we lost Vito anyway…" Connie had tears in her eyes.

"Were you in love with him?"

She nodded as the tears fell. "It wasn't supposed to happen… It was supposed to be casual. And then I wasn't there when it happened. He died alone. I went to the hospital with my mom and he died alone."

"If you had been there, you would have been killed too." I handed her a box of Kleenex and she blew her nose. "I for one am glad you were with your mom instead."

And I held my friend until all her tears had fallen. It could have been me. I could have lost Carlos.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, but I think I need to lay down before dinner."

"Sounds good. But then after dinner, I want to talk to you and Carlos together. I am trying to pull everything together and need to know everything."

Connie blushed. "EVERYTHING!?"

Laughing I shock my head. "Not that- I want to know what they talked about, not what they did in bed."

I showed her to her room and headed back to the space I had commandeered to study our problem. Carlos and his ex were on tonight's agenda. We needed clues to help us find his son, who was college aged now. Julie was eighteen, and he was nearly 20...

"Stephanie?"

I turned and Carlos was behind me. It was time to catch up on each other's day. Our evening routine before dinner. We walked and talked.

"Let me grab a sweater and I will be ready to go."