Chapter 88: The Calm and the Storm
Steph’s POV
I told Mando I want him to go back to Charlotte next week to concentrate on his branch. I’ll help Diego with the Miami branch and we worked last night getting a game plan together. I was thankful to have three strategists and two XOs at one branch. We needed every bit of their brilliance to brainstorm ideas, but Diego got all the strategists on a call and let them help us. I mostly took notes in Thomas’s absence.
Diego and Mando already had a file of possible employees and they pulled it the day after the Friday firings. We have 30 men that we are ready to train to be the new RangeMan Miami men, but Hal had a brilliant suggestion.
He suggested we send them all to San Antonio.
“Why?” Diego, Mando and I looked at him in surprise.
“Tank is there. We just fired men for sexist attitudes and we have an op going on in-house. There are already too many people who know. The men we bring in need to be a tight knit group and having them train together, as a group, under Tank’s supervision is probably best.” Hal gave me a small smile. “Plus Tank is ready to bring in a new class in San Antonio and it keeps them out of Miami for another three months, enough time for this . . . situation to be over. Let them all train together at once, away from here.”
I called Tank and we discussed it. He also thought it was a good idea so Diego and Mando told all the recruits that if they intended to join, training was three months in San Antonio. The men were fine with it, so the new RangeMan class will start the week I arrive in San Antonio.
Otherwise, it’s been quiet. Now that the disloyal men and the worst sexists are gone from the branch, everything is quiet. The men are out meeting with their clients and chasing new contracts. Hector says the former RangeMen were warned never to discuss their time at RangeMan unless they wanted to receive a personal visit from him. He told the men who will be transferred not to discuss what happened in this branch with anyone. No one needs to know. Otherwise, he’ll visit.
They got the point.
Hector has been in and out and we’re watching Manny. Well, I’m watching Manny. Manny doesn’t like to allow me out of his sight. If I move too far, he gets nervous and comes looking for me. I told Hector that his worry-wart tendencies had rubbed off on his son. Hector stared at me, looked at Manny who was playing with his toy cars, and frowned.
“You think that’s bad?”
I smiled at Hector. “I’m teasing.” Sort of.
Hector’s shoulders slumped in relief. “I want to keep things as normal as possible for him. I don’t want him to look back and remember being scared or worried. I can’t keep him out of school for too long but I want to make sure it’s safe before he goes back.” He sighed deeply and ran his hands through his hair. “Thankfully the school is working with me on this.” He smiled. “Apparently, Manny was learning his numbers very well. He knows 1-25, but I’m working on getting him up to 100.”
I love my partner. Anything for his son.
The discussion Hector and I had about the op, the only one we’ve had, was tough. Hector pulled pictures of all the major players and slowly gave me the basics of where they were in the op. I looked at the pictures and recognized William Knox as the man who held me my first night in Miami.
“You remember him?”
I nodded. “Buzz cut, hazel eyes, not a friendly smile. I remember him well.”
Hector nodded and sighed. “Angelita, Ranger and Les have determined that this sting is meant to bring down me, him, Piman, and someone else. The person running the sting believes I’m a murderer because of my actions in New Jersey and he wants me behind bars.”
“Isn’t the case closed?” I asked, surprised.
Hec shook his head. “No. Officially, the case is inactive and cold but it’s not closed. The unofficial verdict has been ‘self-defense’ which is why everyone has let it go.”
“Then why is this guy hell bent on putting you behind bars?” I was curled up on Ranger’s bed, my arms wrapped around my knees to stop me from tackling Hec and trying to protect him from everyone.
“Ranger has determined that it’s because my case is the only case he’s been involved with that’s never gone to trial. There’s no official determination in my case. He feels I walked on murder.”
I looked at Hector, pale. “And?”
Hec sighed. “It’s dead unless they come up with new evidence or witnesses, and that’s pretty unlikely but not out of the realm of possibility. The rest of the evidence was destroyed or tainted. Witness recollections are tainted. And I have excellent alibis for each incident, alibis which were recorded under oath each time. Unless they find new DNA evidence or some sort of new technology, I’m safe for the moment.”
My shoulders slumped. For the moment. I didn’t want to hear those words.
“I really want to speed this up. I want this over soon.” I lay back on the bed and curled up next to Hec. I could feel him laughing silently. He was doing another scan of the system. Apparently some FBI agent keeps trying to hack in. Hector’s amused and watching him carefully. “It just seems that every man close to me ends up with a murder charge at some point. I have the worst karma.”
Hector laughed long and hard. Manny stirred in his sleep and Hec tried to gain control of himself. “If I believed in karma, I might agree with you, Angelita.” I looked over at Hector and he sobered. “I don’t believe in karma.” I must have looked as surprised as I felt but he nodded. “You know I’m a faithful, if lapsed, Catholic. I believe in my childhood faith. I believe that what others deem karma is merely temporal punishment due to sin. I try not to sin, but like all men, I lapse. I pray to God for his grace and benevolence. I endeavor to lead a simple life and not sin. I’m not roused to anger easily but when I am, my anger is terrible.”
I stared at Hector. I felt as if Sister Mary Agatha was going to catch me daydreaming and pop me with a ruler. He smiled.
“Sorry. I try not to think about karma because I don’t like the term. It implies that I have no control over what happens to me when it’s not true. What happens to me is a result of my own actions, good or bad.”
“How so?”
Hec shut his computer down and lay back on the bed next to me. He stared at Manny’s curly head for a long time before he answered. “I asked a favor of four men I believed could help me and they granted it,” he said quietly. “In doing so, I met four men I would give my life for, and that may someday be the price of my freedom.” He looked over and smiled at me. I’m sure I was white.
“I wanted to get away from a mistake I made, but I spilled blood to do it. Now my life and freedom may come at the cost of the lives and freedom of everyone around me. You, Mijo, Nikki, Ranger, Tank, Lester, Bobby– the people I care about the most may pay for the blood on my hands. I will not allow that. I will never allow others to pay the price of my sins.”
I’m trying to keep Hector’s words out of my head. I know Hec has a fatalistic streak and I would prefer he not look forward to his death so happily. I’m not sure what I would do if he died. I don’t think I could ever have another partner. I’ve started thinking about what I could do to help this op end quicker. I want the threat against Ranger and Hector eliminated.
Meanwhile, Grandma is continuing to torture the Miami RangeMen. I told her to leave the management alone. Ryan and B looked at me, upset, because Deuce was the last one left.
Deuce snuck me a Boston Cream from Krispy Kreme as a thank you.
Otherwise, she’s having a great time. I finally met Larry and he looks at Grandma as if she’s the most amazing, interesting woman in Miami. I like him. He’s a widower and has lived in Miami for a decade. Grandma’s thinking of moving down here to live with him. I shrugged. Hey, she’s an adult and they’re happy. I’m not going to be the one to fight it.
I can’t wait to hear what Mom has to say.
We went to the beach, the non-nude side (no interest in seeing Grandma or Larry naked) and had a great time. Candy and Hal played in the surf and Diego, Pat and Mack drooled at Candy in her bikini.
“You guys are so obvious,” I said, laughing.
“Mark is crying,” Pat said. “I told him we were at the beach and he asked me to stop. He can’t take it.”
I flopped back on the towel and laughed. Honestly, calls with Mark are going pretty well now. He’s really trying to get Boston straight and grow the branch. He’s working with me now, the way he should have all along, and we work well together. He gives me good ideas and I’ve started bouncing my ideas off him slowly and carefully. His responses are usually pretty good.
I have a plan in mind for Mark, to save his butt with Ranger, but I need to see that he can manage what I’ve given him so far. Danny reports that he’s had great ideas for the training program and they’re ready to start it. I told them that if they’re prepared to do it, present it to Tank and the other XOs, get Tank to sign-off, and get started.
Meanwhile, Mack’s livid. NYC is second, but Mack lost the redecorating crown to RMSA! Most of his diatribe at his men in NYC I can’t repeat, but the parts I did understand were hilarious. Tank sent Mack a cigar and told him not to get cocky. Mack’s determined to smoke the cigar when he gets his crown back.
I pulled my cover off and dusted the sand off. As I made my way to the water, I listened to the conversation behind me. “I swear, we have the hottest women in this company!” Pat.
Mack laughed. “You need to peep the Boss doing distractions. Javi and I were like, DAMN! She had that man trippin’.” All three guys laughed.
“Thought you were married? Happily married?” Diggy said to Pat.
“I am, but Jesus, I’m not blind. I love my wife but good god! I’m not ignoring Giselle if she were standing in front of me!” The guys all laughed.
“What about the housekeepers?”
“We don’t have a single ugly housekeeper! Look at Maria.” Maria and Rafe had decided to come to the beach with us and they were walking along the beach hand in hand. “Maria’s how old? And she’s hot!”
Laughter. I smiled. Nice to see I still got it too.
“Angita!” I turned and Hector and Manny were approaching, Manny at full-speed.
“Hey Manny! Wanna go play in the water?” I picked him up and he grinned and yelled “Agua! Water!” so we played in the surf. We ran in and out, Hal playfully dunked Manny, and Candy nearly lost her top when Manny tried to grab onto her. I heard “Fuck!” three times from the shore.
Candy and I looked at each other and laughed. Hal glared but Mack, Pat, and Diggy were unrepentant.
We built a sand castle with Manny (and allowed him to smash it) and Hector disappeared.
I texted him. Where are you?
Scoping out the sand?
I smiled. Met Manolo?
The reply took a moment. How do you know Manolo?
Grandma met him her first day here. Lifeguard, right? He applied to RM. He’s in the RM class that’s going to RMSA.
Really?
Do I get to start whistling ‘In the Navy’ now?
Ignoring you. Learn ‘Guantanamera’ first.
After that, I didn’t get any more texts from Hector for a while.
I laughed. Hector on the prowl! I was soooo tempted to go look but I remembered what Nikki said. I decided to leave Hector to it.
I really want to meet Manolo now.
RINGGGG.
I’m in Ranger’s office, looking at the Miami numbers and preparing for a meeting with a few of our unhappiest former clients. I’m meeting them downtown in two hours.
“Hello?”
“Babe?”
“Wait.” I run up to 8 and lock myself in the bedroom. “Are you OK?”
“I’m fine, Babe.” Ranger’s voice is soft and reassuring. Snickers on the line. “I have Tweedledum on the line with me.”
“Lester?”
“I resent that. Just so you know.”
I laugh. “OK, what’s up?”
“Still willing to help?” Ranger asks.
“What do you need me to do?”
“What are your plans today?”
“Meeting with former clients. Why?”
“OK, send a team there in advance of yourself. For the next week, I want you to drive the Lamborghini.”
“So they start thinking I’m being stupid?”
“Yeah.”
“You think they’ll try to hijack the car?”
“Possibly, but it has the standard protections on it. Lock the doors and windows.”
“OK. So what’s the ultimate purpose?”
“Applying thumbscrews. There’s a huge group of MS-13 men in Miami. I’m meeting with the XOs to talk through this plan and I want you on the call, but we’re basically going to make it seem like you’re running around unprotected. In the meantime, we’re setting up a sting to get all of them arrested.”
I’m swallowing hard. I’m scared but Ranger wouldn’t put me in danger. Not without having a plan to pull me out of it. “OK. How are you going to get word out that I’m running around alone?”
“You, Hector, and Hal are going to have an argument at the mall.”
I snort. “That’s believable.”
Multiple snorts on the line. “That’s why we chose it, Beautiful.”
Les’s POV
Beautiful hangs up and it’s silent for a few minutes.
“She better not get hurt, Les,” Ranger growls.
“I’ve thought through every element of this plan, Ranger,” I tell him. “It’s risky and dangerous, but Beautiful will keep her head and we’ll have eyes on her. It will be OK.”
Besides, Steph’s special advantage is mayhem and confusion. For once, we can use her specialty to her advantage.
The chatter begins almost immediately. La Tigresa is running around in el Tigre’s Lamborghini. She doesn’t have a guard any more. She’s alone. They’re watching to see if she’s really alone or if she’s being tracked covertly.
Fighting gang members is like fighting insurgents. The mindset is damn near the same. So I’m waiting to see what the first strike against her will be. I expect a car bomb.
I’m right.
The moment she turned the ignition, the car started smoking. Beautiful kept her head and calmly turned the car off, but she didn’t get out. Good move. The gunfire started almost immediately but I’d prepped her that if the car bomb failed, the gunfire would be next. Ten minutes later, a RangeMan strike team pulled up next to her, shielding her from the bullets, and pulled her into the SUV. They had her back at the building in minutes but Steph, following the plan, went back out to meet the cops and report the bomb. She had a full team on her then, so she was watched but left alone.
I could picture Ranger pacing. I was getting constant reminders not to put her in danger.
“She loves you. She has enough danger in her life.”
I’m prepared for the concussion.
Attempt two failed. That was a straight snatch and grab attempt, but Beautiful was prepared. Hector snickered that her stilettos should also be registered as lethal weapons.
Attempt three should be a sniper round. Well, either a sniper round or a kidnapping. Ranger’s losing it nightly with me, but when he speaks to Steph he’s calm and cool. Steph’s jittery, but she’s prepared for this.
I’m praying Thomas is back from vacation in time.
FBI Strike Team Leader
“So the objective is to capture all these individuals.” I point to the whiteboard behind me. “Memorize the faces. Make sure you’ve know the plan.” I glare around the room. “We don’t have any room for mistakes.”
We break and I take a moment to say a quick prayer. I hope I’m doing the right thing. This is the first time I’ve run a sting on my own without calling in reinforcements from Washington. No one reviewed this plan but me. DC called and said that this was my opportunity to show that I knew how to run this gang task force in south Florida. I was told specifically that they want to see my thinking, my creativity here. They want to see what I learned from the head of the instructors at Quantico.
That screams ‘promotion’ if this goes off without a hitch.
We’re set up at the port. The official story is that we’re checking out warehouse space for security. We need the suspects not to suspect we’re on to them. My phone buzzes and I check the display before I answer.
“Problem.”
Lawson. If he’s calling to tell me I have a problem, this is dead in the water.
“Yeah?”
“Background successfully pierced. Hawthorne may be screwed.”
“Fuck!” I feel my stomach sink. “How?”
“No fucking idea. I’ve been trying to drill into their system for weeks and gotten nothing. They’re locked down tight.”
“What do I do?”
“No idea. Thought I’d tell you.” Click.
I call my contact. “Our agent was uncovered.”
“I expected it. Don’t worry about that. It was going to happen. Concentrate on your part of this assignment.” Click.
I stare at my phone. You expected it? Thanks for telling me, jackass. My stomach is churning and I chew another two antacids.
Two black SUVs have just arrived. One woman, slight, curly brown hair, gorgeous legs, tight black skirt, great ass. Three guards. Big. White, Latino, Black? Latino? Not sure on the last one, but the woman is definitely who we were waiting for.
I signal to Anderson. He nods. Everyone’s in place. Time for this sting to begin.
Steph’s POV
Now that I’m trained and I haven’t had a skip to chase in months, I’m looking at what I’m doing right now and realizing how stupid it was to do this alone.
The old me would have walked in unprepared, more curious to follow the skip than pay attention to where I am. New me is working hard not to tremble and run. I’m grateful for backup. The spidey senses aren’t screaming yet so I’m calm, but I’m prepared to run at the slightest sound.
The ‘client’ called and said that they wanted to secure their warehouse against attacks. The Miami men all paled. The port is not a friendly place and none of them are exactly thrilled with this plan. Grandma snickered.
“I thought you boys weren’t afraid of anything.”
Ren was affronted. “We’re not, but the port”—he shivered—”the port is a not a friendly place.” He looked at me and Diego. “Our port expert is on vacation. This isn’t good.”
The client is a representative of Reiterations, Ltd., and their warehouses are broken into constantly. It’s a real company and we’ve tripled checked the representative. Real employee, so we agreed to meet them at the port. I’m here with Hal, Mack, and Diego and we’re walking the warehouses trying to assess them. The ‘client’ is jittery but we’re pretending to ignore it.
“So, how many warehouses are we talking?” Diego asks, making notes. My phone dings.
‘Client’ is an FBI employee. They’re surrounding the warehouse. Be careful. –Hector. I look at Diego and nod.
“Ten,” the ‘client’ answers. “We’re losing product before it even gets on the boat. The losses started off small, but they’re growing and we have to put a stop to it. It’s cutting into the profits and—”
The lights are cut and I hear gunfire. I run for the side door I spotted earlier and I make it. I start running through the warehouse, trying to remember where the other exit is. I’m grabbed just before I reach it. I swing my blade, hear a very loud “Fuck!” and I start running again. I slide between some boxes and watch the feet pass me by.
“Where’d she go?” I’m silently kicking off the heels.
“Find her. She can’t just fucking disappear.” The windows are too high and I’d have to climb. The door I need to reach is across the room, but I’m sure it’s been covered by now.
What to do, what to do? I hear gunfire and shouts outside, so I know that’s covered. I pick up the heels and start tip toeing away. I’m nearly at the next door when I hear “That’s right, bitch. Tip toe right to me.” I can’t tell where he is. I stop, put the heels back on, and try to make a run for it.
I’m grabbed and spun around. This guy is terrifying. Tats everywhere. All over his face, hands and body and he’s shirtless and sweaty. I freeze up. He grabs me by my hair and smiles evilly.
I stomp his foot with the stiletto.
“FUCK! I got this bitch but she’s gotta be broken!” he yells, and I kick his knee. He lets go of my hair and I spin away.
Right into the arms of another gang member. This isn’t my day. I immediately start fighting but I’m quickly pinned up against the wall and a knife is applied to my throat.
“Shut up, bitch,” a voice growls. I stomp his foot and my head is slammed against a wall.
Stars, pain, and I feel the blood trickle down the side of my face.
I try to kick his knee but I can’t break the hold. There’s two of them. Crap. Thomas, Diego and I are going to work on how to get out of this hold again.
A rag is placed over my face and I wonder if Mack, Diego and Hal made it safely out. I hope Hector’s still tracking me.
Pitch black.
I can’t see a thing. I’m ready to panic but Hector’s lessons come back. I control my breathing and listen carefully. Lots of arguing in Spanish.
“El Tigre and the Asesino will do anything to get her back. She awake yet? She has to be awake and screaming when we call.”
“No, but we’ve sent the pictures.” I hear a laugh. “Pretty panties.” I wiggle. Yeah, I’m down to my underwear. Great. That usually precedes rape and I shudder all over.
“Did you send pictures of her face?” The voice is angry. I hear very quiet movement behind me and someone snaps the zip tie holding my hands together. I’m ready to strike when I hear, “Calm down, Steph.” I relax. It’s Thomas.
“Yeah. Face, tits, ass, if you weren’t such an asshole, we woulda sent some very nice shots of her pussy in use.” Lots of laughter and I twitch. Well, I don’t think I was raped. That’s a plus. “Might still do it if she gets mouthy when she wakes up. Diablo is pissed. He thinks she broke his fucking foot. He definitely wants a piece of her ass.” Laughter.
“How did you know where to find me?” I whisper. Thomas was not a part of the plan because he wasn’t supposed to be back from his vacation until . . . oh wait, now. Yeah, he was supposed to be back by now.
“We want el Tigre to break his cover. We don’t want his men to completely lose their shit before he does,” someone growls. “Or the Asesino to lose his shit and start fucking everyone up.”
I feel a snort. “This used to be my specialty,” he whispers. “I knew exactly how they planned to pull this off. Shhh.” He snips the other zip tie and unbuckles my shoes. I stand and shake my feet to get some circulation back while Thomas pulls a T-shirt over me and guides my feet into some flats.
He taps my shoulder to follow him and I hold onto his waist. Thomas scrambles and we move quickly through the maze of buildings and rooms until we come to an outside exit. Thomas motions for me to wait, listens intently, and shakes his head. I point behind us. I hear footsteps. Someone’s chasing us. He looks around and points and I nod. We run for what seems like miles. Every time we get to an exit, Thomas listens, shakes his head, and we keep running with someone hot on our heels. After 30 minutes, I’m exhausted.
“Are we lost?” I whisper.
“No. We should be close to the cruise ship section now.” Thomas listens at another door, nods, and we step out.
“Hi! Are you boarding Liberty of the Seas?” The cruise woman is entirely too chipper and Thomas smiles.
“No thanks. Taxis?” She points and we head to the taxi stand.
“Diego? Hal? Mack? How are—”
“Perfectly fine. Hal’s grazed but OK. They followed instructions perfectly.” I sigh in relief. That’s been eating me up for the longest. We move quickly to the taxi stand. “Don’t look behind you,” Thomas says. “That makes you look guilty. You have on different clothes and shoes, but your face and hair are distinctive.”
“You weren’t on the original plan.”
“No, but the moment Les found out my plane landed he called me. Mario and Deuce were watching and they reported that the warehouses were covered 10 deep with gang members.”
“Ten deep?” That’s 10 football fields. Did we just run 10 football fields?
Thomas nods his head for a taxi. One pulls up and Thomas holds the door while I slide in. He scans the area quickly then slides in next to me. “Our partners were spread out perfectly to capture the targets. If Mario and Deuce had been spotted, it would have been impossible for them to get to you without being seen and if they had, you might have taken fire. Plus, it would have exposed the plan.
No one in Miami knows the port like I do, so Les filled me in fast. I had to maneuver carefully to get to you and I had to wait until they left the room to grab you. They had a four man guard on you.”
I’m wondering how he knows the port so well and I’ve decided I don’t want to know. He’s a RangeMan now. That’s all that matters. We climb into a taxi and Thomas gives him an address close to RangeMan but not the RangeMan address. “Did the plan work?”
Thomas grins. “Our partners had a field day,” he whispers. “Over 100 men arrested. We think about 20 got away, but”–he laughs–”120 men to capture one woman?” He high-fives me. “You’re almost as legendary as your man and your partner.”
Thank God. I notice the taxi driver keeps looking at us and he’s made a few turns I don’t recognize. Thomas smoothly removes his gun from the holster and puts it next to the driver’s ear. “No detours, hombre. You know where to go.”
He nods and makes the correct turns back onto the road to RangeMan. We pull up three blocks away 20 minutes later and Thomas and I run through alleys and parking lots to the back entrance. I swipe in, we hit the stairwell, and run up the stairs to 5. I hit the floor and every man there breathes a sigh of relief.
Hector immediately starts checking me over and pokes at the cut on my forehead, which makes me wince. Once he’s sure I’m otherwise scratch-free, he kisses my forehead and begins dialing on his phone. Diego calls Jackson to come patch me up and Jackson quickly inserts two stitches and covers them with a bandage.
I run to Hal and check him over. “Are you OK?”
“Yeah, I’m fine,” he replies. “Candy’s checked me.” Numerous snickers at that. “She’s worried about you.”
No sooner does Hal say it than the stairwell door opens and Candy and Maria come running over, Manny on Candy’s waist.
“Oh God, Steph are you OK?” They smother me in a hug and I wave my arms. I hear lots of laughter.
“Angita!” I look down. Manny has two toy cars. “Play!” He drops to the floor and begins crashing his cars into each other. I laugh and hold out my hand.
“I’m going to clean up, then we’ll play. How’s that?”
He cocks his head to the side, considering it, then nods. “OK.” I get a stream of chatter about his cars, his Tío’s car, his Mommy’s car, questions about my car, etc. I look up and around me and smile.
“To be three again and have my biggest problem be the color of my car.”
We laugh and I call the elevator to take me to 8. Hector looks at me and nods. I fob myself inside the apartment and call Ranger’s number.
“Babe?”
“I’m fine.”
“Hey, Beautiful! I hear you decided to take a cruise.” He snickers.
“I thought about it. Realized now was a bit inconvenient.” Les laughs. “Ranger?” I call softly.
“Yeah?”
“Thomas said 100 were arrested.”
“Yeah.” It’s quiet for a moment. “Drop, Les.”
“I do all the work and I never get to hang around for the fun and the mushy stuff,” Les moans.
“Go debrief the FBI. It was your plan. And Les?”
“Yeah?”
“Good job.”
“Thanks.” That was subdued from Les, but we soon hear his line click. We let the line remain quiet for a minute or two.
“Babe, are you really OK?” Ranger’s voice is soft, as if he’s afraid I might break.
“I’m fine, Ranger. No harm done.” I’m taking a loooong shower the moment I hang up.
Ranger’s quiet for a few minutes. “You had to wear the sexy panties for a kidnapping?”
I laugh, relieved. “Hey, you would’ve been embarrassed if they passed around pictures of me in granny panties. Now they’ll pass around pics of me in the sexy undies.”
I finally hear choked laughter. “I couldn’t care less what they think. Those panties are for me only.”
“How did you know I wore the sexy panties?”
“Tank was contacted. He demanded proof they had you. Lula wants to know where you bought those. So does Tank.” We both laugh, in relief and amusement. “I’m proud of you, Babe. Thanks. That helped.”
I flop back on the bed and smile. “How?”
“Sows seeds of dissension in the ranks. The head of the strike force is a former protégé of my main target. How did the principal targets in the case not know about this? No huge RangeMan presence there, you got away, and none of our men were killed. It looks like a setup.”
I smile. “Glad to help.”
I pull out my list from Ella and review. I don’t have anything new to add to it, just an interest in hearing what Ranger will say.
I keep thinking about what Ella said, about I have to be willing to give Ranger what I want from him, and I realize that I didn’t really put anything under the list of things I’m willing to give Ranger. So I look and add some new items.
-Willing to listen before getting mad
-Willing to listen to what Ranger has to say when my life is danger
I realize that it is now the first of October, the beginning of my eighth month in charge, and I like this job. I like working for RangeMan and being in charge. I’m starting to think about staying.
The lack of freedom is getting to me.
I know that this is the cost of being in a relationship with Ranger. He said it clearly: I would always be at risk. Even when Joe and I were together, I was at risk. Scrog proved it.
I think it’s time to go back to Trenton for a while. The lack of freedom is bothering me. The fact that I’m always being tracked bothers me. I understand that it’s for my safety but I’m not getting a chance to have a say in any of the things that are affecting me lately.
Trackers? Hector’s decision. I’m still not sure how many I have on me. Last I heard was six.
Inability to leave the building without a guard? Ranger, Hector, Hal, Les, Tank. I’m sure Bobby agrees, even though he hasn’t said anything to me directly.
I fold the sheet and put it back in my purse. I take a shower, get redressed and head back downstairs and play with Manny for a while. I’d love to be three again.
Blue car or red car?
I’m dating Batman. Black car. Well . . . he bought me a blue car. Blue car.
“In a stunning show of force, 106 gang members were arrested and are off the streets tonight. John Parkway has the story.”
“Melissa, the FBI is pleased to report that their efforts to curb the gang problem in South Florida . . . “
I’m smiling at the TV. I hope this brings Ranger home faster.
A/N: To clear confusion: The FBI Strike team was waiting for Steph to show because she was the bait. It was a joint RangeMan/FBI Exercise, masterminded by Les. Hector broke through to find out who the ‘client’ really was, which was why the ‘contact’ (Les) was not surprised. Also, White and Knox were kept out of the loop for reasons you’ll see later.
