Steph’s POV

I’m staring out of the windows, desperate for something new to do besides paperwork. Being in the building is driving me insane.

No one should be awake at 0800. It’s a crime against nature. I’ve been awake for two hours already. I think it’s time for me to do some ‘thinking’.

“Sis?” I turn. Hal. He and Ram step into my office.

“What’s up, guys?” We sit at my table and I grab a monogrammed pen. Hal rolls his eyes. “It’s not clothes.”

“I know. Anyway, I thought about what happened with the mall thing two days ago and I went looking through the SOPs and realized that the definition of ‘offline’ wasn’t clearly defined.”

I frown and pull my copy of the SOPs. I flip through and notice that Hal’s right. I look up and both Hal and Ram are smiling.

“So, first, we called Tank yesterday and proposed a change to the SOPs to clearly define what offline means and we’d like to work with you on the definition.”

I smile. Finally! “OK, so …”

“Well, offline has always been understood to refer to a state of inactivity,” Hal says. “A RangeMan in ‘offline’ status is not on the clock, not available to be on the clock, and is incommunicado. Normally, but not always, his partner is not at his back and the RangeMan is free to do whatever he chooses to without regard for company matters. He has to give us an idea when he’ll be back ‘online’ but once ‘offline’, we try not to call him.”

I sit back and frown. Yeah, that sounds like offline as I know it.

“Basically, when we go offline, it means that we’re off to do our own thing and don’t call me,” Ram says. We all laugh. “We’ve sort of thought of it as mini-vacation. We never turn our phones off, in case there’s an emergency, but we aren’t obligated to answer any calls. We take that time to go shopping, rest at home, and do as we please.”

“That’s what I thought offline meant,” I tell them.

“So do you think we need to change the definition, Sis?”

“Nope. I think that definition is fine.”

Hal nods. “OK, then in that case I’d like to negotiate movement.”

I groan. “Like Miami?”

“Yup. Think about it. That made life easier, right?”

I have to admit he’s right there.

“OK, so let’s start.”

It’s just like Miami. Hal and I negotiate every possible place in Trenton I might want to visit, but at the end Hal and I are both smiling. I still have a guard but at least I can leave the building. Hal checks the door then looks at me.

“Do you know where Hector is right now?”

“Yes. He said he was going to Newark in regards to a case.”

Ram nods. “He’s going to see a contact he has in Newark. The head of a gang up there. He’s trying to see what ground conditions are like for you to go offline at some point this week.”

I can barely sit in the seat. I love my partner. Hal and Ram grin. “Caesar is checking with the gang contacts he has in Philly. If it’s safe and Ranger signs off, you might get out of here soon.”

“Offline?”

“Completely offline,” Ram replies.

---

“Steph?” I look up from the budget. It’s Zip and he’s smiling big.

“Yeah?”

“Wanna go skip chasing?”

I have my keys, purse, gun, and stun gun in minutes. Zip and Binkie smile as I kick off my sneakers and put on my boots.

“Hector? Hal?”

“Both are aware.”

I wave at Hal on the way to the stairwell and he nods, smiling. I hit the stairwell and stop on the third floor. I walk into Electronics and Communications and wait for Hec to look up. I motion behind me, he nods, and I salute. I get a finger and a grin.

“Wait here,” I tell Zip. He nods and I walk into Hec’s office. Hec joins me and we close the door.

“OK, so why is this safe?” I whisper.

“I cleared it with Ranger. He says the threat level may decrease soon. Something he’s doing on his end of the op is working. You can get out, with two guards, as long as Hal and I know where you are. I’m watching your trackers.”

I close my eyes and exhale. About time. Same situation as last week, though. I hug Hector tight and he hugs back. “Thanks, Hec.”

He snorts. “Thank Les.” I pull back and look at Hec quizzically. “He’s messing with the gang members and the FBI. He’s got them chasing each other and too busy trying to figure out what’s going on to mess with us at the moment. Les is like a kid in a candy store right now and it’s giving everyone some breathing space.”

I love Les. I’ll make sure I tell him the next time he calls. “Your guy in Newark?”

“Says that his men haven’t seen any new gang members and aren’t hearing anything. Same for the guy in Philly. Everyone knows to call me if they do.”

I hug Hector extra tight. My partner is great. I wave goodbye and rejoin Zip and Binkie.

“Who do we have?” I ask, hitting the stairwell to the garage. I hold my hand out for the keys and we all climb in.

“We thought you’d enjoy this one.” Zip hands me the file and I grin. Oh yeah, I’m going to really enjoy this one. I drive over to Franklin Park and park down the street from the target’s house. I sneak up to the house and peer through the windows. It’s 1030, the sun is climbing high in the sky, but my target’s not there. Damn. We return to the SUV to wait. We wait for an hour but he never shows so we go on to target #2.

Skip #2 decides it would be fun to shoot at me.

I decide it would be fun to trip him with the rake he left in his front yard. Zip and Binkie compliment me on my style and suggest I join a bowling league. I flip them both off. I threw the rake low to the ground and the skip stepped on it while trying to run from me.

Yeah, it sounds cartoonish but it worked. The rake slammed him in the face and he stopped running, clutching his face in pain. I kicked him in the back to drop him to the ground and the rake hit him in the face again.

I’m enjoying this.

---

Skip #3 threw a baby at me the moment he opened the door.

That was an unusual getaway technique and it worked. He got away while the baby threw up on me. I knew I wouldn’t remain clean for long.

He didn’t get away from Zip and Binkie, so while I tried to calm a screaming baby (with no success), Zip and Binkie handcuffed the skip and secured him in the SUV.

“Whose kid is this?”

“Fuck you, bitch.”

I rolled my eyes. “Fine. You want me to leave him there to starve?”

“Not mine so I don’t give a damn.”

I went back to the house and poked around. I found a woman asleep upstairs so I nudged her awake. She woke up pointing a gun at me.

“Who the fuck are you?” she asked, staring at me through one eye. Her other eye was a puffy kaleidoscope of colors. It must’ve been one hell of a shiner in its prime. “And what the fuck are you doing with my kid?”

“Here.” I hand her the baby. She looked confused, so I motion for her to put the gun down and sit up. She takes the baby. “I was looking for his mother.”

“Her.”

I look and shrug. “Sorry. Anyway, we’ve got DeMarcus downstairs but I didn’t want to just leave the baby.”

“How’d you get him?” She’s glaring at me and checking the little girl.

“He decided to toss her at me.”

“Asshole.”

“No disagreement there,” I mutter and wave goodbye.

I climb in the truck and Binkie hands me the RangeMan car kit, which contains baby wipes along with extra guns, ammo, towels, gloves, an extra set of clothes, water, pain relief, bandages and a burn phone. I was surprised to find that this was standard gear in every RangeMan vehicle. I use the baby wipes to clean the vomit off my shirt, give up, strip the shirt and motion for the replacement shirt. It’s huge on me but I don’t smell like baby vomit anymore.

“Nice tits,” the skip says. I hear a smack then a grunt. I roll my eyes. Forgot he was back there.

Zip and Binkie are smiling. “Any chance the next skip has a baby?” Binkie asks Zip.

“I’ll hope to god he does,” he replies. I flip them both off.

I’m still clean and I haven’t had to run yet. Best of all, the skips are the ones being humiliated. Zip and Binkie are guarding my back and filming me in action.

“No garbage, no running, no mess. It’s almost no fun.”

Zip smiles. “The day is just starting. One more to go.”

---

“Hey, Steph!”

My reception at Trenton PD has been pretty cold since I asked about the cop pot for STDs. The guys don’t appreciate it and Carl and Big Dog aren’t speaking to me.

Their wives both filed for divorce.

Meanwhile, every female Trenton PD officer has made a point to come say hey to me when I drop in. Robin came to RangeMan and asked about a training program to help her get into shape like me, so Cal agreed to help her. They’re flirting with each other, which I think is kinda cute.

ML and Connie are excited. They have confirmation that Cal does speak! Connie is still leading, having gotten Hal to say 37 words, and ML’s determined to get the guys to talk to her. The RangeMen find the contest hilarious and are determined to stick to ten words.

“Hey! You have the desk today?”

“Yeah. Who do we have here?” She looks and her eyes widen. “DeMarcus Rogers?” I grin and she raises her hand for a high five. “You go, girl!”

“Thanks. Need the body receipt.”

“No prob. I’m going to enjoy booking his ass.” She writes the body receipt and shakes her head. “And you’re still clean. Nice job.”

I smile at her. “We’ll see how long it lasts. We have a few more today.”

She laughs and salutes me. “Good luck. Do your duty and clean up the streets.”

I take the body receipt outside and climb back into the SUV. I hand the body receipt to Zip, who takes a pic of it with his phone and emails it directly to Connie at the bonds office.

“Cal’s girlfriend manning the desk?” Binkie asks, chuckling.

“Yup. We’re to do our duty and clean up the streets.”

“RangeMan,” Binkie says with a grin. “Doing the jobs others can’t do—”

“Won’t do,” Zip says.

“And are legally supposed to do but aren’t able to,” I finish, thinking of Ranger. I look at the guys. “We’re a real life justice league in black SWAT.”

Zip laughs. “I’ve always thought so. Let’s drop into the office and see how our new investment is performing.”

We head to the bonds shop and walk in. I almost don’t recognize the place.

It’s been repainted white, a change from dirty gray. There’s a new black linoleum floor, nicer chairs and a basic couch. The place smells nice and a window’s been cut into the wall leading from the front office to Connie’s new office. I look at Connie’s assistant.

“Melvin?”

He turns. “Hey!” He comes around to hug me and I’m happy to see him. No wonder all the paper piles are gone. “You look good, Steph. How’s life?”

“Great. I didn’t know you worked here.”

“Part time. Connie’s a good boss.” Melvin is taking the paper files and running them through a scanner. I look and Zip shakes his head and smiles. He nods to Connie’s office. I smile at her and she waves me in.

“Hey, girl!” We hug and the guys take a seat. Connie has warm, fresh doughnuts from Tasty Pastry and I immediately claim the Boston Crème.

“I’m glad you took that,” Connie says. “I always buy two then forget you aren’t coming in.” I bite into my doughnut and savor the creamy goodness. It’s been too long.

“Well, it’s nice to know you’re thinking of me.”

“More like they just know my order and I haven’t bothered to change it.” We laugh and I eat the second doughnut. Binkie and Zip are also eating doughnuts and I feel guilty and happy at the same time. Hal’s going to kill us but we’re not eating them at RangeMan.

“I didn’t know you hired Melvin.”

“Yeah,” Connie says, dropping back into her chair. “I needed someone who would really get at those paper files. Melvin’s in heaven.”

“Really?” I’m looking around. I would never have known Vinnie ever watched animal porno in this office. Connie’s completely redecorated and it looks great. She’s put a cross over the door, potpourri in a warming dish, and . . . “You know, I just realized it’s not freezing in this office.”

“Yeah.” Connie laughs. “First thing I did was call in someone to check the furnace. Finally had that fixed. The guy said he was surprised we weren’t all dead. It was leaking carbon monoxide. So now we’re warm, safe, and I had a monitor and carbon monoxide alarm installed. Vinnie’s cheap ass could have killed us all.”

I shake my head and sit. Connie starts feeding files into her scanner.

“So what are you doing?”

“Vincent Plum Bail Bonds is going paperless. Part of a push by our corporate overlords.” Zip and Binkie grunt while Connie winks at me. I laugh.

“Really?”

“Yeah. Plus, fire hazard. I mean, if this place went up in smoke, think of all the records we would lose. Plus the paper is just fuel for the fire. So we’re digitizing everything. Everyone we’ve ever bailed got a number, and we’re scanning all their info in and entering search terms. Makes things a lot easier. Plus, you gotta see this.”

Connie pulls up our accounting software then checks her email. She finds the body receipts Zip emailed her earlier, checks them against the ones he’s brought in, and authorizes a payment to the RangeMan account. She uploads the body receipts to the SharePoint site set up for the bonds office and tags the body receipts to each of the skips. I’m impressed. Connie sits back in the chair and looks at me.

“Right now, I still want those brought into the office, but we’re thinking of getting to the point where, if you email me a copy of the body receipt, I can just pay the BEAs without ever having to see them. Imagine, never having to look at David or Vinnie! I’m already sending them their files electronically, so they only have to come in to hand me body receipts.”

“Holy crap,” I breathe. Connie grins.

“I know. I wanted to do this years ago but Vinnie wouldn’t invest in what was needed. Now? I got server space, Zip authorized the scanners, and we’re moving ahead.” She grins. “My next request will be a TV and cable in this office, for the day when I don’t have anything to scan and my nails have already been painted.”

“As soon as the CO authorizes that for RangeMan, we’ll consider it,” Zip says, smiling at me. I groan. “By the way, we’ve filed paperwork to change the name.”

Connie and I stare at Zip. “To what?”

“Plum Bail Bonds. After all, Vinnie no longer owns it but he’s a good front. The story will be that Stephanie loaned him capital in exchange for a stake, hence the name change.”

Nearly the truth. I smile and Connie nods. “Good move,” she says. “Can I be there when you tell Vinnie?”

---

“No! No fucking way!” Vinnie is livid and we’re all staring at him. “You don’t get to just change the name of my business just because you bought it. That’s not how this works!”

I raise an eyebrow and Vinnie stops his tirade to stare at me in surprise. “Holy shit. You finally figured out how to do it.”

I freeze my face and turn to Binkie. He grins big and motions for Zip. Zip looks and quickly takes a picture. “Gotta get that for posterity.”

I grin. “Yes!”

Everyone laughs, even Vinnie, before he remembers he’s mad at me. “Look, I get that you bought the place. I get that you co-own it with Ranger. But you haven’t been here a month and you’re ordering me around and making changes to a business I worked years to establish without at least offering me the courtesy of advance warning.” Vinnie sits in the chair and swallows hard. “It’s disrespectful, Steph.”

“It’s the cost of being in business, Vinnie,” I retort. “You spent more time with Barnyard than taking care of business, which is why you lost your stake of your business to your father-in-law in the first place. You started out 50-50 with him, right?”

Vinnie nods, shamefaced but angry. It’s an interesting combination on his ferret-like face.

“Well, in order to save your life, I bailed you out like you bailed me out. I’m allowing Connie to clean this place up so it looks respectable so we can cut into Les Sebring’s business. It’s working, believe me, and he’s pissed about it. The bonds office is profitable and I’m keeping your father-in-law off your back.” I’m looking at Vinnie. “Plum is still up there. We’re just removing the ‘Vinnie’ part. Besides, you made money off my rep. Let’s see if that’s still true.”

Jaw clenched, Vinnie stomps out of the office and slams the outside door. David walks in moments later. “Vinnie looks as if he’s been chewing glass. What’s up?”

“Nothing,” Connie says coolly. “Body receipts?” He hands them over, and she checks them against her email and pays his direct deposit account. “Done.”

In the meantime, David’s been looking at me. “Ms. Plum.”

“Hi.” I select another doughnut, glazed this time. I’m not going to enjoy tomorrow’s gym time.

“I understand you now own this place,” he says, getting comfortable. I can feel Zip tense beside me.

“Your point?”

He shrugs. “I have some ideas I’d like to discuss when you have some time.”

I smile. “Connie and Zip will be happy to hear them.” He looks at me then Zip. “I have enough with running RangeMan. Until Ranger comes back, I’ve given full authority to them. Connie’s your boss. Talk to her.”

He glances at Connie. She’s smiling evilly. So is Zip. David sighs and stands up. “Great. Thanks. Bye.”

Connie looks at me in amusement. “He wants to discuss you allowing him to handle the high bonds.”

“I know. Zip told me.”

“We need to keep him busier. Without Joyce to work off the excess energy, he’s getting into mischief again,” Zip says, looking at Binkie. Binkie smirks.

Connie and I shiver. Yuck.

---

I stop at Pino’s again. Today the reception is much quieter. Tony and Joey are still thrilled to see me, especially since I ordered three large meatball subs, and they serve those up quickly.

The cops ignore me. Carl and Big Dog refuse to look in my direction.

I sit with Zip and Binkie and we discuss the bonds office and what changes Zip wants to make there. Binkie and I discuss what’s going on in monitoring and I approve the chairs with lumbar support for Trenton. Mark reports Boston loves me for that.

We finish up but I can’t stand the silence. I motion for the guys to give me a moment and I head over to the cops’ area. I’m confronted with the ‘blue wall’.

“Stephanie.” Picky is ice cold to me. I ignore him and sit at the table next to Carl and Big Dog.

“I didn’t know,” I whisper to them quietly. “I’m sorry.”

They both look at me. “It wasn’t funny.”

“Nope, but neither were any of my disasters.”

“Yeah, except we weren’t laughing, so you didn’t have the right to either,” Big Dog says angrily. Every cop nearby grunts or makes some noise of approval. I stare at him.

“So that’s what decides whether or not something is funny? Whether or not the person affected is laughing?”

“Yes,” Carl hisses, red.

“When you guys heard what happened to Joyce, that the Mob had bought her, every housewife in Trenton laughed. Even I laughed but I’m sure Joyce wasn’t laughing. It wasn’t funny to her.” Everyone within hearing reddens. “You guys laughed and got your money ready and it wasn’t funny.”

Their eyes drop in shame.

“I felt ashamed of my actions and I made up for it even though she’s been a pain in my ass all my life. You guys have yet to apologize to me, the Stark Street girls, Lula, or anyone else who didn’t laugh at what wasn’t funny.” I stand and look at all of them. “You want everyone to forgive and forget but you haven’t apologized to the people you did wrong in the first place. How can we forgive when you haven’t asked for it?” I turn and walk to the door.

“Steph?” I turn. Carl. He bites his lip, reddens, and finally looks up at me. “I’m sorry.”

“Apology accepted.”

---

“So, skip #4?” We’re just leaving RangeMan. I changed into a new outfit, responded to some emails and checked on Manny. He and Angie are working on his numbers and colors. MA is doing her ‘Pony Express’ thing.

“Alan Fletcher, 43, $250,000 bond. Conspiracy to commit murder.”

I look at the file. “They let him out on bail?”

“Conspiracy is always a hard one to prove.”

We spend the afternoon staking out his most likely hangout spots, but he’s not at any of them. It’s getting close to four and I need to get ready for dinner at my parents’ house. We’re cruising down State Street so I can determine what the line looks like at Giovichinni’s when Binkie spots the skip.

“Ahead on the left. Walking out of his lawyer’s office.”

“Got him.” The guys both strap on their guns but I decide to leave the gun. This is a commercial area. This calls for finesse.

“Let me out. Quick!” Zip pulls over, and I hop out and run around to the parking lot in back.

“Excuse me, sir?” Fletcher looks over at me. I’m not in SWAT anymore. I’m in my jeans and a t-shirt. “Did you just leave Cohn and Associates?”

“Yeah.” He unlocks his car door and opens the driver door. “Why?”

I bite my lower lip. “I need a lawyer. Is he any good?”

He barks a laugh. “Fuck no. Well, it depends on what you need him for.”

“Divorce.” I move closer and take a pen and notepad out of my purse. I look harmless.

“Then hell no. I lost my case. Gotta pay that bitch thousands a month. You need a good lawyer?”

“Yeah. You know one?”

“Orr. Dickie Orr specializes in fucking over your spouse.”

I have to let the red haze clear before I can continue. “How do you spell that?”

“Here, let me see if I still have his card.” He bends over into the car, looking in the center console, and I dig through my purse really quick. Just as he’s pulling his head out, card in hand, I zap him.

He slumps into the seat but I zap him again for thinking Dickie’s a good lawyer and once more for calling his ex a bitch and again for having Dickie’s card and . . .

“Steph?” Zip’s voice is soft and in my ear. “If you don’t stop zapping him he’ll be dead.” I blink at Zip as he takes the stun gun from my hand with a smile. “We got him. Get in the car.”

I walk to the car in a daze. Binkie straps me in and I sit and watch, like I’m watching a movie, as the guys put Alan Fletcher in handcuffs, lock his car door, and strap him in the SUV.

I wonder when Karma will get Dickie.

---

We haul the skip to the cop shop and run into Jeanne Ellen Burrows. She turns from the window with her body receipt and her eyes widen.

“Plum.”

“Burrows.” I don’t know why but even after all the training and the exercise, I still feel like a kid playing next to her.

She looks at me and at the skip. “Good job.” I’m clean. He’s clean. It was a successful day.

“Thank you.”

She nods and leaves. Robin checks Fletcher over and writes us the body receipt. Zip and I are headed out of the cop shop when I hear my name being called. I look over and it’s Jeanne Ellen again, leaning against her car in her ‘CatWoman’ suit, her aviators firmly in place.

“Yeah?”

“One moment.”

I nod at Zip and walk over. “What’s up?”

“Congratulations on the Army PT score. I heard.” She looks suspicious.

“Really?”

“Yeah. Made it up and down the East Coast, believe me. No one believed it but I guess I can put it out that it’s true. They really have you trained.”

It feels like a compliment and an insult all at once. “Thanks.”

“No prob. Now, business matters. Congrats on buying your cousin out but you’re poaching.”

I stare at her. “Poaching?”

“Vinnie handles low bonds and the occasional high skip. Les gets the majority of the high stuff. You’re upsetting the balance.”

I hitch my purse higher on my shoulder. I hear a truck honk behind me and turn to see Zip and Binkie pulling off, but Hector’s just pulled up. I wave goodbye to the guys and turn back to Jeanne Ellen. “Business is business. You want to complain about the bonds or if you need work, talk to Hal or Zip—”

“If I need work?” She looks insulted by the very thought.

“Yeah. That’s the only reason you’re talking to me right now, isn’t it? Otherwise you and I don’t have any reasons to talk. The running of the bonds office and the bonds we write? That’s all on Connie now. I own it because Vinnie needed capital but I don’t run it.”

“So you’re not really running it?” She looks thoughtful.

“I’m watching everything because it’s my money,” I reply firmly. She raises an eyebrow and I nod. “Connie’s the manager and she’s doing a great job. Hal and Zip represent RangeMan’s interest and Vinnie’s still involved. He’s just working as a BEA now. All the owners are watching the business carefully. Anything else?”

“No, I suppose not.” She’s back to looking suspicious.

“If you need work, talk to Connie. If Les is upset about the poaching, he needs to talk to Connie and Hal, not me. I can’t help you.” I climb into the SUV and Hector pulls off, leaving Jeanne Ellen staring after us.

“I can’t stand her,” Hector mutters.

“Why?”

“She once asked Ranger if he intended to ‘upgrade his personnel’ right in front of me.”

“Whoa.” I’m definitely insulted.

Hector nods and turns toward the Burg. “He never again asked for her assistance on anything.”

“Why?” I’m mystified and I’ve always wanted to know why Ranger didn’t hire her.

Hector clenches his jaw and doesn’t speak until we’re outside Giovichinni’s. We sit in the truck for a moment before he turns to me. “RangeMen come from all backgrounds, all walks of life. The last thing he wanted was someone coming around his men and judging them, openly or discreetly, without getting to know them. The fact that she could do that, right in front of me, hell, right in front of him, proved that she judged on appearances and, after that, Ranger had no further use for her.”

I’m staring at Hec, stunned. “It’s the reason he chose to work with Vinnie instead of Sebring. Vinnie might be a slimy piece of work but he does way more business in volume than Sebring does in price because all Vinnie cares about is ability to pay. That’s why Sebring is panicking now. If Plum Bail Bonds starts cutting into his business, he’s screwed.”

---

I’m back at Giovichinni’s, getting the olive loaf and the Swiss cheese. I left without it yesterday because I was too pissed to wait for it.

Just like last time, Hector’s with me. This time, everyone’s quiet. No one is saying anything to me. No one is even looking at me. Even Gina merely nodded and went on taking orders.

“I enjoy this,” I murmur to Hector.

He grins. “Me too.”

When it’s was my turn, I step forward and give Gina my order. She laughs.

“Don’t worry about it. I sliced it up and kept it in the back. I knew you’d be back. How’s it going?”

“Good. You?”

“Really good.” She leans over the display case. “Gotta say, what you did for Joyce was nice. Nicer than she deserved, the bitch.”

Joyce decided to move outside Las Vegas. Zip made sure she was cleared with the RWJF. In the end, Joyce was carrying gonorrhea, chlamydia, and HPV. She’ll have to be tested for the rest of her life, but she’s otherwise clean.

We spoke before she left. It was the usual conversation.

---

“Stephanie.” Joyce moves back to allow me, ML, and Zero to walk in.

“Joyce.” I look around our safe house. It’s a mess; there are boxes everywhere. “Packed?”

“Yes.” She looks around. “I’d like to say goodbye to Kevin and my parents before I leave.”

I shrug. “Fine. Anything else?”

“No.” We stare at each other before Joyce turns to ML and stares at her. Her jaw is clenched and, in this moment, ML proves she’s a much better person than me.

“Good luck, Joyce. I hope you enjoy Vegas.”

“Right,” Joyce mutters. “I’m being exiled from family, from my friends, from—”

“Oh please don’t start,” Zero mutters. ML and I turn to look at him. His ears redden but he’s staring at Joyce. “Steph’s already saved your life. ML honestly and sincerely wished you good luck. I’ve coordinated your care free of charge and you’re going to start whining again? Please don’t or I’ll sew your lips shut.”

Joyce is red and furious looking but Zero is unmoved. “Most ungrateful fucking person I’ve ever met. Not even a thank you to the woman who personally intervened to save your fucking life and made it possible for you to move across the country, giving you a fresh start.”

“Zero!” I hiss. I glare at him. I don’t want Joyce to know I’m paying for her move.

He shrugs. “She tried to ‘tempt’ me to convince me to help her change your mind. Like I’d touch her. Jesus, I know what they tested her for and I know what she was on. I wouldn’t fuck her with my worst enemy’s dick!”

I turn to Joyce. “Did you really try to seduce Zero?”

She reddens but says nothing.

I shake my head. Even at the end, Joyce was still trying to screw her way out of a situation. Thank god my guys are smarter than that. ML just looks appalled, shaking her head in disgust. I stare at Joyce and sigh.

“Goodbye, Joyce. Don’t move back. If you come back, for a visit or anything else, you’re taking your life into your own hands. I won’t protect you.”

“Yeah, I know.” Joyce’s face is set in stone and I wave and head for the door.

“The RangeMen will arrive in 30 minutes to help you move from here. Call your family. Tell them to meet you at your apartment. The guys will load the POD for you while you say goodbye. I want you out of Trenton before the sun goes down.”

“What do I do for money?”

I turn. ML’s already halfway to the car and Zero’s standing by my side shaking his head. “I can’t solve all your problems, Joyce. I’ve done what I could by saving your life.”

I leave and climb back into the SUV. ML looks at me.

“I heard a new quote a few days ago that I put up on the board in the kitchen for the times when I really need it.”

“Oh yeah? What?”

She grins. “Sometimes . . . the first step to forgiveness is realizing that the other person is bat-shit crazy.”

Zero starts laughing. I stare at ML for a minute before I start laughing. We, all three of us, sit in the SUV for at least ten minutes, laughing our asses off. I return to Trenton, drop ML off at her house and go back to RangeMan, grateful that that part of my life is over.

The guys later confirm that Joyce left New Jersey by six that night. The POD will be delivered and stored in Vegas for a month, giving Joyce time to get there, find an apartment, and unpack her stuff. After that, I’m done. Vince told me that Joyce’s family glared at them while they packed the POD and not one person had anything nice to say.

I asked him what he was expecting. Kindness?

I personally paid the overtime pay to the guys to thank them for dealing with her.

---

Gina hands me the olive loaf and Swiss cheese, forcing me from my memories, and I wave goodbye. Hector and I get in the SUV and I sit for a moment without turning the truck on.

“Angelita?” I turn. Hector looks worried. I smile at him.

“I’ve been Ranger for a day. I captured three skips and stayed clean most of the time. I went to the bonds shop and harassed Vinnie, checked on the company, and signed paperwork.” I sigh. “I did this knowing that someone, somewhere, wants to kill me and I have no idea when they’ll try. If they’ll ever try.”

Hector snorts. “No, you’ve been Stephanie for a day.” I look at him, a half smile on my face. “You chased three skips, RangeMan skips, and they all acted more like your skips than ours. Barely any shooting or running, no real dangerous activity at all. Embarrassments to fugitives world-wide.”

I laugh and Hector grins.

“You went and checked out your new business, the bonds shop. You ate doughnuts, gossiped with Connie, harassed Vinnie and left with a RangeMan guard.”

I’m smiling now. Hector’s painting a pretty good picture.

“You had a late lunch at Pino’s, where you treated the Trenton PD cops better than they deserved, had a showdown with Catwoman”—I laugh—”then went to Giovichinni’s, like a dutiful daughter, and picked up olive loaf”—Hec makes a face—”and Swiss cheese. You did this knowing that someone, somewhere, wants to kill you and you have no idea when they’ll try. If they’ll ever try. Now we’re headed to go eat at your parents, where God only knows what the dinner conversation will consist of and what the selection will be, but there will be cake.”

I smile. Hector smiles.

“And cake trumps everything,” we both state in unison.

---

We pull up at 5:50 and look at the house. It’s bedlam.

Val and Albert are having a screaming match on the front lawn and the entire neighborhood has turned out to watch. The girls are quiet, Mom’s trying to calm Val, Albert’s red and embarrassed and Lisa is standing next to Val and screaming along with her mother. I look at Hector.

“Oh, no, please no, Angelita,” Hec moans. “Please.”

“Call Ella. She needs a kick in the ass.” Hec sighs and dials Ella while I get out and march up to Val and Albert.

“I want to be home,” Val screams. “I want—”

“I want to be a rock star’s girlfriend,” I scream. Everyone stares at me. “I want to be Wonder Woman and fly. I want to be invisible.” I stare at my sister, who has finally shut up. “That’s everything I wanted to be before 18. Now? I want a safe place to live. I want to enjoy dinner. I want Ranger to come home safe and sound and I want Joe to be OK. I want Rex to live forever and I’m happy when I have one day a week when I know I look really hot.

That’s all I want, Val, and guess what? As simple as that list is, I don’t always get it. I got spat up on by a baby today, so there goes looking hot. Rex will someday die and I hate that thought. I worry about Ranger and Joe because I have no idea if they’re OK or not. Clearly, the way you’re screaming, I’m not going to enjoy dinner because you’re going to make that impossible. My win today? My place to live is still safe.”

Everyone is now staring at me.

“Now get your ass in the SUV! We’re going to have dinner at RangeMan.” I pull her away from Albert and the house and drag her to the SUV. Val follows mutely and gets in. I go back to Mom and hand her the olive loaf and Swiss. I look at Albert.

“I’ll bring her back later tonight. Enjoy dinner.”

“Thanks,” he says quietly.

I get back in the SUV and Hec drives back to RangeMan. We take the elevator to 7 and I call Ella.

“Thirty minutes, sweetheart. Chicken piccata OK?”

“That’s fine, Ella. Thank you.”

I drop my purse and stare at my sister, who is examining the apartment. “This is your apartment with Ranger?” She’s looking at the living room.

I pull the door to the bedroom. I’m grateful the personal stuff is in there. Ranger might be unhappy I brought her here, but this is my home too. I should be able to have the occasional visitor, or my insane sister, if I want.

“Yeah.”

“Classy.” She nods in approval. “Restoration Hardware, Pottery Barn, West Elm, some specialty pieces.” She peers in the kitchen. “Custom cabinets.” She sighs. “This reminds me of my house in California. You never saw it, but it was just as beautiful as this place.” She turns and looks at me. “I wanted to be featured in House Beautiful or Architectural Digest.”

I laugh. “The furniture matches. That’s enough for me.”

“Ranger has excellent taste,” she says, grudgingly.

“Ella has excellent taste.” Val looks at me quizzically. “Ella decorated this place.”

“Oh.” She nods approvingly. “It’s nice.” She sighs and stares at me. “You chose him, didn’t you?” She looks concerned.

I sit and unlace my boots, then stretch. “Yeah.”

“Why?”

I exhale and lean against the couch cushions. “Because he gives me what I don’t get from Joe, what you aren’t giving Albert right now.” I glare at her. “Support. Encouragement. Understanding.”

“Oh my god, do you love him?” She looks astonished. “Yes or no, Steph. Don’t try to wiggle around the question.”

I stare at her for a long, tense moment before closing my eyes. “Yes. Yes, I do love him.”

“Why?” I open my eyes and Val looks incredulous. “I mean . . . why? He’s not . . .” I stare at her and wait to see what she’ll say. Val sits down in complete confusion. “Steph, he’s scary as hell! No one knows what he does, where he goes, I hear rumors he’s a killer—”

“Val!” She shuts her mouth with a snap and looks at me. I’m sitting up, furious.

“We had this discussion once. The Burg needs to get its collective ass out of his business! Mine too. I’m sick of it! All you need to know about him is that I love him. He loves me. He’s always been there for me. He never judges me for getting it wrong or making mistakes. He just helps me stand up and try again.” I let out a disgusted breath and pat the couch cushion next to me and, after a moment’s hesitation, Val moves to sit next to me. She looks astonished. “Do you want to be divorced twice?”

“No!” She looks horrified by the idea. “Of course not! How could you even think that?”

“Because you’re acting like it.”

“I just want to be home,” she whines.

I’m going to choke her if she says that again. My eye is twitching. “Why?”

“Because.” Val bites her lower lip. “We had a great childhood. Mom was always there when we needed her. She was always there to make our lunches, she had dinner on the table when we got home, and our family was close. It was great. We were stable and just like everyone else in the neighborhood.”

She sighs and gets comfortable on the couch and I pass her a blanket. “Everyone sneers at this lifestyle now,” she says, looking at her fingers. “Everyone acts as if being a career woman should be every woman’s ambition. Well, it’s not mine. I agree with Jackie O. It doesn’t matter what else you do with your life if you screw up raising your kids.”

I’m quiet. That’s the first time I’ve ever heard my sister defend her life in a way I understand. Worse? I do understand. She has to defend her desire to stay home. I’ve always had to defend my life and choices.

I get it. I finally understand why she’s so pissed. Everyone’s telling her she’s wrong and she doesn’t care. She wants to do what she wants because it’s what she believes is right.

“I’m sorry,” I tell her. Val looks up at me and I shrug. “You’re right. You shouldn’t have to defend your lifestyle.”

“Thank you,” she says quietly. I get up and go to the fridge and get some water. I return to the couch and sit back.

“I get it,” Val says. “I get that we’re in financial trouble and I’m scared and pissed and angry and wondering how in the hell it happened.” She looks at me, tears in her eyes. “I’m scared, Steph. This is almost as scary as Steve leaving me. My husband is telling me we have no money and lots of debts and we might be homeless. I’m pregnant, Steph. I’m about to have another baby. I never expected this to happen again. And every time I start talking about it, I panic. I feel sick. I feel the panic and rage and helplessness all over again and I just start screaming. I can’t help it. I’m just so afraid.—”

“Calm down,” I interrupt, feeling panicky. “I don’t have a paper bag for you to hyperventilate into and if you start screaming, the RangeMen will storm this apartment, guns drawn.”

Val stares at me mutely before she smiles then laughs. She laughs and rubs her belly, tears dripping down her face. Val still cries more attractively than I do. I pass Val the Kleenex.

“Thanks, I needed that.” She wipes her face. “Everyone keeps telling me that I have to work and all I see is the fact that I won’t be home for the girls. I won’t be able to give them the lifestyle, the childhood, I had. That’s all I want. I want them to know that Mommy will always be there.” She sighs. “Women who work? I listen to them. They’re always bitching and moaning about having to ask permission to leave work to take care of their kids. They have to juggle work and family.”

She looks at me. “That’s not an either or for me. My children come first, no matter what. I shouldn’t have to ask permission to find out where my daughter is after she disappears from her school group at the capital.” I wince. “I shouldn’t have to rely on my parents, my sister, and my sister’s employees to babysit my children and pay for their needs. That’s my job. Mine and my husband’s.” Val sniffs. “I’ve never felt like such a failure as a mom because I’m not giving my girls what they need. I’m not there for them.”

“That’s not true, Val.” Val wipes her eyes and looks at me. “They know you’re there for them. But you’re married to Albert. Does he know you’ll be there for him?”

“Of course—”

“Not if you’re having screaming matches with him on our parents’ front lawn, he doesn’t.” I sigh and pull the blanket onto my legs. We have a quick tug of war and I let her win. “Val, Mom and Dad never fought in front of us, did they?”

“No . . .”

“But you’re fighting in front of the girls. Mom may have made most of the decisions but if Dad put his foot down, that was the end of it, right?”

“Yeah.” Val looks sullen and is starting to pout.

“No matter what, they were a united front in front of us. We could never divide and conquer them, could we?”

She smirks. “I never tried. Only you did.”

“And it never worked.”

She laughs and I stick my tongue out at her. We sit quietly for a few minutes.

“You have to quit yelling at Albert, Val.” I have a brainwave and smile. “Besides, do you realize how bad that looks for him?”

“What?” Val says in confusion.

“Your husband is gaining a reputation as a mediator but he’s being gossiped about all over town because he and his wife can’t get along.” Val blanches. “It makes him look like a horrible mediator every time you start screaming at him in public. How can he get opposing sides to calm down and listen to each other when his wife is screaming at him all the time, everywhere they go? You keep doing that and he’ll lose clients. That’ll be the end of his mediation career. Then what?”

Val’s white and barely breathing.

“Be angry at Albert. Be angry at Albert, Steve, the whole damn world if you want, but quit screaming about it in public. Quit screaming about it all the time. Quit screaming about it in front of the girls. The RangeMen aren’t even tied into Burg gossip and they know everything going on in your home because that’s all anyone is talking about.” Val swallows hard. She’s still white. “Has your screaming made a difference?”

The tears are running down Val’s face. I hand her a few Kleenex and watch her dab at them.

“No,” she says quietly.

“Then move on, sis. Get a plan together. Figure out how to fix it, but you have to work with Albert instead of yelling at him.”

Val glares at me. “It’s easy for you to say. You’re not standing around on your feet for eight hours like me, trying to convince arrogant housewives, cheap college students, and new homeowners to buy furniture that you personally think is pretty ugly. You aren’t listening to your co-workers snicker and call you ‘clown’. And I know they’re laughing at me. And they don’t have real maternity leave, so I have to have my baby and go right back to work! My life is SHIT!“

Val breaks into tears again and I lean my head back and sigh. Saint Valerie definitely died somewhere between California and New Jersey. I let her cry until she tires herself out, sniffling into her Kleenex.

“You have a housekeeper bringing us dinner and doing your laundry,” she says, looking at me angrily. “You sit around on your ass and sign paperwork, you—”

“Val.” She glares at me. “Do you know what I did today?”

“No. What?”

“I woke up at 5:45 and was in the gym at six. I was in the gun range at seven. I was chasing skips by ten. I caught three today. I had lunch at Pino’s, stopped in to see Vinnie, and had a showdown with another BEA. I have hours of paperwork to do tomorrow since I didn’t do any today. My day is busy because I’m in charge of six branches, 500 men, and a multi-million dollar budget and payroll.”

I drop my head back. “Damn! And tomorrow is payroll day so I’m actually going to spend hours tonight reviewing payroll. My day will probably end at 11 tonight.” I laugh. “That’s my day but I don’t want to get into a ‘I have it harder than you’ fight. We both have hard and difficult days. That’s not my point. This is my point.” I sit up and look at her. “That’s my life and you know why I’m doing this?”

She’s still staring at me. “No. Why?”

“Because Ranger trusts me to do it. Because Tank trusts me to do it. Because Les and Bobby trust me to do it. They’ve always been there for me and helped me out, so this is me paying them back. That’s why.” I sit up and look at her. “You aren’t doing that for Albert. He tried, for years, to make it possible for you to stay home with the kids. He can’t do it anymore and he asked for your help. Your help, Val. What did Ranger give me?”

Val is silent for a long time. I boot up my computer and check my email. Full inbox. Crap. Hours of work tomorrow.

“Support, encouragement, and understanding,” she finally mutters.

There’s a knock at the door and I open it. It’s Ella with dinner for us. “I included some cake,” she whispers, wheeling the cart into the dining room.

“You’re the best, Ella.” She grins and leaves. I put the plates on the table and turn. Val is already moving to the table. I grab some water and we sit and enjoy dinner. Val scrapes her plate and sits back, content.

“That was delicious.”

“Yeah. I don’t mess with Ella.”

“You have a kitchen, though,” she says, looking around. “You could cook. She could teach you to be a great cook.”

I snort. “I’m not interested. Ranger can cook.”

“Really?” Her eyes are wide and I nod.

“Yeah. He’s pretty good at it. He cooks, I clean.” I sit back and look at Val. “Ranger doesn’t need me to be Susie Homemaker. He has people who can do that.”

“Like Ella,” she mutters.

“Like Ella. What Ranger wants is someone who understands and accepts his life and that’s all I’ve ever wanted, someone who understands and accepts my life. Ranger understands I may never want to get married”—Val makes the cross across her chest and I roll my eyes—”or have kids and he’s OK with that. What matters is whether or not we’re there for each other.”

“You mean you’re actually contemplating living in sin with him?” She looks horrified.

I shrug. “I’ve been married and divorced. So has he. Technically, we aren’t eligible for the sacrament of marriage anyway.” I look at her and grin. “You married a Jew. Nice of you to have a double standard there, Sis.”

“Still.” She sniffs. “I married.”

“Yeah, but according to the Church, you’re living in sin,” I tease her. Val glares at me but I reach over to the cart for the cake. Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. Ella’s the best. I pass Val a slice. “You’re about to have another baby. Albert is really making a name for himself in mediation and his salary’s rising, right?”

“How did you know?”

“The girls. Your husband talks to his step-daughters more than his wife. Anyway, do you know what your finances look like now?”

She nods. “Yeah.”

“And you guys have a plan?” She nods. “And you’re working on reducing debt?” She nods again. “Then quit making Albert feel like less than a man for needing help. Support. Encouragement. Understanding.”

“And love?” She says, staring at me.

“And love.”