10 Ten Big Ones (23 page)

Rex. Turn, ' I said. 'I'm stuffed. '

Rex was running on his wheel and didn't bother to respond. Rex was a little slow. He didn't always see the humor in sarcasm.

'Probably I should call Morelli, ' I said to Rex. 'What do you think?'

Rex was noncommittal on the subject, so I dialed Morelli.

'Hey. ' Morelli said.

I gave him my smiley voice. 'It's me. Sorry we had a bad connection this afternoon. '

'You've got to practice your crackle. You've got too much phlegm in it. '

'I thought it was pretty good. '

'Second rate, ' Morelli said. 'What's up? Are you going to tell me about Ward? It seems he's disappeared. '

'He escaped from us. '

'Apparently he escaped from everybody. His brother hasn't seen him either. '

'Hmmm. That's interesting. '

'You didn't kidnap him, did you?'

'Kidnap is an ugly word. '

'You didn't answer my question, ' Morelli said.

'You don't really want me to, do you?'

'Jesus. '

1 have something else to tell you before this conversation goes down the drain. I met Junkman today. About an hour ago. I was in

Ranger's truck, parked in front of the office, and Junkman rapped on my window and introduced himself. '

Astonishment that this had happened. Fear for my safety. Anger that I'd allowed contact. Frustration that he couldn't fix the problem. When he finally spoke it was in his flat cop voice.

Tell me about it, ' Morelli said.

'He was big. Around six foot two. And he was chunky. It looked like muscle, but it was hard to tell for sure. I didn't get to see his face. He was wearing dark glasses. And he had a big oversize sweatshirt hood over his head. '

'Caucasian, Hispanic, African-American?'

'African-American. Maybe some Hispanic. He had a slight accent. He said he was going to kill me, but he had to loll a cop first. He said he was doing it for fun, but I think that's just part of it. When he left he gave me a hand signal. Probably some gang tiling. Definitely not Italian. '

It's almost ten o'clock. What were you doing in front of the bonds office at nine o'clock?'

'Lula and Connie and I were out looking for Ward. '

'Where were you looking?'

'Around. '

There was another big silence and I sensed things were going to deteriorate now, so I moved to wrap it up. 'Gotta go, ' I said to him.

Turning in early tonight. I just wanted to check with you. And I wanted to tell you I... Uh, like you. ' Shit. I chickened out! What was it with me that I couldn't say the big L word? I am such a dope.

Morelli sighed into the phone. 'You are such a dope. '

I returned the sigh and disconnected.

That went well, ' I said to Rex. Yeesh. Thirteen

It was ten o'clock at night, and I was bone tired. I'd been cold and wet all day. I had just had an embarrassing phone conversation with Morelli. And one cup of nonfat, unfruited, unsweetened, unchocolated yogurt wasn't doing it for me.

'Sometimes sacrifices need to be made, ' I told Rex. 'Sometimes you have to sacrifice weight loss for the pleasure of eating a peanut butter sandwich on worthless white bread. '

I felt a lot better after I ate the peanut butter sandwich on the worthless white bread, so I passed on the milk with the 2 percent butterfat and drank a glass of Ranger's watery, tasteless skim. Am I righteous, or what?

I said good night to Rex, and I switched the light off in the kitchen. I was too tired and cold for television. And I was too grungy just to crawl under the covers. So I dragged myself to the shower.

I stood in the shower until I was pruney and toasty warm. I pulled on red bikini undies and dropped one of Ranger's black T-shirts over my head. I dried my hair, and I climbed into bed.

I got out of bed, padded to the front door, and checked the locks. All locked. Not that it mattered with Ranger. He had a way with locks. Didn't matter if it was a deadbolt, a slide bolt, a chain.

Nothing stopped Ranger. Fortunately, Ranger wasn't due home.

And the average garden-variety thief, rapist, murderer, gang guy didn't have Ranger skills.

I slumped back to bed and closed my eyes. I was safe for at least a couple more days.

I struggled out of sleep thinking something was wrong. I was caught at the edge of a dream, and something was pulling me awake. It was the light, I thought. Dim but annoying. I'd fallen asleep and left a light burning somewhere in the apartment. Probably did it when I checked the locks. Probably I should get up and turn the light off.

I was on my stomach with my face smushed into the pillow. I squinted at the bedside clock. Two o'clock. I didn't want to get out of bed. To quote Grandma Mazur, I was snug as a bug in a rug. I closed my eyes. The hell with the light.

I was trying hard to ignore the light when I heard the faint rustle of clothing from the far side of the room. If I was a man this would have been the point where my gonads ran for cover and hid inside my body. Since I didn't have any gonads, I kept my eyes closed and hoped death came quickly.

After about twenty seconds of this I got impatient with waiting for death. I opened my eyes and rolled onto my back.

Ranger was leaning one shoulder against the doorjamb, his arms loosely crossed over his chest. He was dressed in his usual working outfit of black T-shirt and black cargo pants.

'I'm trying to decide if I should throw you out the window, or if

I should get in next to you, ' Ranger said, not looking especially surprised or angry.

'Are there any other options?' I asked him.

'What are you doing here?'

1 needed a safe place to stay. '

His mouth curved at the corners. Not quite a smile but definite amusement. 'And you think this is safe?'

'It was until you came home. '

The brown eyes were unwavering, fixed on me. 'What scares you more... Getting thrown out the window or sleeping with me?'

I sat up in bed, pulling the covers up with me. 'Don't flatter yourself. You're not that scary. ' Liar, liar, pants on fire!

The almost-smile stayed in place. 'I saw the gun and the flak vest when I came in. '

'You should have asked Tank for help, ' Ranger said.

'I don't always feel comfortable with Tank. '

'And you feel comfortable with me?'

I hesitated with my answer.

'Babe, ' Ranger said. 'You're in my bed. '

'Yes. Well, I guess that would indicate a certain comfort level. '

His attention dropped to my chest. 'Are you wearing my shirt?'

1 have to do laundry. '

Ranger unlaced his boots.

'What are you doing?'

He looked over at me. `I'm going to bed. I've been up since four this morning, and I just drove nine hours to get home. Half of it in pouring rain. I'm beat. I'm going to take a shower. And I'm going to bed. '

'Urn... '

'Don't look so panicked. You can sleep on the couch, or you can leave, or you can stay in the bed. I'm not going to attack you in your sleep. At least it's not my plan right now. We can figure this out in the morning. '

And he disappeared into the bathroom.

Heaven help me, I didn't want to give up the bed. It was warm and comfy. The sheets were silky smooth. The pillows were soft.

And the bed was big. I could stay on my side, and he could stay on his side, and we'd be fine, right? Clearly, he didn't think my staying was a sexual invitation. We were adults. We could do this.

I turned on my side, face to the wall, back to the bathroom, lulled into sleep by the distant sound of the shower and the rain on the window.

I came awake slowly, thinking I was back at Morelli's house. I could feel the warmth from the man next to me, and I edged closer. I reached out, and the instant my fingertip touched skin I realized my mistake.

'Oops, ' I said.

I meant to push away, but I was distracted by the scent of the sexy shower gel mingled with warm Ranger. 'You smell great, ' I told him, my lips brushing against his neck as I spoke, my mind suddenly not totally connected to my mouth. I thought of you every time I took a shower. I love this stuff you use. '

'My housekeeper buys it for me, ' Ranger said. 'Maybe I should give her a raise. '

And he kissed me.

'Oh shit, ' I said.

'Now what?'

`I'M sorry. I'm having a major guilt attack over Morelli. '

'While we're on the subject, why aren't you in his bed?'

'Same old, same old. '

'You had a fight, and you moved out. '

'More like a disagreement. '

`I'm seeing an unhealthy pattern of behavior here, Babe. '

Tell me about it. 'I didn't want to move back home because

Junkman was looking for me, and I didn't want to endanger my family. ' Plus they'd drive me crazy. 'I was going to sleep in the truck, but it led me here. The GPS was on. I just followed it backwards. '

'And broke into my apartment?'

1 had a key. You don't seem especially upset or surprised that I borrowed your apartment. '

With the exception of the seventh floor, the entire building inside and out is monitored. Tank called me when you pulled up to the gate. I assumed you had a good reason for needing the apartment, so I told him to let you stay. '

That was nice of you. '

'Yeah, I'm a nice guy. And I'm late for work. ' He rolled out of bed, stood at bedside, pressed speaker phone, and hit a button.

A woman's voice came on. 'Good morning, ' she said. 'Welcome home. '

I looked over at him. He was wearing the black silk boxers. They sat disturbingly low on his hip, and his hair was mussed from sleep.

How I'd managed to stop kissing him and give in to the guilt was a mystery. Even now, I was having a hard time not jumping across the bed and grabbing him.

'What was that?' I asked, thankful my voice didn't sound as breathless as I felt.

'Ella and Louis Guzman manage this building for me. I work here, and sometimes I sleep here. That's about it. Ella makes it easy for me. She does the cooking, the cleaning, the laundry, the shopping. '

'And she brings you breakfast?'

'She'll be at the door in ten minutes. I've never had a woman here before, so she's going to be curious. Just smile and endure it.

She's a very nice lady. '

I was dressed and had my teeth brushed when Ella rang the bell. I opened the door to her, and she bustled in carrying a large silver tray.

'Hello. Good morning!' she said, all smiles as she swept past me.

She was small and robust with short black hair and bright bird eyes. Early fifties, I thought. She was wearing bright red lipstick.

No other makeup. She was dressed in black jeans and a black V-neck knit shirt. She set the tray on the dining-room table and laid out two place settings.

This is Rangers usual breakfast, ' Ella said to me. 'If you would like something different I'd be happy to make it for you. Maybe some eggs?'

'Thank you. This will be fine. It looks lovely. '

Ella excused herself and retreated, closing the door behind herself. She'd brought hot coffee in a silver pot with matching cream and sugar, a platter of sliced fruit and berries, a small silver dish of lox, and two small pots of cream cheese. A white linen napkin covered a basket of sliced, toasted bagels.

Ranger was in the bedroom, lacing his boots. He was dressed in his usual uniform, hair still damp from the shower.

'What is that?' I said, arm straight, finger pointing to the dining room.

He rose out of the chair and walked to the doorway. 'Breakfast?'

'You eat like this everyday?'

'Every day that I'm here. '

He poured the coffee and took some fruit. 'Only when I'm in a third-world jungle. And I'm almost never in one of those. '

'I've been eating that cardboard cereal in your cupboard. '

Ranger cut his eyes to me. 'Babe, I looked in my cupboard.

You've got Frosted Flakes in there. '

'So, ' I said, 'is this the Bat Cave?'

'This is an apartment I keep in my office building. I have similar buildings and apartments in Boston, Atlanta, and Miami. It turns out security is big business these days. I supply a variety of services to a wide range of clients. Trenton was my first base of operation, and it's the place I spend most of my time. My family is still in

Jersey. '

'Why all the secrecy?'

'We're not secretive about the office buildings, but we try to keep a low profile. '

'We?'

'I have partners. '

'Let me guess the

Justice League. The Flash, Wonder Woman, and Superman. '

Ranger looked like he was thinking about smiling.

'Okay, forget the partners, ' I said. 'I want to get back to the Bat

Cave. Is there a Bat Cave?'

Ranger took a bagel and speared some lox onto it. 'You're going to have to work harder for that one. It's not in the phone book, and

GPS isn't going to take you there. '

A challenge.

Junkman. '

'Not much to tell. He wants to kill me. I told you everything I know last night. '

'What are you doing about it?'

'Connie and Lula and I kidnapped a Slayer. The plan was to get him to talk to us about Junkman, but we haven't had any luck. '

Ranger finished his bagel and pushed back from the table to finish his coffee. 'Kidnapping a Slayer is good. Why wouldn't he talk?'

'He didn't want to. '

Ranger paused with the coffee cup halfway to his mouth. 'You're supposed to persuade him. '

'We were going to slap him around, but when we got him tied to the chair it turned out none of us could hit him. '

Ranger burst out laughing and coffee sloshed out of his cup onto the table. He put the coffee down and reached for his napkin, trying not to laugh, not having a lot of luck at it.

'Jeez, ' I said. 'I think that's the first time I've ever seen you laugh like that. '

There's not a lot to laugh about when you're knee deep in garbage. And that's where we usually operate. ' He swiped his napkin across the table, blotting up the coffee spill.

'If you have all this, why do you still do fugitive apprehension?'

`I'M good at it. And someone has to do the job. '

I followed him into his dressing room and watched him open the locked drawer and remove a gun. I was working hard at keeping my eyes focused above his waist, but I was thinking no underwear!

'Do you still have your Slayer hidden away?' he asked.

'Yes. '

'Is he secure?'

'Yes, ' I said.

'My day is filled, but we can talk to him tonight. In the meantime, don't have any contact with this guy. Don't feed him. Let him worry. ' He clipped the gun to his belt. 'I need the truck. Use one of the Porsches. The keys are in the plate on the sideboard. The communication room and gym are on the fifth floor. Feel free to use the gym. Ella and Louis live on the sixth floor. You can intercom number six if you need anything. She'll be in today to make the bed and clean and pick up laundry. She'll do your laundry if you leave it out for her. ' He glanced at his watch again. `I have a meeting scheduled. I'm assuming you want to live here a while longer?'