'So they were going to do what to you?'
'Dave didn't say, but I don't think it was anything good.'
I cleaned my plate and looked over at the tray. No dessert. Ranger never ate dessert. Another reason I couldn't marry Ranger. That and the fact he didn't see marriage as an option.
We loaded the dishwasher, put the leftover food in the fridge, and migrated into the den to watch television.
'Do you watch television a lot?' I asked him.
'Almost never.' He remoted his way through the guide. 'No games on tonight. Only boxing.'
I thought about Lula's theory on bringing out the beast in a man. So far, Ranger had the beast under control. Best not to disturb that balance.
'No boxing,' I said.
'Okay, let's roll through the movies. The Terminator, Pulp Fiction, Braveheart, The Transporter, Deliverance. Any of those turn you on?'
Where was Terms of Endearment when you needed it? 'They're all sort of violent,' I said.
'And?'
'There must be other movies.'
Ranger clicked through more of the guide. 'Bruce Lee?'
'Keep going.'
'I'm not watching Jane Eyre.”
'Okay, great, go with Bruce Leo.'
'Maybe you'll learn something,' Ranger said.
'Just don't get any ideas.'
'About what?'
'About anything.'
Ten minutes into Bruce Lee, I sucked in some air. 'Uh oh,' I said.
The uh oh had been an inadvertent exclamation. Nature had struck at an inopportune time, placing me in an awkward position.
Ranger looked over at me. 'What?'
'Nothing.' At least nothing I wanted to share with Ranger.
'It's something. What is it?'
'Cramps.'
'Babe.'
'I need… you know,' I said to him.
'You don't have anything with you?'
'I was planning on staying in my apartment. And then I left in a hurry. And I forgot until just now.'
'Do you want me to send one of my men out for something?'
'Would they do that?'
'I'd have to pay him extra.'
'Maybe Ella can help me.'
I ran downstairs to see Ella, and ten minutes later, I was back on the couch.
'Everything okay?' Ranger asked.
'Yes. Ella had some.'
Bruce Lee was kicking ass on the screen, and God knows what this was doing to Ranger's libido, but I now realized nature had come through for me. What had at first seemed like an embarrassing disaster was in actuality a blessing. This was my lucky week. First Joyce, and now nature.
Ranger slid an arm around me and nuzzled my neck. Bruce Lee was getting to him.
'Lula has a theory that violent movies put a man in the mood,' I said to Ranger.
'Everything puts a man in the mood,' Ranger said.
'Good thing I got cramps, eh? I'm safe.'
'Not from me,' Ranger said.
Eek. 'Guess again,' I told him.
Ranger changed channels to Jane Eyre. 'The two toys we found in your bag were simple transmitters. With the exception of my device, you're supposed to be clean. How did Joyce find you this afternoon?'
'She picked me up at the bonds office.'
I OPENED MY eyes and looked at the clock. Almost eight A.M. No Ranger. I checked under the covers. I was still wearing all the clothes I'd started with when I went to bed. Another night of successfully dodging the bullet. I scrambled out of bed and into the shower, I'd had a brilliant idea halfway through Jane Eyre. I knew how I was going to get Coglin to court to re-register. I'd have Grandma baby-sit his house. I got dressed in more RangeMan black and went to the kitchen to forage for breakfast. I called Ranger with a fast message while I finished my coffee.
'I'm heading out,' I said. 'I'm going to get Grandma and take her to Coglin's house. I've got the pen transmitter with me. See you later.'
Morelli was up next.
'What's new?' I said.
'Unfortunately, nothing. What's new with you?'
I told him about Dave and Joyce.
'So I'm back at RangeMan,' I said.
'I'm going to try to put a positive spin on this,' Morelli said. 'At least I know you're safe.'
'This morning I'm doing bounty hunter stuff,' I said. 'I'm going to get Grandma to help me.'
'So much for safe.'
Connie was last on the list. 'If 1 can get Coglin to the courthouse, can you get him re-bonded right away?' I asked her. I can catch people, but I can't write bond. Only Connie and Vinnie can do that.
'As long as the judge will grant bond. Lula is here. She can answer the phones. How are you going to get Coglin to the courthouse? I thought he was beaver-bombing everyone.'
'It turns out he can't leave his house because he's waiting for the cable company.'
'Those fuckers,' Connie said.
'Yeah, well I'm going to have Grandma house sit for him.'
I took the elevator to the garage and powered up the Cayenne. As I rolled out, I kept my eyes open. I was pretty sure Dave and his partner would surface at some point in the day. Without the help of a transmitter, they were going to have to make a pickup choice based on my history as they knew it. They knew I'd spent nights at RangeMan, but I was thinking between the broken nose, the stapled nuts, and the amputated pinkie finger, Dave wasn't moving so fast this morning. I probably had time to get Grandma and drop her off at Coglin's house before the bad guys were on the hunt.
I drove three blocks, adjusted my rearview mirror, and saw the black SUV two cars back. I called Ranger.
'Who's with me today?' I asked him.
'Hang on. I have to talk to control.' A couple minutes later, he returned. 'It's Binkie. He's new. And he's riding solo. I in short today. Don't give him a hard time. And if you go back to your apartment, don't get undressed in your foyer or living room. I've installed monitored security cameras.'
'Roger and out.'
Truth is, I didn't want to give Binkie a hard time. I was grateful to have someone watching my back. I circled my parents' block before parking. I didn't see anything out of the ordinary, so I pulled into the driveway behind my dad's Buick.
Grandma was watching morning television when I walked in. 'Look at you,' she said. 'You look like Ranger. And look at the shirt with RangeMan written on it. Ain't that a pip.'
'I have to take someone downtown to get re-bonded, and he needs someone to house sit. He's expecting the cable company.'
'Those fuckers,' Grandma said. 'Excuse the language. Just let me get my purse.'
