Look Alive Twenty-Five (Stephanie Plum 25)

* * *

¦ ¦ ¦

I was asleep on my feet when Morelli arrived twenty minutes later, ten minutes behind the two uniforms.

“Jimmy Krut has the flu,” Morelli said. “I was next in the rotation. What’s going on?”

Ranger told him Lula saw Wulf leave from the window, so we came to check things out after we closed the deli.

“And the door was unlocked and the unit empty?” Morelli asked.

“It was unlocked and empty,” Ranger said.

This was true. Ranger had unlocked it.

“There are nine shoes,” Ranger said. “We only know about six kidnappings.”

Morelli looked happy to hear this. Truth is, Morelli loved his job. He wasn’t happy about the blood and gore, but he loved the mystery. He loved the procedure. He loved solving the crime.

“The crime scene people are on their way,” Morelli said. “Did you find anything interesting?”

“No,” Ranger said. “It’s clean. It’s almost as if this was staged.”

I was so tired I was swaying.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but you’re going to have to take her home with you,” Morelli said to Ranger. “I’m going to be here for hours, and she’s not going to last.”

“No problem,” Ranger said. “Let me know when you want her back.”

* * *

¦ ¦ ¦

Ranger’s bedroom is cool and dark, dimly lit by ambient light coming from his office. His thousand-thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets are smooth and silky. His pillows are lump-free and perfect. The lightweight quilt is luxuriously soft. I was wearing panties and one of his T-shirts, and I was in my happy place. I was safe and secure in his bed. And I was alone. Ranger was in his office, catching up on work, recognizing that a romantic encounter with me at this time would be like making love to a dead person.

At some point during the night I woke up and felt Ranger next to me. He was warm, and there was the faint scent of his Bulgari Green shower gel. I fell back asleep, and when I woke up again it was morning, and he was gone.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

I SHOWERED AND dressed in clean clothes that Ella had left for me. A Rangeman black T-shirt and cargo pants that were in my size. There was hot coffee, fresh fruit, and croissants in the small kitchen. No sign of Ranger. When you own your own security business and live on the premises, every day is a work day.

Morelli called at nine-thirty to tell me he was in the lobby. I took the elevator down and texted Ranger that I was leaving.

“What’s the plan for the day?” I asked when I was settled into Morelli’s SUV.

“Grocery shopping. Pick up Grandma Bella and drop her off at the church for potluck brunch. She’s bringing lasagna and a cake.”

This sent a chill down my spine. Grandma Bella scared the heck out of me.

“Maybe you could leave me home when you get Bella,” I said. “Give me a loaded gun and lock all the doors when you leave. I’ll be fine.”

“No.”

“She scares me.”

“She scares everybody,” Morelli said. “It’s her thing.”

“Can we go out to lunch after we drop Bella off?”