Джанет Иванович - Fortune and Glory

I trailed behind Ranger and his two backups when we crossed the street at nine fifty-three. Ranger went to the door, tried the doorknob, found it to be locked, and crashed the door open with a single kick. Obviously kicking a door down didn’t count as excessive force.

Gruman, Rizer, Kenny Farmer, and a fourth guy were in the living room, watching television. They all jumped to their feet when the door flew open. Gruman lunged at Ranger. Ranger grabbed him and threw him halfway across the room. Gruman hit the wall and slid to the floor like a sack of sand. Rizer spun around, ran for the back door, and slammed into Rodriguez. Rodriguez stands six feet six inches tall and looks like he could pull a freight train. Rizer bounced back a couple of feet, went for his gun, and thought better of it. He was late to the party.

“Piece-of-shit safe house,” Rizer said. “Busted in less than an hour.”

“Uncle Charlie is going to be pissed,” Farmer said.

Ranger dragged Gruman to his feet and cuffed him. “Uncle Charlie is the least of your worries,” Ranger said. “We have your text message, and this takedown on body cam. You can face jail time for kidnapping, or you can return to Miami and never come back.”

“I miss my girlfriend anyway,” Farmer said.

“Where’s Potts,” I asked Gruman.

“Who?”

“The guy you kidnapped.”

“He’s not in the house,” Jake said. “I just did a run-through.”

Gruman looked at Farmer. “You were supposed to put him in the back bedroom.”

“You said we would put him in the back bedroom,” Farmer said. “I didn’t know you meant me . You didn’t specifically say that I should put him there.”

Gruman cut his eyes to Ranger. “The nephew is an idiot. I’m guessing Potts is still in the car.”

“You have a pickup and an Escalade in the driveway,” Ranger said. “He wasn’t in either of those.”

“There’s a white Taurus in the garage,” Gruman said.

Ranger and I went to the garage and flipped the light on. Ranger popped the trunk and Potts looked up at us. He was red and sweating and his eyes were huge. His hands and feet were bound with duct tape. He had duct tape across his mouth. I ripped the duct tape off his mouth, and Ranger cut the tape binding his hands and ankles. We hauled him out of the trunk and got him standing. He was shaking and gasping for air. He pulled an emergency inhaler out of his pocket and took a hit.

“F-f-f-fudge,” he said.

Ranger and I walked Potts out of the garage and through the house to the living room. All four men were cuffed and standing by the front door.

“Take these four to the airport,” Ranger said to Rodriguez. “Take both cars. Make sure they get on a flight to Miami. I’ll tend to the hostage.”

“I was k-k-kidnapped,” Potts said to Ranger. “They put me in their t-t-trunk. I guess you already know that.”

“You were in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Ranger said. “I want to make a more thorough search of the house and the car in the garage. Stay here.”

“Did they hurt you?” I asked Potts.

“No. They just scared me.”

“We’ll take you home after Ranger searches the house.”

“Is he the guy you sleep with sometimes?”

“Yes.”

“Wow,” Potts said.

I nodded in agreement.

Ranger returned after five minutes. “The house is empty,” he said. “Tank is on his way. He’ll take George home.”

“What about the doors?” I asked.

“They’ll close, but they won’t lock. Not my problem.”

“I was surprised they both got knocked open so easily.”

“I checked out the locks when I was here last time. I knew they wouldn’t hold,” Ranger said. “They didn’t put a lot of quality into these ranches when this neighborhood was developed. And this one hasn’t been renovated beyond carpet and a couple appliances.”

“Boy,” Potts said to Ranger, “you know a lot of stuff. I know a lot of stuff, too, but none of it is useful. For instance, I can whistle like a canary.”

“Something to remember,” Ranger said.

“And I can hum just about anything, but it all comes out sounding the same.”

Tank arrived shortly after the cars left. We loaded Potts into Tank’s SUV. And Ranger and I drove off in the Porsche.

Ranger stopped at a cross street, then leaned over and kissed me. His hand slipped under my sweater and found my breast. His thumb brushed across my nipple and the kiss deepened.

Nothing like a semi-violent takedown to put a person in the mood.

“Maybe we should get a room,” I said.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

What seemed like a good idea in the middle of the night now was a logistical nightmare. My car was still in front of Lena Kriswicki’s house. My funeral clothes were in my apartment. And thanks to my new short hair I needed at least a half hour, probably more, with a hair dryer. Not to mention hair product and makeup. I was supposed to pick Grandma up at eight thirty to take her to the church for the service. It was now seven o’clock and I was still in Ranger’s bed. Ranger was long gone.

I grabbed my phone and called him. “Hey!” I said. “Where are you?”

“In my office on the fifth floor.”

“I need help. I overslept and it’s all your fault. I should have gone home last night. I have a funeral this morning. I’m supposed to take Grandma.”

“Babe, you were the one who said we should get a room.”

“Yes, but that was all because of your thumb and your tongue and other things.”

“Where are we going with this?”

“My car is at Lena’s house. I’m sure you already know this because you can track it. My clothes are in my apartment along with my hair stuff and my makeup.”

“Do you really need the hair stuff and makeup?”

“Yes! This short hair doesn’t happen all by itself.”

“Take my 911. The keys are in it. I’ll take your Honda to the service and funeral. We can swap later.”

I picked my clothes up off the floor, put them on, and ran through Ranger’s apartment to the elevator. Half an hour later I was in my apartment. I rushed through the shower and hair and did an abbreviated makeup job. I looked at my hair in the mirror and decided it was lacking. I spritzed it with styling lotion that was supposed to be a de-frizzer and wrapped my hair around big Velcro rollers. I blasted it all with the hair dryer and brushed it out. Better. I was going to be late for Grandma but that was okay. The church was only ten minutes from my parents’ house. I got dressed in black flats, a slim gray skirt, and an orange and gray striped sweater. I grabbed my little purse and ran to Ranger’s Porsche 911.

Grandma was waiting at the curb when I got to my parents’ house.

“You shouldn’t be standing out here,” I said. “It’s dangerous.”

Although the danger level was temporarily diminished now that Shine’s goons were on a plane flying back to Florida.

“I’m good,” Grandma said. “I’m packing and I got pepper spray as a backup. How about you?”

My little purse was lying on the console. “Lipstick, a comb, keys, phone, and a credit card holder.”

I also had Ranger’s gun in a compartment under my seat, plus God knows what else was stashed in the car.

“This is a hot car,” Grandma said. “I bet Ranger gave it to you.”

“It’s a loaner for this morning.”

“I’m going to be the talk of the Burg riding in the funeral procession in this car. I’m glad I got a new dress.”

I parked in the car line and Grandma and I went inside the church and found seats. I did a fast scan and found Gabriela sitting four rows behind me and to the left. Morelli was close to the front on the aisle. Ranger was standing behind the last pew.