Disclaimer: Not mine, not making any money. Not Morelli friendly. Written in response to a challenge.
1
"So Ranger, how'd you like to go to the Fall Festival with me today?" Stephanie asked, looking beguilingly up at me through her lashes. Her eyes are the most amazing shade of blue.
"Babe."
I'm not really a Fall Festival kind of guy. The Fall Festival was a Burg tradition, with a carnival and craft fair taking place all day, topped off by a big fireworks display. For some indiscernible reason, Fall Festival was even more important than Fourth of July in the Burg. All the Burgers would be there, including Stephanie's on-again off-again cop boyfriend.
"I heard through the Burgvine that Cy Cider was going to be there, and I was hoping you'd maybe back me up," she said.
"Babe," I said again.
"I know Burg events aren't your cup of tea. They're not really mine, either, but since I might have to do a takedown in a crowd I thought, what better backup could I have than you?"
"Babe," and then I sighed. She knew she had me. She knew I wouldn't possibly let her go after Cider alone.
Stephanie had been looking for Cy Cider for over a week and hadn't had any luck. I sure hoped her intel was good, because I wanted to get him off her plate.
Cider was dangerous, into guns, drugs and prostitution, as well as fancying himself some kind of militiaman, dressing in fatigues and carrying an assortment of weapons. Stephanie should never have been given the file to begin with. But he'd managed to thus far evade serious charges and was only arrested for simple assault, ergo a low bond. I tried to take the file from her, but she knew it was well below RangeMan's contract amount, and she can be stubborn.
Oh, well, at least she came to me for backup.
So that's why we spent the afternoon and evening walking around the carnival, wandering among the crafters' tables early, and then checking out the rides and games of chance. Stephanie chatted, and I nodded and bought her lots of carnival food—funnel cakes, Italian sausage sandwiches, water ice from South Philly. I might even have had a good time if we'd been there just for relaxation, holding hands and going on rides together.
"Let's go on the Ferris wheel," Stephanie spoke up suddenly, as if she were reading my mind.
"Babe."
"We'll get a really good view of the whole festival," she told me. "We might be able to spot Cider from higher up."
Actually a good idea. Although it was dark, the area was well lit and we might be able to pick him out of the crowd. I got two tickets and we waited in line side by side, shoulders touching.
Unfortunately, while we were standing there, who should come along but the cop, Joe Morelli.
"What the hell's going on here, Cupcake?" He grabbed her arm and yanked her out of line, dragging her by the wrist. I followed, a little concerned about Morelli's aggressiveness.
"Joe, let go. You're hurting me." Stephanie was trying to pull away from his tight grip, but he wasn't having any of it. "Joe," she said again, and I could see the gleam of tears starting.
"Morelli," I growled.
"This is none of your business, Manoso," he hissed, but at least he let go of Stephanie's arm. The skin was an angry red where he'd gripped her, and I could see that there was going to be a bruise.
"Stephanie's well-being is my business," I told him.
He turned his back on me, getting right in Stephanie's face. "Goddam it, Cupcake, what the hell are you doing here with him?" His face was dark, a vein throbbing in his forehead, and his arms started to flap around.
"Joe, we broke up, remember?" Stephanie was trying to be reasonable. "Pretending to be on assignment? Skank in a cheap motel? Any of this sounding familiar to you?"
"Cupcake, I told you I was undercover. It was part of the job. It didn't mean anything."
"No, Joe, cheating always means something. We're through, for good. Stay away from me."
Stephanie turned to me and grabbed my hand, pulling me back toward the Ferris wheel. I kept an eye on Morelli, but he turned and stomped away.
"Babe, are you all right?" I asked. I'd known about Morelli's extracurricular activities but had hoped Stephanie would never find out. I knew that her dick of an ex-husband had cheated on her, and much as I wanted her relationship with Morelli to end, I didn't want to see her hurt that way again.
"I'm fine," she said, but I could see she wasn't. I slipped an arm around her and pulled her up against my side, dropping a kiss on her wild brown curls. I didn't know what I could say to make things better, so I didn't say anything, just held her close to me, trying to tell her with my actions what I couldn't say with words. I lifted her hand up to my face and kissed her bruised wrist.
"Do you want me to kill him?" I asked her, only half-kidding.
That brought a little smile to her face. "Not today, thanks. But I'll let you know if my opinion changes in the future."
TBC