Death by Chili

**This story immediately follows "Childhood Gone"**

CHAPTER 1

Flying northwest toward the Dallas-Ft. Worth area, Matt looked across the cockpit of his jet at CJ, his wife of about eight months. In just a few more months they would be parents. She looked back at him. With a big smile on her face she asked, "What are you smiling about, hon?"

He chuckled and looked down toward her belly that was now showing the unmistakable signs of pregnancy. Matt reached over and patted on her baby bump. "Just thinking about what we've got to look forward to in the next few months."

"Oh yeah, all those great things like stretch marks. Should be a lot of fun." CJ grinned. "But I guess when this little guy makes his debut it will all be worth it."

"Don't you mean little lady?" He squeezed her hand then gently kissed it. The pair had disagreed on the sex of their child since first finding out that CJ was pregnant.

"Here we go again, huh? You won't believe the one who's carrying the baby."

"Nope. 'Cause it's a girl." He smiled at her again. "Have I told you how beautiful you look?"

"Only a dozen times today." CJ squeezed his hand.

"We should be there in about half an hour." Matt surveyed the area around the plane and checked his radar again.

CJ heaved a big sigh and then got up out of her seat headed toward the back of the jet. Watching her, Matt asked, "Where ya goin'?"

"I'll give you two guesses but you won't need but one." She had a disgusted tone to her voice.

"Don't fall in." Matt managed to keep his snickering quiet, or at least he had thought so.

"I heard that," CJ called to him.

"Ah, good! Your mother's sense of hearing is coming right along. Way to go, babe." He heard her reply with something but didn't think that he really wanted to know what it was.

As he flew along, Matt thought about the reason for their trip: he had been invited to compete in a chili cook-off. After his and Uncle Roy's discovery of the hiding place of America's number one enemy in the Mid-East and Matt's successful venture with the Navy SEALS and the subsequent shot in the left shoulder, he was taking some time off from work. Although he had needed some recovery time, Matt had mainly taken the time off to reassure CJ that he wasn't planning on getting himself killed anytime soon.

Since he and Uncle Roy had begun their "project" as they referred to it, CJ and he had had some disagreements because he wouldn't tell her what was going on and then when it came time to act on what he had found, she was a total wreck and had spent much of the three days that he was gone in tears. After successfully completing his mission against "Enemy Number One", CJ had told him that she was pregnant. Since that time he hadn't worked on any cases. Instead, he had been working on their ranch.

When CJ returned to the cockpit she leaned over the back of Matt's seat, giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Want a Fizzy Pop?" She played with the dark curls along his neck.

"No, but I wouldn't turn down some water."

"Okay, be right back." She headed back to the mini-fridge in the cabin, returning shortly with two bottles of water.

"Thanks, babe." Matt twisted off the top and took a long guzzle.

"So do you think C.D. will be entering this year?" CJ took a long swallow of the water.

"Are there peppers in chili? The man would have to be dead not to enter." The pair was talking about retired Texas Ranger C.D. Parker. Matt had known the man most of his life. He and Matt's dad, Bill Houston had served together in the Army in their younger days and remained good friends right up until Bill's death almost three years earlier. "I guess he'll be entering his "Buzzard's Breath Chili" as usual." He laughed thinking about the reaction the name often got from other contestants who hadn't encountered C.D. before.

After landing at the Dallas-Ft. Worth airport, Matt and CJ rented a car and headed for the restaurant that the retired Ranger owned. As they walked through the door they spotted the man himself. In his sixties, C.D. was a little round around the middle and his hair was mostly white. He was carrying on with one of his customers about the upcoming professional football season.

"Well, I tell you what: Jimmy Trivette says the Cowboys have a shot so they've got my vote." C.D. wiped the bar down as he spoke.

"If the Oilers were still in Texas I'd offer you a bet." Matt leaned up on the bar and saw C.D.'s head shoot up at the remark.

"Good Lord! Look what the cat done drug in! How the hell are you, Matt?" He came down to the end of the bar and shook Matt's hand. "And looky here, you brought my girlfriend with you. How you doin', darlin'?" He leaned across the bar and gave CJ a kiss on the cheek.

"Alright now, that's my wife you're talking about." Matt lowered his voice and acted like he was mad.

"No she ain't!"

CJ raised her left hand and showed C.D. the diamond and emerald wedding set on her finger and nodded yes at him with a big grin.

"Lord have mercy! Well it's about damn time, son! Congratulations!" He came around the bar and swooped CJ into a big bear hug and then looked down. "And it looks like that's not the only thing new, is it?" He hugged her again then shook Matt's hand and gave him a hug, too. "It's too bad your daddy didn't live to see it, boy, he was sure hoping you would come to your senses."

Matt nodded. "Better late than never I guess."

"Ain't that the truth? Y'all come on in here and have a seat. What're you up to?" They made their way over to one of the tables and Matt pulled out a chair for CJ, then sat in one himself.

"I'm here to win the chili cook-off. Rumor has it that your chili just isn't up to par anymore, bud." Matt knew that was sure to get the man fired up and sat there smiling waiting for the storm to erupt.

"Not up to par?! Are you out of your mind? My chili is always up to par. Ain't none better anywhere. I think you been out there in California too long and that smog has done choked your brain up, Matt." He returned Matt's smile and then looked over at CJ. "So when is the bundle of joy due?"

"About six and a half more months – give or take." She was beaming.

"And you know it's true what they say about expectant mommas – they sure do glow." The old Ranger patted her hand. CJ blushed. "Sherry, bring us some – what do you want to drink, hon?"

"Ginger ale would be great." She looked over at Matt as he took her hand.

"How 'bout you, boy?"

"Ginger ale works for me – unless you've got root beer?"

"Two root beers and a ginger ale for the lady please, Sherry." C.D. turned back to his guests. "So what have you been up to lately?"

Matt sure wasn't going to tell him about his mission with the SEAL's. "Oh, I've been taking a little time off from the detective agency – been working around the ranch in Houston a good bit, getting it ready to run cattle on again. Oh, and I almost forgot – Uncle Roy sends his best."

"Well that old coot! How's he doin'?"

"Real good. He works with us at the detective agency now. Well for the last couple of years anyway." Matt thanked the waitress for the drink and took a sip.

"Sounds like y'all are doing real good." The couple smiled at each other.

"How's Walker doing? I haven't seen him in a long time." Matt leaned forward on his elbows.

"He's doing real good. He and Alex finally got engaged. Guess love is just in the air these days." C.D. turned to look as the door to the restaurant opened. "Speak of the devil and there he is! Cordell, look who just turned up on my doorstep!"

The Texas Ranger smiled as he made his way across the floor to shake hands with Matt and CJ. "Wow! I haven't seen y'all in a long time. How's it going, Houston?"

"Real good, how about you? C.D. tells me you and Alex are engaged."

Walker sat down. "Yeah, we are." He blushed.

"Well I got you one better than that: this pair here finally tied the knot – and guess who's expecting?" C.D. couldn't wait to share the news.

"Really? Well congratulations!" Cordell patted Matt on the shoulder and shook CJ's hand. "When is it due?"

"About six and a half months." Matt was slightly blushing and C.D. picked up on it.

"Now what in the world are you blushing about, Matt? Ain't nothing to be ashamed of!"

Matt just smiled and shook his head as they all laughed. Just then Walker's partner, Jimmy Trivette walked in the door and over to the table.

"Matt and CJ Houston, I don't know if you've met my partner, Jimmy Trivette?"

"Nice to meet you. Didn't you used to play for the Cowboys?" Matt shook the Ranger's hand.

"Sure did a few years ago. Wait a minute – are you the Houston that played for Rice? Won the Cotton Bowl against SMU with a 60 yard touchdown pass in the last six seconds? And then you ran the ball in for the conversion, right? " Trivette sat down across from the couple.

Matt nodded. "Yep, seems like ages ago. Guess I must be getting old." They all laughed.

C.D. piped up. "This pair here has known each other since they were what? – ten years old, Matt?"

"Yeah, we sure have." They were still holding hands.

"And when did the two of you get married?" The old Ranger looked over at Walker.

"About eight months ago." CJ was blushing now.

"How 'bout that, Cordell? Married. Not just engaged, but married." He reached across the table and hit his friend in the shoulder.

"Okay, C.D., I got the hint already." He smiled over at the couple. "So have you found out if it's a boy or a girl?"

CJ shook her head no. "The ultrasound is scheduled for next month. But I know it's a boy."

"You mean GIRL." Matt was grinning ear to ear.

"Oh boy, looks like I stirred up a hornet's nest." Walker shook his head. "So what are you doing in town, Houston?"

"I got invited to the chili cook-off and since I heard C.D's chili isn't up to snuff anymore…" He cut his eyes over at the retired Ranger. "I thought I'd come down and show him how it's done."

"Boy, don't you start again." They all cracked up. "I'll just show you – Sherry, we need two bowls of Buzzard's Breath Chili over here. This young fella is about to go to school."