Homicide for the Holidays

**Immediately follows "End of the Road"**

"Let's be naughty and save Santa the trip."
Gary Allan

CHAPTER 1

"See? I told ya." Ranch hand Bo Harper nodded toward the hills where his boss, Matt Houston, was riding back toward the barn accompanied by a man of about thirty.

"Well..." Lamar Pettybone, the senior of the two cowboys scratched at the white beard on his chin, his blue eyes wrinkled up as he watched the pair draw nearer. "Maybe he's just showin' the kid around."

"Yeah, showin' him around so's he'll know where everything is when he takes our jobs." The younger of the two hands leaned disgustedly against the fence of the corral. "I can't believe he would do somethin' like that to us – after all these years..."

The older man shook his head sadly. "Naw, it ain't you he's gettin' rid of – it's me. I'm past my prime. Guess I shoulda seen it comin'." He turned back toward the barn, going back into the tack room to finish up the work he had started earlier. Bo continued to stare at the two younger men for a minute before stomping into the barn and the old cowboy continued. "I went to work for Bill Houston back in..." He paused trying to remember the exact year that the oil man and his son had moved to Houston from Lubbock. "Hell, I don't remember what year it was it's been so long."

"It was over thirty years ago – before that young whipper snapper he's got out there was an itch in his daddy's britches." Harper picked up a harness and set about cleaning it. "You know – I might just save him the trouble and quit before he can fire me."

"I'm tellin' you it's me he's givin' the adios – 'cause I'm too old to cut the mustard." Lamar's chin quivered slightly as he made the statement.

"Well, I ain't gonna stay here without you. I couldn't look at myself in the mirror if you was gone and I was still here."

"Naw, now there's no point in both of us lookin' for work. You just stay put." Continuing his work, Lamar spoke again. "Back a month or so ago he was talkin' about some changes comin' to the ranch. Wish he woulda just told me then..." He stopped as he heard his boss and the stranger enter the barn along with the two horses they had been riding around the property. Both cowboys could hear the conversation.

"So what do you think, Ryan? Do you want the job?" Houston began taking the saddle off of Jasper, the stallion he had been riding as the younger man took the saddle off of Cricket.

"I'd be a fool not to say yes." Both men made their way to the tack room where the two cowboys kept working without saying a word.

"Ryan, I'd like you to meet Lamar Pettybone and Bo Harper." He nodded at the pair as the young man swung the saddle up on his left shoulder and offered his hand to the two men who simply stared at him with angry expressions.

"Boy, that takes some nerve." Harper tossed down what he had been working on and stood with his hands on his hips.

Houston turned around with a shocked expression on his face. "Somethin' wrong, Bo?"

"Is somethin' wrong? I believe all this California sun and life in the fast lane has gone to your head, Houston."

"Huh?"

"You oughta at least give a fella a little more warning that you're gonna do somethin' like this – not just say, "There are gonna be some changes comin' soon."" Lamar dropped his work and turned on his boss.

"What in the hell are y'all talkin' about?" The billionaire raised the straw hat on his head and smoothed down his hair.

"Don't act all innocent!" Harper took two steps closer to the man. "By golly, I tanned your hide a time or two back when I worked for your daddy – don't think I can't still do it!"

"Bo, have you been in the 'shine again?" The expression on Matt's face was one of total bewilderment. "What in the holy hell are y'all goin' on about?"

"Your daddy would have at least had the courtesy to warn somebody before he just up and fired 'em." Pettybone stepped right up to his boss and poked him in the chest to emphasize each syllable.

"Fire 'em? I'm not firin' anybody."

"Oh, he's not firin' anybody, Lamar. He's just gonna bring this youngun in and we'll just be pushed out like the runt of the litter. That way he wouldn't have to do any dirty work."

Houston and the younger man exchanged a puzzled look for a minute before bursting into laughter. "So now it's funny? Why I oughta..." Pettybone pulled back his fist and began to swing at Houston.

"Whoa now, fellas. Y'all got it all wrong. Listen to me." The billionaire held his hands up in front of himself. "Look, I brought Ryan here to let him look over the place and see if he would agree to fill in for y'all – while we're in Texas."

"What in tarnation does you bein' in Texas have to do with bringing him in?" Harper continued to advance on his boss.

"WE..." The PI pointed at himself and the two hands. "We will be in Texas." It immediately got quiet.

"Us?" Bo took two steps backward. "Why?"

"You boys haven't been back home for Christmas in a while – I thought you could use a break." Houston looked between the two men who were now starting to look ashamed. "Y'all didn't really think I would..." He stopped. "How could you think I would do somethin' like that? Hell, I grew up with you two around. Y'all taught me how to ride and rope and..." Shaking his head he spoke again. "I would never do that to y'all. This is your home as much as it is mine."

Looking guilty, the two began stuttering apologies. "Houston, I'm sorry. I just thought..." Lamar swallowed hard. "I thought that you thought that I was too old to..."

"Me, too." Bo looked down at his boots. "I'm sorry."

"Well, ya oughta be..." Houston stomped back down the hallway and began removing the bridle from Jasper as well as the blanket.

"Now you done it – you done gone and got him mad." Lamar hit at Bo with his hat.

"Me? It wasn't just me sayin' it!"

"You're the one that put the idea into my head. Why, I never woulda thought such a thing." They could hear laughter coming up the hallway accompanying their boss.

"Y'all sound like a couple of ole hens who got busted by the preacher for gossipin'." Matt's smile and laughter was infectious and soon all four men were having a good laugh. "Let's start this over. Ryan Stockard, this is Bo and this is Lamar."

Later on that night after putting the twins and Catey Rose to bed, Matt and CJ were snuggled in the recliner together talking to Paul Novelli and their adopted son Tomás, who both got a laugh out of the exchange with the two cowboys. "I can't believe they would think that." Novelli looked a lot like his dad Vince as he sat back on the couch and laughed. "Oh, man. It's never dull with those two around, is it?"

"Never has been." CJ continued to giggle. "So Bo was gonna put you across his knee, huh?"

"Not likely." The cowboy snickered and then as the laughter died down again he changed the subject. "So how are your classes going?"

Paul nodded. "I won't say all of them are easy, but I think I'm doing pretty good. Mom and Dad ought to be happy."

"I knew you would do fine." CJ smiled as she looked at the eighteen year old, the oldest son of Vince and Isabella Novelli who was studying Aerospace Engineering at USC.

"Well..." The young man looked at his watch and stood up stretching. "Guess I better get back to the dorm and get some more studying done. Thanks for supper – and the good laugh." He went over to the couple, giving CJ a kiss on the cheek and his Uncle Matt a hug before he and Tomás fist bumped and said goodnight.

Yawning, Matt flipped on the TV as CJ snuggled into his chest. It was then that they heard the kitchen door open as nanny Sheila Wentworth came in. After a minute she entered the den. "How'd it go tonight?" Houston caught a fleeting glimse of the woman's face and saw that she looked upset. "You alright?"

"Yeah." She sniffled as she started on through toward the hallway and her room.

"Now wait just a minute..." Matt flipped off the TV. "What happened?"

Turning around and coming back into the den, the woman plopped down on the couch to Matt's right and began wiping her eyes with a tissue. "I don't know who I thought I was kidding..."

CJ climbed out of the recliner and went to sit next to her friend, her arm going around the widow's shoulders as she began crying in earnest. "What in the world happened?"

"Oh, there were so many..." She paused looking for the right word. "Oh, JERKS!" Shuddering she blew her nose.

"Do I need to go crack somebody's head open?" The PI sat up in the recliner.

"No, they just...none of them were..." She waved her hands as the couple exchanged a look.

In a very quiet voice Matt spoke again. "None of them were Charles." He watched as she nodded her head and broke down in sobs.

After a couple of minutes she regained her composure and accepted the glass of water that Tomás brought her. "Thank you." She took a sip. "I know there will never be another Charles but I just get so lonely."

Giving the nanny a hug, CJ handed her another tissue. "There are more out there – better men. You can't give up yet."

"I don't know, CJ. I just felt so bad – like I was cheating on him."

"Maybe you just need some more time." Matt reached over, patting her hand. "Don't try to rush it. One of these days just out of the blue you'll meet a guy."

"I just don't know..." She blew her nose again and then gave all three a sad smile. "Thanks. I'm going to turn in."

"'Night, hon." Matt watched as she went on down the hallway. "Guess we better hit the hay. It's going to be a long day tomorrow." The couple would be meeting Vince and his mother Rosa at the airport the next day and accompanying them to New York. Michael Novelli, Vince's younger brother, was going on trial for a murder that had occurred at the beginning of the year. Sheila would be taking care of Catey, Vinnie, and Mike with the help of Tomás who was out of school for the holidays.

The next morning as Matt and CJ went to the airport he looked over at his wife who wore a worried look on her face. Reaching for her hand he spoke. "They're gonna be fine, Babe."

"I know...I just...they're..."

"They're in capable and loving hands. Relax." She nodded and sighed. "Lady, you sure know how to make a fella feel wanted." He tried for a hurt sound and look. "Whisking you away..."

"We're going to a murder trial; it isn't some cozy resort somewhere."

"Yeah, I know; but we won't be in the courtroom the whole time." A grin spread across his face.

"We're going for moral support for Mama and Vince." Giving him a stern look she soon started smiling herself. "Somehow seeing that grin on your face doesn't make me think of anything moral." Both cracked up.

Matt got quiet. "I'm worried about Mama, though." He had talked to Vince the day before and the former LAPD detective had voiced his own concerns about the petite Italian lady.

"This has been hard on her." CJ looked out the passenger window of her husband's truck. "But all we can do is support her."

The couple arrived at the airport and pulled up at the hangar just as Matt's Uncle Roy closed the trunk of his car.

"Mornin'." Matt opened CJ's door as he greeted the elder Houston.

"Good morning." The normally cheerful face was full of worry.

Checking his watch, the PI carried the luggage onto the G-550 and stowed it. The Novelli's flight was due in fifteen minutes earlier, and he exited the plane and began the pre-flight inspection. As he was finishing up a cab came to a stop in front of the hangar, the Novellis exiting with concerned looks on their faces. After hugging both, Matt helped his friend with the luggage as CJ and Roy escorted Rosa aboard. In a matter of minutes they were airborne and winging their way toward the east coast.

"You know..." Vince looked outside of the cockpit as the jet went through a bank of clouds. "I really don't understand why this even had to go to trial - why Michael's lawyer wouldn't accept a plea deal."

"CJ and I talked about it. She thinks that Aiello will try to get a manslaughter verdict or a lighter sentence than what the DA was offering."

"What would she have done?" Novelli turned to face his best friend.

"I asked her that." He punched the auto pilot button then stretched. "She said that given the circumstances she would most likely have gone with the plea."

"I don't know about this lawyer." The former cop shook his head. "I tried talking to Michael about it but he won't hear me out." They were quiet for a minute. "It's all still like a bad dream. I can't believe any of this happened – it was all so stupid."

"People do stupid things, bud. You know that better than most." The PI looked at the radar and then at the clouds surrounding them. "Has Michael's attitude changed?" He looked at Vince.

"Yes and no; he talks to us more now, but he's still against the idea of Mama and Roy getting married."

"What in the hell is his problem with it?" Houston looked back out at the clouds. "Everybody else approves."

"Don't know. I can only guess that he thinks it would dishonor Dad's memory."

The flight passed, somewhat roughly at times; there were two lines of storms that the group had to pass through before landing in New Jersey. CJ had made reservations for the group at the Sheraton Tribeca on Canal Street, and after checking in they met up with Father Tony Novelli, Vince's youngest brother. The dinner conversation was subdued; Tony had managed to visit Michael for a few minutes that morning.

"I told him what you advised, CJ." The priest took a sip of wine and carefully set the glass on the table. "He said he would talk to Aiello."

Matt put down his fork, and looked across the table at Tony. "Where did he find this lawyer?"

"Aiello was one of his clients."

"Mmm..." The PI leaned back in his chair. "What do you know about him?"

"Absolutely nothing – other than the fact that he's rude. He was leaving as I showed up for the visitation. Didn't get much more than a nod from him and he was gone." He saw the look that passed between Matt and CJ and gave a low chuckle. "I haven't been around you two a lot, but I'm going to guess that means that you'll be looking into him?"

"It does." Vince spoke up. "I was about to ask them to anyway."

"I don't understand all of this." Mama had hardly touched her meal and now laid down the fork that she had barely used. "What is the difference between what Michael is being charged with and what his lawyer wants?" Her question was directed to the lawyer.

"The DA is looking for a Murder Two conviction. Basically that's when a person kills someone but didn't plan to do it. Voluntary Manslaughter is when a person kills someone in the heat of the moment but they were temporarily insane because they were provoked to commit actions they wouldn't ordinarily engage in." She paused for a moment. "From the details that we have, I don't think that Michael was actually provoked by Clarissa. I do believe that he temporarily lost it, but there isn't anything showing that he was provoked at that time. Her actions leading up to that night were certainly provoking, but she didn't threaten him with bodily harm or anything of that nature right before he killed her. The sentence for Murder Two is fifteen to twenty five years while the sentence for Voluntary Manslaughter is anywhere from five to twenty five years. What the DA offerred is a plea deal of ten years for Murder Two."

"So if he doesn't take the deal and is convicted of murder he could..." The older lady closed her eyes as what CJ said began to make sense to her. "He should take the deal, then."

"I believe so." The lawyer patted her hand.

"But how could he think...?" Rosa stopped, the grief overwhelming her. "We have to make him understand."

"Mama, I've been trying to do that since the DA offered the deal." Tony put an arm around her.

"I want to talk to him." She looked between her two sons.

"Mama..." Vince leaned back. "I just don't know if that's a good idea."

The petite woman raised her voice. "What do you mean not a good idea?! Do you want him to go to jail for twenty five years?"

"Calm down, Mama." The priest pulled her closer. "I think what he means is that he's worried about the strain it would put on you."

"And sitting here talking like this isn't a strain?" Anger flashed in her normally bright and cheerful eyes. "CJ, you and I will go see him tomorrow."

"We'll have to see if they'll allow us in, Mama. Visitations have to be scheduled."

"But you're a lawyer."

"I'm not his lawyer."

" Dio mi dia la forza per affrontare tale .."

"Lo farà, mamma – Lo farà." Tony and CJ both tried to calm her and succeeded somewhat, finally getting her to eat a little of her dinner.