"Blood Feud"

**Immediately follows "Seeker of the Soul: The Castanos Case Interview"

"Never explain - your friends do not need it and your
enemies will not believe you anyway."
- Elbert Hubbard

CHAPTER ONE

"Carol..." CJ closed her eyes and shook her head. "This is absolutely disgusting." The liquid that the lawyer-turned-PI was having to drink for a gestational diabetes test was far sweeter than anything that she remembered, even sweeter than when she had to do the same test before her daughter Catey Rose was born.

"Uh huh..." The doctor studied CJ's records on the computer. "That's what you said last time, sis." The pair had known each other since they had been sorority sisters. Carol LeMaster was the personal physician of both CJ and her husband Matt as well as for their daughter.

"But it's worse this time. Do you have a different manufacturer?"

"No, hon. Come on, drink it down."

"Do you want it to stay down?"

"You know it needs to..."

"Can I elect to have a representative drink it for me?" The lawyer jerked her head in Matt's direction, the result being an immediate shaking of his head.

"No, now quit being a lawyer and get it gone. Be a big girl now." The doctor laughed. "You don't have much of it left. We'll check your glucose levels in an hour. I'll be back then..." She headed out the door then stuck her head back inside. "Can you two stay out of trouble that long?"

"Do you want us to stay out of trouble or do you want me to take her mind off of it?" Houston piped up and both women cracked up.

"Typical..." Carol left the room laughing.

"C'mon, Babe – down it. We've got stuff to talk about." He watched as she shuddered after swallowing the last of the liquid. "Now..." He pulled out a laptop and opened it up. "Let's talk about your plans for the ranch."

"Great idea." She leaned her head over on his shoulder as he pulled up the file they had started on the project. Houston had recently purchased the ranch that had belonged to her Uncle Errol when she was forced to live with him after the death of her parents. She had always dreamed of running the ranch her way but until now had never had the chance.

"Where do you want to start?" They looked at the pictures he had taken after a recent tornado had swept through the property, barely touching the house that was already in need of a massive renovation, but moving the loft of the barn to the right and leaving it sitting in what had once been a pen.

"I guess the first thing I need is a foreman." She thought the matter over. "Marty would be great."

"Sorry, lady – he's already taken. You can't have him." Marty Hoffmann was foreman over Matt's ranch that was located on the adjoining property.

"Can't blame a girl for trying can you?" She thought about it. "I need someone I can trust without a doubt who knows horses...and people. Do you want the job?"

"I've kinda got too many jobs already but thanks for thinkin' of me."

"Got any suggestions?"

"I do: how about Ollie?"

"I can see that...he worked the rodeos, is great with horses, very calm with people, and I would trust him with my life...since you already trusted him with yours." She had been present several years earlier when Houston had gotten caught up on a bull during a rodeo in Amarillo and had been rescued by the then rodeo clown. "Do you think he'll do it?"

"Won't know unless you ask."

"Okay, so now I need to look at some other help." She thought for a minute and could see him smiling. "So who else did you have in mind? I see you smiling like the cat that ate the canary."

"Ollie would make a great foreman but he's kinda getting a little age on him. He needs somebody younger to take care of the heavy lifting for him...and I know somebody who is great with horses. Plus they already get along real good. How about Scott?"

"Perfect – if he'll do it." She watched as he began typing down what they had so far. "It seems that you've already put a good deal of thought into this."

"A little." He grinned. "But – it is your project."

"Well...I think if Ollie agrees to be foreman he would like to have a say-so in who gets hired. Let's hold off on thinking of anyone else right now." She chewed on it for a minute. "But if I take Ollie and Scott – that's going to put you shorthanded."

"I've already got Marty looking around." He grinned.

"Smarty pants...another reason I love you."

When the hour was up and Carol returned both were surprised at how quickly the time had passed. While CJ was busy giving her sample, Matt spoke to Carol. "So you think she's okay to fly to Houston?"

"She's doing great. As long as she remembers to get plenty of rest – and I'm sure between you and Sheila that won't be a problem." CJ reappeared and as the results came back she was given a green light for her trip.

Back at the ranch Matt went down to check on Cricket and the other horses before coming back up and cooking steaks on the grill for everyone. A lot of the dinner conversation centered around the ranch in Houston. Tomás, their adopted son had never been there before and was excited to see it as well as the herds of cattle that Matt had running on the property.

The group took off at 8:00AM the next morning and was met at the airport by Marty who shook hands with his boss, got a kiss from Catey Rose, and was introduced to Tomás. As they drove to the ranch, the normally quiet teen asked question after question of the cowboy and seemed to have an endless supply, surprising everyone with how talkative he was becoming. Once there, his jaw dropped as he saw the mansion for the first time.

"Careful there, pard – you're gonna draw flies." Matt laughed as he helped CJ out of the SUV and along with the boy and Marty carried the luggage up the steps, stopping to kiss Madre Rosa and introduce the boy to the housekeeper before hauling it upstairs. Since the bunkhouse had been destroyed by a tornado about three weeks earlier all four of the ranch's cowboys had been staying in the main house and it was fuller than it had been in a long time, much to her delight: Madre Rosa loved nothing better than having people to take care of and watch over.

Once back downstairs he went to check on the progress that was being made in the removal of the rubble of the old bunkhouse. "Still hard to believe it's gone – I had a lot of good times in there." After a delay waiting on the insurance company, the removal had finally started about a week before. Part of the reason for his trip to the ranch was to get together with the cowboys and plan the layout for the replacement. He had already decided that this one would have its own storm shelter.

CJ came out with Tomás and joined her husband and the rest of the cowboys who had been working on the bunkhouse when not busy with their usual jobs. Wrapping an arm around his waist she looked at the wreckage sadly. "Just think of all the poker games that were held in there."

"Not to mention the education I got hearing about Lamar's ex-wives." Everyone cracked up. "So..." He looked at CJ. "Did you need to talk to some folks?"

"I would like to...Ollie, have you got a minute?"

"Yes ma'am." The old cowboy looked slightly worried but the wink and smile that Matt gave him let him know that everything was okay. He followed her up onto the porch and had a seat on the swing. "What can I do for you?"

"I've got a proposition." She was smiling so much it was hard for her to speak. "How would you like to be foreman of a horse ranch?"

"Me?" He was in shock as she continued to smile and nod. "Well, I wouldn't want to leave here...I mean I kinda feel like I owe Houston."

"It wouldn't exactly be leaving and he knows all about it – as a matter of fact he recommended you."

"He did?" There was a large amount of surprise on his face. "Well...I don't know. Who would I be working for?"

"Me...and by extension – Houston, still."

"Oh...where?"

Motioning over her shoulder to the west she smiled. "Matt bought my uncle's old property when he was down here last time."

"You're kiddin...I'll be dipped. That's great news. Wow...are you sure you really want me for the job? Not one of the younger guys?"

"Ollie, you've got experience with horses, people, and I know without a doubt I can trust you."

"I...well...yes ma'am. I'd love to do it, but that's gonna put things in a bind here."

"Marty's already looking for more help. Now, I know you're the foreman but you're going to need help; what would you think of..."

"Scott..." The older man piped up.

"That's exactly what Houston said. Is that okay with you?"

"He's really good with the horses, CJ. He's got a lot of patience – I think it would be perfect."

"Alright then, let's ask him. Scott?"

"Yes ma'am?" He turned toward the house.

"Got a minute?"

"Yes ma'am." Jogging up the steps he looked at the pair.

"Have a seat." She was beaming and nodded at Ollie.

"How would you like to work on a horse ranch?" The older cowboy was grinning.

"I wouldn't want to leave Houston. I mean he took me on when I couldn't..." He stopped as both began laughing.

"You wouldn't exactly be leaving." He explained what CJ had told him.

"Really? But what about...?" He motioned over his shoulder.

"Marty's looking already. We thought you and Ollie would probably jump on this."

"Yes ma'am. I love horses. I really appreciate it."

"I appreciate having good folks that I can trust." She looked down where the men were still talking. "Hey Marty, hope you've been looking around for somebody – I just stole two of your people."

"Now how come I ain't a bit surprised? I'd much rather work for a good lookin' lady than this thing but I guess I'm stuck." He gave a big chuckle as his brother stood looking confused until Matt explained what was going on.

"Pat, you can stay here and try to keep Marty straight or you can go next door – whatever you want." Houston looked at the cowboy.

"Well, I guess I'll stay."

"Good. So now you and I need to do some talking, pard." Matt put a hand on the foreman's shoulder and they started walking along the fence, discussing who he had in mind to replace the others while CJ opened the laptop and showed Ollie and Scott that there would be more construction in their future than just the bunkhouse on the Houston ranch.

Later on that night, Matt was sitting at the desk in the study working on the combat simulator that he and Derwin Dunlap had been asked to create for the Defense Department. Madre Rosa, walking toward the den heard the flurry of keystrokes and walked to the door to find him hard at work. Going into the den she sat down next to CJ. "What is he working on?"

"Well...it's kind of secret." She closed the laptop. "It's for the government."

"Oh..." The housekeeper thought for a minute. "This isn't going to put him in any danger is it?"

"No...but it might keep soldiers from being in so much danger."

"Oh...that's good then." She shook her head. "It seems strange seeing him on the computer like that."

"He's really good. Taught me most of what I know."

"No."

"Uh huh." CJ grinned thinking back to the early days of Houston Investigations. "He still gets into dangerous situations but since we got together he's come up with ways to do his job and try to stay safer – like the BugBytes systems."

"I never would have thought when he was a boy that he would be doing things like that. I thought sure he would go on to play professional ball." The phone rang and CJ answered. "Oh hi, Sheriff...Uh huh, he's here... Sure, hang on a minute." Covering the receiver she hollered at her husband. "Hon, Sheriff Martinez is on the phone."

"'kay." Back in the study he gave a sigh and saved his work before picking up the phone. "Yes ma'am?"

"Hi, I hate to call you so late. I tried calling the ranch in California first and Lamar said that you were here. We've got a possible problem and after talking to Chuck I think you two might be the answer."

"What is it?"

"We've gotten a tip that there might be some trouble at Norton Middle School."

"Aren't they out for the summer?"

"They have a summer school program."

"What's the threat?"

"That's the problem – we're not sure. A call was made from a pay phone giving the warning. Now it could just be a kid that wants to disrupt class..."

"Or it could be legitimate. What do we know about Norton?"

"It's about an average school – no more problems than any of the others really. I've talked to the director of schools. The only thing that stands out are some of the families that have children attending there."

"Oh?"

"I'm sure you've heard of the Carson-Donnely feud."

"Oh boy, are they still carrying on?"

"Every once in a while, but the last few months there has been an increase in friction between the two."

"Well..." He sighed and closed the laptop. "Wait a minute...Donnely. Chuck used to date a Sherri Donnely back when we were...well it was way back."

"She's the mother of two of the students there."

"Okay. So he might have an in with them. Gotcha. Do we have a plan?"

"I've got the bomb squad checking out the school right now. There wasn't a specific threat but better safe than sorry. Chuck's going to go talk to the Donnelys; I was hoping that you could go talk to the Carsons."

"Got an address?" He wrote it down. "Have they already been contacted?"

"No."

"Okay. Guess I'll head that way."

"I really appreciate it. I'm sure you had other things planned."

"That's okay. We don't need anybody getting hurt at school."

"Update me, okay?"

"Yes ma'am. 'Bye." He hung up and went to the den. "I've gotta go talk to some folks for her. There's been a threat of trouble at one of the schools. We're trying to head it off at the pass." Leaning over he kissed her on the cheek. "Be back as quick as I can. Love you."

"Love you." She watched as he headed upstairs for his pistol and vest, a worried look on her face. "So much for trying to stay safe."