Chapter 2

After a big dinner celebration with the whole Novelli family, Matt and CJ took a walk on the beach right behind the restaurant. "I sure have missed Mama's cooking" Matt admitted as he took CJ's hand. "I know. I have, too." CJ stopped and looked out over the ocean waves that were catching the last rays of the sun. "But it's so beautiful here, I really can't blame them. And goodness knows Vince has earned some peace." She turned to face Matt who took her in his arms. They kissed. It started with those soft little sweet kisses but turned into something a lot more intense. Matt ran his hands up and down her back, something that she had recently discovered that she really liked. Both were breathless when it ended. She turned to face the water again and noticed that the sun was just starting to sink below the horizon. "Beautiful" she said. "Yes, you are." Matt put his hands around her waist and started kissing her earlobe, then worked his way down her neck to her shoulder. He turned her to face him and…

"Houston! There you are! Wanna play video games? Mom said we could stay up late!" Three of Vince's four sons came running down the beach toward them. Matt jumped like he had been shot and CJ started to laugh uncontrollably. He looked up and saw Vince a little ways off having a hysterical fit of laughter. I'm sure it's at my expense! he thought to himself, feeling somewhat exasperated. He and CJ hadn't taken their relationship any further than some extremely interesting kisses and he was hoping that would change soon. Fate, it seemed had other plans. Suddenly a large group of police officers swarmed the beach with weapons pointed right at the two of them.

"Down on your knees! Put your hands on top of your head!" Neither Matt nor CJ moved. They were both in shock. "Do it now! GET DOWN!" With a gun pointed right between his eyes, Matt started down on his knees. But the knee that he had recently injured on the Medina drug case had other ideas.

"Look, I'm going to cooperate with you, but I can't get down on my knees right now. I was injured a few weeks back and my knee is…" Matt's face suddenly made contact with the sand. CJ started to protest and received the same treatment. Vince came running up the beach. "Hey, what the hell are you guys doing? They haven't done anything wrong!"

"Get back, sir. We've been following them since this afternoon when they took possession of a car that was carrying heroin." Just then a silver Camaro with flashing blue lights in the grill came to a screeching halt in the parking lot adjacent to the beach. Out came two plainclothes officers who quickly ran over and started questioning Houston and CJ. As Matt was helped to his feet the knee that he had recently injured went out from under him. As CJ moved to help him, the uniformed officers restrained her. "Can't you see he's hurt? Let me go!" By that time Mama had heard the commotion and was coming up the beach.

"Steven J. McGarrett, you leave those two alone!" With that Mama walked up and started swatting at the officers with her apron.

"You know these two, Mrs. Novelli?" McGarrett looked puzzled.

"Of course I do. And you should, too. Remember the lunatic last month in Los Angeles that went across the cable to rescue the little girl that had been kidnapped and was being held in an amusement park? The one on TV that we were watching? Well, that's the lunatic – his name is Matt Houston and he's a private investigator. He's also like a son to me so you better help him up and be nice – or no more lasagna for any of you!" She pointed all around at all of the officers. CJ and Matt were immediately released from the handcuffs. "Now, if you want to talk to them, you can come in the restaurant and sit down like you are civilized. And just you two! We don't need all those guns in there!" She scowled at the rest of the officers who tucked down their heads.