CHAPTER 2

Michael Hoyt pulled in right behind an ambulance at the Atlantic Avenue apartment building and joined the paramedics in the elevator. Rushing down the hall he nearly choked as the smell hit him. The sight inside the apartment shocked him: Matt was kneeling by the heavily-laden couch performing CPR on a tiny infant. One of the paramedics went to help him and the other went to the woman, but quickly returned to help his partner with the baby.

Looking dazed, Matt stumbled over a pile of garbage and out into the hallway, Michael following him. "Are you okay?" The PI was leaning against the wall with his eyes closed. "Matt?" Hoyt watched as his friend shook his head no and then sank down into a squatting position with his head in his hands. Not knowing what else to do he knelt down next to him and patted him on the back as he phoned for a CSI team. A couple of minutes later the paramedics gathered up their equipment and came out to the hallway. The older man looked at Hoyt and shook his head sadly.

"Lieutenant, do you have the names of the people?" Houston held out his notebook and the paramedic began filling out the paperwork as the cop called the coroner's office. "What about the baby?" The PI shook his head no and took back the book.

"I'll send you the information when we find it…if we find it." Hoyt looked at the interior of the apartment. When the paramedics were gone he spoke to Matt again. "Tell me what happened."

Drawing in a deep breath, Houston told him what happened from the time he parked the truck until he found the woman dead. Shaking his head the PI looked inside at the tiny body lying next to the couch. "He was alive…but he was so weak he couldn't really cry." Tears came to his eyes. "I picked him up and held him…in a couple of minutes he just…he quit breathing. I tried…" Matt shook his head and his voice cracked. "How could anybody do that?"

Putting an arm around him Hoyt tried to calm him down. "I don't know. But I do know you did everything possible to help him." The two stayed in the hallway and after a few minutes the PI's grief turned to anger. He stood up and as he started into the apartment the cop held him back. "No…you don't need to go back in there." The elevator doors opened and two patrolmen emerged along with CSI techs Cheryl Crawford and Bob Wisnewski.

"My God…" The petite blonde stopped when she reached the doorway. "Houston – are you okay?" The PI couldn't speak but just shook his head. Silently she gave him a hug.

"If you two have got this we're going down stairs." Hoyt took Matt by the arm and started down the hallway as two workers from the Coroner's Office arrived. Entering the elevator the cop pushed the button for the ground floor.

"I'm sorry." Matt watched as the numbers slowly changed. "You would think I would be used to it by now."

"Remember what you told me when you came back to work after the bomb blast? You said, "If you ever do get used to it that's the time to quit."" He patted his friend on the back. "We can only do what we can do."

"And I know something that I can do." When they got outside of the building he looked around at the group of teens and finally found the girl that he had seen earlier. When she saw him coming she turned and started away. Matt jogged to catch up to her. "You knew Shane." She stopped. "Look at me." He turned her around. "You knew him…and you cared about him. Talk to me…please?"

Hesitantly she looked between the man in front of her and the group. She nodded. "I knew him."

"Look, let's go over here, get a drink and talk, okay?" Matt nodded in the direction of the convenience store across the street. She nodded. After buying three drinks they sat down in a cramped booth. "Okay. What's your name?" The PI pulled out his notebook.

"April Lucas. Shane was a really sweet guy. His mom didn't work…wouldn't work. The only thing she cared about was getting her drugs."

"Heroin." Houston had seen the blackened spoon laying on the floor and the needle that was in the woman's arm.

The girl nodded. "He tried to keep the place livable, you know? But his mom would come in and bring men…" She stopped. "He left about three years ago. Sometimes he would come by to see me." April took a drink. "About six months after he left I saw him. Shane told me he was selling."

"Crack and meth."

She nodded again. "He hated it but he had to survive."

"Do you know who he sold for?"

"I don't know his real name but everybody calls him Z Street." She watched as he took notes. "He's mean. Shane came back here one time and he had been beaten real bad. His nose was busted, his eyes were black and he was covered with bruises. Z said that he wasn't selling enough. Shane hid in the laundry room for a couple of days until he wasn't hurting so bad. Then he left again."

"When was the last time you saw him?" The PI took a sip of the drink.

"Two days ago." April teared up. "He was scared that Z was going to beat him again. He was $20 short when he turned in the money the week before." She cried for a minute. "He told me goodbye…said he was leaving town as soon as he got the money together. I heard some of the guys say that he was dead."

Matt nodded. "Did you know his mom had a baby?"

"No…I heard the paramedics say somebody didn't make it."

"Both of them." Matt's voice was very quiet. The girl completely broke down. After a couple of minutes she calmed and he reached across the table for her hand. "What about you? Do you need some help?"

"No. My mom just got a new job. We should be out of here in a few months. We'll be okay." She gave him a shy smile.

Sliding one of his cards across to her he spoke. "Call me if you think of anything else or if you need anything – okay?"

"Thanks." She tucked the card in her pocket and left them sitting there.

Hoyt finished his drink. "Go home, PI." Both slid out of the booth and headed for their vehicles. "And good luck tomorrow."

"Thanks." Houston handed over the cell phone from Tino Washington's room and slid behind the wheel and started the engine, the image of the baby refusing to leave his mind. All the way home he thought about how cruel the world was. Shane, Tino, the baby…all three hadn't had a fair shot at life.

Instead of parking the truck like he usually did, Houston went on down toward the barn, much to the surprise of everyone sitting at the table on the patio. "Something's wrong." CJ handed Catey to Sheila and walked down to the pasture where Matt was sitting on the top rail of the fence petting on Cricket. Quietly walking up to the pair, she softly rubbed his back. "What's wrong?" It took him a minute to answer but he told her about what had happened that afternoon. "Baby, I'm so sorry." She wrapped her arms around his waist. "Come down, hon." Matt turned and slid to the ground, his eyes locked on the dirt that he was standing on. "You did everything you could do, Matt. It isn't your fault." He looked toward the mountains and shook his head. "That baby probably felt more love in the two minutes that you held him than he had ever felt in his life. If you hadn't been there he wouldn't have even had that."

"I just…" Once again he looked down.

"You're just human. You can't save everyone: you know that. But think of all the good that you've done in this world – how many lives you've saved. And think about tomorrow: tomorrow Tomás officially becomes one of the family. You saved him, too." She put her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her, his arms encircling her waist as he put his head on top of hers. "Matt, you've done more good than anyone else that I know."

"But it's never going to be enough is it?"

The next morning the entire Houston household arrived at Family Court for their 10:00AM hearing. Unbeknownst to Matt, CJ had arranged for the entire Novelli family to be present. Once inside the courtroom the PI's jaw dropped when he looked over on the right hand side of the aisle and saw not only his Uncle Roy but all seven of the Novelli's with huge smiles on their faces. Because their case was being called, the most he could do was return the smile.

After being sworn in Matt and CJ answered some final questions and then Judge Patricia Leander called Tomás to the stand. "Tomás, I have a few questions for you to answer."

"Yes ma'am." The fifteen year old looked over at Matt and CJ who both smiled at him.

"Tomás, you've been in the Houston's custody since February. We're here today because Mr. and Mrs. Houston have asked to make you a part of their family. How do you feel about that?"

"I'm happy. Mr. Houston found me when I had been living on the streets for four years after my grandmother died. I would probably be dead by now if it wasn't for them. From the time that I met them I felt safe. They've helped me get back into school and given me a home. I'm already a member of the family – at least in here." He pointed to his heart.

"So you understand that they will be in charge until you turn 18 and you agree to abide by their rules?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Very well. Mr. and Mrs. Houston – would you approach the bench please? Tomás, you can stand with them." She watched as the boy stood between the pair. "This court has determined that you have met the requirements set by the State of California to adopt this young man. I also grant Tomás the name change that he requested. From this day forward he will be known as Tomás Sergio Houston. Congratulations!" She beamed down as the three hugged and a round of applause broke out in the courtroom. Catey Rose, from her seat on Sheila's lap, began cheering and the Novelli boys whistled loudly to add to the celebration.

After a rowdy trip back to the ranch, everyone gathered on the patio for a cookout. As they ate and talked Vince looked over at the boy. "So Tomás – what're you gonna call them?"

The boy grinned and looked over at Matt. The pair had shared a conversation a few weeks earlier about that subject. "Well…it took me a while to figure it out; would it be okay if I called you Mom and Pop?"

CJ looked at Matt, both smiling. "Like I told you before: I'll proudly wear any name that you give me." Houston raised his glass. "Sounds good to me – how about you, Babe?"

"Suits me just fine." She leaned over and gave the boy a kiss on the cheek.

Later on that evening, Vince and Matt were down at the barn watching as the kids were riding horses. The former cop elbowed his friend. "CJ tells me you've been dealing with a rough case."

Matt pulled two cigars out of his shirt pocket and handed one to his friend. "Yep." He held the lighter for Vince and then lit his own. "She told you what happened, huh?"

"Uh huh." The two puffed in silence for a minute. "It can be hard to deal with; been there, done that." He took a draw on the cigar. "Sometimes it seems like an impossible job. People die. It sucks, but that's how it happens." He looked over at Houston again. "You did everything you could possibly do for that baby and you know it. Now quit sulking over it, get your ass in gear, and get the jerks that killed those kids." Matt looked up at him somewhat shocked. "That wasn't exactly what you thought you would hear, was it? But we both know it's the truth."

Both men got quiet again and as it began to get dark, Houston helped the kids put the horses sway for the night. As the Novelli boys and Tomás trooped back up to the house the two friends finished the cigars and headed that way as well. Matt looked over at the former cop. "Thanks, Vince."

"No problem. You're just like everybody else, pal; you need your butt kicked occasionally." The PI just rolled his eyes and grinned. "So how's Mama been doing?" He looked up and saw the petite Italian lady sitting with Roy on the patio, away from the others.

Vince shrugged. "I still can't believe what happened with Paulie. Michael's trial is set for December; so is Scott Sage's."

"Think she'll go?" Matt looked over to his friend.

"I don't know. She doesn't want to talk about it…or Roy."

"He hasn't had much to say either." Both men walked up and sat down with their wives, spending the rest of the evening talking.

After seeing the Novelli family off at the airport, Matt went to the penthouse office. "Mornin', Chris." He picked up the stack of mail on the secretary's desk and began looking through it.

"So how does it feel to be the dad of a teenager?" She gave him a big smile.

"About the same… 'course he doesn't have a license yet and hasn't thrown a party." Both chuckled. "As long as he doesn't try to pull some of the stuff I used to…" He gave her a big grin. "…we should be just fine."

"You turned out okay." She watched as he went up the steps to the main office chuckling, and thought to herself that he had changed a lot since she first came to work for him when he started Houston Industries.

Matt went behind the bar and poured a cup of coffee before sitting down on one of the barstools. He opened a letter from Derwin Dunlap, his partner in the video game and BugBytes ventures. Derwin confirmed that their latest project in the "Alien Armory" series was set to hit stores in two weeks. Over six million copies had been pre-ordered, a figure that caused Matt to stop in surprise momentarily. As he continued reading, Dunlap said that he had been contacted by military officials interested in hiring the company to come up with combat training simulators. He wanted Houston to begin thinking about that project.

After topping off the coffee, the PI went out on the patio and stood watching the traffic down below on Figueroa. His mind went back to the Baxter and Washington cases. He had a feeling that Lee had been right in thinking that the two were related. Both boys came from a bad home life, they were close in age, had both been beaten, and both appeared to have been selling drugs. It wasn't unusual for suppliers to have kids selling for them.

Pulling out his phone, he wandered over and sat down in a chair, propped his boots up on the wall, and hit Michael's number on speed dial.

"Congratulations." Michael Hoyt was on his way back into his office with a cup of coffee.

"Thanks. Have you heard anything from the lab on Tino Washington's phone?"

"I have; Bob just called and said that we would be interested in what was recovered from it."

"Okay, I'll head that way. See ya." As he stood up Matt finished off the coffee and went back into the office, putting his cup on the bar before walking to the elevator and informing Chris that he was leaving.

In the parking garage of the police station he clipped on his ID and took the stairs up to the fourth floor, where he nearly collided with Gabby Giovanni, one of the squad's newest detectives. "Whoa there! Where's the fire?"

"I don't do fires; that's your gig – remember?"

"He's getting old and forgetful." Michael spoke up.

"Bite my old." He gave his friend a rude gesture causing Giovanni to crack up as she went down the stairs. "Ready to see Bob?"

"Yeah." Michael punched the button for the elevator, stepping into the car when the doors opened.

"Watch your step, Gramps. You forgot your cane again." Houston stepped in as a round of laughter came from the squad room.

"Keep on, PI." Hoyt pushed the button. Changing the subject he told his friend that there weren't any other developments in the two cases. "So was Jennings right?"

Matt nodded. "I think so."

Both men stepped off the elevator and turned right, walking down toward the lab. Bob Wisnewski looked up from the computer. "Glad you two are here. I think you might find this interesting." As the pair joined him he held up the phone. "I recovered some prints from Tino's cell. Some of them were obviously his but there were a couple that weren't. So far I haven't found a match in the system. But…" He held up two evidence bags. "They did match prints found on the drugs that were recovered from both boys' belongings."

"So they are definitely related." Matt nodded.

"I also printed out the call history." Bob handed over several sheets of paper. "That's pretty much it so far."

"That's more than we started out with – thanks." Matt shook the tech's hand and walked out into the hallway with Hoyt whose phone began ringing.

"Yeah?" The lieutenant sighed and pulled his keys out of his pocket. "Tell him I'll be right there." Hanging up, he looked at Matt. "Gotta go to a call."

"Mind if I borrow your office?" The PI stopped at the elevator.

"You know it's half yours now anyway." Hoyt got into the car. "Never thought I would hear myself say that when we first met."

The doors closed and Matt went to the stairwell and back down to the fourth floor, grabbing a cup of coffee before going into Hoyt's office and plopping down in the chair behind the desk. He leaned back and propped his feet up reading through the phone numbers on the list. Four numbers were the most frequent. Removing four highlighters from the desk's center drawer he went through and marked each of the four numbers with a different color before picking up the computer's keyboard and entering them into the reverse directory. "Damn." All four were burn phones. He picked up the phone and dialed Wisnewski's extension. "Hey, what about texts?"

"I was just working on that. Haven't got them yet, though."

"I'll be there in a minute." He replaced the markers, picked up the list and went back upstairs to the lab, finishing the coffee as he left the elevator. "Anything?"

Wisnewski nodded. "I'm printing them out now." He copied the file and handed the printout to Houston.

"Thanks." He sat down on one of the stools and began comparing the numbers to the texts. One quickly caught his attention: Bax. Shane Baxter maybe? It read, "Z mad again." The PI thought back to what April Lucas had told him two days before about the dealer known as Z Street. He continued reading as Tino had replied, " me 2." So both boys had been working for Z. Quickly he left the lab and hit the stairs down to the Narcotics office. As he spoke with the clerk there the head of the unit, Clint Anderson, arrived.

"Houston – how are you?" The lieutenant held out his hand and the two shook.

"Good. Mind if I ask you a few questions?"

"Nah…come on in. Coffee?"

"No thanks." He followed the older man into his office.

"Have a seat." Anderson sat down and moved a stack of papers out of his way. "Now, what can I do for you?"

"What do you know about a dealer named Z Street?"

"Nothing good." Anderson expression became one of concern. "Have you had a run in with him?"

"No. He's turned up in connection with a couple of murders – two teenagers to be exact."

"Who?" He listened as the PI explained. "He's a cold-hearted bastard. But he's also smart. We haven't been able to tie him to anything yet."

"I'm gonna take a shot in the dark and say it's because he uses the kids."

"That plus the fact that he's very careful."

"So careful that even his prints aren't on file."

"You're right." The lieutenant surveyed him for a minute before going to a filing cabinet in the corner and removing two folders, handing one to the PI. "It's some interesting reading."

Houston opened the folder and read it from front to back in only a couple of minutes. "Not much there at all – not even a picture."

"Nope. We've never seen him without a hood."

The PI considered what he had read. "What about his other help? There's got to be another adult helping him."

"We believe there is, but aren't certain. You might find this interesting as well. This guy used to run the action in that area up until about six months ago." Anderson handed over the second folder.

When Matt opened it the first thing he saw was a grisly crime scene photo of a man, identified as Mark Pendleton, who had been stabbed multiple times. He flipped to the next picture that showed the back of the victim. He turned back to the first photo. "Some of the wounds went completely through him?"

"Yep. He was found in a known crack house when we made a bust. Naturally nobody there knew a thing about him."

"Naturally." The PI handed back both folders. "Any idea what the weapon was?"

"No – the ME said it was about 11mm in diameter. That's it." The lieutenant went back around the desk and had a seat. "I had surveillance set up in that general area but when nothing panned out…" He shrugged.

"Your officers were needed elsewhere."

"Uh huh."

"What was the address of the crack house?"

Anderson rattled it off. "If you want to look around I would advise doing it soon: it's on the city's list of properties scheduled for demolition."

"When?"

"Next week."

Houston stood and extended his hand. "Thanks for the help."

Anderson shook it. "I wasn't very helpful."