Hi! Sorry it's been so long but I've been busy and I'm still mapping out my story. It's been a lot of fun! I hope you enjoy the latest chapter.

Chapter Six

"I told you, I have a permit for the gun," Matt said, "Besides this is Texas after all."

Dan raised his hand.

"Maybe I should handle this."

Two plain-clothed detectives standing in the interrogation room with their arms crossed looked at each other.

"Mr. Houston was chasing after a man who'd been following him and my girlfriend since yesterday," Dan said. "He had some questions for him."

The taller detective with salt and pepper hair raised an eyebrow.

"What kind of questions does a man ask from behind the barrel of a gun," he said.

Matt and Dan looked at each other.

"He made a furtive movement," Matt said, "I thought he might be pulling a gun on me."

"Did he pull any weapon?"

"No, but then I wasn't about to let him."

"We've read the newspapers about the attempts made against your company. The feds came to talk with us a while back," the shorter detective with short red hair said, "Do you have any reason to think this is related?"

"Possibly, that's what I was trying to find out."

"Possibly Mr. Houston," the taller detective leaned forward, "Are you sure you can't do better than that?"

"I didn't have enough time with him," Houston sighed.

"Right," the shorter detective said, "Okay my partner and I have to check some records. We'll be right back."

The two men left the room and Matt and Dan stared at each other. They knew better than to say anything realizing that the detectives probably had wired the interrogation room.

Kelly chopped up onions for the roasted potato dish while Thea prepped the T-bloned steaks in the kitchen. A couple of hours from now until valley residents packed the house from wall to wall.

"Bonnie will be bringing over some pies so there's no need to worry about dessert."

"I love her apple," Kelly said, picking up another onion, "She really should market it."

"She'd just be bringing over the biggest pies for Jed," Thea said, "She's sure sweet on him."

"I think he likes her too."

"Yeah, there's a lot worse things that could happen than the two of them hooking up," Thea rubbed her forehead, "Jed's had a hard life filled with more heart break than one man should be allowed."

"Was he always a ranch hand?"

"He used to be a cop."

Kelly looked up, startled.

"Yeah, it's true. He worked for a large police agency on the East Coast. Doesn't talk about it very much. His wife died out there."

"He mentioned her," Kelly said, "Sounds like he really misses her."

"Yes…," Thea paused, in thought, "Well it looks like there's enough steaks to feed the whole valley. You never know when you extend an invitation, who's going to show up."

Kelly watched Thea as she walked away. No, you never really could tell who would show up to a party.

The two detectives returned to the interrogation room where Matt and Dan sat waiting.

"Okay, you are free to go," the taller one said, "There's nothing to hold you on. Just be careful in the future where you draw your weapon."

"Sure thing," Matt said, not being able to get out of the police department fast enough.

Chris met them in the hallway, her eyes worried. She had called Dan after Matt had used his phone call to contact her.

"Don't start Dan," Matt said, raising his hand.

"I wasn't going to Matt. I understand why you didn't want to tell them anything . What are you going to do?"

"I don't know yet. A man who's been following Chris and me just told me that "they" who he works for are looking for C.J."

"The man said that she had something that belonged to them?" Dan said, "Did he say what it was?"

"No he didn't say what it was," Matt said, "Like I told the gentlemen back there, it wasn't a very long conversation."

"This is crazy, Matt," Chris said, her eyes wide, "He could have shot you."

"But he didn't, Chris." Matt said, "I'm right here."

"Do you have any idea who this guy was or who he works for," Matt said as they left the police headquarters.

"No, I don't. I never saw him in my life before I came to Texas," Matt said, then stopped.

"What is it," both Dan and Chris asked simultaneously.

"He had a tattoo," Matt said, "I couldn't get a good look at it though."

"Well, that's a start," Dan said, as they reached their cars, "Look I got to head back to the meeting but I'll see you later."

He kissed Chris goodbye and left them.

"Matt, are you all right?"

"No I'm not. But I'm not the one in trouble."

"I don't see anyone following us."

Matt looked around and saw just people going about their own business, the usual morning activities in downtown Houston.

"I think they stepped away for now, but they'll be back."

Jed stood by the kitchen talking on the phone, while Kelly and Thea worked in the kitchen. He'd put in a lot of work that morning checking the horses. They'd been antsy during the night, into the morning and he thought that Diablo Del Sol might have come down from the mountain and dropped by to visit again.

"So you're coming in tonight," Jed said, "Sounds like you've been busy. Look forward to catching up on what's going on….Yeah…Goodbye."

Kelly walked up to Jed who hung up the phone . She smiled and handed him a plate of roasted potatoes.

"Thanks," Jed said, "Thea's skills with potatoes are unmatched in the valley."

"They're great after a long ride," Kelly said, "Was that Bonnie on the phone?"

Jed looked at her then looked away.

"No…No it wasn't Bonnie…just someone we do business with…"

"I heard she's bringing her apple pie."

"Yeah, probably is," Jed said, sighing, "It's not bad. She's a good cook."

"She's nice," Kelly said, "She's made me feel so welcome here since I came."

"That she is," he agreed, "It's a special gift a person has to make someone else feel welcome just by their presence."

Some years ago…

"I'm sorry I'm so late…the traffic," C.J. rushed in the restaurant and threw her coat over the rack in the break room.

"No worries girl," Bunny said, "I covered for you."

"It looks crowded. "

Bunny shrugged.

"The better the tips," she said, shrugging, "You better get changed. It's show time."

C.J. signed as she went to her locker and pulled out her waitress outfit. Short red dress adorned with too much glitter just above the knees with a tacky hat to match. Whoever envisioned that dressing up waitresses like flappers in the 1920s needed to have their heads examined. Still, the Regency was one of the hottest restaurants in Boston and the tips were usually great. Still, the outfit itched terribly.

Pulling her dress over her hips, she thought of the party that Julia and Scott were at, wondering how much they were having. She wished she had a life outside of law school and work, thinking she was crazy to even think of adding law review to the mix second year. But she loved law school so much, she couldn't get enough of it. A little more than two years…

"Hey you sheila, get a move on," Bunny walked back in the cramped room, "Look at me, I forgot my hat."

"How's the crowd tonight," C.J. said, pinning the hat to her head, carefully placing her curls underneath it.

"Old," Bunny sighed, brushing her hair, "A couple of cute prospects."

C.J. laughed.

"You sound just like Julia."

"A girl's got to keep her options open, love," Bunny said, "We can't all grow up and be lawyers."

"That's all I've always wanted to be."

"What about your bloke, you do have one, don't you," Bunny said. "You like guys, right?"

"Of course I do. I don't have time for a boyfriend."

"When you check out the new bartender," Bunny said, leaving, "You might want to make time."

"Hey you, what's going on"

Kelly looked up, her daydream receding.

"Bunny?"

"No, it's me," Bonnie said, "Are you okay?"

Kelly nodded. Bonnie stood in the hallway, her hands holding onto boxes of pies.

"I came over early to drop these off. Thea's called the airport and the plane's late on account of fog."

"Plane?"

"Didn't you know? Thea's son's flying in here on his plane all the way from D.C.," Bonnie said, "He's going to miss most of the party."

Jonathon.

"Are you sure you're okay," Bonnie said, her eyes crinkling.

Kelly swallowed, then nodded.

C.J. spent her first two hours at work doing what she usually did, running from table to table carrying plates filled with entrees so she didn't see him at first.

"Miss, I ordered the veal,"

C.J. looked down at the salmon mousse and endive salad she had placed in front of an elderly woman.

"I'm so sorry," she said removing the food and balancing it back on top of a sirloin steak and baked potato plate.

The woman put her hand on C.J.'s and looked closely at her.

"Nothing to worry about, dear. A girl as pretty as you, you'll find yourself a man to take care of you."

C.J. smiled and left the table, dropping off the steak in front of a middle-aged man who had been giving her the eye and beckoning to her for the past hour with his jewel clad fingers.

"Hey, sugar stay here a second," the man said, reaching out to grab her arm.

She extricated herself from his reach.

" Sorry, you can't touch the outfit or else you got to pay for it."

She walked towards the kitchen and pushed the door open, hitting something.

"Damn," a male voice yelled from the other side and C.J. heard the unmistakable sound of glassware shattering.

"I'm so sorry," she said, entering and suddenly being grabbed by a tall man with dark hair and an earring.

"Be careful, there's glass," he guided her to the side away from the worst of it.

"I wasn't looking, it's my fault," she said.

"No problem, it's my first day. I haven't been paid. I'll wash some dishes and pay it off."

"I'll pay for the damage," C.J. said, "I've collected a few paychecks."

"I'm kidding," the man said. "Besides everyone knows bartenders make the best tips and I'm the best bartender around so I'll be rolling in money before the last shot is poured."

She looked at him closer. Like Bunny had said, he was gorgeous. Tall, built like a baseball player with dark brown hair which curled above his collar and yes indeed, one gold earring.

"You're Jonathon."

"Yes, I answer to that," he said smiling, "And you're…"

"C.J."

He reached out his hand and took hers, shaking.

"Nice to meet you, C.J," Jonathon cleared his throat, "You come around here often."

"Only when I need money," she smiled and for the first time that night she felt it.

Matt sighed as he and Chris sat at the restaurant, their steaks sitting in front of them.

"So what are you propose we do next," she asked.

"I'm going to stop and talk to some folks who might know something about our friend," Matt said, "As for you, you're going to go back home to your boyfriend who's crazy in love with you."

"If C.J.'s in trouble, then I'm going with you," Chris said, her chin set firmly, "I care about her too."

"I know you do, Chris," Matt said, "But this could get dangerous."

"I know," she said. "I also know that working for you these years, I have been spending a lot of time worrying about you two and feeling absolutely helpless to do anything about it."

"I let C.J. in too much, Chris," Matt said, "If I hadn't, this wouldn't have happened."

Chris reached out and took his hand in hers.

"You don't know that," she said, "How do you know this isn't someone in her past?"

Matt thought for a moment.

"You're right. It could be anyone. We both made a lot of enemies over the years."

"You both made many more friends," Chris said, "And maybe you need to start leaning on them more. "

Matt looked at her and Chris knew it was hard for him to ever lean on anybody.

"Look, I came here years ago looking for a job, not knowing what the hell I was doing in L.A. I didn't know anyone. I was just a farm girl who thought she knew everything and you two gave me a chance to prove myself. I'll never forget that."

He started to say something.

"Please, let me help you," she said before he could get a word out.

The party lived up to its anticipation, as a crowd of revelers spilled out into the back patio despite the chill in the air. Steaks grilled on the barbeque and Thea's roasted potatoes and grilled onion dish satisfied many a palate. Bonnie hooked her arm around Jed and never let him out of her sight and several local men who moonlighted as musicians strummed up some tunes while couples danced to them.

"Did you get enough to eat,"

Kelly looked up from where she sat just outside the backdoor, watching the empty paddock.

"I'm full," she said, "Thanks."

"Would you like some of Bonnie's apple pie?"

"Maybe in a little while."

She had mingled for a while with the guests, exchanging greetings and light conversation but then retreated into her thoughts.

Jonathon was coming here. Thea had gotten off the phone and said there was a delay before his plane could land but that he would be here in time for dessert. She shivered, as she remembered the time they had met. Then she pushed the memories back, to keep the flood from coming.

Then another memory hit her, sharp in its tactile nature. A soft breeze hit her cheek as she stood outside the penthouse suite of a tall office building, with a helicopter parked nearby looking down at the lights of traffic below. She was dressed in white, her hair combed and drawn back from her face as if she were at a party. And she was, a party held to welcome her awakening from a nightmare but still, she stayed outside the gaiety until a man joined her.

Matt.

He came outside looking for the guest of honor and found her standing forlorn. When he asked her what was wrong, she told him that her experience locked up in a jail in some god-forsaken town in Arizona had left her changed. He didn't ask her how for which she was grateful and he understood when she worried about the women she'd left behind after Matt had helped them save themselves from their captors. He had realized that in the most dangerous situations, women needed to do their own rescuing.

He listened, then he looked at her and spoke softly.

" Let's fix the world tomorrow. Why don't you allow your friends to show you how glad they are that you're back?"

She looked at him, slowly nodded before they embraced and he took her arm in his and walked with her inside the building.

She smiled and for the first time in a while, she felt it.

Matt had just paid the check on the meal when his cell phone rang.

"Hello,"

"Matt, where are you?"

"Still in Houston," he said, "What's up Hoyt? Did you hear anything?"

"Why else would I be calling?"

"What's going on," Matt said, squeezing the phone in his hand.

"I don't know how to say this, but they found a body. Up off the coast of Washington."

"So?"

"It washed up on the shore two weeks ago inside a sealed crate. Not much left of it. This person died months ago."

"Murdered?"

"It's too soon to tell, but he was dead before he got inside the crate."

"He?"

"Skull and pelvic bones indicate a adult male. No cause of death has been determined by the coroner."

"So how'd you find out about it," Matt said, "L.A.'s a little off the beaten path from Washington."

Matt heard Hoyt pause on the other end.

"They do have an I.D. They ran dental and DNA and found something through prison records."

"Who was it?"

"Seymour Piser."