CHAPTER 10

"Hey, whatcha doin' up?" Matt closed the door and crossed the living room of the suite.

"Waiting and worrying." Fire flashed in her green eyes.

"I'm okay." He leaned over and attempted to kiss her cheek but was stopped by a hand to his chest. "What's the matter?"

CJ got up and stalked over to the window that overlooked the twinkling pre-dawn lights of San Antonio. "You promised me."

Puzzled, Matt stayed where he was as she turned back to face him. "I promised…"

"That you wouldn't take any chances – remember our phone conversation this afternoon?"

"Yes." He kept his tone calm. "I didn't take any chances."

"Going into Dixon's office in the middle of the night isn't risky – is that what you're saying?" She had her arms crossed and was giving him a look that he had been fortunate to only see on a couple of occasions; unfortunately, it was directed at him this time.

"Is it as risky as marching in there and confronting him in broad daylight?" His tone was very quiet and he watched as she rolled her eyes and turned away from him. Waiting but not receiving a reply he watched and could see her begin to shake. Going to her, Matt tried to put his arms around her but was once again pushed away. "What was I supposed to do then? Make an appointment with him? Invite him to dinner? What, CJ?"

She began to shake even more and he heard as the sobs started. "I lost my dad to this bastard; I don't want to lose you, too."

This time he turned her around and took her face in his hands, stroking her cheeks with his thumbs and wiping the tears away. "You aren't going to lose me." Pulling her in against his chest, he wrapped his arms around her tightly and held her until the sobs turned into hiccups.

"I'm sorry, baby. I just…" She shook her head. "I woke up from a dream…a nightmare and you were gone."

"It seemed like the safest time to critter him. You were sleeping so good…" Matt shrugged.

"Guess I'm just a nagging old woman."

"No you aren't; I'm sorry I didn't mention it earlier. In my defense you did seduce me with steak and uh…*ahem*…your charms." He gave her a crooked grin.

"Seduced by steak?! Oh, my God – no you didn't!" She dissolved into laughter and looked up into his chocolate brown eyes and saw the twinkle that she loved. "Can you promise me something?"

"At this point I'm really not sure." He was laughing, too.

"Never, ever try to write a romance novel."

"Deal. I'd rather live one than write one. Wanna seduce me again?"

"No, it's your turn."

"Okay…let's see…how about the balcony?"

"Never mind." CJ grabbed him by the hand and led him back to the bed.

Matt woke up about 8:30 and found CJ in her usual place, snuggled up with him. He reached down and gently ran his fingertip across her top lip, causing her to twitch her nose. He did it again and she swatted, completely coming awake as she hit his hand. "Good mornin'." Giving her a smile he reached down and gave her a kiss as well.

"What time is it?" She raised up enough to get a look at the clock. "Unh. Have you checked on your critters?"

"Nope." He sat up on the side of the bed and stretched before padding over to the dresser and picking up the laptop.

"I've heard of the Naked Chef but not the Naked PI." She watched approvingly as he came back to the bed, giving her a sexy smile.

Sitting down cross-legged on the bed, he pulled the sheet up before settling the computer on his legs. "Now I'm undercover." Both laughed as he pulled up the BugBytes program. "Doesn't look like he's at the office yet." Switching to the satellite feed he nodded. "There he goes. That puts him getting to work about nine." They watched as the gate slid closed a few seconds after the SUV pulled out onto the road.

"What have you got planned for today?" She reached up and smoothed down his rumpled hair.

"I'm going to keep an eye on Dixon…" Houston paused for a minute. "Ernie."

"Who?"

"I found a note last night." Matt got up and brought the camera that he had used the night before, downloaded the pictures, and showed CJ the note.

"Put plan B into action…" One thing's for sure: this guy didn't win any penmanship awards in school."

"I think that's Ernest Broward. It didn't click last night. So…I think we would be wise to try to critter him as well. And that does include trying to get into his office tonight."

"I'm sorry, Matt. That was stupid last night. I just…" She was silenced by a kiss.

When he broke the kiss he took her face in his hands again. "Babe, you've got hormones running wild right now. Don't worry about it."

"No, I …" Once again he kissed her. "Hush. Now – what's for breakfast?"

Later on after a hot shower and a breakfast of jeuvos rancheros, Matt left CJ to work on the address book while he went to check out Ernest Broward's home and office, with the express understanding that he was not to take chances.

As he drove toward Broward's office that was located in the Midtown area of San Antonio his phone rang. "Hey, Chuck."

"How's it goin' out there?" The Harris County Sheriff's detective was returning to his office after giving testimony in court. He loosened his tie and took it off when stopped at a light.

"Slowly. We had a little side trip to Ft. Worth to visit Cordell Walker." Matt explained what they had put together so far.

"Good move. He and that partner of his – Trivette – are some kinda good. It sounds like you've got several opportunities to build a case there."

"We sure hope so. How're things on your end?"

"Alright. Gotta get outta this damn monkey suit when I get back to the station."

Matt laughed, remembering how bad Chuck had hated wearing a suit. "And to think I used to wear one every day."

"I always said you were crazy. Guess I better get back to work. You be careful out there and take care of the lady, you hear me?"

"Loud and clear, pard. Talk to you later." The PI had made it to the office building that housed Broward Property Development. It was located on the fourth floor of an office building at the corner of Cypress and Ogden in the Midtown section of the city. Matt passed the building and pulled into Crockett Park which was right across Cypress from the building. He removed the binoculars from the console and got a good look at the building. The five story structure would be a harder target for Matt's critters.

Pulling out the laptop he began by finding out more about Ernest Broward: where he lived, what he drove, and the layout of the office building that he worked out of. When he was finished, he had found that the property developer lived in an exclusive neighborhood up at Canyon Lake on a street called Spiritual Pass. He drove a year old Mercedes CL-Class Coupe that was emerald green. After another look through the binoculars he saw the car in the parking lot.

Matt had moved the satellite to get a good look at Broward's home. It was set off the road a considerable distance and was surrounded by a security fence. The yard was almost barren. Guess he doesn't believe in landscaping, the PI thought to himself. Trying to gain entry to the home didn't look like a cheerful prospect, with the exception of the area bordered by the lake. That would be the chink in the property's armor.

Next he worked the keyboard trying to find out more about the layout of the office building and was able to run across the blueprints for it. After comparing the prints to the information available about the company, he learned that Broward Property Development took up the entire western side of the fourth floor. After surveying the building once again Matt noticed that some of the offices were available for lease. Writing down the contact information, the PI left the park and drove a few blocks until he found a drugstore. Inside he purchased a no-contract cell phone and went back to the truck.

After dialing the number for the building's leasing information he talked to a very eager young man who was more than happy to tell him all about the building – including the fact that there were armed security guards on duty 24/7.

Matt cursed as he hung up. Twenty four hour security was going to put a crimp in his critter plans. Then he thought about a project that he and Derwin Dunlap had been working on together – a miniature satellite dish-type microphone system that - unlike others on the market which had about a twenty inch diameter - had only a five inch diameter. He pulled out his phone and called the computer guru and arranged to have one of the prototypes sent to the hotel by a company courier.

Houston went back to the park and took a walk, looking for a tree where he could attach the device. He found an elm tree that was within the range of the dish and then slowly ambled back to the truck. As he climbed inside his cell phone rang. "Hey Lil Mama, what's going on?"

"I think the address book that you found might just be a gold mine in disguise." She sounded excited.

"Oh?"

"Yep. Some of the names in it match up with the long-time employees that I found yesterday."

"So they might be the ones that do the dirty work. Good work."

"What have you been doing?"

"Well let's see: I've bought a burn phone and found out about the layout and security in Broward's office building. I've arranged for a courier to bring down a prototype toy from Derwin. And I took a stroll in Crockett Park."

"Uh huh."

"And I've been very careful the whole time." The last was said with a hint of laughter.

"Smart-aleck." She sighed. "When will the courier be here?"

"About five or so."

"And what are your plans now?"

"I'm about to pop a critter on Broward's Mercedes. He has tight security at home and at the office but all kinds of folks have been in and out of the parking lot."

"Uh huh…and then?"

"Then I think I'll come back to the hotel and look at the address book with my favorite lady."

"Just be extra careful, Cowboy. Love you."

"Love you, Lil Mama. 'Bye." He hung up and pulled out one of the tracking critters and got it ready. Sliding out of the truck, the PI ambled over to the parking lot, one hand in the right front pocket of his jeans while holding his cell phone in the other. Pretending to be studying the screen, he crossed the parking lot and dropped his keys in front of Broward's Mercedes. Popping the critter behind the grill, Matt stood back up and continued on his way, circling the block and ending back up at his truck. As he climbed in and headed for the hotel it occurred to him that both he and CJ had overlooked another clue: the set of keys.