Here's the latest chapter of this FF story. I hope you enjoy it and thanks for the comments. I'm trying to upload more chapters but FF is glitchy this weekend.
C.J. looked at her dress and agreed it was lovely, when Gracie raved about it. She hadn't wanted to go too fancy for the gala but had wanted to keep it simple. Gracie had found a nice blue number in the same shop and had plunked down some plastic, telling herself that she owed herself for having to deal with the drama of the past few days.
They walked down the tree lined street and stopped at a café for some late morning coffee.
"So is it always like this in L.A.," Gracie asked.
"What do you mean?"
"Parties every night and beautiful sun during the day," Gracie said, "When you're not chasing after bad guys."
C.J. gave her a funny look.
"The police catch the bad guys," she said, "We just help people who need it."
Gracie snorted.
"And get shot at in the process," she said, "Most lawyers don't have what, three bullet wounds?"
"That doesn't always happen," C.J. countered, "but they did all hurt."
"I imagine," Gracie said, "I thought operating a night club was dangerous but what you do has me beat."
C.J. frowned.
"It's not always like that," she said, "There's a lot of sitting around in cars waiting for something to happen or doing research. It's not always car chases and shootings."
Gracie stopped walking and looked at her.
"Now this is really a gala we're attending tonight," she said, "It's not some covert assignment, passing itself off as a party."
"As far as I know it's exactly what the invitation said it was," C.J. said, "A lot of old and new money trying to mix, expensive catering and top notch entertainment. But it all benefits a great charity."
Gracie nodded.
"Now that I can do."
"I don't know Gracie," C.J. said, "You go to enough of these parties and they all start seeming alike."
Gracie chuckled.
"You poor girl," she said, "I should have that problem."
"I thought you went to a lot of parties," C.J. said.
"I go to my share," Gracie said, "but I'm not exactly on the A list or even the B or C list."
"Houston and I wind up ranking higher on the charity function list," C.J. said, "but it's usually for a good cause."
"Is the Winslow mansion everything I've heard it is," Gracie asked.
C.J. tilted her head.
"It's pretty impressive," she said, "Maybe they'll give the guests tours."
"Any good looking single men going to show up," Gracie said, "They don't have to be rich. I'm not picky."
C.J. shrugged.
"There's always a few," she said, "But you'll need a scorecard to keep them straight. It can get really tricky."
"Gotcha."
They reached the coffee stand and bought some designer mojo, which was really beginning to take off in L.A.
"So Matt's really taking Elizabeth to this shindig?"
C.J. sipped her coffee.
"Why not," she said, "They've been spending a lot of time together."
"Is Ginger going?"
"I imagine so," C.J. said, "though I plan to stay away from her. I don't want to wind up written in a society column for getting into it with her."
"She's just trying to get your goat," Gracie said, "which tells me that things can't be going that great with Matt and Elizabeth and she knows it."
"She does seem a little too invested in their relationship," C.J. noted, "but Matt's made his decision without her help and she'll have to accept it just like I will."
Gracie shook her head.
"Why do you keep saying that," she said, "I still think he's trying to let her down easily."
"Well I don't," C.J. countered, "and I'm happy for them, really."
Matt continued quietly up to where the con man was standing talking to Clyde Jenkins or whatever his real name really was in front of the building. He reached for where he had his gun but didn't draw it yet as he closed in. Clyde held something out to the con man who took it and put it in his pocket without looking at it. Matt's eyes narrowed as he watched the two men start talking again. He hid behind a parked car and then drew out his gun. Then the sirens sounded in the background and Matt knew that was his backup arriving. Only he hadn't yet approached Clyde or the other men. Both of them looked up and then split into opposite directions. As they did, Matt made his choice quickly and took off sprinting after Clyde who was no slouch himself in the athletic department. They sped one in pursuit of the other down the street but Matt found that he couldn't gain any ground on Clyde who turned and ran into a department store. Matt ran after him and looked up to see Clyde running up the escalator pushing through the line of people riding on it. Matt followed and tried to pursue him, and took the stairs which ran next to the escalator. He reached the next floor and nearly ran over two old ladies, apologizing quickly as he tried to keep Clyde in his sights.
He saw Clyde heading towards the dressing room and disappear but soon after a litany of screams and at least one smacking sound could be heard from the enclosed area and then Clyde slipped out and began running back towards the escalator and after gazing at it, started running down the staircase. Matt followed him and got close to him before taking a flying leap off the stairs when Clyde had reached the bottom. His body hit Clyde with a thud and the two men went down on the floor while customers scattered away. Matt tried to pin him down but Clyde proved to be too quick, pushing Matt off and trying to get on his feet. Matt grabbed his leg and pulled him down again. At that moment, two police officers ran in the dressing room through the cosmetics section and saw the two men on the ground fighting.
The two officers drew their guns.
"Stop right now," one of them said, "and show your hands or we'll shoot."
Matt looked up at the officers with his hands raised but Clyde just took off and started running. The officers took off in pursuit and Matt sprang up and followed them. Clyde ran out the glass doors and back into the street into the traffic.
"We lost him," the officer said, trying to see where he had gone.
Matt reached them and ran his hand through his hair trying to figure out where Clyde had run off to, eluding capture once again. He had bumbled his way through the department store and still got away. Hoyt walked up to him.
"What are you doing in the middle of this," he said, "You know this guy's already taken one shot at you."
Matt looked out where he had last seen Clyde.
"He's gotten away Hoyt," he said, "and we still know next to nothing about him."
"He's in town for a reason."
"Uncle Roy and I were here doing a stakeout on the other guy," Matt said, "What happened to him?"
Hoyt waved a hand.
"Two officers found him cowering behind a dumpster," he said, "He's just a local dealer in stolen goods and information not necessarily in that order."
Matt knew he dealt in stolen jewelry. A client of theirs had an impressive broach collection lifted during a party.
"What kind of information?"
"Any kind," Hoyt said, "Except he's not talking either except to demand a lawyer."
"You are going to question him…"
"Of course," Hoyt said, exasperation in his voice, "I'm after all a trained cop and maybe that's who you should leave this with."
"It doesn't look like the trained cops have been able to catch him either."
Hoyt frowned.
"It's only a matter of time," he said, "And don't you have a gala to attend tonight?"
"I've got a full day's worth of work to finish first," Matt said, walking back to find Roy.
"Matt, we're going to find this guy."
"I'll believe that Hoyt when I see it."
Matt saw Roy talking to an officer and his uncle walked over to him.
"That was quite some chasing," Roy said.
Matt and his uncle got back in the car.
"He got away," he said, "Just slipped through everyone's fingers once again."
Roy hardly looked surprised.
"He's clearly had some experience."
Matt backed the car out of the space.
"Still taking Elizabeth to the gala," Roy said.
"I think she's going with Ginger," Matt said.
"What about C.J.?"
"She's going with Gracie."
"So you're going…stag?"
Matt grimaced then saw the amusement on his uncle's face.
"Anything wrong with that?"
His uncle shook his head.
"No, no," Roy said, "I'd join you in that great tradition but I have a date."
Matt glanced up in surprise from the road.
"You have a date," he said, "Do I know her?"
"I met her at the Palm Springs Wine Festival," Roy said, "She's in L.A. for the weekend and we thought we'd get together."
"Sounds serious."
Roy chuckled.
"She's a nice lady," he said, "and very funny."
Matt nodded.
"That's good," he said, "If she makes you happy…"
"What about you," Roy said, "I'm sure there will be some lovely women at this event."
"I'm just going because it's for a good cause," Matt said, "Not to hook up with anyone."
Roy nodded.
"I understand," he said, "You're still getting over this morning with your ex-fiancée."
"No, it's something C.J. told me."
"What was that," Roy asked.
"That I had to give myself the chance and the time to get past breaking off my engagement to Elizabeth," he said, "Now I know what she meant."
"Sounds like good advice."
"I think I wanted to prove to myself that I was ready to take that step," Matt said.
"You will be when the time's right," Roy said, "I was young like you once and there's nothing wrong with sowing your wild oats. You'll know when it's time to settle down, when the right woman comes around."
"It's not that easy," Matt said.
"No it's not Matlock," Roy said, "It wasn't for me and your Aunt Flo but I know that despite everything we went through and everything I put her through, I made the right decision at the right time."
Matt turned down the street which led to his office building and drove into the parking garage. The two men rode the elevator to the top and when the door opened, they stepped out and saw C.J. talking to Chris.
"What are you doing here," Matt asked.
C.J. looked up at him.
"Just checking my messages," she said, "Gracie's out getting some shoes for tonight."
"You feeling better?"
She nodded.
"Yeah, it's been a nice couple of days to take off and relax a bit. I really had been working hard and needed the time away."
"When you weren't running into Clyde Jenkins," he said.
She narrowed her eyes.
"What about you," she said, "He shot you and you're still chasing him. In fact, Hoyt just called and mentioned that you ran into him today on the stakeout?"
Roy and Matt looked at each other.
"We were both surprised to see him show up," Matt said.
"Hoyt also said that the con man you were after made bail," she said, "and is back on the streets again but that Clyde got away."
Matt went to pour himself some Scotch.
"The con man's only a two-bit dealer in stolen goods," he said, "We just don't know why he wound up hooking up with Clyde."
C.J. folded her arms.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine C.J.," Matt said, "but he got away again."
She sighed.
"If he had hurt you again…"
"C.J…"
She wagged her finger at him.
"Don't say anything about how any concern about you is unwarranted like you always do," she said.
Matt looked taken aback.
"Is that what you think I'm doing?"
She shrugged.
"Isn't it?"
Matt almost said something then decided to think about it carefully instead. Whenever she had admitted that she worried about him, he always made light of it. But that was just because he didn't want her to worry about him.
"That's not my intention," he said, "Besides what about you? When you get into trouble or get shot, you're always telling me not to worry or feeling bad because you made me worry."
She looked down at her hands. He had her there. After all when she had regained consciousness after undergoing surgery to remove the bullet fired by members of a local drug cartel, the first thought that had come to her was that she had worried her best friend.
"That's different."
"How so?"
She sighed.
"Because it always is when you're the person doing the worrying," she said, "Despite my differences of opinion with Elizabeth, I did understand where she was coming from there."
He looked at her surprised.
"You never said anything."
She looked away.
"Would it matter if I did?"
He didn't answer and she nodded.
"That's what I thought," she said, walking away towards her office.
He grabbed her arm and she turned to look at him, irritation and a couple of other emotions in her eyes.
"What's going on here," he asked.
She pulled away and just looked at him for a moment.
"Nothing."
She stepped into her office, to see a pile of messages that Chris had left on her desk. She sorted through them to find the most pressing ones. As she did that, she heard a knock on the door. She looked up and saw Roy standing there holding two cups of tea. She took one thankfully.
"What is it," she asked.
"Chris finished all the invoices on the cases that were closed out this year," Roy said, "She's leaving early because her boyfriend's back from his business trip."
C.J. nodded.
"That's great," she said, "It will make it easier to do taxes especially if he use Murray's referral."
"True," Roy said, "and it will take some of the workload off of you."
She shrugged.
"It doesn't bother me," she said, "It keeps me busy."
"My nephew can be difficult sometimes," Roy said, "especially when he's being obtuse like now."
She looked up at him from her desk.
"It's not anything he did," she said, "It's me."
He sat down in the chair and waited for her to continue which she did after sipping the tea.
"This is really good tea," she said, "What's in it?"
"Oh some herbs, spices all blended together. I picked it up when I went to Palm Desert with a lady friend," he said, "You think there's something wrong with you?"
She shook her head.
"No, it's just complicated and something I have to sort through myself."
He nodded.
"If Matlock has done something, don't let him off the hook."
She frowned.
"It's not like that," she said, "Thanks for the tea."
"You want me to mind my own business…"
She looked dismayed.
"I'm sorry," she said, "It's that I have to stop thinking about what I should have done."
He nodded again.
"After you got back from your vacation," he finished.
Her face flushed a little but he pretended not to notice.
"I was young once too," he said, "though it was a while ago."
She started fidgeting so she picked up her cup.
"But I was right," she said, "As soon as we got back, Elizabeth came back too."
Roy furrowed his brow.
"My nephew said you were right too but not about that."
She tilted her head.
"What do you mean?"
"He said that advice you gave him about working through his broken engagement was good advice."
"I can see that," she said, "They're back together as if nothing happened."
Roy looked at her closely.
"Are you sure about that," he said.
She smiled.
"Gracie's asked me the same thing," she said, "I think the signs are all there that they've worked things out."
"Things aren't always what they seem," Roy said, "You know that."
"Yes I do," she said, "but I do know he loves her."
"Perhaps," Roy said, "But love's a complicated thing and there's a difference between loving a person and being in love."
C.J. knew that already all too well.
"I'm sure they'll figure out how to make it work as all couples do," she said.
Matt entered the room.
"I found these files in my out box," he said, stacking them on her desk.
"Thank," she said, "I think I'll have enough time for the gala…"
"C.J., you're still officially on vacation," Matt protested, "They can wait."
She sighed.
"I'm in the office, Gracie's still out shopping, I can do a little bit of work before getting ready for tonight."
He conceded.
"Okay, but I'll handle some of it as well…"
She frowned up at him.
"What about Elizabeth," she said, "I'll bet she's looking forward to tonight's party."
His face changed.
"About her…"
Gracie rushed into the office with a shout.
"I found them," she exclaimed, waving her shopping bag, "The perfect shoes."
Then she looked around the room.
"Did I interrupt anything?"
C.J. looked at Matt.
"No, we're just finishing up some paperwork on some invoices."
Gracie made a face.
"You can't think about work right now," she said, "I booked us at this cute little spa in Beverly Hills."
C.J. started to say something but just smiled.
"Actually that sounds like exactly what I need right now," she said, "Let's go."
After C.J. straightened her desk a bit, the two women left the office with the two men looking at them as they got on the elevator.
"You didn't tell C.J. did you?"
Matt looked at his uncle.
"I haven't had time," he said, "and she promised me we'd get together tomorrow and talk."
"She thinks that you're going to run off and elope with Elizabeth," Roy said, "I think you need to set her straight."
"I plan to do that," Matt said, "but she didn't want to do it until after the gala."
Roy nodded.
"The party of the year or so I hear," he said.
"More like the week," Matt said, "If it weren't for such a good cause, I think I'd skip it."
C.J. and Gracie walked into the Whispering Sands Day Spa to get massages and treatments to prepare for the charity gala.
"The massages here are very relaxing," C.J. told her friend.
"Good, we'll start there and then get facials," Gracie said, "and then have our nails done."
C.J. thoroughly enjoyed her massage and when she finished she asked herself why she hadn't gotten one earlier. She and Gracie sat in the room, to get their facials and manicures.
"That massage was just like being in heaven," Gracie raved.
"It sure hit the spot," C.J. agreed.
"More like a few spots."
C.J. nodded.
"I can almost face this gala tonight," she said.
Gracie looked at her surprised.
"You don't want to go," she said, "It sounds like a great time."
C.J. shrugged.
"I'd rather stay home," she said, "but I did get a message from Brian. He might be attending with the mayor's delegation."
"That sounds exciting in more ways than one," Gracie said, "He's good looking and he seems to like you a lot."
"He's nice and maybe a good time right now is exactly what I need."
"It can't hurt," Gracie said, "and it might be fun to kick up your heels. Now if I can just find someone…"
C.J. looked up and groaned. Gracie followed her glance and saw that Ginger and Elizabeth had clearly had the same idea of heading to the spa for a tune up before the gala tonight. If only it hadn't been the same spa.
"In a city filled with more spas than most, what are the odds they'd wind up here," Gracie asked.
"I intend to just keep relaxing," C.J. said, closing her eyes.
"Maybe they won't come over here," Gracie said.
But that was wishful thinking because of course they did walk on over and sit down on two nearby recliners.
"Hi, surprising to see you here," Ginger said, looking at her nails.
"I don't know if I would call it that," Gracie said, "But we just are hitting the spa before going to that wicked party tonight."
Ginger smiled broadly.
"Well great minds must think alike because we've decided to do the same thing."
"How are things going," Gracie said, "I heard Elizabeth spent more time with Matt today."
Elizabeth just looked away as a manicurist sat across from her.
"Yes, they had a…great morning together," Ginger said, "and they'll both be going to the gala tonight."
"That's great," Gracie said, "Because C.J. and I will be going and Brian that nice guy from the Mayor's office will be there too."
Ginger looked critically at C.J.
"Are you sure she'll be up for it?"
C.J. looked at Ginger, wondering what she was getting at.
"Of course I will be," she said, "What kind of question is that?"
Ginger chose her words carefully.
"Well I wouldn't think a woman in your condition would be out partying late."
Gracie folded her arms.
"What do you mean her condition?"
Ginger chuckled.
"Come on, don't be coy," she said, "We're all grown women here. We know what C.J. and her best friend were doing a couple of months ago and we know what can happen…"
C.J. fought the temptation to get out of her chair.
"I am not going to discuss my personal life with you."
"It must be difficult knowing that the man you slept with is in love with someone else," Ginger said.
She looked at Elizabeth but her friend just stared at the manicurist.
"I'm sure that's a situation you're very well acquainted with," C.J. said, "but not me."
"You do have a catty side," Ginger remarked, "I'm impressed."
C.J. just closed her eyes again.
"I came here to relax Ginger, not get into it with you."
Ginger clucked.
"You've been doing that a lot lately," she said, "Maybe the truth is that Matt wants you out of the way for a while he works things out with Elizabeth."
"Maybe that's it," Gracie said, "Now that you have everything figured out, you can close your mouth and we can all sit here in peace."
"Now what fun is that," Ginger said.
Elizabeth finally turned her head.
"Ginger…"
"Elizabeth, really we're just having a conversation," she said, "Isn't this what women usually do when they hang out at the corner spa?"
"I'm here to relax before tonight," C.J. said, "by all means, continue that conversation and leave me out of it."
"So I take it that means you're not going to tell us how Matt's honeymoon trip went," Ginger said.
C.J. narrowed her eyes.
"I don't discuss my personal life for anyone else's amusement," she said.
"Fair enough," Ginger said, "After all, it didn't work out did it?"
C.J. sighed.
"Why are you so interested in my business," she said, "If Elizabeth is happy and Houston is, then isn't that what's important?"
Ginger studied C.J. carefully. C.J. looked back, wanting to slap her at this point but keeping her cool.
"I'm just curious," Ginger said, "It's going to be a great party tonight. Lots of eligible and hot men come to these parties."
"That should be good for you then," Gracie said, "if not for them."
Ginger frowned.
"You're just jealous," she said, "I'll be sure to leave you a couple of the spares."
Gracie laughed.
"Please, don't do me any favors," she said, "I'm just here to eat the good food. There are plenty of guys in the Bay Area to keep me happy."
"I'll bet," Ginger said, then looked around, "Where can a lady get something to drink around here?"
"There's a place that sells some herbal teas and smoothies around the corner," Gracie offered.
Ginger made a face.
"That's not quite what I had in mind."
But she finally shrugged and sauntered after asking Elizabeth if she wanted anything. Her friend just shrugged her shoulders.
C.J. looked over at Elizabeth.
"Are you okay," she asked.
Elizabeth stared at her and forced a smile.
"Sure, everything's just…fine."
C.J. and Gracie looked at each other.
"I'm almost done here," C.J. said.
Gracie nodded and both women stood up and looked in the mirrors.
"We don't look half bad," Gracie said.
"I feel a lot better," C.J. said, "Even Ginger didn't ruin the mood."
Suddenly, a man ran into the store and pulled out a gun.
"All right everyone line up against the wall," he yelled, "This is a robbery."
C.J. and Gracie looked at each other again, but did what the robber said and lined against the wall, waiting to see what would happen next.