Their Secret Pact – 20
Matt put Uncle Roy on hold and held the receiver against his chest, capturing C.J.'s attention.
"I'm going to put you on the phone with Will. See what else he remembers about her," he said as he grabbed his car keys. "Any information at all can help narrow the search."
"Okay, what are you going to do?"
"I'm going to look into that car accident."
"The one involving Ashley's parents?
"Yes."
"Think it's suspicious?"
"Not sure. But it wouldn't hurt to know more about it."
He paused a moment, something he hadn't done much when he was in work mode and turned towards her.
"Wait, before I go …"
"Yes …"
While she was typing, he surprised her by stepping down via the sofa, grabbing her face with his hands and planting a a slow, passionate kiss on her lips. When he released, it took her a few seconds to come back down to earth.
"Wow. What was that for?"
He brushed her chin with his thumb and smiled. "Like I need a reason."
As she watched him leave, C.J. sat there a moment, taking it in, while unbeknownst to her, Ashley had been standing in the doorway watching them.
"I thought you were getting married to trap a killer?" she bluntly asked, slightly startling C.J.
She put a hand to her chest.
"Oh Ashley... I didn't know you were there ... we are … a very dangerous one."
"How convenient."
"What?"
She walked closer to the sofa.
"I may be just be a kid but … well I used to tease my parents about it whenever they acted all lovey-dovey with each other … You two are in love."
C.J. opened her mouth, ready to debate the young teenager, who obviously was wiser than her years, when she realized she didn't have a good rebuttal. The highly educated, well-trained lawyer was, in fact, speechless on the subject.
She labored in her mind, the bold statement, coming from a kid no less, and the more she thought about it, the more the she liked the sound of it. Aw, heck. She might as well admit it. It wouldn't hurt their plans if young Ashley knew the truth.
She blushed and smiled.
"Is it that obvious?"
Ashley nodded enthusiastically and gave her a heartfelt smile. Ever since she met Matt and C.J. she had been secretly scheming. If this couple that reminded her of her late parents so much were in love, getting married and relatives of hers, then maybe, just maybe they'd adopt her, ride off into the sunset together and live happily ever after. She wouldn't have to worry about her biological parents accepting her. She'd have a ready-made home and family.
"Watcha doin'?"
"Looking for your biological mother."
"Really?" she asked, feeling deflated from her secret plan.
"Yes. Will wants to find her."
"He does?" she asked, even more surprised.
"Yes. So you see, he's coming around."
"Wow. So ... I guess it was probably just a big shock to him."
"Yes probably. Excuse me. Hi Will. Sorry to keep you on hold. What can you tell me about Lorrie?"
As soon as Will entered the Black Bear Diner in Bakersfield, he scanned the room for someone who looked like Lorrie ... at least as he remembered her. Roy was right behind him.
"See her?"
Will looked around some more, taking careful note of all the female employees as his heart beat in double time. Between Baby and what details he remembered about Lorrie, it only took C.J. a few minutes to find a location for Lorrie. A work address, nonetheless, but a location. Throughout the drive there, he went over in his mind all the different scenarios, trying to prepare for the pivotal moment when their eyes met. But he didn't see anyone who remotely resembled her.
"Excuse me," he said walking up to the counter where the hostess was ready to give him a menu.
"I'm looking for Lorrie Considine. Does she work here?"
"Who wants to know?" she asked as he exhaled, feeling immediately validated.
"An old friend of hers."
"You're going to have to do better than that."
Roy stepped in, flashing his ID. "I'm Roy Houston, this is my son Will. I'm a private detective from Los Angeles. My son was close with Lorrie before he went to Vietnam back in '71. He was only supposed to be there for twelve months, ended being captured and held as a prisoner of war for twelve years. He was rescued six months ago and has been trying to readjust to life in the states by reuniting with his old friends."
The hostess was impressed.
"Wow. Okay, well Lorrie still works here. She's on break."
"Okay … can you tell us …" Will started to ask when she continued.
"You can find her outside. She usually takes a smoke out back."
"I need a favor," Matt bluntly said upon walking into Hoyt's office. Hoyt was engrossed in the piles of paperwork strewn across his desk. He didn't look up when he heard Matt's voice.
"What is it now?" he asked with a roll of his eyes.
"I'd like to see the accident report of a Mr. and Mrs. Newman. You might remember their daughter's a client? They were killed in a car crash about a month ago."
"Aren't you supposed to be planning a wedding?"
"I am. But I figured this wouldn't take long. Just want to look over the report to satisfy my curiosity."
"Down the hall, last door on the right. Tell the officer on duty you spoke to me."
Matt turned to leave when he abruptly stopped.
"Wait a minute, you're not going to give me a hard time, badger me with procedure mumbo jumbo, lecture me on police protocol?"
"Don't have time … or the energy. Too busy with coordinating plans and arranging protection at a certain someone's wedding tomorrow afternoon."
"I see."
"Plus, I figure the sooner I get you out of here the better the chance I'll have a nice day."
As soon as Will and Roy walked around to the back of the diner they saw a woman resembling Lorrie standing next to a picnic table talking with a man. Their conversation was not pleasant, as evident by their pointed mannerisms and escalating voices.
"How could you use the money for that?" she shouted. "I'm working overtime as it is! You know the rent is due tomorrow!"
"Well if you'd stop spending money on all that booze you drink, then maybe we wouldn't have to worry about it."
"You do your fair share of drinking, too. "
"Have to. Being with a bitch like you."
She reactively raised a hand and slapped him. He flinched, but didn't seem too phased by it. Then he returned her slap … much harder … causing her to fall awkwardly against the table and then onto the ground. When she scrambled to get up, he didn't help her or act apologetic.
"Hey!" Will shouted, approaching the couple with Roy right behind him.
"Who the hell are you?" the man asked.
"None of your business. Didn't anyone ever tell you not to hit a woman?"
"Lots of times. You see one around?"
That did it. If it was one thing a Houston man didn't like to see, it was a woman being treated badly by a man... especially a woman he had a personal connection with. He gritted his teeth and propelled his clenched right fist right into the man's face.
Matt returned from the police precinct anxious to share his findings with C.J.
"C.J.!" he called out as soon as the elevator doors opened. "C.J.!"
She walked out from her office.
"Hi there. What'd you find out?"
"Uncle Roy's hunches were right. No accident. Brake fluid had been tampered with. Where's Ashley?"
"Her social worker came by and took her for dinner," she answered as the phone rang.
"Houston! Uncle Roy. Line two," Chris suddenly called out.
"Maybe he has some news on Lorrie … Hey, Uncle Roy. How's it going?"
"It was going great until the police arrived."
"What? Police? I don't follow."
"I'll explain when you get here."
"Get there? Why do you need me there?"
"Bail money."