The night skyline of downtown Los Angeles sparkled like diamonds from the 14th floor penthouse suite of Houston Enterprises as the four of them returned after a night spent dining at a favorite restaurant in Chinatown.

C.J. had picked it remembering how much she'd like to meet up there with her college friend Connie Ling before that woman's murder two years ago. When she went there, she remembered the fun times they had catching up over a delicious meal. Tonight she'd been with her boyfriend Robert Tyler double dating with her best friend Matt and his Uncle Roy. It'd been a very festive occasion but her eyes had been on her new boyfriend who'd come to L.A. to take a reporting job at a local network and swept her off her feet in the process.

He wasn't exactly new. She and Matt had met him while attending Rice University. While Matt had been a star quarterback and business major, she'd been an honor student who studied pre-law and pledged a sorority. Robert had been a film major who aspired to produce documentaries and lined up more than one fellowship to pursue his craft.

But he'd been a bit carefree and reckless leaving Matt and C.J. to clean up after him at times, something that actually bonded them more closely.

The four of them went out on the roof area. Robert holding C.J.'s hand. While the men were in black tux, she wore her new white gown that she'd picked up at a boutique in Century City.

"They sure don't throw parties like that back home Houston," Robert said, "Made me feel like a visiting dignitary."

"Oh that you are," Matt said, "We had to do something to celebrate your six week anniversary here in Los Angeles."

Roy proposed a toast.

"To at least six more I hope…"

C.J. raised her glass to Robert.

"To at least 60 more."

Soon it was like only she and Robert were standing on the helipad gazing into each other's eyes as they sipped their Scotch. At some point, Matt and Roy had headed on out giving them their privacy.

The two of them strolled to the edge of the building to look out at greater L.A.

"Robert I'm so excited about tomorrow. The most famous recluse since Howard Hughes…I mean he's turned down Barbara Walters, Dan Rather but he's agreed to talk to you."

Robert just smiled at her.

"I have got more important things on my mind."

"More important than preparing for an interview with Richard Daniels? Daniels doesn't just give interviews to anybody."

"I know but right now I'm distracted by something that I want to say to you."

"Sounds serious."

"Yeah, it's amazing how I can be so witty and urbane in front of television cameras," he said, "but standing here in front of you my stomach getting butterflies."

"Why?"

"When I came to L.A. I was determined to concentrate on my career," he said, "of course I knew that you and Houston were here but well, I didn't expect to fall in love with you."

Now C.J. felt some butterflies in her stomach.

"I know I'm not as classy as some of the guys that you dated," he said, "I know I'm on the treadmill trying to cog my way…"

"And you will…"

"C.J…I want to marry you."

To say she felt overwhelmed by his words was an understatement, she didn't know what to say.

"Does that mean no?"

She almost felt speechless but she finally found some words.

"No…I mean no…it means I don't know what to say."

He sighed.

"Well say yes; say you need time to think about it but whatever you do, don't take too long. I don't think I could stand it."

She smiled softly.

"I'm tempted to give you an answer now but the lawyer in me has trained me to examine the evidence first."

He smiled deprecatory.

"Trial by jury…so what are my chances?"

"I'd say you have a sound case."


Matt sat in the penthouse suite drinking some Scotch after he'd returned to finish some dreaded paperwork on some cases with Uncle Roy. They'd been on a lower floor test driving a brand new security system.

When they got back up to the suite, C.J. and Robert had already left. Matt had been teasing to his uncle when he said they might be hearing wedding bells soon. But he felt that whatever was going on with an old friend and his best friend was moving way too quickly.

After all, as far as he could recollect, they hadn't ever gotten along that well. What the hell was happening here?

He eyed the Jacuzzi but hit the chaise instead with his glass. Roy poured himself a drink and joined him.

"You upset about something?"

Matt glanced at his uncle remembering how razor sharp his instincts had always been thanks to his career.

"No…just spent a great evening out with friends…eating the best steak in L.A. and now I'm sitting back talking with my favorite uncle."

"Your only uncle."

Matt shrugged.

"Okay…isn't this a bit sudden her and Robert? She never seemed to like him that much growing up. Of course after she had to argue bail for him a couple times…I think she got irritated."

Roy just looked amused at his nephew. He seemed clueless about what everyone around him had figured out years ago. Bill had commented on it before their falling out. Roy knew his brother hoped they'd get their heads straight before he died. Two such intelligent people…oh never mind. He just sipped his drink listening to his nephew wander around in the dark.

"They clearly have worked their differences out," Roy said, "You should be happy that C.J. found herself someone special being a close friend."

Matt bristled at his uncle's tone.

"I am happy for them," he said, "Losing Carl…she wasn't the same after that. But Robert…he's good looking and charming…always knows what to say. But Uncle Roy, he's always getting himself into trouble…one escapade after another and we have to bail him out."

"She's a smart woman Matlock. She can take care of herself. You know that or you should…"

"Uncle Roy I get that but Robert dropping into L.A for an anchor job and then going to C.J. to sweep her off of her feet…"

Roy shook his head bemused. Matt was sharp about a lot of things but his feelings for his best friend just wasn't on that list.

"They seem happy together."

Matt fell silent. He certainly didn't begrudge C.J. for wanting to be happy after everything she'd been through in the past year. Losing a close friend, getting shot, losing her boyfriend and getting shot. She was overdue for good things in her life but he had his doubts about Robert…and it had nothing to do with what his uncle might think.

It wasn't because he was jealous. Robert had always been in scrapes since both Matt and C.J. had first met him and more often than not, he needed his friends to swoop in and bail him out of trouble. Though he appeared set on a more steady course in his life as of late…maybe he'd put his immature antics behind him.

"I think I'm going to take up golfing," Roy said, "I remember they have a lot of award winning courses here."

Matt half listened to his uncle. He'd settled into a rental house in West L.A. in a quiet neighborhood a short commute from the office. It looked like his uncle was going to stick around for a while and he felt happy about that…his only living relative close by rather than two states away.

"L.A. Country Club's got the best course," Matt said, "I played a couple charity tournaments there."

Roy listened to his nephew, then picked up his cell phone. He saw that someone had called him an hour ago. He got up from his chair.

"Excuse me, I have to return a phone call…"

He walked out of the room.


C.J. sighed as she flopped on her bed wearing her favorite silk pajamas. She'd be alone tonight because Robert said he had to pull an all-nighter preparing for a gala he was covering tomorrow. The reclusive billionaire Richard Daniels was hosting a surprise birthday bash for his beloved wife Barbara. Robert and a news crew had been assigned not to only cover the party but to do an exclusive interview with Richard that Robert had finagled after weeks of back and forth negotiation with the publicity shy tycoon.

He'd asked C.J. to join him to see him in action doing what he loved in his new job. She'd eagerly agreed and looked forward to it. It wasn't a date or anything real serious, she was just tagging along with him on an assignment. She'd witnessed him in action so far during the Kathy Hoyt kidnapping story and thought he'd handled a difficult story with both skill and sensitivity. The first, didn't surprise her but the latter did knock her through a loop. Maybe after all these years, Robert finally had changed, becoming a mature adult.

But as she lay on her bed, all she could think about was his proposal of sorts. Not really official just that he wanted to marry her at some point when he was more settled in his career. A part of her wanted to say yes, let's do it but that part of her didn't make her decisions. She'd fallen so hard and fast for Robert and it'd been so unexpected.

She'd never dated him before, never considered him more than a friend who made her laugh when she needed it and who still had the little boy inside of him even as he showed her he'd had career ambitions. They'd just decided to go out to dinner casually, mostly to get him to stop asking her. They hadn't been that close growing up as he'd mostly been a buddy of Matt's.

She'd started dating again not long after Matt's name had been cleared of murder charges and he'd come back home from life on the run. His uncle had shown up too which had delighted C.J. as she'd always been fond of him back in Texas. Roy had been a recluse in New Mexico where he'd moved after retiring from being a covert operative along with his wife Flo. She'd died in her sleep one night and their only child had died in a war fought on foreign soil not even leaving them with a body to bury at the military cemetery.

Roy had settled into life here and he'd played a large role in Matt's investigative agency. In fact, he working on cases with his nephew had freed up C.J.'s time to do other assignments like handling the legal side of the company.

Sometimes she missed working out in the field with her partner and best friend, but watching him interact with his only living blood relative, she didn't want to deny him that experience. She'd lost everyone in her own family and even though she felt a part of Matt's family, there were times she felt alone in the world.

She buried herself in her legal challenges, flexing her Harvard Law School education. She'd also had to recover fully from getting shot while trying to clear Matt and then when she thought death was imminent, she'd told him that she loved him.

God, she wasn't sure why she'd done that now. They'd survived leaving a burning building in a hail of gunfire and he'd never really responded to her declaration of love. She didn't really expect it, after all they'd never been anything but close friends…time to move on with the rest of her life. If that's what led her to look at Robert in a different light, what was wrong with that?

Still marrying him…such a big step and would she be ready to take it…and why did the thought fill her with both excitement and trepidation?


Matt woke up in the morning and ran 10 miles on the bike path in front of his house past the Santa Monica Pier where fishermen gathered with their tackle and past Venice Beach where surfers headed out into the water with their boards.

He'd tossed and turned all night. The restlessness had begun when he and Roy noticed a lull in their caseload, leaving them time to wrap up some paperwork and close out the completed investigations. So he'd spent most of his days sitting at his desk which he disliked signing forms and filling out ledgers. C.J. spent time in her own office on the phone working the mornings before Robert dropped by and took her out to lunch for several hours, more than enough time for a sit down meal in most local restaurants.

His own social life had picked up after the women started calling him again once the media outlets took his time spent trying to prove his innocence on murder charges and ran with it. More front page stories and magazine covers, an appearance on Good Morning L.A. He'd attracted the types of women who fantasized about being damsels in distress needing to be rescued, intertwined with those who liked to date bad boys.

Matt didn't get it but being accused of murdering someone actually attracted a certain type of women to him. He went out most nights and occasionally brought a woman home for a nightcap and then some between the sheets action.

Nothing serious. He wasn't into serious right now after what he'd been through the last several months. After decompressing from life as a fugitive dashing from one burning or bullet ridden building to the next, he was ready to settle down for a while building upon his reputation as the wealthy playboy looking for the next good time.

The estate was quite impressive as she and Robert walked the grounds. She didn't wear anything fancy, just an orange pantsuit and a belt. She was so excited watching the guests begin to arrive while the final arrangements were being made to make it a festive occasion. A chance to see her boyfriend in action doing what he did so well.

Mostly they stood there kissing each other, forgetting everything else until a network technician came up and interrupted them, telling Robert that it was time to interview Richard Daniels at the house.

"I'll be right there…thanks."

He apologized to C.J. but she just grinned.

"Well a reporter's life is filled with interruptions."

"I'd better hurry unless I want to be demoted to weatherman."

She chuckled thinking that highly unlikely. His coverage of the Hoyt kidnapping was rumored to be under consideration for an Emmy nomination for breaking news coverage.

Then he kissed her goodbye…for now and they wrapped arms around each other as they walked away towards the interview of his career. Damn she was so proud of him and he looked so dashing and sexy in his suit with his devil may care smile on his face. When they were done here, he'd have to go back to the station to supervise the editing of his interview footage and then air it later that evening. Afterward, they'd be meeting for a late night dinner at the Formosa Café to celebrate a most glorious day.

First things first, he had to do the interview with a man who'd hired enough burly bodyguards to discourage any news reporter or paparazzi from even approaching him. Today, she noticed that the billionaire looked happy as he approached them, welcoming them to the birthday party as if they were friends.

Robert hooked up with Richard and with cameras on them both they walked together while Robert asked him questions. Starting with rumors that the former tycoon had become a recluse.

"Well if I'm a recluse, it's just that I found a reason in my happiness and I make sure nobody disturbs that happiness."

Simon looked over as Barbara, Richard's lovely wife joined them.

"And that reason is of course you're lovely wife…Ms Daniels, what'd happen if tomorrow your husband lost all his millions?"

She just laughed, her eyes sparkling and on her husband.

"I'd go out and get a job..."

C.J. watched him do what he did and loved best and saw how much he thrived on it. She looked over the vast estate as three clowns pushed what looked like a multi-tier birthday cake on a cart towards them. One clown bounded up to Barbara and knelt as if asking her to dance and then swooped her up in his arms for a waltz around the grass. She seemed a bit surprised but enjoyed it as the cameramen followed her. Spinning around and twirling her as she smiled. C.J. could tell she was a fun loving woman as she watched her.

Suddenly gun shots tore through the air, interrupting the gaiety. C.J. widened her eyes as she saw that the dancing clown had a gun and his grip on Barbara had become menacing.

Finally he spoke.

"Don't anyone try to be a hero."

"This is a kidnapping…"

The other two clowns in the background pulled out guns and fired them causing people to nearly panic though the only people who moved were the camera man capturing it all on video.

Suddenly Richard stepped forward.

"Now look. I'll go with you. I'll do anything you want but leave my wife alone."

Suddenly the clown saw the camera aimed at him and rushed towards it striking it with his arm.

"Turn that thing off."

The clown wrestled with Robert and flung him on a table filled with refreshments and it toppled over on top of him. C.J.'s adrenalin kicked in and she rushed towards him shielding him with her body and pleading with the kidnappers.

"No please…please…"

She didn't want him to get shot by them. The lead clown seemed indecisive about what to do, just staring at her and Robert, the gun in his hand. Then he backed away and joined the two other clowns who had grabbed Robert. C.J watched the clown leave them thankful that he hadn't fired his gun at either one of them.

When Richard lunged towards them, the lead clown blocked him as they shoved Barbara into a huge white truck with "Three Ring Catering" on the side.

"We'll call with instructions."

The lead clown joined the others and the truck raced off, away from the stunned partygoers. C.J.'s heart thudded in her chest as she and Robert got on their feet. He ordered an associate to call the police and then grabbed a microphone from a camera man asking him if they were live.

Then he did what he did best.

"This is Robert Tyler live from the scene of the Barbara Daniels kidnapping…"

C.J. watched him amazed at his cool professionalism as if he hadn't just had his own life threatened. She could barely stop her hands from shaking. More concerned about him than herself. Had she almost lost him?

The man in front of her coolly reported the story as if someone hadn't just pointed a gun at him and threatening to use it.


Matt sat with Roy in the sports bar eating chicken wings and drinking some beer. They'd closed out a dozen old cases and brought the database up to current. It'd been as boring as watching paint on the side of a barn dry but it was over and done with for a couple of months at least.

They'd taken off to catch the Astros and the Dodgers at the bar owned by one of Matt's former clients and realized quickly it was going to be a long night for Houston.

Roy shook his head.

"They really need to get out of this slump," he said, "by the time they finish this road trip. They're not going to be welcomed back."

Matt sighed. He always took it hard when his baseball team was in the midst of a prolonged losing streak.

"You know I almost bought a share of them…but then the Oilers came up for sale."

Roy chuckled. He knew though Matt played a lot of team sports, football was truly his passion even though he'd never turned pro after winning the Heisman.

Suddenly a news broadcast interrupted the bottom of the seventh inning and Matt widened his eyes as he saw jerky camera movements depicting what looked like a ruckus at a fancy part. What looked like clowns were running around brandishing guns.

"What the…"

Then he saw the angle change and damn if it wasn't Robert on the ground with C.J. next to him. He saw what looked like fear in her eyes, tension in her body.

"No please…please…"

Matt felt like jumping out of his seat. What the hell? He'd heard C.J. talking about how she and Robert would be attending a birthday celebration in Bel Air. Then he saw the camera pan to Robert who'd coolly started giving a report on the kidnapping that had just taken place involving Barbara Daniels right in the middle of her party.

Barbara Daniels, Barbara Daniels…wait a minute didn't she usually have a cadre of security men around her and her husband? Then he saw the lead clown bearing a gun board a big van and realized it had been some sort of inside job.

"Uncle Roy…"

But his uncle had already grabbed the check and started heading to the cashier. After they did that, they headed to the car to drive off to find out what in blazes had happened.

"I doubt they're still at the mansion," Matt said, "Maybe the precinct….being interviewed by the cops?"

Roy shook his head.

"I think we'd better head straight to the television station where Robert works. I suspect that's where we'll find them."

Matt took off in the Mercedes burning rubber down Vermont Street towards Hollywood.


Later at the KPRW television headquarters, C.J. watched in a sound area as Robert served as anchor for the news broadcast. He calmly announced that they would be showing exclusive coverage taken of the kidnapping of Daniels' wife.

C.J. watched what she'd seen live broadcast to viewers everywhere.

"According to FBI and local authorities no ransom demands had yet been received…"

She figured that soon enough the kidnappers would call Richard with their demands that would have to be fulfilled before Barbara's release.

Robert looked so solemn.

"More news after this commercial break..."

She watched him take his break; drink some water as a makeup artist fussed over him. She'd been trying to relax after the events of that afternoon. Yet the adrenalin hadn't ebbed out of her yet, she still felt on edge and she felt worried, no scared for him. He'd looked straight into the kidnappers' eyes and shown a camera on them. Damn lucky they hadn't executed him on the spot for putting them on the air so they could be more readily identified.

"C.J…"

She turned around and saw Matt and Roy enter the sound area. A sight for sore eyes, she hadn't thought to call him so he must have heard about it or seen it on the news.

"Oh Matt, thanks for coming."

She rushed to meet him and he hugged her tightly giving her a kiss. He held onto her arms looking into her face. His eyes widened, the expression obviously concerned not that she needed that right now. Robert was the one who'd be in danger not her. Not to mention Barbara Daniels who'd dropped off the face of the canvas given that the kidnappers had yet to contact anyone demanding a ransom or anything at all.

"We heard about the kidnapping are you all right?"

"I'm just a little bit shaken up," she said, "He feels guilty about it...responsible."

Matt looked incredulous.

"It's not his fault."

A nearby technician picked up the phone and then called to the news desk.

"Robert…I got a woman on the phone that says she's Barbara Daniels."

That caught everyone's attention. Robert looked over as makeup artists continue to fuss over him.

"What?"

"She said the kidnappers want her to read you a message on the air."

C.J. and Matt looked at each other, wondering why the kidnapper contacted Robert.

"Well how do you know it's really her?"

"I don't…what should we do?"

Robert thought fast as he sipped his water.

"Ask her the name of her dog."

The tech did that and then said back, Marzipan. Robert sighed.

"Oh boy that's really her…All right Bill I'll take it live."

Matt and C.J. just stood together watching it unfold. Everyone's eyes were back on Robert as he narrated that during the break, Barbara Daniels had called.

He picked up the phone.

"Barbara Daniels are you there?"

"I have to read a statement from the kidnappers."

She added that there would be discussion of a ransom and Robert was to be the go between.

"The kidnappers want me to be the go between?"

"It goes on to say we'll call you at your home tomorrow Tyler…no police…no FBI…no interference of any kind or we'll kill her."

Robert jotted this all down on paper.

"Please tell my husband that I love him…"

Then the phone went dead. C.J. felt fear in her chest as she watched Robert call desperately on the phone.

"I don't like this."

She left Matt and he and his uncle soon followed her as she went to see Robert. He seemed okay from his experience and excited that he'd be on the front lines of a major kidnapping story.

"I've got a ton of prep work to do…can I see you later?"

She watched as employees buzzed around him and left with Matt and his uncle. She felt scared suddenly, not able to bear it if anything happened to him. Robert had always been a bit reckless and she wondered if this time it might get him killed.

God, what had she done by allowing herself to fall for another man who embraced a dangerous lifestyle?


Matt took her out to dinner partly to get her to relax. She knew he worried about her, that hearing on the news that Barbara Daniels' party had been interrupted by kidnappers had caused him concern knowing she'd been there.

She'd gone home and changed while he waited for her and then they took off to a quiet restaurant where they clinked glasses. Not that she felt any gaiety, her mind still replaying what had happened at the party.

"I wish Robert was here with us."

"Well romance conquers all except requests from the FBI and the police…"

She sighed, fear filling her and she knew she couldn't hide it from Matt because he knew her better than anyone.

"It's scary how I feel about him Houston."

Not easy words to say, because they tapped into far back in her life. The parts of it she never talked about with anyone…not even the man in front of her. She'd taken her memories of her family and stuck them away like you'd do with photos in an album. Only she left them on the shelf, never to look at again. It just hurt too much, brought it all back again to revisit the past. Better to focus on the here and now, including this day, when now she had to worry about her boyfriend's safety.

"You love him?"

He waited patiently for her answer.

"I think so…It's just that it's been sort of an ongoing thing since I was a little kid and my dad died. I think I'd been afraid to love anybody too much…Afraid they'd be taken away from me."

She knew he knew her history from the day her father died to losing her dear boyfriend Carl to a stalker a year ago.

"Well I'm still around."

She laughed affectionately, taking his hand and squeezing it. He's been the one constant in her life after all and she loved him more than anyone. She even loved him in that special way but she'd put that on the line once and well, she guessed he didn't return her feelings. She could live with that because he'd been her best friend.

"Look C.J. if you really love Robert…and he loves you as much as he seems to then I can't think of anything else that really matters."

"Nothing does…"

But ambiguity pulled at her anyway.

"It's just that I'm afraid to lose him and if he's going to meet with those kidnappers Houston…"

He interrupted.

"Well I know a pretty good private eye who probably offer some discreet protection…"

She smiled at him.

"What would I do without you?"

He held tightly onto her hands with his own looking at her.

"Probably pay for the dinner."

They lifted their classes to clink together.

"Cheers."

But as they got up to leave, she wondered to herself, what would she do without him in her life? She felt more than uneasy about this whole kidnapping deal Robert had gotten himself into which reminded her of his exploits since college. But at least with Matt there, he'd be safe.

It turned out that this was only the beginning…