New chapter up, thanks for reading and for the feedback!
Matt looked over at the irate woman in front of him. Courtney hadn't liked what Matt had told her in response to her proposal.
"I'm not going to tell you anything if you bring the police over," she said.
"Okay I won't then if you tell me something useful," he said, "and based on reality and not one of your books."
She scoffed.
"You can't talk to me this way," she said, "I didn't do anything wrong except have an attraction to Clarence. He's really quite sexy in his own way."
"Let's just move on from that," he said, "What is this information that you have on Clarence and his side business?"
Courtney folded her hands and looked up at him.
"I told you it would come at a price…"
Matt turned around and looked in Hoyt's direction where he was talking to a waiter who probably was an undercover cop.
"As soon as he's done, I can call him right on over…"
Courtney looked over at the two men and then over at Matt.
"Okay I'll tell you a little bit. Clarence did do reproductive counseling for individuals or couples who were seeking help with starting their families. In fact, he told me about this eccentric pair of newlyweds who came in a couple of times and how the husband fainted in his office…"
"What is his side business," Matt said.
She paused.
"He a great man, a visionary in his field but he had some…debts," she said, "He engaged in gambling on horses and dog racing and he wasn't very good at either. So he had to make some money."
"So how did he do that?"
Courtney told the guard.
"I need another Scotch," she said, "Could you get me one?"
The guard nodded and went to the bar and when she had it in her hand, she sipped it for a moment.
"He procured…samples from some famous men who used his service, athletes, actors and politicians, some of the most brilliant scientists who came in with their wives and he used those samples to inseminate them."
"I understand that's how the process works," Matt said, "I grew up in the ranching world."
She finished her Scotch in one gulp.
"You don't understand but then again, you always were a bit slow for a famous detective," she said, "It's what he did with the portion of the contributions that weren't used on the wives."
"What do you mean?"
Courtney took a deep breath before answering.
"He sold them on the black market."
C.J. looked at the man standing in front of her.
"Rodrigo, what are you doing here?"
He started walking towards her.
"You mean out of jail," he said, "They sprung me earlier today."
"The police are looking for you," she said, "You weren't supposed to be released."
He folded his arms.
"I came here looking for you."
She looked behind her but the hallway remained quiet.
"I got to get back to the party and you have to go back to the police station because they are out searching for you."
"Well I'm here and I need to talk to you."
She just looked up at him, trying to find a way to get past him.
"I don't want to talk to you," she said, "Just get out of my way."
He moved to block her with his body.
"Not until you hear what I have to say."
She looked past him to see who was close by the entrance into the ballroom but all she heard were the sounds of music playing and some laughter near the door.
"You already said enough at the restaurant."
He nodded.
"And you were wired at the time weren't you," he said, "Why did you go to the police?"
"You know why," she said, "because you nearly killed me when you spiked my drink."
He looked away for a moment.
"She told me it wouldn't hurt you…"
She narrowed her eyes at him.
"Who told you," she said, "Who is this women you keep mentioning?"
He just stared at her.
"Why did you help them arrest me when I did nothing wrong?"
She didn't want to get into this with him again. She didn't even want to see him.
"Like I told you, just move out of my way."
"I can't…I need to talk to you."
She shook her head.
"I'm not staying here," she said, "Let me pass."
She saw him reach into his pocket and pull something out.
"You're not going anywhere until I'm finished."
Her eyes widened as she saw the knife in his hand.
Matt digested what Courtney had told him about Clarence.
"You mean he saved some of the samples of famous men and sold them to other people to use?"
Courtney nodded.
"Some of the more lucrative bloodlines sold at auction and commanded some very high figures," Courtney said, "and Clarence was able to pay off his gambling debts, his bookies, a couple of loan sharks and build up quite a nest egg for himself…which he of course has spent on gambling."
"People actually participated in these…auctions?
Courtney smiled at the disbelief and dismay on Matt's face.
"Why yes, just imagine it Matt, a couple that wants an athletic child could create one with the DNA of a famous basketball player whose wife just needed a little help with insemination or even invitro-fertilization."
"I guess the same goes for parents who want to produce the future scientists, doctors and performers."
"Just think what some of those unused portions are worth to those interested enough to buy them," Courtney said, "and the contributors don't even have to know about it."
Matt looked at her shocked.
"You mean they're fathering kids out there they'll never know exist," he said, "I don't how they'd get away with that."
Courtney chuckled.
"Well they have," she said, "Clarence had someone helping him but most of the medical personnel have been none the wiser."
"And he told you this when?"
She smiled.
"Pillow talk Matt," she said, "the kind we could have had if you weren't so unreasonable."
"So how long has this been going on anyway," he asked.
"A while…I'm not sure but long enough for it to have made a couple of people very rich," she said, "and to provide inspiration for my latest book."
Matt weighed her words and wondered how much truth they bore but nothing surprised him these days because he had been an investigator so long. But before today, he really thought he had seen it all and now he realized that he still had a ways to go.
"Do you know who's threatening Clarence," he asked, "assuming it's not you."
She looked wounded.
"I'm way too fond of him even though it didn't work out," she said, "but he did have enemies out there and any one of them could have done it."
"Kill him or extort money out of him in exchange for their silence?"
She shrugged.
"Either…and whatever it works for me," she said, "Makes for a better ending for my book."
He just shook his head at her and her one track mind when it came to her career. But he now had to find out who had gone after Clarence and whether or not he or she planned to move against him at the gala.
"Matt, I swear I had nothing to do with any of this," she said, "and I were blackmailing him why would I tell you about it."
She did have a point. Why would she throw away her chance to earn millions out the window by confiding in him?
"But he did correspond with this nurse, a young woman, slightly unbalanced to say the least."
"Did she ever work for him?"
"Only a short period of time," Courtney said, "She's laid up now in some mental hospital."
Matt felt a thread of unease run through him.
"Does she have a name?"
He thought he knew the answer.
"Of course she does," Courtney said, "I think it's something like Erin…"
Matt's stomach clenched.
"I know her," he said, "She was locked up for stalking me and trying to kill C.J. not to mention committing a series of murders."
"Well she admired Clarence a lot and I think it might have been mutual," Courtney, "but wow, you just never know about people do you?"
He looked at her.
"No you don't…."
"Come with me," Rodrigo ordered her.
"Like hell I will," she said, "Put that knife down."
"Not until you agree to go someplace private so we can talk," he said.
C.J. knew she would be much safer here than any place he took her that was away from the people crowding the room nearby. She tried to decide whether or not he would use the knife against her if she refused. But suddenly he lunged and grabbed her wrist with his other hand. Caught by surprise, she tried to struggle out of his grasp but he pulled her around and put the knife to her throat in a couple of deft moves.
"Let me go," she said twisting in his grasp.
"Not until we get out of here," he said, pulling her towards, "I booked a room upstairs. We can talk there."
"I'm not going anywhere with you," she said, "You can just kill me if that's what you want."
A pained look passed through his eyes.
"I would never do that to such beauty and poise," he said, "but you'll be coming with me because I have an accomplice in the ballroom and that person will not be as nice to your date if you don't cooperate."
She froze at that.
"I don't believe you."
"Do you want to find out the hard way?"
She sighed, knowing it wouldn't be impossible and someone could hit Matt when he wasn't looking for trouble or expecting it. She decided she would just have to go along with this for now and figure out what to do. A plan of action to strike when Rodrigo least expected it.
"Okay, I'll go with you but only to talk," she said.
He nodded and they moved towards the service elevator.
Matt had been rocked by the revelation that Erin had been an admirer of Clarence which most definitely spelled trouble, given her track record of how she treated her objects of affection when she believed they had betrayed her. If Clarence stepped over that line, she could explode into violence against him. That made more sense on her end than extortion did. Maybe that's why she had tried to get him to go to the Ball with her. Not because she still had a thing for him but to get closer to the doctor.
"Do you think she'd harm him?"
Courtney smiled.
"Erin's clearly a kook but she's improved at the hospital," she said, "but still, if she shows up here, it could be very interesting."
Not the word that Matt would have used but he realized that Courtney occupied a different world than he did and her morals were a bit skewed as a result. He looked around the ballroom for Erin but saw nothing. Come to think about it, he didn't see C.J. around either. She had gone to freshen up but that had been a while ago.
"Excuse me…"
She just nodded from her chair and Matt walked up to Elise.
"Have you seen C.J. around?"
"She went to freshen up but it's been a while and she hasn't returned."
Matt frowned.
"That's strange."
"Yeah she said she was going to come back and find you, maybe do some more dancing…"
Matt looked around the room again, nothing. Then he heard some shouting from the other side of the room.
His eyes widened.
"Oh no, it's Erin," he said, "Excuse me."
He sprinted over to where the former nurse had appeared in front of the orchestra. He approached her.
"Erin, what are you doing here?"
She looked at him with an animated expression.
"I'm looking for Clarence," she said, "I need to talk to him."
"About what?"
She just shook her head.
"Matt, whatever we shared between us, it's over," she said, "You made that clear by shooting me and I've moved on but Clarence needs me."
"What are you going to do Erin?"
"Nothing…just talk to him that's all," she said, "Don't get all worked up Matt. I've changed, I've really changed."
Matt looked skeptical after seeing the frenetic look in her eyes.
"Don't do anything rash," he said, "Just wait here, and I'll get someone to help you. You need to go back to the hospital."
She shook her head.
"Oh no, I'm never going back there," she said, "I'm staying with Clarence."
Courtney charged out of her chair.
"Oh no you're not," she said, "I don't think he wants you with him."
Erin glared at her.
"I know what's best for him," she said, "We're in love."
Courtney folded her arms.
"He's not in love with you or any woman," she said, "He's in love with his work."
Erin nodded.
"I know and I can really help him," she said, "Together we could really expand it all over the world."
"You're deluded," Courtney said, "You don't even know what the hell you're talking about."
Erin chuckled.
"Do you think you're the only woman he's confided in," she said, "He told me everything and I think it's wonderful."
Courtney's face twisted.
"I don't think…"
Matt put himself between them, knowing how dangerous that might prove to be.
"Ladies…back into your corners."
They both looked at him and he wondered what he had gotten himself into now.
C.J. felt his grip on her tighten as they got off the elevator and went down a deserted hallway. He had hid the knife so no one would get suspicious but she still hoped she would see someone who would know something's up.
"The suite's just ahead my darling," he said.
She gritted her teeth.
"I'm not anything to you," she said, "and the first chance I get…"
"No you won't," he said, "or your boyfriend gets it."
They neared the room at the end of the hallway and suddenly she heard a door open. Out walked Clover dressed in a skimpy negligee covered by a sheer robe. Rodrigo saw her.
"She's very nice but not my type."
Clover looked over at C.J. and smiled.
"Oh getting away from that boring spectacle downstairs and getting some action," she said, "Good for you…he's hot looking."
C.J. forced herself to smile and nod.
"Houston's still downstairs."
Clover shrugged.
"He'll come to his senses, that famous libido will kick in and he'll come upstairs," she said, "Have fun kids."
Clover went inside and so did any chance she had for escape, C.J. thought.