Chapter 37---Here's the latest chapter of this fanfiction. I hope you like it and thanks for the comments and for reading!
Rhonda looked around the club room of the diner, approvingly. After an afternoon of decorating, it seemed ready for her bachelorette party. Now all she needed was her stripper and her guests. Oh wait, and the food until she remembered that Bonnie had prepared that herself. The fish trophy had stayed up in the center of the wall but all the other stuffed animal heads had come down and were locked away in a storage room. Careful reminders of the feminine nature of the party had been used to decorate the room instead. It might make the Elk membership in town break out in hives to see what had been done to their den but it would make for a great setting for a group of women to let their hair loose.
Chris wandered in and looked around.
"Wow, you've really turned this place into…"
Rhonda smiled.
"I'd like to take some photos of it before we convert it back to a men's lair," she said, "but I think I've really outdone myself."
"I don't see Sydney and her crew here," Chris noted, "Did they change their minds and decide to cover real news for a change?"
Rhonda shrugged.
"She and that camera guy came earlier to stake out positions," she said, "for camera angles or something like that."
"We'll have to behave ourselves," Chris said, "if everything we do or say is going to be on the internet."
"I'm sure they'll edit it," Rhonda said, "They have to, to be able to have it on their Web site."
Chris looked around.
"Where's C.J.," she asked.
"She's on her way," Rhonda said, "She's got to check some records at City Hall."
"Not the ones that are missing," Chris said, "They'll never turn up and it might take her all night to find anything useful."
Rhonda made a face.
"Edna will never let her get away with staying there past closing hours," she said, "So don't worry. C.J. promised me she'd be here."
C.J. sighed as she checked the boxes in the records room and found them still empty. She thought about questioning Edna again but didn't think it would do much good. The records were definitely gone and most likely in the hands of Kilroy and his partners. C.J. was sure that Kilroy had sent Nick in there to charm Edna into dropping her usual tenacious guard over the files long enough so that he could remove them. It didn't matter a whole lot because she had been getting other copies of the missing documents piecemeal from various places and sources but there were several crucial ones missing.
She sat down and thought about where the records could be and then she thought about Rhonda who was about to walk down the aisle with a man who had once been her own boyfriend. It had taken her a while to get used to the idea of them dating and then becoming an item. Still, the engagement had shocked her. She supported their plans to get married because she wanted both of her friends to be happy. She just hoped that two vastly different people could make it work. Of course, she found herself asking the same questions about her new relationship with her best friend, Matt, who shared many qualities with her including value systems. Not that she loved him any less but because in her life she had never so wanted a relationship to work. And face it, both she and Matt had histories of having relationships end in tragic ways, either through death or falling in love with someone who wasn't what they appeared to be. And she knew Matt had been left at the altar by Elizabeth who found herself unable or unwilling to cope with his life unless he changed it and deeply hurt by that. She would never hurt him that way.
The door opened and she turned to see who walked inside. Edna looked around the room, inspecting it to make sure everything stayed in order and then looked at C.J.
"You sure like to spend a lot of time in our records room," she asked, dusting off a spot here and there with a handkerchief she carried.
C.J. shrugged.
"That's the life of a lawyer," she said, "You spend countless hours looking at all sorts of public records."
Edna sniffed.
"You haven't brought your fellow back," she said.
C.J. suppressed a smile.
"He's been quite busy helping me with this case elsewhere."
"That's probably for the best," Edna said, looking dourly at the new table, "Less distraction that way."
C.J. rubbed her eyes.
"I've still been trying to look for those missing records," she said, "Have they been found?"
"I've had the deputy take a report," Edna said, "But I don't expect much so I'm going to call the FBI later on today."
C.J. raised her brows.
"I don't know if they have much jurisdiction," she said, "But if they can help…"
Edna nodded.
"I take the removal of these public records most seriously," she said, sternly, "They will be found and the perpetrators will be brought to justice."
C.J. bit her lip to keep from responding. She thought that Edna was in for a rude awakening if she wasn't aware of how justice worked in Silver Lode already.
"I hope so," she said, as Edna left the room and she got back to searching for records she knew she'd probably never find. Still, she had to keep trying but she thought of all the other things she would rather be doing.
She told herself she had decided to attend Rhonda's bachelor party to keep her friend in line mere days before she was set to walk down the aisle with Jonathan. But she admitted to herself it might be fun to kick back and relax with other women for a while. All of her friends were either married or about to marry men they really loved, so how much mischief could be done? And she herself wasn't close to the aisle but she had found the man she wanted to spend her time with, as much time as possible. Like right now.
Looking at the clock, she sighed, thinking it was time to give up the search and head off to help Rhonda get ready for her party so she picked up her items to leave when out of the corner of her eye, she found a CD on the floor, near the last row of records. She walked over to pick it up wondering why she didn't notice it before. It appeared to be in good condition, so looking around the room wary of Edna's presence, she tucked it in her purse before leaving the records room.
Matt and Jed were sitting back at the ranch house discussing the meeting they were planning to hold when Thea came in.
"Hey I just heard from Jonathan and he's flying in tonight," she said, "He'll call back and give us a time to expect him."
"We're going to be at the bar tonight talking with some ranchers on strategy," Jed said, "Maybe he can meet us there."
Thea nodded.
"His past federal background might be useful in this fight," she said.
"What we really need are some federal agents to help enforce that injunction," Jed said, "Maybe it's time to ask Jonathan if he has any contacts."
"Didn't he pretty much burn his bridges with those boys," Matt said.
Thea and Jed looked at each other.
"I'm sorry to put it in such blunt words but he walked away from his job there," Matt said.
Jed nodded.
"Yes he did," he said, "and in my opinion he did the right thing."
"I'd be the last person to ever argue otherwise," Matt said, "and it won't hurt to ask him but I wouldn't expect much from his old friends."
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained," Jed said.
"Still, it will be good to have him there to play a few rounds of beer and play some pool," Reed said, walking into the kitchen, "No one's seen him in these parts for a while."
Jed turned towards Matt.
"So you think you're up to a night of pool playing?"
Matt smiled.
"Count me in," he said, "I haven't played in a while."
"Then we won't play for money the first round," Jed said.
"That definitely works for me," Matt said, "and my wallet."
C.J. left the City Hall building and headed towards the party. The sun had set and cast long shadows through the street that she walked from the governmental building to the diner. She ran into Joe who was still dressed in his mechanics outfit and on his way there. She walked alongside him.
"Hi Joe," she said, "So what do you think of this gig Rhonda has you doing?"
He smiled and shrugged.
"It's a job to sock away some money to expand the garage," Joe said, "and I liked working for Chippendales while I went to college."
"How long did you study there," C.J. said, "Did you get a degree?"
He shook his head.
"I stayed two years on a partial athletic scholarship until my father died and someone was needed to run the auto business," Joe said, "I did the dancing to pay for my room and board."
C.J. studied his friendly open face, one which would attract many a woman with his bright blue eyes and his smile.
"Do you mind if I ask you a sensitive question," she said.
"You mean do I mind taking my clothes off in front of women for money," he guessed.
She nodded her head. He looked at her thoughtfully.
"No, I don't mind it at all because it's my choice," he said, "My decision to do it. That's far different than in cases where the person has no choice in the manner."
C.J. looked away for a moment.
"I know what you mean," she said, "Having been in a situation to be used by men where I didn't have a choice."
He nodded.
"I'm sorry for you or anyone else being in that kind of situation," he said, "And even when it's your choice, it's not something you want to do forever. That's why I got out of it. I'm just doing this as a favor to the bride because her husband was a buddy to me."
"What do you think about his bride," she asked.
He shifted his bag over his shoulder.
"Rhonda?"
He smiled.
"She's a very nice woman," he said, "She was so sensitive to me about Sydney's plan to videotape the whole thing, knowing that we'd been in a relationship that didn't work out."
"So what did Rhonda say?"
"She said that I could have veto power on the whole video taping on the internet deal and if I decided it made me uncomfortable, that would be enough for her to cancel the deal," Joe said.
"That was nice of her," C.J. said, "So what are you going to do?"
Joe smiled.
"I'll tell her it's fine," he said, "Whatever happened between Sydney and me, that's water under the bridge."
"Yeah, I heard about your relationship from Sydney," she said, "Are you sure that she believes it's over?"
Joe sighed.
"She made that very clear to me when she broke it off with me," he said, "You see, she falls in love for a while with the men she writes about for her newspaper but after the articles come out, she falls out of love if that's even what you'd call it."
C.J. nodded.
"She interviewed Matt Houston…"
Joe sighed.
"I know for the sexiest bachelor in town or something like that," he said, "as if there's nothing but slim pickings here."
"If you're any example of what's in Silver Lode," C.J. said, "I would think not."
"Then if you're free after the party, maybe we could go out for a drink," Joe said.
C.J. smiled but shook her head.
"I'm meeting up after the party with that 'sexiest guy in town'," she said, almost apologetically.
"What does he have that I don't?"
She stopped walking and paused for a moment.
"The ability to make me fall in love with him," she said, "during a time when I thought I would never be able to do that again."
Joe nodded.
"That's something really special," he admitted, "so what is it like sharing him with the Silver Lode female population?"
She laughed.
"I don't mind, because we both know what we really want," she said, "and we're trying to get there."
They neared the diner.
"I noticed that Sydney backed off of him really quickly," Joe said.
"I think that was Houston's doing," she said, "She did mention that she really cared about you."
He frowned.
"She has a really strange way of showing it," he said, kicking the rocks on the ground.
C.J. tried to broach the subject carefully.
"Maybe someday…"
"When she grows up maybe," Joe said, "I know you're trying to be nice…"
"No I'm pushing my nose in where it doesn't belong," she said, "Well here we are. Rhonda should be waiting inside."
They entered the diner and walked into what once was the men's lodge room. Joe looked around, not recognizing it.
"What have you done to this place," he said, "If any of the Elks walked in and saw this, they'd pass out cold."
Rhonda smiled.
"I thought you'd like it," she said, then led Joe by the arm to show him around.
C.J. walked up to Chris.
"So Rhonda's really gone all out, I can see," C.J. said.
Chris rolled her eyes.
"You haven't even seen the half of it," she said, "This is going to be some party."
C.J. sighed.
"I was talking to Joe on the way here," she said, "And I don't know, but I just can't look at him the same way."
Chris looked puzzled.
"What do you mean," she said.
"We walked together and we had this conversation," C.J. said, "I got to know the personal side of him."
"So, you had a nice talk with him," Chris said.
"I got to know the man beyond the guy who fixed the rover," she said, "and the one who's going to be taking his clothes off."
Rhonda joined in on the conversation while Joe changed.
"So, isn't that how it goes, with men anyway," she said, "You get to know them a little bit then the clothes come off?"
C.J. paused.
"Well…"
Rhonda put her hands on her hips.
"Or in your case, you get to know the guy a lot longer than a little bit and then the clothes come off," she said.
C.J. rubbed her forehead.
"Wait a minute here," she said, "Are you talking about your party or my social life?"
Chris looked from C.J. to Rhonda.
"I'm trying to get ready for my party and you're telling me you've got second thoughts about watching a man take his clothes off because you spoke to him for a few minutes."
C.J. stared back.
"Well…yes…"
"Then maybe you should just stay outside while Joe's doing his thing if it bothers you so much," Rhonda said.
"Fine," C.J. said then left the diner.
She ran into Matt who was passing by the diner on his way to meet the other guys in the bar.
"What's going on," Matt said, "I thought you'd be helping Rhonda."
"I am," she said, "We just have a difference of opinion on something."
"I hope it's not too serious," he said, "She needs your support during this whole wedding process."
"I know," C.J. said, "and I mean to be there for her even during…these rituals."
Matt smiled.
"Rituals, honey they're called parties."
"I know that," she said, "and I'll get back in there and talk to her but I just needed some fresh air."
"So did I," Matt said, "The guys and I are going to be holding a strategic meeting."
"That's good," she said, "You sure you don't need any help?"
He wrapped his arms around her.
"I'm sure," he said, "and we might play some pool afterward."
She nodded.
"That sounds serious," she said.
He stroked her hair back and she closed her eyes enjoying his touch.
"But when business is done," he said, "the rest of the night belongs to you."
She smiled.
"Oh really," she said, "You sound so sure."
He kissed her on the lips, wrapping his arms tighter around her.
"Is that sure enough?"
She nodded.
"Mmmm, I'd say...," she said, "I'll see you then."
Sydney and Joseph walked by with their equipment as Matt and C.J. said goodbye.
"You two look awfully close there," Sydney noted, "Don't tell me there's a story there."
C.J. looked at Sydney.
"Not fit for print"
They walked back into the diner, not knowing that a few yards away Nick and a couple of men stood watching them from inside a pickup truck.