Longing for Spring – 36
2 years later ….
"What do you mean I have to be in Washington tomorrow?"
CJ looked over at her husband as he held the receiver next to his ear. His voice grabbed hold of her attention since it was so loud.
He sighed heavily. "Look, I thought this was all wrapped up about 15 years ago. What on earth do they need to know that they don't know already?"
The voice on the other end of the phone replied, giving Matt an answer he obviously didn't like.
"Do I have to be there in person?"
The voice answered again and Matt rolled his eyes and shook his head.
"Fine …fine… okay… yes…uh huh… okay," he said before hanging up.
"What is it?" CJ dared.
He walked over and forcibly pulled the kitchen chair out from under the table just for the sake of venting his anger.
"The V.A. administration. They need me to give a formal report before a committee in D.C."
"A formal report? For what?"
"The rescue from Cambodia. They're summoning Andy McKay too."
"McKay? Good luck finding him. Didn't you say the last you heard he was in Africa?"
"Yes."
"So why do they need to talk with you?"
"They didn't really say, just that it was an order and if I didn't cooperate, they would court marshal me."
Now it was her turn to sigh heavily. She knew how these legal things went. He unfortunately had no choice except to obey the order, waste time, money and paper until common sense prevailed.
"When do they want you?"
"Tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?"
"I don't want to leave you alone with Junior …" he started.
She quickly shushed him.
"I'll be fine," she said as she rose from her seat towards the kitchen counter. She got around okay these days. But a full two years from the day she arrived home from the hospital, she still had trouble using the left side of her body. Matt rarely left her alone without someone else around. He liked being that someone else and this request wasn't sitting well with him one bit.
"CJ, you know I don't like leaving you."
"Matt, it's just a quick trip to Washington, right? You'll be back…."
"I'm not sure when I'll be back. Agent Gerard said it could take anywhere from days to weeks."
"Weeks?"
"Yep. And Will's going with me."
"Will too?"
"Yes, which means you'll be here without either one of us, and if you need a man… with Uncle Roy's health the way it is these days and your mother … well, she's been a great help but she is getting up in years too."
"Jolie's here and Zoey's only a phone call away."
"But still…"
"And there's Chris, Murray and Fred."
"Yes but…"
"Matt, I'll be fine. Junior will be fine. Jolie will be fine. The entire free world will be fine. Go."
CJ was delighted to see Carl's face appear from behind the door of her hospital room. Even though the last time she spoke with him wasn't pleasant, it only took seconds for his smile to make her smile.
"Carl..."
"Hey gorgeous."
"What are you doing here?"
"Are you kidding? After Houston called and told me you were shot! I was worried sick! I had to come and visit you, see for myself how you were, how you were dealing with it both physically and mentally."
She shrugged. "Houston got me to the hospital right away and the doctor's fixed me up pretty good, said I'll be as good as new in a few weeks. I don't remember much of it. I lost consciousness as soon as I hit the ground."
He shook his head, took a seat next to her bed and grabbed hold of her hand.
"You really like doing this kind of work, huh?"
"Well, not getting shot but getting scum like the kind that killed Connie Ling is worthwhile."
His eyebrows lifted at that news.
"Connie?"
"Yes. She was double-crossed by a DEA agent. The same guy who killed her, tried to kill me. Now he's doing life … after of course he heals from what Houston did to him."
Carl clenched his own fist. "I'd do the same if I ever see him."
"Now, Carl. I can't spend my time bailing you and Houston out of jail. I have enough work to do."
He softened and reached out his hand to touch her forehead lovingly.
"Yeah, I know. It's just that ..." he started, then had another idea. "Hey how about we take off somewhere, huh? Houston's gonna give you some time to recuperate, right?"
She smiled coyly. "He'll give me as much time as I need."
"Good. Cause I think you and I are do for a nice, long vacation."
In the weeks following her first bout with a bullet wound, CJ ironically felt the happiest she had been in awhile. After a lot of long talks and quality dates, her relationship with Carl was stronger than ever. He even promised not to get jealous if Matt needed her for a case on one of "his" weekends.
Such was the situation when Matt called her one Saturday, about to fly to Chicago. He wasn't even sure they had a bonafide case until CJ did some research. He had met with a potential client a day prior, a man desperate to find out what happened to his daughter. It had been four long days since he'd heard from her and the police wouldn't help, dismissing her as a drug case. The worried father did his homework: Matt was the best. If anyone could help, it was him.
Stella Chisolm was a nurse and it seemed her disappearance had connections to Meadow Oaks, a private hospital in Culver City. CJ's research yielded ambiguities such as multiple questionable hirings of people who had no business working in a hospital. It tied in with the suspicions Stella was telling her father of patients being needlessly medicated. It wasn't long before they knew they had a case. All they needed now was some proof.
Matt was off to do some "slightly illegal" breaking and entering to obtain that proof while CJ and Baby were on the receiving end at the office. When he called she picked up the phone on first ring, anxious for reasons she couldn't explain. It wasn't the first time Matt had done such a deed, but there was something about this case, something that set off a few alarms within her. She couldn't put her finger on it but she knew she wouldn't feel better until Matt was back at the office safe and sound.
He called again having finished connecting Meadow Oaks' computer with Baby saying he'd be at the office in 30 minutes. So, she waited on pins and needles, watching the hands on the clock. When the time crept to 35 minutes, she tried to talk herself into thinking he was stuck in traffic. When it went past 40 minutes she paced. When it went past 45 minutes, she poured herself a drink.
After 50 minutes, the phone finally rang.
"Houston, where have you been?" she answered, ready to humorously chastise him.
"CJ. This is Hoyt. Houston's been shot. Point blank. Twice."
She stopped dead in her tracks, not quite comprehending what Hoyt just said. It couldn't be. It just couldn't be! But her heart felt like a gutted fish and her stomach dropped like a lead weight. It was then she realized one of her worst fears was coming true.
"My God!"
She didn't remember what Hoyt said next or if she even said goodbye. All she knew is that she had to call Bill Houston. He would want to know if his son was badly injured. She picked up the receiver and started to dial but her hands shook so bad she opted for directory assistance instead.
"Operator, I need you to place a call for me to Houston, Texas."
She experienced a moment of déjà vu, remembering a morning in 1973 when Bill called her with devastating news about Will. It was a strange history she shared with him. They were close, almost like father and daughter, sharing a common love for Matt. Bill often expressed comfort knowing that Matt and CJ had each other to lean on during the difficult times.
"Hello…" he answered groggily, having been woken out of sound sleep.
Her heart in turmoil, she delivered the news as factually as she could.
"Bill. It's CJ. It's your son. He's been shot."
He immediately sat up, knowing she wouldn't be bothering him at one in the morning unless it was urgent.
"How bad is it?" he asked anyway.
Too emotional, she couldn't speak, giving him the answer he instinctively feared.
"I'll be on the next plane."
She hung up ready to rush off to the hospital when Hoyt called again with an update on Matt's condition.
Having heard a loud noise, CJ woke up in a start and looked the clock: 6:20 a.m. Was that someone banging at her kitchen door? She grabbed her robe and cane and walked towards the source, curiously noticing Elizabeth of all people on the other side of the door. Why would she be here?
She opened the door and saw the reason.
"Elizabeth? What happened?"
Distraught and trembling, she couldn't answer. With a swollen eye, a bloody lip, a bruised cheekbone, scratches on her hand and clothes torn in several places, she looked like she had been through a war.
"I … I uh… I didn't know where else to go. Is uh…is Matt around?" she nervously asked.
First things first, CJ thought as she ushered her inside.
"Here. Why don't you sit down? Matt's not here. He's in D.C. with Will."
Elizabeth let out a loud cry at that answer. "Oh God!"
CJ dabbed a towel under the spigot and handed it to her, knowing all too well the look on a woman's face after being attacked by her husband. She had been in her shoes once and was suspicious ever since, well, ever since she heard Elizabeth was marrying the Bully of Trafton Elementary School.
"Elmer did this to you, didn't he?"
She didn't answer and stared away.
Knowing how protective Matt was of women… especially women he was once married to, CJ was almost glad he wasn't here. She could picturing him speeding over to the Preston home and beating Elmer to a pulp, much like he wanted to do to Gary once upon a time.
Jolie and Junior had awakened and entered the kitchen. Jolie's eyes lit up as soon as she saw Elizabeth. CJ immediately shook her head.
"Take Junior to watch some TV, okay?"
She wanted to obey her but there was something very unusual about this day ... even before she entered the kitchen.
"I can't. None of his shows are on."
"What do you mean?" she asked, puzzled as to why her daughter would disobey her at a time like this.
Jolie paused, looking at Elizabeth's injuries, hating to add fuel to the fire.
"I had the TV on in my room just now. All the channels are airing news. It seems that some planes flew into some buildings. Two in New York and one in D.C."