Chapter 11

We walked back to my house and the media was dwindling only a couple of stragglers where present but the major stations had moved on to more current stories. Security was asking they stay away from the homes and stay either on the boardwalk or the outer parking lots.

"Well at least the media left that's my house."

Star nodded and pulled the hood over her head. She followed while looking around making sure no one was watching.

"I don't want anyone to get the wrong ideal and since I'm going to be working for you that should be kept on the down low or everyone won't talk to me."

We went inside and Uncle Roy and Will were in the kitchen cleaning up I looked for CJ and Carol and was about to ask when Will chimed in, "Carol took a tray up to CJ we have leftovers if you want and who do you have behind you Cuz?"

Star took off Beast's leash and he ran to his food bowl and started to eat. I motioned for Star to move in front of me. She walked around and stood beside me.

"Uncle Roy Will I like you to meet Star new freelance employee of Houston Investigations"

Uncle Roy dried his hands and outstretched his arm. Star looked weary and shook it.

"Hello young lady welcome aboard I work with Mattlock and this is my son Will he helps out once in a while so what are you going to be assisting us with."

Star looked at me and at Will and Uncle Roy and I could see she was debating on running out the door. Beast must have sense this. He came over and nudged her to sit which she did.

"Hi I'm helping boss man here find out info on Jake. Nice to meet you both you must be Beast daddy Will he's a great dog. Really smart too."

Will smiled, "Yeah I'm Beast dad he is the best dog, I rescued him from a shelter and he was a mess when I got him. But day by day he's gotten better he's a good judge of character so if he let you walk him than you are okay in my book. You're going to be helping us find out what happen to Jake's mom glad to have you aboard."

Uncle Roy asked, "Are you hungry young lady we have lots of leftovers."

Star smiled, "No, thanks me and boss man had a breakfast meeting to iron out my role in helping out the agency and I had one condition."

Houston sat down on a stool, "Yeah Will it involves Beast, Star wants to have him around so if you don't mind he can help her out."

"Cuz you understand that means he's going to be staying here with you right, I was going back to Big Bear in a couple of days but I can stay here instead of dad's if you don't mind and that shouldn't be a problem. Star he will be available to you when you want just have him home before dinner or he really gets out of hand."

"Hey Cowboy you're back I hope you got your hungry let me get you a plate so you can eat and hi I don't believe we've meet."

Carol had walked into the kitchen with the tray to see the Houston men talking to a young girl and was curious as to who she was.

Star turned, "Wow you're pretty, you must be CJ hi I'm Star and I'll be helping you find out about Jake. You're an investigator like Boss man. It's really great to meet you. Oh and I loved the name you gave him I had a brother named Jake, I'm just happy to be able to help out and I should just shut up now sorry I have a tendency to ramble."

"Well thank you but I'm not CJ she's upstairs sleeping, I'm Carol CJ is my friend and we were sorority sisters at Harvard. I'm not an investigator but a doctor so not as glamourous as my friend but I do run a free clinic in East Los Angeles that helps out a lot of people. So Star how did you meet Cowboy here."

Star was embarrassed, "Oh sorry but nice to meet you, do you mean the Clinic on Olympic and Soto, I've heard of that place and the nice lady doctor that helps anybody that comes to her office no questions asked. I meet boss man here while he was walking Beast I'm going to be asking questions and see if I find anything about Jake. I know people on the pier and beach."

Houston took the tray from Carol and saw CJ had eaten very little.

"I know what you're thinking Cowboy but she did drink all her juice and did eat half of her omelet, I'll make her a sandwich before you guys leave and I'll make her eat it. Now did you eat and if you haven't sit down and let's get you fed and upstairs so you can sleep. You need your rest too if you're going to go back to the hospital to help Jake."

"Thanks Carol, we had breakfast so yeah I'm going to go get some sleep I need to get there early have paperwork to fill out and a life scan to do. Thanks for making sure she eats, and I'm sorry for earlier I really have no right to ask her about her personal life and I'm sorry for involving you."

Star smiled, "Okay I'm going to get going thanks for breakfast and if I find out anything I'll call you."

Roy motioned to the stool, "you don't have to go yet do you? Beast is eating and he usually takes a nap afterwards. You can stick around if you like take a nap, watch TV if you like. Did he give you any cash? Mattlock how is she going to call you if she doesn't have any cash to use the phone."

Houston pulled out his wallet and pulled out 40.00, "that's for calls and if you need anything if you need more just let me know. Also if you're going to be taking Beast it's going to be at his schedule from what Will's said he's very particular about his naps. So you're more than welcomed to crash on the couch use the bathroom, laundry room watch some TV or just hang out. I need to go shower and catch some shut eye. Me and CJ are going back to the hospital we are helping with Jake's care he's a little underweight and they are keeping an extra eye on him. So they want us back by 6:00 so we'll be leaving before that. Make yourself at home Star and if you need anything just ask, Will, Uncle Roy and Carol can help you out."

"Okay boss man and thanks for the cash I'm going to go I'll come back for Beast later, nice meeting you all."

Star left and I was walking up the stairs when Uncle Roy spoke out.

"Mattlock once you rest we need more information on Ms. Star, she's homeless and very young she isn't the mother is she?"

"Cowboy she couldn't be, could she is that why you hired her?"

"She's okay in my book Cuz, if Beast likes her I'm good with her wanting to hang with him he hasn't been wrong about a person he's liked and everyone he's disliked I've distanced myself from. My baby is a good boy and a good judge of character."

"No she's not Jakes mom. Yes she is homeless she will get access we won't be able to. We'll talk later all I want is a shower and some ZZZ's wake me in a couple of hours okay."

I got to my room the door was closed, I tried to not imagine CJ with someone in my room but I couldn't dwell on that right now. I opened the door and it was tidy and none of CJ's things where in there the only thing on my bed was the sweater I had given her to use. I picked it up. It smelled like her and my cologne I put it back on the bed and went to the bathroom I needed to refresh, relax and regroup.

I went to turn on the water when I noticed I had not brought any of my toiletry items they were still on the boat having left in a haste and not wanting to go get them. I went to the next room where I knew CJ had extras of everything I would need. I knocked hoping I wasn't disturbing her when there was no answer I walked in. She was laying on her side sleeping when I tried to walk towards the bathroom the door closed and startled her awake.

"Houston what's wrong."

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to wake you I forgot all my shower stuff on the boat and I know you have extras of everything in here I was just grabbing some and will let you go back to sleep."

She sat up, "I tried to sleep but…"

I came to her sat on the bed and saw that she was not looking at me.

"CJ are you having flashbacks again?" She nodded.

"It's weird it's little snippets of memories jumbled together and I'm trying to decipher but before it gets too be too much I wake up."

She was looking at her hands and rubbing her wrists that still had the marks from the rope that was used to bind her.

"Do you want me to stay with you till you go to sleep? You need to get some rest if Emma see's we aren't following her rules she might not let us help Jake."

She looked up, "No she can't do that I have to help him he doesn't have anybody in this world and I'm not going to abandon him. Houston don't let them do that please."

"I'm going to shower and we are going to sleep I'll be right beside you okay if you need me I'm here okay?"

"Just shower in here and yeah if you don't mind I do sleep better with you nearby. You must think I'm nuts pushing you away one minute and asking for you the next."

I chuckled, "you're not nuts we are helping each other out I'm getting used to having you around also so I'm going to get my PJ's and I'll come back and shower and then will get some shut eye sounds like a plan."

She nodded and I went back to my room grabbed my PJ's and the sweater she had been using earlier.

"Heads up."

She looked up and I tossed my sweater to her. "I think that help you sleep in the car so maybe it will help here too.

She pulled it over her head and smiled, "thanks it's very warm and it did make me feel better. Now go shower we need some sleep Jakes depending on us."

I took the quickest shower I could get away with and went back to the bed she was on her side and I lifted the comforter and laid by her. She turned and laid her head on my chest and I put my arm around her.

She kissed my check and thanked me and started to drift off. I smiled and thought I could get use to this. This is what I wanted and whether she knew it or not I was going to win back her heart from Mr. Bruce.