Chapter 64

We got to the office and Popeye was waiting, having parked his bike right by the elevators. Luca parked by us and looked at all the other cars Houston had and stood by the DeLorean.

"On second thought, can I borrow this one to take out my future wife? I think she'd get a kick out of it more than the Roadster."

"Just tell me when and we'll make arrangements for you to pick up the car, Oh if anything happens to my babies I will be taking your first born."

I laughed and we walked towards the elevators.

"So Star said you own the whole building?"

"No".

Luca pushed Popeye, "I told you she was exaggerating."

I looked down and waited to see what Houston would say. "I used to only own the building, now I own the whole block."

He smiled and they looked at me waiting for confirmation. I shrugged my shoulders and they started to grasp what he had just said.

"You own the whole block? Like all the buildings on this block? Business everything?" He nodded yes and went on to tell him that he owns lots of properties around LA and Texas. We got into the elevator and they asked me if I was a multi-millionaire. I told them I was well off. Lucas asked if Houston could adopt him.

We all were laughing when the doors opened to our office, I stopped to hear the messages that were left from the other day. Houston walked up the stairs with Luca and Devin followed him into the main office.

Luca let out a whistle, "This is a nice set up Houston, that hot tub looks a little out of place but I can see how it would work for you and the bar's nice touch. Okay where is the pool table, the gym and she said you had a computer up on the wall?"

I listened to the answering machine, some calls were not important and some no one was on the line. A couple from Vince and Houston's Dad nothing else since we had told our clients we would not be available till Tuesday. I walked into the main office and overheard Houston explaining to the guys that he did his best thinking in that hot tub and had closed lots of cases just by sitting in there and figuring things out. I wanted to add that at times he had company when he was supposedly brainstorming for a solution. But, that wasn't me. I didn't want to rock the boat, I could see Devin using this as an opportunity to knock Houston. So I smiled and listened.

"Well Devin what do you have to say?"

He looked around and walked out to the terrace and we followed him out. He was looking at the helicopter and looked back at Houston.

"This is nice, beats rush hour traffic doesn't it?"

He smiled, "You better believe it. When I had my ranch in the mountains it did cut down on the travel time. CJ and I used to fly in together."

"She used to live with you on a ranch and you didn't do anything about you two getting together? What's wrong with you dude?"

I shook my head, "No. I had my own place about 5 miles from his ranch. We never lived together. I like my space as does he. That ranch was beautiful. 150 acres he had cattle, horses and a lake. I miss that place. I really wish he hadn't sold it. If I could afford it I would have bought it from him. So many great memories were made there."

Houston came close to me and whispered in my ear, "Why didn't you say something about me selling the ranch CJ? I didn't know you felt this way. I wouldn't have sold it. I would have probably given it to you, I'm sorry I didn't know."

I just remember him kissing me during the frog jumping contest that was one of the great memories I had of the place and also the Christmas's and the picnics we had there for our company. Those were simpler times.

I looked up at him, "I think you were in a bind, this was when you were going to marry Elizabeth she didn't want to be I quote 'live far away from civilization and the memories of your past conquest staring her in the face and your feeble attempt to keep your country roots' end quote."

He grimaced, "I don't remember her saying that."

He wouldn't because she just told me that when I had been forced to go wedding dress shopping and since I was her maid of honor I had been roped into it. She was fishing for answers regarding the ranch and I had said that Houston had bought it and still liked to go out and wrestle the cattle and ride to the lake. She had asked if any of his lady friends had come and stayed and I said I believe he did and told her about Christina. That was all she needed to hear and the next thing I knew the ranch was up for sale.

Luca and Devin came close to us and asked who Elizabeth was. Why was she a Debbie Downer and did I just say he was going to marry another woman?

"Really Beautiful? And you're still here? I'd dropped his ass a long time ago so fess up buddy who's this lady that was better than my girl here? I swear you have 9 lives or this woman is too good to be true. Please tell us who this woman was."

I looked at Houston. Oh no pal this explanation was all his. Devin was right, why did I stick around? Well technically I wasn't going to stick around. I was going to go back to Texas but I wasn't going to say anything. I was going to let him sweat a little. Yes, the angel on my shoulder was disappointed but the devil on the other shoulder was all smiles and said he needed a little bit of humbling after what he put us through.

He looked at me waiting and I just batted my eyelashes at him and he crossed his arms over his chest.

"So Cowboy, who was this other woman?"

Houston told them about Elizabeth from the first time he saw her and what had transpired and him thinking he had found the woman of his dreams. Hearing him tell the story again it just makes me more self-conscious and I start to think why would he want me? He had the woman of his dreams that he asked to marry him twice. Me, I was the old reliable friend, maybe he just doesn't want to be alone and figures since I stuck with him all this time that us going into this relationship was a consolation prize for sticking with him through thick and thin. God I hope I was wrong. Or maybe I should stop this before it starts and listen to my head instead of my heart.

I didn't realize Devin had asked me a question when I snapped out of my inner thoughts. They were all looking at me. Houston came close and asked if I had another memory, I shook my head and said I had spaced out and apologized to them and said we should get the tape and see if we could find anything that could help.

Houston nodded and gave Devin the keys to his office and said the tape was in the cabinet by the door and the small key on the ring would open it.

Devin waited and asked if I was okay. I smiled and nodded yes. He squeezed my upper arm. Luca grabbed the keys out of his hand and asked if he could check out the gym and pool table once they got the tape. Devin growls at Luca to behave himself as he walks towards Houston's office. Houston wasn't buying it. He knew me better than these two new friends of ours.

"Okay since we don't have an audience, what's going on?"

Should I tell him? Tell him hearing him talk about the love of his life gutted me? Ask him what we are really doing? Was I just a stand in till she came back? They say the third time's the charm. No, I couldn't let these feelings fester. I would just smile and say I just was tired. That seemed to work.

I smiled and said I was tired and that I was just trying to keep calm. He kept staring at me but wasn't going to push me. He pulled me into his arms and kissed my forehead. He murmured when I was ready to tell him he would be here for me. I hugged him back and said we better get inside. I needed to work to get my mind off this nagging doubt in my head. If I let the Elizabeth ghost in I'd never get her out.

We walked into the office. I sat on the couch as Houston went to make us some coffee. It was going to be a long morning. I started punching in the keys and woke BABY up.

"Damn is that your computer? Wow CJ this is so cool what type of server you use I've only heard about systems like this tell me everything."

Luca was over the moon, wanting to know everything about BABY, I answered him and he still had more questions. Devin had to stop him from continuing saying we had more important things to do and handed me the tape.

I stared at it and closed my eyes. This was going to be hard. But I would face it. I had my support here. They couldn't hurt me anymore. They were in custody except for one and we were going to find out who he was and bring him in to face justice.

I pushed the button to open the player slot and didn't realize my hand was shaking. Devin hand helped me push it in the player and I looked at him. I looked over to Houston who was pouring himself a cup of coffee. I said thank you and he just nodded. I was just about to press the button when Devin grabbed my hand.

"Are you sure you are ready to see this? You don't always have to be brave, you know that right? We could watch it without you. You are a badass already Beautiful, you don't have to prove anything to us."

Who was this guy? He could infuriate but he was so in tune to what was around him, I was so glad we had him and Luca on our side.

"CJ what's wrong, Popeye what's going on?"

He had a cup of tea for me. I took it from his hand and I pointed at the player. He figured it out. He looked at me and then Devin.

"CJ you don't have to do this, I don't want you to go backwards with this, and you've made so much progress. No one will think any less of you."

I knew they meant well but I had to do this.

"I told her Cowboy, she's a badass in my book and I would not think any less of her if she skipped this and had us just take a look."

I pressed the button and the tape started, "It's just the tape of the garage right I want to see this other one…"

I never finished my sentence. I looked up at the screen and saw my car. A van pulled up close to it and two men came out in masks and positioned themselves to take me.

My hands started to shake. Devin took the cup out of my hand, put it on the table and grabbed my hand. Houston had his arm around me and I started to breathe faster. As the tape showed one more of my kidnappers motioning to the other two, I must be coming down the elevator. I bit my lip and kept watching. I appear coming out of the lobby and towards my car. I wasn't paying attention. I was so wrapped up in getting to the restaurant to pick up my take out and going home. My briefcase in my hands and me fumbling in my purse for my keys. How many times had Houston and Too Mean warned me to have them ready and look around my surroundings before going to my car to notice any differences or strangers that shouldn't be there that late at night.

"Stupid me."

Devin shushed me and Houston held me tighter and whispered in my ear that it wasn't my fault. Right I should have a sign around my neck saying take me. I was so angry at myself that I missed me opening my door and using it to knock down my first abductor, the second one grabbed me and I rearranged his face with my briefcase and he went down. I saw myself turn and run for the guard shack at the garage entrance I was screaming. I don't remember that part, why didn't anyone hear me? I saw myself almost make it when I was taken from behind and I gasped.

"I could hear his voice…He said Hello Princess and then slammed me into the wall."

Luca got up and walked away, Devin still had my hand squeezing it tightly and I put my other hand over ours and he whispered sorry as he loosen his grip, Houston didn't say a word still staring at the screen. I looked up to see me being carried into a white van with no plates, he handed me to one of the other abductors and he got into the front seat and the van disappeared into the night.

No one said anything. It was now crystal clear in my mind that was something now etched in my mind.

"There were 4 how I could have missed that. The body sizes the height I didn't even bother to check this I just assume there were 3, I'm so sorry CJ."

He tried to leave but I wouldn't let him. I put my arms around his waist and pulled him close. He didn't hug back and had his arms hanging from his sides saying he was sorry over and over again. He pushed away and went out to the terrace. I was going to go but Devin grabbed my arm.

"Give him a minute Beautiful, he's carried this burden for a while, he needs to figure it out and seeing you might just push him in another direction. I want to watch the tape again. Are there other angles?"

The elevator dinged and my eyes widened. "We are not expecting anyone this early right? Go outside with Cowboy, tell him we might have some unwanted guests go quickly and start that bird if you need to go that's your exit. Got me?"

I nodded and ran outside Houston turned and I told him what Devin had said. He pushed me to the helicopter and opened the door.

"Go we aren't expecting anyone, if you aren't here he can't hurt you so go, cause there will be pain but it won't be us."

Houston left me and I started to warm up the chopper and heard shouting and what sounded like glass shattering. I was torn. Should I stay or go?