Here's part two of this FF story from the past. I hope you like it and thanks for reading.
Ginger pushed the pedal to the floor as she and Elizabeth raced to the hospital where the ambulance was taking Matt.
"He's going to be all right," Ginger said.
Elizabeth just sat in her seat and said nothing.
"Really, he's a big strong man," Ginger said, "He'll bounce back from this setback just fine."
Elizabeth looked out the window.
"He just looked so weak lying on the ground bleeding like that," she said, "Why would anyone want to hurt him?"
Ginger looked over at her friend.
"Because he's a private investigator and that's a dangerous job," she said, "He's been shot at before, you know that and he's still running around getting into more dangerous situations."
Elizabeth sighed.
"I just couldn't bear it if anything terrible happened to him," she said, "I don't know if I could stand it."
Ginger turned off the main street.
"Elizabeth, honey, we've had this discussion before," she said, "You know there are situations like this in your future if you marry him. You said you would accept that."
Elizabeth nodded.
"I know," she said, "and I plan to do just that. I won't let him even know I'm upset."
Ginger approached the hospital's ER entrance.
"That's what he needs right now," she said, "and you have to do that for him."
The ambulance sped to the hospital and C.J. stayed with Matt the entire time. The paramedics had stopped the bleeding and she realized that once the doctors checked him out and stitched him up, he'd be sent home to recover with a batch of prescriptions. If they asked him to stay overnight for observation, they would just find themselves talking to a brick wall. Matt hated hospitals and in order to get him to comply with that request, he'd have to be tied down to the bed.
C.J. had to laugh when she thought about the last several times he'd been injured enough to face hospitalization and had jumped out of bed in his gown, trying to find his own clothes even if that meant flashing his backside to the medical staff. Not that he didn't own an impressive one but the nurses had been too busy trying to rope him in to notice.
Matt saw her smile to herself and looked up.
"What are you smiling at?"
She looked down at him and squeezed his hand tighter.
"I was picturing you already planning your getaway from the hospital before you even get there."
He grimaced.
"I might be thinking about that," he admitted.
"You're lucky this time," she said, "It's only a flesh wound, looks worse than it is."
"Felt like I got slammed," he said, "but I think the bullet just missed me."
She stroked his forehead.
"Not quite," she said.
"Hey, I'm still here in one piece," he said, "There's nothing to worry about."
The paramedic moved in to take his blood pressure again. C.J. watched him, her heart beat finally settling back to normal for the first time since he'd been shot. Matt just lay on the stretcher watching the emotions play across her face.
And then he closed his eyes and remembered.
Matt sat in the examination room as the doctor sewed his wound up and the nurse prepared to bandage it.
"So what's the verdict?"
The doctor looked at him, solemnly.
"It missed a few internal organs and exited where it entered," he said, "A couple of inches and you'd be in surgery."
The nurse prepared some injections. Matt held up his hand.
"Wait, what are those?"
She smiled at him.
"A strong dose of antibiotics to ward off infection and a tetanus shot," she said, "You'll also be getting some prescription medicine for any pain."
"I feel fine," Matt protested, and then grimaced when his movement caused a stab of pain tearing through him.
"Mr. Houston, you're going to have to take it easy and get plenty of rest for a few days," the doctor said, "You might want to take some time off from your job."
Matt grimaced again.
"I can't," he said, "I've got a lot of cases piled up and most of them involve field work."
The doctor didn't appear moved by Matt's words.
"If you don't take it easy, you risk undoing my nice needlework on your side," he said, "And that will make me very unhappy."
"I'll live with that," Matt said, "I can't let my clients down."
The doctor folded his arms.
"We heard all about your reputation Mr. Houston for leaving hospitals after being admitted so we're allowing you to leave despite our better judgment."
"I told you I feel a lot better," Matt said.
"We won't be taking any responsibility if you put yourself in a situation where you worsen your injury," the doctor warned, handing him paperwork to sign.
Matt sighed, trying to sit up to sign the document. It took several efforts to get there.
"I'm glad we got that all settled. Now where can I find my shirt?"
C.J. sat in the waiting room while Roy went to get everyone some coffee from the machine. She had called him after they had arrived and had caught him working in the office. He of course had dropped everything to head to the hospital. Elizabeth and Ginger had arrived shortly afterward and were sitting across the room.
C.J. rubbed her shoulders and looked up as she saw Roy approach.
"I got you some tea," he said, handing her a cup.
She thanked him and he went to give some coffee to the other women before rejoining C.J.
"He's going to be just fine," Roy said.
She nodded.
"The bullet just missed him," she said, "but there was still a lot of bleeding."
"My nephew's a strong man," Roy said, "How are you holding up?"
She sipped her tea.
"I'm fine," she said, "It's just been a long day."
"And you just got back from another business trip," Roy said, "You must be tired."
She shrugged him off.
"Really I'm fine," she said, "I'll feel better when they let him go home."
Ginger looked over at C.J. and Roy.
"They're probably used to these hospital vigils," she said.
Elizabeth wrapped her arms around herself.
"I'd never get used to it," she said, "I'm a nervous wreck."
"Elizabeth, remember what you said," Ginger said, "that you were willing to take this on as a part of being in his life."
Elizabeth shook her red curls.
"He never did respond to what I told him about the wedding," she said, "He just seemed so shocked with what I said and then he ran off when the waiter said there was trouble."
"That was C.J. and her friend following some guy into the hallway," Ginger said, "then I heard a gun being fired."
"It's so shocking that something so violent could happen in such a nice restaurant," Elizabeth said.
"They never mentioned that in the reviews," Ginger said.
Elizabeth stood up and started pacing.
"When will the doctor come out and tell us what's going on?"
Ginger looked around the waiting room.
"I think the doctor said earlier that the bullet hadn't caused any major damage."
"That was hours ago," Elizabeth said, "When are we going to receive an update?"
Ginger looked up at her friend and patted the chair.
"Sit down," she said, "There's no point in getting yourself worked up. That's not helping matters and it's smearing your makeup."
"I'll try," Elizabeth said, "but this is just so difficult."
Ginger rubbed her shoulder.
"I'll go and talk to C.J. and see if she's heard anything."
Elizabeth just looked up at her and nodded.
Ginger left her and walked over to where C.J. and Roy sat, talking. She sat down across from them.
"I was hoping we would receive some more news on his condition," she said.
C.J. and Roy looked at each other.
"He's going to be okay," C.J. said, "They're sewing him up and then they'll send him home."
Ginger looked at her puzzled.
"You're pretty calm about all this," she said, "I thought you were his best friend."
C.J. just looked at her.
"I've seen him through much worse," C.J. said, "This isn't that bad. It could have been more serious."
"What was he doing anyway," Ginger said, "confronting a man with a gun."
"He didn't have time to confront anyone," C.J. said, "The man shot him when he first showed up in the hallway."
Ginger narrowed her eyes.
"What were you doing there," she said, "if you knew the guy had a gun?"
"We thought we recognized him," she said, "but he acted very suspiciously so we followed him."
Roy smiled at Ginger.
"My nephew's going to get out of here and be back at work this time tomorrow," he said, "He never lets anything stop him."
"How's Elizabeth holding up," C.J. asked.
Ginger looked over at her friend.
"She's doing just fine," she said, "in fact, she's not too worried at all."
C.J. nodded.
"Well that's the first step towards accepting his life," she said, "because there's going to be plenty of moments like this one."
Ginger considered that.
"If you can handle it, then Elizabeth can."
C.J. sighed.
"It's not a contest," she said, "It's just something she's going to have to learn to face if she stays with him."
Ginger folded her arms.
"What's it to you anyway," she said, "what's your stake in all this, really?"
"I told you, I'm his friend," C.J. said, "I care a great deal about him and want him to be happy."
"Elizabeth can make him happy," Ginger countered, "and he can do the same for her."
Roy looked up and saw the doctor approach them.
"Here's Matt's doctor," he said, "Let's hear what he has to say."
They all gathered around him as he explained that Matt's injuries had been patched up and he would be sent home to recuperate. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
"He's been asking for a C.J. Parsons," the doctor said.
She looked up.
"That's me," she said.
"Come with me," the doctor said, "He wants to see you."
She nodded and followed him. The other women watched her leave.
"I guess we'll have to wait a little longer before we can see him," Elizabeth said.
Ginger patted her hands.
"He'll be ready to see us soon," she said, "Don't worry, he's probably just trying to make himself look presentable."
C.J. entered the examining room while Matt put on a shirt. She tried not to look at the bandage on his side.
"They let me borrow one," he explained, "since my shirt's got blood on it."
She smiled to swallow her fear.
"I never took you for a Dodger fan but it fits nicely."
"I could always switch teams," he said, "They have a chance at the pennant this year."
"Traitor," she said.
She began to relax. Matt seemed in pretty good spirits even though C.J. knew he must be feeling pain. Gunshot wounds were never fun experiences and she and Jason could just as easily been in Matt's place if events had turned out differently.
"C.J. how is Elizabeth holding up," he asked.
She tried to keep the smile on her face.
"She's doing as well as can be expected under the circumstances," she said, "You don't make things easy for the women in your life."
He looked contrite.
"How are you doing?"
She started pacing in the small room.
"I'm fine," she said, "I just got a little bit nervous when I saw the blood."
"I'm going to be okay," he insisted, "It just nicked me."
She nodded but he saw her shoulders shaking slightly.
"It could have been worse," she said, "but you scared me."
He grabbed her hands in his own.
"I never meant to do that."
"I know," she said squeezing his hands before pulling free, "but it doesn't change that."
He frowned at her withdrawal but didn't bring it up.
"You need these to get out of here," she said, handing him his shoes.
Matt put them on while she watched him.
"C.J. what were doing in the hallway with Jason and that man?"
"We saw him approach a woman in the bar," she said, "and both of us thought we recognized him."
That surprised him enough to forget that his side ached.
"What do you mean you recognized him?"
She shrugged.
"I don't know," she said, "He just looked familiar so we followed him out to the hallway and he drew his gun."
"Why didn't you let Jason handle it?"
She raised a brow at him.
"Why didn't you?"
He sighed, not wanting to get into it with her. She looked away, regretting her statement.
"I know it's not your fault," she said, "You didn't even have time to do anything."
"He did react very quickly when I arrived," Matt said, "Did Jason catch up to him?"
She shook her head.
"They're out looking for him," she said, "but the police don't have much to go on."
He got off of the examination table, wincing as he did so.
"Houston, what are you doing?"
"I'm going to go to the office and get on Baby to see if I can turn up anything on this guy," Matt said.
"The doctor told you that you needed to take it easy," she said, even though she knew it was futile.
"I need to find out who tried to kill me," he pressed, "and who pulled a gun on you."
"You mean Jason," she said, "I was just there."
He stroked her face.
"That was closer than I like," he said, heading to the door.
"Then I'm going to help you," she said, following him.
He turned around.
"C.J. you're exhausted," he said, "You need to go home and rest."
She glared at him.
"You've just been shot and you're not letting it stop you. Now get out of my way."
He smiled despite himself. He loved her stubbornness even as it scared him sometimes.
"You need to talk to Elizabeth," C.J. said, "She's waiting for you in the other room."
Matt sighed.
"I don't have enough time now to have the conversation that I need to have with her."
She brushed her hair away.
"Matt, she loves you and you love her," she said, "Isn't that what matters?"
She walked past him not waiting for an answer and he shook his head.
"I think we're going need to have a conversation too."
She turned around and pointed her finger at him.
"Don't even say it," she said.
Elizabeth smiled from where she sat in the waiting room as Matt approached her. She saw C.J. walk over to Roy after throwing Matt a look. What was that about, Elizabeth wondered before she stood up to embrace Matt.
"I'm so glad that you're okay," she said, grabbing him tightly, "Now let's get out of here and take you home where you can get some rest."
Matt pulled from the embrace to look at her.
"Elizabeth…I can't," he said, "C.J .and I are going to the office to dig up some more information on the shooter from Baby."
Elizabeth looked crestfallen which sent pangs of guilt through Matt.
"Why," she said, "You should let the police handle it. You were nearly killed tonight."
"But I wasn't," he said, "I'm here and I'm fine but I've got to catch this guy before he hurts anyone else."
"What about C.J.'s police friend," she said, "Isn't he going to investigate it?"'
Matt nodded.
"But there's not much in the way of leads," he said, "Both he and C.J. recognized the guy but they don't know from where."
"Can't you leave it up to them to figure that out," she said, "and focus your attention on getting better?"
Matt shifted his stance.
"I can't do that," he said, "If I hadn't been there, he might have killed C.J. or Jason and I need to find out why he drew his gun so quickly."
Elizabeth took a deep breath and exhaled it out slowly as if to collect her thoughts.
"So this is about C.J. then."
He looked up at her startled.
"It's about a bad guy running around loose with a gun."
She turned away from him.
"Why is your focus always on her, Matt?"
"What, on C.J.," he said, "Why are you asking that?"
She faced him again, pain etched on her face.
"Because you always run to her when anything happens," Elizabeth said, "even if it means dropping everything."
"She's my best friend Elizabeth," he said, "She's been most of my life."
"No she's not," Elizabeth said, "She's something more than that."
Matt looked at her puzzled.
"Why would you say that?"
She started to say something and then she stopped and just smiled.
"Nothing. After you and C.J. get done, maybe we can talk," she said.
Ginger walked up to them.
"What's going on here," she said, "Don't tell me you're running off after just getting shot."
"Just for a few hours," Matt said, "We'll be at the office trying to find out information on the guy."
"But it's the middle of the night," Ginger protested.
"It's fine Ginger," Elizabeth said, "Matt, why don't we meet for brunch tomorrow and talk then?"
He hedged for a second.
"All right," he said, "How about at the Country Club?"
She nodded.
"I'll see you then."
She and Ginger left the waiting room and Roy walked up to Matt.
"I see that you've reassured Elizabeth that you're okay."
Matt gave his uncle a funny look.
"Did you think I wouldn't?"
He shook his head, smiling.
"No, I knew you'd try to make her feel better," he said, "That's the kind of son your father raised."
"Are you trying to tell me something," Matt said, "Because you might as well just come out and say it."
Roy thought about it and then proceeded carefully.
"You've got a lot on your plate right now Matlock," he said, "including three women."
"Well there's Elizabeth…"
"Not just her," Roy interrupted.
"Uncle Roy, she's the one I almost married."
"Almost," Roy said, "but you didn't did you?"
Matt sighed.
"Look, C.J. and I need to go pick up our cars at the restaurant so we can head to the office and do some work."
"I know better than to try and stop you once you've got your mind made up on something but remember what the doctor told you."
Matt gritted his teeth.
"I will get some rest…after I find out who this guy is that shot me."
"It's not just you," Roy said, "C.J.'s already had a full day and you know she won't go home until you do."
Matt ran his hand through his hair.
"Yeah I know that," he said, "This is her last trip for a while."
"Was that her choice?"
"She's been overextended since we got back from Tahiti," he said, "If I need more depositions taken, I'll just fly the people out here on the jet."
C.J. walked up to them.
"Are you ready to go," she said, "I called a cab to take us to the restaurant to get our cars. Are you sure you're up to driving?"
"I'm sure," he said, "Let's go."
C.J. booted up Baby at the office while Matt made them some tea. Matt looked at it with distaste as he brought it to the couch where she sat. She tilted her head to look at him, trying to hold back her laughter.
"What's the matter," she said, "You know the doctor doesn't want you to mix your pain medication with alcohol."
He sat down beside her.
"Doesn't mean I have to like it."
"This is herbal tea Houston," she said, "It's really quite soothing after an arduous, long day."
He still didn't trust it.
"Wouldn't you rather have some brandy?"
She wrinkled her face.
"Not right now," she said, "I think I'll stick with tea."
She clicked some keys and pictures started to show up on the huge screen in front of them.
"Where shall we start," she asked.
He thought about it.
"Maybe I should ask you," he said, "You were the one who thought he looked familiar."
"Houston, I don't know from where," she said, "Nothing comes to mind. It was more like a gut feeling."
"The best kind."
"Yeah, but it doesn't really help much does it," she said.
"He didn't look American."
She nodded.
"Maybe Russian or Eastern European," she said, "He had an accent but I'm not sure where he's from."
"Why don't we start with Interpol then," he said, and her fingers moved across the keyboard again.
About a dozen faces popped up on the screen.
"I think that's the latest most wanted list," Matt said, "The one on the upper left side looks promising. Start with him."
C.J. clicked the key which enlarged his photo and then found a dossier on him.
"It's not him."
Matt examined the photo closer.
"He's into arms sales," he said, "His primary market is Latin America."
They searched more faces, more records but came up empty.
"Guess he hasn't caught their attention yet," Matt said.
C.J. rubbed her eyes, suddenly feeling dizzy. Matt looked over at her.
"Are you okay?"
She looked at him, nodding.
"Just a little tired," she said, "Nothing for you to worry about."
He narrowed his eyes.
"Should I be worried?"
She sighed.
"No Houston," she said, "I'm fine. Let's move on to the next database."
He shook his head.
"No, we're going to stop here for tonight."
"Why," she said, "We just got started."
"Because you're exhausted," he said, "and you've been that way for a while."
"Have not."'
"Have to," he said, "At least the traveling's done."
She shot him a piercing look.
"I beg your pardon?"
"C.J., you've been on too many business trips," he said, "You need a break."
"I'm fine," she said, "In fact, I could travel tomorrow if I had to."
"You don't have to," he said, "Is there any reason you want to?"
That stopped her. She looked down at her tea. "No…not really."
He just looked at her for a while.
"Are you trying to avoid something here in L.A.," he said, "like me?"
She looked at him suddenly.
"Why would you ask that?"
"Because I've barely seen you since Tahiti."
"What does that have to do with anything," she said, exasperated.
He looked at her quietly.
"Because of what happened there."
Elizabeth sighed as Ginger parked on her couch with a dish of her favorite snacks and wine to watch a movie, which naturally featured a variety of young men in various stages of dress romping on the screen.
"What's this movie about anyway," she asked.
Ginger snorted.
"Does it matter," she said, "It's all about the guys."
Elizabeth shook her head.
"I should head off to bed," she said, "I have an early brunch with Matt and I still haven't figured out what to tell him."
"That shouldn't be difficult," Ginger reasoned, "Just tell him what you're feeling only with some more finesse than you've shown so far."
"How do I do that Ginger," Elizabeth sighed, "I really blew it by not going through with the wedding."
"Maybe not," Ginger said, "but you do have some roadblocks on your path to bliss with your ex-fiancé."
Elizabeth looked depressed.
"Tell me what I don't know."
"Okay, you called off the wedding and your groom-to-be went on his honeymoon with his business partner and best friend."
"So what," Elizabeth said, "They're just friends after all. It's kind of like me going off to Mexico with you."
"Not unless you're into women," Ginger said, "I'm willing to bet that their post-aborted wedding junket was not like ours in one very important way."
Elizabeth looked aghast.
"You mean…"
"It's a possibility," Ginger said, counting off why with her manicured fingers, "After all, you've got a beautiful tropical island, you've got atmosphere, a gorgeous male specimen like Matt. Hell, I wouldn't be able to keep my hands off of him."
"So you think she made a play for him?"
Ginger nodded and fell her friend's heart sink from across the room.
"Elizabeth, honey," she said, "I know all about these affairs of the heart and…elsewhere. I've been on that ship many times myself and I'm telling you your ex-fiancé and his friend sailed it."
Elizabeth got up and started pacing.
"Oh I wouldn't know what to do if that were true," she said, "I've always suspected he had a thing for her. What will I do now?"
Ginger pulled on her arm until she sat back on the sofa.
"Elizabeth, relax. Maybe they did get it on in the tropics but they don't seem like a couple now, do they? Maybe it's just a one-time thing."
"Maybe…"
"Look, you have brunch tomorrow and you just act as if nothing's different between the two of you and see how he acts…"
Elizabeth brightened.
"Okay…"
"That's a good girl," she said, "and when you pick up those nonverbal cues from him, you'll know what to do."
"I hope so."
Ginger smiled.
"And after you come up with the right things to say to him, he'll be saying, 'C.J. who'?"
Elizabeth nodded because it was expected of her but she didn't feel too sure about that.
C.J. just looked at him, stunned by what he said.
"What do you mean," she said, "Why are you bringing up Tahiti?"
"Because I think it's been standing between us," he said.
"No it hasn't," she said, "We've been just fine since we got back."
Matt rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"I know what we said, but I don't think I can agree to that anymore."
"You said you would," she said, "That you wouldn't let it interfere with our friendship."
"But it has," he said, "Because one of us wants to forget it."
She shot him a dangerous look.
"I never said I wanted to forget it," she said, "It's just that the timing was all wrong."
He nodded, trying to follow along.
"Because of all this going on now."
"I was right," she said, "You've still got to work through your feelings for Elizabeth and her decision to leave you at the altar on your wedding day."
He struggled to hold onto his patience.
"I'm past all that."
She shook her head.
"No you're not," she said, "You're still in love with her. She still loves you. You've still got an opportunity to work it out."
He just stared at her.
"Can you honestly say that you don't want to do that?"
He looked away.
"That's what I thought," she said, "You'd be married right now if she hadn't stopped the wedding."
"Maybe not," he said, "Maybe I could never marry her."
"But you almost did," she said, "We were all there waiting for it to happen after the police carted Robert away."
"But it didn't," Matt said, "We are not getting married."
"Did you tell her that Houston," C.J. said, "because I think she's changed her mind about not marrying you."
"I haven't had a chance to really talk to her," Matt said, "I got shot tonight."
She sighed.
"I know," she said, "But you have a choice to make. Either you tell her that you'll marry her because you want to or you tell her you won't before she gets too invested in trying to make it happen."
He looked away.
"I care about her," he said, "I don't want to hurt her."
C.J. softened.
"I know but you're going to hurt her more if you don't make it clear to her what you want. And first, you have to be clear what it is that you want. Because part of you still wants to marry her."
"How do you figure that?"
"Because you are leaving her in a holding pattern until you figure out what you want," C.J. said.
She got up from the couch and walked out of the room. Roy walked in carrying a glass of his favorite guava juice, looking at her as she departed.
"I can't leave you two alone for two minutes…"
"It's nothing Uncle Roy," Matt said.
"You're drinking tea," Roy noted.
"What's wrong with that?"
Roy smiled.
"Oh nothing, nothing," he said, "It's much healthier than brandy."
Matt flashed a look of skepticism.
"I'll take your word for it."
"So what did you and C.J. find out about your shooter?"
Matt sighed.
"Nothing," he said, "I don't think this guy has a record or has left an electronic trail."
"He must have, unless he's an operative," Roy said, "Maybe he's just discrete."
"Maybe," Matt said doubtfully.
"Why did C.J. leave?"
Matt sipped his tea.
"That has to do with a different subject."
Roy just nodded.
"I thought so. She seemed a little cross with you but then you put her through a lot tonight."
"She thinks I want to get back together with Elizabeth," Matt said.
"Do you?"
"No," Matt said, "If you asked me a couple of months ago, my answer would have been different but now I don't want to get married."
"You want to be single and footloose free," Roy said, "Nothing wrong with that."
"That's not really it Uncle Roy."
"Oh?"
Matt just looked at his cup.
"Did something change," Roy asked.
"You could say that."
Roy paused.
"Does it have to do with what just happened here?"
"C.J.'s upset with me because she thinks I'm not being honest with Elizabeth about my intentions."
Roy sipped his glass.
"No, I think she's upset with you because you're not being honest with yourself."
That rankled Matt but he tried to remain calm.
"Elizabeth told me she wanted to prove that she could handle the danger and unpredictability in my career," Matt said, "I think I owe her that chance."
"You don't owe her anything, but the truth about how you feel about her Matlock," Roy said.
"I know that Uncle Roy..."
"And you owe C.J. the same thing," Roy said, quietly.
Now that comment startled Matt enough to put his cup of tea down.
"What the hell are you getting at," he said.
Roy nodded.
"That's a pretty strong response to my statement about showing your best friend since childhood the common courtesy of being honest to her about your feelings."
Matt calmed down.
"She knows my feelings," he said.
"I know what," C.J. said, walking back in the room.
Both Matt and Roy looked at her.
"I thought you left," Matt said.
She put her hands on her hips.
"I went to my office to get a copy of some spread sheets but I couldn't find them."
Matt shook his head.
"C.J., I told you I would handle them," he said, "You need to go home and get some sleep."
She sat down on the couch.
"I can take them home," she protested, "You've got an early brunch with Elizabeth."
"I can still do that and get them done," he said, "You look exhausted."
"We've been through this already Houston," she said, "I might be tired but you've been shot so I go home when you do."
"She's got you there Matlock," Roy said, hiding his smile.
"I'm going home pretty soon," Matt said, "I'm about done here."
She smiled.
"Good," she said, "You need to get some sleep before your brunch date."
"It's not a date," he said.
"Whatever," she said, "I just hope that after you're done, you'll take the rest of the day off from work and take it easy."
He shook his head.
"I can't do that C.J.," he said, "I have to find the shooter."
She sighed.
"Matt, he might truly be impossible to trace," she said, "and I don't want you to do anything that's going to put you back in the hospital again."
"I know you're concerned…"
"Yeah about the poor hospital staff," she said, "You're a difficult patient."
He winced.
"Well I think they all know that by now," he said, "I got some interesting looks last night."
"Houston, you need to stop pretending you didn't just get shot."
He turned his head around indignantly.
"I'm not but I can't let it stop me," he said, "I've got things to do."
"You don't have to run off and get yourself killed," she said.
That almost stopped him before he could say anything but not quite.
"C.J. what's going on here," he said, "This isn't like you."
"It's not like me to be worried," she responded, raising a brow, "Maybe I just don't always show it."
Something in her voice caught him.
"C.J…"
She held her hand up and shook her head.
"No I've got to go."
He watched her walk away and Roy sat with his drink watching both of them.
"You could have handled that better," Roy said.
Matt sighed, rubbing his head.
"Maybe."
"She's just worried about you," Roy said sipping his drink again.
"She doesn't need to be," Matt said, "I told her I'd be careful."
Roy couldn't believe his nephew could possibly be so dense.
"You know Matlock, C.J. has been right at your side the entire time that you've been at this detective thing."
Matt glared at his uncle.
"It's because she wanted to be."
"I know that," he said, "but she's been your right hand person the entire time you've had the agency and even before that, when you were running Houston Enterprises."
Matt nodded.
"I would have never made it as far as I have with either if she hadn't been."
"She's been abducted, shot at, nearly died a few times and what's harder for her, she's had to watch these same things happen to you."
"Okay I get that," Matt said, "What's your point?"
"That maybe it's just hard for her to have to worry about you sometimes but she doesn't want to show it."
Matt scratched his head.
"But that sounds like Elizabeth's problem," he said.
Roy raised a finger.
"Perhaps, but with one major difference," he said, "C.J. accepts the danger as part of your life and she would never try to force you to change who you are in order to feel safe herself."
Matt remained silent, knowing his uncle spoke the truth. C.J. worried about him just like he did about her but she accepted him for who he was and far from resenting his career, she embraced it as well. He knew she loved working with him on cases and got the same sort of fulfillment out of it as he did. But bewilderment still filled him because in the last day, he had seen a side of her he hadn't before in all the years they had worked together.
"I'm going home Uncle Roy," he said, picking up his workload including the spread sheets that he had promised C.J. he would handle himself.
Roy just nodded, knowing that Matt hadn't closed the door on the conversation they had just had. He knew his nephew would think about what he had told him but he would have to make some difficult admissions along the way.
Matt walked to the elevator, his side aching along with his head at the decisions he would have to make about his life.
C.J. tossed and turned in bed and then finally turned on the light. Rubbing her head, she decided that she needed to rein in the thoughts running through her mind enough so that she could get some sleep. She got out of bed and walked to her kitchen where she pulled a jug of milk out of the refrigerator so she could warm some on the stove. Sprinkle in a bit of cinnamon and she would have a beverage that would relax her enough to settle her into sleep. Annoyance swept through her as she realized that most of her thoughts had centered on Matt and the argument they had had at the office.
Why was she letting what he said get to her? They'd argued enough in the past though they never stayed angry with each other for very long. This whole situation with Elizabeth and the interrupted wedding had blown over or so she thought until Matt's ex-fiancée showed up in his office. She had watched his face when he spoke with her and had realized that whether he knew it or not, he still had feelings for her.
But then in the office Matt had told her that he wasn't sure that he could stick to their agreement about Tahiti a topic he had brought up. That had floored her because he had made that statement even though Elizabeth had reemerged in his life. As far as C.J. was concerned, that was all the more reason to not bring the subject up at all but relegate it to the past where it belonged; where they had both agreed that it belonged. And life had returned to normal when they arrived back home in L.A. and went straight back to work as if everything had stayed the same.
She poured the warm milk into a mug and sipped it slowly, sitting down on her couch. Rubbing the back of her neck, she tried to loosen her tight muscles which only added to her fatigue. She had been traveling pretty much nonstop during the past month and had taken depositions for quite a few cases. She enjoyed her work but she wanted to slow down for a while. Perhaps she would take a trip up the coast and visit Gracie and have some fun away from the chaos of L.A. And leave Matt to figure his life out down here and decide whether or not he had a future with Elizabeth. Now, she thought as she took her warm milk back to the bedroom, there was a plan.
Matt looked at his watch. He had actually managed to navigate his way through morning traffic to get to the Country Club on time for brunch. Sitting at a table by the window, Matt appreciated the view of the impressive golf course while waiting for Elizabeth to join him.
"Matt, I'm sorry I'm late," she said, "The traffic…"
He nodded and got up to pull a seat for her.
"I'm just happy you got here."
She flipped her hair behind her shoulders.
"The spread here looks amazing," she said, as a waiter came to take their drink order.
Both of them ordered Bloody Marys.
"Since my uncle's been out here, we've been doing more golfing," Matt said.
"That's good," she said, "It's a good sport for making business contacts."
Matt supposed that were true but he mostly did it because it gave him and his uncle an opportunity to spend time together.
"Elizabeth, what did you want to talk to me about?"
She shook her head.
"Let's get some breakfast first."
And they did, filling their plates with sumptuous fruit, eggs and other buffet dishes.
"How's your side doing," she asked while taking a bite of an omelet.
"Better," he said, "I can barely feel it."
She looked at him, her smile tinged with worry.
"I was so worried about you," she said, "and I didn't handle it very well but I'm trying."
He stopped mid-bite.
"You did fine," he said, "and as you can see, I'm doing much better."
She still looked uneasy although she tried to hide it.
"I wish I could deal with the unpredictability and the danger as well as C.J. does."
"She's used to it," he said, "You're not and even she reads me the riot act every once in a while."
"She seemed so calm last night," Elizabeth noted.
"She gets angry at me sometimes and lets me know it," Matt said, "but she picks her battles."
Elizabeth looked out of the window at the golf course for a moment and then looked back at him, her eyes all serious.
"Matt, I…"
"What?"
Then he saw movement out of the corner of his eye.
C.J. got off the elevator and headed to her office. She planned to call Gracie later in the day when she finished a pile of paperwork and tell her that she would be heading up to San Francisco for a visit. Chris handed her some slips of paper as soon as she passed the receptionist desk.
"A couple phone calls and Jason called twice," Chris said.
It must be about what happened last night. She hoped he had called with good news like an arrest or at least a lead concerning the guy who had shot Matt. Then she could tell Matt before he ran off and did something dangerous. She understood his need to go after his assailant but she hoped this time that he would leave the field work up to the professionals like Jason. On a good day, Matt could handle anyone and anything but not on the day after he had nearly bled to death from a gunshot wound.
She heard the elevator beep from behind her and she turned around and saw Ginger flouncing out into the suite. She rolled her eyes, but tried to smile.
"Ginger, what brings you here?"
Ginger looked at her and then around the spacious suite.
"I thought I'd drop by and see what everyone's up to when the boss is away."
C.J. felt annoyance creep up.
"We're all very busy," she said, "and we're putting in a full day."
"Hopefully, Matt and Elizabeth are having a good time at brunch," Ginger said.
"I'm sure they did," C.J. said, sifting through her messages.
"That doesn't bother you?"
C.J. lifted her head and looked at Ginger, puzzled.
"Why should it?"
"Ginger pursed her lips.
"Because you don't want him and Elizabeth to get back together."
C.J. laughed.
"Why would you think that?"
Ginger studied her carefully.
"Because you just seem different than the last time I saw you."
C.J. shrugged.
"I don't know how that would be," she said, "Now excuse me, but I've got phone calls to return."
She walked away from Ginger and her vivid imagination and taste for innuendo into her office.
She called Jason first.
"I hope this is good news," she said.
"No arrests yet and ballistics hasn't told us much but the DOJ is still testing the slug," he said.
"Where did they find it?"
"In the wall back towards the bar."
"So it went through Houston and just got stuck there?"
"Yeah," he said, "It might be from a foreign made handgun but we're not sure which country."
"You have to find him before Houston takes off looking for him," she said, "He's just out of the hospital and currently staying out of trouble having brunch with Elizabeth."
"The ex-fiancée."
"I just don't want anything to happen to him."
"How's he doing," Joseph asked.
"They stitched him up and sent him home," C.J. said, "They wanted to keep him overnight but you know Houston."
"I do," Jason said, "and you're going to have to let him do his thing because you can't stop him."
"I know," she said, "It's like trying to stop a stampeding bull."
"That's one way to put it," Jason said dryly.
Matt looked up and saw the man grab the lady's purse. She had been focused on slipping pieces of bacon to her toy poodle on her lap that she had never seen him creep up to give her personal belongings a closer look. Next thing she knew, she felt movement and turned around and saw the man take off with it.
Watching him, Matt sighed, threw down his napkin and turned to Elizabeth.
"I'll be right back."
As he got up from his seat, Elizabeth's face filled with dismay.
"Matt No…."
He started running, gingerly because his side still hurt but he sped up as he ran through the dining room towards the hallway into the kitchen. He saw the man disappear inside and then smashed into the double doors himself, narrowly missing a cook carrying a tray of croissants just out of the oven. Matt sidestepped him, wincing at the pain that stitched through his torso. The man sprinted out of the other doors which led into an employee parking lot and then the golf course.
A security guard exited a golf cart and tried to block Matt.
"What's going on here," he demanded.
Matt just pointed at the man running away.
"He took this lady's purse," he said, in between breaths.
The guard looked at him funny.
"Are you hurt?"
"No," Matt said, "Old battle wound."
"Get in the cart," the guard said, "We can cut him off near the lake."
Matt climbed aboard and the guard gunned the accelerator to the floor and the cart burned rubber as it veered around the one-lane road towards the lake.
"He's getting away," Matt said.
The guard jerked the steering wheel to the right.
"He won't make it," the guard said, and sure enough after they drove around another long sweeping curb and drove the cart onto the green itself, they made up valuable distance. The man with the purse looked up at them as if stunned to see them and took off in the other direction. The guard stopped the cart and both of them jumped off to run after him, with Matt in the lead. Matt tried to pick it up just a bit more and then leapt towards the bandit. They both went down on the green not far from a group of early rising golfers who just stared at them as they rolled around with one trying to flee and the other trying to stop him.
The thief struggled mightily and Matt dodged a couple fist blows aimed at his face. Then the man grabbed him by the sides of his shirt and Matt flinched as a stab of pain hit him. The guard joined him and finally together, they were able to pin the thief on the green.
"You've got something that belongs to one of our guests," the guard said, "You know what I'm talking about, right?"
The thief just looked at him as if he had sprung horns.
"Don't give me that," he said, "This man here, saw you steal a woman's purse," he said, grabbing the purse away from the thief.
He showed it to Matt.
"Is this what you saw stolen?"
Matt nodded, picking himself off the ground. He felt sore all over and as he looked at the mud and grass stains on his clothes, he wondered for the first time how he was going to explain this to Elizabeth.
The phone rang at the office and Chris forwarded it to C.J. who sat filling out some forms that had sat on her desk for a week.
"Houston, is that you," she said, "Where are you?"
He hesitated.
"I'm about to take another trip to the hospital."
Alarm filled her but she forced herself to calm down.
"What happened," she said, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine…It's just that…"
She sighed.
"You tore out your stitches, didn't you?"
He had to admit it.
"Not all of them," he said, "I'm just going to get them fixed up a bit."
"What did you do," she asked, running her hand through her hair.
"I have to catch up with a thief," Matt said.
"A thief at the Country Club," she said, "What did he steal?"
"A woman's purse," he answered.
"Where's Elizabeth?"
"She's taking me to the hospital."
"How's she taking it," C.J. asked.
"Better than I expected," he said, "We'll be back in the office soon."
"Are you sure you're going to be okay," C.J. said.
"I'll be fine," he said, "See you later."
Matt hung up the phone.
"We'd better get going," Elizabeth said, "You need to get a doctor to look at it."
He nodded and they began to walk to the car. A club physician had placed a pressure bandage on his injury to stop the bleeding. Now all he needed was to get it stitched back up and then he'd be as good as new.
"The police came and picked up the thief," the guard said as they passed him, "He's off to jail."
"Did the woman get her purse back?"
The guard nodded.
"She asked if you were okay and to give you this," he said, handing Matt a $20 bill.
Matt looked at it and then tucked it in his wallet.
"Matt, are you ready," Elizabeth asked.
He nodded and they walked out to her car, with him holding his side and she grabbing onto his other arm.
"You don't have to do this," he said, "I could drive myself."
"Are you kidding Matt," she said, "The doctor's going to have to fix you up again."
"He'll probably take one look at me and charge me double," Matt said, as they reached her vehicle.
"Matt, you shouldn't joke about this," Elizabeth said, "You could have hurt yourself worse."
He moved into the passenger seat as she started up the car.
"Elizabeth, it's no big deal," he said, "I've been shot before and I've been beat up before and I'm still here."
"The day might come when you aren't," she said, her hands gripping the steering wheel, "and then what?"
"That could happen in any profession," he said, "I could be hit by a car stepping off the curb tomorrow."
"It's not the same thing," she said, "Matt, I don't want you to give up what you love but I just want you to be safe."
Matt felt frustration course though his body but he knew her concerns were valid. Most women who he had been serious about in the last several years experienced the same feelings about him being in dangerous situations or bringing danger home.
He tried to come up with some words to reassure her but once again they failed him.
Ginger looked at C.J. incredulously.
"You're not running to the hospital to get him," she said.
C.J. shook her head.
"He's just called and said that he's okay," she said, "It's better to let him take care of himself and keep things here until he gets back."
Ginger folded her arms.
"I hope Elizabeth doesn't share your attitude."
"If she doesn't develop a thick skin," C.J. said, "then she'll never last with him. She'll have to figure out when Houston needs her and when he doesn't."
"Like you?"
C.J. shrugged.
"I've known him for years," she said, "I've had plenty of practice."
Roy walked in with a stack of folders.
"I found these records in the file room," he said, dropping them on her desk, "How about the others?"
She ran her hand through her hair.
"They can wait," she said, "thanks."
Ginger turned to face Roy.
"You're staying here as if nothing happened and not going to see if your nephew's all right," she said.
"He's fine," Roy said, "and he'll be back in the office soon enough."
She shook her head.
"I can't believe you two," she said, "Matt's in the hospital and you're standing here talking about files."
"You explain it to her," C.J. said, as she left her office.
Ginger followed her out.
"I thought you really cared about him," she said.
C.J. turned around to face her.
"Of course I do," she said, "but part of that is waiting here for him to come back when they're done bandaging him up."
"At least Elizabeth is with him," Ginger said.
C.J. suddenly felt dizzy so she sat down on the couch.
"What's the matter with you," Ginger said, looking at her.
C.J. hoped she wouldn't faint.
"Nothing…," she said, rubbing her forehead, "I'm fine."
"You sure?"
C.J. nodded.
"I'll get you some juice," Roy said, going to the refrigerator at the wet bar.
"Thanks," C.J. said, "but I'm fine really."
Roy smiled.
"I know that," he said, "and Matt's going to be just fine too."
Matt put his jacket back on after the doctor stitched him back up shaking his head the entire time.
"What guarantee do I have that you won't be back tomorrow," the doctor had said.
"I'm just trying to do my job," Matt had responded.
The doctor sighed and then gave him some more paperwork to sign before leaving.
He left the examination room, his second time in less than 24 hours followed by Elizabeth.
"I'm going back to the office after I get my car," he said.
"Matt you can't be serious," Elizabeth said.
"Elizabeth, I'm fine now," he said, "I've got to find out who shot me and why."
"Confronting that man could be very dangerous," she warned.
"He pulled a gun on C.J. and Jason," Matt reminded her, "with no good reason."
"He's a criminal," Elizabeth said, "isn't that reason enough?"
C.J. sipped the juice that Roy handed to her slowly and started to feel better. She really didn't know what had come over her, but chalked it up to the stress that Matt's shooting had put her through mixed with the remnants of jet lag. Ginger eyed her carefully.
"Are you okay now," she asked.
"Of course I am," C.J. said, "I just felt a little lightheaded. I didn't eat much this morning."
Ginger didn't look too sure.
"Maybe you should go see a doctor."
C.J. shook her head adamantly on that. She hated going to go running to a doctor for every little thing. She had spent enough time in hospitals for job-related injuries and disliked them as much as Matt did.
"I'm fine," she said, "Juice hit the spot."
The elevator door opened and Matt walked out followed by Elizabeth.
"Matt, I'm not telling you how to live your life," she said.
"I told you, I'm fine," Matt said.
Ginger looked at C.J.
"I'm sure the entire brunch didn't go that way."
C.J. shook her head.
"She needs to learn when to back off a little bit and give him room."
Ginger chuckled.
"At least she was at the hospital," she said.
Matt walked up to them.
"C.J., did you have any luck with those files?"
She nodded.
"They're sitting on your desk," she said, "Uncle Roy helped me find them."
"Thanks," he said, then looked at her, "How are you doing?"
She looked at him back.
"How are you doing," she asked, "You were the one who tore your stitches out this time."
"I'm fine," he said, "Doctor wasn't too happy that I messed up his work but he sewed me up again."
She sighed.
"I don't blame him Houston."
"Look, I'm fine and I'm ready to go back to work on finding out who shot me," Matt said.
"You need to relax," C.J. said.
Ginger reached into her purse and took out a nail file.
"You both need to take some time off," she said, "What with him getting shot and you fainting."
Matt's brows rose.
"You fainted?"
C.J. felt her face flush at the concern in his voice.
"No…I just felt lightheaded," she said, "I'm fine now."
"Why don't you take a couple of days off?"
She met his gaze.
"I will when you will."
Both knew that would never happen not with the current workload at the office not to mention a shooter on the loose.
Ginger shook her head.
"You both are pieces of work," she said, "I think Elizabeth and I will do something productive like check out the new exhibit at the art museum."
Matt smiled.
"Why don't you do that," he said, "and we can all meet for dinner later on."
Ginger looked at him skeptically.
"If we do, nothing's going to happen is it?"
C.J. tried to keep from laughing.
"No, I promise you a quiet dinner this time," Matt said, "C.J. and I will meet you at the art museum later on."
C.J. arched her eyebrow up.
"We will Houston?"
He turned to look at her.
"Unless you want to go with them now," he said, "You're working too hard here if you're having fainting spells."
"I'm not having fainting spells," she protested, "I'm just tired from my trip and I've got work that I've got to do here."
Her phone rang from the office.
"I've got to get that," she said leaving them.
Elizabeth walked towards Matt.
"So what do we do now?"
Ginger grabbed her arm.
"Why don't we head off to the museum and let these two…get to work?"
Elizabeth looked at Matt.
"We haven't finished our discussion."
He looked at his watch.
"I've got a couple hours of work to do here," he said, "I'll see you later and we can pick up where we left off, okay?"
C.J. picked up the phone and heard Gracie's cheerful voice.
"So when you are coming up to see me?"
"I've got a lot of work to do," C.J. said, "and I don't know if I can get away."
"That's too bad," Gracie said, "It's been a while since we've hung out."
"Too long," C.J. agreed, then got an idea, "Why don't you come down here? It's not as great as San Francisco but L.A.'s really not that bad."
Gracie thought about it…for about two seconds.
"Sure, I'd love to come down there and paint the town red."
"That'd be great," C.J. said, looking at her calendar.
"Are you okay C.J?"
C.J. detected a note of worry in her friend's voice.
"I'm fine," she said, "but there's something I did want to talk about."
"What is it?"
C.J. hedged.
"I'll tell you when you get here."