Matt and C.J. arrived at the ranch within about an hour of leaving C.J.'s house. Matt was extremely concerned because his best friend in the whole world because she had just experienced a woman's worst nightmare. He was also extremely angry with himself for not being around to protect her. All he could do now is try his best to be there for her through her way back from this horrible ordeal, which if it took forever, he would do.
They pulled up in the driveway, Houston got out of the car and went to her side and opened up the door and again scooped her up in his arms. Carrying her into the house and gingerly placing her down on the couch. She didn't look or speak to him at all. His heart ached for her knowing how much pain the animal that had done this to her had put her in.
Finally she glanced his way as he sat in the chair beside her. "Thank you for getting me out of that house." she said in a very low tone, that almost was to low to even hear.
Matt thought for a minute before he spoke, trying to make sure he said everything to her just the way he wanted and that it came out the right way. "I am here for you whatever you need, when ever you need it." "If you want to talk, I'll listen, if you want to scream, I'm here if you want to sit in silence we can do that too." "I'm not leaving and no one and I mean no one will every hurt you like this again". "You have my promise on that".
She looked over at him and gave a little smile that said thank you, but he knew this was probably only the beginning of a long road.
That night as Matt had gotten C.J. settled in one of the guestrooms, actually the pink and lavender one Houston had let her decorate herself because he wanted her to feel comfortable there because she was there a lot. That long road began.
The dreams began, and fast and furious. He was on top of her with his hands all over her and she was trying to fight him off and couldn't. She woke up in a dripping sweat and screaming louder than she ever had before. Houston of course hearing her came flying into the room to see what was wrong.
" I can't BREATHE." gasping for air the entire time.
"It's ok, in through your mouth, out through your nose." Houston had to get directly in her face for her to even think about listening to him. He repeated this a few times and she finally settled down.
"He was on top of me, I couldn't get away." she had told him.
"It's ok, your at the ranch, no one is coming in here." he proclaimed.
"Here lay your head down, and I'll stay with you while you fall asleep." he said lovingly.
He laid there with her in her bed all night long, and that seemed to help a little, she slept uneasily it seemed but she didn't scream out anymore that night.
The next morning Matt awoke forgetting for a moment where he was and then realized C.J. lay her head on his chest and he laid there thinking how nice that felt to have her there. Not even wanting to think in that direction he brought his focus back on how to best help her get past what this sorry excuse for a person had done to her. But still he couldn't help but wonder why his mind wondered to that forbidden area.
He tried to get up without waking her, but it didn't work she woke up anyway.
"Did you sleep at all last night?" he asked concerned
"A little, thank you for staying." she said gratefully.
"C.J…. we are going to find out who did this and I will personally see to it that he pays for what he has done to you, I promise you that." Matt said trying not to let the anger in his mind come out through his voice.
C.J. sat at the edge of the bed for a minute and looked up at him. "Houston…. I…. I know who did it." she said in that very low tone that let him know she was still very afraid.
"You do?" he asked in a mild voice trying to sound comforting. He walked over and sat beside her and put his arm around her.
"He said if I told you, he'd come back for… you, next time." frightened at the thought of that man ever returning.
"C.J. you don't have to be afraid, you know that's not going to happen." he said trying to reassure her.
"How can you be sure? He got to me and got to me repeatedly." crying the entire time she was talking to him.
"Yes he did and the Scum is going to pay." he said feeling the anger hitting the surface.
" Who was it C.J.?" "You can tell me, I promise, I'll be careful." he said eagerly awaiting her answer.
"If I tell you….promise you'll tell Hoyt, so they can handle him. He's crazy Houston, he'll do anything, look at what he did to me."
" I will tell Hoyt, and that is all I will promise". knowing good and well if he came across this person, he was a dead man and Houston wouldn't even think twice.
C.J. looked at him for a moment not wanting to tell him because she knew what that would mean, that he would actively go after this person because he knew him too. In the end though she knew she had to tell him because she already admitted to knowing who had done and knew Houston would never let it go not in a million years.
Just then as she was about to tell him who it was, the phone rang. Reluctantly Matt answered it just in case it was an emergency of some kind. All though he had all the emergency he could handle with C.J. on his hands at the moment.
"Hey boy ." it was Roy. "I just wanted to let you know, the attacker left behind a calling card."
"And" Houston said not wanting to alarm C.J.
"It was a note reminding C.J. not to say anything or he was coming after you."
" I just got that much a few minutes ago" he said still trying to not let her know what was being said.
"Well who?" Houston said ,noticing C.J. look in his direction as soon as he said that.
"Your not gonna believe it Matlock." He said with hesitation like he didn't want to tell him for fear of what his nephew had said he would do the day before.
"Who??!!" Houston said more forcefully.
" Robert Tyler" Roy said.
"He's suppose to be in jail, how the hell did he get out?" Houston asked with his voice full of anger.
With that being said C.J. knew Roy some how found out who had attacked her and now she knew that Houston knew and that scared her to death.