C.J. found Marueen sitting in the waiting room outside the I.C.U. "I got here as soon as I heard," she said as she hugged her sorority sister.
Maureen had been crying, "I can't believe he would just drive off the road and I have no idea what he was doing up there in the first place."
C.J. had planned to tell Maureen about the case, but now decided to only give her a summary, not all the details. She decided her friend probably just needed to concentrate on her little brother and his recovery.
So she shared what she knew about Ricardo and a little about the suspects. Maureen seemed to process everything C.J. was telling her and then added, "He told me no one else in his firm would even consider helping him. The immigration issues were too volatile or something. He felt bad for the guy even though he's sure he's guilty."
C.J. was shocked, "Bob thinks he's guilty? I don't understand, did Ricardo confess?"
Maureen nodded her head, "Basically yeah. But there is something else. Bob said he had to uncover something and this trial was going to do that. He never explained exactly what that was, but said it was big. Something about shocking 'this refined community'."
C.J. looked down for a second to try to process all this and then looked back at Maureen who suddenly seemed so exhausted. She rubbed her arms and told her, "Look, don't worry about it, Matt and I are working on this case. Tell Bob, not to worry, I've got it covered and you go get some rest, ok?" Maureen nodded and a nurse came to tell her she could see Bob again, but there was still no change in his condition. C.J. helped her up and after she went through the double doors, left herself.
She drove back to the beach house thinking through everything Marueen had told her. She was so lost in thought that at first she didn't notice the sedan from the day before following close behind. When she did pick up on it, she reached for her phone and called Matt in his car already heading back himself and only about 5 miles ahead of her.
He picked up the phone, "This is Houston."
C.J. asked him, "Matt, where are you, exactly?" as she looked in her rear view mirror at the sedan.
Matt looked at the sign approaching and answered, "About 15 miles from the beach house. I just left Hoyt at the crash site and…"
She interrupted him, "You are still on the highway then, headed in, right?"
Matt furrowed his brow, "Yea I am, what's wrong, C.J.?"
She looked again and the car was approaching faster now so she sped up, "I think I'm just a little ways behind you and I've attracted a tail."
Matt turned around quickly and didn't see her car on the road but pulled right over. "Do you think they know you spotted them?" His heart started racing just a little bit.
C.J. could tell the car was speeding up to keep up with her, "Yea, I think they know, I'm already going about 80. I'll probably catch up to you here in a second."
Matt turned around and watched for her while trying to figure out a way to help her, "Look, just be careful, I'm right about where the cut off is to go to the valley. When you get up here I'll see if I can't distract him. You are just going to keep driving and call Hoyt and tell him to get some patrol cars out here…."
C.J. answered, "What, and leave you to fight this guy yourself? I don't think so."
She was being frustrating again, "C.J. you listen to me, you are going to keep driving and get home safe. I can take care of this, I've been doing this for years now. Don't argue with me."
At that point he spotted her car with a sedan following close behind. She answered back, "I've been doing this for almost as long and…." Her car started to skid. Matt held his breath as he watched everything unfold just a few yards behind him. She regained control of the car and brought it to a stop, only halfway hanging on the edge of an embankment. The sedan stopped and a male figure got out and started to walk over, but when he saw Matt's car approach he quickly got back in and took off.
Matt wasn't going to chase down the sedan, he had to get his wife out of her car and make sure she wasn't injured. She was moving slowly and had one foot on the ground when he got up to her and took her hand and pulled her to him rather aggressively. They backed away from the car and it slowly went over the edge.
Matt and C.J. held each other for another couple of minutes. He just rubbed her back and closed his eyes a couple of times. So thankful she was ok. Both their breaths ragged. C.J. didn't plan on moving for a few minutes. In that last second before she regained control she feared she may never be in his arms again.
He slipped his hand around her waist and took her back to his car. He asked about 15 times if she was sure she was alright and she said she was each time. Then they called it in and after the state troopers showed up and took her statement, they went back to the beach house.
When they got back they told Roy what they uncovered but made sure Chris was out of earshot as they didn't want to upset her. Roy told them to stay on their toes and that he and Chris had packed some food up for the afternoon of sailing. Matt made a comment tried to look injured when Chris came back in the kitchen as he asked, "Don't you think I can catch us dinner?"
Chris just replied, "This bag is only a plan B." They chuckled and Roy and Chris headed for the boat. Matt took C.J.'s arm and held her back for a second. He took her face in his hands and delivered another slow, intense kiss once the others were out of view. He only broke it to say, "I love you, C.J." and she replied, "I love you, Matt." They kissed again, a little more aggressive this time. Then they went out to the boat and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon.
The trip was exactly what everyone needed. The ocean had always had a calming effect on C.J. She let Matt hold her for part of the trip while Roy and Chris tried their hands at fishing. It was Chris' first time to do anything like this as she grew up in the city. Roy regaled her with various stories about being in the company, people he met and tricks to fishing that he had learned over the years from other secret agents.
Roy noticed her smile at his stories but also saw the darkness that still dwelt in her eyes. She was trying, he thought to himself.
She spoke up once and said, "It's so calm out here. It's like the rest of the world is so far away. It's nice. I can see why all of you like coming out here so much."
Roy told her, "You know those two care a lot about you. We all do, and whoever hurt you isn't going to get away with it."
Chris asked him, "Weren't you scared when you worked in the company? How did you sleep, knowing that someone could break in and try to kill you?"
Chris looked down when she asked. Roy found the question difficult to answer but then replied, "Well, I took steps to make sure my home was secured. I have some ideas on that and can help you outfit your place if you like. You also have to think about who it is that might try something like that. The guy who attacked you I don't think is all that sophisticated. I know Matlock and C.J. aren't about to let him get near you again. They are two of the smartest, most determined people I know."
At the other end of the boat Matt held C.J. in his arms as they looked out on the water. She said, "You knew I needed this, didn't you."
Matt squeezed her a little tighter and said, "Yes I did. I think we both needed this and I think this is going to help Chris too."
C.J. turned to Matt and asked, "She is going to survive this, isn't she?"
Matt tucked her hair behind her ear and answered, "Yes she will. I think she's stronger than we think and we are going to be with her through every step."
C.J. looked down for a second, "When we find who did this, she'll have to face him in court. It just seems so wrong to make her do that. She's been through enough."
Matt put his hand under her chin and tilted her face up to his to look her in the eye, "It's part of the process, C.J. You know that better than anyone, but she won't go through it alone." Then he softly said, "Are you doubting the system now?"
C.J. looked in his eyes and said, "I just know this isn't right and I want to make things right and I don't know how to do that."
Matt ran his hand through her hair and said, "None of this going to be easy, but I've never seen you doubt your profession before." She looked down and he added, "Don't doubt yourself either."
Matt could always read her like a book. She didn't know what she was going to do exactly. This case had started a war inside her between the principles she believed in and what she felt was right. Matt knew it and nailed her on it. She just closed her eyes and rested on his shoulder a little while longer. He held her and kissed her forehead, hoping all this wouldn't shake her to the core.
Once they sailed back in Roy offered to take Chris to her house so she could pack some things up. She agreed and the two left Matt and C.J. tying up the boat. They didn't leave the boat however for another hour or so. C.J. was tying up the last knot when Matt walked over to help and put his hands on hers with his arms around her. She turned slowly around once the knot was finished and before she could do anything Matt's mouth was on hers.
She took him in her arms as he took her in his. His tongue elicited sensations in her that caused her to close her eyes. He put his hand behind her head to go deeper as this wasn't enough for him. He scooped her up and carried her down below when he could wait no longer. He wanted her. He needed her. He almost lost her today. These thoughts were rushing through his head as stood her back up in front of him and started to take off her shirt.
She was already unbuttoning his and kissing his chest in the way that she knew drove him crazy and then brushing it off of him. By the time she had it off of him, hers was lying of the floor and his hands were already moving over her bikini top, causing her to lose focus momentarily. He unfastened it and freed her breasts for his mouth to claim. Then he had knelt down and was moving his hands over and unfastening her shorts, slipping them down and then his mouth was claiming something else. She couldn't stand so she laid back on the bed he brought her to. 'Oh my god'…she thought to herself, it was so intense and she started rocking again. He knew his wife and knew what that meant so he positioned her better on the bed, took off his pants and climbed on top of her and joined with her as one. "I love you, I love you so much" he whispered in her ear as he made love to her and she whispered the same thing back. It wasn't aggressive or fast or hard, just slow and purposeful. After at least an hour they both hit that high peak again, almost in unison. Slowly they made their way back down to earth.
As they laid in the bed with her head on his chest she said, "I love you so much, Matt."
His arms were around her, one running up and down her shoulder and the other holding her free hand laying across his chest. "I love you, C.J."
After another 10 minutes or so they got back up and headed back in to the beach house, but were shocked at what they found.