CHAPTER 20

Roy Houston was standing in the hallway of the hospital just outside of Matt's room. He was worried about his nephew: he still hadn't regained consciousness. Roy had left the room to stretch his legs and talk to the police officers that Hoyt had posted on the door.

Lt. Michael Hoyt got off of the elevator and turned right. He saw Roy talking to the two officers that he had assigned to protect Houston. He could tell the elder Houston was worried. "How's he doing this morning?" Hoyt looked at Roy.

"He's stable. Still hasn't come to yet. CJ's in there with him – of course." He was sure glad that Matt and CJ had finally come to their senses and seen what everyone around them had seen for over twenty years; they were in love and had been since the day that they had met. She hadn't left his side since he was stabbed in the theater, except when he had been in surgery. As soon as the doctors let her, she was with him.

"Hoyt, we were just talking about the roses. We never got to ask Osterhouse about that." Roy had been puzzling over that the whole time Matt had been unconscious.

"I talked to the theater managers. In each case, a "woman" had come to the theater claiming that she had left her purse. They didn't see any harm in letting her in to reclaim her property. Evidently that's when the roses were left." He couldn't understand why citizens didn't seem to comprehend that "Crime Scene: Do Not Cross" meant that no one was allowed to enter except police officers.

"Well, that makes sense. At least we know that the CSI's weren't at fault. But I've been wondering about the hair and blood that Matt found on the door frame at the third crime scene." Roy hadn't been able to stop thinking about the loose ends of the case.

"The blood came back as a match to Osterhouse. Apparently he tripped and hit his head on the way out of the theater. The coroner found a small cut on his head." Hoyt was glad the case was over. He was just worried about Houston. When Matt had hit the floor with the scalpel in his chest, Hoyt had flashed back to the time that he had been stabbed with a butcher knife in the same spot when he was helping Hoyt find his daughter Kathy, who had been kidnapped by a child molester. They had almost lost him that time as well as the time that he had been shot point blank and had flat lined in the ER. All three times he had received injuries so close to his heart. The doctor had said that if it wasn't for the scar tissue from the other two injuries, Matt would have been dead.

What in the hell is that noise? Matt was irritated by a continual beeping noise. He tried moving his head but the noise wouldn't go away. He felt someone take his hand and he heard CJ's voice.

"Matt? Come on, hon, wake up for me." She leaned closer and saw his eyes start to open. "That's it, come on, wake up."

Matt opened his eyes. "What the … oh, hell no. Not again." He closed his eyes tightly and reopened them. Yep, he was in a hospital room. He let out a groan.

"Well, it's so good to know that you're glad to see me." CJ smiled at him. "You gave us a little bit of a scare there, Cowboy."

His mind was still a little fuzzy. What did I do THIS time? he thought to himself. He looked up at CJ. She looked a little tired. Then his mind started to clear and he remembered. He tried to sit up and then wished that he hadn't as a wave of dizziness washed over him. "Is Uncle Roy okay?" Osterhouse had tried to strangle him, he remembered now.

"Yes, he's fine. He's out stretching his legs. Do you want to see him?" CJ was gently rubbing his cheek. Matt nodded and she walked over to the door and opened it. "He wants to see you, Uncle Roy."

Roy and Hoyt walked into the room. Both men looked tired but relieved. "So, Boy, what's on your mind?" Roy was trying to be very nonchalant.

"Just wanted to be sure you were okay." Matt's voice was slightly hoarse.

"I'm fine, Matt. After all, I'm not the one that got stabbed with a scalpel. I think we need to invest in some body armor for you. You had already been shot and stabbed just millimeters from your heart, and now you've managed to do it again." He walked over to Matt and took his hand. "You had us worried."

"And to think that I was worried about Roy getting hurt. Guess I should have known you would be the one to create a problem with this operation. Lousy PI's are like lightning rods." Hoyt walked over and shook Matt's hand. "Glad you're still among the living, Houston."

"What about Osterhouse?" Matt knew he had shot the man, but didn't know if he was still alive.

"You didn't miss. You nailed him right in the heart. He's dead." Hoyt looked at his friend. "I think the world is better off."

Matt nodded, then looked at CJ. "When can I get out of here?"

CJ, Hoyt, and Roy all laughed as CJ looked at her watch. "Okay, boys, pay up. I told you that it would be less than four minutes after he regained consciousness that he would ask that question."

The two men both pulled five dollars out of their pockets and handed the money to CJ.

"The doctor says you need to stay here for at least three days. Then I thought we might make a little trip – to Hawaii. I think you need some of Mama's lasagna to fully recuperate." She smiled at her husband and rubbed his cheek again.

"Now that treatment I won't argue with at all." Matt pulled her closer and kissed her.