8

Matt slammed his fist down on the counter. Roy took a deep breath and patted his shoulder, telling the man on the other side of glass, "I'm sorry, my nephew here just really wanted to speak to Mr. Lux. We'll come back tomorrow at the appointed time. Thank you."

Matt nodded, swallowing back a rebuttal. The two turned and left Mackenzie State Prison. He told Roy under his breath, "I've been here more times than I can count and helped that warden out on a case before and now when I need something..."

Roy told him, "I know, but getting angry isn't going to get you in any faster. In fact they may decide to keep you out altogether. You know what they say about catching more flies with honey than vinegar."

Matt nodded as they got into his car, "Alright, well, let's head back to the office. See what we can find on this Nikkos Sacan and head off in that direction."

Roy gave him a look and then said softly, "Matlock, I think we need to stop for today." Right as Matt was about to object, Roy continued, "C.J. needs you. Go to the hospital and be with her. Chris needs to go home."

Matt looked at the road and made the decision as turned in the direction of the hospital. "You're right I know. I need to tell her what we've found out so far."

Roy then looked confused, "Are you sure you want to do that?"

Matt looked back at him and said with all conviction, "Yes I am. Uncle Roy, she is a strong woman. She wasn't acting under her own volition earlier. No, I'm not keeping this from her. I know she may not remember everything but this is her case. This is her life, her parents and what happened to her. I won't leave her out of the loop and I won't lie to her."

Roy then told him, "Alright, I agree, but its a dangerous one."

Matt nodded, "No one knows that more than me, but I trust her. We can get through anything and we will, together."

It took no time to get back to the hospital. After saying goodbye to Chris and then Roy, Matt went down to the cafeteria and got a sandwich to eat with C.J. while she ate what was on her tray. He did sneak in a chocolate bar he knew she liked since this wasn't like when she was in the hospital for surgery.

After the two finished eating and sharing that chocolate, he decided to level with her and share what he had learned in the investigation. "So tomorrow I plan to go visit Lux."

They were laying side by side on the bed with his arm around her and her head on his chest. He was playing with her hair but heard her say softly, "Ok, I wish I remembered any of this. I guess that is...maybe I really don't."

He moved around to face her and told her, "I wouldn't really expect you to remember your father's cases at the time..."

She interrupted, "But my mother going missing? How do I not remember that?" Her face betrayed her confusion and fear.

Matt blinked and brushed the hair behind her ear and said, "I don't know C.J. I can't even imagine having to live through what you have. You probably don't remember it because it was scary and painful." She started to tear up and his hand lightly brushed a tear away before he kissed her. He told her, "I love you so much. Just remember that. No matter what happens, I love you and I will be right beside you doing whatever I can to help you."

She nodded and then said, "You have always been there for me. You're the only one who has been totally honest with me in here." Matt started to tense up but she continued, "Hoyt came by earlier and Murray. They were all dancing around why I'm in here. Its like they were walking on eggshells. Even Chris was doing that for a while. I know I'm not crazy and I know I wouldn't try to...I just know. My being hypnotized I guess is the only explanation that makes any sense and even that...well."

Matt softly said, "I know."

She started to tear up again and said, "I'm scared."

Matt's grip tightened on her and he drew her to his chest as he rubbed her back, "I know, honey...I know. But I'm here and I'm not going to let anyone hurt you again. We'll get through all this together. Just trust me. I can't lose you. I couldn't live without you." Tears were forming in his own eyes and the two fell asleep not long after in each other's arms.

The two slept pretty well and when the doctor came in the next morning, gave them a pretty standard talk about depression. He did tell them, "Look, I know this may not exactly be what's going on here, but I have to do this. You two both know me, if something happens and you need to see a professional, just let me know. I can hand pick a couple of therapist or psychiatrists that can help alright?"

Matt and C.J. both nodded and when he left, Matt gave C.J. another kiss and telling her, "I know that had to be difficult, but he's just doing his job."

She tried to smile and nodded her head. He tilted her chin up to him and said, "We'll get through this, trust me." Then he kissed her.

As they got in the car he asked her what she wanted for lunch. She answered, "Whoever is coming after me. I want his head on a plate."

Matt took her hand and smiled, "That sounds like the old C.J. Come one, let's get to work."

Matt called Roy and told him to keep working on Baby to get a firm location on the next suspect, Nikkos Sacan. Matt had some doubts as to whether or not Lux would be interested even in coming after C.J. The man had a life sentence in prison. On top of the difficulty of having someone go after her and the expense, what would the motive be? What more damage could she possibly do to him? However, the insane don't exactly play by logical rules so seeing him was a must.

They got to the prison and Matt kept his hand on the small of C.J.'s back as they went into the visitor's area. He whispered to her, "You sure you're up to this?"

She smiled a little back and told him, "Yes, I'll be fine. I wonder if I'll remember anything. I don't think Daddy ever brought any of his clients to the house. If nothing else, maybe he will tell me something that will help me remember my childhood more."

Matt smiled and rubbed her back just as they heard the door click. Redford Lux definitely looked as though he had seen better days. He sat down with a confused look on his face between two guards, still handcuffed to the waist. "Who are you and what do you want?"

Matt spoke up, "My name is Matt Houston and this is C.J. Parsons-Houston, my wife. We just want to ask you a couple of questions about..."

Lux interrupted, "Parsons? As in Daniel Parsons?" He looked surprised.

C.J. spoke up, "Yes, Daniel Parsons was my father. I want to know what happened when he represented you. You see he died..."

Lux interrupted again, "Just before I went to trial. I remember, trust me. There isn't a day that goes by hardly... Wish I knew who did him in...he was going to get me off. I know it." He seemed angry to both Matt and C.J. as they looked at each other.

Matt asked, "What do you mean? How was he going to get you off?"

Lux looked at C.J. and said, "He swore he had the paper trail that would lead back to my partner, not me. Swore all I needed to do was play nice with the police and do exactly what they said. No problem. Then I hear he's been shot, killed." C.J. put her head down for a second. Matt noticed.

Matt asked him, "So his being shot worked against you, you think."

Lux said again louder, "I know! Not I think, I know. Barney took all that money, not me. Came out right after the trial, Barney confessed because he got cancer or something and wanted a clean conscience. Too late for me however..." He held up his hands in the chains, "I had already done myself in. You see when Parsons' died, Barney hired that other lawyer, Nicholson. He threw that case, he knew it and I knew it. I was so mad and I...well, I just wasn't thinking. A guy I was in lock up with was getting out and said he'd go after him for me. I told him yeah, but I didn't really mean it. None of that mattered though. He testified and I wound up here."

Matt then asked, "What happened to him?"

Lux answered, "He died in a prison just 50 miles away. Got the flu or something and never recovered. I don't know, just what I heard." C.J. put her head down and Lux told her, "Your dad was alright. Put up with a lot of what I had to dish out. Had the patience of Job you could say. And he told me once about you."

Both Matt and C.J. looked up at him. C.J. asked, "What did he say?"

Matt started rubbing her back again as Lux told her, "I saw your picture on his desk. We were supposed to meet in the conference room, that's where he met all this clients. I told him I wanted a family myself one day. I was scared and he knew that. Told me I'd have everything I ever wanted if I just did as he said. He seemed so confident in himself, just knew he'd win in court." He smiled, "I'll never forget the day he got one of my bank accounts thrown out as evidence in that grand jury thing. He must have listed 10 court cases, one of which the judge had to go look up himself. That day was all it took. I knew I'd be just fine."

Matt then told him, "Do you think this Barney would have..."

Lux laughed, "Taken Parsons out?" He chuckled a little more shaking his head, "No, Barney was slime, but he wasn't a murderer and he couldn't have hired anyone himself. See he had the money, just not access to it. No, it had nothing to do with me, neither did her kidnapping either."

C.J. rather shakily asked, "What do you know about the kidnapping?"

Lux looked surprised and asked, "Don't you remember?"

C.J. couldn't respond, only shake her head. Matt moved his chair just a little closer to her.

Lux answered, "You were young. I only remember hearing that the wife was kidnapped. The media didn't really follow it too much. Something about her not coming in to work one day and no one thinking anything of it since her husband was just killed. Didn't have any family in the area. Her friends got worried or something and then went to check on her. The house was turned upside down and a hotel room she was staying in, and she was gone."

Matt then asked absolutely dreading the answer, "Do you know if C.J. was reported kidnapped with her mother or was she in police custody at that point, or at a friend?"

Lux thought for a second and then said, "I don't remember. Seems as though she wasn't mentioned at all. In fact I remember thinking, 'He has a daughter. Why isn't anyone talking about her?' I thought it was odd. I took that to mean she wasn't with her."

Matt then asked, "Is there anything else you can tell us?"

Lux then asked, "Let me ask you...why? Why after all these years are you asking about Daniel?"

Matt and C.J. looked at each other and nodded. C.J. then told him, "It seems as though someone thinks I remember something about his death and they have come after me a couple of times."

Lux then said with a small grimace, "I'm sorry about that. I've read up from time to time about you. Daniel would be really proud of the woman you've become. That one time he talked about you, he told me you were going to be his partner in his law firm. I don't think he liked the one he was with and wanted to start his own, with you."

Lux smiled but Matt caught something and asked, "He wasn't happy with the firm who hired him?"

Lux shook his head, "No, he wasn't, not at all."

Matt then asked, "Did he say why?"

Lux thought and answered, "Something about having to represent people he didn't believe in. In fact he was ranting just the day before he died with one of the other old partners, about some client he didn't want anymore."

Matt asked, "Now think real hard for us, please...do you remember who that client was?"

Lux shook his head and said, "I'll never remember the name, just that it sounded...I don't know...French? I don't remember. I just remember thinking it was different."

A rap at the door meant that Lux's time was over. They took him back and Matt took C.J.'s hand as they walked out.

She asked him, "Ok, so what are you thinking?"

Matt opened the car door and told her, "I don't know, C.J. I wish those partners were still around to ask, but according to Baby, all the senior members of the firm died years ago. Let's head back to the office and see what else we can find."

He got in and they did just that.