- At the Winter Wonderland Ball, Damien Crenshaw, was found by his ex.wife, unconscious in the main hall of the Lakeside Inn from a stumble down the stairs. Although it’s unclear who caused the accident, he did encounter Patrick Sutton earlier that night.
- Kirsten Sutton had asked her ex. boyfriend, Adrian Stone, if he’d like to help run Alice’s Haven Cafe with her so that she could fire her ungrateful assistant. She also included free babysitting in the loft above the cafe for baby Violet.
- While on a cigarette break, Amanda Tucker, stumbled upon a mysterious woman who revealed herself to be Shannon Thurlow Jurado. The deceased mother of Aidan Jurado... Amanda’s ex. boyfriend.
- Anita Thurlow arrived back in Stone Creek with very important information for her son, James Thurlow, information that had everything to do with his business deal over Thurlow-Jurado Overseas with Mathias Jurado...
[.....]
To Listen to the Song this Episode is Inspired by, Click Here.
[.....]
Scene One:
Stone Creek; Sage Gardens
The Outskirts of Sage Gardens
Once she was sure the pair of headlights belonged to her rescuer, the petite brunette sprung out of the car and made her way towards his tow truck. It was bad enough that her parents sent her here to Stone Creek to stay with her aunt, but then getting stuck in the middle of nowhere...
“It’s ‘bout damn time ya show’d up!” She barked in a deep southern drawl as she reached the truck. Her arms, long and dainty rested upon her hips. “Your boss said ya’ll were a fast truck service! Ya’ll should really think ‘bout droppin’ the word fast!”
The woman stood there clad in an oversized sweater that she had decided to throw on about an hour ago when the frost began to sink in. Her jean skirt covered a set of black tights that covered two thin, freezing, legs. Her outfit topped off with dark brown cowboy boots, which were more of a fashion statement than any use to her. It was the cold that pissed her off the most. This wasn’t weather she were used to and it shown through her demeanor.
She watched as the man got out of the car with a sloppy grin across his face like he had knew something that she didn’t and it bothered her. She slouched a bit and then opened her mouth to ask, “What’s so darn funny, anyhow?”
“I work on the other side of town,” the man spoke, his words etched with years of experience dealing with woman such as herself, it was enough to keep her silent, “I work on the south side of ‘Now Town’ to be precise. You called me to come fix a flat tire all the way on the north side of ‘Sage Gardens’... I couldn’t get here any faster if there was a pit of gold in your stomach.”
The woman arched an eyebrow. “I’ve got no idea what you’re talkin’ ‘bout.”
“Not from here, are we?” He asked.
“Do I look like I am?” She shook her locks of brown hair as she gestured with her hands. After a twirl around she returned her scowl in his direction. “I ain’t got a clue what you’re talking about and from what I knew this whole damned place was called Stone Creek! Not no damned ‘Now Gardens’”
“'Sage Gardens’ and ‘Now Town’, to be pre-”
“Precise,” She finished. All of this talk was going to get her nowhere but closer to the emergency room for hypothermia. The longer she stood here talking to this stranger the longer it would take her to get to her aunt’s house and get settled in. “Can you just fix my tire now?”
“...Where’s that accent from?”
The woman glared at him from her position near his truck. “From the exact damned place I am...” Then she turned on her heel and started walking back to her car. The longer she stood there talking to this stranger the more she started to feel comfortable around him... She turned back towards him. “From Oklahoma.”
“That’s a long way from home for a pretty girl such as yourself, isn’t it?” The woman’s eyes lingered on him as he grabbed the necessary tools to fix her tire. He was older than her, it had to be at least double her age... it was mostly in the way he spoke, the grittiness in it that sold him out. His greying brown hair was almost as attractive as the stubble that ran across his cheeks. “So what brings you to Stone Creek?”
She leaned against her car and took a moment to reply. “Besides the fact that my own parents ain’t want me near?...” Then she sighed heavily. The man began to change her tire and as she watched him, she continued. “You really don’t wanna hear my back story. I ain’t the type of girl to just tell a stranger my business.”
“My name’s Jacks Hannigan,” he offered.
Hesitantly she smirked. “Ya parents really named you Jacks... as in more than one?”
“No,” Jacks looked up at her, already he was getting grease all over himself and the woman found it calming to be around someone so careless. Someone similar to herself. She let him continue without interruption, “They named me Jackson Stephen Hannigan... but everyone calls me ‘Jacks’ for short. What about yourself? What named did your parents bestow you with?”
She lingered around the back of the car before replying. “Don’t ya dare make any ‘marks.”
“Scouts Honor.” He crossed his chest.
“My name is Dylan Ainsley Tyree,” The woman said, it wasn’t necessarily an odd name for a woman and she knew this through the handful of Dylan’s she had met near her hometown. But she did get some slack for it. Although she got a whole lot more slack for Ainsley when she was a child. “No teasin’?”
“I said Scouts Honor.” Jacks replied with a sly smile.
Dylan smirked. “I reckon ya weren’t really a scout.”
He shook his head. “They wouldn’t let me join. When I was a boy I liked starting fires hell of a lot better than competing in character-building badge-collecting competitions. My folks were sort of peeved that I didn’t get to join. They protested the local troop.”
Somehow, Jacks, was able to get her to hold a flashlight for him as he began to screw the nuts to secure the new tire in place. “So now that I’m no longer a stranger,” He spoke, “Would you like to tell me why exactly you’re in Stone Creek?”
“I’m visiting my aunt, Helen Tyree,” Dylan’s hands shook lightly and they stopped the conversation long enough for him to guide her hands closer to the tire. From what she had seen, they were on the last of the nuts. “I don’t know if you know her or anything --”
Jacks chuckled. “Everyone knows your aunt.”
“Is that a good thing?”
He looked up at Dylan and they locked eyes for a moment. She turned off the flashlight and watched as his face darkened from the lack of light. His eyes, a golden brown, still glistened in the pale moonlight. Dylan waited for him to answer her.
“It’s not exactly a great thing, but hey,” He shrugged, “Nobody is perfect.”
“Yeah.” Dylan scoffed. She knew that she was far from that. Especially right now as she stood making conversation with the total stranger before her. Silently she wanted their conversation to continue, but she didn’t want to say much more in case he tried to dig into the real reason why she was in Stone Creek. Dylan looked around and felt the cold return to her body. “Thanks for the fix... I should get a movin’ or somethin’ I don’t want to worry any person... especially my aunt.”
Jacks nodded. “Yeah...”
“Thanks for the company.” Dylan offered, she dug into her pockets for the money that she had agreed on over the phone but once she handed it Jacks he refused. “Ya seriously gonna refuse my money? Am I like not gonna win with you today?”
“It’s night time.”
Dylan pushed the money into his hand. “Which is exactly why I need to get out of here. I cannot just show up this late to my aunt’s, I’d get into a heap of trouble!” It had to be half-past midnight by now and she had barely spoken with her aunt this evening about making it out to Stone Creek. She knew Helen wouldn’t have it if she were to stumble into the house this late. Especially her first day.
He handed her the bills and stepped away. “Welcome to Stone Creek, Dylan Ainsley Tyree.”
“I owe ya one.”
Jacks shook his head. “Coffee. Tomorrow.”
She chuckled and lingered around her car for a moment before getting in and starting the engine. The frost covered windows were still translucent enough for Dylan to see the star-filled deep blue sky as she took it all in. It wasn’t Oklahoma... but it would have to do.
[.....]
Scene Two:
Stone Creek; Now Town
Stone Creek Memorial Hospital; Damien Crenshaw’s ICU Room
It wasn’t the beeping of his machine that had kept Gillian Sutton Crenshaw up all night. Even if she hadn’t been here in his hospital room the entire time she would have still been awake all night because her mind had been so stretched thin that it had become more and more easier for the blond beauty to linger in distraction. There had been so much work for her to take care of before the Winter Wonderland Ball had taken place. Now things seemed to be piling up, she looked down at her blackberry and then back at the bed that housed her husband.
She felt so selfish even taking her eyes off of him. Gillian had spent all night with her eyes locked on his current state. Even when she was making lists in her head of what she needed to get done, her eyes were stuck on Damien. Her eyes were bloodshot. The light hues of blue mixed with red as she struggled to stay awake for a couple more hours. In hopes that Damien would wake up and she could return to worrying about her company.
For a second she doses off. It only took that second for something in the room to change. Her neck caught her heavy head and quickly Gillian re-adjusted herself in the uncomfortable hospital chair as she fought the urge to dose off again. She caught sight of the woman standing in the doorway. Gillian tensed-up when she noticed the blond woman was an older version of herself.
“You need to get your rest, darling,” Charlene Nelson spoke, the words coming from her mother’s mouth didn’t do much to encourage Gillian to do as told.
Then Gillian remembered what her aunt Kimberly had told her a couple of weeks earlier. How time had flown so quickly that she couldn’t back-track far enough to remember the date of the Winter Wonderland Ball. Only instead that it was in February and they were now in mid-March. “I’m fine.” Gillian retorted, if only to inform herself.
Charlene made her way into the room and Gillian grew protective of what was hers. She leaned forward in the hospital chair and for a moment took her eyes off of Damien, only to redirect them back towards her slumbering husband. “I don’t think I can leave him like this... I honestly don’t think anyone would take care of him if I were to leave the room.”
“The nurses will take great care of him.” Charlene spoke up.
But Gillian wasn’t convinced. “I would rather stay here and make sure that he got the proper care that he deserves. I’m not too sure if you realize this mother... but my husband was pushed down a flight of stairs while everyone else was celebrating the late winter storm. Someone out there wants to harm my husband and I can’t just leave him here alone with the off-chance that that someone would come back to finish the job they clearly started.”
“When you were younger,” Charlene spoke, “Your father forbid me from reading you the same fairytales that I used to sneak-in and read your brother when he was that same age. He told me that his daughter didn’t need to hear folktales about men who would rush-in and save her from a life carved out for her. He groomed you to be the heir of this family with the off-chance that Charlie would be too fragile. I never read you those stories...”
They both lingered in the room as Charlene remembered some old memory that Gillian clearly wasn’t privileged to. “Sometimes I wonder if we made the right decisions with you Gillian. I know I told you the true reason as to why I was so distant from you. That I wanted you to be more like Shannon Thurlow. Sending you away to boarding school... I wish I had made a different choice.”
“What would you have done?” Gillian asked, curiously.
Charlene shook her head. “I would have told you every fairytale I could remember.”
Although it made her feel better. It also reminded Gillian that her mother never made the choice to defy her father like she had done before for Charlie. It reminded Gillian how easy it was for Charlene to just give up on her only daughter’s childhood. “Funny how easy it would have been for you to make a choice that you didn’t allow yourself to make.”
Gillian grew silent. She let her mother linger in the room and could feel the older woman watch Damien Crenshaw as she had slept. It bothered her. To have her mother there in the room. Finally after so long of following Patrick’s rules they were both free and yet it still bothered Gillian to be in the same room as her mother. Her father was a huge presence within her family. Even though Gillian had taken her families company out from under him she still felt like she had to run certain things through him. Mainly her feelings and reservations.
“They think that he shoved Damien.” Gillian finally broke the silence.
“What do you think?” Her mother asked from behind her.
She could feel the woman in the doorway. “You’ve seen what he is capable of. Of the things he has forced upon our family... even before I was born. The things he had done to uncle Peter. I would be foolish to rule him out. But he’s still my father.”
“Then you have to make a decision.” Charlene said. “What do you believe happened? I’m not going to sit here and sugar-coat anything Gillian, especially with you. There were a lot of people at the Lakeside Inn that had ulterior motives to push your husband down a flight of stairs... some would have gone further than that. So you need to make a decision. Because once you start to believe that your father was the one who did it... well, my darling, you will begin to look at him in a whole new light.”
Gillian finally turned to Charlene. “The way I look at you?”
“Even worse.”
[.....]
Scene Three:
Stone Creek; Boulstridge Mountains
The Lakeside Inn
“Officer Sasha Pierce, it’s nice to meet you,” The redhead offered her hand as she was introduced to both Caitlyn Thurlow and Charlie Sutton. It was a routine check-up for this sort of situation and with Laurie Nelson running late, Det. Miles Fowler grabbed the nearest officer and high-tailed it to the Lakeside Inn to get a clearer statement from Charlie. He was lucky enough to find Caitlyn in the same place as well. Which made his job a lot easier.
He let Charlie lead the four of them to a nearby set of chairs in the lobby of the hotel and waited for everyone to get settled in before he spoke up. “I’m glad you were able to meet with me Charlie. I know after what happened at the Winter Wonderland Ball things have sort of been hectic here.”
“People want to take pictures where the mayor stumbled.” Charlie replied. “To say things have been hectic is an understatement... but we’re managing with what has happened. I only hope that our dear old mayor is doing the same.”
“Have you heard anything?” The blond woman next to Charlie asked.
Miles looked to Sasha and then continued. “He’s stable. Damien had quite a fall that night and from what I understand he had a lot of swelling around his brain but the doctors were able to stabilize him. I don’t normally talk to people I’m interviewing about things like this... so I hope the two of you could keep this quiet?”
“Of course.”
“He is in a medically induced coma.” Miles said.
After having went through his own battle with the slumbering titan, Miles knew how threatening the word could be and the repercussions it could have on other people. Although when Miles had been in his own coma he had no recollection of it. It was as if he had only been a sleep... for months. He watched as the two people in front of him took the information in and digested it.
There was a sadness in Caitlyn’s expression that Miles picked-up on and although he knew her recent history with Damien could induct her as a key suspect. He also knew that her more richer history with the man more than likely pulled her out of the running. “We will try to fix this.”
“What is there to fix?” Charlie asked.
“We just need to ask a couple of questions.” Sasha spoke up.
Caitlyn tilted her head. “Are you going to ask if we pushed him?” She turned to Charlie and then looked back at Miles in disbelief. “I was the one who found him and went to get help. Surely you don’t think I did it detective... do you?”
“We still need a statement.”
“Sasha is right,” Miles assured, He leaned forward in his seat and took Caitlyn’s hand. She was clearly shaken up about everything that has happened in the last few weeks. “We need to refine the statement’s the two of you gave the night of the ball. I don’t believe that you pushed Mr. Crenshaw, Caitlyn. But for us to prove that true, we need this statement.”
Miles watched her eyes gloss over as she took them back to what happened that night. Caitlyn admitted to having a conversation with her step-daughter before leaving the ballroom. She had spent so much time going through the ballroom talking to all of the guests that all she wanted to do was spend time with her husband. So Caitlyn was on her way to fetch James. Only she stumbled upon her ex. husband’s motionless body at the bottom of the steps in the lobby.
He looked back at the large dramatic staircase in the lobby. Only weeks ago they had found Damien facedown in this very room. Now they were trying to figure out who shoved their mayor. Miles knew this case could go on for months given Damien’s track record with most the people in Stone Creek. He took a deep breath.
“Do you remember seeing anybody?” He asked Caitlyn.
The blond locked eyes with Miles. “I just remember fixing in on his body and I fell to my knees and checked his pulse.”
“Which is the reason we found your fingerprints on his neck?” Sasha asked.
Caitlyn nodded her head slowly. “I thought he was dead. This man that I had lived with for so long and that I had once loved was laying right in front of me and I thought he was dead. Do you understand what that means? I wasn’t happy about it. I was terrified. It shook me down to my core.”
“Everything’s fine now.” Charlie breathed, he clutched Caitlyn’s hand.
“How many minutes passed before you got up off your knees and made your way into the ballroom where the rest of the guests were?” Miles asked. He knew that Caitlyn wouldn’t be able to answer the question, at least not precisely. If she had been as hysterical as she admitted to, it was evident that her response to time would be inaccurate at best.
She shook her head. “I just remember finally snapping out of it and rushing towards the closest noise. I was so frantic that I couldn’t think straight.”
“Did you have any altercations with Mr. Crenshaw earlier in the evening?” Sasha asked.
It was a question that even caught Miles off-guard but he knew it had to be asked. If not by himself, he was thankful that Sasha had the courage to ask it. For decades the Wilkinson and Thurlow families have been known for their strong bond and since Miles had married into the Wilkinson family he had felt the warmth of the Thurlow family as well. So it was hard for him to stand here in front of Caitlyn and ask her questions that could ultimately peg her as a suspect.
“Damien and I have an understanding.” Caitlyn replied, her eyes glossed with tears. “We have both lost a daughter, Miss Pierce,” Her words a little harsher than Caitlyn had ever meant. Miles could tell there was a lot of pain in them. “We were married for ten years. We have finally come to an understanding and that meant that if we were in the same room that we would respect one another...”
“So I have to ask once more--”
“No.” Caitlyn cut her off. “We hadn’t spoken a word to one another the entire night.”
“Thank you for your statement, Caitlyn,” Miles replied, trying to ease the tension in the room that had built-up over the last question. He looked between the people in the room and then he looked at Charlie Sutton and tried to hold a smile. “What about yourself, Charlie?”
The owner of the Lakeside Inn gulped. “I had been running around making sure that everything was functioning correctly. I didn’t have time to go and shove Damien Crenshaw down a flight of stairs if you want to get brass.”
“Where were you around the time of one thirty-two in the morning?”
“I was in the cellar getting more wine for the party guests.” Charlie replied. “I run a very respectable business here Officer Pierce. There is a lot riding on the success of the Inn and shoving a man down a flight of stairs would surely complicate that.”
Miles nodded. “We do understand that your father had an altercation with Damien before the incident.”
“I was able to keep them from getting into a fist fight, yes,” Charlie said, “but I highly doubt that it would have went any further than that. There were many many people there that night. My father has a hot temper but he wouldn’t make a fool of himself in public. So I got between the two of them with the help of my wife’s mother and she took Patrick up to their suite.”
“Are you sure that Patrick made it to his suite?” Miles asked.
[.....]
Scene Four:
Stone Creek; 1507 Mango Ln., Stone Creek. [Holly Oak Manor]
Patrick & Helen’s Home
Ever since they arrived back in Stone Creek Helen Tyree Sutton couldn’t help but see her official husband in a new light. Actually, ever since she broke-up the argument between Patrick and Damien Crenshaw did she start to see him in a new light. It was definitely intense to say the least. She couldn’t decide if it turned her on or if it put her out completely. Helen lingered in the living room as her attention fell on the other occupant -- her husband.
They had went up to their room once Helen was able to get Patrick to calm down that night at the Lakeside Inn. It wasn’t the best suite in the world. But Helen knew that it would do for what she had in store. Her plan was to seduce Patrick into obliging. She also needed to talk to him about what her daughter had approached Helen about earlier, but that could wait. The initial instinct was to de-stress the man she had went to the ball with.
The thing was; her plan never came to fruition as Patrick insisted Helen fix them a hot bath to soak in and upon her return he was gone. She had lied to Gideon and his men, however, once they were questioned. Helen had told them that Patrick was with her the entire night after the confrontation. It was their agreement that led them to elope outside of Stone Creek as quietly and quickly as possible.
“Are you just going to stand there?” Patrick asked, in his dominating way.
Helen was used to it by now. How he would demand certain things from her in a way that made her feel less like a slave but at the same time, a little shameful. She furrowed her brow, but answered his question anyway, “I was just admiring the room.”
“I felt your eyes upon me the second I felt your presence Helen. If you were admiring anything in the room it was me,” Patrick replied, he turned to face her, “Normally I would find that as a compliment but let’s just face it... the fact is, you think I shoved Damien don’t you?”
“I have to ask.” Helen admitted.
She could tell he wasn’t liking the way their conversation was going, so she continued to justify her response, “It was your idea to go and get married so hastily without anyone else present. That night you weren’t in the room when I walked back in from setting the water... the pieces are falling into place even if you’re not playing the game Patrick.”
“I’m not playing a game with you Helen,” He replied. “Listen, I understand that everyone else thinks that I shoved that despicable man. The scene I made gives me all the motive to do so, alone. There’s only one opinion that I need to keep on my side and it’s yours. So you have got to believe that I had no part in his accident. Who ever pushed him did it without my participation.”
“Then why did we get married?”
“You wanted to get married!” Patrick scoffed, he lifted Helen’s hand to show-off the huge rock on her ring finger. “You put that in the conditions that we had to get married in order for you to hand over part ownership of HEAT magazine. After what happened with Damien I felt we could use the small vacation and figured it was better now than never.”
“So this was just because of our proposition?” Helen looked down at the ring on her finger and admired it. The rock definitely cost Patrick a small fortune, one she knew he probably couldn’t afford in the future if he didn’t get his father’s company back. So Helen knew that she had to cherish this small gift. “It has nothing to do with your involvement in Damien’s accident?”
“I had no involvement.” He declared.
Helen sighed, and immediately felt like she was overreacting. She felt foolish for jumping to such conclusions when she knew she could trust Patrick. They were cut from the same cloth and now that they were both on the outskirts, they only had each other.
“Aunt Helen,” The voice of her young niece carried through the house. It had dawned upon Helen that the woman was still there and might have heard their argument about Damien. Helen took a deep breath, called out to Dylan and waited with her husband for the woman to appear.
When Dylan’s parents had asked Helen to take the troubled girl in for a couple of months in order for her to find her footing; her initial reaction was a big fat no. Helen had forgotten what it felt like to be looking after someone. Especially since she had hardly watched after her own children as they grew up.
“I was just goin’ into town,” Dylan appeared in the doorframe, the younger woman’s appearance was a little on the sleazy side. Helen noticed this the moment Dylan Tyree had arrived last night and immediately Helen asked the young woman what she had gotten into.
Dylan explained the flat tire and how Jacks Hannigan had helped her. She could only imagine what the woman-hungry man had been thinking as he showed up in the middle of the night to fix her niece’s tire. Helen shook her head. “You’re going to town in that? We’re still in a frost,” Helen frowned, “Put some damned jeans on at the very least young woman... You’ll freeze to death before one of those damned horn-dogs even tries to get frisky with you!”
“Let her be.” Patrick recommended.
But Helen wouldn’t have it, she ignored Patrick and pulled Dylan into the next room. “I don’t know how girls dress in Oklahoma --”
“They don’t dress like I do.” Dylan protested.
“Good! That’s the point. Maybe you should go upstairs and actually put clothes on? I’m not trying to be your mother, Dylan, but I’m just looking out for you.” The older woman said, she sighed. “Are you sure you should be driving on that spare tire?”
Dylan shook her head. “Which is why I am gonna go get a new one.”
“I really don’t want you to go see that man, he’s scum.” Helen hadn’t known much about Jacks until Dylan arrived last night, so it was mostly a bluff. But she knew enough to know that there was more than meets the eye with him. He was dangerous. He just had to be. “Please just do me one favor and stay away from him?”
“Yes.” Dylan exaggerated. “I was thinkin’ ‘bout goin’ to see Kirsten as well. Look, I ain’t tryin’ to get myself into any trouble while I am here, okay? I just need a place to sort out my mind before I lose it. This ain’t some sort of hillbilly house arrest.”
“I’m not treating it like one.”
“Good.” Dylan gave Helen a hug before heading out the front door and leaving the older woman to linger back into the living room where her husband still stood.
“I have no clue what my brother was thinking leaving me in charge of his only child. Did he not hear about the way I ruined my own children? This one is so much different,” Helen spoke, stepping to Patrick’s side, “She has way more bark than her bite.”
Patrick chuckled. “Just like you.”
“That is what worries me!” Helen took a moment to recollect herself and put Dylan out of her mind. She had more important matters at hand right now and they had everything to do with her husband and their alibi to keep him off the suspect list of Damien’s accident. “We have to get our story straight Patrick. I’m not saying I’m completely one hundred percent on-board --”
“If you’re not on-board then why are you standing here in front of me still?” He asked. “How did we go from talking about your niece -- straight back to talking about wether or not I am innocent! Do you waste no time, Helen?”
She folded her arms. “I just need this alibi to be solid. Not only are you on the line here... but so is my future at HEAT magazine. What happens if someone catches me in a lie and then I am slandered all over the covers of newspapers across the world? You might be able to keep our names out of The Ledger... but you’re not powerful enough to keep them out of the New York Post...”
“You need to relax.” Patrick mused, he took a hold of Helen’s shoulders. “Everything is going to be just fine Helen. Just relax and go to work and do what you do best; yell at pencil thin models and flamboyant reporters.”
Helen thought it over for a second and knew it would help her relax so she shrugged. “Just make sure that Dylan doesn’t bring that horrible man into our home. You’re right I have a magazine to produce and after our trip to Hawaii I have been behind on my editing.”
He smirked. “I’ll take care of everything else.”
“Thank you.” She mouthed before hugging her husband goodbye.
[.....]
[.....]
Scene Five:
Stone Creek; 510 Auburn Rd., Stone Creek. [Nelson Home]
Frank, Deborah & Laurie’s Home
Deborah Nelson looked out the frost covered window and watched as the huge willow tree in their backyard waved in the wind. There was something about March that Deborah had always loathed. Wether it was because the sun never shone or the fact that the flowers in her garden never rose. Either way, for Deborah, she would surely do without the month of March.
“I cannot believe it,” Frank Nelson announced as he entered the kitchen, he placed his phone on the counter and once Deborah turned to face him he was already a step away from her and ready for a morning kiss. She chuckled at the thought. “You look gorgeous this morning like always darling.”
“Thank you, mister,” She said.
If there was one good thing about March it was that Frank was still around -- and even then it wasn’t exactly like he was leaving her anytime soon. They had already agreed on keeping the traveling to a minimum after the last time when he lost his phone and forgot to call her while in Paris. Deborah sighed and wrapped her arms around Frank.
“You will never believe what has happened now.” Frank began, he locked eyes with his wife. “After Anita showed up at the ball and announced her doubts of Thurlow-Jurado’s future she has been staying at the Thurlow’s... I just got off the phone with James --”
“What did he say?” Deborah asked, a bit too eagerly.
She stepped on her toes and wrung her hands, hoping that whatever news her husband was here to bring her it had nothing to do with a trip to Paris. “I’m sorry, go on and tell me what you were going to say. I really hope that it doesn’t mean you’d be going to Paris.”
“Not if James has anything to do with it.”
“Thank god!” Deborah admitted, she turned back to the stove and began making tea. “I’m sorry Frank I know how much this company means to you but I can’t be here in this house alone with our darling daughter. Between you disappearing on business trips and Laurie listening in on all of our conversations... I just... I just need some downtime.”
Frank leaned against the counter. “He’s taking Reichen back with him and his mother to Paris to check-up on Mathias.”
“Who’s going to Paris?” Their daughter asked, she stumbled into the kitchen and grabbed a bagel. Dressed in her police uniform and a frazzled bun of hair she smirked at the two of them as they turned to her. “I’m not listening behind the walls this time... I’m just running late for work and I caught the end of your conversation.”
“It’s fine.” Deborah replied, a little too harshly.
Laurie shrugged. “Are you going to Paris for work?”
“Not anytime soon.” Frank replied. “Your aunt’s new boyfriend has taken my place for the trip to Paris just like he has taken my place in finances at Thurlow Lumber Mill... I think he’s really trying to take my job from me!”
“He seemed really nice when aunt Charlene introduced me to him a couple months ago.” Laurie insisted, she stepped over to her mother’s side and jumped on the counter. Her shiny new boots clanking together as she did so. “He doesn’t seem like the type to go around taking people’s jobs... He’s quite charming, I’ll give him that and he is very good looking.”
Frank frowned. “Could we stop choosing sides.”
“I’m really not.”
“Laurie, would you please get off the counter?” Deborah asked, shooing her daughter into the dining room and away from her sight. “You’re not a little kid anymore, you should know better than to clutter the kitchen if you’re not going to be cooking. Besides, don’t you have to get to work? If you’re going to be living here in Stone Creek and keeping my grandchildren in Oregon I think the least you could do is get to work on-time!”
“You know what?” Laurie replies, she places the half-eaten bagel on the counter and wipes her hands. “I’m just going to leave because I really don’t know what I started this time. I’m sorry that you’re not going to Paris, dad, but maybe your place is right here.”
Deborah shook her head. “I didn’t mean to run her off... do you think she’s ever going to bring the children around? I hate that she left them with Michael. I hate that she didn’t bring them with her when she left him... it’s been months since we’ve last seen them.”
“We will see them again.” Frank assured her, she could feel his body wrap around her own as she began to cry and the thought. “I’m sorry that I’ve been so caught up with my own work and haven’t been around to see to you.”
“I’m fine.” Deborah sighed.
[.....]
Scene Six:
Stone Creek; 980 Cutler St., Stone Creek. [Faustino Cottages #10]
Amanda’s Cottage
“What are you doing?” Amanda Tucker asked, she walked into the living room and took notice that the fireplace had been lit. She folded her arms and sat down across from her house guest. “I didn’t even know that this thing worked...”
The older blond woman smirked. “Then why didn’t you ever try it out?”
“Truthfully?” Amanda spoke. “I didn’t want my hair to catch on fire... with the amount of hairspray I use in it on a daily basis... the bottle says highly flammable. You should see me when I’m trying to make breakfast it’s almost comical. When Natalie lived here she told me not to light the fireplace... something about fumes.”
“I can assure you that the fireplace is harmless.” Her guest replied.
It was enough for Amanda to go along with it, to tell the truth she enjoyed the heat coming from the fireplace enough to forget about the hazard it could eventually have on her hair. She placed her hands out to let the cold finger warm up. She had to admit that it was nice having Shannon Jurado around, even if she couldn’t wrap her mind around it. From what Amanda had known -- from what Aidan had told her, at least -- Shannon was supposed to be dead.
“So what do we do now?” Amanda asked.
Shannon looked up at the girl and shrugged. “I didn’t even think I would have been discovered this soon to tell you the truth, honey. I had this idea in my head, you know? That I would be able to garner enough time to appear to Aidan when he needed me the most and then I would be able to explain everything to him as to why I faked my death...”
“Why did you?”
“It’s a really long story.” She replied, her mind lingering in thought. “I was in Paris when I got wind that someone was trying to kill me for what I had stumbled onto... So I was able to get into the witness protection before they could. Everybody that I know thinks that I am dead... I almost was, I couldn’t just start a new life without my children.”
Amanda wrung her hands. Having found Shannon was definitely a huge surprise to her, but keeping the woman a secret from everyone around her was proving harder to do. Especially form her roommates. Luckily the girls had been away on a photo-shoot. Which reminded her, “My roommates are coming back soon and I’m not trying to kick you out Mrs. Jurado... but you have to understand that I work for not only Helen Tyree but also for Charlie... if they found out that I kept you a secret...”
“I understand completely.” Shannon replied. “I don’t want you to get into any trouble, especially after you were able to house me for this long. You’re a very generous woman and you have no idea how thankful I am for this... I just want to see Aidan before I go.”
She looked away from Shannon, awkwardly.
“Could you tell me a little about my son’s life here in Stone Creek?” Shannon asked. “I followed him around lately and to my surprise I caught him kissing another man. Even though I have been gone for a little over two years it feels like I’ve missed so much of his life already... is he happy? With this man that I saw him with... is Aidan happy?”
Amanda jumped up from her seat, clearly upset. “You’d have to ask him that.”
[.....]
Scene Seven:
Stone Creek; Boulstridge Mountain
The Lakeside Inn; Aidan Jurado’s Office
Taylor Kern appeared in his boyfriend’s doorway and watched as the english man sorted through paperwork. He knew as soon as Aidan had called him that he would be de-stressing the man. Especially after the meeting Charlie Sutton had earlier with the detectives. So Taylor finished getting ready and arrived to work an hour early so that he could talk to Aidan. It was definitely a good way to start the day, even after waking up to the sound of Aidan taking a shower at dawn, now that they were living together everything felt right. Taylor knocked lightly on the door and smirked when Aidan looked up.
“I thought you would like a snack from Alice’s,” Taylor greeted, he held a white paper bag up with the logo ‘Alice’s Haven Cafe’ in green letters. The new take-out bags with Aidan’s design on the front really did boast Aidan’s ego, Taylor knew this. “It’s your favorite, a slice of apple pie.”
“You’re too good to me.” Aidan replied, he motioned for Taylor to take a seat. “Detective Fowler was here earlier --”
“He’s the one married to Greta Wilkinson, correct?” Taylor asked as he retrieved two slices of pie from the bag. Aidan cleared space on his desk for them to share the snack while he nodded his head as if Taylor just aced his finals. “Can we just call him by his first name so it’ll be easier? I’ve been here for two years and I’ve still not been able to match last names to faces.”
Aidan frowned. “I thought you’d be good at that by name... but alls the same really when you’ve been re-introduced to everyone at every event the town hosts. Things will get easier Tay, trust me. The good thing is, you’ve got me here now.”
“I do.” Taylor agreed, he leaned in and kissed Aidan on the lips. “So what happened when Miles Fowler approached Charlie with questions about our Mayor’s fall? You know I would have thought that we would be losing business but it seems Damien’s accident has pulled in more customers like bee’s to honey. They’re eating the scandal all up.”
“That’s small town living for you.”
Taylor raised an eyebrow. “I think Stone Creek has graduated from ‘small town’ about now...”
“Tell that to the people who keep treating it so. Seriously, we might have skyscrapers now and our own mainstream magazine within the city limits... but everyone still has a penchant for gossip. There’s this higher crust of families that still call all the shots.” Aidan reminded him, he sighed. “Miles’ partner accused Caitlyn Thurlow of pushing Damien... I think she’s really shaken-up about it. They also revealed their prime suspect.”
“Who is that?” Taylor asked, intrigued.
Aidan frowned. “Charlie’s father... Patrick.”
It wasn’t completely out of nowhere. Taylor was one of the many people to catch the two men fighting at the Winter Wonderland Ball so to have Damien turn-up the victim of an attempted-murder... Taylor sighed and took a bite of his pie, taking in the new information. “What do you think of this whole mess? Clearly you’ve already made-up your mind.”
“I’ve heard stories about Patrick Sutton and the monstrous things that he has done in the past,” Aidan admitted, he turned his fork over and sliced a piece of his pie. “Especially the things he had done to my mother when they were teenagers... I just can’t picture the man capable of murder.”
“All he had to do was be capable of shoving someone down a flight of stairs.” Taylor corrected. “It’s not like someone blatantly grabbed a butchers knife and went all Sid Vicious on him... look you are obviously thinking too much into this. We have to worry about our own lives right now and we really don’t know what happened.”
Aidan nodded along. “Could you get someone to cover your shift today?”
“What do you have in mind?” Taylor asked with a grin.
“I only have a few things to finish-up here and I think I would like to pay Caitlyn a visit just to check-up on her and see how she is doing. I’m pretty sure my uncle is out at work with my grandmother -- she's to be back in town --”
Taylor chuckled. “I happened to see her at the Ball, I don’t want to assume anything Aidan... but I really don’t think Anita likes me very much. I know, I know,” Taylor pleaded, “I know that she gave us her blessing during Christmas but whenever she’s around I get this really weird feeling like she thinks I’m a temporary fix or something.”
“Temporary fix?” Aidan question.
“It’s an american term--”
“I know what it means,” Aidan chuckled, he grabbed Taylor’s hand and kissed it. “You don’t have to worry about my grandmother... she tends to be on the snobby side of things but she will come around. The fact that she acknowledges you is a step in the right direction. You should ask my cousin Kirsten what my grandmother did when she found out that Megan was Charlie’s child... a Sutton no-less.”
He made sure to do so when he next bumped into her. “Small town living, huh?”
“The smallest.” Aidan chuckled.
[.....]
Scene Eight:
Stone Creek; 980 Cutler St., Stone Creek. [Faustino Cottages #12]
Diem & Leia Joplin’s Home
“Oh, no,” Diem Joplin warned when she opened the door to find her best friend on the other end with a bottle of fine wine in her hands. “I cannot get drunk today... I have so much things to get done as it is and don’t you plead with me about having only one drink.”
Melinda Lombardi scoffed, she followed Diem throughout the house and never placed the bottle down by her side, instead she held it up as high as she could and did her best to tempt Diem into drinking with her. It was the best she could do at attempted peer pressure -- which usually worked. “What on god’s green-earth do you have to do today? Most of your work is freelance... which means you don’t have a deadline.”
Diem chuckled. “I need to find out why Kimberly is in town.”
“Seth’s trampy-sister Kimberly?” Melinda asked, she placed the bottle on the kitchen counter and grabbed to wine glasses from the cupboard while she took it all in. “So exactly why is the husband-collector in town? I mean, I noticed her at the Winter Wonderland Ball but I just figured she was here for the event... is she staying here for long? Or is it one of her attempts to catch her another man?”
Diem shot her a look, but found herself amused at how everyone knew of Kimberly’s addiction to getting hitched. Without thinking, Diem moved over to the counter and grabbed the half-full glass of wine that Melinda had poured for her. “Apparently Gillian asked Kimberly to come home.”
“And the plot thickens.” Melinda teases.
“He’s only looking out for her.” Diem advised.
Her friend rolled her eyes. “Of course he is, that is all the Seth does. He picks a select few women and he tries to play hero to them... I’m not trying to dirty his hands Diem because I can’t tell you enough how glad I am that you’re dating Seth. I just think that he might be getting in over his head by trying to find out why she’s back in Stone Creek... the bottom line is Kimberly Sutton is here for her own agenda. She always has been and there’s nothing that will change it.”
“Still... Seth wants me to look into it and make sure that the Sutton’s aren’t planning anything that would harm his sister.” Diem replied, she took another long sip of wine and leaned against the counter. “I think it’s really noble of him.”
“I didn’t say it wasn’t!”
Diem knew that Melinda had succeeded in distraction her, quite frankly she was surprised how easy it was to full her these days. She must have really been in need of a day filled with wine and her best friend’s throating chuckle. Then she remembered what day of the week it was and new that Melinda was due for work at least an hour ago. “Why exactly are you here?” She asked, more harshly than she had anticipated.
Melinda turned away. “I wanted to see my old friend.”
“Shouldn’t you be at work?” Melinda scowled at the allegation, so Diem continued. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t like my client so I rescheduled our meeting.” The jersey girl admitted, “He’s a wife beater and everyone knows it! I’m sorry but that is a touchy subject for me... he wants to divorce his wife and keep everything from her so I asked one of the guys to help me with the case so that I could have time to breath and not smack my client in the face.”
This got Diem to chuckle. “To tell the truth, your company is welcomed.”
“Is there something else bothering you?” Melinda asked, softly. She tipped another portion of the bottle into Diem’s glass and insisted her friend talk to her about it. It was a classic move of her’s that Diem appreciated very much. She was thankful to have Melinda as a friend, especially when she needed one the most.
Diem sighed. “I was cornered in the bathroom by my daughter at the Ball,” She recalled the confrontation with watery eyes. “Leia overheard William confess his feelings for me and also that my father was the reason why William had left us the second time. She wasn’t too happy with it.”
“Do you blame her?” Melinda asked, bemused she asked, “Did Leia really corner you? I had no idea the little softy had the balls to do such a thing! Go her! Maybe we should include her in our little wine nights now that she has a backbone?”
“That’s my daughter you’re talking about!” Diem warned, with a chuckle. “She’s right though, when she cornered me she asked me not to get back together with William just because he revealed the real reason he left. Leia has had to adjust and then re-adjust to having a father too many times and I think she’s very comfortable with the current arrangement right now. I promised her that I wouldn’t.”
Melinda smirked. “Good. That man is slimier than a nose full of snot and I would be mortified if you left Seth Keeler for a man like William Maverick. I know it’s really not my place -- which that has never stopped me before -- so I’m going to continue. Have you thought of talking to your father about why he asked William to leave Stone Creek the first time?”
“Should I care that much to know?” Diem asked.
[.....]
Scene Nine:
Stone Creek; Now Town
Stone Creek Police Station; Chief Gideon Wilkinson’s Office
The entire trip back to the police station Miles kept playing back their conversations with Caitlyn and Charlie and how his partner took hold of the conversation. “You didn’t have to talk to them that way.” He finally spoke up as they parked the police car. He took note as her body language gave off a sense of annoyance. “They were willing to cooperate with us so there was no reason to be so mean.”
“You’re kidding me right?” Sasha chuckled, she shook her hair of red hair. “I can’t believe you think I was being mean out there... I was under the impression that we wanted to get a second statement from two witnesses detective and we needed to make sure that their stories stuck. I’m sorry if those two witnesses were your friends but this is our job and it needs to be done.”
“I understand --”
“Then why are we having this conversation?” Sasha snapped.
He sighed. Miles knew that she was right in the way she approached the conversation. The only way for them to clear both Caitlyn and Charlie was to make sure their statement’s didn’t differ and in hopes by doing that they could get another suspect out of them. They succeeded by garnering motives for Patrick Sutton as a prime suspect. Entering the station, he parted ways with Sasha and made a straight dart towards the Chief’s office. Miles had agreed to meet-up with Gideon once they recorded the statements so that Gideon could be kept alert of the cases.
“Come in, detective.” Gideon spoke, he placed his paperwork to the side and locked eyes with his son-in-law. “How did everything go? Were you able to get a better understanding of the situation?” He asked, sternly.
Miles sat before Gideon and nodded. “Their stories checked out.”
“You understand why I assigned you to the case, right?” Gideon asked. He looked over some of Miles’ notes as he was presented with them and after being fascinated with what he saw he handed them back to the younger man. “I can’t be questioning witnesses that are my friends, especially with this case having to do with Damien Crenshaw. The press would have a field day with this. You’re my best man here... I hope you can handle this.”
“I’m fine.” Miles urged, he knew everyone had sugar-coated their opinions of Miles Fowler being back on the fore after being stuck in a coma for months and then his wife being kidnapped by Stavros Lakhani. He knew that most of the other police officers gossiped behind his back. So it was nice to have Gideon praise him and give him a top case such as this.
A soft knock on the office door alerted them to Gideon’s secretary, an elderly woman named Sunita appeared at the door and informed her boss that a man was there to see him. She looked frazzled, which was revealed to be produced by the many calls from reporters and citizens alike trying to get more information on the mayor’s fall.
“I’ll leave you to be.” Miles replied, he grabbed his findings and left the office, briefly moving past a man who seemed about a decade older than himself. Although he found himself intrigued by this stranger to Stone Creek, he didn’t stick around long enough to find out. Instead he made his way over to Sasha Pierce to apologize for the way he reacted to her questioning of his friends.
The man stepped into Gideon’s office and insistently closed the door. It wasn’t normal to get a stranger in Gideon’s office during a weekday like this. So upon the stranger’s arrival, Gideon fixed himself up for the greeting. “What can I do for you?” He asked, standing to shake the man’s hand.
“My name is US Marshall Jon Stout,” The light skinned blue-eyed man greeted, he held out his badge to show Gideon and then looked back tot he door. “I have come to Stone Creek on official business and I need your word that this stays between the two of.”
Gideon furrowed his brow. “Is this something that concerns the mayor?”
Jon shook his head. “This concerns an old friend of yours, Chief. For the last year I have been looking over a woman that you’re quite familiar with and recently she has slipped out of my sight. I was wondering if you would be able to help me locate her?”
“I don’t know who you’re talking about.”
The stranger licked his lips, then he flashed a picture in front of Gideon. “Chief Wilkinson, I understand that you’re very close to her family but I need you to also understand the severity of the circumstances beyond her ‘apparent death’,” Jon stated. “Shannon Jurado is wanted by a very deadly man.”
“You’re saying that Shannon is alive?” Gideon asked, he sat back down in his chair and took a moment to take everything in. There was a time in his life when Gideon had been infatuated with the younger woman. A time when they had shared their first kiss together. Up until her death, Shannon had remained close friends with him... now the stranger in front of him was stating that Shannon was alive.
Gideon looked up at him. “Who is this man out to harm her?”
[.....]
Scene Ten:
Stone Creek; Sage Gardens
Alice’s Haven Cafe; Inside
After dropping Megan off with Caitlyn and making her way to the Cafe, Kirsten Sutton was able to help her current assistant manager with the lunch time rush. She has to admit it was much easier working with Adrian Stone instead of her past assistant. Through-out the entire rush, however, she had to keep herself from flashing back to their past as teenagers and the trouble they got into. It wasn’t that Kirsten felt a pull towards Adrian, it was just really nice to remember some of the really good times in her life.
She watched as Adrian made his way around the cafe and greeted a couple of the regular guests. His girlfriend, Gail, had even stopped in with their daughter on her way to work. Kirsten remembered when she would doodle in her notebook at home about someday marrying Adrian and how they would have children together. Nearly two decades later and they had children of their own; children with different people, that is.
“Gail looked like she was doing better,” Kirsten had mentioned when Adrian found his place behind the counter. She made a note not to sound so negative as she spoke to him. It wasn’t something she was used to; filtering herself in front of Adrian. Kirsten knew however that to avoid any awkwardness she would have to. “I mean, she looks vibrant again... like she did when we were younger.”
Adrian smirked. “Gail has been doing a whole lot better. She has agreed to move a couple of her shifts around so that should could bond with Violet while I’m here at the Cafe.”
“I really hope that this isn’t causing trouble between the two of you.” Kirsten spoke, she dropped her towel on the counter and leaned against it. “I have been talking to a contractor about getting the upstairs apartment ready for the daycare. There’s a few minor details but hopefully by Summer we should be up-and-ready and then Gail won’t have to be over-worked.”
“She’s not.” Adrian replied, hastily. “I think it’s really good for her to bond with Violet as we know they didn’t take too nicely in the beginning. Besides, David has been helping us with Violet as well so it’s nice to finally have ourselves a small-knit family. I never thought I’d see the day.”
He went on to talk about how Gail had insisted they even take a family trip soon to the coast, but Kirsten had lost interest in the topic when she spotted an old familiar face enter the Cafe Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped. “I’ll be damned.”
“What was that?” Adrian asked, confused.
Kirsten looked at him and excused herself before rushing into the strangers arms and holding her tight. “I heard that you were headed into town but I didn’t think I would be seeing you!” Kirsten admitted, she pulled away from her cousin and looked her up-and-down. “You look good, like a true little rocker.”
“Ya need to keep up with the lingo.” Dylan Tyree admitted dryly. She surveyed the place and the brought her attention back onto her cousin. “I can dig this place. Right out of a catalog, but still some nice gossip fodder.” Dylan then spotted Adrian Stone and grabbed her cousin’s arm. “Ya even have eye-candy working for you. Who is that bag of goodies an’ can I get my hands on it?”
“He’s married.” Kirsten lied, she turned Dylan away. “You need to stay away from him.”
Dylan looked taken back. “Is that your husband? I thought you married one of those rich folk... those snobby ones, the son of the man your mother is stayin’ with... Chuckie I think you last called him? I can’t say I like his mother’s choice of a name... but can’t put it past them money hogs!”
“His name is Charlie.” Kirsten corrected. “That’s not him anyways. That man’s name is Adrian Stone and he is my assistant manager so please keep your hands off of his goodies... thank you.” She directed, the both turned back to face Adrian who caught them with a grin.
“Wait one damned minute...” Dylan pinched her cousin, who yelped in reaction. She placed her hands on her hips and smirked. “That was the guy you used to date in high school, isn’t it? That hot little piece of ass. They don’t grow ‘em like that back home.”
Dylan eye’d Adrian.
She didn’t know exactly why, but Kirsten felt very territorial towards Adrian. So instead of letting Dylan make up anymore euphemism for how hot he was, Kirsten decided to change the topic. “So when did you get into town?”
“Last night.” Dylan replied, her eyes still stuck on Adrian. “I actually got a flat tire last night and some hot older man helped me fix it... I think he was kind of hot on me, but I don’t think I could do an older man... I mean unless my mother told me to stay away from him.”
Kirsten found her cousin’s way of thinking strange, but from what she heard about Dylan’s life on tour she really didn’t put the rebellion passed her. She decided to not carry-on about the older man but came up with no other topic.
“So this Adrian fellow,” Dylan spoke.
She shook her head. “Dylan...”
“Why do you get so defensive?” Dylan barked, her voice slightly higher than before. Taking a moment to lower her cousin down, Kirsten motioned for her to join her at a table so they could at least get settled in and carry-out a conversation without everyone staring up at them.
“I don’t get defensive.” Kirsten defended. “He’s just a very close friend of mine.”
“I know that part of the story.” Dylan nodded along with a chuckle. “I still don’t understand why you won’t let me at him. You can’t tell me that he doesn’t like to at least flirt with other women. How long has he been working here, and does Chuck know about this?”
Kirsten rolled her eyes and corrected her cousin once again, “Charlie is completely on-board with Adrian working here because we are both adults and adults work together without anything else going on between them. The reason why I don’t want you to get involved with Adrian is because he is a new father and they’ve been having some issues... I can’t get into it.”
“So he confides in you?” Dylan questioned.
“We’re still friends, Dylan.”
“You can’t be friends with a man you used to knock boots with.” Her younger cousin said, Kirsten watched as Dylan peered out at Adrian once again and smirked hungrily. “Especially if he looks like he just stepped out of a wild wet dream. There must be one hell of a set of rocks in your head if you don’t find him the least bit attractive.”
Kirsten turned to look at Adrian and thought about it. Dylan was right, at least momentarily. Adrian did look extremely mouthwatering in the skin tight white work shirt. His muscles bulged in all the right spots. As quickly as possible she turned back to her cousin and shook her head. “I am happily married to Charlie, Dylan.”
“I’m sure old Chuck won’t mind if you flirted a little bit.” Dylan encouraged.
[.....]
Scene Eleven:
Stone Creek; Now Town
Stone Creek Police Station; Detective Miles Fowler’s Office
A knock at the door caused Miles to look up and bear witness to his latest guest. It wasn’t too much of a surprise as she had started working closely with Sasha and himself on a couple of cases. Still, it was pretty late in the day for Laurie Jones to be lingering around the office. He allowed her to come in and asked her to take a seat in front of him. “Is there something I can help you with Laurie?”
“Honestly,” Laurie replied, “I was just looking for someone to hear me out. I noticed red leaving earlier so I figured that it was all clear to come and see how you were feeling about being an open ear? Which I wouldn’t ask unless you were comfortable, of course.”
He smirked. “Everything stays confidential.”
“Thank you.” Laurie smirked, she peered out at his desk and noticed the folders he seemed to be working on, there were a few pictures of some people she recognized quite well and then her eyes locked on the framed picture of Greta Wilkinson. She shifted in her seat. “How is Greta doing... now that that Stavros guy is dead?”
Miles followed her gaze and picked up the picture. “She’s doing a whole lot better, actually. I think that it was best for her to get right back to work and try to move on from him kidnapping her. Greta is a very strong woman, you know? She’s learned how to be tougher since then. Although every now-and-then I catch her gazing off at home and she won’t tell me what she’s thinking about.”
“I’m sure it was just really hard for her.” She admits. Laurie looks back at the folders on his desk and catches the picture of Patrick Sutton, she looks back at Miles. “So is he the main suspect now? I talked to Gideon this morning and he informed me that you had already left with red to ask Caitlyn questions. Did she tell you anything to point fingers at Patrick?”
“Actually, it was his son --”
“Charlie?” Laurie asked, startled by the confession. “I heard their relationship had become strained but pointing his father out as the main suspect? Wow. I guess blood really doesn’t run thicker than water anymore, huh? You’re not going to release these allegations to the public are you?”
Miles shook his head. “Everything is being kept secret. Except now you know what our next step is...”
“I won’t tell a soul.” Laurie said, she looked away from the picture and took a moment before continuing her thoughts, “Keeping it out of the presses is a good thing. If anybody knew you were investigating Patrick Sutton the whole social latter would collapse. Talk about blowing up the entire neighborhood.” Laurie chuckled at the thought.
“What is it that you needed to ask me, Laurie?” He asked, changing the subject.
Laurie thought it over, she shook her head in disappointment. “I got into a huge fight with my parents this morning... How childish does that sound? You would think that fighting with your parents was something that you would do as a teenager, right?”
“I still fight with mine.” Miles admitted.
She smirks. “I need to find a place of my own and I know that Greta is really good at that so I was wondering if you would put in a good word for me? We don’t really get a long these days if you couldn’t tell already...”
“I’ll definitely see what I can do.”
“Thank you.” Laurie replied, earnestly.
He watched as Laurie stood up to leave his office, but stopped her mid-move. “Can I ask what exactly went on between you and my wife?” Laurie looked at him with a half-smile. “I mean, since I am passing on a request from you... it would be nice to at least know why neither of you get along.”
For a moment he feels like Greta had done something wrong to Laurie, but he knows that couldn’t be the case. She rubs her arms before answering, “It would probably be best if you had talked to Greta about that since it has more to do with her than me. Besides, it was a very long time ago and I really don’t think it needs to be brought up again Miles.”
“If you say so.” He sighed.
[.....]
Scene Twelve:
Stone Creek; 505 Auburn Rd., Stone Creek. [Thurlow Cottage]
James & Caitlyn’s Home
“Aidan, it is so nice to see you,” Anita Thurlow pounced on her grandson with a kiss on each cheek, she then turned to Taylor Kern and smiled as warmly as she could and greeted the man as well. It wasn’t entirely a chilly encounter, but the wind from outside the home did add to the effect. Once she had pulled away from both men, Anita invited them both inside and made her way towards the living room.
“I didn’t know she’d be here.” Aidan whispered to Taylor.
Taylor chose not to respond with words, instead he took a deep sigh and led his boyfriend into the house where they wandered upon Caitlyn as she sat in the living room hunched in an old yellow victorian clawed chair. “We just wanted to come and check in on you Caitlyn... Charlie had told us about the questioning this morning.”
“That redheaded witch is widely insensitive.” Anita remarked.
“She was just doing her job.” Caitlyn replied.
Anita snarled at how quick the younger woman defended the officer. It wasn’t entirely new to her that Caitlyn always chose to side with people in authoritative positions other than herself. Where Anita saw it as submissive behavior, she was sure Caitlyn saw it as being noble and fair.
“Either way,” the woman barreled into the conversation. “It is clear that the police have no idea where to go with this case. I would really like to have a talking with Gideon Wilkinson and set that young man straight --”
“He’s far from a young man.”
Aidan cleared his throat. “I think that Gideon is doing remarkably well with what he has had to go through in the last year... besides grandmother, his own mother is undergoing surgery for cancer. So could we at least give him the benefit of the doubt.”
“When he starts sniffing in the right direction then I will give him all the benefit he deserves.” Anita warned, she pursed her mouth and waddled over to Caitlyn’s side where she poured herself some tea. “Do you really think that those so-called police officers would mark you as the prime suspect?”
“They were just asking questions.” Aidan replied, “Although clearly it was a tad bit harsh. For that, I am sure they will apologize once they lock in on their first suspect. We just wanted to come over and make sure that Caitlyn was doing fine.”
Caitlyn shrugged. “I don’t know why I’m so upset about it.”
“They sort of cornered you.” Taylor justified.
Anita waved it off. “They were trying to smoke you out.”
“That term doesn’t mean what you think it means anymore, grandmother.” Aidan snickered, he moved over to the old woman and gave her a tight hug. Moving his attention towards Caitlyn he reached a hand for her to take. “They weren’t after you. Miles is only trying to figure out who exactly pushed Damien Crenshaw... I have a strong hunch they will find the culprit in due time.”
“I know that.” Caitlyn replies, she warmly takes Aidan’s hand and smiles softly. “You’re right though, they will find out who did it in due time and when that happens I don’t know what I am going to do. Ever since I split from Damien I have been running away from our past and now I might not have to run anymore... how strange is that?”
Anita squinted her eyes at the thought. As the conversation began to take a turn for the better she let the two younger Thurlow’s talk it out and decided now was the time to take Taylor Kern aside and talk to him about his future with her grandson. Not that Anita liked playing the ball and chain role. Ever since her husband had died, however, it was the role she was remarkably familiar with.
“I need to talk to you for a second, dear.” Anita spoke, only allowing Taylor a second to process the request before she had drug him out of the living room and into the hallway. She positioned herself between Taylor and the front door and sighed. “I need to ask something of you.”
“Anything,” Taylor nervously replied.
This got a chuckle out of her as she realized she still had it in her to reduce a grown man to a trembling buffoon. “I need you to look after my grandson. I know that the two of you have grown impeccably close and we have all discussed it already over the holiday’s so I do not wish for you to confess your dying love for him... I just need to be able to count on you.”
He shook his head. “Of course. I will always protect him... but I must ask why exactly are you asking me to do this? If this has anything to do with Damien Crenshaw that I can tell you right now that Aidan didn’t push the man. He was with me...”
“Why would you even say that?”
“I’m just making sure you understand.” Taylor defended.
“Oh, heavens child you need to relax around me. I have not seen a man this terrified since I forced Patrick Sutton to forgive my daughter for what he did to her in High School.” Anita frowned. “Are you sure that you are able to comfort my grandson in the way he needs one to be?”
“I will.”
“Good.” Anita replied. “Because if what I believe is true then you will need to help Aidan when his world comes tumbling down. There are things that he does not know yet that will change his life forever and if it is alright with you I would rather you not know anymore. Mostly for your own benefit as well Mr. Kern. My grandson is relying on you.”
Taylor gulped.
“I trust you to keep my grandson from falling apart.”
[.....]
[.....]
Scene Thirteen:
Stone Creek; 1507 Mango Ln., Stone Creek. [Holly Oak Manor]
Patrick, Kimberly & Helen’s Home
Stepping out of the backseat of her car, Gillian Sutton Crenshaw peered out at the father’s home. It hadn’t been too long since she had last seen it but she could tell that the gardeners had been put to work in changing the appearance. Gillian took note of this and wondered exactly how quick Helen was able to swindle her father out of the money for the arrangements. She pulled her burberry wrap closer to her body and stepped up to the steps. This meeting would not only be one of complete surprise, she knew this but it would be out of desperation.
“Alma had insisted I met you today,” Patrick spoke, he entered the living room after being summoned from his room. Gillian could tell he hadn’t left the house at all today which she didn’t put passed her father. Instead she greeted him with a kiss on the cheek. “Why are you being so nice to me, Gillian?”
She scoffed, but pushed past the awkward question. “We need to talk about what happened to my husband daddy, and I know that the police are going to hounding you soon.”
“So you think I did it as well?” He asked.
“I don’t think you would have done it,” Gillian assures him, it takes her a moment to continue because the next words out of her mouth would only lead to a domino effect that could go either one of two ways. Gillian sighs heavily. “I don’t think that you shoved Damien down the stairs because I don’t think that you’re that type of person. But the police seem to think that so we need to come up with a plan.”
“A plan?” Patrick scoffs, confused.
Gillian could tell he is sensing that something is wrong. Ever since she had come back to Stone Creek she had bared witness to her father and her husband at odds with one another, it was a fact that Gillian was becoming quite used to. She insisted not to budge in either one’s favor. Today, however, she needed to protect one of these men.
She offered a hand. “Have you got an alibi already?”
By the way Patrick stuffed his hands in his expensive coat pockets Gillian could tell he had already been muling his alibi’s over. With the absence of Helen Tyree, Gillian knew this was her only shot. “I mean, have you accounted for every second of your time in that hotel? Because the detectives are going to try and trip you up, we both know that.”
“I was with Helen after the confrontation between myself and your,” The next words come out sounding very shallow, “husband, Gillian.”
It surprises herself how quickly she is able to move past them, however. “So then you have a very strong alibi? Will Helen hold up with it once she is questioned? Or have the two of you gone off and done something stupid already? I presume it’s the second.”
“We have gotten married.” Patrick admitted, he shrugged. “But we are two young people in love. You of all people should know that spontaneity is my specialty.”
Gillian stepped around her father. “That can look bad on you.”
“I’m well aware of that.” Patrick returned to his stoic expression. He gulped, and Gillian could tell her was thinking something over once again. She found it was easier to let Patrick work things out as slowly as possible. She figured he had his own inner demons to fight with and she knew with age they must have gotten stronger. “There’s a chunk of time when I disappeared.”
She raises an eyebrow. “How long?”
“Enough for them to pin the accident on me. I told Helen to run me a bath after we went up to our hotel room and once she did so I thought I could sneak out for a bit.” He locked eyes with Gillian. “I needed to clear my mind. Have you been in the same room with Helen for more than thirty minutes? The woman just nags about everything!”
“Then why did you marry her?!” Gillian asks, she shakes her head with irritation. “I really don’t want to know the answer to that, actually. So let’s just skip that question, alright? How about we do this,” She lowers her head to think and then looks back up at her father. “I have some unaccounted for time as well. Just tell the detectives that you were with me and that we were discussing company business... tell them anything that includes me as your alibi.”
“Why are you doing this?” He questioned.
Gillian tilts her head in exasperation. “Because I don’t want my father to go to jail for a crime he didn’t commit. Damien Crenshaw is the Mayor of Stone Creek if you haven’t forgotten that daddy... which means who ever attempted to murder him could go to jail for a very long time!”
“So you do think I did it!”
“Will you stop thinking for me! God hell, you have been doing that ever since I was born and I didn’t like when you did it back then either! My husband is in a coma right now and I should be there by his side but I am not.” She points at her father. “I am here trying to save your ass!”
“By tying it to yours?” Patrick took a deep breath, briefly leaving the room and then returning again. “I have no clue why you are trying to produce an alibi between the two of us Gillian unless there was something in it for yourself as well...” His eyes lit up. “Dear god, she is my daughter...”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Gillian replies, she could feel her nerves getting the best of her as she moves away from her father. The further she gets, however, the closer he becomes and it isn’t a done process until she’s back against a wall.
“You pushed Damien, didn’t you?”
Gillian turns from him. “Why would I push my own husband?”
“Why can’t you look me in the eyes?” He asked, the silence between the two evolves into something more thicker. She can feel it like a noose around her neck as she tries to choke out a defense, but nothing is coming to her. Instead Gillian pushes her father away.
Tears stain her cheeks. “Why won’t you just let me help you? I tell you that I don’t think you shoved my husband and I give you an alibi and you repay me with what? Accusing me? Trying to get my hands dirty with my unconscious husband’s blood?”
“Go ahead little girl, play the grieving wife card all you want.” Patrick seethed.
[.....]
Scene Fourteen:
Stone Creek; 2634 W. Parker St., Stone Creek. [Callahan Condo’s #12]
Miles & Greta’s Condo
After the day he had, all Miles wants to do is get out of his clothes and lay on the couch with his wife. But in the back of his mind all he can think about is the request that Laurie Jonas had asked of him. He knows that the two women have bad blood between them. The only thing Miles doesn’t know is why. It’s a question that has dawned on him before, when Laurie and Greta had met for the first time in years. Miles just never had the time to ask before.
As his wife turns her head from her spot on the couch, she seems to have enjoyed her day from the smile upon her face. It’s been awhile since Greta had smiled so big so he made a mental note to remember it. “Do we have something to talk about?” He asks, loosening his tie and making his way towards her.
Greta shrugs. “I was able to sell a house today.”
“That’s very good news.” He replies, so hastily that he takes a moment to remind himself to calm down. Miles positions himself in front of his wife so that they are both facing one another. “I’m glad that you’re getting back into things. I know that everything going on with your grandmother is really stressing you out. Especially having her and Bentley so far away.”
“They’re not too far away.” Greta reminds him.
Miles shakes his head. “They’re still not here in Stone Creek. That’s a huge adjustment for a woman who used to live in the same apartment as her brother for years. Have you talked to Bentley lately?” He asks only to keep conversation going in order for him to build-up the courage.
“I have,” Greta says. “Everything is going fine and they even asked me to go visit them this weekend with Jeremy. Apparently he is taking the weekend off so that he can go see my grandmother. I think it’ll be a good way to just relax and see how things are really going. You only get one side of the story through phones calls, you know?”
“I wish I could go as well.” He rubs Greta’s hand as he speaks, it has become a habit whenever he wants to test the waters to see where her mood lies. If she’s in a bad mood, Greta would swat his hand away... but if she was in a good mood she would pat his lightly.
Greta pat his hand.
The aura in the room immediately changed and Miles finally feels comfortable for the first time upon entering their home. He smiles delightfully at his wife and kisses her cheek. “I ran into Laurie today at work. Which isn’t all too odd since we’re working together now. She had asked me something, though,”
“What is it?” He can tell his wife has become nervous.
The twinkle in Greta’s eye has dissolved and has been replaced with a stern and slim lip. “Laurie was wondering if you could help her find a place of her own... now that it seems she is staying in Stone Creek for the time being. Apparently she is having a really hard time with her parents --”
“She told you all this?” Greta gritted.
“It’s not like that.” Immediately Miles is able to read into her response, her body language becomes more reserved then usual and even when he tries to comfort her, Greta brushes him off. “It’s not like we were bonding or anything, Greta. It was mostly in passing and she knows that you run your own agency. I guess she just thought that maybe she would ask you first.”
“You mean ask you.” Greta corrected.
Miles sighs, “I really don’t want to pry but I think I should know exactly what happened between the two of you. When I had asked your mother about Laurie she said something about the two of you being close friends once... is it that far-fetched for you not to tell me why you’re not friends anymore? Did she do something to hurt you?”
“Our friendship deteriorated when I was going through a really bad time,” His wife starts, it was enough for Miles to catch hold. He lingered near her as she got from the couch and circled the floor. “I thought that my mother was having an affair at the time of her pregnancy with me. Laurie knew how hard it had affected me... she was the one who was helping me try to figure out the truth of it all.”
“So what?” Miles asked, “Did Laurie go and tell your mother something?”
“No.” Greta shook her head.
There was a pause in her words, as if she wanted to continue talking but she couldn’t find the strength to do so. This had always been Miles’ cue, to step in when he was needed the most. So he did what he always done. Miles stepped behind Greta and wraps his arms around her body. He placed his head on her shoulder and kisses her neck.
“Then what happened?”
Greta shrugged. “It was all my fault, actually. At the time Laurie had been sleeping with two separate guys and for awhile I didn’t say anything about it... until she thought she was pregnant. I had just gone through the same thing with my folks so I felt betrayed by my friend. So I told both the guys the truth. That not only was Laurie cheating on her boyfriend Michael she didn’t know who the father of her baby was... she hated me from there on out.”
Miles furrows his brow. “What happened to the baby?”
“It was a false alarm.” Greta shook her head, “Things were never the same between the two of us. She went on to keep seeing Michael and eventually just left Stone Creek behind. It also turned out that my mother had never had the affair and that I was indeed my father’s daughter.”
“I think maybe you need to smooth things out between yourself and Laurie, I think you need to help her find a place of her own.” He suggests and knows by her slightly grin that Greta is thinking the same thing.
[.....]
Scene Fifteen:
Stone Creek; 813 Crystal Hill St., Stone Creek. [Bayou Oaks Condos #16]
William Maverick’s Condo
The biting frost had already taken over Diem Joplin’s mind as she rushed up towards the steps of her ex. lovers apartment complex. Not only did William now live in the same apartment complex as her uncle Jeremy Joplin, but he lived on the same floor. She was only thankful to know that her uncle was at the hospital this late. It was her only salvation if she were to come and see William with the news she had for him. This definitely wasn’t a social visit.
Diem tugged tighter on her black cardigan and raced into the building, stepping into the nearest elevator and after a minute of thinking it over, she clicked the button for his floor. While the simplistic elevator music echoed in her ear she thought back to when he confessed the true reason why he left Stone Creek. She knew that even though she didn’t want to know, eventually she would have to confront her father about it later down the road.
A ding caused Diem to feel so guilty as she stepped out into the long hallway of the apartment complex. It being so late drew no crowds out to the open, which was probably for the best. Diem held her hand up to his door and then pulled it away. She had told Melinda that she wouldn’t pursue anything where William was concerned.
So she banged on the door loudly.
It only took him a handful of minutes to shuffle through the apartment and towards the door. She imagined him in a robe with a gorgeous younger woman on his arm. Immediately she felt like the lonely and bitter housewife. But she was neither of those things. She was happy.
“Diem,” William spoke, drawing the door open. “What are you doing here so late?”
She snapped out of her thoughts and locked eyes with the man. “We need to discuss something.” Diem barged into the apartment, desperate to get out of the hallway just in case her uncle did happen to come home early. Diem looked around at the place and noted how masculine the decor was. The dark cherry wood floors and black leather couches. She placed her bag on a glass side table and then folded her arms in place. “My daughter --”
“Our daughter.” He corrected, firmly.
Diem nodded. “Our daughter means the world to me. Listen I heard you out about why you left Stone Creek and I am really sorry if my father pushed you out of my child’s life. But we need to get one thing straight William. You could have stayed.”
“And did what?” He challenged.
She uncomfortably unfolded her arms and shifted her weight. “You could have done something! The first time you left I was hurt and then I got over it and accepted that I was going to raise my child on my own. That was my own fault... but the second time you left you hurt our daughter. I only was hurt by the fact that you hurt her! What angers me is that you didn’t come to me after my father told you to leave town. We could have done something.”
“It’s done now. I told you now.”
“Which brings me to why I am here,” Diem recounts, she can’t stand looking at him without getting emotional so instead she chooses to look outside the window. Her mind wants to flashback to when they were younger and in love -- but she won’t let it. “I need you to leave Stone Creek.”
There’s a beat shared between the two of them and she hopes that he at least gives it some thought. Slowly she turns around to find William with his head in his hand sand seated on the leather couch. “Leia was hurt the first time you left and she told me that she doesn’t want to have to re-build her relationship with us once again...”
“What are you even talking about?” William looked up.
Diem licks her lips, she cannot believe she is going to ask him the next few words, “I need you to leave Stone Creek and not make any contact with Leia. I can’t have you in our lives anymore William because every moment that you are... I don’t know how much longer I can hold off.”
“Then don’t.”
“It’s not that simple.” Diem stresses, she remains cautious as William lifts himself up off the couch and gets closer to her. “I can’t just fall back in love with you after everything that happened. What happens when we break-up again William? What happens when you leave again? My relationship with my daughter might never be salvageable...”
William lifts her chin. “I will always love you.”
“Then leave me.” Diem whispers.
Then next thing he does takes Diem by surprise as she can taste his lips upon her own. She closes her eyes briefly, but they flutter open and she pushes him back. Diem raises her hand to smack him, but she holds off. “If you ever loved me, if you love me like you have said you do... then you need to go back to Seattle and to the life you had built for yourself. You need to leave me alone with our daughter.”
“I will stay out of your life Diem,” William states, “But you cannot tell me to stay out of my daughter’s life. I won’t let you be so cruel! do you not understand the progress I have made in getting to know the woman you raised? Do you care?!”
Diem grabs her purse. “If you don’t leave her alone... I will tell her your deepest, darkest secret. the very one I promised to take to my grave.” Her eyes burned life fire as the locked with his. It wasn’t the measures that Diem was used to taking, but as desperate as she was when she came to see him... she was beyond that now.
“Congratulations,” William spat, “You’ve just become your own father.” He moved over to the door and opened for her. She knew it was her time to leave his apartment before anything else happened. Diem looked back at him with sorrow filled eyes but William wouldn’t look at her. Instead he closed the door on her face. Leaving her out in the hallway, alone with the cold bitter bite of the March frost.
[.....]
Scene Sixteen:
Stone Creek; 505 Auburn Rd., Stone Creek. [Thurlow Cottage]
James & Caitlyn’s Home
“Gideon, Daphne,” James Thurlow greets as he opens the front door to his home, “It’s always a pleasure to see the two of you... but what exactly are you doing here so late?”
It is a question that James thinks over in his head trying to remember if he had indeed invited his two closest friends over for dinner or a night of drinks and catching-up, but it eludes him if he has and it itches at him if Caitlyn had and not told him.
Gideon speaks first, in a whispered tone, “Just go along with it.”
His eyes widen in curiosity, but completely trustful of his friend, James breaks into a smile and shakes Gideon’s hand firmly. He also leans over and kisses Daphne on the cheek. “Well then, come on in and let’s catch-up... I can have Caitlyn make us some tea.”
“You’re going to want more than tea when we get through with you.” Daphne speaks second, and this statement immediately alarms James as he has never been one to witness Daphne enticing a conversation with speculation of alcohol. He helps her out of her coat and places it in the hall closet before he invites them into the living room.
With his friends safe inside, he finally asks, “What has gotten into the two of you. Why do I feel like it’s a school night and we’re sneaking out of the house for some huge party out at Boulstridge Mountains?” the question is directed mostly at Gideon.
His friend breaks into a chuckle. “Do you remember the old Boulstridge cabin?”
“The parties we would have up there surrounded by forest and mountains, yes.” James can hear the faint footsteps coming down the stairs and knows they’re in for a guest, he had left Caitlyn upstairs once the doorbell wrung and completely forgot she was there. His mother had already retired for the night in the guest house across from the pool so he knew she wouldn’t be disturbing them anytime soon.
“Is everything alright?” Caitlyn asks, a robe tied tightly around her thin body. Her eyes adjusting to the light in the living room, James grabbed a hold of his wife and helped her to the nearest couch. “What’s everyone doing here? Is this about Damien?”
James looks at his friends and then back at Caitlyn. “Did something happen that I don’t know about?”
“I can assure the two of you this has nothing to do with Damien Crenshaw.” Gideon says, the words linger in the air and James watches as the guilty party lock eyes before turning back to face James and Caitlyn. “What I am about to tell you is going to be hard to understand at first.”
“Did something happen?” Caitlyn blurts out.
This is enough to cause James to panic. “Is everyone alright?”
“Everyone is fine.”
He can’t really be sure if it’s Daphne who speaks, as James is already going down a mental list of when and where he last talked to each of his children. He knows that he last left Emmet at the office and that his son was on his way home to have dinner with Iris. James also knows that Kirsten had a late shift tonight at the Cafe and he was sure that Marina was either with Ryan or finishing-up some editing for work. James turned to Gideon, sympathetically, “Is it Penelope?”
“She’s fine.” Gideon assures them. “A man came to the police station today asking questions about your sister... I couldn’t believe the words he was telling me at first, especially given what happened to her in Paris,” He replies.
James is confused, and yet enlightened, “What did this man want with Shannon?”
“He believes that your sister is alive, James,” Gideon says, “And I have ever reason to believe him as well. He’s a US Marshal and he checks out... I know this might be a little hard to take in --”
“I don’t understand what you’re telling me right now.” James admits, misty-eyed. “Shannon is alive? Are you sure that he was telling the truth Gideon? I don’t see how my sister could have survived the car accident in Paris... they said her body was recovered... we buried my sister in Paris!”
Caitlyn holds a hand to her mouth as she trembled. James made sure to place an arm round her as he processed the information. “I want to see her. You need to call this man and you need to tell him that I want to see my sister. I need to see Shannon!”
“That’s the thing,” Daphne looked remorseful.
James looked between his friends. “What?”
“He doesn’t know where she is. The Marshal is looking for your sister as well.. apparently she ran-off and he has been trying to track Shannon down ever since... I shouldn’t even be here telling you this. I am under strict instructions to keep this as low as possible.”
“But why?” Caitlyn mumbles.
Gideon locked his jaw. “Who ever tried to kill Shannon is still out there and she is in a lot of danger. If word got around to the wrong people they could be gunning after her as well. That is why she was in the witness protection. You see,” He licks his lips in habit, “Shannon never was in that car. It was a set-up to convince some very bad people that she was dead.”
“Then why is the Marshal here in Stone Creek?”
“He thinks that Shannon has come home.” Daphne informs them, she takes James’ hand and pats it gently. “He thinks that Shannon is somewhere in Stone Creek and that we know where she is. But Gideon told him that he had wished he knew. We need to find your sister.”
“We will find your sister.” Gideon corrected. “I promise you that, old friend.”
[.....]
Next Time, On Concrete Shelves
- Ryan Bauer takes advantage of Damien Crenshaw being in the hospital and tries to find any evidence that Damien rigged the votes for the mayoral election... but can he find out anything without being caught? Or will he get himself in even deeper trouble?
- As the battle over Sutton Enterprises grows to a head, Gillian Sutton Crenshaw, asks her aunt to take a bigger role in the corporation while she admits her trust issues of her father. This strengthens the feud between the siblings and lets a stranger come in with his own set of cards to deal out.
- With her life finally finding some sorts of balance, Cassie Lakhani, begins school at Stone Creek Community with the help of her once flame, Mac Kern. Even though things escalate between Mac and his girlfriend, Cassie gets the biggest shock of her life and is faced to contemplate her decisions where Mac is concerned.
- Now that Shannon Jurado has been revealed to be alive, the stakes get steeper for those who know her secret as they try to navigate a deadly cat-and-mouse game. Could her alleged murderer get the best of her? Or will something else tear through the Thurlow family and finally end the back-from-the-dead Thurlow woman’s life...
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