Ryan smirked as Liza asked him to explain himself. The pompous expression really drew Liza's wrath, but Ryan quickly explained that his smirk was just his natural facial expression. Ryan listened to the accusations that Erica had made and flashed a toothy grin. He told Liza that Erica had misrepresented what had taken place in the office. He explained that Erica had mistaken him for a model and had asked him to strip down to his skivvies, but when she had realized that Ryan was there to pitch a sales proposal, she had offered him five hundred dollars to keep the mix-up silent.
Liza reached for the list of accounts Erica had provided and asked Ryan if the pizza parlor had mistaken him for a deliveryman -- and rattled off each of Ryan's accounts. Ryan knew that he'd been had, but he remained composed. Liza told him that his kickback scheme could cause the station to lose its broadcasting license. If that happened, Liza assured him that she'd have him carted off to jail. Ryan never got a chance to explain himself as Stuart burst into the room and asked Liza for her help.
Ryan left the office and ignored Liza's warning that he shouldn't leave the building. Stuart told Liza that he needed her help to stop Scott and Gillian's wedding. Liza suggested that Stuart take a stand against the marriage, but Stuart worried that such a stand would only make Scott more anxious to marry Gillian just to dodge parental authority. Stuart asked Liza if she thought that Gillian was just using Scott to get a green card. Liza cocked her head to one side and told Stuart that Gillian was not just using Scott to stay in the country.
For a moment, Stuart was relieved. Then Liza explained that Gillian was using Scott for a lot more than a quick way to duck Immigration. Liza handed Stuart a folder containing some press clippings about Gillian's father's bad run in Monte Carlo. Gillian had her sights set on draining Scott's bank account. Liza looked down at her clipboard, and an idea jumped into the front of her mind. She looked toward Stuart and said that she'd thought up the perfect plan to save Scott.
Kelsey asked Scott if he'd back out of marrying Gillian if she really loved him. Scott was forced to delay his response when Gillian trotted into Holidays and demanded his full attention. Scott was noticeably peeved by Gillian's whining and ordered her to chill out while he and Kelsey discussed some urgent business. Kelsey guessed that Scott's answer wouldn't be what she wanted to hear and nearly threw a tantrum. Scott noted that he never would have had to announce wedding plans if it weren't for Kelsey's meddling.
Scott wanted to know if what Kevin had said was really true -- he asked if Kelsey really loved him. Kelsey called Kevin an optimist who wanted to see two friends turn into "star-crossed lovers." In effect, she was telling him that she didn't really love him. Gillian dashed over to the pair and asked if Kelsey would be her maid of honor. Scott's mouth gaped at Gillian's panache, but Kelsey was unmoved. Gillian explained that she wanted to offer the spot to Kelsey, since she was the reason that Gillian and Scott had gotten together in the first place.
Kelsey bobbed her head several times before accepting the honor. Gillian wrapped her arm around Scott and led him off to a table where they could review wedding garb. Kevin raced over to Kelsey and asked her why she'd put herself in the awkward position of being maid of honor. Kelsey sighed deeply and informed Kevin that she has nothing else going for her. No matter what she did, Scott and Gillian would be getting married. She then prophesied that after the wedding, she'd join a convent.
While Erica spoke to Bianca on the phone, Ryan let himself into Erica's office at Enchantment. He hit her with a sales pitch, offering to replace her bigwig ad executives with his down-home style. Erica played along with Ryan, praising his business savvy. She smiled broadly as she told Ryan that one day he'd be an executive at WRCW. Ryan bowed his head and told Erica that he'd never move up the ladder as long as Liza Colby was in charge. He asked Erica if it would be possible for her to speak to Liza on his behalf.
Erica rose from her chair and informed Ryan that she'd already spoken to Liza about him. Erica managed to keep a pleasant demeanor as she told Ryan that she had talked about his "disgusting business ethics." "I ratted you out, Mr. Lavery," Erica said with a grin, adding, "Because of me, you're dog food." Ryan hadn't realized that Erica had been the one to squeal about his kickback scheme. He tried to get back on Erica's good side by praising her decision to report him to Liza, citing it as smart business strategy.
Ryan asked Erica if she'd ever bent the rules or cut corners to advance herself. Erica looked him square in the eyes and denied doing such unscrupulous things. Erica was preparing to dismiss Ryan, so he knew that he had to make a final move to get his foot in the door. When Erica turned her back to him, Ryan hovered over her shoulder and asked her if there was "something I have that you want." The sexual innuendo was even less appealing than Ryan's money bilking. Erica ordered Ryan to get out of her office. He obliged her, but he was more furious than ever.
Edmund begged Maria to assure him that he'd get out of the cave alive. Maria smiled her familiar smile and told Edmund that he'd live to see his children grow up -- and to see his grandchildren. Edmund didn't only want to escape his prison. He also wanted Maria to be real. "I'm as real as your imagination," Maria said with a smile. Exercising his mental muscles, Edmund imagined that he and his late wife shared a kiss.
Maria reminded Edmund that he was wasting precious time by not trying to free himself. Again Maria reminded him that she was always with him. "Be their hero," Maria said softly, referring to Brooke, Mateo, Hayley, and the others hit by Jim's crime wave. "You're already mine," she added. To prevent Edmund's mind from wandering, she "left" the viaduct so that Edmund could focus on an escape.
Edmund contorted his body so that his back was not pressing against the wall to which he was handcuffed. He could see the ties that bound his hands to the metal bars. He took one of the bars in his hands and pulled with all his might. The bar gave way, and Edmund flew backwards, but he was ultimately pulled back to the wall by the other handcuff. Edmund continued to work on freeing himself, but the heavy surf had begun to pound at the viaduct's entrance.
Ryan returned to WRCW and reported directly to Liza's office. There, he learned that he had a chance to avoid being sent to jail. Ryan listened intently to Liza's explanation, but she warned him that no matter whether he accepted or rejected the offer, he'd still end up wearing a ball and chain. The plan was to go to jail or avoid jail altogether by getting married.
Jim was pleased to see Laura, saying that he was glad that she'd received his letter. Brooke told Jim that he was "sneaky" for contacting Laura behind his back and telling her about the wedding. Jim smiled and reminded Brooke that she needed a maid of honor. Jim detected that something was going on between the three ladies and asked them what they were up to. Laura tried to explain Brooke's uneasiness, pointing out that Brooke had worked herself into a frenzy, worrying about planning the perfect wedding.
Jim suggested that they hold the wedding at the house so that Brooke could make her "grand entrance" down the staircase. Phoebe stepped in to explain what they'd been talking about -- a problem -- a problem by the name of Jim Thomasen. Brooke and Laura's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. Brooke tried to put a positive spin on her aunt's comments, but the feisty Phoebe insisted that she could speak for herself. Phoebe informed Jim that they had been discussing the wedding and that their subject matter was definitely not for the groom-to-be's ears.
Jim took the hint and skedaddled but not before asking Brooke what would be played as their song. Brooke looked over her shoulder and realized that Dimitri's handgun was still prominently displayed on the desk. She lunged to cover it up as she told Jim that they didn't have a song yet. After Jim left, Brooke begged Laura to spill what she knew about Jim. Laura still put up a fight, saying that it wasn't relevant. Hoping that her presence was what was causing Laura's uneasiness, Phoebe left the room to prepare the afternoon tea.
Phoebe was right, and once she'd left the room, Laura opened up. She told Brooke why she'd agreed to pose for the infamous photos, saying that she had been "totally desperate" to help her ailing mother. Brooke was confused by Laura's references to a photographer. Previously, Laura had stated that Ricky, the man in the photos with Laura, had been calling the shots. "I lied," Laura said fighting back tears, "The man behind the camera was Jim."
Even with one hand tied behind his back, Edmund was a formidable opponent. When Jim returned to the viaduct, Edmund was waiting to spring a surprise attack. Jim forced Edmund to beg him for a drink of water. When Jim sat beside Edmund and started to gloat about being victorious over him, Edmund used his free hand to put a chokehold on Jim. Unfortunately, his inability to free his other hand proved to be too much of an obstacle.
Jim bit Edmund's hand and then pounded Edmund's head several times with his fist. The savageness of the beating rendered Edmund unconscious. Even though Jim should have easily been able to fight off the attack, it didn't stop him from parading around the chamber and touting his victory. Jim informed Edmund that he would no longer receive food or water and that it would be only a matter of time before Edmund drowned.
Death should be welcomed, Jim crowed, saying that there were definite benefits to Edmund's death: Sam and Maddie would inherit a fortune, Edmund would no longer be a lonely widower, and Edmund would be reunited with his wife. Jim strutted away to return to Pine Valley. When Edmund awoke, he called out to Maria to help. Once again, she appeared to him and assured him that he would survive.
"Wedlock or lockup," Ryan grumbled. He desperately sought a third option, but there was none. He bent over and supported himself on Liza's desk and asked her why a woman whose "stock is high" would want to settle for a man like him. Ryan had misunderstood Liza's statement -- although it was easy to see why he'd jumped to the wrong conclusion. Liza chuckled to herself for a few seconds before setting Ryan straight. It wasn't her that he was going to marry -- the bride-to-be was Gillian Andrassy.
Ryan did everything in his power to get out of the situation. First, he claimed that his mother had been born in Latvia, and thereby, he was not an American citizen. Liza quickly reminded Ryan that his tax returns stated otherwise. Then Ryan spun a tale about getting drunk one night and ending up in bed with a strange woman -- with a marriage license on the nightstand. That woman, he said, had disappeared to the mountains of Nepal and could not be contacted. Liza had done her research and wasn't about to be duped so easily. She forced a frown and asked Ryan if there was any way to contact the woman because she might be devastated to learn that the marriage had never been recorded.
Ryan knew that he'd been busted and began pouting and moping around the office. Liza explained that marrying royalty might be a wonderful experience. Besides, she sighed, it wasn't like Gillian was the "village troll." Scott entered the room without fanfare and without emotion of any kind. He told Liza that the wedding would take place at the Wildwind chapel and asked if she'd attend the ceremony. She nodded her head and assured him that she'd be there.
After Scott had left, Ryan insisted that Liza's plan to get him hitched to Gillian wouldn't work. Liza smiled broadly and told him that the plan would work because he'd have everything that Gillian's heart desired.
Kevin urged Kelsey to back out of her maid of honor commitment. Kelsey felt that it was too late to back out and asked what excuse she could concoct to get out of it. She sarcastically asked if she should say she'd received a calling from God. In an odd coincidence, a pair of nuns entered Holidays and sat down in a booth just across from Kelsey. Kelsey took that as a sign from above and dashed over to the nuns' table.
Kelsey helped herself to a seat and asked the nuns if she could join their convent. Sister Beatrice and Sister Bliss could tell that Kelsey was planning on using sisterhood as a way to escape the problems of her everyday life. They did their best to convince her to hang in there just before tactfully asking if they could have a cheeseburger.
Across the room, Stuart sat down with Gillian and prepared to make her an offer she couldn't refuse. Stuart was determined to do whatever he had to do to protect the family, his family. He told Gillian that he knew she didn't love Scott. Gillian put on her best performance to convince Stuart otherwise, but he wasn't going to buy into her claims. Gillian was outraged at Stuart's assertion that she was after Scott's trust fund.
Gillian quickly reminded Stuart that her family was filthy rich. Stuart smiled condescendingly and told the princess that he knew all about her father's gambling spree. Stuart didn't hold Gillian's desire for money against her. Some people, he said, had to have money to get by each day. He, on the other hand, had more money than he'd ever know what to do with. He offered Gillian a chance to get her green card and financial security in one fell swoop. Instead of marrying Scott, Stuart proposed that Gillian marry him.
Marian had entered the restaurant and sat down at a nearby table. Her jaw nearly hit the floor when she heard Stuart's marriage proposal. Gillian smiled meekly and turned down Stuart's offer. She told him that she really did love Scott and hoped that one day he'd realize it. After Gillian sashayed out of the restaurant, Marian scurried over to Stuart's table and reprimanded him for proposing to a much younger woman. She seemed almost relieved to learn that Gillian had turned him down.
Stuart explained that he wasn't interested in Gillian; he just wanted to protect his son from Gillian's grasp. Marian could relate to "doing anything" for her child. She put her hand on Stuart's and told him that he could always turn to her for help. Stuart looked down at Marian's hand and smiled. He then put his hand atop hers and thanked her for being so nice to him.
Brooke was caught off guard by Laura's statement. She wanted to know why her daughter hadn't told her about Jim's part in the pornography ring. Laura explained that after the crash, Jim had become Brooke's hero. He had saved her life, after all. Laura didn't want to take away Brooke's rock, her support... so she'd had kept quiet.
Laura hinted that she might have said something had Jim not stuck around town so long. Then after Jim had saved her from Ricky, she had truly believed that he might have changed for the better. On top of all of that, Jim had also impressed upon Laura that her "shiny new life" could be taken away at any time. Brooke called Jim's ability to make people feel ill at ease an "evil gift."
Brooke asked Laura if Jim had touched her during the photo shoot. Laura's answer wasn't nearly as scary as what she didn't say. "That was mostly Ricky," Laura said of the person who'd touched her during the shoot, repeating, "Mostly." Brooke thought that telling Laura that her mother would have understood what she'd done to help out would help Laura. She had no way of knowing that it would make the pain even worse.
Laura broke down in tears as she told Brooke that she'd destroyed her mother's life. After her mother had found the photographs, Laura said that she had wanted to "make [herself] clean again." To do that, she had gathered all of the photographs and headed to the basement of their single-room apartment. She had burned the photographs, and after the smoke had cleared, she had gone for a long walk in the park.
Later she had learned that the fire hadn't extinguished itself and that it had spread. The ensuing blaze had claimed her mother's life. Brooke was stunned by the news, but she didn't let it change her feelings for Laura. Brooke assured Laura that it was not her fault that her mother had been killed in the fire. Laura continued to beat herself up over the incident, asking herself why she'd headed to the park rather than back to her apartment. Perhaps then she could have saved her mother's life.
Brooke suggested that Laura go to her room and lie down. Phoebe returned to the room and asked Brooke if things were going to be okay. "This is what it's like to want to kill someone," Brooke snarled. Phoebe asked Brooke to accept her own advice and lie down. Phoebe once again left the room.
Brooke walked over to the desk and took a long gaze at the handgun. Jim entered the house and announced that the groom had returned. Brooke couldn't force a smile. Her hand reached down to the drawer and caressed the handgun.
Although Edmund begged Maria not to leave him, she insisted that she had to be going. Before leaving, she reminded him that she'd always be a part of his heart, soul, and mind. Edmund struggled to free himself, but the strain was too much on his frail body. He collapsed as waves crashed loudly outside the viaduct.
Tad cut his Pigeon Hollow excursion short when he learned of Liza and Adam's sudden divorce. He felt horrible for not being around for Liza, but insisted that had he known things would have deteriorated so quickly, he'd have returned to Pine Valley immediately. Liza wasn't about to let Tad off the hook that easily. She told him how upset she'd been and how it had hurt her to not have anyone to talk to about her feelings. Liza explained that "Joy" had spurred the sudden divorce.
Tad shook his head and asked what Camille had done to grease the wheels of divorce. Liza let an audible grunt escape as she repeated the mystery woman's name. "It's nice to know you're on a first name basis," she snapped. Liza told Tad about Camille's appearance at the courthouse and Adam's subsequent accusations that she'd hired Camille to make him go crazy. Simply put, Liza wanted to know what Camille was trying to do. She wasn't the only one.
Kelsey walked into the office and asked Tad if Camille was "trying to wreck" their lives. Liza was surprised to learn that Tad had been housing Camille. Tad was speechless, unable to explain his decision to take the stranger into his house. Kelsey blasted Camille's romance advice, saying that it had cost her any possible future with Scott. Tad wasn't up-to-date on Scott and Gillian's wedding plans, and he really didn't want to know what was going on.
Tad asked Kelsey if she could remember anything odd that Camille might have said. Other than saying that she'd never been in love, the only piece of advice that Camille had given Kelsey was her advice to take the bull by the horns. Tad's eyes lit up as he raced out of the office. Kelsey and Liza were left behind, shaking their heads in wonderment.
At the Dillon House, a stranger appeared at the front door. The stranger, whose unkempt appearance and accent made him sound like a pirate, told Tim that he was looking for Janet. Tim looked around for a few seconds, perhaps searching for a hidden camera., before explaining to the stranger that Janet didn't live there. The stranger introduced himself as Axel Green, Janet's ex-husband. Tim repeated that Janet didn't live there and directed Axel to her office at Enchantment.
Tim closed and locked the door and went back to his chores. Amanda popped out of hiding and confessed that she'd been eavesdropping on Tim and the stranger's conversation. Tim had never met Axel or the man that Janet had hired to play her ex-husband, so when Amanda told him that the man at the door had not been Axel Green, he was more than a little confused.
Amanda wondered if the man who'd appeared at the door might have been an escaped prisoner. The Internet, she said, quoting her friend Carrie's comments, was a breeding ground for the incarcerated. Tim laughed and told Amanda that Carrie watched too much television.
Brooke's hand gently caressed the cold steel of the handgun. Her wrinkled brow demonstrated the inner battle that she was fighting to keep herself from shooting Jim. Jim rattled on in discussion for several minutes, talking about the tuxedo he planned to wear at the wedding ceremony and his plans to go out to dinner. He was completely unaware that Brooke hadn't uttered a single word or moved an inch since he'd arrived. Jim approached Brooke and asked her if the entire family could go out for dinner.
Thankfully, Dimitri burst into the house just in time to create a diversion that kept Jim from seeing the gun. In a forceful growl, he told Jim that Brooke would not be going out with him. He then dashed over to Jim and shook his hand. The confusing contradiction in attitude was later explained away when Dimitri noted that Brooke was scheduled to attend a fundraiser for Maria's charity. Jim bought the lie but asked if he could attend. Dimitri shook his head and explained that Jim would be bored silly by the meeting. Instead, Dimitri spoke of another project he'd been working on and hinted that it might be something that Jim could help him with.
Dimitri invited Jim to join him for drinks later in the evening to discuss the project. Jim happily accepted and left the pair to prepare for the fundraiser. Brooke vented her anger only a few nanoseconds after Jim walked out the door. Dimitri silenced her and checked the front door to make sure that Jim had really left and wasn't eavesdropping. Brooke told Dimitri that Jim had been responsible for taking the compromising photos of Laura. Brooke wished that she'd shot Jim when she'd had the chance.
Dimitri pulled a map of southern New Jersey from his pocket and showed it to Brooke. He explained that Marick Industries owned a cellular phone company and that, through the company, he had been able to trace the origin of Edmund's phone call. Both realized that the call had originated near the crash site. Dimitri vowed to track down his brother and warned that if Edmund had been hurt, he'd spare the taxpayers from having to pay for Jim's trial.
Until that moment, no one had observed the sandy footprint on the carpet. When Brooke did see the footprint, she realized that the search area had been cut down considerably. Even knowing that Jim had been near the beach still left the daunting task of determining where in the twelve to fifteens miles of shoreline Jim had stashed Edmund. Dimitri ordered Brooke to stay in the house and not to let Jim inside.
Janet summoned her faux Axel to her office to tell him that they no longer needed to put on their performance for Trevor. Axel, whose real name was Albert, worried that he hadn't given a good showing as Axel Green. On the contrary, Janet explained that he'd done an exceptional job -- so good that Trevor seemed out of the picture for good. They waxed nostalgic about the highlights of their gig. Janet left the room to get Albert a check.
While Janet was gone, the real Axel showed up and demanded to see Janet. Albert had no way of knowing that the strange man was the real Axel Green. So when he told the man that he was Axel, and Janet was his fiancée, things got very confusing. Janet returned to her office and was less than pleased to see Axel. In fact, she looked quite frightened.
Axel -- the real one -- stepped toward Janet and put his hands on her shoulders. Janet ordered him to keep his hands to himself, but Axel insisted that Janet liked his touch. Albert stepped between Axel and Janet and demanded that Axel "stand down." Axel cast a menacing look at Albert and asked him who he thought he was. Trevor, who stood at the doorway, observing the confusion, wanted to know the same thing.
At Chandler Mansion, Adam asked Hayley if it was okay for him to go on a business trip. Adam worried that Hayley or Mateo might need him. Hayley gave her dad the green light to go on his trip but instinctively knew that Adam's business trip was really just a way to get out of town. Adam denied the charges, saying that he was over Liza.
Adam asked Hayley if she'd ever agree to divorce Mateo -- even if Mateo insisted that things were beyond repair. Hayley shook her head and told her dad that she would never give up on Mateo because he was the best thing that had ever happened to her. That was what Adam wanted to hear, as it provided him with further proof, so he believed, that Liza would never have signed the divorce papers if she had loved him. Hayley went downstairs to make a cup of tea.
Adam sat alone on his bed with tears in his eyes as he recalled the painful exchange he and Liza had shared just before agreeing to finalize their divorce. While Adam sobbed, he had no idea that Camille lurked in the passageways, brandishing a "stun gun." Camille was ready to pounce on Adam, but Hayley's return sent her back into hiding. Camille waited for Hayley to leave, but another kink showed up in her plan. Tad stepped out of the passageway, placed his hand over Camille's mouth, and pulled her back into the secret corridor.
When Jack showed up at Linden House, he found Erica donned in overalls and looking over paint samples. She claimed to be auditioning new colors in the hopes of repainting, but Jack knew that Erica was trying to keep herself busy so she wouldn't worry about Bianca. Jack had something else in mind to keep Erica busy. He led her upstairs to the bedroom.
Tad dragged Camille back to his house and promptly scolded her for breaking her promise about not haunting Chandler Mansion while he was gone. Camille didn't approve of Tad "manhandling" her and threatened to knee him in a very sensitive location. Tad, reminded Camille of his generous offer to allow her to hide out in his house and told her that more people had reported spotting her than Elvis. Camille assured Tad that she could take care of herself and sassed that she was sorry if she was not a "docile houseguest."
After the initial bickering subsided, Tad was ready to tell Camille about his findings in Pigeon Hollow. To be truthful, Tad really hadn't learned all that much. The locals weren't too keen on strangers poking around and asking questions. Tad had visited Joy's grave and told Camille that the gravesite was beautiful and had a wonderful view. Tad had also managed to look over the autopsy report.
Camille drooled as she waited for proof that Adam had killed her mother. The coroner had determined that Joy's death had been accidental -- she'd fallen down a flight of steps. Camille was furious with the findings and claimed that Adam and the town's sheriff had concocted the story. Tad agreed because of some of the other injuries Joy had suffered. He had faxed a copy of the report to Jake, who had concurred with Tad's opinion. Joy's body had been badly bruised, and Jake had determined that Joy had probably died from internal hemorrhaging. No one had ever been arrested for the woman's death because it had been ruled accidental.
Camille was overcome with emotion and sobbed on Tad's chest. She composed herself a few seconds later and showed signs of rage. She vowed to make Adam pay for killing her mother. Tad told Camille that he'd help her every step of the way -- but only if she allowed him to help. Camille nodded slightly and told Tad that she was going to bed.
Things at Enchantment got rather confusing as both Axel and Albert claimed to be the real Axel Green. Soon, Trevor got involved and went toe-to-toe with the real Axel. Unnoticed, Albert stepped aside, picked up Janet's phone, and clobbered Axel with it. With the real Axel out cold on the floor of Janet's office, Albert and Janet were able to make up a story about why there were two Axels. Their story was lame, at best, but Trevor seemed to buy it.
Axel explained that his grandfather, father, and seven brothers were all named Axel. That, of course, led to the question of how all the Axels were told apart. Albert thought for barely a second before explaining that everyone had a different name and that Axel Milton Green, the one sprawled on the floor, was the bad seed of the family. Albert said that Axel Milton was known to steal his other brothers' identities from time to time.
Trevor looked at Janet out of the corner of his eyes and mused that the "sibling assuming a sibling's identity" had a familiar ring to it. Trevor had heard about all that he could handle and decided to leave so that he could meet with Belinda. Shortly after Trevor left, Axel sat up. He demanded to know what was going on and why he'd been clunked on the head. Janet wanted to get rid of her ex-husband before he caused any more damage. She told him that if he didn't leave immediately, she'd whip out her trusty crowbar and take care of him.
Albert joined in on the fun, saying that he would help Janet toss the body down a well. Axel was scared silly and stumbled out of the office. Tim was about to enter the office but waited until Axel was gone. He introduced himself to Albert, with Albert chirping, "Axel Green's my name... sales are my game." Janet rolled her eyes and sighed deeply. Tim asked to speak to Janet privately and subsequently asked her if she was sure that she was happy with "him."
Janet smiled and told Tim that she was happier than she'd ever been. Still Tim didn't think that Janet and Axel were "in the same league." Trevor returned to the office and was surprised to see his son talking to Janet. Tim lied and said that he had actually been looking for Trevor so that they could go out for some pizza. Trevor asked Tim to wait in the car while he finished up some business with Janet. Tim said goodbye to Janet and headed for the car.
Trevor wanted to know what had happened to Axel Milton. Janet implied that it wasn't really any of Trevor's business. Albert ended his phone call and rejoined the conversation. He told Trevor that he would be traveling to Los Angeles and that he'd be gone for several months. In his absence, he expected Trevor to honor his relationship with Janet.
"In the vernacular," Albert snapped, "hands off!" Trevor looked to Janet to see if that was what she wanted. When she nodded, Trevor's bruised ego shined through. Outside the office, Tim eavesdropped on the conversation. He wondered if he should tell his father that Janet was lying to him and that the man in the office was not really Axel Green.
At the Valley Inn, Dimitri met with an unknown acquaintance to get help on finding Edmund. Dimitri and the mystery man had met once before -- in Budapest nearly a decade before. The man handed Dimitri a vial of powder similar to a substance that radiologists used in certain kinds of x-rays. He instructed Dimitri to spike Jim's drink with the powder. Then, using a special transmitter, Dimitri would be able to trace Jim through the radioactive powder.
Dimitri joked that it was a shame that the powder's level of radioactivity wasn't strong enough to kill Jim. Dimitri thanked the gentleman for his assistance. The man chuckled and told Dimitri that he was glad to be back in Pine Valley. Dimitri hadn't known that his friend had been in Pine Valley before. The man admitted that it'd been many years since he'd been in town, so long that it seemed like "a whole other lifetime."
The man took occasional glances at a table across the room where Jack and Erica sat. Dimitri smiled at the man's fascination with his ex-wife. He told his acquaintance that he'd been married to Erica twice but commented that he was not sure if he'd ever really known Erica. The mystery man spoke softly, saying that Erica "is more beautiful than..." He stopped mid-sentence and a few seconds later completed the sentence by saying that Erica was more beautiful in person than in the pictures he'd seen of her.
On his way out of the restaurant, the man passed by Erica and Jack's table. Erica twisted her neck to get a look at the man who'd walked by her. Jack asked her if she'd recognized the man. She shook her head in disbelief and said that she had to have been mistaken.
When Jim arrived at Dimitri's table, he didn't expect that Dimitri had an ulterior motive. He gladly gulped down a beer that Dimitri offered him. Dimitri told Jim that he needed his clout at Tempo to assist with some financial matters. Dimitri explained that if Jim placed a few carefully chosen editorials in the magazine, it would raise the price of several of Dimitri's holdings. Then when the holdings were sold at inflated prices, he and Jim could split the several million dollars profit. Jim cackled gleefully at the thought and asked Dimitri to keep him informed of his plans.
The same mystery man who'd been chatting it up with Dimitri broke into Linden and started nosing around in some of Erica's old photo albums. The man appeared to be an expert, as he disarmed the security system in a few seconds. He was also going to have to test his escape skills because Erica and Jack returned home while he was still inside the house.
Phoebe tried her best to ease Brooke's jangled nerves. She asked her to help her lay out some final plans for the Daughters of Fine Lineage's bazaar. When Brooke saw that Phoebe still needed a victim for the "pie in the face" booth, she promptly nominated her fiancé for the spot. However, instead of whipped cream pies, she wanted Phoebe to use concrete. The two women laughed together.
Dimitri phoned and told Brooke that Jim had imbibed the radioactive powder and that he'd been able to track Jim to his hotel room. After resting for a little while, Jim was on the move again, and everyone hoped that Jim would lead Dimitri to Edmund.
Isabella visited Chandler Mansion to check on her son's condition and to drop off a postcard from Noah and Julia. Seeing that her son's status hadn't improved was too much for Isabella to bear. Her composure cracked, and she sobbed about the possibility that Mateo might never emerge from his coma. Hayley gripped her mother-in-law by the shoulders and looked in her eyes. Hayley insisted that Mateo would return to them, even if it took a miracle. "You can't order God to make miracles," Isabella sobbed in reply.
Palmer risked a confrontation with Adam by showing up at the mansion. Fortunately, Adam was away on business, and Palmer's progress to Mateo's room was unimpeded. Once in the room, Palmer helped to console Isabella and even offered to take Mrs. Santos out for a bite to eat. Isabella initially refused to leave with Palmer, but Hayley insisted.
Before leaving, Palmer was asked to say a few words to Mateo. He happily obliged with words of high praise. Palmer commented that he'd admired Mateo for a long time and remarked that "any man would be proud to call [him] son."
At the Valley Inn, Marian and Opal continued their unexpected friendship over drinks. Opal was down in the dumps over Palmer's busy work schedule. In fact, she groaned to Marian, Palmer was working late at the office even as they spoke. Opal, however, had devised the perfect way to seduce Palmer. Opal reached into a shopping bag and removed a box containing a frilly red nightie. Opal planned on slipping into the ladies' room, donning the nightie, covering herself in a trenchcoat, and then dashing to Palmer's office for a little late-night fun.
Jim wandered by the table after receiving a message from Opal. He told her that he was in a hurry and asked her if whatever she needed could wait until the next morning. Opal looked squarely at Jim and told him, "I want you to shoot me." Luckily for her, she explained what she meant by "shoot." She wanted Jim to snap some romantic photos of her and Palmer. Jim agreed to take on the job but said that he'd be tied up until the following day.
Back at Chandler Mansion, Hayley read the postcard she and Mateo had received from Noah and Julia. The postcard had no postmark and was unsigned for safety reasons. The couple was also on the move again, but they couldn't say where they were moving. The purpose of the card was to wish Hayley and Mateo a happy first wedding anniversary. Julia and Noah were unaware of Mateo's accident.
Somehow even with their need to remain undercover and on the run, Hayley envied Julia and Noah, for at least they were together. Hayley cried as she realized that the doctors might have been right about the seriousness of Mateo's condition. Mateo slipped into another of his dream-like states. This one, however, was much more frightening than any he'd had before. The vision took place at a carnival. The Mateo in his vision won Hayley a stuffed animal by winning the "strong man" game, where one had to hit a lever with a mallet in the hopes of ringing the bell. He won easily.
Mateo's dream continued. In a flash, the alternate Mateo was gone. Hayley looked high and low for him and resorted to calling out his name to locate him. A figure loomed over Hayley with a mallet in his hand. In a low voice, the figure commented that "the sins of the father are visited on the children." The figured lifted the mallet and lowered down on Hayley. In the real world, Mateo's breath became erratic. Hayley convinced herself that the breathing meant nothing and was probably another reflex action.
Palmer and Isabella arrived at the Valley Inn and sat at a table just out of view from Marian and Opal. They exchanged stories of how they missed their children. Palmer said that even after a decade, he still expected to see his daughter Nina's smile at the breakfast table. Isabella called Palmer a very lucky man and urged him not to feel lonely, saying that he'd been blessed with a wife and son who still lived with him.
Opal decided that it was time to head to the ladies' room to don her sexy apparel. The two women rose from their seats, but suddenly Marian wasn't so sure that Opal's idea was really the way to go. She urged Opal to sit back down at the table and hammer out another plan. Marian's sudden change of heart had been caused by seeing Palmer and Isabella across the room. Opal turned to see what had prompted Marian's bizarre behavior. Her heart dropped as she realized that Palmer was not working late at the office.
Opal jumped to the conclusion that Palmer and Isabella were having an affair, a conclusion that Marian begged Opal not assume. Marian tried to get Opal to sit down and cool off, but Opal was determined to confront her husband and his mistress. Opal used euphemisms when referring to Palmer and Isabella's affair, asking if they were "planning a merger." Isabella assured Opal that things were not as they seemed. Palmer told Opal that she was out of line and asked her to keep her voice down. That only encouraged Opal to get louder.
By that point, everyone in the restaurant had turned to see what was going on between the Cortlandts. Opal tossed her red negligee at Palmer and told him how she had planned to surprise him. Isabella rose from her seat and announced that she was going to return home. Palmer followed after her and insisted that he be allowed to take her home. Opal stormed out after them, leaving her nightie behind. Marian picked the nightie off of the floor and held it up to her body. She grinned devilishly as she wondered if Stuart would like to see her wearing a red nightie.
Erica and Jack returned to Linden, forcing the intruder to seek a hiding place. Jack found a misplaced photo album on Erica's desk. Erica found it odd that the album had found its way to the desk, since she hadn't been looking at it, and there wasn't anyone else in the house. Jack leafed through the pages until he found a picture of an unknown man. Erica didn't want to discuss the man in the photo. When Erica remarked that the man in the photo was dead, Jack knew that the man was Mike Roy.
Erica gave Jack a brief history of her relationship with Mike to quench his thirst for knowledge. Erica had first met Mike when he had been a journalist based in Pine Valley. He'd been assigned to ghostwrite Erica's Raising Kane autobiography. Mike hadn't been thrilled with the prospect of helping a celebrity pen a novel. The pair had grown close during their time together and had eventually found themselves engaged. Before they could get married, fate dealt them a cruel blow.
Mike had been helping Brooke English and Mark Dalton, Erica's brother, investigate a drug ring. Someone had opened fire on the group, and Mike had jumped in front of a bullet that had been meant for Brooke. Erica had expected Mike to survive the gunshot, but he had died a short time later in the hospital. Before he had died, Erica had slipped a ring on Mike's finger as a sign of their commitment to each other. In the shadows, the intruder played nervously with his hands and a silver band on one of his fingers.
Jack and Erica retired for the evening. Once everyone was out of sight, the man tiptoed over to the bookcase and looked at a copy of Raising Kane. A photo of Erica, naturally, graced the book's cover, but on the back, there was a smaller photo of Mike Roy, the ghostwriter. For the intruder, the photo was like a glimpse into the past. Many years and a dusting of gray later, Mike still looked very much like his younger self pictured on the book jacket.
At Cortlandt Manor, Opal looked around for her husband. She found him in the library, looking over some papers. Opal's mouth gaped as she watched her husband. "Are you leaving me?" she asked. Palmer's face flashed no sign of an answer, but his head nodded slightly.
Dimitri tailed Jim for well over an hour. They traversed several counties and traveled on a handful of highways. All the while, Brooke checked in every few minutes to keep apprised of Dimitri's location. When Jim turned off of the main highway and onto a small rural road, Dimitri told Brooke that he'd have to end communication with her. Brooke pleaded with Dimitri to keep the line open so that she would be able to hear what was going on, but Dimitri feared that Jim might hear the transmission.
Inside the cave, Jim informed Edmund that he needed one final favor from him. Edmund flat-out refused to help Jim with anything. Jim knew how to force Edmund into cooperating -- he threatened to harm Sam and Maddie. "You wouldn't," Edmund snarled. Jim smiled a half-smile and said that he didn't want to have to harm the children, but he would if Edmund didn't cooperate.
Jim held out a piece of paper and informed Edmund that it was a suicide letter. The letter would be placed on the driver's seat of Edmund's car, which had been parked at the site of the plane crash. Edmund saw no other option but to sign his name to the letter. Jim was finished with Edmund -- he had no other use for him. He bid Edmund farewell and left the makeshift prison. As he was locking the iron gate that allowed entrance to the viaduct, Dimitri lunged at Jim and knocked him to the ground.
