Written in 66 minutes

Thursday, September 19, 2024

Jerome Gallery: Gallery Floor

“Oh, I hope you’re here for a social visit,” Ava Jerome declared, turning to face Chase and Dante as they approached. She sniffed. “Do I need to contact my lawyer?” She touched Trina’s arm. “Go. Call Martin.”

“Okay—” Trina started to move away, but Chase held up his hand.

“We just want to tie up a few loose ends about September 2,” he said, and Trina hesitated, looked at her employer with some concern.

“I’ve already discussed that with the FBI,” Ava said. She folded her arms. “So either—”

“The FBI didn’t confirm the information you gave them. That’s all we want to do,” Chase told her. “You told them you were here at the gallery, and they didn’t do any follow up.”

“Because she’s telling the truth,” Trina blurted out. “She was here that day!”

“Trina,” Ava murmured, with a slight shake of her head, and her assistant closed her mouth, though she was clearly unhappy.

“If you’re telling the truth, talking to us won’t be an issue,” Dante said, speaking for the first time, his tone flat, devoid of any emotion, and Chase glanced at him. It was never easy to be around Ava for his partner — since Ava had somehow skated on murdering Dante’s aunt and was charged with assaulting Kristina—

“Then I’ll call my lawyer, and he’ll handle everything from here—” Ava turned to head for her office, but Trina stopped her.

“Cam’s mom was arrested for this,” she told Ava. “Joss told me the PCPD is just trying to get to the truth so they’ll stop hounding his mom. You and I both know you didn’t do this. Why let the suspicion linger?” When Ava hesitated, Trina continued, “Please, Ava. Cam’s mom has always been so good to me. The PCPD need to know where everyone was.”

Ava pressed her lips together, then looked at Chase. “All right. Let’s get this over with.”

“We need to have this conversation separately,” Dante said. “Trina?” He gestured towards the lobby, and with a grateful smile, Trina followed him through the arch and out of sight.

Ava wrinkled her nose, folded her arms again. “Let’s get this over with.”

Jerome Gallery: Lobby

“We were planning an event in October,” Trina told Dante, leading him into her small office with its tiny desk. She shuffled through some paperwork. “I’m going to give you the number for the security company that runs the cameras. I just know they’ll have Ava coming and going.”

“That would be great.” Dante took the card she offered, but Trina didn’t immediately release it. “Did you want to add something else?”

“I meant what I said out there. Ava was with me, and I wouldn’t lie for her. I know—” Trina paused, then took a deep breath. “I know she’s done terrible things, and I know why people don’t believe her about what happened in the hotel room—”

“I don’t want to talk about that—”

“—but whatever else she might have done,” Trina continued, ignoring Dante’s interruption, “she didn’t shoot Agent Cates. I know that makes your jobs harder and it would be easier for Cam’s mom to get out if her lawyer can point to other suspects, but that’s not the right thing to do, you know? The system screws up all the time, and maybe I shouldn’t trust any part of it to get this right. I’m living proof that innocence doesn’t matter — your entire life can still be derailed because someone points the finger at you. But maybe it makes it that more important to tell the truth.”

“What happened to you was wrong,” Dante said, “and I appreciate you convincing Ava to talk to us. You’re right. Crossing Ava off the list makes it harder for Diane, but the truth is what matters. But here’s another truth for you. She murdered my aunt in cold blood. And she had no problem destroying my brother’s life. You want to trust Ava? Go right ahead. But don’t ever turn your back on her.”

“Call the security company,” Trina said. She lifted her chin. “You’ll find out Ava’s innocent.”

“This time,” Dante said, and left before Trina could say anything else.

Miller & Davis: Spinelli’s Office

Diane studied the corkboard in Spinelli’s office, her brow furrowed. “You can’t let Alexis in this room.”

“You don’t think she’d understand?” the tech asked, coming to Diane’s side. “I’m just looking at this logically. You start with everyone who wanted the guy dead, and chisel away.  ” Spinelli folded his arms, his expression grim. “And I can’t chisel enough away to take her down.”

Diane exhaled and turned away from the index card with Kristina Davis-Corinthos scrawled out in Spinelli’s messy handwriting. “Walk me through why she’s up there.”

“The obvious reason? Cates was charging her with federal crimes. He arrested her when she was released from the hospital.” Spinelli went back to his desk, sat down, and tapped a few keys to bring up the file he’d started. “Kristina is impulsive and volatile. She attacked Connie Falconieri with a bat and trashed her office—”

“She had a very good reason—”

“Diane. You think I want her name up there?” Spinelli asked. “I’ve known her since she was a kid. I’ve helped Stone Cold and Sam get her out of a thousand jams. Do I think she did this? No. But that’s not what you asked me to do.”

Diane rubbed her forehead, sat down. “She was at Elizabeth’s the day after the murder,” she murmured. “I asked her about that visit. She was calm, cool, collected. Not a hint that she was there to plant a gun.”

“I know.” Spinelli put his head in this hands, rubbed his eyes, then returned his focus to Diane. “But I gotta look at this. Her alibi for that night is basically I was home, and we have nothing to back that up. Cates was making her life miserable, and we both know she’d have access to weapons — especially the kind the FBI can’t trace. She’s the only person outside of Elizabeth’s family at the house that week.”

“We don’t know the gun was planted that day,” Diane said, her tone taking on an air of desperation. “Aren’t you still getting the security footage from the hospital?”

“It’s due in by the end of the week, and I’m supposed to get the car data analysis early next week. All I need is Kristina’s alibi to be confirmed and that car data to tell me that trunk wasn’t opened during the time I have her on the property. Believe me, Diane, I want her off that board, too. I just—” Spinelli hesitated. “She’s grown up in a world where ending someone’s life is a reasonable option to consider.”

“Okay. Okay. All of that is true—but let’s look at the rest of it. Framing Jason—”

“She’s not framing Stone Cold. She put the gun in Elizabeth’s car—”

“She’s not doing anything, damn it. Don’t say it that way—” Diane’s head snapped up. “We don’t know anything.”

“Hypothetically, she would be framing Elizabeth,” Spinelli corrected, and Diane pressed her lips together, looked away. “I agree that framing Jason would be a long shot, but let’s remember how how loyal Kristina might feel towards Sam. Who has never hidden her resentment of Elizabeth. And who has been fighting with Jason for months about Danny.”

Diane closed her eyes, slumped back in her chair. “I don’t like any of this.”

“You asked me to investigate every lead, Diane. And I did. I promise you. I went down every rabbit hole, and the only person I can’t take off the board is Kristina. Even Ava has someone else verifying her alibi, and Trina isn’t known for lying.”

Diane took a careful breath. “This stays between us. Take her off that board—no, take her off the board, Spinelli. Alexis works here, and if—” Her throat was tight. “If this is true, and Sonny or Alexis find out before we could prove it — Kristina will be out of the country before we can blink, and there goes our chance to prove Elizabeth’s innocence. And that’s—that’s all I can think of right now.” Her voice faltered on the final words. “It needs to be someone else. It has to be. Keep looking. I won’t believe this until we have no other choice.”

“We need the neighbor’s footage from across the street. I think they have the best view of the street—” Spinelli stopped when Diane’s phone buzzed. The lawyer dug in her purse to retrieve her phone. “Diane?”

“The government’s response to our motion to dismiss was filed.” Diane rose. “I need to download and print it. Keep me in the loop, Spinelli, and make sure you eliminate every possibility, no matter how unrealistic. And I mean it—no visible evidence that we’re investigating Kristina. From now on, we discuss this outside the office—and—” Diane paused. “It stays between us.”

General Hospital: Eighth Floor

The nurse behind the desk smiled. “Dr. Fletcher will be with you in just a moment,” she told Jason. “If you want to have a seat, we’ll call you back when he’s ready.”

He didn’t want to sit, Jason thought, but turned away from the desk to find Elizabeth had already taken a seat by the door to the office suite and was flipping through a magazine she’d picked up. His chest eased slightly at the sight of her, and he took a seat next to her. “You didn’t have to come.”

“I wanted to.” Elizabeth closed the magazine, reached for his hand. He laced their fingers together, and smiled faintly when she squeezed. “I know this kind of thing isn’t easy for you. I know first hand how hard it is to get you to talk about anything,” she teased, and now his smile deepened.

“You could come in with me,” he asked, but he already knew she’d refuse before she shook her head.

“If I do that, you’ll look to me to answer the questions so you don’t have to. If we were here about Jake, that’d be different. But as much as I want to help Danny, I have to respect that Sam doesn’t want me to be part of it.”

“Do you?” he muttered, and she wrinkled her nose.

“Yes. I’d be livid if she pushed herself into Jake’s therapy without my consent.”

“That’s different—” Jason said.

Elizabeth tilted her head. “Is it? Maybe you never told her, but we both know I played a part in keeping Danny from Sam—”

“For twenty four hours,” Jason retorted, his voice pitched low. “If you think that in any way compares to what she did—”

“It does for me,” she said softly, and he sighed. “Then I lied about Jake Doe—it doesn’t matter that he wasn’t you,” she added when he opened his mouth to object. “Sam and I have played a lot of games with each other. Maybe in this latest round, I didn’t start it, but I won’t pretend to be innocent. Right now, all that matters is Danny. I don’t want to create more problems with his mother.”

“I know you’re right, but I don’t like it.”

Elizabeth leaned in close, rubbing his shoulder with the hand that he wasn’t holding. “I know. When he’s talking to you, just remember that it’s for Danny. We can do anything we have to do if it means he’ll be okay.”

He opened his mouth to respond, but the nurse called his name, and he kissed Elizabeth’s hand before releasing it.

“Good luck,” she said as he rose to his feet and followed the nurse through the door.

He’d never liked psychiatrists or psychologists or whatever they called themselves, not since Kevin Collins had attempted to interrogate him after his accident, trying to measure how damaged Jason really was. Kevin might have meant well, but the entire experience had left a bad taste in his mouth.

But Elizabeth thought this might help, and he knew that despite Andre Maddox’s crimes, therapy had helped Jake to adjust after everything that happened to him because of Helena and the kidnapping.

“Jason Morgan?”

The man on the other side of the door was older than him, maybe by about ten years, his dark hair shot with silver. He rose from a chair by a desk that had been turned to face a sofa and armchair set against the office’s opposite wall. “Dr. Raymond Fletcher.”

“Hello,” Jason said, a bit reluctantly, shaking his head and sitting in the armchair, perched on the edge, as if it would make an escape faster.

“I received your message that Danny’s mother won’t be joining us.” Fletcher took his seat, and made a note in a little book that sat on a table next to the chair. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Yeah, it’s…” Jason shifted. “Complicated.”

“Families usually are.” The doctor waited a beat. “Tell me a bit about what brought Danny here. I have some of the information, but I’d rather hear it from you.”

“Uh, well—” Jason cleared his throat, fought the urge to get up and pace. “Saturday night, I got a call from Elizabeth. She’d heard from the police that they had the boys. Aiden, Danny, and Rocco,” he added. “Aiden is Elizabeth’s son, which is why she’d been called. They’d been picked up for drinking, and they found weed on them. Danny was high and drunk.”

“He’s fourteen?” Fletcher asked, his pen scribbling a note.

“Yeah. In May.”

“How long has the substance use been happening, as far as you know?”

Jason clasped his hands between his thighs, leaning forward slightly. “A year, almost. Aiden told me first, and Danny confirmed. They started at a party, and they’ve been doing it every weekends. The weed came later.  Last few months, according to Aiden, it’s been during the week, too.”

“Did you notice any changes in his behavior?”

Jason exhaled slowly, then shook his head. “I wasn’t here to see it. I’ve…I’ve never been here. Not enough. And not the way Danny deserved. I’m the wrong person to do this. His mother should be here.”

“But she’s not.” Fletcher laid the pen down, met Jason’s gaze with his own. “Is he living with her right now?”

“No. He’s—he’s with me. Since Saturday. We’re—we’re at Elizabeth’s.”

“And he lived with his mother prior to Saturday?”

“Yes. She…was frustrated with the way he’d been speaking to her and he left. I don’t blame her for that,” Jason added. “They’d been fighting a lot.”

“All right. You said you live with Elizabeth. You’ve mentioned her a few times. Now, I know who she is, of course. I work at the hospital. But let’s pretend I don’t.” Fletcher looked at him again. “Who is Elizabeth to you and to Danny?”

+39

Written in 58 minutes. Not as long as I wanted it to be, but it’s the general idea.

Thursday, September 19, 2025

Webber House: Living Room

Elizabeth dangled the keys to the second car, and Jake heard the clink of the metal from across the room. He dropped the book he was shoving into his bag and nearly shoved Aiden over the back of the sofa to get to his mother. “Seriously? You don’t need it?”

“Not today. But—” Elizabeth jerked the keys from Jake’s grasp just as he was about to snag them. “You have to bring your brothers home before you can go anywhere else.”

“No problem. I’ll slow down in front of the house long enough to push them out.” Jake snatched the keys before his mother could change her mind. “Didn’t think I’d get my car back for a few more weeks.”

“Well, it’s looking like the government is never giving back mine, so I guess we’ll have get a second car. Because even after you’re in Spain next year because you’re applying,” Elizabeth added when Jake made a face, “your brother needs to drive something or Cam might need it.”

“The thought of Aiden behind the wheel is terrifying,” Jake quipped. He grabbed his bag. “I’ll be in the car,” he told his brothers. “I’m leaving in thirty seconds.”

Aiden rolled his eyes but followed Jake out the door. Danny hesitated, his hands on the strap of his book bag over his shoulders, and waited for his father, who’d been loading the dishwater to emerge from the kitchen. “Um, is…I mean, am I still supposed to go tomorrow?”

“Diane filed for medical decisions this morning,” Jason told him. “We should hear something on that within twenty-four hours. So yeah. I’m meeting with the doctor today. Is there anything you wanted me to ask him?”

“I don’t know.” Danny hunched his shoulders. “Like, is he gonna tell you everything I say?”

“I don’t think that’s how it works, but sure—” They all looked towards the door at the sound of an impatient honk.  “You’d better get going or you’ll be late.”

“Yeah, okay. Um, I guess, thanks.” Danny ducked his head and hurried out the door, closing it behind him.

Elizabeth flipped the deadbolt lock, then turning back to face Jason. “I’m tempted to pull the cord on the phone, but maybe—” Her words cut off abruptly when Jason’s hand curled around her waist and tugged her forward until his mouth covered hers. She sank into the embrace, sliding her hands up to cup his jaw. “So you remembered we had plans for today?” she managed when he released her, his hands slowly stroking her back in small circles.

“Did you think I’d forget?” he murmured, nipping at the line of her jaw. “I told Diane not to call unless it was life or death.”

“I left the same message at the hospital—” Elizabeth stifled a surprised giggle when he lifted in her the air. “It’s like I’m twenty-five again—” she said as he carried her towards the stairs. “But Carly doesn’t have a key to this door, so we’re probably good—not that it would stop her—”

“You’ve got a lock on your door, too, don’t you?” he replied and she laughed, leaning down to kiss him again, her hair swinging forward, falling across his cheek, the strands like silk.

“You’re right. Let’s not take any chances.”

—

She curled up against his side, her fingertips dancing across his chest. “This scar is new,” Elizabeth murmured, tracing a small, jagged line that was still a bit pink. “And not very old.”

“A year maybe,” Jason said, his own hand caressing her back, from her shoulders, dipping towards her waist, then back again. “Ran into the wrong end of a knife in an alley.” He tensed, because wouldn’t she ask more questions now? What alley? Why had he been there—

“I thought it would be different.”

His hand froze. “Different?” Jason repeated. “What do you mean?”

“Different’s not the right word,” she said. “But I don’t know. We haven’t been together in…” She sighed, her breath sliding across his skin. “So long. I was worried.”

I was worried. Past tense? His mind started to race. It had been years, she was right, but—

“I’m probably not saying any of this right,” Elizabeth said, and she sat up now, pulling the sheet up to tuck beneath her armpits. Her hair, disheveled, and a little damp at the roots from sweat. She bit her lip. “You know, I said it downstairs. I’m not exactly twenty-five anymore, and you know—” She lifted her eyes towards the sunlight pouring through her bedroom windows. “Lighting’s not always kind—”

The tension rushed out of him and now he almost smiled. Jason reached for her, curling his hand around the nape of her neck to kiss her, long and slowly. “You’re perfect. You always were. You always will be.”

“I’m not perfect. I don’t want to be—” Elizabeth grunted when he rolled her across his body so that she was on the other side of the bed, flat on her back and only protested slightly when he tugged the sheet down to reveal her abdomen.

He traced the faint stretch lines, maybe not entire visible to someone who hadn’t memorized their existence, and then the scar low on her belly, the evidence that she’d carried and risked her life to become a mother, to make him a father— “You’re perfect to me.”

“See, now you think I was fishing for compliments and I wasn’t,” Elizabeth insisted. He didn’t protest, when she pulled the sheet back, but relaxed back into his side. “I just meant — I was worried we couldn’t…that it wouldn’t be like before. I mean—” She bit her lip, tilted her head up. “Are you gonna be irritated if I mention Lucky?”

“No.” Probably not, he admitted to himself.

“You know, we were back and forth until we got married, and then the divorce — I don’t know. We kept trying to get it back. And it was never the same. Not the way we felt — or anything else,” Elizabeth admitted. “And maybe part of the reason I didn’t…that I was okay with waiting for today…was I liked how things were. And I didn’t want to mess it up if we’d…” She sighed. “If we’d lost this part. If it wasn’t the same. Or better.”

His lips curved into a smile, and he was glad she couldn’t see his face right now. “You can’t help but worry, can you?”

“Don’t make fun of me.”

“I’m not.”

“You are!” She huffed, and snagged one of the decorative pillows from the floor to whack him with it. “I’m being vulnerable here—”

“Okay, okay—” Jason caught the pillow and tossed it behind him, sitting up and pulling her with him to sit against the headboard. “I’m sorry.”

“No, you’re not.” But she was biting at her lip, trying to stifle the smile. “It’s silly to worry about it, I guess. We’ve got so many bigger problems—” Some of the color in her face faded, and he was sorry now that he hadn’t distracted her in the right way.

“Hey.” Jason caught her hand. “We don’t have to talk about any of that right now.”

“I don’t want to, but it’s hard to close it out entirely. It’s…it hasn’t even been three weeks, do you realize that?” Elizabeth said. “I’ve spent almost a week in jail, you’ve been living here for almost two weeks, your son lives with us—Jason, we’re literally living together and it’s just…I blinked and everything is so different. I never, not in a million years, thought we’d be back here.”

“Neither did I,” Jason admitted, and she leaned back against his chest, letting him wrap his arms around her. He kissed her shoulder. “I’d given up on this dream a long time ago,” he told her, his voice almost too quiet to be audible. “You and Jake. I didn’t deserve you, I thought. Not with the choices I made. And all the steps I kept taking, it took me further away.”

“I know.” She sighed, long and wistful. “I built a whole other life, and I was happy enough. I put this — you and me, and being a family — I put in a box on a shelf in a room, and lost the key. It was enough, I told myself, to have you in Jake’s life. To have your friendship. We’d missed our moment. I’d thrown it away a long time ago, and then you walked away—”

“Our timing really sucked,” he said, and she laughed, the words echoing a sentiment he’d expressed the night they’d created Jake.

“But it’s different now. Your life is different, and we’re both free—” Elizabeth tilted her head up so that their eyes met. “I guess I was scared that everything was going too well. That maybe we might be able to live together, and be a family, but that we weren’t going to be able to have this part, too.”

“Are you still worried about that?” he asked.

Elizabeth her lip, then sat up to let the sheet fall to her waist. “I don’t know. I think we might need to run a few more tests.”

+40

Written in 63 minutes.

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Syracuse, NY: The York Restaurant

Gia pressed her lips to her brother’s cheek, then sat across from him with a broad smile on her face. “I’m so glad you decided to drive up for lunch! We don’t see each other enough.”

Marcus Taggert’s smile was faint but genuine. He’d missed his baby sister — but this wasn’t a social call. He waited until after they’d placed their lunch orders and exchanged basic pleasantries before diving into the reason for his visit.

“Mom called me last night. She said you’d picked up a new case.”

Gia made a face, reached for a piece of bread from the basket that had been placed between them. “I bet she did. Probably didn’t wait five seconds after hanging up with me.”

“You know how she feels about Port Charles—” Taggert shook his head when Gia rolled her eyes. “She’s not wrong. Nothing good has ever come from living in that city—”

“Good thing I’m not living there.” She popped a piece of the roll in her mouth.

“Gee.”

“Marcus.” Gia lifted her brows. “Did Mama send you or is it the case itself? I know you still have a soft spot for Elizabeth. Just like everyone else she’s tricked with her Snow White routine. I always told you she’d snatch Nikolas up if she had the chance, and what happened?”

“You mean what happened seven years after you and Nikolas ended your engagement amicably and you left for law school?” Taggert leaned back in his chair. “I know you’re a champion at grudges—”

“It’s—” Gia took a deep breath. “It’s not the grudge. Marcus, do you really think so little of me? You think I’m gonna take a loser case just because the suspect screwed my ex?”

“Yes.”

“Well, that’s rude.”

“Maybe, but it’s accurate. You’ve been stewing over that ever since you found out. You don’t really think Elizabeth Webber murdered an FBI agent.”

Gia folded her arms on the table, leaned forward. “I don’t know, Marcus. You tell me. Do you think Elizabeth would cover for Jason Morgan?”

Taggert exhaled slowly, looked away. “I should have known he’d be wrapped up in this,” he muttered. He scrubbed a hand down his face. “Is that the theory? Evidence points at her because he’s the shooter and hid it in her place?”

“Yeah.”

“Then you’re not nearly as smart as I thought you were. Or you didn’t pay attention back then. Because only one of us has actually seen either of them in the last two decades, and Gee, there’s no way in hell he’s involving her. You got your facts wrong. Morgan might be the shooter, but she’s not involved. Not a chance.”

“Like I said, you’re just another one of Snow White’s merry men, running to her rescue.  Only one of us has actually seen the evidence. She’s not innocent.”

Taggert reached for his water. “And when you’re wrong, I won’t even rub it in your face. Much.”

“We’ll see.” Gia waited as the waitress placed their orders in front of them, then left the table. “Now, talk to me about the new job in Buffalo. How is it going?”

PCPD: Conference Room

Dante stared at the new whiteboard he and Chase had been putting together that morning — with columns of suspects arranged across the surface and dozens of notes written in black marker. “You ever think Port Charles is turning into Alabama?”

“Because we’re related to every person that board by blood or marriage?” Chase wanted to know. He sat on the edge of the table. “Look, it’s not like Molly had a lot of choices, Dante. Everyone knows Anna isn’t in favor of this investigation. You and I are the only ones who aren’t afraid to piss her off.”

“Still.” Dante folded his arms. “We spent all morning putting this damn thing together. Let’s start eliminating people or figuring out the loose ends.”

“Okay, well, until the FBI gives us more info about Cates’ recent cases, we’re kind of out of luck on any enemies, so we had to start with people he pissed off in Port Charles. It starts with Jason—”

“Who’s eliminated because of his alibi.”

“Right. Then we’ve got Sonny — also eliminated by an alibi. But we know Cates wanted to get your dad pretty bad. He was willing to falsify evidence to get a case against Jason for leverage — which brings us to another trio of suspects. Ava Jerome, who he needed for the case against Kristina to go forward.”

“Says she was at the gallery, but the only camera footage we could get was the parking lot. Her car was there—”

“Security company is sending over fob access to the building — but that would only tell us if her key card was used. She could have given it to someone else. But I don’t know a lot of people who would cover for Ava.”

“Trina Robinson might. Without realizing it,” Dante added. “Did we talk to her? Or Joss Jacks? They’re together a lot.”

“No. I’ll put her on the list. Ava’s a good suspect, and I don’t think the FBI did much to eliminate her.”

“Especially since she’s got a record of murdering people who get in her way,” Dante murmured, thinking of his aunt. “But if the FBI had any evidence that Ava was planning to withdraw her statement, I gotta think they’d have gone after her. She’d be useful against Sonny, too.”

“Which is why I think they bumped her down. Her record makes her interesting, but for right now, she and Cates were allies. Still, she’s worth a re-interview.” Chase made another note.

Dante stared at the next two names. “Alexis Davis.”

“She’s also killed before. Luis Alcazar,” Chase said when Dante looked at him. “Long time ago. When Kristina was a baby. She, uh, claimed DID — after Jason and Brenda Barrett were convicted of the crime. She lost custody for a while, but regained it and kept her bar license.”

“Her alibi’s shaky. She was at home alone. She’d been with her daughters earlier that day, but they’d all left by then. Do we know why the FBI eliminated her?”

“I don’t know if they did. Without their records—” Chase jerked a shoulder. “No way to know for sure, but I figure they eliminated her because they only have motive. Remember, we got the impression they were pretty dead in the water because all they had was motive. Until that gun showed up.”

“Yeah. And, uh, Kristina.” Dante gestured, though the words were painful. “She said she was at her apartment. Did anyone verify that?”

“I don’t see any notes about it. We can talk to the apartment management. See if there’s lobby footage.” Chase paused, look at his partner. “Are we doing that to say we did it, or…?”

“Do I think Alexis or Kristina are guilty?” Dante exhaled slowly. “The brother in me says no way. Not with Elizabeth being on the hook for it. But you just told me that Alexis let Jason get convicted of a murder before this. What do we know about that case? How it went down?”

“Nothing really. You want me to pull it?”

“Maybe. I just—” Dante scrubbed his hands over his face. “I don’t know. I can’t see Kristina doing this. Not like this. If we’d found Cates beaten to death, maybe. Run over. Pushed out a window or something. It’s hard to see Kristina with a gun. But she’s got a temper. She wouldn’t frame Jason. She’s always loved him—”

“Because of his relationship to your dad or with Sam?” Chase wanted to know. “Didn’t you say there’s been friction with Jason and Sam—”

“Christ, Chase. Nothing serious enough that Krissy would want Jason tossed in jail for murder, and let’s remember — Jason’s not on the hook for this. Elizabeth is, and I just don’t see Kristina creating fake AI tips and hiding murder weapons.” Dante was quiet for a long moment. “But I’d feel better if we could eliminate Kristina entirely. Let’s get the apartment manager on the line. And pull that Alcazar file. I want to know if Alexis just sat by while Jason was convicted or if maybe she did something more than that.”

“Your dad would know—”

“We even hint to anyone that we’re tugging this line—” Dante was grim. “We’re dead in the water. Won’t even matter if Krissy is innocent. My dad will have her in a country without extradition before we can finish the question. Let’s eliminate them first. In fact—” He ripped down Kristina and Alexis’s photos, and crumpled them in the trash. Then he erased their profiles from the board. “Until we have a solid reason to put them back, this stays between us.”

“Yeah, I think Molly’s having enough trouble with her family. No point in telling her her mom and sister are prime suspects.”

“If anyone asks, Ava’s our target. Let’s get moving.”

PC High: Cafeteria

“But do you even wanna go to therapy?” Rocco scooped up a forkful of mac and cheese. “Like, what’s the point?”

Danny hunched his shoulders. “I don’t know. Do we have to keep talking about it?”

“Since this whole thing might mean me and Dad have to find another place to live, yeah. Come on, dude, what did we do that was so bad?” Rocco pointed at Aiden. “Don’t bring up being arrested.”

“Since you’re doing it for me, I won’t bother, and stop being such a dick. Danny’s gonna go to the doctor to get his dad off his back and get him out of trouble.” Aiden forced himself to sneer. “Don’t be jealous because you didn’t think of it and you’re stuck sweating your balls off at your grandma’s.”

“Yeah, yeah. You’re a real genius.” Rocco rolled his eyes. “I’m gonna go snag the math homework from Stevie. I’ll be back.”

When he’d gone, Danny cleared his throat. “Uh, thanks, I guess. I didn’t—I didn’t know what to say to him. I mean, I didn’t think of that angle.”

Aiden tipped his head. “That’s not why you’re doing it? I figured my mom brought it up and you jumped on it.”

“Oh.” Danny waited a beat. “I mean, your mom did bring it up.”

“But it’s not why you said yes?” When Danny didn’t immediately answer, Aiden shook his head. “Never mind. It’s not my business. Or Rocco’s. It’s between you, your parents, and I guess my mom and Dante. You do what you gotta do, and I’ll have your back.”

Miller & Davis: Diane’s Office

“Are you sure you don’t want to give this to someone else?” Jason asked. “I don’t want to do anything that takes your focus from Elizabeth’s case—”

“Right now, I’m just waiting for the government to reply to my motion to dismiss and for Spinelli to unearth something I can use. Plus, I can do this petition in my sleep. Now sit down, you’re making me crazy with your pacing.” Diane gestured for him. “Would it be unprofessional of me to mention that I’ve had a custody petition prepared for you since you came home and Sam started denying your right to see Danny?”

Jason just sighed. “No. Did you have to change much?”

“Just adding a section about denial of mental healthcare to a minor with substance issues that began under the custodial parent’s nose—”

“Diane, I’m not looking to blame anyone—”

“Well, I’m looking to win. Or did you want me to file this for giggles?” Diane peered at him over her reading glasses. “Now, you’ll just sign here and here — and I’ll have Sam served as soon as possible. I’ll even make a house call.”

“Don’t enjoy this so much. You used to like Sam—”

“I thought she’d grown up, so yes. But she’s running the same games she did the first time I met her. She had no problem using your name, your bank account, and every other privilege that came her way thanks to you — she wanted that child desperately, Jason, you remember that. Your child. And now that she has that permanent lock on your bank accounts—well, she just can’t be bothered to share him. Not only that, but she’s using petty grievances to deny Danny the help he needs—and wants.” Diane sniffed, shoved the petition towards him. “This isn’t going to court, Jason. Alexis will put the fear of God into her idiot daughter, and you’ll have permission by the morning. That’s a promise.”

Penthouse: Living Room

Sam stalked across the room, then whirled back to face her mother and Dante. “I’m not interested in making any compromises. If Jason wants to go to court, he can go to court—”

“I’ve tried everything,” Alexis told Dante with a sigh. “She won’t see reason.”

“I don’t know why you’re looking at me. I’m not having this argument again.” Dante leaned against the desk, folded his arms. “Sam knows where I stand on this—”

“That’s because he doesn’t know Elizabeth like I do.” Sam scowled. “She’s trying to steal my son from me. That’s how she does it. It’s how she crawled into Jason’s bed in the first place and created her precious Jake. She pretended to be on my side, to support me and Jason—”

“Got herself arrested to make sure Sam got a surgery she desperately needed,” Alexis told Dante. “She doesn’t like to remember that part—”

“She did it for Jason. Please. Mom. You know I’m not wrong. She’s got Jason back in her life, and she doesn’t want me anywhere near it, so she’s trying to cut me out.”

“I’m going to get Rocco from my mom’s. When I get back, can we be done with this? Either go to court, or not. I’m tired of this, Sam.”

“Oh, I’m sorry I’m inconveniencing you—” Sam began, but Dante jerked the door open.

“Danny got arrested for being drunk and high, Sam. And he’s been doing it for almost a year. That’s long enough to get addicted. Elizabeth and Jason want him to talk to a professional. And the best argument you got for why you’re saying no is your ex-husband’s girlfriend made the appointment. You’re being selfish, and you know it.”

Sam flinched when the door slammed behind her, and she looked at her mother with miserable eyes. “Mom.”

“You’re going to lose. A judge will grant Jason the right to make medical decisions, and that’s one more step towards full custody. He’ll drop the custody suit if you sign the paperwork.” Alexis tapped the paperwork on the desk. “Sign this, Sam, and this goes away.”

“Sign this and let Elizabeth have a permanent role in my son’s life, sure. That’s easy for you to say. But you know what? Fine. Fine. But I want Danny to know I was forced do this, so when it blows up in all your faces, Danny will know who had his back. I know what my son needs better than anyone else.”

“Then sign it, and sit back for your moment of glory, Sam.” Alexis held out the pen and Sam jerked it out of her hand, scrawling her name at the bottom. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me. When this ends in disaster, I’ll be ready to say I told you so.”

+35

Written in 65 minutes. For those of you worried about Thursday and Liason’s plans, listen — you can do a lot with a free morning and kids in school.

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

PCPD: Conference Room

“Nothing surprising with the re-interviews,” Chase said, peering at their whiteboard. They’d written the original statement information with black marker, and added any extra notes in red.

There was very little of that.

“Other than Jake thinking there was a pause between the first shot and the rest, it didn’t give us anything. I mean, that’s not a bad thing. Their stories didn’t change.”

“But they didn’t recite them,” Chase added. He tapped Jake’s interview. “Dex sent me his recording of Danny’s interview, and Danny doesn’t really remember a pause, but he does remember they both thought it was fireworks until they heard more shots, so there’s an argument that there had to be some sort of break.”

“Like someone who wasn’t planning to shoot, but once they had—” Dante folded his arms, walked over to the new board they’d added, detailing the victim and his ties to the various suspects. “I don’t know what to do with Cates manufacturing evidence against Jason. Or the computer evidence suggesting he was planning his own assault.”

“And it was all recent — created that day. So it’s not like anyone had time to find out. But it does tell us our vic wasn’t a shining beacon of truth and integrity.” Chase furrowed his brows. “He could have gone to the boathouse to bait Jason into taking a swing. It’s difficult but not impossible. But no one puts Jason anywhere near the lake until after the shots. So was Cates interrupted—”

“The Quartermaine barbecue was common knowledge, and anyone who’s keeping track of Jason’s movements would know he was there,” Dante pointed out. “What if Cates was planning to leave some evidence that he’d been hurt there. You know, cut himself and leave some blood or something. He’d have that voicemail to go with it — it’d be enough to pull Jason in for questioning, probably an arrest.”

“Automatic federal jurisdiction. Probably run the same playbook Caldwell did — get him moved somewhere away from family and support. Try to get bail denied. Maybe  Cates wanted to force him into the deal.” Chase blew out an exasperated breath. “But this doesn’t get us any closer to who killed him.”

“Just makes the list of suspects longer,” Dante muttered. He stroked his chin. “Okay. Let’s take another look at the reports. There has to be something we’re missing.”

Penthouse: Living Room

“I’m guessing this isn’t a social visit,” Sam said dryly, accepting her mother’s kiss on the cheek. She met Kristina’s worried gaze. “What happened?”

“Nothing yet—” Alexis removed her jacket and set her briefcase on the desk. “But Diane gave me a heads up. Some paperwork is getting filed in family court tomorrow.” She hesitated. “Jason’s filing an emergency petition to make medical decisions for Danny — and a more straightforward request for full custody.”

She’d half-expected that news, but even as Sam absorbed her mother’s words, she realized now there was a piece of her that had expected Jason to back down. He always did when it came to Danny — always deferred to her decisions.

But that was before Elizabeth had come roaring back into their lives, determined to meddle in Danny’s life.

“Well, he’ll lose on both, so—” Sam stopped when she saw her mother’s expression. “Mom. They can’t seriously think a judge will give him custody. He’s living with a woman suspected of murder—”

“She’s out on bail and hasn’t been convicted yet. And you’ve allowed that situation to continue,” Alexis pointed out. “Because you haven’t exactly dragged Danny home.”

Sam grimaced, looked at Kristina. “And I guess you’re here for moral support.”

Kristina perched on the arm of the sofa. “I know this has been hard, Sam. And I hate that Jason thinks he can swoop in here after all this time and decide what’s right for Danny.”

“I can hear the ‘but’ coming from a million miles away,” Sam muttered. She pursed her lips. “And I’m sure walking out of the PCPD on Saturday night is mentioned. So much for keeping all of that under wraps—”

“Saturday night got written up as two intoxicated teenagers brought in and released to their parents, which is better for everyone,” Alexis stressed. “Yes, Elizabeth’s name was kept out of it, and so was Aiden’s. But no one’s mentioning the marijuana Rocco and Danny were carrying — and that’s not something that gets swept under the rug. Unless you think it would be a great idea for us to swing back by mentioning your drunk, high son badgered a sober teen into leaving his house in the middle of the night, and caused all three of them to get picked up.”

“I’m just sick of Elizabeth somehow walking out of every situation smelling of roses. I shot and killed a terrible, awful predator and ended up jail with a felony record. She helped Nikolas keep Esme hostage for months, and got to walk away with immunity. And now she’s  telling me my son needs therapy — what would she know about it?” Sam huffed and stalked towards the fireplace, boiling.

“Sam—”

“Twenty years, Mom. You realize it’s been almost twenty years that I haven’t been able to turn and not deal with her. Always there. The perfect woman. The perfect mother. Jason put her on a pedastal, shoved that kid right up there with her, and then there’s me and Danny, the family he settled for. You think Danny doesn’t know that? You think he doesn’t feel that, living in that house with the golden child and his precious, perfect mother?”

Alexis pressed her lips together, took a deep breath. “I’m telling you that a judge is going to take one look at Jason’s petition and wonder why you don’t want Danny to see a substance abuse counselor—”

“He’s not an addict, Mom! Oh my God, he’s been drinking on the weekends. So did half of the kids I knew grew up! Kristina—”

“I mean, she’s not wrong, Mom,” Kristina offered. “Kids experiment. There’s no reason to trot them off to therapy. Danny shouldn’t be forced into this if he doesn’t want it—”

“Danny has been drinking and getting high for the better part of the year,” Alexis cut in sharply. “And addiction runs in his family. On both sides of the blood line,” she added with Sam opened her mouth. “And the counselor in question has a great deal of accolades. Whatever the motivation, the judge isn’t going to care about that. They’re going to see you denying your son access to health care. Jason will win, at the very least, the right to send Danny to this doctor. And if we end up in an actual custody hearing, do you think Diane doesn’t know exactly what buttons to push to make you look unfit?”

Sam’s eyes burned. “So I have no choice? Danny is my son. He has no right—”

“He has every right, Sam. Danny is his son, too. And if you go in front of a judge with that attitude, even I won’t be able to save you.”

Webber House: Cameron’s Room

“Do I have to testify?” Danny sat cross-legged on the bed, his Switch discarded next to him, tossed aside as soon as his father had knocked on the door. “I mean, do I have…to like pick where I want to live?”

Jason sighed, lowered himself onto the desk chair. “I think, if  your mom refuses to sign the paperwork, it might come to that. I don’t like it. I’ve done everything I can to keep that from happening. I never wanted that for you or Jake, to have your parents fighting over you.”

“That’s why you kept going along with Mom all summer, and why you agreed to let Elizabeth supervise visits.” Danny made a face. “Because you’d rather let her have her way than fight?”

“It’s part of it,” Jason admitted. “I watched Michael and Morgan be used in Sonny and Carly’s divorce case, and they were miserable. They’re not bad parents, but they could be…” He hesitated, trying to think of another word, but he really didn’t have one. “They could be selfish. For me, you and Jake always came first. But your mom loves you, and I could understand that she was worried about my time as an informant following you. I understood her fears, and decided to put up with it as long as she wasn’t completely keeping me from you.”

“But you don’t feel like that now.”

“No. I don’t think her refusal to sign the treatment paperwork has anything to do with you, Danny.”

“It’s because Elizabeth found the doctor. Rocco said it’s what she and Dante argued about.” Danny stared at his hands. “That’s it. She’s saying no because she hates Elizabeth.”

Jason scratched his cheek, uncomfortable with the turn of the conversation, but finally nodded. “Yeah. I think that if your grandmother had found him or Dante, this wouldn’t be an issue. I’m sorry, Danny. I think going to this guy could help. And to make it happen, I have to force your mom say yes or ask a judge to do it for me.”

Danny nodded, then met his dad’s worried gaze. “We’re staying here because you and Elizabeth are, like, together, right? It’s not just because of her case. Or because of me. And Mom’s mad about that. Even though she has Dante and has for years. She doesn’t want me to live here.”

“I don’t think she does, no. And if that’s her main problem, we’ll find somewhere else to live. Elizabeth will understand—”

“I don’t—” Danny stopped, bit his lip. “I don’t want to find somewhere else. I like being here. I never got to live with Jake before, and his brothers—I dunno. I like how he and Aiden are. And when Cam was here. They’re, like, real brothers. Me and Jake aren’t like that. So if it’s okay, I want to stay. Even if it makes Mom mad. Because it shouldn’t. You should get to be happy, too, right? Like she and Dante are. I don’t think she should get to mess that up.”

“Elizabeth and I can be together even if we’re not living together,” Jason assured Danny. “But yeah, I like being here, too. With you and Jake. I never had that before, either.”

“Mom’s throwing a tantrum. Like she’s toddler. Scout used to throw things and cry and scream when she didn’t get her way, and Mom never gave in, and eventually Scout would stop crying and now she doesn’t do it anymore. So we can’t give in or Mom will just keep doing stuff like this. Maybe it’s a doctor this week, but it could be something else later.” Danny seemed to be a bit more sure of himself and lifted his chin. “So it’s okay if you have to get a court to stop Mom from kicking and screaming like Scout. Maybe she’ll learn and won’t do it again.”

Maybe, Jason thought, but he had his doubts. Sam never seemed to learn her lesson, and even if he won this fight, there would be other confrontations. But he couldn’t keep giving in because Sam was Danny’s mother. Couldn’t keep letting her win just to keep the peace.  It wasn’t right for Danny, and it wasn’t right for him.

He was Danny’s father, and he had every right to make decisions for his son. Sam would have to get over it.

Webber House: Jake’s Bedroom

Though they hadn’t planned it, Elizabeth had come up the stairs with Jason, hoping to get a temperature check with Jake, and instead of had found him finishing another pencil sketch at his desk, and not really in the mood for a heart to heart.

“I told you, Mom, I go with the flow.” Jake reached for his sharpener. “Things are fine right now. As long as I don’t think too hard about the ankle monitor on your leg.” He glanced down at the plastic barely visible beneath her pant leg. “Doesn’t that bother?”

“It’s not my favorite accessory,” Elizabeth admitted. “But it’s a small price to pay to be out and back home. I know you’re pretty easy-going, Jake, and that things are better with your dad, but I don’t take any of that for granted. I hope you know that.”

“Mom—” Jake looked at her, then shook his head. “I don’t know how you can be so calm or up here asking me if I’m okay. I should be asking you that. These last few weeks — I was being an ass, and then you got arrested, and you were gone—” He stared hard at the surface of his desk and didn’t speak for a minute. “And you were home for five seconds before my idiot brothers caused you a bunch of problems, and now Sam is being a bitch—sorry,” he muttered.

“I’m not worried about Sam. Or the charges against me. I have months before I’d go on trial, and I trust Diane and Spinelli to find out what really happened long before that.” She tipped her head. “As for your idiot brothers, I’m glad Saturday happened. Maybe not the way it went down,” she clarified when he snorted. “But I’m relieved to know what they were doing. And why. I can’t help you guys if you don’t tell me what’s going on.”

“I guess. And Danny needed the kick in the ass.” Jake exhaled in a huff. “Cam never would let me get away that vaping crap. I should have came to you. I would have maybe, but then Finn caught me with it, and it was a whole thing—” He looked at her again. “Can I tell you again how happy I am he’s gone?”

“Only if I get to tell you again how proud of I am of you for how you handled that. And don’t pretend Cameron always got it right with you and Aiden. You boys did plenty of fighting, especially you and Cam. But you stick together when it matters, and that’s what we’re doing for Aiden and Danny.”

“Yeah, I guess. But if I’d said something months ago, maybe Danny wouldn’t need to talk to a counselor.” Jake looked at her again. “Thank you. For never treating Danny like he’s not my brother, too. I know you and Dad have a weird, tragic history that I’m not asking about or anything, but like, I can do math. You and Dad had me, and then he got married to Sam and had Danny. You could resent him. The way she doesn’t like me, I guess. But you didn’t. Danny can’t go to his mom with this stuff, obviously. But he’s got you, and I know he’ll be okay because of that.”

“There’s a lot to unpack in that,” Elizabeth said, “and most of it, I’m not going to address. I’m sorry if you’ve felt Sam’s feelings toward you. She hid it most of the time, but I guess it wasn’t as well as I thought. As for resenting Danny—” she bit her lip. “There was a time when I resented the idea of him,” she admitted. “But never Danny the person. You could have resented him, too. For living with his dad more than you have.”

“Maybe. But he lived with Sam, so—” Jake grinned, and she felt her lips twitch. “It all worked out. Now we both have Dad, and, I guess, now we both have you.”

Penthouse: Living Room

Kristina handed Sam another glass of wine, then sat next to her on the sofa. “Mom’s right about the legal part of it, Sam, I know that sucks to admit it—”

“Oh, if you were  going to take her side, you could have left with her,” Sam muttered. She curled up into the corner of th sofa, her fingers curled around the stem of the glass. “I don’t want to hear it. I agreed to sign the stupid paperwork, didn’t I?”

“I just meant that legally, we don’t have a lot of choices, but that doesn’t mean we can’t find another way to play this.” Kristina leaned forward. “Elizabeth is trying to steal your son from you. It’s so clear to me, I don’t know why Mom doesn’t get it. So if she won’t help you fight back, I will.”

“Maybe we’ve both had enough wine,” Sam said, sitting up. “I don’t—I don’t think Elizabeth is trying to steal Danny from me. I think she’s just showing off, trying to get Jason to cut me out. She’s never liked having me around. And she’s not above stooping to playing dirty.”

“Well, neither am I.” Kristina smirked. “You might have lost this battle, Sam, but we’re going to win the war. You’ll see. Elizabeth isn’t going to be in the picture very long.”

+36