February 2, 2004

Elizabeth Lansing tugged her jacket more tightly around her bulging middle as she followed her husband down the docks steps. “Do we really have to go this?” she sighed. “I’d much rather just stay at home and keep my feet up.”

Ric chuckled and pressed an absent minded kiss to her temple. “We’ll just make a quick appearance and we’ll go, I promise. I’m running to take Scott Baldwin’s office and it’s never too early to make a good impression on people.” His eyes turned dark and troubled as he gazed out over the water. “I have so much to make up for–so much to make people forget.”

Elizabeth smiled warmly and touched his shoulder. “Honey…you can’t make people forget. You can’t even make them forgive you. You just…have to move on from it.”

He turned to look at her. “Is that what you did?” he asked. “Did you just move on from it?”

“What else could I do?” she answered honestly. “What you did to me this summer was neither forgettable nor forgivable. All I could do was move on. I chose to marry you again–to spend my life with you because I believe that you are changing or at least…that you want to change.” She narrowed her eyes. “As long as you don’t lie to me…that’s all I can hope for right now.”

Ric nodded. “I will never lie to you again,” he vowed. He laced their fingers together and brought her hand to his lips. “I love you with everything that’s inside me and that will never change.”

“Well, that’s a start,” Elizabeth murmured. “Come on…let’s get this night over with.”

—

Zander Smith secured the explosive and checked the detonation device one more before shoving into his jacket pocket. One last job. One last thing before he left this town and put it behind him for good.

He stood and took a deep breath. When this was over, maybe he’d take on a different name. Let the name Alexander Lewis die for good.

After all…being Alexander or Zander had never given him much happiness.

He went to the stairs that would take him to the main deck of the Haunted Star. When he reached the landing, he saw Ric guide his pregnant wife into the main room. He let his eyes linger on Elizabeth for a few moments. She was carrying his child and part of him was rebelling against the decision to stay away–of handing his child over to her and her husband.

But a larger and much stronger part knew better. Knew he’d only poison the child and ruin his life.

He ruined everything he put his hands on.

Better to let a good, kind and compassionate woman like Elizabeth raise their child. She was so pure–so opposite of who he was. She’d be good to him and maybe one day she’d tell their baby about a friend she’d known once. If she did, Zander knew she’d only tell him good things.

Even if she had to make them up.

With a start, he realized that the explosive he’d just rigged to go off in twenty minutes would undoubtedly trap the Lansings inside. Panicked, he turned around and bolted down the steps, intent on disarming the bomb.

—

“Excuse me for a moment,” Ric murmured to his wife as he spotted a somewhat intoxicated Brian Beck at the bar. “There’s Emily and Nikolas–why don’t you go speak with them?”

“Yeah, sure,” Elizabeth replied. She moved to talk to her friends while Ric crossed the span of the room and slid onto the seat next to the dark-haired officer.

“What brings you here?” he asked, ordering himself a drink and a water for Elizabeth.

Brian glared at him, his dark eyes slightly glassy from the alcohol. “She knows. And now she doesn’t trust me.”

“You knew that was a consequence of this,” Ric replied easily. “It’s not my fault you allowed yourself to get emotionally attached.”

“You know for someone so cold and unfeeling, I find it hard to believe that a woman like your wife gives a damn about you,” Brian seethed. He tossed the rest of his drink down and slammed the glass on the bar, gaining a few curious glances from people in his immediate vicinity.

Ric cleared his throat and glanced around with a disarming smile intended to assure everyone he had this situation under control. When he felt that their attention had wandered, he looked back at Brian and his eyes turned cold. “You don’t know a damn thing about my wife so just–”

“I know that she divorced you after you kidnapped Carly,” Brian retorted. “And I bet she wouldn’t take kindly to the idea of you arranging for me to use Courtney.”

“Elizabeth doesn’t even like Courtney, why would she give a damn what I did to her?” Ric demanded.

“Because she’s not like you. Because I’m not like you,” Brian challenged. “I don’t look at people and wonder what they can do for me. Because people like me are the ones people like you use and throw away. And I think you know exactly how she’d react.” He gestured towards her. “Why don’t I go tell her?”

Ric grabbed his arm and squeezed it tight. “Stay away from her,” he hissed.”

“Ric? Is everything all right?” Elizabeth asked softly. She put her hand on Ric’s arm–the one that was holding onto Brian. Immediately Ric released him.

“Everything’s fine, sweetheart,” Ric assured her. “Officer Beck and I were just talking.”

“That’s Detective Beck,” Brian seethed. He turned his gaze on the brunette. “Your husband and I were just discussing my failure in my latest assignment.”

“Detective,” Ric began.

“You know–the one where I try to get close to Courtney Morgan and get information on her brother and husband.”

Immediately Elizabeth’s eyes snapped to her own husband’s. “Is this true?” she demanded.

“Elizabeth, honey, this is just department business. Why don’t you go talk to–”

“Don’t send me away like a child,” Elizabeth snapped. “Is that true? Did you tell Brian to use Courtney to get to her brother?”

“Yep,” Brian confirmed. He ordered another shot. “‘Cept I decided I liked Courtney–respected her too much to do it. I let her catch me in the act so I could confess. But Ric wanted me to keep going. Find more information to put Sonny and Jason in jail.”

Elizabeth’s lower lip trembled. “It’s always going to be about Sonny, isn’t it?” she asked softly. She stepped away from Ric.

“Elizabeth, he’s drunk. He doesn’t know what he’s saying–”

“Oh.” Elizabeth looked at Brian who met her gaze head on. His eyes were slightly unfocused but he was telling the truth. It sent her heart to her feet as she turned back to Ric. “Not ten minutes ago, you promised me honesty. And then you just lied to my face. I’m really glad that our marriage means so much to you.”

“Elizabeth,” Ric protested.

“I’m going home,” she seethed. She whirled around and stalked across the room. Ric took off after her.

Brian just shrugged and downed the shot the bartender had put in front of him.

—

“Shit, shit, shit,” Zander moaned. He stepped back from the bomb with five minutes to go. He darted up the stairs and burst out onto the deck where Ric had caught up with Elizabeth and they were arguing bitterly.

“You’re always lying!” she yelled. “It doesn’t matter what the subject is! You lie like someone people breathe!”

“It’s not uncommon for people to do assignments like this!” Ric retorted. “It’s a job I have to do and until you learn to trust me–”

“You used an innocent woman to get to Sonny! When does it end?” she demanded. “Why can’t you just do things by the book?”

“Because if I did that, no one would ever get caught!”

“You two have to leave right now!” Zander yelled from across the dark. He jogged over to them. “Seriously. Go. Now.”

Elizabeth shook her head, ignoring Zander. “I’m going home with Emily and Nikolas,” she told Ric. She turned and stalked back inside.

Ric glared at the father of his wife’s child. “What the hell do you want?” he demanded.

Zander ignored him ad took off after Elizabeth. She had to get out of there. Immediately. “Elizabeth!” he called frantically.

She turned and frowned. “Zander? What’s wrong with you?”

He yanked on her elbow. “You have to go. Right now.”

“What’s going on?” Elizabeth demanded. “Zander?”

He licked his lips nervously. “Look…I can’t explain right now. Will you just…please just–”

Suddenly the ground shook beneath them, the lights flickered and then went out. Someone screamed.

Another explosion–this one was much larger and more intense sent Elizabeth flying to the ground.

Outside, Ric saw flames licking at the sides of the boat from a large gaping hole that was rapidly taking on water. His eyes widened and he felt the boat shift to the side.

The Haunted Star was sinking.

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