"Is something wrong, Mom?" said Matthew, the next morning.

"I can't find my wedding ring." said Rachel, "I've looked everywhere!"

"I don't know why you still wear it, anyway." said Matthew, "Carl is dead!"

"Not to me, he isn't!"

"It's time you moved on." said Matthew.

"How can I, when my life stopped the day Carl died?"

Lila, hearing this conversation, began putting on her coat with a haste that attracted Rachel's attention.

"Where are you going?" said Rachel.

"Ah'm goin' shoppin'." said Lila, "Ah wawnt to buy some thangs fo' Jasmine."

"That's nice," said Rachel, "Before you go, I'd like to see what's in your purse."

"Mah purse?" Lila instinctively clutched it close.

"What's this about, Mom?" asked Matthew.

"Lila couldn't take her eyes off my rings last night." said Rachel, "Then later, I caught her sneaking into my room."

"Sneakin'?" said Lila, indignantly, "Ah Tole you Ah wawnted to ask yo' opinion about Jasmine's christenin'!"

"There's more!" said Rachel, "I locked my door last night - and this morning, it was open!"

"Matt, ah you gonna let yo' Momma Slander the mother of yo' chile?"

"I think you'd better let us look inside your purse." said Matthew , taking it out of her hands, and upending it over the coffee table.

"See?" said Lila, "No weddin' ring! Ah hope yo' satisfied!" She reached for the purse.

"Not so fast!" said Rachel, "Most purses have at least one zippered compartment."

She took the purse, undid the zipper and reached inside.

"Mine, I think!" she said, holding up the ring.

Lila blushed scarlet.

"This doesn't make sense!" said Matthew.

"No, it doesn't." said Rachel, "If you were planning to sell it, why didn't you take the diamond as well? It's worth a lot more."

"Ah wasn't gonna SELL it!" said Lila indignantly, "Ah - was jist - borrowin' it!"

"Why?"

"Fo' - fo' a love spell! One of th'ingredients is the weddin' ring of a happy couple."

Matthew and Rachel exchanged looks of incredulity.

"That's ridiculous!" said Matthew.

"To you, mebbe!" said Lila, "But in Norlans, we believe in Voodoo!"

(Note: Natives of New Orleans, like Lila and Harry Connick Jr, pronounce the name of their city as 'Norlans'.)

She grabbed her purse, stuffed her possessions back into it, and ran out the front door.

Rachel slid her ring back onto the appropriate finger. "This never leaves my hand again!"

****

Meanwhile, down at Carlino's, Nick was questioning Remy: "What do you mean, there's nothing to be done?"

"Keep your voice down!" said Remy, "I don't want Paulina to know that I'm - YIPES!"

She ducked behind the counter. Nick leaned over it.

"What are you doing?" he said, "Are you dizzy again?"

"No! Sssshhh!" Remy duckwalked into the kitchen. Nick followed her.

"What's going on?" he demanded, as she stood up.

"I don't want Her to see me!" said Remy, peeking around the edge of the serving hatch.

"Who? That blonde woman? Who is she?"

"Somebody I - used to know. It's none of your business!"

****

"What do you mean, no crime has been committed?" said Donna, "Marley build a CELL in her basement!"

"There's no law says you can't build anythin' you like in your own basement." shrugged Joe.

"But - she was planning to imprison Victoria!"

"You got no proof of that!"said Joe.

"She SAID she was building it For Victoria!"said Donna.

"She said she was building somethin'. Did she say it was the cell? Did she tell you, in so many words, that she was plannin' to imprison her sister?"

"No, but - why would Marley build a cell, unless it's part of her plan to get Jake back?"

"Maybe she's kinky." said Joe, "Lotsa people are into S-M. Does Marley wear a lotta black leather?"

"OOOH, what's the use of even talking to you? You Blockhead!" said Donna.

****

Lila wandered through downtown Bay City, wondering what to do next. After this morning's fiasco, Matthew was even less likely to marry her than he had been before! As for Zack, and his mysterious boss, Jordan Stark, she would only get Their help if she gave them Rachel's wedding ring.

Lila found herself outside a pawnshop. Her eyes idly scanned the contents of the window, then widened as they focussed on one object it contained. She entered the shop.

"Scuse me, how much is that weddin' ring in the window?" she said, "The one with the stripes?"

Rachel's ring - or one just like it! Jordan Stark would never know the difference!

*****

Nick waited outside Carlino's until the woman Remy was trying to avoid left, then followed her. She went straight to the Lumina Building. Nick approached her in the parking lot.

"Didn't we meet at the Lumina Ball, Ms - uh?"

"Margaret Allen - and no, I don't believe we were introduced."

"Nick Hudson." He offered her his hand. She gave it a prefunctory shake.

"I think we have a mutual friend - Remy Woods." he said.

"I am not acquainted with anyone of that name." said Ms Allen, "I have work to do."

She went into the building.

"You may not know Remy, but she knows You!" said Nick.

****

"Good morning, Beautiful Lady!" said Sergei, entering Felicia's bedroom with a tray, "Sergei brings you breakfast in bed: orange juice - I squeeze it myself, croissants - I make special trip to bakery, strawberries and cream -"

"Did you milk the cow yourself?" said Felicia, sitting up.

"Sergei does not milk cows! That is what I left collective farm to get away from!"

"Sorry! Is there any coffee?"

"Is perking, even as we speak."

"Sergei, this is too much!"

"Is least Sergei can do for beautiful Felicia, who save him from sleeping in gutter!"

"I mean, it's too much for me to eat by myself." said Felicia, "Why don't you share it with me?"

"Is my pleasure!" said Sergei, sitting beside her on the bed. Felicia smiled, and popped a strawberry into his mouth.

****

"Amanda, there's somethin' I gotta know!" said Cameron, "When I peeked through that ventilator on Boca Linda, I saw you on the bed with Scott Guthrie; he was kissin' you, and undressin' you - how far did you two go?"

"I would Never have let Scott Touch me if I wasn't trying to get information! said Amanda, "You Know that!"

"Yeah, but, is there any chance that could be Scott's kid you're carryin'?"

"Certainly not! It's Gary's baby!" said Amanda, "Or maybe Joe's."

"Joe's? Joe Carlino?"

"We'd been having an affair - but I broke it off, just before Boca Linda."

Cameron shook his head. "So - all those months - when I thought you and me were fallin' in love - you were sleepin' with that cop?"

"I Did fall in love with you!" said Amanda, "That Why I told Joe we were through!"

"I thought you had class!" said Cameron, "But you're nothin' but a cheap slut!"

He slammed the door on his way out. Amanda shook her head; she should have known Cameron would take that attitude.

"Oh well!" Amanda turned towards the living room. Paulina was standing there, glaring at her. If looks could kill, Amanda would have dropped dead on the spot!

****

The white van drove slowly along the street. The three men inside were an oddly-assorted trio: one with mild blue eyes and a neatly-trimmed beard, the second with lank blonde hair down to his shoulders, and the third a thickset little gnome of a man, who needed a shave.

"There it is!" he said, "The Lumina Building!"

(What the heck - why not toss The Lone Gunmen into the mix,and see what develops? :-D)