"You didn't do it?" said Cass.

"NO!" said Lila.

"But - you confessed!"

"Ah mos' certainly did not!"

"According to the police report, you said : 'I didn't mean to kill her'."

"Well, no! Ah wawnted Sofia out of Matt's laff, but Ah didn' wawnt her daid! Ah didn' hit her on the haid!

"Then - who did?"

"Jo'dan Stahk!" said Lila, 'Well, it was pro'bly Zack who did the actual hittin', but Stahk tole him to do it."

"Maybe you'd better begin at the beginning." said Cass, "What did Stark have against Sofia?"

"Nothin'!" said Lila, "Stahk promised me that he'd make Matt marry Me, not Sofia! Well, if Sofia was daid, Matt Couldn' marry her! But Ah never wawnted her daid."

"You were heard to make death threats, at the Harbour Club."

"That was jist tawk!"

****

"Nick says he'll pay for the operation." said Remy.

"YES!" Tito punched the air like a successful quarterback.

"There's a problem." said Remy, "He wants me to send my medical records to Dr Baxley's clinic, and I don't Have any!"

"Leave it to me, Peaches." said Tito, "If Nick Hudson wants brain tumor x-rays, I'll give them to him! You just concentrate on getting him to sign that cheque!"

****

"Sofia woke up for a minute." Matthew told the doctor, "She knew me. That's a good sign, right?"

"Yes, it is. Have you been here all night? You should go home and get some sleep."

"I want to be here when Sofia wakes up." Matthew protested.

"You won't be any use to Sofia if you're asleep on your feet." the doctor pointed out, "I'll have the nurses call you as soon as she regains consciousness."

Matthew stifled a yawn; he had been awake for nearly thirty hours, and his eyelids felt as though they had lead weights attached.

"Maybe you're right." he said, "You promise they'll call me?"

"Absolutely."

****

Lila was giving a statement:

"And there was this man, bendin' ovuh somethin' on the dock. When he saw me, he ran away. Then Ah investigated, and found out it was Sofia. When Ah saw all that blood, Ah screamed. Ah don' remember much, aftuh that."

"So - you're innocent?" scoffed Joe, "You and every other lowlife scumbag we've got in custody."

"What did the man look like?" asked Josie.

"Ah only saw him from the back." said Lila, "He was wearin' dahk clothes. But Ah sho' it was Zack Wilder. Or mebbe Jo'dan Stahk!"

****

"Sergei Radzinski? Agent Hill - Agent Thomas , INS. You're under arrest."

"NO!" Sergei was quickly subdued and put into handcuffs.

"Don't worry, Sergei, I'll get Cass to represent you at the hearing." said Felicia.

"What hearing?" said Agent Hill (or Thomas), "We're taking him straight to the airport and putting him on the next plane back to Russia!"

"You can't do that!" said Felicia, "Sergei and I are getting married!"

"Paper marriages don't count." said Agent Thomas/Hill.

"What do you mean, 'paper marriage'?" said Felicia, "Sergei's been living with me! He's my lover!"

****

Meanwhile, Grant received a phonecall.

"Jordan Stark here. I suppose you've heard the news? Sofia Carlino was attacked, and almost killed, outside the Harbour Club last night."

"W-what about it?" said Grant.

"This is what happens when amateurs try to do the job of professionals." said Stark, "You should have left it to me."

"I - don't know what you mean!"

"You lured your wife to the Harbour Club in order to kill her - but you attacked the wrong woman."

"Don't be absurd!" said Grant, "I'm wearing an electronic shackle. My every move is monitored!"

In reply, Grant heard his own voice: "There must be some way to get it off!"

"You - you bugged me?" he said.

"One million dollars, or I turn this tape over to the police." said Stark, "I'm sure Captain Carlino will be interested; that's His sister in the hospital!"

****

"What are you doin' here, Rachel?" said Joe.

"I've arranged to pay Lila's bail. I've come to take her home."

"You're doin' that - after she nearly killed my sister?"

"I'm doing it for Jasmine's sake. " said Rachel, "She won't stop crying; she needs her mother."

"Yeah? She's gonna have to get used to doin' without her!" Joe's phone rang. "Carlino! Great! I'll be right there!" He slammed down the phone. "Sofia's awake!"

"That's wonderful news!"

****

Sofia focused her eyes on her brother. "Joe? What happened?'

"I was hopin' you'd tell me!" said Joe, "Do you remember who attacked you?"

"Attacked?"

Matthew burst into the room. "Sofia! I came as soon as I heard!"

"Do you mind?" said Joe, "I'm tryna get a statement here!"

"What happened?' said Sofia, "Why am I in the hospital?"

"You were attacked, outside the Harbour Club last night." said Matthew. "Don't you remember?'

"No." said Sofia, "Where's Nick?"

"Nick?"

"Why isn't he here? Is he okay?" Sofia was starting to get agitated.

"Nick's fine!" Matthew soothed her, "I'll call him and tell him you want to see him."

"Good." Sofia closed her eyes and went to sleep, as Joe and Matt exchanged puzzled looks.

***

To be continued.