| Madison
Central Sanitarium: San Francisco
"Thank you Nurse Bauer." Stephanie responds sweetly and flashes her a smile. You'll keep. She thinks to herself as she walks out of the recreation room and down the narrow, light deprived corridor to her room. As usual when a visitor is present, a guard is posted outside and he stares at her as she enters. "Stephanie." The visitor is Julia Wheeler and she wrings her hands nervously as the door to the cell is closed. "Out of all the people I expected to pay me a visit, you weren't one of them." "Believe me this isn't social. I don't enjoy spending my free time conversing with psychos." Stephanie responds by smiling, "I take it you didn't come to insult me either. Perhaps this is about…my parole hearing coming up and the fact that I'm going to be getting out of this place pretty soon." "No Stephanie." Julia stands to face her tormentor. "You're not getting out of here at all. I'll see to that." "And how pray tell do you plan on keeping me in here? Sleeping with Dr Bryce?" Stephanie shakes her head. "Sorry but he's got another playmate so you're womanly charms won't work this time." "I don't have to sleep with anybody." Julia lowers her voice to a near whisper. "I know you murdered Angela Mitchell. And I won't hesitate to tell the parole board what I know even if it gets David indicted for conspiracy. Because it would be worth it to see you remain behind bars and in a padded cell where you belong. The brown jumpsuit really does suit you. It brings out the red in your eyes" "Oh God." The threat seems to amuse Stephanie who laughs heartily. "For a supposedly smart woman you're pretty stupid aren't you? What evidence do you think you can find to pin it on me? Your testimony? I think that could be discredited considering Douglas's shooting was never solved and you are a likely suspect. And what about the fact that you were having an affair with my husband? The board won't believe someone with your record of duplicity. They'll think you're just jealous and you want to snare David by keeping me locked up." "Angela's body is buried in Oakwood Forest. That strikes me as being crucial evidence." "Wrong again!" Stephanie exclaims with delight. "I'm one step ahead of you aren't I? The Oakwood Medical Center has been built there. After all the hard work our Congressman put in to having the place built, the authorities are not going to dig it up just because you say there's a body buried underneath it. And honestly, Jessica probably wouldn't like explaining to people that her prospective mother-in-law is locked up in an asylum. That's one hell of a social faux-pas and she might not forgive you for contributing towards it." Julia swipes her purse from beside her and moves furiously towards the door, pointing a finger as she goes. "You should be afraid. I'm not going to rest until I see you kept here permanently. You're insane." "No!" Stephanie booms angrily and grasps Julia's arm preventing her from leaving. "I'm perfectly sane. But I am not going to rot in here any longer than I have to. And as for being afraid of you…you should be afraid of me because you and David are due for some serious payback."
Wheeler Corporation: San Francisco
"Sweetheart what is it?" Isabelle moves hurriedly around the side of her desk and holds out her arms to embrace her distressed daughter. "Mindy's blackmailing me." "Blackmailing you?" Isabelle begins to stroke Lauren's hair in an attempt to soothe her. "How? "She's going to go to the police unless I leave John. What the hell am I going to do?." "Sit down." Isabelle guides her to a chair and rests against the edge of her desk, trying to mentally sort her way through the ocean of problems that forever seems to surround the Wheeler family. "Do you think she'll be able to make a strong case?" "You remember the ambulance turned up very quickly after the accident?" Isabelle nods indicating that Lauren should continue. "I called them. During the fight, Mindy was trying to strangle me and I…well I think I knocked her out. I thought she was dead and I made the 911 call. I told the operator that I thought I had killed Mindy." "Oh God." Horrified, Isabelle shuts her eyes tightly and sighs. "You can't give in to her. It's wrong." "Do I have a choice? I could go to jail for this." Her composure seemingly returning, Lauren wipes her eyes. "Let me think about it. I'll take care of everything."
Cabin: Carmel
"You saved my life." She replies. "Is that what it takes?" "Don't spoil it." Adrienne reaches over and puts a finger to Travis's lips. "We seem to be getting things back on track here. Perhaps it took you saving me to realize that I've been stupid. Our marriage is still worth something." "Danielle should take some credit too." Travis is quick to add. "This trip was her idea." Travis is interrupted by a knock at the door and the couple look at each other in surprise. "Who could that be?" Adrienne scurries to pull on some clothes. After pulling on his pants and shirt, Travis goes to the door and pulls it open, his expression turning from a frown to a smile. "David!" "David?" Adrienne's voice is almost a horrified squeal as she repeats what her husband has said. "I hope I'm not intruding…" David produces some papers from under his arm. "But when I told you to come up here for the weekend I forgot that there were some case papers that you need to go over before Monday." "You're not intruding." Travis steps aside and makes an inviting sweeping gesture. "Come in." Adrienne turns away from both men and puts a hand to her face, knowing that they will be able to see how uncomfortable she is. "Hi Adrienne." David grins and she lifts a hand to wave to him. "I'm glad you turned up actually." Travis beams. "You can keep Adrienne company for a while. I've got to go out and get some fire wood. That is if you don't have to be going anywhere…" "No. I can stay." "Good. I'll be back as soon as possible. Bye honey." Travis kisses Adrienne's cheek before leaving the cabin. "Honey?" David scoffs when he is sure that Travis it out of earshot. "You're getting close aren't you?" "Why did you come up here?" Adrienne snaps at him. He is taken aback, "I thought you'd want me to come. You weren't exactly happy about spending the whole weekend with Travis." "Well Travis is my husband." Adrienne states matter of factly. "And I've decided to make the marriage work. That means…ending whatever it was we had." "I'm not ending anything." David is adamant. "You don't know what you're saying Adrienne." "I do…" She is cut off when David pulls her to him roughly and places his lips against hers. Her body becomes limp as he kisses her but she manages to pull away. "Don't please…Don't make it harder for me." "You want me. I know you do. Just give in." David's words work and Adrienne puts her arms around him, kissing him once more.
San Francisco General Hospital: San Francisco
The sound of her slamming door causes Mindy to turn with a jolt and she sees Isabelle standing beside her, a furious expression taking over her face. Without saying a word, Mindy reaches over for her security alarm but Isabelle rips it away from her. "Give that to me." "I don't think so." "Look I don't know why you're here." Mindy tries to keep her voice soft and her attitude respectful. "But I don't want to get into an argument." "I don't think that will be necessary if I achieve what I came here for. Lauren told me you've been blackmailing her so you can cut the sweet and innocent act. I may barely know you but you're not convincing me." Mindy grits her teeth, "John is the father of my child! I am doing what it takes to get him back. It's nothing personal." "Nothing personal?" Isabelle blares. "Are you deranged?" "No I'm in love! And I know that John wants me." "If that were true he wouldn't have come back to the valley and married Lauren for a second time. You were a meal ticket to him! A chance to get the money he craved for. But he's grown up now. I was just as dubious about his feelings for Lauren when he came here but I put them to the test and I may not like him, but he is my daughter's husband. Not yours." "Have you come here to bully me into leaving? Because it's not going to work." Isabelle stifles a chuckle, amused by Mindy's stupidity. "Did you really think you could take on the might of the Wheeler family and win? You're playing a very dangerous game." "I'm not scared of you! I've got information about you too!" Mindy spits and pulls herself into a sitting position, her eyes keenly trained on the intruder. "Let me guess. It wouldn't concern Ian Sanderson would it? If so then that should be warning enough." Isabelle bends down and puts her face only inches away from Mindy's. "He made my daughter's life a living nightmare. But I got rid of him and now I'm getting rid of you. Whatever it takes."
Bobby's Apartment: San Francisco
"Are you having me followed?" She demands to know with a little more directness than she had originally planned. "Followed? What would make you think that?" "Because for the past couple of days, a silver Chrysler has been following me everywhere and I am getting sick of it. I just came back from visiting Stephanie Elliott in the institution and the bastard was on my tail again!" "A silver Chrysler…" Bobby strokes his chin and stares at her. "Alright, it was me." Julia laughs in disbelief and flings her hands in the air, "That's it? You're just going to admit it without an explanation?" "I've been worried about you. After the shooting I got a little restless and thought it was best that you have someone keep an eye on you…for your own sake I promise." "Worried." Julia begins to crumble and crosses her arms, pacing around the living room. She stops when she feels Bobby's hand on her shoulder. "That's all it was. I promise. I've been thinking about our relationship and I've decided I want to take things further. Hiring the guard to follow you was part of it." "Closer?" Julia sits down on a black leather chair and runs a hand through her hair. Lines appear around her eyes as she becomes confused. "We don't know each other that well. How could we possibly get closer?" "I want to marry you Julia." "M…marry me?" The proposal leaves Julia gasping for breath and she jumps up from her seat. "This is too sudden." "No it's not." Julia is sure she can hear desperation as Bobby speaks. "Tell me. Will you marry me?"
Golden Gate Park: San Francisco
Turning a corner, he finds himself in a more secluded area overshadowed by large trees, which whistle as the wind passes through their branches. And as he had expected to find in this tranquil haven, Danielle is sitting by her self. "I thought I'd find you here." He comments loudly, alerting her to his presence. "You were looking for me? Don't tell me you've had a sudden attack of conscience." She replies dryly and uses a hand to flick her hair out of her face. Her eyes return to staring at the rippled water in the river. "Maybe I have. Do you mind if I sit?" He points to the ground next to her and she shrugs. "What you said back at the house really hit home for me. I hope you don't truly believe that I would want to see you get hurt." "You haven't really given me the impression to suggest otherwise." "True." He concedes as he lowers himself next to her and brushes dirt off his jacket. "So is that all you wanted to see me for? To ease your conscience now that you realize lesbians have feelings too?" Danielle rolls her eyes and begins to wring her hands. "I always knew you had feelings. But I have to admit I ignored them until this…situation with Courtney. It suddenly struck me what an…" "Ass." "Okay what an ass I've been. I may still have trouble…accepting…what you are but I'm willing to work at it. And most importantly of all, I want to know what happened between you and Courtney." "So do I." Danielle replies wistfully and breaking her attempts to ignore Greg, she turns around to face him. "I went to say goodbye to her at the airport…She was boarding the plane with her arms around another woman." "That could be perfectly innocent." Greg tries to convince her. "I tried to think so. But she told me she had to go back to England so suddenly because her mother was sick. I called the Perkins house and guess who was perfectly healthy." "Her mother?" Danielle nods, "I can't believe I've been so stupid." "You're not stupid." Greg says softly and puts an arm around her. "Did you get to confront her? You know, have it out with her?" "No. She got on the plane before I had a chance. And it's not exactly something I want to do over the phone." "Come on." Greg jumps up abruptly and grabs Danielle's hand to pull her into a standing position. "Where are we going?" She asks bemused as she stumbles to get up. "I think you need to pay Courtney a visit."
San Francisco General Hospital: San Francisco
"You sounded upset. What is it?" He sets Adam to down, allowing him to roam around and sits down at Mindy's bedside. "I remember…" She chokes, her voice breaking. "Remember? You remember what happened when you fell?" John asks urgently and grabs her hand. "Tell me! I want to know what happened!" Mindy wipes a crocodile tear from her eye. This is all too perfect. I warned you Lauren… "I came to the house looking for you but…you weren't there." "I went to see Isabelle." He informs her, inwardly scolding himself. "Yes but Lauren let me in. She was furious. I've never seen her so riled up. She said I was trying to seduce you and that she didn't want Adam around. I tried to assure her that I wasn't up to anything but she…she hit me." "Hit you?" John is astonished. "Yes. Things got worse and I went upstairs to try and get away from her. She was just ranting and raving…but she came after me. She pushed me over the balcony!" Mindy exclaims. "This is unbelievable. I don’t know what to do." John turns and glances at Adam who is staring back at him, puzzled by all the noise. "I've got to call the police. She's crazy. I can't risk her hurting Adam…" "She would never hurt a child." John tries to reason but even he begins to has doubts after what his ex-wife has told him. "I'm going to call them now…" Mindy reaches over for the phone on her nightstand but John presses his hand on hers to stop her. "No don't. Not yet. Let me find her first. I'll get to the bottom of it."
Richardson House: San Francisco
"Why don't you tell Isabelle? She'll understand." Guy tries to urge his sister. "I can't. Not until I decide what I want to do." Cassie shakes her head disapprovingly. "If this…Mindy woman is as desperate as you say she is then the truth will come out soon enough. Wouldn't it be better if your mother heard it from you rather than some supermarket rag?" "Possibly." Lauren is unable to agree with her and quickly looks at her watch to change the subject. "Hey, shouldn't Lucas be back by now?" Surprised by the distraction tactic, Cassie glances at Guy, panic evident in her voice. "He should have been back an hour ago. Oh God, where is he?" She jumps up from the table and rushes into the living room where she heads straight for the phone. "Cass." Guy follows her. "Calm down. There's probably traffic. You know that the roads to Santa Barbara are like on a weekend." "No, Jake's up to something. I can feel it." Shaking her head, Cassie picks up the phone and dials the number for Jake's cell phone but there is no answer. Furious, she slams the phone down and spins round. "We're going to have to do something." "You two go out if you want." Lauren offers. "I can stay here in case Jake comes back." Without having to think about it, Cassie grabs her purse and moves to the front door. "Thanks Lauren. I've got my cell switched on if you need to contact us." Annoyed by this urgency with which Cassie is treating the situation, Guy yanks the front door open but stops dead in his tracks when he sees Jake's car pulling up onto the driveway. "Cool it. He's here." Guy announces. "About damn time." Cassie hisses and Guy moves out of the way to let her through. "Cassie, calm down." Lauren calls out to quell her anger. "What's the matter Cassie?" Jake asks as he steps out of the car and moves around to the passenger side to retrieve Lucas. "You always have to push the limits don't you? You were supposed to bring him back an hour ago." "Chill woman!" Jake laughs. "Give him here!" Cassie lunges forwards and takes Lucas from his arms. "I warned you to keep in line. Don't make me lose my temper again." Jake smiles smugly as she walks back up the driveway and is amused at the group's attempt to ignore him as the front door slams shut. It is just their way of making him feel like an outsider. If you think that was bad Cassie. Just you wait…
Masters Mansion: San Francisco "Greg, I'm home! Where are you?" Isabelle shouts out wearily as she walks through the dimly lit hallway. She can hear a conversation taking place in the drawing room and decides to check out who is involved. When she enters she is immediately taken aback, "You two? Together?" Danielle glances up, halting her conversation with Greg and smiles. "Seemingly so." "What happened?" Isabelle is unable to contain her interest and surprise as she takes a seat opposite adjacent to the sofa on which Greg and Danielle are sitting. "I saw sense." Is Greg's simple reply. Danielle elaborates, "I found out Courtney has been cheating on me. It helped Granddaddy understand a few things." "That's awful. Danielle I'm sorry." Isabelle looks at her sympathetically. "So am I. That's why I'm taking her to England tomorrow to see to Courtney Perkins once and for all." Greg announces proudly. "That's very sudden. Look I've got some business I need to take care of. Can we talk more when I get back?" Isabelle gets up from her chair and bends down to kiss Greg's cheek. "Sure." Danielle responds. "See you later."
Wheeler Estate: Napa Valley "John, I didn't know you were home." Lauren seems surprised when she enters the living room and sees him sitting on the sofa with Adam beside him. He stares back at her coldly putting her on edge. "Is something the matter?" "You could say that. I just went to visit Mindy in the hospital. She remembers everything." "She remembers?" Lauren is ecstatic and rushes forwards to hug John but he pulls away and her tone becomes angry. "What's the matter? What did she tell you?" "You deliberately pushed her over the balcony." "No." Lauren gasps. "She's lying. Can't you see that? I'm your wife! You should trust me!" "The way you've been acting recently, I don't know who to trust." "That doesn't bode too well for our marriage does it? That woman kept you from knowing you had a son for years. It's not too hard to imagine she might be economical with the truth. She fell off the balcony because she was trying to kill me and she started the fight." "But you've been so irrational!" John blurts out. "You accused her of being responsible for the shooting…" Lauren cuts across him, "And I have evidence of that. Do you want to see it?" The words take John by surprise and he forces out the word, "Yes." "Hello." Julia's unusually cheery voice sounds through the house before she enters the living room, interrupting the conversation in her own inimitable style. "I wanted to share some news and I guess two will have to do." "It's going to have to wait." Lauren snaps. She runs to the sofa and scoops Adam up before pushing him into Julia's arms. "And you can babysit for an hour. We'll be back soon." As John and Lauren exit the living room, Julia looks down at the smiling child she is holding and grimaces, "Hey! You can't just…" The sound of the front door slamming shut silences her and she carries Adam back over to the sofa, resigning herself to an evening of hell.
Madison Central Sanitarium: San Francisco
"Ugh." She growls, her mood preventing her from concentrating on the words she is trying to read. Throwing the book against a wall, she rubs her face and drops her head down to the pillow. I will get out of here. She reassures herself. I don't deserve to stay here any more. Her train of thought is distracted when she hears a loud bang from inside her room and flips over on the bed to see Carrie Bishop standing against the door. "Carrie. What are you doing in here?" She asks pleasantly but there is no reply and she notices something disturbing in her visitor's eyes. "Are you okay?" "You ruined everything." Carrie finally spits and glares at Stephanie through narrowed eyes. "He finished with me." "Ruined everything?" Stephanie shuffles backwards on her bed and looks around quickly for a weapon. "You told Dr Bryce what I said and now I'm all alone." A tear can be seen falling down Carrie's cheek but her sadness soon turns to disdain. "I hate you for what you've done…and I'm going to make you pay."
Palace Hotel: San Francisco
"How did you get the key card?" John asks, stunned. Lauren smiles slightly, "Let's just say I'm old pals with the boy who works on the reception desk." "Okay. So what are we looking for?" Breaking away from his wife's grip, John begins to move around the suite and doubts that they are going to find anything untoward. Mindy may have been a spoilt brat when he was married to her but she certainly never showed signs of the psychosis that Lauren has been describing. "Come over here." Lauren beckons and he immediately obeys her. She is standing in front of a built in closet and takes a deep breath. "If I'm right. Then what I'm looking for should be in here." "Well what are you waiting for?" John asks, his breathing increasing rapidly with the anticipation. "Open it up!" Lauren obliges and pulls one of the doors open. Just as she had suspected, the box is still in there and she pulls it out, placing it on the bed. Its weight indicates that she is going to find what she was hoping. Shaking a little, she lifts the top of the box up and sighs in relief before picking up the gun and holding it in front of her. "She used this to shoot at me." Shaking his head in disbelief, John takes the gun from her and spies the vial which has also been inside the box. "What's that?" "I think that is the drug she used to coat my vitamin pills. As if this wasn't enough evidence, I've got the tape at home that she used to taunt me whilst I was sleeping. Of course you were in the guest bedroom so you never heard it. Now do you believe what I've been saying?" "Yes." John nods to reiterate his decision. "Yes I do."
Bobby's Apartment: San Francisco
Safe in the knowledge that his gun is firmly in its holster, Bobby opens the door of his apartment and narrows his eyes suspiciously when he sees a familiar female face. "Can I help you Mrs Masters?" He asks. "I think so. Can I come in?" "If you feel you must." He opens the door a little more to allow her entry and waits for her to explain herself as he follows her to the living room. "I need a favor." Isabelle announces shakily and keeps her eyes firmly on him, not wanting to show any sign of fear or weakness. "And what might that be?" He crosses his arms and watches her just as carefully as she is him. "I know you're a man of resources Mr Santadio. And I need those resources to help my daughter." "I'm not sure what you are suggesting but please continue." "There is currently a woman in San Francisco General Hospital named Mindy Stewart..." Isabelle chooses her words carefully and feels a chill run down her spine. "And I want you to get her out of this town for good."
Next on Power and Deception -Mindy's life comes to a crossroads... -Danielle confronts Courtney... -Donna finds out Bobby's secret... -Isabelle receives a terrifying shock... -Jake makes plans for Lucas... -Travis's life crumbles... |
"You've got a visitor
waiting in your room." Lucinda Bauer guiltily
approaches Stephanie in the recreation room and crosses
her arms waiting for a reply.
"Mom!" Lauren bursts
into Isabelle's office, tears welling in her eyes.
"It's been a while since we
made love." Travis kisses Adrienne and leans back
into the softness of the bed, his head spinning in
confusion at his wife's change of heart.
"We need to talk."
"Whoa. You could wait to be
invited in." Bobby is stunned by Julia's hurricane
like entrance and follows her into the apartment.
"I can't believe you have
daughter." Cassie exclaims unable to contain herself.
She is seated around a round pine table in the kitchen
with Guy and Lauren.
Stephanie's room is quiet as
always during the evening. Some people are playing chess
or watching television in the recreation room and others,
like herself are lying quietly in their cells. Julia's
visit didn't put Stephanie in a sociable mood and she has
chosen to read.
"Hurry up." Yanking
John's arm, Lauren pulls him into Mindy's hotel room and
quickly shuts the door before turning on a light.