Episode 109

[Home] [Episode Guide] [News] [Social Register] [Visitor Info] [Interact] [Links] [Credits]

Episode 109

Scene 1:

Maura packed the last piece of clothing she would need and closed the suitcase. She and Rick had a flight out of Richmond for New York in three hours. She didn't want to do this. She had stayed as far from New York as she could in the last ten years and seeing her daughter for the first time under these circumstances was not supposed to happen. The only reason she was going was to keep Rick from doing something stupid. And given his state of mind lately, that was a valid possibility.

She heard a car pull up and leaned out the window. Rick emerged from the car and paused glancing up towards her window. She waved, holding up a finger to indicate she would be down in a moment. He nodded and went back to the car, leaning against the hood. She tiptoed downstairs, careful not to make too much noise and wake Kevin. He hadn't been pleased when she told him about the impromptu trip. The last thing she needed was a guilt trip from him about going away.

Morning was breaking over the Glen, leaving pale pink streaks in the sky. Maura sighed as she locked the door behind her. She would rather be in bed than making this trip. She would rather be doing anything than making this trip. Rick met her on the sidewalk and took her suitcase, carrying it the rest of the way to the car.

"I stopped for coffee and donuts," he said putting her suitcase in the backseat next to his. "Couldn't find a Krispy Kreme though."

"You know I hate Krispy Kreme," Maura muttered settling into the passenger seat. She picked up one of the cups of coffee and pulled the lid back, thankful he had brought it.

"Before we go, Maura, I just want to say that I know this is probably hard for you." She rolled her eyes but kept silent. "Fine, it is hard. But how do you think the last few days have been for me?"

"I won't apologize again, Rick. I did what I thought was the right thing." She glowered at him, daring him to argue.

"I know you did...I've been thinking about that too," he said earnestly. "You were right, if I had stayed we'd have been miserable. And I would've walked away, left you on your own with a baby. I was so into myself back then." He shook his head, smiling bitterly. "Still am sort of."

"Rick, promise me all you want to do is see her. Promise me you won't do or say anything stupid," Maura said suddenly.

"I won't..."

"No, I mean it. Katrina and Bruce have raised Tristen since she was a baby; that's all she knows. If you go in there even hinting that they aren't her parents, you'll only hurt her and I will not let you hurt her!" She added fiercely.

Rick shook his head, his eyebrows pulling together in a frown. "I'm not going to hurt my daughter, Maura. I can't believe you would even suggest that," he said starting the car. Easing out of the Conlan driveway, they drove through the nearly deserted streets towards the highway. "I can't deny that I want to go there and tell her exactly who I am though. Haven't you wanted to do the same thing?"

"Yes," she admitted with a heavy sigh. "Every day of my life. But I can't. I promised I wouldn't. And I won't...ever." They merged with the early commuting traffic to Richmond which was relatively light at five in the morning.

"Do they know we're coming?" Rick asked after a while.

"No," Maura answered quietly. "I couldn't reach Katrina last night to tell her." Not that she wanted to be the bearer of bad news either, Maura added to herself.

"Then this should prove interesting for everyone involved."

Scene 2:

Jude paced nervously in the new office he had moved into at Stephen's request. The building was located at the very center of what would become Stephen's business venture, overlooking a man made pond the landscapers had just finished. Today was the day they went public with the Downtown Renovation Project. Stephen had taken to calling it the Drop which suited Jude just fine. It was actually a clever name for it.

He'd spent all his time working on the Drop since...well, since the day he broke up with Maura for good. Might as well be blunt about it, he thought, and deal with it. He had studiously avoided Connie's though from what Stephen had told him, she hadn't been there much. Stephen had taken to working there and having business lunches at Connie's as well. Stephen's plan, he had told Jude, was to convince Maura to add Connie's to the list of businesses associated with the Drop. It was an established business with just the right amount of respect in the community to make the Drop legitimate. As long as he was left out of it, Jude didn't care what Stephen's plans for Connie's were.

Stephen poked his head into the office after a quick knock. "Ready for the press? They're getting itchy down there."

"As ready as I'll ever be," Jude replied, picking up a file from his desk. "Listen, Stephen...I want to thank you for letting me be involved in your project."

Stephen gave him a bemused smile. "Thank me all you want, Jude, but the truth of the matter is, there's no one I'd rather have on my side. Without you, this project had zero chance of getting off the ground. Let's go. There are about fifty reporters downstairs who are dying to know what all the construction is about."

Jude nodded and smiled confidently, even if he was slightly confused by Stephen's backhanded compliment. The Drop would have happened without his involvement. Stephen knew that. Unless there was more to it than what Stephen had initially told him.

"Oh, one more thing," Stephen added interrupting Jude's train of thoughts. "After the press conference, I've set up a lunch with a possible investor. He wants to meet with both of us. All right?"

"Sure, who is it?"

"His name is Nicolas Tejera. Not sure what kind of business he's in but I think it might be fishing. At least the was the information I was able to get from his secretary. We're meeting him at Connie's at one." He caught the look Jude gave him but raised his hand defensively warding off the onslaught. "No arguments. Besides, if Maura or Kevin are around, I can kill two birds with one stone."

"Leave me out of that meeting then," Jude muttered as they stepped off the elevator into the press room. Jude walked to the podium and greeted the crowd of journalists. "Good morning. First, I will be reading from a prepared statement and then I'll take questions," he began, forgetting everything but the job at hand.

Scene 3:

Georgia fumed from the ER back to the seventh floor, angry at Ian and annoyed with herself for thinking that he would be something different. She paused at the nurse's station, clicking her nails on the counter. She wanted to hit something or cry, she wasn't sure which she would rather do. More than either though, she wanted to talk to someone. Well, she did have one friend in the world at least, she thought moving towards Jory's room.

"You are not going to believe this!" Georgia exclaimed throwing Jory's door open. She stopped at the sight of Jory and his sister staring at her as if she were a lunatic. "Oh God, Jory, I'm sorry," she added backing up.

"No, wait. What's wrong? Georgia..." But Georgia was out the door and in the hallway. Jory gave his twin a look. "Would you go after her and bring her back?"

"What? I have to be the compassionate twin since you're still all laid up and incapacitated?" Jillie asked, wrinkling her nose with a roll of her eyes. "Oh, all right. Don't give me that look. I always get in trouble when you give me that look," she mumbled to herself before leaving the room, looking both ways down the hall before she spotted the back of the young nurse. "Excuse me?" Jillie called, hurrying after her. For no one else but Jory would she do this. "Nurse...?" What was her name again? Georgia, Jory had called her, right? "Georgia, wait!"

Georgia stopped glancing over her shoulder at Jory's sister. Just what she needed, she thought miserably. It was bad enough she felt like such a loser right now. Having Jillie Conlan, possibly the prettiest woman Georgia had ever seen, within ten feet of her was not going to help her self esteem. She let the woman catch up with her though.

"I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to barge in on you," Georgia apologized. "I just needed to talk to...a friend."

"That's usually how people are feeling when they turn to Jory," Jillie nodded, pointedly meeting the gaze of an orderly who'd stopped to gawk at the two women fleeing down the hall. "You didn't interrupt anything important," she said, returning her attention to the nurse. "Well, except for time I get to spend with my brother, and I suppose your partially to thank that I get to spend time with him at all. If you really need to talk to him, go right ahead. He's got a great ear."

"No...I shouldn't drop my problems on him. In the grand scheme of things, mine are really insignificant compared to his."

"I think he'd disagree with you there. Not to say my brother has problems, and not to imply that yours are huge, but I think, sometimes, listening to other people's problems takes his mind off his own. Plus, Jory's just a great guy. He's always loved to help people. He's probably one of the few honest lawyers you'll ever find."

"Really? I didn't know he was a lawyer," Georgia murmured. "My brother is an auto mechanic and completely unreliable." She smiled making light of Jay and his...habits. "Thank you for letting me have Jory as a brother for a little while anyway. It must be hard to share him."

"No, it's okay. He always knows when I need him. For the moment, I'm pretty much problem free," Jillie said, her smile twisting slightly. Problem free...except for the fact that her brother was still in the hospital. Her older sister was still getting away with murder. Her job at The Observer was probably on its last leg, since working with Rick now just didn't seem feasible. Oh, and, every time she turned around, Leo Kingston seemed to pop up. Yeah. Problem free.

"Wish I could say the same," Georgia replied, thinking of her eviction notice and Ian.

"So what's so wrong?" she asked, turning to head back towards Jory's room.

Georgia sighed, rolling her eyes. "Um...a lot. Well specifically? I got an eviction notice yesterday and I got a promotion this morning but the man I'll be working for is an ass."

Jillie snorted, unable to hold back a small laugh. "An ass? Yeah, I know what that's like."

"It wouldn't be so bad if he hadn't been nice to me the first time we met," Georgia added warming up to Jillie. "He's like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. And I would actually decline the promotion at this point if I didn't need the money so badly."

"Let me tell you something," Jillie said, pausing and turning to face Georgia. "They're all going to be that way. Sure, they seem nice enough at first, but deep down, they're all asses. Power hungry, control driven troglodytes. And have you ever considered getting a roommate?" she asked as an afterthought.

"A roommate? Like Laverne and Shirley?"

"Well, I don't think either of them are available at this time, but yeah. You said you really need the money. A roommate would really save you some money. Practically cut your bills in half."

"I know you're right...but I don't know. Have you ever seen Single White Female?" Georgia asked, holding back a smile. "Besides, I don't think I could live with a stranger...I'd want to know the person at least."

"This is Conlan's Glen, Virginia," Jillie pointed out. "I doubt half of the people here even understand the concept of stalking." Except, perhaps, one Mr. Leo Kingston. "But that's why you hold interviews. I'd stay away from the college group, though, if I were you. I've seen my little sister's friends and, believe me, you don't want to go there."

"Thanks for the advice, but I think maybe I'll just find a cheaper apartment. I'd just as soon Dr. Jekyll not know where I live after all." The elevator doors snicked open behind them and Georgia stepped out of the way instinctively. Ian stepped off the elevator with Dr. Stafford, engrossed in conversation. Nearly running into the two of them, he excused himself letting his gaze linger on Jillie before meeting Georgia's stare.

"Hello again," he said with a short nod before he and Dr. Stafford continued on their way.

"On second thought," Georgia muttered when he was out of earshot, "maybe I'll just move back to New Jersey."

"Ohhh no," Jillie told her, watching the two men with renewed interest. "Don't tell me that's Dr. Jekyll," she said, and she certainly wasn't referring to Dinah's dad.

"Yes, that was him," Georgia sighed watching his retreating figure. "Too bad isn't it? He was great too," she said without thinking.

Jillie arched a brow, but somehow got the feeling Georgia didn't mean he was great in the "been there, done that" kinda way. "On second thought, I definitely think this situation bears further consideration. Men may be assholes, but they definitely have their...uses. You shouldn't let one bad confrontation set the tone of your entire relationship."

"He pretended not to know me and he called me a neophyte in front of the chief of staff," Georgia pointed out. "The last thing I need in my life is someone like him. Oh well," she said shaking off her brief encounter with Ian. "I could use a roommate, I guess. Do you have one? I don't even know how to go about getting one."

"No, I don't have one. I suppose you could place an ad. Or ask around. Is there some sort of bulletin board system within the hospital?" She heard someone clearing his throat and turned to see Jory sitting on his bed, seemingly engrossed in some television program, but she couldn't help but notice the way his ear was slightly cocked towards the doorway and that his TV was muted. "Do you have an opinion, Oh Wise One?" Jillie asked from the hallway, gazing in at her brother even as she was fairly sure she knew where this was heading.

Jory feigned ignorance for a split second before motioning them back into his room. "All right, since you asked," he said once they were in range. "I'm sorry about that guy, Georgia. But don't listen to Jillie when it comes to advice on men. You're better off without him if he plans to continue treating you like that. And Jillie, if you let one bad confrontation spoil your relationships, you'd be a lot better off," he added pointedly. "Now...about that roommate thing. There's an answer and it's staring you right in the face."

"Jory thinks that just because he's a man, he understands the entire subspecies," Jillie told Georgia. "Don't listen to him. As for the roommate situation," she drawled, looking back at her brother with a little smile. "I think I know what you're suggesting. And I don't know why you'd wish that on poor Georgia." She hesitated for a moment, thinking it over. It did have its merits. After all, she really didn't know how much longer she was going to have a steady income. But at least she had her savings to draw from, if it came to that. Still, cutting the bills in half would definitely help her out in the lung run. "It's up to Georgia, really. She needs a roommate and, true, I wouldn't mind having one. But you never know," she grinned, looking at the other woman. "I can get kinda crazy like that. It comes from having a family like mine," Jillie said, looking pointedly at her brother.

"I think your family is very nice," Georgia countered. She did like Jillie at least. She chewed her lip contemplating what was being offered. At the very least, it might prove a haven for a little while until she had gotten rid of Dr. Jekyll. "All right. But only temporarily...I don't want to interfere in your life."

Jillie laughed, exchanging another look with Jory. "Believe me, I manage to do that well enough by myself."

"All right," Georgia said smiling. "Thank you. I think I better go check in at the nurse's station before I head home. Jory, I'll see you tomorrow. And Jillie...thank you. I'll start packing right away." She smiled brightly and left the two siblings alone again.

"See...you can be nice when you want to," Jory said slipping his hand into Jillie's and giving it a little squeeze.

"What'd I tell you?" she asked lightly. "You always get me into trouble when you give me that look."

"You won't regret it, Jillie," Jory said with a grin. "She'll make a lady out of you, I think. God knows, I've tried."

"Yeah," Jillie commented. "She seems really nice, doesn't she?" Pulling up her chair, she grinned fondly at her brother. "I'll try my hardest to change that. You know, this could be fun."

"Just don't change her too much. I like her the way she is. Now, tell me more about this Leo Kingston who keeps popping up in your life."

Scene 4:

Jude gazed over the dining room of Connie's anxiously looking for Maura. It wasn't that he wanted to see her, but he sure didn't want to be surprised by her appearance either. He followed Stephen to a table in the bar where another man waited patiently for them. He stood when they approached, shaking Stephen's hand.

"Mr. Tejera. Good of you to meet us here. May I introduce my business partner, Jude Fontaine?" Jude offered his hand to the man, feeling wary of him for no reason he could put his finger on.

"How do you do?" Tejera said, taking Jude's hand.

"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Tejera."

"Shall we sit then?" Stephen motioned for them to join him at the table. Once they were seated, Stephen drew a business proposal from his briefcase and slid it across the table to Nicolas. "Now then, down to business. Mr. Tejera, these are the most recent press releases and plans for The Drop. Right now, we have several developers interested in joining us but unfortunately none have the reputation that you do."

"Or the cash flow?" Nicolas remarked raising an eyebrow. "Let me be frank with you Mr. Roth. I'm not sure about this venture or this town. From what I've seen so far, it's a hamlet at best and you want me to invest a good deal into a project that may or may not bear fruit."

"If I may," Jude interrupted before Stephen could reply. "Conlan's Glen is small, I'll grant you that. But it is growing. Economically, politically, and socially. It needs development in order to thrive. And it needs outside investment."

"I'm not convinced," Nicolas replied.

"All right, consider this then. Conlan's Glen has grown 8% economically each year for the last three years. Prior to 1997, it was growing at a rate of 12%. Only the national recession has held its growth back. Both Stephen and I think The Drop will create more jobs and spark the growth once again. We feel that any investment you make will serve you well in the future. It's all there in the proposal."

Nicolas looked at his watch. "All right. I'm sorry, I have somewhere else I have to be. I won't be leaving for a few days at any rate. I'll get back to the both of you before I do." He stood, shaking their hands briefly.

"That guy," Jude said after Nicolas was out of earshot. "Gives me the creeps."

"Me too," Stephen agreed. "But he's got a lot of money to throw around. And we need an investor like that." He looked around the room spotting someone just entering the building. "Ah ha. Max Jency, the old bastard. I'll be right back." Stephen moved off towards Max leaving Jude alone at the table. He nodded at Noah across the room trying not to encourage his appearance at the table. He neither wanted nor needed the company of someone with intimate details of Maura Conlan's life and Noah was practically part of the family.

Noah seemed interested in something else though, leaving Jude be for the time being. His luck wouldn't hold though. Just as he started to relax, Kevin Conlan sat in Stephen's chair opposite him depositing two coffee mugs on the table. Kevin gave him a scrutinizing gaze before waving a waitress over to fill the cups. When she was gone, Kevin tapped his fingers lightly on the table looking as though he had something to say.

"Jude," he said at last, "what is going on between you and my daughter?"

Scene 5:

"What have you got on Tyler so far?"

Noah heard the name just as he was about to go say hello to Mr. Fontaine. He paused at the bar though and listened to the conversation, trying not to look like he was.

"What girl? Does she have a name? Dinah Stafford. Sounds positively precious," the man muttered. Noah's stomach lurched at Dinah's name. Trying to look casual, he glanced at the man taking in his appearance. He had never been in Connie's before and he certainly didn't look the type to come back. "All right here's what I need from you," the man continued, oblivious to anyone around him. "Find out more about this girl, what she knows, what she doesn't know. Find out when the last time she saw Tyler was and more importantly find Tyler Jones. Find him before he causes more trouble and get rid of him."

Noah swallowed, feeling a dry click in his throat. He hoped Tyler was far away from here. More importantly, he hoped Dinah had the sense not to go looking for him as she had threatened. There was a short pause in the man's conversation.

"If the girl is with him, get rid of her too. I don't care how," he said moving away from Noah. Noah tried to follow but was caught by the elbow. Jerking free of the restraining grasp, he turned, facing Luke Conlan.

"What's the matter with you, Noah?" Luke asked, peering into his face.

"Nothing," Noah muttered, glancing over his shoulder as the man left the building.

"You look a little worried," Luke countered suspiciously. "Everything all right with Piper?" Noah turned back to Luke and shrugged.

"You'd have to ask her," Noah replied. "I haven't seen her in days. And she won't return my phone calls."

"I see." Luke pulled a crisp white envelope from his pocket. "Well, when you do see her, give her this will you? It's an invitation to the Mason Foundation's fundraiser. She used to like these once upon a time; maybe she still does." Noah took the envelope tucking it into his pocket. "Oh and Noah? If you see Liza Gennaro, will you tell her I'm looking for her?"

Noah shrugged but nodded his assent. Luke thanked him and moved off through the restaurant. Noah's thoughts returned to the stranger and Tyler. The guy had looked none too happy to be here looking for Tyler. As for Dinah...he could only hope she took him seriously and left Tyler to his own resources.

Scene 6:

Dinah wiped her eyes and climbed out of her car. She'd been driving for what seemed like hours trying to get past the loss of Tyler and her own stupid admission to Noah. Why did she bother telling him anything, she asked herself again for the hundredth time. What good did it do? None, she reminded herself, because Noah was in love with Piper. And Tyler... He was gone and her last distraction from thinking about the loss of both Piper and Noah were gone with him.

She walked up to the front door, slowly, not wanting to see her parents or explain herself to them. They didn't honestly care where she was after all. All they cared about was knowing exactly where she was and what she was doing. It was a control thing with them. She fumbled around in her bag for the keys, growing frustrated with herself for not being able to find them right away.

"Dinah." She froze in place, heart hammering against her chest, as the whisper hit her. She turned her head to the left where the rosebushes were and saw him, eyes wide staring at her.

"Tyler!" She said it louder than she had intended to forcing his brows to draw together in an angry frown. He placed his fingers to his lips urging quiet and then pointed upstairs where a movement in front of a window caught her eye. She nodded and gestured back to her car. Hoping that she hadn't been seen, she strolled as casually as she could back to her car, and unlocked it. Tyler followed, staying as hidden as he could. Once he was inside the car, he ducked down in the back seat as she started the car and reversed out of the drive.

"What are you doing?" Dinah asked when they were a ways down the street.

"I didn't know where else to go," he replied. "Noah's place was out of the question and I couldn't go to that restaurant..."

"If my dad had seen you," Dinah said with a disapproving shake of her head.

"Well he didn't. He wasn't even home...some girl was there." Tyler sat up and locked eyes with her in the rearview mirror. "Dinah, I really need your help now more than ever."

"What is it?" She asked without hesitation.

"I need to get out of town. I've stayed too long as it is," he said fervently. "Can you help me?"

"Of course," Dinah replied without hesitation. Getting out of town sounded like the best idea she's heard in ages. "You just tell me where to go."

"Just get me as far as Richmond. I'll figure it out from there," he said, relief flooding his features.

"Are you nuts? You don't want to go to Richmond; that's the first place they'll look. Noah said you had a sister in New Orleans. Let's head that way."

"No, Dinah. I've already asked too much of you..."

"Tyler," Dinah said as she paused at a stop sign. "I'm already in this with you. I'm about as deep as I can get. And it's my car. Without me, you're going nowhere." He offered no argument, but slumped back down out of sight. "That's settled then. Goodbye Conlan's Glen," she muttered heading for the highway.