Episode 84

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Episode 84

Scene 1:

"Well this is a surprise!" Jamie said, retreating a step back into the foyer. He smiled, extending his hand to Stephen. Stephen smiled in return and shifted nervously just on the other side of the Mason's front door.

" I hope, not an unpleasant one," Stephen countered pleasantly, pumping Jamie's hand firmly. "After everything that happened, I wouldn't be offended if it were."

Jamie raised an amused eyebrow, his mouth twitching. "Only if you aren't coming to tell me my wife is really my sister." Stephen grinned at the joke but had the sense to look thoroughly abashed at his "performance" at Hallie's wedding.

"No, and about that...I had no idea..." Jamie cut him off with a dismissing wave of his hand.

"No. Forget about that. It would have come out sooner or later. All you did was force the issue. Besides, it wasn't my wedding you ruined." Not his wedding, just his life, Stephen thought, dropping Jamie's hand. "Of course, I would have preferred it be a private conversation...but all the same, I bear no grudges. Now, Hallie..." He trailed off, a trace of a smile at his lips. "I think your actions may have contributed to your current state of unemployment."

"Yes, Hallie. Well, I can't say that I wish things had turned out differently for us. But as long as she's happy, I suppose."

"That's very generous of you, Roth. However, you might recall that it was Hallie's vote that ended your tenure at Mason Enterprises."

Stephen nodded, quirking an eyebrow. "True. But if the roles were reversed, I can't say that I wouldn't have done the same thing."

"I see." His eyes were drawn by an approaching car and he stared at it distractedly for a moment before shifting his gaze back to Stephen. "What can I do for you, Stephen? Or is this just a social visit?"

"No, as a matter of fact, it isn't. Mostly business. That is if you're willing to listen?"

"I have another meeting in ten minutes. Can it wait?" Another car turned down the street, this time slowing in front of the Mason home. Stephen turned and glanced at the car. He didn't recognize the driver but he knew the passenger, John Stafford. Chief of Staff at St. Joseph's hospital and ME Board member for ten years. Without a doubt that, he was Jamie's meeting. He nodded graciously and took a step back as the two men from the car emerged and approached the front door. Jamie opened the door wider his manner turning professional.

"Dr. Stafford," he said as the first man brushed past Stephen. "Thank you for coming. You know Stephen Roth, of course." Stephen straightened up in surprise, nodding politely. "Stephen was just here to discuss some business with me," Jamie explained.

John Stafford turned a sharp look on Stephen. "Shame what Gwen Mason did to you," he remarked after a moment. "She always one for stupid revenge ideas."

"Thank you," Stephen managed.

"Are you joining us?"

"Ah...no. I came by for something completely different, I'm sure," he replied, wondering what the hell was going on. He was dying of curiosity. John gave him a questioning glance but turned to Jamie instead.

"Invite him in, Jamie. I'm sure this won't take long and then you two can discuss whatever it was you were going to," John said, following the other man inside. Jamie shrugged and motioned for Stephen to follow them. Once inside, Jamie led all three men to his office, a dark room paneled in a rich oak. Stephen took a seat as far from the men as possible. He didn't want to appear nosey, though he was eager to hear what business Jamie and Dr. Stafford had. Perhaps, he thought, they were planning a way to get ME back from Hallie.

"Mr. Corday spent a good long time on this proposal, Jamie," Dr. Stafford said pulling a pen out of his pocket. "Did a fine job on it too. I've got a few provisions before I agree." Jamie nodded and took a seat. "First of all, I want some sort of failsafe installed. It's a good hospital and the medical staff is top notch. But I don't want to see any funny business with the money end of it. More importantly, I don't want St. Joe's to become another Mason family venture. Understand?"

"Dr. Stafford, no one in my family is remotely interested in Hospital administration. Unless you count my wife. And even then, I don't know that she would be interested. Besides, as you can see in my proposal, I don't intend to buy the hospital. I just want to underwrite it's costs until it gets back on its feet. I consider it an investment."

"And of course, you want your investment to pay off," Dr. Stafford noted with a pleasant smile.

"Of course. I can't guarantee that my family won't try to get involved. But I will guarantee to fight them if they do," Jamie offered sincerely.

"Fair enough. One more thing and then I'll sign," Dr. Stafford replied. "I want to maintain control over the medical staff. I'm sure you're a fine administrator, Jamie, but these are doctors and nurses. They're different than your average executive."

"I think that is acceptable." Dr. Stafford clicked the pen once and scrawled a signature across the bottom of the contract in front of him. He stood and offered his hand to Jamie.

"I'll see you next week then at the staff meeting. Glad you joined us, Jamie." He motioned for the other man, who Stephen now assumed was his lawyer, to follow him leaving Stephen staring at Jamie in surprise.

"Hospital?" He sputtered. "What about ME?"

"What?" Jamie smiled. "You expected a bloody coup?"

Scene 2:

Luke slammed the door as hard as he could, shaking the walls of Hallie's office in the process. She glanced up at him, scowling at him. "What is the matter with you?" She asked.

"I was just going to ask you the same thing," he returned, folding his arms over his chest.

"Chase Garrett, Hallie? He was one of my best."

"Really? Have you looked at his reviews? I think he spent more time hounding your sister than he did here. You'll thank me in a week when you realize you don't even miss him."

"You can't go on just firing people because Jamie hired them, Hallie," Luke insisted. "Chase Garrett had potential."

"You were only interested in him because of who his father is, Luke. Admit it," Hallie said. Luke stared down at her. She was mostly right. Chase's father, Jeremiah Fairchild, was wealthy and a prominent citizen. It never hurt to have another social connection. Still, Chase was his sister's boyfriend and a damn fine assistant.

"You're making enemies you won't want," he said, deciding against admitting anything. She would only call him on it again.

"You mean Chase? Please, Luke," she said getting up and coming around to him. "I can handle Chase Garrett. My concern now is the Board of Directors."

"What are you talking about?"

"Look how easily they voted Stephen Roth and Jamie out. I wouldn't want that happening to me," she said simply.

Luke shook his head in disbelief. "And you're actually worried they'll vote you out?"

"No. They have no reason to right now. But if someone decides they have a reason, I need a little assurance. That's why I'm taking precautions."

"Precautions?" Hallie gave him a knowing smile but remained silent. "Okay. Look, just tone down how many firings you do in one day. And next time you fire someone in my department, ask me first okay?"

"Of course," Hallie replied, easing closer to him. She trailed a finger down his arm and smiled up at him, giving him a seductive gaze. "I promise from now on to ask first," she said softly. "Is that better?"

"Hmmph." He was in no mood for her games just now. And especially not in the mood for whatever seduction ideas she had in her head.

"What's the matter?" She asked, her voice a low whisper. "Are you mad?"

"No. But this is neither the time nor the place," he began.

"Before we got married, it didn't matter where or when." That was before you cheated on me, he thought, scowling at her. Before you let Stephen Roth into the middle of us. "But if you're not in the mood, I understand." She took a step back. "Later then."

He heard himself repeat after her, "Later." He was a complete fool. He left her in her office and retreated back to his own, throwing himself into his chair. Hallie got what she wanted which was supposed to be what he wanted as well. But he felt left out just now. Having this much power was supposed to be fulfilling but Hallie held all the cards and he had nothing. Just a title. Mr. Lennox-Conlan. It sounded awful. Whose idea had it been to hyphenate?

Scene 3:

Liza snatched up the phone on the third ring, slightly out of breath after running the length of the house to grab it. "Hello?" She breathed heavily into the receiver.

"Liza...I'm glad I caught you at home." The voice was shaky and laced with uncertainty.

"How did you know where to find me?" She asked, her breath seeming to have stopped completely. There was a moment of silence on the phone line.

"I found your brother..."

"What do you want?" She asked, stiffening.

"I need your help, Liza. I'm a little broke right now." Liza sighed. Of course, that was it. All Danny Benton ever wanted was a little cash.

"I don't have any, Danny. I'm living with my brother and paying off a lot of debt right now," she replied. Your debt, she added silently. "I can't help you."

"Come on, Liza. You owe me," Danny said pressing on despite Liza's resistance.

"How do you figure that?" She thought back to her days with Danny in New York and couldn't think of a reason why she owed him anything. His drug habit had burned through his trust fund quickly and then he worked on money. Not that she had much, but she was working for a living. He begged and borrowed what he could from her and when the cash gave out, he simply turned to stealing from her.

"I let you take my son with you...you owe me for that," he replied. Calm, she reminded herself. Don't let him rile you.

"Matty is mine, Danny. You don't care at all for him...you never did!" Liza exclaimed, her grip on the phone tightening. It was true, he hadn't cared. The memories of her life before she had come to Conlan's Glen were still raw in her mind. The last thing she wanted to do was remember. She had loved Danny for as long as she could but she hit her breaking point. That last night they were together, he had been strung out and hurtful in his own need to inflict pain on her. He had never cared about her, he had said. And worse, he had never cared for their son. But his father had. Jack Benton had cared a great deal about Matty.

"I do care about him, he's my son," Danny continued. "I would be a monster if I didn't...can't you just loan me a few bucks? Liza, I'm trying to clean up, I swear!"

"Really? I don't believe you," she said flatly.

"I am," he persisted. "I need the money to get a plane ticket back to New York. My father says he'll cover the costs of rehab if I can get back there."

That sounded like Joshua Benton all right. He likely knew that Danny would do anything to get back into the family graces but doubted that he could pull this off. The man had no faith in his son. But of course, neither did Liza. Not anymore at any rate. Once upon a time she had thought the sun set on Danny Benton but years of his drug habit had cured her of that. She opened her mouth to say no but stopped cold at his words that interrupted hers.

"If you loan it to me, I promise I won't tell Father where you are. He may already know, but I won't tell him. In fact, I'll tell him that I signed total custody over to you."

"That's...your father isn't still after custody of Matty is he?" Liza asked horrified.

"No, but you know how he is...I'm sure he'd love to run your life and Matty's. What do you say, Liza?"

What could she say? Without Danny's cooperation, Jack Benton could make himself a total nuisance in her life and in Matty's. He had no rights to Matty, she knew, but he had money and that could make her life very hard indeed. If she wanted a life free of Danny though, she needed to make this break now. She needed to deny him what he wanted and insist he stay away. But she also needed Jack Benton to mind his own business and she couldn't see that happening any time at all if he decided he wanted Matty. As if to punctuate her decision, Matty's giggle floated through the house to her.

"How much do you need?" She asked in a strangled voice.

"I think a thousand would be plenty...maybe too much even," he answered, the desperate note in his voice disappearing. She swallowed at the amount. She barely had half that in her checking account. She would have to borrow some from Galen if she was sure about this.

"All right," she said slowly, "just tell me where to send it." She jotted down an address in Seattle and prayed this time he might stay true to his word.

Scene 4:

"All right," Jamie said after seeing Dr. Stafford and his lawyer off. "What is it you wanted to see me about?"

Stephen cleared his throat and stood before Jamie's desk, feeling as if he had just been called into the principal's office. "I have a business proposition," he began. Jamie nodded and leaned back in his chair, folding his hands across his middle. "Before the shake-up at ME, I was about to take over the Technology Division."

"Yes, Tidal Tech. That was also part of a bargain you made with my mother though wasn't it?" Jamie asked sharply. Stephen nodded. No sense lying about something that seemed to be out there already. "I wonder how badly Hallie will screw that up."

Stephen shrugged. "Who knows. But I think I would have done a fine job with it, personally. Anyway, that's not really what I came here to say. I've been thinking a lot the direction of my career and technology isn't it."

"I see. So where do you think it's going then, Stephen?" Jamie asked curiously.

Stephen leaned forward, placing both his hands on Jamie's desk. "The kind of business I'm considering is actually entertainment based."

"Oh? Now that is interesting. Go on."

Stephen took a breath and jumped into his plan. "Have you ever noticed that to have a good time, most of the younger people in Conlan's Glen head to the Outskirts or to Richmond just to go to a club?" Jamie nodded, his expression placid. "If someone were to convert a warehouse in the Industrial district or an old building downtown into a club...dance club or something like that, they could make quite a killing."

"There are a lot of warehouses standing empty at the moment, yes," Jamie agreed. "But, a dance club can only cater to one kind of crowd, Stephen. Surely you see that undertaking a club is an extremely risky proposition. Especially in a conservative town like this one."

"That's just it though. One club would die. Jamie, my proposition is this...we buy a city block of warehouses and renovate each of them into different styles of clubs and restaurants. Maybe a few stores thrown in for good measure." He paused and looked Jamie in the eye. "I think it would be successful but unfortunately I don't have the capital for a venture of this magnitude."

Jamie's mouth twitched. "But I do." He drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair. "Stephen, you always had a knack for finding just the right development when you were in the commercial division. I don't doubt that you could find real estate and make it profitable. However, I'm not in the real estate field any longer. I'm not even in the commercial field. You heard it yourself, I'm about to head into Hospital administration. What made you think I would be interested?"

"Because you're a business man who knows a good thing when he sees it. Just think Jamie, a block of specialty restaurants and clubs of all sorts. Our downtown area is nice but it is turning into office space. The only restaurant still hanging on is Connie's. And they are doing so on reputation. This town needs this."

Jamie kept drumming his fingers, staring off at the bookcase to his left. If Stephen were a betting man at this point, he'd bet that Jamie wanted to back him but had his doubts for whatever reason. Perhaps it was Gwen or Hallie. Who knew? Stephen had a back up if Jamie said no. But he wanted Jamie behind him. Better to team with Jamie Mason than against him. After a moment, Jamie turned his gaze back to Stephen.

"You heard Dr. Stafford make a few amendments to my hospital deal?" Stephen nodded sincerely. "All right then, I have a few conditions."

"I assumed as much," Stephen replied.

"First of all, no Hallie. She can have nothing to do with this project. Do I make myself clear? I don't care what type of relationship you have with her personally, that's your business. But if she gets involved at all, you lose my support."

He had expected as much. "Yes. That is perfectly understandable."

"Good. Also, my mother cannot be a part of this." He paused and raised an eyebrow. "However there is one family member I would like you to consider asking to be a part of this. Jude."

That was a surprise. "May I ask why?"

Jamie's face softened and his mind seemed to wander a bit before coming back into focus. "As a favor to me. And also you owe him as much after Hallie's wedding," he pointed out.

Ouch, Stephen thought. "Okay, I'll ask him. Anything else?" He hated jumping through hoops but if this is what he had to do to get the money, he would do it.

"Yes. I am a silent partner. I'll give you the financial support but you leave me out of any and all conversations about this." Mildly surprised, Stephen nodded in agreement, but remained silent. "You can work out the details with my lawyer, Ryan Corday. He'll know what to do for me."

"Jamie, thank you. I do appreciate it." He offered his hand to Jamie. A smile crossed Jamie's face as he stood and shook Stephen's hand.

"I know. And remember this in case you do find out any more tawdry secrets about my family. You tell me first," Jamie winked.