It's a few nights after Valentine's Day. Janet MacDonald, a beautiful blonde, is in a small but cozy bedroom putting clothes into a closet. She grabs a peach blazer and begins smoothing it down. She has a look of wistful sadness on her face. The phone rings. She goes over to the nightstand to answer it.

Janet: Hello?

Sam: Hi Janet, this is Sam Granger. I'm just calling to see if you're getting settled in okay.

Janet: Oh hello Sam, and yes I am. It's a lovely apartment.

Sam: How was your flight?

Janet: Long, but I slept most of the way. You know I'm really excited to have this job. L.A. was getting to be too much.

Sam: Small towns do have their advantages. Listen Janet, get a good night's sleep and I'll see you tomorrow morning at the station. Eliza can't wait to meet you.

Janet: I feel the same way. Goodnight Sam. (Hangs up phone). I can't believe after all these years I'm back in Breckenridge. Nothing's really changed---except for me. I just hope my new colleagues don't get suspicious as to why I left L.A.---that's the last thing I need.

Paul Harper and Kane Garrett are sitting with Russell Gault at his desk at the police station.

Russell: Are you sure you guys really want to do this? Drop all charges against Drennen Talbot?

Paul: Yes we're sure.

Russell: You realize if we let him go there's a chance he'll come after you two and Valerie again.

Kane: Honestly, I don't think he will. He's intelligent, and he knows if he comes after us again he'll be sent back to jail for good.

Paul: There's another reason too that's more personal Russell. After Joanna was sent to the hospital, I was so angry with her I never had a real goodbye with her, I never gave her a chance to explain her actions. I mean she told me she wanted her family together, but I wrote it off. Now she's dead, and well, I just think it's the right thing to do.

Kane: In many ways, Drennen is just like Joanna. He loved his family too much, and that love didn't make him think straight.

Russell: Does the family know about this? They're probably not too pleased you want an attempted killer to go free.

Paul: Yes they know, and yes they're not happy, but I just couldn't let Zoe and Amaya go through life knowing their father was in prison. I couldn't let Mom go through it either.

Russell: You're a better man than me Paul. So are you Kane. Well, let's tell Mr. Talbot the news. The man has been in a deep depression since was incarcerated.

Roark Grimes, Fawn Hollister, Larry Sherwood, and Deanna Thorpe are at Roark's house in the rec room. Larry and

Roark are playing pool while the girls are sitting in bean bag chairs.

Roark: Brody's dad wouldn't tell me anything. He just stood there and shot off his mouth about family and how we use our money to control people.

Larry: The man is jealous Roark, plain and simple. He could've been successful, but he chose to be a lazy bum, expecting people to give him things.

Deanna: That's probably why his wife left, she couldn't put up with his attitude.

Fawn: I'll also bet you he beat his wife, and Brody too.

Roark: He does beat him, or he used to Victor got thrown in jail a couple of times while Brody and I were in middle school. He'd show up at school with bruises. His grandparents took him until he went to high school. I think Victor abuses him verbally and emotionally now. Brody got too big for him to kick around, so he yells at him.

Larry: It still isn't right. And if Brody flies off the handle again, Victor will have to answer for it this time.

Deanna: From what you've said so far, it seems he's too stubborn to admit something's wrong.

Fawn: Victor's behavior has me worried Roark. He could have hurt you.

Roark: Victor is hiding something honey. And the more Brody stays with him, the worse he's going to become. Brody has to leave, and the sooner the better.

Meanwhile, the night prowler is inside Suzanne Haines' house, overturning furniture and rummaging through drawers. He's found some cash, jewelry, and a DVD player. Satisfied that's it enough he escapes through a sliding glass door with his loot and runs off into the night…

Back to the police station. Kane, Paul, and Russell are standing in front of Drennen's jail cell.

Russell: We've contacted your lawyer Drennen. He'll be here tomorrow to finalize your release.

Drennen: It's all such a shock. After the horrible things I've done, you want the attempted murder charges dropped against me?

Paul: The last thing I want to be is bitter Drennen. Something you need to stop being too.

Drennen: I'm not anymore I know what I have to do. I'm going to back home and stay with my brother, get my life together. I know that's what Val and my girls would want too. Do you think they'll come down and tell me goodbye one last time?

Kane: That's up to them.

Drennen: I understand. Thank you so much. (Pause) Paul, Kane, please take good care of them.

Paul: We certainly will. Goodbye Drennen. (The three men walk away. Drennen drops to his knees, smiles, and begins to cry).

Next on come nightfall, emotions run high….

Drennen prepares to leave Breckenridge.

Janet's first day on the job is overshadowed by Suzanne's ordeal.

The big day finally arrives---Eliza goes into labor.

THIS HAS BEEN COME NIGHTFALL

BY BREE PERRY

COPYRIGHT 2001