Previously:

Suzanne's body was taken to the morgue after being identified by Eliza.

Fawn, Larry, and Roark were on the scene of the murder.

Tess was home safe after being rescued by Kane, and he apologized to Paul for his behavior.

The unseen killer silently vowed to kill again.

Russell learned Quentin was on the loose.

And now, today's episode...

Lieutenant Russell Gault had just received a phone call from his friend Chief Mario Hernandez of the Bel Air police department.

"I've got disturbing news Russ," he said darkly. "So I'm going to get right to the point." He pauses. "Russ, Quentin Michaels escaped from the sanitarium in New York, and we think he might be headed back to Breckenridge."

Russell stood there at Wade Atherton's desk like a statue, trying to block out the bad memories of the terror Quentin caused in Breckenridge, but he couldn't. Flashbacks of Quentin holding Tess Harper hostage at the Hall of Mirrors, her then fiance Paul rushing Quentin, and Quentin stabbing Kane Garrett, nearly killing him shot through his mind like a fireworks display. He shut his eyes and took a deep breath.

Mario spoke up, wondering why Russell didn't answer. "Russ, are you okay?" he asked with concern.

"Oh God Mario," Russell replied, his voice almost a whisper. "When the hell did he escape from Riverview?"

"Memorial Day weekend," Mario repsonded. "So it's possible he could be in your town." Mario pauses again. "Russ, the story about the murder of Suzanne Haines is all over Bel Air. The local networks jumped all over it like piranhas on flesh."

Russell thought for a moment. Could Quentin be hiding in Breckenridge? Was he Suzanne's murderer and the one who called the TV station? "Mario," he began, do you think Quentin could be our killer?"

"It's possible," Mario ventured, "but what motive would he have for killing that reporter?"

"He's insane. He doesn't need a motive to kill," Russell retorted. "And he's clever. He could have snuck into WBRE, knocked out the security guard, and murdered Suzanne. I spoke with Sam Granger, the station manager, and he told me that at that time of night, there's not a whole lot of employees around. The receptionist and the interns weren't there, and everyone else was scattered around the building."

Mario was confused. "That seems plausible, but it still doesn't explain why he would murder a stranger. That's not his style. He only goes after women he's obsessed with."

Russell's eyes grew wide. Tess, he thought. "Mario, what if Quentin escaped to try to get Tess again?" he asked.

"I don't think he's after her this time Russ," Mario said. "Quentin's doctor from the sanitarium called us shortly after his escape after reading all about the murder of Lora del Rio. While Quentin was at Riverview, he became infatuated with a young nurse named Francesca Jordan. This nurse just graduated from school and it was her first job. She began an affair with Quentin---and became pregnant. After the hospital found out, she was fired and Quentin went ballistic. He tried to kill the administrator for breaking up his family."

Russell let out a whistle. "What happened to the nurse?"

"She left. Apparently, she has family here in Maryland, somewhere in the Baltimore area," Mario replied. "And she had to have told Quentin about it, if they were that intimate."

"Well, at least we don't have to worry about him going after Tess," Russell said, relieved. "But she and Paul and Kane aren't going to like it one bit." He sighed. "I feel so bad for those two. After the nightmare Quentin and Joanna Harper put them through, now Quentin's come back. And we have another psycho out there. Christ, when is it ever going to stop?"

"I'm really sorry about this Russ," Mario said apologetically. "By the way, I gave the doctor your number at the station. He should be calling you soon. He would have done it sooner, but his wife was going into surgery when he called me."

"I can't wait to hear from him," Russell replied. "Now I've got two lunatics to look for.

Eliza Braxton is sitting in the living room couch at her home, crying over her best friend's death. She can still picture Suzanne's pale and lifeless body lying on the stretcher. Her daughter Deanna Thorpe comes downstairs holding her baby sister Melissa. Deanna sits down next to her mother and Eliza pats her leg affectionately.

"Oh Mom, I wish I could say the right words to make you feel better," Deanna said softly.

"She was a great person and a great reporter. Why would someone brutalize her like that?" Eliza wondered tearfully.

"And who?" Deanna asked. "She didn't seem like the type of person to have any enemies---unless she had a stalker?"

"She wasn't being stalked. But there was that person who called the night she was doing the story about those notes. Maybe it was the caller," Eliza theorized. "But whoever it was, I hope he gets caught and fries!"

There's a knock on the door. Deanna gets up, still holding the baby to answer it. Sam Granger is standing in the doorway.

"Mind if I come in?" he asks.

"Sure. Mom would like that," Deanna smiles at the station manager. She moves so Sam can come in. Eliza gets off the couch and Sam puts his arms around her.

"Oh God, what a terrible night this has been," Sam says. "The editors and I are putting together a tribute piece to Suzanne. We're going to show clips of her best moments while she was at WBRE. She's going to be missed so much."

"That sounds wonderful Sam," Eliza replies quietly. "She would have been so proud. Thanks for coming over Sam. I don't want to be alone right now."

"Has Lance been here?" Sam asks.

"He called, but I told him to stay home. He's going to pick up Melissa tomorrow and spend some time with her so I can help you with funeral arrangements." She looks up at Sam. "What about Suzanne's parents?"

"They're flying in tomorrow from Tallahassee," Sam repsonded. "They were devastated. Suzanne was their only child."

"She always kept in contact with them," Eliza whispered. "Her father was a TV reporter, and he was so proud to see her follow in his footsteps." She begins crying again. "It's not fair Sam! She could have done so much more with her life!"

Deanna walks over to her mother and Sam and smiles sadly. "I'm going to put Melissa to bed and then we can all go into the den and talk. The police will catch him Mom. They caught Joanna and Quentin and Drennen, they'll catch this creep too."

At the Grimes mansion, Lance is upstairs in Rosamond Tucker's room, watching her fall asleep. He kisses her softly and goes downstairs to the kitchen, where his mother Ingrid is sitting and sipping a cup of tea. Lance sits down in the chair across from her.

"Is Rosie finally asleep?" Ingrid asks.

"Yes she is. Hearing about Suzanne's murder really spooked her," Lance said. "So I told her a story to help her fall asleep." He smiles shyly. "Just like you did when I couldn't sleep."

"It's so wonderful the way you take care of her. You're going to make the perfect husband someday," Ingrid says brightly.

"If there's even going to be a wedding." Lance's smile turns into a frown. "She doesn't want to marry me. She thinks it's too soon, and she's afraid what people will say, you know, her being black and me being white."

"But race doesn't matter," Ingrid repsonds. "You two love each other, and that's what matters. Look at your father and I. When he met me, I was in nursing school, and he was working at his father's company. His parents didn't like me because I didn't come from a wealthy family, and they thought I was beneath them. But Marcus didn't care. No matter how many times his parents tried to insist I was a golddigger, he told them we were going to get married and spend the rest of our lives together. And that's what we're doing, and it's been almost 30 years." She grinned at her son. "And look what's happened in all those years. Your father took over the family company, I gave birth to two wonderful sons, I have a gorgeous little granddaughter, a newfound nephew, and my in-laws and I were able to forge a nice relationship before they died." She reaches over and squeezes Lance's hand. "The same thing could---and will happen to you and Rosie."

"That's what I want more than anything in the world Mom, but there's more people that would accept a rich person marrying a poor person than a white person marrying a black person," Lance said. "There's still so much intolerance out there, and Rosie is caving into it. I don't know how to reassure her."

"You just keep loving her and wanting to be with her---and being patient," Ingrid said. "Don't rush trying to get married. The best part of a relationship is just spending time with one another and getting to know each other better. And as for those bigots, don't let their terrible feelings stop you from getting the happiness you both deserve. They're getting just what they want if you feel pressured to be apart because of their ignorant attitudes." Ingrid stands up and puts her teacup in the sink. She gives Lance a motherly hug. "Let's turn in for the night. It sure has been a horrible one, in more ways than one."