Previously:

Russell couldn't control his sadness and anger over Sheila's murder.

Zoe accused Kane of being the killer.

Deanna admitted her mother Eliza was falling into her nasty habits again.

Alex spotted Ingrid at the diner and met Paul.

The killer taunted Russell over the phone.

Zoe crossed paths with Quentin Michaels.

And now, tonight's episode...

"I can't believe it! How the hell could they let Quentin Michaels escape from the hospital?" Kane Garrett thundered. He had found out earlier in the morning about Quentin's escape from a shaken up Paul and Tess. He sat on the edge of Valerie's bed and frowned.

"And what's worse, Zoe can't stop talking about him." After Zoe had returned home after sneaking out to the park last night, she had told her family about "the gorgeous stranger with the amazing blue eyes" that had helped her up after she fell in the park. And despite Kane and Valerie's warnings, it seemed Zoe had developed a crush on Quentin.

Valerie sighed. "You know, I always worried something like this would happen to one of my girls, and now it has." She walked to her vanity table and looked longingly at a picture of herself and her daughters. "But Zoe's eighteen Kane. She's an adult now. Can we really tell her whom to not have a crush on?"

"Yes, especially if it's a raving lunatic like Quentin Michaels," Kane replied earnestly. "What the devil could he want here in town now? And why haven't the police told us? After what he tried to do to my son, Tess and myself, you'd think we would have been warned." He got off the bed and started pacing.

"Well, you really can't blame the police about this. They have a lot on their hands right now with this murderer on the loose. But maybe Quentin's not here to try to take Tess away again," Valerie theorized. "You said that he's intelligent. He would know the police would be on him in a second if he tried anything with the family. He's got to be here for a different reason."

Kane groaned. "Yeah, but what?" Then his brown eyes widened. "Oh God! What if he's the killer Val?" He sat back down on the bed. "That would explain why those two women were chosen as victims. They were both blonde and pretty---like Tess. What if he's getting his revenge for not escaping with my daughter-in-law?"

Valerie sat next to him. "Honey, that sounds plausible, but how could he have gotten into the TV station?"

"He would have found a way Val," Kane replied knowingly. "Remember, Drennen did too," mentioning Valerie's unstable ex-husband who snuck into WBRE and tried to kill both Kane and Paul. He rubbed his eyes, still tired from not getting enough sleep. "He could have watched me buy those dolls at the toy shop yesterday, and the last time I was there too."

"You mean he's trying to frame you?" Valerie asked, a little disbelieving.

"I know it sounds crazy, but then again, I'm going crazy," Kane said weakly. "Zoe and Amaya still believe I'm---"

Valerie silenced him with a long and tender kiss. Then she smiled at him. "No they don't sweetheart. You did not kill those women. You are not like Quentin, and not like Drennen." She pulled him off the bed and wrapped her arms around him. "You are Kane Garrett, a loving and caring man, and a wonderful father."

Kane kissed her back. No matter how bad things were, Valerie always made him feel so much better. He held her tightly, getting caught up in the sweet rapture of their kiss.

Their moment of passion was interrupted the jarring sound of the phone ringing on Valerie's nightstand. Kane reluctantly broke off the kiss to answer it.

"Hello, Talbot residence."

"Dad it's Paul."

"Paul hi," Kane replied. "Listen, Val and I were talking about Quentin---"

"Dad, I'm at the hospital," Paul interrupted, his voice urgent. "Tess is in the ER. Can you and Mom and my sisters come over right away?"

Part 2