Victor and Jack dug up Adam's grave and got evidence that the body was Hightower's, not Adam's. Michael discovered that Billy and Victoria's marriage was invalid. Chloe proposed to Chance. Heather found a bomb inside her car.

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by Anne Carpenter

On the patio at Crimson Lights, two police officers dragged Emily away from her cup of chamomile while Jack frantically phoned Michael for assistance. At the police station, Michael joined Jack and Emily and explained that people in several states had obtained heavy-duty drugs that Emily had supposedly prescribed. Jack insisted that Patty was to blame because Emily had been locked in a mental facility for months. Michael reminded Jack that he couldn't depose Patty because she was insane. Michael said that he would have to obtain copies of the prescriptions and launch an investigation from that point.

Chance and another officer escorted Emily to the processing area and announced that she'd be arraigned the following morning. Michael told Jack that his hands were tied until the arraignment, and he advised Jack to wait at home. Michael visited Emily in her holding cell and explained that she'd be kept there until her arraignment.

Emily maintained that her predicament was a major role reversal between herself and her brother because he'd always been the wayward one. Emily noted that she was too hard on those around her who didn't meet the bar she set. Michael mentioned that Jack still wanted to marry her. When Michael asked if she held a grudge against Jack for not realizing that Patty wasn't her, Emily agreed that Jack had failed to meet her expectations. Michael suggested that perhaps it was time for Emily to lower her expectations. Michael assured an uneasy Emily that he'd return first thing the following morning to appear at her arraignment and post bail.

At Jimmy's Bar, Abby replayed video of Billy and Victoria's beach wedding on her cell phone and mockingly wished she could have been present to limbo with them. After the assembled gawkers dispersed, an angry J.T. admonished Victoria for marrying Billy. Victoria and Billy maintained that it just happened. Chloe addressed Billy and irately asked, "How the hell do you get married by accident?" Victoria mumbled that she and Billy had been merely walking along the beach in Jamaica. Chloe cut Victoria off and berated her and Billy for leaving the country unannounced because they couldn't have been reached had anything happened to either of their young children.

Victoria continued and explained that while walking along the beach, she and Billy happened upon a wedding. Billy added that they were just joking around and had mistakenly believed they were taking part in some sort of ritual. Chance asked how they couldn't have known that they were getting married. The couple blamed rum for clouding their judgment. Tyler turned to Rafe and quipped that he knew rum wasn't the only thing participants at a Jamaican wedding imbibed. Victoria indicated that with Rafe's help, she and Billy were in the process of rectifying their mistake. Heather was shocked to realize that Rafe already knew about Billy and Victoria's nuptials.

Chloe slapped Billy across his left cheek and complained that anything he did that affected her child was her business. J.T. leaned his face next to Victoria's and declared, "I couldn't have said it better myself." Victoria fumed when J.T. added that, like Victor, it wasn't safe for her to be around Reed. Abby situated her purse with the hidden camera inside on the bar and waited for Billy to venture near. Billy approached and railed at Abby. Billy told Abby that he was pissed about what she'd done. Abby insisted that Billy owed her a Restless Style cover. Billy claimed that Abby reminded him of one those girls who jumped up and down while waving her arms in order to get people's attention. Billy pointed out that Abby's actions had hurt her own sister.

After Victoria and Billy left, an uncomfortable pall fell on the shocked onlookers. J.T. and Chloe remarked that they were stunned by the startling news, which Chloe likened to an atomic bomb. Chloe soothed her nerves with another drink. Heather told Rafe and Tyler that it was tacky of Abby to rain on their parade. In the corner of the bar, Abby cooed to Kent that they'd videotaped every ounce of the drama, which would make their show a hit. Kent chugged beer while Abby strategically positioned the camera lens, embedded in the side of her purse, toward the bar area.

Heather retorted to Rafe that the show was over, so she should return to the office. After Heather left, a young man entered and asked Rafe about Abby. Abby loudly announced her presence, and the man promptly served her a summons. Abby asked Rafe to interpret the legal document. Rafe scanned through the papers and told Abby that it was an injunction that prevented Abby from airing any video footage of Victor and Ashley. Abby fumed. Kent told Abby that everyone would likely follow Victor's lead, which would ruin their plans because no one would watch if they were forced to obscure everyone's identities.

J.T. and Mac retreated to J.T.'s apartment. Mac escorted Reed's babysitter to the door. J.T. suddenly realized that Billy was Reed's stepfather. Mac insisted that Billy was a good father, and she claimed she'd gotten over him. J.T. and Mac kissed, and J.T. begged her to stay because it was what he'd wanted for a long time. Mac mumbled that she couldn't, and J.T. completed the sentence by acknowledging that her surrogacy contract likely didn't preclude him holding her in his arms all night. Mac promised to leave early before Reed awoke, and the couple continued kissing.

At the Chancellor mansion, Chloe cried to Chance that Victoria, who the court decided shouldn't retain custody of her own child, would be parenting Delia. Chance asked Chloe if she was upset about Billy moving on and being involved with another woman. Chloe shook her head disapprovingly and said, "Billy and Victoria-that's never going to happen."

Chance reminded Chloe that she'd first expressed jealousy over Heather and then became unglued when she learned about Billy moving on. Chloe explained that she'd seen Billy plastered plenty of times. Chloe added that not once during Billy's binges had he wound up accidentally married. Chloe maintained that Billy cringed at the very thought of being tied down. Chloe insisted that she didn't care about Billy's lovers. Regarding Chloe's resounding comment, Chance asked her if she was trying to convince herself or him.

Victoria and Billy took refuge at Billy's mobile home. Billy reached into his turquoise fridge and grabbed a chilled ginger ale to help combat Victoria's nausea. Billy thought that perhaps Abby had stolen the footage of the wedding from his unattended laptop. Victoria, distressed, placed her hand on her forehead and cried that J.T. would use the video against her in Reed's custody case. Billy tried to comfort Victoria and insisted that she hadn't broken any laws. Inattentive to Billy's overture, Victoria whipped out her cell phone to call her attorney, Julia. Victoria noticed several message notifications from her mother, which requested her presence at the ranch.

Mortified, Victoria assumed that her parents knew about the marriage. Billy listened to his messages from Ashley, who summoned him to the ranch, as well. Victoria, flustered, cried that both of their families must know. After Billy and Victoria returned from the ranch, they couldn't believe they'd received a temporary reprieve. Victoria insisted they would tell their families about their marriage the following day. Victoria worried that she wouldn't sleep a wink because she knew that Abby was about to tell the world about their wedding. Billy began kissing Victoria and said that sleeping was the last thing on his mind. Victoria succumbed to Billy's romantic advances.

At the Newman ranch, Victor summoned his family to a meeting. Phyllis, Nick, Sharon, and Ashley awaited the arrival of Victoria, Jack, and Billy. After Ashley learned that District Attorney Owen Pomerantz was on his way, Sharon explained that new evidence indicated that Adam was still alive. After Owen arrived, he snidely remarked that he doubted Michael's claim about a startling new development in Nick's case. Nikki, her arms folded, declared that what her family had uncovered was the key to the whole case against Nick.

Victor displayed the missing-person's poster with Richard Hightower's photo and asked Owen if he could identify the man. Owen disclosed that Chance had already told him about Richard Hightower, the man from Minneapolis. Owen fervently discounted the theory that the missing man was connected to Adam. Owen added that he'd already nabbed the killer and had a rock-solid case. Nick and Sharon asked Owen if he knew that Adam had given bone marrow to Hightower. They also told Owen that Adam summoned the mysterious man to come to Genoa City the night of the ball. Nikki rhetorically asked Owen if they had garnered his attention. Owen narrowed his eyes and glared at Victor.

Jack arrived. Owen quipped that Jack's friends thought they were better investigators than the police. Victor explained that they were about to present their evidence. Ashley nervously announced that Adam might still be alive. Owen and Jack learned that police records confirmed that Richard Hightower showed up at the Genoa City Athletic Club on April 1, which was the night of the ball. Victor explained that Hightower had the same type of tuxedo, cape, and mask that Adam wore. Nick added that Hightower showed up after Adam phoned him and that a witness saw Hightower there just before the explosion. Victor explained that Adam used a cell phone Patty gave him to contact Hightower at a pay phone near a fast-food restaurant outside Minneapolis.

Owen listened as Phyllis chimed in and said that she and Sharon spoke to the restaurant manager who reported that Hightower, wearing a tuxedo and cape, and holding a mask, had waited by the phone. Hightower left abruptly after receiving a call. Jack and Ashley, shocked, asked how Adam knew Hightower. Nikki explained that Hightower had leukemia, and that on February 25, Adam drove to Minneapolis and donated bone marrow to Hightower. Sharon added that Adam had lied about going to Kansas to visit Hope's grave. Phyllis chimed in again and declared, "Which explains why there was a parking stub in Adam's pocket that places him in Minneapolis on that date."

Nick maintained that after Adam donated bone marrow, Hightower owed him big time. Sharon said that a couple of weeks later, a waitress at the restaurant saw Adam and Hightower together and identified both of them from photos. Owen, his brow knit and his jaw set, listened intently. Victor explained that the waitress recalled seeing Hightower's son, Justin, hug Adam and thank him. Nick stated that he and Paul met with young Justin, who told them that Adam had saved his dad's life. Nikki proudly announced that Paul's good, old-fashioned detective work confirmed that Richard Hightower had undergone a medical procedure.

Sharon insisted that Richard Hightower, a terrific father and upstanding citizen, wasn't a killer. Jack asked where Hightower could be. Victor said that they all believed Hightower was dead, and that police had obviously removed his body from the burned-out basement at the club. Nikki displayed Richard Hightower and Adam's photos and pointed out the two men's physical similarities. Phyllis added that Adam hadn't chosen Richard at random because the missing man was obviously part of Adam's plan.

Owen reminded the assemblage of Newmans and Abbotts that the medical examiner's thorough autopsy had included DNA tests. Victor explained that Adam's DNA was in Hightower's body due to the bone marrow transplant. Owen scoffed and quipped that everyone gathered in the Newmans' sitting room had been reading too much science fiction. Victor responded, "Mr. Pomerantz, you will stay here and listen until we are finished; got that?" Owen said Victor couldn't bully him into believing the fantasy they'd concocted. Victor requested that Pomerantz's forensics lab conduct another DNA test.

Phyllis insisted that Hightower, not Adam, had died. Ashley, overwhelmed by the complexity of Adam's plot, expressed doubts that Adam could have secretly set his plan in motion months before it played out. Nick insisted that Adam's unraveling schemes had forced him to plan an exit strategy. Sharon produced Adam's bank records and explained that he'd drained his account the night he escaped from the hospital. Victor pointed out that Hightower, suffering from cancer, had no criminal record and was devoted to his son. Nick added that Adam never did anything kind for anyone without expecting something out of it. Owen charged that because Adam's family buried him in a potter's grave, they gave up all claims to his body.

Victoria and Billy arrived at the ranch together and steeled themselves before stepping inside. Billy assured Victoria that they'd tell their families that they'd made a mistake and had planned to have the marriage annulled. Billy asked for a good-luck kiss. Victoria obliged with a quick peck on the lips, but Billy clearly yearned for more. Nikki met Billy and Victoria at the door. Victoria almost revealed her secret, but she overhead Owen yelling about digging up bodies. As she led them into the sitting room to listen, Nikki told Billy and Victoria that Adam was still alive.

Owen flatly refused to exhume Adam's body just to placate Victor and his family. Sharon observed that there was no harm in conducting additional tests. Ashley offered to pay for everything. Owen said, "I heard the truth in Adam's voice. Nick stalked him in the basement and then stabbed him in the heart-case closed." Victor asked what Owen had against his family. Owen supported his decision by pointing out that everyone in the room believed that he or she was above the law and could run amuck. Owen added that their collective arrogance knew no bounds. Victor ordered Owen to get his pompous ass out of Victor's house.

Before Owen left, he informed Nick that he was moving his court date up a few weeks because they had wasted the district attorney's time. Phyllis was upset and worried that Nick wouldn't have time to mount his defense. Billy and Victoria, in the dark about what had transpired, concluded that whatever had occurred must have backfired. Victor vowed that his son would not take the rap for Adam's murder. Nick said that Adam was probably on the other side of the world laughing because he thought he'd gotten away with murder.

Nikki asked Billy and Victoria if they understood why they'd been urgently summoned. Billy and Victoria explained that they'd been at a party for Rafe and hadn't heard their phones. Jack suggested taking Owen Pomerantz to court. Victor phoned Michael and put him on speakerphone. Victor explained that Pomerantz didn't buy their theory. Michael agreed with Phyllis' remark that it was not good news for Nick if Pomerantz moved up the trial date. Michael explained that it could take months to petition the state for the body because it was buried in a municipal cemetery. Jack asked if Sharon could petition the court as Adam's wife. Nick noted that Sharon had annulled the marriage. Sharon sighed and cried, "It's something I never dreamed I'd live to regret."

Later, alone, Victor recalled past conversations with Adam. Victor remembered telling Adam that Ashley and Sharon had truly loved him, and that Rafe and Heather had defended him. Victor told Adam that he'd hurt Nick to get back at his father. Adam had replied, "I don't want to hear about your real son! You had me knocked unconscious and dragged before a vigilante kangaroo court. You and Nicholas will pay for that!"

Ashley worried about Faith's safety and made Sharon and Nick promise not to let the vulnerable infant out of their sight. Nick seethed and claimed that he'd kill Adam for real if he showed up in Genoa City. Nikki admonished Nick for saying such a thing. Jack invited Ashley to stay at his house, but Ashley explained that she couldn't trust Abby to be home alone. Jack offered to stay at Ashley's, and he told Victor that he'd do whatever he could to help find Adam. After Jack, Ashley, Billy, and Victoria left, Nikki told Victor that Owen Pomerantz had crossed a line.

Overcome with fear for her husband's predicament, Phyllis nearly collapsed in Nick's arms. Nick and Phyllis left to check on Summer. Sharon went upstairs to check on Faith. Victor embraced a tearful Nikki and assured her that they would defeat Pomerantz because Michael was the best lawyer around. Later, Abby arrived and angrily confronted Victor by waving the injunction papers in his face. Victor told Abby that she was out of line, and that he wouldn't deal with the matter because it was late. Nikki entered and heard Abby ask Victor why he didn't pick on Victoria for running off and marrying Billy Abbott.

Back at police headquarters, Owen complained to Heather that the Newmans and Abbotts thought he'd go along with their absurd theory. Owen added that the two families would soon learn just how solid their case was. Heather asked what she could do to help. Owen ordered Heather to find out if Ellis' attack on Nick was a setup. Owen insisted that Nick would kiss his bail goodbye if it were a setup. Heather seemed uneasy after Owen left. Michael walked into the office, and Heather asked if Adam could still be alive. Michael assured her that he could. Heather offered to help Michael find Adam during her off time, as long it didn't jeopardize her position in the district attorney's office.

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by Isaac Mayo

At the maximum-security psychiatric facility where Patty was housed, Nick and Phyllis waited anxiously to see Patty. Dr. Fowler, Patty's psychiatrist, told the Newmans that only Nick would be allowed to see his patient -- he said that the mere mention of Phyllis' name made Patty hysterical. Phyllis waited in the hallway while Patty, in a near-catatonic state, was led into the room where Nick waited.

Patty asked Nick where Phyllis was. Nick told her that Phyllis wasn't there. Patty wondered how Summer was doing, and Nick said that she was still recovering. The remorseful Patty said that she had never meant for things to get that bad. Nick gently changed the subject to Richard Hightower and Adam. When Nick mentioned Hightower's name, Patty cringed. Nick wondered if she recognized the name. He asked her if she had seen Hightower with Adam at the ball.

Gently trying to pry information out of Patty, Nick said that Adam was a bad man, and that he had made a recording that implicated Nick in Adam's murder. Patty said that Adam was sneaky, and Nick agreed. When Nick said that he might go to prison because of what Adam had done, Patty started to become agitated. She said that Nick couldn't go to prison -- because then there wouldn't be anyone to keep Phyllis away from "her" Jack. Nick continued to press for information about Hightower, but Patty's answers grew increasingly nonsensical. She said that there were two Pattys, two Laurens, and there had to be two Nicks -- one to go to prison and one to keep Phyllis away from Jack. Patty then said that there were two Adams.

Nick pressed Patty about her comment that there were two Adams. Patty said, "That's two Adams too many. Even one Adam is too many." Patty spotted Phyllis looking in through a window and became completely unhinged, screaming, "Jack's mine!" Dr. Fowler told Nick that the question-and-answer session was over -- Patty was too upset to continue. Fowler led Patty out of the room.

At Crimson Lights, Nick and Phyllis mulled over what to do next. They realized that they couldn't go to Pomerantz and ask him to question Patty -- that he would never believe her declaration that there were "two Adams." Nick said that it was time to turn to Victor for help. Phyllis predicted that Victor would say that they needed to take matters into their own hands.

Victor met with Nick and Phyllis and they told him that Patty had said that there were two Adams, but other than that, Nick hadn't been able to get much information from her. Victor said that he didn't really understand the law preventing the exhumation of the body in Adam's grave -- but that he would get the body exhumed if he had to dig it up himself. Victor said, "Adam Wilson won't keep another secret from me."

At the police station, Paul met up with Emily, Jack, and Michael. Emily explained that she had been arrested for distribution of controlled substances. She said that someone had used her prescription pad to write fraudulent scrips for Class III narcotics to people who weren't even her patients -- and the Drug Enforcement Agency took that very seriously. Jack said, "Patty strikes again." Paul said that Patty wouldn't have known how to write prescriptions. Emily agreed and told Paul that someone else had to have been involved. Michael said that until they found out who that "someone else" was, the charges against Emily weren't going away.

Emily was thankful that she had gotten bail. Both Paul and Jack offered to reimburse Emily the bail money, but she refused to take money from either of them. Emily told Paul that she wanted him to speak with Patty and find out who had written the prescriptions. She thanked Michael for his help -- he said that, after what he had been through with Lauren, he understood what it was like to try to put your life back together after someone had stolen your identity.

Paul made a phone call and learned that he could see Patty, and he was going to head to the psychiatric facility to speak with her. Emily thanked him. He said that it was the least that he could do. Jack offered Emily a ride back to the Athletic Club, but she said that she would take a cab. Jack said that he was headed in that direction, and insisted that Emily ride with him. Emily finally agreed.

Arriving at the Athletic Club with Jack, Emily picked up her messages -- there was a bill for the following month's rent at the club, and a fax from the American Psychological Association. The association had learned about Emily's arrest and suspended her license again. Emily told Jack that she wouldn't be able to work, and that there was no way that she could afford the rent at the club. Jack said that he could pay for Emily's suite -- or that she could move back in to the Abbott mansion.

Jack told Emily that she could stay in the pool house -- that Chloe had it redecorated and it was quite cozy. He said that he would simply need to hire a cleaning crew to get rid of all the cat hair, since Emily was allergic to cats. Emily said that she didn't know that Chloe had a cat. Jack admitted that the cat had belonged to Patty. Emily was still reluctant to stay at the Abbott mansion, but Jack said that the pool house had a separate entrance and she wouldn't even have to see him if she didn't want to. Emily finally agreed, but on one condition -- that she pay Jack rent when she began working again. Jack smiled and said, "You're a tough sell."

Emily and Jack arrived in the living room of the Abbott mansion. Emily said that it felt different, and remembered that the last time she had been there had been the night before their wedding had been scheduled. Jack said that he knew that she felt different about him too -- but that he would do everything he could to regain her trust. Jack told her to show herself around and to let him know if she needed anything.

Paul went to see his sister at the psychiatric facility. Patty had clearly been heavily sedated, and Paul asked Dr. Fowler why -- Paul had been under the impression that Patty had been doing better. Fowler, referring to the incident with Phyllis, said that Patty had a violent outburst earlier that necessitated the sedation. Paul said that he would talk with the doctor about what had triggered the outburst later, but, for the time being, he wanted to speak with Patty.

Paul asked Patty if, while pretending to be Emily, she had written any prescriptions or had given anyone a prescription pad. Patty whispered the word, "brother," and Paul said that she was right -- he was her brother and she could tell him anything. Patty admitted that she had given someone a prescription pad, and Paul once again asked whom she had given the pad to. Patty again weakly said, "Brother."

At Billy's trailer, Victoria, wearing nothing but one of Billy's shirts, told Billy that it was important that she tell her family about their marriage before Abby did. Billy said that the evil "Newman side" of Abby seemed to be emerging. Victoria countered, saying that Abby seemed to take after her gossip-mongering Uncle Billy. Victoria and Billy were stunned when Victor showed up. He ordered Victoria to get dressed, then pulled out a small video player and showed her that he had a copy of the wedding video. Victor said, "What were you thinking, marrying this idiot?"

The irate Victor said that Billy was nothing more than a degenerate playboy, and told his daughter that she would never gain custody of Reed because she had married Billy. Victoria blamed Victor for her losing custody of her son -- she reminded him that she had lost her appeal because of the stunt that Victor had pulled, which had caused J.T. to be late for the hearing. Victor said that Victoria wasn't a teenager and ordered her to pack up and leave with him. Victoria said that she wasn't going anywhere. Billy smiled.

Victor and Victoria argued. She said that since she wasn't a teenager, she didn't need her father to rescue her. Victor said that Billy would humiliate her in an effort to get revenge on Victor. Billy announced that he loved Victoria. Victor pushed Billy and they nearly began a fistfight in the trailer. Billy, clearly not intimidated by Victor, said that they should take it outside. Victor stormed out. Victoria pushed Billy and told him that he was out of his mind for telling Victor that he loved her.

Victoria wondered if Billy meant what he had said about being in love with her -- or if he was just trying to push Victor over the edge. Billy said that he had just blurted it out -- and that he hadn't meant it. Before storming into the bathroom, Victoria said that Victor had been right -- that Billy was an idiot.

In Billy's very small bathroom, Victoria became increasingly frustrated as every time she turned, she knocked something on the floor. She tried to open the door, but the doorknob was stuck. Billy reminded her that he had warned her not to close the bathroom door all the way or she would lock herself in. She demanded that Billy get her out of the bathroom. Initially teasing her and telling her that he was going to leave her locked in, he finally got a screwdriver. As he began removing the doorknob, Billy admitted that he had enjoyed his confrontation with Victor -- and had enjoyed watching Victoria argue with him as well.

After Victoria was freed from the bathroom, Billy apologized for telling Victor that he loved her -- he said that he didn't know why he had said that. Victoria wondered if Billy was sorry for having said it, or how he said it, or whom he had said it to. Billy, growing increasingly frustrated, told Victoria that he wished the words had never crossed his lips. Victoria became upset and left the trailer.

Victoria returned to the trailer with a new doorknob. Billy said that he would stick with the old one -- that he was planning to have it engraved, "Victoria Abbott was here." Victoria smiled and wondered why Billy would have a doorknob engraved with the name of a woman whom he didn't even love. Billy said that if Victoria were smart, she would pick another guy. She said that Billy was probably right -- but she was getting used to him. She told Billy that she even liked the sound of her new name -- Victoria Abbott. The couple smiled at each other and began kissing.

At Ashley's, Ashley and Abby were preparing to head for the courtroom -- Abby was challenging Ashley's right to withhold Brad and Colleen's inheritance from her. When Ashley asked if they really had to do that, Abby responded that she was sure that the judge would agree with her -- that Ashley had to release the money. Ashley said that all the hearing would do would be to generate public interest in a private family matter, but Ashley suspected that perhaps that was Abby's intent.

Abby said that asking for the money that she felt rightfully belonged to her paled by comparison, on the scandal scale, to a drunk Billy and Victoria having tied the knot in Jamaica. Ashley was stunned to hear about that, and wondered if Abby had told Victor. Abby admitted that she had.

Ashley wondered why Abby had been so eager to tell Victor about Billy and Victoria's marriage. Abby said that she was trying to prove a point -- that Victor and Ashley claimed that Abby was too immature to handle a large sum of money -- but Victoria, an executive at Newman Enterprises, and Billy, to whom Ashley had loaned a large sum of money to purchase Restless Style, were really the immature ones. Ashley reminded Abby that both Victoria and Billy had, for all intents and purposes, worked their way up the corporate ladder, and that Abby shouldn't expect to start at the top. Abby insisted that she could make her reality show happen -- and that she wasn't going to sit around "waiting to take [her] seat at the table.

Ashley and Abby continued arguing. Ashley said that "The Naked Heiress" image wasn't Abby -- "The Naked Heiress" would never have stayed up all night nursing a sick horse. Abby said that Ashley was taking the concept too seriously -- "The Naked Heiress" was merely a character. Ashley said that if Abby adopted "The Naked Heiress" persona, that would be what the world thought of her. Abby said that she would never be ashamed of "The Naked Heiress." Ashley said that she couldn't support Abby. Abby replied, "When the judge rules in my favor, you're going to have to." Abby left the house.

Victor stopped by Ashley's to show her the wedding video. He told her that he had lambasted Victoria for marrying Billy. Ashley said that the video screamed "classic Billy" -- reckless and immature, but told Victor that he would probably have better luck with Victoria and Abby if he talked nicely to his daughters, rather than alienating them. Victor wondered if Ashley had more success talking with Abby than he had. Ashley admitted that she hadn't. She told Victor that Abby was convinced that the judge was going to rule in her favor. Ashley said that Abby seemed to be tapping into "old wounds" -- and that perhaps she and Victor had failed the girl as parents. She told Victor how much she missed the closeness that she and Abby once shared.

Abby showed up at the courthouse and spoke with Rafe in the hallway. He told her that he was there to be her advocate and that she should let him do all the talking. A guard approached Abby and told her that he had to search her purse -- she had managed to avoid the security checkpoint at the entrance to the courthouse. The guard found a video camera in her purse and led Abby off.

Inside the courtroom, Victor showed Michael the video of Billy and Victoria's wedding. Michael said that he would have his team of paralegals research Jamaican law to see if there were some loophole to have the marriage invalidated.

Abby returned to the courtroom, minus her video camera. Rafe chided her, and told her that she could have been held in contempt of court if she recorded the courtroom proceedings. Abby said that her audience would have wanted to see what happened.

Kent showed up for the hearing wearing a pair of glasses. Abby walked up to him and said that the glasses were "hideous." She quickly changed her mind when Kent informed her that there was a tiny camera hidden inside the frame.

The hearing began. Rafe stood up and began pleading Abby's case by saying that Abby wanted to discharge her mother, Ashley, from being in charge of the disbursement of her inheritance. Abby jumped up and said that it would a lot easier if she spoke for herself. Rafe and the rest of the spectators shook their heads in disbelief.

Abby handed the judge a copy of her business plan for "The Naked Heiress" television show. Michael stood up and said that, as CEO of Jabot, his client, Ashley Abbott, was more than qualified to evaluate the viability of a business plan. Abby told the judge that her parents were biased against her. Michael told the judge that Abby had no investors -- aside from herself.

The judge said that she could see that Abby was intelligent, but that it was sad that a woman in Abby's position had no greater aspirations than to make a public spectacle of herself by taking off her clothes in public. The judge told Abby that if it had been up to her, Abby would have been charged with indecent exposure.

The judge continued her ruling. She said that it was her responsibility to protect the public and "my eyeballs" from Abby's mindless drivel. She looked over at Victor and Ashley and told them that they had her sympathy -- then ruled in favor of Ashley. Victor gave Abby a stern look as she told the judge that the ruling wasn't fair.

As the hearing began to break up, Victor pulled Rafe aside and said that, as Billy's attorney, Rafe had better not do anything to delay the annulment of Billy and Victoria's marriage. Ashley walked up to Victor and Rafe and told Victor to stay out of it. Michael defused the situation -- he walked over to the group and told them that his staff of paralegals had learned that a wedding in Jamaica was only legal it if took place before 8:00 p.m., but the time stamp on the video showed that they had been married at 9:45 p.m. Therefore, Michael said, Victoria and Billy's marriage wasn't legal.

Outside the courtroom, Kent told Abby that he had great footage of the courtroom proceedings -- and he had already uploaded it to his laptop. Ashley emerged from the courtroom and told Abby that she was sorry that her daughter had lost. Abby declared that she hadn't even begun to fight.

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by Isaac Mayo

Jill and Katherine met for lunch at the Athletic Club. Katherine was certain that Jill had some sort of ulterior motive for meeting, but Jill assured her that she wasn't up to anything. Speaking on his cell phone, Tucker walked into the dining room and ambled over to the bar. Katherine noticed Jill staring at him and accused Jill of inviting her to lunch to act as Jill's "beard" -- and that Jill's real intention was to see Tucker.

Jill said that Katherine's theory was preposterous -- if she needed a "beard," she would have lunched with someone younger, hotter, and "more male" than Katherine. Katherine guessed that Jill was doing another exposé on Tucker for Restless Style. Jill remained silent as Katherine warned her not to write another article about Tucker -- she told Jill that the last time she had written about Tucker, it had nearly killed any chance of Katherine and Tucker having any sort of relationship. Jill said that Katherine was overreacting -- that they always ran into people they knew at the club. As Jill stood up to walk over and say hello to Tucker, Katherine ordered her to sit down.

Tucker was on the phone with J.T., and telling him that he needed to get Tucker the information on Victor's shady business deal between Beauty of Nature and the Japanese department store, Mitsukoshi. Tucker told J.T. to get the information from Victoria's computer -- and he didn't see how J.T. would possibly have any problem with that after Victoria had up and married Billy Abbott. J.T. remembered learning about Victoria's marriage at Rafe's party, and said that he would get back to Tucker. Tucker warned him not to mess the plan up.

Ashley joined Tucker for lunch at the club. They got down to discussing business -- Tucker's plan to acquire Beauty of Nature and merge it with Jabot. Ashley said that it would be a great business coup for Jabot, but she was sure that Victor would not be on board with the idea of selling Beauty of Nature. Tucker said that he could get Victor on board, and told Ashley that he was trying to get information proving that Victor had made an illegal deal for Mitsukoshi to solely distribute Beauty of Nature products. Tucker said that he was sure if that were the case, Victor would be willing to negotiate.

Ashley said that it sounded more like blackmail than negotiation. Tucker said he preferred to call it "persuasion." Ashley wondered why Tucker would try to pull off the deal when Tucker himself was under suspicion for bribery. Tucker said that his alleged bribery of a Yugoslavian official over 30 years earlier was of no concern to him -- he had been in worse jams. He told Ashley that he considered Victor's deal with Mitsukoshi an "insurance policy."

Tucker assured Ashley that he would handle Victor with kid gloves. Ashley said that Tucker could paint it any way he wanted -- she didn't want Jabot involved in anything that might be construed as illegal. Tucker said that he had another option -- Ashley could deliver Beauty of Nature to Jabot on her own. He reminded her that Brad had left substantial shares of Newman Enterprises stock to Abby in her trust -- and Ashley controlled the trust. He said that, using those shares, Ashley could leverage a buyout of Beauty of Nature.

Before Ashley had a chance to respond, Jill walked over to their table and sat down. In an upbeat mood, she said, "Fancy running into you two. Are you making big plans? How are things going for the company?" Ashley and Tucker were less than thrilled with Jill's interruption. Jill told Ashley that, despite what Ashley might have thought, she had been sincere when she had said that Tucker had made a good choice naming Ashley as CEO of Jabot. Ashley weakly thanked her. Tucker wondered if Jill was looking for work. Jill assured him that she wasn't. She told Tucker and Ashley to enjoy their lunch, then walked off.

After Jill was gone, Ashley said that she didn't feel comfortable with Tucker's plan. She told Tucker that even though it wasn't illegal, it did cross the line for her. She explained that she and Victor were working together to turn around the situation with Abby and her trust, and if Ashley pulled a fast one with the Newman stock, it could end up backfiring. Ashley wondered if Tucker had an ulterior motive for acquiring Beauty of Nature. Tucker said that his only motive was to make Jabot as successful as he knew it could be. Ashley said that if he expected her to get involved in any of his "dodgy" schemes, they were going to have big problems.

At the Chancellor mansion, Chloe complimented Mac on her outfit. Mac was suspicious about why Chloe was acting so nice to her -- she assumed that Chloe wanted something. Chloe said that it had been quite the party the previous night. They both admitted that they were surprised that Billy and Victoria had gotten married. Chloe wondered if even a "tiny bit" of Mac was upset that Billy had moved on to another woman.

Mac admitted that it was always difficult when an ex wound up with someone else. Chloe was surprised that Mac said that the situation was merely "difficult" -- she thought that Billy and Mac's romance had been comparable to the love affair between Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. Mac changed the subject to Chloe's feelings -- she reminded Chloe that she and Billy shared a child. Chloe became upset when Mac played amateur therapist, telling Chloe that it was okay to feel angry. Chloe asked Mac if she thought that Billy and Victoria could really be in love -- after all, they had looked extremely drunk on the video. Mac reminded Chloe that Billy and Victoria had left the party together and said that they would just have to see how things played out.

At the Ashbys', Cane was taking in the mail when he got a text message from Lily alerting him that she was having a busy day and she would call him later. Going through the mail, he found a large envelope addressed to Lily from a law firm. He opened the envelope -- it contained Lily's will.

Cane went to see Mac at Jimmy's with Lily's will in hand. Mac wondered if Cane had seen the latest sonogram of the twins and asked how Lily's treatment was going. Cane unconvincingly said, "So far, so good." Cane got to the point -- he told Mac that Lily's will said that, in the event of Lily's death, she wanted Cane and Mac to have joint custody of the twins. He said that there was nothing in the surrogate agreement that gave Mac any legal rights to the twins. The confused and angry Cane asked Mac when Lily had gone behind his back and spoken to Mac about the will.

Mac said that she was just as surprised as Cane -- that Lily had never discussed the will with her. Cane wondered why Lily had never talked about it with him. Mac said that she knew that Lily wasn't happy about Cane's position on the stem cell treatment. She told Cane that she didn't necessarily agree with Lily's decision not to discuss the will with him, but that Lily probably didn't want to upset him. Cane snapped, "I am upset," and stormed out of the bar.

Mac called Katherine and asked her to meet at Jimmy's. Katherine arrived at the bar, looked around, and joked that it reminded her of the "good old days" -- if only she could remember the "good old days." Mac told her grandmother that Cane had been there earlier and had showed her the terms of Lily's will. Mac said that she had never considered the ramifications of raising the babies with Cane.

Katherine told Mac that she should feel honored that Lily put that much trust in her. Mac agreed, but wondered why Lily hadn't mentioned the will to either her or Cane. Mac said that she had always dreamed of seeing the Ashbys' smiling faces when she handed the twins over to them -- she hadn't considered the possibility that Lily might die. Katherine asked Mac if she wouldn't want to help raising the twins if Lily didn't survive the cancer.

Mac said that she would help Cane. Katherine told her to call Cane and tell him that. Mac said that she couldn't -- that Cane might misinterpret the call. When Katherine suggested that Mac call Lily, she said that she couldn't do that, either, because she wasn't even supposed to know about the will. Katherine said that they should pray that Lily survived and it never became an issue. Mac asked what she should do if Lily died. Katherine said that Mac would have to deal with that if the situation presented itself.

Back home, Cane called Lily and left her a voicemail to call him as soon as possible. Jill showed up with the leftovers from her lunch with Katherine -- she thought that Cane might be hungry. Jill sensed that Cane was upset. He told her about Lily's will, and said that he couldn't get over the fact that Lily had never discussed it with him. He said that it sounded as if Lily thought that she was going to die.

Jill told Cane that she thought that Lily had made a wise decision -- Lily was planning for the worst, and Lily knew that she could trust Mac. Cane was still worried that Lily wasn't going to survive. Jill said that Lily had made sure that, if she didn't make it, her children would be taken care of, and surely Cane couldn't fault Lily for that. She tried to lift Cane's spirits by telling him that Lily probably planned to return home and raise the babies herself. Cane hugged Jill, and told her that was just what he needed to hear. Jill left.

After Jill was gone, Lily returned Cane's call. She was in a hospital bed in Paris, and was looking extremely tired and weak. Lily wondered if something was wrong -- she asked him what he wanted to speak to her about. Still holding the will, Cane lied and said that nothing was wrong -- he told Lily that he was lonely and just wanted to hear her voice. He asked her if the doctors had told her when she could return home. Lily began yawning. Cane tried to stifle his tears. Lily said that she wasn't sure when she would be returning, but that hopefully it would be before the twins were born. She told Cane that she needed to get some sleep. They expressed their mutual love and hung up. Cane looked despondent.

At Billy's trailer, Billy and Victoria were acting like an old married couple, bickering about a broken drawer in the kitchen and a lack of towels. They began to kiss, but a phone call from Rafe interrupted them. Billy spoke to Rafe and his jaw dropped. After he got off the phone he told Victoria that they wouldn't need an annulment -- that their marriage had never been legal.

A disappointed Victoria listened as Billy told her about the Jamaican law that any wedding that took place after 8:00 p.m. was not valid. Billy said that there were a lot of strange laws -- such as Wisconsin's law that it was illegal to serve a piece of apple pie without cheese on it. Victoria laughed and said that Victor would be happy when he heard the news. Billy told her that Victor and Ashley already knew that their marriage was invalid. Victoria said that she needed to do some damage control with J.T. Billy said that he needed to do the same with Chloe -- he was going to see her and tell her that Delia didn't have a new stepmother.

J.T. stopped by the trailer to see Victoria, who was surprised to see him -- she had told him that she would meet him in town later that day. J.T. looked around the drab trailer and wondered where "Reed's stepdaddy" was. He made some disparaging remarks about the trailer. Victoria told J.T. that her marriage to Billy was not valid.

Victoria reminded J.T. that he had promised that she could spend more time with Reed. He said that was before she had "married" Billy and that he was again questioning her judgment -- or lack thereof. J.T. told Victoria that he knew that she cared about their son -- but she seemed like a different person. Victoria accused J.T. of punishing her. Their bickering paused when Victoria's phone rang. It was the office calling. She said she needed a few moments, and stepped outside of the trailer. While she was outside, J.T. stared at her laptop, then pulled a flash computer drive out of his pocket.

When Victoria returned, she continued to beg J.T. to allow her to spend more time with Reed. J.T. said that they should continue the discussion at a later time -- after they both had a chance to cool down. J.T. left the trailer. Outside the front door, he called Tucker and asked where he was. Tucker said he was at the club. J.T. said that he would be right there.

Back at the club, Tucker and Ashley finished their lunch. J.T. showed up and Ashley left. Tucker asked him what information he had. J.T. said that he had decided not to go through with Tucker's corporate espionage plan. He explained that he had left Newman Enterprises because he couldn't do certain things that Victor had wanted him to do. He told Tucker that he wanted to be able to live with his decisions and be a man who his son could look up to. Tucker sternly told J.T. that most people would kill for the opportunity that he was giving J.T. Before he walked off, J.T. said that he wouldn't do Tucker's dirty work, and Tucker would have to find a way to get the information he needed without J.T. After J.T. left, Tucker said to himself, "I like that kid." Tucker signed the bill and left the dining room.

After Tucker was gone, Jill walked over and retrieved a tape recorder that she had obviously fastened under the table earlier when she had visited with Tucker and Ashley. She rewound the tape a bit and heard Ashley talking about Tucker's plan "crossing the line." Jill smiled and said, "Gotcha."

Billy went to the Chancellor mansion to speak with Chloe. Chloe ranted about Victoria, but said that she was thankful that Billy hadn't married a stripper. Billy informed Chloe about the Jamaican law that invalidated his marriage. Chloe said that legal or not, the marriage proved that Billy was a terrible role model for Delia.

Billy claimed that Chloe was jealous that he had fallen for another woman. She said that Billy had a "Peter Pan" complex -- he simply was never going to grow up. Billy wondered when Chloe had suddenly become such a moral person -- he reminded her that she had tricked Cane into marrying her. Chloe said that, unlike Billy, she had learned that she could have fun and be an adult at the same time. Fed up with Chloe, Billy said that he wanted to see Delia.

Billy bounced Delia on his knee as the little girl chuckled. Chloe said that no one could make Delia laugh like Billy could. Esther eavesdropped on Billy and Chloe's conversation. Chloe continue to harangue Billy about his "marriage" to Victoria and called him an idiot. Billy handed Delia to Chloe, and telling the girl that he would return when her Mommy wasn't around -- because her Mommy wasn't nice. After Billy left, Esther entered the living room and asked Chloe what the argument was all about.

Chloe filled Esther in on Billy's drunken, invalid marriage to Victoria. Esther chided Chloe for calling Billy an idiot while Delia had been sitting on his knee. Esther said that she understood that Chloe was upset -- but that everyone made mistakes, including her and Chloe. She reminded Chloe that Billy was a good father -- and that was all that mattered. Esther said that Chloe should let it go. Chloe wondered if she could.

Billy returned to the trailer, and he and Victoria compared notes on how their meetings with their ex-spouses had gone. Billy wondered if Victoria wanted to celebrate the end of their "non-marriage" with a beer, but Victoria said that she needed to get to the office. She unconvincingly said that it was good that it had turned out that their marriage wasn't valid. Billy, sounding like he didn't mean a word he said, told Victoria that it had been fun, but it never would have worked. They decided to part with a handshake. As Victoria left, she said, "We really dodged a bullet." After she was gone, Billy stood in the trailer, looking very much alone.

^ back to the top

by Anne Carpenter

At the Abbott mansion, Jack pleaded with Emily to go out to dinner with him, but she declined the offer for fear of running into former patients. Jack assured Emily that the authorities would lighten up on her after they discovered who had actually forged prescriptions in her name. Victor arrived. Emily excused herself and left. Victor told Jack he needed help digging up Adam's grave.

At the Genoa City Athletic Club, Sharon, Nick, and Phyllis gathered at a table. Sharon seemed stunned when Phyllis mentioned that Patty told Nick there were two Adams. Phyllis insisted that Patty's statement reinforced their theory that Richard Hightower's body, not Adam's, was the one pulled from the rubble after the explosion in the club's basement. Sharon remained skeptical. Michael arrived and announced that against his advice and contrary to the district attorney's orders, Victor was planning to exhume the body in Adam's grave in order to take dental impressions. Nick and Phyllis defended Victor's actions because Owen was refusing to cooperate and had moved up Nick's trial.

Michael told Phyllis, Sharon, and Nick that he'd issued a subpoena for the club's parking receipts the night of the ball. Michael explained that one cab driver had reported transporting a man wearing a mask to an old bus stop located off U.S. Highway 53, which was near a cornfield. Victor and Jack arrived, and Nick explained that Victor had summoned someone to take dental impressions. Michael warned Victor that he was breaking the law.

Michael took Victor aside and gave him an envelope. Victor slipped the envelope into his jacket pocket and said, "An insurance policy in case something goes awry." After Victor, Jack, and Nick left, Michael told Phyllis and Sharon that too many things could go wrong, especially if Hightower's body wasn't in the grave. After Michael left, Phyllis told Sharon that there were clues about Adam's misdeeds hidden in the cornfield.

Sharon and Phyllis drove to the cornfield just off the highway. Each of them illuminated the area with a flashlight. Sharon discovered a pay phone attached to a wall of the dilapidated, roofed bus stop, but she found that the phone was inoperable. Phyllis maintained that it was working the night of the ball. Phyllis said she believed that Adam had planned to meet someone at the bus stop that night. Phyllis and Sharon entered the cornfield, where the rows of stalks stood taller than they were. Sharon emerged first and searched for Phyllis, calling her name repeatedly. Sudden screams drew Sharon's attention back to the cornfield. Phyllis ran out brushing her head and shoulders with her free hand as she shuddered frantically. Phyllis explained that she'd run into a freaky scarecrow.

After Phyllis collected herself, Sharon showed Phyllis the black-and-gold mask she'd found in the field. Phyllis declared that Adam would have needed to wear the mask in order to hide his identity from the cab driver. Phyllis concluded that if they were right about everything, they could add murder to the list of Adam's crimes. Phyllis told Sharon that she'd lost the cell signal while she was talking to Nick. Sharon said that her phone didn't have service. While both women searched the cornfield for more clues, Sharon mocked Phyllis' earlier reaction to the scarecrow. Phyllis maintained that had she not gleaned information about Dr. Taylor, they'd still be clueless.

Sharon admitted that it was strange for her and Phyllis to be working together. Sharon asked if Phyllis was worried that she had hatched a grand scheme to get Nick back. Phyllis quipped that even she didn't believe Sharon was that shallow. Sharon eyes twinkled with delight when she told Phyllis how Faith smiled when she saw Nick. Phyllis supplied the word "family" when Sharon described what it was like being with her baby and Nick. Sharon asked if Phyllis regretted telling her that Faith was her baby. Phyllis cited the look in Nick's eyes whenever he saw Faith as her reason not to regret the decision. Phyllis added that she trusted her husband and knew he loved her.

Sharon brushed soil from the cornfield off her pants with her hand. Phyllis reported that she hadn't found anything else during her search as she aimed the beam of her flashlight to examine the mask. Sharon noted that she'd found the mask, and Phyllis acquiescently agreed. Sharon and Phyllis wondered aloud why Adam had chosen such a desolate area as a hiding place. Sharon suggested that Adam had hidden a car because she'd seen tire tracks. Phyllis reminded Sharon that the cab could have left the tracks.

Sharon and Phyllis were about to leave when they heard a low-flying airplane. They saw a bit of mist fall from the sky and ran to hide. Phyllis ducked under a bench inside the bus stop. Sharon dived in between two rows of corn stalks. The plane flew directly over Sharon and liberally sprayed her with poison. Sharon screamed and coughed. Phyllis called out to Sharon, but she couldn't answer. Sharon clutched her throat as she gagged and wheezed.

At the municipal cemetery, Jack, Nick, and Victor arrived carrying flashlights and shovels. Jack illuminated a gravestone marked as Adam's. Victor began turning over shovelfuls of dirt, and Jack and Nick joined in. Someone hiding nearby watched the men dig. As Jack, Nick, and Victor lifted a pine coffin out of the grave, a man called out to Victor. Victor greeted the man and introduced him as Dr. Gleason, his family's dentist. Dr. Gleason quipped that he wouldn't have to tell this particular patient to relax. Victor told Nick that if Hightower's body was in the coffin, it meant that Adam had set up both of them. Nick added that he'd no longer have a murder rap hanging over his head.

Nick phoned Phyllis and learned that she and Sharon were out in the cornfield on U.S. Highway 53. Nick was uneasy. Phyllis announced that they'd discovered a mask. When Nick asked if it was like the one seen on Adam at the ball, he lost contact with Phyllis. Nick cursed under his breath when he heard a busy signal after he attempted to call Phyllis back. Nick told Jack and Victor that Phyllis and Sharon had found a mask. Dr. Gleason approached and announced that he'd taken impressions of the body's teeth. Victor ordered his dentist to compare the impression to Adam's and Hightower's dental records as soon as possible.

After Dr. Gleason left, the men worked to rebury the body. Owen Pomerantz and a uniformed police officer stepped out of the shadows. Owen bellowed, "I had a hunch you'd try to take matters into your own hands, again. You are all under arrest!" Victor waved the envelope Michael had given him earlier before Owen and responded, "This is a notarized authorization from the Hightower family for me to disinter this body." Victor added that Hightower's family had also given him Richard's dental records. Jack noted that the dental records would be compared to impressions taken from the body. Victor warned Owen that he would like a damn fool if the buried body was Richard Hightower's.

At Crimson Lights, Kevin phoned Jana and left a message begging her to come and keep him company. Jana showed up, but she admitted she'd been at the jail visiting with Ryder and hadn't heard his message. Kevin was annoyed that Jana hadn't asked him to accompany her. Without expressing emotion, Jana told Kevin that they were all Ryder had. Kevin's brow furrowed when Jana announced that she wanted Ryder released as soon as possible. Kevin told Jana that he didn't understand why Ryder should be released before his trial. Jana responded that what she and Kevin did was worse than Ryder's crimes. Kevin blamed the abuse from his father for his mistakes, and he reminded Jana that a brain tumor caused her criminal misbehavior.

Jana defended Ryder and maintained that his sociopath aunt and sister had manipulated him. Kevin admitted that he had once checked on Ryder, but he wasn't willing to let bygones be bygones. Jana maintained that Ryder deserved compassion, and she reminded Kevin that he'd been hopeful after she began feeling emotions for the first time since her aneurysm surgery. Kevin remained speechless after Jana asked him why he was fighting her instead of offering encouragement. Kevin insisted that Ryder deserved spending time behind bars.

Jana seemed dejected after Kevin left to meet with a coffee supplier. A banker arrived with loan papers for Jana to sign. Jana acknowledged that the loan would list Crimson Lights as collateral. After Jana left, the banker returned with duplicates of the loan agreement he'd forgotten to leave with her earlier. Kevin accepted the delivery. After the banker left, Kevin opened the envelope and discovered that Jana had secured a loan.

At the Genoa City jail, Jana stopped by to visit Ryder. Ryder was surprised to hear Jana tell him that he didn't belong in jail. Jana assured Ryder that he wasn't a monster like Sarah and Daisy were. Ryder warned Jana that everyone wasn't as forgiving as she was when she insisted it wasn't fair for him to remain behind bars until his trial. Ryder told Jana that he'd been reading the book she gave him and had learned that he could change his life for the better despite his circumstances. Jana replied, "I'd still like to do more." After Jana left, Ryder stretched out on his bunk and read. Growing frustrated and angry, Ryder suddenly hurled his book against the bars of his cell. Later, Ryder was surprised when he learned that Jana had bailed him out of jail.

At her condo, Lauren saw herself in a mirror and experienced flashbacks about Sarah. Lauren saw Sarah point a gun in her face and threaten her. Distressed, Lauren picked up a marble paperweight and hurled it at a wall mirror, which shattered. Lauren buried her face in her hands and sobbed. Lauren tossed all reflective items, including her compact, into a wastebasket. Lauren cried, "I never want to see that bitch again!"

After Michael arrived, he found a weepy Lauren and a disheveled home. Lauren suffered a panic attack as she told Michael that she saw Sarah in every reflective surface. Michael comforted his wife and offered to take her to the hospital to have a cut on her hand stitched. Lauren worried about what might have happened had Fen been home, and she agreed to speak to a psychiatrist. Michael phoned Emily and told her that Lauren was having a crisis. Michael insisted that Emily was the only person who could truly relate to his wife.

After Emily arrived, Lauren sobbed and said she felt like she was losing her mind. Emily admitted that inside, she, too, felt violated for having her identity stolen, being locked in a mental ward, and almost losing her life at the hands of her tormentor. Lauren scooted closer to Emily on the sofa and cracked half of a smile as she realized that another person knew exactly how she felt. Lauren admitted that she'd freaked out. Emily told Lauren that they could not give up. Lauren said she thought she'd live a normal life after Sheila was killed. Lauren added that every time she looked into a mirror, she saw Sarah. Emily commiserated and said that Patty had ruined her career, destroyed her life with Jack, and had kept her drugged.

Lauren asked Emily how she handled the pain and frustration. Emily explained that she could empathize with Patty because she understood what it meant to be utterly alone in the world and feeling that everyone was against her. Lauren asked how to deal with fear. Emily responded that Patty could only pretend to be her, but Patty couldn't take away who Emily was inside.

Michael sat close to Lauren and comforted her. Lauren cried that she felt as if she were disappearing. Emily asked Lauren if she trusted her husband and if he truly knew her. Michael explained that both he and Fen knew at once that Sarah wasn't their wife and mother. Emily assured Lauren that she'd weather her crisis as long as she held fast to her sons and to her husband. Michael pressed his cheek against Lauren's as she uneasily responded, "I'll try."

After Emily left, Lauren assured Michael that she felt better. Michael studied his watch and noted that he needed to pick up Fen from Gloria's. Lauren slid her hand into Michael's and accompanied him toward the door. Lauren hesitated before walking across the threshold and entering the hallway.

^ back to the top

by Isaac Mayo

At the municipal cemetery, District Attorney Pomerantz confronted Nick, Jack, and Victor, who had just finished exhuming the body buried in Adam's grave so that dental impressions could be taken and compared with both Adam and Hightower's dental records. Nick told Pomerantz that they were only looking for the truth. Victor said that after the dental comparison was made, it would prove that Adam was a cold-blooded killer.

When Pomerantz made a snide remark about how privileged the Newmans thought they were, Victor lunged at him, but Nick and Jack held him back. Pomerantz wondered if Victor wanted assaulting a public official to be added to the list of charges. The group wondered what Pomerantz was charging them with. He told them that it was illegal for them to exhume a body without a court order. Nick reminded the D.A. that they had permission from the Hightower family to exhume the body, but Pomerantz said that wasn't good enough. He said that he was going to take the three of them to the police station, and when the dentist confirmed that the body was Adam's, he would arrest them.

At the Athletic Club, Michael, Fen, and a slightly nervous Lauren were having their first dinner out in a long while -- Gina's famous spaghetti and meatballs. Michael's phone rang, and when he saw that it was Victor calling, he wondered aloud if it was possible for the Newmans to stay out of trouble for 24 hours. After speaking with Victor and learning about the situation at the cemetery, Michael told Lauren that he had to leave. Lauren said that she was feeling more confident being outside the apartment, and that she would stay and finish dinner with Fen. Michael kissed Lauren and left.

At the police station, Jack tried to call Phyllis and Nick tried to call Sharon. Neither of them was able to get through. Victor asked Pomerantz if he could release Nick -- because Adam was probably still out there and Phyllis might be in danger. Pomerantz said that until they received the results of the dental comparison, no one was going anywhere.

In the cornfield, Sharon was on the ground, covered in pesticide -- a crop duster had made a pass over the field while Phyllis and Sharon were looking for clues. The barely conscious Sharon whispered, "My throat" to Phyllis, who was unharmed. Phyllis urged Sharon to keep breathing, and said her that she would get them help.

Phyllis tried her cell phone, but the battery was dead. She got Sharon's phone out of her purse, but was unable to get a signal. She continued to tell Sharon to try to keep breathing, as Sharon weakly asked for help.

Phyllis pulled the car up as close as she could to Sharon. She begged Sharon to try to get up. Sharon couldn't move. Phyllis tried to lift her, but wasn't able to. She implored Sharon to open her eyes, and said that if she died, Phyllis wouldn't have anyone to make her life miserable. She told the nearly unconscious Sharon to think about Noah and Faith.

Michael arrived at the station with a writ of habeus corpus, which he presented to Pomerantz. The writ effectively freed Victor, Nick, and Jack for the time being. Pomerantz asked Michael what they would do when the results of the dental comparison were available. Michael said that then they would talk. Michael took the three gentlemen aside and told them that if it ended up being Adam's body in the grave, "your butts will be nailed to the wall." Rushing out of the station, Nick said that he just needed to find Phyllis and Sharon.

Nick showed up at the cornfield. Phyllis told him that a crop duster had flown over the field and sprayed, and that Sharon had inhaled pesticide. Nick picked Sharon up in his arms, told her that she was going to be okay, and carried her to the car.

Nick took Sharon to Genoa City Memorial, where he, Victor, Jack, and Phyllis hovered over her. The doctor told them that Sharon was suffering from paraquat poisoning, which could be fatal. She said that Sharon needed to undergo an aggressive therapy, hemoperfusion, to rid her lungs of the chemical. Sharon was wheeled out of the room for the procedure. Jack thought that it was more than a coincidence that a crop duster had flown over that particular field. Victor called Michael and told him to find out who owned the cornfield and the crop-dusting business.

In the hallway outside Sharon's room, Michael escorted Russ Curtis, the crop duster, to meet with Victor, Jack, and Nick. The nervous Curtis said that he was sorry that Sharon had been injured -- he told the group that the field was supposed to have been unoccupied. Victor assured the man that he didn't blame him for what had happened to Sharon -- but he did have some questions. Jack said that they wanted to know if Curtis knew anything about a man who had been dropped off at the cornfield by a cab on April first. Victor showed Curtis a picture of Adam and asked if Curtis had seen him before.

Curtis was shocked to see the picture, and told them that he needed to get a drink of water. When Curtis walked off to the water fountain, Michael received a phone call -- the dental comparison had been completed and the body in the grave was Richard Hightower. Jack said, "I'll be damned. Adam set this whole thing up." Victor said that it was time for him to call the district attorney. Phyllis closed her eyes and prayed, "Oh God, please let this be over."

Curtis returned to the group and admitted that he had encountered Adam -- who had paid Curtis a large sum of money to fly him to Ottawa. Pomerantz showed up at the hospital and, after being told that the body was Hightower's, said that he was going to charge Nick with Hightower's murder. The group was shocked. The cocky D.A. said that nothing evidentiary had changed -- that Nick had accidentally murdered Hightower instead of Adam. As Pomerantz walked off, he warned Nick not to leave town. After the D.A. was gone, Nick said that perhaps he should kill Pomerantz. Phyllis scolded him and told him not to say things like that. Victor assured them that he was going to end this once and for all.

Sharon was returned to her room -- the hemoperfusion had been successful, but she was still on a ventilator and couldn't speak. Jack and Nick told her what had happened. As Nick and Sharon stared adoringly into each other's eyes, Phyllis entered the room, and Jack put his arm around her. He told her that everything would be okay. Phyllis did not look convinced.

In the hallway, Victor asked Curtis to fly him to the exact spot in Ottawa where he had flown Adam. Michael said that what Victor was planning to do was too dangerous. Victor said that he didn't give a damn -- he was going to find Adam.

At Crimson Lights, Chloe was complaining that the "barista from hell" hadn't used soymilk in her latte, as she had requested. She wondered if the barista thought that she was a "high-maintenance diva." Chance joked that perhaps Chloe was. After Chloe took a sip of the drink, Chance kissed her and said that he could taste the soymilk on her lips. Chloe did not look happy when Heather arrived and told her that she needed to "borrow" her boyfriend.

Heather sat down with Chance and Chloe and told Chance that Pomerantz thought that Frank Ellis' assault of Nick had been a setup. Chance said that he had heard that theory but didn't put any stock in it -- he told Heather that Ellis hated all the Newmans. Heather asked Chance to accompany her to the police station and help her question Ellis. Chance agreed, but asked Heather to give him a minute.

Heather walked away, and Chloe pouted. She said that she and Chance finally had an opportunity to spend some time alone, and Heather was ruining it. Chance said that it was business, and he didn't have any choice in the matter. Chloe said that Heather needed to get a life. Chance reassured her that there was nothing going on between him and Heather, and promised that he wouldn't be long.

Heather and Chance went to the jail to interview Ellis. Ellis said that if he had known they would be visiting, he would have cleaned his cell. Heather said that there really was no need for him to bother, since he was going to be shipped upstate to the state penitentiary. Ellis replied, "Oh yeah -- that pesky three-strike law."

Heather asked Ellis why he had assaulted Nick. Ellis replied that he didn't like Newmans. Heather didn't believe him, and said that if he told them who had arranged for him to attack Nick, the assault charge would go away. Ellis said that either way he was a "lifer" -- but if they offered him better conditions and extra privileges, he would give them information on someone else -- Brent Riggs. Chance perked up when he heard Riggs's name and told Ellis not to toy with them. He asked what Ellis knew about Riggs.

Ellis said that he knew that Riggs had called Chance from prison for help, but before Chance had a chance to meet with Riggs, Riggs had escaped -- and that no one had heard from him until weeks later, when Riggs had again called Chance and asked to meet him alone. Ellis told Chance and Heather that he knew that when Chance had gone to meet Riggs, Chance had been knocked out and drugs had been planted on him -- and the authorities later found Riggs's lifeless body floating in the river.

Chance said that was all confidential information that no one except for the involved parties would have known. Ellis said, "People talk. Wanna know the rest?" Heather thought that Ellis was bluffing. Ellis told Chance that he was gambling with his life -- he then stared at Heather and said, "What I know affects you, too." Chance thought that Ellis was "jerking them around." Ellis said that he was done talking, and if they wanted to know the rest, they would get him out of the jail. Heather looked at Chance and said that she thought that they ought to talk about what Ellis had said.

Heather and Chance went to Crimson Lights. She wondered if Chance thought that Ellis was lying. Chance told Heather that he had never felt that the business with Riggs was finished. Heather asked him if he was going to request that Pomerantz offer Ellis a deal. Chance asked Heather if she would talk to the D.A. He said that whenever he became involved in the Riggs situation, he seemed to hit a brick wall. Heather said that she owed Chance because he had accompanied her to interview Ellis, and she would talk to Pomerantz.

Kevin went to the police station to see Ryder. He told the officer at the desk that he had seen his wife's name on the sign-in sheet, and he wondered if she was still there. Kevin was shocked to learn that Jana had posted bond for Ryder and had left with him.

At the Athletic Club, Lauren was finishing up dinner with Fen and was stunned to see Jana walk in with Ryder. Lauren approached Ryder and said that she thought that he couldn't make bail. Jana told Lauren that she had posted bail because Ryder had helped them. Ryder told Lauren that he was trying to be a better person. The disgusted Lauren said that she needed to rejoin Fen.

An irate Kevin entered the club and pulled Jana aside. He told her that he couldn't believe that she had taken out a loan against Crimson Lights without consulting him. Jana reminded him that she was on the Crimson Lights mortgage too. Kevin said that bailing out Ryder was crazy -- and that the Jana he knew would never have done anything like that. Jana replied, "I guess I'm not the Jana you know."

Kevin ordered a stiff drink from the bar and told Jana that he understood "the whole aneurysm thing" had caused a mental disconnect, but she was completely different. He said that he didn't know her anymore, and she obviously didn't care about the way he felt. She said that she didn't see a problem helping Ryder -- at least she felt like she could breathe when she was around him, because, unlike Kevin, he had no expectations from her. Kevin wondered if Jana felt like he was suffocating her. Jana said that she remembered once feeling love for Kevin, but told him that she no longer did -- and didn't know if she ever would.

Jana told Kevin that she was going to use the rest of the money she had borrowed to get Ryder a suite at the club, and that she would help him find an apartment the next day. Kevin said that the issue wasn't the money -- it was fighting for something that both she and Kevin once cared about. Kevin stormed out of the club, and ordered Ryder to get out of his way.

A babysitter picked up Fen from the club, which left Lauren to lecture Jana. She told Jana that she had been having nightmares about what Daisy, Ryder, and Sarah had done, and she had been afraid to leave the apartment. As Ryder looked on, Lauren said that she didn't understand how her sister-in-law and friend could bail out one of the people who had terrorized them. Jana told Lauren that Ryder was safe -- he just needed a chance to change his life -- a chance that had been given to Kevin and Jana.

Lauren said that Jana and Kevin were good people at heart. Jana said that she could see in Ryder's eyes that he was a good person -- and that if Lauren looked hard, she would see the same thing. Jana reminded Lauren that Ryder had helped her when she had been having her migraines. Lauren became upset and told Jana that she had been the one protecting Jana, and she was shocked that this was how Jana was paying her back. Lauren said that she would never forget that Ryder was the son of Tom and Sheila -- and that was a recipe for serious emotional damage. Lauren wondered if what Jana was doing was good -- or just plain reckless.

Kevin went to Jimmy's to continue drinking. He ran into Chloe, who was sitting at the counter and drowning her sorrows in alcohol. Chloe complained to him about Heather -- she told Kevin that Heather was a "manipulative skank." Ignoring Chloe's whining, Kevin asked if Mac was there. Chloe said that she wasn't. Kevin was disappointed, as he wanted to talk with Mac. He walked away from the counter and sat at a table by himself. Not taking the hint, Chloe joined him.

Chloe told Kevin, who was getting drunk, that he was a saint for sticking by Jana -- particularly since she had no feelings for him. She said that Kevin was faithful -- just like Chance. Chloe asked Kevin what he would do if he were in a committed relationship and another woman threw herself at him. Kevin thought for a moment and said that everything depended on trust -- that if you had trust, then there was nothing to worry about. Without trust, he continued, you were in trouble.

Chloe asked Kevin if he thought that Heather was attractive. When he responded that he did, Chloe made several disparaging remarks about Heather's wardrobe and hairstyle. Kevin said that Chloe sounded insecure. She said that she wasn't, but she was annoyed, then asked Kevin if Jana had made any progress. Kevin said that Jana was finally able to show compassion -- but that it was directed toward Ryder. Chloe asked Kevin what he was going to do. He said that he was done fighting and begging. She wondered if Kevin was giving up on his marriage.

Chloe encouraged the drunk Kevin not to give up. Kevin said that it was Jana who had given up -- that she had said that she didn't love him. He lamented that he had never given up on Jana and had waited for her -- and rejection was the thanks that he was getting. He told Chloe that it was better that he knew how Jana felt, so he didn't spend the rest of his life waiting for something that wasn't going to happen. He said that the moral of the story was that when you found love, hold onto it, because "just like that" it could be gone. Chloe told the bartender to call Kevin a cab.

Kevin returned to the Athletic Club to confront Jana. Ryder stepped aside to give the Fishers some privacy. Kevin told her that he was through -- that he would always love her, but there was no reason to hold on. Jana wondered where that left them. Kevin said that their marriage was over. He told her that the Jana he knew was gone -- and he was going to let her go -- for both of their sakes. She said that if she could feel something, she was sure that she would feel her heart breaking. Kevin said that if Jana could feel her heart, he was sure that they wouldn't be having the conversation.

As Jana and Kevin spoke, Ryder encountered Lauren at the club's bar. He apologized to her and told her that he would stay as far away from her as possible. Lauren said that she was thankful that Jana had bailed him out -- because she had seen him and was no longer afraid of him.

Kevin and Lauren both left the club. Ryder walked back over to Jana. She said that she was going to book him a room at the club. He protested that it would be too expensive, but she said that after his time sleeping in alleys and in a jail cell, he deserved the "royal treatment."

Chloe returned to Crimson Lights, where she found Heather and Chance. Heather told Chance that she would speak with him the next day, so they could talk strategy about Ellis and Riggs before Heather approached Pomerantz. She told Chloe that she was sorry for "stealing [her] boyfriend," then left. Chance tried to tell Chloe about what had transpired at the jail, but she interrupted him and told him that she had some great news that Chance would love.

Chloe led Chance out to the patio and said that usually her epiphanies had to do with clothes and fashion -- but that night she had been enlightened in a different way. She told Chance that love was hard to find and took a lot of work. She reminisced about their trip to New York, where Chance had proposed to her in the back of a cab. Chloe had turned down his proposal, but said that was the stupidest thing she had ever done. She told him that she wanted to be with him -- and asked him to marry her. Chance was stunned.

Heather got into her car, but before she started the engine she noticed some wires hanging from under the dashboard. They were attached to a device with a flashing red light. Heather tried to exit the car, but the doors locked, and she arrived at the horrible realization that she was trapped in the car with what probably was a bomb!

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