Episode 3.10

The Java Jet

“Wow, that’s amazing. I’m glad your parents raised you so well.” Phyllis brought the paper coffee cup to her mouth and took a sip as she looked at her eldest child, “You look like my father. You have his eyes.”

Ethan looked down at his hands gripped around his own coffee cup, “Really? What can you tell me about my sister and brother?”

Phyllis smiled, “Victoria is a playwright, very well known. Nicholas is a musician, also very well known.”

“Wait, Victoria and Nicholas Slater are my siblings?”

Phyllis nodded, “You know all three of you have this ability to hold a crowds attention. You just use it in different ways.”

A sadness grew over Ethan as he looked up, his eyes caught with his biological mothers, “Did you want me?”

Phyllis covered his hand with hers, “More then anything, but my husband convinced me to give you up. That you would be better off. You’re happy, right?”

“Very much so, I love my job and I found a wonderful woman to share my life with.”

“I certainly hope so. You’re always welcome to come to Heaven Beach, I think it would be a real treat to have you there.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. Of course I’d have to check with Abby since she is my fiancée.”

Phyllis bit her lower lip to keep her from saying something spiteful, “Darling, just be sure she’s the one for you and vice versa, alright?”

“Of course I will.”

PHPD

Dan and Siobhan stared at the board of suspects with their pictures on it while each sipped their fourth cup of coffee that morning. Their eyes went from Adel to Doug to Kip to Chad to Jeff to Phyllis to Ethan and Abby. Dan always cringed when he was his sister’s picture, “Well wait a minute Siobhan. Abby and Ethan were together at his house right, and she came over after she heard about it on the radio right?”

Siobhan looked at the notes, “Yeah, that looks about right. What about Jeff and Phyllis?”

Dan opened his note book, “When we talked to them this morning they said they were at Home Cookin’ together catching up and remember old times.”

“And Adel is the one who found Kathryn, plus she was freaking out. Not the normal reaction when seeing someone you just killed.”

“True.” Dan looked at the board, “I think right here is where we need to focus attention.” he pointed to Doug and Kip. “And I’m not just saying this because I think Kip Davis is a bastard. He has absolutely no alibi at all and he took a shower shortly after the time of the murder.”

Siobhan nodded, “Wow, you’re pretty on top of this. But motive? Who had one, Doug for sure.”

“True, I mean this woman is trying to get custody of a child she gave up, and is sleeping with Chad, while still trying to get in Daddy’s pants.”

“And a motive for Kip?”

“The woman is trying to destroy his perfect little family, he strives to be the perfect son. So why not destroy the woman trying to destroy the family?”

Siobhan nodded and took a few steps back as she looked at the board, “Interesting theory.”

“Excuse me, are you Detective Lane?”

Siobhan turned around at the sound of her name and saw a man just a few years younger then her with blond hair, and striking blue eyes. He had an innocence about him that just begged to be corrupted. “I’m Detective Lane, what can I do for you?”

He took a gulp of air before releasing an unsteady breath, “I’m Preston Layden, Kathryn Layden you’re victim was my sister.”

Siobhan’s eyes grew wide and she mentally kicked herself and she could see the same look on Dan’s face, “What can we do for you Mr. Layden?”

“I’ve come to identify my sister’s body along with make sure you all capture her killer.”

225 Shavano Court

“Its beautiful Abigail.” Lydia held her daughters left hand up to the light and studied the ring Ethan had placed there a few nights earlier.

“I know, Ethan went to so much trouble, I can’t even imagine it as real yet.” Abby looked over at the tree and saw her father come in with a box of ornaments. “Hi Daddy.”

John smiled as he opened the box, “Hi sweetie.” he put the lid on the couch, “Where’s Dan?”

Abby looked over towards the piano and the family portrait she and her brothers had done for their parents two years before, “He’s working on the murder investigation.”

John nodded, “The one at Hallow Hills.”

“Oh John, you know it’s the only one in town.”

John rolled his eyes, “I don’t want you working their anymore Abby, if women are getting murdered.”

“Daddy, its not like that at all. Miss Layden was trying to take away Isabella from Mr. and Mrs. Davis, she was threatening Chad as well.” Abby took out her favorite ornament and studied it, “Honestly, it could’ve been anyone she was also a ruthless business woman and word is she was trying to take over DI.”

John shook his head, “That doesn’t mean I’m not going to worry.”

Abby smiled and hugged her father, “Daddy, I’ll be fine. Besides my brother is a cop, its even got Ethan afraid and he and I are engaged.”

“Good, but I say we save the star for when Dan gets here.” John watched his wife and daughter and was starting to wonder how he could handle this holiday season. It seemed they were all going in separate directions, Abby with Ethan and the Davis family, Sam in Hawaii, Dan with work, and Lydia off in her own little world of cosmetic sales.

Hallow Hills—Isabella’s Nursery

“Tomorrow we’re going to go and you’ll see Santa at the mall. You’ll get your picture taken and you’ll have the best Christmas ever sweetie.” Adel told her daughter as she placed her in the crib.

Jeff stood in the doorway, watching them. “You’re wonderful with her.”

Adel blushed, “Thank you Jeffery.” She glanced at the clock, “Shouldn’t you be at the restaurant?”

Jeff laughed, “No, I have a staff that runs it. That’s the whole Davis Industries thing, I’m in control until it opens, then I turn it over to someone else.”

Adel nodded, “I understand that, very well in fact.” She pulled the blanket up on Isabella and stepped into the hall with Jeff. “Are you and Phyllis going out this evening?”

“Actually, we’re not. She said something about catching a flight home. Kip might be joining her.”

Sadness came over Adel for a moment, “That’s probably best. We wanted him away from things like this and he comes home and another terrible thing happened.”

Jeff pushed the hairs away from Adel’s eyes and smiled, “No matter what its Christmas and we’ll have a very merry one. No matter what sad things have happened, you can’t help but have a merry Christmas.”

“Thank you Jeff.” She held his hand in hers as her eyes locked with his for one moment before looking up and seeing the mistletoe, “Elsie put that stuff everywhere.”

Jeff looked up and his heart began racing, his hands fell onto Adel’s waist pulling her closer, ignoring objection as his mouth captured hers.

Adel realized it was a mistake to mention the mistletoe as soon as Jeff’s hands found her waist, but that didn’t stop her from responding to the kiss. The warmth, the softness, the desire that stirred up inside of her, all of it seemed like it had been missing for far too long. When was the last time Doug had kissed her like this? Doug, her husband. She pulled away and stared at Jeff for a moment, “Excuse me, I have things to do.”

Jeff watched Adel walk away towards her and Doug’s room. He needed to learn to control himself around his brother’s wife, but his feelings for Adel weren’t vanishing they were growing, deeper.

Conner’s Apartment—Lysa’s Room

“Do I sound different Ashlyn?” Lysa asked into her cell phone as she looked at her image in the mirror, “I don’t look any different, at least not to myself.”

She rolled her eyes at the question, “No I didn’t tell my father, like that’s something you tell him. My Dad would have a heart attack.”

“Listen Ashlyn, I have to go. No I’ve got shopping to do for Christmas. Well my Dad was on that whole kick about having me around but he’s got some appointment so I’m gonna go and get my shopping done. I’ll call you later tonight. Bye girly.” Lysa flipped her cellphone closed and rolled her eyes, at least she hadn’t mentioned that the guy she lost her virginity to was her Uncle Sean.

Memorial Hospital—Dr. Clint Nevada’s Office

Conner looked around the office, earth tones all over the place, and few items to show any personality at all. Nothing even looked sharp, Conner wasn’t sure that was good or bad. The door opened and Dr. Clint Nevada came in, dressed in khaki pants, and a blue polo shirt. “Afternoon Mr. McKay, how are you doing?”

Conner sighed, “Alright considering I was locked up for several months in my ex-girlfriends basement and kept away from my daughter and the woman I love.”

Clint immediately began to make notes on the yellow legal pad. “How does that make you feel?”

“You’re kidding me right?” Conner asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Not at all, I mean this is a highly unusual event, it must have created feelings of some kind.”

Conner squirmed in his seat, he wasn’t going to like therapy he had decided but he had to give it a try at least, “Angry I guess. My daughter is sixteen and won’t talk to me at all. I figure part of that’s normal but before I was kidnapped and held captive we were very close. For most of her life I was the only parent she knew, her mother was off seeking adventure, and when she did come home. She married someone else, only to die this last June.”

Clint nodded and made more notes. Something about the way he did this really irritated Conner. “And the woman you love?”

“She’s dating someone else again, but she returned to town, didn’t tell me and then started seeing some doctor.”

Clint raised an eye brow and made another note, and pulled the pad closer to him as he noticed that Conner was trying to sneak a peak. “When did you and this woman meet?”

“A long time ago, we were friends for several years before anything even happened romantically. I mean for a while I was hoping that my wife would come back, but then I resolved myself that wouldn’t happen. So I decided to move on.”

Conner stood up and went to the window, watching the traffic outside, “Maggie worked in the store next to mine, and lived on another floor of my apartment building. We were really good friends, their was always this hint that something more could be between us. So we went out, it was amazing. Then Bethany came back. Maggie wanted me to make sure things were over between us before she and I could continue. Well while Bethany and I were trying to be civil Maggie started seeing this other guy, this Kevin. A pompous ass.

“Well things just snowballed from their, Bethany found someone else, and Maggie married Kevin. Then they moved to Nashville. Things didn’t last long for them though cause this summer she came back, that’s when I had started seeing Grace.” Conner visibly shook at the name, “Maggie says she didn’t want to come between me and Grace so she didn’t tell me she was in town. That’s it, no one holds a candle to Maggie.”

Clint nodded, “Tell me about Grace.”

Conner grew pale, “She seemed nice enough, sweet enough until I made the mistake of sleeping with her and then trying to break up with her.”

“Bad sex?”

Conner narrowed his eyes, “No, after Grace and I made love, I was looking out her bedroom window and saw Maggie. I realized then that Maggie will always have my heart. I gave it away to her before I even knew it. Grace snapped though, hit me upside the head and dragged my naked body to the basement. Where for months I was forced to watch Maggie with her new boyfriend the doctor.”

“How did you get out of the basement?”

Conner turned to look at Clint, his back leaning against the wall, “Maggie came down in the middle of the night and looked in the window. Her younger brother had seen me, but Grace kept me hidden the first time Maggie came to check. Her gut told her to check again. When she saw me, she called the police.”

“Obviously things between you and this Maggie are complicated. Have you two spoken since?”

Conner sat back down on the couch, “She came by the other night, and I blew up at her. I don’t even really know why I did. I just couldn’t be who she wanted me to be.”

Clint leaned forward, keeping his notes to himself still, “What did she want from you?”

“A chance for us to be together.” His eyes were brimmed with tears, “I told her that I do love her, but I can’t be with her.” he laughed at himself, “And yet every moment since then I’ve kicked myself.”

“Conner, I want you to do an exercise for me.” He picked up a stuffed frog he had on the shelf, “I know it seems silly, but I want you to pretend this Frog is Maggie, tell her how you feel.”

Conner took hold of the Frog and looked back at Clint, “I don’t know about this Dr. Nevada.”

“Just try it.”

“Maggie, you are the sweetest girl I have ever met. Every time I see you, its only you in the room. Even in the crowded mall. But, I’m hurt and I’m scared after everything that’s happened. I want to be with you that at times it hurts knowing we’re not together.” He paused, taking a long unsteady breath, “There has been so much that has happened that I need time to reclaim myself, just like you need that same time.”

Clint smiled, “Good, now you just have to gain the strength to tell this to Maggie herself.”

“I don’t think Maggie will even let me talk to her again.”

“You won’t know unless you try. Come back next week and we’ll discuss how it went.”

210 Shavano Court

“Yes Carsyn, I understand. Well then we’ll just meet up with you and your family at church on Friday night. Alright, I’ll talk to you soon. Bye.” Maggie hung up the phone just in time to see her father’s car pull into the driveway from the kitchen window.

She slipped on her sneakers and ran out the back door hugging her father the minute she saw him, “I’m so glad you came Daddy.”

“Me too princess.” Larry Williams kissed his eldest daughters forehead, “Lets get the kids inside, Gary has been hyper the last hour of the ride.”

“Hey Maggie!” Gary hugged his sister tightly, “Did Dad tell you, Mommy’s coming on Christmas Eve!”

Maggie blinked from surprise as she looked at her father and step-mother Ariel, “Oh really?”

“Yeah, I told Allie where we would be and she insisted of coming to town for the holiday. Her book tour will be over by then so its perfect timing. She’s staying at Shavano Inn though.” Larry explained as he and Ariel unloaded the car.

Cassie was already in the house and Gary quickly followed. “Don’t worry Maggie, it will be a great Holiday.” Ariel told her as she carried bags of gifts into the house.

Maggie stood in her driveway, as a soft snow began and shook her head, Her family, Carsyn’s family, her mother, the only thing that could make this harder would be Conner McKay and his attitude again.

Just as she was about to go back inside she saw Conner walking up her driveway towards her, “Conner, what are you doing here?”

“I came to apologize for being such a moron the other night. I can’t really take back what I said, I just wish it hadn’t been as harsh as it was.” He rubbed his gloved hands together as he watched her shaking in the cold.

“Thank you, I don’t know what else you want from me though Conner. You made it clear we’re over.” She started to go back to the house when he grabbed her arm.

“Maggie, what happened to the wonderfully independent woman I fell in love with?”

She narrowed her eyes as she shook her arm free, “I’m not that same woman am I? You’re not the same man either. I guess that should tell us something.” She sighed and glanced over the fence and shuddered, “Wish Lysa a Merry Christmas for me if I don’t see you at Church on Friday.”

“Maggie, I do think the window is open, just not as open as we want it to be.”

She stepped up to the back door and turned around, “Maybe its on its way to be shut and nailed.”

Kyle’s Office

“Mr. Layden I promise that the Pinõn Hallow Police Department will find who killed your sister and that the district attorney’s office will prosecute him or her to the full extent of the law.” Kyle explained from across his desk to the young man who looked distraught about his sisters murder. “I am very sorry for your loss.”

Preston stood up, “You won’t be rid of me until justice is served. You get that right?”

Kyle nodded, “Yes I understand. Trust me, I won’t take this to trial until we have sufficient evidence.”

Preston opened the door, “I want her murderer found.”

“Don’t worry, we all want that.” Kyle said as Trista came to the door just as Preston was walking out.

“He looked really mad, who was it?” Trista asked as she closed the door.

“Kathryn Layden’s brother Preston. He’s anxious for this case to be solved. I don’t blame him but I talked to Siobhan earlier. She and Officer Adams seem to have things down to only a few real suspects.” Kyle rubbed his temples, it was moments like this he wondered why the hell he stayed in the legal profession after the whole Felicia Laurence fiasco. “Sorry, I just got done with the Waterside arraignment and came back to this.”

“Oh you poor baby.” Trista walked behind him and began to massage his shoulders, “How long do you think you’ll be here for?”

Kyle looked at the pile of papers on his desk, “Another couple of hours. Why?”

“Oh just wondering if I was going to have to stay up for you or not.” She kissed his neck, “Since I have the early shift at the hospital tomorrow, I was hoping we could get to bed early.”

Kyle half sighed and half moaned, damn the crime. “I wish I could.” He glanced back at the papers and knew this wasn’t the right setting for a proposal, damnit! “Let me at least get these organized and then I’ll come home and we can have dinner in bed, how does that sound.”

Trista smiled, but Kyle knew it was hiding disappointment, “That’s better then nothing I suppose.”

“Sorry babe.”

Hallow Hotel Room 5

Lysa used the key Sean had given her to enter the motel room. The bed had since been made by one of the maids but things looked pretty much the same. She touched the bedspread and couldn’t help but remember what had happened a few nights before, and every afternoon since.

The bathroom door opened and filled the bedroom with steam, Sean came out with a white towel wrapped around his body. Lysa smiled at this sight. “Hi. I used my key.”

“That’s why I gave it to you.” he pulled her closer to him and kissed her, “I missed you this morning.”

She smiled, “I missed you to, but you know Dad would flip out if he realized I had snuck out.”

“Very true, my brother is over protective like that.” Sean leaned over and kissed her neck, “Do you like when I do this Lysa?”

Lysa breathed deeply, “Yes Sean, I do.”

“And this?” he asked as he unzipped her coat and pushed it off to the floor.

“Yes.” Was all she could say as he stepped away.

“What did we agree Lysa?”

“This.” Lysa took off her shirt and skirt, before reaching behind her to undo her bra.

“Very good Lysa.” Sean pulled her back to him again as he reached down and pulled away his towel, “Very good indeed.”

Lysa felt the pressure of his body on top of hers as they fell onto the bed. She kissed his lips, his neck, his chest.

Sean ran his hands along her naked skin, and kissed her back.