 |
||
When Cassadines Fall
Distraction
Nikolas knocks briefly on the door to Lisette's apartment before opening it up. Looking around he sees Dara at the kitchen sink doing dishes and Maddy at the kitchenette stuffing papers into a garbage bag. He is relieved that there is no sign of bloodshed and relaxes. "Maddy, Miz Sophia says you have to make the topping for the dessert?"
"Oh right." Maddy nods. As Nik nears the pair he can feel the tension between them. Maddy brushes her hands on her jeans and then fastens the overstuffed garbage bag. "I'll go take care of that now." Maddy brushes by Nikolas. Nikolas holds a hand out and stops her briefly just studying her before letting go and allowing her to pass. He turns to follow her.
"Nikolas." Dara grabs a paper towel and dries her hands. Nikolas pauses. "What are you doing here?"
Nik's eyes narrow. It was really none of Ms. Jenson's business but she is Maddy's Aunt as his uncle had reminded him. "Maddy received notification of her mother's... accident while she was at a Halloween party at my house. She left without explanation with someone I'd never seen before. I was concerned."
"Why would you be concerned? I didn't know you and my niece were friends. Emily Quartermaine, yes, I know that she is being schooled with Emily and Taggart told me she was playing chess with your uncle but you?"
"Maddy and I have been friends since before Emily's kidnapping. Emily introduced us. Her introduction to my uncle was through me."
"You seem very chummy with Lisette's neighbor and Mr Robideau."
"You'll find it impossible to not be chummy with Miz Sophia. And I met Mr Robideau when he visited Maddy in Port Charles. If you'll excuse me I really should get back next door. Leaving my uncle and Edward Quartermaine in the same room unsupervised is a mistake. Will you be joining us?"
"Right. I'll be right there. I just need to collect my thoughts." Dara nods. Nikolas leaves. Dara walks over to where her suit jacket and purse are hanging on the back of a the dinette chair. She pulls out her cell phone and dials Port Charles. "Marcus?... Yes, I found her and you won't believe who I found with her... Jerry Jacks, The Cassadines and Edward Quartermaine all sitting around having lunch cosy as you please....." Taggart reminds her that he found out some of that from Carly. "Right. I don't think I was hearing too good when you told me that. I need a favor. I need you to find out everything you can on Pete Robideau. I need to know who I'm dealing with and try to not involve the New Orleans PD, I need a relatively unbiased and unbought opinion. I know they are making big efforts to clean up the rep of the NOPD but.... And whatever you find out, Marcus, know this-- Robideau's been in Port Charles-- recently. The first place I'd look? The FBI's organized crime profiles." Dara listens to Marcus' rants but then interrupts. "I'm sure that he probably checked in with Corinthos but it wasn't about business, or at least not entirely. Maddy's got strong ties to the guy, and he was checking up on her."
Out on the back porch, Stefan hangs up from talking to Alexis and then walks further away from Edward for some privacy on the next call. He is put straight through to another lawyer on the Cassadine payroll... one with the unique talent as a forger... something that came in handy when dealing with the family. "Yes, I have a task for you." Stefan's eyes narrow. Maddy was no fool. How to make this work? "I need an insurance policy... make it for $125,000 with double indeminity for violent demise. The policy should be dated eighteen years ago with the last payment... a decade ago have some kind of rider on it for dividend reinvestment to cover the payments for the last ten years.
The person taking out the policy is Lisette Reynolds. I'll get you a sample of her signature. The beneficiary is her unborn child. Maybe a followup document that names the child Madeliene Reynolds." Stefan thinks aloud. "All the documents properly aged of course. Bury any connection to the family deep, beyond retrieval, but make the company involved of impeccable reputation. Filter the funds from the swiss account. Make this a priority. I will get you the necessary signature within the day." Stefan hangs up without saying goodbye.
Nikolas leans up against the counter in the kitchen watching as Maddy starts blending and heating ingredients for a syrup based sauce. "I thought you didn't cook."
"I don't." Maddy denies automatically. 'Course her concept of not cooking is world's away from Nikolas' not cooking. "Here-- stir this." She indicates the spoon in the sauce pan. "You don't have to beat it to death just trying to get the sugar to dissolve." Once Nikolas takes over Maddy pulls the warm pan from the oven and cutting into it divides it into individual dishes.
"I was wondering why you were getting two loaves of french bread." Nik comments curiously. "What exactly is this you are making?"
"Bread pudding. Sounds disgusting I know but it's not too bad really. Great way to use up day old bread if you don't have ducks to feed it to." Maddy replies absently. Once she is has lined the dishes onto the counter she starts searching Granny's cupboards until she finds what she wants, what she knows is there. "Ha!" She grabs in the cupboard and brings out a half full fifth of Southern Comfort. Nik quirks a brow at her. "Granny keeps it for medicinal purposes... it tastes better than Nyquil."
"Is there any dessert you make that doesn't have alcohol in it?" Nikolas asks freferring to Maddy's last foray into baking-- cannolis.
Maddy thinks about it for a minute. "Nope. Although you can eat the bread pudding as is. Granny tried some out at a restuarant though and they had a whiskey sauce on it she really liked and told me about."
"So of course you tracked down the recipe for her."
"The chef was looking for a new supplier of fresh shrimp after the one he was using was busted for using his boat to transport drugs. I had a name." Maddy shrugs.
"So he owed you a favor."
"Not anymore." Maddy brushes Nikolas aside and stirs the syrup making sure that all the ingredients are blended well. She turns the heat off under it and adds the final ingredient... a healthy amount of Southern Comfort whiskey and stirs it in. Then she takes the sauce pan and dribbles the sauce over each portion of pudding. "You want to call everyone back to the table?" While Nik is gone doing that Maddy puts out the portions. Dara knocks on tthe door and then enters. "You're just in time. Life is short-- eat dessert first."
"Very true." Dara agrees sadly. She sets her purse on the counter. "Maddy, I want... need to see Lisette."
Pete and Jerry walk back in from the back porch just in time to hear the last. "I'll take you." Pete offers. "I need to talk to the funeral director about the arrangements. I just called them; Lisette is there now." He turns to Maddy. "He wants an outfit for your Mere and a picture... if you want."
Maddy nods. "Mr C picked something out earlier. And I know where a picture is or was the last time I was home. Dara, Poppi-- I really can't...."
"Stay here. Keep company with Sophia. She's missed you." Pete directs. "Let me take care of this." Pete turns to Dara. "Pete Robideau, I'm sorry to make your acquaintance under such sad circumstances."
"Dara Jenson. I appreciate all the help that you've been to Maddy now and over the years." Dara replies cautiously.
"Non, it is Madeliene whose debt I am in for the loving care she gave my mother before she passed."
"Poppi, that's a load of bull. Granny Rosa helped me more than I could ever do for her." Maddy protests.
"You believe what you like, petite, and I'll do the same." Pete shrugs. "Now what smells so good?"
"You both go sit down and I'll bring it out." Maddy directs. Pete follows Dara into the dining room and holds her chair as she seats herself before taking his own. Edward and the Cassadines take their seats after Stefan holds the chair for Miz Sophia.
Nikolas looks around. "Jerry?"
"Was calling home." Pete explains. "And what little I heard of the conversation with his wife it might be awhile. Something about Carly getting into it with someone named Monica?"
Edward groans. Maddy puts a portion of pudding in front of him. "Don't worry about it, Mr Q." She pats his shoulder reassuringly. "There is nothing you can do from here. And you know Carly can take care of herself. Monica too. And look on the bright side... you being here you can't get blamed for this one."
"Who is Monica?" Miz Sophia asks Maddy as she slides into the chair next to her.
"Emily's mother, Carly's mother in law." Maddy explains. "They don't get along. Carly and Monica I mean. And with Carly being pregnant Monica is beginning to realize that AJ is going to stay married to Carly."
"Well of course they are!" Edward harrumphs. "I knew all along she was just the thing to straighten up that drunken wastrel grandson of mine."
Jerry comes in from the back porch tucking his cell phone in his jacket pocket. I'm not even gone one day! He runs a hand through his hair impatiently. Having heard Edward's comment he has a retort of his own. "Carly isn't here to hear it, old man, you can keep the butter."
"What happened?"
"Carly started it." Jerry says with a sigh sinking into his own chair. "As Bobbie was quick to point out but Monica took it to the next level as if she didn't know better. In the middle of Wyndams."
Maddy realizes the day. November 1, Wednesday. "Oh Hell-- Carly had Michael with her." She turns to Sophia. "That's her and AJ's son. He's just a toddler."
"What's the worst that could happen?" Miz Sophia asks curiously. Surely two grown women shouldn't cause this reaction. Everyone at the table except Pete groans not wanting to go there.
Pete grins loving it. "Sophia, my first introduction to Jerry's stepdaughter..."
"Pete, don't." Jerry growls.
Pete continues as if uninterrupted. "...Jerry wasn't as pleased as my good friend should be considering we hadn't spoken since before Mere died.... in fact, he greeted me with a right cross right in the middle of a hotel bar! When I was about to return the favor this blonde bombshell landed on my back and started to cut off my air. She was very annoyed that I might harm a hair on Jerry's head. I recieved the impression her husband keeps bail money ready at all times."
"She's threatened to skin me alive and tape my screams for playback later." Edward mutters.
"You deserved that!" Jerry protests. "You sent her husband into a war zone!"
"He's CEO of ELQ he's suppose to be able to handle things like Jakarta. How was I suppose to know he was going to take Carly with him like it was some kind of vacation?" Edward defends.
Stefan interrupts. "I'm afraid I don't know any suitable...."for mixed company "...stories about Caroline. When I was married to Barbara she had yet to discover that Caroline was her daughter."
"Not true, Uncle, there was the time we went riding out at her place."
Stefan nods. "Yes, Nikolas has taken to boarding his horse, Sheba, at her stables."
"Only 'cause of Bobbie." Jerry mutters. This was really starting to piss him off.
"Undoubtedly." Stefan agrees. "We were returning from our ride while Caroline was giving a young girl a riding lesson...."
Jerry looks over at Pete. "Rita Porter-- you know her."
"You know the Judge's daughter?!" Dara's jaw drops and she closes her eyes. If half of the stories O'Meara had fed her were based in fact this was going to be a problem.
"Her father is a judge? I didn't hear this." Pete glances around the table. He gets nods from Edward, Jerry and Maddy. "Her poor papa." Pete snickers.
"As I was saying...." Stefan reasserts. "We came out of the woods just when Caroline was about to replace the young rider to show her how to properly take the jumps. Nikolas broke into a gallop to intervene before she could."
"Why?" Miz Sophia asks.
"Because she's pregnant and she had difficulty when she had Michael." Nikolas explains.
"And so Nikolas instead showed Miss Porter how to do the jumps and was critiqued by both upon completing the task."
"Caroline is a damn fine rider." Jerry defends. who knows better than taking jumps in her condition. We're going to have a little chat about that when I get home, girlie.
"Indeed." Stefan agrees. "It was rather humorous seeing Nikolas taken to task for not wearing his helmet first by the little one and then by Caroline."
"Dara," Miz Sophia tries to get Maddy's aunt involved in the conversation. "This is your town... do you have any stories to tell of this interesting woman?"
"A couple." Dara shakes her head. "The one that sticks in my mind is her shooting someone in open court. She's not a credible witness since everyone in the legal community knows that the truth is flexible in her hands."
"And if you'd been getting the job done, she never would have shot the bastard." Edward protests before Jerry can. "Tony Jones is a kidnapping psycho who took my great grandson. A boil on the posterior of Port Charles. She was doing a community service punching his ticket. Unfortunately Monica, who is a cardiac surgeon and Carly's mother, Bobbie, were able to save him."
"Maddy, this is a friend of yours?" Sophia asks.
"Sure. She and Emily are tight. Emily introduced us. We were on a girl's night out with Carly when Poppi came to town. And Taggart likes her." Maddy defends Carly to Sophia but her glance is to her aunt.
"That's pushing it, Maddy." Jerry denies.
"Oh don't be so sure, Jerry." Dara agrees with Maddy. "It's been a running joke at the PCPD that Carly has Marcus on speeddial even before the meth lab thing. But I found out before coming down here that Marcus has her on his too! When Alexis left after telling me about Lisette, Marcus called Carly for both confirmation and information before he called the PCPD."
"John must adore her!" Sophia claims remembering her old beau. "He always one for stirring up bees nests, playing with firecrackers or keeping things lively." Sophia sees Jerry's wince. "Jerry?"
"Well Miz Sophia I'd have to say that adoring her is pushing it. I've had a falling out with my family..." Jerry wonders how to say this without giving too much away. "... Rearranged my priorities now that I'm married to a woman with children."
Pete has no idea what happened but can tell from Jerry's tone that there is a story there. "Uh-oh. Why do I get the feeling that John Jacks wanting your priorities right where he'd set them-- guarding golden boy's posterior." Pete has a flash based on the round robin of stories that have been told. "Kidnapping."
Jerry nods. "That was final straw." He explains to Sophia. "I kicked around the world abit before I got married." Jerry understates. "And managed to get in and out of more than a few sticky situations in parts of the world not on the State Department's top ten tourist destinations. Dad and Lady Jane were able to find some humor in the fixes I got myself into. But Caroline has no sense of humor where kidnapping is concerned after what happened to Michael. So when Dad attempted to put out an olive branch, Carly basically..." Jerry shrugs. "...took it and beat him over the head with it. She's got no use for my dad or Jax either."
"Em said that Jax was at the party for the Judge and Cookie over at Carly's house." Maddy remembers. "So she can't be too ticked at him."
"I remember that." Dara nods. "There was a letter bomb among the presents. Something about the case the judge was sitting on Marcus thinks."
Edward remembers as well. "And he took his sweet time getting there. Both of my grandsons stayed in the house after everyone else was evacuated. I didn't rest easy until Emily came home and told me everything was fine. Emily's beau, John Cook, has some training as a security expert and recognized that the package wasn't right. Carly kicked me off the property again."
"She told you to take Lila home, old man." Jerry corrects. "Jax was there because Emily told him to be there and to get Cookie a good present as a way of getting out of the doghouse with Carly."
"Marcus said that the bomb had been in the house and you and Johnny moved it outside." Dara shakes her head. "That seems kind of reckless to me. Should leave things like that to the experts."
Pete is about to say something but decides not to. Nobody needs to know that Jerry is an expert in explosives. "Very reckless... what were you thinking?" He asks mendaciously for Dara's benefit.
"That Carly was going to take it out herself." Jerry admits. "She knew that the package had already been tossed around in the course of being delivered and wasn't interested in keeping it in her house. So she picked a spot out in the backyard where if the thing went off she'd get a headstart on the pool she wants. Cook and I waited around for Taggart to show up with the bomb squad."
"Oh my." Sophia puts a hand to her chest. "And they think things happen in New Orleans. Maddy, are you sure it's safe for you up there? Kidnapping, bombs and so cold."
"I'm fine, Granny." Maddy says reassuringly. "Yes, Carly keeps things interesting but I don't spend that much time with her. Em and I pal around. I don't even spend time with Monica-- the one that Carly got into it with. She's always at the hospital when I'm over at the Mansion with the tutors. I just sell coffee and newspapers and mind my own business."
Nikolas chokes on his beverage and starts coughing. "Please... excuse... me." He chokes out and pushes back from the table going out on the back porch until the coughing and laughing fit has past.