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When Cassadines Fall
Neighborhood Watch
Nikolas stares into the dying embers of the fire reluctant to get up from the couch and possibly disturb Maddy who'd finally fallen into a deep sleep. Once upon a time she taunted him by saying his ancestors had made their money off of the broken backs of people like her ancestors. A truth that hit home again hearing Lisette's "bedtime" story. The Cassadine history of conquest and exploitation had been the history of the victors-- glossing over the reality of the conquered and exploited. Maddy's had been of a woman who had bought her own freedom with the skill of her needle and then married her former master, who was one of a number of free blacks in the pre-civil war New Orleans. The quilt had traveled with her from Carolina unfinished and worked on in her spare time. It had finally been completed just prior to her wedding, years after being sold to and then finally freed by the man that would become her husband. One of the reasons the quilt is in such remarkable condition. The tradition, until he had butted his nose in and put it on the spare room bed, was to only display it on wedding nights. No wonder Maddy had wanted to kill him.
Cinnamon's ears perk up and she rises with a stretch padding to the kitchen. Nikolas hears the sound of the back door being opened. And then Lucky asking, "Hey pup? Where is everybody?" Lucky and Elizabeth follow Cinnamon back into the living room.
Nik holds a finger to his lips in a nonverbal cue to keep it down. "Hey." He says quietly.
"What's up?" Lucky wonders.
"Maddy had a bad day. It's been exactly a week since...."
Liz winces taking a chair across from the couch. "She seemed fine this morning."
"The photographer was suppose to come out today... take pictures for Partner so he can enter the rehab into the Historical Society competition. Only in the interest of efficiency, Partner also brought along a journalist and a textile appraiser who was looking at one of Maddy's quilts."
Lucky puts another log on the fire and then goes over to sit on the floor leaning back the chair that Elizabeth is sitting in. "That one?" Lucky refers to the quilt that hangs on the living room wall.
"No, an antique quilt that's been in her family for generations. It could have been the quilt but I think it was the family bible that triggered it." Nik supposes. There is a long pause as everyone collects their thoughts. Finally Nik decides to change the subject. "What did you find out?" He asks Liz.
Liz names off the greek name of the fraternity. "They've had their charter revoked by PCU. Sounds as if it's just a matter of time before the National Governing body revokes them too. But these guys are trying to hold that off by sticking together and moving off campus."
"Why?" Nikolas wonders.
"This is where the PCPD connections comes in handy... one of the criminal justice majors is doing his practicum at the PCPD but he does work study as a campus cop. So I've seen this guy around... you know: at Kelly's, at the police station.... When I went down to the campus cop shop, we started talking and I asked him about them. This crew puts the animal in party animal. They've been written up tons over the years for alcohol and noise violations but this year they crossed the line. One of the girls who'd been been at one of their parties showed up at the health center having no memory of the night before but knowin' something wasn't right. Turns out she was sexually assaulted."
Maddy says sleepily without opening her eyes. "Ruffies."
"Hey sleepyhead. When did you wake up?"
"About the time Elizabeth said the word cop." Maddy admits. She sits up on the couch putting a little room between her and Nikolas. Nikolas takes her hand to keep a connection. "Why are you asking about some kind of animal house?"
"Because they plan on moving in across the street." Nik informs her.
"Over my dead body!" Liz snarls and then brings herself back under control; she'd been on slow boil ever since leaving the campus cop shop. "The school couldn't prove anything... because of her memory loss... they don't know who slipped her the mickey... they don't know who assaulted her but they are pretty damn sure it happened in that house with at least one of those guys- maybe more. PCU used the totality of the situation to boot the whole house out since they were on probation anyway: the parties, the noise, the alcohol, their grades. But there was nothing to go to the cops with; the victim refused to file a report."
"Mistake." Maddy shakes her head.
Lucky stiffens. "Look unless you've been there..."
"I'm not talking about the victim coming forward if there is little or no chance of them catching the guy who did it-- although not telling means that little chance becomes no chance at all. I'm talking about the campus police not informing the PCPD. Remember the night I went out dancing? It was right after I moved in here... I ran into your dad and he introduced me to you both...?" Maddy refreshes their memory.
"Yeah, so." Lucky prompts.
"Taggart was at the club that night looking for guys who were suspected of dealing ruffies. I told your dad about it so he could watch out at his place. Taggart is already working a case. If he had been informed maybe he could have connected one of these 'rat boys to what was going on in the clubs. That was when... the middle of September? That club is really kind of close to the campus and it was after fall term started."
"Damn." Lucky mutters realizing Maddy might be right.
"No wonder the PCPD gets a bad rap. Nobody is giving them the dots to connect. Well... except Carly. And she only does it to keep Taggart away from Jason and Mr Corinthos."
Lucky laughs. "You don't know how much that burns my Dad." And then he winces when he remembers that he is going to be on the receiving end of that one as soon as Luke finds out about his hacking for Count Vlad.
"So what can we do about it?" Liz demands getting back on subject. "About keeping those guys out of the neighborhood."
"Louise Wells..." Nik begins; Lucky and Liz look at him blankly.
Maddy fills in the blank. Translating the woman to clues that they would have noticed. "Cross the street three up. Drives the mom-mobile. Egg shell house with canary trim."
Both Lucky and Liz nod and say oh. Nik continues. "...Will be calling about forming a neighborhood watch. I'm thinking it's good timing even if we didn't have the potential pox moving in. I told her depending on our schedules all or one of us would be there to represent the house. Lucky, what's the problem?"
"If my dad were dead he'd be spinning in his grave. I can't believe I'm talking about a neighborhood watch like it's a good thing." Lucky shudders at the whole concept. "Course I grew up in the house that would have been watched."
"Me too." Maddy says consolingly.
"Me too." Nik grins.
"Not me!" Liz says cheerfully. My parents are perfect... my sister is perfect. Nobody watched our house. Which is why I came to live with my grandmother. I didn't realize it at the time but... She's perfect too."
"And now you're living with us."
"And liking it much, much better."
Ricky looks in the mirror and grimaces-- this color blue was just not his thing and polyester was good for... hell, he didn't know of a damn thing it was good for. As he had suspected it hadn't been that difficult to get the job at the courthouse complex. He just went up to the temp agency that had been on the janitor's badge filled out the application with his fake name and the background his father had built for him. Told them that he was without transportation but lived within walking distance of the courthouse. When the agency said they only had night positions open he'd jumped on it. He was suppose to go in a little early tonight to get trained. "I wonder how long it is going to take me to get keys?" He pulls on the new parka he'd bought the same day he got the space heater for this dump of a room. He really is on foot now having returned the rental car to the airport the day before. The luxury rental car didn't fit with this cover. "I'm really gonna have to get a car this weekend. Maybe a nice old wreck that's solid under the hood as long as the heater and the stereo work."
Bobbie opens the front door of the Brownstone. "Jane?"
"I'm sorry this took me so long." Jane bustles into the brownstone. "I had to look all over town to find it."
"Find what?" Bobbie asks curiously.
"Jax told me what happened last night with Lucas. When... anyway this is oil of wintergreen, when I was a young mum and dealing with the growing pains it was the only thing that settled...."
"When Jax had growing pains this worked." Bobbie clarifies letting Jane off the hook. She takes the bottle from Jane. Bobbie unscrews the top and sniffs. "Oh nice."
"Yes." Jane sighs with relief. "It doesn't smell as nasty as the bengay or icy hot. I actually found it out at Caroline's spa. One of the massage therapists out there uses it on her clients who overexert at the gym. I should have looked there first. Jerry never had the growing pains. He grew steady. Jax is the one who'd not grow an inch for months at a time and then suddenly sprout three."
"Do you want a cup of tea? I have the kettle on." Bobbie invites.
"That would be great." Jane slides out of her coat and hangs it on Bobbie's hall tree. She follows Bobbie into the kitchen area watching as Bobbie makes the tea. "There is nothing nicer on a fall evening than a nice cuppa."
"Oh I don't know spiced cider sounds pretty good sometimes too. I moved here from Florida..." Bobbie winces when she realizes how long it's been. "...over twenty years ago but I swear the first real chill of the fall hits me every time." Bobbie admits.
"Well Alaska was my idea." Jane admits. "After living in the outback of Australia, cold and green sounded like heaven and it has been. Right up until John had his first heart attack and then I realized how isolated we are up there. The satellites keep us up on what is going on in the world but a satellite isn't a doctor or a hospital. If there was any silver lining in that heart attack; it's that it happened here in Port Charles while we were visiting."
"I feel that way about Lucas. He is such an angel about his diabetes but I want the hospital right there in case something goes wrong. Carly on the other hand...." Bobbie rolls her eyes.
"Doesn't like hospitals? She has lots of company there." Jane reminds.
"I know that phobias are often based in fact, and she's got reasons, but she takes it too far like she does with everything else. She'd do about anything to avoid going to the hospital. Luckily between me and her father-in-law, Alan Quartermaine, we make sure that she doesn't do anything too stupid especially now."
"With the new baby on the way." Jane leans in greedily for any information.
"Right. Carly knows she has to deliver at the hospital especially after all the problems she had with Michael but if everything goes right this time it wouldn't surprise me if she doesn't even spend the night in the hospital. Just have the baby... make sure it's okay and then snatch the baby and run like hell! And Jerry..." Bobbie does another eye roll.
"What?"
"He'll probably drive the getaway car. He spoils both the kids rotten."
"He seems to have specially bonded with Carly."
"Well Lucas first but yes, I think you're right. And believe me I count my blessings on that one. Carly and I butt heads constantly. She's too... Spencer for us not to. I can't tell her a thing without it turning into WWIII. She has to either change her mind on her own or sometimes Jerry can bring her around. And even then she won't admit he's right; she'll just adjust her behavior." Bobbie changes the subject. "Have you heard from the Lambs? About the brownstone up the block?"
"Yes. Finally." Jane sighs glad to have that out of the way. "We're renting their house for the winter-- furnished even, while they're down in Florida. If they decide they want to stay down there then we get first refusal on buying. John and I are moving in this weekend. Jax offered to help."
"Oh Jane, have I got news for you." Bobbie croons and smiles. "I found out why Jax has been so helpful in you finding a place to stay other than the hotel."
"Why."
"Because he has a girlfriend that he isn't telling anyone about. Her choice not his. The cat got let out of the bag, so to speak, last night when he was over talking to Jerry. Evidently Jax's ladyfriend won't stay over at his penthouse while his parents are living in the same building and could drop by at any time."
"You think it's serious?"
"What do you think... you've seen how he's been pushing the move."
"Oh just tell me it's not another model from that Deception company he's been so involved with lately!"
"Jerry is keeping quiet on the lady's name but I'm thinking not a model because if it was then it would be all over the press."
"Yes. This is news." And she'd get to the bottom of it or her name wasn't Jane Jacks. "And Jerry? How is he doing?"
"I think that New Orleans was good for him even though it was a lousy reason to visit the city. He always seems to have such fond memories of New Orleans. He's already promised to take me and Lucas down there for Spring break."
"Both of the boys do, but I think Jerry especially. The first time he went down there was about twenty years ago during Mardi Gras. He had a blast but then got called away on business. The business ended up taking longer than it ought. That was the first time he was kidnapped." Jane tries to recall the details. "South America, no- Panama, back in '82, I think-- he was negotiating a contract and the other side didn't like what he was offering and thought we'd give more if Jerry's life depended on it. Jerry called about twenty minutes after the kidnappers did. He'd already escaped and was at the consulate getting a lift to the airport. He finished the negotiation back in the states."
"He still did business with them?" Bobbie's jaw drops.
"We did business with the company not the kidnappers. The kidnappers were... terminated."
"Rough business, Jane."
Jane agrees. "I was not happy about it but both John and Jerry convinced me that those type of things happen all the time down there and the way the company dealt so expediently with the kidnappers only meant that it could take care of business in that climate. Right after that the situation blew up with Jax's wife, Miranda; Jerry hopped a plane to Manila to oversee her rehabilitation. Until she was out of hospital, he stayed mostly over there... the Phillipines, Malaysia, Australia..."
"Indonesia." Bobbie adds doing her own mental geography. "That came in handy when AJ and Carly got in trouble in Jakarta."
"Yes. There too. Jerry didn't come back to the states for longer than a few days for more than five years. Once he was back stateside he started making regular trips to New Orleans. It's the food."
Bobbie laughs. "Somehow that wouldn't surprise me a bit!"
"Where are my son and Lucas?" Jane finally asks.
"Guys night out." Bobbie says wryly. "Lucas has a riding lesson and then they were going to go out and do manly things. I tried to get more details but they were both being very tight lipped."
"I don't know, Jerry. I kinda like this one." Lucas runs his hands over the side of the sleek machine. "It's big enough for us but it's big enough for Carly, AJ and Michael too. If we decide to go to Cape Cod again this summer, you know?"
"There is a rule on planes, Lucas. Your first one is like your first car-- built like a tank, used, and easy to operate. That way when you smash it up you a) survive and b) can fix it up. You don't buy the fussy ones until you get your license and have logged some miles. If we go on a trip with your sister and AJ, we'll borrow old man Quartermaine's jet. You like this one but remember Carly is going to be learning to fly on it too."
"Yeah, right." Lucas nods disappointed but steps away from the plane he'd been lusting after. "She just learned to drive this year and it took her like years to do that. She still won't let anyone play the radio while she's driving. I'm going to get my license the very first day I can."
"And you'll be flying before you learn how to drive!"
"This is so cool." Lucas gushes. "So which one do you think?"
Jerry looks around the small airfield outside of Port Charles. "That one. The Cessna. Lets check that one out. If it looks like a candidate we'll come back during the day when the salesmen are around."
"Jerry, I saw a sign; they have sky diving here. It only makes sense... if I'm going to learn how to fly a plane-- I should learn how to jump out of them too. It's like a safety thing right... like knowing how to swim if you're going to have a boat?" Lucas opens his negotiating position.
"You're pushing it, kid. Your mum would have my hide." Jerry discourages. Damn, if the kid didn't have a point. He tucks his hands in the pockets of his unzipped leather jacket as he walks across the airfield. Lucas follows suit tucking his hands in the pockets of the oversized New Orleans Saints starter jacket.
"I'll have a rye on the rocks, my good man." Claude looks up at the older college professor looking dude in his turtleneck, tweed jacket and the funky accent.
Claude nods. "No problem." He fills a tumbler with ice and tops it with rye whiskey setting it in front of the newcomer.
"Claude! You're FIRED!" Claude rolls his eyes at the bellow from the back room. Luke had been back from one of his mysterious trips for only an hour. One of the waitresses must have told him about the Zydeco band he'd booked while Luke was out of town. Sure enough the dark headed barmaid gives him a smirk and puts a little more wiggle in her step. Sometimes it seemed to be a competion from the wait staff to see who could get him fired first. Claude just keeps slicing limes and lemons putting them in the little containers by his work station.
"Did he just fire you?" College professor dude asks curiously.
"Yep, he fires me every day." Claude shrugs. "I just keep showing up and he keeps paying me."
The front door of the club slams. Edward Quartermaine strides in. He sniffs for show. He sees John Jacks on the far side of the bar. He walks over. "All right what is this all about, Jacks? And I don't see why we couldn't have met at the mansion."
"Considering the topic of conversation is our mutual granddaughter-in-law, I didn't feel comfortable talking in Monica's house even if Alan did give it her." John says dryly.
Claude slides Edward his usual and then wipes his hands on a nearby bartowel and goes into the back. He raps on the door and then opens it after Luke hollers at him to go away. "Boss, I thought you might want to know... Eddie Q and some old dude named Jacks are out front talking 'bout your niece."
"What has sweet Caroline done now?" Luke mutters. Reaching across his desk he grabs a cigar and bites of the tip. He fires up his zippo. Puff puff... exhale. "Any idea?"
"I told you what I heard. Must be something new though. Eddie Q was out of town until just a few days ago. Down in New Orleans going to Dara Jensen's sister's funeral."
"What would he be doing that... Oh damn. Madeliene." Luke shakes his head. He'd have to check on her. Couldn't have his new best dance partner singing the blues...unless he was there to listen.
Claude nods and then retreats from Luke's office. As a cover for his leaving he picks up a case of long necks to put in the reach-in. John and Edward have used his absence to move to a booth in the back where they are in close coversation.
"Damn it, man! How should I know?" Edward protests in a vehement whisper. "If I knew do you think I'd tell you?! I'd be doing it myself. Do you realize how much I spent on that horse? Damn fine animal. Rita Porter was robbed the last time she rode it. I get to see my great grandson one day a week. One! If we didn't have that damn daycare center at the ELQ office I wouldn't even get that much." Edward grumbles.
"What are you talking about?"
"Carly doesn't let Michael out of her sight from Sunday night to Thursday night. AJ takes Michael to ELQ on Friday morning and then after work drops that poor child off at my hoodlum grandson's penthouse for the weekend. You think they are going to do that with the new baby?! I'll never get to see the child! And every time Monica opens her mouth..." Edward mutters. "Alan goes over to AJ and Carly's house all the time, so do Emily, Lila. But me... nope." Edward sniffs the air. What was that foul stench?
"Well if you gentlemen are looking for bribes... Caroline really thinks that I need a new pool table." Luke quips realizing he'd been caught eavesdropping.
"Spencer!" Edward snarls.
"It's my club. Name's on the door." Luke puffs on his cigar and blows out some smoke rings. He takes up his position behind the bar and pours himself a double shot of bourbon in his coffee cup. He lifts it in a toast to the two old goats and then settles back to listen the saxaphone player Claude had found. Damn. Maybe I won't fire him after all.