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When Cassadines Fall
Meet the Neighbors
Maddy arrives to the house where the block party is being held with Lucky and Elizabeth. Nik had gone over earlier as he bowed out of taking Lulu and Laura to the airport leaving Lucky with that honor. Maddy had promised to meet the crew after doing her evening pickup at the kiosks. "Leiney darling, over here." Nik calls out holding out a hand. He'd managed to get eye contact with Maddy before calling out the change in name. "I want to introduce you to Louise Wells and her husband Phil."
Just like back in New Orleans when she'd put on a show for the local cops, Maddy shifts into her assigned role. She excuses herself from Lucky and Liz. With the one line Nik had told her what the people expected to see. Maddy moves across the room and slides an arm around Nik's waist. He gathers her close to him. "Hello." She shakes hands with both. "I've been wanting to introduce myself but everything has been so crazy at the house-- getting settled in."
"It's been a wonder how much you've accomplished." Phil tells Nik. "I've been watching since those old wrecks came down. It's given me a few ideas."
"Oh please don't give him any ideas." Louise jokes. "I'm still recovering from when he decided to put in a sliding glass patio door. I had a sheet of plywood over the hole in the wall all of this summer."
"We lucked out on our contractor." Nik gives credit where it's due. "He really ramrodded things into place. All that's left is some odds and ends inside the house but that's Leiney's department."
"He is so sexist. I don't know why I put up with him." Maddy looks up at Nik with mock adoration.
"Did you two meet at the hospital?" Louise asks.
"Oh no, he was cruising the local highschool." Maddy says cheerfully. When Louise and Phil look at her in horror. "Mutual friends. Classic set up." She amends going from the truth to the half truth.
"Oh." They both sigh in relief. For a minute there, I mean this girl is young and all...
"So what is the agenda on this meeting?" Lucky asks coming up on the foursome. Liz is with him to find out why Nik had called Maddy, Lieney.
Louise takes charge. "I called the PCPD and they are sending over their information officer. Officer Rick does the laison work with the schools and community watch programs. What I'm really concerned about is the frat house moving in on the street."
"So are we." Liz says seriously. "Hi, I'm Elizabeth Webber. I'm a student over at PCU. After you told Nikolas what was happening I did a little research on campus. Talked to the campus cops to find out what was going on. These guys are bad news. PCU was trying to break up the house, break up the energy and that is why they are moving off campus."
Louise sighs. "That was what I was afraid. I mean okay fine. I did my share of wild and crazy things when I was in college but that was college. This is where I live. Phil and I took a big chance when we got this house. I fell in love and he told me the neighborhood was iffy but it looked like things were going to turn around... when the Theater was being re-done and then when you started working on your place and knocked down those two eyesores. And the boys you have watching your cars have really made a turn around. Before they were more interested in breaking into the abandoned houses and graffetting them-- is that a word?"
"Probably not, honey, but we know where you're going." Phil tells his wife. He'd heard this one all before.
"Now they're going door to door wanting to rake leaves or clean up front lawns. They've got fliers made up that their services are available for snow removal. They say they're going to have a snow blower and everything. I'm just glad they're using those pagers for legitimate enterprise."
Nik looks knowingly at Maddy who looks at her feet. "Elizabeth, why don't you and Lucky tell Louise and Phil about what you found out on campus. Leiney and I are going to check out the refreshment table." As soon as they are clear of the neighbors. Nik asks. "What did you do now? And what snow blower?"
"Yours." Maddy admits. "I made a deal okay? They make sure that your walks and driveway are clear first and then they get the use of your snowblower to pick up extra cash around the neighborhood. Told them if they gouged the grannies all deals were off but go free market on the yuppies."
Nik runs a hand over his eyes. He'd known the answer even before he asked. "Do you know this Officer Rick? Is he going to call you by name?"
"Nope. He hangs at the courthouse kiosk. I spend the least amount of time there. I never wanted to run into Aunt Dara."
"What's the journal got on him?" Nik refers to Maddy's kiosk log book.
"Earnest. Well meaning. Gets along with the kids in a Barney Fife kind of way. He can give you chapter and verse on rules and regs. Evidently he was a real pain to my guy down there until the good officer verified all of the permits. He was top of the department in parking and traffic citations until the commissioner transferred him to the Laison work. He still matches the top guy in his spare time." Maddy fills Nik in on the background as she takes a sip of oversweet punch and grimaces. She sets down the small paper cup. "Next meeting I'll bring the punch."
"I thought the only things you made had alcohol in them." Nik teases. "And how many of these meetings to you think there will be?"
"As many as it takes. And if I brought the punch, it would make for an interesting meeting. So what's the deal with the name change?"
"Louise called you my girlfriend when she introduced herself. I remembered what you said in New Orleans about giving them what they expect to see."
"And this works for you because...."
"It works for you. Anyone questioning the neighborhood will hear about Leiney rather than Maddy. And I'm guessing that the only two in the neighborhood who know your real name are the little enterprisers. It isn't much just a little delaying tactic."
"Is your uncle building another file?" Maddy rolls her eyes. "What am I saying? Of course he is. Why am I almost feeling sorry for Larkin?"
"It'll pass when you remember what he did to your aunt." Nik reminds.
"I said almost. Okay, Candy, but next time I want a petname that doesn't sound like a lame character on a soap opera."
"Lucky has informed me that real men don't admit to watching soaps." Nik teases. "So of course I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Your brother is twisted." Maddy looks over to the door. "I think Officer Rick has arrived. Lets take a seat and find out what he has to say." The foursome remain split up. Lucky and Liz on one side of the congregation and Nik and Maddy on the other. Nik pays close attention to the speaker but Maddy is concentrating on the gathering. As each person asks a question they rise and say their name and what their address is.
She focuses on names and faces. She already has some of them down. The little notepad she has with her, she notes concerns and observations. Nik is the youngest homeowner there. Most of the people their age were renting in the split up Victorians. Some had kids, most were single. Then the next age jump was about ten years. Then the next age jump was about thirty years. It truly is a mixed bag neighborhood. The guy who owns the potential frat house is there. And looking damn defensive too. Maddy makes a note of his name and passes it to Nik who glances down and then nods. Making the name/face connection.
Rick patiently answers all the neighborhood's questions and distributes information on Neighborhood watch and the PCPD. Then he stands aside to let anyone ask him questions they didn't want in the public forum. There is a movement to the refreshment table. The two little Enterprisers are there with their flyers. Maddy had suggested to them that it might be profitable to show up and make contact with clients they didn't see at home. Maddy hooks up with them while Nik makes his way casually over to the owner of the potential problem. Maddy flags down Lucky. "This is the guy I wanted to introduce you to." Maddy makes the introductions.
"I didn't do it, you didn't see me, nobody can prove it." Lucky says quickly.
The kids laugh as he intended. "What's up."
"Mad.. um Leiney thinks we need a database of the cars in the neighborhood that way we can tell who doesn't belong." One of the kid says quickly. "She says you do that."
"Piece of cake." Lucky shrugs. "I can set it up for you but I need the data collected. You guys already know what cars belong... at least at our place. You should probably put a description of the car along with the plate number." Maddy can see that the conversation is going well and moves on to another group.
"So they aren't like using bogus plates." The other kid nods. "I get it."
"Sweet gig you guys arranged with the yard business." Lucky checks out their flyer. "When I was your age I had a worm farm. It had a lot of potential. The anglers like the worms and the healthnuts like the worm casings for organic gardening."
"They did that with the summer olympics this year down in Australia." One of the kids tells Lucky his interest kind of piqued. "They fed the worms all the garbage from the village."
"Hey guess I was ahead of my time. I tell ya though those suckers are very particular about temperature." Lucky shakes his head. "Ended up being a big mess. Now I do a little computer work to get by. It's a lot cleaner."
"You make video games?"
"Only for me." Lucky admits. "You see my bro over there?" Lucky points at Nik. "His uncle designed a vid game based on port charles and rescuing a damsel in distress... The Lady Mangard-- real D&D feel to it."
"Whoa kewl! That's the guy who comes by sometimes in the limo looks like he is just making a pitstop on his way to a funeral?"
"That's him."
"I didn't know you were living around here." Officer Rick tells Liz accepting the glass of punch that she offers. They are familiar with each other thanks to Liz's work with the PCPD artist.
"Lucky and I moved into Nik's carriage house after things got so crazy at the motorcycle shop-- the press was making our life a living hell."
Rick winces. "Sorry about that. There was only so much I could do. They were parked in a legitimate spaces."
"It was kind of fun for awhile ditching them but it got old really fast. I was praying for a natural disaster or some huge scandal to take the heat off. But Lucky was like the news story of the day... week... month."
"Guy can't find 26.1 million dollars in old stocks and not have the press be interested." Rick reminds wryly.
"The IRS got most of it." Liz tells him. "Still... I know." She shakes her head. "If it happened to anyone else I'd be right there reading about it too. Lucky is really cool about it though. We still do the same things we did before it's just a really nice rainy day fund."
"So what do you think of all this." Rick indicates the neighborhood watch meeting.
"Do you know why it was such a priority all of a sudden?" Liz asks him. She goes over and leans up against the wall next to Rick decreasing the space between them to a couple of feet.
"I didn't know it was all of a sudden."
"There is a guy in the neighborhood that wants to rent his place out to a frat house that has been kicked off PCU campus. When I found out about it... I did a little bit of research into the house. Talked to the campus cops. You need to know about this. I didn't put it together until later but you need to know."
"Know what?" Rick leans in.
"Lt Taggart was working a case about roofies being dealt in the local clubs; I don't know if he still is. Lucky and I ran into him at the new dance club a couple months ago. This club is near the campus... it was after classes had started..." Liz nods as she works it through for Rick. "When I talked to the campus cops... it wasn't made public but the reason the frat is being kicked off campus is because a girl was dosed up on roofies and assaulted at one of their parties. What if there is a connection? What if the same guys were doing both?"
Rick comes off the wall. "Who did you talk to at the campus cop shop?"
Nik listens carefully as one neighbor after another tries to talk sense into the potential landlord of the frathouse. The guy gets increasingly more defensive as the discussion goes on. Liz had done her work well. But it sounds as if the guy is going to drag his heels.
"Look-- it's my place. I can rent it to whomever I like. How would you like someone telling you how to use your place?! This is America damnit!"
"True." Nik agrees. It's his first comment in the conversation.
The guy turns to the only person that seems to be on his side. "They'll be coming after you next you know. Four single people living in a house. None of you married. They won't be happy until it's Stepford neighborhood with only white bread versions of themselves in it."
"Entirely possible." Nik agrees again.
"Everyone has a right to an affordable place to live."
Nik nods in agreement. "Right-- to be safe in their property."
"Exactly." The man points at Nik and nods in agreement.
"And that is precisely why if the use of your property infringes on my ability to use mine or compromises the safety of my friends and family.... I'm going to sue you. That's the American way as well. We have provided you with all of the information you need to make an informed decision on your potential tenants. If after fully informed you choose these tenants you do it knowing the potential consequences. Much like a swimming pool or a dangerous dog... it will be your responsiblity to fence in any potential nuisance."
"You can't do that!" The man protests.
"It's the American way." Nik reminds him with a shrug. "May the best lawyer win." Nik walks off to join Madeliene in talking with someone else from the neighborhood. Leaving not only the man slack jawed but also all of the witnesses. Nik wraps an arm around Maddy pulling her back to him. "Do you have everything you need?" He whispers in her ear.
"Yeah, I'm almost done." Maddy nods. "Lucky has the kids tracking car plate numbers. I've pretty much put together addresses with faces and made a note of who didn't show today... or at least the places with clear sight of the house. How did it go with you?"
"We might still get the frat house across the street from us but I put the owner on notice."
"You beat him over the head with money didn't you?" Maddy realizes disapprovingly.
"Indirectly." Nik admits. "I told him may the best lawyer win. With Alexis or Dara I believe we have all bases covered."
"You are wicked." Maddy grins.
"What is Elizabeth up to?"
"Giving the PCPD a clue."
Later that night, Louise comes out of the bathroom turning off the light as she does so. She crawls into bed next to her husband. "Well we finally got to meet the new neighbors. What do you think?"
"Interesting bunch." Phil replies as he snuggles her into a spoon. "Leiney is awfully young. I don't think she's even out of highschool. What is she doing over there? Why isn't she living at home?"
"You think she's a runaway or something?" Louise wonders. "She surely didn't learn to talk that way around here. And that Nik guy... he was watching her all the time."
"It's his girlfriend." Phil reminds. His eyes narrow. "Actually though, honey, he wasn't watching her really. He was watching anyone that was talking to her."
"His brother is the same way with his girlfriend." Louise realizes as she reviews the evening. "It's like they trust them totally but nobody else. Where in the hell would kids that age get money to do the house the way they did? Okay the house itself would be cheap but to fix it up the way they did and as fast as they did? You know that's got to cost. What bank loan officer would touch any of them?"
"I heard Lucky tell someone that he works with computers." Phil tells her.
"Oh." Louise has images of Bill Gates. "...And Nik's last name is Cassadine. I suppose with a last name like that and a jag he must be related to the Cassadines."
"What amazes me is the amount of info they collected... it's been less than a week since you told them you were thinking about a watch meeting? Nikolas pretty much torpedoed the idea of the frat house moving in across the street from him. I'd be surprised if it went through now." Phil nudges Louise when her silence seems to go on too long. "Are you still awake?"
"Yeah. I was just thinking. Officer Rick said the first thing we should do is pick a watch commander. Someone that the police could coordinate through. I think I'm going to talk to everyone. Nik Cassadine would probably make a great one. He seems to be interested in the neighborhood, you said he handled the problem next door. And he already works as a volunteer coordinator over at the hospital."
Going for a walk at this time of night, in this neighborhood, would be foolhardy but Nik has Cinnamon on her lead. He holds it with firm attention even if it isn't needed. Cinnamon stays close to him. He tucks his other hand in his pocket. Maddy strings her hand through the space between arm and body. This evening walk wasn't about a workout but rather a wind down from the day. As they go down the sidewalk past each house, Maddy fills him in on who lives there if they were at the meeting. When they get to the main cross street that separates the neighborhood from an increasingly commercial district down by Lila's theater Nik crosses the street and starts up the opposite direction. He looks at a building on the corner. "If we had a Monroe's that is where it would be." Nik refers to the old corner store in New Orleans.
Maddy considers the location and the distances in the neighborhood. "Bout here. But there is something wrong with the property. I talked to Louise about it in passing. She's got a thing about 100% occupancy. She thinks if all the properties are filled then there won't be any places for the druggers and thugs to hang out and cause trouble. She says the last people in here were using it as a service station but it closed overnight. No warning-- open on Sunday closed on Monday. That was a couple of years ago. Louise didn't know what had gone wrong. Just that the property was all boarded up when she passed it on the way to work. The art work is a more recent addition." Maddy refers to the graffetti. They start walking again. Maddy looks up and closes her eyes. A gentle moisture hits her face. Her eyes pop open in an instant. "Niknik! I think it's snowing!"
"Nah couldn't be." Nik shakes his head. "It's still too early. It won't stick. It'll be gone by morning."