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When Cassadines Fall
Chill in the Air
The phone starts ringing at 5am. Maddy rolls over on her futon and mutters as she looks at the time. "OH you have got to be kidding me." She still has a half an hour of rack time that is being blown by the damn phone. "Yeah? What do you mean have I looked outside? I was looking at the inside of my eyelids. ****! How deep? Wait a sec... let me wake up." Maddy takes a deep breath. "Okay. Your kiosk can be closed today-- legal holiday with Veterans day or you can open whatever time you get there. Let me know. The only one that has to be open is the docks and then only one of them. If you do decide to open, I'll be there with an extra tank of propane for the heater." Maddy gives direction to the gal who runs her business district kiosk and then hangs up.
Keeping her cell phone with her she runs upstairs and right out the back door. Cinnamon makes a beeline out and then comes to a halt shaking the loose snow off of her feet one by one. Maddy catches her breath and exhales in a condensed vapor. "Oh Gawd it's beautiful." The overhang of the house is covered with tiny icicles and the street lights glimmer off of them. She can see where her van is parked. There's eight inches of snow on its roof. "Oh no, it's too early; it'll never stick." Maddy says in a sarcastic sing song voice. "Yeah, maybe-- if you don't wake until noon."
Cinnamon showing more sense than standing around in the cold does her business and heads back to the house. Maddy grabs her collar at the last minute, getting her to sit on the back mat. She grabs a rag and dries off Cinnamon's paws. "I don't know why this couldn't have happened yesterday." Maddy tells the dog as she bends over to wipe its paws. "Yesterday, I didn't have to go to class... the kiosks open later on Sunday anyway-- worst to worst I could have worked the kiosk myself. Or at least one of them. How can something so pretty make my life such a mess?" Cinnamon gives her a sympathetic doggie kiss. "Yeah, at least you understand." Maddy gives the dog a pat and then goes to one of the lower cupboards to get the dog chow. The phone rings while she is dumping it into Cinnamon's bowl. "Yeah, I know there is snow on the ground." She answers the phone rather than with the normal hello. It's her guy from the courthouse kiosk. "Everyone will probably be running late. Just get there as soon as possible." Maddy hangs up. The coffee isn't set to autodrip for another half hour. She overrides it and then races down to the basement to get ready for the day.
Lucky, who'd just got roadblocked on accessing Larkin's accounts again, glances out the window. It's still dark outside but the lights are on at the house. "Maddy must be up." He glances at the clock. A little early for her. A slow grin grows. "I wonder if our Southern Belle has ever seen snow?" He stomps on his boots and pulls on his heavy jacket. He tromps the distance between Carriage house and main house glorying in the feeling of being the first footsteps in new snow. Once at the house he pours himself the first cup of coffee from the pot savoring every sip. Maddy comes out of the basement obviously layered for the weather carrying a large backpack over one shoulder. "What are you going to do when it gets cold?" Lucky asks her cheerfully.
"Nik said this wouldn't stick." Maddy gripes. She pours herself a cup. "I thought I felt a flake last night when we were walking Cinnamon after the meeting."
"What does he know?! He's from Greece-- one of those nice southern islands where they break out the heavy blankets when it gets down to 50 at night. The only snow he saw before coming to Port Charles was on those trips to Russia or Switzerland to go skiing."
"Lucky, I did my research. Okay, I did my preparation too... got the good tires, and already did the antifreeze thing. But there isn't suppose to be snow for another three weeks or something at the earliest." Maddy puts a couple of slices of bread in the toaster.
Lucky clucks his tongue in mock sympathy. "Guess you only researched the last five years or so. Didn't anyone tell you? We had that El nino thing going on. The weather pattern is going back to normal this year."
"What are you the farmer's almanac or something now?" Maddy pulls out the toast and slathers it with peanut butter. She hands one to Lucky on a papertowel.
"Don't be dissing on the almanac." Lucky takes a big bite.
"You're loving this." Maddy realizes.
"Oh yeah." Lucky says around a mouthful of toast and peanut butter. He swallows hard. "First one every year gets me. Kind of reminds me of when I was living up in Canada-- True North Wild and Free. I wish my little sister hadn't gone back to Carolina yesterday. I'd be set for a day of snowangels and building a snowman. She's so cute in her snow gear."
Maddy tries to shift the subject. "You get a confirmation from your mom about Thanksgiving?"
"Yeah."
"Then she'll be here." Maddy assumes.
"Nope, she'll be down in Carolina. She says my grandmother can't handle the stress of a family holiday." Maddy bites her tongue. "But she says she'll try to make it up here for Lulu's winter break. So you want someone to ride shotgun with you this morning until you get used to the powdered stuff?"
"You don't mind?"
"Nah, just make the docks your last stop. You can drop me off and I can harass my dad or something."
"Won't Elizabeth need a ride to the PCPD?"
"She's good at driving in this junk. Better actually than when she drives on dry pavement." Lucky informs Maddy. "Raised in Colorado. I'll just leave her a note here." Lucky pens a quick note on the dry erase board. "You ready to hit the road?"
"As long as that is all I hit." Maddy quips. "I have some extra propane tanks in the shed. I want to get them out to the kiosks. They run not only the coffee machines but also the heaters."
"You do come prepared." Lucky reloads his coffee mug and tops off Maddy's. He pours the rest in the vacumn pot. After assisting Maddy with her parka, he gets the door and whistles to the dog. The driver door of the van is frozen shut but the side door slides easily. Cinnamon dashes in and climbs up on the back bench. Maddy fires up the engine and starts the defrost. Lucky starts brushing away the snow noting that there is no ice underneath it. That's a good sign. Other than people being stupid, today would be an easy day on the roads. Tomorrow would be the bitch after the snow had time to melt and then refreeze into ice.
6am.
Nik wakes to the sound of a roaring engine. Rising from his bed he goes to look out the front window. Two guys are out there bundled in winter gear and are having a blast with the snow blower. The snow tosses in a smooth arc creating a little bank on either side of the walkway. They make shortwork of creating trails to the house and then around back from the house to the cars, and the house to the carriage house. Once done they head to the next house with the lights on. Nik slips into his robe and goes down to the kitchen. Coffee is in vacumn pot. Maddy and Cinnamon are already gone. The only difference in the normal routine is Lucky's note to Elizabeth.
7am
Ricky comes out of the courthouse complex. "Oh you have got to be kidding me." He looks around. Where in the hell did I park the car? There had been a few flakes before he came in at eleven but now everything is blanketed. The area infront of the cop shop is already slush. They have people coming and going at all hours. Ricky finally figures which car is his and makes his way toward it. First order of business-- back to that supercenter to buy boots and gloves. He hadn't seen snow like this ever. Always before he'd been flying into places like Aspen or Gstaad to meet up with his mom and go skiing. And then there had been mountains of snow but the roads were all clear and he'd been leaving the driving to someone else. Snow and mountains were his mother's thing. He'd always liked sandy beaches and tropical breezes.
8:30am
Down at the docks. "You got it from here?" Lucky asks as he attaches the propane tank to the heater and sets it on a gentle blast of heat.
"Yeah, thanks." Maddy glances down at her watch. Three of the five kiosks were open. The PCU kiosk had already been doing a booming business as all the kids were out playing in the snow before it melted. Luckily the people she hired to run things were hearty northern types who weren't phased by a little white stuff. They'd consolidated the docks kiosks to just one... the most sheltered site. "I think I can make it to the Q's on time."
"Right. Then I'm outta here. See you back at the house later. Give me a ring if you need help shutting things down.... as long as it's about eight hours from now." Lucky assists Maddy into the van and shuts her door for her. Maddy eases out onto the road. Lucky looks around. Ah Hell. He might as well go give Count Vlad a progress report. His dad is probably asleep by now. Lucky walks up to the launch. And Mrs L would be good for a decent breakfast.
9am
Nik strides into Wyndemere coming in the side door unannounced. He pauses in the middle of taking off his jacket. Quite the unexpected sight-- Lucky was chowing down on a big breakfast while Stefan sips his morning coffee and reviews estate paperwork that had been faxed to him overnight from around the globe. Mrs Lansbury comes in from the kitchen. "Master Nikolas." She announces surprised to see him.
Lucky and Stefan look up. "Nikolas." Stefan indicates a chair. "Lucky was just giving me a progress report. Join us."
Nik takes the seat indicated. Mrs Lansbury brings him a cup of coffee and tells hm breakfast will be just a couple of minutes. Stefan sorts through the paperwork until he finds the report from Reese. He scans it quickly and hmms. He passes the report to Lucky. Lucky wipes his mouth with the linen napkin in his lap and then leaning both elbows on the table starts reading. He whistles. "Good stuff." Lucky compliments Stefan with a nod. "Course not as good as mine." He can't help but bragging.
"Oh?" Stefan quirks a brow in inquiry.
"Got hold of Larkin's credit card number. Did a history on it. He paid on his Visa with his Master Card one month." Lucky tsks on that. "So I did a history on the Master card too. I've got enough pieces to know which island he likes to vacation on down in the Caymans. Hear they got really decent fishing down there."
"How did you get hold of Larkin's credit card number?" Nik asks the question that Stefan wants to.
"He paid for breakfast at Kelly's with it. His waitress snagged it for me. Damn, my girl is good." Lucky grins. "I narrowed it down to two banks on the island. The first one-- nada. And the second one has a bitch of computer security." Lucky names off the bank.
Nik looks at Stefan. "Should we allow him to continue?"
"It would be interesting to find out where our system lacks." Stefan muses.
"Excuse me?" Lucky looks from one to the other.
"That's a Cassadine bank." Nik tells his brother.
"Well sonofabitch, small world isn't it?" Lucky laughs.
Stefan rises from the table and goes to the phone. He quickly dials an eleven digit number. "Reese. Yes, I'm aware of the time difference on the West Coast. Your next assignment is the Cayman islands." Stefan gives him the particulars. "Notify me when you arrive." Stefan hangs up. "Now the second order of business." Stefan retakes his seat. He falls silent as Mrs L refills coffees and brings Nikolas' breakfast. After she departs he resumes. "Your Aunt." Stefan has a bit of disgust in his voice. "She already has all of this information and refuses to divulge it until she is satisfied we would reach the same conclusions without her assistance."
"I've been spinning my wheels for nothing?!" Lucky protests. "Do you know how far I could have been if I'd had all the background **** up front?"
Stefan winces at the vulgarity. "I am not pleased either."
Nik shakes his head. "It's some lawyer thing." Nik turns to Lucky. "Alexis is working to get Dara Jensen off Larkin's hook. The hook is Robideau. She has to get a case without using any of the information that Pete dropped in her lap. If it comes out that all the info came from Pete or you used Pete's info in your investigation then Maddy's aunt is still smeared. Larkin goes down sure, but she doesn't have a career." Nik explains.
"Well what I'm doing isn't quite legal either!" Lucky protests.
"Alexis isn't working for the state; she doesn't have the same boundries as they do. And she doesn't know what you're doing to get the information. Evidently a Spencer's hacking is more acceptable than an alledged crime boss'."
"You know I'm beginning to see the point of all those lawyer jokes. Talk about making things difficult." Lucky complains. "You have to figure that Pete wanted that stuff used or he wouldn't have sent it."
"Ah yes, but he dropped it off to the wrong person." Stefan complains. "If he had sent it to me or to Nikolas.... Instead he had it delivered to the investigator of the family attorney not knowing Alexis had already been retained by Ms Jensen."
"This has got to be driving Pete nuts. Lucky, you got to see the guy for about five seconds the night he came to town and then the morning Maddy made cannoli for him. Stefan and I got to see more of him down in New Orleans. He's a control freak."
"Whoa-- a Cassadine claiming someone else is a control freak!" Lucky quips. "I wouldn't worry about it. He knows what is going down. His kid is in town keeping an eye on things."
"What?! Since when? How do you know?" Nik exclaims.
"We went car shopping together." Lucky admits. "He showed up at Kelly's the same day as Larkin. Maddy showed a picture of him to Em and Elizabeth both. So she ID'd him off the bat. You'll never guess where he got a job."
"The courthouse." Stefan says musingly.
"You are holding back on me." Lucky says on the verge of getting pissed.
"No, but Madeliene anticipated this move." Stefan explains. "Larkin removed Ms Jensen from the loop at the courthouse. Robideau replaced her with another. This is evidently another case where our efforts must be made in isolation. That way if Larkin discovers one piece he doesn't discover all. Next order of business. Madeliene's birthday."
1pm.
The mansion. Maddy rubs the back of her neck. Instruction was done for the day. Mr Q had stayed home from the office evidently planning some surprise for Em. He is already waiting for them for a late lunch in the front room. Maddy finds a quiet corner and starts making her phone calls checking in with all the kiosks making sure everything is going well. It's dead at the business district kiosk which her gal had opened at about ten. Lots of people with the day off for the holiday and then the snow on top of that. She directs her gal to close up after the 3pm break. Court house same story. Lots of people with the day off. Only the cop shop is going strong and they are too tight and used to free crappy coffee anyway. PCU and docks are doing big business. Maddy checks her voice mail making notes in her dayminder of calls she has to return. She'd put a tracer on the sewing machines and they'd finally come in. She could pick them up at the local distributor.
"Maddy, are you going to eat?" Em asks from the doorway.
"Yeah, I'll be right there." Maddy nods and hangs up on her last call. "What do you know about tracing properties-- real estate?"
"I helped Carly track down the owners on the property where her stable is before she took over the Deception Spa. Why?"
"I want to find out who owns a piece of property down in the neighborhood. It looks abandoned. I was just kinda curious as to why."
"What happened to no outside projects until after the new year?" Em says ruefully.
"It's not important. It can wait." Maddy shrugs. "Come on. I'm starved. I've had one slice of peanut butter toast since last night."
"Well that won't do at all." Edward protests coming up behind the duo. "You're not going to start being stupid and not eating like those anorexic things Emily hangs out with on the modeling shoots are you?"
"No way! Just no time."
"You're making time, young lady. You're not leaving this house without a decent lunch! Reginald!"
"You bellowed?" Reggie says resignedly.
"Confiscate their keys until after they've eatten." He points to both girls.
"Grandfather!" Emily protests. "We aren't going anywhere."
"Ha! Then give them up." Edward holds out his hand. He takes both rings of keys from the girls and hands them to Reginald. "Cell phone too, Madeliene. You look like you haven't been getting enough sleep. One hour of peace and quiet over a hot meal. Just the ticket."
Madeliene grins and shakes her head but hands over the phone. "Peace and quiet?"
Reggie mutters as he takes the phone. "Then it won't be lunch here." Edward glares at him. "Everything is already set up in the front room. Miz Lila is waiting." Edward holds out an arm to each girl. They string their arms through his and make their way through the double doors. Edward seats Emily and Reggie seats Maddy.
Edward takes his own seat. "Finally. Now a cheerful topic. What did you girls do to Amanda Barrington?"
Maddy pulls a practiced sweet and innocent expression. "Why Mr Q, I have no idea to what you could be referring. I wasn't even at the fundraiser." She leans back out of Reggie's way as he slides a plate of grilled lemon chicken breast with rice and a veggie in front of her. Reggie continues around the table sorting out plates. At the end he stands back to take in the whole table to see what is missing. Emily hides a grin behind her hand. Maddy is lethal when she puts on the drawl.
"HA! You're slipping, girlie!" Edward points at Maddy with his fork. "How did you know I meant the fundraiser? Spill it. It was about getting her to sponsor the nurses' ball. What did you have on her and where did you get it?"
"Edward, don't badger the girls." Lila rebukes mildly. "I'm sure they'll tell in their sweet time before they leave the house today. Isn't that right, Reggie?"
"Whatever you say, Mrs Q."
Emily groans. There isn't a chance in hell of getting their keys back now.
2pm.
Finish their lunch with some lemon cookies, Emily leans back in her chair. There it was-- all their cards on the table. Grandfather and Grandmother now knew it all.
Lila shakes her head. "And will Carly never learn. She should have stayed away."
"Lila, don't encourage them." Edward insists. "I would have been of more assistance had I known." Edward tells Emily his feelings hurt by being left in the dark.
"You did just fine, Grandfather, not knowing." Emily reaches out and squeezes his hand on top of the table. "You kept her occupied so that Jax and Ned could work her and Derek Barrington. And so Carly and I could work the room. Why spoil the surprise?"
"Indeed." Lila agrees. "Reggie, dear."
Reginald comes out and leaves the girl's keys by their places as well as Maddy's cell phone. Emily picks up the ring. "Reggie, these aren't mine."
"Why spoil the surprise, indeed." Edward offers a small toast to Lila. "Shall we, my darling?"
"Lets." Lila motors from the table and out to the foyer. Reggie hands her a laprobe making sure it's snug around her. Then opens the door. Edward, Maddy and Em follow Lila out to the front of the house. Sitting in the drive is a brand new Saab SE9-3 two door. Red with charcoal leather interior. "Your grandfather wanted to buy American but considering we were getting you a vehicle to deal with the snow when you couldn't ride your motorcycle-- a car from Sweden seemed the best choice."
"Same reason I didn't get you the blasted convertible." Edward mutters. "If the sun was shining you'd be on the hog which is at least made in America."
Maddy grins at hog coming out of Edward's mouth. "It's gorgeous, Em."
Em snaps her jaw shut. "Wow. Oh Wow."
Maddy gives her a hug. "I need to get going. I have to track down some sewing machines. Call me when you want to go cruising." Maddy whistles for Cinnamon who comes racing around from the side of the house followed by Raoul and Annabelle. "Have fun."
10pm.
Maddy sighs as she comes in to Wyndemere lite. Cinnamon pads in behind her. Maddy wipes the dogs feet absently and reminds herself she needs to get a blanket or something for the back seat of the van before Cinnamon destroys it with paw prints. Nik who'd taken up residence in the study comes into the kitchen. The study is the room with the clear view to where Maddy normally parks her van. Maddy straightens and then stretches her back out. Getting back here had been a bitch. As soon as the sun went down the roads had started icing up.
"I tried to call you." Nik says from the doorway.
"I had to turn the cell off." Maddy rubs the back of her neck tiredly. "I couldn't concentrate on the road with the cell ringing. It's nasty out there, Mr. no way it's going to stick."
"Lucky told me he'd helped you this morning with the kiosks to make sure you were confident on the roads."
"Yeah, this morning turned out to be a piece of cake. Not any worse than driving through flooding back home... which makes sense I guess it's all water right?"
"Yes, right up until it freezes and turns into a sheet of ice."
"Yeah, I thought I'd have to learn how to iceskate to get back from the Chinese Quarter."
"Is that where you've been?" Nik asks overly calm.
Maddy looks over at Nik with curiosity and suspicion as she is shrugging out of her coat. "What is going on here?"
"I was... concerned."
"Okay, thanks. Reality check here, Candy. Even if it hadn't been snowing.. and the roads having the traction of snot-- this time of year I work til like Midnight. Every night. The holidays are my busy time of year. I don't have to explain things to you but yeah, I got behind today. I spent an extra hour over at the Q's having lunch and then after dropping off my delivery in the Quarter I was invited to dinner. Since there was no way I was going to make the bank I decided to stay."
"You were on a date. I was about to call Taggart thinking that you'd run into problems and you were on a date!" Nik growls.
"What the hell is wrong with you? If I have a f'ing date, it's not your business. If I have a celebration dinner with a 60 year Chinese woman and her family where the only one who speaks anything but pidgeon english is a thirteen year old... It's none of your f'ing business!"
"I was concerned."
"You were jealous." Both of them inhale sharply and start backing off fast neither ready to go there.
"Elizabeth brought home a gallon of chili from Kelly's. She left it in the crock pot to stay warm. Do you want some?" Nik steps away from Maddy and goes over to the crockpot to stir the contents.
"Sure, I guess. I can have it while I get my bookwork done. I'll just go get changed." Maddy retreats to the basement door shutting the door behind her she leans up against. That had been a close one.