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When Cassadines Fall
That Thing You do...
"Granny Sophia?" Maddy calls out quietly as she comes from the spare room.
"We're out here, baby." Sophia calls back. She glances down at her watch. Maddy has only been asleep for a little over an hour. The white van people were still next door. "I've been talking to this nice boy, Nikolas and your friend Edward."
Nikolas grins when he hears Maddy's groan. Oh yeah, Maddy knew what Granny Sophia had been up to. Talking, sharing, bossing and then hitting on Edward Quartermaine. Which had been kind of fun to watch.
"Where is Mr C?"
"They were all getting underfoot. So I sent Nikolas' uncle to go play chess in the park. Pete and that Jerry Jacks fellow went back to his house. Pete looked like he hadn't slept a wink."
"Did everyone stop by?"
"Pretty much. Baby, If I'm going to be having gentleman callers I'm really going to need my grocery list filled."
"Yes, but...."
"And I'm sure Lisette hadn't bought even a can of Ajax since you left. You're going to need some cleaning supplies for next door once those professional cleaners leave. Depending what deliveries Mr Monroe has had over at the corner store, he probably has boxes so you can put Billy Bob's things on the curb. Take Nikolas with you to help carry things." Maddy looks at Nikolas and rolls her eyes. Granny Sophia could be so bossy. She was actually the bossiest of all the Grannys. Maddy goes into the kitchen and grabs a list from under a magnet on the fridge. She takes the list in to Sophia who looks it over and adds a few more items to it. "Lunch here I think, Madeliene, nobody is going to want to go out tonight. Probably a million phone calls to make for all these busy men."
Maddy goes over and sits next to Edward while she waits on Sophia to finish up with her list. "How are you?"
"The question, young lady, is how are you?" Edward retorts. He reaches for her hand and starts patting it with his other. "I'm doing just fine."
"How is your sugar?" Maddy ignores the question. "Granny, has he been getting grumpy?"
"Madeliene! I never... Mr Quartermaine has been nothing but a perfect gentleman." Dang it. "I think this is the whole list." Sophia looks it over one more time before handing back to Maddy. "Everything is in the same place."
"Kay." Maddy takes the list back and going into a cupboard next to the stove pulls down a can of Folger's; peeling the plastic lid off, she reaches in and takes out a small wad of cash. "Come on, Niknik. We've got our orders." Maddy grabs her purse and is first out the door consciously ignoring the sounds from her mother's apartment. Nikolas follows after her down the stairs.
"She keeps her money in a can?"
"Just the household money. Stuff for groceries and to pay the paper man or whatever kid is going door to door selling candy or calendars." Maddy waits for a break in traffic before jaywalking across the street to the corner store. "If I had my van here we'd go up to the supermarket. Mr Monroe has a little of everything but he doesn't have the best prices. The nice thing though he uses local venders. No tomatoes trucked in from California for him-- everything is fresh."
Maddy looks down at the list mentally organizing. The stuff Granny had added was for the gumbo she was planning for lunch. Granny didn't make it often. Hadn't really made it since the last time everyone had gotten together for mahjongg or maybe it had been a holiday when her family was over? The stock pot was just about bigger than she was and she needed help getting around it. "I think we're going to need a cart."
"A cart."
"Candy, you have been to a grocery store before."
"Well sure. Chocolate for Halloween. I went with Lucky."
"You've been living on your own for I don't know how long. You can't tell me you haven't gone grocery shopping. The cottage was fully stocked with stuff that I moved to the house."
"Online. And they deliver. Mrs Lansbury made the first list to get everything she thought I would need in the kitchen. I've just been refilling since then."
"You're pitiful, really pitiful." Maddy walks into the corner store. To the left are carts. They are smaller than the supermarket carts to fit in the narrower aisles. The store is actually bigger than it looks from the outside reaching back deep into the block of businesses but looks smaller because it is so crowded with items. Maddy frees one of the carts from the line. "You drive; I'll fill."
Nik starts pushing the cart. "This one is defective; it wobbles." He is about to go back and get another.
"They all wobble. Deal with it. It's the first rule of grocery stores. I think they damage them the day they come in as a theft prevention." Maddy starts down the first aisle referring to the list and starting to pull things from the shelves setting them in the cart.
"Why would anyone steal a cart?"
Maddy looks over her shoulder. "Are you kidding? These things are so handy and the perfect size." Nik continues to look at her blankly. She tries to find an analogy that Nik would understand and finally finds one remembering the story of Lucky and the safe. "They are an urban wheel barrow. You can haul anything in a grocery cart-- groceries, laundry, kids. Some people haul all their worldly possessions in them."
"They must not have many."
"Most people do not count a horse among their worldly possessions." Maddy teases. The trip is slow going as people in the neighborhood stop Maddy to give their condolences and check up on her and the guy with her. Finally they get back to the veggie section where the proprietor, Mr Monroe is restocking and checking for damage. "Hey Mr Monroe."
"Maddy!" He gives her a hug. "Sorry to hear about your mama. But I'm not going to miss that worthless lug she was carrying around." He looks over the contents of the cart. "Miz Sophia is making gumbo?"
"Bunch of folks from up North came down with me when I heard about mama. Guess Granny Sophia wants to give them a taste for real food. If you'll total up Mama's bill I'll pay that too."
"I'll take care of it." Mr Monroe nods. "The okra just came in this morning and I think my son is out back unloading a truck from a shrimper. Picked up a couple of bushels. They looked good today." Mr Monroe goes back to the front of the store and pulls out a book and calculator from under the cash register.
"Your mother's bill?" Nik questions.
"I sent Mr Monroe money every month for Mama's expenses. He and I had a deal. No money for smokes or liquor. Lisette had to come up with that on her own." Maddy says absently sorting through the okra to find the ones that are just the right size for the purpose. "Since she didn't need to buy food she probably sold her stamps for the other stuff."
"Your mother collected stamps?"
Maddy starts laughing almost hysterically. "Yeah, right Candy." She shakes her head and starts heading to the back of the store where the seafood is. This is the last stop before checking out. Nik hadn't realized how fast the cart would fill with all the things on Granny Sophia's list and the cleaning supplies she had suggested for Lisette's apartment. As they near the front of the store Maddy snaps her fingers. "I forgot something. Just wait here." She races back to the bakery part of the store. She comes back with two loaves of french bread and a small package in a white bag.
When she gets back to the front Mr Monroe is already starting to ring things up. Nik is doing a good job of keeping things separate. Maddy adds the french bread to Sophia's groceries which are being rung up first. She cuts around to the front of the register and starts bagging things up. Once Mr Monroe is done with that she pays him, taking Sophia's money from her back jeans pocket. Maddy refers to the cleaning supplies and the white bakery bag. "The rest of the stuff can be added to Mama's bill." Maddy pulls her wallet out of her purse handing over the amount that Mr Monroe calls out. "We're going to take the cart across the street. Nik will bring it right back."
"Only for you, Madeliene." Mr Monroe agrees. Carts were a major expense for him. And a bitch for his son to search the neighborhood for.
"Thanks Mr Monroe." Maddy starts putting bags back into the cart. "And if you won't break down the boxes in back I'd appreciate it. I'm going to need them for sorting through Mama's things."
"I'll let my boy know." Mr Monroe returns Maddy's change to her. Nikolas follows Maddy from the store pushing the cart. Maddy was right; the cart did come in handy. It would have been a pain hauling all the bags even the short distance across the street. Once they get across the street Maddy starts stringing the plastic bags up her arms, Nik follows her lead and does the same. At the first floor landing Maddy searches the bags separating out the cleaning supplies and leaving them there and only bringing in Miz Sophia's stuff. Nikolas drops his load on the kitchen counter and jogs back down to return the cart. Maddy starts putting groceries away.
"Did you get everything?" Sophia asks walking into the kitchen.
"Yep. The van is gone."
"They finished up just a bit ago. Pete called; he's on his way back over."
"You told him you were making gumbo."
"It might have slipped out." Sophia says slyly.
"Yeah, right." Maddy laughs and shakes her head. After most things are put away, Maddy searches through the pots and pans pulling out Granny's iron skillet and her big stock pot. "Where is Mr Q?"
"He wanted to check in at home with his wife. And something about his grandson and the company?" Sophia shakes her head. All the best ones were taken.
"Miz Lila. She is a sweety." Maddy's voice drops low. "And the only one of them that is really normal. The rest of them are interesting. And the grandson who is running the company, ELQ?, his wife? Her name is Carly. Mr Q lives in fear of her. She's already had him arrested once."
"What could anyone arrest that lovely man for?"
"He broke into her house while she was out of town. Course he didn't know she was out of town at the time. It got reduced to trespass." Maddy collects the stuff to make the roux... the base of the gumbo. She also pulls stock from the fridge and putting it in the pot sets it to simmer. Since she always scorches the roux she gets out of the way so Granny can take over.
"Why would she have her grandfather arrested at all?" Sophia wonders disapprovingly as she stirs. "That is not a family way to act."
"He was trying to have her shipped off to the funny farm at the time. He didn't approve of the marriage at all. Even though there was a baby involved." Maddy starts chopping vegetables.
"You're kidding?!" Sophia pauses in mid stir and then continues. Pete arrives in time to hear some of the hen party going on.
"What happened to Gumbo? Sounds like cluck- cluck- cluck going on in here."
"Oh you!" Sophia who babysat Pete once upon a time shakes her head. "You want gumbo; you and your friend get busy. Maddy put the shrimp in the sink. And save the shells and stuff, I need to make more stock."
"Come on, Jere. It's a dirty job but somebody's got to do it." Pete reminds his friend. He and Jerry go out on the back porch of the apartment and start shelling and cleaning shrimp leaving the remains in a separate container.
Edward comes to the kitchen from the living room. "Madeliene, Lila sends her best as does Em. Emily and Johnny are keeping an eye on the kiosks for you. Em also says the tutor is giving you both a break until you come back."
"Tutor?" Sophia looks at Maddy.
"I'm sort of being home schooled now with Mr Q's granddaughter, Emily. I told you about Emily."
"Your friend who was kidnapped." Sophia tsks. "Just goes to prove that money can't buy happiness or even peace of mind."
"Mr Q, could you go get Mr C from the park? Lunch is going to be about an hour but if he's playing as slow as he does with me it could be a while."
"I could stay here and help." Edward offers grimacing any time with Cassadine was too much.
Maddy laughs in his face. "Oh no. I've heard stories... you... a microwave? The Quartermaines specialize in take out." She strings an arm through his and walks him to the door. Just before she boots him out the door she grabs the white pastry bag and whispers. "I got these for you... just in case." Edward opens the bag and sees the pecan confections within. "They're pralines. If you stay you'll end up having to share with Jerry." Madeliene whispers.
"That pirate! Ha." Edward leans in and gives Maddy a kiss on the forehead. "You're a good girl. I'll go see what is keeping the Count."
Stefan removes his suit jacket and sets it on the bench next to him. As the morning wore on it was getting uncomfortably warm for someone acclimatized to upstate New York in November. He'd been able to recognize the chess man from Miz Sophia's description with ease. The cafe au lait had smoothed the introduction. Although there wasn't much of an introduction neither had exchanged names just a desire to play. The terms had been set and the timer eliminated. A mere fifty dollars was riding on the outcome. Stefan imagines what Maddy would have said about that one. At that rate, Mr C, and as slow as you play that's less than minimum wage! You should pay that just for sitting down, not winning.
"Your move." His opponent says gruffly interrupting Stefan's meanderings his voice sounds almost rusty from disuse .
Stefan studies the board. Yes, he could see the similarities in attack styles. This was definitely someone Madeliene had spent time with. "You have a similiar style to my frequent opponent, Madeliene Reynolds."
"Maddy?" The chess man looks at Stefan suspiciously. He's been questioned before by someone looking into Maddy's doings. But that one hadn't played chess or recognized anything about style. That one had been a high pressure type quick to offer dollars for dirt.
"She's returned to New Orleans briefly to settle her mother's estate." Stefan continues his cautious attack moving the queen to a more flexible position on the board.
"Estate. Ha." The chess man snorts. Having anticipated Stefan's move he counters swiftly. His hand is gnarled by arthritis, one of the consequences of a misspent youth, and he more pushes the piece than lifting and moving it. "Guess that's one way of putting it."
"Then you knew her mother."
"Of her. You going to play or yap?"
"Yes, you definitely played with Madeliene." Stefan allows himself a small smile. "She has the habit of trying to rush me as well." After weeks of being rushed by Maddy, Stefan is immune to the pressure and takes his time deciding his next move. "How long has Maddy been playing?"
The chess man takes a sip of the cafe au lait. Back in the day he'd taken his coffee black and strong but an ulcer had put paid to that. Now the creamy coffee flavored milk was the only thing his stomach can tolerate and even then he had to limit it to one. "First game we played... when she was nine. But she'd been watching me play for a couple of years by then. And I could tell she'd been reading up. No child could be that good coming out of the gate." The coffee drink must have lubricated the guy's vocal cords. "Rain or shine she'd be out here watching every day."
"I'm surprised you held her off for so long."
"She is patient but pushy. We used the time after the matches to discuss where the others had gone wrong. So even when she wasn't playing she learned."
"Why you?" Stefan finally moves. His knight robs his opponent of the use of a pawn.
"Because I was always here." The man shrugs. He finds the backdoor of what Stefan is doing, sliding his rook down the board to take a bishop. "I can't stand being inside and either could Maddy. When I was a child there was a rule... the streetlights come on-- children go home. Madeliene never had this rule. She'd spread out her books on the table and do her homework while she watched the matches. You know this rule-- streetlights?"
"Where I was raised there were no streetlights." Stefan admits. He blocks off the back door access. If his opponent was to save his rook then he'd have to retreat.
"Out in the country eh?"
"Out of the country." Stefan clarifies. "Where did you learn to play chess?"
The chess man makes his move and then goes for the shock value. "Prison."
Stefan hesitates over his next move. Maddy had definitely learned from this guy. Throw the opponent off guard and rush them to make an error. The first game Maddy had played with Stefan she'd tried to shock him by telling him that she wanted to lick Nikolas like an allday sucker hence the nickname Candy. That had worked then but today was another day. Stefan exhales and reevaluates the board to see why his opponent is attempting to distract him. Ah there-- an opening.
"There you are!" Edward sits down next to Stefan. Edward glances down at his watch. "Maddy says we have to be back at the apartment in half an hour for lunch." He reaches into his pocket discreetly and grabs the last praline. But many years of Lila's manners makes him leave it there reluctantly. He didn't have any others left to even pretend to share. He pops off the bench. "I've passed on the message I'm heading back." Edward grumbles and stalks off.
"They wanted him out of the apartment."
"How do you know?"
"I have my cell phone."
Dara climbs from the taxi looking at the police station. Finally a place where she feels a little bit of control. Not in PC so far from what happened to her sister, not on an airplane wondering how many cocktails the pilot had had the night before at a Halloween party. Even more than her own office she's always felt at home in cop shops. And up in Port Charles it was where the system needed her the most. Every day she was in court handling something easy or in the office battling with Justus was another day that the PCPD was stomping all over some perp's rights and making her job exponentially harder. And it never failed, no matter how many trainings the DA's office put on they just didn't seem to get it. Or maybe they did... at least they weren't actually beating confessions out of people.
Focusing on work shoved the crisis with Lisette to a managable level. Dara adjusts her weekender bag on her shoulder and exhales. Walking across the street and up the stairs she opens the door and walks up to the sargeant's desk. "I'd like to talk to whoever is in charge of the Lisette Reynolds case. I'm her next of kin."
O'Meara who had been grabbing a cup of sludge that passed for coffee in the station from behind the sgt's desk perks up at Lisette's name. "I'm Detective O'Meara. I believe you are looking for me. Did you say next of kin?"
"I'm Lisette's sister. Dara Jensen."
"The Aunt." O'Meara mutters to himself. She might be the ticket to Maddy and prying the information he wants from that girl. "Why don't you come back to my desk. Would you like some coffee?"
Dara looks at the half inch of tar at the bottom of the coffee carafe that O'Meara is holding up. "I'll pass."
"Smart woman." O'Meara comes out from behind the desk and indicates with the cup in his hand the direction they are going. "I'm very sorry for your loss. Were you and your sister close?"
"Not really. We took different paths. I haven't been back to Louisiana since I left for college."
O'Meara takes in the lack of accent even shade of an accent. Here is someone who had made a concentrated effort to rid themselves of their southern roots. Not uncommon since Northerners had a prejudice of a southern accent-- assuming anyone that had one had to be as slow as they spoke. O'Meara seats Dara at the seat next to his desk and then takes his own. "I apologize for not contacting you. All attempts we made to contact family were to track down the victim's daughter."
"Madeliene. Yes, I know. Mutual acquaintances of us both notified me this morning and I came down as quickly as I could."
"Would this mutual acquaintance be Pete Robideau?"
"Who?" Dara asks blankly as she looks up from shoving her weekender under her chair.
"Do you know why your niece came to live with you up north?"
"Because she wasn't getting along with Lisette." Dara offers.
"Your niece is involved up to her ears with the biggest crime boss in the southeast. She left here to get away from him. Her coming back here even for these tragic circumstances puts her right under the guy's thumb again."
"You think this crime boss, this Pete Robideau, had something to do with my sister's death?"
"We're investigating that angle. It's too soon to tell but it wouldn't surprise me." O'Meara says confidently.