Episode 36 – The Wire
Previously on Lives To Live:
– Gabe confronted Chardonnay over the fact that she hadn’t revealed that she had once been engaged to Luc. They rowed, but were interrupted by a phone call. Gabe left before they could properly talk. A few days later tensions were high between them, as well as Chardonnay and Leslie, when Judi arrived to thank Chardonnay. There was also tension between Judi and Sara.
– Henri’s PI, Tamara Combs, arrived to tell him what she’d found out about Heather. Heather’s real name was in fact Lisa and she had recently received a large amount of money. Tamara also gave Henri the real address for Lisa. Henri later visited Lisa’s, and confronted her. He got a confession from her on tape, and later played it to Justin, Celia and Nicole.
– Nate and April went on a date. They were seen through a window by Paris. She was upset, but bumped into Jacob. They talked.
– Alex felt bad about Judi, but Sara reassured him.
Saturday,
May 3rd 2003, The Hotel, Evening
“He even sent me a pager, so when Celia was coming I’d be able to jump on Justin. He was so happy with me, that he gave me the money as a bonus and, well, so that I wouldn’t tell anyone.”
Henri looked up at his wife and daughter as he waited for them to reply to what they had just heard. Justin took a deep breath, he too waiting for a reply.
Henri pressed the stop button, and looked up at his daughter and her husband. Nicole looked blankly at Justin, obviously shocked. “You told the truth, all along it was the truth.” She said.
“Look, if it were you in my place I’d have probably done exactly the same thing.” Justin said, placing his hand on Nicole’s, but she quickly pulled away.
“No, you wouldn’t have. You would have believed me. I know you would.”
Celia turned to look at her husband. Henri was silent, and she could tell he was deep in thought. She guessed that he was wondering who the person who paid Lisa was. “Who do you think it was, who paid her?”
Justin and Nicole looked up and waited for Henri’s reply. “I don’t know.”
“Do you think she was telling the truth? Did someone pay her?”
“I think she was. I just have a feeling that what she was saying was true.” Henri replied, wisely. Celia realised he had an idea who was behind the attempt to break up Nicole and Justin’s marriage, but no matter how much she tried, he would not tell her.
“Maybe we should go. I have to collect my things, and we have to collect Erin from Luc.” Justin said, breaking the silence.
“Justin…”
“What is it?”
“I can’t let you move back in tonight.”
“What?” Justin asked, as his face fell. “Why?”
“I can’t hate you one moment and let you back into my bed the next. I love you, I do. It’s just I need time to think about all this. Just give me a few days.” Nicole said, standing up. She suddenly felt tearful as the emotion of everything she and Justin had been through recently hit her.
“I don’t understand. You have just heard what she said. Don’t you believe her?”
“Of course I do.” Nicole said. “I need space, that’s all.”
Before Justin could say or do anything more, Nicole had ran out the door. “Wait.” He called after her, but she didn’t stop.
“Let her go.” Henri said.
“Look, you can stay here tonight if you want.” Celia offered.
“It’s okay.” Justin replied, frostily.
***
The Square,
Town Centre, same time
Camille Elliot smiled as she walked along the pavement. She smiled as she looked over towards the small square which really marked the centre of town. Camille remembered, when she was young, the pond was always being cleaned up, but now nobody seemed interested. They were all crossing through the square, going from shop to shop.
“Camille.” Came a voice which interrupted Camille’s flashback.
Camille turned and saw Russell standing before her. “Hi.”
“How have you been?”
“Fine.”
“Cleo mentioned that you got a new job.”
“Well it’s my old one really. Back at the DA’s office. I just got an apartment as well. Move in next week.” Camille said awkwardly.
“Is Cleo moving in with you? I know there was no space before, but now…”
“That’s up to her, and you of course. If you want her to move out, or if she wants to move in with me then she can. But I don’t mind. I’ll just give you money for food, bills and all that.”
“I don’t mind. I’d probably miss her if she went.” Russell said. Camille looked over his shoulder, and spotted Craig walking towards her and Russell. He seemed deep in thought as he walked along.
“Craig, hi.” She greeted. Craig looked up and smiled as he saw Camille.
“Hello. We really have to stop bumping into each other like this.”
“Yeah, we do don’t we?” Camille replied. “This is my husband, Russell. Russell, this is Craig Smith. He’s a friend of mine. His son, Joel, goes to school with Cleo.”
“Hi.” Craig said, extending out his hand.
“Hello.” Russell said, slightly apprehensive.
“I hope that I’m not interrupting anything between the two of you.”
“No, definitely not.” Camille answered. “In fact I’m glad we met actually. I want to thank you for last week. It was really kind of you.”
“Oh, it’s okay.”
“I…” Russell began, but was cut off by Camille.
“Do you want to have that drink now, that we talked about last week?” She offered, before silently mouthing the words save me to Craig.
“Sure.” He said, a little overenthusiastically.
“I better go. We’ll talk again about Cleo. Nice to meet you Craig.” Russell said. He turned and quickly started to walk, before Craig or Camille could reply.
“Yeah, nice to meet you too.” Craig called after, before turning to Camille. “What was all that about?”
“He was trying to talk about the divorce, and I’m in the mood for celebrating. I’ve just got a job, and an apartment.”
“Oh, first drinks are on me then.”
***
Wednesday,
May 7th 2003, The Hotel Restaurant, Early Evening
“You look gorgeous.” Justin Vincent said, standing up as his wife approached the table.
“Thanks.” Nicole said, smiling as she noticed the beads of perspiration on his forehead. She brushed back a loose strand of her hair, and realised it was wet. It had been raining most of the day. She noticed a few drops of rain on Justin’s coat also. She knew that he must have been nervous, waiting to hear if she was going to let him move back in or not. “You don’t look so bad yourself.”
“I feel like this is our first date or something.”
“I seem to remember our first date wasn’t as nice as this.” Nicole smiled.
“Definitely not.”
“So, have you made up your mind?”
“Yes, you can move back in.”
Justin sighed, relieved.
***
The Ritz
Bar, same time
The dark haired man smiled as he stepped
out of the jeep he’d recently rented. He smiled to himself, looking up at the
familiar, gold plated sign. He liked to drink in the bar when he was in town,
but it had been almost a year and a half since his last visit.
The man locked his jeep and walked through the doors of the bar.
“So where is Alex?” Melody Scott asked as she sipped her drink.
“Out with Sara.” Corey Rafter answered, a slight contempt in his voice.
“You don’t like her, do you?”
“Ever since they started going out, I’ve had to work a lot more.”
“And less time for study.”
“Yeah. I better serve him.” Corey said, spotting the dark haired man who had just reached the bar.
“That’s a good book you know.” The man said. The woman beside him looked up from the book she had been reading, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
“I know.” She replied. “I’m nearly done.”
“Sorry.”
“It’s okay.” The woman said, looking back down at her book.
“So what can I get the two of you?” Corey asked the man.
“Oh, we are not together.” The man replied. “But if you’d like a drink…”
“I can get my own thanks.”
“Just being friendly.”
“Well don’t be.”
The man turned back to an amused Corey. “I’ll have a beer, and my friend will have a refill.”
“I said I was fine.”
“So just the beer?” Corey asked.
“Yes.” The woman said.
“Both.” The man said.
The couple stared at each other for a moment, before the woman eventually caved in. “Okay then.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.” The woman replied.
Corey sighed, relieved that a decision had finally been reached. The woman turned to the man.
“I get the feeling you are not used to the word no.”
“You can’t be in business.”
“Oh, a businessman. How did I guess? So what is it you do?”
“I have a business with my brothers.”
“Fascinating.”
“Max Samson.” Said the man, reaching out a hand.
“Elektra, Elektra Bradshaw.” The woman introduced herself.
***
Robertson
Mansion, same time
Paris smiled as she walked down the stairs of her home. Jacob Lewis was standing at the bottom waiting for her. They were going to a film at the cinema. Paris had been delighted when Jacob had asked her, following their talk in the park the previous Saturday. Natasha had really liked Jacob when she returned with her soda, and she had given Paris permission to go out on a school night.
“Are you ready to go then?”
“Yeah.” Paris replied, brushing back a strand of her hair. “Jacob, wait.”
“What is it? Did you forget something?”
“Not really, it’s just…” Paris trailed off, before leaning in and kissing Jacob.
She pulled away, a faint smile on her face. “Come on, we better not miss the film.”
Jacob smiled to himself, before turning around and following Paris.
***
Thursday,
May 8th 2003, The Hotel, 9am
Justin Vincent smiled as he walked through he doors of the hotel. He was very happy after moving back in with Nicole. Things are back to normal, finally. He thought. Justin was slightly surprised to see Kat Hartford and Harvey Kingston standing, talking to Celia and Henri. He wondered if the two police officers were there because of a burglary at the hotel.
“Celia, Henri, is everything okay?”
“They, they need to speak to you, about…” Celia started but before she could do anything burst into tears. Henri put his arms around his wife. Justin could see that Henri was shaken himself.
“What do you need to speak to me about?”
“Someone attacked Lisa last night Justin. They strangled her with a piece of wire. She’s dead.” Henri said.
“Your mother in law told us that you and Ms Manning didn’t get on. We need you to come down to the police station with us now, Mr Vincent.” Kat Hartford said.
Justin turned
to look back at Henri and Celia, in shock.
Next Time:
Ethan Samson and his family arrive for the wedding, and Camille catches up with Cleo.