Blaine walked away from the computer in disgust. He needed a break, so he decided to go outside for a walk.
After searching for hours, he had come up with nothing new on Sebastian Barrett. He knew from his earlier searches that Sebastian was co-owner of Barrett's Boardwalk along with his wife, Vanessa, who he had married after divorcing his first wife, Serena, and committing her to a mental institution. But there was absolutely no information about him prior to his marriage to Serena. It was almost like the man hadn't existed before then.
Blaine stood outside and leaned against the railing of the building. As he looked out over the bay, he wondered if he was facing the same problem they had when trying to find Dorothy Alice Summers. Maybe he was searching under the wrong name.
Blaine turned and started back towards the computer lab. The only thing to do was to talk to Serena Barrett. He wasn't sure if it would be possible to visit her at the mental hospital, or how severe her condition was. He knew that even if he was allowed to see her, she might not be able to answer his questions. It was a long shot, but he had to try.
Vanessa picked up the telephone and dialed the number to Zara's room at the University dorms. Sebastian hadn't wanted her to call, but she had to see how the girls were doing. She waited until her husband was out of the room to make the call. She was sure that he was just being paranoid.
"Hello?"
"Cassie? It's Vanessa. How are you feeling?"
"Much better now. Where are you guys?"
"I'm at a hotel room. Your dad just stepped out for a minute," she said, hesitant to reveal too much. "Is everything ok there?"
"Yeah. Why did you two leave so suddenly the other night? What happened?"
Vanessa sighed, "I still don't know. I haven't asked your father yet . . .the time hasn't seemed right."
"Then I guess he didn't tell you about the two people he drugged and locked in his office?"
"What?!?" Vanessa asked in shock.
"The day after you left, Zara and I went by the bar and found a couple of people locked in the office. One was a lawyer. I have her business card. They were looking for you. I guess someone died and left you some money and they've been trying to tell you."
"But why would your father drug them and lock them up!" Vanessa asked in disbelief.
"I don't know," Cassandra said quietly. "But I believe them. I don't think they did anything to provoke him, besides asking questions. They asked me to give them a call if I heard from you. Do you want the number?"
"No," Vanessa said slowly. "Not right now. I want to talk to your dad first. I'll call you again later, when I can. I just wanted to make sure you and your sister were alright."
After saying goodbye, Vanessa hung up the phone. When Sebastian came back she was going to make him keep his word. She was going to get the whole story.
When Sebastian returned to the hotel room a few minutes later with dinner, he found Vanessa staring pensively out the window.
"What's wrong?"
"I called the girls," she answered without looking up.
"How could you do that after I told you not to?" He tossed the takeout down on the nearby table. "I told you it was dangerous. Someone could have tapped the phone line. We've got to check out tonight."
"No," Vanessa said, as she turned to face him. "I'm not going anywhere until you keep your promise to me. I want to know exactly what's going on. What on earth are we running from?"
He sighed and sat down on the couch. "From my past. It's finally caught up with me."
"Honey, this isn't even about you," Vanessa said, sitting next to him. "Cassie found the people that were looking for you. They want to tell me about an inheritance. They don't know anything about you."
"That is a lie!" Sebastian insisted. "I was suspicious when they first started snooping around, but when they mentioned inheritance, I knew without a doubt why they were at the bar asking me questions. You were just a cover. No, it's me that they're after and they aren't going to get me!"
As Sebastian started pacing the room, Vanessa stepped in front of him. "What is it? You have to tell me! What are you hiding?"
Sebastian stared at her for a long moment. Finally he answered her, "I'm not who you think I am."
At the Burgess house, Jordan struggled to keep his mind on his work, but ever since he had gone back to Lucy's with Mrs. Burgess, he couldn't stop thinking about his ex-employer.
"I'm breaking up with Craig . . . I can't commit to him when I'm having feelings for someone else."
Justin wished he could pretend that Lucy was talking about another man, but the way she looked at him left him with no doubt. That someone else was him.
"I wish I could show you how I feel, Lucy," he thought to himself. "But it wouldn't be right."
He knew too well the scandal that would erupt if they broke rank and tried to have a relationship. People like his current employers would cause an uproar. He would probably lose his job and Lucy's social standing would be ruined. He didn't want to cause her any pain.
Yet, he couldn't stop thinking about her.
As the day went on, his mind and heart were torn in two different directions. By the end of the day, he had made up his mind. Damn social conventions, he was going to tell her how he felt.
Meanwhile, Eileen, Lucy, and Chloe decided to spend the day together. They had lunch at a nice restaurant and then walked around the shops.
"You've both been awfully quiet today," Chloe remarked. "I'm not trying to start anything, but are you sure you're really over your argument?"
"Absolutely," Eileen spoke up. "I just have a lot on my mind."
"Me too."
"Well, whatever it is, put it out of your minds, because today is about having a good time." Chloe stopped at a shop window and spotted something she just had to have. "I'm going to run inside this store for a minute and when I get back, I want to hear both of you chatting away like old times."
Both Lucy and Eileen laughed at their friend as she went inside the shop, but when the laughter died away it was replaced by a heavy silence.
"Lucy," Eileen started reluctantly. "I want to ask you something."
"What is it?"
"Why did your father hate Hector so much?"
Lucy sighed. "I wish you wouldn't ask me that. I don't want us to start fighting again."
"This won't turn into an argument, I promise."
"Why do you want to know," Lucy asked suspiciously.
As much as Eileen wanted to share her suspicions with someone else and get a second opinion, she knew that person couldn't be Lucy. How could she tell her best friend that her father might have been murdered by her own fiance? The news would hurt Lucy and it could only drive them further apart. There was no reason to take that risk when she wasn't sure if the information was even true.
"I just need to know. It's important to me."
Lucy shrugged. "I wish I could tell you, but I really don't know why he hated him so much," Lucy paused in thought. "Which makes it really stupid of me to be so biased."
"It's not stupid," Eileen insisted. "Instinct is more important than people realize."
"Is your instinct telling you something?" Lucy asked curiously.
Eileen frowned, "I'm not sure." She sighed and then changed the subject. "So how are things going for you? Have you broken up with Craig yet?"
"No," Lucy said. "And I'm not going to."
Justin hadn't meant to eavesdrop. He had been walking along the square and spotted Lucy by chance. As he approached her, he couldn't help overhearing her conversation with Eileen. He knew he should just turn away, but once he heard the topic of conversation, his curiosity got the better of him and he stopped to listen to what they were saying.
"What do you mean, you're not breaking up with him?" Eileen asked, confused. "Didn't you tell me that you weren't ready to commit? That getting married when you weren't sure about your feelings wouldn't be fair to him?"
"Things have changed," Lucy said in a low voice.
"What could have possibly changed?"
"I'm pregnant. I'm having his baby."
Eileen was struck speechless by the news and Justin was crushed. He turned and quickly walked away before either woman knew that he was even there.
"How do you feel about it?" Eileen asked cautiously.
"I'm not sure," Lucy admitted. "I just found out myself and I haven't had time to really think about it. It's still a shock."
"And you know for sure that you are . . .?"
Lucy nodded. "The doctor gave me the news himself," she paused for a moment. "Now do you understand why I changed my mind?"
Eileen nodded in agreement and looked at Lucy supportively. "Of course. I understand."
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