As R.J. walked down the darkened path along side the lighthouse, the gravel crunched beneath his feet. He paused a moment, looking around, before a figure emerged from the shadows.
"It's about time you got here," Lauren cried out. "I don't like waiting out here alone. It's dangerous."
"What information do you have for me?" R.J. asked, getting straight to the point. "It had better be good."
"Oh, it is," Lauren promised. "But if you want to know what it is, you have to do something for me first. I want you to call that friend of yours, Ms. Jordan, and tell her to break off whatever she has going on with Lawrence."
R.J. rolled his eyes, "You have a one track mind, don't you? Don't worry about Audrey, she's only dating him to get information for me. Once you tell me what I need to know it'll be over between the two of them."
"Get her to back off first then," Lauren insisted stubbornly.
"Fine," R.J. gave in and went in search of a payphone.
"Hello?" Audrey answered the phone at her brother's apartment.
"Audrey, it's R.J. I need you to do something for me."
Audrey exhaled sharply as she summoned up her courage. "No. I'm through doing things for you. I don't owe you anything, Chad does. If you want something then go to him, because I'm through."
"You'd better listen, Audrey."
"Or what? If you're going to do something to me, then do it. I'm tired of your threats."
"That's just it. I don't need you anymore. So I want you to stop seeing Lawrence Arrendale."
"What? No! Stay out of my life and don't ever call me again!" she exclaimed before slamming down the receiver.
Lauren watched eagerly as R.J. hung up. "Well?" she prompted.
"It's done. She won't see him again," he answered. "Now where's the information?"
"Wait, there's just one other thing," Lauren said slyly. "What I've got is really good. Too good to just hand over. Whatever you're going to do next, I want in on it." When R.J. hesitated she added sweetly, "Otherwise I'll just turn you in and use it myself."
"You wouldn't do that," R.J. said with a threatening edge to his voice. Lauren just stared at him, unflinchingly, until he finally said, "Ok, I'll let you in, but only because I might need you later on."
"Great," Lauren said chipperly.
"Now tell me, what do you have?" R.J. added to which Lauren smiled deviously.
"I'm just so worried about her," Veronica said to Arthur in a hushed voice. When Eileen entered the living room their conversation ceased.
"I'm fine. You can stop talking about me behind my back."
"We didn't mean . . ." Veronica started to explain, but Eileen interrupted.
"I know, but . . .just stop worrying about me."
"We're sorry, sweetheart, but you've seemed so down lately. We just want to help," Arthur said.
"It's not easy ending a relationship. If you want to talk about it, we're always here for you."
"No," Eileen sighed. "Well, I don't know. I'm not sure if I want to talk about it or not."
As Eileen was making up her mind, the doorbell rang and Arthur excused himself to go answer it.
"Hello, Lawrence. What are you doing here?" Arthur asked cheerfully. When he got a better look at the young man, he asked with concern, "And what happened to you?"
"I don't want to talk about it," Lawrence replied self-consciously.
"Alright, then what do you want to talk about?" Arthur asked, inviting Lawrence inside.
"Actually, I'm here to see Eileen."
"She's just in the living room with Veronica," Arthur said, leading the way. He added in a lowered voice, "I'm glad you're here to visit her. She's been feeling a little down since what happened with Hector."
"Lawrence stopped in his tracks, "What happened?"
"I'm not sure exactly. All she said was the engagement is off."
"It's up to you," Veronica said, as she and Eileen sat down on the couch together.
"It's kind of complicated," Eileen said with a sigh.
"It often is," Veronica said gently, but her words did nothing to ease Eileen's mind.
"Not this complicated," she said hesitantly. She wasn't sure whether she wanted to tell Veronica the whole story or not. If Veronica knew she would probably tell her father and turn Hector into the authorities. Eileen hadn't made up her mind yet about turning him in. On the other hand, if she didn't tell someone else the whole story, she could be in a great deal of trouble herself. She was a little afraid of what Hector might do.
"I found out something about Hector . . ."
"Eileen, you have a visitor," Arthur interrupted.
"Not now," Eileen protested. "I really don't want to see . . ." Before she could finish her sentence Lawrence stepped into the doorway behind Arthur. "Lawrence, where have you been?" Eileen asked, jumping up from her seat. Her tone changed when she noticed his face. "What happened to her eye? Are you alright?"
As Lawrence hesitated, Arthur and Veronica excused themselves from the room.
"I'm fine," Lawrence replied. "I got your note."
"I went by your apartment a few days ago, but you weren't home. I've got to tell you something. I went to see you because I talked to Hector."
"Your father told me you ended the engagement," he said nervously.
"I had to," Eileen insisted. "I talked to the nurse who took care of Clifford, the one Hector tried to set you up with, remember?" Lawrence nodded. "And what she said confirmed it. He did it. I confronted him and he admitted it."
Lawrence took a deep breath and tried to clear his head. "What evidence do you have?"
Eileen explained all of the details. Inside she was all nerves, but seeing Lawrence so calm helped steady her. When she was finished Lawrence said, "We have to go to the police."
"No!" Eileen objected. At Lawrence's look of confusion, she added, "I'm not ready to do that yet. Tell me you won't say anything about this to anyone."
"But-"
"Please," Eileen clasped his hands and looked at him with pleading eyes. "I just needed you to know."
Lawrence sighed and gave in, "I won't say anything."
"Thanks," Eileen said, putting her arms around him and hugging him tightly. For a moment she seemed to lose herself, then she pulled back awkwardly. She blushed, but Lawrence was looking away. "Thank you."
Victoria walked through the house rattling off a list of details, as Jordan followed her taking notes. "Oh, no wait. We can't host the benefit that weekend. That's when Lucy's using the country club for her wedding."
Startled, Jordan fumbled with his pen and notebook, dropping them on the floor.
"Oh do be more careful, Mr. Jordan," Victoria scolded. As Jordan retrieved his pen and paper, Victoria turned to the living room where she saw her son, Hector staring listlessly out the window.
"Hector," she said sadly, causing him to slowly turn around. "My poor boy," she lamented as she crossed the room and took his hands in her own. "You're thinking about her, aren't you?"
Hector nodded, how could he not think about her? Not only had he lost the woman that he loved, at anytime she could have him arrested for murder and he would lose everything.
"Well, I'm sure it's all for the best," Victoria said comfortingly. "In time you'll find someone much more deserving of you and you'll forget all about the Townsend girl."
"Thank you, Mother, but I doubt it."
Victoria smiled weakly and kissed Hector on the cheek before turning back to Jordan. "We should get going. We don't want to be late for the meeting with Mrs. Hepplewhite."
As they left the room, Hector turned back to the window and wondered, "What am I going to do? I have to find a way to keep Eileen quiet."
Hector's thoughts were interrupted by someone at the front door. When he looked outside he was surprised to see who was standing on the front step.
"Hey R.J. what brings you here?"
"I've got a proposition for you. Can I come in?"
"Of course," Hector said. He stepped aside and invited R.J. into the living room.
"So what do you have in mind?" Hector asked curiously.
"I'm thinking about leaving the company."
"Really? Why?"
"I've never been cut out for working under somebody else. What I really want to do is start my own company, but first I need a business partner. Are you interested?"
Hector was taken by surprise, but somewhat flattered. "I don't know what to say. I never thought about leaving Stuart-Townsend."
"Start thinking about it," R.J. advised. "That company is old news. You can either hang around there waiting for old man Townsend to throw you a bone, which isn't likely to happen after what happened between you and his daughter."
"What do you know about it?" Hector snapped, his eyes wide with panic.
"I heard you broke up," he replied simply, putting Hector at ease. "Anyway, you can work for someone else the rest of your life or you can take charge and partner with me. I'll put it bluntly. You've got the money, the connections, the know how. You know the way the company works inside and out. Add all that to my motivation and vision and we could out-compete Stuart-Townsend or at least give them a run for their money.
Hector took a deep breath and exhaled sharply. "You weren't kidding about having vision," he remarked. "I don't know, R.J. I've got to think this over.
"Alright," R.J. said turning to leave. "But don't take too long. I'll see you at the office."
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