"Junior wouldn't run away from us," Dixie gasped in disbelief. Tad nodded in agreement. "He's not," he replied. "He's running from Adam." Dixie headed to her son's room to check for signs that he might still be around. Tad, meanwhile, phoned Chandler Industries to see if Adam was still in his office. Dixie returned carrying some of the Winchester Prep items that Adam had given to his son. Jersey in hand, Dixie determined that it was "obvious [that] Adam has been trying to ship [Junior] off to a private boarding school" without telling them.
Liza began telling Adam about her idea for a new style segment at WRCW. When she asked her husband if he could venture a guest about the leading host candidate, Adam simply mumbled. It was apparent that he wasn't listening to a word she'd been saying. Liza scolded him for ignoring her. Adam sat down on the sofa next to his wife and explained that there was a reason why he'd been drifting off. His work schedule less busy than usual, Adam stated that he had room for a spontaneous family getaway. Adam brought up the idea of flying to New England with Liza, Colby, and Junior. Liza liked the idea, but questioned Adam's claim that the trip was spontaneous. "Adam doesn't do impromptu," she mused. "He does premeditated." Liza warned Adam that he would have to get Tad and Dixie's permission to take the trip. Adam brushed off her warning. He reminded her that he, not Tad, was the boy's father. Alone in the house, Adam decided that this was the perfect time for a little romance. As he leaned over to kiss Liza, the front door suddenly swung open. Tad stormed into the house and grabbed Adam by the lapels. "What the hell did you do to him?" he yelled. Adam's eyebrows rose and he informed Tad that he had no idea what he was talking about. Tad tossed the Winchester Prep jersey at the millionaire and ordered him to stop playing games. "He's run away," Tad announced. Tad told Liza that Adam had made secret arrangements to ship Junior off to an exclusive boarding school. Adam eventually would admit that he'd been speaking to the enrollment officer at Winchester Prep. However, he insisted that the opportunity to attend the school was something that Junior would relish for the rest of his life. Tad blasted the decision as one that would alienate Junior from his family and friends. Moreover, it would turn the boy into the one thing that he feared the most---Adam. Adam was furious at the implication that his son feared him. "I'm twice the father you'll ever be," Tad fumed. Dixie arrived at the mansion with news that a search of Brooke's house had turned up nothing---no one had been home. She unleashed her fury at Adam, accusing him of reverting to same dirty tricks he'd pulled off in the past. Liza looked on from the background, tears streaming down her face. She made no effort to stick up for the man she loves. Adam wanted to phone his "men" and ask them to look for Adam. Tad plucked Adam's wireless phone away from him and told him not to do anything. If Junior were to find out that his father was looking for him, he'd only keep running. Tad and Dixie headed off to find Junior. Adam raised his arms and told Liza how unfair it was for Tad and Dixie to accuse him of running Junior off. To his surprise, Liza was in full agreement with them. She knew that the "impromptu" trip to New England was hardly spontaneous; Adam was going to drop Junior off at boarding school without telling anyone. "Who the hell do you think you are?" she snarled.
"I'm rather shaken by this," Alexandra said, her voice shaking. "Dimitri did love his surprises," Jack replied. Before he could read the codicil, Clive was called away to tend to some other matters. Jack, however, was given permission to review the terms of the will's addendum. Alexandra surmised that Dimitri "must have been delirious" when he changed his Jack. Jack shook his head. Dr. Silbert, he said, had evaluated Dimitri and served as a witness to the codicil. "It's a little different when you're the one left guessing," Edmund smirked. Alexandra was irked by Edmund's smugness. Jack explained that most of Marick Industries had been sold off. The profits were set up into a trust fund to help fund research for incurable diseases. Alex was elated. She failed to see how this news could possibly upset her. Jack explained that Alex might object to Dimitri's choice to head the organization. "Oh, Edmund," she grumbled. "No.. you," Jack responded. Dimitri had made a provision that Edmund and Jack serve as trustees on the board, but Alex would be responsible for doing research and funding various organizations that helped develop treatment for rare, incurable diseases. The research would be centered at Pine Valley Hospital. Alex's eyes bulged. She knew that the intent of the will was to keep her planted in Pine Valley. Alex expressed her concern about return to The States, but Edmund reminded her that she had to honor Dimitri's dying wish. "This is vintage Dimitri," he grinned. "Still calling the shots from beyond the grave." Clive returned and told Alex that he was sorry for the surprise addendum. Before heading off to round up some of Dimitri's belongings, Alex asked Jack to help her find a way out of the addendum.
In Dimitri's room, Alex reflected on the last time that she and Dimitri made love. When Edmund arrived, she told him that she would honor Dimitri's request---at least until Jack could find someone else to head up the organization. She said that she would stay at The Valley Inn. Edmund told her that that decision was unacceptable because Eugenia and Gillian would feel like she was trying to distance herself from them. Alex quickly noted that Eugenia and Gillian were not the ones she wanted to stay away from. Edmund told Alex that as Dimitri's widow, she had to stay at Wildwind or at least the hunting lodge. He promised that he would stay out of her way. Alex was beginning to suffer the affects of jetlag. Edmund offered to let Alex fly back to Pine Valley aboard Dimitri's jet. "I will never set foot on the jet again," she sniffled. Edmund closed his eyes, realizing the unintentional insensitivity he'd just displayed.
Thinking that room service was dropping off some fresh linens, when a knock sounded on her door Erica called out that the door was unlocked. David smiled happily and let himself into the room. Erica wandered out of the bathroom and groaned upon seeing the doctor. David claimed that he was in town on business, but Erica knew better. She asked David if he'd stopped by to issue an apology. David shook his head and said that he'd do no such thing---unless Erica apologize for leaving town and not telling him. Erica also refused to bend, blasting David for not telling her that Dimitri had still been alive. David reminded her that only immediate family members were allowed into his room. Contrary to Erica's objections, "ex-wives are not immediate family." Erica smiled evilly and informed David that she had to get ready for a night at the opera with a man named Alberto. Erica stormed into the bathroom and locked the door behind her. David, meanwhile, wasn't about to give up. He picked up the phone and placed a call to Donald Steele, of all people. Donald, the writer who Vanessa had hired to write a hatchet job about Erica, had just recently been released from a sanitarium. David promised Donald the opportunity of a lifetime if he would help him out. David then unplugged the phone from the wall and carried it into the hallway with him. There, he met with a skittish Donald. Initially the actual plot was very sketchy. When Donald learned that the scheme was directed at Erica, he refused to take part. David then turned to the one sure way that he knew he could get Donald to go along with him---flattery. He praised his death act when he believed that he'd eaten poisoned pate. Donald, who said that a psychologist had diagnosed him with "unresolved issues" concerning his mother, reluctantly agreed to take part. The second phase of plan required a great deal of creativity. Donald hid while David met with the hotel manager. Wearing a surgical mask, David claimed that a rare disease had surfaced on the floor. Everyone, he said, would have to be relocated---except for the room behind him. That, of course, was Erica's room. To bolster his claims, Donald, wearing a gas mask, emerged from hiding and said that an outbreak could be a serious health hazard, one that could jeopardize the hotel's good name. Just to spice things up a bit, Donald mentioned that the manager looked like he was suffering from the early stages of the "galloping gabloots." Had he been a television fan, the manager would have realized that the disease mentioned was a fictional one made up by Lucy Ricardo on I Love Lucy. David returned to Erica's room and waited for her to exit the bathroom. When she did, David told her that she would not be attending the opera. Erica raced away from David, but when she entered the hallway she stopped dead in her tracks. The entire floor had been cordoned off with yellow police tape. An added touch was the "quarantined" sign on her door. Erica vowed that David would not keep her down and she raced back into her room. David followed behind. As he closed the door behind him, he carefully hung the "Do Not Disturb" sign on the doorknob.
At a table at BJ's, Jake grumbled that it was almost time to take Colby back to Chandler Mansion. He said a few disparaging remarks about Adam and was quickly reprimanded by Gillian. Jamie and Brooke entered the restaurant and sat at a nearby table. Brooke nearly toppled over in her chair when she heard Jamie place his order for a double cheeseburger, large fries, large onion rings, and chocolate shake. Jamie claimed that his order was nothing out of the ordinary. Brooke smiled proudly and determined that her son was merely going through another growth spurt. Frantic, Tad and Dixie arrived at the restaurant and asked Jamie if he might know where Junior went. Jamie played it close to the vest, never once hinting that he knew anything about his friend's disappearance. Brooke offered to join the search, but Jamie blurted out that she couldn't join them because they had to go right home after eating. Jake and Gillian were passing by on their way out and learned of Junior's running away. Dixie offered her current explanation for the boy's bolt. Jake was furious and vowed to have a few words with Adam about his constant interference in other people's lives. Gillian lagged behind, giving Jamie a new idea about what to do after dinner. Gillian offered to look after Jamie while everyone else continued to search for Junior. Jamie nodded his head feverishly and said that he'd like to spend time at Wildwind. There were no objections. Jamie, meanwhile, headed over to the counter and asked for his food order to be placed in a doggie bag.
Amanda's sleepover was in full swing at The Dillon home, but Amanda didn't want anyone to do anything until Scott arrived with the camera for fear that he'd miss something. Eventually, Scott did arrive with Hayley and Ryan tagging along. Hayley proudly announced that Erica had sent over some makeup samples for the girls to play with. Upon seeing Ryan, one of Amanda's friends giggled that he might be a stripper. In unison, the other girls screamed, "Eyew." The girls ran upstairs to change into the fashion model garb. Hayley decided that she'd be an announcer for the event. Ryan pulled Scott aside and told him not to miss a scene of Hayley's performance. He figured that they could submit the tape to Liza as an audition tape for the style reporter position. Scott crinkled his forehead and asked Ryan if Hayley wanted to be in television. Ryan nodded his head. "She just doesn't know it yet," he grinned. Janet and Trevor sat at the foot of the steps as the girls paraded by in their latest fashions. Before the show was complete, Brooke stopped by to ask Amanda if Junior might have said anything suspicious to her. Amanda said that Junior seemed fine when she last saw him. Hayley, however, remembered the awkward conversation she and Junior had had at the gallery. She said that Junior had been worried that he was a disappointment to Adam. Janet decided to stay at home with the girls while everyone else joined the search party. The girls wanted to tell ghost stories and Janet was only too willing to join in on the fun. Who better to tell a spooky story than the woman who threw her sister down a well?
At Chandler, Liza lashed out at Adam for having lied to her. Adam claimed that he was motivated by two things---a stringent visitation schedule and Tad Martin's bad influence. Liza didn't let Adam shift the blame. She told him that she knew that he had planned to drop Junior off at Winchester Prep during their vacation. She angrily asked him if he thought that she would not notice that he was not in the car on the trip back to Pine Valley. Liza told Adam that WRCW would be running pictures of Junior every half-hour just in case someone had seen the boy. Adam thanked Liza for her help, but Liza was still furious and wouldn't let Adam give her a hug. Jake arrived at the house with Colby. Adam looked at his wristwatch and grumbled about the lateness of Colby's return. "It's past her bedtime," he grumbled. Jake refused to hand over the baby, saying that "exposure to [Adam] will not be good" for his daughter. Adam angrily ordered Jake to hand over Colby and to get off of his property. Liza stepped towards her husband and told him that he'd better be careful when issuing commands. She announced that she, Jake, and Colby would all be leaving. "I don't want to be around you," she said coldly. "You've broken every single promise [you've] made."
Jamie skulked around the mausoleum at Wildwind with his takeout order from BJ's. Junior poked his head out of some nearby bushes and nearly scared his friend to death. The sun had already set and spooky noises made the crypt even scarier than normal. Jamie told Junior that he hadn't told anyone where he was hiding. The two boys slipped into the crypt. Inside, Junior had the strangest of questions. "Do you know what it smells like in here?" he asked. Jamie shrugged his shoulders and replied, "Dead people?" Junior scrunched up his face and offered the correct answer: onion rings. Jamie handed over the bag of food and said that he'd have to run along before he was missed. Junior curled up in a corner of the mausoleum and prepared for bed. His sleep was haunted by visions of another tyrannical father---one even more evil than his own father: Ray Gardner!
Erica stomped over to the side of her bed and announced that she was going to call for help. There was only one problem. David had removed the phone from the room. He then spared her to task of looking for her cellular phone. That, he explained, had also been taken away to be "disinfected." Erica demanded to know why she was being held against her will. "You walked out on me," David said frigidly. "No one walks out on me." Erica was shocked to learn that leaving town without informing David had prompted such irrational behavior. David also stated that he was returning the favor for when Erica had held him hostage in her basement. Erica argued that those were entirely different circumstances. After all, she was punishing him for something far worse that simply leaving town. David was also not pleased that Erica had plans to go to the opera with another man. Erica didn't understand why he felt this way because that had no real guidelines to their relationship. Erica was about to make mention of the type of relationship that she'd had with Dimitri. Upon hearing that Erica was about to mention Dimitri's name yet again, the doctor hit the roof. "So help me if you say Dimitri's name one more time I am going to bust this chair into a thousand pieces," David fumed. Erica blinked her eyes several times and asked David why he was so angered by Dimitri's name. Apparently, she did not realize that she was constantly bringing up his name. "You're jealous of a man who's dead," she commented. David nodded. "He's your past," he replied. "I'm here. I'm alive. I want more." Erica cocked her head to one side and asked David to clarify what he meant by "more." More, according to David, meant an end to the games that they played, the power trips, and selfishness. He looked deeply into Erica's eyes and said that he knew what she was thinking. "You're wondering 'Why isn't he kissing me?'," David said with a smirk. "You're good," Erica smiled back. David leaned over and he and Erica shared a passionate kiss.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't break your arm like I did to your brother, Tad," Ray Gardner sneered as he hovered over Junior. Junior scurried away and proudly proclaimed that Adam Chandler was his father. The protestation failed to make Ray back down. Junior called out for someone to help him, but his cries only fueled Ray's fire. "You sound like a girl," he said tauntingly. As he moved inched closer to the boy, Junior suddenly woke from his nightmare. There would be no comfort in the awakening. Footsteps and rustling leaves outside the mausoleum sent Junior into another wave of panic.
The boy's father, meanwhile, swigged a drink of brandy in the warmth of the posh Chandler Mansion. Adam, however, was haunted by sounds of his own. "You are not and will not ever be Colby's father," echoed Liza's words. Tad arrived and demanded that Adam tell him everything that he'd said to Junior before the boy ran off. Adam repeatedly insisted that he'd done nothing to make Junior want to flee. "My son loves me," he stated firmly. "He's also terrified of you," Tad added. Tad continued pressing Adam for details, but Adam still refused to answer. "I will not be interrogated like a common criminal," he snapped. Adam opened the front door and ordered Tad to leave his property. Tad shook his head in disbelief and said that he would leave. Under his breath he muttered how disappointed he was in Adam; his son was missing and he was too worried about his own ego to even help. Adam raced over to his phone and placed an urgent call to one of his friends in Congress.
At Wildwind, Jamie and Gillian returned to the parlor after reading a bedtime story to Maddie. Gillian noticed a chill in the air and headed off to ask Stella to turn up the heat. While she was gone, Jamie grabbed a blanket and slowly made his way towards the door. Gillian returned before he could get too far and promised the boy that things would be getting warmer soon. They sat in front of the fireplace for a while before going to the kitchen to make some hot chocolate. Back in the parlor, Jamie claimed that he could not drink the hot chocolate without marshmallows. Gillian cocked her head to one side and asked Jamie what he was going to do with the marshmallows. "What are you from another planet?" Jamie quipped. Gillian agreed to go to the kitchen and look for marshmallows. Soon after she left, Jamie grabbed the blanket and hot chocolate and made his way back towards the door. He was just about to turn the doorknob when Gillian returned. She asked Jamie what he was doing. Worried that the princess might be on to him, Jamie claimed that he'd heard some strange noises and wanted to see if a raccoon or squirrel was outside.
Brooke and Trevor met up with Dixie at BJ's. Dixie decided that a big pot of coffee would help keep them warm and alert. While Dixie stepped away to find a waitress, Trevor commented that he found it strange that Dixie was able to think about coffee. After all, her son was missing. Dixie returned to the table, still optimistic that Junior would be found soon. She thought about how she would punish Junior, another move that caused Trevor some concern. Becca phoned Dixie, but the news was not good. Junior still hadn't returned home---and no one had reported seeing the boy. Tad showed up with Adam following just a few steps behind. Adam announced that he was taking over the search. Tad and Trevor voiced their opposition, but Dixie thought that Adam's connections might prove valuable. Gillian phoned in to report Jamie's strange behavior. Tad determined that Jamie might know where Junior had gone. Brooke, Dixie, and Tad headed off to Wildwind to question Jamie. Adam wanted to follow along, but his presence wasn't wanted. Trevor grabbed Adam by the arm and twisted it behind his back. Adam grimaced in pain and pleaded with Trevor to let him go. "That's my son out there. If I caused this I want to fix it," Adam said softly. Trevor reluctantly agreed to unhand Adam, but only after making him promise that he'd be "a good boy."
At The Valley Inn, Opal entered the dining room while rummaging through her purse. She wasn't looking where she was going and crashed into the back of another patron---Palmer of all people! Neither knew whom they'd collided with. Both dropped to the floor and started picking up the spilled contents of the purse. Palmer finally looked up. "Oh, it's you," he groaned. "Graceful as ever." Palmer took joy in seeing that Opal was dining alone. Opal told him that someone would be joining her, but Palmer didn't seem to believe her. He smirked as he told her that Vanessa would be joining him and that she should feel free to leave if it troubles her to see them together. "You and Vanessa could swing naked from the chandelier," Opal retorted. Vanessa strolled in and Opal headed off to her table. Vanessa decided that champagne was in order---and it wasn't just because she'd parked the car herself. She said that "everyday is a celebration" because she's married to Palmer. Across the room, Jack joined Opal to discuss some of the legalities of selling products over the Internet. Opal, however, didn't hear a word he was saying. For some reason, she was transfixed on Palmer. Oddly, Palmer was staring right back at her. Palmer returned his attention to his new bride for a few moments, asking her how Bunny was doing. Vanessa said that her friend was doing wonderfully and thanked Palmer for asking about her. Palmer told Vanessa that she was right when she talked about the private nature of the Swiss clinic. "It's so discreet that they don't even exist!" he squawked. Vanessa fidgeted nervously as Palmer informed her that he'd tried sending flowers to Bunny only to find out that the clinic did not exist. Vanessa's eyes darted and forth. She said that she might have mixed up the name by accident. Opal was enjoying every minute. She knew that trouble was brewing because the "tick" in Palmer's cheek had surfaced. "Don't insult me by keeping secrets from me," Palmer grumbled. Vanessa said that she would never think of keeping secrets. She told Palmer that he was entirely too tense and invited him upstairs for a sensual massage. Palmer shook his head and refused to budge. Palmer returned his glance back to Opal's table. Opal wanted to seize the opportunity to stick it to her ex-husband. She grabbed jack by the back of the head and pulled him towards her. She then giggled giddily to make it look like she and Jack were engaging in some stimulating conversation. She then went one step further by asking Jack to walk her to the door. She whirled and twirled around the attorney and even somehow managed to get him to "dip" her. Jack was irked by Opal's shenanigans, but he didn't want to make her look bad by walking out on her. As the couple strolled past Palmer and Vanessa's table, the look of shock on the Cortlandts faces was absolutely hilarious. Vanessa blinked her eyes several times and said that the only way Opal could get a many like Jack was to flaunt her money. Palmer asked his wife why she hadn't gone back to the room yet. Seeing that she obviously wasn't wanted, Vanessa rose from her chair and walked away. Palmer picked his cell phone and called his private investigator for a report. The investigator had managed to track down Vanessa's mystery man, but he'd someone given him the slip. Later, Vanessa returned to a darkened dining room and placed a secretive call to the man known only as "Leo." She learned of the private eye that Palmer had hired and warned Leo that they might not be able to talk for a little while. "Je t'aime," she said with a kiss. She hung up the phone and turned around to walk away. She screamed in fright when she saw Palmer standing but a few feet away.
In the lobby, Jake offered to reserve a room for Liza. "Myrtle's [boarding house] is not befitting of the former Mrs. Adam Chandler," Jake smiled. Liza looked at him with a puzzled look and asked him to explain himself. "You are leaving him, aren't you?" Jake asked. Liza sighed and explained that she wasn't ready to walk out on Adam. "Adam was just being Adam," she replied. Jake announced that he might have to re-evaluate the arrangements he and Liza had made concerning Colby. Liza hoped that Jake wasn't planning a custody fight. Jake bowed his head and admitted that a court battle wasn't in their future. He did, however, want to find a way to keep Adam as far away from Colby as possible. Liza was somewhat peeved that Jake didn't think that she could handle Adam. Jake asked Liza if he could have Colby for the night. This, he said, would hammer home a point with Adam. This would be the first time that Colby was away from Liza for the night, so Liza was understandably anxious. Nevertheless, she agreed.
At Wildwind, Dixie, Tad, and Brooke sat down with Jamie and again asked him if he knew where Junior had gone. Brooke and Tad tried to convince their son that sometimes breaking a promise to a friend is actually a good thing. Dixie assured Jamie that neither he nor Junior would get into trouble. Adam appeared in the doorway and Jamie clammed up. Adam vowed that he would not scold Junior or send him away---under the condition that Jamie spill the beans. Jamie confessed that his friend was hiding in the mausoleum. Everyone scampered off to the crypt. Brooke warned Adam that he should stay at the house because Junior might bolt again if he saw him. Adam refused to believe that that was possible and disregarded Brooke's warning. Jamie had told the truth---but when everyone descended upon the mausoleum Junior was already gone. Tad hugged Dixie tightly and told her that they would not lose Junior. And once Junior was back safe and sound, Tad vowed to make Adam pay.
Adam returned to Chandler Mansion and once again tried to call his friend, the Senator. Adam was hung up on when he referred to the person on the phone as "an idiot." He slammed his cellular phone against the table before collapsing on the sofa. He buried his head in his hands and sobbed openly unaware that Liza had returned home.
The day had long since drawn to a close, but there was still time for Mateo to show new-hire Tina how to whip up a few mixed drinks. Mateo went to the backroom to tend to a few things before locking up for the night. David wandered into the club, sat down at the bar, and asked for a drink. Tina informed him that she couldn't serve him any drinks because the club was closed. She apologized for not having locked the door. David looked at his watch and realized that it was much later than he'd thought. "It's too late to call," he said under his breath. "Your girlfriend, right?" Tina asked curiously. David was surprised that the young woman had been able to read his mind. Tina poured David a drink and told him that it was on the house. As David sipped his drink, he was suddenly hit in the head by a flying wig! "I see you're up to your old tricks," a woman hollered from nearby. "You brazen hussy!" Tina bowed her head slightly and said nothing. David knew that this was his cue to leave and headed back to the hotel. Mateo overheard the commotion and returned to the floor to see what was going on. The woman, who Tina referred to as Mrs. Florio, warned Mateo that he was getting himself into a heap of trouble by having Tina work at the club. "She's a criminal!" Mrs. Florio snarled. The woman claimed that Tina had tried to put the moves on her husband in order to get out of paying back rent. Tina admitted that she had fallen behind in her rent payments, but denied wanting anything to do with Mr. Florio. In an attempt to silence the frenzied landlady, Mateo grabbed a clump of cash from the register and paid her off. Mrs. Florio quickly stuffed the money into her blouse and stomped off. Tina thanked Mateo for coming to her rescue and promised to pay back every cent of the money he'd just spent. Mateo looked at some of the stuff piled beside the bar; there wasn't much but it was all that Tina had in the world. He offered to let her store her things in the backroom. Tina asked her boss if he'd mind if she spent the night in the backroom because she was now homeless. Mateo had a better idea. He offered to let her stay in Raquel's old condo. Adrian dropped by the club to see if Mateo had seen Junior. Upon learning that the boy had run away from home, Mateo offered to join the search party. Mateo knew that Hayley was probably worried about her little brother's disappearance and decided to drop by The Dillons' home to check on her. Tina was given directions and the key to the condo and Mateo headed on his way.
A new tooth kept Colby awake into the wee hours of the morning. Jake was going out of his mind trying to think of a way to soothe his daughter. "Oh, I'm a bad father," he groaned. A knock sounded on the door and Jake worried that he'd woken up one of the other guests. Gillian poked her head in the room and offered to give Jake a hand. She had dropped by to see if Jake had heard any news on Junior, but since she was there she also offered to help with Colby. Gillian told Jake that singing "Itsy Bitsy Spider" would scare Colby because spiders were pretty icky. Gillian waved her necklace in front of the infant and hypnotized her into a deep sleep. Jake sighed deeply and again voiced his frustration with the way Adam had run Junior off. Gillian said that her father was very much like Adam and that she was thankful that she had a loving mother. The phone rang and Gillian quickly picked up the receiver before Colby was disturbed. A look of disdain flashed on her face when she heard a female voice on the other end. Gillian sighed deeply and told Jake that "Kelly" was on the phone. Jake claimed that Kelly was a co-worker and probably calling about something at the hospital. Gillian walked across the room and tried not to listen in on the conversation. When Jake referred to her as "just a friend," Gillian was not at all happy.
Palmer told Vanessa that he'd come to look for her because he woke up and didn't see her in bed next to him. Vanessa said that she had to make a call and decided to make it from the dining area so that she wouldn't disturb Palmer's sleep. The call, Vanessa claimed, was to Bunny. Sure it was three o'clock in the morning---but it was early mid-morning in Europe. Palmer said that he wished he'd been around so that he could have spoken to her. He then scared Vanessa silly by saying that he wanted Bunny to fly in for a visit aboard his private jet. David returned to the hotel just as his mother and new stepfather were sipping some herbal tea. "Hello, lovebirds," he sneered. David had overheard the discussion about Bunny and asked his mother how her old friend was doing. Vanessa tried to steer clear of the conversation by asking Palmer to return to their suite and watch the sun rise. Palmer refused and sent Vanessa on her way. David stuck around and joined "Pops" at the table. Palmer pressed David for information about the mysterious Bunny. David clarified that the woman really did exist. In fact, she and Vanessa were a veritable "Thelma and Louise." Most of the trouble that the pair got into, said David, was Vanessa's doing. He started to tell a tale about how Vanessa was trying to steal some diamonds when Vanessa returned to the table and ordered her son to end his blasphemous tales. Palmer decided to return to his room, but Vanessa wanted to have a few words with her son. David asked Vanessa about "Aunt Bunny's" latest ailment. "Brain tumor," Vanessa replied. "Again?" David quipped. Obviously he knew that Vanessa wasn't being honest. Vanessa warned David not to interfere in her marriage. David wasn't frightened. Instead, he warned Vanessa that she'd better tread carefully or her marriage would be over.
Ryan and Hayley returned to Trevor and Janet's house. By now, Janet and the girls were fast asleep upstairs. Hayley began to blame herself for not being better in tune with Junior's feelings. She'd spoken to him at the gallery, but she had no idea that he was feeling so badly. Ryan tried to comfort Hayley. He turned to step three of the twelve step process---make a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understand Him. Hayley was surprised that Ryan knew the steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. Trevor phoned in, but sadly he had no good news. Ryan and Hayley decided to take a short breather before heading back out. Ryan went to the kitchen to brew some coffee and Hayley charged up the battery on her cell phone. Hayley raced across the room when a rap sounded on the door. She opened the door and found Mateo on her doorstep. She was surprised to see him, but glad nonetheless. Mateo told Hayley that Adrian had told her about Junior's disappearance. He said that he knew that she would be upset and didn't want her to have to be alone. "Thanks, but I'm not," Hayley replied. Mateo looked up and saw Ryan returned from the kitchen.
Adam looked up and realized that Liza had returned home. He wiped his eyes and listened carefully as Liza told him that Junior was still missing. She sat beside him on the sofa and urged him to try to get some rest. Adam wasn't about to sleep. He noticed that Colby wasn't with Liza. Liza told him that she allowed Jake to have her for the evening. Adam was noticeably shaken. "I want her here under this roof. I lost one of my children already!" Adam snapped. He took a deep breath before continuing. He told Liza that he had dreams for his children. He was marveled by all the possibilities in his son's future; it was nothing like the future he saw back in Pigeon Hollow. Liza understood why Adam wanted his children to have the best things in life, but she warned him that his zealousness was causing more harm than good. She forced Adam to confess that part of the reason for wanting Junior to attend Winchester Prep was its distance from Tad. It may not have occurred to Adam, but forcing Junior to attend boarding school wasn't going to strengthen their relationship. Instead she urged Adam to become more involved in the boy's life---attend a soccer game or two. "I thought," Adam started. "No, you didn't think," Liza replied curtly. Adam worried that Liza was going to leave him, but she quickly squashed those fears. She told him that she still believed that he was trying to be a better person. If she didn't, she said that she wouldn't still be married to him. Adam asked Liza if she's ever wished that Colby were his biological daughter. Liza nodded her head. "All the time," she confessed. Adam smiled happily. His glee would be short-lived. Liza told Adam that there was a reason why he wasn't the father of her child. Had he not reverted to his old ways, they might never have broken up. Besides, if Adam had been the sperm donor Liza said that she was sure it "would have been a disaster." Adam's cell phone rang and the millionaire raced across the room to retrieve it. On the other end, Derek phoned in with a report. "You're doing what?" Adam asked in shock. "Oh, dear God, no."
Today's recap was provided by Susan Richmond.
Dixie and Tad arrive at the boathouse to find it swarming with police and Adam and Liza talking to Derek. Dixie demands to know what's going on and Adam tries to gently tell her that the police think Junior took a rowboat out onto the lake and the rowboat capsized. We want to drag the lake, Derek explains. Dixie will not believe for one minute that her son is drowned at the bottom of the lake. First she's in denial, Junior knows better that to take a boat without permission, she insists. Then she turns on Adam, yelling at him that's it's all his fault that Junior ran away in the first place and that he's a terrible father. She starts crying and turns and hugs Tad. Suddenly, she hears someone ask, "Mom, are you okay?" and looks up to find Junior standing there. She hugs him close to her and lets out a deep breath.
Everyone is obviously very relieved to see Junior is safe and unharmed. But when Adam apologizes to Junior for trying to force him to go to boarding school and tries to hug him, Junior flinches as if he's scared of him. Adam is devastated, but Liza is able to convince him to back off for a while and let Junior recover from the ordeal he's just been through. Tad and Dixie tell him that Jamie said he was at the mausoleum and they ask why he wasn't there when they went to look for him. He even left his backpack behind as if he rushed out in a hurry. "I saw Ray Gardner", he tells them. Tad tries to convince him that it was just a bad dream, there's no way it could have been Ray, but Junior is insistent. It was Ray, he tells them, and he kept saying he was my father and nothing I said could convince him he wasn't. Tad gives Junior a big hug and promises that he won't ever let anything happen to him. Adam, who is standing nearby, watches them, jealous of Tad's close relationship with his son.
Mateo was surprised to see Ryan at Trevor's with Hayley, but did not make a big scene. Instead, he asked Hayley if there was anything at all he could do to help. Hayley didn't say much and Mateo told her to call if she needed anything and headed out the door. Hayley paused for a moment, then ran after him, calling for him to wait. She told him how much she appreciated his coming there and wanting to help. Mateo told her that he would be whatever she needed him to be. But she didn't get a chance to take him up on his offer, since just at that moment they heard someone inside exclaim loudly, "They've found him?." Racing back inside, they find Janet on the phone with Liza, who tells them that Junior has been found safe and sound. Everyone is very relieved. Ryan heads off to work, Hayley heads for a meeting and Mateo stays behind to talk to Janet. I have bad news for you, she tells him. Janet has looked at his books and if he wants to buy Hayley out, the only way he can afford to do it is by selling his second condo. Mateo is hesitant since he bought the condo for his son to have a home near him. But considering that Max is now living in Texas and considering all that Hayley gave up for his sake, he agrees to the idea.
Mateo heads back to the condo and when he gets there, he sits and remembers all the good times he had with Max. His memories are interrupted by Tina, who arrives at the front door with all her things, ready to move in. This is just temporary, he informs her, as soon as he finds a realator the condo is going up for sale. Tina doesn't seem too bothered, in fact, she's glad in a way that her landlord threw her out. Sometime it takes life to give you a shove to try something new and get on with your life. Mateo agrees, his "ex-es" are getting on with their lives and he thinks it's time for him to do the same thing.
At the TV station (while Junior is still missing), Scott is busy faxing out pictures of Junior and talking to people who are searching for him. Greenlee arrives with breakfast and offers her help. Scott is suspicious of her motivation, but agrees to let her stay. He mentions that he also has to edit the video he shot of Hayley the night before and Greenlee lends a hand with that. When Ryan arrives with the good news that Junior's been found, he takes a look at the finished tape and likes it a lot. He has Greenlee bring a copy to Liza's office and he and Scott sit down to watch the original. Scott isn't sure that Ryan should let Liza see the tape without getting Hayley's permission first, she could really throw a fit when she finds out. Ryan realizes that, but thinks that some risks are worth taking. As they are watching the video, Hayley walks in and sees part of it. "What the hell is that?", she asks.
