On Concrete Shelves | Welcome back to Stone Creek |

Scene One

Now Town; Sutton Enterprises

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“You do know that you’re not expected to fire someone at every board meeting, right?” Kimberly Sutton says, her nephew sits before her with a bemused smile on his chiseled face. “You look extremely proud of yourself.”

 

Peter frowns. “Fine. But I don’t have time to be dealing with insufficient morons who were hired by my uncle in the last decade. Don’t you understand what we are doing here?”

​

They sit in Kimberly’s office on the top floor of the Sutton Enterprises building. It had been a few days since their last board meeting that Gillian interrupted asking about invoices. Yesterday, Peter had caused once again another huge disruption by firing their CFO Bobby Albright.

​

“I know what the main goal is, if that’s what you’re asking.”

​

“Well,” Peter replies, “If we want to create a new future for this company we need to start cutting out the fat, the people who are more loyal to my uncle than to this company. I thought we got most of them out when we pushed Gillian out of the CEO position, but maybe we didn’t shake them out hard enough.”

 

Kimberly takes a minute to think back to the teenager she had met years ago when she visited her older half-brother, Peter Sutton, Sr. 

​

She rises from her seat and faces the large view window, realizing that it was a better view than the one in her office. “I am all for cutting the fat. Trust me, I think the majority of these idiots aren’t worth sticking your neck out for. But we also need to be aware of any possible politics.”

​

Peter tightens his fists. 

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“Look, I get it alright?” Kimberly turns to Peter and wanders over to her own desk, she leans upon it. “We also need to remember how far we’ve come from when we took Sutton Enterprises from Patrick and Gillian. We don’t want to lose that because we fired an idiot like Bobby Albright?”

​

“So just pay him out.”

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Kimberly scoffs. “The repercussions of a pay off will be more controversial than a wrongful termination case. It’s fine, I will figure out what to do about this entire situation after I get rid of this headache you just supplied me with.”

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Peter rises from his seat. “That sounds good to me, I have other things to take care of so I’ll be unreachable for a while.”

 

A few moments pass the two as Kimberly finds her way back to her seat in front of her office desk. She looks at Peter as he begins to fix his sleek grey suit. It’s becoming obviously clear where his concerns lie, so she takes the next few beats to make her point.

 

“Peter.”

 

He looks up from her mirror. “Yeah?”

​

“You are the face of this company now and I do not need any of that bullshit playboy crap that every single Sutton CEO has taken part in. If you’re not fit for running this business and if the board begins to doubt what we are creating here… I will take you out of the role.”

​

“I don’t need your threats.”

 

Kimberly holds pen in her hands as she begins to chuckle. “Also, you will be available today if I need to contact you.” They lock eyes in a silent challenge for power in the moment. Kimberly raises her brow. “Also, sleeping with your secretary is so cliche, I thought it would be beneath you.”

 

Peter’s face falters.

 

“Turns out, it’s just Espi who is.” Kimberly says. “That needs to end. Today.”

​

 

Scene Two

Now Town; Thurlow Lumber Mill Industries

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“I was jogging when I received your phone call, what is this about MDM declining our deal?” Isabelle Wilkinson Rhodes asks as she enters James Thurlow’s office. She greets her best friend, Shannon, who is sitting in one of the two chairs facing James’ desk and briefly kisses Emmet Thurlow’s cheek as he stands closer to the window and out of the way.

​

James speaks first. “For some reason they decided to invest their money in something else.”

​

“Someone else.” Emmet says.

​

Immediately Isabelle feels all eyes on her as she was the one who took the meeting a few days ago. At first, the negotiations hit an awkward snag but both parties reached an agreement while she was in the conference. So this comes as a huge surprise for her. 

​

Isabelle shakes her head. “I have no idea what went wrong. Everything we talked about, everything we discussed I walked them through. They even seemed more than thrilled about the clean air emissions control.”

​

“They went back on our deal this morning.” Emmet replies. 

​

Shannon puts a hand on Isabelle’s shoulder. “It’s not your fault.”

​

“I was the one who met with them, so obviously, something that I did or said makes this my fault.” Isabelle says, harshly. She tries to keep her composure but the nerves she had felt in their previous meeting begins to sink back in. She feels a consuming numbness take hold.

​

“That meeting was a long shot.” James advises. “The good thing is we have other options to move forward. The worst is over, let’s cut this as a loss and forget about MDM for now. We still have the ability to go around them.”

​

Shannon turns to her brother. “So then what should we do?”

​

“I can reach out to my contact in a couple smaller businesses.” Isabelle says, hoping to redeem herself in James’ eyes. She takes herself back to when her high school boyfriend harassed her brother, Gideon, and Isabelle became a pariah to her friend group of Gideon, James and Shannon.

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She stands-up straight. “We also have the social media platform that Bentley is working on.”

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James nods his head. “I think it will be best if you go ahead and focus on Bentley and the social media platform.”

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A tinge of embarrassment hits Isabelle.

​

“I have to tell you something.” James acknowledges everyone in the room. “I have made a new deal with Damien Crenshaw that will see a job security program that brings structure to our hiring process.”

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“Will this be something that enables Sutton Enterprises to get ahead?” Shannon questions. “Also, you’re literally making a deal with the devil, if you think about it. Damien stalked Caitlyn when he first arrived in town and made her think she was going crazy.”

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Emmet chimes in. “He’s now our mayor and one of the only people we can trust. Going into this situation I didn’t agree with the decision, aunt Shannon, but he is necessary to keep us on track.”

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“Right now the best thing for us to do is pretend like this meeting didn’t just take the wind from our sails. There is still a lot of leverage in this city and in Thurlow Industries for that matter. I don’t want to hear any negativity from here on out. We need to work as a team and we need fast progress.”

​

They all nod in agreement. The heat of the moment begins to eat at Isabelle as she tries to think back to her meeting with MDM and how it could have all unraveled. Her fingernails are going to be raw by the end of the day, Isabelle concludes.

​

 

Scene Three

Granger Grove Gated Community; Bauer Home

​

Ryan Bauer finds his wife in the kitchen trying to get the coffee machine going. Like most days since her second trimester began, Marina was awake as early as six in the morning. She would fiddle with little things around the house, then onto bigger things and changes and concerns. He knew she was restless.

​

“Do you need any help with that?”

 

She turns to face Ryan with deep circles under her eyes. “No. I was just trying to turn it on but for some reason, it’s not working today. Which is weird since I made coffee yesterday morning.”

 

He eyes the device as she continues to fuss with it and then spots the issue. “Babe, let me get this for you.”

 

“I can do this, Ryan!” Marina defends.

 

“But, Marina,” he says, her body turned against him as she presses the espresso button with a determined rage. “Marina, it’s unplugged.”

 

Quickly she grasps the cord and follows it to it’s spot between the counter and the stove and lowers her shoulders in defeat. “I— I just wasn’t thinking. How could I miss that.” 

 

“Come here.” Ryan chuckles.

 

Tears begin to form in her eyes as she shifts into his embrace. He knew that the pregnancy was taking a toll on his wife. Little things had started to cause her to become uncomfortable and Marina began to misplace everyday objects. Ryan kisses her forehead. “I love you.”

 

“I love you, too.” Marina murmurs through tears.

​


 

Scene Four

Now Town; Sutton Enterprises

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His warm brown strands of hair pushed back and began to lose it’s shine as the morning turned to afternoon. Peter Jr., holds a fist in the air as he ponders his next move. Even with the morning over and Espi late retrieving his lunch, his next meeting wasn’t for another few hours so he has time to bask in thought.

​

Peter looks down at the desk in front of him. The ultimatum his aunt Kimberly presented him with earlier is beginning to eat at him, the longer it stays between the two of them, the longer it eats. This only angers him even more.

​

“Knock, knock.” The pragmatic voice of Esperanza Mendez carries from the door. 

 

He looks up to see her huge, deep smile.

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“I was wondering when you’d be back.” His southern voice says, a harsh tone leads her into the room where she closes the door behind her.

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“I apologize, Peter. I didn’t think it would take me so long but then the idiot at the counter forgot to put your order in so I had to have them push it through as fast as I could.” Espi begins to set a nearby table into an eatery with the boxes of food. “Did you know that Uber does ride shares now? Talk about an awkward situation.”

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Peter scoffs. “There’s a company car, you know?”

​

“Excuse me, but I am not taking the company car two blocks down just to bring it right back. I would have to go through security and have someone bring the car around back and then I would have had your lunch here by dinner time.” 

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This garners a chuckle from Peter. “Either way, thank you.”

​

“Before I forget, there was actually something I needed to talk to you about.” Espi says, she wipes her hands on a cheap napkin the restaurant provides and moves over to Peter’s side. “There was a phone call earlier while you were catching up with your aunt Kimberly.”

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“What sort of phone call?”

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There was this thing that Esperanza did when she was thinking. Peter still couldn’t tell if it was a nervous tick, or out of habit, but she pauses for three seconds before she continues. “Apparently, you have a meeting with the CEO of MDM about a merger? Something about enticing you with a deal you couldn’t turn down.”

​

No one has told him of such merger, so he furrows a thick brow and perches at his desk. The food catches his senses in the distance, so he tries to push the conversation to a close as soon as possible.

​

“Did you not know?” Espi says, cautiously.

​

Peter locks eyes with his lover. “When is this meeting? I shall have someone iron a suit for it, I don’t want to look unimpressionable, MDM is a big deal here on the west coast.”

​

“Which is why you have to take whatever deal they ask for.” 

​

He nods. “I will hear them out.”

​

 

Scene Five

Granger Grove Gated Community; Bauer Home

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Finding herself in the living room with a cooking show playing in the background, Marina is flipping through her last PI assignment. Marina has been working closely with Diem Joplin on a few of her cases while Marina takes a break from the full-time commitment of a PI job. Although, she can’t wait to get back to work as soon as possible, having somewhat of a break doesn’t hurt.

​

She looks up as Ryan comes into the room with a glass of water. 

​

“How are you feeling?” He asks, holding the glass out. “I thought you might be thirsty, I even cut a cucumber up for you.”

​

“Thank you.” Marina says. 

 

Marina lets a beat pass between the two of them before she replies, “I feel better. I guess my emotions have been all over the place lately and they just started a small panic attack. But,” she says, sternly, “I don’t want you to worry, I am feeling better.”

 

“That’s good.” Ryan leans in and kisses her on the forehead.

 

Marina returns to her notes and prepares to gather a few pieces together to email her leads to Diem Joplin so she doesn’t hear the doorbell, or doesn’t seem to notice Ryan leaving the room.

 

When Diem asked Marina to help out with a few cases, initially she was insulted. Marina knew she wouldn’t be working entirely through her pregnancy, and especially after the last miscarriages. She knew her family would have opinions over her usual routine. So when Diem asked, it was just another nail on the head.

 

Now, however, she feels this refreshing eagerness. They’re not the most exhilarating cases, she has to admit, but they’re something and she feels thankful to have Diem in her corner. Having Diem understand her need to keep busy.

 

“Where is she?” Marina hears someone say from the hallway, she knows it’s the voice of her best friend. This would normally bring her much joy, but, she hasn’t even messaged Cassie today, let alone ask her to come by.

 

So the surprise visit seems more alarming than usual. Then she hears the second voice and knows that something is up. Marina sits up straight and listens as the three whisper to each other in the hallway. She knows that Ryan is leaving for work soon and that she would normally be on her own.

 

Then it hits her. Of course he would ask both Cassie and Caitlyn to come watch her. This causes a chill to travel down her spine. As much as she loves the trio, she feels more attacked by this gesture than grateful for it.

 

Before the others make their way into the living room, she grabs her phone and sends a quick text message. Then she braces herself as she hears footsteps approach.

 

“Honey,” Ryan says, “I hope you’re up for visitors?”

 

Marina turns on the couch, comfortable with staying in place she braces herself against the soft grey cushions as the two women make their way further into their home.

 

“I hope you’re ready for cookies?” Cassie says, she moves along and lets Caitlyn pass by. “I thought, maybe, we could talk a little more about the baby shower? I mean, if Ryan would let us be?”

 

He holds his hands up. “I’m on my way to work, anyways.”

 

Ryan kisses Marina, then hugs Caitlyn and Cassie before he begins his journey out of the room, into the hallway and towards the door in the fastest jog Marina has ever seen him do.

 

She tilts her head and squints her eyes, locking them with Cassie who can tell she’s in the hot seat now. Marina, knowing her friend will break soon, doesn’t let go of her stance. “What are you really here for?”

 

“For you, dear.” Caitlyn says, hopeful.

 

Scene Six

Now Town; Thurlow Lumber Mill Industries

 

Sending a quick text message to her husband, Ivan Rhodes, Isabelle then puts her phone in her purse and makes her way towards the social media room that Shannon had insisted on establishing last year. 

 

Isabelle was more than willing to offer a job to her nephew, Bentley Wilkinson as soon as the program got started. It was the least she could do after Bentley spent so much time away from school to look after Isabelle’s mother, Bentley’s grandmother, Penelope when she was sick.

 

Isabelle opens her purse, checks her cellphone to see no return text, and then walks into the room in hopes to distract herself from her marriage. Ever since arriving in Stone Creek she could feel the detachment from Ivan even more than before. Then after the meeting with MDM and the failed merger — Isabelle shakes the nerves away and smiles at her nephew.

 

“I was hoping to catch you in here.” She says, she moves over to Bentley and gives him a hug. “I just had a meeting with James and Shannon and the merger fell through…”

 

“I’m so sorry.” Bentley says.

 

Isabelle shrugs. “So, with that being said, I was hoping you would have a distraction for me? How are things coming along with the app launch? Anything new I should be aware of?”

 

Bentley smiles widely. “Actually, I do have a few things that might make you feel better.”

 

“Please.” Isabelle responds. “Tell me.”

 

Isabelle watches as her nephew stands up and walks over to a whiteboard a couple feet away. “We’ve been working with the platform’s interactive feature and finally cleared up the last of the bugs that affected its initial response.”

 

She sits up straight. “So, does that mean we have a date to launch?”

 

“There is a timeframe.” Bentley states. “I know, I know, I promised a launch date last week but the platform needed another restart and then it just kept freezing on us. I did, however, add a cool new feature that I know you will love!”

 

Isabelle lit up at the thought. “What is it?”

 

“Not only was I able to get the platform up and running I was also able to create a feature for Shannon and her tree foundation.” Bentley starts to scribble a few things on the whiteboard that initially make no sense to Isabelle. “If a user decides to log into the app they can create a profile and with that profile they are able to find local foundations and charities they can aid. I know that Shannon wanted us to focus on the tree foundation but I thought, wouldn’t it be cool to include so much more, especially in Stone Creek?”

 

She thinks it over and agrees, it is something to think about. Isabelle is pleased that Bentley has taken to being a trusted asset at TLM Industries. The drive and excitement he has when given a task reminds her of herself when she was in her twenties. It almost pains her to think about the trouble she had caused for Bentley’s father, Gideon, when they were teenagers.

 

A tinge of guilt hits her stomach. It’s a guilt that surfaces quite often when she thinks about her high school boyfriend and the mess he had caused for the adoptive siblings. How Isabelle didn’t have the strength to stand up for Gideon when he was being bullied.

 

“Aunt Isabelle?” Bentley calls.

 

Isabelle shakes from her thoughts, unaware that Bentley had been calling her for a few minutes now. She looks at him and a smile comes back to her face. “I’m so sorry, I drifted off.”

 

“Boring you?”

 

She immediately shakes her head. “No! I’m sorry, I guess I’ve just been distracted.”

 

“That’s cool.”

 

“So,” Isabelle says, trying to redirect the conversation back to her initial reason for paying him a visit. “A timeframe for the launch?”

 

This causes Bentley to chuckle. “I’m working on that.” 

 

Scene Seven

Now Town; Thurlow Lumber Mill Industries

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“I just finished the meeting with my father,” Emmet Thurlow informs his wife, Iris, over the phone. He walks through the Thurlow Lumber Mill Building, moving past employees as he does so. Having spent so much time in the building as a child, he remembers every corridor like the back of his hand. “I can meet you for lunch, if you’d like? I know we planned on going to Sysphean tonight for dinner, but I can’t wait to see you.”

 

“So, you’re not too busy I presume?” Iris says.

 

Instinctively, Emmet nods his head as he murmurs his response. “There’s not much work for me to do here today. I have to consult Isabelle, but that’s the beauty of the internet. I'll have her email me.”

 

He rounds the corner on the fifth floor and heads for the stairs. With only five stories between him and the ground floor and it being afternoon he was sure the elevator would be too crowded. Crowds make Emmet nervous.

 

“Watch where you’re—“ A man says, jumping out of the way so Emmet doesn’t crash into him. He stops mid sentence. “Emmet?”

 

“Is that —“

 

“Frank?” Emmet snaps. “Iris, I will give you a call when I’m in the car.”

 

After the meeting this morning’s meeting the one person Emmet wasn’t excited to see today was Frank Nelson. He eyes the man with caution, placing his cellphone in his pocket and shifting his feet so that he is standing tall. “What are you doing here?”

 

“I thought your father told you?” 

 

Emmet shrugs. “Nobody said you would be showing up today. I guess I should have known when my father makes a decision, he doesn’t waste any time. Either way, I have to go as I’m running late to meet with Iris.”

 

Frank nods. “I understand.”

 

Emmet moves past Frank in hopes their next meeting is in a distant future. 

 

“Although,” Frank says, this causes Emmet to grimace, “since I have you here, I think we need to have a little talk.”

 

“I’m going to be late.” Emmet repeats.

 

Frank steps in front of him, blocking him from the stairs. “Then I shall make this quick. I heard that you don’t think I’m fit to be back at Thurlow Industries and I understand where you’re coming from. But you need to understand that I have worked extremely hard for this company for many years—“

 

“Then you go and pull the crap with your secretary.” 

 

“What happened with Lucy was unfortunate and I learned my lesson, Emmet. I already spoke with James about this and we have come to an agreement. This company has been part of my life for many, many years. If there’s anyone who can help guide it along the way — even temporarily — it shall be me.”

 

“Frank—” 

 

“Emmet, I’m only trying to help.”

 

“Fine.” The word comes out forced and hard and a complete shock to Emmet as he stands before the other man. He doesn’t know where to go from here and they stand in the hall for a few more seconds. “Fine.” Emmet says finally, a softer tone.

 

Emmet rolls his hands. “I’m not going to say I’m relieved that we had this conversation, honestly, but I will tell you that I won’t let anything go without double checking your work.”

 

“I just want what’s best for the company.”

 

Emmet nods. “I agree. Let’s leave it at that.”

 

Scene Eight

Sage Gardens; Outside Granger Grove

 

Getting into the passenger seat of her niece’s silver Honda Accord almost sheepishly after escaping both Cassie and Caitlyn, a tinge of guilt overcomes Marina. When Cassie excused herself to the restroom, she knew all she had to do was ask Caitlyn to get her a glass of water from the kitchen to make her escape. her PI experience only gave her the advantage of getting away.

 

It isn’t that Marina wanted to get away from them. Cassie is her best friend, and has been in her life since they were younger and Caitlyn is and will always be the best mother figure she has ever had. It just gives Marina anxiety when the attention is placed on her. Especially now with the baby bump protruding in front of her. She knows everyone is walking on eggshells around her and she needs it to stop.

 

“Is everything alright, aunt Marina?” Megan asks, curiously.

 

Marina nibbles on her bottom lip and takes a deep breath. “Everything is fine. I just need to get out of here. I need to go somewhere to just — I don’t even know. Can we get out of here?”

 

Marina feels like a teenager sneaking away from her parents. It is even more ridiculous that she has roped her niece in as an accomplice. She turns to Megan who is already turning off the main road and towards the city. “Thank you.”

 

Having Megan around has always been a blessing. While it is true that Marina and her sister Kirsten had never seen eye-to-eye on almost everything. Helping raise Megan has been what cemented the two. 

 

“Aunt Marina, really, is everything alright?”

 

Marina scoffs involuntarily. “I just feel like everyone is walking on eggshells around me and this huge stomach of mine and I thought having Cassie around was going to make it easier.”

 

“Has she done something wrong?” Megan asks.

 

But Marina quickly denies that she has. “Cassie only wants what is best for me, I know that. I know that Ryan only asked them to see me because he was worried and I appreciate him for that. I just feel so suffocated by everyone right now.”

 

A beat falls between the two of them, and then some more minutes pass between the two women as they sit in silence. The sound of an ‘Astrid S’ song plays on the stereo as Megan turns the blinker on and drives into a parking lot and puts the car in park.

 

“Where did you bring me?” Marina asks, she peers out at the sign above the building itself.

 

Megan smiles. “When I was in Seattle there used to be one of these restaurants near my dorm room. So imagine my surprise when I found they had a restaurant here in Stone Creek!”

 

‘Sushi Kuu’ Marina reads.

 

“Don’t worry, they have vegetarian sushi, and some rolls that are safe for pregnant ladies.” Megan says, assuringly as she steps out of the car. 

 

Marina follows suit. “How do you know so much about pregnant ladies?”

 

“My mom, duh!” Megan says, the two share a laugh before they enter the building and get seated within seconds, with the waiter running off to retrieve their drink orders from the kitchen. 

 

Megan places her menu down and for a second looks as if she is pondering something. Then she begins to speak, “I—” she stops herself, then continues, “What did you mean, earlier, when you said you felt suffocated?”

 

Marina sighs. She knew that phrasing was going to come back to bite her. She thinks of a way around the conversation, but understands why her niece has caught on the word itself. The word itself is so suffocating. Marina shakes her head. “I guess I just feel like everyone is holding me tightly. They’re waiting for me to fall… or break… or just lose it completely.”

 

“Does this have anything to do with what happened before?” Megan asks, she scrunches her nose.

 

“It has everything to do with it.” Marina admits. “When I miscarried for the first time, I just thought… it was what happens, sometimes. Then the second time was terrible and now that I’m already in my third trimester I just want to speed through everything and have him already.”

 

Megan furrows her brow. “Him?”

 

Immediately Marina covers her mouth. “OMG! Don’t tell anybody I told you that. It was supposed to be a surprise.”

 

Megan holds up her hands. “Your secret is safe with me.”

 

Scene Nine

Sage Gardens; Crenshaw Manor

 

Patrick Sutton moves into his study before taking the call. He was originally in the living room when his cell phone went off, the code name he gave Catalina Cortez displayed on the screen. Quickly, and without running into anyone on the way there, he made it into the study to answer the call.

 

The study has recently been updated. When he was younger, it was forbidden for him to step foot in the room. It belonged to his father, and then his father’s father before him. So when it was time for Patrick to take ownership he did so in full stride and forbid anyone else stepping foot inside — just like was tradition.

 

“I have been waiting for your call.” He snips, eagerly awaiting her news.

 

She apologizes for the late afternoon call, but she also tells Patrick she cannot rush things with Peter, JR. or he may suspect something is wrong. Catalina tells Patrick how thorough her false lover tends to be.

 

This causes Patrick to roll his eyes in irritation. “If my nephew was thorough, Catalina, then he would have already suspected you as a spy, don’t you think?”

 

“You did well at burying my true identity.” She reminds him.

 

“It wasn’t too hard, actually.” Patricks says, he begins to pace the room. “You weren’t exactly here in Stone Creek for long the first time around and creating the new identity wasn’t exactly rocket science.”

 

He can hear her breath on the other end, otherwise, the line is silent.

 

“Did I hurt your feelings?”

 

“Oh, please,” Catalina says, her words sound forced in frustration.

 

“So, what exactly did my nephew say when you explained to him that MDM was interested in a meeting with Sutton Enterprises?” The very thought of finally blindsiding the ungrateful twerp makes Patrick excited. “Did he seem excited for the merger?”

 

“You can say that.” She says. 

 

The one-liners were getting to Patrick. He really didn’t care for Catalina and her attitude the first time he hired her at Sutton Enterprises years earlier. Now, she seems even more aggravating as Esperanza Mendoza. He sighs heavily, then tries to pull whatever information out of the woman that he can. He has a lot to plan out for the next phase of his plan.

 

“What is my nephew going to do, Catalina?” Patrick bellows, he turns his body towards the window in the study that overlooks the back garden. “I need him to jump eagerly at this opportunity in order for the rest of the plan to continue.”

 

“You know what I need?” Catalina says, aggressively. “I need more money.”

 

Patrick steams at the thought. “Of course, there is plenty more money involved for you and that charity of yours that you love to donate to. Don’t worry about any of that, I’ll have it all delivered.”

 

“Good.”

 

“So, tell me…” He drags, Patrick is so caught up in his conversation with Catalina — or lack thereof, to realize that his wife is now standing in the doorway with her arms folded. 

 

“Yes! Yes. Peter is eager to meet with the CEO of MDM and to solidify this deal.” Catalina says on the other end. “He offered to take me to dinner after the meeting to celebrate. I think he wants to move to the next level in our relationship.”

 

“You don’t have a relationship!” Patrick spits. “You’re conning my nephew, Catalina.”

 

Patrick turns around and immediately is met with a very disapproving look from Helen at the doorway. “I have to go!” He says, clicking the END button and focusing his attention on the redhead before him. “You’re not supposed to be in here, or home, for a few more hours.”

 

She eyes him in a way he has come to know very well. It’s a look he began to pick-up on early into their relationship when Helen wanted something from Patrick but was too proud to ask.

 

“How much of that did you hear?” Patrick says, standing up straight.

 

Helen smiles. “Enough to blackmail you on, my dearest husband. So,” she moves closer to the man, “tell me exactly what the hell you’re doing with Catalina Cortez and how much of our money are you giving her?”

 

Patrick licks his lips. “I’m not having an affair.”

 

“Oh, I know you’re not.” Helen replies. “But I haven’t seen this side of Patrick Sutton in quite sometime and I have to say I am completely turned on right now. That and extremely intrigued. Blackmail, espionage and corporate takeovers? What is this, dynasty?”

 

Helen slinks closer to Patrick. “I want in.”

 

Scene Ten

Sage Gardens; Thurlow Lumber Mill

 

Ryan Bauer parked his Dodge Ram and jumped out the driver side and dashed towards the lumber mill. He knows he is already late for his shift but makes more than enough effort to get into his office to get started with the job.

 

His mind at ease knowing that Marina is with her stepmother and best friend. Ryan knows having called them could spell trouble for him later in the day but he didn’t have any other options and he needed to get to work. He moves through the entrance to the building and passes a couple foramen.

 

“Ryan!” Someone calls from behind, but he doesn’t have much time to greet the voice as he makes it up the stairs to his office with his phone in his hands.

 

Ryan knows something is going on with his wife. Marina has been keeping to herself more often than not. It wasn’t something he held against her, she will always be the love of his life. There was just this nagging in his stomach that began to come up again.

 

He stops in his tracks. Something tells him that he needs to go back home and talk with Marina about what is going on between them. The pregnancy has occupied their free time lately which wasn’t something he hated, but it was also something that kept that distance between the two.

 

“Ryan!” A voice calls, this time much closer than before.

 

He turns around to see Baird, his senior crew member climbing the steps. “Dude, what the hell I was trying to flag you down.”

 

“What’s wrong?” Ryan furrows his brow. “I’m sorry, I just didn’t hear you.”

 

Baird scoffs. “Obviously.”

 

Ryan softens at the stress in Baird’s features. “What’s going on?”

 

“I was trying to flag you down because there’s something you need to know.” Baird levels with Ryan on the top step and turns back to the warehouse. “One of the guys didn’t show again today and, dude, I’m sorry to say but it’s your guy.”

 

“Derek didn’t show?”

 

Baird shakes his head.

 

Ryan knew that Derek had a hyper sensitivity to hard work which was one of the reasons he didn’t want to hire his old high school friend. But Derek was also a close friend and he knew how much he needed the job so he went against his better judgement. Ryan kicks himself metaphorically and begins to grow angry at where this leaves him for the day.

 

Partially wanting to just scrap the idea of keeping his friend hired on, he looks at Baird. “Can you handle the crew for a couple hours while I go track this idiot down?” He asks, hopeful.

 

Baird takes a minute to think about it before answering with a sly oily grin. “You owe me a round of drinks.”

 

Of course that was the bargain, Ryan nods his head quickly before moving past Baird and making his way down the stairs. “I’ll be back. Derek may not.”

 

“I’ll call-in an alternate!” Baird shouts.

 

“Good looking out!” Ryan hollers back.

 

Unfortunately the idea of driving back home and comforting Marina was the last thing he would be able to do, now. Now, Ryan had to track down Derek and figure out what exactly he has to say about skipping out of work.

 

It doesn’t take him long to get to Derek’s house as he lives very close to the warehouse — which was also another reason for Ryan’s anger. He slams the truck’s door and bangs on the door to the apartment. 

 

“Derek!” Ryan hollers. “Derek! Get your ass out here!”

 

No answer.

 

Ryan could be with Marina right now but instead he was here. He was here banging on the door to Derek’s apartment. He slams a fist into the door and somehow it swings open to a scene out of a horror movie. On the floor before him lay Derek, unmoving.