"Jack caught a photographer in the act of taking scandalous pictures of Erica in an embrace with Sam. He warned the shutterbug that he could and would file a lawsuit against him for his behavior. Erica was grateful for the interruption, but Sam shocked them both when he instructed Jack to give the camera back and offered to pose with Erica. After the photographer left, Erica again reveled in her freedom as she told Jack what she'd done since her release. She then gave him the present she bought for him and enjoyed the chocolates Carmen sent over, while the men in her life batted thinly veiled, irritated barbs back and forth to one another. When she'd had enough, Erica left to change her clothes after she told the men to make themselves at home.
After a few more rounds, Sam insisted that Jack directly ask what questions he had on his mind. Jack obliged and asked if Sam had gotten Erica released early simply so that he could date her. Sam denied the claim and said he only did so because Erica deserved it. They flung a few more barbs but in the end, Sam told Jack that regardless of what he wanted, the final decision was up to Erica, not Jack. Sam then confessed that he'd met Opal, and that she was just as protective of Erica as Jack was. Before Jack could respond, Erica joined them and offered to order up food that they could all share. The offer was cut short when Sam's phone rang. He found his campaign manager on the other end of the line and left the room to do some damage control. When alone with her, Jack confronted her about her involvement with Sam, which immediately raised Erica's defenses. She reminded him that as a free woman, she was no longer obligated to submit to interrogations. He called her on her pattern of behavior, where she found someone new to play with, got bored and came back to him. She called him confident, and he replied that the pattern hadn't changed...until now. He told her that Sam was not a wise choice for her and that if she chose that path, he might not wait for her again.
Jack then told her that Greenlee had advised him to make up his mind about Erica, and that although Greenlee hated to admit it, she knew that Erica made her father happy. Erica realized that Jack might want to reunite. Jack refused to talk about it with Sam so close but warned her that she could possibly jeopardize Sam's career and her own if she made the wrong move in front of the press. Sam returned to the room at that point, full of apologies, but Jack blew them off and took his leave. Once he was gone, Erica felt compelled to ask Sam what his campaign manager had said. Although he would have preferred some warning, Sam pointed out that everything would be okay. Erica brought up all of the issues that Jack shared with her and in response Sam came up with an idea to deflect her worries. He asked her to wait in the room while he retrieved something.
Sam returned in short order and offered reservations for a public date, if Erica would accept. She coyly agreed and after he pecked her on the cheek, he also took his leave. When the door closed, she spotted Jack's gift that he'd mistakenly left behind. She picked it up and belatedly considered the ramifications of the date she'd just made.
Angie was skeptical at first but Frankie quickly convinced her that Fletcher was the man that had followed Cassie. Angie started to call Jesse, but was stopped when Frankie took responsibility. He told her that Fletcher was in their lives because of him and asserted that he would, in no uncertain terms, take him out. Angie urged him to go through the proper channels and trust his father, but Frankie said that it wasn't Jesse who failed-it was the system, and because of that failure, Fletcher had been allowed out on bail and caused untold damage. Angie insisted that he calm down and think more rationally but Frankie told her that he didn't have time for more lectures. He started to leave but Angie stopped him and reminded her son that Fletcher was a dangerous man and that there was no way to know what he would do next if provoked.
Frankie sat down with his mother and reminded her of two particular instances from her past-she brought an AIDS-infected Cindy Chandler into their home when not much was known about the disease, and she also brought a young man with a bit of an attitude from the wrong side of the tracks to meet her parents-and in both cases, she knew the right thing to do and didn't back down. He noted that if she could do those things so many years before, she could surely stand with her family to shut the door against the evil that Fletched brought with him wherever he went. Angie told her son that she was proud of the man that he'd become and wanted him to use his intelligence to make better decisions. Frankie insisted that he would not live life in a safe zone and Angie told him that she simply asked, mother to son, that he be careful. He considered her words and agreed, which allowed her to leave the house with less burdened shoulders.
Jesse paid a visit to Tad at his house and Tad immediately noticed that something was afoot with the chief of police. Jesse balked for a moment and then asked his oldest friend if he'd made a mistake when he accepted the job. He lamented that the people he used to hang out with during his first go-round on the force were only concerned with kissing up after he took the job. Jesse pointed out that he appreciated the respect he received but hadn't quite gotten comfortable in that skin. Tad suggested that he change things to make it more comfortable and then pointed out that he knew Jesse had come for something else. He zeroed in on the Novak case and alit on the fact that Jesse wanted answers from Krystal. Jesse's silence confirmed Tad's suspicion just as Krystal walked through the door. After greeting the two men, she asked if Jesse had visited for business or pleasure. Although Jesse noted that he was on a break, Krystal took advantage of his presence and asked for updates about Richie's case and whether or not the force had any persons of interest in mind. At that, Tad broke in and reminded her that Jesse had taken off his police chief hat for a few moments in an attempt to stop her from asking any further questions.
Despite the effort, Jesse chose to answer her questions. He deftly avoided the idea of less blame if Richie's death by car was an accident due to the fact that the perpetrator left the scene. Attention was diverted from Krystal's slight disappointment when Kathy came down after she was awakened by a nightmare. She said goodnight to Jesse and then dragged her father upstairs to tuck her back in. Once alone with the chief, Krystal lit into Jesse and said that because of all of the bad things Richie had done in life, they should be able to sweep his death under the rug. Jesse told her that was impossible since he had a sworn duty to solve the case. She then launched into a tirade about how it could have been an accident and that the person responsible might just need a break. Jesse reminded her that because the driver fled the scene, the option of a lesser charge was off the table. He then told her that he needed to get back to the station, but before he left, she apologized for what she'd said. Jesse chalked it up to tough times and told her that they just needed to take care of their families.
A short time later, Tad returned to the main level of his house and found his wife perched on the window seat. He assured Krystal that Kathy was fine, and then wrapped his arms around his wife in an attempt to bring her closer to fine as well.
At Fusion, Kendall aimed a stream of questions at Greenlee under the guise of being concerned about her happiness, but Greenlee quickly saw through the barrage and noted that it was really about her lingering guilt. Greenlee soothed her mind when she told her that she was to the point where she could be intimate with Aidan without thinking of his one-night stand with her best friend. Relieved, Kendall then told her that they should get back to work. This lasted but a moment, as Kendall then brought up Babe's accusation that Kendall was a champion grudge holder. Greenlee agreed and then asked which one Kendall was referencing. Kendall admitted that she wanted Annie gone simply because the latest Mrs. Lavery was nothing but bad news. Greenlee tried to stick up for Annie and said that Kendall needed to take the focus off of Annie's potential termination, especially since Annie had done so much for the company. Kendall couldn't believe that Greenlee had become a champion for Annie, so she pushed until Greenlee admitted that while she wished Annie didn't come off as certifiable, she had made Ryan happy. With all of the things that Annie had endured, Greenlee pointed out that they could be the cause of all of her weird behavior. She asserted that perhaps, after everything settled down, things would return to normal. She also noted that Annie's pregnancy could be regarded as a sign of good things to come. Kendall negated that and said that the baby was not a miracle, but rather a result of a grand design.
Greenlee hotly declared that Annie couldn't have planned the pregnancy, as she believed that Ryan's vasectomy had been successful. Kendall wasn't sure how Annie managed to accomplish it, but was certain that the newest addition to their clan was simply another attempt to hold onto Ryan. Greenlee then said that all the things Kendall concerned herself with were things that had nothing to do with them, and noted that she would not let decisions by the Laverys get in the way of her happiness. Kendall posited that perhaps Greenlee's life could have been completely different. Greenlee reminded her that she was happy with the life that she had, and had worked hard for it. She pointed out that they had forgiven each other many times over and asked why Kendall couldn't do the same thing for Annie.
Kendall said that the situations were completely different but Greenlee refused to let her continue to harp on about what could have been. Kendall wouldn't let it go and blurted out that Ryan no longer loved Annie and that if she hadn't gotten pregnant, Ryan would have been free to be with the woman he was meant to be with. Kendall went on to describe that woman, and used descriptors that were completely opposite to who Annie had shown herself to be. Greenlee picked up on where Kendall was going, but cut her off at the pass by offering that perhaps Ryan's perfect woman was Kendall herself. She ranted on about how even though Kendall had the perfect man she still needed to have every available man in love with her. Frustrated, Kendall blurted out that Greenlee was the woman Ryan still loved.
Ryan caught Annie as she checked the Nanny Cam and demanded to know more about it. She stumbled when she told him that she purchased it after he moved out, but when he asked her why, she told him that she didn't know where to start. When he heard that, he asked her simply for the truth. She continued to try to fabricate a story but Ryan didn't fall for any of it. Annie finally told him that she believed Colby, Cassandra, and Dre were Richie's killers. Ryan thought that the idea was ludicrous and asked what proof she had. Annie told him that she'd gone to scatter Richie's ashes when she'd overheard the teens admit that they had run over Richie. He asked her why she invited them over and then answered his own question when he realized that she'd hoped to videotape a confession. She told him that everything was a mess and that it was all her fault. She admitted that Zach has been questioned because of what she told Jesse and she wanted to do something to make up for that. She then confessed that she hadn't thought the plan through and realized the repercussions for the teens after the fact. Ryan reminded her that she could come to him for help but she noted that she'd gotten used to doing things on her own.
Annie tried to divert attention from what she'd done when she asked Ryan why he hadn't told her that he loved her since he'd regained his memory. Ryan was unfazed and told Annie that they needed to focus on getting their lives back and asked what she'd intended to do with the video had she managed to record anything incriminating. Annie repeated that she was in the wrong for assuming that she could take care of what she'd heard on her own, and told him that she needed his help to make things right. Ryan told her that before they made any decisions, they needed to watch the video footage. They did that and realized that Ryan arrived home just before they'd admitted anything. Ryan said that the video wasn't proof but that something had to have happened because the girls were afraid. Annie pointed out that she wished that she hadn't overheard the conversation, as they should have been having a celebration about all they'd gotten back and all they had to look forward to. Ryan told her that there would be plenty of time for that. Annie continued to assert that they needed to do something with the information they had but Ryan thought that it would cause more turmoil. He then decided that there was one thing to be done, and before she could react, Ryan snatched the Nanny Cam and smashed it beyond repair.
Angie met up with Jesse at the station and told him about Cassie's suspicions that she had been followed, and their son's resultant reaction. Jesse was sure that Frankie would keep his head but because she saw it with her own eyes, she insisted that Frankie was close to a loss of control. Just then, a cop walked in on them and confessed that he thought his daughter had realized that she had been followed. Jesse raised his voice in an attempt to stop the officer from saying any more, and dismissed him from the office. Angie then chastised her husband for causing such a panic in her daughter. She caustically told him that he'd better have a good reason for what he'd done and Jesse confessed that he had reason to believe that Cassandra had information about Richie's murder.
Frankie found Fletcher in a seedy bar, attacked him and demanded that he stay away from his family and from Randi, unless he had a desire to see more pain."
- Soap Central
