""You're my wife?" Stuart asked in amazement. Esther perpetrated surprise that Stuart didn't remember what should've been the happiest day of their life. Esther hugged him and promised to help him regain his lost memories. Knowing that his memory loss was probably the result of his bump on the head, Stuart suggested that he seek out medical advice. Esther loudly objected to the idea, saying that she could handle nursing Stuart back to health. Sitting back down on the sofa, Stuart asked Esther how long they'd been married, where they'd gone on their honeymoon, as well as where they had gotten married. Esther was stumped; she had no idea what to say. "A couple of years," she offered weakly. As for the location of their wedding, Esther said only that it was "far away." Stuart nodded slightly, buying into her story. Perhaps, he smiled, he could look over some of their wedding photos to help jog his memory. Esther looked nervously at the floor and muttered that there were no photos because they'd eloped. "How sad," frowned Stuart. Esther, however, argued that it wasn't sad. In fact, she asserted, it was very romantic. There was yet another unexplained event --- neither one of them was wearing a wedding ring. Quick on her feet, Esther had a response for that too. She claimed that Stuart had always thought of wedding rings as "jewelry" and that their true love was measured in their hearts. Esther told Stuart that he was an artist and could draw his own wedding portraits. Stuart was taken aback by the proclamation that he had artistic talents. Esther handed him a notepad and a pencil and Stuart busily worked on a sketch of Esther, but it came out horribly. Esther showed Stuart the painting he'd given her, but Stuart still doubted that was an artist. Moreover, he also questioned his marriage to Esther because he wasn't "in love" with her. Esther was crushed. Stuart realized that he'd hurt her with his words and quickly told her that he never meant to hurt her. Esther told Stuart that she had a way that they could get back those lost feelings: they could get re-married and have lots and lots of photos. That way they could spend the rest of their lives together.
"What is it?" Palmer groused as Vanessa made her outburst. Leo cast a scornful look at his mother and asked her what she was waiting for. Vanessa remained quiet and, one by one, everyone asked her to explain what she needed to tell them. "Alright!" Vanessa screamed. "I did it!" She babbled on and on about how Paolo had been blackmailing her son and how he'd "two-timed [her] with Erica Kane." She said that she'd given Paolo the sedative so that she could set him up for stealing her necklace. Derek released Leo and walked over to Vanessa. There, he read the woman her rights and placed handcuffs on her. Vanessa pleaded with Leo to help her, stating that she'd killed Paolo for him Leo laughed loudly. He argued that Vanessa had killed Paolo in "a jealous rage." He asked her how she could have stood by while he took the fall for the murder. "I finally see you for the selfish slut you are," Leo growled. Vanessa was devastated by her son's acidic remarks. Becca hugged Leo and told him that she was glad that he was going to go free. Vanessa turned to Palmer and swore to him that she never wanted to sleep with Paolo --- she was a victim. Palmer, she insisted, was the only man for her. "You saved me a bundle," Palmer laughed as he tore up the blueprints for their planned new home. "You always wanted to live in a big house," Palmer replied wittily. Erica wandered over and mused over Vanessa's "pathetic" affair with Paolo. She and David then erupted into hysterical laughter. "Stop laughing at me!" Vanessa shrieked. That's all it took for Vanessa to snap back into reality. She told Derek that her son was a good boy and that he shouldn't be arrested for Paolo's murder. Vanessa pointed to the toxicology report that showed levels of cocaine in Paolo's system. She claimed it was obvious that Paolo would do anything to get money for drugs. It seemed odd that Vanessa knew how Paolo --- a man she claimed was a stranger to her --- reacted in certain situations. Derek and Palmer both questioned her on it. Nervousness set in and Vanessa struggled to come up with a viable explanation. She reminded everyone that Paolo had stolen her necklace, presumably to buy drugs. Plus, he was blackmailing Leo. Derek admitted that Vanessa presented a feasible explanation. There was one hole in the argument that Paolo had overdosed: he'd also ingested a large amount of "the date rape drug." No one, Derek said confidently, would knowingly take that much of the drug. David and Erica arrived on the scene with David offering to pay Leo's bail. Derek informed him that his brother would not be arraigned until morning. The thought of having to spend the night in jail horrified Leo. Vanessa pleaded with Palmer to work his magic and get Leo out of jail, but Palmer lamely informed his wife that they were at "the mercy of the system." Vanessa was granted a few moments alone with Leo. During that time, she promised Leo that she'd find a way to get him out of trouble. Leo asked his mother to tell the police about knowing Paolo, but Vanessa explained that she couldn't do that. Leo nodded and sassily remarked that his mother couldn't upset her "meal ticket." Leo threatened to tell Derek about Palmer's bloodstained shirt. Vanessa begged him not to say anything about Palmer. Walter looked on from a short distance away as a panicked Vanessa told Leo that she was absolutely certain that neither he nor Palmer had killed Paolo. As Leo was led away to a holding cell, David told Vanessa that he finally found something on which he agreed with her --- Leo was innocent. Vanessa didn't say anything, instead walking away. Erica told David that she was now more certain than ever that the emerald she'd found was a link to the murderer. David nodded his head and said that he agreed with her. Because of that, he said, he'd locked the emerald in his safe. Vanessa overheard the conversation and again was hit by waves of panic. She clutched her head and nervously panted that she needed to go back to the hotel. Becca, who had been there for Leo through the ordeal, told her friend that she needed to leave. Leo became very angry and poked fun at her need to run home to Scott. Becca softly informed him that Stuart had been killed in a fire. Of course Leo felt like a fool. He thanked Becca for her help and sent her on her way. Derek arrived a few minutes later to take Leo to a cell. Derek offered to let Leo make his one allotted phone call, but Leo sadly replied that there was no one for him to call.
At the Gate House, Scott grabbed three plates and prepared to set the table for dinner. Marian, who'd been in a sedative-induced sleep, woke when she heard the clinking of the dinner plates. She immediately closed her eyes hard and wished for Stuart's return. Scott smiled slightly and told his stepmother that he and Becca had found signs that Stuart was staying at the cabin. Marian's face lit up. Marian realized that her hair was a mess from sleeping and quickly raced off to get ready for her husband's return. Scott continued making dinner up until the point that Liza arrived at the house. Scott looked around outside and asked Liza when his father would be returning home. "Stuart's not coming back," she replied emotionlessly. Scott crinkled his forehead and asked Liza what she meant. Liza said only that there was a fire at the cabin. Scott turned cold and pointed his finger defiantly at Liza. "No!" he hollered. "I don't believe you." Scott turned and quiet calmly walked out the front door. Marian returned to the room and told Liza that she was glad to see her. Marian continued adjusting herself so that she'd look just right when Stuart walked into the house. "Something's happened," Liza said softly. Marian's face turned pale; she feared that something had happened to Colby. Liza assured her mother that Colby was okay. Marian breathed a sigh of relief and invited Liza to join her, Scott and Stuart for dinner. Liza delicately tried to break the news of Stuart's death to her mother, but Marian refused to accept it. "How dare you say something like that!" she snapped. Liza tried to explain that she and Adam had been to the cabin, but as soon as Marian heard the mention of Adam's name she stopped her daughter. She accused Adam of somehow trying to make everyone believe that Stuart was dead as a way of getting back at them for institutionalizing him. Liza sadly reminded her mother that she'd actually seen the torched cabin, though she never mentioned that she'd seen a body pulled from the building. Marian continued to chatter nervously, trying to deny the truth. Liza reached into her purse and recovered the wedding band she'd gotten at the scene. She showed it to her mother and finally Marian's composure broke. "It... looks like wedding band," she sniffled. Liza instructed her mother to read the inscription. "To Stuart. Forever Love, Marian." Tears began to flow down her cheeks. She forced a laugh as she told Liza that she'd always warned Stuart that his ring would slip off one day. He wears it everywhere, Marian said as she continued to use the present tense when referring to her husband. Then came the horrific realization; Stuart had once said that he'd only take the ring off his finger under one circumstance --- his death. Marian burst into tears. Liza rushed to her mother's side and wrapped her arms around her. Outside, Becca arrived just as Scott was returning home. Becca gave Scott a hug and told him how sorry she was to have heard the news. Scott told Becca that he hadn't believed Liza when she'd broke the news to him, so he'd driven to Willow Lake and saw the cabin first-hand. Back inside, Marian placed Stuart's wedding band on one of her fingers and again sobbed openly.
At The Valley Inn, Vanessa bribed a chambermaid to gain access to David's hotel room. Once inside, Vanessa quickly uncovered David's safe. On a hunch, she entered David's birthday as the combination --- and it opened. She scolded her son for being so predictable, but quickly retrieved the emerald she'd lost in Paolo's room. Before she could leave the room, David and Erica returned to the room. They had planned to spend the night at Erica's house, but she was having the house painted and the paint fumes made it impossible to spend the night there. Soon after they entered the room, Erica wanted to discuss who might have killed Paolo as well as a defense strategy for Leo. David kissed her neck and told her that Leo wasn't going anywhere --- at least until morning. As the kissed and shed clothing, a moderately disgusted Vanessa grimaced under the bed."
- Soap Central