Previously: After having broken out of Mountain View Penitentiary, Misty Arugula, Sandra Sumac, Catherine Grey and a male inmate were making there way on foot along some railroad tracks. As guards and police officers pursued them, Sandra Sumac found it increasing difficult to keep up. The group spotted a car parked on the tracks and the man accompanying them left the women behind and jumped into the car. The police then began firing shots at the women, who quickly headed into the woods surrounding the Meadow-Brook Lake recreation area. In the woods, Misty Arugula realized that they had become separated from Sandra Sumac. Arugula and Catherine Grey slowed down, taking cover in woods. Seconds later, Sandra Sumac appeared. She had been shot. Catherine knew that if they stopped to help her, they too would be shot or killed and fled, leaving Misty alone to try and help the wounded Sumac. Misty struggled to get Sumac up while all the while the police officers were closing in on them. Sumac realized that Arugula wouldn’t be able to help her and told Misty to leave her. Arugula at first didn’t want to leave Sandra in the woods to die, but she soon realized that the police were too close to risk trying to take Sandra with her. Before Misty left her, Sandra gave her an envelope and told her to give it to her daughter, Jessie. Sandra also told Misty to tell Jessie that she loved her very much. Arugula took the letter and fled. Moments later, police officers found Sandra lying dead in the woods. Arugula made her way to the nearby docks, where she got into a small rowboat. Catherine Grey then appeared and climbed into the boat. Arugula told Grey that Sandra had died and the women began to row the boat, heading for a structure that sat on an island just across the harbor. Meanwhile, at the Pine Cone Inn, Sienna was finishing bandaging up Alphonse Brunette’s arm when she began questioning him as to how he got injured, accusing him of not telling her the truth. Perturbed, Brunette left Sienna’s room, telling her he was going back to find his lost room key. Sienna then received a shocking phone call. The man who had escaped from Mountain View Penitentiary with Aruglua, Grey and Sumac was Sienna’s boyfriend, Rodrigo Roja. Roja told a stunned Sienna that he was going to go and pay a quick visit to his mother and then he would be over to the Pine Cone Inn to pick up her and her infant son. Rodrigo then made his way to the home of the Meadow-Brook family, where his mother, Rosa, worked as a housekeeper. Across town, at Blackport Memorial Hospital, Jane Meadow-Brook grew concerned when her son, Hunter never showed up. In the waiting room, Ian Masque and Marina Popov waited for doctors to come and give them an update on the condition of Masque’s assistant, Diane Gwen. Finally, the doctor came and told them that Diane had woken up and was asking to see Masque, so Masque left Popov alone to go and visit Diane. At Meadow-Brook Commons, Rosa Roja was shocked when she opened the door and found that her son had broken out of prison. Reluctantly, Rosa invited Rodrigo in, warning that the Meadow-Brooks were due home soon. Rodrigo made it no secret that he felt that the Meadow-Brooks were using Rosa as a slave, but Rosa informed her son that she was very happy working for the family and that she was very well-paid. Rodrigo and Rosa’s reunion soon turned bitter when Rosa realized that he was still blaming her for his being sent to prison. Rosa reminded Rodrigo that she had visited him in prison on a weekly basis and was sending money to Sienna to care for her baby. When Rosa said that they were still not sure if the baby was Rodrigo’s son to begin with, Rodrigo became enraged and pulled knife on his mother. Outside, Alphonse Brunette was searching the grounds for his missing motel room key. Brunette worried that if the police, who had been called to investigate a break-in at the Meadow-Brook’s earlier in the evening, had found the key then they would know he was the one who had broken in. Down the road, Jake Summers was in his car. Jake was contemplating his next move, knowing that the police would soon be looking to arrest him for the murder of his fiancé, Alva Vermillion. Just as Jake drove past Meadow-Brook Commons, Rodrigo came running down the driveway and jumped into a waiting car. Jake immediately recognized Rodrigo as being the same man who had shot and killed Police Chief Vermillion several years ago in a botched bank robbery. Jake was about to follow Rodrigo, but had to stop when a police cruiser came down the street. Summers pulled into the Meadow-Brooks driveway and saw that the front door of the house was open. Knowing that there had been a break-in earlier, Jake reached for his gun, but had to settle for Swiss Army knife instead. Armed with the knife, Jake got out of the car and headed up the driveway. Alphonse Brunette in the meantime had made his way to the back yard and saw the shattered glass door he had broken earlier. Brunette then realized that his missing room key may be inside the house. Back at Blackport Memorial, Jane Meadow-Brook confided in John Boddy that she was worried since Hunter had never made it to the hospital and he was not answering his cell phone. John suggested that Hunter may have gone back to the house, so Jane decided to call the house phone. The ringing of the telephone woke up Hunter, who had passed out in the back yard of Meadow-Brook Commons. Hunter confused as to how he ended up at the house in the first place, noticed the broken glass door and then heard a strange clicking sound coming from some nearby bushes. Shrugging off the strange noise, Hunter proceeded into the house, where he found a trail of blood. Following the blood into the kitchen, Hunter was horrified to find the mutilated body of Rosa Roja.

“There’s Got To Be a Morning After”

At Blackport Memorial Hospital, Marina Popov dozes off, waiting for Ian Masque to return from visiting Diane Gwen. Jane Meadow-Brook nervously paces, while Kelley Meadow-Brook sits nearby. “Mom, I am tired.” Kelley says. “Can we go home?” Jane comes over to Kelley.

“I really wanted to find out about Carrie’s condition before we left.” Jane says.

“I can take Kelley home.” John Boddy says.

“Will that be alright with you, dear?” Jane asks Kelley.

“Yeah, fine whatever.” She says. She stands up.

“Thank you, John.” Jane says.

“Don’t worry, Jane.” He puts his hand on her shoulder, “I am sure Hunter is fine.” John and Kelley walk to the emergency room entrance just as the doors open and Hunter enters.

“Hey.” Hunter says.

“Hunter. Where have you been?” Kelley asks. They hug. “Mom’s been calling you all night.”

“I’m sorry. I had some work I had to do at the office.” Hunter lies.

“Hunter.” Jane says, relieved. “Thank goodness.” She hugs him. “Where have you been? I’ve been worried sick.”

“I know, mom. I’m sorry. I was at the Journal and I left my phone in the car.” Hunter says.

“I am just glad you are safe.” Jane says.

“Mom, will you call me as soon as you hear anything about Carrie?” Kelley says.

“Of course dear.” Jane says. John and Kelley leave.

“So there’s still no word on Carrie?” Hunter asks.

“Not yet.” Jane says. Across the waiting room, Marina Popov opens her eyes.

“This is ridiculous.” She says. She stands up and walks past Jane and Hunter.

“Excuse me, ma’am.” A nurse says to Marina, who is about to enter a restricted area. “You can’t go back there.”

“Well then can you do me a favor?” Marina asks the nurse. “Will you go to Diane Gwen’s room and tell Ian Masque that I went back to the hotel.”

“Yes, ma’am. I will tell him.” The nurse says.

“Thank you.” Marina turns and goes to the emergency room doors and exits into the cold night air. She pulls closed the tuxedo jacket Ian gave her to wear.

“You’re not planning on walking are you?” A voice calls out to her. “It’s freezing out here.” Marina turns to see that Patrick Plum has followed her out.

“Are you following me?” Popov asks.

“What? No. I mean yes, but not like in a creepy stalker kind of way. I was going to offer you a ride back to your hotel.” He says.

“Thanks, but no thanks.” Popov says.

“Well, then how were you planning on getting back to your hotel?” Patrick asks. Popov looks around.

“I don’t really know.” She says.

“Here, why don’t you let me give you a lift?” He asks. “I can’t bear to think of you walking in the middle of the night.”

“Alright. Thank you.” She says.

“My car is over there.” Patrick points toward the parking lot. The doors of the emergency room slide open and Darcy Puce rushes out.

“Patrick!” She shouts. “Kelsey died.” She rushes into his arms.

“I will get a cab.” Popov says. She walks back into the emergency room as Patrick hugs Darcy. Inside, Marina walks over to a nurse’s station.

“Could you call me cab?” She asks a nurse. The nurse nods and picks up the phone.

“Miss.” Another nurse calls out to Marina. “I went to Diane Gwen’s room to tell Mr. Masque that you had left, but he wasn’t there.”

“He wasn’t?” Popov asks.

“No, ma’am. In fact, Miss Gwen says that Mr. Masque never came to see her at all.” The nurse tells her.

The next morning, in her hospital room, Emily Peach is awoken by a strange clicking sound.

CLICK…CLICK…CLICK…CLICK

Emily sees a woman sitting in a chair near the window. The woman has a heart shaped locket on a chain around her neck and she is opening and closing the locket repeatedly, causing the clicking noise.

CLICK…CLICK…CLICK

“Oh,” the woman says, realizing Emily is awake. “I didn’t mean to wake you.” Emily sits up in the bed.

“Amber?” She says to woman. The woman smiles. She closes the locket and stands up.

“No.” She says. “Sadly, Amber is no longer with us.” She comes over to the side of the bed. “It’s Allison, Amber’s sister.”

“Allison.” Peach says. “I knew I wasn’t crazy.” Allison shrugs. “I haven’t seen you in years. I am really sorry about Amber’s death.” Emily says.

“Thank you.” Allison says, playing with the locket around her neck.

“Forgive me for askin’, but what are you doin’ here?” Emily asks.

“After my family and I buried my sister, I started to do some investigating.” She says.

“Investigatin’? Investigatin’ what?” Emily asks.

“Well, I have been trying to piece together the last few weeks of my sister’s life in an effort to find her murderer.” Allison says. “What I found led me here to Blackport…and to you.”

Emily swallows hard. “To me?” She asks.

At the Pine Cone Inn, Alphonse Brunette opens the door of his room and takes a deep breath of the morning air. He looks back into the room and sees Mindy Mint sleeping. He steps out of the room and closes the door behind him. As he walks past door after door of other rooms, the vision of Sienna bandaging his arm fills his head. He stops outside the door of her room. Taking a deep breath, Alphonse knocks on the door, but he gets no answer. He knocks again. And again gets no response. Alphonse sighs, realizing Sienna must not want to have anything to do with him again.

“Hey!” The voice of Mindy Mint calls out to Brunette from the door of their room. “Pearl is on the phone.” Brunette quickly walks back to the room and enters. Mindy closes the door behind them.

“Pearl?” Brunette says as he picks up the phone. “What? Yes, I do. No of course. I will be right there.” He hangs up.

“Is something wrong?” Mindy asks.

“Nothing for you to worry about.” He says. He grabs his car keys.

“Where are you going?” Mindy asks. Brunette doesn’t respond as he quickly opens the door. Mindy follows him out and watches as he jumps into his car and speeds away.

Back in the emergency room of Blackport Memorial, Hunter and Jane Meadow-Brook are drinking coffee still waiting on word on Carrie Bluebell’s condition when Jane’s cell phone rings.

“Hello?” Jane answers.

“Mom.” Kelley Meadow-Brook says.

“Hello, dear. Did you get some rest?” Jane asks.

“A little.” Kelley says. “Have you heard anything about Carrie yet?”

“The doctor came out earlier and said they were still so overwhelmed with patients that it could be a while before we know anything.” She says.

“Well, I am going to get ready and head back over there shortly.” Kelley says. “Did you and Hunter have breakfast yet?”

“We’ve had coffee.” Jane says.

“Well I will stop at Jojo’s and pick up something on my way over.” Kelley says.

“You don’t need to do that.” Jane says. “Just have Rosa warm some bagels.”

“I would, but Rosa isn’t here.” Kelley says.

“She isn’t?” Jane asks.

“No, and it’s really weird. When I got home last night, there was a fire in the fireplace, the back door was all boarded up, and the TV in Rosa’s room was on, but she was nowhere to be found.” Kelley says.

“That is strange.” Jane says. Hunter looks over at his mother with concern as a doctor comes out of the restricted area and walks over to them. “Dear, the doctor just came out. I will have to call you back.” She hangs up quickly.

“Mr. Meadow-Brook.” The doctor says. Jane and Hunter stand up.

“How is Carrie?” Hunter asks.

“I am afraid the news isn’t good.” The doctor says. Jane grabs Hunters hand. “Miss Bluebell is on life support. She is unable to breathe on her own.”

“Oh, Hunter.” Jane says.

“I am really sorry the news isn’t better.” The doctor says.

“Thank you doctor.” Hunter says. The doctor leaves them. Hunter sits down.

“Hunter, I am so sorry.” Jane says. “I know how much Carrie means to you.”

“She’s so beautiful, mom.” Hunter says, tearfully.

“I know she is dear.” They hug.

Outside Ivory’s Boarding House, Alphonse Brunette parks his car and gets out. He hurries up the walkway to the front door. As he reaches the porch, the door opens. “Pearl.” Brunette says when he sees Pearl Ivory. “I am so sorry about your mother.”

“Thank you.” Pearl says. She lets him into the house. Inside, Pearl’s introduces Brunette to her brother C.J.

“It’s nice to meet you.” C.J. says. He goes upstairs.

“Pearl, where is she?” Brunette asks.

“She’s in the living room.” Ivory says. They walk into the living room, where Sienna sits on the couch feeding her son a bottle.

“Sienna.” Brunette says. He hurries over to her. “What are you doing here? What’s going on?”

“I am sorry, Alphonse.” Sienna says. “I had nowhere else to go.” She begins to cry.

“It’s alright.” Brunette says. He looks up at Ivory.

“I will go make some drinks.” Ivory says. She goes to the kitchen, but stands right by the door to listen to their conversation. Brunette takes a seat next to Sienna on the couch.

“What happened?” Brunette asks. Sienna takes the bottle from her baby’s mouth and puts it on the coffee table.

“After you left my room last night, I got a phone call.” Sienna says.

“Ok?” Brunette says, confused.

“It was my boyfriend, Rodrigo.” Sienna says.

“Oh.” Brunette says.

“He broke put of prison last night.” Sienna says. “And he was going to come to the motel to get Sepia and me.”

“He broke out of prison?” Brunette says. “Why was he in prison in the first place?”

“It’s not important.” Sienna says. “What is important is that I can’t let him know where Sepia and I are or he is going to make us go on the run with him.”

“Alright.” Brunette says. Ivory comes out of the kitchen with a tray of drinks. “What can I…” He looks at Pearl, “what can we do to help you?”

“I need somewhere to hide. Rodrigo knows that Sepia and I have been living at the Pine Cone, so we can’t stay there.” Sienna says.

“You can just stay here then.” Ivory says.

“Pearl.” Brunette says.

“Oh, thank you.” Sienna says.

“Pearl, can I talk to you in the kitchen for a minute?” Brunette asks.

“Have a drink and relax.” Pearl tells Sienna. She follows Brunette into the kitchen.

“I appreciate what you are trying to do.” Brunette says, “But you just lost your mother.”

“My mother loved that this house was a refuge for people who needed it.” Pearl says. “If she were alive she would be the first one to offer to let that girl stay here.”

“Shouldn’t you ask your brother first?” Brunette asks.

“C.J.?” Ivory asks. “He’ll agree with me. There is no better way to honor my mother’s memory.” Brunette leans in and kisses Pearl’s cheek.

“Thank you.” He says. Brunette goes back to the living room.

“I know it is crazy for me to be here asking you for help, but I don’t have anywhere else to go.” She looks over at Sepia, who is asleep in a carrier. “If Rodrigo finds us and makes us go on the run with him…”

“Shhh.” Brunette says. “It’s alright, you can stay here.” Sienna jumps to her feet and hugs Brunette.

“Thank you!” She says. “Thank you so much.” Brunette looks up as Allison Amber comes walking down the stairs. Brunette can’t believe his eyes and he pulls away from Sienna. Pearl comes out of the kitchen just as Allison enters the living room.

“Hello.” Allison smiles. “Miss Ivory, I saw today’s paper. I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am about the loss of your mother.”

“Thank you, Miss…I’m sorry, I forgot you name.” Pearl apologizes.

“Oh, I am Allison, Allison Amber.” She says.

“Right.” Pearl says. “Well, Allison, this is Sienna Fallow.”

“Hello.” Sienna says.

“Hello.” Alison smiles.

“And this is…” She is about to introduce Brunette when he interrupts.

“I’m Al.” Brunette says. Sienna and Ivory give Brunette a confused look.

“It’s nice to meet you, Al.” Allison says, extending her hand.

“Likewise.” He says.

“What an adorable baby.” Allison says, going over to Sepia, who is still asleep.

“Thank you.” Sienna says.

“Sienna and her son will be staying with us.” Ivory tells Allison.

“Really?” Allison says. “That’s terrific! You’re mother was so generous to let me stay here.”

“Have you been in Blackport long?” Sienna asks.

“Only a few days.” Allison says.

“And what brings you to our fair town?” Brunette asks.

“It’s complicated, but I am on a quest.” Allison says.

“A quest?” Sienna asks. “A quest for what?”

“A quest for answers.” Allison says, looking straight at Brunette.

TO BE CONTINUED…