CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’

In a rundown neighborhood of Los Angeles, Vivienne Scarlet struggled to keep warm. It had been less than a week since Vivienne was on a movie set when a light fixture came crashing down on her and her half-brother, the film’s director and producer, Prince “Blanket” Onceblack . A shard of glass from the light fixture severely cut Vivienne’s face and she was rushed to a local hospital. It was at the hospital that Vivienne discovered the severity of her injuries. When Vivienne caught a glimpse of a lesion on her right cheek and learned that the light fixture falling on her wasn’t an accident she fled the hospital. Now Vivienne found herself huddled around a trashcan full of burning garbage. Living on the streets was beginning to take its toll on the wannabe actress. A few blocks away from where Vivienne had been living, Reynard Winters frantically searched the streets and alleys for his son, Tyler. With the help of two prostitutes, Reynard located his son, who was trying to purchase cocaine from some street kids. Reynard dragged Tyler back to the car and proceeded to yell at his son for his erratic behavior. In the dark alley, just as the feeling was returning to her frozen hands, Vivienne was attacked by a vagabond. Escaping the man’s clutches, Vivienne ran down the alley and out into the street, right into the path of Reynard Winter’s car. Reynard slammed on the breaks, almost hitting Vivienne. A shaken Reynard rushed to Vivienne’s aid and helped her up off of the pavement. Reynard then offered to take Vivienne to the hospital, but she vehemently rebuked the offer. When Reynard kindly offered to drive her home, Vivienne told him that the streets around them were her new home.

THE HOUSE OF WINTERS

At Reynard’s family’s home, Winterswind, Reynard’s wife, Kendal, and their daughter, Taylor prepared invitations for the christening party of Reynard and Kendal’s infant grandson, J.R. When Taylor commented to her mother that the events surrounding the birth of J.R. were somewhat mysterious, Kendal chastised Taylor, telling her that she is not to say anything of the sort again. Kendal told Taylor that J.R.’s father, Taylor’s older brother Jason, feels terrible that he missed the birth of his son. Taylor, not wanting to hurt her brother, agreed to keep her thoughts about J.R.’s mother, Amanda to herself. Kendal excused Taylor from helping with the invitations. Taylor was about to go up to her room, when she received a text message from her boyfriend, Randy Dove. Slipping outside, Taylor hurried to meet Randy. Taylor’s older brother Jason watched from the house as the young couple disappeared into the darkness. Kendal entered the room and saw that J.R. was soundly sleeping in his crib. Kendal commented to Jason that she was surprised that his wife Amanda was still out job searching at such a late hour, just as Amanda loudly entered the room, waking up the sleeping baby, disregarding the fact that Jason spent a good portion of the evening trying to get him to sleep. Jason then questioned Amanda as to why she was late and Amanda, defensive in her response, reminded Jason that he was the one that recommended she find a job. Jason, realizing that an argument was the last thing he needed at the moment, told Amanda that they would discuss it later, and that the baby needed to get back to sleep. Amanda agreed, and turned to leave. Jason, thinking that Amanda would want to help him get their son back to sleep, quickly realized he would have to do it alone. In the family’s guest house, Taylor and Randy were in the throes of passion when they heard Reynard’s car pull into the driveway. Reynard helped Vivienne Scarlet out of the car and told Tyler to go inside the house. Reynard then showed Vivienne to the guest house, reassuring her that it was ok if she stayed there. Inside the guest house, Taylor and Randy panicked, knowing that if Reynard were to catch them together, he would not be happy. Taylor pulled Randy into a closet as Reynard and Vivienne entered. Meanwhile, inside the main house, Tyler tried to sneak upstairs, but was caught by Kendal. Tyler, trying to finagle his way out of trouble, laid blame on his father, but Kendal would not hear of it and sent the boy to his room. Kendal then went to a window to try and see what Reynard was doing, when she was joined by Jason. In the guest house, Reynard not realizing that Taylor and Randy were hiding in the closet, showed Vivienne around and told her that she needed to keep a low profile. He explained that Kendal would not be very welcoming if she were to find Vivienne there. Nearby, in the closet, Randy had to use all the strength he could muster to keep Taylor from confronting her father.

SHOCKING TRUTHS

The next day, Randy Dove was unaware that a private detective was situated outside his apartment building. The detective wasn’t tracking the young Mr. Dove’s moves however. Jason Winters had hired the detective to follow his wife, Amanda whose behavior had become increasingly strange since giving birth to their son. The detective followed Amanda to Dove’s apartment, where she and Randy continued a secret love affair. Taylor called Randy and invited him to breakfast and Randy agreed to meet her, but not before meeting Amanda in the shower for a quickie. After their morning of lovemaking, Amanda left Randy’s apartment and headed back home, unaware that she was being followed by the P.I. At the Winters family’s breakfast table, Reynard asked Tyler to get some food and take it to Vivienne Scarlet in the guest house. Tyler reluctantly agreed. Once Reynard and Kendal had left the house, Tyler filled a basket with food and took it to the guest house, as Amanda watched from an upstairs window. Once inside the guest house, Tyler found all of the mirrors in the house smashed and Vivienne lying on the floor with bandages on her hand. Vivienne tearfully explained to Tyler that she had broken all the mirrors in the house because she couldn’t take seeing her badly injured face. Tyler then asked what happened to her to cause the injury to her face and she explained that someone had tried to kill her. When Vivienne once again caught a glimpse of her disfigured face in a broken piece of a mirror, Tyler told her he had something that might help her cover the lesion on her cheek and hurried off to his room. Moments later, Tyler searched his bedroom closet, and found a box of masks and other costume items. Taking a Phantom of the Opera-like mask from the box, Tyler inadvertently left a bag of cocaine he had found in the box lying on his bed. Meanwhile, as they neared a local hospital, Reynard tried to reassure Kendal that there was nothing to be nervous about. Later, Kendal nervously held Reynard’s hand waiting for a doctor to arrive. When the doctor finally joined them, the news was not good. The doctor told a devastated Kendal that she has breast cancer. Meanwhile, Prince “Blanket” Onceblack’s assistant, Jeffery Tan came to “Blanket’s” penthouse apartment to deliver some important documents. Jeffery was surprised to find Kevin Kale at the apartment instead of Onceblack. To avoid any further awkwardness, Jeffery left the delivery with Kevin. Kevin, believing the delivery to be contracts that he needed to sign, opened the envelope. At the same time, in a hotel room in Los Angeles, Vivienne’s mother, Elizabeth Peacock-Canary was finishing getting dressed when she received a call from “Blanket”. “Blanket” told her he was on his way over to the hotel to pick her up so that they could resume their search for the missing Vivienne. But “Blanket” had to make a quick stop before heading over to the hotel. At “Blanket’s” penthouse, Kevin was stunned to read over the documents that Jeffery had rushed over. The documents were not the film contracts as Kevin had thought. Instead, they were copies of contracts signed by both “Blanket” and the late Albert Canary. Kevin quickly realized that it was “Blanket” who was behind the attempt on Vivienne Scarlet’s life. Knowing that “Blanket” was on his way to pick Elizabeth up at the hotel, Kevin called her and told her to stay at the hotel and wait for him to get there. Confused, Elizabeth agreed to stay in the hotel lobby and wait for him. Meanwhile, “Blanket” was at the Los Angeles County Jail, meeting with the hit man he had hired to kill Vivienne. The hit man apologized for not getting the job done and for almost killing “Blanket” in the process. “Blanket” told the hit man he didn’t want his excuses and that he was working on getting the man released from jail so that he could finish the job of killing Vivienne. In the lobby of the hotel, Elizabeth Peacock-Canary waited patiently for Kevin or “Blanket” to arrive. Elizabeth was surprised to see Michael Mustard in the lobby. Michael asked her to have coffee with him, but Elizabeth told him she couldn’t as she was waiting for someone to pick her up. “Blanket” then arrived at the hotel. Elizabeth told “Blanket” that Kevin had called her and told her to stay at the hotel and wait for him. “Blanket” reassured her that he would call Kevin and let him know that Elizabeth was with him. Just as “Blanket’s” car left the hotel parking lot, Kevin arrived. Kevin then received a call from “Blanket” and Kevin lied to him, telling him that everything was fine. “Blanket” told Kevin to wait at the penthouse for word on if Vivienne was found, not realizing that Kevin had read the documents and was well aware that “Blanket” was the person behind the attempt on Vivienne’s life. Knowing that if “Blanket” found Vivienne first he would again try and have her killed, Kevin set out to try and find Vivienne himself. Vivienne, in the meantime, waited in the Winters Family’s guest house for Tyler to get back. Tyler returned to the guest house and gave her the mask from the box. She then held the mask up to her face and looked at her reflection in the mirror. The mask was just the right size to cover the lesion on her cheek. Tyler and Scarlet were unaware however, that Amanda was outside the guest house door. As Amanda tried to hear what was being said, Jason saw her and asked her what she was doing. Amanda explained that earlier she had seen Tyler take some food to the guest house and that she thinks Tyler is up to something. Jason defended his brother, saying that Tyler was probably using the guest house as a way to escape the family.

HOLLYWOOD SHUFFLE

Kevin drove around Hollywood searching for the missing Vivienne. On Hollywood Boulevard, Kevin met a prostitute named Ginger. Kevin showed Ginger a photo of Vivienne and Ginger realized she had seen Vivienne before. Ginger told Kevin that Vivienne was almost hit by a car and that she had gotten into the car and left with the driver. Kevin then noticed that most of the nearby storefronts had security cameras pointing at the street and realized that one of the cameras must have recorded Vivienne’s near-fatal accident, thus capturing the car’s license plate number. In order to thank Ginger for her help, Kevin offered to buy her a hot meal, so the two headed to a local diner. Later, Ginger came back to Kevin’s apartment and made herself at home, even taking a bath in Kevin’s tub. Kevin waited for Ginger in the living room, but was unaware that “Blanket” Onceblack was outside the apartment building. “Blanket” had received a call from his assistant Jeffery and learned that Kevin intercepted the documents that implicated “Blanket’s” involvement in the attempt on Vivienne Scarlet’s life. When Ginger got out of the bathtub, she found Kevin’s living room in shambles and drops of blood leading out the door and Kevin was nowhere to be found. Ginger took Kevin’s car and rushed back to her rundown apartment and told her roommate Sage that Kevin had disappeared. Sage tried to calm Ginger down, suggesting that perhaps Kevin went to work. But Ginger worried that Kevin was injured or worse, murdered. Realizing that Kevin might have gone to work, she used his cell phone and discovered that Kevin works at Onceblack Studios. After getting the address, Sage and Ginger headed to the studio. Later, at the gates of Onceblack Studios, Sage and Ginger battled with a security guard who was reluctant to let them. Jeffery Tan arrived and saw that the women were in Kevin Kale’s car. Jeffery agreed to get the women into the studio, but made them tell him why they were there in Kevin’s car. Meanwhile, “Blanket” Onceblack left Kevin bound and gagged in a utility closet of a soundstage. “Blanket” then called Sister Mary Amethyst in Rhode Island and confessed to his recent evil doings. Once inside the studio back lot, Jeffery, Ginger and Sage saw that “Blanket’s” car was in the parking lot. They realized that in order to find Kevin, they would need to tell “Blanket” that Kevin was missing. Sister Amethyst went to a train station in Rhode Island and boarded a train bound for Blackport. Once in Blackport, Sister Mary Amethyst visited her younger brother, King Onceblack at Sunnybrook Sanitarium. Onceblack, who had suffered a heart attack while incarcerated, was hooked up to a breathing machine and a heart monitor. Sister Amethyst reluctantly told King Onceblack that his son “Blanket” had ordered a hit on the life of Vivienne Scarlet. Sister Amethyst added that she feared that “Blanket” had slipped over the edge into insanity. King reacted badly to this news and suffered another heart attack. Later, after doctors attended to him, Sister Amethyst returned to his room and King Onceblack begged his sister to tell “Blanket” that he was sorry for lying to him and for her to tell “Blanket” the truth. Sister Amethyst cried on her brother’s chest as he passed away. In L.A., Jeffery Tan, along with prostitutes Ginger and Sage, continued to search the back lot of Onceblack Studios for Kevin Kale and “Blanket” Onceblack with no luck. Ginger speculated that whoever attacked Kevin may have also gotten to “Blanket”, not realizing that “Blanket” was holding Kevin prisoner. Ginger received word from a police detective that the video tape from a Hollywood Blvd. security camera had captured the license plate of the car that Vivienne Scarlet had gotten into the night she disappeared and that they had positively identified the address of the owner of the car. The detective told Ginger that two officers were being dispatched to Winterswind. Meanwhile, actress Maralyn Mauve arrived for an impromptu meeting with her old friend, “Blanket.”. Jeffery Tan was surprised to see Miss Mauve leaving “Blanket” Onceblack’s office. Miss Mauve was visibly upset, and when Jeffery asked her what happened, Mauve explained that “Blanket” had yet to pay her for a role in a film that was completed a few years ago. Miss Mauve also told Jeffery that “Blanket” was bankrupt and was going to sell the studio. Jeffery was shocked at not only learning that Onceblack was broke, but that he was also somewhere on the studio back lot. In “Blanket’s” office, Jeffery discovered a gun that “Blanket” kept in a drawer was missing. Fearing the worst, Jeffery, Miss Mauve, Ginger and Sage went to the soundstage to look for “Blanket”. When a gunshot rang out, Jeffery suggested that they call the police, but before they could, “Blanket” emerged from the utility closet with the gun pointed at them. “Blanket” forced them into the utility closet with Kevin. Hours later, “Blanket’s” hostages were beginning to become claustrophobic, no one more so than Maralyn Mauve. Maralyn’s constant banging and screaming for help was beginning to unnerve her fellow prisoners and her antics did not help the fact that one of the people, a janitor named Miguel, had been shot by “Blanket” and he was losing blood very quickly. Kevin and Jeffery realized that if they didn’t find a way out of the closet soon, the janitor would die. “Blanket”, in the meantime, was in his office trying to figure out what he was going to do with the people he was holding hostage when a cell phone began to ring. “Blanket” realized the phone was Kevin’s and saw that the call was coming from a police detective. Pretending to be Kevin, “Blanket” took the call and the police detective told him that Vivienne Scarlet was last seen getting into the car of Reynard Winters and that Reynard worked at Los Angeles County Hospital. “Blanket” then headed to the hospital to talk with Reynard, but before “Blanket” could ask Reynard anything about Vivienne’s whereabouts, he received word that his father, King Onceblack had passed away in Blackport. Distraught, “Blanket” pulled his car into an emergency vehicle lane and when the driver of a medical transport tried to get him to move, “Blanket” was too consumed with grief to do so. Ironically, the detective that told “Blanket” about Reynard being the last person seen with Vivienne was also at the hospital. The detective had come to question Reynard and when “Blanket” saw the detective, he quickly realized he needed to get to Reynard before the detective could. But Reynard left the hospital before either the detective or “Blanket” had the chance to talk to him. When “Blanket” and the detective found out that Reynard had left the hospital, the detective spotted “Blanket” and started to get suspicious. When “Blanket” took off down a stairwell, the detective pursued him and they ended up in an alley behind the hospital. “Blanket” hid in a laundry bin and when the detective was about to find him, “Blanket” panicked and shot the detective in the chest. Meanwhile, a taxi cab carrying Sister Mary Amethyst arrived at the gates of “Blanket’s” studio. Amethyst had accompanied the body of “Blanket’s” father back to L.A. and wanted to see “Blanket”, but the studio was closed. Sister Amethyst was unaware that “Blanket” had several people locked in a utility closet. “Blanket” returned to the utility closet to bring the hostages food and medical supplies, “Blanket” didn’t realize that Kevin and Ginger had formulated a plan to ambush him. When the voice of Sister Mary Amethyst distracted “Blanket”, Kevin tackled him, causing “Blanket’s” gun to fire a shot. The sound of the gun shot startled Sister Amethyst, who was outside the utility closet door. A few moments later, “Blanket” exited the utility closet and embraced his Aunt Mary. “Blanket” lied to her when she asked about the sound of the gunshot, but “Blanket” was unaware that Sister Amethyst saw some blood smeared on the handle of the utility closet door. At “Blanket’s” apartment, Sister Mary Amethyst was shocked when a crying young woman showed up at the door. The young woman told Amethyst that her brother, Jeffery is “Blanket’s” personal assistant and had been missing for days. Sister Amethyst tried her best to calm the young woman’s fears, only to have the arrival of a police detective upset her again. The police detective explained that her partner was found murdered in an alley behind a local hospital. The detective explained that her partner had been working on the case of “Blanket’s” missing half-sister, Vivienne Scarlet and that fact prompted her to come looking for “Blanket”. When Jeffery’s sister heard that Vivienne was also missing she broke down and told the detective that her brother had also disappeared. When Sister Amethyst left the room to look for “Blanket’s” cellular phone number, the detective ordered her fellow officers to put an all points bulletin out on “Blanket”. Sister Amethyst in the meantime, called “Blanket” to let him know that the police were at the apartment and that Jeffery’s sister had told them that Jeffery was also missing.

A FAMILY’S TRAGEDY

When Tyler Winters found his mother crying outside of his bedroom door, he asked her if everything was alright and she reassured him that everything was fine. However, once Tyler was in his bedroom, he quickly realized that everything was not fine and that a bag of cocaine that was lying on his bed had gone missing. Tyler immediately assumed that Kendal was crying because she had found the drugs. At the same time, outside the gates of the family’s estate, Tyler’s sister, Taylor and her boyfriend Randy Dove were dreading saying goodbye to each other after having spent the day together. As Taylor headed inside the house, Randy saw Taylor’s father’s car coming up the street and sped off, but not before Reynard saw him. In the kitchen, Taylor greeted her father who angrily accused Taylor of disobeying his orders that she stay away from Randy. After a heated argument, Taylor stormed upstairs to her room. Amanda then joined Reynard in the kitchen. When Amanda tried to lend an uncharacteristic sympathetic ear, Reynard told her that he was not having a conversation about his family with her. When Amanda alluded to the fact that she could “help” by getting Kendal involved, Reynard reminded Amanda that she had blackmailed her way into the family. After Amanda left him alone, Reynard sadly reflected back onto the day that his family began to fall apart. Reynard recalled that in 1991, Kendal and her friend Helena Dove were in a horrific car accident. Both of the women were almost nine months pregnant at the time and the accident took the life of Kendal and Reynard’s unborn daughter. Sadly, Helena also died from her injuries, but her infant daughter survived. When Reynard realized he had to tell Kendal that they had lost their child, he confided to his friend, Dr. Richard Dove, that he didn’t think that Kendal could handle the news of the child’s death. Reynard feared that he would lose his wife. Richard then devised a plan to try and save Kendal’s fragile mental state. Richard told Reynard that he would be willing to pass his and Helena’s living newborn daughter off as Kendal and Reynard’s daughter. Reynard, consumed with grief, could not believe his friend would suggest such a plan, but when Kendal asked about the condition of their daughter, Reynard lied and said that the baby girl was healthy. Now, seventeen years later, Reynard was beginning to realize what a horrible decision that was, especially since the boy that his daughter was romantically involved with is actually her older brother. In her bedroom, Taylor tearfully spoke with Randy on the phone and told him that she was going to continue seeing him against her father’s wishes. Taylor, thinking that Randy’s father, Richard could persuade Reynard to change his mind, asked Randy to talk to him. Randy agreed, not realizing his father was in the room. When Richard asked Randy what it was that he wanted to talk to him about, Randy told him that he could handle it. When Randy went to his room, Richard called Reynard and told him that they have a problem. Meanwhile, Amanda Winters read a yellowing piece of paper: a letter her mother had written to Reynard Winters. In the letter, Amanda’s mother wrote that she had been a nurse at the hospital where Taylor was born and that she was well aware of the plan Reynard and Richard had concocted to pass her off the Winters’ child and that she wanted money for her silence. But Amanda’s mother passed away before she could cash in on her blackmail scheme. Amanda however, followed closely in her mother’s devious footsteps and blackmailed her way into the bed of Reynard’s oldest son, Jason. When Jason came in the room and almost found Amanda with the incrementing letter, Amanda lied to him and said she was looking for her engagement ring. When a confused Jason commented that Amanda had always hated the ring, Amanda slipped the letter back into the drawer, grabbed the engagement ring and slipped it onto her finger and told him she never said she hated it and that it still fit her just as well as it did the day he proposed to her. Meanwhile, Richard Dove concocted a plan to end Amanda’s blackmailing and told a stunned Reynard that in order to put an end to Randy and Taylor’s incestuous relationship that Taylor would have to be shipped off to Blackport to live with her uncle. Later, the Private Investigator that Jason Winters had hired to follow Amanda hit pay dirt when he photographed Amanda and Randy Dove kissing in the hallway of Randy’s apartment building. At Winterswind, Jason Winters got a call from the Private Investigator and the P.I. told Jason that he had obtained some photos and they planned to meet at a country club, where Jason would be playing golf with his father. Jason was unaware, however, that his sister Taylor was listening in on the conversation. Taylor later asked Randy to follow Jason and see who he was meeting with. Reluctantly, Randy agreed to follow Jason, and at the country club, Randy watched as Jason met with the private investigator. The P.I. gave Jason an envelope containing photographic evidence that Amanda was cheating on him. But before Jason could open the envelope and see the photographs, Randy distracted him. Jason put the envelope in his car and him and Randy went to play a game of golf with their fathers. But Dr. Dove sensed that Randy would rather be anywhere else but on the course, and allowed Randy to leave early. Reynard Winters also noticed that Jason was distracted and told Jason it was ok for him to leave the game as well. When Jason returned to his car, he found the envelope from the P.I. gone. While outside the club, Randy told Taylor that he had followed Jason and that he had taken the envelope that the P.I. had given Jason. Randy then informed Amanda that Jason had hired a P.I. to follow her and that the P.I. had taken the incriminating photos of them together.

FROM COAST TO COAST

Melissa Mustard arrived in Los Angeles and confided in Dr. Richard Dove that a mysterious woman had called her and told her that in order to find her missing child she needed to find the child’s father, Ryder Turchese. Ryder, in the meantime, was also back in Los Angeles and met with a surprised Michael Mustard. Ryder threatened Mustard and told him that if Mustard did not pay him for his part in the kidnapping, he would go to Melissa and tell her that Mustard himself ordered the baby to be kidnapped. Later, Melissa told Mustard that she too was in Los Angeles and she was looking for Ryder and that she had received a call from a mysterious woman saying that if she wanted to find her missing baby, she would need to talk to Ryder. Mustard then called Darcy Puce in Blackport and asked her point blank if she was the person who called and gave Melissa information on locating her kidnapped baby. Darcy denied the accusation and wondered if her mother, Lillian Puce, was the one who tipped off Melissa. Melissa, in the meantime, continued her search for Ryder Turchese, with no success. Melissa was about to give up hope in her search when she stumbled upon the name of a private investigator, the same P.I. that Jason Winters had hired to follow Amanda. Melissa went to the P.I.’s office and told him that she needed his help in locating a missing person. When the P.I. prompted her for more information, Melissa confessed that Ryder was the person she was looking for and he was not only her ex-boyfriend but that he had also kidnapped her infant son. Melissa later went against the advice of the P.I. and went to the home of her late colleague Dr. Justin Olive. Melissa met Justin’s younger brother, whose strange behavior prompted Melissa to believe that he either knew where Ryder Turchese was or he was letting Ryder stay there. When Melissa left, she called the P.I., only to reach his answering machine. Melissa left a message, telling him that she believed Justin’s brother knew more about Ryder’s whereabouts than he let on. Melissa didn’t know, however, that Ryder Turchese had gotten to the P.I. first and had him bound and gagged. Ryder threatened to kill him if he did not agree to tell Melissa he had reached a dead end in his search and that the case was closed. Naturally, the P.I. agreed and Ryder spared his life.

BLACKMAIL IS A GIRL’S BEST FRIEND

The next day, Reynard was supposed to be at the hospital with his Kendal, but Reynard had to make a quick stop before joining his wife. Reynard went to his estate’s guest house, where Vivienne Scarlet had been secretly living. But Vivienne was nowhere to be found, and the bed had not been slept in. Fearing that Scarlet had left for good, Reynard headed along the shore of a nearby lake, not realizing that the nosey Amanda was watching him from afar. Reynard went to the boat house and found Vivienne asleep in a rowboat. Vivienne explained that police officers had arrived at the house earlier and she got scared. Fearing that the officers were looking for her, she had fled to the boat house where she spent the night. Reynard apologized for his recent absences and promised to make it up to her. Vivienne confessed that if it wasn’t for Reynard’s son Tyler, she didn’t think she would be able to deal with all that had happened to her. Reynard reassured her that he believes that she is a strong person, prompting her to confess that being cooped up in the guest house had given her a new perspective on her life and that she had done some things in the past that she was not proud of. Vivienne proceeded to tell Reynard that when she was a child, she murdered her mother’s abusive husband and framed her mother for the crime. Reynard comforted Vivienne and told her that everyone has things in their pasts that they regret doing. Reynard then left Vivienne to go be with Kendal at the hospital, but not before promising that he would return later that evening. Once Reynard was gone, Vivienne was shocked when Amanda revealed herself and the fact that she had overheard Vivienne’s confession of the murder of her step-father. Amanda threatened to tell Vivienne’s mother of her daughter’s past unless Vivienne agreed to the terms of a deal. Seeing no other option, Scarlet agreed to help Amanda. Amanda, knowing that Jason was very close to discovering that she was having an affair with Randy, decided to turn the tables on Jason before he could see the photos of her and Randy together. Amanda made Jason breakfast in bed and drugged his glass of juice with sedatives. Then, once Jason was unconscious, Amanda and Vivienne moved Jason to the guest house. Amanda then suggested to Kendal that they go to the guest house to store some party favors. Once Kendal and Amanda were in the guest house, they discovered Jason in bed with Vivienne. Amanda feigned shock and fled. Kendal could not believe her son would be unfaithful to his wife and tried to console Amanda. Later, Kendal told Reynard that she and Amanda had gone to the guest house and discovered Jason in bed with a woman. Reynard, knowing that Vivienne Scarlet had been secretly residing in the guest house, told Kendal he would go and try to talk to Jason, but in reality, Reynard went to the guest house to check on Vivienne. Kendal’s brother, Glenn Forrest and his wife Miranda arrived to attend J.R.’s christening and they immediately noticed that things seemed odd around the Winters’ home. Meanwhile, Dr. Richard Dove, rushing to get work, inadvertently picked up the envelope containing the photographs of Randy and Amanda. Later, when Randy asked Melissa Mustard if she had seen the envelope, Melissa realized that Richard must have grabbed it by mistake. Randy called Amanda at home and told her that his father had the envelope and worried that he would open it and see the incrementing photos. Randy’s fears were soon realized when his father opened the envelope and saw the photographs of them kissing. Richard quickly called Reynard and took the photos to Reynard’s office. Amanda, in the meantime, came to the hospital to try and steal the photos back, not realizing that Richard had already seen them. In Richard’s office, Amanda didn’t find the envelope she was looking for, however she did find the patient file of Elizabeth Peacock-Canary. Amanda couldn’t believe her eyes as she read Elizabeth’s file and learned that Vivienne Scarlet is not the biological child of Elizabeth Peacock-Canary and that Peacock-Canary had purchased Vivienne as an infant off of the black market. Amanda took the case file and quickly left Dove’s office. The next day, in his office, Reynard recalled Richard Dove came into his office with the envelope containing the photographs. When Reynard alluded that he wanted to show the photos to Jason, Richard did his best to persuade Reynard to let him have the photos. But Reynard decided that the photographs were just what he needed to get Amanda out of his family for good. Richard agreed that blackmailing Amanda with the photographs was a brilliant idea, but when Reynard also suggested that they could use the photographs to get Randy to stay away from Taylor, Richard scoffed at the idea. That is, until Reynard pointed out that Randy’s relationship with Taylor was incestuous and needed to end immediately. Amanda, in the meantime, hurried to the guest house to pay a visit to Vivienne Scarlet. Amanda told Vivienne that she had discovered that Vivienne’s mother has been a patient of Dr. Dove and that she had stolen the case file. Amanda however did not tell Vivienne that the file contained proof that Vivienne is not the biological child of Mrs. Peacock-Canary and the late Hugh Black. Amanda left the case file with Vivienne, but Reynard Winters arrived before Vivienne could read it. Reynard took the case file and immediately realized that Amanda stole the file from Dr. Dove’s office.

ON SUCH A WINTER’S DAY

At a hotel in Los Angeles, Melissa Mustard met with her father. Upstairs in his hotel room, Melissa’s uncle Michael was having a meeting of his own—with Ryder Turchese. Ryder once again demanded payment for his part in the kidnapping of Melissa’s baby. Mustard, exhausted from all of the betrayal, told Ryder he would go and get the money. Musatrd left Ryder alone in the hotel room. In the hotel restaurant, Dr. Richard Dove invited Elizabeth Peacock-Canary to go with him to the christening of J.R. Winters. At Winterswind, the Winters Family were preparing to go to the church for the christening. But Amanda refused to go. Kendal told Jason she would go and talk to Amanda. Eventually, Amanda agreed to go to the church with the family. Taylor in the meantime, left the house and went to Randy Dove’s apartment. Randy had stalled for several days when Taylor had asked about the envelope he had taken from Jason’s car, so Taylor was going to find out what was in the envelope once and for all. When she got to Randy’s apartment, no one was home, so she let herself in. Looking around, Taylor didn’t find the envelope. Instead, she found Amanda’s diamond engagement ring on Randy’s nightstand. In the Winters’ guest house, Tyler Winters told Vivienne Scarlet that it was important for her to stay out of site, as a lot of people would be attending a party at the main house after the christening. Vivienne agreed to stay put in the guest house. At “Blanket” Onceblack’s penthouse, Sisiter Mary Amethyst took a call for “Blanket” from Maralyn Mauve’s valet. The valet told Sister Amethyst that Miss Mauve had been missing for several days. Suddenly, Sister Amethyst put things together and realized that “Blanket” was responsible for the disappearances of Jeffery Tan, Kevin Kale, and Miss Mauve. “Blanket” in the meantime, was sitting outside the gates of Winterswind. Knowing that Reynard Winters was the last person to see Vivienne, he watched and waited for the opportunity to enter the compound. In the library, Amanda was on the phone with Randy and told him that after the christening, she was taking J.R. and leaving town. Amanda didn’t realize that Tyler was listening in. At Onceblack Studios, Sister Amethyst wnet to the soundstage and to the door of the utility closet. Inside, the hostages worried that the janitor was going to die, when they heard Sister Amethyst outside the door. Eventually, Sister Amethyst got the door of the closet open. Kevin was surprised to see Sister Amethyst and they quickly realized that they needed to find Vivienne before “Blanket” did. When the Winters Family left Winterswind to go to the church, “Blanket” snuck onto the estate. Vivienne in the meantime, saw caterers with trays of food and decided to sneak into the house for some food. At the hotel, Ryder realized that Mustard lied and was not coming back with the money. Ryder saw a clipping from a newspaper and realized that Mustard was going to Winterswind for the christening party. Downstairs, Melissa and her father finished their lunch and were about to leave the hotel when Melissa realized she left her purse at the table. Melissa's father went to get her purse, leaving Melissa alone in the lobby. Melissa suddenly caught a glimpse of Ryder leaving the hotel and followed him. At Winterswind, Vivienne filled up on food and was about to leave the library when she spotted her mother’s case file. Vivienne opened the file and began reading. She was shocked when she read that Elizabeth Peacock-Canary purchased her off of the black market when she was an infant. Shaken, Vivienne fled the library, dropping the mask Tyler had given her. At the same time, Kevin, Maralyn, Ginger and Sister Amethyst have spoken to the police detective and were on the way to Winterswind to try and get to Vivienne before “Blanket”. Unfortunately, once she was back inside the guest house, Vivienne was surprised by “Blanket”. At the church, Taylor was busy texting Randy while the christening ceremony was going on. Taylor, saw her father’s disaproval, and left the church. Reynard followed her out and demanded to know why she was being so difficult. Taylor broke down and told Reynard that she found Amanda’s ring in Randy’s room and that she thinks that they are having an affair. At Winterswind, Colonel Mustard arrived and after some convincing was let into the house. Ryder, who had also arrived watched as Mustard went in. Ryder was not aware that Melissa has followed him. Reynard and Taylor left the church and arrived back at the estate just as Kevin, Maralyn, Ginger and Sister Amethyst arrive. Reynard, knowing that Randy was on his way to the estate, left the gates open. Seizing the opprtunity, Ryder, Melissa, Kevin and the others all snuck onto the compound. As Randy was on his way to meet with Taylor and Reynard, he got into an accident, with his car hitting a large truck. In the guest house, Vivienne told“Blanket” he needed to leave, fearing that Reynard would find him. “Blanket” agreed, and pretended to leave. When Vivienne went to the bedroom, “Blanket” turned out the lights and the guest house fell dark. This attracted Kevin’s attention, and he and the women went to the door of the guest house. Inside the main house, Reynard greeted Melissa and was about to show her into the living room when Amanda and Jason entered holding J.R. Immediately, Melissa recognized J.R. as being her son. Amanda took J.R. into the library to put him down to rest as Kevin and the women let themselves into the dark guest house. In the library, Amanda was confronted by Tyler. He told her he knows that she planned to take J.R. and leave town and that he was going to tell his parents. Amanda counter threatened him with the bag of cocaine from his room. Tyler leaves. In their bedroom, Kendal and Reynard argued over Reynard’s leaving the church during the christening. Reynard explained that he had to leave because Taylor was upset. When Kendal says that the war between Reynard, Taylor and Randy has to end, Reynard agreed. He told her that the nightmare would be over soon and took the envelope of photographs and left the room. In the guest house, Vivienne came out of the bedroom and was shocked to see Kevin and the others. When Kevin told her that they are glad they got there before “Blanket”, Vivienne told them that in fact “Blanket” was already there, but had left. Suddenly, “Blanket” appeared, holding a gun on the group. In the hall at Winterswind, Melissa was surprised to see her uncle Michael Mustard. Melissa told Michael that she followd Ryder to the estate. Mustard played dumb and asked her what reason Ryder would have for coming to the Winters’ house. Melissa told Mustard that she believes that J.R. is her son. She ran out of the house, just as Kendal spotted Michael. Kendal went over to Michael and asked him what he was doing in her house. He responded that he was just leaving and exited. Miranda came over to a visibly upset Kendal and asked what is going on. Kendal told her that she has no idea, all that she knows is that everyone came to celebrate J.R.’s christening and she went to the library to get him and Amanda. Kendal goes to the library door and opens it. She entered the deathly silent room and turned on a lamp. Surveying the room, Kendal was horrified to see Amanda’s dead body in the middle of the floor. Kendal’s blood-curdling scream faded into the scream of Marina Popov who was some three thousand miles away in Blackport, New Hampshire. At the Blackport Performing Arts Center, the last of the poisoned balloons fell from the ceiling. Finally, Popov succumbed to the poison that lingered in the air and collapsed to the stage.