“Oh my God, she’s choking,” Raven repeated. “Somebody do something.”
Geri started to bend forward like she was going to pass out.
“Does anyone know the Heimlich maneuver?” Gordon shouted.
“I can…” Broomhilda started to say before a voice at the top of the stairs caught everyone’s attention.
“What’s going on?” Lyle yelled. “She’s choking? I can handle it.”
Lyle rushed down the stairs actually pushing Broomhilda out of the way as she tried to get to Geri.
“Someone hurry,” Raven yelled. “Sky, do something.” Her yelling caught the guards at the front door’s attention, and they came running into the living room.
But all eyes in the room were focused on Lyle and Geri. Lyle got behind Geri and put his arms around her waist. He made a fist and placed his thumb against her abdomen. He grasped his fist with his other hand and began to press into her lower abdomen. But Geri was still choking.
“It’s not working,” Raven exclaimed.
Finally, a chicken bone went flying across the room and Geri gasped and started to speak.
“Oh, thank you, Lyle,” she stated. “I’m never been so scared in my life.”
“Except maybe the first time you saw the inside of a jail cell,” Robert whispered to himself.
“I don’t know what we would have done if you were not here,” Geri said.
“Yes,” Raven agreed. “We are so fortunate to have you here. I don’t know how we can repay you. Thank you.”
“It was nothing,” Lyle replied. “All in a day’s work.”
“You are being modest,” Charlotte stated.
“Well, thank you all, but I have to get going,” Lyle told them as he got up and started to walk away to the door.
“Where are you headed?” Charlotte asked him.
“I am…” Lyle started to say but Sky cut him off.
“Yes, where are you going?” Sky questioned him. “You are supposed to here protecting Charlotte.”
A look of fake surprise came across Lyle’s face. “You’re right, I am sorry Mr. Whitney.” Lyle then turned away from the door and started to walk back toward Charlotte. He didn’t mention that Sky had fired him earlier.
“Let’s hope that is all the excitement we have for tonight,” Raven stated.
Sky grabbed Lyle before he got back to Charlotte. “You can stay, but don’t ever disobey me again.”
“Yes, the nervous Lyle responded. “I promise you can trust me. It won’t happen again.”
Broomhilda stared at Lyle and Geri. “Something is not right about this,” she stated to Gordon.
“What do you mean?” Gordon inquired.
“She means Lyle’s fist was on Geri’s lower abdomen,” Deborah said. “The correct way to do the Heimlich maneuver is for it to be on victim’s upper abdomen.”
“You mean Geri was up to something?” Gordon asked sarcastically. “That doesn’t surprise me.”
“Are you going to say something?” Gordon questioned her.
“No,” Deborah replied. “It’s none of my business. I have more important things to worry about that than her. Like catching Julia’s stalker.”
“Do you know who it is?” Gordon inquired.
“I have a plan I am going to carry out tomorrow that I think will tell me for certain who he is,” Deborah informed them.
“Do you need any help?” Broomhilda inquired.
“Thanks, but I can handle it,” Deborah responded.
Sky walked away from everyone and went into his study and closed the door.
“Lyle better not betray me again,” he stated as he took a book from off the book shelf.
He then took the baby picture out of his pocket and locked at it. “You were a beautiful little girl,” he said to himself. He then put the picture in the book and placed the book back on the bookshelf.
“Gunther was right,” he whispered. “It is about time I tell Raven the truth. As soon as the election is behind us I am going tell her everything.”
The hours went on without much news in the election coverage. Paul Nevins kept reporting on WMON that the race for District Attorney was too close to call.
Angela and Martin sat off to the side at the station.
“I should be up there reporting all this,” Angela whined to Martin.
“In time,” Martin said to her.
“Not unless we do something about Jody and the Whitneys,” Angela said to him. “And if James Swift wins this election, they will have even more power over me.”
“Why don’t we go back to my place and we can discuss strategy,” Martin suggested.
“When did going back to you place ever do anything good for me?” Angela asked sarcastically.
Martin was offended by the comment as Angela’s phone began to ring.
She picked up and looked at it. “It’s a blocked number,” she informed Martin.
“Answer it,” Martin told her. “It could be the tip on a major story.”
Angela thought for a moment but finally answered it.
“This is Angela Rhomer,” she stated.
“Ms. Rhomer, my name is Norman Garrison,” the voice on the other end of the phone stated. “I understand that you have been trying to reach me.”
Angela’s face lit up when she heard his name.
“Yes, I have,” Angela responded.
“Who is it?” Martin asked.
Angela ignored him.
“Well, why don’t we set a meeting?” Norman suggested.
“That would be wonderful,” Angela responded. “I have a lot I want to talk to you about.” She then covered the receiver and looked at Martin. “Particularly what he has against the Whitneys.”
Back in the living room at the mansion, Geri walked over to Lyle who was with Charlotte.
“Can I borrow my hero for a second?” Geri asked.
“Of course,” Charlotte responded as Geri and Lyle walked across the room to talk in private.
“I think those two are up to something,” Robert said to Charlotte.
“You may be right,” Charlotte told Robert. “But I thought Lyle was smart enough to know better than to not get mixed up with my sister.”
Geri and Lyle were off in a corner. “My hero,” she repeated she gave him a hug.
“Don’t you think you are laying this on too strong,” Lyle said to her.
“You were the one who asked me for my help,” Geri reminded him. “Everyone bought the fake choking routine. Now it is time for you to do what you promised for me.”
“Alright,” Lyle responded reluctantly.
“I need you to go pick it up for me as soon as possible,” Geri told him.
“I will go out tonight after everyone is asleep,” Lyle stated.
“Good,” Geri replied. “I only have couple more days in this bet with Charlotte. And this is going to help me win it.”
Julia was sitting on the sofa with April and Draper.
“Mom you still look so tired,” Julia said to April.
“I’m still not sleeping well,” April replied.
“You are still having the bad dreams?” Julia asked.
“Yes, every night,” April answered her.
“But you did talk to Beth about them,” Draper mentioned. “Did that help?”
April paused for a moment. She didn’t want to say anything negative. “Somewhat,” she finally responded.
“Besides the dream about the gun in James’s office, have you dreamed anything new?” Julia inquired.
“No,” April lied because she did not want to tell Julia about the dream about Julia being tied up by her stalker.
“You dreamed about the gun in James’s office?” Katherine asked as she heard the conversation.
April wasn’t sure how to respond.
“Yes,” Julia responded. “My mother used to have psychic visions and dreams when I was younger.”
“How interesting,” Katherine stated. “That must have been an interesting time being married to her.” Katherine said to Draper.
April was annoyed that Katherine was paying attention to Draper.
“Yes, but everything that happened to us back then was not all good,” Draper stated.
“That’s when you and you wife were both falsely convicted on murder,” Katherine stated. “I remember Mr. Church mentioning that.”
“Yes,” Julia responded. “Poor Mr. Church.”
“That man was all business,” Deborah said as she came upon the conversation. “God rest his soul.”
Yes,” Katherine agreed. “But he amazed me that he knew all about both of your trials and even knew James and Julia were dating before they told anyone.”
“Yes, he sure stayed on top on everything,” Julia noted.
“I just hope it was not all for nothing,” James said as he walk over by them.
“All in all, I can’t imagine how horrible it must have been for you being wrongly imprisoned,” Katherine said to April changing the subject.
“Those were dark times for us,” Draper stated. “But Deborah actually solved the murder of April’s mother that I was wrongly convicted of committing.”
“You did,” Katherine said to Deborah. “You must have been a hero.”
“Not exactly,” Deborah replied. “It was too late. Draper was already on his way to prison when I got Nola Madison to confess to it.”
“Then I was in a train wreck and presumed dead,” Draper stated. “And I got amnesia.”
“Oh my God,” Katherine stated. “That is unbelievable. Just crazy.”
“No, crazy is what happened later,” April said.
“What was that?” Katherine asked.
“When crazy Molly Sherwood and crazy Emily Michaels entered out lives,” April replied.
“Who were they?” Katherine inquired.
“Emily was a deranged woman who believed Draper was her long lost husband,” April answered.
“Molly Sherwood, I haven’t heard that name in years,” Deborah mentioned.
“Molly was Emily’s housekeeper, and she did anything she could to keep Emily and Draper together-even murder,” April said.
“Yes, Molly Sherwood was a murderer wasn’t she Deborah?” Raven asked when she heard Molly’s name mentioned.
Deborah ignored the comment. She did not want to remember that she had thought Raven was the killer before it was revealed to be Molly.
“I hate to break this up but can I see you in private?” James asked Julia.
“Is everything alright?” Julia inquired.
“Yes, can we just go talk in private on the patio?” James asked.
“Sure,” Julia responded as Deborah got up to follow her.
“I think we will be alright,” James said to Deborah. ‘The guards are right outside the front door. They will hear if we yell.”
“Okay,” Deborah said. “But I will be right on the other side of the door in the study.
James and Julia walked through Sky’s study and onto the patio closing the door behind them.
“What is all this about?” Julia inquired. “Are you feeling okay?”
“Yes, I am feeling the best I have been in days,” James responded.
“Then what is it?” Julia questioned.
“With everything going with the election, the threats, my illness, it really made me think a lot,” James started say.
“And?” Julia asked.
“It made me realize what is important to me,” He told her. “I will alright if I lose this election. It will be a setback in my career, but I will alright. But I won’t be alright if I lose you.”
“You are not going to lose me James,” Julia stated. “I have Deborah to protect me.”
“That’s not what I meant,” James responded. “I won’t be alright if you are not with me always. As I laid in that hospital bed, I thought about much I wanted you by my side. Always. I never loved anyone like I love you.”
“Oh, James,” Julia gushed as he got down on one knee.
“Julia Scott you would make me the happiest man alive if you would agree to be my wife and spend the rest of your life with me,” James stated as he pulled a ring out of his pocket.
“Oh my,” Julia exclaimed with a smile.
James put the ring on her finger.
All of a sudden there were shouts from the front door.
“There is an intruder on the grounds,” one of the guards at the door yelled as another came running by James and Julia.
“You need to get back in the mansion now,” he yelled at them.
“What is going on?” Deborah asked as she opened the door from Sky’s study.
“I don’t know,” Julia replied.
“They say there is an intruder on the grounds,” James informed her.
“Hurry up and get in here,” Deborah ordered them.
James and Julia ran into study and Deborah closed the door behind them and locked it.
“Go into the living room,” she ordered them.
When the three of them entered the living room, everyone was in a state of panic.
“I won’t let anything happen to you,” Lyle said to Charlotte.
“Thank you,” she responded.
“And don’t think you can use this an opportunity to escape,” Robert said to Geri.
Geri was not amused.
“Julia where are you?” April asked.
“I’m right here,” Julia responded as she entered the living room.
“Mr. Scott, how can this be happening?” Katherine asked.
April looked agitated when she heard Katherine say ‘Mr. Scott’.
“Yes, how can this be happening?” Sky demanded.
“What are we paying you for?” Raven asked the guard in the living room.
“She must have snuck by us earlier when we were detracted by Ms. Whitneys’s choking,” the guard responded.
Geri turned away and looked down as the guard said that.
“We have her,” a voice announced over the guard’s radio.
“Her?” A confused James asked. “Who is it? I want to know?”
“Yes, bring her in here,” Sky demanded. “I want to see who she is.”
“You should let us talk to her fist, Mr. Whitney,” the guard suggested.
“Bring her to the door and let me see her fist,” Sky told her.
“Bring her to the front door,” the door guard reluctantly ordered into the radio.
“Could this all finally be over?” Julia asked.
“I don’t think so,” Deborah whispered to herself.
“They are here now,” the guard in the living room informed everyone as Sky and James walked to the front door.
The front door opened and standing there was another two guards with a petite red headed woman.
“Oh brother,” Gordon mumbled as he saw her.
“Suzanne, what are you doing here?” James asked as he looked at her.
“She refuses to give up,” Julia said to herself.
“I can explain, if you can get them to unhand me,” Suzanne responded.
“You can let her go,” James told the guards. “It’s alright.”
“Are you sure?” The guards asked. “Isn’t she the same women who snuck into your room at the hospital?”
“Yes,” James responded. “But you can let her go. She is okay.”
“I wouldn’t say she is okay,” Julia mumbled.
“You can say that again,” Charlotte said with a quiet laugh.
After the guards unhanded her, Suzanne ran up to James.
“Oh James, I had to see you to make sure you were alright, and they wouldn’t let me see you,” Suzanne explained to James.
“Well, she sure in persistent,” Raven said to Charlotte.
“Yeah, and I don’t know what James ever saw in her,” Charlotte stated.
“Me either,” Raven agreed.
“I talked to you earlier and told you that I was fine,” James reminded her.
“Yes, he did,” Julia told Suzanne as walked over to James and took his hand.
“I had to see for myself, and I wanted to wish you luck on the election,” Suzanne said.
“You didn’t need to come here,” Julia stated as she got closer to James.
Suzanne took notice of Julia’s hand as she placed it on James’s chest. Her eyes opened wide in shock when she saw the ring on her finger. “What is that?” She asked.
“My engagement ring,” Julia answered as she held it out for her to see.
“Engaged,” Raven exclaimed. “That is wonderful.”
April started to cry as she walked over to Julia. “Julia I am so happy for you. Draper, come see here.” April told him as she took Julia’s hand to look at the ring.”
Draper who was standing by Katherine walked over to April and Julia. Katherine made an ugly look to April but no one saw.
“I guess that means we have a big Whitney wedding coming on,” Charlotte mentioned.
“And for once it is not yours,” Geri noted.
“I’ll give that, hat was a good one, Geri” Robert said with a laugh at Geri’s comment.
Broomhilda seemed to not to understand the humor.
“I will try to explain it to you later,” Gordon said to her.
“I think I will be wearing Aunt Geraldine’s pearls to their wedding,” Charlotte said to Geri.
Geri didn’t say anything. She walked over to Lyle. “I am not losing this bet and giving her those pearls. You need to get me that stuff tonight.”
Things were quieter at the Karr house. Mike, Nancy, Laurie, Victor and Nathan were the only people there.
Victor sat on the sofa in front of the television with Mike watching the election results.
“I wish they would hurry up and call it,” Victor stated. “This is driving me crazy. I have never had an election this close before now.”
“It shouldn’t me too much longer,” Mike told him as Nancy sat behind them typing away at her desk.
“You spend more time with that computer than you do with me,” Mike said to her.
“It’s my editor, he keeps wanting me to make changes to my biography of Geraldine Whitney,” Nancy said.
“And I keep forgetting,” Mike said to her. “I will get you a copy of the police report on Del and Geraldine’s accident.”
“I will keep reminding you,” Nancy told him. “My publisher wants to get this reprint out at soon as possible.”
Laurie and Nathan were standing off to the side.
“You haven’t said much tonight,” Laurie mentioned to Nathan.
“I’m sorry,” Nathan responded. “I really do appreciate you inviting me over here.”
“That’s not what I meant,” Laurie replied. “You still seem upset. Have you spoken to Didi?”
“No,” Nathan answered her. “I assume she is at the Whitneys tonight. But that is not what is bothering me tonight. Well, that is not the only thing that is bothering.”
“What is it?” Laurie inquired.
“I ran into Didi’s son Calvin earlier tonight,” Nathan informed.
“How did that go?” Laurie questioned him.
“Not good at all,” Nathan replied. “I tried to make peace with him, and to get him to accept Didi and me being together.”
“You need to give him more time,” Laurie told him. “It’s got to be hard for him to accept his mother having a man in her life. And also one…” Laurie stumbled on her words.
“And someone that is so much younger than her,” Nathan finished her sentence. “I’ve heard it before, and I am used to it. You can say it.”
“I’m sorry,” Laurie said.
“No, it’s okay,” Nathan responded.
“Quiet,” Victor yelled as he turned up the volume on the television.
“We are finally ready to call the race for Monitcello District Attorney,” newsman Paul Nevins announced.
Nancy stood up from behind her computer and walked to the center of the living room where everyone was sitting.
“This race has been too close to call all night, but now that we have all the precincts in, WMON can say that Victor Dallas has won re-election.”
“Thank God,” Victor exclaimed as he breathed a sigh of relief.
“Thanks wonderful news,” Mike stated.
“Congratulation,” Nathan said. “They are press outside, they probably want you to make a statement.
“Yes, congratulations,” Laurie told him as she walked over to the side.
Nancy followed her.
Laurie started to cry.
“What is it darling?” Nancy asked her.
“I have enjoyed working in the office Victor and getting closer to him,” Laurie answered.
“Yes, so what is wrong?” Nancy inquired.
“I’m just worried that now that election is over he is not going to want and need me there anymore,” Laurie explained. “I was only there to help until the election.”
“Nonsense, I am sure he doesn’t feel that way,” Nancy told her as she hugged her.
At the Whitney mansion, everyone had gathered in the front of the television and heard the same announcement from Paul Nevins.
The whole living room was quiet.
James finally got up from the sofa and walked across the room.
“Damn, damn, damn,” Raven exclaimed.
“I’m so sorry, James,” Suzanne said as she tried to walked over to James but Julia cut her off.
“There is nothing else you could have done,” April stated.
“This wasn’t your fault,” Sky added.
“No, it wasn’t,” James agreed. “Whoever put Sabrina Shaw up to those lies, and killed her is responsible.”
“Your right,” Julia stated.
“The press is by the front gates,” a guard at the front door informed them.
“They are probably waiting for you to make a statement,” Draper told him.
“They are, and I will,” James stated as he grabbed Julia’s hand.
“What are you doing?” Deborah asked.
“You will see,” James responded. “I am tired of being afraid of this guy.”
“Well, he may not be district attorney, but at least he has a wedding to look forward to,” Charlotte said to Suzanne.
Suzanne was not pleased with the comment and did not respond.
Lyle grabbed Charlotte and brought her over to the side.
“What is it?” Charlotte asked.
“I just wanted to let you know that I will have to go run an error later, and I won’t be at the mansion,” Lyle informed her. “But you should be safe with all the guards here.”
“I’m not worried, I know I will be safe here,” Charlotte responded.
“Where are you headed?” Charlotte inquired.
“I just need to run an errand for a friend,” Lyle told her as Robert listened to the exchange.
“I feel so bad for Mr. Swift,” Katherine said to Draper.
“Now that is the results are in, I am sure you are ready to head home,” Gordon mentioned. “Broomhilda and I would be glad to give you a lift so you don’t have to call a cab.”
Katherine was shocked by the offer. “Thanks, but I heard from Adam, and he is coming by to pick me up and give me a ride home.”
“He must miss not seeing you tonight,” Charlotte said.
“Yes,” Katherine responded as she blushed.
“You are so lucky to have a man like him,” Charlotte stated. “Isn’t she Geri?”
Geri gave Charlotte a dirty look and did not respond.
“I thought Adam was working tonight,” April mentioned.
“He was,” Katherine replied as she turned away not looking at April. “But he wants to pass by here on his way home and get me.”
Back at the Karr house, Nathan had heard the exchange between Nancy and Laurie.
“I guess you will be headed home now,” Laurie said to him.
“Yes, it has been a long night,” Nathan responded. “But I will see you at the office in the morning. And I must say it has been a pleasure working with me. I don’t know how we could manage things without you.”
“Why thank you,” Laurie told him.
“Don’t you agree, Victor?” Nathan asked.
Victor paused for a second. “Why yes,” he finally responded. “And we have a lot of work waiting for us in the morning. So get your rest tonight, mom.
Laurie didn’t say anything but just smiled.
“Listen to the television,” Victor told everyone changing the subject.
“We understand attorney James Swift is ready to concede in the race for District Attorney,” Paul Nevins said. “We know take you to our on-site reporter who is outside the Whitney Mansion.”
James and Julia appeared on screen with a news reporter.
“I just want to thank District Attorney Victor Dallas for running a fair campaign, and congratulate him on his victory tonight,” James started to say.
Victor smiled as he heard James’s words.
“But there are couple more statements I would like to make,” James began to say. “These past weeks have not been easy for my family and me. We have received threats. I and one of my associates were poisoned. There have been vicious lies told about me. And we are going to prove they are false and expose the person behind them. And we are not putting our lives on hold for you, and we are not going to let you scare us.” As he said that he took Julia’s hand.
Julia smiled at him.
“And I also want to announce my engagement to Julia Scott,” James exclaimed.
Victor sat in front of the television in shock by James’s revelation of his engagement.
“I’m sorry,” Laurie said to him.
Victor got up from sofa and walked across the room.
“I’m not giving up on her yet,” he whispered to himself.
Across town, Bryan was in his apartment still sitting in the dark. He flipped on the television. He saw Julia and James on the screen. He read the caption on the bottom that said James had conceded the election.
He turned to look at picture of his father on the mantle. “You lost an election for the first time,” he said. “If you were still alive, that probably would have killed you.”
Bryan then grabbed the remote from the television and turned on the volume. He heard James talk about his and Julia’s engagement.
“You can’t be,” he said to himself. He then threw the remote control at the television.
Later Katherine and Adam entered her apartment complex.
“I feel so sorry for James,” Adam mentioned.
“Yeah, I know,” Katherine responded. “But now that the election is over, things should not be so hectic.”
“So I should be able to see you more?” Adam asked with a laugh as they entered the elevator.
“Of course,” Katherine replied as he leaned over to kiss him.
“Would you like for me to come in your place for a night cap?” Adam inquired as they exited the elevator on her floor.
“It’s been a long day for both of us,” Katherine replied. “And we both had work in the morning. Maybe it is best we pass tonight.”
“Okay, but I am taking you out for dinner tomorrow night,” Adam told her as they walked to her door.
“You have yourself a date,’ Katherine responded.
“You haven’t been bothered by your ex-stepfather have you?” Adam asked referring to Katherine’s ex-stepfather, Damon Cory.
“No,” she responded. “I think he finally got the hint.”
“Great,” Adam replied as he leaned in to kiss her.
“I will call you tomorrow to finalize dinner,” Adam told her as he headed back to the elevator.
Katherine opened her purse to find her keys. As she was doing so, she leaned against her front door, and noticed that it was open.
She turned to see that Adam was gone in the elevator. She then opened the door, and entered her apartment. There was no sign of anyone in the hall way. She walked to living room and noticed someone on the couch.
“Oh my God, what are you doing here?” She asked.
Later that night, Lyle entered the Unicorn. Though, it was a weeknight, the place was pretty crowded.
“What have I got myself into?” He wondered as he walked over to the bar.
“Can I help you?’ The bartender asked him.
“No, not right now,” Lyle responded as he picked up his phone. He saw a text from Geri. “He will meet you in the men’s room,” Lyle read. “You have got to be kidding me.”
As Lyle walked toward the men’s room, he received another text from Geri, “look for the guy in the light blue shirt.”
Lyle entered the men’s room to find no one in it. “Just great,” he whispered as the door opened and someone else entered.
A tall dark man entered in a light blue shirt. Lyle froze for a second because he was not sure what to say.
“You’re Geri’s guy.” the finally said.
“Well, not actually, but I guess you could say that,” Lyle responded.
“Well are you or aren’t you?” The man asked. “I don’t have all night. Did she give you something for me?”
“Yes,” the reluctant Lyle responded as he pulled a small bank envelope out of his pocket.
The man took the envelope and pulled the cash out of it. He counted it quickly. “I can always count on Geri to come up with the dough,” he said as he put the money in his pocket.”
“And do you have something for me?” Lyle inquired.
The man pulled something out of his other pocket and handed it to Lyle.
“Nice doing business with you,” the man told Lyle as he left the men’s room.
Lyle opened up his hand. The man had given him a small vial. “What are you up to Geri Whitney?” He asked himself.
monticellotimes 