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(EXT: The Ramirez House)

----Carla sits at the small rectangular shaped card table in her kitchen, sipping a mug of hot coffee. The bags under her eyes tell of the lack of sleep she was able to muster the night before. Angel walks in wearing his grey sweat pants and a white t-shirt. He opens the blinds covering the small window over their sink to let in measured amount of dusky light. He takes the cross at the end of his gold chain and kisses it with his lips. He pours himself a cup of coffee and brings it to the table, kissing his wife on her forehead before sitting down.

"Good Morning. Sleep okay?"

She shakes her head it him. "You?"

He shakes his head back. "Barely a wink."

"Every time I was able to drift off, these images of our little girl- frightened, crying, being tortured all ran through my head. I could see her, begging for me to do something and I was so......helpless. I couldn't reach her, touch her, comfort her. My baby, why did they have to take my baby girl? If they do anything to hurt her Angel, anything, God help me....."

"Aye, mira, I know. Just trust me when I tell you everything is gonna work out just fine."

"I want to, there's nothing I want more in the world. But she's out there somewhere, Marta's out there all by herself, dealing with whatever torment these guys are putting her through...."

Carla begins to further rant, and bursts into tears. Angel can take no more and pulls his wife into his arms. He keeps telling her that Marta is fine, but she continues sobbing. He tells her that if they just follow the instructions they're given to a "T", everybody will be okay and Marta won't be hurt. Carla stops crying for a minute and pulls away from Angel, looking over his face and meeting his eyes.

"My God, you sounded like one of them just now."

"What? You need some sleep..."

"Don't tell me- I know you Angel. You know something."

Angel gets up from the table, turning his back to her. "You don't know what you're talkin about- listen to yourself...."

"I'm very clear on what I'm saying. Look at me, Angel." She puts her hand on his shoulder, brushing down his arm and turning him around when their hands meet. "Look at me. If you're holding out on me with anything, I mean anything- now is the time you come clean."

Angel just continues looking back at her and Carla refuses to break her stare.

(EXT: Capwell Enterprises)

---Gina sits at her desk, fidgeting with her earrings while pretending to work on her computer. Kathleen buzzes her office and tells her that Keith is on the line for her. Gina immediately snatches up the phone.

"Keith, WHERE the HELL are YOU?...............Las Vegas? What are you doing in Las............With HER?!?............Yes, I understand the kind of information that we have over them now but what use is.............Are you KIDDING ME? I'm dying to talk to CC about this- why would I wait?!?......Keith?.......Keith?!?........KEITH?!?"

She slams the phone down as Angela enters her office.

"Lovers quarrel?" she taunts.

"SAVE IT ANGELA!" she screams directly in her ear, causing Angela to back away as she covers it. "I figured after all those martinis you were sucking down last night, you'd enjoy that. You spent more time nursing a drink than you did with your husband."

"I wouldn't read into that very much, Gina. Ted's just going through a rough time with his mother's death and all. We're quite happy and he's quite satisfied."

"Didn't look that way last night when he was dancing with my daughter. What do you want anyway?"

Angela informs her that she's been assigned to oversee Gina Jeans, effective immediately and there are some changes she's going to be making. Gina informs her that all of the creative decisions are made by herself and Lily. Angela agrees, but says that she'll be taking things over from a business standpoint, since she & her daughter obviously have no business experience or sense for that matter. Angela asks for the latest sales figures as well as an outline of the 2007 budget. Gina digs up the sales figures and mentions she and Lily were actually going over the budget the day before. When she is unable to find it, she realizes that she must have left her copy in Lily's office downstairs. Gina buzzes Lily's office but nobody picks up. Gina offers for her to wait & she'll try her cell but Angela tells her she'll pick them up in person.

"Suit yourself. If there's nothing else, Angela, I really have a lot of work to be doing...."

"Sure. You go right ahead Gina. I'll be back later in the day to go over the revised budget. Until then.......don't break any nails pretending to type."

Angela smirks at her and walks off.

(EXT: Bradford Investigations Pearl Bradford, P.I.)

----Pearl sits at his desk, listening to his recordings of his interviews with former employees of the San Remos Clinic. Mary and Mason knock on the door and he's happy to let them in, telling them he has news.

"Good, we're anxious to hear it." Mason says.

"I tell ya it's been a world- I feel like I've been all through the midwest the past few days. I talked to a good amount of doctors on your list and 1 or 2 nurses. Good news is, their stories all match up, many of them not having seen each other in many years. They all say the same thing: none of em was in the room when your little girl was born Mary."

"Which puts us back to square one." Mary says quietly.

"Not necessarily. I did learn something interesting, that one of the nurses opened up about."

"Oh? Who? What did they tell you, Pearl?" Mason asks, anxiously.

"It was a Nurse Hodges, older woman, real nice lady, retired shortly before you woke up but......"

"She checked up on me. She actually came to visit me after I woke up, in the clinic. In all her years, she said, she never saw doctors fight as hard as Mark and his team did for me. She told me that after almost a year in the coma, they were all ready to give up, my vitals were declining as I'd come down with an infection. She was the one who insisted to Mark that there was hope, that I was special she felt. She told me she held my hand the entire day, placing a rosary and praying the Virgin Mary would give her a sign....She told me that I woke up very briefly & smiled at her that night, with another nurse to witness it. I'll never forget her. How is she?"

"Pretty spry for an 88 year old woman. She said to send you her best."

"What did you learn from her Pearl? What did she say?"

"According to Nurse Hodges, Mark wasn't the only person allowed in the room. Someone else was in there with him during the delivery, a nurse who assisted him. She wasn't anybody from your list and I checked into her a bit.......Young girl, probably only in her late teens at the time you were brought in. In fact, she was only working at the clinic as an intern, as she hadn't completed her schooling yet. Kinda lose track of her for a while, so I had a buddy of mine look into a little bit further. He got her number, but she doesn't return any of my calls, even though I haven't said what it was in reference too. Her name's Rhodes. Sherri Rhodes- last residence known is in West Palm Beach, Florida. It sounds like a pretty good lead and I was gonna follow it myself, but I wanted to bring it to your attention first, in case she clams up on me. If they got somethin to hide....they often do, which is why it would be best to have you there with me for the interview, Mary."

"She'd be much harder pressed to lie directly to me, if she's hiding something at all. Makes sense. I'll do it- I'll do whatever it takes. When do we leave?"

"First thing tomorrow morning."

"I'm going with you" Mason interrupts.

Mary insists that he needs to stay with his family and says she can do this alone, but Mason is unwilling to budge. He says his skills as a lawyer will come in handy when they talk to her and Pearl is inclined to agree. Mason says that it's settled and asks Pearl to book them the earliest flight he can for the next day. Mary isn't sure that it's a good idea but Mason reassures her. She says that Julia won't like him going across the country with her but Mason says that Julia will understand, especially if there's any chance that his daughter could be alive.

(EXT: Capwell Enterprises)

----Ted swings by Lily's office, peeking in at her sitting in front of her design board, wearing her glasses and vigorously sketching. Ted sneaks up on her and comments that he likes what he sees. Lily tells him it's a work in progress, but she hopes the spring line will be a success. She thanks Ted for apologizing to her last night and says it meant a lot to her.

"I meant it Lil. I really did...."

"You hurt me- bad, Ted, really bad. I wish a simple apology were enough to make it better....but....it just isn't...."

Ted understands, saying that he can't blame her for not jumping at the chance to forgive him, after the humiliation he put her through. He does, however, tell her that he plans to make up for it and work to regain her trust and respect again. She says she appreciates it, though it's going to take more than just a friendly dance to work off that kind of debt.

"Oh, is that so Ms. Blake? Well I happen to know something that you don't...."

"You do huh? And what's that?"

"That no matter how hard you try, you can't find it in yourself to stay mad at me....."

He starts tickling her and she begins laughing telling him to stop. As he does this, Angela arrives at Lily's office to retrieve the budget. She is stunned and heartbroken by what she sees, and decides to leave before they can see she was there at all.

(EXT: The Ramirez House)

----Cruz and Julia arrive and ask Angel if they've heard anything yet. Angel says that they haven't and it's beginning to make him nervous. Julia tells them it's what usually goes on in a kidnapping- the perpetrators say they're going to do one thing then do something else, just to keep the family on their toes. Julia hands Angel the copy of the waiver, telling him it's notorized and she's signed it herself. All it needs is his signature and everything will be on the up and up. As he's signing it, Angel remarks that he didn't think Cruz would let it go into effect.

"It's not gonna go into effect, pal, not if I have anything to say about it. We're gonna get these guys and we're gonna nail Esteban, believe that."

Angel finishes signing the papers as Carla walks away from them at the table, looking out the window.

"I can't imagine how you must feel" Julia says, walking toward her. "I know if it were my daughter being talked about as if I weren't in the room, I'd be throwing a fit. We're gonna get her back for you, Carla. Cruz is going to bring her back, I promise you that"

Julia pats Carla's shoulder with her hand as the woman's eyes well up with tears, still staring out the window.

FLASH TO (MEXICO, a small house)

----Bobby and Cisco sit at the table eating their breakfast, as Marta sits there, not touching her food.

"Ain't you gonna eat?" Bobby asks her.

"You told my dad you were gonna call early" she says, ignoring him. "If I know him, he's probably driving himself mad with worry...."

"We're gonna call your 'papi' don't worry sweetheart. But for now- eat. You need the nourishment."

"I'm not eating until I've spoken to my father."

"For Christ's sakes, you're gonna talk to him, just relax." Cisco says. She stares back at him, still not budging. "Look, haven't we been good to ya since ya gave us the information we wanted? Obviously, we ain't tryin to hurt ya.....or kill ya...........Nobody's calling him til Bobby there finishes his biscuits and gravy, his grits, and that damn banana muffin he scarfs down every morning, so you may as well eat...."

He smiles at her and she gives him a snotty look, motioning almost mockingly with her face. He keeps smiling at her and she lets out a sigh before picking up her fork and starting to eat.

FLASH TO (EXT: The Ramirez House)

----Cruz, Julia, and Angel sit around the table waiting while Carla continues staring out the window, still dressed in her robe. The phone rings, breaking her stare as she turns around to watch Angel answer it.

"Hello?"

"HOLA, Ramirez!"

"Where's Marta? I want to talk to my daughter...."

"Not so fast, Ramirez, did you arrange everything we asked for?"

"Yes, everything is ready......just as you asked.....Now let me talk to her!!!"

"Okay, okay" Cisco motions Marta over.

"Dad?"

"Marta, mija, are you okay?"

"I'm fine dad, I am. Don't worry about me. How are things goin there? Is mom doin okay?"

"Mom's fine, baby, she's fine"

"Yeah, right, she's got the bags don't she? Tell her I'm okay and I love her and I'll see her soon...." She hands the phone to Cisco.

"I will baby, I will...."

"Can it, Ramirez, it's me. Drive to Baja, Mexico. We'll be driving up there as well. Check into the Royal Flamingo Hotel, Room 207, and wait for further instructions from us. Be there by 5 PM tonight, no later. And remember, make sure he comes with you....."

"Don't worry. Everything will go exactly as you wish. Just don't harm my baby girl."

The phone line goes dead as Cruz and Julia comfort Carla in the background, while a look of fear and contempt comes over Angel's face as he lowers the cordless phone back onto its charger.

THE END...................for TODAY!