#61 Tuesday January 8th

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Yvette is sitting in her living room drinking coffee. Chester comes in the front door.

Yvette: I'm glad to see you. I didn't expect you to get back until tomorrow.

Chester: The project I was working on got stalled, I have to go back in a day or two when it gets

back on track.

Yvette: I really needed someone to talk to.

Chester: Is something wrong?

Yvette: Everything. I was up half the night at the office trying to settle the construction contract issue with the board. We finally settled on Greenwood.

Chester: I thought your Mother was in charge of that?

Yvette: She is, I just had to temporarily step in and mediate the situation, she wasn't really up to it.

Chester: Is she feeling all right?

Yvette: She's not ill, just upset.

Chester: Why?

Yvette: I tried to call Cassandra's bluff and it didn't work out to well.

Chester: Uh-oh.

Yvette: She came storming into my office yesterday and we got into a big argument.

My mother heard us arguing and came to see what was going on and Cassandra

just dumped the whole truth out right there.

Chester: Oh, no.

Yvette: My mother is a so upset right now and I am so angry with myself for opening

up this whole situation.

Chester: Does anyone else in your family know?

Yvette: Not yet.

Chester: I imagine your mother would like to keep it that way.

Yvette: She's always been steadfastly against secrets, so I wouldn't be surprised if she clued

the others in soon.

Chester: I guess this Cassandra won't be bothering you anymore now that the truth is out.

Yvette: She's not giving up, she's up to something and I know it.

Chester: Just hold out hope she isn't.

Yvette: She desperately wants to get her hands on my family's company, so it's

a slim to none that she's done causing havoc.

Chester: She certainly sounds like no joke.

Yvette: And I'm sure her son isn't either.

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George and Carol are at the Athletic Club

George: I want to thank you for inviting me to lunch, I'm sure your schedule is very busy.

Carol: Of course, but I felt I had to make time for this.

George: I take it you reviewed the proposal I faxed to you.

Carol: I did, it looks really good. Seems very airtight.

George: Took me a long time to put it together, the biggest worry was the funding.

Carol: Your company has specialized primarily in construction, so what made you want

to start acquiring department stores?

George: My intention is to move this company up in the Fortune 500 and expanding

our holdings retail was the best way to do so. Construction alone wasn't cutting it.

Carol: The retail business isn't easy, Mr. Lightner, it involves a lot of elements that require

multi-tasking and clear vision.

George: I've tested the waters a little bit by acquiring a couple of retail stores out west, I'm steadily

getting the hang of it.

Carol: Interesting, I didn't see those stores in the? list of current holdings you provided.

George: I acquired them under a different business name.

Carol: Care to say why?

George: I didn't want my competition to catch on to my plans right away.

Carol: Smart. So what would our first move be, if I decided to come on board?

George: Make McGregor's shareholders restless, even more so than they are now. The whole

expansion deal McGregor is planning with Carter has made already them sort of nervous.

Carol: Add a little fuel to the fire, so to speak.

George: Exactly.

Carol: I like it.

George: Does that mean you are on board?

Carol: Airtight as it is, it still could fail.

George: But it could be successful. I know what a long and bitter history your company has had with McGregor. Why not settle

the score like this?

Carol: My animosity with the McGregors goes beyond business, but we won't get into that.

George: Well, sounds like all the more reason to get on board.

George reaches to shakes Carol's hand. Carol hesitates for a second and then shakes his hand.

Carol: You've got yourself a partner.

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Stephen is about to leave his law office for lunch, when Edmund comes in.

Edmund: I needed to talk about the case, is this a good time?

Stephen: I was just about to go to lunch, but I can wait a few minutes.

Edmund: Thanks.

Stephen: What's up?

Edmund: It's something that Leigh said. She stopped by last night and she's done a complete 180 about the case.

Stephen: That's good news.

Edmund: She even says she's going to drop the appeal.

Stephen: What?

Edmund: It wasn't that long ago that she was determined to get the kids from me, now she's changing. I think she's up to something.

Stephen: Her lawyer, Benjamin Bonoff is one of the strongest thinkers in family law, it's possible he told her to change her strategy.

Edmund: I believe it.

Stephen: But on the other hand, she might really want to settle things quietly.

Edmund: If you knew Leigh like I do, you'd know that she doesn't back down that easily.

Stephen: Wait this one out, see what happens. If she's bluffing, it will become clear soon enough.

Edmund: Maybe you're right, I might be thinking too negatively.

Stephen: I'm not suggesting you let your guard down, I'm just saying wait and see how this goes.

Edmund: Thanks for the advice.

Stephen: Not a problem.

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Leigh is at her hotel suite, looking through an old, worn address book. She stops on a page and looks at a number

Leigh: This could be my chance to get custody of my children.

Leigh picks of the phone and starts dialing a number.

Leigh: (into phone) Good morning, it's been a long time since I've spoken with you. Listen, I don't want to beat around the bush, but

I need a help with something very important. What is it? Why don't we discuss that in person? It's only half-hour drive, I could leave now? Good, I'll see you there. (hangs up) I hope this works.

Leigh grabs her purse and heads out.

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