Author's Note: I realize I haven't written anything for a long time, but I hope I can get back into the habit of writing on a regular basis because I've missed it. I'mvery out of practice, so be as hard on the story as you want. I could use some constructive critism. All feedback is welcome as always.
Chapter One
Sami had waited long enough.
Not a very patient person to begin with, Sami didn't want Lucas to believe his mother's lies for another minute. Lucas' lack of faith in her and his unfairly distributed bitterness towards her had become too hard to deal with. Listening to the lies rolling off Kate's tongue so smoothly had fuelled Sami's determination as well. Sami was going to make Lucas see that Kate had been the one to betray him, not her.
Sami knew what Kate was capable of. She knew Kate must have done a thorough job cleaning up after herself once her scheme had been carried out. Sami wasn't even going to attempt to find evidence through Kate directly. She was going to target Kate's comparably weaker partner in crime: Eugenia Willins.
Eugenia was not the world's most intelligent woman. Sami knew she had Eugenia beat in the brains department, along with every other department she could think of. Eugenia could be cunning at times, but she lived a sad life. She was desperate to grasp at anything she could to improve her pathetic living standards. This made her easy to manipulate. Kate had probably sought out Eugenia because of her malleable personality. Eugenia's malleable personality may have made her a helpful, willing accomplice for Kate, but it was also going to help Sami show Lucas the truth.
Impatience had led her to Eugenia's door that day. She knocked once and heard the sound of running footsteps from inside the apartment almost immediately. Eugenia flung the door open within seconds. Obviously Eugenia didn't get many visitors. When Eugenia saw Sami at the door her face contorted into a confused frown.
"Oh my God. What the hell do you think you're doing coming around my place, Sami?" Eugenia asked haughtily, though confusion and worry remained the dominating emotions in her expression and voice.
"Shut up, Eugenia," Sami responded, breezing through the door as if she owned the apartment. She didn't miss the look of outrage on Eugenia's face as the woman followed behind her. "You should be happy I'm here. There's going to be some unpleasant surprises in store for you if we don't have a little chat."
"That's crazy. What are you babbling about?" Eugenia demanded.
Sami dropped onto the couch. "Let me start off by saying that I know what an incredibly big bitch you are. I've been spending a lot of time spying on Kate lately. I've done enough eavesdropping to know that you were the one who helped her set me up to be in bed with Brandon."
"I did nothing of the sort! Stop making up stories." For a moment, Eugenia's eyes flickered with fear, but she quickly hid the fear behind a mask of indignance and phony innocence.
"I bet you're going to wish it was a made up story by the time I finish," Sami said, pleased with herself. She had Eugenia's attention. She would start with the truth regarding the situation and go from there, twisting the truth until she had pitted Eugenia against Kate. It wouldn't be too hard; Eugenia was playing right into her hands. "I also know that you're trying to get financial help from Kate."
"You- you-" Eugenia sputtered angrily, giving up the pretense of ignorance. That didn't take long, Sami thought to herself. "You shouldn't spy on people," Eugenia said.
"And you shouldn't drug people and try to ruin their lives," Sami shot back, making Eugenia flush with anger.
"You had it coming, Sami! Can you blame me and Kate for wanting to take you down?" Eugenia smacked her forehead. "Oh, no. How could I have been so stupid? You're getting this on tape, aren't you? Where's the tape recorder, bitch?" Eugenia lunged at Sami.
"There's no tape recorder, Eugenia! That's not why I'm here. I won't need to go after you myself now that Kate's doing it for me." Sami plastered the most triumphant, knowing smile imaginable onto her face. Eugenia lifted her head curiously.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Sami let out a sigh of contentment before elaborating. "Kate doesn't appreciate all your demands and threats. I've heard her on the phone with someone recently– I don't know who– talking about how she's going to get you off her back."
"That's impossible." Eugenia shook her head. "Kate wouldn't turn on me. We were partners. She's going to help me out."
"Kate doesn't even like you. She thinks you're annoying," Sami said, regarding Eugenia with fake pity. "She used you because she couldn't carry out her scheme alone. You're no longer useful to her, so she's going to eliminate you. At least that's what she said to the person she was talking to on the phone. That person could have been anyone. It was probably a hit man or something."
Eugenia paled. "Hit man?" she repeated shrilly. "No way."
"It makes perfect sense. She wants to keep what she did a secret, but you're a wild card and a threat now that you're making all these demands. She's capable of murder. She framed me for a murder she may have committed herself. I almost died because of her. I wonder how much time you have left before she has you killed."
"But I don't want to die." Eugenia's lower lip trembled and tears began to well up in her eyes. She is such a baby, Sami thought with disgust.
"You don't have to if you handle this situation appropriately," Sami told her. "I know how you can make sure Kate won't mess with you."
"Why are you helping me?" Eugenia was sniffling and wiping at her eyes now. "We don't like each other. You have to be doing this for yourself."
"Well, as much as I think you're a pathetic wench with no life, I hate Kate more than I could ever hate you. Me losing Lucas and Will was mostly Kate's fault. You would have been nothing without Kate. Kate planned everything. You were just her brainless little minion." Eugenia opened her mouth to protest, but Sami continued. "I don't want to see you fall if it means that she gets away with everything she's done."
"I am not a brainless minion," Eugenia snapped.
"Right," Sami scoffed before continuing, "As of right now, only I know of your connection to Kate. Lucas knows about the phone calls, but he doesn't believe you and Kate set me up. Not yet, anyways. If Kate gets you killed, no one will believe me when I tell them she's responsible, right?"
"I don't want to talk about me dying." Eugenia whined.
Sami rolled her eyes. "Whatever. The point is, if you want Kate to think twice about killing you, you have to bring everything into the open. Tell everyone the truth. You have to make sure most of Salem knows what she's done and why she would want you dead. Then she wouldn't risk trying to have you killed because if you did die, everyone would look to her first."
"I don't want to get killed," Eugenia sobbed, rocking back and forth on her bed.
"Stop that! Just listen to me!" Sami was running out of patience again. "Do you have any evidence of what Kate did to me that you can show people?" Sami already knew the evidence in question existed. She just hoped Eugenia was scared enough to divulge its existence.
Eugenia was silent for a moment, then confessed, "I taped phone conversations I had with Kate where we were discussing the plan."
Sami beamed at Eugenia. "That's perfect. You should play the tapes when a bunch of people are around to hear them." Sami snapped her fingers. "I know! You can play them for everyone at the opening night of Maggie's new restaurant tonight!"
"Wait a minute," Eugenia said, holding up her hand. "You just want me to rat on Kate so you'll get Lucas and your son back. Why would I want to help you?"
"I helped you by letting you know what Kate was up to, didn't I?" Sami shrugged. "I would just rather see Kate pay for what she's done than see you die. Now that you know what Kate's plans for you are, if you don't do anything it will be your own fault when some guy sneaks into your apartment and shoots you in your sleep."
Eugenia gasped. "I'm not going to let that happen. I will not let Kate kill me! But if I tell everyone what Kate did, then everyone's going to know that I helped her. Everyone will hate me."
"Please, Eugenia," Sami said scornfully, "You were just the follower. Kate was the leader. Everyone is going to know that you wouldn't have done anything if Kate hadn't recruited you to help her."
"I guess you're right..." Eugenia didn't appear to be very convinced.
"Does this mean you'll do it?" Sami leaned forward with anticipation. "I don't know how much time you have left before Kate executes her plan to get rid of you, so I really think you should do it tonight."
Eugenia looked like she felt sick. "Fine, I'll do it, okay? Can you leave now? I think I'm going to throw up."
"I'll go. I just hope you don't chicken out because you know what that could mean." Sami made a slicing motion across her throat. Seeing Eugenia raise her hand to her mouth in horror satisfied Sami, and a victorious grin crept onto her face. She started walking away from the apartment, impatience beginning to get the best of her once more as she envisioned the happiness that night would bring her.