Chapter 3

May 22, 2003 – Pine Valley

Kendall approached the bar at the Valley Inn, and ordered a Cosmo. After her encounter with Michael, she needed to calm her jangled nerves. As she waited for it to arrive, she took out her cell phone and called her mother. On the way over from the police department, she figured out who it was she almost ran into in the jail corridor. It was Michael's brother, Alex Junior. Or rather, Zach Slater, as he called himself. Michael had shown her pictures of the two of them as young teens. He had also pointed out a picture of his brother that appeared in the newspaper when Slater announced the upcoming grand opening of his casino in Rio de Janeiro. The two-dimensional publicity shot hadn't even remotely compared to seeing the man in person. She had felt so overpowered in that one moment – it came as a complete shock. So stunned was she, and confused by why he seemed familiar, that she allowed the prison guard to nudge her along down the hallway, when in hindsight it probably would have been a good idea to eavesdrop.

Erica finally answered her cell. "Mother? It's Kendall. I have some disturbing news. I just ran into Michael's brother down at the police station. Zach Slater, the one with all the casinos? He was going down to the holding cell. What if he helps Michael get out of jail? He has a lot of money and influence."

There was a pause, then Erica asked, "Well, what do you know of their relationship? Didn't Slater walk away from his family years ago? He even changed his name."

Kendall drummed her fingers on the bar. "Yes, that's true. But according to Michael, they still keep in contact. Michael's always laughing over how Zach tries to lure him away from Cambias to come work for him. He wants Michael away from Alexander, their father. Michael is contemptuous of the fact that his brother abandoned their family. He said he would never abandon his father, no matter how badly the old man treated him."

Erica snorted. "I bet he tried to make it sound noble, but sounds to me like he just has a daddy complex."

Kendall winced, wondering if Erica thought she had a mommy complex. "So what should we do, Mother?"

Erica sighed. "Well, its certainly possible that this Zach Slater will ride to his brother's rescue. If he does, then we can hope that Michael will leave town with his brother, and we won't have to deal with any more Cambias men."

Kendall bit her lip. "Mother, there's something else you should know. Michael made some threats against you."

Zach made his way down the hall towards the lounge at the Valley Inn. He was more than ready for a scotch. He slowed when he saw someone exiting the lounge. Kendall Hart. He hadn't wanted to deal with her earlier, did he want to deal with her now? Part of him wanted to find out more about the woman detailed so dramatically in the dossier up in his room. The detective who researched Michael's activities in Pine Valley learned quite a lot from gossips, who were more than willing to fill his ears about the notorious Erica Kane's notorious daughter. She had been up to quite a lot since she returned to town last year. The big question was how much of it was true? Zach watched as she walked in the opposite direction from him, and went into the ladies room.

Zach went into the lounge and walked over to the bar, even though he really felt like going back up to his room to his laptop. Zach requested a scotch, neat, from the bartender. Ever since Michael mentioned seeing Maureen, he felt restless. For years since she left, he had managed to avoid the temptation to find out what happened to her. She hadn't left without a trace, as his employee had speculated. She did leave a note – which he disposed of immediately. It simply said, "I love you so much, but my past is catching up with me. I do not want you to interfere – please respect my wishes. Maureen." He never knew what her story was, only that she had faked her identity. He understood that her life was muddled, and so out of respect for her, he chose not to complicate it further. Nevertheless, it hurt a great deal that she didn't trust him enough to let him in, to let him help.

Zach received his scotch and took a sip. Hell if he knew what Michael was getting at by bringing up Maureen. Based on Michael's attempt to dodge Zach's question, he had a suspicion that Maureen was indeed in Pine Valley. Why would she be here in this backwater town? Was this where she had lived before she appeared in the desert? Was it mere coincidence that Michael and Maureen, the two most important people in Zach's life, had ended up here, of all places? Fate apparently had an excellent sense of humor. He wondered if anything else he treasured would pop up out of nowhere - perhaps the Snoopy toy he lost as a kid, and his father told him to get the fuck over it.

Kendall left the ladies room, depressed over her conversation with Erica. Her mother had dismissed Kendall's warning that Michael was out for revenge, then berated Kendall for having visited Michael in jail. Kendall felt lower than dirt when Erica implied that very little was changed between them. Michael was right after all, Erica still didn't give a damn about her.

Kendall entered the lounge and retrieved her purse, which she had forgotten in her agitated state. She was startled to see that Zach Slater was now sitting at the bar. She paused. What was it about him that made everything else in the room seem to fall away? A man like this was dangerous. She'd seen it before, with Chris Stamp and her mother. Chris oozed sex appeal, almost overflowed with testosterone. Not macho, really, but just…manly in the best sense of the word. Zach was like Chris, but with the added veneer of sophistication. Definitely dangerous. He looked deep in thought as he sipped his drink. Feeling vulnerable after her discussion with Erica, Kendall didn't want to face what would surely be a formidable opponent. Hoping he wouldn't notice her and recognize her from the jail, she nonchalantly swept by him, preparing to head out the door. She had just made it past him, when his right arm snaked out and his fingers enclosed around her upper arm in a gentle, yet firm grip.

Pulling her towards him, he gave her a speculative look. "We've already done the 'two ships passing in the night' routine. I thought we'd try something different this time - such as polite introductions. Zach Slater." He held out his hand.

She stared at him a moment, then put her hand in his. "Kendall Hart. But I suppose you already knew that."

He shook her hand and, without letting go, smiled enigmatically at her. "Well, you've been playing a pretty important role in my brother's life recently. I've made sure to find out a great deal about you."

She snorted. "Let me guess, you have a file? Do me a favor and make a copy for me? I'm sure it will be a big help when I write my autobiography."

Zach still hadn't let go of her hand. "I have a feeling yours will surpass your mother's book. You have a certain underdog quality that would appeal more to the masses."

Kendall frowned. "Thanks…I think." She really wished that he would let go of her hand. When his long fingers closed around her arm, earlier, she had felt a shiver of awareness. When they shook hands, she felt a spark that sent a fissure of warmth running up her arm and down her spine. She didn't want to pull away, and let him know he made her uncomfortable. Hell, he probably already knew and that was why he didn't let go. She decided to turn up the heat herself. "Well, I guess you're in town to rescue baby brother from the big bad wolves?"

He raised an eyebrow. "I'm here to make sure that everyone plays fair."

She snorted. "I'm supposed to believe that, unlike your father or your brother, you follow the rules? That just because you changed your name, you don't follow the same pattern of behavior?"

Zach shrugged. "I would be lying if I said I played by the rules, but that isn't what really matters."

She smiled stiffly. "What does matter?"

He let go of her hand and took a sip of his drink. "Motive. Rules become meaningless obstacles if there are unselfish motives at stake. Would you agree?"

Kendall stared at him, wondering what he was getting at. "I've never been put to the test. No one I care about has ever put me in that position. I don't know, really, what lengths I might go to in order to help someone I love, such as my mother or my…sister." She suddenly realized that he could have possibly been referring to his brother. Was he trying to tell her that he would circumvent the law in order to help Michael in his current situation?

Kendall glanced at the entrance to the bar, and the blood drained from her face. Michael was standing there, looking around. His eyes caught and held Kendall's for a moment. He looked smug, triumphant. She broke the eye contact in order to glare at Zach. "You try to make yourself sound noble by using phrases such as 'unselfish motives.' The truth is that you're an enabling asshole who only cares about getting your brother to dance to your tune instead of your father's. You don't give a damn about the damage your brother does, only that you can win him over to you as a final fuck off to Alex Senior. Well, I hope your little plan worked and that you'll take your brother and get the hell out of Pine Valley!"

Michael reached the bar just in time for Kendall to shove her way past him as she stormed out of the room. Zach turned in bewilderment to watch her go, and saw Michael standing there with a smirk. "So much for seducing her, big brother."

Zach stared at him. "I wasn't trying to… What the hell are you doing out of jail?"

Michael chuckled and ordered a shot of tequila. "My father and my brother may have left me to rot, but there are others who are a little more generous. A true benefactor came and bailed me out."

Zach narrowed his eyes. "Who?"

Michael tossed back his tequila, then tapped the bar for another. "None of your fucking business."

Zach took a deep breath. "Whoever it is probably has their own agenda. Watch your back, Michael."

Michael tossed back his second shot, and then looked over at Zach with unholy mirth. "You're the one who should be checking between your shoulder blades for a dagger. Or a stiletto. Kendall always looked hot in stilettos. Especially if she wasn't wearing anything else." He giggled as he knocked back a third shot.

Zach was unable to stop the resulting image from entering his head. Annoyed with Michael, he stood up. "I have better things to do than slam my head against a brick wall. Try and stay out of trouble until tomorrow, Michael."

Michael paused in the process of grasping his fourth shot. "I hope you have sweet dreams of Maureen, tonight. Because that is all you'll ever have of her." He giggled again as Zach shook his head and walked away.