While Jason cleaned up the mess, Caroline walked down the hall to get Rey and Johnny. When the door opened, Johnny narrowed his eyes at her.
"Do not shoot me."
She smiled and shook her head.
"I'm good. You guys alright?"
Rey looked at her like she was crazy.
"We should be asking you that."
"Probably. Come on, we gotta meet."
Once they were inside, Johnny took a good look around then turned to Rey.
"Not as bad as I thought."
Before he could respond, Jason walked out of the kitchen with a broom, dust pan and trash can.
"That was my second trip."
"Ah."
Jason set the stuff down and motioned for them to all find a seat in the living room. He turned to Rey,
"You still taping Benny's phones?"
"Yeah. So far, nothing strange."
Jason rubbed his chin.
"Maybe, maybe not. We didn't know what we were looking for. Get his phone records for the last two years. Incoming and outgoing. Paper and on disk."
That made Rey and Johnny sit up and stare. The tension and anxiety was apparent.
"It's a precaution and a hunch."
They nodded but didn't relax.
"What about Carlos?"
Rey shrugged. He wasn't happy about the situation or lack there of.
"He's business as usual since I started monitoring him. Same thing with the phones. No strange meetings either."
Jason nods.
"Put Maria on him. He wouldn't step out on his wife for anyone else. I've seen the way he eyes her at the casino. He's wanted her for years. She knows what to do. If he talks in his sleep, she'll get it. Put Hector on Maria and make sure she knows she better not talk in hers."
They all laugh.
"Johnny, what's going on with Santiago?"
"Its pissing me off. No meetings and no strange calls so I don't know how they got to him but its definite somebody did. Its probably a federal offense, I'm not sure but considering everything else I figured it wouldn't really matter. The mailman on his route separates his mail first and I go through it. He's sending his oldest daughter to some fancy New England boarding school in the fall. $30,000 a year. She's 13."
"He's stupid and anxious. Probably figures I'll be dead in a week and couldn't put off enrolling her. Keep tracking him.
Tell Francis he's taking a trip. Justice is having some unexpected last minute problems trying to close that deal in Hong Kong. Neither of us could figure out what was holding things up but I think I just found out. Send Francis and Loui over there to watch his back. I'll tell you the message for Francis to give him when they get there."
Johnny nodded but wasn't feeling so well. Justice was Jason's attorney. Lawyers are always off limits even though he and Jason are cousins. Something was definitely not right.
"Next, Emily's on the books. Justice might flip when he finds out about that. He's her cousin too and they're close. I made the offer so I'll take the heat. Once he gets back in town and is updated on the full extent of the situation, I think he'll agree."
Johnny thinks about it for a second and just can't hold it in.
"Gee, you really are running a family business. Think Ms. Lila might want a job?"
"Shut up."
The laughter is good and eases the tension. Jason and Caroline knew the guys would need it. He looked to Caroline and she knew what he was thinking so she nodded before speaking.
"We don't have anymore shit around here to break so you'll have to go back to Rey's. Emily already trashed the study but since that's her office its her headache not mine."
Rey looked at Caroline then turned to Johnny and back her.
"Both of you need sensitivity training. I thought you went to nursing school. That is not the way to prepare someone."
"Its all I got and by the time I finish speaking you'll understand why."
She was going to leave out certain things that were Spencer/Morgan ears only but what she would say would be more than enough. They nodded for her to go ahead. It was the last movement either of them made for quite some time.
When she finished her part she looked to Jason,
"You take it from here. I gotta go send the update. Fill me in later. And you guys help him clean up this stuff before the kids get home."
Emily was on her game. She had a list and Jason was going to be spending some serious cash but her set up would be a hacker's heaven. The only thing that made her smile was thinking how Lucky would drool over all her new toys. Caroline read the list while Em connected with Lucky. Why she needed that many paper shredders was a mystery but since Em was the expert she didn't say a word.
"Ok, we're connected."
"Is aunt Laura in front of the screen?"
Em checked and confirmed.
"Type it exactly like this:
Major set up.
Luke, Bobbie & Jason were always the targets.
Rivera is alive.
Sonny sold us ALL out a year ago.
Benny turned.
Jennifer Smith studying ancient history.
AJ Quartermaine turned.
Bobbie bait for Jason. Michael lure for Bobbie. Fake process server & custody suit. AJ set her up.
General FYI: Tracy Quartermaine Soleto."
"Ok, I sent that."
"Thanks. Now tell Lucky to get up and let Laura sit down because I have something to type for her eyes only."
That made Emily nervous. How much worse could it be? But she did. Then she got up and slid out of her chair. Caroline took a few moments to center herself. Then started typing praying this truly was a secure connection.
Ancient history—Bobbie—Jennifer Smith + AJ Quartermaine=Bobbie MIA.
Valentine...gone. Bahamas three days ago.
Harry Silver...gone. Dom. Rep. two days ago.
Brenda Barrett...gone. Martinique last night.
I'm still working. Rivera, Corinthos, AJ, Jennifer Smith. Need help locating them. AJ or Jennifer should lead to Bobbie. Tell Luke Junior is mine.
Laura Spencer was still trying to get over the shock of the message she read over Lucky's shoulder when she sat down for Caroline's private message. The real Caroline would take some getting used to. But she had to admit her niece was a Spencer through and through after reading this. She also considered the extreme seriousness of the situation before responding.
[I will find Luke and update him on the situation. Only one name from your list is on his.]
Caroline knew it had to be Jennifer and that meant he'd find her mom.
[If he needs a partner send word.]
[Got it. We'll start tracking down the others. Did anyone in Miami know ancient history?]
[Not what we feared. And they can't tell tales now.]
[Good!]
[Watch your back. I don't know what Sonny knows about Damian. Jennifer's working on a Ph.D.]
[Fuck!]
Caroline thought that was funny coming from Laura after she got over the shock.
[If you find Sonny first, tell Luke not to move in. Jason needs specific information from him first.]
[He won't be happy about that.]
[I know but its important.]
[Ok, I'll make sure.]
[Thanks. Let's get up so the kids can chat. Ha!]
[Sure. Take care.]
Before getting up, Caroline got Emily's attention from where she was perched on the couch.
"Lucky's waiting for you but I need to clean the screen before you sit down. Is there any reason I can't on this high tech machine of yours?"
"Nope. Do it like usual."
"I'll give your brother your Christmas list. Maybe some of this stuff is tax deductible because it looks pretty expensive."
"You want quality you have to pay for it. Besides, I warned him I don't come cheap!"
The living room was back to normal though missing a lot of stuff. Rey and Johnny seemed a little better but they didn't have deep personal cuts like Caroline and Jason being sold out that way. She handed Jason the list. He glanced at it and handed it to Rey. His eyes bulged then he looked up at Caroline,
"She's serious?"
"And I quote: If you want quality to have to pay for it. Plus something about her not working cheap. She's more than serious."
"Ok, I'll get the stuff ordered. It should arrive some time tomorrow."
"She'll love that." Then Caroline got serious.
"Jason?"
"Yeah."
"Can you get the luds from GH's main switchboard the day the woman called in mama's leave? 8:00 for two hours. And the direct dial in numbers for personnel. I want to track that woman now that I have and idea who she is."
"You think it was Jennifer?"
"Definitely."
"Sure, I'll have someone get on it."
"Thanks. I found out what's taking uncle Luke so long."
"What?"
"He's not just hunting somebody. He's got a list. Only one name in common with ours, though. Jennifer. Aunt Laura's going to track him down and give him the full deal."
"If he finds Sonny first..."
"I figured you say that and already told her. She said he'll be pissed but she'll work it out."
"Thanks. How'd you find Silver?"
"Valentine told me."
Johnny laughed. He knew how people told her stuff.
"Valentine? Frank Smith's old attorney assigned to Port Charles?"
"Yeah. He worked for Sonny after the transition until he tried to take him out and step in. Luke wanted him gone but Sonny let him walk."
The groans and epithets filling the room were her only response. Jason wanted more details.
"Where'd you find him?"
"Bahamas. Three days ago."
"You kill him?"
"I like to think of it as facilitating his transition to the after life."
Jason smirked.
"Did you facilitate him?"
"Yeah."
"Anyone else?"
She wasn't so sure she should mention this part. There was history with everyone in the room. Good or bad it still was history. Plus, that one wasn't pretty. When she didn't speak immediately they all knew she was stalling.
"Caroline?"
"Hmm?"
"Anyone else?"
"Yeah."
"Who?"
She took a minute to glance around the room and then toward the stairs.
"Brenda."
They just stared at her, too stunned to speak. Rey finally blurted it out.
"Barrett? Brenda Barrett? You killed Brenda?"
Johnny understood the reason but he was still shocked. Not so shocked he couldn't be a smart ass.
"Facilitate remember?"
"Whatever."
Jason gave her the come clean look with a raised eyebrow.
Annoyed for some reason she really couldn't put her finger on,
"Yeah. Brenda Barrett. And it'll be a closed casket if they ever find her body. Happy now?"
The room was still for 5 seconds then all three men cracked up laughing.
Jason fell down on the couch still laughing. For some reason he found that extremely funny.
"You just got a fucking raise."