Author's Note: Thought I'd end up wrapping up the conversation at the end of this chapter in this chapter. But I'm still going back and forth on what direction to take it. In the last chapter, I forgot an author's note. I meant to note Stuart Damon's (Alan Quartermaine) passing. I have to say the Quartermaine fights really haven't been the same with the older Quartermaine's gone. Part of me always did hope that Alan would show up again. Anyway, have a wonderful weekend!
After spending most of the night searching for his mother, Cyrus entered his hotel suite. He noticed the door to the guest room was opened and the light was on. Cyrus moved cautiously towards the room
He looked into the room, stunned to see Florence in the bed.
"Of course, you'd be the one to move me on a whim," Florence said.
Before he could react, he heard a pounding on the hotel room door.
Cyrus didn't respond. The pounding continued.
"I saw you walk in, Cyrus," Martin said.
"Just be quiet," Cyrus whispered to Florence quickly shutting the door.
He attempted to compose himself and only opened the hotel room door briefly.
"What do you want, Martin?" Cyrus said as Martin shoved the door open. Two PCPD officers stood outside along with a member of hotel security.
"That was some trick, brother," Martin said, storming towards the guest room and flinging the doors open.
"Marty," Florence said, "Get me out of here and away from your brother."
"Now hold on a minute," Cyrus said.
"Officers, my mother is here," Martin said, motioning for the officers to come in, "Cyrus, this is a new low even for you. Kidnapping Mama in an attempt to frame Jason Morgan."
"I don't know how Mother got here," Cyrus said, "I'm just as surprised as you to find her here."
"Come off it, Cyrus," Martin said, "Do you really expect anyone to believe that? She's here in your room."
"I'm sure the hotel cameras will show who brought Mama here?" Cyrus said.
"Likely someone on your payroll," Martin replied, "Even if no one can prove it. I'm sure you covered your tracks there. Make no mistake I will be filing for sole guardianship of Mama."
"I wouldn't be so hasty, dear brother," Cyrus replied, "How did you know Mama was here?"
"A tip came into the hotline reporting that someone fitting Mama's description was seen entering this room number," Martin replied, "I offered to check it out with two officers waiting on standby if it proved to be true."
"You'll need to come with us to the station, Mr. Renault," one of the officers said.
"I'll be calling my lawyer first," Cyrus replied, "I want it on record that I was set up. My attorney will be requesting the call to the PCPD be traced and for all of the security footage."
"We will check the footage, Mr. Renault," the MetroCourt security officer said, "But due to privacy regulations, there aren't as many security cameras as one would think. If I recall you requested to be in one of the more private areas of the MetroCourt and there are almost no cameras in this area."
Cyrus's face fell.
"If you really were set up, Cyrus," Martin said, "You set yourself up for that one."
The next morning – Kellie and Jason's house.
Kellie woke up to Jason getting dressed and Kelsey babbling on the baby monitor.
"I'll get the kids off to school," Jason said, "Take your time."
"Hold on a minute," Kellie said, "When I said Florence was handled last night, I left a few things out."
"What happened?" Jason asked.
"I ran into Martin Grey outside the house before we left last night," Kellie said, "Discovered there's not much fondness between Cyrus, him, and his mother. If it weren't for how expensive Florence's care is, Martin and Florence wouldn't bother with him."
"But what does that have to do with Florence being returned to the care facility?" Jason said.
"She'll eventually go back to the facility if she hasn't already," Kellie said, "I returned her to Cyrus's room at the MetroCourt. The PCPD should have gotten an anonymous tip that she'd been spotted there."
"So everyone will think Cyrus kidnapped his own mother as some sort of scheme," Jason said.
"Maybe even to make you look bad," Kellie said.
"I assume you made sure no one saw you in person or on camera," Jason said, "And that any computer records were erased?"
"Yes to all of that. We have a handy gadget that opens hotel doors without leaving a record," Kellie said, "Probably won't get him arrested. It would have taken more time to leave a paper trail. But the confusion should work enough to keep the heat off you and Carly. Florence assumes Cyrus was the one that moved her. It might give Mr. Grey what he needs to keep Cyrus from running roughshod all over him and Florence."
"We should be in the clear then," Jason said, "But Cyrus could still retaliate."
"He still could," Kellie said, "But it could look like overkill if he's not careful."
"At the very least it gives the other families a clear signal we're not kidnapping women and children," Jason said as Jamie yelled at the door.
"Are you two staying in there all day?" he said, "Kelsey stinks by the way."
"I think we're up for the day," Kellie said.
"I'll get Kelsey and make sure everyone else is getting dressed," Jason said.
"I'll get the coffee," Kellie said, "And breakfast."
After the kids left for school, Jason was feeding Kelsey while Kellie finished her breakfast when Carly stormed in.
"What the hell Jason?" Carly said, "I thought we decided keeping Florence was our best option. Imagine my surprise to get a phone call from Olivia that the PCPD is taking Cyrus to the station for questioning because they found Florence in his room."
"Actually, you decided Carly," Jason said, "I didn't agree. Florence has nothing to do with this. You had no business taking her in the first place."
"I'm going to take Kelsey into the other room," Kellie said, getting up and grabbing her from the high chair.
"Not so fast," Carly said, "You weren't happy yesterday when you found out about Florence. What did you say to Jason to get him to change his mind?"
"Nothing he wasn't already thinking, Carly," Kellie said, "If Jason really thought that was a good idea, nothing I said would have changed his mind."
Kellie left the kitchen.
"Now we don't have any leverage against Cyrus," Carly said, "I can't believe you gave that up."
"If you talked to me first, I would have said no to taking her to start with," Jason said, "This way, it doesn't get traced back to you or me. Hopefully, it reduces the chances of someone going after one of the kids."
"I thought we were in this together, Jason," Carly said, "How could you just make that decision without talking to me first?"
"Carly, you are not involved those types of business decisions," Jason said, "That is not the type of decision I would ever discuss with you to begin. I had to act fast to rectify the situation."
"The situation didn't need rectifying," Carly said.
"Enough, Carly," Jason yelled, "You had no right to make that decision behind my back. Do you have any idea what you've actually done besides kidnap Florence? You've created a situation that cause confusion about who's in charge of the business."
"What are you talking about?" Carly asked, "I've asked the guards for things before."
"Carly, you gave an order that should have come from me," Jason said, "This wasn't the typical security you make adjustments regarding. This was a business move. The men listened to you."
"I didn't exactly tell them until they got to the facility what the job was," Carly said.
"So they wouldn't ask questions, right Carly," Jason replied, "You also walked into a meeting you had no business being at."
"How was I or Brando supposed to know that Kellie had taken care of Cyrus and he was just blowing smoke about having evidence tying her and you to Garrett's death?" Carly replied.
"If I'm going to be able to protect you," Jason replied, "I need you trust me to handle the situation even if you don't know what's going on? Even in that type of situation where Cyrus is making threats like that."
"Jason, I need to trust that I'm not going to lose you too," Carly said.
"Carly, I know what I'm doing," Jason said.
"Cyrus seems to be getting his claws in everywhere," Carly replied, "With Sonny gone, I mean really gone, everything seems so uncertain."
"Here's what you need to be certain of Carly," Jason said, "I'm not going anywhere and I am in charge the business. That means you can't do things that would call that into question like interfere in the business. I thought we covered this years ago, there some parts of the business you will never touch. If you interfere again, Carly, you won't like the outcome."
"While you're trying to manage this transition of power," Carly asked, "Who's watching your back?"
"I am," Kellie said, coming back into the kitchen.
