Rick looked up at his wife's exclamation, then grinned widely.

"Barnabas, I'm glad you got here in time." He said, getting up and extending a hand. He had gotten a call that morning that his wife's cousin had decided to accept Laurie's invite to Oscar's party, and had immediately arranged a pick up at the airport for the older man.

"Wait a minute, you knew he was coming, darling...oh, you are a stinker!" Laurie giggled, hugging her cousin, then coming to Rick and kissing him.

"That's not what I would have called him, baby, but I'm glad you came...how are you, Barnabas?" Oscar shook hands and offered him a seat. Immediately Barnabas was surrounded by Robin and Robbie and their children, curious about their grandmother's relation.

As her cousin patiently answered their questions, Laurie sat between Rick and Oscar, beaming as her nieces and nephews competed as to who would bring their "Uncle Barnabas" something to drink or eat.

"Thank you, Rick, you were so sweet to surprise Dad and me today." She whispered in her husband's ear. Rick flushed, embarrassed to admit he hadn't exactly followed up on their invite until Barnabas's call.

"Well, you deserve sweet, my sweetheart." He said, pretending to be modest. He saw Oscar give him a wry look, then Laurie caught the look on both men's faces.

"All right, Dad, Rick, whatever it is, you can spill later...time to cut the cake."

"Yes, Mrs. Simon..." Rick replied, catching her fingers in his and helping her up. Just then Barnabas came up to them, and quietly asked, "After the party, I need to speak to you both about something urgent that has come up."

"Sure, Barnabas, why don't we go into the Center study after we serve dessert." Rick suggested.

As the guests departed and the children were organized into a "clean up" brigade, Laurie let Rick and Barnabas into the family-style room that was used for small meetings.

"I was afraid it wasn't just for Dad's birthday that you came, Barnabas." she began, sitting down across from him.

"Much as I wish it was for Oscar's day only, I am in need of your expertise, Rick...this is another one of those days I miss Joseph." Her cousin added, sadly. Rick nodded, Chief Joseph had been gone almost eight months, but his loss was still felt hardest when his counsel was needed.

"I know, Barnabas, but I'll do what I can to help." Rick assured him.

"Good. I hoped you'd say that. It's hard to believe, but someone has sent three anonymous letters to Collinwood, one saying our fortune was built on the slave trade. Another stated that Elizabeth was a mad recluse and Roger a greedy slumlord."

"What on earth...who would send such horrid things!"

Rick took Laurie's hand as Barnabas shook his head. "I'm sorry , Laurie, we think it's a developer who wants to take over the shipping company. What worries David and Carolyn is the fact that these letters come from someone who knows our family inside and out."

Laurie shook her head. "Barnabas, I'm afraid our family history is an open book; remember Professor Stokes? He wrote a very popular book on the role the Collins family played in the development of the fishing and shipping of Maine."

"I remember, Eliot's work was very good, but at least he was ...reticent about some of our lives." Rick saw the look in the older man's eyes and knew what he was referring to.

"That's why this is so...disturbing. Laurie, the third letter was about you..."
Barnabas took a folded paper out of his pocket and carefully handed it to her.

Opening the note, Laurie scanned the words, then she angrily thrust it at Rick.

"That's such a lie; trying to make my Grandmother out to be some tramp!" Rick took the paper, then saw what had made his wife so perturbed.

"Do you want Collinsport to know your Cousin Laurie Collins Simon is the daughter of a murderer and the bastard granddaughter of Margaret Collins? How many customers will your company have if these facts are known?"

"Why that son-of-a..., Barnabas, when did you receive this?" Rick was seething, and at once Laurie calmed down and put an arm around him.

"Darling, it's all right...I know it's not right...but I don't like that someone knew about what my stepmother did. Are David and Carolyn okay?"

"Yes, but already someone asked David to have an independent auditor look at the books of the Collins foundation this week, right after we received this. He's so upset, I was hoping you and A.J. would come back east with me for a few days; we need to stop this before it does cost us and our employees."

Barnabas's quiet plea touched Rick deeply, what it must have cost to ask for "outside" help. "Of course I can come, I'll have to check with A.J...wait a minute..."

Rick saw the question in Laurie's eyes, as he said, "Sweetheart, do you think Linda and the kids would like to come too? They've never been anywhere outside of California."

"Oh Rick, that would be great! I would love Ricky and Ceci and Robin and Melly to see the ocean...how beautiful the coast is... Would that be okay, Barnabas?" Laurie turned to look at him, and saw a tentative smile.

"They would be most welcome, my dear. Plus, it would be a good "cover" for you and Rick and A.J. to work under." He replied, seemingly pleased at her idea.

Just then there was a knock on the door, and when Rick called "It's open." Oscar popped his head in.

"There's still some cake if you're interested, guys. Honey, the kids are asking for a story from "Grandma Laurie"." He teased, seeing Rick's smirk.

"I knew my storyteller would be in demand." He snickered, standing up and taking her hand to help her up.

"Your storyteller will just have to save something more for you, then cake." She whispered, kissing his cheek then sashaying out the door. Rick waited a beat, then winked at the two men. "Can you fill Dad in, Barnabas? I have to help her with her story."

Oscar laughed at the bemused expression on Barnabas's face as Rick followed his wife. "You get used to it, my friend. They've been like that since day one."

"And it makes me think I did the right thing, coming here, Oscar. They'll be good for David and Carolyn, remind them that they have people who care about them." The elder Collins replied.

"Then you need to tell me what's going on, maybe I can help." Oscar offered, taking a seat.

As Rick entered the meeting room, he found Laurie surrounded by all the grandchildren and their nieces and nephews, bouncing Melly on her knee.

"Let's see, what kind of story would you like to hear?" she was saying, then Rick came up behind her, and seated himself so she could lean against him.

"Grandpa!" Andy snickered as he proclaimed, "Now she can start."

"That's right." Laurie grinned, then said, "How about a story about Rainbird and Kasey?"

"Mama, tell the one on how they found out they were sisters." Robin asked, then caught the slight shake of her mother's head.

"That's too sad for today, but I know...Temple?"

"Right here, Towne went to get a piece of cake!" she laughed, sitting down next to Cecilia. Rick was glad the former news anchor had wrapped up her syndicated show for the next 3 months, they had all missed her and Towne.

"Can I tell how Elizabeth Temple met Kasey Scott?" Laurie asked. Immediately Towne came back to the circle of family.

"This I want to hear..."