Elizabeth 2022 Chapt 4

Part 4

Jason and Nikolas

Nikolas arrived to pick Jason up and take him wherever he wants to go until he is ready (if ever) to return to Port Charles. While they are waiting for the plane to get refueled, Spencer calls. "Father, I thought you might want to know that Elizabeth is missing. A few weeks ago, she checked herself into Shadybrook, for reasons I'll let Cameron or grandmother tell you, but I promised Cam not to tell anyone, but now that a police report has been filed, I thought you'd want to know. Grandmother needs you right now as well as Cam, Jake, and Aiden. Where are you and how soon can you get home?"

Nikolas is visibly upset which Jason has picked up on. "I have a brief layover and I am refueling and should be back in Port Charles in about four-five hours," he replies.

Jason waited until Nikolas hung up the phone and asks, "What's wrong?"

Nikolas replies, "I guess Elizabeth checked herself into Shadybrook without my knowledge and now she is missing. Spencer just told me. Jason, I promise, if I had known Elizabeth did this, I would have told you. I don't know the reasons. Spencer wouldn't tell me why. He said Cam and Laura would explain. I know I promised to take you wherever you wanted, but I think this takes priority as I assume you would want to be there. Maybe this is Helena's doing from the grave."

Jason agrees and says, "I believe you, but I want to get back home as soon as possible, but until I know what happened to Elizabeth, I don't want to let on I am alive. I don't know if this would scare away whoever took Elizabeth, and I refuse to believe she left of her own accord. Do you have a place I can stay? I don't want to use any of my or Sonny's safehouses."

Nikolas replies, I wouldn't recommend Wyndemere as Ava is there and Spencer could show up unannounced at any time. I will check out other places, maybe outside of Port Charles. I promise to keep you informed of anything Laura or Cameron tells me." He picks up the phone and calls Anna asking for a favor, says he will explain everything he knows so far when Jason is settled. The jet takes off.

Kevin, Laura, Carly, and the Police:

Laura calls Carly and requests an immediate meeting. She explains what happened and how she was the only other person on the visitor logs. "Carly, I'm not accusing you, but maybe you can tell me why you went to see Elizabeth. You and Elizabeth are not what I'd call friends."

Carly replies, "you are right about that, but she called to warn me about Esme Prince. Are you aware she may be the one who filmed Cameron and Josselyn's sex tape?"

Laura says, "no I was not. Kevin approved an internship for her. Do you think she had something to do with her disappearance?"

Carly answers, "I think it's possible. She asked me to promise secrecy, but I told her if something happened, I'd speak up. She told me Esme found her and was taunting her, questioning her sanity. She said no one would believe Elizabeth if she said Esme was harassing her. She believed she could handle Esme and since there were security cameras, I shouldn't worry. Was Esme seen on the cameras? I'm sorry, I didn't think she would go this far and maybe I should have spoken up sooner."

Laura replies, "no, I don't know if the cameras caught Liz leaving. Don't blame yourself. Elizabeth wasn't worried enough to tell Kevin or me. If it was Esme, she would know all the blind spots of the cameras and there is an employee exit in the back and no alarms would be sounded if she had a key card. Thank you for updating me and I'll fill in Kevin and Dante. "

Laura drives to the PCPD and updates Kevin and Dante on what Carly told her. She asks Kevin if he can access the cameras and have an expert analyze them and check the cameras outside. Dante asks "Laura can you give consent to have someone outside the department dissect the tapes, or do I need to ask Cameron? I know someone whos very good at examining tapes such as these."

Laura replies, "I think it's okay for me to give consent. After Franco died, she signed papers wanting me to make decisions for her and be there for her kids. Audrey is too old to keep up with them now and Elizabeth has made it very clear she does not want her sister Sarah to be in charge. She could have gone with Nikolas, but I think she wanted the boys to live in town and not be associated with the Cassidine name and the dangers attached to it. We don't know where Lucky is most of the time and for something like a release form, it is easier this way." Laura signs the consent form and pulls Kevin aside to talk.

Laura asks Kevin about Esme. "I assume Esme is not a patient of yours and there is no patient confidentiality. Do you have any insight about Esme knowing what you know now?"

Kevin replies, "A professor at PCU recommended her for an internship. I supervised her a few times, and reviewed a couple of papers, she's very smart. I never saw her with Elizabeth and the only thing that struck me as odd was she asked a lot of questions about…" Kevin's pager beeps and he says, "sorry, but I'll have to finish this conversation later." He kisses Laura goodbye and heads back to the hospital.

Dante calls Spinelli and asks him for a favor. He remembers when Ewen kidnapped Elizabeth. Elizabeth called Jason, and Spinelli was able to determine where she might be based on the noises and direction the car was going when she had the phone on. Dante gives the tapes to him and asks "see what you can find on them, specifically if you can catch who might have taken Elizabeth Baldwin and where she might have gone"

Spinelli replies, "Audacious One, I will comply and have results post haste."

Elizabeth:

Esme was able to lead Elizabeth away from Shadybrook and tie her to a chair in a seedy motel room. She waited until. Elizabeth came to after her drugged stupor. She slapped her face and Elizabeth jerked awake and struggled against the ropes.

"Good, you're awake. I told you I'd be back. I think we should talk, but first I don't want to deprive you of a meal." She unties Elizabeth's hands and throws a bag carrying a burger and fries on her lap and places a soda on the table next to her.

Elizabeth still getting her bearings decides to stay silent until she can figure out what to say and what questions to ask, but she says those questions to herself in her head. After finishing her food, she knows what to say. "Why me? What did I do to you? Why did you target my son and his girlfriend? Did you enjoy embarrassing them to all their friends?"

Esme pauses, smirks, and replies, "yes, I did enjoy embarrassing them, especially Cameron. I'm not surprised you figured it was me. A bonus was how much it hurt you, that I hurt your son. Why you? Well, I'll give you some time to think back to many years ago. What did you do to me? Nothing, nothing at all. I'll let you sleep on that" She leads Elizabeth to the bed and ties her up and gags her.

Jason and Nikolas:

Nikolas's jet landed and Anna met them and took them to a safe house. She was able to get an update from Laura on Elizabeth and clued Nikolas and Jason about the events.

"There's this girl, Spencer's ex-girlfriend, Esme Prince who is suspected of taking Elizabeth. Spinelli is reviewing the security cameras. Elizabeth checked herself into Shadybrook for a variety of reasons. One was her grief over Franco and initially, she was taking sleeping medication to help, but they affected her thinking, and she was losing time. She stopped taking them, but she also forgot conversations. Apparently, according to Carly Cameron and Josslyn had sex for the first time and Esme filmed it and released it to everyone on campus. You can imagine how that affected them, even more so Josslyn because the boys harassed her about it. It upset Carly and Elizabeth took it hard since she felt she couldn't protect her sons. Esme had an internship at Shadybrook and tormented Elizabeth. She asked Carly to ask Sonny to put guards on Joss and her kids because Esme said she was going back to Port Charles to see some friends. She asked Carly not to say anything because she thought she could handle Esme. When Elizabeth went missing, they started investigating and Carly provided vital information."

Nikolas thanked Anna and said he wanted to find his mother and see if he could help. He asked Jason, "are you ready to show yourself now? Are you going to stay here? Because I'm walking out the door now."

Jason replies, "if you can find Spinelli bring him to me when he finds anything from those tapes, I only want him to know I'm here, no one else. Thank you and good luck."

Nikolas and Anna leave.

Elizabeth:

Elizabeth awakens and suddenly she remembers what connection she has to Esme…..