Chapter 18

"What are you doing here?" Robin didn't move but she did begin looking around the cottage, trying to figure out the best escape route.

"Following through on our plan." Manrico took Robin's arm and led her to the table. "Please, have a seat."

She sat down as she asked her question. "What plan?"

"Our plan." He sat down and was surprised to see a look of confusion on her face. He poured the champagne as he reminded her. "We fake your death, escape from Jerry and then come here to get Emma."

"Manrico, I…" Technically what he was saying was true but the plan had never included the two of them being together.

"Now we can get Emma and go start our life together." He handed her a glass. "Did you tell her about me?"

"Uh, no, not yet. I have been concentrating on getting Patrick to trust me with her again." Robin took a small sip of the champagne while she tried to think about her next move. "In fact, I really need to go home and tell her. Then we can arrange for the two of you to meet and get to know each other."

She started to stand up but he put his hand on her arm and gently stopped her. "Soon – right now I just want to enjoy being with you again."

Robin nodded her head and sat back down. "That sounds great but in order to do that I need to arrange for someone to pick up Emma from school. Why don't I call my cousin and have her do that so we can have some more time together?"

While she waited for his answer, Robin put her hands under the table and took off her engagement ring, putting it in her jeans pocket. Manrico was obviously unstable and she was afraid of what he would do if he saw it. She took another small sip of her drink and smiled at him. "Please?"

He stood up and walked over to her. Leaning down, he kissed her cheek. "Of course – I wouldn't want that ex-husband of yours accusing you of being unreliable and stopping you from getting custody."

"Thank you." Robin pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialed Maxie. She tried not to cringe as Manrico stood over her and put both his hands on her shoulders.

"Okay," Maxie began speaking before Robin even got to say hello, "I have the flowers picked out, the champagne is ordered…"

"Maxie, I need you to do me a favor and pick up Emma from school." Robin prayed that Maxie would remember their earlier conversation.

Maxie stopped what she was doing, confused. Robin had already asked her do that before she left to meet up with Patrick. "Robin, are you okay? Is Patrick with you?"

"No, it's just that I ran into someone that I haven't seen for a few weeks and we are catching up." Robin felt Manrico kneel down beside her and knew he was listening to the call. "It's Patrick's night with Emma so why don't you just take her to him and I will call you later."

"Of course." Maxie could hear the fear in Robin's voice as she told her lie. Maxie closed up her tablet and headed out the door and to her car. She needed to get Emma to safety immediately. "In fact, I am going to get her over to Mac's house right now. I love you Robin and I will see you soon."

Robin relaxed – Maxie was getting help. "I love you too."

Maxie got in her car and called Mac. "I'm getting Emma and heading to your house – Robin is in trouble."


Patrick walked over to the nurse's station as he made additional notes on the chart. "I can't believe he spiked a fever right as we were taking him into surgery. Monitor the patient but I want the fever gone for at least 24 hours before we reschedule."

"Yes doctor." Epiphany was about to say something else when she saw Robert and Anna run up to the nurse's station. "Patrick, you have visitors."

Patrick turned around to see his once and future in-laws standing there. One look at their faces and he knew something was wrong. "Where are they?"

"Emma is safe and at Mac's." Anna stepped forward to deliver the news. "We don't know where Robin is but…"

Patrick stormed over to the elevators, Anna and Robert close at his heels. "But what Anna? Which one of your enemies has decided to use Robin as a bargaining chip this time?"

Anna flinched but Robert didn't back down. "Look, casting blame isn't going to bring Robin home but we are pretty sure that it is one of Jerry's henchmen that has Robin. A guy by the name of Manrico."

"The one who helped her escape?" Patrick was confused. "Why would he do that?"

"I called Frisco on my way over here to make sure Jacks was still in Steinmauer and he told me that all through Manrico's debriefing he kept asking about Robin." Robert was deputy chief of the WSB and Manrico's entire file was being e-mailed to them as they spoke. "Apparently he developed quite the fixation on her. Frisco didn't realize that the man had come to Port Charles or he would have warned us."

The elevator doors opened and the trio got on. Patrick shook his head. "This damn town seems to be a beacon to people like him and the Cassadines. What do we do now?"

Robert's answer was simple. "We bring Robin home."