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Chapter 26

"I got a text from your mother inviting us to dinner." Liz said the next morning. They were in the kitchen having coffee. Jason made her an omelet which made her smile. He made the same thing for her the morning after the blackout.

"We need to go. I think it's the only chance we will have of getting our children back." Jason said laughing. "I think if my mother didn't have a job we might have to track her down regularly to reclaim the boys."

"I'm glad that she is enjoying them so much. I wish Alan could have met them." Liz said with a sad smile.

"Me too." Jason missed his dad. When Alan got out of the hospital after his close call at the Metro Court he had called his son over to the mansion for a talk. It was the first of several, and not all were nice. During one of their conversations Monica came in and sent Jason home because he and Alan were yelling at each other. But eventually they worked everything out. The last years of his life Alan was once again close to his youngest son. "Emily said that he is watching us all from heaven. I think Lila believes the same thing. Tracy thinks he is haunting her."

"She tried to change his will." Liz pointed out. "She deserves to be haunted. It's not like she is broke." Tracy was not someone Liz liked.

"We don't have to deal with her which I'm happy about." Jason said finishing his coffee. "What are you going to do with all your free time today?" If he had more warning he would have booked her a spa day.

"I have some errands to run." Liz said grinning. "I like shopping with Jake and Cam, but I will move faster without them." It was rare for her to have a Saturday to herself. Jason was already scheduled to go into work so they wouldn't be spending the day together. "Maybe I'll do some Christmas shopping."

"That's just wrong." Jason said giving his girl a look. "You have to wait until December before starting your Christmas shopping. I'm pretty sure that's a law."

"You are quoting the law." Liz said laughing. "With both our sons away I can pick up their gifts and bring them into the house without having to sneak around. It's just easier."

"If you shop today, I won't get to go." Jason was looking forward to picking out items for the boys to open on Christmas morning.

Liz leaned forward and kissed him. He was too sweet. "How about if I shop for the adults on our list, and we can shop for the boys together later? That way you can play with all the toys in the store."

"Smartass." Jason said against her lips. "Thank you. I'm looking forward to this holiday." His first as a dad.

"Me too." Liz was going to take about a million pictures so the boys would have mementos of the day. "Are you going to go crazy?"

"Yes." Jason said starting to smile. "Just let me get it out of my system and I'll calm down." There was no point in even fighting it. He was laughing at himself as he looked at the clock. "I have to go, I'll be back around lunch."

"I'll meet you here." Liz said giving him a kiss before watching him walk out of the kitchen. She put their mugs in the dishwasher before reaching for the phone to call Cody.

She was putting on her scarf when the doorbell rang. "Where is your coat?" Liz asked her guard who was standing on the porch in just his suit jacket and a scarf. The man wasn't even wearing a hat.

"We won't be outside for long so I don't need one. I have a scarf." He pointed to the red and yellow garment. Nadine had given it to him last week.

"It's almost Thanksgiving. You can't be running around without a coat." Liz said setting the alarm and locking the door. "I'm getting cold just looking at you." The mommy in her was not happy. "Does Nadine know you are out like this?" Liz asked as they headed over to the car which was still running. She noticed Cody always made sure the vehicle was warm when they went out.

"She does." Cody grinned as he opened Elizabeth's door. "She said that she was going to let you lecture me because as a mom you would do it better." He got behind the wheel and laughed. "I haven't been wearing a coat at all this winter."

"I've noticed. Today it's really cold." Elizabeth pointed to the dash which was showing the external temperature. "Today is the first day it's below freezing while the sun is out." It was set to warm up later in the week, but these temps would be back to stay until spring showed up soon. "I thought Jason was bad. Wear your coat tomorrow. You were a solider which means you have a nice warm one that was issued to you."

"Yes ma'am." Cody did have a dress coat from his service days. It still fit and was still in great shape. He would wear it from now on so that his girlfriend and his charge didn't gang up on him. He would never win if they joined forces. "Where to?"

"The Crimson offices. I need to see Kate." Liz would do this one good deed and then start looking for a Christmas gift for Jason. She expected that was not going to be easy.

"Elizabeth." Kate was surprised to see Jason's fiance in her waiting area. If you asked who might stop by the office today Liz's name wouldn't have even made the list. They didn't interact much with one another. That had been the case since Kate moved here. That was primarily because Sonny and Liz didn't get along. The fact that Kate could be a diva didn't help either. "If this is about the Nurses' Ball Crimson will be leaving the area so we aren't interested in a sponsorship this year."

"No, it's not." Liz didn't even have the annual fundraiser on her radar just yet. It wouldn't take place until early summer. "I came to talk to you about Maxie."

"She doesn't work here anymore, so if she's done something to annoy you I can't help you." Kate didn't have time to babysit anyone's child.

"Maybe we should talk in private." Liz wasn't proud of what she was about to do, but in the long run she was hoping it would have a positive outcome.

"Absolutely. Will Mr. Paul be coming?" Kate pointed to the guard. When she was with Sonny she had a guard. It was not something she missed.

"No, he'll wait here." Liz said nodding to Cody before following Kate into her private space. "I'd like for you to give Maxie her job back and for you to take her to California."

"That's not going to happen. She's too unprofessional." Kate was not pleased that Maxie was flirting with Franco. The magazine editor had hoped to snag his attention, which was why she offered him a spread.

"We've all done things we regret, and made choices that we really shouldn't have." Liz said trying diplomacy first. "And we pay for them. Maxie being terminated got your point across, rehiring her will make an even bigger point. I'm also guessing she will work twice as hard to prove she can do better."

"Why do you even care?" Kate asked curious. "She destroyed your marriage so you are the last person who should be advocating for her."

"Last night I witnessed Maxie hit rock bottom. Having had some really low points in my life, I'd like to help." Liz wasn't looking to be Maxie's friend, but she didn't want Georgie to be worried about her sister. "I think having something good in her life will help Maxie stay on the right path." Liz would try appealing to Kate's compassionate nature first.

"I'm not interested in holding anyone's hand. Maxie can straighten her life out on her own time, not mine." Kate said looking at Elizabeth. "I'm too busy to play mommy."

"Would you hire her to avoid going to prison?" Liz asked smiling. Since the other attempt didn't work, it was time to play hardball.

"What are you talking about?" Kate asked crossing her arms over her chest.

"I'm talking about the one million dollars you embezzled from Crimson." Liz said without batting an eyelash. She'd never blackmailed anyone before but you'd never know that. After Jason left but before Cody arrived Liz made one phone call to Spinelli. The hacker had been most helpful when she asked if Kate had anything that she wouldn't want to come to light. Liz had been prepared to wait for an answer, but the computer genius had a reply ready.

It seemed Sonny had not been happy about getting dumped after Kate got shot the second time. He had been preparing to exact his revenge when he was killed. The dead mob boss had learned about the missing money and where it went. He had Spinelli replace the funds and then cover his tracks. Sonny planned on using what Kate did to control his former fiancée. With him gone Liz could now use this information. "I know why you did it, and that is your business. Or it will remain your business as long as you rehire Maxie."

"You're bluffing." Kate said trying not to sweat.

"No I'm not. You sold your son. You had him in secret and for whatever reason you decided that you didn't want to be a mother. I'm not holding that decision against you. But instead of doing things legally, you sold him on the black market and used that money to become Kate Howard. But someone found out and demanded payment. Hopefully this is the last time you'll hear from them, because I don't think anyone else is going to clean up your mess. I'm sure there is more to the story, and frankly I don't want to hear it. All I'm concerned about, and what Sonny was concerned about because he found this out before I did, is that you don't want that information getting out." Liz replied keeping her voice level. "I will forget I know anything about this, or I can call Jax and tell him to do a review of the books." Spinelli could undo what he had done for his former boss. She was silent for a moment. "Your choice."

Kate was cornered and they both knew it. She couldn't afford for what she had done with her son to come forward because she would lose everything. Her association with Sonny had done enough damage, her career wouldn't survive another scandal. Not to mention facing possible prison time. The fact that she had an illegitimate son after a brief and torrid affair with a married man needed to stay hidden. Ian Devlin had delivered the baby and set up the sale. All these years later he used that knowledge to blackmail her so she had stolen the money to buy his silence. There wouldn't be another payment because it turned out Ian had been the one to take out Sonny. While it couldn't be proven Ian's disappearance was more than likely on Jason's orders.

"I never would have thought you had this in you." Kate finally replied.

"Me either." Elizabeth admitted. "Maxie is still in the hospital, I'm sure she would love a visit. You can find a way to fit one into your schedule in the next few days." It would be easy to learn if Kate didn't keep her word.

"I bet she would." Kate said with a brittle smile. "You can see yourself out."

"I certainly can. Enjoy California." Liz said heading back out front. "Do you know if Georgie is at the hospital?"

"She's at the Towers sleeping. She stayed over with her sister last night." Cody figured they were heading to the apartment building.

"Good. I need to see Maxie really quick." Liz would do this while Georgie wasn't around.

"Are you going to suffocate her with a pillow?" Cody asked when they were back in the car.

"Depends on what she says." Liz said with a sunny smile.

At the medical center she smiled at, and chatted with, a few of her former co-workers before heading to Maxie's room. She was now out of ICU. "Can you stand on the door and give me a head's up if anyone comes this way?"

"Sure." Cody said starting to worry Liz really was going to kill Maxie.

"This won't take long." Liz said laughing at his expression. "You can leave the door open if that's easier."

"Okay." He was curious and not hiding it.

Liz nodded and headed into the hospital room. "Hello Maxie."

"What do you want?" The blonde snarled from her bed.

"I want you to shut up and listen." Liz said not even trying to be friendly. Maxie's eyes opened wide at the tone, but she didn't speak. "Kate is going to come visit you and offer you your job back. She's going to suggest that you go to California and get a fresh start. You are going to accept that offer."

"I wouldn't work for her again if she begged me to." Maxie said rolling her eyes. "She fired me. She called me unprofessional. I practically ran that magazine while she was in the hospital. She was just jealous because Franco liked me more."

"You probably had it coming. I have no idea why she hired you in the first place, but she did and now you two are going to be stuck with one another. You are going to take the job, and finally give your sister the freedom she has earned. Georgie deserves a life where she isn't constantly saving you from yourself. If you don't take the job, I'll let everyone know that your father covered up the fact that you were stealing drugs from the hospital for your lover. He'll go to jail for that, even if you don't. I'll make sure of it." Liz said setting in motion her second blackmailing of the morning. "Do you know what happens to police officers in prison?"

"You wouldn't dare." Maxie said but her voice didn't hold much conviction.

"We both know that isn't true. I owe you as much pain as I can dish out. Lucky fired his gun while Cameron was home. He could have killed my son." They had been arguing and he had pulled out his weapon and threatened her. It was a toss-up which one of them was more shocked when the gun went off. That was the day she ended things between them for good. An hour after that incident she moved her and Cameron out of the Spencer house and into their own apartment. "As his supplier that's on you." Liz said looking into the stunned eyes of the woman she was addressing. "Mac made sure you got away with a felony, so as far as I'm concerned he can do the time in your place."

"That would hurt Georgie." Maxie played the only card she had.

"Which would still be on you. It's your reckless behavior that left Mac vulnerable." Liz replied shrugging. "You'll have to look in your sister's eyes, Robin's too, and tell them if Lucky was worth it. If destroying my marriage, and risking my son's life was worth it." As much of a bitch as Maxie was she really did love her family. When it came down to it she wouldn't want them to walk away from her. "So?"

"I'll go." Maxie said meekly. Ironically enough she was finally feeling respect for Liz.

"Good, and?" Liz prompted.

"We never had this talk." Maxie knew what was expected of her. She couldn't wait to go, she wanted to be as far from Liz as possible.

"Yup. Have a nice life." Liz said before turning and walking out the room. "How did I do?" She asked Cody in the elevator.

"Like a boss." He held up his fist. "I'm guessing Kate doesn't really want to hire Maxie back." He had heard the stuck with each other part loud and clear.

"No she doesn't. But she wants to keep her secret more." Liz grinned and tapped her guard's upheld hand.

"Does Jason know about the gun incident?" Cody was guessing the answer was no.

"No, I figured with Lucky dead there is no point in bringing it up." The look on Cody's face told Liz that was the wrong conclusion to have reached. "Are you going to tell him?" She wanted to know.

"Only if you don't." Cody figured it would be best if his boss heard it from his girl.

"Fair enough." Liz knew Jason was going to be pissed. "Now we need to go shopping." She said putting the morning's activities away.

"Yes ma'am." Cody said following her to the car.

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