Chapter 17
12/21
The PCPD identifies a DNA profile. Mac is shocked to learn that a possible suspect is related to Ric. Further testing shows that the individual is likely the son of Ric Lansing and Faith Roscoe. Other DNA, when tested, was not in the database.
Flashback
10/28
Former home of Ric Lansing
Jason and Johnny scope out Ric's former home. Jason picks the lock to the back door. They enter, and Jason walks to the bookcase where the button to open the door to the original PR. He presses the button to reveal the hidden room. The door opens, and Jason and Johnny draw their guns before looking inside. Jason says, "If Ric was here, he's gone now."
Johnny replies, "He left in a hurry and left a lot of shit behind."
"Collect what you can and get out of here, leaving no trace of us."
10/28
Unknown location.
Ric is locked in a room with only a mattress, a blanket, six water bottles, and a bucket. He is pissed off, and his head hurts. The light is dim, and he makes out one of the bottles. He grabs it and begins to gulp down the water. A distorted voice says, "I wouldn't do that. You may be here for several days; try to make the water last."
Ric yells, "Why am I here? Who are you? Is this Jason Morgan? You are a coward. Show your face."
The voice replies, "You are here because you are a bad boy. You killed Sam I don't care for the bitch, she did leave a family behind. I imagine your daughter Molly will feel the same pain for you as she, along with Kristina, Alexis, and Sam's children, felt. No, I am not Jason Morgan, but I sympathize. He's raising their son and will have to decide future choices, all because you couldn't get past Sonny choosing Jason over you. Another person who chose Jason over you is Elizabeth Morgan. That's right. M-O-R-G-A-N. Elizabeth and Jason are married."
Ric screams, "Coward! Who are you?"
"In due time. If you are the praying type, you have a few days."
End Flashback
12/23
The PCPD received intel that Ric bought his old house. Chase obtains a search warrant and, along with Dex and Detective Bennett, arrives at the front door open. They pull their guns and announce themselves. A man stands in the open PR and mutters, "What did they do to you?"
Chase shouts, "Police, put your hands in the air and turn around."
Flynn turns around crying. "They killed my father. He didn't deserve to die. Morgan should pay."
"What's your name? Do you have proof Jason Morgan killed your father?"
"What does it matter? There's no proof. There is never any proof. Ric couldn't get Morgan for killing Alcazar, and she won't let me get my revenge."
Chase starts to ask, "Who is she?" But the man reaches behind him and pulls out a gun. His finger squeezes the trigger, but the three officers start shooting. Dex has a shoulder wound. The suspect is dead. They found his license, identifying him as Flynn Roscoe. Chase calls Anna and updates her. She sends a team to collect forensics and a bus to pick up the body. Chase drives Dex to GH.
Chase brings Dex in, and Elizabeth rushes to aid. Chase says, "Stay away from him. Your husband is responsible for this."
"Chase, Dex needs medical treatment. I don't know what happened, but I will help him. We can argue later. Dex, let me take you to an exam room and get you cleaned up." Elizabeth cleans Dex's wound and explains he was grazed and doesn't need stitches. She bandages his arm as Chase is outside updating Anna. Dex, would you like me to call Joss for you?" Elizabeth lends him her phone and leaves to give him privacy.
Chase starts yelling at Elizabeth, but Johnny steps in. He tells Elizabeth that Jason is on his way. Dex exits, hands Elizabeth her phone, and thanks her. He says, "Chase, I'm fine. It's not Elizabeth's fault. It probably isn't Jason's fault."
"We'll see. Anna is on her way. She said to rest and give a report tomorrow. Go home."
"Joss is picking me up."
Jason arrives and pulls Elizabeth into an embrace. "Are you okay?" Elizabeth nods. "Johnny called." Jason says, "Chase, are you accusing Elizabeth or me of something? Should I call Diane?"
Anna walks up and says, "There is no need for now. I have a couple of questions. You are not suspects yet. Let me tell you what I know. You can confirm or deny. If I don't like your answers, you can call Diane."
Jason stands beside Elizabeth, his arm around her. "Anna, I don't know what happened. I got a call from Johnny that your detective was yelling at Elizabeth, blaming her for Dex's shooting. Why?"
"This is what we know. We discovered that Ric Lansing bought back his former home. Mac told me that there was a PR in the house. Elizabeth, you were married to Ric then, and he kept Carly in that room when she was pregnant with her son Morgan. Jason, you were aware of the room?"
"Yes, but it was after Ric let her go and Lorenzo took her away."
Elizabeth says, "After I regained consciousness, I reported I saw Carly, but by then Carly was gone. Why are you rehashing this?"
"We got a warrant for the house and went to search it. A man was standing outside the PR and muttering. Detective Chase ordered him to raise his hands and turn around. The man said that 'they killed his father and Jason needed to pay.' He was killed trying to shoot his way out. His ID has him as Flynn Roscoe. We believe he was Ric and Faith Roscoe's son. Jason, we don't have any evidence linking you to Ric. I was about to close the case against you. Why would Flynn want you to pay?"
"Ric was always fond of the blame game or the whine of being chosen last. If he was Ric's son, he probably blames me for whatever his father told him."
Anna says, "Elizabeth?"
"I can't speak for the son, but Ric was vocal about me choosing Jason over him."
"Okay, you can both go."
Jason takes Elizabeth home. They order pizza, and he helps decorate the tree.
Flashback
10/29
Spinelli is helping Jason with the contents collected from the PR. Spinelli looked at the last item and got a match. "Jason, I found something. You will never believe it."
Jason looks at the results and says, "Delete it. Scrub everything we found from all searches. Leave info on Flynn; I don't give a shit about him but don't connect him to Lila Rae. I don't want the PCPD to know what we discovered."
End Flashback
December 24-26
Jason and Elizabeth celebrate the holidays with their children. They have dinner at Sonny's and breakfast at the Quartermaines. Jason brings Danny to visit Alexis, Kristina, and Molly. Elizabeth brought Cameron, Jake, and Aiden to see Laura, Kevin, and Nikolas.
12/27
Johnny calls Jason early in the morning. "Jason, Lila Rae is back. I'll text you her location."
Jason hangs up his phone. He kisses his sleeping wife and gets dressed. He says goodbye to the boys. "I have a few errands to run, but when I return, let's do something as a family." Jason looks at the address on his phone, gets into his SUV, and drives carefully on the snow-packed streets.
He arrives at the location and walks in.
Lila Rae says, "I was wondering how long it would take you to find me."
"It's nice to see you after all these years. You look a lot like your mother."
"She sends her regards. Who else knows I'm here? Does Elizabeth?"
"Johnny O'Brien. Elizabeth knows about you, but not that your back."
"I'm not back; I'm delivering a message." She hands Jason an envelope.
Jason thanks her and assures her no one knows she's been in PC. "Should I be sorry about Flynn? Were you close?"
"We grew up together, but he's an idiot, was an idiot like his father. No love lost. Anyway, I have a flight to catch."
"Thank you."
Jason opens the letter and reads, "We're Even."
Flashback
October 29-31
The voice wakes Ric. Good morning, Ric. Do you regret returning to PC yet? You didn't get the revenge you expected. Sam is dead, but Jason not only got his son, but he got the girl. She used to be your girl decades ago, but you fucked it up, and you couldn't measure up."
Ric cries, "Why, why are you doing this? Who are you?"
"I might tell you tomorrow. Get some sleep."
-XX—
The voice awakens Ric. He doesn't know if it's male or female. "Good morning, Ric. Today is your day. I'll remind you who I am and why I returned to PC."
"What did I do to you?"
The door opens, and a light is pointed toward his eyes. Ric raises his hand to stop the glare. The light is lowered, and Skye Chandler Quartermaine appears; she is holding a gun. She throws him a new bottle of water. She repeats back, "What did you do to me? You aligned yourself with Lorenzo; you went after Jason for his murder. Did you know I was the one who went to Sonny and Jason to ask them to get rid of Lorenzo? You never should have tried to prosecute Jason for Lo's murder. He did the world a favor by taking care of him. I told him I owed him, but Jason doesn't keep score like that. Today, I'm evening the score."
Ric gulps down his water. "Why, after all these years?"
"Timing. Flynn wanted to know you, and I thought I owed him the chance. The one thing I never did was trash you to him. I left that to Lila Rae. It gives me great pleasure to rub it in that Jason is with Elizabeth. You were a shit when you tried to rip her apart on the witness stand in 2007. After what you tried to do to him and Sonny, my brother deserves some happiness."
"He's not even your real brother!" Ric coughs.
"Well, Alan did adopt me. He adopted Emily; Jason considered her his sister. Are you having problems breathing, Ric?"
"Ric coughs again, "What did you do to me?"
"Nothing you don't already deserve."
Ric collapses, and Skye enlists her guard to load Ric's body into the van, take him to the Pine Barrens, and inject him with a lethal dose of succinylcholine. She hands him an envelope full of cash and tells him to leave town after the job ends. Skye leaves on a private jet out of Rochester to Columbia.
She arrives to spend time with her daughter, hands her an envelope, and tells her to give it to Jason Morgan when the time is right.
Stay tuned for the epilogue and a preview of my next story.