LUCAS : So what do you think I should write?
HALEY : Personally, I would write something like: "You and I both know that nothing ever happened between us..." And... "So why lie and erase all your chances of that ever happening...?", what do you think?
LUCAS : It's not bad in the sense that I don't get too involved in writing.. But will it make her react in the right way?
FELIX : You can't tell her hot stuff in a text message... She'll keep it and use it later if she has to! For what it's worth, I have a brief experience as a private investigator and it's quickly compromising...
HALEY : You, a private investigator!? I don't know why but it suits you perfectly!
FELIX : And why!? Ah, I get it... You're getting revenge for the stereotype about computer scientists!?
HALEY : Me!? That's really not my style... That would be so childish! And then, given your ability to conduct discreet surveillance, I think you did well to give up!
FELIX : Oh that's a low blow! I remind you that you punched me in the face that night!
HALEY : It was already very physical at the beginning between you and me ... Well, we're getting a bit sidetracked here! This message ... Sorry, Lucas!
LUCAS : No worries, you're pretty funny to watch!
HALEY : Felix and Haley, the attraction of the evening at your service, then! Otherwise, Brooke, what do you think of this first draft?
BROOKE : Written messages ... It's still dangerous in my opinion. Send it and we'll see what she answers ...
HALEY : Lucas ... Do you think she'll answer quickly? Because if she drags her feet we won't be together to debrief the rest ...
LUCAS : No idea! And then, I'll always have Brooke to advise me ... What do I do, then? Do I send it?
HALEY : Go ahead without thinking ... Like when you take off a bandage!
Lucas smiled but his last glance was at Brooke. She nodded slowly and he sent his message.
LUCAS : It's done! Now we just have to wait for her answer!
FELIX : Well, what can I get you to drink!?
LUCAS : I'll have something stronger than a beer this time! A whiskey with ice for me!
FELIX : Okay! And you, ladies?
BROOKE : I'll have a cosmo!
FELIX : A cosmopolitan...! And you, what do you want to drink, the geek girl!?
HALEY : The geek girl will come with you because she's still undecided...
FELIX : I thought you were a woman of character who knew what she wanted...
HALEY : I know what I want to drink! I was just still hesitating on how I was going to get revenge for what you just said!
They left the terrace, still teasing each other... Brooke and Lucas smiled to see them.
BROOKE : Do you think our drinks will arrive before or after they go to lock themselves in the toilet!?
LUCAS : Felix is the romantic type under his cowboy exterior... He'll want to do things right for their first time...
BROOKE : You're forgetting an important fact... Haley's power of persuasion!
LUCAS : I'm sure she's less gifted than you...
Lucas knew he shouldn't but he couldn't resist his urge to kiss her. A sensual and sweet kiss. Their fingers intertwined, their foreheads pressed together... It was tender and full of love. After a few more seconds, the two lovebirds left the bar, drinks in hand.
HALEY : Here's for you, my dear!
BROOKE : Thank you, darling!
"Biiiip". Their four eyes turned together to Lucas's cell phone as if nothing else existed.
HALEY : Well, that's fast!
Lucas hurried to lean towards his screen.
LUCAS : Maybe it's not... Oh yes it's already her... I'll read you her answer.
MESSAGE FROM LINDSAY : Good evening Lucas, surprised but happy to see that you finally remember that I exist... On the other hand, after everything that you and I have been through, I'm not sure I understand your question... But if you want to bring it up again or discuss it, we can always meet... It would be a pleasure, personally!
HALEY : Damn, she's on fire! But she's cautious... Too cautious!
FELIX : You can tell she's just waiting for that... But she keeps the idea that it's already happened, it's annoying!
BROOKE: This is precisely what we wanted to try to provoke... But she must be wary... On the other hand, she is relatively clear about her intentions. She wants to see you... To finally make you crack!
LUCAS : She'll "never" make me crack, Brooke!
BROOKE : In the meantime, she's going to try... Which means she's going to use drastic measures...
LUCAS : She can get naked in front of me, Brooke... I don't give a damn about that girl!
BROOKE : And how do you plan on making him say what you hope if you remain frigid and completely insensitive!?
FELIX : Brooke has a point there...
LUCAS : So what, we forget the idea ?
Lucas' tone was slightly annoyed... He felt caught in the crossfire and didn't want to hurt Brooke.
BROOKE : That's not what I said, Lucas...
Brooke knew how important it was for him to defend his honor and cover his back for the future.
LUCAS : But that's what you think... We can still drop everything...
Brooke knew how much this will be one more weapon to counter Peyton and try to obtain sole custody of Sawyer.
BROOKE : The idea that you have to respond to her advances at least a little bit doesn't please me... But I know why you'll do it...
LUCAS : If it turns out, we're arguing for nothing... Maybe she'll spill the beans long before then!
HALEY : In any case, we have to try it... At worst, you leave without having obtained his confession and we will find something else!
Lucas, Felix and Haley looked at Brooke... They were waiting for her green light to be able to develop the rest of the strategy.
BROOKE : And a simple phone call like she suggests?
HALEY : We'll have to set up a recording system on the phone. It takes a little time but it's doable. In terms of admissibility of evidence, it will always pose the same problem ... There is no consent ...
LUCAS : Only if I drag Lindsay before a judge ... But all I want is for Peyton to not be able to use this ... And I do not intend to sue Lindsay ... I just want to restore and burn a cartridge on Peyton!
HALEY : So it can be enough if your lawyer uses it unofficially to demand your conditions in an amicable procedure.
LUCAS : For now, it's still a unilateral request on my part... I don't have many illusions... At best, I hope to convince her in the direction of a procedure of mutual consent... But I already know that she will demand concerning the division of property, the house, the money... And especially for custody... We will go before the Family Court Judge and I will invoke divorce for fault in her case... If she wants to do it to me backwards... Then, I will do it to her too! But first, Lindsay... This is the first step.
Brooke could only see that her interview with her lawyer had borne fruit and that he knew the steps. And even if she suspected it, the obstacle course that was coming up over several months troubled her a lot.
HALEY : Anyway, to record Lindsay... We can't do that now... But...
LUCAS: But what!?
HALEY : There is the technique of putting her on speakerphone and recording the conversation with another phone... But in terms of noise and sound interference, we're really not at the top here...
LUCAS : And in the bathrooms?
HALEY : They could do the trick tonight. They're partitioned from floor to ceiling... Even if it will resonate a little.
LUCAS : What do you think about giving it a try right now, sweetheart?
BROOKE : Since she already answered you, maybe this is a good time to feign spontaneity...
LUCAS : Are you coming with me? And we use your phone to record the conversation?
BROOKE : Not sure I'm the best person to hear all this, right?
LUCAS : I want to prove to you that I have nothing to hide... Even if it's not going to be pleasant... Neither for me, nor for you...
BROOKE : Let's go then... Haley, anything else we need to watch out for?
HALEY : Put your phone in recording mode before starting the call and place it on a stable surface... As for you Lucas, start by turning the volume up high then place your phone next to Brooke's...
FELIX : We would have come with you but we might be cramped and not very discreet...
A few minutes later
LUCAS : Promise me you won't hold anything against me that I might say or answer...? Never forget that this is just a strategy, I'm going to tell her what she wants to hear...
BROOKE : Okay, Lucas... Just pretend I'm not here...
LUCAS : It's going to be hard but I'll do my best... We have to do everything we can to make it work...
BROOKE : So don't censor yourself... Otherwise it's doomed to failure!
LUCAS : You know I love you and that there's only you... Tell me you know that...
BROOKE : I know. And I love you too...
LUCAS : Me even more than you... Come on, let's go now...
Once the cell phones were installed on the edge of the toilet according to Haley's instructions, Lucas made the call. He and Brooke held their breaths and remained silent as they looked at each other.
LINDSAY : Good evening handsome...
The sound of his voice resonated like that of a Machiavellian witch in Brooke's ears. She was already gritting her teeth.
LUCAS : Good evening Lindsay... How are you?
LINDSAY : Well, very well... A message and a call from you in the space of half an hour... To what do I owe this honor?
LUCAS : I thought it was high time to stop running away... And that we finally talk, you and I...
LINDSAY : And what do you want us to talk about at this very late hour, Lucas?
LUCAS : About you and me... And more specifically about what you claim to the press about us...
LINDSAY : Oh... You want to talk about everything that happened between us while I was working for you...?
LUCAS : We know, you and I, that nothing ever happened... I need to understand why you did that?
LINDSAY : Maybe because I liked it... Maybe because I know I could make you happy...
LUCAS : What did you like!? Since nothing ever happened!
LINDSAY : I liked feeling your devouring gaze on my body... I liked feeling such desire, this forbidden... Just like you.
Lucas was seething, his fists tightened but he had to control himself. Brooke encouraged him with her worried look.
LUCAS : You're right... I felt your desire, your wish to go further... But I never followed through...
LINDSAY : Is that really the story you want to tell yourself, Lucas?
LUCAS : That's the only story there is... But I wanted to tell you that I had every intention of divorcing Peyton...
A silence fell... Brooke could easily imagine Lindsay surprised and then overexcited behind her cell phone. Even if she didn't really know where he was going with this, Brooke didn't intervene. Lucas's look at Brooke told her to trust him.
LINDSAY : What good news... Finally, you've decided to leave this witch...
Brooke couldn't help but think that she was the witch at that moment.
LUCAS : Yes, I couldn't stand to delude myself any longer... I need something else...
LINDSAY : Who are you telling!? And what do you think you need...?
LUCAS : The question would rather be who do I need...? Of a woman who would know how lucky she is to be with me... Of an incredibly sexy woman who wouldn't be afraid to express all her love to me...
Lucas plunged his eyes into Brooke's as he said these words... Because he was talking about her... To reassure her, too...
LINDSAY : And you think I could be that loving tigress you miss so much?
LUCAS : I won't say anything now... Not while there's this misunderstanding between us, Lindsay... But it's certain that it would be easier to start something with someone I already know...
LINDSAY : Someone you already trust?
LUCAS : That's it, yes... It's essential, especially since the fight with Peyton is already shaping up to be intense...
LINDSAY : Lucas... Contrary to what I told the press...
Brooke and Lucas' eyes locked and their eyebrows furrowed in anticipation... They felt that this was the moment...
LINDSAY : I don't blame you, you know... I just want to find you again... And live what we have to live, in broad daylight!
Lindsay didn't mention the fact that she had mentioned the non-consensual nature of their physical rapprochement... And although she admitted to wanting more, Brooke knew that it wasn't enough to constitute proof... Lucas did too.
LUCAS : What if I was mad at you for telling those lies!? What if it ruined all our chances from the start...!?
LINDSAY : I will know how to make amends... Let's see each other, Lucas...
LUCAS : I don't know, Lindsay... I don't trust you... You've tarnished my reputation, it's serious, you know...
LINDSAY : You're angry with me and I understand... But all of this could soon be just a bad memory... And I have to make sure that I can trust you too... It goes both ways, you know?
Brooke felt her very close and at the same time on the defensive... She was letting her guard down too little.
LUCAS : Let's see each other, then... And we'll explain about this...
Brooke's heart sank. Even though she knew there was no other choice.
LINDSAY : Your day and your time will be mine, Lucas... I can't wait!