"It seemed only logical for Esther to wonder why Scott thought that Stuart might have dropped by her trailer. "One day me and Stuart were together --- and the next day we weren't," Esther said glumly. Scott briefly explained that his Uncle Adam may have said or done something to upset Stuart. Esther recalled Adam only as "the mean one." From inside, Stuart groaned in his sleep. Becca and Scott exchanged optimistic glances and asked Esther about the noise. Esther swallowed hard and claimed that she had a dog, a dog that didn't take too kindly to strange faces. She urged the pair to go on their way before the dog awoke and attacked them. Esther pledged that she'd contact them immediately if Stuart turned up. Back inside, Esther crouched down next to Stuart and gently stroked his head. She told the still-slumbering man that she sensed that he was in a great deal of pain --- and not just physical pain. This was the type of pain that no one, especially Stuart, should have to endure. Esther went on to promise Stuart that she'd help him get rid of the pain he was feeling. Stuart stirred slightly and roused from his sleep. He was only awake for a few moments. During his up time, he looked around and asked Esther where he was. Esther smiled warmly and told him that he was in her trailer. At times she looked perplexed that Stuart didn't recognize the place. After Stuart drifted back to sleep, Esther told herself that she was going to make sure that Stuart never left her again.
Scott and Becca ended up near the ocean. A teary Scott, angrily snapped at Becca's suggestion that they call it a night and return home. Scott vowed that he wouldn't stop searching until he located his father. He felt badly because he hadn't been so vigilant when his mother, Cindy, died. To this day he couldn't help but wonder if his mother would have lived longer --- even by a day or two --- if he'd been stronger for her. Becca took Scott in her arms and promised him that they'd find Stuart.
Donald Steele made the rounds at the fundraiser, stopping by to ask Greenlee if she wanted to make a statement about Erica's drunken spectacle. Greenlee ordered the writer to scram and walked away. Tina and Adrian were noticeably late for the event because Tina had wanted to drop by the shelter to show off her dress. Gillian and Ryan, meanwhile, stood face to face, neither saying a word. Ryan finally broke the silence as he asked Gillian if they could talk. The princess icily told her former husband that they had "nothing to say to each other," adding that she also wanted nothing to do with Ryan. With that, Gillian turned and walked away. As Dixie watched from the background, Tad praised Liza for her ability to handle herself under the pressure of two jobs. Dixie pulled Tad aside and told him that she was ready to go home. Marian suddenly burst into the room and noted that it had officially been 24 hours since anyone had seen Stuart. Opal sat Erica down in the lobby to ask her about what had transpired in Paolo's room. Erica was more preoccupied with the presumed failure of the fundraiser, but Opal changed all that when she revealed that she'd overheard Erica threatening Paolo. Erica quickly assured Opal that she had "taken care of" Paolo. Erica looked around and wondered where David had gone. Opal nodded slightly and explained that she'd sent David to Paolo's room.
Upstairs, Vanessa gasped as she came across Paolo's lifeless body. Derek placed a call to summon forensics to the scene. Palmer questioned why his wife had become so pale. Derek returned to the group and asked Leo to tell him how he'd come across Paolo's body. Leo lamely replied that he'd wandered by the room, saw the door ajar, and noticed Paolo's body on the ground. As Leo spoke, Derek took an object from Leo's blood-covered hand. When Derek asked Leo if he knew the deceased, Vanessa chirped that there was no way that her son knew the likes of a criminal like Paolo. She quickly reminded Derek that Paolo had stolen her necklace from her. Palmer stepped forward and asked his wife to let Derek do his job. Derek received a phone call and had to excuse himself. Vanessa, meanwhile, tried her best to calm her son, assuring him that everything would be okay. Leo burst out of the room. Derek ended his phone call and pursued the young man down the corridor. In his travels, Leo bumped into David, who quickly pulled his younger brother aside and asked him why he was in such a hurry. By this time, Derek caught up to Leo and asked him why he was fleeing the murder scene. If it hadn't been for that little slip, David might not have been able to step forward and help out Leo. David calmly stated that Leo had been searching for him with the hopes of getting an expert medical opinion about whether or not the murder victim was really dead. Alone in the hallway, Palmer panicked when he spotted a spot of blood on his sleeve. He quickly pulled down the sleeve of his jacket, recalling how he'd caught Vanessa in the hallway wearing only a bathrobe and a later conversation with Leo in which Leo hinted that Vanessa wasn't being such a good wife. As David confirmed that Paolo was really dead, Opal and Erica rounded the corner. Palmer stepped in front of them and informed them that they shouldn't be there. Erica walked around her friend and walked towards the room. She gasped audibly upon seeing Paolo's body on the floor of his room. Vanessa turned and flashed Erica an icy glare. She then told Derek that he should forget questioning Leo and target on a better suspect --- Erica. Vanessa let it be know that Paolo was her "paid escort" and that Paolo and Erica had gotten into an argument just a short time before Paolo was done in. Erica denied that she and Paolo had had an argument. Derek started to ask some questions of Erica, but Erica wasn't very forthcoming. Vanessa continued to press Erica's buttons, snidely remarking that Erica had fallen off the wagon. Opal asked Erica to remain calm, saying that she shouldn't fall into Vanessa's trap. Vanessa smiled to herself and announced that Erica was probably unable to answer any questions because she was still drunk. Erica responded quickly and definitively, slapping Vanessa hard against the cheek. Vanessa laughed nervously several times before reaching out to claw at Erica. Derek and Leo helped restrained Vanessa. In the process, Derek ordered everyone out of the room. Tad and Dixie happened to arrive at about the same time. Palmer stood in the doorway, smiled bemusedly and ushered them into the room. Tad asked Palmer if he was okay. Palmer smiled broadly and replied, "I'm very well, thank you." Outside the room, Erica began to question whether or not Opal thought that she's killed Paolo. David took Erica by the arm and led her away. Opal shook her head and followed after them. Vanessa hovered in the doorway, agonizing over the death of her lover. Leo later cornered her and told her that Paolo was the man who'd been blackmailing him. When pressed for the money, Leo said that he'd told Paolo to get it from his lover. Vanessa smiled, thinking that Leo was referring to Erica. That, of course, wasn't the case. Upon hearing her son's accusations that she and Paolo had been sleeping together, Vanessa became enraged. "How could you accuse me of that?!" she gasped. Leo let his mother rattle on before he stopping her from making more of a fool of herself. He let it be known that he'd walked in on her and Leo in bed. For one reason or another, Vanessa felt the need to rationalize her actions. She told Leo that she'd been extremely "lonely" and that Paolo provided her with the attention and love she'd craved. "We've both made mistakes," Vanessa said quietly as she asked Leo to work with her to get their stories straight.
Derek entered the party area and informed all of the guests that they'd have to stick around for some brief questioning. Marian saw Derek and chased after him with the hopes of getting him to start a search for Stuart. Adrian told Ryan and Tina that there must have been a murder; he picked it up from Derek's mannerisms. Tina asked Ryan why he wasn't with Greenlee. Ryan shrugged, perhaps realizing that he and Greenlee were supposed to be partners for the night.
In the park, Greenlee kicked a bicycle, cursing Ryan for not noticing her. Gillian happened upon the seen and told Greenlee that she was used to Ryan's antics. Greenlee was surprised that Gillian wanted to talk to her about Ryan. Actually, she thought it was a bit odd. Gillian admitted that she still has feelings for Ryan, but said that she is actively trying to "kill" those feelings so that she can get on with her life with Jake. "I wish I could [kill the feelings] too," Greenlee replied sadly. The conversation became too uncomfortable and awkward for Greenlee to continue. Gillian understood, but told Greenlee that she'd be there if she needed to talk to her. After Gillian left, Greenlee grumbled endlessly about how Ryan still cared for his ex-wife. Then it hit her; she knew how she could win Ryan --- she had to be just like Gillian. "I'll even out-Gillian Gillian!"
Back at the hotel, Marian pestered Derek for assistance in locating Stuart. Derek told her that she had to leave the room because she might see something upsetting. A few seconds later, a stretcher rolled through with a sheet-covered body lying motionlessly upon it. Marian lost her cool and feared that Stuart had been killed. She raced over and removed the sheet. "Paolo!" she gasped, seconds before fainting. David checked out Marian and determined that she'd be okay. Derek, though, wanted to know how Marian knew Paolo. Liza looked at her mother and urged her to be honest. Marian told the detective about Paolo's seduction scheme. Almost immediately, Derek asked Marian if she could account for her time that evening. Liza was outraged that Derek would ask that. Tad, who'd been lingering nearby, told Derek to question Adam because he'd hired Leo to out the seduction plot into motion. Ryan had been poking around and returned to Adrian and Tina to tell them that someone had been murdered. Vanessa followed Leo downstairs because he hadn't agreed to work with her on synchronizing their stories. Leo said that he planned to keep quiet about her affair like a good boy. Vanessa headed off to get herself a drink. Palmer, meanwhile, wandered over to Leo and asked him point-blank if Vanessa had been having an affair with Paolo. Leo refused to answer the question. He looked down and noticed a crimson stain on Palmer's sleeve. Palmer quickly stated that he must have gotten stain while upstairs in Paolo's room. He then dashed away to find Vanessa. Under his breath, Leo wondered if it was possible that Palmer was jealous of Vanessa's relationship with Paolo. Derek stomped over towards Leo and demanded to know why he'd lied and said that he didn't know Paolo. Donald was still poking around trying to get dirt on Erica's stumble. He actually sat down at the table with Opal, Erica and Dixie and asked Erica if she was upset that the free bar had been closed. Dixie and Opal ordered Donald to hit the road. The sleazy writer agreed, but as he left the table he noticed that he was aroused by "strong women." Opal and Dixie learned of Marian's fainting spell and headed off to see if she was okay. David pulled up a chair next to Erica and asked her how she was doing. Erica confessed that she'd been using Paolo to make David jealous and feared that she'd now be fingered for the gigolo's murder. As soon as Erica mentioned the cassette tape Paolo had stolen from her, David reached into his pocket... and produced the cassette. Dixie worried that the murder investigation would prevent the police from looking for Stuart. Derek had promised that he'd organize a search team and then join up with the search when the murder investigation concluded. Dixie told Opal to tell Tad that she was headed home. Vanessa returned to Leo's side and prevented Derek from asking any additional questions. She said that she'd phoned her attorney and that Leo would not say another word until the attorney arrived. Derek threw his hands into the air and stormed away. Leo told his mother that they probably couldn't have the same attorney. Vanessa rolled her eyes and said that she hadn't called her attorney --- she'd called Palmer's pilot. She'd made plans for the pilot to take Leo to Canada until she'd come up with a plan to get him out of his current predicament. In the lobby, Erica asked David how he'd managed to get his hands on the tape. After all, Paolo had taken the tape from her. David nodded and said that he'd gotten the tape while he was in Paolo's room. "Then... you murdered him?!" Erica gasped."
- Soap Central