"There is so much hate for the ones we love. Tell me we both matter don't we?"- Running Up That Hill, Placebo
Episode 4: Running Up That Hill
Written By: Kelly Zollo
Scene 1: 1962 Parkview Ln., West Lake, NY
Two weeks after he and Callie swerved off the road Tyler is finally able to walk without the crutches around the house, his leg is still braced on the sides as a precaution. Looking around the living room of the house, he thinks about calling Callie but decides against it. She was safe now, suffering the least amount of damage in the wreck with a concussion and slight bruising. He turns his attention back to the task at hand of going over information leading to the whereabouts of Ethan Levitt, which is quickly becoming like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Rubbing his hands over his eyes for a bit in an attempt to wake himself up from lack of sleep, it helps as he shifts in his seat on the couch to get more comfortable. He picks up the phone again in a debate of an attempt to call Callie, his eyes closing at the hospital scene weeks before. His mother frantic with fear at the thought of losing another child in a car wreck and the blame that she shifted to the Harvell’s. His father Alan, staring blankly against the wall for what seemed like hours before leaving his room. Jacob had came saw he was all right and left just as quickly. Looking up from the couch as his father’s voice interrupts his thoughts.
“Son, I need to talk to you about digging into your sister’s death.”
Alan knows that he has to stop his son, he has known for a few weeks however the car accident had now caused him to actually sit down and talk to him about it. His wife is beyond distraught over the events involving their youngest child being in a car with Callie Harvell to the point of wrecking. Closing his eyes for a bit to get his bearing as he takes a seat opposite of his son on the other couch. Richard has been on his case about getting Tyler to stop digging for weeks as well, it has come to a stop with events of a few weeks ago.
Hannah’s loss had been devastating there was no doubting that in his mind burying a child was never a favorable, never something that you wanted to do. It was however something that came to pass in a series of unfortunate events, years later he still feels horrible about letting Vanessa take the fall the way she did. He supposes the guilt is what caused him to speak to the parole board over it without his family knowing, something that he never wants revealed. Clasping his hands on his lap for a bit as he leans over in his chair and looks at Tyler, who has said nothing to his previous statement yet.
“You’re upsetting your mother by looking into the accident. We’re both concerned about that Tyler, as well as the time that you are spending with Callie. She is a good woman comes from a good family, we’re just concerned,” Alan starts hoping that his son will somehow manage to drop the case from his memory.
“What was on the camera that Lee Sanders handed over to you and Richard Weston in his office?” Tyler asks his voice firm, looking for an answer as he he looks at his father.
Alan is stunned for the most part as his son asks about the camera and it’s contents. Something that not even his wife knows about, something that needs to stay buried. He gets up from the sofa for a moment to go to the window to look out the glass. Out onto the property contemplating an answer to give his son.
“Dad? The camera?” Tyler asks, again with more persistence in his voice.
“You know looking into the case is not helping your brother either? It is upsetting him at the office he is falling behind in his work, he can’t concentrate,’ Alan offers not answering his son’s question, as he turns back around to look at him. ‘I would think that would be more important that your sister’s hobbies and a camera found in the car.”
Tyler is unsure of why his father is skirting around the issue for the most part. Wondering if his hunches have been right for years in that Vanessa’s trial was a cover up for a bigger issue. He knows that his brother is hurting over the matter and he knows that it hurts his family, as his father leaves the room he turns back to the photo on the coffee table. His father’s silence on the issue stating more than the empty silence that engulfs in the room.
Scene 2: Alexander Enterprises, James Alexander’s Office
James Alexander’s days have been full of meetings and press conferences left and right, the community is asking questions about the book and Brian’s connection to Vanessa. Something that he is sure has come from the experience and the press of the book, something that Brian nor Vanessa will confirm. He knows that he should give the press some kind of answer but so far he can’t, leaving the tabloids to talk and speculate about their relationship. Looking over at the family portrait on his desk of himself, his wife and his two children, he pauses for a bit as he plays with his wedding band on his finger.
He knows that Bridgette is pulling away from him for the most part, she has been for the last few years, he also doesn’t know what has compelled him to his latest actions. If anything it has told him more times that not that he wasn’t all right with her cheating the first time with Greg and there is no reason he should have stayed. The children were all but grown when it had happened the first time and would have taken the divorce well. He had already drawn up the papers the first time before he stopped himself from giving them to his wife when the accident with Hannah happened.
“Mr. Alexander, you have a phone call on line one. It’s Karen Donovan she says that it is urgent.”
Picking up the phone as his secretary finishes over the intercom for the first time in weeks he feels a sense of peace wash over him.
“Hello James, it’s me. I need to see you again,” Karen’s voice filters through the phone, he can tell that she upset and more than likely has been buried in a bottle all day.
“I’m extremely busy at the moment Karen. I could come by later today if that would work for you,” James offers, knowing that it is a pathetic attempt at meeting her.
“Do you not care that I am upset at the moment? That the press is parked outside the house like vultures about that stupid book?” Karen says her tone angry on the other end of the line, all that she wants is for him to come comfort her.
James lets out an expelled sigh as she mention the book, the book that he went ahead and gave the go ahead to publish. He closes his eyes for a bit as he feels the headache coming on through her pleas into the phone, he knew it would come to her begging. He also knows that his wife is already suspicious of his late night whereabouts and lack of interest in fixing their marriage. A marriage that he reminds himself started with her cheating and disloyalty in the first place leading to where they are now.
“I’ll try to come by right after work,” James finally relents, knowing that it is not good enough as the line goes dead on the other end.
1962 Parkview Ln., West Lake, NY
Karen slams the phone shut as James all but rejects her for a late afternoon visit with his final statement. She is in her bedroom at the estate a very expensive bottle of white Chardonnay at her bedside. She listened to the conversation between her husband and her son at the top of the stairs before she went and opened the bottle. Alan left for the office and she knew that she needed James to come over and help her pick of the pieces of her husband’s lies. Lies that she has been fed left and right over the past four years, years that she has missed out on all the important things in her life by locking herself away from society in the comforts of the estate. Lies that have pushed her to the brink of destruction with a bottle every other day. Not to mention the medication and therapy over the years that could supply a third world country.
She doesn’t know what to think of it all for the most part other than she is tired of all the lies that Alan has been feeding her about the accident. Even if she wants to she isn’t sure that she can still hate the Harvell’s for tearing apart her family, given that she isn’t sure what to believe anymore. All that she does know is that there has been so many lies in the case and so many turns, she knows that she misses Hannah. She knows that she misses her husband being a good spouse and not a cheating bastard. She misses that Jacob used to have a good head on his shoulders about where he was going, now he too just sleeps around for cheap thrills. She also knows that even if the truth will be devastating she wants answers and if that means that Tyler has to disobey his father so be it.
Scene 3: Club 90; West Lake, NY
Paige has kept her mind on work for the last few weeks, never leaving the house except to go to and from work or the various wedding activities that she has been appointed to. So far there has been no word from the caller, no more threats or phone calls to hurt her image. She knows better to let her guard down for the most part, which is why she inspects every piece of mail that comes in and took out an extra insurance policy of cash just in case. Looking over the quarter numbers for the club she in intent on getting some work done when her cell phone rings, displaying Shane’s number.
She contemplates answering to reach over and press the ignore button on the phone it is the eighth time he has called that morning, to her another failed attempt at a relationship. He wants to take her to lunch to met with his sister and his mother, to inform them of their relationship and she isn’t so sure about it. She doesn’t want things to be awkward for herself or Shane with his mother or Kate, more so Kate given her past with Austin.
Closing her eyes for a bit as one of the bartenders knocks on the door and hands her the mail for the day. Thanking the younger man on his way out of the door as she reaches to sort through it. Bills for suppliers, a lot of junk mail and an unmarked manilla envelope with her name and the club’s address on it. Tracing her fingers on the back of the envelope she takes a sharp inhale of breath, knowing what to expect inside the envelope. Her eyes are still closed as she hears the tearing of the paper on the back of the envelope and her and is shaking, as she looks at the photographs. She doesn’t look up as the office door opens again and Austin’s voice filters over the phone.
“Hey, you look a million miles away. Paige what’s wrong?”
Offering her brother a faint smile as she sits the photos down on the desk in front of her she tries to regain her composure. Her hands have stopped shaking slightly for a few moments as she folds her hands on the table. Exhaling for a bit wondering if she should tell her older brother the truth behind the photos on her desk.
“What brings you by?” Paige asks, drumming her fingers on her desk for a bit as he takes a seat across from her.
She doesn’t have time to react as Austin reaches across the desk to take the stack of pictures in his hand. Flipping through them slowly as he looks up at his sister, they’re pictures of her younger in her college days, very provocative pictures that would ruin their families image should they be released. There are a few of her past in the city as well, something that he knows that she can’t tell their parents or Shane about, good girls like her don’t have affairs with married men.
“I take it these are what has got you jumping out of your skin lately?” Austin asks quietly, getting a silent nod in return from his sister.
Austin is sure that no one knows about any of it and he is certain that his sister wants to keep things that way for the most part. Folding his hands in his lap for a bit, he stares at her from across the chair, as the clock on the wall ticks away. He is torn between leaving her high and out to dry in her own mess and web that she has created or stepping up and protecting her from the photos and the scandal behind them. Something that he supposes that he should have been more adept and alert to years ago based on the age behind the pictures.
“What do they want to keep quiet?” Austin asks quietly, Paige looks at him unsure and shakes her head.
“I though it was money like before every so often they send these or call. It’s why I keep having to change my number over the years. They asked for more money recently, I went ahead and took it out of my inheritance,’ Paige begins earning a disapproving look from her brother. ‘No one is going to miss a few thousand here and there Austin and you and I both know that mom and dad never look into it. I took out extra just incase they wanted more, but instead no threat just these came today in the mail.”
“Does Shane know?” Austin asks, Paige shakes her head no as he gets up from the chair to hand her back the photos.
“Let’s go ahead and keep it that way then. They call you again, call me and let me know,” Austin states as he reaches the door, to open and close it behind him.
Scene 4: West Lake Mall; West Lake NY
Two weeks after slamming into a tree Callie Morris parks the car in the parking lot of the West Lake Mall, it’s also the first time in weeks that she and Vanessa have spent anytime together. Her sister has spent her time since being out of prison sealed up in her room, sitting on the back porch, at work with their aunt or spending time with Brian McAllister. It seems to be a bright day out as Callie gets out of the car to grab her purse, the heat causing her tank top to cling to her as she waits for Vanessa to exit as well. Shopping has never been her sister’s favorite thing but since their mother had insisted she get out of the house, Vanessa reluctantly agreed.
Locking the car door behind them as Vanessa finally exits the car. They begin the walk to the malls entrance Callie lets out a content sigh at the thought of an afternoon shopping. Since being home she’s not sure what to say around her sister or if she can say anything to make her feel more at home to begin with. She fulfilled the goals that her sister had once laid down in a career with law, she went to college and then got accepted to law school. Something her sister and father had planned for in Vanessa’s future. After the accident the plans were simply dropped off the face of the planet replaced by one goal, making sure Vanessa was not behind bars for the rest of her life or worse she wasn’t sentenced to capital punishment.
“I hear that the book tour is going to start up here in a few weeks after the wedding. Are you going to go with Brian on it?” Callie, asks as she holds open the door for the two of them to pass through.
“I’m not sure yet. I can’t leave the state you know that Callie, the judge was strict about my parole,” Vanessa offers, as she takes off her sunglasses once inside the door.
Truthfully weeks later and she still doesn’t know what it is that she is supposed to be doing, working for her aunt or starting something with Brian. Part of her feels selfish for wanting to start over with everything, something that Hannah can no longer do. The thought leaves as quickly as it has come with Hannah, she doesn’t want to think about it today. Today was supposed to be about her and Callie, having a good time going out to the mall and spending the day together.
She wants to enjoy the day without thinking about the accident or her time away from home and as they wander through the mall she hopes they can accomplish it. She has missed out on years of her life and her family. The world in general, as she takes in the fashions on the rack and the window displays. Vanessa offers her sister a smile as Callie moves to the elevator and presses the button to go to the top level of the floor, it almost feels like old times for them again. When the door opens however, Elizabeth Jones and Jessica Robins are staring back at them from the other side.
“Vanessa!” Elizabeth lets out, rushing forward to hug her tightly in an embrace.
The action nearly throws Vanessa to the ground as Jessica gives her an icy stare. She can barley object to Elizabeth or Jessica’s cold stare as her friend finally releases her. Taking a few steps back to admire her from top to bottom a wide smile on her face, the best that Vanessa can offer back is a faint smile before her friend instantly speaks again.
“You’re coming to the rehearsal dinner right? My mom said that you sent her your measurements for the dress and everything? Furthermore you haven’t called since you got out.”
“I have it marked in my date book rehearsal dinner. I’ve just been really busy with everything to call,” Vanessa offers, questioning why she agreed to be a bridesmaid from the get go behind the jail bars. Elizabeth nods her head to let out some sort of statement when Jessica speaks.
“We should really get going. I’m supposed to met Jacob in a little bit, he hates it when I’m late,” Jessica offers, making sure to emphasize the Jacob part of her statement.
The group exchanges a few awkward glances before Elizabeth nods and leads Jessica away. Callie holds open the doors of the elevator as she and her sister step inside, as the doors slide closed behind them. She looks over at her sister trying to gauge her reaction with the encounter with Jessica. She met with nothing but a distant and cold stare about the matter in her sister’s eyes.< br>
“What a bitch,” Callie manages to offer hoping to offer her sister some sort of support.
The only reaction she gets from the comment is a shake of the head yes in agreement from Vanessa in the elevator.
Scene 5: 574 Shoreline Dr. Apt. #8; West Lake, NY
After leaving the mall Jessica Robins returns home with her roommate Elizabeth Jones tossing the shopping bags down on the sofa in the entryway. Liz has ran off to do more wedding preparations at the club with Austin and for the first time in weeks she is left to her thoughts. She and Jacob have been together for years, even if he thinks of it more as a casual fling; in her mind however it means that he has picked her above Vanessa Harvell. She crinkles her nose up at the thought as she gets a bottle of water from the fridge, she didn’t expect their first run in to be like that. To have Liz fawning all over her with adoration and excitement.
She hears the knock on the door and she looks at the time, he is never late for the most part when he needs comforting or an interlude in the middle of the day. Placing the water down on the counter she goes to the door to open it and let Jacob Donovan in. He looks tired, she knows from speaking to him a few weeks ago he is not alight with Brian McAllister in town and worse he’s not all right with Brian sniffing around Vanessa. Her plan to quickly trap and get Jacob to herself is quickly unraveling and that was not part of the plan, it has never been part of the plan.
“I got here as fast I could. Liz went to go met Austin at the country club to finalize some prep work,” Jessica offers walking towards him and looping her fingers into his belt loops, he tenses and she looks up at him.
“Something wrong?”
Jacob has known for months that this moment has been coming the decision that he can’t see her anymore, that he has been using her. The final realization being slugging Brian McAllister across the face a few weeks ago, he may of told himself it was about the book and Hannah but he knows it was more than that. Jessica has been good to him over the years, they have fun together, are avid sexual partners but he doesn’t see himself with her in the long run. He places his hands on her fingers and untangles himself from her grasp as he takes a breath, knowing no matter how it comes out he’s going to sound like a jackass.
“I just think with everything going on with the book and the wedding that we take a break on things,” Jacob manages to offer, as weak and as cowardly as it sounds.
“Is this about her?” Jessica manages to ask, anger seeping out of her, this is not part of the plan.
Jacob is certain that his silence gives her the answer that she is looking for as she glances down at the floor and then back up at him. He has led her on for years it is something that he is not proud of even so, now that Vanessa is back he can’t keep up the facade any longer. He is surprised that she is so calm about everything as her fingers tap lightly against the counter in the kitchen next to the water bottle. He had expected anger or resentment, tears or screaming not the coldness that he is receiving now from her.
Her worst fear is coming true as she taps her fingers against the countertop had been assured by her father and others that with Vanessa out of the way she would get her shot. The plan was always supposed to be her with him, not him attempting to end things with her in her apartment living room. If she wanted to throw on the water works she could to make him feel horrible but she can tell he already does. Instead she uses the situation to her advantage for the most part, she can play a few angles until the wedding.
“Can we at least follow this through till after the wedding? I don’t want to upset Liz a few weeks before, it would mean a lot afterwards we can split ways,” Jessica offers quietly, her throat throbbing at a pause.
This time she turns on the water works just a bit to pull at his heart strings to get her way with the situation. Tt seems to work for the most part as he nods his head in agreement at her. She composes herself again to finish her statement on the matter.
“Good I think it is best that you should probably go now.”
She walks to the door and holds it open for him. Jacob lowers his head thinking of something to say and instead silently leaves the room. Shutting the door behind him she walks back to the counter, throwing the bottle across the room and watching as is crashes against the wall. She takes a few moment before picking up her cell phone to dial an unknown number.
“We have a problem,” Jessica says into the phone as the other end picks up.
Scene 6: 1298 Hollow Oak Way; West Lake, NY
Parking the car inside the driveway Cade looks up at the house that his aunt and sister have diligently worked on getting ready to show over the past few weeks. He and Helen had spent a few days in the city tracking down his father, to then return him to the ward. Helen hadn’t judged him once she knew the facts of what was going on, what he had to do, to protect his stepmother and younger sister from his father’s sudden slide off the cliff of reality. He has been eager to get the property off his hands and more so off the books, it has been sitting empty for nearly four years.
The previous owner a local college professor, who at the end of the quarter up and disappeared off the map. Some said that he went back down to Houston, TX where he was from. Others said that he ran off with one of the young college girls that he was known for spending nights with, others just said that he walked right out of town. It didn’t matter to Cade one way or the other, the property was prime real estate in West Lake a direct view over the water as he wanted it off of his hands. He sees the black Escalade pull into the driveway and Brian get out and he was slightly confused.
“Brian?” Cade asked, unsure of what he was doing at the property.
Once everything had been set into place he knew that he wanted the property, after the google search he conducted when Jacob Donovan left his room weeks before. With closing the book deal a few months ago he has enough of a nest egg on a down payment on the house. Enough of an incentive to stay in town a bit longer to get the answers that he has come for since the beginning, he doesn’t think he will get them from his hotel room. Not that he doesn’t like the hotel room to begin with he does, it’s something that he has gotten used to however, Vanessa isn’t comfortable there and he needs her comfortable to get the answers that he needs.
Looking up at the house he notices that it is just like the pictures, it’s quaint and in the country the perfect backdrop for what he needs to do. Taking a few steps forward he takes Cade’s hand in a firm shake before releasing it and taking off his sun glasses. He could have told Cade that he was the one looking at the property but he preferred to have it not well known that he was staying in town. He has decided that he will stay until he has all the answers that he needs, but he is not looking forward to getting hit by Vanessa’s jealous ex boyfriend over the matter either again.
“Sorry about the mystery. I was wanting to keep a low profile while I was looking for a permanent place to stay. Not everyone is thrilled with the book release or my connection to it,” Brian offers as he looks at Vanessa’s brother.
“That’s understandable given that is does effect the Donovan’s. Hannah is a touchy subject for them, for a lot of people here in town,” Cade offers, taking out the house key and unlocking the door to let them in.
“We went ahead and sanded all the floors, varnished them as well, gave everything a fresh coat of paint. The kitchen is the top selling point in the house. The deck and dock, leading out to the lake has been sanded and touched up again,” Cade mentions, as he brings his briefcase in with him containing the house contract hoping that the deal will close rather quickly.
Brian takes in the oak floors that have been sanded and varnished. The fresh coat of white paint on the walls. The living room has been organized, the furniture is emasculate and he is certain that it comes with the house, if not he wants it included. Making his way to the kitchen with the granite countertops and the cherry cabinets, they are a great addition to the room. Walking to the French doors that over look the lake, he folds his hands behind him to think over the offer, he wants the house there is no question about it more so he needs the house.
“There have been no other offers on the house correct?” Brian asks, turning his attention back to Cade.
“No one else has asked to see it since we put up the ad a few weeks ago. I’ve heard that Langston booked a few other people later this week who may be interested but no firm offer other than yours has been made yet,” Cade offers, placing his briefcase on the table to wait for an answer.
“You should let Langston know that no one else needs to be brought in to look at the house,’ Brian says walking to Cade. ‘You got a pen on you so I can sign the papers and get this all squared away?”
Cade’s hands go to his suit as he looks for a pen coming up empty handed.
“Let me run to the car and get one.”
Cade’s exit from the room is met with the door creaking as it closes behind him and Brian takes out his wallet. Taking out the worn down photo of a man standing on the porch waving at the camera. Turning the picture over Brian stares at the inscription on the back of the picture. ‘Wish you, you brother and your mother were here, see you soon.'-Dad. He knew one thing for sure about his father, Elliot Scott Davidson wouldn’t just disappear of the face of the earth like everyone was saying. Hearing Cade come back inside the door, he folded the photo again to replace it in his wallet grinning at him as he took the pen and Cade got the contract out, signing his name on the offer.