Someone wearing gloves tipped over a space heater in the stables. Edmund noticed it and got up out of his chair but was hit in the head and knocked out before he could stop the fire. Ethan was there and saw Zach next to Edmund, and together they carried him out and called 9-1-1.
Inside the house, Maria wondered why Brooke looked so worried, and she blamed work and didn't want to tell Maria what Edmund had said about wanting to destroy her. The fire alarm sounded in the house, and Maria ran out.
Anita and Aidan worried about Lily, especially after Jack called to ask where she was. They went to the stables to look for her and found Edmund, as did Maria. Maria looked at Zach when she found a bleeding head wound on Edmund. She struggled to stabilize him, and they all heard Lily scream.
Aidan went into the burning stables and found Lily as a beam fell on Zach. Ethan found Zach, who asked if Ethan was going to let him die. Aidan pleaded with Lily to go to him, and she finally took his hand and nearly fell through the floor. Paramedics arrived and took Edmund and also checked out Lily and Zach.
Jonathan showed up at Maggie's apartment and found Reggie and Danielle packing up. Jonathan guessed Maggie had run off with Bianca and was furious. After he left, Reggie got a call from Jack and went to Wildwind to look for Lily.
Greenlee and Ryan were upset to find Jonathan's room empty, and Ryan beat himself up for leaving Jonathan alone, making Greenlee feel guilty. She told Ryan she wanted to save their marriage and suggested that if Ryan had to worry about Jonathan being loose, perhaps he should be locked up for treatment. When Jonathan returned, Ryan was upset to learn he'd gone to find Maggie. Jonathan played innocent, pretending to be happy for Maggie, and said he couldn't get between Ryan and Greenlee any longer.
Alone, Greenlee told Jonathan he didn't fool her and accused him of having a pity party and being a manipulative freak. Ryan overheard their argument and Jonathan telling her that if whoever poisoned her had another chance, it would be bye-bye Greenlee. Ryan returned to the room, and Greenlee left. Ryan told Jonathan he had heard what Jonathan had said to Greenlee. Jonathan complained that Greenlee pushed his buttons, but Ryan figured out that he hated her. Jonathan denied it.
Palmer and Adam were positively gleeful at the hospital and told David he was fired. Joe informed David they would be petitioning the American Medical Association to revoke his license.
JR was rude to Babe when she arrived to drop off their baby's favorite things, although she tried to get along with him for the sake of the baby. He passed her a copy of their divorce, and she asked if he had ever loved her or had just used her to stick it to Adam. He just passed along his condolences to the next moron she married. He also warned her to keep Jamie away from his son.
Palmer and Adam returned, and they all asked Babe to leave. Adam and Palmer sipped scotch and delighted in picturing Krystal in jail and telling Babe about David losing his job. Palmer said he'd never forgive her for letting him think Dixie's grandson had been gone. They continued to threaten and torment her, and she just told them to "bring it on" and left.
At the hospital, Lily freaked out about everyone touching her, and Jack authorized sedation. Zach and Ethan glared at each other, and Zach asked why Ethan hadn't left him. Brooke watched tearfully as Edmund was treated. Lily was checked into a room, and Aidan explained to Jack what had happened about her seeing him kiss Anita. Lily became more alert but only kept counting. Anita refused to treat Zach. Edmund flatlined, but Maria refused to give up.
At the hospital, Zach was convinced that Ethan's heroic rescue, which had saved Zach's life, was an indication that he was a good man. Ethan was disgusted with himself for saving Zach's life and let his father know it. Zach was more convinced than ever that cutting Ethan out of the Cambias fortune was the right thing to do because Ethan was not tainted by the Cambias curse.
Maria, David Hayward, and Dr. Joe Martin worked feverishly to save Edmund's life while Brooke hovered nearby in a state of shock and worry. Maria stubbornly refused to give up even after Joe and David realized that there was nothing that they could do. Edmund's injuries were just too extensive. When Maria finally accepted that Edmund was gone, she allowed David to call his time of death. Edmund was pronounced dead at 9:33 a.m.
Devastated, Maria left the room and immediately saw Zach. She demanded to know what he had done to her husband. When Zach asked to speak to her alone, both Ethan and Anita cautioned her against being alone with him, but Maria ignored them and led the way for her and Zach to have some privacy.
Ethan ranted to Kendall about Zach and his need to save Ethan from the Cambias curse when he mentioned hitting Zach in the back of the head. He went on to let her know that he was sure Zach had been behind the shooting, but Edmund's death proved that was nearly impossible, as Edmund was the only one who knew how to contact the hit man.
Once alone, Maria began to immediately question Zach then accused him of going after a defenseless man in a wheelchair. Zach shocked Maria when he revealed to her that not only could Edmund walk, but he had trapped them in the shed. Maria didn't believe him. She yelled and ranted at him before breaking down in tears, overcome with grief.
Zach comforted Maria, but she didn't want that. She pulled herself together long enough to ask him what proof he had to support his claims. Zach admitted that he didn't have any but promised her that he'd had nothing to do with Edmund's death. Ethan walked up just then and accused Zach of being a liar. Ethan told Maria that not only had he been there, but he had seen Zach kill Edmund.
Brooke took the news of Edmund's passing badly. In a state of shock, she went into the room and sat beside him. Trying to make sense of the events that had led to his untimely death, Brooke asked him, "What happened, Edmund?" Of course there was no answer. As she sat by his side, she tenderly kissed his forehead.
Jamie was not happy to hear that Babe had been to see JR. He suggested that they find a justice of the peace to get married as soon as possible, but Babe was reluctant even after she told him that she was officially a free woman. Her divorce was final. When she explained that she just wanted to wait until things settled down, Jamie insisted that she tell him the real reason. She finally admitted that JR was determined, and he was not going to give up making her pay for what she had done to him. She feared that anyone close to her would get hurt in the process.
Tad visited Krystal in jail, posing as her brother. When Derek got wind of it, he went to see for himself and walked up just as Tad and Krystal were kissing. He informed Tad that the rule for visitors, family only, applied to everyone, including the Martins. Tad ignored Derek and continued spending the last minutes he had with Krystal, kissing her. Derek relented. He told the guard that Tad could stay until Krystal was taken to court and sentenced.
Lily was in a hospital room, surrounded by Reggie, Jack, Danielle, and Aidan. Aidan tried to apologize to Lily for hurting her, but it didn't seem to get through to Lily. Still too upset with events, Jack asked Aidan to leave. Before Aidan walked out, Reggie made a point of thanking him for saving Lily's life. In the hallway, Aidan saw Anita, who was clearly still in a state of shock. He asked her what was wrong, and she tearfully told him that Edmund had died.
Later, Jack informed Reggie that he had a call in for a doctor who could hopefully get through to an unresponsive Lily. As everyone left the room, Lily had a few flashbacks of a pool of blood in hay, all the while mumbling to herself, "Red, red, red..." When Jack returned a bit later, Lily was rocking herself back and forth but still remained unresponsive even after Jack tried to reassure her that he loved her and would do his best to not let anything bad happen to her.
Livia Frye was not happy to be representing Krystal, Babe, and David in court and was only doing so as a favor to Tad. When they all convened in court for the sentencing, Erica interrupted the judge before he rendered the sentence. She insisted that she be given an opportunity to tell the judge how their actions had affected the victims. JR also stood up and asked to be heard. The judge decided to let them speak. Each made an impassioned speech about the pain and suffering they had endured as a result of Krystal, Babe, and David's actions.
Afterwards, the judge decided to take a short recess to consider their statements. When he returned, he expressed his disgust for the plea bargain but decided to uphold it. He sentenced Krystal to ten years in prison, demanded that David give up his medical license, and then ordered Babe and David to report to their probation officer three times a week and collect trash as their community service. Before Krystal was taken to prison, Tad promised her that he would be there every visiting day, while she, in turn, told him that she loved him. Adam, Erica, and JR watched as Krystal was taken away in front of a weeping Babe, for whom they had no empathy.
Simone found Greenlee on the roof of Fusion, standing near the ledge. Panic-stricken, she rushed over and pulled Greenlee back. Greenlee assured Simone that she hadn't been about to repeat the Green Butterfly act. When Simone questioned her about the obvious secret that she and Kendall had between them, Greenlee confided that she suspected Jonathan of poisoning her.
Greenlee and Simone returned to the offices, where Greenlee started questioning Simone about anything she might have noticed during the time when she had been poisoned. At first, Simone didn't recall anything out of the ordinary, but then she remembered that Jonathan had always been running off to fetch Greenlee a glass of orange juice or something to drink. He had seemed obsessed with keeping her hydrated while he had never extended the same concern to Simone or anyone else. Greenlee realized that could be significant.
Ryan asked Dr. Robinson over for an emergency session with him and Jonathan. When the doctor arrived, Ryan said that he wanted to explore Jonathan's feelings for Greenlee. Jonathan tried to make it sound as if the animosity and distrust between him and Greenlee was one-sided and primarily of Greenlee's making. He then tried to shift the discussion from Greenlee to an incident during his childhood when he had been victimized, but neither Ryan nor the doctor permitted it.
Agitated, Jonathan talked about Greenlee but inadvertently referred to her as "Gail." It was their mother's name. Ryan caught the slip immediately and probed further, questioning why Jonathan had referred to Greenlee as Gail. Jonathan tried to brush it off as insignificant, but Ryan didn't buy it. When the doctor asked Jonathan to tell about his mother, Jonathan seemed to have difficulty. Ryan tried to help by recalling his own memories, talking about the "blue sky" days, which had been wonderful, and he touched on her heavy drinking.
Jonathan took over, recalling how she had frequently asked him to fix her drinks and how he would do it despite knowing it was poison to her. He told how she had always praised him for making her the best drinks. While he was talking, Ryan recalled watching Jonathan fixing a cup of coffee for Greenlee and handing it to her at Fusion. He remembered Greenlee commenting that the drink had some bite to it. When the doctor called an end to the session and left, Ryan took the opportunity to leave as well. Alone, Jonathan picked up a water bottle and toasted out loud to his mother.
At the hospital, Maria demanded that Zach denounce Ethan for making false allegations, but Zach remained stoically silent. Just then, Derek, whom Ethan had called, arrived and demanded to know what was going on. He learned of Edmund's death and what Ethan had witnessed. According to Ethan, he had run into Zach, who had been determined to confront Edmund. Realizing things were not going to go well for Edmund, Ethan had hit Zach over the head with a shovel and had gone to warn Edmund that Zach had been looking for him.
Ethan reported that Edmund hadn't been intimidated. He had insisted on dealing with Zach himself. Ethan, fearing trouble, had decided to follow him and had witnessed Zach hitting Edmund over the head with the same shovel that Ethan had used on Zach. He also mentioned seeing a conveniently tipped-over space heater, which had caught the straw on fire. Ethan then turned to Zach and said that the reason he had saved Zach's life was so that Zach could face the punishment for his crimes.
Taking Zach's silence as an admission of guilt, Maria raged at Zach. She pieced together what she believed were all of Zach's transgressions and crimes as Derek took notes. Disgusted with herself for what she saw as her own culpability, she realized that the price she had paid was the murder of the love of her life. She told Zach that she wished he were the one who had died.
Meanwhile, Kendall pulled Ethan off to the side and confronted him about the revelations he had made, which he had not mentioned earlier when they had discussed the events. Ethan swore to her that he was telling the truth. After Zach was arrested and taken to the police station, Derek questioned Ethan about his statement and whether he'd be able to testify against his father in court. Ethan pointed out to Derek that he might share his DNA, but Zach was not a father to him. He would have no problem testifying against Zach in court.
Ryan walked into Fusion and asked to speak to Greenlee alone. After Simone left, he told her that he'd had an emergency session with Dr. Robinson, but before he could do more than mention that she and his mother had been discussed, Kendall walked in with the startling news that Edmund was dead and that Zach had killed him. She went on to tell them that he was also the one who had shot Ryan and poisoned Greenlee.
As Brooke left Edmund's side, Joe Martin ran into her in the hallway. He offered her his condolences and left. Alone, Brooke replayed a recent conversation she'd had with Edmund, regarding Maria and Zach. Later, she offered Maria comfort, reminding her that she and Edmund had loved each other. Maria then went in to see Edmund. She softly kissed him then, grief-stricken, wept over his body.
Derek was confused as to why Zach refused to defend himself in the face of the accusations that had been made against him. Zach implied that there was no need to do so, as there was an eyewitness that had stepped forward. Furious, Derek stormed out of the room, allowing Ethan access. Moving to the doorframe from his position where he had watched through the window, Ethan smugly regarded his father. Zach asked what Ethan thought about how things were going -- he asked if it would be better than watching him burn in the fire. Ethan replied that he had promised a long, slow punishment -- and he kept his word, as only a Ramsey would.
Just then, Ryan stormed into the room and, as Derek watched from the other side of the two-way glass, demanded a confirmation from Zach that he had been the one that had poisoned Greenlee. Instead of answering directly, Zach deferred to Ethan -- as Ethan was the one who had made the accusation. Before Ethan could say anything, Ryan asked if Ethan had actually seen Zach commit the crime or if he was just throwing accusations around to see what would stick. Ethan swore that he had seen Zach commit the crime, and at that point, Ryan wanted to know everything that had happened. Ethan handed the ball back to his father, saying that Zach should be the one supplying the details.
Ryan asked Ethan to leave the room so that he could talk to Zach alone. Once the trio became a duo, Ryan went on about how Edmund had been a good man and how two children had lost their father and Maria was a widow because of what Zach had done. Ryan insisted on an explanation -- he demanded to know how Zach could kill that kind of love. He asked if it had been something planned out, or if it had been something that had happened in the spur of the moment. Zach only offered a simple response -- that he understood more than Ryan thought he did.
Zach was confused as to why, when the police were about to lock up the man responsible for a slew of recent crimes, Ryan wasn't out celebrating. Ryan responded that his friend had just died, and he wanted answers as to why. Not about to admit to anything, Zach changed the subject and started talking about how he liked Ryan, but he couldn't quite figure Ryan out. Ryan said that he was actually a simple guy -- "what you see is what you get."
Zach, believing there was more than met the eye, talked about how Ryan had to have a committee in his brain, and everyone was talking at once. The problems arose when everyone was silent. That was when his deepest fears were allowed to reach the surface. He then told Ryan that he could see that Ryan had never learned to bluff. He could read all over Ryan's face that he was dying to know the cards that Zach was holding. The problem, according to Zach, was that Ryan hadn't anted up. And the reason was that Ryan was holding all face cards -- and they were all the faces of people that he knew.
Frustrated that he couldn't get a straight answer, Ryan tried to think of a way to get the answers that he needed. Zach then suggested that when Ryan had been shot, perhaps he had not been the target. Ryan had no reason to believe Zach's alternative theory -- not with his hired gun running around and his handprint on the shovel. Zach agreed that the hit man theory existed and could be valid and then offered up something else to consider: the attacks on him and his wife could have been random, but the chances were slim. Ryan, tiring of the verbal runaround and the lessons in probability, demanded answers one more time.
Orderlies rolled Edmund's body away at the hospital as Maria tearfully looked on. Brooke offered to take her home, but Maria said that she couldn't leave until she found out the truth. She informed Brooke that Zach had told her Edmund had been able to walk. She also confessed that Zach had told her the only reason Edmund had gotten back together with her was so that Zach couldn't have her.
Knowing the truth and trying to keep it hidden, Brooke insisted that wasn't the time to investigate such things. Brooke felt that Maria needed to take that time for herself and her kids and say her goodbyes to her husband. Maria insisted that she couldn't do any of that with all of the lies and unanswered questions that were floating around her brain. Just then, Manny, Edmund's physical therapist, arrived, telling Maria that he had just heard the news and extending his condolences. Maria was thankful but distracted.
Maria asked Manny if Edmund had been able to walk, and Manny insisted that his patient hadn't made that much progress. While Edmund had worked very hard on his recovery, he had only been at a point where he had been getting some sensation and twinges back. Manny went on to say that if Edmund had been able to walk, Manny would have known about it. He left, and Brooke once again offered to take Maria home, since she had her answer. Once again, Maria declined, saying that she wouldn't let Zach spit on her husband's grave.
Later, back at the station, Maria barged in, demanding to know where they were. She saw Ryan and Zach through the window, and even though Ethan tried to stop her, she burst into the interrogation room. She demanded to see Derek so that she could give her statement -- she wanted to see Zach locked up so he could "rot in hell." She ranted and raved that Zach was the one who should be dead and how she wouldn't let him spew filthy lies about her husband. She was intent on making the charges stick.
Derek entered, asked if Maria was all right, and then went off to find an officer to take her statement. Ethan walked Maria back into the hall, leaving only Ryan and Zach in the room again. Ryan admitted that he was amazed at Zach's gift for deserting people -- the one person that had stuck by his side and explained everything away couldn't stand him. Ryan went back to demanding answers from Zach, but Zach retorted that what Ryan really wanted was a solution. Zach said that what Ryan wanted was something that would allow him to wrap up his life neatly so that he could go back to being normal.
However, Zach continued, he was unwilling to deprive Ryan of the journey that had ended with Zach under arrest. He went further and said that one day the truth would be revealed, and he couldn't wait until it hit Ryan over the head. Zach then admitted that he blamed Ryan for how Ethan was -- if he hadn't insisted on the DNA test, Ethan would still be the person that he had been: honest and kind. However, because of Ryan's constant interference, Zach knew that Ryan had caused more damage than ever imagined. Done talking, he rose from his chair and knocked on the two-way glass, asking someone to enter so that he could give his statement.
Derek then entered to take Zach's statement, but Ethan, Maria, and Ryan were still in the room. Derek preferred to proceed in private, but Zach announced that he had already been read his rights, and he had nothing to hide. He then admitted to killing Edmund and being guilty of all the charges lodged against him.
Shortly thereafter, Derek fitted handcuffs onto Zach and started to lead him away. As he started to walk in front of his son, his ex-lover, and the former head of his namesake corporation -- he stopped. He asked why they looked so down -- they were getting the answer that they wanted, that they had prayed for. He told them that it was the answer each and every one of them deserved -- and that he was going to enjoy every minute of it.
David returned home from a jog and found Tad in his cabin, packing his things. Furious, David insisted that Tad needed to get out of his house. Tad didn't bend so easily, and he informed the doctor that he wanted David out of Pine Valley. David said that if Tad was upset about the fact that Krystal was doing time, he needed to have his tantrum elsewhere. Tad revealed that his presence had nothing to do with Krystal, Babe, or either of his sons. It had to do with Zach Slater.
David, puzzled, said that he had nothing to do with Zach. On the contrary, Tad admitted that he blamed David for Edmund's death. If David hadn't given Maria the drug that had erased her memory, Zach wouldn't have ever arrived in town. Tad rambled on about how David had either slept with or drugged half the town, not to mention the marriages he had wrecked: Gillian, Dixie, and his own. David took it all in stride as Tad continued to list David's transgressions; because of him, his poor daughter had lost her son to JR, and her mother was doing time in the state penitentiary.
Finally, David had heard enough, and he told Tad to shut up. He said that Tad was simply a windbag that sat on the sidelines and never did anything. He went on to say that Tad wasn't the king of the world -- he was not even the head of his freak show family.
Once again, David tried to get Tad out of his house, but Tad insisted on staying a few minutes longer, in hopes of convincing David to leave town for good. It wouldn't happen, according to David, because he had a daughter who loved him and a grandson who needed him -- and he wouldn't leave them. Tad thought David would be doing Babe a favor by leaving, but David wouldn't leave her to go toe-to-toe with the two men Tad had helped raise.
Tad didn't understand why David was making a stupid mistake by staying. He followed by saying that he hoped that the earth opened up and swallowed him whole. David mused aloud that divine justice was a fairy tale and that in real life, the good guys got the short end of the stick while the bad guys multiplied. With that, Tad took his leave.
Kendall showed up at the Fusion offices and found Greenlee staring blankly at a piece of paper. Kendall announced that while it had been a horrible day because of Edmund's death, Greenlee should be happy because Zach had been arrested for everything -- Edmund's murder, Ryan's shooting, and Greenlee's poisoning. If Maria was right, Greenlee and Ryan could rest easy and go back to their happy married life. Greenlee finally spoke up and posed the question: "What if Maria is wrong?"
Kendall was absolutely convinced of Zach's guilt. If it had been anyone other than Maria Grey pointing the finger, she might still have doubts. However, with that and the fact that Ethan was an eyewitness, Kendall believed there was nothing stopping Greenlee from relaxing and being with Ryan. Greenlee didn't agree because she still had that evil, dark feeling about Jonathan. Kendall didn't understand why Greenlee couldn't just be happy and hold on to the one ray of sunshine -- she had gotten through the whole mess.
Greenlee told Kendall that even if Maria was right and Zach was responsible, that didn't mean she was out of the woods with Jonathan. The tone in his voice when he had spoken to her last -- about the person poisoning her not doing it right the first time -- told her that there was still something wrong with him. Kendall agreed and said that while Jonathan might still be a woman-hitting freak, he wasn't the person who had poisoned her, and that was one less thing for her to worry about. Greenlee said that if Jonathan hadn't done it, maybe he wished that he had -- and maybe next time he'd get lucky.
Frustrated at Greenlee's seeming unwillingness to lighten up, Kendall demanded that Greenlee tell her what else was bothering her. Greenlee acted dismissively, but Kendall wouldn't give up. She announced that she couldn't wait for another one of Greenlee's meltdowns before she found out what was wrong. Finally, Greenlee caved in and admitted that the problem was Ryan. Kendall felt that Ryan would be practically doing the dance of joy, knowing that the culprit had been arrested.
Greenlee, slightly exasperated, told Kendall that beliefs like that were why she had lost Ryan. She went on to say that Ryan was all about defending his family, the people he loved, with everything he had in him. Even when the truth was evident to everyone else, Ryan would stand by a loved one and protect them. They had both seen his reaction when people went against him -- for example, his fury when he had found out they had hired a detective.
Greenlee said that Ryan's greatest fear, deep down, was that Jonathan really was guilty, but he would never admit it. She couldn't go against him again for fear of inciting that fury. Having heard enough, Kendall grabbed her things and handed Greenlee her coat and purse. She dragged Greenlee off to find out some answers once and for all.
Kendall and Greenlee showed up at David's cabin and found him rustling around in boxes. They banged on the door, and although he tried to ignore them, they announced that they could see him through the window. Exasperated, he went to the door and quipped that if they were selling cookies, he didn't want any. They barged in uninvited, and he asked what they wanted. They told him that they weren't leaving until he hooked them up with one of his new designer drugs.
David thought Kendall and Greenlee were kidding, but Greenlee said they wanted a drug guaranteed to draw out the truth. Kendall thought that providing the truth serum would be a fraction of the payback for what he had done to Bianca. Greenlee followed by saying that either he gave them what they wanted, or they would start experimenting on their own. David started to agree, but he said that there was a condition. Without hearing what it was, the girls both agreed. Surprised at the sudden consensus, David tried to explain the dangers of using an untested drug, which wasn't approved by the FDA, on people.
Instead of really hearing what David was saying, Kendall and Greenlee dismissed him with a reminder that he had done it to Maria and then a boatload of people with Libidozone. He asked who the drug was for, and jumping to conclusions, he said that if it was for Ryan and if he had hurt Greenlee, he'd beat the truth out of Ryan himself. They told him that it didn't matter who it was for. The problem was that they had tried to ask the target directly, and they had hired a detective. An answer was always uncovered, and it was always a lie. They needed something that would get them an answer that would help a lot of people.
David finally agreed to make the serum, but he needed them to agree to the condition: if their target started to have any adverse reactions, they had to make sure he got to the emergency room immediately and had his stomach pumped. They tried too late to be shady and asked how David knew their target was male. David smirked and told them that women knew when other women were lying. It was men they had trouble with. Realizing that what he said was true, they agreed to David's terms.
Jonathan was hanging out at the bar at the Valley Inn and betting money on a trivia question with the bartender. The bartender, although trying to stall for time, seemed genuinely stumped. Simone approached the two men and, having overheard the question, answered it effortlessly and took the money. She ordered a drink and took a seat at a nearby table. Jonathan, duly impressed, observed her for a moment and then took her drink over to her.
Simone, easily dragged in by slightly charming ways, was impressed by his quick compliments of her. He admitted that it was not so easy to find someone to talk to -- most people ran away screaming. She invited him to join her. He made a point of ordering a soda and then continued with his flattery. He told her that she should be more in charge of things at Fusion and that she was underappreciated. He recalled the startup days, with guerilla marketing and her edge. He told her she hadn't lost that edge, and she glowed under his flow of words.
A short time later, Simone decided that it was time for her to go -- and Jonathan thanked her for spending time with him. He told her that she was the only one who understood what Maggie had meant to him, and she admitted that she got that he had loved her. She started to go, and he asked if she would have dinner with him sometime. She pondered it briefly and then agreed. He suggested their date be that evening, and she agreed to that as well.
Brooke showed up at Tempo and walked around Edmund's office, looking at pictures of happier times. She took a seat at his desk and looked at the last thing he'd had up on his laptop. Tad walked in, having tracked her down to see how she was doing. She immediately asked him what his stance was on secrets. After all that he had recently lived through, Tad told her that even though one thought they were doing the right thing, trying to protect someone -- in the end, it was best to just tell the truth right away. Keeping secrets did more damage than good.
Brooke told Tad that she had gone through all of that in her mind already and still couldn't decide on the right thing to do. Tad asked about the specifics of what was going on -- and she confessed that before he had died, Edmund had told her that he had been leading Maria on. He hadn't really wanted to reconcile with her -- he had been building her up with the plan of making her pay in the end for betraying him. Brooke then said that the man Maria was mourning and the man she had last spoken to were two different people. The Edmund they had known was kind and loving, but he was no more -- and Maria didn't have a clue about that truth.
Tad thought that Brooke should go to someone else for advice, but she had made her choice in him. Tad told her that all he knew was that Edmund had been a good man and a good friend -- and Tad couldn't judge him. Brooke countered that it was not about judgment -- it was about doing what was right. She asked if he was going to help her -- and he told her that he had an answer for her, but she was not going to like it.
Tad went on to tell Brooke that she was on her own with regard to the decision. However, what he did know was that whatever decision she made, he would be right there with her, supporting her all the way. Just then, it hit Brooke again that Edmund was really gone, and Tad moved in to hold and comfort her.
Ryan visited Jonathan in his hotel room, and Jonathan gleefully said that he felt great about his last session with Dr. Robins. Ryan said that Edmund had been murdered and that he knew who had poisoned Greenlee. Ryan said that Zach had confessed to killing Edmund, shooting Ryan, and poisoning Ryan's wife. Jonathan seemed thrilled and said that they finally "got their man." Realizing how insensitive he was being, Jonathan apologized to Ryan and said that he was sorry about Ryan's friend's death.
Ryan said that he was not sure if Zach was telling the truth because if he had done it, there was no reason for him to admit it. Also, when he had admitted it, there had been a look in his eye that had seemed as though he had been taking more of a shot at them, instead of confessing, Ryan said. Jonathan said that Zach was just trying to get on his nerves and not to worry about it. As Jonathan put on his tie, Ryan asked where he was going. When Jonathan said he was going on a date with Simone, Ryan said, "Like hell!"
Ryan told Jonathan that he was not ready to be dating again. Jonathan assured him that he wouldn't hit Simone or drink alcohol at the date; he would be on his best behavior. He got a call from Simone, asking him to pick her up at Fusion because she was running late. Jonathan agreed and left, with Ryan looking very unhappy.
Ryan went to the bar at Pine Valley Restaurant and ran into David. David, already deep into the booze, began to taunt him, but Ryan said to leave him alone because he was just a drunk. David ignored him and asked who he was cheating on Greenlee with. Ryan said he was not cheating on her, but David did not seem to trust him. David said that it couldn't be Kendall because she was Greenlee's "wingman on this." Ryan asked him, "Wingman on what?" David realized that Ryan was not lying and said, "Then who is the drug for?" Ryan asked him, "What drug?"
At Fusion, Kendall and Greenlee were trying to figure out how to slip the truth drug into Jonathan's drink. Greenlee was worried about the whole plot and said that her marriage was on the line. Kendall agreed but added that they needed to know who had tried to kill Greenlee and frame her. She said that even if Jonathan did not confess, she could lose either way for lying to Ryan. Greenlee said that she knew all that and would not lie to Ryan anymore after that mission was pulled off.
Simone walked in and said that she had a date with Jonathan that evening. "Forget it!" Kendall and Greenlee both chanted at the same time. Simone told them that she knew Jonathan was crazy, and Kendall asked Greenlee if Greenlee had told Simone the truth. Greenlee said that they could trust Simone, and Simone assured them that their secret was safe with her. They all agreed to let Simone slip the drug in Jonathan's drink.
As Greenlee and Kendall huddled in a closet, Jonathan arrived at Fusion and told Simone that she looked great. Simone thanked him and pulled out a bottle of wine that she had slipped away from Kendall. She suggested that they have cocktails there because if Kendall knew she had taken it, she would be in trouble. Simone went to pick up two glasses of wine off a counter and handed a glass to Jonathan. He declined the drink and said that he was trying to lay off the booze. Disappointed, Simone said that she would have to throw the entire bottle out because she hated to drink alone. Jonathan said that one drink wouldn't hurt him, and they started sipping.
Lily went back home with Jackson and Reggie. She immediately started reorganizing things, and Reggie apologized for moving her things. Aidan stopped over to check on Lily, but Jackson immediately pushed him outside and warned him to stay away from his daughter. Jackson blamed Aidan for Lily's behavior because she had seen him kiss Anita. Aidan said that he wished he could go back in time and fix it but that he cared deeply for Lily. Jackson went back inside, alone, and Reggie told him that Erica might be able to get through to Lily.
Maria tried to comfort Maddie, but she had locked herself in her room. Anita went upstairs to try to talk to Maddie as the doorbell rang. When Maria answered it, Ethan walked in and offered to help her in any way that he could. Maria thanked him with a hug then snapped that Edmund's death was his fault because he had not gone with him to the barn. Ethan said that Maria was right, and he would never forgive himself for not going with Edmund.
Maria apologized for blaming Ethan and said that she had been having a hard time trying to understand everything that had happened. Ethan told her why Zach had gone over and that Edmund had wanted to go alone, as though it had been an issue of his pride. Maria blamed herself for Edmund's death, saying that she had trusted Zach and believed his excuses. She told Ethan that she did not know why Zach had treated his own son so badly, but she was glad Ethan was nothing like Zach.
Aidan stopped over to see Maria next and immediately started asking Ethan what had happened in the barn. Again, Ethan said he had seen Zach hit Edmund on the head with a shovel and kill him. Aidan said that if Edmund were going to talk to the hit man, it made no sense for him to show up. Perhaps there had been no hit man, he said. Aidan said that the last number that had been traced on Bobby's phone had not been able to found, plus Edmund had waved a lot of money in front of Bobby.
Ethan said that the hit man's identity was not important because Zach had confessed to everything. As Ethan and Aidan argued, Anita told them to stop because it was the last thing Maria needed to hear. After everyone had left, Maria sat by the fire with a glass of alcohol in one hand. She remembered Zach saying that he would never lie to her then confessing to killing Edmund. She began to sob.
Ethan went to his office at work and remembered Zach saying that Ethan was not his son then attempting to steal Cambias Industries from him.
Erica visited Zach in jail and immediately began tearing him down with her harsh words. Erica asked him why he would kill Edmund over Maria; she wasn't even worth the rate of a hotel room. Zach was still unresponsive, so Erica continued, saying that he was just like his brother, Michael. Zach said that she was just as guilty as he was because she had encouraged him to stay in town and try to work things out with Ethan. Erica said that Zach had made his own choices and that she would make sure he was punished for Edmund's death.
Zach said that Erica had no idea "what hell" was headed her way. Myrtle was the next one to visit Zach in his cell. She said that she was not sure if he was telling the truth about being a murderer. She said that when she had seen him hold Miranda, his eyes had not screamed "murderer" but love instead. It had not been the face of a man who would leave two kids without a father, Myrtle said.
Erica went to visit Lily, and when she arrived, Jackson and Reggie went to pick up dinner. Erica told Lily that sometimes it was hard to work when things got out of order, and Lily stopped organizing a stack of CDs to listen. Erica told her that Lily had been brave and that Erica cared about her and only wanted to keep her safe. When Erica mentioned what Lily had seen happen in the barn, Lily started yelling, "Red!" repeatedly.
Lily walked over to the kitchen counter and accidentally cut herself then began yelling, "White, red!" over and over again. Erica handed her a washcloth to stop the bleeding and looked for a Band-Aid. When Jackson returned with dinner, he asked Erica how Lily had done. Erica told him that Lily had cut herself but was fine. She admitted that she thought Lily had witnessed Edmund's murder.
