S&C's Penthouse

Jason: You know, I just -- I wish i would have known or you would have warned me that -- that ric was going to be there, and now this guy's my new attorney.

Sonny: I didn't know. I didn't know until he showed up at the arraignment. At least -- hey -- he understands that you guys aren't going to turn against each other, you and brenda.

Jason: Yeah, I know, but who -- who is this guy? Why was he even there? Ric shows up everywhere uninvited. I mean, he's smooth. The more this guy tries to help us, the less i trust him.

Sonny: You don't have to trust him. Whatever ric has to offer, it doesn't mean we become his best friend. His resume checks out. He thinks on his feet. And unfortunately, at the moment, it's all we got.

Jason: All right, look, look, I'll handle this however you want to handle it. Ok? I'll let ric be my lawyer. But I'm just telling you, something's off.

Sonny: We will proceed with caution.

[Knock on door, Ric walks in.]

ric: I got your message.

Sonny: Ric, come on in.

Ric: What can i do for you?

Sonny: I want you to interview ida warren. As jason's attorney, you are now entitled. I want you to appeal to her conscience, convince her to retract her statement, and get her to say she never saw brenda on alcazar's balcony.

Ric: It might take some doing, but i --

sonny: I'm not done talking. Just -- as a token of my appreciation, I want you to give this briefcase to her. There's $2 million in there. I want you to give ida my best wishes for a happy future. You got some kind of problem with what I'm saying?

Ric: Not at all. After all, it is my duty as a lawyer to help troubled citizens ease their conscience.

Kelly's

A.J.: Well, well. Aren't you a sight for sore eyes. Why so cold all of a sudden? I actually thought we had something going the other day until jason barged in and ruined our moment.

Courtney: Yeah, well, you're lucky that jason came when he did because I was about to throw up, a.J., Because that's what you do -- you make me physically ill.

A.J.: I suggest you lose the high-and-mighty act. It doesn't suit you, sweetheart.

Courtney: Yeah, and I suggest you shut your lying mouth. You think you have the upper hand here? You think that jason and sonny don't know that you bribed that ida woman to implicate jason and brenda in alcazar's murder?

A.J.: Where do you come up with this stuff? I didn't bribe anyone.

Carly: Ok, A.J., It's time for you to leave because your business is not wanted here.

A.J.: All I did -- all i did was place jason behind the wheel of alcazar's limo the night he was killed because it's true. Now, who's ida? Oh, that's the woman who saw brenda kill alcazar, right?

Courtney: Yeah, stop with the "who, me?" Act, a.J. I've seen it too many times. And when this ida woman decides to tell the truth, the cops aren't going to buy it, either.

A.J.: Look who's preaching. You wouldn't know the truth if it slapped you in the face. Let me tell you how it went down. You see, brenda charges alcazar with a knife, forcing him out on the balcony, where jason finishes the job. Makes sense. Murder's all in a day's work for jason. Brenda -- she's probably a little new at it.

Courtney: That is not what happened.

A.J.: Oh. And you know this how? Because jason told you? Again proving my point. You will never accept the facts, courtney, because you're programmed, like this one and brenda and poor sonny's first dead wife.

Carly: Ok, A.J., Leave now. Good-bye.

A.J.: You are still hot when you're mad, you know that?

Carly: Well, dream on. Ok. Take it from someone who knows -- you just blew it, royally.

Jason's PH

[Jax and Brenda are making out on the couch, when Jason comes in, sees them, and slams the door.]

Brenda: Hey. What's up?

Jason: What part of "this is bad for brenda" don't you understand, jax?

Kelly's

Carly: You need to sit down and listen to the voice of experience. I don't want to hear that you have to work and you can't take a break because you need to hear this.

Courtney: Ok.

Carly: This is like a train wreck, where one car goes off the track and the other cars follow and there's now this big pileup and lives are changed forever. This all started -- I set it in motion when i overheard sonny and jason talking about the A.J.-Ida thing. Then you show up a couple minutes later, furious with A.J. And two blurts later, A.J. Now has the upper hand and sonny and jason have lost their element of surprise.

Courtney: God, i'm sorry. I just -- I didn't think it through.

Carly: I know. And you need to. Courtney, I have been where you are. I understand this. Ok? A.J. Is an insect, and the impulse to squash him is natural. But you can't, ok? Because with sonny and jason, one's first impulse is usually wrong. You have got to use your head, and you have got to think things through. Follow the rules, and do not discuss their business. And don't repeat anything you hear, accidentally or otherwise. And I'm obviously still learning this. Otherwise, we wouldn't be in this situation.

Courtney: God, i feel like such an idiot. I mean --

carly: Courtney, you're just new at it, that's all. I have loved sonny for a very long time, and i still screw things up by acting on impulse. That's the reason we weren't together when you first came to town. Just deal with this with jason.

Courtney: What should I do?

Carly: Oh, I cannot believe i am saying this. You have to be honest with him. Tell him the truth because it's your only option.

Jason's PH

Jax: You know, don't storm in here like the betrayed husband, pretending that you give a damn about brenda. Your loyalty stops with sonny.

Jason: You know -- I might be able to handle prison, but I don't really think it's good if brenda went, which could happen if you don't stay away from her. So you can decide, jax.

Brenda: Ok, ok. You know what? Let's -- nobody saw him come in.

Jason: And you know that how?

Brenda: Because he told me. You know, it's really none of your business anyway what goes on in the privacy of this apartment when i'm here --

jason: Well, see, brenda --

brenda: Because it's my place, too.

Jason: That's where you're wrong. It is my business.

Brenda: Ok. Well, what do you want to do? Ok -- oh, let's pretend like we're married. Come on, i'll go with you everywhere. Let's go. Wherever you go, i'm going to be with you. It'll be nonstop marital bliss, you and me.

Jason: Ok, just -- you know what? Just do what you want. Seriously. Anything i ask you to do, you do the exact opposite. Just do yourself a favor -- don't get caught with jax.

Brenda: Hey. I'm sorry. It's -- we'll be more careful.  [Jason leaves.]

S&C's PH

[Phone rings]

sonny: Hello?

Ric: Yeah. Things with ida didn't go as planned.

Sonny: You had a problem getting in?

Ric: No. I'm with ida right now.  [The shadow of Ida's dead body is hanging in the background.]

Kelly's

Carly: Life with sonny and jason can be difficult. The rules, they seem simple, but they are almost impossible to follow. But fortunately, you're in luck because you have me and there is absolutely no way you are going to make the mistakes that I have made.

Courtney: Yeah, well, when jason finds out that I told a.J. They know that he paid ida to lie, I mean, jason's going to be furious.

Carly: Yeah, but he'll be more upset if you don't tell him yourself. Listen, you have to do it. I know it's going to be hard, but you have got to stand up and tell jason yourself. There's still a chance that sonny and jason might get to ida before a.J. Does.

S&C' s PH

Sonny: Ida's death sets her testimony in stone. That's not -- that's not good for us.

Jason: What do you make of the suicide theory?

Sonny: Well, she had plenty -- plenty of money. No one has said anything about a health problem. She was terrified of us, which indicates a desire to stay alive. So what -- all of a sudden, she hangs herself?

Jason: I mean, if it is murder, it seems pretty professional.

Sonny: Alcazar was an arms dealer. He must have been at the top of a lot of people's hit list.

Jason: Right. You know, maybe -- maybe it was someone on alcazar's side, one of his paid government lackeys who's starting to get worried about all this exposure.

Sonny: Ok, so somebody kills alcazar, pays off ida -- right? -- To throw off the cops.

Jason: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.

Sonny: And then offs ida to make it look like a suicide.

Jason: What are the odds of the pcpd figuring that out?

Sonny: Well, with scotty baldwin leading the brigade, I think our odds are pretty good. I need you to make a list of the enemies that alcazar had, and I'll find out what brenda knows.

The Loft

Jason: You sounded pretty upset on the phone. What's going on?

Courtney: Listen, there's something that i need to tell you, and you're probably going to be furious, so prepare yourself.

Jason: Ok. What happened?

Courtney: It's just I -- I've never been used to following rules, and now there's just so many, I -- you know, I can't help protect you. I can't talk about what you and sonny do.

Jason: Courtney, is there any way -- i'm sorry -- that we can save this for later? Because sonny and I -- we have a situation that just came up and I --

courtney: No, no, no. Don't tell me. I don't want to know, ok, because I am horrible at keeping secrets. I'll probably blurt it out to the first person that i see.

Jason: No, it's not a secret. All you have to do is turn on the tv and watch the news. You know that witness who said she saw brenda kill alcazar?

Courtney: Ida something?

Jason: Yeah. Well, they found her hanging from a noose in her hotel room. And right now the cops are looking at suicide, but there's a strong possibility she could have been murdered, which means --

courtney: Oh, god.

Jason: I've got to get --

courtney: No, jason, I think I know who killed her.

Courtney: I -- i have no excuse, jason. It's just A.J. -- He made me so mad, I wanted to rip that smug little smile right off his face. And then the next thing I knew, it was out.

Jason: Well, what did you tell him exactly?

Courtney: Well, that -- that you guys were on to him, that -- that you knew he bribed that ida woman for her testimony against brenda. I blew it, didn't I? I mean, whatever you --

jason: It's ok. Hey, it's ok. Sit down. You made a mistake. It happens. But you did -- you did really good by telling me.

Courtney: Are you mad?

Jason: No. But I'm hoping maybe now you understand why i really can't talk about my business too much.

Courtney: God, jason. I mean, I -- i can't believe that i am still married to that man. What if A.J. Killed that poor old lady?