In his office, Hunter found out that there were fragments of Enrique's fingerprints on the gun used to shoot Grant. He called Enrique to his office right away. Enrique was annoyed because he had a lot of work to do and didn't want to be bothered to answer any questions. Hunter replied that it was pretty clear where his loyalties lay, and he figured it might make sense for Enrique to help the Forresters by rubbing out the big thorn in their side. Enrique was surprised that Hunter also knew that Grant had planned to fire him.
Enrique wasn't worried -- he said the evidence would prove his innocence. They went over the facts, and Enrique claimed the last time he had seen the gun had been in Michael's office. In a black and white flashback, Enrique was in Ridge's office, putting down the sketches -- and when Hunter asked him, Enrique said he hadn't seen the gun at that time. Hunter then asked Enrique about the gloves, and Enrique said that he had been wearing gloves because he had gone there from the dye room. "Believe I did it, if that's what you want, Mr. Jones -- but if I had taken that shot, I would not have missed my mark," stated Enrique before he left.
Curtis went to pay Dr. Warwick a visit to drop off his bill and say hello. After mispronouncing James's last name, the plumber said, "Maggie is sure one fine woman, doctor." James pointed out that Maggie felt the same about Curtis, who had rescued them a number of times. Curtis replied, "Well, a certain customer is worth going that extra mile for." James was sure Curtis had something to do, and the plumber replied, "Yes, I am a busy man. You and I -- we need to have a little talk."
James believed that Curtis wanted to talk about the bad plumbing in his house. "I am not talking about plumbing problems, doctor. You wife is a wonderful woman. Maggie is a real find. I have come here to talk to you about yourself. I don't like the way you treat your wife," Curtis asserted. James thought Curtis was out of line, but Curtis insisted, "I got eyes, and I got ears, doctor. You have broken your wife's heart."
James was really shocked and angry. He politely asked Curtis Love to leave his office before James threw him out. He then told Curtis in no uncertain terms to stay away from his wife. As he closed the door to his office, he said to himself, "Maggie, I can't believe you have been talking to him."
Claudia startled Michael while she read in her office. Claudia said she had information that could possibly prove Ridge hadn't shot Grant. She didn't exactly have evidence, but she did have reliable information about a man she believed was a suspect in the case. She told Michael that the Alvarez family were killers, and they would not stop to get what they wanted. Michael said she had never seen that side of Enrique, but Claudia assured her that Enrique had a dark history.
"Enrique Alvarez is responsible for shooting Grant. I would bet my life on it," stated Claudia. She continued by pointing out that Enrique had a similar build to Ridge. Then Michael told Claudia that she had seen Enrique wearing gloves the day of the shooting. The two women believed that if they put their minds to it, they could solve the shooting case.
At the Warwick home, Sheila pretended to be sitting on the couch and practicing Lamaze when Maggie walked in. Sheila said it was probably not the best time, but she pulled out a pamphlet on various birthing methods; she thought Maggie should be prepared, since she refused to attend the class. "I would rather not," Maggie said.
Sheila talked about a home birth, and Maggie said, "I know what a home birth is, Sheila." Sheila then mentioned having a water birth, and Maggie exclaimed, "You think you are going to have that baby in my bathroom for a water delivery, and you are crazy."
Sheila didn't waste a second and started right in, "Why are you so threatened by me? You have the name. You have the ring on your finger. What could I possibly do to come between you two?"
Maggie shouted right back, "I am counting the days, Sheila. Once you are gone, you can count on the fact that you will never see James or the baby again. I already have what I want, Sheila -- and there is no way I am gonna lose James to the likes of you."
James then arrived at home, and he asked Sheila to leave so he could speak to his wife alone. "What the hell have you been telling Curtis Love, Maggie?" Maggie said she had needed something to talk about, and he insisted, "You can talk to me. How the hell can you do that?" Maggie repeated that she had needed someone to talk to, and James was very angry.
Hunter was in his office, talking to himself, asking the all-important questions, "If you didn't shoot Grant Chambers, Ridge, then who did?" He put down Ridge's photo and moved on to others. "Was is the jilted lover," he asked as he looked at a photo of Michael, "the disgruntled coworker," he said, viewing a photo of Enrique, "or..." he held up a photo of Thorne.
Sheila entered Curtis' shop, all happy, and said, "Hey, there he is, my favorite plumber. I have had the most incredible day. You certainly have been doing your part -- so well, in fact, that I want you to have this." She handed him an envelope with more money.
Curtis Love handed the money back, including the original envelope, too -- he said it was tainted. He told Sheila that he'd had words with Dr. Warwick, and he couldn't play the game for money anymore. He was amazed at how stupid smart people were. James had broken that little girl's heart, he said.
Sheila was amazed that Curtis had really fallen hard for Maggie. She told him that she needed James to turn her life around, and for the first time in her life, she was close to her dreams. Maggie and James didn't belong together. James had saved her life, she told Curtis -- and she reminded the plumber that he could save Maggie's life. They owed it to them, she insisted, and in doing so, she convinced Curtis to help change Maggie's and James's lives the way they had changed Sheila's and Curtis'.
At the Warwicks' house, James was still going off on Maggie because she had confided in Curtis Love, the plumber. "I told you I needed somebody to talk to," she told him again. James thought it was ridiculous, but Maggie pointed out, "What is ridiculous is how you are overreacting. I didn't go yapping. Besides, what is wrong with sharing your feelings with people." James said nothing was wrong with it -- but he couldn't understand why she would share it with the plumber, of all people.
"He is a lot more than a plumber, James -- he happens to be my friend. I want you to treat him with a little more respect. The man fixes things with his hands for a living. There is nothing wrong with that. So he doesn't have a college degree like you. I can talk to him, James. He listens to me. Curtis and I are from the same world. We have the same outlook on things. I never see you anymore -- and when we do, we never have any time to ourselves," Maggie said.
James surmised Maggie was talking about Sheila, and Maggie admitted, "Yes, because of Sheila. That woman has turned our world upside down. Get rid of that woman. I am sorry, James. This isn't working, and I don't know how much more of this I can take."
James wanted to know what Maggie was saying. Maggie continued that she had tried but just hadn't gotten over the fact that he had slept with Sheila. It had been really hard for her, and she had made many sacrifices. James asked what she expected him to do -- turn his back on his child. He didn't believe Maggie, as a mother, could expect that of him.
Maggie replied that she wanted James to be involved in the birth of his child, just not with Sheila. They had been living for months with that woman, and she had manipulated their lives. She believed that it was time that James stated to make some sacrifices. With that, Maggie left, and Sheila entered. James told her that it was not a good time, and he went to the bedroom.
Sheila said to herself that it was happening. By the time the baby was born, "mommy and daddy will be together"
Thorne was in his office, and Taylor stopped by with a present to say thanks for the ski trip -- it was a cookbook. Thorne made a crack that if Taylor thought he could cook in the kitchen, she should see him in the bedroom. They kissed, and then Hunter Jones showed up at the door. Thorne realized that he was a suspect and said that he would do anything to help his brother.
Thorne told Hunter that he had been in his office with Taylor at the time of the shooting. He admitted he wasn't crazy about Grant -- nobody around Forrester was. He asked if that meant he had a motive to shoot Grant. Thorne guessed so, but he insisted he hadn't shot Chambers any more than his brother had.
Taylor ended up telling the investigator that there was a small fact Thorne had left out -- she explained about Thorne being upset and leaving the office for a minute. Thorne said he'd had to check the machines on the loading dock -- and he hadn't even heard the shot, probably because of the machines. But still, he contended, he hadn't shot Grant.
Hunter then asked Taylor and Thorne if either of them had seen Ridge recently, and Taylor was silent. Hunter pressed her for an answer. Taylor then told the investigator that yes, she had seen Ridge as recently as the prior night, when he had slept in her bed at Big Bear. Thorne threw a fit and said, "It is just my brother, screwing with my life again." He couldn't believe Taylor would keep that from him, he shouted, and he stormed out of the office right in front of the investigator.
Grant called a meeting before the staff party to announce that there was going to be something different -- because they were different, and the company was changing. Michael sat on the couch with a frown on her face and her arms crossed, looking unhappy to be there. Grant said that to prove how different things were going to be, that night was going be a big costume ball, so everyone should put on their dancing shoes.
Grant's employees applauded his vision of the "new" Forrester and left, but he asked Michael to stay. He gave Michael a list of things for her to handle for that night. Michael asked if he was really sure he wanted to have the party with all of the suspects in one place. "What if someone decides to take another crack at it?" she questioned obnoxiously. Grant, however, wasn't worried; he had his man, and besides, there was no need to be scared of Michael, since he knew she wasn't violent. "Don't bet on it," she said.
Jonathan, Hunter, and Ridge were all having a meeting in Ridge's hotel room, about the charges and other suspects. They discussed Michael's fingerprints on the gun and if she might have done it, being the jilted lover. Next was Enrique, who Ridge still wasn't convinced about. Not to leave out, Hunter mentioned, Thorne -- which surprised Jonathan, especially when Ridge considered it as well.
Thorne had possible motives, Ridge reminded him. Jonathan said he had more bad news; there had been gunshot residue on Ridge's hand from the tests, since they had found barium and antimony. Ridge couldn't understand that, and Hunter said he would look into the possibility of a setup. Jonathan and Hunter left to work on the case to prove Ridge's innocence.
Brooke was passing by Thorne's office and noticed that Thorne was very upset. She entered and asked what he was so angry about. Thorne began, "He just went too far this time. I mean, what do I have to do to get rid of this guy?" Brooke asked what was wrong.
Thorne replied, "Brooke, I really shouldn't be talking to you about this. A few nights behind bars would keep Ridge the hell away from Taylor. This whole situation has Taylor so confused. You know, before this happened, they were practically over. She even gave him back the ring."
Brooke was stunned to hear what Thorne had to say. Thorne continued, "Taylor realized she couldn't depend on Ridge the way she needed to. She feels sorry for him, I guess. I took Taylor up to Big Bear the other night to get her away from all of this stress. It was the closest we had ever been -- at least that is what I thought, except I didn't know Ridge had shown up. He snuck into Taylor's room in the middle of the night and ended up falling asleep in her bed. You know the worst part? Taylor wasn't even going to tell me. Hunter Jones, the P.I., asked her about it in front of me. Now I am a suspect in the P.I.'s eyes. Ridge treats the woman like dirt for years, and now suddenly he can't live without her. It is not what Taylor wants or needs."
Brooke listened to Thorne in amazement. She commented how surprised she was that Thorne and Taylor had gone that far together. Thorne blurted out, "I am not letting Ridge screw this up for me!"
Over at Spectra, Sally and Gladys were planning a costume for the invited guests for the ball that night. Gladys made a crack that it didn't matter what she wore to Grant's party as long as she wore a bulletproof vest. Sally said that in all the years they had known Ridge Forrester, he had never been violent. Gladys pulled out her copy of the National Inquisitor -- with Hunter on the cover -- and pointed out that with a crack P.I. on the case, they might know the answer for sure.
Clarke stated, "There is a first time for everything, and Hunter Jones could be Sherlock Holmes himself; but he still couldn't get Ridge off the hook. Look, ladies -- it is an open-and-shut case. Ridge shot Grant, and he is going down." Gladys chirped in that anyone who had been at Forrester that day was a suspect in the case, in her opinion.
Sally then had to blurt out that someone in that very room had been at Forrester that day, and it was Clarke. As an explanation for why that hadn't been mentioned, Clarke told Gladys that he didn't want his good name mixed up in the mess. He left.
At the hotel, there was a knock at the door; Ridge answered it and said, "Yeah?" Felicia was dressed like a guy and said, "Yeah? Is that how you greet your sister? I just happened to be in the neighborhood." Ridge was glad to see his sister and told her about his problems -- then he got depressed when he saw a headline about him in the newspaper she had with her. Felicia reminded him, "You didn't shoot Grant. Why is this happening to you? Listen, we are gonna get you out of this. You can't give up!" They hugged.
Back at Forrester, Brooke stopped in to see her husband -- and, of course, the subject of Ridge popped up. Despite Brooke's assurances that the kids would warm up to him in time, Grant felt that couldn't happen while Ridge was around -- which was why Ridge should not see the kids, he insisted. Brooke was resistant, and Grant wondered why -- he asked if Ridge had been over to see the kids. Brooke lied to him and said that was ridiculous. Grant then unveiled their costumes for the ball -- Napoleon and Josephine -- and promised Brooke it was going to be great.
Over at Spectra, Hunter Jones showed up at the office, looking for Clarke so Hunter could question him. Unknown to him, Clarke was outside the door, listening.
In Ridge's hideout, Ridge and Felicia rehashed the case against Ridge. Ridge was worried because they had found gunshot residue on his hands. Felicia thought it had to be Grant setting Ridge up. She wanted to go to friends on the Los Angeles Police Department and nose around a little, but Ridge said no, insisting they should leave it to the pros. He hoped that Hunter Jones, who had a new lead, would find something soon.
Jones was in Sally's office. Clarke listened outside the door. Jones wanted to question Clarke about the shooting. Sally hoped Jones would be successful in finding whomever had shot Grant. Jones did not believe her, but she assured him that she was sincere. She also admitted that she could not picture Ridge shooting anyone. Grant entered the room. "Ah, there you are," Sally said.
Taylor approached Thorne, who was sunning himself by the Forrester pool. Taylor apologized for talking to Ridge without saying anything to Thorne. Thorne said that an apology wasn't enough. Taylor said she would make it up to him; she would do anything. Thorne sat up and, with a playful grin, asked, "Anything?"
Eric and Stephanie talked at home. Eric complained that everyone at the office was "scurrying around, following Grant's orders, preparing for this costume ball." He hadn't been able to take it, so he had left. Stephanie didn't think she was up to going to the costume ball, but Eric was hoping that she would be his date for the event.
Stephanie was surprised that Eric wanted to go to the ball. He admitted that, as much as he hated to admit it, Grant was right about them presenting a united front to the public. He also thought it would help put Ridge and his situation "on the backburner." He didn't relish the thought of talking business and small talk with people all night, either, but he could stand it if Stephanie were by his side. Stephanie agreed to go with him.
In the meantime, Stephanie wanted to know what she and Eric were going to do about the relationship between Thorne, Taylor, and Ridge. She wanted Eric to talk with Thorne; Thorne would listen to his father. Eric walked to the edge of the terrace and looked down. That was when he saw Taylor and Thorne below.
Poolside, Thorne had Taylor playing "slave girl" as a way of making up for talking to Ridge up at the cabin. She had to serve him lemonade, she couldn't put on her "cover up" when she was chilly, and he was warm so she had to spritz him down. It was all innocent fun. However, Thorne got spritz to his face for a playful remark.
At Spectra, Sally told Clarke that Mr. Jones was looking for him. Mr. Jones was looking at everyone in the building at the time of the shooting. Clarke didn't want to answer any question, but he eventually reluctantly agreed. He had signed into the building two hours before the shooting. Clarke related that he had visited his friend because he had been scared to death that something was going to happen. Jones remarked that Clarke had not signed out of the building and wondered why.
At the hotel, Felicia didn't want Ridge to give up. He grabbed the paper and said it was hard to stay calm when he saw things in the paper against him. He then showed her a picture of the "happy couple" -- Grant and Brooke.
Ridge read the article aloud. All eyes would be on Grant Chambers, he read, allegedly gunned down by his fellow designer, Ridge Forrester. Ridge was angry. Grant didn't want to waste any more time on it, while Ridge was losing his life -- everything was gone. Worst of all, he was losing Taylor because he couldn't see her. Thorne would just walk away with her.
At Spectra, Clarke explained that he hadn't gone out through security; he had left by a side exit. Jones wanted to know why. Clarke said it had been closer to his car. Sally reminded Jones that at one time, Clarke had worked at Forrester, and he knew all the exits. That snippet of news interested Jones, but Clarke told Sally not to tell him any more. All Jones was trying to do was pin the shooting on him. Sally couldn't believe that.
Sally told Jones that everyone at Spectra, Clarke especially, had been devastated when they'd heard that Grant had been shot. It was especially sad because of what he had already been through. Jones wondered what he had been through. He had a new wife and family, and he was head of the company. Sally informed Jones that Forrester Creations had been in chaos, and Grant had needed to take it over.
Also, against Clarke's wishes, Sally told Jones about Grant and Brooke's marital problems. Clarke asked Jones to leave. Outside the office, Jones had a thoughtful look on his face.
Thorne had Taylor apply sunscreen to his back. Taylor had grown fed up with the "game" and poured half a bottle on his back. From above, Eric and Stephanie disagreed about the "correctness" of the two below. Below, Taylor said that having her hands on Thorne's body was getting to be too much of a habit.
As Taylor was leaving, Thorne asked Taylor to be his date at the costume ball. Taylor hesitated; it was bad timing. The reporters would get the wrong idea -- they might think that she had dropped Ridge because of his problems. Thorne, however, talked her into going with him. He asked what they would wear. "Knowing you," Taylor said, "you'll want to go as master and servant," but Thorne thought that they should go in costume.
Taylor wanted to push Thorne into the pool for that comment, but they ended up on the lounge in each other's arms. As they kissed, Eric and Stephanie were watching. Eric thought they should stop watching. Stephanie said that Ridge had to do something -- he just had to.
Ridge was feeling sorry for himself. He said he was really going down for the crime. Felicia tried to cheer him up. She felt he needed to get out of the dreary hotel room. No, he said, what he needed was Taylor. But he could not see her because she was surrounded by reporters. If they saw him, they would just make her life a living hell. He could not do that to Taylor.
Felicia had an idea. She wondered if it would work if the reporters didn't recognize him. Ridge agreed the idea was perfect.
Decorations and other preparations for the ball were underway at the Chambers home. A very excited Grant wondered if Rick was ready for the party in his tie-dyed shirt. He sent Rick up to get ready. He then asked Brooke where he should give his speech, and she suggested the stairway, surrounded by models.
Brooke then wondered if they really needed all the security guards she saw milling around. Grant hoped it wouldn't be necessary, but one could never tell about Ridge. He just might violate the restraining order and attend the party. They went upstairs to get dressed for the party.
At Forrester Creations, Claudia said she was going to the party with Enrique. She thought Enrique had shot Grant, and that was how she was going to prove it. Enrique arrived, and Claudia played "nice" with him. He wondered why she had changed her mind about him. She told him that she was just seeing him differently.
Claudia told Enrique to change in her office, and she would meet him downstairs. However, Enrique had a better idea. They could both change up there. Claudia said no, and they kissed. Outside the door, Claudia wiped the kiss from her face.
Lauren was going through the racks at Spectra, looking at the gowns. Sally entered and asked if she had found anything to wear that night. She said she was hesitant to go; Eric would be there with Stephanie. Sally told Lauren that it would be a good time for Eric's friends to rally around -- "a perfect time for you," she reminded her.
As Ridge paced in his hotel hideaway, Jones felt that he had made some progress. But first, Ridge had to slow down -- he needed to be calmer. Then Jones wanted to know more about the relationship between Grant and Brooke. Ridge said that the two of them had started out as just friends then, when Ridge left town, Grant had moved in on her.
Ridge said Grant and Brooke had been miserable together after their marriage, at first, but they had become intimately close -- but only since the shooting. Ridge explained that the two had not had sex until after Chambers had been shot. Jones called that interesting. Since all the suspects would be together at the party, Jones had invited himself to attend. He left.
The party was beginning. Costumed waiters circulated drinks. Taylor and Thorne arrived as Cleopatra and Marc Anthony. Napoleon Bonaparte, who was really Grant, greeted them and was amused by Thorne's choice of costume. While the reporters took pictures of Napoleon and Cleopatra, Grant instructed Marc to go fetch his "goddess" some champagne.
Michael arrived next. Grant greeted her in a friendly manner. With his arm around her shoulder, he introduced her as "just a little office worker" at Forrester. Michael seethed. Maid Marian arrived next -- the queen of the sewing room, Grant said. When she introduced Enrique as Robin Hood, Grant joked that he was the thief of Sherwood Forrester -- "Did I invite you? I don't think so. Everyone watch you purses and wallets," Grant said with a laugh.
Everyone thought Grant was funny. Then the "old guard" arrived -- Eric as King Henry the Eighth of Forrester and Stephanie as one of his six wives. Eric didn't know how much of it he could take. Brook greeted Sally, Lauren, and Clarke. A security guard told Grant that things were calm. Grant reminded him that if he spotted Ridge, he was to call the cops.
Ridge was remembering placing the engagement ring upon Taylor's finger and Taylor answering yes to his proposal. "Now she is with Thorne," he mumbled, "together at the party."
Grant greeted the models on the stairs and issued a greeting of welcome to all the guests. He thought they would be happy with the new and exciting line that "his" company would showcase. For the moment, he hoped they would all have a wonderful time, compliments of Grant "Napoleon" Chambers. He received loud applause.
Everyone was enjoying themselves. A man wearing a long beard approached. He watched as everyone had a good time. Meanwhile, Enrique watched Grant and seethed. Taylor told Thorne to stop staring at Grant. Thorne was angry. Grant was trying to push his father out of Forrester.
From the garden, Ridge, as Zorro, approached the French doors. He stood in the doorway and observed the people. Lauren chastised Clarke for grandstanding for Eric; he laughed and told her to go get Eric. Sally told her to stop obsessing about Eric and Stephanie and go after the man she loved. After all, Stephanie had had plenty of time to make her move on Eric.
Lauren agreed and said that Eric did need her. She looked around for him. Eric and Stephanie were just walking out. "I'll wait until he comes back in," she mumbled, adding, "Sorry Stephanie, but you have had your chance."
Out on the terrace, Eric told Stephanie that it was much better out there. They laughed and talked together. Eric was worried about Rick. He was having a difficult time, Stephanie said. Eric was amazed that she was so fond of the children he'd had with Brooke. Stephanie said she couldn't possibly hold their birth against them. "They are a part of you," she told him.
Eric was grateful that Stephanie was a big part of his life. Stephanie was able to lift Eric's spirits. She told him that the entire industry knew he, Eric, was the head of Forrester, no matter who was running it at the moment.
Eric was not ready to go back inside. He wanted to ask Stephanie something. There was no more appropriate time and place for what he was about to ask. It was straight from his heart. He wanted Stephanie to marry him again; he wanted her to be his wife.
