Chapter One

November 2, 2008

Crimson Manor: Anthony’s Study

This situation was getting out of control fast. And if Claudia Zacchara had one pet peeve in life, it was losing control. Well actually, she had at least two hundred and forty nine pet peeves at last count, but the control thing was at the top of list to be sure.

She leaned back in her father’s chair and ran her slim finger up and down the barrel of her pistol, enjoying the way the blonde girl’s eyes went back and forth, following the movements.

“Claudia, put that away,” her younger brother growled, stabbing a finger in her direction. He turned back to their guest. “I don’t think you realize the gravity of the situation,” he began, unintentionally adopting a patronizing tenor in his voice.

“Oh, I assure you I understand what’s going on here,” Nadine Crowell shot back, her tone managing to be both scathing and nervous at the same time. Her voice was slightly high pitched and Claudia was sure the nurse was about to launch into one of her famous rambles. “I was just going for a walk, you know? This was not in my plans and it’s not going to be in my plans. I didn’t see a thing and you can’t make me say any differently. I won’t open my mouth, so there is no need for any sort of drastic action.”

She spun on her heel and was fleeing for the door when Anthony Zacchara smoothly rolled in front of her, drawing her to a halt. “Miss Crowell, I empathize with you. Certainly, this was not on anyone’s agenda today, but I cannot allow you to leave until we resolve this.” His bushy brows drew into a frown and his voice hardened. “One way or another.”

Nadine gulped and Claudia grinned. Nothing like Daddy to drive the point home. If you didn’t do what the Zacchara family wanted, you paid a heavy price. “Now, now, Daddy, we mustn’t frighten the poor dear.” She leaned forward, setting the pistol on the desk. “We wouldn’t want the sweet little nurse to disappear on us.”

“Oh, that is the end of it!” Nadine threw her hands up in the air. “I hate this town! No matter what I do, I’m getting threatened or blown up. I’m going back to Ohio–”

“Why doesn’t everyone settle down?” Ric Lansing put a hand on Nadine’s shoulder. “Miss Crowell is not thinking clearly. Claudia, put away the gun. Anthony, no more threats. Johnny–”

Johnny glared at him. “What?” he said, his teeth clenched.

“Stop trying to explain things. You’re making it worse.” He stepped in front of Nadine, blocking her exit and her view of Anthony’s menacing glare. “Nadine, I understand that you’re a little…overwhelmed right now. We all are. The events today have been…trying for everyone.” His voice trailed off for a moment and he cleared his throat. “You might understand that Johnny is a little worried at the moment…he’s already been acquitted once of murder this year. He is in no hurry to repeat the experience.”

Nadine glanced at the man in question with a dubious look in her eyes. “Well…he was sort of railroaded then and I don’t think he really killed Logan Hayes anyway. That’s not exactly the case now, is it?”

“Well, no,” Ric allowed, waving a hand when Johnny opened his mouth to protest. “But you must admit that he’s not entirely guilty of this one either.”

“No, not entirely,” Nadine mumbled. “But he’s not exactly innocent.”

“Oh, this is ridiculous.” Claudia got to her feet. “Why are we reasoning with this lunatic? We have a saying in this family about eyewitnesses. ‘The only good eyewitness is a dead one.‘”

“Yeah, that’s entirely helpful, Claudia,” Johnny sighed. “Sit down and be quiet. Go back to cleaning your gun if that’ll keep you occupied, all right?”

“Claudia is just concerned for her brother,” Ric said, sensing he was about to lose control of the situation and if Nadine Crowell walked out that door, he knew she’d walk right to a police station to give her statement. He might be able to get Johnny acquitted again, but he didn’t have much confidence. “You have a sister, so you understand what that’s like.”

“I get it,” Nadine replied, glancing at Claudia. “And I’m well aware of how she’ll go to protect him.”

“I can’t listen to this anymore.” Johnny strode forward, grabbed Nadine’s arm and dragged her across the room to the terrace doors. He flung them open and all but hurled her outside, slamming the door behind him, leaving his family behind them. “Look, I get that you feel like you’ve got a civic duty to tell the truth. At all times. In every matter. And I appreciate what you did at my trial earlier this fall, okay? You made the jury look at Scott a little more closely. But this is different.”

Nadine rubbed her arm, glaring at him. “You know, tossing me around and dragging me into the cold air without a jacket is not the way to convince me that I shouldn’t go to the police. And you’re right, I do have a civic duty to tell the truth. I just don’t know what the PCPD will do with what I tell them.” She bit her lip. “They’re not always…entirely…fair. Especially Baldwin and I just know he’d take this case from Alexis Davis, too.”

“Exactly,” Johnny nodded. He reached out and shut the door just as Claudia was trying to open it. He kept one hand on the terrace door, so it would stay shut and lowered his voice slightly so that no one could hear their conversation. “And besides, you don’t even know the context of what you saw, okay? It’s like walking in on the end of a conversation.”

“I’m willing to agree to that.” Her teeth chattered a bit and Nadine wrapped her arms around her upper torso. “If you want me to hold off talking to the cops until you and your family come to some sort of solution than I’ll agree to that. But I won’t lie.”

“Well, see, the thing is…we have come to a solution,” Johnny said. “You’re going to hate it. I’m not that fond of it either and it might not work. But it’s the only way to keep you off the stand and from me asking you to flat out lie.”

Nadine narrowed her eyes. “I know you’re not suggesting what I think you’re suggesting.”

“It’s either this or I have to let the family handle it,” Johnny told her. “And that’s not a threat. It’s just the truth. My father has…some archaic notions about witnesses that clearly my sister has inherited. And it’s not just about keeping you off the stand. It’ll keep you safe too.”

“From who? Claudia?” Nadine arched a brow. “Because Jason Morgan would never touch me. For one thing, it’s not his style and you know it. And another, I happen to be co-workers and good friends with his girlfriend. And friends with Spinelli. So that’s not going to work either. I can just go to Jason for protection. I’m sure he’d be interested in what I saw.”

“Christ, you know how to negotiate,” Johnny sighed. He rubbed his forehead. “Okay, so fine, it’s not to keep you safe. It’s to keep me out of jail. Can’t that be enough?”

“Um, no,” Nadine retorted. “I’m not convinced you don’t belong there, if you don’t mind me saying so. I walked down the docks stairs and you had a gun. Sonny Corinthos had a gun. He accused you of shooting Kate–which you didn’t exactly deny. He shot at you, you shot back and somewhere in the next fifteen seconds, he was bleeding on the ground and you turned around and saw me.”

“It was self defense,” Johnny replied. “And you know it.”

“I know that Sonny Corinthos was upset because his fiancée almost died on their wedding day,” Nadine countered. “And I’m not so sure that I wouldn’t be in the same state if something like that happened to me. We all do crazy things when the people we love are threatened. Or…you know…if we think we’re doing something in the interest of justice. You don’t know want to know the trouble I can get myself in if I think I’m doing something I believe in.”

“Was I supposed to let him just kill me?” Johnny demanded. “Would that have been okay by you?”

“Did you have anything to do with Kate Howard’s shooting?” Nadine asked bluntly. “Because if you didn’t, then I think I could be convinced to help you. If you did or you know who did, then I’m not really sure you deserve to be saved.”

“You don’t understand how this world works–” Johnny began.

“I understand that people in your world like power and they want more of it, so they’ll do what they have to do to get it. That’s not difficult. But what can be gained from bursting into a church and shooting at a bride?” she responded coldly. “I notice once again you didn’t deny it.” She started past him, intent of making a run through the study to get out of this house. If she could just get to Jason Morgan, she knew she’d be safe.

“I didn’t have anything to do with it,” Johnny told her. “And you’re right. Nothing is gained from shooting Kate. Nothing that I want anyway. The only thing it served to do was to get Sonny involved in the business again, which is bad news for everyone because it was a lot more peaceful without him running the show. I like Jason Morgan being in charge of his territory and it’s suicide to think I would do anything to jeopardize that.”

Nadine stopped and turned back to him. “Do you know who did it?”

“No,” Johnny responded. “I have my suspicions but it’s none of my affair.”

“I want you to make it your business,” she told him. “If I…agree to this…then I want to know that something good will come out of it. I like Kate. And I like Maxie and Lulu. They’re devastated because of this. They love her. And this caused a lot of stress for Elizabeth, and Jason. And her kids. I want to know that if I keep silent and protect you, that it’s not just you that’s getting something out of it. I want you to find out who shot Kate Howard.”

“You’re not exactly lacking in chutzpah, are you?” he replied, tilting his head to the side. “A lot of people would say you don’t have a lot of bargaining power.”

“Maybe I don’t,” she allowed. “When it comes to your father and your sister, I’m sure they’d rather I disappear. But Ric Lansing doesn’t want that and I don’t think you’re that guy. You’re not going to kill me just because I walked down the wrong dock steps.”

“No, I’m not,” Johnny agreed. “Alright, I’ll look into Kate’s shooting. I can’t promise I’ll find answers. But I’ll do whatever I can.”

“Fair enough. I can accept that.”

“Good.” Johnny hesitated. “So, will you marry me?”