Grace watches Abe as he finishes up the call on his cell phone. He doesn't look at all happy as he turns back to her.
"I'm sorry about that Marlena."
"Not at all," she smiles graciously. "Some trouble?"
"Could be," Abe suddenly looks very tired. The call was from one of his senior officers. When the lab had gone to start the DNA tests on the hair found at the scene of Roman's murder, the evidence was missing. Add to that a mysterious visitor in the lab this afternoon fitting John's description and things are not looking good. "Just another headache to deal with. You know how it is."
"Yes I do know how it is," Grace's expression is almost kindly. "Married to a cop or two, remember?"
"I remember," Abe tries to smile, but it is strained thanks to the discomfort he feels. Something is very not right here. He hasn't quite managed to put his finger on it yet, but he can feel it very succinctly.
"Was there anything else you wanted to know?" Grace asks blandly.
"What? Oh, uh," Abe looks down at his notebook. He has questioned her about the night of Roman's death and also about the night of Hope's accident. Her answers are almost too perfect, which is unnerving. It's unnerving that he should even be thinking this way.
He consults his notebook, discomfort etched on his face as he reads the words inscribed there. He has been asking Marlena about the sleeping pills she had prescribed for Braden Davies when his phone had gone.
"So you prescribed the pills after you thought you were making some headway with him." He reiterates. "His death really came as a complete surprise to you then."
"Abe, do you really think I'd be that careless that I'd prescribe sleeping pills if I thought a patient was suicidal?" Grace asks, sounding a little hurt.
"No," Abe shakes his head. "No, I know how conscientious you are and how much you care for people." He gives her a small, regretful smile and squeezes her hand. "I just have to ask, it's my job Marlena."
Grace pauses for a moment. Abe Carver is such a fine, upstanding officer of the law it makes her almost nauseous. All these saccharine Salemites really are getting on her last nerve.
"I know." She nods, although it takes some effort. "We both have jobs that entail a lot of responsibility Abe. We just do the best we can within the parameters we are given. Sometimes we have to do things we don't want to do, sometimes we make mistakes. We're only human after all." She offers him a small smile and she sees the warmth return to his eyes. But she suspects it will not end here. Unfortunately she's going to need some help. Some leverage maybe.
"Yes we are." Abe flips his notebook closed and tightens his fingers around hers once more before he stands up. "Okay, I have to go run damage control down at the station." He takes a deep breath before asking his next question. One that could well prove moot anyway if the evidence really is missing. However, he has to follow procedure. "There is one more thing, Marlena. We're going to need you to provide a sample for DNA analysis in order to exclude you from our investigations. I'll send a technician around tomorrow to take it, if that's all right with you."
"Uh," Grace's face remains impassive but her mind is racing. If they want DNA samples there must be some evidence at the scene. She had been sure that she had eliminated all evidence that might link her to Lamont's murder, but it was possible she supposed that there might have been something small that she had missed. And if that was so....
"Sure Abe." She sounds remarkably unruffled as she stands and follows him to the door "Whatever you need. And if there's any other way I can help, just let me know. I have nothing to hide after all." She shrugs and then looks a little embarrassed. "Well, I would prefer it if the thing about Craig didn't become public knowledge."
"Does John know?" Abe asks uncomfortably.
"Yes," Grace nods slowly as her mind switches from thoughts of the possible evidence to thinking of John. It would be utterly perfect for John to learn of his wife's infidelity from his best friend. "Yes, he knows."
"Marlena..." Abe starts to say something and then realizes he has no idea what to say to her. This piece of news doesn't fit at all into the picture of what he saw this morning. Not that that made any sense either but....
"Yes Abe?" she looks expectant and so innocent he wonders how he could think anything bad of her.
"Nothing," he shrugs and manages a smile as his fellow officer walks to the elevator. "I'll talk to you later okay?"
"Sure." She nods and waves her fingers in the air in a vague gesture of farewell as she closes the door.
~
John sits in his Jeep and watches Abe and Lt. Majors climb into the squad car. It is only when they are gone that he slides out of his vehicle and locks it behind him.
He drums his fingers nervously on the panelling of the elevator as it ascends the building. He knows this could blow up in his face, be he desperately needs to get more information about who she is before he can work out what to do. And he knows he doesn't have any time to lose. Once they realize that evidence has gone missing at the station all hell is going to break loose and he wants to have a plan of action in place before that happens.
The door slides open at the top floor and he walks quietly to the door of the penthouse. He listens at the door for a few minutes and starts as he hears Marlena's voice. However, after a moment, it fades and he realizes that she has gone upstairs. With his heart pounding in his throat and his palms slick with perspiration, he slides his key silently into the lock and opens the door.
He pokes his head inside and when he is satisfied that she is not in visual range, he slips inside and closes the door. With practiced stealth, he crosses the room quickly and conceals himself out on the terrace. It is a risky strategy, but he has very few options right now.
The risk pays off only moments later as Grace descends from the upper floor and enters the living area. She is still on the phone and she crosses the floor to look at herself in the mirror.
"No, I'm telling you, he suspects something," John hears her say and he listens intently even as he watches her preening in the mirror. "No, I told you, I was careful. You *know* how good I am at my job Stefano, I don't screw up."
John sucks in his breath sharply at the sound of Stefano's name. He barely expected to have such definite confirmation of his suspicions so quickly and the realization of what this all means chills him.
"Well, I don't know," she snaps irritably. I'm just telling you what he told me. They want a sample so maybe there *is* some kind of evidence." There is a pause and she rolls her eyes. "I'm only asking you to do something about it," Grace runs her fingers lazily through her hair. "After all, you're always telling me how all powerful you are. Why don't you put your money where your mouth is." She relaxes a little as she listens to Stefano and then she shrugs. "I don't care what, just do it."
She pauses as she listens to Stefano speak and then a wicked smile curls her beautiful lips. "Oh, you really are incorrigible my darling. All right, why don't you name your price and we'll see if I can be persuaded."
John feels as though all the breath has been pummelled from his body as he listens to the woman in Marlena's body flirt with Stefano DiMera. He doesn't even want to know what Stefano is suggesting. The thought that she might let Stefano close to her; that she might let that evil old man desecrate Marlena's body is almost too much for him to bear.
He feels as if he is frozen into place as Grace sashays across to the sofa and lowers herself onto the broad cushions. Reclining against the pillows, she kicks off her shoes and stretches one arm out over her head. Despite his disgust at what he has just heard, John can't help the surge of lust the crashes through him at the sight of her.
She giggles sexily and crosses one leg over the other. "I do believe you're propositioning me Mr. DiMera," she purrs. "Well, I suppose that's an interesting way of looking at it." She sighs and the smile falls away. "We could just *leave* you know. I'm starting to find Salem tedious in the extreme."
John's eyes widen as he realizes what she is talking about. If she was to leave Salem....
"Interpol never had any success before, what makes you think they'd be successful this time?" Grace asks testily. "Stefano, I want out. I want to get away from this dump, and away from these idiots. I've done what you asked of me, can we just go back to Paris now?"
She waits as Stefano talks and she rolls her eyes. "That has nothing to do with *anything*. It's over. I had a little fun at his expense, that's all. I don’t know why you're so upset about it." Another pause. "And this from the man that felt it prudent to not mention the little, but rather important fact that he slept with Hope Brady. Give me a break, Stefano."
John feels as though all the blood is slowly draining from his body as he listens to this woman unknowingly reveal her and DiMera's secrets one by one. Stefano *did* sleep with Hope on the sub and the baby she carried could have been DiMera's and not his. But obviously Marlena's alter-ego hadn't known that until recently. Although John is not sure that he likes the fact that she is so annoyed about it. It almost sounds like there is jealousy threading her words as she speaks.
"So what? You'll take care of it?" She sits up and a smile spreads across her face but even that is foreign to John. For a moment she doesn't even look anything like Marlena. "All right, I'll wait a little while longer. A *little*, Stefano. That doesn't mean a month, or even a fortnight." She listens to the voice on the other end of the phone and her smile broadens. "I thought you'd see it my way." She slides off the sofa and heads for the staircase again.
John strains but he can no longer hear her words as she makes her way up the stairs and he leans back against the cool concrete of the terrace wall. He can't believe what he just heard. He had thought himself prepared for the worst, but to hear it unequivocally like that has floored him.
The Marlena he knows and loves has been obliterated, replaced by a woman who takes pleasure in inflicting pain on those around her. For the first time, he is grateful that she sent Belle away so early though he thinks that was probably self-preservation more than anything. Belle would have seen through her façade immediately. He can't believe that he didn't.
"Oh my God, Doc," he whispers, the grief consuming him. The reality is that he may never see Marlena again. And that thought, that possibility, completely numbs him. For a long moment he feels paralysed by fear and then with a start he realizes he can't think like that. He has to believe that he can get her back if he's going to succeed.
"I won't let that happen." He whispers fiercely, blinking back the tears as he turns back to the window. "I won't let that old bastard take you from me again. So help me Doc, if I have to kill him, if I have to break every bone in his miserable body, I will find out a way to get you back."
~
Stefano puts down the phone, a pleased smile creeping across his lips. Rubbing his hands together, he chuckles as he walks over and pours himself a scotch.
"So my darling Grace," he lifts his glass, as though toasting his success. "You come to me once more for help." He chuckles lightly as he considers the irony of the situation. Only last night she had been hurling abuse at him and now she is asking him for a favor. It is almost too perfect. He has her once again within his grasp, and this time he is going to wield his power over her with expert precision. "You know the value of my influence, my dear. But we are two of a kind, Grace and you know as well as I do, that everything comes at a price."
He walks over to the window and takes a mouthful of the hundred year old scotch, pausing as the mellow amber liquid scorches his tongue and throat. "However, we also agree on one thing. It is time to leave Salem. The further you are from John Black," Stefano sneers as he spits out John's name, "the better."