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Episode 47, originally published in 3 parts: 13-Jun-97

NOTE:If you haven't read Episode 41 (Who Killed Sasha?) already, you really should read it first! Otherwise, this will not make much sense!!

Who Killed Veronica?

The Setup | The Murder | The Investigation

Part I: The Setup

Joshua opens the door at the ranch. "Katherine!" he says, his voice immediately reflecting his disappointment. "Now is not a good time," he adds quickly in a soft voice. "We need to talk, Joshua," she says, trying her best to look like she's laying down the law. "Katherine, I know you're just trying to be my friend, but could we be friends another night... say, tomorrow? This is just NOT a good time," Joshua explains. "WHY, Joshua? Is there something strange going on? Never mind, I know there is. People don't borrow that much money without something very strange going on." "Actually, Katherine, if you do want to stay, I could sure use some more," Joshua starts back in. "The answer is no, Joshua," she says firmly. "Well, then, if you can say no then so can I," he says indignantly. "Come back tomorrow, Katherine." He slams the door in her face.

Katherine stands facing the door with her mouth hanging open, not sure what to do. But before she can think, she hears a car pulling up and hides behind a conveniently placed plant. The door opens again and Joshua growls, "Katherine, I told you--" "Earth to Joshua," Veronica says. Joshua sees that it is not Katherine. "Veronica," Joshua says, as if the name is all that needs saying. "Where's my money?" Veronica responds impatiently. "I don't have it yet. I'm working on it." "You better be. Because bright and early tomorrow morning I'm going to be on the phone to the tabloids and you can be sure you-know-who's going to be the topic of conversation in the afternoon edition... I can't figure out a good headline, though. Do you like something cute and rhymy like ``Josh Landers Posh Philanderer Dumps Wife One, A Real Honey, to Pump Wife Two for All Her Money'' or just something straight and direct like ``Wives of Prominent OB-GYN Demand He Do Hard Labor''?" "Veronica, I could kill you," Joshua says in a cold, matter-of-fact tone. "Again? You forget I'm already dead. My, my, aren't we getting a little repetitious with our plots? Now, aren't you going to invite me in?" Veronica asks. "Do you really want to have this discussion out here in the driveway, where any old cricket or related bug could hear?" "No," Joshua says. "I don't want to have this discussion at all. I'll get the money. Now get out of here, and don't you dare do anything stupid before I get back to you or you'll regret it." "Fine!" Veronica says huffily. "But tomorrow morning--no later," she adds, making sure to keep the upper hand. Then she marches off.

Miguel enters and asks, "Is everything ok, Mr. Landers?" "It's nothing, Miguel," Joshua says. "Very well, but it certainly sounded like she was threatening you and..." "Miguel, as much as I pay you, the least I can expect is a little peace and quiet at times like these, ok?" "Whatever you say, Mr. Landers. I do apologize!" He goes out as Joshua continues to ponder where to get the money he needs to pay Veronica.

As Veronica heads back to her car, Katherine also rushes to her car under cover of darkness. Once inside, she tries to catch her breath as she waits for Veronica to enter her car and drive off. Katherine follows Veronica as she drives a few blocks and parks again. Katherine pulls past her and parks as well, remaining there for a moment to verify her destination: Crimson Lights.

Back at Joshua's, Hope and Victor are also in a car nearby. "Hey, wasn't that Veronica?" Victor asks. "It sure sounded like her," Hope says. "Should we follow her?" "No, I want to know what it is that Joshua is up to--let's wait and see if he comes out."

After allowing time enough for Veronica to be seated, Katherine enters Crimson Lights. "Excuse me," she says. "Do you have any roses for sale?" Jay smiles and pulls one from a nearby vase. "Will this be suitable?" he asks. "How much?" "On the house," Jay volunteers, happy to play Cupid. Katherine scrawls a note to Veronica. "That was my money he gave you!" it says. She folds the note so that Jay can't read it and hands both it and the rose to Jay. "Could you deliver it to that young lady there?" She points out Veronica. Jay scurries off and offers the rose and the note to Veronica, who looks around questioningly. Jay points to Katherine. Veronica raises an eyebrow and then motions for a second place setting at the table as Katherine moves to join her. Jay winks at Katherine. "Whatever you said, it really caught her attention!" Jay whispers.

Jay watches from afar as Katherine sits down with Veronica but is surprised that the two don't appear friendly. He tries to listen but can't quite hear. He pretends to make a circle of the dining room checking on tables and manages to overhear Katherine say, "I won't let you harm Joshua." And Veronica replies, "It's already set in motion. I'm sorry about Nikki, she's just an innocent bystander, but Joshua deserves what he's going to get." Jay doesn't stay to hear more. He hurries back to his post at the front of the bar and starts dialing the phone. He gets Nikki and Joshua's answering machine but hangs up without leaving a message. Then, after a moment, he dials Phyllis. Joanie answers.

"Phyllis's residence," Joanie says. "Joanie, it's Jay. Is Phyllis around? It's very important." "Yes, she's right here," Joanie says. She whispers to Phyllis. "It's Jay--that cute guy who runs Crimson Lights--he sounds upset," Joanie whispers. "Well, then, don't just stand there--give me that," Phyllis says impatiently motioning to the phone unit. "This is Phyllis. What can I do for you, Jay?" "I'm not exactly sure, Phyllis. But there's something strange going on here. Some people in my restaurant are talking about some harm that might come to Veronica Landers, Joshua Landers' dead wife, and--" "Say no more, Jay. I'll be right over, you can explain to me when I'm there." "Oh, thank you, Phyllis!" Jay responds, obviously relieved not to have the burden resting solely upon him. "Uh, oh. She's getting up," Jay says. "I have to go. Hurry, Phyllis." He hangs up the phone and motions to Grace, who carries a camera. "Take a picture of that woman who's about to leave and offer to sell it to her." "Without her asking? She won't want to..." Grace says, confused. "I'm counting on that," he explains. "Now hurry--but act casual."

Joshua is in a pawn shop. He has brought numerous household items in a bag. He spreads them on the table for the owner to peruse. He sees a tag on one and snaps it off, reading it with sneer. "``Love, Victor''," he says, as if about to vomit. "How much is this thing worth?" He holds up the bauble to the light. "It's an imitation," he says. "If you're looking for things that add up to thirty thousand, it's not even worth my time to make you a quote on this." Joshua sighs. "Damned Victor!" he mumbles. Drucilla enters and sees him flipping out. "Hey, hey, hey, what's the deal here?" she asks. "Drucilla, I--" he says, confused. "Drucilla," the pawn shop owner says, recognizing her. "The doc's just a bit short of cash," the owner explains. Drucilla surveys the booty on the table. "ApparentLEE," she says. "Joshua, either you just got back from some high society scavenger hunt or you' in some desperate state, bro!" "Drucilla, I told you before. I really need to lay my hands on $30,000 and you said you couldn't help! So leave me to deal with this my way, ok?" "Hey, hey, hey--try to quash, Josh. Ain't no need to sob, Drucilla's on the job. Just heave them there trinkets back into your li'l treasure chest, and let's you and me go someplace where we can have a heart to heart, ok?" The owner, seeing Joshua's look of indecision, nudges him verbally: "I'd go with her." Joshua looks at him, surprised. "Why? What do you know about it?" The man shrugs. "Well, I know there isn't $30,000 of hock here on the table. Not even close. So if you really need rescuing, I'd say Drucilla here is your white knight, so to speak."

At Crimson Lights, Phyllis has gotten the scoop on Veronica. "She's left, but the name she put on the register here was Veronica Landers. I made some calls and found she's dead. Then I made some more calls and found out she's also staying at the Genoa City Hotel. Oh, and here's a picture of the woman." Phyllis looks at the picture. "Say, isn't that Katherine Chancellor with her?" Jay looks again at the photo. "You're right, Phyllis. I thought she looked familiar," he agrees.

Drucilla and Joshua are back on the street outside the pawn shop. Josh throws the bag of goodies he'd planned to hock back into his car's trunk. "Now what?" he says, exhausted. Drucilla goes and stands by the right-side door. "Now we get in and go visit whoever's blackmailing you." "Blackma--how did you know about that?" he asks. Drucilla looks at him in disbelief of her own. "Hey, you think maybe I was born yesterday? You have a rich, famous stripper for a wife; a happy home; and you could have any woman in town if you wanted." "I could?" Joshua mutters under his breath. Drucilla doesn't hear the remark and continues her explanation, "Suddenly one night, you need $30,000 before morning. Lessee now--what could it be? I know! You're hosting a very large party, Miguel is out of town, the neighborhood cash machine is broken and you're worried you'll run out of snacks before morning? Either that or you're being blackmailed. And my money's on the blackmail 'cause you was tryin' to hock some pretty fine potato chip bowls there."

Hope and Victor have managed to follow. They sit watching from their car but cannot hear the interchange (probably because Victor forgot to suggest to Hope that she should buy some high-tech gadgets to enable eavesdropping). "So," Hope speculates randomly, "it looks like Joshua had a little rendezvous on the side with Drucilla." "I know," says Victor. "Hope, do you suppose they could be having an affair?"

Joshua opens the doors and they sit inside the car. "Ok, ok, I'm being blackmailed. So what now?" "Well, first, you tell me why." "Drucilla--I can't tell you why. You'd never respect me...." "Try me." "Well, okay, but you promise on your biggest camera lenses you won't tell anyone?" "Hey, honey, those ain't no camera lenses you' admirin' in my shirt pockets there, but shore. Consider this witness sworn." "Ok, well, when I was in New York, I had a wife and I thought she was dead... but she turned out not to be... and I fudged a death certificate to hide the fact." Drucilla laughs. "That's it?" "What do you mean, `that's it?'?" he asks. She smiles, "Hey, trust me, ok? That medical records stuff gets mixed up more often than you know. You shouldn't have to live with something like that on your conscience... Ahright, look, who's laying this trip on you?" "Veronica--my dead wife." "You got two wives? Hey, cool. But this Veronica--she's here in town?" "Yes, and she says she'll submit her story to the World Inquisitor for $50,000 if I don't pay her by morning." "$50,000? I thought you said thirty." "Well, originally it was twenty, and I paid that." "But then it went up? Aw, Joshua, don't you see now--you just can't pay these people..." "But Drucilla, what can we do?" "I don't know, but we' gonna go talk to this Veronica, ok?"

Part II: The Murder

Phyllis is with Joanie in the Genoa City Hotel lobby. Joanie enters and comes over to her. "Hello, Phyllis. I got someone to take care of Little Danny! I thought you might need some help." "Joanie, look around you. This is a hotel. Do you see any ashtrays that need dusting or floors that need vacuuming?" Joanie looks around. "Not here, Phyllis. Do you want me to look in the next room?" "Joanie! You miss my point. In a hotel, they already employ help to do these things. One doesn't require help for their help." Joanie looks confused. "So what should I do?" Joanie despairs. "I am trying to look inconspicuous here so that I can watch comings and goings. Can you do that? No, never mind, I know the answer to that--why don't you go sit over there at the other end of the room. Perhaps it will draw attention away from me." Joanie pouts and starts to back across the room, not looking where she is going. As she moves, she runs into Katherine, who is wearing a wig and trying to look incognito, but as Katherine stumbles into Joanie, it comes loose and Phyllis recognizes her. Fortunately, Katherine is too busy and embarrassed to notice Phyllis. She continues on. Joanie comes back toward Phyllis and looks like she is about to apologize, but Phyllis stares her down and Joanie turns back to her post in exile across the room.

In her hotel room, Veronica picks up the phone. "Nikki, it's Veronica. ... Veronica LANDERS ... Yes, I imagine he would have told you that ... NO, I don't want to talk to Joshua--I need to speak to you. It's Very Important. ... Can you come to my hotel room? ... Room 213, Genoa City Hotel ... I'll be waiting." She hangs up the phone. Outside, we hear a pounding on the door and Katherine's voice. "Veronica, it's Katherine Chancellor. I need to talk to you." She shakes her head and opens the door. "What?" she says, obviously at her wit's end. "We already spoke and I told you there was nothing to be done. It's going to happen and you can't stop it." "I was afraid you'd say that," Katherine says, but she pushes her way in anyway.

Drucilla and Joshua enter the Genoa City Hotel and stop at the desk for a moment. After a short discussion, and Drucilla passing some money across the counter, they head around the corner to the elevator area. Joanie comes rushing over to Phyllis. "Phyllis, Phyllis.... wasn't that Joshua?" Phyllis buries her head in one hand and shakes her head. "Uh, yes, Joanie. That was Joshua. I believe he was with that world-famous model, Drucilla Winters." "Do you think what they're doing here is a secret?" Joanie asks loudly. "Not any more," Phyllis sighs. "Joanie, please just sit down!" Joanie bows her head in shame and sits like a scolded puppy next to Phyllis. They turn back to the main room just in time to see Hope and Victor ducking out of sight toward the elevators. They are followed almost immediately by Betty carrying what looks like a picnic basket. "What do you suppose SHE was doing here?" Joanie asks. Phyllis replies, "Bringing lunch for someone, I suppose." "But, Phyllis, you said they had staff here that did that for you--" Joanie starts to protest. "Joanie, if I knew what all these people were doing here, I wouldn't need to be here, would I?" Phyllis says.

Joanie and Phyllis sit back down on the couch. Through a far door, they see Nikki come rushing in and head out of sight toward the elevators without stopping at the desk. Almost at the same moment, Katherine emerges from the elevators. But perhaps because each is in a hurry, they do not notice each other. A few more minutes go by, and Joshua and Drucilla march out as well. They are obviously unhappy about something--even from a distance, it's easy to tell that Joshua is fuming, but Phyllis cannot make out what. Phyllis taps a lone fingernail thoughtfully against her cheek, wondering what to make of all this.

Two minutes more pass when suddenly the room goes dark. There is considerable commotion and confusion but the voice of someone, presumably a desk staff employee, advises everyone to stay where they are. A moment later, he lights a lamp. "Everyone remain calm," he says. "Just a simple power outage. I'm sure everything will be back on shortly." In the distance of the darkened building, its sound magnified by the lack of competing background noise, we hear a gunshot. "Oh, dear God," Phyllis says worriedly.

In the darkness of a hallway upstairs, we hear a door creak open and see the vague shadow of a lone figure hurrying down a hall. When the lights come back on, the elevator door opens and Nikki emerges, relieved to be out. She rushes down the hall to Veronica's door, which is standing open. Hope and Victor are standing over Veronica's limp body. "Hope. Victor. What's going on here?" she asks. "We were about to ask you the same question. Nikki, what are you doing here?" Victor asks as if shocked to not understand some detail of this unfathomable event.

There's a sound of water running in the bedroom and Victor goes to investigate. "Hope," he mumbles loudly, "there's someone in the there." Hope pulls her gun and yells into the room. "Come out with your hands up." She waits but nothing happens. Eventually, she enters and, with her free hand, finds two guns sitting in a sink of soapy water. Feeling around some more, she manages to turn off the sink and then feels around to verify that the rest of the room is clear. Deciding the culprit must be in the shower, she says "I know you're in the shower, now come out or--" "It's just me, Mom," Little Victor says as he steps out of the shower.

"Victor?" Hope says, turning her head down to the boy. "I think I'd better not say anything until I talk to someone familiar with the law," Little Victor says. "I'm familiar with the law," the older Victor says. "Someone familiar with the law that I can trust, I mean," Little Victor clarifies. "You know..." "I'm very confused," Hope says. "I think it's time to call Kurt Costner."

Part III: The Investigation

It's the next day at the Genoa City Police Station. Kurt paces the floor in front of an assembled group of suspects and witnesses. "Now let's review the facts," Kurt says. "Miguel, you knew Joshua was in money trouble and your job was in jeopardy, but you say you were nowhere close to the scene. Hope, you and Victor claim to have heard someone leaving the scene just around the time you arrived. Katherine, you had paid money and knew about the escalating blackmail. Little Victor, you were found nearby and are suspected of washing the murder weapon. Drucilla, you and Joshua were seen near the scene of the crime just before it happened. Cricket, you were a Navy SEAL and used to kill people for a living--we suspect you on general principle. John Silva, you're a Hispanic, so same deal--general principle. Paul, you were suspected because we've learned that you and Veronica wear the same perfume and because we know you're not inhibited by being in the dark--but we've learned that Veronica wasn't wearing any perfume that night, so you're free to go." "Thank you," Paul says, getting up and moving to stand by his mother, Mary, who waits at the door.

Kurt turns and look straight into the camera. "Bill Bell," he says to the lens, "we've observed that your latest plotlines are very confusing and often recycled from a previous episode; so far, that sounds suspiciously like what we've got going on here, too, so naturally we cannot rule you out. Neil, you were initially suspected also because of your generally hostile tendencies, but your wife has vouched for the fact that you were hassling her about her modeling career at the time of the crime, so you're free to go." "I was NOT hassling her!" Neil says, getting a little hostile. "Neil," Drucilla says, "Just go home, okay? I'm sure everyone here knows you're perfectly capable of it." Everyone at the table nods. "See, they agree." "Well, ok, as long as they know," he says as he shuffles out.

Kurt goes on. "Jay, I'm not sure why you're here. You were at the restaurant all evening." Jay nods. "I'm here in case this runs on and any of the suspects want to order lunch." Kurt nods. Betty enters and says, "Kurt..." "Betty, can't you see I'm busy with these suspects?" Kurt asks. "Yes, but..." He shakes his head. "And Jay already has lunch covered," he continues. "Kurt!" Betty shouts. "What do I have to do to get your attention?" she sighs. He turns to her, shocked. "What? What is it that's so important?" "I've been trying for months to get your attention. I just don't know what to do sometimes. I KILLED VERONICA." "You? But I have all these suspects here who have real motives. You did this just to get my attention?" "No, I didn't do it just to get your attention," Betty explains in a condescending tone. "I just wish that having done it, it finally WOULD get your attention."

"All right," Kurt says. "You've got my attention now. Would you please explain why I should believe you killed Veronica?" Betty sits down at the table and asks, "Aren't you going to swear me in?" "I'll trust you," Kurt says. Betty sits and waits. "Does anyone have a Bible?" Kurt sighs finally. Cricket reaches into her purse and pulls out a Gideon Bible. Everyone looks at her quizzically. "I, uh, picked it up at some hotel recently," she says sheepishly. Attention turns back to Betty when Kurt places her hand on Cricket's Bible and says "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?" "I do," Betty says. "NOW, will you tell us?" Kurt urges her.

"Veronica was blackmailing Joshua," Betty says. "And so you killed her?" Kurt prompts her, trying to move things along. "Not yet, I didn't know it yet. But Little Victor found out. And I knew Little Victor was going to kill her." "Why would Little Victor do that?" Hope asks, turning to Little Victor. "So Daddy wouldn't leave us," Little Victor confesses. "If Veronica came back, Joshua and Nikki might break up, and Daddy would move back in with Nikki." "You would?" Hope asks. "Well, hypothetically," Victor says. "I didn't want Daddy to be tempted..." Little Victor says. Betty glares at Hope. "See, Hope? I always told you Victor Sr. was an unholy slime. And I just couldn't let him go through with it. I figured if your son could sacrifice himself, so could I. So I followed Little Victor..." "From Newman Towers?" Hope asks.

"No," Betty explains. "I know that every day when Hope leaves, Little Victor leaves right afterward." "He does?" Hope asks. Little Victor blushes, "Sorry, mom. Just a habit--I like to make sure you get to work safely." "Which you'd notice if you could just open your ears!" Betty chides her. "Every day?" Hope says. "Every day," Little Victor nods. "I guess I'm too short for anyone to really notice." Hope nods. "Anyway," Betty continues, trying to get focus back on her story, "I figured that even though Hope's never noticed Little Victor back there, she might notice me if I was following, too." "Oh, I could never ignore you, Betty," Hope says. "Thank you, Hope," Betty says. So I parked near St. Kurt's and I picked up the tail on Little Victor from there. He went to buy a gun, and then he went to the Genoa City Hotel."

"Well, we never saw him walk by," Phyllis comments. "But that's because he was too short, Phyllis." Joanie chimes in. Phyllis sighs and half-whispers to her, "Will you just be silent for once, Joanie? You could learn a lot from that little kid about not being noticed!"

"Anyway," Betty goes on, "I put the gun I always carry for protection into my picnic basket and carried it to Veronica's room, where I found Little Victor about to shoot Veronica. The lights went out, and I shot Veronica before Little Victor had the chance to." "So that's why Little Victor was washing the guns," Victor Sr. says. "He was going to cover for you." "Thank you Little Victor, that was very sweet, but I don't need you to lie for me," Betty says. "And, it's not all bad, you know: if they keep me in the jail here, maybe I'll finally get to see that nice Kurt Costner some of the time, when he's in here solving other crimes."

Hope looks dumbfounded. "Betty? You really did all this?" Betty smiles proudly. She turns to Little Victor. "And Little Victor! You were going to kill Veronica, to save my relationship with your Daddy?" Little Victor nods. Hope then turns to Victor, "And Victor, you would have left me?" Victor says, "Well, it's really just--well, I mean it's a hypothetical,--but I guess I--I--... might have..." "Well, it's about time I finally got a clue," Hope says. She turns back to Kurt. "Kurt, will you marry me?" "I will," Kurt says, finally happy. "Hope!" Victor mumbles in despair. Then, realizing he's losing, he turns to Nikki. But Nikki is hugging Joshua. Nikki says to her husband, "If leaving you means returning to all of Victor's daily grumbling and mumbling, I think I'll just accept your past transgressions. Come on, Joshua--let's go consummate this marriage for real."

That's all for this episode. Hope you learned something. Don't miss Episode 48!
If you missed any older episodes, see the index.

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