At Forrester, Zoe recalled spiking Paris' drink with the herbs Quinn had blatantly left on the desk beside Paris' cup. Quinn returned with drinks, sorry that she'd left Zoe all alone in there. Quinn asked how things had shaken out with Paris.
Zoe seemed to become concerned about the herbal concoction Quinn had bought Eric. Quinn said not to worry about it because it was organic and purely healthy, and her hairdresser swore by it for digestion. Quinn wondered why Zoe had asked and remarked that she'd noticed Zoe eyeing the drink on the desk. Zoe replied that it was gone. Quinn assumed that Paris had drunk it all and asked if Zoe had added something to it. Zoe replied it had been a little something to help Paris with her digestion for her date with Zende.
Quinn smiled, guessing that Zoe had spiked Paris' smoothie. Zoe admitted that she might have put a spoonful in there. Quinn was sure that was all it would take with that stuff and asked where Paris was. Thrilled with herself, Zoe revealed that Paris was on the way to Quinn's house. Zoe didn't think it would be the romantic evening Zende and Paris had planned, but it would be one they'd always remember.
Later, Zoe said that she'd thought it had been a cute prank, but she didn't want anything bad to happen to her sister. Quinn replied that it was just a bunch of stomach sounds -- awkward and embarrassing at most. "But she's my sister," Zoe replied.
Quinn asked if Zoe had been saying that Paris should be showing her big sister more respect. Zoe figured that her sister needed to learn a little humility. Zoe just got "so tired" of people going on about what a selfless, compassionate angel Paris was. Zoe thought it was time that Paris realized she wasn't so perfect, after all.
At Eric's house, Paris arrived and found the living room romantically lit. Zende said the mood he'd set was how he felt when he was with her, and he wanted her to feel it, too. He stated that it was just the first of the surprises he had in store for her that night. Paris asked what else she should expect besides dinner, flowers, and music.
Zende suggested that he and Paris see where the night took them. She asked if they were going somewhere. He considered it, saying his family did have a family jet. She asked if he was serious. He asked if she'd be disappointed if he weren't. Paris replied that she could never be disappointed by anything they did together, even if they just watched a movie.
Zende told Paris that she was too beautiful for that. He offered to give her a hint, but Paris replied that she liked surprises, especially if they involved him.
Over drinks, Paris wondered how Zende always managed to make her feel good. Zende wondered when she'd realize how extraordinary she was. When he was with her, he lit up inside. She said he made her sound like a perfect person. He felt that he was just speaking the truth. He'd never met anyone like her.
Paris told Zende that she was bad at taking compliments. She also didn't like talking about herself. He asked how he'd get to know her better. He said he couldn't ask her sister. Paris didn't think Zoe would paint a good picture of Paris. Zende remarked that Zoe had said nice things about Paris in the past, and when Paris had first gotten there, Zoe had bragged about Paris' social work and what an amazing and giving person Paris was.
Paris figured that was because Zoe hadn't thought Paris would be staying. Noting that Zoe had gotten tense with the whole Carter situation, Zende believed that the sisters would patch things up. Paris hoped so and said they were family. She hoped that they'd be able to rely on each other. Paris hoped her sister would support her at work and in her relationship with him.
Zende curiously tilted his head. Paris said she hadn't meant to imply that they were in a relationship because they'd had nice dates. He replied that if she felt it was a relationship, he was totally okay with her feeling that way about it.
At Brooke's house, Bill hoped Brooke didn't mind that he was pouring himself a drink. "As long as you don't mind drinking alone," she responded. Chuckling, he wondered why their kids couldn't talk the way he and Brooke were.
Bill wasn't saying Hope should give Liam a pass, but Bill felt that Liam would make every effort to save their marriage. Brooke said she'd encouraged Hope to give Liam another chance. Bill revealed that Liam was at the cabin as they spoke. Brooke hoped Liam could break through Hope's feelings of betrayal. Bill believed Liam would work for as long as it took to fix it and wouldn't let it destroy his marriage.
Brooke was glad that Bill supported their kids' marriage and noted that he hadn't always felt that way about it. Bill replied that he was stubborn but not blind. He'd seen how happy his son had been with Hope and the kids and how miserable his son had become. Brooke stated that her daughter was miserable, too.
"Then why doesn't she take him back?" Bill wondered. Brooke thought he, more than anyone, knew the answer. Bill admitted that he did, but he said that Liam loved Hope. Bill was convinced that Hope was the only woman for Liam, and more importantly, so was Liam. Bill would do anything he could to reassure Hope of it. Brooke didn't think they'd have much influence on it.
Bill just wanted to see his son happy. He knew that he gave Liam a hard time, but the truth was, he'd do anything to protect Liam and Liam's future.
In Brooke's cabin, Hope stepped back. She hadn't expected the kiss to happen. Liam was glad it had. He'd never thought they'd get that closeness back, and he'd missed having it. Hope explained that they weren't living apart because she didn't want to be close to him, but as good as the kiss was, it didn't mean that everything was okay.
Liam reasoned that the kiss indicated that he and Hope wanted the same thing. He believed that if that was true, they could get past anything. He thought nothing in the universe was stronger than their love, and they still had it.
Later, Liam returned to the room after checking on Beth. He told Hope that it was funny to think about the things he missed. He talked about noises the kids made and the sounds of their toys. It was loud, crazy, and chaotic, but he loved it. He missed being there and missed them all being together. Hope missed it, too, just as much as Liam.
Liam checked his phone. Hope asked if everything was okay, and he revealed that he and Bill had driven there together. He said Bill was at the main house. She was surprised to hear it and noted that Liam and Bill were spending a lot of time together at home and at work.
Liam replied that he felt as if his home was still at the cabin. It didn't seem fair to him that he and Hope were still fighting through it, but someone like Vinny was out on bail. Hope called it crazy, and Liam ranted that Vinny should be held until trial for tampering with paternity test results.
If it were up to Liam, no one would ever see Vinny's "stupid, lying" face again. Liam was beginning to think he hated Vinny, who'd treated their lives like a game. Liam advised Hope to keep her guard up in case Vinny went there or to Forrester. Hope asked why Vinny would do that, and Liam assumed it would be to see Thomas.
Hope said Thomas hated Vinny as much as Liam and wanted nothing to do with him. She added that the truth was out, Finn and Steffy were having a baby, and things had worked out for that couple. Liam hoped things would work out for him and Hope, too.
Liam received a message from Bill, asking if Liam was ready to go. Hope noted that it was getting late. Liam wanted to see her again and asked if they could meet for lunch. She offered to do it at the cabin the next day. When he said he'd pick food up on the way, she replied that he'd already done "so much." He told her that she deserved a lot more.
Bill and Brooke entered. He wanted to say goodnight to Beth, but Hope said Beth had gone down a while back. Bill decided to say something before he and Liam left. Bill hoped Hope knew how much Liam loved her. Liam tried to stop Bill, but Bill continued because he knew what he was talking about. He said the longer it took to heal, the harder it would be to repair. He told them to hold onto each other and not let anything get between them and their family.
Brooke thanked Bill, and Liam said he'd see Hope later. Bill and Liam left, and Brooke noted that Hope and Liam had been getting along well. Brooke had seen the way her daughter had looked at Liam and felt that Hope was still in love with Liam. Brooke asked if Hope and Liam had left things on good terms. Grinning, Hope said it had been wonderful.
"Wonderful?" Brooke replied. Hope wasn't at a place where she could forgive and just move on, but after that day, it no longer felt impossible to her. Hope didn't want Brooke to overreact to what Hope was about to say. Brooke asked what had happened, and Hope admitted that she and Liam had kissed.
Brooke asked how it had made Hope feel. Hope grinned like a kid in love, and Brooke said she was happy for Hope. Brooke agreed that it would take time and patience, but Brooke was glad that Liam and Hope were relating that way. It was hard to ignore the couple's connection, and Brooke saw an amazing future ahead for them.
In the driveway, Bill decided to let Liam drive because Bill had had the dressmaker's finest tequila earlier. Psyched, Liam hopped behind the wheel. As they rode along, Bill told Liam to stop smiling and keep his eyes on the road. Liam replied that he could smile and drive at once, but Bill said smiling indicated that Liam's mind was elsewhere.
Liam said he might be smiling because his father never let anyone drive that car. Bill acknowledged it but sensed Liam had made a breakthrough with Hope. Liam felt more optimistic about the future. Bill was glad and believed that if Liam and Hope could remain focused, they had a beautiful future awaiting them. Liam believed it and wouldn't give up.
"There's not a thing in the world -- " Liam said. A flash of something over the right of the car caught Liam's attention, cutting off his words. Someone yelped. There was the sound of something hitting the hood of the car. Liam hit the brakes. Stunned, he said, "Dad."
In unison, Bill and Liam exited the car. In the beams from the vehicle's headlights, they saw a man, dressed all in black, sprawled on the right side of the road by what looked like azalea bushes. Bill slowly knelt down by the man's head. Liam skidded into a squatting position behind the man and asked, "Is he...?"
Bill indicated that he didn't know. The man's eyes jolted open, and he seemed to struggle to breathe. His face turned toward the light "Oh, no. Vinny!" Liam exclaimed. Vinny gasped, his head falling back on the dusty road.
At Forrester, Zoe felt guilty about spiking Paris' smoothie with Eric's digestion concoction. Quinn quipped that they were all twelve at heart. Quinn assured Zoe that it was perfectly healthy -- and noisy. Quinn was sure Zende would get an earful.
Zoe was glad to have a friend around there and someone she could safely be honest with. Quinn stated that "we" outsiders had to stick together against all who went after what was theirs, even if it was against family. Zoe imagined that the smoothie with the digestive additive was putting a damper on Paris and Zende's romantic evening.
Holding up the jar, Zoe asked how long it took to start working. Quinn believed Paris' stomach should be drowning out all conversation by then. Zoe still felt bad for doing it to her sister, who'd be mortified. Zoe wondered if she should just focus on getting Carter back.
"You have a conscience," Quinn said admiringly. Quinn respected it but said Paris should have respected Zoe instead of elbowing into Zoe's life, picking and choosing whatever Paris wanted. "You said it yourself. You were here first. You met Zende first. You had an attraction to him first. But here's Paris, the hot new hire, and she walks away with the boyfriend," Quinn stated.
Quinn pointed out that Zoe was left with a broken engagement, and her ex-fiancé's friends, some of whom were her bosses, weren't happy with her. Quinn advised Zoe to stop feeling guilty. It wasn't that big of a deal, and Paris' stomach would calm down. Agreeing, Zoe guessed that Paris needed to be reminded that she wasn't so perfect, after all.
Zoe recalled that she'd ordered Paris to leave. Zoe revealed that she'd accused Paris of invading Zoe's territory, and she'd told Paris to go. Zoe said that, instead of going, Paris had set up her office at Forrester and had zeroed in on Zende. In Zoe's mind, she was getting a little payback that night.
At Eric's house, Paris was amazed that Zende had designed a Paris-themed night in honor of her. He asked if she'd been named after the city. Paris said her parents had spent a lot of time there for her father's job when he'd worked "overseas." It had been her parents' favorite city in the world. Zende stated that Paris was beautiful, and it was fitting that her parents would name her after the city of love.
Paris' stomach rumbled, and her face darkened. She apologized and guessed she was hungrier than she'd thought. Zende pretended that he hadn't noticed, but he said she was in the right place to eat. He'd ordered a five-course tasting meal of French food.
Zende and Paris took pictures together to commemorate it. As they did, Paris' stomach grumbled. "Oh, my!" Paris exclaimed. Loudly, Zende said that their picture was great. As he went on about the pictures, she glanced around in perplexed embarrassment.
Later, Zende noticed that Paris wasn't drinking her Champagne. Paris claimed that the bubbles were tickling her nose. Zende gestured toward the terrace, where they'd have their first course. Paris' stomach rumbled again, and he asked if she was okay. She replied that, other than being mortified, she was fine. He asked if she was in pain. Paris didn't know what was happening and said it had never happened before. Zende said they'd just ignore it.
Later, Paris entered the living room from the terrace. Following her, Zende asked if everything was okay. Noting that she'd never been so embarrassed, she said she had a heavy metal band in her stomach. Zende said not to worry about it. Paris' stomach sounded off again, and he said, "On second thought..." The grumbles grew louder. "My God, woman, can I help?" Zende asked.
Paris decided that she just needed to go. She didn't know what was happening to her, but it was ruining their night. Zende told her to speak for herself. She replied that he'd been sweet to turn the living room into Paris for her, but she had to go. Paris strode out the front door.
In Brooke's cabin, Hope was enthralled by her kiss with Liam. She told her mother that it had felt like home. Brooke responded that Liam was Hope's home, and they were meant to be together. Brooke insisted that she knew what she was talking about. Hope didn't want Brooke getting ahead of herself and said that Hope and Liam weren't back together by a long shot.
Brooke saw light at the end of the tunnel, and she was happy for Hope, who seemed to be moving into a new chapter. Brooke guessed it had been some kiss because it had left Hope glowing. Hope replied that she still had a lot to sort through before she could forgive Liam. Brooke said the kiss gave the couple something to build upon, which was what Hope wanted.
Hope figured that would be if she could get there and still look at herself in the mirror. Brooke believed it was possible and said Hope was the most forgiving person she knew. Hope reasoned that if Liam had meant it and would work on himself, then she actually was hopeful that they could get back together. Torn, Hope said part of her wanted to forgive him and move on, but the rest of her was still hurt that he'd sleep with Steffy again.
Brooke reasoned that it would have been easier to forgive had it been just a fling or a one-night stand. Hope didn't know. Hope guessed that, if it had been, she would have been more angry than just completely shattered. Brooke said an unfortunate set of circumstances had sent Liam down that path. Hope replied that Steffy's child could have been Liam's.
Brooke figured that it would have been hard to deal with if it had been, but as it stood, Liam had made a mistake. Brooke knew that Hope and Liam loved each other, and she asked if it was a good enough reason to forgive and move forward. Brooke added that no one knew what would happen the next day, and she didn't want Hope to live with regrets. Brooke urged Hope to let the kiss be the first step toward an amazing future with Liam.
Hope decided to take Brooke's suggestion and focus on the bigger picture. Brooke said that Hope might need more time, but Hope would get beyond it for her family. Brooke was confident that Liam would move mountains to make up for what he'd done, and, in time, Hope and her family would be able to move on.
Hope received a message from Thomas, who confirmed that Vinny was out on bail. Brooke said that Vinny's actions had been reprehensible, and Vinny would pay for it, one way or another.
Hope didn't want to talk about Vinny. Brooke replied that the courts would take care of him, and they didn't have to think about him again. Brooke wanted Hope to focus on her marriage. In Hope's view, kissing Liam had been a big step forward. "If forgiveness happens, it happens," Hope added. Brooke said that if Hope stuck to that plan, Hope and Liam would have their happily ever after.
On a road, Liam drove, and Bill was in the passenger's seat. Liam's eyes kept cutting to Bill as Liam explained how optimistic he was about his marriage. Something seemed to flicker on the right side of the car. Someone grunted, and the car hit something. Liam braked hard, causing the tires to screech as the car stopped. Bill and Liam exited the car and went to the right side of the road. There, they found Vinny lying in front of flower bushes that lined a stucco gate.
Liam recognized Vinny, who was wearing all black and struggling to breathe. Bill was surprised that Liam knew the guy. Liam explained that Vinny was Thomas' friend, the one who'd altered the paternity test. Vinny, with unblinking eyes, took shallow breaths. Liam apologized and said he hadn't seen Vinny in the road, but he would get Vinny help. He advised Vinny to just stay still.
Bill stood. Around him were flower bushes and tropical plants that shrouded a stucco fence -- the kind that usually encased mansions. On the fence was a black garden lantern. Liam asked for Bill's phone to call for emergency services, but Bill's attention was on Vinny, who Bill thought was trying to speak. Vinny opened his mouth, but he became motionless.
"Oh, my God," Liam uttered, and he fainted. Bill looked at the two men on the ground and huffed. He scooped Liam's limp body off the road and buckled Liam into the passenger seat of the car. Bill retrieved Vinny's phone and wallet from the unconscious or dead Vinny, started the car, and drove away from the scene.
Later, Bill pulled over on a shoulder with a guardrail, overlooking the city. He placed Vinny's phone on the road and drove over it. Bill then took Vinny's wallet and phone and threw them as far as he could over the guardrail, down the hillside.
When Bill got back into the car, Liam jolted awake and asked where Vinny was. Bill replied that Vinny was dead. Liam wanted to go back and help Vinny, but Bill stated that he'd decided to protect Liam. Liam didn't know why and said it had been an accident.
Bill yelled that Liam had a motive. "He ruined your life with Hope, so you hit him with the car," Bill said. Liam replied that it hadn't happened that way, but Bill insisted that everyone would believe it, and Liam could be looking at prison for the rest of his life. Liam didn't care and said they weren't doing it.
"We are doing it!" Bill bellowed. Bill asserted that he'd do whatever he had to in order to protect his son. Refusing to let Liam lose his future over it, Bill insisted that he'd fix it. "You will never say a word. You understand me? Never. No one will ever know what happened," Bill told Liam.
Thomas returned Douglas to Hope after an outing to see a movie. The pair briefly discussed Vinny. Hope remarked that Vinny had been released on bail, but she remained confident that he'd eventually be punished for his wrongdoing. Thomas told Hope that he didn't understand why Vinny had done the things he'd done. He added that he'd effectively cut Vinny, a lifelong friend, out of his life for good. "He's dead to me," Thomas said coldly.
The conversation drifted to Hope and Liam's marriage. Thomas wondered if Hope had gotten to a point where she could forgive Liam. Hope stated that she and Liam were trying, to sort through their issues. Her face lit up when she shared that she and Liam had "made some progress." Still, she felt that she and Liam needed to be "all or nothing" because all of the back-and-forth was not healthy for them or the kids.
Hope thanked Thomas for not trying to take advantage of her situation. Thomas admitted that he might have done that in the past, but he'd become a different man. He said that he wanted her to be happy -- and if that meant Hope being with Liam, he would support that decision. "I'll always be here for you," he said softly.
Quinn was slightly annoyed that Zoe was feeling guilty about spiking Paris' drink. As they talked, a mortified Paris entered the office, shaking her head. Paris recounted all of the work that Zende had put into making their night special. Her face fell as she explained that her stomach "doing flip-flops" had ruined everything. Quinn assured Paris that that sort of thing "happens to the best of us." Paris questioned if she'd gotten some kind of stomach bug. Quinn shot Zoe a look as both women tried to hide their smiles.
After Paris left, Zoe admitted to feeling bad about the prank she'd played on Paris. Quinn pointed out that Zoe had seemed to get at least a little enjoyment out of the prank. "Text me if anything explosive happens," Quinn quipped as she walked out of the office.
Later, Paris returned to tell Zoe all about the night -- the Paris theme, the French music, the five-course tasting meal. Zoe thought Paris was overreacting. Paris fought off tears as she thought about how all of Zende's hard work had been for naught. She also worried that the debacle of a date might chase Zende away for good. Zoe seemed to feel for her sister. An alert sounded on Paris' phone, and she realized that Zende had sent her a message. To her relief, it was one of the photos they'd taken on their date, but Zende had added hearts around the image.
At Bill's house, a panicked Liam leaned against the fireplace. "He came outta nowhere," Liam blubbered. He said, "I killed Vinny!" He then blasted Bill for driving off and leaving Vinny to die on the side of the road. Bill calmly replied that he'd taken the necessary action to keep Liam out of prison. Liam continued to freak out and insisted that they should call the police. Bill, his voice raised, told Liam that if they called the police, Liam would go to jail, and a judge and jury would find him guilty of murder.
Bill instructed Liam to take off his clothes and shower to remove any possible evidence of Vinny's death. Liam once again began to panic and repeated his desire to call the police. Bill told him that would not be happening. "We're in it! We're all the way in -- together! You and me. There is no going back," Bill hollered.
After Liam showered, Bill bagged up the clothing that he and Liam had worn. He told Liam that he was getting rid of the evidence. Liam argued that Bill was making a bad situation worse. Rather than drive away, Liam suggested that Bill should have left Liam on the side of the road with Vinny. "I did this," Liam declared. Since he'd been the one who'd been driving, Liam felt it should be his decision about what to do. Bill again countered that no one would believe that Vinny's death had been an accident: Liam hated Vinny, Vinny had been struck by a car Liam was driving, and Vinny had died.
Later, Bill looked at his cell phone and noted that Vinny's death had yet to be reported. Liam knew it was only a matter of time before a passing motorist saw the man's body. Bill explained that it would take some time to identify Vinny's body because he had taken Vinny's wallet and phone and gotten rid of them. "I had to buy us more time," Bill stated, adding that he'd also have to get rid of his own car. Liam snapped that Bill was making things worse. Liam announced that he could not remain quiet about what had happened. Bill told his son that he had to because there was "no looking back."
At Bill's house, Liam was disheveled on the sofa. In his mind, he revisited the roadside incident involving Vinny. Bill returned from a jog, and Liam asked if Bill could really just put on his fancy shoes and go for a jog after what had happened. "Yeah, in a word," Bill replied.
Bill had thought it had been important for him to do his normal routine in the light of day, so that he could make sure that there were no cameras on a certain stretch of road. Liam asked if there had been. Bill replied that there were no cameras, and that meant there had been no recording of the accident or them driving away.
Bill said there was nothing to tie Liam to the incident, and all Liam had to do was stay quiet. Liam thought it was inevitable that he'd talk to the police. Bill asked Liam to let it be known right then if Liam had any romantic ideas about prison life. Bill yelled that he'd already had a "hell of a morning." Liam was afraid to ask.
Bill stated that the less Liam knew, the better. Figuring Liam might be worried about the car, Bill said it had been taken care of, and Liam had nothing to worry about. Bill decided that all Liam had to do was pretend it had never happened. Liam asked if Bill understood that Liam had killed someone the previous night. Liam imagined that Vinny had been just walking down the street, but he was dead because of Liam. Liam couldn't just forget that. It would haunt him forever.
Bill reasoned that it would haunt Liam whether he was free or behind bars, and Bill advised Liam to take the "haunting while free" option. Liam assumed he'd just be in more trouble when the cops figured it out. Bill thought there was nothing to figure out. He'd taken care of everything. He was in the middle of taking care of the car. He'd disposed of the clothes and Vinny's wallet and phone.
Liam asked how. Bill replied that Liam only needed to know that it had been handled. Liam contended that it hadn't been handled just because Bill had destroyed a wallet and hadn't noticed any cameras. Liam stated that Bill didn't know the techniques investigators used.
Bill received an alert on his phone about a Bel Air hit-and-run and apparent robbery. The victim's identity was unknown, and there were no leads on the killer. Bill asserted that there weren't going to be any leads. "And you know why? Because of me!" he exclaimed.
Liam said it was only the first day of the investigation, and the police had ways of finding things. Bill insisted that he'd taken care of it. Liam replied that the police had ways of finding all that stuff, and he asked about the traceable tire tracks. Bill asked what car the tracks would be traced to. He insisted that the car would be gone that very day.
Liam still couldn't get over the fact that, the moment he'd passed out, Bill's first instinct had been to throw his son in the car and leave Vinny on the side of the road. Bill replied that Liam had left out the "dead" part about Vinny. Bill asked if Liam had wanted Bill to send out invitations to a wake. Liam yelled that Bill should have called for help like any normal person would.
Bill yelled back that there had been no saving Vinny, and Bill's focus had been on saving Liam. Bill asserted that Liam wouldn't go to prison over an accident. Agreeing, Liam quipped that if he went to prison, it would be because he'd tried to cover it up. Liam thought it was imperative that he talk right away, while the police might take pity on him.
Bill said it was too late for that because he and Liam had driven off. Liam noted that Bill had done that, not Liam, and because of it, Liam had to figure out how to factor that information into his explanation to the police. Bill told Liam that he wasn't going to do that. Liam insisted that he had to because he couldn't live with it. "You are not going to the police!" Bill repeated.
Liam asked how Bill expected Liam to live with himself. Bill expected Liam to toughen up and figure it out because Bill wouldn't let Liam throw his life away over it. He asked if Liam thought it would play out like a goofy movie, and the cops wouldn't think Liam had tried to run Vinny down after Vinny had tried to sabotage Liam's entire life.
Liam devised a plan to tell the police that he and Bill had hit something, but they hadn't known what it had been. He and Bill had guessed it had been an animal. They hadn't seen anything in the rearview mirror, and they'd assumed it had run off. Upon hearing the news about the hit-and-run on the same road, they'd begun to suspect that it could be related. "And so being the upstanding citizens that we are, we turn ourselves in," Liam concluded.
Clapping, Bill said it was a great story; however, it was missing the part about Liam's history with Vinny and how it was that, of all the people in Los Angeles, Liam had run Vinny down. Liam stated that it had been dark, and they hadn't seen Vinny. "They will lock you up!" Bill replied.
Liam sniveled and said he didn't know what to do. In his view, the truth would always come out, so he had to go to the police. He had no other choice. He insisted that he'd just tell the police that he hadn't realized that he'd killed a man. "You killed the man that you hated," Bill added.
Liam claimed that he'd barely known the guy. "You had motive, Liam. You know you did," Bill replied. Bill asked if Liam really wanted to put his fate in the hands of a jury who'd know what Vinny had done to Liam. "No way! Especially if you go with that stupid animal story!" Bill said.
Liam decided that he'd just tell the truth. He asserted that he'd killed a guy and didn't deserve to get away with it. Bill insisted that Liam wouldn't go to prison because a low-life scumbag had stepped in front of the car. Bill repeated that he'd fixed it, and the car would be gone that day. Bill asserted that if anyone asked, they'd gone straight home from Brooke's house, and that was how it had to be.
In the CEO's office, Hope thought of the kiss the other night with Liam. Finn arrived. Hope thanked him for meeting her and asked if Steffy was still out of town. Steffy and Kelly had taken a trip up the coast. Finn hadn't been able to join them because of work, but he planned to join them when he got some time off. Finn asked Hope what was going on.
Hope asked how Finn had been able to forgive Steffy. Hope wanted to do the same with Liam, but she didn't know how. She admired Finn's strength and ability to stand by Steffy, and Hope asked if Finn could help her get to that place with Liam.
Finn didn't think Hope needed his advice. To him, she seemed to know what she wanted to do. Hope wished it was as easy as flipping a switch, finding forgiveness, and taking her life back. She couldn't just pretend that what Liam had done was okay. Finn replied that it wasn't okay; it had been cruel and hurtful. He said he knew that well. Hope asked why he'd forgiven Steffy.
Finn replied that he loved Steffy, and he'd believed her remorse. He claimed that Steffy had been horrified by what she'd done. Hope indicated that Liam felt the same way. Finn explained that his belief that it had been an isolated incident had made it possible for him to forgive. He thought it had happened under extreme and unusual circumstances, and it hadn't been an ongoing affair.
Finn didn't regret forgiving Steffy because he knew that they had a beautiful future to look forward to. He believed that Hope and Liam did, too. Hope thanked Finn for giving her things to think about. Finn didn't want to tell her what to do, but he said there were benefits mentally and physically to letting go of pain. He noted that she was carrying a tremendous weight, and it wasn't healthy; in the doctor's opinion, forgiving would relieve it.
Hope replied that her mother had told her that, but she appreciated the professional advice. Finn decided that he had to go. There was a compliance meeting he needed to get to. Before exiting, Finn said it wouldn't be easy, but forgiveness was the path to the bright future he saw for Hope and Liam.
Later, Hope was working alone. She pulled out her phone, took a selfie, and sent it to Liam, saying that she was looking forward to lunch.
Back at Bill's house, Liam received Hope's message and realized that he'd forgotten about lunch. He said he couldn't face Hope. Bill readily agreed and said Liam couldn't see anyone until he got himself under control. Bill advised Liam to text Hope that something had come up.
Liam sent a message back to Hope, saying that he couldn't make it. Hope's reply message said, "No worries. Hope you're okay."
Aloud, Liam stated that he was "pretty damn not okay." Bill tried to get Liam to calm down. Liam sank to the floor, hyperventilating and thinking of the accident. Bill calmly spoke to Liam, asking him to slow down. Bill needed Liam to dig deep and find the strength inside him to put it behind him. Bill told Liam to lean on his father. Bill said he'd protect Liam. "You're not going to prison. I will not allow it," Bill quietly said.
At the hospital, Finn ducked his head into the morgue to remind Dr. Ricks, the coroner, about their training session. She said she'd been about to tell him that she had to do it the next day. Entering the room, Finn was miffed that he had to suffer through the session alone. Dr. Ricks explained that she wasn't able to leave the case she had, and she believed that the police would be full of questions.
Guessing that it was the life of a coroner, Finn asked what Dr. Ricks was dealing with. Dr. Ricks said it was a pedestrian hit-and-run in Bel Air. It was sad for her. The victim was a young guy who'd had his whole life ahead of him. Finn wondered what kind of person would just drive away. He couldn't imagine what the guy's family was going through.
Flipping the sheet back to reveal the victim's head and neck, Dr. Ricks said the family didn't know yet because the victim's identity was unknown. Finn's eyes zeroed in on the victim. It was Vinny, and he appeared to have a contusion on his hairline over his right brow and one under his right eye. "Vinny!" Finn uttered, and Dr. Ricks turned around.
At Bill's house, Liam continued to feel as if he needed to go to the police about the accident. Bill opposed the idea, saying no one would believe it had been an accident. Liam persisted, saying that criminals covered up evidence, but Bill refused to let Liam destroy his life over it.
Liam asked what life. "I'm pathetic," he stated. He noted that he was barely functioning. He couldn't stop thinking of the event. Bill said to stop doing it; Vinny had stepped into the road and was dead due to his own stupidity. Bill was certain that if Liam went to the police, they would investigate and find out that Liam had had motive to want Vinny dead.
Bill ordered Liam to get some kind of control and realize that it hadn't been Liam's responsibility. Liam stated that he'd been driving. "Vinny stepped in front of the car! That's on Vinny! Now Vinny's a dead idiot!" Bill yelled. Liam asked if Bill even cared if Vinny was dead.
"No. No, not really," Bill responded. Bill cared about Liam. In Bill's view, Vinny had screwed with Liam's life, and Bill wouldn't let Liam confess to something that was Vinny's fault, not Liam's. Bill added that the body was unidentified, and there was nothing linking Liam to it. Bill planned to keep it that way. Liam asked why Bill had had to drive off.
Bill insisted that Vinny had been dead, and nothing could bring him back. Bill asked if Liam wanted to lose his family. Bill ordered Liam to put what had happened out of his mind.
Later, Bill called Justin to get rid of the car. Only Bill's side of the conversation could be heard. Bill had sent Justin a text message earlier about selling the car to Sheik Abdul, who'd been on Bill's butt about wanting the car since the day Bill had gotten it. On the call, Justin was surprised that Bill would part with the car. "Yes, I know how special it is...Yes, Justin, I know it's one of 50," Bill said. Liam's ears perked up as he listened.
Bill explained that a gardener had backed into it, denting the grille and hood. Bill had wanted to kill the gardener but had fired him instead. Bill claimed that the sheik still wanted the car and would fix it and repaint it some awful color. Bill was glad to unload it, so he didn't have to hear about it from the sheik anymore. Bill asked Justin to make it his top priority to get the team to ship it to the Middle East, and he told Justin to alert him when it was done.
After the call, Bill assured Liam that the car would be on the other side of the world before they knew it. Bill repeated that he'd take care of things; Liam just had to trust him. Liam thought Bill was digging them in deeper and deeper. Liam said Vinny was dead, and Liam was the one to blame. Bill didn't want to hear those words again and insisted Liam wasn't to blame.
Liam figured that if Bill was right, Liam should be going to the police. Bill insisted that the police would twist things around, and he wouldn't let Liam incriminate himself. Liam reasoned that he wasn't a criminal and wouldn't be incriminating himself. "You can't be that naïve, son!" Bill yelled. He believed the police would say Liam had hit Vinny because Vinny had falsified the paternity test.
Liam flashed back to telling Hope that he could kill Vinny. Bill asked if a judge or jury would buy that Liam hadn't seen Vinny on that road and decided to run him down intentionally. Liam said it hadn't happened that way, but Bill insisted that it was a prosecutor's job to make it look that way. Bill stated that Vinny had screwed with Liam's life to the point that Liam had lost his family, and Liam had run Vinny down. Bill said that if a jury believed that, Liam would be looking at premeditated murder. Liam would lose everything. "Everything, Liam!" Bill yelled.
Bill begged Liam to get himself and his emotions under control. Liam didn't even know who he was. He said he'd cheated on his wife with his ex, and he'd become a murderer. Liam asked Bill to say who Liam was. Willing to say exactly who Liam was, Bill affirmed that Liam was William Spencer the Third, son of Bill Spencer Jr., "Dollar Freaking Bill."
Bill called Liam a loving husband and devoted father. He insisted that Liam was not a murderer and had done nothing wrong. "Except flee the scene of an accident," Liam responded.
Bill claimed that Liam hadn't fled the scene. Bill asserted that he'd done it while Liam had been passed out. Bill added that he'd made the decision to leave Vinny, and Vinny had been dead. Bill said he'd been the one to dispose of Vinny's wallet and cell phone.
Bill said the world continued to turn, and they had to get back in it; however, Liam needed to be able to act normally, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Liam asked how he'd face Hope, Beth, and Kelly, or what would happen if he never got to see them again because the police showed up to haul him away. Bill insisted that he wouldn't let a son of his rot in prison. All Bill needed was for Liam to do his part and stop feeling guilty.
"I am guilty," Liam replied. Bill insisted that Liam wasn't. Bill wondered what "SOB" stepped out in front of cars or walked around on dark streets at night. Bill called Vinny a "low-life drug-dealing criminal." He said Vinny was a bad guy, but Liam was a good guy. Liam denied that, but Bill persisted, imploring Liam to protect his life and family at all costs.
Bill ordered Liam to stop oozing negative vibes. Bill said that people would pick up on them, and Liam couldn't let that happen. He told Liam to put the incident out of his mind permanently.
In the morgue at the hospital, Dr. Ricks asked how Finn knew the victim. Finn said the man had been best friends with his fiancée's brother. Covering Vinny up, Dr. Ricks became curious. Finn explained that Thomas and Vinny had been pretty tight since they'd been kids -- until recently. Finn also divulged that Vinny had worked in the hospital lab. Finn recalled that it was a hit-and-run, and Dr. Ricks said someone had just left Vinny for dead.
Later, Dr. Ricks was surprised to hear what Vinny had done with Finn's paternity test results. She asked if Vinny had a family. Finn didn't know anything about Vinny but figured that Thomas would. Dr. Ricks noted that Vinny didn't sound like an upstanding guy, and she assumed that the police might wonder what else he'd been involved in and if someone had intentionally run him down. Doubting it, Finn wondered who'd do something like that.
Finn didn't think he knew Vinny well enough to definitively identify him and said he didn't even know Vinny's last name. Dr. Ricks assumed Thomas would. Finn pulled out his phone.
At Forrester, Hope and Thomas were working. He noticed something was off about her. Hope conveyed that Liam had canceled their lunch date earlier. It had been out of the blue, and it had thrown her. She said she knew Liam, and something was off with him.
Thomas asked about Liam's demeanor when he'd canceled. Hope replied that it had been via text message. It didn't make any sense to Thomas that, after all the courting Liam had been doing, he'd just blow Hope off without an explanation. Thomas wondered what that was about.
Hope guessed she'd eventually find out. She assumed it had something to do with his job and said working at Spencer was demanding and high pressure. Thomas quipped that it was run by a demanding egomaniac who happened to be Liam's father.
Hope gleaned that Thomas didn't have a high opinion of Bill. Affirming it ,Thomas said he also didn't respect anything Bill had ever done. He didn't like the way Bill talked to people, Bill's hair dye, or Bill's weekly teeth-whitening regime. Thomas didn't like that Bill didn't respect Thomas or Ridge. Thomas decided none of it mattered because Bill was Hope's father-in-law, not Thomas'.
Hope revealed that Bill had been supportive. He'd even stopped by the previous night to say how much Liam loved her and that the longer Hope and Liam stayed apart, the harder it would be to reunite. Thomas assumed that the advice was code for "forgive Liam or else." She replied that Bill hadn't been a bully; he'd been genuinely concerned, like Thomas had been.
Hope thanked Thomas again for being honest about what Vinny had done with the paternity test results. Thomas said Vinny needed to pay for what he'd done. Thomas had cut Vinny out and had blocked his number -- not that Thomas was sure that Vinny would reach out. Thomas said he couldn't hate Vinny. "He's my best friend," Thomas said.
Thomas received a call from Finn. Finn asked if Thomas was at work. Thomas said he was there with Hope, and he asked if Finn was at work, "saving lives and everything." Finn said he needed Thomas to go to the morgue at the hospital to identify a body. "A body?" Thomas asked. Finn said it wasn't a family member, but it was someone whom Thomas might know.
"That's all you can tell me?" Thomas asked. Finn asked if Thomas could just hurry. Thomas ended the call, and he told Hope that he had to go identify a body. Deciding that Thomas shouldn't be alone, Hope said she'd go with him. "Okay," he replied, and they left.
Later, Thomas and Hope arrived to find out what was going on. Finn said he hadn't meant to alarm anyone. He introduced them to Dr. Ricks and said that the body wasn't that of a family member. Thomas thanked God for that.
Dr. Ricks said that, because they needed Thomas to identify the body, Finn couldn't tell Thomas ahead of time who Finn thought it belonged to. Ricks said that the victim hadn't had a wallet or phone. She asked if Thomas needed a moment. He wanted to just get it over with.
Dr. Ricks flipped back the cover, and Thomas gasped, visibly shaken. "Vinny," he uttered.
