In Brooke's cabin, Thomas held Hope. She thought of Brooke's warnings about Thomas. Ending the hug, Hope said she was grateful to be able to count upon him. Hope didn't mean to cut "this" short, but she had somewhere to be. At her front door, she told Thomas to have fun with Douglas. Thomas repeated that she could ask him for whatever she needed. She thanked him but exerted confidence that Liam would return home to her.
At Forrester, Ridge wanted Hope and Liam to work things out as much as Brooke did, but Ridge also felt the need to face reality. Ridge thought it was what Liam had done by asking Thomas to help him. Brooke reasoned that Liam still had to go to trial, and the jury could find him not guilty.
Ridge felt that the odds were against Liam due to the confession. Brooke suggested that Liam might get a light sentence because he hadn't chosen to flee the scene. It made no sense to her to push Thomas toward Hope. Ridge said it wasn't that way, and Liam had just asked for a stable presence for his wife and kids while he was somewhere else. "Stable?" Brooke questioned.
Ridge asked Brooke not to do that. Brooke was worried that if Liam would be in prison for a long time, Thomas would think he could be there for Hope. Thomas' obsessive feelings would emerge, and they couldn't let it happen. Ridge didn't want to argue with Brooke. The family needed to draw together, and he had an issue with her thinking negatively about Thomas.
Feeling that it was a slippery slope, Brooke knew that Liam had asked Thomas to be there for Hope, but Brooke feared that Thomas would look at it romantically. Brooke insisted that, if that was the case, there would be a lot of problems once Liam was a free man again. Brooke was confident Liam would get out and return to a family that belonged to Liam, not Thomas.
Ridge believed that Liam would serve time, which meant Hope and her kids would need help, and that was why Liam had made the request of Thomas. Brooke contended that Hope would have plenty of help from their family members. Ridge agreed that the whole family would step up, and whether Brooke liked it or not, that included Thomas.
Later, Brooke admitted that Thomas had made tremendous progress, but that was because he'd been focused on other things, like work and his son. Brooke was afraid that if they asked Thomas to be there for Hope, it would open a can of worms, and he'd become obsessed all over again. Ridge didn't think it was fair to assume that.
Ridge began to ponder Liam serving a long sentence. Brooke asked if that would make it okay for Thomas to make a move. Ridge replied that it would make it okay for Thomas to honor his promise to Liam. Ridge asked if Brooke wanted Hope to be alone if Liam never got out or if Brooke would want Hope to have someone.
Ridge wasn't saying it would be Thomas; however, he wondered what Brooke would say if Hope decided she wanted someone who knew her kids and her life, and that someone was Thomas.
In the interrogation room in the jail, Justin was at the table with Liam. Chief Baker arrived with Hope. Baker claimed that there was only one visitor at a time, but Baker was feeling generous -- briefly generous. Baker left, and Hope asked how the case was going. She thought it would be easy to free Liam because he hadn't meant to kill Vinny and hadn't been part of the cover-up. Justin said that was according to his clients, but he didn't know how a jury would see it.
Hope asked Justin to say he could get Liam out of jail. In her view, Liam was innocent. "Yes, but also no," Justin responded. Hope insisted that the cover-up had been Bill. Justin hoped it would work in Liam's favor, but Liam had taken a long time to come forward. Justin said it wasn't looking good. Liam got it but asked Justin to do what he could for Liam and Bill.
Justin said he had paperwork and things to review. There was a lot to go over if they wanted things to go their way at trial. Justin left, and Hope sat down at the table with Liam.
Liam uttered that he could see it in Justin's eyes. Justin didn't think Liam had a chance. Hope told Liam not to say that. He said they had to accept that he could be in prison for a long time. He'd been thinking about it a lot, and it was time to tell the kids.
Hope said the kids couldn't know until things were certain. Liam didn't want Hope to pretend that things were fine around the kids when it wasn't the case. Liam stated that the kids could find out another way and wonder why Hope had lied to them. Liam strongly believed that Beth and Douglas needed to hear from Hope that Liam might not be home. It could be years.
Hope asked if Liam knew what he was asking of her. Liam knew, and he was sorry he'd put their family in that position. He felt that she needed to stop worrying about him and start taking care of herself. She told Liam that he was the only future she saw. She wouldn't give up or let him give up -- not ever.
Hope appreciated that Liam was trying to protect the kids, but she wanted to wait until there were more answers to give them. In the meantime, Hope planned to support her husband. She wanted their life back, and she refused to believe their life together had turned into just memories. Liam replied that the memories were beautiful.
A montage played of Hope and Liam together before his arrest. Hope asked if Liam had accepted that it was just memories. Liam said he hadn't, and he was fighting to get back to her.
Baker entered to retrieve Liam. Hope pleaded with Baker to see that it was an accident and to let Liam go. "If a judge tells me to," Baker responded. In a grave tone, Baker reminded Hope that Liam had confessed and had motive. It was manslaughter at the least, maybe worse. Liam blew Hope a kiss as they took him away.
In the design office, Thomas arrived, frustrated about an app on his phone. Zende recommended deleting it and downloading it again. It wasn't that serious to Thomas because it was just a game app that he played when he was bored. Zende joked that Thomas had been playing games instead of responding to Zende's texts.
Thomas claimed to play the game while in the elevator and asked what messages Zende had sent. Zende explained the issue he'd discussed in his texts, but things were okay because he'd handled it. Thomas noted that the texts from Zende had never arrived on Thomas' phone. Zende replied that it had happened to him before, and he suggested that Thomas reset the phone.
Thomas apologized for being late and said he'd been with Hope. Zende asked how she was. Thomas described Hope as doing well despite being overwhelmed. Zende understood that Liam would be locked up for a long time. Thomas affirmed that it could be a very long time.
Thomas' phone chimed in an unfamiliar way, and Zende again urged Thomas to reset the phone. Zende offered to do it for Thomas if the phone was backed up. It was, but Thomas was worried that he'd miss a call from Hope while the phone was resetting.
Zende told Thomas not to worry, and they'd get it fixed. Zende figured Hope would need a lot of support if Liam went to prison. It was a lot to think about for Thomas, who said Liam had killed Thomas' friend. Zende said it had been an accident. Thomas replied that, accident or not, Liam was responsible and had gone along with the cover-up. It wasn't defendable in Thomas' view, and the only way it could end was with Liam behind bars.
While Zende worked on the phone, Thomas saw a magazine on the desk with Hope on its cover. Zende finished, and Thomas' phone buzzed with all sorts of messages. Zende took off, and Thomas looked at his phone. His face grew serious as he saw messages from Vinny.
Vinny said he missed Thomas and asked Thomas not to block him. Vinny's life had reached a dead end. Vinny was sorry for what he'd done and promised to make it right for Thomas and Hope. Thomas cried as he read the messages. Vinny only wanted Thomas to be happy. Vinny felt that he'd messed things up. He swore to make it right if it was the last thing he did.
"A video," Thomas said, still looking at his phone. He saw that the timestamp on the video indicated it was the night Liam had killed Vinny. Playing the video, Thomas saw Vinny, dressed in black with a hoodie on. Dogs barked and crickets chirped in the background. It was nighttime.
Vinny said he knew Thomas was no longer responsive to Vinny and that Vinny was blocked on Thomas' phone. Vinny had just wanted Thomas to know that Vinny was leaving, but before he went, he wanted to say he was sorry. He believed that Thomas deserved the best. The best was Hope, and Thomas, not Liam, would be with her.
Vinny had it all worked out. He was tracking Liam, who'd be there soon. An engine roared in the background. Vinny said Liam was almost there. Vinny stated that he was doing it for Thomas, and Thomas would be with Hope. The engine roared louder, and Vinny asserted that Thomas would have a family with Hope and Douglas without worrying about Liam ever again.
"Goodbye, Man. I love you...Vinny out..." Vinny uttered as car lights illuminated the background. There was a thud and a crashing noise, and the phone flipped upward. Thomas cried. The camera angle shifted from the phone to Thomas, but the audio of whatever Thomas saw on his screen could still be heard in the room. From the audio, it was discernible that Liam and Bill were outside of their car, looking at Vinny and trying to determine whether they'd had hit him. Bill asked if Liam knew the guy, and Liam said it was Thomas' friend. Thomas sobbed. "Oh, my God. Suicide," Thomas said.
In Brooke's cabin, Hope sniffed Liam's jacket and wrapped herself in it. Steffy arrived. She said she should have called first. Hope replied that it was fine. Steffy stated that they needed to talk about what Liam and Bill had done.
Hope asked how Steffy and the baby were. Steffy said they were fine, and the boy was anxious to arrive. Hope was happy for Steffy. Steffy asked how Hope was. She figured it couldn't be easy for Hope to deal with it alone with the kids. Hope admitted that it had been a lot.
Steffy said seeing Liam in jail had been shocking. Hope insisted that it had been Bill's doing for orchestrating the cover-up. Steffy thought it was very ironic that Vinny, of all people, had been run over by Liam. Steffy wished that Bill had thought it through and considered the possibility that they wouldn't get away with it. Steffy didn't want to tell Kelly that her father was in prison.
Hope understood that. Steffy asked if Hope had told her kids. Hope was waiting, holding out hope that Liam would be cleared. She said that Liam had to keep the faith, too. Hope suggested that she and Steffy work together to help Liam focus in a positive way. Steffy agreed that it was the one time that they needed to come together as a family.
Hope said the D.A. was taking a hard line and had gotten the judge to agree to no bail due to Bill and Liam being a flight risk. Steffy assumed Bill had a history with "her" that was coming back to haunt "us." Hope said it was just one more thing for Liam to get caught up in because of Bill.
Steffy gleaned that Hope was upset with Bill. Hope said that didn't begin to describe it. In her view, thanks to Bill, the D.A. thought Bill and Liam had been covering up a murder -- "Or else why not come forward?" Hope asked. Steffy said everyone knew Liam wouldn't kill anyone.
Hope replied that "they," the people who knew Liam best, knew that; however, a judge and a jury would just look at facts. Hope said Bill hadn't done Liam any favors. Their children would pay the price, and that was why Bill wasn't Hope's favorite person right then. Steffy said "we" have one thing in their favor, and that was the truth that Liam hadn't deliberately killed Vinny.
Steffy asked if there was anything she and Finn could do and offered to take Hope's kids to let Hope have time for herself. Steffy said Kelly loved having Beth and Douglas at the house. Hope said she might take Steffy up on it. Hope admitted it had been tough, and there were days when she just wanted to scream and curl up in a ball. However, she couldn't give up. The D.A. had to realize it had been an accident. Hope needed her husband, and the kids needed their father. There had to be a way to prove Liam's innocence.
At the jail, Bill was surprised to see Katie behind the visiting window. They spoke to each other through phone receivers. She said he'd known she'd be there eventually. Bill was glad to see Katie. She wished she could say the same, but she couldn't believe she was visiting him in jail.
Bill said Katie was wrong to think he'd assumed she'd visit. He'd thought she might not, and he would have understood if she hadn't. She asked how he was holding up. Bill said to forget about him. He wanted to know about Will. She said Will was hurt and confused. "You didn't -- " Bill said.
Katie replied that she'd had to. It had been unavoidable because it was all over the news. Bill felt that it had been better that Will had heard it from her. Bill wondered how she and Will were. Katie said it had been hard on them, and she didn't know how Bill could have let it happen.
Bill reminded Katie that his first instinct was to protect his family. Bill had had to get Liam out of there and get rid of the evidence. It was all Bill could have done, in his opinion. Katie disagreed, saying he could have stood by Liam as Liam had told the police the truth about the horrible accident, which was what it had been until Bill had made it a crime scene.
Katie stated that Bill was in jail, and Will was processing something he should never have to. Bill promised to make it up to Will when Bill got out. "What if you don't get out of here?" Katie asked. She stated that Will might not only lose his father; he could also lose his brother. In her view, Bill couldn't make anything up to Will from a prison cell.
Becoming emotional, Katie couldn't even look at Bill in those clothes. Bill replied that he made prison scrubs look good, and he was considering doing a photo shoot and starting a trend. Katie told him there was nothing funny about it, but he replied that it was a little funny.
Bill wanted to hear more about Will. Katie replied that Will was like his father, stoic, and Will felt like he had to be strong for Katie. She stayed in bed with Will each night in the dark, and the deal was that those were the times when Will had to be honest with her about his feelings.
Bill was glad that Will had an outlet, so it wouldn't eat at him. Katie said that was the idea. Bill wished he could help, but he was sure she was doing an outstanding job.
Katie wanted to know about the case and assumed Bill had a team of lawyers. Bill replied that Justin was spearheading it. She couldn't believe that Bill had made that decision that fateful night. Bill explained that it hadn't been casual. Vinny had been dead, and Liam had hit him. Bill had needed to protect his son.
Katie asked about Bill's other sons and if they needed Bill. She wished Bill had taken one second to think of the rest of the family, herself included. Bill apologized. It killed him to think of what he'd brought on them. He wanted to be honest with her. He said that even if he'd taken more time to think, he wouldn't have done it any differently. Bill had had to protect Liam, just as Bill would Will, Wyatt, or her. Katie sadly replied that she knew that already.
When he thought about it after the ensuing fallout had begun, Bill wasn't sure how he felt about making a different choice, but in that moment on that road, Bill had felt the need to erase Liam from the scene and get him out of there. That was how Bill was made. He guessed she wished he was different.
No one knew how Bill was better than Katie, but she wished that in that moment, he hadn't been so reckless with his family. She conveyed that Will thought prison was for criminals and wanted to know why his father was there. Bill was sorry for putting Will through it and for the strain Bill saw on Katie's face. Bill swore he'd make it right.
Katie didn't know how Bill would do that from a prison cell. Bill stated that Justin's life was about nothing but getting Liam and Bill out of there. Bill had total faith in Justin, who had never let Bill down before. "And he won't now," Bill asserted.
In the design office, the trembling Thomas watched the video from Vinny again. Thomas concluded that Vinny had wanted Liam to hit Vinny. It had been suicide. Vinny had tracked Liam down and had stepped in front of Liam's car. Thomas asked why Vinny had done it. Thomas recalled the portion of the video where Vinny declared that Thomas would be with Hope.
Thomas hovered his finger over the "delete button" on his phone. He decided that the truth had to come out. He had to tell Hope, and Steffy -- and Baker. Thomas headed toward the door, but Justin entered, glad to have caught Thomas. Justin wanted to talk about what he needed from Thomas as a trial witness. Thomas said he had to go, and he wasn't a witness.
Justin wanted Thomas as a character witness to talk about Vinny's character versus Liam's. In Justin's view, Liam was an upstanding businessman and family man, and Vinny had been a drug-dealing, paternity-test-switching loner. Thomas replied that Vinny had been a lot more than that. Justin didn't doubt it; however, Justin had to get Liam and Bill out of jail, and if that meant calling Vinny out, "well, at least I didn't ask you to lie."
Thomas seemed out of it, and Justin said to wake up because Justin was trying to get his clients out of jail. Thomas murmured that they'd be out sooner than Justin thought. Justin asked what that meant and what Thomas knew that Justin didn't. Thomas said he'd found out something huge, and he needed to tell Hope, Steffy, and Baker.
Thomas tried to leave, but Justin said that he was the lawyer. Justin advised Thomas to share whatever information he had about Justin's cases. Thomas stated that Liam had said it had been an accident, but it had been intentional. Justin assumed that Thomas was backing the D.A.'s theory that Liam had done it on purpose. Thomas explained that the accident had been a deliberate act. Justin said Thomas wasn't making any sense.
Thomas replied that Vinny had had motive for it, not Liam. Justin asked where Thomas was going with that. Thomas explained that Vinny hadn't just coincidentally been in front of Bill's car. Vinny had put himself there. It had been a suicide, and Vinny had framed Liam for murder.
Justin repeated what Thomas had just said and asked what sane person would do that. Thomas didn't think Vinny had been sane in that moment by the road. Justin asked why Vinny would kill himself. Thomas said Vinny had wanted Liam out of the way so that Thomas could be with Hope.
Rhetorically, Thomas asked why he'd want that. Thomas said he'd told Vinny that Thomas hadn't wanted it. Thomas added that it would hurt Hope, the kids, and Steffy. Thomas felt that Liam was the victim, and the case would be dismissed. Justin asked how Thomas knew it.
Thomas explained that he'd rebooted his phone and gotten unseen messages from Vinny from the night of the incident. Vinny had been blowing up Thomas' phone, but Thomas had blocked him. Resetting the phone had unblocked Vinny. Justin asked what Vinny had said.
Thomas stated that Vinny had been tracking Liam and had said it had been the moment of truth time. Vinny had said he'd done it for Thomas. Justin asked if Vinny had set Liam up for murder so that Thomas could be with Hope. Thomas affirmed it. Justin assumed the evidence was on Thomas' phone. Affirming that, too, Thomas said there was evidence of Vinny planning suicide and of Liam hitting Vinny.
Thomas assumed that changed things, and Liam and Bill would get out of jail. Justin agreed that it was a game-changer. Thomas said it was why he had to tell Baker, Steffy, and Hope. Thomas turned to leave.
"Hey, Thomas," Justin said. Thomas looked back. Justin slugged Thomas, and Thomas fell to the floor.
At Brooke's cabin, Steffy and Hope commiserated over the challenges their families faced over Liam's incarceration. Steffy wished there was a way to prove that Liam had not intentionally mowed down Vinny. Hope said that Liam wanted her to tell the kids what was going on. The two women discussed how challenging it would be to explain the situation to children.
Steffy bemoaned Liam's decision to follow Bill's advice to cover up the accident. Hope ceded that Bill had been trying to help Liam, but she quickly noted that Bill was the one who deserved to be punished. Hope worried that the district attorney could try to make an example out of Bill and Liam. She added that Justin's most recent briefing about the case "wasn't hopeful." Hope informed Steffy that a jury trial seemed imminent and shared that Liam was concerned that he didn't have a solid defense.
Steffy bristled when Hope shared that manslaughter and murder charges were possible. Steffy questioned how Liam could be found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Steffy then asked why Vinny had been in the middle of the street at night. Hope called it a "a terrible coincidence or bad luck," but that didn't make the situation any easier. Steffy and Hope then vowed that they needed to work together to fight for Liam.
Bill was noticeably upbeat during his visit with Katie, but the same was not true of Katie. While she told Bill of milestones in Will's life -- scoring a goal in his soccer team's win and a report card of straight A's -- she failed to match Bill's enthusiasm. Bill called himself a "survivor" and promised Katie that Justin would get him and Liam out of jail.
Katie was crushed when Bill informed her that he and Liam would not be granted bail because they were considered "flight risks." Katie implored Bill to find a way to get out of jail -- and ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing -- because their son needed him. Bill explained that he'd told Justin he would "pay any amount of money" to get him out of jail.
Katie asked what kind of case Justin was putting together. Bill declined to provide details, saying that he did not want Katie to worry. "What the hell was that loser Vinny doing out on that street in the middle of the night? Nothing good, I can assure you," Bill remarked, as he turned the blame for the accident on a man he referred to as a "low-life drug dealer." Bill then promised Katie that he'd be out of jail in no time -- especially since he'd already gotten out of more serious legal predicaments.
Katie was concerned that Will's classmates and friends might soon start talking about Bill's arrest, and she was not sure how to handle that. "I am not allowing Will's future to be destroyed by this," Bill said sternly. He again promised that he'd get out of jail and be there for his family. A buzzer sounded, and a guard appeared and told Bill that his visiting time was up. Katie sobbed as Bill assured her that Justin would get him out of jail.
At Spencer Publications, Justin sat in Bill's seat, staring out the window. He turned around slowly in the chair and smiled coldly. Justin picked up a cell phone from the desk and watched video of Liam and Bill in the aftermath of the accident that had claimed Vinny's life. He tapped his fingers against the back of the phone several times before deleting the video from both the phone's internal storage and cloud storage.
Outside the office, Justin heard Wyatt's voice. Wyatt entered a few moments later and asked Justin what the plan was to get Bill and Liam out of jail. Justin assured Wyatt that he was on top of things. Justin recoiled when Wyatt asked for details of the plan. Justin declined to offer any details, but Wyatt was relieved that his dad's "most loyal friend" was on the case. "I'll definitely make this situation right," Justin said as he winked at Wyatt.
In an undisclosed location marked as a hazardous area, an angry Thomas was locked in a storage crate. Justin arrived a few moments later. Thomas demanded to know why he was locked in a cage, but Justin said nothing. Thomas then remembered the conversation he'd had with Justin in which he'd revealed that his phone contained evidence that could help Liam and Bill. Thomas then realized that Justin was the one who had locked him up.
Thomas reiterated that he had proof that could get Bill and Liam out of jail. He then asked Justin why he wasn't making any effort to go to the police and get things resolved. Justin remained silent. "This wasn't manslaughter. It wasn't murder. It wasn't an accident," Thomas said. He then asked Justin to release him. "That's not gonna happen," Justin said icily. Thomas stated that he had the proof that would free Bill and get Liam out of jail and back to his family. Justin's silence suddenly made sense to Thomas.
"You don't want them out of jail. You want them to stay in there as long as possible so that you can take over the company and run it for yourself," Thomas snarled. Justin said nothing. Thomas banged against the door and demanded that Justin answer him. Still, Justin said nothing.
At Forrester, Brooke and Ridge were talking about media buys that she and Katie were working on. Ridge asked if Hope had sent the quotes to Eye on Fashion. Brooke said Hope had been distracted. He replied that they all were, and the longer Liam was in jail, the harder it would be on both of his and Brooke's girls.
Steffy arrived from seeing Hope and said she and Hope were doing fine. Brooke asked how Hope was and said Hope was being strong for the kids. Steffy replied that they both were, but Hope was alone, which made it harder. Steffy stated that it was a lot, but she and Hope were united in it and worried about Liam.
Steffy understood why Liam had confessed; he'd felt guilty even though it had been an accident. Brooke said he should have known he hadn't had to hide it from Hope, who'd been incredibly supportive. Brooke added that Steffy had been, too. Steffy wished Liam had spoken up sooner. Ridge figured they all knew why Liam hadn't.
Steffy claimed it was because Liam hadn't wanted to leave his children and family, but the anxiety and guilt had built up. Brooke said Hope had sensed it, and it had to have eaten him up. Steffy claimed that it still was. Steffy said he was worried about his family, Hope and his girls. Steffy said she and Hope didn't know what to say to the girls nor how long he'd be gone.
Brooke asked Steffy not to think that way. Ridge preferred that they all be realistic. He said Liam was in trouble. Steffy wished Liam had stayed at the scene and explained what had happened. Steffy didn't think Liam was a criminal who'd leave Vinny on the side of the road. Ridge asserted that Bill had done that; Bill had thought he could make it all go away. Bill was the only criminal and the only one who should be in jail, according to Ridge.
Ridge guessed the rules didn't apply to Bill. Steffy replied that they did, and it was why Bill was in jail. Ridge thought Bill should rot there. Brooke conveyed that they were all mad, and what Bill had done had been wrong. To Ridge, Brooke made it sound as if Bill had merely parked in a prohibited spot. Ridge felt Bill did that stuff all the time and was pathological.
Ridge reminded everyone that Bill had had his henchman throw Ridge from a chopper. A flashback of Ridge falling from the helicopter played. He claimed he thought of it every day and woke up sometimes, feeling as if he was still falling. Bill had faced no accountability for it. Ridge said if there had just been some, then their family might be safe right then.
Ridge believed that whenever things in that town went wrong, it was due to Bill, who thought he was above the law. Ridge yelled that Bill had thought he could make the evidence just disappear. Steffy replied that it had made things worse. Steffy yelled that what had happened to Vinny would haunt Liam for the rest of his life. She said Liam was being punished for Bill's stupidity, and so were they. She said they just needed Liam home. Kelly needed her father.
In the recreation yard at the jail, Bill located Liam by an outdoor table that was bolted into the cement floor. Bill was "pissed" to still be in there. Liam reminded Bill that it wasn't work, so Bill couldn't step out of line or lose his temper. Bill grumbled but decided that he was good, and he wouldn't hurt their chances of getting out of there. Liam asked if leaving was even possible. Bill insisted that it was more than possible, and they would go home.
Liam appreciated the pep talk but wanted to know the plan. Bill asserted that Justin was taking care of it. Bill realized that it was taking too long, but Justin had never let Bill down. Bill insisted that Justin would get them released. They'd been in there too long, as far as Bill was concerned, and he said that Justin had better have release papers the next time the two met.
Liam couldn't stop thinking about the odds that Vinny had been the one in the middle of the road. It didn't make sense, and Liam wanted to know what Vinny had been doing. Bill said it was why he'd ordered Justin to get private investigators on it. Liam asked if it would make a difference. Bill said they needed all the facts before they went to court. Liam figured that there had to be evidence to explain it, and somebody somewhere knew what it was.
Liam requested to be in on the meetings with Justin, so he could get the same updates Bill was getting. Bill didn't want Justin playing babysitter, updating Liam on the case. Liam didn't believe Bill wasn't asking Justin how Katie, the company, and Will were doing. Bill asserted that he wanted Justin dealing with the case and Wyatt dealing with the company until Bill and Liam were out of there and able to handle both things themselves.
Liam didn't like waiting around, hoping something would go their way. He wanted to see progress. He didn't think prison was their future. He desired to be with his family and kids and said that was the only way it could end. Liam didn't want the D.A. to succeed in painting him as a murderer. Bill thought Liam's confession would make it difficult to stop.
Liam claimed he hadn't confessed to the murder part. Bill explained that Liam had been behind the wheel and hated Vinny for the paternity test switch, and that might be all a jury needed to hear. Liam said it would be unless they gave the jury another explanation for the incident.
Bill replied that it was why Bill was on Justin to do his job. Bill didn't think the case should ever get in front of a jury and felt the best defense -- the only defense -- was an all-out attack. That was why Bill had Justin on it. Bill believed that Justin did what needed to be done.
In the bowels of Spencer Publications, Thomas stood in a cage, pleading with Justin for freedom. Justin paced as Thomas said he didn't care what Justin's motives were for doing it, but Thomas needed to get his proof to Hope and Steffy. Thomas advised Justin to go to the judge.
Justin refused to do it. Thomas said it was Justin's job to help Bill and Liam. Thomas figured Justin didn't plan on doing that. Thomas asked if he'd be down there forever in a cage while Bill and Liam sat in jail. Thomas assumed Justin didn't want Thomas to tell what he knew.
Justin replied that Thomas didn't know anything. "If I didn't know anything, I wouldn't be in here right now," Thomas reasoned and further guessed he knew things that Justin didn't want him to know. Thomas figured that if he went to the D.A., Bill and Liam would be out of jail.
Thomas asked what Justin had been doing as the defense lawyer that entire time and if Justin had just been lying to his clients. Justin said that he couldn't divulge the details of his clients' cases nor his plans for their defense; however, the facts were clear, and from the way it looked, Bill and Liam would be locked up for a very, very long time.
Thomas said he had evidence: videos and photos. It all showed that Vinny's death hadn't been Liam's fault. Thomas couldn't believe Justin didn't care about that. Thomas didn't even know what they were doing there and asked what that place was. Justin, who'd been pacing in frustration, bellowed that it was a part of Spencer in which Thomas would never be found.
Hearing that he was at Spencer, Thomas began rattling the cage and screaming for help. Justin advised Thomas not to bother. The room was made of steel-reinforced concrete, and Justin said Thomas might as well be at the bottom of the ocean. No one would hear Thomas.
Thomas replied that it was insane. Justin shot back that Thomas hadn't been part of the plan, but Justin had had to act before Thomas had ruined things. Justin said it wasn't about Thomas. It was personal. "This is all about Dollar Bill," Justin revealed.
Thomas couldn't stand Bill, either, but he was still trying to help Bill. Thomas said that Justin was Bill's friend. Justin scoffed at that. He said it had started out that way. Justin had been Bill's best friend, right-hand man, and confidant. It had sounded great to Justin, who'd been excited to be around that kind of power; however, Bill had taken advantage of their relationship.
For years, Justin had been Bill's accomplice, his enabler. "He relies on me. That's a joke!" Justin yelled. In Justin's view, Bill hadn't valued or respected Justin as he should have. "You see, I've been dealing with this for years." Justin had put up with sarcasm and condemnation, and nothing had ever been good enough. Justin had allowed Bill to get away with it. Justin had let Bill take advantage of Justin, who'd fixed every mess Bill had ever made.
Justin declared that he wasn't Bill's friend. He was Bill's fixer. "I guess now he wants me to fix that, too?" Justin wondered. Thomas offered to do it and go to the police. Justin yelled that Thomas wasn't even supposed to be involved. Unexpectedly, Justin had to figure out what to do with Thomas. Justin picked up what looked like a propane torch. He said Thomas wasn't going anywhere, and neither was Bill. Bill would stay exactly where he was.
Thomas reasoned that the video let Liam off the hook, not Bill. Justin replied that if there was no crime, there was no cover-up. Justin believed Bill would squirm out of it, just as he had everything else. "Oh, no. He's gonna pay," Justin decided. Justin said Bill would learn that he was untouchable. Thomas asked if Justin would leave Bill in jail to teach him a lesson.
Justin felt that there was no teaching lessons to egomaniacs. Justin had mistakenly believed that Bill could eventually come around and see all the pain he'd caused and devastation in his wake. "That's never gonna happen, Thomas," Justin concluded.
Thomas asserted that he hated Bill, too. He said Bill was a monster, but Justin wasn't. Thomas stated that Liam hadn't killed Vinny on purpose, and Justin had to set Liam free. Justin asked if Thomas thought Liam would beg for Thomas to be set free. Thomas didn't think so and said Liam was as selfish and self-obsessed as his father; however, Liam didn't deserve to be locked up for something he hadn't done.
Thomas asked Justin to think about Liam's children, who'd grow up without a father unless Thomas could get out of there and tell the police what Thomas knew. Thomas asked Justin to open the cage and let Thomas go. Justin replied that Bill would get what he wanted.
Thomas urged Justin to stop thinking of Bill and start thinking of everyone else. "Think about Beth and Steffy, and Hope," Thomas stated. Thomas didn't think everyone deserved to suffer. Justin said when one was involved with Bill Spencer, one knew about all the skeletons. That was because Bill trusted Justin to do all the dirty work, but Justin never had a chance of advancing in the company because he was too good at being Dollar Bill's problem solver.
Justin figured that with Bill out of the way, the company would need new leadership. Thomas brought up Wyatt, but Justin felt he could handle Wyatt. Wyatt wasn't the brightest bulb in the room, in Justin's view. Liam was just as easy. Justin had put his time in at Spencer for 20 years, hoping to be indispensable, hoping that it would pay off, and hoping that one day, Bill would give Justin the reins. "But guess who shows up? His sons!" Justin complained.
Justin asked if Spencer would be turned over to those posers. He didn't think so. Justin said Bill had built that company with Justin's help, but everyone wanted to kiss Bill's ring. "All hail Dollar Bill! Well, I've had enough. Whatever with Dollar Bill," Justin decided. Justin said Bill had made a big mistake when Liam had hit Vinny. "Oh, man, am I gonna capitalize on it," Justin stated.
Thomas got that Justin wanted to stick it to Bill. Thomas didn't even know how Justin had spent so much time with that maniac, but if Justin wanted to be free of Bill, Thomas advised Justin to stop acting like Bill. Thomas deterred Justin from getting revenge and throwing people in cages and urged him to think of what he was doing. Thomas asked how "this" was any different than the harm Bill caused, and he concluded that Bill was still making Justin hurt people.
Thomas asked Justin to think of the lives that would be ruined because of it. "Steffy and the kids," Thomas elaborated. He believed that he and Justin could fix it and prove that Vinny had set Liam up by throwing himself in front of Liam's car.
Thomas implored Justin to not let Bill turn Justin into the kind of man Bill was and to let Thomas go. They could pretend it had never happened. Thomas knew what it was like to make mistakes. "Justin, can you hear me?" Thomas asked the distraught lawyer.
In the recreation courtyard at the jail, an inmate stared Bill down, and Bill stared right back. Liam asked what that was about. Bill doubted it was anything good, and he warned Liam that, as two high-profile inmates, they needed to have eyes in the back of their heads.
It was tearing Liam up to be away from his family. Bill couldn't stop thinking about Katie and Will, either, but Bill knew that he and Liam had to stay strong. Bill was counting upon Justin to get them out of there. "He'd better get us out," Bill concluded.
Bill asked what Justin had told Liam about the case. It hadn't been much, in Liam's view. Liam had gotten the impression that the confession had made things harder and that it didn't look good for him. Bill knew Justin to be better than that. Something wasn't right, and Justin wasn't focused. Liam assumed Justin was doing what he could. That wasn't enough for Bill, who was pretty pissed that Justin hadn't gotten them released yet.
Bill paced as Liam took a seat at the bolted-down table. Bill reasoned that he hadn't been driving the car, and Liam had no priors; therefore, they should be home. Liam guessed it was out of Justin's hands if his clients were deemed flight risks. Bill asserted that Justin wasn't just a good lawyer. Justin was the best and had saved Bill countless times. Nodding to himself, Bill said Justin would come through. Justin had to. The stakes were too high.
As he watched the other inmates in the yard, Liam wondered how he and his father had even gotten there. It all seemed surreal to him. One moment, he'd been making progress with Hope, and the next -- "Vinny's in front of the car," Bill finished for Liam. It was still astonishing to them, the odds that Liam had hit Vinny, of all people.
Liam missed his family so much that it made him nauseous. Bill understood. A bell rang, and guards corralled everyone into a line to return inside. As Bill continued to encourage Liam, a guard ordered Spencer to shut it.
In the reinforced room at Spencer, Justin banged his hand on the heavy metal door and grimaced as he agonized over what to do. Trying to reason with Justin, Thomas said he hated Bill, too, but Justin needed to think about the families involved. Thomas urged Justin not to destroy Liam's life because of Bill. Jerking the cage, Thomas begged to be freed.
Behind the grids of the cage, Thomas wondered who didn't have issues with Bill. Thomas asserted that Justin couldn't keep Thomas there or keep the truth away. Thomas began banging on the cage and screaming again, but Justin reiterated that no one would hear Thomas.
Thomas attempted to negotiate his freedom for his agreement to forget the whole cage thing had ever happened. Thomas had made plenty of mistakes, and he understood what that was like. He insisted that Justin could trust him. "Just let me go," Thomas requested.
Justin took a seat on a stool and asked if Thomas got that it had nothing to do with him. Justin asked if Thomas had any idea what it was like to be Justin. "Of course not. You're a silver-spoon kid with an empire just waiting for him to grab -- whether you deserve it or not," Justin decided.
Justin had never been handed anything. He'd had to work for it all, and Dollar Bill treated Justin like a sidekick. Justin carped about Bill's sons showing up and Bill deciding to give them everything. Justin detested the idea of having Bill roaming those hallways again, dictating, demanding, and demeaning -- and passing Justin over.
"Hell, no, man!" Justin bellowed, hopping off his perch. "Never again!" Justin was convinced that he was a better businessman and leader than Bill could ever be, and Justin would "be damned" if he'd pass up the opportunity to get what he truly deserved.
Thomas wasn't concerned about Justin's vendetta. Thomas just wanted the framed Liam, who had a family, to be free. Though Justin had no problem with Liam, Justin stated that no one would ever know the truth about Vinny. Thomas guessed Justin would let Liam rot in prison. "Eh, collateral damage," Justin responded. Thomas asked how Justin could be so heartless.
Chuckling, Justin replied that he'd learned from the best. Justin believed Thomas was still suffering from that blow to the head if he thought Justin would go back to being Bill's doormat. Thomas assumed Justin was just crazy then. "Funny coming from you, Thomas," Justin quipped. Thomas believed the police would find out the truth. "I will not be silenced," Thomas added, and Justin responded with a menacing glare.
Thomas didn't care if Bill rotted in prison, but in Thomas' view, Liam didn't deserve it. Justin wondered if Bill would do anything differently or care about Justin's son if the roles were reversed. Thomas glanced away, and Justin said Thomas' look said it all.
Justin had been underestimated and overlooked for years. His blood and sweat was in "this building." Justin asked if Thomas thought Justin would ever get the opportunity to run it. Scoffing, Justin asked if he'd really put up with Bill's demeaning comments just to pass up an opportunity like that. "Oh, they made a mistake," Justin said. "Bill and Liam should have gone to the police that night, but they didn't. They committed a crime, so they'll do the time."
Thomas believed the truth would come out, and Justin couldn't keep Thomas forever. Thomas asked if Justin would throw Thomas from a helicopter as he'd done with Ridge. Approaching the cage, Justin seethed that Thomas wouldn't say a word to anyone ever. Thomas insisted that Justin was wrong; Thomas would make sure of it, and Liam would be free.
In the CEO's office, Quinn's mind swayed from her jewelry work to being in bed with Carter and listening to him say that what they'd done hadn't felt wrong. Carter arrived looking for Eric to discuss budgeting. When she informed him that Eric was working from home, Carter turned to leave. She asked Carter to close the door and stay for a moment.
Behind the closed door, Quinn asked if Carter was still thinking of talking to Eric about them. Carter didn't want to hurt Eric or Quinn, but he also didn't think Eric should hear it from someone else. Quinn asserted that it wouldn't happen, but Carter believed the secret was out of hand. He wondered who'd find out next, but Quinn said no one would.
Paris entered and wasn't surprised to find Quinn and Carter alone. Carter explained that he and Quinn were discussing the mess they'd made and how it would never happen again. Paris stated that her boss's wife and future brother-in-law had had sex. She asked them to realize how messed up that sounded.
Quinn claimed they knew better than she could; however, Paris couldn't tell Zoe because it would destroy "our" worlds. Quinn continued to try to reason with Paris about hurting Zoe and Eric with something that was over and done. Carter and Quinn affirmed that nothing was going on anymore, Eric and Quinn were happy, and Carter and Zoe were engaged.
Paris asked how she could keep it from Zoe. Carter replied that it would hurt Zoe. He clarified that he hadn't even cheated on Zoe when he'd made the terrible mistake. He hated that it had taken a crazy ride to reunite with her, but he couldn't wait to marry Paris' sister.
Zoe entered, grinning and saying she couldn't wait to marry Carter, either. Quinn expressed her happiness that the couple was together. She believed Zoe was the only woman for him. Quinn advised them to hold onto each other. Quinn gazed at Paris, but Paris grimaced.
Later, Zoe remarked upon how quickly Quinn had finished up and then left early to get home to Eric. Carter wished he could go home early with Zoe. Surprised that Carter wanted to play hooky, Zoe teased that she'd thought he was a goody two-shoes. "Maybe Quinn's starting to rub off on him," Paris quipped from her seat at the conference table.
Carter glowered at Paris, but Zoe expressed admiration for Quinn, who'd overcome obstacles to be with the man she loved. Carter replied that Eric and Quinn belonged together, just like Zoe and Carter. Zoe felt that her reunion with him was due to Quinn. Zoe didn't know what Quinn had done to make it happen, but Zoe felt a debt of gratitude to Quinn for it.
Carter affirmed that Quinn had helped, but he knew he and Zoe would have done it on their own eventually. Zoe wasn't so sure. It had started to feel as if it had been impossible to get through to him. Carter didn't think it mattered anymore and wanted to focus on that moment forward. Zoe was his future and his life. He hugged her and flashed Paris a pleading glance.
At Eric's house, Shauna arrived. She'd thought it was Quinn's day to work from home, but Eric said his wife was at work, signing off on a gemstone delivery. Shauna guessed the visit wasn't wasted because she got to speak to Eric. He admitted he'd missed having Shauna around since she'd stopped staying on the grounds. She'd brought a bit of sunshine into his life when he'd needed it.
Eric was grateful for the friendship Quinn and Shauna shared, and he was glad Quinn had someone to talk to. He expressed his gratitude for Shauna's role in helping to reunite the couple. Eric believed that Quinn had been a loyal wife, and her commitment had never wavered.
Shauna rustled up a mirthless, guilty smile. Eric asked what was wrong. She pretended it was nothing, but to him, it seemed as if she was keeping something from him. In her silence, Eric assumed it was her time with Carter. Continuing her uneasy smile, she agreed that was it.
Eric didn't want Shauna to feel awkward about it and was happy that Carter had spent time with a vibrant, beautiful woman like Shauna. She thought Carter was a nice guy. Teasing, Eric guessed Carter's attractiveness and intelligence had had nothing to do with it. Any woman would be lucky to be in Carter's arms, as far as Eric was concerned, and he believed Quinn felt the same way.
Eric found himself gazing at Quinn's portrait. Shauna found it beautiful the way he did that. He replied that Quinn fascinated him. He'd thought for a while that the future for them had been gone, and he said they never would have made it without Shauna. Demurring, Shauna felt he'd given her too much credit.
Eric had been blessed with many wonderful women in his life, and that included Shauna. Shauna was honored that he'd said it. Chuckling, he recalled the fun they'd had talking about her life in Las Vegas over martinis. Shauna thought the drinks had made the stories more humorous. He told her that she'd brought a lot of happiness into his life at a time he'd needed it, and he thanked her for it. Shauna had never met anyone like Eric and hoped Quinn realized how lucky she was to have him.
Quinn arrived and greeted Shauna as Quinn rushed into Eric's arms for a hug. Shauna said she'd been looking for Quinn and hadn't known she'd been at the office. Eric said he'd been telling Shauna how happy he was that he and Quinn had found their way back to each other.
Quinn felt the same way and wanted to do something to commemorate it and tell the world that he was and always would be the love of her life. She suggested that they renew their vows. Shauna's expression grew long. Quinn thought it was the perfect way to profess their love, commitment, and devotion for everyone to see. She asked him to say he wanted it, too.
