JANUARY-JUNE 1964

Winston arrived at the Lakeview Inn but was unable to convince Lynn to tell the truth. Patrons in the lobby overheard Winston and Lynn's argument and speculated that the two were having a lover's quarrel. During the altercation, a button from Lynn's sweater came off in Winston's hand.

Emory scaled the trellis outside Lynn's window, arriving after Winston left. Realizing Emory planned to kill her, Lynn ran for her life but crashed through the mezzanine balcony, falling to her death in the lobby below. Winston, Lynn's button in hand, peered over the shattered balcony at her body. Winston was arrested for murder, while Emory made it back to his hospital room in Monticello unseen.

Mike went to Lakeview to defend Winston after DA Nick Bryce indicted him for murder. Lakeview citizen Martin Sider led a crusade to have Winston convicted. Louise and Mattie took a suite at the Lakeview Inn, but were met with hostility from everyone they encountered.

Lee romanced Beth Anderson, while Bill Marceau developed an interest in his secretary Martha Spears.

Mike suspected teenager Joanie Lange had information that would help Winston's case. After weeks of denial, Joanie finally admitted that she and her boyfriend had been parked behind the Lakeview Inn the night of Lynn's murder, and they were nearly hit by a man who sped off in a hurry. Mike realized that Joanie's description matched Emory and suspected that Emory had slipped out of his hospital room to kill his wife.

Wealthy business tycoon Elizabeth McGrath contacted Bill about a robbery at her boutique McGrath's. Liz suspected her incorrigible daughter Gerry had stolen the money to pay gambling debts, but Bill decided Gerry was innocent. Gerry developed a crush on Bill, who proved she didn't commit the crime.

Mike convinced DA Nick Bryce to convene court in Emory's hospital room, where Mike claimed he had evidence to prove Emory's guilt. When the lights went out, Emory escaped through the secret panel into the warehouse next door. Mike and Lee pursued Emory, who injured Lee while gunning for Mike. Emory took Beth hostage and fled in his car. Mike and Bill had the bridge raised, blocking Emory's escape from Monticello. Emory was arrested.

Returned to safety, Beth fretted when Lee awoke and discovered that his head injury left him paralyzed. Doctors sent Lee to a rehab facility, though they couldn't find an organic cause for his paralysis.

Bill investigated illegal gambling at Otto Zimmerman's club. Gerry dated Zimmerman's "errand boy" Davey Hansen, who was like a son to mobster Zimmerman. Davey scrapped with Captain Lloyd Griffin, a Monticello cop. Lloyd accepted payoffs from Zimmerman in order to provide materialistic wife Kate with extravagant gifts.

JULY-DECEMBER 1964
Holding the threat of gambling debts over her head, Davey exploited Gerry's friendship with Bill to get information about the police investigation into Otto Zimmerman's club. Davey passed on information to Lloyd, but the two continued to spar. While Kate pressured him for more extravagances, Lloyd plotted to get rid of both Davey and Bill.

Lee and Beth continued their relationship after he recovered from his injuries, which were psychosomatic.

The arrival of old flame Malcolm Thomas surprised Nancy. Malcolm promised Nancy that he was sober and convinced her to speak with Joe about a job at the Monticello News.

Davey and Lloyd conspired to trick Gerry into thinking she killed Davey, making her susceptible to blackmail. With the assistance of Ann Kelly, Davey goaded Gerry into a fight, then jumped in front of her car as she tried to drive away. Gerry became hysterical after hitting and apparently killing Davey. After Gerry fled the scene, Lloyd and Davey chuckled about their scam, but when Davey turned his back, Lloyd bludegeoned him to death with a brick.

Joe hired Malcolm as a reporter for the newspaper. Cookie, working at the paper as a secretary, was wildly attracted to Malcom, who found her innocence refreshing.

After being arrested and indicted for Davey's murder, Gerry jumped bail. Lloyd convinced Zimmerman that Bill's good friend Gerry killed Davey in cold blood. Zimmerman hired Cowboy, a sadistic hitman, to kill Gerry. Liz turned her back on Gerry, who escaped an assassination attempt from Cowboy and fled to Los Angeles.

Malcolm and Cookie started dating, much to the chagrin of the Pollock family. Fearful of his past behavior, Nancy cautioned Malcolm not to hurt Cookie. Bill dated Martha Spears, who admitted she once spent time in a sanitarium.

Using Bill's friendship with Gerry and Liz McGrath, Lloyd made it appear that Bill gave Gerry special treatment. Lloyd was named acting Chief-of-Police when his schemes against Bill forced his resignantion. Lloyd used his police contacts to trace Gerry at a rooming house in LA, then passed the information on to Zimmerman.

Mike and Bill searched for Gerry, arriving in California just as Cowboy discovered her hiding place. While Cowboy had a shootout with Bill and Mike, Gerry fled back to Monticello, and Cowboy escaped.

Wealthy widow Eve Morris planned to open a regional theatre in Monticello. While writing a story on the theatre, Malcolm became intrigued by possessive Eve, who vowed he would be hers.

Cowboy found Gerry in Monticello and chased her into an alley with a gun. Attorney John Barnes spotted Gerry being held at gunpoint and struggled with Cowboy, who was shot and killed in the altercation. Gerry was arrested and placed under police guard in the hospital. Mike and Bill realized Lloyd and Zimmerman were in cahoots and probably killed Davey. John, who worked for Zimmerman, quit his job and assisted Mike with Gerry's trial.