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JANUARY 1973

Jake Berman is robbed at gunpoint near the park. The masked robber is Johnny Dallas. Vic is upset at being unable to help Johnny find a job. Vic feels he's responsible for Johnny, but Johnny tries to assure him that he is not and tells him to butt out of his life. Vic accidentally finds the gun and Jake's wallet in Johnny's room.

Phoebe and Kevin make up. Ashley accepts a job in Monticello and wears down Phoebe's resistance each time she tries to break off with him. When Kevin sees them together Ashley realizes he has competition and promises her he will tell his wife about her.

Nicole joyously accepts Adam's proposal, and they return to Monticello. Jake backs out of his New York law partnership and returns also. His mind won't accept Nicole's decision, and he is convinced that he could get her back. In his disoriented state, Jake imagines that he is discussing his problems with Edith, his late wife. He asks her advice, as she understands what Nicole means to him. After all, he murdered Edith in order to make sure she wouldn't tell Nicole about his mental instability. Jake tells Adam he will never marry Nicole. Later, Jake insists to Nicole that she made a mistake in judgement by accepting Adam's proposal and threatens to kill himself if the wedding reaches fruition. Nicole suggests that he see psychiatrist Jim Fields, but Jake finds this suggestion amusing. Nicole and Adam plan to discuss Jake's behavior with Jim themselves. Nancy assumes Nicole's job in Jake's despite Mike and Adam's objection.

Joel Gantry, a private detective from California, is investigating Edith Berman's death. His unidentified client feels that Jake's involved in her death and that it was not a suicide. Chief Marceau shows Gantry the suicide note and all the investigative findings, saying it's a closed case. Gantry tries to question Nicole and Adam, but they won't answer any questions without knowing the reasons behind them. He finally sees Mike Karr, who says that Jake had no motive. Jim Fields wonders about Mrs. Wilson, the patient with a homicidal husband, who never returned. He doesn't know that she was really Mrs. Jake Berman.

Liz Fields is jealous of Elly Jo's new closeness with Orin. Liz and Jim return to Claybank to care for Orin during his convalescence. Liz's abruptness and hardness toward Elly Jo is apparent to everyone, and Elly Jo becomes very resentful. Meanwhile, Simon Jessup reminds Elly Jo how advantageous a fatal accident to pregnant Liz would be, especially since the stair railing is already loose. Elly Jo is indignant at this. However, when Liz finds Elly Jo kissing Orin, and insists she start looking for a new position, Elly Jo inspects the railing. Shortly afterward, a serious accident occurs, but it is John, the butler, who falls down the stairs... not Liz who was standing beside him. Elly Jo is very afraid of God's retribution for evil. Jessup seeks her out and tells her she bungled it. Jessup claims he can hypnotize Liz into a fatal car accident with no way for Elly Jo or himself to be implicated. At first she reacts negatively, but when he points out that Liz is an ingrate and Elly Jo may find herself out in the cold, she agrees. Jessup's 'fee' will be one-third of what ever she inherits from Orin's estate, to be endowed to Jessup's foundation for psychic research.

FEBRUARY 1973

Ashley Reynolds agrees to Phoebe's condition that he tell his wife Kay about her before she will agree to go away for the weekend with him. When Kay avoids the confrontation with sleeping pills, Ashley lies and tells Phoebe that Kay now knows.

With Johnny's promise to never commit another robbery, Vic returns Jake's wallet and arranges a restaurant manager's job for Johnny. Jake accidentally meets Johnny with Vic and realizes that Johnny was the holdup man. Confronted by Jake, Johnny vehemently denies it and walks away from him.

Private investigator Joel Gantry, investigating the death of Edith Berman, is stunned to learn that Edith actually did attempt suicide last year, just as Jake claimed. Joel's client feels that Edith was definitely not the suicidal type and suspects foul play. Meanwhile, Jake follows his own suicide threat with a drunken shooting in his apartment. Only his promise to see Jim Fields professionally prevents him from being charged with reckless use of firearms and attempted suicide. Jim makes a house call on Jake and after the session realizes Jake has many conflicts. He felt betrayed by Edith, as she had two children by a previous marriage-retroactive infidelity-and he confuses this betrayal with his unrequited love for Nicole Travis. Jim is surprised to learn from a photograph in Jake's apartment that Edith was actually Mrs. Wilson, a former patient who consulted with Jim about her homicidal husband.

Adam and Nicole set a March 21st wedding date-the first day of spring--while Elly Jo agrees to give Simon Jessup one third of her inheritance from Orin in exchange for Jessup's arranging the death of pregnant Liz. On his orders, Elly Jo slips Liz "wake up" pills, and when Liz's doctor can't cure the insomnia, Elly Jo plants the idea of hypnotherapy treatments in Orin's mind. Orin mentions it to Liz, and desperate for sleep, Liz calls Jessup. He easily puts her to sleep for the night. Knowing Jim's objections to Jessup and unorthodox treatments, Liz keeps this from her husband. Jessup shows Elly Jo the projector slide of a sharp cliff-top turn near Claybank and explains that this slide will be the instrument of Liz's death. Adam and Nicole see Jessup and Elly Jo breakfasting together and the unlikeness of this twosome bothers Adam.

MARCH 1973

Ashley Reynolds convinces Phoebe that his wife Kay now knows about her, so Phoebe goes away with him for the weekend. However, Ashley's tone on the phone when Kay unexpectedly calls indicates Kay doesn't know, and Phoebe walks out on him. Ashley later convinces her that Kay called intentionally just to upset her, and she agrees to another weekend. Kay accidentally learns about her husband's affair but conceals her knowledge. Kevin makes a last attempt to renew his relationship with Phoebe then realizes that she is too involved with Ashley. Certain that Ashley is a liar, Martha hires Joel Gantry to investigate him, and Joel bugs Ashley's phone.

Simon Jessup plants a post hypnotic suggestion in Liz's mind that she will see Orin standing in the road at the dangerous cliff-side turn near Claybank. She later sees the image, but Jim is driving, so no accident occurs. Jessup reinforces the image, and the next time she sees it while driving with Adam, Liz veers her car toward the cliff. Adam grabs the wheel and manages to save their lives by steering the car off the road. Liz is unhurt in the crash, but Adam has a concussion, causing his wedding to Nicole to be postponed. Jim tries to convince Liz the hallucinations were due to nerves and medication. Liz is now reluctant to drive, upsetting the plans of Elly Jo and Jessup. Jessup goes to Liz's home to cure her insomnia, and hypnotizes her to have an impulse to drive in to the city for lunch and then home alone. Upset that her lover Lenny Small is planning to move in with a rich widow, Elly Jo promises him two thousand dollars to change his mind. Not having that much money, Elly Jo steals Liz's necklace but is caught in the act. Liz promises not to tell any one if she moves out by next week. Elly Jo begs Jessup to accelerate their plot. Orin, recovering from his heart attack, is attracted to Angela Morgan, Adam's secretary. He assures her that his interest in Elly Jo is purely fatherly and friendly. He confides in her that Liz is seeing Simon Jessup for hypnotherapy without Jim's knowledge. Bothered by this Angela tells Adam. Ironically Adam had been suspicious of Jessup and his involvement with Orin and Elly Jo and had been on his way to see Jessup when he impulsively decided to drive out with Liz to Claybank.

Jake Berman tells his psychiatrist Jim Fields that Nicole really loves him and that Adam hates him for it. Furthermore, Jake claims that Adam has threatened to kill him. Jim checks this out and finds that it was actually Jake who has threatened Adam. Upon receiving Adam and Nicole's wedding invitation, Jake visits ex-con Johnny Dallas, now managing a restaurant. Jake begs Johnny to kill him, as Jake doesn't have the will-power to commit suicide. Johnny is reticent, but Jake threatens to have him arrested for the robbery he committed in January. However, after learning that Adam has been injured and the wedding to Nicole postponed, Jake quickly decides that he wants to live. He enters Adam's hospital room, intent on murdering him, but in his demented state, sees his dead wife who warns him that he'd be caught and have to go to prison. When Adam suddenly awakens, Jake claims to be visiting.

APRIL 1973

Kay Reynolds invites Phoebe to lunch and tells her that she is willing to divorce Ashley but doubts he wants one, as he's had other affairs. Phoebe is now convinced that Ashley told Kay that he wants to marry her, but she doesn't know that it was Joel Gantry who gave Kay the facts. When Kay confronts Ashley he frantically insists he wants only her. Kay, however, retains Jake Berman to handle her divorce, warning him that Ashley would fight tooth and nail. Kay's father Walter LePage is chairman of the board at the company Ashley works for. Joel has approached Kevin about helping him check out the possibility of Edith Berman's suicide really being a murder. Edith's daughter is Joel's girlfriend and feels it's quite possible. Kevin checks the newspaper files and interviews the attending physician at Edith's first suicide attempt but learns nothing concrete. He is aware, though, that there were most likely two suicide notes, the first probably destroyed by Jake.

Laurie Lamont, growing bored as her husband Vic devotes all his time to his law career, considers finding a job, possibly doing menus at Johnny Dallas' New Moon Café.

Certain that there is a connection between Simon Jessup, Elly Jo Jamison, and Liz's hallucinations, Adam insists that Liz shouldn't be allowed to drive home until she's been examined by a physician. Adam visits Jessup and finds him with Elly Jo. Jessup explains his method of insomnia therapy: using slide shows of pastoral scenery. Adam secretly steals one of the projector slides that Jessup has hidden. This turns out to be a picture of the road sign to Claybank, where Liz hallucinated Orin's image. Now sure of Jessup's guilt, Adam presents his evidence to Jim and Liz. Jim hypnotizes Liz and removes Jessup's post-hypnotic suggestion. Unsure of Elly Jo's involvement, they decide to keep Jim's therapy a secret. While this is not sufficient proof, Lt. Chandler alertly recognizes Jessup as a wanted con man from Detroit and arrests him.

Orin Hillyer and Angela Morgan, Adam's secretary, realize they've fallen in love. Meanwhile, Nicole is afraid that Adam's injuries in his recent accident are causing headaches and some blurring of his memory.

At Adam's insistence Orin changes his will, removing Elly Jo as a succeeding heir, but he doubles her bequest to $20,000. This removes Liz as a potential victim, but Adam realizes it could make Orin the target. Needing money to hold on to Lenny Small, Elly Jo poisons Orin's cognac before moving out of Claybank. Liz follows Adam's plan to test Elly Jo's involvement with Jessup's plot by tricking her into driving to Monticello. Liz lies that she's forgotten something and turns the car back toward the house. Approaching the cliff-side turn, Liz pretends to be under Jessup's hypnotic trance once again and accelerates the car toward the cliff. Hysterical, Elly Jo screams, "You'll kill us!", then she leaps out of the speeding car.

MAY 1973

After jumping from the car, Elly Jo dies from her injuries en route to the hospital. Meanwhile, Orin takes a drink of cognac, which Elly Jo poisoned. At the same moment, Simon Jessup, in jail awaiting extradition, tells his cellmate that the poison he sold Elly Jo was nothing but colored water. Orin proposes to Angela Morgan and suggests that Liz and Jim move back to their apartment.

A desperate Ashley Reynolds begs Kay not to divorce him. Realizing that she is determined to do it, he promises the messiest divorce possible. Phoebe is devastated to learn that Ashley is contesting the divorce and tells him that she is through with him and will testify for Kay at the hearing. Ashley tries frantically to convince her that it's not what it appears to be. Kay stuns Ashley by cutting off his charge accounts and credit cards.

Lonely and bored over Vic's preoccupation with work, Laurie considers playing piano at the New Moon Café...Johnny Dallas' restaurant.

Adam's headaches are getting worse, and he is having memory lapses. Nicole is upset that he hasn't reported these to Dr. Lacey, as Adam is still recovering from a concussion. Learning that Adam and Nicole have reset their wedding date, Jake Berman threatens to send Johnny back to prison if he doesn't 'incapacitate' Adam and stop the wedding. Johnny panics and hits Jake, knocking him unconscious. Coming to, Jake calls Adam on a suicide ruse. Realizing that Jake is not suicidal, Adam leaves shortly after arriving. Jake then breaks up many pieces of furniture and calls the police. He presses charges of assault and battery on Adam, citing the bruises Johnny inflicted. Lt. Chandler and Chief Marceau feel the charges are unwarranted, but at Jake's insistence Adam is booked and released. Jim Fields tells Adam and Nicole about temporal lobe seizure(TLS) which could cause violent behavior and blackouts. Adam is certain that this is not the case, as he remembers the entire encounter with Jake. Nicole discovers that Jake consulted with a specialist about TLS, and theorizes he's building up a story to back his lies. Adam submits to neurological exams, which are yet inconclusive. Jim reasons that Jake is deliberately involving Adam to separate him from Nicole. As insurance in case the test results are good, Jake coerces Johnny into stealing Adam's gun and speculates on using Johnny to incriminate Adam. When Jake learns that Kevin Jamison is checking into Edith's death to find if there is evidence of murder, Jake decides to have Kevin investigated, too.

JUNE 1973

Learning that Adam has passed his neurological tests with flying colors, Jake Berman informs Johnny that he must shoot Jake in the arm, a flesh wound, in order to frame Adam for attempted murder and thus prevent him from marrying Nicole. In his demented state, Jake believes he can get Nicole by removing Adam from the picture. Overhearing Adam and Nicole set the wedding date two days hence, Jake alerts Johnny that the plan is about to go in to action. Johnny, fearing that Jake will have him sent back to prison, sees no way out of Jake's clutches. To seem amenable, Jake announces that he will drop the assault charge against Adam. When Kevin questions Jake about Edith's death and pushes him on the subject, Jake contrives to have Kevin fired from the Monticello News. Kevin then works for Joel Gantry as a private eye and vows to prove the case against Jake. Nancy Karr resigns as Jake's secretary, citing his irrational behavior as her primary reason.

Kay Reynolds hires Joel Gantry to get corroborating evidence for her divorce. Joel tapes Ashley's pleas for a reconciliation, as Kay throws him out of the house. Hoping to convince Phoebe to testify about her affair with Ashley, Jake (Kay's attorney) plays the tape for her. Ashley tells Phoebe that he has left Kay despite her impassioned pleas for him to stay. Phoebe coldly plays the tape for Ashley, calls him a liar, and throws him out. Later, Phoebe tells Kevin that she is available if he wants to start dating her again.

Orin Hillyer and Angela Morgan plan to leave Monticello for a wedding abroad. After a surprise pre-wedding party at Claybank, Orin and Angela say goodbye to their family and friends.

Still bored with married life, Laurie Lamont decides to accept a job playing piano at the New Moon Café. Laurie and Vic argue about her taking the job. Laurie states that she needs something to do since Vic is unavailable most of the time, and he finally agrees. But, Laurie is crushed when Vic can't make her opening night because of a business meeting. Phoebe notices the chemistry between Johnny and Laurie and asserts that Johnny Dallas is obviously attracted to her. Laurie considers it an affront and maintains that she and her new employer are just friends.

JULY 1973

Joel Gantry, working with Jake Berman on the Kay Reynolds divorce case, manages to catch Ashley Reynolds in a raid on his motel room. Kevin is pleased that the photos they got mean that Phoebe won't have to testify about her relationship with Ashley. Phoebe and Kevin agree to start dating again.

Cunning and quite insane, Jake has settled on a plan to stop Adam's wedding to Nicole. Using threats and blackmail, Jake orders Johnny to shoot him, promising that Adam will be close enough to take the fall for the crime. Johnny finds his situation hopeless, particularly since his attraction for Laurie Lamont complicates things. Laurie senses that Johnny is upset to realize how strongly she reacts to his obvious feelings for her. Vic, working day and night on his career, is not aware of Laurie's interest in Johnny, which she convinces herself is just a good friendship. Johnny arranges for a new identity and leaves for Chicago the morning before Jake's attempted murder plan is to take effect. Jake has chosen the night before the Drake wedding for his scheme. Johnny says goodbye to Laurie and leaves. Worried about him, Laurie persuades his friend Jojo to tell her Johnny's location. She follows him to Chicago, where he finally confesses the whole story. She persuades him to return to Monticello and hire her father Mike Karr to help him out of this trap. Laurie admits that despite the love for her husband, she's just as strongly attracted to Johnny as he is to her. They spend the time before the plane trip in his hotel room. Later, Laurie admits that she feels guilty, but it's as much her fault as it is his. They agree to never be alone again. Laurie spills the whole story to Phoebe, stating that she feels guilty and tormented. But, Laurie decides she can never tell Vic the truth, reasoning that although he might forgive her, he will never forget.

Jake, unaware that Johnny has bowed out of the plot, summons Adam to his apartment at seven o'clock sharp so he can magnanimously drop the assault charges he brought against Adam. However, fearing trouble, Nicole shows up at Jake's first. Disoriented by this departure from the meticulous plan, Jake locks her in the room and speaks menacingly and incoherently to the vision of his late wife Edith. A terrified Nicole pretends not to be afraid and convinces him to let her leave. Adam arrives and finds her badly frightened in the lobby. He goes up and bangs furiously on Jake's door, demanding to be let in. Hearing a gunshot inside the apartment, Adam breaks down the door and finds Jake, who has been murdered . Nicole rushes in, and they summon the police.

Mrs. Greening, Jake's neighbor, mistakenly tells the police that Adam broke down the door before the fatal shot was fired. District Attorney Peter Quinn and Bill Marceau take statements, while the police discover that Adam's gun is missing. When D.A. Quinn finds a note in Jake's safe, implicating Adam in the event of physical harm to Jake, Quinn demands Adam's immediate arrest. Bill, at the Karr's for the Drake wedding, tells the D.A. that he could at least wait until the ceremony is over.

Johnny receives a check for $35,000, which Jake conscientiously mailed before the scheduled shooting as an incentive for Johnny to "aim carefully". Johnny realizes that he can't possibly cash the check.

AUGUST 1973

Now that Kay has concrete proof of his infidelity, Ashley Reynolds tells Phoebe that he is not contesting the divorce so that he can marry her! Phoebe orders him to get out of her life. Kay engages Vic Lamont to handle the divorce now that her attorney Jake Berman is dead. Kay stresses how impressed she is with Vic's ability and intelligence and how much she enjoys talking with him.

D.A. Peter Quinn orders Adam's arrest for Jake's murder immediately following Adam's wedding ceremony to Nicole. After Adam and Nicole are married at the Karr home, Adam is quickly taken into custody. Ironically, Kevin Jamison and Joel Gantry, the only other logical suspects in the case, are alibis for each other, as they were together during the raid of Ashley Reynolds' motel room, where they were gathering evidence for the Reynolds divorce case.

Since Adam's missing gun is a major factor in the case, Laurie asks Johnny to admit that he stole the gun under Jake's orders. Johnny points out that this is a felony and explains that once he starts talking, it would soon come out that she was with him in the Chicago hotel room the afternoon before the murder. Johnny's guilt is compounded when Vic generously offers financial help if Johnny wants to buy The New Moon Cafe. Meanwhile, Johnny makes sure 'the lid is on' in Chicago, so that no one can ever learn of Laurie's presence there. Laurie quits her piano job at the New Moon, and although consumed with guilt, she is convinced she could never tell Vic what happened in Chicago without destroying her marriage.

Adam is indicted for Jake's murder and prepares to stand trial for the crime. Adam hires Mike Karr and Vic Lamont to represent the defense. Mike and Vic trace a medical book inexplicably found in Jake's apartment and are amazed to discover that Johnny bought the book. Pressed by Vic, Johnny admits that Jake used him as an errand boy by blackmailing him for the robbery he pulled on Jake right after being released from prison. Since Vic knew about the robbery, he is satisfied with Johnny's story. Jake's neighbor Mrs. Greening tells the prosecution that Adam broke down the door before the fatal gunshot was heard. When Nicole and Vic plead with her to think carefully, Mrs. Greening realizes she was wrong... the shot was fired first. Quinn's office is furious and accuses Vic of suborning a witness, which he vehemently denies. Judge Blackwell decides to rule on whether Mrs. Greening will be allowed to testify at all.

D.A. Quinn's opening statement professes Adam to be a respected citizen and prestigious attorney, but suggests that Jake's murder was a crime of passion over Nicole. Quinn implies that Nicole could have disposed of the gun and then cites Jake's letter, which accuses Adam of jealous threats and violence.

Mike Karr's opening statement counters that a man of Adam's prestige and honor doesn't perform the cowardly act Quinn described for the flimsiest of motives. Also, Quinn calls Nicole an accomplice, but she was not indicted as there's no proof of culpability. Mike closes by stating that the defense will prove Jake Berman's psychotic personality.

On the witness stand, Officer Santana professionally testifies to Adam's presence at Jake's apartment building and to his anger. Evelyn Barcheck, a secretary in Jake's office building, claims on the witness stand that Jake and Nicole were intimately chummy in public, but Mike proves her to be a bitter old maid, venomously jealous of Nicole. But when Jake's New York associate George Leeds testifies that Jake wanted to marry Nicole and admits that Jake and Nicole could have stayed together in his New York apartment in his absence, Quinn delightfully reiterates Leeds' testimony, implying an affair between Jake and Nicole. Quinn genially suggests that Nicole take the stand to defend herself, while he suprises Nancy Karr with a subpoena as State's witness.

Kevin is stunned to learn that Joel illegally bugged Jake's apartment in his investigation for Edith's daughter, Joel's girlfriend. From the wiretap, Joel gets proof in Jake's own words that he murdered Edith. Also on the tape is Johnny's arrival at Jake's apartment for "target practice". As Joel won't let Kevin borrow the illegal tape, Kevin secretly removes it from Joel's office. He and Phoebe take it to Vic, but he is out. When Laurie learns why they've come, she nervously tries to diminish the importance of the new evidence.

SEPTEMBER 1973

Jim and Liz Fields welcome the birth of their son, whom they christen Jason.

Kay Reynolds confides to a friend that she wouldn't have to divorce Ashley if her friends hadn't told her all the ugly details of his adultery, causing her to save face. She mentions how cute her new lawyer is and attends the Drake trial to cheer Vic on.

Peter Quinn forces Nancy to testify that Jake Berman was in love with Nicole, but on cross-examination, Vic allows her to say that she stopped working for Berman because of his irrational behavior. Sgt. Foster reads Jake's letter accusing Adam in the event that Jake met a violent end, then Bill Marceau is forced to testify about Jake's previous assault charges on Adam. However, on cross-examination, Mike allows Bill to add the incidents were only Jake's word against Adam's.

Adam and his attorneys are stunned when Randolph Esterhazy, a forensic ballistics expert, identifies the murder bullet as being fired from the gun that Adam carried in his counterespionage days. Adam knows that his gun was stolen, but he can't prove it. With that, the state rests its case. Judge Blackwell rules that Mrs. Greening be allowed to testify. She says that she heard the shot before Adam broke down the door, thereby making it impossible for Adam to have murdered Jake Berman. However, during cross-examination, Quinn traps her into identifying the two sounds incorrectly from a tape recording, rendering her testimony useless. Jim Fields later testifies that Jake was so neurotic he would lie about suicide, murder attempts, or anything to achieve his goal...Nicole Travis. Jim adds that Jake's wife Edith was a patient if his, and she feared her husband was trying to kill her. Quinn, on cross, tries to press Jim into stating that Adam might have frontal lobe damage from a recent car accident, which could cause violence and blackouts. Dr Lacey testifies that Adam absolutely does not have this condition; he passed his tests with out any doubt.

Laurie tries to protest Johnny Dallas' involvement by telling Phoebe that Johnny was only teaching Jake how to shoot, but if this ever came out in court, he could go back to prison for parole violation. Laurie laments to Phoebe that she feels guilty about not telling Vic about her trip to Chicago to stop Johnny from running away. She feels she waited too long now, and he would misunderstand. Laurie adds she's torn by her emotional involvement with both Vic and Johnny. Kevin informs Mike and Vic about Joel Gantry's illegal bug, and that Johnny and Jake discussed "target practice". Kevin states that the tapes also seem to prove that Jake did in fact kill Edith. Vic explains Jake's blackmail of Johnny over the robbery Johnny pulled. Vic cosigns a loan for Johnny to by the New Moon Café. (Johnny once saved Vic's life when they were in prison-Vic during an undercover investigation-and he feels indebted to Johnny). Kevin thinks Jake may have forced Johnny to steal Adam's gun, so he takes Adam's neighbor Mrs. Hoffman to the café to see if she recognizes Johnny as the man she saw in the hall outside Jake's apartment one night. She doesn't, but he recognizes her and is frightened. When Vic confronts Johnny with this, Johnny says Jake ordered him to break into Adam's apartment and look for incriminating evidence, but he couldn't get in and didn't steal any gun. Mike wonders if Joel did burn all the tapes as he now claims. However, Joel has left town and arrived at his sister Lucy's house.

In Jail, Adam befriends and tries to help Moss, a young man arrested on drug possession. Grateful, Moss tells Adam he overheard two officers talking about Adam's trial. They said Lt. Sam Bailey, the arresting officer, has a lot of nerve in regard to the dirty trick he's arranged to pull on Adam at the right time. Martha Marceau tells Bill what Adam heard, adding Bailey is now Quinn's buddy and must realize Quinn needs Adam's conviction or he might lose the nomination for state office. Bill disregards the rumor, but Lt. Bailey goes to Nicole's that evening.

OCTOBER 1973

Under questioning Johnny finally admits to Mike and Vic that Jake Berman blackmailed him into stealing Adam's gun and that he gave Jake the beating that Adam was accused of. They obtain immunity from prosecution for Johnny and he finally testifies to all of this in closed session in the judge's chambers. Lt. Chandler tries to verify Johnny's Chicago alibi, but Johnny refuses to give him details as this would reveal Laurie's time that she spent with him there. Johnny decides to leave town and pays his old prison buddy Jojo to cash the $35,000 check he received from Berman. Jojo is picked up cashing the check as the police were aware that Jake had wrote an as yet uncashed check from his checkbook stubs and they had an alert out in it. Jojo tells them that it was Johnny's check. Pressed, Johnny tells Bill that it was payment for stealing the gun.

Laurie is annoyed at Kay's constant calls for Vic at all hours, repeated meetings, and Kay's overenthusiastic flattery of Vic . As luck would have it, Kay stops by the Lamont's just as Johnny escorts Laurie home at Vic's insistence, and spies Johnny kiss Laurie. The kiss is primarily gratitude and concern on Laurie's part and goodbye on Johnny's. Kay visits Laurie to let her know what she saw and makes it clear that she doesn't believe Laurie's protests of innocence. Laurie bluntly throws Kay out, promising that she will not let Kay speak to Vic when she calls him at home in the evenings. With her divorce granted, Kay makes an unmistakable pass at Vic, who responds that he is happily married and doesn't play around. Kay assures him that he should since Laurie obviously does with Johnny Dallas. Vic calls Kay a vicious liar and orders her out of his office. He arrives home very tense and depressed. Laurie, desperate at how Johnny seems to be becoming a scapegoat in the murder case, warns Johnny that if he won't tell the truth about Chicago, maybe she will.

Lt. Bailey, Adam's arresting officer, badgers Nicole to confess that she got rid of the gun for Adam. She angrily denies this and complains to Bill who warns Bailey about his underhanded methods.

Adam takes the stand, and Mike first introduces Adam's CEA background, his presidential citation, and his unblemished, distinguished law career and reputation. Adam testifies about his breakup with Nicole over the question of marriage, how they finally became engaged, how Jake, insanely in love with Nicole, swore that Adam and Nicole would never marry. Adam states that he felt Jake was mentally disturbed, and he never threatened Jake's life. Recalling the night of the murder, Adam says that he broke down the door after hearing the gunshot and found Jake dead. He swears that he did not kill Jake and that he saw no gun in the apartment. On cross-examination Quinn tries to imply Adam and Nicole married on the day if his arrest so that she would not be able to testify against him as her husband. Over Adam's objections, Nicole waves immunity and takes the stand to prove she has nothing to hide. She corroborates Adam's testimony about Jake's irrationality and suicidal behavior, and she clearly states that she did not dispose of the murder weapon. On cross, Quinn presses her about her love for Adam making the point that she would do anything for him. Quinn then produces the missing murder weapon, which Bailey testifies he found hidden behind the Drakes' apartment building. Mike, furious that the prosecution surppressed this evidence, realizes that someone is framing Adam but can not prove it. Bill comes down hard on Bailey for bypassing him with the gun and taking it to the DA directly. Accused of suborning the department, Bailey resigns. Lt. Chandler, now on the case, learns Jake himself went to Chicago two weeks before his death and begins to try to learn what this trip meant.

Realizing that Joel Gantry's illegal bug in Jake's apartment may have also picked up the murder, Kevin asks Bill to trace Joel, who has since left town. Learning Joel is in San Francisco, Kevin allows Phoebe to loan him the airfare to go there, and she decides to go, too.

Meanwhile, Joel tells his sister Lucy Wilson that he found evidence that proves Jake killed their mother Edith Berman! Lucy's upset because Jake was murdered before he could be brought to justice for their mother's death. Joel tells Lucy the past is dead and then burns the tape of Jake's confession. Joel flashes back to the events surrounding Jake Berman's murder. Having learned from the bug about Jake's plan to frame Adam, Joel followed the steps Johnny was to take. Holding Jake at gunpoint, Joel gleefully said "This is for mother", and shot Jake to death before Adam broke the door down and discovered the body. Joel tensely follows the Drake trial hoping for a conviction so the case will be closed. He opens a detective agency in San Francisco, reassuring Lucy that he doesn't mind the nasty part of his work, since life is all nasty and he just collects the evidence to prove it. She is upset to see Joel carries a gun.

NOVEMBER 1973

When Vic tells Laurie what Kay said she saw, Laurie counters that Kay only saw Johnny give her a friendly good night kiss, and she assures Vic that she loves only him. Convinced, Vic won't even talk to Kay again.

DA Peter Quinn again pressures Adam to plead guilty to self-defense in Jake's murder in order to avoid a prison term. Adam says he now sees that Quinn would do anything to get the senatorial nomination. Lt. Chandler uncovers Dr. Goren, whom Jake consulted about where he could be shot and not be permanently injured. Mike and Vic realize this fills in the gaps in Johnny Dallas' story and calls him as a defense witness. Vic interrogates Johnny. Slowly Johnny admits Jake was blackmailing him into framing Adam by a plan to wound Jake when Adam was close enough to be blamed. This is why Johnny stole Adam's gun and why Jake sent Johnny the $35,000 check the day before the scheduled frame-up. However Johnny insists he couldn't go through with it and was at the Hotel Arlette in Chicago on the day of the murder, He maintains his alibi doesn't check out because he 'put a lid' on for permanent secrecy. The Hotel Arlette manager is called and insists Johnny was never there.

As it appears indisputable that Johnny killed Jake, Mike persuades Quinn to consider dropping the charges against Adam. Adam and Nicole are jubilant. However, Laurie is in despair over what she has to do. Laurie tells her parents Mike and Nancy that she can prove that Johnny did not kill Jake Berman because she was with Johnny in Chicago trying to convince him not to run away and break parole. Laurie further reveals that she was at the hotel with Johnny the whole day and that Johnny "put the lid" on the situation for her sake. She admits that Vic doesn't know any of this as telling him would destroy their marriage. A stunned Adam and Nicole agree Laurie has to tell the truth. She plans to tell Vic that night before testifying in the morning, but he is so upset at what he did to Johnny in court that day that he goes out drinking and arrives home too drunk to hear what Laurie's confession. In the morning, Laurie assumes that Vic will sleep most of the day, and she writes the whole story out in a letter, leaving it for him to find beside the bed. She then leaves for court. However, Vic wakes up shortly afterward and realizing that it is late, hurriedly dresses and leaves for court... without noticing the letter at all. Laurie testifies about being in Chicago with Johnny and flying out of Chicago almost an hour after Jake was murdered. Vic walks in as Quinn, during cross-examination, is inferring that Laurie and Johnny were having an affair. Devastated, Vic walks out and spends the rest of the day crying and drinking. Laurie returns home and finds the unopened letter. Learning Vic was in court, Laurie is convinced that their marriage is over.

Meanwhile, Kevin and Phoebe have located Joel in San Francisco. They are hoping that he can remember anything from the wiretap to help Adam. Joel is very upset to see Kevin and insists that he knows nothing that would help. Joel tries to avoid Kevin and warns Lucy that Kevin must believe that she is his girlfriend. Joel fears that if Kevin knows that Lucy is his sister, he may do some further checking. At Kevin's request, Joel gives him a set of the Ashley Reynolds divorce evidence photos they took the night that Jake was killed. Kevin notices that all the clocks in the pictures say 2 minutes to 8 instead of 7:30(the time of the murder) as they should have. Joel, extremely agitated, insists that it is nothing. Kevin appears to accept this, but he tells Phoebe that he now realizes Joel changed his watch time the night of Jake's murder to make him think they were together earlier than they were.

Monticello and the entire country is stunned and saddened at the news of the accidental deaths- at- sea of Senator Colin Whitney and his father the former Senator Gordon Whitney. Following the full honors funeral in Washington, Geraldine Whitney and her daughter-in-law, Tiffany, plan to return home to Monticello.

DECEMBER 1973

Widows, Geraldine and Tiffany return to Monticello. Geraldine realizes that they must try to put themselves back together, so to speak, and go on living, but Tiffany feels she'll never recover. Fearing that mourning will become Tiffany's whole life, Geraldine invites Nancy to visit ,hoping she can draw Tiffany out of herself. Unable to even see a guest, Tiffany escapes to her room. Geraldine hires John and Trudy, Orin Hillyer's former butler and maid.

Vic practically destroyed after hearing Laurie testifying to "an affair" with Johnny Dallas has been drinking steadily and morosely. Laurie is frantic that Vic has not returned home. The next day Vic comes home for his clothes, and Laurie makes him read the letter of explanation which he overlooked before rushing to court yesterday. Afterward Vic agrees to go out for coffee to talk it out, but when he answers the phone and finds Johnny is calling, he wordlessly walks out. Ironically Johnny was calling to tell Laurie that he has seen Vic and he is all right. Kay Reynolds seeks Vic, and expressing regret that her suspicions about Laurie and Johnny were true, offers him any consolation he'd like. He tells Kay it has hit him so hard that he can't go home back to Laurie. Meanwhile, Lauire is depressed and believes that her marriage is over. When Vic and Laurie accidentally meet he makes it clear he feels she is involved with Johnny and mentions that Kay reminded him he's a good divorce lawyer. He adds that he is not actually ready to talk divorce but he is not ready to think about reconciliation either. Laurie visits Johnny at the restaurant to talk about Vic, then Vic and Kay walk in for lunch. Johnny coolly suggests that they be adult about this and all have lunch together. Laurie says she is not that sophisticated and runs out.

Mike Karr rests the defense case for Adam and is badly depressed that he did not a strong convincing closing argument.

In San Francisco, Kevin confronts Joel about changing the time on his watch the night of the murder. Joel replies that he was only testing Kevin's powers of observation as a detective, and Kevin can't shake this story as there is no motive to tie Joel to the murder. However, when Lucy Wilson slips and mentions Jake was their stepfather and that Joel is her brother, Kevin realizes that Joel's motive was revenge for Jake killing Joel's mother Edith. Changing the time provided Joel's alibi. Kevin confronts Joel with the theory. Realizing that Kevin will go to the police, Joel pulls a gun on him and forces him to drive to a deserted cemetery, where he and Lucy used to bury their dead pets. At gunpoint, Joel forces Kevin to dig his own grave.

Worried by Kevin's prolonged disappearance, Phoebe calls Bill in Monticello who has the San Francisco PD put an APB out for Joel. She then calls Lucy and tells her Kevin's theory. Lucy can't believe the story, but after she discovers that Joel's gun is gone from his desk, she recalls Joel's lifelong lack of emotion over cruelty and his impassiveness toward killing. Lucy then remembers the graveyard and drives there with Phoebe. They arrive just as Kevin, trying to escape, is shot in the leg by Joel. Lucy manages to stop him from killing Kevin, and he gives her the gun, realizing that it is all over. They take Kevin to the hospital where his injury is found to be not serious. Joel signs a full confession. Back in Monticello, Judge Blackwell rushes through an immediate release for Adam, who hurries home to his overjoyed wife, Nicole. Mike asks Adam to rejoin the law firm again as his partner once again.

Geraldine Whitney realizes Adam has the same charisma and quality Colin did, and after having his background checked, she tells Tiffany that Adam could go far. Geraldine remarks that she is going to do Adam the biggest favor of his life.