Over at Cross Creek, Reva had become restless since the honeymoon had ended. Jeffrey wanted her to stay off her feet and suggested she work on her scrapbook while he went to the office. Moments after he left, Reva called him because she didn't want to climb a ladder to get her glue gun. When Jeffrey returned to help her, he found Reva in a nightgown. She tried to seduce him, but Jeffrey claimed he needed to get to work. He gave her a long kiss to hold her over. Upon leaving, he uttered to himself that it would be a long nine months.
A bored Reva went to Towers and regaled the bartender with tales of how she used to dance on the bar tables. After the bartender left to retrieve some nuts, the bar phone rang. Reva climbed onto the bar to answer it. Alexandra Spaulding was on the line, calling for reservations. Reva told her that the restaurant was booked, and hung up. As Reva sat on the bar giggling, Jeffrey called her cell phone. She lied that she was still bored at home, making her scrapbook. When Reva glanced behind her, she found Jeffrey standing next to her with his phone in hand. With a guilty smile, she hung up her phone, saying that she was at least off her feet.
As Reva tried to explain herself, Jeffrey plopped on the bar with her. A disgusted bar patron threw down some bills and left. Jeffrey said that at least she wasn't dancing on the tables. When a hormonal Reva cried, Jeffrey decided that she could dance on tables if she wanted. Since she was clumsy, he volunteered to steady her. He reminded her that the baby wouldn't change who they were. Easing her onto a bar seat, Jeffrey proposed various ways that he could juggle his workload to be home more. Reva opposed his plans, saying they'd drive each other nuts. Reva felt her restlessness was her responsibility, and she had to get a life of her own. Jeffrey thought that was a great idea, but he looked concerned when Reva suggested she get a job.
Cassie made Cyrus cookies to thank him for helping her with the ambassador. Later, as R.J. prepared to rake the yard, he asked Cassie if Cyrus was her boyfriend. He said their neighbor, Mr. Harris, had told him that Cassie and Cyrus were more than just employer and employee. Cassie and Cyrus denied it, but R.J. replied, "You made him cookies." Cassie defended that she'd given Cyrus their leftover cookies. R.J. thought he shouldn't have to do chores since Cyrus worked there. Cassie said R.J. had to work to receive an allowance.
Cassie called Mr. Harris over to the house to berate him for talking to R.J. about her so-called boyfriend. She didn't appreciate him filling R.J.'s head with lies just because she'd turned him down. She said Harris drove his car too fast in the neighborhood and played his television too loudly for Cassie's taste. Harris quipped that Cassie was just embarrassed that she'd hooked up with the handyman. Cassie almost slapped Harris, but Cyrus held her back. After Harris left, Cyrus showed Cassie some spark plugs and said Harris wouldn't be driving his car too fast in the neighborhood anymore. While raking the yard, Cassie and Cyrus joked about stealing things from Harris at least once a week. As they talked, they concluded that the time had come to dissolve their working relationship. Each one bid the other a reluctant goodbye.
Out on the porch later, Cassie informed R.J. that Cyrus wouldn't be around much anymore, and R.J. assumed that she'd dumped him. Cassie apologized that Harris had told R.J. untrue things about Cyrus and her. She said Cyrus was just a friend who really had worked around the house. She said Cyrus might help her from time to time, but R.J. was the man in her life. Cyrus approached the porch in time to see them hug and hear Cassie say that R.J. was number one in her life.
Cyrus walked away unseen and called Grady. He left a message, wondering how Grady was. He said he was looking to make a big score and he wanted Grady to help him. He asked Grady to call him back. As Cyrus later walked through a parking lot, he saw a frustrated Cassie at her car. Apparently, she'd locked her keys in it while dropping R.J. off at practice. Cyrus said it was too bad she didn't know a person who could break into the car. Cassie smiled and Cyrus whipped out his lock picking kit to help her.
After a mortgage broker informed Marina and Mallet that they'd have to double their down payment on the house to secure a good rate, they wound up applying for the same part-time security job at the hospital. Since they were the only two candidates for the position, Mallet and Marina debated about which one of them should accept it. Because Mallet made less money than Marina, he asked her to decline the position. After some discussion, Mallet decided that no matter which one got the job, they'd be one step closer to their dream. Just then, the interviewer approached and said the hospital had room for two security guards. He hired both Marina and Mallet. Marina cooed that they were two steps closer to their dream.
The administrator gave Marina and Mallet a tour of the hospital. When they arrived in the pediatrics unit, Mallet immediately noticed the newly donated stereo system. After the administrator stepped away for a moment, Mallet told Marina that someone had reported a system exactly like that one stolen. She vaguely recalled the report, but she thought it was ludicrous that someone would steal it and then donate it. Later, Mallet asked the administrator who'd donated it. The administrator said it had been a woman who'd lost her daughter a year earlier. Marina said Cassie's name and the administrator was shocked that she'd correctly guessed.
Marina and Mallet left the hospital. As they walked through a parking lot, Mallet informed her that Cassie's neighbor had reported his system stolen. Marina didn't think Cassie would steal from her neighbor. Just then, they saw Cyrus with Cassie beside Cassie's car.
At the hospital, Rick told Olivia and Natalia that Olivia's body could be rejecting her heart. While they could control the rejection with immunosuppressants, Rick said that if Olivia's body continued the rejection, she could possibly need a new heart. He advised that Olivia check into the hospital for aggressive treatment. He wanted Olivia to go back on the heart transplant list as a precaution. Rick seemed optimistic, telling Olivia that he wouldn't leave her side. He told her to take some time to herself and then return later for her treatment. Natalia offered to help Olivia make her arrangements before she checked into the hospital, but Olivia politely declined.
Later, Olivia went to Company to order food and saw Natalia on the boardinghouse steps, crying. Olivia didn't want Natalia shedding tears for her. When Natalia seemed upset at the thought of another transplant, Olivia accused Natalia of only caring about Gus's heart. Olivia raged that Natalia probably wanted Olivia to risk her life to keep Gus's heart. She said Natalia obsessed about Gus's heart because she had nothing to cling to after Rafe had been sent to prison. Natalia retorted that she had no reason to care about Olivia, a woman who was so cruel to others. A teary-eyed Olivia left Company, and Buzz approached a sullen Natalia with a takeout bag that she'd previously ordered. It contained Olivia's favorites.
Natalia wondered if her faith was being tested and Buzz asked, "That God is picking on you?" Buzz said that when things got as bad as Natalia thought they were, that was when unexpected graces would come into her life. Buzz left to make her a sundae. Natalia suddenly noted the time, and left the restaurant.
Olivia returned to the hospital for her treatment. Rick said he'd never been through heart rejection, but he understood living with the fear. Rick was unsure how long her stay at the hospital would be. Later, Olivia rushed to Company and saw Buzz outside. She said she needed a ride to pick up Emma. She explained that she'd made arrangements for Emma since she'd be gone a few days, but she hadn't made any for that day. Buzz pointed through the window into Company. Olivia saw Natalia and Emma sitting together, enjoying sundaes. Olivia silently nodded her approval to Buzz.
In the mansion parlor, Bill stared at a picture of Lizzie and sighed. Beth entered after having been at the law library all day. She asked Bill what had happened with Lizzie. He replied that Lizzie stood him up for the meeting. As a result, Decker had decided to only deal with Bill. Beth wasn't surprised. She assumed that Lizzie's love for Bill had motivated Lizzie to let Bill have limelight. Beth said Lizzie was aware that Bill had had something to prove, and Beth thought Bill should thank Lizzie for stepping aside to let him do that. Bill said he might thank Lizzie if he could find her.
Meanwhile, Lizzie struggled against her restraints in the basement of the television station as Grady tried to seduce Dinah in the upstairs office. Saying that they weren't brutal kidnappers, Dinah directed him to check on Lizzie's comfort level. Grady wondered if Dinah were on board with his plan, but Dinah said a plan took planning, which Grady lacked. Since they couldn't undo the kidnapping, Dinah wanted him to be nice to Lizzie for the duration of it. Dinah used to be friends with Lizzie and didn't want Lizzie harmed in the process of proving to Bill that he needed his sister. As they continued to make out, Dinah's phone rang. Grady looked at it, and said it was "brother Bill" calling.
Dinah and Grady checked on Lizzie in the basement. When Dinah's heels clicked across the floor, Lizzie said, "Those sound like Jimmy Choos." Dinah halted in her tracks. As Dinah tiptoed back out of the room, Lizzie begged Grady to look for her checkbook so that she could write him a check. When he wouldn't answer her, she claimed that everyone was looking for her. Grady rasped that no one cared.
Dinah went to the mansion. When she ran into Bill outside, she said she was looking for Vanessa. She asked him if Decker had backed out of the deal since Lizzie hadn't shown up. Bill said the deal was still on, but Lizzie was out. Though he'd had a huge success, Dinah noted that he didn't look happy about it. He said he'd been calling hospitals in case Lizzie had suffered an accident, but he hadn't heard anything. He admitted that he loved Lizzie and he'd wanted to make a commitment to her before the meeting just in case the meeting had gone badly. He wanted her to know that she was the most important thing to him. When Bill said Beth believed Lizzie had stayed away for his sake, Dinah questioned whether Lizzie had his best interests at heart. Bill ignored her statement, saying he needed to make more calls.
Dinah sneaked up to Lizzie's room in the mansion. She pulled a trash bag from her purse and loaded Lizzie's clothes into it. Sometime later, Dinah ran into Mallet as she closed her car trunk. He jokingly asked if she had a body in there. She said she was taking clothes to charity. Dinah changed the subject to Harley's house. Mallet surprised her when he said that he and Marina were buying it. Dinah grew quiet, but before leaving, she wished them the best.
Dinah brought Lizzie's clothes into the television station. She informed Grady that she'd made it look like Lizzie had left town. She warned Grady to play it by Dinah's rules. Grady tossed down a magazine and they kissed. The magazine had letters missing from it. Down in the basement, Lizzie sawed the ropes binding her wrists against a sharp end of her chair's armrest.
Meanwhile, at the mansion, Bill carried a drink into Lizzie's room. When he discovered her things were missing, he smashed the drink on the floor. Outside, he spotted a note on the patio. The note had been pieced together with magazine clippings. Bill stared around to see if he could spot whoever had left it.
After Mallet and Marina watched Cassie and Cyrus break into Cassie's car, they decided to sleuth into Cassie's stereo equipment donation to the hospital. Mallet visited Cassie at the farm while Marina chatted with Cyrus on a walking trail. Marina kept asking Cyrus what he was up to lately, but Cyrus seemed more interested in talking about Mallet and Marina's house purchase. He grew suspicious when Marina mentioned how Cassie might have felt about Grady and Cyrus remaining in town. When she said that Cassie had people like her neighbors to lean on, Cyrus repeated, "Neighbors?" He said Marina would have to ask Cassie about that. He congratulated Marina on the house, and left.
At the farm, Mallet helped Cassie stack wood in her living room. He said he was patrolling due to the area burglaries. Cassie said she didn't know anything and that she and R.J. felt safe. Cassie mentioned that Cyrus had been working on the farm. When Cassie grew jumpy about Cyrus, Mallet wondered if Cyrus had threatened her. She laughed nervously and dismissed the idea. Mallet then mentioned his new job at the hospital and said he'd heard about Cassie's stereo donation. He wondered where she'd gotten the stereo. Cassie replied that the donation was supposed to be anonymous. Mallet called it a harmless hospital slip-up.
Just then, Cyrus entered. Mallet said he didn't have time for games. He theorized that Cyrus had stolen Mr. Harris' stereo system and then Cassie had donated it to the hospital. He told them to prove him wrong. An indignant Cyrus denied that he and Cassie had done anything. He asked Cassie if she had the receipt for the equipment. Cassie shrugged, saying she'd look for it. Cyrus offered to give Mallet an alibi and take a polygraph test. Mallet said they might have to do both.
After Mallet left, Cassie freaked out because she didn't have a receipt or any way to beat a lie detector test. Cyrus told her to relax because he would find a store clerk to fake a receipt. He said he did such things all the time. Cassie's eyes bulged, replying that the cops knew all about Cyrus and that was why they were in trouble to begin with. Cyrus promised to teach her how to beat a polygraph when he returned from faking the receipt.
While in town, Cyrus ran into Grady and asked him if he'd gotten his message. Grady had gotten it, but he said he was working on something with Dinah. Cyrus asked what the job was and Grady said there was no room in it for Cyrus. Cyrus said he didn't want in on it; he just wanted Grady to be okay. Grady said he was better than okay and walked away.
Cyrus returned to the farm with fake receipts and thumbtacks. In teaching the art of passing the polygraph, he said the key was beating the control questions. He asked her a sample question, "Have you ever worked in a strip club?" Cassie's mouth guiltily hung open. Cyrus laughed, guessing that she actually had worked in one. He instructed her to put a tack in her shoe to throw the liar detector test off by controlling her heart rate through breathing. Cyrus took her pulse and he coached her breathing. Their heads loomed closer together as she practiced.
Back at the station, Frank found his daughter on the computer looking over mortgages. When she announced that she and Mallet were buying Harley's house for themselves, Frank told her that she'd better start talking. A tidal wave of words spilled out of Marina's mouth and within about a minute, she'd capsulated everything that she and Mallet had gone through while working on the house. She ended by saying that it felt right and they wanted it badly. Working two jobs each was well worth it for her because at the end of the day, she'd go home to Mallet.
When Marina looked at Frank for a response, he walked away. She held her head down and went back to work. Frank returned with a bank passbook and told her about a picture that she'd drawn when she was a little girl. It was of her wedding day. In the background had been a house. Marina had said she'd wanted to have parties in that house. Frank had started saving for her wedding day after he's seen that drawing. Marina shook her head, telling Frank that she and Mallet weren't getting married. Frank knew that, but he said he wanted to help her get the house in that drawing. He said it wasn't Harley's house anymore; it was Marina's. He wanted her to have many parties there with the man she loved. He told her to use the money in the passbook account to make that happen. Marina hugged her father tightly and thanked him.
When Mallet went to the house, Marina attacked him by slinging Silly String. Brimming with joy, she told Mallet about Frank's gift. Mallet didn't want to take money from Frank. Marina said it was a gift and she was using it for the house. Mallet questioned why Frank had been saving the money all that time. When Marina said it was for her wedding, Mallet grew skeptical, worrying that Frank really wanted to gift Marina a wedding. She said she believed Frank's nest egg was more about giving Marina a good start at a new life rather than just getting married. Mallet finally conceded and exclaimed that they were standing in their own house. He challenged her to a race up to their new bedroom.
When Dinah discovered clipped magazines lying around her WSPR office, she demanded an explanation from Grady. He handed her a "sequel note" that he planned to plant later. After reading it, she yelled at him for leaving the first ransom note. She said his second note asking for a measly fifty thousand dollars reeked of amateurism. Grady said Dinah might have been in charge, but he had the experience that would get her brother back on her side and get Grady his payday. Smoldering with anger, Dinah decided to retrieve the note from the mansion before someone found it. When she left, Grady pursued her down the hallway. He kissed her and told her to trust that it would all work out. Unbeknownst to them, Ashlee listened from around the corner.
Grady left to pick up food for Lizzie, who sat blindfolded in the basement screaming Bill's name. After a while, a frustrated Lizzie scooted her chair until her back hit a wall. She felt around and discovered a broom beside her. She used the broom to bang on the overhead pipes.
Meanwhile, Ashlee called Daisy, who was staking out a convenience store, to tell her that Dinah was Grady's mystery lady. Ashlee said she saw Dinah and Grady kissing. Taken aback by the news, Daisy said Dinah could have Grady because Daisy needed to make her bust. After Daisy got off the phone, the guy that she'd been staking out for trafficking cigarettes to minors left the store. Daisy called in to the police station to report that her suspect had bought several cartons of cigarettes and a couple of lighters.
Moments later, Grady entered the store. Daisy ducked in an aisle as Grady shopped for feminine skincare products, saying to himself that Dinah might want them. After he checked out, Daisy followed him to the television station, where she joked that he was under arrest. He chuckled, saying that Daisy sounded like a cop. They talked for a few moments about Daisy missing Harley. She looked into his shopping bag and wondered if the toothpaste inside was for his new girlfriend, Dinah. Grady said he had only a working relationship with Dinah. Daisy dumped the contents of his bag on the floor and asked him when he'd started wanting to smell like a summer's day.
Grady picked up the products, saying that he worked as Dinah's errand boy to make ends meet. Daisy was glad that he wasn't working for the Spauldings. Daisy handed Grady the skeleton key, telling him that, even though they were no longer together, she wanted him to have that part of her. He didn't want it, but she slipped it into his pocket anyway. They heard a banging noise from below. Grady suggested to a curious Daisy that it was just loud pipes, but Daisy disagreed. Suddenly, Grady barked that he'd had enough of Daisy's complaining and said he needed to get back to work.
After Daisy left, Grady hurried to the basement and took the broom from Lizzie. Lizzie assumed her captor had a chip on his shoulder about a woman who'd upset him. She advised him to go work on the relationship until they got it right. Lizzie suggested he tell his girl that he loved her because saying so would get her back. While talking, Lizzie heard scissors snapping. She shrieked when she realized that he had cut a lock of her hair. "DNA," Grady rasped.
Grady handed her some food, and she struggled to eat it with tied hands. He ominously told her that the next time he wouldn't be so nice. After Grady left, Lizzie felt something in her seat. She pulled the skeleton key from between her legs and wondered what it was. When Lizzie felt the sharp end of it, she smiled to herself.
Meanwhile, Ashlee met Daisy on the boardinghouse steps to talk about Grady and Dinah. Ashlee said she'd seen Dinah at the convenience store earlier and Dinah had looked guilty. Though Dinah hadn't admitted anything about Grady, Ashlee said she could just tell that Dinah was hiding something. Daisy couldn't believe that Grady had tried so hard to convince her that he simply worked for Dinah. Daisy said that even if they supposed that Grady had been truthful, she still couldn't imagine what job Grady could be doing for Dinah.
In the mansion parlor, Bill read a magazine clipping note that said, "You've got money; I've got Lizzie. We're a perfect match. More details to follow." When Alan entered, Bill showed him the note. Alan grabbed the phone to report Lizzie's kidnapping. Bill stopped Alan, telling him that the note was a fake. Bill insinuated that Lizzie had left the note just to scare him. Bill said he didn't think a kidnapper would take Lizzie's clothing. Roxie trotted into the parlor, and Alan said that Lizzie wouldn't go anywhere and leave that "mutt" behind.
Alan wanted to alert the family and the authorities about Lizzie's kidnapping, but Bill wanted to play by the kidnapper's rules. Alan feared that Phillip had kidnapped Lizzie and he felt he needed to protect the other Spaulding children. When Bill insisted that Alan keep quiet until they knew more, Alan suddenly found it very convenient for Bill that Lizzie was missing. Bill denied having anything to do with Lizzie's disappearance. Dinah entered the room and asked what was going on. Alan suggested Dinah ask her brother where Lizzie was, and then he wheeled himself out of the room.
Bill took Dinah to the patio where he told her that he had initially thought Lizzie was just trying to get attention. Dinah thought that maybe Lizzie had just gotten scared of success, and left. Bill said that wasn't Lizzie's style. He asked her to come inside and look at the ransom note. After Dinah read the note, Bill explained that no one had seen the perpetrator leave it, but Lizzie's clothes were missing. Dinah assumed that Lizzie was safe since someone wanted to exchange her for money. Bill noticed that Dinah always seemed to show up when he needed her. He hugged Dinah, saying that he was sorry to have been a jerk to her. Dinah said families fought and made up, but Bill didn't want her to make excuses for him. He knew that he could have handled everything with Ava and Max better. He said he was glad Dinah was there. They hugged again, and Dinah promised him that they'd find Lizzie.
Dinah said their fingerprints were all over the note, but that wouldn't matter once they gave the kidnappers the money. Bill, however, didn't think the kidnapping was about money. He wondered if it were really a "whack job with a grudge." Dinah didn't think they should call the police yet, and she asked who else knew about the kidnapping besides Alan. Bill didn't think anyone else knew. Dinah decided to return to the television station in case the kidnapper sent a note there. She theorized that sometimes kidnappers liked to make names for themselves by contacting news stations. Bill thanked her again for her help and then he left the parlor.
Once alone, Dinah hurried over to the desk and put on some gloves. She murmured to herself, "Why do I have to fix everything?" She searched the desk for a magazine, scissors, and some paste. Hastily, she clipped letters out of the magazine and pasted them to a blank sheet of paper.
Later, Dinah returned to the station to find Grady playing with Lizzie's clothes. Dinah said she had been too late to retrieve the note. When Dinah added that she'd talked to Bill and Bill really needed her, Grady thought that Dinah just loved the attention. Dinah said she didn't love seeing Bill suffer and she was going to fix it for him. Grady replied that it wasn't over until he got his fifty grand. Dinah told him that the dollar figure had gotten higher. Grady guessed the new figure all the way to half a million dollars. Dinah still said, "Higher."
Meanwhile, Beth caught Alan trying to get out of his wheelchair. He told Beth that Lizzie might have been kidnapped. When he asked where James was, Beth concluded that Phillip had taken Lizzie. Alan said that the note that was left was too amateurish to be Phillip's work and he didn't believe Phillip would ransom his daughter for cash. They discussed calling the mothers of Phillip's other children. Beth also wanted to call the police, but Alan said "we" hadn't decided to go public. Beth asked him who "we" was. When Alan said he and Bill were working on it together, Beth declared that Bill wasn't deciding anything for her daughter. As Beth called Lillian, Alan requested that Beth worry about James while Alan handled Bill.
Beth and Alan found Bill the parlor, and Alan announced that Beth knew everything. Bill replied that Alan wasn't supposed to tell anyone. Alan said that while Bill might have control of his company, Alan called the shots in the mansion. Bill handed Alan a new note that demanded five million dollars in exchange for Lizzie. Alan told Bill that the note warned not to call the police. Whipping out his phone, Bill replied, "I know what it says."
Meanwhile, Grady celebrated the idea that he'd be five million dollars richer. He told Dinah that she rocked. Just then, Bill called Dinah and he told her that he needed her right away. Dinah instructed Grady to check on Lizzie and then left.
At the television station, Dinah entered in a grumpy mood after spending the previous night consoling Bill about Lizzie's kidnapping. Grady said he was sick of babysitting Lizzie and he wanted his five million dollars. Dinah bickered with him about his bad decisions and then gave him an untraceable cell phone and some instructions. Dinah said that once she met with Bill, Grady needed to text message him with the time and location of the drop. After that, Grady would have his money. Grady wondered how he knew he could trust Dinah. Showering him with kisses, she said not knowing was the fun part. Before leaving, Dinah assured Grady that she wouldn't double-cross him because she was seeking an equal relationship with Bill.
In the basement, Lizzie said the first thing she planned to do when she got home was bathe herself and kiss Roxie-and then kiss Bill. Lizzie furiously worked on her ropes as she sobbed to herself that her loved ones must have been worried about her. Finally, Lizzie's frayed constraints snapped. She cheered and reached for her blindfold. Before she could unmask herself, Grady pounced on her. As Grady wrestled to restrain Lizzie, she slashed his chest with the sharp end of the key. Lizzie reached for her blindfold again, but Grady rebounded and successfully overpowered her.
At the mansion, Billy, Vanessa, Alan, Beth, and Bill grew impatient while awaiting the kidnapper's instructions. They clashed over whether or not to call the police. Beth wanted to just pay the kidnappers and get Lizzie back, but Bill worried that exchanging the money wouldn't necessarily ensure Lizzie's return. Alan accused Bill of being glad that Lizzie wasn't at the company's helm. Dinah barged in to say that Bill would walk through fire to bring Lizzie home. She said Bill had been willing to give up the company before Lizzie had gone missing. Alan asked if that were true as an angry Dinah stormed out to the patio. Bill followed Dinah outside.
On the patio, Bill thanked Dinah again for standing up for him. He said he'd forgotten how great it was to have her in his corner. Dinah vowed to be in his corner from then on. Bill feared for Lizzie. He whipped out his phone, thinking perhaps he really should call the cops. When Dinah doubted they could trust the police, Bill said Mallet could be trusted. He persuaded her to enlist Mallet's help.
Later, Bill visited Alan in his room to plead for his cooperation in Lizzie's return. Alan said that if Bill really wanted to work together, Bill would help Alan out of his chair. Bill refused, saying that Lizzie wouldn't want Alan risking his health. Alan agreed to let Bill handle it, but he told Bill not to let him regret it. When Bill left the room, he locked Alan inside. Alan sprang out of his chair and rushed to the door. He banged on it, ordering Bill to let him out.
Beth stood outside Alan's door and told him that she couldn't let him out because his health was equally as important as finding Lizzie. Vanessa and Bill entered the hallway to offer Beth some soup, but Beth was too nervous to eat. Vanessa assured Beth that Bill was the best person to negotiate with the kidnappers. They reminded her that Alan wasn't in proper shape to do so and asked her to keep him from intervening. Beth strode back to Alan's door and called to him. When Alan didn't answer, Beth entered the room. She was startled to find his wheelchair empty. Alan surprised her from behind with a kiss before slipping past her to make his escape. Beth yelled after him that he shouldn't have been on his feet.
Beth pursued Alan to the parlor, where Vanessa and Billy wondered if Alan needed a doctor. Alan said he didn't need a doctor, and Billy retorted that Alan hadn't needed his wheelchair, either. Alan told them to ditch the wheelchair and get him a Cuban cigar. After he smoked it, he planned to rescue his granddaughter.
Over at Harley's, Mallet and Marina paced their front yard as they worked on tying up loose ends for their move. Afterward, they talked about conducting polygraph tests on Cassie and Cyrus later that day. Marina was anxious to finally catch Cyrus, who she believed had completely snowed Cassie. Mallet wondered if Marina would have a problem if Cassie were Cyrus' accomplice instead of victim. Marina claimed not to care if Cassie let down her "soccer mom hair" to walk on the wild side. Mallet thought Marina was taking it a bit personally, but a tense Marina insisted that putting Cyrus away was just business for her.
As they talked, Dinah swung by their house with a fruit basket in hand. Dinah said she knew that Mallet would need extra cash and suggested he work security at her station. Marina immediately disparaged the idea, but Mallet reminded Marina that it was only business, just like with Cyrus. Marina reluctantly agreed and decided to take off for the police station to conduct the polygraph tests.
After Dinah filled Mallet in on the kidnapping situation, they met Bill on the Spaulding grounds. Mallet said the best thing for Lizzie was to report her kidnapping to the police, but Bill asked Mallet to do things his way. Bill requested a tracking device for the bag of money that he planned to pay the kidnappers, just in case the kidnappers didn't bring Lizzie to the drop location. Mallet insisted on accompanying Bill to the meeting place. Mallet asserted that he'd do his job as a cop to keep Lizzie and Bill safe. Mallet vowed to put the kidnappers in prison for the rest of their lives.
As Bill and Mallet gathered the money and materials to bring to the drop, Dinah sneaked a call to Grady, who told her that Lizzie had clawed him. Dinah informed him that her ex-husband, police officer Mallet, had been brought into the situation. Grady was ready to bail, but Dinah coolly replied that everything was under control. Grady warned that "it better be" for Lizzie's sake -- and Dinah's. Dinah hung up and strode over to Bill and Mallet. Bill's phone rang and he received a text message that read, "Blackwood Forest, big pine tree, noon." As Bill and Mallet strode off, Dinah pulled Mallet aside.
Once alone with Mallet, Dinah admitted that she might have gotten him involved in the kidnapping because of her past feelings for him. She loved the adventure of them working together. Mallet incredulously asked her if she'd pulled him in on the kidnapping as some kind of date. Dinah laid it on thick, saying she still slept in Mallet's tee shirts and she looked for him when she walked on the streets. Mallet replied that his toothbrush hung next to Marina's. Dinah continued the rouse, saying her life was a big mess since Mallet had walked out of it.
As Dinah distracted Mallet, Bill walked alone through the woods to the drop site. He reached a clearing and glanced around. Just then, a man in jeans, a thick gray hooded jacket, and ski mask climbed out of the brush.
Standing in her kitchen with a thumbtack in her shoe, Cassie assured Cyrus that she'd ace the polygraph test. R.J. approached while on his way out the door for school. He asked Cassie if she would come to his practice later. When Cassie told him that she and Cyrus had to rake leaves that afternoon, R.J. replied that she was lying because her nose was twitching. After R.J. left, Cyrus said that he and Cassie were doomed. Cassie shrugged, saying R.J. was her son and he could easily tell that she was lying. Cassie hurt her foot on the tack and Cyrus rubbed her feet for her. He offered to take the rap for the theft to keep Cassie out of trouble, but Cassie said they were in it together. "Whatever you say, Princess," Cyrus smirked.
At the police station later, Cassie breezed through her polygraph test. Cyrus and Cassie hugged, believing that they were home free. When it was Cyrus' turn to be tested, the test administrator told Cyrus that the detective on the case wanted to personally test him. He led Cyrus to a room where Marina awaited. As Marina hooked him up the machine, she goaded him about being nervous. Cyrus wondered if it were legal for her to administer the test. Cyrus answered Marina's cursory questions with ease. However, Marina's questions shifted to the personal details of his relationship with Cassie. She cynically asked him if Cassie knew what a player he was. Marina then asked him if he'd cheated on two women who were from the same family. Cyrus replied that the test wasn't about the stereo equipment after all.
After the test, Cassie looked dismayed when she saw Cyrus and Marina emerge from the testing room. Cyrus said Marina had concluded that he was a liar and Marina agreed. Cyrus then said that whether he confessed to stealing the equipment or not, he would be deemed a liar. Marina replied that she hadn't needed a test to tell her that he was a liar. Cassie asserted that if such were the case, then polygraphs really weren't useful devices. Cyrus assumed that he was free to go. Marina agreed, but warned Cassie that Cyrus had just said for himself that he couldn't be trusted. Cassie said it had nothing to do with her. Marina wondered if Cassie really wanted Cyrus' type in her life. Cassie retorted that her relationship with Cyrus wasn't a police matter and the two left.
Mallet pulled back from Dinah's kiss and told her that it was not the time, since Lizzie's life depended on them. Dinah went on to tell Mallet how much she loved him and how happy their life was together. Mallet said that did not want to discuss it because they had to help find Lizzie. Before walking away, Mallet told Dinah that she left him before he ever left her.
Bill met with Grady, who wore a ski mask, at the drop site and demanded to see Lizzie before he turned over the money. Grady insisted that he would only tell Bill where Lizzie was when he got the money. Grady became suspicious that there were police in the area, but Bill assured him that they were alone. Meanwhile, Mallet snuck up to apprehend Grady. Before Mallet got close enough, Dinah called his cell phone and then hung up in an effort to warn Grady. Hearing the phone, Grady rushed off and accused Dinah of setting him up.
Marina brought takeout home for her and Daisy. After telling Daisy that Mallet was off on a job for Dinah, Marina began laying down ground rules for Daisy. The first rule was no ex-boyfriends at the house. Realizing that it was a veiled reference to Grady, Daisy brought up Marina's ex-Cyrus. Daisy assured Marina that she had nothing to worry about because Marina would not be seeing either of her exes. Marina continued with the rules and mentioned that Daisy could only have a boy in her room if the door was open. Daisy seemed a bit disappointed in all of the rules and suggested equal treatment. Daisy mentioned that when she lived in the house with Harley and Cyrus, it was "PDA central." Marina explained that she was nothing like Harley, and blurted out that she and Mallet were not even sharing a room.
Mallet's phone rang again-this time it was Marina. Mallet asked if she called at noon. Marina denied it and asked what time he would be home. Instead of answering, Mallet told her that he needed to speak to her about his job. After he hung up, Dinah and Bill approached, and Dinah mentioned that since the drop-off went badly, Lizzie could be in danger. Dinah suggested that they make a public appeal to the kidnappers on WSPR. Mallet had another suggestion-he wanted to bring in the police. Dinah was not happy with that suggestion, but Bill stated that he could not stop Mallet. When Mallet walked off, Bill told his sister that the situation was all his fault. Dinah tried to convince him otherwise, but Bill insisted that it was all on him. He stated that he made the situation worse by asking her to bring in Mallet. Because of that, the kidnapper might take it out on Lizzie. Bill stated that he had to get Lizzie back, and said that without Lizzie he had nothing. Dinah assured Bill that he had her and they would get Lizzie back.
Bill and Dinah went home where Jeremy the butler told them the news about Alan not needing his wheelchair any longer. Jeremy divulged that the gossip was that he never needed it in the first place. Suddenly, Bill got a call from Decker reminding him of an investors' meeting. As Bill stated that he could not attend, Dinah got on the other phone and assured Decker that Bill would be there. After the call, Bill told Dinah that he did not want to go to the meeting. Dinah stated that with Lizzie gone, he had to pull it together and focus on work. Dinah told Bill that she would focus on finding Lizzie. Later, Bill went into Lizzie's room and told Roxy that he would find her.
Mallet met with Marina. Marina told him about the polygraph test that Cyrus and Cassie passed and told him about her talk with Daisy, including the news about them not sharing a room. Mallet was speechless as Marina tried to talk up the advantages to having separate rooms. Suddenly, Mallet told Marina that his job with Dinah involved a ransom drop-off for Lizzie. Mallet admitted that it all went wrong and stated that he screwed up. An upset Marina agreed and began to call the FBI before Mallet stopped her. Marina blasted Mallet for handing the ransom situation without backup and reminded him that the FBI had jurisdiction in kidnappings. Marina accused him of going against protocol simply because Dinah asked him to. Mallet explained that he did not do it for Dinah, just as she did not let Cyrus go simply because he was her ex. Marina asked Mallet what he wanted to do about the situation. Mallet agreed that the police should be involved, just not the FBI.
Matt arrived at Company for lunch and spoke with Buzz. When Buzz asked where he had been, Matt replied that he and Maureen spent the summer in Michigan with family. Matt told Buzz that he learned that Vanessa was living at the Spaulding house. Matt declined Buzz's offer to let him stay at the boarding house, stating that he had already rented an apartment.
Daisy went to Company for some French fries. She did not seem interested in talking to Buzz. Matt decided to give it a shot and asked Daisy if she was still babysitting. He mentioned that Maureen really liked her, as much as she liked Dinah. Daisy proclaimed that she was not Dinah. When Matt left, Buzz noticed that Daisy did not seem interested in eating her fries. A sullen Daisy talked to Buzz about Grady-stating that she had to pretend that she did not care about him. Buzz suggested that she take it one day at a time. Daisy stated that it was not working-she needed a Plan B. Daisy explained that everyone viewed Grady as a lowlife criminal, but she saw him as just a person who screwed up like everyone else. Daisy stated that when she first met Grady, she understood what a lonely person he was. Buzz reminded Daisy that Grady killed her cousin, and told her that she could not save someone who did not want to be saved. Daisy lamented that she did not have a life of her own. Buzz suggested that she get one.
A shaken Grady went to the basement at WSPR and just sat there near Lizzie. Lizzie heard his breathing and asked him to say something. Lizzie told him that she knew he did not want to hurt her. Grady silently walked out and called Daisy and asked her to talk to him about anything-he just needed to hear her voice. After a confused Daisy told him what she had for lunch, Grady informed her that he still had the key. Grady stated that he needed the key when things went bad. Grady told her that he always rushed into things without thinking, and told Daisy that he never meant to hurt her. Grady explained that the key made him feel as if he was not alone in the world. Daisy told Grady that though she did love him, she could not save him, and promptly hung up.
Daisy went back home and saw an upset Marina and Mallet. Daisy told Marina that she was just kidding about Mallet and Marina having separate bedrooms. Marina stated that separates rooms sounded good and stalked off. Daisy suspected a problem between Marina and Mallet and asked Mallet if that would happen a lot. Mallet replied that he hoped not. Later, Mallet finally checked his phone and learned that it was Dinah who called him at noon.
Grady returned to Lizzie and knelt down to untie her. Lizzie was surprised to feel tears coming from him. A sympathetic Lizzie told him that she had done some bad things in her life, as well. Lizzie admitted that she used to hide, since no one could scare her if they were not around. Lizzie gently stated that the people in her life would find her and asserted that she knew that she was not truly alone. Grady had Lizzie completely untied but held on to her hands because he remembered about the blindfold. When Lizzie promised him that she would not touch it, he let go. Lizzie assured Grady that he could let her go.
Dinah went to the basement at WSPR and discovered that Lizzie was gone.
