Michael Hanley stood next to the head of the dinner table, where six places had been set. Also standing around the table in the dining room were Michael's sister, Valerie Hanley-Holden, his brother-in-law, Simon Holden, and Michael's nephew, Matthew.

"This is quite the somber event," Matt muttered, taking his place at the table.

"Matthew, now is not the time," Simon said. "Once of your classmates died earlier this evening. Show some respect."

"Yes, Matthew," Michael echoed. "Vincent was like family to me."

"I'll bet he is," Matt said, resisting the urge to say anything more about Vince's familial ties to the Hanleys. "So, where are our guests of honor?"

"I invited Leslie and Akilah to join us," Michael said. "I expect they'll be arriving shortly."

Meanwhile, in the corner, Valerie nervously dropped her cell phone and glanced around the room. As everyone turned to look at her, she quickly picked up the phone and shoved it into her purse.

"Just checking my stocks," Valerie insisted, turning away from her family members. She couldn't tell them that she had been inches away from ordering a funeral arrangement for Melissa Maddock, without somehow tipping everyone off that she had been involved in Melissa's accident. It was best for everyone if Felicia Bale never remembered what happened that night.

"Thank you for not making this evening all about you, Valerie," Michael said coldly, gesturing for her to take a seat.

Valerie rolled her eyes and sat down next to Matt, while Simon sat down next to her. Matt nervously shivered as his parents sat down. Or rather, as his mother and the man masquerading as his father sat down. Matt still had no idea whether or not Simon knew he wasn't Matt's biological father, but Matt had known the truth for months now.

He just couldn't bear to break the news to Simon, and he assumed that his mother already knew. She was probably instrumental in getting Michael to switch Matt's paternity tests as a child.

Before Matt could continue dwelling on his parentage, Riley Schaefer entered the dining room with two people following behind him. It was Leslie and Akilah Moore, ready to join the Hanleys for dinner.

"I'm so glad you could make it," Michael said, smiling.


EMERALD CHURCH

Julia Mitchell tugged her fur coat close to her body as she stepped inside the church where her father, Detective Joel Kincaid's, funeral was being held. She had hurried over right after the incident with Vince, and she'd had hardly any time to grieve for either of them. There was so much that had been lost in Marquette Cove, and it was hard for Julia to grieve for anyone. There was simply too much to grieve for.

"Julia, you came," Anna Mitchell, Julia's mother said as she noticed her entering the church.

"Of course I would come," Julia replied. "My father died."

"And so did your uncle."

Julia and Anna turned to find Kimberly Black entering the church with her brothers, Gregory and Tim. Julia's uncle, Duncan Kincaid, had been Kimberly's roommate for most of the summer. Kimberly smiled and gave Julia a hug.

"Thank you for coming," Anna said. "It really means a lot to us…I'm not sure many people will be coming."

"Why?" Tim asked.

"You know how they both died, Tim," Greg whispered. "I just wonder when they're having the funeral for that poor woman, Lori. She worked at the high school with me during the summer."

"No one's going to be coming to a funeral without a casket," Julia said, whipping her dark red hair back as she turned to face the front of the church. "No one can hear a tree fall in the woods when there's no storm."

Tim glanced at Anna with a dumbfounded look on his face. "Is she okay?"

"I'm fine," Julia insisted. "It's my uncle that isn't. It's my father that isn't. There's much more going on here than meets the eye."

"Julia, stop it," Anna said. "That's enough doom and gloom for one evening. Enough people have died in this goddamn town with you spreading more death and destruction."

"I'm sorry," Julia said. "But I can't help it, mother. It's a feeling I have."

"Well, keep your feelings to yourself," Anna said. "We're on display enough as it is, Julia."

As the five of them continued speaking near the back of the church, they failed to notice the photographer resting behind the church organs near the front. Not a single person noticed as they took pictures of the coffins and the guests attending the service.

Not that there were many guests, however. Most of them were people who worked at the police department who felt the need to pay their respects. Everyone else seemed ready to forget Joel had ever existed. With a double funeral, neither Joel or Duncan had pooled enough guests to occupy a part at one of their homes.

The photographer grinned. "Everything's falling into place. Just perfectly."


MADDOCK HOME

"Thank you for coming by, Alec," Robert Bale said, smiling as his son sat next to him on the living room couch. Alec handed Robert a cup of hot chocolate and smiled at him, gazing out the window at the snow falling on the lawn. "I can't believe it's almost Christmas."

"I know," Alec said. "I only wish our family hadn't been torn apart. The holidays are really going to…well, suck is the operative word."

"I know," Robert said. "I'm just sorry that all of this had to happen to you, and that so much has come between our family. First, your cousin Sara lost her girlfriend. Now, the child I was going to have with Melissa is dead, and so is she."

"And it's all my mother's fault," Alec muttered.

"Don't blame your mother," Robert said. "It's not entirely her fault that Melissa is dead."

"Dad, you don't know her like I do," Alec insisted. "You've been gone all summer. She…she's changed."

"Ever since we found out the big secret she was keeping with Michael Hanley," Robert said.

"I know," Alec said. "That she was having an affair with him? And when you had to turn to Melissa for support, she got jealous and destroyed your life by killing Melissa and your child. She's cold and calculating, dad."

"No, she never slept with Michael," Robert said softly.

"What are you talking about?" Alec demanded.

Robert remained silent.

"Dad! Come on, you have to tell me," Alec insisted.

"Your mother is…she's Michael Hanley's sister," Robert said. "That's the big secret."

"Oh my God," Alec gasped. "My mother is a Hanley?"

"And so are you," Robert continued.

"Oh my…" Alec dropped his mug of hot chocolate onto the carpet. He rose to his feet in shock and covered his mouth as if he were about to vomit. "I'm a Hanley? I'm related to…Michael? And Matt?"

"And Valerie, Simon, and Ariel," Robert said. "All of them. I'm so sorry, Alec."

"No, that can't be true," Alec insisted.

"I'm afraid it is."

"Damn that woman to hell," Alec said. "Damn my mother…the Hanley…to hell."

"Don't say that, Alec," Robert said. "Not about your mother."

"Dad, don't be so naïve," Alec said, stepping forward. "If my mother was able to keep this secret for so long, and once it came out, she destroyed your life and killed Melissa. If you think that she's going to take going to jail lying down, then you're dead wrong, dad. Felicia Bale is going to stop at nothing until she destroy your life…completely."


HANLEY HOME

Matt groaned and rolled his eyes as everyone at the dinner table was arguing. He wondered why the Moores had even come here, especially since they were only replaying the events that had occurred at the hospital earlier.

"Why can't my family ever have peace?" Leslie demanded. "First my husband, and then his brother, and now my son."

"Your daughter probably needs you right now," Cyrus said. "Why don't you go outside and talk to her, if she's —"

"I can take care of it," Simon said. "Akilah and I have already gotten to know each other from when she was dating Matthew. I can talk you her if you'd like, Leslie."

"Thank you," Leslie said, approaching Vince's bed. "I just need a moment here with my son."

Simon nodded and exited the room, leaving Vince and Leslie here in the room. As he entered the waiting room outside, he found everyone waiting to hear news on Vince. Julia, Blake, and Alec were seated were they had been since first arriving at the hospital with Vince. Joining them were Vince's sister Akilah, Michael Hanley, and Robert Bale.

"What's the story?" Robert asked, approaching Simon.

"Fortunately, it's not as bad as it could have been," Simon replied.

"Come on, Simon," Michael snapped. "Just come out with it."

"Like you actually care about Vince," Robert said. "Who called you anyway?"

"I did," Akilah said. "I might not like it either, but Vince would want Mr. Hanley to be here, Mr. Bale."

"Can you all stop arguing?" Alec demanded, rising to his feet. "That's all you people ever do, all the goddamn time."

"Alec, don't talk to me like that," Robert said.

"Can I talk to your new girlfriend like that?" Alec asked.

Robert sighed. "Now is not the time, Alec."

"What's going on with Vince, Mr. Holden?" Julia asked, attempting to get everyone back on track.

"He's in a coma," Simon said. "I'm afraid that's all I can say at the moment."

Matt, having no idea why he was remembering events he hadn't experienced himself, raised his glass and threw it at the nearest wall. Everyone paused and turned to face Matt.

"What the hell is wrong with all of you?" Matt demanded. "Can't you stop arguing for once? You should all be ashamed of yourselves."

Matt rose to his feet and stormed out of the dining room, reaching into his pocket for a syringe. He could already taste the heroin rushing through his blood veins and he hurried from the mansion and toward his own home.


EMERALD CHURCH

As everyone finished their conversation and walked toward the pews to find a place to sit, the gloved figure near the back of the church kept their eyes closely on the proceedings. While they were standing, they noticed the photographer crouched on the other side of the church. Smiling, the glove figure stood where they could catch the photographer's attention.

The photographer noticed the gloved figure and smiled. He hurried toward the church entrance, knowing that no one would notice him while they were paying attention to the funeral proceedings.

"Nice of you to join us," the photographer said, approaching the gloved figure. "How do you like my work?"

"Aside from the errant continuity errors, everything is quite fine. Reminds me of one of your trashy novels, actually."

"St. Laurent was not trashy," the photographer snapped. "My agent only said that because she's a bitch."

"I see. I'm very sorry. You're the best writer in the world, Tom King."

"Damn straight," Tom King said, shaking his camera for emphasis. "I'm the best damn writer in the world, and soon everyone in Marquette Cove will see that. First Marquette Cove…and then the world!"

The gloved figure frowned.

"I'm sorry, that was a bit much, wasn't it?" Tom asked.

"Just a little bit."