Monday, April 10, 2006, Episode #4782

Jackie is taken to the FBI building, where she insists to the agents who arrested her that they've made a huge mistake. The facts say otherwise, the lead agent says. Jackie asks what kind of facts they have and points out that they haven;t even charged her with anything. She knows her rights and demands her one phone call right now!

Brooke worries about the rift between Nick and his father.

Brooke and Nick sit in front of her fireplace, discussing his meeting with Massimo. Nick assures her that he's not going to let his father have his way. As long as he has Brooke, Nick is sure there is nothing his old man can do. He starts to hug and kiss her, but Brooke senses that he's just trying to assure her. While she appreciates the attempt, she doesn't want to come between him and his father. Nick states that he will not let his father run his life, especially when it comes to Brooke. Nick won't let anything tear them apart. They start to kiss, but they are interrupted by his cell phone ringing. Nick answers and is stunned to hear from his frightened mother on the other end that she is at the Federal Building in Westwood - since she's been arrested by the FBI! Nick asks for details, but Jackie says that she doesn't fully understand what's happened, either. She begs Nick to get there pronto, as she doesn't know how much more she can take.

Soon after, in Westwood, a humiliated and still handcuffed Jackie demands answers from the agent as to why she is here. Before the agent can answer, Nick is brought in and rushes to his mother's side. He asks to have his mother uncuffed. The agent agrees, for now. A frantic Jackie tells Nick that she has no idea why she's been brought here, so Nick demands to know what his mother is being charged with. The lead agent, who introduces himself as Ron Pacheco, tells Nick he was about to get to that, but when Nick shouts again, "What's the charge?!" Pacheco explains that Jackie is being charged with tax fraud, tax evasion and money laundering. Jackie can't believe it. Neither can Nick, who tells "Ron" that he and his boys have obviously made a mistake. Pacheco says that they'll see. Yes, they will, Nick agrees, asking what Jackie's bail is. That will have to wait for Mrs. Marone's bail hearing, Pacheco says, and even after that, he doubts Jackie will even be granted bail. Even if she is, it will be at least $1 million bond. Jackie says that she doesn't have that kind of money lying around. Pacheco says that Jackie will have to be processed and put in a holding cell until then. Jackie freaks out at the thought, but Nick tells her to relax, as he's going to talk to Massimo. He's sure the old man can get this cleared up, he promises as he kisses Jackie on the forehead. He gives Brooke (who's now standing in the back) and heads off.

A humiliated Jackie is booked for financial crimes.

Brooke tries to reassure a despondent Jackie, but it's not easy, especially when Jackie is searched and processed. She watches as a tearful Jackie is forced to turn in all her jewelry before she's finger printed and photographed. Jackie then waits with Brooke, lamenting how this is her worst nightmare. Brooke agrees, but she also knows that Nick will do everything in his power to free his mother, and she wouldn't be surprised to know that Massimo is already working on Jackie's release as they speak. She promises Jackie that her family loves her and will do anything for her. Pacheco then comes in to take Jackie to a holding cell; Brooke is forced to listen to Jackie's pained cries not to do this as she is led away from the room and placed into a cell. Pacheco says it's not exactly the comforts of home, but it could be worse. At least she has some privacy for now, he says, a luxury she won't have if she ends up in a Federal Penitentiary. He leaves a dejected and distraught Jackie alone in her dark cell.

Ridge wants to teach his "stinking punk brother" a lesson.

Ridge is in Nick's office at Marone. Looking on the desk, he finds photos of Nick and Brooke on their "treasure hunt" and is so furious that he lashes out and knocks the contents of Nick's desk to the floor! Massimo comes in and tells Ridge to stop, but Ridge tells his biological father how outraged he is that his "stinking punk brother" is trying to steal his family, including playing "Papa Nick" to his little boy! He wants to teach Nick a lesson he'll never forget. Mass tells Ridge to get a grip; while he agrees with Ridge and understands his frustration, he reminds Ridge that he promised to handle things, and he has. He has already spoken to Dominick and made his position clear. Ridge bets that Nick's response was to tell Mass to shove it. Mass admits Nick can be headstrong, but he assures Ridge that there are ways to deal with this, and he has used those ways to get the situation under control. Ridge says he can handle this his way, but Massimo does not want the bad blood between Ridge and his brother to escalate any further! That's why he's taken steps to make sure that justice is served in a way that people who act certain ways get what they deserve. He knows full well what it's like to be betrayed by family, he states, flashing back to Deacon taunting him while he was stuck in a wheelchair after his stroke. He almost allowed the Marone name to be compromised once, he tells Ridge, but that will never happen again!

Mass continues that he will not let anyone come between a son and his father. He and Ridge obviously agree on that, he says, even if Dominick and Jacqueline don't. Ridge tells Mass not to get him started on the treacherous Jackie, who has encouraged Nick to take his [Ridge's] wife and family away. He never knew what Mass saw in Jackie, who even has Bridget on her side now. Mass knows that must hurt Ridge, being so close to Bridget. What hurts, Ridge says, is the way Nick disrespects him and his family, while everyone seems to rally around Nick in return. Mass asks Ridge to be patient; he promises things will work out soon, maybe even sooner than Ridge thinks.

Nick questions Massimo's motives and actions.

Soon after, Nick arrives and finds his things scattered all over the floor. As he goes to pick up the photos, Massimo steps out of the shadows. He says that Ridge is very angry and points out that he tried to warn Nick. Nick cuts him off and says that his mother needs Mass's help, because she's been arrested by the FBI for tax evasion, money laundering, tax fraud. These are real crimes with real time, Nick says. Mass reminds Nick that he said that the family's problems would snowball if Nick did not back away from Brooke, but Nick didn't listen, so why should he listen to Nick now? Nick says this isn't about Ridge. He knows Mass has friends in the FBI, like the one who helped them when Ridge's actions got them falsely accused. Ridge only did that because he was fighting for Brooke, Mass says, as it should be. Mass says that he does want Nick to be happy, just as he does Ridge, but he can't see anything good coming from Nick's staying on his present path. He reminds Nick how Brooke tore his heart out once and doesn't want to see that happen again. He implores Nick to see that Ridge and Brooke belong together, to raise their son. Nick says he didn't come here because of Ridge. He came here because he needs the help of the most powerful man he knows to free his mother. Bending down to pick up the photos, he says that Jackie's woes have nothing to do with Ridge... or do they?