Tuesday, May 22, 2007, Episode #5064

Rick and Phoebe continue to fight about her father and Nick.

In Ridge's office, Phoebe and Rick continue to fight over Nick's claims that Ridge killed Shane. Rick insists that Nick shouldn't go to jail for a crime he didn't commit. Phoebe agrees, but she's just as adamant that Nick shouldn't blame her dad, who she's sure is innocent. Rick reminds Phoebe of the lengths Ridge went to in Sydney to protect her and suggests that Ridge would have done anything to protect her from a stalker like Shane. Phoebe refuses to believe that her dad would resort to murder, and she can't understand how Rick could hate her father so much that he'd think Ridge would kill to protect her. She knows her father isn't perfect, but she also knows that he's always been there for her and her siblings, especially while her mom was gone. She accuses Rick of being blinded by how he thinks Ridge treated Brooke. Rick tells her to calm down. He explains that he's only trying to help clear Nick, who happens to be her step-father now. He doesn't hate Ridge, and he's not saying that Ridge killed Shane on purpose. But he knows first-hand how protective Ridge can be, and... Phoebe tells him to stop right there. She won't listen to any of these ridiculous theories that are colored by his hatred for her dad. Rick tells her that assertion is ridiculous, but Phoebe thinks he's calling her ridiculous. She turns toward the door. Rick calls out for her to wait, asserting that she needs to understand where he's coming from. "I do, just too well" Phoebe retorts as she storms off.

Constantine offers Phoebe some advice.

After Phoebe leaves, Rick keeps looking around the office for something that could he can use to help Nick. Spotting a photo of Ridge and Phoebe in Sydney on the desk, he decides to call Phoebe, but he thinks twice about it before he can finish dialing, since he sees no point. "Nobody can talk to her when she gets like this," he laments. But at that very moment, Phoebe is across town at Constantine's loft, telling the singer/producer about her fight with Rick. She apologizes for crying on his shoulder, since they just met, but she was driving by and needed someone to talk to. Constantine tells her not to worry. He understands how he feels, since he knows how he'd feel if someone he loved was out to blame his dad for someone's death. That's what's so upsetting, Phoebe explains; she sees why Rick would think Nick is innocent, but she thinks Rick has to know that his attempts to blame her dad would only upset her. After all the times Rick and her have stood together, even in the face of their families' disapproval and her dad's over-protectiveness, it hurts to see Rick go this far, even if he only means to help Nick. Constantine suggests that she let Rick dig around all he wants; after all, if her dad is innocent, there's nothing Rick can find to implicate Ridge. "You have nothing to worry about, love, and neither does your dad," Constantine assures as he offers Phoebe a hug.

Nick is surprised that his trial date has been moved up.

At the courthouse, Storm tells Nick and Jackie that Brooke is over at Stephanie's right now, trying to get Stephanie to come clean. Jackie asks if Rick might find something in his searching. Nick reminds his mother that they don't have time to be searching around, since the trial starts in a week. Actually, Storm reveals, the trial starts tomorrow. That's insane, Nick protests, insisting that they need more time. Storm explains that he had advised waiving Nick's right to a speedy trial, but thanks to Stephanie, Assistant District Attorney Tartaro is chomping at the bit to get this case to trial, so the judge agreed to move up the date.

Jackie frets that her son's trial starts tomorrow.

Jackie fumes at Stephanie's gall in going to the A.D.A. and prays that Brooke will find something, but Storm points out that he hasn't heard from his sister. Jackie insists that they get Ashley to testify about what happened that night, but Storm points out that Ridge isn't the one on trial. With all the physical evidence pointing to Nick, he thinks their only hope is for Brooke to get Stephanie to open up. On top of that, they've been assigned the same tough judge who presided over Taylor's trial, and Tartaro is still smarting over being beaten by Storm in that case, so they won't get any sympathy in the courtroom, and they have almost no prep time. He fears the outlook is bleak unless Rick or Brooke can pull off a miracle.

Storm thinks that everything is riding on his sister.

After Jackie leaves, Nick chides Storm for making things look so grim in front of Jackie. Storm sees no need to beat around the bush, since Jackie knows what's at stake. He hasn't given up yet, but he thinks their best bet is for Brooke to get a confession out of Stephanie. A guard comes to take Nick back to his cell. Storm tells Nick again that everything is riding on Brooke.

Brooke is appalled at Stephanie's actions.

At the Forrester mansion, Stephanie continues to pull the phone cord around Brooke's throat tight, but Brooke manages to slip out. Gasping for air, Brooke shouts, "Don't ever do that to me again!" Stephanie says she didn't want to do it, but she couldn't let Brooke call Lt. Baker and send Ridge to jail. Brooke insists that the truth has to come out, but Stephanie avows that the truth can't come out, since no jury will believe Ridge's claims of innocence. Stephanie asks Brooke to think about what will happen if R.J.'s father goes to jail and pleads for Brooke to keep quiet. Brooke asserts that she loves both Ridge and R.J., but she can't hide the truth. She thinks Ridge's best chance is to confess and urges Stephanie to call him back from Paris. When Stephanie refuses, Brooke says she'll call Ridge herself, but Stephanie grabs the cell phone out of Brooke's hand and begs Brooke to look at this rationally. Shane's death was an accident. That young man wanted to take his own life, and Ridge tried to stop him, but a jury will never believe that. Brooke understands Stephanie's dilemma, but she also thinks it's wrong for Stephanie and Ridge to let Nick take the fall for something he didn't do. Stephanie explains that she didn't intend to set Nick up, but when Lt. Baker started looking Nick's way... "You chose to be quiet because you hate Nick," Brooke argues. Stephanie admits she did that, but she has no sympathy for Nick, who's probably guilty of a lot of stuff anyway. Brooke is appalled that Stephanie can defend her actions that way and let Nick go to jail!

Stephanie tricks Brooke.

Stephanie argues that she doesn't want to see her son go to jail and she doesn't want to do jail time herself, either. But that's what will happen if the truth comes out, and it will all be Brooke's fault! Brooke asks how it's her fault. Stephanie suggests that Ridge wouldn't have had to lie if he didn't have a criminal record from taking the blame for Grant's shooting, a crime that Brooke's son Rick committed. She laments that Ridge only did that out of love for Brooke, and she thinks Brooke should repay that by staying silent. Brooke says she just can't sit by and let Nick rot in jail. Stephanie reminds Brooke that Storm is a good lawyer, so she's confident that Brooke's brother can get Rick off. If that happens, there's no need for the truth to come out, so she urges Brooke to keep quiet until after the trial. Brooke agrees to tell the D.A. about the extenuating circumstances around Ridge's actions, but she can't condone his hiding the truth. Stephanie shakes her head in disbelief, although she then declares that she shouldn't be surprised that a poor mother like Brooke doesn't understand what it's like to protect a child. Brooke says they have to set things straight, and they can start by calling Ridge. She takes out her cell phone, but Stephanie tells her to wait. She thinks it's better to talk in person to Ridge, who's at Big Bear and not in Paris. She offers to drive up to the cabin with Brooke right now. Brooke agrees.

Soon after, Brooke and Stephanie arrive at the cabin. When Brooke walks into the cabin and sees how dark and cold it is, she realizes that Stephanie tricked her. Stephanie explains that she couldn't let Brooke tell the truth and send Ridge to jail. Brooke turns to leave and tries to get to the door, but Stephanie blocks her way and locks the door. "We can do this the hard way or the easy way," Stephanie proclaims. "It's your choice."