Wednesday, March 04, 2009, Episode #5514

Brooke tells Ridge about the fire.

Brooke paces around her living room as she considers that Ridge could have set the beach house on fire. Ridge comes downstairs and startles her, so he asks what's going on. Brooke tells him that Rick had no place to go last night and spent the night. Upset, Ridge asks why Rick didn't stay at his own house, so Brooke tells him about the fire. Ridge asks about the damage to the house; Brooke can't believe he can be so cavalier about this by asking about the house and not Rick, but Ridge points out that little Ricky is obviously fine since he spent the night. "The police suspect arson, and Rick thinks it was you," Brooke explains. Ridge asks if she agrees, telling her again that he left went to Rick's house but turned around when he didn't see Steffy's car. Brooke tells him that she believes him. Rick comes downstairs and seethes at the sight of Ridge. The two men immediately start arguing, neither willing to concede that the other is right, until Brooke orders them both to stop this right now! Ridge snipes that he would love to say he started that fire, but someone beat him to it. Rick asks Brooke if she sees how certifiable Ridge is with his denial. Ridge asks why he'd be stupid enough to admit he rode his bike to Rick's house if he set the fire. Ridge then tells Brooke that he wants Rick gone by the time he gets back and storms out.

Owen and Marcus learn about the fire.

Stephanie arrives at Forrester and finds Thorne asleep in Eric's office. As she wakes him, she finds a empty liquor bottle and guesses that he tied one on last night, although she doesn't blame him after what happened. Donna walks in while talking to Eric on the phone and is shocked by what she hears. As she ends the call, she tells Stephanie and Thorne that Eric just called from Paris to tell her that someone tried to burn down Rick's house last night. [When did Eric go to Paris? He was just in L.A. yesterday for the press conference. ] Stephanie and Thorne ask in unison if Rick died. As Owen and Marcus come in, Donna explains that Rick's fine, but the police are investigating since it looks like arson. Thorne, Stephanie, Owen and Marcus all have curious looks on their faces. Thorne, Owen and Marcus note that they each have reason to hate Rick, and Stephanie chimes in that it's justified in all their cases. Owen reveals that Rick is out to make him the scapegoat for the failure of the surf line, so he wishes that Thorne was president instead of Rick. Marcus suggests to Owen that his job might still be safe if the person who tried to take out Rick tries again and succeeds.

Donna gives Marcus some advice.

When the others leave, Marcus vents to Donna about the way Rick stole Steffy from him. He's worried that Steffy is actually falling the guy and wishes that Steffy can see that Rick is using her before Rick breaks her heart. Donna can tell from his concern that he still loves Steffy. Marcus prays that Steffy sees the real Rick before it's too late and fumes that Rick deserves whatever he gets after what he did. Donna knows he has good reason to hate Rick, but she warns him not to be so open with statements like the ones he just made. She agrees that Rick has a lot of enemies, but things like what Marcus just said could draw suspicion if someone hears. She knows Marcus wouldn't try to burn Rick's house down, but others might."'Suspect'-- does that word ring a bell?" Marcus thinks there are 50 other people who want Rick gone besides him, but Donna says they have to remember that Rick is still their president and show their loyalty. Marcus doubts the police will find out anything, but Donna thinks anyone in the building might question his motives if they overhear his comments. She advises him not to volunteer information and to be careful.

Charlie wonders who wanted Rick dead.

Lt. Baker and Charlie arrive at the beach house to check it out. Hot dog lover Lt. Baker asks if someone forgot to invite him to the weenie roast. As they go over the scene, Lt. Baker laughs at the fact that the Forrester family is again in the thick of some crime. The Baker boys are checking out the lighter fluid can when Steffy arrives. Pushing past the caution tape, she sees the burnt house and asks where Rick is. The detectives assure her that Rick is fine and stayed with his mom last night. Steffy gets upset when Charlie tells her that they think someone intentionally set the fire. Charlie asks if she's close with Rick. She covers that they work together at Forrester. Lt. Baker asks if she knows who might have done this. After Steffy leaves, Charlie gets a hot dog for his pop as they go over what they learned so far. They find it odd that Steffy is so worried about the guy who drove the car the night her sister died and bet that the family is none too happy about that. Charlie points out that Rick isn't too popular at work, either. He thinks the question isn't who would want Rick dead, but who wouldn't.

Rick and Steffy speak their mind.

Rick begs Brooke to believe that Ridge set the fire, but Brooke can't believe Ridge would do that and hopes that the police figure out who did it. Trying to prove his point, Rick tells his mom that the fire might have been more personal, since something significant happened between him and Steffy last night. As Brooke wonders what he means, Steffy comes pounding at the door, calling out for Rick. Rick lets her in and they embrace as Steffy tells him that she's so glad he's OK. Watching them, Brooke reconsiders Rick's last comment and figures out that Rick and Steffy made love last night. She asks Steffy how she could do that knowing how Ridge would feel. Rick tells his mom that he's sorry about how she feels, but he and Steffy have given Ridge plenty of time to accept them; Ridge refused their overtures, so now he'll just have to learn to live with it. But Ridge can't live with it, Brooke argues, turning to Steffy. Steffy tells Brooke that she doesn't want to hurt her father, but she can't be "Daddy's little girl" forever. She asks Brooke to talk to Ridge again, but Brooke knows this is the last thing Ridge wants to hear, even from her. She begs the two of them to end their relationship immediately, since it's made Rick a target and his life is in danger. Rick shrugs that Ridge might already know, since he drove out to the beach house last night, although Ridge claimed he left and came back here. Brooke is sure that's what happened, but Rick disagrees.

Lt. Baker gives Brooke an update.

Brooke then gets a call from Lt. Baker, who tells her that they're still investigating what looks like "an act of passion and aggression" by someone who has it out for Rick. He asks if Brooke knows of anyone who came to see Rick last night, but Brooke doesn't tell him about Ridge. Lt. Baker says they don't have many details yet, but he promises to keep Brooke updated. Having overheard, Rick asks his mom why she didn't tell Lt. Baker about Ridge driving by. Steffy tells Rick not to even think about that, since she knows her dad couldn't do something like that.

Thorne feels second best again.

Stephanie brings Thorne to Ridge's office and offers him some tea to sober up. When Stephanie starts to go on about how upset Ridge must be about what Rick did to Steffy, Thorne reminds his mother that he's the one who had his dreams crushed by Rick yesterday. Stephanie apologizes. Thorne vents that something has to be done about this. Just then, Ridge walks in and asks Thorne what he's talking about. Seeing that this is about to become about his big brother again, Thorne leaves.