Chapter 9

Alexis walked down the hallway at Wyndemere towards Stefan's study.  Ever since 
she had received the anonymous phone call, she had been on edge.  By now, her 
nerves were raw.  Alexis had continued to replay the caller's words over and 
over again in her mind, "I know what you did at the Bacchanalian Ball.  I know 
what you did, and I know who you are."  How could anyone have known about her 
involvement in the loosening of the parapet railing?  The only person who knew 
was her accomplice, Luke Spencer.  Yet, the unknown caller had proved that at 
least one other person knew.  Or maybe, the caller was Luke Spencer himself just 
playing one of his sick jokes.  Alexis knew that she should consider herself 
lucky if that was the case.

Ever since the phone call, Alexis had looked endlessly for Luke Spencer in order 
to confront him.  Yet, all of her efforts had been in vain.  The man could not 
be found.  Fortunately, Alexis had not received anymore anonymous phone calls. 
So, she had come to see Stefan in order to discuss his growing preoccupation 
over Katherine.  Alexis was positive that the caller had not revealed her 
involvement in Katherine's accident to Stefan in the ensuing days.  For if the 
caller had, Alexis knew that she would no longer be alive.

Stefan was in his study at Wyndemere busily placing papers in his briefcase as 
he was preparing to leave for General Hospital. He looked up when he heard 
footsteps enter the room.  It was his sister Alexis.  He resumed his task as he 
spoke, "If you want to speak with me, you will have to hurry.  I am almost ready 
to leave."

Alexis walked to the edge of Stefan' desk.  "Let me guess.  You are off to 
General Hospital to visit Katherine again."

"Yes, I am.  Mrs. Lansbury is readying Samantha for the trip even as we speak."  
Stefan snapped his briefcase shut and reached for his overcoat.  "I don't see 
why you are continually dismayed by my devotion to Katherine.  We do share a 
child, and if everything goes according to my plan, we shall soon be married."

Alexis was shocked to the core by this news, and her face showed her 
disapproval.  "Married?  Since when are the two of you getting married?  She 
doesn't even remember you or the last several years of her life for that matter… 
How can you marry her?"

"I have given Katherine a diamond engagement ring.  Of course, she hasn't 
consented yet, but I am certain that given time she will agree to become my 
wife.  If nothing else, I will remind Katherine that it is in the best interest 
of Samantha to have parents that are actually married."  Stefan spoke those 
words with confidence. From the first day that Katherine had awoken from her 
coma, his plan to win her back had worked perfectly.  He had no reason to 
believe that his success would not continue.

Tapping her fingers on the desk, Alexis asked a pointed and direct question.  
"You gave Katherine a diamond engagement ring. Why didn't you just give her the 
same emerald engagement ring that you gave her before?… Actually, it wasn't so 
long ago when I thought that I might be seeing Laura wearing that same emerald 
engagement ring."

Stefan did not appreciate the question nor the snide comment. Quickly, he 
snapped back an answer.  "Exactly, what are you trying to get at Alexis?"

Alexis seated herself in a chair and began to relate her concerns.  In her 
heart, she was only bringing up these matters for Stefan's own good.  "During 
the Bacchanalian Ball last spring, you did everything in your power to turn 
Katherine into a replica of Laura.  Katherine wore the same dress and the same 
emerald engagement ring as Laura had worn during her engagement party to 
Stavros.  Even Katherine's hairstyle was the same as Laura's. Then, after we had 
all thought that Katherine had died from the parapet accident, you grieved over 
her for about two seconds before you began pursuing Laura Spencer.  Even when 
Helena paraded that imposter, Lauren Masters, around town, you still did not 
give Katherine a second thought."

"I may not wear my emotions on my sleeve, but that does not mean that I didn't 
grieve for Katherine when I thought she had died." Stefan picked up a picture of 
Katherine that was on his desk.  "As far as the matter of Lauren Masters, she 
was an imposter.  She was not really Katherine."

"Yes, we both know that now, but we didn't know that last fall. We both thought 
it was Katherine who walked into the courtroom on August 28, 1998 to save Helena 
from a jail term.  You are right. We didn't know it was an imposter."

Stefan put the picture back down on his desk and grasped his hands behind his 
back.  "You said that you had a point to make. So, make it."  He did not like 
reliving the recent past.  It reminded him of all his mistakes.  Consequently, 
he wanted to put an end to this conversation as soon as possible.  Stefan found 
that lately he wanted to end all of his conversations with Alexis as soon as 
possible.

I just don't understand you Stefan," Alexis said as she threw up her hands in 
frustration.  "Even when you had thought that Katherine had returned from the 
grave, you still showed no concern for her welfare.  You continued to try to win 
Laura Spencer away from her husband.  Granted, Laura did not put up much 
resistance. Nevertheless, your actions last fall clearly showed that you had 
little to no interest in Katherine, whether she was an imposter or not.  What 
has changed?"

"I am running out of patience."  Stefan stated this fact with great irritation.

Taking a breath, Alexis continued.  "When we all thought that Katherine had been 
murdered last December, it was over two weeks before we found out it was not 
really Katherine but Helena's imposter Lauren Masters.  I know for a fact that 
you never once mourned for Katherine when you had thought that she had died for 
a second time… Why are you now proclaiming Katherine as the love of your life 
when just months ago, Laura was all that you could think about?  I saw how the 
two of you were looking at each other during Christmas.  Were you and Laura 
having an affair?"

"Absolutely not," Stefan lied.

"Then, why?"  Alexis asked.  "Why this sudden change?  Is it because of guilt 
that you are now suddenly devoted to Katherine?"

Stefan placed his hands on his desk and leaned towards Alexis. "I will only say 
this once.  Don't ever ask me to repeat it… Everything changed when I learned 
that Nikolas was not my son but rather my brother's son."  Backing away from the 
desk, Stefan resumed his explanation.  "For days, I did not want to live because 
I thought my world had come to an end.  Then, I learned that Katherine, my 
Katherine, was actually alive in Greece and pregnant with my child.  I felt as 
though I had been given a second chance at life.  I realized then that what I 
had always felt for Laura was merely an obsession.  An obsession to give Nikolas 
a family." Stefan just shook his head.  "I can't believe how many years of my 
life that I have wasted on an illusion."

Alexis had not realized how much pain and torment that her brother had been 
enduring.  "What about Nikolas?  Are you ever planning to tell him that for 
eighteen years you believed that he was your son?"

Stefan folded his arms in front of his chest and looked down at a picture of 
Nikolas that was also on his desk.  "I will always love Nikolas as though he was 
my own son.  However, he is away at Cambridge and starting his own life… So no, 
I will never tell Nikolas that I had an affair with his mother while she was 
married to my brother.  Also, I will never tell Katherine that I had once shot 
and paralyzed her.  But most of all, I will never tell Katherine that I was once 
arrested for her murder."

Alexis walked over to her brother.  "I can see that it is possible to keep the 
truth from Nikolas.  Only a hand full of people know about the affair on 
Cassadine Island.  However, how do you plan on keeping the truth from Katherine?  
Her shooting as well as the murder trial was all over the newspapers.  She is 
bound to find out sooner or later."

"I plan on taking Katherine away from Port Charles."  Reaching into his desk 
drawer, he removed photographs of estates owned by the Cassadines.  "We have 
homes all over the world.  Katherine can take her pick.  There is really no 
point in staying in Port Charles any longer.  I plan on asking Katherine today 
to come away with Samantha and myself."

The turn in events amazed Alexis to the point that she did not know what to 
think.  "You really mean that you plan to leave Port Charles?  What about Mac 
Scorpio?  You said that he was planning to reinvestigate several cases involving 
Katherine.  Will he allow you to take Katherine out of the country?"

"Katherine and Samantha are my family, and I will do whatever it takes to 
protect them.  I spoke with Judge Lancaster yesterday.  He has issued a 
restraining order to keep Commissioner Scorpio from questioning Katherine about 
any police investigations.  Also, I have the court's permission to take 
Katherine out of the country at any time."

"Wasn't Judge Lancaster the same judge who presided over the murder trial last 
summer?"  Alexis asked.

"Yes, he was."  Stefan informed her.  "I always knew throughout the trial that I 
would be acquitted of the crime.  I bribed Judge Lancaster myself."  Alexis was 
in a state of disbelief by the news. "Don't look so shocked Alexis.  Did you 
honestly think that I would allow my future to hinge on the whim of the American 
judicial system?"  Alexis did not know how to respond.  She had thought that 
Stefan had trusted her to win him his freedom during the murder trial.  In 
actuality, he had assured his freedom by simply bribing the judge himself.

The tension in the room was broken by a quick knock to the door. Mrs. Lansbury 
entered the study with Samantha in a baby carriage. "Miss Samantha is ready to 
go visit her mother," she announced. Stefan put on his overcoat and slipped the 
photographs of the Cassadine estates into his pocked.  Then, he grabbed his 
briefcase.

Just before leaving the room, Stefan turned to ask, "Are you staying here on 
Spoon Island or would you like to come with us on the launch?"  Alexis decided 
to go back to Port Charles.  Her head was spinning by what she had learned this 
morning.  However, she still had more pressing matters.  Namely, Alexis had to 
find Luke Spencer.

--------------------

For nearly ten minutes, Alexis pounded on the door of Luke's club before the man 
himself finally answered.  "What do you want Alexis?  How is a man suppose to 
recover from a hangover with you pounding on the door?"

Brushing past Luke, Alexis pushed her way into the club.  She put her purse and 
briefcase on one of the tables and then turned around to face her accomplice.  
"I really don't appreciate obscene phone calls Luke.  So, don't ever do it 
again.  The call that you gave me a few days ago was not funny."

Luke walked around to the back of the bar to begin working on a concoction in 
order to alleviate his hangover.  "Obscene phone calls.  What are you talking 
about?"

"Don't play stupid Luke.  It doesn't become you."  Alexis walked over to sit 
down on one of the barstools.  "I swear if you ever give me an obscene phone 
call like that again, I will push you off that parapet myself."

By the tone of Alexis' voice, Luke knew that she was being serious.  "What did 
this caller say?"  He asked.

"Like, you don't know."  Alexis informed him.  "Does this sound familiar?… I 
know what you did at the Bacchanalian Ball.  I know what you did, and I know who 
you are."

"Listen, Alexis.  I have been out of town the last couple of days, and last 
night, I spent getting drunk.  Whoever called you a few days ago, it wasn't me."

"Do you swear Luke?"  This was not what Alexis had wanted to hear.  She had 
hoped that he caller was Luke, and he was just playing a game with her.

Luke raised his right hand and said, "Scouts honor."

"If it wasn't you, then who was it?  The phone call was distorted, but I know it 
was a man's voice."  A deep chill was sweeping over Alexis.

Luke was putting the finishing touches on his drink.  "I don't know Alexis, but 
it looks like someone has learned about our dirty little secret.  You my dear 
are no longer incognito."

By now, Alexis' heart was pounding.  Her mind raced with possibilities as to the 
identity of the caller.  "Do you think it could be Jerry Jax?  Stefan did 
originally hire him to investigate Katherine's accident.  He did uncover your 
involvement.  Do you think he knows about mine?"

Luke took a drink of his hangover concoction and then said, "Maybe, maybe not."

"Could you be more serious?"  Alexis pleaded.

Luke slammed his drink back down onto the bar. "Now you know how I have felt.  
My involvement has been known for months by Stefan and my wife.  I don't 
remember you showing much compassion for my situation.  You left me hanging out 
to dry."  He was clearly irritated by Alexis' self-centered attitude.

Alexis hesitated before speaking.  Then, she apologized.  "I am sorry Luke.  I 
just wanted to forget that we ever tried to murder Helena."  She ran her fingers 
through her hair in an attempt to calm herself.  "If Stefan ever discovers my 
involvement in the loosening of the parapet railing which almost killed 
Katherine and her baby, he will kill me himself."

"I do have to give credit to Helena.  She sure fooled this sleepy little town 
with that imposter she passed off as Katherine. I didn't even know that it 
wasn't Katherine, and I pride myself on having a sharp eye."  Leaning over the 
bar, Luke asked, "So, who do you think murdered Lauren Master, Stefan or 
Helena?"

Alexis quickly answered, "Of course, it was Helena.  The police have issued a 
warrant for her arrest.  It is only a matter of time before she is finally 
captured."

"Maybe, it was Stefan."  Luke replied.

Twisting a cocktail napkin with her hands, Alexis shook her head.  "Stefan would 
never murder anyone."

"That is not what you just said a minute ago.  You said yourself that Stefan 
would kill you if he ever learned of your part in Katherine's accident.  Are you 
changing your story now?"  Luke asked this question with a smirk on his face.  

Alexis knew that she had trapped herself with her own words.  "I was simply 
speaking metaphorically."  

Luke returned to a more serious demeanor.  "I have heard that Mac Scorpio is 
going to be reinvestigating Katherine's accident. So, it looks like we have to 
fight this was on two fronts.  First, we have to keep the police from finding 
out the truth about us. Second, we have discover who this mysterious caller is 
and how much he know about the night of the engagement party."

The cocktail napkin that Alexis had been twisting in her hands was now in 
shreds.  "Mac Scorpio won't be a problem.  Stefan obtained a restraining order 
to keep the police from questioning Katherine.  I don't really know why the 
police would want to talk to her.  Katherine doesn't remember the last several 
years of her life… Anyway, Stefan plans to take Katherine and her baby and leave 
Port Charles.  He doesn't want her to learn anything about their past together."  
Alexis threw the shredded napkin across the bar.  "I just wish Stefan would wait 
for the paternity test to come back on Katherine's baby before leaving with 
them."

Luke choked on his drink when he heard this news.  Alexis had to lean over the 
bar and whack him on the back before he was able to stop choking.  "Let me get 
this straight.  Stefan is having a paternity test performed on Katherine's 
baby."

"I was the one who convinced Stefan to have the test performed. Don't look so 
shocked Luke.  Katherine has slept with more men in Port Charles than I can 
count.  Who knows who the father of that baby is."  Luke just started to laugh.  
Alexis knew that she had opened her mouth one two many times.  "I should have 
never said anything.  No one is supposed to know about the test and especially 
not Katherine.  So, keep it to yourself."

Luke just continued to laugh.  "You Cassadines really crack me up.  On the one 
hand Stefan is trying to whisk Katherine and her baby away before she finds out 
about their sordid past together. Then, on the other hand, you are trying to 
convince Stefan that Katherine's baby doesn't even belong to him."

"I am so glad that my family gives you so much amusement." Alexis walked over 
and picked up her briefcase and purse.  "I am leaving.  However, you remember 
this Luke.  Our problems are far from over.  If our plot to murder Helena last 
spring is revealed to the world, we are both staring at lengthy jail terms.  I 
will let you know if I get any more phone calls from our anonymous friend." 
Alexis walked out of the club and slammed the door.  The smirk that had been on 
Luke's face was replaced with a look of complete seriousness.  Alexis was right.  
They were both in jeopardy.  Luke knew that he had to devise a plan to find out 
the identity of their anonymous caller.

-------------------

When Katherine had awoken earlier that morning, she had found a crystal vase 
filled with red roses on her bedside.  The note had simply read, "To my 
Katherine on Valentine's Day, Love Stefan." Even though this man was still in 
every respect a stranger, Katherine had to admit he seemed genuine about his 
feelings for her as well as for Samantha.  However, something was still 
bothering her.  It was the picture she had found of Laura, Samantha, and Stefan 
together.  Most likely, it was just a harmless photograph. Several times, 
Katherine had almost asked Stefan about the picture. Yet, each time she had 
stopped herself.  Katherine had a feeling deep inside that she didn't want to 
know the answer.  As she continued to think about the picture, Tony Jones 
entered the room.

"How are you feeling today?"  He asked.

Katherine just sighed.  "I feel so bored and frustrated."

Tony tried to provide a few words of encouragement to his patient.  "You have 
come a long way Katherine.  Just a week ago, you were in a coma.  The fact that 
you regained consciousness is a miracle in itself, not to mention the rate at 
which you have recovered.  One of the nurses told me that you were able to take 
a few steps last night with the help of a walker."

"Yes, I did."  Katherine spoke with a bit of disappointment in her voice.  
"However, I wasn't able to walk very far before my legs just seemed to buckle 
out form underneath me.  It was so very frustrating."

"I don't see why you should be discouraged."  Tony replied. "You are making 
tremendous progress.  The muscles in your legs simply have to regain their 
strength.  It isn't like last…" Tony caught himself before finishing that last 
sentence.  He was going to make a reference to when she had been paralyzed.  
Then, it had taken her months and months to relearn to walk.

"What were you going to say Tony?"  Katherine asked.

Tony was trying to think of a believable explanation when Stefan walked into the 
room with Samantha.  Katherine quickly forgot her question for Tony and reached 
out her arms in order to hold her baby.  As Katherine fussed over Samantha, 
Stefan asked, "Is there anything new about Katherine's recovery?"

Tony wanted to leave the room as soon as possible before Katherine remembered to 
ask about his slip of the tongue.  "I only came to inform Katherine that her 
first physical therapy session will be this afternoon.  From all indications, 
Katherine most likely will be walking in no time."

"Those are the type of answers that I like to hear."  Stefan interjected.  As 
Tony left the room, Stefan sat down on the edge of the bed.  They were all 
alone, just the three of them.  Katherine, Samantha, and himself were a family.  
He would do anything, absolutely anything in order to preserve his family.

"How do you like my Valentine's Day gift?  I had the crystal vase with the red 
roses delivered first thing this morning while you were still sleeping."  Stefan 
waited in anticipation for Katherine's response.

Katherine smiled briefly, and then she looked into his eyes. "They are both 
beautiful.  Thank you."

"The crystal vase if from France, and the roses are of a rare variety."  Stefan 
looked at the diamond engagement ring that was on Katherine's finger.  "I know 
that I gave you the engagement ring a few days early before Valentine's Day.  I 
do hope that you will consider it a part of today's gift."  Stefan hesitated 
before proceeding.  "I don't mean to pressure you Katherine.  You can take all 
the time in the world.  However, have you thought about my marriage proposal?… 
Will you marry me?"

Katherine lifted her left hand.  "I have been thinking about your words 
constantly.  I know that at first I was apprehensive about accepting the ring… 
But now, I think that I could become accustomed to wearing the ring for always… 
Yes, I will marry you."  The only reason Katherine was agreeing to the marriage 
was for her daughter's sake.  Katherine was determined that her child would have 
a better life than she had.  The better life that she wanted for Samantha 
included having two married parents.

"You don't know how pleased I am to hear those words."  Stefan put his hands on 
both sides of Katherine's face and kissed her. When the kiss ended, Katherine 
wondered if she had made the right decision.  She still knew so little about 
this man.  Even though he was Samantha's father, to her he was still a stranger.

"Is there something wrong Katherine?"  Stefan asked.  He did not like the look 
he saw on her face.

At first she hesitated, then she spoke.  "We have talked endlessly about our 
daughter and obviously you already know everything about me.  However, I know so 
little about you and about our past together."

Stefan knew that he had put this conversation off for long enough.  He had to 
answer her questions before she started asking someone else.  "There is not 
really much to tell about myself, but I will start with my family's history.  
The Cassadines were once part of the Russian nobility, but we had to flee our 
homeland because of the Bolshevik Revolution.  My family then settled in the 
Greek Islands, and we have lived there ever since."

"Are you really part of nobility?"  Katherine was in amazement. "Is that the 
reason why you sometimes refer to Samantha as your little princess?"

"Yes.  Samantha Cassadine is a true princess in every sense of the word."  
Stefan revealed proudly.  "I have already submitted her name to be entered into 
the Registry of European Nobility."

"Every little girl dreams of being a princess, but my daughter won't have to 
pretend."  Katherine bent her head down to kiss her sleeping baby.  Then, she 
asked, "How did we meet?  How did a person of European nobility come to meet an 
American from Port Charles, New York?"

Stefan carefully chose his words.  "It is really quite simple. My nephew, 
Nikolas, is the son of Laura Spencer.  She was at one time married to my 
brother, Stavros… He is now deceased."

Instantly, Katherine felt guilty for asking all those questions. She could tell 
that Stefan had become saddened when he had mentioned his brother's name.  "I am 
sorry about your brother." Katherine said sincerely.  "I did not mean to bring 
up painful memories… I never knew Laura Spencer that well, but I had no idea 
that she had other children."

"There is no need to apologize.  I raised Nikolas myself in Greece on Cassadine 
Island.  For a long time, his existence was not common knowledge.  We came to 
Port Charles because of Laura's daughter.  She required a bone marrow 
transplant, and Nikolas was a match.  

Katherine was relieved to hear the explanation of how he knew Laura Spencer.  
She was the mother of his nephew.  Obviously, the photograph of Laura and Stefan 
with Samantha was just an innocent visit.  There was no need to even bring up 
the subject.  So, Katherine put on a brave smile as she asked once again, 
"Exactly, how did we meet?… Did our eyes meet across some room?… Was it love at 
first sight?"

Stefan began to think back to the night on Spoon Island when he had accidentally 
shot Katherine.  Their eyes had most definitely met just a split second before 
he had nearly killed her.  Shame was once again sweeping over him for what he 
had once done.  Katherine reached out to touch his arm.  He was so deep in 
thought that at first he did not hear her when she said, "Stefan, Stefan, are 
you all right?"

Slowly, he reverted back to the present.  Katherine was looking at him with so 
much concern on her face while holding their daughter.  He knew that he could 
not tell her the truth.  "I… I was just thinking about the night we met.  It was 
a foggy December night.  You had come to Spoon Island to speak with Nikolas.  
The two of you were friends at the time.  We… we met through my nephew.  I 
instantly fell in love with you that evening.  Then, about a year and a half 
later, we became engaged."

"I don't remember Nikolas, but I should like to met him.  Does he still live 
here in Port Charles?"  Katherine asked this as she stroked her daughter's hair.

"No, he has gone away to school.  This is his first semester at Cambridge… I 
miss him so very much."  Stefan revealed sadly.

Then, Stefan just stopped talking.  Katherine wanted for him to continue.  When 
he did not resume the story of their past, Katherine once again asked more 
questions. "You said that a year and a half after we met that we became engaged.  
What happened in between that time?  There surely has to be more to our story."

Stefan did not want to talk anymore about their past.  It was simply too 
painful.  He only wanted to talk about their future together.  "Let's not 
discuss our past anymore.  It is our future that is important."   Placing his 
hands once more on both sides of her face, Stefan spoke the following words, 
"Katherine, come away with me."

"What?"

"Come away with me.  We will take Samantha and leave Port Charles.  I have homes 
all over the world.  We can live anywhere. Please, say yes."  Stefan lowered his 
hands and then showed the pictures of the estates owned by the Cassadine family 
to Katherine. There were homes in France, London, Switzerland, and of course 
Greece.

Katherine looked at the pictures in astonishment.  "Why do you want to leave 
Port Charles all of a sudden?   You said before that Wyndemere is our home.  I 
thought that when I finally leave the hospital that I was going to live there."

"Yes of course, I did say that, and it is true.  However, Wyndemere is more of 
my adopted home.  The only reason I have remained in Port Charles is because I 
fell in love with a beautiful American… I have never totally felt comfortable in 
this country. I suppose it is because of my Old World upbringing.  I just feel 
more at home in Europe."

"If that is how you truly feel.  Then, of course, we can leave." Katherine spoke 
with only concern and sincerity in her voice.  "I have no real ties to Port 
Charles either.  You and Samantha are my family now.  If you want to go back to 
Europe, then we will." Looking at the pictures one more time, Katherine came 
across the Cassadine home in Greece.  "Why don't we go back to your home in 
Greece?  It looks beautiful, and I know that with time I will come to think of 
it as my home as well."

"Thank you, Katherine.  You won't regret this decision."  He said this as he 
gave Katherine and then their baby a kiss.  Within days he thought to himself, 
he would have Katherine and Samantha out of Port Charles forever and away from 
their past.

--------------------

Three days later, Katherine was in her wheelchair as she was returning form her 
physical therapy session with a guard trailing on behind.  She felt almost like 
a spectacle as she went through the halls of General Hospital.  The looks she 
was receiving from the hospital staff were unnerving to say the least.  
Katherine gave a sigh of relief when she finally returned to her room because 
now she was safe from all of the stares.  Stefan planned for them to leave for 
Greece the next day.  She was looking forward to leaving Port Charles as much 
Stefan.

"Would you like to lie down Ms. Bell or sit in a chair?"  The nurse asked.

"I think that I would like to sit for a while," Katherine replied.  She had been 
in a hospital bed for close to ten months. Sitting in a chair would be a nice 
change.

The nurse helped Katherine out of the wheelchair and settled her into a chair 
that was next to the window.  Next, she placed Katherine's walker within easy 
reach.  Just as the nurse was about to leave, she noticed a large envelope on 
the bed.  "One of the hospital volunteers must have brought you your mail while 
we were gone," the nurse said as she handed the envelope to Katherine.

"Thank you," Katherine answered as she accepted her mail.  Once the nurse left, 
she studied the envelope.  It contained no return address or postmark.  On the 
outside, it simply read, "To Katherine Bell, Confidential."  By now, her 
curiosity was peaked.  So, she opened the envelope and pulled out nearly a dozen 
newspaper articles from the Port Charles Gazette.