It's evening time, and T&B have just had a strange visit from Dorian, who notified them that she needs them to move out of her penthouse ASAP. Now that Dorian is gone, Blair has changed into a business suit and is puttering around the living room. When Todd enters the room, beer in hand, he is surprised to see that she has changed her clothes.

Todd: Where ya' goin'?
Blair: I am hiring a marketing advisor for Melador. Got a meeting with her tonight.
Todd: So what do I do? Just hang out here and pack stuff up?
Blair: Well, honey, I thought that you were gonna be out of town, remember? So just -- just relax, and we'll have the packers do that. Dorian won't die if we stay here one more night.
Todd: You still okay about moving into Alex's old place?
Blair: Well, I definitely want to get out of here, but on top of the fact that we're definitely gonna need more space, I don't want to be in Dorian's debt anymore.
Todd: Dorian.
Blair: (scoffing in agreement) Yeah, really.
Todd: She is so weird.
(he goes to sit down)
Blair: Well, she's never been very predictable.
Todd: Tell me about it. I mean, one minute she's like, "Welcome to the family, Todd," and the next minute she's throwing us out on the street.
Blair: (laughs)
Todd: Hey, did you see how she booked out of here today. I mean, it's like the place was on fire or something.
Blair: I know! And the minute that you mentioned meeting Viki at that bar at the airport, I mean, she couldn't get out of here fast enough!
Todd: There's another weirdo for you. My sister Viki. I never know what to expect from her. You should have seen her today.
Blair: Well, maybe she was just ticked off being delayed for her flight or something.

Todd gets up out of his chair and walks over to Blair.

Todd: No, I'm telling you, she was really weird.
Blair: Really?
Todd: She was like someone else.
Blair: Well --
Todd: She even offered to buy me a drink. (he takes another sip of his beer)
Blair: Todd, what's wrong with that?
Todd: Nothing. Except she usually acts like I'm covered with lice.
Blair: Maybe she's finally accepting you for her brother.
Todd: She wasn't acting much like a sister.
Blair: (looking at Todd in surprise) What do you mean?
Todd: Look, I know everybody in this town thinks that Viki's like some kind of lady of the manor, but I'm tellin' you, from where I was sitting, she wasn't like any lady I've ever known. (he takes another sip of beer)

--end scene--

Todd: I'm telling you, the woman sitting in the bar was not the sweet little Viki that everybody says that they know.

Todd, now finished with his beer, goes back to the bar to get another one. Meanwhile, Blair is only half-paying attention to all of this Viki talk -- she's busy studying a jar of Serenity Springs' Miracle Mud, obviously in preparation for her meeting with the marketing expert later in the evening.

Blair: She's not the saint that this town makes her out to be, huh?
Todd: (opening the new beer bottle) Mm-mm, I never saw a saint chug a scotch like that.

Todd flicks the cap from the bottle at some nearby barware, making a clinging noise that gets Blair's attention and finally pulls her away from the mud.

Blair: Come on, Todd, why -- why do you even care?
Todd: I don't care. (he takes a sip of the new beer)
Blair: (getting some papers together) Well, I don't care about anything other than you, my dear husband, this baby, and Melador. And you and the baby are in great shape.

Blair grabs a large black binder from the table and goes to sit on the couch.

Todd: So what's stopping Melador?
Blair: (rifling through some papers in the binder) Oh, nothing. It's all about the sale, Todd.
Todd: Is that why you hired this, uh, marketing expert?
Blair: Well, she should be able to tell me whether or not I'm headed in the right direction, whether I'm up on the latest trends, whether this product is up on the current health and beauty needs.
Todd: Hey, you got nothing to worry about. You've done your homework. (he takes another sip of beer)
Blair: I know, Todd, but -- and everything seems to be falling into place, but, I don't know, I'm just a little nervous, that's all.
Todd: Listen to me...

Todd goes over to the table and picks up the jar of Serenity Springs Miracle Mud that Blair was distracted with earlier.

Todd: (dismissively of the jar) If this is your only competition, I -- really, I don't think you have a thing to worry about.

Blair jumps up from the couch anxiously.

Blair: Todd, look, I wish that that were true, but that stupid mud in there -- that's cornered the market that I was hoping Melador could grab!
Todd: You're kidding me, right?
Blair: No! (taking the jar from Todd) And this homespun packaging is tacky, but even I have to admit that the stuff inside here is good stuff. Even my chemists can't come up with anything better.
Todd: Well, use their mud! Just repackage their product.
Blair: Todd, I don't think that's legal.
Todd: Well, it is if you own the product.

Blair gives Todd an incredulous look. Todd clarifies what he means.

Todd: Just buy 'em out.

--end scene--

When the scene returns, Blair is laughing at Todd's idea.

Todd: What are you laughing at? (he takes another sip of beer)
Blair: At you, Todd! You are sweet, but you are funny. You want me to buy out Max and Luna -- and Cord?

Todd doesn't seem to pick up on the pause just before Blair said Cord's name. Or if he did, he doesn't comment on it.

Todd: Well, it's not like you can't afford it. (he sips his beer again)
Blair: They wouldn't sell me one teaspoon of mud from Serenity Springs! That place is like some monument of Max and Luna's "love"! They certainly don't want me contaminating it.
Todd: Just make 'em an offer!
Blair: They hate me, Todd! Luna thinks that I'm the devil's daughter, and Max would just as soon shoot himself in the head as to look at me, and -- come on, as far as Cord is concerned, I --
Todd: Look, I think you're taking this way too personally. This is just business.
Blair: Right. You can tell that to The Three Musketeers.
Todd: (wiping his mouth) Look, everybody's got a price. Even the Goody Bunch. (taking another sip of beer)
Blair: (getting her purse) Well, I wouldn't be too sure about that.
Todd: Why don't you just make 'em an offer? I mean, it doesn't hurt to try.
Blair: I'll think about it, all right? But don't you hold your breath. (looking at her watch) Look, I gotta get going, all right?
Todd: Do me a favor.
Blair: What?
Todd: Just bounce my idea off this marketing wizard. Just for kicks.
Blair: Okay, I'll do that, all right? Listen, I gotta get going...I shouldn't be gone too long. What are you going to do while I'm gone?
Todd: Oh, I've got work to do.
Blair: Good, honey! I'll see you later.
Todd: All right.
Blair: (walking out) Bye-bye!

Blair exits the penthouse, while Todd picks up a nearby copy of The Banner and takes it over to the couch, where he sits down and starts studying it. He notices one of the more prominent by-lines.

Todd: Mike Watkins -- let's just see what kinda writer you are....

--end scene--

When the scene returns, Todd is going through The Banner with a red pen, circling his favorite writers. He circles one and seems pretty pleased with it.

Todd: Right for the jugular! I like that. That's something I can use.

Todd puts the paper down, grabs a notebook and adds the writer's name to a short list. In total, he has three names: Mike Watkins, Jason DePaull, and now a third name...

Todd: Quincy Johnson... That oughta be enough to get things rolling, huh? If Daddy Lordbucks can do it, why can't I?

Todd gets up from the couch, finds his address book, looks up a number, and dials it on the phone.

Todd: Hello, Mr. Miller? Yeah, it's me, Todd Manning. Listen, I need for you to liquidate some assets for me first thing tomorrow morning. Yeah, I'm gonna make some job offers and, uh, I want them to be too good to turn down. Yeah, okay, great, we'll meet then, and, uh, I'll go over it with you then. Okay. Thanks.

Todd hangs up the phone and looks pretty satisfied.

Todd: That oughta shake things up a little, right?

--end transcript--