Caray, Caray!

Alonso warns Malrupo that he'll be personally handling the appeal of the rape trial and before it's over he'll see that Malrupo ends up behind bars.  Malrupo claims he’s untouchable.  “--Come at me if you can, suckah!”

Gustavo's career seems to be going to the dogs, literally.  Thanks be to the Diosito that Chiquita’s owners have agreed to visitation times.  (Grrr.  FF>>FF>>)



Olivia, always naive and trusting, seems to have the lousiest taste in men.  She’s just been enchanted by the moves Carlos’s cousin Alan has made on her.  Yep, she is interested in getting a chance to see him there at the office again and suggests Victoria and Alejandra can and should find a way to have him return to the office.

Alan brings Benjamin the paperwork for the job Carlos has hired him to do.  It’s for a quantity of Benjamins that  Benji cannot refuse -- just make sure it's all in cash, he advises Al.

Ale calls Carlos to discuss in person some of the foundation proposals--just as he figured she would.

Carmen advises Ric that Alonso has called an emergency meeting that evening for the entire legal staff.

Malrupo rushes in to see Carlos and asks him to defend him against Alonso Vega.

That evening at the emergency meeting, Alonso tells the staff that Malrupo sold out in the rape case and he's got an appointment with the judicial oversite authorities to get the judge dismissed from his position [destituir] on the bench and put behind bars.

Malrufo advises Carlos that Vega and his posse are going to charge him with corruption for declaring some boys innocent of a rape charges. Carlos suggests Mal tell him the truth about the rape case and how he handled it.  '"--You know better than anybody that I won't judge you."  Mal explains that one of the boys' dads is the owner of a large hotel chain.  He'd sent his lawyer over to make a deal and yes, he accepted it.  Vega said he's determined to persuade them to dismiss him from the bench.   However, he was careful to put the money into his wife’s bank account.   Carlos says he won’t have anything to worry about then.

Vega assigns his legal beagles tasks for the appeal.  Roberto and Leonardo are to put out a protection order against those three rapists before they are able to flee the country; Ale and Ric are in charge of hiring some therapist to handle Alexa and to persuade her dad that there’s still more to do to win in the end.  Oli, Leti and Juan will check the past few months of cases to look for any anomalies in the sentences given that might prove he was bought off.  Benji is to file papers accusing Malrupo of corrupt dealings in order to freeze his bank accounts and force an audit of them; and Gus and Vicki will investigate the boys’ families and their businesses to see if there are any anomalies in their business dealings also.  “--This law firm seeks to find justice for its clients.  This case will be no exception.  Rest up because we have difficult days ahead of us.”

Later in the evening Juan meets Fer at a fabulous restaurant and tells her how beautiful she is.  He hands her a bouquet of roses and repeats by heart the message that is on the card.  To the most beautiful woman.  You really believe that?  I think it, I feel it and I am looking at it. He sits her down at the table and presents her with a gold box of chocolates and begs forgiveness for being such a dolt where Tatiana is concerned.  He never meant to get her jealous.  It was just he felt bad about what she’s been through and that she was singled out as a possible suspect.  He doesn’t want her to be jealous over nothing.  Fer is sweet about that and says she doesn’t want to act like a jealous female when there’s no reason to be.  Juan is a good, intelligent and caring man that any woman would want to be with.  He tells her how lucky he is to be with her.  She admits she’s had a crush on him for just about forever.  They lip-lock to seal the deal on their mutual attraction.  All is forgiven.

 Ale and Ric pay a visit to Alexa’s daddy and try persuading him to let Vega carry on with an appeal.  “--Alonso Vega is going to handle it personally.” Alexa’s daddy kicks them out of the house.  He wants nothing more to do with the business or carrying on a legal battle.  “--Justice is only for the rich and powerful.  Leave.  You’re no longer welcome here.”

Ric and Ale begin their evening together during happy hour at the club again.  He’s upset at what a failure and disappointment he was for Alexa and her dad.  Ale reminds him that Alonso’s involved now and he won’t stop till he gets his man, and besides,  one cannot win all cases.  “--You cannot save the whole world.  Some things are out of your control.”  Ric admits he’s missed her all this time and it’s such a relief to be able to discuss things with her.  She comments that it’s because in so many things they are so much alike.

At the same time, Lonnie has invited Ale’s papi to dinner with him to ask a major favor.  He explains to  Jaime how Judge Malrufo let go the rapists in a case where all the clinical proof demonstrated their guilt.  He hands Jaime the file and asks him to speak with the Attorney General about it.   He mentions that Ale took part in the case and witnessed the trial.  She can fill Jaime in on the details.

Meanwhile, back at the club, Ric apologizes to Ale for being such a chump.  He flirts with and compliments her.  She’s all ears and sparkling dimples.  He tells her that as much as he tried to get her out of his head he could not.  She admits she couldn’t forget him either.  He says he doesn’t think he could get through the rest of his life without her being a part of it.  He is just totally helplessly in love with her.  She lays a major lip-lock on the dude and all is forgotten—bygones are to be bygones, not bye-gones.  She mentions it will be difficult juggling his family and Carlos’s insistent attempts towards her.  He swears it won’t matter a bit.  He’ll make her the happiest of dimpled damsels in the world.  He seals it with a bona fide Bustamonte buss of trust.

At the restaurant, Lon and Jaime remember old times together and toast to a renewed partnership of sorts.

Over at Carlos’s bachelor pad de lujo, he and Alan are sharing a few tragos.  He mentions that Malrufo has asked him to handle a bribery case.  Is he guilty?  Damn straight and Vega is now personally involved.  Will he defend him?  Yup.  He owes the judge a favor over what he did to keep Al out of jail.  Carlos will defend him, but maybe not to the best of his ability.  Al says he thought the guy was a friend.  Carlos says nobody has friends in this business.  It’s every man for himself.  If Malrufo has forgotten that then it’s because he’s a fool. 

Ric brings Ale home and they make out by the steps.  He tells her how enthralled he is by her.  They kiss some more.  He cannot get enough of her.  (I have.  You’ve got me searching for my Chapstick already.  Next scene, please.)

Back at Badmouth & Bachelor Central, Al mentions he met Oli and told her he’d like to get to know her better.  Carlos is all for it and while he’s at it, try to pump her for he latest on Ale.   Alan mentions it’s dangerous to leave Ale unattended for any length of time.  Carlos figures absence will make her heart grow fonder for him.   Al asks Carlos if he hadn’t thought about looking for someone else to get involved with.  He never seemed sincere to Alan.  It was like he was using her to get in good with her father.  No.  She is definitely the one for him.  Sooner or later they’ll get it on again.  Just wait and see.

Once inside the house, Ale can’t wait to give Paula the good news that she and Ric are back together.  Paula is pleased as punch.

Next morning Oli has a quick meeting in her office to plan their approach to helping Alonso with his case.  Leti says don’t count on her since she’s busy with her other case.  "--Great.  Then you can explain to Alonso why nothing’s gotten done next time he wants a report."  Juan says he’s all in and has a suggested plan ready to go.  When Leti struts her stuff out of the office, Juanito asks if she’s just in a bad mood today or what.  Oli mentions she’s always like that.  Too bad.

Ric hasn’t left yet.  He gets his dry cleaning hand delivered to him.   That makes him stop and look inside his trinkets of Ale treasure box again.   Just then our daymare, Elena, calls causing us and Ric a sudden, shattering end to his daydream.  She’s using the kids as a lure to get him into her lair but he can’t be tempted today.  This case has gotten complicated and Alonso is now involved.  No time in the near future to come over and be with the kids.  She tries guilting him  with a sugar-coated scolding but it doesn’t work this time.  She’s left to consider a different tack. 

Leti briefly chats it up with Alonso to remind him she cannot do much on the Malrufo case due to  the trial for her client is starting today.   Oh, but she’s already met with Oli and Juan and, she fudges, they’ve all agreed on a strategy forward.  She says she won’t fail him and will prove that she can take on a case by herself.

Juan gets Patti’s phone records finally.

Leo and Rob check in with the prosecuting attorney and explain how and why they lost the rape case and that they’re appealing it.  She agrees to rush getting out an order to keep the boys accused from leaving the country.  She reminds them that no male should be allowed to rape without penalty, any woman.  “--It would seem you’re seeing the same situation as with the Ibarra case, but from the other side, gents!”

Labels: ley