Ric #1 (Ric & Liz)  November 8, 2002 - April 18, 2003 - 8 hr original edit

Ric is first scene in a Venezuelan jail cell. As Carly and Jason are incarcerated, Ric is in the adjacent cell also being held on Alcazar's orders. He plays a song called "The Lost Ones" on the guitar. When Carly tells them her husband, Sonny Corinthos, would pay a lot of money for her safe return Ric's ears perk up. A couple of weeks later, Ric is released and his personal possessions are returned to him. As soon as he is released, he cleans up and shaves, then boards a private jet. While on board the jet, he checks out his gun to make sure it is in perfect working order. Once in PC, Ric shows up at Sonny's penthouse and asks to speak to Sonny. Max, Sonny's bodyguard, informs him that Sonny doesn't meet with strangers unless he has been introduced by one of his associates or friends first.The man tells Max that a friend of his is an associate of Sonny's and recommended that he meet him. Max refuses to let the man enter Sonny's place and tells him that his friend will have to call and set up a meeting with them outside of his home. Ric doesn't argue with him and leaves quietly. He shows up at Luke's club and sits at the bar observing Carly, Sonny, and Jason. He continued to watch them all evening. Liz and Ric meet as he accidentally takes her drink, its a bourbon. He says she doesn't look like a girl who drinks bourbon. She says she isn't (drink is for Cameron). Outside as Sonny takes a cell phone call from Benny, Ric overhears. He follows Sonny to Kelly's. As he stands outside peering in the window, LIz walks up behind him and asks if she can help him. She recognizes him from Luke's Club. She gets snippy with him for lurking.

Next is the Alcazar murder montage, as Brenda tries to get past Luis to get out of there but he won’t let her. He grabs her and forcibly kisses her. She pulls away in tears and wrenches away from his grasp. Her bracelet unknowingly falls to the floor in her struggle to get out. She turns around and runs out of the room. As she races down the hall, she hits a room service table and knocks a knife to the ground. She picks up the knife and stares at it. Skye wakes up and holds her head and looks at the closed bedroom door. Meanwhile, Jax is in the elevator. As it hits the14th floor, he gets out and stares down the hall. Jason, at the same time, is running up the stairwell. He arrives on the 14th floor, opens the door and looks down the hall.Luis has gone outside to the balcony, agonizing over Brenda. He is near tears. Someone is in his room and walks to the balcony. Luis turns around and faces the person and asks, “Now what?” Suddenly, Luis comes flailing down 14 floors, seemingly thrown off the balcony. He lands smack on a car’s windshield. The car alarm blares. Outside, Ric is right next to Alcazar’s body and the car. He checks out the scene.

At Kelly's, Courtney goes over to wait on Ric but gets interrupted by someone wanting her to switch the television to Monday Night Football. Of course, Monday Night Football has been interrupted by breaking news…Luis Alcazar was found dead. The news reports that it is suspected that Alcazar ran afoul of the local organized crime boss. Courtney listens to the story and Ric listens intently. As Courtney waits on Ric, AJ returns again and asks if Courtney heard the news about Alcazar. Jason shows up. AJ wants Courtney to ask Jason where he was. He starts to mouth off to Jason. Courtney interjects to shut AJ up and asks Jason point blank if he killed Alcazar. Before he can answer, Scott and Taggert show up and say they had the very same question. Ric watches as Jason is arrested and taken away.

Later, Liz hears guitar music coming from upstairs and goes upstairs and Liz meets the Venezuelan Stranger. She is suddenly a bit tongue tied when he answers the door. He assumes she came to ask him to turn down the music and apologizes and says he will keep it down. Liz backpedals and says that it is fine, she thought it was a CD. (Note: Her first love, Lucky played guitar and wrote a song for her titled "Elizabeth".) She mentions her studio and he figures out that she is an artist by the paint in her hair. She goes over to the mirror to check as he stands behind her gazing at her. She breaks the moment and he makes an excuse that he has some phone calls to make.

Ric arrives at Sonny's Penthouse and tells Carly that he has an important letter for Sonny. Carly does not recognize her former cell mate and tells the stranger that he will have to wait outside. Ric elects to stand in the hallway outside Sonny's door, and Carly puts in a call to Sonny. Sonny finally returns to his penthouse and finds Carly talking to the Venezuelan Stranger. After Carly leaves, Sonny lambastes Ric for hanging around outside Sonny's door and giving Sonny's wife cause for concern. Ric asks Sonny's forgiveness for his thoughtless action and hands Sonny a letter from Octavo Morales, Sonny's business partner in Puerto Rico. It is a letter of recommendation from Octavo to Sonny, recommending Ric to Sonny. Ric asks Sonny for a job and Sonny discusses Ric's credentials as a lawyer. Sonny informs Ric that Sonny does not need a lawyer and then Sonny asks what Ric has been doing since the year 2000. Ric claims that he was attending business school at Stamford and can get copies of the transcripts for Sonny. Sonny tells Ric not to bother, and Ric leaves.

Elizabeth takes a package to Ric's room above Kelly's, but finds the new boarder is not at home. Letting herself in to deposit the package, Elizabeth notices that Ric is keeping quite a file of news clippings, documents and photos all about Sonny. Ric returns unexpectedly and jumps down Liz's throat for snooping in his room. When Elizabeth sees Carly at Kelly's, Liz tells Carly about Ric's file. Carly sees Ric leaving Kelly's, and stops Ric to quiz him about the file. Ric claims that the file was research that he used to produce a five-year plan for Sonny's business, which Ric planned to drop off at Sonny's Penthouse, to go along with the resume that Ric left earlier. Ric shows Carly the five-year plan to prove his point. Carly warns Ric that if he plans any false moves against Sonny, Ric will end up at the bottom of the river. As Carly turns to leave, she slips on the ice and turns her ankle. Ric offers to help her get home. Sonny is angry when he returns to the Penthouse and finds Carly on the couch with her ankle propped up and RIC in the Penthouse! Carly explains that Ric helped her home after she slipped on the ice, but Sonny remains angry. Sonny shoves some money at Ric to pay for helping his wife home, but Ric turns the money down, telling Sonny that he will wait until he earns it before accepting money from Sonny. After Sonny orders Ric to get out of his home, Carly gives Sonny Ric's five-year plan for Sonny's businesses and admits that it looks pretty good to her. But Sonny says that there is something not right about Ric and that Ric is too good to be true and Sonny burns the plan in the fireplace. That night, Ric awakens from a nightmare about an explosion.

Lucky meets the new tenant, Ric, at Kelly's. Liz tells him that there is a package that arrived for him andsnaps at him when he accuses her of snooping in his room again. She gets the package to him from behind the counter. Liz is confused when Ric thanks her for telling Carly about his research on Sonny. He tells her that he wrote up a business plan for Sonny's organization and hopes that Sonny will hire him soon. Liz warns him about trying anything concerning Sonny, since he is a friend of hers. Ric gets a call from Sonny, asking him to meet him in an hour at the penthouse. Ric goes over there and Carly gets the wrong idea and asks him not to come to her home or Sonny won't hire him at all. Sonny shows up and asks Carly to leave the room so they can talk business. Sonny informs Ric that he may have a job for him after all. Sonny tells Ric that Sonny wants Ric to dig up dirt on Scott that will be bad enough to convince Scott to play ball with Sonny. But Sonny warns Ric that if Ric gets caught, Sonny will claim that Sonny knows nothing about Ric. Ric accepts the assignment. But, as Rick prepares to leave, Michael and Carly return and Michael meets Ric. Ric tells Carly that he grew up in Europe. When Ric leaves the penthouse, Carly tries to get Sonny to tell her what Ric's assignment is but Sonny tells Carly that Sonny does not want Carly to know what Ric is doing, but does admit that, even if it goes haywire, Sonny will be safe, because Ric is expendable. Sonny admits that he had Ric investigated and that all of Ric's involvements appear to be clean but Sonny still has a feeling that Ric is too good to be true.

Ric arrives back at Kelly's and begins asking Elizabeth questions about Scott. Liz suggests that Ric talk to Bobbie if he wants the lowdown on Scott. When Bobbie comes in, Ric offers to buy her a cup of coffee and Bobbie gladly tells Ric about the way that Scott tried to send Bobbie's brother up the river even when Scott knew that Luke was innocent. Bobbie states that she believes that Scott is a liar, a fraud and probably even a crook as well. At Scott's office, Ric offers to work with Scott to bring down Sonny and Sonny's private little fiefdom, but Scott turns down Ric's offer. Although Scott DOES gloat that he MUST be making Sonny nervous if Sonny is sending his goons around with offers to become double agents!

As Jason leaves the penthouse, Ric shows up asking for Sonny and Carly reminds Ric that Sonny did not want Ric to be seen at the Penthouse. Jason suddenly grabs Ric and tells Carly to check Ric's briefcase for a gun. Carly tells Jason that Sonny hired Ric, but Carly still searches for a gun and finds nothing. Ric tells Carly that he has information Sonny needs to get right away, but Carly says that Sonny went out to meet Ric. When Ric pleads ignorance, Carly guesses that Sonny lied and Carly further speculates that Sonny rushed right out to rescue Brenda again! Carly enters Kelly's and sees Ric. Ric wants to know if Sonny is home, and Carly goes off saying she doesn't know anything about anything, and that she's just the good little wife. She then tells Ric to forget all she said, that Sonny is swell. Ric has a package to be delivered to Sonny, then hides it when Scott walks in and accuses Ric of stealing something that belongs to Scott. He tells her that he has a tape that he 'found' at the DA's office and that he needs to meet with Sonny to hand it over. Scott and Taggert suddenly show up and Scott accuses Ric of having lifted somethingfrom the District Attorney's office, and Scott demands that Ric return it. Ric pretends innocence and Carly suddenly tells Scott that Scott does need to take Ric down to the PCPD, because Ric has been snooping around town, asking questions about Carly's husband, and Scott needs to find out what Ric is up to. As Scott gets into an argument with Ric about legal precedents, Carly uses the distraction to shove the purloined tape in to her purse and takes off. Ric suddenly agrees to go quietly to the PCPD with Scott.

Carly goes to Kelly's. She runs into Ric there and assumes Sonny sent him to be her own personal bodyguard. She jumps down his throat and tells him she doesn't need his protection. Ric manages to tell her that he came to Kelly's because he lives there. Carly tells him that Sonny would like nothing better than for her to get a job outside their home so she would be to busy to ask him about his business. Ric mentions that she probably isn't cut out to be a mob wife. Carly takes offense to that. She tells him about the club she use to manage and how she ended up losing that position. Ric tells her that she should probably do something like that again since she strikes him as a very strong and independent woman. Ric listens as Carly tells him how much she enjoyed getting Club 101 up and operational. Ric suggests that Carly start a new club. And Carly finally decides that Ric is right and she should start another business. Carly then invites Ric to become her business manager and, after some mild persuasion, Ric consents.

Later when Ric tells Liz about working with Carly, she diplomatically tries to warn him about Carly. She says that while Carly is creative and has her qualities she can be tricky. He reassures her that he likes the challenge of a tricky situation. Rick enters Club 101. Rick starts to tell Sonny about Jax's situation, and Sonny tells Rick he should know better than to discuss business in front of Carly. Rick tells Sonny and Carly that he already has a list of potential investors for Carly's new club. Ned arrives and announces "If it isn't the local crime boss". Ned advises Rick that he better watch out as Sonny is hard on attorneys and ruined Alexis' life. Ned asks Carly if she's too pretty and dumb to see that Sonny will ruin her life. Sonny stands up and tells Ned to apologize. Ned mouths off, throws a punch at Sonny, and Sonny wipes the floor with him.

Carly arrives at Kelly's and tries to get Jason interested in blueprints of Kelly's, which show a hidden room. But Jason tells Carly that he does not have time for her little project. However, as Jason prepares to leave, Ric arrives, sits down with Carly and is immediately interested in Carly's blueprints. Jason watches as Ric huddled over the blueprints with Carly. Jason tries to warn Carly against trusting Ric. But Carly insists that Sonny himself checked Ric out and could not find anything wrong in Ric's background. However, Jason warns Carly that someone who seems too good to be true probably is! At the Christmas tree lot, Ric suddenly remembers a previous Christmas with his family. Then Ric flashes back to an explosion and is stunned when he realizes that Carly is standing right beside him!

In a cute moment, Rick is down on the docks and Liz comes running along chased by kids who nail her with snowballs and then run off. When she sees him, she jokingly asks him if he is spying on her? (Referring to his earlier accusations when he found her in his room). He admits he deserved that. He says he heard her scream and was already to ride off to the rescue but shes that she can take care of herself. She fakes him oiut with the old, "look behind you!" He falls for it, turns and looks, and she nails him with a snowball. This turns into a snowball fight between them (well as best they can with fake snow in a California studio). They call a truce. She demands that he declare her the winner and wants to know what her prize is. he offers her a cup of hot chocolate. She accepts and says they can further discuss a settlement. (no hot chocolate scene actually aired)

Ric overhears Courtney and Liz talking about Sonny and Jason's arrests. Ric shows up at the PCPD and Sonny realizes Rick is responsible for his release. Tagger is beyond annoyed that Sonny is being released! Sonny isn't happy about Ric's invovlement and tells Ric he isn't his attorney and does not want him working on his behalf. Carly pulls Sonny aside and asks Sonny to have Ric get Jason out of jail that it is about Jason being home for Christmas. Sonny agrees and asks Ric who goes off to make a couple of phone calls. Sonny and Carly return home to a happy reunion with Michael. Christmas music montage to "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" - Ric plays guitar for Liz, scenes from the GH Christmas party, Coleman at Skye's bedside, Courtney standing sadly before the tree in her empty apartment as Jason returns home and they embrace, Sonny kisses a sleeping Michael and Carly as they are curled up on the couch, and ends with Jax and Brenda on their island terrace.

Carly threatens A.J. with a coffee pot to get him to leave Kelly's (he has come looking for info on Courtney). Ric looks on with amusement. Carly and Ric discuss the hidden section of the basement at Kelly's and wonder what it is down there that is walled off. Ric wonders if there are dead bodies down there hidden. On the docks, as Ric and Carly look for a spot for her new club, Carly is intrigued by the question of the hidden room beneath Kelly's. Ric tries to convince Carly that Ric could restructure Sonny's empire in such a way that Sonny could get out of the Mob Business. But Carly warns Ric not to get too interested in Sonny's business. When Carly and Ric return to the Penthouse, Ric mentions that he believes Sonny could get out of the Mob by restructuring some of his holdings and Sonny bluntly orders Ric to mind his own business. Sonny then orders Ric to leave. In the basement of Kelly’s, Ric and Carly have arrived to knock down the wall. Bobbie is a little reluctant to go along with it, though, and worries that the bricks might actually be holding up the structure. Carly finally gets Bobbie to admit that she is a tiny bit curious, too and then she finally agrees and Ric starts hacking away. Once he gets a decent-sized hole cut away, Carly walks through and is startled, “Oh my God!” They find an old speakeasy. (Note: The special black and white episode featuring the 20's scenes is not included and is available as a separate self contained episode).

Ric tells Sonny a legal strategy to help both Brenda and Jason. When he suggests that Brenda could use the battered wife syndrome as a defense he could get her off and not involve Jason at all since it would concern her relationship to Alcazar not Jason. Sonny cuts him off and tells him that Jason and Brenda will both be found not guilty together. Ric accepts Sonny's final say on the matter. Brenda pleads not guilty in court and Jason is about to plead the same way when his lawyer buts in and says that his client doesn't need to plead anything and that Jason would like to confer with the D.A. and plead to a lesser charge. Jason looks at him in disbelief and tells the judge he wants to fire his attorney and plead not guilty. The judge tells him that he needs counsel to represent him. The attorney defending Jason tells the judge that there is no evidence linking Jason to the crime and that it all points to Brenda only and that it is in his client's best interest to plead to a lesser charge. Jason looks to Sonny for help. Sonny asks Ric if he can represent Jason. Ric agrees to step in as his attorney after promising Sonny that he will allow he could represent Jason. Jason looks at Sonny who wearily nods his head yes to Jason. Jason accepts Ric as his attorney. Ric announces that Jason is pleading not guilty to the charge. The judge sets a trial date and recesses. Jason questions Sonny about what he really knows about Ric, his new lawyer now. Jason tells him that there is something about Ric he doesn't like or trust. Sonny tells him that they don't have to like or trust him totally right now but they need to allow him to help them if he can and worry about the rest later. Ric shows up then at the penthouse. Sonny tells him that now that he is acting as Jason's lawyer now, he can interview the witness, Ida Warren. He presents Ric with a briefcase and tells him that it contains $2million and that he is to give it to Ida with his best wishes for her future and get her to change her testimony and tell the police that she didn't actually see Brenda on the balcony with Alcazar that night. Ric has no problem paying her off for him.

Ric reports to Sonny from Ida's hideout. Hetells him that it appears as if Ida hung herself or someone got to her first. Ric shows up at the courthouse and informs Alexis that Ida Warren's body was found earlier and that it looks like a possible suicide. Alexis tells him that a possible suicide works for her but that most likely Jason, his client went to see Ida and tried to pay her off and since she wouldn't budge, he killed her. Ric tells herthat Ida being dead doesn't help his client or hers since Ida's testimony can't be cross-examined now so his client had no reason to kill Ida. He tells her this news will either exonerate their clients or they both will go down for Murder One. Ric meets with Carly and begs her to help him get in touch with Sonny, but Carly refuses to contact her husband, saying only that he is engaged in important business. Ric then suggests that maybe Carly could make some of Sonny's decisions for him regarding Jason's trial.

Carly tries to persuade Jason to let Ric put Jason on the stand and coach Jason in the right way to answer the questions, but Jason refuses. Ric soon arrives and Jason warns Ric to never again use Carly to get to Jason, then Jason leaves. However, after Jason leaves, Carly mentions that Brenda went to the Hospital to be hypnotized and Ric rushes off to the Hospital to stop Brenda. Ric arrives at Cameron's office and, through an intercom, overhears Brenda's recollection of seeing a mysterious stranger near the stairway leading away from Alcazar's suite. Ric panics when he sees through the one way window into the hospital conference room that Brenda is being hypnotized. He puts on the intercom to overhear the session. Brenda remembers seeing a man with dark hair, wearing a dark overcoat in the corner of the hallway on Alcazar's hotel room floor. She starts to get a better look through her hypnosis. Ric barges in the room to stop the hypnosis. He tells Alexis and Jax that it isn't legally right for them to have Brenda hypnotized without Jason's approval or presence in the room and that as his lawyer, this session could go against him at trial as possible testimony. Jax tells him that the hypnosis could help his client since Brenda remembers a man in an overcoat, not Jason near the hallway. Alexis apologizes for not informing him of their plans but that it happened quite quickly that Brenda decided to go with hypnosis. Ric agrees to stay and allow the hypnosis to continue. He gets worried when Brenda gets closer to identifying the man in the hallway outside Alcazar's room (being him). Brenda can't remember at the time who the man is since she couldn't see his face well.

Sonny meets with the prison warden who agrees to bring him files of prisoners that were in his prison right before Alcazar's murder that had been released at that time. He brings him the files. One of the prisoners was released a week or so before Alcazar's murder. He tells Sonny that there is no picture in his file to help him identify the man. After the warden leaves, the hostess hands Sonny a picture she stole from the file to give to Sonny. Sonny realizes the prisoner is none other than Ric Lansing, Jason's lawyer. Sonny starts to put the pieces of the puzzle together. At Alcazar's South American Estate, the housekeeper confides to Sonny that she and Ric were once lovers. Ric was wealthy, charming, and he worked for Alcazar. One day, Alcazar ordered Ric arrested and, when she secretly visited Ric in prison, Ric was consumed with his desire to pay Alcazar back for all that Ric had lost. Then, just as suddenly, Alcazar ordered Ric released. The housekeeper confides to Sonny that she believed that Ric killed Alcazar when she heard about Alcazar's death.

As Ric torches his incriminating overcoat in the Speakeasy's furnace, Carly surprises him in the act. When Carly demands to know what Ric is doing, Ric covers by telling Carly that he was just trying to determine if the old furnace was still in working condition. Then Ric begs Carly to tell him whether or not Sonny has jumped bail and left the country. But Carly refuses to tell Ric anything about Sonny's business. However, when Leticia and Michael pay a surprise visit to Carly, Ric hears Michael innocently ask Carly when Sonny will be coming home. As Ric admonishes Carly for letting Michael know Sonny was out of town when that kind of action could get Sonny's bail revoked, Ric suddenly gets a call from Sonny, demanding that they meet at the Elm Street Pier in three hours. But, when Carly asks Ric about his call, Ric covers by claiming that it was a paralegal Ric hired to research precedents for him. Sonny meets Ric on the Elm Street Pier and Sonny immediately asks Ric why Ric kept his connection to Alcazar a secret and whether or not RIC killed Alcazar! Sonny accuses Ric of being the one who killed Alcazar. Ric admits that he followed Alcazar to Port Charles and wanted Alcazar dead, but the closest Ric got to Alcazar was seeing Alcazar fall from the balcony. Ric warns Sonny that if Sonny demands that Ric tell all he knows to the police, it will prove to be even more disastrous for Brenda and Jason. Ric reports to Sonny that Ric saw Alcazar fall and went into the Hotel to search Alcazar's room to remove any documents that might tie Ric to Alcazar, and Ric saw a panic-stricken Brenda running through the corridor from Alcazar's suite. Sonny accuses Ric of being the one who killed Alcazar, paid Ida and then killed Ida to prevent her from changing her story. Ric warns Sonny that if the Police find out about Ric's presence at the Hotel that night, it will ultimately work against Brenda and Jason. The only thing Ric could testify to would be that after Alcazar fell from the balcony, Ric saw Jason lead a panic-stricken Brenda out of the Hotel and Ric's testimony could convict both Jason and Brenda, since it would confirm Baldwin's theory that Jason was in the building and helped Brenda murder Alcazar and leave the scene of the crime. Sonny warns Ric not to testify against Brenda or Jason if he wants to remain breathing! Ric agrees, but only if Sonny reciprocates. Sonny agrees that he will not go to the police with his supposition, but orders Ric to cut off all ties to Sonny's family especially Carly!

Brenda tells Jax about a prisoner Alcazar kept tied up and beat because Alcazar believes the man had been stealing from Alcazar, using computer tricks. At the end of the beating, Alcazar pulled the hood of the prisoner's head and Brenda now realizes that the man being beaten was Ric, Jason's attorney. Ric arrives at the Speakeasy to find the place flooded. Carly arrives soon afterward and informs Ric that she believes Faith Roscoe was behind the 'accident' to the plumbing. As Carly begins to tell Ric about her plans for getting even with Faith, Ric regretfully informs Carly that Sonny believes that Ric murdered Alcazar and has ordered Ric to stay away from Sonny's family. When Carly asks Ric if he DID kill Alcazar, Ric admits that he planned to kill Alcazar but never got the chance. As Carly asks Ric why it was so important for Ric to try to get close to Sonny that Ric stayed in town even after Alcazar's death, Jax suddenly arrives, brandishing a gun! Jax demands that Ric go to see DA Baldwin with Jax and Ric reluctantly leaves with Jax. Mac and Taggert showed up at Jax's press conference and heard Jax's theory about Ric killing Alcazar. They and Scott took Ric to police headquarters to interrogate him. Brenda found Jax and explained that it would hurt her case to admit seeing Ric in the hallway the night of the murder. She asked Jax to trust her judgment and go along with what Sonny and Jason want her to do. Alexis arrived on scene and quickly agreed that Brenda should keep silent. At police headquarters, Sonny showed up to see Ric, but Scott would not let him. Finally, Scott got Ric alone in the interrogation room and tried to coerce Ric into being a witness for the prosecution. Ric said that he saw nothing that night, infuriating Scott. Scott decided to hold him overnight to try and change his mind. Ric continues to maintain that he took a short-cut through the alley by the hotel, saw Alcazar fall, recognized him as Luis Alcazar and that he was dead. When Scott demands to know how Brenda saw Ric inside the Hotel when Ric failed to see Brenda, Ric has no explanation.

Liz hears about Ric's detention on the radio and heads to the PCPD. He is surprised when she visits him there. She says she figures that Sonny and Jason wouldn't be rushing to hlep him, he ruefully agrees. She says she knows he doesn't have any friends or family in town and she wanted to see if he needed anything. He is touched by her offer but assures her he will be fine. He calls her his guardian angel.

Elizabeth spots Ric at the hospital. Ric confesses that he is trying to see Brenda to tell her that he will not testify against her. Liz quickly asks if Ric knows something that could incriminate Brenda. Ric refuses to talk. Liz asks if Ric really wants to reassure Brenda because Ric likes Brenda or because Ric wants to impress Sonny. When Liz asks why Ric is so interested in Sonny, Ric admits that Ric believes that Ric could make Sonny's money and power all legitimate. Ric and Liz leave the Hospital together.

Ric got a surprise when he came out of the shower and saw writing on his mirror in red lipstick that said "They are innocent, and I can prove it." Ric heads out to the courthouse. On his way out of Kelly's, he runs into Liz and tells her he is taking her to a play. At the courthouse, Ric tells Sonny what he saw on his mirror. Sonny doesn't trust Ric's account and either does Carly. Ric receives a call from a woman who asks him to meet her on the Docks and informs him that she knows that Brenda and Jason are innocent. When Ric asks if the caller killed Alcazar, she hangs up. When Ric meets his mysterious caller on the Docks, the caller wears a dark coat with a hood and stays in the shadows. When Ric asks why the mystery woman is talking to him, the woman admits that she has found she needs to speak to someone about this then she announces that she knows that Brenda and Jason are innocent because she is the killer! She hands Ric a bag. Then the Mystery Woman admits that, on the night of Alcazar's murder, she struggled with Alcazar and the arms dealer's blood got on her coat. She declares that this evidence should clear Jason and Brenda. When Ric protests that that is not enough because the D.A. will argue about that the chain of evidence is tainted, the mystery woman runs away. Felicia and Rick told a disgruntled Scott about the new evidence and presented the blood-stained cloth. Tensions rose between Scott and Taggert as Taggert called the judge to present the developments and sent the cloth to the lab to be tested. Ric arrived at the penthouse but could not convince Sonny and Carly that the "new evidence" he spoke of was real.

At the Court House, Ric reports to Sonny that he has heard nothing more from his mystery woman. Ric explains to Courtney that a sentence has to be passed before the Judge can vacate the Judgment. Sonny lets Ric know that Sonny is suspicious about the way the evidence to clear Brenda and Jason just 'happened' to fall into Ric's lap just when Ric was bending over backwards to make an impression on Sonny. Ric dryly replies that he no longer gives a damn what Sonny thinks! When the Judge returns, he announces that the new evidence would have changed the outcome of the original trial and vacates the Judgment against Jason and Brenda. The Judge then orders that the prisoners be released. Carly finds Ric and thanks Ric for helping Jason. Ric shows up at The Cellar and tells Carly that he is just dropping off the plans he made up so she wouldn't have to start over completely with another lawyer. Sonny asks to speak to Ric alone. Sonny surprises Ric by thanking him for everything he has done to help get Jason and Brenda set free but questions why he did it and what was in it for him. Ric tells him that he hated Alcazar but didn't kill him and that he didn't think innocent people should pay for his murder. He tells Sonny how he became associated with Alcazar. Jason had shown up and told Ric to send him a bill for his services but refuses to thank him for his help. Sonny tells Ric he can act as Carly's lawyer for her new club but he doesn't want him being his lawyer. A mystery person walks down the stairs into the club and shoots at Sonny and Carly. Sonny throws himself on top of Carly to protect her from the spray of bullets.

Ric and Liz are in Kelly's and heard what sounded like gunshots coming from the basement of Kelly's. Ric had hurried out and caught the shooter and held him until Sonny and Carly could get there. Sonny asked him why he was shooting blanks at him and his wife. The shooter claimed that he didn't mean to kill anyone but didn't reveal who hired him. Sonny and Carly lie to the patrons at Kelly's and tell them that it was just kids playing with fireworks in the alleyway. They accept that story and are treated to free pie. Courtney and Liz went along with it. Sonny surprised both Ric and Carly by letting the man go without turning him into the police. Sonny asks Ric to follow the man and see who he reports to. Liz ends up telling Ric inadvertently that Jason and Courtney are dating and that she is sure Sonny is happy about that. Ric doesn't think Sonny knows about them or that he would be happy since Jason works for him and that could put his "baby sister" in harms way. Liz thinks that Sonny won't have a problem with that like he thinks. Ric knocked at the door of the penthouse. Courtney and Carly went to look at interiors for the new club so Sonny and Ric could talk. Sonny asked Ric to look into someplace far away where he could set Courtney up in a safe place so she could go to college. Ric followed Courtney to her and Jason's secret meeting place.

Sonny called Ric and asked him to come to the penthouse while Carly packed. He asked Ric to start making some arrangements to send Courtney off to college. Sonny told Rick that he would ask Jason to do it, but that he was not back from the Dominican yet. Sonny and Carly left Ric in the penthouse as they headed for the cabin. Jason arrived at the penthouse to find only Ric there. Ric could not convince Jason that he was authorized to be there. He smugly told Jason about his assignment to relocate Courtney, pretending to assume that Jason already knew about it. Jason insisted that Ric leave. Ric arrived at Kelley's to find a disgruntled Elizabeth. Since her shift was over, he asked her to go for a walk and cool off. They wound up walking to Jason and Courtney's secret apartment, where they saw Jason and Courtney leaving for the cabin. Not knowing that they were going off to find Sonny, Elizabeth misinterpreted their affection and nervousness and signs that they were going off to elope. Ric stands outside Courtney and Jasons window witnessing the two sharing close moments, and he starts to grin. Probably thinking that he now has some leverage on Sonny. Sonny calls Ric and asks him to come to the Penthouse, they have some business to discuss.

In the Speakeasy, Liz confides to Ric that she believed that Jason valued the relationship that they shared and might have realized they had something worth saving, except that Courtney moved in on the relationship. As Liz bitterly observes that it looks like they will all become one big, happy Mob family, Ric reminds Liz that Sonny might not like the fact that Sonny's baby sister is dating Sonny's top hit man. Ric confides to Liz that Sonny wants to send Courtney away to school and Liz observes that Courtney landing on the first flight out of town to Switzerland would probably be the best thing that ever happened to Jason! Ric suggests that maybe the reason Courtney and Jason have been keeping their relationship a secret is because Sonny and Courtney know that Sonny would be unhappy if he learned about his hit-man's affair with his sister. Ric and Liz are suddenly interrupted when Mac and his police officers burst in and immediately discover the planted drugs. Mac informs Liz that she can go but he detains Ric for more questions. Ric slips Sonny's cell phone number to Liz and asks her to alert the Mob Boss about the new developments. After Liz leaves, Ric asks Mac to see his search warrant, and quickly discovers that Mac did not get a warrant before searching the Speakeasy! Upstairs, Liz calls Sonny and Sonny informs Carly that they need to return to Port Charles. By the time Liz returns to the Speakeasy, Ric is threatening to sue the PCPD for harassment, illegal search, property damage and conspiracy between Mac and the snitch who tipped Mac off. Mac backs down but, before leaving, Mac warns Ric to think about quitting Sonny while he is still alive to quit, because people around Sonny usually end up seriously hurt or dead! When Sonny and Carly arrive at the Speakeasy, Sonny asks Ric if Ric called Jason to handle the problem first since Jason might be back from the Dominican Republic by now. When Ric admits that he knew that Jason was back but didn't call Jason because Ric figured Sonny would want to handle it himself, Sonny blasts Ric for breaking in on Sonny's quiet time with his wife. As Sonny angrily criticizes Ric's choices, a bristling Elizabeth angrily defends Ric to Sonny and lets slip that Jason left town again, this time with Courtney. And, Liz adds, it looked to her like Jason and Courtney were eloping!

Ric shows up at the penthouse at Sonny's request. He tells him that he hasn't found out where Jason and Courtney went but admits he does know where Courtney and Jason met secretly and gives him the address to their secret apartment. Sonny takes off. Carly defends Jason and tells Ric that this all Liz's fault for being a spiteful ex-girlfriend who can't handle the fact that she blew things with Jason herself. Carly tells him that Jason would never betray Sonny. Sonny goes to the secret appointment and finds a picture of Jason and Courtney that looks quite intimate as well as a sexy negligee in one of her dresser drawers. Elizabeth went to the hospital to try and see Jason, but Carly stopped her and berated her for telling Sonny about Jason and Courtney. Ric was nearby and interrupted their arguing, telling Carly to back off, that Elizabeth was not to blame for Sonny's reactions. Carly told Ric that she, Sonny, and Jason were a family and Elizabeth had torn that apart. She told Ric he wouldn't understand, and Ric said sarcastically that no, he wouldn't and walked off.

Outside of Kelly's, Elizabeth offers to go back to Ric's room with him. Flattered but knowing she is acting out of pain over Jason, Ric politely declined. Her reassured an embarrassed Elizabeth that he wanted to be more to her than a one-night-stand. He walked her home with his arm around her. Afterward Ric went to Sonny's penthouse and tried to say that Courtney and Jason would one day forgive him. Angered, Sonny told Ric he was a suck-up and to stop trying to get closer to Sonny, that he was hired help to Sonny not a friend. Elizabeth and Ric are surprised when Courtney reports for work at Kelly's. When Courtney goes in to the next room, Ric informs Liz that Sonny ordered Jason to dump Courtney and Jason followed orders. Liz tries to offer Courtney some sympathy and reminds Courtney that Jason offered the same reasons for breaking up with Liz. But Courtney curtly orders Liz to leave her alone and bolts out of Kelly's.

Ric meets Carly at the Speakeasy. When Ric asks about Sonny's concerns for Jason, Carly orders Ric to keep his nose out of Sonny's personal business. Ric asks Carly why it is that Sonny believes that some people in his life, like Courtney, need to be protected, while others, like Carly, are expected to just tough it out. Carly admits that if Sonny had his way, Carly and Michael would be locked away on a desert island somewhere and boasts that Carly just wore Sonny down. Carly expresses her hope that Jason will one day find happiness. Later, Ric leaves the Speakeasy to talk to Sonny about colleges for Courtney. Ric comes up in the elevator, spots Brenda going inside Sonny's Penthouse, and leaves. Ric 'lets slip' to Carly the news that Ric didn't get a chance to meet with Sonny because Sonny was occupied with Brenda when Ric stopped by the Penthouse.

The night of Carly's club opening, Ric notices how tense she is and takes it as opening night jitters. Carly flashes back to Sonny kissing Brenda. Carly takes a bottle of wine and heaves it at the bar. Ric looks at her concerned. She is upset and he tells her he is her friend. She blasts him as being too perfect, too helpful. He wants to know what is wrong. She denies that there is a problem and says he reminds her of herself when she first came to town all sweet and nice, lying to everyone while having a hidden agenda. Later as the patrons gather, Ric announces Carly. She welcomes everyone to The Cellar. Later at Jake's, Faith's employee drugged Carly's drink. As the drug took effect he attempted to leave with her, but Ric showed up and made him leave. He took Carly to a hotel room where she passed out on the bed. Ric stroked her face and neck tenderly as she lay there. The next morning, Carly is shocked to wake up in beside Ric in bed. She asked Ric what happened, and he said that she had thrown herself at him and he couldn't resist her advances. Enraged, Carly told Ric he took advantage of her and threatened that Sonny would kill him when he found out. Ric tried to coerce Carly into not telling Sonny, but Carly vowed to do just that. Back at kelly's, Elizabeth went to Ric's room and caught him loading a gun. Elizabeth demands to know WHY Ric is packing a loaded gun. Liz suggests that IF Ric is planning on some gun play developing between if and Sonny, that Ric would be wise to plan to leave town as soon as possible. But Ric hints that he has something important to do in Port Charles that he can not share with Liz. When Liz asks Ric if he is some kind of Federal agent, investigating the mobs in Port Charles, Ric replies: "Do you think that if I were a Federal agent, working undercover, that I would tell you?" When Liz tries to change the subject and begins to quiz Ric about his family, Ric again evades her questions. Ric tells Liz: "I am close to the end here. My trail is just a little blocked by a stone wall, surrounded by an electric fence and guarded by killer wolves...I have come too far to turn back now!"

When Sonny and Carly arrive at The Speakeasy, Carly notices that Liz and Ric are already there. Carly tries to keep Sonny and Ric apart, but Ric comes over and apologizes to Carly, explaining that he left the Club earlier last night because he had a little project of his own to work on. Carly tells Ric not to worry about it. When Sonny leaves to take a phone call, Ric observes that Sonny and Carly have apparently made up and Carly informs Ric that Carly plans to stay mum about their little tryst at the Motel. Carly also warns Ric that if Sonny ever found out that Ric and Carly spent the night together, Sonny would kill Ric. After Carly leaves, Ric promises: "No complications from my end, at all!"

Carly is uneasy around Ric while they are working at the club. Sonny shows up. Carly is happy to see him. Ric tries to get a job with him again as his attorney. Sonny doesn't like Ric's pushiness and tells him that he isn't interested in hiring him as his lawyer and that he works for Carly. After Sonny leaves, Ric suggests to Carly that she somehow persuade Sonny to accept his offer to work for him or maybe he will have to tell him about their night together. Carly tells him that if Sonny finds out about their night together, Rick will be a dead man and won't be able to run from him. Later, Sonny comes by the club again while Rick isn't there. Carly tells Sonny that he should give Rick a chance and hire him as his lawyer since Rick has done good things for them. Later, Sonny asks him what he has on his wife to get her to try so hard to persuade him to hire him. Rick tells him that he has nothing on her and that maybe Carly just wants what is best for him for an attorney. Sonny tells him he has no interest in hiring him as his attorney and that he doesn't care if Carly wants to do business with him as long as it is separate from his organization. While Ric and Carly discuss business, Sonny orders one of his men to do a more thorough and complete background check on Ric and explains why he is allowing Carly to do business with him. Meanwhile, Carly asks Ric to admit he is really blackmailing her into getting a door into Sonny's business. Ric denies he is blackmailing her andthat keeping their secret is beneficial to both of them. Carly advises him to leave it alone and not try to push it with Sonny and that if Sonny finds out about their night together, Ric will be a dead man. Rick tells her to just keep things quiet and just not over-dramatize things which is how she got into this little mess with him to begin with.

At the Cellar, Sonny and Jason are interrupted when Ric arrives to announce that Scott arrested Alexis for Alcazar's murder. Sonny tells Ric that he appreciates the update, then orders Ric to leave. After Ric leaves, Jason wonders why Ric keeps taking Sonny's guff. But Sonny replies: "I have something he wants and, when I know what it is, I'll know how to proceed!" Sonny observes that Ric is a good lawyer almost as good as Alexis! Later, Ric stops by Courtney's apartment with the college applications. Although Courtney initially tells Ric that she is not interested, Ric begs Courtney to at least take the applications and look them over so Ric will be able to tell Sonny that Ric did do what Sonny asked him to do. Courtney relents and, as Courtney takes the college applications from Ric, Courtney demands to know why Ric puts up with all of Sonny's guff. Courtney then informs Ric that Sonny is a controlling jerk who uses people and plays on their emotions at the same time that Sonny does whatever Sonny pleases. When Ric observes Courtney's attitude, he urges Courtney to stick to her guns where Jason is concerned, but Courtney suspiciously observes that it seems odd that Ric would be encouragingCourtney to defy Sonny!

Ric shows up at the penthouse unexpectedly and interrupts an intimate moment between Sonny and Carly. He tells them he came to discuss business with Carly. She is uneasy with his sudden appearance at their home. Sonny leaves them alone to discuss the club. Ric tells Carly that Sonny seemed a little more relaxed with him when he arrived and asked her if was due to her influence. Carly tells him that she did what she could to persuade Sonny to give him a chance but that it just made Sonny more distrustful and that she has done what she could but can't do anymore convincing for him. Ric reminds her that he has done plenty for Sonny and Jason to be trusted as his lawyer. He heads to see Liz at her studio. He gives her a gift. It is a book of famous artist's work. He apologizes to her for scaring her the other day when she found him holding his gun in his room. She tells him she was more scared for him than anything and questions why someone who is against violence like he says would want to work for Sonny so much.

When Ric shows up at the PCPD after Jason has been arrested for beating up Fowler, Jason doesn't want him to represent him as his lawyer since he doesn't trust him. Sonny tells him that Rick will do a good job for him and to let him help. Jason isn't too happy about it but agrees. Ric tells Jason that he will have him released in about 5 minutes after he asks Jason if there was anyone else who witnessed what happened and Jason tells him it was only the two of them fighting when the cops showed up. Ric talks to Faith's goon, Fowler, in the other room and reminds him that Sonny will go after him if he finds out that he actually went after Carly the other night and drugged her. "How long do you think you will leave after I tell Sonny?" threathens Ric.

Ric comes out to tell Jason that he is free to go and that he just has to sign a release. Jason doesn't like not knowing what Ric did to get him released. Ric tells Sonny that he made it clear to Faith's goon, Fowler that pressing assault charges against Jason and having Sonny go after him would not be wise since the cops are already breathing down his neck. Sonny surprises Jason by thanking Ric for his help. Jason tells him that he can't trust Ric and that Ric probably threatened him with something they don't know about and is setting something up. Sonny tells him that he has a way of finding out about things no one wants him to know, including what Ric is doing. Jason thinks he is talking about him and asks him what he is trying to get at with him. Sonny tells him that he doesn't need to worry about Ric and tells him he can stay at the police station and be booked if he wants or he can let Rick get him released. Jason reluctantly agrees to go home.

Back at the penthouse, Sonny and Carly found Ric waiting in the hallway. He said he had heard about Catherine's death and took the liberty of looking into it. Sonny told him to back off and said he would put a tail on Faith. After Sonny went inside, Rck thanked Carly for helping him convince Sonny to let him get Jason out. Carly snapped at Ric that she only did it because he had forced her to. At Kelly's, Ric told Courtney that he had scheduled some college interviews for her, but Courtney and Carly both told Ric that Courtney wasn't going anywhere.

When Carly arrives at the Speakeasy, she is angry when she finds that Bobbie sent Elizabeth down to borrow some of Carly's glasses for Kelly's. As Carly and Liz argue on the stairs, Carly suddenly becomes dizzy and sits down on the stairs. Carly tries to claim that she just lost her balance, but Liz becomes suspicious of Carly's secretiveness. Upstairs later, Liz suggests that Courtney check on Courtney's new best friend Carly because Carly almost fell down the stairs. Later, when Carly comes upstairs with Courtney, Liz starts to pour some coffee for Mrs. Corinthos, but Carly turns the coffee down and asks for herbal tea instead. After Carly leaves, Liz asks Courtney point-blank if Carly is pregnant. When Courtney obviously evades the question, Liz tries to learn why Carly would want to keep great baby news a secret. Courtney blasts Liz for snooping in to the Corinthosfamily business. But, after Courtney leaves, Ric arrives and Liz confides to a very startled Ric that Carly is probably pregnant. Liz then fills Ric in on the history of Carly's marriage to Sonny. When Liz describes Sonny's anguish following Carly's miscarriage, Ric admits that he is surprised that Liz sounds so impressed by Sonny! Testing Elizabeth's suspicion about Carly's delicate condition, Ric offers Carly some wine from a new winery Ric wants to purchase some stock from - but Carly turns the drink down claiming that she needs her head clear if she is going to deal with numbers. Carly turns around and hands the glass of wine to a customer at the bar - who happens to be 'hit woman' Samantha. Samantha has a good opportunity to scope out the Club and Sonny and Carly together.

Ric shows up while Sonny is busy on his cell-phone giving orders about increasing security for him, Carly, and Courtney right now. The phone rings. Ric answers it and tells the caller that he is Sonny. It is a call from GH telling him that Carly is definitely pregnant and needs to make an appointment to have her first prenatal exam. Sonny comes in to find that Ric answered his phone. He accuses him of being up to something. Ric denies he has any hidden agenda and just answered the phone, unaware that the hospital would call with such personal news about Carly. Sonny tells him to stop overstepping in his role as his attorney. Ric congratulates Sonny. Carly comes home to change for Katherine's wake. Ric looks at her strangely and then leaves. Carly asks Sonny why he looked at her stomach like that. Sonny tells her that Ric found out she was pregnant when he answered a phone call from GH. Carly overreacts and Sonny asks her what is wrong with Ric knowing since he already promised him he wouldn't tell anyone. Carly tells him that her hormones are the cause for her overreaction. She goes upstairs.

Ric finds A.J. at the Port Charles Grille. He sits down and talks to him about Carly. A.J. tells him to watch out for Carly and tells him that Carly's falling down the stairs that time was an accident. Ric makes a remark about why they haven't tried to have a child since then. Outside of Kelly's, Carly gets upset when Ric informs her that they had unprotected sex that night but if she insists Sonny is her baby's father, he'll go along with it. Carly is stunned by this revelation and accuses him of lying to her. Ric tells her that he tried to go to the drug store to get some condoms, but she was very forceful that night and wouldn't let him. Carly tells him that he just has to ask A.J. about what happened when he tried to claim being the father of her other child, and threatens him that if Sonny ever finds out about that night she doesn't remember, she will kill him herself. Later that night at The Cellar, Carly sees Liz show up all dressed up and talking to Ric. She tells Liz to get lost and that she wasn't invited. Ric doesn't defend Liz, which upsets her. Carly tells her that Ric isn't going to defend her since he works for her and she is the boss. Carly walks off. Ric tells her that Carly is the boss and he can't stop her from kicking her out. Liz accuses him of not defending her in order to score points with Carly to get closer to working for Sonny. "Sam" the hit woman starts shooting while everyone is dancing. She shoots some of the bottles behind the bar first and then starts shooting into the crowd. Ric blocks Sonny and Carly from the line of fire. Sam missed Sonny and instead shot Ric. As Ric collapsed to the floor, Sonny rushed Carly out of the room. Upstairs at Kelley's, Elizabeth and Lucky heard the commotion and ran down to the Cellar, passing Sam on the stairs. When Elizabeth realized that Ric had been shot she ran to his side and called for a doctor. The doctor tended to Rick while they waited for an ambulance. Elizabeth was stunned at Sonny's apparent indifference.

At the hospital, a furious Elizabeth told Jason that he should have been hit, not Ric. Later, Elizabeth blamed Sonny for Ric getting shot then walked off. Elizabeth went to Ric's room where Bobbie allowed a short visit. Carly arrived and told Elizabeth that she needed to speak to Ric alone. Ric told Carly she would have been better off if he had died since the baby might be his. Out in the hallway, Elizabeth again told Sonny that he was responsible for Ric's injury. Sonny asked Elizabeth why she was suddenly so angry toward him, and she said that she finally realized that nobody near him is safe. Sonny went into Ric's room. He told Ric to take care of himself but showed no gratitude or concern.

The next day, Elizabeth visited Ric in his hospital room. She could not believe it when Ric told her he still intended to pursue a job in Sonny's organization. She said she was making that same mistake with him that she had with Jason, thinking that he would realize the danger and back away, but then she apologized for telling Ric what to do when they weren't even in a real relationship. Carly walked in, and though Elizabeth wanted her to leave so as not to upset Ric, he asked Elizabeth to give them a few moments alone. Carly asked Ric what he expected in return just for crossing the room at the wrong time and getting shot. Ric said he only wanted what he was due. Carly declares that Ric was not being heroic when he was shot, he just happened to be in the wrong place at the right time. Ric accuses Carly of wanting him to leave and take the knowledge of their night together with him. Carly warns Ric that he needs to be worried about how far Carly would be willing to go to protect her husband! Ric protests that he is truly Carly's friend and just wants what is best for her, but Carly refuses to believe Ric. Ric admits that all Ric wants is access to Sonny's money and power so that Ric can make all of them all very rich! But, when Ric argues that he could be a valuable asset to Sonny as his attorney, Carly refuses to listen. In spite of Carly's warnings, Ric remains convinced that being shot has proven his loyalty to Sonny.

When Sonny visits Ric's Hospital Room, Ric expresses his opinion that being shot for Sonny proves Ric's loyalty, but Sonny merely offers Ric a check or cash to compensate Ric for the inconvenience of his bullet wound. Ric informs Sonny that Ric did not jump in front of a bullet for money, but Sonny insists that Ric just got in the way of the bullet by accident. Ric observes that he apparently has NOT passed Sonny's test for loyalty yet and suggests that, instead of writing a check or giving him money, Sonny could just put Ric on retainer as Sonny's attorney. But Sonny only declares that he will think about it. After Sonny leaves, Carly slips in to see Ric and finds Ric unhooking himself from all of his tubes. Ric angrily declares to Carly that, obviously, nothing Ric could ever do would ever be good enough to earn Sonny's trust. Carly is stunned when Ric asks her what it would take to earn Sonny's respect!

Later, Ric waits outside Faith's room until a hotel clerk announces to Faith that her bodyguards need to be finger-printed and register their weapons at the desk if they are going to continue standing guard in the corridor. As Faith gives permission for her guard to accompany the clerk to the front desk, Ric enters Faith's room and holds the mob-widow at gunpoint. Ric tells Faith that Ric believes that Faith IS the one responsible for Ric being shot the previous evening. Ric then tells Faith that he can either kill her in retaliation or use the situation to his advantage. Faith is stunned when Ric suggests that Faith needs a partner and Ric might be interested. Faith is even more shocked when she realizes that Ric wants Sonny dead as well. But Ric replies: "Killing Sonny would be too easy! I want him destroyed!" Ric tells Faith that Sonny fired Jason and that it is the perfect time to go after him. Faith isn't sure whether to believe him. Ric tells her that killing Sonny would be too easy and that he wants to destroy him instead. Ric tells her he plans to get inside Sonny's organization by gaining his trust and taking advantage of Jason's absence. Ric shows up at Sonny's penthouse just as Sonny is ordering an ambivalent Benny to go to the meeting to represent him in his place. Benny doesn't want to go but Sonny gets upset and orders him to obey his orders or he is fired. Ric offers to go with Benny to the meeting since he is a lawyer and is more of an expert on negotiations. Sonny ignores Ric and tells Benny to go. He tells Ric to go and do his work with Carly and her club. Sonny leaves the room. Carly tells Ric that Sonny doesn't trust him and to leave it alone. Ric tells her that she needs to convince him otherwise and sort of threatens to tell Sonny about their night together. Carly tells him to stop playing games with him and that she will do anything to protect Sonny. Ric informs her that Sonny sent Benny to go to the meeting of the five families alone. Jason finds Benny, who has collapsed at the meeting. Benny tells him that Sonny is in trouble and needs his help. Benny dies in his arms just as Sonny shows up. Jason angrily tells Sonny that he shouldn't have sent him alone and he is to blame. Sonny is speechless. Ric shows up and overhears Taggerts insistence that they go down to the PCPD to answer questions. Ric had just come from meeting with Faith about how they could destroy Sonny by taking advantage of Benny's death and the estrangement between Jason and Sonny. He plays lawyer and asks Taggert if he has an arrest warrant for Sonny or Jason. Taggert tells him he is only questioning them not arresting them. Taggert leaves when he realizes they aren't going to tell him more.

Courtney asks Liz if Ric is in his room. Liz makes a sarcastic remark about her bringing some cookies in to impress him and get him to protect her too. Courtney ignores her and sits with Carly. Carly decides to confide in her and tells her that she slept with Ric the night that she found Sonny kissing Brenda on the docks and how she only had a couple of drinks and woke up in a motel with Ric in bed with her and how shedoesn't remember anything. Courtney asks her if she is afraid that Ric could be the father of her baby. Carly tells her she doesn't try to think about that night or that possibility. Sonny's bodyguard, Max shows up to tell them that he has to head to the warehouse and that something happened and Jason and Sonny are there. They go with him. When they get there,Sonny and Jason tell them that Benny is dead. Ric again offers to help Sonny but he is not impressed. His stiches have come lose and blood is showing through his shirt. Ric leaves them alone to talk and heads home to bandage his gunshot wound. Liz comes to his room to tell him something and notices the bloody bandage. She offers to tend to it for him but warns him she isn't a nurse like her grandmother. Ric lets her take a look and rebandage it. The kiss, and make love. Afterwards, Ric tells Elizabeth that what they did was a mistake. Hurt, she asked why they could not be together. Rick told her that he had come to Port Charles with a plan and could not be distracted from it. They agree to continue seeing each other but in private.

The nxt day, Ric tells Elizabeth that he would like to be Benny's replacement and that Benny's position was the safest and most profitable within Sonny's organization. Jason walked in and Ric offered his condolences over Benny. Jason told Ric he did not buy his act and warned him that he would disappear if he hurt Sonny, Carly, Michael, or Courtney. Ric and Faith meet on the Docks, Faith reports that Sonny's people are in open revolt and the Five Families are having another meeting to ask Sonny to give up part of his territory. Ric informs Faith that Ric's plan is to represent Sonny and put on a good show of fighting Faith. Ric urges Faith to take the fall to make Ric look good to Sonny, but Faith promises nothing and abruptly heads to the meeting. When Ric arrives at the Penthouse, Sonny announces that he called a meeting of the Five Families and Ric offers to help any way he can, including representing Sonny at the meeting. But Sonny stuns Ric when Sonny announces that Sonny plans to represent himself at the meeting. Sonny tells Ric that if the meeting is raided by the police, Sonny will need Ric's legal expertise to spring him. Carly returns to the Penthouse and finds Ric and Sonny talking and declares that she has something she wants to get out in the open. Sonny brushes Carly off to rush off to the meeting.

After Sonny leaves, Ric confides to Carly that Sonny is meeting with the Five Families. Then Ric blasts Carly for failing to convince Sonny to send Ric to the meeting. But Carly assures Ric that he should be happy to see Sonny leave because, if Sonny had stayed, Ric would be a dead man! Later Carly comes downstairs and is angry when she realizes that Ric is still there, but Ric protests that Sonny asked him to stick around in case Sonny gets arrested during his meeting with the Five Families plus, of course, Ric was curious about Carly's death threat. Carly informs Ric that she plans to come clean with Sonny about their night together. When Ric cautions Carly against baring all to Sonny, Carly tells Ric that Sonny will kill Ric when Sonny finds out the truth about their night together. When Ric accuses Carly of bluffing, Carly informs Ric that the only reason that Carly is not plotting to kill Ric herself is because she believes that Sonny would do the job cleaner! Ric tells Carly that he will leave town and return to Manhattan if Carly promises not to tell Sonny anything. Carly informs Ric that she will wait until Sonny gets home, but if Sonny does not announce to Carly that Ric has left town, Carly will tell Sonny everything! Carly leaves for the Club but Ric stays behind in the Penthouse. When Sonny returns to the Penthouse, he finds Ric staring at a drink Sonny started, then forgot about. Sonny accuses Ric of making himself at home in Sonny's home. As Ric tries to quit, Sonny slowly pulls a gun out of his desk and stuns Ric when Sonny hands the gun to Ric and orders the lawyer to kill Faith for Sonny. Sonny ordered Ric to kill Faith, but Rick refused. Sonny was angered, but nonetheless asked Ric to be on retainer as his attorney. Ric said he'd think about it, but when Sonny demanded an answer on the spot Ric accepted. Later at Kelly's, Carly ran into Rick. He begged her to spare his life and not tell Sonny that they had slept together.

At Kelly's, they see a news report of a fire at the gatehouse. After seeing Elizabeth's reaction to the fire on TV, Ric asked what had upset her so. Elizabeth vaguely answered that she and Lucky were involved until a fire ruined everything, but she changed the subject when Ric pressed for more information saying she didn't want to talk about it. She asked Ric if he planned to move into Jason's old penthouse. She teased him that working for Sonny was already changing him. He joked back that he needed a bigger place to hang her talented artwork. After he left, Elizabeth admitted to Lucky that she and Ric were involved. She expressed her doubt that Ric may be too good to be true. Lucky told her he was glad she had found someone and that he would always be there for her.

Jason's phone rang, it was Faith calling from a room across the street with Ric and a gunman. She told Jason he must help her take over Sonny's organization or she would order the sniper aimed at Courtney to fire. Jason threw Courtney to the ground just as the first shots broke through the window. Jason pulls Courtney out of the line of fire and warns Faith that she is done! Faith tells Jason that she wants to work with him and the shot was just to get Jason's attention. After the sniper leaves, Ric warns Faith that she just cut her own throat and urges Faith to learn a little patience if she wants to exact some serious vengeance where Sonny is concerned. Faith smugly announces that she believes that, no matter which way Sonny jumps, the shooting will merely serve to solidify the estrangement between Jason and Sonny, now that Jason has been the reason for Sonny's sister to be in danger! However, Ric warns Faith that she is on her own if she ends up in trouble because of this caper. Then Ric slips away from Faith's hiding place. Ric arrives at the penthouse with some contracts for Sonny and learns from Courtney that someone took a shot at her. When Sonny returns to his Penthouse, Ric asks about Sonny's interview with Jason but gets no answers. However, when Ric leaves, Ric learns from Marco that Sonny is as mad as ever at Jason.

Ric mentioned to Courtney that maybe she should take a leave of absence from hosting for Carly since she has been shot atalready. Courtney thinks he is firing her so she tells him she quit. Ric is sitting at the counter of Kely's, Liz comes up behind him and puts her hands over his eyes, asking "guess who?" He jokingly responds, "Sandra Bullock". He turns around and is wowed to see Liz all decked out. Liz suggests they go out, Ric ruefully says he has to work at The Cellar that night. She offers to hang out there with him, sit at the bar and he can join her when he has a break. He agrees and says they should go public with their relationship and he draws her into a kiss. When Ric gets to the club, Ric tries to talk to Sonny about business. Sonny isn't interested and tells him to shut up and leave him alone. Sonny and Jax get into it, Sonny breaks a wine bottle and takes the sharp end and hold it near Jax's throat, and threatens to stab him with it. Sonny is talking crazy. Jason pulls Sonny off of Jax. He tells Jax to leave Sonny alone and go. Sonny tells Jason to leave him alone and accuses him of betraying him by trying to take over his business and turn his people against him. Sonny tries to throw a punch at Jason but Carly steps in and stops and reminds them they need to stop fighting and act like a family. Faith, Ric, and Liz witness Sonny's tirade against Jason. Ric and Elizabeth grow closer as he becomes more confident that he will get what he wants from Sonny.

Sonny awoke suddenly after dreaming that Faith had pushed Carly down the stairs. Carly reassured him that she and the baby were fine. There was aknock on the door. Carly tried to send the person away, but when Sonny saw it was Ric he insisted on speaking with him. Without asking Carly to leave, Sonny ordered Ric to find out who Faith's silent parent was and tells Ric that Faith has to be eliminated. Concerned by his carelessness, Carly went across the hall to speak with Jason. When Sonny left the room, Ric made a quick call to Faith to arrange a meeting. Ric left soon after. Outside of Kelly's, Ric warned Faith. When Elizabeth walked up, Ric pretended to be delivering a message from Sonny. Faith went inside and sat at a table. Elizabeth and Ric got their own table and flirted. She is surprised that he remembers about her landscape class. He tells her that he remembers everything that makes her happy or bores her. She assures himm that she has never been bored with him. Suddenly Courtney and Jason burst through the door, apparently fighting. Faith, Ric, and Elizabeth all observed while Courtney and Jason yelled at each other. Courtney told Jason that she had been wrong about him and never wanted to see him again. Jason kicked a table before storming out. Ric returned to the penthouse and told Carly about Jason and Courtney's "fight."

Carly told Ric that Sonny had been arrested and agreed to meet him at the police station shortly. Ric arrived at the PCPD and requested to see Sonny, but Taggert stalled him. Ric went to speak to Ned instead. Ric appeared at the door of the interrogation room and told Taggert to release Sonny, that Ned was dropping the charges. Ned confirmed it, conceded that because he had attacked Sonny a while back, it would not be difficult for Ric to make it look as if Ned had provoked him again. Ned feared that involvement in an assault case might jeopardize his chances of regaining custody of Kristina. Disgusted, Taggert unruffled Sonny and set him free.

Jason pressed Faith to tell him who her silent partner was. Faith told Jason to prove their new alliance by killing Sonny, promising that she would arrange a meeting with her partner and Jason. Jason met Sonny at the docks. Sonny was shocked and angry to see Faith there, too. Jason pulled a gun on Sonny, and they argued for some time. When Faith impatiently pulled out a gun to shoot Sonny herself, Jason turned the gun on her and demanded the name of her partner. Ric approached and shot Faith from the alley. Jason ran off in search of the shooter while Sonny asked a wounded Faith to tell him who had shot her. Sonny and Jason realize that Faith's silent partner had to be the one who tried to kill her. Faith is taken to the hospital. At GH, Ric asks Sonny if he can do anything to help, Sonny just tells him to leave (Carly has fallen through the ice and is critical). Ric sneaks into Faith's room and reminds her that "bad things happen to people in hospitals". Faith looks very nervous and scared as he reaches for her IV. Before Ric can turn off Faith's IV, Jason comes into the room. When Faith is wheeled out of surgery, Jason is waiting for her, demanding to know the name of Faith's partner. But Faith sees Ric hovering outside the recovery room and tells Jason that there never was a partner. However, when Ric later asks if Jason believes Faith, Jason replies: "No!"

Liz is dismayed to see Emily and Courtney hitting it off. She pours Emily some more coffee and makes a sarcastic remark about Courtney getting Emily's seal of sister approval. Liz walks off. Courtney tells Em that Liz hates her because she is with Jason. Em tells her that she got that impression and that not to blame Liz since Jason is a hard man to let go of.

At Kelly's, Ric asked Courtney at Kelly's about Carly's condition and she told him to stay out of their personal business and walked off. Liz asked him on a date but he couldn't go since he had to stop by and talk to Sonny about business. Ric shows up at GH and tells Sonny that he has some business things to discuss with him and asks him how Carly is and if the baby is o.k. Sonny informs Ric that any business concerns can be brought to Jason's attention right now and that Jason is working for him again. Sonny leaves them alone to talk. Ric is reluctant to discuss business with Jason and to handle the matter on his own but Jason insists he tells him everything that is going on before making any decisions. He warns Ric that if anything bad happens to Sonny or his family he will take care of him himself. Ric goes onto the docks and calls Faith's hospital room. He tells Faith that right now the only way to destroy Sonny is to go after Jason first. Ric is surprised when Liz calls his name and is right there listening to him on the phone. Ric worries about what she overheard but quickly realizes she didn't hear him tell Faith they needed to compromise Jason in order to destroy Sonny. They share an intimate moment on the docks as they make plans to go to an art exhibit. Ric goes to see Faith in person at her hospital room. She is a leery of him coming to see him since she knows he shot her on the docks. He denies he shot her and that he came to discuss their plan to take down Sonny. He informs her that Jason set her up on the docks that day and that he is back working for Sonny again. She tells him they should just kill Sonny once and for all. Ric is against that plan and tells her it is better if they compromise Jason somehow and get Sonny to go against him again and thanks Courtney for saving Carly and their baby's life. He also tells her that he won't stop her from being with Jason, even if he prefer that she go away to college at his expense. She tells him she wants to be with Jason. Jason and Carly run into Ric out in the hallway later. Ric tells them he came to see Carly. Courtney tells him Carly doesn't want to see him right now and that she is with Sonny in her room. Ric makes a remark about them all getting what they want and he leaves with a smug look on his face. The next day, Ric tried to offer Sonny his assistance with Faith but Sonny coldly told him that he and Jason were working on it alone. Frustrated, Ric went to the hospital and told Faith he would have to give Sonny a phony tip to set him searching in the wrong direction. Ric returned to Sonny's penthouse and told him that he had uncovered Jax as Faith's silent partner.

Jason encountered Ric at Sonny's. Sonny explained that Ric had found a paper trail to Faith's partner. Jason refused to discuss business in front of Ric, so Sonny ordered Ric to wait out in the hall to appease Jason. Sonny ordered Jason to take care of Jax, but Jason expressed doubt that Ric was correct in accusing Jax. Sonny because angry and asked Jason if he would take care of it or not. Jason agreed. Ric watches from a hidden corner of the docks and snaps still photos of Jax handing an envelope to Faith (which she has conveniently run into him and dropped) thereby setting him up. Ric comes off the elevator headed towards Sonny's penthouse. Jason stops him. Ric proclaims that he is arriving with "proof" that Jax is in cahoots with Faith! Sonny hears the commotion outside and comes out to investigate. Ric thrusts the photographs into Sonny's hands, complaining that Jason is trying to keep vital information out of Sonny's hands! Jason points out that it is suspicious that Ric just 'happened' to be the one who found the paper trail linking Jax and Faith and now it is Ric who just 'happened' to be the one who conveniently turns up with photographs of a meeting between Jax and Faith! But Ric insists that he has had a tail on Jax ever since Ric discovered the paper trail between Jax and Faith. Jason accuses Ric of lying, but Sonny accepts Ric's theory that Faith's partner is Jax. Jason argues that Jax works with money and corporations, not guns. But Ric suggests that maybe Jax just ran out of patience in Jax's quest to destroy Sonny! Sonny orders Jason to get rid of Jax. When Jason tries to advise Sonny NOT to leap to conclusions about Faith's silent partner, Sonny refuses to listen! Ric reminds Jason that Sonny gave Jason an order and implies that Jason is not wise to question Sonny's orders then Ric storms out of the Penthouse.

Ric meets with Faith on the docks. He tells her that his plan to set up Jax as the silent partner worked and that Sonny looked at the phony photos and believed them to be real. He tells her that Jason didn't believe the photos were real and that he may have caught a break since Sonny argued with him and may feel that Jason not going after Jax may be a sign of disloyalty. Ric met Faith on the docks and told her she'd better come up with a plan before they were both killed or he'd have to kill her himself. Faith told Ric she knew what she was doing. She told him to drop the Jax thing with Sonny. Ric grabbed her and threatened to shoot her in the heart next time if she double-crossed him. Elizabeth walked up and mistook their tense moment for intimacy. Ric convinced her that it was only business for Sonny. Ric told Sonny he had new information on the pictures of Faith and Jax that shed some doubt on their authenticity. Ric clumsily tried to explain how he now longer thought Jax was Faith's silent partner, and Jason was shocked to hear Sonny congratulate Ric for his loyalty and good work. After Ric left, though, Sonny revealed to Jason that Ric was Faith's silent partner.

At Kelley's, Elizabeth saw Ric off and agreed to wait up for him. Elizabeth noticed Faith sitting at a table and approached her about her scene with Ric on the docks the day before. Faith told Elizabeth she didn't really know Ric and warned her that like Courtney, Elizabeth wasn't tough enough for the mob world. Jason met Fowler on the docks. Fowler told Jason he knew who Faith's silent partner was and would tell him for a payoff. Someone (presumably Ric) came up from behind and knocked Jason unconscious. Jason went back to Sonny's penthouse and told Sonny they he had been set up, but he wondered why since they hadn't killed him. He offered to take Ric out now that they knew he was working with Faith, but Sonny wanted to wait to find out why Ric wanted to go after him. Ric walked in on their discussion, and Jason told him flat out that they knew he was working with Faith. Ric denied it, but Sonny asserted that he, too, was convinced. Jason held Ric at gunpoint while Sonny demanded to know why Ric wanted to destroy him from the inside. Courtney found a dead man in the dumpster while taking out the trash. She called Carly out, but within seconds Taggert was on the scene. Faith arrived and identified the body as her employee Fowler. She told Taggert that Jason had murdered him. Sonny orders Jason to execute Ric, but demands to know first WHAT it is that Ric wants with Sonny. Ric tells Sonny that Sonny has known from the beginning. As Jason cocks his gun and takes aim at Ric, Taggert arrives at the door and loudly demands that Sonny open up right away and answer questions. Jason puts away his gun and, when he enters, Taggert informs Jason that Fowler is dead and, since Jason almost killed Fowler on the docks, Jason is the prime suspect. Taggert informs Jason that it was Courtney who opened the dumpster and discovered Fowler's body. When Taggert demands to know where Jason has been, Sonny and Jason are both stunned when Ric suddenly insists that Ric and Jason had been together, looking at some property they were considering buying to build a new warehouse. Ric then begins to demand warrants and other legitimate reasons for Taggert to be at Sonny's Penthouse and demanding explanations! Taggert admits that he brought no warrant but, before he leaves in disgust, Taggert warns Ric to think twice about his involvement with Sonny because Ric coudl end up in the same kind of trouble as Sonny's former attorney ~ Alexis Davis!

After Taggert leaves, Sonny demands to know what Ric thought he was doing by offering an alibi for Jason. Ric points out that IF Ric WERE Faith's silent partner, the smart thing for Ric to do would have been for Ric to admit to Taggert that the police had interrupted Sonny and Jason getting ready to murder Ric. Ric again insists that he only wants to be helpful to Sonny and to be a part of his organization and assures Sonny that Ric has no ulterior motive. Sonny pretends to accept Ric's story and after the two shake hands, Ric leaves. But, after Ric is gone, Sonny and Jason agree that whoever killed Fowler was sloppy. When Jason asks if he should go ahead and pull the trigger on Ric, Sonny announces that Sonny now has a better idea than eliminating Ric. Sonny suggests that Ric could be a FED, but, what Ric is doing seems personal and they will need to be careful in setting a trap for Ric.

Jason watches and waits outside of Kelly's and spots Ric coming downstairs from his room as Ric talks to and kisses Liz. Ric spots him and goes outside to confront him. He asks Jason if he is spying on him now. Jason justs stands there and scowls at him. Ric taunts Jason and brags about how he now has Sonny's trust and that he works for him and suggests that Jason may be the real trader. When Ric questions Jason's loyalty to Sonny and makes a snide remark about Courtney, Jason punches him in the stomach and grabs him by the collar and slams him against the doors at Kelly's and warns him to never question his loyalty to Sonny. Ric makes a remark about how he needs him as his alibi and that if he doesn't stop it he may find himself charged with murder. Ric takes off and Liz comes out and asks him what he did to Ric. Jason warns her to stay away from Ric and that he is bad news and can't be trusted. Liz tells him she doesn't believe a word that he says. Ric goes to his new apartment to unpack. He looks lovingly at some photo of some woman but a knock on the door interrupts him. It is Liz who comes early to see his new place. Ric is concerned when Liz mentions how she doesn't know much about him and wants to know more about him and thinks his new place may uncover things about him she doesn't know. Ric distracts her from probing by kissing her and later they make love in the living room. Liz goes to the kitchen to fix some food and drink for them and Ric gets a phone call from Faith. Ric isn't pleased she called him with Liz there. He tells her he will take care of Morgan and for her to do her own thing. He doesn't know that Liz overheard him talking to Faith. Ric is puzzled when Liz tries to make some excuse about having a class she forgot about and having to leave quickly. He notices how jumpy she is and detains her and asks her what she overheard. He makes up some story about talking to Sonny's new accountant on the phone and his comment about handling Jason had to do with Sonny's business. Liz buys his story but questions what his true feelings for her are. He tells her she is the best thing in his life right now and wants it to stay that way. Shortly after Liz leaves his place, Faith shows up to tell Ric about finding Jason in her hotel room. Ric threatens to kill her if she decides to reveal to Sonny who her silent partner is. Faith tells him that they have to get rid of Jason now before he kills her like he almost did. Ric tells her he will help ruin Jason and suggests she keep away from Sonny and Jason. Faith questions why he hasn't used the physical evidence they manufactured and brought it to the police yet to get Jason charged. Ric threatens to harm her if she goes to anyone and tells them his plan.