1982 (#5) - Robert's defence, Leslie's testimony and Lorie's release

After the revelation of the letter revealing the truth about Brooks' paternity, Lorie's position in the process becomes much more critical. Lorie, at the suggestion of Stuart, decides to hire a new lawyer. Robert Laurence, Stuart's friend and acquaintance, is a young but successful lawyer who gladly accepts the difficult case of Vanessa Prentiss' death. Robert asks Leslie's cooperation to testify in Lorie's defense, but it doesn't help because they lack proofs. As promised, Leslie testifies in favour of her sister, telling everything about their difficult and often critical relationship; despite this, Leslie knows Lorie and is convinced that she is totally innocent, as she had to deal with a manipulator like Vanessa. The great work of Robert and the defense are reopening the trial. But Lorie's happiness is now compromised by the fact that Lance hasn't visited her since the day the truth about Brooks came out. However, Lorie's desperation is alleviated by Robert's behaviour, both during the trial sessions, with always very convincing arguments, and in private with the woman, where he assures her that he would not defend her if he did not believe her and did not trust her 100%. Robert's assurance triggers the passion between the two of them, who kiss furtively in prison without anyone seeing them. Lorie, meanwhile, begs Leslie to take little Brooks away from the trial and the woman reassures her sister that they are going to Switzerland for a short time. Before leaving, Lorie thanks her sister again, as she asks Lucas to look after Jona's, which was left empty after the boy told the woman he wanted to leave the city; giving Lucas a purpose, Leslie hopes the man can overcome his difficult time of depression after his mother's death. The trial, meanwhile, continues relentlessly and sees Lorie's position worsen when she finds herself forced to explain the money she received from Vanessa herself. At this point Lorie, also accused of threats and blackmail against the woman, seems to have no hope of being absolved. But as often happens, fate turns everything upside down in a short time. And, paradoxically, it is the man who is most disappointed by Lorie who exonerates her. The long-awaited and fateful evidence able to prove the defense's thesis, in fact, materializes thanks to Lance, who in fact finds in his mother's house some painkillers that specifically suggest that Vanessa had been affected by the disease and that she was now in a terminal phase, something confirmed by her doctor during a sworn testimony. Returning immediately from Switzerland for the verdict, Leslie goes to trial for a final hearing shortly before the judge withdraws for trial. It's little Brooks, in fact, Robert's last desperate card to play; after the agreement of the court to question the child, he reveals that he saw Lorie's typewriter used with Vanessa's gloves. It was at this point clear that Vanessa had planned the whole thing and to the great joy of Leslie, Lucas, Robert, Stuart and Lorie herself, the woman is declared innocent and released from prison.