August 2

Margo is among the guest at the engagement party as Brad reveals that Parker is Hal's son, not John's.

August 3

Tom and Margo are not on, but Hal and Barbara leave with Parker, Adam and Jennifer. They arrive home, happy--though Barbara is torn, remembering Johnny. Thanks to Hal's sensitivity, he's able to get her to hold the baby. They share their happiness over the future.

August 4

Andy is visited by Margo, who wants him to see that Molly can't make him truly happy. She offers to help him find Molly, but Andy guesses that Molly has learned that the paternity test scam was uncovered. He figures she's probably left town, and will never come back to him.

August 5

John tips Margo off to Carly's whereabouts. Margo arrives at Java and arrests Carly for fraud.

August 6

Carly is unable to bail herself out from prison. But to her and Margo's surprise, Hal sends money, and Carly is released.

August 9

No information currently available.

August 10

No information currently available.

August 11

Tom and Margo are not on, but Jennifer prepares to cook a romantic meal so that Barbara and Hal can reconcile. Adam advises her to butt out, and let the adults deal with their problems. Adam asks Jennifer to a concert but she refuses, since her mom needs her.

August 12

No information currently available.

August 13

Jake visits Hal and explains that he's investigating Alec to ward off a Worldwide takeover. He announces some worrisome information: several men who have worked for Alec are missing...or dead. He shows a picture to Hal of Alec and his cohorts, and Hal spots Gary Rady among them. Jake decides to have a talk with Gary, and Hal asks him to let him know if Gary confirms Alec's criminal activity. Hal gently tells Jennifer that she shouldn't take on the responsibility of reuniting him and Barbara. Jennifer tells Adam that her plans fell through. Though Adam advises her to stay out of her parents' business, he proceeds to have Margo paged so he can have a conversation with Alec. Adam warns Alec to play it safe with Margo, or Alec will have to answer to him. Alec reveals the conversation to Margo, who thanks Adam for his intentions but assures her son that she can handle things. Tom returns a baby blanket Emily left behind (on purpose) at Tom's place. She hints that Daniel should have a full-time father. Tom agrees--and offers to take full custody of the baby. Emily's shaken by the remark but doesn't argue right now. She invites him to dinner, but Tom reveals that he's heading to the police station. At the station, Alec asks Margo if she has decided to work for him. She thanks him, and says she's grateful but thinks it would complicate their relationship if she worked for him. Overjoyed that she's interested in continuing their romance, he kisses her--a kiss seen by both Adam and Tom. Hal nudges Tom to try to reconcile with Margo.

August 16

Tom and Margo were not on.

August 17

Georgia tries to persuade Eddie to drop the search for his father, but Eddie wants to hire a private investigator. Margo agrees to help him hire a detective, just as Alec enters to overhear. He offers reasons why Eddie shouldn't go forward with the investigation. Margo is affronted by his highhanded behavior and is glad she didn't accept his job offer. She also ends their personal relationship. Jake arrives at the police station to inform Hal of a remarkable discovery: Alec Wallace bailed out Gary Rady from prison. Suspicious, Hal asks Margo to go undercover and get close to him to find out about his association with Gary. Margo isn't sure Alec will buy her sudden change of heart, but when Jake doubts her ability to handle the case, she agrees to the job at once. Jake leaves to dig into Alec's past, and Margo goes to find Alec and tell him she wants to start their relationship over.

August 18

On her first date with Alec while undercover as a detective, Margo accepts Alec's job offer only if she has full access to his business records. Alec reluctantly agrees. Meanwhile, Tom and Emily arrive for dinner, and Tom is disturbed to see Margo's involvement with Alec. When Alec steps away, Tom comes over to urge Margo to stop seeing the other man. Margo orders him away, secretly afraid that he'll blow her cover. Disappointed, Tom returns to Emily, who asks him to spend more time with Daniel and her. But Tom insists he still loves Margo and won't give up on her. He plans to give Alec a fight for Margo. Meanwhile, Alec invites Margo up to his room. She turns down his invitation but gives him a passionate kiss. Tom burns with jealousy.

August 19

Tom and Margo were not on.

August 20

Alec brings Margo to his office, where he tries to get romantic with her. Gary interrupts them, and Alec tries to get rid of him as Margo eavesdrops and snoops, unsupervised. He sends Margo home, but when he returns to Gary--Gary's gone. Alec is furious and rushes down to the Lakeview restaurant to find him. Tom spies Alec, alone, and with a renewed sense of hope, orders a dozen donuts to go. Meanwhile, Alec makes a phone call and orders someone to find Gary before anyone else does. Margo returns to the police station to give Hal the details about her "date." Hal puts out an APB on Gary. Tom enters and apologizes to Margo for interfering in her relationship with Alec. He gives her the box of donuts as a peace offering. Margo thanks him and offers him a donut for the road.

August 23

Tom and Margo were not on.

August 24

With Alec at the police station, Margo pretends to quit the force to work for Alec. Privately, Hal expresses his concern that she's falling for Alec. Later at the Lakeview, Margo shows Alec the picture of his missing/dead associates and asks him to explain. Alec hedges. Meanwhile, Hal learns that another man from Alec's photo has mysteriously died. Also at the Lakeview, Tom confides in Bob about his worries regarding Margo's new relationship. Bob encourages Tom to fight for Margo. Emily arrives and gets jealous when she hears Bob's advice. Katie stops by and tells Tom that Margo is happy with her new job...and with Alec. To Tom's disappointment, Alec asks Margo up to his room, and she accepts. Tom vows to Bob that he's going to do whatever he can to win Margo back. Up in Alec's hotel suite, Alec admits he cares for Margo. She's touched but claims she has to leave to get to the babysitter. Before she goes, Alec gives her a passionate kiss that leaves her reeling.

August 25

Alec meets with Gary Rady, who tells Alec they have unfinished business. Margo nearly catches the two together, but Alec is able to get rid of Gary temporarily. He and Margo embrace, and Gary witnesses this new relationship, intrigued. She leaves (or so Gary and Alec think), and Gary returns to goad Alec about spending time with a cop. Margo watches this pair from afar. Gary accuses Alec of betraying "the group" and making some members disappear, and vows that this won't happen to him. When Gary blackmails Alec, Alec chokes him, threatening to kill him if he doesn't leave. Gary warns that one more disappearance will be Alec's undoing. He demands money by tonight as Margo watches in the shadows.

August 26

Margo catches Jake snooping into her files regarding Gary Rady. She privately calls Hal, wanting to tell him that they have to move on Alec as soon as possible. Hal spontaneously asks Barbara to get married now, tonight. Barbara is stunned enough to agree. Thrilled, Jennifer takes over the arrangements while Hal rushes to find a minister. When Margo calls urgently for Hal, Jennifer promises to leave a message. In the rush to get ready, the note is lost and Hal does not receive the message. Alec tells someone on a phone call that he won't be blackmailed by a thug like Gary Rady. Jake spots a note Margo left for Hal at the police station. Realizing that something is going down at the docks tonight between Alec and Gary, he tracks Jack down to question him about Gary. Jack dislikes Jake's aggressiveness and tries to brush him aside. Julia joins Tom at Al's Diner and asks him for advice about her new career at The Argus. Tom plans a romantic dinner with Margo to win her back. Emily overhears him talking with Lisa, and schemes to get to Tom first. She buys a beautiful dress to seduce Tom. Margo arrives to talk to Alec, and she argues with him about how little she knows about him. He promises to answer all, but realizes she's hinting around about the photograph of his former cohorts, and clams up. Alec insists on taking her to dinner tonight. She agrees. At the Oasis, Alec makes a mystery call to give the go-ahead for some action at 9 PM. He's insistent on one detail: No witnesses.

August 27

Emily visits Tom wearing a sexy dress, but Tom calls her on her scheming. She covers by claiming she had no ulterior motives, and Tom relents. But he still tries to track Margo down. Gary calls Alec, demanding his money by tonight. Alec assures him he'll get what he deserves. As soon as Alec hangs up, he reveals that he plans to have Gary taken care of by the end of the evening. Later, Alec arrives at the Mona Lisa for a date with Margo. Tom shows up late for his date with her and is jealous of the apparent romance between the two. Jake and Julia discover Gary Rady's dead body on the docks.

August 30

Hal receives the news about Gary's death from Jake, and immediately realizes that there's only one real suspect in his murder: Alec Wallace. At this moment, the courtship of Eddie's father continues as Margo kisses Alec at the Mona Lisa--observed by Tom. Tom learns about Gary's death. Margo is told the news as well, and is shocked by Alec's cool reaction. She accuses him of knowing something about the murder. Alec claims not to be surprised, considering Gary's background. As they're talking, Hal calls Margo, who desperately wants to head to the crime scene. She makes an excuse to Alec and leaves--but Alec doesn't believe her. He sets out to find the undercover cop. When Margo arrives at the docks against Hal's orders, he's furious and orders her off the case. Margo insists that she's the only person to break through Alec's armor. Hal is forced to agree. Meanwhile, Alec arrives at Margo's house to see if she's really there--and he finds out that she's lied to him. Jennifer feels guilty for not having given Hal the message from Margo. Hal returns home and blasts her for endangering Margo's life, but Barbara defends Jennifer. Margo returns to the Mona Lisa and learns that Tom planned a romantic dinner for the two of them. Tom wants to make it up to her tomorrow, but (due to her undercover operation) she tells him to give up on her. Tom insists that he will never give up on her, and leaves. Margo is secretly pleased.

August 31

Margo realizes that Alec knows she lied about her whereabouts last night, but manages to come up with an excuse for him that's plausible. Jake interrupts to interview Alec, providing Margo with the perfect way to prove her loyalty to Alec. Acting as Alec's publicist, she plays spin-doctor for her boss by finding explanations for all of Jake's accusations. Once Jake leaves, Margo demands to know why Alec bailed out Gary from prison. Alec claims that they did know each other in the past, and he felt obliged to give the guy a chance to defend himself in the outside world. Eddie and Georgia interrupt them with news that Eddie is calling off the PI investigation into finding Eddie's father. Alec is deeply affected, and Margo wonders what has hurt him. He covers by claiming to be afraid for his life--he's worried that he's the next member of his "group" to die. Margo is torn by his vulnerability, and the possibility that he's really telling the truth after all.