Nov. 1981

Ryan’s Hope

The case of the Incredible Cad

Two-Timing Michael Pavel Pushed His Luck Too Far and Ended Up A Dead Man!

Michael Pavel, handsome corporate executive of Woodard Enterprises, is dead at the age of twenty-four. A shrewd go-getter and smooth operator, Michael was gunned down by his irate lover, Kimberly Beaulac. And Kim only headed a long list of enemies Micahel had made as a result of his status-seeking, greedy ambitions that went sour on him in the end.

It began when Rae Woodard took her daughter’s advice and added Michaela Pavel to her staff. Through he had no formal training or prior business experience, Kimberly was certain that her friend would do a fine job of serving her powerful mother. And Michael turned out to be quite a bargain, indeed. Besides becoming Rae’s bright, articulate right-hand man by day, he also provided warm embraces and passionate words of love after hours – exactly what the lonely Mrs. Woodard was looking for.

But instead of being satisfied with the status quo, Michael pressed his luck even further. He decided to share his affections with Kimberly, the up-and-coming young actress married to Dr. Seneca Beaulac. Michael was too smug, too involved in his won rags-to-riches success to realize that he was playing with fire. After spending many long hours with Rae, Michael should have recognized her as a jealous ruthless woman who would met out cruel revenge on anyone daring to double-cross her.

When Rae finally did catch her lover and her daughter in the act, her wrath knew no bounds. She fired Michael and threatened to ruin Kim’s marriage by revealing her affair to Seneca. In a rare moment of kindness, however Rae protected Kim from further complications by deciding to keep the truth from Dr. Beaulac, but Mr. Pavel would have to go.

After repeat rejecting his offer to renew their friendship, Rae softened and finally agreed to re-employ Michael after he threatened to spill her secrets to the competition, the Nielsen-Forbes company. She warned him not to go near Kim ever again, and she promised to keep their relationship strictly business this time.

Still, Rae found it hard to resist Michael’s muscular frame and strong, handsome features. She found herself drawn to the man who made her feel twenty years younger whenever he thrilled here with his loving embrace.

But Michael Pavel had more passion than sense. Not even Rae’s raging temper could keep him away from his beautiful, enchanting mistress. He shrugged off Rae’s warning and resumed his dangerous games with Kimberly.

At the same time, Rae’s ambitious assistant was busy with affairs of another sort as well. Prompted by mobster Joe Novak, Michael persuaded Rae to have reporter Jack Fenelli write a story exposing a phony cover-up operation in New Jersey. Joe was sick of Jack’s constant investigation of his background ever since he’d returned to town to reclaim his wife, Siobhan. Jack had set out to reveal the illicit side of Joe’s character by offering him an illegal business deal, but Joe had passed the test with flying colors. Now, it was time to get the meddling journalist out of the way for good. When the story went to press, Rae was shocked to learn that the entire story was a sham and Mr. Fenelli was promptly fired. She was unaware of Michael’s role in the set-up.

As if her professional crisis was not shattering enough, Rae met with more bad news when she learned that Michael had defied here wishes and resumed his romance with Kim. When she confronted the couple again, Kim forced her mother to face some very harsh realities. “Michael loves me, he always has,” Kim cried. “We’re going away to start a new life together in California. Tell her the truth about us, Michael!”

Cornered at last, Michael tried his best to free himself from the sticky situation. “She’s lying Rae,” he retorted. “I never intended to go away with her. Your daughter it very confused.”

But he did not succeed in consoling Rae. Trembling as she pointed a revolver at her unfaithful partner, she shouted, “Michael, you’re incapable of loving anyone. Kimberly, he only used you to get close to me. You see, darling, Michael was my lover, too.” She dropped the gun and dissolved into tears.

But Kim was not put off quite as easily. How could Michael have betrayed her, degrading her right in front of her mother? Kim had put her financial and marital security on the line by getting involved with Pavel in the first place. It would have been worth the effort, if they were able to begin anew, far away from her mother’s clutches. But now that her dreams were shattered hopelessly beyond repair…over come by anger and a sense of loss, Kim grabbed the gun and pulled the trigger.

Minutes later, one of Novak’s thugs arrived at the scene. He’d been sent to warn Michael not to link Joe with the Fenelli scheme, but he found a wounded Mr. Pavel leaning across the bar. He realized there was no point in threatening a dying man….Sal left quickly, leaving Michael to suffer the final minutes alone.

Shortly afterwards, Jack Fenelli stormed into the room, “So, it was your fault all along!” he screamed in Michael’s direction. “You’re the one who leaked the phony story to Rae – you’ll pay for this dearly, Pavel!” But Jack suddenly realized that Michael could not hear a word of his angry tirade. Michael Pavel, the unscrupulous opportunist, was already dead.

When the police found Jack at the scene of the crime, he was immediately taken into custody. But they’ve nabbed the wrong man. Kimberly is growing more crazed with each passing day, and in a fit of delirium, confessed the murder to lawyer, Frank Ryan. Hoping to cover up for her unstable daughter, Rae is trying to take the blame upon herself. And the lab reports have confirmed two sets of prints on the murder weapon, only adding to the present level of confusion.

But even when the real murderer is apprehended, the victim will have to share the guilt with his executioner, because it was Michael’s own greed, envy and lust that were responsible for the fatal consequences. Michael Pavel died in the prime of his life, simply because he did not know when enough was enough.