"TRADE OFF" October 3, 1999

Episode 80       Airdate: 10/01/99      Writer: Jed Seidel and Reed Steiner     Director: Paul Abascal
Guest Stars: Edie McClurg, Katy Boyer, with Caroline Lagerfelt and Corbin Bernsen.

Two young boys, Charlie Martin and Tim Jansen, are playing soccer under the watchful eye of Charlie's mother Jenny. As Charlie is retrieving the ball, a man grabs Charlie and pulls Charlie into a gray van. The van speeds off.

Nash suspects the wrong boy has been kidnapped. It is Tim that is the son of wealthy restaurateur Edward Jansen - Charlie is the nanny's son who was mistakenly grabbed. The SIU sets up at the Jansen mansion, anticipating the ransom call. The call comes, with Edward playing along as though his son has been kidnapped. Nash buys time by instructing Edward to ask for a photograph of his son with the next day's Chronicle newspaper.

Edward goes to Alcatraz Pier where a photo of his "son" is hidden inside a crab trap. The kidnappers ask for five million dollars, but Edward can't come up with the cash. Nash asks friend and banker Arthur for the cash - Arthur agrees to loan out five million to Nash personally, but not Edward - his restaurant business is failing. But the kidnappers discover they have the wrong boy - but Nash convinces the kidnappers that the deal is still on.

Meanwhile, Cassidy discovers she has no place to live at school and that she can't get into the classes she wants. Evan watches Cassidy from afar in his truck. A fellow classmate, Phil, keeps bugging Cassidy for a date, but she refuses. Caitlin's new maid, Bridget, has caused inconveniences at the Bridges household - Bridget's vacuuming wakes up Nash; Bridget cuts the sleeves off of Nick's favorite dress shirt. Inger comes back from Sweden to visit Joe, but their daughter Lucia is still in Sweden. Inger wants Joe to come back with her or her mother to come live with them. Joe refuses on both requests.

Harvey and Evan check out the Jansen's cook and her criminal son. The son has an alibi - he was stealing DVD players during the kidnapping. Another suspect, Mrs. Jansen's physical therapist - Rocky Brush, was having an affair with Mrs. Jansen. Rocky denies everything under interrogation.

Nash is led on a wild goose chase throughout San Francisco - he must reach certain locations within the kidnapper's specified time, but because of a traffic accident blockage, Nash is unable to drop the money off into a passing fishing trawler in the Bay.

Harvey breaks into Rocky Brush's motel room hoping to find the kidnapped boy there, but Rocky is innocent - Rocky is there with another woman. Edward tells Nash he can lock up the ransom money in his wine cellar. Edward goes to steal the money late at night, but Nash is waiting in the wine cellar for Edward. A photo of Edward posing in front of a fishing trawler aroused Nash's suspicions. The kidnapped boy is found in a warehouse along with goons hired by Edward. The boy is re-united with his mother at the SIU.

Before Caitlin can fire Bridget, Caitlin walks in on Nick and Bridget having sex. Bridget decides to quit, but will continue seeing Nick. Phil has taken 25 sleeping pills in a suicide attempt. Cassidy visits Phil in the hospital, but still refuses to date him. Inger leaves for Sweden once again without Joe. Caitlin gets Nash an exercise machine as a surprise.

For more, see commentary for Episode 80

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