1986-87: Paul’s life was fairly quiet until James returned from the dead at the end of 1986 — and brought new lover Emily with him. The following year, Paul reconnected with his dad, who wrote notes to excuse him from attending class. Annoyed that her son was slacking off in school, Barbara threatened to reveal some of James’s crimes. James responded by making plans to leave town with Paul and Emily. They got as far as Connecticut before Emily persuaded James to let Paul return to his mother while they continued on to parts unknown. With James on the lam again, Barbara began to fall for Hal, thanks to his kind treatment of Paul during the investigation into Stenbeck’s disappearance, but her relationship with her rebellious son suffered. Slowly, police began to suspect that Paul knew where his father was. They weren’t wrong — the young man had secretly enlisted his best friend, Andy, to let James contact him through the Hughes’s house. Desperate to persuade her son to stop trying to reunite with his father, Barbara told Paul her entire history with James. He pretended to be upset, but later told Andy he didn’t believe his mother. Hoping to maintain his affections, Barbara bought her teenage son a sports car for his birthday — and James left him a locker full of cash at the Yacht Club. Paul made plans to run away with the father he idolized, but Emily tried warning him that Stenbeck was evil. Again, Paul pretended to agree, but left to meet James at the Stewart cabin. Father and son stayed there for a while, as James continued to hold the rest of the town at bay with intimidation and blackmail. Paul finally wised up and started doubting his dad, returning to Barbara. James was desperate to get his son back and tried coercing several people to help. The only thing that worked was having Lily kidnapped so Lucinda would be forced to cooperate. Though Lily was saved, James’s chance came when Dusty innocently invited Paul and Andy to go riding at Lucinda’s estate. When La Walsh finally confessed that James had arranged with her to get Paul out onto the ridge at her estate, John rushed to their rescue, but James got the upper hand. To save the life of Andy’s father, Paul told James he would go anywhere with him. Emily joined them in hiding and tried to talk James into letting Paul go by announcing that she was pregnant with James’s child, so he didn’t need Paul. That night, James was “murdered.”
