Everybody Has a Secret

Everybody Has a Secret is the ninth episode of the first season of Virgin River and the ninth episode overall.

Summary
Hope urges Jack to read Charmaine's letter. Preacher confronts Paige with his new knowledge. Mel and Doc work together on a pressing case.

Plot Summary
Following on from their kiss the previous night, Mel enters Jack's Bar and sits at the bar. Here, Jack asks her out for dinner later that night, but despite their kiss, Mel explains that she still isn't ready to move on from her husband's death. Nonetheless, Jack is able to convince her and the two arrange to have dinner later that night.

At Vernon's surgery, Hope asks to borrow Vernon's truck to take a trip into Clear River and run errands. Vernon knows that the errands concern Jack, and warns Hope to stay out of his life, but she becomes stubborn and remarks that she will not leave until he hands over the keys, which he eventually does. Mel arrives moments later and converses with Vernon over her trial period; she explains that she is sick of being his assistant and the two need to have mutual respect for each other for them to work together properly moving forward.

Hope drives to Clear River where she confronts Charmaine about the letter and tries to return it. Charmaine is reluctant to take back the letter, however, remarking that she needs to move on with her life without Jack, but needs him to hear the contents of the letter. Charmaine refuses to take back the letter and asks Hope to deliver the letter to Jack when she returns to Virgin River.

Arriving back in Virgin River, Hope is concerned to find that Jack and Mel are going for dinner later that night given the contents of the letter. She pleads with Jack to read the letter, but he dismisses her, remarking that he will read the letter when he is ready. Nonetheless, he remarks that he will go on the date with Mel later that night.

At Vernon's surgery, a family enter with concern over their daughter who cannot breathe. Vernon examines the child whilst Mel examines the husband, and the two confirm that they have been exposed to some kind of toxin that is poisoning the three of them slowly; albeit the daughter's condition is rapidly deteriorating. They decide to take the family to the hospital, but during the journey, Vernon realises that they could've been exposed to pesticide from Calvin's farm in their water supply. They make it to the hospital where they confer with the doctors over the diagnosis. In the waiting room, Vernon applauds Mel for her actions and remarks that the two make a pretty good team; he asks Mel to stay and she accepts his offer, with the two now a team at the surgery. Vernon drives Mel hope for her date with Jack.

The date goes perfectly for the two, and they both talk about the events occurring that brought them together. Afterwards, they leave the restaurant and Jack is distracted by the sound of victory cannons but opts not to talk about it with Mel. He takes her home afterwards and the two share a kiss on the porch. Jack returns to the bar and reads the note from Charmaine which explains that she is pregnant with his baby.

Meanwhile, Brady is approached by Jimmy, Calvin's right hand, who reveals that Calvin is always looking for people with similar skillsets to his. He buys him drinks and flashes numerous bundles of money around to peak Brady's interest.

Cast

 * Alexandra Breckenridge as Melinda Monroe
 * Martin Henderson as Jack Sheridan
 * Colin Lawrence as John Middleton
 * Jenny Cooper as Joey Barnes
 * Lauren Hammersley as Charmaine Roberts
 * Annette O'Toole as Hope McCrea
 * Tim Matheson as Vernon Mullins

Trivia

 * It is revealed that Charmaine Roberts is pregnant with Jack Sheridan's child.