Lots of talk about Quentin's staircase through time. It makes about as much sense as anything else in this story and that ain't much.
Gerard uses Lamar's imagined vendetta against the Collins family to further his own goals. Lamar is only too eager to exploit his dream to his advantage and runs right to Samantha. Samantha doesn't believe most of what he tells her but she isn't above using this to her own advantage.
Gerard wants Collinwood, in addition to everything else. He needs Daniel out of the way, so he lures Daniel to Quentin's laboratory, where the poor man is treated to a fake vision of Quentin strangling Lorna Belle. Daniel promptly coronaries.
