tomeubanks.com

    Interrogation Room One. Continuous from last scene. Same set up as the day before with table and three chairs in center of room. The room is empty for a few seconds. SCOTT enters, still not wearing his coat, his gun exposed on his waist, holding VINCE, who is handcuffed. He seats him in the S.L. chair.

Vince: Are you arresting me?

Scott: Thinking about it.

Vince: For what?

Scott: Assault, battery–

Vince: I just wanted her–

Scott: Gambling without a license–

Vince: Are you kidding me?

Scott: Mayhem.

Vince: Mayhem?

Scott: When you mutilate or cut off an appendage, it’s mayhem.

Vince: You learn something every day. I thought mayhem was like–havoc. (Pause.) So you must not have a body, or you’d–.

(The door opens. ANGELA leads MINA into the room and points to the S.R. chair; MINA sits.)

Angela: (to SCOTT): I know we’re not supposed to mix witnesses--

Scott: He’ not a witness.

Angela: (to MINA): Tell us–in front of Vince–exactly why you went over to his house.

Mina: (hesitating and vacillating between the stories she can tell): To, uh, do something.

Angela: To do what?

Mina: Vince, I’m sorry, I–

Vince: (facetiously): Please. Call me Dr. Anders.

Mina: I didn’t understand what I was doing.

Vince: So you’re ignorant?

Angela: And what were you doing?

Vince: Hey, what the hell, call it bliss.

Mina: Trying to help Paul. Dr. Lebeau.

Vince: Like many liberals, Paul’s basic argument is that every formidable conservative is just plain dumb–

Scott: Hey!

Vince: –so who does he go to for problem-solving?

Mina: I’m not stupid!

Angela: Let her talk.

Vince: She just did.

Mina: (after a pause): Dr. Lebeau told me he was in trouble.

Vince: Let me explain the trouble–

Angela: You’ll get your turn!

Mina: With the college–what-a-ya-call’em–

Vince: Trustees.

Mina: And that–(points to VINCE)–he caused the trouble. (Pause.) Paul asked me...asked me to go into Vince’s house.

Angela: To do what? Mina, what did you do?

Mina: (to VINCE): She told me to say I saw you with Paul at the driving range yesterday. But I didn’t, and I’m really–

Vince: (to ANGELA): You told her to say that?

Angela: Drop it, Vince.

Vince: And recorded it? What–

Scott: Never mind–

Vince: (livid): I’m not going to never mind!–why would you tell her to do that!? Why the hell would you want me to hear something that we both knew was not true!?

(ANGELA and SCOTT look at each other–then at MINA. She looks at all three, not understanding what’s happening.)

Mina: You told me to say it.

Scott: Exactly.

Mina: I thought I was helping.

Angela: Helping how?

Mina: I don’t know.

Vince: Ah! More bliss!

Mina: I’m sorry! I was trying to help! (To ANGELA): You wanted me to do something, so I did!

Vince: Yes, and Paul wanted you to do something–and you did!

Angela: Will you do anything for Dr. Lebeau? (MINA struggles with an answer.) Mina. It’s "yes" or "no."

Mina: It’s not "yes" or "no." It’s, like, in between.

Vince: (turning to ANGELA): Ah! A moderate!

Scott: Is everything political to you?

Vince: Is everything a conundrum to you?

(SCOTT looks inquiringly at ANGELA.)

Angela: A puzzle.

Vince: I’m not the sum of what I teach. And I suspect you’re not always...puzzled. But we both act on our experience. Mine is political; yours is...I don’t know–solving riddles.

Scott: Listen, pal, crime is not a riddle.

Vince: Well, it’s starting to sound like one. And it goes like this: what’s empty of credentials, manufactures slander, morally-challenged and has only nine fingers. (ANGELA has a visceral response.) Give up?

Angela: (without humor): A dead liberal professor.

Mina: What’re you talking about?

(When no one answers her, MINA realizes for the first time the degree of seriousness of the investigation. MINA softly cries.)

Angela: I’m sorry.

Mina: I loved him. (To VINCE, hopeful, for emphasis): I love him.

(Even VINCE shows a glimmer of compassion for her feelings.)

Vince: I didn’t know that. I’m sorry.

(Long pause.)

Angela: (to MINA): We weren’t sure if you and Vince were in on this together. If you were willing to lie against Vince–(she gives VINCE an apologetic shrug). We needed to hear what you two talked about.

Mina: So there are microphones in that room. (Long pause. To VINCE): I left a cigar in your house. In your freezer.

Vince: (baffled; simultaneous with "In your freezer."): A cigar?

Mina: When you went to the backyard to get Oscar.

Scott: How do we know you put it there?

Vince: Why a cigar–?

(VINCE looks at SCOTT; SCOTT looks somberly at ANGELA, who distractedly crosses away from the table.)

Mina: Why would I admit to planting a cigar in a freezer if I didn’t?

Vince: Why? What’re you doing putting a cigar–!

Mina: I don’t know why! He told me to put it in your freezer–he said it would help him, so I did it. I thought it was, like, a practical joke or something.

Vince: What kind of cigar?

Mina: I don’t know! I didn’t actually see it! It was in one of those metal tubes.

Vince: Metal tube? (Starts to put things together.) You mean–.

Mina: And now he’s gone. (Begins to cry again.) He’s just missing, right? You don’t know for sure that...you don’t know.

Vince: (to MINA): You gave me the finger! (They all look at him.) Not "the finger"–the one with Natalie’s ring!

Angela: (to SCOTT): I’m going to have George watch them in Two. (To VINCE): Come with me.

Vince: No! Wait a minute! You came into my house–did you even have a warrant–

Scott: You bet!

Vince: And you found a finger in my freezer–

Angela: I said, "Come with me."

Vince: So you conclude that I have something to do with Paul’s disappearance. What a couple of–!

Scott: (stepping closer to VINCE): Watch it! (To ANGELA): Why are you putting them in Two? (ANGELA doesn’t answer him.)

Vince: You thought no one had seen him since Tuesday, but she saw him Wednesday night at his house after she planted a finger in my freezer–

Scott: What’s your point!?

Vince: –and then she saw him Thursday morning.

Angela: Come on, Vince–you’ll have your chance to–

Vince: So he’s not been missing long enough for you to even bother! Don’t you guys wait a couple days before assuming someone’s missing? Maybe he went to Vegas with some nymphet in one of his classes!

Scott: That’s enough!

Vince: Some theater wannabe with stars in her eyes!

Scott: (takes VINCE by the arm): Out!

Vince: Check to see if there’s any PETA conferences in town–

Scott: (simultaneous with VINCE): I’m warning you!

Vince: –and I’ll bet you’ll find him!

Angela: Vince!

Vince: (wrenching free and moving about the room with SCOTT trying to take hold of him): And how’d you know to check my freezer!? (ANGELA suddenly looks at SCOTT.) I want to see your search warrant! (SCOTT gets a hold of him.) What the hell is going on?!

Angela: Vince, stop it! Come with me!

Vince: You don’t know whose finger that is! I bet you don’t even have Natalie’s ring! (SCOTT reaches in his pocket, takes out a ring, holds it up to him, out of reach. VINCE looks at it for a long time, then looks away, acknowledging it’s the ring.)

Vince: (quietly; to ANGELA): It disappeared after a poker game at my house. Thought some cleaning people I hired took it. (Pause; coming to his conclusion.) Paul told her to put the finger in my freezer with that ring on it....(He can’t finish–the fury and hurt are too much.)

(SCOTT leads him to the door, hands the ring to her, then ANGELA takes his arm.)

Angela: (to MINA): You come, too.

Mina: I’m sorry, Dr. Anders.

(VINCE and MINA exit with ANGELA. Several seconds pass; SCOTT sits in S.L. chair, face in hands, at the table. ANGELA re-enters with DAN and puts him in the U.S. chair.)

Scott: I told you we didn’t need him anymore.

Angela: Couple more questions.

Scott: But...uh–

Angela: What do you do, Dan?

Dan: What, uh–what do I–?

Angela: For work–what do you do?

Dan: (a beat): I train horses.  (ANGELA nods, glancing at SCOTT, then sits in the S.R. chair.)

Angela: That’s interesting. Where?

Dan: Out at Keebler.

Angela: Oh, those stables at the north end. What kind of horses?

Dan: (laughs; glances at SCOTT): Four-legged kind.

Angela: (laughs back, to make him relax): I know that, Dan. I meant, are they cutting horses, jumpers, breeders–

Dan: Thoroughbreds.

Angela: Wow. Were you a jockey?

Dan: Me? I’m too big.

Angela: Been around it a long time?

Dan: Twenty-three years.

Angela: Make a good living at it?

Dan: I don’t know–(laughs)–is it ever enough?

Angela: (a beat): You bet the horses?

Dan: (his demeanor changes with this question): What’re you getting at?

Angela: (completely honest): I’m not exactly clear on that–honestly. I talked to your buddy Roj again a few minutes ago and, well, I’m asking questions and letting your answers take me where they will. (SCOTT looks at his daughter, drumming nervously on the table with his fingers. To DAN): He’s tapping his fingers on the table. That means I’m off-point. It’s a signal we have. (To SCOTT): But I’m not. (DAN and SCOTT look briefly at each other; SCOTT folds his arms, sits back and silently gives his daughter the go-ahead to ask her questions.) You called it in, didn’t you?

Dan: Called...where?

Angela: Here. Yesterday morning.

Dan: Why–why would I–(looks at SCOTT)–what’s she getting at?

Angela: What’re you asking him for?

Dan: (appearing to be calculating something): I, uh...I–I didn’t call here–ever. Why would I do that?

Angela: To tell us that you saw Vince. At Dr. Lebeau’s house. Putting something in his trunk. At three in the morning Thursday.

Dan: Are you trying to pin Paul’s disappearance on me, now? Is that what Roj told you?

Angela: I didn’t say that. I asked you if you called here to tell us–

Dan: I heard you–and I’m reading between the lines! (To SCOTT.) You’re not going to let her do this to me, are you?

Scott: She’s just askin’ questions, Dan.

(ANGELA snatches a quick look at SCOTT.)

Angela: The T.I.P. line is recorded. I listened to the call a few times. I heard horses whinny. (SCOTT is openly surprised by her disclosure.) You didn’t hear them?

Scott: I didn’t listen to the call.

Angela: Oh. Don’t you usually listen to it?

Scott: You listened to it, you told me what was on it–why did I need to listen to it? You didn’t mention any horses.

Angela: Didn’t think of it, until after I talked to Roj. (To DAN): You called it in, didn’t you?

Dan: (after a long pause; very nervously): Yeah. I did.

Scott: Don’t worry, Dan, we’ll keep it confidential. (To ANGELA): Won’t we?

Angela: (hesitating): Depends.

Scott: Angela–

Angela: Dad–

Dan: The T.I.P line’s supposed to be anonymous.

Angela: Only if the tip is true. (A beat.) Is it?

Dan: Is it what? The truth? Yeah. Why would I make that up? I saw–I saw him–

Angela: At three in the morning?

Dan: No, no! I called at three in the morning. But I saw him, uh, a little after
midnight–

Angela: What were you doing at Keeblers at three in the morning?

Dan: I live on the ranch!

Angela: And what were you doing at this house at that hour?

Dan: (glances at SCOTT): What was I doing?

Scott: That’s what she’s askin’ you. Tell her what you were doin’.

Dan: I was just driving by. I had a couple drinks–

Angela: Where?

Dan: At Nackle’s over on Patrick. I drive right by this house to get to Keeblers.

Angela: And that’s when you saw him?

Dan: Plain as day. Had the trunk wide open, putting something heavy in it.

Angela: Did he see you?

Dan: See me? No, I don’t think so.

Angela: Where was he parked?

Dan: Where? Right in the Paul’s driveway.

Angela: Whose?

Dan: Paul’s.

Angela: Dr. Paul Lebeau. On Acre Tree Court.

(SCOTT gives his daughter a worried look–as if she’s made a mistake.)

Dan: Yeah, I guess. At that time, I didn’t know it was Lebeau’s place. I was just driving by–on Acre Tree–and Vince’s car is parked in the driveway, so I look over, and there he is lifting this heavy, long thing, wrapped in something, and rolling it into his trunk.

Angela: And you drove by without stopping?

Dan: Well, yeah. I wasn’t going to get into his business.

Angela: But you’ll call us about it. That isn’t getting into his business.

Dan: No! That’s you getting into his business! What’re you getting at here?

Angela: You play poker with him every week. He’s just parked in a driveway–you don’t know whose–and, instead of stopping to see if he needs help with whatever he’s putting in his trunk, you drive on by and call the police. Did I get it right?

Dan: (a pause): You got it right.

Angela: Can I be honest? (He shrugs and gives his okay.) I think that’s bullshit. (DAN turns to say something to SCOTT, but she goes on.) It makes no sense to me that in those five seconds you’re driving by you understood exactly what might be happening.

Scott: Well, maybe he did. (To DAN): Did you?

Dan: Well, it looked suspicious to me. It looked like he was putting a body in the back of his trunk–and you think I’m going to stop and help him?

Angela: You’re driving by after having some drinks and that’s the first thought that comes to mind? A body?

Dan: (chuckling): I watch too much T.V.

Angela: You oughta be a detective.

Dan: Maybe I oughta.

Angela: (stands; moves right over DAN, looking down at him): One problem.

Dan: Yeah?

Angela: Dr. Lebeau lives on Sycamore Lane. (DAN doesn’t catch on.) You said Acre Tree.

Scott: No, you said Acre Tree.

Angela: (silently cautioning SCOTT): He confirmed it, though.

Dan: I wasn’t paying attention, you had me flustered. It was Sycamore. Yeah, it had to be Sycamore if I was coming from Knackle’s over on Patrick Street.

Angela: When you called it in, what address did you give? (DAN is demonstrably stumped, looks at SCOTT.) Don’t look at him–he didn’t listen to the tape.

Dan: I don’t remember. I got it...when I drove by...remembered it long enough to make the call–

Angela: You remembered it for three hours!

Dan: Yeah. So? I forgot it just now.

(ANGELA looks at SCOTT, as if to ask, "What now?")

Scott: So he forgot. (Chuckles.) I did, too. It’s in the file, but I don’t remember it.

Angela: I’ll be right back. (She exits.)

Dan: (with sarcasm): How much you got in the bank, detective?

(SCOTT purses his lips and wags his finger at DAN, who looks around the room.)

Dan: (continuing): How long you been married?

Scott: Thirty-four years.

Dan: Whew! That’s a long time to be with one woman. (Pause.) You never got the itch for something different? Hm?

(SCOTT flies out of his seat, pushes him off the chair, and is about to kick him–just as ANGELA ushers in SIMONE.)

Simone: Oh, my God!

Angela: (pushing him away): Dad! Stop it! (SCOTT backs away, angry at himself for losing his temper, while ANGELA goes to help DAN to his feet. But he throws off her help, stands, holding his ribs. She points to the S.R. chair.) Mrs. Walker, sit there. (She sits in the S. R. chair.) What happened?

Scott: We can’t have two witnesses in the same room.

Dan: That’s fine, because I don’t need to be here. I have nothing to do with this!

Angela: Sit down! (DAN begins to sit in the center chair.) Not there. The other side of the table.

(Giving SCOTT a hard look, DAN sits in the S.L. chair. ANGELA looks at both men and sees that neither man is going to tell her anything. She goes to her dad and whispers something in his ear. When it registers what she has told him, he looks at the floor and remains looking at the floor during the following exchange.)

Angela: Mrs. Walker–

Simone: Simone–please.

Angela: Simone. You two have met?

Simone: In the, uh, waiting room, yes.

Angela: Do you know your brother’s address?

Simone: My brother’s address? I think I do.

Angela: What is it?

Simone: Four-sixty-two Eucalyptus Lane.

Angela: Eucalyptus Lane. Not Sycamore Lane?

(DAN closes his eyes–knowing he’s made a grand mistake. SCOTT looks at him.)

Simone: I know what street my brother lives on.

Angela: At three in the morning yesterday, we got a call on our T.I.P. line. An anonymous call. That Dr. Anders was seen dumping something that looked like a body in the back of his trunk. The address that was given to us–(she looks straight at DAN)–was four-sixty-two Eucalyptus Lane. Did you forget again, Dan? Or was it written down so you’d get it right when you called?

Dan: I’m just...confused. That’s all. I–

Angela: Confused. First it was Acre Tree, then I randomly threw Sycamore Lane at you and you jumped all over that one. You were sure it was Sycamore. It had to be Sycamore if you were coming from Nackle’s on Patrick– isn’t that what you said?

Dan: I don’t remember the street.

Angela: We found a severed pinky finger in a cigar tube in Dr. Anders’ freezer. It had a ring on it belonging to Natalie Anders. We think the finger belongs to your brother. The finger’s burned to where we can’t pull a print. (Pause. She looks at SCOTT, remembers something.) Wait right here–all of you. I won’t be a moment. (She exits.)