Episode #03
Same Day as #02, Evening

Teaser

in Molly’s room at the Fisher house:

Molly is asleep on the bed. Sarah and Paula are in the doorway discussing the situation.

Sarah

Well, I talked to Brent again. He said that we certainly have a full-fledged case – two incidents, obviously aimed at Molly, within twelve hours.

Paula

I think it would be best for Molly to move in here. Don’t you?

Sarah

Definitely. I’m wondering if we should hire a bodyguard.

Paula

Excellent idea, Sarah.

Sarah

I just hope this stops soon. It’s already taken such a toll on her emotional state.

Sarah and Paula go downstairs. Molly opens her eyes and lifts her head off the bed.

Molly

It certainly has, Sarah.

A tear rolls down her cheek

in Tim’s car:

Tim is driving alone, talking to himself.

Tim

I can’t believe Claire never felt she could tell me all of this. She was kidnapped and raped by a boyfriend, her father has mob connections … What a painful life that must’ve been for her as a teenager. And not being able to tell anyone, fearing for her life all the time.

Tim sighs and refocuses on the road.

in a hospital room:

Courtney is halfheartedly watching the TV, laying in the bed. She is alone in the room

Courtney (sotto voce)

I really cannot believe all this is happening. Jason, why did you have to drop me? (beat) Oh, it wasn’t your fault. Like Sandy said, these things happen. I just wish they didn’t have to happen to me.

Door opens a crack

Courtney

Who’s there?

at the ice rink:

Sandy is speaking to Shannon, another skater.

Sandy

Shannon, I believe I have a way for you to get into competition this year after all.

Shannon

Really? How?

Sandy

Just step into this room and I’ll tell you all about it.

They go into a room and shut the door. Fade into the door.

Act I

in the Fisher kitchen:

Paula and Sarah are cooking when Bill walks into the room

Bill

Honey, I’m home!

Paula

Good! Now get out some lettuce and start chopping.

Bill

I go to work at the restaurant all day, and then I come home and do my job all over again.

Paula jokingly hits him with a spatula

Bill

You’re certainly in a good mood tonight. What’s going on?

Paula

Oh, after the little incident with the car earlier in the day, Molly was really shaken. But then she had a visitor, and that lifted her spirits. Unfortunately, he left—

Bill

He? Who is this guy?

Bill starts making a salad

Sarah

His name is Craig. He works at the company that Molly just got hired at. They met when they were both interviewing for the job she got.

Bill

So she beat him out, huh? (long beat) Well, it was nice to him to drop by. Anything to make her a little more cheery.

Paula

Once he left, though, we mentioned that it was so nice to have friends like that to help you through the hard times in your life. I guess that made her think of all this crazy business again, and she got pretty upset all over again.

Bill

It’s gotta be a hard time for her. There’s no denying that.

Sarah

I just hope we get some lab results from the analysts who were here before it’s too late.

inside a store:

Tim is paying for some items at the register

Clerk

Thank you for shopping at Value Barn. Have a nice day.

Tim

Thanks.

Tim walks outside the store onto the sidewalk

Tim (sotto voce)

Oh great, where did I park?

Alan

I think that’s the least of your worries, buddy.

Alan steps out from the shadows

Tim

What?

Alan

I’ve got a little message for you, Tim.

in Courtney’s hospital room:

Courtney

Who is it?

Jason opens the door and walks in

Jason

Calm down. It’s only me. I brought you this.

He hands her a teddy bear

Courtney

Oh, thanks so much, Jason. That’s so sweet of you.

Jason

I wanted to come by and see how you felt.

Courtney

Well, besides this huge cast on my leg, I’m not doing too badly. How ‘bout you?

Jason

I feel awful about what happened. Because of me, you’re gonna have to put your career on hold, maybe forever.

Courtney

Jason, it’s not your fault. It really isn’t. Like Sandy said, these kind of things happen. (long beat) It’s too bad you’ll have to drop out of competition this year, too. I really feel bad about that.

Jason

Actually, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about.

Out on Courtney’s confusion

Act II

at the ice skating rink:

Shannon and Sandy have just entered a conference room

Shannon

So what do you mean, you have a way for me to compete?

Sandy

Let’s just say an opportunity suddenly arose.

Shannon

But I thought there were no eligible partners for me in this area. And you know we can’t afford to fly someone in.

Sandy

Actually, I’m thinking about someone who’s right here in King’s Bay.

Shannon

Who is it?

Sandy

Jason Fisher.

Shannon

He skates with Courtney, though. What about her?

Sandy

They had an accident on the ice last night, and she broke leg in a number of places.

Shannon

Is she gonna be out for long?

Sandy

She won’t be ready to compete until at least next year.

Shannon

Is she okay with it?

Sandy

I don’t know. Jason said he’ll tell her. But you should consider yourself a very lucky girl.

Shannon turns to leave the room

Shannon (sotto voce)

Believe me, I do.

in Courtney’s hospital room:

Courtney

What did you want to talk to me about?

Jason

Well, it’s kinda … Um, Sandy said that I … Look, she wants me to compete with another partner this year. I feel terrible about this, leaving you lying here, but …

Courtney

You’re gonna skate with someone else?

Jason

Guess so. (beat) But when you’re back on the ice, I’m going right back to you. Don’t worry.

Courtney

How can you be so sure of that? What if … Well, what if you guys do really well? Then what?

Jason

I absolutely promise that I’ll run right back to you when you’re good and ready.

Courtney

Thank you, Jason. Thanks so much. I know you can’t just put your career on hold too.

Jason

Thanks for understanding. I mean, we’ve been best friends since third grade. I think this is one more thing we can get through together. After all, remember the big junior-high dance disaster?

Courtney

Oh yeah! I thought I was gonna die when Todd asked Emily to the dance. But you’re right, as broken down as I was then, we got through it.

Jason

And I expect nothing less from this situation.

They hug

outside the store:

Alan

I have a message for you from James Robbins.

Tim

My father-in-law?

Alan

Yep. He says you better watch what you say and what you do. If his daughter doesn’t wanna move to Chicago, then don’t make her.

Tim

Fine.

Alan

And you will not, under any circumstances, tell her about this little encounter. He doesn’t want her to know what he does to make life good for her.

Tim

He’s even more of a scum than I thought.

Alan

Oh yeah?

Tim

Yeah. And as for you—

Alan pulls out a gun and points it at Tim

Alan

Did you have something to say to me?

Act III

at the ice rink:

Jason and Sandy are on the ice, standing by the boards

Sandy

You seem a little bit shaky tonight. Are you okay?

Jason

Yeah, I’m fine.

Sandy

I can tell you’re not. It’s this Courtney thing, isn’t it? Look, it’s done with. You can’t turn back time and fix what happened, so just try to accept it. You guys will be skating together again within a year. Meanwhile, though, I did manage to find you a temporary partner.

Jason

Who? Who is she?

Sandy

Her name is Shannon Parish—

Jason

What?!?

in the Fisher living room:

Bill and Paula are on the couch reading, Sarah is watching TV, and Molly is folding laundry

Molly

Sarah, do you think they’ll have the lab results tonight?

Sarah

I wouldn’t bet on it. That stuff could take days or even weeks.

Paula

But we don’t have that kind of time! My daughter’s safety is on the line here!

Telephone rings, Sarah answers it. One-way conversation.

Sarah

Hello? (beat) Speaking. (beat) Oh, good evening. (long beat) I see. Yes, I’ll explain it at once. Thanks for the call. (beat) Bye.

Sarah hangs up and Molly rushes over to her

Molly

Who was that? Was it from the—

Sarah

It was from the handwriting analyst. They’re done examining it.

Out on Molly’s anxiety

Act IV

out on the streets:

Alan

So, Fisher, do you have something to say to me?

Tim

As a matter of fact, I do. Go ahead, shoot me. I don’t care. You and James are the scum of the earth – it’s people like you who—

Alan

Maybe I’ll just take you up on your offer and shoot you.

Tim

Go ahead. Eventually Claire will figure everything out, and her father will win nothing.

Out on Alan’s confusion

in Tim and Claire’s apartment:

Claire is eating when the phone rings. Two-way conversation.

Claire

Hello?

James

Hi, it’s Daddy.

Claire

Dad— Oh, you didn’t have to go through the trouble of calling. Tim and I are fine, and the baby is coming along perfectly—

James

That’s not what I want to talk about. I hear that you’re moving after my grandson is born?

Claire

Probably. Tim was offered a job, and he really wants to accept it.

James

But the question, do you wanna move? How much input have you had in this decision?

Claire

Well, actually …

James

What? You don’t wanna move?

Claire

Um …

Out on Claire’s nervousness

at the ice rink:

Sandy

Jason, what’s wrong? Shannon is a great skater—

Jason

Don’t worry. It’s nothing big. And I know she’s a great skater. It’s just that she and her old partner beat us a few years ago – before you were our coach – in the Coast championships, and it was so disappointing.

Sandy

As long as it’s nothing serious. (long beat) Well, I’d like you to skate with her tomorrow morning.

Jason

Fine. I can do that.

Sandy

I know you can. If I didn’t, I would already have said something.

Jason (thinking)

Let’s just hope I don’t screw up her career too …

Act V

in the Fisher living room:

Molly

They have results? Do they know who wrote it

Sarah

It’s not that simple, Molly. Not at all. And, since it was written on a car in lipstick, they can barely analyze it at all.

Molly

But there must be something they can do!

Sarah

Well, there weren’t any fingerprints, so …

Bill

You mean they can’t do anything about it? There must be—

Sarah

Believe me, Dad, there’s isn’t. We’ll just have to wait until something else happens.

Molly

What do you mean, something else? This can’t happen again, it can’t! It won’t happen again!

Out on Sarah’s pained expression and Bill and Paula’s sadness

at Tim and Claire’s:

Claire is on the phone with James. Two-way conversation in progress.

James

So you don’t want to move to Chicago?

Claire

I’m sure I’ll get used to it, Daddy. It’s fine, really.

James

No, Claire, it’s not. If you don’t want to move, then Tim can’t make you. Don’t worry – Daddy will take care of this for you.

Claire

Thanks, I guess. But really, it’s not a big deal.

James

When it comes to my little girl, everything’s a big deal. Talk to you later. Bye.

Claire

Bye.

She hangs up the phone

Claire (sotto voce)

Oh, Daddy, please don’t do anything to hurt Tim. But I can’t let on that I know about your connections …

out on the streets:

Alan is holding a gun against Tim’s chest

Alan

What do you mean, she’ll find it out? She knows nothing of her father’s dirty little business dealings, and believe me, it’ll stay that way!

Tim

Fine, I give up. I’ll keep my mouth shut.

Alan retracts the gun

Alan

And you will not, under any circumstances, accept that job offer.

Tim

Hey, wait, you can’t stop me from—

Alan

Wanna bet?

Slow-motion. An explosion sounds, and Tim falls backwards.

End of Episode #3

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