[Air
date early October 1989]
SCENE ONE: JENNIFER IS MADLY TYPING TRYING TO FINISH AN ARTICLE.
JACK KNOCKS ON THE DOOR.
JACK: Good morning!
|
|
Jack tries to convince Jennifer
he is just working on a story, not trying to help Steve
& Kayla;
1:15 min; 2.7 Meg |
|
JENNIFER: Jack, why are you here?
JACK: Great way to greet your boss.
JENNIFER: I'm not even finished yet. Why didn't you call
first?
JACK: What are you talking about?
JENNIFER: This is a much harder assignment than I thought.
I didn't realize so much research had to be done on monks living in
Hawaii.
IT IS OBVIOUS THAT JACK MADE UP A BOGUS ASSIGNMENT
TO GET JENNIFER PREOCCUPIED, SO AS NOT TO GET INVOLVED WITH HIS
INVESTIGATION OF MARINA.
JACK: Jennifer, Jennifer....
JENNIFER: I've been to two libraries.
JACK: Jennifer, Jennifer....
JENNIFER: I've even spoken to Hawaii and then you come here
without even calling Jack.
JACK: JENNIFER! I'm not here to see your work.
JENNIFER: Oh!
JACK: I'm here to see Kayla.
JENNIFER: (Disappointed) Oh. (Beat) Kayla's not here.
JACK: Where is she?
JENNIFER: Well, I know where she is Jack but....
JACK: Well, come on, come on. Inquiring minds want to know.
Spit it out.
JENNIFER: She moved back home with Steve.
JACK: What do you think of that?
JENNIFER: Jack, Kayla was hurting.
JACK: I know that.
JENNIFER: So, Kim and I convinced her to go back home.
JACK: Well, is she still hurting?
JENNIFER: Well, I guess so. I mean wouldn't you be? Marrying
someone that you love more than anything and then having someone
from their past come and screw it up.
JACK: (Thinking back over his life and worrying about Steve
and Kayla.) Yeah, I know what you mean. Excuse me, I need to get out
of here.
JACK HURRIES TO THE DOOR BUT JENNIFER CHASES HIM, KNOWING
THAT HE IS UP TO SOMETHING.
JENNIFER: Wait a minute Jack.
JACK: I need to get to work.
JENNIFER: Wait a minute. There is more to this than....
JACK STOP!
JACK: (As if nothing has happened.) Yes.
JENNIFER: I know that this is none of my business but why
are you so interested in Steve and Kayla?
 JACK:
(Playing the innocent act) Am I?
JENNIFER: It's obvious. I've never seen you so concerned
about other people.
JACK IS EMBARRASSED THAT SHE NOTICES THAT HE CARES ABOUT STEVE
AND KAYLA.
JACK: Oh. I'm just being a reporter.
JENNIFER: What?
JACK: Come on Jennifer. I thought that of all people you
would catch on to this.
JENNIFER: What? Caught on to what?
JACK: (Making it up as he goes along.) Ever since I came
back from Italy, I've been onto a story. A big one.
JENNIFER: (Not believing him) And that's what this is all
about.
JACK: Yeah, that's what this is all about.
SCENE TWO: JACK TRIES TO END THE CONVERSATION
AND LEAVE HE NOTICES HE FORGOT HIS BRIEFCASE.
JACK: Oh, have to get my briefcase.
JACK RUNS BACK INSIDE AND JENNIFER SLAMS THE DOOR
SHUT.
JENNIFER: You are not going anywhere. So this is about a story
Jack?
JACK: Story? Ah, yeah I guess it is.
JENNIFER: So, what you have already must be some pretty
interesting stuff, huh?
JACK: (Teasing her) Interesting stuff? Oh, come on Jennifer,
you're being eaten up with curiosity aren't you? Come on, admit
it. Come on. It's only the biggest story to ever hit Salem. Come
on, don't be subtle.
 JENNIFER:
Alright, alright, I'll ask you straight out. What did you find out
on your trip?
JACK: (Enjoying annoying her and keeping her interested.)
Not much!
JACK TURNS AND JENNIFER GRABS HIM, AND SWINGS HIM AROUND.
JENNIFER: NO! Jack. NO!
JACK: Jennifer.
JENNIFER: Tell me.
 JACK:
A.... Aa.... all I know is that I've got the seeds of a.... of a
possible little exposé. That's all.
JENNIFER: An "exposé" on what?
JACK: Well, that sometimes people's pasts come back to haunt
them.
JENNIFER: What people?
JACK: People like.... er.... like Steve. I mean there's
this woman that come back from his past and she's causing a little
trouble and.... er....
JENNIFER: You can not do an article on that Jack. You have
hurt them enough. Just leave this whole thing alone.
JACK: Look, look, her family's rich, her father is about
to kick off. She's come back asking Steve for something. I mean....
JENNIFER: So what?
JACK: Isn't that list a little bit intriguing? Well, I think
it was intriguing and worth an exposé. (Seeing a banana on
her counter, and also trying to evade the subject) I want a banana
today for work. I really do (He picks it up and puts it inside his
briefcase.).
JENNIFER: I think you want off the subject Jack.
JACK: Huh?
JENNIFER: You're not investigating this whole thing
for a stupid newspaper story.
JACK: (Playing along) I'm not? I'm not, you're right, I'm
not.
JENNIFER: (Insightfully) You still care about your brother
and you're trying to help him.
JACK LOOKS ACROSS AT JENNIFER, KNOWING THAT SHE IS ON TO HIM.
THOUGH HE DOES NOT WANT TO LET ON THAT THAT IS IN FACT THE TRUTH.
SCENE THREE: A SHORT TIME LATER.
|
|
Jennifer thinks that in Jack's
black rock heart there is a gold nugget;
1:50 min; 4.1 Meg |
|
JENNIFER: I will fix us something to eat.
JACK: Hold it right there. Before we go any further I want
to make one thing perfectly clear. I am a newsman -- and
a very good one at that -- and I have a good nose for news. And
when I sniff out something that looks like a real exclusive, I hope
that your instincts aren't so off that you think I am just being
magnanimous.
JENNIFER: You are such a phoney!
JACK: Me?
JENNIFER: Jack, look you're repeating yourself. Everytime
someone tries to accuse you of doing something nice, you stammer
around with this, (Imitating Jack) "Me, Me!"
 JACK:
Me?
JENNIFER: Yes, you! You are into this up to your
neck because you want to help your brother and his wife.
JACK: (Getting embarrassed by the truth of his feelings.)
Okay, wait a minute, wait a minute, Miss Let's-Get-The Story- Clear.
I hate him and he hates me. End of story.
JENNIFER: But inside Jack! Inside Jack, you both (searching
for the right word).... you both hurt. Yes! There is a little
bit of good in you Jack.
JACK: (Groaning) Oh.... oh....
JENNIFER: Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. It may be hidden, a lot of
the time. But deep down inside under that black rock you've got
for a heart, there's a little nugget. Yes! A nugget! A nugget
of gold Jack. And someday you are going to mine it!
JACK: (Groaning) Death by metaphor!
SCENE THREE: JACK AND JENNIFER ARE SITTING ON THE COUCH IN
THE LOFT WITH A PLATE EACH OF SALAD AND WHITE BREAD.
JACK PICKS UP A PIECE OF BREAD AND EXAMINES IT.
JACK: Nobody could ever accuse us of being white bread. (Half-smile)
Excellent cuisine, excellent.
JENNIFER: Not so excellent conversation Jack.
JACK: (Still trying to evade the truth, and not wanting
to let on that Jennifer has got him pegged.) Okay, let's put an
end to this right now. Let's put this puppy to sleep. I do not
have a heart or a little nugget of gold. That's not in
the Jack Deveraux makeup -- Or the Johnson for that matter.
I guess Kayla's going to find that out too.
JENNIFER: (Intrigued) What does that mean, Jack?
JACK: I think she's about to find out that her hubby is
a Johnson, through and through.
JENNIFER: (Concerned) You are not going to tell her everything
that you found out.
JACK: (In a sing-song voice, and a sort of a dance) Ah, maybe
I will and maybe I won't. 
JACK TRIES TO LEAVE.
JENNIFER: No, you won't Jack (Stopping him). You can't. After
everything they've been through you can't do this.
JACK: I can't? I tell you what I can't do? I can't waste
anymore time and that's what I'm doing right here. I need to get
to the office and so do you.
JENNIFER: Oh, YES SIR! DEVERAUX SIR!
JACK: Mr. Deveraux, Sir! Thank you.
JENNIFER COVERS HER EARS AND SCREAMS AS LOUD AS SHE
CAN AT JACK THEN RUNS TO THE DOOR. BEFORE SHE SHUTS IT SHE STOPS.
JENNIFER: Jack, I still think that you have a good side.
HE GRINS. LOOKING AT HIMSELF.
JACK: Well, I thought it needed a little toning up but I....
er.....
JENNIFER: JACK, LOCK THE DOOR!
SCENE FOUR: LATER THAT DAY, JACK AND
JENNIFER ARE AT THE PAPER, JACK IS READING THE ARTICLE JENNIFER
WROTE ABOUT GANGS, AS HE READS HE KEEPS ON MAKING "HMMM"
SOUNDS.
JENNIFER: That's it Jack, everything you wanted so I'll be
going now.
JACK: (Still reading) [First words hard to distinguish]
I don't see a little something here.... Something like the rest
of the story.
JENNIFER: There's isn't anymore.
JACK: You wrote about every major gang in this town with
the exception of your favorite and mine, the Stingrays.
JENNIFER: Well, you already run stories on them and I didn’t
think you want to risk over exposing them.
JACK: We’re not their publicist. There is a reason
that you didn’t write about them, and you know it.
JENNIFER: Are you saying I’m protecting them, Jack.
JACK: No, no. Not them; him. (Walking away, with
a smug look) Emilio.
SCENE FIVE: EMILIO IS WITH THE STINGRAYS
AS THEY ROB A GAS STATION. ONE OF THE GANG MEMBERS WANTS TO SHOOT
THE WORKER. EMILIO TRIES TO STALL THEM. ROMAN , ABE AND THE POLICE
EVENTUALLY ARRIVE AND ARREST THEM, INCLUDING EMILIO. SOMEHOW ABE
GETS SHOT.
SCENE: SIX: JACK AND JENNIFER ARE STILL
AT THE PAPER.
JACK: Wake up and smell the coffee, the guys is a lost cause.
JENNIFER: (With a sarcastic laugh) Jack, if anyone is any
cause, it’s you !
JACK: No, no, no, no, no, you’re not going to turn
this thing around on me.
JENNIFER: That’s what you’re doing to me--
JACK: (Gesturing) Look, the Pgymalion thing did not
work with Emilio. You tried it, and I tried it.
JENNIFER: (Confused) What are you talking about?
JACK: You don’t think he got interested in Brahams
and Beethoven and Shakespeare all on his own, do you?
JENNIFER: You did that?
JACK: 'Twas I I was feeling a little bit generous but....
but face it, the guy.... i.... h.... he’s never going to be
legit.
JENNIFER: Well I don’t believe that!
JACK: (Tilting his head and attempting to imitate rap, doing
a little dance) He’s a homeboy, and it’s all he’s
ever gonna be.
VERN COMES IN WITH NEWS.
VERN: We’ve got breaking news on Mercado Street....
JACK TURNS TO VERN.
VERN: (Cont.) ....there’s a shoot out at the gas station.
Police are involved.
JENNIFER LOOKS WORRIED, WHILE JACK HAS LOOKS SMUG.
JACK: (With mock shock) Mercado Street? (Looking at Jennifer)
W.... Well that.... that’s Stingray territory, isn’t it.
VERN: I think it is gang related, yeah.
JENNIFER: Vern, do they know who did it?
VERN: Well, they don’t have positive IDs, but they have
uh.... descriptions.
JENNIFER IS WORRIED.
VERN: (Cont.) Four Hispanic males.... a... one was short, wirey,
close cropped hair.
JACK: Anndd. putting his fingers to his chin and NODDING
in mock contemplation, he obviously is smug knowing he was right
about Emilio, and he is one of them.
VERN: (Obviously being evasive) Ehh, it’s early yet.
JACK: Hmm, not that early, Vern.
VERN: Well, one of them was average height, muscular build
(hesitating for a moment seeing Jennifer)....
JENNIFER REALLY IS WORRIED NOW SINCE IT IS OBVIOUS
VERN IS DESCRIBING EMILIO.
VERN: (Cont.) ....Long, curly hair.
VERN LOOKS AT JENNIFER, THEN WALKS AWAY.
JACK: (Pleased and smug) Well, if it’s not Crystal
Gayle who could it be?
JENNIFER: I can’t be Emilio.
JACK: No, it can’t be Emilio! But
who else fits the description, “long, curly hair”--
JENNIFER RUNS OFF.
JACK: (Cont.) I-- (noticing she is running off) Jennifer, where
are you going?
JENNIFER: I’m gonna to find out for sure, Jack!
JACK: (half-running after her) Oookay! (Pointing to Vern,
as he is chasing after Jennifer) Vern, hold down the fort.
VERN: Yeeaah!
SCENE SEVEN: JACK AND JENNIFER ARE AT
THE POLICE STATION, BEHIND THE DOOR. IT IS OPENING AND JENNIFER
DRAGS JACK OUT OF THE WAY. ROMAN COMES IN WITH EMILIO, WHO IS IN
HANDCUFFS.
ROMAN: (To Emilio) Alright, let’s move it, Ramirez! (To
Jack and Jennifer)
JENNIFER: Emilio, what happened?
JACK: Ah, Jennifer, I think that’s obvious.
JENNIFER: Will you be quiet! (Turning to Emilio) I want
to hear it from Emilio.
EMILIO: (Acting tough) What are you doing here?!
JENNIFER: We heard what happened at the gas station....
I couldn’t believe that you were involved.
ROMAN: You better believe it Jennifer. I was there and I saw
it with my own eyes.
JACK IS WATCHING JENNIFER AND IS NO LONGER SMUG.
HE LOOKS LIKE HE FEELS FOR JENNIFER.
JENNIFER: Why would you do something like this?
EMILIO SAYS NOTHING. ROMAN TELLS A COP TO BOOK HIM
AND THE COP TAKES HIM AWAY.
JENNIFER: Roman, we heard on the radio.... on the way over
here that someone got shot.
ROMAN TELLS HIM THAT IT WAS ABE. JENNIFER NOW IS REALLY
WORRIED. AT THE MOMENT ROMAN DOES NOT KNOW HOW ABE IS.
JENNIFER: Emilio didn’t do it?
ROMAN: No, but it could’ve been him.
JACK: (Interrupting, he actually seems confused and not
believing it) I.... I just can’t work this thing out, what’s
Emilio doing involve with armed-robbery in the first place?
ROMAN: Well, k inda looks like he’s back running
with the pack. Doesn’t it, Jack.
JENNIFER: (Does not seem happy that Jack is questioning things)
Roman, I gotta talk to him.
ROMAN: No way, Jennifer, he’s being booked right now.
You want to take my advice, why don’t you steer clear of the
boy, okay. If you excuse me I going to check out my partner.
ROMAN LEVES. JACK IS SITTING ON THE EDGE OF A DESK,
FIDDLING WITH HIS TIE, HE TURNS AND WATCHES AS ROMAN LEAVES THE
ROOM. HE CLEARS HIS THROAT, AND JENNIFER TURNS TOWARDS HIM.
JACK: Well, we better take the officer’s advice, ah…
turn in our story before deadline. How about th--
JENNIFER: (Interrupting) No, I’m not leaving here.
There’s something too weird about this whole thing--
JACK: Yeah, the fact that Emilio didn’t put up more
of a fight.
JENNIFER: Jack, you go to the paper and you print this story
if want. But I am not leaving until I get to the bottom of this.
SHE WALKS OFF BEFORE JACK CAN REPLY.
JACK: Spoken like a true reporter.
SCENE EIGHT: LATER THAT DAY, JACK IS
PHONING IN A REPORT FROM THE POLICE STATION. JENNIFER IS LISTENING
TO HIM.
JACK: The perpetrators appear to be the Stingrays including
their former ringleader Emilio Ramirez who also happens to be the
leader in this heist. Ya got it?
VERN: (On the phone ) Yeah I got it but we've
got a space problem. We might have to crop that last paragraph.
JACK: No, no, no, no. Don't cut any news. We're taking names
and kicking tale. You cut anything out and your tale's going to
be in a sling.
VERN: Whatever you say boss. I don't look good
in a sling.
JACK: Good, good. I'll see you later (hangs up).
JENNIFER: Emilio was not the ringleader and you know it.
JACK: Oh, really. Then why is.... why is Roman spending
so much time with him?
JENNIFER: You're really enjoying all this, aren't you Jack?
JACK: Enjoying what?
JENNIFER: Thinking that you're so right about Emilio.
JACK: You're right. I am enjoying this and you'll be enjoying
it too when you realize how right I am.
JENNIFER: No, I'm not saying anything until I talk to Emilio
and if you were any kind of responsible journalist, you'd wait too.
JACK: Who the hell do you think you are?
JENNIFER: Jack, wait a minute.
JACK: Wha.... what, what? You gonna take another shot at
me? Go ahead.
JENNIFER: I'm sorry, alright. I don't mean to take this
out on you.
JACK: But?
JENNIFER: I don't know. I'm just mixed up. I can't figure
out why he'd get involved with something like this.
JACK: Look, the guy is like a dog that was never house trained.
He's done it before and he'll do it again.
JENNIFER: Jack, he was changing.
JACK: No, no, no, no. You, thought he was changing. The
secret is Emilio knew he would never change.
JENNIFER: I still want to talk to him and I'm not going
to be able to stop thinking about it until I do.
JACK: Okay then why don't you go ahead and do something
instead of talking about it.
JENNIFER: I'm trying to get in to see him but they won't
let me.
JACK: Alright, I guess I'll pull some strings and use my
influence.
JENNIFER: You'd do that Jack?
JACK: Sure, anything just to get this whole thing over with.
SCENE NINE: JACK ARRANGES
FOR JENNIFER TO VISIT EMILIO IN JAIL; HE ACCOMPANIES HER. EMILIO
TRIES TO PUT ON A TOUGH ACT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER GANG MEMBERS IN
THE CELL WITH HIM.
EMILIO: Hi, Jen. (Changing his attitude) What in the hell are
you doing here?
JACK: I was asking her that myself. She said she had to
talk to you so I decided to pull a few strings.
EMILIO: Yeah, yeah. I'll pull your strings.
JENNIFER: (To Jack) Jack do you think I could just talk
to him alone for a minute?
JACK: As long as you can be in this crowd.
JENNIFER: Please?
JACK: Alright, I'll be out by the door.
JACK WAITS BY THE PRISON DOOR WHILE JENNIFER TALKS
TO EMILIO. HE TELLS HER THAT SHE IS NO LONGER HIS SCENE AND THAT
HE IS HAPPY WITH THE GANG.
JACK: Jennifer, have you heard enough?
JENNIFER WALKS TO THE DOOR VERY HURT.
JACK: (To Emilio) Emilio, you blew it! |
