SCENE ONE: JENNIFER AND APRIL ARE STILL AT THE CHEATIN' HEART.

 

APRIL: Jennifer, I don't know what to do. Roman's going to be here any minute now and he's going to arrest me for the murder of Nick. And the only way I can possibly protect myself is to point my finger at somebody who I really care a lot about.

JENNIFER: I understand, I understand alright. But you've got to give me time because I have to talk to Jack.

APRIL: Roman's going to be here any minute. He's going to want my statement, you heard him Jennifer.

JENNIFER: Alright, can you just give me an hour? Come on, you can stall Roman for an hour. I'll find Jack and tell him what's going on and we'll all go to the police together, okay.

 

ROMAN HAS ARRIVED.

 

ROMAN: I'll save you the trouble ladies. The cops are already here.

APRIL: So Roman, did you bring that court stenographer to take my statement?

ROMAN: There's been a change of plans April. I need to ask you something else.

APRIL: Something else?

ROMAN: Yeah and this time cut the run around. I need to know exactly where Jo Johnson is.

SCENE TWO: BACK AT THE APARTMENT, JACK WANTS TO KNOW THE TRUTH.

 

JACK: Come on, you might as well tell me the truth. You were at the Cheatin' Heart the night Nick was killed.

JO: How did you....

JACK: You were with April at the Cheatin' Heart the night Nick was killed.

JO: How did you know that?

JACK: Chuck, the bartender, told me.

JO: Chuck?.... Oh please. You know what kind of man he is. He would say almost anything.

JACK: We found the gun with the prints.... your prints. (Beat) Now why don't you tell me the truth? You did it. (Beat) You killed him. (Beat) You killed Nick Corelli.

SCENE THREE: AT THE CHEATIN' HEART.

 

ROMAN: It sure as hell got silent in here all of a sudden.

JENNIFER: Roman, why are you looking for Mrs. Johnson?

ROMAN: I just got done talking with your boss April. You know Chuck, the man who usually is serving behind the bar there. In fact the night Nick was murdered he was serving behind the bar. Saw and served you and Jo some drinks.

APRIL: Is there a law against having a couple of drinks with a friend Roman?

ROMAN: No law, you got me there. It's kind of unusual behavior for an AA member and her sponsor isn't it?

APRIL: Okay, look, we never touched those drinks.

ROMAN: I wonder why you ordered them in the first place.... unless something heavy duty was going down that tempted you to fall off the wagon. Am I close?

APRIL: Roman, what do you want to know?

ROMAN: Jo Johnson used your car that night didn't she?

 

APRIL IS SILENT.

 

ROMAN: I'm sorry I didn't hear you.

APRIL: I can't.

ROMAN: You can't what? You can't tell me the truth or you just can't tell me?

APRIL: I'm sorry, I can't. Please don't make me.

ROMAN: Right, well I guess that's about as good as it's going to get. It's good enough for me.

JENNIFER: Roman, wait. If you're going to arrest Jo Johnson, I want to go with you.

SCENE FOUR: BACK AT THE APARTMENT.

 

JO: You found the gun?

JACK: On the train, yes. It was very well hidden, I'll grant you that. But we did find it. And then we had a party for all the survivors back in Salem. And during that party we ran around and collected the fingerprints of all the suspects off the champagne glasses. Miss Horton and I did that. I tell you one thing, we found the perfect match between the gun and April's glass and I thought at that moment, it's April. (Beat) Then we found there was two sets of prints on that glass. It was at that point I remembered that somebody else had picked up that glass.

 

JO REMEMBERS THAT AS APRIL WAS ABOUT TO SIP THE CHAMPAGNE, SHE TOOK THE GLASS FROM HER.

 

JACK: I remembered standing making a toast and looking down to my left. I saw April about to take a sip of her champagne and then her sponsor, trying to take care of her, reached over and took the glass.... and made her mark. You made your mark Jo, the same way you made your mark on the gun.

JO: Jack....

JACK: No, let's just talk about it. Halloween night you took April out of the Cheatin' Heart to take her home. But you didn't take her home. You took her to a party at that haunted house, right. And you drove, right. You didn't want her driving. I guess you told her that she was too upset to drive. Then you dropped her off and you left her there. But did you go home, I don't.... no you didn't, did you? You went somewhere else. You took the car back to the refinery. Now why would you do that?

 

JO IS UPSET AND TURNS AWAY.

 

JACK: You went back to the refinery. You had to.... you had to find Nick. Isn't that right? You had to find Nick. Why did you have to do that? You had to go see Nick after she told you about it, but why?

JO: WHAT ELSE COULD I DO? I couldn't let him get away. I wouldn't be able to sleep nights if I let him get away. (Beat) He murdered my son and if the police weren't going to do anything about it, then I was. (Beat) For Steve.... for Steve.... yes I.... killed him.

JACK'S HEART SINKS.

 

JO: All I could about was Steve. I even thought I could hear him sometimes, at night. And something had to be done! (Beat) It hurt...so much. It hurt. And then I heard that Nick, I heard that he was go....

JACK: You heard.... you heard about the deal that he was trying to make with the police, right.

JO: Yes, yes, and I couldn't let him do that. I couldn't.

JACK: Look....

JO: HE MURDERED.... HE MURDERED MY SON. And then it was as if nothing had happened. Nobody had to pay, nobody got punished. It just....

 

JO BREAKS DOWN AND BEGINS TO SOB.

 

JO: He was my baby....

JACK: I...know what he was.

JO: One night I met April at the Cheatin' Heart and she told me that she'd been to the refinery and that she'd run into Nick. And she told me about the gun underneath her seat. And I thought that maybe there was something I could do. So I borrowed April's car and the gun and I went to the refinery with just one thing on my mind, over and over and over. Nick had to face what he had done. And I was going to make him face it.

 

JO THINKS BACK OVER HER MEETING WITH NICK. SHE POINTS THE GUN AT HIM AND HE LAUGHS IN HER FACE SAYING THAT SHE WOULD NOT SHOOT AT HIM. HE GRABS FOR THE GUN AND SHE FIRES, KILLING HIM. JO BEGINS TO SCREAM.... NO.... NO.... NO! SHE IS STILL SEEING IT ALL IN HER MIND.

 

JO: No.... no.... no.... I did what I could.... I did what I thought I had to. And I was so scared. I was so scared that I ran away and I hid the gun in the train. See I read about it in the paper and I knew that they were going to take the train away. (Beat) What am I going to do? Just tell me, what am.... what am I going to do?

JACK IS VERY UPSET AND SCARED.

 

JACK: I.... I don't know.... I honestly.... I don't....

 

JO CLINGS TO HIM SEEKING REFUGE.

 

JO: Oh somebody.... somebody help me. Somebody....

 

JACK SLOWLY PUTS HIS ARM AROUND HER.

JACK: Don't worry.... M-o-t-h-e-r.

 

THE WORD IS SLOW AND HARD FOR JACK TO SAY. SHE CLINGS EVEN HARDER TO HIM.

JACK: I'll help you.

SCENE FIVE: JO REALIZES WHAT JACK HAS SAID, AND IS SURPISED AND PLEASED.

 

JO: Jack.... you called me mother.

JACK: Well I.... I suppose that's what you are, isn't it?

JO: Oh.... I thought you might hate me after you saw what I was capable of doing.

JACK: Come on now, let's remember who we're talking to here. I think we've all been a little more than capable on more than one occasion. Adrienne, myself.... Steve. (Beat) You say you did this for Steve. I suppose that's the way it's always been for you, do whatever you have to for Adrienne.... or.... Steve.

JO: Or you.... You! I love all of my children more than you'll ever know. Adrienne and you.... and Steve. (Beat) I miss him that's all.... I miss him.

JACK: I know.

JO: I miss him.... very much.

 

THERE IS A KNOCK AT THE DOOR.

 

JO: What's.... are you expecting someone?

JACK: Don't.... shhhh. Don't worry it's probably Girl Scouts collecting or something.

 

JACK OPENS THE DOOR.

 

JACK: We don't anything....

 

JENNIFER IS STANDING THERE. JACK SIGHS HEAVILY.

JACK: Oh!

JENNIFER: Oh Jack.

JACK: Oh Jack is right.

JENNIFER: Oh you should have told me.

JACK: Ah.... I was.... ah.... just trying to be sure, that's all.

JO: Jennifer.

JENNIFER: Mrs. Johnson, I'm so sorry.

 

JO HUGS JENNIFER. JENNIFER LOOKS AT JACK, HER HEART BREAKING FOR HIS PAIN.

 

JO: I know, I know.

JENNIFER: I'm so sorry.

JACK: Alright, so tell us what you know.

JENNIFER: The police know.

JO: Well of course they would.

JENNIFER: I did what I could Mrs. Johnson.

JO: Oh I know, I know that you did and I thank you.

 

ROMAN OPENS THE DOOR AND ENTERS.

 

ROMAN: Jo. (Beat) I'm sorry.

JO: It's alright Roman, I understand.

ROMAN: So do I, believe me.

JACK: Look if you both understand, I mean it's a small town. I'm sure we could work this out. I mean....

JO: Jack.... Roman has a job to do. And we all have to do what we have to do.

ROMAN: Jo Johnson, I'm placing you under arrest for the murder of Nick Corelli.

 

JACK'S EYES FILL WITH TEARS AS HE LISTENS TO HIS MOTHER BEING ARRESTED. ONCE AGAIN HE KNOWS SHE WILL BE TAKEN AWAY FROM HIM.

ROMAN: You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be appointed for you.

 

JO IS TAKEN TO THE POLICE STATION AND JACK AND JENNIFER GO WITH HER.

SCENE SIX: THE POLICE STATION, ROMAN'S OFFICE.

 

ROMAN: We want your statement Jo.

JACK: Ah wait, listen don't say a word alright. Wait until your lawyer gets here. (To Jennifer) Mickey's on his way right? (To Jo) Right so just trust me. Don't say a word, trust me.

JO: I'm sorry Roman. I have to do what my son thinks is best.

ROMAN: Let's go.

BRIAN: Mrs. Johnson, we have to downstairs now.

JO: For what? What for?

BRIAN: For booking.

JACK: It's alright, it's alright, it's just.... it's just a formality. They just do their thing. We'll all go with you.

BRIAN: Um, that's against policy Jack.

ROMAN: Scofield, maybe we can bend the rules just this one time. What do you say?

JO: Thank you Roman.

BRIAN: Okay well I'm ready when you guys are.

JACK: Right I guess we're all ready.

 

JACK IS KIND OF LOST FEELING HE HAS NO CONTROL OVER WHAT HAPPENS TO HIS MOTHER. JO WALKS OVER AND GENTLY RUNS HER HAND DOWN HIS CHEST.

 

JO: Thank you.

JACK: Sure.... it's nothing really.

 

HE TAKES HER HAND IN BOTH OF HIS AND PATS IT.

 

JACK: This way.

 

SCENE SEVEN: THEY TAKE HER DOWN AND PHOTOGRAPH HER THEN START TO LEAD HER AWAY. ALL THE TIME, JACK IS TRYING TO CONTROL HIS INNER PANIC.

 

JO: Ah wait.... Billy?

 

JACK LOOKS UP.

 

JO: Billy.... I....

 

THEY LEAD HER AWAY.

 

JACK: Don't worry. Don't.... look you're going to get out of this.... it's a promise.

SCENE EIGHT: JO IS TAKEN AWAY AND LOCKED UP AND JACK GOES TO SEE HER IMMEDIATELY. HE IS SEPARATED FROM HER BY A METAL GRILL.

 

JACK: Sit down, sit down. Just calm down alright, it's going to be alright.

JO: Jack, Jack, I don't think there is anything anybody can do now. And everybody is going to find out sooner or later.

JACK: So what does it matter if everybody finds out?

JO: If everybody finds out.... what am I going to do about my job?

JACK: Oh that's....

JO: And what is Dr. Curtis going to think of me? And Adrienne and Justin and all the kids. What are they going to think?

JACK: I will talk to the doctor. I'll explain and he'll understand. Adrienne's going to understand. Obviously she will. I....

JO: Oh, will she understand? Nobody's going to understand. I don't even understand.

JACK: Listen you just did it. You just did it, that's all.

JO: Jack, Jack, you've got to promise me you won't let anybody come here and see me like this.

JACK: I can't do that!

JO: Jack, you've got to promise me.

JACK: Alright! I won't tell anyone.

JO: There's been so much so much pain already. There's been so.... so much pain.... and that's the worst of it. How is everybody going to deal with this? How are my friends going to deal with it?

JACK: What are you doing thinking about other people? Don't worry about other people right now, alright. Listen before you know it....

JO: But Jack....

JACK: Before you know it, the judge is going to bail you out of this thing and Mickey....

JO: Jack you don't seem to understand this.

JACK: And Mickey is going to be right on top of everything and you're going to be cleared in a week, two weeks, maybe a.... a.... month tops.

JO: A Month! Not a month. It's going to be long....

JACK: Are you doubting me? Wait a minute, remember who you're talking to here. I've got much more experience with the judicial system than you. Compared to you, I'm an expert.

JO: Jack, I did it! I killed Nick! Now I want to get it in the system and I'm going to have to be punished for it Jack.

JACK: Alright, okay, now one thing, you've got to remember.

JO: What, what?

JACK: There are extenuating circumstances, you see. There are extenuating circumstances.

JO: No.

JACK: There are many ways to work through this. You don't understand.

JO: No there isn't Jack.

JACK: Yes, you don't understand. You're not really.... you're not the criminal type. You just.... you did it.... for.... one of your kids.

JO: I did it.

 

THE GUARD THEN CALLS JO BACK TO HER CELL.

 

JACK: Alright, alright, tomorrow. I'll be back tomorrow. I'll be back to....

JO: Just a second. Now you tell Eve.... you tell Eve that I would have never ever let her.... be in this position.

JACK: Now don't.... don't even worry about Eve alright. Just....

JO: Jack, Jack, tell her.

JACK: I'll be back. I'll be here.

JO: Jack, thank you. This means the world to me.

 

JO IS TAKEN AWAY AND JACK IS ALONE. HE SLUMPS HIS SHOULDERS IN HOPELESSNESS. JENNIFER COMES IN AND SEES HIM.

JENNIFER: Come on Jack, I'll take you home.

SCENE NINE: LATER, IN HER CELL, SHE ASKS ROMAN FOR SOMETHING. LATER HE RETURNS WITH A PHOTO, IT IS THE PICTURE FROM CHRISTMAS 1989, WITH HER AND ADRIENNE, JACK, AND STEVE. SHE LOOKS AT IT, AND CRIES AS SHE PLACES IT TO HER HEART.

SCENE TEN: BACK TO THE PENTHOUSE AND JACK GOES OUT ON THE BALCONY TO THINK OVER WHAT TO DO NEXT. JENNIFER FOLLOWS HIM OUT.

 

JENNIFER: Jack?

JACK: Somewhat.... present.

JENNIFER: Well at least you're talking, finally.

JACK: I hope I'm keeping you entertained.

JENNIFER: Why won't you let me help you?

JACK: You want to help me? Of course you can help me. You can always help me. Please Miss Horton, help away, I'm not stopping you.

JENNIFER: Oh but you'll fight me for a while, just like you are now.

JACK: Is that what I'm doing?

JENNIFER: Yeah, that's what you always do, pretty much. (Beat) I'm sorry for my part in all of this.

JACK: What are you talking about? Sorry about Jo being in.... prison?

JENNIFER: Jack we have worked to find that letter and look where it got us. Look where all of that searching got us.

JACK: I don't regret it. (Beat) I don't. (Beat) I'm just a little preoccupied at the moment because I'm trying to figure out a way to get Jo out of this mess.

JENNIFER: Well I'm glad to hear you say, you know, that because your mom really needs you now Jack. And I know that you won't let her down.

JACK: You know that.

JENNIFER: Yeah, I know that. And you have to know how much it means to her.

JACK: If we can.... deal with this Jo situation and we can deal with Lawrence, we can.... we can....

JENNIFER: We?

JACK: Yes, we. You didn't think I was going to deal with this on my own, did you?

JENNIFER: You said we Jack.

JACK: Yes, wee, wee, wee as in wee wee wee wee all the way home, like.... Nick the pig always said.

JENNIFER: We. (Beat) We Jack!

JACK: Please don't try to speak French Miss Horton.

JENNIFER: No you said we.

JACK: No, no, no. I said we and you tried to say oui. It's we.

 

JENNIFER SMILES AND JACK GRINS.

 

JENNIFER: No you said we.

JACK: Correction, I said "We."

JENNIFER: That's right, "we," you and me, Jack.