oldEpisode Two-hundred-eighty-two:
Jack Tries to Help Jo, the Thought
of Losing Her Again Terrifies Him.

[Air date early May 1991]
 

SCENE ONE:THE NEXT DAY JENNIFER GOES TO SEE MELISSA WHO HAS JUST ADMITTED TO PUSHING EMILIO OUT THE WINDOW AT LAWRENCE'S PLACE ON NEW YEAR'S EVE.


SCENE TWO: WHILE JENNIFER IS AT MELISSA'S, LAWRENCE ARRIVES AND TELLS THEM THAT HE HAS A SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM THAT MAY SHOW THAT IT WAS AN ACCIDENT. JENNIFER THINKS THAT HE MUST HAVE A MOTIVE TO HELP HER BUT HE DENIES THAT.

SCENE THREE: JENNIFER TALKS WITH JULIE ABOUT HOW DIFFICULT THE TRIAL IS GOING TO BE. JULIE IS SO PROUD OF HER FOR HAVING THE COURAGE TO CHAREG LAWRENCE. JENNIFER TELLS HER THAT SHE WAS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT SHE DECIDED TO CHARGE HIM. JULIE WONDERS WHAT WAS THE OTHER. JENNIFER SAYS, JACK. SHE TELLS JULIE THAT JACK HAS BEEN SO SUPPORTIVE. JULIE IS NOT THAT SUPRISED, SHE HAS KNOWN THAT JENNIFER AND JACK BELONG TOGETHER. JENNIFER TELLS HER THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME SHE FEELS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT HER AND JACK'S FUTURE TOGETHER.

SCENE FOUR: LATER ON THAT DAY, MELISSA GOES OVER TO LAWRENCE'S AND HE GIVES HER THE TAPE. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT HE IS HELPING HER FOR AN ULTERIOR MOTIVE, TO HOPE TO USE THIS LATER DURING HIS RAPE TRIAL.

SCENE FIVE: HE THEN GIVES THE TAPE OVER TO BRIAN. WHO REALIZES THE REAL REASON FOR LAWRENCE'S "GENEROISITY."

[Air date early May 1991]

 

SCENE ONE: IT IS THE FOLLOWING DAY AND JENNIFER IS WAITING AT WINGS FOR JACK TO ARRIVE. HE COMES RUNNING IN JUST AS SHE IS ABOUT TO LEAVE.

 

JACK: Oh, oh, oh, sit down, sit down, sit down.

JENNIFER: Jack, you were supposed to be here twenty minutes ago to meet me for lunch.

JACK: I had a previous engagement. Please sit down.

JENNIFER: Previous.... we were supposed to be at Victor's this afternoon for Carly's wedding rehearsal. Now we're going to be late and.... what previous engagement?
oldEp282A
JACK: Just suffice to say that something came up and your help is required.

JENNIFER: Alright, well I guess I could skip one meal. What do you want me to do?

JACK: Very simple really. I need your help to break into Roman's office.

 

JENNIFER CANNOT BELIEVE WHAT JACK JUST SAID.

 

JENNIFER: Alright Jack, let me get this straight. You want me to help you to break into Roman's office?

JACK: In a nut shell, yes. Very good, let's go.

 

JACK GETS UP AND JENNIFER GRABS HIM.

 

JENNIFER: NO!.... No.... no. Jack!

JACK: Is there a problem?

JENNIFER: Yeah, there's a problem. You want me to commit a crime and you want even tell me why. What is going on?

JACK: Just suffice to say I've a very well informed source in the Assistant DA's office. They tell me that Glynnis Turner has something crooked up her sleeve. That something happens to be a folder with the name Josephine Johnson printed on it.

JENNIFER: What! Well do you know what's in it?

JACK: Well rumor has it that Glynnis Turner would not turn her nose up at something that would suit her purposes. And I have a feeling that if she gets a conviction in a sensational murder trial like this one, this is going to suit her purposes very well.

JENNIFER: Well what do we do? What are we supposed to do?

JACK: I think we should swipe the folder.

JENNIFER: How are we going to do that Jack? We can't just waltz into the Assistant DA's office and steal a file.

JACK: No, no. We're going to waltz into Roman's office. Listen, my source told me that that's where file went at some point during the day. So we come back to the original preface of the question. Will you help me break into Roman's office?

JENNIFER: No, I can't do this. It's crazy. We can't do this Jack. It's crazy

JACK: Alright, think about the lengths.... think about the lengths that you have gone to in the past to get a story. Think of it like that.

JENNIFER: But this isn't a story that we're dealing with. This is your mother's life.

 

JACK NODS AND LOOKS DOWN AT THE TABLE THINKING DEEPLY HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS TO HIM.

 

JENNIFER: You would do anything to help her, huh?

JACK: I don't have time to discuss this, alright. Are you with me or not?

JENNIFER: I know that I'm going to regret this but yes, I'm with you.

JACK: Ah, good.... good, let's go.

 

JACK STARTS TO WALK OUT BUT FIRST JENNIFER GRABS EVERY BREAD ROLL FROM THE CENTER OF THE TABLE.

SCENE TWO: JACK AND JENNIFER HEAD OVER TO THE POLICE STATION.

 

JACK: Excuse me officer, we need to talk to Commander Brady.

JENNIFER: Yes, that's right, we're here to see Commander Brady.

JACK: I.... ah.... think there's an echo in here. Would you excuse me please?

JENNIFER: Look we don't have an appointment but our business is urgent and I'm sure Commander Brady would definitely want to see us.

JACK: What my excitable young friend is trying to say is that we don't.... we don't have an appointment but Commander Brady would like to see us.

OFFICER: Sorry, Commander Brady's not in.

JACK: Great!.... Great, I mean that's a very big office he has in there. I think it would be a great place for us to wait in. Could we wait in...there?

OFFICER: Yeah, suit yourself.

JACK: Thank you. That's very kind of you. Actually it's not kind, it's dutiful. It's very important that you understand that the.... I'm trying to tell.... I'm just trying to tell....

 

JENNIFER PULLS HIM INTO THE OFFICE BEFORE THEY GET INTO TROUBLE.

 

JENNIFER: Will you be quiet. You might have blown the whole thing by talking to him and thanking him.

JACK: Just be quiet, sssshhh, quiet.

JENNIFER: I don't know why I have to handle everything Jack.

JACK: Sssshhhh, look for the file, look for the file.

 

THEY BOTH START SEARCHING AND JENNIFER FINDS IT.

 

JENNIFER: Jack it's right here on Roman's desk.

JACK: Let me have it, let me have it. Well we found that rather quickly, didn't we?

JENNIFER: We found it?

JACK: Just let me concentrate, alright. Excuse me.

 

JACK BEGINS TO LEAF THROUGH THE PAGES IN THE FOLDER.

 

JACK: What is this.... it's blank.

JENNIFER: It's all blank paper Jack.

JACK: Wait a minute, there's something on the end, wait a minute, wait a minute.

 

HE HOLDS UP THE LAST PAGE WHICH HAS ONE LINE TYPED IN THE MIDDLE. JACK AND

 

JENNIFER: "Nice try Jack - but I'm onto you."

JENNIFER: "Roman."

 

JACK LOOKS CYNICALLY AT JENNIFER AND IMMEDIATELY, GLYNNIS, MICKEY AND JO ENTERS.

SCENE THREE: JACK AND JENNIFER HAVE JUST BEEN CAUGHT SEARCHING THROUGH ROMAN'S FILES, IT WAS OBVIOUSLY A SET UP. GLYNNIS, MICKEY, ROMAN, AND JO ARE THERE TO TALK TO JACK ABOUT JO.

 

GLYNNIS: Well, well, well, if it isn't Bonny and Clyde. Don't you two know that you could get into trouble tampering with official court files?

JACK: How fortunate for the almost free press that we came up with nothing.

GLYNNIS: Hmmm, hmmm. Roman figured you'd pull a stunt like this and he was one step ahead of you.

JO: Jack, if you wanted to know what was going on, why didn't you just ask me?

JACK: Oh I'm certain they would have told you and you would have told me.

MICKEY: Jo's your mother Jack, you have a right to know.

JACK: In that case, why don't you tell me what's going on?

MICKEY: What's going on is that Glynnis has called a meeting so she can offer us a deal.

JACK: A deal.... really. What kind of a deal?

GLYNNIS: Your mother pleads guilty to manslaughter and the DA's office will recommend that she serves only a short sentence in Bayview, during which time she'll be able to get psychological counseling which will help her deal with the trauma of your brother's death.

 

JACK IS SKEPTICAL ABOUT ALL OF THIS.

 

MICKEY: As your mother's attorney I'd have to say that this offer is more than just.
oldEp282B

JACK: Well Mickey I'm glad you feel so good about it. (Beat) But she's not going to do it.

MICKEY: Glynnis I think it might be wise if you and I gave these people time to talk in private. Jo call my office when you've sort of worked things out, will you?

JO: Yes, I will, thank you Mickey.

 

MICKEY AND GLYNNIS LEAVE ROMAN'S OFFICE.

 

JENNIFER: Jack, look I know how you feel. I know....

JACK: Look, they are trying to find someone to take the fall for this whole mess. That's all they want. And we're not about to let Jo go to prison like some common criminal, that's all.

JENNIFER: Alright, well you know what, why don't.... why don't you talk to your mother and see how she feels about it.

 

JACK LOOKS ACROSS TO JO.

 

JACK: How do you feel about it? Why don't you tell her? Tell her what you think the Assistant DA should do with their deal.

JO: I'm trying to tell you. I want to take the deal.

JACK: You wh.... wait a minute, you don't....

JO: Jack, Jack, I don't want you, my family and the people I care about to go through a trial. I just want to go quietly to Bayview and put in my time, that's all.

JACK: That sounds very nice but it's not going to happen. I'm sorry.

JENNIFER: Jack, why not?

JACK: Because it's wrong. There's no reason why she has to go away.... again, at all.

JENNIFER: Well now I understand. You're not angry about this Jack, you're scared.

 

JACK LOOKS AT THE FLOOR RATHER THAN JENNIFER WITH HIS FEAR.

 

JO: Jack, is that true? (Beat) Would it.... matter to you if I went away for a while?

JACK: Well I tell you something, I certainly would miss that green tuna casserole.

 

JO SMILES AT HIM.

 

JO: You hate green tuna casserole. JACK: Well be that as it may, I still would miss having it around from time to time.
oldEp282C
JO: Jack, if you love me, and I think that you just said that you did, you'll let me handle this my own way.

 

JACK THINKS FOR A FEW SECONDS.

 

JACK: Handle it your own way.... so you just plan to go.... trotting off to Bayview and get locked up. I mean you do some silly things sometimes but you're not crazy.

JO: Oh no, I'm not crazy. But I do.... need help. Steve's.... death was very painful for me and I don't.... think I've done a very good job of getting through it myself.

 

JACK IS FINDING IT VERY HARD TO LOSE HIS MOTHER AGAIN. HIS EYES BEGIN TO FILL UP.

 

JACK: So you're sure there is nothing else that can be done?

JO: I'm sure.

JACK: Well I guess there's nothing else to say then, is there?

JO: Thank you.

JACK: Thank you for what?

JO: For caring enough to let me do what's best for me.

 

JO WALKS OVER AND PUTS HER ARMS AROUND JACK AND FOR A SECOND HE RESTS HIS HEAD ON HERS.

oldEp282D

HE SLOWLY BRINGS HIS HAND UP AND HUGS HER BACK.

 

JO: Thank you son.

 

JENNIFER SMILES AS SHE SEES HOW CLOSE JACK AND JO ARE.

SCENE FOUR: JACK AND JENNIFER GO TO VICTOR'S FOR THE WEDDING REHEARSAL FOR VICTOR AND CARLY. JENNIFER IS A BRIDESMAID WITH ISABELLA. JACK HANGS OUT IN THE GARDEN WHILE THE REHEARSAL TAKES PLACE.

SCENE FIVE: LATER JACK AND JENNIFER GO BACK TO WINGS FOR THE REHEARSAL DINNER. JACK IS DEPRESSED ABOUT JO.

 

JENNIFER: Well Jack, thank you for taking me to the rehearsal. I know it's been kind of a lousy day for you.

JACK: Oh really, why? Because my not so reliable source gave us a wild goose chase all day.

ROMAN: I see you got my surprise Jack.

JACK: Commander Brady, hello, hi.

ROMAN: Well maybe that will teach you. Next time keep your nose out of police matters.

 

ROMAN WALKS OFF.

 

JACK: Heh! (Beat) Fat chance!

JENNIFER: Oh come on Jack, face it. I mean sneaking into Roman's office was a bad idea. I thought that the minute you brought it up.

JACK: Wait a minute, if you.... if you felt that way then why the hell didn't you try to talk me out of it then?

JENNIFER: Because that's not the way you felt. And I know how important it was to you to get that information about your mother and I wanted to be a part of it. (Beat) That's how it is when you love someone. (Beat) And I do love you.

JACK: Yes, well and I.... well.... well....

JENNIFER: It's okay. You don't have to say it Jack.

JACK: What do you mean I don't.... I can.... I can say it. It's not a matter of not having to say it....

JENNIFER: I can say it for you.

JACK: No, you don't have to say anything for me. I'm a journalist. Words are my stock in trade. I like to believe I have a very large vocabulary.

 

JENNIFER IS ENJOYING HIS PERFORMANCE.

 

JENNIFER: Jack?

 

HE GRINS.

 

JACK: What? JENNIFER: You love me.

 

HE GETS A BIG EMBARRASSED GRIN ON HIS FACE.
oldEp282E
JACK: Well.... yes.

JENNIFER: Yes.

 

[Transcribed by Carol Vaughan
added material by Sally A. Wilson]