oldEpisode Four-hundred-seventy-eight:
Jack Debates Whether to Keep the
Money or Hand It Over to the Police

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[Air date early January, 1993]

 

SCENE ONE: IT THE VERY EARLY THE NEXT MORNING AND JACK COMES STAGGERING DOWNSTAIRS HOLDING HIS HEAD.

 

JACK: Oooooh I will never drink cheap wine again. That's it. I will never drink cheap wine again. I will never....

 

HE WALKS OVER TO WHERE THE UGLY VASE SHOULD BE AND IT IS *GONE*.

JACK: Wait a minute, where is it? Where's the vase? I know I took the money and I put it in the vase and the vase was right here on the table. (Beat) Unless the whole thing was just a figment of my imagination.

JENNIFER: Jack?

JACK: Yeah what, what?

JENNIFER: I thought I heard your voice. What's going on?

JACK: Ah, what's going on. I.... I'm looking for.... wasn't there, I don't know, a vase, not these vases. Wasn't there a vase, that was about yeh big, kind of gaudy with a dirty beige and little flowers....

JENNIFER: I know, the ugly one we....

JACK: Yes.

JENNIFER: I threw it in the trash.

JACK: You threw it in.... the trash. Oh! Garbage day is today. Oh no this can't be happening to me. NO!

 

JACK STARTS TO PANIC.

 

JENNIFER: Jack, what's the matter?

JACK: Ah Jennifer I just heard the baby crying and I think maybe you should run upstairs to her.

JENNIFER: The baby's not crying.

JACK: I heard. You know my hearing. It's tremendous. I hear everything I want hear. Please.

JENNIFER: I will be right back.

JACK: I'll just put on some coffee.

JENNIFER: Good, you do that.

 

AS SOON AS SHE IS UPSTAIRS, JACK GOES LOOKING FOR THE VASE. HE RUNS OUTSIDE.

 

JACK: HEY, GIVE ME THAT CAN.

 

HE MANAGES TO CATCH UP WITH THE GARBAGE TRUCK AND RETRIEVE THE VASE.

SCENE TWO: COMES BACK INSIDE PUFFED BUT HAPPY THAT HE HAS IT BACK.

 

JACK: Ah, hello.... Jennifer. Hello.... hello.

 

HAPPY THAT SHE'S NOT AROUND HE LOOKS INSIDE THE VASE.

 

JACK: Ah, yes, yes, it's all right here. Even with the sock, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

JENNIFER: Yes, yes, yes. Yes, what?

 

JACK STUFFS THE MONEY BACK IN THE VASE.

 

JACK: Yes. Oh you're both up and I couldn't be happier.

JENNIFER: Well I couldn't be happier either. I thought you were talking to yourself again.

JACK: I never talk to myself.

JENNIFER: You were talking to yourself earlier.

JACK: Well, you must have been half asleep. Maybe having a little dream still.

JENNIFER: How did that hideous vase get back in here?

JACK: What hideous vase?

JENNIFER: That one right there. The one that you were looking for earlier.

JACK: Oh, heheheheh, oh that vase. I just.... the garbage man gave it back to me.

JENNIFER: Is that what all the yelling and banging was about?

JACK: What yelling?

JENNIFER: You were having a fight with the garbage man to keep this crummy old vase?

JACK: I happen to think it's not crummy at all.

JENNIFER: Jack you hate that vase as much as I do.

JACK: I.... I suddenly developed a real new appreciation for this.... vase. (He pronounces it "varse.")

JENNIFER: Are you still drunk?

JACK: No I am not drunk. I wasn't drunk last night and today I'm sober as a judge. (Beat) A really happy judge I might add.

JENNIFER: You.... you really did get the money didn't you?

JACK: You don't believe me, huh?

JENNIFER: It's not that I don't believe you. It's just that I'm not sure if it was the cheap wine talking. I don't know.

JACK: No, no, no, no. It was not the cheap wine talking. I now have enough money to put down a binder for The Spectator.

JENNIFER: Where did you get it Jack? I mean not that it matters. I'm just curious, that's all, because at one point you were saying it was going to take a miracle to get some sort of money like that and now all of a sudden you have it. Where did you get it?

JACK: What would you say if I told you I.... found the money?

JENNIFER: Yeah, right Jack.

JACK: No. no, I mean it. What if I did.... find the money I mean?

JENNIFER: First of all, who would leave seventy-five thousand dollars laying around and second of all you would have to notify the police.

JACK: Huh.

JENNIFER: Are you hiding something from me Jack?

JACK: No, what makes you think I'm hiding anything?

JENNIFER: Jack did you end up going to my father for the money?

JACK: No I didn't. I haven't seen your father for days.

JENNIFER: Well did you finally find a banker that would invest, that would help you out?

JACK: Yes, I guess you could say I did. I found a benefactor. Someone who would prefer to remain anonymous and I have to respect his or her wishes otherwise I will lose the money.

 

JENNIFER IS NOT SURE ABOUT ALL THIS.

 

JENNIFER: All right, ah, all right I won't pry. I won't pry for now.

JACK: Good.

JENNIFER: I am just very glad that you got this money. I really am. So does this mean that you're not going to Saudi Arabia?

JACK: Well I mean nothing's written in stone but we can assume not. I mean I don't want to assume anything until the money's in the bank which with any luck will be later today.

JENNIFER: Jack, you know what, I think luck is on our side. I really think that getting this money is a sign that things are turning around for us. I really do.

JACK: A sign. Yes that's exactly what it was.

JENNIFER: Jack, you better call Julie and tell her not to sell to Victor.

JACK: Oh, please. Julie gave me till the fifteenth.

JENNIFER: Yes but she said you were so upset last night when you ran out of Wings that she thought that you'd given up on the paper and I thought that you were moving to Saudi Arabia.

JACK: Wait a minute, is that why you had this.... this yard sale in the middle of the night?

JENNIFER: Yes, I had decorators, designers. I had to sell all of this furniture.

JACK: Why would you want to sell all of this furniture?

JENNIFER: Because I was going to go to Saudi Arabia with you and I needed the money to buy a plane ticket. I'd go to the moon if you were there.

 

JACK SIGHS.

 

JACK: If I was going to the moon I'd take you with me. Both of you.

 

JENNIFER LAUGHS.

 

JACK: I love you.

JENNIFER: We love you too.

 

THEY HAVE A GENTLE LOVING KISS.

 

JENNIFER: Will you hold Abby for one minute while I put my coat on?

JACK: Wh.... what do you mean?

JENNIFER: Well Philip and I are going to meet Marlena at the hospital Jack. So you can reach me there, okay. Come on Abby.

JACK: Wait.... wait a minute, you're not going to take her with you?

JENNIFER: Well yeah, of course I am. I mean I can't leave her here with you because I'm assuming that you have a lot of paperwork that you need to get done.

JACK: Well I.... I don't have as much paperwork as you might think.

JENNIFER: I know but it's all right because I want to have Abby with me as much as I can. Come on sweetheart, here we go. Goodbye Daddy.

JACK: Well if that's the way you feel.

 

SHE KISSES HIM.

 

JENNIFER: Yep. See you later.

JACK: That's fine.

JENNIFER: Okay.

JACK: Be good.

 

JACK OPENS THE DOOR AND OUTSIDE THERE ARE DOZENS OF BOXES STACKED UP. HOWEVER THE FIRST THING JENNIFER NOTICES IS JACK'S CAR.

 

JENNIFER: Jack what happened to your car?

JACK: Ah.... I forgot to tell you I had to get it towed back here.

JENNIFER: Why?

JACK: Um I had a little fender bender.

JENNIFER: When you were drinking?

JACK: No.... I.... it was in the Wings parking lot. Some crazy woman backed into me. Nothing to worry about. Nobody was hurt.

JENNIFER: Jack, your car is in very bad shape.

JACK: It's all right. The insurance will cover it.

JENNIFER: Oh boy. Well at least we have the money to cover the deductible.

JACK: Absolutely. That and.... plenty more.

JENNIFER: Well I got to go. We'll deal with that later.

JACK: Yes we will. JENNIFER: Bye. Bye daddy.

 

THEY KISS AND SHE LEAVES.

 

JACK: Enjoy your day.

JENNIFER: Yes, thanks.

 

JACK GOES INSIDE GRABS THE VASE. HE STARTS PULLING OUT THE NOTES UNTIL HE HAS A HAND FULL. THEN HE GIVES THEM A BIG SNIFF LAPPING UP THE FEEL AND SMELL OF REAL MONEY.

JACK: Hmmmm, yes.

SCENE FOUR: ENNIFER MEETS PHILIP AT THE HOSPITAL. CARLY COMES BY HOPING SHE IS NOT GOING TO SAUDI ARABIA. SHE TELLS CARLY THAT JACK GOT THE MONEY AND HE IS GOING TO BUY BACK THE PAPER.

SCENE FIVE: BACK AT HOME, JACK IS DRESSED AND HE HAS ALL THE MONEY COUNTED. HE CALLS JULIE.

 

JACK: Ah Julie, this is Jack. I'm just checking in to make sure that you didn't sell the paper to Victor. (Beat) Uh, yes I know you gave me to the fifteenth. I appreciate that. I really do. Thank you. (Beat) Thank you, just checking in, thank you. I'll talk to you later.

 

WHILE HE WAS TALKING, JO ARRIVES.

 

JO: Jack.... Jack where did you get this kind of money? Did you rob a bank or something?

JACK: No I didn't rob a bank. Thanks for the vote of confidence.

JO: Well it was just a figure of speech but where did it come from?

JACK: It.... well it just kind of fell in my lap like manna from heaven.

JO: Oh Jack, money doesn't just fly down like rain from the sky.

JACK: Well in my case it did.... really it did. (Beat) To tell you the truth, you see I was in a barn, you see.

JO: Okay, what were you doing in a barn?

JACK: And I was banging on this beam.... I was banging on this beam.

JO: Okay. Why were you banging on a beam?

JACK: And all of a sudden.... I'll tell you. Just give me a moment. I was banging on this beam and all of a sudden the beam gave way, the roof gave way and all this money came raining down on my lap. Enough money for me to pay off the binder for The Spectator and then some.

JO: You're giving it back Jack. You're giving it back.

JACK: I am not giving it back.

JO: Yes you are. Yes you are.

JACK: I found it. I found it fair and square.

JO: No, no. It's got to belong to somebody.

JACK: Yes, me! I don't believe this. You and Jennifer, you're just alike.

JO: Well now listen, did you tell her this? Is this what she said too?

JACK: Ah, hypothetically speaking, yes, because I didn't exactly.... tell her.

JO: Because you knew that she'd make you give it back.

JACK: No!

JO: Yes.

JACK: Who am I supposed to give it back to?

JO: I don't know but you've got to go find out.

JACK: How am I supposed to do that?

JO: You are supposed to march yourself down to that barn and find out who owns it.

JACK: Nobody owns it I'm sure. Probably the person who had this money took it to that barn, buried it, forgot about it and then died.

JO: Well maybe so but you're not going to be able to live with yourself until you find out for sure.

JACK: You don't know the first thing about this. Why are you so right about it, huh?

JO: Because.... I'm your mother. Come on.

 

SHE PUTS HIS COAT AROUND HIS SHOULDERS AND JACK SHAKES HIS HEAD IN FRUSTRATION.

 

JACK: Excuse me.

 

HE WALKS TO THE DOOR AND OPENS IT FOR HER.

 

JO: Thank you.

 

HE SIGHS AND FOLLOWS HER OUT. THEY GO STRAIGHT TO THE BARN.

 

JO: Okay, right.

SCENE SIX: JO PULLS A FACE AT THE SMELL.

 

JACK: Okay this is the barn, you see. I was here. I was right here and I was.... I was swinging at this.... at this beam and the beam fell down and then.... then the roof fell in and then the money came pouring in from every side.

JO: Huh.

JACK: You know I checked before. You know there might be some more up there actually.

JO: Even if there is son, it's not yours.

JACK: This.... this barn is in the middle of nowhere. It's obviously abandoned.

JO: Well it's got to belong to someone. Somebody's got to have that money. It belongs to someone.

JACK: All right, all right! If it's going to get you off my back, I'll check. I will. I'll check. I mean the last thing I want is to put this money into The Spectator and have some destitute widow show up with sixteen barefoot children and try to lay claim to it.

JO: I knew your conscience would be your guide.

JACK: It has nothing to do with conscience. It's just...how things look. (Beat) Especially to Jennifer. I'm skating on thin enough ice as it is.

JO: It's your conscience too whether you want to admit it or not.

JACK: It really did seem like.... like a miracle last night.

JO: Hmmm.

JACK: Like my dreams were going to come true.

JO: Not with someone else's money.

JACK: Well it was a nice dream while it lasted. (Beat) A nice dream.

 

HE STANDS THERE THINKING ABOUT WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN AS JO WATCHES AND WISHES FOR HIM TOO. SHE WALKS OVER AND OPENS THE BARN DOOR.

 

JO: Jack?

 

HE WALKS OUT QUIETLY AND SHE FOLLOWS.

SCENE SEVEN: MEANWHILE AT THE HOSPITAL, JENNIFER RUNS INTO BILLIE WHO'S THERE SEEING AUSTIN.

 

BILLIE: Aren't you Jennifer Deveraux?

JENNIFER: Yes.

BILLIE: I thought so. I've seen you on TV. Your husband's Jack Deveraux, isn't he?

JENNIFER: Yeah, that's right.

BILLIE: Well tell him he owes my brother some money.

JENNIFER: What?

BILLIE: He hit my brother's car last night.

JENNIFER: Oh.... oh, you must be the crazy woman....

BILLIE: That.... is that what he said? Well he should talk. He's like a one-man road hazard.

JENNIFER: Well actually he's a very good driver.

BILLIE: He wasn't last night.

JENNIFER: Well he said that you hit him, actually.

BILLIE: Well, actually, he just doesn't want to say that it was his fault.

JENNIFER: Ah, are you hurt? Is anything wrong? Are you okay?

BILLIE: No, but I could have been.

JENNIFER: Well I'm very sorry and we'll pay for anything that's happened. I'm really sorry.

 

BILLIE DOES NOT REPLY SO JENNIFER LEAVES.

SCENE EIGHT: JACK AND JO HAVE RETURNED TO THE HOUSE; JACK GETS ON THE PHONE TO TRY AND TRACK DOWN THE OWNER OF THE MONEY.

 

JACK: Now let me get this straight. According to city records, that abandoned barn is on city property. Perfect! Thank you, thank you so much.

 

HE HANGS UP.

 

JACK: You heard it. Nobody owns the barn.

JO: The city owns the barn.

JACK: No, no, no. Doesn't count. Do you think the city is keeping its money in an abandoned barn? I don't think so.

JO: Well maybe somebody stole it. Maybe their looking for it. Maybe the police want to know where it is.

JACK: Do you want me to get The Spectator back or not?

JO: Oh Jesus!

JACK: Are you working for Victor Kiriakis?

JO: No!

JACK: Are you?

JO: No, no. I just don't want to see you get into anymore trouble than you're already in.

JACK: Let me tell you something. If I go to the police with this they're going to make me wait for sixty days. There's a sixty day waiting period. I can't afford to wait for sixty days. In sixty days Victor will have bought the paper out from under me.

JO: Call. (Beat) CALL!

JACK: All right, all right. If it will get you off my back.... I don't know the number so I got to.... yes Salem Police Department.... not an emergency, no. Thank you.

 

HE GETS THE NUMBER AND BEGINS TO DIAL.

 

JO: Okay, I got to go. I don't want to be late for class.

 

HE WAVES TO HER AS SHE LEAVES AND IMMEDIATELY PUTS HIS FINGER ON THE TELEPHONE BUTTONS TO DISCONNECT THE CALL. HOWEVER HE PRETENDS HE'S TALKING TO THE POLICE.

 

JACK: Hello, this is.... this is Jack Deveraux calling about some missing money. I found missing money.

 

HE WAVES TO JO AGAIN.

 

JACK: Yes.... I.... yes.

 

AS SOON AS HE HEARS THE DOOR SHUT HE PUTS DOWN THE PHONE. HE SITS DOWN AND COUNTS THE MONEY ACCURATELY AND THEN TRIES TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH IT.

SCENE NINE: JACK IS DEBATING WHETHER TO CALL THE POLICE OR KEEP THE MONEY.

 

JACK: Ninety-seven thousand five hundred dollars. The money.... or the police. The money or the police. The money or the police. Money, police. Money. (Beat) This is the question. I go to the police I can give them the money and feel.... good about myself. But if I keep the money I could pay for....

 

HE PICKS UP ONE STACK OF MONEY.

 

JACK: The newspaper.

 

HE PICKS UP A SECOND STACK.

 

JACK: The furniture.

 

HE LOOKS AT THE STACKS.

 

JACK: The money, police. Money, police. Aaaaah....

 

HE PICKS UP A THIRD STACK.

 

JACK: The insurance.

 

HE PICKS UP A FOURTH STACK.

 

JACK: And the.... heheheheheh.... the house. (Beat) The money, police. Money.... or....

 

HE PICKS UP A FIFTH STACK.

 

JACK: A little educational fund for you know who.

 

THE PHONE RINGS.

 

JACK: Yes, hello, police.... oh Jennifer! I'm sorry.

JENNIFER: Hi, I couldn't wait to talk to you. Did you hear from the backer? Is he going to lend you the money?

JACK: The money.

JENNIFER: Yeah.

JACK: You know.... it is so close. It is so close that I.... you know I've got that money right in my hand. I have that feeling it's right in my hand but.... it's still up in the air.

JENNIFER: You know what Jack, I think you're going to get it. I really do. If anyone deserves a break, it's you.

JACK: You think so, huh?

JENNIFER: Yes, I know so. Your time has come Jack Deveraux. I'll talk to you later, okay. Bye.

JACK: Bye.

 

HE SLOWLY HANGS UP.

 

JACK: The money or the.... police.

 

HE PICKS UP THE NOTE WITH THE PHONE NUMBER FOR THE POLICE AND SCREWS IT UP. HE CAREFULLY PUTS IT IN THE TRASH CAN AND PICKS UP A PILE OF MONEY.

 

JACK: Well you heard it right there folks. My time has come.