SCENE ONE: IT IS THE NEXT DAY AND JACK IS AT WORK AND BILLIE IS PACING THE FLOOR OF HIS OFFICE.

 

JACK: All right, all right, ten business days to come up with the next payment for The Spectator.

BILLIE: Something's definitely going on with this book.

JACK: Of course, that's just a stop gap. What am I saying? What I really need is a loan and a big one so that I can buy The Spectator outright. That's what I need.

BILLIE: Something's definitely going on with Kate Roberts and I want to find out what it is.

 

JACK CHECKS HIS ADDRESS BOOK.

JACK: Monsieur de Ville. That's the gentleman who can help us get bacon out of the fire.

BILLIE: She wanted the book and all of a sudden she doesn't want it. It doesn't make sense.

 

JACK PICKS UP THE PHONE.

 

JACK: If everything they say about him is true, he'll be courageous enough to help The Spectator. (Beat) Bonsoir, is Monsieur de Ville in?

 

BILLIE IS STILL TALKING TO HERSELF.

 

BILLIE: It doesn't make any sense to me at all.

JACK: Jacques Deveraux in the United States. The Spectator. Yes he knows me. Yes he.... where is he? (Beat) Could I.... could I get a hold of him there? (Beat) I see. No, no, thank you. I'll call him back.

SCENE TWO: JACK FINISHES HIS PHONE CALL AND HANGS UP.

 

BILLIE: There's definitely something fishy going on.

JACK: Dammit, dammit, dammit.

BILLIE: It happened when she read the book. That's when she started stonewalling me. That's it.

JACK: De Ville is in Perth on holiday. It's all right. Don't get down. Keep going, keep moving, keep moving.

BILLIE: I mean even if she hated the book she could have told us to take it to another publisher, right?

 

JACK SNIFFS THE AIR AND PULLS A FACE.

 

JACK: What smells like fish?

 

HE TURNS AROUND AND LOOKS AT BILLIE'S HANDS.

 

JACK: Oooh.

BILLIE: It doesn't smell like fish.

JACK: You're obviously still using the good professor's concoction. Your hands are still connected but I'm sure every cat and dog in Salem is following you home.

BILLIE: Jack just stop it and do something, will you?

JACK: I'm doing something. I have the name of every mover and shaker my father ever helped out.

BILLIE: I'm talking about the book. Kate Roberts is driving me crazy here. She is pullin' something.

JACK: Billie, unfortunately everyone's having something pulled on everyone. I am about to have the whole rug pulled out from under me. In ten days I'm going to lose The Spectator to Victor Kiriakis.

BILLIE: Well The Spectator's not going to do you any good dead.

JACK: That's a very good point.

 

THE PHONE RINGS.

 

JACK: This could be my call just to save me.... hello, hello.

JENNIFER: Hi Jack.

JACK: Oh.... Jennifer.

JENNIFER: Oh.... thank you very much.

JACK: I didn't mean oh Jennifer. I meant oh Jennifer. I'm sorry you're calling at this moment. I'm expecting a very important call.

JENNIFER: More important than your wife?

JACK: NO! Not more important than you but.... it's an important call. I'm sorry I can't tie up all the lines right now. Give my love to the child and I'll....

JENNIFER: Jack listen to me, no, no, no, listen to me. Listen Abby is with your mother. Why don't we go out and do something fun? Okay, let's do that?

JACK: Fun? (Beat) Ah, Jennifer I'm sorry. I'm in the middle of just a crazy work day and to tell you the truth I'm not going to be home until very very late. Don't hold dinner and you.... you better not wait up either. I'll call you later.

 

HE HANGS UP. MEANWHILE, JENNIFER LOOKS AT THE PHONE.

 

JENNIFER: Working late again? I don't think so Jack.

 

SHE HURRIES OUT. DOWN AT THE OFFICE.

SCENE THREE: BACK AT THE PAPER, JACK IS GETTING PANICKY.

 

JACK: Dammit. I've run out of names.

 

BILLIE IS ON HIS PHONE.

 

JACK: Excuse me, who are you calling?

BILLIE: Excuse me, I'm calling my answering machine. Do you mind?

JACK: No, just make it quick. I've only got a couple of lines. I need to keep them open.

BILLIE: Well Kate Roberts could have called and left a message Jack.

 

SHE LISTENS TO HER MESSAGES AND THERE IS ONE FROM TONY, THE GUY WHO OWNS THE MONEY.

 

JACK: Of course, why didn't I think of this before. Fenwick lives in Perth. If de Ville is down there, they're working on something together. I can get both of them in one shot. Perfect.

 

JACK GETS ON THE PHONE AS BILLIE HANGS UP.

 

BILLIE: Jack, Tony called.

JACK: Tony? Tony, what? Tony.

 

HE HANGS UP.

 

BILLIE: He called and left a message on the machine saying he's coming to town soon.

JACK: Really?

BILLIE: Yeah. And he's not happy because he thinks I'm avoiding his calls and....

JACK: That's not good.

BILLIE: No. He said that I know what he'll do to me if I don't get that money. Jack we've got to get that hundred thousand dollars.

JACK: What do you think I've been doing here?

BILLIE: You've been trying to save your paper when my life is on the line. Tony says that I'm going to be dead meat.

JACK: Dead meat. That's a very colorful expression, I assure you. Just have a glass of water and calm down.

 

HE POURS OUT A GLASS OF WATER AND HANDS IT TO HER, AND THEN POURS ONE FOR HIMSELF.

 

JACK (CONT.): We'll think of something here.

BILLIE: The only thing I can think of is going somewhere where no one knows me. Like Iceland.

JACK: Iceland, yes. What about Bo Brady? Isn't he still playing bodyguard?

BILLIE: Bo went fishing.

JACK: Bo went fishing?

BILLIE: Yes. With Cash in jail, he says I'm safe. But I couldn't possibly tell him about the Tony Becker money thing, now could I?

JACK: No. Thank you. Just remember I didn't steal that money. Just remember.

BILLIE: Oh I remember, I remember. You took the money and you bought your newspaper. That's what you did.

JACK: All right, let's just lay this whole discussion to rest for good.

BILLIE: All right.

JACK: I will go to Tony Becker. I will talk to the man. I will make him a deal he can't turn down. I will offer him a.... offer him a.... offer him a partial partnership in The Spectator.

BILLIE: Jack we've already talked about that, remember?

JACK: Yes, it was as stupid then as it is now. A desperate move by a desperate man who will very soon be desperately seeking new employment.

BILLIE: I still have that deed that I won in the poker game to Compton Enterprises.

JACK: The deed, yes of course. Compton Enterprises, the run down ramshackle cosmetics firm with the crazy professor. Very soon they'll be able to solve our insolvency problems for good.

BILLIE: It's better than nothing Jack and if it weren't for you this whole mess wouldn't have started in the first place.

JACK: Billie if it will ease your mind at all, you will not face Tony Becker alone. I will be there with you.

BILLIE: You really will? You'll help me? You'll do that?

JACK: Yes I'll do that, for you.

BILLIE: Well we better just hope that Tony Becker doesn't come round soon because that expression dead meat, won't just be an expression.

 

JACK CONTINUES TO SEARCH HIS FILES FOR NAMES OF BACKERS.

 

BILLIE: Can't you contact any international hotshots?

JACK: Let me tell you something, a lot of these international hotshots owe their good fortunes to the fact that Harper Deveraux could pull strings here in the United States. I think it's still worth a try.

BILLIE: Yeah, I guess you're right. (Beat) Feel my hands.

JACK: Feel your what?

BILLIE: My hands, feel 'em.

JACK: Why?

BILLIE: Just feel 'em. Feel how soft they are.

JACK: Well I believe they're supposed to be soft. You're a woman. It comes with the territory.

BILLIE: No, no, no. They weren't this soft before I used Charlie's cream. Try some.

JACK: Charlie's cream.... hmmm.

BILLIE: Here, here. Rub it in.

JACK: Wait, don't.... now I'm all.... eeergh....

BILLIE: Just rub it in.

JACK: .... greasy.

BILLIE: It'll absorb almost immediately.

 

JACK STARTS RUBBING HIS HANDS TOGETHER.

 

JACK: Why.... I think it has.

BILLIE: It's good, huh? Jack this could be it. This could be our ticket out of hell. We could sell this, we could.

JACK: Let me tell you something. If you think you can sell this in the next ten days and make several hundred thousand dollars, I'm all yours. If you can't, don't bother me.

BILLIE: Well of course we can't but maybe I could stall Tony and that way we could find a company to buy the stuff.

JACK: Billie, it's a pipe dream. Forget it. Forget it.

BILLIE: No. You keep calling your daddy's friends and I'm going to go talk to Professor Chuck.

JACK: Oh yes, yes, the wonderful professor. Let me remind you, he doesn't have money. He wants money. It's a waste of your time.

BILLIE: Well it's my time isn't it? I'll see you later.

JACK: Yes, please use it wisely.

 

BILLIE OPENS THE DOOR AND JENNIFER IS ABOUT TO COME IN. MEANWHILE, JACK IS TRYING TO GET IN TOUCH WITH ANOTHER POSSIBLE.

 

BILLIE: Oh hi Jennifer.

JENNIFER: Hi.

BILLIE: He's all yours.

 

JACK IS TALKING ON THE PHONE.

 

JACK: Is.... is this Zurich. Yes I need.... yes I need a home number. (Beat) I know it's not the usual time to call people at home in Zurich but.... he's a very close personal friend of mine. Jack Deveraux. The late Harper Deveraux' son. Yes that Harper Deveraux, yes. If you don't mind I would like to call....

 

JENNIFER SNATCHES THE PHONE FROM JACK AND HANGS IT UP. SHE PUSHES HIM DOWN SO THAT HE SITS ON THE DESK.

 

JACK: Jennifer, that was a very important business call.

 

SHE STARTS TO TAKE OFF HIS TIE.

 

JENNIFER: I don't think it's very nice to bother someone at home if you're calling to ask a favor.

 

SHE WHIPS OFF HIS TIE.

 

JACK: It's not only smart but It's also right.

JENNIFER: Thank you. Now I think it's time that you call it a day.

 

SHE STARTS TO UNDO THE BUTTONS ON HIS SHIRT.

JACK: In the middle of the day? Ah, what do you have in mind?

 

JENNIFER: Come with me and find out Jack.

JACK: Aaaah....

 

SHE PULLS HIM TO THE DOOR BY HIS SHIRT.

 

JENNIFER: Why does it smell like fish in here?

JACK: Oh, it helps the scales, don't you know.

SCENE FOUR: A SHORT TIME LATER, THEY ARE AT THE MALL, WANDERING AROUND WITH A CUP OF COFFEE EACH.

 

JENNIFER: It's so nice to see you relax like this. You should do this more often.

JACK: Especially undressed.

JENNIFER: Stop it.

JACK: No, I mean I appreciate it. I wish everyday could be as carefree as this afternoon is turning out to be.

JENNIFER: It could be like this for you everyday if you stopped worrying about where you're going to get the money for the newspaper Jack. You can't obsess about it everyday. You're going to make yourself sick.

JACK: It makes me sick to think about losing the paper. That's what's going to happen. That will make me sick.

JENNIFER: You know Jack instead of thinking about losing, what about what you won. You took a failing newspaper and you turned it completely around. Now that is an accomplishment to be proud of.

JACK: I know but it's.... it's just....

JENNIFER: And you have a beautiful, beautiful daughter. You have a wonderful home. You know a lot of people aren't as lucky as we are Jack.

JACK: I know I'm very lucky to have both of you. You know that?

JENNIFER: I do know that but it's really nice to hear it sometimes.

JACK: It's nice to say it sometimes.

 

HE LOOKS UP AT SOMETHING BEHIND HER.

 

JACK: I tell you what, what do you say we.... what do you say we do something that we never do in the light of day?

JENNIFER: Whatever do you mean?

 

HE LOOKS UP AT THE THEATER SIGN SHOWING A FRENCH MOVIE PLAYING.

 

JACK: What do you say we go see a movie?

JENNIFER: I'd love to see a movie with you.

JACK: What about this one over here? The one in the middle. A foreign film. You like those.

JENNIFER: I do. I wonder what it's about?

JACK: La Nuit Des Peches. La Nuit Des Peches.... "Peches"....

JENNIFER: "Peaches."

JACK: That's "peaches". It's all about fruit, yes.

JENNIFER: It's a fruit film.

JACK: Aaaah, no, it's "fish. Peche is "fish". It's a film about fish and it stars Jacques Cousteau.

JENNIFER: I just want to get you alone in a dark movie theater.

JACK: In that case, peaches it is. Forget about the fish.

JENNIFER: The night of the peaches.

JACK: The night of the peaches. Excuse us, two for the night of the peaches, please.

DOORMAN: You can buy your tickets inside.

JACK: Really? Thank you very much.

DOORMAN: You will really thank me later.

 

HE WINKS AT JACK.

 

JENNIFER: We better hurry before it starts.

JACK: Yes, yes.

 

HE LOOKS AT HIS COFFEE CUP AND NAPKIN.

 

JACK: I'll dump these inside I suppose.

 

AFTER THEY LEAVE A KID COMES UP AND TRIES TO BUY A TICKET, BUT HE IS REFUSED, SINCE THE MOVIE IS X-RATED.

SCENE FIVE: ONCE INSIDE, THEY TAKE THEIR SEATS. JENNIFER IS HOLDING THE POPCORN AND JACK HAS HIS LEFT ARM AROUND HER. THE DIALOGUE IS ALL IN FRENCH. JACK IS A BIT UNCOMFORTABLE WATCHING IT.

 

JENNIFER: Well I was half right. This is definitely romantic.

JACK: Not only that, it's very.... athletic.

 

JENNIFER PULLS HIM TOWARD HER.

 

JACK: I do believe they are contortionists.

JENNIFER: I could do that.

JACK STARES AT HER.

 

JACK: You could do that?

JENNIFER: I could try.

JACK: And you a mother! Just remember it gets very itchy trying to breast feed in a body cast.

JENNIFER: Stop it. I'm not nursing anymore. Stop it.

 

SHE STARTS TO GIGGLE.

 

JACK: Well it'll be itchy just the same.

 

ONE OF THE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE THEATER LEANS OVER AND TELLS THEM TO BE QUIET.

 

JACK: Sorry, I'm trying to keep her quiet. She's....

 

HE LEANS IN AND WHISPERS SOMETHING TO HER THAT MAKES HER GIGGLE AGAIN [I DO NOT KNOW IF IT IS TRUE, BUT I HEARD THE REASON MISSY IS LAUGHING SO MUCH IS THAT MATTHEW WAS MAKING COMMENTS ABOUT PEEWEE HERMAN, AT THAT TIME PEEWEE HERMAN HAD BEEN BUSTED IN AN X-RATED THEATER FOR DOING SOMETHING HE SHOULD NOT AND WHICH I CANNOT REPEAT IN A PG WEBSITE —COUGH, COUGH].

 

JACK: I can translate this.

 

HE IS STILL GIVING HER A VERY LOOSE TRANSLATION WHEN THE LIGHTS COME ON.

 

JENNIFER: What happened?

JACK: Oooh.

 

THERE IS AN ANNOUNCEMENT: "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN THERE HAVE BEEN SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES BUT WE HOPE TO CONTINUE THE MOVIE MOMENTARILY."

 

JACK: Movis interruptus.

HE GOES BACK TO HIS TRANSLATION AND SHE GIGGLES AGAIN.

 

JACK: That's all right. Well these are the breaks when you go to these kinds of movies, you know.

 

JENNIFER PULLS HIM OVER FOR A KISS AS THE GUY IN FRONT STARTS TO READ THE PAPER. JACK NOTICES THE HEADLINE.

 

JENNIFER: This is fun isn't it Jack? I think that at least once a week we should go do this, don't you?

JACK: Ah, absolutely. I think.... absolutely, yes.

JENNIFER: What's the matter? What's wrong?

JACK: Ah....

 

HE LEANS FORWARD TO THE GUY IN FRONT.

 

JACK: Excuse me, might I see your newspaper for just a moment?

MAN: Excuse me but I'm reading it.

JACK: For just a moment, sir.

MAN: Get your own paper, Bub

JACK: Just a minute sir.

 

JACK GRABS THE PAPER FROM THE GUY.

 

MAN: HEY!

JENNIFER: What are you doing?

JACK: Would you believe this? Look at this. Kiriakis takeover of all Salem publishing. in The Chronicle! I mean the nerve of this guy.

MAN: You should talk about nerve.

 

THE GUY SNATCHES HIS PAPER BACK.

 

JACK: All right, that's it. We're leaving.

JENNIFER: Wait Jack, we didn't see the rest of the movie.

JACK: What's to see? They'll smoke a couple of French cigarettes and it's all over. We're going. Come on.

JENNIFER: There really is no escape for you, is there Jack?

 

SHE FOLLOWS HIM OUT OF THE THEATER.

SCENE SIX: OUTSIDE JACK TRIES TO APOLOGIES.

 

JACK: Jennifer, I'm sorry we had to leave but when I saw this I.... I mean the nerve of these people to think they can predict my demise. Well I tell you something, if The Spectator falls, The Chronicle is right behind it. But it's not going to happen you see because I know Victor Kiriakis and I'm not going to let him.... he's not going to do this to me.

 

JENNIFER STOPS WALKING WITH JACK.

 

JACK: I'm sorry, are.... are you coming?

JENNIFER: No I'm not coming.

JACK: Why not? What's wrong?

JENNIFER: When is your deadline Jack?

JACK: My deadline is.... is.... my deadline is.... is in about ten business days or so, give or take a few. And I'll either keep the newspaper or I'll lose it.

JENNIFER: Just listen to me, all right. You don't have to lose the newspaper. If you let my father invest in the newspaper it will not be like charity. It will be like a business deal.

JACK: There are no business dealings with the Hortons. Not with your father or any of the other ones. I'm sorry. You have to understand that.

JENNIFER: I do understand that but it is the only way out.

JACK: It's not the only way out. There's other ways out. I just.... I just need time to work them out and I know this is hard on you. I'm sorry.

JENNIFER: I just want my husband back.

JACK: You'll have him back as soon as I get my paper back.

JENNIFER: Really? Is everything going to change? I mean am I really going to have you back?

JACK: Yes, I'm going to change.

JENNIFER: Well I really hope this works out for you.

 

SHE STARTS TO WALK AWAY.

 

JACK: Wait, you cannot just say something like that and walk away. You don't mean it. You think I'm going to lose, don't you? Say it.

JENNIFER: I don't think that you're going to lose. I want you to win. I want you to win more than anything. But I also want you to know that if you lose everything is going to be all right.

JACK: I want to believe that Jennifer, you know that. But when I see things like this, I.... I just don't know.

 

THEY START TO WALK OFF WHEN JACK STOPS.

 

JACK: Wait a minute.

JENNIFER: What?

JACK: That's Kate Roberts over there. Maybe it would be a good idea to go say hello.

 

KATE IS HAVING LUNCH WITH HER SON LUCAS.

 

JACK: Kate Roberts.

JENNIFER: Hi.

KATE: Jack, Jennifer, hi. Listen I want you to meet my son. Jack, Jennifer Deveraux, this is Lucas Roberts.

LUCAS: How do you do?

JACK: Very well, thank you.

JENNIFER: Hello.

KATE: He's only going to be in town for a short while. Spring break you know and I want him to meet some people. Why don't you two be my guests for dinner one night?

JENNIFER: Well that's very nice of you to invite us, thank you.

JACK: When and where?

KATE: Tomorrow night, Penthouse Grill.

JACK: That's good. We'll be there.

KATE: All right.

JACK: Lucas.

JENNIFER: Well we'll see you tomorrow.

JACK: Until that time.

KATE: Good-bye.

 

JACK AND JENNIFER LEAVE.

 

JENNIFER: All right Jack, why don't you tell me what you're up to.

JACK: I'll tell you exactly what I'm up to. Kate Roberts is the right hand of Victor Kiriakis over at Titan Publishing. She's going to know what he's planning.

JENNIFER: You think that she's going to tell you all of Victor's personal business?

JACK: No, no, no, no. But I will very subtly bring it up time and again in conversation. She will never even know I'm pumping her.

JENNIFER: Jack don't do it, don't.

JACK: No, no, no, no, no. Come on. You have to remember, keep your friends close but keep your enemies closer. Victor is going to realize that this is not over. Not by a long shot.