oldEpisode Two-hundred-fifty-one: "Last
Tango in Salem": Jack and Jennifer Are
Working Together to Get Lawrence. After
Clearing up Mutual Misunderstandings, It
Appears As If They Are Growing Closer .

---

[Air mid-February 1991]

SCENE ONE: EVE'S HEARING IS STILL UNDERWAY AND THINGS ARE NOT LOOKING GOOD FOR HER. THE JUDGE CALLS A RECESS AND JULIE GOES OVER TO TALK TO JACK.

 

JULIE: It looks like my uncle is trying to talk some sense into Eve.

JACK: That's good.

JULIE: Maybe you should lend a hand.

JACK: No, no. I don't think she is going to listen to me.

JULIE: She is your wife.

JACK: Exactly.

JULIE: Well what do you mean by that?

JACK: I'm just saying that husbands have never been able to influence their wives. I mean did Ralph ever win an argument with Alice, could Ricky ever keep Lucy out of show business, I mean I ask you.

JULIE: Jack, we're talking about murder here darling. She needs you Jack.

JACK: No. She needs somebody but it's not me.

 

FRANKIE OVERHEARS THAT COMMENT AND GOES TO COMFORT EVE. THE HEARING RESUMES FOR A WHILE.

SCENE TWO: DURING THE NEXT RECESS, JACK AND JULIE RESUME THEIR TALK.

 

JACK: I don't know why you're so shocked. I was just asking a very natural question.

JULIE: You're asking a bystander if I think your wife committed murder. I don't think that's a very natural question darling.

JACK: You're not exactly a bystander.

JULIE: A hippo playing the piano would show more subtly Jack.

JACK: Pardone?

JULIE: You're trying to audition me for the role of murderess. I'm sorry. I'm not guilty. Bad casting.

JACK: Well if you were guilty, I'd wouldn't exactly expect you to admit it.

JULIE: I'm sure you want to know who the true killer is and I don't think that has anything to do with Eve, does it? Why?

JACK: I'm just perusing.... truth, justice and the American way.... and.... looking out for a few others besides.

JULIE: What others?

JACK: Steve for one.

 

THE HEARING RESUMES AND THE JUDGE COMMITS EVE FOR TRIAL. SHE IS EXTREMELY UPSET AND JULIE TELLS HER SHE WILL DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO HELP HER. JACK IS NOT SURE WHAT TO SAY TO HER.

 

JACK: Look.... ah...

 

HE NOTICES FRANKIE WAITING TO TALK TO HER.

 

JACK: Look I'd like to give you a ride home but I need to get over to The Spectator. I've got a bit story breaking, obviously.

EVE: Sure, sure, I understand. I'll just stay here by myself, it's fine.

JACK: Alright, well.... ah.... don't stay too long and.... you have cab fare?

EVE: Yeah.

JACK: Don't worry about that. Anyway.... ah.... I'll see you round.... or whatever.

 

JACK LEAVES AFTER FRANKIE GIVES HIM A LOOK OF DISGUST. EVE GETS OUT ON BAIL AND LEAVES TOWN THAT NIGHT.

SCENE THREE: THAT SAME NIGHT, JENNIFER GETS A MESSAGE TO MEET JACK ON THE PIER.

 

JACK: Psssst.

JENNIFER: Jack?

JACK: Psssst.

JENNIFER: Jack, is that you?

JACK: Pssst, quiet this way, quick, quick, quick, down, down, down.

 

HE GRABS HER AND PUSHES HER BEHIND THE OLD FISH NET HANGING AT THE BACK.

 

JENNIFER: What are you doing?

JACK: I'm not.... we're not doing anything.

JENNIFER: Why are you whispering?

JACK: Because we're waiting for someone.

JENNIFER: Waiting for who?

JACK: Psssst, quiet!

 

SUDDENLY LAWRENCE AND HIS ASSISTANT GREGORY WALK ALONG THE PIER.

LAWRENCE: Are you sure about this Gregory?

GREGORY: The note said Pier 10, on the nose, and you'll get what you've been looking for.

LAWRENCE: Our contact is a bit late.

GREGORY: Well there's not much we can do about that, right. (Beat) Lawrence?

LAWRENCE: It's a trick. I had a feeling, it's a trick. Dammit! We had to take the chance and come down here. I've got to get that letter.

GREGORY: Lawrence.

LAWRENCE: Come on.

 

THEY BOTH LEAVE.

SCENE FOUR: JACK AND JENNIFER COME OUT OF THEIR HIDING PLACE UNDER THE DOCK.

 

JENNIFER: Jack you tricked him.

JACK: Sssshhh. Quiet. Sssshhh.

JENNIFER: You did it.

JACK: It's a letter!

JENNIFER: That's right.

JACK: It's a letter, that's what it is.

JENNIFER: It's a letter that he obviously thinks Nick's killer has. Why is it so important to him, why is he risking everything for it?

JACK: I don't know. (Beat) I don't know.

JENNIFER: Alright, where is this letter? Does Eve have it?

JACK: Oh.... I don't.... think so. I mean Lawrence searched everything she has and he never found it.

JENNIFER: Yeah but maybe he didn't look in the right place. You know it takes a woman to know where another woman might hide something and I doubt Lawrence was smart enough to hire a woman for this little search.

JACK: You actually might have a point now.

JENNIFER: Alright, well where is she, right now?

JACK: Eve?

JENNIFER: Yeah.

JACK: Ah.... I don't know. I haven't seen her round the penthouse since the hearing started.

JENNIFER: Alright, then what are we waiting for. We have this letter to find.

JACK: Let's go.

 

THEY BOTH STEP FORWARD AND BUMP STRAIGHT INTO ONE ANOTHER.

 

JENNIFER: No, Jack.

JACK: It's this way.

JENNIFER: No, this way.

JACK: I know the way to my own....

 

THEY ARE ENJOYING BANTERING TOO MUCH TO NOTICE THAT JO HAS COME UPON THEM. JO IS HAPPY TO SEE THEM TOGETHERING, ARGUING LIKE OLD TIMES.

 

JO: Well, well, isn't this something?

JENNIFER: Hi Ms Johnson.

JACK: Hi....

JO: Hi! You have no idea how good you two look together.

JACK: What are you talking about?

JO: Oh.... you maybe be married now but seeing you two together like this, I have a sneaky feeling that....

JACK: No, no, please, please, don't.... sneak it anymore. Ah.... actually Miss Horton and I are working on a.... on a joint story. The essence of which we have a feeling that Eve may actually be innocent and not guilty.

JENNIFER: Yeah that's right. We're working like this together professionally to find Nick's killer.

JACK: Yes.

JO: I see. Well Eve certainly is lucky to have both of you looking after her.

JACK: Well actually, it's not all about Eve.... excuse the pun. Ah...we.... ah.... that is I have this theory that whoever killed Nick has evidence connecting Lawrence Alamain to Steve's death.

JO: Jack, I don't know. Now listen....

JACK: Now, now, now. There's no standing between a newsman and the quest for truth. We are determined to find and prove that Lawrence is behind Steve's death and that is the truth.

 

JACK AND JENNIFER LEAVE.

SCENE FIVE: THEY ARRIVE AT JACK'S PENTHOUSE TO SEARCH EVE'S STUFF. JENNIFER BARGES INTO THE BEDROOM, WHERE THE BED IS COVERED WITH CLOTHES. JACK IS A BIT AWKWARD ABOUT HAVING HER IN HIS BEDROOM.

 

JENNIFER: This must be somewhere. Eve hid it where no man would be able to find it.

JACK: Lights help you know.

 

JACK TURNS ON THE LIGHTS BUT JENNIFER HAS ALREADY STARTED TOSSING THINGS OUT OF THE DRAWERS.

 

JACK: Okay, okay, okay, okay. We're going to go.... you're right, just this once. And we're going to fo.... we're going to follow your instincts.

JENNIFER: Where does she put her personal stuff Jack? Where is her personal stuff?

JACK: Her personal what?

JENNIFER: Yes, old stuff, like mementos, pictures, photos, love letters, anything.

JACK: I don't know. Let me think, let me think. Let me think for a minute.

JENNIFER: Where does she keep all that old stuff?

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

JENNIFER: What do you mean you don't know?

JACK: Well we just moved in here and I.... I....

JENNIFER: You don't have the faintest idea where she keeps anything, do you?

JACK: This is not my area of expertise.

JENNIFER: Well you both live here. I mean this is your bedroom, isn't it?

JACK: I'm very well aware of whose bedroom it is. Yes.

JENNIFER: Wait a minute, wait a minute Jack.

JACK: Wait a.... what? What?

JENNIFER: Wait a minute, you and Eve, I.... I know that you both live here together.

JACK: Yes.

JENNIFER: But you and Eve don't.... you don't sleep here together.... do you?

JACK: I told you.... I told you that we.... ah.... no we don't!

 

JENNIFER GRINS TO HERSELF. SHE CONTINUES TO SEARCH AND JACK CONTINUES TO FOLLOW HER AROUND PICKING UP THE MESS.

 

JACK: So, you think Eve and I have been sleeping together?

JENNIFER: No, I don't. I wasn't thinking anything.

JACK: Huh, uh.

JENNIFER: I didn't think that and I shouldn't even have said anything.

JACK: Huh, uh. I told you Eve and I did not sleep together. I told you this was a business arrangement but you didn't listen then and you're not listening now.

JENNIFER: It doesn't matter. It's none of my business. You married Eve. It doesn't matter why you did or if you are or if you are not you know what....

JACK: Sleeping together.

JENNIFER: But you're married. You married another woman and that's all that matters. That's the only thing that counts.

JACK: What, is this judgment from the girl that had a rendezvous with Francoise down at the No Tell Motel Midtown Motel.

JENNIFER: What?

JACK: The No Tell Motel Midtown Motel. Let me illustrate. You and Francoise holding hands in your own little love nest. Holding whatever else.... I do not want to know.

JENNIFER: Wait a minute Jack, wait. You were there? You saw me and Frankie that night at the....

JACK: As a matter of fact I did, yes.

JENNIFER: That's the night that you married Eve.

JACK: That's.... yes, as a matter of fact it is, yes.

JENNIFER: Is that why you married Eve because you thought Frankie and I were....

JACK: NO! That has nothing to do with it. But seeing the two of you together didn't do anything to slow my down or stop me.

JENNIFER: Wait a minute. Are you saying that this might not have happened, that you might not have gone through with this wedding if you....

JACK: No, I didn't. No, I didn't say that, did not say that. I didn't...

JENNIFER: Me and Frankie at that mid town motel is not what you thought. It's not what you thought at all.

JACK: Oh no, it was completely innocent.

JENNIFER: Yes, that's exactly what it was.

JACK: And.... and stupid me, I just jumped to the wrong conclusion.

JENNIFER: Jack!

JACK: Yes?

JENNIFER: Oh Jack!

JACK: èJackî.... would you care to translate?

JENNIFER: This is our whole relationship.

JACK: Oh!

JENNIFER: You think that I don't want you when I do. I don't think you want me. I think you're with Eve. You think I'm with Frankie. There's this music playing, this crazy dance. Everyone's changing partners and we never end up where we belong.

JACK: I've seen the movie. Last Tango in Salem. I loved it.

JENNIFER: No, Jack, listen to me, alright. At least I'm learning now how to face things on my own and how to know what it is that I want.

JACK: Good.

JENNIFER: So next time.... next time.... maybe things will be better.

JACK: Well what can you say, experience is a hell of a teacher.

JENNIFER: Yeah it is.

JACK: You know I could have saved you a lot of trouble though, if you'd listened to me in the first place and not been so idealistic.

JENNIFER: Well I'm all grown up now Jack.

JACK: Yes, we live in hope.

JENNIFER: Yeah but there are some things that are the same.

JACK: Oh yeah.

JENNIFER: You know I am still a little hopeful and idealistic in a way.

 

JACK BEGINS TO SWING TO IMAGINARY MUSIC.

 

JACK: A little hopeful.... there's that dance again.

 

HE TAKES HER HANDS AND STARTS TO SWING HER AROUND SO THAT SHE IS DISTRACTED.

 

JENNIFER: Jack don't do this alright. There are some things that I still believe in and that's love.... real love.

JACK: (Singing) èI believe in you... I believe in you...î

JENNIFER: No one can take that away from me and no one can change that alright. I still believe....

JACK: Nobody.... nobody can.... what?

JENNIFER: .... in real love. (Beat) And I always will.

 

JACK IMMEDIATELY STARTS TO TIDY UP AGAIN.

 

JENNIFER: Well?

JACK: Well.... well what? What.... what do you want to know, huh?

JENNIFER: Nothing. I don't want to know anything. What do have to say, what do you feel about what I just said?

JACK: What do I feel.... what do I feel? I feel that you made one hell of a speech, you really did. And I'm really.... you know.... I'm very.... I'm impressed with your feelings about people and... and.... ah....

JENNIFER: Love?

JACK: And love, yes. It's just....

JENNIFER: What about love?

JACK: What about it?

 

FRANKIE SUDDENLY WALKS IN THE BEDROOM TOO.

 

FRANKIE: Hey Spankie, you in here?

JACK: (Glad to see him) You are so timely Francoise. It's such.... it's so great to have you here in my.... ah.... in my bedroom.

FRANKIE: Jen.

JACK: What brings you here?

FRANKIE: Well I'm looking for Eve.

JACK: You're looking for.... well isn't she with you?

FRANKIE: Does she look like she's with me? No, I've been trying to find her all day long.

JENNIFER: Wait a minute, Jack, when was the last time you saw her?

JACK: Me.... I haven't seen her since she was with you at the courthouse.

JENNIFER: Wait a minute, do you think something happened?

JACK: We hope.... I mean I.... I hope nothing's happened to her. She.... you know she looked like she'd been hit with a Mac truck. Like she'd already been convicted and everything.

FRANKIE: Yeah well I just hope she didn't do anything stupid.

JACK: Well.... I wouldn't lay any bets on that.

FRANKIE: This is just great.

JACK: Huh, uh.

FRANKIE: You know now that I finally have something that could clear her, she disappears.

 

BOTH JACK AND JENNIFER LOOK UP IN SURPRISE.

 

JACK: Whoa!

JENNIFER: What are you talking about?

JACK: Whoa, whoa, whoa. What?

SCENE SIX: FRANKIE RELATES A STORY ABOUT TANNER LYING TO THE POLICE AND SEEING SOMEONE HIDE THE GUN IN A RENOVATED TRAIN.

 

FRANKIE: And that's the story.

JACK: Wait a minute, you expect us to believe that this.... a story that this little pimply faced punk. I mean the guy's name is Tanner!

FRANKIE: Yeah that's right, it is. Look Jack, why.... why would he make this stuff up. He has no reason.

JENNIFER: Look we're looking for a renovated train alright. How hard could that be. We find the train, we find the gun.

JACK: I tell you what, I think Vern has got the names of a couple of people at the Department of Transportation in DC. I'll get in touch with him.

JENNIFER: You know someone at the station must know something about this train too.

FRANKIE: Okay, it looks like you guys have things under control here. I'm going to go find Eve and make sure she doesn't get her neck up to here in something else.

JENNIFER: Okay. Frankie wait. Let us know if there is anything we can do.

FRANKIE: Yeah, alright, I'll give you guys a call.

JENNIFER: Alright.

FRANKIE: See ya Spank.

 

FRANKIE LEAVES.

 

JENNIFER: I'm going to call the studio.

 

JENNIFER PUTS HER HAND ON THE PHONE JUST AS JACK REACHES FOR IT AND HE ENDS UP WITH HIS HAND OVER HERS.

 

JACK: Um.... I hope you've noticed there is only one phone in this room.

 

NEITHER ONE HAS MOVED THEIR HANDS.

 

JENNIFER: I noticed.

JACK: (Beat) I guess I'll be the gentleman. Ladies first.

JENNIFER: (Beat) No, Jack. It's your phone, it's your house.

 

SHE PICKS UP THE RECEIVER AND PUTS IT TO JACK'S EAR.

HE THEN PUTS HIS HAND OVER HERS AND PUTS IT TO HER EAR.

 

JACK: No, no, no, no, no. You're a guest in this house.

JENNIFER: No, no, no, no, no. Vern's a better contact Jack.

JACK: No, no, no, Vern has nothing.... Vern?.... wait a minute, what are we.... is this.... what are we doing here? Is this that crazy dance you were talking about before?

JENNIFER: No Jack. (Beat) It's called us working together again.

JACK: Right.... right. I knew that. It was just so familiar all of a sudden.

JACK: And um, since we are working together, age before beauty. I'll call Vern.

 

JACK STARTS TO DIAL THE NUMBER AND JENNIFER MOVES AWAY SMILING TO HERSELF. THEY BOTH ARE ENJOYING BANTERING AND ESPECIALLY WORKING TOGETHER LIKE OLD TIMES.

 

JACK: Vern, hello, yes you know who this is.

 

JENNIFER GOES INTO THE LIVING ROOM TO WORK WHILE JACK IS ON THE PHONE.

SCENE SEVEN: A SHORT TIME LATER, JACK CALLS HER. HE POPS HIS HEAD OUT THE DOOR AND SCREAMS.

JACK: MISS HORTON, GET IN HERE!

 

SHE HURRIES INTO THE BEDROOM AFTER HIM.

 

JENNIFER: Alright Jack.

JACK: What took you so long?

JENNIFER: I was using the second phone line in the living room.

JACK: Oh, very resourceful of you. What do you have?

JENNIFER: There's a lot of information on this train Jack.

JACK: I know. It's a media bonanza, yes.

JENNIFER: Right.

JACK: We have a special promotion here celebrating the 150th anniversary of the migration west.

JENNIFER: Right. A string of 50 old fashioned cars, one from each of the states will travel the same route as first wagon train, Jack.

JACK: Exactly, exactly. The cars obviously were renovated right here in Salem and sent to a secure holding facility.

JENNIFER: Right. And in just a matter of days the said train will be unveiled and then begin a highly publicized cross country trip.

JACK: It's a media nightmare.

JENNIFER: Right.

JACK: Yes.

JENNIFER: Look, so all we have to do is get on this train, go through all these cars and find the missing gun.

JACK: Find the missing gun, find Nick's killer.

JENNIFER: Right. Find Nick's killer and then

JACK: We're going to find the.... we're going to find.... er.... Lawrence's connection to all of this.

JENNIFER: Right.

JACK: Anyway, I'm going to get my press pass from The Spectator.

JENNIFER: And I'm going to do all this for WATB, so it's perfect.

JACK: Well that's if you call being on an old beat up noisy crowded train, perfect.

JENNIFER: Well I mean if that's the way it has to be, I'll manage.... somehow.

JACK: Well I can manage too.... somehow.

 

THEY ARE TALKING JUST LIKE THEY DID BEFORE THE CRUISE, ABOUT HOW MUCH THEY ARE NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO IT; HOWEVER, IT IS OBVIOUS THAT DESPITE WHAT THEY ARE SAYING, THEY ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING TOGETHER, WITH THE POSSIBILITIES OF GETTING BACK TOGETHER.