| | Fantasy Knots Landing
'Starring' (in alphabetical order)
Tyne Daly
William Devane
Kevin Dobson
Josh Duhamel
Michele Lee
Jesse McCartney
Donna Mills
Ted Shackelford
Michelle Trachtenberg
Joan Van Ark
Episode Three - "Fugitives"
Written By: Robert McCormack
We continue where we left off at the end of the previous edition with Karen being led into a run down, private questioning room at the Police Station by Detective Gonzalez and his female counterpart, Detective Lauren Gaines. Gonzalez holds a chair out for Karen while Gaines assumes her own seat – all three are sat face to face opposite each other at the wooden square table. Needless to say for Karen, this is all a world away from her days as owner of Lotus Point.
Karen appears to be remaining upbeat – after all, she IS simply helping police with their enquiries. It’s only been 48 hours since Lori’s death and the cause of her death has yet to be determined so they can’t pin a murder charge on her and anyhow, she didn’t even kill Lori so why is she appearing so nervous?
It’s these nerves which Gonzalez is tapping into as he begins the interview:
Gonzalez: “Mrs Mackenzie, there are some points to your story which just don’t add up. I’m hoping you can clarify these issues for me today”
Karen: “I’ll do my best” (smiling – but twitchy!)
Gonzalez: “Firstly, you said that you were only in Mrs Fairgate’s home five minutes right?”
Karen: “Yes…about that”
Gonzalez: “We have a witness doing some gardening work at the side of your son’s home who saw you enter the house and said you were there for at least quarter of an hour”
Karen: “No….that isn’t true” (determined)
Gonzalez: “So you’re saying the witness is lying?”
Karen: “YES”
Gaines: “Why would the witness lie Mrs Mackenzie? He didn’t know who you were. He had no reasons to lie”
Karen: “Maybe he is mistaken?”
Gaines: “He is adamant you were there for fifteen minutes”
Karen: “And I am adamant I was there for five” (firm)
Both Gaines & Gonzalez look at each other in ‘that’ way annoying Karen even more. Gonzalez then lets out a sigh before concluding:
“So for the purposes of the tape Mrs Mackenzie, you say you were in your son’s house for no more than five minutes on the day in question?”
“YES” is Karen’s adamant reply.
Meanwhile, in the car and on the way to the station itself, Mack is on the cell phone to his lawyer friend Tom McCafferty whom he has called to represent Karen:
“What do you mean you can’t make it?”
“Mack I got my appointment schedule mixed up. I’m so sorry”
“But it’s Saturday. You’re not due in court or anything”
“No it’s Golf”
“Huh?”
“I’m due to meet up with an old friend Mitchell Brooks for a round of golf and I’m already running late. You’re more than willing to join us”
“What? My wife is being questioned by the cops over a suspicious death and you think I want to join you for a game of golf?”
“I’m sorry Mack I totally forgot”
“Yeah thanks pal. Thanks a Lot”
At that moment, a disgusted Mack hangs up on his lawyer friend – sorry, FORMER lawyer friend…..
Back at the police station, the grilling continues for Karen as Gonzalez asks:
“Now you gave details Mrs Mackenzie about your nephew – a Mr Brian Cunningham – whom you claimed was the father of Mrs Fairgate’s new born child is that right?”
Karen nods in agreement without speaking:
Gonzalez: “For the benefit of the tape Mrs Mackenzie, can you answer yes or no?”
Karen: “Yes” (again, in a firm manner)
Gonzalez: “Now you claim that Mrs Fairgate told Mr Cunningham that afternoon he wasn’t the child’s father but infact your son was all along. Is that true?”
Karen: “That’s what happened?”
Gonzalez: “And this was the sole purpose of your visit to Mrs Fairgate is that correct?”
Karen: “Once I heard what she’d said to Brian, I decided I had to do something. She’d already made my life miserable all these months as well as Mr Cunningham’s and no doubt my son as well had the marriage continued”
Gonzalez: “So you killed her”
Karen: “NO. No I did not and how dare you accuse me. I want a lawyer present and I want one NOW”
Gonzalez: “That is certainly your legal right Mrs Mackenzie though I do stress you are not being held”
Karen: “Oh no? Well you could’ve fooled me. Look…why don’t you ask Mr Cunningham about what she said to him. I told you all I know already”
Gonzalez: “Oh we intend to as soon as we can find him. Have you any idea where he could be?”
At that point, Mack arrives on the scene accompanied by a police officer. He enters the room only to be greeted by a traumatised Karen who immediately gets up and hugs him while Mack continues:
“Mrs Mackenzie knows nothing about where anyone is and unless you have conclusive proof that a murder was actually committed which I don’t think you have Detective…”
“The name is Gonzalez” replies Gonzalez in a smug tone – determined to cut off Mack who is in mid-flow…
“Detective whoever you are, then unless you can prove a crime was committed and that my wife here was involved then I don’t see what further use Mrs Mackenzie can be to you”
“I can assure you Mr Mackenzie that your wife is the only one who can attempt to provide any sort of answers as we investigate the suspicious death of Mrs Fairgate. Mr Fairgate could tell us nothing and the only other eyewitness we have at this early stage seems to be contradicting anything your wife has to say on the matter. Therefore we are merely attempting to piece together the events leading up to the discovery of Mrs Fairgate’s body”
“By harassing my wife”
“By ASKING your wife”
“Well I can assure you Detective that both myself and my wife intend to fully co-operate with any such investigation nevertheless I would also like to remind you that Mrs Mackenzie came to YOU to tell YOU all she knew about Mrs Fairgate’s unfortunate and untimely death. She is not trying to hide nor cover up any suspicious wrongdoings so if you have any further questions, we want to have an attorney present. Come on Karen….”
And so, a relieved Karen wastes no time in dashing out the door as Mack ushers her to leave. Once the pair have gone, Gaines comments to Gonzalez:
“You blew it didn’t you?”
“I don’t need a lecture from you”
“We were that close in homing in on her and you blew it. Once again, you stepped in too heavy, too soon, and now we have a long investigation on our hands”
“There’s nothing to say she committed the crime”
“That’s right there isn’t. But if she DID commit the crime she might just have let it slip had you let her. Now? I think we can both say that isn’t going to happen”
As Gaines gets up from her seat feeling disgusted, Gonzalez remarks to her on her way out the door:
“She wouldn’t have gotten the chance to let anything slip since her husband appeared two minutes later…”
However Gaines still feels differently and lets her feelings known by banging the door on the way out….
While Karen admits to Mack on the way down the corridor:
“Mack that was awful. They practically accused me of killing her”
“Don’t let them upset you” assures Mack; “They don’t have a thing on you and used trickery to get a confession. They just wanted a quick solution to their investigation. It’s the oldest trick in the book….”
And so the pair keep walking……
Mack & Karen then arrive home from Karen’s ‘grilling’ session to receive some worrying news from Meg:
Meg: “Hi mom. How did it go?”
Karen: “Not too well honey. Not too well. Where is the baby? Is he with Michael?”
Meg: “Michael is upstairs mom. Last time I looked in on him, I got the impression he was packing.”
Karen: “Packing? To leave?” (looking at Mack in a concerned manner)
Mack: “Oh really…”
Karen & Meg then look on as Mack sprints upstairs to confront Michael causing Karen more anxiety:
“Mack” she cries. “Where are you….oh….”
Needless to say Mack isn’t stopping to answer her as he continues fleeing up the stairs with great pace…..
He then bursts into Michael’s room:
“What’s going on here?” he asks
“Sssh…you’ll wake Sydney”
“Out here Mike….NOW” (pointing the way out to the hallway)
Michael is then made follow Mack into his and Karen’s bedroom to be grilled on why he is packing:
“I need out of here Mack”
“What about your mother? You need her and the rest of your family around you and with all your mother has gone through she needs you too”
“Oh yeah? Well I don’t need her and her continual lies”
“Lies? She tried to protect you from being hurt”
Mack is practically whispering his words as he shouts them so as to not to waken the sleeping baby through the wall:
“I can’t believe you’re being sucked in too by her lies” responds Michael
“Face facts Michael. Your wife was no angel. She already cheated in your marriage and continued to cheat. And if you don’t believe us ask Brian. He was the one she claimed was the father”
“No…that’s not true….you’re making that up”
Michael then leaves the bedroom close to tears and runs down the stairs to find Karen and Meg standing at the bottom:
“Michael” his mother cries. “Where are you going?”
But Michael doesn’t answer – instead, he grabs his car keys from the telephone table and storms out the front door. Mack then appears down the stairs behind him to find Karen shouting:
“Mack, what happened?
“Don’t worry honey. He can’t go far. The baby is still upstairs”
Karen then spots Mack grabbing his jacket with the car keys in it and asks:
“Where are you going?”
“After him” responds Mack
Karen then looks round to Meg for some support:
“Don’t worry mom. Daddy will bring him back”
And so, at the end of her tether, Karen holds out her arms to be comforted by her 13 year old daughter. “When will her nightmare end?” she wonders…..
As Michael drives along the coastal road with the tears blinding his eyes, he can see in his rear mirror the sight of Mack’s jeep following him from behind. Knowing he can’t run away and leave a newborn baby behind and that he cannot flee too far from the scene of what could be a criminal investigation coupled with the fact he has still to BURY his wife, Michael therefore gives in to the inevitable – to at least talk to Mack….
We then see Michael’s car signalling to turn into the boulevard car park followed seconds later by Mack’s jeep. Both cars then become stationary in their respective spaces before Michael slowly emerges from his own vehicle first in a rather dejected and despondent manner. After all, his world has come crashing down around him over the past 48 hours following the death of his wife and the subsequent stories of her wicked transgressions. Why should he feel any different?
Michael then looks up to see Mack standing by his jeep staring at him. Mack looks on with pity at his stepson before holding out both his hands in a welcoming manner thus inviting his stepson to open up to him.
It’s an invitation Michael cautiously accepts as he walks slowly towards Mack. He doesn’t want to feel any ill will towards his mother and deep down probably DOES realise his wife was capable of such behaviour. He just doesn’t want to accept it and blaming Karen is the easier option for him….
Once Michael stands face to face with Mack, the tears soon start to flow and he wraps his arms around his stepfather who also appears choked as he looks to the sky asking for guidance to try and help his family through their darkest hour…..
Not far up the coast meanwhile in her beachfront home on the Malibu shoreline, we see a rather leisurely but much troubled Abby trying her luck once more to see if Greg has been in touch following his sudden disappearance on a camping trip. Abby dials his home number and is put through to his ever present butler, Carlos:
Carlos: “The Sumner Ranch”
Abby: “Carlos it’s Abby”
Carlos: “Oh good afternoon Ms Fairgate. Is there anything I can do for you?”
Abby: “Yes, I was just wondering if Greg has been in touch yet Carlos”
Carlos: “No Ms Fairgate. I’m afraid not. I think he needed some time to himself”
Abby: “I understand Carlos but I really need to speak with him”
Carlos: “I’m afraid I really don’t know where he is Ms Fairgate. If I knew I would tell you”
Abby: “I know Carlos. Can you please make sure he phones me when he gets in touch? I really need to speak to him”
Carlos: “Of course Ms Fairgate” (obliging as always)
Abby: “Thank you Carlos”
Once Abby puts down the receiver, she lets out a huge sigh as she struggles to get herself out of the murder triangle which former acquaintance Jeremy Fox has landed her in. Anne & Nick are still being held for a murder they did not commit and while there is no love lost between the three tricksters, she cannot bear to stand back and see them be punished for what is essentially Jeremy’s crime.
“Damn you Jeremy” she mutters in anger not being able to hide her anger any longer and then after dwelling on the matter for a moment or two, she comes to a decision.
“That’s it” she declares; “Enough is enough” as she ascends from her luxury leather sofa in a determined manner making her way to the closet to retrieve her white fur coat. Then grabbing her bag and placing the incriminating documents inside, she makes her way out the front door determined to do the decent thing for once and put this particular ‘wrong’ ‘right’…..
Back on the beach, Mack and Michael talk with a broken hearted Michael revealing his inner torment as he struggles to come to terms with what he has lost.
And so, as the pair sit on the sand side by side with their arms wrapped around their legs and their words barely audible due to the crashing waves of the adjacent ocean, so Michael (whilst staring out at that ocean in a trance-like manner) soon starts to recall a childhood memory that still haunts him to this day:
“You know” he begins; “I remember one night not long after daddy died? We were watching a bunch of old home movies. Mom was there….Eric….Diana….Uncle Joe as well….and I remember about halfway through one of the tapes looking up at mom….Mack” (shaking his head) “…you should’ve seen her”
CUE Mack listening intently at any piece of information he can obtain of Karen’s life prior to their marriage as Michael continues:
“Mack she was so alone…so frightened….and so brave as well. I remember looking up at her and simply just staring at her in admiration. I knew how much she was hurting. I could feel her pain and yet I couldn’t help her. All I could do was just watch on helplessly and do absolutely nothing to help her. All she wanted, more than anything, was to have daddy back again. And I don’t know…I guess to feel close to him in some way, all she could do was hold onto some chain he’d given her the previous Christmas to cling onto any last part of him she could….and I remember watching her and feeling so sad. Not for my loss but for hers…because I realised that awful as this was for me, it must’ve been ten times worse for her….and since then I’ve always had an insecurity, a ‘fear’…that one day I might lose someone that close to me too. Not a father figure you understand, a lifelong partner….”
At that moment, Mack then turns to his left to watch Michael directly – face to face, awaiting his next words….
“And now it HAS happened me…now those anxieties have actually came true and I am left in the exact same position as my mom, I guess I’m just trying to not make myself feel that sad. Feel the same way she did. I know we were only married four years and that’s nothing compared to mom and dad….but I still loved her Mack and I’m frightened that if I let my feelings creep in on me then I might wind up feeling the way mom did that night – and being left with nothing except a piece of jewellery to cling onto. I don’t want that….”
“It’s okay. You’re not superhuman. No one expects you to be devoid of any feelings or emotions. You need to grieve” insists Mack.
“But I don’t WANT to grieve Mack; I don’t want to feel the way mom did”
“So what’s the alternative huh? Chew the face of her? Make her life miserable”
“No of course not” (dismissing the idea)
“Look Mike…I hate to be the one to point this out to you….but your wife was no saint….and we can argue on and on whether your mom was right or wrong to keep certain stuff from you but does it really matter? Will it bring Lori back?”
“I had a right to know Mack”
“Of course you had a right to know but it still doesn’t change anything does it? So your mom didn’t tell you something she should’ve? BIG DEAL. The fact remains that she did what she did out of love for you and that’s all. She wanted to protect you as much as she could because you’re her baby…her last born. She couldn’t protect you from your father’s death but she COULD try and protect you from this so she DID. And one day….you’ll want to do the same for Sydney”
“You reckon?”
“I KNOW. I know I never raised Paige from birth…or Meg for that matter. But being a parent, you develop a ‘bond’. A tie that binds and no matter how far that kid is away from you or no matter how old that kid gets, you still want to protect it and you’ll do anything – ANYTHING to stop your baby from getting hurt…”
CUE Michael as Mack concludes:
“So don’t blow out on your mom like this. The pair of you need each other more than you realise…and if you let your mom’s love back into your life Mike…then maybe…just maybe you won’t find yourself hurting the same way your mom did and maybe YOU won’t find yourself clinging onto an old keepsake for memories…”
And with his eyes flooded with tears, so Michael nestles his head on Mack’s shoulder as Mack wraps a fatherly arm around his grief stricken ‘son’ to comfort him – the same way Karen did the night she watched the old home movie with her 12 year old son by her side so many years earlier.
And so, our cyber camera pans away leaving both father and son alone on the deserted beach…..
Abby’s car meanwhile pulls up at the local Police Department and before long, Abby emerges looking every inch the determined ‘not-to-be-messed-with’ dame that she is famous for being.
She resolutely walks into the Police Precinct determined not to let Jeremy call the shots anymore. Armed with evidence that could link him to a series of murders on the East Coast from several years earlier and knowing what she knows about Peter’s disappearance and the pair’s stormy relationship, so Abby is determined to nail him.
For once in her life, she is not resorting to blackmail as one may expect – this time is different. This time, she is dealing with a cold hearted killer and she knows that if Jeremy gets the slightest whiff that she knows all about him, then she too may end up just like Peter Choy and with Greg not in town to give her advice, she therefore has decided to do the honourable thing. Can this be a first???
“I’d like to speak with someone in charge please” she politely requests
“Can I ask what your enquiry relates to m’am?” asks the inexperienced officer
“Something way out of your league” jokes the Abster in reference to the young officer’s youth…..
“Hang on” he replies with a wry smile on his face as he requests more ‘experienced’ help for Abby as the old dame waits……
That afternoon at Megan’s home on the cul-de-sac, both Megan and her son Patrick stand in the kitchen unpacking groceries upon their return from the supermarket with Megan clearly still rattled by Greg’s ‘typical’ response to the news of his new found son.
Megan virtually throws a carton of milk into the refrigerator before banging the door behind her as she makes her way back to retrieve another grocery item from the canvas sack of shopping.
She says nothing and Patrick says nothing back to her either – though he knows something is up with her as is evident by the focussed look on his face as he watches her move around the kitchen with frantic speed. And so, he then chooses to speak about the man in question by asking:
“So you never told me what happened after your date with paps. The two of you obviously saw each other afterwards”
“There’s nothing to tell?”
“What? You have GOT to be joking. So you’re telling me my I was conceived during the immaculate conception?”
“I wish you had’ve been”
“What?” answers a shocked Patrick
“Then I wouldn’t have needed to have seen that man again”
“Oh come on mom, you must’ve loved the guy surely. You probably still do”
“Huh. Don’t count on it” (determined)
Patrick then walks over to his mother who is placing corn flakes into the cupboard on the wall above and teases her from behind as he leans over her right shoulder:
“So” he begins with a devious smile on his face; “You’re telling me that this attitude of yours pretending you don’t care about the guy when really you do isn’t a charade? And that you really DON’T care about him after all? Because if THAT’S true, then what puzzles me is why you went to all the bother of telling the guy about me in the first place? Why invest so heavily in him telling him something that would ultimately change his life if you were only in this for five minutes huh? I just don’t get it”
“Mind your own business” replies a quick tempered Megan as her son continues to speculate while placing frozen food in the freezer;
“My guess is that my ‘father’ couldn’t handle the news of my arrival….nay my very existence, and headed off to the hills to try and get his head round it all. And that he didn’t tell you he was going to do this and has indeed left you ALL alone back here wondering let alone worrying about what he’ll do when he returns….”
“Don’t be so silly” snaps Megan
“You can mock all you want and tell me how I’m wrong but deep down mother; you know that I’m right”
And with that, Patrick walks out the room leaving Megan standing there staring into the cereal cupboard she has been standing at for the past few minutes contemplating Patrick’s words and casting her mind back to 1966 when Greg also ‘disappeared’ following the pair’s first date at Phil & Julie’s wedding which she had recalled the previous day…..
We zoom in on a broken hearted Megan crying herself to sleep one evening. It’s been a full week since Phil and Julie’s wedding and Greg STILL hasn’t called her – despite promising to….
The following Sunday then comes round which just so happens to be Pete and Anna’s wedding anniversary. Mack therefore arrives home from his weekend job presenting flowers for his mother Anna who is sat alongside Pete and Megan at the family dining table to eat Sunday dinner:
Mack: “Happy Anniversary Day Mom” (kissing her)
Anna: (surprised) “Oh thank you Marion. How thoughtful of you”
Pete: “It’s my anniversary too. What do I get huh? Diddly squat that’s what”
Mack: (angry) “The flowers are for the BOTH of you”
Mack takes off his work blazer to sit down and eat the delicious turkey which Anna has prepared for the family:
“Smells good” he comments
At that moment, Megan, who is already sat at the table asks:
“Is Greg not with you?”
“No, I come straight home from work”
“Well have you at least heard from Greg?”
“No. I haven’t seen him since Phil’s wedding. I’d a date with Mandy the other night and I’ve been working flat out after school and at weekends. Sure don’t you know that Megan?”
“Yeah….I was just wondering that’s all” (in a flippant manner)
“Were you expecting him?” asks Mack – who is starting to guess that something is up with his sister:
“No not at all. It’s just that after the wedding he said….”
“He said he’d call you?” (completing Megan’s sentence for her)
“Yeah…how did you know?”
“How did I know? I know because I know Gregory Sumner and I know how he treats women”
“Oh”
“Hey Megan…I like Gregory. I do. But I’d never want to date him. The guy has issues when it comes to relationships and commitment and all that kind of stuff”
And when Mack sees the disappointed look on Megan’s face upon hearing this, he tries to assure Megan she is better off without him telling her:
“Trust me. You can do better”
“Oh right” responds a dejected Megan
However that night, Mack is out drinking with Greg at O’Reilly’s Irish Bar in Brooklyn Village and the atmosphere between the two best friends is somewhat frosty tonight when, leaning towards the bar, side by side, Mack approaches the subject of his sister:
“So tell me….how are you Megan getting along. Are you an item?”
(Choking on his beer) “An item?”
“Yeah… are you and my sister an item? Surely it’s reasonable for me to enquire about your intentions towards my sister”
“Your intentions?” (laughing) “Mack you’re starting to sound like your old man”
However Greg sees that Mack isn’t laughing so stops with the small talk and answers the initial question posed by his friend:
“Hell no. I like her Mack and that’s it. She’s a nice girl. But it’s not like THAT”
Following an awkward pause, Mack then asks:
“Does she KNOW it’s not that?”
“Of course she knows. What do you take me for? I’d never lead her on. She’s your sister man”
Letting out a sigh, Mack then confronts Greg:
“Well how come my sister is expecting you to call huh? How come I hear her cry herself to sleep at night through the bedroom wall huh? What the hell did you say to her man?”
“I said NOTHING to her. All I said was that I’d give her a call and wished her a good night”
“Gee you said you’d give her a call and then you didn’t. I wonder why she is so upset then?” responds Mack with sarcastic tones…..
A few seconds later, we join both gentlemen outside the pub with the Irish fiddle music playing away in the background inside and with Mack pinning Greg up against the wall:
“Let me tell you this brother….I don’t want my sister getting hurt the same way I’m sure you don’t want YOUR sister to get hurt either. So this is what you’re gonna do pal. You’re gonna call her up….you’re gonna tell her you had fun at the wedding….you’re gonna thank her for a real nice day and you’re gonna tell her you hope you can be friends you got that? You’re gonna spell the situation out to her as it is my friend. RIGHT?”
“MACK” yells back an alarmed Greg who has never seen this side of his friend before; “Get off me. What do you think you’re playing at?”
However Mack reinforces his determination until he gets a response from his ‘pal’:
“Right?”
“Okay right” concedes Greg; “I’ll call up your little sister and end things properly. I’ll be the perfect gentleman like you want me to be”
“GOOD” yells Mack back before letting go of Greg’s shirt collar…..
End of Act One... Act Two...
Across the street, Mack and Michael then return following their heart to heart down on the beach.
Michael walks into the kitchen to find Karen sitting by the breakfast table with her back facing him as she feeds baby Sydney with a bottle. Then, Michael cries out:
“Mom?”
Instantly, Karen who has been in a world of her own for several minutes comes round when she hears the familiar voice and turns round in shock at Michael. Can he really be talking to her?
“Can I feed him?” he asks holding out his arms
And with a great big beaming smile on her face, Karen walks across the kitchen to hand over Sydney to his ‘father’. As the child cries, so Michael cries as he takes over the feeding process – causing Karen to cry as she advises him:
“You might want to make sure that you secure his head in your arms incase it tilts back? Just to protect his neck you know”
“Sure” smiles Michael as he looks over at his mother in a forgiving manner before apologising for his own actions these past 2 days;
“Mom, I’m…” (interrupted)
“Sssh” assures Karen as she puts her arms around her son – just grateful that the pair are past this latest obstacle.
And from the doorway, Mack stands leaning against the wall with his arms folded watching with a smile on his face too as mother and son reconcile. Meg joins him looking up at him in approval as the pair stare on at the three on the other side of the kitchen.
Their nightmare may be far from over, but at least now, they can face whatever trials and tribulations await them together……
Abby meanwhile hands over the incriminating photos of Jeremy with his victims just prior to their death as well as the newspaper clippings linking the photos to their respective crimes. However Sgt Mendoza wants answers:
Mendoza: “How did these photos fall into your possession?”
Abby: “They were sent to me by a certain Peter Choy? An advisor to the President who was killed last Monday evening”
Mendoza: “Oh yeah…I read about that”
Abby: “Mr Choy and I were old business acquaintances and he trusted me with this information along with an accompanying note telling me to frame Mr Fox should anything happen him. I’m guessing that following the discovery of his body that whoever he gave these photos to sent them to me”
Mendoza: “Hmmm…..interesting” (as he digests their content)
Abby: “The thing is Sergeant; your colleagues are holding two suspects in detention for the death of Peter Choy probably because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time when I know enough to know that Mr Fox was behind that man’s death”
Mendoza: “Hang on a moment, these photos may link Fox to a series of other murders, but they don’t tie him to Mr Choy’s death”
Abby: “I know they don’t. But now you have this information, I expect you to co-operate with your colleagues in Washington and do whatever you have to do to link
Mr Fox with that murder because I know he is behind it”
Mendoza: “How can you be so sure?”
At this point, Abby ‘fudges’ the truth a little – conveniently missing out the part where Peter knows all about her illegal sale of OceanView to Gary and how she told Jeremy too;
“Mr Fox and I were also business acquaintances and I knew from the time I spent with him that he and Mr Choy didn’t get along. He made that quite clear. He also stressed that Mr Choy knew ‘stuff’ about him but he never disclosed what that actually was. He told me just a few weeks ago that while Peter was still alive, there was a risk such ‘stuff’ could come to light. I believed he silenced Peter Choy forever to prevent him from telling what he knew. Naturally, now I see for myself just what it is that Mr Fox actually ‘did’, I felt Sergeant that I had no option but to come to yourself and reveal this very ‘distressing’ information to you in order to get this evil man of the streets before he could do anymore harm. Don’t you agree?” (batting her eyelids for approval)
“Absolutely Ms Fairgate” agrees the Sergeant as she asks Abby the burning question; “Would you be willing to testify to these conversations between you and he in a court of law?”
“Naturally if it were my civic duty of course though I’d rather not. However I’m confident that once you start investigating this man’s background, you’ll not need to rely on my witness testimony. I can assure you of that”
“I hope not”
“You’ll find whereabouts of his current employer in there as well as the photos”
“My you HAVE done your homework” laughs the Sergeant in shock as Abby demands:
“Find the man, detain him, investigate his contacts, his associates, cell phone records, you name it. Just CATCH HIM Sergeant”
Go Abby. Can Sainthood be far off ?????
Later that day, we then stop by at a rather cluttered apartment on the other side of town as the telephone rings out. Then, we see a half naked Detective Gonzalez rushing out to answer the phone while clinging onto a white towel which is wrapped around his waste. Obviously, he is just out the shower. Gonzalez answers to find it’s his colleague – Detective Gaines on the phone:
Gaines: “Luis? It’s Lauren here”
Gonzalez: “Huh…on to give me another ticking off then?”
Gaines: “Oh come on get over it”
Gonzalez: “No YOU get over it. You hurt my feelings this morning”
Gaines: “I was keeping you in check. Lord knows someone has to”
Gonzalez: “Yeah well thanks a lot partner…”
Gaines: “You know I was in the tub there”
Gonzalez: “That makes two of us”
Gaines: “And I was thinking about that Henderson case we worked on together towards the end of last year. Remember?”
Gonzalez: “The one with the psycho bunny boiler? She couldn’t stand the fact she was in love with her brother in law so she made his life miserable? So miserable she drove him into killing her?”
Gaines: “Yes exactly”
Gonzalez: “Lauren that was absolutely nothing like this case. For starters, Fairgate doesn’t even have a brother his wife could have an affair with”
Gaines: “No but he has a cousin”
Gonzalez: “Huh?”
Gaines: “A cousin who has already had an affair with his wife. Karen Mackenzie already volunteered this information”
Gonzalez: “And she said that Lori Fairgate was infatuated with him” (realising)
Gaines: “Lets face it. Karen Mackenzie isn’t our killer…”
Gonzalez: “Hang on…we don’t even know there IS a killer. The autopsy won’t be conducted till Monday”
Gaines: “But don’t you think it’s strange? This girl was killed two days ago yet Karen Mackenzie maintains she hasn’t yet seen the guy since the body was found?”
Gonzalez: “Even though he is family”
Gaines: “Even though he is family” (re-iterating this point)
Gonzalez: “Maybe he is on vacation”
Gaines: “Maybe…but maybe not…and let’s face facts…they don’t seem like a large family with multiple contacts and they certainly don’t appear to have any enemies”
Gonzalez: “Lauren, we don’t even know them”
Gaines: “No we don’t…but we’ve met their type before. Face it Luis…this smells of an inside job and if Mrs Mackenzie isn’t the killer, there is a strong chance it’s the cousin”
Gonzalez: “Let’s be cautious…we STILL don’t know there is a killer. In 2 days time, we could learn this is all one freak accident”
Gaines: “And we could learn different….but in two days’ time the killer could’ve fled further away from the crime scene….”
Gonzalez: (convinced) “Hell…I hate that gut instinct of yours”
Gaines: “That gut instinct usually proves right”
Gonzalez: “Meet me out there on that cul-de-sac tomorrow at noon okay? We’ll speak to the family again”
Gaines: “Don’t be late”
And before we know it, the following day at noon arrives – it must be noon anyhow as the pair are at Karen’s door when she answers:
Karen: “Oh Detectives” (startled) “…MACK?” (calling on him)
Gaines: “Mrs Mackenzie…we’re not hear to cause you any upset”
Mack then appears on the doorstep:
Mack: “What do you guys want huh? I told you both yesterday that unless you have probable cause to believe my wife was guilty of a crime…” (interrupted)
Gonzalez: “Mr Mackenzie you can relax”
Gaines: “At this stage, we don’t even know a crime has been committed however we ARE treating the death as suspicious and as such need to speak with everyone who has been in touch with your daughter in law over the last few weeks of her life. As a man of the law, we’re sure you understand the need to do this”
Mack: “Of course I understand. I just don’t take too kindly to harassment that’s all”
Gonzalez: “We’re asking the pair of you for help here. We want you to work WITH us and not AGAINST us”
Mack: “Hey…fine with me…but that’s got to work both ways pal”
Gonzalez: “Based on the information you kindly volunteered yesterday, we need to get in touch with Mr….” (checking his notepad) “Mr Cunningham”
Karen: “Brian?”
Gaines: “Can you give us an address for him?”
Karen: “Sure…I’ll just go find my correspondence” (away to find the address)
Gonzalez: “Also Sir, Mr Cunningham’s wife?” (to Mack)
Mack: “She lived with my sister across the road – right over there” (pointing) “Number 16969”
Gonzalez: “That’s right the pair were separated weren’t they?”
Karen then returns with the address from her address book reading it out to both detectives:
“He stayed at Number 3049 Oakland Drive, Longridge…but he was planning to leave town so I don’t know if you’ll get him in”
“Oh we’ll find him” assures Gonzalez
“I can give you his mother’s address too. Maybe she knows…”
“That would be great”
“It’s 17997, Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu”
“Oh Mrs Mackenzie, we should know the autopsy results by tomorrow. Now if they do comeback confirming the worst, obviously a full scale investigation will be launched. It may be wise for Michael to draw up a list of any other friends or acquaintances he can think of…anyone at all who may have had a motive. If you could pass that on, we’d be grateful. It’d be a big help”
“Sure”
“Thanks for your time both of you…” remarks Gonzalez
And as the pair are about to walk back out over the doorstep, Gonzalez turns around to make his peace with Karen:
“For the record Mrs Mackenzie, I truly am sorry if we came on too strong yesterday. We appreciate your help”
“These things happen” smiles a forgiving Karen
However once Mack closes the door on them, he remarks to Karen:
“They’re all the same”
Before walking away…..
We then see the crime-fighting duo in action through a series of short scenes spent driving around the suburbs of Los Angeles chasing up the friends and relatives of Lori for more information on the final days/hours of her life.
Firstly, we see them knocking on Brian’s front door – and as expected, there is no answer…..
However both Abby and Megan are at home and both are only too willing to confirm what they know about the recent passing of ‘Mrs Fairgate’:
“My son rarely ever spoke about the girl. He was so in love with his wife. He really wanted to make a go of his marriage” proclaims Abby
“So in love with her he hit her” responds Megan to Abby’s claims”
“I think perhaps he wasn’t ready for marriage. Taking on a wife AND another man’s child in such a short space of time proved too much responsibility for him”
“Another man’s child?” asks Gaines
“Oh yes” replies Abby; “My daughter in law’s 5 year old child was fathered by Gary Ewing”
“Kate stayed with us for a time a few months back when the going got tough” admits Gary
“Did she go into any detail about Mr Cunningham’s violent outbursts?” asks Gaines
“To be fair I think that only happened the once” answers Gary; “Though probably none of us will really know the answer to that”
“Did Mr Cunningham ever have a history of violence that you were aware of?” asks Gonzalez to Gary
“Not at all” answers Gary; “I helped raise him and he always a sweet loving kid”
“You what?” answers a confused Gonzalez
“I raised him. You see I was once married to his mother”
“Ms Abby Fairgate?”
“Yeah” (surprised at their shocked tone)
“So let me get this straight” Gonzalez confirms with Gary; “You used to be married to Brian’s mother and Kate’s uncle used to be married to…”
“Brian’s mother” confirms Gary (as though to say “what is wrong with that?”)
“Right…” answers a stunned Detective Gonzalez
Then outside on the cul-de-sac, Gonzalez remarks to Gaines:
“This is SOME community….”
Finally though, during the last round of questioning and once all the various relationships and family connections are tied up, both detectives soon focus on the heart of the matter – obtaining the kind of information they’ve been waiting hours on…
Because at Megan’s house, Megan herself (when asked when Kate will be home) advises them:
“Oh Katie has gone away with the kid for a few days…maybe a few weeks…I really don’t know”
“What?” answers a shocked Gaines
“She left on Thursday – sometime between 2pm and 6pm. I don’t know. All I know is that I returned home from a meal with Mr Sumner and found a note on the sideboard telling me she’d gone away with Molly to stay with friends. Here…I have the note lying around somewhere”
“And she didn’t tell you that morning she was leaving?” asks Gonzalez
“No Sir…first I heard was when I got home”
Both Gonzalez & Gaines look at each other with suspicion…
Then Karen confirms (with Mack by her side holding her hand):
“Katie was here around 3 o’clock. Whenever Brian and I had that conversation in this very room about Lori lying over who was the baby’s father, Katie walked in while we were speaking as he’d left the door open. I assumed she’d seen the car outside and was worried something was up”
“She couldn’t have gone anywhere before four” Mack advises; “Her kid was at pre-school”
“And she didn’t mention anything to you about leaving?” asks Gonzalez
“Not a word” answers Karen
“So Mrs Cunningham was still here at 3 o’clock – possibly four but gone by six o’clock when Ms Mackenzie returned home…and you last saw Mrs Fairgate alive at approximately 3.30 but the gardener confirmed her front door was lying open an hour later and your son said he found the door still open when he got home from work…and by six o’clock, both Mrs Cunningham, her daughter and her husband had all left town – presumably together”
“Yeah…” responds a stunned Karen as she and Mack piece together a chain of probable events
Both Detectives then look at each other – knowing what the other is thinking with Gonzalez confirming:
“I think we need to speak to Mr and Mrs Cunningham – URGENTLY”
A short time later and away from the prying eyes of the cul-de-sac residents, both Gaines & Gonzalez sit in a car grabbing a bite to eat (a Subway sandwich which both are washing down with coffee). Together, they agree a plan of immediate action:
Gonzalez: “Karen Mackenzie supplied us with photographs of both the Cunningham couple. We’re going to use those photos and get a press release tonight. I want them given to all the major journals in the tri-state area so that by tomorrow morning, their faces are known to every reader in Arizona, Nevada and California…”
Gaines: “But isn’t that risky? I mean we haven’t even identified this as a murder?”
Gonzalez: “And we can’t hang around waiting either. Chances are in 24 hours when those autopsy results return, they’re going to confirm the girl was murdered, and in 24 hours, people can travel far, far away”
Gaines: “But we can’t say they’re wanted in connection with a murder when there hasn’t been any confirmation of a murder”
Gonzalez: “We’re not even going to mention the WORD murder. We’re simply trying to piece together the final moments of this young mother’s life and we believe these two people have significant information that could help us. We’re appealing to them as witnesses so we can close the casebook, give her grieving husband some sense of closure and put this file to bed”
Gaines: “Aha…” (penny finally dropping)
Gonzalez: “You’re such a dumbass at times do you know that?”
Gaines: “Do you want a bruised lip or not?”
“Gee…I must stop paying for those martial art classes…” jokes Gonzalez .
However for our two fugitives, this is no joke as we join Brian & Kate stuck in a motel room in Nevada following their unexpected cross-country tour.
Along with Molly who is sleeping in between the pair of them as they whisper to each other, so Kate appeals to Brian to see sense and return home:
Brian: “I can’t go home. Your uncle will run me out the state. He hates me”
Kate: “Well can you please at least run us home? This is no life for Molly. I don’t want her living like this”
Brian: “Kate…I don’t think you realise just how much trouble we’re in…”
Kate: “WE? What do you mean we? I wasn’t the one who hit her you know”
Brian: “And I wasn’t the one who killed her either. She couldn’t have died as a result of that slap. I didn’t hit her THAT hard”
Kate: “Brian all I know is one minute she was giving us abuse, the next you hit her and she dropped to the ground. I’d nothing to do with it”
Brian: “And neither did I…but do you really think the cops will see things that way?”
Kate: “All I know is the longer we stay away the worse this becomes for us both”
Brian: “Well once you figure out a way we can return home and explain this mess to the cops, I’ll gladly drive you home. Until then, I ain’t going nowhere. Conversation over”
Needless to say Kate doesn’t appear to be pleased at how Brian is forcing her into staying “on the run”. But for how much longer will their rendezvous continue???
Back at the cul-de-sac, it’s later in the evening and Patrick is lying across the sofa in a lazy manner when the front doorbell rings. Megan is sat in the corner reading a romance novel and looking out over the rim of her reading glasses, sees that Patrick has no intention of answering the door:
“Aren’t you going to answer that?” she abruptly asks
“It’s your house” replies her layabout son – much to Megan’s consternation…
And, letting out a huge sigh, Megan gets up and walks across the room to the front door as the bell continues to ring:
“Okay I’m coming I’m coming” she shouts – only to find next door neighbour Geri on the other side with her baby in her arms looking somewhat tired and rubbing her eyes…
“Hi Mrs Turner is Patrick in?” she asks inquisitively
“Sure” replies Megan with an amusing smile; “Come on in”
Needless to say Patrick has an even BIGGER smile as he smartens himself up on the sofa:
“Hi” he answers in a suave manner
“Patrick I’m SO sorry to bother you but a fuse or something appears to have went out next door and the electricity has went off. Are you any good at fixing fuses?”
“Me?” (looking rather startled); “Eh…erm…yeah…of course. Fixed hundreds of them so I have”
“Oh thank God what a relief that is. Could you help us out?”
“Sure. I’ll just grab my sneakers”
As Patrick then hunts around for his shoes, Megan has a burning question for Geri:
“So is your husband still away dear?”
“Yeah…I think he is going to be away for another week. He should’ve been due home yesterday but he is substituting someone else who didn’t make the course which is a real bummer. I hate sleeping alone there at night”
“Well…I’m sure Patrick will be happy to keep you company” she jokes
“Mom” blushes Patrick in an embarrassing tone as he accompanies Geri and the baby out the door.
Then, he receives a final ‘order’ from Megan who tells him:
“Mind once you fix the fuse, COME HOME”
To which Patrick winks back in a cocky manner causing Megan to laugh once he leaves…
A few seconds later when the pair arrive into Geri’s home next door, we cannot see either Patrick, Geri or the baby – just Patrick’s disappointed tones as he remarks to Geri:
“Oh…so you’re fuse really HAS blown then???”
Mack is sitting up in the bed trying to tune his clock radio in for the morning incase he sleeps in for work. Through the various Spanish language channels he passes, we hear Karen merging from the en-suite as she turns out the bathroom light, dressed for bed remarking:
Karen: “I can’t believe you still use that.”
Mack: “I like it”
Karen: “But it’s not worked properly in years”
Mack: “But I like it”
Karen: “First chance I get, I’m going to buy us a new one. They go for under ten dollars down at the store”
Mack: “And I’ll still use this clock because I LIKE it”
Karen: “Okay you like it? So use it”
Mack: “I intend to”
As Karen snuggles up under the covers and adjusts her pillow, Mack soon has to concede defeat losing the rag:
“Damn it. Maybe we should get a digital one”
But Karen isn’t reacting forcing Mack to eat humble pie even more:
“How much were they on sale for down the store huh?”
Karen then gets back up in the bed again with a victorious smile on her face – grabbing the clock radio from her husband and remarking:
“I thought you liked this one”
“Well maybe I’d like a new radio after all” responds a stubborn Mack (just to be twisted you understand).
And hey presto, with the flick of a few buttons, Karen has the timer set for 6.45am in the morning – impressing Mack to say the least who then puts out the bedside lamp, and kisses his darling wife “goodnight”.
After a few moments in the dark, you can just sense someone is going to say something and it isn’t long before Karen remarks:
“Mack?”
“What” (sighing)
“I’m worried for Brian and Katie”
(more sighing) “You’re worried for THEM? Despite the fact they may have been involved in doing something incredibly stupid, you’re worried for them”
“If they did go out there the other day, it was to clear up this whole mess. I know first hand what she was like and how much trouble she was capable of causing. If anything did happen, I’m quite sure they didn’t provoke it”
Then, after a moment to chew over Karen’s words, Mack answers:
“Well I’m worried for them too. But I’m more worried about you and Michael right now. And if they DID get involved with her as the cops seem to suggest, then…they’re going to have to pay the consequences. I’m sorry…but that’s the way it goes…..”
“I’m still worried for them” replies Karen – as understanding as ever…..
Meanwhile across the street, Megan is waiting up for her ‘romeo’ of a son. Just after midnight, the door opens:
“Mom. Are you still up?” asks a surprised Patrick
“Well…I didn’t know if I should lock the door or not”
“Of course you shouldn’t have locked the door. Whatever are you suggesting?”
“Well I’m sure it doesn’t take 3 hours to fix a fuse”
“Ah well…we put the child to bed as well…and read her a bedtime story”
“Are you sure it was just the child you put to bed?”
“MOTHER”
Megan then gets up to go to her own bed – closing her romance novel for the night. On the way up the stairs though, she has a friendly warning for Patrick though:
“Just be careful kiddo. I’ve met her husband. He’s Cuban…and he doesn’t like to be messed around with…”
As Megan continues her way up the staircase, Patrick has one of those “I’m not afraid of him” looks on his face…..
The following morning in a Nevada filling station, we then see Kate and Molly waiting in the car and looking out the window as Brian heads indoors to pay for Gas he has just used.
Brian goes up to pay his bill:
“That’s 45 dollars” answers the attendant
“Can I have three ice creams please?” asks Brian
“Sure” answers the attendant; “Just help yourself from the freezer. That’ll be 48 Dollars”
As the attendant then hands Brian his change, he suddenly appears alarmed – as though he knows Brian from somewhere and therefore monitors his movements as Brian grabs the ice creams from the adjacent freezer…
Then, as Brian makes his way out the door signalling “thanks” to the attendant, the attendant in question then looks down at the newspaper below him to find the photographs of Kate and Brian at the bottom of the newspaper cover – wanted to “help police with their enquiries” over Lori’s untimely death.
Shocked and stunned by this point, the attendant does the only thing he can do in this situation – calling the number in the article:
“Police? Hi… my name is Randy Travers and I’ve just served the guy wanted for the killing in Knots Landing, California on the front of this morning’s copy of the Echo? Yeah, he has just left the premises this minute”
And so, as Brian starts up the car and exits the forecourt, so ‘Randy’ waves out at him while continuing with his call….
Whatever next for the pair of fugitives?????
END OF EPISODE | | |
