| | 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 Four - "Nowhere to Run"
Written By: Robert McCormack
We continue where we left off in the Nevada Gas Station where the local cops have just been called by employee Randy Travers who, just fifteen minutes earlier, served Brian who came looking for Gas to fill his vehicle – unaware that photos of he and Kate were already plastered over that morning’s copy of the newspapers.
It’s only been 4 days since Lori was killed and a cause of death has yet to be determined however the two investigating detectives (Gaines & Gonzalez) are both convinced that Lori was murdered – especially upon hearing that Kate decided to flee town suddenly within a two hour period, on the fateful afternoon.
And so, Randy describes an accurate version of events to local investigating officer, Detective Sonny Phillips:
Phillips: “Was the young lady with him?”
Travers: “It was impossible to see if she was with him but yeah, there WAS another passenger in the car”
Phillips: “But you can’t say conclusively that it was her?”
Travers: “No Sir how could I? I was standing in here. I was more focused on him. And it wasn’t till he was leaving the premises that I made the connection”
Phillips: “Couldn’t you have found a way to detain him?”
Travers: (angered) “What?” (laughing) “Kept him in here and called you at the same time?”
Phillips: “You must have a phone in the back surely”
Travers: “I already told you. He was on his way out the door when I made the connection. I gave him his change and he left. Once I looked down at this morning’s copy of the Echo on the counter and saw his face on the front, I put two and two together and called you. What more could I do?”
Phillips: “Oh no Sir, we’re grateful you called. But you have to understand that road out front connects to the main Interstate Freeway. They could be half way across the country by now”
Travers: “They WILL be if you hang around in here”
Phillips: “Yes well I already have colleagues out on the hunt for him. It just would’ve made life easier I guess had he still been here that’s all”
As the detective looks around the kiosk area, his partner Bob McAuley notices the presence of CCTV on the premises:
McAuley: “I say Phillips; there are two security cameras instore and three out on the forecourt”
Phillips: “I just noticed” (and then to Randy); “You understand we’ll need to look at the security tapes Mr…” (looking at his notepad)
Travers: “The name is Travers. And I’ll need to call my boss for that”
Phillips: (demanding) “I don’t think you quite understand sunshine. This is a criminal investigation here. Now we need to determine what direction Mr Cunningham and his partner drove off in AND the identity of that partner. There isn’t a choice in this you know”
Travers: (defiant) “I STILL need to call my boss”
Needless to say that the two inspecting officers look extremely cheesed off as the young attendant calls his boss for authorisation…..
Meanwhile, just a short distance down the road, both Brian and Kate have pulled into a Diner for some breakfast. As Brian collects the meal, so little Molly appeals to her mother:
Molly: “Mommy, I want to go home” (attempting to cry)
Kate: (holding her hand) “So do I honey. So do I”
Molly: “Why can’t you say to Brian to take us home?”
Kate: “He can’t honey”
Molly: “But why can’t he?”
Kate: “He just can’t” (losing patience)
Molly: “But mommy I’m scared”
Kate: “Look” (sighing) “Brian will….” (interrupted by the man himself)
Brian: “And just you wait to see what I have here young lady” (to Molly); “Not only Chicken Nuggets with beans but a toy with your meal as well”
At that point, Molly runs off with her little grey teddy bear over to the Candy machine – looking extremely upset:
Brian: “What did I say?” (shocked)
Kate: “She wants to go home Brian….and so do I”
Brian: “Kate, we’ve already been over this like a zillion times. We CAN’T go home. Didn’t you explain to her?”
Kate: (angered) “I’m fed up trying to explain Brian. The poor kid is confused. One minute, she is in pre-school, the next you and I are whisking her off with promises to take her to Disneyworld to see Cinderella. Four days later, we’re STILL on the road, we’re no nearer Disneyworld and we can’t even explain to her what is keeping us. She misses her friends Brian AND Megan AND Patrick AND Uncle Greg”
Brian: “Well we’d have been there by now had you not pulled that stunt on Saturday afternoon running away like that”
Kate: “Oh yeah? Well maybe I’m scared too”
Brian: “There’s nothing to be scared off Kate if we just stick to the plan”
Kate: “Look….I didn’t kill Lori and neither did Molly. I don’t see why we need to be on this little trip with you in the first place”
Brian: “Ssssh….” (looking around him) “Do you want the whole place to hear? Huh? Is that what you want?”
Kate: “All I know is that I’m behaving like a criminal here when I’ve done nothing wrong”
Brian: “And neither have I. You know as well as I do that slap couldn’t have killed her”
Kate: “All I know is that one minute she is standing arguing with you and the next she is lying on the floor yet I’m on the run with you and so is my child. And I don’t like it Brian”
Brian: “Look….it’ll be over soon I swear.”
Kate: “How will it Brian? How will it be over huh?”
Brian then has a suggestion to make:
Brian: “There’s always the note…”
Kate: “What note?” (confused)
Brian: “The note you left Megan. She thinks you’ve gone with friends right?”
Kate: “I don’t understand”
Brian: (smiling) “I never thought of that”
Kate: “What are you on about?”
Brian: “Look…you told Megan you were off to see friends right?”
Kate: “Yeah…”
Brian: “Well…she isn’t going to suspect anything right? So she won’t call the cops or nothing”
Kate: “But the police are bound to have made a connection. I mean they find out that Lori has been killed and that the man who just found out her child wasn’t his has left town and that I found out about your sordid little affair, they’ll put two and two together”
Brian: “Or have they?”
Kate: “What?”
Brian: “Kate….call home” (enthusiastic)
Kate: “What? Are you crazy?”
Brian: “Call Megan. Find out if she says anything about it. If she doesn’t, then the cops obviously haven’t connected us yet to Lori’s death so we don’t just get out the state, but we get out the COUNTRY while there is time”
Kate: “What? Are you mad?”
Brian: “We’ve been running around for the past 4 days acting like fugitives assuming they’d know when maybe they don’t. If they still don’t know, we get out while there is still time”
Kate: “And what if they do? What if Megan tells us they’re looking for us?”
Brian: “Then we just keep running…….”
And so, just as Megan is on her way out the door to a coffee appointment with Val, so her telephone rings out. Needless to say the timing is inconvenient, however spurred on by the promise that it may be the elusive Greg on the other end, so Megan answers:
Megan: “Hello?”
Kate: “Megan? It’s Kate” (nervously)
Megan: “Oh Kate honey…how is your vacation?”
Kate: “Oh it’s great”
Megan: “That was such a surprise you sprung on us just taking off like that. You didn’t even give me a chance to say goodbye”
Kate: “Oh well…I just got the call back east from my friend Lauren. She was feeling kinda lonely and wanted us there with her”
Megan: (confused) “Where are you?”
Kate: “We’re in Southbridge, where I studied. She’s an old college friend”
Megan: “How long will you be gone for?”
Kate: “It’s hard to say” (stumbling for an answer)
Megan: “Well you take care and tell the kid I send her a big kiss. Have you spoken to your Uncle Greg?”
Kate: “No. But tell him we’re okay”
Megan: “That’ll be hard. He’s been off camping since Friday”
Kate: “He has?”
Megan: “Yip. Reliable as ever. That’s our Gregory”
Kate: “Has anything been happening?”
Megan: “No not much….”
Kate breathes a sigh of relief till Megan then remembers:
“Oh….I knew there was something. Michael Fairgate’s wife was found dead the other day”
“She was?” (answers a worried Kate)
“Yeah…poor kid. He is devastated. He really is”
“What happened?” (fishes Kate for an answer)
“Well no one really knows…Michael came home from work and found her dead on the floor. I assume it was an accident but until we get the results of the autopsy, we won’t really know”
“So they don’t know what killed her?” (saying this loud enough for Brian to hear)
“They sure don’t honey. The more I think of it, you’d probably be best out of town with the kid and all till this all blows over”
“Yeah…you’re probably right…look…” (looking around her) “I’ve got to go here Megan, Lauren is waiting to use the phone”
“Oh sure honey...well pass on my love to Molly”
“I will do”
“Oh and Kate…if you speak to your Uncle Greg?”
“Yeah?”
At that moment, Megan has a change of heart:
“Never mind…just enjoy your vacation”
“I will. Thanks. I love you” (welling up)
“I love you too honey” replies Megan
Once Kate places down the receiver, she gathers herself, turns round and confirms to Brian with the relief clearly evident on her face:
“They don’t know how she died. They’re still waiting on the autopsy results”
“You’re kidding. After almost four days?”
“They sure are”
Brian then looks round at Molly – who by now is playing on a small ride within the diner before deciding:
“Let’s take her to Disneyland. Disneyland in PARIS”
CUE the blissfully happy five year old as she plays away…
Meanwhile back in Knots Landing, Megan makes her way out the door and walks down the path to discover she still hasn’t taken in that morning’s edition of the Tribune which is still lying on the path outside. She bends down to lift it up and is both shocked and horrified to discover both Brian and Kate’s photos on the front page:
“Oh no” she cries…
Abby too has just seen the photographs and has rung the editor in charge of the news bureau to voice her anger:
“My son is no killer you know. We are a law abiding family and always have been. How DARE you print this trash”
The editor, a Mr Tom McGhee responds to Abby’s complaint:
“The article clearly states Ms Fairgate that your son and his wife are wanted to help police with their enquiries. At no time does it suggest they are wanted for murder”
“It might as well have. Do you think our friends are neighbours are going to read the small print? Everyone is going to put two and two together and assume he is guilty”
“We cannot be held responsible Ms Fairgate for how others interpret the article. That’s their call. All we did was respond to a request by the local DA. If you have any issues with that, then I suggest you call him and not me or my staff. Good day”
For once, Abby has the phone hung up on HER – and she is livid!!!
By now, Megan has arrived at Val’s for her ‘coffee appointment’. However the topic of conversation has now changed. For rather than the expected advice she was seeking on how to handle Greg’s sudden departure, she is instead sat wondering what on earth they are going to do about Kate & Brian’s supposed ‘vacation’.
Val too is equally as horrified as Megan - haven just seen the newspaper for herself as she listens to Megan tell how she has just spoken to Katie:
Megan: “She was so…so ‘calm’ and ‘happy’. She claimed she was visiting a friend back East in Southbridge. I assumed the reason she’d left was because of Patrick’s arrival and while I told her she had a home here as long as she wanted, I assumed she had chosen to leave to give us some space. She’d no intention of getting back with Brian – at least not when I last spoke to her about it”
Val: “Are they sure she is with him? I mean why….how? I just don’t get it”
Megan: “And to think that Brian could…I mean…how do they know it was murder?”
Val: “Well admittedly the article doesn’t say anything about a murder taking place…”
Megan: “Oh come on honey you know as well as I do that’s what they mean”
Val: (realising) “Yeah…but still…”
Megan: “I’m so scared for her Val…I mean what’ll they do to her? This is going to destroy Greg”
Val: “What’s he saying about it?”
Megan: “I don’t know” (shrugging her shoulders) “He also did a runner”
Val: “What?”
Megan: “Oh yeah. I haven’t seen him since Thursday. He’s been on a camping trip all weekend. Told Carlos he needed time to himself”
Val: “But the book...I had a meeting with him tomorrow about the book. If he doesn’t show up, then it might not happen”
Megan: “Honey…I think we can safely assume he isn’t going to show up by tomorrow…and even if he did, I think this is going to take priority” (holding up the Tribune)
At that point, Gary then arrives back home – just half an hour after leaving for his work, with a copy of the Tribune in his hands:
Gary: “Hi Megan” (sighing)
Megan: “Hi Gary”
Gary: “Have you seen this?” (showing them the paper)
Val: “Uh huh” (agreeing)
Gary: “This is absurd. To think Kate would have anything to do with that girl’s murder…it’s crazy. She wouldn’t harm anyone. Neither would Brian despite what he did to Kate”
Val: “Megan just spoke to her”
Gary: “To Kate?”
Megan: “Oh yeah…”
Gary: “How is she? How is Molly? Where are they?”
Megan: “She claimed she was visiting a friend back East. She didn’t say Brian was there”
Gary: “Well maybe they aren’t together. Maybe the cops are mistaken”
Val: “Oh come on Gary…the two of them disappear at the same time on the same day? I mean the article quotes how Brian spoke to Lori that afternoon…”
Megan then picks up the newspaper and reads the article once again to try and digest the news once more:
“Following extensive investigations into Mrs Fairgate’s whereabouts on the afternoon of her death four days ago, officers from the Los Angeles Police Department have reason to believe that Mr Cunningham may have been the last to have seen Mrs Fairgate alive and may hold essential information on Mrs Fairgate’s last known movements…”
We then cut to Karen walking out the kitchen reading the article with her newspaper on one hand and taking a bite out of an apple on the other as she continues:
“Officers are keen to stress that both Mr Cunningham and his wife who is believed to be with him at present are merely wanted to help police with their enquiries and are not been pursued as criminal leads. Lt Ray Halls from the County Hall commented on behalf of investigating officers by saying; “It is imperative that both Mr & Mrs Cunningham contact police officials as soon as possible in order that a speedy resolution can be found to what can only be described as a ‘tragic’ and ‘premature’ end to a promising young life”
“A cause of death has yet to be determined however officials have yet to rule out foul play”
Karen then hands the newspaper to Michael who is sat on the sofa looking dejected as he tries to hold it together while feeding his son a bottle of milk……
By now, Abby is pacing the floor with the newspaper in her hand as daughter Olivia arrives on the scene. She races into the living room and across to give Abby a hug:
“Mother how are you?”
“Boy do I need you right now honey. How was your trip?”
“It was great. I just got back last night and picked up this” (showing her mother the newspaper); “I mean, can you believe it?”
“To be honest, I don’t know what to believe anymore honey”
As Abby walks away from her daughter and over to the window to contemplate her next move, Olivia is curious to know what her mother could mean by this comment:
“You don’t seriously believe do you…that Brian could…kill…another person do you?”
“Of course I don’t” (sighing) “But up till a few days ago, I didn’t think he was capable of hitting his wife either. Now…nothing surprises me”
“What do you mean? Are you saying he hit Kate?”
“According to Sumner he did”
“And you believe him?”
“She was hiding out at Megan’s house for crying out loud what was I suppose to believe?”
“Brian would never hurt anyone”
“Honey…he admitted it to me himself”
“What?” (stunned)
“It appears that sweet and innocent Lori wasn’t so sweet and innocent atall. That she’d been having an affair with your brother and continued to harass him throughout his marriage”
“Oh no…Brian told you this?”
“No…Sumner did. But when I asked Brian if this were true he sure as hell didn’t deny it”
“But that doesn’t make him a killer”
“Maybe not….but it won’t look good on his record either nor will the fact that he and his wife both went missing on the same day Lori died? Face it Olivia. You don’t have to be a detective to work it out”
“But no one knows Lori was killed”
“Oh come on honey, just look at that article”
Abby then picks up the newspaper and quotes the last line again:
“A cause of death has yet to be determined however officials have yet to rule out foul play. What does that mean huh? It’s obvious they want to speak to both Brian and Katie to check their stories. THEY think Brian and possibly Kate were involved in Lori’s death. There’s no other way to interpret it”
“Oh mom…what are we going to do?” asks a frightened Olivia as her voice cracks with fear.
And so, Abby then instinctively wraps her arms her arms around her daughter to comfort her. If only she could do likewise with Brian…
Down at the LAPD, it’s turning into a busy day for our two resident detectives as Gonzalez accepts a call from his colleague in Nevada, Detective Sonny Phillips:
Phillips: “Luis Gonzalez?”
Gonzalez: “This is he” (loosening his tie)
Phillips: “Hi, this is Sonny Phillips here from the Arkendale Precinct in Nevada; I believe you are one of the investigating officers on the Fairgate killing?”
Gonzalez: “It’s NOT a ‘killing’ yet, but yeah I am”
Phillips: “Well this morning detective, one of our residents and employee of the Arkendale Filling Station served Mr Cunningham some gas for his vehicle.”
Gonzalez: “Oh yeah?” (interested)
Phillips: “He believes that Cunningham’s wife was in the vehicle with him though can’t be sure of the identity of the second passenger”
Gonzalez: “Did you detain him?”
Phillips: “No Sir we didn’t get a chance he was long gone by the time we arrived”
Gonzalez: “Damn”
At that moment, Detective Gaines walks into the office with black coffees for both her and Gonzalez. She hears Gonzalez’s frustration on the phone and instantly stops in her tracks to listen into the conversation as Gonzalez continues his conversation:
Phillips: “I can assure you though detective that all precautions are being taken. We’ve currently seized all security cameras from the scene to analyse what direction the pair headed off in and have alerted all major transportation points in the area to be on the lookout”
Gonzalez: (feeling defeated) “They’re not going to try anything now they see their faces plastered on all the major journals”
Phillips: “Perhaps, but this is still early doors and the employee at the filling station said Mr Cunningham was very calm and didn’t even look at any of the newspapers. Whatsmore, we have alerted security at Laughlin, Reno, McCarran and Carson City Airports. Now it’s unlikely they’ll try the latter since it is mainly used for domestic travel, however the others and in particular McCarran Airport which is the main gateway in Vegas may be where they are headed for so we’ll certainly keep an eye out for them”
Gonzalez: (sighing) “Yeah…well…thanks for your co-operation”
Phillips: “You can be assured of our support. So long as they are residing in this state detective, we’ll do what we can to find them for ya”
Gonzalez: “Thank you. Good day…”
A dejected Gonzalez then places down the receiver staring at it for several seconds afterwards as he says “goodbye” to probably the nearest chance they have of finding their ‘fugitives’. Gaines then presumes she knows what’s going on:
“They had them didn’t they? They had them then they lost them”
“Something like that” responds Gonzalez with yet another sigh.
“Well at least we know roughly where they are don’t we?”
“Yeah I suppose. We know they’re in Nevada. But Nevada is a BIG place”
“Well…that’s something.”
Realising how demoralised Gonzalez is feeling, Detective Gaines then hands him his coffee and assures him:
“Look Luis, we’ve only been on their trail 24 hours, not even that. The morning journals only went on sale a few hours ago and already we have a sighting. And who knows, they could be completely innocent and once they see this appeal might come forward when they realise they could be in trouble. All their friends yesterday verified they’re good people”
“Even the best people Lauren can turn a little crazy when under pressure”
“Well we live in hope”
Gonzalez then takes one sip from the plastic coffee cup and spits the beverage back out:
“You put sugar in it? You know I HATE sugar. Can’t you do anything right”
Gonzalez then gets up and walks out the room to go for a refill causing Detectives Gaines to roll her eyes in a very Laura Avery(ish) kind of way……
Little do the Cunningham family know though that the net could be closing in on both Brian and Kate as we return to Nevada to see the pair driving up the freeway towards Vegas which is signposted as being just 20 Km away on the roadside.
The atmosphere in the car is jovial with all three signing (to keep Molly occupied) the Disney classic ‘Chim Chiminey’ from ‘Mary Poppins’:
“Chim Chiminey, Chim Chiminey,
Chim Chim Cher-ee,
A sweep is as lucky,
As lucky can be,
Chim Chiminey, Chim Chiminey,
Chim Chim Cher-oo,
Good luck will rub off,
When I shake hands with you….”
And so as the family people carrier drives off into the distance, we ask ourselves if good luck will rub off on the Cunningham family who, (armed with Greg’s money) embark upon a new life away from Knots Landing and away from the dark shadows of Lori Fairgate’s death….
Gonzalez it seems has now calmed down from his little ‘outburst’ with colleague Lauren Gaines when he returns with his little brown plastic cup refilled with coffee the way HE likes it! Gaines is sat by her desk with her head buried in paperwork when Gonzalez apologises:
“Hey Lauren…I’m sorry” he confesses
Gaines look up at him with one of those ‘you should be’ looks as he continues:
“Guess I’m just having a rough day huh?”
To which Gaines replies:
“Things are rough all over Luis. I’m chasing after a couple of criminals whom I still don’t know are criminals. I feel like the past 2 days have been like…” (stuttering for a decent timeframe) “2 weeks. We’ve covered so much ground while we don’t even know a crime has actually been committed and it’s making me feel REAL uncomfortable. I’m not used to working this way”
“So what’s the alternative huh? Sit and wait for the Coroner to report back while the people who most likely committed the crime run halfway across the country? Possibly the world?”
“They’re innocent till proven guilty Luis”
“TELL THAT TO MICHAEL FAIRGATE” responds Gonzalez in an aggressive manner.
At that point a messenger arrives in the room carrying a brown envelope as Gonzalez ‘softly’ reminds his partner:
“Look…it’s allowed okay? So quit with the guilt routine”
He then turns round to the young messenger and greets him with a smile:
“Yes Jamie what can I do for you?”
“This arrived from the Coroner’s office Sir? It’s the autopsy results you’ve been waiting on all day”
Suddenly, Gonzalez appears nervous with his heart skipping a beat as he hesitantly accepts the envelope from ‘Jamie’ the office junior:
“Thank you Jamie” he answers before looking up at his colleague who in turn, looks back at him with equal nervousness:
“This is it” he proclaims; “We’re about to find out if we really ARE chasing a pair of criminals or not…”
End of Act One... Act Two...
Meanwhile, our resident runaways are checking in for their newly reserved flight with the minimum of luggage at Las Vegas International Airport.
The Check-In clerk on duty who is serving them suddenly sees a red ‘ALERT’ message on her screen when Brian’s passport number is flagged up and she immediately heads for some assistance.
At this point, Brian and Kate are still looking relaxed as they believe that everyone back home have still to wait on the autopsy results to arrive and therefore cannot commence with a murder enquiry – little do they know…..
Then, a few officers arrive and ask both Brian and Kate to accompany them. The pair look somewhat concerned by this point – perhaps knowing in advance their game is up….
While back in Knots Landing, the investigating detectives feel they should be the ones to deliver the news of just how Lori died to Michael and his family:
“Here you go Michael. The results you’ve been waiting on. Just sorry they took so long” continues Gonzalez
Michael then nervously accepts the envelope with Karen by his side as Mack arrives from the kitchen with two mugs of coffee for the caffeine friendly officers:
“Bet this has been the longest weekend ever huh?” comments Gonzalez in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere a little.
“Go on honey. We’re right by your side” assures Karen as Michael starts to open the envelope……
But what results do they contain???
Before colleagues in Nevada have the chance to speak with Gonzalez and Gaines, Brian, Kate and Molly are whisked into a waiting police van to return to LA. It’s fair to say that each one of them looks scared with Molly grasping Kate’s neck tightly for support. Their faces are chalk white with fear.
As Brian looks across to see both his wife and little girl, trembling with fear, he decides to come clean to the cops assuring Kate:
“I’m so sorry. So sorry for dragging you into this. I’ve behaved like a jerk.”
“Brian” interrupts Kate
“No listen” responds Brian; “As soon as we get back to LA. I’m going to tell the cops everything. I’m going to say what really happened. You weren’t involved in any of this and I’ll make sure they know that. Just tell the truth and you’ll be fine”
“But what about you?” asks Kate
“I’ll be fine. I can take care of myself. If I’d just left when your Uncle Greg gave me that money I’d have been fine and none of this would have happened. Face facts. You didn’t want to get back with me this weekend. I was forcing you back. Making you believe you stood to lose everything by returning home….Kate…I am TRULY sorry for what I’ve put you through…and I hope when this is all over, that you can forgive me”
“Sure I will” responds Kate with her voice breaking up.
Due to the fact that there is a cop sitting in the row of seats behind them, Brian does not get intimate with Kate by kissing her or anything however, once again (no doubt aware of the policeman’s presence, he re-iterates to Kate whispering to her:
“Just tell the truth”….
Meanwhile back on the cul-de-sac, Michael stands reading the autopsy report with Karen looking over his shoulder with her hands holding onto her son’s arms in a comforting manner while Mack responds to the conclusion detailed within the findings which Gonzalez has been verbally revealing to the family to coincide with Michael’s own read:
Mack: “A Brain Tumour? You’re saying Lori died of a brain tumour?” (stunned)
Gonzalez: “No I’m not saying that at all Mr Mackenzie. Your daughter in law died of a fatal blow to the back of her head when she fell on the floor in the kitchen. We believe she may have actually cracked the back of her head against a cupboard. One can only assume assessing these findings that the fall was brought on by the discovery of several tumours of the glial tissue that binds the nerve cells and fibres of the brain together.”
Michael: “A brain tumour? I can’t believe it” (shaking his head)
Karen: “Well that’s good news honey”
Michael looks at his mother – stunned by this comment forcing Karen to re-iterate what she means:
Karen: “I mean…at least she wasn’t….killed” (cautious)
Mack then tries to gain a conclusion to what the detectives are thinking:
“So you’re quite satisfied there is no evidence of foul play detective?”
“Well…we’d still like to talk to the Cunningham couple if we can. Just to wrap things up. It seems they are the only other people who may have spoken with Mrs Fairgate that afternoon. Once they fit the final pieces to the jigsaw we’ll draw our own conclusions…but from what we can see, it simply looks like a tragic accident”
Det Gaines looks on at the anguish on Michael’s face as he digests the information contained within the autopsy results and attempts to offer some consolation to the heartbroken husband:
“Once again Mr Fairgate, you have our sincere sympathies at this awful time. The only one piece of consolation I can perhaps offer is that at least your wife never suffered through any of this”
Michael remains numb as Karen attempts to console him with a look of agreement following Lauren Gaines’ comment. Michael then walks away over to his son who is asleep in his moses basket and, looking down at him with tears in his eyes, he tells his son:
“It’s just you and me now Sydney…it’s just you and me”
On the way out the door of the Mackenzie’s, a call then comes through on Gonzalez’s cell phone to tell him about Brian & Kate’s imminent arrival from Nevada:
“Oh great stuff. Looks like all my Christmases have come at once” he laughs to the person on the end before concluding; “We’ll be down there immediately”.
Gonzalez then comes off the phone at the bottom of the Mackenzie driveway to inform his curious partner:
“That’s the Cunningham pair been caught. Looks like we could have this case wrapped up by teatime”….
But will they???
Both detectives get in their car as they ride back down to the station to meet with Brian and Kate while a familiar looking vehicle passes them on the way prior to circling the cul-de-sac and stopping right outside Megan’s house.
What we see emerge from the vehicle is a close-up showing a pair of dirty mountain boots set foot on the cul-de-sac tarmac before the door of the car closes and the mystery person makes their way up this particular cul-de-sac pathway…
Next, we see a close-up of a far from clean hand pressing a pristine white door bell ringing out before an even closer close-up revealing the face of the visitor themselves…
It’s none other than that of a pensive Greg Sumner – quickly drying his lips and ready to do some explaining.
The door then opens abruptly – Megan obviously had already seen the “fisherman” approach…..
In the downtown precinct meanwhile, Gonzalez arrives. By now, it’s early evening and while the thoughts of going home at the end of a long hard day are foremost in his mind, so the incentive of having this particular case wrapped up by the end of the day keeps Gonzalez going that little bit longer. Besides, he cannot keep the Cunningham’s overnight without a charge pending against them. However as the Detective greets Brian and the accompanying station guard, he is confident that all this case will take is a simple explanation from both parties as to what happened when they spoke with Lori on the day of her death….
It is a pre-planned intention that Gonzalez speaks with Brian while Gaines speaks with Kate. Therefore, both are questioned in different rooms….
Gonzalez: “I’m so sorry to have kept you Mr Cunningham”
Brian: “Can we please…just get this over with?” (impatient)
Gonzalez: “Sure. I’m hoping we didn’t spoil your vacation now did we? Off somewhere nice?”
Brian: “Disneyland” (laughing off the fantasy)
Gonzalez: “Disneyland? Oh that’s too bad we had to interrupt your plans Mr Cunningham but as I’m sure you can appreciate, we have a case to close on the tragic death of Mrs Fairgate and believe that you and your wife may hold some valuable answers to our questions”
In light of what has recently been discovered earlier in the afternoon through the autopsy results, Gonzalez is appearing in a more relaxed, less stressed out mood – taking off the ‘detective’ cap which upset Karen so much a few days earlier. All Gonzalez appears to be wanting IS just a quick statement to verify a version of events that can be put on file. It seems he may be ready to blame the blow to Lori’s head on her impending brain tumour. However, a guilt ridden Brian (believing he killed Lori by striking her) is interpreting Gonzalez’s relaxed mood as one of simple sarcasm and mockery. Tired, and not wanting to drag on the inevitable (in his eyes) any longer, Brian confesses:
“I hit her. That’s what you wanted to know wasn’t it?”
“Excuse me?” answers the stunned detective
“Lori was saying some pretty hurtful things to me, she got me angry, I reacted by hitting her, she fell to the ground and died. Satisfied?”
Meanwhile next door, a more detailed version of events is being relayed to Detective Gaines by Kate:
“I swear he never hit her that hard Detective. She had incensed him by some of the things she was saying. She made out he was a rotten lover and that I was welcome to him. That sort of stuff. Anything she could say to dent his ego, boy did she say it”
“And where were you during all of this?”
“I was stood at the doorway urging him to leave. I had my daughter in the car outside and I wanted us to go”
“Why did you go over there in the first place?” asks the curious Detective
“Because Brian wanted me to hear her say she didn’t love him. Crazy isn’t it? When a relationship let alone a marriage should come down to that?”
“No it’s not so crazy” (trying to not be judgemental)
“Didn’t you not check to see if she was okay after she fell?” Gonzalez asks Brian
“No” responds an ashamed Brian
“How did you know she was dead?”
After hesitating for a moment, Brian then answers what he knows will be incriminating for him – however knowing that Kate will most likely tell the truth herself, he has no option:
“I checked for a pulse”
“And was there one?”
“No” (shaking his head)
“And are you sure this all took place in the living area?”
“Yeah” responds Brian
Gonzalez then reads over the statement already given by Brian before informing him:
“Mr Cunningham, Mrs Fairgate’s body was found in the KITCHEN”
CUE a confused Brian as Gonzalez spells out to him:
“Mrs Fairgate couldn’t have been dead when you left her”
“What?” answers a stunned Brian
While Kate asks Gaines with a beaming smile on her face:
“You mean…Brian didn’t kill Lori?”
“We don’t know at this stage” replies Gaines; “However he left her for dead…and that in itself is as good as killing her…”
Over at the cul-de-sac meanwhile, Greg Sumner stands in Megan’s doorway, sporting an old shirt, fishing hat with hooks in it, wearing jeans and dirt-stained mountain boots that probably last saw an airing a few years back...
Sumner: "Hey, Megan" (dispensing with any thought of a "yo", this could be a "toughie")
Megan: (COLD) "What's up Gregory, the mountains run out of fish?"
Sumner: "You know how it is hon', you catch 'em, throw 'em back, catch 'em... think they were onto me..."
Patrick: "Oh, boy..."
Sumner now sees Patrick is lying along the couch, feet up watching TV news and tries to ‘communicate’ with his off-spring:
Sumner: "Just what I've been thinking these last few days..." (nervously)
Megan: "You going to stand there being glib, when you walked out minutes after that bombshell?"
Sumner: "Look, can I come IN?"
Megan says nothing and walks to the middle of the room, but her arm swings the door wide as Sumner continues:
"Okay look, we all had ourselves a 'Major Breaking News-Story' to com-pre-hend, folks..."
"...and do you normally strut out when the bombs start flying?" responds a furious Megan
"Self-preservation I call it" retorts Greg
At that point, Patrick stands up and walks straight past Greg declaring:
"I'll leave you two to it; I'm out of here..."
Sumner: "Family trait, perhaps..?" (nervously trying to make eye-contact, but Patrick has passed him)
Megan: "Gregory..." (the door shuts behind them; Patrick has gone... there is an awkward 2 or 3 seconds of silence...)
Sumner: "Look Megan you hit me for six, what can I say? I had NO idea. You hardly popped it on any Christmas card” (Greg talks as if reading her words) "All fine back here, give brother Mack my love... oh, by the way Gregory, once upon a time when we got "intimate" you kind of left me in the family way, but I ain't gonna tell you about it for, uh... thirty years or so...""
Megan: "Don't you dare - you would have left Jane? You would have torn Mary Frances' family life apart?"
Sumner: "Probably not, but maybe could have been a part of his... look Megan, I have NEVER done Happy Families, shucks I've tried once... maybe even twice, but it may be a major character-FLAW of mine... I get it SO wrong"
Megan: "So Marion has told me..."
Sumner: "He MAY be a tad biased there hon'..."
Megan: (Still COLD) "Long track record, by the sound of it..."
Sumner: (more forcefully) "Look Megan, my marriages from Heaven played like Hell. Jane and I drifted apart; I was WAY too focused on my political career... I didn't see Mary Frances for years, and now she's gone...” (looks down very pensively at his dirt-stained boots on her lounge carpet). “When I met Laura, I thought that was it for life... unfortunately her's wasn't that long” (he pauses for a second, little surprised he got the "Red" mention out so easily) “... my daughter with Laura was too much for me. Hell I tried, but she reminded me of her mother SO much... she was FAR better off with Mack & Karen. Parenthood has not been my forte, hon... another relationship that could have, SHOULD have worked - well that's gone too... over my reluctance to enter fatherhood again. But Patrick, I knew NOTHING about"
Megan: (sarcastically) "And you would have been a Father to him?"
Sumner: "Maybe I COULD be a Father to him?"
Megan: (forcefully) "Why?"
Sumner: (softly) "Maybe to prove to myself, that I can"
And with those words, so Greg gives Megan something to think about. It seems he actually WANTS to do the right thing this time. Greg has turned already and leaves, Megan meanwhile looks on sternly, but the anger soon drains from her face as she digests what she has just heard. If that is what four days camping in the hills does, then perhaps he should go away more often…..
It’s decision time for Gonzalez and Gaines as they examine the statements given by both Brian and Kate
Gonzalez: “He admits he struck her”
Gaines: “The wife says she provoked him”
Gonzalez: “Still no excuse”
Gaines: “You think she lost her balance? That he hit her SO hard she fell and knocked her head?”
Gonzalez: “Nope” (certain)
Gaines: “Well you think the brain tumours made her lose her balance then? That Cunningham merely accelerated the process?”
Gonzalez: “Nope”
Gaines: “Hang on…I don’t follow” (confused); “We know that Cunningham struck her in the face, she fell to the ground, that Cunningham checked her pulse and then fled the scene of the crime with his wife. What else is there to tell?”
Gonzalez: “Lauren my dear look at your statement once more. Haven’t you noticed the one line that throws an entirely different light on all of this? Are you really THAT dumb where you can’t see this for yourself? Cos’ this isn’t like you…”
Gaines: “Can you please just spit it out?” (losing patience)
Gonzalez: “You said that Cunningham’s wife witnessed all of this from the front door right?”
Gaines: “Yeah….” (hesitating)
Gonzalez: “That he left her for dead and ran right?”
Gaines: “And?”
Gonzalez: “Lori Fairgate was found dead in the kitchen stupid. She couldn’t have been dead when Cunningham left. Someone had to have come in and finished the job for him”
As the realisation of what her partner is saying sinks in, so Detective Gaines thinks of the only other person they knew who visited Lori that afternoon…..
CUE KAREN – sitting up in bed that night shouting in at Mack in the en-suite bathroom who is brushing his teeth in readiness for bed:
“You know I think this news today has hit Michael harder than her actual death….I dunno…maybe it’s the…the thought that he COULD have done something to prevent Lori’s death after all. If the cancer was in its infancy, then perhaps…perhaps it ‘could’ have been treated”
Mack then emerges from the bathroom holding out both hands to his wife in a “please change the subject” manner:
“Karen” he comments
“Oh” (just realising) “Mack…honey I’m sorry I totally forgot”
“No I mean it. There’s no point in talking about what might have been. What’s done is done. Lori is dead and we need to be strong for Michael you know…the next few days will be tough on him”
As Mack makes his way over to the window to open the drapes for the morning time, he then comments to Karen:
“Besides….just because she had brain cancer doesn’t mean to say that no one still tried to kill her”
“What?” (replies a concerned Karen)
“Face facts. None of US knew about the tumour so neither would have Brian or Kate for that matter”
“What are you suggesting?” (nervously)
“You said it yourself that Brian was livid that day when he left the house. Well…livid people do crazy things. Perhaps he went over there to sort Lori out once and for all…or perhaps it was KATE who had a go at her”
“Had a go? MACK” (frightened)
“Perhaps he or SHE for that matter struck back. Perhaps she went over the line and they struck her in a moment of anger. To you or I or them for that matter it’s no big deal right? If a person is out of order you retaliate right?”
“Yeah…” (sinking in)
“All I’m saying is that anyone could have struck out at her so hard that it would’ve made her fall. They didn’t mean to kill her but they DID kill her. By accident perhaps but still they killed her….”
CUE the horrified look on Karen’s face (realising she too may have played a part in the death) as Mack concludes:
“Hitting her is one thing Karen…but leaving her for dead is another. And if Brian or Kate did indeed just that…well….they’re staring a manslaughter charge straight in the face”
And with that, Mack kisses Karen ‘goodnight’ before turning off the lamp – leaving Karen to contemplate her own actions on that fateful day….”
Late that night down at the police precinct, Gaines & Gonzalez are running over the statements with their boss before pressing ahead with formal charges:
Gonzalez: “Cunningham admits he struck her”
Gaines: “And his wife confirmed this”
Gonzalez: “Says she fell to the ground afterwards…that he realised something was up after a few seconds, bent down to check if there was a pulse on her neck, claimed there wasn’t and ran from the scene of the crime”
Gaines: “Only problem is boss that this all took place in the living room and Lori Fairgate wasn’t found in the living room but was found dead in the kitchen”
Gonzalez: “Which means that Fairgate wasn’t dead when the couple left the house that day”
Gaines: “Now there are three other conclusions – firstly that Lori Fairgate wasn’t dead, got up and that her mother-in-law, a Mrs Karen Mackenzie is lying about her version of events and was indeed the one who struck the fatal blow a short while later in the kitchen, secondly that someone else came in and finished the job or lastly that no one struck any kind of fatal blow atall and that Fairgate got up, perhaps felt dazed and collapsed a short while later in the kitchen. She was in the early stages of brain cancer after all”
Gonzalez: “Now we know from the timing that Karen Mackenzie visited the house around 3.30 that afternoon. The gardener saw her arrive. And we know from Mrs Cunningham’s statement that it was approximately just after four o’clock to four-fifteen when she and her husband went to the house since she collected her kid from pre-school just before then and we know that Fairgate wasn’t dead then so Karen Mackenzie couldn’t have killed her”
Gaines: “We also know from the gardener’s testimony that the front door had been left open at 4.30 and was still open an hour later when her husband got home”
Gonzalez: “It’s petty hard to believe that someone else could have got over there between 4.15 and 4.30 that afternoon and struck the fatal blow that ultimately ended Mrs Fairgate’s life”
“Hard to believe but not impossible” replies the boss!
“True” responds Gonzalez, but since we’ve not been able to come across anyone else with a major grudge against Fairgate and since there are no other sightings of anyone else suspiciously hanging around the property, we believe that Mr & Mrs Cunningham were indeed the last people to see Mrs Fairgate alive”
“We believe that Mr Cunningham was mistaken, that Mrs Fairgate wasn’t dead, got up after they left, perhaps was a little dazed, staggered into the kitchen and collapsed again hitting her head when she fell to the floor” continues Gaines
“BUT that it WAS Brian Cunningham’s strike that brought on whatever haemorrhage on concussion occurred afterwards and that he DID leave her for her dead. Perhaps the kid was frightened but STILL, he left her for dead….”
At that point, both Gonzalez & Gaines look at each other having reported their conclusions to their superior:
And so…the crunch time arrives as Gonzalez (accompanied by two police officers) arrest Brian on the spot:
“Mr Cunningham you have the right to remain silent” he begins. “If you give up this right, then anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney and to have an attorney present during further questioning. If you so desire and cannot afford an attorney, an attorney will be appointed for you without charge before questioning…”
CUE a close-up of a dejected Brian as this statement is read to him…
Brian is then led away by the two accompanying officers with Gaines coming into the room and looking at her partner. This ended up proving much easier than originally thought – though it is clear the human story behind this tragedy has had an affect on them both….
While outside Brian passes Kate who is standing with her daughter draped over her shoulder fast asleep watching on with tears in her eyes as Brian is taken away…
END OF EPISODE | | |
