Medium - Company, pt 2

 

INT. The Debussey Living Room

 

Karl paces nervously back and forth. Devalos and Fisk sit calmly on the couch watching him.

 

Devalos

What can you tell me about Mr. Gershonowicz?

 

Karl

He’s my brother.

 

Devalos

And how did you two meet?

 

Karl

Fate. (pours himself a drink. Devalos and Fisk look at one another but say nothing). I mean, what kind of father would hide his son from his own brother?

 

Devalos

That’s not exactly an answer. Under what circumstances did you two happen across one another?

 

Karl

I told you (drinks down the entire glass). Fate. I walk into Starbucks and we bump into one another.

 

Fisk

Did you ever stop to consider that Gershonowicz may have followed you?

 

Karl

No. He was already there when I got there.

 

Devalos

Mr. Debussey, are you aware that Mr. Gershonowicz has been in the hospital since Monday?

 

Karl

Yeah, well. I found him like that. All swollen and red. I thought he was dead. I rushed him to the hospital but then I thought, if my father knows I know about him, what’s he going to do? I mean, everybody knows he killed my mother. Maybe he’d kill me too. Maybe he was the one who did that to him.

 

Fisk

So you think your father did this. Do you have any idea of your father’s whereabouts between Saturday night and Sunday morning?

 

Karl

(laughs) Clever girl. Trying to get the angst-filled teen to spill the goodies on his dad. See I said, "Everybody knows he killed my mother" so that’s not in dispute and no one can do anything about it now. I might hate my dad, but I love my dad. Besides, if, per se, he hypothetically were to kill someone he’d never do it himself. And to answer your unasked question, I was just getting to know Neil. There was a huge gap between us that we were just starting to fill in. I’d given him my apartment and my car; I had no reason to kill him. And if I did I certainly wouldn’t have dropped him off at the hospital.

 

Devalos

You went to school with a Sandy Henderson, correct?

 

Karl

(looks confused) Uh, yeah. What about her?

 

Devalos

She’s an eyewitness in an unrelated case. Have you seen her?

 

Karl

(lights a cigarette) Not since graduation day. What she do this time?

 

Devalos

What makes you think she’s done anything?

 

Karl

Oh, you know old Sandy. Into a little of this, (sniffs and wipes under his nose with the back of his index finger) a little of that.

 

Devalos

And I take it you’re familiar with that side of her?

 

Karl

Me? No—I believe in good clean living (raises his refilled glass before downing it).

 

Devalos

I see. Well, I thank you for your time. If you recall anything about Ms. Henderson, here’s my card, call anytime.

 

Karl

Hey wait, is Neil gonna be okay?

 

Devalos

I don’t know, Mr. Debussey. Last thing the doctors said was it was touch-and-go. You might want to get out there as soon as possible.

 

EXT. Outside the Debussey residence

 

Fisk

How honest do you think he was?

 

Devalos –

I have no idea. It was difficult to get a bead on him in his current state.

 

Fisk

Speaking of which, Debussey’s only eighteen.

 

Devalos

I know. And if he cares at all about his brother he’s going to be leaving any minute to get to the hospital. Debussey doesn’t know his brother’s already brain dead. I’ll have a black-and-white ready to take him into custody as soon as he steps off the property. We’ll get some coffee into him and while he’s in the middle of getting the hell scared out of him we’ll take a DNA sample off the cup.

 

 

 

INT. Interrogation Room at police headquarters.

 

Karl Debussey sits in the interrogation room with his head down on the table. Scanlon walks in with two Styrofoam cups and sets one down. An officer stands behind him at the door.

 

Scanlon

Here’s a coffee to sober you up.

 

Karl

Yeah.

 

Karl takes a sip and makes a face.

 

Karl

Ugh. This is black.

 

Scanlon

Oh, you don’t like it that way? Sorry about that.

 

Scanlon takes the cup and hands it to the officer behind him.

 

Scanlon

Jeffries, could you put some cream and sugar— (to Karl) cream and sugar?

 

Karl

Yeah. Whatever. Can we just get this over with?

 

Scanlon hands Jeffries the cup, both of them carefully avoiding the lip. Jeffries leaves.

 

INT. The viewing room adjacent to the interrogation room Scanlon and Karl Debussey are in.

 

Devalos and Fisk watch Jeffries leave the room.

 

Fisk

What now?

 

Devalos

Now we figure out what we already know. The trouble is how we tie any of it with our missing girl or what happened to Gershonowicz.

 

A detective walks in with a file. He hands it to Devalos

 

Devalos

Thank you.

 

Devalos skims through it.

 

Devalos

Apparently Neil Gershonowicz was raised in an orphanage. She had him at home and disappeared soon after he was born with no other family to speak of. And according to his birth certificate he was a single birth.

 

Fisk

A woman who abandons her baby—I wouldn’t necessarily be inclined to believe she was telling the truth about him being an only child. Maybe she sold one of them to Debussey and he didn’t want the other one.

 

Devalos

Maybe he didn’t know about the other one.

 

An older man in a well-tailored suit bursts in the room followed closely by another man and two officers.

 

Debussey Sr.

You let my son out of there right now, d****t.

 

Devalos and Fisk turn. Devalos waves the two officers off and they leave.

 

Devalos

Mr. Debussey, your son is being held for interrogation with the assault of Neil Gershonowicz.

 

Debussey Sr.

He didn’t do it. You people are just persecuting him like you did to me.

 

Devalos

Mr. Debussey, I assure you your son will not be charged with anything unless evidence suggests his guilt. Currently, we are in the process of investigating and will make a determination when all the facts are in.

 

Jen Fowler

Jen Fowler and I’m the family attorney for the Debusseys. I’d like to see my client.

 

Devalos

I don’t see why not, but he hasn’t asked to see an attorney. He’s old enough to make the determination on his own.

 

Fowler

You’re pressing your luck, Mr. Devalos. Mr. Debussey was found not guilty of murder way back in 1990 yet this office has a penchant for harassing him; present company included.

 

Devalos

I might be inclined to agree with you if Assistant District Attorney Fisk and I hadn’t seen Mr. Debussey’s son consuming alcohol with our own eyes. Despite an ongoing investigation, he’s only been charged with minor intoxication.

 

Fowler

Nevertheless, the questioning stops now.

 

Devalos steps over to the window and flips a switch.

 

Devalos

Scanlon.

 

Scanlon looks back at them, rises and leaves. He comes into the room with Devalos and the rest.

 

Devalos

Detective Scanlon, this is Karl Debussey Sr. and his attorney Jen Fowler.

 

Scanlon

Okay. Mr. Debussey at this time your son is being charged with being a minor in possession. We will need to speak to you regarding how he acquired the alcohol.

 

Devalos jumps in.

 

Devalos

But we would be willing to overlook charges against you or your son in this matter if you would be willing to fully cooperate with us in a separate investigation.

 

Debussey

What investigation

 

Devalos

If you could fill us in on your relationship with Neil Gershonowicz.

 

Fowler

Hold on—Mr. Debussey does not know a Neil Gershonowicz and if by coincidence he does he is not affiliated with any criminal enterprise—

 

Scanlon

Save the spiel, counselor. Neil Gershonowicz is your son’s twin.

 

Debussey

A twin? My son doesn’t have a twin.

 

Devalos

Take a look for yourself.

 

Devalos opens a folder on the table and takes out a file with arrest photos of Neil along with his record.

 

Debussey

My son has never been arrested.

 

Devalos

That’s not your son. That is Neil Gershonowicz. Right now he’s on life support at Phoenix Memorial in a coma he may never wake from. And before you say your son doesn’t know him, Neil listed his address with his parole officer as the same apartment your son was living in.

 

Debussey gets teary-eyed.

 

Debussey

He’s… dying?

 

Devalos stares a moment.

 

Devalos

Quite possibly. I’m sorry… you do know Neil Gershonowicz?

 

Fowler

Mr. Debussey has been under a great deal of stress. You’ll have to excuse us.

 

Debussey

I want to go.

 

Fowler

Excuse me? What?

 

Debussey

To the hospital. I want to see my son.

 

Fowler looks back at Devalos as he ushers him out of the room.

 

Fowler

We’ll talk. In the meantime, I’ll send someone from my office to pick up Mr. Debussey’s son unless you’re charging him?

 

Devalos

By all means. There’s time for that later.

 

Mr. Debussey and Fowler leave.

 

Scanlon

You’re just going to let him go?

 

Fisk

Sometimes you throw back the little fish so you can catch the big one.

 

Devalos

The way I see it, either Mr. Debussey knew he had another son and was helping to hide him or Karl Jr. was hiding him all on his own. Either way I don’t think he had anything to do with it. The trouble is, the deeper this rabbit hole goes, the farther we get from our missing girl.

 

Scanlon

If there even is a missing girl.

 

Devalos

Your doubts are noted. In the meantime, get back in there with Mr. Debussey.

 

Scanlon

We still calling his lawyer?

 

Devalos

I don’t see that we have to right now. He didn’t ask for one, his father did. I’ll call in an hour or so. In the meantime see what you can get out of him. I need a result on this fast.

 

INT. A kitchen in the early morning hours.

 

Two women struggle with each other, the shorter one strangling the taller one from behind. Blood is smeared on the floor and the tall one struggles to get her feet under her. She falls, slipping out of the grip of the other woman but quickly rebounds. Winded, the two women stare at each other like wild animals. The short one lunges and the tall one punches her in the face, sending her into the counter and knocking over a host of seasonings and kitchen utensils. The short one picks up a knife and spins, slashing through the air. The tall one jumps back and then dives for the knife hand. They struggle and when the short one pops free she is off balance, slides across the bloody floor and falls throat first into the island in the center of the kitchen. The tall one stares as the woman writhes on the floor choking to death.

 

Ariel

Mom!

 

Allison wakes. Her daughter stares at her.

 

Allison

Was I sleeping?

 

Ariel

I thought you were choking. You sounded like a wounded animal.

 

Dr. Ravesh enters.

 

Dr. Ravesh

Good afternoon, Mrs. Dubois. How are you?

 

Allison

As okay as can be expected. How much longer is Joe going to be sleeping?

 

Dr. Ravesh

Won’t be long now. His levels are all back to normal; he should be awake any time. In fact, he may even hear you now. Mr. Dubois—four very pretty ladies are here to see you. Don’t you want to get up?

 

Joe grumbles in his sleep and shifts around.

 

Dr. Ravesh

See? He’ll be up soon. Go ahead—talk to him.

 

Dr. Ravesh steps back and Allison and Ariel get closer; Ariel has a hand on his leg, Allison holds his hand.

 

Allison

Joe? We’re here, Joe.

 

Ariel

Time to wake up, Daddy.

 

Bridgette

Yeah, time to get up, sleepyhead.

 

Marie

Sleepyhead!

 

Joe moans again, shifting. He opens his eyes slightly, appearing as if he is looking at no one in particular.

 

Joe

Sandy…

 

Joe closes his eyes.

 

Allison

Joe? Joe! Girls, go get the nurse or the doctor. Tell them he just woke up.

 

Allison takes Marie and puts her in her lap while Ariel and Bridgette run from the room. Allison leans in close and begins shaking Joes arm.

 

Allison

Say wake up, Daddy!

 

Marie

Wake up, Daddy!

 

Allison

Time to wake up, Joe.

 

Joe opens his eyes again. He seems to focus on Allison and Marie a moment.

 

Joe

Hey girls.

 

Allison

Hey, how are you feeling?

 

Joe

I’m tired.

 

Allison

What do you mean, you’re tired. You’ve been sleeping for two days.

 

Dr. Ravesh comes in right behind Ariel and Bridgette.

 

Dr. Ravesh

That’s because a coma isn’t the same as sleep. Your husband is going to need his rest. You could probably use some of the same; you look exhausted.

 

Allison

What do you say, girls? Now that daddy’s okay, do you want to go get something to eat and go home? We can come back in the morning.

 

Joe begins snoring.

 

Allison

So he’ll be able to come home soon?

 

Dr. Ravesh

Oh absolutely. You’ll have him home probably sometime tomorrow afternoon.

 

Allison

Thank God. Okay girls, let’s give Daddy a kiss.

 

They each kiss Joe and Allison holds Marie up to kiss him.

 

Marie

Ew, Daddy’s breath stinks.

 

INT. Hospital.

 

Karl Debussey Sr. takes long strides down the hall as his attorney Mr. Fowler follows closely behind. Debussey walks by a woman and three young girls and she looks at him a moment before continuing on. He walks past a sleeping man and over to Neil Gershonowicz’s bed.

 

Debussey

Jen, go get the doctor; I need a moment.

 

Fowler

All right, Karl.

 

Fowler leaves. Debussey tentatively touches the edge of the bed, staring at Neil’s bandage-wrapped head.

 

Debussey

I should have known. I should have known.

 

He steps around the foot of the bed and comes closer. He barely notices the blonde-haired woman returning for something by the bed next over. Debussey kneels, clenching Gershonowicz’s hand and weeps. He almost doesn’t hear the woman leaving the room.

 

EXT. The hospital parking lot. The Dubois station wagon.

 

Allison picks up her cell phone and dials the DA.

 

Devalos

Hello?

 

Allison

Mr. Devalos, this is Allison. I was just visiting Joe and an older man came in to see Gershonowicz. He seemed to be pretty upset that he was in the hospital.

 

Devalos

That would have been Karl Debussey—we think he’s the father. What’s your… professional opinion of him? Would you say earnest?

 

Allison

Definitely. I don’t think he knew I was even in the room and he seemed pretty distraught. I didn’t catch the impression he was lying.

 

 Devalos

How’s your husband doing?

 

Allison

Good-good. He just woke up as a matter of fact.

 

Devalos

That’s fantastic news.

 

Allison

Listen, I think I’d like to stop take tomorrow off too, but I can definitely stop by the office in the morning. They may be releasing Joe tomorrow. 

 

Devalos

By all means, take all the time you need. See you in the morning.

 

Allison

Good night, sir.

 

INT. Devalos’ office.

 

Devalos sits at his desk going over information Scanlon has passed off to him. Gershonowicz’s birth certificate lists Ana Franka as his mother. Devalos looks through a different file and pulls out a W-2 form for Ana Franka that lists Karl Debussey Sr. as her employer.

 

Devalos

The plot thickens.

 

Devalos picks up the phone and dials a number off a card on his desk. A sleepy voice can be heard on the other end of the line.

 

Devalos

I need to speak to your client tomorrow. I am inclined to not press charges against him in the Gershonowicz matter if he is completely forthcoming regarding any information to do with Mandy Henderson… Okay… 9am it is.

 

INT. DA’s office. Morning.

 

Devalos and Fisk are seated across from Karl Debussey Sr. and and Jen Fowler. Fowler’s nose is red and he has a bandage on his forehead.

 

Fowler

Please excuse the bandage. I started coming down with a cold last night, sneezed a little too close to a wall and…

 

Devalos

All right. Onto business: Mandy Henderson.

 

Debussey

What about my son?

 

Devalos

Uh, which one?

 

Debussey

Neil. What are you doing to catch the person who did that to him?

 

Fowler

Wait, Karl—

 

Debussey

Don’t tell me to wait, Jen. I have a son who is about to die and I’ve never even spoken to him before.

 

Devalos

So he is your son?

 

Fowler throws up his hands.

 

Debussey

Yes. Absolutely. And he’s getting the best care possible.

 

Devalos

Well, Detective Scanlon will be able to provide you with any detail regarding the investigation; however, it is ongoing so there may be details he can’t discuss. In the meantime—Mandy Henderson.

 

Debussey –

Just a girl my son knew in high school. We hear things occasionally, but I try to ignore teenagers as much as possible, so I don’t know.

 

Devalos

Can you vouch for the whereabouts of your son, Karl, two nights ago?

 

Debussey

Well, I know he went to a party, but he was home by 12:30. I mean my house. He still stays there occasionally even though he has his own apartment. And if you’re asking, I was working out of my office on the phone with Tokyo until two in the morning.

 

Devalos

I see. Well thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Debussey. I’ll send in Detective Scanlon.

 

Devalos and Fisk leave the room. Scanlon is waiting just outside and he walks up to the two.

 

Scanlon

That was quick.

 

Devalos

I don’t have time to baby-sit dead-ends. Debussey has an alibi that needs checking but I don’t think he had anything to do with Mandy Henderson’s disappearance. In the meanwhile, give him an update on Gershonowicz and let’s connect the dots between them.

 

Scanlon

I’m on it.

 

Devalos and Fisk walk away and Scanlon enters the room with a file. He sits and opens it.

 

Scanlon

Mr. Debussey, I’m not going to beat around the bush here. Your son’s birth certificate lists him as a single birth and your former wife is listed as his birth mother. Care to explain that for me?

 

Fowler

We were under the impression this would not be an interrogation, rather a sharing of information.

 

Scanlon

Well the fact that Mr. Debussey isn’t in handcuffs right now is evidence of the district attorney’s good faith.

 

Fowler

Handcuffs for what?

 

Scanlon

Fraud for one. How many forms for insurance, registrations, and who knows how many government documents, including a birth certificate have you filled out for your son with false information?

 

Debussey

I can explain that (takes a deep breath). Laura and I tried for years. It was very important to us both to have our own—we both were only children. But in the end she just… couldn’t. We eventually agreed on a surrogate; Laura found her. We kept it quiet—we fully intended to pass the child off as ours. Laura even bought pregnancy pads to give the impression she really was expecting. The time came and… the girl gave us the baby and she left. Obviously, she was pregnant with twins, but I swear to you, had I known—I would have combed the ends of the earth to have him.

 

Scanlon

And who is this surrogate?

 

Debussey

I don’t remember now. Some foreign exchange student, probably back in her home country now. What about my son, detective? Where do you stand on finding the person who did this to him?

 

Scanlon

To be honest with you, Mr. Debussey, your son, Karl, is our only suspect.

 

Debussey

That’s ridiculous—my son was taking care of him. He had no cause to try to kill him.

 

Scanlon

He also hid his brother from you. Obviously, there are some things he doesn’t want you to know. It could be they had a fight or a falling out and maybe Neil attacked Karl and Karl hurt him defending himself.

 

Debussey

I don’t believe that.

 

Scanlon

Take a look for yourself (Scanlon slides the file over). Neil Gershonowicz had an extensive juvenile record.

 

Fowler takes the file and scans through it.

 

Fowler

Conceded, but answer this, detective—if Karl was defending himself, what cause would he have to hide it? It’s to my understanding that Karl kept the relationship with his brother hidden because he was afraid—and pardon me, Karl—of what his father would do to Neil after what he’d heard his father had done to his mother.

 

Debussey makes a sour face at Fowler.

 

Scanlon

So it’s not self defense. I doubt it was jealousy over women or money; Neil didn’t have either of those.

 

Debussey

So isn’t it obvious that it couldn’t be Karl?

 

Scanlon

Maybe. Mr. Debussey, who did you say handled the details behind finding this surrogate—you or your wife?

 

Debussey

My—my wife. Yes.

 

Scanlon

You’re still living in the same home you did back then. Do you think it’s possible she may have kept a record you may not have known about?

 

Debussey

Anything is possible, but I doubt it.

 

Scanlon

Well, with your permission of course, we’d like to search your home. We won’t be looking for anything connected with anything else, we’ll be specifically looking for a record that can tell us anything about who this surrogate is.

 

Fowler

Detective, I’m confused. I don’t understand how even if you find out exactly who his birth mother is how that has any bearing whatsoever on who attacked him.

 

Scanlon

And only one-third of the people in this room have any experience whatsoever with things of this nature. We find your sons’ birth mother and perhaps we find a blackmailer who contacted Karl and connected him with Neil. Perhaps we find someone she knows who does have a tendency to do what was done to Neil, perhaps we find a reason to believe your son didn’t almost kill his brother.

 

Debussey

Everyone was quick to believe… I had killed my wife. I’d already been married twice before, I was ten years older than her, there had been rumors about us separating in the papers. To the casual observer Laura was a speed bump on the way to my next failed relationship. But every woman before her paled in comparison, and every woman since has been a bitter reminder that she is never coming back. She would have wanted Neil as much as I do; her heart would be breaking as much as mine is. We were a match, detective. In every sense of the word—I knew her inside and out. I’ve hated on sight, every single person I came across with a badge for putting me through the disgrace of a trial that pointed the finger at me for her murder and by the grace of God I wasn’t convicted. To this day I have spent a great deal of my fortune to find her killer, and I’ve never spoken about it. As much as it burns me, detective, if it means finding the person who left our son for dead, my door is open.

 

INT. The Debussey basement.

 

Scanlon and team of detectives and officers search through boxes in Karl Debussey’s basement. Fowler is overseeing when Scanlon gets a phone call.

 

Scanlon

Yeah.

 

Devalos

Anything yet?

 

Scanlon

No. We’re turning up empty. There’s some interesting stuff but per your agreement we’re overlooking anything that doesn’t have to do with our boy.

 

Devalos

Okay, I’m headed over to the hospital to pay my respects. Keep me posted.

 

The line goes dead and Scanlon puts his phone back on his hip.

 

INT. The hospital. Afternoon.

 

Devalos hurries down the hall to Joe Dubois’ room carrying a large bouquet of flowers in a vase. He steps in the room to see Joe eating a small bowl of applesauce, but otherwise alone.

 

Joe

Oh. Hello.

 

Joe looks at the flowers, holding his spoon in midair.

 

Joe

Are those for me?

 

Devalos looks mildly uncomfortable.

 

Devalos

Good afternoon, Mr. Dubois. Uh, yes. I’ll just… I’ll just set them… set them here.

 

Devalos sets the bouquet on the tiny nightstand next to Joe’s bed but they hang over into the side of Joe’s face. Devalos tries scooting them over but there just isn’t enough room and he winds up setting them on the floor.

 

Devalos

Is Allison around?

 

Joe

Yeah, she and the girls just went to the cafeteria to get something to eat.

 

Devalos looks around the room.

 

Devalos

So… appendix.

 

Joe

Yeah.

 

Devalos

Did they… did they have to give you a transfusion for that?

 

Joe

No. At least I don’t think so.

 

Devalos

…I had my adenoids out. I was… around fourteen, fifteen.

 

Joe

If it weren’t for the coma this would have been pretty tame. I’m probably going home today.

 

Devalos

So soon? Wow. HMOs.

 

Joe

You’re telling me. You should see the injury I got that had me in the hospital for three weeks. I tore my back all to hell—it’s a miracle I can still walk.

 

Devalos

See this right here (Devalos pushes back his sleeve)? Compound fracture—broke it in history class of all places. It looked like I had a stick of chalk sticking out of my arm. My hand looked like it was on backwards and the blood!

 

Joe

Blood? You should have seen my face after the school jock found out his sister asked me out on a date. He got me in the two places that bleed the most—my nose and my ear. I still can’t hear right out this one.

 

INT. The hospital down the hall from Joe’s room.

 

Allison and the girls are bringing back lunch to have with Joe. They turn into the room and see Devalos with his tie undone and his shirt half unbuttoned as he’s leaning in and showing Joe something on his neck, who’s sitting up.

 

Devalos

…

 

Allison

Sir?

 

Devalos

Allison!

 

Devalos stands up and begins buttoning up his shirt.

 

Devalos

Just talking old war wounds with your husband.

 

Allison

Should we leave you two alone?

 

Joe

Your boss was just keeping me company.

 

Bridgette

You brought my daddy flowers. That was sweet.

 

Devalos

Yes, well, it was on the way and I was already headed here because I needed to speak to you, Allison.

 

Allison

Certainly.

 

Allison kisses her husband before turning to walk out of the room with Devalos.

 

Ariel

Mom? Can I still borrow your phone?

 

Allison

Right. Yes.

 

Allison takes her cell phone out of her purse and hands it over to Ariel.

 

Allison

And remember—keep it under a half hour. You’re burning a hole in my minutes.

 

The three of them leave the room, Allison, Devalos and Ariel, the last turning in the other direction from the first two. Marie hands Joe and Bridgette a flower from the bouquet.

 

Marie

These are pretty, Daddy.

 

INT. The hospital hallway outside Joe’s room.

 

Allison and Devalos walk slowly down the hall.

 

Devalos

So any new sensations?

 

Allison

I don’t know. It might not be connected to anything but

I had this dream… there were two women… struggling.  There was blood on the floor, it was slippery.  One of them grabbed a knife, they wrestled for it and then the other one fell and hit her neck on the island.  Does that connect with anything?

 

Devalos lets out a long sigh.  He gestures to his neck.

 

Devalos

The injury you’re describing and where it happened…  It may have some bearing in the long run with Neil Gershonowicz but it certainly muddies the water right now.  Feodora Ellerman was Karl Debussey’s housekeeper back in 1989.  She was killed from a blow to a neck so severe it dislodged two vertebrae that severed her spinal cord.  The coroner said she laid there, paralyzed, and suffocated to death because her throat had been crushed.

 

Allison

Why do you have such a long memory on this one?

 

Devalos

I was still an ADA back then and this was my case. We tried Debussey for double homicide but the lack of two bodies was a stumbling block. The case resulted in a mistrial and Debussey led an all-out campaign that painted DA Michaels as being on a witch-hunt during the next election and no DA after has had the guts, the remaining evidence or a combination of the two to go after him again. Myself included. I may not be psychic but I think I have a clearer picture as to why the police never recovered a body.

 

Allison

What are you thinking?

 

Devalos

That Laura Debussey isn’t as dead as she’s supposed to be. And that Feodora Ellerman is more than likely Karl and Neil’s mother.

 

Allison

You still don’t seem very happy about that.

 

Devalos

Well, it’s one step closer to a case solved, but it doesn’t have anything to do with Mandy Henderson.

 

Allison

Mandy Henders—the missing girl! I’ve had absolutely no luck. Maybe she isn’t dead.

 

Devalos

There seems to be a growing consensus on that and I may be inclined to agree. I may have an idea on how to bring this thing to a head.

 

INT. The Dubois household.

 

Joe and Allison sit on the couch together watching the news. A female reporter is reading a story with a picture of a heavyset older man with a grayish beard.

 

Reporter

Construction and real estate mogul Vander Henderson was admitted to Good Samaritan Medical Center early this morning after suffering what doctors are calling a massive heart attack. Henderson recently unveiled plans to build a forty story building here in Phoenix and owns a chain of home improvement stores throughout the country. Doctors list his condition as guarded.

 

Allison

So that’s how he’s going to do it.

 

Joe

Do what?

 

Allison

Mr. Devalos thinks Vander Henderson’s daughter went missing-in-action all on her own and he figured out a way to flush her out.

 

Joe

Ohhhh, the old massive heart attack trick. Mine was better.

 

Allison

Yours was—come here. Let me snatch out those stitches if it was just a trick.

 

Joe

Oh Gilda—you’re so funny.

 

Allison

Shut up so I can kiss you, Gene.

 

They kiss and lay face-to-face on the couch.

 

INT. Good Samaritan Medical Center.

 

Laura and her boyfriend hurry down a long hallway. He drags behind her and she rounds into her father’s room. DA Devalos is sitting in a chair speaking with her father who is fully-clothed, sitting on the bed.

 

Mandy

Daddy? What’s going on here?

 

Devalos turns and sees her and her boyfriend who looks exactly like Karl Debussey Jr.

 

Devalos

That is a very good question.

 

INT. Police headquarter’s interrogation room.

 

Karl

I keep telling you I’m an only child.

 

Scanlon

When we had you in here before, Karl, you indicated that you barely knew Mandy Henderson.

 

Karl

What do you mean ‘before’? I’ve never been here. I’ve only been in the country for a few days.

 

Scanlon

Then where’s your passport?

 

Karl

I was robbed not long after I arrived.

 

Scanlon

Right. Do you really expect me to believe any of this, Karl? Your brother’s dying in the hospital and I’m two hairs away from throwing you in a cell and charging with attempted murder. Your father’s lying for you and the best you can do is you just got here in a phony Swedish accent?

 

Karl

My father is dead. And my accent, it isn’t Swedish, it’s Norwegian. Look, let me call my mother—she’ll vouch for me.

 

Scanlon

What’s your full name?

 

Karl

Karl Allen Montrose.

 

Scanlon looks up at the window. Devalos stares intently from the other side.

 

INT. Scanlon’s desk.

 

Karl dials a number while Devalos and Scanlon listen in. It rings a few times before going to voicemail.

 

Karl

I don’t understand, my mother keeps her phone on her all the time. Even throughout the night she leaves it on.

 

INT. A large white room, perhaps a warehouse, with fluorescent lighting in its high ceilings.

 

Allison is wearing a red and black dress with her hair curled. It is cold. A man leans against the wall on the other side of the room and she slowly approaches him. He has blond hair and blue eyes and is dressed in a black tuxedo with the tie undone around his neck. Yellow light pours across his face from the open door next to him. Salsa music plays softly overhead.

 

Karl

Care to dance?

 

Allison steps into his arms and they begin to dance. She continually tries to see into the room with the yellow light but the angle is wrong. It is difficult to hear over the music, but at first it sounds as if two women are struggling and then just one woman’s voice, yelling at someone. As Karl brings her back up after a dip Allison feels another man behind her. She turns to him.

 

Karl

Mind if I cut in?

 

INT. The Dubois bedroom.

 

Allison wakes up. She gets out of bed, hobbling.

 

Joe

Did I do that, Betty?

 

Allison

I slept wrong on my leg and it fell asleep. Sorry, Hulk.

 

Joe -

Hulk smash.

 

Allison

I have to call the DA, I just figured something out.

 

Joe

Congratulations, Jessica.

 

Allison makes a face.

 

Allison

Who are we going for? Jessica Rabbit

 

Joe

Ohhh, that was Jessica Fletcher- Murder She Wrote from 1984 to 1986.

 

Allison

I never watched that show. She wasn’t married.

 

Joe

She had a thing with Magnum PI.

 

Allison

Did not.

 

Joe

How would you know? You didn’t watch.

 

Allison dials and whips a pillow at Joe with the other hand.

 

Joe

Ohhh! My complete and total lack of appendix—how could you?

 

INT. Devalos’ car. Morning.

 

Devalos speaks to Allison through a hands-free device while driving.

 

Devalos

I see. Well I guess we’ll need to meet with Mr. Debussey again. You’ll be in today? All right—see you soon.

 

Devalos touches the earpiece, disconnecting the call.

 

INT. A conference room at the DA’s office. Afternoon.

 

Devalos, Allison and Scanlon sit across from Karl Debussey Jr and Sr and their attorney, Jen Fowler. Devalos slides a file over to Karl Debussey Sr and he opens it, seeing photos of the crime scene from where Feodora Ellerman’s body was discovered.

 

Devalos

Recent evidence has come to light that you were not responsible for the murder of your nanny, Feodora Ellerman and for that this office submits its humblest apology. But recent evidence has also highlighted who did and this office owes no apology for charging you with that person’s murder.

 

Karl Debussey Sr. looks nervous as well does his attorney. Karl Debussey Jr. looks confused.

 

Devalos

Our forensic accountants recently commenced pouring through your financial records and they’ve found a dummy corporation out of the Netherlands by the name of Kelly, Incorporated—your wife’s mother’s maiden name. Unless you are prepared to reveal her whereabouts right now we will be freezing all your liquid assets as well as attaining warrants to search the premises of every home or office you own and charging you with a list of crimes the length of my arm.

 

Karl Jr.

Dad, what’s he saying?

 

Devalos

Your father didn’t kill your mother, son. She’s alive.

 

Karl Jr.

What? That’s not possible—

 

Devalos

It is. Worse yet, we have every reason to believe she is the one who killed Neil Gershonowicz.

 

Karl Jr.

Killed?

 

Devalos

He died at 2:20 this morning.

 

Karl Sr.

Oh no.

 

Devalos picks up the phone and hits "0".

 

Devalos

Send him in.

 

The door opens and Scanlon escorts Karl Montrose into the room.

 

Karl Jr.

But you just said—

 

Allison

It’s amazing how your father isn’t surprised in the least to see his other son, Karl Montrose.

 

Karl Jr.

Dad. I’m confused.

 

Karl M.

What is-what is going on?

 

Scanlon

My apologies—let me introduce you to your father and brother, Karls Debussey Sr. and Jr.

 

Devalos

Allow me to illuminate what we believe is going on here. In 1989 Karl and Laura Debussey paid surrogate Feodora Ellerman for a child Karl fathered with her. Feodora gave birth to triplets and considering her unexpected good fortune saw a blackmailing opportunity considering the Debusseys wanted to keep the true origins of the pregnancy secret. One night, Feodora showed up to collect, there was an ensuing struggle where Mrs. Debussey was injured but only Feodora was killed. Mr. and Mrs. Debussey schemed for her to flee the country with the second child, not knowing of the third, leaving him to take the fall for his wife and nanny’s deaths. There was enough muddied evidence for Mr. Debussey’s team of lawyers to hang a jury and periodically, subsequently, he would make "business" trips to visit his wife and other child. Sound about right?

 

Karl Sr. stares wide-eyed at Devalos.

 

Karl Jr.

Dad, you didn’t do this. You couldn’t have done this. Dad!

 

Allison

We figure Feodora left some kind of note with Neil who grew up in an orphanage and eventually sought you out. Somehow he found your mother and was blackmailing her and probably would have eventually blackmailed your father.

 

Fowler

This is unsubstantiated but let’s say if any of this is true, what are we talking for my client?

 

Devalos

Well, this office is willing to concede that perhaps we were a little zealous in the initial prosecution and we are willing, with full cooperation, to agree to a plea deal that would involve no prison time. Hindering prosecution and he pays whatever state and federal fines involved with the filing of fraudulent documents. But any deception as to the true whereabouts of Mrs. Debussey will not be tolerated.

 

Karl M.

My mother killed my brother?

 

Allison

We believe so.

 

Fowler

Can I have a moment with my client?

 

 Devalos

No. This deal expires the moment I get out of this chair.

 

Fowler whispers in his client’s ear. Karl Sr. nods.

 

Karl Sr.

We were supposed to meet in our place in Scottsdale tomorrow. She’ll be on the 12:15 flight in the afternoon.

 

Karl Jr.

All this time I spent hating you for the wrong reasons. When I actually should have been hating you and her.

 

Karl Sr.

Son, please.

 

Allison

Karl, I know you’re angry right now, but I know you loved Neil in the short time you two had with each other. Perhaps your brother (gesturing to Karl M.) is your second chance.

 

Everyone but the two younger Karls get up and leave the room, leaving the two of them to sit and look at each other across the table.

 

INT. Devalos’ office. Afternoon.

 

Allison comes in to Devalos’ office and sits down.

 

Allison

You wanted to see me, sir?

 

Devalos

Yes. As you can imagine I’ve been under a good deal of stress the past few days. But as you might have guessed it’s been more than about Mandy Henderson.

 

Devalos takes a deep breath and slides a file over to Allison.

 

Devalos

This was in my mailbox Monday. My wife hasn’t seen it, thank God and hopefully she never will. I feel embarrassed to be asking and humiliated that whoever this is would do such a thing, but I need your help.

 

Allison begins to open the file.

 

Devalos

Before you do that, I just want to inform you those pictures are very graphic in nature involving three people, one of whom was my daughter. They haven’t asked for any money but in my line of work I know it’s only a matter of time and there are probably many more photos like those. (Devalos gets choked up) I have to find this person or persons before they can wreak any more havoc on my family than has already been wrought. My wife and I barely survived our daughter’s suicide, the only way I can make it through this is if my wife never finds out about it. I’m… begging you. Whatever you can do.

 

Allison

Absolutely. I’ll let you know as soon as, y’know.

 

Allison puts her hand on the file to pick it up and Devalos covers it with his.

 

Devalos

Thank you.

 

INT. The Dubois kitchen. Early morning.

 

Allison sits at the table, eating an apple and reading through a file. The house is very silent. She hears a creek outside and ignores it at first until she hears it again, closer to the back door. Stepping to the window she peers outside and sees nothing. When she turns to go back to her chair a man on fire is seated at the kitchen table.

 

Man on Fire

Do you have a minute now?

 

INT. The Dubois bedroom.

 

Allison awakes with a gasp.

 

 

 

 yawning– with mist coming from his mouthjust barely missed the jugular—look at that.looks at his attorney who nodstaking out his cell phone