41
Monday, July 27th, 1987, 8:10 P.M.
Jane was so nervous she could barely keep the steering wheel steady. This was evidenced by her striking the curb once already. To Jane, this upcoming meeting was more nerve-racking than the ten minutes before going on stage in front of a packed arena. At least on stage she had a set list to follow, but confronting Kathy about something as monumental as this information was a whole different story. Even though she had rehearsed what she was going to say to Kathy over and over in her head, Jane knew that it would probably all come out misconstrued. She knew that the comebacks from Kathy would all be different from the scenarios she had pictured in her mind. However, regardless of the outcome, it was time to be vigilant and Jane felt as if she were as prepared as she could possibly be.
It had been two days since her meeting with Jonas Sieganthaler down at the docks and Jane could not hold out any longer. She had been panic-stricken about bringing another party into the missing-persons case, but now she was utterly terrified that he had knowledge of the girl’s involvement. Jane knew that Kathy would go through the roof when she divulged this information to her.
Luckily, Mandeville Canyon Road was one of the best roads in the country to be experiencing some nervous driving. At eight o’clock in the evening, there were no other drivers in sight. Jane turned onto Kimberly Lane and was now just seconds away. She pulled into the entranceway of Kathy’s stately manor and pushed the call button on the intercom. A few minutes later, she was standing on Kathy’s front doorstep.
KATHY
Hey, buddy!
Come on in.
Jane enters
Kathy’s house
carrying only
her purse.
KATHY
And to what do I owe
this unexpected pleasure?
JANE
I’m afraid I didn’t come over
here for tea and crumpets.
KATHY
Oh, well that’s good because
I’m fresh out of normal
crumpets. I do have some
Helen crumpets though.
Jane stares at her
for a few seconds
trying to keep a
straight face. But
then, she can’t help
but crack a smile.
KATHY
Ahhh, I knew I’d get
ya’ to smile with that one.
What’s up? You seem tense.
Jane hesitates for a
second, then continues.
JANE
You mind explaining yourself?
KATHY
Well, let’s see… I was born
in Austin, Texas, January, 1959…
I was mostly raised
by my mother…
Kathy stops
because Jane
is not flinching.
JANE
Go ahead— keep going.
KATHY
Jane, you know my life
story. Now, what’s going on?
Why are you acting so serious?
Kathy is starting
to become worried.
She remembers the
phone call from
last Tuesday.
JANE
I was hoping you’d
keep going until you
got to the good part.
KATHY
You mean the part where I
slept with Todd Rundgren?
JANE
No, I was talking about..
You slept with Todd Rundgren?!!
KATHY
Yeah, I never told you that?
JANE
No! When did this happen?!!
KATHY
Right after my affair with
Peter Gabriel.
Jane now realizes
that Kathy is
pulling her leg
and gives her the
standard, incredulous
look.
KATHY
Well, I like to keep it
all in the same genre.
JANE
Oh, good Lord, Katherine! I am so
glad that stupid T.V. show is over
with! It has rubbed off on you in
COMPLETELY the wrong way! You’re
stuck in a perpetual sitcom!!
KATHY
Eww, you might be right
about that… Hey! Maybe it’s
not too late for me to switch
over to drama, you know?
I was thinking about trying
out for As The World Turns.
What the heck, same network.
Maybe I could play one of
John Dixon’s long lost daughters
or something. Whadya’ think?
Jane continues
to be unamused.
JANE
Are you still on that
soap opera jag? I thought
when you didn’t get the
role on Dallas, you’d
give up on that shit.
Aren’t you too big of a
star to be on some cheezy,
daytime soap opera?
KATHY
Not any more. I’m totally
unemployed. We’re not even
a band anymore.
JANE
Yeah, but you’ve got more
money than Christ… We all
do… You don’t have to work
anymore.
KATHY
Yeah, but I’d still like to be
employed. They forget about
you fast in Hollywood.
Especially women.
JANE
But, a daytime soap opera?
Really? Come on, Kathy,
you’re better than that.
KATHY
Oh, forget about that shit.
I was only joking… I’ll do
movies instead— Like Dolly.
JANE
That’s better… That’s
what I’m doing.
Jane continues to
look troubled.
KATHY
Honey.. Something is
seriously bothering you.
What is it?
Jane pauses, then
blurts out—
JANE
How come you never told us
you hired Anton Khudobin?
Kathy is floored.
She can’t say a word.
Up till now, only
one other person
was privy to this
information.
JANE
What’s the matter, Kath?
Todd Rundgren got your tongue?
Kathy walks away
several feet and
turns her back to
Jane.
KATHY
Jane… Where have
you been tonight?
JANE
Tonight? Nowhere…
I came here.
KATHY
(long pause)
Where have you been lately?
Who have you been talking to?
JANE
I can’t tell you that.
KATHY
Why? … Why can’t
you tell me?
JANE
Because it’s none
of your business.
Kathy is angry.
She spins around
and grabs Jane by
the shoulders.
KATHY
Yes it is my business!
You need to tell me!
JANE
The same way you were
supposed to tell me?
KATHY
What are you talking about?
JANE
You were supposed to tell
me something for the last
year now and you haven’t
done it… I’m just paying
you back.
KATHY
Oh, God, Jane, will you
forget about that ! It’s
not important.
JANE
How?! How is it
not important?
KATHY
Because it just
isn’t, okay?
JANE
You obviously know more
about this case than you’re
letting on! … You hired the
guy that we buried in our
back yard! … I know that now!
How is that not important?!
Kathy doesn’t know
what to say. She is
harboring a deep
secret.
KATHY
(long pause)
I guess you got
me there.
JANE
Yeah.. I got you there.
KATHY
Jane.. You need to tell me
how you found this out.
JANE
(long stare)
You first.
Kathy is at a
crossroads. The
truth must come
out.
JANE
This is about Charlotte,
isn’t it?
KATHY
(long pause)
Yes.
JANE
I knew it…
So.. What? … You hired this
guy to investigate her? …
Or something like that?
KATHY
Yes.
JANE
(shaking her head)
I knew there was something
wrong with her… She hasn’t
been right for a long time now…
Rocco killed him, didn’t he?
KATHY
No… Rocco didn’t
kill him.
JANE
Don’t tell me
Charlotte did.
KATHY
No… Charlotte didn’t
do it either.
JANE
Kathy, I’m scared.
Kathy can see
how shaken Jane
is and gives her
a hug.
KATHY
It’s okay, baby…
We’ll be alright.
JANE
Are we in trouble?
KATHY
No.. We’re not…
We’ll be fine…
As long as they
don’t find the body.
JANE
Are you going to
tell me everything?
KATHY
Yes.
JANE
When?
KATHY
Tonight…
Come on.. Let’s go to my
kitchen table and get a
drink… We have a lot to
talk about.
JANE
I’m ready…
This is long overdo.
Jane stops and gazes
around the living
room with a quizzical
look on her face. There
are boxes piled up all
over the place.
JANE
Kathy, what are
all these boxes for?
KATHY
They got my
stuff in them.
JANE
What? Why?
KATHY
Because the show’s over.
We don’t have any
more taping to do.
JANE
What’s that supposed to mean?
KATHY
It means that… Once this summer’s tour
is over with… I’m selling my house…
I’m moving back to Texas.