2. What's Up Doc?

[r2k]

What’s Up Doc?

May 10, 1972

Song Playing: “Hold Your Head Up” by Argent

Setting: A doctor’s office waiting room. A woman and her five year old child are sitting together. The child looks scared.

Mother: Don’t worry, Jason. It will be alright. It won’t hurt. It’s like a little mosquito bite.
Jason: I don’t want a shot.
Mother: I’m not going to argue with you.

The door to the doctor’s rooms opens. A doctor comes out.
Dr. Willie Premetz is 44 years old. He looks his age. His hair is light brown and he is built thin but with some muscle. He is 5’8.
Dr. Willie Premetz: Jason Mandors. Big day for my favorite little patient.
Mother: He’s a little scared.
Dr. Willie Premetz: A little. If we hooked him up to a radio, we could have some music the way he’s shaking. (Kneels down and faces Jason). Now, Jason. You know we need to do this. You need a TB shot.
Jason: Yes.
Dr. Willie Premetz: Come on in little guy.
(Jason reluctantly walks in. He looks back at his mother before going in.)
Mother: Be a good boy, Jason. Mommy loves you.

Later: The office is closed. No one else is there. Almost nobody.
Willie is lying on the floor. His throat is slashed. There are other slashes on his arms and face. The scene appears to show that a struggle had taken place. Blood is splattered in several places. Willie lays on the ground with his eyes open.

The box is being placed in the Cold Case file warehouse. The box is marked “Premetz, May 10, 1972”

Switch to the Present
Lilly and Scotty are in a hospital. A nurse greets them at the entrance.

Lilly: Nurse Francis I presume.
Francis: Yes. I want to thank you for coming in. The minute I told this woman I’d call you she was happier. Unfortunately, it is not helping her condition.
Lilly: What’s wrong with her?
Francis: Old age. Her body is just worn out. She’s been hanging on. Said there’s something that must be done before she dies. Said you were the only one who could help.
Scotty: What’s her name?
Francis: Susan Premetz. Just call her Sue. She’ll insist. She’s 72. Kind of grief-stricken. Lost her husband years back.
Lilly: How?
Francis: Don’t know. I didn’t ask her. She said that’s what she wanted to talk to you about.
(Lilly and Scotty enter the patient room with Francis. Francis is white haired. She is frail, looking much older than she is. She is sad, yet peaceful.)
Sue: Oh, Dear Francis, you got her to come. Bless you sweetheart.
Francis: If it will cheer you up and make you happy, I’d bring your children here, kicking and screaming.
Sue: Oh, they’ll come soon enough. I won’t leave this world without saying goodbye to them. Anyway, they’ll have to wait. And I insist you call me Sue. Everyone does. My husband wouldn’t, though. He was a gentlemen. Stubborn. Refused to degrade my name. (Sue stops talking and becomes sad.)
Lilly: Are you okay?
Sue: Yes. It hurts to remember him. William was a good man. Everyone else called him Willie. Funny, I never realized it.
Lilly: Realized what?
Sue: We both were called shorter names by everyone else. Yet, we addressed each other by our full names. Oh well, I don’t want to waste your time or mine. I don’t have much of it left. A few days. This leaves you little time.
Lilly: Do you have anything?
Sue: I’m afraid I don’t. I was hoping maybe you might be able to find something they didn’t in ’72.
Lilly: Well, I’ve solved old cases without any new information before. I can always try it here as well. But is there anything you might not have seen as relevant that happened.
Sue: I’m not sure. But I know who might be able to help you. His secretary, Allison Davis. She was a sweet girl. Last one to see him alive. The murder shook her up a bit then.
Lilly: What can you tell about that night from where you were?
Sue: Aside from him dying, it was an ordinary night. I was with the ladies playing bridge. We did that a lot. Kids were home. They heard the news first. The police came over to Gladys’ house to tell me. Kids told me William never came home.
Lilly: Well, now we have a direction. I’ll be back as soon as I have something for you.
Sue: I’ll be here. And I’ll hang on until you solve it. Watch me.
Lilly: I have a feeling you’re strong enough to do it.

Opening Credits

[r2k]

(Lilly and Scotty are in the Cold Case Box Room)
Lilly: William Premetz, 44, found mutilated in one of the examination rooms at his practice. Throat, face, and arms slashed. Funny.
Scotty: What?
Lilly: Says here the arms and throat were slashed both before and after his throat. Seems like someone was trying to confuse the police back then.
Scotty: Any suspects.
Lilly: Not one. Police thought it might have been a robber. William was squeakly clean on the outside. No known enemies.
Scotty: Maybe his secretary might be able to give us something.
Lilly: His wife seemed to think this woman would know something. Anyway, she was the last person to see him alive. Perhaps she might be able to recreate the scene for us. Here’s something interesting. It was a partnership. William worked with another doctor. Dr. Alex Poppovich.
Scotty: We’ll have to pay him a visit.
Lilly: You know what I’ve grown to love about this job.
Scotty: No, what.
Lilly: The look on some of these people’s faces when we bring up the old victim’s name.
Scotty: Yeah. I’d almost give anything to know what runs through their heads as they realize they’re not out of the woods yet.

(Back in the main office room. Lilly and Scotty are going over some more things as Vera approaches them with information on the secretary, Allison Davis)
Vera: I located Allison Davis. Or should I say Allison Farris. Must have married. She now works for a dentist, Dr. Aaron Levan.
Lilly: Let’s go. Say Vera, you want to see a doctor.
Vera: What for?
Scotty: Willie had a partner at the office. Dr. Alex Poppovich.
Jeffries (joins the conversation): I’ll join Nick on this visit.
Lilly: Good. We’ll meet back later.

(At the dentist’s office where Allison works, Lilly and Scotty enter. They arrive at the front desk. Allison is answering the phone. She signals Lilly and Scotty to wait a moment. She is 56 years old, but her image flashes back to 24 years old briefly to show her younger brown hair. Her hair now is graying. The rest of her is keeping up nicely.)
Allison: May I help you?
Lilly: Yes. You’re Allison Farris.
Allison: That’s what the name says. Most people call my Allie.
(Lilly and Scotty look at each other funny)
Lilly: We’d like to talk to you about Willie Premetz.

(The three are outside now. Allison begins to talk.)
Allison: When I started out at the office, I was terrible. Couldn’t take a decent message. I was convinced I was going to be fired within a week.
Lilly: That didn’t happen.
FLASHBACK TO 1972 “We’ve Only Just Begun” by the Carpenters plays in the background.
Allison is crying. Willie comes over and sits down beside her.
Willie: Are you okay?
Allison: No. I stink at this. Why do you keep me around?
Willie: Well. There’s a very good reason. Ever notice out there in the waiting room how the children are pretty calm.
Allison: (Sobbing) Yes.
Willie: Since you’ve come here, the patients have been at ease. They like you. I’ve gotten seven compliments about you. No secretary here has ever been as popular and you’ve only been here less than a week.
Allison: But I stink.
Willie: Well, yes. But you have a choice. You can stink or you can clean up. Give it time. Relax. The patients enjoy having you here. You should enjoy having them here. You’re doing the most important part of the job well. The patients see you first. They like you. They love you.
Allison (wipes her tears): Thank you.
Willie: Oh, and one more thing. You have improved. I’m getting my messages now.
Allison (Laughs): Stop.

RETURN TO THE PRESENT
Allison: He really understood what I was going through. My fiancé had just dumped me. I was striking out on my own. I needed a job. Willie understood that. I’ll never forget that.
Lilly: So you only worked for him for a short time.
Allison: 2 months.
Scotty: In that time, did you notice anything out of the ordinary.
Allison: Once I picked myself off the ground I became familiar with both Willie and Alex. Their routines. There was something.
Lilly: What?
Allison: I never thought anything of it at the time. Prescription forms. Some were missing. I remember now. I noticed it. When I mentioned it to Willie, he said he would look into it.
Scotty: Do you know if he did?
Allison: He died before I could find out. I left early that evening. A guy asked me out. Police never determined exact time of death. I might have been there when it happened.
Lilly: Were there any patients he saw near closing time.
Allison: There was. A woman and her little boy, Jason. I remember him. He needed a TB shot. You know to protect him against it. They were still there when I left. What was the last name? I know he lived nearby the office. Was on the football team in high school. That would have been 1984 or 85. Jason, Jason, Jason. The last name eludes me. I’ll look into that for you. There were two secretaries working there. I’ll bet you the other one would know.

[r2k]

(Sara’s house)
Sara: Seems like a lifeti(Meanwhile, Vera is at a retirement home, where Dr. Alex Poppovich as retired with his wife)
Alex: Willie was a boyscout. Went by the book.
Vera: Not you though.
Alex: Well, I did things my own way. We got along though.
Jeffries: Is there any reason why he would have stayed late that night.
Alex: That’s the funny thing. He usually doesn’t stay too long. I was the one who stayed long.
Vera: Why’s that?
Alex: Secretary number two. Linda Pirelli. She and I would have a little fun around the office.
Vera: And Allison.
Alex: She was Willie’s squeeze. Never could confirm anything. She usually left early. I always wondered. Probably not. Willie loved his wife. He was dedicated to helping people. Meanwhile, his three children grew up without him.
FLASHBACK TO 1972 “Cat’s in the Cradle” by Harry Chapin plays in the background.
(Willie and Alex arrive at Willie’s house after work.)
Willie: Hey hon.
Sue: You’re late. Oh, Alex. Surprised to see you here. How are you?
Alex: Fine. And you.
Sue: Well, you know how things are. Willie, I need to speak to you.
Willie and Sue go to the kitchen.
Sue: High school called. Larry’s in trouble again.
Willie: What do you want me to do?
Sue: I’m frustrated. He is ditching school more and more each year. I’m worried he might be into drugs.
Willie: Well, are you watching him.
Sue: I can only watch him so much. And your other son. You know, the one whose 8. He misses you. You were supposed to take him to the park the other day.
Willie: Oh no. I’m sorry. Look, we’ll talk about this more later. Alex and I are on our way to the bowling alley.
Sue: I’m not trying to push. There are some new problems going on here that I’m not used to dealing with.
(Willie’s daughter, Sara, comes downstairs.)
Sara: I’m going to Brenda’s house.
Sue: Not tonight. It’s a school night.
Sara: Larry’s out.
Sue: You’re only 13.
Sara: Larry’s 15. What difference does it make.
Sue: It shouldn’t and I’m trying to keep Larry from leaving. I can’t take this, up to your room.
(Sue looks at Willie)
Sue: I need a little help right now.
Willie: Alex. Go on without me.

RETURN TO PRESENT
Vera: So what happened between them.
Alex: Not sure. He seemed fine the next day. I got the feeling Sue was upset about something more.
Jeffries: Why’d you think?
Alex: The kids were becoming a problem for some time. She would have laid this on Willie earlier. Something else was going on?

(Back at the station)
Lilly: Allison was only there a short time but was able to remember a patient who remained at the office.
Vera: Alex confirmed there was definitely a problem in the Premetz house.
Scotty: Allison also mentioned the prescription forms that were missing. Quite a few of them.
Lilly: Who was stealing them?
Scotty: Someone who wanted drugs.
Jeffries: Alex mentioned something about the son Larry being a problem at school. It was the early ‘70s.
Stillman: So he is the one stealing the forms.
Vera: Dad finds out. Slash, slash, slash. Adios padre.
Lilly: I don’t know about that. Seems like something too trivial to result in murder.
Stillman: Like a store owner who knocks a boy unconscious and leaves him to freeze to death in the snow.
Lilly: Point taken. You mentioned a sister, Sara. What about the younger brother?
Vera: Ryan. The baby of the family. He seemed to be the ignored child. Sara was becoming a little rebellious.
Stillman: Lilly, you and Scotty go see Sara and Ryan. Vera, you and Will find Larry.
Lilly: Sue told me where everyone was. Larry works at an auto shop
Vera: Followed in his father’s footsteps.
Lilly: Sara is married. Typical housewife. Ryan is a doctor. Well, one turned out like his father.
me ago. My own father and I can barely remember him.
Lilly: What do you remember?
Sara: Times were different. The 1960s were over. My parents were old-fashioned. They were trying to instill values in us. The rest of the world was trying to destroy them. Larry was a wild boy. He was into things I wouldn’t dare tell my mother, even now.
Lilly: What kind of things?

FLASHBACK TO 1972 “Maggie May” by Rod Stewart plays in the background.
(Sara walks into Larry’s room. He is rolling joints.)
Sara: What are you doing? Are you insane?
Larry: You’re such a drag. This stuff is far out.
Sara: And stupid. Mom and Dad are going to kill you.
Larry: I’m not gonna do it here. You think I’m that stupid.
Sue: Sara, Larry (Sue is slowly coming up the stairs.)
Sara: Hurry. Hide it.
(Larry hides the pot quickly.)
Sue: There you both are. Dinner’s ready. Find your brother for me please.
(Sue goes back downstairs)
Sara: Larry, I’m worried about you.
Larry: Well, don’t.
(Sara notices the prescription forms on his nightstand.
Sara: What are these?
Larry: Nothing. Hey stop! (Sara walks over to them and grabs one)
Sara: Morphine. Pain killers. You’re filling prescriptions. Whose name are you writing on the prescriptions?
Larry: What do you care? Get out.
Sara: Oh you didn’t. Please tell me you didn’t.

RETURN TO PRESENT
Sara: That was the beginning of the end for Larry and Me. He started drugs. I started with boys.
Lilly: So Larry stole the prescription forms.
Sara: I don’t believe he killed Dad. He couldn’t have. I never wanted to believe. After Dad died, Larry cleaned up. Changed. I stopped myself from falling into a life of disaster. We had to for Mom’s sake. She didn’t need any more problems. Ryan became horribly depressed after Dad died.
Lilly: We heard he became a doctor.
Sara: Dad wanted to be there for us. He couldn’t for Ryan. Ryan never let it bother him. He was going to be like his Dad.

[r2k]

(At the hospital)
Sue: I suspected an affair. He was spending so much time at the office. He stayed late every night.
Lilly: How long had this been going on?
Sue: About six months.

FLASHBACK TO 1972 “Don’t Pull Your Love Out” by Hamilton, Joe Frank, and Reynolds plays in the background.
(At the Premetz household. Willie comes home. Sue is angry.
Sue: You’ve been late a lot lately.
Willie: Let’s not do this here, in front of the kids.
Sue: Why not? It’s the only time they’ll get to see you.
Willie: Look. I’m tired and not in the mood.
Sue: Of course, Allison took care of that already. Didn’t she.
Willie: Leave her out of this.
Sue: I see how she looks at you.
Willie: Nothing is going on between us.
Sue: There better not be. If I ever found out you and her are having an affair, you will need a doctor of your own. Because I’m not going to kill you. I’m going to hurt you worse than you can imagine.

RETURN TO THE PRESENT

Sue: That was the last evening we spent together. Mad at each other. In retrospect, I now realize they probably weren’t. It’s just he was spending so much time there. What could he have been doing there?

(Back at the station)
Lilly: Sara gave us some insight to her older brother’s extra-curriculars in high school. He was the one stealing the prescription forms.
Vera: It gets better. Dr. Poppovich hinted of the possibility of an affair between Willie and Allison.
Lilly: Sue didn’t think there was. Did at the time, but time has a way of changing things. Maybe we should talk to Allison again. Something tells me Sue never wanted to accept the fact there was an affair.
Scotty: If she’s hiding something, she might not want to talk.
Vera: Suspect people of murder and they’ll divulge anything to get them out of it.
Lilly: Let’s wait a while on her. I want to talk to the oldest son. Let’s see what his take on this is.

(Lilly and Scotty arrive at the auto body shop Larry works at. To their surprise, he is a manager and not a mechanic. A young mechanic takes them in to Larry’s office)
Larry: I’m not sure I can help you with my father’s death.
Lilly: We think you can. You see, some prescription forms were missing. Your father’s secretary, Allison confirmed that.
Larry: What does that have to do with me?
Scotty: Your sister claims she saw the forms filled out on your nightstand.
Larry: She’s lying.
Lilly: Really. She’s lying about something like that.
Larry: (Gets angry) She mention to you about her boyfriend. He was the one I was filling prescriptions for.
(Larry gets mad as he just realized he blurted the truth out.)
Scotty: Well, I guess she wasn’t a big liar after all.
Lilly: You know that’s illegal. Forgery.
Larry: Statute of limitations. 1972. You fill in those blanks.
Lilly: Alright. You have a point. Thing is, you have a motive for killing your father.
Scotty: We’re thinking Dad found out and tried to stop you.
Lilly: You’re high and lose control. You kill him to prevent anyone from finding out the truth.
Larry: I think we’re done with this conversation. I was stupid then. But I didn’t kill my father. Good day now.

(Allison is talking with Scotty and Lilly in the interrogation room. Vera is also with them.)
Lilly: So, you and Willie were an item.
Allison: I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Vera: Alex seemed to think you too were an item. All the flirting.
Allison: You would know?
Vera: Of course. I’ve been known to flirt a bit.
Allison: I never acted on it. He was married. I was dumped by a fiancé weeks before the big day. True. I opened up to him a bit. But I never expected anything out of it and neither did he. He loved Sue. She was his world.
Lilly: You ever remember the name of the boy?
Allison: Yes, in fact I did.
Scotty: How convenient you remember it now.
Allison: Actually, more like “What a coincidence.” I ran into him on the way in here. Jason Mandors. I believe he is a police officer in your precinct.

(In the locker room at the station. Jason is talking with Lilly and Scotty. His image changes to that of a little boy as he talks.)

Jason: I remember Dr. Premetz. (voice and image change to five years old) He was nice. Mad every shot easier. (changes back to age 37).
Lilly: You remember anything about that night.
Jason: No. We changed doctors after that. Mom never explained why. We just did. It wasn’t until months later I found out what happened. I do remember that last visit.
Scotty: Like what.
Jason: There has never been a doctor like Willie. He let the children call him that. I was mad when we stopped going to see him. That last visit was all I remember of him. As mom and I were leaving, a girl came in. A young girl.
Lilly: How old?
Jason: Early 20s.
Scotty: Do you remember what she looked like?
Jason: Yes. She was my kindergarten teacher. Mrs. Davidson. I went to Pinewood Elementary School.
Lilly: Did she recognize you when you walked into her class?
Jason: I don’t think so. She wasn’t nervous around my mother either. Mom and I were outside when she arrived. My mom didn’t see her. I did. She didn’t see us, though.

[r2k]

(Upstairs in the main office.)
Lilly: Jason sees a mystery woman and recognizes her as his kindergarten teacher. That is a strange turn of events.
Scotty: Well, it rules out Allison as a suspect.
Lilly: But not as a witness. Allison might have known this woman.
Vera: She’s still in the interrogation room. Let’s dig up a photo of Mrs. Davidson back then.
Jeffries: I’ll check with this Pinewood Elementary School and see if they a photo of Mrs. Davidson from 1972. Run it by Allison and see what happens.

(Later, at Lilly’s desk, Allison looks at the photo.)
Allison: Cheryl Davidson. Yes, I remember her. She was patient. Married with no children. She was newlywed. I do remember her going there a lot for a while. But that night. That would have been the first time she was in for a month. I don’t know. She was coming in a lot when I started.
Lilly: Sue mentioned he was spending a lot of time at the office. In the few months before you arrived, he began staying late. Do you know why?
Allison: Not sure. Willie seemed tense. Not around the patients. But around us, he was nervous.
Lilly: Was there any tension between Willie and Alex.
Allison: Not that I knew of. The two didn’t talk to each other much. Busy I guess. I found it strange. Willie seemed scared of him. Strange coincidence.
Scotty: How so?
Allison: He was scared of the other doctor and I was scared of the other secretary. Her name was Linda.
Lilly: Linda Pirelli. Detective Vera learned of her. What can you tell us about her.
Allison: B---- with a capital B. She did the accounting. I took care of prescriptions and medical stuff. Basically, I was the pretty secretary. Willie had me doing jobs I felt comfortable with. Linda had been there a while. About ten years. She scared the other one off.
Lilly: How?
Allison: I’m not sure. Don’t even know her name.
Scotty: One more thing. Was Willie’s son Larry ever at the office.
Allison: A lot. Funny. For a father who spent so little time with his children, that one was around a lot.

(Allison has left. Lilly and the team are discussing what they know.)
Lilly: Something is off here. Allison is telling us Willie was afraid of Alex. She is afraid of the other secretary.
Vera: Who apparently scares everybody.
Scotty: Maybe there wasn’t an affair going on.
Stillman: Why do you think?
Scotty: This guy just doesn’t seem the type.
Lilly: Larry claims he is innocent. He did say something interesting. Sara was dating a drug user. Maybe she told her father and things got out of hand.
Scotty: Maybe the boyfriend was involved.
Jeffries: The teacher going in to see the doctor. I may have a theory.
Lilly: What?
Jeffries: Back in the early ‘70s, female teachers weren’t allowed maternity leave.
Lilly: The last remnants of inequality.
Jeffries: Maybe she needed an abortion.
Scotty: Let’s talk to Jason again. He would remember a pregnancy.
Lilly: Speaking of Jason. Here he comes.
Jason: I’m heading home. Wondered if you needed me again.
Lilly: Actually, one more question. Was Mrs. Davidson pregnant that year?
Jason: No, she wasn’t. I would have remembered that. None of my teachers ever became pregnant. That I’m sure of.
Lilly: Thanks.
Jason: I talked to my mother. She told me she wanted to talk to you about Dr. Premetz. She’s on her way.
Lilly: I’ll be waiting. Why don’t you stay? I’m sure your mother would love to see you.
Jason: I see her a lot. I guess I could stay.

(Jason’s mother comes in. Her image flashes back to the 28 year old woman she was to the 60 year old woman she is now.)
Helen Mandors: Detective Rush, I presume. My son tells me you’re looking into the Dr. Premetz case.
Lilly: Yes. His wife wanted me to.
Helen: It was a shame what happened. Dr. Premetz was a good doctor.
Lilly: Do you remember anything about that night.
Helen: Yes. I forgot my checkbook. I wrote a check and put the book down on the counter. I went back in. The door was still open.
Lilly: You saw the woman.
Helen: No. I heard her. They never knew I came in. She was scared. And then the unthinkable happened.

FLASHBACK TO 1972 “Ramblin’ Man” by the Allman Brothers plays in the background.
(Willie’s office. Helen returns to retrieve her checkbook. Willie and a woman are talking inside.)
Woman (Cheryl Davidson): Doctor, you gotta help me. I’ll have to quit my job and I can’t afford that now.
Willie: Out of the question. It’s illegal. I won’t do it.
Cheryl: Please, I can’t have it. You don’t understand. My husband can’t support us both. I haven’t even told him yet.
Willie: You better. Sooner than later.
Cheryl: It would just be easier if we could just end the pregnancy. I can’t have this baby.
Willie: I won’t do it.
(Helen listens in as she realizes what is going on. Suddenly, she hears someone coming up to the door to the main office. She quickly grabs her checkbook and hides behind the main door as it flings open. A man storms in and goes into the back.)
Cheryl: John! What are you doing here?!? Wait no!!!!
John: You butcher. You touch my wife and I’ll kill you. I should kill you right now. C’mon honey, we’re leaving.
Cheryl: No. I’m not leaving.
(Helen hurried quietly out the door.)

RETURN TO THE PRESENT
Helen: Jason had fallen asleep right after we left the doctor’s office. He never saw a thing. At least, I never thought he did until now. I never imagined that was his teacher. And her husband. The next morning, I read in the paper he was murdered. I kept silent for Jason’s sake. Plus, I never knew who the people were. I didn’t think I could help.
Lilly: Well, we appreciate you telling us now.

[r2k]

(Later at Lilly’s desk)
Lilly: So many suspects. Let’s run them down. Allison. We now know she was not the last one to leave. She knew prescription forms were stolen. Wait. She was only working there for two months.
Scotty: So.
Lilly: Sue suspected the affair was going on for six months.
Vera: Yeah.
Lilly: Allison had only been there for two months. Something was going on before Allison entered the picture.
Jeffries: We found secretary number 2. Vera and I are going to have a chat with her.

(A man walks up. He is 40 but looks younger. Lilly recognizes him instantly)
Lilly: Ryan Premetz.
Ryan: Dr. Ryan Premetz.
Lilly: Sorry.
(Ryan’s image flashes back to 8 years old and then back to 40 again.)
Ryan: Did you want to talk to me about my father.
Lilly: Sure. Have a seat.
(The other’s disperse, leaving Lilly and Ryan alone.)
Ryan: I was always the one left out of this. My father meant everything to me. He was busy, but not too busy.
Lilly: Your mother and Dr. Poppovich told me he was too busy for you.
Ryan: He made time for me. When he could. Mom was just upset because of Larry. His drug use was out of control. I lost a little of my childhood dealing with his near overdoses. It was those last months dad was so busy. Before that, he always had time for me.
Lilly: Can you help us at all?
Ryan: Larry didn’t do it. Neither did Sara or her boyfriend. They were all at the house that night. Mom went out with some mothers in the neighborhood.

FLASHBACK TO 1972 “All Right Now” by Free plays in the background
(Sara is in her bedroom with her boyfriend, Mike Connor.)
Mike: Come on baby. Let’s do it.
Sara: I’m not sure I’m ready.
Mike: Look, no one is ever ready. It’s far out.
Sara: No.
(She pushes him off.)
Sara: I’m sorry. I can’t do this. It’s just not right.
Mike: Why did you lead me on like that?
(Mike slaps Sara. Ryan is watching the events take place. Sara looks at Ryan.)
Sara: I think you need to leave.
(She looks at Mike. Mike gets up and walks out.)
Ryan: Sara. Are you okay?
Sara: I’m fine.
(She begins to cry. Ryan walks up and sits down beside her.)
Ryan: Why did he slap you? Were you bad?
Sara: I guess he didn’t love me the way I loved him.
Ryan: Why was he on top of you?
Sara: Ryan, don’t worry about it, or me. I’m fine.
(The doorbell rings.)

RETURN TO THE PRESENT
Ryan: That was the police at the door. Sara had to answer because Larry was high. It was the police. My father had been murdered. They just told my sister and sat down with her while they called my mother. Larry snuck out the back door. He turned up hours later. Thing is, he never knew why the police were there. I knew all along he was innocent.
Lilly: You were protecting Larry from getting in trouble for the drugs. Don’t blame yourself.
Ryan: I hate not knowing what happened that night. None of us close to him have any idea.
Lilly: We may be coming up with one.

(Meanwhile, Jeffries and Vera are chatting with Linda)
Linda: Allison was a little tart. Clueless and stupid. Willie was a boyscout. Alex was the one who hired her. Willie felt sorry for her. She did pick up some skills. For the most part, clueless. She had no idea on how to be a good secretary.
Vera: So you and Alex were into each other.
Linda: Of course. Alex had been divorced two times. I was the one lady in his life.
Jeffries: And now.
Linda: My time with him is over now.
Vera: Traded you in for a newer model.
Linda: What else? It was understood. I knew the moment would come. Allison was supposed to be the new one. After Willie died, she split. I don’t mean any disrespect to her. She was a sweet girl. Just dumb.
Vera: Anything else you can tell us.
Linda: No, just that she and Willie did get close. Like they were in on something together. Couldn’t be sure. They stayed late.

(Later, after Ryan has left.)
Lilly: Okay, Allison, Larry, Sara, and boyfriend are ruled out. Good because we still haven’t located the boyfriend. This leaves us the teacher and husband.
Scotty: Helen was sure the teacher was pregnant.
Jeffries: And hubby wasn’t too happy about what she was going to do about it.
Stillman: Let’s check them out next.
Lilly: Records indicate they are still married. Two children. Grown up by now I’m sure. Still. Jason was positive she wasn’t pregnant when he was in her class.
Scotty: Right.
Lilly: So if she had an abortion and Willie didn’t perform it, who did?
Scotty: Dr. Poppovich
Jeffries: Linda indicated that Allison and Willie were close. Like they were involved in something secret. She didn’t know. Did tell us again and again how clueless Allison was. Seems like one secretary is pointing a finger at the other doctor.

(The Davidson home. Cheryl is alone. Her husband is out.)
Cheryl: How in the world did you find out about that?
Lilly: You’d be amazed. I can’t divulge that information. You haven’t been ruled as suspect.
Cheryl: What do you mean?
Scotty: Actually. Your husband is the one we’re looking at.
Cheryl: I don’t understand.
Lilly: Someone claims they saw you go into Premetz’s office. Someone else returned because they forgot something. That was when your husband stormed in. From what we were told, it was quiet a heated argument.
Cheryl: That was a day I’ve tried so hard to forget. I was pregnant. School systems had a policy. No maternity leave. Different now. But then it was strict. I wanted to keep my job. I was desperate.

FLASHBACK TO 1972
The same conversation Helen overheard goes on again. This time we see them. Cheryl’s husband storms in.
Cheryl:Doctor, you gotta help me. I’ll have to quit my job and I can’t afford that now.
Willie: Out of the question. It’s illegal. I won’t do it.
Cheryl: Please, I can’t have it. You don’t understand. My husband can’t support us both. I haven’t even told him yet.
Willie: You better. Sooner than later.
Cheryl: It would just be easier if we could just end the pregnancy. I can’t have this baby.
Willie: I won’t do it.
(John storms in)
Cheryl: John! What are you doing here?!? Wait no!!!!
John: You butcher. You touch my wife and I’ll kill you. I should kill you right now. C’mon honey, we’re leaving.
Cheryl: No. I’m not leaving.
John: Yes, you are!!! You’re coming with me and that’s FINAL!!!!
(Cheryl starts crying. John stops yelling, realizing he has upset her.)
Honey. I’m sorry. I just don’t want you to do this.
Cheryl: I don’t either. I don’t know what to do. Don’t blame Dr. Premetz. He won’t do it.
(John looks at Willie)
John: I apologize. This baby means so much to me.
Cheryl: That’s why this is so hard. I love my job. I don’t want to lose it.
Willie: How far along are you?
Cheryl: A few days.
Willie: Not enough time to have it over with by next year.
Cheryl (crying): No, no, no.
Willie: I can’t do it. I’ll help you when you’re sick. This I won’t do.

RETURN TO THE PRESENT
Cheryl: I found out a few days later it was a false alarm. Funny.
Lilly: At this point, Cheryl, you were the last to see him alive. Can you tell us anything?
Cheryl: He was looking through documents.
Scotty: What kind of documents?
Cheryl: Patient files. They were all over the place. When I was crying and bent down, I noticed most of them were women. He seemed determined to find something. It was like a slap in the face, you know.
Lilly: What?
Cheryl: I went there because the secretary referred me. Turns out the doctor didn’t even do abortions.

[r2k]

(At the station)
Lilly: She went there for an abortion and Willie didn’t perform them.
Scotty: Pregnancy was a false alarm. Why would she go there?
Lilly: Allison has been lying to us.
Vera: Just when she thought she was out, we pull her back in.
Scotty: Funny. Let’s go. I’ll bet she’s getting tired of us coming back.
Lilly: Wonder what she’ll come up with this time. Let’s bring her in this time.

(Allison is at the station in the interrogation room)
Allison: That lying witch. Willie and I weren’t an item. We were not involved in anything.
Lilly: Allison, you and Willie were doing something together. What was it?
Allison: I don’t know. Willie was interested in the women patients who had been pregnant. One night, he had me sorting out the files. One day, he told me he didn’t want me staying late to help him anymore.
Scotty: Why’s that?
Allison: I don’t know. He wouldn’t tell me. He seemed scared that I helped him the one night. We sorted a lot of files that night. After that, he cut me off. That’s when the tension between him and Alex started.
Lilly: What kind of tension?
Allison: One-sided. Willie felt it, Alex was oblivious. It was like Willie found something out about Alex. It was crazy. Didn’t bother Linda. Linda and Alex loved each other. As long as whatever was going on didn’t cut into her fun, there wasn’t a problem.
Lilly: Did Alex ever come on to you?
Allison: No. What kind of question is that?
Lilly: Had to ask.

(Outside in the office room)
Lilly: Allison is truly clueless about what was going on?
Scotty: Wait. Jeffries, what did Linda say about Allison. That she was clueless.
Jeffries: That’s right.
Scotty: I think I got it. Cheryl heard from a friend that she could get an abortion at the office.
Stillman: That’s right.
Scotty: Alex was performing them. Willie became suspicious. Stayed late to investigate. Also to prevent Alex from doing the abortions.
Lilly: Somehow, Alex was still providing them. Actually, it explains several things. Let’s go talk to Larry.
Scotty: Why Larry?
Lilly: Trust me. You’ll see.

(Back at the auto shop)
Larry: I said we’re through talking.
Lilly: Larry. We know you didn’t do it. But we know you did something. We need to ask you a question and we need the truth. Your father was murdered and you were meant to take the fall with those prescription forms.
Larry: They were easy to get. I would go into the office and sneak some out, little at a time.
Lilly: Dr. Poppovich caught you.
Larry: Yes. But he didn’t care. He helped me. He even signed them himself. I never understood why he would do that.
Lilly: I do. Thanks, Larry. Your father’s death is no longer unsolved.

(Lilly and Scotty return to Cheryl’s House. John is now home.)
John: Hello.
Lilly: Detectives Rush and Valens. We were here earlier. We need to speak to your wife.
John: Sure.
(John lets them in. Cheryl walks into the living room. She becomes frightened.)
Cheryl: No. Please leave! (She becomes angry.)
Lilly: And let a man’s death go unsolved. I think not. The pregnancy was not a false alarm, was it?
Cheryl (Crying): No.
Lilly: You assumed you had the right doctor. There were two doctor’s at the office. You were early.
John: What is she talking about, Cheryl. What did you do? Did you kill that doctor?
Cheryl (screaming): No, I didn’t. (Calms down) I called the secretary that told me.

FLASHBACK TO 1972
(Cheryl is on the phone. Linda answers)
Linda: Hello.
Cheryl: He wasn’t there.
Linda: I know. The other doctor stayed late again. We’ll call you when he leaves. Can you sneak out.
Cheryl: No.
Linda: I’ll come get you. It will look a friend stopped by. Your husband will never know.
Cheryl: Okay.
(Time passes. The doorbell rings. Cheryl gets it.)
Cheryl: Why Lisa. What a surprise!
Lisa: I know. Look, I was still at the school. I thought we might go somewhere. I haven’t eaten and I hate to eat alone.
Cheryl: I can’t.
Lisa (whispers to Cheryl): Linda sent me. It would be easier if someone closer to you came over.
Cheryl: Okay. Honey, I’m going to keep my friend company while she has dinner.
John: You won’t be long.
Cheryl: No. Just dinner.
John: You’re going to be alright.
Cheryl (whispers in his ear): I feel better.
John: I think it will do you some good to get out of the house.
Cheryl: I’ll get ready.

RETURN TO PRESENT
Cheryl: Lisa drove me to the office.
Lilly: What happened next?
Cheryl: Dr. Poppovich did it.
(Cheryl looks at John, who has a shocked look on his face.)
John: How could you? You promised me.
(John’s voice is raising.)
Lilly: John. Now is not the time.
Cheryl (crying): I regretted it every day of my life. Please, John. Please forgive me.
John (crying): It hurt when I found out it was a false alarm. I wanted that baby.
Cheryl: I know you did. And I should have had it. But what’s done is done.
Lilly: Cheryl. What happened?
Cheryl: I don’t know. Linda and Dr. Poppovich did the abortion and I left. Dr. Premetz had left some time ago. Before 11.
Lilly: Cheryl, Dr. Premetz never went home that night. Is there anything else you want to tell us?
Cheryl (pauses): Yes. His car was parked further down the street. I walked to the restaurant to meet my friend. The next day, he was dead.

[r2k]

(At the station)
Lilly: Well. Cheryl had the abortion and Alex and Linda performed it. She spotted Willie’s down the street. Hidden so they would think he left.
Scotty: Willie had been on to Alex for some time.
Lilly: You know what. It’s time to reunite the lovers, don’t you.
(In two separate interrogation rooms, Linda and Alex sit. Linda is with Lilly and Scotty, Alex is with Vera and Jeffries)
Linda: This is ridiculous. Allison and Willie were probably into it. Not the two of us.
Lilly: We’re going to find out soon enough. Cheryl came over after Willie had left.
Scotty: But surprise, Willie was still there. After Cheryl left, Willie must have made his big move.

(In the other room.)
Vera: So your partner was threatening to rat you out. Of course, he was push-over.
Jeffries: Gave you plenty of time to stop. Couldn’t though.
Vera: Was it for the extra money?
Alex: I never performed any abortions.
Jeffries: Really. C’mon. Willie was on to you. You knew he was a push-over but you couldn’t afford the risk.

(Back to Linda.)
Lilly: You made the mistake of repeating how clueless Allison was. No one involved in illegal abortions could afford to be clueless. You meant clueless in “She had no idea what was going on.” You knew Willie was on to you both so you set a trap. Cheryl called and you became angry, didn’t you.
Linda: Please. You have nothing.
Lilly: Cheryl identified Willie’s car parked away a bit. She knew you and Alex were at the scene. Willie’s kids claim he never returned home that night.
Scotty: You know, why don’t you stop wasting our time. We got you both.

(The other room)
Vera: He was your partner. Your best friend, practically. You killed him so you could continue your secret business.
Alex: You have nothing.
Jeffries: We have Larry who will testify that you filled prescriptions for him.
Alex: What are you gonna do, revoke my medical license.
Vera: No. Just lock you away with all the other scum. You know that law knows no age limits.

(Back with Linda)
Linda: Things were going so well. Nobody had any idea. Alex arranged to see the women. Willie preferred seeing the kids. They liked him better.
Lilly: What went wrong?
Linda: Willie began staying late. We didn’t know why at first, but one night I stayed behind and caught him snooping through the women’s files. He’d been doing for months after. We had to wait a few more hours until he had to go home. We figured his marriage and family would suffer and he would give up. He didn’t.

(Alex)
Alex: I couldn’t afford to get in trouble. Willie should have backed off. I never wanted to kill him. Linda and I never wanted to. We hired Allison because we figured she would never figure it out.

FLASHBACK TO 1972
(After Cheryl left, Linda and Alex begin to clean up. Willie comes out of a closet and confronts them)
Willie: After all this time, the truth is revealed.
Alex: Willie. Don’t do anything crazy.
Linda: Willie, calm down.
Willie: Calm down. You’ve turned our office into a place for illegal abortions. How could you people? We took an oath to preserve life. Not take it away.
Linda: It’s a woman’s right to choose.
Willie: Then why are you charging for it, if it such a public service. You know what, I’ve had it.
(Willie walks toward the door. Linda approaches him by getting in front of the door.)
Willie: Linda get out of my way.
(Linda distracts him while Alez picks up a scalpel. He sneaks up behind Willie, who turns around quickly. Alex slits his throat. Linda holds his shoulders as Alex slashes his arms and face. You don’t see the actual cutting, just the arm motions.)

Linda and Alex are arrested. The song “Precious and Few” by Climax plays as they are led out of the interrogation rooms. Allison is standing outside, watching both of them as they are led away. Their images change for a brief moment. You know the drill by now.
Cheryl and John sit in their living rooms as look at pictures of their children. Images flash back in time and return to the present again.
At another doctor’s office, Jason is taking his son to see a doctor and get a shot. His body changes to a five year as he watches his son get a shot. Jason’s mother is also with them.
Lilly goes to visit Sue to tell her what happened. All three children are there. Their images change to 1972 and back again as they watch Lilly tell Sue the truth. Sue cries as she is now at peace. She dies right there. Lilly slowly rises and walks away slowly. Her children all hug her in thanks. They go to their mother, who is gone. Their images flash as they stand around her, crying. Lilly walks out the door and looks down the hall. Willie is standing there watching her. He smiles as Lilly looks behind her at the door to Sue’s room. Sue walks out and smiles at Lilly. Her image changes to what she looked like in 1972 and it stays that way as she walks down the hall to join her husband. Lilly walks away.

NEXT EPISODE
YOUTHFUL INDISCRETIONS

An unsolved murder from 1997 is reopened when a young man, at the insistence of his wife, comes forward. The man claims that while partying one night at a local university, he was attacked. This was the same night a well-respected assistant hall director, Tony Crosby, was beaten to death and left to drown in a ditch. The young man wants to help Lilly bring this killer to justice, but she realizes that despite being popular, there were many who secretly hated the victim. The case gets to Scotty, who knew the Tony well.
NOTE: I've already begun to work on this one. Will be ready some time this week.

[Tati]

:clap: :clap: :clap:

wow!! Great, awesome, excellent!
seriously, I think you should be hired as a writer for CC.

I'm looking forward to your next stories!

[TVFan]

Great job R2K. I love how you keep us guessing with all the twists and turns. :thumb: