4. Have Your Cake and Eat It Too

[r2k]

Here is the new fan fiction. Note that I changed the story a bit from my original description. The reason for the case being reopened is different. There are no photos coming to light in this one. Please don’t get mad. I didn’t mean to mislead you all the way CBS does to us.

Have Your Cake and Eat It To

April 3, 1987
“Heaven is a Place on Earth” by Belinda Carlisle plays in the background.

The scene is a living room in a suburban home. A pregnant woman is laying on the couch, reading a book on babies. She has black hair. Her age is 26. Her husband comes into the room and the two begin talking. He is taller and has the same colored hair. He is 29.

John: Hard to believe we’re going to have a little one running around here soon.
Susan: I know. A few more weeks. This is so exciting. We’re going to be parents. Oh, John.
(The two hug and then kiss passionately.)
John: You sure you don’t want to come to the party with me.
Susan: Yes. Positive. You go and have a good time. Have a drink for me.
John: Sure. Love you.
Susan: Love you too. I’m glad we worked everything out.
John: Yeah. Me too. You know I’d never ever hurt you like that. I’ll be back before 1:00.
(John leaves to get ready. The camera is now outside of the house. John walks out the front door and goes to the driveway where his car is parked. He gets in and drives off.)

Later, Susan is laying dead in a wooded area. Cause of death is not evident from the scene. She is bruised a little. Her eyes are open. Her stomach is flatter, suggesting the baby is no longer inside of her.

In the Cold Case room, her box is marked and put away. So is another.

S. Letterman April 3, 1987

C. Letterman April 3, 1987

RETURN TO THE PRESENT
(Lily comes into work. Stillman approaches her.)
Stillman: A few minutes late today.
Lily: I called in.
Stillman: I know. Understood. How are you?
Lily: I’ll be fine. I just feel bad.
Stillman: There will be cases like that.
Lily: They gave Tim nine months for assault and battery.
Stillman: Branden will most likely get life. Tim was intoxicated. Plus, he didn’t kill him. The statute of limitations for what he did hadn’t worn off. Pennsylvania changed the limitations laws this year. At least he didn’t end up in a federal or state prison. He’s here in the county lock-up.
Lily: That could be worse.
Stillman: I’ve made arrangements for him to be taken care of. Someone will be watching over him every step of the way. Remember, Lily. He nearly killed that guy himself and he wasn’t even sober. He’ll be able to take care of himself. Consider Tim lucky that Branden came forward when he did. Things could have been worse for him. Now, we have a new one. This is a case you need to solve
Lily: What’s the case?
Stillman: A woman has come forward. A cold job from ’87. Double homicide. A woman and her unborn daughter. Another one I could never solve.
Woman’s right over there.

(A woman is standing by Lily’s desk. She is 40. Her image flashes back to that of a 23 year old. She is blonde and pretty. Her image returns to 40, which still looks good.)
Lily: Detective Rush. My boss tells me you’ve got something.
Ashley: You bet I do. By the way, I’m Ashley Klein. Look, when I explain to you the situation, you’ll understand why I kept quiet all these years. In 1987, a mother and her unborn daughter were found in a wooded area.
Lily: I remember that case.
(Scotty joins them.)
Scotty: Letterman case. Baby’s fetus was found nearby the mother.
Lily: How exactly are you involved in this case?
Ashley: Her husband, John. Well, he and I were sort of having an affair at the time.
Scotty: What do you mean, sort of? Either you were or weren’t.
(Scotty sounds a little angry. Lily intercedes.)
Lily: Why don’t you give my partner and me a minute?
(The two walk over to the side.)
Lily: What gives?
Scotty: I’m sorry. Everything going on. You know.
Lily: I know. Let’s try to focus on the new case. This woman does not need a sermon.
(The two return to Ashley.)
Lily: Ashley, can you tell us when the affair started.
Ashley: About late February. We met at a party in New York City. John was there frequently for business trips. I had seen him a few times at these business gatherings. He was good looking. I noticed after a while that he was never with anybody.

FLASHBACK TO 1987
“Who’s That Girl” by Madonna plays at the party.

Ashley is standing there with a group of girls. John is with some of his business partners. He sees Ashley and approaches her.
John: Anyone tell you how pretty you are?
Ashley: Nice line.
John: Okay. So I don’t have any good lines. Just good intentions.
Ashley: How long you in New York.
John: Couple days. You have something in mind.
Ashley: Yes, I do.
John: Party breaks up at midnight. I’m staying at the Hilton. You willing to come along.
Ashley: You bet. I’m Ashley. I didn’t catch your name.
John: I haven’t thrown it to you yet. John. John Letterman.
Ashley: Ashley Klein. Nice to meet you.
John: Nice to meet you. I look forward to meeting the rest of you.

RETURN TO PRESENT
Ashley: We carried on this affair until I read in the newspaper that his wife went missing. That was April 3rd. They found her dead April 30th.
Lily: Well, having an affair doesn’t necessarily qualify someone for murderer status.
Ashley: Thing is, he lied to me for months. After she disappeared, he called me to tell me the truth and how sorry he was for lying. But he wanted to be with me and his wife was missing. Kept calling. Wouldn’t stop. Started yelling in answering machine. I couldn’t handle it after a while. I’m thinking he may have killed her so he could run away with me.
Lily: What happened to him running away with you?
Ashley: I fled. Went to California. Thing is, he never knew where I lived. And after the last few phone conversations, I didn’t want to stick around to see what he was going to do to me. I just want this to end. I felt so guilty not telling anyone. Over the last few years I have been thinking about this. It’s terrified me what might have happened. What he might have done to her. When I met him, I was unaware he was married. When I found out, I quickly figured that if he was cheating on her, it would be a matter of time before he does that to me.
Lily: And the same applies to killing you as well.

OPENING CREDITS

[r2k]

(In the Cold Case room, Lilly and Stillman are going through the box.)
Lily: Susan Letterman, 26, found murdered in a wooded area.
Stillman: Not far from where we found Arnold.
Lily: The Boy in the Box. Says here the daughter was found 43 feet away from the mother.
Stillman: The baby was decomposed. There had been evidence she was dragged by an animal. Mother was decomposing as well. They were found in an area people were not bound to wander off.
Lily: Who found them?
Stillman: A woman. She was on a nature hike with her family and one of kids wandered off the path.
Lily: Perhaps that’s a place for us to start.
(Scotty joins the group.)
Scotty: I hear we have a new case.
Lily: Yeah. A Stillman priority.
Stillman: I’ll have Jeffries locate the family. The husband was not considered a suspect because he was at a party most of the night. He reported her missing the next day. She went for a walk and never returned. No evidence to implicate him. We spent a month searching for her. And that is the funny thing.
Lily: What boss?
Stillman: We searched that wooded area. Susan and her baby were not there when we looked. I was there, Lily. I am positive that area was covered.
Lily: Maybe someone killed her and held on the bodies for a while. Let’s check with the person who did the autopsy in ’87 and see if they can tell us anything.
Stillman: Sounds like a good idea. They might know if Susan was killed somewhere else. Well, how about you and Scotty go see John. Shake him up a bit. This mistress was something he should have mentioned back in ’87.
Lily: Well, I’m a little suspicious of this John. Who goes to a party with his wife so close to delivery? And if so, who stays out that long?

(Lily and Scotty arrive at the Letterman household. They knock on the door. John answers the door. He is now 46. His image flashes back to 29 and then back again.)
Lily: John Letterman. Detective Rush. This is Detective Valens. We’d like to talk to you.
John: No. Absolutely not. I’ve put her behind me.
Lily: Relax. We’re not here to talk to you about Susan.
Scotty: Right. We thought Ashley might be a juicier topic of discussion.

(Inside the house.)
John: Ashley was a mistake. I regret ever doing that. With Susan getting killed right in the middle of it.
Lily: From what I hear, Ashley began to get scared of you. She thinks you may have gone as far as to kill her too.
John: She stopped taking my calls! I never pushed. Besides she has got it backward. She was calling me. News of the affair would have put me on the top of the list of suspects.
Lily: Well, guess what honey. You’re number one on this list. Now, you better start talking.
John: Ashley was great in bed. Problem was she didn’t know I was married. She was living in New York. She was telling all of her friends about me.
Scotty: That would make a married man nervous.
John: Yeah, but it was fun.

FLASHBACK TO 1987: JOHN AND ASHLEY’S SECOND MEETING
“Everybody Have Fun Tonight” by Wang Chung plays in the background
(John and Ashley are kissing in the hotel room. They have just entered and haven’t gotten around to anything just yet.
Ashley: I missed you John.
John: I missed you too.
Ashley: So, how long do you have?
John: I leave in two days.
Ashley: Excellent. I want you meet my friend, Eileen. I told her all about you.
John: I thought we’d spend the two days right here.
Ashley: Oh, you dog. We can do that too. Catch me if you can.
(Ashley starts to run away from him. John chases her around the suite. Eventually, he catches her and they kiss.

RETURN TO PRESENT
John: I was able to postpone meeting her friend that time.
Lily: Do you know you’re the reason Jerry Springer stays on the air?
John: That was 15 years ago. I’d like to think I’ve changed.
Scotty: I notice the living room decorations and the ring. You’ve remarried. Does the current Mrs. Letterman know about Ashley the wonderslut.
John: Ashley was not a slut.
Lily: Come on Scotty. Ashley was a young girl who was excited some man gave her attention. Never told her you were married huh.
John: No, I didn’t.
Lily: Well, you’re another one who thought you could have your cake and eat it too. Well, face it John. Ashley is back and she wants a bite too.
John: She should have stayed in New York. She was naïve I’ll say that. A good sleeper. The champagne knocked her out.

FLASHBACK TO 1987. IT IS 11:27 P.M.
(The phone is John’s room rings.)
John: Hello
Susan: Hi honey.
John: Hey. I was wondering why you didn’t call me.
Susan: I was thinking the same thing of you.
John: The guys and I stayed out a little longer for dinner. I’ve been here a while but I was too tired.
Susan: Well, I can’t sleep. Talk to me some.
John: Okay. The baby kicking.
Susan: Yes, she is.
John: It’s a she.
Susan: Yes. That’s what I wanted to tell you.
John: That’s great.
Susan: Liar. I know you wanted a boy.
John: Better luck next time.
Susan: Thanks honey. I’m going to go to bed now.
John: Okay. I’ll call you first thing tomorrow.
Susan: Love you.
John: Love you too, bye now.

RETURN TO PRESENT
John: Ashley never knew my wife called. Never knew there was a wife.
Lily: You say that like it’s a big accomplishment.
John: You mean you’re not in the least bit impressed?
Lily: Not really.
John: Thing is Ashley wanted me badly. When I broke it off, she kept calling me. I had to change my phone number because of it.
Lily: When was this?
John: Right before Susan died.

(Vera and Jeffries are on the other end of the Philly suburbs not far from the wooded area Susan and her daughter were found. They approach a house and knock. A woman is out front. She is 54. Her image flashes back to 37 and then returns again.)
Vera: Detective Vera.
Jeffries: Detective Jeffries, are you Dolores Frank?
Dolores: Yes.
Vera: We’re sorry to bother you, maam. We’re looking into the murders of Susan Letterman and her daughter again. We read in the report that you and your family discovered the bodies.
Dolores: Oh dear. Yes. We were on a nature hike. Weather was good and my husband thought it would be a good idea for the family to do something together. Lately, we had not been together much. Let’s go inside, I’ll pour some iced tea.
(Vera and Jeffries go inside.)
Dolores: Have a seat on the couch.
Jeffries: This is a nice place you got here.
Dolores: Thank you. It didn’t happen overnight, you know. Took years of finding the perfect knick knacks to decorate the place with. And a lot of bargain searching at flee markets and antique fairs.
Vera: Who found the body?
Dolores: My youngest son, Bobby. Poor guy. He was only 11. Shook him up a bit. My other boy, Josh, different story. He was 14. Thought it was totally rad. To quote him exactly.


FLASHBACK TO 1987
(The family is hiking in the woods.)
Dolores: Stay close by kids!!
Todd: Oh, let them run. They love it out here.
Dolores: Okay, don’t run off the path. Did you here me, stay on the path.
(Bobhy and Josh run off.)
Josh: Let’s run off the path. Come on. It’s fun.
Bobby: Mom told us not to.
Josh: Come on. Let’s scare them.
Bobby: Okay. Cool.
(Bobby and Josh go off the back and back away. Bobby backs into Susan’s body. He screams. Josh turns around and screams. Dolores and Todd come running. They arrive and the two boys reenter the path.)
Dolores: What did I tell you about going off the path?
Bobby: Mom! There’s a dead body down there!!
Dolores: What!!
Todd: You all stay here. I’ll have a look.
(Todd goes down to look. He sees Susan’s body. He returns.)
Todd: Let’s go back to the house and call the police. Run, now!!!
Josh: I want to see the body.

RETURN TO PRESENT
Dolores: Todd called the police. They went to look and found her. They found the baby further along. Bobby got over it. But I’m glad he never saw the little girl.
Vera: Is your husband around right now?
Dolores: I’m afraid he’s passed on. Five years ago. Car accident. He was so good during that time. He talked with the boys about it and got them through the whole ordeal. I was the worry wart.
Jeffries: Can you remember anything else about that day? Did your boys ever wander out there alone?
Dolores: Not that I know of. Of course, they were boys at the time. Wouldn’t surprise me.

[r2k]

(Back at the station.)
Jeffries: Dolores and her family went through a bit discovering the body.
Lily: Well, hubby turned about to be quite the ladies’ man.
Scotty: Kind of like you, Vera.
Vera: Funny.
Stillman: What about Dolores’ husband? He made the call.
Jeffries: Dead. Car accident.
Lily: All we have right now is a woman who had an affair with the husband. It doesn’t connect him at all to the murder. He was at a party.
Stillman: There’s no evidence to suggest she was killed during the time that party took place. He could have killed her when he returned. The person who did the autopsy was able to tell us something interesting. She was kept somewhere for a while before she was found.
Lily: Well, that explains why you didn’t find her there the first time.
(Susan’s parents walk in.)
Scotty: Susan’s parents I presume.

(Susan’s parents are sitting down with Lily and Scotty. Their images flashback to age 55 and then back to 72.)
Lucy: Susan was a wonderful wife. She was devoted to John.
Jack: They were high school sweethearts, you know. Nothing could separate them.
Lily: We’re not sure how you’re going to take this. John was having an affair.
Jack: What? You’re kidding. That son of a …
(Lucy interrupts.)
Lucy: I don’t understand. They seemed happy.
Lily: Appearances can be deceiving. A woman has come forward as the mistress and John admitted to it. Apparently, he played this young woman. She had no idea he was married.
Lucy: But that doesn’t make him the killer, does it?
Scotty: We’re not sure, yet. You mean you two had no idea this was going on.
Lucy: None whatsoever.
Lily: Was Susan involved in any activities? We’re trying to see if maybe someone else might have killed her.
Lucy: She loved antiques. She would go to all the antique fairs. John would go with her sometimes. (Begins to cry.) How could he do this to her? She loved him and he cheated on her.
Jack: Detectives, you better make sure that man and I are not in the same room, ever! If he is the one who killed my little girl, I will kill him and I don’t care what happens. I’ll break his legs.
Lily: Watch it. You don’t want to make that promise. I’d advise you to stay away from him.
Scotty: (Signals Jack) Come on, let’s relax a little.
Lucy: Thanks. Jack gets angry when he thinks about Susan. She was our only hope for grandchildren. Her two brothers never settled down. They live in Arizona now. Connie was my only hope. (Begins to cry.) And it never happened.

(Later.)
Scotty: Man, this case isn’t biting.
Lily: I know. Let’s go over what we know. John was at a party all night. Susan went for a walk and never returned. Now, John returned from the party at about 12:00 midnight. It says here in the missing persons report that Susan went for an early morning walk at 5:15 in the morning. Most people aren’t up yet. Nobody can confirm nor deny that.
Scotty: It won’t stick. A pregnant woman going for a walk that early in the morning.
(Stillman joins in.)
Stillman: We got something. Somebody just came in.
Lily: Who?
Stillman: A neighbor. Was watching when you two went to see John this morning. Wants to say something.
(A man about age 34 is waiting off to the side. His image flashes back to 17 and returns to 34.)
Stillman: This is Kyle Wirt. He lived next door to the Lettermans.
Lily: What do you have for us, Kyle?
Kyle: Before I tell you I want to make sure I won’t get into trouble.
Lily: Trouble for what?
Kyle: I kind of had a small party in the house that night. My parents were out of town and I kind of was doing something I shouldn’t have been.
Lily: What?
Kyle: Smoking pot.
Scotty: We’re homicide. Besides, it was 17 years ago. You were a minor. Let it go.
Lily: What did you see?
Kyle: I wasn’t that high. Mr. Letterman. He was loading something in the back of his truck.

(Quick flashback to John loading something into his car. It looks like sheets of some kind.)

Lily: Like what?
Kyle: Wrapping of some kind. Something was inside it. After his wife was found, I realized her body may have been inside it.
Scotty: When did you see this?
Kyle: Long past midnight. It was still dark. Didn’t think much of it at the time. When she was dead, I was afraid to say anything.
Lily: Because of the party.
Kyle: My parents would have shipped me off to military school for something like that. I’m amazed they trusted me like they did. I saw you two over at his house earlier. I visit my parents a lot. I felt now was a good time to say something. I knew that’s what you came for. I was lucky Letterman didn’t call the cops on me that night.
Lily: He did that. How often?
Kyle: Most of them. Had to stop the illegal activity or keep it to a minimum around there. Police sort of looked the other way over there.
Scotty: Was John home at all while the party was still going on?
Kyle: Yes, he returned home while we were still there. When I was outside and saw him, we were still there making a little noise.
Lily: Well, thank you Kyle. You’ve been a bigger help than you can imagine.
Kyle: Thanks.

(The team is together again.)
Lily: Kyle seems like a reliable source.
Vera: So, he kills her in the middle of the night and moves the body.
Stillman: Police searched his home. Procedure when a wife goes missing. Found nothing. No evidence of a murder in that house at all.
(Ashley comes in.)
Ashley: Hi. Look. I did something stupid. I went to see John.
Lily: Ashley. That wasn’t a smart thing to do.
Ashley: I couldn’t help it. I still love him. He loved me. I’m beginning to think he may have been innocent after all.

FLASHBACK TO 1987
“Lost in Emotion” by Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam plays in the background
(Ashley is with your friend, Eileen, in New York.)
Eileen: So tell me about this new guy. What’s he like?
Ashley: He’s great. We have lots of fun together.
Eileen: You’re crazy.
Ashley: This is New York. Anything can happen.
Eileen: So when am I going to meet him?
Ashley: Soon. Real soon. He’s coming in again a two weeks.
Eileen: You should surprise him and go see him.
Ashley: I can’t. I have no idea where he lives.
Eileen: Find out the next time. I just can’t believe it. You’ve never been so happy.
Ashley: I want to marry this guy.

RETURN TO PRESENT
Ashley: (Starts crying.) I still want to believe this guy loves me.
Lily: He doesn’t. You need to see that. And he may have murdered his wife. You might want to stay away from him.
Ashley: I should have known. The third meeting was not as good.

FLASHBACK TO 1987
“You Keep Me Hanging On” by Kim Wilde plays in the background
(Ashley is in the hotel room with John.)
Ashley: So when am I going to see where you really live. These meetings are so hard. I’m tired of the hotel room thing.
John: I’m not sure that’s a good idea right now. My mother is a little, well, old world. She might not approve.
Ashley: Not approve.
John: It’s complicated.
Ashley: I don’t see what’s so complicated about it. If she doesn’t approve and that matters so much to you, then why are you with me.
John: Calm down.
Ashley: No!! Tell me. Am I wasting my time with you. Because if I am just tell me so I can go. You know what, I’m going to end this right now.
(John runs to her to stop her.)
John: Don’t leave. Look, my mother just looks out for me more than others. I’ll tell her about you soon enough. Just give me some time.
Ashley: Alright. I’ll give mother some time. But if you two live in a motel somewhere I’m splitting.

RETURN TO PRESENT
Ashley: I should have walked out that door. And out of his life.
Scotty: I’m so sure that would have mattered. He was interested in you and you were already in too deep.

[r2k]

(The team is together in the main room.)
Lily: Ashley was in the dark about John being married.
Scotty: Thing is, if John needed to kill someone, why not the mistress?
Vera: Makes sense.
Lily: One thing’s for sure. There are variables in the case that are hard to uncover. John had an alibi. Bodies were located in a place searchers covered.
Stillman: The report mentions a close friend of Susan’s. Elizabeth Howard.
Jeffries: Maybe she might be able to provide some insight into Susan’s life.
Vera: I’ll locate the friend.
Scotty: Let’s talk to John again.
Lily: Let’s bring him in.
(In the interrogation room.)
John: This is ridiculous. I’ve been through this a hundred times. I had an affair. That does not make me a killer.
Lily: No, it makes you a liar. And we’ve learned a few things since our last talk.
John: Really.
Lily: Yeah! Scotty, want to update husband of the year.
Scotty: My pleasure. We’ve been talking to a neighbor of yours. Kyle.
John: The drug addict.
Lily: Former. And he was only 17, kids were into that stuff.
John: Don’t be so sure. The kid couldn’t be trusted then and probably not now.
Lily: You seem to know so much about your neighbors. Well Kyle knows a little something about you as well.
Scotty: Seems you were loading something into your truck late into the night before Susan disappeared.
John: What would Kyle know? He was busy having a party.
Lily: You see. That’s where the suspicious behavior begins.
(Lily pulls out some papers.)
Lily: You know what these are?
John: No
(She throws them out on the table for John to see.)
Lily: Police reports. All of them are. Filed by you. Complaining about the late night noise Kyle and his buddies made.
Scotty: Hard for a business man like you to sleep with the constant noise.
Lily: But you know what’s missing, Johnny.
John: What? (In a smart alec tone.)
Lily: I can’t seem to find one for the night of April 3rd. Could you Scotty?
Scotty: No.
Lily: Come on Johnny, maybe you can dig it up.
John: Lay off.
Lily: (Getting a little angry.) No, I want to find it. You called the police and filled out police reports every time Kyle had friends over and were loud. But the night before your wife disappears, you don’t make a single call.
John: So!! I was at a party.
Lily: From what Kyle told us the party lasted pretty long. He also indicated you were home before it ended. But you never called the cops on them that night.
Scotty: We’re thinking it’s hard to call the cops on noisy neighbors because they might want to come in. They might see something like a dead wife’s body laying there.
Lily: Thing is Kyle saw you load your truck up with some kind of blanket. It was holding something inside it. What do you bet it was the body of your beloved wife?
John: What do you want to bet it wasn’t?
Scotty: What was it?
John: Hunting gear. I like to hunt in my spare time.
Scotty: We know. Ashley filled us in on your affair.
John: That supposed to be a joke.
Lily: The truth is never a joke.
John: Kyle was lucky I didn’t call the cops. Driveway was so packed that night the pizza delivery guy had to use my driveway to park his car so he could give the pizzas next door. I had to wait until the driver was finished to get in.
Lily: Poor baby. You had to wait a few minutes to park your truck. Your wife has been waiting 17 years for justice. And she’s going to get it.
John: Thing is, you’ve got nothing on me. No evidence, no arrest, and I think we’re done here.

(Later, in the main room.)
Lily: Without any hard evidence, John walks.
Scotty: His lawyer will play on Kyle’s drug use.
(A 43 year old woman comes in.)
Vera: Must be Elizabeth. Her close friend.

(Lily and Scotty are talking to Elizabeth.)
Elizabeth: Susan loved antiques. We both did.
Lily: Good investment.
Elizabeth: Well, depends on who is willing to buy. We bought what we loved. We never intended to sell them. Bought them cheap. Fixed them up. You know.
Lily: What can you tell me about Susan and John together?
Elizabeth: Those two were in love. In the beginning, they were inseparable.
Lily: And later.
Elizabeth: Susan began to tell me things. Like John may be getting the wandering eye.
Scotty: When did these talks start occurring.
Elizabeth: After she got pregnant. Not at first. Later, when she began showing. I could tell John was upset.

FLASHBACK TO 1987
“Don’t You Want Me” by Jody Watley plays in the background.
(Susan and Elizabeth are sitting in the kitchen. John walks in.)
Elizabeth: Hey John. What’s up?
John: Hey there Liz. Haven’t seen you in a while.
Elizabeth: I’ve been around. You’re the one who hasn’t.
(Susan gets an unhappy look on her face.)
Susan: Johnny has been going on lots of business trips.
John: (Getting angry.) Let’s not start this again. You know my job is important.
Susan: So is this marriage. And in case you’ve gone completely blind, my stomach is getting a little bigger!!!
John: (mad) Look, I don’t have to put up with this.
Susan: Who is she!!
John: There isn’t anybody else.
Susan: I want to know. I called you all night during your last trip and you didn’t answer.
John: That’s crap. You never called.
Susan: Yes, I did John. I called 26 times. I called for as many years as I am old.
John: Okay, you’re losing it.
Susan: No, you’re the one losing it. And you’re going to lose a lot more than that if you don’t stop this now.
John: Go to h---. (Storms out of the house.)
Susan: (Follows him to the front door.) Get back here.
Elizabeth: Stop, Susan. Don’t make a scene.
(Susan stops. Begins crying.)
Susan: He’s seeing someone. I know he is. What did I do to deserve this?
Elizabeth: It’s okay. I’m here for you.
Susan: Promise me you’ll never tell anyone about this. I don’t want to lose him.
Elizabeth: I promise.

RETURN TO PRESENT
Elizabeth: And I kept my promise to this day.
Scotty: Why didn’t you mention this after Susan died?
Elizabeth: John had an alibi. He was at a party. Besides, they made up. She said not to worry about it. It was a false alarm.
Lily: Are you sure?
Elizabeth: That’s what she told me.
Scotty: What was your impression of John during this time?
Elizabeth: Susan was really upset when she thought he was having an affair. You know, I can’t be too sure.
Lily: What?
Elizabeth: A part of me kept telling myself he did not want the baby. He seemed to lose his step after that. Before she was pregnant, he was exciting. After, he was more depressed around her. In my heart, I never thought he could actually be capable of murder.

[r2k]

(Later.)
Lily: Makes sense now. Johnny was not ready to be a dad.
Scotty: So he finds a single younger model to recapture his younger days with.
Lily: Without a baby to drag him down.
Jeffries: Maybe he was going to divorce her.
Vera: He’d be paying her alimony and child support. I’ve been there.
Scotty: Aren’t you still there?
Vera: Of course.
Lily: So killing her would eliminate that.
Scotty: The thing is, John was in a no-win situation.
Stillman: What do you mean?
Scotty: Well, he can’t divorce Susan and run off with Ashley.
Lily: Right
Scotty: If he did kill Susan, he still lost. Ashley would have discovered he was married.
Lily: That’s true.
Jeffries: You know something struck me as odd.
Lily: What?
Jeffries: John mentioned having to wait for the pizza delivery guy to finish before he could get his truck into the driveway.
Scotty: That could establish a timeline of John’s activities.
Lily: Let me go back to Kyle. He might be able to help out some more.

(Lily is with Kyle at his parents’ house. Next door to John Letterman.)
Kyle: I remember the pizzas. The delivery guy complained that he had to park in the neighbor’s driveway. He said John had returned and wanted to get in. Guy said John would wait but wasn’t happy. Apologized for the wait. Took off some bucks on the account the pizza wasn’t as hot. But hey when you’re high, everything tastes good.
Lily: John filed numerous reports on you.
Kyle: Oh yes. His wife made him do it. Between you and me, I don’t think he ever really wanted to do it. I think he wanted to join us. You know, we were having fun and all and he had to work and be a husband. She would yell at us sometimes.
Lily: Did she that night?
Kyle: No. They never complained that night. I had the loudest party in history and there was no bust.
Lily: Where did you order the pizzas from?
Kyle: Antonio’s. That’s the place in our neighborhood. They were open until 2 in the morning.
Lily: So he definitely arrived at home before then.
Kyle: We cut it pretty close. Delivery guy said it was his last delivery so it had to have been after 1:30. We all ate the pizzas and began to quiet down.
Lily: So you turned the music down.
Kyle: About 5 minutes after Mr. Letterman arrived home and the delivery guy left. I was afraid he’d call the cops again. Turned out he didn’t.
Lily: Other than the pot, what was the real reason you were out there?
Kyle: Part of the reason was to throw some trash away. I liked to get a head start on clean up. Listen, my parties were never orgies or anything. We just let loose a little, hooked up with some girls, and that was it. My parents were due back the next day.
Lily: Can you give me your best guess of the elapsed time between the pizza being delivered and you seeing John load up his truck.
Kyle: Well, I took some pizza boxes out after we ate them so not more than an hour.

(In the main room.)
Lily: Well, Kyle may have provided John with an alibi.
Scotty: He did give us some more. Look, he claims the pizza was delivered just before John arrived home. Also, the pizza was eaten and the boxes were disposed of within an hour of John arriving home.
Vera: The music was turned down meaning anyone could hear Susan screaming after that.
Lily: Okay.
Vera: So the murder must have occurred at some point when the party was going and the music was loud.
Stillman: And that rules John out as a suspect.
Jeffries: Rush, you wrote here that Elizabeth and Susan were into antiques.
Lily: Yes, they never missed a show.
(Jeffries and Vera look at each other as if to have realized something at the same time.)

The next day
(In the interrogation room, Dolores is sitting with Jeffries and Vera.)
Vera: We want to talk to you about your wonderful decorations.
Dolores: Why are we in here? And I thought this was about Susan.
Vera: It is. You and Susan had a lot in common.
Jeffries: Both of you loved antiques. You said it yourself. Bargain hunting and antique fairs.
Vera: Susan and her friend loved those fairs as well.
Dolores: You don’t think I had anything to do with it.
Vera: I don’t know, you tell me. You see the place your son discovered the body had already been searched weeks earlier. You and you’re family come along on a family hike. Kind of a coincidence!
Dolores: My husband came up with the idea to go hiking.
Jeffries: But he’s dead now. Convenient., don’t you think.
Vera: We’ve been doing some homework. You were pregnant in 1987. Actually, you found out in 1986. Miscarried in March of ‘87.
Dolores: How dare you bring that up!
Vera: Had to be rough. You see, we think you made friends with Susan at one point and learned you had two things in common; antiques and babies.
Jeffries: I can understand how hard it must have been to lose that baby.
Dolores: It was heartbreaking. (Tears roll down her eyes.) I miscarried before. This was the last shot. My husband didn’t want to go through it again.
Vera: Did you kill Susan because you were jealous? Jealous she was still pregnant and you weren’t. Maybe you couldn’t take seeing her so happy.
Dolores: I did no such thing!!! You have no right to pry into my personal tragedies for your own sick game of “Look at me, I’m a detective!!!” You have no evidence and I’m through with you. (Pauses.)

(Later. )
Vera: Well, we can’t hold Dolores just yet.
Stillman: Here’s something. Dolores’ boy found the body.
Lily: What does that mean?
Stillman: His name was never released to the papers. And guess who requested it.
Vera: Dolores.
Scotty: Great. We switch from Psycho Husband to Mommy Dearest in the space of two days.
Lily: Both still could possibly be the killer. Thing is, John knows something. Kyle still saw him loading something.
Scotty: Maybe Kyle did it. Susan got tired of the parties and threatened to call the police and get him in big time trouble. He gets angry and does her in to prevent getting into trouble.
Lily: I’m going to check out the pizza place. Perhaps a stop by Kyle’s again might help out.

(Antonio’s Pizza.)
Lily: Hello, we are looking for an old employee of yours from 1987. A delivery boy.
Antonio: Back then, I had family working for me. My two sons are in back. I get them for you. Pizza?
Lily: No thanks. I’ll have to come back, though. Smells great.
(As Lily is waiting, the unthinkable happens. Someone walks in with a girl.)
Lily: (mumbles.) Oh great!
Kite: (Walking with a new girlfriend. Notices Lily sitting there.) Hi.
Lily: (With a sarcastic smile.) Hi. How are you?
Kite: I’m (pauses.) good. And you.
Lela: Hi, I’m Lela. Nice to meet you.
(Lily sits there and reluctantly shakes her hand.)
Lily: Detective Rush. So nice to meet you.
Lela: You know, our names sound alike. How cool is that?
Lily: So cool! (Lily gives Lela the look that says “Stop talking now.”)
(Antonio’s two sons come out with Antonio.)
Antonio: My two sons, Joey and Michael. You like.
(Kite giggles. Lily gives him a dirty look.)
Lily: Detective Rush. I actually need only one of you. We’re reinvestigating the Susan Letterman murder.
(Lily notices Kite again.)
Lily: Oh honey, don’t go anywhere.
(Kite looks at her funny.)
Joey: I remember that. I’m the one you’re looking for. I delivered the pizzas to the neighbor the night before she disappeared.
Lily: So you remember John coming in.
Joey: Oh yes. He was mad.

FLASHBACK TO 1987
“C’est La Vie” by Robbie Nevil plays in the background
(Joey is taking the pizzas up to Kyle’s house from the car parked in the Letterman’s driveway. John pulls up in his truck and gets out.)
John: No, no, no. You move this now.
Joey: Hey, give me a break. Let me deliver these pizzas man.
John: Move the car now!
Joey. It’ll take me five minutes. You think I enjoy this. I hate this house.
John: Yeah, I know what you mean. Okay, hurry up.

RETURN TO PRESENT
Joey: I delivered the pizzas and left. Mr. Letterman parked his truck.
Lily: So you knew him.
Joey: We knew the whole neighborhood. They all ordered from us at one point in time or another.
Lily: Do you remember what time you delivered those pizzas?
Joey: Had to be a quarter to 2. Last trip out. You know, I drove by the house frequently that night. I did see a car there earlier.
Lily: Do you remember what kid of car.
Joey: Yes, a 1986 Ford Minivan, light blue.
Lily: Thank you.
(Lily walks over to where Kite and his girlfriend are sitting.)
Lily: So Kite, dating suburbanites now.
Kite: She and I met a few months ago.
Lily: Really. Come out here often.
Kite: When I can. I’ve been busy lately.
Lily: I know. I thought we might talk about that a minute. (Lily’s tone becomes angry.) Outside.
(They are both outside.)
Kite: So you still haven’t gotten over me.
Lily: Trust me, I’m over you. And if you think this is why I wanted to talk to you, you must really be full of yourself. I’m talking about Tim.
Kite: Oh man. I knew this was coming.
Lily: The other guy was a slam dunk. He got what he deserved. But Tim.
Kite: He was guilty of assault and battery. The statute of limitations changed, you know that.
Lily: From what I heard you guys tried to make it out to be just as bad. He didn’t deserve that.
Kite: That guy did not deserve to die and you need to face it.
Lily: Face what.
Kite: That Tim contributed to the problem. Look, I convinced my boss to drop him as the accomplice.
Lily: You had proof he was legally drunk that night. He didn’t mean to. And that is something you should have kept in mind.
(Kite’s new girl interrupts.)
Lela: Pizza’s here.
Kite: Gotta go.
Lily: Yeah, I know. This conversation is not over.

[r2k]

(At Kyle’s parents’ house.)
Lily: You see, me partner thought of a new theory. You.
Kyle: What? I didn’t do it.
Lily: We’re having some things not adding up in this case. And it is your word against his. You could easily have made the story up. Saw us at his house and got scared. Made up a story so we wouldn’t think of suspecting you.
Kyle: I didn’t do that. John was loading something wrapped up in a sheet and he put it in the back of his truck. End of story.
Lily: For your sake, I hope your right.

(Back at the station.)
Lily: Well Joey, the delivery boy gave me a more accurate time. 1:45. Confirms that John arrived after he did.
Jeffries: Guess what? We ran a check on that blue Minivan. You’ll never guess which of our suspects owned one.
Vera: Dolores?
Jeffries: Got it.
Lily: What was Dolores doing at Susan’s house?
Scotty: Other than killing her.
Lily: We don’t know that for certain.
Scotty: You okay, you’ve been kind of grumpy since you came back.
Lily: I bumped into Kite the pizza place.\
Scotty: What! How cool is that?
Lily: Not a good time. Anyway. I let him have it over Tim. They gave him a bum rap, you know.
Tim: I know.

(Dolores’ house.)
Lily: We know you were at the house, Dolores.
Dolores: I knew this moment would come. Susan and I met at the mall, not the antique shows. We recognized each other from the shows. We met buying maternity clothes and kept in touch.
Lily: How?
Dolores: We’d meet at some antique shows together. When her friend wasn’t available.
Lily: Did you meet this friend?
Dolores: A few times.
Scotty: Your identity was never revealed in the paper. That’s why Elizabeth never knew.
Lily: We also know your miscarriage happened prior to Susan’s murder, not in May like you told everyone.
Dolores: Right. Thing is, Susan was there for me after I lost my baby. She was always asking for pointers. I was a nurse before I got married.

FLASHBACK TO 1987
“You Got It All” by the Jets plays in the background
Susan: I’m so nervous.
Dolores: There’s nothing to it. You’ll do fine. The first one is always the hardest. The next time will be easier. (Starts to cry.)
Dolores: I lost the baby. (Pulls out stuffing.) I’ve been fooling everyone for three weeks now and I don’t know what to do.
Susan: (Pauses.) What happened?
Dolores: It was after our last fair. I was on the way home in New Jersey and it happened. I checked into the hospital and they told me what happened.
Susan: You need to tell your husband what happened.
Dolores: I can’t. He’ll know what a failure I am. I can’t tell him.
Susan: What happens when your due date comes and goes and there is no baby?
Dolores: I’ll worry about that.

RETURN TO PRESENT
Dolores: That night before she was taken, she called me to tell me she had gone into labor. I went to the house and there was no answer. I assumed she went to the hospital. I didn’t know the area well but I eventually found the hospital. They had no record of a Susan ever coming in.
Lily: And what did you decide to do about your problem?
Dolores: I told him eventually. The kids never knew the truth.
Scotty: And your husband’s dead. We’re going to have to hold you here for a while.
Dolores: I’m sorry. So sorry.

(In the main office.)
Lily: She still hasn’t confessed to it, yet.
Scotty: That story about Susan calling seems bogus. Just doesn’t add up.
Stillman: Talk to her again, Lily. Just you.

(Lily goes into the interrogation room where Dolores is sitting.)
Lily: I have a question for you.
Dolores: What?
Lily: Why would Susan call you and not her husband?
Dolores: I don’t know, she just did.
Lily: Listen, you had been through a lot. Woman to woman, tell me what happened that night.
Dolores: I don’t know. I arrived at the house and she didn’t answer. I tried to knock but nothing. I didn’t understand why she would call me and not be there.
Lily: Because someone killed her.
Dolores: I didn’t do it. You’ve got to believe me. I don’t know what to say that will convince you.

(Outside the room.)
Lily: She’s not going to say anything.
Vera: Why not?
Lily: She’s sticking to her story.
Scotty: You know, she lost her own baby.
Lily: Yeah.
Scotty: And Susan’s baby was found a considerable distance away from her.
Lily: Right.
Stillman: You’re not suggesting she killed Susan and took the baby out.
Scotty: I’m sorry to suggest that.
Lily: So she kills Susan at her house and forces the baby out.
Jeffries: The neighbors had the music on loud. Nobody could hear it. What about the neighbors on the other side of the Letterman house.
Stillman: Moved away. Both have since died.
Lily: So after the baby is removed, she dies. Dolores can’t keep the baby.
Vera: How in the world was she going to fool everyone into thinking the baby was hers.
Scotty: She covered up her miscarriage, why not go all the way.

(Elizabeth comes in.)
Lily: I’m glad you could come in. We need you to identify this woman for me. She’s in the interrogation room and she has no idea you’re here.
Elizabeth: Sure.
(Elizabeth walks over to the mirror and looks at Dolores.)
Elizabeth: Yes, that’s the friend. Dolores was her name.
Lily: Her son found Susan’s body in the woods.
Elizabeth: That is too much of a coincidence. I’m leaving. I can’t take this. If she killed Susan I don’t want to be here when it all comes down.
Lily: Elizabeth, wait.
(Elizabeth is walking out when she bumps into Ashley who is walking in.)
Elizabeth: Sorry.
Ashley: Don’t worry.
Lily: Elizabeth wait. (Notices Ashley.)
Elizabeth: You’re the other one. The girl John was sleeping with.
Ashley: Yes. I was the one.
Elizabeth: (slaps Ashley in the face.) Susan was my friend and she deserved better.
Ashley: I didn’t know John was married until news of Susan’s disappearance. I broke it off. I never would have hurt anyone like that. John was so charming and I believed everything he told me. I was wrong.
(Elizabeth stops and begins to cry.)
Elizabeth: I’m so sorry. Forgive me. I’m just really emotional right now. So much is going on.
Ashley: I understand.
Elizabeth: You know I’m going to go now. I’ll come back later.
Lily: I’ll walk you out.

(Outside.)
Elizabeth: I never should have hit her. That was wrong of me. (Her image flashes back to 26 and returns to 43.)
Lily: You were angry. Susan must have meant a lot to you.
Elizabeth: She did. Apologize to Ashley again for me. I’ve got to hand it to John. He picked a good mistress.
Lily: How so?
Elizabeth: She sounds exactly like Susan. If I shut my eyes I could have sworn I was talking to her again.
(Lily pauses to think.)

(In the main room.)
Lily: Let’s put Ashley in an interrogation room.
Scotty: What for?
Lily: Something Elizabeth said on her way out alerted me to something.
Scotty: This is ridiculous.
Lily: Just do it.

(In the interrogation room.)
Lily: Ashley, we need some more help from you. Evidence is starting to suggest it wasn’t John.
Ashley: It had to be. His lying.
Lily: Lying doesn’t exactly mean murder without the hard evidence.
Ashley: I don’t know what else to say. John was charming.
Lily: And pursued you after you learned he had a wife.
Ashley: I thought you already knew that.
Lily: Thing is, he claims you wanted to keep things going and he was the one who broke it off.
Ashley: That lying pig!
Lily: Ashley, we have phone records of calls made from a New York City number.
Scotty: These calls were made on dates when John was actually home and not with you.
Ashley: I didn’t make those calls. You know I’m the one who came in here and this is how I am being treated.
Scotty: It all adds up.

(Meanwhile monitoring the interrogation room is Vera, Stillman, Jeffries, and Dolores, who was brought out of her room.)
Dolores: That sounds just like Susan. The resemblance is uncanny. Shut your eyes and you would think it was her.
(The other three smile at each other. Lily and Scotty come out.)
Lily: Well.
Dolores: Yes. It sounds like her.
Scotty: We have a winner.
(Dolores two sons arrive. Both images flashback to when they were younger and then back again.)
Bobby: Mom, are you okay.
Dolores: Yes.
Josh: What’s going on? I demand to speak to someone.
Lily: There’s nothing to worry about. We all just learned a lesson in telling the truth, didn’t we Dolores.
Dolores: Yes. No more keeping secrets.
Josh: What is she talking about?
Dolores: Come, let’s go have a talk. There’s something I need to tell you both.
Lily: Why don’t you go into this room. You can have some privacy while we finish up this other thing.
Dolores: Thank you, Detective.
(Dolores and her three sons walk into the room. Lily stops Josh.)
Lily: Josh. Got to ask you.
Josh: What?
Lily: Did you really think seeing the body was totally rad?
Josh: Truth. No. Scariest thing I ever saw. I just wanted to show up my little brother.
Lily: Thought so.

[r2k]

(Lily and Scotty return to Ashley)
Lily: Well, Ashley. Anything you want to tell us.
Ashley: Not right now. Can I leave?
Lily: Not yet. We can still hold you little longer and the show is about to take a turn.
(Vera comes into the room and whispers something into Lily’s ear.)
Lily: Thank you. Well, the man of your dreams is here. Want to talk to him.
Ashley: Not really.
Lily: I’ll talk to him for you. Vera, stay here please. Help Scotty.
Vera: My pleasure.

(In the other interrogation room.)
Lily: Good news, we now suspect Ashley.
John: I told you I didn’t do it.
Lily: I know. Don’t take it personal. We all have a job to do. Thing is, we don’t have a confession from her yet.
John: Oh.
Lily: And another thing. You need to be honest with us now. It is the only way out. We can grant you immunity for the cover-up.
John: What cover-up?
Lily: Here’s what I think happened. You came home and found Susan dead. You knew it was Ashley because she had gone all crazy on you. Makes sense and is understandable. Kyle saw you load her into the truck.
(John pauses.)
John: Her body was gone. The mattress was bloodstained. The top part. We sealed it off in case Susan’s water broke. That’s how I got rid of the mess without leaving a mess for the police to find.
Lily: Why didn’t you say anything?
John: I was afraid everyone would think I did it. No real alibi. No body. I was afraid people would learn of the affair. The deck was not stacked in my favor.
Lily: Okay. Where did you take the cover and bedspread?
John: I took it hunting. I burned it there. Dumped the remains in a nearby pond.

(In the observation room, the team talks.)
Lily: John admits he knew Susan was killed but had no idea who did it. Was scared of being blamed. Thing is, he won’t implicate Ashley.
Vera: Ashley isn’t saying a thing, either.
Lily: I have an idea. Let’s confront Ashley again with the phone calls.

(Lily enters the room Ashley is sitting in.)
Lily: Let’s talk about those phone calls you made to the Letterman household again.
Ashley: What about them?
Lily: You made quite a few of them. But one call stands out. It lasted two minutes.
Ashley: So. It was Susan. I pretended to be a telemarketer.
Lily: You’re going to have to do better than that.
(Scotty walks in.)
Scotty: Telemarketer. That is so original.
Ashley: It’s true.
Lily: You know, the more I look at these phone records, the more calls I notice are long enough to have been conversations. What were these conversations about. Did you earn Susan’s confidence and then kill her?
Ashley: I didn’t do anything.
Scotty: Oh really. Maybe you and Susan befriended each other. Susan didn’t know who you really were.
Lily: John dumping you had to hurt. Maybe that was him you were talking to. Not Susan. All that calling and nothing. One day, he was out of your life forever.
Scotty: That’s got to hurt.
Lily: How do you feel about John? You wanted him all to yourself and you almost did.
Scotty: But he couldn’t go through with it, could he. Dumped you like yesterday’s trash.
Lily: So if you couldn’t have him, neither could she. Or maybe you figured if you killed her, he would come back to you.
Scotty: That plan sort of backfired didn’t it.
Ashley: (Getting angry.) That wasn’t the plan!!!! We had a deal!!! And he didn’t live up to his part!!!
Lily: And what was that part?
(Lily and Scotty look at each other. Ashley reaches into her purse. Lily orders her to stop. Scotty runs to her and grabs the purse. A mini-tape recorder falls out. Ashley has pushed the button. A conversation begins to play.)
Ashley: So you have chosen me.
John: Yes, my love. It is you. I’m not ready for fatherhood. Marriage isn’t going anywhere either. I’m tired of it.
Ashley: I never will be. Of you. And forget being parents. Who needs kids?
John: Good. You’re the one for me.
Ashley: Well, let’s get it on.
John: We need to get rid of her. I mean really get rid of her.
Ashley: Ooh. I like the sound of that. What do you have in mind?
John: Well, I can’t be the one to do it. Nobody knows about you. How about this? I have a party to go to next week. Should be a few hours. I overhead my punk neighbor kid next door talk about a party. Perfect time to pull it off. Sneak in, kill her, take the body out. Nobody will hear a thing.
Ashley: Are you kidding? Me take the body out.
John: Okay, okay. I’ll have some plastic under the bed for you to push her onto. Wrap her up and drag her into the garage. I’ll take care of the rest.
Ashley: You owe me big sweetie. You know what, don’t worry. I’ll load the body into the car myself. I’ll park it outside. You said there would be a party next door, right.
John: Perfect. We’ll go over the specifics later. Think about it. When this is done, we’ll be together forever. I’ll meet you this week on my next trip out.
Ashley: But you don’t have a business meeting in the city planned for this week.
John: I have a very important business trip to make. And Susan will not live long enough to find out the truth about it.

[r2k]

(In the other room. John is waiting. He is unaware of the tape. Lily comes in with the tape recorder. Scotty is with her.)
Lily: Hey Johnny boy. Guess what. You’ll be happy to know that Amber is ready to confess to the murder.
John: (Buries his head as to relax) That’s great. I can’t believe it was her. And you think you know someone. I hope she’s goes down for this.
Lily: I bet you do. But you know what? She’s taking you down with her.
John: What do you mean?
(Lily clicks on the tape player and plays back the conversation. She clicks it off.)
Lily: Want to hear the rest?
John: No.
Scotty: You played her. You played them both.
(John buries his head down further.)
Lily: You grew tired of Susan and didn’t want to be a father. Was it Kyle and his wild times? Seeing him and his buddies must have reminded you over and over again what you missed out on being with Susan and only Susan. (Gets mad when she notices he isn’t paying attention.) Look at us when we’re talking. You’re about to go down for accomplice to murder.
Scotty: Ashley comes into the picture and you’re alive again. Thing is you told Ashley you were married earlier.
Lily: Obviously. Seeing she’s the one who killed Susan I find it hard to believe she found out after. You needed an alibi and nobody knew about Ashley.
Scotty: Elizabeth did know there was a mistress.
Lily: She heard from Susan that it wasn’t true. But she supplied the final clue that led to you and Ashley.
Scotty: You see Ashley was alluring to you because she looked gorgeous like a model but still sounded like your wife.
Lily: They both have the same voice.
John: It was so hard getting up to go to work every day and see that kid having so much fun. I never had that chance. My parents always told me hard work pays off. Life is not meant to be fun. Need to be responsible. Never let me have any free time. I did it. I did what they told me to do. But Kyle was having so much fun and I missed out on that.
Lily: Then why not divorce Susan. Divorce was always an option. Murder was not.
John: I was with Ashley and I was a teenager again. It was like my last shot at being a bachelor again before getting older.
Lily: What happened?
John: (Crying.) Seeing Susan and the baby dead when the search party found her. I realized what I had. I realized how much I loved Susan. I wanted her dead, but I also wanted her alive.
Lily: But it was too late. She was already gone.
Scotty: So you and Ashley misread each other as well. She was the naïve mistress who thought she was being played. But at the same time, you thought she was seducing you.
Lily: The confusion led to murder. And you were the one with remorse.
John: Yes.
Scotty: But Ashley still wanted you. Of course, she couldn’t get her revenge on you because technically, she committed the murder. You knew about it but covered it up. You were also the accomplice.
Lily: You burned her by dumping her. So she disappeared. But she’s here now and everything is out in the open. So many people gave you the benefit of the doubt. Turns out they were wrong about you. So was Susan.
John: No. I still love her. I still miss her.
Lily: Do you think she misses you? And what about Connie? The world will never know her because of you.
John: I always hope she misses me. And that she will forgive me. (Starts to cry again.)

(In the other room, Ashley is talking to Vera and Jeffries.)
Ashley: I followed Susan around and discovered Dolores. I figured she was a perfect frame. I was convinced she would be linked to Susan.
Vera: But that never happened.
Ashley: Didn’t matter. John was ruled out as suspect and nobody ever knew I was the mistress. Nobody knew I even existed.
Jeffries: What I want to know is, why now?
Ashley: (Crying) I felt that he betrayed me, used me, and tossed me aside like an old toy. I wasn’t old. I couldn’t do anything before because he would tell the world. I waited until now. I figured the evidence against me was gone. The worst thing about it was, I didn’t know she was pregnant until I killed her. I didn’t notice it from outside when I was looking in. (Starts to cry some more.) Killing her wasn’t as difficult. Realizing I killed an innocent baby. Now that was hard.
Vera: Tell us what happened that night.

FLASHBACK TO 1987
Ashley is hiding in the backyard looking into the house. Susan is in the kitchen. Ashley notices the back door is unlocked. Susan goes upstairs to get ready for bed. Ashley sneaks in as Susan brushes her teeth. Ashley manages to get into the bedroom unnoticed. She spots the plastic under the bed. Susan gets into bed when Ashley jumps out the closet with a baseball bat.
Susan: What! Who are you?
(Slam. Ashley slams the bat into Susan’s stomach. Susan is unable to scream because of the pain.
Ashley: You know me. I’m the woman your husband loves instead of you.
Susan: Help me. (She is in so much pain, she can barely talk.)
Ashley: Sorry honey. Thing is, I love your husband and nothing is going to keep me away from him. Oh, and one more thing. He knows all about this. And he sends his love. (Ashley begins to laugh as she continues to pound on Susan’s chest. Susan bleeds internally and a little externally. She tries to scream but can’t. The party next door is loud and no one can hear anything. She dies. Ashley stops, pulls the plastic out from under the bed and wraps Susan up in it. She then calls Dolores and tells her she has gone into labor and to come take her to the hospital. She drags it outside to the car where miraculously, no one sees her. She loads up the trunk and then drives away. She places the body in a storage space. Then, it flashes to the search party covering the area. It then shows her going to storage area, taking the body out. She then is shown placing it where it was eventually found.
“With or Without You” by U2 plays in the background as both are arrested. Their images flash back and forth.
Dolores and her two boys hug each other as their images flash back and forth.
As John and Ashley are taken away, Elizabeth is there. Her image flashes back.
Lucy and Jack are in the living room as Lily tells them what really happened. Their images flash back and forth.
Joey delivers a pizza on the same street to Kyle’s house. Kyle answers the door. Both images flashback to 1987 and then return again.
Lily returns to the pizza place like she promised and is with the team. As they go in, she turns around and sees Susan holding Connie. She smiles as Connie giggles and moves her little hands. Lily turns around and goes inside.

NEXT EPISODE: Goodbye Cruel World

The fatal stabbing of a beatnik in a coffee house in 1956 is reopened when the victim’s younger sister comes forward, wanting his murder solved. The victim, Jeff Billings, was stabbed in the backroom of a coffee house. All his sister has are the poems he wrote. One poem suggests a close friend may betray him.

Note: Since I have to return to work this week, the frequency of these stories will slow down a bit. Seeing that new real episodes are on the way, I don’t think you’ll mind.

[Tati]

I was so happy when I saw there was another fic from you. Great story. I loved the twist in the end.
I loved the Kite part too. I hope you'll put him on your next fics too.

[TVFan]

I didn’t mean to mislead you all the way CBS does to us.

This still has me laughing! foujylos.notlong.com [/IMG]

Anyway, I really liked this one. I think it's your best so far (and that's saying a lot). You always manage to keep me guessing up until the confession. I'm looking forward to your next one.

[Trublu]

That was a great fic R2K, your stuff is always good!!

The beginning sounded a little familiar... *Coughcough Laci Peterson Case coughcough* Was that on purpose?

[r2k]

To Trublu: Actually, two cases were worked into this one. Of course, the Laci Peterson murder was the inspiration. There were so many hints. The name "Letterman" sounds similar. Ashley/Amber. I couldn't use Scott because of Scotty. That would be wrong. I also worked in the recent case of the woman killing the pregnant mother and stealing the baby. Originally, I intended for her to be the killer in a big surprise ending. But in the end, I worked in Ashley as the actual killer.
To Tati: I will bring Kite back again soon. I responded to your comments on the last story on that thread. You might want to check it out there.
To TV Fan: I will be pulling another CBS and change the episode description again. I began to notice every case is reopened because a woman came forward. I'm going to have to create more original beginnings. I'm not being sexist. I just want to avoid being repetitive. Usually, I'm pretty good at telling stories. I can write them within an hour.
I'll try to get the next one done. Since I'm back at work, it is going to be harder. And since I'm on the subject, does anyone know where I can find a list of songs from that time. I used to have a book on hits when I was much younger, but have since discarded it.

[TVFan]

R2K - I found this list[/u][/url]. It doesn't have a lot of songs listed, but I figured it would be a start. It also allows you to listen to the tracks.