EPISODE 41
SCENE 1
INT. AN UNIDENTIFIED ROOM - DAY (A FEW DAYS AFTER EPISODE 40)
Two men are talking on the phone. Neither one of the men's faces is shown throughout the conversation.
MAN #1: Is everything set in place?
CUT TO: MAN #2 ON THE OTHER LINE
MAN #2: Yes, sir. Everything is exactly as you had asked.
MAN #1: Good, good. I trust you kept everything as quiet as possible?
MAN #2: I made sure of that. No one should ever suspect a thing.
MAN #1: I certainly hope so. We'll be in Paris shortly. I'll be in touch as soon as we arrive.
MAN #2: All right, sir. I'll await your word.
He hangs up. MAN #1 leans back against his chair. Only the back of his head is shown. A WOMAN enters the room and comes up behind him. Only her back is shown.
WOMAN: Well?
MAN #1: You're just in time. I've been informed that everything has been set in motion.
WOMAN: (leans over his shoulder) Just like clockwork.
MAN #1: (laughs, turns around to kiss her) Just like clockwork. (beat) And no one will never see it coming...
OUT on their laughter.
SCENE 2
INT. JACK AND JENNIFER'S BEDROOM - SAME
JACK and JENNIFER are packing for their trip to Paris. ABBY is with them in their room, helping them pack.
ABBY: (holding up JACK'S tuxedo tie) Does everyone have to get dressed up for Princess Greta's coronation?
JENNIFER: Yup. It's a really fancy ball, so they want us all to look very special.
ABBY: Is it like the ball that Cinderella went to?
JENNIFER: (laughs) I guess it is a little bit like that.
JACK: Except Cinderella's ball did not have two award-winning journalists in attendance. (to ABBY) Right, Miss Happily-ever-after?
ABBY giggles.
JENNIFER: Well, that's true. Although all the women do get to wear fancy gowns and jewelry, and all the men get to wear tuxedos.
ABBY: Like the one Daddy wore for your wedding?
JENNIFER: Yeah, baby, just like that.
ABBY: Daddy, you looked really handsome in your tuxedo.
JACK: Well, thank you, Miss Best-dressed-list. (kisses the top of her head) And Mommy looked pretty amazing on that day too, didn't she?
JENNIFER smiles at the two of them.
ABBY: Oh, yes! Mommy, you looked so pretty!
JENNIFER: Thank you, baby...
JACK and JENNIFER go back to packing. ABBY sees JENNIFER'S rather revealing negligee and holds it up.
ABBY: What's this, Mommy?
JENNIFER: (not looking) What's what, honey?
ABBY: This.
JENNIFER turns her head and sees what ABBY is holding.
OUT on JACK and JENNIFER as they look at each other in horror.
SCENE 3
IN PROGRESS
ABBY has found JENNIFER'S negligee and is wondering what it is.
ABBY: What is it, Mommy?
JENNIFER: It's, um... It's-
ABBY: Is it like underwear?
JENNIFER: (trying to pretend that nothing is wrong) Uh, well... yeah, sort of... (takes it from ABBY)
ABBY: It looks kind of uncomfortable.
JACK is trying not to laugh. JENNIFER glares at him for leaving it all to her to explain this to ABBY.
JENNIFER: (smiles at ABBY) It's not... it's, um... (looks at JACK, who is thoroughly amused by all of this) You know what, sweetie, Daddy and I are just about done here, so why don't you go downstairs and wait for Grandma Jo to get here?
ABBY: Okay, Mommy.
She leaves. JENNIFER swats JACK on the arm.
JACK: (laughing) What?
JENNIFER: Thanks for jumping in there.
JACK: You were doing so well, I didn't want to break your stride.
JENNIFER: Your thoughtfulness never ceases to amaze me, Jack Deveraux.
JACK: Just be glad she didn't find the miracle diaphragm-
JENNIFER: (pokes her finger at his chest) All right, now you are really skating on thin ice-
JACK interrupts her with a kiss.
JENNIFER: Oh, I see, you think I'll let you off the hook that easily, do you?
JACK: (grinning) Basically, yes. If I've learned anything, it's that there's only one surefire way to get you to stop talking, and that's to kiss you.
JENNIFER: (smirks) Cute.
She goes back to packing.
JENNIFER: Could you hand me my hairdryer, Jack?
JACK: (giving her the hairdryer) Uh, Jennifer... You do realize we will only be in Paris for one week.
JENNIFER: Mmm hmm.
JACK: That's one week, not six.
JENNIFER: What are you trying to tell me, that I'm packing too much?
JACK: (looks at all the suitcases) Well, considering my things are in this one carry-on bag, and you've got, oh, let's see here... three suitcases... Yes, I am telling you that you're packing too much.
JENNIFER: Jack, this is how much I packed for the cruise.
JACK: (dryly) My point exactly.
JENNIFER: I just want to be prepared for anything and everything.
JACK: I see. Just in case we encounter any life-threatening emergencies which would require several changes of clothing?
JENNIFER: Well, knowing our luck...
JACK: Look, Jennifer, I admire your preparedness, but there is nothing to-
The phone rings. JENNIFER answers it.
JENNIFER: Deveraux residence.
CUT TO: VERN ON THE OTHER LINE
VERN: Jenny-girl, it's me, Vern.
JENNIFER: Hi, Vern, what's up?
VERN: Listen, I know you and Jack are getting ready to leave for Paris later today, but I have to talk to you both. It's urgent.
JENNIFER: (worried) What's going on?
VERN: I can't explain over the phone. But it's really important that I see you two over at The Spectator right away. (beat) Jenny-girl, I wouldn't be running the risk ruining your plans like this if I didn't think this was a good reason.
OUT on JENNIFER giving JACK a worried look.
SCENE 4
INT. JACK'S OFFICE AT THE SPECTATOR - LATER
VERN has asked JACK and JENNIFER to come meet him at THE SPECTATOR.
JACK: (seeing VERN) All right, you've got some explaining to do. First of all, you are still supposed to be 'recuperating'--work should be the farthest thing from your mind!
VERN: Not now, Jack. This isn't the time for a lecture-
JACK: Like hell it's not. You are under strict orders from the doctor to take it easy and I am not going to be the cause of another heart attack, do you hear me?
VERN: There isn't time for this-
JENNIFER: Okay, okay... (whistles to get their attention) To your corners, you two. (beat) Jack, let's just let Vern tell us what this is all about.
VERN: Thank you, Jenny-girl. (glares at JACK) As I was saying... I would never have tried to put a damper on your plans if I didn't think you should know about this right away.
JENNIFER: Vern, this sounds serious... You had me pretty worried on the phone earlier.
VERN: I think it is serious.
JACK: (realizing how important this may be) All right, let's hear it. What's this all about?
VERN: Well, I guess I should start from the beginning. You see, I've been checking my voicemail here at work pretty regularly. I didn't want to be too out of the loop when I come back next month. A few hours ago, I checked my voicemail, and... well, I think you two should listen to it yourselves.
JACK and JENNIFER look at each other as VERN goes behind the desk and turns accesses his voicemail. He turns the speakerphone on so JACK and JENNIFER can hear.
MALE VOICE (V.O.): This is a message for Vern Scofield... I can't tell you who I am, or how I know this, but... something's about to go down at Princess von Amburg's coronation this week...
Immediately, JACK and JENNIFER exchange a look of shock and concern.
MALE VOICE (V.O.): I can't say much or they'll find out I told you, but... Kate Kiriakis is up to something. She's hired a hit man to kill her old man... says she's angry about how he's betrayed her and how he's about to divorce her and leave her penniless and take full custody of their little boy... I can't tell you any more than this... I've already told you enough-
The voice ends abruptly, replaced by static. VERN turns off the speaker phone and straightens to get a look at JACK and JENNIFER'S reaction.
OUT on JACK and JENNIFER, who are speechless.
SCENE 5
IN PROGRESS
JACK and JENNIFER have just heard the mysterious voicemail left for VERN, revealing a plot to have VICTOR killed.
VERN: (after a few more moments of tense silence) Well?
JACK looks at him.
VERN: One of you please say something. You're giving me the creeps.
JACK: (carefully) I'm not sure what to say, Vern.
VERN: Now you know how I was a few hours ago when I heard it.
JENNIFER: Are you sure we can trust this? I mean, this is pretty explosive information...
JACK: Downright fatal.
VERN: So, do you think we should go to the police with this? To Victor?
JACK: No! Definitely not to Victor.
VERN: Oh, Jack, come on... I know there's no love lost between you and Victor, but do you really want to see him dead?
JACK: What are you talking about, Vern? I don't want to see Victor dead! I mean yes, granted, we have never been, nor will we ever be the best of friends, but I am not so heartless as to want to see the man die as a result of a cold-blooded plot.
VERN: Then why did you say-
JACK: I just meant we shouldn't go to Victor with the information.
JENNIFER: Why not? He has the right to know if there's any chance of it being true...
JACK: And what if it's not? What if it's some sort of hoax, and we go to him with this? What if we get accused of making threats to the man?
JENNIFER: I don't know, Jack... God forbid anything should happen and we knew something, but didn't tell him--I'd never be able to forgive myself if that happened...
JACK sighs and begins to pace.
JENNIFER: I just... I just can't wrap my mind around it. I mean, the caller said that Kate hired someone to kill him--Kate! I know she's ruthless, but... I just can't believe she could be capable of murder...
JACK: (quietly) People can surprise you with what they're capable of. (beat) She was really angry the day I saw her at Titan a few weeks ago, after Victor and I had closed our deal. I would even go so far as to say she was incensed. I could still hear their screaming match when I got into the elevator.
JENNIFER: I can believe that she was that mad, but to plot to kill your husband...
VERN: I tell you one thing--I am glad I never got on her bad side.
JENNIFER gives him a weak smile.
JENNIFER: What are we going to do, Jack?
JACK: I tell you what we're going to do. We're going to tell the one person who's not only going to want to know this information, but is going to be able to do something about it.
OUT on JACK.
SCENE 6
INT. JACK'S OFFICE AT THE SPECTATOR - LATER
JACK and JENNIFER are playing the cryptic voicemail over the speakerphone again.
MALE VOICE (V.O): ... I can't tell you any more than this... I've already told you enough-
BO: (straightens, looks at VERN) You're sure there's no more to this message?
VERN: No, there's nothing after that. I've checked a dozen times.
BO: And this person has never called you before?
VERN: Never. I don't even know why he picked me to call, except that I'd been doing the series on Greta's coronation, so I guess he assumed I'd be the one going to Paris to cover the actual event.
HOPE: (watching BO) What are you thinking, Brady?
BO: (grimly) I'm thinking Victor needs to know about this.
JACK: All right, it's settled then--we'll go to Victor's right now and tell him-
BO: Wait a minute, what are you talking about, we?
JACK: What do you mean, what am I talking about? We brought this to your attention, so naturally we are going to Victor's-
BO: Correction, Hope and I are going to Victor's to tell him.
JACK: But it's our voicemail- (sees VERN, clears his throat) I mean, Vern's voicemail... But Vern's on medical leave, and Jennifer and I are in his stead, therefore-
BO: Therefore, we'll leave the reporting business to you and Jennifer, and you'll leave the police business to me and Hope. Got that?
JENNIFER looks at HOPE, who just shrugs her shoulders.
HOPE: Sorry, Jen. I'm with Bo on this one. Why don't you guys finish the rest of your packing so we can meet you at the airport tonight?
JACK: But-
BO: (firmly) We'll take care of it. Trust us.
JENNIFER: (to HOPE) Will you at least let us know what happens?
HOPE: Yes, of course, we will... (hugs JENNIFER) We'll see you two later.
JENNIFER: Okay...
JACK: (to BO) I'll expect an exclusive when all the dust is settled.
BO: (cracks a smile) Whatever it takes to get you two snoops out of the way, I promise.
OUT on JACK and JENNIFER exchanging a conspiratorial smile.
SCENE 7
INT. JACK AND JENNIFER'S CAR - LATER
JACK and JENNIFER are driving home.
JENNIFER: What do you think's going to happen?
JACK: I haven't the slightest. (looks over at her) But I tell you one thing, Bo's not going to let anything happen to Victor.
JENNIFER: No, you're right, he wouldn't. I mean, I know they've never had the best of relationships, but they've come a long way over the years. Bo would do whatever he could to protect his father.
JACK: If this is true... Kate's going to be sorry she ever chose to cross Victor...
JENNIFER: Well, it looks like we're going to have a big story brewing after all. (looks over at him and smiles) And you thought it was just going to be a boring coronation.
JACK: No, I am thoroughly convinced now that this will be anything but a boring coronation...
SCENE 8
INT. AN UNIDENTIFIED ROOM - EVENING
The two men who were on the phone earlier are having another phone conversation.
MAN #1: We'll be leaving for Paris tonight. Are your men ready?
CUT TO: MAN #2 ON THE OTHER LINE
MAN #2: Everything is according to your plans, sir. It should all go off without a hitch.
MAN #1: (laughs) Then this will be a coronation to remember. (beat) Let the games begin.
OUT on the mystery man.
END EPISODE 41
