THE EDGE OF NIGHT
Airdate: Monday, May 23, 1983
Transcript By: Bryan Moore
ACT ONE
Karr Living Room
Derek
I must be getting soft in the head, agreeing to this charade!
Mike
But you did agree, Derek. So you must have thought there was some merit to the idea. But how did Sky Whitney get involved in the first place?
Derek
Because Nora Fulton worked in his household for months before he fired her.
Nancy
Is that the connection?
Derek
No, the connection is Cliff Nelson. You know how he?s always grabbing at straws? Well, he found out that Nora Fulton had tried to blackmail Whitney.
Mike
For what reason? Oh, wait a minute! Those foreign bribes, she must have found out about them.
Derek
Exactly. Well, like I said, Nelson?s always grabbing at straws. Tonight he accused Schuyler Whitney of having murdered Nora Fulton. Now, Whitney was not intimidated, of course. But he came up with this idea.
Mike
To re-enact the crime. But why?
Derek
Don?t ask me why, and don?t ask me why I said yes, either.
Mike
I know why, Derek. Because you?re as anxious as we are to find some way to
help Nicole, to prove that she didn?t kill Nora Fulton.
Nancy
Yeah, Derek... we were over at the Cavanaugh?s tonight and, umm, frankly, I think Nicole is lying.
Shot of Derek?s reaction.
CUT TO:
OPENING TITLE
ACT TWO
The Rock Garden. Cliff, Nicole, and Miles are sitting at a table.
Cliff
Mitzi?
Mitzi
Yeah. (she quickly moves to their table)
Cliff
We?re, uh, ready for our check.
Mitzi
OK. Hey, I?m getting off pretty soon. You gonna pick me up?
Cliff
That?s right! I?m sorry. Look, I got something to do.
Mitzi
Well, isn?t it something I can do with you?
Cliff
No, Mitzi, it?s client business.
Mitzi
Oh, OK. I hope the client isn?t a blonde.
Nicole
I?m not.
Mitzi
Ah. You guys always have meetings at night?
Miles
Well, this is something rather special, Mitzi.
Mitzi
Does it mean it?s a secret?
Cliff
I?ll tell you all about, OK? Tomorrow!
Mitzi
OK, I get the hint. (Mitzi moves away)
Cliff
You two know what to do. We went over it.
Nicole
Yes yes, but I still don?t know why, what you hope to accomplish by putting everybody through all this. It was bad enough to live through it once.
Miles
He obviously thinks he?s going to be able to prove something by recreating the crime. But, wouldn?t it help if we knew what you were aiming at, Cliff?
Cliff
No, not according to Sky Whitney.
Nicole
That?s the strangest part of all, how he and Raven of all people got themselves
involved!
Cliff
Well, you know Nora Fulton. She got herself involved in everybody?s life.
Miles
You think we?re going to be able to understand what happened that night at the studio just by playing our roles... Come on, Cliff! There?s something you?re not telling us.
Cliff
Well, there?s something Sky Whitney?s not telling me, but if the chief of police and the district attorney are gonna go along with it, who am I to argue?
Nicole
Well, I guess we?ve nothing to lose, have we?
Cliff
Except that indictment, if we get the real murderer. Let?s go.
[Cliff and the Cavanaughs get up and leave. Mitzi goes to Cliff as he?s ascending the steps.]
Cliff
Mitz, I?m sorry, I?ve got to go now, OK?
Mitzi
But your change-
Cliff
Keep it, all right? Keep it. (to the Cavanaughs) Come on. (Cliff, Miles, and Nicole exit)
[Mitzi grumbles and walks over to where Calvin and Didi are sitting.]
Mitzi
Hi, guys. You ready for seconds?
Didi
Are you kidding? One piece of chocolate cake makes me feel guilty for three days!
Calvin
Yeah, and I think I?ll just finish up this soda, Mitzi. Thanks.
Mitzi
So, what are you guys doing later? Did I hear you say something about taking in a late movie?
Calvin
(amused)No, we didn?t say that.
Mitzi
Well, you?re on late duty, right? I mean, you don?t have to be in until tomorrow afternoon
Didi
We weren?t planning on going to a movie, Mitzi.
Mitzi
Well, there?s a great movie at the Palace!
Calvin
Well, we really can?t tonight, Mitz. You see, uh, Didi and I have something that we have to do.
Mitzi
Well, we can do something else: roller-skating, bowling, going to the Disco. I mean, hey, I can boogie, bowl and?why not?!
Didi
It?s none of those things, Mitzi. It has more to do with business than anything else.
Mitzi
(disappointed): Don?t tell me: you have a meeting with a client.
Didi
Something like that.
Mitzi
And you have to go along for police protection.
Calvin
Uh, kind of, yeah.
Mitzi
What is going on around here? I mean, everybody?s got something to do and nobody wants to do it with me. You know, I?m beginning to think it?s a conspiracy.
Didi
Well, actually it is. But believe me, you are not the target.
Mitzi
Well, who is?
Calvin
Well, that?s something we haven?t been informed of.
[Gavin Wylie comes up to the table.]
Mitzi
Oh, hi, Gavin. How are ya?
Gavin
(bemused) I?m OK, Mitzi.
Mitzi
Well, you know, I heard about your friend Camilla, and I?m really sorry.
Gavin
Well, thanks, Mitzi. It was a real shock to me. She was a really fine lady.
Mitzi
I guess you?re feeling really depressed, huh? You know, maybe you oughta go to a movie or something. You know, maybe take your mind off it, cheer yourself up.
Gavin
No, I don?t think I?ll do that.
Mitzi
Well, if you don?t want to go by yourself, I?ll go with you. I mean, Cliff won?t mind, he?s busy tonight.
Gavin
Well, thanks, but I really can?t, honest. As a matter of fact, I already have a date. Calvin, Didi and I are going?.someplace.
Mitzi
I knew it. It is a conspiracy! No, wait a minute. It?s a party! It?s a party! That?s it. You guys were all invited to a party and I wasn?t invited and you guys don?t want to hurt my feelings!
Didi
Mitzi, just stop it, OK? You?re getting paranoid.
Calvin
Mitzi, it is not a party. It is all about business! As a matter of fact, nobody?s really planning on having any fun.
Gavin
I?m really sorry, Mitzi, honestly. But it?s something we just can?t talk about.
Mitzi
Well, a fine bunch of friends you guys turned out to be. Well, I guess I?ll just go to the kitchen and talk to the chef. At least he HAS to talk to me. (Mitzi walks away in a huff, Gavin sits down)
Gavin
I wouldn?t want to tell anybody about it. They?d probably think we?re all out of our minds.
Calvin
Yeah, well, we?re in good company, anyway. All the top cops in town are going to take part in this little TV show we?re putting on tonight.
Gavin
I don?t like it. I?m sorry, but just the thought of going through all that again. Do you know if Jody is going to take part in this at all?
Didi
No, she?s not. So that?s one thing you don?t have to worry about.
Gavin
That?s a break, anyway. It was bad enough being a witness against her sister once. If she saw me doing it a second time-
Calvin
Yeah, but this time it?s supposed to be different. Remember, that?s the reason for going through this whole exercise.
Gavin
What?s the difference?
Calvin
The difference being that Sky Whitney thinks that he can prove that
what you saw that night at the studio you really didn?t see.
Gavin
Do you really mean that, Calvin?
Calvin
Well, that?s how the Chief laid it on me. I mean, he?s got this theory that whatever anybody saw at WMON the night of the murder was just an illusion.
Didi
Except that he didn?t give us any of the details, either. So we?re just as much in the dark as you are.
Calvin
Well, look, why don?t we get on over there and see if we can shed some light on the subject?
Didi
You know what? Why don?t you two go on and go ahead. I?m going to stay here and try to calm Mitzi down.
Gavin
What?s wrong with Mitzi?
Calvin
Oh, she?s miffed because nobody wants to play with her tonight.
Didi
Well, listen. Hurry up, you two. You don?t want to miss any of the fun.
Calvin
OK, you sure?
Didi
Yeah... but I want a full report from you in the morning!
Calvin
I?ll call you later. (He and Didi quickly kiss)
Gavin
I?ll make sure he reports.
Didi
(chuckling): OK
[Gavin and Calvin leave. Mitzi mopingly walks back to the table]
Mitzi
So, how come you didn?t go with those guys?
Didi
I just decided that I would take in that movie at the Palace after all. Is that OK with you?
Mitzi
What I?d really like to know is what is going on! Here? Didi, come on, tell me!
Didi
OK, but you have to promise not to say a word.
Mitzi
Didi, I promise, come on!
Didi
Well, they went down to the WMON studios to re-enact the murder of Nora Fulton.
Mitzi
(flabbergasted) Why?!
Didi
You know, that?s what I?d like to know. Why ?
COMMERCIAL BREAK
ACT THREE
Scene A
Inside the WMON studio. Cliff, Mike, and Nanci stand in waiting for Sky Whitney.
Mike
(checking his watch) What time do you have?
Nancy
Same as you. Shouldn?t they be here by now?
Mike
Well, it looks like everything?s ready. Here comes Sky.
[Sky Whitney enters the studio.]
Sky
Oh, good. There you are.
Nancy
Sky, should we really be here? Because we weren?t here that evening.
Sky
Well, I think this calls for very good witnesses. And I can think of no better witness than the district attorney.
Mike
Nancy?s a trained observer, too. She?s a reporter, after all.
Sky
Well, hopefully, Nancy, we?ll be able to give you some interesting news for tomorrow?s paper.
Nancy
If it will absolve Nicole, I?ll be more than happy to write it.
Cliff
Sky, just exactly how are you going to be able to direct this little scheme of yours?
Nancy
Oh, what about Raven, where is she right now?
Sky
She?s outside. Now, she?s going to be playing Nora, remember. Why don?t we go on out and watch the first scene?
[The foursome walks out of the studio.]
Scene B
Outside WMON building.
Sky, Cliff, Mike, and Nancy walk outside to join Gavin, Calvin, Miles, Nicole, Raven Alexander, and Gunther Wagner, along with a uniformed police officer.
Sky
Okay, Gunther, let?s do it.
Raven
Okay, Gunther, let?s go.
Gunther
Okay, uh, Nora. Well, it was like this, see. The policeman was standing about where that guy is now, and Nora and I came up the street, and Nora went on into the studio, and the cop saw me go off this way. (he walks forward a few steps)
Sky
Good, Gunther, thank you. All right, Raven, now you just wait out here and follow us once we get in.
Sky, Mike, Nancy, and Cliff walk back inside. Raven stands for a moment in loving admiration of Sky, then enters the building.
Scene C
Inside WMON studio.
[Cliff, Mike, and Nancy walk forward as Sky waits for Raven, who soon enters.]
Sky
Okay, now remember, you?re Nora Fulton. Now, we don?t know exactly what she did when she got here. But we do know that she had an appointment with Nicole.
Raven
She probably went to Nicole?s office. You want me to do that?
Sky
No, we?ll assume you did that already. Now, the purpose of your visit here is to make the tape. So you want to see about that. There is the camera that you?re going to be using, right there. (Raven moves casually to the front of the camera) Along about now, in comes Miles. Excuse me. (Sky goes outside to retrieve Miles, and both come back inside)
Miles
What am I supposed to do here?
Sky
I want you to do just about as close as possible to what happened that night when you were at the studio.
Miles
Okay, now listen, I was pretty soused that night, so you?re going to have to accept a reasonable facsimile.
Sky
Do your best.
Miles
All right, I walked into the studio, and I remember calling out for my wife, because I thought she was here. So I went, ?Nicole!? And I walked a little further in, and I thought I saw her standing over there so I called again, ?Nicole!?
Sky
What happened then?
Miles
Then I realized I wasn?t looking at Nicole. It was Nora Fulton who was standing there. And all I could think of was, how much I hated her.
Cut to facial reactions from Mike, Cliff, and Nancy.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
ACT FOUR
Scene A
Inside WMON studio
Sky
All right, Doctor, imagine yourself back in the studio that night. Now, you expect to find your wife, but you don?t. Instead you find Nora.
Miles
Well, I remember very well, drunk or not, asking her what the hell she was doing there.
DISSOLVE TO FLASHBACK of Miles and Nora Fulton in the studio in early January. Nora taunts a drunken Miles, who lunges at Nora and passes out, while Nora cackles insanely.
FADE TO present scene.
Miles
That?s when I fell and knocked myself unconscious.
Sky
All right. Now, the next thing that happens, Mike check me on this, Nora made the tape.
Mike
That?s what we assume.
Sky
All right, you?re Nora. The camera is on. You get in front of the camera to make your statement to Nicole. While you?re making it, someone sneaks up behind you and strangles you. (pretends to strangle Raven)
Nancy
But Sky, who did it if Miles is lying unconscious on the floor?
Sky
In a moment. At this point, Nicole arrives. Mike, would you please get Nicole? She?s right outside.
Mike
Of course. (he goes outside to get Nicole and the two come back inside)
Nicole
Sky?
Sky
Nicole, now you were just down at the Cornerstone Bar. You were looking for Miles, but you didn?t find him. So you came here to the studio to keep your appointment with Nora.
Nicole
Mmm-hmm
Sky
Now what happened?
Nicole
Well, as I opened the door to the studio, I heard Nora cry out.
Sky
So you came into the studio. Now what REALLY happened then?
Nicole
As I walked in I saw Miles lying there on the studio floor. And then, I saw Nora lying over there near the camera.
Miles
Well, thank God, the truth at last!
Mike
Nicole, you really believed that Miles had killed her, didn?t you?
Nicole
Yes, I did, what else could I think?
Mike
What did you do next?
Nicole
I ran over to Miles to try and help him up. I tried to tell him everything was all right. I don?t think he could understand what I was saying. But somehow I managed to get him up, and we walked outside and I got him into the car in the parking lot.
Mike
But then you came back in here, didn?t you?
Nicole
Yes, because I suddenly realized I wasn?t sure if Nora was still alive, if there was something I could do for her. So I ran back in and, found that there was no helping her, that she was dead.
Sky
Now, at the same time someone else is arriving at the studio. Mike, Nancy, Nicole, let?s go. The rest, stay where you are.
Sky, Mike, Nancy, and Nicole exit the building.
Scene B
Outside WMON studio, where the rest are still waiting.
Sky
Very good. Now, let?s stand over here and watch. All right, Calvin.
Calvin
All right, Gavin. Time to do your thing.
Gavin
Oh God, Calvin, I hate this! It just reminds me of the first time you guys made me go through this business.
Calvin
Look, that was before. You were lying about the fact that it was too dark for you to see who came out. You didn?t want to admit it was Nicole. This is different. So come on, give it a try, huh? Get it right, OK?
Sky
Now, Gavin rings the bell to see if Nicole is all right.
Gavin
When there?s no response, I went to the phone to call Jody.
Sky
Now Nicole, when the bell stopped ringing, you decided to leave.
Nicole
Yes, and in a hurry.
Sky
Show us.
Nicole
All right. (Nicole enters the side door, and a moment later pushes open the big studio door to run to where Gavin is standing by the phone)
Sky
And now, Gavin, you come to the studio. What happened?
Gavin
I saw Nora. I saw her lying there, she was dead.
Sky
Then what did you do?
Gavin
I called the police.
Mike
And you never left the studio until the police arrived?
Gavin
No, not once.
Mike
You?re sure you could see the door all that time?
Gavin
Yes, I am positive I didn?t see anybody come out while I was waiting for the cops.
Sky
The cops. Now it?s time for the police. Officers?
Calvin
Okay, gentlemen. You know what you?re supposed to do. Make a complete search of the studio.
Calvin leads several uniformed officers into the studio.
Scene C
Inside WMON studio. Everyone comes inside.
Mike
Sky, if it really happened this way, it exonerates both Miles and Nicole!
Sky
That?s exactly right. Miles and Nicole should be exonerated. Neither one of them killed Nora.
Nicole
Who was the person hiding in the studio? Who killed Nora while she was making her talk to the camera?
Miles
And how did the killer escape? That?s what we?ve got to know!
Sky
(smiles knowingly) Watch... Calvin?
Sergeant
There?s nobody here, Detective. We searched the whole studio.
Calvin
Okay, Sergeant. Thank you for your help. You and your men can leave now.
The uniforms begin to leave.
Sky
Stop him, Detective!
Calvin
(pointing to the last officer) Hold it right where you are! [Calvin walks up to the officer, and, removing his cap, reveals him to be Chief Derek Mallory.]
Nicole
Wait a minute, why is Derek dressed like that?
Derek
Because that?s the way the killer was dressed, Nicole.
Miles
You mean to say it was a policeman who did it?
Sky
No, Doctor... it was a man dressed as a policeman. The same man who saw Gunther and Nora outside the studio.
Cliff
So that explains the discrepancy between Gunther?s story and the one of the cop on the beat!
Sky
Exactly. The policeman outside was not really a policeman. Of course, Gunther had no way of knowing that.
Gunther
Yeah.
Nicole
So you?re saying this man, this policeman, followed Nora into the studio.
Sky
Exactly right. Now, when Nora unlocked the door, it was not difficult for him to get to it before it closed again, and he just held the door ajar.
Nicole
Oh, and when Nora went into my office to look for me --?
Sky
He came inside and hid in the shadows.
Miles
And while I was lying unconscious on the floor, and Nora was making her little statement in front of the TV cameras?--
Derek
He picked up a loose length of cable and wrapped it around her neck.
Miles
But he couldn?t escape because that?s when Nicole came in.
Derek
No, he couldn?t get out without being noticed, so he had to just bide his time.
Mike
So the killer was still here when Gavin called the police!
Calvin
Yeah, which means you could have been killed, too, old buddy.
Gavin
But I wasn?t a defenseless woman with my back turned.
Nancy
He didn?t want to take any chances, so he waited.
Raven
And pretended to be a policeman.
Sky
That?s exactly right. He waited until it was time for the policemen to leave. And when they left, so did he.
Derek
Yeah, nobody noticed how many policemen came in as opposed to how many policemen went out.
Sky
Mmm-hmm. And one of those policemen who left was indeed...?David Cameron.
CAMERA PANS to get everyone?s reaction.
FADE OUT
COMMERCIAL BREAK
ACT FIVE
Scene A
Inside WMON studio
Mike
Derek, why would Cameron want to kill Nora Fulton?
Nancy
He didn?t even know her, did he?
Derek
Oh, he did. But we just didn?t know about their peculiar relationship. Not until Whitney pointed out something earlier tonight.
Nicole
What is it? Tell us, Sky, please.
Sky
Well, you see, Cameron said something to me about keeping an eye on my servants. You see, he had caught Nora listening in on one of his very private conversations.
Mike
So she must have heard something she wasn?t supposed to hear!
Raven
She heard the truth, that Cameron was working for himself and not the CEA.
Derek
The point is, Cameron must have been more afraid of Nora Fulton than any of our other suspects.
Sky
(walking toward Raven and embracing him) The lovely Raven is right! Nora knew the truth about Cameron. And he felt she was enough of a threat to him for him to want to dispose of her.
Miles
And he used the uniform of the law to escape, huh?
Raven
That?s how Sky figured it all out, because I told him about the police uniform that Cameron had in his little hideaway.
Nicole
Oh my God, and I thought-oh, Miles, please forgive me! (she and Miles embrace)
Miles
Come on. There?s nothing to forgive. Who could possibly have known?
Derek
That?s right! I never thought to link Nora Fulton?s strangling with Cameron?s other two victims. There was no motive.
Gavin
If only I?d searched the studio myself, I would?ve found the guy!
Calvin
Yeah, and probably gotten yourself killed in the process. I think it?s better that you let him go.
Derek
Well that?s the problem. He has gotten away. And we can?t prove any of this until we find him.
Scene B
Harry Lavendar?s home on St. Andrews.
[David Cameron?s henchman is leading Ian Devereaux by gunpoint into the house, where Cameron is reading the libretto from a Gilbert and Sullivan record album.]
Henchman
Look at what I found...
Cameron
Where did you find him? Sneaking through the shrubbery?
Henchman
No, he was walking up the path. But I wasn?t taking any chances, though.
Cameron
A wise decision. Was he armed?
[The henchman produces a gun, which he hands to Cameron]
Cameron
(chastising) Oh, Mr. Devereaux... (A beat) Do you like Gilbert and Sullivan, Mr. Devereaux?
Ian
As a matter of fact, I do... The Lord High Executioner is one of my favorite characters.
Cameron
A role you?re taken it upon yourself to perform? I assume your presence here means Mr. Lavendar failed in his mission to retrieve the Phone Book.
Ian
That was only part of Harry?s mission. It was also to dispose of me.
Cameron
Yes, or course. You don?t think I wanted you chasing me around once I had the Phone Book. And, you would have, wouldn?t you?
Ian
To the ends of the earth...
FADE TO BLACK
COMMERCIAL BREAK
CLOSING CREDITS:
Written by
HENRY SLESAR
and
LOIS KIBBEE
Directed by
JOHN SEDWICK
Supervising Producer
JOHN VALENTE
Executive in Charge
of Production
EDWARD TRACH
Coats Courtesy of
Misty Harbor
© Procter & Gamble
Productions, Inc.; 1983
All Rights Reserved
NOTE: This was the final episode credited to The Edge of Night's headwriter Henry Slesar, ending his fifteen-year association with the series.
