|
|
Musical Cords
Opening Billboard
Harry Kramer: "Theeee EEEEEdgge of Night!"
SCENE 1
Nancy drops by the Marceau home for lunch with Martha.
Both have very different troubles on their mind. Martha relates to Nancy
an incident of the previous evening. When Bill left the house to speak
to Laurie's roommate Tango, Martha realized he'd forgotten his notebook.
As she opened the door to catch Bill before he drove away, Kate Sloan was
standing there. Startled, Martha let her in and asked her if she purposely
came there when she knew Bill wasn't home, or if it was a coincidence.
Kate's answer was that lots of times she waited for Bill to leave before
ringing the doorbell because she wanted to see Martha, but she was afraid
that Bill didn't like her. Martha goes on to say that the real point is
that Kate returned again later that evening and that's when Lt. Anderson
found her. Lt. Anderson had stopped by to give Bill some information and
apparently watched Kate from outside for a few minutes. Thinking she was
a sneak thief or something he brought her into the house. It turns out
that Kate had something on her person, a container of blood. She had stolen
it from the hospital, where she works. Shocked, Nancy asks why she would
steal something like that. Martha says it's fairly obvious, Kate wanted
to play another trick on her, like that spilled blood in the closet. She
says that there isn't any doubt that Kate is behind all the spooky things
that have happened at the Marceau home and she can't blame Bill for putting
her under arrest. Nancy agrees. Martha then asks Nancy if there's any news
regarding Laurie and what happened to her last night.
FIRST COMMERCIAL
SCENE 2A
Nancy tells Martha that Laurie wasn't really involved
in that pot party, that her only involvement came because of her roommate,
her so-called friend. . .Tango. She says that from the very beginning this
"Tango" wanted her to share her apartment, to be her "friend." And now.
. .her "friend" tries to get her arrested. Martha agrees that it was a
rotten thing to do, but the important thing is that Laurie went to the
party, saw what it was all about, and left. "That shows pretty good judgement,
if you ask me. . ." Nancy agrees, but thinks it incredible that this girl
Tango was trying so hard to get Laurie into trouble. Martha asks if Laurie
knows what her so-called "friend" tried to do to her. Nancy says she doesn't
really know, but she's determined to make Laurie move out of that apartment.
Until now, she's tried not to interfere with Laurie's new way of life but
she knows she's living with someone who wants to hurt her and it can't
go on. Nancy says that Laurie will understand once she knows the truth
and she intends to talk to her about it this afternoon.
SCENE 2B
Vic Lamont is sitting alone at a table in a restaurant
nervously awaiting Laurie's arrival. When the waiter asks if he'd like
a drink while he's waiting, Vic says, "No. . .that's the last thing I want
right now." Laurie arrives and Vic thanks her for agreeing to meet him
on such short notice. Laurie says she was actually glad he called when
he did, she needed to get out of the house and did want to see him. To
talk about "everything." Vic is somewhat surprised because the message
he'd gotten from Laurie was that she didn't care if she ever saw him again,
that she preferred it that way. Laurie supposes that she did say something
like that and Vic says he understood it only too well, especially after
what he did. He asks her if she noticed there wasn't a drop of alcohol
on the table, not even an olive. Laurie says she's as sorry as he is about
that night. She doesn't know why he went and got so drunk, but maybe it
was her fault because she's made things so difficult for him. Vic tells
her he isn't looking for her to take the blame, that's not why he called
her. He tells her he called because he wanted to tell her what he could
about that night, his side of the story, if she's willing to hear it. Laurie
says she's willing.
SECOND COMMERCIAL
SCENE 3A
As Vic and Laurie share an appetizer he tells her
he didn't want to do anything as stupid as stand her up that night. He
didn't mean to get drunk either. In fact, he's still not sure how he got
so drunk. Laurie wryly comments she knows how it happened. Vic says there's
a reason for everything, and maybe he had a reason too. He says he's not
looking for an excuse but he was nervous about seeing her again, "I mean,
it had been a very long time, you know that. . ." And as it happens, that
day he'd had a minor victory in court and his client wanted to celebrate
by buying him a drink or two. When he begins to defend himself by saying
he's one of those people who can't tolerate alcohol, even a small quantity
makes him lose control, Laurie tells him it's just an excuse. Vic says
he's just trying to explain why he didn't keep their dinner date. Laurie
asks him if he thinks that's the worst thing he did that night and Vic
says it was as far as he is concerned. Laurie tells him it wasn't the fact
he stood her up that really upset her; it's what he did to Jonah! Punching
him in the face was the most unforgivable thing he could do. He asks her
how she knows he did that and she says, "Because I saw Jonah! I saw that
bandage on his face." She says she'll never understand how he could have
deliberately gone to Jonah Lockwood's place. Vic tells her it wasn't his
idea to go there, it was because of the message he got from Laurie via
her roommate, Tango. Laurie says she never sent any message but Vic says
he received it while he was in Mike's office. Tango called and told him
that Laurie had changed her mind about meeting him at the restaurant. She
said that Laurie wanted him to meet her at another address, and it turned
out to be Jonah Lockwood's apartment. Laurie is astonished and tells Vic
she never asked Tango to call him. When Vic wonders if it was her idea
of a funny joke, Laurie remarks on Tango's warped sense of humor and says
she's glad she slapped her now.
SCENE 3B
At the same time Laurie is meeting with Vic, Tango
is with Jonah in her and Laurie's apartment living room. She is reeling
as a result of the drugged drink he has given her. She slurs her words
when she tells him she sees two of him, Jonah and Keith. She asks him,
"Which one are you, honey, which one?" Jonah says, "I'm both of them, baby."
When he asks her who she is, she's confused. He asks her again, "Yeah,
who are you, baby? Besides a lousy blackmailer, hmmm?" Tango begins to
feel sick and Jonah remarks that that's a real shame. Tango holds out her
hand and asks "Jonah" to help her and he tells her, "But I'm not Jonah,
Tango. My name's Keith Whitney. . .remember?" He tells her she's the only
one who knows who he is. . .besides his mother. Tango again asks for help
and Jonah tells her he's done all he can for her, for the time being. He
chuckles softly as she collapses on the floor in front of him.
THIRD & FOURTH COMMERCIAL
SCENE 4A
Jonah looks down at the unconscious, but still breathing,
form of Tango. He says aloud that he wouldn't give her anything that could
kill her. He wouldn't want the cops finding poison in her system, "That
would be just plain foolish." He takes the glass she used to the sink and
washes it out. Talking aloud to the lifeless Tango he says she didn't last
nearly as long as Vic. He really fought the "stuff." He held on to the
last minute but then gave up, just as she did. He bends over Tango and
asks her if she's still alive, commenting that he doesn't want her kicking
off this way. He goes on to say that he can't afford any mistakes right
now because old Keith is pretty close to getting what he wants, "I'm coming
back to life and getting what my mama promised me. . ." He tells her that
he's going to the top of the world, to the big white house on Pennsylvania
Avenue. It may take a few years, but that's what he's got ahead of him.
He says it's too bad that Tango found out about him because now he has
to shut her stupid little mouth for good! As he looks at her he says it's
going to be easy now because he's proved she's a pothead. She's on record
as a pothead, someone who's a user and can't think straight. When she has
her accident people will say isn't it a shame what pot will do? What speed
will do? What drugs will do? He laughs as he walks over to her and solemnly
tells her it's time to say goodbye to the world.
SCENE 4B
In the Marceau living room Martha and Nancy continue
to talk about Kate Sloan. Nancy asks her if she thinks Kate will go to
prison. Martha tells her that Bill meant what he said, but that it would
be the hospital, not Martha who would press charges. After all, she did
steal from the dispensary she worked in, not once but at least a couple
of times. Martha comments that the only question now is what kind of sentence
the judge will give Kate. She says that she knows Kate doesn't have any
money so it wouldn't be a question of paying any kind of fine, "She'll
probably only get 30 days or something like that." As Nancy gets up to
leave Martha thanks her for coming over and asks if she's going to see
Laurie to tell her what she wants her to do. Nancy says she's going to
do that right now and kisses Martha's cheek as she leaves.
FIFTH COMMERCIAL
SCENE 5A
Back at the restaurant, Vic asks Laurie why Tango
would do such a thing; why she would send him over to Jonah's place. Laurie
speculates that maybe she knew exactly the kind of thing that would happen
if Vic and Jonah got together. Vic agrees with her that Tango could have
predicted that some kind of collision would occur and the fact that he'd
been drinking didn't help any. It only made things worse. Laurie says there
are some people who love to make trouble for other people, and Tango is
obviously one of them. Vic then asks her what Tango did to make Laurie
slap her and Laurie tells him she'd rather not discuss it. Vic doesn't
push it and says that at least Laurie knows he didn't go to Jonah's just
to pick a fight with him. Laurie says of course she knows that. . .now.
Vic comments that at least that's a start and maybe they can go on from
there, understanding each other. Laurie tells him she wants that, for him
to understand her. . and Jonah.
SCENE 5B
At Laurie and Tango's apartment Jonah downs a drink
and wipes his mouth. As he turns to look at the unconscious Tango he says,
"Okay, baby. Are you ready? Because I am." He goes to the window, opens
it, and looks out. He comments that it's not a very big drop, only five
stories but the alley below isn't very pretty. It's full of all kinds of
junk and they may not find her for days. He goes to Tango, picks her up
under her arms and drags her toward the window. He leans her against the
baseboard to catch his breath and chuckles; "There's nothing easy about
killing people. I know because. . .you're number four. Number four. No
wait. Number five!" Thinking aloud to himself that he almost forgot poor
Uncle Charley. He then says, "Well, let's get it over with, huh?"
SCENE 5C
In the hallway of Laurie's apartment house Nancy
has just come up the stairs. She isn't happy about the errand she is on
and knocks lightly on the door. When there's no answer she hesitates, then
knocks louder. Inside the apartment Jonah is peering out the windows. Tango
is gone. He whirls when he hears the knock, then hears Nancy's voice from
the other side of the door, "Hello, anyone home?" He swiftly, but noiselessly
closes the window and goes to the door and opens it. Nancy seems surprised
to see him and asks if Laurie is home. Jonah says, "No, ma'am. Laurie isn't
here. Nobody's here," as he glances at the window, sweating.
SIXTH COMMERCIAL
CLOSING CREDITS
Harry Kramer: Tune in again Monday for "THE
EDGE OF NIGHT." This portion of "THE EDGE OF NIGHT" has been brought to
you by. . .orange flavored Bayer Aspirin for Children. Bayer works wonders.
Stay tuned for Gomer Pyle next on most of these CBS stations.
This is Harry Kramer, inviting you to join us each
weekday afternoon for "THE EDDGGGEE OF NIGHT."
