EPISODE 2

 

EPISODE # 002

Created By: Casey S. Hutchison

Written By: Casey S. Hutchison

Air Date: Tuesday, September 3, 2024

Nighttime has come to the city of Hazelbrook.

At the Callahan Home, in the Living Room, Catherine looks out of the shattered window at the police cars that line the driveway. She has a blank expression on her face, one that has seemed as though she has gone numb after crying quietly. Frances slowly enters the room, going to her. Frances gently touches her shoulder, as Catherine jumps a bit.

FRANCES: I didn’t mean to scare you, Mrs. Callahan.

CATHERINE: That’s quite alright, Frances.

FRANCES: I poured you a glass of bourbon.

Catherine turns around, taking the neat bourbon in a crystal glass from Frances. She takes a sip of the drink.

CATHERINE: Thank you.

FRANCES: I considered making you another cup of tea, but thought that this was a much better option, considering the current situation.

CATHERINE: You know me so well.

As Catherine takes another sip, Jennifer and Hudson enter the room.

JENNIFER: I managed to get a hold of dad and Kirk. They’re on their way back from the hunting trip as we speak. It shouldn’t be too much longer.

HUDSON: I also texted Emily for you, Frannie, and told her that it was probably a good idea to not come back here yet.

FRANCES: Thank you. She’s at a friend’s house, and I would like for her to stay there for a bit, until we can get some things sorted out.

HUDSON: Have the police taken your statement, mother?

CATHERINE: Yes. I also informed the police that I’ll be shutting down the factory tomorrow. We’re ahead on the products for the Fall launch, so this is something we can afford. And it will also give Human Resources time to look at every single employee file.

JENNIFER: Do you really think someone from the factory got onto our property and tossed that brick through the window with your photo attached?

CATHERINE: I most certainly do. Those workers have been fighting me on big time raises for a bit now. Tensions were bound to boil over.

FRANCES: Mrs. Callahan, you know I’m on your side. But have you considered giving them the raises? I mean, this world is just more and more expensive.

CATHERINE: I’m not giving in. I have long provided the working class with amazing employment opportunities, even fighting to keep my company running how my father did, as to not give into the world of the cheap drugstore cosmetics craze. My company means something. And if the workers can’t see that, all because this world is being run into the ground, then so be it. They can throw the bricks, but I will find them.

HUDSON: Maybe Frances has a point, mom. It’s not giving in, it’s continuing to provide an amazing life for the people who are so loyal to Callahan Cosmetics.

CATHERINE: Is everyone suddenly against me? Do one of you want to throw a brick through the next living room window?

Catherine storms off, passing by Kirk and Edmund Callahan in the process. Jennifer rushes up to her fiancé and her father.

JENNIFER: Oh, thank God you two are home!

KIRK: Jennifer, I missed you so much.

EDMUND: Are you alright, darling?

JENNIFER: I’m doing okay. But I think mom’s about to lose it.

EDMUND: I’ll go check on her.

FRANCES: And I'm going to go to the kitchen.

Edmund and Frances walk off to the main staircase and kitchen, respectively. Meanwhile, Kirk and Jennifer step into the living room, going to Hudson.

HUDSON: Hey, Kirk.

KIRK: Hey, man. You doing okay, too?

HUDSON: Just worried about my mom.

KIRK: I get that.

HUDSON: Look, I have a few calls to make, so you two can have some privacy. I’ll be back later. Stay safe, you two.

Hudson walks off, as Jennifer and Kirk kiss one another.

JENNIFER: You got home at just the right time.

KIRK: I sense that. Are you sure you’re holding up okay?

JENNIFER: I am. But I’m also afraid of what I need to discuss with you.

KIRK: What? What’s going on?

JENNIFER: Kirk, I hate to say this, but we have to accept that there’s a possibility that we may have to call off our wedding.

At St. Raphael Hospital, in an Examination Room, Denise is sitting on an examination bed, as Doctor Pierson looks over her mammogram scans.

DENISE: Thank you for moving your schedule around for me, Pierson. I know it’s annoying that you’re getting called back in. But I felt as though you were one of the few doctors I could trust, considering how long we’ve worked together.

DOCTOR PIERSON: It’s no problem at all, Chief.

DENISE: Thank you. Speaking of problems, are there problems that you see when it comes to the scans from my recent mammogram?

DOCTOR PIERSON: Well, there is no denying that you do in fact have a mass on your left breast. And I know this is easier said than done, even when a doctor becomes a patient, but I would advise you to take some deep breaths. This could be any number of things.

DENISE: I know. It’s just that I do have a history of breast cancer in my family. And I keep thinking that God has called my number.

DOCTOR PIERSON: You know, I don’t think I’ve ever shared this with anyone here at the hospital. But I have been through a mammogram scare before. Just last summer, in fact. And it turned out to be a benign cyst.

DENISE: I’ll keep my fingers crossed for it to be nothing. But I also feel as though I can’t calm my mind down. I almost broke down in my office.

DOCTOR PIERSON: And there’s nothing wrong with that. Now, I’m going to leave the room for a moment, so you can slip into a gown. And then I’ll be back in to begin a standard breast exam, as well as an ultrasound. And don’t worry, I’ll do everything, in order to keep this as private as possible.

DENISE: Have I said thank you yet? I’m very thankful for you.

DOCTOR PIERSON: No thanks necessary. Let’s find out what’s going on with you, Chief. And then from there, we’ll fix it. Together.

At the Ramirez Home, in the Living Room, Emily and Antonio Ramirez are sitting across from one another on the couch. Textbooks and pieces of paper with notes are spread out on the coffee table. Emily has a stack of notecards in her hands.

EMILY: Alright, you’ve looked over your notes, and re-read through some chapter highlights. Are you ready for me to give you your little quiz for tomorrow’s exam?

ANTONIO: Who knew that obtaining this bachelor’s degree in business would be so stress inducing. (sighs) But I guess you can go ahead and hit me with the flashcards.

EMILY: You’ve got this, Antonio. Professor Upton will have no choice but to drop his jaw to the floor when he sees how well you ace this exam.

ANTONIO: We’ll see about that.

EMILY: Question one. What are the four functions of management, and which of those is the first step in managing?

ANTONIO: Okay…alright…uh…planning, that’s the first step, too, and then there’s organizing, leading, and…oh…controlling!

EMILY: That’s right! Good job! Are you ready for question number two?

ANTONIO: Sure, go ahead and hit me with it.

EMILY: What are quantity discounts?

As Antonio begins to think on the question, the door to the home suddenly opens and shuts with a slam. As Emily and Antonio turn their attention to the door, standing from the couch, a disheveled Hector Ramirez enters the home.

ANTONIO: Dad?

EMILY: Are you okay, Mr. Ramirez?

HECTOR: I didn’t realize you’d be here, Emily.

ANTONIO: She was helping me study for my business exam.

HECTOR: I see. Well, she needs to leave.

EMILY: Do you have an early day at the factory tomorrow?

HECTOR: Catherine Callahan decided to close the factory for tomorrow.

ANTONIO: What? Dad, you’re the manager of the place. Did she run this by you, or just make another decision that will prove to be unpopular with those she thinks of as minions, rather than employees.

HECTOR: She’s the boss. Plus, there was a rather scary incident tonight over at her house. Someone threw a brick through her living room window, and she thinks it’s a factory worker who’s upset that they’re not getting raises above the normal 25 cents a year.

EMILY: As you both know, my mom has worked for the Callahans for forever now. I even help out from time to time. And I can honestly say that Catherine holds back from giving raises for no reason. She doesn’t go along with the way of the world. Things are so expensive. People can’t afford to feed their families.

HECTOR: People can’t even afford to die.

ANTONIO: Is the closing of the factory for tomorrow the reason you seem to be a million miles away right now?

HECTOR: There’s a lot going on. I just need a drink. Look, I’m gonna go upstairs and do just that. Emily, you can say goodnight to my son.

As Hector walks off, Emily notices that his knuckles on his right hand are scraped up. Antonio follows her glare, as Hector walks off up the stairs.

ANTONIO: What was that all about?

EMILY: I don’t know. Seems like he had a rough day.

ANTONIO: No, not that. I know you saw it too.

EMILY: His knuckles?

ANTONIO: Yeah.

EMILY: You know how hard he works. I just feel bad that he got scraped up.

ANTONIO: I’m just not sure why his knuckles are scraped up. He left work early today, and he told me that he only worked in the office.

EMILY: He can still scrape his knuckles by sitting behind a desk. His desk corners could be sharp. One slip of the hand and then…boom.

ANTONIO: Emily, come on now.

EMILY: Antonio, are you seriously going to accuse your father of throwing the brick through the Callahan’s living room window?

Back at the Callahan Home, in the Study, Catherine is still lightly sipping her glass of bourbon, as Edmund pours himself the same drink.

CATHERINE: I still can’t get over this whole thing. Frances and I seemingly moved in slow motion throughout the whole event. It was so trauma filled. And then when I picked up that brick. Oh Edmund…

EDMUND: I’m sorry you went through this, honey. I just can’t believe that some low-level factory employee would do such a thing. Whatever happened to loyalty? Whatever happened to being grateful for what you have? We hire felons. We hire people of every color. Background. We don’t discriminate.

CATHERINE: A factory job used to mean something. But ever since people at the bottom started to become greedy, this is what the world has turned into. And don’t get me wrong, I love the lower-class people. That’s why I give them the quarter raise every year. And if they work hard enough, they get promoted. Just look at Hector Ramirez.

EDMUND: They’ll just never be happy till they live like us. But little do they know, we had to start at the bottom, too. I used to wait tables, in order to put myself through college. And now I’m one of the country’s most successful mystery authors.

CATHERINE: And my father built this company from the ground up. He did it. He took no handouts from anybody. And now my family’s company is being villainized.

Before Edmund can say another word, Frances knocks at the door.

EDMUND: Frances, what’s going on?

FRANCES: I’ve been debating about doing this for about an hour now. But as I prepped lunch for tomorrow, it just hit me. I have got to say something.

CATHERINE: Something about what?

FRANCES: I think that I’m involved in this whole brick incident more than just witnessing it. I know it was your picture on the brick, Mrs. Callahan. But I feel as though I am also being targeted.

EDMUND: Why do you say that? What’s happened?

CATHERINE: Has someone done something to you?

FRANCES: Yes. Mrs. Callahan, when you and Jennifer came home, and after you had requested a cup of tea out on the lanai, Jennifer and I had this short talk. Then, after she had walked off to call you Mr. Callahan and Kirk, I got a call. At first, I thought it was Emily. But then I heard nothing but static over the phone, and then I heard a gunshot.

CATHERINE: A gunshot?

EDMUND: How come you didn’t report this immediately?

FRANCES: I thought it was just some stupid prank call. Considering today’s events, however, I have since changed my mind.

CATHERINE: I’ll phone Officer Bowman right away. We’ll get him back over here to look at your phone, and take another statement from you. Whoever is doing all of this, will not get away with a damn thing.

Still at the Callahan Home, in Hudson’s Bedroom, Hudson is standing over by his desk, talking on his cell phone.

HUDSON: Hey, how’s it going? Look, I need to meet with you ASAP. Meet me in the park by the antique shop in twenty minutes, okay? I know it’s late and that you’re tired, but we have to talk. And I won’t be taking “no” for an answer.

Meanwhile, in the Living Room of the Callahan Home, Jennifer and Kirk take a seat across from one another on the couch.

KIRK: You want to call off our wedding?

JENNIFER: I don’t want to. I’m just saying that it might have to be a possibility. It’s going to be the social event of the year. Hundreds of people are coming. Cameras will be flashing. But my mother is clearly in danger. I don’t want someone coming after our families on our special day.

KIRK: I guess you have a good point. I just don’t want to wait any longer to call you Mrs. Davidson. Jennifer, I am so in love with you. It hasn’t always been an easy ride, but you’ve made it worth it.

JENNIFER: I love you, too, Kirk. And I’m hoping that as this month continues, that things will change. But without my mom willing to give the three dollar an hour raise to all factory workers, I just don’t know how safe things will be for us to get married. Someone snuck onto the property, which is heavily guarded. Someone made it all the way up to that window without anyone seeing or knowing. And then my mom’s photograph with the eyes cut out.

KIRK: It’s very scary. You know what? I just thought of a safety measure we could take to make sure no one targets you.

JENNIFER: What?

KIRK: Come live with me for a bit.

JENNIFER: In your apartment?

KIRK: At my family’s house. I’m temporarily moving back in because Imani’s back home. I want to spend as much time with my family as possible.

JENNIFER: As much as I would love for us to live together on more of a full-time basis instead of me just bouncing back between here and your apartment, until we get a permanent place after saying “I do,” I’m just not sure that your family’s house is the right place for me.

KIRK: Why do you think that?

JENNIFER: Because your sister hates me.

KIRK: She needs to get over it.

JENNIFER: I just don’t want to make waves, Kirk. She’s already coming to our wedding. She’s trying to be supportive of what we share.

KIRK: I think this would give the two of you a chance to come together and bond, just like your father and I did. Come on, if I can do it, you can do it. And again, this would keep you safe from a suspected factory worker targeting your mother.

JENNIFER: You make a good pitch.

KIRK: It’s in my blood.

JENNIFER: I bet it is. (sighs) Fine. I’ll temporarily move in with you and your family. But, I do have just one condition.

KIRK: Name it.

JENNIFER: We get a bigger room than Imani.

KIRK: (laughs) I think that can be arranged.

Back at St. Raphael Hospital, in an Examination Room, Denise is finishing up buttoning up her blouse as Doctor Pierson writes down some notes on a legal pad.

DOCTOR PIERSON: I’ve got some notes taken here over what we saw on the ultrasound. And I’ll see if I can put a rush on these biopsy results.

DENISE: I just can’t believe it turned out to be a tumor. I really thought that you and I might have twin stories about the whole cyst thing.

DOCTOR PIERSON: We’re not going to give up yet, Chief.

DENISE: We should give up for today, however. I’ve been gone for so long, and I’m sure my husband is going to wonder where I’ve been.

DOCTOR PIERSON: Considering he’s in his office, I’m curious to know what you told him you were up to for the night.

DENISE: He’s here? How did I not know?

DOCTOR PIERSON: Your mind has been on other things tonight. But yes, he checked in for a bit in order to reorganize the roster of incoming surgical interns.

DENISE: Pierson, he can’t know that I’m here.

DOCTOR PIERSON: He won’t find out anything. Not about what has taken place here tonight, nor what we’ve done in this exam room. I promise.

DENISE: Very well then. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.

DOCTOR PIERSON: Of course.

Denise then collects her things and makes her way over to the door. Coming out of the examination room, Denise stands there for a moment, trying to collect her rushing thoughts. Before she walks off, however, she comes face-to-face with Clark.

DENISE: Clark. Honey.

CLARK: Denise, what on Earth are you doing here so late?

DENISE: The Chief’s work is never done. I heard you were working on a roster for these surgical interns. How’s it coming along?

CLARK: I’m going to stop you right there. I don’t think for one second that you’re telling me the truth. What’s going on? Why are you actually here?

Back at the Ramirez Home, in the Living Room, Emily is collecting her things.

EMILY: I wonder where your dad is headed out to. He does want me gone, however, so I should get going. And it’s getting late.

ANTONIO: He’s probably headed to a bar to think things over. I’m sure there’s a lot going through his mind right now.

EMILY: He’s probably busy thinking about all of those employees he helps manage. That’s why I think you shouldn’t accuse him of throwing that brick through the window.

ANTONIO: I’m not, Emily. Did the thought cross my mind? Maybe. But when I spoke to you just a bit ago about his scraped-up hand, I just didn’t believe what you were saying.

EMILY: Why’s that? Where do you think your father was today?

ANTONIO: I think he was visiting my mom’s grave. Tomorrow’s her birthday. And I took notice of how muddy his shoes are. It rained today. I think he slipped and scraped his hand.

EMILY: That’s quite the explanation you’ve cooked up for him.

ANTONIO: He did buy a bouquet of flowers yesterday. And they left the house with him today. Your explanation is probably more likely than mine, but I swear to you that I don’t think he threw that brick through the window at the Callahan home.

EMILY: I really don’t think he did, either. Your father’s always been a very good and principled man. Anyway, I’ll call you tomorrow with it being your mom’s birthday. And we can even grab a slice of hummingbird cake if you’d like.

ANTONIO: It was always her favorite. And it was your dad's favorite, too. It's our little tradition any time my mother's or your father's birthday comes up.

EMILY: The best tradition ever. Goodnight, Antonio.

ANTONIO: Goodnight, Emily.

Back at the Callahan Home, in the Study, Catherine and Edmund are now alone.

EDMUND: Do you think there’s any truth to there being a connection between the phone call Frances received to the brick?

CATHERINE: It’s a possibility. 

EDMUND: What are we going to do about this, Catherine? How do we stop this from getting spun by the left-wing media who wants to see conservative millionaires like us go down?

CATHERINE: I have a crisis PR team for that very reason, Ed. I’ll take care of it. And I’ll also call my father. I know his Alzheimer’s makes him a totally different person from day-to-day, but I don’t want him to see a news report and freak out one day.

EDMUND: We’ll get through this.

CATHERINE: I hope so, because that’s our only option.

EDMUND: What do you mean?

CATHERINE: I’m getting through it, not getting into it. It’s going to take a lot more than a brick and some uprising non-unionized factory workers to scare me. I can promise you that.

At Emerald Gardens Park, Hector is pacing back and forth near a bench, taking in the slightly cold air. He then turns around upon hearing footsteps approaching.

HECTOR: You’re late. I was beginning to think you wouldn’t show up, which would’ve been foolish, considering you set this meeting up.

HUDSON: Traffic was out of control for some reason. But thank goodness we have lots of privacy here in the park.

HECTOR: Yeah. Anyway, do you have it?

HUDSON: You bet.

Hudson hands Hector a manila envelope. Hector undoes the clasp and looks inside, smiling at the stack of bills that makes up 10,000 dollars in total.

HECTOR: Thank you, Mr. Callahan.

HUDSON: Don’t mention it. Seriously. Not a bit of it. Oh? And have a good night, Mr. Ramirez. I’ll be in touch.

END OF EPISODE 002