SCENE ONE: STEVE IS TALKING TO ALICE AT THE HOSPITAL. JACK AND HARPER ARRIVE AND STEVE HIDES IN KAYLA'S ROOM.

 

HARPER: Mrs. Horton!

ALICE: Senator Deveraux and Jack. I suppose you've come to see Kayla.

JACK: My wife was checked into the hospital this evening but I guess you know that. I've got to see her.

ALICE: You can't.

HARPER: That's her room isn't it?

ALICE: Yes, that is her room....well it will be her room. They haven't brought her up yet.

HARPER: The receptionist downstairs said she was up in her room.

ALICE: Well that may be but she isn't there now. You see they took her down to the lab for more tests and visitors are not allowed in the lab.

JACK: Well we can stay there in the room till she's gets back. She won't be gone too long will she Mrs. Horton?

HARPER: Jack I think we should go down to the lab and check it out.

ALICE: Yes of course you can stay in her room if you want to but in your case we will make an exception Senator Deveraux. Now can I take you to the lab in person?

HARPER: Thank you Mrs. Horton.

JACK: Thank you very much.

ALICE: Don't mention it. I'd do anything for Kayla.

 

THEY ALL LEAVE AND STEVE TAKES KAYLA OUT OF THE HOSPITAL.

SCENE TWO: JACK, HARPER AND ALICE WALK TO THE NURSES STATION.

 

ALICE: That nurse must have been right all along. Kayla must be in her room and it's just that I didn't know it.

NURSE: Do you know where Kayla Deveraux is?

ALICE: You mean she's not in her room?

NURSE: No her room is empty.

JACK: What? We've got to find her. She could be round here anywhere. She's delirious. Let's go call security.

ALICE: Yes, let's go call security.

HARPER: (To himself) Johnson.

SCENE THREE: THE DEVERAUX MANSION. HARPER IS ON THE PHONE AS JACK ENTERS.

 

HARPER: Don't tell me you don't where to look for her. Johnson has her somewhere. If you don't find her before the police do the only thing you'll be looking for is a new job. Jack? I didn't hear you come in. What can I do for you?

JACK: You can start by telling me what you were doing on the phone?

HARPER: I was just trying to check on Kayla's whereabouts.

JACK: It certainly wasn't the police.

HARPER: I've hired some men to look into to it.

JACK: Why don't you want the police to find her?

HARPER: Where did you get that idea?

JACK: From your phone call. You want the people you have working for you to get to her first.

HARPER: That's true.

JACK: Why?

HARPER: You've got an election due young man and it won't do you any good if the voters find out you have a wife out there on the streets roaming around half out of her mind.

JACK: Now wait a minute. Kalya is not half out of her mind. She's sick and she needs medical attention.

HARPER: All the more reason to keep it hushed up. So far I've kept the press out of it but If it gets in the hands of the police there'll be an awful lot of questions.

JACK: We have nothing to hide!

HARPER: Are you sure of that?

JACK: What do you mean?

HARPER: It's just that we don't know where they'll find her.

JACK: If you're talking about Steve Johnson, I know Kayla wouldn't go with him willingly. I mean who knows what condition she's in. She doesn't even know what's going on.

HARPER: Don't worry. These people I've hired to find her are very good. I've used them before.

JACK: I don't care who finds her. I don't even care if it's Steve Johnson. I just want her home with me no....(The doorbell rings) Coming.

 

JACK OPENS TO THE DOOR TO CAROLINE AND SHAWN BRADY.

 

JACK: Mr. and Mrs. Brady, come in.

HARPER: Shawn, Caroline.

CAROLINE: Any word about Kayla?

JACK: Nothing yet.

SHAWN: We went to the police station and they wouldn't tell me a thing. Geez I wish my son Roman was here.

JACK: Abe Carver's coming over. I think he can shed a little light on things.

HARPER: Why is Lieutenant Carver coming here?

JACK: Because I asked him. If you don't like that I'm sorry. I don't care

what anyone thinks anymore. All I give a damn about is Kayla's safety. I'm going to do anything to make sure she gets back here.

SCENE FOUR: DEVERAUX MANSION. ABE HAS ARRIVED.

 

ABE: I have a team of my men searching the grounds all around the hospital.

HARPER: What about the press? How are handling it with them?

ABE: Well I don't think very many questions have been asked but if Kayla doesn't turn up soon then a few eyebrows are bound to be raised.

JACK: It's about time we went to the press. Maybe someone out there knows something.

HARPER: Let's hold off for a bit now. She hasn't been gone 48 hours yet.

JACK: That's long enough especially in her condition.

CAROLINE: Abe how could she have gotten out of the hospital? I mean somebody must have seen her. Lots of those people there know her.

ABE: Well we're going to get in touch with everyone on duty at the time she checked into the hospital. Maybe somebody saw her leave.

JACK: You don't think it was a kidnapping do you?

ABE: Anything's possible but I doubt it. There's no sign of a struggle.

JACK: She couldn't struggle if she wanted to.

ABE: And we haven't received a request for a ransom or anything.

JACK: That doesn't mean there won't be one.

ABE: That's true but I think we would have been contacted by this time. Kidnappers don't want to prolong these things. They want to take the money and run.

JACK: Unless money isn't what they're after.

ABE: Would you any reason to believe the kidnappers would want Kayla for any other reason?

JACK: No, no. I was just thinking....

ABE: Jack, Jack, if you know anything, if any of you know anything that might help in this investigation then tell me about it.

JACK: Maybe the detectives could help us.

ABE: What detectives?

HARPER: Well I hired a few men to look into it. That was before I found out that Jack had contacted you.

ABE: You should have come to us first.

HARPER: Well I realize that now. I guess I just thought Kayla would walk back here sometime. I didn't want to be an alarmist that's all.

ABE: Well I understand that but right now I don't think Kayla's going to walk up to that door.

HARPER: I'm afraid you might be right. I'm glad you're handling things Lieutenant. I have every confidence that you'll get my daughter-in-law back.

SHAWN: I don't understand what could have happened to her you know. How could she just walk out of that hospital, you know what I mean?

ABE: Shawn, Shawn, don't worry. We're going to find her.

CAROLINE: Yes, yes we know that you will Abe.

ABE: Listen if that's all, right now I could use your phone to call into headquarters.

HARPER: By all means, the phone's in the study right down the hall.

JACK: Abe, I think maybe you should talk to Steve Johnson.

ABE: Do you think he might be involved in this?

JACK: Well he might be able to....he might know something.

ABE: Alright, I'll check on him right away.

JACK: Hmmmph!

CAROLINE: I guess there's no point in our staying here. There's nothing we can do.

SHAWN: We should be getting home. You know Roman, he might be trying to call us.

HARPER: If we hear anything we'll call you.

JACK: I'll see you to the door.

CAROLINE: Jack do you really think it's possible that Steve knows something?

JACK: Who knows? It wouldn't hurt to check would it? (To Shawn) If you know anything, or hear anything you'll tell me wont you?

SHAWN: We'll tell you. Don't worry about. We'll tell you.

 

SHAWN AND CAROLINE LEAVE.

SCENE FIVE: ABE HAS RETURNED TO THE DEVERAUX MANSION AFTER QUESTIONING STEVE.

 

JACK: Thanks for stopping back by Abe.

HARPER: Yes thanks Lieutenant but you didn't have to come all this way.

ABE: Well I wanted you to know that I've questioned Steve Johnson.

JACK: What? What did he say?

ABE: Well talking to Steve Johnson is like spitting in the wind but he insists he doesn't know anything about Kayla.

HARPER: Do you believe him?

ABE: Well he has an alibi. I checked it and it washes.

HARPER: Well there's no reason to suspect him.

ABE: Well I don't think we want to count him out yet. Johnson has been known to have an ace or two up his sleeve in his time.

JACK: Damn him if he's holding out on us. If anything's happened to Kayla I'll....

HARPER: Jack don't, don't get yourself wound up about this. It isn't going to do Kayla or anybody else a bit of good if you wind up having a relapse.

JACK: I just can't stand it knowing she's out there somewhere and I can't get to her! If anyone's done anything to hurt Kayla, I swear I'm going to pay them back!

SCENE ONE: STEVE TRIES TO STEAL DRUGS FROM THE HOSPITAL DRUG CABINET AND AS HE WALKS OUT TO THE ELEVATOR JACK AND MELISSA WALK UP BEHIND HIM.

 

JACK: Okay Melissa, we can ask....(He sees Steve.)

STEVE: Hey look who's here. Superboy and his pretty little secretary, the dynamic duo themselves. I'm sorry kiddies I don't have time to catch up with you, I'm in a hur....

JACK: Wait a minute, wait a minute, where were you coming from?

STEVE: What are you talking about?

JACK: Don't even try it. We both saw you coming out of that room.

STEVE: Well I made a wrong turn off the freeway.

JACK: No, no, no. You're up to something aren't you?

STEVE: You really want to know?

JACK: Yeah, I do.

STEVE: Well why don't you go home and ask those bozos you told to follow me night and day.

 

JACK LOOKS DISAPPOINTED.

 

STEVE: Yeah! Didn't think I knew about the did you? Well I did and I don't appreciate. My daily routine is none of your damn business. Excuse me!

JACK: Wait a minute! (He grabs Steve.)

STEVE: Don't handle me dude.

MELISSA: Jack let him go.

JACK: I know you're up to something. If it has anything to do with Kayla, anything at all...if you're responsible for her disappearance I'm going to....

STEVE: What? What are you going to do? Uh! Now listen here. I don't have time for this but let me tell you something. I don't know anything about what happened to Kayla but if I did, I'd be taken a helluva lot better care of her than you buster.

 

JACK ATTACKS STEVE.

 

JACK: You can't talk to me that way.

 

THEY STRUGGLE AND WHEN DR. MARCUS HUNTER COMES ALONG TO BREAK THEM UP. MARCUS HAS JUST RECENTLY JOINED THE STAFF OF UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL.

 

STEVE: Marcus?

MARCUS: Is that you Steve?

STEVE: Couldn't be two of me dude.

SCENE TWO: STEVE AND MARCUS HUG WHILE JACK LOOKS ON. THEY EXCHANGE BANTER AND KID AROUND AS JACK OBSERVES THEM.

 

MELISSA: I guess you two know each other.

STEVE: Yes. Homey and I go way....(he glances at Jack) we go way back.

 

MARCUS TELLS STEVE HE IS NOW A DOCTOR AND THEN ASKS STEVE WHAT HE HAS BEEN UP SINCE THEY LAST SAW EACH OTHER.

 

MARCUS: Well you can tell me if you picked this gentleman out at random or if there was actually a perfectly good explanation for you two waling away at each other.

STEVE: Aaaah I don't know. Ask Jackson Junior, he's the one that started all the walin'.

 

STEVE ATTEMPTS TO LEAVE AND JACK GOES AFTER HIM. MARCUS HOLDS HIM BACK. MARCUS AND STEVE WERE AT THE ORPHANAGE TOGOTHER.

 

MARCUS: Hi. Marcus Hunter.

JACK: Jack Deveraux, this is Melissa Anderson.

MARCUS: Glad to meet you. You're not the Jack Deveraux are you.

JACK: Yes, I suppose I am and yes I am running for the state assembly.

MARCUS: Yeah, you are the Jack Deveraux. So what's the tale of woe?

JACK: Nothing, nothing. Just a little disagreement.

MELISSA: Yes but it's over now.

JACK: No it's not.

STEVE: Oh is that right?

JACK: That's right.

STEVE: Oh.

MELISSA: Jack please. Can we just forget about this for now?

JACK: For now.

MELISSA: Marcus it was nice meeting you. Welcome to Salem.

MARCUS: Thanks.

JACK: I'll be watching you Steve.

STEVE: Okay. Go ahead. Go ahead and waste daddy's money. Those PIs can't keep a tale on me for five minutes anyway. I guess if it's your money you may as well flaunt it.

JACK: If you have my wife and I know you do....you're going to pay for it.

STEVE: Okay.

JACK TURNS TO LEAVE THEN TURNS BACK.

 

JACK: Marcus. (He glares at Steve.).

 

JACK LEAVES AND STEVE IMITATES JACK AND SAYS "MARCUS."

SCENE THREE: JACK AND MELISSA ARE WALKING IN THE LANE.

 

JACK: I can't believe I let Steve get to me like that.

MELISSA: You were upset.

JACK: Still that's no excuse for jumping all over him in the middle of the hospital. I can't afford to do that sort of thing anymore.

MELISSA: Jack you're human.

JACK: I'm also in public office. These days a politician can't afford to be human.

MELISSA: You can't afford not to be either.

JACK: I'm so damn worried about her.

MELISSA: I know you are. We're all worried about her. They're going to find her Jack.

JACK: Who's going to find her? The police, a private detective. They haven't been able to do anything. She's still out there somewhere alone....it's driving me crazy. Look at me, I'm dragging you around the streets all night.

MELISSA: Jack I don't mind. I want to be with you. I want to help you if I can.

JACK: I can't just sit back and wait and watch anymore. I love her so much. I've got to find her, myself.

MELISSA: I understand that.

JACK: You do, don't you?

MELISSA: Yes.

JACK: If anything happens to her I don't know if I could go on. I don't even think I'd want to go on....

MELISSA: No Jack please don't say that. Look everyone is doing everything they can to find her. Now matter what happens you can't let this affect your own health.

JACK: Oh, Melissa I don't care about my health.

MELISSA: Jack you're driving yourself into a relapse.

JACK: I don't care. I only care about finding Kayla. I don't care what happens to me.

MELISSA: Well I do.

JACK: Thanks....

 

JACK WALKS AWAY.

 

MELISSA: I do care....

SCENE FOUR: MELISSA HAS A FANTASY ABOUT HER AND JACK. THEY ARE TOGETHER ON THE PIER.

 

MELISSA: Jack we've found Kayla. She's alright.

JACK: I know.

MELISSA: Well she's at the house. She's waiting for you.

JACK: Yes.

MELISSA: Well isn't that what you wanted. This is what you've been waiting for.

JACK: Melissa. Thing have changed and I didn't realize it.

MELISSA: What do you mean?

JACK: When Kayla was....now that Kayla is back I don't feel the same way anymore.

MELISSA: But I thought....I mean you loved her.

JACK: Loved, Melissa. Through all this I've realized that I care about someone else much more deeply.

MELISSA: You didn't tell her did you?

JACK: No. I didn't tell anyone. Not Kayla, not even you. It's you Melissa, I love you.

MELISSA: But Jack....

JACK: I love you.

MELISSA: I love you too Jack.

 

HE TAKES HER FACE IN HIS HANDS AND KISSES HER AND THEN THEY EMBRACE AND KISS AGAIN.

MELISSA GOES TO A KITCHEN DRAWER AND REMOVES THE ADOPTION DECREE.

 

MELISSA: I should put this in a safety deposit box.

SCENE FIVE: HARPER AND ANJELICA ARE IN THE DEVERAUX LIVING ROOM DISCUSSING THE NEWSPAPER HEADLINES OF KAYLA'S DISAPPEARANCE. HARPER THINKS THAT THEY SHOULD CONTINUE AS USUAL AND SHOW A UNITED FAMILY.

 

ANJELICA: Harper are you still going ahead with your plans?

HARPER: Yes of course I am.

ANJELICA: Well I hope Jack understands.

 

JACK COMES DOWNSTAIRS.

 

JACK: Understands what?....What do I need to understand?

HARPER: Why I have decided to run for President?

JACK: What?

SCENE SIX: THE DEVERAUX JACK, ANJELICA, AND HARPER.

 

JACK: What do you mean, you're running for President?

ANJELICA: Sweetheart, you know your father's supporters have been begging him to run for years.

JACK: Yes but in the past he's always refused.

HARPER: That's true, but the political climate of the country is changing. What with the delicate conditions of the stockmarket and the economic confusion in the nation, my supporters feel my particular kind of platform could really attract voters.

ANJELICA: You know that economics is your father's specialty.

JACK: Yes and normally I'd be very excited about this but things are not normal right now. I can't believe your starting up a major campaign when my wife is out there somewhere maybe hurt or worse....

HARPER: I know how you feel son. I'm running out of time. If I don't announce my candidacy soon it'll be too late. I'm going to be the last one to announce as it is. I need all the time I can get to build momentum....

JACK: I need time too dad to find my wife!

ANJELICA: Jack! We're doing everything we can to find Kalya, we all are but we have to move ahead with our lives and we have to believe Kayla is alright and she's going to be back with us soon.

HARPER: Anjelica's right. We have to stick together as a family. Support each other. Just as we always have.

ANJELICA: Remember we all love Kayla.

JACK: I know. I know. I know that the Presidency has always been a dream of yours dad and I'd like to see that dream come true but don't be surprised or disappointed if I's a little remiss in my campaign duties.

HARPER: I understand. I know it's asking a lot of you handling Kayla's search plus your own campaign and now mine.

JACK: No, no, don't get me wrong. I can handle everything but my first priority is Kayla, finding Kayla, that's all that's important.

ANJELICA: We understand.

HARPER: Of course.

ANJELICA: I hate to cut this short but if we don't hurry we'll be late for the luncheon.

HARPER: That's right. I almost forgot. I've got to change. Coming Jack.

JACK: Of course I'm coming. I told you I can handle it all, especially finding Kayla.

SCENE ONE: THROUGHOUT ALL THIS STEVE HAS KAYLA HIDDEN IN A ROOM AND IS TRYING TO CONVINCE HER THAT SOMEONE AT THE DEVERAUX MANSION IS TRYING TO POISON HER. SHE IS NOT CONVINCED AND WHEN HE LEAVES FOR FOOD SHE ESCAPES.

SCENE TWO: JACK, ANJELICA AND HARPER ARE WALKING ON THE PIER.

 

ANJELICA: I think the luncheon went very well don't you?

HARPER: I agree.

ANJELICA: Gentlemen, I hate to tell you this but I have to....

 

STEVE RUNS UP TO THEM.

 

STEVE: Jack. I gotta talk to you man.

HARPER: Listen Johnson....

JACK: No dad that's alright. What do you want to talk about Steve?

STEVE: I just wondered if you'd heard from Kayla. If she'd turned up or anything?

JACK: No I haven't. Why do you think I would?

STEVE: I'm just worried about her that's all.

ANJELICA: Mr. Johnson we all appreciate your concern but believe me we can handle it without you.

STEVE: I just thought somebody might have heard from her, alright?

JACK: Steve. I haven't seen my wife in two weeks. What makes you think she'd suddenly appear today?

STEVE: I don't know....(He walks away.)

JACK: What's he up too?

ANJELICA: It sounds very odd but by now we should expect odd from him.

HARPER: Let's just forget about Steve Johnson alright.

ANJELICA: I agree. Gentlemen, I have got to dash. I'll see you later.

HARPER: Come on Jack forget about the incident.

JACK: (Still staring after Steve.) Yeh, right....

SCENE THREE: JACK AND HARPER APPROACH THE FRONT DOOR OF THE DEVERAUX MANSION.

 

HARPER: You do the same thing tomorrow at the businessmen's luncheon and you'll be fine.

JACK: Thanks dad.

HARPER: Thinking about Kayla eh?

JACK: You know me pretty well by now don't you?

HARPER: Better than anybody.

JACK: I just want to find out if there's any news about her.

HARPER: Well there wasn't when I called from the banquet but hopefully someone's found something out.

 

THE DOOR OPENS AND THE BUTLER LETS THEM IN. KAYLA IS SEEN HIDING IN THE BUSHES.