Episode Eighty-four: While Trying
to Help Jack Track Down Steve's
Whereabouts in Italy, Jennifer
Tells Him that She Is a Virgin.

 

SCENE ONE: JACK IS IN HIS OFFICE CALLING KAYLA. JENNIFER BURSTS IN.

 

JACK: (On the phone) Come on Kayla. Pick up the phone, come on.

JENNIFER: Jack, are you ready.

JACK: Ah....yeah, yeah.

JENNIFER: Okay. Cute.

JACK: What?

JENNIFER: The story.

JACK: Whose?

JENNIFER: Who's on first?

JACK: What?

JENNIFER: What's on second? Who's on first and what's on second.

JACK: Are we writing a story about Abbot and Costello here?

JENNIFER: Let's try this again Jack. Okay. Ready?

 

JENNIFER WALKS BACK OUT OF THE OFFICE AND REENTERS.

 

JENNIFER: Jack, hi. Are you ready?

JACK: What?

JENNIFER: The story on Emilio. You said you'd help me.

JACK: Oh, right.

JENNIFER: Are you okay?

JACK: I'm perfect. Let's stop wasting time okay.

JENNIFER: Wasting time? You just didn't get the joke, Jack.

JACK: Just get this down. "Emilio Ramirez, from Gutter to Good."

JENNIFER: Er....it's a little cliché, isn't it?

JACK: Okay, okay. I'll try again. "Emilio Ramirez, the Homeboy Hero."

JENNIFER: (Laughing) Oh that's better Jack.

JACK: No, no, I've got a better one. "Emilio Ramirez, from Stingrays to Sainthood: He Turned the Tables and Turned in his Pals."

 

AS JACK IS TALKING EMILIO COMES INTO THE OFFICE.

 

JENNIFER: (Laughing) That's better Jack.

EMILIO: What the hell's going on?

JENNIFER: Emilio, hi.

EMILIO: You know I wouldn't have come down here if I knew you were writing a condescending story about a Barrio boy who beats the odds.

JENNIFER: We're working on an honest story.

 

EMILIO THROWS HIS ARMS IN THE AIR ALMOST KNOCKING JACK OVER AND SENDING PAGES FLYING ACROSS THE OFFICE.

 

EMILIO: Let me tell you something. This is garbage. Garbage!

JACK: (Laughing) Well I never said it was Shakespeare.

JENNIFER: Look, you're a hero. We think everyone should know that.

EMILIO: Will you just cut the bull, okay? I know why you're doing this. You're trying to make yourselves feel good.

JENNIFER: What? That's not true.

JACK: When are you going to get this through that thick curly head of yours that we are doing this because we respect you!

EMILIO: Yeah, well why don't you, respect who I am?

JENNIFER: We wouldn't be doing this if we didn't.

JACK: Yeah.

EMILIO: Wait a minute. Let me get this straight. What are you doin'?

JACK: ENTREE!

 

THROUGH THE OFFICE DOOR COMES A GROUP OF REPORTERS READY TO INTERVIEW EMILIO. THEY BOMBARD HIM WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE A HERO. JACK GIVES OUT A PIERCING WHISTLE TO SHUT THEM UP.

 

JACK: Ladies and gentlemen of the opposing press. I'm going to give you a chance to have something you rarely if ever get at your own publications, your own scoop. Now you can ask your own questions but we want to hear it all first from the man of the hour, his own story. Emilio, I'm sure you want to tell....

 

JENNIFER TRIES TO INTERRUPT.

 

JENNIFER: Jack, Jack?

JACK: ....us how and why you took down the Stingrays. Emilio? (Beat) Ah....you know how it is. These heroes are pretty shy sometimes. Emilio?

EMILIO: Look, I'm not a hero, okay. I did this for one reason. To protect my brother. And I hurt a lot of people who I care about. And you know something else. Those people know my a hell of a lot better than you people do. Sure the Stingrays were dangerous but by themselves they were good people. They were my friends. And they did what they had to, to survive. But you know something else. Did you ever help them out? Open your arms, open your hearts, open your doors? Did you ever give them a break man? I tell you something. You don't have to worry about that anymore, because they're in jail, you know. And I'm going to have to live with betraying my friends. And you and you and you are going to have to live with creating them.

 

AS EMILIO IS TALKING JACK LOOKS ACROSS AT JENNIFER AND THEY BOTH FEEL INCREASINGLY UNCOMFORTABLE ABOUT WHAT HE IS SAYING AND REGRET THE NEWS CONFERENCE. EMILIO FINISHES AND THE REPORTERS BOMBARD HIM WITH QUESTIONS BUT HE WALKS OUT WITH JENNIFER CALLING AFTER HIM. JACK STANDS THERE SQUIRMING SLIGHTLY.

SCENE TWO: JENNIFER FOLLOWS EMILIO AND TELLS HIM THAT DESPITE WHAT HE SAYS, PEOPLE THINK HE IS A HERO AND THAT THE STINGRAYS WERE BAD. HE SAYS THAT SHE DOES NOT GET IT AND THAT SHE ALWAYS THINKS OF HIM AS ONE OF THEM FROM THE WRONG SIDE OF THE TRACKS.

SCENE THREE: INSIDE JACK'S OFFICE HE IS STILL DEALING WITH THE REPORTERS WHEN JENNIFER COMES BACK.

 

JACK: Look, you have everything here for a story. Emilio Ramirez typifies the reluctant hero. Ah....actions speak louder than words. That's your angle. (Beat) Well come on I gave you the scoop. Write it yourselves. Get out of here while it's still news.

REPORTER: Thanks a lot Deveraux.

JACK: Oh anytime. Believe me.

 

THE REPORTERS LEAVE.

 

JACK: So, you make nice with the Barrio Boy?

JENNIFER: I tried but he wouldn't listen.

JACK: Maybe you're trying too hard.

JENNIFER: Look you just said yourself that he is a hero.

JACK: Sure I said that. It makes good news. I don't believe that and neither does Emilio.

JENNIFER: You and I both know that what he did was right.

JACK: Did you what Emilio said? He said he was doing it for himself.

JENNIFER: And for his brother. Surely you can relate to that Jack.

JACK: Would you stop trying to make him into something that he's not. Face it, maybe he's just not the guy for you.

JENNIFER: Well if he isn't, then who is?

 

JACK IS STUNNED BY THAT COMMENT. HE TRIES TO LAUGH IT OFF.

 

JENNIFER: Jack?

JACK: (Trying to show it has no affect on him.) Well don't look at me. I mean I'm not your personal dating service. I've got better things to do.

 

JENNIFER IS ANGRY AND SHE BEGINS TO WALK OUT.

 

JACK: Where are you going?

JENNIFER: To find Emilio. I'm not giving up on him yet.

 

SHE WALKS OUT AND SHUTS THE DOOR. JACK SHRUGS HIS SHOULDERS.

 

SCENE ONE: KAYLA HAS RECEIVED A MYSTERIOUS PHONE CALL TELLING HER TO BE CAREFUL OF MARINA AND NOT TO TRUST HER. SHE DECIDES TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MARINA.

SCENE TWO: THE NEXT DAY, JENNIFER ARRIVES AT WORK AND FINDS KAYLA SITTING IN JACK'S OFFICE.

 

JENNIFER: Oh Kayla.

KAYLA: Hi Jennifer.

JENNIFER: Are you here to see Jack?

KAYLA: No. Actually I came here to do a little research.

JENNIFER: Research?

KAYLA: Yes. I was wondering if you maybe had some back issues of Italian newspapers?

JENNIFER: Well Italy puts out a lot of newspapers. Did you have a particular one in mind?

KAYLA: Yes I do. But I don't know what particular one it is.

JENNIFER: Well maybe if you told me what you're looking for, I can help you find it.

KAYLA: I don't think that you'd know what I mean.

JENNIFER: Well try me.

KAYLA: I'm looking for someone named Marina Toscano.

JENNIFER: Toscano. Ah....are you sure?

KAYLA: Yes. Do you know it?

JENNIFER: Well I have a pretty good idea.

KAYLA: Can you help me?

JENNIFER: Sure. We....ah....actually we have a whole file on her.

KAYLA: A file?

JENNIFER: Yeah, actually it's been here for quite a while.

KAYLA: Really.

JENNIFER: Yeah. I think you have a right to see it.

 

JENNIFER HANDS KAYLA THE FILE THAT JACK HAD ON MARINA.

 

KAYLA: Thank you. I appreciate it. Jennifer, when do you think Jack will be back?

 

JACK WALKS IN BEHIND HER.

 

JACK: Jack....is back. (Beat) Well what's happening?

JENNIFER: I gave Kayla one of your files.

JACK: Oh really. Which one?

KAYLA: Um, Marina Toscano.

JACK: Ah....I had a feeling.

KAYLA: You know it's really incredible.

JENNIFER: What is?

KAYLA: So many articles and notes. Very thorough Jack.

JACK: Well you know that's part of being a newspaper man.

KAYLA: You know it's a big coincidence. Because I came here to do research on Marina and you already have a file on her.

JACK: Well you know that the Toscano family is really very famous.

KAYLA: But this file is only on Marina.

JACK: Well....that's because I'm starting with one member of the family and working my way down.

KAYLA: Oh, you're going to publish this are you?

JACK: No, no. I'm doing....um....um....material research for the....er....background....

JENNIFER: I though she had a right to see it.

JACK: Of course she does. We have no secrets here. As a matter of fact, why don't we give Kayla some privacy, huh?

JENNIFER: Sure.

 

JACK PUTS HIS ARM AROUND JENNIFER AND PICKS HER STRAIGHT UP AND CARRIES HER, UNDER HIS ARM, RIGHT OUT OF THE OFFICE.

 

JACK: In fact, we'll leave in peace. We'll see you later.

 

HE SHUTS THE DOOR, PUTS JENNIFER DOWN AND LOOKS HER IN THE EYE.

 

JENNIFER: Don't look at me like that Jack.

 

JACK: I'd do more than look at you except there's people out here.

JENNIFER: Okay. Maybe I should have asked your permission.

JACK: Do we show our files to everybody who asks?

JENNIFER: Kayla is not just everybody.

JACK: That's why we don't show her the files.

JENNIFER: She wanted to know about Marina.

JACK: Does the President tell everybody everything? Does the CIA, the ASPCA? Sometimes we don't tell everybody the truth.

JENNIFER: Why?

JACK: Because sometimes the truth hurts.

SCENE THREE: KAYLA IS STILL IN JACK'S OFFICE, READING THE FILES. THE ARTICLES TELL OF STEVE'S OBSESSIVE LOVE FOR MARINA. JACK ENTERS.

 

JACK: Kayla, stop reading that garbage. You know those Italian newspapers. It's all exploitation. It's paparazzi.

KAYLA: Why do you have a file like this Jack?

JACK: I told you why.

KAYLA: Whatever you told me, it was a lie.

JACK: No it's not.

KAYLA: You know you're always trying to get at Steve. Now you're digging up information from some woman in his past. You want something to hold over his head. Well now you've found it.

JACK: Look this is all wrong. You don't know.

KAYLA: You know I thought that you had changed Jack. You know the other night at the airport, I had this crazy idea that maybe you cared about me and Steve. But it was all an act.

 

JACK RESIGNS HIMSELF TO ALWAYS BEING CONSIDERED THE BAD GUY.

 

JACK: It doesn't matter what I say. You're going to think whatever you want.

KAYLA: You know. That's the first true thing that's come out of your mouth.

JACK: Kayla.

KAYLA: You know Jack, I'd like to finish reading this someplace else. Out of this office.

JACK: Kayla....I....look I'm not trying to hurt you or Steve.

 

KAYLA WALKS OUT AND JENNIFER ENTERS.

 

JACK: Well, everything's back to normal!

JENNIFER: I guess I shouldn't have given her the files.

JACK: Don't worry about it.

JENNIFER: Jack?

JACK: Oh please. Don't try to make me feel any better.

JENNIFER: I feel bad for you. I feel bad for Kayla.

JACK: Who the hell did I think I was, thinking I could help those two!

JENNIFER: I think you still can.

JACK: You heard what Kayla said.

JENNIFER: That's why you're the only one who can help. That file proves it. You care Jack, I know you do.

JACK: That will just have to be our little secret.

JENNIFER: I didn't know you gave up so easily.

JACK: I don't! I don't. Their opinion is carved in granite.

JENNIFER: Do you want my opinion?

JACK: Do I have a choice?

JENNIFER: Make Kayla go to Steve in Italy.

JACK: What?

JENNIFER: I mean it. Make her go Jack.

JACK: No, no. Wait....

 

THE PHONE RINGS AND JACK PICKS IT UP.

 

JACK: Jack Deveraux here.

EMILIO: Yeah, well they were supposed to give me Jennifer.

JACK: Well, if it isn't Mr. Anti Hero.

EMILIO: And if it isn't Mr. Ant Brain Deveraux.

JACK: (Laughing) Here she is.

JENNIFER: Why do you always have to give him such a hard time Jack?

JACK: Me?

JENNIFER: Yes, you.

 

EMILIO ASKS IF IT IS A BAD TIME BUT SHE LOOKS JACK STRAIGHT IN THE EYE AND SAYS NO AND THAT SHE CAN TALK FOR A WHILE. EMILIO THEN ASKS HER TO LUNCH AND SHE AGREES.

 

JACK: We have a little lunch date?

JENNIFER: Yes I do. Think about what I said Jack, about Steve and Kayla.

JACK: I have a lot to think about.

 

JENNIFER LEAVES AFTER GIVING HIM ANOTHER LOOK.

SCENE FOUR: JENNIFER MEETS EMILIO FOR LUNCH IN THE PARK AND HE ASKS HER TO GO TO A STREET PARTY WITH HIM. SHE ACCEPTS.

SCENE FIVE: MEANWHILE KAYLA IS STILL GOING THROUGH THE FILES.

 

JACK: Kayla, stop reading that, please.

KAYLA: Jack, you're the last person I want to talk to right now.

JACK: Kayla, for one minute will you just (Jack pulls the paper out of her hand) for one minute will you stop thinking about that. Forget how you feel about me. Go to Italy. Tell Steve that you're pregnant.

KAYLA: Are you finished?

JACK: I was finished a long time ago.

KAYLA: Why do keep trying to hurt us Jack?

JACK: After everything that's happened, don't lose what you have. You still have each other.

KAYLA: Even if I wanted to find Steve, I don't know where he is.

JACK: Italy is not that big.

KAYLA: He could be on a boat in the middle of the Mediterranean for all I know.

JACK: People find each other in Italy every single day.

KAYLA: You know Jack, I'm pregnant and I can't go trapesing....

JACK: Stop making excuses and just go.

KAYLA: Will you just leave me alone? Just stay out of my life.

 

KAYLA WALKS OUT LEAVING JACK FRUSTRATED.

SCENE SIX: A SHORT TIME LATER JENNIFER RETURNS AND COMES INTO JACK'S OFFICE.

 

JENNIFER: I'm back Jack.

JACK: How are the pigeons?

JENNIFER: Lunch was great. What are you doing? What are you up to?

JACK: Well you'll be pleased to know that I took your advice. I asked Kayla if I could help her.

JENNIFER: What did she say?

JACK: Oh the usual reply: "Get the hell out of my life." (Beat) She doesn't know where Steve is.

JENNIFER: How could she not know.

JACK: That's my sentiments exactly.

JENNIFER: Do you think she wants to know where Steve is?

JACK: What do you think?

JENNIFER: Well I don't know but are you going to help find him?

JACK: I'm going to give it my best shot.

JENNIFER: Then if you find him, Kayla goes to Italy, right?

JACK: If Kayla goes to Italy, that will be the plan.

JENNIFER: Great, then we can help get them back together, right?

JACK: We?

JENNIFER: Yeah, we. You, me. We. We.

JACK: We, we, oh we. Okay, well given the global scope of this thing, you better keep the next couple of days free.

JENNIFER: The next couple of days?

JACK: You never know what might come up.

JENNIFER: Ah....Jack?

JACK: Yes?

JENNIFER: I really want to help.

JACK: Is there a problem?

JENNIFER: Well I kind of made plans for the end of the week.

JACK: Plans?

JENNIFER: Yes, plans with Emilio. But if you want me to cancel....

JACK: No, no, no. I don't want you to cancel anything.

JENNIFER: Well helping Kayla is more important that what Emilio and I had planned.

JACK: Look, anything you can do to help out, I'll be very grateful for but I don't want to intrude on your personal life.

JENNIFER: Yeah, but helping Steve and Kayla is our project.

JACK: I don't want to intrude on your personal life.

SCENE SEVEN: IT IS A SHORT TIME LATER. JACK IS SITTING IN HIS CHAIR LOOKING AT A NOTE PAD. JENNIFER IS LEANING OVER THE BACK OF THE CHAIR.

 

JENNIFER: Well there sure are a lot of hotels mentioned in these articles.

JACK: I just hope that Steve's in one of them.

JENNIFER: How many do we have so far?

JACK: Five, and one yacht.

JENNIFER: So what do we do? Pick one and start calling?

JACK: Dealer's choice. It's up to you.

JENNIFER: Okay, ah...oh the Villa della Loggia.

JACK: The Villa della Loggia!

JENNIFER: It's sounds so romantic.

JACK: Oh everything in Italy sounds romantic.

 

JACK PICKS UP THE PHONE AND JENNIFER WALKS AROUND TO THE FRONT OF THE DESK.

 

JACK: Hello. Are you off your coffee break? Good, good. I want you to check out a hotel in Italy called the Villa Della Loggia. Yeah, full of ambrosia. Yeah, it's kind of a got a nice....it's nice...it's really nice....oh you know where it is. Go ahead. (To Jennifer) She knows. She's been around the world.

JENNIFER: So what do we do now? We just wait.

JACK: Yeah, we just hope that Steve and Miss Toscano are in one of those places.

JENNIFER: It just doesn't make sense that Steve would hurt Kayla.

 

JACK WALKS ROUND BEHIND JENNIFER.

 

JACK: No, no, no. Steve didn't hurt Kayla. She just showed up on his doorstep, Miss Toscano did. You know old lovers have a way of doing that.

JENNIFER: Well I wouldn't know. I've never had a lover.

 

JENNIFER TURNS BACK TO LOOK AT JACK'S REACTION. HE IS STARING AT HER WITH A LOOK OF TOTAL SURPRISE. SHE FEELS AWKWARD.

SECONDS LATER THE PHONE RINGS AND JENNIFER PICKS IT UP. WHILE SHE IS TALKING JACK IS STANDING BEHIND HER LOOKING HER UP AND DOWN WITH A MYSTIFIED BUT VERY PLEASED EXPRESSION ON HIS FACE. HE CANNOT GET OVER THE FACT THAT SHE IS A VIRGIN.

 

JENNIFER: Yes, this is the Villa della Loggia, isn't it? Do you have a Steve Johnson registered....no Johnson. Do you speak English? No, no. I don't speak Italian. Yeah okay I'll wait.

 

SHE TURNS BACK TO LOOK AT JACK.

 

JENNIFER: They're trying to find someone who speaks English.

 

JACK IS TOTALLY DISTRACTED.

 

JACK: English?

JENNIFER: Yeah, you know, the language that we speak. What's wrong with you?

JACK: Ah....nothing, nothing. It's just a funny thing. I thought you said that you'd....er....that you'd never had a lover?

JENNIFER: Jack, we have very important business from Italy here that we are trying to conduct.

JACK: What about Frankie Brady?

JENNIFER: What about Frankie?

JACK: Well....er....I mean, how do you define an ex-lover?

JENNIFER: I would define lover as someone you made love with.

JACK: And....er Frankie doesn't....

JENNIFER: No.

 

JACK HALF SMILES AS HE TAKES IN THIS INFORMATION. HE IS VERY PLEASED AND FINDS HER EVEN MORE ATTRACTIVE.

 

JENNIFER: Hello, yes I'm here. Oh great you speak English. Good. Steve Johnson is there. Great. No, no, no. I don't want to talk to him. No I don't want to leave him a message either. Thank you. Grazie to you too. Bye.

 

JACK HAS BEEN LOOKING HER UP AND DOWN IN ADMIRATION THE WHOLE TIME SHE HAS BEEN TALKING.

 

JENNIFER: That's it. He's there. That's where he is.

JACK: Good.

JENNIFER: Good. So....ah....I'm going to get back to work now.

 

JACK SITS BACK ON HIS DESK WATCHING HER LEAVE.

 

JENNIFER: Jack?

JACK: Huh?

JENNIFER: Could you promise me something?

JACK: Sure.

JENNIFER: This little talk we had. It's kind of personal.

JACK: About the Villa della Loggia? (He teases her with a smile.)

JENNIFER: No, not the villa.

JACK: Sure. Sure.

JENNIFER: It's not a big deal but....

JACK: No, no big deal.

JENNIFER: Thanks.

 

SHE QUIETLY WALKS OUT LEAVING JACK SMILING AND HAPPY.