In a Different World I Loved You, Scene 6/7

Scene Six: Set is a desk and three chairs placed so that the audience can still see the jail cell. Gomez is sitting at desk talking on the phone. Luis is in his cell. Children saying Patty Cake, Patty Cake etc. . . begins as soon as lights up when they get to "fast as you can" Gomez begins talking and rhyme slowly fades as Pedro enters while Gomez is midcnversation.

Gomez: Yes sir. I understand sir. I have children of my own. (pause) No, I can't imagine what you are going through. I understand. All of the. . . children, have not yet been identified, yet. It may take some time sir. Yes. Please tell your wife that you are in my prayers. Thank you. Try to get some rest. I'll keep in touch. (hangs up phone)

Pedro: May I? (pointing to chair)

Gomez: Be my guest. I've just finished your report. Startling. Can't imagine finding my children like that. No wonder she lost it. What else can you tell me about her?

Pedro: Not much. I'm not her doctor. They had her sedated at Tippling last I heard. Heavily sedated.

Gomez: What about him? This Luis character? Do you think he did it?

Pedro: Up to a jury. I can't talk about that.

Gomez: Guess Angela will be pleading insanity. Try to make the jury believe he didn't know what he did was wrong.

Pedro: He'll have his day in court.

Gomez: Can't blame me for trying? (pause) Why are you in my office? What do you want? I have work to do.

Pedro: Just a visit between friends, we are friends remember. I thought we could do lunch.

Gomez: Can't today. Things are still busy, matching victims to dental records and all that fun stuff.

Pedro: So, with Luis's arrest I suppose the Ritual Slayings with multiple perpetrators theory is debunked?

Gomez: We still have several other missing or murdered children to investigate. (pause) Honestly, with his confession, I don't know.

Pedro: How are the kids, your kids?

Gomez: They want to know when I'll be home for dinner.

Pedro: With Luis in jail you should take some time to be with them. You have your man in custody. His confession should have cleared most of your open cases. Over a hundred and forty, wasn't it?

Gomez: It's not that simple.

Pedro: Yes, it is. If you don't relax and smell the roses, as they say, you're no good to anyone, not your family, not the department, not even your friends. You got the bad guy, take some time for yourself.

Gomez: You just want someone else to beat ion the court.

Pedro: Now that you mention it, how about tomorrow afternoon? We could play, then I'll take the whole family out for a nice dinner. Kill two birds with one stone.

Gomez: Next week is possible, tomorrow is not.

Maria: (offstage) Get your news here! Hot off the presses! Paper sir? Columbian killer confesses! News here! Mothers across Ecuador and Columbia breath sigh of relief! EI Loco in jail! Get your news here! Hot off the presses!

Pedro: What do you know about nursery rhymes?

Gomez: Nursery rhymes? Like "Little Boy Blue"?

Pedro: You have kids, I need to know about nursery rhymes. Specifically, rhymes that teach addition. Do you know any?

Gomez: What? Do I look like Mother Fucking Goose?

Pedro: Mother Goose?

Gomez: (laughs) You're serious? My wife says that nursery rhymes were originally designed to frighten children into proper behavior. We don't do nursery rhymes.

Lights slowly fade as the voice of a child is heard reciting the following twice:
Two plus one is three. Nothing in life is free.
Two plus two is four. That's what God is for.
Two plus three is five. No one gets out alive.

Scene Seven: Jail room is placed as in scene three. When lights come up Margaret is seen sitting in one of the chairs staring out into nothingness. She is humming a simple tune to herself and is startled as Luis is lead in to the room. She stands and holds her arms out. Luis sits rather than hug her.

Luis: How nice of you to come and visit.

Margaret: I would have come sooner but they refused to let me.

Luis: I understand.

Margaret: Luis, what is going on? The papers are saying terrible things about you. I don't know what to do.

Luis: Get on with your life, forget me and all this.

Margaret: Forget? How am I supposed to forget? I love you. Am I supposed to forget that?

Luis: You don't love me.

Margaret: We can get you out of this. I'll hire the best lawyer money can buy. They don't have enough evidence for a conviction.

Luis: I have a lawyer. They have a confession.

Margaret: She's not the best. Please, just tell me you're innocent and I'll do anything to get you out this place.

Luis: (pause) I can't tell you that. (solo pianist begins to play)

Margaret: Yes you can!

Luis: Don't you see? I can't. That wouldn't help, not now.

Margaret: What?

Luis: Listen, I'm going to ask you to do me a favor. Can you do one thing for me?

Margaret: Anything.

Luis: I want you to go to Tippling and visit someone. Just tell them you're her sister in law.

Margaret: Who am I going to see?

Luis: Her name is Maria Alftedo, my sister. Give her a message. Make sure she understands the message is from me.

Margaret: Your sister?

Luis: Tell her to visit Mother. Tell her to go the same route, she can find her. Everything is taken care of

Margaret: I don't understand.

Luis: Pretty Margaret. (touches her face) She'll understand.

Margaret: And then what? Will you let me hire a lawyer?

Luis: No, my love, no lawyer needed.

Margaret: Luis!

Luis: Don't you see? It all ends here. Made sure of that. No more blood to ruin innocence. It's all over now. Or, will be soon.

Margaret: What's all over? You're confusing me.

Luis: Deliver the message, the sooner the better. (stands) Don't visit me again. Relax and smell the roses, as they say.

Margaret: You love me!?

Luis: In a different world, I loved you. (pause) But that wasn't me. Not really me. Now, go, get as far from here as you can. Nothing he can't fix.

Margaret: (as Luis moves her towards the door) We can still fix everything?
Luis: I'm working on that. (Margaret exits and Luis faces audience, music stops)

Fade to Black