SCENE ONE
(Casey walks in out of breath to find several police officers in her home including Mr Smith, the detective. As soon as Casey walks in they all stand up)
CASEY: (breathing heavily) what’s going on?
MR SMITH: Uhm these are my colleagues (points). We are here to search the house, in fact we are done. We have found something really interesting. Black roses!
CASEY: (shocked) Shit!
MR SMITH: What are black roses doing in your room? you know we found black roses at Alex’s apartment. Maybe you can enlighten us on what is going on?
CASEY: (tears fill her eyes) I don’t know, I’m dead serious. Ask Layla, she knows, we both found those roses in my room this morning. I was shocked too.
MR SMITH: The card at Alex’s apartment was written “you cheat you die”. Alex has cheated on you, didn’t you say that? I’m taking you to the station for proper questioning, you have a lot to answer. I want nothing but answers, honest truth of why you killed him.
CASEY: Dad, are you going to just stand there? Doing nothing? Your daughter is being wrongfully accused. Do something, tell them I’m innocent (shouts and cries).
MR ROGERS: (looks down) I wish there was something I could do.
SCENE TWO
(In the interrogation room Mr Smith is seated on top of the table looking straight at Casey wanting answers)
CASEY: I didn’t kill him, I swear. I know I have done really bad things in my life, but this? (shakes her head).
MR SMITH: Just answer my questions then I will free you, it’s that easy. I want you to work with me here. I’m not saying you killed him, I’m doing my job. I’m not saying you are innocent either. Talk to me!
CASEY: (sighs) Ok, Ok, what do you want from me detective?
MR SMITH: These questions are not really new. Where were you on the 29th of October 2022?
CASEY: (with a straight face) I was at the club.
MR SMITH: Last time you said “you think” you were at your apartment, what has changed?
CASEY: I remembered. Then I didn’t know this thing is serious. I was at the club.
MR SMITH: Ok, you called Alex the day before he was brutally killed around 22:16, correct?
CASEY: (shocked) How did you know that? Yes I did call him.
MR SMITH: I thought you said you never contacted him in the past two months. Am I correct?
CASEY: (sobs) what do you want from me? Is it a crime to call an ex?
MR SMITH: What do I want from you? You know very well. Why did you call him? You call the guy, the following day he dies. Does that make any sense?
CASEY: In your eyes, Mr Smith, I’m an evil murderer, is that so?
MR SMITH: (laughs) I’m doing the questioning here not you. Why did you call him?
CASEY: I missed him, I wanted to know how life is treating him, how are things with his new girlfriend. Happy now?
MR SMITH: Now tell me about the black roses. We found black roses in your room - in your father’s house and at your apartment as well as Alex’s apartment.
CASEY: (hits her fists on the table) Stop right there. Are you blind? Can’t you see that someone is framing me?
MR SMITH : Story of every suspect. There was a note written “Black roses for this dying love” the other one “You broke my heart into pieces, now here is your special delivery”. (sighs) Alex broke your heart so you thought killing him was the solution.
CASEY: (cries) No I didn’t kill him, believe me, I didn’t do it. She did it, yes. Selina did it. (Excitedly) Yes she did, now she is framing me so that she can get away with murder.
MR SMITH : (stands up) for your information, the day Alex got killed Selina was waiting for him at the restaurant. They were going to have a double-date with their colleagues then Alex never showed up. We have people who saw and who were with Selina the time the poor guy was taking his last breath. Now the question is, who were you with that night? We want people who will come forward and say “on the 29th of October we were with Casey Rogers”. We have a strong case against you. Prepare yourself for war. There is a higher possibility that you will be spending the rest of your life behind bars.
CASEY: Call the manager of the club, he will confirm I was there. In fact that night he drove me to my apartment because I was too drunk.
****************
SCENE THREE
(The next day, Casey enters her home and throws herself on a sofa, putting a pillow on her face)
SARAH: How did it go? I hope they didn’t torture you with their stupid questions.
CASEY: (groans pressing the pillow on her face) I’m fine.
MR ROGERS: (enters with a glass of whiskey) Good to hear. You are not going to jail, right?
CASEY: (places the pillow next to her) I am the main suspect (laughs) obviously I am going to jail.
SARAH: You didn’t kill Alex. I believe you.
CASEY: (sighs) I just hope Mr Jackson will tell them I was at the club that night. Dad, I need money for a lawyer. Seems like I will be going to jail for something I didn’t do.
MR ROGERS: I’m still puzzled by the fact that you go to clubs. I told you, I don’t have a lawyer and I can’t afford one. Casey, I’m sorry I won’t be able to help (looks away).
CASEY: (slowly stands up) What? My own father is just going to watch me go straight to jail? How long have you been working? Close to 15 years but you tell me you can’t afford a lawyer?
MR ROGERS: (laughs) are you listening to yourself? How old are you? 27 but you have no job, you stay in an old, worn out and dirty apartment. I am making you a huge favour by funding your life and lifestyle. Your peers are working, driving fine cars and you are out here killing boyfriends. Your life is a mess. You have nothing in your name.
SARAH: (shouts) Stop it guys, stop!
CASEY: Do you recall why I left school in grade 11? I was traumatised. I lost a mother, not only that, but I was more traumatised by the way she was murdered. My own mother was chopped into pieces and put in the fridge. I was the one who found her body remember? (sobs) How could I have continued with school when I was in and out of hospitals? Going through counselling and therapy? I couldn’t move on. I can’t move on, I’m still mourning her death to this day.
MR ROGERS: Excuses, Excuses. Are you the first person to lose a mother in this entire world? How many successful people out there who don’t have both parents? You are ungrateful, you still have me. I support you financially.
SARAH: (shouts) enough! The entire neighbourhood can hear you. This is not the time, we have to be in her side babe (Holds Mr Rogers hands) Please let’s support her.
CASEY: Sarah stay out of this, this is not your fight, you don’t belong here. We don’t need your opinion. Stop acting like you care about me, you don’t!
(Sarah clicks her tongue letting go of her hands from Mr Rogers, opening the door to leave. Mr Rogers runs after her and holds her hand trying to stop her from walking out of the door)
MR ROGERS: You are not going anywhere love, if there is someone who has to leave is definitely this one (points Casey).
SCENE FOUR
(Casey burst into tears running to her room, in her room she finds Layla seated on top of her bed)
LAYLA: Did you kill the man?
CASEY: (Looks at her while wiping her tears, she then opens her wardrobe, throws suitcase on top of the bed and takes out her clothes) you can believe whatever you want to believe. I’m done explaining myself.
LAYLA: (shocked) where are you going sis?
CASEY: (snaps) I am not your sister!
LAYLA: But we share the same dad.
CASEY: I no longer have a father, I don’t have parents. My parents died the day mom died.
LAYLA: (innocently) Does that mean that I also don’t have parents?
CASEY: (sighs and sits next to Layla holding her hands) You do have a father, dad loves you.
LAYLA: That’s not true he loves Sarah more than us, since she came into our lives dad is different.
CASEY: No! He loves you dearly. It’s just me. He doesn’t like me and I understand why, who would want a murderer in their home?
LAYLA: But you didn’t kill him.
CASEY: (smiles) You believe me?
LAYLA: (nods) Yep, you are afraid of killing a cockroach there’s no way you would kill a human being.
CASEY: (laughs) And you are afraid of killing a spider.
LAYLA: (laughs) There’s no way you can compare a spider and cockroach. Spiders are dangerous, Sis.
(Casey embraces Layla and they both pass out on the bed)
SCENE FIVE
(That night Mr Rogers has prepared a romantic dinner, they are both seated down on a blanket in Mr Rogers’ bedroom. Before them is snacks, bottle of red wine, two glasses and two white plates with steak and vegetables. Around them on the floor is candles)
SARAH: Thank you for this (smiles).
MR ROGERS: My pleasure babe. I wanted to do something special so we can forget about all the things Casey has put us through.
SARAH: (sighs) It’s not her fault though.
MR ROGERS: (pours wine in a glass and hands it to Sarah) I don’t want us to talk about Casey. Tonight is about me and you. I don’t remember the last time I did something special for you. You deserve it.
SARAH: (takes a sip of wine) I don’t want you to abandon your children because of me. I want to be a good step mom to your children. Evil step moms’ have painted us bad. Now everyone thinks we are wicked. I love your kids, John and I know you also love my daughter.
MR ROGERS: It’s good to hear that you love my kids.
SARAH: Don’t be hard on them because you want to impress me.
MR ROGERS: Babe tonight is about us.
SARAH: No let’s address a few things before we focus on ourselves.
MR ROGERS: Okay! Okay! I think Casey won’t win this case.
SARAH: I think she is innocent.
MR ROGERS: Why do you think that?
SARAH: I don’t know but my gut feeling tells me that she is innocent. I want to support her, I want to show her love. This is the only time I can win her heart.
MR ROGERS: (nods) okay so you suggest we do?
SARAH: I understand you don’t have money but you can support her emotionally, be with her every step of the way. Yesterday I was hoping you would go with her at the police station for questioning but you didn’t. That’s wrong, she needs you.
MR ROGERS: I’m giving her tough love.
SARAH: She needs love now not tough love.
MR ROGERS : (looks at the watch) Okay! Okay! Enough about Casey.
SARAH: (Chuckles) Yes of course. (takes and bites a tender steak) you cooked?
MR ROGERS: (giggles) Yes
SARAH: No ways! I know that laugher.
MR ROGERS: Okay I bought it at the Dine restaurant. I actually wanted us to go there but they are fully booked for the night.
SARAH: Oh, their food is delicious and it’s always packed at their restaurant (sips wine)
MR ROGERS : (gets down on one knee before Sarah and takes out a ring out of his pocket) Can you make me the happiest man on earth?
SARAH: (accidentally spits the wine that was on her mouth to Mr Rogers face) What?
MR ROGERS : will you marry me? (red wine all over his face)
(Sarah looked straight to Mr Rogers eyes, shocked)