SCENE ONE
(Later that day Casey and Selina are seated on the bed in Selina’s room)
SELINA: So how can I help you?
CASEY: (hands Selina a phone) Look.
SELINA: What am I seeing here? (There’s silence) What? Where did you get this?
CASEY: I have my ways. It’s all clear, your dearest boyfriend was cheating on you.
SELINA: That is not new to me (looks away)
CASEY: Come again? You knew all along that Alex was cheating on you and you kept quiet. You refused to tell me, why?
SELINA: I don’t owe you anything.
CASEY: You don’t owe me anything? That information could have saved me
SELINA: Saved you how? Stop wasting my time, I think it’s time you leave (stands up to open the door)
CASEY: Okay I will leave but tell me how long Alex and this girl have been dating?
SELINA: Two years.
CASEY: What? I was a side chick.
SELINA: (frowns) I was also a side chick nothing special about you.
CASEY: Are you blind? Can’t you see? The person behind Alex’s murder is his main chick, Zandra.
SELINA: (laughs closing the door to stand next to the window) You are now crazy!
CASEY: No! I’m not crazy, think about it. The girl found out about you, then got angry and killed Alex maybe to teach him a lesson.
SELINA: Teach him a lesson, how? How can you teach someone a lesson when they are dead?
CASEY: I don’t know. Why would he kill him then? Maybe it was a mistake or maybe it was just anger?
SELINA: Zandra came to me once and confronted me about my relationship with Alex. She told me to stay away from his man. I never listened, look now.
CASEY: You mean Zandra confronted you? You see, she did it. The girl was sick and tired of Alex’s cheating.
SELINA: (snaps) But there was no need to kill him. A simple “It’s over” could have avoided this. Perhaps I shouldn’t t have listened to Alex when he told me that he doesn’t love her anymore, perhaps I should have broken up with him. I told him that the girl came for me and he said he loves me not her.
CASEY: (rolls her eyes) Remember you took Alex from me?
SELINA: Please let’s not go there, we have a bigger problem; Zandra.
CASEY: I love where this is going “bigger problem Zandra”. At least we are finally on the same page. Now you see that Zandra has a hand in this.
SELINA: (scratches her head) I don’t know.
CASEY: I think I have a plan.
SELINA: What plan? I hope it’s not dangerous. No wait! How did you get access to Alex’s Facebook account? Don’t bore me with “I have my ways” Did someone help you?
CASEY: A friend helped me.
SELINA: Oh, so now you have hacker friends?
CASEY: (fakes a smile) Let’s talk about the plan. I don’t want to waste any more time. The police are after me. Next time they come, I will be thrown in a cell.
SCENE TWO
(The following day Casey and Selina are seated on top of a towel facing each other eating sandwiches at the park)
CASEY: I have been thinking about this whole thing and I now know a reason why I received those black roses.
SELINA: (Chewing) Why?
Casey: I think the main chick sent those roses to my place to make it look like I am the one who killed Alex. It makes perfect sense. Look, you and the main chick have no motive of killing Alex but I on the other hand, have every reason to murder him. First he cheated on me, then dumped me. Do you get where I am going?
SELINA: You could be right, but we have no proof and I don’t know where the girl stays. I know nothing about her. She just rocked up at my apartment the other day to tell me to leave her man alone. That was it, I never saw her again.
(They keep quiet for a moment as they continue to eat their sandwiches)
CASEY: (wipes her hands with a tissue paper) We need to pay her a visit and demand the truth.
SELINA: (Laughs) Demand the truth? What truth? She is grieving, no one will take us seriously with our suspicions and you saw on Facebook, Zandra is known by Alex’s family. What about us?
CASEY: Something doesn’t add up. Alex’s family knows Zandra as an official girlfriend and Mr Smith told me that you are Alex’s main girlfriend and the night he died you guys were supposed to meet on some restaurant for a double date. Does it mean that Mr Smith doesn’t know about Zandra?
SELINA: I have no idea.
CASEY: (snaps) No! Work with me here. We met so we can brainstorm and find solutions. Use your brain, question things, you can’t always accept things as they are. Do you know that you could be the main suspect? Do you know that it suits you to have killed Alex? And you’re sitting there all pretty not thinking.
SALINA: What’s there to think? Is this how you thank me for helping you?
CASEY: No, you are not helping me. You hid crucial information from me - that you were Alex’s side chick. You knew about Zandra all along. Now you claim that you helped me. I found the information all by myself. You don’t want to brainstorm, you don’t want to question things. You are just as useless to me.
SELINA: What do you want me to say really?
CASEY: Detective and the police officers are not doing their job. I’m starting to think that the entire team is on Zandras payroll or maybe yours.
SELINA: Stop! I have been sitting her listening to your insults. It’s an insult to think that I might have killed the love of my life.
CASEY: (laughs) The love of your life? I’m the bitter ex, you are the bitter side chick and Zandra is the bitter Main chick.
SELINA: So?
CASEY: So, Mr Smith can realise that they have the wrong suspect. In actual fact Selina, yes Selina the bitter side chick is the one who killed Alex. You found out that Alex has a main girlfriend and you got angry then you thought the only solution is to kill him. It makes perfect sense. After stealing him from me you thought that you were going to have him all by yourself and you got a bigger surprise.
SELINA: (laughs) Stop playing detective. Stick to smoking and leave the investigation and interrogation to real detectives who actually get paid for that. According to you “detective Casey Rogers” I should be arrested?
CASEY: (sighs) My question is that, do they know about Zandra and why did they paint you as the main chick while the real main chick is grieving at Alex’s house?
SELINA: I don’t know but you are actually right why they don’t suspect Zandra for the murder because she also has a motive.
CASEY: Exactly my point (there’s silence) I have a plan, let’s follow her around and see what she is up too.
SELINA: (laughs) follow her around, do you have a car?
CASEY: (rolls her eyes) You do have a car.
SELINA: Have you seen the petrol prices?
CASEY: I will give you money for petrol, now are you in?
SELINA: Yes
CASEY: We need to find where she stays
SELINA: (exhales) Like I said. I don’t know where she stays.
CASEY: Ok fine, a friend will help me with that.
*************
SCENE THREE
(Casey is pushing Layla on the swing in the back yard of their home)
CASEY: (laughs) Now it’s my turn.
LAYLA: Hha! You are so heavy. I can’t push you.
CASEY: Come on, you can.
LAYLA: Ok fine, let me push you.
CASEY: (chuckles) I’m joking.
(they both laugh)
LAYLA: Who is going to push me when you go to jail?
CASEY: (sighs) I told you I’m not going to jail.
LAYLA: I want to believe so but dad made it clear that he can’t afford a lawyer. How are you going to win this case without a Lawyer?
CASEY: Leave dad out of this. I got myself into this mess. I will save myself and I’m this close in finding out the truth.
LAYLA: That’s better.
(Mr Rogers and Sarah sit on the bench watching Casey pushing Layla on the swing)
Mr ROGERS: Having fun?
LAYLA: Yes dad.
Mr ROGERS: Now go watch your favourite cartoons on TV. Dad will push you tomorrow. We need to have a word with your sister.
(Casey stops the swing then Layla runs to the living room. Casey sits on the swing facing Mr Rogers and Sarah)
SARAH: How is the case going? I see detective Smith stopped coming. This is a good sign.
MR ROGERS: And Alex’s funeral is in two days. Are you going?
CASEY: No. It’s been a while since I heard from the police or detective Smith either. I guess I’m no longer the suspect.
MR ROGERS: (clicks his tongue) they had nerves to come here to arrest you but now they fail to come and tell us you are no longer a suspect.
SARAH: Let’s not jump to conclusions maybe they are quiet because they are still doing investigations.
CASEY: Those black roses didn’t prove a thing
MR ROGERS: Someone is framing you? Meaning that the real killer is out there roaming the streets.
CASEY: Yep and I think I know who it is.
MR ROGERS: Stay out of trouble. Let the police do their job.
CASEY: (smiles) Enough about me, when is the wedding?
(Mr Rogers and Sarah look at each other in disbelief)
SCENE FOUR
(The following day Casey and Selina spend the whole day following Zandra and they find nothing suspicious. Selina’s car is parked across the street where Zandra stays. The two ladies are arguing inside the car.)
SELINA: This was a waste of time.
CASEY: Do you have a better idea?
SELINA: Check the time, it’s already late. Let’s go. I don’t think Zandra will go out now plus she needs to prepare for Alex’s funeral.
CASEY: I think you are right. We will continue with the investigation tomorrow after the funeral. Are you going to your boyfriend’s funeral?
SELINA: No, my parents refused. I told them about Zandra.
CASEY: (sighs)
(Casey’s phone rings and she answers it)
CASEY: I’m coming.
MR ROGERS: Where are you? It’s late.
CASEY: Come on dad its 19:00. I’m no longer a child
MR ROGERS: I don’t want to fight with you.
CASEY: OK, we are at Sunnyside.
MR ROGERS : Sunnyside? What are you doing there?
CASEY: Relax dad, I’m with a friend, we are doing our own research since the police can’t do their jobs.
MR ROGERS : How can you put your life in danger like this? Are you crazy? My baby please come home now and leave the police to do their job, they know what they’re doing. Tell me, what did you find in your stupid little research?
CASEY: We suspect that Alex’s girlfriend killed him. So she was trying to frame me with the murder, but unfortunately she didn’t succeed because the night of the murder I was at some club and the owner confirmed that indeed I was at the club. I also posted pictures on Facebook that confirm I was really at a club, not Alex’s apartment.
MR ROGERS: What’s her name?
CASEY: Her name is Zandra
MR ROGERS : (shouts) that’s dangerous, don’t do it. Let the police investigate. Come back home.
CASEY: Dad, I really have to go!
MR ROGERS: Turn on the location!
(Casey drops the call)
SELINA: Hey look, they are going out. Let’s follow them. (starts the engine)
CASEY: No! Wait! Let’s go in.
SELINA: Go in where?
CASEY: Duh, her apartment.
SELINA: (laughs) Are you mad? How are you going to get access? Oh you have your own ways, right?
CASEY: (watching Zadra and Tom getting inside the car) Right! Why are they always together?
SELINA: I don’t know. What we are trying to do is risky. What if we get caught?
CASEY: What if we don’t get caught?
SELINA: The security is tight here.
CASEY: I know. Let’s go
(They both close the door of the car crossing the street heading to the security guard that is standing by the gate)