Episode #40 Project - SC1056 due SOUTH "FLASHBACK" Written by Peter Mohan and Michael Teversham PUBLISHED DRAFT April 26, 1996 REVISED PINK - May 4, 1996 Pages (31): Full script
PROLOGUE EXT. STREET -- DAY Fraser and ray walking along the street. Ray is looking in a bag, taking inventory. RAY: Turkey on wheat for the Lieutenant. Huey gets the Tuna on white. So the Pastrami on sourdough is Elaine's. FRASER: Rye. RAY: What? FRASER: Elaine wanted rye bread. RAY: What's the difference? FRASER: Quite a bit. Two MUSLIM WOMEN wearing traditional veil and clothing approach Fraser and Ray and try to pass them. As Fraser tries to pass one of the women, they find themselves doing a dance to get past each other. WOMAN #1: Excuse me. FRASER: No, my fault. The woman meets Fraser's eyes as she passes. We stay with her and her companion as they head into a store. A HUGELY PREGNANT WOMAN arrives at the store from the other direction and leads them inside. A sign on the store reads "CLIFFORD JEWELRY". INT. CLIFFORD JEWELRY -- DAY Five or six customers looking over the selection. The PREGNANT WOMAN and the two MUSLIM WOMEN walk to different counters and inspect the glittering gems. CLIFFORD, a smooth, confident man in his 40s, approaches one of the Muslim women who is checking out a rack of diamonds. CLIFFORD: Good afternoon. Are you looking for something in particular? WOMAN #1: What do you have that's ridiculously overpriced? CLIFFORD: Everything. But diamonds are a girl's best friend. WOMAN #1: Good. I could use a friend. (off Clifford's smile) I'll take them. CLIFFORD: (still smiling) Which piece? WOMAN #1: All of them. Put them in a bag. Suddenly, a gun appears in the woman's hand. The SOUND of three GUNS COCKING. Clifford looks around to see the other women have all pulled guns as well. WOMAN #2: (to customers) Down on the floor! Now! As the other Customers get down, Woman #1 uses the butt of her gun to smash the glass case -- EXT. STREET -- DAY Fraser and Ray walking. Ray's clearly heard enough. FRASER: So as you see, sourdough requires a prolonged incubation period for the culture, approximately four days compared to rye which takes less than a day to rise. (beat) Oh dear. RAY: What? FRASER: That woman looked right at me. RAY: Lots of women do. FRASER: No, Ray. For a Muslim woman, making eye contact with a strange man would be a deep violation of a cultural tradition. RAY: I don't remember violating a cultural tradition being an offense under the Illinois criminal code. An ALARM begins ringing from the jewelry store. FRASER: No, but that appears to be. INT. CLIFFORD JEWELRY -- DAY The Women are finishing bagging their loot. WOMAN #1: Hurry! The door slams open and Ray enters, gun drawn. RAY: Police! Drop your weapons! Woman #1 grabs Clifford, holds a gun to his head. WOMAN #2: You drop yours. RAY: That isn't the way it works. WOMAN #1: We're walking out of here. You try to stop us and I'll blow his head off. The women back out of the store, covering Fraser, Ray and the other patrons. As soon as the door closes behind them, Fraser and Ray rush out. EXT. STREET -- DAY The women pile into a nondescript van, throwing Clifford in ahead of them. The van's license is covered by caked mud. RAY: Can you see the license? FRASER: Not from here. As the van is thrown into gear and screeches off, Fraser starts running for it. As the van screams around a corner, Fraser cuts the corner, runs up over a parked car and leaps onto the rear of the speeding van. He tries the back door, but finds it locked, then bends down to see the license plate. He holds on tight to the door handle with one hand and begins chipping at the mud which obscures the plate. We see that it reads, "RCW 139". WITH RAY as he runs around the corner, sees Fraser in the distance reading the plate. Fraser looks up at him and gives him a thumbs up sign. At that moment-- THE WHEELS OF THE VAN slam into a huge pothole. On Fraser as his tenuous hold on the van is shaken loose-- FRASER: (CONT'D) Oh dear. He goes flying off into space, hits the pavement with a THUD and rolls. As the van disappears around another corner, Ray runs up beside Fraser's prone form. There's blood flowing from a wound on his head. RAY: Fraser! Fraser! You okay? Fraser's still for a moment, then stirs. His eyes open. FRASER: I'm fine. Who are you? RAY: Stop kidding around. I'm your best friend. You know damn well who I am. FRASER: Ah. Of course. (beat) Who am I? ON Ray's worried look-- END OF PROLOGUE
ACT ONE EXT. HOSPITAL - ESTABLISHING -- DAY (STOCK) DOCTOR (V.O.): He's lucky he has a hard head. INT. HOSPITAL - CORRIDOR -- DAY Ray and a DOCTOR are standing at the door to Fraser's room. Inside, Fraser lays looking at the ceiling, oddly vacant. RAY: Glad someone else finally noticed. DOCTOR: There doesn't seem to be any concussion, but the trauma of the impact seems to have induced a total loss of recall. RAY: Doc, what are you telling me here? Is this permanent? DOCTOR: You friend's memory might return at any time. An hour.. A day.. A year... RAY: We've got a hostage whose life might depend on something Fraser saw. There's gotta be something we can do. DOCTOR: Exposing him to familiar things might jog his memory... Friends, places... things you've done together... ON Ray considering this. INT. HOSPITAL - FRASER'S ROOM -- DAY Fraser lying in bed, looking blankly at the ceiling, Ray stands over him. RAY: Fraser? FRASER: Who? RAY: You. It's your name. FRASER: F - r - a - s - i - e - r? RAY: No, F - r - a - s - e - r. Frasier. FRASER: Ah. And you are...? RAY: Ray! Ray Vecchio. Detective, Chicago PD. FRASER: Am I under arrest? RAY: (getting annoyed) No, you're not under arrest. You're a cop too. Constable Benton Fraser of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. FRASER: Ah. So we're in Canada. RAY: We're in Chicago. Fraser looks at him for a beat, confused. RAY: (CONT'D) Maybe we oughtta start at the beginning. Ray impatiently starts to figure out how much to tell-- RAY: (CONT'D) Okay. It was like this. . . FLASHBACK PILOT - EXT. VALLEY IN NORTHERN CANADA Over the scene where Fraser Sr. gets shot-- RAY: (V.O.) Your father was a legendary Mountie who was shot. You came to Chicago on the trail of the shooter. PILOT - INT. POLICE STATION - BULLPEN Over scene where Fraser is looking for Ray-- RAY: (V.O.) (CONT'D) And that's where we met. PILOT - INT. POLICE STATION - CELL Scene with Fraser seeing Ray in the cell, blowing his cover. Follow with PILOT - INT. POLICE STATION - BULLPEN the scene in the office afterward where Fraser saves Ray from being caught by Internal Affairs. INT. HOSPITAL - FRASER'S ROOM -- DAY Fraser trying to take in the story. FRASER: And after that we still became friends? RAY: Oh, yeah. Sure. FLASHBACK PILOT - EXT. CONSULATE Ray coming to ask Fraser to work with him. Fraser remains stock still INT. HOSPITAL - FRASER'S ROOM -- DAY Fraser looks even more perplexed. RAY: You really don't remember anything, do you? Fraser thinks a beat, thinks harder. Finally-- FRASER: No. RAY: Is there anything you remember about what you saw just before the accident? FRASER: What accident? RAY: A man's life is in danger. Think. The jewelry store heist. The pregnant mothers took a hostage and jumped in a blue van. You ran after it and jumped on it. When you leaned down to read the license plate, you fell off the back and . . . FRASER: Wait a second. You say I jumped on a moving vehicle? RAY: Fraser, think. You do stuff like this all the time. FLASHBACK PILOT - INT. PARKING GARAGE Fraser jumps on top of the van in the pilot. He jams his knife through the roof. RAY: (V.O.) For you, even the simple act of hailing a cab risks life and limb. EPISODE 7 - CHICAGO HOLIDAY #1 - EXT STREETS. Fraser doing the taxi to taxi jump. RAY: (V.O.) (CONT'D) You don't always travel by car either. EPISODE 8 - CHICAGO HOLIDAY #2 - INT. DEPT. STORE Fraser toboggan-riding the escalator. INT. HOSPITAL - FRASER'S ROOM -- DAY Fraser looks questioningly at Ray. FRASER: Maybe you have me mixed up with someone else. . . Ray sees this isn't going anywhere. RAY: Fraser, we gotta get you back to normal. He begins grabbing Fraser's clothes, throwing them at him. RAY: (CONT'D) Here, put these on. INT. GARAGE -- DAY The electric door opens and the nondescript van blasts inside. The door closes behind it and the women jump out of the van, Muslim Woman #1 in the lead, taking off her gloves as she walks to the rear of the van. They throw the doors open to reveal Clifford, now bound, staring at them terrified. CLIFFORD: Look, please... I'm sure we can work something out. WOMAN #1: Oh, I'm sure we can. Blindfold him. As one of the women starts to move toward Clifford, he spots something; the diamond ring on Woman #1's hand. CLIFFORD: Wait! I know that ring. (beat; looks closely) Sheila? The women share a look. Clifford now peers from woman to woman. His eyes grow wide with shock as he recognizes them. CLIFFORD: (CONT'D) Christine? Rhonda? Karen? (thinks a beat) I'm a dead man. SHEILA (Woman #1) rips off her disguise as she steps up. The others remove their disguises as well. All are beautiful young women. SHEILA: Those are the first true words you ever spoke to any of us, Clifford. ON CLIFFORD'S terrified reaction-- INT. HOSPITAL - CORRIDOR -- DAY As Fraser and Ray pass through a swinging door, Fraser lets the door swing back, almost hitting a woman in the face. Ray looks on in disbelief. FRASER: What's the matter, Detective Vecchio? RAY: Ray. You didn't hold the door for that woman. FRASER: And....? RAY: You always hold the door for women. Just like you help old ladies across the street and let people in front of you in line. Cause you're polite. Fraser tries to remember. FLASHBACK VARIOUS EPISODES A sequence of Fraser being ridiculously polite. PILOT - INT. BAR Fraser facing the row of guns EPISODE #8 - CHICAGO HOLIDAY #2 - INT. S&M BAR where Fraser is polite in the interrogation. INT. HOSPITAL - CORRIDOR BY FRONT DOOR -- DAY Fraser smiles, thinks Ray's joking with him. FRASER: Come on. Nobody's that polite. RAY: You are! FLASHBACK VARIOUS EPISODES A fast montage of "Thank you kindlys". EXT. STREET -- DAY (STOCK) The Riviera passes through frame. RAY (V.O.): You remember this car? INT. THE RIVIERA -- DAY Fraser and Ray driving. Fraser trying to remember. FRASER: I'm afraid I don't. RAY: A beauty like this is one in a million. Irreplaceable. And thanks to you, it got blown up. FLASHBACK EPISODE #14 - MAN WHO KNEW TOO LITTLE - EXT. PANCAKE HOUSE The Riv blowing up. RAY: (V.O.) Twice! EPISODE #27 - JULIET IS BLEEDING - EXT. STREET The Riv blowing up. INT. THE RIVIERA -- DAY Fraser and Ray. FRASER: And you're sure we're friends? RAY: Yes, Fraser, we're friends. As Fraser looks away, totally confused-- RAY: (CONT'D) This is gonna be a lot harder than I thought. END OF ACT ONE
ACT TWO INT. CLIFFORD'S HOUSE - FRONT HALL -- DAY An uncomfortable HUEY stands across from the weeping Sheila. HUEY: Ma'am, I assure you, we'll do everything in our power to get your husband back. SHEILA: (breaking down) Oh, Clifford... HUEY: I'm sorry, Ma'am. We'll keep you informed. Sheila nods again and Huey exits. As Sheila closes the door after him, the sobs which rack her chest turn into peals of laughter. Her body loosens as she swings out the French doors onto the back terrace. INT. CLIFFORD'S HOUSE - POOL HOUSE -- DAY As Sheila enters, the other women are around Clifford. His pant leg is ripped open and the women are giving him a leg wax. As one of the women pulls the gag out of Clifford's mouth, another rips one of the waxing strips from his leg. Clifford screams in agony. CLIFFORD: Give me some warning! SHEILA: Okay. Do it slowly this time. Rhonda rips the strip off more slowly. Clifford whimpers. CLIFFORD: That's worse. RHONDA: Hey, Cliffy, we all did it for you. Waxing, plucking, preening... SHEILA: Didn't anyone ever tell you that cheating on your wife was wrong? RHONDA: Cheating on her with three women who work out at the same club is downright stupid. KAREN: You lied to us, Cliffy. DARLENE: You made fools of us. CLIFFORD: What do you want? Sheila jams her knife in close to Clifford's face. SHEILA: What I want, is to kill you. What I'm going to do, I haven't decided yet. (to Rhonda) Watch him. Sheila turns and exits. Karen and Darlene follow. Clifford looks up hopefully at Rhonda, but she just glares back. INT. FRASER'S TENEMENT -- DAY Fraser and Ray step into the sparsely furnished apartment. RAY: Home sweet home. Ring any bells? Fraser looks around with incredulity. FRASER: I live like this? (beat) Am I being punished? Dief jumps in the window. Fraser sees the wolf charging at him, picks up a chair and holds it in front of him. RAY: It's okay. It's Diefenbaker. Your wolf. FRASER: I own a wolf? Fraser sets the chair down and tentatively pets Diefenbaker. FRASER: (CONT'D) He is a beautiful animal. Am I allowed to have a wolf in Chicago? RAY: Not normally. But I got you a permit. You think he'd appreciate the effort... FLASHBACK VARIOUS EPISODES Diefenbaker stuff. Emphasize conflict with Ray. Stealing Ray's donut and Dief on a leash looking for junk food (Ep. #4) INT. FRASER'S TENEMENT -- DAY Diefenbaker licks Fraser on the face. FRASER: He's quite friendly. RAY: Yeah. He's your best friend if you happen to be carrying something covered in chocolate. Diefenbaker growls. Fraser picks up his father's diary from the chest by the bed. Fraser opens the diary, begins reading. FRASER: What's this? RAY: Your Dad's diary. FRASER: My father. (beat) Wait. Something's coming back. FLASHBACK EPISODE #10 - GIFT OF THE WHEELMAN - INT. RIVIERA Dad appearing in the backseat of the car. INT. FRASER'S TENEMENT -- DAY FRASER: I remember. He was in the car with us... And we were on a stakeout... Ray does not react with the same enthusiasm. Fraser notices. FRASER: (CONT'D) What? RAY: I never met him. Your Dad's been dead going on two years now. Fraser hangs his head. RAY: (CONT'D) Hey I'm sorry. Let's try another change of scenery. INT. POLICE STATION -- DAY Fraser and Ray enter the station. Elaine passes by. ELAINE: Ray, nothing on the kidnappers' van. (to Fraser) Hi, Benton. Fraser looks at her, indicates to Ray he's drawing a blank. Welsh sees Fraser and Ray, crosses out of his office to them. WELSH: Vecchio, what have you turned up on the jewelry store heist? RAY: Fraser got a look at the license plate. WELSH: What are you waiting for? Run it. RAY: Not that simple, sir. The fall off the van left him memory challenged. WELSH: He's forgotten? FRASER: Everything. Ray directs Fraser's attention around the squad room. RAY: Look around. Is there anything that looks familiar? FRASER: (looking hard) I can't say there is, Ray. WELSH: (takes Ray aside) Vecchio, we've got a bunch of vicious criminals holding a hostage somewhere out there and you're playing "This is your life?" RAY: Sir, he gets his memory back, we've all but apprehended the offenders. WELSH: There's a life at stake. You leave medicine to the doctors and concentrate on some sound police work. RAY: Yes, sir. As Welsh leaves, Fraser rejoins Ray. FRASER: What did he have to say? RAY: You don't start remembering something, my ass is swamp grass. OMITTED INT. CLIFFORD'S HOUSE - POOL HOUSE -- DAY Clifford is still looking at Rhonda with puppy-dog eyes. CLIFFORD: You know this is so ironic. Rhonda doesn't answer. CLIFFORD: (CONT'D) I just bought the tickets. RHONDA: (looks up) what tickets? CLIFFORD: To Nassau. For you and me, Rhonda. One way tickets. The new life we kept talking about. They're in my safe at the store. He looks away, apparently overcome with emotion. CLIFFORD: (CONT'D) I was gonna call you today and tell you to pack. Rhonda's not so sure now. RHONDA: Don't do this, Cliff. He moves in close, speaks confidentially. CLIFFORD: Fifteen million, eight hundred and thirty-nine thousand, seven hundred and twenty three dollars and twenty-five cents. RHONDA: What's that? CLIFFORD: How much I got in my secret account down there. (whispers) You might say I been doing some creative accounting. (passionate) That money could buy us a whole new life, baby... You can trust me, Rhonda. If I've been lying to you, may God strike me dead! SHEILA: Uh-uh, Clifford. Clifford looks up to the door where Sheila and the other women are watching, big smiles on their faces. SHEILA (CONT'D): God's gonna have to get in line. As Sheila pulls her gun again, Clifford looks back to Rhonda who is smiling up at her friends. SHEILA (CONT'D): Now you be a good boy and write down that account number, Clifford. CLIFFORD: No. SHEILA: Thank you. I'd hate to have to do this the easy way. Put him in the sauna. CLIFFORD: Sheila! The women lift his chair and carry it into the sauna. CLIFFORD: (CONT'D) You can't do this to me. SHEILA: Knock on the door when you're ready to talk or you'll be burned worse than my pot roast. As Sheila slams the door and cranks up the dial on the heat-- END OF ACT TWO
ACT THREE INT. POLICE STATION -- DAY Fraser and Ray walking to the exit. Fraser notices a BEAUTIFUL WOMAN (the Corvette woman from "Man who Knew Too Little") giving him the eye as she passes. He hesitates, looks a bit confused. RAY: What is it? FRASER: I'm afraid that woman denuded me with her eyes. RAY: So? That happens to you all the time. Something about the uniform. FLASHBACK VARIOUS EPISODES Fraser being ogled by women. EPISODE #17 - THE DEAL - INT. LINGERIE SHOP Woman showing him the brassiere. EPISODE #7 - CHICAGO HOLIDAY - INT. S&M CLUB The twins greeting Fraser RAY: (V.O.) As a matter of fact, even my own sister had her eye on you at one point. FLASHBACK EPISODE #17 - THE DEAL - INT. CHURCH CHOIR LOFT Franny loudly woos Fraser as choir tries to sing. As they end, she shouts, "Do you want to have sex?" INT. THE RIVIERA -- DAY Ray and Fraser. FRASER: Really? Your sister? And you were okay with that? RAY: Sure. . . FLASHBACK EPISODE #19 - HEAVEN & EARTH - INT. POLICE STATION HALL Ray is grilling Fraser about whether he schtupped Franny. INT. THE RIVIERA -- DAY Ray driving. Fraser's not really sure how cool Ray was with it. Fraser looks out the window, scanning the urban landscape for something familiar. FRASER: Ray? RAY: Yeah? FRASER: What if I don't get my memory back? RAY: You'll get it back. FRASER: What if I don't? RAY: I said, you'll get it back. Trust me on this. FRASER: Okay... Ray. Fraser's trying to be hopeful, but it's clear he doesn't hold out much hope. To be truthful, Ray's not so sure either. INT. CLIFFORD'S HOUSE - SAUNA -- DAY Clifford sits tied to his chair sweating profusely, hot and miserable. Darlene enters carrying a tall glass of ice water. CLIFFORD: Darlene, thank God. I'm dying here. You gotta help me. DARLENE: Sure Cliffy. She lays a pad and pencil on the bench. DARLENE: (CONT'D) Just write down the account number and you can take a long, cool drink. Clifford looks ready to crack, but strengthens his resolve. CLIFFORD: No. DARLENE: (shrugs) Oh well. She pours the glass of water over the hot coals. As the steam rises, Clifford groans. EXT. THE CONSULATE (STOCK) -- DAY THATCHER (V.O.): You really don't know who I am? INT. THE CONSULATE - FRASER'S OFFICE -- DAY Fraser, Ray and Thatcher. Fraser has been moving around the office, scanning the personal effects, trying to remember. THATCHER: I'm your commanding officer, Inspector Meg Thatcher. FRASER: Nice to meet you. They shake hands. Thatcher holds his hand a beat too long, looking for recognition. RAY: Ma'am, maybe you can remind him of something the two of you shared? A case, special training... You know. Mountie stuff. THATCHER: (thinks) Eggs. FRASER: Eggs? THATCHER: Eggs. FLASHBACK EPISODE #32 - WE ARE THE EGGMEN - INT. INCUBATOR Fraser and Thatcher are locked in the incubator. Also, egg throwing/Thatcher heroics. INT. THE CONSULATE - FRASER'S OFFICE -- DAY Fraser, Thatcher and Ray. FRASER: Eggs... It clearly hasn't struck a chord. RAY: Anything else? She looks meaningfully at Fraser THATCHER: Fraser, do you remember anything about... She gives him a leading look. Fraser remains blank. FRASER: About... THATCHER: You know. FRASER: I don't. THATCHER: Of course. (business again) Carry on, gentlemen. Keep me apprised. As she leaves-- FRASER: Ray? RAY: Yeah? FRASER: The Inspector and I... Are we close? RAY: Close? She hates you. FLASHBACK VARIOUS EPISODES Flashbacks of Thatcher torturing Fraser. EPISODE #25 - THE WITNESS The dry cleaning scene. EPISODE #24 - VAULT She fires him. EXT. CAFE -- DAY Ray and Fraser on the street in front of the cafe. RAY: Okay, Benny, if this doesn't do it, I don't know what will. You remember her? FRASER: (pointing at a waitress) The waitress? RAY: No. Her. Victoria. this is where you saw her. FLASHBACK EPISODE #20 - VICTORIA'S SECRET - INT. CAFE Fraser and Victoria reunion at the cafe counter. EPISODE #20 - VICTORIA'S SECRET - INT. POLAR BEAR AREA. Scenes of Victoria and Fraser near the aquarium. EPISODE #20 - VICTORIA'S SECRET - INT. FRASER'S APT. Other scenes of Fraser and Victoria in love. EPISODE #20 - VICTORIA'S SECRET - INT. TRAIN STATIONS Victoria escaping on the train and Ray shooting Fraser. EXT. STREET BY CAFE -- DAY Fraser and Ray. FRASER: You shot me? RAY: Yeah. But I didn't mean to. FRASER: And you're definitely sure we're friends? RAY: Yeah, we're friends. I've done more for you than anybody... FLASHBACK EPISODE #34 - SOME LIKE IT RED - INT. SCHOOL GYM Fraser and Ray dancing - "You owe me..." FRASER: (V.O.) Maybe there are some things it's best I don't remember, Ray. FADE OUT END OF ACT THREE
ACT FOUR EXT. STREET -- DAY Establish the Riv passing through downtown Chicago. RAY: (V.O.) ...See that place over there? INT. THE RIVIERA -- DAY Ray's pointing out the window as he drives. RAY: The place that says "Mental Health Services?" FRASER: Are we going there? RAY: You've been there. FLASHBACK EPISODE #12 - HAWK AND A HANDSAW - INT. HOSPITAL Fraser getting admitted to the psych ward. EXT. STREET -- DAY The Riv passes a HITCHHIKER standing by the side of the road. RAY: (V.O.) That remind you of anything? INT. THE RIVIERA -- DAY Fraser and Ray. FRASER: Should it? FLASHBACK EPISODE #14 - MAN WHO KNEW TOO LITTLE - EXT. ROAD Fraser and Ray hitchhiking. INT. THE RIVIERA -- DAY Fraser's thinking hard. FRASER: Ahhh, Ray... You keep insisting that we are friends. RAY: What are you asking me, Fraser? FRASER: Why are we friends? RAY: Well, you know... FRASER: That's just it. I don't. From everything you've been telling me, I'm... RAY: Annoying? FRASER: Exactly. RAY: Look, guys aren't good at talking about this stuff. FRASER: But it might help. When I get my memory back, I won't recall this conversation. RAY: It's just... sort of a case of ... without each other ... we're both incomplete. Somehow together -- we're better than we are separately. FLASHBACK VARIOUS EPISODES Fraser and Ray work together. Amazing displays of teamwork. The final flashback is Fraser doing a complicated car gag which is something similar to the one from the prologue. INT. THE RIVIERA -- DAY Fraser's looking strange. FRASER: Yes. Yes. And how about the time we were hanging onto the van by our fingertips and I was trying to get the door open. RAY: Hold it. Fraser, I don't remember this. FLASHBACK ACTION SCENE FROM PROLOGUE FRASER: (V.O.) Sure you do. And I leaned down to try to get the license number and I... As he strains to remember more-- RAY: Fell off! You fell off! You're remembering. Benny, what's the license plate? FRASER: (thinking hard) R... C... W... 1... 3... 9..! RAY: RCW 139. You sure? FRASER: I'm sure. RAY: Fraser, I could kiss you. FRASER: (reacts) Ray, we are just friends, aren't we? Ray's pre-occupied. He's dialing his cell phone. RAY: Hold that thought. (into phone) Elaine! It's me. Give me an address on a late model van, license RCW 139. Ray waits impatiently. After a moment-- RAY: (CONT'D) I thought computers were supposed to speed things up. (into phone) A rental? Who's it rented to? (beat) You're kidding! He hangs up the phone, slaps the cherry onto the hood of the car and swings the wheel hard, accelerating through the turn. EXT. THE RIVIERA -- DAY (STOCK) The Riv screeches through a turn, screams off. INT. CLIFFORD'S HOUSE -- DAY The women are lounging around the room drinking martinis and reading fashion magazines. A weak knocking sound is heard. SHEILA: Did you hear something? RHONDA: I don't think so. Another knock. KAREN: I'll go check. She opens the door to the sauna and Clifford drops out. KAREN: (CONT'D) I think he's done. CLIFFORD: (weak) 21458391 .... Sheila has been jotting down the number. She smiles. INT. CLIFFORD'S HOUSE - FRONT HALL -- DAY The women dump Clifford's chair in the front hall. SHEILA: Well, Clifford dear, this is where we part company. CLIFFORD: You're really going to kill me? SHEILA: (moves in close) Why shouldn't we? You're a cheater Clifford. RHONDA: A cheater and a crook. CLIFFORD: Sheila, we had some good times, didn't we? Darlene...? Karen...? The door bursts open. Fraser and Ray enter, Ray has his gun pointed at Sheila. RAY: Alright, lady. Put it down. Sheila places the gun on the floor, backs away. Clifford opens his eyes a crack, sees that he's saved. CLIFFORD: Thank God! RAY: Now, we're going downtown and someone's gonna tell us exactly what's going on here. SHEILA: (smiles) We'll be glad to co-operate, Officer. We'll tell everything. Won't we, Cliffy? Especially about Nassau. Cliff realizes what this means. CLIFFORD: It was a surprise! FRASER: A surprise? CLIFFORD: For my birthday. My wife... and her friends. They wanted to surprise me. So they got me at the store and... FRASER: ...and tied you up? CLIFFORD: Yes. Happy birthday to me, huh? Whoopee. RAY: (to Sheila) This your story too? SHEILA: Fire the gun. Fraser and Ray look at each other. Ray picks up the gun and pulls the trigger. A flag which reads, "Bang", pops out. Clifford gives Sheila a look of utter malevolence. FRASER: I suspect there's more to the story than meets the eye, Ray. RAY: What? FRASER: The knots on Mr. Clifford's bonds are tied for security, not as if it was part of a game. Although I have seen an Inuit wedding ceremony where the bridegroom is tied securely with walrus pelt as a symbol of... FRASER: Walrus pelt? Fraser, you're back! FRASER: (thinks) I suppose I am. Uniforms arrive on the scene. RAY: So while you were ... not back ... there were things -- FRASER: I really don't remember, Ray. RAY: (Whew) Okay. (beat) So tell me more about these Eskimo walrus pelts. FRASER: Inuit. Well, this tribe that I was speaking about believes two people who have bonded can be somehow better together than they are separately -- RAY: Fraser? FRASER: Yes? RAY: Go on. FRASER: As I was saying, after the bridegroom is bound, the women of the village... As Fraser continues to speak-- FADE OUT: THE END
