Murderers in Manhattan

Murderers In Manhattan

By: Pat Simmons

Characters: Adele Thomas: A mid-aged Woman who is being stalked, but doesn’t know it yet.

Winston Church: A thirty-two year old Veteran Detective who is known throughout the city he works in, New York.

Jorge Rodriguez: Jorge is a government employee who can track phone numbers.

Fiona Shinore: A detective who is an expert with cyber Cases.

Timothy Gardner: One of Fiona squad members.

Claire Benjamin: Another one of Fiona’s squad members

Myzel Miller: The last member of Fiona’s squad.

Dale Hesserson - Adele’s exe who is trying to kill her

Waiter #1 - Waits on Adele and Winston Act 1, Scene 1 Setting: The story takes place in Long Island, Adele is currently in her apartment and is on the phone with Winston, who is in his office. Winston (Picks up his office phone) Hello Winston Churchill, Private Detective. I need your name and issue?

Adele Hi Mr. Churchill. My name is Adele Thomas, I am in great fear. Recently, I have been getting calls from odd numbers. They are all linked in a way -

Winston Excuse me mam, but how do you know exactly of this?

Adele Well you see after each of the voicemails, The same deep voice kept saying “I want my money” and after that he would say “I need it in ten days”. I got five of these calls in the past day and it’s making me nervous. Winston Okay. I would give the matter one more day if he calls tomorrow, I need you to contact my office do you understand?

Adele (Phone rings in the background for 10 seconds, suddenly a man’s voice is heard saying “I want my money, I MUST have it in ten days. The police can’t help you now.”)

Oh my, oh my! Please! You have to help me now I think I’m being -

Winston - watched I know. I can help, but I need to know your address.

Adele Alright, it’s 431 Oak street.

Winston I will be coming over first thing tomorrow morning. 6 A.M. Sharp. Also, I will bring an old friend to help track the number.

Adele Thank you so much, I can not describe how thankful I am.

Winston No problem Mrs. Thomas. (Hangs up phone)

Adele (Hangs up phone)

Act 1, Scene 2 Setting: Adele Thomas’s apartment in Manhattan. It is currently storming outside.

(Doorbell Rings)

Adele (walks over to the door and looks through the spy hole) You can come in. (unlocks door) (Jorge and Winston walk in)

Winston (Approaches Adele and holds out hand) Hello Mrs. Thomas, nice to finally meet you in person.

Adele (Shakes his hand and looks at Jorge) Is this the gentleman you said could help with my issue.

Winston Yes, this is Jorge. He works for the government and helps to track down electronically active criminals.

Jorge Hello, ma’am nice to meet you.

Adele Hello to you to, Jorge.

Jorge Where is your home phone located?

Adele Oh! It’s right over there in that corner next to the T.V.. (Points to the T.V. by the front door.)

Jorge Okay, thank you, I’ll get right to work. Just holler if you need me. (Walks towards the Phone and starts working to find the number on his computer)

Winston Okay Mrs. Thomas, while my friend works at finding that number I’ll need to ask you a couple of questions.

Adele Okay, Let's get started.

Winston Alrighty, first up, do you have any remarks of issues at work with maybe a coworker or a customer of some sorts? Adele No, I’m self-employed and I work with my best friend, Becky, at a Bakery

Winston Have you and Becky been in any recent arguments?

Adele No, not that I can remember.

Winston So, I guess that’s out of the picture. Okay, next question then...

Adele Sorry to interrupt, but... can we go a bit faster? This is hard for me.

Winston I understand ma’am, but I really need you to answer these questions as best as you can.

Adele It was just a question.

Winston Okay, Okay! Now, do you have any recent exes at all? Possibly that were in relationships that ended poorly?

Adele There was Dale Hesserson, but I really don’t like talking about that…

Jorge Hey guys, we have a big problem, The number traced can no longer be tracked.

Adele What does that mean?

Jorge Well, It was destroyed.

Act 1, Scene 3 Setting: They are at Winton’s office searching information about Dale Hesserson. Fiona (She walks through the door) Hello Winston, long time no see.

Winston Oh, hi Fiona, I didn’t even hear you come in.

Fiona Well, I am quite sneaky, at least I heard.

Winston (Rolls his eyes) Ya, good one. Do you want anything to drink?

Fiona No, I just finished breakfast.

Winston (Walks over to his laptop) Okay, this is the only name I got out of my Victim.

Fiona Hmm, Dale Hesserson, let me look him up.

Winston Well did you find anything?

Fiona No not ye- Wait a minute nevermind

Winston Oh what did you find.

Fiona Well according to my criminal record search, Dale Hesserson was charged for Domestic Abuse just over a year ago. In fact, the report says that he admitted to following his girlfriend around before they started dating, he also admitted to being an alcoholic at the time.

Winston Well that just screams red flag. Let me guess the girl was Adele Thomas.

Fiona Yeah actually, how did you know.

Winston She’s my client.

Fiona We better leave and tell her before he strikes back.

Winston You're right, but what do you think he’ll do if we don’t make it in time..

Fiona I don’t know, but we better hurry. For all we know she might be dead!

Winston On that note we gotta leave.

Fiona Let’s go I’ll call for backup.

Act 1, Scene 4 Setting: The group of now five are in a FBI van racing to Adele’s house, but at the same time they are trying to devise a plan.

(Van door opens and Myzel, Timothy, and Claire all enter the vehicle)

Myzel Long time no see boss.

Fiona Nice to see you to Myzel. As a matter of fact the whole group.

Winston Enough talk I need you guys to get to work.

Claire Okay, where do we start?

Timothy Yeah. Where do we start? With all the evidence and clues. Fiona She’s right, anyways we need to think of a plan.

Timothy How about once we arrive we all split up and each take an entrance?

Fiona That won’t work, as a leader it is required that no man is left single handed.

Claire Anybody have any other ideas.

Myzel What if we split up into two groups? One can be a group of two, and the other can be a group of three. We could enter through the front door as well as the back at the same time.

Fiona I don’t mind. What do you think Winston?

Winston I think we need to decide on groups.

Fiona Okay, Claire, Myzel, and I will enter the back. Timothy and Winston, you two will get in through the front door. After that we will locate and surround Adele. This is for protection if Dale isn’t at the house.

Timothy Well, what if he is.

Winston Then this is a rescue.

Act 1, Scene 5 Setting: Adele Thomas’s apartment. The walls have words painted on them saying things like “I only want Winston” and “Think of where I planned my “deeds””.

(The group exits the van and splits up into the groups)

(Quietly, both groups begin moving into the positions) (Fiona ques for Winston’s group)

(FIVE SECOND PAUSE)

(Winston ques back) Fiona 3… 2… 1… NOW! (Both groups rush into the house with their guns held in the air)

Timothy All clear!

Myzel Clear!

Winston Nothing here!

Fiona No shooter, but there is some writing!

Claire Yeah, there is more over here in the kitchen!

Winston (walks over to the room with Fiona) What does it say?

Fiona It says “I only want Winston.”

Myzel (walks into the room with Fiona) Well what does that mean?

Claire I think I might know.

Winston Well then, spit it out! Claire It says on my wall “Go to the place where I planned it all - Dale Hesserson” (walks into the room along side of Timothy to speak to the others) Winston Well what is that suppose to mean.

Timothy Maybe he wants you to go to the place where he planned his crimes.

Myzel Sounds plausible, but there is still one thing missing.

Timothy What might that be?

Myzel Well you see, It says “I only want Winston.”

Winston Does that mean that-

Fiona He only wants you to go. Yes, but where is it that you need to go.

Claire Well there aren’t many places a person can go to plan a crime. Especially when he has to do it in privacy without anyone knowing.

Fiona We get that, but what are the options.

Myzel How about his house, it’s a perfect spot, no one can intrude his privacy, and he lives alone.

Winston Good thinking Myzel, but how do I get there? Wait a minute, I’ll call Jorge. He’s an FBI agent in the cyber division.

Claire Yeah, that will definitely work.

Winston (dials jorge’s number) (phone rings for five seconds) Hey Jorge. (one second pause) I need you to look up where Dale Hesserson lives. (five second pause) Okay, 579 Oak Street got it. (hangs up) I need something to drive there. Fiona Take the van it’s your only shot so hurry. (tosses the keys to Winston)

Winston Thanks, wish me luck, I’ll need it.

Act 1, Scene 6 Setting: Dale Hesserson’s house in the suburbs of New York City.

(Winston pulls into Dale’s driveway) Winston (says to himself) This is it, here we go. (walks up to the front door)

Winston (bangs on door) WINSTON CHURCH, POLICE, LET ME IN!

Dale How do I know you're alone!

Winston You don’t, but either way we’ll get herback.

Dale Fine! It’s unlocked, surprised you didn’t just ram down the door!

Adele (has her mouth covered with ducktape) Hmmmmm hmmm hmmmmm! (her voice is muffled and not understandable)

Winston (opens door)

Dale (pulls a gun out of his pocket)

Winston (pulls his gun out) Dale, you don’t have to do this.

Dale Do what? Shoot the girl I thought loved me!

Winston You never loved her either Dale. You abused her.

Dale Yeah! I Did! Only after she cheated on me with my best friend!

Adele (once again tries yelling but the duck tape muffles it)

Dale Oh be quiet you have no right to talk!

Winston Leave her out of this, Dale.

Dale Fine! Fine, I will.

Winston Okay now turn her over to me.

Dale No, we’ll play my game not yours.

Winston Fine, what do you want? Money, Freedom, a Passport, what is it? Dale I want to play a game. The rules are that you give me one good reason not to shoot her and I won’t.

Winston Okay, well, that’s easy.

Dale One catch, If you save her, than I kill you.

Winston Okay, She did love you, that is until you hit her. This wasn’t because she was cheating at all, but instead because you couldn’t stop drinking,

Dale (rips off the tape on Adele’s face then pulls the trigger facing Winston) I keep my word. (gun shot noise) Winston (screams in agony)

Adele WINSTON!

Dale (begins laughing)

Winston (reveals his bulletproof vest, stands up then shoots Dale)

Adele Winston, you're alive!

Winston Rookie mistake, not thinking I had a bulletproof vest.

Adele Oh my gosh!

Winston C’mon adele, are you okay?

Adele What, What, What do we do?

Winston We have to stay here, the police and paramedics will be here any minute now. They’ll fix you right up.

Adele How can I ever thank you.

Winston You don’t need to, I was just doing my job.

(police siren noises) (lights dim down until they are off)

Act 1, Scene 7 Setting: Winston Church and Adele are now out to lunch together three months later, sitting outside at a table.

Winston (walks into setting pulls out a chair and goes on his phone)

Adele (walks into setting and proceeds to sit down) Hey Winston!

Winston Oh, Hey! How have you been?

Adele Oh, fine. I really bounced back after Dale happened.

Winston Well that’s great!

Adele What have you been up to? Winston Oh, not much. I mean, I’ve been on some basic theft cases. Adele Oh, how did those turn out.

Winston They were fine and all, but I think I need to go a different route.

Adele What do you mean! Are you going to quit being a detective!

Winston Actually, yeah I… I was.

Adele You can’t! You really Can’t! How would you help people like me!

Winston See, that’s it. I don’t want to be a “Detective”.

Adele Well, what are you going to be?

Winston I am thinking about joining the police academy.

Adele Oh, Winston, that’s great!

Winston Yeah, I thought long and hard about it.

Adele You know speaking of crime, remember when I asked “How can I ever thank you”?

Winston Yes, I do Adele.

Adele Well any ideas?

Winston How bout’ lunch is on you.

Adele Deal! It’s the least I could do for someone who saved my life.

Winston Well, I sort of left my wallet at home.

Adele (Laughs) You never fail to surprise me Winston Church!

Winston Oh, here comes the waiter

Waiter #1 (walks in towards their table)

(Lights dim in theatre and play ends)