EPISODE 2:



               INT. COUNTY GENERAL CITY HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER -- WAITING
               ROOM - DAY.

                                   ANASTASIA
                         You don't know who attacked Vivian,
                         do you, Mrs. Von Vial?


                                   VERANDA
                         It's *Ms.* Von Vial. Victor and I
                         haven't been married since I found
                         out about Vivian. Call me Veranda.

                                   ANASTASIA
                         Do you know who did it?

                                   VERANDA
                             (coy)
                         I may have seen something. I'm not
                         Victor's wife anymore, but I'm
                         still his housekeeper.

                                   ANASTASIA
                         I know, that seems really weird to
                         me. 

                                   VERANDA
                         It has its advantages-- I know
                         about all the dirtiest corners in
                         Victor's mansion. But if I did know
                         who did it, I certainly wouldn't
                         tell you, Euthanasia.

                                   ANASTASIA
                         Anastasia.

                                   VERANDA
                         Oh. Sorry, Anastasia.

               ALTERNATING SLOW ZOOM on Anastasia and Veranda, awkward.


               WAITING ROOM -- KLAUS DELACROIX, Police chief, approaches
               VICTOR VON VIAL.

                                   KLAUS
                         Mr. Von Vial?

                                   VICTOR
                         Chief?

                                   KLAUS
                         Victor Von Vial?

                                   VICTOR
                         Yes?

                                   KLAUS
                         Chairman and CEO of Von Vial Velcro
                         and Vitamins?

                                   VICTOR
                         Just the chairman these days. My
                         bastard son is CEO now. I trust
                         you've got some answers? What
                         happened to my wife?

                                   KLAUS
                         We had an anonymous call that she
                         was attacked. When we got there she
                         was unconscious, and had been 
                             (reads from notepad)
                         bludgeoned, suffocated, poisoned,
                         and spanked.

                                   VICTOR
                         Spanked? 

                                   KLAUS
                             (checks notepad)
                         Yes. And she wasn't alone. Do you
                         know a Reynaldo De Soto?

                                   VICTOR
                         No.

                                   VERANDA
                         Yes.
               ALTERNATING SLOW ZOOM on Victor, Veranda, and Klaus, looking
               at each other quizically.
               5-SECOND COMMERCIAL BREAK: Bras! Baby food! Breakfast Cereal!
               BACK TO SCENE: 

                                   KLAUS
                         So which is it? Do you know
                         Reynaldo De Soto? 

                                   VICTOR
                         I think we'd better let Veranda
                         answer that.

                                   VERANDA
                         Of course I know him-- he's our
                         gardener.

                                   KLAUS
                         And who are you?

                                   VERANDA
                         I'm the housekeeper, Veranda Von
                         Vial.

                                   KLAUS
                         Von Vial....
                             (checks notepad)

                                   VERANDA
                         Victor and I were married, once.
                             (holds up a big ring)

                                   KLAUS
                         Nice ring. 
                             (to Victor)
                         You let her keep that?

                                   VICTOR
                         She stole it. She's a thieving
                         whore!

                                   VERANDA
                         I was your thieving whore.

                                   KLAUS
                         And now you're his housekeeper?

                                   VERANDA
                         Yes.

                                   KLAUS
                         That's pretty weird.

                                   VICTOR
                         She does a really great job on the
                         floors. But-- you found Vivian in
                         the West bedroom? With the
                         gardener?

                                   KLAUS
                         Yes. He was also attacked. He's in
                         a coma. 

                                   VICTOR
                         The West bedroom is by the pool--
                         there's no gardening to be done
                         over there. 

                                   VERANDA
                         I've got a nice tight little bush
                         that he tended for me in there.

                                   VICTOR
                         In the West bedroom?

                                   VERANDA
                         In the West bedroom, in the East
                         bedroom, the Southeast bedroom, the
                         trophy room, on the helipad...

                                   VICTOR
                         Not the study? I'm thinking of a
                         bush, but it's on the lanai,
                         outside the study.

                                   VERANDA
                         The lanai! I think I'll try it
                         there. When we get another
                         gardener.

                                   VICTOR
                         Why can't I picture this bush? What
                         kind of pot is it in?

               ALTERNATING SLOW ZOOM on Victor and Veranda.

               Enter SANDRA AND AMANDA DELACROIX, early 20s. They are
               siamese twins joined at the back, facing opposite directions. 

                                   SANDRA
                         Rex!

                                   REX
                         Sandra! 

                                   SANDRA
                         Is your stepmother going to be all
                         right?

                                   REX
                         She's not my stepmother. She's my
                         long lost father's new wife. I
                         barely know her. 

               He turns away.

                                   REX (V.O.)
                         But I knew enough to know she
                         deserved what happened to her, and
                         worse. Bitch.

                                   AMANDA
                             (facing the other way)
                         If there's anything we can do to
                         help you, just let us know.

                                   REX
                         What?

                                   AMANDA
                             (rotating to face Rex)
                         If there's anything I can do...

                                   REX
                         I appreciate that. 

                                   SANDRA
                             (rotating again)
                         Your family has been through so
                         much. It's not fair. 

                                   REX
                         God only gives us as much as we can
                         handle, I guess...

               They hug.

               REVERSE: Amanda has Rex's arms around her chest. 

               CLOSEUP ON AMANDA:

                                   AMANDA (V.O.)
                         Slut. She will never have Rex. He's
                         mine. Vivian deserves what happened
                         for how she treated him, and my
                         sister will suffer the same fate if
                         she gets in my way. 

                                   AMANDA
                         Don't we need to get going, for
                         that thing you're throwing?

                                   SANDRA
                         I guess we do. I organized a
                         benefit for hungry children and
                         it's just about to start. 

                                   REX
                         You're such a good person.

                                   SANDRA
                         I wish I could do more. My charity
                         work gives me access to all the
                         city's secret files, and despite my
                         good intentions I'm very easily
                         fooled by a good sob story. If
                         there's anything I can do from a
                         clerical standpoint to help you,
                         don't hesitate to let me know.

                                   AMANDA
                             (facing the other way)
                         Let's go, Sandra!

               Amanda starts walking and Sandra is dragged along, still
               facing Rex.

                                   SANDRA
                         I'll call you in a while!

               JEFFREY enters, returning from the candy machines, to Rex's
               side. 

                                   JEFFREY
                         Hey girl, they didn't have any
                         Jujyfruits so I got you Skittles.
                         Who was that? 

                                   REX
                         Sandra Delacroix. She's a good
                         friend, and a good person. With her
                         help, I can avenge my mother and
                         take over my father's business once
                         and for all. 

                                   JEFFREY
                         I like her shoes. But that girl on
                         her back needs help, she's wearing
                         last year's boots.

               SCENES FROM THE NEXT EPISODE

               END.