there's an echo; are you on a speaker phone?

{Manhattan Murder Mystery, continued}

When they hear the edited tape, Marcia says, "Perfect!" and with impulsive enthusiasm, shakes hands with Larry.

TED
That's great.

                      He pushes slightly past Carol, to shake hands with Larry.

MARCIA
You did great.  Great.

                       Larry suddenly notices that Carol has been excluded from the hand-shaking, and he turns toward her.

CAROL
Well, yeah, it's -- excuse me, hey, don't worry -- yeah, okay.

MARCIA
Fantastic.

INT.  Marcia's car - Day

Marcia's driving; Ted is in passenger seat.  We see Helen Moss walking on the sidewalk.

MARCIA
There she is.

TED
Where?

MARCIA
You have to keep her busy for the whole afternoon.  

                      Through the back window of the car, we see Helen entering a restaurant.

TED
Yeah, yeah, okay.  Okay, yeah.  Yeah, I'll-I'll just keep improvising, you know?

MARCIA
Okay, well, it shouldn't be too hard.  She's a hungry actress, you're a playwright with a role.

EXT.  New York street - Day

TED
You know what?  I'll get -- I'll talk about the play, or, get her, get her talking about the part, you know, her life.  I'll get her talking about her life, and her whole background.  Stop the car, I'm gonna get out here.

MARCIA
Good.  We'll hook up later, okay?

TED
All right.  Good - good luck with your assignment.  OK?

MARCIA
All right, you too.

                          The car stops.  Ted gets out.

INT.  Sy & Marilyn's apartment - Day

Carol and Sy are standing in front of the window and talking together.  Larry is there, and so is Marcia.  Marilyn is walking into the room.

MARILYN
Listen, does anybody want some guacamole or anything?

                  Sy walks toward her, holding a cassette player; Carol has a cassette player, as well.

SY
Would you stop with the guacamole?  We have to get started with this.

                                He looks at his watch.

LARRY
He should be back for lunch, right?

SY
Come on, let's go.

MARILYN
Yeah.  All right, let's go.

LARRY
So, everybody's got the right tape recorder and the right tape in?

SY
Yes, we do.

                     They all sit down around a low table.

MARCIA
Yeah.

LARRY
All right, one second.  And then we can -- I mean... so, uh, we're on speaker.

CAROL
This is so insane.

LARRY
Now wait, wait, wait.  There's, um -- we're not nervous....

CAROL
Oh, what --

INT.  Paul's movie house - Day

The backstage is in the same disorder as before, with all the mirrors scattered around.  FULL SHOT of Paul and Gladys standing in the middle of the room.

PAUL
I have the contractor come in and nobody's here?  Now you can see if you can find...

                              The phone RINGS.

PAUL
I'll get that.  Uh, you go and call him.

GLADYS
Oh.  Yes, yes, all right.

                          He walks into a small room in a corner, picks up the phone.

PAUL
Hello?

INT.  Sy and Marilyn living room - Day

FULL SHOT of the group around the low table.  Marcia, who is seated next to the telephone, presses the Play button on her tape recorder.  Helen's voice comes out of it.

HELEN'S VOICE
Hello, Paul.  I can't talk much right now.  And if I sound strange, don't get alarmed.

                        Marcia presses the Stop button.

INT.  Paul's movie house - Day

MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT of Paul on the phone.

PAUL
What's the problem?
                             
                          He sits down.

                          Marcia presses the Play button.

HELEN'S VOICE
They have your wife's body.  They showed it to me.


PAUL
Say that again.

                         Marilyn and Marcia both silently point to Carol's cassette player, to tell her it is her turn to play a recording.  Carol presses Play.

HELEN'S VOICE
They have your wife's body.  They showed it to me.

PAUL
Exactly who has it?  How many are there?

                   Sy turns on his player:

HELEN'S VOICE
Your neighbors.  That's right.  They want two hundred thousand dollars for it.

PAUL
Where are you calling from?  There's an echo.  Are you on a speaker phone?

INT.  Sy-Marilyn apartment - Day

Everyone's surprised by the question.  Marcia silently points to Marilyn's player.  Marilyn presses the Play button.

HELEN'S VOICE
Hold on.

                       Marcia presses the Mute button on the telephone set.

LARRY
We don't have an answer for that.  What are we gonna do?

MARCIA
Go to a different thought.

CAROL
Mm...mm -- What thought?  Wait.

SY
Shhh...

                             Carol puts her hand up in front of her mouth.  Larry gets his player close to the telephone and presses the Play button.

HELEN'S VOICE
You've either got to pay them off, or get rid of them.

PAUL
Look, we can't talk about this on the phone.  Can you meet me?

HELEN'S VOICE
(louder)
Yes!  They're keeping it refrigerated!

PAUL'S VOICE
What?!

                     Marcia abruptly nudges Larry's elbow.

-30-