by David Heyman
~ Curtain ~
Act 3, Scene 3
In the Solomon's kitchen. It's small and neat compared to the Desantos' home. The furniture is plain and simple home-made. There's a brick fireplace and a small desk. The outside entrance is downstage right. The hallway is dim and joins the rear of the kitchen. Honey is in her bedroom with her door closed to the rear hallway, and the sound of her sobbing can be heard in the kitchen.
Billy Solomon answers a knock on the door and opens it to see Gretchen. He's surprised.
Billy: “What do you want?”
Gretchen: “I want to speak with Honey.”
Billy: “I don't know if that's a good idea.”
Gretchen: Someone ought to talk to her.”
Greg: Appearing from inside the house. “Mom! What are you doing here?”
Gretchen: “I want to talk to Honey and tell her that nobody meant what they said.”
Greg: “She won't believe you!”
Billy: Hearing Honey sobbing, “She won't come out of her room. She keeps crying and screams at us when we try to talk to her.”
Gretchen: “Where's Esther? Can she talk with Honey?”
Billy: “She might be able to, but she's shopping. Sit down and have some water, or would you rather have coffee? I understand that her feelings were hurt at your place. What happened?”
Gretchen: With some tears in her own eyes. “It's just Duke. You know how he can be.”
Billy: “I don't know. But I do know that he's negligent, self-satisfied, soulless being. And I think you know what I mean.”
Gretchen: “And he has a big mouth. He says things he doesn't believe.”
Billy: “Just like in court?”
Gretchen: “Probably. Just like in court.
“Oh, Billy, you just don't know! He does have a heart. At least he used to have one. But today he was terribly upset. And it's my fault! Because I told you about plans for the gas pipeline.”
Billy: “So, that was the big secret?”
They hear a truck pull into the driveway.
Billy: “It's Esther. I'll have to help her bring in the groceries.”
Gretchen: “I'll try to talk to Honey.”
Billy: “It won't do any good. Your son has been sitting outside her bedroom door, and she won't say a thing to him. Honey, said something about our family being called pig farmers. Is that true?”
Gretchen: Hesitating, “Yes. But so what?”
Billy: “That's right. So, what? It is true, isn't it?” He is perfectly content with the label. “Excuse me, I have to carry in the groceries.”
Esther walks in carrying one grocery bag. She's wearing Levis and looks comfortable doing her duties. She smiles at Gretchen.
Esther: “Why is Honey crying? What's going on here?”
Billy: “I think I'm beginning to understand …“
A loud shot is heard (sound stage) at the same time the kitchen window shatters and a bullet hits the kitchen wall with a thud.
Billy: Shouting, “Get down!” Everyone falls to the kitchen floor.
Esther: Crawling to the kitchen counter phone. “I'm calling 911!”
Honey and Greg crawl into the room and crouch behind furniture.
Honey: “What's happening?”
Billy: “Stay down!” To Gretchen, “Do you think he knows about us? It’s me he’s after! I'll get my shotgun!” He runs into a closet and returns with his shotgun.
Gretchen: “I think Duke’s angry about you not signing the papers. Quietly, to Billy, “I didn't think he would be so angry!”
Billy: “You think he’s angry about us staying out of the corporation? No, he must be angry for other reasons.”
Esther: On the phone, “Yes. A shot’s been fired into our home. We don't know who did it. Yes. (Pause) We don't have a street number. I'm calling from the Solomon Farm on Rolling Hill Road, just north of River Valley.
“Yes. We’ll be here. We aren't going anywhere!”
Greg: “I think the shot came from the direction of our house.”
Billy: “That's right. It we follow the direction the bullet took into our wall, it looks like the shot did come from your house. But it was a poor shot, if he was trying to hit me!”
In a few minutes, a siren is heard and a red-flashing light shines into the Solomon's kitchen. Two policemen enter and see the people and the broken glass on the floor, and Billy with his shotgun.
Policeman #1: To Billy, pointing to the gun, “You can put that away now, Sir.”
Billy puts the shotgun back in the closet.
Policeman #2: “First. Was anyone hurt?“ They all reply, “No.”
“Let me get your names.”
Esther: “What about the shooter?”
Policeman #2: “Names, first.” He repeats the names as a writes them patiently on his perp pad. “William Solomon, Esther Solomon, Gretchen Desantos, Greg Desantos, Honey Solomon.”
Policeman #2 looks at the glass and follows the bullet's path to the wall.
Policeman #1: To Gretchen. “What were you folks doing?”
Gretchen: “Visiting.”
Policeman #1: “Where do you live?”
Gretchen: “Next door. Over there.” She points.
Policeman #1: “And you, Ma’am?” (To Esther) “What were you doing?”
Esther: “Bringing in the groceries.”
Gretchen: “Officer, I think I know where the shot came from . But I don't know why.”
Policeman #1: “Who do you think did the shooting?”
Gretchen: “My husband!”
Policeman #1: “Why would he shoot into this house?”
Gretchen: “I don't know. I don't know!”
Policeman #1: “You people stay here! We’re going next door. But first I have to call in.” On his cell phone. “This is Officer Branigan, number 916; I'm calling for back-up. I'm investigating a 10-32, a shooter fired into a private residence. Yes. 920 and I are going in now. We are at the Solomon farm on Rolling Hills Road. You’ll see our car lights.”
Policeman #2: “You heard the officer. All you people: stay here. We’re going in!” The two officers take their handguns out of their holsters, peek carefully out the doorway, and move into the dark toward the Desantos'.
Esther: “Billy, why would Duke want to shoot you?”
Billy: “I wish I knew.”
