"Passion"

Chapter 3 – The Roommate

(While Lilly and Scotty are interviewing the Hayes, Jeffries and Vera are outside a lab in Philadelphia City College)

Vera (sarcastically): I don't think we should have to for wait for half an hour. We're cops, she could at least get us some cookies.

Jeffries: Lucy Van Holt, M.D., of the most promising researchers of this Lab. Don't think she has time for cookies.

(A young woman approaches them. She has dark blonde hair, tied up in a ponytail, and dark eyes. She's wearing a lab coat.)

Woman: Hello. I'm Dr. Van Holt, Sorry to keep you waiting. What is it about?

Jeffries: We're looking into Karen Hayes' murder.

Lucy: Oh. Let's go to my office.

(At Lucy's office, they all sitting down)

Vera: What can you tell us about Karen? Was there anything unusual going on with her during that period?

Lucy: Not that I remember. Karen was the same person she always was since I met her.

Vera: You two were roommates for how long?

Lucy: Almost three years. Since we started college until... the murder.

Jeffries: How was your relationship?

Lucy (smiling): We were best friends. When I came to Philly I was a very naïve girl, had lived my whole life in a farm in the middle of nowhere... Karen was helped me to adjust to the big city.

Vera: You were a Med student, you were always interested in Medical Research, which involved the use of animals in the tests. Karen, on the other hand, was an animal rights' activist. It never interfered in your friendship?

Lucy (nods): Well, I won't deny we had a few arguments over that question. But we were both intelligent grown-up women, and our friendship always came first for us.

Jeffries: What about Karen's boyfriend? How was their relationship?

Lucy: Christopher loved her more than anything else. All girls were envious of her. They had been together for almost two years, and we were all betting he was going to propose on Valentine's. It was their anniversary.

Jeffries: Did Karen feel the same?

Lucy (reflects for a few moments): At the beginning, certainly. But at the end... she was different. Absent. She spent a lot more time at the paper.

Vera: And it bothered Christopher?

Lucy (nods): A lot.

Flashback to 1997

(On Valentine's Day, Karen and Christopher are at Karen's dorm room. Lucy is arriving but when she hears loud voices she doesn't go in. She stands by the door, listening)

Christopher: What is going on, Karen? I barely see you anymore!

Karen: I've told you, Chris. We're very busy at the paper. And with these new tests that are going on at the Med Lab, we're working extra-hours at the Animal Rights Group.

Christopher: What do you do this for? It's ruining our relationship!

Karen: For me it's not enough having a comfortable happy life of my own, when there are other people and the animals that are in pain and needing help. I shouldn't have to explain this to you. You already knew how I was before you started dating me.

Christopher: Well, quit the paper and work only with the group. It'll leave you more time.

Karen: Are you crazy? The paper is the voice for our causes. And besides, I'm going to be a journalist; I need this experience for my résumé.

Christopher (in a laughing tone): Yeah, I didn't expect you to quit that stupid paper. Lately it seems like all the fun of the world is there for you.

Karen: Oh God. Not that again. I've told a million times, Ian is just my friend!

Christopher: Friend, right. I see the way he looks at you. I'm a guy, too, I recognize this things!

(Karen doesn't say anything)

Christopher: Listen, Karen. I love you more than I love myself. But I won't let you make a fool of me, you understand?

Karen: I would never do that. But you don't believe it, don't you? (pause) Maybe you'd better leave.

Christopher: But what about our dinner? It's Valentine's Day.

Karen: I'm not in the mood. We'll do it some other time.

(Lucy notices Christopher is going out. She walks away and hides. Christopher leaves the room with an angry look on his face.)

Back to 2005

Jeffries: So, they never went to that dinner?

Lucy: No. A couple of hours later Karen left. She said she forgot something at the paper's office and had to pick it up immediately.

Vera: For what you knew of Christopher, do you think he could get violent?

Lucy (bits her lip): When I arrived, the fight was already going on for a while. And I didn't actually see anything, so I can't say if they got physical. But, two things are for sure: first, Christopher was a jealous man. Second, when he left that night, he was really pissed off.

(Jeffries and Vera get up, they shake hands with Lucy)

Jeffries: Thanks for your help.

Lucy: Anytime.

It's 8 p.m. Lilly is alone at the office, working on the computer, when Vera and Jeffries arrive.

Jeffries: Hey, Lil. Where's Scotty.

Lilly: He dropped me off 15 minutes ago and left.

Vera (worried): Where was he going?

Lilly (harshly): I don't know. I'm not his mommy.

Jeffries (sensing the tension): And Stillman?

Lilly: He's at a meeting with the commissioner. He said it was routine. So, how was with the roommate.

Vera: Pretty interesting, actually.

Lilly (gets up): Well, let's get some coffee, and you guys can me fill me in.

(The three detectives head to the coffee room.)

(Meanwhile, at a small restaurant, Scotty and Christina are having dinner. Scotty looks absent.)

Christina: Is there something wrong?

Scotty (shakes his head): It's nothing. I just had a tough day at work.

Christina (smiling): I can give you a massage later.

(Scotty asks the waiter for the bill)

Scotty (smiles, but not very convincing): I'm afraid I might have to turn down your offer. It's nothing, really, it's just that my head is full and tomorrow will be another tough day.

Christina (disappointed): Oh, well, if that's what you want, then OK. (smiling) We can do it some other time.

(Scotty takes the bill, pays, and they get up.)

Scotty: Sure we can. Some other time.

About 15 minutes later, Scotty drops Christina off three blocks away from Lilly's house. He couldn't drop her in front of Lilly's house, obviously. He watches Christina walk away until she disappears. He looks around, sighs, and bangs his head three times on the wheel. In a muffled voice, with this head still down, he says to no one, "What the hell is happening to me?".

To be continued
A/N:I'm still not sure where I'm taking the Lil/Scotty/Chris situation, so any suggestions are welcome. Also, if anyone has an idea for an ending song, I could use suggestions about that too.

Thanks to Brandi, llewella and foxlight.

Also thanks to Snow Ivy - I'm glad the script format is doing good. I never wrote a fic with that's basically only dialogue (my style is usually descriptive), so this is a bit of challenge for me.