Cody stands up after a few minutes and leaves the room. A few minutes later he returns and picks up the phone.
CODY:
Detective Baker could you meet me in the Tipton Lobby tonight at about 6 P.M. Maddie Fitzpatrick is innocent and I'm going to prove it.
Everyone in the room crowds around Cody as he hangs up the phone.
MADDIE:
Can you really prove that I didn't take the money?
Cody nods
CODY:
Yes I'm sure I can.
Maddie stands there for a minute puzzled because she was sure that she heard a hint of regret in his voice.
Two hours later Maddie, Max, Moesby, Carey, Zack, Chris, London, Esteban, Arwen, and Detective Back sit in the lobby of the Tipton looking at Cody who is waiting for them to get settled.
CODY:
Alright now that we're all here we can begin. Tonight I will prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Maddie didn't steal from the Hotel. The biggest and most damning piece of evidence was the video that shows Maddie robbing the safe.
Cody turns to the laptop computer he has set up there and turns on the video then he continues.
CODY (cont'):
On the surface this seems to be a very straight forward piece of evidence. But let me call your attention to one little detail, notice that the light from the window causes shadows that fall on the right side of every non-transparent object in the room, except forMaddie's hershadow falls on the left side of her body. That defies every law of physics that I ever learned.
DETECTIVE BAKER:
That means that this video is as phony as a three dollar bill.
CODY (as he punches buttons on the computer's keyboard and the image begins to change):
Exactly, now if we remove the superimposed Maddie the see that the person at the safe is actually, a man in a ski mask.
Arwen starts sobbing
ARWEN:
Why did you do it Mr. Moesby! weren't we always a loving family to you!
Cody smacks his forehead and rolls his eyes.
CODY:
ARWEN! He didn't do it either!
ARWEN:
I knew that.
MOESBY:
But how could a complete stranger get a combination that only myself and Maddie are supposed to know?
CODY:
Mr. Moesby that safe is out in the open in a direct line with a door that you never lock or close for that matter. It was easy for this guy to walk up behind Maddie while she was putting that money in the safe to nights ago and watcher as she dialed the combination.
Cody turns to face culprit
CODY:
That's how you did it, isn't it Chris?
There is a loud gasp and all eyes are on Chris,hestammers for a split second and bolts for the door, only to be Judo flipped by Max. Detective baker snaps the cuffs on Chris and leads him away. Maddie just sits there looking Numb. Cody walks up to her.
CODY:
I'm truly sorry Maddie I hoped I was wrong even though I was pretty sure that I wasn't.
MADDIE:
Why would he do that to me, his own girlfriend?
CODY:
Greed is a funny thing Maddie it can bring out the worst in the best of us. I guess when he saw all the money that was kept in that safe his greed got the better of him.
Zack and Max walk up right about then.
MAX:
Cody how did you know that it was Chris?
MADDIE:
Yeah I was a little curious about that myself, how did you know?
CODY:
There were two things that gave him away, First this surveillance system was only installed three days ago, so when I realized that the video had been digitally altered within the system I knew the culprit had to be someone with advanced knowledge of the system more than you could learn in three days.
But I didn't know that it was Chris until he gave himself away upstairs. He said that the system had incriminated his girlfriend and had gotten her accused of stealing twelve thousand dollars from the safe.
ZACK:
So?
CODY:
Moesby and Maddie were told by Detective Baker not to tell anyone how much money was taken from the safe. Which is standard procedure in a case like this, and Zack and I never told anyone so the only way that Chris could have known the exact amount that was stolen was if he took it himself.
MAX:
It sounds like this case is closed, that was some good detective work, Cody, could you teach me how to be a detective?
CODY:
Sure when do you want to start?
MAX:
How about tonight over dinner, Detective
(Zack on voice over interrupts)
ZACK:
Hold everything, your making that part up.
CODY:
It's not as lame as your ending.
Cody puts his hand over his hard and speaks I high pitched mocking voice
CODY:
And Zack and Maddie fell in love and lived happily ever after
The door bell rings and Zack answers to find Max standing there wearing a light blue dress, with her hair elegantly styled.
MAX:
Hi Zack is Cody ready?
ZACK:
Ready for what?
MAX:
We have a dinner date tonight.
Max walks past Zack and into the room when we finally see Cody we find he has changed into a white button up shirt and a dressy brown sportcoat. Max picks the fedora up from the table and places it on his head.
MAX:
Wear the hat, I like it
They turn toward the door and see Zack out cold on the floor, they look at each other shrug, step over him and walked out the door, the saxophone music starts but a split second it stops with a screech and we hear and man and a saxophone being knocked down a flight of stairs.
CODY:
Thanks.
THE END
(for now)