ThePerfectMurder

ThestoryofaSinisterPuddle

Scene1AliceTalksonthePhonewithherfriendJenna

HelloJennaImFineandyou?Ohwell,Ijustcookedthedinnerforthepartyand
ImJustwaitingforWilliamtocomehome.Icantwait!Itsour10thanniversary
together,thebest10yearsofmylife.Ithinkthepartywillbegreat.(pause)Of
courseOh..IthinkBilliscoming.Catchyoulater!

Williamwalksinthehouselookingtiredandleaveshisbriefcase.

Alice:

HelloSweetie!
*hugshimandgiveshimbeer*
Howwasyourday?

William:

Ihadabusyday.Lotsofstuffaregoingthroughmymind.

Alice:

Whywhatiswrong?

William:

WellyouseeItshardformetotalkaboutthisIdelayedthisfortoolongnow,
couldyousitplease?

Alice:

Oww.Theguestsarecomingsoondear,IneedtocheckifBobbyissleeping
upstairswewilltalklaterok?
*withoutwaitingforresponsesheleavestheroom*

Williamsphoneisringing

William:

HeyImgood,Ijustcamehome.NoIhaventtoldheryet,Itsnoteasyyou
knowDontworryIpromisedyouthatIwilltellher,Iamamanofmyword.
AlrightalrightIwillseeyoulateraswearrangedright?SureSheiscomingi
havetogo!

Alicewalksbacktotheroom:

Icantbelievehowfastthose10yearspassedRememberwhenwefirstmet?Its
almostlikeitwasyesterdaySowhatdidyouwanttotalkabout?

William:

Yes.Sitplease...

Alice:

Why?

William:

Pleasejustsit.Ihaveputoffthistalkfortoolongnow.Iknowitsnotthetimefor
thatbeingouranniversaryandallbutthiscantcontinueanyfurther...

Alice:

Whatdoyoumean??Youarestartingtoscareme...

William:

WellyouseeIhaventbeencompletelyhonestwithyou.Thereissomethingi
havebeenhidingfortoolong.YouseeSamanthaandIareinlove.Ithappened
sofastAlice.Iamsorry.IhavepreparedsomedocumentsandIamleavingafter
theparty.BobbyistooyoungHewontmissme.ImsorryImsososorry...

Alicelookingshockedandemotionlessmumbles:

I..Iwillpreparefortheparty

Williamstaysstillforasecondthengoestothewindow.Thenhestarts
talkingtohimselfsortofmonologueinglookingcool:

HaveImadetherightchoice?...OristhisadecisionthatIwillregretmywhole
life?

Alicegoestothetableandpicksuptheicestatue.Thenshesneaksbehind
himandclobbershimwiththestatueonthehead.Williamsfallsonthe
groundlifeless.Alicebeginstothinkclearlyandleavesthestatueback,
thenturnstheheatingonandphonesthepolice:

911?Yespleasesendadespatchto211CoalHillStreet.Myhusbandislyingon
thefloor!

Scene2DetectiveInspectorHarknessandDoctorJonesknockonthedoorand
comeintothehouse

D.I.Harkness:

Eveningmadam.IamDetectiveInspectorHarknessandthisismypartner...

DoctorJones:

Yes,IamtheDoctor!DoctorJonesthatis...

DoctorJonesgoestothebodyandstartslookingatitandcheckingforvital
signs.InthemeantimeAlicetalkswiththeDetective.

D.I.Harkness:

TelluswhathappenedMrs?

Alice:

Jackson.

D.I.Harkness:

TelluswhathappenedMrsJackson?

Alice:

Ishealright?

DoctorJones:

TherearenovitalsignsMrs.Mycondolences/Iamsorry.

AlicegoesinTOSCAMODE(EmotionalBreakdown)thenmumblesandstutters:

Iwasupstairsputtingthebabytosleep.WhenicamedownstairsIfoundhimon
thefloor.***
emotionstearsandboogers
***

D.I.Harkness:

Burglars.Therehasbeenmanyreportsrecently.***
Bothgoandsitandtakeasipofwater
onthetable
***IhopeyouunderstandMrs.wemustsearchthehouseforthe
murderersweapon.

Alice:

Ofcoursedoyourjob.

TheDetectiveandTheDoctorsearchtheroom.

DoctorJones:

PhewCanIhaveaglassofwaterMrs.Jackson?Itssohotinhere!

D.I.Harkness:
Ithinkweallneedoneandwithice.
Alice:

YesTakeicefromthestatue,itsmeltinganyway.

TheDetectiveandTheDoctortakeiceandcontinuethesearch.Afterthe
searchtheDetectivegoestoAlice.

D.I.Harkness:

Nosignsofanyweapons.Thisisverystrange.

DoctorJones:

Iwonderwhatthekillerhithimwith.Bythelooksofthebodyhehasbeenhitwith
somethingbluntandheavy.Itwasaquickblowinthebackoftheheadbutitwas
fatal.

D.I.Harkness:

Yes.Butthereisnosignsofsuchanobject.Thekillerprobablyheardthebabyand
ranoutwithouthavingtimetotouchanything.

DoctorJones:

Yourhusbandwasjustinthewrongplaceatthewrongtime.Wearesorry.

D.I.Harkness:

Wearegoingtocontinueourinvestigationfurther.ThankyoufornowMrs.
Jackson.Goodbye.

DoctorJonesastheyareleaving:

Iwonderwhatweaponwasused.Ihaveneverseenanythingsimilar.

Alicelookingsinisteratthepuddleofwaterthatusedtobethestatue
mumblestoherself:

WhoknowsWhoknows...

Alicethentakesasipfromherdrinkandputsonasinistersmile.

2015BasedonLambtotheSlaughterbyRoaldDahl
AdaptedforschoolplaybyA.AndreevB.RahnevM.RusevaA.Nikolov
2015