From: Kristen.K.Patterson@dartmouth.edu (Kristen K. Patterson)


Thursday, January 25, 1996 in The City:

THE CITY BAR
============
In the bar, Nick tells Bernardo he only has about $70 left; is that
enough?  Nick entreats Bernardo and his buddy to "keep quiet about
it."  Bernardo says his friend never leaves his apartment, and he
indicates that his own lips are sealed.  Buck comes up, and comments
that Nick didn't come in the night before; he's concerned about his
investment.  Buck notices something different about Nick; he's not
carrying his guitar.  Nick says he's having it dry-cleaned.  Buck
leaves.  Bernardo asks Nick if he's sure he wants to go through
with whatever it is.  Nick says what's done is done, and he never
looks back.

Sydney comes into the bar, and Tess catches her.  Syd comments
that now her day is complete.  Tess says they have to talk.  Syd
says the only thing they *have* to do is die and pay taxes.  Tess
says that death is, in fact, the subject.  Syd is psyched that the
death in question might be Tess', but alas, Tess wants to talk
about Jared, and who else might know that he's dearly departed.
Sydney said she never said that someone else knew.  Tess says 
she put 2 and 2 together when Syd demanded to know who she
told.  Sydney says it's none of her business.  Tess says Syd's
business is her business now, so who is it?  Sydney thinks that
Tess is afraid her jar of ashes is now worth zip.  Tess threatens
that she's still willing to blab.  Nick comes up to the table.  Syd's
not thrilled, but Nick in fact wants to talk to Tess.  He wants to
model for her.  Tess agrees to have Ally do some test shots
tomorrow.  Nick says he'll get his beauty rest.  Tess tells him
not to get too much, she wants him good and bedraggled.  Not
a problem, comments Nick.  He then goes to bug Syd.  He just
ran into the flower lady, and gives Sydney a gardenia.  She
said she just developed an allergy, just about when Nick moved
to New York.  Tess looks on with interest.

Sydney tells Tess she's out of her mind.  Tess says it has to be
Nick that knows, or else he'd never have the nerve to put the
make on her in public like that.  Syd thinks there's no way that
Nick knows.  Tess gets a call on her cell phone, and has to go
upstairs, but says they're not finished.

Bernardo comes back, and tells Nick all systems are go.  Nick
says he'd buy him a drink, but he's a bit short.  Bernardo buys
Nick a club soda.  Syd gets up to leave, and Nick watches her,
commenting to himself that he'll see her real soon.

Upstairs, Tony comments to Alex that he can't believe Sydney
hired them, given the fact that Tess hired them to check her out.
Alex thinks she's working on the "better with me than against me"
theory.  Tony says he checked out her accountant, who looks clean.
Alex concurs; he thinks it's Malcolm trying to sabotage the merger.
Tony doesn't think that hiring call girls is indicative of that kind of
behavior.  Alex says he got some information that Malcolm's been
spending a lot of money lately, more than his job would indicate.
Alex is convinced that Malcolm's their bad guy.  Tony thinks his
gut is saying that because Malcolm has been giving Jocelyn a hard
time.  Alex denies that one, saying it's nothing personal, but Joc
is Syd's attorney, and works with Malcolm every day.  It's not
just that he's an old boyfriend, but maybe it's a part of his grand
plan to squash the merger.  Tony's skeptical, and tell Alex to be
impartial.  Alex impartially wants to know everything there is
to know about Malcolm Christopher [no, Alex, you don't :-)].

Buck repossesses a bottle from a drunk named Lenny.

Back upstairs, Alex and Tony are telling Sydney about the book
of johns with Malcolm's number in it.  Alex asks if that surprises
her.  Syd's surprised he has to pay for it.  Alex says some guys
prefer that; no strings.  Syd says that doesn't explain why he'd
send her threatening messages.  Tony asks about the nature of
those messages, but Sydney won't talk.  Tony and Alex agree
that someday she'll have to trust someone.  Tony wants to look
at her computer.  Syd wonders why; Alex says he'd like for
someone to go through and see if she's vulnerable to outside
access.  Sydney says someone's already accessing it from out-
side.  Alex says they can't help her at all unless she meets them
halfway.  Sydney agrees.

Buck's still removing Lenny as Syd, Alex and Tony come down-
stairs.  She gets her coat and purse, and glances at Nick on her
way out.  Buck asks Nick what's up with him and Syd.  Nick says
it's complicated, she's complicated.  Buck says she's married.
Nick says again that it's complicated.  Buck says he likes simple.
Nick's surprised that he finds Tess simple.  Buck says he and
Tess used to be a lot of things, but now they're just friends.
Nick wonders why he got upset, then, when he thought Nick and
Tess were a thing.  Nick tells him to forget friendship, it never
works; try complicated for a change.  Nick says he's Buck's
roommate, and it'd be nice to see him smile for a change.  Buck
tells him to tell a joke, then.  Nick bets Tess has a million of 'em.
Buck looks intrigued...

... but then he turns around and tells "dear Abby" to get stuffed.
Nick says he and Tess could cheer each other up, she doesn't
smile much either.  Buck claims he doesn't smile because he
lives with a slob.  Nick scoffs.  Buck says he only puts up with
it to wait for his comeback and make his money back.  Nick 
tells Buck to have himself a nice depressing day.  Nick goes 
back to Bernardo to verify that his friend took care of "it."
Bernardo guesses that whatever "it" is really means a lot
to Nick.  Tess asks Buck where Sydney went.  Buck says she
left with Alex and Tony.  Buck wants to know why she cares,
and what's going on between her and Sydney.  Tess orders a
double tequila.  Buck pours her and himself one, saying he's
going to break one of his cardinal rules and drink on duty.  Tess
asks why.  "Misery loves company," says Buck  Tess wonders
why he's miserable.  [Because he has no storyline?]  He's not,
really, just... he sighs.  Tess agrees.  They think maybe they've
been working too hard.  Buck suggests some time off, and asks
her to see "Shane" at Film Forum.  Tess hates westerns, and
movies with kids.  Buck thinks this probably isn't her flick.
Tess thanks him anyway, and starts to walk away... then she
does a huge double take, comes back, and says "you just asked
me out on a DATE!"  Buck denies it, and says he just asked her
to a movie.  Tess says yes he did!  Tess says in all the miserable
years of our relationship, you've never asked me on a date. 
Buck says he still hasn't, and anyway they've been on lots of
dates.  Tess says her driving him drunk to Belden Pond in
Corinth doesn't count, and neither does him crashing at her
place.  Buck says neither is this, and you don't want to go,
anyway; you hate westerns and kids.  Tess decides it's time
to broaden her horizons.  She asks when and where.  Buck says
day after tomorrow, but this isn't a date.  Tess says she's
free then, and he may call on her then, dress informally, and
skip the flowers.  Tess leaves; Buck looks ill, and slams his
tequila.

THE PENTHOUSE
=============
In Sydney's apartment, she harasses Alex to work on the com-
puter faster.  Alex says he's going as fast as he can.  He says
he can do the basics, but they need a whiz kid to turn it inside
out.  Syd says she has a meeting to close this deal by the end
of the week, but all bets are off if she finds out Malcolm or his
associates are trying to sabotage the merger.  Tony presses
for more info about the messages.  Syd says she can't go into
it.  Alex says she may not have to; there's a message right 
here, but it's not from her saboteur.  Sydney asks what he
means.  Alex says it's signed Love, Jared.

The message on Syd's screen says "Meet me at seven tonight.
Plaza Hotel Room 608.  Missing you.  Love, Jared."  Tony
doesn't understand why she's so upset.  Syd says this isn't
from Jared.  Alex asks how she knows.  Syd says... he's in
Milan.  Alex says maybe he got back.  Syd says no, she just
talked to him.  Alex wonders if Jared might know who wants
to sabotage the merger.  Syd says he doesn't know about it;
she can handle it.  Tony wonders how they can solve the case
with virtually no information.  Syd says she didn't hire them
to critique her behavior.  Tony wonders why she hired them
at all.  Sydney suggests they go over to the Plaza and try to
catch the guy, instead of hanging around all night whining.
Alex tells Tony they're going.  Syd goes to get her coat.
Alex says unless she's planning to turn off the heat, she
won't need it, because she's not going.  Tony concurs, saying
it could be dangerous.  Syd says don't worry, she won't hurt
him.  

THE LITTLE GIRLS' LOFT
======================
Ally's in her apartment singing and folding laundry.  Jocelyn is
cleaning up after the slumber party.  They had a good time being
stupid on purpose, for once.  Ally comments that at least Molly
got what she wanted; everyone together, and having a good time.
Not to mention a rose from my brother, says Jocelyn.  Jocelyn
wants to know how Ally feels about it; Ally says she doesn't care.
Jocelyn says it's a nice act, but try it on someone else; I already
know about you and Danny.  Ally is surprised... and denies that
anything is going on.  She busts Ally for when she found Danny
in Ally's room in Ally's coat.  Ally says nothing happened.  Joc
says that's beside the point.  Ally wonders what the point is.
Jocelyn says the rest of your life; acting like there's nothing
going on between you is going to get you both in a lot of trouble.

Ally says she thought she left her grandmother in Corinth.  Joc
asks if that's what she sounds like; Ally says no, her grandmother
usually has her facts straight.  Jocelyn says the facts are that
Ally held Danny responsible for Casey's death, accused him of
rape, and did all she could to see him in jail.  Ally asks if Jocelyn
believes Danny did those things.  Jocelyn says no, but Casey
wasn't her husband, and if he had been, she would have felt
differently.  Ally says if she felt that way, why does Jocelyn
think she would be attracted to Danny?  Jocelyn says we're not
always attracted to things that are good for us.  Ally says it
doesn't matter anyway, Danny's dating Molly and she doesn't
care.  Jocelyn scoffs at the term "dating" for a basketball game,
no dinner, and a flower that was probably for Ally's benefit.
Ally says if it was, he wasted a buck, because she's not interested.
Jocelyn thinks she protests too much; she's see it before, you 
think you're in control, then one day you wake up and it's in con-
trol and you're in way over your head... Ally gets the feeling that
this isn't about her and Danny anymore.  Ally goes to put some
laundry in Jocelyn's drawer.  Jocelyn tries to stop her, but not
before Ally finds Jocelyn's gun amidst her lingerie...

Jocelyn makes the excuse that they live in an iffy neighborhood
and their place is easy to break into.  Ally's nonplussed about the
gun.  Jocelyn says better safe than... Ally asks when she got it,
and why didn't Jocelyn tell her.  Ally's upset that she has it,
because of what happened to Casey.  Jocelyn didn't even think
about that, and promises to get rid of it.  Ally thinks they should
talk about it if she doesn't feel safe.  Jocelyn says she doesn't
need it "any more."  Ally wants to know what's going on; you
don't go out and buy a gun for nothing.  Jocelyn says she was
feeling alone after what happened between her and Alex [huh?
was she seized with the sudden urge to shoot someone?  umm...],
and she just is sorry, and will get rid of it.  Ally wants to know
if there's something wrong.  Jocelyn denies it.  The phone rings;
Ally answers, but she can't hear the caller, it's a bad connection.
It appears to be Stephanie.

See you next week!

-Kristy

