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

Forgive me if this is kinda disjointed; *#&$%!@ O.J. pre-empted
the last two-thirds of Loving yesterday, so I didn't see what came
before.  Anyway, I'm doing this Thursday, then poor Deb has to
pinch-hit for me AGAIN next week (wedding - not mine!), then
I'll be your Thursday updater for real.  So, without further ado:


RODEO BAR:
==========
Angie and Charles are sitting down to dinner at the Rodeo.  Angie
doesn't think it's a great idea to eat there because of Buck.  Charles
says he can't avoid Buck forever, and he's sure Buck understands.
Angie suggests more time to  cool off, after all he did throw Buck
in jail, but Charles says he did what he had to do, and Buck's
had enough time to cool off.  Buck comes up and take Charles'
menu away, saying that Angie can have whatever she wants, but
Charles gets exactly what he gave Buck: nothing.

Charles says c'mon Buck, we're friends, remember?  Buck says
"were is the key word."  Charles apologizes again for bringing him in,
but considering the evidence... Buck says "circumstantial evidence,"
and chastises him again for holding Buck and eating cheeseburgers,
which he isn't going to get, while the real evidence is piling up against
Curtis and he's running around loose.  Angie says to let her know
if they're going to start breaking chairs or something.  Buck 
apologizes, but says he needs to tell Charles this, even though
Charles only hears what he wants.  Buck accuses him of having one
set of rules for the Aldens and another set for everyone else. 
Charles says that's not fair, and he doesn't deserve it.  Charles
says Curtis is a prime suspect, but they have to be careful; they
can't make another mistake.  Buck says it's too bad he couldn't
be careful with his good ol' pal Buck, who he locked up and 
turned into a murder suspect, which the town still thinks he is.
Buck missed Stacey's funeral thanks to Charles, and he isn't
going to forget it.

Angie says she knows this has been hard on Buck, but it's
been rough on Charles, too.  Charles' beeper goes off.  Buck
says sorry, but he doesn't want to hear about Charles' emotional
problems.  Angie asks if he wants to talk about his?  Buck says
he'll survive.  Angie asks if that's all he wants, to survive, and
Buck says he wants Stacey back, can Angie do that for him?
Angie says no, but she and Charles can be his friends, and they
can get through this together, if he'll let them in.  Buck says
Charles is the one that slammed the door.  Angie says Charles
was doing his job, and that he made a mistake, but he's human,
they all are.  Buck apologizes that she's in the middle of this.
Angie says Stacey was her best friend, and she has a hard time
dealing with the fact that she can't just call her up, and maybe
Buck can get through this alone, but Angie can't.  Buck says
he'll be there for her. Angie asks "and for Charles?"  Just
then Charles comes up and says he has to go (to Burnell's: see
below), can Angie get home by herself?  Angie nods.  Charles
apologizes to Buck, kisses Angie, and leaves, practically
running over Frankie and Bree on the way out (coming from
her place: see below).  Frankie says must be police business.
Bree asks how he knows, and Frankie says Charles was looking
like a cop. Bree says suggestively that now Frankie's big old
house is empty, and what can they do at the bar that they can't
do at home?  Frankie says what needs to be done: talk.

Angie waves to Frankie and Bree.  Bree says she doesn't know
if she wants to hear this.  Frankie asks what she thinks he's going
to say?  Bree doesn't know, but when people say they want to
talk, it's usually trouble.  Frankie says that shows how wrong
she can be; he wants to talk about how much he loves her.  Bree
is skeptical... you love me, but?  Frankie says he loves her, and
he wants to be together for a long time.  Bree says to spit it out.
Frankie says he was having a conversation with Charles the other
night, well Charles was talking and Frankie only got a couple of
words in.  Bree giggles, and says you were talking about the birds
and bees, right?  Frankie says in that ballpark, they were talking
about sex, but Frankie wants to talk about love.  He loves making
love to her, but she's probably already figured that out.  She says
she hopes so.  But Frankie says he wants to take it a bit slower.
Bree gets defensive, and says he says he loves her, they're
practicing safe sex, so why does he want to go back to holding
hands?  Frankie says it's not like that, but he doesn't want their
relationship to be based on just sex; he wants them to have it all,
romance and fun, not just running off to find a bed and missing
stuff, like this [what?  Yet another safe-sex talk from Angie-Charles-
Frankie?  C'mon guys, I'm down with the message, but sheesh!].
Bree goes all mushy, and says she doesn't know what she did to
deserve him, but she's glad she did it, and they swap some spit.

Angie tells Buck she knows someone who built his life around
hate, and it almost destroyed him.  Buck says "Jacob?"  Angie
says Jacob forgot how to feel the good things, hope, happiness,
love... Jacob says he did for awhile, but he learned to love again;
Angie taught him.


BREE'S APARTMENT
================
Lorraine is furiously cooking for Jacob.  Bree comments that her
mother is acting like she's never been on a date before, she's a
nervous wreck.  Frankie says maybe it's her first in awhile, but
Bree said she's been on a date with Jacob before.  Frankie says
that making dinner for him is different.  Bree says her mother is
a great cook and everything will be fine, but Lorraine comes in
and says that the meat loaf tastes like dog food.  Frankie tastes
it and says it's good.  Lorraine says it doesn't matter, because
Jacob isn't coming anyway.  Bree says he's only 5 minutes late,
but Lorraine says he's 15 minutes late and he's not coming.
Bree: "I just love a positive thinker."
Lorraine: "I'm just facing facts."
Just then there's a knock on the door.  Bree says "I wonder who
that could be," and Lorraine takes off her apron and opens the
door to a huge bunch of flowers, with Jacob standing behind
them.

Bree and Frankie get ready to leave.  Lorraine says "you aren't
leaving, are you?"  sounding slightly panicked, but Bree says
four is a crowd.  Lorraine says they can stay a few more minutes.
Bree tells Jacob that she thinks her mom is afraid to be alone 
with him, and Lorraine gets mad.  Bree asks Jacob if she can
trust him.  Jacob asks "to do what?"  Bree says that's her mama
right there, and Jacob better handle with care.  Jacob says "with
kid gloves."  Bree hugs her mom goodbye, and tells her she's
on her own, bon appetit, and she'll be back later.  The door
closes behind Frankie and Bree (heading for the Rodeo Bar: see
above).  "Alone at last," Jacob says, but Lorraine is still nervous.
Jacob says he'll be the perfect gentleman.  Lorraine isn't worried
about him. Jacob says "what, you don't think intend to be the
perfect lady?"  Lorraine says that what she means to do and
what she does aren't always the same, especially when she was
drinking.  Jacob says but she's not drinking now.  They talk a
bit about drinking, and how she always knew what to do with
a man while she was drinking, or at least she thought she did.
She would kill for a martini.  Jacob understands, and says let's
not act tonight, let's just be ourselves.  Lorraine says she doesn't
know who that is.  Jacob says it will all come back to her.
Lorraine wants to know if dating is always this hard.  Jacob
says he doesn't know, it's been too long.  Lorraine says she
knows he's getting over someone, it's written across his face
that he just lost someone.  Jacob says they never really had
anything, and how could he lose what he never had?  Lorraine
knows it hurts to talk about.  Jacob says lots of things hurt;
it's called life.  Lorraine says it hurts a lot.  Jacob wants to 
know why she said that.  Lorraine says that when people start
to talk about life, they don't really want to talk about... life.
[Ed. note: huh?  This conversation lost me there at the end]

Jacob is putting music on the radio while Lorraine clears dishes.
She asks if dinner was all right?  Jacob says no, he only had
three heaping helpings to make her feel good. Lorraine says it's
not one of her recipes, and if there's another time she'll stick to
one of her old standbys.  Jacob says she better stop putting
herself down, or he's going to have to leave.  Lorraine says
"I do that a lot, don't I?"  Jacob says only two or three times
a minute.  Lorraine says she's nervous.  Jacob reminds her he's
going to be gentle, and Lorraine said she knows.  Jacob says
could she not sound quite so sure, a man likes to feel like he's
a little bit dangerous.  Lorraine says he's dangerous  enough
for her... she's babbling, she says, just take some duct tape
and slap it over her mouth.  Jacob says he has a better idea than
that to put her at ease, and holds out his arms.  She says this is
supposed to put me at ease?  Jacob asks her to dance.  She says
"oh."  Jacob asks what she thought he was going to do?  She says
she's not thinking clearly, and starts to clean again.  Jacob asks
her again to dance, and she says she's sorry.  He says don't be
sorry unless she's going to say no.  She says she couldn't say
no to a guest.  They dance a bit.  Lorraine says "so this is what
they do on dates?"  Jacob says "sometimes... sometimes they
do other things."  Lorraine says "such as?"  Jacob says surely
it hasn't been THAT long since she...  Lorraine says she can't
remember the last time she kissed someone without the taste of
gin on her lips.  Jacob says she's just going to have to try.
Much spit is swapped.


MASTERS' APARTMENT
==================
Curtis is hiding in the closet, as Alex and Tony come in.  Alex
asks Ava what she's doing there, and she said she got home early,
what are they doing there?  Alex says they have some work to do
there, which they can't do at the station because Gwyn is there,
and she's too close to the case to be objective.  Tony says you
can't blame her, she is the guy's mother.  Ava asks if it has to do
with Curtis.  Alex indicates that it does, and Ava asks what
happened.  Alex says he wigged out and attacked Tess.  Ava
asks if she's okay.  Alex says aside from being scared witless,
she's fine.  Curtis looks very relieved.  Alex tells Ava they'll
try to stay out of her hair, and goes to put his coat in the closet.
Ava says "Alex,  NO."  Alex turns around, looking confused.

"No, what?"  Alex says.  Ava says "no way you're going to
work here."  Alex says he already explained why they have to
work there, and they are going to because of Gwyn; he doesn't
need her breathing over his shoulder, especially when they're
making plans to arrest Curtis.  Curtis doesn't look happy to hear
that. Ava thinks they should talk to  Curtis before they arrest him
and find out what really happened.  Alex says what really happened
is that he attacked Tess, and the last time he checked, assault and
battery was a crime, and so is killing people.  Ava says Curtis
didn't kill anyone!  Alex says he doesn't want to believe it either,
but what he believes doesn't matter; he had a motive for killing
Clay.  Ava says half the town had a motive for killing Clay.
Alex says as soon as Ava gets her badge, Alex will talk to her,
but right now he has the media having a field day and creating a
public panic, and they ARE going to work there.  Ava turns all
sweet, and says that she will take care of Alex's jacket, and
wouldn't Tony and Alex like some dinner?  Tony says he
wouldn't recognize dinner.  Ava tells Alex to take Tony into the
kitchen and give him something to eat.  After they go, Ava
rummages in her purse for the keys to the back door of Burnell's
and gives them to Curtis, and tells him to go there and wait until
she talks some sense into Alex.  Curtis checks if he has cab fare,
then runs out the door.  Ava leans against the door, and sees
that Curtis dropped his wallet.  She runs to pick it up, when Alex
comes out and asks if they have any bread. Ava is flustered, and
Alex asks her what's wrong with her.  He says she looks...
"beautiful?"  she says, and grabs him and kisses him, while trying
to slide the wallet under the furniture with her foot.

Tony thanks "Mrs. Masters" for dinner, it was really good.  Ava
says to call her Ava, and says anything to help.  Alex asks her
again if she's OK.  She says she's fine, and why don't they go
do their crimefighting in the kitchen.  Tony spies the wallet, and
asks Alex if he lost his, and picks it up.  Ava grabs for it, and says
it's hers, but Alex flips it open to see Curtis' ID.  Alex flips out,
and asks if Curtis is here?  Ava says Curtis is not a criminal, and
is frightened.  Alex says he is mentally unbalanced and dangerous.
Ava says he used to have some compassion for other people.  Alex
says there is an APB out on him, and would Ava rather Alex find
him, or some trigger-happy cop?  Then how scared would he be?
Alex demands to know where he is.  Ava admits she gave him the
key to Burnell's back door.  Alex tells Tony to get down there right
away, and picks up the phone to call for backup, and will meet
Tony in front.  Alex asks Ava if she's going to give him a key too,
or will he have to break into Burnell's?  Ava looks pissed.


POLICE STATION
==============
Gwyn is telling Jeremy she is OK and doesn't need a babysitter.
Jeremy asks how about a friend?  Everyone can use one of those.
A very helpful person named "Rafferty" gets Alex's call, and calls
to someone across the room named "Marty" that Alex has Curtis Alden
holed up at Burnell's and needs backup NOW.  Also, the Chief's at
the Rodeo Bar, and someone should call him.  Gwyn grabs the
phone, and tells Alex that she is on her way, and please don't let
anybody hurt Curtis.


BURNELL'S
=========
(creepy music: bullseye with arrows sticking out of
it, stuffed toys everywhere, really eerie!)
Curtis runs into the toy department of Burnell's.  He mutters to
himself that it's going to be okay.  He says that clown dolls
give him the creeps [me too!].  He sees a shadow go by in the
hall and calls "Trisha? Trisha!" and goes running down the
hall after the shadow.

Back in the toy department [guess he didn't find her], Curtis
is playing with a stuffed spider, telling "Trisha" (there's no one
there) to check it out; remember that spider song they used to sing?
He starts to sing the "Itsy Bitsy Spider" song, while making the
spider act out the song.  (More creepy music)

Curtis is still playing with the spider, and Ava and Alex come up
in the elevator with Tony.  Curtis is upset, and says that Ava said
she was going to help him!  Ava says she and Alex are going to
help him, and no one is going to hurt him.  Curtis says she lied
to him.  Alex says she had no choice.  Curtis pulls one of the
arrows out of the bullseye and brandishes it at them, telling them
to stay back! Gwyn and Jeremy come out of the elevator.  Gwyn
gets between them and asks to speak to Curtis. Curtis says "mom,
they want to hurt me!"  Gwyn says no one wants to hurt him, they
want to help him.  Curtis says if she wants to help him, then get
all these people out of here.  (Charles shows up at some point in
there, too.)  Gwyn says she loves him, and just wants to talk to
him, he's got to believe that.  Curtis grabs Gwyn and takes her
hostage, pointing the arrow at her throat, and tells them to stay
away from him! Jeremy and Alex do not look pleased.  Ava looks
scared.

Charles tries to talk Curtis into lowering his arm, slowly,
and no one will get hurt.  Alex says no one is moving, he
can see that.  Curtis says he wants them all out of there, but
Alex says he knows they can't do that.  Gwyn says to Curtis
that she knows he won't hurt her, he wouldn't hurt anyone
[yeah, except for that one time he shot you, and just tried to
strangle Tess... oops, sorry].  Curtis says he doesn't want to
do this, but he can't let them take him away again.  Gwyn says
from the time he was a little boy, he couldn't stand to see
anyone or anything hurt, and talks about when he once saw a
dead little sparrow in the road, and he cried all day long.  Curtis
says he's not that little boy anymore.  The cops try to approach,
but Curtis says to get BACK!  Gwyn says he's still sweet and kind,
remember how he always took care of Trisha?  Curtis says that
Trisha is here. Gwyn says she knows, she sees her too.  Curtis
gets upset, and asks if she thinks he's crazy?  Gwyn says no, that's
not what she meant; she means the people they love are always with
them, that's all.  Curtis says he was thinking about Trisha while he
was singing the song they used to sing, and starts singing the
"Itsy Bitsy Spider" song and crying while holding Gwyn (who
is also crying. Ava is crying in the background.  Big tear fest).
The cops rush Curtis and grab him.  Gwyn runs to Jeremy, as the
cops drag Curtis out, while he pleads with Gwyn not to let them
take him.  Jeremy (or Charles, it was hard to tell) shouts after them
to take Curtis to Dunellyn.  Charles says to be careful with him, as
everyone except Ava, Alex, Jeremy, Gwyn, and Tony enters the
elevator.  Ava goes hysterical all over Alex.  Gwyn is totally rattled,
and Jeremy says he'll drive her straight to Dunellyn, and she can be
there when they bring Curtis in.  They leave.  Tony asks Alex if he
thinks they've got the serial killer?  Alex says they've got the man
who attacked Tess... and that's ALL they've got.

Cliffhanger!  See you in two weeks!

-Kristy

