The Vail: London Fog
by Joey Pettine
Episode Five: Obsession
(A ratty motel room. DETECTIVE WILLIAMS pushes NANCY VAIL, still wheelchair bound, inside.)
NANCY
Thanks for checking me out.
WILLIAMS
Couldn't talk about this in the hospital cafeteria. We'll have privacy here.
NANCY
I'm surprised they released you. How are you feeling?
WILLIAMS
I realize you're a nice person and everything but I don't have time for all the bullshit that comes before the important shit. We're here to discuss the possibility of killing a man. You need to understand that, Mrs. Vail, because I need to know if you can live with that.
NANCY
Detective, I don't even know if Andrew is a man anymore.
WILLIAMS
I'm glad you put that out there. I think he's a witch.
NANCY
No joke?
WILLIAMS
I don't usually entertain such ideas but I've learned things bout Andy that give me the shakes and... I think the fucker cursed me.
NANCY
What have you learned?
WILLIAMS
You first. You came to me for help, why. What changed your mind about him? Why don't you love him anymore?
(Nancy glares at him.)
NANCY
I didn't ask you to snoop around my life.
WILLIAMS
No, I did that because...
(Williams clutches his aching head. He pulls out a prescription bottle and chews two pills.)
WILLIAMS
Because I needed to. What changed?
NANCY
He murdered my husband.
WILLIAMS
You're abusive husband.
NANCY
That doesn't make it right.
WILLIAMS
But this does?
NANCY
I thought you were okay with--
WILLIAMS
I am. I just need to be sure you are too. Him killing your abusive husband is wrong but you getting revenge is okay? How does that make sense for you?
NANCY
It doesn't. But neither does watching Mike get murdered, unable to move or speak. It doesn't make sense that at times I'm not sure if Andrew killed my husband or if I did. It's not supposed to make sense. Andrew once told me that losing your mind was quite calming. What matters is clear: No one is innocent. Andrew should be stopped.
WILLIAMS
No one is innocent?
NANCY
You're innocent when you dream. Which I've been doing for five months now. Fill me in.
(Williams pulls out a large file folder.)
WILLIAMS
Three decades, Andrew and Michael Vail live normal boring lives. They're born, they eat, go to school, shit, grow up, and one of them marries you, Nancy Vail, the girl next door. Your marriage seems fine but in fact--
NANCY
I know this part, skip it.
WILLIAMS
There are a series of strange events all which lead back to your husband or his brother. This man...
(Hands her a picture.)
NANCY
Henry.
WILLIAMS
Name's Mischa Bratton. Doesn't show up for work one day, disappears for the better part of a year, then starts runnin round with your brother in law. Two nights after your house burns down, he returns home with no recollection of where he was or who he was with.
NANCY
Talk to him?
WILLIAMS
Dead end. If he knows anything, he doesn't know he knows. I got him on surveillance. What's more interesting are the men who worked with your husband. Five genius scientists, all of them, and their families, have been murdered or gone missing in the past six months. You and your brother are the only survivors though reports of Steven Tillhouse and Dr. Ermine North, who went missing at the beginning of the year, frequently surface in the Pittsburgh area.
NANCY
Which is the exact location...
WILLIAMS
I last saw Andy, yes. And wherever Andy Vail goes, strange ass fuck follows. Vail is spotted on the docks, a warehouse goes up in flames. Andy catches a train to Pittsburgh, three college students get murdered in their dorm, a stranger in a bowler hat is spotted on campus in the dead of night, and locals complain of strange lights in the sky. And, most recent, five local yokels go missing after being attacked by large, black birds.
NANCY
Where is he now?
WILLIAMS
MIA. And the weird town I followed him to, Rotterdam, doesn't even exist. But we know where he's going. Someone just purchased a one way flight from Pittsburgh to London under the name Barbara Tillhouse. Vail's fleeing the country.
NANCY
You're going after him?
WILLIAMS
Damn straight. You can follow once you physical therapy your ass back into the upright position. Tell no one where we go.
NANCY
I have no one to tell. What about you, Detective.
(With a resounding slam DETECTIVE HARDY storms in, face red with determination. Nancy is frightened and Williams can only stand before Hardy clocks him in the face. Then an upper cut into Williams chin. Williams falls back and Hardy knees him in the gut then flips him over and the cuffs are on Williams' wrists before he can spit. Nancy watches in shock, Hardy sits Williams upright.)
HARDY
You son of a bitch. Did you think I'd just let this go. I'm not gonna pull the blanket over my eyes and act like everything is fine while you throw away your life. We've been partnered for five years.
WILLIAMS
You don't understand, Hardy.
HARDY
I'm sick of hearing that. This obsession of yours--
WILLIAMS
It's not an obsession.
HARDY
Bullshit! It's fucking insane! And now I hear from you're wife you were hospitalized... That you checked yourself out and... What are you doing?
WILLIAMS
You don't understand.
HARDY
I won't let you do this, sir. You're sick and, I'm sorry to treat you in such a fashion, but you need help and I'm going to make sure you get it.
WILLIAMS
You don't understand.
HARDY
What don't I get? Tell me.
(Hardy sits next to Williams.)
HARDY
We're partners, remember. Closer than family.
WILLIAMS
You're a great man, Hardy, but you never understood what it takes to be a real police officer. What kind of cop would I be if I let a pair of handcuffs put me out.
(Hardy has a moment to look perplexed before Williams punches him in the throat. Hardy gags and gasps while Williams cuffs him.)
NANCY
Is he okay?
WILLIAMS
Sore throat but I was kinda pissed. He punched me. I'll contact you.
NANCY
When?
(Williams exits. Nancy rolls over to Hardy and cares for him. Blackout.)
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