Murder in a Small Town

Andrew Martin:
[goes to sit next to the girls, Kathy whispers to her daughter and the two look at him with acute suspicion] You okay? [in a whisper]

Pastor:
[comes up to podium after suspicious staring by Kathy and memories in the thoughts of Susan] It is with heavy hearts that we gather today to remember the life of Debbie Martin. In these times of unanswerable questions, we look to the Lord for hope and forgiveness. And we remember his promise of life everlasting. [cuts to a silently grieving Susan listening as he gestures and speaks]

Andrew Martin:
[offscreen] Girls, you wanna stand up straight, please? Thank you. [crowd begins filing in]

Susan Parker:
[sympathetically] Andrew. [embraces him, then the girls, followed by her husband and other close relatives]

Kathy:
[comes up to Andrew in the receiving line and embraces him. ] I'm so sorry for your loss, Andrew.

Andrew Martin:
Thank you, Kathy; I appreciate that. [turns to girls] Okay, girls, you wanna give Aunt Kathy a hug and then go grab our seats, okay? [leads the youngest one by her back and one of them gives an "hmmhmm" in response]

Kathy:
[sighs after the girls leave] This is a devastating shock for all of us; most of all you. If-If you need any help with anything: Getting things in order or the girls - anything - I...

Andrew Martin:
Thank you, Kathy, but I think we just need to keep moving forward. I'm gonna return to work at the church tomorrow.

Kathy:
Really? [obviously startled] Are you sure you don't want to take some time off? I mean, I'm sure your congregation would understand.

Andrew Martin:
The Lord was with me when I came back to the church after Natalie died. I'm just gonna do the same this time. He'll give me the strength to carry on. [touches Kathy's arm] I think it's what Debbie would want me to do, too. [she walks away with a forced smile on her face; the first stirrings of suspicion toward him. Andrew turns to Rob] Rob.

Rob:
Andrew.

Andrew Martin:
Mary. [embraces her]

Pastor:
This was Debbie's. I used it in the service; I think you should have it.

Susan Parker:
Andrew didn't want it?

Pastor:
[hesitantly] No...

Susan Parker:
Thank you, Pastor. For - For everything.

Pastor:
[Sees Tom come over] God bless. [Tom puts arm around Susan and kisses her on the left side of her head and they walk forward together]

Susan Parker:
[scenes of the town, the church, Debbie's grave and and upward camera rotation transition into the Parkers' yard where Susan, Kathy and Laura are having a light meal] Everyone at work has been so understanding. But I - I feel like I can't trust myself; I'll be going along, just fine and - and then it'll just hit me and I'll burst into tears.

Kathy:
Give it time; it's only been a couple of weeks.

Susan Parker:
I know. It's just that now that the shock has - has worn off, I... I just... I miss her so much.

Kathy:
Mmmhmmm.

Laura:
Have you heard from Andrew?

Susan Parker:
I've called over a few times to talk to the girls but they were busy.

Laura:
Has he ordered a headstone yet?

Susan Parker:
No, not yet, but I offered my help and he... he said he'd take care of it.

Kathy:
Susan, did you ever talk to the police?

Susan Parker:
The police? About what?

Kathy:
About why there wasn't an autopsy.

Susan Parker:
Tom talked to them. The... the night of... her death. They said that Judge Carter had already ruled that it... that it wasn't necessary.

Kathy:
Why not?

Susan Parker:
Because... it was a suicide.

Kathy:
Well, you see, that's what we were wondering about.

Laura:
Aunt Susan, we don't believe Debbie killed herself.

Susan Parker:
What are you talking about? The police said...

Kathy:
Yeah, we know what the police said; it doesn't make any sense. Debbie was a happy person. She had her friends, she was excited about her new job at the school and most of all she had her girls.

Susan Parker:
I know. It's... it's hard to believe.

Kathy:
It's not just that. There are things that don't add up.

Susan Parker:
What things?

Kathy:
Like all those pills. Debbie didn't take pills like that.

Susan Parker:
We don't know that.

Laura:
And they found her naked. That's not the Debbie we know; she was way too modest for that.

Susan Parker:
She was in a desperate place.

Laura:
Then what about the suicide note? If you were really in that state of mind would you take the time to type and print a note? She didn't even sign it.

Susan Parker:
I don't understand; what are you saying?

Kathy:
Susan, we think Debbie was murdered and we think that Andrew is responsible.

Susan Parker:
No, no. You are wrong! [stands up] He loved her and he would never do anything, anything to hurt her.

Kathy:
Susan, I'm not trying to upset you. [words buried under Susan's upset ones]

Susan Parker:
I can't believe this. I'm sorry [shouts and talks over Kathy's placating words] I cannot hear this!

Kathy:
Susan... [stands with Laura and follows Susan into the house] Susan!

Susan Parker:
[yelling emotionally] You have NEVER liked Andrew; you've made it very clear over the years but that does not make him a murderer; he is my son-in-law!

Kathy:
Susan, listen, you don't think it's strange that he went right back to work; that h-he didn't even cry at the funeral; that he won't let you see the girls...

Susan Parker:
He is the father of my grandchildren!

Laura:
We would never say anything unless we really felt like we had to. Aunt Susan: Andrew is not a good man!

Susan Parker:
He is a minister! He's a minister! He's a man of God. And he would never... he would never...

Kathy:
Susan, for God's sake, be honest with yourself. You can't tell me you never had doubts. I mean, even before they were married, didn't you think there was always something wrong?

Susan Parker:
I appreciate both of you coming, but this conversation is just making things worse.

Laura:
Aunt Susan!

Susan Parker:
[emotionally] Andrew and those girls are the only connection I have left to Debbie! I want you... I want you to back off and I want you to drop it, do you understand? Do you understand?

Kathy:
It's dropped. [Susan exits the kitchen and Kathy sighs]

Laura:
[turns to Kathy] So we're just going to drop it, just like that?

Kathy:
Absolutely not. [sighs]

Andrew Martin:
[voiceover as Susan reads his inscription to Debbie in the book] With all my heart and soul, I love you. I want you to use this to grow closer to the Lord and also to learn more about him. I hope that we will forever be rooted together through the words of this God-breathed masterpiece. I love you, Andrew.

Debbie Martin:
[coming down the stairs in flashback] So? Mom?

Susan Parker:
Oh!

Debbie Martin:
[twirls in wedding dress] What do you think?

Susan Parker:
[sincerely] You look beautiful.

Debbie Martin:
Did the seamstress get everything? It's pulled in enough?

Susan Parker:
Oh, it's perfect!

Debbie Martin:
Really? You think so?

Susan Parker:
[nods and laughs] You should be on the cover of a magazine. [they hug]

Susan Parker:
Deb, this might not be the right... time to say this, but... your father and I are worried. Everything's happening too fast.

Debbie Martin:
Mom, I told you, we don't wanna wait! Andrew wants to marry me right away.

Susan Parker:
I know, but you're so young, and... well, you don't really know him...

Debbie Martin:
Mom, stop! Please.

Susan Parker:
Where is his family? Where - where are Andrew's friends? And why is your cousin his best man instead of one of his friends?

Debbie Martin:
Mom, Andrew doesn't have any friends. That's why he needs me!

Susan Parker:
What kind of man doesn't have friends.

Debbie Martin:
Mom. I love him. I know what I'm doing. He's a good Christian man.

Andrew Martin:
After what my family has been through, some people are surprised to see me here so soon. But I am still your pastor and I still have a job to do. I am here because God wants me here.

Andrew Martin:
[Susan gets out of car at Andrew's house and closes door while Andrew has boxes] Oh, hi, Susan, how are you? I'd give ya a hug, but I got my hands kinda full here.

Susan Parker:
Oh, that's alright. I just wanted to drop this off and see how you and the girls are.

Andrew Martin:
Oh, we're just fine. Just fine. You really don't need to come over and check up on us.

Susan Parker:
I'm not... checking up on you, Andrew. Are - I want to see the girls; are they home?

Andrew Martin:
Oh, they're with friends.

Susan Parker:
Alright. I'll... I'll come back tomorrow.

Andrew Martin:
You know, right now they're so busy with school and homework.

Susan Parker:
I haven't seen the girls in weeks, Andrew.

Andrew Martin:
Oh, okay. Well, uh, why don't we make some plans ahead of time?

Susan Parker:
All right. What you got there? Are those pictures?

Andrew Martin:
Thanks for coming by, Susan. I'll be sure to tell the girls you say hello. [takes the food from her hands and begins going back toward the house] Alright. Give Tom my love. [Susan gets back in the car and Andrew waves from the front porch]

Brianna Daniels:
[emerges from house when Susan is almost gone from view] Everything okay?

Andrew Martin:
[puts his hand on her hand, which is on his shoulder] Yeah, it's great. Just great.

Tom Parker:
Well, he seems to be holding it together pretty well.

Susan Parker:
A little bit too well, don't ya think?

Tom Parker:
What do you mean?

Susan Parker:
I mean, he doesn't look like a man who just lost his wife.

Tom Parker:
What does he look like?

Susan Parker:
Happy [glances at Andrew] . Happy. [meanwhile, Andrew cheerfully talks to exiting members and Tom holds the car door for Susan]

Susan Parker:
[cooking] I went to see Andrew and the girls today.

Tom Parker:
And how are they?

Susan Parker:
I didn't see 'em. Andrew said they weren't home; they went to a friend's.

Tom Parker:
That's good. I mean, they should be with friends; have some fun.

Susan Parker:
Hmm. Andrew met me out front. He was carrying a box. He - he was hiding it from me. What was inside.

Tom Parker:
Well, did you ask him about it?

Susan Parker:
He basically ran away from me. There was a moment when the box top slid open and I swear, Tom, there were pictures of Debbie inside of it. He was throwing it in the trash. The TRASH!

Tom Parker:
Oh, Suze. There's gotta be an explanation.

Susan Parker:
Oh, I don't know. There was somethin' wrong about the whole thing.

Tom Parker:
People... grieve... differently. Uh, uh, maybe it was too painful for him to have those photos around.

Susan Parker:
No. There's something else going on here. I can't stop thinking about what Laura and Kathy said about the note.

Tom Parker:
Oh, Suze. We already talked about this.

Susan Parker:
Tom, there are so many unanswered questions and Andrew is acting so strangely; I just... I think - I think we should do something.

Tom Parker:
Nothing we do is gonna bring her back.

Susan Parker:
[emotional] I need to know, Tom. I need to know if Debbie took her life or if someone took it from her.

Tom Parker:
So what do we do?

Susan Parker:
We start asking questions.