MYSTERY OF THE GANGSTER GHOST
PART 7
VERA
There’s my purse. How did I miss that?
JAQUE
Shush doll, I think the show started again.
VERA
Let’s go. This is terrible. Terrible!
(VERA delivers the last word to the rest of the audience but
then MAYA blocks her exit)
MAYA
Halt!
VERA
Halt?
MAYA
There is someone here who wishes to speak to you.
VERA
Look, lady. I’m tired of the parlor
tricks okay. We’re leaving.
SADIE
Tell Vera I know her little secret.
MAYA
She knows your secret, Vera.
VERA
She knows my name?
MAYA
And this spirit knows your deepest,
darkest secret.
SADIE
Nice.
VERA
I’m out of here.
SADIE
Come on, Maya. Say my name. Don’t let her go.
MAYA
Her name is Sadie.
VERA
No... not her.
JAQUE
Who’s Sadie?
VERA
Nobody... not anymore.
SADIE
Because of you!
MAYA
What did you do, Vera?
VERA
This isn’t funny, Jaque. Please
get me away from here.
JAQUE
Who is Sadie? Why are you so afraid?
SADIE
Because she knows how I died.
MAYA
Vera knows how Sadie died.
JAQUE
Do you, Vera?
VERA
What’s going on? Are you on their
side too, Jaque? Why won’t you help me?
(SADIE and MAYA are getting in sync. At first Maya speaks a
little after VERA but then starts speaking at the same time)
SADIE
There is no help for you, Vera.
MAYA
There is no help for you, Vera.
VERA
Please... Jaque.
SADIE
There is no escaping your crimes.
MAYA
There is no escaping your crimes.
VERA
Crimes? I didn’t do anything wrong.
SADIE
Liar!
MAYA
Liar!
VERA
Honest... it wasn’t me. I saw it
happen but it wasn’t me. It was
one of the big guys. One of the
bosses. I swear.
SADIE
I still see the blood on your hands.
MAYA
I still see the blood on your hands.
(VERA looks at her hands fearfully)
SADIE
The guilt in your eyes.
MAYA
The guilt in your eyes.
SADIE
The look of death in your eyes.
MAYA
The look of death in your eyes.
VERA
Please. Have mercy on me. I am a
victim too. The bosses control our
lives. Make us slaves.
SADIE
Name the one who did this to me.
MAYA
Name the one who did this to me.
VERA
I can’t... then they’ll off me too.
(JAQUE gives MAYA a mad look)
JAQUE
Please, Maya. That’s enough. Not
in front of all these people okay?
SADIE
Please... make her confess. I must
know the name of my killer.
MAYA
That’s enough, spirit.
SADIE
No! Don’t do this to me. I’m so
close. You can’t let it end this way.
MAYA
It’s too much... too much for me.
SADIE
Don’t let her get away with
this. She’s a trickster. She’s
even tricking your friend, Jaque.
MAYA
What do you mean?
JAQUE
What did she say?
SADIE
Vera is cheating on him. She’s
about as loyal as Benedict Arnold.
MAYA
Really? Are you sure?
JAQUE
Tell me what she said.
MAYA
She said that Vera is cheating on you.
JAQUE
Is that true, Vera?
VERA
What? No! What’s the big
idea? Spreading lies and rumors like that.
SADIE
It’s not a lie. It’s true. She’s a
favorite of the Capones.
MAYA
This is crazy.
VERA
You’re telling me. Let’s go,
Jaque. I’m pleading with you. How
you watch her abuse me like this?
Haven’t you had enough?
JAQUE
It sounds like there is a whole lot
of funny business going on here.
SADIE
You said it, fella.
JAQUE
For some weird reason, the ghost
knows you, Vera...
SADIE
I do.
JAQUE
In fact, she thinks you had
something to do with her murder.
SADIE
That’s right.
JAQUE
And then she says you’re cheating on me.
SADIE
She is.
JAQUE
That leads me to believe one thing...
SADIE
Let her have it.
JAQUE
That this is all a cover up...
SADIE
Really?
JAQUE
For the fact Maya is jealous of you
and me, Vera.
MAYA
What?!
SADIE
No!
VERA
That’s right...
MAYA
Jaque! Have you gone mad?
SADIE
He’s possessed... and poisoned.
VERA
That’s the first smart thing I’ve
heard all night.
JAQUE
Are you just making this up,
Maya? Because you’re jealous of
Vera? You’ve known me for a long
time... we’re pretty close... but
not romantically close... are you
jealous because I have someone
besides you in my life? Do you
wish we had something instead so
you’re making all this stuff up
about her?
MAYA
There’s a ghost, right here,
telling me all this.
VERA
Or is there?
JAQUE
It’s okay, Maya. You can tell me the truth.
MAYA
I’m done... I can’t do this
anymore. I want to use my talent to
bring comfort to people, not
torment them.
(Waves hand at SADIE)
Spirit, be gone!
(MAYA waves her hand at SADIE and SADIE is pushed back by
some invisible force)
SADIE
Wait! No! Vera is poisoning you too.
MAYA
Away foul spirit.
SADIE
Foul? You’re calling me foul?
MAYA
Let this torment stop.
SADIE
It’s not me!
(SADIE rushes up and grabs MAYA)
MAYA AND SADIE
It’s Vera!
(MAYA pulls away from SADIE)
VERA
Oh, please. Give it up already.
You’re just a two bit fortune
teller who should never have taken
some acting classes.
JAQUE
Yes, Maya. Stop this now.
MAYA
Fine. I’ll go then. I can see that
I’m not wanted.
VERA
Good. Don’t let the portal to the
spiritual world hit you on the butt
on the way out.
MAYA
And you can explain to the audience
why they won’t be getting the rest
of their show tonight.
VERA
What?
(MAYA stops and holds her hand to her forehead dramatically)
MAYA
I predict everyone will demand a
full refund and you’ll have pay for
it out of your own pocket.
(MAYA exits. VERA looks at audience)
VERA
The audience wouldn’t do that,
would they?
(SADIE goes up to VERA and pokes her. VERA tries not to
react but is scared)
SADIE
She’s the reason I’m stuck. She’s
the reason I can’t move on.
JAQUE
I should really talk to Maya.
VERA
Talk to her, Jaque and you’re done
talking to me. We’re leaving this instant.
JAQUE
But...
VERA
Now!
(VERA drags JAQUE out)
SADIE
This isn’t over Vera. This is far
from over.
END OF SCENE
(Curtain closes)
