• Characters:
    Anne Riley- An average American woman with striking blonde hair, blue eyes. She has a feisty, passionate voice, and she’s very belligerent when questioned. Age, 30 approximately, can be older or younger. Always wears designer clothing, though not in bad taste, always professional.
    Brad Riley- Super player boy, he’s tall, has chiseled good looks. Light brown short, spiked hair, smoldering green eyes, messy loose clothing all the time. Low, smooth, friendly voice. Big flirt cheats on his wife. Age, 33, (can be altered for actor)

    Danielle Stevens- A strong, independent, African American woman. Light bright face, caramel eyes and light features (sun-kissed look.) Short cropped black curly hair. Always dressed professional, but seductively also. She’s tall even without her high heeled shoes. Enjoys spending money, an “investment” she calls it. Age, 31, (can be altered)
    Calvin Stevens- Strong African American man, very successful. Keeps a leash on his wife’s assets. Tall, shaved head, darker skinned than Danielle. He loves his wife and would never cheat on her, but he does have problems with her buying, and he is very controlling. Age, 35, (can be altered)

    Eric Mace- New York Lawyer, cut throat, intense, does whatever he can to win a case, though he has a soft spot and wins the case for the people.
    Diana Fuse- Assistant to Eric in his cases. She’s a quiet and reserved woman, but becomes fierce when she gets hot on the trail.
    Suzanne Whitley- Opposing force helping the murdering women, she’s tall, snooty, stringy hair.
    Judge Carter Albright- Insanely tough, always hard in thought. He never wavers, but is always fair.
    Scientist- Sarcastic, Matter of fact attitude. Lab coat, glasses.

    Act 1, Scene 1
    Set: A rainy day in New York. People walking around bustling in front of a café. Two women, DANIELLE and ANNE walk in together holding coats close to their bodies.
    Anne: *holding umbrella over DANIELLE* Here, you coming in the café too?
    Danielle: Yeah. It’s my favorite.
    Anne: Mine too. Let’s go inside. I think the rain’s getting worse…
    (Both Walk in and get a table for 2)
    SET CHANGE: Now a nice, warm café. French, wrought iron tables and chairs.
    Danielle: *sighs heavily and puts her things down, pulling off her coat*
    Anne: My sentiments exactly. This day couldn’t get worse.
    Danielle: The weather?
    Anne: Yeah. Well, that too.
    Danielle: Well… what else?
    Anne: *sighs* My husband.
    Danielle: Tell me about it… *rolls eyes and brushes wet hair out of her face*
    Anne: *smiles* Yours too? *chuckles* I doubt it could be worse than mine.
    Danielle: He won’t let me do ANYTHING! *jokingly* He treats me like a baby and not the 31 year old woman I am. He has me on a financial leash. I can live without him. *sighs*
    Anne: It seems that way from mine too. Since he went off with another broad just last week, He can live without me. He thinks I don’t know that selfish piece of… *mumbles to self*
    Danielle: *scoffs* I wish that was my problem, I could deal with that. I’m just with him for the money. *smile*
    Anne: I can’t live with it. I want him to just disappear and take his stupid libido with him.
    *Both share a glance as the waitress places a few coffees in front of them. Both take a sip still gazing at each other*

    BLACK OUT
    *2 Gunshots fired*
    END OF SCENE
    Act 1 Scene 2
    *Gavel Bang. Opens on Courtroom*
    Judge Albright: Mr. Cutter, what do you have to say on the subject?
    Mr. Cutter: Well as blatantly as this can be put, I believe these two women plotted to kill their husbands with some kind of motive, when we spoke with them they both had problems. Anne Riley said that her husband’s loyalty was questionable, and Danielle Stevens said that she felt freed, less restricted by her husband’s rules.
    Judge Albright: And how do you suppose that’s possible?
    Mrs. Whitley: Please do enlighten me Mr. Cutter.
    Judge Albright: *sighs and looks at the man*
    Mr. Cutter: You’ve got to believe me judge… Give me my day in court; I really believe this is true!
    Judge: Where is your proof? You need EVIDENCE to win a case. You of all people should know this Mr. Cutter…
    Mrs. Whitley: Just dismiss it your honor, Mr. Cutter is obviously working on a hunch and only wants to prove himself right. It’s as simple as that.
    Judge: I’ll announce the ploys when I see them Mrs. Whitley. Keep your opinions to yourself. Mr. Cutter, I’m giving you a chance. Prove me right in my decision. Bring me some evidence.
    Mr. Cutter: Of course your honor. You won’t be disappointed. *grabs briefcase, give WHITLEY a look and walks out*
    END SCENE 2




    Act 1, Scene 3
    SET: Forensic Lab
    (MR. CUTTER and DIANE MUSE walk in to meet SCIENTIST who is looking over bullet casings.)
    Mr. Cutter: What do you have on the casings?
    Scientist: This bullet doesn’t match her gun. *points at picture*
    Diane: What do you mean?
    Scientist: It’s not hers. Same model, different gun.
    Mr. Cutter: But how could that be?
    Scientist: Gun models may have the same name, but the engravings are different with each individual gun. This was the bullet found in Brad Riley. *points at picture*
    Diane: But this is Mrs. Riley’s husband… Why wouldn’t it come from her gun?
    Scientist: I don’t know. But check out the bullet from Calvin Stevens. *points at picture*
    Mr. Cutter: It’s from Mrs. Riley’s gun.
    Scientist: And the bullet fired into Mr. Riley…
    Diane: Came from Mrs. Steven’s. *picks up pictures and looks at them*
    Scientist: Exactly.
    (Cutter and Diane share a look)
    END SCENE

    Act 1, Scene 4
    SET: CAFÉ again. ANNE and DANIELLE sitting at table, talking*
    Mr. Cutter: Anne Riley, you are arrested for the murder of Calvin Stevens. Danielle Stevens, you and arrested for the murder of Brad Riley. You both have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law.
    Danielle: This is absurd, I didn’t kill him. I don’t know who he is.
    Mr. Cutter: You have the right to an attorney, if you cannot afford one, one will be provided to you by the state.
    Anne: This is crazy! She didn’t kill him! And I certainly didn’t kill her husband!
    Mr. Cutter: Tell it to the judge. Or to me, and he might just go easy on you.
    (Police officers escort the women out.)
    BLACK OUT
    *Cell Door closes*
    END SCENE

    Act 1, Scene 5
    SET: 2 Interview rooms one has MR. CUTTER and ANNE RILEY. The other had DIANE and DANIELLE STEVENS.)

    Mr. Cutter: Okay Mrs. Riley, run this by me one more time… You told our police officers earlier that you had suspicions about your husband’s romantic whereabouts, and now you claim he had an affair?
    Anne: Yes. I caught them once. Several times actually.
    Mr. Cutter: Who?
    Anne: I have a whole list, which one do you want?
    Mr. Cutter: You sound rather agitated Mrs. Riley… Are you sure there’s no hidden motive there?
    Anne: Please Mr. Cutter; refrain from calling me Mrs. Riley. Use my maiden name. I am no longer Mrs. Riley, never again. It’s Anne Frost.
    Mr. Cutter: Alright, Miss… Frost. That seems good enough motive to me…
    Anne: Trust me Mr. Cutter; I hated Brad for what he did… *flips her hair* But I wouldn’t kill him. I threatened to file a divorce. He promised he wouldn’t do it again, but then he did. *sighs*
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Diane: Miss Stevens, you mean to tell me that your husband was abusive?
    Danielle: No. Not abusive. Restrictive. If I set more than one foot out of that house, he’d hand me a list of what I could do, and not do. And on top of that… a budget.
    Diane: That doesn’t seem too bad.
    Danielle: It is for me, buying something or doing something is not spending. It’s an investment in the future. I’m not a stupid rich wife Mrs. Muse. I spend wisely, in big amounts more or less, but I do it for something I know I will use. Calvin didn’t understand that. He didn’t understand anything.
    Diane: *questioning look. Crosses arms*
    Danielle: What you think I killed him? No. He was a pain, but he paid the bills and kept me off the street. I’m smart but I’m not successful. Do you know how hard it is for a black woman to get work in this city? He had money, and he “loved” me. Or so he said, but I wouldn’t kill him.