EPISODE 88
Written by : Bre L. Drew
July 27th, 2020
Last Time On Town and Country
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Antoine witnessed Shauna being kidnapped out of The Waterfall Bar parking lot.
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Sarah Lynn walked out of her first therapy session with Samuel Gupta.
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Daniel and Mala Gupta started seeing dating one another.
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Louise was hard on herself for missing the signs of her mother's mental breakdown.
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Jordan wanted to pursue modeling full time much to the disappointment of her parents.
THE WATERFALL BAR
Every time he keeps replaying the incident of what happened. Antoine Hall can't help but see it in slow motion as if the kidnapping of Shauna was something out a movie he saw only a part of, Rushing back into the bar, he goes behind the counter to use the cordless phone. At the same time, Mae Jackson enters the establishment with a few shopping bags in her hand. Noticing he is behind the bar on his day off she dashes around to stand next to him,
He ignores the customers who are inside ignorant as to the crime that just occurred, realizing he still had Shauna's purse in his possession. Antoine sets it down near him on the countertop.
"Yeah, I want to report a kidnapping," he holds for the dispatcher to get back to him.
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A look of confusion appears on Mae as to who was taken.
The female dispatcher returns to the line. Antoine looks at Mae with consideration before continuing to speak. "Shauna Covington,"
Immediately, Mae drops her bags onto the floor, covering her mouth when she hears her granddaughter's name. Many sordid thoughts swam through her mind, and none were too positive,
HOME FARM
After spending the late afternoon together having lunch at The Chateau, siblings, Max and Courtney Covington were now returning to the mansion.
"I think we're the first two get home," Courtney evaluates the house to hear silence as well as not seeing the rest of the family cars parked outside.
"How are you feeling with Dad dating a woman that's not ..."
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"Mom," he interjects. "A successful millionaire couldn't be single forever, so I knew it would happen eventually, but I didn't expect it to be one of his executives."
"I think you will like her when you do meet her,"
The resonate ringtone of Max's iPhone receives his recognition. He gets the smartphone out of his pants pocket. "Hello, Hi Mae, how ... "What?" "She was what?!"
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The sudden burst of anxiety from him alerts Courtney to surround her brother.
"I'm on my way," Rapidly Max ends the call.
"What's going on?" Courtney asks concerningly.
"That was Mae, someone abducted Shauna, in front of The Waterfall."
"What?" that doesn't make any sense," Courtney says hearing the news of her brother's wife, her sister-in-law being taken in broad daylight from a public place in Radcliffe, Kentucky,
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"Well, it's a fucking reality, I can hear the fear in Mae's voice," I gotta go,"
Max jogs towards the front door in which Courtney takes off behind him. "Wait, I'm coming with you,"
WHEELER BUILDING : APT #424
Tricia Meyer opens the door of the apartment in the Wheeler Building to find her expected guest behind the threshold.
"Long time no see," Tricia addresses the person.
"I know," Jordan McKnight replies.
The two lightly embrace each other giving air kisses on the cheek before Jordan enters inside the dwelling.
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"Nice dress," Tricia compliments her young friend on the sleeveless golden yellow embroidered tiered dress she is in.
"Thank you,"
Jordan also admired her good friend's Maggy London powder blue floral dress she remembers seeing at Nordstrom when she went shopping there last month.
Tricia goes into the kitchenette to obtain them each a bottle of seltzer water. "So how was your vacation,"
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Jordan removes some strands of her long blonde hair behind her ear, "A month visiting relatives in the desert where no much how sunscreen you apply to your skin you come out looking like you spent a few hours in a tanning bed," she says a bit exaggeratedly.
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Tricia laughs noticing the darker shade of skin; she is currently sporting, Jordan, along with her parents, spent a month visiting family members in Scottsdale, Arizona, She had only gotten back into town the previous night.
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Jordan changes the topic of conversation. "So I saw on your Instagram page you and Mr. Lockhart has set not only a date but a fabulous locale as well."
Sean and Tricia decided to get married on October 5th, of this year in Oahu, Hawaii. So far very few friends and Sean's younger brother Johnny will be in attendance,
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Tricia takes a few sips of her water. "You know you're invited too," she says
"I would love to go, but I don't have the money to travel to Hawaii and I refuse to ask my parents for any,"
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"If you want to go, I can work out a deal for you," Tricia offers. "How is the foray into modeling going?"
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Jordan sighs tirelessly. "Nowhere, I try to post different photos on my social media and no traction from anybody other than friends, family, and the occasional pervert."
For a while now, Jordan had been trying to get into modeling professionally since last summer when she was first spotted by professional photographers coming aboard onto the yacht where Max and Shauna Covington got married. Nonetheless, she has gotten nothing for her efforts.
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"Is going to college still out of the picture?" Tricia inquires
"Haven't really thought about it? Why?" Jordan answers
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"Look, I'm no expert on higher-education after I got my diploma I started training to become a flight attendant, but you have options I didn't have like going to college, and you still can pursue modeling on the side,"
"Well going to school might be good for me, I still have some time before final registration at Sampson, and I bet my dad would be more than thrilled to hear I'm deciding to go,"
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Tricia puts a cap on the water bottle. "Just think about it, ok." I have another personal question for you,"
"Yes,"
"Do you still have feelings for that guy you said you had a while ago?"
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Recalling confiding into her friend a year ago about having a crush on a certain guy. Yet she didn't know the boy she has feelings for is dating her fiancé's plain jane daughter, She wouldn't reveal that it is Tommy not wanting to cause necessary friction. Jordan sees a particular photo on the credenza of Tanner and Lynn together on the football field on the day of high school graduation.
"Absolutely," she confidently states.
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FRANKLIN FARM : MAIN HOUSE
Martha Saunders parks her truck in front of the white two-story home she has lived in all of her life. Getting out of the Ford F-150 SUV, she inherited from her late father. She obtains the black diaper bag sitting on the floor of the passenger side of the vehicle. Then proceeds to retrieve her sleeping son who only thirty minutes ago received a shot from his pediatrician. SJ Saunders tired himself out of the crying he was doing she holds him securely while making her way up the porch steps into the house where she greets her twin nieces who are sitting next to each other on the couch in the living room. She drops the bag onto the ground feeling somewhat less weighed down.
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Martha physically indicates to keep their voices down so SJ wouldn't waken from his slumber.
"Tan-Tan was about to fill me in on how her date went with Tommy," Lynn Lockhart says
"Ooh do tell," Martha says in a manner that arouses curiosity,
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Tanner summarizes her afternoon out with her boyfriend by starting on them taking a trail ride on horses in which she found he planned a picnic on the property of the stables where his family's housekeeper prepared them a delicious lunch and how sincere Tommy was about them being together as their date ended with them dancing,
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Martha takes a seat in one of the green chairs with her son in her arms. "That is so romantic how come I never been with a guy who at least gives me the customary roses or daisies and a box of chocolates."
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"You will someday, Aunt Martha," Tanner says encouragingly.
"From your lips to cupid's bow and arrow Tanner," Martha replies.
The door to the kitchen swings open, simultaneously as Esther and Sarah Lynn Saunders enter into the room.
"I knew I heard voices coming outta here," Esther says in her southern accent.
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Sarah Lynn is about to confirm her sister-in-law's statement when her eyes glance over to the television where the evening news was on. One of the reporters was standing in front of a building with some sort of familiarity hits her.
She then focuses on the lower third graphic which has BREAKING NEWS: KIDNAPPING AT LOCAL BAR displayed across the flat-screen.
"Oh my god!" Sarah Lynn exclaims
"What is it?" Lynn inquires, moving her head to the TV.
"Turn it up!" Esther commands with interest.
Tanner grabs the remote control off the coffee table complying with her great-aunt.
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"The Radcliffe Police Department has just informed us that twenty-four-old Shauna Covington daughter-in-law of Radcliffe's millionaire businessman Daniel Covington was kidnapped this afternoon outside of the establishment her grandmother Mae Jackson has been the proprietor of since it's opening in 1989. More information to come throughout the broadcast."
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All of the women in the room have varying reactions to what they only just heard about the person they have known all of their lives.
"I don't believe this," Martha says lowly, the thought of her best friend being missing isn't sitting well with her.
"Poor Max, Poor Mae," Sarah Lynn says considerably
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Esther puts both of her hands on her hips. "Mae, she remarks. "Martha, I think we should go over there to see what we can do to help,"
Martha stands up out of the chair, in which amazingly Steven Junior is still asleep. "Yeah, ready when you are."
"I can take him," Sarah Lynn insists.
Her daughter hands the one-year-old boy over to her mother. "Thanks, mom,"
Tanner, Lynn, and Sarah Lynn give Esther and Martha to give positive vibes and prayers to both families before heading out of the house.
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COVINGTON GROUP
Behind her desk in her office on the eighth floor of the Covington tower in Downtown Radcliffe, Mala Gupta retrieves her telephone on the third ring. "Hello, yes, please do send him in cheers," she tells her secretary before hanging up the device back on the cradle.
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Soon Daniel Covington enters into the executive office of the woman he has been seeing. He surveys the expansive room that is mostly white with her splash of red which he came to find out is her favorite color, Today she is wearing a dark green sleeveless jumpsuit and her dark brown hair is in loose curls, he found her quite particularly attractive at this moment.
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Mala forms a coquettish grin upon her face. "Want to grab some dinner?"
The company's CEO rests his hands onto his hips. "Sure, we can go to this new seafood restaurant in Hudson Lake,"
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"Sounds great,"
Whilst Mala shuts down her desktop computer, Daniel's phone begins to vibrate in his pocket in which he acquires.
"Hello," he answers casually
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As she picks up her Louis Vuitton briefcase underneath her desk she stares at Daniel whose once pleased expression on his face has changed into unsettled, she goes to him, doing her best not to pry,
"I'm on my way, everything is going to be fine," Daniel ends the call,
"Daniel, if you don't mind me asking what's the matter,"
He sighs exasperatedly then he finally finds the precise words. "My daughter-in-law was kidnapped,"
"Shauna? Oh my god!" Mala exclaims.
He nods his head.
She hadn't known Shauna that long yet she realized the young woman had a talent when it comes to interior design.
"Mala, I hate doing this to you, but I need to be there for my son," he says
"Go, go," she replies urgently.
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He gazes at her for a few seconds before taking off out of her office nearly running to the elevator bank,
THE WATERFALL BAR
When the police arrived on the scene, they straight away closed down the bar for public use. Meaning customers had to quickly exit the premises getting the big picture with law enforcement and news crews getting involved something big happened in their small rural town. Where usually the only thing noteworthy to occur tends to be the birth of calves or the announcement of where the annual flea market will be held,
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Officers were setting up equipment around the bar as Mae, Antoine, Max, Martha, Esther, and Courtney were all waiting to be updated.
Mae puts each hand on the sides of her face. "I can't lose my only grandchild,"
"Mae don't talk like that, they're going to find Shauna and put those bastards who took her behind bars for the rest of their miserable little lives," Esther vocalizes
Antoine is about to say something when a guard permits Daniel to enter past the door. He makes a beeline to his son and gives a cordial nod to his daughter-in-law's grandmother.
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"Anything on the search?" he asks straightforwardly.
Courtney hugs her father. "No, not yet, dad,"
The police chief approaches them all which makes them all silent,
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Chief Ernest McKnight has lived all of his life in this town. Spending over thirty years on the Radcliffe Police Department working his way to becoming head of the force fifteen years ago. Now in his late fifties, he still has a lean frame and dark blonde hair. He is also a husband and father whose children include Jordan. And like his daughter, he also has a tan from his recent travels to Arizona.
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"We were able to get the number off the license plate off that van from the video surveillance outside of here," he starts.
"Who does it belong to Ernest?" Mae says
Chief McKnight clears his throat. "The van is registered to a Mario Walds we're sending uniforms out to the residence right now, but in these type of cases that vehicle and Mario are usually long gone by now,"
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"What type of case are you referring too?" Max demands
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FRANKLIN FARM : MAIN HOUSE
Despite not being very much hungry, Sarah Lynn decides to keep herself distracted by getting started on dinner. Cutting slices of cucumber on the wooden cutting board. Louise Saunders Lockhart set foot in the kitchen with her purse on her shoulder.
"Any word on Shauna or her whereabouts?" Louise asks, she heard from Tanner she was kidnapped.
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Sarah Lynn shakes her head. "Nothing yet, I hope she is found safe and sound," she replies. "You about to take off?"
"Yes, the girls and I are about to go home," she answers. "Mom, can I asking you something?"
"I'm all ears,"
Louise hadn't been readily wanted to bring up her mother's mental health issues to her in person because she still feels a twinge of guilt for missing signs of her mother's mental breakdown due to the loss of her dad's death six months ago. But it seems it was a good time as any since it is just the two of them.
"How is therapy going?"
Sarah Lynn slowly lifts her head from diced cucumbers on the board. "I'm going, to be honest with you, I don't think seeing a psychiatrist is beneficial for me,"
She remembers Dr. Gupta asking her about her upbringing, which delved into her father. He is someone Sarah Lynn does not have too many positive things to say about.
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"So, you're not going back after one session?" Louise inquires disappointedly.
"I don't think so, besides I'm not going to crumble anymore," she says.
"Mom, I think you should give this doctor another chance or at least find another therapist that is right for you,"
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Sarah Lynn uses the knife to put the cucumbers into a bowl. What she did not need at this moment was to hear her child telling her what is best for her because she is her own person and knows she will be content without some shrink.
"Mom, at least consider it,"
"I'm perfectly fine, now head on home I see you later," Sarah Lynn assures her.
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Louise looks at her mother thoroughly before moving towards the door. Now aware that it is important for her to see someone soon, or perhaps they might have to take action if god forbid she has another breakdown.
THE WATERFALL BAR
"I'm not going to beat around the bush about this with you all; we have reason to believe these abductors want some sort of payoff,"
"These guys want some type of ransom?" Martha says trying to grasp why would anybody kidnap her best friend.
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"If that's the case, they will more than likely call here, so that's why we have the phone lines tapped," Chief McKnight motions behind him to the technical unit checking over their work.
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"I live here!" Will Jackson shouts out, turning everyone's attention at the entrance of the bar. Where he is talking to the guard who is adamant about letting him in.
"Officer, that's my son, " Mae says
"Bask, let him through," Chief McKnight says authoritatively
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He gives the officer a look of victory when he comes over to his mother, not hiding his confusion as to why the police are doing here? "Momma, what's going on why are these cops here?"
Mae's eyes start to well up with water. "Will, your niece, was kidnapped out of the parking lot a few hours ago, and we don't know where she is." Will lets her fall into his arms, she is trying to hold back tears.
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As he stood there, Antoine begins to put things together, knowing the trouble didn't start until Will got those mysterious phone calls.
UNDISCLOSED LOCATION
"Man, this shit better be worth it man,"
"I know that's right dawg," another one of the guys said.
The third male who is leading this operation chimes in, "Trust me y'all it's gonna work,"
In their sight, Shauna Covington is in a steel folding chair, her arms and legs tied up, her emotions all over the place.
"Let me go!" she screams.
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END OF EPISODE
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ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF TOWN AND COUNTRY
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Max pulls some punches.
Will's character comes into question.
Jordan schemes.
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