Police station. Cruz is going through his paperwork. Mary enters his office.
Mary: Excuse me.
Cruz: Yes, Sister.
Mary: I'm looking for my step brother Steve Bassett.
Cruz: I haven't seen him this afternoon. You might check in the courthouse.
(Short pause.)
Mary: Why didn't you arrest Ted Capwell at the restaurant?
Cruz: OK. I was the one who got punched, I figured it was up to me to decide whether I wanted to make a fuss about it.
Mary: Well, the terms of his bail are that he stay away from my sister...
Cruz (stands up): You know, it was a public place and aaa... chance meetings do happen.
Mary: That was no chance meeting.
Cruz: Possibly not, but then again no harm was done after all, except for MY jaw.
Mason enters the office.
Mary: Is it true that you were engaged to Ted's sister?
Cruz (smiles ironically): May be you wanna ask one of these other officers to help you?
Mary: May be one of these other officers should be investigating my sister's case?! You don't believe Ted's guilty, do you?
Cruz: The case is still open. We're looking for other suspects.
Mary: Why? You mean Christie is a liar? Or is it that she's new in town and that Ted is from one of the founding families?
Cruz: Neither that nor my personal feeling has any bearing on this investigation.
Mary: Oh, common, inspector! What do you take me for?
Cruz: A lady who is very upset. Whose sister has been badly hurt. And who I am not going to give the chance to say anything else you might regret. If you will excuse me.
Cruz leaves the office. Mary starts to fiddle nervously with her cross. The chain brakes and Mary's cross falls on the floor. This shocks Mary. Mason picks up her cross and hands it back to Mary.
Mason: Did you drop something?
Mary: It's broken...
Mason: Shouldn't be too hard to fix?
Mary: I've had this on since the day I took my vows.
Mason: May be we'd better sit down for a minute.
Mason pulls up a chair. Mary sits down.
Mary: I don't know what's wrong with me...
Mason: Cruz handles a lot of people. Most of them do not have the nerve to talk back.
Mary: You were listening?
Mason: Well, you weren't exactly talking in whispers.
Mason leans over Mary.
Mason: Mary, you're wrong if you think Cruz is bent on protecting the Capwells. He's been a lot worse by our family than he has by yours.
Mary: I have to go.
Mary stands up. Mason's in her way.
Mason: Can I drive you somewhere?
Mary: No. Thank you. I... I... I'm picking Christie up from Jade Perkins's house... God, she has one friend in this town... Good bye.
Mary leaves. Mason's puzzled.
Mason: Jade?.. She is Ted's friend.
Cruz returns.
Mason: Hello, Cruz. Thanks, amigo!
Cruz: For what?!
Mason: For being "the guy in the blackheads" so I could be "the cavalry to the rescue".
Mason leaves the office.
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