INT. PLANE - DAY

ALLY and her husband, TOM, are on a plane to Las Angeles.

TOM
Everything is going to be
better in L.A.

ALLY
(Sighing in disbelief)
If you say so.

TOM
(Angrily)
How many times am I going
to have to apologize?

ALLY ignores his question as she leans back on her headrest, trying to go to sleep.

INT. ALLY AND TOM'S NEW HOUSE - DAY

ALLY walks around the foyer of the old mansion that she and TOM just purchased.

ALLY
Tom, don't you think that these
old paintings are a bit creepy?

TOM
(responding absently)
We can have them taken down.

ALLY
(angrily saying through clenched teeth)
Don't act so disinterested!
It's your fault that we
are here in the first place.
You aren't even making an effort
to atone for your infidelity.

ALLY angrily walks away, and TOM makes no action to go after her.

INT. DINING ROOM - NIGHT

ALLY and TOM are sitting at opposite ends of the extensive dining room table. They are wordlessly eating their dinner, not daring to look at one another. ALLY gets up and walks toward the staircase.

TOM
Ally, wait!

ALLY
(sighs)
I'm not in the mood to hear
any of your excuses.
I think it would be best if you
just slept downstairs tonight.

ALLY walks up the intricately carved grand staircase, that leads into the bedroom.

INT. KITCHEN - MORNING

TOM and ALLY eat their breakfast in silence. TOM gets up from the breakfast table.

TOM
Well, I'm going to work.
I'll see you later.

TOM walks out of the front door.

INT. ALLY'S BEDROOM - DAY

ALLY walks into her bedroom, glancing at the ominous painting looming above her bed. It is a portrait of the previous owner, April Winthrop. She was a famous actress in the 1940's. ALLY reaches up to take down the portrait. She lays the painting face-down on her bed. In the corner of the frame an old slip of paper is peeking out. ALLY picks up the paper, and after closer examination determines that it is a letter. The name APRIL WINTHROP is elegantly signed to the cover of the envelope. ALLY carefully peels open the envelope, and takes the letter out.

ALLY
(V.O. reading the letter)

Dr. Perkins says that
I have two months to
live, if I am lucky.
I am getting my estate
in order, and finalizing
my will. With death almost
at my door, I want this
letter to be my
final confession.


F.B. TO 1982

INT. STUDY - NIGHT

APRIL sits down at her desk to write her final confession.

APRIL
(V.O. As she writes the letter)
It was the summer of 1942.
My career was at it's
peak, and my life was
seemingly perfect. My
husband, Andrew and
I had just come back
from Paris. We were
reminiscing about our
idyllic vacation, while
we ate dinner. Then the
phone rang. Normally,
I never answered the phone.
When I picked up the
receiver, a woman's voice
came through the line.
She said,"Andrew, ready
to ditch the wife, and come
meet me tonight?"
I recognized her voice
as being Andrew's
secretary, Amy. I
immediately hung up the
phone, and I forced Andrew
to tell me why she
was calling. He told me
that she was his mistress.
He pleaded with me for
forgiveness. I couldn't
look at him without
feeling disgust.
He started to approach
me, and without thinking,
I grabbed the knife
that was lying on the table,
and I stabbed him through
his heart. I watched as
the life in his eyes was
extinguished, and he staggered
as he fell to the floor. I looked
out the window, and I saw
Amy looking at me in horror.
She started running away.
I wondered why Frank,
the guard at the gate,
let her in. Then I realized he
would be used to her coming and going.
Once I finally comprehended
what happened, I realized that
I had to fix it. I had already
lost my husband, but I refused
to lose my career.
I washed all of the blood
off of my hands, and I changed
my clothes. I burned the sordid,
blood-stained dress that
I had been wearing. I put on
the most morose face that I could
muster as I dialed the police.
I started to cry
hysterically when the
operator picked up.
I explained through
sobs how I had found
Andrew's dead body.
It was the best
performance of my whole
career. The police, ambulances,
and firetrucks all showed
up within a few minutes.
The police questioned me about
what happened. I told them
that I had been washing up
after dinner, and that
when I came downstairs I
found Andrew's dead
body. The police and
reporters were constantly
in and out of the house.
Their main suspect was
Amy. Frank confirmed to
the police that Amy
came to the house around
the time of death, stayed
for twenty minutes, and
then left quickly.
Amy told the police that
I killed Andrew. She
described how I stabbed
him through the heart.
When questioned about
my motive for killing
Andrew, she said that
I found out that Andrew
was having an affair
with her. I denied
everything, and said
that I knew nothing of
the affair. The police
arrested Amy. I
testified against Amy
at her trial. She was
found guilty of murder
in the first degree.
Amy was sentenced to
life in prison.
Through the entire
debacle, my reputation
remained untainted.
Now that I am on
my deathbed, my sins
are resurfacing and
tormenting me. Hopefully,
one day my offenses
will be absolved.

BACK TO PRESENT

INT. ALLY'S BEDROOM - DAY

ALLY puts down the letter. She picks up the phone and calls TOM at work.
PHONE OPERATOR
Hello. This is Collins
& Associates. How may
I help you?

ALLY
Hi, this is Ally Allan.
I'm looking for my
husband, Tom Allan.

PHONE OPERATOR
I'm sorry Mrs. Allan,
but Mr. Allan is
in a meeting at
the moment. Can
I have him call
you back?

ALLY
Thank you. That
would be great.

PHONE OPERATOR
Have a nice day
Mrs. Allan.

ALLY
Thanks. Goodbye.

ALLY hung up the phone and walked out of the room.

INT. KITCHEN - DAY

ALLY is cooking and preparing dinner. The phone rings. ALLY walks across the room, and she picks up the receiver.

ALLY
Hello?

TOM
(Sounding annoyed)
Hey Ally, Catherine
mentioned that you
called. Can I help
you with something?

ALLY
I just wanted to
tell you about
an old letter that
I found today.

TOM
(Exasperated)
Can we talk about
it later. I'm really
busy. Next time
you call me at
work, make
sure that it is
important.

Ally
(Hurt)
Okay, I'm sorry to
have bothered you. Bye.

TOM
Bye.

ALLY hangs up the phone.

INT. DINING ROOM - NIGHT

ALLY is setting the table as TOM walks into the room.

ALLY
Hello, Tom.
Did you have a
good day at work?

TOM
It was very tiring.
I was in and out of
meetings all day.

ALLY
You sounded very busy
when we talked.

TOM
Oh right, what did you
have to tell me anyway?

ALLY
Today when I was taking
down the old paintings, I
found a letter hidden in
one of them.

TOM
What did it say?

ALLY
It was the final confession
of the previous owner,
April Winthrop.

TOM
That old actress?

ALLY
Yes, the confession said that
she killed her husband. In fact,
it took place right where
you are standing.