[Opening scene: Canada... Fraser Sr.'s cabin... gas poured on floor.... cabin catches flame]

Chicago: Vacuum repair shop]

Ray: You know how long that pool tables been in my basement.

Fraser: 15 years

Ray: My old man bought it for mother's day, by father's day she let him back in the house.

Repair guy: What's the name on that?

Fraser: Mustafi.

Ray: You mean it's not even yours.

Fraser: No a borrowed it from a neighbor apparently he was not aware of the malfunction

Repair guy : 80 bucks.

Ray: To fix this thing? I could buy a new one for that.

Repair guy: Not one like this, this ones got character not a common commodity amongst vacuum cleaners.

Fraser: I appear to be a little...

Ray: How much?

Fraser: 60 dollars... thank you kindly.

Repair guy: No, I thank you.

[On the street]

Ray: So you going to help me bring the pool table up from the basement.

Fraser: Won't your mother miss her dining room set?

Ray: Yeah probably but it's my house and if I want a pool table in the dining room I'm going to put a pool table in the dining room

Fraser: How long is she going away for?

Ray: A week. For years she's been saying how she wants to visit her sister in Florida, how hard it is to be apart. How much she misses her. As soon as I book the hotel room, she's decided she's not speaking to her. I think she's just going up there to glare at her.

[Fraser spots someone he thinks he knows and follows her through revolving doors into a hotel]

Ray: What's going on?

Fraser: Nothing I just thought I saw a woman I used to know.

Ray: Thought she needed a vacuum?

Fraser: No I was mistaken

Ray: So you're going to pay me on Friday right?

Fraser: Yeah sure.

[Fraser's apartment, has fixed dinner, looks it over, and dumps it all into Dief's bowl]

Fraser: [to Dief]: It wasn't her.

[replays what he thought he saw and adds Victoria mouthing Why? Why? And looking very hurt...back to Fraser laying on bed]

[Vecchio house]

Ray: Okay, everybody, let's go. In the car... you don't want to hit the traffic.

Frannie: Where is my make up kit... who took my make up kit?

Ray: I had to strap it to the roof cause it wouldn't fit inside... come on lets go.

Frannie: Where's Ma.

Ray: She's in the front seat. She's been there for the last 1/2 hour. She can't wait to get down there and not speak to her sister.

Maria's Husband: hey Raymundo you want to help me with this one.

Ray: Yeah why don't you just hop on my back and I'll carry you all the way to Florida.... Come on Frannie... Lets' go.

Frannie: Is Fraser here?

Ray: No he's not here... how many times do I have to tell you?

Frannie: Because if he is ... I'll kill you... Where's Ma... Is she in the driver's seat?

Ray: She's comin' Ma.

Frannie: Oh no Ma... you're not driving we're not going 35 all the way to Florida.

Ray: Have a great trip.

[Vecchio's dining room.]

Ray: It's a thing of beauty isn't it ?

Fraser: Do you think the room is large enough.

Ray: Hey if it's a little tight it just makes the game more interesting... Would you look at the patina on this thing. One thing my father knew was quality in wood.

Fraser: I'm not sure we're got it quite level, Ray.

Ray: And boy could he play pool. Dinner time would come and Ma would start yelling how the roast would be ruined. I'd volunteer to go down to Fanelli's and I'd sneak in and stand in the corner where he couldn't see me ...WHACK... 3 balls of the break... he'd start knockin' them in cross side, cross corner, and then he'd double back the 8 ball. He was a lousy father but boy could he play pool. It was the one thing in life he did well.

Fraser: It's a beautiful table ...

Ray: So you're going to be here Friday night?

Fraser: Yeah

Ray: All right. Don't forget my money cause I'm going to need it to buy a... I was thinking of getting a deli platter or maybe some pizza and beer... Ah what the hell I'll get both. How many times do you have the guys over, right?

Fraser: I wouldn't miss it. Listen I really should be getting back.

Ray: All right ah Benny, thanks for your help.

Fraser: No problem.

Ray squats down to admire the table, lifts the rack and balls roll to the end of the table]

[ The Confessional]

Fraser: Oh I guess I'm not really sure if I saw her or I just wanted to see her or I saw her because she's the one person I can't face.

Father: why?

Fraser: Because of a decision I made.

Father: Come back to haunt you so to speak.

Fraser: Yes

Father: Son I'm a Catholic from Belfast. And any good decision there is usually wrong. Each one is impossible. But you still have to make them and learn to live with it. Then try to forgive yourself.

Fraser: She drove the get away car.

Father: I'm sorry...

Fraser: She and two men robbed a bank in Alaska. One of them died, one of them fled south and she came across the border in a light airplane. It was forced down because of weather. The pilot abandoned her. I tracked her to a place called Fortitude Pass. A storm had been blowing for days and by the time I found her I'd lost everything: my pack, my supplies. She was huddled in a crag on the lee side of a mountain, almost frozen, very near death. So I staked a lean to with my rifle and draped my coat around it and I held on to her whilst the storm closed in around us. I kept talking to her to keep her from slipping away from me. It snowed for a day and a night and a day and when I couldn't talk anymore I put her fingers in my mouth to keep them warm. I don't remember loosing consciousness but I do remember being aware that I was dying. And then I heard her voice... she was reciting a poem over and over... I couldn't make out the words but I couldn't stop listening she had the most beautiful voice... It was as though I had known her forever across a thousand life times ...[he wipes his brow] The storm finally broke and we were alive. After a day we found my pack and we ate everything I had in one meal. And it took us four days to reach the nearest out post. We camped that night just outside the town in sight of the church steeple and I held her in my arms and she asked me to let her go. You see no one knew that I found her. The police didn't even know her name. I could just let her go and she could walk away that night.

[Diner]

Robert:: You did the right thing son... you did your duty it's the only thing you could have done...

Fraser: She's the only woman I ever loved and I put her in prison. Duty's a poor excuse.

Robert:: She was a criminal you had no choice but to bring her to justice. Are you going to eat those fries?

Fraser: No be my guest....[notices the brim of his father's hat has been cut off in the back] What's wrong with your hat?

Robert:: Oh this is the one they buried me in. They had to snip off the back so I could lie flat. I'm sure they meant well but they have no idea how embarrassing these things can be in the after life.

Fraser: She really had no choice. She was living with the man who planned the robbery. It was a very desperate situation.

Robert:: I'm sure the judge took that into account that's his job... your job was to bring her in. I suspected it might have been your doing.

Fraser: What?

Robert:: The hat thing. Is this the last image you have of me?

Fraser: It was your funeral I could hardly close my eyes.

Robert:: These things taste like nothing.

Fraser: Well, stop eating them then.

Robert:: I arrested your mother once.

Fraser: You did not.

Robert:: Honest to God... I gave her a speeding ticket.

Fraser: You knew it was her car and you pulled her over anyway?

Robert:: No I was right there in the passenger seat.

Fraser: Get out.

Robert:: She was doing 45 in a 30.

Fraser: Mum?

Robert:: I kept telling her I was going to do it and every time I did she kept speeding up. Made absolutely no sense. Women. You ever been able to figure them out son?

Fraser: Well actually I'm asking for advice Dad.

Robert:: In my 57 years of being alive and my 14 months of being dead I've only learned one thing about women and that is that I haven't learned one damned thing about women. Have I been of some help son.

Fraser: Oh yeah a big help...

Robert:: Good luck son. [disappears]

Waiter: Anything else for you sir?

Fraser: Ah no thanks...

Waiter: Do you want that to go?

Fraser: Yeah I think I'll just..

[Spots Victoria on the street and and runs after the cab she gets in.]

[he bumps into a man] Man: Hey!

Fraser [to taxi driver]: Where is she?

Driver: What?

Fraser: The woman who was in your cab.... where did she go.

Driver [wields gun]: Get your hands off me....

Fraser: Did you not have a woman in this cab?

[cab disappears, waiter knocks on window, shows him the bill. He goes back to pay it and bumps into Victoria as he is leaving]

Victoria: Hi

Fraser: Hi

Victoria: It was you I thought I saw you standing in the middle of the road... I wasn't sure if I was seeing things.

Fraser: No, that was me... I was standing... in the middle of the road.

Victoria: I never thought I would see you again

Fraser: Neither did I... Where were you...

Victoria: Prison

Fraser: ...going? Where were you going?

Victoria: Oh, um, doesn't matter.

Waiter: You still want this to go?

Fraser :No

[another diner]

Victoria: ... Just a few days... My sister dies just after I got out.

Fraser: I'm sorry.

Victoria: After that there wasn't much to keep me in Alaska. So I thought I'd come to Chicago and finish up some old business. And then I figured I'd go to Dallas, maybe Austin. Some place warm get a fresh start

Fraser: Austin's it's a nice city.

Victoria: You been there?

Fraser : No

Victoria: Well warm sounds good to me right now.

Fraser: I can understand that.

Victoria: I'm glad I got a chance to see you before I rushed off. You look great.... I'd better go. [Gets out some cash] Um, here.

Fraser: No I got it

Victoria: Figure you owe me huh?

Fraser: Yeah....

Victoria: Bye

Fraser: Victoria!

Victoria: Yeah

Fraser: Can I see you again?

Victoria: When?

Fraser: Now.

Victoria: You hungry?

Fraser: Starving.

[Ben's kitchen]

Victoria: Hi

Fraser: I'm sorry it took so long to find the cilantro

Victoria : But you tracked it down...

Fraser: Well the second grocer I saw said he'd never stocked it although I did find traces of the leaf on the floor of the produce section there was a boot print on one of them

Victoria: And you find it?

Fraser: Uh, unfortunately, no.

Victoria: So what you got?

Fraser: Ice cream

Victoria: Umm great : I found ground beans, pork chop, some spaghetti sauce and some pasta.

Fraser: So what are we making?

Victoria: All of it... how much do I owe you

Fraser: no you were right I owe you. What can I do..

Victoria: Can you stir?

Ben: It's one of my areas of abiding interest [pan boils over]

Fraser: Sorry

Victoria: How about you set the table.

Fraser: Okay. [sets table with his camp ware]

Victoria: Yeah...

Fraser: Good.

[Victoria puts cash in Ben's wallet.*]

Victoria: You wouldn't have any candles by any chance would you?

Fraser: [opens cupboard revealing 100s of candles] In case of power disruption.

Victoria: You're prepared for everything.

Fraser: Not quite.

[candles spread round apartment, meal finished, watching a silent TV]

Victoria: I never figured you for a television

Fraser: I borrowed it from my neighbor Mr. Mustafi.

Victoria: Why doesn't it have any sound.

Fraser: It's broken... I have to have it repaired before I return it. If it's a problem I have with the neighbors.. we could..

Victoria: It's okay.

Fraser: You sure you don't want to go out?

Victoria: Shh this is my favorite movie I always wanted to be Eve Kendal...

Fraser: But she sends Carrie Grant to be killed

Victoria: She had no choice.

Fraser: Ah.

Victoria: Aren't you cold?

Fraser: No. Oh, I'm sorry, pardon me. [shuts window, spots man at the window opposite]

[Fraser walks Victoria back to her hotel]

Victoria : Thanks.

Fraser: Should I walk you to your door.

Victoria: I think I can handle it from here. I had a great time.

Fraser: So did I.

[Seller on street]

Seller: Mister Mister take a look.... just 20 bucks for a genuine Eskimo soap stone sculpture.

Fraser: Actually this isn't soap stone... It's not even stone... It's soap and you might be curious to know that the Inuit are not indigenous to Taiwan.

Seller: Weren't they supposed to have crossed the Baring Strait?

Fraser: Point taken.: I'm afraid that all I have is... [finds the cash she put in his wallet and glances toward the hotel then buys a piece of soap]

Seller : You're a gentleman, thank you sir.

Fraser: Thank you kindly.

[at Fraser's door]

Victoria : Did you think we could pretend it didn't happen?... How could you do it? How could you do that to me, huh? How could you do it.... [Fraser wraps his arms round her] ... No...

Fraser: I'm sorry....

[Fraser slams door, takes Victoria's coat off while kissing a lot. they make it to the bed... and fall backwards on to it.. so that Victoria is lying on top of him]

Victoria: I'm sorry...

Fraser: That's Okay I probably deserve it...

Victoria: You do....

[more kissing etc...fades to white]

[early morning. Victoria puts on his red shirt, closes the window then cleans up... Jolly is watching from his window.]

[ Next Morning]

Ray: Hey Benny, You okay? [gets ready to kick in the door when he tries the knob and finds it locked]

Fraser: Morning Ray.

Ray :The consulate reckons you didn't show up so I figured you had to be pretty sick...You all right?

Ben : I'm fine.

Ray: So you're not sick?

Fraser: No I'm fine

Ray : but you didn't go to work

Fraser: Must have slept in..

Ray : Are you in some kind of trouble?

Fraser: No no no no no... I just... I have a friend visiting and I and...

Ray: Oh what kind of friend? A guy friend.... A girl friend ?

Fraser: [looks embarrassed] Well I err.... no [nervous laugh]

Ray: You got a woman in here?

Fraser: Yes.

Ray: Way to go man way to go you got an actual woman you...

Fraser: Thanks for dropping by Ray

Ray: Way to go. [to a neighbor] He's got a woman in there.

Victoria [wearing his tunic: Do you really have to go to work?

Fraser: Yeah.

Victoria: So I guess you need this... [starts taking off tunic]

Fraser: Kind of... although... I do have something like 82 sick days coming to me....

Victoria: I think you should go straight to bed

[Ben nods]

[consulate Fraser on phone, surrounded by get well cards/presents/balloons etc.]

Sergeant [on the other end of the phone]: Inuit boy saw the smoke .. Took us a week to get up there.

Fraser: I appreciate you calling sergeant.

Sergeant: We don't know what caused it... could have been lightning.. I'm sending someone up there to see if anything can be salvaged.

Fraser: I don't think there was anything of value.

Sergeant.: Your Dad, didn't keep any gunpowder in the place did he that might have caught a spark?

Fraser: No I don't think so

Sergeant: I'll call you if I find out anything.

Fraser: Thank you kindly. [to his dad] Your cabin burned down last week.

Robert:: Well I don't use it much anymore. I'm sorry I know how much you love the cabin

Fraser: Wasn't using it much anymore.

Secretary: Another well wisher. No card. [he opens box, finds a single red rose] .. go on I'll cover

Fraser: Thanks.

[Vecchio dining room where Louis is struggling to remove his cue from the radiator]

Ray: Better not ruin that radiator.

Louis: Nice space you have for this.

Ray: Just shut up and shoot pool.

Louis: What am I supposed to do with this. All I can do is drill the ball straight through the table.

Huey: You missed you have to pull up a ball.

Louis: We've been shooting for 20 minutes we haven't sunk one ..

Welsh: Didn't I hear something about a pizza and a deli platter?

Ray: Yes sir, but I got caught a little short.... Caper sir?

Huey: I can't remember are we spots or stripes?

Welsh: You sink anything you win. So where is the big red one?

Ray: I think he got himself a mystery woman.

Huey: You mean you haven't met her?

Ray: Yeah I met her.

Louis: What's she like?

Ray: She's uh, Canadian

The rest of them: [knowing] Ahh.

Welsh: Detective Gardino please [Louis opens the window so Welsh can use the space for his cue]

[Fraser's apartment]

Ray: Three's a crowd huh Dief?

Fraser: Hi

Ray: What's tonight Benny?

Fraser: Ah actually its Saturday morning. Oh. Ray I'm sorry...

Ray: Don't worry about it it wasn't nothing special

Fraser: No I'm sorry I forgot... I got caught in some things... I got your money...

Ray: Like this makes a difference.

Fraser: I meant to be there Ray.

Ray: So is she in there?

Fraser: Yeah...I'm sorry do you... you want to meet her...

Ray: Don't do me any favors.. I wouldn't want to embarrass you...anyway.

Fraser: Ray..Ray...

[Fraser hurrily puts on his boots]

Victoria: I take it that was Ray.

Ben: Yeah.

Victoria: I'm sorry.

Fraser: It's not your fault... Don't go anywhere.

[On the street]

Fraser: I'm sorry Ray

Ray : Yeah?

Fraser: It's just that I made a mistake once and I can't make it again. [Dief goes into the apartment] You know I think there are certain things you live to regret.. losing your friendship would be one of them... and losing her well. [Dief snarls]

[gun shots]

Fraser: Gunshot.

[apartment, Dief has been shot]

Ray: Oh my God... I got the car running come on let's go.

[Animal Hospital, Fraser sits with recovering Dief]

[Vecchio's]

Ray: I put out a description. She might have gone to a police station.

Fraser: She wouldn't.

Ray: I got them checking the hospitals too.

Fraser: Oh - I called.

Ray: You have any idea who might have done this? She's okay. She's okay.

[Victoria's hotel, she's tossing her cases into a taxi]

Fraser: Where are you going?

Victoria: Just let me go...

Ben- I want to know what happened...

Victoria- I'm sorry ohhh

Ben- I said I want to know what happened...

Victoria- Jolly's out...

Ben- Come on.

*at the zoo by the Polar bears*

Victoria- He showed up at my sister's place about a month after I got out. I got the hell out of there as fast as I could. I don't know how he found me this time. If he followed me I don't know... I thought I saw him that first time we were at your place.

Ben- Why didn't you tell me?

Victoria- I've been seeing him every night for the past month. You left for just a few minutes and there he was standing over me. He grabbed me by the throat... I couldn't scream... I couldn't shout... If it weren't for your wolf... Is he dead?

Ben- No, he's badly hurt.

Victoria- I'm sorry. I just got out the fire escape. I don't know why he's doing this...

Ben- What does he want from you?

Victoria- I don't know.

Ben- What aren't you telling me?

Victoria- Nothing.

Ben- What aren't you telling me...

Victoria- They never found the money we stole... over half a million dollars so when I got out I went to find it...

Ben- And you had no intention of giving it back.

Victoria- It wasn't there... I just assumed that Jolly got there first... He thinks I did.

Ben- Did he tell anyone where he hid it?

Victoria- Jolly's got a big mouth but I don't think he's stupid.

Ben- And you told no one?

Victoria- I'm not exactly a trusting person. People tend to let me down.

Ben- Not this time.

*Vecchio household - Frannie's room*

Ray- You can stay here 'til they get back, after that we'll have to make other arrangements. This is my sister's room.

Victoria- You sure this is OK?

Ray- Any friend of Fraser's is a friend of mine.

Victoria- So you're Ray?

Ray- Yeah, and you're Victoria... So how did you two meet?

Victoria- He arrested me.

Ray- Ahh. He meets a lot of people that way. Listen, hurt him and I'll kill you. This is my room right across the hall, if you hear anything you bang...

Victoria- I don't think I'll need to do that.

Ray- You hear anything, you see anything... you bang on my door. Nothing happens to you while you are under my roof. If I'm not home you call me on this number.

Victoria- Thanks. I appreciate what you're doing.

Ray- It isn't you I do it for.

Victoria- You've made that clear but I do appreciate it.

Ray- I hope so.

*Ben's apartment is being finger printed by the Duck boys*

Lewy- Just two sets of prints if you discount the paw marks... Sorry em... How is the little guy?

Ben- We won't know for a while.

Huey- Is anything missing?

Ben- It doesn't appear to be...

Huey- We'll talk to your lady friend.

Ben- I'll bring her in.

Huey - Good... You wanted this...*hands Ray a piece of paper*

Ray- Thanks... Chuckles ain't no clown that's for sure.

Ben- Jolly.

Ray- He got some history... Manslaughter, attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon... He killed a guard in that bank job with your girlfriend... Did she get a lighter sentence for testifying against him?

Ben- Yep.

Ray- Mmm. Looks like he didn't trust her... He escaped the same week she was released... You were only gone a couple of minutes, he must have been shakin' out the joint.

*Across the road from Ben's apartment... At the window where we saw Jolly earlier*

Ray- Yeah, this would do it.

Ben*sniffing a cigarette end*- Canadian.

*Ray knocks on a door*

Ray- Hi, police officers. Have you noticed a guy**SLAM** *knock on another door* Hi, I'm Detective Vecchio and this is Benton Fraser** SLAM**

Ben*knocks on a door*- Hello I wonder if you co...**SLAM** *knocks on another door*- Excuse me, sir, I was wondering if you could help us.

Guy at door- Sure.

Ben- Have you seen a man loitering at this end of the hall?

Guy- Just the private detective. I let him use my phone.

*In the guy's flat Ray is on the phone*

Ray- 555 9732

Guy- My Mom.

Ray- Seven times?

Guy- Yeah.

Ray- 555 7333

Guy- Don't know that one.

Ray- All right, that's the one... look it up.

*At a dingy motel Ray speaks to the guy on the front desk... shows the guy the same photo three times*

Ray- Have you seen this guy?

Motel guy- No.

Ray- How about this guy.

Motel guy- No.

Ray- What about this guy.

Motel guy- Room 211, thanks.

*Motel guy cleans camera lens*

*Ray and Ben outside a Motel room*

Ben- Why would he call his own hotel room?

Ray- Probably checking his messages...

Ben- No known accomplices?

Ray- No. Maybe he's got a girl friend.

Ben- Maybe... Don't we need a warrant?

Ray- Not if there is imminent danger.

Ben- And what kind of imminent danger would that be, Ray?

Ray- Oh, I don't know... *Picks lock with his flexible friend* Something like fire... *lights a match book and drops it in the bin in the room*

*Ray knocks on the door of the next room down a woman opens it*

Ray- Hi, how are you doing?

Woman- Fine.

Ray- We'd like to ask you a couple of questions about the man next door.

Woman- I just checked it.

Ray- Oh, have you noticed anything odd about him?

Woman- I've never seen him.

Ray- Any odd smells coming from his room?

*Smoke billows out from under the door.*

Woman- Fire, FIRE... *Runs off to presumably get some help*

Ray- Really, where? *poor attempt at feigning suprise* OK, whoever's in this room is in imminent danger.

*Ray kicks the door in*

Ben- So according to the law we can look around?

Ray- Yeah, just find something to stop this thing burning. *Ray's foot is on fire and he means every word.*

Ben- Ahh, I understand... *Thinking that Ray is giving him an excuse to look around*

Ray- No, no, I mean it... *Puts burning bin in shower and turns it on.*

Ben- Ray. *shows Ray a knife sheath*

Ray- Where's the knife?

Ben- It's not here.

Ray- *Picks up a cigarette box, it has an address on it* Canadian... Ohmigod.

*Ben phones VM at Ray's*

Victoria- Hello.

Ben- Get out of the house.

Victoria- Well... what's going on?

Ben- He's got your address. Get out of the house and go somewhere pub... the zoo where I took you... I'll meet you there.

*Ben and Ray leave the hotel... talking to the Motel guy on the way*

Motel guy- Maybe fifteen minutes ago...

*Fire crew arrive*

*Victoria takes a taxi to the zoo*

Victoria- Keep the change.

*Jolly pulls up and he has the missing knife*

*Back at the polar bear place... Victoria waits for Ben... A woman with her two children walks by... and the little girl runs off*

Mother - Jenny! (chases after her)

Jolly- I thought you wanted to see me again. *He grabs VM* Don't tell me I thought wrong. Just tell me where the money is, love.

Victoria- I told you I don't know.

Jolly- Did I mention I don't believe you?

Victoria- You never told me where you hid it.

Jolly- Ed knew.

Victoria- Ed's dead.

Jolly- I'm thinking he told you... I'm thinking maybe you told someone... someone to pick it up if things went bad. And somehow things went very bad, didn't they?

*Victoria knees?stabs? him in the groin and runs away.*

*Ray and Ben arrive at the Polar Bear place when Victoria and Jolly have just left*

Ben- How long would it take to get from your house to here?

Ray- Not this long. Maybe she went to the wrong place.

*Ben finds some blood*

Ray- I'll take from here to the lagoon. *They run off in opposite directions.*

*Ben climbs a kind of fake mountain and scans the area... spotting Victoria and Jolly and chases after them*

*Victoria falls over allowing Jolly to catch her*

Jolly- You know what love? Money isn't everything... I can always earn more. *draws his knife to her throat*

Victoria- Oh god.

Jolly- I'll settle for peace of mind.

*Ben swings through the waterfall from somewhere above*

Ben - RUN!

Jolly- I should have known it was you...*They struggle and Ben ends up hanging over the edge of the water fall* You think you know her. You don't. *Jolly cuts Ben's hand causing him to fall*

*In Jolly's car outside the zoo. He gets in and Victoria is already sitting there.*

Jolly- Come to your senses, have you?

Victoria- A long time ago... *She shoots Jolly at point blank range and walks off*

End