Anna Finds Duke with Camilla

After accepting one of their first cases, Anna heads out the country to do some investigating and decides to stop by her and Duke's cabin before returning to town. She misses him though she refuses to take him back after the L'Orlean's mess. Unknownst to her, Duke has taken Camilla there for safe keeping because Evan Jerome's widow has put a contract out on her life, and is trying to comfort her. Anna's just entered, leaving the door partly open, when she finds an Camilla in Duke's arms. The three seem equally embarrassed and awkward about the situation.

Anna (takes a deep breath): "Sorry to interrupt you." (She turns to leave.)

Duke: "Anna, wait! It's not what you think."

Anna (half turns to him): "It doesn't matter what I think." (Duke rushes over and tries to place his hands on her elbows as she's trying to exit. She angrily shrugs off his touch.)

Duke: "Yeah, well it matters to me. Please."

Anna: "I can see I'm always on your mind."

Duke: "Yes, you are. Every minute, every day.

Anna: "What are you doing? Are you sharing an intimate moment about me?"

Duke: "If you will stand still for one minute I can explain."

Anna (furious): "I don't want to hear anything!" (She turns to leave but he slams the door shut just before she can leave. She turns and glares at him and he returns her gaze. Camilla, who's standing across the room, looks embarrassed.)

The scene fades out, then returns later. Anna tries again to leave but Duke throws himself in front of the door to block her, and after she slams against him, Anna steps back trying to control her anger and embarrassment.
Anna: "I wanna leave."

Duke: "Not till you listen to me you're not."

Anna: "I don't care what you have to say for yourself."

Duke: "I'm not saying it for myself. I'm saying it for us."

Anna: "You don't owe me any explanations. I mean, you and I aren't doing together anymore. You can bring who you like up here."

Duke (softly): "Can I?"

Camilla: "Anna, Anna, please listen to Duke. You're wrong about us."

Anna (to Duke): "Let me out of here, Duke."

Duke (moves out of the doorway to stand next to her): "Camilla's had a rough time recently. She needed some where to come and think, I suggested she come here to the cottage."

Anna (sarcastically): "I'm sorry if I interrupted your train of thought, Camilla."

Duke: "You didn't interrupt anything. She was very upset and I was comforting her."

Anna: "You're all heart." (She turns away from him.)

Duke: "Oh god, you're determined not to give me the benefit of the doubt, are you?"

Anna: "I know what happens when I do." (She tries again to get to the door but he grabs her shoulders.)

Duke: "Just why don't you listen to me? How can I expect you to believe to me when you won't even trust how you feel?"

Anna: "What does that mean?"

Duke: "It's obvious why you came here."

Anna: "Why?"

Duke: "Because you love me as much as I love you. You'd better admit it."

Anna: "What?"

Duke: "Why else would you come right here, back to our place? There's no point in denying it. It's written all over your face." 

Anna: "You're wrong." (She shakes her head slowly.)

Duke: "Then why did you come here?"

Anna: "I'm investigating a case nearby."

Duke (firmly): "I asked you why you came right here."

Anna (lying): "I've lost some earrings."

Duke (doesn't buy her excuse): "And you thought you'd find them in our cottage?"

Anna (angrily): "Well it's not exactly our cottage, is it? Ask her."

Camilla (apologetic): "I haven't seen your earrings, Anna."

Duke (trying to call Anna's bluff): "Well, please, search the entire place. Feel free to go on. Everywhere." (He waves his arms about.)

Anna (briefly touches his arm to get his attention): "Just let me go. I just wanna leave." (They stare at one another in silence.)

Duke: "Go on. Be my guest." (He goes over and opens the door for her.) "Go on. Walk out the door. Turn your back on all this if you can. You better face the truth, Anna. You want me back as much as I want you."

Anna: "You played me for a fool once too often. You think I'd have you back now? No. I'd sooner die." (She walks out the door and slams it, leaving a stricken Duke behind. Camilla is about in tears at this point.)

The scene fades out, then returns later. Camilla has encouraged Duke to go after Anna after seeing how upset he is. Meanwhile, Anna's returned to the PI office just as Robert is hanging up his phone. She plops down in the chair across from his desk.
Robert (glancing down at his watch): "Back already?"

Anna: "Yeah. I couldn't wait tp get back here."

Robert (not noticing how upset she is): "Good, cuz we have work to do. That was the warden from Meadowhawk (?) Penitentiary."

Anna: "What does he want?"

Robert: "I called him."

Anna (hiding her face in one of her hands): "Oh."

Robert: "It's my first step in the DVX counter attack plan. The key to the whole plan is Roger Barrett." (Anna looks up at him in surprise.) "Now, what I plan to do is install Sean in a cell with Barrett. Needless to say Sean wasn't too crazy about the idea but... I have managed to talk him into it. The whole idea is to play on Barrett's fear of the DVX. Obviously since the MOX caper that he botched, his stock can't be terribly high with them at the moment..." (He stops after noticing Anna's covered her face again.) "Is something the matter?"

Anna (removing her hand): "Oh. Damn."

Robert (leans forward, concerned): "Something happen in that case you were looking into?"

Anna (not looking at him): "No. I just turned up some rather suspicious behavior, that's all."

Robert: "Like what?"

Anna: "Well, as I was in the area, I thought I'd pop into the cottage I used to go to with Duke, remember?" (Robert takes a breath and leans back in his chair) "I thought I might get a lead."

Robert: "Lead on what?"

Anna: "On the case, of course."

Robert: "Of course."

Anna (giving him a dirty look): "Anyway, I walked in on Duke and Camilla."

Robert: "And I guess they weren't playing chess, right?"

Anna: "They were together!"

Robert: "I see."

Anna (angrily slams her hands down on Robert's desk and jumps up): "I know there was something between them. I mean, how could I let myself be taken in by him. You know what he had the audacity to say? That he was still in love with me."

Robert: "Maybe he is."

Anna: "Oh, is he just practicing on Camilla?"

Robert: "Oh, well at least give him the benefit of the doubt."

Anna: "I've been doing that for months, look where it got me! Why... why are you defending him?"

Robert: "Well, obviously you want someone to take his side."

Anna: "How can you say that?"

Robert: "Look, face facts. You still love the guy. The question is what are you going to do about it?" (Angry, Anna starts to leave, stops to grab her purse, and storms into her office, slamming the door behind her. Robert just shakes her head.)

The scene fades out, then returns later. Anna is seated again in Robert's office, while Robert's pacing behind her.
Robert: "That's the plan as I've outlined it so far. Sean will be transferred to the Pen tomorrow where he'll be treated as an ordinary inmate." (He sits down.)

Anna: "What about you?"

Robert: "I'll be installed as a guard."

Anna: "And me?"

Robert: "You're gonna be Tracy Cartwright, Barrett's attorney."

Anna (smiles slightly): "Barrett doesn't stand a chance." [The theme song for Axel F begins in the background.]

Robert: "Yeah, well not only do we have to convince Barrett that we require his help but we have to protect him. And three against the entire DVX isn't my idea of outstanding odds."

Anna: "Me too. How..." (She stops and they both look at Robert's door as they hear someone knock on the outter office.)

Robert: "It's a little late for a client. Come in." (Duke enters and Anna jumps up.)

Anna: "What the hell are you doing here?"

Duke: "I need your help. Both of you."

Anna: "In comforting Camilla?"

Duke: "No, in protecting her. Someone's trying to kill her."

Anna: "What will you think of next?" (She goes to enter her office but Robert stops her.)

Robert: "Stick around."

Anna (her hand on the door): "I don't have to listen to this."

Robert: "We're running a business here. The man's a potential client. At least let's hear him out." (There's a moment of silence as the two men wait for Anna to decide what she's gonna do.)

Anna (turning back to Duke): "This better be good."

The scene fades out, then returns later. Anna is standing against the wall between Robert, who's seated at his desk, and the door to her office. Duke is seated across from them.

Duke: "At first I had my doubts about the threats, but when someone tried to run over Camilla I was convinced." (He looks up at an impassionated Anna who's staring hard at him, her arms crossed defensively against her body.) "I immediately cornered Mark Carlin and he told me Evan Jerome's widow, Veronica, had feed him enough information to uncover the secret of L'Orleans. God knows Veronica has enough reasons to want to see Camilla dead. I've been to New York, I've spoken to Victor Jerome. He told me he would call off the hitmen. I'm not too sure he's done that yet. And until I'm certain, I'm not taking any chances." (To Anna) "That is why I took Camilla to the cottage. I was protecting her, nothing more."

Anna: "Protecting her, comforting her.... playing right into her hands. Don't you see how easy it is for her to manipulate you? She could have sent herself those death threats."

Duke: "Well I know she wasn't driving the car that tried to run her over."

Anna: "Well that could have been an accident. There are plenty of crazy motorists out there."

Duke: "It was no accident. Someone is trying to kill her. I've seen it for myself. Now will you both help me?" (He looks pleadingly at Robert.)

Anna (laying her head against the wall, not looking at Duke): "Absolutely not."

Robert: "I don't see how we can refuse the case."

Anna (turning sharply to Robert): "Easily."

Robert (refusing to look at her): "The woman needs help."

Anna (furious that Robert's taking Duke's side): "Well I need this like a hole in the head. I don't think I have to remind either of you that my entire career, my reputation was destroyed by my association with this gentleman here." (She motions to Duke.) "I'm not about to make the mistake twice." (To Robert) "Now, you do what you want, Scorpio. I'm not having anything to do with him." (She goes into her office and slams the door behind her.)

Robert (to Duke): "On behalf of my partner, I apologize for the agency's reluctance to accept your case."

Duke: "I understand. I don't intent to compromise you or your agency." (He glances at Anna's door then gets up.) "I'll take care of Camilla myself, thank you."

Robert (standing up as well): "Hey, look, I'll give you all the help I can. I just need a bit of time to wind up a case I'm working on."

Duke: "I understand. I appreciate all the help you can give me. I just hope you, uh, don't get in too much trouble." (He smiles wistfully.) "Take it from someone who knows. It can be pure hell having Anna Devane as an enemy." (He leaves. Robert wanders over to Anna's door, but stops himself before knocking. He sits back down looking unhappy.)

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