KELLY: Did you uh—have an appointment with Mrs Carter or anything?

VINNIE: Does she take appointments now?

KELLY: Well, I mean—was she expecting you?

VINNIE: No, I don’t think she was.

KELLY: How did you get in, exactly?

VINNIE: Through the back door.

ROSIE’S VOICE (off stage): Who is it, Kelly? Is someone there?

KELLY (to ROSIE): It’s—I don’t—

ROSIE’S VOICE (off): Don’t send them away! Kelly?

KELLY: Yes, mam?

ROSIE’S VOICE: Don’t send them away, all right? I’m in the mood for company! I can feel it coming on me!

KELLY: He’s—(To VINNIE.) What’s your name?

VINNIE: Webb. Vincent T. Webb.

KELLY (to ROSIE): It’s a Mr Vincent T. Webb!

ROSIE’S VOICE: Vincent T. Webb?

KELLY: That’s what he says!

ROSIE’S VOICE: Who in the world is that? Sounds like a lawyer! He’s not a lawyer is he?

KELLY (to VINNIE): Are you a lawyer?

VINNIE: No. I’m a detective.

KELLY (to ROSIE): He’s a detective!

ROSIE’S VOICE: A what!

KELLY (to ROSIE): A detective!

ROSIE’S VOICE: A detective?

KELLY: That’s what he says.

ROSIE’S VOICE: Is something wrong? Has something happened?

KELLY (to VINNIE): Has something happened?

VINNIE: No. Nothing’s happened.

KELLY: Nothing’s happened!

ROSIE’S VOICE (off): I can’t take any excitement, Kelly! My pills haven’t kicked in!

KELLY (to VINNIE): She doesn’t know you. I think you should just—

VINNIE: She knows me.

ROSIE’S VOICE: Has something happened to Carter! Is that it?

KELLY (to VINNIE): She says she doesn’t know you.

ROSIE’S VOICE: Kelly!

KELLY: Mam?

ROSIE’S VOICE: Has something happened to Carter! Where’s he from anyway? This detective.

KELLY (to VINNIE): Where are you from?

VINNIE: California.

KELLY (to ROSIE): California!

VINNIE (to KELLY): Cucamonga, California.

KELLY (to ROSIE): Cucamonga, California!

ROSIE’S VOICE: Cucamonga?

KELLY (to ROSIE): That’s what he says!

ROSIE’S VOICE: Nobody’s from Cucamonga! That’s where Carter’s from!

KELLY (to VINNIE): She says her husband’s from there but nobody else is.

VINNIE: I am her husband.

Pause. KELLY stares at him.

KELLY (to VINNIE): You’d better leave.

ROSIE’S VOICE (off): Don’t let him leave, Kelly!

ROSIE enters upstage, slightly hung over and rumpled, pulling the sash of her robe together, pulling a slipper on. She spots vinnie and smiles.

ROSIE (to VINNIE): Oh—I’m sorry. So you’re the detective. I uh—slept in: I heard the taxi in the driveway. It was in my dream in fact. I love taxis. I don’t know why. They remind me of town, I guess. So colorful. All that—local advertising. We get so—disconnected sometimes—out here. Don’t we, Kelly?

KELLY: Yes, mam. Um—this gentleman came in through the back door.