The Murder That Brought Us Together// Klance Castle Au

Act 1

ACT ONE

[McCLAIN LOFT, KITCHEN - MORNING]

Breakfast. Veronica, dressed for school, sits on a stool eating cereal, reading the paper. Lance enters.

LANCE

Reading the paper? You're gonna lose all of your wired-teen-hyper-texting-nano-gizmo street cred.

VERONICA

I'm a rebel. I kick it old school.

[Lance sees a cup of coffee sitting in the espresso machine]

LANCE

Is this...?

VERONICA

Cream, two sugars.

LANCE

Thanks. Style Section. Anything I need to know?

VERONICA

The '70s are back.

LANCE

Hmm. They're like the Highlander, they just won't die.

[Rosa enters]

LANCE (CONT'D)

Morning, Mother. You're dressed early.

ROSA

Ah, I have class.

LANCE

I believe that's a matter of some debate.

ROSA

At the New School, funny man. Look, it-- it's not that I don't appreciate everything you've done, but a girl has to stand on her own two feet.

LANCE

What's the class?

ROSA

Introduction to Life Coaching. It's-- it's always been my desire to make a difference, whether on the stage or off. And I have had cards made. Ha-ha.

[She presents him with her card. Lance reads it.]

LANCE

That's my ID... It says here, I'm your client.

ROSA

Well, of course you are. Haven't I been telling you what to do your whole life?

[She breezes out of the room. Lance is too dumbstruck to respond.]

VERONICA

Oh, uh, Lance, Julie Schmidt's father's back in rehab, so a spot opened up to chaperone the D.C. trip.

LANCE (looking in the fridge)

Where is the... How did you know Julia's dad was back in rehab?

VERONICA

Must be a wired-teen-hyper-nano thing. So what do you say?

LANCE

Sorry, kiddo, but uh, with you away, my chaperoning needs reside here. Or are you forgetting what happened the last time we left her alone?

VERONICA

So she had a little party.

LANCE

There were lime shards embedded in the walls.

[Rosa re-enters the kitchen.]

ROSA

It was Cinco de Mayo.