Tell All

ACT II, SCENE TEN

“ ‘A Yakuza assassin,’ ” reads the voice of Terrence Terry, “ ‘can perform an execution in aslittle as three seconds.…’ ” We dissolve to a misty street scene. Thefantasy stand-ins for Miss Kathie and Webster stroll, window-shoppingalong a deserted city sidewalk, gilded by a rind of magic-hour sunlight.Whether this is dawn or dusk, one can’t tell for certain. The lithesomepair linger at display windows, Miss Kathie perusing dazzling necklacesand bracelets proffered there, dense and heavily set with glitteringclusters of diamonds and rubies, even as Webster never takes his eyesoff her face, as bewitched by her beauty as she is by the resplendentwealth of lavish, sparkling stones.

The voice-over continues reading, “ ‘A commonassassination technique is to approach the target from behind.…’ ”

Trailing a few steps in the wake of MissKathie, we see a figure dressed in all-black garments, his faceconcealed within a black ski mask. Black gloves cover his hands.

“ ‘What actually occurred may always be oneof film-land’s most enduring mysteries. No one could say who had paidfor the gruesome attack,’ ” says Terry’s voice, “ ‘but it did exhibitall the earmarks of a professionally trained killer.…’ ”

The happy couple saunter along, aware of onlythe glittering gems and their own happiness. They move in theslow-motion bubble of their own supreme bliss.

“ ‘The weapon was an ordinary ice pick …’ ”reads Terry.

We see the masked figure extricate a gleamingspike of needle-sharp steel from his jacket pocket.

“ ‘The assailant has merely to step close tothe victim’s back …’ ” reads Terry in voice-over. The masked figure sidles up immediatelybehind Miss Kathie. Shadowing her footsteps, he reaches toward hersvelte neck with the cruelly sharpened ice pick.

“ ‘Thereupon, the well-practiced assassinextends an arm over the victim’s shoulder and plunges the steelyweapon’s point deep into the soft area above the clavicle,’ ” readsTerry. “ ‘A quick side-to-side jerk effectively severs the subclavianartery and phrenic nerve, causing fatal exsanguination and suffocationwithin an instant.…’ ”

Yeah, yeah, yeah, on-screen all this happens.Blood and gore spray an adjacent shopwindow filled with sparkling,glistening diamonds and sapphires. The clots and gobbets of gore slidestreaks of brilliant crimson down the polished glass even as the maskedassailant flees, his running footfalls echoing down FifthAvenue. At the death scene, Webster CarltonWestward III kneels in the spreading pool of Miss Kathie’sscarlet blood, cradling her movie-star face in his massive, masculinehands. The light in her famous violet eyes fading, fading, fading.

“ ‘With her final dying breath,’ ” reads Terrence Terry, “ ‘my beloved Katherine said,“Webb, please promise me …” She said, “Honor and remember me by sharingyour incredibly talented penis with all the most beautiful but lessfortunate women of this world.” ’ ”

On-screen, the idealized Miss Kathie sags,limp, in the embrace of the soft-focus Webster. Tears stream down hisface as his stand-in says, “I swear.” Shaking one bloody fist at the skyin frustrated rage, he shouts, “Oh, my dearest Katherine, I swear toperform your dying wish to my utmost.”

From behind their thin scrim of red gore, thediamonds and sapphires watch, glinting coldly. Their multitude ofpolished, flashing facets reflect infinite versions of Miss Kathie’sdemise and Webster’s unbearable heartbreak. The emeralds and rubies beardetached, timeless, eternal witness to the drama and folly of merehumankind. The Webster character looks down; seeing blood on his Rolex wristwatch, he hurriedly wipes the timepieceon Miss Kathie’s dress, then presses the dial to his ear to listen for atick.

Reading from the Love Slave manuscript, Terry says, “ ‘Theend.’ ”