|  | Scene One
Bright and early Sunday morning, there's a police car parked outside Number 4 Quincey Row. MOLLY: You see that? What did I tell you, eh? I always said it was one of them students attacked that poor lamb in the underpass.
RITA: Molly - you said it was Phil.
MOLLY: He's at the university, isn't he?
RITA: Yes, but---
MOLLY: There you are then. My point precisely.
KEEF: Hey up, Reet - Mol - what's going on?
MOLLY: It's a police car, Mr Holloway. Don't crack on you've not seen one before.
KEEF: You can't go round making accusations like that, Mol. I'll have to take it up with the Chairman of the Neighbourhood Watch.
RITA: There was an ambulance there earlier on.
KEEF: Someone sick?
MOLLY: No, it was delivering the Sunday papers, you daft---
RITA: No one got taken to hospital.
KEEF: Thank goodness for that.
MOLLY: It'll be drugs. You mark my word.
RITA: Molly, five minutes ago you were convinced it was all about rape!
MOLLY: And who commits rape? Druggies! And who takes drugs? Students!
KEEF: My Renee's a student - sometimes - and she'd never do anything to bring shame on the Holloway name.
MOLLY: Blimey!
RITA: Molly? You all right?
MOLLY: Bring shame on the Holloway name? I'm speechless. Come on, Rex. Can't stand here all day
Scene Two
Two hours later, the police car has gone and Lucy returns to Number 4. She finds Richie and Michael in the living room. LUCY: I got your message. What's so important it couldn't wait a few hours?
MICHAEL: It's Claire. She was attacked last night in the underpass.
LUCY: I
I don't know what to say. Is she all right?
MICHAEL: As well as can be expected. There is just one thing, Lucy.
LUCY: What? You said she was all---
RICHIE: Your boyfriend tried to rape her. It's been Nick all along.
LUCY: But he can't be. He can't have. I mean, I would have---
RICHIE: He tried to rape Claire. There were other people about. They chased him off and now the police want to arrest him.
MICHAEL: Lucy I know it's hard - Nick's my friend, too - but it looks like he did it.
Lucy's phone beeps. It's a text message - from Nick.
Scene Three Meanwhile, on the allotments
SID: Down in the dumps, Dickens? Want some of Sergeant Sid's herbal mixture?
GORDON: Not likely. And you should be careful, Sid, with the police on the prowl.
SID: Nature's remedy. Nothing wrong with that.
GORDON: The police were at the student house. Where your friend Michael lives? Shouldn't you be putting two and two together and burying those so-called herbs in the compost heap.
SID: Got nothing to do with herbs. Nothing to do with Michael. Got it on good authority.
GORDON: Sheila's been talking to Mrs Wallwalk.
SID: Exactly.
GORDON: And Mollie's version of events is?
SID: Best I can fathom, Smith P has been slandering good name of Holloway K.
GORDON: Think you might have hold of the wrong end of the stick there, Sid.
SID: No matter. So why the long face? Problems on maternal front?
GORDON: Not problems as such. It's just
I don't know
It's as if now I've done my bit, Sandra's shutting me out.
SID: Par for course, so they say.
GORDON: You and Sheila never had children, did you, Sid?
SID: No
GORDON: And yet you've got one of the soundest marriages around. What's the secret?
SID: I give lady wife instructions. Lady wife does exactly what she likes.
GORDON: And not having kids, that never rocked the boat?
SID: Can't speak for lady wife. Don't discuss that sort of thing. Speaking for self, I'm glad it never happened.
GORDON: Glad?
SID: Always suspected any offspring might consider me a pompous, stuck-in-the-mud old fool. Can face many things - route marches, battle, NAAFI sausages. But can't face contempt.
GORDON. No. Me neither. Scene Four
Sunday teatime and Lucy meets Nick on the footbridge over the canal. Nick tries to kiss her, but she pulls away.
NICK: I'm glad you came.
LUCY: Is it true?
NICK: You know what happened?
LUCY: Michael and Richie told me. Is it true?
NICK: Of course not.
LUCY: Claire said it was you - and other people saw you.
NICK: Who? Who saw me?
LUCY: I don't know.
NICK: What would anyone round here know about anything? Most of them believe that Phil Smith idiot is a Peeping Tom.
LUCY: What about Claire?
NICK: Was she raped?
LUCY: No.
NICK: So who says she was really attacked? I didn't want to tell you this, Lucy, but the fact is, Claire tried it on with me. I'm a little embarrassed and now kind of worried. I never thought she would do something like this.
LUCY: You're saying she wasn't attacked?
NICK: I don't know. I think Claire may need help. Did I tell you Michael thought she was following him?
LUCY: No.
NICK: If it's true she could
I don't want to think about it. Just tell me you believe me, Lucy.
LUCY: I believe you.
Nick and Lucy kiss, though she looks a little uncomfortable. Scene Five
Claire is in her bedroom, unable to sleep. There is a knock on the door, and Lucy enters. LUCY: I just wanted to see if you were all right.
CLAIRE: I don't want to see anyone, Lucy. I need to clear my head.
LUCY: That's what I thought. Can you remember exactly what happened?
CLAIRE: I've already told the police
Or do you mean was it Nick?
LUCY: Well can you be sure? I mean it must have been dark. I presume you'd had a couple of drinks in the club. Could you really see who it was?
CLAIRE: I'm not going to lie about something like this. It was him.
LUCY: I know it is hard to see him with someone else, but
CLAIRE: I'm not jealous of him and you. You should have seen him. He was different. He was
You can't see it, can you?
LUCY: I can't just believe the man I love is capable of this.
CLAIRE: But you are willing to believe a friend would lie.
LUCY: Not lie so much as
You've always fancied Nick, Claire. Everyone knows that. Maybe you came on to him and things
got out of hand.
CLAIRE: I think you should go now, Lucy.
LUCY: Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying---
CLAIRE: Yes you are. So get out and leave me alone!
Lucy leaves. Once the door is shut, Claire begins to cry.
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