The Suspect                by Tammy Wu 吳黛敏

Characters

Sean Maple: A senior in university

Enid Transparent: One of Sean’s classmates in class

Faith Palace: One of Sean’s girlfriends

Ernest Marx: Sean’s classmate, also an acquaintance of Enid and Faith.

A Doctor

A Police Officer

It is late in the afternoon at Central Hospital. In one single ward, on the bed lies a man, with a mighty painful expression on his pale face. Intravenous drip is injected into his left arm. Next to the bedside stands a short chest, where a list of “treatment records” is placed. On the window near the bed, curtains are drew together to prevent the hot sunshine outside. On the other end of the ward, a police officer, a doctor, and another man stand in circle near the door, talking in low voice.

Officer      Well, it seems that he can utter a few words today. Much better than last night.

Doctor       I would suggest not talk too much to him though, officer. Both his pharynx and larynx are

    burned, and so is the oral cavity. It takes time to heal. We’ll check up his vocal cords tomorrow—when he gets sober.

Officer      Well then, please notify me as soon as possible when he can speak, Dr. Brown. [walks toward the door]

Doctor       Sure, officer. [Turns to Ernest] The special you hire will come in a moment.

Ernest       Thank you for notifying, doctor. I’ll wait here till the nurse comes.

Doctor      (Nods and beams, walking out of the room with the officer.)

                (The doctor closes the door behind him.)

Ernest       (Walks toward the bed) How’s the pain right now? Can’t you speak?

Sean         (Looks weak, voice hoarse) Not really. It’s god damn painful.

Ernest       It’s hard to imagine a person as careful as you should ignore a vitriol drink. Can’t you come up with anyone who might do it?

Sean          Must be a nut. I don’t think I’ve got enemies in this campus.

Ernest        You don’t? How about these innocent female fans? No one likes to be fooled or cheated. I’ve warned you long time ago that…

Sean         (Quickly interrupts Ernest) I’ve stopped contacting with them ages ago! (he presses his

  throat and frowns, coughs) The only one I’m with now is Faith.

Ernest       Then ask yourself how you treat her, will you? Slapped her hard on the face and left her by the road at 3:00 in the morning after a stupid quarrel?   

                 It wouldn’t surprise me if she poisons you.

Sean         (Shakes his head confidently.) But I know her. She’s been my girl for two years. A timid

    chick, I will say. And she loves me.

Ernest       That’s what you think.

Sean         (Turns his head away from Ernest) She could’ve poisoned me much earlier if she wanted. We meet almost everyday.

Ernest       Was she with you at lunch yesterday?

Sean         Not really. We didn’t make an appointment for lunch that day. But after I came back, she was at my table in the canteen.

Ernest       What did you leave your table for?

Sean         For answering Faith’s phone call. It’s too noisy down there to talk.

Ernest       She called and met you at the same time?

Sean         She asked me to go upstairs taking back a textbook I’ve lent her before.

Ernest       Are you in a hurry to get that book back?

Sean         I was going to use it in my afternoon class. I told her to come down to the canteen, but she insisted meeting upstairs in the hall.

Ernest       And then?

Sean         I rushed upstairs to the hall but didn’t see her. So I rushed back to the canteen, and saw her sitting at my table, smiling.

Ernest       Uh hum?

Sean         I sat down, feeling hot and thirsty. So I gulped down a mouthful of that drink…and then…. (A horrified and disgusted expression emerged on his   

                face. He coughs, trying hard to cover the pain.)

Ernest       How long had you been absent at your table?

Sean         About 10 minutes, I guess.

Ernest       Then there’s a time gap for her to put poison, if she really wanted to.

Sean         (Contemplates and frowns, pressing his throat) It might be possible, if you insist. But she dares not, I’ll say.

Ernest       Never look down on women, Sean. You might mistake the situation.

Sean         Do I? Girls are always honest to me, though. (Paused for a second) Anyway, if Faith will be the suspect, I’ll say.

   (A sound of footstep approaches. Next second the door opens, a young lady walks in, with her hand holding a bouquet. Both men turn to her, 

   surprised.)

Ernest       Hello, Faith.

Faith         Hello, Ernest. Hi, Sean. (Walks toward the bed, puts the bouquet on the short chest, and bents down near Sean) Feel better today?

Sean         (Coldly nods without expression) Uhm.

Ernest       He can utter more words today. We’re talking about the suspect the moment you came in. Sean was describing what happened that day.

Faith         Yeah?  Did you come up with any conclusions?

Ernest       So far not yet.

Faith         Oh.

Ernest       We were just wondering if that phone call had been a key point.

Faith         You mean the one I made?

Ernest       Yup.

Faith         What’s wrong with it?

Sean         Nothing.

Ernest       Sean said you called him to go upstairs for that textbook.

Faith         Oh, that. Yeah, I was going to meet him in the hall originally ‘cause I didn’t want to go down in the canteen—their kitchen always smells bad. But a

                girl bumped into me on the stairs and knocked my books all over. So after I collected my stuff, I went down to the canteen directly, for I know that 

                Sean would certainly come back soon—he never has a patience waiting for more than 5 minutes. (Paused for a second, glancing at Sean. He gives

                her a furious look) And when I rushed down there, I saw Sean’s backpack on the chair. So I sat down and waited, till he came back, whining he’s

                hot and thirsty and….

Sean         (Suddenly cuts in) Why didn’t you tell me a girl had bumped into you on the stairs? Do you remember how she looked like?

Faith         (Fiercely) what does it matter? Are you going to date another one under my nose?

Ernest       (Abruptly interrupts Faith) Hold on, Faith. Maybe Sean’s right. How did the girl look like?

Faith         (Raises her voice) For God’s sake, how are you going to remember a stranger’s appearance when you’re busy picking up stuffs and books on the

                floor? Besides,—the hem of her skirt swept across my face when she hurried away—she didn’t even stop to help me! I’ve never seen such a rude

                and annoying behavior in my life before and…

Ernest       Wait! She wore a skirt?

Faith         Yup. A long, cream-colored one. It’s the most fashionable style this season, with pleats and layers on it.

Ernest       Hey, did she wear sandals?

Faith         Yup, a pair of white sandals. I saw them when I bent down on the floor.

Ernest       And was there a pair of glasses on her face?

Faith         Well, I remember it’s a rimless one if I weren’t mistaken. Why, Ernest, have you…

Ernest       Gosh…(Slowly shaking his head, sweat welling up from his forehead) Sean, you’ve really tripped over an invisible trap this time.

Sean         Me? What do you mean by that?

Ernest       You probably don’t remember her. But I do, Sean.

Sean         (Frowns, staring at Ernest with confusion) 

Ernest       (Sighs, his eyes look sad) She’s the sweetest girl I’ve ever seen. So nice, so sweet, and so gentle—until she met Sean

Faith         Who?

Sean         (Becomes impatient) Come on Ernest, I’m not going to be frightened by such a stupid

guess.

Ernest       Will you dare to admit you’ve known her before in front of Faith?

Faith         Ernest, you know who the girl is?

Ernest       (Pauses, hesitantly) …I saw her that day, right at Sean’s table, when you were collecting books upstairs and Sean was waiting for you in the hall.

Sean and Faith        What?

Ernest       (Shakes his head sadly) And she spotted me when she passed by my table. Gosh, I should’ve known it earlier when she waved me goodbye. She  

                remained extremely clam at that time.

   (A knock on the door, and then it was pushed open. The police officer walked in, with a relieved smile on his face)

Officer      Mr. Maple, we’ve arrested the suspect this afternoon, and she confessed everything.

   (The three people abruptly looked up, staring at the officer)

Sean         (Voice trembling) Who…is this criminal, Officer?

Officer      It’s Enid Transparent.

Sean         (Extremely shocked and horrified, stammering) …She?

Faith         (Fiercely turns to Sean, face growing white) You…you told me you had stopped contacting with her!

Sean         I did! (Coughs painfully) But it never occurred to me that…

Faith         (Yells at Sean) Liar! (Turns to Ernest once again) You told me she’s a kind-hearted girl! It must be a mistake…

Ernest       (Answers in a calm, sad tone.) She was. But Sean had been too over to her. Enid is not the same kind of girl as you, Faith. Once she’s determined to

                 get something done, she realizes it—includes taking revenge.

Officer      (Coughs) Well, Mr. Marx is right. During our investigation, we’ve found that Ms. Transparent was one of Mr. Maple’s classmates one year ago. 

                And as for her motivation, according to her, it’s—hate from being deceived. 

                (Curtain)