Eager to win Alexandra's approval, Kit goes on a killing spree with Morris close at his heels. As the chase continues, the body count rises, and Morris' moral fiber unravels. When Kit assumes his last disguise as 'Detective Morris Brummell" the real Detective Brummell places a call to The New York Times. As Act Two begins, an elated Kit discovers he and Morris have finally made the front page of The Times. Flora Brummell celebrates her son's success, Sarah and Morris contemplate the price of fame. Hours later, Morris and Sarah arrive at the Brummell home for brunch. Flora Brummell is ready to loathe Sarah, but Sarah's endless resourcefulness triumphs... much to Morris' amazement. With The New York Times in hand, Kit expects the ghost of his mother to applaud his "rave reviw.' Instead, Alexandra cruelly reproaches him: "Whether you're a successful killer or a successful actor, you still can't get arrested in this town!" Shattered, Kit phones Morris for a sympathetic ear. But after hearing Sarah's voice in the background, Kit feels twice rejected and decides it's time for a "comeback" this time disguised as Sarah! Sarah is jubilant with her victory over Flora, but Morris wonders if Sarah's romantic advances are due to his celebrity status and the case. Echoing sentiments Kit expressed in the earlier phone conversation, Morris can't see what a woman with grace, beauty, and social status would want with a "Moe Brummell." Sarah reveals that looks can be deceiving. Disguised as Sarah, Kit enters the apartment of an unsuspecting lush, Sadie Bellows. As Sadie begins to see through Kit's disguise, Kit, the performer, experiences stage fright - after the front page of The Times and Alexandra's rejection, there's little point to the charade. Trouper that he is, however, Kit tries to rise to the occasion. Morris and Sarah spend a romantic night together in her apartment, only to be awakened by a jarring call from Kit. Having failed to strangle Sadie, Kit begs Morris to keep the story fromThe Times. Morris will comply only if Kit turns himself in. Furious, Kit vows that if the story is not buried, "you'll be forced to bury my next victim!" Sarah is appalled that the killer has her unlisted number, although Morris swears he never shared her number with anyone. Morris' obsession with the case, however, leads Sarah to draw her own conclusions and when Carleton, one of Sarah's new co-workers, calls and suggests they meet, Sarah accepts out of spite. Morris returns to his apartment where Flora expresses her fears that he'll lose the case to another cop. Morris finally asserts himself and decides he needs a new life and a new home. But Kit's phone call to Sarah's apartment haunts him. While Sarah travels to Carleton's, Morris realises his competition is none other than the multi-faceted Kit! He rushes off to save her as Kit vows to make good on his earlier threat. Morris arrives in the nick of time, but Kit grabs a gun and threatens to shoot Sarah unless Morris drops his own weapon. Morris reluctantly obeys. But when the wily detective suggests Sarah doesn't fit the pattern of the strangler's previously maternal victims, Alexandra appears in Kit's mind. Distracted by her apparition, Kit lets down his guard, and Sarah escapes. Morris seizes his chance and grabs his nearby gun, wounding Kit in the arm. When Morris orders Kit to drop his weapon, Kit suggests that death would be a more acceptable fate. Morris refuses to shoot him in cold blood, and Kit pretends to lay down his gun. But at the last second, he aims it at Sarah, knowing Morris will instinctively fire. Mortally wounded, Kit pulls the trigger, and only a flame appears - the flame of a cigarette lighter! As he lies dying, he imagines Alexandra is singing him softly to sleep. Hours later, Morris attempts to make it up with Sarah. At first his apologies fall on deaf ears, but when he declares he has moved out of his mother's apartment, Sarah begins to respond. Morris' renouncement of publicity and a heartfelt marriage proposal convince Sarah that he deserves a second chance as the curtain falls. CAST: (in order of appearance) • Morris Brummel • Flora • Mrs. Sullivan • Carmella • Alexandra • Sadie • Christopher 'Kit" Gill • Sarah Stone
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