ACT TWO
A shaken Merrill offers to talk to Carrie's parents but Lt Hindman tells her to just get slome sleep. Doug agrees. Garth gives Mike Carrie's file from the university. Mike tells Garth that Carrie's parents are on their way down.
Amelia bursts in in tears and hugs Garth who tells her she should have stayed at home.
Mike orders Doug to take Merrill home but she still wants to talk to Carrie's parents. He is unsure but sympathetic, "Look Merrill I'm sorry. Maybe if I'd have listened to you in the first place this wouldn't have happened." Merrill wanted to go to the police but Carrie was too frightened.
Mike tells Doug privately that the culprit is still out there and he's after Merrill, "But we can't protect her unless she stops playing detective."
Roger arrives, angry with Garth for not notifying him about Carrie's death. "Garth, each and every student on that campus is in my hands now. What happens to them happens to me." He turns and spots Merrill sitting alone. He is sorry and promises to end it all.
Merrill is sitting outside the main building with a young blonde student named Betty Rossiter. Roger sees them and tells Amelia that he is going to set up a fund in Carrie's name.
Merrill warns Betty not to do anything without talking to her first and Betty walks away.
Lorna and Doug come over to see Merrill. Doug insinuates that he wants Merrill to be his wife, embarrassing her. A jealous Lorna leaves. Merrill and Doug go for a walk and discuss Betty. She was Lois' room mate and she got a call from a voice she recognised talking about an easy way of making money. Doug is annoyed that she went to Merrill instead of the police, "Do you want this girl's life on your head too?" Betty is going to call Merrill if she gets another call and Merrill agrees to go to the police when she does. Roger and Ann see the pair in an embrace and Roger looks disturbed.
Alden University: Main Assembly Hall
Roger is making a speech in front of television cameras,
"The problem that I want most to address here today is the problem of your sagging team spirit here at Alden University and to tell you that my first official action as your new president has been to bolster that sagging spirit. Ladies and gentlemen, I am happy to announce our fortune in obtaining the services of one of the top athletic directors in the country. A man whose reputation for winning rewards is legendary. He's here today with his lovely wife Rita Mae. Ladies and gentlemen please give a warm welcome to Billy Bristow." Billy and Rita Mae stand to rapturous applause and Roger continues, "Billy has his reputation and now I'd like to earn mine by facing forthrightly the rumours spread about Alden in these last few months. Like, are our academic standards in jeopardy...Is our new president an opportunist appointed through nepotism and driven by his own personal ambition." He continues to assure that Alden University is not on the brink of failure. Johnny, Amelia, Merrill, Ann, Cabot and Lorna watch from the crowd.
Outside, Roger is congratulated by everyone. He bids goodbye to Clem who is heading back to Washington D.C. Roger introduces Amelia to the Bristows and Billy talks to Jack about his training. Merrill compliments Roger and Ann makes him agree to an interview with her tomorrow.
Alden University: Campus Grounds
Outside, Merrill and Roger discuss Roger's career and book about the Watergate affair. It starts to rain heavily and they run for cover. Roger gives Merrill his jacket and there is romantic tension in the air forcing Merrill to leave.
Merrill turns up, soaking wet and in tears and begs Doug to make love to her.
Roger is making himself a drink as Johnny listens to his marriage troubles. He feels he has made too many promises to Ann not taking into account the complications. Johnny assures Roger that his marriage will be fine.
Doug and Merrill are lying in bed when the phone rings. Doug answers it but it is for Merrill. Betty is on the line and she is calling from a hotel room with her face heavily bruised. She says, "Help me..."
Merrill is with Betty. Betty tried to get some information out of a client so she could find out who was running the prostitution ring. "He got suspicious. Scared I guess so he started hitting me."
"You should never have come here alone."
"I tried calling you." The person who told Betty to meet the client there, also phoned the dorm a year ago wanting to get her into prostitution. Betty explains that she was tempted because of the poor cheques given to students through the work-study program. Merrill decides to go and check whether Lois and Carrie were a part of the program and tells Betty to wait in the hotel room until she gets back, "Do not answer the door to anybody."
Alden University: Amelia's Office
Merrill asks Amelia to check the files. Lois was not a part of the program. Amelia cannot check for Carrie because her file is in Garth's desk and his office is locked. "Come back at a more sensible hour." She walks Merrill out of the door and locks up but Garth comes into the darkened office when they have gone and sinisterly pulls a file out of the drawer.
Lorna opens the door. Merrill wants to see Roger, "I'm really sorry to intrude."
"Is something wrong?" Roger asks.
"Yes. I need your help. A student is waiting for me and I think she can help me find the people responsible for Lois Carney and Carrie Mansfield."
"Come on. Let's go." Ann and Lorna watch in disbelief.
Merrill warns Roger that Betty is frightened. There is no answer at the door but it is unlocked and Betty has disappeared. There is a note which reads
Miss Vochek,
Everything I told you has been lies about Lois...all of it. Please don't ever try to contact me again. Just let it all go.
Betty
Roger tries to comfort Merrill ans kisses her. She pulls away and tells Roger that some one must have scared Betty whilst she was gone. Roger wants to call the police. They argue about young women having to turn to prostitution and Merrill tells Roger she can't trust him. He leaves and slams the door. Merrill calls Noreen looking for Mike but he is not home. Then she sees a cigarette in the ash tray with lipstick around the rim.
It is dark as Merrill walks towards the house. No one is in so Merrill climbs through an open window as Amelia watches from her car across the street. Merrill goes into the den and searches drawers. She opens a box and finds a huge stash of money. The phone rings putting her on edge. She is unaware that Roger is trying to call. Next she finds a collection of photographs of Johnny. She picks up the phone to call Roger but he is still trying to get through and the line is busy.
At the Alden mansion, Roger tells Ann he has to leave.
Merrill walks into Johnny's place. "Mr Forbes, I'm so glad you're here."
The chair turns round to reveal Amelia. She tells a nervous Merrill to sit down and begins to speak,
"What a clever girl you are. For putting all the pieces together."
Merrill replies, "Alright. I know what you've done but all I want to know now is why. You're dedicated your life to Alden University. Everybody loves you. Everybody trusts you...why?"
"The university was never the center of my life. All I was ever interested in...was a life with Johnny and he wanted that too at one time...before there was only room in his life for Roger and his plans for Roger." She laughs, "After all I did to help him build up this business, I had to deal with those gentlemen of less than sterling character and keep them away from pure young Roger. And they just set me adrift eventually. Eliminated me from their lives. What was I to do? Those business friends of his were kind enough to help me maintain a comfortable lifestyle in exchange for some information which I had right at my fingertips because of my job at Alden. They were very interested in all those fresh young things pouring into the university. Such whores. An endless supply. Wave after wave of them from every corner of the country. And it didn't matter how many you eliminate...there are always more..." Amelia's face is contorted with maniacal fury as she picks up a gun and points it at Merrill, "And you're one of them!"
Johnny and Roger burst in but Amelia shouts, "Stay right where you are. Both of you!"
Johnny talks, "Amelia. Roger's told me about everything. Everything that happened. Do you want to tell me about it too?..We go back a long way don't we. We go back a long way huh?"
Amelia falls into Johnny's arms as he tells her no one will blame her for what she's done. She wasn't responsible for what happened to those girls. She pulls away and says it's too late.
Suddenly a gunshot rings out and Johnny falls to the floor. Roger races over but Amelia cradles the dying Johnny in her arms and tells him to stay away, "He's mine now!"
Police lead Amelia away and Mike tells Merrill that an ambulance is on its way even though it is too late. Johnny is nearly dead.
Roger talks to a fading Johnny but it is useless. He dies in Roger's arms.
Johnny's body is led away on a gurney as Roger watches. He goes over to Merrill. "I loved him so much. I can't lose you too." They stand together in silence as the ambulance pulls away...