Sara Morgan Bratchett (Erika Eleniak) is the main villainess of the 2002 TV film Second to Die. Her slight backstory revealed that she grew up on the wrong side of the tracks with an alcoholic mother, leading her to grow up with an immense desire to become wealthy.
Sara eventually married wealthy explosives expert Jim Bratchett, but their idyllic marriage quickly fell apart as Sara grew unhappy with Jim's neglect of her. She also became frustrated with having to care for his mentally disabled daughter Nikki, with Jim refusing to hire any help. Her unhappiness led Sara to have an affair with Jim's friend, lawyer Raymond "Scooch" Scucello, and the two eventually plotted to kill Jim so they could get married and live off his wealth.
Sara went about commencing the villainous plot by creating a bomb and planting it in a lunchbox she prepared for a flight Jim was preparing to take. As the plane took off, Raymond activated the bomb, seemingly killing Jim. Soon after Jim's funeral, Sara and Raymond got married, much to the outrage of Sara's neighbor and friend Cynthia Evans. When Sara and Raymond went to collect Jim's insurance money, however, they were dismayed to learn that Jim's life insurance policy was set up for Nikki's benefit; only set to pay off when both Jim and Sara died. Sara was also furious to learn that Raymond and Cynthia had been having an affair behind her back.
In the film's climax, Sara was alone at home one night when she received a call from Jim, who was revealed to have faked to death and was calling to warn Sara that Jim was planning to kill her. After arming herself with Jim's pistol, Sara went into the backyard and fired at Raymond, who was sneaking in the bushes. Before Sara could kill him, Detective Grady (who was investigating Jim's supposed death) arrived and fired a shot at Sara, which appeared to kill her. But later on, once it was revealed that Jim been conspiring with Raymond, Cynthia, and Nikki (who was in actuality his able bodied lover) to make off with the insurance money, Sara arrived with Detective Grady. The two revealed that they had faked Sara's death in order to catch the gang of con artists, but told them that they were willing to let them escape--on the condition that they let them have the money. The four agreed and fled and Sara and Grady made off with their ill-gotten money, with Sara sending her diary to her sister Amber to explain what had happened (due to the public still believing Sara to be dead).
Trivia[]
- Erika Eleniak also appeared as psychotic serial killer Victoria Paige from 2004's Fatal Lessons: The Good Teacher and vampiress Catherine Verdoux from 1996's Bordello of Blood.