GONE BABY GONE
Written by
Ben Affleck & Aaron Stockard
Morning.
Clouds moving through the sky.
We see various shots of the city, exterior storefronts,
people going about their lives and some wider shots of the
city.
As they continue, the hour gets progressively later in the
day until the final sequence which takes place at night.
Over this we hear our guy, PATRICK (30).
PATRICK (V. 0 . )
To people who grow up here, this city is
like family. The thing about family,
about the city, about the church, about
the people you grow up with-- is that no
matter how much they hurt you, no matter
what the cost is, you still love them.
And despite all our flaws-- what we do to
each other-- what is done to us-- I've
always felt proprietary about it all.
Like the old commercial for dog food:
'doesn't your dog deserve to be treated
like a member of the family?' I've always
believed it depended on the dog. Beyond
that, the most I thought about anything
was what I wanted to do. Who I wanted to
be. To rise where my father said I
couldn't go, to succeed. To be a man.
EXT. MCCREADY THREE DECKER NIGHT
-
A playground at night, completely empty. One of the swings
drifts back and forth . . .
The back door to a home is open. A piece of light cuts across
the porch from inside . . .
Up the back stairwell another door is open, leading into an
apartment . . .
Down the hall, a third door opens to reveal a small, sparse
bedroom. A small mattress on the floor holds a dirty-faced
little girl asleep under her blanket . . .
Footsteps heard, quietly moving through the house . . .
A three foot gate hangs open. A car starts and pulls away.
We begin to hear the voice of Jack Doyle.
DOYLE
Amanda McCready was taken from her home
sometime between eight and eight thirty.
CUT TO:
INT. PATRICK AND ANGIE' S CAR - DAY
JACK DOYLE (60s) speaks at a press conference on a small,
PORTABLE TELEVISION with a 3x4 inch screen resting on the
dashboard of a car and plugged into the lighter outlet.
DOYLE
She is four years old, has blond hair and
green eyes, 35 pounds and about 3 and a
half feet tall. Amanda's mother says she
put her to bed in her B e a u t y and t h e
B e a s t nightgown . . .
Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro sit in the car watching
idly.
TV: A clip from an interview with Amanda's mother, HELENE
MCCREADY (29-39). She looks haggard and in desperate need of
sleep, if not a stint in detox. Standing beside her is her
brother LIONEL and sister-in-law BEATRICE, both of whom we
will come to know later.
HELENE (ON TV)
The thing is she just always had a smile
on her face, you know? That was her. She
was always smilin'.
(TEARS WELLING)
I mean, who would take my little girl?
What did she ever do to anyone?
PATRICK
Did you know her?
ANGIE
Vaguely.
(RE: TV)
This is horrible.
PATRICK
Not if you're channel nine.
ANGIE
That's Timmy Reilly. Is he a cop now?
A press conference with JACK DOYLE (68) comes on. Beneath his
image is written "JACK DOYLE, CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN."
DOYLE (ON TV)
I know the pain of losing a daughter --We
will pursue every avenue--
PATRICK
They can't be taking that many avenues.
The whole force is outside the house.
They are parked on a street in Dorchester lined with
residential apartments and storefronts.
A KNOCK on the windowsill startles them both. It's A
NEIGHBORHOOD GUY, BOBBY.
BOBBY
(winks, being funny )
Hey. How are you?
PATRICK
Good, Bobby. Nice to see you.
Bobby moves on down the street. She looks at Patrick.
ANGIE
This is why it's embarrassing to do
surveillance three blocks from where we
live.
Over Patrick and through the windshield we see A MAN AND A
WOMAN emerge from a MINT GREEN 3-DECKER.
PATRICK
There they go.
They kiss before parting ways. The MAN hops into a GREEN
LINCOLN while the WOMAN heads down the block, on foot.
PATRICK (CONT' D)
They' re splitting up.
ANGIE
Go with him. I'll follow the mother.
Angie jumps out and starts following the woman. Patrick pulls
slowly from the curb and trails the Lincoln.
ANGIE'S CAR, DRIVING - DAY (MOVING)
INT. PATRICK &
Patrick turns a corner on a residential street. Then another
one, keeping about a block between himself and the Lincoln.
EXT. DORCHESTER ST. CONTINUOUS
-
Suddenly, A TEN YEAR OLD KID darts in front of Patrick atop a
BMX bicycle. Patrick has to stop.
PATRICK
Get out of the way.
KID
Fuck your mother.
PATRICK
Move the Huffy before I slap your face.
Patrick waits for the kid to move. As he drives by he reaches
out to CUFF the kid, who eludes him.
KID
Missed me, faggot.
EXT. DORCHESTER AVENUE - MOMENTS LATER
Patrick pulls out onto Dot Ave. He looks around, doesn't see
the Lincoln. He goes left.
EXT. DOT AVE. - CONTINUOUS
Patrick drives a few cars behind the Lincoln. He can't cathc
UP -
EXT. DORCHESTER AVENUE - MOMENTS LATER
A car STOPS in front of Patrick. He tries to go around,
traffic is oncoming.
PATRICK
Fuck. Fuck.
The car moves. The Lincoln is long gone.
He pulls the car over.
He sees an ITALIAN MAN IN HIS SIXTIES looking at him from the
sidewalk (GERRY SPECA). The man sits in front of a VFW. They
trade looks.
PATRICK (CONT' D)
Fuck it.
Patrick dials his phone and puts it to his ear.
OPERATOR (OVER PHONE)
Nine one one, what's your emergency?
PATRICK
I want to report a drunk driver. I saw
him consuming alcohol in his front seat,
and he almost swiped an old lady.
OPERATOR (OVER PHONE)
What's the description?
PATRICK
(looking at paper)
1989 Green Lincoln Mercury LS.
Massachusetts Patriots bonus edition
license plate 357 bravo. 929.
OPERATOR (OVER PHONE)
Thank you sir.
PATRICK
Thank you. God bless.
Patrick reaches into the glove compartment and produces a
small device. He turns it on and sets it on the dash. By the
SCRATCHY VOICES and STACCATO CODE we realize it's a POLICE
SCANNER.
He waits. Cars roll by. Wipe. Shot outside car.
OMIT
OMIT
CUT TO:
EXT. DORCHESTER AVE. - MINUTES LATER
Patrick is in the car. Listening.
His phone rings. He answers it.
ANGIE (ON PHONE)
Where are you?
PATRICK
Dot Ave, where a r e you?
ANGIE
Nguyen' s n a i l s a l o n .
PATRICK
T h a t ' s where s h e went?
ANGIE
Yup. I ' m g e t t i n g my n a i l s d o n e . You s t i l l
with t h e father?
PATRICK
I l o s t him.
ANGIE
You d i d ?
SCANNER
L i n c o l n Mercury Cougar, n i n e t y e i g h t .
Broadway and L S t . F i e l d S o b r i e t y . . .
PATRICK
Whoops, t h e r e h e i s .
And h e p u l l s o u t .
SOUTH BOSTON - M M N S LATER
EXT. BROADWAY, O ET
On t h e s i d e o f t h e r o a d , s e v e r a l OFFICERS a d m i n i s t e r a FIELD
SOBRIETY TEST t o t h e MAN.
The Man i s u p s e t . He g e s t u r e s a t t h e P o l i c e .
P a t r i c k p u l l s up a c r o s s t h e s t r e e t , watching.
They l e t t h e man g o .
P a t r i c k e a s e s o u t a f t e r him. He W V S t o t h e c o p s , who s t a r e
AE
b a c k , n o t knowing him o r why h e i s waving.
EXT. OLD COLONY HOUSING DEVELOPMENT - DAY
From P a t r i c k ' s c a r , we s e e t h e F a t h e r g e t o u t o f h i s c a r and
head i n t h e door, h o l d i n g h i s b a d .
P a t r i c k w a t c h e s from a c r o s s t h e s t r e e t , i n h i s c a r .
He sees all the sweet-faced little kids, all dressed up in
the best clothes their parents could afford, running and
shrieking and playing kick-ball in a tiny play lot inside a
giant, ramshackle housing project.
The father emerges, BAGLESS.
EXT. OLD COLONY, PERKINS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - MOMENTS LATER
As Patrick walks past we dolly low alongside him and onto the
playground. He approaches the door the father came out of and
ENTERS
INT. BUILDING B. OLD COLONY - CONTINUOUS
Patrick comes in. There are a bunch of the ubiquitous MISSING
CHILDREN FLIERS on the ground. A door to a unit is ajar.
EXT. MAUREEN QUINN'S APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS
Patrick eases the door open a bit. Patrick goes to his
haunches so as to stay out of sight at the opening. Through
the crack we see a man and a woman arguing.
A woman MAUREEN, Irish (34) is making breakfast. She calls
out to the next room.
MAUREEN
(CALLING OUT)
You want them eggs runnin' ?
TOMMY MEADE rolls into frame, bitching about his condition.
TOMMY
Yah. Where'd my father leave the bag?
She indicates.
MAUREEN
By the chair.
TOMMY
You know Cheryl Martin said Donna hired
missing persons investigators to find me?
MAUREEN
(FEEBLY)
...
You're not missin'
TOMMY
Fuckin' bullshit. I can't go back to my
own home to get my own clothes for fear
of gettin' my wages garnished to support
Mike Cuddehy' s fuckin' kids?
Patrick looks at the floor, the BAG the Father was carrying
has CLOTHES in it.
The KID comes to the opening in the door. He looks at
Patrick. Patrick holds a finger to his lips: shhh.
EXT TAFT ST. - DAY
Patrick parks and walks by various families.
PATRICK AND ANGIE'S APARTMENT, LIVING ROOM - DAY
INT.
Patrick looks at a paper. It's their ad.
PATRICK
"Dorchester' s best missing persons?"
That's terrible.
ANGIE
What's wrong with it?
PATRICK
It's like having world's tallest midget
as your slogan.
ANGIE
It's better than the old one.
PATRICK
You're just saying that cause the new one
has your name on it.
Patrick takes his gun out, wallet, puts them on the table.
ANGIE
At a certain point the person who books
half the business is entitled to her name
on the door.
(BEAT)
Speaking of which, how'd you get Tommy?
PATRICK
These people need to learn how to hide
better. Staying at your girlfriend's in
OC projects ain't slick.
(BEAT)
( MORE )
PATRICK (CONT'D)
And the reason you book half the business
is cause no one's trying to get in my
trousers.
ANGIE
Keep telling yourself that.
INT. PATRICK AND ANGIE'S BEDROOM NIGHT
-
Long, intimate improvised scene in their bedroom.
INT. PATRICK AND ANGIE'S APARTMENT, LIVING ROOM - MORNING
Patrick walks down the hallway toward the kitchen.
PATRICK
Yo, you want some cereal?
ANGIE (O.S.)
I'm in the bathroom.
INT. KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
Makes cereal. Walks out.
INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS
Patrick walks by the door. He pushes on it. She BUMPS it
shut. He stands there for a minute, thinks of an
explanation.
PATRICK
I just wanted to see if you wanted some
food .
INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Patrick comes into the living room, the television is on. He
puts the cereal down and starts eating.
JACK DOYLE (60s) speaks at a press conference.
DOYLE
She is four years old, has blond hair and
green eyes, 35 pounds and about 3 and a
half feet tall. Amanda's mother says she
put her to bed in her B e a u t y a n d t h e
B e a s t nightgown . . .
Patrick watches.
TV: A clip from an interview with Amanda's mother, HELENE
MCCREADY (29-39).
HELENE (ON TV)
The thing is she just always had a smile
on her face, you know? That was her.
She was always smilin'.
Angle enters.
HELENE (ON TV) (CONT7D)
(TEARS WELLING)
I mean, who would take my little girl?
What did she ever do to anyone?
ANGIE
Did you know her?
PATRICK
Vaguely.
ANGIE
This is horrible.
PATRICK
Not if you're Channel Nine.
She sits down to watch.
A press conference with JACK DOYLE (68) comes on. Beneath
his image is written "JACK DOYLE, CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN."
DOYLE
We will pursue every avenue.
PATRICK
They can't be taking that many avenues.
The whole force is outside the house.
TV: A STILL PHOTO OF AMANDA MCCREADY (4) occupies a corner of
the frame. She has dirty blonde hair and a shy smile.
NEWSCASTER
Her mother says Amanda may be carrying
Mirabelle, her favorite doll . . .
On TV the camera goes to BEA and LIONEL. Bea Speaks
BEA (ON TV)
Whoever you are, if you have her, just
give her back. We won't charge you. If
you're out there, just let her go!
ANGIE
Poor woman.
PATRICK
Look at these guys. Standing around
posing for the camera like they have a
purpose. That's why cops hate us. (MORE)
PATRICK (CONT'D)
Cause they know we do the same thing as
them without five years of jungle gym
Police academy.
Bell rings.
PATRICK (CONT'D)
Who's this?
CUT TO:
BEA MCCREADY' S FACE
ANGIE'S APT - MORNING
INT. PATRICK &
Patrick is standing in the doorway, looking at Beatrice and
Lionel McCready, not entirely sure what to say.
BEATRICE
My niece is missing.
INT. PATRICK AND ANGIE'S OFFICE DAY
-
Close on a hand picking clothes up off the couch in their
'officer-- which is basically their living room.
Now we get a good look at their guests, who are standing
politely.
BEA MCCREADY (mid 50s, matronly) we recognize from the TV
clip. She has a kind patience that has been tried by her
ordeal.
Her husband, LIONEL (mid 40s)' we remember as well. Lionel
is the kind of man who was once a hard drinker, a fighter and
a troublemaker. Now 'recovered,' he has been a husband,
provider and peacemaker for almost twenty years.
Angie is also trying to tidy the detritus of their morning
which lie strewn around their office, including a bra which
is behind the couch.
PATRICK
I heard about that on the news . . .Excuse
the mess. We just finished another
case. . .
ANGIE
I am so sorry, Mrs. McCready. I can't
imagine what this time must be like for
your family.
PATRICK
This is my associate, Angela Gennaro.
They all four stand there, not sure what comes next.
BEATRICE
We want to hire you to augment the police
with the investigation.
No one says anything.
LIONEL
Like Jean Benet Ramsey. The family hired
investigators.
PATRICK
Right. I remember that.
BEATRICE
The Police are nowhere, they're slow,
they keep us in the dark. We want our own
investigators.
ANGIE
I'm not sure we're who you're looking
for.
BEATRICE
Isn't that what you do? The ad in the
paper said 'missing persons.'
Tiniest of looks from Patrick to Angie.
PATRICK
What Angie is trying to say is: we
usually get hired to find people who
like, take off to New Hampshire without
payin' for their jet ski--
Bea looks up at Patrick, confused.
ANGIE
Every Police officer in Boston is looking
for your niece. This is something they're
qualified for.
BEA
What are you saying?
ANGIE
I'm not sure how much help we can be.
PATRICK
Hear her out, Ange.
BEA
You're not gonna do any harm, are you?
( shaking her head)
Why is this so hard? The cops sent one
man until I called the Herald and raised
Cain. The cops don't want me hirin' you.
Now you don't want the job?
PATRICK
It's not that we don't want the job.
BEA
Don't you know people in the
neighborhood? People who don't want to
talk to Police?
PATRICK
Yes. We do. Have the Police told you
anything so far?
BEA
If I hear they have "no leads" one more
time I'm gonna lose my marbles. I mean,
Helene was watching TV next door and
wasn't gone for more than a half hour.
LIONEL
She was watching "Wife Swap" downstairs.
(BEAT)
It's her favorite show.
PATRICK
Where's the father?
Beatrice snorts. Lionel shoots her a look.
LIONEL
Germany. Army base. He doesn't want
nothin' to do with Helene.
BEA
Or Amanda. He doesn't think she's his.
PATRICK
Is there anyone you know? An acquaintance
who could have taken her . . . a neighbor?
LIONEL
I don't know. You think she was
definitely taken though?
PATRICK
If she were lost I think they . . .
Bea may be coming unglued.
BEA
Couldn't she have fallen down a well or
something? Like in Texas?
PATRICK
That's not what we hope for.. .
Awkward moment.
ANGIE
How is Helene holding up?
LIONEL
She's trying.
BEA
Please, Lionel.
LIONEL
Look, it. I had my problems, hard bust at
22. Bea straightened me out. Helene
hasn't had that.
BEA
No, she has you. You find her work-- she
was our housekeeper for a year and a half-
(BEAT)
Look, come talk to Helene yourself. I
don't care if you think you can help.
Try. There must be something you can do.
She looks at them expectantly.
PATRICK
We'll meet you over there.
He throws Angie another small look.
BEA
We don't have a lot of money, but I saved
over the years. Don't think we can't
afford it.
Angie gives her a smile.
ANGIE'S CAR - LATER
INT. PATRICK &
Patrick and Angie are in their car. They pull to a stop,
looking at something off-camera right.
ANGIE
If a missing child isn't found in seventy
two hours they are almost never
recovered.
PATRICK
Pretty quick with the facts for someone
who's so unqualified.
ANGIE
I read that on the computer in two
minutes while you were getting dressed.
PATRICK
See that, you're already on the case.
ANGIE
We aren't needed, we canrt make a
difference and we can't take their money.
PATRICK
I don't want to take their money.
ANGIE
I don't want to find a child in a
dumpster.
PATRICK
Neither do I. I want to find one alive
who we can bring home.
ANGIE
We have a good life, Patrick.
PATRICK
This won't change that.
ANGIE
You go out in the rain, you get wet.
PATRICK
If it's a four year-old girl out there,
you go out and bring her back. We'll be
okay.
(SMILES)
It's just rain.
DAY
EXT HELENE'S APT. -
We might recognize it from the nighttime abduction sequence
except that now it's swarming with:
CAMERA TRUCKS, MEDIA TYPES and LOOKEY-LOOS.
This is a big shot full of REPORTERS, LOCALS, KIDS, A GUY
WITH A GRILL, AN ICE-CREAM TRUCK.
People mill around and converse. KIDS wave behind REPORTERS
heads, trying to get on camera.
We carry Patrick and Angie through with a Steadi-Cam as they
react to the circus.
A FIELD REPORTER does a stand-up, dressed formally to the
waist in a sports coat and tie but wears shorts below. He has
heavy pancake make-up on.
PATRICK
Block party.
EXT. HELENE'S APT - DAY
They reach the front porch.
One, OFFICER REILLY (from TV) stops Patrick as he comes in.
OFFICER REILLY
Friends of the family?
Patrick rolls his eyes.
PATRICK
Timrny. It's me.
Lionel is out on the porch.
LIONEL
It's okay. Come on in.
Patrick heads down the hall toward the kitchen but turns back
when he sees Angie going into the living room.
INT. HELENE'S APARTMENT, LIVING ROOM CONTINUOUS
-
Patrick and Angie enter the small two bedroom apartment. It
is crowded and crawling with police.
HELENE MCCREADY (in rough shape) sits wearing a "born to
shop" T-shirt. Her best friend DOTTIE sits next to her. They
are engrossed in a DAY-TIME TALK SHOW. Dottie wears a "Dot
Rat" T-shirt.
LIONEL
Helene, this is Patrick Kenzie and
Angela Gennaro.
The two women on the couch look over.
DOTTIE
I remember you.
Angie looks blank.
DOTTIE (CONT' D)
MRM high.
Angie offers a fake smile, half-recognition, polite.
DOTTIE (CONT' D)
I see you're still conceited.
LIONEL
Could you excuse us, Dottie?
HELENE
Dottie's my best friend, Lionel. She can
be in my house if she wants.
PATRICK
We just want to ask a few questions.
HELENE
She can be here for that.
PATRICK
(TO LIONEL)
It's fine.
DOTTIE
(TO HELENE)
Now everyone wants to be part of it.
HELENE
I know.
(TO ANGIE)
I already talked to the cops forty times.
ANGIE
We're sorry to take up your time.
PATRICK
Beatrice asked us to come here.
HELENE
- W h y don't Bea mind her business. It's
MY KID--
DOTTIE
'Cause everyone's tryin' to get their
moment now.
LIONEL
Bea hired these people to help find
Amanda with her own money. You better
show them the God damn courtesy they
deserve !
DOTTIE
She's in grief, prick.
LIONEL
She can grieve how she wants, Dottie. You
don't live here.
HELENE
Don't yell at her. You ain't her father!
DOTTIE
Fuck you, Lionel.
Lionel marches over toward Dottie. She scoots in a hurry.
DOTTIE (CONT'D)
Get away from me!
Dottie storms from the room. Patrick and Angie stand
uncomfortably in the hall.
LIONEL
I'm sorry.
ANGIE
Maybe we should go.
LIONEL
I'm sorry . . . I understand.
BEA (0.3.)
Can I speak with you for a minute?
PATRICK
Can you excuse us, Helene?
Helene ignores her.
INT. HELENE'S APARTMENT, HALLWAY/KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
Bea stands at the far end of the hallway, distraught. She
holds a FRAMED PHOTOGRAPH in her hand.
LIONEL
Helene has emotional problems.
BEATRICE
It's not that, Lionel.
LIONEL
What is it, then?
What Bea says belies her matronly kindness.
BEATRICE
She's a cunt.
LIONEL
Beatrice! Don't say that word.
BEATRICE
God help me, it's true.
LIONEL
For God's sake, the walls are thin.
BEATRICE
I don't care anymore, Lionel. Let her
hear.
Bea hands Patrick the photograph of Amanda.
BEATRICE (CONT' D)
This is a child.
(beat, cracking)
And I don't know where she is.
Angie looks to Patrick.
ANGIE
(COMFORTING SMILE)
Well. We can't do any harm, right?
SAME LATER (KITCHEN)
-
The sink is FULL OF SHIT. Lionel tries getting out a cup for
coffee.
Patrick, Lionel, and Bea sit around the kitchen.
Angie makes her way around the kitchen, looking over the
environment. Shots of the mess that is Helene's apartment
(and a nod to our extraordinary set decorator.)
PATRICK
What about who she hangs out with? What
kind of people are around?
Bea looks to Lionel to answer this sort of thing.
LIONEL
I don't know. She's at the Fillmore all
the time.
PATRICK
(knows its reputation)
The Fillmore Lounge?
LIONEL
She drinks every day, she's got the gene.
The disease. Our parents had it, too.
PATRICK
She use drugs?
LIONEL
I think she does a little coke.
PATRICK
How much is a little?
LIONEL
I don't know . . . few times a week, maybe.
How much is a lot?
PATRICK
Few times a week is a lot.
LIONEL
Then she does a lot. I don't know
anything about that.
(TO PATRICK)
I put the plug in the jug, myself. I got
twenty three years sobriety.
There is a short beat before:
PATRICK
f o r lack of anything else)
Good for you.
ANGIE
What's Amanda like?
BEATRICE
She's quiet. Has her manners, please and
thank yous. She tries her hardest to be
good.
ANGIE
You mind if we look in her room?
INT AMANDA'S BEDROOM - DAY
Patrick and Angie stand just inside the door to Amanda's drab
little bedroom. The only furniture a TWIN-SIZED MATTRESS and
a CHEST OF DRAWERS. It's all third hand.
PATRICK
We get a bonus for finding the furniture?
Patrick looks over the dirtied walls, faded glowing stars,
stickers, a sad sight.
ANGIE
Maybe she ran away.
DOYLE (0.C.)
Solved it yet?
Patrick and Angie turn to the voice. Standing in the doorway
is JACK DOYLE, the police officer from the TV report.
PATRICK
Almost .
He extends his hand.
DOYLE
Jack Doyle.
PATRICK
(REACHING OUT)
Patrick Kenzie. Angela Gennaro.
DOYLE
Nice to meet you.
ANGIE
Good to meet you, Captain
DOYLE
I take it Bea hired you?
PATRICK
She wants to cover as much ground as she
can.
He looks them over.
ANGIE
I take it you didn't want us hired.
DOYLE
These people aren' t rich.
PATRICK
We understand that. This is about helping
in whatever way we can. Not about making
money.
DOYLE
Good. I don't care who finds her. I just
want it done.
ANGIE
We want that too, sir.
DOYLE
Fine. Keep us apprised.
PATRICK
Of course... is there any way we can see
what you're looking at so far?
DOYLE
(SMILES)
I'll put my two best men on it. Where can
they find you?
EXT FILLMORE LOUNGE DAY
-
The Fillmore Lounge is a dreary looking bar up an alley off
Dorchester Avenue.
Degenerate drinkers are now forced to go outside and smoke
under the noon day sun and the place's faux, stacked stone
facade .
INT FILLMORE LOUNGE - CONTINUOUS
And it's no more welcoming inside. Men come here to nurse
their drug habits, their alcoholism and their hate.
While you wouldn't think there were many clamoring to get
into their club, they don't look kindly on potential
applicants.
At one end of the bar, LENNY (mid 40' s) sips a whiskey and
studies the Keno results. In the rear, 4 ALCOHOLICS sit
around muttering to one another. And at one of the tables a
CAULIFLOWER FACED MAN drinks alone.
In addition there is a SMATTERING OF ROUGH LOOKING FACES.
The bartender BIG DAVE (hence the name) has a newspaper
spread out before him on the bar.
PATRICK
I'm not asking for the combination to the
safe here . . .
BIG DAVE
I got nothin' to say. I already talked to
the cops.
PATRICK
Look, Dave, right?
BIG DAVE
Big Dave.
PATRICK
Okay, "Big Dave." "Medium Patrick." Nice
to meet you.
BIG DAVE
You're a little light in the ass to be
talkin' shit .
Patrick puts his hands up.
PATRICK
I apologize.
BIG DAVE
Buy a drink or screw.
ANGIE
We'll have a couple of tonics.
Dave regards them for a beat, then moves off.
MALE VOICE (0. )
C.
Spuds McKenzie.
Patrick turns to find STEVE TSAFONIAS (30s), staring back at
him - - a dim, goofy smile across his face.
STEVE
Steve . . . Tsafonias.
(BEAT)
'Gyro?"
Patrick subtly looks to Angle.
PATRICK
Zeus! How you been?
INT. FILMORE LOUNGE, BOOTH LATER
-
We come off the face of a interesting man to see:
Patrick, Angie, and Steve sitting around a table sharing a
pitcher of beer.
STEVE
Oh, it's a real tragedy. She used to come
in here, sit up on the bar and shit . . .
She was like our mascot.
ANGIE
Helene brought Amanda in here?
STEVE
No, mostly in the afternoons. It's not
the place for a child at night.
ANGIE
Really?
STEVE
(lowers his voice)
Hot tempers. Lotta drugs.
PATRICK
How much does Helene come in?
STEVE
Like five nights a week.
(off their reaction)
She's a fuckin' coke head guys. Don't get
me wrong, you don't want that for no one.
But it's not a real shocker.
(pause. His voice almost a
whisper now. )
I seen her on the news saying how she was
at her neighbor's for a half hour?
Bullshit. She was in here snappin' lines
for two hours.
PATRICK
Are you sure it was the same night?
STEVE
Yeah, cause she was bumpin' rails in the
shitter with Ray. I was knockin' on the
door.
ANGIE
Ray Li kanski?
STEVE
He was duckin' me like a faggot 'cause he
owes me a dime. Then he owes everyone
money, I found out. Don't lend him no
MONEY--
LENNY (0. )
C.
Hey! What are you doing?!
Steve looks up. Lenny (Keno Guy) is out of his stool.
STEVE
(FRIGHTENED)
Nothing . . . what Lenny?
Lenny starts towards their table.
LENNY
Don't talk about people you don't know.
STEVE
I know them.
PATRICK
What's your problem, guy?
LENNY
You said you ain't a cop, right? Why
don' t you fuck off?
PATRICK
Why don't you mind your business.
Lenny moves to them.
LENNY
What are you doing here?
thumbs at Big Dave)
Dave can't make a martini.
PATRICK
We're trying to help Helene find her
daughter.
BIG DAVE
Kids go missing all the time. They always
show back up.
ANGIE
Why don't you mind your business?
Angle's comment stops Lenny.
LENNY
Oh, shit, Dave. She told you.
BIG DAVE
She wants to come in here and be a smart
ass?
PATRICK
Take it easy.
BIG DAVE
Don' t run your mouth like you're better
than me.
PATRICK
Just cool it, all right?
LENNY
'Cool it" Listen to this douche bag.
BIG DAVE
I bet she fucks this asshole in half.
AN ALCOHOLIC calls out to Lenny.
ALCOHOLIC #1
Ask her if she sucks cock.
LENNY
Ask her yourself.
The door outside is ajar. LENNY'S PAL pushes it CLOSED.
PATRICK
What the fuck is wrong with you?
LENNY
You know, I wouldn't mind seein' some
tit. Anyone else like tit?
ALCOHOLIC # 3
I like tuna.
ALCOHOLIC # 2
Show me your tunaaaa!
ANGIE
Shut the fuck up.
ALCOHOLIC #4
(mimes throwing his voice)
Twat steak!
ANGIE
Don't be stupid, Lenny.
ALCOHOLIC # 2
He's talking to his friends.
LENNY
Must be your good looks, Dave, bringin'
in all the new snatch. There's some good
lookin' pussy in here tonight.
The alcoholic men are laughing, egging one another on.
BIG DAVE
Lenny, think she wants to see your prick,
first.
Patrick reaches into his waistband and puts his hand on a
SMALL HOLSTER, revealing a 9mrn Kahr handgun.
PATRICK
No, Lenny. No one wants to see your
prick.
B I G DAVE
I do!
B i g Dave l a u g h s . A h i n t o f f e a r b e t r a y s Lenny.
LENNY
Dave.
PATRICK
Back u p .
ALCOHOLIC # 3
(SINGING)
' A l i t t l e b i t o f Monicer i n my l i f e . "
PATRICK
Open t h e d o o r , Rummy.
Lenny s m i l e s , s a v i n g f a c e w h i l e b a c k i n g down.
LENNY
Open t h e d o o r , Mike.
PATRICK
Quick.
M i k e s e e s t h e g u n . He SNAPS open t h e d o o r .
P a t r i c k and Angie have t o make t h e i r way p a s t Lenny t o g e t t o
the door.
ANGIE
Move.
LENNY
Now I r e a l l y want t o f u c k you.
P a t r i c k CRACKS Lenny i n t h e f a c e w i t h t h e gun, t a k i n g him o f f
g u a r d . Lenny f a l l s t o t h e f l o o r awkwardly. B e f o r e t h e r e s t o f
them make a move t o w a r d him, t h e y s e e h i s gun o u t .
PATRICK
You're t h e one a b o u t t o g e t f u c k e d , J a c k .
( b e a t , gun p o i n t e d a t Lenny)
Keep t a l k i n ' . Keep t a l k i n ' s h i t .
Lenny o p t s n o t t o k e e p t a l k i n g . P a t r i c k p o i n t s t h e gun a t B i g
Dave.
PATRICK (CONT' D)
(TO DAVE)
You got something to say now, too? Fat
Dave? Huh?.
BIG DAVE
All right. Get out
PATRICK
Fuck you, make me a martini.
ANGIE
Patrick, letfs go.
They move to the door.
EXT DORCHESTER AVE.- CONTINUOUS
Patrick and Angie emerge. They look to one another. Sounds of
laughter return inside. The guys appear to have gone right
back to their day.
Patrick tucks his gun away and looks to Angie.
PATRICK
You okay?
ANGIE
I'm fine. How's your hand.
PATRICK
It fuckinf stings.
He indicates his hand, there is some blood. He smiles. They
are a little rattled.
ANGIE
Thanks for that.
He smiles.
PATRICK
No problem.
OMIT
EXT PATRICK AND ANGIE'S 2ND STORY PORCH - SUNSET
Patrick and Angie look out over the neighborhood. Kids run
around. Adults watch them.
ANGIE
Helene was in there getting high--while
her kid was at home for two hours.
What kind of mother does that?
PATRICK
One who doesn't know better. A poor one.
An abused one. A damaged one.
ANGIE
A selfish one.
They look out over the kids running past.
PATRICK
Listen, you don't have to do this. I'm
fine. If you want to bow out-
ANGIE
Have you ever known me to bow out on
anything before?
PATRICK
No. But that was a scary thing.
Without looking at him.
ANGIE
Why? Because of those men? You think they
were gonna rape me?
She smiles at him.
PATRICK
They weren't gonna do that.
(BEAT)
They might ' got shot. But they weren't
A
gonna do that. . .
She looks up
ANGIE
They' re not what I'm afraid of, Patrick.
CUT TO:
EXT. DUDLEY SQUARE, ROXBURY - MORNING, ESTABLISHING
A big bus station. The place bustles with activity. Patrick
and Anqie walk through.
EXT. SILVER SLIPPER RESTAURANT - MORNING
Patrick and Angie walk by a MURAL painted on the side of the
restaurant, turn the corner and head into the diner.
OMIT
INT. SILVER SLIPPER DINER, ROXBURY - MORNING
Patrick and Angie enter to see TWO MEN seated in a booth.
REMY BRESSANT, (55) still very tough and wound very tight.
NICHOLAS POOLE (58) is chubby and affable -- the 'good cop'
when they do the routine.
Patrick and Angie approach them. Poole is finishing a joke.
BRESSANT
Can I help you?
PATRICK
Detective Bressant?
BRESSANT
That's right.
Slightly confused looks exchanged.
PATRICK
Patrick Kenzie. You just called me...
Bressant smiles, a little embarrassed. They get up and
introduce themselves.
BRESSANT
Oh, sorry. Detective Sgt. Remy Bressant.
POOLE
Shit.
(beat, rising to shake)
Detective Nick Raftopolous. Call me
Poole .
PATRICK
This is Angie Gennaro.
ANGIE
Is something wrong?
POOLE
(waves off concern)
No. No. I was just--
BRESSANT
We were expecting an . . . older couple, I
guess.
ANGIE
Life's full of surprises.
Poole stifles a small, good-natured laugh.
POOLE
(INDICATED BOOTH)
Have a seat.
INT. THE SILVER SLIPPER MOMENTS LATER
-
THREE MUG SHOTS slide across the table:
CORWIN EARLE: 30s; 5'10" and rail thin. His eyes bulge
POOLE
This is the lead we're working: Corwin
Earle.
BRESSANT
Serial molester, recently work-released.
Went AWOL around the time Amanda
disappeared.
POOLE
Known associates: Leon Trett and his
handsome wife Roberta. Apparently, The
three of them have some kind of Addams
Family thing goin' on.
LEON TRETT, 50s; mouse-faced and hostile.
ROBERTA TRETT, 50s; a frightening woman: 6 ' 330. She has the
'
shoulders of a bank vault and a thin goatee.
PATRICK
Jesus.
POOLE
The Trett's were released six, and eight
months ago respectively. They have drug
habits. We don't know where they are-but
we think Corwin' s with 'em. Jailhouse
snitch claims Corwin confided when he got
out he was going to move in with his
'family . '
BRESSANT
He was gonna find him a kid he could keep
in the house and have sex with.
PATRICK
Sounds promising.
BRESSANT
Not for Amanda it doesn't.
PATRICK
That's not what I meant
ANGIE
Is this who you think has Amanda?
POOLE
(FROWNING)
Well, they' re just suspects and there's
some holes in the theory. Corwin likes
boys. And he likes 'em seven to nine.
A pause.
PATRICK
(INNOCENTLY)
That's what you got? There are no other
suspects?
BRESSANT
(OFFENDED)
Yeah. That's it. A convicted finger
blaster who plans to keep a pre-teen at
the foot of his bed and just cut off his
ANKLE BRACELET--
POOLE
Take it easy, Remy--
BRESSANT
--Who the fuck is this guy? You're here
because Jack Doyle had us extend you a
courtesy. You got something to
contribute, be my guest. Otherwise go
back to your Harry Potter book.
PATRICK
I think you misunderstood my tone,
sergeant detective.
They gauge one another.
ANGIE
Isn't it usually someone who knows the
victim?
POOLE
I think Helene McCready has plenty of
people in her life capable of this.
PATRICK
I'm sure you've interviewed Ray Likanski.
POOLE
Who?
PATRICK
Ray Likanski. Skinny Ray?
(BEAT)
No?
BRESSANT
Never heard of him.
PATRICK
Well, with all due respect, we might be
able to contribute on that point--
POOLE
How' s that?
PATRICK
The night Amanda went missing Ray was
doing coke at the Fillmore Lounge for two
hours between eight and ten.
BRESSANT
Fascinating.
PATRICK
With Helene McCready.
Poole and Bressant are genuinely surprised by this.
POOLE
She did bullshit us...
BRESSANT
(TO POOLE)
We need to straighten her out.
ANGIE
Why would she lie about that?
POOLE
'Cause it's fucking embarrassing.
They go for their coats. Patrick takes the MUG SHOTS.
PATRICK
I'll just grab a copy.. .
As they stand, getting their things, Angie turns to Remy.
PATRICK (CONT' D)
What kind of name is Bressant?
BRESSANT
The kind they give you in Louisiana.
PATRICK
I thought you were from here.
BRESSANT
Depends on how you look at it. You might
think you're more 'from heref than I am,
for example-- but then again, I been
living here longer than you been alive.
(BEAT)
So who's right?
Patrick shakes his head.
PATRICK
I'll have to mull that over.
He takes the photos.
PATRICK ( CONT ' D)
We'll meet you over there.
CUT TO:
TRETT PHOTOS ROBERTA'S FACE
-
BUBBA (O.C.)
What the fuck makes you think I know
people like this?
INT. BUBBA'S LOFT - MOMENTS LATER
Reveal BUBBA ROGOWSKI. He is around 30 and hard. He has a
calm opacity which belies his strength. His loft is spare and
industrial.
PATRICK
I know you don't pay your rent doin'
peoplers taxes.
BUBBA
I don't do it sellin' penny rocks to wall-
eyed child molesters neither.
PATRICK
Just this one, Corwin Earle, is a
molester. He might be staying with the
other two baseheads. Just if you hear
somethin' .
BUBBA
What are you two? Crime dogs now?
PATRICK
We got hired to help find that little
girl.
BUBBA
Oh yeah? Good for you. What happened?
ANGIE
Turns out the mother was down the
Fillmore all night when her kid was
taken.
PATRICK
With Skinny Ray.
BUBBA
Fuck him.
PATRICK
I thought you were down with them.
BUBBA
With Ray? He works for the Haitian.
PATRICK
Ray works for Cheese?
BUBBA
(with a lack of regard)
Ray, Chris, Cheese, the whole trash
picker crew.. .
ANGIE
You ever sell to Helene?
BUBBA
There's reasons why there aren't three
inches of plexiglass between us right now-
-two of them being I don't deal with
coconuts like Cheese and skeezers like
Helene.
(beat, ruefully)
Because I'm the one-eyed man in the
kingdom of the fucking blind.
Bubba SLAPS his hand over one eye. Angie smiles. Patrick is
on his way out.
EXT. BUBBA'S LOFT - DAY
Patrick comes down the stairs with Angie behind. He is on the
cell phone, walking past the auto body shop.
PATRICK
(ON PHONE)
Detective, how well do you know Cheese
Jean Baptiste?
INT. HELENE'S APARTMENT - LATER
HELENE
Who?
Bressant and Poole question Helene who sits at the kitchen
table. Patrick, Angie, Bea and Lionel stand by.
POOLE
"Cheese" Jean Baptiste.
HELENE
It sounds familiar . . .
BRESSANT
It don't "sound familiar," Helene. He's
a violent, sociopathic, Haitian criminal
named "Cheese." Either you know him or
you don't.
LIONEL
Who is he?
BEATRICE
He's a drug lord or something, isn't he?
LIONEL
Who is he?
HELENE
He's just a guy, Lionel.. .
BRESSANT
Ask his homey here.
PATRICK
(taken off guard, what?)
He ain't my homey.
BRESSANT
Hard to keep track with you people.
Bea looks to Patrick, who shakes his head at Bressant.
POOLE
He is, among other things, a drug dealer,
Mrs. McCready.
LIONEL
What other things?
HELENE
I don' t know. . .
BEATRICE
Why don't you answer your brother's
questions, Helene?
HELENE
Why don't you go suck a nigger's dick,
Bea?
Lionel's FIST hits the table.
LIONEL
You listen to me. You don't insult my
wife! And you don't make racial remarks
in my kitchen. Who is this man?
POOLE
He's a drug dealer, a pimp, a
PORNOGRAPHER--
LIONEL
You associate with a pimp?
BEATRICE
A pornographer, Helene . . .
POOLE
And we think he rolled Pokey Jackson up
in a carpet and shot him in the head on
Castlegate.
(BEAT)
So there's that, too.
Bea canft fathom what shefs hearing.
BRESSANT
What do you do for him?
She sighs.
HELENE
I just mule.
(impresses upon them)
Occasionally, and not making a habit out
of it.
BEATRICE
Jesus, Mary & Joseph. What is that,
Lionel?
LIONEL
It means she's a drug runner. She carries
drugs. Isn't that right, Helene?
HELENE
A few times.
BRESSANT
Where?
HELENE
Providence . . . Does it matter?
LIONEL
For what?
HELENE
For fuckfs sake, Lionel. What do you
think? Money. A taste . . .
LIONEL
Of what, drugs?
HELENE
Yeas, Lionel.
BEATRICE
What kind of drugs?
HELENE
Yay, ron. . .
BEATRICE
What does that mean?
POOLE
Cocaine and heroin.
BEATRICE
No, we would have seen the tract marks--
BRESSANT
Not if you snort it, right sugar?
HELENE
Less addictive that way.
Helene gets up and gets a beer. It's 10:15 am.
INT. HELENE'S LIVING ROOM - LATER
The conversation has moved to the living room. The same
participants, but the collection of EMPTY BEER CANS
surrounding Helene suggest she's loosened up some.
Patrick peers out the WINDOW to see the CIRCUS below (POV)
BRESSANT
I don't know Helene. I keep thinking
about this thing I heard. You know where
I'm going with this?
HELENE
No.
BRESSANT
Did you know I used to work DCU?
HELENE
I give a fuck.
BRESSANT
Right. So, I still know some of those
guys real well. Anyway, I heard that
someone ripped Cheese off on a New
Hampshire run. You didn't hear that, did
you?
Angle on Patrick and Angie.
HELENE
No.
BRESSANT
Care to take a polygraph?
HELENE
(PROUDLY)
Already passed.
BRESSANT
Different questions this time.
POOLE
How much you take, Helene?
Nothing. Angle on Patrick.
POOLE (CONT'D)
It's all right. We don't care about
hopheads beatin' each other. We care
about your daughter.
(GENTLY)
Come on. How much?
A beat.
BRESSANT
You want Amanda back or not?
Silence in the room.
BRESSANT (CONT'D)
Do you give a fuck about your kid?
Another beat.
POOLE
We know you took the money. How much did
you take?
BRESSANT
rising, scary)
How much?
She takes a pull on her beer. Looks around. Fuck it.
HELENE
Ninety five.
The room goes quiet.
LIONEL
Hundred?
HELENE
rolls her eyes)
Thousand.
BEATRICE
Nintey five thousand dollars?!
HELENE
Yeas, Bea!
BRESSANT
Howrd you do it.
She exhales a long thread of smoke.
HELENE
Two weeks ago me and Ray did a run up
Nashua to drop four keys on some bikers.
When we was walking back through the
motel with the money, all these cops
swooped in and went for the bikers.
Amanda was with us so we pretended to be
like a family and they went right past
us. So we just-- got in the car and took
off.
BEATRICE
You took Amanda with you?
HELENE
What am I gonna do? Leave her in the car,
Bea?
BEATRICE
(shakes head, plainly)
You are an abomination. God as my
witness.
HELENE
(GETS 'EMOTIONALR)
You know what, Bea? It's hard bein' a
mother. It's hard raisinf children.
(beat, pointedly)
And if God made you barren then you
can' t judge me. 'Cause you wouldnrt
fuckin' know.
By Bears silence, and the narrowing of her eyes, we presume
this to be a low blow and that Bea can't have children.
BRESSANT
Hey.
(snaps fingers at Helene)
Right here. What happened?
Helene takes a pull from her beer.
HELENE
When we was driving back. Ray's like,
'everyone's gonna think the cops got the
money too.'
BRESSANT
You told Cheese the cops got it?
PATRICK
But you and Ray kept the money?
HELENE
This whole fuckin' thing is Ray' s fault.
Reactions to this realization.
POOLE
Where's the money now, Helene?
She looks at him.
BRESSANT
You want to find your daughter?
HELENE
Of course.
POOLE
Then you need to tell us. Where is it?
HELENE
With Ray.
BRESSANT
And where's Ray?
HELENE
Chelsea.
BEATRICE
Three days, Helene? You've known this?
And she could be alive?
BRESSANT
Let's go.
(INDICATES PATRICK)
She rides with you. I don't want her in
my car.
ANGIE'S CAR, CHELSEA - DAY (MOVING)
INT PATRICK &
Patrick drives. Angie rides shotgun. And Helene slumps in the
backseat.
They drive without saying anything. Helene looks up at
Patrick.
PATRICK
Helene, you went to St. Mark's?
HELENE
Yeah. Did you?
PATRICK
I was freshman when you were a senior.
You were with Scott Flaherty?
HELENE
Oh, him? He stabbed a foreign exchange
student in the chest. Got life. He's a
faggot now.
Beat.
PATRICK
Seemed like he was already a faggot in
high school.
She laughs.
HELENE
You're terrible.
She smiles,
PATRICK
How did the money end up with Ray in
Chelsea? I thought you went home after.
HELENE
We dropped off Amanda, went back to Ray's
then fuckin' retarded Ray left his rock
at my place-- right then I was like 'I'm
dropping this motherfucker, I don't care
if he does have a big dick' so we went
back to the apartment, he was, hollerin'
and gonna wake up Amanda, who needs her
sleep, so we went back to Ray' s. Ray' s
mother's, whatever. I don't know where
the mother is but she left all her
fuckin' cats and it smells like cock in
THERE--
PATRICK
Cheese never contacted you? They never
left a note?
HELENE
No. We never heard nothin' from them.
That' s why Ray said don' t say shit .
Patrick and Angie look back and forth.
ANGIE
You didn't think it was worth it, for
your daughter's sake, to tell people what
happened?
(BEAT)
Cheese has your kid right now. God
fuckin' knows what he's doing to her.
What do you think Amanda would give to
come home ?
HELENE
What am I gonna do? Call Cheese and be
like-- do you have my daughter? 'Cause I
ripped you off and I'm just checkin'?
Patrick says nothing.
HELENE (CONT' D)
(DEFENSIVE)
Am I gonna tell the cops "I run heroin in
case that' s irrelevance?"
PATRICK
The cops never asked you about Cheese
before?
HELENE
No.
PATRICK
What if Ray already spent the money?
A beat.
HELENE
Nigga, please. I hid it.
She rolls her eyes.
HELENE (CONT' D)
Pull over.
CUT TO:
INT RAY'S HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER
All, save Helene, stare at something just off camera. Angie's
hand to her face. They register a beat of stunned silence
BROKEN BY :
BRESSANT
Christ. . .
ANGLE ON : RAY LIKANSKI ' S DEAD BODY.
He has been tied to a chair in his kitchen. Gunshots are what
killed him and the condition of his corpse suggests death
came as a relief.
There are FIFTEEN CATS wandering around the house, meowing.
BRESSANT (CONTFD)
They tortured him.
POOLE
Looks like he held out pretty long.
PATRICK
He didn' t have it.
POOLE
Huh?
PATRICK
He couldn't tell them where it was 'cause
he didn't know. Helene hid it.
Bressant chuckles.
BRESSANT
Ray made poor relationship choices.
PATRICK
(re: Ray's body)
Guess they didn't believe him.
POOLE
Poor prick.
HELENE (0.3.)
(ENTERING)
I'm not waitin' in the fuckin' car--
She sees Ray and holds her hand to her mouth. It's unclear
whether she is about to cry or vomit. Whichever it is, she
runs out into the backyard to do it.
Patrick goes after her.
EXT. RAY'S BACK YARD --MOMENTS LATER
Helene's make-up is a mess. Patrick stands next to her.
PATRICK
It's okay . . .
HELENE
I just want my daughter home with me.
PATRICK
Did Cheese know you were on the ride with
Ray?
HELENE
I think so.
PATRICK
Okay . . . Where's the money, Helene?
Poole and Bressant emerge from the house.
HELENE
Right here.
PATRICK
Where?
HELENE
I buried it when Ray was passed out.
EXT. RAY'S BACK YARD - LATER
CLOSE ON: A BAG IN A FRESHLY DUG HOLE IN THE DIRT.
POOLE
What was that book about 'everything you
need is in your own backyard?' It's a
French book.
He pulls a DUFFEL BAG from the ground. He opens it to reveal
NINETY FIVE THOUSAND IN CASH.
BRESSANT
That wasn't a book. It was a cartoon
Helene knows.
HELENE
Fuck you.
ANGIE
So, you bring in the FBI at this point?
BRESSANT
That's the worst thing we could do.
ANGIE
Why is that?
BRESSANT
'Cause I don't want Cheese to open a bag
full of newspaper and kill Amanda.
ANGIE
It ' s kidnapping.
BRESSANT
I don't see a note.
(turns To Poole)
You see a note?
POOLE
Nope.
BRESSANT
We're investigating a missing children's
case. Has nothing to do with kidnapping.
He turns to Patrick and Angie.
BRESSANT (CONT' D)
Fastest way Amanda gets home is we go to
him, swap the money for her and walk
away.
POOLE
So everyone keep their mouths shut.
(BEAT)
Helene.
HELENE
(to Patrick, looking for help)
Do you know Cheese?
PATRICK
When we were ten. He hardly spoke
English. His brother Jude was a sweet
kid.
(BEAT)
Cheese went another way.
HELENE
He wouldn't hurt her, right?
POOLE
(INDICATES HOUSE)
Ask Ray.
ANGIE
(TO HELENE)
You know how he got his name?
HELENE
No.
ANGIE
He moved here when I did. There was a lot
of tension between black American kids
and Haitians-and he got it the worst.He
had no running water at home. This one
girl was on him real hard 'cause he
smelled bad, calling him 'cheese.' All
of a sudden, he breaks a bottle, holds
her down, and carves the word Cheese in
her face. She lost an eye. Someone found
it on the sidewalk the next day.
PATRICK
And the name stuck.
ANGIE
But I'm sure Amanda will be fine.
BRESSANT
Just keep your mouth shut, okay? We can
get her back. It'll be fine. I have no
fear of this idiot.
HELENE
(TO BRESSANT)
You're gonna talk to him?
BRESSANT
That's the next step, yeah.
HELENE
Tell him I'm sorry. Tell him I apologize.
POOLE
Sorry goes a long way.
HELENE
(sniffles, remembering fondly)
She's a handful, that one. At least I
know she's giving them hell.
They react to this woman's feeble grip on reality.
PATRICK
What about Ray?
BRESSANT
You know what percentage of murders were
solved last year in Boston? Twenty nine.
Less in Chelsea.
POOLE
Take her home. We'll handle Chelsea.
They move to go.
HELENE
I'm hungry.
PATRICK
We' 11 get you some food.
HELENE
No, her. That's the last thing she said
to me before I put her to bed. She said,
'Ifm hungry." I mean, they fed her,
right? She's not still hungry?
PATRICK
I donft know.
EXT. HELENE'S APARTMENT - MAGIC HOUR
Angie waits in an idling car while Patrick walks Helene to
the door of her apartment.
W d o l l y w i t h them a s t h e y g e t o u t o f t h e c a r and c r o s s t h e
E
s t r e e t . A s we d o s o we p u s h i n . When we a r e t i g h t enough, we
r e v e a l Helene h a s s t a r t e d t o c r y .
HELENE
I know I f u c k e d u p .
(CRYING INTENSIFIES)
I want my d a u g h t e r b a c k . I s w e a r t o God
I ' 1 n e v e r u s e no d r u g s no more, I f 1
1 1
n e v e r go o u t , I ' 1 b e f u c k i n ' straight.
1
C r o s s my h e a r t .
PATRICK
I t ' s okay, w e ' l l f i n d h e r .
HELENE
Promise y o u ' l l g e t h e r back. P l e a s e .
PATRICK
1/11 t r y . I w i l l .
HELENE
You h a v e t o promise.
Patrick looks a t her.
PATRICK
I promise.
An i n t r e p i d FIELD REPORTER r e a l i z e s H e l e n e i s t h e r e and
t h r u s t s a MICROPHONE i n h e r f a c e .
INTREPID FIELD REPORTER
( FAUX CONCERN)
H e l e n e , w i t h t i m e r u n n i n g o u t on d a y
t h r e e , do you f e a r t h e w o r s t ? Most
c h i l d r e n missing t h i s long a r e k i l l e d .
PATRICK
( t o Helene)
Go i n s i d e .
Helene i s s c r a m b l e d , s h e makes h e r way u p t h e s t e p s . The
r e p o r t e r f o l l o w s . P a t r i c k p u t s h i s h a n d s on him.
PATRICK (CONT ' D )
Hey. Hey. Fuck o f f .
E X T . ROXBURY MEN'S CLUB ROOF- S N SETTING T NIGHT
U O
Wide a n g l e l e n s e s t a b l i s h i n g s h o t . Time l a p s e .
EXT. ROXBURY STREETS - NIGHT
Patrick and Angie roll through Roxbury, enjoying a few
withering glances directed at two white people in a late
model American car.
EXT . CHEESE' S APARTMENT, SHAWMUT AVE . ROXBURY - NIGHT
Patrick and Angie emerge from their car as Poole and Bressant
do the same. Poole lights a cigarette.
BRESSANT
Where do you think you're going?
PATRICK
To talk to Cheese.
POOLE
No you're not.
BRESSANT
Get back in your car.
PATRICK
That's a mistake. He'll never talk to a
badge. I know him. If there's a deal to
be brokered we're the ones who can do it.
BRESSANT
No. Me and Nick are handling this. This
is too important.
PATRICK
If you two go in, negotiate a ransom for
a girl, then it is kidnapping and that's
the FBI.
ANGIE
All you're gonna do is scare him and the
more scared he is the worse it is for
her.
The look at each other.
PATRICK
Do you want to get the kid back or not?
BRESSANT
I'm gonna take that as a rhetorical
question.
PATRICK
Sit fuckin' tight. We know him, he111
talk to us and we'll be right back.
CUT TO:
A PIPE BEING SMOKED. MARIJUANA BURNS
INT. CHEESE'S HOUSE, BACK ROOM - MINUTES LATER
CHEESE
Been a long time.
CHEESE JEAN BAPTISTE sits in frame. He is a wiry, intense man
who looks over Patrick and Angie suspiciously.
Along with Cheese, there are a MAN (CHRIS MULLEN, 30) and a
WOMAN (Cheese's Girlfriend, 22, from Laos) .
There are flat screen plasma TVs, piles of clothes and nearly
sixty boxes of sneakers against one wall.
Patrick and Angie sit opposite Cheese.
Cheese exhales. He gestures to his girlfriend.
CHEESE (CONT' D)
I'm a talk some private shit.
She starts to go. Chris remains.
CHEESE (CONT' D)
But don't get too far.
GIRL
You know I' 11 be right here.
He looks them over. He is languid but extremely intimidating.
CHEESE
Bitches love the cheddar.
Small laugh.
PATRICK
How you been, Chris?
CHRIS MULLEN
Better than you.
PATRICK
Good to hear it.
CHEESE
(TO CHRIS)
Be cool.
(BEAT)
Been too long not to see a fool. I give
you an audience.
(BEAT)
Go.
Patrick and Anqie exchange looks. He goes.
PATRICK
We found what you were lookin' for in
Chelsea.
CHEESE
What makes you think I am concerned with
the doings in Chelsea?
PATRICK
Cause I know one of the idiots who robbed
you lives there.
CHEESE
What idiot?
PATRICK
The one you just killed.
CHEESE
I don't know about nobody gettin' killed.
If someone robbed me and end up dead, you
know, life a ma' fucker.
He looks at Chris, they smile. Angie leans forward.
ANGIE
Cheese, I appreciate you're seeing us. I
know you're busy so we' 11 be quick.
(BEAT)
We have your money. It was buried in
Ray' s backyard.
(BEAT)
We want to give it back to you in
exchange for Amanda. The two police
outside are the only other people who
know. They're willing to risk their
careers to do this quietly and they've
sent us in here to demonstrate that.
They don't want to investigate you or
prosecute you for anything -- they just
want the girl back.
CHEESE
What you talkin' about? What girl?
ANGIE
(PATIENCE TRIED)
You know what girl. Cheese. Amanda
McCready. Who has nothing to do with
Helene stealing from you.
(BEAT)
Don't punish her for who her mother is.
(BEAT)
Tell us where to meet you, tell us what
your terms are and we'll do whatever
makes you comfortable. You'll get your
money and you made your point. Just give
us Amanda. Please.
Cheese seems confused.
PATRICK
Cheese, look at me. No one gives a fuck
what you did. I never even liked Ray.
You get the money. The girl goes home to
her mother we'll say we found her in the
bushes or whatever.
CHEESE
I donft know.
PATRICK
No. Don' t do this, bro. This isn' t the
time for that. This is where you take
the offer. It's either this real quiet
or it's ten thousand fuckin' cops kickin'
the door down and arresting everybody.
Cheese, very casually, takes a HANDGUN from out of his
waistband. He examines it.
PATRICK (CONT'D)
Yo, yo, what is this?
CHEESE
First of all, don't never come up in my
spot like that. You got my money? You can
leave that shit in the mailbox on you ass
way out. Feel me? Some other
motherfuckers let fools rob on 'em. I
don't play scrimmage-- but I don't fuck
with no kids--
Something occurs to Cheese.
CHEESE (CONT' D)
Hold up.
Cheese indicates Patrick's shirt with his pistol.
CHEESE (CONT' D)
Lift up yo shirt.
(BEAT)
What? You thought we was cool? I ain't
down with you. Don't l e t me see a wire . . .
A little taken aback, Patrick lifts his shirt up.
CHEESE (CONT'D)
(TO ANGIE)
You, too, baby. Show me them tetons.
From behind, we see her lift her shirt, exposing her bra.
Cheese seems satisfied.
He takes another whack at the pipe.
CHEESE (CONT' D)
I know one "McCready." Kept a bitch in
my stable by that name. No titties,
fucked up shit goin' on with the face--
But you give her the right shit she get
freaky. Bounce up and down on yo shit.
Pop! Pop! Go t h e w e a s e l .
He goes back for the pipe, seems to lose his concentration.
Patrick unsnaps his holster, subtly.
PATRICK
If you point a gun at her again I'm gonna
pull your fuckin' card, okay?
(BEAT)
You' re saying you didn't do it? Okay.
What other choice do I have? We'll take
your money and go along our way.
(BEAT)
But If I find out you' re lying, I'll
spend every nickel of your money
dedicated to fuckin' you up. I'll bribe
cops to go after you, I'll pays guys to
go after your crew, I'll tell everyone I
know that you're a C.I. and a rat -- and
I know a lot of people. Cheese. After
that, you're gonna wished you had
listened to me.
(MORE)
PATRICK (CONT'D)
'Cause your shitty pool-hall crime
syndicate headquarters will be raided,
your doped up bitches will get sent back
to Laos and this dumb mutherfucker
(RE: CHRIS)
will be testifying against you for a
reduced sentence while you end up in a
cell with a big motherfucker, his dick
and your Zippo 'cause from what I heard,
guys who kill kids aren't treated too
good in Concord. But maybe I'm wrong.
Maybe things are different these days.
CHEESE
Don't never speak to me that way.
(HE SMILES)
You ain't shit. Yo bitch ain't shit.
Neither one of y'all motherfuckers is
shit. Fuck both ya' 11. If you didn't have
two pig out in my meadow--! put a round
in both your heads right now.
Cheese's eyes narrow, his pupils like black pinpricks in his
irises.
CHEESE (CONT' D)
And if that girl only hope is you. I pray
for her. She is gone, baby. Gone.
He laughs.
CHEESE (CONT' D)
Out. And if I see you on the street, I'm
a get discourteous on you.
They get up.
CHEESE (CONT'D)
And get this sausage off my lawn.
He indicates Poole and Bressant who can be see through the
window, smoking on a small patch of dirt outside the
apartment.
EXT. CHEESE'S APARTMENT, SHAWMUT AVE. ROXBURY - MOMENTS LATER52
Patrick and Anqie approach Poole and Bressant. Patrick shakes
his head.
POOLE
What happened?
ANGIE
He said he didn't know anything but if we
had his money we could leave it in the
mailbox.
BRESSANT
Is that what he told you?
PATRICK
Yeah, that's it.
POOLE
He said nothing else?
PATRICK
He wants you off his fuckin' lawn.
POOLE
I thought you knew the guy.
BRESSANT
Half the guys he grew up with are
degenerates.
PATRICK
You know what the other half are?
BRESSANT
What?
PATRICK
Cops. But don't hold it against me.
BRESSANT
Nah. You know what I hold against you? We
had one chance to make this deal. You
said you knew him, you said you could do
it and you fucked it up. Now we have to
get a warrant for a tap, start
surveillance and hope to Christ we get
lucky. If that costs Amanda her life, I
won't have to hold it against you.
You'll hold it against yourself for a
good, long time.
ANGIE'S APT - NIGHT
INT PATRICK &
Patrick and Angie in their bedroom. It's late and they can't
sleep. A LOCAL NEWS REPEAT runs on the television woven into
their dialogue. In effect, it will play like background.
ANGIE
Look, the Police taking over isn't
necessarily a bad thing.
PATRICK
No?
ANGIE
They see more child exploitation in a
week than we could in a career...
PATRICK
Makes you want to have kids.
This gets Angle's attention. She looks at him.
ANGIE
Does it make you not want to?
Patrick drinks his beer.
PATRICK
There's a political party in Holland that
openly advocates pedophelia and won seats
in parliament. In America four hundred
thousand kids get abused every year.
There are half a million convicted,
registered sex offenders, two-thirds of
them for molesting children under
fourteen, there are a hundred thousand
child porn web sites. They busted one in
texas had seventy thousand members--
people who gave their credit cards . . .
There's a group, the 'Rene Guyon'
society, whose motto is 'sex before eight
or it's too late.' There's a rise in the
victimization of 'pre-verbal' children,
for the obvious reason that they can't
report their accusers. One in five
American girls is sexually abused or
victimized before they turn eighteen. But
only one third of those every tells
anyone in their lifetime that they were
abused.
She gives him a look: 'oh, really?'
PATRICK ( CONT ' D)
I read that in two minutes on the
computer while you were taking a shower.
ANGIE
And that tells you you don't want
children.
PATRICK
It tells me there aren't enough gas
chambers.
A beat.
PATRICK (CONT' D)
I' d love to have a kid.
ANGIE
Yeah?
PATRICK
I'm just not sure a kid would love to be
here.
She looks sympathetic.
PATRICK (CONT' D)
I don't want to be the guy who fucked
this up.
INT. PATRICK ANGIE'S APARTMENT, BEDROOM -MORNING
&
Patrick is asleep. Angle is on the far side of the bed.
The phone rings.
ANGIE
Yeah?
BRESSANT
Guess you did something right.
ANGIE
What ?
BRESSANT
Cheese came around. Called in and said he
wants to make a drop. Said he left
something in your mailbox.
ANGIE
Really?
BRESSANT
Well, you're gonna have to check the
mailbox yourself, but yeah.
ANGIE
Great.
BRESSANT
It is and it isn't. They tape calls
coming into the station now.
ANGIE
What does that mean?
BRESSANT
It means Jack heard about it, he wants
you down here and he's fuckin' pissed.
ANGIE'S APT - MORNING
EXT. PATRICK &
They walk out the front door and, sure enough, there is an
ENVELOPE in the mailbox. But what gets their attention is
that jammed into the box, along with the letter is AMANDA'S
BLANKET.
Patrick takes it out, hands it to Angie. They react.
INT. BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT BUILDING DAY
-
Patrick and Angie follow Devin down the hall.
PATRICK
What are you doing here?
DEVIN
When the boss wants you met, he only
sends the best.
ANGIE
Or when he wants you brought up the back
way.
Devin smiles.
DEVIN
That, too.
They walk through an area with cells in it that looks
medieval. They move through another door into a small control
room.
Then they walk into a lobby.
He comes to a stop at Doyle's SECRETARY'S DESK.
His SECRETARY, RENE ( 3 0 , attractive) seems to know Devin.
DEVIN (CONT'D)
(re: Doyle's ofice)
He in there?
She nods.
RENE
Yeah he said just let 'em in.
DEVIN
That's what he said?
She doesn't answer. Devin turns to Patrick and Angie.
DEVIN (CONT'D)
Good luck.
He starts back. They turn to the door and ENTER.
INT. DOYLE'S OFFICE - DAY
Patrick and Angie fail at entering unobtrusively. Poole and
Bressant are being lectured by Captain Jack Doyle.
Doyle turns his attention (for the first time) to Patrick and
Angie.
DOYLE
(to Patrick and Angie)
You're late.
Doyle picks up a paper TRANSCRIPT and hands it to Patrick.
DOYLE (CONT'D)
This is the transcript of a call that was
recorded coming into the station this
morning. Care to read the highlighted
portion?
Patrick reads.
PATRICK
Caller: Bitch you better have my money.
Patrick looks up. The room is quite. He continues:
PATRICK (CONT' D)
Detective Bressant: Who is this? Caller:
You know who the fuck this is, fool
(Creole curse words)- If you want that
girl back you need to meet me up Quincy
tonight. Fuck around for a minute and I
throw that girl in the lake.
DOYLE
The "lake" he refers to is the water in
the abandoned quarry.
He refers to the transcript.
DOYLE (CONT' D)
Detective Bressant goes on to make an
unauthorized ransom arrangement to
exchange Amanda McCready for a hundred
and thirty thousand dollars, tonight in
just that location.
A moment of quiet. Doyle gestures toward Bressant.
DOYLE ( CONT ' D )
After some discussion, Detective Bressant
was kind enough to produce this:
He indicates the bag of money on his desk.
DOYLE (CONT' D)
Look familiar?
Patrick and Angle offer a guilty plea by their silence.
DOYLE (CONT'D)
Seeing as you two made the initial
CONTACT--
ANGIE
Captain, we were concerned for the safety
OF--
DOYLE
I understand what your concern was. My
concern, interestingly, is also for the
well being of that child. And now that
concern has been elevated because of the
risky and ill-advised course of action
you people have taken.
(BEAT)
(MORE)
DOYLE (CONT' D)
The four of you have made me party to an
illegal activity without my knowledge or
consent and I don't fucking appreciate
it.
BRESSANT
You don't have to be party to it, sir . . .
DOYLE
The hell I don't. If I delay this now,
after this agreement, it would only
further endanger the life of this girl.
Does that sound like something you expect
me to do?
PATRICK
I'll accept responsibility for--
DOYLE
You' 11 accept-- Don' t come in here and
get noble with me. Responsibility is
earned. You can't take something you
have no shoulder for.
He gathers his composure.
DOYLE (CONT' D)
Let me see the note.
Patrick produces the note and the blanket.
DOYLE (CONT'D)
Good God.
CUT TO:
INT. TACTICAL BRIEFING ROOM - MINUTES LATER
Remy and Nick stand with Patrick and Angie going over the
RANSOM MAP which is tacked to the wall. Next to it are a
geographical survey of the quarry and a street map of the
surrounding area.
BRESSANT
They want to separate us.
He points to diverging paths on the map.
BRESSANT (CONT'D)
The note instructs you two to wait here
on the south side for Amanda and Nick and
I to be at the clearing by the edge with
the money.
( MORE )
BRESSANT (CONT'D)
(BEAT)
Once Amanda is turned over to you at your
position, call us on the radio and we'll
turn over the cash.
Doyle, having been observing, interjects.
DOYLE
This man won't come alone. Who is he
likely to bring?
PATRICK
Chris Mullen was in the apartment when we
made the offer.
DOYLE
What do you know about him?
PATRICK
Well, it was probably him that killed Ray
for Cheese. If I had to guess.
POOLE
He didn't ask you what you guessed. He
asked you what do you know.
PATRICK
I know he's a six foot, thirty year old,
caucasian heroin addict. And I know it
was him, not Cheese, who rolled up Pokey
Jackson and shot him in the head.
(BEAT)
So there's that, too.
Remy is the voice of reason today.
BRESSANT
I think we're all set here, Captain.
DOYLE
No one else knows about this, correct?
Angie has a concern.
ANGIE
I just wonder.. .
DOYLE
(turns to ask: )
Yes?
ANGIE
Are we rationalizing this? I mean,
wouldn't a hundred police up there be
better for her than the four of us?
Doyle stops.
DOYLE
What does that mean?
ANGIE
I'm asking if keeping this quiet is
better for Amanda, or is it better for
us?
Doyle is opaque.
DOYLE
Do you have any children, Miss Gennaro?
She shakes her head.
DOYLE (CONT'D)
Then you've never lost one. My only child
was murdered. She was twelve. You heard
about it?
The question is rhetorical.
DOYLE (CONT'D)
What you didn't hear, what you don' t
know, is what that feels like.
There are articles on the wall. COP FATHER OF SLAIN CHILD
VOWS: NEVER AGAIN.
DOYLE ( CONT' D)
What I live with? Is knowing my daughter
likely died crying out for me to protect
her, to come save her.
(BEAT)
And that I never came.
(BEAT)
She died afraid and alone, in a shallow
ditch bank, a few feet from the road and
not ten minutes from our house.
Silence.
DOYLE (CONT'D)
I know what it is- to lose my child.
He now gets more upset than he usually does delivering this
speech.
DOYLE (CONT'D)
God damn it.
(BEAT)
You force my hand and then question the
way I handle to it? Question me?
BRESSANT
(TO ANGIE)
No one's questioning you.
He relaxes a little.
DOYLE
I honor my daughter with this, this
division, so no parent has to live what
I've known . . .Not even a woman like Helene
McCready .
(BEAT)
THAT GIRL--
(indicates photo of Amanda)
is all I care about. And we're going to
bring her home.
EXT. AERIAL ESTABLISHING QUINCY QUARRY - SUNSET
From the sky, lit by the last slivers of light from a setting
sun, we see the Quincy quarry. It has become, in essence, a
huge lake, set a hundred or so feet into a rock quarry and
surrounded by acres of dense pine. As we travel past the
quarry, we see PATRICK'S CAR IN A PARKING LOT.
SUN JUST SET
EXT. QUARRY PARKING LOT -
The car idles. Patrick and Angie sit inside.
ANGIE
Why is he bringing us all the way up
here?
PATRICK
Dark, big, make sure he can get away.
ANGIE
No. Something's wrong.
PATRICK
All he wants is the money. He just
doesn't want to get arrested doing it.
ANGIE
They're gonna kill her. I can feel it.
He looks out the window.
EXT QUARRY TRAIL - NIGHT
Angie, Patrick, Bressant, & Poole follow up a steep incline.
Remy has the BAG OF MONEY.
POOLE
This asshole could have picked somewhere
on level ground.
BRESSANT
Keep the lights off for now.
ANGIE
Is this where all the peak rocks have
names?
PATRICK
(listing the names of the
PEAKS )
Running Tierny, Leo, Dan, Gooch, Jigger,
Goreski and runnin' Mike.
POOLE
Where'd they get those fuckin' names?
PATRICK
From the kids who died tryin' to jump off
em..
EXT. QUARRY TRAIL - MOMENTS LATER
More climbing. It starts to get steep. Some stones come loose
underfoot and trickle downhill. We see that the quarry rocks
are covered in the graffiti left by previous visitors.
They walk in silence.
EXT QUARRY TOP - NIGHT - MOMENTS LATER
They CREST the hill. The city lights are behind them and we
move to reveal the QUARRY WATER below and the edge before
them.
The path forks in two, opposite directions.
BRES SANT
(to Patrick & Angie)
This is where we part ways
POOLE
(SMILES)
Divide and conquer.
( CONT ' D)
POOLE
Be careful.
ANGIE
You be careful.
BRESSANT
Call us on the radio when you have her.
PATRICK
We will.
Bressant cranes his neck. A nervous tick. Finally:
BRESSANT
Fuck it.
And with that, he and Poole turn and head into the darkness.
- MOMENTS LATER
PATH
Patrick & Angie are on a steep incline. The vast openness of
the quarry looms on their right.
They climb still higher, finally arriving at 'rooftop.'
Patrick looks around. The view is breathtaking, but that
isn't it. It doesn't make sense.
PATRICK
How are they gonna get Amanda to us up
HERE--
A SPLASH IN THE WATER breaks the silence--
GUNFIRE and TWO MUZZLES FLASH on the opposite side.
Staccato voices come across the radio punctuated by gunfire.
POOLE ( WALKIE )
Remy, Watch out!
BRESSANT (WALKIE)
I HEARD A SPLASH!
Patrick and Angie take off running toward the gunfire.
-
EXT. QUARRY TRAIL CONTINUOUS
Patrick and Angie come flying down the trail, skittering and
falling. At one point Patrick comes perilously close to the
edge but rights himself. Their flashlights come on, bobbing
up and down frantically as they make their way back to Poole
and Bressant at a full on sprint. They can hear Poole and
Bressant out loud now, without the walkies.
POOLE (O.S.)
SOMETHING WENT IN!
BRESSANT (0.S)
NICKY WATCH OUT!
(BEAT)
THERE HE GOES!
More shots.
EXT. QUARRY, CLEARING CLIFF - MOMENTS LATER
Patrick and Angie run down the trail and approach a clearing.
POOLE AND BRESSANT are near its edge, chests heaving, and
frantically looking down into the quarry.
Patrick TRIPS and goes flying, nearly LANDING on CHEESE'S
BODY, shot dead.
ANGIE
Where did she fall!?
Patrick gets up and runs to the quarry edge.
POOLE
We heard it, too.
BRESSANT
First thing I saw was something went in.
ANGIE
Where is she?!
PATRICK
What happened?
BRESSANT
We got one, the other took off.
Patrick and Angie scour the water with their flashlights.
PATRICK
Right there!
SOMETHING IN THE WATER. A flash of something flesh-colored.
The minute she sees it, Angie SAILS OUT OVER THE CLIFF AND
INTO THE WATER.
His flashlight finds ANGIE SWIMMING DETERMINEDLY toward
something. He scans and sees what she's after: AMANDA'S DOLL
FLOATING IN THE WATER.
POOLE
Jesus.
She DIVES beneath the surface . . .
And finally emerges near the edge of the lake. She grabs hold
of an outcropping. In her other hand she holds AMANDA'S DOLL,
MIRABELLE .
We move in on Angie, clutching the nightgown and the doll --
shivering in the frigid, black water.
DISSOLVE :
INT. ANGIErS HOSPITAL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Angie is in bed watching a news report, her leg bandaged from
being slashed open on the rocks.
Before Patrick enters we move in a long lens, near macro shot
along Angie, beginning on darkness, then onto her bandaged
leg, across the arm with an IV in it, stained by iodine and
resting on her face.
PATRICK
Is your leg alright?
ANGIE
It will be. You hear anything?
PATRICK
Cops found no one up there. Shocker. I
guess as soon as they had the money,
someone shot Cheese and another guy came
out shootin'. They must have tossed her
in.
ANGIE
Why?
PATRICK
I don't know. She saw their faces. For
some people that's enough.
ANGIE
But you and me could recognize Chris.
PATRICK
Remy said the other two kids were black.
So it wasn't Chris.
ANGIE
Have they found her?
PATRICK
No, but they got divers up there now,
so.. .
ANGIE
Then she could be alive. She could be
hiding. She could be stuck . . .
PATRICK
Yeah but, the one cop told me that two
years ago some guy killed his wife and
dumped her in there-- the divers found
the body . . .but it was so dark they lost
it and then they could never find it
again. There's so many crags and
outcroppings and old cars and shit.
(BEAT)
So don't get your hopes up.
He sees she is crying.
PATRICK (CONT'D)
Oh, hey. It's okay. I know.
She bends over, more emotional pain than physical. She curls
her knee up to her chin, holds her abdomen, in obvious pain.
Patrick climbs into bed with her, wraps her in his arms.
ANGIE
I'm sorry. . . I'm sorry. .
PATRICK
Don' t say that.
ANGIE
I'm sorry.. .
PATRICK
It's okay.
We creep back slowly as the news plays.
DOYLE (ON TV)
. . . every
effort to recover her remains so
the McCready family can have a proper
burial. However this quarry is extremely
deep and treacherous. All too often she
keeps that which she takes in . . .
They cut back to the Anchor desk.
ANCHOR (ON TV)
Well, a sad end to that story, Susanne.
SUSANNE (ON TV)
Yes it is, Phil.
ANCHOR (ON TV)
Ron is next with Sports. The Bruins in
action tonight?
RON (ON TV)
Yes, they are, Phil. The B f s took a crack
at the Flyers tonight and the rough stuff
started in the first perio--
DISSOLVE
0.
PATRICK (V. )
And like that. She was gone.
PASSAGE OF TIME SEQUENCE. MUSIC OVER.
ANGIE'S APT - NIGHT
INT. PATRICK &
Patrick gets a beer out of the refrigerator.
PATRICK (V. 0. )
I tried to catch my balance, but the
world kept turning forward.
ANGIE'S APT - NIGHT
INT. PATRICK &
Patrick in the living room. The only light is the television.
ON TV: A MUG SHOT OF CHRIS MULLEN.
PATRICK (V. )
0.
Chris' run lasted a day and a half until,
from what they could tell, he ran into
someone else who wanted the money even
more than he did.
NEWSCASTER # 2
A Dorchester man was gunned down today . . .
FIELD REPORTER # 7
In the third Dorchester slaying in as
many days, 29 year old Chris Mullen was
gunned down in an apparent robbery. The
Police Commissioner defended the rising
tide of crime as a statistical abberation
tied to growing umemployment and the
humidity of an unusually sweltering
summer month.
INT. SAME - LATER
Patrick lies on the couch, heavy. The coffee table is piled
high with empty beer cans.
PATRICK (V. )
0.
You couldn't turn on the television
without another kid gone and feared
whatever. Another horror story.
NEWSCASTER (ON TV)
Missing for four days and Shrewsbury is
gripped with fear. After Jimmy Pietro's
disappearance, doors are locked and
community watch patrols are being formed--
INT. BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT BUILDING, 4TH DISTRICT - DAY
Boxes are being piled and a photo of Doyle is among them.
NEWSCASTER # 3
A chief under fire. The legendary captain
of a unit dedicated to children stepped
down today in the aftermath of
controversy.
ROAD - DAY
EXT. TOWNSEND
Doyle's 'summer cottage.' He pulls up in a Suburban and gets
out of the car. The first time we see him in plain-clothes he
looks humbled.
INT. FATHER'S FOUR BAR - MONTAGE
Bressant and Poole drink with Patrick
PATRICK
It's bullshit. He was trying to save her
life.
POOLE
They don't see it that way.
PATRICK
Can he fight it?
BRESSANT
When you gamble, you don't put money on
the table if you're gonna cry about
losing it.
PATRICK
What did he get?
BRESSANT
The dignity of early retirement-- and the
humiliation of half a pension.
PATRICK
What about you guys?
POOLE
You don't have to call Remy 'sergeant'
detective anymore.
BRESSANT
Hey look, it's patrolman Raftopolous-
They laugh.
INT. FUNERAL PARLOR BASEMENT MONTAGE
-
The small room is full of people at a wake for Amanda. Helene
sits up front with Lionel, Bea, and Dottie. Patrick and Angie
stand near the rear.
PATRICK (V. )
0.
There were others who didn't share their
gifts for stoicism.
A small mounted photo of Amanda sits in an empty and
impossibly small casket. Helene starts to rock back and
forth, then lets it go-- a fountain of grief and a future of
unending pain.
PATRICK (V. ) (CONT'D)
0.
They called off the search and issued
Helene a death certificate. She elected
to have a memorial service with a child's
casket there as a symbol. The guilt,
shame and agony inside Helene, finally
found their way out.
Helene opens her mouth with a cry, too painful for sound.
ANGIE'S APT, BATHROOM - MONTAGE
INT. PATRICK &
Patrick comes in, Angie is in the bathtub
PATRICK
Hey.
Angie doesn't say anything.
PATRICK (CONT' D)
I'm sorry.
ANGIE
It's not your fault.
PATRICK
Yeah it is. I wanted to do this.
ANGIE
I did, too.
PATRICK
I'm sorry this happened to us.
(BEAT)
I want it back like it was.
ANGIE
It' s okay.
( TRYING)
It' s just rain.
ANGIE'S APT - NIGHT
INT. PATRICK &
Patrick comes home. Closes the front door. He moves down the
HALLWAY.
PATRICK (V. )
0.
And when she didn't think I was home, or
if she thought I couldn't hear, she would
cry.
The bathroom door is closed but a sliver of light and a
shadow can be seen in the crack below.
NEWSCASTER # 2 (O.S.)
A missing boy, a bicycle, left roadside.
A tire left spinning. Wanda?
INT LIVE BOOTLEG HAPPY HOUR
-
The news plays on a TV behind the bar.
PATRICK (V. 0. )
I did the only thing that seemed to help.
I drank . . . And for a few hours the world
would go quiet and I could breathe.
Patrick sits at the bar with Bubba.
PATRICK (CONT' D)
I don't know. It just seems a little gay
to have a couch like that
BUBBA
Who are you, fuckinf Martha Stewart?
PATRICK
Do you even know who that is?
BUBBA
I know she was in the can.
He gets up, swallows the last og his beer.
BUBBA (CONT' D)
I need you to come on a ride with me.
PATRICK
Where?
BUBBA
Everett.
Beat.
PATRICK
Why the fuck you want to go up Everett
for? No parties in Lynn?
BUBBA
Something I want you to see
PATRICK
You already took me to the Portuguese
strip bar in Lynn. That place was tired.
BUBBA
You got your toast?
PATRICK
My what?
BUBBA
Your gun, dummy.
EXT. ROUTE 1A - SUNSET, MAGIC HOUR
Bubba's Navigator, full chrome package cruises down the
parkway.
INT. BUBBA'S NAVIGATOR CONTINUOUS
-
Bubba and Patrick ride silently. Patrick drinks a BEER.
EXT. EVERETT STREET DUSK
-
This used to be a neighborhood where families lived and
worked in factories nearby. The factories are long gone and
the families with them. All that remains are the ghosts of
their homes, derelict and near abandoned for decades.
They are ringed sparsely by the kind of industrial facilities
self-respecting neighborhoods won't permit.
The Navigator pulls up outside a particularly decrepit house.
INT. BUBBA'S NAVIGATOR - CONTINUOUS
Bubba takes a Beretta from beneath his seat. He checks the
clip. Patrick gives him a look.
BUBBA
Calm down. I'm doing you a favor.
PATRICK
You are?
BUBBA
You were lookin' for someone. I found 'em
for you.
PATRICK
The case is over.
BUBBA
You d o n ' t c a r e a b o u t t h a t Corwin E a r l e
dude n o more?
T h i s i s a g e n u i n e q u e s t i o n . Bubba went o u t o f h i s way t o h e l p
P a t r i c k and now f e e l s a l i t t l e h u r t .
BUBBA (CONT ' D )
'Cause t h e f a t b i t c h and t h e o l d d u d e a r e
i n t h e r e . M man d i d n ' t know a b o u t t h e
Y
diddler.
(BEAT)
Watch my s i d e a n d w e ' l l r o l l u p on t h i s
f o o l and s e e i f t h a t m o t h e r f u c k e r ' s i n
there.
(BEAT)
But b e r e a d y . W m i g h t have t o g e t down
E
a n d I d o n ' t want t o s e e you g e t k i l l e d .
PATRICK
(GETTING OUT)
L e t ' s go.
He l o o k s a t P a t r i c k . P a t r i c k o p e n s t h e d o o r .
EXT. EVERETT STREET - CONTINUOUS
Bubba and P a t r i c k walk up t h e s t e p s . Bubba pounds h i s f i s t on
the door.
Two b o l t s u n l o c k w i t h a SHARP SNAP and t h e d o o r c r a c k s o p e n .
P e e r i n g t h r o u g h t h e n a r r o w o p e n i n g i s LEON TRETT.
LEON
Jerome M i l l e r ?
BUBBA
No, i t ' s t h e c o k e f a i r y . Open u p .
LEON
I g o t t h e money r i g h t h e r e .
BUBBA
Marmaduke. You t h i n k y o u ' r e gonna hand me
money on a p o r c h ? Open t h e f u c k i n ' d o o r .
A b e a t . The d o o r SNAPS o p e n . They h e a d i n .
LEON
( r e: P a t r i c k )
Who's h e ?
BUBBA
He' s your father
(moving him aside)
Look out.
LEON TRETT
Okay, chill.
INT TRETT HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Bubba and Patrick step inside. It's a dirty, grim place.
They follow Leon down a hallway and through several rooms.
Music comes from upstairs.
BUBBA
You guys startin' a band?
INT KITCHEN - LATER
Bubba throws Leon a small "taste bag." Leon tosses Bubba a
KNOT OF MONEY. Leon promptly empties the bag and snorts it
from atop his closed fist. Bubba sighs at the mess of money
he' s been given.
BUBBA
Organizational skills are poor.
ROBERTA TRETT, a LARGE and UNATTRACTIVE woman appears.
ROBERTA
I told you to call me when it got here.
LEON
It just got here.
ROBERTA
You already did some.
LEON
I did two l i n e s . That was the taste bag.
Leon gives Patrick a look: Women.
Roberta POPS Leon in the face. He holds his hand to his face
ROBERTA
That's for gettin' wise.
LEON
I said I'm sorry.
Roberta takes the bag and snorts some from her pinky nail.
BUBBA
(gives Patrick money)
Patrick, count this . . . fuckin' mess.
Bubba starts walking around.
LEON
Where's the rest?
Bubba looks into the next room.
BUBBA
(OFFHAND)
Soon as he's finished counting.
Roberta and Leon exchange a look.
PATRICK
A hundred. One fifty . . .
ROBERTA
Mr. Miller. Do you mind?
BUBBA
No. I don't mind.
He walks past them and looks into the back.
ROBERTA
Excuse me.
BUBBA
I said I donrt mind.
Patrick is still counting.
PATRICK
Four eighty . . .
Leon nervously fingers a little martial arts knife.
LEON TRETT
Please donrt poke around, sir.
BUBBA
Relax.
ROBERTA
Excuse me.
Bubba keeps going, moving toward the back of the house.
LEON TRETT
Where t h e f u c k you t h i n k y o u ' r e g o i n g ?
Bubba i s h e a d i n g t o w a r d t h e s t a i r s .
ROBERTA
Excuse me!
He k e e p s g o i n g b a c k .
ROBERTA (CONT ' D )
M i s t e r M i l l e r , I ' m warning y o u .
Leon and R o b e r t a f o l l o w him b a c k t o t h e s t a i r s . Bubba l o o k s
up and b e g i n s t o a s c e n d when:
ROBERTA ( CONT ' D )
Stop!
T h i s i s a d i f f e r e n t t o n e . He l o o k s u p . She i s h o l d i n g a
c r a p p y l i t t l e REVOLVER. They have a b e a t .
BUBBA
(DEADPAN)
Patrick, shoot t h i s bitch.
She t u r n s t o s e e PATRICK s t a n d i n g b e h i n d h e r , h o l d i n g h i s
gun. He h a s d r o p p e d t h e money on t h e f l o o r .
Bubba l o o k s r i g h t i n h e r f a c e .
BUBBA ( CONT ' D )
You f a t , b u s t e d c u n t . You p u t a gun on
me, you b e t t e r f u c k i n ' u s e i t .
A beat.
BUBBA (CONT ' D )
You d o n ' t want t o s h o o t h e r , Patrick?
She r u n s o u t o f o p t i o n s .
ROBERTA
J u s t give us t h e fuckin' wizza.
BUBBA
What t h e f u c k i s a ' w i z z a ? '
Bubba h e a r s s o m e t h i n g a t t h e t o p o f t h e s t a i r s .
BUBBA ( CONT ' D )
Who's t h i s ?
Corwin E a r l e h a s c r e p t i n t o t h e room and i s p e r c h e d a t t h e
t o p o f t h e s t a i r s . He w e a r s a SILVER C H A I N AND MEDALLION
around h i s w r i s t .
ROBERTA
Corwin, go b a c k t o y o u r room.
He s l i n k s o f f . Bubba and P a t r i c k t r a d e l o o k s .
ROBERTA ( CONT ' D )
Give u s what we p a i d f o r .
Bubba t h i n k s .
BUBBA
How much money was t h a t , P a t r i c k ?
PATRICK
A thousand.
Bubba r e a c h e s i n t o h i s p o c k e t and p u l l s o u t a b a g . He EMPTIES
I T ON THE H L W Y FLOOR.
AL A
BUBBA
T h e r e you go, l a d y .
He s t a r t s o u t . P a t r i c k moves t o f o l l o w .
BUBBA (CONT ' D )
( t o Patrick)
Where you g o i n ' ? P i c k up t h e money.
BOOM. A TRUNK OPENS AS WE CUT T THE NEXT SCENE
O
EXT. TRETT HOUSE - MINUTES LATER
POOLE and BRESSANT who r i f l e t h r o u g h t h e i r t r u n k , p u t t i n g on
v e s t s and r e a d y i n g t h e i r weapons.
PATRICK
T h e r e ' s a t l e a s t two guns i n t h e h o u s e .
R o b e r t a ' s c a r r y i n g h e r s on h e r .
BRESSANT
What e l s e ?
PATRICK
They're d e f i n i t e l y high.
BRESSANT
On w h a t ?
PATRICK
Cocaine.
BRESSANT
(WINKS)
That what your 'friend' told ya?
POOLE
SWAT will be here in five minutes.
PATRICK
You're not gonna wait for them?
BRESSANT
(TO PATRICK)
Did you or did you not tell me that you
saw Corwin Earle with the medallion of
St. Christopher on his fucking wrist?
PATRICK
I think it was a medallion.
(BEAT)
It was definitely Corwin Earle.
BRESSANT
We' re not waiting.
Poole cocks the shotgun. Bressant picks up the radio in his
car.
POOLE
Stay here. Don't fuck around.
BRESSANT
(rapid fire cop speak)
290, German Road. Suspect 1860 moving in
now. Possible captive in danger.
Bressant throws the radio on his seat and starts for the
house. As he goes, he turns back to Patrick.
BRESSANT (CONT' D)
(GENUINE)
Nice job.
As they reach the sidewalk out front, Bressant cuts across
the yard toward the side of the house. Poole heads for the
front door.
Bressant does a ONE ARM COCK of the shotgun before
disappearing from Patrick's sight.
EXT. TRETT HOUSE CONTINUOUS
-
Poole rings the buzzer and steps back..
SHOTS FIRE THROUGH THE DOOR and clip into Poole. It seems
almost too clumsy to be real. He falls over, holding his
neck.
A moment of STUNNED SILENCE, then:
Patrick runs from the car. Staying low, he races for the
cover of the FRONT YARD OF THE HOUSE.
BANG-BANG-BANG-BANG-BANG-BANG
Patrick TRIPS taking cover and is splayed across the muddy
grass, looks over his shoulder.
Patrick reaches Poole and lies on top of him. He messily
checks for a pulse, gets smeared with blood.
Poole is torn up. Several rounds hit where the vest wasn't,
including his neck. He grunts. Patrick fumbles for his cell
phone.
PATRICK
There's an officer shot. Shots fired. An
officer down at
(he looks up at the door)
Two-nine-zero German St.
Patrick hears shots from inside. He leaves his phone by Poole
and heads inside.
HOWLING can be heard from within.
INT TRETT HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
The foyer floor is spattered with blood. He cautiously moves
forward.
Into a completely bare room. He moves to the hallway.
Just inside the hall a BODY lies motionless on its stomach.
Patrick inches through the door, crouches next to the body,
and cranes his head. It's Leon Trett: DEAD.
Patrick momentarily pauses to examine Leon.
BOOM
A GUNSHOT explodes and a SLUG rips into the wall above
Patrick's head, showering him in plaster.
Looking up, he sees Roberta Trett at the far end of the hall
gripping her revolver.
BOOM BOOM, two more shots bury into the wall.
ROBERTA
(ENRAGED)
GET AWAY FROM HIM! GET AWAY FROM LEON!
She CHARGES. Patrick whips open a door opposite the one he
just came through and leaps out of the hallway . . .
And TRIPS up a staircase SMACKING HIS FACE against the
--
wood. . .
Roberta FIRES UP AT HIM. He scrambles up the stairs and
crashes his body against a STEEL DOOR at the top. It flies
open and he tumbles through.
INT. CORWIN'S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
Patrick spins over and kicks the door closed. He springs to
his feet, throws his body against the door, and locks it with
the heavy DEAD BOLT on the POLICE DOOR.
WHAM. Roberta slams into the other side of the door with
everything she's got. She does it again, WHAM. And again,
WHAM. But the door holds. Patrick turns to survey his
surroundings.
Patrick moves to ANOTHER ROOM outfitted with a COFFEE TABLE
piled high with empty beer cans, a frayed COUCH, a small TV.
The room connects to a small BEDROOM. Patrick steps toward.
A SOILED, BARE MATTRESS lies in one corner.
Patrick steps in, his gun raised . . .
And finds himself staring directly into the face of:
CORWIN EARLE.
Crouched on the floor, naked from the waist down and wearing
a half-shirt. His stare is bug-eyed & frightened.
Corwin stares at Patrick, scared.
PATRICK
Don' t move.
CORWIN EARLE
It was an accident.
He looks up at Patrick like a whipped dog, eyes shifting
nervously to the door.
Patrick cautiously pushes open the door to the bathroom.
He looks in the sink. There are bloody children's underwear
soaking.
Then Patrick looks in the BATHTUB.
BLACK.
And sees, curled in the fetal position, SAMUEL PIETRO,
gagged, bound and suffocated. His bluish face frozen in a
scream.
BLACK.
The blood rushes from Patrick's head. He retches violently.
BLACK
Close on Corwin, really scared. Really sorry.
CORWIN EARLE (CONT' D)
I didn't mean to.
BLACK.
He stands over Corwin Earle and pulls back on the trigger. It
takes longer and requires more strength than he thought it
would to fire.
BANG
Patrick FIRES A ROUND into Corwin Earle's head.
BLACK.
INT TRETT HOUSE MOMENTS LATER
-
Patrick stands in the threshold of the police door staring at
the mammoth corpse of Roberta Trett, which lies at the bottom
of the stairwell. Bressant stands over her. He looks up at
Patrick.
BLACK.
EXT. TRETT HOUSE - NIGHT
Patrick stands with officers who take his statement.
BLACK.
A tiny BLACK BODY BAG is wheeled past Patrick on a gurney.
BLACK.
INT HOSPITAL HALLWAY - NIGHT
Patrick walks a BRIGHT SHADOW-LESS CORRIDOR.
&
INT. I.C.U. NIGHT
-
Patrick approaches the room where Poole is buried in tubes
and surrounded by family. His wife and two daughters look up
at Patrick.
BLACK.
NIGHT
INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY -
Patrick stands, looking out a window into black. We hold his
face and it's reflection in the glass: a two shot.
In the reflection, we see Angle come up behind Patrick and
put her arms around him. We dolly over to make them a 2-shot.
ANGIE
Hey. . .
She puts her hand up to his face, the side of his head.
ANGIE (CONT' D)
Are you okay?
He looks out through the glass.
PATRICK
No.
She looks at him. Feels him.
PATRICK (CONT'D)
(BEAT)
Nick got shot.
ANGIE
I h e a r d . How i s h e ?
PATRICK
He's i n w i t h h i s f a m i l y .
ANGIE
You found t h e boy?
PATRICK
I g o t wet t o d a y .
ANGIE
I know.
(BEAT)
I ' m p r o u d o f you.
P a t r i c k l o o k s a t h e r , s u r p r i s e d by t h i s .
A N G I E (CONT' D)
T h a t man k i l l e d a c h i l d . He had no r i g h t
t o live.
P a t r i c k t u r n s around t o f a c e h e r .
PATRICK
You're p r o u d o f me?
ANGIE
Of c o u r s e I am.
(BEAT)
You d i d what you had t o d o . Now l e t ' s go
home .
PATRICK
I need t o s t a y h e r e f o r a w h i l e .
ANGIE
Why?
PATRICK
Go home. I ' l l b e back t h e r e soon.
ANGIE
Are you s u r e ?
PATRICK
Yeah.
(BEAT)
I want t o be h e r e now.
He nods, l o o k i n g b a c k o f f i n t h e d i r e c t i o n o f t h e window.
ANGIE
Okay. I'll be at home.
EXT HOSPITAL - LATER
Patrick exits the front door of the Hospital and walks toward
Remy, drinking from a bottle in a paper bag, who looks up at
Patrick.
BRESSANT
It's fucked up, right?
PATRICK
They tell you anything about Nick?
BRESSANT
They say he could be okay. I don't know.
Bressant hands Patrick the bottle. Patrick sits down next to
him. There is a beat. He drinks.
PATRICK
How old did they say the kid was?
BRESSANT
Seven.
PATRICK
Second grade.
BRESSANT
You should be proud of yourself. Most men
would have stayed outside.
PATRICK
It doesn't matter.
BRESSANT
( KNOWING)
Yes it does.
PATRICK
I had a priest who always said, "shame is
God's voice telling us where we did
wrong. "
BRESSANT
Fuck him, you did good.
PATRICK
Murder is a sin.
BRESSANT
Depends on who you do it to.
PATRICK
(QUIET MATTER-OF-FACT)
It don't work like that. It is what it
is.
Bressant sees Patrick is struggling.
BRESSANT
I planted evidence on a guy once.
(BEAT)
We got a call from our pal Ray Likanski.
Back in '95 we were paying a hundred an
eight ball to snitches. He couldn't find
enough guys to rat out. Anyway, he tells
us there's a guy pumpin' out of an
apartment in Colombia point. Me and Nick
go in-- this was fifteen years ago; when
Nicky went in, it was no joke.
(BEAT)
So it's a stash house, the old lady is
beat to shit and the husband is mean,
cracked out, tries to give us trouble.
Nick takes him down. We' re doin' an
inventory but it looks like we missed it
cause there's no dope in the house. I go
in the back room, now this place was a
shit-hole, mind you, rats and roaches all
over the place, but the kid's room in the
back is spotless. He swept it, mopped it.
Immaculate. The kid is sitting there,
holding on to his Playstation for dear
life, no expression, tears streaming down
his face. He wants to tell me how he just
learned his multiplication tables.
PATRICK
Jesus.
BRESSANT
The father has the kid living in a crack
den, subsisting on twinkles and ass-
whippings and the kid is still asking me,
"is my daddy all right?"
(BEAT)
You're worried about what's Christian?
Kids forgive, they don't judge, they turn
the other cheek.
(MORE)
BRESSANT (CONT' D)
What do they get for it?
(BEAT)
I went back out and put an ounce of
heroin on the living room floor. Sent the
father on a ride. Seven to nine.
PATRICK
Think you did the right thing?
BRESSANT
I don't give a fuck. You take a side.
You beat a child, you molest a child, you
hurt a child -- you ain't on my side.
And hope you don't run into me because I
will lay you the fuck down. Easy.
PATRICK
Doesn' t feel easy.
BRESSANT
Look, was he better off without the
father? Yes. But okay, the kid might be
out there, pumpin7 with a gun in his
waistband. It's a war. Are we winning?
No.
(beat, shift)
Look, I got a great wife, money saved,
hit my 30 in three months, pick up that
pension and hail a fucking cab. Go down
TO FLORIDA--
PATRICK
'Cause a bad day in Florida--
BRESSANT
--Better than a good day anywhere else.
They share a small laugh,
BRESSANT (CONT'D)
Would you do it again? Clip Corwin Earle?
PATRICK
No.
BRESSANT
Does that make you right?
PATRICK
I donft know.
BRESSANT
Don't make you wrong t h o u g h , d o e s i t ?
He l a u g h s . T a k e s a d r i n k .
BRESSANT (CONT ' D )
When I s t a r t e d h e r e a n o l d e r c o p t o l d me:
D y o u r b e s t , l i v e w i t h y o u r r e g r e t s and
O
d i e w i t h your s e c r e t s .
(BEAT)
It's a l l I got.
PATRICK
Maybe t h a t ' s a l l you n e e d .
(RISING)
I ' m g o i n g home.
( s e r i o u s about Nick)
I f 1 s a y a p r a y e r f o r him.
1
Remy g i v e s P a t r i c k a s m i l e .
BRESSANT
Okay.
(BEAT)
You g e t t o F l o r i d a , P a t r i c k , l o o k me u p .
P a t r i c k moves o f f i n t o t h e n i g h t .
PATRICK
I w i l l . Take c a r e , Remy.
I N T PATRICK & ANGIErS APT, LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
P a t r i c k comes i n . Angie i s s i t t i n g on t h e c o u c h , i n t h e d a r k .
P a t r i c k s t o p s when h e r e a l i z e s s h e i s t h e r e .
ANGIE
love.
Hi,
PATRICK
(DISTRACTED)
Hi.
ANGIE
Howr s Remy?
P a t r i c k t a k e s a second.
PATRICK
He l i e d t o me.
INT. PATRICK ANGIE'S APT, KITCHEN
&
Patrick is up now, mind going.
PATRICK
Ray. Before he said he never heard of
him. Now he says they go back.
ANGIE
Ray Li kanski?
PATRICK
Yeah. In Roxbury he tried to tell us he
never heard of him, now tonight he said
he been snitchin' for him for fifteen
years.
ANGIE
Patrick.
PATRICK
This motherfucker lied to us about the
reason Amanda disappeared--
ANGIE
--Patrick.
PATRICK
What?
ANGIE
Let it go.
PATRICK
Let what go?
ANGIE
I don't care about Remy. I don't care if
he's crooked. We don't need any more of
this. It's enough.
PATRICK
After what we been through? You want me
to 'let it go?'
ANGIE
Yes.
PATRICK
Something has to be wrong. He lied to me.
What we've been through we deserve to
know the truth.
She looks at him.
ANGIE
Why? Why is it important? Amanda's dead-
fuck the rest of them. Crooked, liars, I
don' t care.
PATRICK
What do you want?
ANGIE
I want this never to have happened.
PATRICK
Me, too.
She turns and goes into the bedroom.
ANGIE'S APT - DAY
INT. PATRICK &
Patrick slept out on the couch. Angie wakes him, whispering.
ANGIE
Babe, Nick died.
- DAY
EXT. MOUNT AUBURN CEMETERY
Patrick & Angie are among the crowd of MOURNERS. There are a
number of WHITE GLOVED POLICE OFFICERS-- indicating this is
Poolers funeral.
Everyone is heading UPHILL toward the grave site. An OLDER
OFFICER approaches Patrick and Angie. He extends his hand to
Patrick.
OLDER OFFICER
Mr. Kenzie.
(BEAT)
Nice fuckinr job on Corwin Earle.
EXT. MOUNT AUBURN CEMETERY, POND AREA - MOMENTS LATER
Separated by a small POND, Patrick and Bressant exchange
looks. Patrick is with Angie and Remy with his YOUNGER WIFE.
As the roads meet, Patrick comes up behind Bressant.
PATRICK
I was thinking about what we talked about
other night.
BRESSANT
( l o o k i n g away)
I s a i d some t h i n g s I s h o u l d n ' t h a v e . Too
much rum.
PATRICK
(OFFHAND)
L i k e what?
BRESSANT
We're n o t h a v i n g t h i s c o n v e r s a t i o n .
F o r g e t t h e o t h e r n i g h t and w e ' r e o k a y .
A careful beat. P a t r i c k l o o k s him i n t h e e y e s .
PATRICK
What i f I d o n ' t ?
BRESSANT
( m a t t e r of f a c t )
T h a t ' s n o t a n " i f " you want t o b r i n g i n t o
your l i f e .
EXT. BURIAL SITE - CONTINUOUS
their grief still
POOLE'S FAMILY h u d d l e s n e a r t h e c a s k e t - -
h e a v y . B r e s s a n t i s among them.
The BOSTON POLICE BAG PIPERS p l a y t h e i r e l e g i a c r e q u i e m .
EXT. CEMETERY - LATER THAT DAY
The body h a s b e e n i n t e r r e d and t h e m o u r n e r s a r e h e a d i n g b a c k
t o their cars.
They s e e Devin b r e a k i n g o f f from a n o t h e r g r o u p of c o p s .
EXT. CEMETERY - CONTINUOUS
P a t r i c k a p p r o a c h e s Devin.
PATRICK
Can I t a l k t o you?
DEVIN
Yeah.
PATRICK
Not h e r e .
DEVIN
Then y o u ' r e gonna have t o buy me l u n c h .
PATRICK
A l l r i g h t . How a b o u t Leos?
DEVIN
No, come on now. I s t i l l work u n d e r c o v e r .
I c a n ' t be s e e n w i t h you where a s u b j e c t
m i g h t walk i n .
PATRICK
How a b o u t t h e C h a r t House? I d o u b t any
d e a l e r s w i l l be r o l l i n ' i n t h e r e .
DEVIN
Sounds r i g h t .
Patrick r o l l s h i s eyes.
PATRICK
I ' l l b r i n g my w a l l e t .
DEVIN
J u s t b r i n g your l a d y .
PATRICK
Not a c o n v e r s a t i o n s h e ' s i n t e r e s t e d i n
having.
INT. CHART HOUSE RESTAURANT - DAY
P a t r i c k and Devin a r e a t a back t a b l e . T h e i r f o o d h a s m o s t l y
b e e n e a t e n . Devin f i n i s h e s a s t e a k .
DEVIN
No c o p a t e t h i s w e l l s i n c e t h e y h a d t o
disband vice.
PATRICK
What'd t h e y do t h a t f o r ?
DEVIN
I t was a t t h e p o i n t where some g u y s owned
.
YACHTS
Patrick smiles.
PATRICK
You worked n a r c o t i c s w i t h Remy, r i g h t ?
DEVIN
They c a l l i t DCU. Yeah.
PATRICK
Whyfd he leave?
DEVIN
Did shit that rubbed people the wrong
way.
PATRICK
Like what?
DEVIN
Married a prostitute, for one.
PATRICK
He married a hooker?
DEVIN
You don't want to do that if you're a
cop.
PATRICK
You might not want to do it if you're a
plumber.
DEV IN
Said he loved her. Told Mike Snell to
fuck himself, put in for a transfer.
PATRICK
To Doyle.
DEVIN
They go back.
PATRICK
Doyle and Remy?
DEVIN
Doyle.brought Remy with him from
Louisiana in '72. My man Doyle rolled
into Boston as a black cop and then
married a white woman in '74.
(BEAT)
He's no joke.
PATRICK
I got that impression.
(BEAT)
You have any reason to think Remy might
BE DIRTY
Devin looks up at him, now unsure what this is about.
DEVIN
No.
PATRICK
I know h e p l a n t e d e v i d e n c e once--
Devin l o o k s a t him, a n eyebrow r a i s e d .
DEVIN
Oh, you do?
He l a u g h s a l i t t l e .
D E V I N (CONT ' D )
(SMILES)
Look. CSI i s k i l l i n g u s . Now a l l t h e s e
j u r i e s want t o know i s where t h e
microfibers a r e . C e r t a i n people a r e
w o r k e r s . They d o n ' t want t o p l a n t n o t h i n '
but.. .
PATRICK
They don' t mind i t ?
DEVIN
(SMILES)
I f n e e d b e ? Nah, t h e y d o n ' t mind i t .
PATRICK
But o t h e r p e o p l e d i d ?
DEVIN
Some p e o p l e d i d b u t Remy g o t s h i t d o n e ,
made a r r e s t s .
He s t u d i e s P a t r i c k .
D E V I N (CONT' D )
What d o you want t o f u c k w i t h him f o r ?
PATRICK
He l i e d t o me. And from what I b e e n
t h r o u g h w i t h him- h e owes me t h e t r u t h .
(BEAT)
And I c a n ' t t h i n k o f one t h i n g b i g enough
t o l i e a b o u t t h a t ' s s m a l l enough n o t t o
matter.
He l o o k s a t him. Makes a d e c i s i o n .
DEVIN
I only know one thing. And it's from
another guy, so take it as that . . .
He sighs.
DEVIN (CONT' D)
Helene and Ray took Cheese's money in
June. A week later, Remy came to a cop in
DCU, asking if anyone knew who robbed
Cheese. The story went around like:
that's how good Remy was.
PATRICK
Why?
DEVIN
'Cause our informant told us- Cheese
didn't even know the money was stolen
until two weeks later.
PATRICK
How did Remy find out that quick?
Devin stands with his coffee, laughs a little.
DEVIN
If I knew that, I wouldn't be here
talkin' to you. And be sure on how far
you want to go with this--
(BEAT)
You start investigating Police it's a
whole other level. You try to take food
out of their mouths they will fuck you
UP -
He smiles.
DEVIN (CONT' D)
Thanks for the steak.
He downs his coffee and goes.
CUT TO:
EXT. TAFT STREET - DAY
Patrick gets out of his car. He walks down the street. On the
way he passes and waves to several residents of several
neighboring 3-Deckers.
He holds his look as we travel with him.
ANGIE'S APT - MOMENTS LATER
INT. PATRICK &
Patrick is talking to Angie.
PATRICK
Trust me. I know I'm right. He lied to us
because he didn't want us to know he knew
Ray. That' s the whole thing.
ANGIE
And how is it possible that he could know
the money was stolen before anyone else.
PATRICK
The same way everyone in this
neighborhood knows everyone else's
business.
(BEAT)
Someone tells them.
She looks dubious.
ANGIE
This is reckless. It's one thing to get
obsessed yourself because that's what you
need to go through-- but this man lost,
basically, his child. If you do this, you
better fuckin' be right.
PATRICK
I understand that. I'm not asking you to
believe I'm right. I'm asking you to
believe in me.
BEA'S HOME, LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS, PRESENT
INT. LIONEL &
Lionel sits is his easy chair. It's still. We play the
conversation over him sitting there.
LIONEL
Hello.
PATRICK (ON PHONE)
Where are you. I need to see you.
LIONEL
Can it wait?
PATRICK (ON PHONE)
No.
There is a pause. Something in Patrick's tone stops Lionel.
LIONEL
Can you meet me at Murphy's Law? It's on
Summer.
PATRICK
Fifteen minutes, Lionel.
LIONEL
All right. I'm coming.
EXT. DORCHESTER ST. - DUSK SETTING IN
Colin Hay' s "The Water Song" plays.
The day has died. Muted yellow lights appear in windows. The
coming dark promises a deepening chill. Children have
disappeared from the street to wash up for dinner. Liquor
stores and nail salons are half empty and listless. Horns
honk sporadically and a storefront gate rattles as it drops.
In the faces of people on the street you can see the weight
of the morning's unfulfilled promise in the numb sag of their
faces.
EXT. MURPHY'S LAW - SUNSET
From a high angle, we see the bar.
From the car we see Patrick and Angie wait in their car
outside Murphy's Law. They see Lionel approach and head into
the bar.
INT. MURPHY'S LAW - DUSK SETTING IN
2 TEAMSTERS share a bottle of whiskey at the bar while 3
SECRETARIES chat nearby. A BARTENDER works with a WAITRESS.
Near the back door, TWO MEN throw darts.
Patrick, Angie and Lionel sit around a table in the middle of
the bar. Lionel stares at his hands.
PATRICK
How long you known Remy?
LIONEL
Detective Bressant?
(LIAR'S PAUSE)
Just, in, met him through the
investigation of Amanda.
PATRICK
That's it?
LIONEL
Yeah.
PATRICK
How long you known Remy?
LIONEL
What is this?
PATRICK
They have the internet now, Lionel.
LIONEL
(pauses -- looking from one to
THE OTHER)
You know how it is in town. Everybody
knows everybody.
PATRICK
No, Lionel. Everybody don't know
everybody.
LIONEL
What are you talkin' about?
PATRICK
Why you lyin' Lionel?
LIONEL
I'm not.
PATRICK
Do you have something to hide? Why can't
you tell me?
Beat.
PATRICK (CONT'D)
When you want to get away with a crime,
Lionel it ain't bullshitting your way
past ten questions. It's nobody asking
the first one.
PATRICK ALTERNATIVE LINE:
PATRICK (CONT'D)
You came to our house . . . .fuckin' explode.
Lionel puts up his hands.
LIONEL
Fine. Fine.
(BEAT)
I haven't been honest with you. It's
just not something I'm proud of, you
know? I was in a bar fight, in the day.
The other guy cracked his skull. At some
point, I musta said, "I' 11 kill you." So
they had me up for attempted. My word
against the other guy's. A witness
testified to my version and the jury
believed him.
PATRICK
'Cause he was a cop.
LIONEL
Yeah. He testified for me.
Angie starts to believe Lionel might be lying.
ANGIE
Why didn't you mention that?
LIONEL
I was embarrassed.
PATRICK
Bullshit. You bragged about taking a hard
bust the first day we met you.
LIONEL
No I didn't.
PATRICK
So you knew 'Detective Bressant.'
LIONEL
It's not like we were best friends.
ANGIE
(BUILDING SUSPICION)
But you lied.
PATRICK
Why did you call Remy?
LIONEL
He's a cop.. .
PATRICK
And?
LIONEL
(GETTING FLUSTERED)
The c a s e i s c l o s e d , P a t r i c k . I t ' s c l o s e d .
PATRICK
You h e a r d Helene a n d Ray t a l k i n g a b o u t
t h e money.
LIONEL
.
Come o n . .
PATRICK
I t r s a s m a l l p l a c e , t h e y were l o u d , you
h e a r d them a r g u i n g .
LIONEL
Who? Who a r g u i n r ?
PATRICK
You a n d him t o o k Amanda, t o b l a c k m a i l
your s i s t e r .
LIONEL
Why would I do t h a t ?
PATRICK
F o r t h e money L i o n e l , t h e f u c k i n ' money.
PATRICK ALTERNATIVE LINE:
PATRICK (CONTRD )
A f t e r t h e p l u g i n t h e j u g . . . .t h e n You
were f u c k e d .
ANGIE
You h a t e y o u r s i s t e r .
LIONEL
...
ANGIE
PATRICK
And you were fucked--
LIONEL
(looking f o r waitress)
Where's t h e - - why c a n ' t we g e t any--
ANGIE
L i o n e l , t e l l me what h a p p e n e d .
LIONEL
Hold o n a s e c o n d . . .
PATRICK
Coke d e a l i n ' H a i t i a n would be a n e a s y
t a r g e t f o r a frame--
LIONEL
E x c u s e me, m i s s ?
PATRICK
You t o o k y o u r n i e c e and l a i d i t o f f on a
b l a c k guy.
Lionel i s going t o break.
LIONEL
(SEEING HER)
Excuse me!
A WAITRESS g e t s t h e r e .
LIONEL (CONT ' D )
Can I g e t some s e r v i c e ?
She s t a r e s a t him.
WAITRESS
What c a n I g e t you?
Lionel t a k e s a long beat, then asks for:
LIONEL
Three s h o t s of Maker's, please.
These w i l l b e L i o n e l ' s f i r s t d r i n k s i n t w e n t y t h r e e y e a r s .
LIONEL (CONT'D)
And a Bud. T a l l .
(BEAT)
Thank you.
The w a i t r e s s g o e s t o g e t t h e d r i n k s . L i o n e l s i m p l y l o o k s a t
them, t h i n k i n g o v e r h i s s e c r e t s , wondering a b o u t t h e l i f e
h e ' s a b o u t t o l e t go o f .
LIONEL (CONT' D )
J u s t g i v e me a s e c o n d .
The w a i t r e s s r e t u r n s w i t h t h e d r i n k s and l i n e s them up i n
f r o n t of L i o n e l . He r e g a r d s t h e d r i n k s b e f o r e him f o r a l o n g
.
beat. .
LIONEL (CONT'D)
Twenty t h r e e y e a r s i s s o m e t h i n g , r i g h t ?
Lionel downs one. He feels the liquor flame through his
bloodstream.
PATRICK
Go.
LIONEL
In May I came up to check on Amanda. She
was alone, as usual. I was reading her a
story when Helene and Ray came home. They
didn't know I was there and they started
talking about how they had robbed this
drug dealer. Then they talked about
leaving the state. I called Remy and told
him.
PATRICK
Then what?
Lionel pours another shot down his throat, gathers himself.
LIONEL
Then we took her.
(BEAT)
Remy laid out this plan, it seemed easy.
We take her, force Helene and Ray to
cough up the money, and then put her
back. You know? Amanda gets a weekend in
the country; My sister learns a lesson;
And fuck it, we'll all get paid on top of
it . . . I got no problem taking money from
a guy like Cheese.
(PAUSE)
They were gonna handle the cops, but Bea
went nuts calling the papers and hired
you. Once you found the money they had
Amanda and the money. So they decided to
set up a fake exchange for you to
witness. They got Chris Mullen to set
Cheese up at the quarry for 15k and a
chance to be the boss. Even though it was
too late, Cheese figured out what was
happening and started shooting. You have
to understand, I never been around that.
Everyone was panickin' and she . . .
(A BEAT)
. . . she got scared and she ran.
(ANOTHER BEAT)
And she just fell in.
OVER THE PREVIOUS DIALOGUE WE PLAY FLASHES:
ANGIE
She was your sister's kid, Lionel.
(BEAT)
Your sister's c h i l d .
LIONEL
You don't think I miss her? She was more
my kid than Helene's.
(BEAT)
Last summer, Helene and Dottie took
Amanda to the beach. Real hot day. Amanda
fell asleep and they left her in the car
to go off with some guys in the dunes.
For two hours. Amanda literally roasted.
She was t h r e e .
He listens skeptically.
LIONEL (CONT' D)
My sister called me up later that night
because Amanda was, " b e i n q a r e a l b i t c h . "
(PAUSE)
When I got over there I found my niece in
the bathtub, schriekin' in pain and she
reeked, like beer. The best my sister
could come up with to ease her daughter's
pain was to douse her in cold beer. But
not all of it, she wanted to "save some."
Long exhale.
LIONEL (CONT'D)
Later on, I was holding her, trying to
help her sleep, and she was so hot she
felt like something just outta the
oven... Like a fuckinr pot r o a s t .
(BEAT)
So don't feel too sorry for my sister.
She never cared about anyone but herself.
108 A COMMOTION draws their attention to the front door. A MAN 108
WEARING A POPEYE MASK stands just inside the door brandishing
a shotgun.
POPEYE
(TO BARTENDER)
YOU! THE SAFE . . . NOW!
(pointing with his gun)
Right under there.
The bartender does as he's told -- sliding open a door
beneath the bar to reveal a safe.
POPEYE (CONT'D)
Everyone needs to shut up. I'll be done
in two minutes.
(to the dart players)
You get down on the floor. Hands behind
your head! Just relax.
A woman starts to panic.
WOMAN AT BAR
Oh, god, no.
POPEYE
This will all be over in a minute if
everyone stays calm.
TEAMSTER
Do you know who's bar this is, shit-head?
Popeye CRACKS the teamster in the jaw with the butt of his
shotgun.
POPEYE
Or you can get wise. It's up to you.
The bartender places a STACK OF BILLS on the bar -- 2 or 3
grand. Popeye throws a DUFFLE BAG at him and he fills it.
DART PLAYER
We got families.
POPEYE
Pipe down.
He turns to Lionel.
POPEYE (CONT'D)
What did you say?!
Nobody said anything.
POPEYE (CONT' D)
Another smart guy?
The bar is silent.
POPEYE (CONT'D)
(TO LIONEL)
You1re a talker, huh? Keep yapping
motherfucker.
WOMAN AT BAR
Stop antagonizing him! He has a gun.
POPEYE
(TO LIONEL)
You want to keep talking trash? Okay.
DART PLAYER
SHUT UP!
Even though Lionel has said nothing, every witness at the bar
would remember it this way. That Lionel had been talking and
he had been killed.
Popeye SNAPS THE ROUND INTO THE CHAMBER WITH ONE HAND.
HE CRANES HIS NECK
On Patrick, this rings a bell. From the Tretts. . .
Popeye is Bressant. Bressant levels the shotgun at Lionel.
POPEYE
(TO LIONEL)
Close your eyes, Mouth. Close 'em tight.
LIONEL
You don't have to do this
PATRICK
REMY BRESSANT.
Bressant looks at him, then sticks the shotgun between
Lionel' s eyes.
LIONEL
(his eyes shut)
Wait. Jesus.
PATRICK
Amanda McCready was taken by Remy
Bressant !
BRESSANT
Don't say that fucking name!
LIONEL
I already told him we did it for ransom.
I told him we did it for ransom!
Remy . . . Please.
Ill.
BRESSANT
Fuck. . .
His heart isn't in it. He begins to lower his gun
BANG! BANG!
TWO SHOTS HIT Bressant. He takes a beat to register this,
standing stock-still.
The Bartender is standing there with a smoking gun, in shock.
Patrick leaps out of his chair and drives his head into
Bressant's stomach. Wrapping his arms around his waist, he
plows his spine straight back into the bar.
Bressant cracks the shotgun stock down onto the back of
Patrick's neck, buckling his knees and crashing him to the
floor. He SCRAMBLES OUT the front door.
Patrick gets to his feet and looks around. Angie is okay.
Patrick turns and RACES out the front door after Bressant.
Angie goes to Lionel's side.
SECRETARY
Call 911! Call 911!
EXT STREET - CONTINUOUS
Patrick looks up and down the street, but Bressant is nowhere
to be seen. He sees a BLOODY POPEYE MASK on the ground. A
TRAIL OF BLOOD runs away from it which Patrick follows across
the street.
The thickening trail leads Patrick along the side of a LARGE
3-STORY FACTORY (in the process of being converted to lofts)
and to a DOOR near the back. Blood is smeared on the door and
a small red puddle has formed on the ground.
INT FACTORY STAIRWELL - CONTINUOUS
Leading with his gun, Patrick steps into a bright STAIRWELL.
Blood tracks up the stairs and Patrick ascends cautiously.
He climbs one flight.
And then another -- pausing on the landing. Above him, light
comes through an OPEN DOOR. He starts for it.
Patrick continues up the last few steps. He reaches the top
and peers out onto:
EXT ROOFTOP - CONTINUOUS
Patrick scans the roof for Remy. He sees nothing on his right
and turns around to his left, circling the stairwell. Behind
him we see a magnificent view of the neighborhood. He turns
another corner to see:
Bressant sits against an aluminum vent - - his head leaned
back and his eyes half closed. A ROSE OF BLOOD spreads out
against Bressant's shirt. His flesh is beginning to grey.
Patrick holds his gun on him and calls out.
PATRICK
Put the fuckin' gun down! Put it down.
Remy has his gun on his lap. He lets it fall to his side.
BRESSANT
That bartender wasn't fuckin' around.
Patrick kicks away the gun.
PATRICK
Fuck you. You let this little girl die.
You want to tell me how to live?
Patrick looks at Remy.
PATRICK (CONT' D)
'Do your best.' Fuck you, this is my
best.
Bressant wags his head a little
BRESSANT
I know.
PATRICK
You know? You let a girl go off a cliff.
What do you know? You don't know.
Bressant just smiles at him.
( CONT ' D)
PATRICK
She was a child--
Remy gives him a long, strange look. Then:
BRESSANT
Yeah.
(BEAT)
( MORE )
BRESSANT (CONT'D)
I could never have kids. I told my wife
to marry someone else. She wouldn't do
it.
(beat, distant)
I love children.
Bressant is fading. Patrick stands over him. Oddly peaceful,
Bressant gives Patrick a kind smile.
BRESSANT ( CONT' D)
I like you, Patrick. You get to Florida,
look me up.
Patrick looks at him.
BRESSANT (CONT'D)
Let me see the city.
Patrick stands there. Bressant looks out at Boston, rising
steel and glass in the setting August sun. Autumn is almost
at hand and the crispness of the air makes the view all the
more sad.
Bressant makes a guttural sound, appreciating the last thing
he'll see.
Patrick looks at him, dying. Not how he expected this to end.
CRANE starts on Remy, up to Patrick, then pulls far above
both them and the city.
DISSOLVE OVER THE ROOFTOP IN THE SETTING SUN (CRANE)
INT. POLICE INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT
Patrick sits in a chair. Present are the NEW CAPTAIN (57) and
a BEEFY OFFICER (50) with a crew cut.
They sit around a desk, informally. Patrick is not charged
with anything but rather is being questioned routinely
(hence, no lawyer) .
PATRICK
Why would I expose a conspiracy I was a
part of?
(BEAT)
Did Lionel contradict anything I said?
Did the witnesses?
The Captain stands.
CAPTAIN
A Police officer was killed today. That's
not looked on lightly.
PATRICK
Is corruption looked on lightly?
BEEFY OFFICER
You got a smart mouth.
PATRICK
How is getting a little girl killed
looked on?
CAPTAIN
We'd like to ensure that you're telling
us the truth. Is that all right with you?
Hot shit?
PATRICK
It's fine, hot shit.
CAPTAIN
So, after setting up Jean Baptiste, your
friend Chris Mullen was coincidentally
killed? And you didn't have nothing to
do with it?
PATRICK
He was probably killed by Sgt. Detective
Remy Bressant or anyone else who wanted
the 130K in his backpack.
(BEAT)
He's not my friend.
BEEFY OFFICER
You charge money as a detective. But you
were at the quarry and yet you had no
idea it was a set up?
PATRICK
I trust the Police when they tell me
something. And I had a fake ransom note
and Amanda's blanket the cops left in my
mailbox. And I heard the tape from when
Cheese, or I guess it was Chris
pretending to be Cheese, called the
station.
CAPTAIN
A 911 call?
PATRICK
No. The call into the station from Cheese
to Remy.
CAPTAIN
We don't tape calls into the station.
(BEAT)
And we don't do transcripts, smart guy.
Beat. This causes Patrick to register something.
BEEFY OFFICER
Did you hear a tape?
PATRICK
No.
BEEFY OFFICER
Did you see a transcript?
PATRICK
I must have remembered it wrong. Remy
read it to me.
The Police look at him.
PATRICK (CONT' D)
Look, I've cooperated. Unless you want me
to go out there and start calling the
papers to give 'em my Police corruption
exclusive, I'm leaving.
He gets up.
CAPTAIN
Calm down.
(BEAT)
You're released. But Mr. Kenize--
(WINKS)
I hope you don't get pulled over any time
soon.
INT. PATRICK AND ANGIE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Patrick comes into the office/living room. Angie is there.
ANGIE
What happened?
PATRICK
They kept my shoelaces.
She smiles.
ANGIE
We'll go down to Zayre's tomorrow and get
you some new ones.
PATRICK
I don't want to do that tomorrow.
ANGIE
What do you want to do?
PATRICK
Take a trip.
EXT MASS TURNPIKE - DAY
The car speeds along the empty highway, carving through thick
forests of pine trees.
Inside the car it's quiet. Patrick's stare is fixed to the
road -- the rhythm of the white lines that pulse by. Angie
rests her head against the passenger window, the BLUR of the
tree-line reflected in her eyes.
EXT . RURAL HIGHWAY - DAY
A 2-LANE ROAD winds them through rolling hills and past a
SIGN welcoming them to: 'WEST BECKETT, MA. Pop. 974' -- a
Rockwell painting in the heart of the Berkshire Mountains.
EXT TOWNSEND ROAD - MOMENTS LATER
The car rolls down a quiet road where small COTTAGES nestle
in clumps of birch and pine trees. Patrick parks opposite a
long driveway. A MAILBOX at its mouth reads: DOYLE
ROAD - AFTERNOON
EXT. TOWNSEND
Patrick and Angie sit in the car. They look down a driveway.
She takes a beat.
ANGIE
You want to tell me where our trip has
taken us?
PATRICK
You know where we are.
ANGIE
(BEAT)
He would never, ever do something to
endanger a child.
PATRICK
Are you sure?
ANGIE
Yes.
PATRICK
He was a part of it. They don't tape
calls. He handed us a transcript like it
was evidence and he knew it was a forgery-
-maybe he forged it himself. He knew
what they were doing, he supported it and
he covered it up.
ANGIE
Why? For a third of a hundred and thirty
grand? What for?
He just looks at her.
PATRICK
Had to be for something.
ANGIE
When you're talking about ruining an old
man who lost his child and gave years of
service . . . "something" isn't enough.
PATRICK
For a guy who tried to ruin us,
something' s plenty.
ANGIE
This is the kind of thing where if you do
it, you want to be sure.
(BEAT)
Are you sure?
PATRICK
No.
(BEAT)
Are you coming?
ANGIE
No.
And he goes down the road.
EXT DRIVEWAY - MOMENTS LATER
They start down the driveway towards a small, red cottage set
a hundred yards or so off the road. But after only a few
steps, they stop.
PATRICK & ANGIE'S POV: Through the trees, Doyle emerges from
the cottage. He carries 2 FULL SUITCASES to a SUBURBAN and
loads them in the back. His wife, FRANCINE, follows.
Patrick & Angie take a beat before resuming down the drive.
Only to FREEZE IN THEIR TRACKS at the sight of:
AMANDA MCCREADY CHARGING ONTO THE PORCH, clutching a BACK-
PACK, and wearing a look of utter determination.
AMANDA
Don't forget mine, gramma.
FRANCINE
I'd never forget yours, sweetheart.
Doyle lifts Amanda off the porch and carries her to the
Suburban. He dips down, allowing Amanda to place her back-
pack inside.
AMANDA
Can I have a, please a sandwich?
DOYLE
What kind do you want.
AMANDA
Grill Cheese.
DOYLE
You like the crusts on, right?
AMANDA
(thrilled with this game)
Noooo! I don't like the crusts on!
DOYLE
(FAKES REMEMBERING)
That' s right, that's right.
Patrick and Angie have ducked into the woods. They are both
in shock.
PATRICK
Jesus.
ANGIE
She's alive.
SERIES OF FLASHBACKS SHOWING WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN
EXTREMELY QUICK SUCCESSION.
-
- EXT. TOWNSEND ROAD - AFTERNOON
-1
Patrick walks down Doyle's driveway toward the car. Angie is
sitting, leaned up against the hood, he head tilted forward.
As Patrick draws near, she lifts her head up to him and we
see she has been crying.
This isn't what Patrick expected and he is taken aback for a
beat, long enough for Angie to say:
ANGIE
She's happy.
PATRICK
No.. .
ANGIE
She' s happy here.
(BEAT)
I saw her.
PATRICK
Angie, don't do this.
ANGIE
If you call the Police they'll send her
back.
PATRICK
I need you on my side.
ANGIE
I am on your side but I can't send her
back.
PATRICK
We're not sending her anywhere. That's
her mother. She has a right to her
child.
ANGIE
He's better for her.
PATRICK
Why? Because he has money and makes
sandwiches?
ANGIE
SIMPLY)
Because he loves her.
PATRICK
Helene loves her, too.
ANGIE
No.
PATRICK
She might learn from this.
ANGIE
No. People don't change.
Angle grows more impassioned.
ANGIE (CONT'D)
Helene is arsenic. She'll kill her.
She'll burn the life out of her.
PATRICK
You can't take away someone's kid.
ANGIE
I don't want to. I want to leave their
child with them.
PATRICK
~ l this time we wanted to bring her
L
home. Why is that wrong now?
ANGIE
Because I know right and wrong when I see
it.
PATRICK
I need you to understand me right now. I
need you to love me and say I know this
is a hard decision but I stand by you. I
need you to take me home and make this
okay.
ANGIE
I can do that. I can take you home and I
know how to make it okay.
(BEAT)
(MORE)
ANGIE (CONT'D)
It will be okay because every now and
again we'll talk about her and where she
might be and what grade she's in and
we'll be proud of her and that will be
okay.
(BEAT)
Because we'll know she's in a good school
and safe and has sleep overs and birthday
parties and smiles every day.
(BEAT)
And maybe sometime we'll drive out here
and watch a softball game with a teenager
in it from the back bleachers and we'll
see how much she's grown. And then I'll
take you home and we' 11 know it's okay.
PATRICK
You can't ask me to do something I can't
do.
ANGIE
You can't ask me to live with it,
She makes a plea.
ANGIE (CONT'D)
Patrick, for me. Please?
(BEAT)
I'll hate you for doing it. I don't want
to but I will.
She walks away, leaving him alone by the side of the road.
EXT. DOYLE SUMMER COTTAGE, DRIVEWAY - MOMENTS LATER
We push in, approaching Doyle who turns to see Patrick.
Doyle watches Patrick. He offers a measured greeting.
DOYLE
Patrick Kenzie. To what do I owe the
pleasure?
He holds Doyle's look.
PATRICK
Remy Bressant died last night.
DOYLE
I was told. It's a shame.
PATRICK
Hard to understand. He seemed like a
good man.
DOYLE
He was a good man. You don't know why
people do what they do. Only they see
out their own windows.
With that, AMANDA walks out the door, running to Jack and
clinging to his leg. Jack holds Patrick's look.
AMANDA
Papapa. Come make sandwiches now please.
Doyle smiles, giving away nothing of his tension with
Patrick.
Francine comes to the door.
DOYLE
(TO FRANCINE)
It's all right.
(TO AMANDA)
Go inside, my sweet. I'll be there soon
and make you a sandwich.
Francine hesitates. Doyle is gentle.
DOYLE (CONT'D)
I'm all right.
Francine takes her back inside.
A beat. Doyle smiles.
DOYLE (CONT'D)
So you know. Good for you. You
uncovered the thing men died for.
PATRICK
Men killed for.
DOYLE
I'm giving that little girl a life.
PATRICK
It's not your life to give. Helene is
her mother. You think she's a bad mother
you should have gone to social services.
Short of that, it's her mother, it's
where she belongs.
DOYLE
Turn around, get back in your car and
wait thirty years. You don't know what
the world is made of yet.
PATRICK
I know I'm tired of being lied to and
tired of being lectured by a gang of
criminals. I'm calling the State Police
in five minutes. They'll be here in ten.
DOYLE
No.
(BEAT)
You haven't made that call because you
think it might be an irreparable mistake.
Because part of you believes it doesn't
matter what the rules say. Because you
know, when the lights go out and it's
just you and your conscience you ask
yourself if she's better here or better
there, you know the answer and you always
will.
PATRICK
See you at the arraignment.
DOYLE
You can do one good pure thing here
today. One right thing. Most men don't
get that chance in a lifetime.
(BEAT)
You walk away from that, you may not
regret it when you get home, or in a year
but I promise you, get to where I am, you
will. But I'll be dead by then, you'll
be old, and she'll be trailing a ragged,
tattered childhood of her own -- and
you'll be the one who has to tell them
you' re sorry.
PATRICK
Then I guess I will. I'll tell them I'm
sorry and I'll live with it. And maybe
that will happen, what I'm not gonna do,
is have to apologize to a grown woman who
says, why did you leave me? I got
kidnapped, my aunt hired you to find me,
and you did. You found me with a strange
family but you broke your promise and you
left me there. Why? Why didn't you
bring me home?
(MORE)
PATRICK (CONT' D)
It don't matter how many outfits and
snacks and family trips we took-- they
weren't my family, they stole me and I
was raised as a stranger to myself and
the life I would have had. You knew
about it, you knew better and you did
nothing. And maybe that grown woman will
forgive me but I won't forgive myself.
Silence . . .
It hangs in the air.
PATRICK (CONT'D)
The only thing I care about is that
little girl. And I'm gonna bring her
home.
Doyle hears this. Has his reaction, something like a
sagging, an emptiness, and a resolution.
DOYLE
I STILL
Then you'll have to excuse me.
have a sandwich left to make.
He turns and walks inside.
SAME - LATER
Patrick watches from down the road. Doyle is on the porch.
Jack sits in his favorite chair. Amanda is on his lap,
facing him, arms around his shoulders, head tucked into his
neck. He slowly rocks the chair. He holds Amanda like its
the last hug of his life. His eyes are fixed on a point
somewhere far off in the distance.
Patrick takes out his phone.
In the distance sirens wail faintly, getting louder.
Just inside the door is Amanda's colorful kids back-pack, a
strange and cute stuffed snake, and Francine's bag spilling
over with zip-locked snacks and children's cups-- all the
stuff Francine had packed to make sure Amanda would have,
whereever she'd go.
Over this all, beginning faintly and growing increasingly
audible, is the inanity of the television news. It's blather
like a merciless blanket of idiocy over something hopelessly
sad.
A swarm of West Beckett POLICE CRUISERS cram the small road.
A Deputy knocks on the door. Doyle answers. He knows the
local cops' who are embarrassed to arrest him. He makes it
easy for them.
Doyle nods at the deputy with quiet acceptance and the
dignity of a man at peace with the choices h e r s made.
The DEPUTY puts a hand-cuffed Doyle into the back of his car.
Francine Doyle silently mouthing! "oh my God' oh my God."
Angie looks out from the car' past the policef past
everything.
They move to Francine to put her in a police car.
Amandal being taken from Francine' cries and reaches out to
her. She screams.
Francine is handcuffed.
Patrick tries to hold his look.
Patrick stands with a GROUP OF SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES.
He looks to Angie . . .
She doesn' t look back.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT HELENE'S APARTMENT - EVENING
The crush of media has descended outside the apartment for
footage of the joyous reunion. Helene is made up. She waits
on the curb as the POLICE CAR arrives.
Out gets a FEMALE OFFICERr holding Amandar who is terrified
by the rapacious mob of REPORTERS AND PHOTOGWPHERS.
Amanda's fear of the throng causes her to cling to Helenel
giving the photographers the shot they want.
Patrick watches from his car' parked up the block. He is
alone.
ADDITIONAL STREET MONTAGE IMAGES FEATURING PATRICK
He is in the neighborhood.
EXT. CITY STRETT - SUNSET
Patrick drives. He sees the ITALIAN MAN (Gerry Speca) and
they trade looksl once again' 40 fps as he drives by.
ANGIE'S APT - EVENING
INT PATRICK &
Patrick comes home. Boxes are packed. The place feels less
warm. More bare.
A voice from the doorway turns him around. It's Angie.
ANGIE
Sorryr I had to come back and get some
stuff.
PATRICK
It's okay.
She looks at himl almost sympathetic.
PATRICK ( CONT ' D)
Can we at least talk?
ANGIE
There's nothing to say
She smiles' maybe some water pooling at the corners of her
eyes.
After a beat' looking at herl he steps aside. She moves past
him and out the door.
ANGIE'S APTr KITCHEN - LATER
INT. PATRICK &
Patrick sits at the kitchen table.
On the TVl Helene is talking to the press. Pull back to
reveal Patrick watching her at his kitchen table.
HELENE (ON TV)
I just want to say God bless. God bless.
To all the police and . . .the firemen . . . I
just feel like nine-eleven right now...
EXT. CEMETERY DUSK
-
Watching from afar as Bressant is buried. In contrast to
Mount Auburn' this is a pitiful little place. His WIFE (the
former prostitute) and a few scant mourners stand by. A
PRIEST delivers the eulogy. It begins to rain.
END MUSIC CUE:
DISSOLVE :
INT HELENE'S APARTMENT EVENING
-
In the LIVING ROOM' Amanda is plunked on the couch staring
blankly at a SITCOMf sharing none of the studio audience's
enthusiasm.
Patrick stands just inside the front door watching her.
HELENE (0. . )
S
I'm sorry for being rude' but I gotta be
outta here in like two minutes.
Patrick doesn't answer' his gaze fixed on Amanda. She finally
looks up at him. Patrick SMILES at her.
PATRICK
Hi.
Amanda looks at him' blankly.
She returns her attention to the TV.
HELENE (0.. )
S
You think hef11 like me?
Patrick looks over to Helene standing in the doorwayf all
dolled up -- striking a pose. She wears too much makeup. Her
clothes reveal too much of what she hasn't got.
PATRICK
Who?
HELENE
My date.
PATRICK
I'm sure he will.
HELENE
Aww' you' re sweet. He seen me on my
American Victim and he wrote me letters
and I was like whatever' but then he saw
my Katie Couric and drove down here from
Providence so I was likef that's
romantic' right?
Patrick forces a smile.
HELENE (CONT'D)
Howrs your girlfriend?
PATRICK
(HESITATES)
She's all right. She's up the north shore
with her sister.
HELENE
( FLIRTY)
If she donrt get smart' I'll take you
out.
(shakes her head)
Hope she got better family than I do'
right?
Patrick forces a nod. She fastens an earring to her lobe.
PATRICK
Howfs Bea?
HELENE
I wouldn't let her in the apartment.
(JUSTIFYING)
Whatr I want to lose her again? Forget
it.
(BEAT)
She sold her unit. Moved out to fancy
pants in Melrose. Good riddance.
PATRICK
Yeah.
HELENE
Don' t think she didnft hate you for
Lionel goinr to jail.
PATRICK
Probably why she never paid my bill.
HELENE
You should fuckin' sue.
Something registers on Amanda's face when Helene says "fuck.''
PATRICK
How about youf Helene? You hate me?
HELENE
Euck no. Brother or not he took my kid.
Euck him. She could' a been hurt.
PATRICK
What about Amanda?
HELENE
What about Amanda?
PATRICK
Who's watching her?
HELENE
Dottie.
PATRICK
Dottie know that?
HELENE
She will in five minutes.
(GIGGLES)
Shit, I'm gonna be late, too.
Patrick waits.
HELENE (CONT'D)
Unless you don't mind sittin' for her?
PATRICK
Sure.
HELENE
For real?
PATRICK
It's fine.
HELENE
She likes you.
Patrick looks to Amanda. She just sits there. Watches TV.
HELENE (CONT'D)
(LEAVING)
You' re a godsend, Patrick.
She goes. And then calls out from the stairwell.
HELENE (O.S.) (CONT'D)
BYE!! !
Patrick sits next to Amanda on the couch . . . And together --
silently -- they watch TV.
Patrick sees that Amanda is holding her famous doll, the one
the papers said she loved so much, the one Angie plucked from
the quarry..
PATRICK
(RE: DOLL)
Is that Mirabelle?
Amanda looks up at him.
AMANDA
(CORRECTING)
Annabelle.
He nods. It makes sense. They turn back to the television.
PATRICK (V.0. )
I started going to Church again. I saw
them bury Remy and, for the first time in
years, maybe ever, I prayed for someone.
I did everything I wanted to do. I proved
my father wrong. I either learned my
lesson or became a man, I can't tell the
difference . Either way, all it' s left me
is the hollow, copper aftertaste in my
throat, like a vague and distant regret.
Remy was right, I know very little--but
what I do know, I am sure of: I was wrong
about that commercial. "Shouldn' t your
dog be treated like a member of the
family?" It doesn't depend on the dog. It
depends on the family.
We hold on them for an extended beat. The blather from the
television washes over them, the man and the little girl.
FADE TO BLACK
The End.
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