°A WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES* Screenplay by Scott Frank from the novel by Lawrence Block REVISED 3/7/04BLACK We hear the sound of A POLICE RADIO OVER. We then FADE IN: INT. UNMARKED POLICE CAR - MORNING Two cops. The one behind the wheel is DANNY ORTIZ -- thirties, wrapped in a nice suit, pair of dark shades atop a shaved head. ORTIZ Anyway... (shrugs) That’s all I gotta say. He turns now to the passenger seat: ORTIZ Manana. The other cop, MATT SCUDDER -- few years older with hair cut close, slept-in overcoat and no tie -- turns, looks right at us/CAMERA as he replies to his partner MATT Fuck you. He then opens his door and gets out of the car. EXT. STREET - WASHINGTON HEIGHTS - SAME As Matt kicks the car door closed with a heavy boot, then turns, doesn’t look back as the car now pulls away into traffic. Matt crosses the street to a BAR. INT. BAR - SAME Dark. Smpty. Dust motes float in sunlight that breaks from the open door as Matt enters. THE OWNER, a tubby, grey-haired man, straightens up from some chore behind the bar as Matt enters. OWNER Scudder. Matt takes the owner’s newspaper and heads straight for a booth in the back, sits down and starts to read. From the day’s headlines, the sharper among us may pick up that we’re several years back in time. We then CUT TO: A CLOSE UP OF THE TABLE As a steaming CUP OF COFFEE is set down. Followed by first one, then two SHOTS OF BOURBON. OWNER You’ re welcome.2s Matt dumps one shot into the coffee and takes a sip. He silently reads the paper while, behind the bar, the owner goes through his wn morning routine of wiping down, stocking this and that. It’s quiet in here. We HOLD ON MATT. Savor the peace. But then... The door opens, spilling a wedge of light into the joint that, for an instant, illuminates half of Matt’s face. He keeps on reading, Feaches for that second shot glass while we hear... VOICE Kay passo, homie? Remember us? And then sharp LAUGHTER. Followed by... OWNER _(0S) Okay. Alright-- fuckin get outta here, botha you. I told you last night I-- Then BANG. LOUD. As A GUN GOES OFF -- shocks Matt, who drops the second shot glass onto the table and instinctively reaches for his own GUN, fumbles it clear of his holster, only to drop it onto the floor, the sound of it hitting the hardwood a; Sf the assholes over by the door looking this way, because just as Matt ducks down to pick up his lost weapon.. ...A SHOTGUN BLAST blows away half the booth. Light spills in as énce more the door swings open as TWO FIGURES get the fuck out of {here while Matt slides out of the booth, his gun firmly in both hands now as he crosses the joint in a few quick steps, ignoring the cut down owner lying on his back behind the bar, floating in a sea of his own blood. EXT. BAR - WASHINGTON HEIGHTS - SAME As Matt steps outside and immediately fires his gun we WHIP PAN TO an old BONNEVILLE parked at the curb where TWO DOMINICAN BANGERS row sit while a THIRD dives into the backseat just as Matt yells... MATT Police-- _..and then shoots the diving man several times before he’s even halfway in the car, adrenaline and fear now overriding the booze. The car starts away from the curb when Matt turns and shoots the driver once in the face, killing him just like that, but the car keeps rolling down the avenue, no one alive at the wheel anymore The guy in the passenger seat panics, fires wild with the shotgun, blowing a big hole through the roof as Matt’s spent clip bounces SEE the sidewalk and he reaches into his coat for another, all the while keeping one eye on the last guy as he now jumps from the rolling Bonneville and takes off running like a banshee. Matt runs down the sidewalk after him, passing the BONNEVILLE which jumps the sidewalk and rolls along wreaking its own havocAs Matt runs, adrenaline overrides everything including fear, as the guy starts firing wild shots over his shoulder with a pistol, puts a couple holes in Matt’s flapping overcoat. Matt returns a few shots of his own, but then stops, takes his time, and blows the guy off his feet just as he turns into an alley. INT, ALLEY - SAME We see Matt now walking up the alley. The thug crawling along, his leg roaring with blood. He gets up, Matt unceremoniously kicks him in the wound and the man screams, but keeps somehow pulling himself along like Matt’s not even there. Determined... The thug finally reaches out with a shaky hand for his GUN which had apparently slid away from him. Matt steps on his wounded leg. The banger screams once more and covers his head with his leather jacket. Matt crouches down, calmly pulls the jacket down and puts his gun to the banger’s forehead. MATT Did you throw shots at me, asshole? BANGER (grabs one of the many gold crosses around his neck) Please... MATT Did you? And now Matt presses the gun into the man’s forehead... BANGER I'm sorry-- MATT Fuckin-A you are. We hear A WOMAN SCREAM somewhere off in the street. Matt ignores the scream, cuffs the guy as we PUSH PAST MATT to the mouth of the alley, whatever chaos on the street beyond is washed out by bright light as we now... FADE TO WHITE MATT (vO) I stopped drinking that day. FADE IN: CLOSE-UP MATT - NOW Weary, but still watchful. A stare that can still daunt the receiver. MATT It just wasn’t as much fun after that.We hear SOFT LAUGHTER at that, and now we... WIDEN TO REVEAL: AN AA MEETING HALL Matt stands at the microphone addressing the group. MATT I'm eight years sober. And... well, T guess, I’m just... He stands there another moment. Nothing left to say. MATT That's all. Thanks. Matt starts out of the room as A WOMAN makes her way to the mic. WOMAN My name is Denise, and I'm an alcoholic- addict: .~ MATT /EVERYONE Hi, Denise! As Matt walks out of the room, we see another MAN -- early thirties, long hair, faded, green army jacket over jeans and a Sweatershirt -- get up and’ follow Matt out. EXT. CHURCH - NIGHT A light rain begins to fall as Matt hurries down the steps and pulls up his collar. He starts down the street, people taking one look at him and giving him plenty of room. He crosses the street umbrellas opening up all around him. Now the MAN from the meeting exits the church, pensively watches Matt cross as we then... CUT TO: VETERANS AVE. (BROOKLYN) PAYPHONE - NIGHT Pouring rain. The payphone is RINGING as a black BMW jumps the Garb aed KENNY KRIStO'-~ forty, in a long leather duster, jeans and black boots, hurries out of the car, his door hanging open into the street as he runs and grabs the receiver... KENNY Hello? VOICE (PHONE) Where's the money? KENNY In the backseat, two bags like you said. VOICE (PHONE) Good. Now leave it, walk up Sixty- sixth Street to Avenue M. Kenny looks around the neighborhood, the dark storefronts, but, can't see anybody.KENNY And then what? VOICE (PHONE) Wait on the corner for five minutes, then walk back, get in your car and go home. KENNY What about my wife? VOICE (PHONE) She'll be in the car waiting for you. EXT. STREET - TWO BLOCKS AWAY - NIGHT As Kenny paces back and forth in the rain. He checks his watch, looks down the street. He then quickly starts walking back the way he came. EXT. STREET - KENNY KRISTO'S CAR - NIGHT As Kenny now runs to the car, whips the door open... KENNY carrie! But THE CAR IS EMPTY. He stands there a moment, looking around. KENNY Fuck this shit... He takes out his keys and opens the trunk. It's empty as well. And now we hear THE PAYPHONE RING ACROSS THE STREET. He slams the trunk and runs to it. Picks it up... VOICE (PHONE) Go home. She'll probably get there before you do. INT. KENNY'S HOUSE - NIGHT Decent art mixed with pricey antiques. We glimpse the panicked Kenny in a framed mirror as he bursts through the door. KENNY Carrie! We clock more of the deluxe furnishings as he moves through the house. Black & white photographs of A WOMAN are everywhere... KENNY Carrie! Kenny throws open a door, calls up the staircase. He knows she’s not here. He stands there a moment, then suddenly PUTS HIS FIST THROUGH THE WALL. Then his OTHER FIST.fle sees himself in the MIRROR and smashes both of his hands against it, shattering the glass. Slicing his hands He stares up at a huge PORTRAIT OF HIS WIFE -- CARRIE -- that hangs above the fireplace. She’s beautiful, dark, and young; no more than twenty-five-years-old. It’s her image we see all over the walls. KENNY Oh, God... please... THE PHONE RINGS. Kenny grabs it on the first ring. KENNY Where is she?! VOICE (PHONE) My apologies: There was a slight change in plans. The CALLER ID BOX reads UNKNOWN CALLER. We can hear someone else LAUGHING in the b.q. KENNY Where is she? VOICE (PHONE) She's just, around the corner from yous obr juny Seventyoninth Street. elieve’ it's the south side, three or four houses from the corner~- KENNY What? VOICE, (PHONE) There's a car parked illegally at a fire hydrant. A grey Ford Tempo. Your wife's in it. KENNY She's in the car? VOICE, (PHONE) She's in the trunk. KENNY You put her in the trunk? VOICE (PHONE) Don't worry, There's plenty of air. But it’s cold out tonight, so you'li want to get her out of there as soon as possible. KENNY Is there a key? How do I open the VOICE (PHONE) The lock’s broken. You won't need a key.KENNY If it’s broken, why can’t she-- The LINE GOES DEAD. Kenny drops the phone, looks at his hands, both covered with bloody cuts from the broken mirror. EXT. SEVENTY-NINTH STREET - NIGHT Where a battered Tempo sits parked at the curb. The windshield is starred and the passenger door is deeply dented. Kenny now moves INTO FRAME, approaches the trunk and hesitates -- THE LOCK IS MISSING ALTOGETHER. He flings the lid open and we... CUT TO BLACK As A CAR WIPES PAST and we now REVEAL EXT. COFFEE SHOP - NIGHT Where Matt sits alone in a booth. The man from the AA meeting watches him a moment, then crosses the street and goes inside. INT. COFFEE SHOP - NIGHT As Matt folds back the newspaper, smiles at the waitress who refills his coffee cup. When she moves away, we hear: VOICE Hello, Matt. And now Matt looks up and sees the man from the meeting standing there. Matt looks at him blankly. Doesn’t know him from Adam. MAN It's me, Peter-- Peter Kristo. MATT oh. Peter. Hi. (then) Do I know you, Peter? PETER I led a meeting a few weeks ago. (explaining) I'ma painter... got hooked on smack in Art School MATT Hegh, you're the one, did, the Jackson Pollack number on the wall a the john with the blood from your... PETER --syringe. Yeah, that was me. MATT I enjoyed your story.PETER Thanks. (indicates the booth) You mind... MATT Sure. Sit down. Peter slides in and Matt watches Peter glance this way and that. He smiles nervously at the WAITRESS who appears. PETER Nothing for me, thanks. MATT Something wrong, Peter? PETER It's... my brother. (then) He needs your help. MATT What kind of help? PETER I think it would be better, you came Fr there MATT Bay Ridge... PETER ly brother’ 11 pay, for your cab out there and back. And your time. Whether you take the job or not. Matt can see Peter’s not in good shape. The guy can’t sit still. PETER Please. Just hear what he has to say. That’s all I’m asking. Matt looks past Peter, watches as the waitress now comes out of the kitchen balancing a plate of food on her fingertips while she grabs a bottle of ketchup off the counter, and then heads this way MATT Uh-huh, and when would your brother like to have this chat? PETER Right now. Matt watches, somewhat sadly, as the waitress now sets down a steaming plate of STEAK & EGGS in front of him.MATT That’s what I thought you were gonna say. Matt puts some money on the table, takes one last look at the meal he’s not gonna have. MATT It's faster, we take the subway. EXT. SUBWAY - BAY RIDGE - NIGHT We CRANE UP as Matt and Peter walk up from the subway and start off towards the nicer neighborhoods down closer to the water. EXT. KENNY KRISTO’S HOUSE - NIGHT As Matt starts up the walk, Peter hangs back on the sidewalk. Matt stops, turns back. PETER I’m gonna wait out here. Matt looks at him. PETER It’s all right. He’s expecting you. And now the door opens and we see Kenny Kristo standing there. He's wearing the same clothes from the night before, except that now he’s barefoot and his right hand is bandaged. Matt watches now as he and Peter look at each other a moment, before Peter finally turns away. KENNY Mr. Scudder. Come in. INT. KENNY KRISTO'S HOUSE - NIGHT As Matt comes inside, Kenny extends his hand. KENNY Kenny Kristo. Thank you for coming. He moves away from the door. KENNY Can I get you something to drink? Not a drink drink. I know you know Peter from AA, but there's coffee made or I can’ offer you a soda... Matt sees a pile of BROKEN GLASS in a corner. An overturned chair. A broken lamp, looks like it was thrown against the wall. MATT Coffee's fine. As Kenny pours a cup, Matt looks through the doorway, can see that the entire house is a mess, looks like it’s been tossed.10. KENNY So, you're a private detective, is that right? MATT Unlicensed. KENNY What's that mean? MATT It means that sometimes I do favors for people and sometimes in return they give me gifts. KENNY Gifts. Uh-huh. But you used to be a cop, right? MATT Iwas with the Sixth Precinct in the village for a while, and before that Iwas over here with the Seventy- 6 £1fth. KENNY So why'd you quit? MATT I didn’t like the hours. KENNY What, the corruption get to you? MATT Not really. It would've been hard to support my"family without it. What gan I do for you, Kenny? Kenny considers Matt a long moment. KENNY . This was really my brother's idea, bringing you out here. MATT You want, I can leave. Kenny glances at the portrait above the fireplace, then... KENNY Someone’s kidnapped my wife. MATT (beat) That’s a federal matter. KENNY . They said not to call the police.ll. MATT Naturally, they would. When did this happen? KENNY Yesterday. MATT You should be talking to the FBI. KENNY I’m talking to you. MATT Look, Mr. Kristo-- KENNY Kenny. MATT Look, Kenny, if you're asking me to run 4 bag, deliver money, that’s not something’ I-- KENNY I already paid them. MATT (beat) When? KENNY Last night. MATT How much? KENNY Four hundred thousand. And now Matt cuts a look at that portrait. MATT And your wife? KENNY She's dead. Matter of fact. No emotion. Kenny takes a breath KENNY I paid them, but they killed her anyway. MATT I see. And I’m sorry. KENNY I don’t want you to be sorry, I want ou to find the men who did’ it, bring hem to me.12. Matt looks at the portrait once more. MATT vou say you paid them the four hundred the same day? KENNY That’s right. And now Matt levels his gaze at Kenny MATT You mind I ask, what kind of business you're in, Kenny? KENNY Construction. MATT What exactly do you construct? KENNY Houses. MATT Uh-huh. And T guess Peter’s standing outside in the rain right now because he -- what, doesn’t like your building methods? KENNY He doesn’t approve of my profession (MATT Since when is drug dealing a profession? Kenny just looks back at him. Matt smiles. MATT I,mean, that’s the reason, isn’t it, I’m sitting here and not the cops? You're a dealer? Kenny considers Matt a moment, clears his throat, then... KENNY Properly speaking, I’m more of a trafficker than a’dealer. You understand the distinction? MATT I really don’t give a shit one way or the other. But whoever it was, took your wife didn’t just pick your name out of a hat. | They must/ve had sone idea you had that kinda cash on hand. KENNY That’s exactly what I’d like you to find out. who... did this13. Kenny reaches into a bag, tosses TWO BRICKS OF CASH onto the table in front of Matt. KENNY That’s ten thousand dollars. Consider it my “gift” to you. Matt looks at it, but leaves it where it is. KENNY You get another ten, you find the two fucks who killed her. MATT So that you can kill them. Kenny says nothing, just looks back at Matt. MATT (gets up) I’m sorry, but I can’t help you. EXT. KENNY’S HOUSE - NIGHT As Matt walks down the walk to where Peter leans against a car, nervously smoking a cigarette. MATT Would’ ve been nice, you told me your brother’s a fucking drug dealer. PETER You wouldn’t/ve come. MATT You’ re right. And with that, Matt starts down the sidewalk. EXT. A RESIDENTIAL HOTEL ~ NIGHT Midtown. One of those places has a little neighborhood bar attached. Matt crosses through the rain to the lobby. INT. HOTEL LOBBY - NIGHT As Matt enters, HOWIE, the desk clerk -- twenties, pierced ear, nose and eyebrows -- tips back in A WHEELCHAIR as he feverishly works the controls for Grand Theft Auto IV, the game running on the TV stashed behind the counter. As he pulls his headphones off, we can hear KORN blasting away at 100 dbs. MATT Howie. (indicates the chair) Hurt yourself?14. HOWIE (pops a wheelie) Found it out back by the dumpster. Mrs. Dahlgren in 202 left it there when Mr. D stroked out last week Matt tries not to shake his head, give any kind of reaction to that one at all. Instead, he smiles the best he can and asks: MATT Any messages? Howie rolls over to the message boxes, then stands up out of the chair to reach Matt’s box on the top row, takes down a slip and squints at it. HOWIE Sol Edwards. Howie hands Matt the slip, sits back down in the wheelchair. MATT Sol Edwards... HOWIE He said he was a cop, but I think the guy was fucking with’me. MATT Sol Edmunds? HOWTE . Could be. I was watching Dragonball and could’ ve maybe heard wrong. But anyways... (pops another wheelie) He said to call him at some hospital. MATT Some hospital? HOWIE Westland or Westside. One of those. MATT Which is it, Howie? One’s on Long Island. The other one’s in Harlem. HOWIE (shrugs) Guess you'll just have to call ‘em both. MATT Howie, you gotta write this stuff down. Howie turns back to his game. Matt shakes his head, moves to the elevator, then turns and looks back at Howie.18. MATT Why'd you think he wasn’t for real? Howie looks up. Huh? MATT You said the guy told you he was a cop, but you thought he was fucking with you. HOWIE Oh, not about that, about your son. MATT (stops the elevator door) My what’ HOWIE Yeah, that’s what I said-- no way Scudder’s got a fucking kid INT. HOSPITAL E.R. - NIGHT As an AMBULANCE pulls up, the doors burst open and the ATTENDANTS OFFLOAD what looks like a GUNSHOT VICTIM. Matt slips past them, grabs the first NURSE he sees. MATT My name’s Scudder. My son is VOICE Matt... He turns as a young uniformed cop approaches, hand extended. COP Sol Edmunds. He sees the look on Matt’s face and smiles. CoP/soL. You, thought it was my old man called... He’s dead, five years now Colon cancer. Shit he ate, it’s no wonder-- MATT About my son-~ SOL Oh, yeah, he’s okay, a little banged up’is ali. He’s right over here Matt hesitates, then starts to follow the cop down a row of curtained-off beds... MATT Which one is it, Mike or Andy?16. The cop looks at him. MAT? The message I got was a little vague SOL It’s Michael. He and a buddy borrowed a car, took it for a ride until they ran’a red light, bounced off a sanitation truck into a basketball hoop at Linney Park. MATT They hit anybody? soL They were lucky. Tt was after dark, nobody's around. $01 leads Matt, stops, pulls back a curtain and we see a SEVENTEEN YEAR-OLD BOY lying on’a gurney, eyes closed, a gauze bandage on his forehead, an ace around his wrist. Matt stares at him.. SOL They got him sedated. Matt moves around the gurney, stares down at the kid lying on the bed. MATT, You call his mother? coP My partner did, but she was up in Nyack. At a wedding or something. That’s when I remembered the name and thought how many Matt Scudders could there be-~ Matt turns away from the boy, uncomfortable. The cop misreads this. SOL Don’t worry. He’s gonna be fine. And me and my partner, we’re not makin’ a thing. The kid opens his eyes. Blinks at Matt. KID Who are you? MATT Matt. (then) Your father. And now the kid sits up. KID Am I dying?17. EXT, LONG ISLAND NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT Middle class. A TAXI moves up the street, stops in front of a well kept home. INT. TAXI - SAME Matt and Michael in the back. The kid has a bandage on his head. MICHAEL, You used to have a mustache. Matt turns to his son. MICHAEL And your hair’s a lot longer, That’s probably why I didn’t recognize you-- MATT No problem. (indicates the cut) How you feeling? MICHAEL I got a rippin’ headache. They sit there a moment. Matt looks off at the house. MATT You repainted the house. MICHAEL Jerry did. (then) Four years ago. They sit there in silence a moment, neither knowing what to say. MICHAEL You know, I don't remember you being drunk. MATT (beat) That's because I never was. (then) But I was always drinking. MICHAEL What, like scotch? MATT Bourbon mostly. With coffee. MICHAEL (nods) Coffee to speed things up. Bourbon to slow them down.18. MATT Something like that, yeah. MICHAEL It was vodka did it to me. Matt doesn’t move. The kid looks around the cab. MICHAEL i’/d pitch nine innings drunk off my ass and no one would know. And now Michael looks him in the eye. MICHAEL i've been going to meetings. A year now. Matt says nothing. Barely nods. MICHAEL today, the thing with the car... I uh, 1’ slipped. MATT It happens. (then) Have you got a sponsor? MICHAEL No. I mean, I did, but... he’s not sober anymore. Matt takes a breath, then takes a risk: MATT You could call me. (then) Tf you wanted to. MICHAEL Are we allowed to do that? MATT Allowed? You're my son. vhe kid looks at Matt, then turns and looks out the window. MICHAEL You remember the Blumes across the street? MATT (Looks) The old couple. Sure. Max... and what was her name, Jane? MICHAEL, Joy.19. MATT Joy. Right. What about them? MICHAEL Remember how you look in their windows, they’d be sitting on the couch in front of the TV, each one hooked up to their own okygen tank MATT The truck came twice a week. MICHAEL Max finally died a couple years ago. Matt nods, not all that sure where this is going, but enjoying the reminiscing nonetheless; glad for his son’s apparent effort to reconnect. He doesn’t want to jeopardize it, so he keeps his mouth shut. MICHAEL Few weeks after that, I see Joy out in the garden, Working. Pushing a wheelbarrow. No oxygen tank, A month jater she’s going to yoga class with Mom. A year later, she meets some guy and moves down’ to Ft. Lauderdale with him. We got a Christmas card picture of her and the guy swimming with the dolphins. Matt tries to smile as he says this next thing MATT You're telling me you don’t need me MICHAEL, I’m telling you maybe I never did So maybe you don’t have to feel so guilty about, you know, walking out Before Matt can even react to that, they’re bathed in LIGHT for just a moment as A CAR PULLS INTO THE DRIVEWAY MICHAEL shit. He watches as JERRY, his stepfather and ANITA, Matt’s ex-wife, get out of the car. They both look towards the cab. Anita is dressed up, put together and pretty. She starts coming this way. ANITA Michael? MICHAEL What am I gonna say to her? Before Matt can answer, Anita opens the door20. ANITA My God, sweetie, are you all right? Twas 50-~ She stops cold as she sees Matt lean into the light. ANITA Matthew. And now her husband steps up behind her. MATT I gave him a lift home. ANITA How did you~ MATT It was a mistake. The uniform, oe eh he couldn’t get a hold of you, he called me. ANITA A mistake? MATT He didn’t know the... situation. She looks at her son, at Matt, and just gives a tired nod. ANITA, All right, well, thank you for bringing him home. Matt couldn’t feel smaller as Michael now gets out of the cab. MICHAEL Yeah, thanks for the ride. Matt nods, holds out his hand. MATT Good luck, Michael. MICHAEL (shakes it) You too, Dad. She looks at her son, touches the bandage as she leads him towards the house. Matt watches for a moment, then turns and faces front. MATT (to the driver) Go ahead. INT. MATT’S HOTEL - CORRIDOR ~ NIGHT As Matt gets off the elevator, starts up the hall, we TRACK with him as he starts for his room. Matt slows down as he sees KENNY KRISTO now sits slumped on the floor beside Matt's door.21. KENNY I never told you her name. He looks up at Matt, his eyes red, his face warped with grief. KENNY I don’t want you to think I’m cruel or don’t care. I just can’t say it. Matt crouches down beside him. MATT What happened? We HEAR A PHONE RING OVER. INT. KENNY KRISTO’S LIBRARY - DAY (FLASHBACK) As Kenny naps on the leather couch, book open across his chest. The PHONE RINGS until he stirs, sits up and reaches for it KENNY Hello? MAN’S VOICE (PHONE) (in the background, singing) Hey, Carrie Anne... KENNY Hello. Laughter. Then we hear a different man. Voice low and coarse. MAN. (PHONE) She never came home, right? KENNY Excuse me? THE OTHER MAN (PHONE) (in the background) What’s your game? Can anybody play? CUT TO: A MAN'S LIPS Blurry, distorted, in tight CLOSE-UP... FIRST MAN We got your wife, fucko. INT. KENNY KRISTO'S LIBRARY - DAY As the LINE GOES DEAD and Kenny hangs up and gets to his feet. On the wall behind him are framed diplomas from the University of Wisconsin and UC Berkley for degrees in Philosophy and History. KENNY Carrie!22. INT. LIVING ROOM ~ SAME As Kenny quickly crosses the spotless room to the stairs. KENNY Baby? You up there? EXT. HOUSE - SAME As Kenny lifts the garage door, sees the car is gone. We can hear the phone RINGING INSIDE... INT. HOUSE - SAME As Kenny comes back inside, the PHONE RINGING. Kenny looks at the CALLER 1D box; it reads PAYPHONE followed by a NUMBER. le picks up the phone, writes the number on his palm... KENNY What do you want? CUT TO: A BLURRY IMAGE OF A MAN This voice calmer, more cultured than the first guy who called. A well-trimmed goatee frames a doughy mouth. He chuckles. A lot. SECOND MAN I want to help you get your wife back. If you want her back, that is KENNY, Of course I want her-- SECOND MAN Then stay close to the phone. And lease don't call the police. I'll ein touch. Very soon... INT. KENNY KRISTO'S HOUSE - DAY And again the line goes dead. Kenny hangs up the phone, starts pacing the room, He stops in front of the MIRROR, takes « deep Breath to calm himself. He closes, then opens his eyes and.. His expression goes from panic to resolve as he turns from the mirror and sits down in a chair next to the phone. It doesn't take Tong for it to RING. The CALLER ID box reads: PAYPHONE. Kenny lets it ring once more, then calmly answers the phone. KENNY Just tell me how much you want? SECOND MAN (beat) What does your wife weigh, Mr. Kristo? One ten, one twenty, somewhere in that neighborhood? Something like... fifty kilograms we might say?23. Kenny doesn't answer SECOND MAN So let's see, fifty keys at twenty a key, well, run the numbers for me why’don't’ you. Comes to a mil, doesn't it? KENNY What's the point? SECOND MAN . The point is you'd pay a million for her if she was product, Mr. Kristo You'd pay that Ruch SF" she was jowder. Isn't she worth as much in Pigsn ‘and blood? KENNY I can't pay what I don't have SECOND MAN How much do you have? KENNY (beat) Four hundred. SECOND MAN Five. KENNY Tim not haggling. I gave you the top figure right away. It's four hundred. SECOND MAN (beat) Ah, well, if that’s the best you can do! “Four hundred it is. KENNY Before I give you anything, I want to make sure my wife is all right. __ SECOND MAN That's impossible. I'm at a payphone. KENNY How do I even know you've got her in the first place? SECOND MAN (beat) Are you familiar with her tits? KENNY Excuse me?24, SECOND MAN They're quite nice. Would you recognize one of them? That would be the simplest way. 1711 cut. off the one with the pretty mole and leave it 6n your doorstep. Would that put your mind at rest? KENNY Jesus, don't say that. SECOND MAN Then let's not talk about proof, okay? (then) Put the money in two hefty bags. Go to the phone booth on the corner of 6eean Avenue and Farragut Road and wait for my call. INT. MATT’S ROOM - DAWN sun-faded carpet. Pressboard furniture. A small kitchenette. To suncEibe the room as monastic would be to infuse the place with too much cheer. Kenny sits at the table staring into a cup of coffee. Matt stands sent window, listening to the story. The Tv is on (it’s always on). The sound muted. KENNY They xun me around. Then finally eli me she’s at home waiting for me. °go home, she’s not there either He looks up at Matt. This next part's hard KENNY Phone rings again, They send me over to Seventy ninth Streets tell me She’s in the trunk of this abandoned car... EXT. SEVENTY-NINTH STREET - NIGHT As Kenny moves around to the trunk. No lock at all KENNY Carrie? He stands there a moment and flings the lid open. KENNY No. INSIDE THE TRUNK ‘Are dozens of PACKAGES. Bundles of various sizes wrapped in BLACK PLASTIC and secured with duct tape2s. KENNY No, no, no... He grabs one of the parcels from the trunk, takes a jackknife from his pocket and cuts away the tape... KENNY No, no, no..+ A bit of BLOOD runs from the packet and he quickly drops it back into the trunk and starts backing away as he now notices several thin streams of BLOOD running from many of the bundles... A HIGH ANGLE OF KENNY KRISTO As he throws his head back and cries out like a gutshot animal, the rain falling all around him like knives as he crumples. INT. MATT'S ROOM - NIGHT Kenny sits at the table, trying to keep hold of himself. KENNY That’s not even the worst part. Matt looks at him as he pulls something from his pocket. KENNY This was taped to the inside of the trunk. He sets a MICRO CASSETTE TAPE down on the table KENNY ; With a note said, For your listening pleasure. Kenny takes a small recorder from his other pocket and inserts the tape. He looks up at Matt. We hear nothing for a moment. Just silence... And then, gradually, we become aware of the sound of BREATHING. A man’s hurried, excited breaths. And then, a WHIMPER. Then VOICE SHHHHH... And then more breathing. The breaths become more hurried, not louder, just faster, and then a long, raspy sigh. A chuckle. Then... VOICE My turn... (singing) Hey, Carrie Anne... (whisper) You wanna kiss me? Hm? (then) Here, let's take the tape off26. land now we hear the sound of tape being pulled off skin. More ‘sounds of raspy breathing. Movement. The van shifting on its springs. Matt looks at Kenny. He's turned away from the table now. We then hear another, horrible sound: A TOOL BOX IS OPENED. CARRIE (VO) No-- But her voice is stifled, as if something covered her mouth VOICE (vO) (singing) Hey, Carrie-Anne... ‘And now we can hear CARRIE SCREAM. But it’s then cut off, as if Someone shut off the recorder. Kenny stares at the recorder in front of him, the sprockets turning. Until Matt shuts it off MATT (inally) I/11 find them. EXT. SEVENTY-NINTH STREET ~ DAY he SUN is out now as Matt walks over to the curb where the Tempo was parked, bends down and picks up a shred of torn plastic from a bush) A piece of grey DUCT TAPE is still stuck to it EXT. PHONE BOOTH - DAY As Matt crosses to the booth where Kenny got his first call. He goes inside, takes out his notebook and writes down the number. EXT. PHONE BOOTH - FLATBUSH - DAY lg Matt does the same thing at the second booth. As he’s writing ee un the number, THE PHONE RINGS and Matt looks at it, then picks up. MATT Hello? But the line goes dead. Matt then steps out of the booth, looks at the neighborhood around it. Looks at the storefronts, at the houses up the side street. A group of kids play in the street. EXT. D'AGOSTINO'S - DAY As Matt talks to a BAG BOY. BAG BOY She tipped me two dollars,27. QUICK CUT TO: THAT DAY As the Bag Boy shuts the trunk of a car to reveal Carrie Kristo smiling at him, holding out a couple of bills. BAG BOY, (vO) .;-which is twice what anybody else tips, if they even tip at all. CUT BACK TO: MATT AND THE BAG BOY As Matt looks at the street... MATT You said something about a van? BAG BOY Yeah, it was parked right there. QUICK CUT TO: THAT DAY A BLURRY IMAGE of A VAN parked at the curb. We move past it and gee... BAG BOY (VO) Two guys got out of it... TWO MEN in coveralls, some kind of uniform, dark sunglasses looking ata clipboard. The men are moving in FAST MOTION as they get out of the van, then the images SLOW as they stop and look at Carrie... BAG BOY (VO) I remember they, checked her, out ST he same in some kind of uniform... CUT BACK TO: MATT & THE BAG BOY As the Bag Boy points... BAG BOY They pulled out after Mrs. Kristo, right. in front of a Mercedes, almost got hit. CUT TO: THE STREET As we see the van pull out in FAST MOTION, then FREEZE as we hear A HORN honk and a Mercedes stops inches from the van. CUT BACK Ti MATT & THE BAG BOY MATT You remember what the van looked like? BAG BOY Yeah, it was light blue...28. QUICK CUT TO: A GARAGE - RIGHT NOW Dark, but we can see TWO MEN in here, with SPRAY GUNS, PAINTING THE VAN. | WHITE. BAG BOY (VO) Definitely light blue. INT. D'AGOSTINO'S - DAY As Matt shows Carrie's photograph to a CASHIER. CASHIER I could tell she was a good cook which is rare for young women her Sge. Nothing frozen her cart, only the very freshest ingredients, Anyway, she asked me if we had any foul madamas and I sent her over to the Arabian Gourmet. EXT. ARABIAN GOURMET - DAY Ag Matt talks to a man wearing a nametag that says "ROLAND" and below that "MANAGER." MANAGER Yeah, the van was parked across, the Street. I thought they were making a delivery... INT. ARABIAN GOURMET - DAY As Matt talks to a TEENAGE CASHIER... TEENAGE CASHIER I don't remember any van, but I do remember Mrs. Youness came in with Some story about three people robbing the place... INT. SMALL HOUSE - DAY As Matt sits at a table, some sort of STICKY DESSERT in front of hin “He's talking with’ MRS. YOUNESS, a woman in her eighties. She speaks in Arabic. A NEIGHBOR translates... NEIGHBOR She saw two men and a woman run across the street away from the store... EXT. ARABIAN GOURMET - (FLASHING BACK As we see two BLURRED FIGURES rush Carrie Kristo across the street... NEIGHBOR (VO) ...and leap into a truck.23. As they all pile into the back of the van and the van blows right by CAMERA... the FRAME REVEALING MRS. YOUNESS watching it squeal around the corner... NEIGHBOR (VO) She thought they had just robbed the store... EXT. D'AGOSTINO'S - DAY As Matt scribbles in his notebook... BAG BOY I think it had the name of some TV repair place on the side. Two initials like... INT. GARAGE - DAY As the two men paint over the stencil on the side of the truck. BAG BOY (VO) B&R... EXT. ARABIAN GOURMET As the manager closes his eyes. MANAGER R & L Stereo. INT. THE SMALL HOUSE - DAY As Mrs. Youness looks right at Matt, says in English... OLD WOMAN B & A Appliance. INT. GARAGE - DAY As the TWO MEN step back and admire the freshly painted truck. It's now PAINTED WHITE with no initials anywhere. One man is short and round, the other quite tall, well over six feet. They stand with their backs to us. We see no faces just yet. DISSOLVE TO: A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE As it’s scroll-popped into FRAME. A microfiche slide. BROOKLYN WOMAN KIDNAPPED. A photo of a pretty African-American woman. We get the quick gist through either the sub-head or the first few lines that the woman was returned safely and we then... WIDEN TO REVEAL:30. INT, THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY - DAY As Matt, the rain beating against the window beside him, sits at a microfiche station scrolling through old editions of the New York Times. He scrolls through the year old newspaper... We hear SOMEONE COUGHING OS. Matt stops to read another story Rnother one like the previous: “WOMAN KIDNAPPED.” We hear MORE COUGHING OS and Matt turns and looks at A NEARBY TABLE Where someone, back to us/Matt, bundled up in a down jacket leans over a piece of paper, intensely working on something. Dozens of pages are scattered about the table. The person COUGHS once more then resumes his frantic scribbling. The LIBRARIAN comes over to the table, puts her hands on her huge hips... LIBRARIAN I'd like a word with you, TJ. Over here, please. Matt goes back to the machine, scrolls on as we then go to EXT. BRIGHTON BEACH STREET - DAY POURING RAIN. An attractive WOMAN, in her early thirties, driving a big black Mercedes, stops for a red light. INT. MERCEDES - SAME RAIN POUNDS the roof of the car as the woman adjusts the rearview mirror to check her lipstick. She starts to HUM. IN THE MIRROR, we see THE GRILLE OF A WHITE VAN pull up behind her. On the seat beside her, a DOG, a Rhodesian Ridgeback, raises its head and looks out. Smelling something... MATT (VO) Marie Gotteskind... QUICK CUT TO: A VACANT LOT - NIGHT As several GARBAGE BAGS are tossed from the back of a van. We then FREEZE and PULL OUT FROM... CLOSE-UP OF NEWSPAPER PHOTOGRAPH [A VACANT LOT. COPS are everywhere. SEVERAL GARBAGE BAGS STREWN ABOUT, A LENGTH OF CRIME SCENE TAPE STRETCHED BETWEEN THO NARROW BUILDINGS that border the lot on either side. REVEAL: INT. LIBRARY ~ DAY As Matt studies another article. LIBRARIAN (0S) I_know you've been sleeping in here Td...31. Behind Matt, the librarian chews out the figure in the jacket. ON THE PHOTOGRAPH As we MOVE DOWN to where the caption below the photograph reads “THE REMAINS OF MARIE GOTTESKIND...” etc LIBRARIAN (OS) I know because Mr. Keyser says you left a God awful mess in the men's room, not to mention the mess you left’ right there. (then) Now, I want you to -- MATT He'll clean it up. Later. Okay? The Librarian looks over at Matt who, his back to her, calmly pulls a sheet of paper from the printer... MATT Right, now he’s helping me with something. She looks at Matt, moves on. And now the coughing person turns and looks this way, his hood falling to his shoulder so that we see. A BoY -- black, fifteen, skinny, intelligent eyes -- turns and looks at the screen. BOY/TJ Child of God. Matt turns and looks at the kid who indicates the photo. 1 The name, Gotteskind. Means Child of God. It's German. MATT Huh... (looks at the screen) 13? That short for something? Tg Yeah, it's short for TJ. Matt keeps his eyes on the screen, holds out his hand. MATT Matt. Tw. Short for Matthew. (sits down) What am I helping you with, Matthew?32. INT. THE WHITE VAN - DAY two dark figures inside. Staticky voices come from A POLICE RADIQ as they follow the Mercedes. The MAN in the passenger seat, round Gnd short, has a worn FILE open in his lap. He peruses it INSERT - FILE A long lens surveillance shot of a black Mercedes. The same black Mercedes they now follow. |, ROUND MAN It's raining, it's pouring... He HUMS the rest of it as he now flips through the file. The TALL MAN behind the wheel snaps his gum, blows a bubble. The ROUND MAN frowns at him, turns back to... THE FILE Where we see pictures of a BALD MAN coming out of a CLUB with several other men, the name of the club is written in RUSSIAN Another blurry photograph shows A WOMAN -~ presumably the one in the car in front of us, pregnant -- standing beside the Russian Man, holding his hand.’ The Round Man now looks up from the file at the car in front of them. ROUND MAN ...bumped his head against the bed ghd couldn’t get up in the morning.. fe clutches the file to his chest, so that we see the DEA INSIGNIA on the front. t3 (vO) So these guys we looking for, they, be ike real seven-thirty, or just like thugs? INT. LIBRARY ~ NIGHT As TJ now sits at the microfiche machine beside Matt scrolling Gway, TJ's jacket is now draped over the back of the chair. He aeeys a skullie on his head and a wuwear T-shirt, an animated character on the front that looks a lot like TJ. MATT Like real what? Ta Seven-thirty. Time they give out the meds in the mental ward. MATT Ah, right. Seven-thirty. From the Tatin mental, 1 don’t know. Just keep on looking., To Be easier, you go u computer room, MATT Yeah, well, googling. TJ cuts a look at Matt. TW You five-oh? MATT Nope. Tg Cuz you got that look. MATT I work private. Ty Yeah? Like Sam Spade? MATT Yeah, just like him. 33. stairs to the google this shit. T’m not really big on... The Librarian looks over at them as they continue scrolling side~ by-side. After another moment... To What I'm sayin, I've read about him. And Marlowe, too. All them guys. MATT You spend much time in here? To Some. When it rains, I like the sound it makes, you know? Matt looks at the kid. Something more to him than meets the eye. TJ stops scrolling, sits back and shakes his head. Td Huh. How ironical. MATT What’s that? To Dumpin’ an already dead body in a cemetery. INSERT - SCREEN A black & white photograph of the huge, stone entrance to GREEN- WOOD CEMETERY. Several NYPD blue & whites parked out front.34, Tg Tuesday, the body of Leila Alvarez, 2 twenty-fear-old Interioz Design major at Brooklyn College was found at Green-Wood Cemetery. QUICK CUT TO: A GARBAGE BIN As a MAN in a tight t-shirt and pierced eyebrow lifts the lid to Be oy away some old flowers, takes one look inside and SCREAMS. -- Ta (VO! Alvarez had been missing two days when Eduardo Solomon, a florist Geross the street from the cemetery found what was later identified as a portion of the victim’s leg in the Gumpster behind his shop... QUICK CUT TO: THE CEMETERY As the GROUNDSKEEPER, his back to us, wades out into the water with AS ERE, reaches for THE POWDER BLUE GARBAGE BAGS that float on the surface. rd_(VO) : That same day more human remains were found in more garbage bags scattered about the cemetery. QUICK CUT TO: A STREET As LEILA ALVAREZ gets into the back of a van, the DOOR SLAMS and we Bee A MAN’S FACE in the window of one of the doors. TI (vO Witnesses say Alvarez was last, seen getting into a grey van with three men... BACK TO THE LIBRARY las Matt leans over and looks at the screen where we see © photo of aS VAN standing out front of an apartment building, ap awnitg above Ay Mhead reads “THE WINDSOR ARMS.” He’s surrounded Py cops-- MATT ‘Alvarez’ fiancée, Reuben Quintana, told police that he and Leila were SQppesed to meet for lunch, but she never showed... Tg So what, I get a badge now? MATT Yeah, and a decoder ring. tg watches as Matt now prints out the page35. MATT I’m gonna go get something to eat. You want a hamburger or sémething? Ts I don’t eat meat. MATT Oh. Okay. Nice meeting you, TJ. TJ watches as Matt gets his things together. 1 What I'm sayin, I don't care none about cows, you know, I just care about what’I put inside iy body. No meat. No soda. No Pringles, None a that shit. Matt nods, grabs his coat, starts to go. Tg But... I was thinking about maybe getting a Tittle eat on myself. MATT All right, So we can both get our... eat on's together. EXT. TOWNHOUSE - BRIGHTON BEACH - NIGHT As the Mercedes pulls into the driveway. The woman gets out of the car, grabs a couple of grocery bags, and then leads the big DOG to the front door. As she goes inside, THE WHITE VAN cruises past the townhouse to the end of the block, then makes a u-turn and doubles back, parking across the street. A WHITE FACE appears in the driver's window. INT. VAN - SAME As the two men watch the house. We hear the crackle of the police radio under the Round Man’s constant HUMMING. The Tall Man behind the wheel works on a LOOP of PIANO WIRE. He slips a wood handle on the bottom, looks through the loop at the house... his face is framed by it. He watches the woman THROUGH THE LOOP as she comes back out and grabs a last grocery bag. He then pulls on the wood handle and the loop CONSTRICTS TO NOTHING. MATT (Vo) Where do you sleep? INT. "THE FLAME" COFFEE SHOP - NIGHT TJ wolfs down a plate of pancakes. Matt, a cup of coffee in front of him, watches him.the kid’s drawings are scattered all over the table. he picks up a stub of a pencil and absently sketches MATT .,.those nights you can't hide in the jibrary? TW 1 got a bed over at Coyenant House. this shelter over at Times Square. MATT What happened to your parents? Ta (beat) You don't gotta feel sorry for me. MATT I don't. Tg Good. Tg sits back in the booth now. Ta You could hire me, though, make me your partner. MATT I don’t think so. tg Why not? You don’t think T got what it’takes, be a good detective? MATT /m sure you do. I’m just not the partner type. Tg nods, goes back to eating, pauses... 1 what does it take to be a good detective? MATT A strong bladder. Tg Come on. MATT t don't know what it takes. Takes 4 lot of things. Instincts. Patience. Blind luck mostly. 1 And a good name. One with real flavor. Like Sam Spade or Phillip Marlowe. 36. Periodically, something.37. MATT What's wrong with the name you got? TJ waves him off, looks out the window a moment, then... Tw I'm thinking something like maybe... Daunte Culpepper. MATT Quarterback for Minnesota? Tg Yeah. It's a good detective name, but a lame-ass name for a guy plays football. MATT Daunte Culpepper. Tg Daunte Culpepper. Private Eye. (then) Yeah, I'm feelin' that. WAITRESS Sure you don't want a soda or something, honey? TJ looks up at her. TI J, kmow you'd just love to, get a young black man like me to drink one o our sperm killer sodas. But no thank you, ma'am. “{'ll stick with water. TJ sees Matt looking at him and leans across the table. To They sell cheap sodas to low income people, got these chemicals in ‘em. terilize you. TI only drink water. Gallon a day.” Keep myself hydrated. MATT And you don’t eat meat. Tg You got a problem with that? MATT Not at all. My ex-wife was a vegetarian. Tr So_what happened? Why’d you split up? She a Clucker?38. MATT A what? Tr A chicken. Only feels cats give her nice rings and shit. You ain't bling blingin, you ain't nothin’. MATT (beat) can’t you fucking speak English? vs E.pit a nerve. Sorry. What time is t? MATT Almost ten. tg Shit, I gotta go. Covenant House closés at ten... 73 shoves his drawings into his backpack. Ty Thanks for the pancakes. And he bolts out of there. Matt watches him go, then looks to the anSle where TJ LEFT SOME OF HIS DRAWINGS. Matt picks one up... INSERT - DRAWING A mythological figure with a cape, holding raised sword, a half nook be sickile-shaped symbol on his chest. It’s a beautiful Teehering. The eyes on the figure are intense and intelligent. Like TJ's. EXT. MEETING ROOM - A WINDOW - NIGHT hooking in through a rain-streaked window. An AA MEETING: | Matt oem ne S oundtable. We hear HIS VOICE just over the rain... MATT [ was off duty one day in this bar in flashington Heights where cops didn’t have to pay for their drinks... CUT TO: A SHOT GLASS As it’s set down hard next to a cup off a coffee. cut TO: MATT (NOW) As he continues with his story.-- MATT --when a couple guys came in to rob the place.39. CUT TO: TIGHT ON MATT (THEN) As we hear a GUNSHOT and Matt turns with a jerk and we... CUT BACK TO: MATT (NOW) As he recites by rote: MATT L,chaged them into the street, shot As we hear TWO MORE GUNSHOTS just as we... CUT TO: THE BONNEVILLE (THEN) As the DRIVER’s head snaps back and we immediately... CUT BACK TO: MATT (NOW) MATT Caught a third one in the leg. CUT TO: THE ALLEY (THEN) As Matt kicks the third banger in his wounded thigh. He cries out as we then... CUT BACK TO: MATT (Now) Pensive a moment. MATT He’ ll never walk right again. CUT TO: THE ALLEY (THEN) As Matt cuffs the Banger and we hear THE WOMAN SCREAM OS and this time, instead of ignoring it as he did the first time we saw this scene, he turns and looks that way, to the mouth of the alley now once Qgain washed out in WHITE LIGhT. . MATT (vO) I quit drinking that day. CUT BACK TO: MATT (NOW) As he looks at his rapt audience, then... MATT It just... wasn’t as much. after that. fun He says the same line he did in the opening meeting, but says it differently this time. Not so much humor in it. EXT. FOURTH AVENUE - BROOKLYN - DAY As Matt comes up from the subway, starts up Twenty-fifth Street. The sky is greying over, threatening rain.40. suddenly, Matt turns around and we see someone kly duck into a Suddenty: Methind him. Matt waits a moment, then turns back and resumes walking. EXT. GREEN-WOOD CEMETERY - DAY As Matt walks up the driveway and passes through the huge iron and AS na'gates.. The place has an odd, yet imposing majesty that only an old graveyard can provide Matt stands at the top of one of the hills, looking over the wall wort ne gratue of Liberty beyond. He looks down at the small lake at the base of the hill, surrounded by old crypts and markers. fle hear the SOUND OF THE MOWER and see the GROUNDSKEEPER ride up over the rise towards us. ON THE GROUNDSKEEPER ls he leans to one side then the other as he steers the mower in As she saad the markers when he sees Matt standing in his way and atops just shy of him. He’s a little man in his thirties with a Stringy goatee and long hair pulled back in a ponytail. MATT James Loogan? GROUNDSKEEPER/LOOGAN Yes? MATT You're the gardener here? LOOGAN I'm the Groundskeeper, can I help you? MATT I'm Matthew Scudder. Matt takes out his Retired Badge and quickly shows it to the man on the mower. Loogan looks at the badge, shuts off the mower LOOGAN Wow, that was fast. (gets off the mower) on public Affairs lady at the 77°" said it would be at least a week before Anyone got back to me. MATT Excuse me? LOOGAN I really want the book to have an authentic feel, you know? MATT Book. ..?41. LOOGAN That's why this ride along’s_so important to me, you know? "spend some real time with real cops Matt just looks at him. Loogan’s smile goes away. He realizes he’s been talking to the wrong person. An embarrassed anger replaces his earlier enthusiasm. The flip of a switch. And now LOOGAN What do you want? MATT I was wondering if I could talk to you about Leila Alvarez. LOOGAN Who? MATT The woman they found over here. ‘LOOGAN I don’t know anything about that. MATT Your boss tells me you were here the day they found her. Now uncomfortable, he turns away, scans the darkening horizon LOOGAN You spoke to Larry? MATT Yeah. ‘LOOGAN Because my boss is Gretchen. Okay? And now Loogan starts to walk away from him. MATT Oh, boy. I messed up. You’re too smart for me, James. Damn... (then) Think you can you help me anyway? LOOGAN (beat) I already told everything I know to the police. MATT Eduardo, guy ovns the shop across the street, says there were about twenty garbage bags over here. That true? LOOGAN Well, Eduardo was wrong. There were only’ about ten. And most of those42. LOQGAN {CONTD) | were on the Fifth Avenue side. There were two more floating in the pond down there... MATT So you saw them? LOOGAN No, I saw the pigeon first. He turns and looks out at the LAKE. LOOGAN I keep a coop on my roof, and this was a gay. And if was Alone which - ow ~ if you anything at all about grays -- is quite unusual for the breed. QUICK CUT TO: THE CEMETERY [As we see two POWDER BLUE GARBAGE BAGS floating in the small pond in the middle of the cemetery. A bird lands atop one of them, tries to get inside... LOOGAN (VO) Anyway, the bird was sitting on one of the’ bags. oogan wades into the water with a rake, reaches for the bags... EXT. CEMETERY - SAME He stares at the now pristine pond LOOGAN I fished them both out after I was done with the mowing and threw ‘em away. MATT You didn’t open them? LOOGAN. I figured it was all just some waterlogged trash kids had thrown in there the night before. They do that, you know, throw their rubbers or thelr empties into the pond MATT You see cops across the street? LOOGAN Yeah, but I didn’t make the connéction until Vince came running over from the Fifth Avenue entrance. MATT vince?43. He's the other groundskeeper He's the one found the bags over there. MATT Is Vince around? I'd like to talk to him. LOOGAN He quit. (then) He opened one of the bags. The guy looks at Matt, then at the water, as if something was still floating out there. LOOGAN I was just starting to forget about her. Thank you so much for bringing it all back. MATT What's your book about? Loogan looks at him... LOOGAN Please. Don’t patronize me Matt watches the guy, visibly upset now, climb back on his tractor and ride off, then disappear back down the hill. EXT, PUB - MIDTOWN - DAY As Matt goes inside. INT. PUB - DAY Matt hangs up his coat on a rack, takes the place in. Lots of cops and lawyers. He stares into the back, takes a deep breath walks to where... Det. JOANNE DURKIN -- forties, dark suit, her hair pulled back -- sits at a table, in the middle of cleaning up a spilled drink. She picks up a ruined sandwich, a soggy report.. MATT (0S) Nothing important, I hope. She looks up, sees Matt standing there. She finally smiles. indicates the wet sheet of paper go I was just reading about today’s dead Dominican drug dealer when the whole soda goes right over... MATT Probably a sperm killer anyway44. MATT (CONTD (looks at her) Not that it matters I guess... (to the waitress) Just coffee, please. He sits down across from her and looks around. A lot of guys are looking his way, trying to place him. MATT You got your gold shield. Jo Three years ago. MATT Too bad. You looked good in uniform go Like you noticed. MATT I noticed. JO You didn’t do anything about it. MATT Yeah, well, I was a fucking idiot. JO Yes, you were. You were a fucking idiot with a wife and two sons. He shrugs as the waitress sets down his coffee. Rey What are you doing here, Matt? MATT I had the urge to commit a felony JO. 1 know the feeling. | There's hardly 2 day goes by that {don't get the urge myself. Haye you got any particular felony in mind? MATT I was thinking of a Class D -- Something like Two Hundred Point Zero Zero of the Criminal Code. Jo Bribery in the third degree. MATT That's the one.45, JO Huh. You sure you wouldn't prefer to violate Section Two Hundred Point Zero Three? MATT What's that? go Bribery in the second degree, It's the same as your Class D, only for Bribery two the gift you'confer's in excess of ten thousand dollars. MATT I think class D is my limit. say dinner, somewhere nicer than here. You could wear your old uniform. Jo (beat) I’m married now. Three years. MATT (beat) You happy? JO On occasion. MATT Good for you. And he means it. He takes a drink of his coffee, then: MATT Three months ago, in Queens, two men grab a woman named Marie Gotteskind Off Jamaica Avenue and sprinkle her all over a vacant lot a week later. Jo looks picks up from her sandwich. MATT Six months ago -- in Brooklyn this time -- a woman named Leila Alvarez gets grabbed off the street by three men. Two days later, she was found bumping into herself’ in a pond in Green-Wood Cemetery. JO I’m gonna guess that by such colorful yet Coy phrases as ‘sprinkled her’ and ‘bumping into herself’. you mean to say that these women were found in a less than whole condition? MATT You're eating. We don’t have to get into that much detail right now.46. JO Aren’t you sweet. MATT I'd love to see the murder book on Gotteskind, see what background the one-twelve’ developed. JO I’m sure you would. Jo looks around the pub a moment. JO what's your interest in this? MATT I can't say. go Well, Jesus Christ, Matthew. You sure do want it al{ flowing in one direction, don't you? MATT (beat) I have a client whose wife got taken off the street by a couple guys in a van. go He report it? MATT No. Jo Why not? MATT (beat) He's in the country illegally Jo So what? Half the city's in the country illegally. Matt doesn't say anything. Jo studies Matt a moment, sighs She looks JO The wife come back dead? MATT Among other things. at him a moment. go You really stop drinking?a7. MATT So far. You really married? She ignores him, takes out her pad. JO. How do you spell “Gotteskind?” EXT. GREEN-WOOD CEMETERY - AFTERNOON As James Loogan walks out of the big stone gates, his lunchbox in one hand, an umbrella in the other. He comes down the driveway, starts off down Fourth Avenue. A moment later MATT STEPS INTO FRAME and starts to follow. As Matt walks past a storefront window, we see the reflection of someone stepping from the doorway next door and start following him. EXT. BROOKLYN STREET - AFTERNOON As Loogan crosses the street. Matt hangs back a block, walks on the other side. We PAN to another block or so back and see the FIGURE still follows behind Matt. EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING - BROOKLYN - AFTERNOON As Loogan enters the old, eight-story building on the corner. Matt steps to the corner now and watches Loogan go inside. Matt then walks past the building and ducks into an alley. A moment later, a HOODED FIGURE hurries past. Matt grabs the figure by the hood and yanks him into the alley, revealing TJ’s startled face buried in the jacket... TJ Yo, Matt, what the dealie? MATT Hello, TJ. 1 I been shadowing you. MATT No kidding. He makes a big show of taking out a notebook, one just like Matt's, and starting to rea Tg “I followed subject back from dinner to a meeting at some church.” (looks up) You used to drink some, huh? MATT Only on days ended with a “y” TJ nods, turns back to his notebook...48. Ts YT then followed subjegt back to, some shitty ass hotel on 57™ where subject remained until--* MATT I know where I was, TJ. Ta You made me at that flower shop, didn’t you? MATT I made you back at the subway. To Damn. This book I'm reading says a foot tail's hard to do on account of they're s0 easy to spot. MATT That they are. Tg They say it’s better to use three guys, two alternating behind, another guy on the other side of the street. MATT Be good, you had three guys. ty You use e lotta payphones. MAT? So? Ts So you don’t got no cell? MATT I don’t like them. To Don’t like computers. Don’t like cell phones. Fuckin Amish got more flavor than you do, Matthew. Matt turns away, looks at Loogan’s building. Tg I was watching you follow this guy. You didn’t try to hide or nothin’. MATT He wasn’t looking for me. We TILT UP as Matt looks up at Loogan’s building a moment. Ta it's funny, me following you while you're following this other dude...49. And now we PAN OVER as Matt turns and watches as a DOG WALKER walks A DOZEN DOGS into the apartment ACROSS from Loogan’s building. MATT Uh-huh. It’s real... And now Matt takes a step towards this other building... MATT Ironical. Matt takes a SLIP OF PAPER from his coat and looks at it, then looks up as the dog walker leads the animals inside the building opposite Loogan’s. An AWNING above the door, On the awning are two things: an address, and the name of the buildin: “WINDSOR ARMS” Matt looks down at the photograph he printed out at the library. Leila Alvarez’ fiancée, Reuben Quintana, talking to reporters. Rbove him is the same awning we now look at -- “WINDSOR ARMS.” MATT TI? We then PAN BACK TO LOOGAN’S BUILDING as Matt steps away and looks up. One building facing the other across a narrow street. TJ Yeah? Matt turns and looks back at the kid. MATT Stop following me. And now Matt heads for the Windsor Arms, pocketing the page as he goes. INT. BUILDING - DAY As a MAN, Latino, handsome, in sweats, out of breath, opens his door to the chain. A tiny yip of a DOG tries to bolt into the hallway. MAN (holds him back with his foot) Mookie-- no! (then) I help you with something? MATT Reuben Quintana? The man watches as Matt quickly flashes his “retired” badge.50. MATT My name is Matt Scudder. I was wondering if I could talk to you about your fiancée? REUBEN Fiancée? Oh, Leila... Uh, I kinda have this other place I have to be... MATT I just need a minute. ‘The guy considers, then nods, shuts the door, removes the chain and opens it up again and steps aside. REUBEN Okay. INT. QUINTANA’S APARTMENT - DAY Matt follows Reuben into the open space, begins appraising the nice surroundings. An open kitchen. A huge stereo system. A PLASMA TV hanging on the wall. REUBEN I get you something to drink? MATT No, thank you. Matt looks at the huge, home gym set-up in one corner ~~ also first class -- as Reuben turns off the treadmill, grabs a bottle of Evian from the Subzero, takes a drink MATT Must be nice, have the time to go for a jog in the middle of the day. REUBEN I'd rather be working. (announcing) I’m an actor. MATT Yeah, I thought you looked familiar, Have I seen anything you’ve been in? REUBEN I did a Stetson commercial, ran on that all sports channel. MATT (looking around) Stetson-- the hat? REUBEN The cologne. MATT Oh...51. REUBEN Ran during the Stanley Cup finals a few years ago. MATT Huh. Missed that one. Matt watches as Reuben fills the dog’s water dish from the bottle of Evian. MATT Leila went to Brooklyn College, is that right? Studied decorating? REUBEN Interior Design. MATT Right Matt moves to the window now, looks at the other building, the one Loogan just walked into. MATT You know a man named James Loogan? Works at Green-Wood cemetery? REUBEN No. Never heard of him. Matt nods, thoughtful, he turns away from the window MATT You saw the men who took Leila? REUBEN Yeah, there were three of them. MATT You're sure? REUBEN Iwas there. I was right across the street, at this coffee place Leila was supposed to meet me at... INT, COFFEE HOUSE - DAY As Reuben looks out the window as LEILA ALVAREZ starts to cross the street. A GREY VAN pulls to the curb... REUBEN (VO) I look out the window, see her start to cross the street when two guys get gut of a van and say something to er. MATT (vO) What'd they look like?52. REUBEN (VO) I couldn't really see their faces They were holding clipboards. One was tall. Really tall. Like taller than the’ van... They say something to Leila and she walks around to the back of the van with them. Reuben bolts for the door.. REUBEN (VO) Next thing I know, she’s getting into the back of the van with them... EXT. COFFEE HOUSE - DAY As Reuben shoves his way through several customers trying to get into the coffee house. He makes it out the door onto the street just as the van rounds the corner, He stands there horrified.. REUBEN (VO) That was the last time I saw her. INT. REUBEN’S APARTMENT - DAY Matt nods, turns and looks around the apartment, takes in the expensive stereo, flat screen TV, the appliances, furniture MATT. This is a nice place. Lots of nice stuff... Matt looks at the coffee table, its surface is full of SCRATCHES MATT | Leila do the design? REUBEN Yeah. You should see the bedroom (then) Wait, that didn’t sound right-- MATT You don’t deal, do you, Reuben? Matt turns and looks at Reuben, something on his mind now REUBEN What? MATT You heard me. REUBEN You asking, am I drug dealer? MATT Unless you prefer trafficker. Or maybe you wanna tell me you made the fifty G pedaling cologne on ESPN.53. REUBEN I’ve got a trust fund. MATT From your rich family up in the Bronx. REUBEN My mother won a lawsuit a few years ago. MATT Hey, come on, Reuben, not even the dog's dumb ehough to’ buy that one. The guy looks pissed, but doesn’t have quite what he needs to take a swing at Matt. Matt knows this, stays where he is. MATT Look, T don’t care how you earn your living. But the guys who grabbed Leila?’ They might have. REUBEN How do you mean? But now Matt sees LOOGAN leave the building across the street. Matt quickly heads for the door, leaving a perplexed Reuben to stupidly stare after him. MATT Thanks for your time. EXT. LOOGAN’S BUILDING - DAY As an OLD WOMAN unlocks the front door with her key, starts to go in. MATT (OS) Let me hold that for you... And now we see Matt right behind her, smiling. OLD WOMAN Thank you. INT. ENTRANCE HALLWAY - SAME As Matt moves to the mailboxes, starts looking at them. He sees the name LOOGAN on one of them. INT. STAIRWELL - SAME As Matt climbs the stairs, stops at a floor... INT. HALLWAY - SAME As Matt moves to an apartment door and listens. It’s quiet inside. He tries the knob, but of course the door is locked.54. WOMAN’ S VOICE That you, James? Matt quickly backs away from the door, moves down the hall for the stairwell. EXT. ROOF - DAY As Matt comes out of the stairwell onto the roof. He walks to a COOP and stares inside, a dozen birds stupidly staring back at him. He then moves to the edge of the roof, looks down at the apartment building across the way, the height advantage providing an Al view down into Reuben Quintana’s place. He watches Reuben, on the phone now, pace back and forth. EXT. STREET - SAME As Loogan heads to the corner. We hear a bit of THUNDER and he looks up at the darkening sky. He starts to go then stops cold when HE SEES SOMEONE UP ON THE ROOF OF HIS BUILDING. EXT. ROOF - SAME As Matt turns away from the edge and looks around, sees A SHED on the far side of the roof. Matt walks over to it and sees the door fs PADLOCKED. Matt gives a shove, rips the latch from the rotted wood, and opens the door. INT. SHED - SAME As Matt stands in the doorway, RAIN PELTS THE METAL ROOF. He looks at the bags of BIRDSEED, some TOOLS, and some OLD BOOKS that sit on top of a sagging COT. Matt examines the books, all of them PSYCHOLOGY TEXTBOOKS. A CARD TABLE is set up in a corner with a folding chair. AN OLD TYPEWRITER sits on the table. Matt rolls the sheet of paper out of it and reads: MATT ...he carried her through the field, thé dandelions and cattails still wet with the morning dew, and set her down by a stream, whispering through the strands of her fine, yellow hair, “You're safe now. You're safe.” (then) Jesus... Matt turns and moves the junk from the stained mattress, lifts it up. He stands there, staring at a few dozen POLAROIDS spread out across the springs. He picks one up and sees... heila Alavarez. Getting dressed by the window. Another shows eila sunbathing on the roof. In another she brushes her hair. In another one she and Reuben, both naked, embrace on the bed.55. JAMES LOOGAN appears in the doorway behind him and THE RAIN STOPS PINGING THE ROOF OF THE SHED. Matt senses something, turns... MATT James... Matt turns all the way around, the photos in his hands, and faces Loogan. Stays calm. MATT You caught me. Loogan says nothing, looks at the overturned mattress. MATT You gave the cops a different addréss, didn’t you? That's why they Hever put you across the street from Leila. LOOGAN (beat) This is my mother’s building. I live in Sunset Park, but I’m not allowed to keep my birds there... even though there’s room on the roof. MATT Your mom home right now? Maybe we could go down and talk, have a cup of coffee. LOOGAN I can’t let you leave here. And now we see A KNIFE in his hand. LOOGAN They’ 11 kill me if I do. MATT Who's “they”, James? LOOGAN The other two. Loogan starts to come forward. Matt looks at the knife. MATT So what, you gonna stab me now, with that knife? LOOGAN It's gonna bother me, too, For a long time. I know it will... MATT How much is it gonna bother you, T take that knife away, stick it in your neck?56. LOOGAN (beat) Could you really do that? MATT Yes, I really could, James. (then) But I/d rather not. Loogan looks at Matt, believes him. Matt holds out the photos. MATT How ‘bout instead we trade? LOOGAN Okay. Loogan bends at the knees and sets the knife down on the roof Mate steps on the blade before handing Loogan the pictures. He stares at them. LOOGAN what was it I said, gave me away? MATT Everything. You're a weirdo, James But then, you were probably better prepared for the real cops, having Seen them all morning across the street at the flower shop Loogan looks at Matt. LOOGAN I never laid a hand on Leila. But The other two — they’re the one’s you better worry about. MATT What other two? LOOGAN They’re not human. Tt‘s not just they’ ve got a lot of hostility toward women, it’s the superiority, the randiosity about it that scares me eople like that, down deep, they really feel inadequate, have to take it all out on other people. MATT You've done some reading. LOOGAN Research. MATT How'd you meet them?57. Loogan turns away, reaches into one of the coops, strokes one of his birds with a finger. LOOGAN There’s this video store near my house, They have this basement where they keep some of their more... specialized stuff. I go there sometimes for-- MATT --research, I know, You saw them there? CUT TO: A BASEMENT “VIDEO STORE” Light floods around high windows blocked off with brown paper. MEN avoid eye contact with each other as they browse the metal racks full of underground videotapes. LOOGAN (VO) They always came in together. We hear a DOOR OPEN and TWO FIGURES start down the wooden steps. Their faces are barred in the shadow of the stairwell. LOOGAN (VO) I called them Laurel and Hardy on account of one was tall and the other one was short and round. BACK TO SCENE: As Matt takes out his notebook. MATT Can you be any more specific than that? LOOGAN Well, the one guy was like really tall. Taller than you... CUT TO: THE BASEMENT “VIDEO STORE” As the tall one emerges into the dim light... LOOGAN (VO) Like near seven feet with pale skin. Bnd he had eyes that were dark, like a bug. And now the other one emerges a few steps behind the first... LOOGAN, (VO) And the other one had scars on his face, little ones, like he had bad acne when he was & kid. BACK TO SCENE: As Loogan sits down on a stool near the coop, looks at his birds.58. MATT What about names? LOOGAN You don’t exchange names in places like that, not réal ones anyway (then) They loved that I worked in a cemetery. They thought that was funny.” They wanted to buy me drinks CUT TO: A BAR ‘A dark shit hole. A BURST OF LAUGHTER comes from the back where Loogan and the other two sit at one of the three rickety tables LOOGAN (VO) So we went to this bar, the middle of the day, drank Rum and’ Coke, talked about the different videos we liked. Another ugly burst of laughter. Loogan looks uncomfortable LOOGAN (VO) It was all one big laugh to, thems watching all the drug addicts fuck each other. BACK TO SCENE: As Matt looks up at Loogan. MATT what do you mean, drug addicts? LOOGAN They didn’t do drugs, but, they were like obsessed with that whole world dealers, addicts, the different kinds of drugs... They told me they worked with the DEA. MATT They were cops? CUT TO: A HAND RADIO Clippéd to a belt. LOOGAN (VO) They had a police radio. One of, those handheld units. And they had all these files on drug dealers, with DEA stamps on them. WIDEN SO THAT WE CAN SEE: It's clipped to the round man’s belt. He’s showing Loogan a bunch of file folders that he’s spread open on the table...LOOGAN (YO) He said they worked for the DEA on special assignments... BACK TO SCENE: MATT You told them about Reuben? LOOGAN No, I told them about Leila, about how I was gonna save her From Reuben... QUICK CUT TO: ROOF POV INTO REUBEN’S APARTMENT - DAY As Reuben cuts a bunch of COKE on the coffee table. Leila waiting on the couch, in her underwear. LOOGAN (VQ) §o we came up here and watched them for a while. BACK TO SCENE: He looks off towards their building. LOOGAN They really liked her. They said they wanted to help her, too. MATT So you followed her. (Loogan nods) You picked her up off the street. (another nod) Then what? Loogan turns to Matt. He looks lost. LOOGAN, We drove around with her... QUICK CUT TO: THE BACK OF THE VAN More laughter. Ray, the round man, is laughing at something 0S. A bit of jerky movement in the back. LOOGAN (VO) In this van they have. Got this mattress in the back, all covered up with plastic. Loogan is at the wheel, glancing back. He sees the girl's face... she looks up at him, pleading with her eyes, her mouth duct-taped shut LOOGAN (VO) She was really scared.BACK TO SCENE: As Loogan stokes one of the birds through the bars, with 60. a long finger... LOOGAN They loved that. They kept talking to her, kept asking her how much money her fiancée had. They thought he was rich. MATT why? LOOGAN Her engagement ring. They were all into iE," They wanted it.” But when they cut it off... MATT Cut the ring off? LOOGAN Her finger. fie hear A WOMAN SCREAM OVER as we now... CUT TO: THE LOOP OF WIRE As it’s held up, flashing in the light... LOOGAN (VO) That’s when I got out of there. Suddenly one of the DOORS opens and light can see LOOGAN running away from the van, disappearing into the bright, white light BACK TO SCENE: As Loogan moves back to Matt... LOOGAN floods into the van. his fleeing form of the day as we go. Wwe We were somewhere in Brooklyn and T just jumped out and ran. two days later... Loogan looks out at the city. LOOGAN I think the come to worl everywhere. ‘Bnd then, ‘thought it’d be funny, I see the garbage bags They knew I’d never say anything. MATT Where was this video place, you met these two? LOOGAN It moves around a lot. Back then, it was in Flatbush.61. MATT How do I get in? LOOGAN They have to know you. MATT What if you come with me? Loogan looks at Matt. He seems so sad now. Finally... LOOGAN can I feed my birds first? Matt nods, watches as Loogan reaches into a bag of seed, pulls out a plastic cup full of seed and starts walking to the coop. LOOGAN (quiet) Ray. MATT What was that? LOOGAN That was his name. MATT Which one? The fat-~ Matt stops talking as James Loogan calmly walks off the edge of the roof and drops from sight. We hear TIRES SCREECHING ON THE STREET BELOW. Followed a moment later by A WOMAN’S SCREAM EXT. BUILDING - DUSK As Matt comes down the front steps and starts off down the street away from the CROWD that now gathers around something that nobody wants to see, but all of them look at it anyway Matt gets to the corner, stops and looks back at the crowd. We hear a WOMAN SCREAM and... CUT TO: THE ALLEY (FLASHBACK As Matt cuffs the banger and, this time, starts walking towards the mouth of the alley, the light less washed out now as we see the chaos out on the street... MATT (VO) I stopped drinking that day... INT. AA MEETING - NIGHT As Matt stands at the microphone... MATT It just wasn’t much fun after that.62. No one laughs. There’s no humor in the statement this time. He puts the microphone down and walks out of the meeting. EXT. TOWNHOUSE - BRIGHTON BEACH - EARLY MORNING The MERCEDES is parked out front. The ground is wet from the rain the night before. We see the WOMAN come out in her coat, start down the walk... WIDEN TO REVEAL: OUR POV IS INSIDE THE VAN As the two Mutt ‘n’ Jeff figures in the front seat watch her. We can see their breath as the shorter consults a DEA FILE in his lap He looks at the PHOTOGRAPH of the bald man in Russia holding hands with the woman, HER FACE BLURRED... The Round Man looks up, watches as the woman bends down to pick up the paper, then turns and goes back into the house. He sees that she wears WHITE TENNIS SHOES. He reaches for the door.. ROUND MAN I’1l be right back. EXT. TOWNHOUSE - BRIGHTON BEACH - SAME [As Ray moves through the shadows at the side of the house. He approaches a WINDOW, peers inside THE ROUND MAN’S POV - INSIDE THE HOUSE ‘A BALD MAN sits down at the kitchen table with a glass of juice. Tt’s the “Russian Man” from the file. A DOG lies at his feet. In comes the woman now who hands the newspaper to the man who nods then takes off her coat and we see she wears A NURSE’S UNIFORM beneath it. She moves off down the hall, her white tennis shoes squeaking on the wood floor... EXT. TOWNHOUSE - BRIGHTON BEACH - SAME The Round Man climbs atop a meter, wipes the rain away and peers in through another window at... A BEDROOM Where we see ANOTHER WOMAN lying in the bed, her long hair fanned on the pillow, her arms limp at her sides. She stares blankly at the ceiling. THIS is the woman from the file, the one the Russian Man was holding hands with. And now the Nurse comes into this room, puts some eye drops into the prone woman's eyes, then sets about fluffing the pillows..63. INT. VAN - MORNING As the Round Man comes in, shuts the door, sits there a moment. He looks at the file, at the woman with the man in Moscow. He chuckles. ROUND MAN I wonder, you think he’d pay as much for the hurse? The Tall Man turns to him, The Round Man sighs. ROUND MAN It seems we/ve made a mistake. (closes the file) Let’s go. The Tall Man starts the engine. Ray shakes his head, then watches as the front door opens again, we see THE DOG come out attached to an extension leash. He starts down the steps. And now we see an arm holding the leash inside a RED SLICKER. ROUND MAN Wait-- And now we see A FIGURE in the hooded slicker holding the leash as the figure comes out after the dog and starts down the walk. And as the figure walks by the front of the van, the hood falls and we see the face of A FOURTEEN-YEAR-OLD GIRL beneath it. Her father comes out of the house a moment later in his own coat, and together they walk the dog. The two men watch them go.. ROUND MAN (smiles, sings) Hey there, lonely girl... don’t you know this’ lonely boy loves you... INT. KENNY KRISTO’S HOUSE - MORNING The house is now squeaky clean. All of the old photographs of Carrie are off the walls. There’s no sign at all that she even lived there. Several stacks of moving cartons line one wall. Matt watches as Kenny shoves some of Carrie’s clothing into another box... KENNY They worked for the fucking DEA? MATT Probably not for very long and almost certainly not as agents. Kenny nods, purposefully starts to seal up the box. KENNY Then what were they?64. MATT 1 don’t know. Maybe they used them as confidential informants... or maybe they were office help Whatever they were, they wouldn’t have gone very far or lasted very long. KENNY Why not? MATT Because they’re insane. KENNY But they managed to get their hands on some files. One of which had my name in it. Kenny looks at Matt. KENNY And if my name’s in a DEA file, that means I’m being looked at. MATT Or you were at one time Kenny thinks for a moment. This gets MATT you know a Lot of people, do what you io’ KENNY, it’s not like we have a_union or anything, but I know a few, why? MATT I want you to call them up and tell them what happened to Carrie. Tell them you! ve red-" KENNY Jesus, Matt, if word gets out about Carrié-- the cops are gonna be all-- MATT They've done it before. Kenny looking at him. MATT And they're gonna do it again, But this time I wanna know about it. KENNY What do I say?65. MATT (starts for the door) You'll think of something. Kenny shakes his head, stares at the all of the boxes. KENNY I could have paid them. Matt pauses, turns back. “What?” KENNY I had the whole million, It was our nest egg. You know, the money I was gonna use to get out. He looks up at Matt now, laughs bitterly. KENNY It was our future, And I didn’t wanna give it to them. Now how fucking stupid is that? Matt watches as Kenny goes back to automatically shoving clothes into boxes, like a robot. MATT She was already dead. Kenny looks at him. MATT And if she wasn't, they would have killed her anyway. (turns to go) call your friends... EXT. BAY RIDGE AVENUE - DAY As Matt walks to the SUBWAY, he passes A WHITE VAN parked at the curb, the name VILLAGE PLUMBING stenciled on the side, the windows in front all smoked so that we can’t see inside. EXT. SUBWAY ENTRANCE - DAY As Matt starts down the stairs, the WHITE VAN drives past. Matt then comes back up a step and watches the van turn the corner. CUT TO: INSERT OF NEWSPAPER PHOTO The vacant lot where Marie Gotteskind was found. Two narrow buildings on either side of it. We now... TILT UP TO REVEAL: THE ACTUAL SITE - QUEENS As Matt stands across the street, clocking the neighborhood. Most of the storefronts are boarded up around here. The area’s dying a slow death. Except for...66. ...a Bodega. A small Spanish grocery that seems to be quite busy Bédple go in and out of it. Matt watches a group of teenagers go inside, then crosses to it. OWNER (VO) Gotteskind? INT. BODEGA - QUEENS - DAY As the SHOP OWNER, a burly, bearded Hispanic man, works behind a shabby deli counter cutting meat. OWNER I just knew her as Marie. We hear the door CHIME and a young KID comes in, walks past Matt who leans on the counter. OWNER Jacinto. My man. The kid says something in Spanish and the owner points him to the fridge in the back. OWNER You know where it is. Second fridge over. Matt watches the kid head to the back, The place is full of people. The group of teenagers talk to A MAN -- Latin, neat §oatee, all tattooed and stoved up, in the back of the place MATT She live around here? OWNER She worked around here. MATT Where? And now the guy looks at Matt, smiles. OWNER On the corner. (to the kid) No, no, your mama likes the one percent, not the two. MATT She was a dealer? OWNER Shhh. The owner gestures to the kid who takes the carton of MILK back to the fridge and exchanges it for another. Matt watches as the kids walk out of the store, the owner eyeing them, then the man in the back who nods, disappears into a door marked PRIVATE67. OWNER She worked out of a crib not too far from here. He smiles as the kid puts a CARTON OF MILK on the counter. OWNER Two dollars even. He takes some money from him, then hands him a couple lollipops. OWNER Make sure you give the other one to your brother. “And tell your mana ello for me: He waits for the kid to walk out, then turns to Matt. OWNER Around the block, there’s this old building... EXT. DECREPIT BUILDING - DAY A vacuum repair place downstairs. The other storefront is boarded up, full of GRAFFITI. OWNER (VO) Vacuum repair on the ground, a few rooms upstairs... Matt crosses to the building, goes into a door in between the two retail spaces. INT. STAIRWELL ~ SAME Full of trash. More graffiti. Holes punched in the walls, Matt now quietly goes right on up as if he’s been up hundreds of these shitty stairwells in his lifetime. Which, of course, he has. INT. UPSTAIRS ROOMS - SAME Abandoned. Walls are buckled. Ceilings hang down. No one lives up here. No one could. WE FOLLOW MATT into the front room. A window. Matt moves to it, looks down at the BODEGA across the street. Something’s bothering him. And now we see A FIGURE reflected in the glass behind Matt. Matt turne around and is immediately hit across the face with a BOARD, Matt goes down and the figure hits him again. Matt’s knocked to the floor. He looks up at the big tattooed MAN from the Bodega... MAN Hola. The man kicks Matt in the face and Matt goes down. And now we hear FOOTSTEPS.68. Matt looks to the doorway, sees the BODEGA OWNER, still in his apron, now gain the top of the steps and calmly walk into the room. OWNER Alright, tell me, cocksucker, right now, what do you’want with Marie G? And now the other man has come out with Matt’s wallet followed by his RETIRED BADGE. OWNER You on the job, fucker? MATT Retired. OWNER Who you working for? The family? (throws the badge at Matt) Shit. When you guys gonna Jeave it Alone? Huh? We didn’t do it, okay? MATT Okay. OWNER you think we’d chop up 2 cop, leave her on our own fucking doorstep? Matt looks at him. MATT A cop... OWNER My son’s a fucking moron, but he’s not an idiot. The other man tries to protest that last remark in Spanish, but the owner shushes him. MATT Marie was a cop? The owner stands up, considers Matt, realizes he’s made a mistake OWNER Who are you? MATT I’m not after you... or your son. want the guys who killed Marie. The other man, rants in Spanish, then pokes his own chest. MAN If I don’t kill them first. Matt looks at him.69. MATT You dealing outta the store? OWNER (glares at his son) Not anymore. MATT But Marie was working you? OWNER Working him? (laughs) Fucking moron wanted to marry her. EXT. BUILDING - DAY As Matt staggers out of the building, looks up at the windows... INT. AA MEETING - NIGHT As Matt sits in the back, beaten up, drinking coffee. Other people keep stealing looks at him. And while the room is generally full, the chairs on either side of him remain vacant. Matt stares off, pensive. When we hear... VOICE My name is Peter. Im an alcoholic addict. (then) And I have one day back. Matt turns and looks as now a very shaky-looking Peter Kristo stands at the microphone. EVERYONE Hello, Peter. EXT. MEETING - NIGHT As Matt walks with Peter down the street. PETER I slipped. MATT It happens. He shakes his head, cuts a look at Matt. PETER Funny thing is, I didn’t even start using until Twas twenty-eight. Up until then, I'd never even’ smoked a joint. Even when I was overseas and alf my unit was on one thing or another.70. Matt looks around the dark street, sees a quick glimpse of A WHITE VAN moving through the intersection behind them. Hard to tell if it's the same one. MATT (watching it) You were in the army? PETER Germany, then Desert Storm. I come ome, "go back tovscheol) me and Kenn’ start dealing. You know, just enoug! to get by. Matt turns to Peter now. MATT You were doing it with him? PETER Back then, yeah. (shakes his head) 1,dq it Eo pay for art school and wind up getting hooked on the fucking product and drop out. Meanwhile, Kenny-- he stays in the business, Starts making a fortune while I'm eating garbage, sleeping in abandoned buildings, until one night I nearly blow my fucking heart outta my mouth up in Harlem. Peter laughs bitterly, then blows into his cold hands. MATT Where you gonna go now? PETER I got this job as a bread maker Te’s night work, but I figure I keep busy at night, Sleep during the day Tii get in léss trouble. Matt nods. PETER Anyway, I/1l see you around. Matt stands there watching as Peter heads off down the street rubbing his cold hands together, his posture sad and stooped Just beyond Peter, we see the WHITE VAN pull to the curb across the street. Matt looks at the PHONE NUMBER stenciled on the side Matt turns and walks to a payphone, watches the van as he dials the number, gets a recording telling him the number’s not in service Matt inserts another coinne MATT I'd like the number for Village Plumbing. (then) I assume it’s in the Village. (then) Try Brooklyn. (then) Try all the boroughs. (then) Thank you. Matt hangs up, watches as the van now disappears around the EXT. MATT'S HOTEL - NIGHT An AMBULANCE is parked out front. Matt hears SOMEONE COUGH sees TJ leaning against the back of it. TJ looks at Matt’s face. To What happened to you? MATT I bumped into something. TJ nods, can’t stop coughing, reaches into his backpack for bottle of water which is when Matt sees the handle of A GUN inside. MATT You okay? Tw I’m fine.... He takes a long drink of water. MATT What you got there in your backpack? To Just my notebook, some twizzlers, unless you talking about my pencils... MATT No, I'm talking about the black Betetta 9 with the taped grip, you got tucked beside your water bottle. Tg looks at Matt, moves back into the doorway, then reaches his backpack and pulls out a black 9mm. Tg, You mean, this? My new jammy? corner. and bruised nestled into Matt looks at the boy now casually holding the gun in his hand like it’s a frisbee. Matt keeps his voice calm, leads TJ over between two buildings. He looks at the pistol, nods...12, MATT That's a nice one. What’re you planning on doing with it? Ts tt's for protection. I’m gonna be a detective, I’m gonna need a piece. MATT Uh huh, where’d you get it? 1 im taking_a nap in this alley, 1 hear some footsteps, see this kid I know works as a lookout for some baliers, I see him drop this bag in a dumpster, then split. MATT You stole someone’s stash? TJ IT left the money and the rock where it was. MATT They’ re gonna come back for the piece. 10, Nab, they, ip the wind, Matthew. Cops clipped their ass. Tg turns away to cough and Matt considers him a moment, then.. MATT You know how to use that? TW (gimme a break) shit MATT Point it at me, like your gonna shoot me. TJ looks at him. MATT Go ahead. pg hesitates, then holds it up, points it at Matt, but keeps it sideways the way the gangbangers all think is so cool. MATT That the way you hold a gun? Ww That's the way I hold it, yeah.73. MATT You know how to jack the clip? Empty it? Clean it? Matt reaches out and quick as a flash takes the gun from him and pops the clip, snicks out the bullets one by one into his palm. MATT But the gun’s still not empty. You know that, right? You know there's still 2 round’ left in the chamber ere... He opens the breach and shows TJ the last round. No, TJ didn’t know that. Matt then hands him the clip and the bullets. MATT Now put it back together. Tg takes the gun, puts the bullets back in the clip, replaces the clip, looks up at Matt and smiles. MATT Caress it. Rub it. Like it’s part of you. TJ rubs the gun, nods, likes the feel. MATT Feels good, doesn’t it? tT It’s all oily... MATT Turn off the safety. (TJ does) Now cock it... TJ racks the slide, looks up at Matt. MATT Now put it to your temple and pull the fucking trigger. Ta What? MATT You heard me. Shoot yourself in the head. TJ just stands there looking at Matt. MATT Might as well get it over with now, because you walk around with a gun, sooner or later, it’s gonna happen’ anyway. And now TJ stares at the gun in his hand.74, MATT No rewind. No going out for popcorn and then coming back to the show. {t's just you with that gun in your hand,-a stupid look on your face and your’hash all over the wall. TI You don’t ever carry? MATT No.., anybody’s gonna shoot me they're gonna have to bring their own gun. You take it easy now, TJ. And with that, Matt turns and crosses to his hotel. He starts to go in, then stops, sighs, turns and goes back to where TJ stood a moment earlier. But the kid is now gone INT. MATT’S HOTEL - LOBBY - NIGHT As Matt walks to the desk. Howie, the desk clerk, pulls down a message. HOWIE Jo Durkle’s waiting for you next door. MATT Durkin. HOWIE No, look, I wrote it down. He holds out the slip for Matt to see, but Matt just looks back at the moron. We hear A CHIME as the elevator arrives, then... VOICE Coming through... Matt turns as two AMBULANCE ATTENDANTS wheel an ELDERLY WOMAN off the elevator. Howie shakes his head as they pass... HOWIE, They’ re dropping like flies. Matt then moves across the lobby and looks into the BAR adjoining We see JO DURKIN sitting at a table in the back. INT. BAR - NIGHT As Matt walks over to Jo. She’s got a beer in front of her go You know, this may very well be the shittiest hotel bar I’ve ever been in. MATT You're lucky it’s open.15. MATT (CONTD) (sits down) They get, the early office crowd during the week, but don’t even bother to open up on the weekends. Matt signals to the bartender. She waits MATT One of those places, it’s basically a bar in the neighborhood without being a neighborhood bar. JO, Huh, yeah, well, we can talk about the’ sociology of taverns later. Meantime, I see that you've been busy. (re: his appearance) Who did you beat up? MATT More the other way round. as the bartender sets a coke down in front of Matt. MATT Thanks. Jo Friend of mine, Brooklyn South, tells ne that a guy hamed, James Loogan took a header offa building out there. MATT. Wow, that’s too bad. Jo Just so happens building was across the street from where Leila Alvarez used to live. MATT You’ re kidding? JO No, I’m not. It also turns out this Loogan was a gardener at Green-Wood Cemetery, the same place Alvarez’s body got’ dumped. MATT Groundskeeper. Jo What’s that? MATT He was the groundskeeper, not the gardener.16. Re) Yeah, well, now he’s plant food. MATT The great circle of life. go Of course, you, don’t happen to have any idea why the man killed himself? MATT I’m guessing he was depressed. Re) Yeah, that’s what the note said MATT There you go. JO one line. Typewritten. MATT sounds pretty open and shut to me. JO A typewritten suicide note? You don’t find that a little bit unusual? MATT Maybe he couldn’t find a pen. JO They dust the machine, I wonder whose rints they’re gonna find on the eys? MATT Probably nobody's. go That's what I thought you'd say (then) What happened, Matt? MATT Guy walked off the roof. go Matt-- MATT Loogan didn’t kill anybody JO If he was some kind of material witness, or in any other way involved... MATT Marie Gotteskind was a cop. That's why there was no background on her.le Jo Actually she was DEA, on loan to Narcotits. Matt looks at her. MATT You looked at the book? JO I talked to the cop at the one-twelve who caught it. She was killed in her apartment, then dumped. Matt thinks about that for a moment. Jo Apparently, Marie was rather good undercover. Deserved a fucking SAG card from what I hear. But fuck her for the moment. (then) What’re you doing, Matt? MATT I’m trying to find these guys. go And how are, you doing that? Outside of getting the shit kicked outta you and helping guys walk off rooftops? She considers him, then leans in close. JO It ever occur to you, Matt, that you may have stopped Grihking, ‘but you’ re still not sober? MATT I’m not looking to make any kind of problem. I just want to find these guys. 0 why? a MATT Because it'll feel good. JO. To what, get them off the board? or ' shoot it out with them in the middle of the street? She shakes her head, lays some money on the table. JO. You can’t say Dallas doesn’t love you.78. MATT What? go Nellie Coneliy, in the car on the big day, says to JFK, “Mr. President, you can't say Dallas doesn’t love you.” She stands up now and looks at Matt. JO Things never happen the way you think they will. P : INT. A BASEMENT - DAY As A TALL FIGURE vacuums the floor with a shop vac. The place is neat and orderly. A lawn chair is tucked under a ping-pong table that’s used as a desk. The figure shuts off the vacuum and coils the cord and puts it away in a metal cupboard. He grabs some WOODWORKING TOOLS and a roll of DUCT TAPE off the ping-pong-table-desk and shoves them both into @ DUFFLE BAG. He wipes down a LOOP OF WIRE with a chamois, then throws it into the duffle along with several KNIVES He moves to a wall of cabinets and slides a MATTRESS out from pehind it. He pulls into the center of the room and lets it fall onto the ground. He then takes some 3 mil PLASTIC and begins to wrap it up. VOICE Albert? He shuts off the light and we then follow him up the wooden stairs. Through a door into... A BRIGHT KITCHEN Where he returns the knife to a wooden block. The other man, the shorter and rounder one, stands at the old stove cooking an omelette. ROUND MAN You can sit down now. The Tall Man washes his hands at the sink, dries his hands on a hand towel and neatly replaces it while the Round Man puts the eggs on a plate. The Tall Man goes to the fridge, grabs a pitcher of low acid orange juice and sits down at a table, already set for two. The Round Man serves them both. ROUND MAN There’s toast if you want it.79, The two of them tuck into their breakfast. All the while, SUNLIGHT continues to stream into the spotless kitchen. Outside we can hear A CHURCHBELL and the sounds of CHILDREN PLAYING NEARBY. INT. MATT’S ROOM - MORNING Matt pours himself a cup of coffee, wipes down the counter. The place is already spotless. He sits down at the table, stares at the muted television set. THE PHONE RINGS. MATT Hello? BOY'S VOICE (PHONE) Dad? MATT (sits up) Michael-- hi... what’s-- what’s up? MICHAEL (PHONE) I realized there were a couple things I needed to ask you. MATT Oh... okay. MICHAEL (PHONE) Mom says, when you_were a Cop, you... did some’things. Is that true? MATT Some things...? MICHAEL (PHONE) Like did you beat people up? MATT (beat) Yes. MICHAEL (PHONE) You ever shoot anybody? MATT Yes. MICHAEL (PHONE) You ever kill anybody? MATT Yes. More silence on the other end. Then... MICHAEL (PHONE) You know step 8, the one about making amends? MATT Sure. I know it.80. MICHAEL (PHONE) Did you do that? Make amends? MATT (beat) To those T could. MICHBEL, (PHONE) Okay. I guess that’s all I wanted to say-~ oh-- wait-- Uh... (then) I got accepted at Tulane. You know, where Grandpa went? MATT You’ re kidding. Congratulations. MICHAEL (PHONE) Yeah, I got a scholarship. MATT Football? MICHAEL (PHONE) Baseball. shit. Matt winces, shuts his eyes. MICHAEL (PHONE) You know, if you're ever down in New Orleans,’ maybe you could, you know, look me’ up. And now Matt opens them. MICHAEL (PHONE) We could go to a meeting together. MATT sure. That sounds great. Matt stands, suddenly not at all sure of his emotional footing. MATT Listen, I gotta get going... MICHAEL (PHONE) Yeah, me, too. MATT You take it easy, Michael. MICHAEL (PHONE) You too, Dad. Matt hangs up, stares at the television for a moment, then moves to the window and looks out at the city. He looks down, sees TJ down on the street below, shifting from foot to foot, looking up at him.81. EXT. MATT’S HOTEL - DAY As Matt walks out of the building, looks to where TJ stands waiting and stops cold, Matt quickly turns and walks the other way. As TJ calls after hin. 1g I don’t have the gun no more! ...we now see what Matt just saw: the grille of THE WHITE VAN Gruising up the street barely half a block behind TJ And we now understand that Matt didn’t want whoever’s inside to connect him to the kid. Matt turns and disappears up an alley. EXT. ALLEY ~ SAME As we see the van stop and now A MAN -- in a flannel shirt and work boots -- gets out. Other than the dark glasses, we can’t see his face. Matt looks back, then bolts up an alley as the guy takes off after him. EXT. STREET - DAY As Matt comes out of the alley and picks up his pace. People give him room as he checks the doorways and storefronts for a good place to wait. Up ahead he sees A MAILMAN come out of a building and start up the sidewalk. Matt runs up the step, stops the door before it closes then ducks inside as FLANNEL SHIRT exits the alley now... INT. LOBBY - SAME As Matt steps to one side of the door, A CRACKED WINDOW in the upper half. He then takes off his jacket and starts to wrap it around his fist when A FACE PRESSES AGAINST THE GLASS, the dark glasses still covering the eyes. Flannel Shirt tries the door, but finds it locked. He moves away just as Matt quickly steps out from beside the door, all ready to Swing at the face in the glass that was there a second ago. Now realizing the guy’s moved on, Matt steps back to one side of the door, TAPS LOUDLY ON THE GLASS The FACE REAPPEARS and Matt once more steps out and this time nails him one right through the window... EXT. SIDEWALK - SAME As Flannel Shirt is knocked on his ass down the steps. Matt comes through the door after him, unwrapping his fist as he comes. Nose broken, brain rattled, the guy struggles onto all fours when Matt kicks him back down to the cement. The WHITE VAN comes to a screaming halt at the curb just as Matt pulls Flannel Shirt’s gun from his waistband and points it at the82. gentleman in the sweatshirt who jumps out of the van, his own gun leveled right back at Matt... SWEATSHIRT Scudder, I'm gonna assume you’ re not dumb enough to shoot a federal agent... MAT? Show me a fucking shield-- right now. SWEATSHIRT Okay. I'm reaching for my folder. . He pulls out a badge folder, flips it open for Matt to see. SWEATSHIRT Stover. Drug Enforcement. Okay? suddenly A GUN is jammed into Matt's ear... then another is in his face as two more FEDS arrive on scene, out of breath from running Stover takes the gun from Matt, hands it to Flannel shirt who glances at the other feds... STOVER Put him in the van. INT. VAN - DAY Chock-full of SURVEILLANCE EQUIPMENT. Matt's now cuffed, jammed in between a couple big guys. Flannel Shirt wipes the blood from his nose... FLANNEL SHIRT Great-- it’s broken... MATT Next time identify yourself. he guy looks at Matt. FLANNEL SHIRT Hey, maybe we should pull over, try again, this time without the sucker punch, See how well you do MATT Why wait? The guy makes a move for Matt but is shoved back into the side of the van by another agent. STOVER That's enough. Matt and the Flannel Shirt glare at each other across the space. Stover looks at Matt’s Retired badge STOVER Who you working for? Kenny Kristo?83. MATT I can’t say. STOVER Cut it out, Scudder, you’re not licensed, so you don’t have privilege. And this-- (tosses Matt his “retired” badge) =-gives you about as much legal authority as a fuckin mailman. So the sooner you tell me what you're doing hanging with known drug dealers, the sooner you can get to an AA meeting and not talk about it. MATT I’m trying to find Ray and his buddy, what’s-his-name, the real tall one? Matt looks at Stover. MATT You know, the two guys, killed Marie Gotteskind? They all look back at him. STOVER I don’t know who you mean. MATT | Really? They're going around saying they! re on the, DEA payroll. | Usually ' right before they chop someone into little pieces. STOVER You keep shaking that tree, Scudder all you’re gonna get is a face fulla bird shit. MATT That’s a swell metaphor, but I think you know who Tim talking about. Was otteskind looking at Kenny? STOVER I can’t answer that, but maybe Mrs. Kristo can. Matt looks at him. STOVER Although, we haven’t seen her around for awhile. Have we guys? And Stover snaps his finger.84. STOVER Hey, I know, maybe you should go talk to the brother, Peter. Seeing as she used to spend 4 lotta time over there Matt takes that in as Stover looks at the other agents. STOVER You know what? I was wrong. This guy doesn’t know a fucking thing Stover bangs hard and loud on the wall behind the driver STOVER We're done here. EXT, STREET - DAY As Matt stands there, rubbing his wrists, watching the van pull away. When he finally turns, we see his face is tense, getting angrier by the minute. EXT, PETER KRISTO’S APARTMENT BUILDING - DAY As Peter crosses the street to the shitty building. He looks dead His eyes are red; his face, wan and cheerless. His clothing looks like it’s all been run over. He enters the building, trips on the first step, goes down and cuts his lip. INT. PETER’S ROOM - DAY Kind of place with a hotplate instead of a kitchen. Peter comes in, right away takes a packet of smack from his pocket and starts to’ put together a fix. He doesn’t notice Matt sitting there in the ragged armchair. Matt watches him a long moment, then... MATT (0S) In the program, they have this saying. Peter jumps out of his skin. PETER Scudder. Jesus-~ _ MATT Don’t give up five minutes before the miracle happens. Peter stands there frozen. He really needs to finish what he’s just started. MATT Of course, the flip side of that one isco if you do give up, you'll never now. PETER What are you doing here?85. MATT. Admiring your wallpaper. Matt gets up out of the chair now, and moves to a wall full of DRAWINGS. All are of Carrie. PETER Those are studies I did for the painting. In one, she’s nude, looking back at us over her shoulder. MATT You do them all here? PETER We had to. She wanted it to be a surprise for Kenny. MATT And was he? (looks at Peter) Surprised? PETER What do you want? Matt looks at the drawings. MATT You and Carrie put the DEA onto your brother, didn’t you? Peter stares at the works spread out on the counter. MATT I wouldn’t blame you for hating the guy. I mean, it’s not just that he has a beautiful wife, and it’s not just that he’s got all that money while you WOEK some get well job making donuts. What would really get me is how he can be around all that junk and never use. PETER (beat) Carrie had nothing to do with it. Peter sits down, sets his works on the table in front of him. PETER About nine months ago, they go to i Bermuda for their anniversary Carrie asks me to watch the house. He shakes his head, stares at the tabletop86. PETER I’m there maybe a day, I find some cash Kenny hadn't locked up. Right Sway, 1 don’t even think about it, T go to Queens, to this guy I know to Score... MATT And you get busted. Peter nods, takes a moment, then: PETER raget put ings Foon with this woman DEA agent. She’s so nice to me.. (then) I give up Kenny like that. MATT Of course it didn’t hurt that you were in love with his wife. PETER You know, sometimes I think he left that money out on purpose. MATT Yeah, I’m sure that’s what he did. T’m sure this is all exactly what he wanted to happen. PETER What do you mean? MATT That agent who busted you? The nice one? She was killed by the same two men who got Carrie. PETER How did they know about-- MATT. They stole her files. peter sits there a moment, letting the implications of what Matt has just said sink in. PETER Oh, God... suddenly Peter wipes the paraphernalia off the table with his arm. He sits there, his head in his hands and starts to shake. Matt starts for the door... MATT Tell your brother I’m done. Peter looks up.87. MATT Ill return his money tomorrow. PETER Does Kenny know? About me... MATT Not unless you tell him. And Matt walks out. Peter waits a moment, then gets down on his hands and knees and starts picking his shit up off the floor. EXT. TIME SQUARE - NIGHT As TJ walks along wearing new boots. The icy WIND picks up and RAIN starts to fall. [A BLACK LINCOLN NAVIGATOR pulls to the curb and TWO BALLERS jump out and now fall in step behind TJ. BALLER #1 Yo, son, those new timbos? Td keeps walking. BALLER #1 Yo, son, I'm talkin to you... TJ stops, turns around and looks at the trouble that now stands a few feet away on the sidewalk. One of them now opens A KNIFE and they shove TJ into the dark space between two stores. BALLER #1 You got somethin’, doesn’t belong to you. EXT. WASHINGTON HEIGHTS - NIGHT As Matt crosses to the bar we saw in the opening, He peers into the window. The place is nicer, more a quaint “tavern” now. In fact the entire neighborhood has changed. Matt turns away.. EXT. TIME SQUARE ~ NIGHT As the other baller steps up, puts the knife under TJ’s chin. BALLER #1 You got my jammie, son. My favorite piece. To I don’t got it no more in the fucking river I threw it The two thugs look at him, take him down to the ground, and tear into his backpack. They dump out bags of dried fruit, sunflower seeds, bottles of water.88. BALLER #2 Fuckin Sierra sprout ass motherfucker... EXT. WASHINGTON HEIGHTS - NIGHT As Matt sits down on a bus stop bench. Across the street, we see A aR. A police sedan, It seems to be the only thing LIT UP. Two men sit inside it. One of them is Matt... EXT, TIME SQUARE - NIGHT As baller #1 yanks pages of TJ’s drawings from the backpack and lets them scatter in the wind. BALLER #1 What’s all this cartoon shit? But then the kid finds some cash, looks at TJ. BALLER #1 Yo, son, where you get this loot? He grabs TJ by the collar... BALLER #1 You sold my fuckin jammie! BALLER 42 I’m gonna take them Timbos... They move to pull TJ's boots off. TJ kicks #2 in the face--- BALLER #2 Motherfucker! EXT, STREET - ACROSS FROM THE ALLEYWAY ~ NIGHT As the kids kick TJ over and over, then run off into the night. EXT. WASHINGTON HEIGHTS - NIGHT ag Matt stares at the car across the street. We move towards it now.. + ORTIZ (VO) You need some help, man... INT. UNMARKED POLICE CAR - MORNING our opening shot. Matt’s old partner, ORTIZ, behind the wheel- Matt looking out the window at the bar across the street. ORTIZ [ don’t care, you wanna mess up your own shit, but you gonna mess up mine, too. I need to know cia gonna watch my back, not come fallin’ through the door behind me. Matt says nothing.89. oRTIZ Anyway. (shrugs) That’s all I'm saying. Matt then turns and looks at Ortiz. MATT Fuck you. As Matt starts to get out of the car: oRTIZ Manana. JUMP CUT TO: THE STREET [As Matt gets out of the car, kicks the door closed and we... JUMP CUT TO: THE BAR As seen now from across the street, Matt running outside and firing off shots into the Bonneville... JUMP CUT TO: THE ALLEY From inside the alley this time as the banger is blown off his feet, starts crawling. Matt appears at the mouth of the alley. JUMP CUT TO: A WOMAN As she SCREAMS and we... CUT BACK TO: THE BENCH - NIGHT As Matt sits there a moment, staring into the street. He then gets up and walks away... INT. MIDTOWN NORTH - DETECTIVES ROOM - NIGHT Quiet. Matt and Jo Durkin are the only two in here. They both have cups of coffee in front of them. She looks at her notebook. Jo So the brother, Peter, he just stays sober, doesn’t try to’score, none of this éver happens. Right? MATT I guess not. go And he was clean how long before he gets popped in Queens? MATT Almost two years.90. go You'd think he could make it that long, he could make it forever. MATT A day's the most anyone can make it. She considers him a moment as he slides his chair back. MATT Watch yourself, Jo. (gets up) These guys might even be tougher than you are. She smiles, watches him turn to go. JO You did good work, Matthew. Just like the old days. MATT I notice you didn’t say the good old days. And now she smiles at him. JO They weren't so bad. EXT, COVENANT HOUSE - NIGHT It’s POURING RAIN now as TJ, in his socks, his face cut and bleeding, stands at the entrance, a two-hundred plus pound TRUSTEE (a homeless person who works there) mans the door. TRUSTEE, You just missed curfew, son. Tg Fine, I'll sleep on the floor. TRUSTEE (closing the door) You know the rules, doors close at ten. Ta Look, I can’t be out in the rain, I can’t get wet... ‘TRUSTEE, What are you, like ‘fuckin Broom Hilda? You gonna melt you get wet? ‘The guy shuts the door in TJ's face. TJ looks up at the pouring rain, hurries across the street to a PAYPHONE. He fumbles in his pockets for change. Starts to dial, but he starts coughing so hard now, he has to double over.91. INT. MATI’S HOTEL - NIGHT Howie sleeps with his head on the desk. Matt comes in bangs the BELL and nearly launches the clerk out of his chair. MATT Any messages? HOWIE Uh-- JR called. Matt looks at him, gets on the elevator. MATT 13? HOWIE Whatever. MATT He leave a message? HOWIE Uh, let me think... (then) Oh, yeah. He's at Bellevue. Matt stops the doors with his foot. INT. BELLVUE ER - DAY [As Matt comes through the doors. He sees TJ sitting in a plastic chair, shivering. MATT. What happened? Who did this? He looks at Matt, his teeth chattering, but he can’t speak, A MALE NURSE comes over with some hot towels and begins to drape them over TJ's legs.. MALE NURSE Here you go, sport. MATT What's with the towels? MALE NURSE Said he had some pain in his legs. Looks like someone threw him a good beating. MATT Why's he shaking so bad? MALE NURSE Detox. MATT what?92. Matt looks at TJ who has trouble focusing on Matt now. MALE NURSE He comes in, first thing he asks for some demoral or a phentinol patch MATT 80? MALE NURSE, The junkies ali do that, come in here, think they can get free morphine. MATT Look... nurse... the kid’s not an addict: Hell, he won't even drink a can of soda. MALE NURSE I'm sorry, and you are? MATT Right now I'm the one telling you to go get a fucking doctor over here Now. MALE NURSE He’s underage, and he won’t tell me who his parents are. By law I have to call Social Services. Let them decide what to do with him. Now if you'll excuse me... MATT Hey-- He turns to walk away, Matt grabs the guy and pulls him back by his white coat. MATT You don’t wanna walk away from me. CUT 10: A CURTAIN BEING PULLED BACK As a young DOCTOR turns and faces Matt DOCTOR He got worked over pretty good, but he was also out in the rain. fither one could have triggered the crisis. MATT Crisis? DOCTOR He's a Sickler. (then) He's got Sickle Cell Anemia. Matt looks at the curtain.93. DOCTOR You didn't know that? MATT No. DOCTOR Oh, Well, a sickler gets a cold or a chill, anything that makes a normal person’s blood cell ‘count go up ~~ anytine the body gets ready to fight Something, the red blood cells panic take on a sickle shape... actually creates a jam in the arteries, the blood gets really thick. Suddenly you're not getting any oxygen... Matt looks at the curtain... MATT What're you doing for him? DOCTOR Well, when the blood gets thick like that, it can be pretty painful so we're hydrating him to help thin it out, giving him demoral for the pain. He knew the drill, got in here early enough, so I don't think it'll go on for too long. Matt nods and then moves behind the curtain, takes in TJ lying there in the bed. TJ turns and looks at him standing there. Ta Don’t feel sorry for me. MATT I don’t Tg How long I gotta be here? MATT Depends on well you behave. TJ looks at Matt. To y.mom gaid one time T got, special blood, that I can never get Malaria. MATT Really. TI That’s how Sickle Cell got started In Africa. As a defense against Malaria. MATT Where is your mother, TJ?4. To Why aren't you a cop no more? MATT (beat) You first. Tg shrugs, looks up and says to the ceiling: Ts I had a crisis one time, I was about eleven. She took me to’ the hospital, but never showed up to check me out. T guess she thought if she left me there, they’d put me with a nice family. Little did she know, 1 saw her a few times on the street after that, but that was a while ago. (then) I guess she had some issues. He turns and looks at Matt. Tw Your turn. MATT I was off duty one night in the summer. I was in a bar in Washington Heights where cops didn’t have to pay for their drinks. Ts Wait a minute-- MATT Two kids held up the place. On their way out they shot the bartender in thé heart. 1 chased them out into the street and shot one dead and Gaught the other one in the thigh. Tu. I heard this already-- MATT No, you didn't. (then) See, one shot, well, the bullet took a bad hop ... EXT. THE ALLEY - DAY As Matt gets to the mouth of the alley, sees the crowd standing there, the WOMAN SCREAMING, cradling a limp body in her arm, a single tiny SHOE on the ground at her feet. Matt drops his gun. MATT (VO) It hit a seven-year-old girl in the eye, killed her instantly.95. Matt drops down beside the woman who now rocks the girl back and forth. Matt tries to see the child, but the woman pulls away MATT Ma‘ am-— INT. HOSPITAL - DAY As TJ looks at Matt... MATT An inch higher and it would have grazed her head, left a nasty scar, that's all. To And so they quit your ass? After you took on three bangers by yourself? I don’t know anybody that tight. MATT Tight? Td Brave. MATT I wasn’t brave. I was just drunk. TJ stares at him. Takes Matt's hand. Matt looks at the kid. MATT Don’t feel sorry for me. Tg I don’t. EXT. TOWNHOUSE - BRIGHTON BEACH - NIGHT As the rain comes down hard now. INT. GIRL'S ROOM - SAME As the Girl reads on her bed, the dog at the foot. The NURSE sticks her head into the room, says something in RUSSIAN. GIRL Okay. EXT, TOWNHOUSE - BRIGHTON BEACH - NIGHT As the NURSE comes out of the house in her raincoat, gets into the Mercedes and pulls out, drives past the WHITE VAN. INT. VAN - SAME The sound of A POLICE RADIO, The two figures inside. The tall one reaches for the door, but the Round One holds him back... THE ROUND ONE In a minute.96. INT. BELLEVUE - NIGHT As TJ quietly slips out of bed, keeping an eye out so that nobody sees him. The rain pounds the window as he starts to put on his ripped clothes when he sees a SHOPPING BAG beside the bed Scribbled in pen on the side of the bag is: "TO: D. CULPEPPER, PI." PJ opens it and takes out some NEW TIMBERLANDS, A PAIR OF JEANS. WU-WEAR T-SHIRT and a CELLPHONE, INT. TOWNHOUSE - BRIGHTON BEACH - MOTHER’S BEDROOM - NIGHT As the young girl, the DOG behind her, comes into the room. She leans over and drops some EYEDROPS into her mother’s open eyes, then sits down beside her mother’s bed and starts to read. The dog lays down at her feet. A moment of just the rain on the roof, and then THE DOG BEGINS TO GROWL. He gets up and leaves the room.. GIRL Watson? And now we hear THE DOG BARKING LIKE MAD. And then a loud ZAP! Followed by silence. GIRL Watson? She gets up and we follow her into... THE OTHER ROOM [As she moves to the front hall, stops cold when she sees the DOG LYING ON THE FLOOR, shaking. The door is AJAR. She gasps, runs back to her mother’s bedroom, stops cold as... The Tall Man appears in the doorway, soaking wet. Before she can scream, he holds out THE STUN GUN and fires a taser at her. As the Tall Man bends down to pick her up, we see the Round Man sitting by the bed looking at the girl’s mother. He drops some drops into her eyes, then leans over and whispers in her ear... ROUND MAN You don’t know how lucky you are. INT, KENNY KRISTO’S HOUSE - DAY [As Matt pushes open the door. The place is quiet. MATT Hello? Anybody home? Matt pulls out an envelope full of cash that Kenny had given him and tosses it onto the coffee table. He turns to go when..97. PETER (0S) Where have you been? Matt sees Peter come out of the kitchen, stringy hair in his tired eyes. The man looks shaky. PETER We’ ve been trying to call you... MATT Where’s Kenny? PETER Brighton Beach, with a friend, says he’s having the same kind a problem Kenny had. MATT His wife? PETER Worse. EXT. TOWNHOUSE - BRIGHTON BEACH - DAY As Matt follows Peter to the entrance where two thick bodied RUSSIANS in tweed jackets and caps immediately brace them. PETER It’s okay... This is Mr. Scudder. Mr. Landau’ s expecting us. INT. TOWNHOUSE - BRIGHTON BEACH ~ DAY Where Kenny stands with YURI LANDAU, a big man, broad in the chest with a face straight off one of those Socialist Realist murals of the idealized worker. This is the Russian man of Ray’s DEA file. YURI Where the fuck am I going to get a million dollars? He stops, turns as Matt and Peter step into the room. YURI You’ re the detective. MATT Matthew Scudder. yuri catches sight of the big guy who came up with them. YURI Dani, that’s a good boy. | Go back down’ to the lobby and keep an eye out. (then) Now I post guards. The horse is stolen, so I lock the barn, For what? ‘What can they take from me now? She's fourteen-years-old...98. And now we see the woman from the Mercedes come into the room It's clear she's been crying all day. YURI This is Anna, the nurse. Matt nods to her. She can barely look at him. She rubs the back of the dog, looks away. Matt looks at A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE GIRL. He stares at it as Yuri goes on.. YORI They took her last night, Call us this morning, tell us not to call the police. 1 remember Kenny calling me lp the other day, put two and two together-~ Matt stands there. This is the last place he wants to be. Sucked back into something he just walked away from MATT Mr. Landau, listen, you have to know that -- I’m sorry “~ what's your daughter’s name? YURI Ludmilla. But she calls herself Lucia. MATT You have to know that the men who took Lucia have already killed at Teast two women in addition to Kenny’s wife. Matt lets that sink in, then... MATT As things stand, they haven’t got the slightest intention of releasing your daughter alive. Yuri looks at him, horrified. MATT In fact, there’s a strong possibility that shé’s already dead. YORT No... MATT The police know about these two They know who they are, what they're doing. Kenny looks at Matt.99. YURI No. No police. You have to help me Kenny said you would... 1/11 pay you T’ll do whatever you ask. Please Matt tries hard not to look at that photograph of the girl. Matt looks at all of them, looking back at him. Now the PHONE RINGS. And RINGS AGAIN. Yuri picks it up. Matt stands there, listens YURI Hello. Yes. Yes. I understand.. (then) Please. I want to talk to my daughter. You've got to let me talk to her. I/1l give you whatever you want... Matt watches the man, sees the pain in his eyes as he pleads for his daughter. Suddenly, Matt takes the phone from Yuri MATT I hope the girl’s alive, asshole ‘The nurse gasps at Matt’s tone. Matt keeps Yuri away from him Silence on the other end. Then... VOICE Who the fuck are you? MATT I’m the best chance you've got, you wanna ‘get, your money. | But yop better not hurt the girl because she’s gotta be ‘alive and all in one piece for any kind a deal to happen. You hear me, rape-o? VOICE (beat) Fuck this shit. And the line goes dead. Matt hangs up YURI Ican’t believe you talked to him like that-~ KENNY He knows what he's doing. But then he looks at Matt, "don't you?" MATT The important thing right now is to keep Lucia alive. That means these guys have to know they can’t get a nickel out of you until we first know that she’s okay. YORT But if you make them mad...100. MATT They’ re already mad. YURI But you'll give them an excuse to kill her. MATT They don’t need an excuse. They’ re gonha kill her anyway. Yuri turns away, Matt puts a hand on his shoulder. MATT What they need, is a reason to, keep her alive. If she is alive, I'll help you get her back, fgeet rou have fo play it exactly as'I tell you. All right? Yuri looks at Kenny who nods. YURI All right. MATT How much cash have you got? YURT 1 got damn little right now. Do the pastards want cocaine? I got fifteen kilos of slab ten minutes from here. (then) I can maybe get_my hands on a few hundred worth of schlock, but I can’t guarantee the quality and 1’d have to return it. xenny exchanges a look with Matt, then turns to Yuri KENNY I got a bit over five hundred in cash, Time comes, 1/11 run back to the house and get’ it. Yuri nods, touched by the kindness of his fellow drug dealer. MATT Is there another phone I can use? YURI My daughter’s room. INT. LUCIA’S ROOM ~ DAY As Matt enters, moves to the phone, picks it up and dials. He paces, looks around the room at the posters of In-Sync, Brittany Spears and so on. He looks at the FAMILY PHOTOS on the chest, the pretty face of Lucia staring back at him. He turns away101. TJ (PHONE) Culpepper Investigations. Daunte speaking. MATT Give me a fucking break. TJ, (PHONE) Matthew. You just wake up or something? MATT The hospital said you left. TJ (PHONE) Didn't want some Social Services person come haul my ass away to a foster home. MATT I need you to get over to my hotel, get something out of my room. ‘TJ (PHONE) What's going on? MATT There’s a box in my closet. I want. ou to get it for me. I’m gonna call jowie at the desk, he’1l let you go up. A guy named Peter will meet you ont front. Give it to him. tg They got another one, didn’t they? WE HEAR THE PHONE RING in the other room. MATT Room 812. Key's above the door. INT. OTHER ROOM - SAME As Matt comes in and answers the phone. MATT Yeah. THE OTHER VOICE (RAY) I understand we have a new player in the game. I don’t believe we've been introduced. MATT I’m a friend of Mr. Landau’s. My name’s not important. CUT TO: AN EXTREME CLOSE-UP OF RAY’S MOUTH As he speaks into the receiver.102. RAY one likes to know who’s on the other side. INTERCUTTING THE TWO OF THEM: MATT We're on the same side. We both want this to happen. RAY Then all you have to do is follow instructions. MATT No, it’s not that simple. RAY Of course it is, We tell you what to do and you do it. Tf you ever want to see the girl again. MATT You have to convince me she’s alive in the first place. RAY You have my word on it. MATT That's funny. RAY It's not good enough? : MATT Let's just say you lost a lot of credibility when you returned Mrs. Kristo in poor condition. A pause on the other end. RAY There were special circumstances with Mrs. Kristo. Her husband tried to haggle. He sliced the price, and we in turn -- well, you can finish that thought yourself, can’t you? MATT We’re not gonna argue the price. RAY. You'll pay the million? MATT For the girl alive and well. RAY I assure you she’s both.MATT Your assurance means shit to me. Put her on the phone, let her father talk to her. RAY (PHONE) I’m afraid that won't-- RECORDED NYNEX VOICE Please deposit sixty-five cents. MATT Out, of quarters? Give me your number. I/1l call you back. Ray laughs. CLICK. He hangs up. Matt does the same. MATT He'll be moving to another payphone. EXT. MATT’S HOTEL ~ DAY As TJ crosses to it, goes inside. INT. YURI'S TOWNHOUSE - DAY As the PHONE RINGS. Matt picks it up. RAY (PHONE) I’m afraid the girl cannot come to the phone. ‘That’s out of the question. How else can we reassure you of hér well-being? Matt covers the mouthpiece, looks at Yuri. MATT Something your daughter would know. Yuri looks at the DOG lying on the floor. YURI The dog’s name? MATT Have her tell you-- no, wait a minute. (covers the phone again) 1 They could, knoy that. | They’ve been i following her for a week or more. They know your schedule, they’ ve , robably seen her walking the dog, ard her call him by name. Think of | something else. YURI We had a dog before this one. A little black and white one, it got sick and we had to put it to sleep. Matt takes his hand away from the phone.104. MATT The pode name. And the name of the dog before this one. Haye her ao both of them. Then call me ack. Matt hangs up on him. INT, MATT’S HOTEL - ELEVATOR - DAY As TJ rides up in the elevator with an old man. The elevator arrives and TJ walks down the hall to Matt’s room. He stands on his tiptoes, reaches up and takes down A KEY INT. MATT’S ROOM ~ DAY As TJ comes into the room, takes in the austere décor. He looks at the muted TV, then something on the fridge catches his eye. As he moves to it, we see one of TJ’s drawings is taped there. Td looks at it a moment, then moves to the closet and opens it. He sees a box, the size of large boot box, on the top shelf and takes ft down. fe wants to open it, but it’s wrapped round and round with duct tape. INT. YURI'S TOWNHOUSE - DAY As Yuri paces, Matt looks at the photographs above the fireplace of the family before the stroke. The woman and the little girl. The father and the little girl. Matt looks off to where Yuri is in the kitchen with Anna, holding her. Matt turns, looks down the hall, sees LIGHT spilling out of a doorway. INT. WIFE’S ROOM - SAME The wife in bed. Staring up at the ceiling. Matt moves to the doorway and stares at her. And now, Yuri comes up beside him YURI The sixteen years we've been married, [ don’t ever remember her even having a cold. Then one morning, she wakes up, says she can’t smell anything He looks at Matt. YURI You were a policeman? MATT That’s right. YURI you dealt with situations like this? MATT No. Not like this.105. YURI Still, your gut must tell you something, no? (then) What does it tell you now? Is she alive? MATT I don’t know. Yuri nods. Not the answer he wanted. THE PHONE RINGS. The two men quickly move out of the room. INT. THE LIVING ROOM - SAME As Matt picks up the phone. RAY (PHONE) I’d still like to know how you figure in this. MATT What’s the dog’s name? RAY (PHONE) Bh, well, let’s see, what are the old standbys? Fido? Towser? King. gover, that’s always 2 popular favorite, isn’t it? Or Bingo... Matt reacts, looks at Yuri who sees his expression and lets out a breath. RAY (PHONE) (sings) I had a dog and Bingo was his name-o, B-I-N-G-0... B-I-N-G-0... Ray LAUGHS and Matt closes his eyes: She’s dead. RAY (PHONE) How about Spot? Run, Spot, run! That’s not a bad name for 4 Rhodesian Ridgeback. Matt opens his eyes. RAY (PHONE) ' The dog’s name is Watson. MATT Watson, Across the room, the big DOG LIFTS HIS HEAD at the sound of his name. Yuri nods. MATT And the other dog? The one before?106. INT. LAUNDROMAT - SAME Ray's back to us, standing at a payphone. RAY She couldn't tell me what breed the other dog was. She was young when it died. They had to put it to sleep, she said. Silly term for it, don’t you think? When you kill something You ought to have the courage to call it that. You're not saying anything Are you still there? INT. YURI'S TOWNHOUSE- SAME As Matt and Yuri stare at each other MATT I’m here, INTERCUTTING THE TWO OF THEM NOW: RAY I_gather it was a mongrel. So many of us are. Now the name’s a bit of a problem. It’s a Russian word and I may pot have it right. How's your Russian, my friend? MATT Tell me-- RAY (beat) I may be saying this wrong. (then) Balalaika. MATT Balalaika. And Yuri nods unequivocally, turns and hugs Anna YURI She’s alive... RAY It’s supposed to be the name of a musical instrument, or so she tells me. What do you say, does it strike a chord? He laughs at his own joke while, Matt, feeling lightheaded, leans against the wall and closes his eyes... RAY You have two hours to get the money together.107. EXT. MATI’S HOTEL - DAY As TJ comes out carrying the box just as Peter pulls to the curb, the passenger window glides down and Peter leans over... PETER TI? EXT. TOWNHOUSE - BRIGHTON BEACH - NIGHT As Kenny pulls a large satchel from the back seat of his car. Peter pulis up behind him, gets out followed by TJ clutching Matt’s box. INT. TOWNHOUSE - BRIGHTON BEACH - NIGHT [As Kenny comes into the room followed by Peter and then TJ. He looks around. Matt comes out of the kitchen, stops cold MATT TJ... what are you doing here? Tw (gives him the box) Handing you this. MATT I told you to give it to Peter. Not to come down here-~ TJ takes Matt aside, indicates the zonked Peter. Ta Matthew, that dude’s all spun. No way I was gonna give it to him. No time to deal with this now, Matt takes the box from TJ, looks to where Kenny opens the satchel he brought MATT How much have we got? YURI Hang on a sec... Dani, the body guard, now comes into the room and spills the contents of an athletic bag onto the floor, banded stacks of hundreds. | YORI Keep it separate... 7, Holy fucking shit. Yuri now notices TJ who stares at the cash with his mouth open MATT This is TJ. My associate.108. Kenny gives Matt a look as Dani hands him a stack of bills. Kenny slips them from their wrapper, looks them over. KENNY Paper’s good. Ink looks right. Nice used bills. Looks real enough... Matt looks at the money. MATT We'll repackage them slightly. We'll use the Chase wrappers, but we’ 11 take six bills out of éach stack and replace them with real ones, three on top, three on the bottom. What's this make the count? YURI Let’s see, about two ten in schlock. Kenny brought another six. KENNY Puts us right about eight. The PHONE RINGS. MATT That’s good enough. EXT. YURI’S TOWNHOUSE - NIGHT As Peter slips outside and lights a cigarette. Takes a deep drag. We see Matt on the phone in the window upstairs. INT. YURI‘S TOWNHOUSE - NIGHT As Yuri and Kenny get the bills ready, Anna moves about the kitchen fixing them all something to eat. MATT We have to meet face-to-face. You have to have an opportunity to inspect the money and we have to be able to assure ourselves that the girl is all right. EXT. PAYPHONE - NIGHT Ray’s back to us. RAY And then you people come down on us. INT. YURI'S TOWNHOUSE - NIGHT As Anna hands Matt a plate of food. He smiles, sets it down. MATT You'll have the girl covered, RAY (PHONE) A knife at her throat.109. MATT If you want. RAY (PHONE) The edge of the blade up against her skin. MATT Whatever. We give you the money. One of you holds the girl while the other makes sure it’s all there. RAY (PHONE) I don’t like this face-to-face business. MATT We" lL set up fifty yards apart, You'll be in place first, you'll see us arrive. You show the girl, then I come over with the money. RAY (PHONE) By yourself? MATT Yes. RAY (PHONE) Unarmed. MATT I'll have a suitcase full of money in each hand, a gun won't do me much good. RAY (PHONE) Keep talking. MATT You check the money. When you’ re satisfied, you let the girl go. Your man takes’ off with the cash. You and T wait until you feel good.’ Then we go home. RAY (PHONE) You could grab me. MATT You’1l have that knife you keep talking about, a gun, too, if you want one. RAY (PHONE) You'll see my face. MATT Wear a mask. RAY (PHONE) Cuts the visibility.110. MATT (beat) I already know what you look like, Ray. Silence on the other end. Kenny looks over from the table. RAY (PHONE) What do you know? MATT I know you're a fat perving fuck who, if I'd met on the street ten years ago, I’d a thrown you out a fucking window. (then) It’s been a busy year for you and your boyfriend. RAY (PHONE) You know, I could cut the little cunt’s throat, send her back to Daddy a chunk at a time. MATT Then you're dead. RAY (PHONE) oh? MATT Yeah "oh." Hear me on this one, Ray. You kill this girl and I’11 make you my lifelong project. 1/11 find you under whatever rock you squeeze under and I'll put a bullet in your fucking mouth. ‘That goes for you and your rape-o pal. fou hear ime? And now all three men are looking over from the table. Yuri is shaking. TJ's eyes are like saucers. MATT But if you do this deal, 1/11 sit on what I know about you, ‘You can go Set up shop on the other sidg of the country. There’s plenty of dope dealers in L.A.. Plenty of fine ooking women out there, too, love to go for a ride in a pretty new truck. RAY (PHONE) (beat) Where do you wanna do it? MATT How about Green-Wood Cemetery? RAY (PHONE) I think I know where that is.MATT You should, that's where you dumped Leila Alvarez. RAY (PHONE) Right. MATT There are two entrances on the Fifth Avenue side, one around Twenty-fifth Street, the other ten blocks south of there.’ Take the Thirty-rifth Street entrance and head north about twenty yards inside the fence. We'll enter at twenty-fifth and approach you from the north. Matt looks at the clock. MATT Say ten-thirty. That gives you over an hour to get there and set up. RAY (PHONE) Leila Alvarez. I haven’t thought about her in a while. She was so scared... Matt hangs up, his hands shaking. He sees the other guys looking at him. MATT Yuri, have you got a rifle? Yuri looks at Dani who nods. MATT Is he a good shot? YURI During the day maybe. Dani’s a little nearsighted... KENNY Peter was a sharpshooter in the army. They all look at him. Him? Seriously? PETER Was a while ago. MATT. Give him the rifle. Matt realizes he’s still holding the BOX TJ gave hin. MATT Excuse me.qi2. INT. BATHROOM - DAY As Matt sets the box down on the sink and begins unwrapping the tape. He pulls it round and round the box and then opens it. We see A COAT jammed in there. Matt takes it out, unfolds it so that we see TWO GUNS -- a small .22 and Matt's .45 -” and a BOX OF MMO folded up inside. And beneath that, A PAIR OF HANDCUFFS. He stares at the .45 a moment, then jacks the clip, checks to see that it’s loaded, replaces it, racks the slide and tucks the gun into his waistband. He then pulls on the coat, puts a finger through the BULLET HOLE in one side. He looks at himself in the mirror, then turns away... EXT, GREEN-WOOD CEMETERY - NIGHT ls the two cars drive through the big stone gates and on into the cemetery. Jari and his bodyguard get out of his car and open the trunk. They ake out the money while Matt looks at TJ sitting in the back seat. MATT What's the drill? Td (pissed off) Stay in the car. Lock the doors, Gall 911 anything goes down. This is such bull-~ Matt shuts the door on him, watches Peter examine a RIFLE with very shaky hands. MATT You gonna be okay with that? PETER I’11 be fine. and as Kenny shuts the trunk, we CUT TO: THE CEMETERY - NIGHT ‘The tombstones, dark shapes in the moonlight. Now we see THO FLASHLIGHT BEAMS play over the top, the figures of Matt end Kenny followed by the others now coming into view. We TRACK WITH THEM as they move through the dark cemetery, Peter holding on tight to the big gun in his hands. They walk silently past the markers and crypts. Further down the nuit, “we can see the MOON reflected in the small lake where part of Leila Alvarez was found. Matt looks at the wall, at the street signs on the other side and Slows down so that the others can draw closer. He then gestures Soe them to fan out a ways without advancing any further south:113. That done, Matt turns and faces the pitch-black area where Ray is supposed to be waiting and points his flashlight in front of him, triggers three flashes. For a long moment the only answer is darkness and silence. Then THREE FLASHES OF LIGHT blink back at him, froma little right of dead ahead. Matt takes a breath and starts walking flanked by Kenny and Dani, each carrying a suitcase containing the money. ON PETER As he kneels down behind a marker, using it as a shooting stand for the rifle. He wipes his sweaty hands on his pants. ON MATT As he and Kenny and Dani get halfway there when we hear: RAY (0S) That's far enough. Matt nods to Kenny and Dani who move off, leaving the suitcases for Matt. Matt looks at where Ray is supposed to be, but sees only dark shapes. MATT Come out where I can see you. And show the girl. They move into view. Two forms... and then, as the light gets better, we see that one form is made up of two persons; one of the men has the girl in front of him. RAY I’ve got a knife to her throat. If my hand slips-- MATT Let's hope it doesn't. RAY Then you better bring me the money. Matt turns and hefts the suitcases, looks back at the others, then starts to slowly approach Ray and his partner. RAY That’s close enough. Put the bags down. And so you know, Albert has a gun. Matt looks from Ray and the girl to the enormously tall ALBERT. He points a gun at Matt’s face. Ray calls from behind him...114. RAY Open the bags. MATT Let the girl go. RAY The money first. Matt looks at the guy, then kneels down and unfastens the straps on one of the cases, lifts the lid to show the money MATT Now let her go. Albert takes a step forward, reaches for the money, but Matt shuts the lid. MATT Let her go. The guy puts the gun right in Matt’s face now. ALBERT We oughta shoot this cocksucker. MATT Don’t change the rules now Ray. ON PETER Watching the scene through the gun scope, his hands shaking like mad, so that... THE VIEW THROUGH THE SCOPE Jittery, back and forth. Hard to see anything ON MATT. Staring back at the guy with the gun, his hand drifting behind toward his own gun tucked into his pants. MATT Let her go. Ray looks down at the girl, sighs. RAY Ah, sweet Lucy. I hate to say good- byé, child. He lets go of her. Albert grabs the suitcases and hurries off into the dark. MATT Lucia... Even in the darkness the girl looks pale and drawn, her hands clutched together at her waist, her arms tight against her sides.11s. MATT Come here. She doesn’t move. AT THE VAN Albert opens the door, drops one of the suitcases onto the seat and lifts the lid, flips through the money. He rips off one of the Chase straps, fans out a few of the bills IN THE CEMETERY As Matt crouches down... MATT Your father’s over there, sweetheart Go to your father. Go on, go ahead... She takes a step and then stops. She’s unsteady on her feet and she grips one hand tightly with the other. AT THE VAN As Albert tosses the bills back into the suitcase, is about to shut it when he stops, looks at his hands. He reaches back and turns on the dome light. His fingers have INK on the tips IN THE CEMETERY Matt is trying to get the girl to move... MATT Come on, honey. let's go Matt keeps his arm at his side. We see the barest hint of the tip of his .22 now protruding into his palm.. RAY Go on. Run! She looks at him, then at Matt. Her eyes are vacant and unfocused. MATT Yuri. Call her. YURI Luschka! Luschka, it’s Papa! Come to Papa! She recognizes the voice, but doesn't move. Yuri replies with something in Russian and the girl unclasps her hands and takes one step, then another. MATT What’s the matter with her hand?116. RAY Nothing. She’s right as rain... (gives her a shove} Go on, kid... As she draws alongside Matt, he reaches for Lucia’s hand. she snatches it away, but we can see that TWO FINGERS ARE BANDAGED. Matt stares coolly at Ray. RAY Before you set the terms. AT THE VAN As Albert holds a bill up to the light. He grabs another, holds it up as well... IN THE CEMETERY There’s another burst of Russian from Yuri, and now she’s moving faster, but hardly running. She can’t seem to manage more than an awkward shuffle. She gets to her father and he gathers her up in his arms. He holds onto her for dear life. He looks back at Matt. MATT Go on, Yuri, get outta here. Matt watches them a moment, then turns back and faces Ray who now has HIS OWN GUN ON MATT. RAY I liked her. She was nice. Matt looks at him a moment, his expression like he’s just bitten into an aspirin. AT THE VAN As Albert stares at a bill, gets a dark look. He slams the case shut, gets into the driver’s seat of the van and takes a portable walkie from the dash... IN THE CEMETERY As Matt just stares back at Ray. RAY Why aren’t you afraid? I’ve got a gui, on you and you act like it’s ucking water pistol. MATT I don’t know. Maybe I don't care if ou shoot me or not. Or maybe _ there's a high powered rifle pointed at your head right now... Ray looks around as we now...117. CUT TO: PETER As the rifle in his sweaty hands slips off the tombstone and into the grass. He fumbles for it. PETER shit. ON MATT & RAY Ray looks back at Matt. RAY I could still kill you. MATT I'm right here. Some ways, you'd be doing me a big’ favor. Ray considers this, then... RAY No, I think I’1l just melt into the shadows now. ALBERT (RADIO) RAY! THEY FUCKED US! Matt raises his arm and SHOOTS RAY point blank in the chest with the little .22. Ray goes down on his back screaming at a high pitch and clawing at his shirt. AT THE VAN As Albert fires a blast with the shotgun and Matt throws himself behind a marker and pulls his .45. IN THE CEMETERY Albert keeps firing everywhere. He pauses, gets a bead on YURT AND HIS DAUGHTER, is about to shoot when bullets begin whizzing past his head. ON PETER Firing from his position. He bolts back, fires again... AT THE CARS As Yuri, Dani, and his daughter now get into Yuri’s car and drive off... AT THE VAN As Albert gets inside, starts it up....ii. ON MATT As he sees Ray scrambling away on all fours, LIGHT PLAYS ON HIM and now we see the van oving through the cemetery, jumping as it mows Beee "Sone of the old markeESs ON PETER As he runs through the dark with the rifle, stops to set up on the van when Ray shoots him from the ground and Peter goes down, grabs his leg. Suddenly the LIGHT FROM THE VAN is on him as... PETER Wait-- Albert hits him with the van. Stops beside Ray. The fat man gets up and pulls himself inside as now... The VAN STARTS BACKING UP THE WAY IT CAME, Matt gets up and runs after it. Ray fires at him from the front window. Matt keeps on running, slipping and falling as he goes, all the while firing at the receding truck which now backs over monuments and trees. As they near the other gate, Albert cuts the wheel and the van jerks into a tight turn to one side. For a split second, Matt sees Ray’s face in the window and fires until his clip empties. The van disappears through A CYCLONE FENCE onto the avenue and takes off into the night. It starts to RAIN.. Matt turns, sees Kenny standing over Peter. Peter’s leg is at an impossible angle, blood runs from his ear as he reaches for Kenny. KENNY No, don’t move... PETER Kenny, I have to tell you-- KENNY Shhh... PETER No, you gotta know-~ Peter’s eyes meet Matts for a second, then... PETER I loved... KENNY (misunderstands) I know. I know. I love you, too, man. (holds his brother) I love you, too. Kenny holds his brother a moment, then stops, looks at Peter, and we see that he stares up at the dark sky, his eyes wide, but empty119. Kenny looks at him a moment, then slowly stands up, keeps his back to Matt as he looks out over the cemetery. KENNY What fucking direction did they go in? ON KENNY’S CAR As Matt opens the door and freezes. MATT Where’s TJ? KENNY He’s not in there? MATT No. Matt looks off towards the dark graveyard, concerned. KENNY Maybe he ran off, panicked when he heard all the shooting. MATT He can’t be out in the rain. (starts walking) We have to find him... KENNY He’s got a phone, right? MATT Yeah... Kenny takes out his cell phone, holds it out for Matt. KENNY, What’s the number? INT. THE VAN - SAME As the two men drive in silence. We then BOOM DOWN to the back where we see TJ lying under the mattress. And now we PUSH IN ON THE PHONE CLIPPED TO WIS ELT EXT. CEMETERY - SAME As Kenny listens, then takes the phone from his ear, looks at it. KENNY No signal... Kenny takes a few paces, tries to find a better signal...120. INT. VAN - SAME As Ray rips his shirt open, we see a KEVLAR VEST. He pulls it down at the neck, reaches inside. His hand comes away bloody RAY I’m shot... He turns, reaches for a towel in the back. TJ doesn’t move as Ray reaches around beside his face. EXT. CEMETERY - SAME As Kenny stops walking, checks his phone. EXT. A HOUSE IN SUNSET PARK - SAME Even in the moonlight we can see the place has been neglected; the clapboard needs painting, the shrubbery overgrown. A half-flight of steps leads to a screened-in porch that sags in the middle EXT. CEMETERY - SAME As Kenny steps up onto a grave marker, checks the phone KENNY Here we go... EXT, HOUSE IN SUNSET PARK ~ SAME The van turns up a driveway, concrete patched here and there with blacktop that runs along the side of the house to a detached two- car garage. INT. VAN - SAME As Albert and Ray get out of the car. RAY Albert-- Ray immediately falls onto Albert EXT. CEMETERY - SAME As Matt walks over to Kenny... KENNY It's ringing-- INT. VAN - SAME Through the back window, we see Albert, the tall one, reaching for the garage door, pulling it down just as TJ'S PHONE RINGS, the SOUND OF THE SLIDING METAL DOOR OBSCURING THE PHONE AS.. ts (whispers) Hello?EXT. CEMETERY - NIGHT Bs Kenny nods to Matt, then. KENNY Where are you, kid? (then) oh, fuck. MATT (takes the phone) 19? (listens, then) Listen to me-- get outta there. Now. INT. GARAGE - SAME As TJ peers through a grimy window out at the street. Tg Shhhh. Calm down, dawg. It’s cool. I’m in the garage. They're inside the house. INTERCUTTING MATT & TJ: MATT Which is where? TI Good question... MATT can you leave without them seeing you? Ts I think so... He slowly raises the metal door, it SCREECHES... EXT. CEMETERY - SAME As Matt hears it and winces... INT. HOUSE - KITCHEN - SAME As Albert helps Ray into a kitchen chair. Ray pulls his lifts the bulletproof vest over his head. He whines... RAY I’ve never been shot before. There's a first aid kit, Al, in the bathroom. Albert walks right into the bathroom and begins taking a 1 Ray looks over. Can’t believe it. First things first. shirt off, loud piss.122. EXT. GARAGE - SAME As TJ slides under the space between the bottom of the door and the driveway. Albert’s head in the window above him as the man takes a feak. TJ stays low all the way out to the street. He looks back at the dark porch, RAIN falling all around him now Tw I can’t see a number... MATT Try next door. Tw (looks) 694. MATT Okay, now walk away from the house, go to the nearest corner Ts In motion... ‘tg gets to the corner and looks up at the sign Tg Fifty-first Street. MATT Sunset Park... They all start walking back for the car Ty I’m gonna keep an eye on ‘em, make sure they don’ t-~ MATT No, TJ, you stay put, You hear me? Just wait for us on the corner. Understand? But the phone's lost its signal MATT shit. Matt yuns for Kenny’s car now. INT. HOUSE IN SUNSET PARK - KITCHEN - SAME As Albert comes out of the bathroom, and picks up the two suitcases and starts down the stairs to the basement. EXT. HOUSE ~ SAME ‘A few lights are on in the house. TJ steps into FRAME, moves slowly up the driveway. A LIGHT goes on in the basement.123. INT. HOUSE - BASEMENT - SAME As Albert comes down the stairs with the suitcases and throws them onto the ping-pong table. He opens them, sits down and starts to inspect the money more closely. __RAY Is any of it real? Ray now appears at the top of the stairs, clings to the banister as he starts down. ALBERT Some. Ray picks up the STUN GUN off the work bench, stuffs into his pants, covers it with his shirt... RAY Let me help you. Ray stumbles to the table. ALBERT Here. (gets up) Have a seat. Ray sits down, keeps the gun in his lap as Albert moves to grab another chair. Ray looks up and sees TJ looking in the window RAY Hey, who is-- And before he can get the rest out, Albert is behind him with the LOOP OF WIRE, pulling it tight around Ray’s neck... EXT. HOUSE - SAME As TJ backs away, slips in the mud, as the tall man garrotes his fat partner, hauls him right off his feet... Tg Shit... TJ gets up, takes off running across the yard. He looks back at the house, runs smack dab into: MATT. He starts to scream, but Matt covers his mouth as he and Kenny step forward. MATT Guess we’re in the right place. CUT TO: WINDOW POV - THE KITCHEN Where we see Albert just below us sitting at the table eating a bowl of cereal. Kenny jumps down. KENNY The tall one's in the kitchen. I didn’t see a gun anywhere124. CUT TO: THE FRONT DOOR As Kenny gets ready to break the glass. CUT TO: THE BACK As Matt boosts TJ up to look in the window CUT TO: KENNY Breaking the glass. CUT TO: THE KITCHEN Albert doesn’t hear a thing, keeps eating. cur To: TI As he looks at Matt gives him a thumbs up. INT. HOUSE - SAME As Matt now comes through the front door followed by Kenny. They walk to the kitchen and stand there. Albert is seated so that we see him in profile, eating his cereal. After a moment, he senses something and slowly turns to face them. He says nothing at first, but then... ALBERT You can have your money back. He doesn’t resist as Matt cuffs the man’s hands behind his back. TJ now steps into the kitchen Tw It’s downstairs. INT. BASEMENT - SAME As Matt starts down the stairs in the dark. He pulls a string in the center of the room and the light comes on. He stares at Ray, now lying on the floor. He sees the knives on the workbench. A stun gun. A cleaver. KENNY My God... He sees Kenny on the stairs now. Matt grabs the two suitcases and brings them up while Kenny stares at the tools. INT. KITCHEN - SAME Albert looks at Kenny as he comes back up the stairs. ALBERT You're the husband.125. KENNY So? ALBERT I was just wondering. Matt opens the suitcase on the table, checks the stacks of bills. MATT | Were you just going to leave Ray down there? ALBERT Ray? No, I was going to eat something, then clean up before 1 eft. MATT What would you do with him? ALBERT Cut him up, (Wirap him, There’ s plenty of Hefty bags in the cupboard KENNY And then what? Deliver him to somebody in the trunk of a car? ALBERT No, that was just for you. He looks at Kenny with those dark eyes, but Kenny doesn’t look away. MATT You have a choice to make Kenny. (closes the suitcase) There’s a lot of hard evidence against this asshole. He’s got his dead eae in the basement, not to mention the van in the garage is gonna be full of fibers and blood races and God knows what else. He oughta be looking at three life sentences, plus an extra twenty or thirty years tacked on as a bonus. KENNY Can you guarantee he’1l do life? MATT Nobody can guarantee anything when it comes to the criminal justice system. KENNY What if I make the other choice? You with me? Matt sees TJ standing outside on the front porch.126. MATT No. I could turn him in and sleep just fine. KENNY (looks at Albert) I don’t think 1 could. MATT That's why it has to be your decision. KENNY Yeah, well, I guess I just made it He puts the gun on Albert. KENNY Take it easy, Matt. Matt then turns and walks down the hall, TJ following EXT. AVENUE ~ NIGHT As Matt and TJ walk to the subway. Matt checks his watch MATT The shelter’s gonna be closed. Take the train back to my place. To Where you going? INT. AA MEETING - NIGHT As Matt takes his seat in the back. A YOUNG GIRL, pretty, the face of an angel, no more than nineteen, stands up to read THE TWELVE STEPS. GIRL Step one. We admitted we were Rowerlesa over alcohol, that our ives had become unmanageable. EXT. HOUSE IN SUNSET PARK - NIGHT The lights on. The decrepit structure standing there like one of the old tilted markers at Green-Wood Cemetery. INT. AA MEETING - NIGHT As Matt stares at the girl as she speaks. GIRL Step two. Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity...127. CUT TO: THE HOUSE IN SUNSET PARK As Matt steps into FRAME. He stands a moment there looking across the street at the house, then crosses to it. GIRL (VO) Step three. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to God as we understood him. CUT TO: THE GIRL AT THE MEETING As she reads... GIRL Step four. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves... ON MATT Troubled. Listening to the words, as if for the first time GIRL (03) Step five. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact’nature of our wrongs.. CUT TO: THE HOUSE - NIGHT As Matt slowly opens the front door. Stands in the doorway. Staring down the hall. Listening. IT IS DEADLY SILENT. He draws his gun and steps inside, the door closing behind him. MATT Kenny? CUT TO: THE GIRL AT THE MEETING As she continues... GIRL (vo) Step six. Were entirely ready to have God’remove all these defects of character. CUT TO: MATT Listening, staring at her... CUT TO: THE HOUSE IN SUNSET PARK We hear only the occasional creak of a floorboard as Matt now starts down the hall for the lighted kitchen. He gets closer, and we see A BLOODY HANDPRINT ON A WALL, and then he quietly moves into the doorway and freezes. GIRL (vO) Step seven. ‘Humbly asked him to remove our shortcomings.128. WHAT HE SEES Blood everywhere. On the floor. On the walls. CUT TO: THE GIRL AT THE MEETING As she tosses her hair back, continues reading... GIRL Step eight. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became filling to make amends to them all. CUT TO: THE HOUSE IN SUNSET PARK Matt turns, sees a smear of blood that leads to the doorway to the basement. GIRL (vO) Step nine. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. Matt cautiously moves to it, looks down the stairs at... A BODY Face down, at the bottom of the staircase. As if it had fallen down the stairs. Or had been thrown down. CUT TO: THE MEETING Matt listening as she speaks, we begin TO MOVE AROUND HIM... GIRL (VO) Step ten. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it. CUT TO: THE HOUSE IN SUNSET PARK As Matt moves down the stairs, slips in the blood and slides to the bottom next to the man lying there. GIRL (vo) Step eleven, Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our Conscious contact with God as we understood him. . It’s Kenny Kristo. fSyes wide open, but empty. His head turned at an impossible angle, looking back. Matt looks to where his arms end in a pool of blood on the floor and we see that both of his nands have been cut off. CUT TO: THE GIRL AT THE MEETING As Matt closes his eyes...129. GIRL wibtaying for the knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out. CUT TO: THE HOUSE IN SUNSET PARK Matt looks out into the basement. It’s dark. We see the figure of Ray still slumped in the chair by the ping-pong table As Matt picks himself up, then reaches up to pull the string on the overhead bulb, we see the whites of a pair of eyes and some white teeth grinning behind him. Matt pulls the light on as we see the figure of Albert behind him A LOOP OF WIRE IN HIS HANDS. He raises it. Matt turning just as Albert slips the wire over Matt's head. Matt instinctively puts his gun between his neck and the piano wire, momentarily stopping the wire from biting into his flesh, but he then also inadvertently pulls the trigger, the explosion blinding him while the bullet grazes his cheek, leaving a faint RED LINE along Matt’s jaw line on tte way Up inte the ceiling. Matt tries to reach back for the taller man with his other hand while Albert tries to get his own hand on Natt’s gun. He jams the muzzle up into Matt’s chin, Matt yanks the gun and the wire comes out of Albert’s hand, but the gun flies with it onto the staircase. Albert makes a move for it, leaps up the stairs and Matt grabs him from behind, slipping in the thick blood on the stairs and the two men go sliding down, right over Kenny Kristo and back into the dark basement. Albert grabs a hammer from the workbench and immediately brings it down on Matt’s shoulder. Matt topples backwards, falling over the dead Ray in the chair and collapsing the ping-pong table Albert steps forward and kicks Matt in the face, brings the hammer down again, this time on Matt’s hand as he tries to roll out of the way. Matt sees THE STUN GUN in Ray’s hands, in his lap Albert now grabs a bloody cleaver from the workbench, takes a step towards Matt and raises it over his head. Matt yanks the STUN GUN from Ray’s hands and jams it into Albert's belly. We hear THE LOUD 2AP and Albert folds up and goes down, Albert doesn’t move for a moment. Matt lies there on the floor beside him, breathing hard. He finally sits up and ZAPS HIM AGAIN Matt then gets up, walks back up the bloody stairs CUT T0: THE GIRL AT THE MEETING As she takes a breath, then...130. GIRL (vo) Step twelve." Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps... CUT TO: KITCHEN - HOUSE IN SUNSET PARK - SAME As Matt grabs his GUN from the top step and slowly starts back down the stairs into the basement... INT. BASEMENT - SAME As Albert struggles to his knees. Matt walks up to him. Puts the gun to his forehead. Albert slowly looks up at Matt, his eyes the two black marbles of a rabid animal. ALBERT T wanted to-~ And Matt SHOOTS HIM before he ever finishes the sentence INT, KITCHEN - SAME As Matt comes up the stairs, and stands there in the doorway -- gun at his side as we PUSH ALL THE WAY INTO HIS FACE Completely torn by what he’s just done. INT, AA MEETING - NIGHT As Matt listens to the girl finish. GIRL :+.we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principals’ in our affairs. We move around Matt, we now see the RED LINE down his face. EXT, HOUSE IN SUNSET PARK - DAWN Now a major crime scene, blue @ whites, yellow tape everywhere Matt stands across the street watching Jo Durkin talk to several DETECTIVES. Jo says something and they all look at Matt. Jo then crosses to him. They stand there a moment. MATT You want my statement. JO Eventually. (then) Go home. And with that, Jo turns and walks back across the street. DISSOLVE TO:231 EXT. MATT’S HOTEL - MORNING As Matt crosses to the building, another AMBULANCE pulls away. INT. MATT’S APARTMENT - MORNING As Matt comes in and takes off his coat. He pauses as he sees TJ sleeping on the couch, a half-dozen pages of his drawings on the floor beside him. Matt pulls a blanket off the bed and covers the boy with it. He picks up one of the drawings, then sits down in the armchair and looks at it a moment... He then looks up from the drawing to the sleeping TJ, Matt’s own eyes getting heavy now as he SHUTS OFF THE TV and watches the boy sleep, the drawing slipping from his hands to the floor as he himself now drifts off and we then... FADE OUT.