Packing Heat

Happy Friday, crime slicksters! Ready for the weak-end? It's that time once again. Time to take a trip to the dark side, where your most violent, hardboiled fantasies become sins of the flesh, right here, at the coolest crime joint in cyberspace ... at That Killing Feeling.

In Chapter 24 of THE HEISTERS, Kelsey Hazard arrives at Doll Montana's joint, and prepares to question her about the heist of the robbery loot. Meanwhile, the cops put the screws to old-timer Chick Aber at police headquarters, where he finally cracks and gives everybody up ...


EXT. VENICE BEACH - APARTMENT BUILDING - NIGHT
We see Doll Montana’s apartment building.
Light from a single street lamp
makes it glow in the thick fog that’s rolled in.

Kelsey’s car drives by. Parks in the alley.
She gets out. Starts walking toward the building.
Grim. Determined.

KELSEY (O.C.)
My gut told me alot of questions
were about to get answered
once I spoke to Doll Montana.
I had a good feeling about it.
(beat)
And bad --

INT. POLICE STATION - INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT
The standard tiny, grey, shitty cinder block room
that we’ve seen in a zillion movies and TV shows.

Chick sits on a wooden chair at a piece of crap table.
Detective Nunn sits on the other side of the table.
Isaacs leans against the wall working a toothpick in his mouth.

NUNN
(SLAPS the table)
BULLSHIT. We got you, old man.
You had IN YOUR POCKET
a list of all the chicks Jackie Tempel was dating.

CHICK
I know my rights.
I want to call my lawyer.

NUNN
But we haven’t CHARGED you
with anything yet, gramps.
We’re just QUESTIONING you.

Chick stares sullenly.

TERRENCE
It’ll go alot easier on you
if you’d just talk to us.
We’ve got you involved in a robbery
AND a murder --

CHICK
Murder?
I’ve NEVER been involved in killing someone --

NUNN
Well, you have this time, old fella.
We’ve put it all together.
Whoever killed Jackie Tempel
took the money that was
stashed at her joint after the robbery.
And it was ONE OF YOUR CREW --

TERRENCE
You give them up,
and we’ll cut you a deal.
If not, you’re looking at ALOT of time,
which at your age is
the same as a death sentence.
Do you really want to die behind bars?
Spend the rest of your days
sucking on cocks instead of cigars?

CHICK
Of COURSE not --

NUNN
Oh, look. He’s starting to crack.

CHICK
What kind of a -- deal?

TERRENCE
You give them up,
we’ll give you immunity.
Let you walk.

NUNN
Your rap sheet is longer
than the BP oil spill.
From where I stand,
that’s a pretty fucking good deal.

CHICK
Let’s just suppose I did that --
IF I was involved --
these people would hunt me down
to the end of the earth.

TERRENCE
That’s what the witness protection program
is for, old man. For shitheads like you
that squeal on your fucking LOW-LIFE CRONIES.

NUNN
You had THE LIST in your pocket.
That’s as good as a DEATH CERTIFICATE.

Pause.

CHICK
Okay. I’ll give you everything.
But first I want to talk to my lawyer. Okay?

TERRENCE
No can do, pops.

CHICK
You realize this means my life is over, right?

NUNN
That’s what we’ve been trying to TELL you.

TERRENCE
Who organized the heist?

Pause.

CHICK
Guy by the name of Ronan. Ronan Kenny.
Then he brought on this big shot planner.
Name’s Kelsey Hazard.
One of the best in the business.

NUNN
A BROAD? Really?

TERRENCE
Wait a minute.
Wasn’t that the chick that
gave Mart Volok the business at his house?
I heard she was one scary bitch.
Was packing heat.
Threatened to hurt his family.

CHICK
(nods, grimaces)
That would be Kelsey --