Monday, September 12, 2011

Double Feature



Hey there, crime kids. Happy Monday. It's time once again to take a trip to the dark side, where your most violent fantasies become sins of the flesh, right here, where the hardboiled action is non-stop, at the coolest crime joint in cyberspace ... at That Killing Feeling.

In Chapter 21 of WILSHIRE BOULEVARD, homicide detectives Bernie Keko and Aya Meir get ready to check out the crime scene were producer Roland Yavo was killed. Meanwhile, private eye Carrie Love is distraught over losing her home, and Jenny Lane tries to comfort her.


INT. UNMARKED CAR - AT THAT MOMENT
Aya and Bernie sit in the car,
parked in front of a designer coffee joint.
Sipping java.

AYA
Isn’t it a little late
to be visiting the widow?

BERNIE
Element of surprise.
In case there’s any
monkey business,
catches ‘em off guard.

The police radio SQUEALS.

DISPATCHER (V.O.)
All units in the vicinity of
Ocean Avenue and Colorado.
We’ve got a 10-54 at the
Hotel California, 1670 Ocean Avenue.
See the night clerk.

BERNIE
Shit. That’s right nearby --
(grabs the transmitter)
This is unit three-twelve.
We’ve got it. On our way.
(to Aya)
Come on, let’s go.

Aya starts the car.
Pulls out of the parking lot.

INT./EXT. UNMARKED CAR - MOVING - CONTINUOUS

BERNIE
Take Wilshire all the way to the ocean.

DISPATCHER (V.O.)
Bernie, it’s me, Roger.

BERNIE
(into the transmitter)
Hey, Roger. Who’s the stiff?
Some tourist?

ROGER (V.O.)
You know that movie producer
that got snuffed this morning?

BERNIE
Yeah?

ROGER (V.O.)
It’s his partner.

BERNIE
Great. Now it’s a double feature.

INT. JENNY’S APARTMENT - A LITTLE WHILE LATER
Chet Baker’s THE THRILL IS GONE
plays softly on the stereo.

Carrie and Jenny sit on the couch.
More than a little looped.

CARRIE
There’s a couple of
decent places at the beach.
The Venice Motor Hotel, maybe.
Reasonably cheap, not too sleazy,
and right near --
(hiccups)
The Boardwalk.
(drains her glass, stands)
I’m gonna go freshen my --

A fire engine SIREN SCREAMS.
Carrie DROPS her glass.

It hits the hardwood floor. CRASH.
She races to the window.

CARRIE
NOOOOOOO!

JENNY
It’s okay, it’s okay!
It’s just a --

Carrie watches the fire truck go by.
Socked in the gut.

She WHIRLS AROUND.
Clenches her fists.
The shock balloon POPS.

CARRIE
NO, It’s NOT OKAY.
It’s NOT -- OKAY.
I lost EVERYTHING.
My music, my books, my movies,
my clothes, my -- SHOES.
Ohmigod, my SHOES!
My fucking SHOES.
(gasps)
I lost EVERYTHING, Jenny!
I lost EVERYTHING I had in THE WORLD.
(beat)
And now I --
(beat)
I have --
(quietly)
Nothing.

And she LOSES IT.

Wrenching, heart-ripping SOBS of pain.
Spilling, gushing out like
blood from a violent wound.

Jenny races over to Carrie.
Hugs her. Strokes her hair.

Carrie cries. And cries.
And cries --

INT. HOTEL CALIFORNIA - FRONT DESK - NIGHT
Bernie stands with Aya at the desk.
Bernie flips his badge at Grotesque Clerk.

Grotesque checks it out.
Scratches herself.

BERNIE
Detective Keko, homicide.
This is my partner, Aya Meir.

AYA
(nods)
When did you find the body?

GROTESQUE CLERK
About fifteen minutes ago.
The guy in the room below
called to complain about
blood leaking through the ceiling.
Poor guy’s on his honeymoon.
At first he thought he
broke his wife’s cherry.
But when she told him she
really wasn’t a virgin,
well, hello --

BERNIE
Did Yavo have any visitors,
anybody suspicious-looking?

GROTESQUE CLERK
Another detective, a woman.
Checked out the dead guy’s room,
then left in an hurry.
Drove a big, old, white car,
Cadillac, I think.
Didn’t say her name --

BERNIE
Tall, thin, long hair,
big boobs, smart mouth?

GROTESQUE CLERK
Yeah, that’s her.

AYA
You know this person?

BERNIE
Yeah. And now she’s
in a shit-load of trouble.
(to the clerk)
What’s the room number?

GROTESQUE CLERK
24. You can’t miss it.
Place is crawling with pig --
uh, cops.

3 comments:

  1. I am really loving the interaction you have going with Bernie and Aya... Bernie is definitely one of the 'core' players here in this trilogy and seeing all the layers of him really brings dimension to the character... great writing!!

    OMG!! I can't even imagine what the sound of sirens did to you all that time... devastating!

    "At first he thought he broke his wife’s cherry." OMG!!! You are so bad!! LOL!!! And she squirted up on the celing?! DAMN!! Hahahaha!! I know... that's gross... your fault! Haha!

    Very cool chapter... writng is amazing... love the dialogue... still waiting for Jenny and Carole to 'set the world on fire'.... hint, hint, hint! ;^}

    xoxoxoxo <3 <3 <3

    Ronnie

    ReplyDelete
  2. Bernie was based on an old BF of mine back in the 80's, Basil Keko, who had been married to Ruth Buzzi (Of Laugh-In fame back in the 60's - you've probably never heard of her), and was quite bitter about it. But a nice guy ...

    Yeah, it took many years not to get freaked out at the sound of fire truck sirens. I think writing this story helped give me closure.

    What was REALLY strange about writing the love story between Carrie and Jenny was - they're BOTH ME. I was the 'Jenny' character at the production company, and of course Carrie is me, so -- what the fuck?

    HA.

    xoxoxo

    ReplyDelete
  3. OMG!!! Really... Jenny and Carrie are one? Oh, that is frickin' AWESOME!!

    I love the history here of some of your characters... this is too cool!!!!

    xoxo

    ReplyDelete