Lady Luck

Happy Tuesday, crime slicksters. It's time once again to take a trip to the dark side, where the girls are hot, the drinks are cold, and the hardboiled-pulp-noir action is non-stop, right here, at the coolest crime joint in cyberspace ... at That Killing Feeling.

In Chapter 17 of THE HEISTERS, wheelman Kasper Garza tries to question another one of Kelsey's dead boy toy's girlfriends, but finds out the joint's being cased by the cops and hightails it out of there. Meanwhile, robbery/homicide dicks Nunn and Isaacs intercept his call to Jefty and now have a major lead ...


EXT. OZONE AVENUE - NIGHT
Ozone Avenue. A bucolic, leafy walkway street
at the north end of Venice Beach.

A lone street lamp spills shards
of diffused light through the trees.
Quiet. Eerie.

Kasper walks down the sidewalk
flanked on each side by old houses
and small apartment buildings.

He looks at the numbers.
Stops at the gate of a Craftsman bungalow.

KASPER
Number thirty-two.
This is it.

He looks at his clipboard.
Thinking.

KASPER
You can do it.
You can do it.

Just then he hears the SQUAWK
of a police radio.

FEMALE DISPATCHER (O.C.)
(electronic)
-- jumper off the roof at apartment complex,
see the building manager --

Footsteps CLOMP-CLOMP nearby --

KASPER
Shit.

He ducks behind a big tree.
Watches --

Two HOMICIDE DETECTIVES approach on foot.
We recognize them as
Nasty and Ugly Homicide Detectives
from earlier in the story.
Nasty speaks into his radio.

NASTY PLAINCLOTHES DICK
(into the radio)
This is Isaacs.
We’re at Ozone and Pacific about to pick up
a possible suspect for questioning.
Send some uniforms.
We’ll be there as soon as we can, copy?

FEMALE DISPATCHER (O.C.)
Copy that, over.

The radio SQUAWKS.

UGLY PLAINCLOTHES DICK
The stakeout is set up, right?

ISAACS
Yeah.
They’ll pick up anybody that comes to visit.
(puts the radio in his pocket)
C’mon, Nunn.
Let’s go see the pot dealer.

NUNN
Alleged pot dealer.

ISAACS
Yeah, RIGHT --

They start walking up the path
to the front door.

Kasper comes out from behind the tree.
Freaked.

KASPER
(whispers)
The fucking bitch.
It was HER -- it’s a SET-UP.

EXT. OZONE AVENUE - PARKING LOT - MOMENTS LATER
A small parking lot behind a boardwalk restaurant
facing the end of Ozone.

A shitty old Toyota Celica
idles in the lot.

INT. TOYOTA CELICA - CONTINUOUS
Kasper sits behind the wheel.
Pulls out his cell phone.

GUNS the engine.
Starts driving.
Punches a number. Listens.

KASPER
Jefty, it’s Kasper.
It’s a set-up.
The bitch is playing us --

INTERCUT WITH:

INT. HOMICIDE DETECTIVE SQUAD ROOM - NIGHT
A WELL-DRESSED BLACK DETECTIVE (40’s)
holds Jefty’s cell phone to his ear.
Big smile on his face.

DAPPER BLACK DETECTIVE
I think you might be right.
Your friend Jefty’s DEAD.

KASPER
What the FUCK?
Who the fuck IS this?

DAPPER BLACK DETECTIVE
Detective Elwin Marr, homicide.
If you come in and talk to us,
I can make you a deal.
Give up the others,
I’ll give you immunity.
How’s that sound?

KASPER
Fuck YOU, pig.

Kasper SLAMS the phone shut.
TOSSES it on the seat.

KASPER
(POUNDS the wheel)
SHIT. FUCK. GODDAMMIT --

He STOMPS on the gas.
The car FLIES down the alley.

KASPER
Fuckin’ bitch is gonna PAY.

ELWIN
Gets up from his chair.

Walks over to the doorway
of a nearby office.

The glass reads HOMICIDE.
He gently knocks.

MALE VOICE (O.C.)
Come on in, it’s open --

Elwin opens the door.
Walks into --

INT. MART VOLOK’S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS
Mart sits behind his desk
going through some paperwork.

Looks tired. Beaten down.
NOT having a good day.

MART
What’s up?

ELWIN
We just caught a break on the stadium job.

MART
Oh, yeah? Really?

ELWIN
(holds up the cell phone)
One of the heisters just called the kid
we shot at tattoo-girl’s joint.

MART
The fake survey thing?

ELWIN
Yeah.
I offered to cut him a deal,
but he hung up.

MART
Call long enough to trace?

ELWIN
Nah. And besides, I’m sure it’s one
of those prepaid disposable jobs.
(smiles)
Think the FBI can do anything with it?

MART
Are you fucking kidding me?
Don’t you watch CSI?

ELWIN
Shit.
Maybe they could help me out
at the track --

MART
You STILL playing the ponies?
I thought you told me you’d been
on a bad streak.

ELWIN
I’ve gotta new system.
Gotta date with lady luck --