Temporary Insanity

Happy Thursday, 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 the next-to-last chapter of LITTLE GIRL BLUE, the shit hits the fan when Blue and Seth escape from one tunnel, but just as Carrie and Bernie are about to escape from the other, Tolly ambushes Carrie's mother and takes her hostage ...


INT. UNDERGROUND TUNNEL - NIGHT
Carrie and Bernie get to the end.
See a flight of stairs leading up
to an oblong door on the ceiling.

BERNIE
(gestures)
Ladies first.

CARRIE
(gestures)
After you.

BERNIE
You always were a contrarian.

CARRIE
You always were a male chauvinist pig.

They stare at each other.
He leans in. Kisses her.

She responds.
GRABS him passionately. They go at it.
Then pull away from each other.

CARRIE
Nah. Bad idea.

BERNIE
Kinda scary.
(beat)
Worth a try, though.

CARRIE
Temporary insanity.
(beat)
Follow me.

And she starts up the stairs.

INT. NORTH TUNNEL - AT THAT MOMENT
Layla pushes Margo in the wheelchair.
Eva follows, rifle on her shoulder. Marching.

LAYLA
The agency never told me about this.

EVA
Always something going on with this family.
(beat)
You have anyone expecting you home tonight?

LAYLA
Just my cat, Pepe.

MALE VOICE (O.C.)
Stop right where you are,
or I’ll fucking SHOOT.

The women turn, look.
Tolly walks toward them, gun in hand.

TOLLY
Drop the rifle, Blondie,
and put ‘em where I can see ‘em.

Eva drops the gun.
It hits the floor, CLACK. Puts ‘em up.

TOLLY
(points at Layla)
You too, Chiquita Banana.
(beat)
What’s up with the old broad?

EXT. BACK YARD - AT THAT MOMENT
A manhole cover opens up in the ground.
Out comes Seth, then Blue.
They look around, shivering in the cold snow.

BLUE
It’s FREEZING.

He takes off his hoodie.
Puts it on her.

SETH
This should warm you up.

BLUE
Th-thanks.

SETH
(points)
The pool house is over there.
Follow me.

He grabs her hand,
and they DASH off in the snow.

INT - POOL HOUSE - AT THAT MOMENT
A door opens up in the floor.
It’s SHOVED to the side.

Hits the floor with a THUD.
Carrie, then Bernie come up the stairs.
Stop. Look around.

CARRIE
This is the pool house.

BERNIE
How do you know?

CARRIE
I was here earlier tonight.
(beat)
God, that seems like a year ago --

Carrie’s walkie talkie CRACKLES to life.

TOLLY (O.C.)
Detective Carrie Love --

CARRIE
That you, Chill?

TOLLY (O.C.)
Better get your ass back here.
Got some old broad in a wheelchair with me.
Hate to see anything bad happen to her.

CARRIE
Don’t TOUCH HER.
(whispers to Bernie)
He’s got my mother.

BERNIE
Shit.

TOLLY (O.C.)
Got a couple of other ladies, too.
But no Little Girl Blue.
She with you?

CARRIE
She’s GONE, asshole.
You’re too late.
She went down the other tunnel.

TOLLY
Aha. Well, my associates
will catch up with her soon.
(beat)
Now get your ass back to the basement,
if you know what’s good for you.
And the old lady.

CARRIE
Don’t you DARE touch a hair on her HEAD.
I’m on my way.
(clicks it off, to Bernie)_
You go find Blue and Seth.

BERNIE
I should come with you.

CARRIE
BERNIE. That YOUNG GIRL and
MY BROTHER are out there.
You gotta find them,
make sure they’re okay.
(hands him the walkie)
Here, take this.
I’ll get that asshole’s walkie
after I kill him.

BERNIE
You’re awfully confident.

CARRIE
He’s got my MOTHER.
(beat)
And NO ONE fucks with me on CHRISTMAS.

INT. BASEMENT - SECRET ROOM - AT THAT MOMENT
Tolly faces Margo, Eva and Layla.
Points his gun at them.

Watches Margo sleeping peacefully.
The IV drip.

TOLLY
What’s wrong with the old broad?

EVA
Carrie’s mother had a stroke.
Please don’t hurt her.

TOLLY
That’s her MOTHER?
I’ve died and gone to HEAVEN.
(laughs)
Best hostage I ever had.

PUSH IN ON Margo.
One eye opens a tiny bit.
Then closes.

EXT. POOL HOUSE - AT THAT MOMENT
It’s stopped snowing. All is quiet.
Bernie races toward the pool house.

Seth and Blue come outside.
See him. They run toward each other.

BERNIE
You’re okay.

BLUE
Where’s Carrie?

SETH
And my mom and Eva?

BERNIE
(to Seth)
They’ve been captured.
But Carrie’s on her way to save them.
Don’t worry, they’ll be okay.

BLUE
Holy SHIT.

SETH
Don’t WORRY?

BERNIE
You don’t know Carrie.
If you saw the look on her face --
(motions to the pool house)
C’mon, let’s go inside.
I have a feeling we’re
about to expect company.

GERO AND MAD DOG
Appear at the end of the property.
See them.

GERO
You there!
Stay where you are or we’ll SHOOT.

BERNIE, SETH AND BLUE
Hear him. Look.

BERNIE
LET’S GO.

And they DASH into the pool house.

INT. POOL HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Blue and Seth RACE in, followed by Bernie.
He SLAMS the door. Locks it.

Pulls out his gun.
Seth holds up his rifle.

BERNIE
(to Seth)
You cover the door.
I’ll check the windows.

BLUE
But I don’t have a gun.

Bernie reaches into his boot.
Pulls out a small 22 caliber.

BERNIE
Now you do.

INT. BASEMENT - SECRET ROOM - AT THAT MOMENT
Carrie stands in the tunnel entrance.
Looks at Tolly.

His semi-automatic weapon
aimed at her mother. Eva. Layla.

TOLLY
Detective Love.
I’m so glad you could join us.

CARRIE
The pleasure’s all yours, asshole.

TOLLY
Now is that any way to greet someone
on Christmas?

CARRIE
Ho fucking ho, fuck-face.
(pulls out her gun)
You touch one hair on my mother’s head,
and you’re getting a lump of coal
up your ass.

Tolly walks over to Layla.
Places the gun against her head.

LAYLA
(freaking out)
No, PLEASE. Please don’t SHOOT ME.

TOLLY
(to Carrie)
Drop the rod, or I blow
Selma Hayek’s brains out.

CARRIE
You blow her head off,
I blow off yours.

LAYLA
NO.

EVA
Carrie --

Tolly WHIPS another gun out of his pocket.
Aims it at Carrie.

TOLLY
Forgot to mention I’m ambidextrous.
Drop it, hot stuff -- NOW.

Carrie drops her gun.
It CLATTERS to the floor.

Tolly SHOOTS Layla in the head. BANG.
Blood SPRAYS. She HITS the floor.
Eva SCREAMS.

TOLLY
Now kick the fucking gun OVER HERE.

Carrie KICKS the gun across the floor.
Tolly watches it SPIN.

In a flash, she KICKS him in the crotch, OOF.
He doubles over in pain.

He FIRES his gun. BANG. Misses her.
Eva SCREAMS again.

Margo opens her eyes,
and deftly JAMS her stun gun in Tolly’s side.
BZZZZZZZZZZ.

300 watts of electricity ROAR
through his body.
He dances like a marionette.

Carrie SOCKS him in the jaw
with a hard left. CRACK.
He HITS the floor, THWUNK. Out cold.

CARRIE
Motherfucker.

Everyone stares at Tolly. Then Layla.

EVA
Oh my god. That -- poor girl.

MARGO
I’ve never seen someone -- shot before.

Carrie picks up her gun.
Puts it in her waistband.
Gets Tolly’s.

Hands one to Eva.
The other to Margo.

EVA
What are we supposed to do with these?

CARRIE
(gets his walkie)
I’ve got to go see if Blue is okay.
You two keep him covered.
If he does ANYTHING,
don’t hesitate to shoot.
(hands it her)
Call Bernie on this if anything happens.
He has another one.

MARGO
Why don’t we just shoot the bastard now?

CARRIE
It’s against the law.
(takes a breath)
Okay. I gotta go.

MARGO
Be careful, Carrie.

CARRIE
I always am.

She goes to the tunnel.
Stops. Turns.

CARRIE
I love you, mom.

PUSH IN ON Margo. In shock.

MARGO
I -- love you, too.