A Fresh Start

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 today's installment of the 'special preview' of RIDGEWAY, Hollywood screenwriter Cate Salinger, after going bankrupt and losing her home, decides to drive to Arkansas to be with her online sweetheart ...


EXT. CROCI RESIDENCE - DAY
Sunlight dapples a tiny bungalow on a leafy street
full of similar beige blocks of stucco.
KIDS play across the street.

An oldish red Toyota convertible
is parked in the narrow driveway.
Bumper sticker reads EAT, PRAY, FUCK.

Welcome to Venice, California.
Not the palm tree version on TV.
David Duchovny never stayed here.

INT. CROCI RESIDENCE - KITCHEN - DAY
Cozy, with a big, wood table.
Walls crammed with every utensil known to man.

Cupboards stuffed with provisions.
Sink and counter tops filled with dishes.

Oversized primitive art on the walls.
A tiny stereo plays French pop music.

Cate sips a glass of wine
at the crude wooden table,
watching ROBERTA CROCI (50) cook.

She’s a sturdy Italian with a
shock of dark hair and a nice, lived-in face.
Salt of the earth.

ROBERTA
So it was also no good?

CATE
Well, it was much bigger,
but it was also pretty disgusting.
And when he showed me how to
hook up the water, electric and propane,
I realized how complicated it is.
And I can’t hook that up in your driveway.

ROBERTA
About that --`
(off Cate’s look)
Vincente is coming home
from Italy after his surgery,
and things aren’t going to be the same.

CATE
Oh, shit. That’s right.
He’s gonna be convalescing.

ROBERTA
I’m sorry.

Cate takes a big hit of wine.
Fighting back tears.

ROBERTA
Why don’t you go stay
with your online girlfriend
until the money from your script comes in?
Then you can both move back together.

CATE
You mean -- move to Arkansas?

ROBERTA
You said she invited you --

CATE
Yeah. I thought it was crazy --
(a long beat, then -- )
But that was before she came to visit.
(thinks)
You know what?
That’s fucking brilliant.

ROBERTA
It makes sense.

CATE
I just pack up the car and drive there
with Bobby.

ROBERTA
A fresh start.

Cate smiles.
It lights up her face
like we’ve never seen.

CATE
A fresh start.

INT. KAYLA’S APARTMENT - KITCHEN - NIGHT
Kayla sits at the kitchen table
in front of her computer.

A BIG FLUFFY CAT stands
next to the mouse pad. Watching.

ON THE FLAT SCREEN
We see a Friendbook chat window.

A new conversation scrolls down:

Cate:
And then I felt a huge weight lift.
I’ll just pack up the fucking car
and drive -- to YOU.

Kayla:
This is incredible.
I’m so excited.

INT. CATE’S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Cate sits at her work station typing furiously.

ON HER SCREEN

Kayla:
What are you gonna do about all your stuff?

Cate:
Roberta’s gonna let me store
my books and movies in her garage.
else I’m throwing away.
As George Carlin said,
‘It’s just stuff.’

Kayla:
I’m can’t believe this is happening.
It’s a like a dream come true.

CATE
Lights a smoke. Smiles. Starts typing.

Cate:
Yeah. The long nightmare is over.

And I’m gonna bring an ounce
of primo weed from Surfer Tom.

Kayla:
Wow. BIG love.

Cate:
BIGGER love, baby.

KAYLA
Smiles. Starts to type --
then the cat sits on her hand.

She tries to gently move it,
but it CLAWS at her, DRAWING BLOOD.

KAYLA
OW.

CATE
Looks at Bobby, staring at her
with big eyes.

CATE
I know, I know. It’s time.

She gets up. Grabs his leash.
Stops. Goes to the window.

EXT. CATE’S BUILDING - DRIVEWAY - DAY
Landlord is down there chatting with a NEIGHBOR.
Looks really pissed off.

Points up at Cate’s window.
Shakes his head.

CATE
Jerks away from the window.
Sighs. Looks at Bobby sadly.

CATE
Sorry, bebe.
We’re gonna have to wait a sec --

INT. CATE’S GARAGE - EARLY MORNING
Cate walks to her car with Bobby on his leash.
We see the back seat is filled to the brim.

She opens the front passenger door.
Bobby jumps in.

INT. CATE’S CAR - CONTINUOUS
Cate starts the engine. Looks at Bobby.
Panting happily.

CATE
Ready to go?

She smiles. Nods.
Puts it in reverse.
Starts pulling out.

INT. CATE’S CAR - MOVING - CONTINUOUS
Out the window, we see the canal,
lined with airbrushed McMansions.
Cate shoves a cassette into the stereo.

ANNOUNCER (V.O.)
(electronic)
Regent Mystery Audio Books presents,
‘Have Blonde, Will Travel,’
by Carrie Love, read by Friday Foster.

Cate smiles. Cracks the window.
Grabs a smoke. Fires it up.

FRIDAY FOSTER (V.O.)
'The body was still warm,
lying in a pool of blood
on the bedroom floor -- '

EXT. WASHINGTON BOULEVARD - DAY
One of LA’s patented traffic clusterfucks.
Cate’s car is stuck in a motionless sea
of SUV’s, Beamers and Benzes.

IN THE CAR
Cate sighs. Now a bit deflated.
She was excited to be going
off on this new adventure,
but now has to wait.

FRIDAY FOSTER (V.O.)
'Kelsey grabbed her, shoved it in
her waistband and stormed out the door -- '

IN MONTAGE
Cate’s red Toyota on the Ten Freeway heading east.
Passing downtown LA. Then East LA.
Then scrub brush in the desert.

EXT. REST STOP - DAY
A cement block in the middle of nowhere.
110 degrees. Heat shimmers off the pavement.

One car in the lot.
Cate pulls in and parks. Gets out.
The heat punches her in the gut.

CATE
Holy shit.

She lets Bobby out.
Grabs his leash.
Then his bowl.

Takes them to a nearby water spigot. Fills it.
Watches him hungrily lap it up.

Looks around at the desolate landscape.
Miles and miles of nothing.
She could be on Mars.

CATE
What the fuck have I done?