A Different Kind Of Blow

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 BLUE HOTEL, drug dealer Beggar Leck and entertainment attorney Lief Scott make their getaway from the dead starlet that OD'd at the party out of bounds, when Beggar gets a call from hooker Alona Tal, looking for more money to pay the Russian mobsters for removing the dead body at her sleazy beachfront motel room ...


EXT. VENICE PIER - NIGHT
Moonlight shines over the
black water of the ocean.

The dull roar of waves
crashing against the shore.

Beggar’s red convertible is parked
in a far corner of the parking lot.
Now almost empty.

INT. BEGGAR’S CONVERTIBLE - CONTINUOUS
Beggar turns up the heat.
Lights a smoke.
Looks at Lief.

BEGGAR
What a fucking night.

LIEF
Tell me about it.
(beat)
So where are we going to go?

BEGGAR
We?

LIEF
I thought maybe I could -- stay at --
(off his stare)
Okay, okay. I get it.
You’ll sell me drugs,
but you won’t help me out.

BEGGAR
I’m not going home, Lief -- I --
(beat)
Have my own crisis to deal with.

LIEF
Your own crisis.
Like it could possibly be as
urgent as a dead body in your house.

BEGGAR
Actually, it is.
(sighs)
You remember my girlfriend?
She was with a client tonight,
this asshole who likes rough stuff.
Well, her NEIGHBOR, this drunken
wannabe screenwriter thought it was real,
and ran in and stabbed the bastard.
(another drag)
Fucking closet case.

LIEF
Holy shit.
What happened?
Did the cops come?

BEGGAR
No. There’s always loud shit
going on in that joint.
We’ve got the body -- hidden,
and we need five-K to pay
some people I know
to get rid of it.
(beat)
That’s why I really need
sell you the blow.
Can we still do it?

LIEF
Shit. I dunno.
Yeah. No. Fuck.
I gotta think --
(beat)
If I go back there,
I’m in deep shit --
but if I run --

Beggar’s cell phone RINGS.
He answers it.

BEGGAR
Hey.

INTERCUT WITH:

INT. ALONA’S SHITTY HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
Holly sits on the window sill
with a cup of vodka,
looking out at the ocean.

Alona sits on the bed.
Talks on her cell.

ALONA
Where are you?
What's going on?
Did you do the deal?

BEGGAR
No. I was just about to,
but some fucking bimbo
OD’d and fucking DIED.

ALONA
Holy SHIT.
So THEN what happened?

BEGGAR
What do you fucking THINK happened?
We got the fuck out of there.

ALONA
The guy, too?

BEGGAR
Yeah, Lief.
You met him at that
party at his joint.
The condo on the beach?

ALONA
Oh, yeah.
The asshole lawyer.

BEGGAR
(looks at him)
He’s with me right now.
Still deciding what he’s gonna do.
He’s not exactly in the
mood to buy any snow,
if you get my drift.
What’s up on your end?

ALONA
SHIT is up my end.
I tricked with Gill,
and then sent him
to go get more cash,
but the jerk got mugged.
(bitter laugh)
And right now he’s
breaking into HIS OWN house.

BEGGAR
Fuck.

ALONA
Wait. It gets better.
(sips her drink)
Oscar’s ASSISTANT has been
poking around looking for him,
hooked up with Holly,
and figured out the deal,
so SHE pulled her gun on him
and took him back to her room.

BEGGAR
What the fucking FUCK?

ALONA
Chill, it’s okay.
She’s taken him to a cash machine.
We need the money, right?
(sips her drink)
We just have to figure out
what to do with him
when they get back.

BEGGAR
Fuck.

ALONA
I know.
(thinks)
Hey, wait a minute.
The lawyer is filthy rich, right?

BEGGAR
Yeah --

ALONA
Bring ‘em back to the hotel.
I’LL get money out of him.

BEGGAR
(looks at Lief)
Yeah. That’s -- not a bad idea.

ALONA
Then get your ass over here.
I’m tired of hanging out with Oscar.

BEGGAR
Okay, see ya. Bye --

He clicks the phone shut.
Looks at Lief.
A sickly grin.

LIEF
Who was that?

BEGGAR
Alona.
I’m supposed to bring you
over to her place.

LIEF
What for?

BEGGAR
Play your cards right,
and it might be
a different kind of blow.