Trouble In Paradise

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 Chapter 34 of SPIRAL, things start going to hell after Andy leaves his friends due to their hard-partying ways ... when porn star Savannah fires her stylist Dex for stealing money from her, and then starts doing heroin again ...


INT. SHANNON'S DRIVEWAY / GARAGE - DAY
Super - One week later

The Corvette is parked in front of the open garage.
Shannon washes the car and drinks a beer,
water and suds everywhere.

Dex and Daisy watch.
A boom box BLASTS top 40 dance music.

ANDY (V.O)
Things deteriorated pretty quickly
after I left the party.

Faster than you can say "trouble in paradise,"
Shannon and Dex were at each other's throats.

SHANNON
You took it.

DEX
I didn't take it.

SHANNON
You thought I'd miss a hundred, huh?
Just admit it, you little fuck!

DEX
Savannah...

SHANNON
...Stop fucking calling me SAVANNAH!
My name is SHANNON!

She SPRAYS Dex with the hose.
Dex JUMPS back, startled.

DEX
Hey!

Shannon continues SPRAYING him.

SHANNON
I'm sick of you, you're fired!
Get the fuck out of here!
I never want to see your fucking
faggot ass again!

Dex RUNS down the driveway.

DEX
(yelling, over his shoulder)
Bitch! Cunt!

SHANNON
Motherfucker!

Shannon THROWS down the hose. Daisy WHINES.
She walks over to Daisy, kneels, rubs her head.

SHANNON
That's it for the boys, Daisy.
No more boys.

INT. DEX'S JEEP - DAY
The car stereo plays cheerful, peppy pop music.

Dex drives down the hill in tears.
He pulls out a bottle of Jaegermeister
and takes a swig. Then another.

He continues driving, bottle in hand.

DEX
A hundred dollars --

INT. SHANNON'S KITCHEN - DAY
Shannon sits at the bar talking on the phone.

ANDY (V.O.)
It was just a matter of time until Shannon
started slipping back into her old habits.

She CRACKS open a beer and takes a sip, exasperated.

SHANNON
I know, Nickie. I know.
(listens)
It's for a friend.

NICKIE (O.S.)
(loud)
Some friend, yeah right.
It's your fucking veins, not mine.
I just got some China white...
fucking William S. Bouroughs heaven.

SHANNON
Who the fuck is William Bouroughs?

INT. NICKIE'S LIVING ROOM - DAY
A seedy, dumpy living room.
Seen from behind, Nickie sits
on the couch talking on the phone.

The TV is on with sound off.
Beavis PUNCHES Butthead.

NICKIE
You don't know who the fuck
William S. Boroughs is?
Jesus Christ! He's a writer,
Naked Lunch, hello?
He's only the most famous
junkie on the planet.
Don't you read?
(listens)
Twenty five.
(listens)
Two hundred?
(listens)
Come over around six.
And don't be early, okay?
got shit going on.

He BANGS down the phone.

INT. NICKIE'S LIVING ROOM - SAME
Dex walks in from the kitchen
eating a sandwich.

He PLOPS down on the couch next to Nickie.
Nickie puts his hand on Dex's leg.

NICKIE
That was your former employer.
Just ordered a shitload of smack.

DEX
She's a fucking cunt.

NICKIE
Business is business.

DEX
Tell me about it.

A beat.

NICKIE
She's a piece of ass, you gotta admit it.
Got real nice tits.

His hand casually wanders up Dex's thigh.
Dex's more interested in his sandwich.

NICKIE
Uh, speaking of business... you uh...
want to do another one of those uh,
you know, uh, trade things?

Dex gives a sickly smile.

DEX
I'm not here for the buffet --