Going Full-Chaz Bono

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 18 of RIDGEWAY, Halene pays a visit to Kayla at her shop and tries to find out the intimate details about her sex life with Cate ...

INT. DREAMLAND - DAY
Kayla stands at the counter
making a necklace.

Beads and jewelry parts sit
in a little tray in front of her.

Halene sits next to her,
watching her do the
precise, surgical work.

Nimble fingers plying
their trade.

HALENE
I like how you’re
making it crooked.

KAYLA
You mean asymmetrical.

HALENE
Right.

Kayla concentrates.
Threads a tiny bead.

HALENE
Thanks again for taking
Les out to dinner.
Really means a lot to us.

KAYLA
(not looking up)
No problem. Glad to help.

HALENE
There’s something else about Les
I wanted to talk to you about.
Londell doesn’t know,
and if he did,
I’m afraid he’d flip out.

KAYLA
What’s that?

HALENE
Les has been -- cutting herself.

KAYLA
Oh my god, really?

HALENE
Yeah. I noticed she stopped
wearing short-sleeved shirts --
and then one day I saw
the scars on her forearm.
(beat)
I’m scared, Kayla.

KAYLA
I’m -- so sorry.

HALENE
That’s why you need find out
what’s going on with her.
If she’s hurting herself,
who knows what she might do.

KAYLA
You mean like
‘going full-Chaz Bono?’

HALENE
That Londell.
He’s a good man,
but sometimes he’s just --

KAYLA
Insensitive? Inappropriate?

HALENE
You know men when it
comes to that kinda stuff.
(beat)
Bet you don’t have that
problem with Cate, huh?

KAYLA
Nah. She’s a sweetie.

HALENE
Not to pry -- but I always wondered
what two women do together.
Y’all use a strap-on?

KAYLA
That’s a little personal, Halene.
(beat)
We actually -- haven’t made love yet.

HALENE
How come?

KAYLA
Promise you’ll keep it a secret?
(off her nod)
Cate’s been celibate seventeen years.

HALENE
Seventeen years? Really? Why?

KAYLA
Had a string of bad relationships.
Saw a shrink, realized she
‘didn’t know how to pick ‘em’ --
they were all abusive
or emotionally unavailable --
and she gave up.
(a wicked look)
It’s not as bad as it sounds.
Vibrator’s a girl’s best friend.

HALENE
(blushes)
Kayla.
(thinks)
Have you tried?

KAYLA
Yeah. I shouldn’t have.
It was late,
we were kinda wasted,
she was tired --
(beat)
I mean, hell --
she just got here,
and I’m gonna pressure
her to have sex?
After seventeen years
of not having any?
(beat)
Gonna let nature
take it’s course.
I’m in no hurry.
She’s the best thing
that ever happened to me.

HALENE
Well, hell -- after what
the slug put you through --

Kayla winces.
An unpleasant memory
creases her face.