Backflash

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 7 of THE HEISTERS, Kelsey meets with Ludo and Chick and grills them about who stole the money from the robbery ...


INT. SHITTY MOTEL ROOM - DAY
Tears form in Ludo’s eyes.
He takes a step back.

PLOPS onto the couch.
Head in his hands.

LUDO
If I don’t get the money --
the bank’ll take the RESTAURANT.

CHICK
(looks at Kelsey)
Tony Soprano he’s not.
(beat)
So tell us what happened.

KELSEY
I was holed up with this kid
in bed for two days since the job.
I went out for ten minutes
to get smokes and beer,
and I come back and he’s
harpooned to the bed with
a sword and the money’s gone.
(takes a sip)
That’s about it.

LUDO
SHIT.

CHICK
Fuck --
(beat)
Did the kid know about the job?

KELSEY
Nah. Low-level runner for
Jimmy Two-Fingers. NOT a player --

LUDO
Maybe Garza and Jones --

CHICK
Are you fucking KIDDING ME?
They’re fucking DRIVERS.
Their combined IQ is the TEMPERATURE.
Smells like a spurned lover,
that kind of thing.
(thinks)
On the other hand, maybe -- Ronan?

KELSEY
No way. He set up the job.
I’ve known him a long time.
I’ll vouch for him.

CHICK
(not sold)
If you say so --

LUDO
(stares at Chick)
Hey, wait a minute.
You went out tonight.
(to Kelsey)
Maybe HE did it --

CHICK
I was at the movies.
You really think
an old man like me
is gonna HARPOON
someone with a SWORD?
And look at me,
how am I gonna carry
two giant duffle bags that
weigh a fucking ton?

LUDO
I dunno. You had some HELP?

CHICK
You’re barking up the wrong tree,
you fucking GOOMBAH --
(realizes)
What about while I was gone, HUH?
You’ve got the motive,
that fucking RESTAURANT.
Maybe YOU did it --

LUDO
Fuck you, you fucking Jew-bastard FUCK --

KELSEY
STOP IT, BOTH of you --
(off their silence)
Ronan and I think it’s an outsider.
If it was one of us, we would’ve
just taken the haul --
we wouldn’t have killed the kid.
That would be stupid.
It would bring down too much heat.
(beat)
We think we should regroup
and find who did it, together.

LUDO
You mean out in the open?

CHICK
You gotta better idea?

LUDO
But the cop’s will be --

CHICK
Do you want to get the fucking
MONEY BACK or NOT?

Ludo sighs. Glares at Chick.

KELSEY
Then it’s settled.
pack up your shit
and let’s get going.

CHICK
(stares at Ludo)
Where we going?

KELSEY
Venice Motor Hotel,
right at the beach.
Ronan’s got a suite.

LUDO
Great. I’ll be sure
to pack my bathing suit --