Paradise City

Happy Friday, 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 2 of RIDGEWAY, Ozark Mountains newcomer Cate Salinger escapes from the cops by escaping down into a steep a ravine, but then gets chased by a vicious bear. We then flash back to her former life in Los Angeles, where we see her appear in court getting evicted from her apartment ...


EXT. MOUNTAIN ROAD - NIGHT
Tall stand at the intersection of
the mountain ridge and the uphill roads.

Hears the siren getting closer.
Then sees the cherry top FLASHING,
coming toward her.

She turns, RUNS into the woods --
just as a COP CAR comes
RACING up the steep incline.

EXT. MOUNTAIN SLOPE - NIGHT
Tall DASHES through the underbrush and trees.
Stops. Catches her breath. Looks around.
Listens to the crickets chirping.

Hears a twig SNAP. WHIRLS AROUND.
Sees a FAMILY OF DEER.

Momma, Poppa and two young ones.
Staring at her.

TALL WOMAN
(whispers)
Wow.

They DASH OFF into the darkness.

EXT. MOUNTAIN GORGE - NIGHT
Tall stands at the top of a gorge.
Looks down at the valley far below.

A woodpecker TAP-TAP-TAP-TAPS
like a machine gun.

TALL WOMAN (CONT’D)
SHIT.

She JUMPS, startled, then TUMBLES down the hill --
and CRACKS into a tree at the bottom.
Gets up. Brushes herself off.

Hears a low GROWL. A BLACK BEAR appears.
Flashes WHITE TEETH. Tall stiffens.
Shakes with fear. This ain’t Gentle Ben.

They stare at each other a long beat.
The beast suddenly REARS UP
on its hind legs, ROARS --

And starts CHASING her. She SCREAMS.
Starts climbing the tree like she’s on fire.

GRABS at a branch above her, but it SNAPS off.
The beast SWIPES at her with a meaty paw.

She tries to WHACK it with the branch,
but it GRABS it away from her. GROWLS.

GRABS another branch. Pulls herself up --
just as the bear SINKS IT TEETH
into her boot. Tall CRIES OUT.

Thunder BOOMS. Lightning CRACKS.
It starts POURING RAIN.

EXT. COASTLINE - DAY
TITLE CARD reads: ‘THREE MONTHS EARLIER.’

Deep blue ocean.
White sandy beach.
Palm trees galore.
Sunshine so bright it hurts.

Another gorgeous day in paradise city
where the grass is legal
and the girls are shitty.

EXT. COURTHOUSE - DAY
Your typical drab, seventies-era courthouse.
But this is Santa Monica, California,
so the HOMELESS PEOPLE lying on
the grass outside are well-fed
and sleeping peacefully.

LAWYERS, DEFENDANTS and PLAINTIFFS stream in.
Some smiling. Some frowning.
More than a few on the verge of tears.

INT. COURTROOM - DAY
Small. Plain. Filled with the dregs of society.
And that’s just the lawyers.

Welcome to Eviction Court, where all day,
every day, people find out
the date they lose their home.

Standing before the
STERN BUT CUTE FEMALE JUDGE (40’s)
is Tall Woman, who we recognize
from the opening scene.

Meet CATE SALINGER (50’s),
rakish in a black suit and hipster glasses.
Great-looking, but looks drained, stressed-out.

Standing next to her is her LANDLORD (80’s),
tall and skinny with a giant head like a lollipop --
and his LAWYER, a boisterous BIG GUY (50’s)
clutching a sheaf of papers.

STERN BUT CUTE FEMALE JUDGE
You’ve agreed to vacate
the premises August seventeenth.

CATE
Yes, your honor.

STERN BUT CUTE FEMALE JUDGE
Please get a conformed copy
of the judgement from the clerk.

Stern But Cute BANGS her gavel.
Landlord glares at Cate.

She fidgets. Looks down.
Not her finest hour.