A Different Kind Of Blow

Happy Hump Day, crime humpsters. You say you're feeling a little disgruntled? Full of rage? Ready to get up on the roof with a high-powered rifle and start picking off pedestrians? Then why not blow off some steam at the most violent joint in cyberspace ... at That Killing Feeling.

Onto today's joint from BLOOD GETS IN YOUR EYES, where we take a little bit of a breather.

Drug dealer Beggar Leck and 'attorney to the stars' Lief Scott have just escaped the crime scene at a party where a starlet OD'd on Beggar's uncut coke. Beggar then calls hooker Alona Tal to fill her in on his escape plan ...


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 to 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.