Ace Up My Sleeve

Happy Thursday, crime freaks! It's that time once again ... to take a little trip to the dark side ... where your most violent fantasies become hardboiled sins of the flesh, right here, at the coolest crime joint in cyberspace ... at That Killing Feeling.

In Chapter 23 from THE HEISTERS, Ronan and Kelsey decide what do to with Kasper's dead body, and then Kelsey goes off to question their latest suspect, 'Doll Montana,' but little does she know, Ronan secretly follows her. Meanwhile FBI agent Ren Rosen and homicide dick Terrence Marr have located their hotel ...


INT. SHITTY HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
Kelsey and Ronan stand over Kasper’s dead body.
She lights up a smoke. Shakes her head.

KELSEY
This job just went from bad to worse to FUCKED.

RONAN
So what do we do with the body?

KELSEY
I’m thinking --

She exhales a cloud of smoke.
Starts pacing around the room.

KELSEY
Little fucker.
I have an ace up my sleeve that I was gonna play,
and that refried beaner had to gum up the works --

RONAN
What’s the ace?

KELSEY
There was one name that the police had
that wasn’t on the cell phone.

Ronan feigns nonchalance.

RONAN
Oh, really?

KELSEY
Yeah. Figured Jackie deleted it
because of a bad breakup,
and that maybe she was some kind of unstable bitch.
(smiles)
Just the kinda broad that would pull this kinda stunt.
Know what I mean?

RONAN
Uh -- yeah.
(casual)
What’s her name?

KELSEY
Doll Montana.
Right out of Raymond Chandler, huh?

RONAN
No shit.

KELSEY
Figured I’d wait until late at night and surprise her.
(gestures at the body)
But now, this --

RONAN
Tell you what.
Why don’t I stick him under the bed for now,
you go talk to this Doll broad,
and then when you get back
we’ll dispose of Dirty Sanchez.

KELSEY
Good idea.
You should be here when the others come back.

RONAN
Yeah.

KELSEY
Okay. I’ve got my cell in case of an emergency.

She goes to the door.
Puts her hand on the knob.

KELSEY
Hang tight. I’ve got a gut feeling about this.

RONAN
You know what they say.
Always trust your gut.

Kelsey nods. Opens the door.
Leaves. Ronan waits a beat.

Goes to the door.
Takes off the ‘do not disturb’ sign.
Opens it. Peers down the hallway.
Puts it on the outside.

Goes out into the hallway.
Quietly shuts the door.

Then starts following her.

INT. VENICE MOTOR COURT HOTEL - FRONT DESK - NIGHT
Ren Rosen and Terrence Marr speak to the NIGHT CLERK,
a small, thin slip of guy. Typical fussy queen.

Meg Stark and Mart Volok
hang back and look around.

GAY NIGHT CLERK
Of course, detective.
I’ll help in any way I can --

TERRENCE
We’re looking for a Hispanic guy.
He would have arrived here in the last hour or so.

REN
He was probably very agitated.
Upset. Ring any bells?

GAY NIGHT CLERK
Oh, yes.
There was this horrible-looking Mexican guy.
But he didn’t come to the desk.

TERRENCE
You don’t know which room he went to, do you?

GAY NIGHT CLERK
No. But he took the elevator up to the second floor.

REN
How many rooms on the floor?

GAY NIGHT CLERK
Ten, five on each side.

TERRENCE
(to Ren)
Our luck it’s a small place.

REN
(nods, to the clerk)
Can we see the register,
see who’s in each room?

GAY NIGHT CLERK
Sure thing.

He gets the register.
Opens it. Looks up. Realizes.

GAY NIGHT CLERK
Is this person -- dangerous?

TERRENCE
Very --

REN
And the people he’s visiting
are even more dangerous.

GAY NIGHT CLERK
There won’t be a --
shoot-out or anything, will there?

TERRENCE
(smiles)
We usually try to avoid that.

GAY NIGHT CLERK
(sighs)
Thank god for THAT --

He looks in the book.
Scans the room numbers with his finger.
Looks up. Smiles.

GAY NIGHT CLERK
You’re in luck, gentlemen. It’s off-season.
Only two rooms are occupied on the second floor.

REN
Who’s in the first room?

GAY NIGHT CLERK
(looks, reads)
Yuri and Olga Chechnikov.
Russian tourists, I guess.

TERRENCE
And in the second room?

GAY NIGHT CLERK
(reads)
Uh -- John Smith.

REN
Bingo.

TERRENCE
Room number?

GAY NIGHT CLERK
Twenty-three.
At the end of the hall on the left.
It’s a suite. Has two entrances.

Terrence looks at Ren. Narrows his eyes.

TERRENCE
Great. Two escape routes, no waiting.