Lady Luck

Happy Tuesday, crime-busters! Havin' a hard time getting back into the grind? Well, we've got just the thing for what ails you ... a big, heaping slice of hardboiled noir, served pitched-black, right here, at the only crime blog in town ... at That Killing Feeling.

In chapter 16 of THE HEISTERS, where we flash forward to the aftermath of the stolen robbery cash, where wheelman Kasper Garza tries his luck at interviewing a possible suspect. Meanwhile, robbery/homicide detective Terence Marr gets a break on the case ...


EXT. OZONE AVENUE - NIGHT
Ozone Avenue. A bucolic, leafy walkway street
at the north end of Venice Beach.
A lone street lamp spills shards
of diffused light through the trees.

Quiet. Eerie.

Kasper walks down the sidewalk
flanked on each side by old houses
and small apartment buildings.

He looks at the numbers.
Stops at the gate of a Craftsman bungalow.

KASPER
Number thirty-two. This is it.

He looks at his clipboard. Thinking.

KASPER
You can do it. You can do it.

Just then he hears the SQUAWK of a police radio.

FEMALE DISPATCHER (O.C.)
(electronic)
-- jumper off the roof at apartment complex,
see the building manager --

Footsteps CLOMP-CLOMP nearby --

KASPER
Shit.

He ducks behind a big tree. Watches --

Two HOMICIDE DETECTIVES approach on foot.
We recognize them as Nasty and Ugly Homicide Detectives
from earlier in the story.

Nasty speaks into his radio.

NASTY PLAINCLOTHES DICK
(into the radio)
This is Isaacs. We’re at Ozone and Pacific
about to pick up a possible suspect for questioning.
Send some uniforms.
We’ll be there as soon as we can, copy?

FEMALE DISPATCHER (O.C.)
Copy that, over.

The radio SQUAWKS.

UGLY PLAINCLOTHES DICK
The stakeout is set up, right?

ISAACS
Yeah. They’ll pick up anybody that comes to visit.
(puts the radio in his pocket)
C’mon, Nunn. Let’s go see the pot dealer.

NUNN
'Alleged pot dealer.'

ISAACS
Yeah, RIGHT --

They start walking up the path to the front door.
Kasper comes out from behind the tree. Freaked.

KASPER
(whispers)
The fucking bitch. It’s a SET-UP.

EXT. OZONE AVENUE - PARKING LOT - MOMENTS LATER
A small parking lot behind a boardwalk restaurant facing the end of Ozone.
A shitty old Toyota Celica idles in the lot.

INT. TOYOTA CELICA - CONTINUOUS
Kasper sits behind the wheel.
Pulls out his cell phone.

GUNS the engine. Starts driving.
Punches a number. Listens.

KASPER
Jefty, it’s Kasper. I got bad news.
It’s a set-up. The bitch is playing us --

INTERCUT WITH:

INT. HOMICIDE DETECTIVE SQUAD ROOM - NIGHT
A WELL-DRESSED BLACK DETECTIVE (40’s)
holds Jefty’s cell phone to his ear.
Big smile on his face.

DAPPER BLACK DETECTIVE
I think you might be right.
Your friend Jefty’s DEAD.

KASPER
WHAT? Who the fuck IS this?

DAPPER BLACK DETECTIVE
Detective Terrence Marr, homicide.
If you come in and talk to us,
I can make you a deal.
Give up the others,
and I can get you immunity.
How’s that sound?

KASPER
Fuck YOU, pig.

Kasper SLAMS the phone shut.
TOSSES it on the seat.

KASPER
(POUNDS the wheel)
SHIT. FUCK. GODDAMMIT --

He STOMPS on the gas.
The car FLIES down the alley.

KASPER
Fuckin’ bitch is gonna PAY.

TERRENCE
Gets up from his chair.
Walks over to the doorway of a nearby office.
The glass reads HOMICIDE.
He gently knocks.

MALE VOICE (O.C.)
Come on in, it’s open --

Terrence opens the door. Walks into --

INT. MART VOLOK’S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS
Mart sits behind his desk going through some paperwork.
Looks tired. Beaten down. NOT having a good day.

MART
What’s up?

TERRENCE
We just caught a break on the stadium job.

MART
Oh, yeah? Really?

TERRENCE
(holds up the cell phone)
One of the heisters just called
the kid we shot at tattoo-girl’s joint.

MART
The fake survey thing?

TERRENCE
Yeah. I offered to cut him a deal,
but he hung up.

MART
Call long enough to trace?

TERRENCE
Nah. And besides,
I’m sure it’s one of those prepaid disposable jobs.
(smiles)
Think the FBI can do anything with it?

MART
Are you fucking kidding me?
Don’t you watch CSI?

TERRENCE
Shit. Maybe they could help me out at the track --

MART
You STILL playing the ponies?
I thought you told me you’d been on a bad streak.

TERRENCE
I’ve gotta new system.
Gotta date with lady luck --