Hotel California

Hey there, crime kids. Happy Wednesday. Or, as some people like to say, 'hump day.' But then, since I don't work a 9-to-5 day job, who gives a shit.

Enough fucking around. It's time once again to take a trip to the dark side, where your most violent fantasies become sins of the flesh, right here, where the hardboiled action is non-stop, at the coolest crime joint in cyberspace ... at That Killing Feeling.

In Chapter 18 of WILSHIRE BOULEVARD, private eye Carrie Love tries to pick up the pieces after her home burned down. Meanwhile, TV-movie producer Roland Yavo, upset that his son 'Nikki' appeared in a tranny porn, officially disowns her ...


EXT. MUNICIPAL BUILDING - PARKING LOT - NIGHT
Landon and Jenny sit in Carrie’s Olds.
Landon, behind the wheel.

Jenny, in the back seat.
Shivering in short sleeves.

Japan’s brittle, decayed cover of
The Velvet Underground’s
ALL TOMORROW’S PARTIES
softly plays on the car stereo.

Carrie comes up to the passenger side.
Dazed. Lost.

CARRIE
(softly)
Landon.

LANDON
Carrie. Are you okay?

CARRIE
I’ll live.
(sees Jenny)
You came, too?

JENNY
(blushes)
I -- don’t have a ride.
(shy)
And I wanted to see if you were okay.

CARRIE
Thanks, guys --

She walks around the car.
Gets in beside Landon. Stares.

LANDON
Let’s go get you cleaned up.

CARRIE
(fighting tears)
That would be -- nice.

LANDON
(looks at her watch)
We’ve got just enough time
before I have to leave for the airport.

CARRIE
You’re -- leaving, too?

LANDON
Didn’t I tell you?
I got a part in the new Scorcese flick.
(big smile)
‘Sleazy B-movie actress No. 2.’

PUSH IN ON Carrie. Weak smile.

CARRIE
Glad to see you weren’t -- typecast.

EXT. OCEAN AVENUE - AT THAT MOMENT
The purple, swinging acid jazz of
Groove Nation’s GET THIS
percolates and bubbles over --

A riot of red, orange and yellow
smears the sky above crashing waves.
Wind WHIPS through the fifty-foot palms.

A sleek, black Lexus coupe
ROARS down the coastal boulevard.

INT. YAVO’S LEXUS - MOVING - CONTINUOUS
Yavo DOWNSHIFTS at a yellow light
at the Malibu Canyon pass.

Stops at the red.
Shouts into his hands-free cell.

YAVO
I got a call from your DIRECTOR.

SPLIT SCREEN WITH:

INT./EXT. NIKKI’S JAGUAR - MOVING - CONTINUOUS
Nikki’s stuck in traffic on the 405.
Puffs fiercely on an ultra-long, thin cigarette.
Cell phone clamped to her ear.

NIKKI
My d-director?

YAVO
Yeah -- the sleazebag that shot
the tranny porno you STARRED in.

NIKKI
Listen, I can explain --
it’s a student film, it’s --

YAVO
Shut the FUCK up and LISTEN. T
he creep set up a MEETING
with me using YOU as bait,
and now he’s trying to BLACKMAIL me!

NIKKI
But, but --

YAVO
No BUTS -- except maybe YOURS.
This freakshow of yours has
crossed over into my BUSINESS.

THE LIGHT
changes to green.
Yavo STEPS ON IT.

YAVO
I’ve HAD IT with you.
You’re outta my house, outta my will,
and I’m NOT paying for college.
You’re ON YOUR OWN, Nancy-boy.

NIKKI
No, please -- let me EXPLAIN.

YAVO
I told you to SHUT THE FUCK UP.
You are DEAD to me.

He GROWLS. GRABS the cell off his ear.
FLINGS IT into the dashboard -- CRACK.

EXT. CARRIE’S CAR - MOVING - A LITTLE WHILE LATER
The ghostly blue twang of Chris Isaak’s TALK TO ME.

Carrie drives with the top down.
She’s cleaned up, wears Landon’s
biker chick threads. Looks haunted.
Beaten. Drained.

She take a swig from a pint bottle
of brown. Eyes burning.

Jenny sits on the passenger side.
Watching Carrie intently.

JENNY
I’ll keep an eye out for cops.

CARRIE
Good idea --
driving on a suspended license --

JENNY
Really? Maybe I should --
(beat)
Have a hit of that.

Carrie passes the bottle to her.
Smiles grimly.

Jenny takes a long pull.
Hands it back.

CARRIE
(takes a sip)
So where does Yavo shack up
when he’s in town?

JENNY
You want to see him now?
It’s kinda late.

CARRIE
(hands her the bottle)
I want to ask him a few questions.
Alone.

JENNY
(takes it, sips)
He’s at the Hotel California,
on the beach. It’s nice. Quaint.
I stayed there once.
(hands the bottle back)
You know -- it’s right near Chez Ray.
Across the street, down about a block.

Carrie HITS the brakes.
The tires SCREECH.

She TURNS THE WHEEL.
The whale ROCKS, SKIDS --
And FISHTAILS into a U-turn.

JENNY
Wow.

CARRIE
Learned that move from Mannix.

JENNY
So where are we going?

CARRIE
The Hotel California.
To drill Yavo.

JENNY
And I’m -- coming along?

PUSH IN ON Carrie.
Drains the bottle. Tosses it.

CARRIE
I don’t feel like being alone --