Hey there, crime kids. Happy Hump Day. 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 28 of WILSHIRE BOULEVARD, private eye Carrie Love, now framed for murder, goes on the lam. Meanwhile, the story hits the news. Carrie is now a 'marked woman' ...
INT./EXT. CARRIE’S RENTAL CAR - MOVING - DAY
Sara Vaughn’s swingin’ cover of PETER GUNN over --
Carrie drives a vintage Dodge Dart Swinger.
Nondescript in shades and baseball cap
that advertises some cheap booze.
She takes a long pull from a pint bottle.
CARRIE (V.O.)
It was the first time
I played Grand Theft Auto.
The trick is to swipe an
old beater that no one
will report stolen.
Thank god I’ve got enough scratch
to hide out for a while.
At least until I can clean up this mess.
(beat)
I could drain my savings account,
go down to Mexico like a
grifter in some Ross MacDonald story.
Get a shitty motel room by the beach,
write that tragic, drunken confessional
that’s been oozing outta my pores.
She thinks. Takes a slug.
Picks up her cell. Dials. Listens --
CARRIE
Jenny?
SPLIT SCREEN WITH:
INT. YAVO/FLENDER FILMS - RECEPTION - AT THAT MOMENT
Jenny sits at her workstation. Sips coffee.
Shuffles the stacks of paperwork.
Murmurs into her headset.
JENNY
Carrie, hi. How are you?
CARRIE
I’ve been better.
JENNY
W-what’s wrong?
CARRIE
The cops want me.
I was framed for Flender’s murder.
They matched the bullets to my gun,
which someone STOLE.
I’m in deep shit.
JENNY
(small voice)
You’re -- kidding.
ANGRY MALE VOICE (O.C.)
JENNY. Where’s the Crabb deal?
I can’t find the FUCKING CRABB DEAL!
JENNY
Modi, hold on I’m on the phone --
(to Carrie)
Just sit tight.
When I get home
I’ll fix us some dinner,
and we can plan our strategy.
CARRIE
We? OUR strategy?
JENNY
Well, yeah --
I just thought -- since --
CARRIE
Listen, baby --
I’d love your help,
but do you realize
how dangerous this is?
I can’t get you mixed up in this,
this is serious shit, and I --
Carrie gasps. Sucks in air.
JENNY
Shhhh, it’s okay, it’s okay.
Where are you now?
MODI (O.C.)
JENNY!
CARRIE
It’s best if you don’t know.
I’ll call you later when I get settled.
Just don’t tell anyone anything,
you don’t know anything --
JENNY
Okay, I understand,
I gotta go, I’m --
(whispers)
Getting yelled at.
She punches a button.
Heart beating a mile a minute.
MODI
appears. Fists clenched.
Face beet red.
MODI
(hisses)
Get me that fucking file,
stupid BITCH.
PUSH IN ON Jenny.
Frightened to death.
JENNY
S-sure thing, r-right away --
INT. POLICE HEADQUARTERS - LIPSHITZ’S OFFICE - AT THAT MOMENT
Larry leans forward in his chair.
Stares at Bernie and Aya.
Standing before him.
In trouble. Baleful.
LIPSHITZ
It was a simple task.
Just KEEP HER ON THE FUCKING PHONE --
long enough to GET A TRACE.
BERNIE
She was a cop, Larry.
She knows the drill.
Despite being inebriated.
(beat)
She was a good cop once, you know --
AYA
Captain, may I have a word?
LIPSHITZ
You can have ten, twenty, a hundred.
But not here, not now.
We’ve got work to do,
and I don’t have time for your
touchy-feely psych-101 mumbo-jumbo.
AYA
But sir --
LIPSHITZ
Zip it, or you’ll be back
on the kibutz so fast
your dreidel will spin like a top.
(beat)
Wait a minute --
(inhales)
You two are going to
prowl the beach joints.
That’s her thing, right, Bernie?
BERNIE
Yeah.
She used to say she got a nosebleed
if she went east of Lincoln.
There’s a few hotels
and flea-bag joints
we can check out.
Not to mention the gin joints
on the boardwalk.
LIPSHITZ
Then hop to it.
And find her, fast,
because this is quickly becoming
a major embarrassment to the department.
DISSOLVE TO:
A SMALL TELEVISION SET
in a tiny motel room.
Seen from the next room.
COCKY, SMILING ANCHOR (V.O.)
-- linking the murder weapon
to a Ms. Carrie Love, 36,
former Santa Monica homicide detective,
now a private investigator --
CARRIE’S FACE
fills the screen. Damn,
she looks angry. But cute.
COCKY, SMILING ANCHOR (V.O.)
If you see this woman,
call your local precinct immediately.
And stay away.
This is one dangerous lady.
I love the 'v.o' at the beginning... your writing always leaves me a little breathless.
ReplyDeleteDanger is my middle name... Come with me, Carrie... I will hide you! :)
Hmm... I'm thinking that Carrie isn't going to stay hidden for too long... Bernie knows her way too well.
"She used to say she got a nosebleed if she went east of Lincoln." Love this line!
"touchy-feely psych-101 mumbo-jumbo"... oh, Larry... you are just Mr Sensitive, aren't you!
I really like the character you create in their... makes for some great dialogue!
xoxoxo <3 <3 <3
Ronnie
I don't remember if you told me, or if I even asked... is Larry based on someone you know, or knew?
ReplyDeleteYou're getting the full effect of my Raymond Chandler addiction here.
ReplyDeleteSome of the minor characters like Larry aren't based on anyone in particular, but ARE meant as an homage to a 'classic' character -- in this case, the grumpy cop boss, as seen on TV ...
HA.
xoxoxo