The Boulevard of Broken Necks

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In chapter 45 of WILSHIRE BOULEVARD, we reach the exciting conclusion to our story, where private eye Carrie Love has her final showdown with murderous screenwriter Jenny Lane ...


INT. POOL HOUSE - NIGHT
Jenny looks at herself in the mirror.
Raises the gun.

SPINS the chamber.
Places it against her temple.

CARRIE (O.C.)
Careful with that.
It might go off if you’re not careful.

CARRIE
stands in the window.
Now open. Curtain gone.

JENNY
(whips the gun around)
Stay AWAY from me!

CARRIE
I’m afraid that’s not possible, hot stuff.

Carrie starts to climb in.

JENNY
Stay BACK! I’ll fucking SHOOT YOU!

CARRIE
You won’t shoot me.

JENNY
Yes I WILL! Don’t come any CLOSER!

Carrie drops to the floor.
Lands with a soft thud.

CARRIE
You won’t shoot me.

JENNY
Oh, yeah? Why not?

CARRIE
You know why.

Carrie walks up to Jenny.
Gently takes the gun away.

CARRIE
Because we’re the same.
We have this hole in our heart
that we try to fill with love, with sex,
with anyone who will have us.
But the funny thing is,
it stops working after a while.
The sad part is finally realizing
the only one who can fill the hole --
is you. But by then it’s too late.

Jenny stares. Eyes flicker madly.
Cheeks flushed.

CARRIE
What I don’t get is why you --
I mean, just because I didn’t CALL you?

JENNY
I overheard on the phone
Modi and Gay plan to have Harvey killed.
They hired a hit man.
But then they changed their mind.
Called it off. I thought
I was going lose MY mind,
so I killed Harvey myself.
But then Gay hired YOU,
which was PERFECT.
So I decided to FRAME you.
(eyes well up)
But then -- you and I --
(beat)
You and I --

Jenny starts POUNDING Carrie
on the chest with her fists.

JENNY
It got all FUCKED UP.

CARRIE
(GRABS her hands)
But we just MADE OUT. What the fuck?

Pause.
JENNY
You mean you don’t remember?

CARRIE
Remember what?

JENNY
We went back to your place --
after the Christmas party.

CARRIE
We did?

INT. CARRIE’S JOINT - BEDROOM - FLASHBACK - NIGHT
The red room is lit by a single candle.
The liquid, sultry trip-hop of Morcheeba’s
UNDRESS ME NOW bubbles over --

Carrie and Jenny in bed.
Carrie’s doing something to Jenny with her hand,
under the covers. Kissing her neck.

JENNY
Yes -- yes -- ohmigod --

Carrie closes her eyes. Stops moving.

JENNY
Don’t stop. Why did you stop? I’m about to --

Jenny sits up. SHAKES Carrie.
But she’s out like the dead.

Tie many martoonis.

JENNY
You PASSED OUT?
You fucking PASSED OUT?

IN THE POOL HOUSE
Jenny’s eyes fill with tears.

JENNY
You -- said you loved me.

CARRIE
(to herself)
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
(to Jenny)
I was in a blackout, Jenny. I --
(sighs)
I’m sorry. What we had was --
really nice. Really nice.
(a whisper)
It’s not your fault. It’s -- mine.

Jenny crumples. COLLAPSES into Carrie’s arms.

JENNY
What’s going to happen to me?

NEAR THE POOL
Bernie and Aya take position
near the diving board.

BERNIE
What the fuck is going on in there?

AYA
I hear crying.

Pause.

BERNIE
Can you really -- smell it?

IN THE CABANA
Carrie and Jenny hug for dear life.

CARRIE
Let me take you in.
It will go easier. Trust me.
I promise no one will hurt you.

JENNY
(a whisper)
Promise?

Carrie takes her hand.
They go to the door. Carrie opens it.

CARRIE
We’re COMING OUT.
The prisoner is UNARMED. Don’t SHOOT.

BY THE POOL
Carrie and Jenny walk out of the cabana.

BERNIE
Santa Monica Police!
Stay where you are!
You’re both under arrest!

AYA
Bernie --

Carrie and Jenny exchange glances.
And, faster than you can blink,
Jenny DIVES into the pool.
Then Carrie --


Bernie starts SHOOTING
blindly into the water.

AYA
BERNIE! NO!

Aya TACKLES him to the ground.
They WRESTLE for his gun.

She SWERVES on top.
PINS his arms.

AYA
What the fuck
do you think you’re DOING?

She LEAPS off him. Gets up.
Turns to the pool.

TWO BODIES
lie in the water. Face down.
Red smears against the blue.

BERNIE AND AYA
come to the edge. Look down.

AYA
Stupid ASSHOLE. You killed them!

One of the bodies LURCHES up.
GULPS in air. It’s CARRIE.

She paddles over to Bernie and Aya.
Climbs out. Soaked.

The three of them look at Jenny.
Bobbing in the water.

Lipshitz walks over.
Joins them. Shaking his head.

CARRIE (V.O.)
That’s the thing about Hollywood.
In the city of angels,
nothing is what it appears to be.
It’s all smoke and mirrors.
Special effects. Body doubles.
With a big twist ending.

A COYOTE appears in the yard.
Chewing on something.

CARRIE (V.O.)
Here in LA, everyone wears
a bright, sun-shiny smile --
while they hold a knife behind their back.
And if you have something they want,
you’re best friends forever --
until they get it,
and then it’s buh-bye, see you later --
otta bigger, better offer.

CLOSE ON --
The coyote’s mouth.
In it, a human hand.
With a pinky ring.

CARRIE (V.O.)
Just another day on Wilshire.
(beat)
The boulevard of broken necks --