Bad Influence

Happy X, crime slicksters. It's time once again to take a trip to the dark side, where the girls are hot, the drinks are cold, and the hardboiled-pulp-noir action is non-stop, right here, at the coolest crime joint in cyberspace ... at That Killing Feeling.

In Chapter 23 of LITTLE GIRL BLUE, just as private eye Carrie Love and her family hide out in the basement of her mother's mansion against the home invasion, Tolly Chill's crime boss father arrives on the scene, with reinforcements ...


INT. MARGO'S MANSION - BASEMENT - NIGHT
A large, dusty room. Dim light from a single light.
The joint looks like an old-time saloon.

Carrie, Bernie, Blue, Seth, Margo
and Layla huddle together.
Seth flicks on a light switch. Nothing.

SETH
I thought Diego changes the lights.

MARGO
He does, in the main basement.
This is a secret room.
He doesn’t know about it.

Carrie walks around, inspecting the walls.

CARRIE
So I imagine there is at least one secret tunnel.

MARGO
There are two, actually.
Bonus points if you can find them.

CARRIE
You’re gonna make this
as difficult as possible, aren’t you.

SETH
Well, we wouldn’t be in this mess
if you hadn’t been followed here.

BERNIE
You got THAT right.

BLUE
Oh, no -- it’s all my fault, you guys.

CARRIE
Everybody shut up.
(to Margo)
Mom, I’m sorry if I didn’t
live up to your expectations --
but I’m my own person now, I’m an ADULT,
and I deserve to be treated with respect.
I help people for a living,
and I seem to remember you fell in love
with my father because HE did.
(to Seth)
Little brother, I’m sorry if you think
I abandoned you after I joined the police force,
but in case you didn’t know it,
DEAR MOTHER here forbade me from contacting you.
Said I was 'a bad influence.'

SETH
Mom?

CARRIE
Let me finish.
(to Bernie)
And you, my dear ex-husband and former partner.
(points at Blue)
As I seem to remember when we joined the force,
we were sworn to protect and serve the public --
and that’s all I’m trying to do for this girl.
Her sister was MURDERED, and she was about to be, too --
so PARDON ME for saving her life.
(to everyone)
So NOW you know why I’ve been avoiding coming home.
Because THIS SHIT follows me WHEREEVER I GO.
So let’s stop bickering.
It’s gonna be Christmas tomorrow morning soon,
and there’s no way in HELL
I’m gonna spend it in a funeral home.
Carrie’s walkie talkie CRACKLES to life.

GERO (O.C.)
Tolly, you there?

She motions everyone to be quiet.

TOLLY (O.C.)
I’m here, pop.

GERO (O.C.)
We’re nearby. What’s the address?

TOLLY (O.C.)
I told you, I don’t know.

GERO (O.C.)
Goddammit.
(beat)
That broad still on this thing?

She changes the frequency
to the other one she used before.

CARRIE
Hey, you -- private security guy,
you still there?

INTERCUT WITH:

INT. SECURITY PATROL CAR - MOVING - CONTINUOUS
Tip picks up his walkie. Speaks into it.

TIP
The Name’s Tip. I’m here.
Is this the lady whose house is being invaded?

CARRIE
The one and only. Call me Ishmael.
So listen, the invaders have backup,
and they’ve just arrived.
They’re circling the area because
the idiots don’t know the address.
Keep an eye out for ‘em.
Probably the only car out
in this neighborhood in the blizzard.

TIP
Gotcha. Will do.

CARRIE
The cops on their way?

TIP
Yeah. But I didn’t get your address.
We got cut off.

CARRIE
1600 Sunset Boulevard.

TIP
Great. I’ll alert them and
then I’m on my way. Are you all okay?

CARRIE
Yeah, thanks. It’s a long story,
but we’re safe right now.
We’ve killed two of them,
and there’re two left.

TIP
Holy shit. Keep me posted, Ishmael.
Merry Christmas.

CARRIE
Yeah. If you say so.
(shuts it off, to everyone)
Okay, the private security guy
is gonna give the cops the address,
and they should be on their way soon.
But I think we should check out the tunnels.
Whataya say?

INT. PRIVATE SECURITY VEHICLE - CONTINUOUS
Tip smiles. Takes a hit of his flask. Toasts.

TIP
I’m gonna be a hero.

He reaches for his walkie talkie.
Then sees something.

TIP (CONT’D)
Oh, shit -- I better warn them.

INT. MARGO’S MANSION - MAIN CORRIDOR - AT THAT MOMENT
Tolly and Mick walk through the house, checking each room.

TOLLY
(on the walkie)
Look, they’re hiding, okay?
We’ll find ‘em. It’s a big fucking house.

INTERCUT WITH:

INT. GERO’S LIMO - MOVING - CONTINUOUS
Gero curses under his breath.

GERO
Well, then why don’t one of you two Einsteins
COME OUTSIDE and LOOK for us?
(looks out the window)
There’s no one else around here.

TOLLY
In the fucking snow?
Just look for our car.
It’s in the driveway.

DRIVER
Sir, there’s a private patrol car outside.
What should I do? You want me to whack ‘em?

GERO
(on the walkie)
I’ll call you back.
(to the driver)
See what he wants.
Tell ‘em we’re from out of town,
and we’re lost.

The driver rolls down his window.
Tip pokes his head in.

TIP
Good evening. Just wanted to warn you.
There’s a bunch of criminals in the neighborhood.
Home invasion. And there’s more on the way.
You live around here?

Gero leans forward.
Aims a gun at his head.

GERO
Thanks for the update, sport.
Now get in.

The back door opens.
Strange-Looking Goon beckons him in.

STRANGE-LOOKING GOON
Come on in, we got egg nog.