Bimbo Under Glass

Happy Tuesday, 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 22 of FULL BODY, Israeli homicide dick Ben Fleck and Palestinian federal agent Ali Nassour question masseuse Summer Donovan about the murder of undercover operative Reynolds Tan. Meanwhile, Princess Stephanie von Sturm Und Drang gets frisky with Croatian assassin Mavra Vlaovic deep in the bowels of her castle ...


INT. POLICE PRECINCT - INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT
Two MEN look through a
two-way mirror at SUMMER.

Sitting at a small table.
Fidgeting. Quietly freaking out.

WILD-EYED MAN
Bimbo under glass.
Wonder how much for a Gaza Strip?

Meet BEN FLECK (40’s),
Israeli DC homicide dick.

Small head.
Bug-eyed, bowling pin-shaped.

Squeaky-voiced nebbish
of law enforcement.

Right now, pacing.
Licking his lips.

UNSHAVEN MAN
Vat do you care?
Shiksa is not Kosher.

Meet ALI NASSOUR (30’s),
Palestinian-American head of
the federal organized
crime task force.

Craggy-faced good looks.
Looks like he hasn’t bathed,
or shaved, in a few days.

FLECK
Ease off on the
Middle East tension.
Okay, buddy?

Nassour pulls out a pen knife.
Starts cleaning his nails.

NASSOUR
You stop bombing
our places of worship,
pray to Allah, then I
MIGHT consider you ‘buddy.’

FLECK
You get circumcised,
give me a holler.
We can have
a sword fight.

NASSOUR
‘The chosen.’
Give me a break.
You chose to
mutilate your cock.

They stare at each other.
Seething.

FLECK
Go question the girl.
I want to observe your genius.

NASSOUR
You do it.
I like to watch body language.

Fleck shakes his head in disgust.
Goes to the door.

FLECK
There’s an ordinance against
rubbing one out on police property --

INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
Fleck sits across from Summer.
Reads off a clipboard.

FLECK
According to the
United States government,
Summer Donovan doesn’t exist.

SUMMER
That’s my work name.
My W9 will be
in my real name.

FLECK
Which is?

SUMMER
Wednesday.
Wednesday Donovan.

FLECK
Unusual name.

SUMMER
My father read a lot of
Raymond Chandler.

FLECK
How long have you
worked at The International?

SUMMER
Actually, it’s -- my first day.

FLECK
I see.
So you didn’t know
Ms. Tan very well --

SUMMER
No.

FLECK
Are you aware of anyone
who would have a reason
to kill Ms. Tan?

SUMMER
Well, I don’t know
about killing her --
but no one likes her --
uh, liked her.
(beat)
She was a --

FLECK
Bitch?

SUMMER
Uh -- yeah.

INT. CROATIAN EMBASSY - VIP ROOM - AT THAT MOMENT
The swooning, brittle, elegant decadence
of The Psychedelic Furs’ SISTER EUROPE over --

A dark garrote high
in the catacombs in a turret.

We see a big, full moon
through the barred windows.

Princess Stefanie lounges
on a satin chaise.

Pours a tiny goblet
of Absinthe.

Swirls it.
Takes a sip.

Mavra sits down next to her.
Stefanie pours her a glass.

Revealing knife scars
on her forearm.

MAVRA
(savors a bit)
Mmm.
The drink of Van Gogh.
Picasso. Johnny Depp --
(looks around)
This is -- like dungeon.

STEFANIE
It could be --
if you wanted it to.

MAVRA
We don’t have time.
I need to make my move --
and quickly.

STEFANIE
(leans back)
How much do you need?

MAVRA
(gets closer)
I would think --
one-hundred-thousand.

STEFANIE
How about two-hundred,
and you stay for
one last cock-tail?

Something palpable passes
between them.

Somewhere in the distance
a clock CHIMES.

Stefanie pulls out a knife.
It glints in the moonlight.

Mavra smiles.
Puts down her drink.

Places a hand
on Stefanie’s breast.

Takes the blade
to her arm --

MAVRA
(whispers)
I never could say no, could I?

And leans in for a kiss.