| Scene 1 : Setting : The Motel : Characters : Mort Rainey, Ted Milner, Amy Rainey, Motel Manager.
Mort’s Voice : [Windshield wipers move across car window] Turn around. [Windshield wipers] Turn around. [Makes a face and puts on his glasses] Turn the car around and get the hell out of here. [Placed a hand on steering wheel] Right now. [Shifts into reverse, turns around and backs the car up. Turns the car to the left angrily. Stops] Don’t go back. [Shifts] Do not go back there. [Turns around. Shifts again and backs up] [Gets out of car, goes into motel lobby, grabs a key off the rack]
Motel Manager : [Puts on bathrobe, sees missing key] Hey. [Mort gets into car] Hey! [Mort drives further, stops abruptly, gets out of car. Unlocks and goes into a room] [Amy and Ted cower in their bed]
Mort : Ahhhh! [Grabs head and walks away]
Motel Manager : [Runs in] What the hell is going on in here?
Scene 2 : Setting : The Cabin : Characters : Mort Rainey, John Shooter, Chico.
[Shot pulls out of motel and fades into a scan of Tashmore lake]
COLOMBIA PICTURES PRESENTS
A PARIAH PRODUCTION
JOHNNY DEPP
SECRET WINDOW [Fades to red]
[Closes in on cabin]
JOHN TURTURRO
MARIA BELLO
TIMOTHY HUTTON
CHARLES S. DUTTON
LEN CARIOU
CASTING BY JOHN PAPSIDERA, CSA PAT MCCORKLE, CSA
COSTUME DESIGNER ODETTE GADOURY
MUSIC BY PHILLIP GLASS
EDITED BY JILL SAVITT, A.C.E.
[Enters cabin through secret window]
PRODUCTION DESIGNER HOWARD CUMMINGS
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY FRED MURPHY, ASC
[Moves toward desk]
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER EZRA SWERDLOW
PRODUCTION BY GAVIN POLONE
[Passes by computer monitor]
BASED UPON THE NOVELLA “SECRET WINDOW, SECRET GARDEN” BY STEPHEN KING
[Shot of mirror with Mort sleeping on the couch in the reflection]
[Goes into mirror]
SCREENPLAY BY DAVID KOEPP
DIRECTED BY DAVID KOEPP
[Mort sleeps on the couch, clock ticks]
SIX MONTHS LATER
Snores [Lifts his hand] [Someone twists the knob of the front door] [Mort is awakened, looks toward the door, puts on his glasses and gets up] knock knock knock knock knock [Mort opens the door]
Shooter : You stole my story. [Mort looks at a loss for words] Well?
Mort : I’m sorry.. do I.. I don’t believe I know you.
Shooter : I know that. That doesn’t matter. I know you, Mr. Rainey. That’s what matters. You stole my story.
Mort : [Shakes head] You’re mistaken. [He sees the manuscript] I don’t read manuscripts.
Shooter : [Holds up manuscript] You read this one already. You stole it.
Mort : I can assure you that I—Shooter : I know you can. I know that. I don’t want to be assured.
Mort : If you want to talk to someone about some grievance you feel you may have, you can call my literary agent in New York.
Shooter : This is between you, and me. [The dogs circles Shooter’s legs and whimpers] We don’t need any outsiders, Mr. Rainey. It is strictly between you and me.
Shooter : Alright. Look, Mr. Who ever you are, I don’t like being accused of plagiarism, if that is in fact what you are accusing me of. Chico, inside! [Dog looks up at Shooter]
Shooter : I don’t blame you for not liking it, but you did it. You stole my story.
Mort : You’re going to have to leave. I have nothing more to say. [Closes door]
Shooter : [Holds door back with curled manuscript] Yeah, I’ll go. We’ll talk more later. [Hands script to Mort]
Mort : [laughs] I’m not taking that.
Shooter : It won’t do you any good to play games with me, Mr. Rainey. This has got to be settled.
Mort : So far as I’m concerned, it is. [Closes and locks door] [Looks through window, then at dog] [He hears noises coming from outside] [He sees Shooter go to his car and take his hat off. Mort looks a bit scared] [The car pulls out, Mort tries to see the license plates] [He opens the door, and sees the manuscript under a rock, looks up, then back to it] [Takes rock off, picks up manuscript] Sowing Season. John Shooter. [Goes back into the house] Never heard of you, pal. Never heard of your story. [Dumps it into the trash] [Washes hands, walks into living room air drying them] Now, [Lies down on couch] where was I? Oh. Oh. [Dog looks off to the side, then lies down in its bed]
Scene 3 : Setting : The Study : Characters : Mort Rainey, Chico.
[Shot of Tashmore lake]
Vacuum noise [Mort sits pensively at his computer, playing with his face] [Shot of computer] [Shot of clock] [Mort looks at the dog, stops playing with his face]
Mort : I’m open to suggestions. [The dog looks sad] [Mort continues to play with his face] [He stands up and looks over the railing, sees Mrs. Garvey vacuuming] [Mort looks at the dog] If you don’t go and bite her, I’ll kill her. [The dog turns away] [Mort sits down] [Plays with face, then rubs hands together]
Mort : [Shot on computer screen] Four days after George had confirmed to his own satisfaction that his wife was cheating on him, he confro—This is just.. bad writing. [Plays with slinky] Just bad writing.
Mort’s Voice : So, you know what to do? [Mort stops playing with the slinky] Just do it. [Puts slinky down, goes forward and highlights text with the mouse] No [Presses delete] bad writing.
Mort : [Smiles, leans back and turns to dog] I think that solves it. Dog whimpers [Dog turns around in its chair]
Scene 4 : Setting : The Kitchen : Characters : Mort Rainey, Mrs. Garvey.
[Mort walks down the stairs eating something] [Walks into the kitchen and brushes his hands off on his bathrobe] [Opens fridge and pulls out a mountain dew] [Is shocked at seeing the manuscript on the table] [He walks forwards and examines it]
Mrs. Garvey : [Comes down the stairs and into the kitchen] Oh, I found one of your stories in trash, Mr. Rainey. I thought you might want it so I put it on the table. [While rummaging through a cupboard]
Mort : Yeah. I see that, Mrs. Garvey. [Pretends to shoot her] [He sits at the table and looks at the manuscript]
Mort’s Voice : Todd Downey thought that a woman who would steal your love when your love was really all you had was not much of a woman. He, therefore, decided to kill her. He would bury her in the deep corner formed where the house and the barn came together at an extreme angle. He would bury her where his wife kept her garden. The garden that she loved more than she loved him.
Mort : [Jumps up, knocking the mountain dew over] Oh Shit! Aw, Sh—Mrs. Garvey : [Comes to the kitchen] Oh, thank god. From the sound of you I didn’t know what to think. Here. [She throws the manuscript into his hands] Here, let me get this. That’s my job.
Mort : I’m terribly sorry, Mrs. Garvey. I really am.
Mrs. Garvey : I’ll take care of this, Mr. Rainey. Go on back to work. [Cleans up]
Mort : I didn’t write this.
Mrs. Garvey : [Looks up] Oh. I thought you did. [Resumes cleaning]
Mort : No, it’s not mine. Look. It says John Shooter right there [Pointing] John Shooter. It’s not me.
Mrs. Garvey : [Looks up] Oh, I thought it was one of those um.. whatchamacallums.. Pseudonames or.. or nyms.
Mort : No, no. I never used one. I never used one.
Mrs. Garvey : Well, I can’t imagine why you would. I mean, hiding behind some made-up name. [Bends down]
Mort : No, no. [Bends down] Mrs. Garvey, what I’m trying to tell you is that someone else wrote this story.
[Mrs. Garvey : [Looks up] Oh, okie dokie then. [Walks away] [Mort is left alone]
Scene 5 : Setting : The Study : Characters : Mort Rainey, Mrs. Garvey, Chico.
[Mort searches his bookshelf for something] [Picks out “Everybody Drops the Dime”] [Places it on the table] [Sits down and pushes back hair] [He opens the book to the contents page, traces down to “Secret Window”] [Flips to “Secret Window”]
Mort’s Voice : A woman who would steal your love when your love was all you had wasn’t much of a woman. That at least was Tommy Haverlock’s opinion. He decided to kill her. [Mort adjusts his glasses] He even knew the place he would bury her. The exact place. The little patch of garden she kept in the extreme angle formed where the old and new parts of the house came together. He’d bury her in the garden she loved more than she loved him. [Mort looks off to the side]
Amy : Why don’t you come to the flea market with me. It’ll be fun. [Flashback fades in] We’ve got to get rid of some of this stuff. Look at this, it’s awful. [She places a teacup on a ledge] [Grabs a chest of drawers and pushes it away] No wonder they left it. [She completely moves it over] Oh my god, look. There’s a window! [She bends down and looks out of it] It’s a secret window. [She opens it, revealing a garden below] Oh, this is perfect. I’m gonna put my garden right there. [She turns back] It’s a secret window and it’ll look down on a secret garden. [The flashback disappears]
Mort : [Turns away] Huh [He looks back at the stories and continues his examination] [He flips through the pages of the stories] Shit. [Shots of the two stories go by] [He closes the stories, rubs his face and breathes in] [He searches through his desk drawer, finds old Doritos. He closes that one and opens another] [After some rummaging, he turns up a pack of L&M cigarettes] [He glances towards the stairway, sees no one, smiles at the dog, then plops one into his mouth] [He turns back the dog] I didn’t steal it. [The dog stares] What? [The dog looks down]
Mrs. Garvey : [From downstairs] Mr. Rainey!
Mort : [Smoking] Mmm? [He lowers the cigarette so it is out of view]
Mrs. Garvey : I’m all done. [Comes up stairs]
Mort : Really? [Smoke puffs out of his mouth] So soon? [Nods] I’ll see you next time.
Mrs. Garvey : Mr. Rainey… There’s something I want to say.
Mort : Oh, no.
Mrs. Garvey : Some women don’t know a good thing when they got it.
Mortb : [Nods] Mm.
Mrs. Garvey : Some women don’t know that they got the whole world and it’s right in front of their nose.
Mort : [Quietly] Mmhmm.. [Nodding]
Mrs. Garvey : There. That’s it. [Begins to descend stairs, then stops] Not another word from me. [Mort watches her go down bitterly, then resumes smoking] Mr. Rainey.
Mort : Hm..? [He hides the cigarette]
Mrs. Garvey : Can I make you something to eat?
Mort : No. I ate. Well.. earlier. I’m going to eat later. And I’ll make it myself.
Mrs. Garvey : You’re a good man, Mr. Rainey. [Nodding]
Mort : You too, Mrs. Garvey. [He watches her go down again] [He frowns, and continues to smoke]
Scene 6 : Setting : The Living Room : Characters : Mort Rainey, Amy Rainey, Ted Milner.
Mort : [Coming down the stairs and shooing away smoke] It’s my personal business, Mrs. Garvey. Thank you very much. My personal business. [Sees couch] Oh! My pillows now. [He throws the pillows off the couch, and lies down] Her sticky weird fingers on my privacy. Sighs I didn’t steal that story. [Closes eyes] [Turns to face forward] I don’t think.. [Shot of clock] [Mort drifts off to sleep] [The door of the house shakes] [Mort drifts still] [Shooter walks in] Phone rings [Mort blocks away the sun] Wha—? Mm.. [He sits up wearily and searches for the phone] Phone rings [He stand up and brings the phone to the couch] [Lies down and answers] Hello?
Amy : [On phone] Hello Mort. Mort groans [In person] Are you alright?
Mort : Yeah, I’m alright. Why wouldn’t I be alright?
Amy : [On phone] I don’t know. [In person] You’re up there all alone. Anything can happen and nobody would know.
Mort : [On phone] I’d know.
Amy : [On phone] Right. sighs Hey, hey. How’s my little baby puppy? Did Chico ever get those cataracts removed?
Mort : Scowls Why did you call, Amy? What do you want?
Amy : I had one of those feelings I get. [Grabs wine and glasses] I know you think they’re stupid, and you don’t believe them but I believe them and um, [On phone] [Mort scowls and strangles the phone] I was making a sandwich and I had this sensation that you might not be okay. [Mort turns on the couch] I held off as long as possible, [Sets down the wine and glasses into a bag] um but then I couldn’t anymore so here I am.
Mort : Well, I don’t know what to tell you except I’m fine.
Amy : Nothing weird happened or anything? [She walks off]
Mort : [He hesitates] Do you remember Secret Window?
Amy : [On phone] What?
Mort : My story. You know, the one where the… [scratches face] the woman has the garden [On phone] And then the guy has the uh.. shovel?
Amy : [Walks] Not one of my favorites..
Mort : That’s good to know.
Amy : [Laughs] Well, it was kind of hostile, don’t you think?
Mort : [Sits up and grabs the phone] Gee, I miss your constructive criticism, I really do.
Amy : [Wipes lips in a mirror] What about the story, Mort?
Mort : [Goes to the kitchen] Oh, I was just wondering whether you think it’s possible that I might have been influenced by anybody or anything at that time?
Amy : [Fixes hair] Other than Jack Daniels?
Mort : [Returns to couch, drops phone on table ding] I know that part, Amy, hence the question. [Sits down, wipes top of mountain dew can]
Amy : [On phone] I don’t know. Yu got kinda weird on that one. You’d write it mostly at night. I think. [Mort blows on can] [Amy turns away from the mirror] What do you mean influenced anyway?
Mort : [On phone] I don’t know.
Amy : [On phone] Like by another story?
Mort : Look, forget it.
Amy : Mort. [Sits on bed] You swore the one time was the only time.
Mort : [On phone] Forget it. Please, please. Just forget it. Come on. How’s Ted?
Amy : Sighs He’s fine.
Mort : I was thinking that he and I should get together sometime, have a drink because you know, we’ve been to a lot of the same places.
Amy : You know what? I gotta go.
Mort : So do I.
Amy : [Lies back on the bed] Okay.
Mort : Is he there?
Amy : [On phone] No. [In person] We’re not together.
Mort : [Is amazed] Wow. Well.. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t on the verge of doing Snoopy dances. Heh.
Amy : No, Mort. [Sits back up] sighs What I meant was, we’re not together at the moment. [On phone] He’s coming over later. He hardly ever comes here, I usually go to his house.
Mort : [Smiles] There’s a useful detail. Thanks for that. [Lies back down]
Amy : [Looks out window, sees Ted’s car pulling in] Don’t ask, then. It was working just fine that way.
Mort : [On phone] I think you should have him over the house more. [In person] Such a nice house, I like it, I mean I love it. That’s why I bought it.
Amy : [Ted approaches the house] Goodbye, Mort.
Mort : Goodbye, Amy. [Both hang up] [Sits up, with head in hands] Oh, shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
Scene 7 : Setting : Outside : Characters : Mort Rainey, John Shooter, Tom Greenleaf.
[Mort walks down the muddy path outside, holding a walking stick] [He slaps a mosquito on his neck] [He stops at the clearing, seeing Shooter’s car]
Shooter : You read it?
Mort : I did.
Shooter : I imagine it rang a bell, didn’t it?
Mort : Oh, it certainly did. [Approaches Shooter] When did you write it?
Shooter : I thought you’d ask that. [Sits on his car]
Mort : Well, sure. That’s the whole point isn’t it? When two writers show up with the same story, it’s all about who wrote the words first. Wouldn’t you say that’s true?
Shooter : I suppose I would. I suppose that’s why I came all the way up here from Mississippi. [Mort stops, sticks the walking stick in the ground leaning on it, and turns to the road] Honk honk honk [Mort waves, Shooter salutes with his hand] I wrote it seven years ago. 1997. How’d you get it? [Mort smiles] It’s what I really want to know. [He goes up to Mort] How in the hell did a big money-scribblin’ asshole like you get down to a little shitsplat town in Mississippi and steal my goddamn story?
Mort : Drop it. [Walks away]
Shooter : Drop it? Drop it? What in the hell do you mean, Drop it?
Mort : [Comes back] You said you wrote your story in 1997? i wrote mine in late ‘94. It was published for the first time in June ‘95 in a magazine. Nice try, Mr. Shooter, but I beat ya by two years. So if anybody’s got a bitch about plagiarism, it’s me. [Turns away]
Shooter : You lie! [Pins him against the car]
Mort : [Throws him off] No I don’t!
Shooter : Prove it!
Mort : I don’t have to prove a thing to you. Go look for yourself. Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine June 1995.
Shooter : And how am I supposed to find that?
Mort : That’s not my problem.
Shooter : Am I supposed to drive down to your house in Riverdale New York and ask your wife Amy for it? [Mort looks shocked] [Shooter smiles] I read it on your book jacket.
Mort : [Gulps] That’s not my house, that’s hers.
Shooter : What the hell does that mean?
Mort : What do you think it means, you ignorant hick? I’m in the middle of a divorce! D-I-V-O-R-C-E—di-vorce.
Shooter : You strike me as the kind of guy who’s on the lookout for a head he can knock off with a shovel. But what you don’t understand is if we do start to fight, it’s not going to end until one or the other of us is dead. [Goes to the car] [Mort is nervous] Hold your water. I’m just gettin’ m’smokes. [He offers one to Mort]
Mort : I don’t smoke.
Shooter : I’ll give you three days. You call your ex and get her to send you the magazine with your story in it, if there is such a magazine, and I’ll be back. [Slips a cigarette into his mouth and lights it]
Mort : If I show it to you, will you go back to wherever you came from and leave me alone?
Shooter : [Puffs smoke] [Nods] Three days. [He returns to his car]
Mort : Always a pleasure to meet a reader.
Scene 8 : Setting : The Living Room : Characters : Mort Rainey, Chico.
[Shot of table with a sandwich with a bite taken out of it, Doritos, an open jar of Jif, an almost empty glass of milk] [The clock ticks] [Mort sits at the table, the dog on the floor] [The faucet leaks] [Mort looks down, then up] [The dog licks its lips] [Mort picks up the sandwich sadly]
Mort : [Sighs] I don’t wanna call her. [Gets on floor, holds the sandwich out to the dog] [Lies down next to dog] I wanna go to sleep, I wanna take a nap. Huh? [The dog eats the sandwich] Okay. No nap. I give her a call about the magazine.. I go write some crap for a couple of hours.. [The dog isn’t paying attention] And then I get to take a nap. A dog barks from outside [Chico looks away] Right? Chico? [The dog gets up and leaves, heading to the doggy door] [Mort turns his head to the dog] ChicoOoOoO don’t be discouraAaAaAaged! [The dog walks out] Alright, go ahead and be discouraged, ya blind [Gets up] bastard. See if I care! [Unplugs the phone line] [Heads to the couch] And returned [Sits down] to the couch. Sighs [Takes of watch] In shame. Degradation. [Puts watch on table] [Takes off glasses and puts them on the table] [Takes off shoes] [Lies down] Sighs Sloth. Sloth. [The clock ticks] [The shot pulls away into darkness] [Mort tosses and turns on the couch] [He turns to the edge, and sees he’s hanging over a waterfall] [He falls off, flustered] [He pushes back his hair and groans] [Picks up watch, then puts on glasses, then pushes back hair again] [Puts down watch and breathes in] [He gets up and goes over to the sink, fills a glass of water] [He places it up to his mouth to drink, but notices that his back door is open, and there’s something white on the wall blowing in the wind] [Is curious, goes up closer to get a better look, places the glass on the counter] [He opens the door, and flips the light switch, but the light doesn’t turn on] [He scowls, and goes in to get a flashlight] [Turns the flashlight on, and examines the light, noticing that there is broken glass on the floor] [He moves the flashlight around and looks elsewhere, then walks over to the garbage bin] [He moves the beam across trees, and his car] [Goes down the stairs, and over to the wall and finds a note attached to the wall HAve 3 days i am Not JokiNg NO POLICE”] [Mort turns to the garbage bin and sees a white blanket over something] [He focuses the flashlight on it, then turns away] [He turns back and approaches, then pulls off the blanket] [The dog with a screwdriver through its head is under the blanket] [Mort falls away] Oh! Uh. Ho.. uh.. [He looks at the dead dog, moves his flashlight all around him, breathing heavily] Shooter! I’ll get you for this! You hear me? I’ll get you for this! [Mort returns to the house and locks all windows and doors] [He walks forward and looks around the house] [The sun is coming up, and he buries the dog int he ground with a shovel] [He sticks the shovel in the ground]
Scene 9 : Setting : The Sheriff’s Department : Characters : Mort Rainey, Dave Newsome, Secretary.
[A shot of Tashmore lake]
Dave : Chico? He killed Chico?
Mort : Yeah. Last night, around 9. I was asleep. [They walk towards the building] Look, he left this [Holds out the note]
Dave : [Takes the note] You have 3 days, I’m not joking. No police. Hahaha. Anytime somebody sits down and writes “No police” That’s just about exactly the time that a fella should get himself over to the police. [He opens the door] [Mort goes in, then Dave]
Mort : Yeah, yeah. Well, that’s what I figured. [They walk to Dave’s desk] So what I’ve got is a detailed description of him, I’ve got a detailed [He turns to Dave] description of his ca—Dave : Type a little harder. You have to get through the carbon [He points to the secretary’s papers]
Mort : [Dave walks to behind his desk] [Mort is shocked at the rudeness] You know what, [He points] I didn’t get the license plate number, but I’m sure they were Mississippi tags. [Dave puts his glasses on and sits down] I think that it started with an A.. ‘cause that’s what I see in my mind.
Dave : [Picks up needlepoint] Needlepoint! Can you believe it? Doc says it’s good for the arthritis. [Does some needlepoint]
Mort : Yeah.. [Glances at secretary] [Sits down] Anyway, anything you can find out about this guy I would really appreciate—Dave : I must cut quite an intimidating law enforcement figure, huh [Laughs]
Mort : [Is nervous] I-I’d like to know what I’m dealing with here, because maybe he’s got a violent history.. uh… maybe you find him, you could talk to him. I think that would probably be better.
Dave : So, you got yourself a member of the crazy folks tribe?
Mort : Yeah.. I mean, they pop up every once in awhile, I suppose that’s just the price of selling a few books.
Secretary : [On phone] Ha ha ha ha haa! [Mort looks at her, annoyed] Sorry..
Mort : [Smiles, then looks away] [He grabs something from his coat pocket] Here’s the uh.. [He looks back at the secretary confusedly] The description.
Dave : Killing an animal is not like killing a man. I’m not even sure that it’s a crime, come to think of.
Mort : Come on, it’s gotta be. What about animal cruelty? What about destruction of private property? What about—Dave : Yeah, yeah, yeah.. Maybe. Okay. First thing I’m gonna need [Puts down needlepoint and picks up a pen], is a description. [Looks up at Mort] [Mort looks shocked]
Scene 10 : Setting : Ken’s Office : Characters : Mort Rainey, Ken Karsch, Secretary.
[Shot of New York buildings through a window]
Ken : Tell me the truth. Did you steal it? [A siren goes]
Mort: [Turns away from the window in shock] What!? No!
Ken : Kind of an amazing coincidence, don’t you think? [Mort listens] The stories being so much alike?
Mort : Well, obviously the guy copied it from me. Would you like to choose a side before we continue?
Ken : I’m on your side, but I still need to know the truth. Which kind of situation is this? Is he a regular wacko, like you’ve had before in which case I can help? Or is this something you should be talking to your lawyer about?
Mort : [Shakes head] No, no. This guy is just simply out of his mind. I think that’s all it is. [Sits down]
Ken : Fine. [Spreads hands] Okay. What do you want me to do?
Mort : I want you to help me in the same way that.. [Ken’s secretary comes in bringing some food and places it on the desk] [Mort is distracted, stares at the secretary] In the.. same way that you.. did before.
Ken : He wasn’t this crazy. [Reaches to food] That guy was just an obsessed reader who couldn’t tell real life from the crap that you make up for a living. No offense. [Mort smiles] Now, this Shooter guy. He threatened your life?
Mort : He put a screwdriver through my dog.
Ken : [Eating] Well, he did break a law, but it doesn’t seem to be an important law in Tashmore Lake. The sheriff… must be a cat person. [Smiles]
Mort : [Comes forward] Yeah, well I don’t exactly feel safe with a 70 year old arthritic sheriff watching my back. Are you gonna help me, or not?
Ken : Uh.. Let’s see. [Looks at plan book] I got a…. corporate loyalty thing I gotta be back for by Friday, but I can give you a couple of days.
Mort : [Nods] Okay. [Breathes in] My story came out a couple years… [Ken presses Mort’s side of the chess timer] [Mort looks annoyed] before.. he says he wrote his. So I’ve got a copy of the original up at Amy’s house. I was just gonna stop by on my way upstate and pick it up.
Ken : Amy’s house?
Mort : Yeah. [Nods] Amy and I split up about 6 months ago.
Ken : I’m sorry.
Mort : [Nods] Yeah. Me too.
Ken : Amicable?
Mort : Not remotely.
Ken : What happened? Did you finally nail one of your groupies at a book signing? The Omaha Barnes & Noble? Hehehe. [Mort presses Ken’s side of the chess timer] [Nods] That was a dick thing to say, you know? Rotten profession. I apologize. [Presses Mort’s side of the timer again] You were saying?
Mort : I was saying… That if it’s just proof that this guy Shooter wants, fine. I show him the magazine, but I think that maybe you should be with me when I show it to him.
Ken : No shit, I’m gonna be with you. You remember my rate?
Mort : Yeah. An obscene fortune, right?
Ken : Look, you’ll see a black cadillac in the driveway tonight when you get home. Don’t freak out, it’s me. Keeping an eye on things.
Mort : Okay. [Gets up]
Ken : Get a good night’s sleep. You don’t look too hot. [Mort Leaves]
Scene 11 : Setting : Outside Amy’s House : Characters : Mort Rainey, Amy Rainey, Ted Milner.
[Mort drives on the highway to Amy’s house] [He gets into the neighborhood and slows down] [He stops across from the house and pulls into someone’s driveway] [Amy and Ted emerge from the house, talking, Ted pointing at things] [Mort regards from the reflection in the car mirror] [Amy and Ted stop by their car, and kiss]
Mort’s Voice : This is not..my beautiful house. [Amy and Ted get into the car] This is not.. my beautiful wife. [The car drives off] ... Anymore. [Camera focuses out of the picture and we see the mirror, “Objects in mirror are closer than they appear”] [Mort is sad, and plays with his face]
Scene 12 : Setting : The Cabin : Characters : Mort Rainey, Ken Karsch.
[The moon is out. Mort pulls into his driveway, and spot’s Ken’s black cadillac] [He stops the car, looks around and sees Ken’s head against the window] [He turns the car off and gets out] [He walks towards the car slowly and carefully] [He bends down and sees Ken’s head on the steering wheel] [He approaches, his reflection in the window, and taps on the glass] [Ken’s head lifts]
Mort : [Jumps] Oh! [He turns away] [Ken opens the car door and gets out] [They both laugh] [Mort pushes back his hair and smiles] You scared the shit out of me!
Ken : Hey, hey. I’m sorry about that. This last week must’ve finally caught up with me.
Mort : That’s very reassuring. Thanks.
Ken : Hey, relax Hemingway. I was only out for ten minutes, swear to god.
Mort : Hm..
Ken : Already checked the place, everything is fine. Just waiting for you to get back to let you know.
Mort : [Breathes out] [Looks off to the side] You think you’d be sticking around.. tonight or..
Ken : No [Smiles] Not unless you want me to.
Mort : No. [Looks away] No. No, I’m sure it’s fine. In.. [Nudges to house] In there.
Ken : Nope. [Descends stairs] Heh. No monsters up here.
Mort : Did you check under my bed?
Ken : Even in your toy chest. [Mort comes out, holding a paddle] I’ll be back in the morning, start asking around town. [Sees the paddle] What the hell you gonna do with that, sailor. Huh? [Takes the paddle away and goes to put it back] Find out who else saw your nut-job.
Mort : Tom Greenleaf. [Points]
Ken : Huh?
Mort : [Flashback of Tom honking honk honk honk] Tom Greenleaf passed by when I was talking to Shooter on Lake Drive and waived at us, so he must’ve got a good look at him.
Ken : [Walks into the next room] Hmm.. Tom Greenleaf. How do I get ahold of him?
Mort : Bowie’s store. Breakfast every morning, 9 am.
Ken : Okay, I got it. Don’t worry. [Comes back in] Once I find out where this Shooter’s staying, I’ll stop in for a little freak-me-out chat. Use the word “We” a lot. [Gestures with his hands, Mort nodding at each line] We know what you’re doing. We want it to stop. We’re watching you. Trust me, he’ll hit the road so hard, it’ll hit back. [Walks off]
Mort : [Stands there] Yeah. [Ken opens front door and steps out] [Mort follows] Hey, you know what. Are you staying in town tonight?
Ken : Yeah, some motel out by route 9. Uh.. Irv’s lakesider, I think it’s called. You know the place?
Mort : [Flashback of Mort backing up towards motel] [Nods] Yeah, I know, yeah I know the place.
Ken : Okay. good night. [Ken walks off] [Mort shuts the door and locks it]
Scene 13 : Setting : The Cabin : Characters : Mort Rainey.
[Mort stands in the cabin, drumming on his thighs] [Ken gets into his car] [Mort walks over to the window, hands behind his back] [Mort bends down and looks out the window] [He takes the string of the shade] [Something moves in the house] [Mort turns around rapidly, and looks up at the railing]
Mort : Hello? [Ken’s car pulls out] [Mort scans the upper floor] [He sees Ken’s car leave] Shit. [He walks forward, then stops. He picks up a fire poker from the holder] [He goes up the stairs slowly] [Mort looks around the upper floor, but sees nothing] [He turns and cautiously opens up a door with the fire poker] [He turns on the light, and looks around, but sees nothing] [He approaches another door, and begins opening it with the fire poker] [He hears something suddenly and jumps and turns to the bathroom] [He gulps, and moves closer] [He sees a figure in the mirror and becomes scared] I know you’re in there, shithead! If you don’t come out by the time.. I count to five…. I gonna come in swingin’ [He looks at the figure] [Wipes his sweaty hands on his pants] One, two…. [He runs into the bathroom] Ahhhhhh! Smash [He attacks the mirror] [Turns on the light, and looks at his victim] I killed a mirror. Squeak [He turns to the shower and begins attacking again] Hu.. uh! Smash [Through the broken glass, he sees a mouse scamper through the tub] And my shower door.. [He slides open the busted door, and looks down at the mouse and sighs] [Throws down the poker and grabs a nearby towel] [Takes the mouse up in the towel] Crash [Part of the broken cabinet falls, scaring him] [He walks past it, and heads downstairs] [He pauses, and goes over to the desk] [He picks up the tattered packet of L&M’s and holds them for a moment, then replaces them on the desk] [He continues downstairs, then stops and comes back upstairs. He grabs the L&M’s and places one in his mouth and leaves] I don’t care. I’m just gonna smoke. I’m just gonna totally smoke. I’ll finish these, go to the store and get a brand new pack, smoke the shit out of that one. [He walks outside, takes the cigarette in his hand] [Bends down, and releases the mouse from the towel into the wild] [He strikes a match on the ground, and lights the cigarette back in his mouth]
Scene 14 : Setting : Outside : Characters : Mort Rainey, John Shooter.
Shooter : Thought you didn’t smoke.
Mort : [Throws away the match] I took it up recently for my health.
Shooter : How are you, Mr. Rainey?
Mort : Oh, I’m just… Peachy, Mr. Shooter. How are you?
Shooter : Well, It sounded like you pitched a fit or something in there. [He bends down next to Mort] I don’t think you’re really all that well. Stealing from another man, that don’t seem to have ever bothered you none. Being caught up on, though. [They both stand up] Or maybe it’s just that successful writers like you throw tantrums when things don’t go the way they expect. Why didn’t you get that magazine? You were down there at her house today, weren’t you?
Mort : If I get this story, and I show it to you, will you then kindly disappear?
Shooter : There isn’t any.. Magazine with that story in it, Mr. Rainey. You and me, we know that.
Mort : Okay, then. [He leans against the shovel standing in the ground] What can we do [He places his hand on the handle] to make you feel better? [Shooter moves around, and Mort backs away from the shovel]
Shooter : I want you to fix it.
Mort : What would you like me to fix?
Shooter : My ending. The one you wrecked. I can’t decide what’s worse. [Shooter rubs his hand on the top of the shovel handle] Stealing my story, or ruining the ending. Mine was perfect.
Mort : I don’t think I even read your whole story.
Shooter : Oh, I’ll bet you did. I know I can do it, Todd Downey said, helping himself to another ear of corn from the steaming bowl. I’m sure that in time her death will be a mystery. Even to me. That’s how the story ends, pilgrim. It’s the only ending. You’re going to write it for me and get it published and it’s going to have my name on it.
Mort : I’d be more than happy to write your ending, Mr. Shooter.
Shooter : [Smiles and turns away] So, that wife of yours coming out of the house. [Grins] She’s purty.
Mort : My wife? Why don’t we just leave her out of this?
Shooter : [Turns to Mort] Would, if I could. But I’m starting to think you ain’t going to leave me that option. [Mort becomes upset, and picks up the shovel. He tries to hit Shooter with it, but Shooter grabs it with one hand] Grrrr! [He pins Mort against the wall with the shovel to his throat] You want to wake up from one of your stupid naps and find Amy nailed to your garbage bin? Or turn on the radio some morning and hear she came off second best in a match with a chainsaw you keep out in the shed? [Mort chokes] [Shooter releases him and he falls to the ground, clutching his throat and gagging] Do ye? [Mort chokes] You can’t get away with it. [Shooter walks away] I know what you did and I ain’t quittin’. Until right gets put right. [Mort catches his breath on the ground and leans backwards against a tree]
Scene 15 : Setting : The Living Room : Characters : Mort Rainey, Amy Rainey.
[Mort lies in his bed, staring out. Then he turns and thinks for some moments] [He grabs his glasses and heads downstairs] [Shot of Tashmore Lake] [Mort sits on the couch scarfing Doritos] [He looks at the phone, then to the wall and realizes that it’s been unplugged] [He gets up and plugs the phone back in] [He goes to sit back down] Phone rings [He pauses and looks at it in awe] [He puts his Dorito back in the bag and picks up the receiver]
Mort : Is that you, John Wayne?
Amy : [On phone] Mort? [Mort looks up] Are you there? Mort?!
Mort : [Shuts his eyes] Yes, Amy, I’m here! Just lower your voice a little. What is it?
Amy : [On phone] Where have you been? I have been trying to get ahold of you all night and this morning.
Mort : I was asleep.
Amy : [On phone] Oh, great. So you unplugged the phone!?
Mort : How may I assist you, Amy?
Amy : [On phone] Oh god.. Mort.. [Mort shoo’s a fly]
Mort : [Grabs some Doritos and eats them] What happened, what?
Amy : [On phone] Someone burned down our house, that’s what happened, okay?
Mort : [Stops chewing] What?
Amy : [On phone] Someone burned down our house!
Scene 16 : Setting : The Site : Characters : Mort Rainey, Amy Rainey, Ted Milner, Fire Chief Wickersham, Steven Bradley.
[A Shot of the site, firemen moving around, chatter of police radios in the background] [Mort walks forward, and lays his eyes upon what used to be his house] [Flashback fades in]
Amy : [Comes out of the house] Bye, babe.
Mort : [Comes out of the house] Pardon me, miss. I noticed that you, uh left 100$ on the dresser.
Amy : Shut up!
Mort : Well, surely the escort service told you that I was 3.
Amy : Shhhh! Please! [She runs off]
Mort : Mm.. Some guys are less. Some guys are a hundred if you like that kind of thing. Some guys are even less than that. But I’m 3. I happen to be 3. There’s something on your mouth just there. [Amy gets in her car] Bye.
[The flashback fades out]
[Mort walks closer] [Amy and Ted appear, Amy spots Mort]
Amy : Mort! [She runs up, then walks] [She wraps herself up in her sweater] [When Mort sees her, he flashbacks to her making out with Ted in the motel] [He looks away from her sadly] Hi [She hugs him]
Mort : Hi. I’m really sorry about all this, Amy.
Amy : So am I.
Ted : [Takes off his sunglasses] Me too.
Mort : Thank you, Ted. [He turns away and makes a face]
Wickersham : Mr. and Mrs. Rainey!
Mort, Amy, Ted : No, Yes, Yes.
Wickersham : You the owners?
Amy : Yes.. we..ar.. we.. were the owners. [Comes forward]
Wickersham : [Mort looks down sadly] Were the owners? What do you mean? [Mort looks at Ted angrily] [They both go forward to Wickersham] You don’t own it anymore?
Mort : Were Mr. and Mrs. Rainey. Are the owners.
Bradley : I’m Steven Bradley, I’m a detective with Riverdale P.D.
Ted : [Shakes his hand] How do you do? Ted Milner.
Bradley : [Pointing to Wickersham] This is Fire Chief Wickersham.
Ted : Chief [Holds out his hand]
Wickersham : Hi. [Shakes his hand]
Bradley : We won’t take long, the insurance investigator needs to see you in the city at 3.
Wickersham : [Holds out a burnt champagne bottle on a tweezers] You are definitely the victims of arson. The fire was started by an incendiary device made.. uh.. with a champagne bottle and a couple of quarts of plain old gasoline.
Mort : Well that really works then, eh?
Bradley : So, first question. Enemies. You got any? [Mort looks down sadly once more]
Amy : No. No one.
Ted : No, no. Not a soul.
Mort : [Turns to Ted, annoyed] Bother you if I answer one or two of these, Ted? [Raises hands] [He makes his way over to Bradley] Yeah. [He turns and looks back at Amy then back to Bradley] I have an enemy.
Scene 17 : Setting : The Insurance Agency : Characters : Mort Rainey, Amy Rainey, Ted Milner, Fran Evans, Fran’s Assistant.
[The shot is from outside the agency’s window. Then it pulls in]
Fran : [Makes he way to the table] I’m sorry I wasn’t there to meet you this morning. I spent most of last night poking around the site with a… flashlight and a Polaroid. [She places some papers on the table] Oops. [Sits down] Broke one of my own rules. [Pushes her chair in] I don’t like to call it the site. It wasn’t a site.. it was.. a house. Your house and I’m very sorry for your loss.
Mort : Thank you very much.. [Picks up papers and finds her name] ..Mrs. Evans.
Fran : [Smiles] It still says Mrs… Fran is fine. These meetings are hard. [Amy lowers her sweater] [Mort looks down at her] People in your situation are already upset and quite often they take [Amy drinks a glass of water] the presence of an investigator as an accusation that they’ve torched their own property. [Mort looks at her, then away, then back] And in this case you have certainly given us a plausible [Amy puts her sweater up again] suspect who we’ll investigate aggressively along with the [Mort looks away, plays with his face] police. But, in the meantime, that’s a list of your claimed insurable property. You look it over, then you sign an affidavit swearing that the listed items still belong to you and that they were still in the house when the fire occurred. I’m told there was a separation of residence recently? So that last bit might be particularly important.
Mort : We’re going through a divorce. It’s not final yet.
Amy : Well, the settlement agreements are done. Everything’s negotiated. [Ted sighs, boredly] We’re just waiting for it to be signed. By um.. both parties.
Mort : I moved out six months ago and just.. hadn’t gotten around to hauling all the stuff out yet.
Fran : Been down that road. [Shakes head] Sucks.. [Ted is bored] These things just have to follow their natural course. It’ll wrap up when everybody’s ready for that to happen.
Mort : [Chugs his glass of water] That’s been my feeling. [Plays with his face]
Fran : In the meantime, [gestures to list] Do the best you can with the list.
Amy : Thanks. [She looks down at the list] [Mort looks down at the list] [Ted is bored, he tries to glance over Amy’s shoulder to see the list] [Amy sees that he can’t see, looks at Mort, and nudges the list to Ted’s direction] [Ted leans in close and clears his throat] [Mort looks up at Ted, annoyed. Then nudges the list back to his direction] [Amy looks angry]
Mort : I’m sorry. Excuse me. Do you actually intend to rubberneck?
Ted : I hardly think my concern could be construed as rubbernecking.
Mort : Amy. He’s rubbernecking.
Amy : Okay.
Mort : I’m not going to freak out about this, but I mean.. this is our stuff.
Ted : What the hell’s the point, man?
Mort : It’s our stuff!
Ted : I’m just trying to help out here. I don’t understand why it is so important.
Amy : No, no. Alright! Alright!
Mort : This our stuff!
Amy : [Turns to Ted] No, no. He’s right. He’s right, Ted.
Fran : He is right, Mr. Milner. The law says that you have no right to be looking at the list of items at all. We wink at something like this if nobody minds, but.. [She looks at Mort who looks angry] it looks like Mr. Rainey does.
Mort : [Nods] Yes, Mr. Rainey minds a lot.
Ted : [Looks around] Uhh.. Would it help matters if I um.. took um.. a walk around the block?
Amy : Yes. Thanks.
Ted : Sure. [He kisses Amy on the forehead] [He gets up and goes to the door]
Mort : [Stops playing with his face and looks up] Aw, heck Ted. Live a little. Make it two. [Ted pauses, then goes out the door] Rubbernecker.. [Amy gives him a sharp look] [Fran’s assistant clears his throat and hands them the list]
Scene 18 : Setting : The Lobby Of The Insurance Agency : Characters : Mort Rainey, Amy Rainey, Ted Milner, Guy.
[Mort and Amy ride in the elevator down to the lobby. The’s a dude at the back of the elevator who’s chewing gum and listening to music through headphones quite loudly. Mort and Amy feel uncomfortable together. Mort looks up at the ceiling] ding [The elevator doors open. The dude from behind pushes his way out] [Mort looks pissed] [Mort and Amy walk out]
Amy : Mort. [Mort puts his tuque on] Wait. Mort I have to ask you something. [They walk towards the exit]
Mort : What?
Amy : This guy, Shooter. His story. I mean, is this a situation [Mort adjusts his glasses] like the other time? [Mort scowls] I’m sorry. I wouldn’t bring it up. But it did happen once before.
Mort : [They stop in front of the door] Look, that was the only time I’ve ever even done anything remotely like that. I paid the guy everything he wanted. Never happened before, or since.
Amy : Okay.
Mort : Okay.
Amy : Okay.
Mort : [Turns to leave, then stops] Amy?
Amy : [Turns around, and walks back to him] What?
Mort : You and me and the lawyers. We’re the only ones that know about that, right?
Amy : Right.
Mort : Because you haven’t said anything to Ted, certainly not?
Amy : No.
Mort : Have you said something to Ted?
Amy : C’mon!
Ted : [Comes through the door holding two cups of coffee. He smiles] Well, do I have timing or what? [Hands one of the cups to Amy]
Mort : Yes you do. I’m real sorry you had to miss that. I know how much you like my things.
Amy : [To herself] Aw, Jesus.
Ted : You and me are going to have a little talk. [To Amy] Be back in ten minutes. [He opens the door]
Mort : [To Amy] I’m in trouble. [He and Ted go out the door] [Amy sits on a bench and sighs]
Scene 19 : Setting : Outside The Insurance Agency : Characters : Mort Rainey, Ted Milner.
Ted : Look, I’ve about had enough of your bullshit.
Mort : [Stops and goes up to Ted] You’re a dick!
Ted : Do you feel better?
Mort : [Continues walking] Yes, I do.
Ted : Yeah, look, marriages end. I’m sorry but I didn’t end yours. You know, it was done by the time I got there.
Mort : [Turns to Ted] Really? You must’ve thought her wedding ring was a little bit strange?
Ted : Oh, man! I- Listen. I apologized to you months ago. Now look, I know that you don’t want me in your life. Guess what? I don’t want you in mine either. But until this little divorce thing’s done, not much we can do about it. But I’ll tell you something. [Moves closer to Mort] I will not let you upset Amy anymore than you already have. So why don’t we just wrap this little thing up, alright. And get out of eachother’s lives—? Zoom [A bus brushes by, freaking out Mort] [He cowers] Are we.. uh.. gettin’ the message I’m sendin’?
Mort : Where are we from, Teddy?
Ted : Tennessee.. Morty.. [He sips from his cup and walks off]
Mort : I was gonna say Mississippi.
Ted : [Turns around] No. Long way from there. Little place called Shooter’s Bay. [Mort looks shocked] [Ted walks off] [Mort thinks]
Scene 20 : Setting : Mort’s Cabin : Characters : Mort Rainey, Ken Karsch.
[Mort drives up his driveway at night] [He looks around, but doesn’t see Ken’s car]
Mort : C’mon, Karsch. $500 a day. Where are you when I need you? [He looks around and scowls, then drives the car further up the driveway. He stops and gets out] Phone rings [Mort runs up to the front door, and groans. He hurries to open the door] [He finally opens it, and places his key on the key-hook on the wall] Phone rings [He grabs the phone] What fresh Hell. [He picks up the receiver] Yeah?
Ken : [On phone] Where you been all day?
Mort : Ha, I might ask you the same question. [He goes into the bathroom and drops the phone on the floor ding]
Ken : [On Phone] Relax. You’re fine. I checked the cabin an hour ago.
Mort : Yeah? [He unzips his fly] Well he showed up about an hour after you left last night.
Ken : [On phone] Oh, really? [Mort pushes back his hair and pisses] Then he had a busy night. [Shot scans into Ken’s motel room. Ken is lying on the bed in his boxers] [In person] My office called me about your Riverdale house. I’m sorry.
Mort : [On phone] Well, the worst part is, I hadn’t had a chance to get the magazine out. The one with the story he says I stole. That’s gone up in smoke now.
Ken : Well, you still wanna go through with it? Meeting him? Showing him the magazine?
Mort : Hell yes! [Zips up his fly] [Flushes the toilet] I’ve had a shitty year. [Bends down and picks up the phone] I want it settled. Now. Everything. [Mort walks]
Ken : [On phone] Good. ‘Cause I called your agent when I heard about the house. [In person] I figured he got a copy of the magazine. He sent the original by UPS. Overnight today. You can pick it up tomorrow after 3.
Mort : [Smiles] I knew there was a reason that I hired you. [Closes front door and locks it]
Ken : [On phone] There’s something else. [In person] I caught up with your Tom Greenleaf today. The guy who drove past you and Shooter on the lake road? [On phone] Well, [Mort sits on the couch] here’s a weird one. [Mort breathes out and puts crosses his feet on the coffee table] First he says he did go down to the Lake Drive on Tuesday and he saw you, like you said. But then he gets nervous and says, no no no. Come to think of it I didn’t. Didn’t see anybody. Wasn’t even on Lake Drive on Tuesday.
Mort : Yeah, well… Tom’s old. Maybe it just slipped his mind.
Ken : [Walks around] Don’t be naive. He was scared shitless. Someone got to him. [He grabs puts something into a glass of water]
Mort : Come on, wait. [He laughs] Why would Shooter care if Tom Greenleaf knows he’s here?
Ken : [On phone] Well, it depends.
Mort : On what?
Ken : [He sits down] On what he plans to do to you. I’m revising my opinion, Mort. I don’t think Shooter’s just some nut. [On phone] [Mort listens carefully] We need to consider the possibility that he was hired to do this. [Mort switches his feet] Someone with a grudge against you hires a tough guy to rattle you. Scare you to death. But, [In person] he hires the wrong guy. [He picks up a glass] Things get out of control. They go further than they’re supposed to. Dead dogs. Burnt down houses. Now they can’t call them off.
Mort : [His eyes open wide, he takes his feet off of the coffee table and bolts upright] Ted.
Ken : [On phone] Who?
Mort : [Pushes back hair] Ted. Amy’s Ted. [Moves his fingers] The Ted that Amy left me for… Maybe that’s why the guy calls himself Shooter. Ted wants me to know it’s him. He’s trying to intimidate me. He’s trying to…uh.. send me a message.
Ken : Why? What does he want?
Mort : [On phone] I don’t know.
Ken : [On phone] Did you piss him off?
[Flashback to Ted yelling at Mort in the motel bed]
Ted : Get the fuck out!
Mort : I might have..
Ken : [On phone] Okay. Here’s what we do. [In person] What proof do you have that Shooter was there… [On phone] Other than the manuscript. [Mort rolls up his sleeve] Physical evidence, I’m talking about.
Mort : [He looks down at his arm] Bruises. [On phone] I got bruises on my arms from where he grabbed me.
Ken : Alright. [He gets up and places Mort on speakerphone] You and me are going to go see Greenleaf together.
Mort : [On phone] Alright.
Ken : [He picks up a gun from his suitcase and checks it] Bring the manuscript. Bring your bruises. [He walks] I’m gonna push the guy hard. Make it so that it’s impossible for him to lie. If he’ll tell the po-lice he was threatened too, [He places the gun on the nightstand] then we’ve got something.
Mort : Bowie’s store? Breakfast?
Ken : 9 am sharp. [He picks up the receiver and takes Mort off of speakerphone]
Mort : [On phone] Alright. I’ll see you there.
Ken : And bring your six-gun, pilgrim. [He hangs up] [Mort takes the receiver away from his ear, looks at it suspiciously then replaces it] [He gulps]
Scene 21 : Setting : Mort’s Cabin : Characters : Mort Rainey.
[Mort lies in his bed, sadly thinking]
Mort : It is a good ending. [He places his hands behind his neck and thinks for another moment] [Then he sits up. He flexes his jaw] [He scowls] Oh, Shit. [He gets out of bed and puts on his bathrobe]
[Light pours through the Secret Window as the shot moves closer and closer to it] [The clock ticks] [Mort is sleeping on the couch. He stirs, then stretches] [He wakes up and glances at his watch] Shit! [He gets up from the couch] [He looks around, and spots his jacket on the floor] [As he puts it on, he notices that his car keys are missing from the key rack on the wall. He looks at it suspiciously, then pats himself down. But he returns no key from his search] [He puts on his tuque] [Opens the front door, to reveal Shooter’s hat lying on the porch] [He looks around trying to spot Shooter, but doesn’t find him] Beep beep beep beep… [The driver’s door of his car is wide open and the car is beeping away] [He looks around again, then walks over to the car] [He approaches slowly, then sits in the car, being careful to touch nothing] [He quickly shuts off the motor] [Looks around the car, then spots some cigarette butts in the ashtray] [He eyes them carefully, then picks one up] [Studies it] Pall Mall. [He replaces it] Cracker bastard. [He goes back into the house, opens up a garbage bag and gathers the hat inside] [He puts the bag with the hat on the passenger seat in the car, starts it up and closes the door]
Scene 22 : Setting : Bowie’s Store : Characters : Mort Rainey, Greta Bowie, Busboy.
[Mort walks up to the entrance of Bowie’s Store, holding the garbage bag] [He tries to open the door, but it will not budge. He tries the other door and it opens. It slams behind him and everyone looks at him]
Mort : Sorry.. [He walks to the store’s aisles] Ken? [He walks to a different aisle] Tom? [But no one appears] [He goes up to the counter, sits at a stool, and throws the garbage bag on the counter]
[The man sitting on his side gives Mort a dirty look] [Mort puts the bag on the stool next to him] [He looks around, and notices the busboy opening a box of Pall Mall’s]
Busboy : [The boy sees Mort staring] Would you like a pack? [His mouth full of food as he speaks]
Mort : [Is caught offguard] I don’t smoke. [Greta comes with a pot of coffee and pours it] Did a guy come in here looking for me around 9 o’clock?
Greta : [Looks up at him] Nope. [Shakes her head]
Mort : Big guy.. kind of a New York cop type?
Greta : [Looks up] No.. no. That doesn’t ring a bell.
Mort : I overslept.
Greta : Well, maybe he did too. ‘Cause he wasn’t here.
Mort : [Nods] Yeah..
Scene 23 : Setting : The Gas Station : Characters : Mort Rainey, Ted Milner.
[Mort drives down a road] [He passes a gas station and spots Ted at the pump] [He stops, thinks and taps his finger on the seat, then decides to go back] [He backs the car up into the gas station, stops] [Ted looks at Mort’s car and replaces the gas pump into the holder] [mort gets out]
Mort : What are you doing here?
Ted : Matter of fact, I was-I was just on my way over to your place.
Mort : Where’s your buddy?
Ted : Came alone.
Mort : Sure you did. [He advances, and looks off to the side] [He breathes in and out] I know what you’re up to.
Ted : Uh.. [He leans on his car] Look Mort.. uh.. A lot of what’s going on right now is my fault.. Most of it, in fact.
Mort : What do you want?
Ted : I want you out of our life. [He reaches into the car’s window] [He pulls out divorce papers] Gotta sign your papers Mort. [He slaps them onto the back of the car]
Mort : [He looks at the papers and nudges them] My divorce papers?
Ted : Mmhmm.
Mort : Tell her to send them to my lawyer.
Ted : Yeah. Well she did and, he said that you won’t return his calls for weeks.
Mort : That’s what this is all about? Gettin me to sign the settlement?
Ted : No, no. Just calm down.
Mort : Money! All about money.
Ted : No, it’s not about money. No. What this is about.. is getting this thing done. ‘Cause I’m afraid if we don’t, well, who knows where it might go and I think you know what I’m talking about.
Mort : Well, Teddy. I think I do, but here’s the problem : I don’t respond well to intimidation, makes me feel.. [Shrugs shoulders] icky. You know.. [He pushes Ted]
Ted : Whoa. Heh heh. [Mort advances further] You know, I’m attempting to have a normal conversation, here.
Mort : I buried my dog, Mister! [Ted looks bewildered] This whole thing is out of your control now. You know it, and I know it. You started this shit. I’m gonna finish it. Now do me a favor, go back and tell that your filthy little friend [He pushes Ted in the face with 3 fingers]
Ted : [Ted tries to punch Mort, but Mort moves out of the way and Ted hits the closed window] Aghhh! God!
Mort : [Looks at him and walks off] Bummer, Ted. [Ted holds his arm]
Scene 24 : Setting : The Living Room : Characters : Mort Rainey, John Shooter.
[Mort enters his cabin, shuts the door and places his keys on the key rack on the wall] [He takes Shooter’s hat out of the garbage bag and throws the hat on the coffee table] [He walks, takes his tuque off and pushes back his hair] Phone rings [Mort stops in his tracks, turns around, and stares at the phone which is covered by Shooter’s hat] Phone rings [He starts over] Phone rings [He sits on the couch and takes the hat off of the phone] Phone rings
Mort : Yeah.
Shooter : [On phone] Go to where we met, the other day. Walk down the path a little way.
Mort : Why?
Shooter : [On phone] I’ll catch up with you this afternoon. Anybody you call between now and then is your responsibility. [He hangs up] [Mort places the receiver back slowly, thinking]
Scene 25 : Setting : Outside : Characters : Mort Rainey, John Shooter, Tom Greenleaf, Ken Karsch.
[Mort runs down the path] [He stops dead at the clearing, seeing Tom Greenleaf’s truck] [He walks forward, breathing heavily. His pace slows as he gets closer. He looks at the truck]
Mort : [Advances slowly and sees Tom] Tom? Greenleaf?
[Comes up to the open window and sees Tom Greenleaf with a screwdriver of Mort’s sticking out of his head] [He coughs and gags] [He spots a bloody axe on the passenger’s seat] [Blood is all over the truck] [He raises his head up and looks through the rear window. He spots Ken with his throat severed] [Mort backs away from the track] [His heart starts to beat quickly. He turns around and sees a squirrel in a tree. The squirrel chatters. Mort waits for the squirrel to continue up the tree, and his heart to slow down. but it never happens] [Mort’s head begins spinning and he passes out of the ground] [After some hours, he wakes up] [He opens his eyes, bolts upright and tries to see what time it is on his watch, but his vision is blurry]
Shooter : Quarter past 2. [Mort rushes to his feet, grabbing the truck for support, and tries to run, but he falls down] You’ve been out about 3 hours. Your leg’s sleepin’. you laid on the damn thing. He gets up again, but falls down. He gets up and hops away] Now I would’ve moved you, but I didn’t want to wake you. Got tired of waitin’. Almost pinned a note on you. Decided not to. [He cleans his fingers] You scare too easy. I wouldn’t go too far if I were you. I hooked you to those 2 men in more ways than you know. [Mort limps further away from Shooter]
Mort : You’re insane. I’m going to the police.
Shooter : Who’s screwdriver you think is in that fella’s head? [Mort stops] If you leave ‘em here and I disappear, you gonna find yourself standing with your head in the noose and your feet in crisco.
Mort : What do you want from me?
Shooter : [He walks towards Mort] Why, I told you that already, Mr. Rainey. I want you to fix my story. The one you stole. Or ain’t you ready to admit it yet.
Mort : I did not steal [He turns to Shooter] your story.
Shooter : [Shooter stays where he is and cleans his fingers] Oh, I expect you to let yourself [He spits on his hand] go to Greenhaven for murder before you’ll admit it. [He looks up at Mort]
Mort : I have the magazine you lunatic! I have the magazine! I have the goddamn magazine!
Shooter : [He advances] You have this so-called magazine right now?
Mort : On me, no. I was gonna go pick it up at 3 o’clock.
Shooter : There can’t be any magazine! Not with that story in it. That story is mine!
Mort : [He goes up to Shooter] What do you want? You wanna kill me? Why don’t you just do it. Just kill me.
Shooter : No sir! These others here [He turns and points to the truck] were going to get in our way of our business! [He turns back to Mort] I couldn’t have that! [He looks at Mort] You bring me that story. If it exists. [He moves around Mort] Your house in 2 hours. You got some heavy lifting here first, I’d get to that if I were you. [He walks away] By the way. If you talk [He turns around] to that Sheriff of yours again, or if you don’t show up at four o’clock, I will burn your life and every person in it like a cane field in a high wind.
Mort : And when I show you the magazine that has MY name on the contents page with MY story inside.. then what?
Shooter : Then I turn myself in. But I take care of myself before a trial, Mr. Rainey. Because if
things turn out that way, then I suppose I am crazy. And that kind of crazy man, has no reason or excuse to live. [He turns around] Listen. You [He points to Mort] got my hat. I want it. One way or the other. [He walks off]
Scene 26 : Setting : Outside : Characters : Mort Rainey, Tom Greenleaf, Ken Karsch.
[Mort approaches the truck. He looks through the window disgustedly] [He pulls his sleeve over his hand and opens the passenger door] [He looks at dead Tom and Ken] [The door opens a bit further, causing the truck to shake] [Mort sighs] [He climbs onto the passenger seat, onto the axe] [He pushes it onto the floor] [He goes up close to Tom and looks at him. He breathes in deeply, then blows out the air] [He places his hand up to the handle of the screwdriver, but then chickens out] [He looks at the floor and grabs a piece of wrapping] [His hand advances to the handle of the screwdriver] [Ken’s body falls over]
Mort : [He jumps] Whoa! [He looks at Ken, then proceeds with removing the screwdriver] [His wrapped hand closes over the camera lens] Squish [Mort starts the truck, the parking break goes from P to D] [He slowly guides it down the path] [The truck builds up speed and Mort is now jogging with it] [The truck hits a bump in the road and sends Tom’s head into the horn Hoooonnnkk] [Mort is flustered by it] Oh! [He pushes Tom’s head off of the horn, to see that his hand is caught on the steering wheel by his watch] [Mort shakes his hand, trying to free himself] [The car is just about to go over the cliff] [Mort furiously pulls his hand and manages to get loose just in time before the truck crashes off the cliff and into the water] [Mort catches his balance and prevents himself from going over] [The truck hits the water and sinks below] [Mort watches it disappear]
Scene 27 : Setting : The Living Room : Characters : Mort Rainey, Amy Rainey, Ted Milner.
Phone rings [Mort walks through the front door] Phone rings [He grabs his keys off the key rack on the wall] [He thinks for a moment whether or not he should answer it] [He walks out of the house and closes the door] Phone rings [He walks back in and shuts the door] Phone rings [Mort picks up the receiver]
Mort : Hello?
Amy : [On Phone] Mort.
Mort : [He winces and pulls the receiver away] Aww.. [He puts it back up] Yeah, hi.
Amy : [Amy is lying on the bed] I’ve been so worried about you. Are you okay?
Mort: [Raises his eyebrows] I’m okay, I’m okay, Amy. What?
Amy : [On Phone] Are you sure? [In person] When I saw you yesterday you seemed [Sniffs] so strained. I mean.. [She breathes in]
Mort : What?!!
Amy : [On Phone] Do you..um.. [In person] Do you think things would’ve been different if.. we hadn’t lost the baby?
Mort : [Scowls] Jesus Christ! I don’t.. Amy. I don’t know! [He walks around] Let me call you later. I-I gotta go. I-I gotta be somewhere. [Amy cries] [On Phone] What? What is it, Amy? [In person] Oh, just [Sits down] breathe. Breathe! Take a breath! [Amy sobs] Where are you? You at Ted’s?
Amy : [On Phone] Yeah.
Mort : How we feeling about old Ted, these days?
Amy : [Turns over] I don’t know.. I love him, I guess.
Mort : [His heart breaks] Oh…. That’s good.
Amy : [On Phone] i didn’t go with other men, you know. I always wanted to tell you that. I didn’t go with other men. Only Ted, and only the last few months after you and me were already over.
Mort : Well. If we were already over while we were still together, you might have mentioned it. Because it was news to me.
Amy : That’s because you weren’t there anymore! You were | |
AJÁNLOM AZ OLDALT
