COLOR OF NIGHT

Written by

Billy Ray & Matthew Chapman

CREDITS

Credits start on a black screen, then they continue during the

whole scene at Michelle's place, and they end at the beginning of
the scene at Bill Capa's office.

MICHELLE'S PLACE - INTERIOR DAY

Close-up on a silver lipstick stand made into a bad taste musical

box. We see Michelle's hand selecting a lipstick then we see
Michelle putting the lipstick on her lips, seated in front of the
mirror of her dressing table. She is dressed in a green frock, and
her face shows that she is quite disturbed.
Her apartment's decoration is very heavy, with a lot of various
useless objects and gold-plated furniture and many mirrors.
She looks for a new dress in her wardrobe, and get mad at not
finding it. She then goes to a sofa covered with cushions, which
she throws all around the place, still madder at not finding her
dress. A cat, who was lying on the armrest of the sofa, runs away
hurriedly from the mad Michelle.

MICHELLE
God !...... No !......

Michelle is back in front of the mirror of her dressing-table. She

takes the lipstick and put a lot of it on her lips, then on her
teeth, then all around her mouth. She makes faces to herself in
the mirror. She seems more and more disturbed.
She takes a chrome-plated revolver in her drawer, starts to put
it in her purse, then takes it out, spins the cylinder of the
revolver, and puts the revolver in her mouth, as if she wanted to
kill herself. But instead, she starts sucking the barrel, while
she strokes the revolver in a quite erotic way.

BILL CAPA' OFFICE - INTERIOR DAY

Large planes of ground glass. We hear, without understanding them,

some voices and laughs. Then a male voice becomes more
understandable...

BILL'S VOICE
So who do you think is the enemy ?... No, no, give me a
specific answer...

... then Michelle appears on the screen. She is dressed in a green

suit, she is heavily made up, et she still seems very disturbed.
The office is very chic and evidently belongs to a very rich New-
York psycho-analyst. Beautiful and good taste furniture. Shelves
with leather-bound books.

MICHELLE
You are the goddamned enemy, Capa, you and this all tower
of psycho-babble. You know what I hope ? That God gets real
pissed off and He shrivels up your cock, so that it points
straight down to Hell, where you belongs !...

During this reply, Bill Capa has appeared on the screen. He is

seated. He is wearing a long-sleeve shirt, a necktie, but no
jacket. (he laughs) at Michelle's last sentence.

BILL
OK... Michelle, so you will become His Avenging Angel, and
swoop down to finish me off.
He stands up.

MICHELLE
Now, I finally get it : you're are like my ex-husband. You
think that everything got to be either black or white
because you got color-blind. But God is on my side now. He
knows I'm not like you.

BILL
Well, we are pretty much the same, Michelle. We all do it.

MICHELLE
We all do what ?

BILL
Tend to view our lives as we were looking through a
keyhole. I's a very limited view of the truth. So, we have
to fill in the blanks. We invent things.

MICHELLE
I don't know what you mean.

BILL
You invent enemies to test your strength against. You
invent gods to protect you from these enemies.

MICHELLE
(cutting him)
What a depressing view of life you have, that is such
horse-shit !

BILL
Who is the enemy ? One minute you have friends, the next
moment they've slipped away. You leave here and I wonder
who is Michelle really hating this week. I try to remember
and I can't bring it to mind. Do you know why ?

MICHELLE
No, why don't you tell me

BILL
Take a look in the mirror, Michelle

MICHELLE
Which mirror ?... This mirror ?...

BILL
Any mirror. Tell me what you see.

MICHELLE
We see Michelle as if we were watching her from behind the mirror.
I see... I see your reflection over my shoulder... I see... there
is nothing much that I really like... I think I prefer the
view outside actually...

During this last reply, Bill, standing up, is fidgeting with

something on his desk. At Michelle's last words, he turns toward
her, looking alarmed. But he doesn't have time to do prevent her
from breaking through the glass pane and jumping outside. He yells
«Michelle» twice.

A STREET IN NEW-YORK - EXTERIOR DAY

We see Michelle's body falling all the way down. Capa's office
must be around the 25th floor. The body crashes on the street. A
police horse, who was near the impact, rears up in fright. As if
the asphalt were translucent, we see Michelle's body from
underneath, with the blood flowing around it.

SEVERAL VOICES
All right, get back there... Stay back !... Get back in your
car... Stop it...

BILL CAPA'S OFFICE - INTERIOR DAY

We see Bill with tears in his eyes. He walks to the broken window,
and look outside.

BILL
((voice over))
My God, it was the reddest blood I ever saw, poured around
her green dress. And... Then the red disappeared...

OPHTHALMOLOGIST'S OFFICE - INTERIOR DAY

Bill is seated with a huge ophthalmologic device on his head. He

finishes the preceding reply.

BILL
Christ, Ed. It was like a vibration of color broadcast from
Hell. And then the red started to fade away.

The ophthalmologist moves the device away. We see Bill's face, and
behind him, projected on the wall, an abstract drawing made of
colored spots close together. The red spots start to blink and
then they become grey.

LARRY'S PLACE - INTERIOR DAY

It is the apartment of an old New-York intellectual. A bit messy.

A old Earth globe on a stand. Objects and books everywhere, but
with an warm atmosphere. Larry wears an open shirt and a sweater.
Bill also is in open shirt, with a sleeveless sweater. At the
beginning of the scene, Bill is lying on a couch.

LARRY
Poor Capa ! You're here for me to pity you.

Larry puts down the newspaper he was reading. It is the New York
Post. On the front page, a title in large prints : «Patient's
family sues Manhattan shrink»

BILL
Hell, yes. It doesn't take Sigmund Freud to figure out I
don't care to see the color of my patients' blood.

LARRY
I'm a little surprised that this happened to you.

BILL
Starts to stand up.
Sure. You always thought I was a cold-hearted son of a
bitch.

LARRY
 Not really, but there is a kind of arrogance here.
Bill laughs.
Do you really believe that you're responsible for her
illness. You were a small recent part of her life.

BILL
Yes, that's right, that's right. But it's all too fucking
glib for me, Larry. I cannot dispose of this woman that
easily.

LARRY
Well, you always were a romantic. Are you involved with
anyone else ?

Larry starts to make tea in a corner of the room. Bill is seated

on an armchair during the following reply, and strokes the grey
cat who is lying on the table.

BILL
No. I am still a romantic. I just don't have anybody to be
romantic with. They want to fuck me or marry me... None of
them want to love me
LARRY
Maybe you don't want to be loved. You had a happy marriage
once.

BILL
She loved me to death. Then she ran off and loved somebody
else to death.

LARRY
Of course, there is something else here. To deny red is to
deny emotion.

BILL
Oh yeah !

LARRY
As you know, that could be very dangerous.

Bill stands up.

BILL
Yes, yes, I know. Very dangerous. I know and I have got
something broken. I know it's gonna take some time to get
fixed.

He picks up his jacket on a chair and put it on.

LARRY
You're a pretty good therapist. How long does it take a man
like you to forgive himself.

BILL
I see you when I get back from Los Angeles.

During the two last replies, Bill has walked to the front door.

LARRY
Don't run away because of one treatment failure.

BILL
I'm not running away, Larry, it's just a little trip to Los
 Angeles. Besides, you can't really run away. It's all up
here, isn't it...
He shows his forehead and pretends he is shooting a bullet in it.
Pow !... It's a package deal. The head goes with me.

ABOVE L.A. - EXTERIOR DAY

Shot of L.A. seen from the sky, then shot of an airplane landing.
On these two short shots, we hear :

STEWARDESS
Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Los Angeles. Please remain
seated until the aircraft comes...

The end of the sentence is not understandable, because it is mixed

with the sound of a radio set in a car.

VOICE IN THE RADIO

Just another Monday in paradise. There is a fender-bender
on 405, slowing thing down.

TAXI IN A TRAFFIC JAM - EXTERIOR DAY

The voice in the radio is covered by the voice of the taxi driver.
He wears a French cap and a striped shirt. He has a strong foreign
accent, which makes his sentences a bit hard to understand. Bill
is seated at the back of the taxi. He is wearing a black polo
shirt, jeans and sunglasses.

TAXI DRIVER
Hey ! Jerk-off ! What are you looking at ! There's an
accident !...
Short shot of the accident.
... Hey ! What happened ? Anybody is hurt ? Anybody is dead ?
Car horns. A car bumps into the back of the taxi. Bill moves
forward and backward, and then massages the back of his head.
What are you doing ? You 're looking there and driving
here ? Put the pedal on the metal... Asshole !

BOB'S OFFICE - MEETING ROOM - INTERIOR DAY

Bob's office is located in a big modern building in downtown L.A.
A wide sitting room, called «Group Room» is reserved for group
therapy sessions. Furniture is modern and functional, but with a
little personal touch.
Close-up of a woman's hand, who steals a lighter on a table. Then
we see Sondra putting covertly the lighter in her purse. She is
dressed in a very elegant way, and wears expensive jewels. Richie,
a teenagers with a large checkered floating shirt, a sleeveless
denim jacket and walkman earphones on his head, walks behind her
without looking at her, and gets seated in an armchair. We hear
voices, but we understand only a few words here and there. Then a
voice becomes clearer than the other ones. It is Clark's voice
counting the books on a shelf.

BITS OF CONVERSATION
Is the aquarium with it ?... That's a blue shark... OK... Was
that an after-schock I felt ?...

CLARK
He is dressed with a very neat grey suit. Everything on him is
neat : not a hair going the wrong way.
33 and 3 is... 44... 45
 CASEY
He is seated on an armchair shaped like a giant hand. He looks ver
«artist». He wears his hair tied in a ponytail. He is making fun
of Clark.
5...

CLARK
38... 14...

CASEY
33...

CLARK
2...
CASEY
13...

CLARK
3...

CASEY
29... 304...

SONDRA
Casey, you're such a weenie !

BUCK
He looks very rough, with his uncombed grey hair. He wears a red
sweater without shirt, and a jacket.
Leave him alone, will you ?

CLARK
7

BUCK
Clark !
CASEY
8...

BUCK
Clark !

CLARK
Yeah !

BUCK
Did you read the paper to-day ?

CLARK
No !

BUCK
He take off his jacket.
I was just wondering how many fucking pages it had !
Casey laughs.

CLARK
Oh Christ ! I fell right into that !

We see Bob behind the glass on the door of the room. He wears a
shirt and a necktie, but no jacket. He looks pensively at the
group.
 CASEY
16...

CLARK
4... 47...

BUCK
I care that he is late.

CASEY
I don't get it.

SONDRA
I do too.

CASEY
I don't care.

SONDRA
Why not ?

BUCK
Because his father's paying for his therapy.

SONDRA
Oh, my dead husband is paying for mine, and I still care.

Casey is looking for his lighter. We see Sondra taping her chin
with the lighter, then giving it back to Casey.

CASEY
Unbelievable !...
Bob enters the room.

BOB
I think we should get started now... Clark...

He closes the door. We hear Bill's voice.

BILL
Hey Bob !

BOB
God ! Bill !

BOB'S OFFICE - CORRIDOR - INTERIOR DAY

Bob jumps nervously, then walks in the corridor toward Bill. They
hug each other.

BOB
How you doing ? You look great.

BILL
I'm good...

BOB
OK...

BILL
I' sorry I'm late. I got stuck in traffic on the freeway.

BOB
 Listen... We're just about to get started.

BILL
You know. I'll just wait out here for a while.

BOB
Why don't you join us ?

BILL
Oh no... Listen... I's the last thing I need right now...

BOB
I'm serious... I could use a second look.

BILL
No, Bob... Not tonight...

Bob drags him by the sleeve and pushes him into the meeting room.

BOB' OFFICE - MEETING ROOM - INTERIOR DAY

BOB
This is my friend, and colleague, Bill Capa, from New-York.
Why don't you sit down over there, Bill...
He sits next to Clark, who stands up to give him room.
... I thought it might be interesting for you, and for him,
if he sat in one of our session.
BUCK
What kind of a shrink are you ?

BILL
I'm a behaviorist.

CASEY
Qualifications ?

BILL
Same as Bob. We went to college together. We fought the
battle at Penn State Mental Hospital, as interns...

BOB
No one is gonna be offended if you want to say no.

BUCK
No, Bob !

SONDRA
She simpers while she talks.
Nobod... Nobody wants to say no... I'm Sondra... How are you,
Bill ?

BILL
Fine, thank you, Sondra.

CLARK
Medical degree ?

BILL
No. I'm a psychologist and a psycho-analyst, not a
psychiatrist. The Ph.D. is from N.Y.U.

CLARK
OK ! Thank you...
 CASEY
So, it's Bill and Bob, therapy "à deux" !

BOB
Why don't we begin by introducing ourselves and then saying
as much or as little about why we are here as we are
confortable with...

The secretary closes the door behind Bob's back, who remains
seated and only turns his head slightly.

BUCK
Name's Buck.

SONDRA
Oh, that's helpful. Very macho of you

BUCK
That's an anti-gender remark

BOB
Sondra ! Sondra, whey don't you start us off ?
SONDRA
She simpers a lot and makes strange faces while she talks.
OK... My name is Sondra Dorio... and... I always marry older men
but...
Richie looks at Bill's feet. Bill is wearing a red sock and a
green sock, which makes Richie smile.
... I am single now... and I keep... I... I want sex all the time...
Clark looks embarrassed. Casey sneers.
But I mean... I really do... want... a real relationship... and...
sometimes, I steal thing... I mean, they're little thing...
Richie put his walkman earphones back on his ears.
... It doesn't make any sense. It's hard to... You know, I... Is
that OK !

BOB
Thank you.

SONDRA
THANKS

BOB
Richie !...

CASEY
This will be an event

BOB
Richie !

Richie doesn't hear a thing because of his earphones.

BUCK
Yelling louder.
Richie !

He signals him to take off his earphones. Richie takes them off.

RICHIE
What !
 BOB
Would you like to tell Bill a little something about
yourself ?

RICHIE
No !

CLARK
OK... If nobody else is going to do it, I will. Richie has a
gender identity problem, and social phobia, and he's
promised the group no to wear the walkman in this group.

BUCK
Doctor Clark, to lay the inventory on. I like that.

CLARK
Oh, Saint Christopher rattles his chain.

BUCK
Saint Michael, sir.
CLARK
This is not about you.

BUCK
You're right...

BOB
You know what I am saying ?...
He talks to Richie.

RICHIE
One feels he has elocution problems. He stutters and looks for his
words.
I... I... I op... open my mouth to talk, but nothing... happens...
except when I... when I do drugs. I... I can't... can't talk... so
that's... how come I'm here... They... they say that I... I... that I
blush too.

CASEY
(imitating him)
Y-You c... can say that again...

Richie jumps on Casey. Sondra stands up to stop him, but she is

toot late. Richie falls on Casey and knocks his armchair down.

RICHIE
Fuck you !... Fuck you !... I'll tear your fuckin' head off !
You fuckin' cocksucker !

BUCK
Get up!

They fight on the floor. Buck tries to take them apart. He

succeeds in tearing Richie away by holding him with both arms, and
carrying him away.

RICHIE
Get the fuck off me !

BOB
Buck.

Richie gets free and walks rapidly out of the room. Sondra tries
to follow him. Bob stops her.

SONDRA
Richie !

BOB
It's all right... He'll come back...

BUCK
(voice over)
What do you think, Doctor Clark ?...

Bob straightens up the armchair and Casey stands up sneering.

CASEY
Was it something I said ?
SONDRA
You are an asshole !

BOB
You know, guys... A little humanity...

BUCK
Talking to Bill.
Funny... Oh, fucking laugh !...We're entertaining the shit out
of you, aren't we ?

SONDRA
Why don't you stop feeling responsible for everyone.

BUCK
Would you stop wound-licking, Sondra.

SONDRA
She seems a bit shocked.
Oh ! That's very nice !

BOB
Buck ?

BUCK
I lost my wife... and daughter... And it just can't seem to
pass... All right ?

BILL
Very sorry. How did they die ?

BUCK
They say...
(he starts crying)
... I... I can't talk about it...

Sondra turns her head away : she looks disturbed and moved. Clark
wipes his eyes.

BOB
Casey ?

CASEY
He talks in articulating his words in an affected manner.
I am Casey Heinz. I am a painter. I live in a loft
downtown, and I guess... you could say... I'm alienated...
At the end of his reply, he seems to be ready to cry. He puts his
head in his hands, then shows his laughing face.

SONDRA
Can't you ever be serious ?...

BUCK
Does a bear poop in the woods ? I sit next to Clark

He moves to sit behind Clark. He lights a cigarette.

CLARK
And then smoke up a storm. My name is Clark. I'm a lawyer.
And I... I have a compulsive obsessive disorder.

CASEY
So what's the problem ?
(he sneers)

CLARK
The problem is that if you and Buck are going to smoke in
here, then the door to Doctor Moore's office must remain
opened in minimum of fifteen inches.

Buck comes and sits next to Casey. They smoke together.

SONDRA
I can't stand smoke... OK ?

Buck and Casey puff clouds of smoke.

CLARK
And I would also like to suggest that you buy one of those
ashtrays...

SONDRA
How come you don't listen to Clark ? How come you don't do
anything about this, Bob ?

CLARK
... that sucks up the smoke and purifies it. They cost nine
dollars and ninety-nine cents, half of which is four-
ninety-nine point five.

CASEY
(he laughs)
He's going to open the door.

CLARK
One of you will have to pay an extra penny, but I'm sure
you can work that out.

CASEY
He's going to open the door.

CLARK
I'm going to open the door.

General laugh. Several incomprehensible words. We understand only

Sondra's next reply.

SONDRA
You smell like an ashtray.
 CLARK
You know, if you don't act more seriously in groups.

Richie enters the room.

SONDRA
Hi, Richie !

BUCK
He's back.

CASEY
He's back.

BUCK
Next time you get snot on the doorknob...

SONDRA
Come sit down here.

BOB
Bill... What would you like to tell us about yourself ?

Richie walks behind Bill to reach his seat.

BILL
Well... I have plenty of problems... the biggest of which right
now is jet-lag. So I think I'll pass for now, Bob.

BOB
Fair enough...

BOB' OFFICE - MEETING ROOM - INTERIOR NIGHT

The end of the preceding scene fades in the beginning of this one.
We are now later in the same day. Night has come. The atmosphere
seems more relax. Buck is half lying on a sofa. Sondra is
finishing her story with a sweet voice, and does not simper
anymore.

SONDRA
...She's like a daughter to me... We hang out... Meaning that...
It's wonderful...

BOB
(he looks at this watch)
Well, that's all for tonight. I'll see you all next week...

BUCK
Way to go.

Bob gets up very quickly. Everyone does like him, but more slowly.
Bob turns back before he leaves the room.

BOB
Bill... I'll be with you in a couple of minutes.
Bill nods in agreement.

SONDRA
Bye...

BUCK
 Coffee, anyone?

BILL
Yeah.

CLARK
(he whispers)
Nine.

Bill remains seated and nods to the people getting out. Clark
remains, behind Bill, in front of the shelves. He puts something
back in a plastic bag and mumbles something we don't understand.
Bill turns toward him.

CLARK
Have you read Bob's book ?

BILL
No, I haven't.

CLARK
He puts the bag in the pocket of this jacket, and takes a book on
a shelf. He gives it to Bill.
It's really... it's quite excellent.

BILL
"Way to go"... I'm glad to hear you liked it.

CLARK
He wipes his hand with a white handkerchief, wipes the handle of
his black leather case before taking it, and then puts the
handkerchief in the pocket of his pants.
Very much. Good night, Doctor Capa.

BILL
Good night.

Bill holds his hand out, but Clark does not take it. He just nods
in a friendly way and goes out.

Alone, Bill flips through the books.

IN FRONT OF BOB'S OFFICE BUILDING - EXTERIOR NIGHT

Bill and Bob come out of the building where Bob's office is
located. Bob has his jacket on and Bob is wearing a brown leather
jacket. He is carrying his traveling bags.

BILL
Alone at last !...

BOB
Are you OK ?

BILL
Well, nobody jumped out of the window. So maybe I am making
progress...

BOB'S CAR - EXTERIOR NIGHT

Bob's expensive convertible Mercedes starts away. On the back

license plate, we can read «WAY TO GO». The roof of the car is
open. The rest of the scene takes place inside the car driving
through Los Angeles.

BOB
You want to get a drink ?

BILL
Hu-hu !

BOB
You want to get laid ?

BILL
((he laughs))
No !

BOB
So what do you think of my little group ?

BILL
What's Buck's story ?

BOB
You mean, how did he loose his wife and kid. I don't know
yet. He's not talking yet... Either !

BILL
How about Casey ?

BOB
You tell me !

BILL
Well... I smell money... Lots of it... Maybe an abusive father...
How am I doing so far ?

BOB
A Plus !

BILL
Daddy pays for the expensive loft downtown, and the very
expensive artistic life style, as long a junior stays in
therapy.

BOB
You got the hair on the back of my neck standing up !

BILL
Yes, I'm a psychic when it comes to masochists. Five'll get
you ten he likes to whack now and then.

BOB
Where did you get that from ?

BILL
I was born with it. Like a tuning fork.

BOB
What about Richie ?

BILL
Genuine nut-case.

BOB
 Dangerous ?

BILL
Volatile ! Don't fuck with a trapped rat !

BOB
Oh, I see. "Trapped rat" syndrome with a recommendation of
a "Non fuck with" therapy !
Bill laughs.
Well, can I quote you on that ?

They have reached a quieter road.

BILL
Yes, you may. Takes notes, there'll be a pop-quiz later !...

BOB
OK, I'm ready.

Bob turns on his left to enter his residence.

BILL
All right, if I diagnose a schizophrenia, what do you
recommend ?

BOB
Don't fuck with it !

BILL
Now, you got it.

BOB'S RESIDENCE - EXTERIOR NIGHT

A huge sliding metallic door, with spikes on the top, moves

smoothly to let the car enter. Bill seems impressed by the
residence of his friend. He looks at the security camera. Bob
stops the car and they get out of it. Bill takes his luggage.

BILL
It's all one place ?...
They come near a door shaped like a giant keyhole.
Goddamn...
A metallic gate slides behind the door to let them in.
Like peeking through a keyhole...
They get down a few steps and reach a lawn.
You get a very limited... view of the truth....

BOB
What's that ?

Bill looks with admiration at the pool, and at the huge and
impressive house, very Hollywood-like.

BILL
"Way to go" must have gone really well !

BOB
Yeah !

BOB'S RESIDENCE - INTERIOR NIGHT

They enter the house. A beep is heard when Bob opens the door.
BOB
 After you, wise guy... Come on.
Bill laughs.

BILL
Oh, men...

He laughs, looking at the luxury that surrounds him. The best and
the most expensive in modern furniture. Large expensive paintings
hanged on the walls. Leather armchairs. Bob types a secret code on
a keyboard. Then he switch on a small TV set that shows the
pictures from all the security cameras.

BILL
So, how are we as we approach forty ?

BOB
We are in a good shape. Really good shape. We finally got
divorced. We have some money...

He puts back in place a painting that was slightly crooked.

BOB
... We're meticulous.

BILL
(he takes off his jacket)
I don't detect a woman's touch.

BOB
We have a little friend... You'll meet her.

BILL
She's too young for you.

BOB
Ohh !

BILL
(he sits behind the bar)
Always get the clichés and you won't be disappointed.

BOB
This woman is not a cliché.
He has taken two bottle of beer from the fridge and he gives one
to Bill.

BILL
Thanks...
They clink the two bottle and drink the beer from the bottle.
Good to see you, Bob !

BOB
You too !... So...
Bill plays with a «piece of art», consisting of an assembly of
square pieces of glass glued together into a larger square. The
object can pivot on his stand and, when you look through it, you
get a distorted view of whatever is behind it.
You're ready yet ?

BILL
Ready to what ?
We see the distorted face of Bill through the «piece of art», or
rather several distorted view of Bill's face seen through each of
the individual square of glass. Bob pivot the object to have a
better view of his friend.
So hard to talk about... So hard to talk about...
Bill pivot the object again to hide behind it.
I's just a game... dumb, deceitful game. So I quit my
practice.
He gets up.

BOB
Lost you religion, huh ?

BILL
He takes a big book on a shelf. There is a picture of Sigmund
Freud on the cover.
Well, I certainly lost my belief in the scriptures.
He puts the book back, and with his hand, makes a masturbation
gesture.

BOB
I'm sorry, buddy. You gonna be in a lot of pain.

BILL
There is a distinctive absence of pain. I... I cannot feel
the pain that I know that I'm supposed to be feeling right
now. And I think I'm going crazy...
We feel that Bill is ready to cry.
I'm lost, man, I think I'm going crazy.
He has tears in his eyes.

BOB
You may be... Your mind may be shot...

COUNTRYSIDE - EXTERIOR DAY

In front of Bob's residence. The sun is shining. Bill is wearing a

brown tank top and white jogging pants. Bob is wearing a blue
cyclist shirt and black pants. They're both wearing caps. They are
ready to go cycling. We hear the (voice over) of Bob, finishing the
sentence from the preceding scene.
BOB
... but I hope your body isn't.

BILL
Do I get to warm up ?

BOB
Yeah !... Two mile any pace you like. And then...
They mount their bicycles.
... let's do ten.

They are now on the road in front of Bob's residence.

BILL
Ten ?

BOB
Too much for you, huh ?

BILL
I dunno... I was thinking of maybe twenty.
He starts full speed.
They are now on a minor dirt road. We can see Bob's house in the
background.
 BOB
Gees ! Billy ! You'll never change... Why don't we just drop
our pants to see who's got the bigger dick, and then we can
go back and have a nice civilized breakfast ?

BILL
Wouldn't be civilized...

BOB
Why ?

BILL
You'll be sulking !

BOB
They are going uphill.
You don't have hills in New-York...
He slows down.
Hang on a second... Hang on a second... Hang on a second...
Bob stops and dismounts his bike.

BILL
What ?

BOB
What was that ?... What the hell was that ?...

Bill dismounts his bike. Bob gets his bike upside down and sets it
upright standing on the saddle and the handlebar. He checks the
chain. Bill is leaning on his bike.

BILL
What are you afraid of ?
BOB
I got a gear slip, here somewhere...

BILL
That's not what I meant... What with the security systems,
the security gates, looking over your shoulder.

BOB
I've been getting some threats.

BILL
What do you mean ?... Death threats ?

BOB
Pretty sure it's somebody in the Monday night group, I just
don't know who...

BILL
Monday night as in last night ?

BOB
Yeah !... I was hoping that maybe with your tuning fork that
you might have a hunch.

BILL
No... No hunch, Bob. What make you think it's somebody in the
group ?

Bob spins the pedals to check the chain.

 BOB
Only about a dozen things... I's been going on for a couple
of months now. It's funny how it gets you after a while.

BILL
Call the cops ?...

BOB
He puts his bike back on the wheels.
Yeah ! They say if they had to protect every shrink in
L.A., they'll need an army ! But that I should call them if
anything happened.

They put their sunglasses on.

BILL
(he laughs).
That makes sense.

BOB
Yeah ! Probably, it'll just blow over.

BILL
Yeah !

BOB
How about you ?

BILL
About me... what ?
We see them going very fast on the minor dirt road. A horse rider
rides near them.
What would you give a suicidal patient that's got
everything ?
They ride even faster while clowning, like riding on the back
wheel.

BOB
Parachute, I heard it already.

BILL
Out here already, huh ?

BOB
Come on, old timer !...

BOB'S RESIDENCE - EXTERIOR DAY

The heavy metal door is sliding away. Bob and Bill are getting in.
They dismount their bikes with some difficulty. They drop their
bikes on the ground.
BILL
Oh, shit ! You may have to... You may have to carry me in.

They hold each other by the waist and the shoulders.

BOB
You know you lose a lot more gracefully than you used to...

BILL
Yeah ! Well, you know... Practice and all... Hey ! How about
that : "Learning to loose" by Doctor Bill Capa !
A beep and the second gate gets open.

BOB
Got a ring to it !

BILL
They are making those seats smaller, huh ? Whoo !

They enter the residence. Bill is massaging his buttocks.

BOB'S OFFICE - BOB'S WORKROOM - INTERIOR NIGHT

Short low angle shot of the whole building, before entering Bob's
workroom. Bob's desk is decorated with two wrought iron eagles.
Bob is wearing jacket and necktie. He is just finishing a session
with a patient.

BOB
See you next week. All right ?

He escorts his patient to the door. Enter Barbara, Bob's

secretary.

BARBARA
I'm going now. You want me to lock on the way out ?
BOB
That'll be great, Barbara.

She gets out. Bob takes his jacket off and sets it on a clothes
valet. He then stops by the shelves behind his desk and starts the
music : a concerto for piano and orchestra. He sits behind his
desk, and starts writing in a large notebook. He hears a strange
noise, and raises his head. He puts his pen down, open a drawer
and takes his revolver out. A draught flips the pages of his
notebook. He seems to feel better, puts the revolver back and
closes the drawer. Then he closes the notebook, takes it and goes
to the shelves. He seems to be looking for something, and feels
worried not to find it. He gets out of his workroom.

BOB'S OFFICE - MEETING ROOM - INTERIOR NIGHT

He enters the meeting room and goes directly to the shelves. He

looks around and takes an art book about Van Gogh. He checks that
the size of the art book and the size of his notebook are similar.
He takes off the dustcover of the art book and puts it on his
notebook, puts his notebook on the shelf where the art book was
and puts the art book in the bottom of the shelves. A shadow moves
on the shelves and a strange noise is heard. Bob, a bit nervous,
goes to the door and opens it. The classical music stops. Through
the open door, we can see Bob opening the door of his workroom.

BOB
Barbara ?...

He comes back into the meeting room. When he enters the room, the
light is suddenly switched off. He crosses the meeting room. We
can hear someone chuckling, and we can see a shadow through the
glass on the door.

BOB'S OFFICE - CORRIDOR - INTERIOR NIGHT

Bobs gets rapidly out of the meeting room. A man, completely

covered in black leather, jumps through a large ground glass
paneI, and jumps on Bob's back. Short fight on the floor. Bob gets
up, bumps into the drinking fountain which falls on the floor, and
falls down.
Close-up of the mysterious man's hand. It is covered with a
glove. The hand closes itself and a long blade appears on the top
of the hand. Bob gets up and is stabbed in the chest. He staggers
a bit, takes a blue vase on a table and tries to hit the head of
the mysterious man. He misses and the vase crashes on the wall. He
is stabbed again in the chest. His staggering increases. He turns
around and the man stabs him several time in the back. He stumbles
to the front door. Another stab in the back. The man grabs him by
his hair to bring him back into the workroom.

BOB
No... Nooooo !... Why ?

The man stabs him several times. Bob is covered with blood. He
falls on a glass door. The glass is shattered. Bob falls on his
back. A big piece of glass goes through him and comes out of his
stomach. Through the window, we can see an helicopter flying over
Los Angeles.
MAIN POLICE STATION - EXTERIOR NIGHT

A car has just stopped in front of the building. The blue

revolving light keeps on moving on top of the car. An helicopter
is flying above the building. It could be the same that is seen at
the end of the preceding scene. Officer Anderson goes around the
car and opens the door for Bill. Bill is wearing a T-shirt, a
light sweater and jeans. One can tell he had to dress quickly.
Bills gets out of the car, and the car moves away. Anderson takes
Bill into the building.

MAIN POLICE STATION - INTERIOR NIGHT

Classical setup of a californian police station. The various rooms

are separated with glass partitions. An officer enters pushing, in
front of him, a hooker dressed with a minimum of very flashy
clothes.

VOICE OF A POLICE WOMAN

Have you thought about...
THE HOOKER
Man, I didn't do nothing. Oh, please... You know, you're very
cute. I love you.

THE POLICE OFFICER

I love you too !

Anderson leads Bill into a room and leaves him there. Bill sits
down. Enters lieutenant Hector Martinez. He is wearing a pink
shirt with short sleeves. His tie is badly knotted on an open
collar. He has a police badge fixed on his belt. He holds a file
in his hand.

HECTOR
You're Capa ?

BILL
Yes, I'm Doctor Capa.

HECTOR
He closes the door, puts his file on the desk and sits down behind
the desk.
You're here because of the dead doctor ?

BILL
Yes...

HECTOR
I read something about sessions on Mondays. Tell me about
this Monday group.

BILL
There's five patients in the group. I Can't really remember
their names right now.

HECTOR
He taps his head with his right hand, a gesture meaning mental
illness. He has a telephone number scribbled on the palm of his
hand.
Like five cuckoos.

BILL
No. Four neurotics of varying degrees and one killer. At
least, that's what Bob thought.

HECTOR
Bob Moore ?

BILL
Good. Yes, Bob Moore.

HECTOR
Four men and one woman.

BILL
Right.

HECTOR
And you sat in one of these sessions, right ?
BILL
Yes, I did.

HECTOR
So, who did it ?
Anderson enters the room behind Bill, carrying a plastic cup.
Hey-hey-hey-hey... ! Anderson ! This is civilization, man.
What do think this is ?... Your bedroom ?...
Anderson gives Bill the cup.
Damn... Knock... Knock... Don't... don't come into my office like
that, bro. Hey !
Anderson leaves the room and closes the door.
It's third world thing !... Where were we ?...

BILL
He blows on the cup.
You were probing me about the patients. And I was about to
tell you that I really can't help you at all. I don't
really know any of these people.

HECTOR
But you're a professional like me. You gotta have some kind
of suspicion.

BILL
 I really don't have a clue. I'd like to help you, but even
if I could, there is an issue of confidentiality.

HECTOR
Confidentiality ?...

BILL
Yes.

HECTOR
(he laughs) and gets up.
You're talking to me about an issue of confidentiality.
BILL
Similar to the Miranda oath.

HECTOR
He sits down on the desk, facing Bill.
If a friend of mine got killed, and the only thing between
the killer and me was Miranda, you know what I will do ?...
Huh ?... Fuck Miranda up the ass. But don't tell anybody,
because it's a matter of confidentiality... Shhh !...

He puts a finger on his lips.

BILL
Oh, look ! I'm sorry I can't help you. I've only been in
Los Angeles four days.

HECTOR
You're sleeping at that... dead guy's house, aren't you ?

BILL
Yes.
HECTOR
Maybe something will come to you in the night, you know,
like dreams and shit. But... what happens to patients in a
situation like this ?

BILL
Usually a colleague will offer to take over the group...
continue the treatment.

HECTOR
He gets up. We see his pistol hooked on the back of his belt.
How sweet !... How sweet !... It's like one of the vultures
dies and then the others step in line and eat his portion.
He mimes vultures walking.
Is that what you're planning ?

BILL
No.

HECTOR
Why not ?

BILL
Because I really can't handle that right now.

HECTOR
Sure you can !... Come on !... You've been a week in L.A. and
you already have you own private screwing farm.
He sits back on the edge of the desk.
How bad can that be ?... That's a great career move.... Where
 were you at the time of the killing, Capa ?

BILL
He pauses before answering.
I was at his house, Bob's house.

HECTOR
You had to think about that ?
BILL
Jesus Christ !... Are you going to arrest me, Lieutenant
Martinez ?

HECTOR
Hey ! You want a lawyer ?

BILL
Do I need a lawyer ?

HECTOR
You're in L.A. Everybody needs a lawyer.
He goes back to his seat behind the desk, and conspicuously shows
his back to Bill.
All right !... You can go home now, take a shower.
He turns back to Bill.
And keep your mouth shut. The only thing that I got going
for me is that few people know what happened, and I don't
want the press fucking things up.

BOB'S RESIDENCE - INTERIOR NIGHT

Bill plays with the «piece of art» made of pieces of glass. He
pivots it. We can see Bill's face duplicated by the object. We
then see Bill putting back in place the same crooked painting that
Bob had been putting back in place the first time Bill was in the
house. Then we see him walking pensively around the house.

BOB'S RESIDENCE - INTERIOR DAY

A corridor. We hear the buzz of an intercom. Bill comes out of the

bathroom, dressed in a white bathrobe. He is drying his hair with
a towel.

BILL
All right !... All right !... Hold on !

He walks in the corridor, looking for the buzzer. He arrives into

the main hall, near the video security device. On the wall near
the TV set, two large paintings showing enlarged footprints. On
the screen, we see Hector's face.

BILL
Oh shit !

BOB'S RESIDENCE - MAIN GATE - EXTERIOR DAY

Hector is waiting in front of the gate. He is wearing a grey

shirt, a beige blazer and a necktie, and a police badge on his
belt. Next to him is Bob's car. Behind him, a uniformed police
officer. Hector presses the bell. We hear a beep.

BOB'S RESIDENCE - HALL - INTERIOR DAY

We see and hear Hector via the TV set.

 HECTOR
Capa !... Capa !... Are you there ?
Bill takes the remote control.

BILL
Yeah...

HECTOR
How is it going ?

BOB'S RESIDENCE - MAIN GATE - EXTERIOR DAY

We hear Bill's voice in the intercom.

BILL
What do you want ?

HECTOR
I brought the victim's car back and I got to search the
house.

BOB'S RESIDENCE - HALL - INTERIOR DAY

BILL
You got a search warrant ?

BOB'S RESIDENCE - MAIN GATE - EXTERIOR DAY

HECTOR
What is it with you ? Don't you want me to find out who
killed your friend ?... No, I don't have a warrant.

BOB'S RESIDENCE - HALL - INTERIOR DAY

BILL
All right... Come on in...

HECTOR
Open the gate.

BILL
Yeah... Right... How's that ?

BOB'S RESIDENCE - MAIN GATE - EXTERIOR DAY

Hector waits a little, then gets sprayed by a sprinkler located

outside the screen-field.

HECTOR
You got the sprinklers on !

BOB'S RESIDENCE - HALL - INTERIOR DAY

We hears the end of Hector's sentence.

BILL
How about that ?

Bill taps on the remote control. We hear a beep. On the TV set, we

see Hector taking his jacket off.

BOB'S RESIDENCE - SITTING ROOM - INTERIOR DAY

Hector is searching the shelves on the wall. He quickly looks
through the books, takes a step back, then thrusts his hand behind
a row of books, and grabs a photo album. While flipping through
the pages, he goes to the sofa and sits next to Bill. Bill is
wearing a white shirt and a pair of jeans. Hector goes on turning
the pages, and stop on a page with the picture of supine naked
woman.

BILL
Jill... his wife... his ex-wife...

HECTOR
Nice bush !

Bill closes the album, takes it from Hector's hands and gets up.
He turns to look at Hector.

BILL
I'll tell you said so...
He walks to the shelves and put the album back where it was found.
He looks at Hector.
I'm sure it will mean a lot to her...

BOB'S RESIDENCE - BEDROOM - INTERIOR DAY

Close-up of the head of the bed. It is decorated with wooden

sculpture of women's faces. Hector enters the room, followed by
Bill. He goes to the bed and strokes the sculptures.

HECTOR
Check this fucking bed !
He goes around the bed and sits next to the sculpture, which he
keeps on fondling.
Damn !... Everybody is having fun but me, goddammit !
Hector opens a drawer, and takes a revolver out of it. He holds it
with his pen stuck into the trigger ring.

BILL
I do not like guns.

Hector puts the revolver back in the drawer.

HECTOR
You prefer knives ?

BOB'S RESIDENCE - EXTERIOR DAY

Bill and Hector are getting out of the house.

HECTOR
I need you to do me a favor.

BILL
What's that ?

They are crossing the garden. Hector is still in shirtsleeves and

has some papers in his hand.

HECTOR
I want you to tell the group about Moore's death.

BILL
Me ?...
 HECTOR
Yes.

BILL
Why ?

HECTOR
Well, maybe one of them won't come in, or maybe they will
all come in, but then you would be able to spot something
wrong.

BILL
I just can't handle it right now... OK ?...

HECTOR
I just had all the mess in his office cleaned up. Don't you
want to help me find the killer ? Have a heart.
BILL
What does that mean?

HECTOR
If you don't tell them, I'll have to tell them. Am I the
person to break the news to these people ? « Listen up, you
fucking daffodils, your shrink is dead.
They have reached the main gate. Hector gets out and Bill presses
a switch. The gate starts sliding between him and Hector.
Which means that all the time, effort and love you put in
this relationship is wasted. You've got to remain as fucked
up as you are or get worse. »

BILL
You are one sinister piece of work. All right, I'll do it.

HECTOR
It's better if you do it.

A ROAD - EXTERIOR DAY

We are in Bob's car, with the roof open. Bill is wearing a green
polo shirt, jeans and sunglasses. He is on the phone, while he
drives the car, but he drives slowly.

BILL
No, you listen to me. You don't understand, Gene. Don't
lie, just give the family what it wants... No... No, you don't
understand.
We see Bill from the back. In the rear-view mirror of the car, we
see another convertible vehicle approaching with also its roof
open. A young girl is driving. She comes a bit too fast and bumps
into the back of Bill's car. Bill jumps and stops his car.
I have to call you back. Christ !
He puts the telephone back on his hook and gets out of the car. He
goes to Rose's car. She is leaning on the steering wheel.
Hey !... You're right ?... Hey !...
He opens the door. She stands back. She is wearing a large beige
sweater.

ROSE
Why me ?... Hi !... I'm Rose.

BILL
Hi, Rose !... I't nice to run into me like this !... I'm Bill
Capa...
He goes away from the car.

ROSE
I got no insurance...
She gets out of her car.
I know it's against the law and everything.
She goes around her car, and looks at the damage.
Don't bust my chops. I'll bring the money to you, if you
just get an estimate.
She stoops, picks up a piece of red plastic and gives it to Bill.
OK ?... Just give me a break !
BILL
Got a pen ?

Rose goes to her car and Bill throws the piece of red plastic
away. Rose gets into her car, looks into her purse, and takes a
small notebook and a pen. Bill takes them but hesitates before
writing. Rose smiles mockingly.

ROSE
Oh, poor old brain can't remember its own phone number.

BILL
I just moved here... From New York... I wrote my address down,
because I am not sure about this number, and how long I
gonna be there, so maybe you can call me sometimes for the
next couple of days.

ROSE
I will.

BILL
Bye !

He goes away from the car.

ROSE
Hey !... Don't you want my address ?

Bill gets into his car.

BILL
You could lie.

He starts his car.

BOB'S OFFICE - WORKROOM - INTERIOR NIGHT

Bill skip through the pages of a large notebook, looking exactly

like the one Bob had hidden under a Van Gogh dustcover just before
he got killed. He puts his back on the two other ones, already
lying on the desk. He is wearing a grey T-shirt and an open denim
shirt.

BOB'S OFFICE - MEETING ROOM - INTERIOR NIGHT

Bill enters the room, coming from the workroom.

BILL
Hi !... Who hasn't arrived yet ?

BUCK
He is standing up. He is wearing a white T-shirt and a grey
sweater with a V-shaped collar.
Sondra... Where's Bob ?

RICHIE
He is wearing a grey sport jacket with a zipper and a striped T-
shirt.
Wha... What's wrong ?
BILL
If it's all right, I'd rather wait till you're all here.
She's always this late ?

CLARK
He is wearing a dark suit, very elegant. He is wiping his hand
with a handkerchief.
Depends on who is banging her...

SONDRA
She enters very rapidly through the corridor door. She seems very
happy. She drops on the armchair next to Casey. She is wearing an
very close-fitting overall, which is generously open on her
throat. The top of the overall is very colorful and the bottom is
black. On top of it, she is wearing a pink sport jacket.
Oh, I'm sorry... Class was really, really really late.

CASEY
He is sitting in an armchair. He is wearing an grey collarless
shirt and a black sleeveless vest.
Was class was that, Sondra ? Advanced cunnilingus for the
single woman, or a CPR for pleasure and game ?

BUCK
Christ, don't excite her !...

SONDRA
Where is Doctor Moore ?

BILL
There's something I want to tell you.

RICHIE & CASEY

What ?

SONDRA
What's the matter ?
CASEY
Shhhh !...

SONDRA
I'm trying to pay attention... Shhh !

BILL
You should prepare yourself for bad news...

SONDRA
Why ?...

BILL
Bob's been killed.

SONDRA
Her face is distorted by the pain. She puts her hand in front of
her mouth.
 Ohhhh !

CASEY
What are you saying ?... What are you telling me ?
BILL
He was murdered.

CASEY
Sondra !...

BILL
He was locking up here late Friday night.

SONDRA
Here ?...

BILL
Yes, right here in the office.

BUCK
Was he shot... stabbed... beaten ?... Have they got a suspect... a
motive ? Three days go by, and you don't call us.

BILL
It was easier if you were here together.

CASEY
He stands up.
Oh, I see. So, even Bob's death is group therapy. That's
great. Hey, Bob, thanks for giving us a chance to grieve
together. Shit !...
He gets more and more angry through the preceding reply.

BUCK
He has become very nervous too.
What the fuck is going on here ? I need to know more.

BILL
He was stabbed to death.

CLARK
How many times was he stabbed ?

SONDRA
She jumps up. She goes to Clark and hits him.
This man was Bob's best friend. Do you really needed exact
numbers now ?

BILL
He takes Sondra very gently by the shoulders and brings her back
to her seat.
Sondra... Sondra... Sondra... Sondra...

SONDRA
Get your fucking hands off me...

BILL
It's OK... It's OK !

CASEY
It doesn't make sense to me...

BILL
 Many times, Clark... More than thirty... It's all I can tell
you...

CASEY
It wasn't a thief, I can tell you that right now.

CLARK
I agree.

CASEY
He is still very nervous.
I mean, why stab a guy thirty times ?... Bob !... He'd piss in
his pants if you showed him a knife, you know that...

SONDRA
She is crying.
What are you saying ?

CASEY
I'm saying, Sondra, that you really, really have to hate a
person to stab him that many times. You're a shrink,
right ? You know what kind of power people hand over a
shrink. Or maybe sometimes, they hand even more than they
want to.

CLARK
That is absolutely correct... A thief would not stick around
and stab someone thirty times.

BUCK
He sits down.
Since when did you become such an expert on robbery ?

SONDRA
It's not the robbery he's an expert on, it's the rage.

RICHIE
He has seated himself behind Sondra and puts his hand on her
shoulder.
What... what are we gonna do now ? I mean u...us, th...the
group ?

CASEY
I bet Doctor Capa has an idea...

BUCK
What does he mean ?

Casey hits his forehead. Buck is almost crying.

BILL
He sits down.
I think Casey is suggesting that I... may have some plans to
replace Bob...
Casey sits down.

SONDRA
Maybe you should.

BILL
No... I can't do that... Not right now...

SONDRA
 Why ?...

BILL
One reason is that I am more screwed up than you people
are.

CASEY
I was just being obnoxious, and loud before. Anybody has a
fucking Xanax ?

SONDRA
I have a librium...

BUCK
Stop with the drugs.

CASEY
It would be a good idea if you stayed.

BUCK
Bob isn't cold yet ?

CASEY
I mean, there'll be some connections. Right ?...

SONDRA
She gets up and sits down in front of Bill. She takes the cushion
which was on the armchair and hugs it.
You were Bob's best friend... You... you seem kind of like him...
I'll be so much easier to trust you.

BILL
During the following reply, Richie comes and sits behind Sondra.
I know what kind of force a group can become in your life...
You tell things here... intimate things that... you wouldn't
tell your best friend. I'm very flattered that you would...
He stops. He seems ready to cry.
But the truth is : You are the people that make this work.
I would be more than happy to try to find someone for you
to continue this, but I cannot help you.

CLARK
If my opinion counts for anything, I would like to ask :
why it is you feel so inadequate for the task.

Buck comes and sits next to Clark.

BUCK
Maybe he just don't like us.

BILL
No, that's not it, Buck.

BUCK
Why don't you step on something?

CLARK
You stop.

BILL
Six weeks ago, I spoke harshly to a patient. And she
committed suicide... Right in front of me.
Clark puts his handkerchief on his lips.
 Perhaps she would have done this, anyway. That's what my
colleagues say... But I don't know...

SONDRA
Oh, I'm sorry.

BILL
He is crying with big tears.
And my patient... Her name was Michelle... She jumped out... of a
window in my office... Ohh... So much blood... And so red... And in
right time, before my eyes... the red just disappeared... it's
turned to grey... So I don't see... red now... Then I failed... so
I can't help you... I don't think that you want someone like
me around right now...

Clark wipes his face again with his handkerchief. He seems to be

extremely moved.

BUCK
I think I do.

RICHIE
M... me too.

CASEY
Why don't you give us a try for a month.

CLARK
Listen, if you need anything, any free legal advice, to
help you wrap up Bob's affair, please don't hesitate to
call me. I'm not with anyone right now. I'll be more than
happy to help you in anyway.
Clark gives his business card to Bill, who takes it. Then he gives
him a kleenex. Bill wipes his eyes.

BILL
Thank you.

We see, through the window, light-beams crossing in the sky.

THE WHISKY BAR - EXTERIOR NIGHT

Usual atmosphere of a well-known bar. At a short distance from the

entrance of the bar, a truck with two floodlights, the beams of
which are sweeping the sky. Those beams make the connection with
the preceding scene.

THE WHISKY BAR - INTERIOR NIGHT

Quick shot on the very noisy orchestra. A long hair bearded guy is
playing the drums, a girl is playing the guitar. Bill, dressed
exactly like in the preceding scene, is looking for someone.
Eventually he founds him, Hector, who is already seated. Bill sits
down at Hector's table. Hector is wearing an open dark pink shirt.
HECTOR
You bring me a confession ?

BILL
No.

HECTOR
Well, you win some, you lose some, right Capa ?
 BILL
Listen, maybe it was not one of the group

HECTOR
Oh no... he's beginning to like them already. Your friend Bob
Moore deserves a lot more loyalty than this.

BILL
Hey... Why... Why are we staying here shouting at each other
for ? What's this place ?

HECTOR
I used to work in narcotics. They used to come here a lot.
I probably fucked and, or arrested half of these people's
parents. It's a nice place. I like it.

BILL
Makes sense. Look, I'm sorry I haven't got anything for
you. I'll see you around.

Bill gets up and leaves the bar. Hector gets up behind him and
follows him. They meet back in the street.

THE WHISKY BAR - EXTERIOR NIGHT

HECTOR
So, that's it, hey ?
BILL
Yeah.

HECTOR
Anything you want to tell me ?...

They put back their jackets.

BILL
NO

VOICE OF THE CAR VALET

Yeah, it's a four-door, man !

Hector and Bill are walking slowly in front of the bar.

HECTOR
So you better shut the group down.

BILL
Who say I hadn't ?
HECTOR
Oh, have you or haven't you ?

BILL
They ask me to take over the group. I couldn't say no.

HECTOR
Ha ! Ha !... I figured... You're gonna do real well in this
town. Shut the fucker down.

BILL
Stop. You sent me over there.

HECTOR
No, I send you there to convey a piece of bad news...
A pedestrian bumps into Hector.
Will you give me a break, will you, man !...
Hector lays the man on the hood of a car and frisks him.
I didn't send you there to go trolling for business.

BILL
Come on !

Hector lets the man go and starts walking again with Bill near the
bar.

HECTOR
You told me you couldn't handle it.

BILL
Well, it turns out that I handle it now.

HECTOR
You stick you dick in a barrel full of barracudas once.
Maybe you won't lose it. You leave it in there, it's gonna
get shewed up at the root.

They stop walking.

BILL
I appreciate your concern for my dick, Hector, thank you.

HECTOR
I am being really nice, full of concern for your safety, in
case it's one of them, hey ? Shut it down, OK ?...

BILL
No... I can't do that.

HECTOR
He yells.
Shut it down, chingada ! Don't be an asshole. You'll find
another set of wombats to exploit !

BILL
These sudden irrational outbursts, Hector... Did they begin
in childhood or in puberty?

HECTOR
Get out of my face.
BILL
Am I in your face ? What an interesting choice of words !
Would you like me in your face ? You're married, Hector ?...
If you wanna deal with any of these problems, I'll give you
special rates.

Bill has moved slightly away from Hector and turns his back to
him.

HECTOR
Special rates ?... Ha ! ha !... What, like frequent flyer
miles ?...
Hector mime something (or someone) crashing on the ground. Then he
walks around his car.
Let me ask you something. Are you really color-blind, or is
that some shit you feed them with so they feel sorry for
you ?

BILL
 No, unfortunately I am color... Did you bug the office ?

HECTOR
Hey, for a shrink, you're pretty fucking dense.

Hector gets in his car, while the valet is holding the door for
him. He closes the door and the car moves away, leaving a pensive
Bill on the sidewalk.

BOB'S RESIDENCE - EXTERIOR NIGHT

Bill comes to the keyhole shaped door. We can see his car parked
behind him. He dial a code on a keyboard and the gate opens behind
the door. He looks cautiously around him before walking further.
He presses a switch to close the gate.

BOB'S RESIDENCE - INTERIOR NIGHT

Bill enters the house. It is very dark. He opens a glass door and
walks slowly, while the door closes behind him. He hesitates a
moment, then walk more decidedly... and falls heavily on the floor !
He stands back up with some difficulty, and discovers that the
whole floor is flooded.

BOB'S RESIDENCE - KITCHEN - INTERIOR DAY

Bill enters the kitchen without switching the light on. He takes a
big butcher's knife in a stand on the table, and looks in the
corridor.

BOB'S RESIDENCE - CORRIDOR - INTERIOR NIGHT

Bill wades in the flooded corridor. He seems worried and we see

the knife blade shining. He enters the bathroom, the door of which
is wide open, and opens the shower stall. A rush of water runs out
of it. An alarm starts sounding. He goes back into the corridor
and turns off the garden hose faucet.

BOB'S RESIDENCE - GARDEN - EXTERIOR NIGHT

The alarm has stopped sounding. Bill is wearing short pants and he
is emptying a bucket of water on the lawn. Then he spreads a wet
cloth on the back of a seat. Several other wet clothes are already
drying.

ROSE
Hello !

BILL
Who's there ?

We see Rose entering through the keyhole-shaped door.

ROSE
Hi !... Remember me ?... Fender-bender !...

BILL
There she is, a little angel, dancing on the head of a pin.

Rose gets down the few steps to the garden. She is wearing a light
flowered summer dress.

ROSE
So... did you get that estimate ?
 BILL
No.

ROSE
Waow !... Nice place you got here. It's a little cold... but
it's kind of tasteful, right ?

BILL
And wet !

ROSE
You too, I guess.
BILL
Cold or tasteful ?

ROSE
So... Are we eating in here, or you take me out ?...

Bill bursts laughing.

BIG HOTEL - MAIN HALL - INTERIOR NIGHT

We still hear Bill's laugh slowly fading out. We are looking above
the main hall of a big luxurious hotel. Two attendants are pushing
a baggage cart. We move with them to the restaurant room. Bill and
Rose are seated at a table.

ROSE
You can't ? ... At all ?... Waow !...

BIG HOTEL - RESTAURANT - INTERIOR NIGHT

Close-up on Rose putting lipstick on.

ROSE
Not even a shade of pink ?... Can't tell me if it's smeared
or not ?

BILL
I can't tell you if your eyes are bloodshed.

ROSE
Really !... That's sad !... You know what ?... In respect for
your infirmity, I'm gonna give up wearing lipstick.
Close-up on Rose putting her lipstick in her glass of water.
There is something about me that I bet you find a little
strange. Right ?

In several shots during this dialogue, we see Bill seated in front

of a mirror wall and Rose's reflection in the mirror behind Bill's
back.

BILL
What is that ?

ROSE
Well, I haven't asked you what you do.

BILL
That's right. You showed a remarkable restraint.

ROSE
Well, it's because I'd rather guess. You know, I actually
get upset if someone tries to tell me before I can... figure
 it out for myself, you know ?

BILL
But what if I am ashamed of what I do.

ROSE
Why... Why should you be ashamed of being a shrink.
BILL
Who told you I was a shrink ?

ROSE
Well... Are you ?

BILL
How did you know ?

ROSE
The way you looked at me, you know ?

BILL
How I look at you ?

ROSE
You... you have this kindness in your eyes. But I think
you're using it to keep me away. You know, you're trying to
play safe. You're trying to think of a case instead of
thinking of a female.

BILL
So, you have a tuning fork too.

ROSE
I guess we have a lot in common.

BILL
We seem to be playing the same game.

ROSE
Why do you say I'm playing a game?

BILL
Because you're the fantasy girl, aren't you? Quicksilver?
The face glimpsed across a crowded room?

ROSE
Yeah, that's... That's exactly what I am.

BILL
You'll be whatever they want you to be... no substance, no
rules. Light as air. So your feet never have to touch those
burning hot coals the rest of us walk around on.

ROSE
Yeah. Sort of like... not seeing red?

BILL
Yeah, sort of like that.

BIG HOTEL - MAIN HALL - INTERIOR NIGHT

The main hall seen from above. Bill is crossing the hall with Rose
holding his arm.
 ROSE
I was afraid during dinner that you had taken a room
here... and I might have to decide whether or not to go up
with you.
BIG HOTEL - HOTEL MAIN ENTRANCE - EXTERIOR NIGHT

Rose and Bill are leaving the hotel.

BILL
Yes, but that was part of my plan. I mean, I wanted to.
Bill gives a ticket to the car valet.
Thank you.

ROSE
Oh, I need a taxi. Taxi !

BILL
No, hey, hey. Wait, wait, wait. What are you being so tough
for ?

ROSE
I'm just beginning to think that maybe I'Il...

Rose kisses Bill very tenderly, and even with some spirit. While
kissing, Bill moves Rose to a more discreet place near the
entrance. He strokes her shoulder and gets the strap of her dress
a bit down. Then he moves up the bottom of her dress to stroke her
thigh.

VOICE OF THE VALET

(voice over)
Cab's here ! Yo, who called a taxi ?

BILL
I am thinking you should just let me take you home and
forget about this stupid taxi.

ROSE
Rose walks to her waiting cab.
Well, I'm thinkin' you should stay exactly where you are,
'cause...
She smiles and looks at Bill's crotch.
In that condition, you'd get arrested. Start another riot.

BILL
Give me your phone number and address.

ROSE
Why? You want to make me fall to earth and burn my feet ?
Whatever happened to quicksilver and light as air?
She opens the cab's door and climbs inside. She waves to Bill.

BILL
She floats away on her sweet young legs. Waves to him once.
Drives away without a backward glance.

Rose closes the door and the cabs moves away.

BOB'S OFFICE - BUILDING - EXTERIOR DAY

The first sentence of the following dialogue is heard voice-over

on a wide shot of the modern glass building where Bob's office is
located.
BOB'S OFFICE - WORKROOM - INTERIOR DAY

Bill sits behind the desk. In front of the desk, already seated,
Dale, Richie's brother. He is wearing an open khaki shirt. Bill
wipes his glasses and puts them on. He is wearing an open light-
blue shirt.

DALE
Richie is what he is.

BILL
What exactly is that?

DALE
He was born back of a van going up Route 5 to a Grateful
Dead concert. The first sound he ever heard was "Beat It On
Down The Line."

They both laugh.

BILL
Well, it could be worse.

DALE
Not much.

BILL
How long have you been his guardian?

DALE
Since he was nine or ten. But I've always taken care of
Richie.

BILL
So, what can I do for you ?

DALE
Um, I was hoping you would help me... get Richie out of
therapy. Look, I know I'm just his brother, but I've been
like a mother and a father to him...
Bill takes his glasses off.
and I know I can get overprotective, but...

BILL
Why would you want to take Richie out of therapy now ?

DALE
What Richie needs is normalcy.

BILL
Well, normalcy...
Bill gets up and keeps on talking while walking in the room.
Normalcy can be interpreted in a lot of different ways.

DALE
Richie has practically been raised by the state...
Bill sits back.
... the social workers, psychiatrists... forcing him into
this, um, psycho-servitude. He is the sweetest kid you'll
ever meet, but he thinks of himself as handicapped. It just
isn't right.

BILL
 Well, he's got legal problems. Richie was sentenced by the
court to mandatory treatment.

DALE
Every kid gets into trouble. And that's why I need you to
help get him out.

BILL
You know, Dale, it's hard to tell when someone's feeling
pain... but I want you to know...

DALE
If Richie feels pain... then I feel pain. Pretty much in
tune with him. I just wish you'd give us a chance.

BILL
Let me check out Richie's status. Then, uh, I'll give
probation a call.
Bill gets up.

DALE
Oh, thanks. Thanks, Dr. Capa.
Dale gets up and shakes Bill's hand.
I really appreciate it.

BILL
You're welcome, Dale. You either lift weights or work with
your hands.

DALE
Yeah, uh, I make furniture.

BILL
Really.
Bill sits back, but not Dale.

DALE
Yeah, I made this desk for Bob, to remind him of New York.

BILL
No kidding.

DALE
We called it the Chrysler desk.

BILL
Chrysler.

DALE
You ever see his bed ?

CASEY'S LOFT - INTERIOR DAY

Tracking shot starting on a large painting showing a naked woman

tied with ribbons. We hear the phone ringing. The answering
machine gets on while the tracking shot moves to a painting
showing another woman naked but for very small leather panties.
She is hung upside down with chains and ropes.

CASEY'S VOICE ON THE ANSWERING MACHINE

Hi. This is Casey.
I can't get to the phone right now, so, uh, leave a
message. Thanks.
A beep ends the message. The tracking shot moves on to a
motorcycle, looking old, then to another painting showing a
redhead woman wearing a bustier, a garter belt and hoses, all red.
She is standing on hands and knees and she is wrapped with chains.
We hear Bill's voice leaving a message on the answering machine.

BILL'S VOICE ON THE ANSWERING MACHINE

Casey, this is Bill Capa. It's around noon. Your father
sent me a check for the private sessions you were having
with Bob. Should I send the check back or do you want to
continue ? Let me know, okay ?

A click ends the message. During Bill's message, the tracking shot
moves to a giant plastic statue, with Walt Disney's Pluto's head
on a human male body. Then the tracking shot moves more quickly to
another painting showing a redhead woman wearing a close-fitting
sexy black overall. Then a close shot on a painting of a woman
wearing a harness with spikes. Further away we see another
painting showing a redhead woman being whipped. At the end of
Bill's message, the tracking shots ends on Casey lying supine on a
weightlifting bench. His writs are tied to the vertical bars where
a dumbbell is resting.

CASEY
I think I want to continue.
We hear the crack of a whip. Since the shot is showing only
Casey's head and chest, we don't see who is whipping him.
You bitch !
Another whip crack.
I called you a bitch !
Whip crack.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
Whip crack. The tracking shot starts moving backwards, but with a
larger angle.
Oh!
Whip crack. Casey's voice is softer. Medium long shot on the room.
Oh! I'm sorry.
Almost hysterical laugh.

ROAD IN FRONT OF BOB'S RESIDENCE - EXTERIOR DAY

We see Bill, bare chest, wearing sneakers short pants and cap,
running toward us. His T-shirt is hanging at his side, partly
stuck in the elastic band of his shorts. Bill stops running when
he reaches the mailbox, hesitates one moment, comes two steps back
and opens the box. Close-up on the box, inside of which a coiled
rattlesnake whips a menacing forked tongue. The snake rattles,
then the front half of the snake jumps out of the box, with its
mouth wide open. Bill falls on the road, where he remains seated
without moving. The snake, with the back half of his body still in
the box, doesn't seem to know what it must do next.
A car arrives at a high rate of speed. Since a pick-up is parked
on the other side of the road, the car must zigzag and it barely
avoid driving on Bill.

BILL
Yelling to the driver.
Hey !

The car honks. We get a close-up of the driver when the car comes
very close to Bill.
 THE DRIVER
You idiot !

Bill looks at the departing car and notices a city worker blowing
dead leaves on the bank of the road.

BILL
He yells to the city worker, but, with the loud noise of his power
blower, the man does not hears him and remains concentrated on his
work.
Hey ! Hey !... Help !... Shit !
Bill crawls back a little, then he eventually stands up. He
crosses the road, and takes a big shovel in the pick-up truck.
Fuck !
He crosses the road back. The snake is back in the mailbox.
Hello !
Bill hits the box very hard with the shovel. Snake and mail fall
on the road. Bill laughs and throws the shovel on the side of the
road.
I am not goin' back to New York, you hear me ? You're stuck
with me !
Bill stoops to pick up the letters scattered on the road. He looks
at the envelopes.
Fuckin' bill. Great.

We see the snake disappearing through the grass on the side of the
road. Bill, with his back to the road, is getting ready to enter
the house. A car stops and honks. Bill turns around to face
Hector.

HECTOR
Capa !

BILL
He comes back to the car. He looks very angry.
Oh, that's perfect ! That's really perfect ! Just like a
cop ! You're never there when you need one !

HECTOR
What did I do now ?

BILL
Somebody put a rattlesnake in the mailbox, Hector !

HECTOR
(he laughs).
A rattlesnake !

BOB'S RESIDENCE - KITCHEN - INTERIOR DAY

Bill is washing his arms in the sink.

HECTOR
You scared the shit out of me outside.

BILL
Oh, I scared you, huh ? What the hell are you doing here ?

HECTOR
I could use some assistance, some of your professional
wisdom.

BILL
I'm really flattered.
 HECTOR
Everyone in the group has an alibi. Except for Casey. He
says he was alone in his loft.

BILL
Yeah ?
HECTOR
Mm-hmm.

BILL
What does that mean ?
He dries his arms with a dishcloth.

HECTOR
What do you make of Casey?

BILL
He's a good kid.

HECTOR
You're an asshole, Capa.

Bill turns the water off, throws the dishcloth on the sink. Hector
walks in the room while wiping his hands with another dishcloth.

BILL
Should we analyze that statement, Hector ?

HECTOR
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Come on. Who is our man ?
Help me.

BILL
You're the cop. Figure it out.

He gets out of the kitchen, followed by Hector.

BOB'S RESIDENCE - CORRIDOR - INTERIOR DAY

HECTOR
You know what I think ? I think it was you. You've got the
look.

BILL
That's right.

HECTOR
Yeah, I been talking to people who knew you both. Everyone
says there was a weird competitive thing going between you.

They have come to the hall where the security TV screens are
located. They stop walking.

BILL
Yeah, that's right. There was. I admit it. He was on the
way up... and I was on the way down.

HECTOR
Including...
He whistles, miming, with both hands, something crashing down.
Splat ! It unhinged you.
 BILL
I bet you've seen every episode of Columbo, huh?
Sound of a buzz. The two men look at the security screen.
Who is it?
Bill taps on the remote control, and Rose appears on the screen.

ROSE
Hi. It's me, Rose. The old fender bender.

Bill taps again on the remote control to open the gate, and Rose
leaves the TV screen.

HECTOR
That's a very young girl to be going around... fending
benders.

Bill puts the remote control down and follows Hector to the main
gate.

BOB'S RESIDENCE - GARDEN - EXTERIOR DAY

Hector is walking to the exit. As he reaches the bottom of the

steps, Rose is going down. Bill, standing behind a low wall, looks
at her coming.

BILL
Here she comes. Weightless, hanging from the sky... wearing
a short dress of indeterminate color.

ROSE
It's red, poor thing.

BILL
Thank you.

They kiss. Rose takes his hand.

ROSE
I was thinking. Maybe I should see a shrink.

BILL
I can recommend someone.

ROSE
I feel better already.

Close-up on their kissing.

BILL
God, I missed you.

They are now at the edge of the pool.

ROSE
This time you won't miss.

They fall fully dressed in the pool.

Underwater shot. They keep on kissing in the water. Bill takes
her dress off. She wears nothing underneath. We can see a rose
tattooed on her buttock. She slips Bill's short down to his
ankles. We get a brief view of Bill's penis.
Above water shot. They are now in the water up to their waists.
Bill is kissing Rose's breasts.
 Underwater shot. They are back underwater. Bill is kissing Rose's
legs, and moves slowly up to her crotch. She has trimmed pubic
hair, but with some left. Still kissing, Bill moves up along her
stomach and reaches hers breasts, which he kisses greedily.
Above water shot. Bill is leaning his back against the edge of
the pool. Rose is lying on him. They are still in the water up to
their waists.
Underwater shot. Rose is kissing Bill's chest et goes slowly down
his stomach, then along one of his legs. We get another brief view
of Bill's penis. We notice that it is not erected (certainly to
avoid being X-rated).

BOB'S RESIDENCE - BEDROOM - INTERIOR DAY

Multiple shots of Bill and Rose making love, seen through the
«piece of art». Then tracking shot on the two bodies fondling each
other.
Shot on the bedroom window, and two hand-glider in the
californian sky.
Back to the lovers couple. They are sweating profusely. Their
position and their movements suggest, without actually showing it,
that Bill is inside Rose. Bill turns Rose around to put her lying
on her stomach. Rose holds the two sculpted bed posts very
tightly. It is suggested that Bill could be sodomizing her.
They both moan. The moaning increases with a suggestion of an
orgasm.

ROSE
Still holding the bedposts. She speaks with a breathless voice.
I want you to get dressed up... Get dressed up... All right ?
She turns around to face him.
I want to get dressed up.

BILL
Right now ?

ROSE
Uh-huh.
BOB'S RESIDENCE - DINING-ROOM - INTERIOR NIGHT

Through the window, we notice that the night has fallen. Bill,
seated behind the table, is wearing brown suit and necktie, very
elegant. On the table, wine and water glasses and two chandeliers,
with a lighted candle. In front of Bill, a plate with food. Rose
enters the field, carrying another plate, which she sets on the
other side of the table.
In the plate, a piece of grilled beef, noodles et vegetables.
Rose sits behind her plate. As the table is made of glass, we see
that Rose is naked.

ROSE
You're not eating. Don't you like my food?

BILL
I'd like your food five inches to the left.

ROSE
Okay.
Rose moves the plate to her left, showing her naked body though
the glass table.
But if you don't like this... I have something else for
you.
S(he laughs).
 BILL
Yeah, okay.

ROSE
I think it's ready.

She stands up laughing. Fade out on the next scene.

BOB'S RESIDENCE - BATHROOM - INTERIOR NIGHT

Long scene on the couple making love standing under the shower.
Fade out on the next scene.

BOB'S RESIDENCE - BEDROOM - INTERIOR DAY

Bill wakes up, naked, and alone in the bed. One of his hand is
cuffed to one of the bedpost with a long strap. (he laughs).

ARCHIVES ROOM - INTERIOR DAY

An archives room, congested with shelves from floor to ceiling. On

these shelves, hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of files, stacked
not too cleanly. Bill is leaning on one of the shelves. The
archivist, a forty-year old lady, appears from behind another
shelf, apparently coming down some steps. Bill stands up.

THE ARCHIVIST
It's a miracle. I found it.
She starts walking between two rows of shelves. Bill follows her,
putting his glasses on.
Here he is. Richie Dexter. Legal guardian: Dale Dexter.
That's his brother. Kids were put under care, let's see,
about six years ago.
BILL
He tries to read above her shoulder.
Does it say why?

THE ARCHIVIST
Abandonment, abuse. The children were assigned to a, uh...
She flips a page in the file.
Dr. Niedelmeyer in Pasadena. A child psychiatrist. Richie
was 12.
Bill tries to come back to the preceding page, but the archivist
looks angrily at him, silently meaning he is going a bit too far.
No foster parents. Looks like the doctor retired a couple
years after that. Then we lost track of the kids until
recently.

BILL
What do you mean, "lost track" of them?

THE ARCHIVIST
She closes the file, and keeps on walking between the rows of
shelves, followed by Bill.
Like on a radar : One minute a blip, the next, no blip.
Hey, look. This is the lost souls memorial wing. Children
of L.A. County of the '90s: 250 000 cases in here, and
there's two more down the hall.

SONDRA'S RESIDENCE - BEDROOM - INTERIOR DAY

The room is decorated in quite a luxurious way, but with a lot of

good taste. Paintings on the walls. Bed covered with an
embroidered bedspread, and many cushions. At the foot end of the
bed, a small upholstered bench.
Two women enter the room, laughing and carrying many parcels,
which they throw on the bed.

BONNIE
Nobody's like your ex-husband!

SONDRA
That's for sure. That's for sure.
Bonnie takes one of the parcel, a large white box.
Okay, okay, okay.

BONNIE
She takes a white dress out of the box. For the first time, we see
a close-up of her face, and we discover she is Rose, different
hairdo, a lot of almost vulgar make-up, but still, she is Rose.
Here it is. Oh, Sondra, it is so beautiful. Isn't it
great ?

SONDRA
I know. It's incredible. Look at all these bags.

ROSE
She shamelessly takes off the dress, and, as she wears no bra, she
stands naked, save for her panties, in front of Sondra.
Oh, the man that was staring at you in the shop... was so
funny.
S(he laughs). Sondra freezes watching the naked body of her friend.
I think I should have got it in green or something.

ROSE
Oh ! Oh ! Lush !
She has put the white dress on.
What do you think?

SONDRA
She seems very moved.
I think... you look beautiful.

ROSE
You sure ?

SONDRA
Oh, yeah.

ROSE
Come zip me up.

SONDRA
Okay. Okay.
She gets up from the bed to zip up Rose's dress.
Oh, this is so tight.

ROSE
Thank you.

SONDRA
I need to find a new husband.
They both laugh. Sondra goes back sitting on the bed and looking
through the parcels.
I need some more money.
 ROSE
Oh, men. Who needs them ? Have you seen my earrings
anywhere ?

SONDRA
She waves the earrings in front of Rose's face.
Yes, I've got them.

ROSE
Oh, sweet !
Rose takes off the large rings she is wearing to replace them by
the earrings Sondra just gave her. She sighs.
Oh, my God. I love these. Aren't they pretty ?

SONDRA
They're so gorgeous, yes.

ROSE
Try yours on.

SONDRA
Sondra doesn't move, feeling very embarrassed by the idea of
undressing in front of her friend.
Okay.
She eventually gets up, an starts taking off the belt from her
suit. Rose is putting her jacket on. A long silence : Sondra looks
more and more embarrassed. She snickers stupidly. Rose looks at
her without really understanding what's going on.

ROSE
What now ? Sondra, what ?

SONDRA
She sits back on the bed.
I feel embarrassed.

ROSE
Why?

SONDRA
'Cause... the way you're looking at me.

ROSE
Sondra... Do men look at you like that ?

SONDRA
No... Yes... But it's different.
ROSE
She bends to her.
You know, Sondra... it doesn't have to be any different at
all.
The phone rings. Rose starts laughing.
You better get that.

SONDRA
She takes the phone.
Hello. Oh, h-hi. Um... Oh...
She seems embarrassed. Rose is making funny faces.
Um, mmm, okay.
She stammers a little.
N... My trainer's coming at 2:30, but that's... Yeah. You
are? Okay !...
She goes to the window and moves the curtain aside. We see Bob's
car in the street.
Um, oh, there you are ! Okay, okay. I'll see you in a
minute !

STREET IN FRONT OF SONDRA'S RESIDENCE -- BOB'S CAR - EXTERIOR DAY

Bill drives and holds his car phone on his ear.

SONDRA'S VOICE
Bye.
Bill hangs up his car phone.

SONDRA'S RESIDENCE - BEDROOM - INTERIOR DAY

ROSE
She is looking at herself in the full-length mirror.
Who's that?

SONDRA
That's my analyst ! He's coming to visit me.

ROSE
When she hears Sondra's last reply, Rose's carefree face becomes
very anxious.
He what?

SONDRA
Oh, my God. He's coming over.

ROSE
Sondra, thanks. Oh, thanks a lot !

SONDRA
What's the matter ? What ?

ROSE
Nothing !
She starts gathering her belongings.
If you don't know, I thought we were just going to have a
nice afternoon together... maybe have dinner.

SONDRA
She puts the telephone back on its stand and takes Rose's arm.
Well, we can. Oh, don't worry. Don't be upset. You can stay
here. Really.

ROSE
She closes her purse and puts it over her shoulder.
You just don't understand, do you?

SONDRA
I don't.

ROSE
Nobody appreciates you the way that I do. People just use
you, and you don't even see it.

SONDRA
Oh, don't be upset.
She turns to Rose to look at her face.

ROSE
Rose kisses Sondra tenderly on the lips.
That's more like it. Ciao.

She leaves the room. Sondra seems very disturbed by the kiss. She
puts her hands on her chest.

SONDRA
Oh, my God.

SONDRA'S RESIDENCE - HALL AND SITTING-ROOM - INTERIOR DAY

Rose gets quickly down the stairs. Chimes. Rose gets large
sunglasses out of her purse and adjust them on her nose before
opening the front door.
She opens the door to face Bill whom she almost jostle to get
outside as fast as possible. Through a low window, we see her
going down the stairs to the street.
Larger shot. We discover the sitting-room next to the hall. Good
taste expensive furniture, nice paintings, concert piano.
Sondra gets down the stairs. Bill, who was looking around him,
turns to her.

BILL
Hi, Sondra. Someone just let me in.

SONDRA
Hi.

BILL
I didn't just walk in on my own.

SONDRA
She closes the front door, which had remained open.
Oh... no. That was my, um... That was my girlfriend,
Bonnie. Yeah.

BILL
Bonnie. Yes.

SONDRA
Please, come in.
BILL
Thank you very much. Thank you.
He enters the sitting-room, followed by Sondra.
This is a really lovely place you have here. Yeah.
He sits on a cushions-covered sofa.

SONDRA
You think so? Thank you.
She sits on a small sofa without back.

BILL
A lot of nice, nice things. A lot of nice art.

SONDRA
She simpers a little.
What did you come here for?

BILL
Well, I feel like I have so much... so much catching up to
do with all of you. And I know that you're very close with
Richie. And I was wondering if you could tell me anything
that might help me... understand him a little better.
 SONDRA
Richie's... my little baby.

BILL
His brother Dale thinks that your "little baby"... should
be taken out of therapy.

SONDRA
That's insane!

BILL
He gets up.
I think it's a mistake too.
He goes to the window and looks at the children playing in a park.
SONDRA
That Dale is a dangerous bastard.

BILL
But he obviously seems to care for Richie a great deal.
There's a big gap in Richie's life up until about a year
ago. Did he ever mention a Dr. Niedelmeyer to you ?

SONDRA
I don't have much to tell. Richie's okay. He's sweet. Did
you know that he was... molested as a child ?
She has tears in her eyes.

BILL
No, I didn't know that.
He comes back to her.
It's sticking out all over.
He sits on the bench of the piano.

SONDRA
It's fashionable.
S(he laughs) nervously.
I mean, it pays well. At least, you know, you can write a
book, go on Oprah.

BILL
That was quite a show he gave us in group. You think Richie
has a violent streak ?

SONDRA
She sighs.
Oh. Let's cut to the chase. Richie did not kill Bob Moore.
You know... it's really swell. Snooping around here...
She gets up.
... sniffing for blood on other people's hands... while
pretending to help your patients ?

BILL
You really think that I don't care about Richie ?

SONDRA
She gets upset.
Richie wouldn't hurt a fly ! Why don't you take a look at
someone dangerous. Why don't you take a look at someone who
could do it ! Why don't you take a look at Clark !

BILL
Clark ?
 SONDRA
She gets more and more upset.
Clark ! Clark ! Clark is a sneaky, lying, button-down son
of a bitch... who pretends to be this gentle creature ! I
heard him screaming one night at Bob. It made the hairs on
my neck stand up ! Anyway... I hope that they fry...
whoever did it, and it takes a really long time. And
then... And then a fuse blows. They have to start all over
again.
She sits back. Bill has been listening to her outburst without
reacting.
We hear the front door chimes, and Sondra's expression changes
immediately. Her angry face becomes suddenly softer.
She snickers and puts her tongue to her lips.
Wow ! That's my trainer.
She gets up and sniffs a bit.
I gotta go. I gotta get the door.
She goes to the front door and opens it to a very muscular young
man wearing a sleeveless T-shirt.
This is my trainer, Chris.

BILL
Hi.
Chris just nods his head.
Bye-bye.
Bill gets out. As soon as the door is closes, Sondra literally
jumps in Chris' arms, and starts giggling.

SONDRA
I don't feel like lifting weights today.

CHRIS
Okay.
SONDRA
Let's do something else.
She bursts laughing.
Through the low window, we see Bill going down the stairs to the
street. He stops for two seconds to look at the tender couple !

DALE'S WORKSHOP - PARKING - EXTERIOR DAY

Bob's car stops in front of a slightly dilapidated building, on a

desert parking lot. The building could be an old factory
reconverted by Dale into a workshop to make his furniture. A very
high chimney above the building.
Bill, dressed in jeans and light-colored shirt, gets out of the
car and walks toward the building. He passes a board that
indicates the location of the «office». He knocks at a door with a
window and a grating and a sign that says «beware of the dog». The
dog starts barking. Bill knocks again. He tries to look through
the door window. The dog keeps on barking.
Bill comes back the way he came toward the «office». He stops in
front of a window and bends to try to see something inside. He
knocks on the window. He turns around, and we catch a quick
glimpse of someone behind the window.
Bill comes back to the parking lot toward a pickup that two men
are unloading.

BILL
Hey! Is this Dale Dexter's shop here?

One of the men nods and shows the main door to Bill.
DALE'S WORKSHOP - INTERIOR DAY

Entrance of the workshop. The door opens and Bill appears. He

takes off his sunglasses, puts them in the pocket of his shirt and
gets in.
The workshop has a very high ceiling and looks a bit dilapidated.
On the roof of a small structure (perhaps the quoted «office»)
sits the impressive statue of a lion who gives the impression to
watch Bill.
Bill keeps on walking and passes a spray of burning sparks.
Someone must be using a blowtorch in the neighborhood.
Bill looks around him, looking a bit anxious. Several men are
working. He approaches one of them, wearing a sleeveless T-shirt,
and who is welding, with a protection mask covering his face.

BILL
Excuse me.

The man stands up and puts down the piece he was welding. He
raises his mask : It's Dale.

DALE
Hello. Did you go to the house?

BILL
Yeah. Nobody was home. I would have phoned a...
Dale shuts his blowtorch off.
I would have phone ahead, but, uh, I don't have your phone
number in our file.
DALE
He takes off his mask, then his protection gloves.
No problem. So, uh, did you make up your mind ?

BILL
After Dr. Niedelmeyer, did Richie get another
psychiatrist ?

DALE
No. No, we moved.
Dale goes around a huge, geometrically shaped, metallic structure.
Richie went to school. Everything was fine.

BILL
Well... that's the problem, Dale. I look at Richie, and I
don't see that everything is fine. I see a kid that's on
the brink.

DALE
He starts working on the metallic structure, but stops to look at
Bill.
A person, uh, gets a bullet in the head. Sometimes they
just leave it there 'cause... to fuck around in the brain
is gonna paralyze the person. That's Richie.

BILL
What's the bullet ?

DALE
Whatever it was, I got him away.
He has taken protection glasses to work.

BILL
 You want to talk about that ?

DALE
No. I want you to stop trying to tear off the scabs. Let
the demons rest. You dig around in Richie's head, he's
gonna blow up in your face.

BILL
You think he's violent ?

DALE
Not with me.

BILL
I think you're making a mistake, Dale. This is not the time
to take Richie out of therapy. If you don't like me, let's
get him someone else.

DALE
Jesus Christ. One of you is the same as another.

BILL
Yeah.

NIEDELMEYER'S RESIDENCE - GARDEN - EXTERIOR DAY

Bill gets out of his car. He is wearing light-colored pants, a
shirt, and a very elegant leather jacket. He walks up a few steps
toward the house.
He crosses the garden, then reaches the very impressive main door
of the house. Above the door, two similar faces are carved in the
stone. Probably Doctor Niedelmeyer's face.
A small panel opens in the door and Edith Niedelmeyer's face
appears.

BILL
Mrs. Niedelmeyer?

EDITH
Yes.

BILL
Hi, I'm Bill Capa. I'm a doctor. I tracked you down through
the Psychiatric Institute.

EDITH
How very enterprising of you.

She slams the panel shut. A few seconds, then she opens the door.

BILL
Actually, I was wondering if I could speak to Dr.
Niedelmeyer.

EDITH
My husband died last year. If it makes you feel better, he
suffered a lot. Well, anyway, it made me feel better.

BILL
I'm treating a young man that was a patient... of Dr.
Niedelmeyer's when he was a child. His name is Richie
Dexter.

EDITH
 Why don't you leave me alone ?

BILL
If I could just ask you a few questions.

EDITH
You get out of here before I call the police !
She angrily slams the door shut.

BILL
Just a few questions. Mrs. Niedelmeyer...

EDITH
(voice over) through the door.
Get out of here !

Bill sighs, then walks away from the door. The camera moves above
the door and ends up on a close-up of Niedelmeyer's carved face,
who seems to sneer at Bill.

BOB'S OFFICE - MEETING ROOM - INTERIOR NIGHT

Night is falling on L.A. Clark, in the foreground, is counting
books. Behind him, Richie, Buck and Casey are seated, Casey in his
favorite hand-shaped armchair. Sondra is standing up.

CLARK
Fifty-eight. Now, if I'm not mistaken... last week there
were 59 books on the shelf and this week there are only 58
books on the shelf somehow.

BUCK
Clark... what's the ashtray situation ?

Sondra sits down and Casey sits in another armchair.

CLARK
Three. Not four, as recommended. There are three chairs and
five assorted sofas.

BUCK
Who cares ?

BILL
He just came in and is standing by the window. He is wearing his
glasses, jeans, open shirt and a light grey jacket. He turns
around to speak to the group.
Okay, let's get started.

BUCK
Finishing a sentence the beginning of which was not
understandable.
... an emotional tar baby.

BILL
Today I'd like to focus on a most enlightening... and
challenging topic.

SONDRA
She is - a bit lasciviously - sprawled in her armchair.
Sex.

BILL
More or less. You see, the primary romantic relationship...
 in our life is often a symptom of our illness.
He has seated himself in the hand-shaped armchair.

CASEY
Glad I wore my rubber pants.
Buck snickers.

BILL
We keep making the same neurotic choices over and over
every time we choose a new mate. So... If you had a magic
wand... if you, uh, had a wish list... and could change
your partner... Sondra, how would you make them different ?
What's wrong ? What's missing ?

SONDRA
Now ?

BILL
You need a minute to think about it ?

CLARK
She's totally forgot her Rolodex.
Casey snickers.
Sorry, sorry.

SONDRA
Well, I don't have an attachment in my life right now. The
last one sort of went to pieces. If you enjoy sex... A man
thinks you're doing it with everybody.

BILL
He was jealous.
He gets ups, walks to a cupboard, opens its door and takes a cup.

SONDRA
That's right. And I was as good as gold.

BILL
Well, there's a good chance that he was the one that was
sleeping around... and projecting his fantasies and desires
onto you.

SONDRA
This guy had a major projection, and he couldn't keep it in
his pants.
The whole group laughs. Bill smiles while pouring himself a
coffee.

SONDRA
Anyway, I do have this girlfriend. She really makes me
laugh. A wish list. I wish... she was a guy.

BILL
He comes back with his cup in his hand.
Fair enough. Casey, what do you got for us?
CASEY
He is playing with a small statue of a monkey who looks at a
skull.. He waits a few seconds, and puts the statue down before
speaking.
Well... I met this girl about a month ago. I've painted
every inch of her in detail. She's the best model I've ever
seen. Completely uninhibited. Does whatever I ask no matter
how...
 BUCK
He smiles.
I'll bet she does.

CASEY
That's right, Buck. See, but this is where the problem
comes in. It's what you see beneath the skin... when you
study somebody endlessly, the way an artist does. I see a
transcendental beauty there... beyond anything I could
ever, ever imagine.

BILL
How does this woman feel about you?
CASEY
She thinks I'm the living end because I've got talent. But,
I mean, what's talent ? Kick a garbage can... starving
artists crawl out, right ? But there's only one, unique
her. And, uh, I think it's love, you know ? And, um... I
don't know what to do about that.
He is suddenly moved on the verge of tears.

BILL
Do you think she loves you ?

CASEY
No. No.

BILL
Do you care, Casey ?

CASEY
I don't know. I don't know.

BUCK
He's a romantic. He loves the suffering.

CASEY
Maybe being who I am... I have no choice.

BILL
Very good, Casey. That's good stuff.

SONDRA
I agree.

BILL
Buck, what do you got?

BUCK
He jumps.
Oh, nothing to talk about, not compared to that.

BILL
It's not a contest.

BUCK
He lights a cigarette.
Hey, Yard Sale, you want to share the ashtray ?
Casey puts his foot on the ashtray to prevent Buck from using it.
Thanks a lot.
He gets up.
Forget it. You want to share something, share the ashtray.
He sits on a small armchair by a glass table with an ashtray on
it.
I got something in my life, something new. You know, she's
young. Auburn hair, 5'5", 105. Pretty as hell. I see her on
weekends.
He picks up the ashtray and moves to sit in a more comfortable
armchair.
I don't think she'd sleep with a man unless she was married
to him.
BILL
He has taken his glasses off.
Anything else you'd like to tell us?

BUCK
She doesn't mind the gray, you know.
Bill smiles.
She's fragile... you know ? It's like she's running through
my fingers. Two people I loved died. I never thought that I
could feel anything.

BILL
Good, Buck. Richie. How 'bout you ?

RICHIE
He is playing with the statue of the monkey.
I don't have,really, relationships. I have m-my brother.

BILL
Okay. You want to talk about him?

RICHIE
H-He worries a-a lot about me. And he l-loves me. But l...
I wish he didn't... love me so m... so much sometimes. I
wish l-I had more of a l-life.
He puts the statue down and gets up.
And I know that everyone h-here thinks that I'm gay... but
I'm-I'm not. A-And I don't want to be.
Richie opens the cupboard, takes a can of Pepsi and opens it.

BILL
What would you like to be ?

RICHIE
I'd like t-to be a w-woman.

BILL
Have you seen a doctor ?
RICHIE
Yeah.

BUCK
So the next step is the chop.

BILL
He cuts him very curtly.
Thank you, Buck. Anything else you'd like to tell us,
Richie ?

RICHIE
Nope.

BILL
Very good. Hi, Clark. What would you change about your
 partner ?

CLARK
He is manicuring with his handkerchief.
Um, I think I'll pass... today.
SONDRA
Excuse me. You think you're gonna pass today ? Don't you
think that's kind of a betrayal to the rest of the group ?
I mean, we're all sitting here sharing our most intimate
thoughts... and you're just gonna pass today ?

CLARK
Well, Sondra, I have my little problems... but I don't s-
see how it's your business...

SONDRA
Your "little problems" ?

CLARK
To decide when I'm gonna share in group and not.

SONDRA
Ah, I see. You're smiling. Is that a smile ? You think this
is funny ?
She gets up from her armchair.
Look at you. Just look at you. Look at your hair.
Buck snickers.
Who do you think you are ? Huh ? You think you're God's
gift to women ? Let me tell you something. You are nothing.
Nothing but a shallow, rigid... self-protective, anal
coward ! And I'll tell you what your little fucking
problems are...

CLARK
He gets ups, looking angry.
Oh, shut up ! Shut up, shut up ! You promiscuous cunt ! And
if you must know, I do have somebody in my life ! Black,
emotional hole, unattractive me !
He walks nervously to the door. Sondra remains standing, looking a
bit embarrassed.

BUCK
He snickers.
You can say that again !

CLARK
He slams furiously the door.
Fuck you ! Fuck all of you !

CASEY
Is this what you call "treatment failure" ?
Buck snickers.

BILL
Well, it's not a total loss. He left without counting
everything.
He puts down the file he was holding in his hand.

CLARK'S RESIDENCE - STREET IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE - EXTERIOR DAY

A quiet little street, surrounded by houses an buildings of good

standing. Children in roller skates are playing hockey on the
pavement.
 CHILDREN
Come on !... Hey, right here !... Hit it !

Bob's car arrives in the street. The children moves away to let it
pass. While Bill is parking the car, we hear, in (voice over), the
beginning of the conversation between Bill and Clark. Bill is
wearing a light-colored shirt and beige pants.

CLARK
(voice over)
So pretty soon the relevant numbers weren't enough. I had
to know all the irrelevant numbers... like the numbers of
pages in each deposition.

CLARK'S RESIDENCE - SITTING ROOM - INTERIOR DAY

Walls are white, furniture modern, but with good taste. Everything
is meticulously clean and tidy. Bill sits in an armchair. Clark is
standing by the window.

BILL
So you were fired.

CLARK
He takes off his sunglasses and gets regular glasses from his
shirt pocket. He is wearing disposable gloves.
Yes. In effect. Obsessive-compulsive. Medical leave.
He puts his glasses on.
"Just please, please don't come back."
He sits down and sighs.
I do apologize for my outburst in group.

BILL
You're screwing Sondra... aren't you?

CLARK
He puts his sunglasses in his shirt pocket, gets back up and start
walking in the room.
I'm very fond of Sondra. More than that, perhaps. Sondra
is... A very warmhearted woman, but...
While talking, he sprays a liquid from a can on his plants.
Tissues. Panty hose. CDs put back in the rack without
cases. Frying pans with coagulating grease. Cotton balls.
Cotton balls. I mean, my God, the cotton balls that woman
used. Unspeakable items of underwear left hanging in the
shower. Chewed gum in the ashtrays. I made a list. There
were 22 items I couldn't take.

BILL
It must be difficult to find someone... to measure up to
your keen sense of order.

CLARK
I found someone. This woman thinks I'm messy. It's perfect.
She comes, she goes. I don't even know she's been except
for the faint smell of perfume.

BILL
Bill sneers.
Nice. And what does Sondra think of this woman ?
CLARK
Take a look at this.
He goes to a closet, from which he gets a paper bag. From the bags
he takes out a tattered piece of clothing.
Sondra tried to do this to my clothes... while I was
wearing them; butcher knife in hand, screaming. The next
day she came back, did this to my friend's dress. I'm
terrified to go near the woman.

FREEWAY, THEN ROAD - EXTERIOR DAY

Cars on the freeway. Among them Bob's car. The car phone is
ringing. Bill picks up the phone, while he keeps on driving. He is
wearing sunglasses.

BILL
Hello ?... Hello, this is Bill Capa.

THE VOICE IN THE PHONE

Giggly voice sounding like a child's voice.
Hey, puke-face. Look around. Can't you see me ? I'm in the
red car.
Bill looks around him on the freeway, and sees a red car on his
right.
You got doo-doo in your eyes... or caca on the brain, Dr.
Shithead Capa.
Strange sounding giggles.

BILL
Does your mommy know you escaped from the straightjacket?

THE VOICE IN THE PHONE

Suck my Tinkertoy, you faggot cretin... after you suck my
scalpel, Doctor.

Bill puts the phone down and speeds the car up to avoid the red
car which is still following him. The red car catches up with him
and bumps into him. Bill jumps up.

BILL
Goddamn it !

The red car bumps into him a second time, and looses part of its
radiator grill.
Third bumps. Bill is now out of the freeway and on a road
downtown.
The two vehicles are zigzagging between the others cars. Lot of
honking.
Without warning, Bill turns on a side street on his right, and
gets honked by the other cars. In spite of the very dangerous
driving of Bill among the other cars, the red car keeps on
following him.
To follow Bill, the red car must take a vey sharp left turn, and
bumps into a pickup truck full of kits and gears which fall on the
pavement.
The chase goes on. The red car is dented everywhere. It catches
up with Bill, overtakes him, and bumps violently into Bill's car
right side.
BILL
Fuck you !
The red car hits him on the right side twice in a row.
Fuck you!
Bill hits the red car on its left side and remains stuck to it.
They move together, and Bill tries to bring the red car as close
to the curb as possible.
Get the... You... Ohh! Get the fuck...
The red car is so close to the curb that it snatches away the open
door of a parked car, and then knocks down the shopping caddie of
a woman. Fortunately, the woman is able to move away, but all her
shopping items are scattered on the pavement. The two car bump
again into each other and arrive into a main road.
When the red car wants to hit Bill's car again, Bill stands on
the brake and the red car hits a big truck carrying cars. The
truck honks and start zigzagging in the traffic. The last car on
the upper bridge of the truck gets loose and falls on the road.
Bill barely avoids it. Another car gets loose from the truck and
causes a pile-up on the road.
Bill zigzag out of the pile-up, and comes to a crossing with a
railway. A train is approaching. The red car is still behind Bill.
Bill brakes suddenly just after he has crossed the railway, then
starts moving backwards. He hits the front of the red car, and
keeps on moving backwards until he brings the red car on the
railway itself. The train keeps on honking to move the cars away.
Hey! You wanna die ! Huh ? You wanna die ?
We see the driver of the train working madly on his brake, and
looking to the red car with terror in his eyes.
Just before the train reaches the crossing, Bill jumps his car
forward and the red car quickly moves backward.
Bill stops a few feet after the crossing to get his breath back.
We see the train moving behind him.

MEXICAN BAR - EXTERIOR NIGHT

A Mexican bar, where Hector is a regular. The first shot shows two
hands playing the harp. Then we get a larger shot and we see
Hector and Bill talking together. Bill is carrying his jacket on
his arm, and Hector is wearing his necktie very loose.
There is quite a crowd in the bar, some people dancing, others
drinking and some are seated to eat. Electric lines with colored
bulbs are hung in the trees. In the back, the orchestra keeps on
playing.

HECTOR
I told you to stay the fuck out of it... Hey !
He kisses a passing Mexican woman.
? Como esta? Gracias.

BILL
I almost killed somebody out there. I mean, I had that car
wedged right on the railroad tracks. Christ, man. It's a
spooky feeling.

HECTOR
Like mainlining adrenalin, huh ? The rush is really
something, huh ? See ? You're my kind of guy !
He takes him by the shoulders. They walk out of the field, and we
see kids hitting a puppet hanging from a tree with a bat. The
puppet is dressed in a cop's costume !
Hector and Bill come to the buffet table.

HECTOR
He gets a notebook from his pocket.
You want to hear what I found out about your famous Monday
group ?

BILL
Yeah, sure. Can stand a little more pain.
He takes a plate and starts helping himself at the buffet.
 HECTOR
He takes a tray and starts reading. A woman is serving him from
the buffet.
Well, Clark's wife divorced him... after he put her in
intensive care.

BILL
What'd she do ? Spill some wine on the rug ?

HECTOR
Then Sondra, she stabbed her father with a knife... and a
fork. She must have been having dinner. One of her husbands
died of unnatural causes.

BILL
Probably lost some body fluids.

HECTOR
And that, that kid Richie. That Richie's been busted for
drugs... and Casey hates his father so much... he set the
house on fire. So what do you think of that ?

BILL
I think it's good. They should learn to assert themselves.

A very bright light, coming from above, suddenly shines on the

bar. Hector and Bill raises their heads. We hear the engine of a
helicopter and a voice coming from a loudspeaker.

THE VOICE
Hey, the house is surrounded. Come out with your hands up
and your legs spread !

HECTOR
What the hell is this ?

We see the helicopter and its powerful floodlight.

THE VOICE
Happy birthday, Hector ! Hey, Martinez, come on out ! We
got something for you !

We get a better view of the helicopter. The word «police» is

written on its fuselage. Two uniformed cops are standing on the
right skid. One has a megaphone.

VOICES OF THE COPS

Martinez, happy birthday, man !... Happy birthday !
The crowd starts singing, accompanied by the Mexican orchestra.

THE CROWD
For he's a jolly good fellow ! For he's a jolly good
fellow ! Which nobody can deny ! Which nobody can deny !
Bill and Hector come in front of the crowd, and look up.
For he's a jolly good fellow ! For he's a jolly good... !
People yell and whistle.

One of the cops standing on the right skid is a woman. She gets
her pants down and shows her buttocks to the crowd. Another cop,
on the other skid, has another megaphone.
People scream when they see the female cop's buttocks.

BILL
 If I had known it was your birthday, I'd have come by
tomorrow.

HECTOR
Me too.

The helicopter flies away.

Large shot on the orchestra singing.

ORCHESTRA
Estas son las mananitas. Que cantaba el Rey David.

In a corner of the bar, Bill and Hector are eating quietly.

Thunder rumbles and the first drops of rain start falling. The two
men get up to find a shelter.

HECTOR
Oy. Oigan, ivengan a buscar el cake ! Better get your cake.
Ivengan a buscar el cake !

People stop dancing and run to find a shelter.

A MAN
Everybody inside !

BILL
How come you didn't mention Buck ?

HECTOR
There wasn't anything on him.

BUCK'S RESIDENCE - STREET IN FRONT OF HOUSE - EXTERIOR NIGHT

It's raining. Bill drives with lights on and roof closed. On the
side of the car, we can see the dents from the chase with the red
car. Bill stops in front of a big vehicle. He switches off the car
lights, gets out of the car, and pulls the collar of his jacket
up. He stops near a car parked in front of Buck's house. He goes
round the vehicle. There is a bullet hole in the windshield. Bill
touches the bullet hole. He then walks toward the house, and stops
in front of the open garage door. Inside is a red car. Bill enters
the garage to have a better look at the car. When he gets up after
inspecting the car, we see Buck standing behind him. Bill turns
around. Buck has a gun in his hand.
BUCK
You caught me at a bad time.

BILL
Can we get in out of the rain?

Slowly Buck starts walking toward the inside of the house. Bill
starts walking too in front of Buck. They enter the house.

BUCK'S RESIDENCE - SITTING ROOM - INTERIOR NIGHT

They get inside the house, which is lit only by the street lights
and a unique lamp above the desk.
Typical bachelor's place. Very messy. The furniture is simple and
practical.
We hear the storm rumbling in the distance.

BUCK
Have a seat.
Buck gets into the bathroom, the door of which is wide open, and
grabs a towel. He dries himself and throw the towel to Bill. Bill
sits down. Buck sits down on an armchair covered with a tartan
rug. Bill dries his face. He looks at the gun, still in Buck's
hand.

BILL
I don't like guns.

Buck shoves angrily the gun between the armrest and the cushion of
his seat. He lies back in his armchair which rocks a little. Bill
takes his jacket off.
A lightning floods the room with a very bright light. Buck puts
his hands on his face. He moans.

BUCK
Oh, shit !

BILL
Was it raining like this that night ?

BUCK
Yeah. We were drivin'... me, my wife, my daughter. This guy
comes out wavin', "Stop!" So I slow down. My wife said,
"No, not here, Buck. It's a bad neighborhood. Besides, the
baby's asleep in the back." And I said, "Bad neighborhood,
nothing." So I stopped. Never even made it to the other
car. I could hear the shots being fired, but my eyes
wouldn't open. L...
Another lightning. Buck puts his hands on his head.
Oh, man ! The rain brought me around. This heavy, heavy
rain. And I'm on the sidewalk, and I crawl over... and pull
my way up and... There are two lateral shots... to the head
for my wife... and a single shot through the heart for my
daughter. Oh, Jesus, God ! Oh, Jesus. They got, uh... They
got $31. The rain nails me every time, man.

BILL
Did they ever find out who did it ?

BUCK
No. I think it was some kind of payback for something. But
that's a long story.

BOB'S RESIDENCE - GARAGE - EXTERIOR NIGHT

The rain has stopped, but the ground is still wet. The garage door
opens slowly and Bob's car enters the garage. The roof is still
closed. Bill is on the phone.

MAIN POLICE STATION - INTERIOR NIGHT

A telephone rings in an empty office, separated by a glass

partition from the corridor. The door is open and Anderson comes
running in, with a ready-cooked dish in his hand. He picks up the
phone.

ANDERSON
Officer Anderson. What can I do for you?

BILL'S VOICE
It's Dr. Bill Capa. Remember me ?
Low-angle shot of the office, showing the high ceiling, with a
vintage decoration, contrasting with the modern and functional
furniture.

ANDERSON
Oh, yeah, yeah. The Bob Moore murder case.

BOB'S RESIDENCE - INSIDE CAR - EXTERIOR NIGHT

The car has stopped but Bill still holds the phone.

BILL
I need to talk to you.
MAIN POLICE STATION - INTERIOR NIGHT

Same low-angle shot.

ANDERSON
I hope you're an early riser. I get off at 6:00.

BOB'S RESIDENCE - INSIDE CAR - EXTERIOR NIGHT

BILL
Okay.

He puts the phone down, gets his car keys and his jacket, and
leaves the car.

BOB'S RESIDENCE - GARDEN - EXTERIOR NIGHT

Bill gets out of the car and seems very intrigued by the fact that
the keyhole-shaped door is open. He shuts his car door, and walks
quietly toward the house. He looks around him in the garden,
seeming more and more anxious. Finally, he enters the house.
BOB'S RESIDENCE - CORRIDOR - INTERIOR NIGHT

Still anxious, Bill walks along the corridor.

BOB'S RESIDENCE - KITCHEN - INTERIOR NIGHT

Bill enters the kitchen. A lot of cooking ingredients scattered on

the table. A noise makes Bill turn around. Rose, who was kneeling
behind the table, stands up. She smiles when she sees Bill.

ROSE
Hey.
She snickers. The only piece of clothing she is wearing is a hotel
room-maid white apron.
Busy day ? Can I get you something ?
Bill doesn't react at all. He looks shocked.
No ? Okay.
She crosses the room to get something in a drawer, showing her
naked buttocks. All of a sudden, she seems to remember she is
naked and put the two square fireproof cloths she is holding on
her buttocks.
Oh! I forgot about that !
S(he laughs) then comes back to the stove, where she moves a dish.
Bill's face still looks very shocked.

BILL
How did you get in here ?
 ROSE
Last time I was here, I stole the key. It was by the door.

BILL
What about the alarm ?

ROSE
Oh ! I never thought about that.
BILL
It didn't go off ?

ROSE
No. Um, did I make a mistake ? You have someone in the
car ?

BILL
No, goddamn it, there isn't someone in the car ! People are
getting killed around here ! You walk around like it's
goddamn Disneyland ! What if something were to happen to
you ?

ROSE
She seems not to understand Bill's anger.
I just thought that it would be a nice surprise, that's
all. You don't look too happy to see me.

BILL
He waits a few second before he cools down.
This is my happiness mode. I'm sorry.
ROSE
She is crying. Bill comes to her and takes her in his arms.
I'm sorry.

BILL
I'm sorry. Baby, I'm sorry. This is a very nice surprise.
He gives a quick look at her naked body. S(he laughs).
Really nice. I'm sorry.
They kiss.

ROSE
I'll never take a risk like that again.

BILL
Why don't you take the biggest risk of all and give me...
your phone number.

ROSE
S(he laughs) and goes away from him and back to her cooking.
Christ, Capa ! I can't have people tying up the phone
lines. I'm trying to run a business here.

BOB'S RESIDENCE - DINING ROOM - INTERIOR NIGHT

Bill, with his shirt completely open, eats spaghettis in front of

a lighted candle. Rose also eats spaghettis, still dressed only in
her white apron. Bill drinks from a glass of white wine. Rose
bites into a asparagus in a slightly erotic way. Under the glass
table, we can see Bill's naked foot stroking Rose's foot. With her
other foot, Rose moves Bill's pants up. Rose slides down on her
chair, so Bill can reach her feet with his hands. Then Rose slides
completely out of her chair and under the table.

BOB'S RESIDENCE - BATHROOM - INTERIOR NIGHT

A toy remote-controlled tank is moving on Rose's naked legs. The
shot gets larger and we discover that Rose is in a bathtub full of
foaming water.
BILL
(voice over)
General Patton comes out of the foothills.
The tank moves on Rose's pubis, then on her stomach.
Oh, he's in the swamp. Oh, oh, he's in the deep abyss.
The tank skid on Rose's naked skin and doesn't succeed in climbing
on her breast. We then see she is lying on her back on Bill's
naked body, who is also lying on this back in the bathtub.
Ooh! Ooh ! And now... Oh, he's having a problem. He's up in
the Swiss Alps, ladies and gentlemen.
They both laugh. We see Bill's hand holding the remote control.
Fire one. Fire... Oh !... A direct hit !
The tank skids into the water and stops.

ROSE
Voice ironically disappointed.
Oh.

BILL
Oh, our, our tank fleet is crippled.
ROSE
Yeah ?

BILL
It's goin' away.

ROSE
She turns around and we guess she is grabbing Bill's penis under
water.
How's the submarine fleet ?

BILL
Hey, hey, hey, hey, please, please. I gotta get some sleep.

ROSE
They kiss.
Oh, you're chicken.

BILL
I gotta be up...

ROSE
You're chicken.

BILL
I gotta be up at 6:00 in the morning.

ROSE
She turns around to kiss him.
You're chicken, chicken.

LOS ANGELES CENTRAL MARKET - MARKET BUILDING - EXTERIOR DAY

Tracking shot down a high glass building until it reaches the

entrance of the «Grand Central Market».
We hear Anderson and Bill in (voice over)

ANDERSON
Nobody told me Buck was one of your patients.
 BILL
"Nobody," like Martinez ?

ANDERSON
Right.

BILL
That's the same "nobody" who didn't tell me Buck was a cop.

The camera is now on street level and we see Bill and Anderson
crossing the street towards the main gate of the market. They pass
a truck delivering fresh meat.

ANDERSON
Fucking Martinez. That's a can of worms you don't want to
mess with.

BILL
What about Buck ?
They enter the market.

LOS ANGELES CENTRAL MARKET - INSIDE THE MARKET - INTERIOR DAY

ANDERSON
Hey, look, you gotta promise... if I tell you what I know
about this shit, it stays between me and you. And you never
heard it from me, okay ?
They walk in the market alleyways. Anderson stops near a stall,
and starts talking to a stall-holder we do not see.
Two, Angelo.

BILL
Why ?

ANDERSON
Why ?
Two uniformed cops are walking between the stalls. Anderson raises
his voice to them.
Because cops are vindictive sons of bitches. Right, Alex ?
He throws a chicory to a cop, who catches it.

ALEX
Right.

ANDERSON
The cops are gone away. Anderson lowers his voice.
Fucking asshole. I don't want to spend the rest of my
career getting pissed on from above, okay ?

BILL
Okay.

ANDERSON
(he laughs) nervously.
Martinez was nailin' Buck's wife.

BILL
Holy shit.

ANDERSON
Yeah. Both these guys were in narcotics. And those guys
usually stick together like shit on a shirt... so who knows
 how long it's been going on. Anyway, one day, it came out.
In the station, they had this big fight in front of
everybody.
Anderson takes two little wrapped packages from the unseen stall-
holder and gives one to Bill.
Two days later, Buck's wife gets blown away.

BILL
He follow Anderson between the stalls.
Jesus Christ ! Was there an investigation ?

ANDERSON
Of course there was an investigation. Martinez was a
suspect. Buck was a suspect. I mean nobody figured Buck
forgiving her. For a while, half the station was a suspect.

BILL
What do you think ?

ANDERSON
I think Buck and Martinez had a lot of enemies on the
street. This was just payback
for both of 'em.
They have come to a fishmonger stall. The fishmonger wraps a fish
for Anderson.

CASEY'S LOFT - INTERIOR DAY

Casey is lying on an exercise bench and lifting weight with a

pulleys and cables device.
The phone rings. Casey doesn't move.

CASEY'S VOICE ON THE ANSWERING MACHINE

Hi, this is Casey. Can't get to the phone right now, but
please leave a message.
A beep, then Bill's voice.

BILL'S VOICE ON THE ANSWERING MACHINE

Casey, it's Bill Capa. I got your message and, sure, I can
make it today. Are you there ?

A hand appears holding a leather collar, which the hand wraps

around Casey's neck.

CASEY
Hey !... What... What the hell are you doing here ?

BILL'S VOICE ON THE ANSWERING MACHINE

Hello ? Listen, Casey, y-you sounded a little upset. Just
hang in there, okay ?

CASEY
Let me get this, huh ? No ?

BILL'S VOICE ON THE ANSWERING MACHINE

I'll be by this morning. So I'll see you in 30.

CASEY
Well, you think you can do it in 30 ?

He snickers while the hand tighten the collar around his neck.

CASEY'S LOFT - PARKING IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING - EXTERIOR DAY

Bob's car stops in front of the building. Bill, wearing
sunglasses, gets out of the car and walks toward a three-story,
impressive but a bit dilapidated, brick building. Evidently, it is
an old workshop changed into an artist's loft. We can still read
«Nate Starkman & Son» on the front of the building.
Bill comes to a large metallic door and presses on an intercom
button. No answer. He tries again. He raises his head to the above
windows. No one. He walks a few steps back to get a better view of
the building.

BILL
He yells.
Casey !
CASEY'S LOFT - INTERIOR DAY

Casey is still lying on his exercise bench. Both his hands are
tied to the weight-lifting device, and his mouth is gagged. He
groans through the gag.

CASEY'S LOFT - PARKING - EXTERIOR DAY

BILL
He puts his hands around his mouth to make his voice louder.
Casey !

He comes back to the door and presses the intercom button several
times. He raises his eyes and notice a folded fire-exit ladder. He
test the strength of the folding gate pulled in front of one of
the doors. It seems strong enough for him to climb it. He reaches
the ladder, which he brings down.

CASEY'S LOFT - ROOF OF THE BUILDING - EXTERIOR DAY

Bill is now on the roof of the building. He jumps down in a sort

of yard, in which are scattered various objects : plants, modern
furnitures and a full-size very realistic plastic sculpture of a
cow. Bill remains crouched a few second, pats the cow's snout,
stands up and walks towards a glass wall located on one side of
the yard. He notices he is above Casey's workshop. He walks along
the glass wall to a closed window, from which smoke is coming out.

BILL
Oh, Jesus Christ.
Bill succeeds in forcing the window open. A big cloud of smoke
gets out of it.
Casey ! Hey !
He walks through the open window.
Casey!

CASEY'S LOFT - INTERIOR DAY

Bill walks on the upper gallery, coughing with the smoke. He takes
off his sunglasses. Down he sees flames around the mantlepiece. He
gets very quickly down the steps to ground level.
He goes to the mantlepiece. What looks like pieces of paper are
burning on the floor around the mantlepiece. He first tries to put
the flames out with his foot, then he takes a small shovel and
shovel the flaming papers back into the mantlepiece.
A curtain suddenly opens on the glass wall above the workshop,
flooding the room with bright light.
Bill walks to the center of the room, and notice that paintings
have been lacerated. On each one, it is the face of a red-hair
woman which has been taken away. Bill runs back to the
mantlepiece, where he picks up a piece of what he first thought
was a piece of paper, but which is actually a piece of canvas from
the paintings. On the half-burned piece of canvas, the face of a
woman, who is heavily made up but looks slightly like Rose.
He puts the piece of canvas down, and notice a slimy liquid on
the floor. He turns around to try to find out more about this
slimy liquid.
He pulls a rope and the painting, hooked on an horizontal cable
line, start moving toward him. Behind the paintings, hooked on the
same cable, comes Casey's body, hanging upside down. He looks dead
and sill have the gag on this mouth. The half-naked body is
covered with graffitis. The slimy liquid on the floor is Casey's
blood.

BILL
Ow ! Ow ! Ow ! Shit !

Suddenly the blood, which was grey seen through Bill's eyes, turns
red.

A ROAD - EXTERIOR NIGHT

Sondra's car. Sondra is driving. Rose is on the passenger seat,

with her Bonnie's hairdo and make-up. The car radio is playing a
song.

ROSE
I love this song.

SONDRA
I know.

Honking. Two thirty-year old men, in an open convertible red car.

THE RED CAR PASSENGER

You girls want to go dancing ?

THE RED CAR DRIVER

Yeah. We're going to a party.

SONDRA
Hi ! Hi !...

Rose bends over Sondra and kisses her tenderly.

THE RED CAR PASSENGER

Well, pardon me !
The two men look disappointed. Their car speeds up and goes away.
The two women start laughing. Rose stands up through the open roof
of the car. She waves to the passing cars. She then sits down and
moves tenderly very close to Sondra.

SONDRA
What are you doing ?
Rose takes Sondra's hand and guide it under her skirt toward her
crotch.
Wha... No!
Sondra bursts laughing and takes her hand away. Rose keeps on
cuddling Sondra who tries to concentrate on her driving.
Don't ! Don't !

SONDRA'S RESIDENCE - BEDROOM - INTERIOR NIGHT

Music from preceding scene has gone on without interruption. The
two girls are dancing in front of the mirror. Sondra is wearing a
tight-fitting black dress and Rose a skirt and a short top which
shows her belly.
SONG WORDS
Out all night Lady did. When nobody else would. Lady did
And she did it real good. Once was not enough.

SONDRA
Ah !

ROSE
Sondra, go !

SONG WORDS
Tell me, Katie What would your mama say.

SONDRA
Oh, I'm gonna go change the music.

While Sondra moves away to change the music, Rose goes to the
window. In the house across the street, she sees a couple kissing.
The music stops.

ROSE
Sondra, come here. Oh, come here. My God !

SONDRA
She comes near Rose.
Oh, my God !

ROSE
These are your neighbors !

SONDRA
They do this all the time.

SONDRA
Oh, wait. Watch, watch! No!

ROSE
She bends down under the window sill and get Sondra down too.
They're gonna see you !

They get up and keep on watching.

SONDRA
Oh, I don't believe it !

ROSE
Oh, this is the part ! This is the part !

SONDRA
Oh, my gosh !

ROSE
Oh !

SONDRA
Believe me, they can fuck.
They laugh.
Oh, I can't watch this anymore. I didn't see anything.
 ROSE
Oh, Sondra, go. I love this song.

SONDRA
Yeah.

The two girls start cuddling each other. Sondra strokes Rose's
naked stomach, then her face.
Close-up on the mirror, which shows the fire in the mantelpiece,
between the girls legs.

ROSE
Sondra, through the window ! Look ! Look !

The camera remains on the mirror, which shows the two girls
climbing on the bed to get a better look.

SONDRA
Oh, what are they doing now ?

ROSE
I can't tell.

SONDRA
Are they gonna do it ? No !

We see the couple in the house across the street. She is only
wearing panties and her breast is naked. He is only wearing his
trunks. They flirt on the couch.

ROSE
My God ! It's gonna happen right now.

Back to the mirror shot. The two girls, still standing up, are
slapping each other buttocks. Rose raises Sondra's dress.

SONDRA
Ow !
ROSE
Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
She sits on the bed and picks up a champagne glass.
Oh, champagne.

Sondra comes and sits next to her. Rose gives her her glass.
Sondra drinks.

SONDRA
Mmm.

Sondra gives the glass back to Rose, who puts it on a furniture.

The two faces come very close, and the two girls start exchanging
tender little kisses. Then Rose moves Sondra's dress down and
takes her own top off, showing her breast. Sondra seems very moved
by what she sees. She strokes Rose's face. Their lips are getting
very close.
We see Sondra's hand going down Rose's back, and slipping under
the top of her skirt, showing her buttocks. We see the tattooed
rose.

ROSE
She moves her face away from Sondra.
No, no, Sondra. I can't. I can't.
 SONDRA
Why ? It's wonderful.

ROSE
Sondra, I'm a jinx.

SONDRA
No. We can cancel each other out.

ROSE
She sobs a little.
No. I'm not who you think I am. Oh, God, I'm in love with
somebody and it's all falling apart. I'm sorry.

SONDRA
Look, the sky isn't falling down.

ROSE
Yes, it is.

SONDRA
No. Let's get that silly thing off your head. There. I love
your brown hair.
She strokes her hair.

BOB'S RESIDENCE - INTERIOR DAY

Bill sleeps on a leather couch, dressed with a western-style shirt

and jeans. There is a gun on the low table near his head. We hear
a buzz. Bill wakes up, gets up and looks at the security TV set.
He takes the remote control to change the camera.

BILL
Who is it ?
After two unsuccessful pictures, Rose appears on the screen. She
is wearing very short pants, a flowered blouse knotted under her
breast and a small backpack.

ROSE'S VOICE
I'm back.

Bill opens the gate and looks through the window at Rose crossing
the garden.

BILL
Here she comes. Wearing a backpack on her back... making
her look even younger than she is.
Rose enters the room, puts her backpack down and falls in Bill's
arms.
She falls into his arms. And they kiss.
They kiss.

ROSE
Oh, God. I'm so glad that you're here. I didn't know if
you'd be in.
BILL
I don't have to be anywhere until this evening.

ROSE
Yeah ?
She opens her blouse. She doesn't wear a bra and her nipple
appears.
So, what color are my nipples ?
They both laugh. She covers and uncovers her nipple. They kiss
tenderly.

ROSE
Oh, God. To be normal like this all the time.

BILL
Oh, God, this is better than normal. This is much better
than normal. It's just driving me crazy, that's all. I
mean, I don't really know you... who you are... what you
do... if you're safe, when you're coming by. You have all
the power. I just sit around here and wait for you.

ROSE
She cries.
You do ?

BILL
Yeah. I mean, other things happen, but... in the "what I
wait for" department, you're it.

ROSE
Oh, my.

Time has elapsed. They are now seated next to each other. Bill is
bare-chest and Rose is wearing one of Bill's denim shirts. They
look at a photo album. Rose puts her finger on the pictures and
Bill tells her who it is.
BILL
Bob's wife. My ex-wife.

ROSE
She's pretty.

BILL
Pretty fucked up.
Rose flips the page. A picture of Bob.
Oh, God. I forget that he's dead.
She kisses him tenderly to comfort him.

ROSE
She flips the page.
He looks so young here. God, how long ago were these
taken ?

BILL
Ten years ago.

ROSE
Really ? Do you have anything more recent ?
BILL
Maybe. Hold on.
He gets up and goes to the shelves. He start looking for another
album.
I don't know why he kept this hidden back here except
maybe... because it had a picture of his wife naked, which
leads me to believe that... the relationship wasn't as dead
as they were pretending.
He sits back next to Rose, and start looking at the new album.
I don't know who these people are.

ROSE
She seems very worried all of a sudden.
No. It's morbid. I don't want to see anymore. Let's go
outside. Let's pretend it's Sunday. Yeah? You wanna?

Bill looks at her, a bit disconcerted by her unexpected reaction.

BOB'S RESIDENCE - GARDEN - EXTERIOR DAY

We hear the birds chirping. By the poolside, Bill is lying on his

back on a mattress. He is wearing sunglasses, and is naked except
for a white towel spread on his pelvis. Rose is lying on her
stomach, head to foot with Bill. She is naked but is wearing one
thick woolen sock on one foot.

BILL
One of my patients was killed last night. He was murdered.

ROSE
She seems very disturbed by the news.
What ?

BILL
The painter. Casey.

ROSE
She has tears in her eyes.
Were you there ?

BILL
A little bit after.

ROSE
What did you see ?

BILL
You don't want to know.
He takes off his sunglasses and start getting up, covering his
crotch with the towel.
About a half hour before group. I'm gonna get a shower. You
gonna be okay out here ?

ROSE
Yeah.

BOB'S RESIDENCE - BATHROOM - INTERIOR DAY

Bill enters the bathroom and turn the shower faucet on. Then he
gets out of the room.

BOB'S RESIDENCE - DRESSING ROOM - INTERIOR DAY

Bill takes a pair of jeans in the closet and puts it on, without
underwear.

BOB'S RESIDENCE - SITTING ROOM - INTERIOR DAY

Rose has dressed up. She enters the room and goes directly to the
shelf where the photo album was hidden. She gets it and starts
turning the pages.

BOB'S RESIDENCE - UPPER GALLERY - INTERIOR DAY

Bill comes out of the dressing room, and into a gallery above the
sitting room. He sees Rose looking through the album, taking a
picture out of the album and then putting the album back where it
was. He hides behind a wall for her not to see him. She is looking
inside a photo-lab envelope. Bill comes out of his hiding.

BILL
Rose.

ROSE
She jumps.
Oh ! Oh !
She drops the envelope, picks up her backpack and runs out of the
room.

BILL
Rose ! Rose !

BOB'S RESIDENCE - GARDEN - EXTERIOR DAY

Rose runs to the keyhole-shaped door. The gate opens and Rose runs
out.
BOB'S RESIDENCE - SITTING ROOM - INTERIOR DAY

Bill runs down the stair from the upper gallery. He is bare chest
with his shirt in his hand.

BOB'S RESIDENCE - ROAD IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE - EXTERIOR DAY

Rose gets out of the residence and runs to her car, a small ORV.
She climbs in and starts very fast. Bill gets out of the house.

BILL
He jumps into his car without opening the door.
Rose ! Jesus !

Bob's car get's out of the residence.

MAIN ROAD, THEN CITY STREETS - EXTERIOR DAY

We see Bill driving his car. He chases Rose, whom we then see in
her car. Tires screech with the high speed driving. Bill comes
closer to Rose and tries to memorize her license plate numbers.
BILL
2ASB... 185...

The chase goes on. Rose drives very recklessly, Bill too. He
drives through the cross roads without slowing down.
A man, who was seated on a low wall, has to climb on it to avoid
Bill's car, which is driving on the sidewalk. Bill stops near him.
We hear the voice of an angry woman.

VOICE OF THE ANGRY WOMAN

Oh ! Stupid, crazy bastard ! They'll give anybody a
license !

BOB'S OFFICE - MEETING ROOM - INTERIOR NIGHT

Outside, night has fallen and it is raining.

CLARK
He is very smartly dressed, and even wears a bow tie. He counts
the books on the shelves.
Five and six are 31. Seven, seven, that makes 45. And that
 will remain 45, and every single time you count it, it will
be 45, no matter what. And then this is five, and that
makes 50. And nine is 59. Now that's odd. That's really
odd. Now there's 59 again.

BILL
He has just come into the room.
What ?

CLARK
Well, last week... there were 58 books on the bookshelf
where there is always... and I mean always, 59 books, and
this week there are 59 again, so I don't...

BILL
He turns toward Sondra.
Which one, Sondra ?
SONDRA
She is very smartly dressed too, in a white suit with black
collar. She sighs.
I didn't read any of it. Really. I felt so bad when I got
it home. I couldn't help myself.

BILL
He moves rapidly to the shelves.
Which one, Sondra ?

SONDRA
It... The Van Gogh. But I didn't read any of it. Honestly,
I promise !

Bill takes the book and moves away from the shelves. Sondra signs
menacingly to Clark.

CLARK
What did I do ?

Bill has seated himself, and he looks through the book. Sondra
tries to read above his shoulder. Close-up of the book. It is
Bob's diary. Close-up on one paragraph. We hear Bob's voice
reading the paragraph.

BOB'S VOICE
I was right about the threats from the Monday group. This
cycle of pain. Yesterday's victim becomes tomorrow's
monster. Today's the day.

Buck enters the room.

BILL
Hi.

Buck starts closing the door, but Richie comes in.

BUCK
Hi, Bill.

BILL
Hi, Buck.
Buck sits down.
Casey, uh... is not gonna be joining us tonight, so I think
we should get started.
 BUCK
That's typical.
Thunder rumbles. Buck puts his hands on his head. Richie looks at
him.
Oh, shit!

CLARK
Buck, are you all right ?

BUCK
It's none of your fucking business.

SONDRA
You know, I can't stand this arguing. Really.

CLARK
I'd like to start, if I may. I'd like to apologize to the
group and Sondra.
While he is talking, Bill keeps on looking through his friend's
diary. A photo is stuck between two pages. It is a photo of Rose
naked.
Everything that you said last week in group was right, and
that's why I lost my temper. Uh, the young lady that I
mentioned last week... that relationship has been
terminated. No reason and no hope. She just, just called...
and told me, and that's it.

BILL
He reads what is written on the back of the photo.
"The sociopath, lacking the restraints that... hold a
normal character together, can become anything. Amorality
frees her to be universally perfect. A charming chameleon
with a scorpion's tail." Do any of you recognize...
recognize this woman ?
He gives the photo to Sondra.
SONDRA
S(he laughs) and brings the picture to her chest.
Oh, my God ! Oh ! This is my girlfriend. This is Bonnie.

BUCK
He tears the picture away from her hands.
Give me that !
He looks at the picture and turns to her.
This your Bonnie ? This is your Bonnie ? Yeah ?

SONDRA
Yeah. Yeah.

BUCK
The one you've been boring the living shit out of us with ?
This is the one that's saving you from yourself ? Your
shopping mall hag ?

SONDRA
Shut up.

BUCK
The one that makes you smile ?

SONDRA
Shut up !

BUCK
 The one that you wish was a man ?

SONDRA
What are you getting at, Buck ?

BUCK
That Bonnie ? Is that it ?

SONDRA
That's right, that's it. That's right, That's right.

BUCK
Sondra... this is my Bonnie.

SONDRA
She bursts laughing, but she has tears in her eyes.
You're lying. You're lying. You're lying. You're lying ! I
don't believe you !

Bill looks intensely at her. Sondra has started sobbing.

CLARK
He tears the picture away from Buck's hands.
Let me see that.

BUCK
He puts his head in his hands.
Fuckin' A !

CLARK
He looks at the picture.
Well, yes, of course. This is the woman that I've been
talking about. This is my Bonnie.
Buck tears the picture away from his hands.
Goddamn it, Buck ! Don't do that ! Do not do that !

BUCK
Hey, hey, hey !

They are ready to fight. Sondra comes between them. The three of
them are talking together.

SONDRA
You're lying to me ! Why are you lying to me ?

CLARK
Stop acting like an... Like an emotional child !

BUCK
Goddamn tar baby !

SONDRA
You're making it up ! You're making it up !

CLARK
Nobody's making anything up... and stop it, stop it, stop
it !

During this heated verbal exchange, Richie has picked the fallen
picture from the floor.

SONDRA
Stop it !
 CLARK
Quit it ! You're crumpling the picture up ! I want you to
stop showing off ! You're a little brat !

BUCK
Fuck it ! You have the emotions of a styrofoam cup !

We see Richie putting the picture away and leaving hurriedly.

CLARK
You calm down, and you stop...

SONDRA
Where's the picture ?

Lightning, thunder, and the pictures appears close-up in a hand.

It is Hector's hand, who looks at them all, sneering.

HECTOR
How in the name of God... could all of you be going out
with the same woman and not know ? Not have a clue ?
Including you, Mr. Psycho-fucking-analyst ? Not to mention
Bob Moore... who probably took this amazing picture himself
in front of his expensive painting. I'm gonna call the
Guinness Book of World Records... because I think this
woman deserves credit. And I'm gonna make sure that all of
your names are included... so you can all share in the
glory.

BILL
Well, you should know something about sharing, huh,
Hector ? I mean, you and Buck must have shared some very
tender moments... discussing his wife. Huh ? Why didn't you
tell me the truth ?

HECTOR
What truth is that ?

BILL
Why didn't you tell me Buck was a cop... not to mention a
suspect in a murder case ? Not to mention you, goddamn it.

HECTOR
Because... I'm not your patient, and I don't have to tell
you shit !

BILL
He jumps on Hector. Bucks tries to take them apart.
That's right, you don't have to tell me shit ! Fuckin' tell
me anything, do you ? Why won't somebody tell me some
fucking truth ?

BUCK
He has succeeded in taking them apart.
Get the fuck out of here !

BILL
One fuckin' thing ! Can you do that, Buck ?

HECTOR
You really know how to pick your women, you know that ?
 BILL
I know you can't... you lyin' sack of shit !
He wants to jump again on Hector. Buck holds him back.
You can't fuckin' do it !

BUCK
Listen. After my wife died, I wanted to slaughter this
cock-sucker !

SONDRA
Don't ! No more !

BUCK
But I realized we both loved her. It became a, sort of a
bond between us. Isn't that right, Hector ? Isn't it ?
Hector ! Jesus God ! I never got the chance to forgive her.
So I forgave him instead.

HECTOR
All right ! So much for the famous fucking Monday group !
Now we have a suspect with a tattoo on her ass and no
address. Now the cops need your help. What about the car ?
Anybody around here wrote down the license plates numbers ?

BUCK
"The license plates numbers" ?

SONDRA
We didn't even...

HECTOR
Huh ?

Bill looks at Hector, but says nothing.

SONDRA
Well, I didn't think to-to-to write it down.

PALACE HOTEL - HALL - INTERIOR DAY

Revolving door of the entrance of the hotel. People are coming

incessantly in and out. Among them we see Bill coming in. The
following dialogue is in (voice over) on the shot of the revolving
door.

HOTEL ATTENDANT
Hey, welcome back to L.A., Miss Brown.

HOTEL FEMALE GUEST

Thanks. Put my bags in my room.

BILL
Dr. Ashland from New York with the psychiatric convention.

HOTEL ATTENDANT
Dr. Ashland ? In the health club.

HOTEL FITNESS CENTER - INTERIOR DAY

Larry, dressed in tracksuit, is working with one of the fitness

devices. Bill is standing in front of him.

BILL
 I don't think she is a sociopath.

LARRY
Well, then how about something simple and snappy like a
multiple personality disorder ? You've fallen into a trap.
You are not well. She is not well. And to you, Iit feels
like a bond.
He gets up and starts walking in the room. Bill follow him.

BILL
She's been acting this thing out as if... it's the only way
for her to have a life.

LARRY
Or lives.

HOTEL SWIMMING POOL - INTERIOR DAY

Larry is sitting in a whirlpool. Hot water is bubbling all around

him. Bill is seated by the pool side.

LARRY
You really want to go on seeing her, do you ?

BILL
Yes, I want to see her.

LARRY
In a, a nonprofessional sense ?

BILL
In every sense.

LARRY
I don't have your magical tuning fork. All I know is that
two people are dead... and she seems an excellent suspect.
Bill, salmon swim upstream to mate and die. And so do men.

BILL
Is that what I'm doing?

A STREET NEAR THE MAIN POLICE STATION - EXTERIOR DAY

Anderson is walking in the street, a coffee paper cup in his hand.

He is wearing suit and sunglasses, but also a very flashy necktie.
Bill dressed in open shirt and sunglasses, walks toward him.

BILL
Anderson ! I need your help with something.

ANDERSON
Hey, man, how ya doin'?

They start walking together in the street.

BILL
I'm sitting in a restaurant last night, and I'm looking out
the window... watching this woman trying to back out of a
space right in front of mine.
ANDERSON
A beautiful woman ?

BILL
 Stunning. Anyway, the next thing I know, she busted out the
headlight on my car.

ANDERSON
Uh-oh. Drives away, right ?

BILL
I don't even think she knew what she did.

ANDERSON
But you'd like to meet her ?
Bill answers with a silly smile.
All right, um, I'll see what I can do. You got the license
number ?

BILL
He gets a piece of paper out of his shirt pocket and gives it to
Anderson.
Yeah. Thanks, man. All right. Thanks.

ANDERSON
Sure.

The two men split up. Anderson walks into the police office.

STREETS, THEN PARKING BUILDING IN L.A. - EXTERIOR DAY

Bob's car, still dented all over, starts, with open roof, and Bill
driving. He is wearing sunglasses.
As the car passes a crossroad, we see, coming on its right , the
«red car», also dented all over. It starts following Bill.
Bill parks his car on a parking lot, at the bottom of a parking
building. The red car climbs to the roof of the building.
Bill cuts the ignition off, takes his keys and gets out of the
car. He starts walking along the building, the red car following
him from the roof.
The red car stops behind a car parked on the edge of the roof,
then starts pushing the car. The car breaks the guardrail and
falls down to the ground. Bill raises his head, sees the car
coming down, jumps away and falls flat on the ground, just
avoiding the falling car, which crashes on two other parked cars.
We see the front of the red car appearing behind the broken
guardrail. Bill bangs his fist on the ground, while pieces of
broken cars are flying all around him.

BILL
He yells.
Damn !

BUILDING WITH GALLERIES - EXTERIOR DAY

A very picturesque building with multiple open air galleries. On

one of the galleries, Anderson walks toward Hector who is pointing
a menacing finger to him.

HECTOR
I ought to shoot you!

ANDERSON
I came to make amends.

HECTOR
So make 'em, loudmouth !
Full shot of the building. Very typical L.A. architecture, looking
almost like a movie set. Anderson and Hector are leaning against
the bannister of one of the upper galleries.

ANDERSON
I just spoke to Bill Capa. This license plate might belong
to our mystery lady.

Close up on Anderson and Hector. Anderson gives to Hector the

piece of paper Bill had given to him. Hector reads the paper.

NIEDELMEYER'S RESIDENCE - EXTERIOR DAY

Bill runs to the door of the house. He knocks repeatedly and

forcefully.

BILL
Mrs. Niedelmeyer ! It's Dr. Capa again.

Edith Niedelmeyer opens the small panel in the door. She looks
furious.

EDITH
You leave me alone ! Get away from here !

BILL
I need your help, please !

EDITH
Why are you torturing me like this ?

BILL
Mrs. Niedelmeyer, please !

NIEDELMEYER'S RESIDENCE - INTERIOR DAY

Edith closes the small panel. Several heavy blows on the door,
which eventually crashes open and gives access to Bill.
The house is very heavily decorated.

BILL
I need you to listen to me ! My best friend was killed. He
was stabbed with a knife...

EDITH
You get out of my house !

BILL
... 38 times in the chest !

EDITH
You-You go away!
BILL
He follows her through the sitting room. They arrive near a bay
window, behind which we can see a large swimming pool.
Another patient was bled to death ! I think that I might be
next !

EDITH
Go away !

BILL
 I don't have anywhere else to go, Mrs. Niedelmeyer ! What
are you hiding from me ? What is it ?

EDITH
Nothing.

BILL
Why won't you tell me the truth ?
Edith picks up a cordless phone on a table. Bill tears the phone
away from her hands.
Put that phone down.
EDITH
I'm calling the police !

BILL
Put the phone down ! Put the phone down !

EDITH
She falls on the armchair in which Bill has pushed her.
Please ! What kind of twisted creature are you ? I've never
done anything to you.

BILL
My patient Richie is involved...

EDITH
Why in God's name are you doing this horrible joke ?

BILL
If you just help me...

EDITH
Richie Dexter is dead ! He killed himself four years ago.

BILL
Why ?

EDITH
Because he couldn't stand... what my husband was doing to
him.
She gets up goes to the window bay and open a glass door. She
leans against the frame of the door.
He hung himself with a belt. He was 12. I didn't know ! I
mean, how could I know ? Nobody knew.

BILL
What about the family ?
EDITH
He is survived by his brother, Dale. If Richie Dexter were
alive today... he'd be 16 years old. He also had a sister,
Rose.

Bill stands still for a few seconds. He has just understood the
truth. Then he sighs and rushes out of the house. He runs near a
impressive mantlepiece decorated with a fierce lion head pulling
its tongue out.

DALE'S WORKSHOP - PARKING - EXTERIOR NIGHT

Bob's car arrives on the empty parking lot in front of Dale's

workshop. The atmosphere is even more uncomfortable at night than
during the day. Lightnings in the sky. There are lights evenly
placed all along the high chimney. Several windows are lit on the
first floor of the building.
Bill parks the car in front of the building, gets out the car
and runs toward the building. He enters using the door with the
sign «Beware of dog».

DALE'S WORKSHOP - LIVING QUARTERS - INTERIOR NIGHT

Bill gets in the living quarters of the Dexter. It is quite dark.
In one corner, a large kitsch statue of Christ of the Sacred
Heart. A sink with two cabinets with glass doors..
Bill pushes the sliding door leading to the workshop.

DALE'S WORKSHOP - WORKSHOP - INTERIOR NIGHT

Bill walks between statues being worked on. He bumps into a small
cage hanging from the ceiling.
He opens a door which leads him into a small room covered with
spiderwebs. Something liquid drops on his hand. It's blood. Bill
raises his head.
Though a gate in the ceiling, he sees the crying face of Richie.
He gets out of the small room, takes a big piece of carved wood
on a table, and climbs the steps leading to the upper parts of the
workshop.
When he arrives in the upper gallery, he menacingly waves the
piece of wood, and walks very cautiously. Richie is seated with
his back to him. He has blood on his T-shirt.

BILL
Richie.
He gets nearer and puts the piece of wood down.
Jesus Christ !
When he is close to Richie, he sees that his T-shirt is badly torn
down and full of blood. He wants to touch it, but Richie starts
moaning. Bill kneels near him.
What did he... What did he do to you ?

RICHIE
He can hardly talk, and stammers even more than usual.
W-What I... d-deserved. Y-You shouldn't be here. Get away
from me.

BILL
Richie... Richie... I have to see Rose.
He takes off Richie's glasses.
I need her.
He takes off Richie's wig, and Rose's face appears.

ROSE
She has gone back to Rose's voice, and doesn't stammer anymore.
Get away from me, please ! You'll make it worse !

BILL
Where's Dale ?

ROSE
She cries.
L-I don't know, but he'll be back ! L-I don't know where he
is.

BILL
He is also crying.
Was this your idea, to become Richie ?

ROSE
 No ! No ! L-It happened. It just happened.
BILL
What? What happened, Rose ? Please. I need to know.

ROSE
When Richie died... Dale buried the body and then he said,
"Richie, come here." And I told him, I told him, "My name
is Rose !" He slapped me so hard, I couldn't get up. A-And
he, he made me dress in these clothes... and h-he did
things to me that made me not want to be a woman anymore. I
was Richie from then on.

BILL
What happened to Rose ?

ROSE
After a while, I forgot about Rose. Then Richie got busted.

BILL
And you had to come to group.

ROSE
They were our world. They were our family.

BILL
But then what ? Rose started coming back ?

ROSE
No! Rose, Rose was too scared, so Bonnie came out. Bonnie
was first.

BILL
Oh, honey.

ROSE
Help me, please ! Help me.
Rose moves her eyes down and Bill follows her eyes. He discovers
that Rose's hand has been nailed to the carved armrest of the
armchair.
BILL
Jesus! Oh, my God !
Bill stands up.
Oh! Jesus Christ ! Jesus Christ !
He goes to the table where he had dropped the piece of wood and
start looking for an appropriate tool. He finds a big hammer.
That crazy bastard !
With the forked end of the hammer, he raises the nail.

ROSE
She cries and yells.
Oh, God !

Bill gets the nail off. Rose can't breathe anymore. Her eyes are
rolling upwards.

BILL
He feels that she is going away from him.
Rose !

ROSE
She goes back to Richie's voice and face. She starts stammering
again.
Get away f-from me!
 BILL
Rose, come back ! Richie ! Richie, leave her alone !

ROSE
Still talking like Richie.
I never get to be out a-anymore.

BILL
Rose. Come on.

ROSE
Rose's head stands up : she is gone back being Rose.
And then I met you and the fog... Started to lift.
Bill takes off the other nail.
It did. It did.

BILL
I know. Come on, let's go.
He helps her to stand up, and then to walk.
Let's go. Here we go. Come on. Shh. Come here.
They start going down to the workshop.
Here we go. Here we go. Let's move.

We hear the sound of a nail-gun, and a nail clicks on a piece of

metal near them.

ROSE
Oh !

Several nail-gun shots. Nails are getting stuck in the various

wooden objects around them.

DALE
Shot from behind Dale. He holds a nail-gun and keeps on shooting
nails.
Back up!
He sticks a nail in Bill's shirt. Bill remains nailed against a
carved wooden panel.

ROSE
She yells and holds Bill tightly.
No ! No, Dale, don't !

BILL
Get back ! Get back !

ROSE
Dale, no !

DALE
Quick tongue, slow wit. Deadly, Doctor.
Bill tries to take the nail off. The nail must have gone through
his flesh, because there is blood on his shirt.
Deadly.

Dale raises his nail-gun slowly, but Hector appears from behind a
wall, holding a «real» gun.

HECTOR
Hi, Dale. You fucking daffodil. Put that toy down. Put it
in the toolbox. Now ! I got .45 caliber nails in this gun !
 BILL
What are you doing here, Martinez ?

HECTOR
He talks to Bill who is behind him, but without taking his eyes
away from Dale.
Aren't you glad I'm here ? Anderson snitched you out !
That's what happens when you try to outsmart a cop ! Let
that be your psych lesson for the day !

At the end of his sentence, Hector slightly turns his head toward
Bill. Immediately Dale shoots him. Hector bends down a little
because of the pain, and stands back up to shoot Dale. But Dale is
faster than him and nails both of his hands against the wood
panel.

HECTOR
He yells.
Go ! Run !

BILL
Go ! Get over there ! Get over there !

ROSE
No ! No !

Dale keeps on shooting and sticks several nails in Hector's

fingers.

HECTOR
Go ! Run ! Run ! Run ! Run ! Go !
Bill succeeds in getting the nail off his arm. He runs away with
Rose.
We follows them through the workshop. As they reach a staircase,
we hear an engine starting. Then a whole block of shelves falls in
front of them. We see Dale in a small glass cabin, his hands on
the controls of a handling machine.
Bill moves Rose away from him...

BILL
Let's go!

... just as a huge piece of furniture falls on Bill, who falls

down, stuck under the furniture.

ROSE
No ! Get out !

Dale appears behind Bill, and wraps a leather belt around his
neck. He tightens the belt. Bill suffocates. Dale pulls him by the
belt across the workshop.

DALE
Come on ! Come on !

He puts him inside a metal cage. He ties the belt on the top of
the cage. Bill tries, with both hands to move the belt away from
his throat.

BILL
You fucking son of a bitch !
Dale takes a small electric saw, switches it on and tests it on
the bars of the cage. Sparks spring up.
 You really fucked it up, didn't ya ? Got your little
brother killed.

DALE
No !

BILL
You let old Niedelmeyer do it to him.

DALE
No, I saved him !

BILL
You knew what was happening...

DALE
I didn't know !

BILL
Because it happened to you before !

DALE
Would you goddamn shut up ?

BILL
Could have saved your little brother, but he killed
himself.
DALE
He is getting angry.
Shut up ! Shut the fuck up !

BILL
You failed, Dale. And you made Rose become Richie !

DALE
He calms down and smiles.
Oh, you're smart. You're really smart. Bob Moore was smart,
but I put a stop to that.

BILL
Yeah, you did.
He coughs.
Why'd you kill Casey, Dale?

DALE
Why are you head-shrinkers all alike, huh ? Y-You can't
keep your fucking hands off of us. Huh ? Always pokin' and
pushin'. Huh ?
While talking, he keeps on switching his saw on and off.
BILL
Why'd you do it, Dale ?

DALE
Because... that little bitch, Rose, she started sneaking
out... playing like Bonnie, modeling for him night after
night. Christ, Bill, he was lookin' right through her...
gonna recognize Richie in group. Well, I might have missed
old Niedelmeyer... but I sure as hell got Bob... real good.
- And now...
He starts his saw. Sparks spring up on the edge of the cage.
I'm gonna cut you into little pieces and sand the skin off.

BILL
He snickers.
The inspiration of madness, Dale.

DALE
The tyranny of normalcy, Bill.

He starts his saw again, and slowly moves it close to Bill. We

hear the sound of the nail-gun and a nail gets stuck in Dale's
shoulder. The saw stops. Dale walks back a few steps to face Rose,
holding the nail-gun pointed on him.

DALE
Richie.

ROSE
My name is... My name is Rose.
He rushes on her. She shoots and sticks a nail in the middle of
his forehead. Dale falls down. Rose starts screaming.
No ! No !
Bill tries to get the belt off his neck. Rose raises the gun to
her throat, and presses the trigger. But it doesn't work. She
tries again. It still doesn't work. The gun must be empty.
No !
Bill eventually succeeds in getting free, but Rose, after she has
thrown the gun away, starts running through the workshop.
No !

BILL
He runs after her.
Rose ! Rose ! Come back ! Rose !

DALE'S WORKSHOP - CHIMNEY - EXTERIOR NIGHT

Rose starts climbing the ladder mounted on the body of the

chimney. Bill follows her and yells.

BILL
Rose ! Rose ! Stop ! Rose !
Rain is soaking both of them, but they keep on climbing. Thunder
is rumbling.
A long distance shot shows the whole chimney, with Rose and Bill
climbing on it.
Wait ! Rose!

ROSE
She sobs.
Don't !

BILL
For God's sakes, don't jump ! Rose !

ROSE
She has reached the circular platform on the top of the chimney.
She yells.
No !

BILL
Rose ! Stop !

BILL
He reaches the platform.
No ! No. No !
 BILL
Wait !

ROSE
Why ?

BILL
Rose ! No ! Stop, please !
Rose jumps on the very narrow ring which circles the platform.
Just stay there !

ROSE
It's too late. I've gone too far. I can't go back.

BILL
If you go, I go ! I swear to God ! I swear to God.

ROSE
Why would you do that ?
BILL
Please, God, just come over here. I don't want you to die.
Just give me your hand. Take a risk ! There's no risk in
dying. Come on.

ROSE
Oh, Capa.

BILL
Come on.

ROSE
She puts her hand out to Bill's strutted hand. We hear the sound
of a high gust of wind, and Rose looses her balance and starts
falling backward.
L... No...

BILL
No !

ROSE
Capa !
She yells.
No !

Bill jumps from the platform and catches a chain hanging under the
platform. His momentum makes him swing and he catches Rose's arm
just as she was falling from the outer ring. With his other arm he
holds on the chain and they start swinging back and forth. They
eventually reach the chimney ladder. Rose grabs one of the rungs,
followed by Bill, who pushes her up.

BILL
Come on.

They move back to the platform, and, as soon as they reach it,
they hug each other very tight. Bill looks at the beacon on the
top of the chimney. From white, the beacon becomes red, which is
its real color. Bill smiles : he sees red again. He hugs Rose even
more tightly.

HECTOR'S VOICE
While the camera pans away from the platfom, showing the whole
platform with Bill and Rose holding each other, we hear Hector's
voice.
Hey! Listen up, you fucking daffodils ! You gonna leave me
hanging here all night, huh ?
Bill starts laughing.
Get me down, you goddamn cuckoos ! Get me some fucking
Band-Aids !
Bill keeps on laughing. Rose starts laughing too.
Come on, you fucking daffodils ! Get me out of here !

CREDITS

During the credits, we hear the following song:

WORDS OF THE CREDITS SONG

You and I - Moving in the dark - Bodies close But souls
apart - Shadowed smiles - Secrets unrevealed - I need to
know The way you feel - And I'll give you everything I am
And everything I want to be - I'll put it in your hands -
If you could open up to me - Oh, can't we ever Get beyond
this wall 'Cause all I want Is just once To see you in the
light - But you hide behind The color of the night - Ooh,
ooh, ooh Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh - God save me - Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh Ooh, ooh, ooh - Everything I am -
Everything I am - And everything I want to be - Oh, can't
we ever get beyond this wall 'Cause all I want Is just once
- Forever and again - Ever and again - I'm waiting for you
- I'm standing in the night But you hide behind The color
of The night - Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh - Please come
out from the color of The night

HECTOR'S VOICE
At the end of the credits, we hear Hector's voice again.
Hey ! You gonna spend the night up there ? You and little
Miss Fender Bender ?