"JENNIFER EIGHT"
A
Policeman's Story
by
Bruce Robinson
June 1991
1: INT. COMMUNITY HALL. DAY.
The Church of St. Peter Los Angeles. "WHOEVER YOU SEE HERE -
WHATEVER YOU HEAR HERE - STAYS HERE." That's a notice on a
wall. Here's another notice "NO SMOKING." Everyone is smok-
ing. This is an AA meeting. There's a lot of Faces to look
at. I don't know when we'll get to the one that's talking,
but when we do it's like this. Eyes like glue. 50 years old
with a face the color of a snuff-users hanky. He says this:
BENNY
.. after my third recovery my wife made
me swear I'd never bring another bottle
into the house. And I never did. I bur-
ied it under the lawn. Cut out a turf &
stood it upright with a piece of tin-
foil instead of a cork. So here we are
out in the yard, and she's happy because
I'm getting healthy in a pair of swim-
ing shorts & no way near no booze. She
decides to prune the roses. Meanwhile,
I'm laying there with a straw stuck in-
to the fucken lawn doing a quart of red ..
Curious thing about drunks. Their disease often amuses them.
That's how crazy I was - I was sick for
half a life till I finally found my san-
ity again in these rooms. Don't take that
drink - And for the one or two new faces
I see here, I say this: just do it by the
day. You gotta do it by the day - Don't
take that drink. And keep coming to these
meetings. Because here is where it works ..
CHAIR
Thank you, Benny .. We have a few more
minutes .. Anyone else like to share? ..
Ash into an ashtray and now a face. He's around 40 years old.
Intense eyes & dark hair. Probably good looking when the ang-
le's right. But this is a bad angle. His name is JOHN BERLIN.
BERLIN
My name's John .. and I'm an alcoholic ..
ALL
Hi, John.
BERLIN
I didn't intend to speak today. Matter of
fact, I wasn't gonna come to the meeting ..
But I wanna say a couple of things I hope
may be of use, particularly as Benny says,
to the new faces here. I first came into
this fellowship ten months ago. I came to
a meeting I was convinced was gonna be my
last - how could a buncha drunks help me? -
Then someone got up, I think it was Micky,
and described himself as "the shit around
which the universe revolved." I don't know
if that was original to him - it doesn't
matter, it was the first time I'd heard it,
and I still can't think of a better way to
describe how I felt - We all have our own
place in the darkness, and I was in such a
mess I could hardly fucken see - I'd lost
someone very dear to me - she hadn't died -
I had - I don't know whether she left coza
the drinking, or whether I drank coz I knew
she was gonna leave - either way, the booze
won - I replaced her with alcohol & anger -
I was angry with her, myself, everyone and
everything - Where I was I wanted to be
someplace else - any place but here - any
moment but now - But here I am, and it is
now, and there's a big change about to hap-
pen in my life - and I'm going for it coz
this time I know I'm not running away - I'm
actually two miles into a 600 mile journey,
and I feel good about myself going there -
So I stopped off to share that with you -
and to thank everyone of you, and everyone
in this fellowship for letting me walk out
of here, free ..
2: EXT. OAKLAND BRIDGE. SAN FRANCISCO BAY. DUSK.
High above the Golden Gate. Too high for specifics. But there
is something down there of interest to the Camera. Descending
with the Music it seems to isolate a particular car. Too many
and too distant to know which it is. But the Camera is follow-
ing and already a mile up the 101 Interstate travelling north.
Maybe via a dissolve. And maybe not. But red and white either
way as the headlights are coming on. The Camera is closing on
the highway. And a car has definitely been selected. There is
nothing much of interest about it. It's a blue Mercedes sedan.
Mussorgsky will choreograph the pace of these cuts. The first
puts the frame directly in front of the car. In a few moments
its brights snap up. And Titles continue in a dazzle of light.
3: INT. MERCEDES SEDAN. 101. DUSK.
Nobody in the car except BERLIN. And a lot of cigarette smoke.
Just time to wedge in a P.O.V. There's an intersection coming
up. He hits the indicators and crosses lanes winding his wind-
ow down. Takes a last hit at his cigarette and exits the butt.
4: EXT. FREEWAY INTERSECTION. DUSK.
An instant of red as the cigarette shatters up the highway. A
heavy sky of red and black cloud. The Mercedes turns off head-
ing east. This time the Camera doesn't follow. Remains static
over the intersection until the tail lights finally disappear.
5: INT. LIVING ROOM. HOUSE. DAWN.
Bare wooden boards and the sound of singing birds. This house
hasn't been lived in for years. No furniture other than a new
mattress in the middle of the floor. Still in polythene wraps.
BERLIN just about awake on top of it. Ten seconds of disorien-
tation while he puts this together. A stone fireplace. Stairs
leading to what's got to be a tiny room above. With enough ef-
fort this place could be charming. But right now it's a wreck.
6: INT. KITCHEN. HOUSE. DAWN.
This kitchen was out of date by 1963. A huge china sink and a
fat fridge. But the cooker works and a battered old kettle is
already on the gas. T-shirt and instant coffee. BERLIN checks
cupboards out. Crockery includes a cup and that'll do for now.
His lips articulate a silent expletive. The gas has just gone
out. Tries to relight it without success. On hands & knees he
explores a rubber supply pipe that snakes under the back door.
7: EXT. OPEN END GARAGE AND YARD. HOUSE. DAWN.
In the garage he finds the gas cylinder. Empty and so is the
bastard with it. He drags fingers through hair in frustration.
Looks around at the heaps of crap that need clearing out. The
view beyond he hardly cares to look at. But if he does it is
as follows. Clouds massing on the horizon. Fields getting re-
ady for rain. His nearest neighbor is around 200 yards away.
His nearest Cow about 50. This house is remote and rural look-
ing with a veranda out back. But BERLIN has no inclination for
sight-seeing. As he walks away a dreary female Voice seeps in.
8: INT. LIVING ROOM/KITCHEN. HOUSE. DAWN.
The Voice comes via a police scanner. Most of this dialogue's
bullshit. Illegally parked autos and a few drunks still about.
BERLIN sits on the mattress eating a breakfast of chewing gum
and milk. He unwraps another Juicy Fruit and regrets it. Goes
round his mouth like a shoe in a washing machine. A reluctant
decision is taken. Spits gum at the sink as he arrives in the
kitchen. Starts unloading his leather bag. A flotsam of stuff
is excavated including a 9mm Beretta and a pack of cigarettes.
He lights up and takes a cruel hit full of nicotine and guilt.
Wouldn't need a clairvoyant to realize he's trying to give up.
Something on the scanner interests him and he wanders back to
the living room. There's a call going out for "David 72 Sam 3."
David 72 acknowledges and BERLIN clearly recognizes the voice.
"We have a 927D/ Springfield Street/ City Dump." But David 72
is already hired. "I'm outside Emersons/ I wanna be the first
horrible face of her day." BERLIN exhales through a smile. The
Controller needs an E.T.A. for the 927? David 72 doesn't know.
Advises her to roll a couple of cars and "Secure the location."
9: EXT. HILLSIDE. SPRINGFIELD STREET. EUREKA. DAY.
A Chevrolet zig-zags up a shabby canyon. It's the road to the
city dump. Its final bend reveals a line of bellowing garbage
trucks. Everything is backed up. Nothing moves except the car.
The cause of the hold-up is explained at the top. A Sheriff's
car blocks the road. A Uniform moves to wave the Chevrolet in.
10: EXT. ENTRANCE/TRACK/INFILL. CITY DUMP. EUREKA. DAY.
The car parks at a weigh-house and a man in his 50's gets out.
Looks like he hasn't slept in a while. And got the mood to go
with it. Sports jacket and cowboy boots. A lot of laugh lines
around the eyes. But you wouldn't want to get arrested by him.
And especially not this morning. His name is FREDERICK T ROSS.
TRAVIS
You can drive down there, Sir ..
ROSS
I'm already walking. Where is it?
One of those walking with him is a 10-year-old Kid with a Dog.
TRAVIS looks almost too young to own his struggling moustache.
TRAVIS
On the infill. The guy from
L.A.'s just gone down there ..
ROSS
He has? .. What's he doing here?
TRAVIS
He was waiting for you, Sir. Wait-
ed a good while. Said he'd go down
and take a look. I hope that's O.K.
The track sinks through a valley of a million discarded tires.
ROSS
Damn A, it's O.K. With a bit of
luck I'm goin home. What we got?
TRAVIS
A derelict.
TRIMBLE
They cut his throat ..
The information comes from freckles and a missing front tooth.
ROSS
Who are you?
TRIMBLE
Trimble.
He wears glasses and wields a rusty .22 pump-action Remington.
ROSS
Where do you fit in, Trimble?
TRAVIS
His father's the manager, Sir.
The kid was up there shooting
vermin, and he found the body.
TRIMBLE
Get ready for it, coz I'm tell-
ing ya, you're in for a shock ..
TRIMBLE speaks with some enthusiasm. ROSS looks back with none.
They slit him from "ear to ear."
Ya want me to make a statement?
ROSS
Not right now. No. Thank you.
11: EXT. WORKING FACE. INFILL. GARBAGE DUMP. DAY.
A series of terraces have been created as the canyon fills up.
Black smoke drifts from a distance at will of the wind. Gulls
and bulldozers. Plus a stinking ten foot cliff of human filth.
Several cars parked here including the blue Mercedes. Several
On Lookers behind yellow police tape. ROSS negotiates it look-
ing pissed off. Looks up and somewhere in the smoke is BERLIN.
ROSS
Did you bring it with you?
BERLIN
I hope I'm not intruding?
ROSS
Be my guest. What you got?
BERLIN
Old guy, offed himself with a
knife. I can't find the knife.
And the next thing ROSS is looking at is a death in the trash.
A massive dozer in the background. Everything else is garbage.
TRIMBLE
They cut his throat.
ROSS
Would you get outside the tape.
And tell your dad to put that
fire out ... that ain't legal ...
Another face here is so familiar ROSS hasn't bothered to ackn-
owledge it. BLATTIS is a 32 year old local newspaper reporter.
Little is visible of the body except a blood-stained raincoat.
TRAVIS
I wonder what would make
him do a thing like that?
ROSS
Don't annoy me, Travis.
TRAVIS
No, Sir.
Truck horns wail in the distance. On the horizon it's thunder.
ROSS
So where's the knife?
BERLIN wears surgical gloves. Removes film from a small camera.
BERLIN
I dunno .. Guess the dozer
musta shifted him? You need
some hands up here to look ..
ROSS
You heard. Look for the knife.
Swatting smoke ROSS directs anger at a fat cop called VENABLES.
You, too .. Move that ass ..
BERLIN hands the film to ROSS as he gets into identical gloves.
You done the pockets?
BERLIN
No, Sir. I haven't started
till Monday. I'm a "tourist."
ROSS
"Welcome to Eureka."
By now ROSS is crouched next to the Corpse examining the wound.
How long's he been feeling like this?
BERLIN
Week or two. Musta been on the ker-
osene. Stinks like a diesel engine.
BLATTIS
Fucken noddle's hanging off ..
ROSS
Mr Blattis, of our local news-
paper. You sure it's a suicide?
BERLIN
Uh huh .. He's well rehearsed ..
BLATTIS
What does that mean, Sergeant?
BERLIN
Cut your own throat, you're ner-
vous about it, tend to hesitate.
He's got three trial cuts, lower
left side of the neck, before he
works up courage for the big one.
BLATTIS looks vaguely impressed. ROSS begins searching pockets.
BLATTIS
You think Popeye would know that?
ROSS
I don't think Popeye would be here.
VENABLES (V.O.)
Dead dog over here, Sir ...
ROSS
Find the knife. And Venab-
les, is the coroner called?
VENABLES
Yes, Sir .. He's delayed ..
BLATTIS
Alright, gentlemen, I'm gonna
leave you. I got a couple of
questions for the paper, Serg-
eant? Mind if I swing by later,
wring out a tea-bag with you?
BERLIN
My pleasure .. Who's Popeye?
BLATTIS
Your predecessor. He did-
n't like to get outta bed.
Catch you later, Freddy T ..
Off he fucks under an ailing sky. BERLIN lands a friendly grin.
BERLIN
So what happened to the
barbecues, and fishing?
ROSS
Watch my lips, coz you're not
gonna believe this - this is
a rare occurrence. We haven't
had a body in eighteen months.
He finds keys and change and a sandwich in the Wino's raincoat.
How does anyone dead
as this lose a knife?
BERLIN
What about that kid, Ross?
ROSS
Oh, shit. Of course. The kid.
(Stands to shout)
Travis. Find that kid and get
the knife off him. He's gonna
lie to you - but he's got it -
so get it. Well, go on, get on
with it. Whatta you staring at?
TRAVIS stares up like he just stuck his dick in a light socket.
TRAVIS
I think I found some-
thing horrible, Sir
ROSS
Whatta you mean, "horrible?"
TRAVIS
I think I've found a hand.
12: EXT. INFILL. GARBAGE DUMP. DAY.
ROSS crouches in garbage. Peers into a trash sack with assist-
ance of a flashlight. "You're right. It's a fucken hand." Pas-
ses the light to BERLIN. His turn to examine the ruptured bag.
BERLIN
Looks like a woman's hand?
BERLIN finally stands. Offs the flashlight. And hands it back.
ROSS
What do you think?
BERLIN
I think you're here all day.
13: EXT. INFILL. GARBAGE DUMP. DAY.
Pissing with rain and unspeakably miserable. The 'grid-search'
is in progress and 50 square yards of the dump have been ripp-
ed to pieces. Intermittent voices from police radios. More veh-
icles down below including an ambulance with hazards revolving.
Up here half a dozen arc-lights scald off vapor. BERLIN search-
es under a busted umbrella. Looks up and runs into ROSS's eyes.
ROSS
How much longer we here? We're
not gonna find nothing else .. ?
He wears a rubber cape & looks like a huge pissed-off Napoleon.
BERLIN
We give it one more hour. Did
the photographer do the dogs?
ROSS
The dogs?
BERLIN
Two dogs. He should do the dogs.
And both turn towards a Voice shouting from deep in the gloom.
VENABLES
Sergeant - we got a brassiere over
here. Looks like it could be blood.
ROSS
Oh, shit.
BERLIN
Alright, I'm coming ..
Another intrusion from the radio. TRAVIS repeats the question.
TRAVIS
The coroner wants to know if
we can release the derelict?
ROSS
Ask him.
BERLIN
Yeah, he can go ...
ROSS
Think I'll lay down with him.
Only way I'll get outta here.
Did someone say something funny? Does BERLIN just about smile.
BERLIN
It's good to be with you, Ross.
And this is probably the only time ROSS will look happy today.
ROSS
Glad you finally made it, Bro ...
14: EXT. CAR PARK. POLICE STATION. CITY OF EUREKA. DAY.
The Mercedes descends an incline and parks. Brown Chevys and
black & white patrol cars. Dismal lights and raining like it
doesn't end. BERLIN gets out and unloads the trunk (aquarium
& insulated picnic box). Slams the trunk and reveals BLATTIS.
BLATTIS
You want some umbrella?
Proffers a big yellow one plus assistance carrying equipment.
BERLIN
Is this normal?
BLATTIS
Average rainfall, 48 inches.
Pisses down, October to June.
Raining hard enough to hurt. A brisk intimacy across the lot.
Better in the summer. You
get to fucka few tourists ..
He hits a security code at the door. Obviously familiar with
the station. Dialogue continues as they step into a corridor.
15: INT. CORRIDOR/ADMINISTRATION. POLICE STATION. DAY.
BLATTIS [BERLIN]
Not married are you, Sergeant? [No.]
That's good, you get to fuck a few
more. So how long you known Freddy?
BERLIN
Freddy? Forever - he was my serg-
eant when I was a kid - don't get
to see a lot of each other - but
we been buddies two hundred years ..
BLATTIS
Did he get you the job?
BERLIN
I think he would have if he could
have - been trying to get me up
here long enough - I think he may
have bribed the old guy to retire ..
BLATTIS
Popeye wasn't old. Younger than you.
They push through doors into the biggest room in the building.
A dozen desks back to back and all the clutter and clatter of
typewriters and paperwork and Secretaries swapping the gossip.
Too many cops to describe and no time to remember them anyway.
But here's one making introductions. About 60 years old. Face
a mix of brick and fat. The Chief of Eureka Police is CITRINE.
CITRINE
Sergeants Serato, and Taylor.
Any handshakes and greetings that fit in around the equipment.
Mr Travis, I think you know ..
BERLIN
Do me a favor, Travis? Bring in
the resta the stuff from my car?
BLATTIS tosses his parasol "Don't lose it" and follows BERLIN.
BLATTIS
Did you find the knife, Sergeant?
BERLIN
No .. But we have a theory ..
BLATTIS
Kid told me he didn't take it?
BERLIN
Maybe he's lying to you?
By now they're in an L shaped room with wood benches and bull-
etin board all over the walls. Bullshit everywhere in packing
cases. Dusty Playboy spreads amongst other junk on the boards.
BLATTIS
Is it true you found a hand?
And he benches the aquarium as BERLIN loses the insulated box.
Is that it?
CITRINE (O.S.)
Interview over, Blattis ...
BLATTIS
C'mon, Chief, if it's sensitive,
tell me .. I'm not taking notes ..
Right now the box contains camera equipment which is unpacked.
CITRINE
.. we got a body part. We don't
know what it is - probably some
kind of hospital debris - we're
gonna try and check it out. O.K.
Now you know as much as we do ..
BLATTIS
Grateful for your candor, Sir.
CITRINE
Then do me a favor, and keep
this outta the newspaper - that
dump serves a dozen different
communities, we don't even know
if it's ours? Till we do I don't
want no one worrying about ..
BLATTIS
Wasn't frozen, was it, Sergeant?
CITRINE
Come on, Michael, outta here, the
guys trying to move in. I told you
what we know, something else, you-
'll be the first to hear about it ..
A Woman's face around the door. "Los Angeles for Sergeant Ber-
lin." And goodbye BLATTIS as Berlin reaches for the telephone.
BERLIN
Why did he ask if it was frozen?
CITRINE
That, I couldn't tell you .. And
don't worry about anya this crap,
by the time you're back it's gone ..
CITRINE splits as BERLIN picks up "Hey, Ronzo, good of you to
call." A long phone lead and he continues to unpack equipment.
BERLIN (Phone)
Listen, my time isn't good - but two
things - really important - the bras-
siere I sent you? - I need to know if
those stains are human blood - and if
they are, do they match the blood in
the sample? - C'mon, gimme a break, I
don't know anyone up here, it would
take two weeks - C'mon, Ronny, I'm ask-
ing nice? I really need to know wheth-
er I'm interested in that brassiere? ..
A cut-out of Popeye The Sailor with fist round a camera on the
wall. Telephone resistance is collapsing and he breaks a smile.
You're my favourite man - raining -
I gotta go - Ronny - I gotta go - I
got a house fulla removal men and a
date at the morgue - And, Ron, Con-
gratulations - you're my first call ..
16: INT. MORGUE. COUNTY HOSPITAL. EUREKA. DAY.
ROSS has a Vic inhaler up his nostril. An inadequate defense.
A sudden stink slams into his neck muscles. Head and inhaler
travel rearward. He shifts eyes to BERLIN who scans the Bum's
autopsy reports. A PATHOLOGIST comments on his handiwork into
a microphone hanging from the ceiling. "Except as previously
noted, the liver is not remarkable." ROSS doesn't believe it.
PATHOLOGIST
.. if the knife hadn't killed
him, the booze would .. I nev-
er seen such a bad cirrhosis ..
BERLIN
You say the cut's left to right?
(He does)
Isn't that unusual? He's left handed?
He picks up a nicotine-stained left hand. Simultaneously a LAB
TECHNICIAN wants BERLIN to sign in exchange for the picnic box.
PATHOLOGIST
I guess he was so drunk, he did-
n't know which hand he was using.
(Re box)
What are you gonna do with it?
BERLIN
Depends how healthy it is. If it's
any good, I'll try and get a print ..
He hands the clip-board back and remembers a question for ROSS.
Oh, Ross, that newspaper guy at the
station, asked me if the hand was
"frozen?" Why would he ask me that?
ROSS
Frozen? .. I've no idea ..
Another fast fix on the Vic and BERLIN chews fresh gum. A need-
le on a weighing machine quivers. "The liver weighs 1420 grams."
A few beers wouldn't do
that to you, would they?
PATHOLOGIST
No, Freddy .. Not a few ..
17: INT. KITCHEN. THE ROSS RESIDENCE. EUREKA. DUSK.
An explosion of hugs in the kitchen. Everything happens at once.
MARGIE ROSS is slim and dark and still looking "twice as pretty."
She's got compliments for BERLIN too if they can get out of each-
other's arms "You're looking wonderful, John." But greetings are
better performed than described, so I'm leaving it to the actors.
ROSS
You do a rush on three pizzas?
He emerges from the refrigerator wielding a bottle of champagne.
MARGIE
I'm not giving him Pizza. I
haven't seem him for a year?
I'm gonna cook him a dinner.
ROSS
Dinner's another night, darlin ..
This is a drive-by. I got an hour ..
He detours via the kitchen door to shout upstairs. "Hey. Bobby.?"
MARGIE
Bobby's out .. What's the hurry?
ROSS
Friday night at City Hall. Got a
great chance to frighten the fat.
MARGIE
Freddy's new obsession ..
BERLIN
Who is who?
ROSS
A professional, whining, con-person
bitch with an ass the size of Africa ..
ROSS fights a difficult cork "You wanna get some glasses, Honey?"
She's an accounts-manager, very pal-
ly with our mayor, up to her elbows
in fraud, and I just can't prove it ..
MARGIE
So tonight she confesses?
ROSS
Tonight I'm feeling lucky ..
The cork explodes and he goes for glasses but one isn't willing.
BERLIN
Not for me ..
ROSS
What d'you mean, I just opened it
for you? This is French champagne.
MARGIE
No it isn't .. It's Californian ..
ROSS
Even better.
BERLIN
Not today .. I'm on a diet to-
day .. I'll take a diet soda ..
ROSS
Since when did you drink diet soda?
MARGIE
Stop nagging him. If he doesn't
want it, he doesn't want it. You-
're quacking like an old duck ..
And she's already at the fridge and popping a can of diet cola.
Here you go, Honey .. You're
looking wonderful, John .. I
can't believe we got you here ..
ROSS
How's the new residence?
BERLIN
O.K.
ROSS
What does that mean?
BERLIN
Not too good in daylight ..
ROSS
C'mon, just shut your eyes until
it's painted. You're gonna love
it. This is "God's Country," John.
18: INT. CRIME LAB. POLICE STATION. DAY.
This in huge close-up. Focus hardens on a finger tip. A shock
of light. The focus adjusts and a flash bulb fires again. BER-
LIN moves away from the view-finder. Chewing gum stuck to the
side of the camera returns to his mouth. He activates an auto-
matic rewind. It fills the silence while he heads for a phone.
A lot of paraphernalia and technical type of shit. The bullet-
in board is filling up. Photographs chronicle the hours spent
on the dump. He dials with eyes on the pictures. A dozen cata-
logue discovery of the bra. "This is Mike Blattis/I can't take
your call right now/ If you have a message/You know the sound."
19: INT. DUTY ROOM/CORRIDOR/ADMIN. POLICE STATION. NIGHT.
A reel to reel tape recorder the size of a refrigerator domin-
ates the room. A black board details day/night/weekend shifts.
T.V. security monitors. A rack of night-sticks. And of course
paperwork. VENABLES crouches over a desk filling something in.
BERLIN
Would you drop these off for me?
Sure he will and six rolls of film are handed across. "Are you
winning, Sir?" BERLIN smiles and VENABLES follows him out into
the corridor. A couple of Coppers on their way in. One big and
morose looking called BISLEY. The other we've already met. Tay-
lor is a tall balding guy with hazy reddish hair "How you doin?"
BERLIN responds a happy "O.K." with eyes returning to VENABLES.
You know something strange about
that hand? I think it was frozen?
VENABLES
Frozen?
BERLIN
Yeah. What does that mean to you?
Apparently little. They arrive in the big room. It's deserted.
C'mon, Venables, you're a policeman.
And policemen always have an answer?
VENABLES
Well, Sir ..
BERLIN
Well, what?
VENABLES
Well, we had a very bad murder
here, coupla years ago. Not act-
ually in our county, but south
of here. Girl with no head, no
hands. You didn't read about it?
(He didn't)
It was big shit. They had forty,
fifty detective working it. Nev-
er identified her. Never found
the head, never found the hands ..
A vacuum cleaner starts somewhere but BERLIN isn't hearing it.
So it could be that some crazy's
stored her hand in a freezer, and
only now decided to get rid of it?
BERLIN
Where do I find the file on that?
VENABLES
In there if we got anything? I
believe the code was "Jennifer."
BERLIN is already looking. A last question as VENABLES leaves.
Was it really frozen, Sergeant?
BERLIN
No. Been dead two weeks.
20: INT. CRIME LAB. POLICE STATION. DAWN.
The atrophied Hand is emersed in some kind of fluid. Index and
second fingers bound with wire just below the upper joint. BER-
LIN reaches for steel pliers. His face remains in close-up for
a nasty "snap" as he cuts a finger off. He's filling a syringe
with the same fluid when ROSS walks in. "Jesus, you still here?"
BERLIN
What time is it?
ROSS
Seven thirty-five .. Here,
"Town Gets Top Cop." I was
gonna pin it to your wall.
A newspaper featuring a small photograph and article on Berlin.
Holding the Finger he carefully inserts a hypodermic needle un-
der the wire. Gently shoots in fluid to inflate the finger pad.
BERLIN
Why so coy about the word "frozen"?
ROSS
Because, don't get into it ...
BERLIN
There's nothing in the files?
ROSS
Watch my lips .. Don't get into it ..
The Finger pad is sufficiently restored to try and get a print.
It wasn't our case, wasn't our coun-
ty, and got nothing to do with that.
21: INT. CRIME LAB. POLICE STATION. DAY.
A slide projector does its stuff on a sheet of card pinned to
the door. Close-up of the Hand and off screen voice of BERLIN.
"Notice anything weird about it?" The answer from ROSS is "No."
A pen moves into frame and BERLIN points to marks on the Hand.
BERLIN
Look - 1 - 2 - 3/4 - 5 - 6 - 7 ..
The machine shunts up another slide. Now the back of the Hand.
I count eleven scars on this hand,
and four that might be? .. Now I
count em on my hand? Five. I'm 42
years old. This girl's about 18?
How come she's got so many scars?
He walks out of the projection beam and neon light flutters on.
So tell me about "Jennifer?"
Reaches for a pack of cigarettes and perches on a nearby stool.
You know I'm gonna find out.
BERLIN counts out cigarettes. And destroys them in an ashtray.
ROSS
It's an "unsolved." They spent 500
thousand dollars & bought emselves
a dead end - You might wanna check
it with Taylor, he worked the case.
BERLIN
I already did. What's his problem?
ROSS reaches for the paper & thumb-tacks it to the wall "That."
ROSS
He thinks you stole his promotion.
(Re cigarettes)
What exactly you doin there, John?
BERLIN
It's a method for quitting smoking.
A Zippo opens (sports L.A.P.D. insignia) and BERLIN lights up.
He takes a punishing hit and exhales a lungful across the lab.
ROSS
That's an interesting method?
Must help beat the withdrawal?
Back on his feet BERLIN is about to begin more work on the Hand.
BERLIN
It's a technique I read about.
If you smoke 60 a day, you buy
three packs, throw one cigar-
ette away, and smoke 59. Day 2,
you throw 2 away and smoke 58 ..
ROSS
Why don't you throw them
all away, and smoke none?
BERLIN
Because it's a ritual you gotta
go through with. I'm down to 10.
Daftest thing Ross ever heard. BERLIN is poised to make a print.
ROSS
You want my advice?
BERLIN
Maybe?
ROSS
Find yourself a farmer's daughter
with nice big fucking tits, and
shake that "bye-bye." Send it to
Sacramento, John .. I sniff grief ..
22: INT. STAIRS/LIVING ROOM. BERLIN'S HOUSE. DAY.
BERLIN & ROSS are opposite ends of a bed jammed on the stairs.
"Bastards. I gave em a 20 buck tip." Various navigational sug-
gestions from ROSS win them another stair. Plus advice from a
12 year old called BOBBY. "You gotta go left, Dad." ROSS knows
he's gotta go left! Both heave as MARGIE walks out the kitchen.
MARGIE
You're all done except the floor.
The house is a zoo of furniture. Bullshit piled up everywhere.
BERLIN
You're a saint, Margie, thanks ..
By now she's got the apron off and her coat on. "C'mon, Bobby."
MARGIE
Don't forget the wagon, Darlin?
And off they go via a slammed door as the phone starts to ring.
23: INT. BEDROOM. HOUSE. DAY.
In they stagger. The bed goes down. And BERLIN sprawls on top
of it. Devastated for oxygen. "Alright. That's it. I'm fucked."
ROSS
You gotta stop smoking ..
BERLIN
I am stopping smoking ...
ROSS
I don't mean this "system" shit
that keeps you sucking, I mean
stop .. I was exactly like you
are .. I used to wake in the
night - heart going so hard
I coulda made love with my left
tit .. If I can stop, you can ..
BERLIN
How'd you do it, old man?
ROSS
Someone bet me a dollar ..
BERLIN
A dollar? .. Not worth
giving up for a dollar ..
BERLIN manages to find air to sit. Reaches for the Ansa Phone.
ROSS
Alright. I'll bet you fifty?
First call comes from Delaware Roofing vis-a-vis the estimate.
BERLIN
Fifty dollars? You got a bet.
During these proceedings the machine has moved to another call.
[MACHINE]
[J.B./Ronzo/Got some results for
you/ First/ the blood on the bra
is human/ and it's not a popular
brand/A.B. Neg and that's a rare
one/Two/the blood on the brassie-
re is compatible with the blood
from the hand/Three/If you need
anything else the official answer
from all us Christians down here,
is fuck off/Shoot me a duck/Bye]
ROSS
What are you gonna do, Soldier?
BERLIN
I'm gonna dig up "Jennifer."
24: INT. (TELETYPE)/ADMIN. POLICE STATION. NIGHT.
And here's part of the "exhumation." CITRINE stares at a tele-
type machine waiting for transmission on Jennifer to complete.
Approximate date of birth/Approximate date of death/ Identity
Unknown. Visible misgivings as he hauls it out and reads. One
or two chairs already on desks. ROSS still at his pawing over
documents with a detective called SERATO. Cigarette smoke and
shirt sleeves. ROSS looks up and catches CITRINE as he passes.
ROSS
Chief, I gotta talk to
ya about this fat lady?
CITRINE
What about her?
ROSS
She's making my life a
misery .. I wanna give
her a lie-detector test?
CITRINE continues up the carpet. "Alright, we'll talk about it."
25: INT. CRIME LAB. POLICE STATION. NIGHT.
A florescent glow from a T.V. monitor supplies the only light.
BERLIN vacillates interest between the scanner and the screen.
CITRINE (O.S.)
What is that?
BERLIN
Laser enhancement of the finger-
tip .. it's really bothering me ..
See these striations right here?
(Green on the screen)
It's like she's always worrying
the end of her finger? Rubbing it
with a thumb nail, or something?
But CITRINE isn't interested in finger nails. He's staring at
a polystyrene torso of a faceless girl. She wears a brassiere
stuffed with newspaper and a black wig. (Welcome Jennifer Two)
She's almost identical to Jennifer.
Slim - White - same age - bra size
is even the same. Nicely made lady.
CITRINE stares at the Dummy like he's gonna ask it a question.
CITRINE
How do you know her hair's black?
BERLIN
Hair on her hand. Plus Jen-
nifer had raven black hair.
CITRINE
What is all this Jennifer stuff?
He waves a handful of teletype before dumping it on a bench.
These cases aren't connected, John?
BERLIN
Yes, Sir, I think they maybe.
I think "Jennifer," and this
lady got hit by the same guy?
CITRINE
I don't see that at all ..
On the board is a super-imposed picture of a hand over a wrist.
BERLIN
I got four points of posit-
ive comparison on the cut ..
CITRINE
Yeah, that's all very inter-
esting, but where's the body?
A question he doesn't need because he hasn't an answer. CITRINE
has an eye on further photographs relevant to the Jennifer case.
I don't know nothing about this "Jenn-
ifer" girl, cept what some of the guys
told me - but principal feature of the
case was a gruesome displayal of the
body. He wanted it found. So if this is
the same guy, why's he hidden this one?
Another question he can't answer - and this time he doesn't get
a chance - BISLEY walks in with an apology for the interruption.
Got a face like Humphrey Bogart's mother fucked a different guy.
BISLEY
Just wondered if you had time to
get around to my pharmacy stuff?
BERLIN
You'll have it in the morning ..
BISLEY
Alright, I'll try again tomorrow.
Bisley has gone but his tension stays. BERLIN unwraps fresh gum.
CITRINE
Probably making him feel a bit
antsy seein it back on the wall.
He worked a lotta time on this.
BERLIN
I thought it was Taylor's case?
CITRINE
Sucked in officers from all over
the county. And it was the worst
six months this station ever had.
This is CITRINE's shop and BERLIN isn't gonna row it with him.
BERLIN
What do you want me to do, Chief?
CITRINE
I'm not telling you what to do.
What I will say, is right now,
that child's tricycle there is
more important to me than this ..
He refers to a little bicycle. Vouchered and obviously stolen.
By now CITRINE is at the hinges. A pause before he disappears.
Why don't you give it a minute, &
stop by my office. We should talk.
26: INT. MERCEDES SEDAN. CITY OF EUREKA. NIGHT.
Melted neon in the streets. A wet mid-town night. Nothing but
sound of windshield wipers and click of a Zippo lighter. ROSS
rides stoic passenger while BERLIN drives with festering eyes.
ROSS
.. what does he think it is?
BERLIN [ROSS]
Everything it isn't [make a left].
He even tried a "self-inflicted."
ROSS
It's possible.
BERLIN
C'mon, Ross, the bra and hand were
in different bags a 100 feet apart ..
They stop at a light and a beeper goes as warning to the blind.
What's she gonna do? Dump her bra
in one bag, her hand in the other,
and wander off whistling Hey Jude?
ROSS
It's the garage on the far corner.
BERLIN is worrying at his fingertip on the wheel of the Zippo.
You can't stop it, can you?
BERLIN
What do you mean?
ROSS
Worrying - clicking - picking - You
may as well be back in Los Angeles.
BERLIN
What do you mean, Ross?
The lights change and off they go and BERLIN waits for a turn.
ROSS
Why don't you dump it? Mail it off.
Give the fucking F.B.I. a present?
BERLIN
Why don't you dump the "Fat Lady?"
ROSS
Because I dislike her too much ..
BERLIN
O.K. and I'm not in love with this
fukker? That's how I feel about him.
ROSS
No you don't. That's how you think
you feel about him. That's how you
feel about yourself. You won't give
yourself one-fucking-minute for you.
And by now they've arrived and pulled up on the garage forecourt.
It's indicative of their friendship that ROSS can talk like this.
Wait for me. It might not be ready.
He quits the car and BERLIN watches him scurry towards a service
shop. Rain beats on the roof and BERLIN looks stubbed out. A lot
of cuts coming up and here are some of them. Runs a hand through
his hair in unconscious frustration. A finger constantly bothers
the Zippo. Eyes towards ROSS who silhouettes in florescent light.
Somewhere in the background the lights change to red. Once again
the beeping sound of traffic-lights speaking to the blind. Maybe
he looks across but that doesn't matter. Something just happens
inside his head he isn't yet quite aware of. Everything in close
up. Big on the Zippo. Big on BERLIN. And he leaps out of the car.
BERLIN sprints through the weather. A station wagon is still in
the air at the end of an hydraulic jack. Surprise from ROSS and a
MECHANIC as BERLIN arrives. Fuck the fanbelt and listen to this.
BERLIN
I just had this insane idea - if
I'm wrong, I'll take a week off
and redecorate your entire house ..
Rain beats at the roof and the jack sinks the wagon behind them.
She's blind, Ross - that's why all
the scars - hear that traffic light?
That noise is to help blind people -
that's why the marks on her finger-
tips? - this lady reads in Braille ..
27: INT. ADMINISTRATION. POLICE STATION. DAY.
BERLIN sits at a desk at the end of the room. Nothing here but
a legal pad and a phone. The pad is covered in names & numbers.
Right now he's into a call and this is sounding promising."How
old?" And he writes 26. "How long?" About 6 weeks ago. Hope in
his eyes as he looks across to a woman called ANN. She's doing
what he's doing on a different line "Wait a minute, I specific-
ally said I was looking for a girl?" And all hope over because
Lesley is a boy. But here comes ANN & this might be something?
ANN
Shasta-Trinity Institute. Line one.
Sticks a sheet of notes on his desk and he junks the last call.
BERLIN (New call)
Hello .. Yes .. This is Sergeant
Berlin .. Yes, that's right .. I
believe my assistant explained? ..
How long ago was that? .. Uh-huh.
O.K. .. Who is who? .. Whass his
name? Goodridge? O.K. I'll hold ..
ROSS in transit grinning from ear to ear. BERLIN interested in
little but his notes and ROSS in nothing but obvious good news.
ROSS
Pig Woman agreed to take a test.
BERLIN
I think I got something - twenty
two years old, dark hair - study-
ing mathematics - (Yes, yes, I'm
holding) - Last seen 5 weeks ago ..
28: EXT. LANDSCAPE/ROAD. TRINITY FOREST. DAY.
Mussorgsky is back on a shock cut. Big music and a shattering
landscape. Juniper woods and mountains. Sunlight on fresh fal-
len snow. Somewhere a long way off a car crawls up the valley.
Ross's car bursts into frame and as quickly the bend snatches
it away. An unexpected building in the distance. Victorian at
a glance but probably later. A clock tower and fifty lifeless
windows. The Chevy disappears towards its somber architecture.
29: EXT. THE SHASTA-TRINITY INSTITUTE. DAY.
Pine trees and slush and parked cars. The Chevrolet swings in
and parks in front of the mansion. Breath in the air and eyes
on the ugly pile as they slam doors and head for its entrance.
30: INT. ENTRANCE/RECEPTION. INSTITUTE. DAY.
BERLIN first with ROSS following. As soon as they hit the ent-
rance they trigger a recorded voice. "YOU ARE NOW AT THE MAIN
ENTRANCE. THERE ARE SIX STEPS." Midway up them with ROSS look-
ing back. "RECEPTION IS THROUGH SWING DOORS AND TO YOUR RIGHT."
31: INT. PRINCIPAL'S OFFICER. INSTITUTE. DAY.
GOODRIDGE is mid-50's with a beard like Abraham Lincoln. Sits
far side of his desk alternating eyes between ROSS and BERLIN.
The latter studies a photograph of a Girl in a file. It's pos-
sible they've found Jennifer Two? "How recent is the picture?"
GOODRIDGE
As recent as we have .. What ex-
actly is your interest in Amber?
BERLIN
I'm afraid I can't give you an ans-
wer to that, Mr Goodridge. As I ex-
plained to your secretary, we're do-
ing a lotta looking, but we're not
even sure it's her we're lookin for ..
GOODRIDGE
Then what are you hoping I'm gon-
na do? Dissuade, or persuade you?
BERLIN
I was hopin since we spoke that you
might have remembered something that
would give us an idea where she is?
GOODRIDGE
Then you could have saved yourself
a lot of driving, Sergeant. What I
said on the phone's the same as I'm
saying now. I got no idea where Amb-
er is, or who it was took her there.
He doesn't like them but not as much as ROSS doesn't like him.
ROSS
A blind girl can just walk out of
here, and you don't know who with?
GOODRIDGE
You find something curious in that?
ROSS
Yeah, I guess I do.
GOODRIDGE
Then let me put your mind at ease ..
Firstly, Amber isn't "blind" - she
has some useful vision - and second,
this isn't a prison, it's a college
of higher education - a severe vis-
ual disability doesn't mean my stud-
ents don't value their independence
as much as anybody else - and Amber
was a very independent young woman -
She decided to leave - so she left ..
ROSS
And you got no idea with who?
GOODRIDGE
No, Sergeant, I got no idea with who.
And I might add, that in another six
weeks, a hundred and fifty students
will be leaving here, & driving away
for their Christmas holidays with pe-
ople whose name I-won't-know-either ..
ROSS could sock him in the crop but the phone rings and he ex-
cuses himself to answer it. Whatever he hears he isn't liking.
You have an appointment with Miss
Robertson?
BERLIN
Yes, Sir.
GOODRIDGE
As she's a member of my staff,
may I ask what this is about?
BERLIN
Well, apparently, she saw Amber the
weekend she left, & was briefly in
the room with the guy she left with.
GOODRIDGE
I see .. Well, she's teaching an-
other class at four .. I'd apprec-
iate it if you don't detain her ..
32: INT. CORRIDOR. INSTITUTE. DAY.
Looking back down a deserted corridor. Someone tried to put sun-
shine on the walls with yellow paint. Somewhere a long way away
there is a sound like children singing. ROSS loathes this joint.
Loathes its silence. Eyes back to BERLIN as he rings a doorbell.
ROSS
Where is everyone?
BERLIN
I dunno .. I guess this is
staff side of the building?
Here come footsteps and the door is opened by HELENA ROBERTSON.
Early 20's and blonde and not immediately beautiful. But delic-
ate features than need no make up and big dark eyes. They look
away for introductions as though she's shy. ROSS & BERLIN grab
glances as they follow in. Neither expected HELENA to be blind.
33: INT. APARTMENT. INSTITUTE. DAY.
Claustrophobia evaporates instantly. Great views down the val-
ley from every window. Plus a bizarre jumble of furniture and
colors. But no pictures on the walls. No friendly photographs.
Nor any lights. Although the afternoon is shutting down there
isn't a light in the room. ROSS elects to stay at the windows.
BERLIN takes an offered chair. HELENA sits nervously opposite.
HELENA
What d'you wanna ask, Mr Ross?
BERLIN
I'm Mr Berlin. Mr Ross is right
here. And Mr Ross is maybe gonna
take a few notes, if that's O.K.?
(She nods)
O.K. .. I'd like you to tell me
in what ever way you want, what
you can remember about the time
you spent with Amber on the aft-
ernoon she left? Take your time,
and nothing's too trivial, O.K.
HELENA
Well, I think I told you on the
phone .. I went up to her room
to say good-bye, and we just sat
on the bed and chatted a while,
while her friend was coming in
and out collecting her things ..
BERLIN
What kind of friend? Was he a boy
friend? An old friend? New friend?
Lots of headshake. And lots of silences. "I really don't know."
That's O.K. Can you give me any
idea what this fellow was like?
(Headshake)
Well, d'you know how old he was?
(Headshake)
Alright, let me put it this way?
How old d'you think I am? Twenty-
six? Thirty-nine? Or fifty-three?
HELENA
Fifty-three.
Possibly the only grin ROSS is going to get out of this place.
BERLIN
You must have some idea about him.
HELENA
When we spoke on the phone,
did you know I was blonde?
BERLIN
No.
HELENA
Why not? You heard my voice?
A good point. And a point taken. And BERLIN might even say so.
We don't have some kind of
sixth-sense, you know. Ex-
cept in ridiculous novels ..
Now another silence overtaken by a low whistle in another room.
He used a breath freshener ...
A sardonic headshake from ROSS. Well that solves the case then!
And I think his name was John?
BERLIN
John? .. You never said that
on the phone? .. What makes
you think his name was John?
HELENA
I don't know. I guess she must
have called him John? I'm mak-
ing tea. Would you like some?
BERLIN would but ROSS wouldn't. She leaves and whispers begin.
BERLIN
This looks promising .. I
think this one could be it?
ROSS
Thank Christ we got a witness.
BERLIN
Let me just keep going a while.
She might remember something?
ROSS
What? She's blind, Bro. You
may as well ask one of these
Beethoven guys on the piano?
He thumbs a cluster of cheap busts of composers on an upright.
We're better off having another
pop at old Abe Lincoln down the-
re? Get angry with the prick. Get
some of his "useful visions" in?
Someone must have seen something?
Negative from BERLIN. Checked it out. Sunday and no one about.
This is fucken crazy. Two hours
here, two hours back, and the
only word I've written is John ..
A touch later and the sun is setting. ROSS stands at a window
to watch it go. Watches one or two cars driving away. Watches
a bird sitting outside on the fire-escape. BERLIN's voice can
just about be heard off screen "You said he spoke? Can you re-
member what he said?" ROSS saunters back into HELENA's answer.
HELENA
Well, he just said, come on,
hurry up, will you, because
it's starting to snow again.
Empty teacups and empty notebook. ROSS sits opposite BERLIN.
And I remember, he was a lit-
tle breathless from carrying
the cases because the elevat-
or had gone out that weekend.
BERLIN
The elevator wasn't working?
HELENA
No, it has a mind of its own.
A clock strikes four somewhere. And BERLIN knows he's lost it.
BERLIN
Can I see your hands?
HELENA
My hands?
He takes her hands and HELENA immediately looks uncomfortable.
He examines scars and she stares at him with her useless eyes.
I have a class. I have to go.
BERLIN
Is there anything else you can
tell me? Anything about him or
her? Doesn't matter how small?
HELENA
No. Except he smoked. Like you.
BERLIN
Me?
HELENA
Yes, I could smell it on his
breath, like I can on your's.
A taut instant between ROSS and BERLIN. BERLIN caught out and
he knows it. ROSS roars in silence "YOU LYING PIG" and writes
in his notebook. The angle switches to see "BERLIN IS A LIAR."
I'm late .. I really have to go ..
Everyone suddenly on their feet and HELENA gets into a jacket.
BERLIN
D'you have a dog? Seeing Eye Dog?
HELENA
No.
BERLIN
Lotta scratch-marks on your door?
HELENA
Sometimes I look after friends dogs,
if they go to dances, or something?
ROSS
Could I just refer you to
this memo here, Sergeant?
He tries to get his notebook under BERLIN's nose. But BERLIN
isn't looking or listening but following HELENA into her hall.
BERLIN
Did Amber have a dog?
HELENA
Yes.
BERLIN
What color was it?
HELENA
I don't know.
She opens the door and ROSS is barely through before it slams.
34: INT. CORRIDOR. INSTITUTE. DAY.
ROSS baits BERLIN up the corridor. Ridicules in silence while
counting imaginary winnings. Watch my lips! F.I.F.T.Y. HELENA
walks innocent of the pantomime and BERLIN tries to ignore it.
BERLIN
.. if she writes, or calls, or any-
thing at all, you let me know, O.K.
He bells the elevator refusing to acknowledge ROSS's bullshit.
I'll leave a number with the office ..
Lips drill a whisper into his ear. "Fifty fucken dollars, O.K."
What exactly do you teach, Helena?
HELENA
Music composition .. and cello ..
ROSS
Fifty of em. And I want em now.
Meanwhile the elevator arrives triggering a Voice. "YOU ARE NOW
ON THE FOURTH FLOOR." Doors slide open and Christ look at this?
What kind of eye-defect needs glasses like this? Lenses like ei-
ther half of a glass ball. He's early 30's and decidedly "iffy."
Is he student/staff or what? As he exits they enter staring aft-
er him. As the doors close the MYOPIC turns to stare after them.
35: INT. CHEVROLET. TRINITY VALLEY. DUSK.
ROSS drives and BERLIN studies Amber's file. "Wanna beer?" No
answer but cans appear anyway from a pack between Ross's legs.
BERLIN
Had a seeing Eye Dog since she
was eighteen .. didn't I tell
you those dogs meant something ..
ROSS
No, you didn't.
BERLIN
Alright, I didn't, but I nearly
did, and if I had I'd have been
right .. I knew there was some-
thing about that Labrador, that
dog was too good to be dead ..
We gotta get back up that dump ..
ROSS
No way .. not me, Mister. I'm not
going up there again. Might find
someone's prick in a hot-dog roll.
BERLIN
We're going.
ROSS
Forget it. They got stringent hyg-
iene rules. He's long gone in lime.
ROSS pops cans and hands one over. But BERLIN doesn't want it.
BERLIN
Maybe not? I'm feeling lucky ..
ROSS
So am I. But where's my money?
BERLIN
Don't start again. If you win a
bet, you can't keep winning it ..
ROSS
Pay me, and I shut up.
BERLIN
I haven't got it.
ROSS
Then give me that Zippo.
BERLIN
Why?
ROSS
I need some security. I
don't trust you anymore.
BERLIN
I had one puff on a pipe.
ROSS
I don't want excuses, I want that
weird-looking stuff called "cash."
Snaps fingers "Gimme the lighter." And he does to shut him up.
I'll tell you what I'm gonna do?
I'm gonna do you a big favor ..
Forget the 50 and I'll keep this.
BERLIN
What do you want it for?
ROSS
To throw out of the window.
Does it as he says it. Bye-bye Zippo! BERLIN can't believe it.
BERLIN
What are you doing, Ross?
I've had that 15 years! ..
ROSS
It's not your friend. It
keeps you sucking. Remem-
ber the old Bum's lungs?
BERLIN
I remember the old bastard's
liver! I don't believe you
did that. I had a great sent-
imental attachment to that.
ROSS
You want me to stop the car?
An academic question considering the Zippo went down a ravine.
BERLIN
No! Get me to that garbage dump!
I'm gonna find that fucking dog!
36: EXT. CITY DUMP. CITY OF EUREKA. NIGHT.
Gloom congeals around flashlights. A winter mist falling down.
TRIMBLE and Doberman watch as BERLIN goes at it with a shovel.
A dozen graves already dug and he's halfway into another. Des-
pite the cold he sweats in shirt sleeves. Also breathless and
rests to catch his wind. "Don't you have to go to bed?" No he
doesn't. He wants to see the victim. Digging recommences with
TRIMBLE supplying the light. BERLIN suddenly stops. "Get that
lamp down here." White lime. Black fur. They've found the Dog.
BERLIN begins an examination holding a tiny flashlight in his
teeth. Eyes excitedly back to TRIMBLE and gesturing towards a
bag. "That bag there. You find a knife and a paira long-nosed
pliers." TRIMBLE does it relishing the snap of a switch-blade.
BERLIN still busy with the light in his mouth. TRIMBLE pissed
because he can't see what's happening. BERLIN removes a crump-
led bullet from the back of the Labrador's skull. Holds it up
for scrutiny. Small calibre. Badly distorted. "Looks like a 22?"
BERLIN
You didn't shoot him did you?
TRIMBLE
Me .. I love dogs .. Ask him?
37: INT. ANTI ROOM/ADMINISTRATION. POLICE STATION. DAY.
LETTERS BIG AS A HOUSE. And Loud. The printer reciprocates as
fast as its mechanics are capable. Details coming in from San
Diego. VICAP Case Number/F.B.I. Case Number/Victim Status/etc
etc. Letters smacking into paper too fast to read. But one de-
tail is repeated constantly and underlined. "Identity Unknown."
Transmission ends and BERLIN hauls at least a yard of homicide
out of the machine. Can't believe what he's looking at. "Jesus.
He hit six." Reads as he walks back into the big room and gets
interrupted by a call. "Miss Robertson. Holding." He heads for
the phone with eyes following ANN "Find Ross for me, will you?"
BERLIN (Phone)
Berlin .. yeah .. that's nice of
you, Helena, but I already found
out .. black, yes .. No, no, of
course not, good of you to call ..
You heard a what? .. A hollow car?
A hand shoves papers at the edge of his vision. TAYLOR looks a
mite cheesy. "You got a minute for this?" And BERLIN nods sure.
Yes, I'm still here .. Why didn't
you mention that? .. I see .. Al-
right, we should talk again .. No,
I'm just south of my eye-lids in
it right now .. How about Sunday?
38: EXT. COAST ROAD. HUMBOLDT BAY. EUREKA. DAY.
The first shining day of November. Sand dunes and an infinite
stretch of beach. Behind the sea-break is a lagoon and a tiny
harbor. Berlin's Mercedes descends the coast road towards it.
39: EXT. HARBOR. HUMBOLDT BAY. EUREKA. DAY.
Ross's boat is a 35 foot fisherman. Shining brass and varnish.
But like him it's getting on and often grumpy. This last qual-
ity presently evident in both. Engine roaring and ROSS is cov-
ered in oil. BERLIN has to shout above the racket to be heard.
BERLIN
.. I put the slug in for a ballis-
tics report, the man tells me, for
get it. Soft lead, it's worthless ..
I think, fuck it. And fuck Citrine.
I call a friend of mine in Los Ang-
eles, and he runs our whole damned
show through a main-frame looking
for anything similar to our ladies
shot with a twenty-two - you don't
believe what he finds in San Diego ..
ROSS detours eyes to wave at his Son. "Watch those revs there."
Would you shut it down a min-
ute, Ross? This is important.
ROSS signals BOBBY to turn off. And the diesel splutters down.
ROSS
Alright, let's take a walk around
the block .. I gotta buy a gasket ..
40: EXT. QUAY/HARBOR. HUMBOLDT BAY. DAY.
Seagulls and sunshine and probably Saturday because the place
is busy. ROSS walks with BERLIN up a wooden quay. Their journ-
ey will take them across a small bridge towards a Marine Shop.
BERLIN
Six girls over a period of 18
months, and give or take a head
or two, the M.O.'s exactly the
same. Dark hair. No hands. All
shot with a high velocity twen-
ty-two in the back of the head.
ROSS
How come the F.B.I. don't put
anya this together? They work-
ed over "Jennifer" for months?
BERLIN
They possibly did - but they nev-
er had a head, so they never had
a bullet - and they never got an
I.D. - not on any of em - never
bust a homicide unless you know
who your victim is - we're the
first to get a positive identity.
ROSS
Identity of whom? You got a girl,
doesn't even have a driver's lic-
ense? .. She's untraceable, John ..
You need fifty detectives on this.
BERLIN
That's what I'm here for. I want
you to come and see Citrine with
me? He's not gonna here it from
me but I know he'd listen to you.
ROSS
Listen to me saying what?
BERLIN
I wanna take that fucking Blind In-
stitute to pieces .. Every address
book, every phone call, everyone in
and outta there in the last 5 years ..
ROSS
For a dead dog?
BERLIN
We've fused into a major series,
Ross. This girl isn't the second
victim. This is "Jennifer Eight."
And this is the second time they stop and stare at each other.
That old Wino on the heap wasn't
a suicide. He stumbled into some-
thing, saw something, and whoever
took him out knew how to fake it.
ROSS
That isn't what you said before.
BERLIN
I was wrong.
Says it with remarkable humility considering he's the "expert."
I'm going in to see Citrine this
afternoon. Will you come with me?
ROSS
You're not .. He's in hospital ..
He was trying out a new pair of
skis in his hallway. The phone
rings, and he goes for it, and
falls off. He must be the only
skier in Northern California to
break a leg in his living room.
They arrive at the Chandler's with BERLIN in no mood to smile.
BERLIN
You believe me, don't you?
ROSS
What does it matter what I bel-
ieve? .. What you gotta worry
about is what Citrine believes ..
But he doesn't really believe it. And doesn't enjoy saying no.
But I can't help you with this. We
can't go through the door with two
contentious issues, you with a mass
murderer, and me with the Mayor's
best friend. Do that, we lose both.
I'm sorry, Bro, you're on your own.
41: EXT. TRINITY VALLEY. DAY. (HELICOPTER)
The Mercedes and Music travel north. The latter made sinister
by this landscape. Forest plunging into dark ravines. The sun
colors the mountains red. But most of the valley is in shadow.
42: EXT. DRIVE/PARKING. SHASTA-TRINITY INSTITUTE. DAY.
A high wind in the chimneys. And the view is still from above.
Like someone's looking down from the top of the building. And
maybe someone is? BERLIN parks it and gets out. Stretches and
walks towards the institute. He looks very small from up here.
43: INT. GYMNASIUM. INSTITUTE. DAY.
HELENA plays Elgar in an empty gymnasium. Sunlight streams in
staining the air red. As BERLIN arrives doors on the opposite
wall flap together like somebody just hurried out. Did he see
someone? Perhaps not. The trees outside move a lot of shadows.
Music stands. Vacant chairs. BERLIN takes one to watch her re-
hearse. Realizes just how beautiful she is. And HELENA realiz-
es someone is there. Before she can ask he identifies himself.
HELENA
Have you been here long?
BERLIN
No, just a minute or two .. I
knocked on your door - no one
home, so I followed the music ..
HELENA
I'm sorry. I'll get my things.
BERLIN
No problem. I'm not in a hurry.
But she's already fussing about stuffing sheet music in a bag.
Matter of fact, I saw a little
restaurant place down the road.
Looked kinda pretty? I thought
maybe we could have some lunch?
No answer but the answer is no. BERLIN finds her book for her.
Alright, whatever .. Was some-
one in here with you? When I
came in the door was flapping?
HELENA
I don't think so .. No one
comes here at the weekends ..
44: INT. STAIRCASE. INSTITUTE. DAY.
The gale shouts its head off. The Camera looks down from above.
Nothing to see except the stairwell and a hand on the banister.
HELENA (O.S.)
I suppose I'm the worst
witness you've ever had?
BERLIN (O.S.)
I gotta admit, you're one of
them. Just wish I knew what
you meant by a "hollow car?"
HELENA (O.S.)
Well, some cars sound fat and
some cars sound thin, and this
kind of car sounded "hollow" ..
Any moment now they turn a corner of the stairs into close-up.
Maybe it was a foreign car?
Our kinda cars sound "fat."
The elevator is parked on this floor with its doors half open.
Are you sure you wanna see it?
It's another three floors up?
Despite breathlessness he does. "How often does it break down?"
Oh, all the time. They keep
threatening to have it re-
placed, but they never will.
45: INT. ATTIC APARTMENT. INSTITUTE. DAY.
Gloomy windows and a wardrobe. BERLIN walks in leaving HELENA
at the door. "I sat right there, on the bed." The bed is gone
but why tell her? He checks the wardrobe. Guess what? Hangers.
HELENA
If I came to the diner with
you, would you bring me back?
BERLIN
Of course I would ..
His smile deteriorates as he realizes she's "staring" at him.
What are you staring at, Hel-
ena? .. I mean .. I'm sorry ..
HELENA
That's alright. You suddenly
reminded me of him .. He was
standing right where you are,
kind of breathless, like you.
Nothing happening except the wind. Then a smile as she leaves.
I'll get my coat, wait
for you downstairs ..
And he begins an exploration. Musty bathroom with old-fashion-
ed fixtures. A tap leaking behind shower curtains. Nothing in
the cabinet. Nothing under the sink. Six steps and he is in a
kitchen. Finally finds something worth looking for. Tears the
sack out of a vacuum cleaner. Discovers a knot of hair from a
black dog. Simultaneously the door slams. Shock powers him in-
to the sitting room in time to hear a key turning in the lock.
Hits the door and shouts. Hears footsteps moving rapidly away.
46: INT. RECEPTION. INSTITUTE. DAY.
A huge Christmas poster advertises SHASTA-TRINITY ARTS/CRAFTS.
HELENA sits in the deserted foyer reading Braille. The volume
is the size of a phone directory. BERLIN appears via the main
entrance. Windswept and wasted and surprised she's still here.
BERLIN
I'm sorry, someone slammed the
door on me. I couldn't get out.
HELENA
It was probably the wind.
Hellava wind that turns a key! But he says nothing. Takes the
book while she gets into her coat. She's obviously made an ef-
fort. A change of clothes and her hair pinned up. But she has
got the sweater on inside out and the label is under her chin.
BERLIN
What are you reading?
HELENA
Hamlet. Have you read it?
BERLIN
No.
HELENA
You should. It's wonderful.
By now they're at the doors with BERLIN escorting her through.
47: INT. RESTAURANT/DINER. TRINITY VALLEY. DAY.
Red brick walls and help yourself to salad. All but empty and
their food is yet to arrive. BERLIN is clearly having a tough
time with the conversation. Basically because there isn't any.
BERLIN
.. I'll tell you what, if I prom-
ise to stop being a cop, will you
promise to stop being a witness?
HELENA sits frozen like she's waiting for results of an X-ray.
I mean, we don't havta sit here
waiting for me to ask the next
question? You could ask one, too?
HELENA
Are you wearing a uniform?
BERLIN
No.
HELENA
Oh.
BERLIN
Well, I'm glad we got the conver-
sational side of lunch over with.
HELENA
I'm sorry .. I don't like sitting
in the middle of a restaurant .. I
feel like everyone's looking at me ..
BERLIN
There's no one "looking at you" ..
There's hardly anyone in here. The
only person looking at you, is me.
And he likes what he's looking at. And maybe HELENA senses it.
HELENA
Are you married?
BERLIN
Was. But I don't like to talk about it.
HELENA
You just asked me to ask you questions.
BERLIN
I know, but you pick on the one time
in my life I like not to remember. I
was in the bad lands. Really not well.
It's something that happens to a lota
cops. We don't wanna talk about that.
HELENA
"Thoughts that lie too deep for tears."
BERLIN
Yeah, that'll do .. Is that "Hamlet?"
HELENA
No, Wordsworth .. Do you like poetry?
His attention is temporarily elsewhere. A Lunch Party just arr-
ived. It's clear GOODRIDGE is profoundly unhappy to see BERLIN.
BERLIN
I don't know, I haven't read much. I
don't think poetry's my kinda thing?
HELENA
Do you pray?
BERLIN
Pray?
HELENA
You said, you were in the bad lands?
BERLIN
No, I don't pray .. Had a dream once,
about God, just around the time I was
getting well .. He was a nasty lookin
little guy, moved into the apartment
right on topa me .. I said, don't you
listen to people's prayers? He said,
prayers? Not often. They're Junk Mail.
48: INT. MERCEDES SEDAN. SHASTA-TRINITY INSTITUTE. DAY.
Big pines either side of the driveway. The Camera sits in the
back more interested in the approaching institute than BERLIN.
BERLIN
.. I got really sick of the street ..
so I went to school and became a
Scientific Services Officer, which
is basically a Scene of Crime Off-
icer. Then this came up, and I got
what they call a Lateral Transfer ..
Pulls into a parking spot and the next sound is the hand brake.
I couldn't take another minute of
Los Angeles .. Felt like I'd said
sorry in every street in the city ..
HELENA
Sorry?
BERLIN
.. sorry your father, mother sis-
ter, whatever .. I couldn't take
another day of it .. Come on, I'm
gonna rob you of a cup of coffee ..
49: EXT/INT. FIRE ESCAPE/APARTMENT. INSTITUTE. DUSK.
BERLIN looks down from the fire escape. For the first time the
place sounds busy. Cars arriving and doors slamming. Voices of
Students coming back from the weekend. "Why were you out there?"
HELENA waits inside and didn't realize he was back in the room.
HELENA
Coz I wanted to feel the snow
on my face .. I think that's
when I heard her call him John?
Time to go and both know it. Stale shadows and growing silence.
Is it snowing now?
BERLIN
No. Getting dark though.
And his eyes are searching her so hard she must be aware of it.
You think you'd know this man? If
he was in the room with you again?
HELENA
You've already asked me that ..
The silence is almost uncomfortable. BERLIN continues to stare.
Amber's dead, isn't she?
BERLIN
Yes. I'm sorry.
50: EXT. SUBURBAN STREET. CITY OF EUREKA. DAY.
Pretty houses in a pretty little street. Hills in the back and
sunshine out front. BERLIN pulls up in his Mercedes and does a
bit of tie adjusting as he walks up a path and hits the chimes.
This could only be MRS CITRINE. A budget smile and he's inside.
51: INT. "STUDIO"/CONSERVATORY. HOUSE. DAY.
Dozens of repulsive paintings. A truly repulsive painting "By
Numbers" of the Mona Lisa in progress. The color codes are com-
pletely fucked up. CITRINE wears a wooly hat and hates walking
on crutches. BERLIN picked a bad day to come in here with this.
CITRINE
You're pushing this too hard. It's
like you want me to say stop? You
must know that's the way this is
going, John? There's other work to
do, why don't ya ease off a little?
BERLIN
Coz this is a major & we're closer to
this bastard than anyone's ever been.
CITRINE
Then where's the body? .. Where's
the body, and why's he hidden it?
BERLIN
He hasn't hidden it. He never made
a hit this far north before, and
he never read a weather forecast ..
She's probably fifteen feet from
the highway, three feet under snow.
CITRINE
Have you got a match on the bullet?
BERLIN
No.
CITRINE
Have you got a print from the hand?
BERLIN
No, Sir.
CITRINE
It could be anyone's hand. Illeg-
ally disposed of hospital debris ..
BERLIN
It's her hand. Her scars. Her dog.
Her dog's shot. And she's missing.
CITRINE
She's not "missing." Did she shout?
Did she scream? Did he coerce her?
No. She left of her own free will ..
And if she gets on a plane and goes
to Peru with the prick, she's still
not missing. You got no case, John.
BERLIN
If you're not gonna hear me, Chief ..
CITRINE
I have heard you. You just don't like
hearing me. You got this whole damned
thing outta proportion. I don't know
what you gotten used to in Los Angeles,
but I don't believe there's a Police
Chief, in this country, would put a
task force together for a body part ..
BERLIN
We have a multiple homicide, Sir ..
CITRINE
We have a body part in suspicious
circumstances - a tailor's dummy
wearing a brassiere - and a bill
for seventeen dollars for its wig!
52: INT. CORRIDOR/ADMINISTRATION. POLICE STATION. DAY.
BERLIN arrives at the station in the same mood he left Citrine.
Heads for his room and runs into ROSS's stare. Problems on his
plate too. He sits at his desk looking uncharacteristically an-
xious. What ever he's drinking isn't tea. He finds a bottle of
J&B in a drawer and walks toward Berlin's freshly slammed door.
52: INT. CRIME LAB. POLICE STATION. DAY.
The lab is stuffed with junk waiting his attention. (Dozens of
common things made sinister by their labels and plastic sacks).
ROSS delivers a dose of Scotch in a plastic cup. Pours himself
another. Leans on a bench and gets into the pissed-off silence.
ROSS
Did he shut you down?
BERLIN
All but .. How you doing?
ROSS
I dunno, I daren't go in there -
just about get her wired up, and
the fucking mayor walks in - mad
as hell - what are we doing fuck-
ing with his staff? We should be
out chasing major violators ..
BERLIN
I wish he'd tell that to Citrine.
He almost does the whiskey but reaches for chewing gum instead.
He thinks the kid shot the dog ..
He looks at ROSS like what-are-you-looking-at-me-like-that-for?
He didn't.
ROSS
Did I say he did?
BERLIN
You looked like you did?
ROSS
No, I think you'll find I looked like
he could have? By accident even? He's
up here spraying the scenery all day.
BERLIN
He didn't shoot it, Ross. And
no way by accident. There's a
flash-burn. It was point-blank.
SERATO walks in with a cigarette plugged into his ashen kisser.
SERATO
Flying colors ...
ROSS
Say you didn't say that, Angelo?
SERATO
I said it.
ROSS
Oh my God Mother's shit. Are we in it?
54: INT. ANTI ROOM/INTERROGATION. POLICE STATION. DAY.
This room and the interrogation room are linked with a one-way
mirror. BERLIN looks through munching gum. EMERSON is 25 years
old and many pounds of vexed flesh. But something about her ex-
pression expects apology. SERATO paces the place chain-smoking.
ROSS listens devastated as the EXPERT explains his lousy chart.
EXPERT
This is the important one. She
gets a dead straight line, and
that's an exceptional reading ..
SERATO
.. this is the stupidest thing
we ever done. Fucking Citrine's
gonna fire one of us for this ..
ROSS
I can't believe it. I just
know she someway busted it.
EXPERT
This is an honest girl. She
couldn't lie if she tried ..
BERLIN
Is she lying, Ross?
For a moment there is an intense trust between ROSS and BERLIN.
ROSS
Yes.
Alright fuck it. Let's go for broke. BERLIN grabs the read out.
Fueled on residual anger he vanishes out the door. ROSS is fir-
st at the mirror to see him reappear in the interrogation room.
55: INT. INTERROGATION ROOM. POLICE STATION. DAY.
The polygraph machine looks like state of the art. A table and
two chairs. BERLIN takes one and sits opposite EMERSON. She at-
tempts a smile but he kills it with the intensity of his stare.
BERLIN
My name's Sergeant John Berlin.
And the time is his. He knows what he's doing. And she doesn't.
I been a policeman 17 years: 16
years 9 months of which with the
L.A.P.D. I witnessed literally
hundreds of lie-detector tests,
and I never seen one like this?
EMERSON
What d'ya mean, Sergeant?
BERLIN
Well, look at it. Look at this
line? That's the important one.
Dead straight down the page. No-
body gets a dead straight down
the page. Even our expert says
a dead straight's "exceptional."
All he's doing is telling her truth. Up to her to interpret it.
Thought you might wanna comment?
A tongue slides through the lipstick like something being born.
EMERSON
I wasn't actually lying, Officer.
And suddenly the only thing holding her chops up is Max Factor.
He's got her on the roll now and all it needs is one more push.
BERLIN
You busted the box, lady! You flunk-
ed it .. You lied about things you
didn't need to lie about .. The only
truthful statement you made's your
name .. Your name is Carol Emerson?
The quivering lip and flooding eyes amalgamate into a horrible
sort of groan. She's bellied up and anxious to spill her beans.
BERLIN better get through the door fast because he might laugh.
You tell one more lie, you're go-
ing in a cell. Sergeant Ross is
coming in to take your statement.
56: EXT. ROSS'S BOAT. HUMBOLDT BAY. EUREKA. DAY.
A wave atomizes and comes down like silver champagne. HELENA &
BERLIN hang on the prow of the boat with the ocean rushing bel-
ow. Another wave and more spray for HELENA. She turns like get-
ting sea in your face is the best invention ever. Oilskins sat-
urated and her hair streaming and she knows he's loving it too.
57: INT. WHEELHOUSE. BOAT. DAY.
Sunshine & spray on the windshield. ROSS at the wheel with MAR-
GIE next to him. Eyes on BERLIN & HELENA playing like children.
MARGIE
Such a shame .. She's
a really sweet kid ..
ROSS
She's a doll. But I wish he
hadn't brought her out here.
Stairs descend to a cabin and ROSS interrupts himself to shout.
Bobby, what happened to that
beer? Rule one, is you don't
diddle around with a witness.
MARGIE
He's happy, darlin ..
ROSS
I'm sure he is. But gettin in-
to the "element" is a bad idea.
BOBBY clatters up the stairs clutching a six pack of Budweiser.
Tell em I'm going up the coast
a way, get out of this weather.
BOBBY exits the wheelhouse and walks their eyes back to HELENA.
MARGIE (O.S.)
Except for the hair color,
she looks just like Suzanne?
ROSS (O.S.)
Well, that's who she is.
Cept she can't run away.
58: EXT. FISHING DECK ABOVE WHEELHOUSE. BOAT. DAY.
Wind over and sea content and anchored about a mile from shore.
Smoke from a dying barbecue and Nat King Cole croons "Unforget-
able." ROSS sports shades and sits staring down the line. Some-
one plays lousy guitar and he shifts eyes into the well of the
boat. HELENA teaches BOBBY to play chords. Hardly worth the ef-
fort but they're enjoying it. BERLIN looks down from the oppos-
ite side of the deck. His gaze interrupted by MARGIE "You want
another Coke, honey?" Sure he does and her eyes travel to ROSS.
MARGIE
You want something, darling?
ROSS
I wouldn't mind another B.E.E.R.
In code so BERLIN won't understand. But he and ROSS swap grins.
How much longer you on that diet?
BERLIN
I'm doing it by the day ...
MARGIE climbs the stairs with drinks and drinks a beer herself.
Popped cans change the subject. This seems like a question BER-
LIN doesn't really want to ask & MARGIE doesn't want to answer.
How's your little sister?
MARGIE
She's in Europe ..
BERLIN
Working?
Clearly a sensitive subject and ROSS decides the truth is best.
ROSS
She married some English prick.
MARGIE
He's not that bad of a guy ..?
ROSS
Got a handshake like a
partially excited penis.
The joke doesn't reach BERLIN. MARGIE's hand is on his shoulder.
MARGIE
Her loss, darlin ..
And she heads for the lower deck. A sweet smile as she descends.
Anyway, you're doing O.
K. She's a sweet heart.
And also playing the guitar "In My Life." And she does it well.
ROSS
Why's she blind, Bro?
BERLIN
Car accident.
Slow banging of something swaying. And this exchange goes slow.
Whole family wiped out.
ROSS
No shit.
A bleeper goes on one of the lines and ROSS twists in his seat.
Strap me in. Here comes another.
And he winds in yet another three quarters of a pound Mackerel.
Worst day's fishing I ever had ..
BERLIN
It's been a great day.
ROSS dexterously extracts the hook with serious eyes on BERLIN.
ROSS
You just go easy, Brother ...
(Looks at fish)
Alright, we're all goin home.
59: EXT. CAR PARK AT BEACH. DUSK.
Darkness in about an hour. Wide over the car park. Sand dunes
surround it. Practically deserted of cars. Headlights snap on
focusing attention on a station wagon exchange of good-byes.
HELENA (V.O.)
I really liked Margie ..
Silhouettes with exaggerated shadows walk across the car park.
What does she do?
BERLIN (V.O.)
She runs a kind of hair dress-
ing and you know, beauty salon ..
HELENA (V.O.)
Have you known her long?
BERLIN (V.O.)
I was married to her sister ..
The angle changes and is closer now. HELENA has taken his arm.
You don't ask what I'm like?
HELENA
I know what you're like ..
BERLIN
How d'you know what I'm like?
HELENA
Ross told me.
BERLIN
Really? What did he say?
HELENA
He said you're quite chubby.
And you have a nervous tick.
BERLIN
He said that? What else did
he say?
HELENA
Just your age.
BERLIN
Which is what?
HELENA
Fifty-seven .. I don't mind ..
BERLIN is more amused than annoyed. They arrive at the car and
his suggestion is met with an appropriate response from HELENA.
BERLIN
You wanna drive? C'mon we're
in a car park, miles from any-
where .. There's nothing arou-
nd but nothing and sand dunes ..
"I can't drive a car." Doesn't like cars. But he's not hearing.
C'mon it'll be fun. You can
drive me around in circles ..
No lady ever had a driving lesson like this before. BERLIN all
but sits in her seat. Arm on the back of it. Hand on the wheel.
For a split second they're doing 60. Now they're doing about 4.
The Mercedes spirals in widening circles. Instructions and enc-
ouragement from BERLIN .. O.K. .. Straight now .. The Mercedes
straightens and heads through the dunes. "It's a big car park?"
We're going along a little track.
HELENA may like driving but she doesn't like the sound of that.
It's O.K. It's not a public road.
Headlights behind them approach quickly. Disappear and reappear
as they follow the geography of the dunes. BERLIN only now bec-
omes aware of them. one more dip and they slam in. Her anxiety
is misinterpreted. He takes the wheel. No problem. Let him pass.
The vehicle is right up behind them. As it overtakes HELENA is
scared. And still scared even though BERLIN has stopped the car.
It's alright, I'm sorry. It was
my fault, it wasn't a good idea.
HELENA
That was the "Hollow Car," John.
Just time to see tail lights of a van disappearing in the gloom.
BERLIN
A Volkswagen van? Are you sure?
60: INT. LIVING ROOM. BERLIN'S HOUSE. NIGHT.
Rain lashes the windows. But a lot of improvements inside. New
paint and now carpet. Not a lot of furniture but it looks nice
enough. There's even a fire in the grate. BERLIN sits at a tab-
le on the phone. The Voice he's hearing will [talk in brackets]
BERLIN [Phone]
.. [is it a two door, slide door, a
what?] I don't know [Well, you gotta
get closer than just a V.W. van. You-
're talking maybe 10/15 thousand veh-
icles?] What happens if you just run
the name "John" against all of them?
Heads for a sofa. Paperback of "Hamlet." TV on without sound.
[Frankly, that isn't gonna do you any
good. You'll be knocking on doors all
over the state. You gotta request tho-
se "Jennifer" files - maybe something
in them, give us some kinda reference?]
Christmas ads interrupt the movie. BERLIN sighs in frustration.
Starts doodling on the paperback. Shakespeare acquires glasses.
I can't request anything right now ..
push one more inch, I lose the lot ..
[Well, listen, I'll run the Bay Area
for you. But if you want a print-out
of every John in California with a V.
W. van, that's gotta be official. I'm
sorry] .. That's O.K. Thank you, Dan ..
61: INT. CHIEF'S OFFICE. POLICE STATION. DAY.
A painting of Ronald Reagan fills the screen. So awful it's al-
most impressive. Next to it is a formal photograph of the City
Mayor (Mr Heineman) . BERLIN continues to wait with eyes switch-
ing to a picture of the Taj Mahal. "I love to paint." He turns
as CITRINE walks in. "It's not great art, but I change the col-
ors." Heads for his desk and sits dispensing with the crutches.
CITRINE
I'm shutting you down on
this "blind thing," John.
BERLIN
Is that my punishment for
embarrassing Mr Heineman?
CITRINE
Don't underestimate me .. the
Mayor's pissed - but that's
nothing to do with this - sit
down - How many times have you
been up at that institute?
BERLIN
Three or four.
CITRINE
I'm talking, outside the girl?
BERLIN
Once.
CITRINE
Got a letter from this Goodridge guy?
Says, you're upsetting his students?
BERLIN
That's bullshit,
CITRINE
He says, you freaked one of em out?
(Reading the letter)
"Asking a newly blind kid if he can
'see,' is both cruel, and dangerous" ..
He floats the letter across the desk and hears the explanation.
BERLIN
I never asked if he could "see." I
just asked one or two of the stud-
ents if they remembered anything?
CITRINE
And did they?
BERLIN
No.
CITRINE rubs his forehead in preparation to change the subject,
CITRINE
I'm not a nasty man, John, I'm a nice
man .. I get a lot of Christmas cards
(a lot of cards on the wall)
.. and I'm getting a lot of complaints.
The guy you replaced was something you-
're not - a lazy sonovabitch - but the
reality is, I was getting a faster ser-
vice outta Popeye than I am outta you ..
I can't allow this to continue, John ..
If there was any argument to be had BERLIN would be arguing it.
I don't want you up at that institute
again .. and I'm flat-out about that ..
I'm sorry, I know it means something
to you - you can go tell your witness
if you feel you must - but as far as
you're concerned, the case is closed ..
62: EXT. CITY STREET. CITY OF EUREKA. NIGHT.
Colored lights strung across the street. Symptoms of Christmas
everywhere. Store windows full of trashy decorations and every-
thing soluable in mist. ROSS and BERLIN develop out of it like
Polaroids. Their destination is a dingy looking downstairs bar.
BERLIN
God, it pisses me off, Ross.
ROSS
No God, Brother. If there was
a God, asses wouldn't be at
the perfect height for kicking.
63: INT. "ANGELA'S BAR." CITY OF EUREKA. NIGHT.
This is the local Copper's bar. It's full of cigarette smoke &
Coppers. Laughter & sugar music. "I'll Be Seeing You." "Sentim-
ental Journey." Either one of these is playing. Familiar Faces
among those drinking at the bar. The forty-two-year-old BLONDE
serving them is busy. She is in possession of very big breasts.
VENABLES
Can I buy you a beer, Sergeant?
ROSS
Don't try and ingratiate your-
self with me, Venables. But just
this once I'll have a Heineken ..
and John here will have one, too.
ROSS pokes VENABLES a surreptitious 20 with eyes on the BLONDE.
Right now she's far end of the bar delivering a beer to BISLEY.
(Look at those Amazingly Bos-
oms) You wanna beer, King Jay?
TAYLOR
No, I gotta go .. I'm nights ..
TAYLOR gets a last cough out of a cigarette before stubbing it.
BLATTIS
Gimme a ride?
TAYLOR
Sure ..
And he's already gathered his shit and halfway into his jacket.
How's that hand-job comin along, John?
BERLIN makes a gesture he'd have trouble understanding himself.
ROSS
Hey, we're not talking "talk" tonight.
TAYLOR
No one's gonna make that Gent. Six
months investigation, & the nearest
we got, we thought he was a sailor.
BERLIN
A sailor?
By now TAYLOR is moving through the crush of faces behind them.
TAYLOR
Yeah, in and outta Frisco on
the big boats .. Every lead
we had went right out to sea ..
Night, night, Freddy T .. John ..
BERLIN
How come he's suddenly so forth-
coming? I'd like to kick him right
in the ass. If he'd discussed it
with me, I mighta gotten somewhere ..
ROSS
Stop it.
BERLIN
I never knew about the sailor the-
ory, Ross. He might have that one
little thing I need in his files?
ROSS
John, stop it. The case is on its ass,
you're closed. (Reaches for a menu.)
C'mon, let it go for once .. Have a
drink. C'mon, relax, drink your beer ..
And just that one moment of insanity as BERLIN downs it in one.
Alright .. Let's have some wine ..
64: INT. BOOTH. "ANGELA'S BAR." NIGHT.
A shabby booth with black and whites of the two unrecognizable
Celebrities who ate here. Hamburgers are almost over and a bot-
tle of wine almost drunk. Both look tanked and especially ROSS.
ROSS
You gotta stop calling Los Angeles ..
You're dragging L.A. around with you
like an addiction. Look at the shit
you're putting yourself through? For
what? For nothing, I know it, I been
there. Remember me? Up to my asshole
in anger, living off the vitamins in
cigarettes? If there's a body under
the snow, fuck it. Let somebody else
worry about it. You gotta accept you
stopped living in that world, & try
and give yourself a break in this ..
BERLIN
Just makes to so God damned mad ..
ROSS
You're a fucking great policeman, but
give yourself a break. You're here 5
minutes, you find yourself a fucking
homicide? .. Not many people could do
that in a place like this .. And you
gotta admit, there's a lot of shaky
areas in this case? .. I mean, stop
me if I'm going up the wrong nostril ..
Waving his empty at the bar ROSS communicates need for another.
How d'you know this girl isn't lying
to you .. Not lying as such, but mak-
ing up stuff to keep you coming back?
BERLIN
She wasn't lying about the van.
ROSS
Alright, she wasn't lying about the
van. But it could have been any van?
Any little foreign diesel? .. She's
blind, Bro .. It's sad .. She's pro-
bably lonely, and you're a nice guy
to have around .. But you're getting
far to