Primary Evidence FADE IN: EXT. MANHATTAN STREET - HIGH ANGLE - NIGHT The East Village -- a part of New York's Lower East Side. At this hour the streets are almost empty. It's unusually chilly for early autumn and steam rises from the occasional manhole cover. There is a faint flicker from a neon sign in the distance. WE MOVE IN toward a tenement building, completely dark except for a single lighted window. CLOSER on the lighted window. WE CAN SEE a MAN in blue jeans cross the room, switch on a television set and flop down in a bed. INT. TENEMENT APARTMENT - NIGHT The opposite of clean and neat. Boxes piled high, a generally disheveled atmosphere. On the walls, movie size posters of Jack Webb, Frank Lovejoy, Eddie Constantine. The man in blue jeans, ALEX RADA, is watching ETouch of EvilR on television. (It is the scene in which Orson Welles wanders into a seedy Mexican bordello run by Marlene Dietrich). Rada fluffs up a pillow, tosses it behind his head and watches the action on screen. CLOSE ON THE TELEVISION SCREEN WELLES "Have you forgotten your old friend?" DIETRICH "I told you we're closed." WELLES "I'm Hank Quinlin." DIETRICH "...I didn't recognize you. You should lay off those candy bars." WELLES "It's either the candy or the hootch. I must say I wish it was your chili I was getting fat on. Anyway, you're sure looking good." Dietrich stares, a cigarette dangling from her lips. DIETRICH "...You're a mess, honey." On this, Rada MOVES INTO FRAME, switches off the TV. ANOTHER ANGLE By the night table -- Rada reaches for a wrinkled newspaper. He sits precariously on the edge of the bed, the paper resting on his legs as he gazes off at nothing in particular. Holding up the newspaper now, hands outstretched trying to read it. He's obviously having trouble focusing -- a man in need of glasses. A few more moments. Squinting. He tosses it aside. We now see Alex close up for the first time. He is sandy-haired, rudely handsome, still young -- but it is youth tempered by a kind of battered dignity. INT. KITCHEN Light from the bedroom filters in to illuminate the room. Alex moves toward the refrigerator, opens it. Very little inside. We are struck by the freezer, it approximates the Antarctic ice pack. There is something in there all right, but the caked ice won't not relinquish it. His foot braced against the bottom of the refrigerator for leverage, he yanks and tugs at some frozen thing. Can't dislodge it. Finally gives up. Moving around the kitchen. Alex trips over something large and pliable. We HEAR a GROAN. ALEX Shit, Victor, are you still here? INT. LYNCH HEADQUARTERS - GRAND HYATT HOTEL BALLROOM - NIGHT Balloons. Lots of NOISE. A political rally is in progress. On the platform, a woman in her mid fourties acknowledges the CHEERS of the CROWD. She wears a well-tailored outfit and a politician's smile. This is DELANEY LYNCH, the new senatorial candidate of the New York State Democratic party. She moves to the podium. Tremendous enthusiasm. The band strikes up Happy Days are Here Again. DELANEY (looking around, milking it for all it's worth) Well...it's been a long night...and a tough primary...but we've finally made it. A ROAR from the crowd. ANOTHER ANGLE - BEHIND THE PODIUM Delaney Lynch's inner circle: PAT CADELL, DAVID GARTH types. Also some acolytes. Hangers on. They are beaming, applauding fervently. We move through this group, HOLD on FRANK WILLIS, press spokesman for Delaney Lynch. He looks tired, but we're not sure if it's from the long night or the tough living. ANGLE ADJUSTS TO INCLUDE PROFESSOR KATHARINE RAINES. She is standing next to Frank Willis and they exchange a knowing wink, a savvy nod. Katharine is a good ten years younger than the rest of Delaney Lynch's set. Her look and manner, like her academic credentials, are impeccable. THE CROWD as though it were New Year's Eve. DELANEY LYNCH steps back and brings her husband ALFRED to the podium. At fifty-five he is a Wall Street don, and a power in this city. She kisses him. They wave to the crowd. Delaney raises Alfred's arms above his head in a gesture of triumph, almost as though he, too, were on the ticket. FRANK WILLIS AND KATHARINE RAINES Frank leans in toward Katharine, slips her a piece of paper. (Throughout the remainder of the scene, Delaney Lynch's speech will OVERLAP and play UNDER Frank and Katharine's dialog) KATHARINE This is all the way downtown. FRANK (not looking at Katharine, but to the podium) Would you rather I do it? DELANEY LYNCH (V.O.) (measured cadence) Let us bring together this party... (more cheers) ...to face the challenge before us. (beat) We intend to run hard, to fight hard -- and when we're elected -- to work hard for the people of the State of New York--- KATHARINE (above the din) No. I'd better go. DELANEY LYNCH (V.O.) ---We seek freedom, but not at the expense of responsibility. We seek fairness, but not at the expense of justice...We seek peace, but not at the expense of diligence--- KATHARINE Frank, are you sure? FRANK He can find her, Katie. But, do me a favor, don't ask me if I'm sure..of anything. DELANEY LYNCH (V.O.) ---And when we sit in the Senate of the United States...this time, this time, It - Will - Not - Be - Politics as usual. CHEERS. KATHARINE Cynic 'til the end, Frank. EXT. GRAND HYATT HOTEL ENTRANCE - NIGHT A limousine pulls up to the curb followed by two black rental cars. The Lynch's chauffeur, JIMMY DOYLE, steps out of the limo, positions himself by the car's back door. He is in full livery, standing stiffly, cap under one arm. With his close cropped blond hair and boyish face, he gives the appearance of a Wermacht conscript. Delaney, Alfred, and their entourage emerge from the hotel. Although we cannot hear what they are saying above the GENERAL CLAMOR, Delaney and Katharine Raines are deeply involved in conversation. Delaney's arm is wrapped around Katharine's shoulder; Katharine is poking the air with her finger to make a point. Delaney pauses as a FEW PHOTOGRAPHERS approach. She flashes a smile and the 'okay sign' for the early edition. FREEZE AND FADE OUT: FADE UP - CLOSE ON TWO ROWS OF BUTTONS ON A PANEL A hand moves in and presses one. We HEAR the slow WHIRRING of an old elevator. PULL BACK TO REVEAL Katharine Raines, head tilted slightly upward in the direction of her ascent. CUT AHEAD TO: THE END OF A HALLWAY Katharine reaches a door, pulls out a set of keys, unlocks it. INT. APARTMENT - DAY The mid morning sun slices beams of light through gaps in the curtains. There is no sound as Katharine moves about on a carpet. She is obviously looking for something. .* sun and no sound give a surreal feeling INT. BEDROOM She looks under the bed. By the dresser. Night stand. Finds nothing. She half looks into the bathroom- not much chance there. INT. LIVING ROOM Checks around again. She moves off into the kitchen, but we stay in this room in LONG SHOT, getting a sense of the place-- well kept, almost prim. Katharine comes back into the room, moves toward the door, stops, one more look over her shoulder. She exits. EXT. EAST VILLAGE STREET - DAY TRAVELLING with Katharine as she checks a piece of paper, looks to the numbers on storefronts and doorways. She stops at an old tenement, the ground floor occupied by the offices of 'THE UKRAINIAN FREEDOM PARTY.' To the right of this faded sign, an entrance way leading up a flight of stairs. Katharine hesitates, taking it all in. Again looks to the piece of paper with the address. INT. VELESHKA COFFEE SHOP - DAY Older immigrants. Artists. Downtown types. The Veleshka is a gathering place for an eclectic clientele -- a popular, old style eatery complete with a fountain and newspapers sold inside. Alex Rada is at one of the tables wolfing down breakfast. Through the window, we can see Katharine across the street. She turns to CAMERA, then moves toward the tenement and through the entrance. A broad faced Slavic looking WAITRESS trudges over to Alex's table. WAITRESS/LESIA Good, Alex? ALEX (still eating) Like always, Lesia. Home cooking. LESIA Yeah, yeah, home cooking. Alex, we make some stuffed cabbage. I put some in a bag for you, okay Alex? ALEX Fine. She wipes down the table. At the cash register, FATHER STEFANYK, an Orthodox priest, buys the Ukrainian paper, Svoboda. He strokes his grayish beard and slowly wags his finger at Alex. Alex smiles, Lesia turns around. LESIA Alex, you see in the paper? They say a riot in Kharkiv. ALEX Can't read Ukrainian like I used to. (an afterthought) Don't you think the print in those papers is kind of small? LESIA Shouldn't lose touch with the homeland, Alex. Maybe comes a revolution. ALEX Cavalry charge by the Hetman, Lesia. INT. TENEMENT BUILDING - DAY Katharine is at an apartment door. A badly stenciled sign in black spray paint reads, 'RADA INVESTIGATIONS.' She RINGS the BELL. No answer. Again. Nothing. Slowly she turns the knob and pushes the door open. INT. ALEX RADA'S APARTMENT Katharine is in the living room now, although it aspires to be an office of sorts. It's as mangy as in the beginning scenes-- Men's close and general EstuffR are scattered about. KATHARINE Hello...Mr. Rada? Sees another door, walks cautiously toward it. KATHARINE Hello? THE DOOR it swings open. A FACE A grubby, bedraggled face of a man is behind it. KATHARINE startled, frightened-- she backs up, loses her balance and half falls on to a desk. THE MAN he inches forward. He wears a tattered sweatshirt with the words 'Thank You Paine Webber' emblazoned on it. Katharine is frozen for a moment, but just a for a moment. She holds her arm up to her face protectively, raises her leg as if to kick out. We HEAR FOOTSTEPS on the stairs. Alex saunters through the door holding a brown paper bag in one hand. He looks to Katharine, then to this raggedy man. The man (VIC D'AMATO) waves at Alex. VICTOR (an ear to ear toothless grin) Hello, Alex! Alex walks past Katharine as though she weren't there. He hands Victor the brown bag. ALEX From the Veleshka. Stuffed cabbage. Victor opens the bag, sniffs inside. VICTOR Thanks, Alex. Alex pats him gently on the back, turns to Katharine: ALEX And who might you be? Still a bit stunned, she gawks at these two for a beat. Composes herself. Then, as if to restore her dignity: KATHARINE Doctor Katharine Raines. She brushes herself off. ALEX (extending his hand) Alex Rada. Sorry about Victor. Got no place to go, really. He's a good guy, so I let him stay when he needs to. Victor is now sprawled on the couch, making a horrible mess of the stuffed cabbage with his fingers. ALEX (cont'd.) (to Victor, almost a yell) You're a good guy, aren't ya Victor? VICTOR Yeah, Alex. Katharine sits, takes out a cigarette, lights it. KATHARINE (without looking up) Tell him not to drip. Alex takes the hint, sits behind the desk across from Katharine. ALEX Victor, why don't you take that into the kitchen? Victor obliges. ALEX (cont'd.) (to Katharine) He fought Carmen Basilio once, got knocked out in the twelfth. (a beat, she's clearly not interested) Is this a house call, Doctor? KATHARINE (a bit sheepishly) Actually, my doctorate's in Political Science. (a pull from the cigarette) There was no message on your answering machine so I...I'd like to hire you, Mr. Rada. ALEX ...For? KATHARINE I'd like you to find someone. A student. My graduate assistant. ALEX Okay...what's your interest? How about her parents? KATHARINE She has no relatives that I know of. Just some friends at N.Y.U., that's where I teach. They're worried about her. (a beat) She was special, Mr. Rada, and I'd like to help. I just want to know what happened to her, I feel responsible Alex is studying her, realizing how beautiful she is. He takes a pencil, drums it the on desk-- he's not quite sure he's buying all this. A moment of silence. ALEX I've been meaning to get it fixed... the answering machine. Tried the police? KATHARINE Yes. She's not in any of the hospitals or the morgue. The party line is that anyone over twenty-one can pack up and leave, and they can't do anything. But she didn't. Alex still drumming with the pencil. KATHARINE (cont'd.) She liked to hang around the clubs, and bars down here. (a smack of sarcasm) Your bailiwick, I understand. ALEX You said, she EwasR special. Was? KATHARINE (beat) No one's seen her for almost a week, Mr. Rada Alex stops drumming, tosses the pencil aside. ALEX Okay, I get $350 a day plus any expenses. If there are any... Katharine, stubs out her cigarette, surveys the 'office', looks to Rada skeptically. It's Alex's turn to be embarrassed. ALEX All right, how about three hundred? (Katharine, still staring) Okay, we're having a sale, it's Ukrainian Flower Day...two fifty. KATHARINE (slight nod of agreement) Just for the record, Mr. Rada, I can afford a great deal more than I'm paying you. But I don't like cost overruns. ALEX Fine, as long as...uh...we understand each other. EXT. WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK - DAY TRAVELLING with Alex and AMY SALOMON, a young woman in her early twenties. Amy walks with her hands folded, a concerned expression. In b.g. we can see the buildings of New York University. AMY Well, she isn't around very much. ALEX She stayed out late? Liked to party? AMY Sure. But I mean I practically have the room to myself. I see her maybe once or twice a week. ALEX Where do you think she goes? AMY (shrugs) I don't know, Sue is...you know, private. ALEX How about her friends? AMY She mentioned some guys, brought one up once. Brian, I think. (a sensual smile) Primo cute. ALEX How cute? AMY About as cute as you. Shorter though, maybe 5-10. Dark hair, blue eyes -- nicer than yours. ALEX (straight ahead) I'll need a picture of Susan. And I'd like to take a look around if it's okay? INT. DORM ROOM - N.Y.U. RESIDENCE HALL - DAY Alex is rummaging around, opening a closet, picking through some paint brushes on a dresser, etc. AMY (V.O) I think I have a yearbook somewhere. Is that okay? ALEX Yeah, fine. No parents? Relatives? Amy strides into view with the yearbook. Rips out a page, hands it to Alex. AMY An aunt and uncle on Long Island, they brought her up. Alex is surprised, both by her answer and the act of ripping the page. Amy notices. AMY (smiling, perhaps a bit too seductively) That's okay, I don't need it. She moves to Alex, presses up against him as she points out a photo in the yearbook. INSERT PHOTO of a delicate, strikingly beautiful woman. Under the photo, the name 'SUSAN D. BLAKE.' BACK TO SCENE ALEX Do you know where on Long Island, Amy? Alex moves to a rolled up poster by the wall. AMY No, I sure don't. She called them a couple of times, but I don't know the town. He unrolls it, takes a long look. It's a poster of Che, the standard-- showing Gueverra in beret and bandellero. ALEX The two of you discuss politics? She talk much about the Reds? He re-rolls it, props it back up against the wall. AMY (incredulous) Sorry? Reds!? This reaction is not all together new to Alex. He responds almost wearily. ALEX Yeah. Reds. You know, the guys who want to suck up your individuality. Turn you into Robbie the robot for the State...Reds. Amy's mouth agape. She can't believe what she's just heard. Really made a mistake with this guy. AMY (a distinctly different tone) The poster's mine. Sue isn't into politics much. ALEX So what she doing in Political Science? AMY Sue isn't in Poli Sci, she's in the Art School. ALEX (not sure he's understood her) Wait...you mean she's not Doctor Raines' graduate assistant? AMY No. She helped Professor Raines with some project or something, I know that. Maybe she took a media course with her. For a moment they stare, not knowing what to make of one another. Finally: AMY Look, I've got class in a little while, okay? EXT. STREET - DAY SHOOTING ACROSS a busy street, WE SEE Alex emerge from a TOBACCO SHOP. He heads toward a building up the block. INT. HALLWAY - ADMINISTRATION BUILDING - DAY A sign on the wall reads, 'REGISTRAR'. Alex walks through a set of doors next to the sign and WE FOLLOW Alex into-- THE RECEPTION AREA A large room with a long counter at one end. Some STUDENTS mill about. An open area behind with A FEW CLERKS at computer screens. An older WOMAN is at the counter, a pair of glasses attached to a black elastic band hangs from her neck. Alex pulls a pipe from his pocket, sidles up to the counter, smiles his most ingratiated smile. ALEX Excuse me, I wonder if you could help. I need the home address of one my students. WOMAN And you are...? ALEX Professor Raines. Poli Sci. The woman pushes away a small microphone attached to a flexible stand, begins pecking away at the terminal in front of her. WOMAN (not looking up) Professor, you'll have to go to your own department for that. Sliding on her glasses, she reads something off the terminal. A slight smirk. ALEX Our computer's down. Secretary's at lunch...and it's sort of an emergency. She looks to Alex, then to the screen. Wholesale skepticism. Alex pushes the smile. Reluctantly she acquiesces. WOMAN Student's name? ALEX Blake, Susan D. She types it in, waits. WOMAN There is no home address. There's a contact. A Mr. Harry Della Famina--- ALEX Just a second. Alex lays the pipe down, takes a pen from the counter and begins to write. WOMAN Ready professor?...Mr. Harry Della Famina, 1643 Derby Drive, Plainview, Long Island...516-KL5-1950. (looking up) Okay? ALEX Yes, well thanks very much. You've been a great help. WOMAN (an aside) I'll bet. ALEX as he moves toward the double doors. ANGLE ON WOMAN She looks to Alex, to the computer screen, to Alex again. Reaches for the microphone. ANGLE FAVORING THE EXIT DOORS The woman's VOICE over the LOUDSPEAKER: (V.O.) Professor EKatharineR Raines, will you please pick up your pipe at the registrar's desk. Alex MOVES INTO FRAME. Stops for just a beat, then exits, closing the door behind him. HOLD ON DOOR. SHOCK CUT TO: A DARK SCREEN - WE HEAR THE GUNNING OF AN ENGINE A car emerges from the depths of a garage. As CAMERA PULLS BACK we can see a 'Hertz Rental' sign and the car turning onto a city street. Alex is driving. CUT AHEAD TO: EXT. THE LONG ISLAND EXPRESSWAY - DAY Alex's rental moving along. Not too much traffic. CUT AHEAD TO: THE EXPRESSWAY- FARTHER ON The car moves past a sign reading: 'Plainview - Exit 2 Miles.' INT. CAR Alex is listening to the RADIO-- the tail of a campaign ad for PETER VERESS, Delaney Lynch's opponent in the Senate race. He pushes the buttons, gets some fusion jazz (maybe Oingo Boingo) -- this is more to his liking. About a mile down the road we can see an overpass. We HEAR what sounds like a faint RUSH OF WIND. Then, a SUDDEN CRUNCH as another car careens into the rental car's side. For a moment, Alex freezes, not realizing what has happened. He glances to the side, sees the other car move ahead. ALEX What the fuck...? He holds tight to the wheel, trying to control the car. On the shoulder now, and very quickly the concrete of the overpass rushes up to meet him. The SOUND of BRAKES against the gravel. ALEX'S CAR it SMASHES into the abutment. Front lights smashed in, the hood bent damaged. WE HOLD. Alex emerges, dazed, but okay. He looks down the highway. The other car has pulled over. Alex squints at it. ALEX'S POV the other car in the distance. He can't quite make its detail, never mind the plate-- just some kind of black vehicle to him. It abruptly takes off again down the highway. ALEX'S RUMPLED CAR He surveys the damage to the rental, peeks down the highway for one more look. He's not sure what to make of this. Alex moves to touch the car, runs his hand over hood. He turns toward the road, then again to the car, his hands now on his hips. Confusion. ALEX I knew I should've gotten collision. Slowly he gets back into the car, SLAMS the door. EXT. SUBURBAN STREET - DAY Alex's rumpled rental moves down the block. It stops in front of a house which looks almost identical to the others on this street. INT. DELLA FAMINA LIVING ROOM - DAY Alex is speaking with a ROBERTA DELLA FAMINA, a slim, self-conscious woman in her early fifties. she doesn't make eye contact easily. ROBERTA My husband's out on the patio. Won't you come this way? Alex follows her through the living room and into the kitchen. Roberta reaches for a small towel, wipes her hands before ushering Alex to a rear screen door. She opens it for him, but stays inside. EXT. PATIO HARRY DELLA FAMINA sits on one of those aluminum framed chairs held together by thick strands of woven vinyl. His leg is outsretched and raised up on a squared stool. He is a man who once must have been tough-- now he is old beyond his years, a distinctive yellow pallor to his face. Della Famina is playing solitaire on a large outdoor table... and cheating at it. Next to him, a bottle of scotch and two glasses. He looks up as Alex steps out on the patio. DELLA FAMINA ...I was a little surprised to get your call, Mr. Rada. Susan again. Alex moves to shake his hand. Instead Della Famina pours himself a scotch. DELLA FAMINA You'll forgive me if I don't get up -- phlebitis...that's not the half of it, either. Scotch? ALEX No thanks. I'm trying to keep my car on the road. Alex looks around at the back yard, the separate garage behind-- pleasant middle class surroundings. He sits in an aluminum chair opposite Della Famina. ALEX Nice place you've got. Della Famina reads Alex's face for a hint of sarcasm. Can't find any, but supplies plenty of his own. DELLA FAMINA You like it, Mr. Rada? Built up from nothing. Outdoor patio, mid-size Ford in the garage... plastic swimming pool in the summer... Now, how can you beat that, Mr. Rada -- the American Dream. He takes in Alex's discomfort, almost relishes it. DELLA FAMINA (cont'd) ...But you've come about Susan, haven't you? ALEX Uh huh. You knew she was missing? DELLA FAMINA Missing? Not likely. Run off with some bum maybe. ALEX Is she's your niece, Mr. Della Famina? DELLA FAMINA My sister's girl. She and her husband died in --------, remember that? (a moment in thought) ...He was a fuckin' prick anyway. Della Famina sets the solitaire deck aside. DELLA FAMINA (cont'd.) Hope you're getting paid well for this. You're wasting your time. The girl's always been trouble. (leaning in toward Alex) ...Once, I caught her in the garage, putting on a show for the local boys, playing with it, too...Know how old she was?...Eleven. Alex doesn't want to hear this, doesn't like this man. ALEX (pressing on) Mr. Della Famina, has she been around lately? Know any of her boyfriends? Maybe, where they live? Della Famina downs some scotch, looks to the kitchen. DELLA FAMINA Roberta! (to Alex) She doesn't come around. Can't stand her uncle. Roberta comes from the kitchen with a tray of cheese and crackers, each neatly topped with a piece of pimento. She places it on the table. Della Famina is waiting for her to leave. ALEX (takes one; looks to Roberta) Thanks, Mrs. Della Famina. A tight smile from Roberta. She exits. DELLA FAMINA I took good care of Susan, you know. My brother wouldn't take her in. Too busy with his catalog sales-- product fulfillment, they call it... Took his company public last year. Doesn't give a flying piss about me, though. (checks himself; empties the glass of scotch) ...Always flaunting it. She had no gratitude. Gave her everything, and wasn't getting it much in return. I was like a real father to her. (beat) A father has rights, Mr. Rada. Alex bristles at this remark. ALEX I bet it must be tough...being a father. Beautiful daughter like that, all those healthy young men around. (looking to Della Famina's leg) I could see how she'd give you trouble after a while. DELLA FAMINA (an involuntary shudder) What the EfuckR is that supposed to mean? ALEX Hey, take it in the spirit it was given. Alex stands, grabs another one of the pimento things. Starts toward the kitchen. ALEX Don't bother to get up. INT. LIVING ROOM Alex is walking to the front door. As he reaches it, Roberta appears. ROBERTA Mr. Rada...? Alex turns around ALEX Yes, Mrs. Della Famina? ROBERTA She used to call me here. If he got on the phone, she would hang up. Susan's a wonderful, sensitive person. Naive in a lot of ways. (beat) I don't know why he goes on like that. in b.g we can make out Della Famina calling out for Roberta. ALEX (soothing) Do you know where she is? ROBERTA No. She left a telephone number... in case of emergencies. I'll get it for you. HOLD ON Alex. He really feels for this woman. INT. EAST VILLAGE BAR - THE ZIG ZAG - AFTERNOON Like most of the neighborhood, the Zig Zag bar is changing-- a thin veneer of gentrification covers the seediness. Hamburgers on English muffins, nine ball at the pool table. Alex is planted on a stool, waxing philosophic with MAX, one of the locals. STASH, the bartender, sports an earring and military beret. He pours cheap vodka into a shot glass. Alex downs it; he's already had a few. CLOSE ON ALEX An expression not unlike the one in the previous scene with Roberta -- except now Alex is feeling sorry for EhimselfR. ALEX It's a great place. STASH I like New York -- you know where you are. ALEX -- Nobody hears about Burma much any more -- that's why it's so good. Okay, maybe they got bugs there, ya know, those kind of cockroaches that're as big as shoes...Hey, but nothing's perfect. ANGLE ADJUSTS MAX You don't need no Burma for that. You come to my place, I'll show you some mother roaches humpin' my sneakers. Laughter. ALEX Yeah, but here's the thing, see. (motions with his hands) In Burma, you can be yourself... nobody bothers you. There's nothing to...join. MAX Alex, you've never even been to Burma, what are you talkin' about? ALEX That's not the point, Max, is it? I could do pretty well there on what I get. (beat) ...and the women, beautiful women in Burma. EXT. ALEX'S TENEMENT BUILDING WE SHOOT FROM ACROSS THE STREET. Katharine Raines steps out of the doorway of Alex's building. Hands in the pockets of her coat, she watches people walk up and down the avenue. A double-take. Katharine spots Victor panhandling on the corner. She moves toward him, asks him something. Victor points toward the neon sign of the 'Zig Zag' bar. INT. THE ZIG ZAG BAR Alex still holding forth. ALEX ...what -- the last five, ten years maybe? People are scared, but the thing is, they don't know what they're scared of. It's definitely something, but nobody knows exactly what...and I'm just not talking EhereR, I mean all over...you know? STASH It's that ozone thing over the South Pole that gets me...sucking out all the oxygen or something --- MAX (overlapping) --- No, no, the weird shit. You know, that people say isn't true, but really is -- That the government's holding back on? Like aliens doing medical experiments on people in their spaceships. (beat) It all started with the Warren Commission. Katharine enters. She is backlit by the sunlight from the open door. They all look toward her. She moves toward Alex. KATHARINE The ever popular Mr. Rada. ALEX Class out for the day, professor? KATHARINE Well, let's see -- there were several phone calls. Then I tried what you facetiously refer to as your office. Mr. Rada, aren't you supposed to be working for me? Stash now busies himself at the bar. Max quietly sips his drink. Party's over. Katharine looks to her wrist to check the time. Realizes she's not wearing a watch. She's flustered by this. ALEX It's three-thirty -- You in a hurry? Look, don't you believe in taking breaks? KATHARINE Breaks are fine, Mr. Rada. It's the binges I object to. ALEX (past Katharine-- to Max and Stash) I'm telling you...Burma. CUT AHEAD TO: A TABLE IN THE CORNER Katharine is studying Alex, not quite sure she's got his number. Alex, sobering up, nurses a club soda. ALEX It seems to me, we've got a pretty good deal going here. I pretend I'm working and you pretend you're telling me the truth. KATHARINE I haven't told you the truth? ALEX Oh, c'mon, lady, don't take me for a complete idiot. Susan Blake's not your assistant, she's in the damn art school for Chris' sake. I spent six years in the New York City police department, I think I can handle the mystery of the professor's assistant -- But I tell you what; I bet if you really looked hard you could find somebody even stupider than me not to find Susan Blake. KATHARINE I didn't realize you were so sensitive. (hand under her chin) Low self-esteem, Mr. Rada? ALEX Just cut the crap, and don't analyze me, okay? We'll call it a day, all right? -- I prefer cash. (beat) You really like living on the edge. We HEAR the SINGING of 'Happy Birthday' from a table in the rear. ANOTHER ANGLE Katharine looks up, glances over. Alex turns around. A group of FOUR YOUNG WOMAN, perhaps tourists, eating and celebrating a birthday. The kitchen doors swing open. A man with fire in his eyes rushes out waving a meat cleaver, locates the source of the commotion. The man is clearly the COOK. He wipes the cleaver against his stained apron, then, with a LOUD THWACK, buries it deep in the wooden table. COOK (glowering ominously at these women) Shut -- The -- Fuck -- Up! He leaves the cleaver embedded in the table. Spots Alex across the room. COOK (cool and casual) Hi'ya doin', Alex. ALEX AND KATHARINE Alex averts his eyes, brushes away an imaginary crumb from the table. Then with a pained expression, looks up, nods in acknowledgement. KATHARINE Another friend of yours? ALEX We were about to wrap this up, remember? Call it three days. And I'd really prefer cash. Katharine tilts her head. A small, confessional smile. KATHARINE Look Mr. Rada, I EdoR want to find Susan Blake and I did lie to you. I'm sorry. Alex chews on the ice from his club soda, deliberating over the apology. ALEX Well, that's a start, anyway. Our view of Alex and Katharine is obscured by FOUR FIGURES MOVING ACROSS FRAME IN FOREGROUND. They appear as a blur, but these are the four woman from the rear table. A moment later, we HEAR a door SLAM SHUT. ALEX Okay. C'mon, lets go. KATHARINE Go? Where? ALEX I have to do some shopping. KATHARINE You're joking. INT. KITCHEN AREA - ALEX RADA'S OFFICE/APARTEMENT - DUSK Bags of groceries on the counter. Alex is putting away a never ending series of canned goods on a shelf. Cans, cans, and more cans. Katharine watches -- amused and astonished. ALEX (not facing her) Look, professor, I like things simple. No hassles. I do a little process serving from time to time, find a few runaways -- I get by. I'd just like to keep it that way. (reaches into a bag; rummages for more cans) Someone bashed into my Hertz one-day special while I was running down the relatives that you told me Susan Blake didn't have. As far as I'm concerned, that's not a terrific omen. (beat) And it also strikes me that this job is not hassle-free. KATHARINE As far as Susan having relatives, I honestly had no idea. And the accident with the car...well, that can't have anything to do with me EorR Susan Blake. Katharine reaches into one of the grocery bags, hands Alex a couple of the cans. KATHARINE (stressing his first name) Look, Alex... (hesitates) You know that I'm working for the Lynch campaign? ALEX (sardonic) I'm not a private detective for nothing. I've seen your picture with her in The Post. KATHARINE Susan was a wonderful artist. I brought her to a couple of campaign functions, asked her to do some sketches. She KATHARINE (cont'd.) was going to paint a few canvases that I'd give to Delaney after the election -- as a present, for her Washington office. It does sound kind of ridiculous now, but I just thought it prudent that I separate...that no matter how tangential, your investigation shouldn't involve the campaign. So I simply told you she was my grad assistant. (beat) It wasn't that far from the truth. Alex takes a can from her hand, shakes his head in a gesture of resignation. ALEX Never play poker with a guy named Doc, professor. KATHARINE Does that mean I'm forgiven? ALEX It means I hope I can walk away from the table with some spare change. INT. ALEX'S APARTMENT/OFFICE - NIGHT Alex, screwdriver in hand, labors over his answering machine. The cover and a few parts on his desk, he peers into the guts of the mechanism, not really sure what he's looking at. Presses one button. Presses another. Nothing seems to happen. The screwdriver slips. A piece of the machine flies out. Rolls about the floor. On hands and knees after it. ALEX Shi -- it! On his desk, the phone rings. He's slightly surprised by this. Gets up to answer. ALEX Alex Rada. (pause) Hey, Lysenko! INTERCUT WITH: INT. PHONE COMPANY OFFICE - DISPATCH LYSENKO, the man on the phone, pours over some blueprints and checks a page in a book for Alex at the same time. LYSENKO Got a pencil? ALEX You got something for me? ...yeah, hold on. Alex cradles the phone under his chin, rummages around for a pencil and paper. LYSENKO Alex, why don't you just subscribe to the reverse directory, it'd make my life a hell of a lot easier. ALEX Things are a little slow late... (starts writing) Yeah...yeah, I got it...An apartment number? Okay, good...Bridging equip- ment. Yeah, I know it's tough...I appreciate it. (beat) Hey, Lyensko, what do you know about answering machines? (pause) ...Hello?...Hello? INT. APARTMENT BUILDING - LOBBY - NIGHT From the hallway decor, we can see this is not a modern building. Alex waits a moment for the elevator. He steps inside, presses the button for his floor-- We HEAR the WHIRRING of an old elevator as it ascends. INT. HALLWAY Alex walks down the same hallway as did Katharine Raines in the prior scene. He reaches the same doorway. Rings the bell. Waits. No one answers. Alex checks the hall, reaches into the his back pocket for a set of picks. He jimmies the bottom lock. The top lock appears tougher. He bends to have a look at it, while turn- ing the doorknob. Surprisingly, it opens -- and Alex is caught momentarily frozen in position. Pleased with himself, he straightens up and enters. INT. APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT Alex switches on the light, takes in the room -- as neat and well kept as before. A grimace on Alex's face; he recognizes a distinct odor. ALEX Not hassle free at all. He glances around looking for something. The living room is decorated, not furnished. One wall is completely covered with pale blue drapery -- blues and whites everywhere, a feeling of the first frost. Alex moves cautiously toward an archway. INT. KITCHEN Searches around, finds a dish towel in an overhead cabinet. CAMERA FOLLOWS him back through the archway. THE LIVING ROOM as he moves tentatively toward a passage way at the opposite end of the room. He now covers his face with the towel. THROUGH THE PASSAGE WAY - ALEX'S POV slowly toward another room. This hallway is dark, but there is light ahead. THE BEDROOM Still moving with him now. THE WALLS OF THIS ROOM ARE SPLATTERED WITH BLOOD Alex (CAMERA) lowers his eyes to the bed, approaches it. Flecks of blood on that too. It blocks our view of what lies beyond. All we can see protruding past the bed is AN ARM, the carpet next to it drenched red. CLOSE ON ALEX The towel to his face, faint protection from the stench of death. THE ROOM It is AWASH IN BLOOD. Hard to believe this mayhem is from one person. Alex is standing over a body now. OUR VIEW IS BLOCKED by the bed. He gazes down. An horrific sight. He Gags. Going to be sick. Turns toward a set of wood and glass doors half hidden by sheer curtains. Pushes through them. A TERRACE Outside in the night air, Alex grips the brick railing, breathes in deeply. Head down, eyes shut, he hesitates -- wretches over side. ALEX Je -- sus! (quietly) Jesus. A few moments. He looks up, gazes out over the terrace. The sky is filled with colored light, flashing neon: Alex is looking out over TIMES SQUARE. Pulsating signs, movie marquees, the traffic below -- all assaulting him in one visual stroke. He takes it in, WE HOLD. THE BEDROOM Alex removes the cover from the double bed, strips the sheet. He stands over the body, drapes the sheet over it gently, almost as though he were putting a child to sleep. Kneeling now, he pulls back the sheet to reveal just the head and neck of the corpse. WE SEE IT FOR THE FIRST TIME. The face is battered and cut, but we clearly recognize the delicately beautiful woman from the yearbook picture -- Susan Blake. Alex, now more dispassionate, examines the face: contusions, fresh blood around the left nostril, a wound to the larynx, and what appears to be a peculiar purplish scratch mark on the neck. He looks at it closely, runs his finger over the scratch -- almost a caress. He covers the face again, stands over her for a moment. A thin channel of blood seeps through the sheet, as though Susan Blake had been slit open. CUT AHEAD TO: AN OPEN CLOSET Alex has the dish towel wrapped around his hand like a glove. He goes through boxes on a shelf in the closet. At a chest of drawers now, he goes through that. Opens a drawer in a small night table: a few pens, a picture of Susan Blake with Roberta Della Famina and THREE TWENTY DOLLAR BILLS. Alex holds the picture in his hand, pockets it along with the money. About finished with this room, Alex starts toward the door. Stops. A gesture of, "Oh, what the hell" as he moves back to the night table, replaces the money. CUT AHEAD TO: BATHROOM Looking through the medicine chest, etc. CUT AHEAD TO: LIVING ROOM At a mahogany desk. Rifles through the drawers. Stops to read some papers. Nothing of interest. He looks around. Has he missed anything? Scans the room again to make sure. Moves to the drapes, peeks around them -- another set of doors to the terrace. OUTSIDE ON THE TERRACE A few yards from where he was before. A small wrought iron table and chairs. Two coffee cups and saucers on the table, next to one of them is a watch. Alex stares at it, picks it up for a closer look. It is an elegant woman's watch with a braided gold band. Alex tosses it around in his hand, flipping it lightly in the air. We HEAR the SOUND OF SIRENS. EXT. BUILDING - TIMES SQUARE AREA - NIGHT The SOUNDS of SIRENS continue. They come from a squad car and E.M.S. ambulance in front of the building. Another squad car SCREECHES to a halt. FLASHING RED LIGHTS. MORE BLARING SIRENS in the distance. Alex stands next to a phone booth across the street. Moves to a trash can nearby, tosses in the dish towel. The emergency services team enters the building wheeling a stretcher. For a long moment, Alex watches -- the flashing red lights revealing the anguish on his face. INT. KATHARINE RAINES' LIVING ROOM - NIGHT Elegant. Katharine, Delaney Lynch and HAL RENNERT - Delaney's campaign manager - sit on sofas surrounding a great glass coffee table. Hal's ASSISTANT leans on the edge of a sofa, while Frank Willis paces the room. They're all drinking a Madeira, or Casa Brunella. Something red, anyway. All except Delaney. Katharine about to pour Delaney a glass of the wine. Delaney places her hand over the empty glass. Doesn't want any. Instead, she pours ice water into a tumbler from a pitcher on a tray. Drinks that. KATHARINE The point is we have to counter it. We're outspending them three to one and it looks like we're buying it. FRANK Well, the Federal Election Commission's not going to bring an indictment -- but what the hell, a leak of the investigation is plenty. DELANEY The F.E.C. is claiming what?...that it's not my money, but Alfred's? HAL That's about where it stands, yeah. DELANEY Just technical crap, I can spend what I want on the campaign, after all it's EourR money. We can make it a freedom of speech issue. FRANK (shaking his head) It's a non-starter. People can't grab hold of it. They don't see that without the money you can't reach them. They can't see that as a right. They see a price tag -- period... We're up eleven points, we don't need to take it head on. ASSISTANT It was fourteen last week. A brief and slightly awkward silence -- no one's asked him. KATHARINE (to Hal) How far along are we on the community center spots? HAL They're in post now. KATHARINE Well let's move on them. Air them as soon as we can. HAL How are we handling the investigation? KATHARINE (to Delaney) Frank can say it's politically motivated and there is no violation. (to Hal) And let's use the family issue; there is no distinction between Alfred's and Delaney's money...a tight knit family. It gives us some mileage from Veress's divorce. DELANEY Well, shit, nobody's going to tell me I can't spend my own damn money on the campaign. (pours more ice water from the pitcher) Maybe I can get Pamela Veress to endorse me. Some laughter. KATHARINE We need to rush those spots -- shirt sleeves, people's aspirations, that sort of thing. Put some noise in the channel...drown them out. The telephone rings. Katharine picks it up as the political conversation continues. KATHARINE Hello?...Yes. (a long pause) Hold on, I'll take it in the other room. (to the group) Be right back. AN ALCOVE Katharine is on the phone, listening in stunned silence. KATHARINE (after a long pause) Yes. I'm here...No, I have guests. I'd better meet you...No, not downstairs. (another pause) Somewhere near here...I can't get away for at least an hour...Where? ...All right, wait for me. LIVING ROOM Katharine enters. The conversation still going on. Frank Willis glances up. FRANK You okay? Her body language says no, but her reply to the group is controlled, almost casual: KATHARINE Fine. Let's get back to it. Eye contact and unspoken words between Katharine and Frank. EXT. GRAND ARMY PLAZA - NIGHT A mini-park and fountain in front of the PLAZA HOTEL. Alex on a stone bench staring into the fountain. He turns, sees Katharine walking toward him. ALEX'S POV as he watches Katharine move slowly from the shadows of the avenue into the reflected light of the plaza. NEW ANGLE Looking up at her. Eyes empty. ALEX Hello, Katharine. Katharine sits, eyes fixed straight ahead. A long moment. KATHARINE I want to hear about it. ALEX There isn't much to tell. (pause) She was killed. Susan was murdered. I found her...and then I covered her and called the police. Tears welling up, Katharine looks away, not wanting Alex to see. KATHARINE Was she assaulted? ALEX I don't know. KATHARINE How was she...? Alex doesn't respond. Katharine is up, circling, arms wrapped around herself. Her head snaps up, glares at Alex. She wants to know. ALEX (reluctantly) She was beaten up pretty badly. There was some sort of puncture wound. Some- one...she was...slashed... (losing eye contact) ...slashed up. He now looks to Katharine, moves to comfort her, not sure how, or even if he should. Alex holds her awkwardly. Katharine really not letting go. Crying quietly. KATHARINE (after a moment) Just some damned crazy. G0d damned crazy. ALEX Maybe someone she knew. No one broke in anyway. An apartment, over near Times Square. Katharine stiffens, pulls back. ALEX What's the matter? KATHARINE Nothing! She holds up her hands. Pushing against an invisible wall. She backs away. ALEX Hey. KATHARINE (her voice flat now) Alex, thank you. But right now, I just want to think for a while. Can I call you in the morning? ALEX Maybe you could use a drink. And you know me and the phones. KATHARINE I'd like to walk a little...by myself. EXT. FIFTH AVENUE - NIGHT TRAVELLING with Katharine moving down Fifth Avenue. Alex catches up, falls in step beside her. ALEX I think we'd better talk a little more. KATHARINE Tomorrow. Walking in silence. Alex angles toward the window display of Van Cleef & Arpels -- rings, diamond necklaces, etc. Katharine continues on a few yards. Stops. What's he up to now? She steps over to the window. ALEX (fixed on the display) ...How do you suppose Susan Blake rated that apartment? It had to cost plenty, and her uncle sure as hell wouldn't foot the bill, even if he could afford it. No response from Katharine. ALEX (nodding toward the jewelry display) Beautiful, aren't they? Expensive stuff. KATHARINE (preoccupied) Very. Still peering into the window, Alex reaches into his pocket. He looks to Katharine, hands her the watch with the braided gold band from Susan Blake's apartment. ALEX I found your watch. Katharine turns white. She's caught. Looks to the watch, frozen. KATHARINE (quietly) How did you know? ALEX You lost a watch, I found a watch -- I took a shot. It seems we've both been to Susan Blake's apartment recently. (beat) ...How about that talk, now? INT. OAK BAR - PLAZA HOTEL - NIGHT A SMALL TABLE Alex is clearly out of his element here. He looks around for a waiter, none in sight. Katharine motions with her finger. A WAITER appears. KATHARINE Dewers, rocks. WAITER (to Katharine) And the gentleman? ALEX The gentleman will have the same. Waiter moves off. ALEX Above 14th Street, they don't know I exist. A tight smile from Katharine. Silence. Finally: KATHARINE You think I killed her. ALEX It crossed my mind. (beat) No. I don't think you did...that kind of murder, it's too grisly. Women don't commit those kinds of crimes... (his finger tapping his chest) ...We do. KATHARINE Saved by male chauvinism. ALEX Look, Katharine -- The waiter comes to table, serves the drinks, leaves. ALEX -- Look, we're both in deep shit here. Now, you've got to level with me. I walked out of that apartment with evidence from a homicide investigation -- (louder) -- not to mention things like disturbing a crime scene, leaving a crime scene -- cleaning up the damn crime scene like I'm the men's room attendant at the Hotel Dixie. They take your license away for that, just for starters. Alex looks around, realizes he's shouting. He leans into Katharine, speaks softly. ALEX You felt comfortable enough in that apartment to take off that gold watch. I want to know what this is all about. Katharine places her hand on top of Alex's. KATHARINE Rada, I'm very scared. ALEX (as Alex removes her hand) Join the club. I do missing persons. This is murder, the police do murder. Now lay it out for me. Someone was Efucking murderedR here, you understand? KATHARINE (angry now) Of course, I understand. Susan was very close to me. And I don't know who murdered her. There's no reason in the world why anyone would want to murder her. Do EyouR understand? ALEX Then let's just go to the police. Downs his drink. KATHARINE No. The election is three weeks away, I won't jeopardize the campaign. ALEX Either you tell me a good story or I'm going to talk to the cops. KATHARINE All right. I'll pay you twenty-five thousand dollars to find out who killed Susan, good enough? ALEX (without missing a beat) Where did Susan Blake get the money for the apartment? KATHARINE I gave it to her. ALEX You did? Why? KATHARINE She needed it. ALEX What are you, the Rockefeller Foundation? Katharine, you think you can buy me? KATHARINE Yes. I do, Alex. THE BAR AREA A flurry of excitement. People are greeting a well tailored man accompanied by a small entourage. It is Alfred Lynch. A beautiful yellow and blue macaw is perched on his shoulder. Alfred, in an imperial manner, only manages to acknowledge a few of those looking to him. The bird flutters its wings nervously. Alfred notices Katharine at her table, sweeps the bird onto his outstretched fingers. Tries to hand it to one of his retinue, a blond man in a dark suit. We recognize him as Jimmy Doyle, the chauffeur we've seen before, although now he appears more like a bodyguard. Doyle tilts his head away from the bird, more out of loathing than fear. Alfred smirks at him, places the bird back on his shoulder, strides over to Katharine. AT THE TABLE ALFRED (taking no notice of Alex) Hello, Katharine. Katharine is clearly uncomfortable. A forced pleasantness. KATHARINE Alfred. (gestures toward Alex) I don't think you know Alex. Alex Rada, Alfred Lynch. Alex stands, extends his hand. As he does, the bird flaps its wings, lunges toward Alex. BIRD'S VOICE Awk! Sleaze bucket! Alfred Lynch laughs, perfunctorily shakes Alex's hand as he quickly looks him over. From his manner, it's clear he agrees with the bird. ALFRED I'm afraid Griffin likes very few people, Mr. Rada. (to Katharine) How'd your meeting go? KATHARINE Fine. I don't think there'll be a problem. ALFRED Splendid. Splendid. Delaney's flying up to Syracuse tomorrow. Leaving me to guard the fort. KATHARINE Association for a Better New York. ALFRED Preaching to the converted. We'll see you at the house Thursday, of course. KATHARINE Yes. He smiles at Katharine, then looks to Alex unenthusiastically. ALFRED Nice to have met you, Mr. Rada. Alfred moves off before Alex has a chance to reply. ALEX (almost to himself) Same here. Katharine watches Alfred Lynch, makes sure he's out of sight. She turns to Alex. KATHARINE Well? ALEX (mimicking Alfred) Splendid. Splendid fellow. KATHARINE (annoyed) The money. Will you do it? (more controlled) I believe you said you prefer cash? ALEX Look, if I'm going to put my ass on the line, I want to know why. I think Susan Blake knew whoever killed her. That puts me out there running inter- ference -- against the cops, against a murderer... (fixing on Katharine) If I wind up like Susan, what the hell is the money? Katharine -- a long pause. Then quietly, deliberately: KATHARINE I want to know who killed Susan, I need to know that. (beat) Alex, Susan and I...we had a special relationship. We cared very deeply for one another. Doesn't come as a complete surprise. Alex rubs his nose, reflecting on this. ALEX And you don't want anyone to find out, especially before the election. KATHARINE If it was a mistake, I was the one who made it. No one else should have to pay for that. I believe in Delaney Lynch, what she's capable of doing -- a lot of good for a lot of people. If it were to come out in the middle of the campaign that I was having an affair with... (looking at Alex dead on) ...with a girl who was murdered... KATHARINE (cont'd.) Delaney would be tarred with the same brush. Alex, she doesn't deserve that. Silence. Then, a tapping sound. Alex's fingers on the table. Finally stops. Okay, she's made her point. ALEX ...What about the apartment? Anything there the police can tie to you? KATHARINE I don't think so, no. ALEX There's something else. You said you hadn't seen Susan in a week? KATHARINE That's right. ALEX At the the Zig Zag, you were surprised you didn't have your watch...You must have left it in Susan's apartment in the last day or two. KATHARINE I was in the apartment yesterday. Susan hadn't been there. ALEX Are you sure? KATHARINE Of course. A NEW YORK CITY BUS MOVES INTO FRAME Alex gets off, squints as the bright sunlight hits his face. He carries a shopping bag and an arm full of groceries. He notices Victor in his usual spot, motions to him as he holds up the a grocery bag. INT. ALEX RADA'S APARTMENT/OFFICE - DAY Alex is cooking something in the kitchen area -- maybe chili. Stirs a pot of something while breaking up pieces of chopped meat in a frying pan. CUT AHEAD TO: ALEX AND VICTOR AT THE TABLE Victor eats the chili, ritualizing the procedure as if he's at George Plimpton's for a dinner party. Alex is observing this with a gentle scowl. VICTOR Could I a have napkin, please? Alex raises an eyebrow, slowly gets up, throws Victor a wash cloth from the sink. Victor neatly folds it in his lap. VICTOR (cont'd) And a knife please, Alex. Alex -- his eyes glued to Victor and the chili as he hands him the knife. ALEX Is there something in there you have to cut? No response. Alex sits, continues eating, still watching the intricate maneuvers. ALEX (cont'd) (after a moment) You know, you're driving me crazy? You're really annoying me, I hope you realize that. VICTOR Setting is very important to the enjoyment of coozine, Alex. Alex looks down in his bowl, stirs it as he eats, doesn't say anything. ALEX (quietly; after a moment) Yeah...and you make me feel guilty, too. CUT AHEAD TO: CLOSE ON THE KITCHEN TABLE A few scraps of food left in two bowls. PULL BACK TO REVEAL ALEX AND VICTOR. The shopping bag is on the table as well as a box labeled, The Easa-Phone Answering System. Some cables and tapes are strewn about. Victor reads a small manual. Alex holds the machine above his head. He is unenthusiastically studying the jacks in the back, clearly preoccupied with something else. Alex puts the machine down, rises, slightly exasperated. ALEX (very deliberate) Victor...you are trained boxer, and I think there is no question that you would have a better shot at installing this than I would. INT. BEDROOM Alex rummaging through cartons. Finds the one he was looking for, lifts out a metal box. He sets it on the bed. THE METAL BOX Alex opens it -- a nine millimeter Astra A-90 semi-automatic, cartridges and a hip holster. ALEX He stares at it, the muscles of his face tensing as he does. NEW ANGLE Victor wanders in, looks to the metal box, then to Alex. Almost a look of reproach from Victor. Alex notices, shrugs. VICTOR You know what you're doing, Alex? ALEX Nope. Alex moves to a poster of Frank Lovejoy. Wets two of his fingers like a spitball pitcher, touches the forehead in the picture. INT. LISMAR LOUNGE - NIGHT A downtown hang out. Alex is moves through a group of post-punk and downtown art scene types. Several acknowledge his presence. He's been here before. It's NOISY and some sort of rap-reggae-fusion band plays in b.g. Alex shows the yearbook picture of Susan Blake to some regulars. Shaking of heads. Shrugs. Alex moves to a redheaded WOMAN in her twenties with cascading hoop earrings. She smiles in recognition, moves to the beat of the music. ALEX (holding out the picture) Heard about it? WOMAN (above the music) In the papers. Awful. Like some gruesome performance piece. ALEX See her around lately? WOMAN Don't think so. ALEX Remember any of the people she used to hang around with? WOMAN I didn't really know her that well. ALEX How about a guy named Brian? Dark hair, blue eyes...little shorter than me? WOMAN Brian? (thinking; shrugs) Sorry. ALEX Thanks. Alex makes his way through the crowd. MUSIC rises. EXT. LISMAR LOUNGE - NIGHT Alex on the street. He hesitates a moment, moves downtown. As he does, CAMERA SLOWLY MOVES UP, UP -- A GREAT, MAMMOTH CRANE SHOT. We still HEAR the FUSION RHYTHMS of the Lismar Lounge as we move high overhead. EXT. SIDE STREET - NIGHT Quiet. Empty. Alex walks past a Ukrainian Orthodox church. Stops. ALEX POV The darkened church. He stares up at it. The spires reach into the night. A SOUND, like an echo of footsteps. NEW ANGLE Alex listens, still looking to the church. He moves on, angles toward the stoop of a brownstone. Rests on its stone steps. He unties his shoe, glances toward the church and beyond, watching for something -- someone in the dark. Nothing there. He waits, reties his shoe, moves off. WE FOLLOW him down the block, around a corner. EXT. BAR - NIGHT A lighted avenue, a neon sign -- 'Downtown Beirut.' Alex steps inside. INT. DOWNTOWN BEIRUT - NIGHT About the same ambience as its namesake -- dank bombed-out, except here a few paintings from local artist decorate the walls. It's relatively quiet, just a few customers. The bartender, TOMMY, serves a customer a drink. Alex slips onto a stool. Bartender spots him. TOMMY Alex! ALEX Hey, Tommy-rot. TOMMY (gesturing) New surroundings. ALEX Last time I saw you, you were working at Madam Rosa's. TOMMY It closed. Now, I'm slumming. Commies still under the bed? ALEX In the closet, Tommy-rot, in the closet. TOMMY (pointing at Alex) Scotch straight up with a side of water. I never forget a true patriot. ALEX (lets it slide) No, I'm holding off. TOMMY Runaway time? ALEX Not exactly. Murdered girl. Susan Blake. You heard about her? TOMMY (becoming interested) Yeah, yeah. She used to come in a lot when I first started. Beautiful girl. Very hot. ALEX Ever with anybody? TOMMY Yeah -- a real dickhead. Thought he was an artist, wanted to put some paintings up -- severe crap. ALEX Know his name? TOMMY No. A CUSTOMER yells for a drink. TOMMY (cont'd) (to customer) Hold on, okay? I'm talking to a major force here. ALEX The kid have dark hair? TOMMY No...uh, bleached chop. ALEX Hey, Tommy, you ever see her come in with any woman? TOMMY No, I don't think so. Tommy looks to the customer, gestures that he'll be there in a minute. ALEX How about someone named Brian? TOMMY You mean with Susan Blake? I know Brian over at Siberia. He might have known her. You know him -- ex-roadie, pretty boy -- helps Eric Montaug run the place. (thinking) Susan Blake...I don't know, maybe. CLOSE UP -- A WOODEN HORSE'S HEAD PULL BACK TO REVEAL a man wearing it. He makes strange, mechanical movements. We can now see others masked in the heads of different animals, strutting machine-like on a stage. Others ACTORS, on tiers of scaffolding, turn quickly like huge gears. We are watching a performance piece in the SIBERIA CLUB. This particular piece is a form of Constructivist theatre. In bizarre counterpoint, THREE WOMEN, bathed in a baby blue spot on center stage SING old Supreme's numbers a cappela. ANGLE ON THE ENTRANCE CORRIDOR Alex is squinting at the stage, trying to figure out what this is all about. Alex leans into a MAN who acts like a host, looks like a bouncer. Alex whispers something to him. Bouncer checks around the club, points to a table in the back away from the stage. ANOTHER ANGLE - THE HOUSE TABLE A GROUP OF FOUR at the table -- two young women, a dark haired man in his twenties, another man slightly older. Alex stands over the dark haired man. ALEX Brian? BRIAN Yeah? ALEX I'm Alex Rada. Can I take a few minutes -- BRIAN -- And do what, man? Brian looks to one of the women, caresses her neck. They laugh. ALEX ...And talk to you about Susan Blake. BRIAN (looks up at Alex) ...I know you, right? ALEX We've seen each other around. BRIAN You're not a cop, right? Alex nods. He knows this is a lost cause. BRIAN (cont'd) Bye. ALEX (one more try) Just a couple of minutes. How about later? I'll be by the bar. BRIAN Hey, man, you're not listening. (with a whole lot of emphasis) Fuck Off. EXT. SIBERIA CLUB - STREET - LATE NIGHT Alex leans on a car near the corner. Not many people on the streets now. A few stragglers leave the Siberia Club. Alex keeps an eye on the entrance. Brian and the young woman emerge from the club, move arm in arm in Alex's direction. They both wear leather jackets. Brian notices Alex. ALEX (moving off the car) How about now? BRIAN Shit, don't you give up? ALEX I'd really like to talk. BRIAN Too fuckin' bad. He starts to move away. Alex grabs his jacket, pulls him in the direction of the corner. YOUNG WOMAN (pulling at Alex) Lay off, damnit. Alex -- pushing her away and yanking Brian around the corner, into the alley behind Siberia. He slams Brian against a wall. Young woman bangs her fists against Alex's shoulder. ALEX (to woman) Go home! She backs away. Alex holds Brian by the lapels of his jacket, raises his fist as if to hit him. ALEX Okay, asshole, let's have a little cooperation. A PUNCH and then another. Both to Alex's stomach. Alex falls to the ground, sprawled on his back, his hip holster exposed. A KICK this time to Alex's rib cage. Alex winces. BRIAN bends down, reaches into the hip holster, snatches Alex's gun ANOTHER ANGLE Brain and the young woman stand over Alex, laughing, taunting. Brian waves the gun, jumping up and down. BRIAN Fuckin' phony. You're a pussy, piece a shit pushover. Pointing the gun at Alex, both laughing wildly, they back up the alley. He takes aim at Alex as he moves away. BRIAN (cont'd) Let's have a little cooperation, asshole. He squeezes off a round. It's SOUND echoes through the alley. The SHOT HITS in front of Alex. Alex pulls his arms up to his face, his knees move toward his stomach in the fetal position. Brian and the young woman move farther down the alley toward a garbage dumpster. They are still facing Alex. BRIAN (cont'd) Fuck you, man. Fuck you. He raises the gun a second time, then -- A PUNCH FROM NOWHERE smack on Brian's chin. He goes down on his back, out cold. THE FACE OF A BEDRAGGLED BUM Victor standing over Brian, reaches down, picks up the gun. The young woman SCREAMS, goes shrieking off into the night. Alex is up slowly; he slogs toward Victor. ALEX (holding his side) Victor, you care. Victor smiles. They drag Brian toward a wall, prop him up. ALEX (cont'd) (dawning on him) You've been following me all night, haven't you? VICTOR You're a great detective, Alex. Alex ponders this remark. ALEX (shaking his head) That's not a compliment. He takes the gun from Victor, places it in his holster. Grabs Brian's face with his hand. Brian looks up, coming out of it. ALEX Okay, juiceman, let's me hear about Susan Blake. BRIAN I hardly knew her. Alex -- squeezing Brian's face. BRIAN (cont'd) Look, I went out with her a couple of times, maybe six months ago. ALEX So why'd you kill her? BRIAN Fuck it, you're crazy, man. I didn't kill nobody. Sue had other interests; Sue was schizoid -- I can't handle that. ALEX I still say you killed her. BRIAN Try somebody else. ALEX Convince me. BRIAN I never saw you, right? (beat) She hung around some real Doctor strange. A guy named Jimmy Ice. He had his own car, used to pick her up and they'd take off -- end of story. (wipes away a trickle of blood from his mouth) Now why don't you be a nice piece of shit and leave me alone. ALEX Why Jimmy EIceR? BRIAN I don't know, maybe he's not that friendly. ALEX What does he look like? BRIAN Aw c'mon. He's pale, I don't know -- thin, blond chopped hair... okay? ALEX Have you seen him lately? BRIAN No, really. Alex slaps him lightly on the face a few times. ALEX Splendid. You're a splendid fellow. PAN TO THE PAVEMENT in front of them. DISSOLVE TO: A SIMILAR PAVEMENT - EARLY MORNING People's feet traipsing over it. A few at first, then many more. PULL BACK TO REVEAL Delaney Lynch greeting morning shift WORKERS at the Carrier plant in Syracuse. A few local NEWS PEOPLE. Hal Rennert and Frank Willis stand at a respectful distance. Lots of: "Hello, I'm Delaney Lynch, running for U.S. Senate", "Need your vote", "Good to see you", etc. EXT. CARRIER PLANT GATE - SYRACUSE - EARLY MORNING Hal Rennert near a chain link fence, signals a car outside. INT. CAR CLOSE ON THE PALE VISAGE OF JIMMY DOYLE, THE BLOND CHOPPED HAIR. He spots Hal, starts the car, drives through the gate. MOVING WITH THE CAR rolling slowly toward Delaney, Frank and Hal. EXT. HANCOCK AIRPORT - SYRACUSE - DUSK The car pulls to a stop near a hanger. Jimmy Doyle and Hal Rennert exit from the front, Delaney and Frank from the back. The four move toward a Sessna Citation aircraft. We HEAR the SOUND OF THE ENGINES. INT. CITATION - IN FLIGHT - NIGHT Delaney, Frank and Hal have been checking over some notes. Jimmy Doyle smokes a cigarette in a seat behind. HAL ...Advance people did okay, don't you think? DELANEY Where do we stand? HAL Got the meeting at your house when we get back. Go over manana. DELANEY Who's there? HAL Garth and his polling people, Katharine too. DELANEY (to Frank) Pretty damned good turnout at the university. Getting younger all the time. (leans her head back on the seat) ...even the professors. Hal Rennert notices Jimmy Doyle holding a disposable lighter under his palm, moving the flame slowly back and forth close to the skin on his hand. Hal swings around toward him. HAL (to Delaney as he watches Doyle) ...As long as they can vote in this State. HAL AND DOYLE Hal's eyes narrow, fascinated by what Doyle is doing. Doyle looks dead on at Hal. He brings the flame even closer, holding it under his hand, searing the skin on the palm. HAL (nodding toward the lighter) What's the trick? DOYLE (glaring) The trick is in not minding. Hal holds on him for a beat, looks away and pretends to go over some notes. We see a perceptible shiver. DELANEY AND FRANK DELANEY (eyes closed now) ...Frank?...How's Katharine doing? FRANK Like all of us, I little tired I guess. DELANEY She's teaching, too. FRANK I think it's just the three hours this semester. Delaney massages her eyes with the fingers of her hands. DELANEY Well, she looks like hell lately. Needs a rest...And there'll be a damn sight more work after the election. FRANK I'm not sure she'll come to Washington. Eyes still closed, she reaches over and pats Frank's hand. DELANEY You're never sure of anything, are you Frank? Frank glances over, some anger showing. He's about to say something, thinks better of it. DELANEY (cont'd) She loves the action. Inside the Beltway, ...that's Katharine's natural habitat. INT. - LYNCH TOWNHOUSE - SITTING ROOM - NIGHT CLOSE ON A CRACKING FIRE We HEAR VOICES. PULL BACK to take in a white fireplace and the Louis XV girandole mirror above it. A sense of opulence and style -- just as the other rooms of this house must have. CAMERA FINDS Katharine. She is listening to Hal Rennert's voice as he goes through a schedule. Katharine does look a bit drawn, certainly not as elegant as in prior scenes. ANGLE ON FRANK WILLIS AND DAVID GARTH They are carrying on their own conversation. Behind them, Garth's ASSISTANTS. ANGLE ON HAL RENNERT AND DELANEY LYNCH Hal reads off a list, leans in toward Delaney. HAL ...then the luncheon speech, Metro- politan Women in Business at 12:30 -- Photo op with the mayor at 2:30... (turning a page) 4 O'clock -- New York Hospital shift change -- 5:15 Grand Central -- 6 O'clock, subway stop southeast corner of Lex and 68th. (looking up) ...And the formal dinner back here at eight. DELANEY Ah, the contributors...let's not forget the contributors. (to Frank) -- Find out the name of Stu Rudin's new wife; they change so fast I can't keep track.. .And the names of the commissioner's children. ANOTHER ANGLE FRANK All of them? DELANEY If they're more than two or three, just get me the oldest. FRANK You pulling the comparable worth thing in the luncheon speech? Delaney smiles, a derisive edge to it. DELANEY You've got press there Frank, you don't want me to talk about the issues, do you? The maid, ETTA, wheels in a tray -- glasses, and champagne on ice. She is followed by Alfred, the Macaw perched on his shoulder. Delaney strides over, kisses Alfred, looks to the Macaw. DELANEY (nuzzling the bird) ...And how's my little baby? She holds out her arm, the bird perches on it. Alfred gestures to the assembled. Nods toward David Garth. ALFRED David's told me about the latest poll figures. (handing glass to Delaney) I don't think it's too premature for a toast. Champagne is poured. Toasts are made. Alfred moves toward the fireplace, throws his glass into it. It SHATTERS. Another glass follows. Others in the group, less flamboyant than Alfred, follow with theirs, perhaps a bit self-consciously. One lone glass does not shatter, bounces off the fireplace brick, clinks about, rolls onto the antique Bessarabian rug. It's Katharine's glass. She closes and opens her eyes slowly, goes "Hmph" to herself, looks around as if to say -- "What next?" NEW ANGLE - DELANEY AND KATHARINE DELANEY Alfred's view is that the election is over; voting is just the tedious ritual that confirms the polls...He started as a technical analyst -- all those buy and sell signals. (beat) Katharine, I'm going to need you in Washington and I'd like you to be a hundred percent. You look awfully tired. KATHARINE I'm fine, Delaney. Frank approaches, listens to the conversation. DELANEY I don't think so. Why don't go down to the house in Mousteek** for a few weeks, get some rest. KATHARINE (with an edge) It's out of the question, certainly not until after the campaign. A flash of anger from Delaney. She's seldom spoken to in this tone. DELANEY (controlled now; insistent) All right, Katharine, but why don't you call it a night. Katharine realizes she's overstepped. Usually defers to this woman. FRANK (interceding) I'll take you home, Katie. DELANEY (to Frank) No, I need you here. Delaney moves to phone, picks up the receiver, presses one of the buttons on the unit. DELANEY (into phone) ...Jimmy, would you bring the car out front, I'd like you to take Dr. Raines home. INT. LIMOUSINE - NIGHT Katharine staring out the window, lost in herself. The buildings of Fifth avenue stream by. Reflected off the front mirror, we can see Jimmy Doyle's eyes fixed on Katharine. The car pulls up to the curb. Doyle gets out, opens the door for Katharine. EXT. KATHARINE'S BUILDING - FIFTH AVENUE - NIGHT As Katharine emerges from the back, a DOORMAN tips his cap. JIMMY DOYLE I'll see you in Miss Raines. KATHARINE (waving him off) That's all right, Jimmy. INT - KATHARINE RAINES' APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT Katharine, in a robe, relaxes on a sofa. Her hair is wet. She sips a drink; a cigarette burns in an ashtray. We HEAR the DOORBELL RING. Looks over with some surprise: Who could that be? Reluctantly she gets up, moves toward the door. KATHARINE Yes...? As she approaches THE DOOR We HEAR MUFFLED SOUNDS and holes rip through the door -- fragments fly about. KATHARINE almost instinctively knows what this assault is. As another BULLET tears into the room, she lunges at the floor, crawls behind an overstuffed wing chair. Another muffled sound, another shot from some weapon with a silencer -- all this happening very quickly, nearly instantaneously. A LAMP as a bullet cuts into its shade. It moves the lamp precariously onto the edge of the table. KATHARINE behind the protection of the chair. Terror. Rage. Quiet now. The fusillade has stopped. Katharine peers over the chair toward the door, takes in four bullet holes. Slowly starts to get up. The lamp, perched precariously at the end of the table, falls to the floor, CRASHES, POPPING THE LIGHT BULB. KATHARINE turns toward it. Startled, she jumps in fear. SHOCK CUT TO: A BLACK SCREEN We hear A PHONE RING. Alex rolls over in bed, reaches for the phone. ALEX (not quite awake) ...Sixth pre... (beat) ...What? Oh. Sorry...Yeah? Yeah, okay. Jesus!...all right, just hang on -- I'm on my way now. INT - KATHARINE RAINES' APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT Katharine is kneeling picking up pieces of the broken lamp. Alex joins her, both tossing pieces into a plastic bag. ALEX Go over it again. Anything unusual happen before your meeting? KATHARINE No. But it was all...almost surreal. The meeting. We went over tomorrow's campaign stops, the dinner at the Lynch's...then Alfred comes in with champagne. (beat) The damn glass didn't break, it bothered me. Must have been tired or in a fog or something. Next thing I remember Jimmy dropping me off... ALEX The chauffeur. Katharine reaches for a piece of the lamp. Her robe opens, falls gently over her legs. Alex looks at them. Katharine notices, casually covers herself. KATHARINE Nothing much in between. I must have been somewhere else. It was strange, he's usually not that polite. Said he would see me in. (staring off; holding a piece of the lamp) Generally a bleak little character -- you know, I don't know if I've ever heard him say anything before. Alex glances at the closed robe. Moves up to watch her face. There is a moment. Alex stands, tosses a piece of glass into the plastic bag. ANOTHER ANGLE Alex approaches the door, runs his fingers over the holes. He has to reach over his head. They are placed almost neatly. ALEX Looks like someone just wanted to scare the hell out of you. KATHARINE Well, they succeeded. ALEX Someone uses a silencer, chances are they know what they're doing. This guy was aiming for someone like Patrick Ewing, not you. KATHARINE That's very comforting. Rada, what the hell is going on? ALEX Got any cider vinegar? KATHARINE What?...Yes. For what? INT. KITCHEN Alex is pouring milk and cider vinegar in a glass. He holds it up, measuring with his eye. a jar of honey sits on the counter. ALEX It' an old Ukrainian remedy. Relaxes you. Katharine watches from the entrance way. ALEX (cont'd) How about some rum? KATHARINE Drink a lot of rum in the Ukraine do they? ALEX Another one of life's inconsistencies. Katharine tries a smile, leaves. Alex carefully measures a spoonful of honey, pours it in, then another. Katharine reappears with the rum, hands it to him. ALEX Thanks. I don't suppose he has blond hair? KATHARINE Who? ALEX (pours in the rum) The chauffeur. What's his last name? She's not sure where this is going. KATHARINE He does. Short blond hair. (staring at Alex) His name's Doyle, I think. Why? ALEX You think he might have known Susan Blake? Katharine is surprised by the question, looks to Alex with some suspicion as he stirs the concoction he's made. KATHARINE (annoyed) Not likely, Alex. ALEX She had boyfriends. KATHARINE I suppose so. Not many, she was careful. Susan wasn't stupid...I can't imagine him. ALEX (he hands her the drink; walks past her) Susan was a lot of things to a lot of people. INT. LIVING ROOM Katharine sits sipping the drink, not liking it. Alex sits across. KATHARINE You think the Lynchs' chauffeur killed Susan? And he got in the building after he let me off to what, kill me, scare me? Why? It doesn't make sense. ALEX I don't know. (massaging his temples) Susan hung around the clubs with a thin blond kid, thought of himself as an artist. Does this Doyle paint? KATHARINE How would I know? ALEX Okay. Has he been with them long? KATHARINE A couple of years I guess. Does the driving, also keeps the wrong people from getting too close. ALEX (nods toward the drink) Finish it up. He stays at the house? KATHARINE As far as I know. He has a room downstairs. They both do. (grimaces, downs the stuff) Jimmy and Etta, the maid. ALEX (a broad smile) How'd you like to take me to that party? KATHARINE (incredulous) The dinner? You're joking? ALEX What's the matter? (sincerely hurt) Thanks. She's touched by his vulnerability, looks at him in a new light. Katharine smiles, rethinks it. Katharine smiles, looks at him in a new light. KATHARINE Hey, Rada, you have a tux? ALEX (smiling back) Yeah...at the waiters' union. KATHARINE I have a date you know. And I'm not sure how pleased the Lynchs' will be. ALEX I'd like to get in there. Can you fix it? KATHARINE We'll see what we can do. INT. KATHARINE RAINES' APARTMENT - MORNING CLOSE ON ALEX We can see part of a blanket tucked under Alex's chin. Katharine moves INTO FRAME, kisses him gently on the forehead. NEW ANGLE Alex slowly awakens. He is on the living room couch. Katharine stands over him holding a glass of orange juice. She hands it to him. KATHARINE An old Anglo-Saxon remedy. Wakes you up. Alex takes it, sits up. KATHARINE (cont'd) Thanks for staying. ALEX What time is it? KATHARINE About nine-thirty. I've got to get going. ALEX Maybe I better tag along. KATHARINE No. (gestures toward the door) You did say that was just meant to scare me, right? Right? ALEX Ninety percent, yeah. Probably scare the hell out of your neighbors when they see it...There is a small chance... KATHARINE I can't lock myself up in here. If someone really wants to... (beat) There's a man's razor in the bathroom, I left it out for you. Just close the door behind you when you leave, they'll be replacing it this afternoon. Katharine moves to a closet, selects a coat, puts it on. KATHARINE (turning toward Alex) You're a decent guy, Rada. Alex glances up, admiring her, wanting to say something. ALEX What time do I pick you up tonight? EXT. MANHATTAN SOUTH PRECINCT - MORNING Cars double parked on the street. PEOPLE around the entrance, a few drinking coffee from containers. Alex moves up the steps, through the entrance. INT. MANHATTAN SOUTH PRECINCT - FIRST FLOOR - MORNING A common area -- tiled walls, bulletin boards, benches. COPS in uniform move about. Alex waits next to a CIVILIAN WORKER behind a desk. She looks up. ALEX Detective DeMarko? CIVILIAN WORKER (points) Stairs. Second floor on your right. INT. SECOND FLOOR - SQUAD ROOM Activity. MEN and a FEW WOMEN, mostly in plain clothes, a few uniforms. Alex makes his way through a maze of desks. Catches someone's eye. ALEX Gene DeMarko? MAN The desk in the back, right next to that side room there. ALEX Thanks. WE FOLLOW Alex through the activity to the back. No one at the desk. Alex peeks into the room next to the desk. It's filled with file cabinets. A burly man about fifty with a receding hair line is opening and closing drawers. This is DETECTIVE DEMARKO -- shirt sleeves rolled up, mostly business. ALEX Detective DeMarko? DEMARKO Yeah. ALEX I'm Alex Rada, I called before. DEMARKO Oh, yeah, right. (checking over a file) So what's up? ALEX I understand you're assigned the Susan Blake case. DeMarko looks up, quickly studies Alex, places a file on top of the cabinet. DEMARKO (pointing) There's some coffee over there. Why don't you grab a cup? ALEX No, I'm fine. Demarko moves out of the room, spots someone, motions slightly with his head. Another man in shirtsleeves acknowledges him, wanders toward them. DEMARKO Did you know her? ALEX No. She, uh, might've been a runaway I was looking for. Thought I'd check with you. Blake her real name? DEMARKO (a hint of disdain) Uh huh. You a P.I.? DETECTIVE SHERMAN joins them. Younger than DeMarko, he's very thin, a heavy New Yawk accent. ALEX Yeah. (looking around the room) I knew your brother at the Sixth. We worked senior citizens robbery unit together. DEMARKO Rada, right? I can check that. He's up at the two-four now, got his gold shield. (nodding to Sherman) This is detective Sherman. SHERMAN Hiya doin'. DeMarko folds his arms, sits on the desk. ALEX You want to check, go ahead. DEMARKO You got shot, right? Sure, Rada. Right. No, I remember. Phil used to talk about you. Got shot in the shoulder or something, some kid. ALEX Leg. DEMARKO What...four years ago? Phil used to have nightmares about it. ALEX Me too. DEMARKO Yeah, well... (realizing, his voice trails off) SHERMAN Tough out there, huh? Missing persons, that's shit work. That broad got cut up excellent. ALEX That's what I heard. DeMarko throws Sherman a look as if to say, "enough already." DEMARKO (laughing it off) Motor mouth. Alex looks to DeMarko, then over at Sherman. SHERMAN (glancing at DeMarko, takes the hint) I hear ya. (as he's leaving) Gotta check with crime scene unit, anyway. DeMarko lets out a sigh. Stares at Alex for a moment. DEMARKO So? ALEX I'd like to take a look at the D.D. Fives. DEMARKO You're nuts. This is an active in- vestigation, I'm not letting you look at a homicide folder. (pointing a finger at Alex) You got some information, you better let me know, this is a fuckin' hot case; I don't like competition. ALEX Homicide task force still on it with you? DEMARKO For a while, yeah. ALEX Well, you never know, if I came across something in my travels... Demarko sizing him up, focusing on Alex, trying to read him. Finally: DEMARKO I'm going for a cup of coffee; I'll be back in five minutes (nods toward file room) And don't look at that folder on top of the cabinet. INT. FILE ROOM Alex reading through the homicide folder: complaint follow-up informationals, serology reports, an autopsy. Scanning this information, he slows at the last page of the preliminary autopsy report. CLOSE ON THE LAST PAGE At the bottom, It reads: CAUSE OF DEATH Puncture wound of neck with transected internal carotid artery. Massive hemorrhage. HOMICIDE AUTOPSY: DR. WILLIAM A. MINTZ Associate Medical Examiner CLOSE ON ALEX puzzled by what he's just read. INT. MIDTOWN SOUTH PRECINCT - HALLWAY Alex strides down a hallway, into the men's room. INT. MEN'S ROOM Alex sees DeMarko moving away from a urinal. DeMarko zips up his fly; Alex is washing his hands as DeMarko approaches. ALEX I don't get it. She dies from a stab wound, something sharp punctures the artery in the neck. She was cut open EafterR she was killed? DeMarko taps the soap container at the sink. Washes his hands. They don't look directly at each other, but use the mirror above the sink to converse. DEMARKO Better than that. There was blood all over the walls of that place, some freak ripped her open and then splashed the shit over the walls. Hands dripping, DeMarko reaches for a paper towel. Wipes his hands. Alex is silent. DEMARKO (cont'd) ...At the orifice of the vagina, creamy white material is noted. Always gets me. That's a euphemism. Has a certain ring to it though, don't you think? ALEX What? DEMARKO You don't read so good, Rada. (beat) The autopsy. She had intercourse, too. Must have been a hell of a night. Demarko tosses the paper towel in he trash can. As he leaves, he turns to Alex. DEMARKO It's not like the old days. All I hear about is clearance rates, clearance rates. Lieutenant's got a hard-on for clearance rates. Don't screw me over. You think being an ex-cop makes you family, Rada? (beat) It does...EdistantR family. You got something, you let me here about it, okay? DeMarko exits. Alex shuts off the water tap, stares at himself in the mirror. EXT. KATHARINE RAINES' APARTMENT BUILDING - NIGHT CLOSE ON A DOORMAN He is blowing a WHISTLE, hailing a cab. PULL BACK TO REVEAL Katharine and Alex near the doorman, both dressed to the nines. Taxi pulls up. They get in. INT. CAB - NIGHT Katharine is smiling to herself. Alex notices. ALEX You all right? No problems, today? KATHARINE I'm fine. (glances at him, then away) Fine, really. The smile is infectious. Alex grins. ALEX No, come on, really? Turning to him again, looking at his tux. KATHARINE You look...great. ALEX You expected something different, right? KATHARINE (almost chiding) Alex...? ALEX Maybe, I'm a little nervous, all those high flyers going to be there. KATHARINE Take it from me, it doesn't make a difference. Like who? ALEX Like the police commissioner for one. Katharine laughs. KATHARINE (almost haughtily) A very distant object at the purlieu of the galaxy. Alex looks over -- what did she say? KATHARINE (cont'd) (she takes note) In other words, he's lucky he got invited. ALEX Oh. I'll be sure and tell him that. CAB DRIVER turns around. CAB DRIVER Looks pretty lousy here, how 'bout I take Park? ALEX Yeah, fine. That's okay. KATHARINE Rada, you think you don't fit in anywhere -- in its own way that's arrogant. It gives you license to dislike people like the Lynch's. ALEX And you. KATHARINE Maybe. ALEX I fit in...downtown. Downtown, nobody tries -- that's why I like it. I belong with people who don't belong anywhere. KATHARINE That's incredible self-pity. ALEX Why do you have to try to analyze me? This started off really good. EXT. CAB - PARK AVENUE - NIGHT Bumper to bumper. The cab barely moves through the street choked with traffic. INT. CAB Alex stares out his window, Katharine hers. The cab driver HONKS the HORN, breaks the silence as he yells out the window at the car up ahead. CAB DRIVER Move it! You from Jersey?! (to Alex and Katharine) You can't make money in this. I'd rather park the son of a bitch and get drunk. ALEX A man after my own heart. Katharine looks over, a disapproving glare. ALEX (to Katharine) You want to get out and walk? EXT. PARK AVENUE - NIGHT TRAVELLING with Alex and Katharine. They walk in silence, occasionally glancing at shop windows. Finally Alex: ALEX ...Guess I didn't say it before, but you, uh, look pretty terrific yourself. (beat) Look, I know this isn't easy for you. You have a right to be scared and all... KATHARINE You trying to apologize, Rada? He gestures, palms up. KATHARINE (cont'd) Probably the closest I'll come. I accept. Tough ex-cop huh? ALEX Naw, I'm not tough at all. KATHARINE What about the ex-cop part? ALEX (putting his hands in his pocket) What about it? They continue down the avenue. Alex takes in a deep breath, lets it out. ALEX Got into an argument with a robbery suspect. Only he had a weapon...my weapon. He points it in my face and I say to him, it's all right, go ahead, I'll leave you alone. (derisive laugh) I'm telling EhimR, and he's got the gun, which is mine anyway. So he starts to walk away, and I don't know, I guess I'm angry so I jumped him. We wrestle a little and he shoots me -- point blank, in my leg. (beat) They say I almost bled to death. I don't remember. Just kept thinking how come my leg is smoking. Eighteen months of hospitals and physical therapy I don't walk with a gimp. Just retirement pay and a half-hearted commendation. He looks to Katharine. She slips her arm in his, feels his guilt, embarrassment. KATHARINE That's past. Maybe you have to leave it -- ALEX -- in the purlieu, right? KATHARINE (nodding self-consciously) Yeah...right in the old purlieu. CUT AHEAD TO: EXT. YORK AVENUE - NIGHT They turn onto Sutton Place. We see a Federalist style townhouse -- the Lynch's home. As they approach, Alex sees a built in garage, notices two cars: a limousine and a black sedan. Katharine stops him, turns Alex toward her. She brushes off his lapels, adjusts his bow tie. KATHARINE The Lynch's can be a bit overbearing. Don't let it get to you, okay? ALEX Okay, captain. I'll need to get into the kid's room. Downstairs? About fifteen minutes. You cover for me. She pushes him toward the door, speaks rapidly. KATHARINE Do it before dinner. Please, please don't get caught. Lord, I hope I know what I'm doing. INT. LYNCH TOWNHOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT Before dinner cocktails. MOVERS AND SHAKERS, POLITICAL TYPES, SOME of the LITERATI. High fashion. Drinking. Chatter. In b.g. we see Alex and Katharine appear in the foyer. Etta takes their coats. INT. FOYER Alex is self-conscious as he looks at the assembled. Katharine smiles as Delaney Lynch approaches. Delaney moves to Katharine, kisses her, steps back to observe Alex. DELANEY And this is the mysterious new young man. KATHARINE Delaney, this is Alex Rada. Alex, Delaney Lynch. ALEX How do you do? Delaney shows her best politician's smile. She's really not pleased. The conversation is more like an admonishment. DELANEY We've had to change things a bit, you know. But I see now it's all worth it. (to Katharine) He's charming, Katharine. Delightful. A VOICE from behind them: "Hello, Alex." Alex turns to see Frank Willis, a drink in his hand. He's clearly had more than his limit. ALEX (surprised) Frank, what are you doing here? FRANK (glancing at Delaney) I often wonder myself. Delaney -- without missing a beat, smile unwavering. DELANEY Shall we go inside, we're missing the party. FRANK I'd like to talk to my old friend here. DELANEY Well, I think I'll steer Katharine toward the bar. KATHARINE (a nervous laugh) I'm all for that. Delaney takes Katharine's arm, maneuvers her toward the living room. Katharine turns her head toward the two men as she moves, silently mouths something Alex can't make out. FRANK Well, old buck, you stole my date, you know that?. How the hell are you? ALEX You and Katharine? (puzzling this out) Seldom get to these kind of affairs, Frank. She does get around, Katharine. FRANK You're talking about the woman I love. Alex studies Frank, not sure he's serious. ALEX (flat; non-committal) No kidding. Frank slaps Alex on the back, a drunken gesture. Wraps his arm around Alex as he leads toward the living room. FRANK We'll need to fortify ourselves if we're going to greet the glorious gliterati, note the alliteration. INT. LIVING ROOM As Alex enters, a deadly enemy appears -- the macaw. It is perched in an elaborate mini-habitat, resembling a tropical thicket. It eats some sort of berry, a watchful eye on the proceedings. ALEX Well, that makes the set, the birdie's here, too. A WOMAN walks past Frank. A gentle half-bow as he moves out of her way. He jostles Alex in the process, pushes him closer to the macaw. THE MACAW a fluttering of wings, a COMMOTION. He lunges at Alex. ALEX AND THE MACAW This time he gets him, a beak digging into Alex's neck. NEW ANGLE Alex grabs his neck, crouches away from the bird. ALEX Shit! (raises the back of his hand toward the bird) You dirty... FRANK You all right? (quick pull on his drink) Medic! A few of the guests gather around, ask if Alex is okay. Delaney appears. Alfred strides over with Katharine. Katharine looks to Alex as if to say, "Nice going, Rada." DELANEY Mr. Rada, I am sorry. Would you like to have someone take a look at that? Before Alex can respond, Delaney turns toward Alfred. DELANEY Perhaps Griffin would be more comfortable on his perch in the study. Alex is incredulous: The bird would be more comfortable? Alfred Lynch sweeps the macaw onto his arm, caresses it. ALEX (no one's listening) No, I'm okay, really. ALFRED (as he moves off) Exile, I'm afraid, Griffin. Alex looks around, dumbfounded. Finds Frank who wears a shit-eating grin. FRANK (holds up his glass toward Alex) A question of priorities, old boot. Katharine grabs Alex by the arm, whispers in his ear. KATHARINE Isn't the idea EnotR to draw attention to yourself? ALEX (whispers back) You never mentioned you and Frank Willis. KATHARINE I told you I had a date. And who do you think recommended you? Or did you think I got you out of the yellow pages? ALEX No. I'm not in the yellow pages. ANOTHER ANGLE Alfred stands beside the door of the study at the far end of the room. He's waving Alex over. ALEX (spotting Alfred) What does he want? INT. STUDY Books line the walls. A great oak desk dominates the room. On the desk, a green tiffany glass lamp which gives the room its illumination. The macaw sits on a simple perch. ALFRED (pointing to another door) You can clean up in there if you like. There's some alcohol on the shelf. Alfred moves over to the macaw, places his finger in its beak, Alex glances around, crosses to the bathroom door. ALEX Nice little place you have to work in. ALFRED (ignoring the compliment) I understand you're a private investi- gator, Mr. Rada. A conversation mostly of blue smoke and mirrors. The two are feeling each other out. ALEX And how do you understand that? ALFRED We're very close to Katharine. Naturally, we're always interested in her young men. ALEX Does that include Frank Willis? ALFRED Frank? We've known Frank a very long time, Mr. Rada. We really don't know you at all -- don't know the kind of man you are. (beat) Frank, you see, is predictable -- that's the advantage of a press spokesman. They're not paid to think independently, just to repeat what they're told. ALEX Frank used to be a hell of a reporter, you wouldn't want to sell him short. ALFRED No, of course not. You knew Frank -- from the old days? The two men stare at each other. A sense that Alfred already knows the answer to this. ALEX ...I used to work robbery unit in the village when Frank was a crime reporter. We had mutual interests. He used to write a damn good story... ALFRED -- Writing is the last refuge of a dilettante, Mr. Rada. Frank's come to grips with life's realities, as I'm sure you have. ALEX Meaning? Alfred strokes the macaw's plummage, disregards the question. ALFRED You'd better take care -- (pointing) of that scratch. I have guests to attend to. (as he leaves) About Katharine? Best not to get too involved. INT. BATHROOM Alex dabs at the scratch with a small towel. Stares at himself in the mirror. He's surprised at how classy he appears in the tux. He places the towel next to the sink, saunters out. WE HOLD. He saunters back in. One more look at himself in the mirror. As he adjusts his bow tie: ALEX ...Bond. James Bond. INT. STUDY As Alex moves across the room, the macaw scrutinizes him; Alex gives the bird a wide berth. INT. FOYER AREA Party in b.g. Alex checks to see if anyone is around. Makes his way down a staircase. WE FOLLOW. DOWNSTAIRS CORRIDOR Several doors. He knocks on one, opens it. Looks like the maid's room. Moves to the door across. Taps lightly, peeks in -- biker posters, an unmade bed, a magazine or two on the floor (maybe ESoldier of FortuneR or EGuns and AmmoR). INT. JIMMY DOYLE'S ROOM Alex goes through a dresser, scans some books on a shelf, generally examines the artifacts of Doyle's life. He moves to a closet with a sliding door, partially opened, pushes it open further. As he does -- A BLACK CAT leaps out, scurries past Alex. Scares the hell out of him. Alex jumps away, falls back on the bed. ALEX (soto; shaking his head in disbelief) What is this, Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom? Gets up, again moves to the closet, examines it. Uniforms and casual clothes, leather jacket, boots on the floor. Next to them a metal case and a stack of painted canvases. Alex flips through them: very ugly, severe crap. He opens the case. There are separations for brushes and what appear to be tools. CLOSE ON THE METAL CASE Among the tools, several filed and sharpened screwdrivers of varying lengths. Alex picks up one of the shorter ones, holds it not like a screwdriver, but like an ice pick. CUT AHEAD TO: INT. DINING ROOM Almost a state dining room: Gilt detail, silk drapery, Baccarat stemware. Dinner is in progress. WAITERS serve. Small talk among the guests. Alex and Katharine close to the head of the table where Delaney and Alfred are ensconced. Next to them, Texas Congressman WADE PATTMAN and his WIFE. Frank sits next to a DOWAGER type, a bit farther from the seats of power. They all listen to a OSCAR RUCKELHAUS (a Kissinger clone) expounding on the state of the world. RUCKELHAUS ...Centripital and cetrifugal forces, the great conflict of the 20th century. Nationalism on the one hand, a new world culture on the other -- and the ineluctable upheaval left in its wake. Leans in confidentially, as if he's surrendering a State secret. RUCKELHAUS ...My own view is that is that eventually the fundamentalists will prevail. An end to Christendom -- to Western civilization. (looking around for a concurring opinion) Now, Katharine, I appeal to you, don't you agree? KATHARINE Well, I hardly think we're presiding over the destruction of the world... WADE PATTMAN -- Now, a course not. KATHARINE ...But, instant communication, the instant images of anarchy -- they tend to become a self-fulfilling prophesy. We dominate the world media and we need to channel it in our own interest...Or maybe, at some point, Oscar's scenario actually happens. RUCKELHAUS There, you see, I'm vindicated. Katharine glances over to Alex, sees he's trying to appear interested. Must think these people are from another galaxy. She winks. He winks back. WADE PATTMAN Now, Oscar here's always puttin' these things in those grandiose geo-PO-litical terms. Never ran for county assessor. If he had, he'd think more like Delaney and me. (puts his hand over Delaney's) Concern with the family, yessir...that's the ticket. DELANEY (mimicking him a bit) Wade, I can't think of the last time I did run for assessor. WADE PATTMAN Now darlin' when you get down to Washington, the two of us are goin' to make one hell of a pair. Maybe get those folks in the White House a little (holding up his fingers) tintzy, wintzy bit nervous. We just might put the fear of G0d into those boys before we're done. (to Ruckelhaus) Now, no offense, Oscar. (to Alex) What about you, Mr. Rada? ALEX (astounded) I, uh... (beat) ...I think you're looking in the wrong place. (pointing his finger) We've still got to worry about the Communists, see. I haven't heard a word about that. They're all over the place. They're comin' back, it's not over them. No matter what they say the Russians down deep are still Commies. (Katharine squeezes his hand) And I'll tell you what, if J. Edgar Hoover were alive, it wouldn't be happening. A drop dead silence. Wade Pattman finally chimes in. WADE PATTMAN Now, I think Mr. Rada's got something there. I knew old J. Edgar, you know. He was one tough old crow, wouldn't put up with any KAY-rap from the left or right... (beat, turns to Alex) ...But ya see, Alex, when we all wake up to that fine New York sunrise tomorrow...Well, I have the distinct feelin' we're goin' to still need an adversary. Don't matter much who. Iranians. The Chinese. Hell, I never did care too much for daamn French. (Laughter) DELANEY It's not about ideology, it's about power. Looking to Alex, now. More than a blush of condescension. DELANEY Fear is a great motivator, Alex. RUCKELHAUS You are a Republican, Mr. Rada? ALEX (bewildered by the attention) Me? I'm not a joiner. Waiters move in, serve a baked Alaska. WADE PATTMAN (about the dessert) Well, look at that! Now isn't that sumptuous. RUCKELHAUS (to Alex) Wouldn't belong to a club that would have you as a member? Ay, Mr. Rada? ALEX No. I wouldn't belong to a club that would have any members at all. Peals of laughter. WADE PATTMAN Now remind me to let my speech writers in on that one, Alex. Alex looks around, mystified -- doesn't get the joke. Puts his energy into eating the baked Alaska. EXT. KATHARINE RAINES' APARTMENT BUILDING - LATE NIGHT Katharine and Alex step under the canopy of the building, stride through the entrance. INT. KATHARINE'S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM They stand just inside the door, which has been replaced. KATHARINE Why so silent? You were a hit. ALEX (nods toward the door) Nice job. Katharine closes the door, she a bit tipsy. They regard each other for a moment. Both a bit unsure. Katharine takes Alex's hand, walks with him across the living room, stops by a small side table next to the bedroom. She reaches into a glass goblet, lifts out a spent round. KATHARINE (holding out the bullet to Alex) They found it when they replaced the door. Heap big tip, no questions asked. I thought it might be important; you know, find the gun it came from? ALEX (flat, going along) Yeah. I'll check into it. KATHARINE You didn't find a gun in Doyle's room? ALEX No. KATHARINE Alex, he didn't do it, did he? He examines the bullet, rolls it around between his fingers. ALEX ...I don't know about you, but I'm a bit loaded. At least they know how to lay on the booze, the Lynchs. Let's talk about it tomorrow. (kisses her on the forehead) Good night. Katharine moves closer, nestles up against him. KATHARINE Why is it I never seem to be able to get a response from you? (kisses Alex on the lips) ...Goodnight... Katharine stays close, touches the button of Alex's shirt, lets her fingers linger over them. ALEX You wouldn't want me to take advantage? She kisses him again. Leisurely allows her mouth to brush against his before pulling back. KATHARINE No...I wouldn't want that. A man in your condition...The advantage is all mine. Katharine pulls at his bow tie, undoes it. Alex takes her in his arms. A long embrace. We see the dress slip from Katharine's shoulders. INT. KATHARINE'S BEDROOM - MORNING CLOSE ON ALEX The incongruity of sunlight bathing his stubbled face in an angelic glow. Alex awakens. Opens and closes his eyes. Turns to look at Katharine next to him. ANOTHER ANGLE Alex reaches over, brushes back Katharine's hair. He kisses her gently. Gets up. INT. BATHROOM Mirrored on three sides. Alex, a towel wrapped around his waist, holds a toothpaste tube. Sticks his tongue out, examines himself in the mirror. Katharine stands by the door in a robe. Arms folded, she's grinning. Enjoys watching him, catching him in that silly act with his tongue. Through the mirror, Alex sees her, smiles back. He also notices the side of his neck -- the macaw bite, now a purplish mark against his skin. He touches it, runs his finger along it. A quick glance at Katharine, he turns, bolts from the bathroom. INT. BEDROOM Alex dresses in a rush. Katharine's at a loss. KATHARINE Hey! ALEX At the bar in the Plaza. (hopping about as he puts on a sock) -- Doyle hated the damn bird. He holds the bow tie in his hand, not knowing what to do with it. Stuffs it in his pocket, then takes it out. ALEX (hands the bow tie to Katharine) Take care of this, I'll be back, okay? He hurries out. KATHARINE (yelling after him) Rada...?! EXT. 30TH. STREET - MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE - DAY Alex, still in tuxedo shirt and pants, dashes up the steps. INT. MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE - RECEPTION AREA Checking a directory on the wall. Alex finds what he's looking for, moves off. UPSTAIRS CORRIDOR We see Alex turn a corner, stride TOWARD CAMERA. He stops in front of an open office door which reads: 'DR. W. MINTZ - ASSOCIATE MEDICAL EXAMINER.' Alex peers into a small office, sees a SHORT BALDING MAN man in his late thirties. Long strands of hair from the side are plastered down on top of his head. The office is cluttered. Alex recognizes a kindred spirit. INT. MINTZ'S OFFICE Mintz is erasing something from a piece of paper. Alex walks in, smiles, feels sort of at home. Mintz looks up. ALEX Dr. Mintz? MINTZ (pointing to himself) Yes. Mintz, comma, William. ALEX Alex Rada. MINTZ Hello, Alex Rada. ALEX I'd like to talk to you about an autopsy you performed. Mintz leans back in his chair, waves his arm at a set of filing cabinets. MINTZ Which one? ALEX I don't have a case number. It was recent. A woman. Susan Blake. MINTZ (thinking; nods) That one I remember. Beautiful woman. MINTZ (cont'd.) Bizarre. You do so many, you usually forget. You insurance? Mintz raises his eyebrows, ala Groucho Marx, points to Alex's clothes. MINTZ Formal investigation? ALEX Sure, why not? MINTZ You guys are doing well these days. (shrugs) Public record. ALEX I need your help. The forms'll take me forever. Mintz gets up. Gestures for Alex to follow. MINTZ Okay, Rada comma Alex, c'mon. INT. AUTOPSY ROOM A PATHOLOGIST washing up at a sink. A covered body on a table. Mintz looks around, spots a circular drill. Turns it on. Alex's eyes bulge -- bewildered horror. ALEX (nervously) Hey, what, uh...you're not going to... MINTZ (waves him off) No, no, no, relax. Let's go. THE CORRIDOR - TRAVELLING Alex points to the wound on his neck. ALEX I think the girl had the same mark. MINTZ I'll check the report. Take a look at the pictures. MINTZ'S OFFICE The autopsy report and photos are spread out on the desk. Alex and Mintz are going over them. Mintz bends down, pulls some files off the top of a tiny refrigerator, looks around for a place to put them. Hands them to Alex, who places them on a chair. Bending down again, Mintz opens the refrigerator, finds half a salami. Grabs it and some bread. The WHIRRING of the CIRCULAR DRILL, it slices through the salami. Mintz cuts a few pieces, makes a sandwich. MINTZ Want some? ALEX I'll pass. (pointing to photo) See, here -- It's the same kind of bite I have on my neck Mintz eats his sandwich, looks over the autopsy report. MINTZ Okay... ALEX It's a bird bite, right? A macaw. MINTZ A bird with a hooked bill wouldn't be inconsistent with the findings -- Maybe a parrot. ALEX And how long before she died did she get the bite? MINTZ Hard to say, Alex Rada. Within, oh, twenty-four hours of death. Alex paces the small room, thinking. MINTZ (holding out sandwich) Sure you don't want a bite? ALEX (waves him off) Look -- could she have been brought to the apartment unconscious, then killed? MINTZ She was definitely killed in the apartment -- ALEX -- With a sharpened screwdriver, maybe? MINTZ Or an ice pick. See?...Then that extraordinary wound extending to the symphysis pubis. (showing Alex a photo; he tries hard not to look) The contusions didn't cause death. They were administered before, so it wouldn't be inconsistent with the findings. ALEX Is that a yes? She could have been knocked unconscious somewhere else and then killed in the apartment? -- Would that be consistent with the findings? MINTZ If you put it that way -- yes. ALEX (brightening) Thanks, Doc. (about the sandwich) You know, you should try that with some nice Ukrainian bread. EXT. FLOWER SHOP - DUSK We see Alex exit the florist holding what appears to be a a single flower wrapped in tissue paper. He no longer wears the tuxedo shirt and pants; he is dressed (for Alex anyway) normally. INT. HALLWAY - KATHARINE'S APARTMENT BUILDING - NIGHT Alex steps off the elevator, moves to Katharine's door. He holds a flower, a single white rose -- the romantic sap. He RINGS the BELL. KATHARINE (V.O.) ...Who is it? ALEX It's me, Alex. There is a long moment, perhaps muffled sounds from inside. Finally, Katharine opens the door. She peers around the door, doesn't look that happy to see him. She notices the flower, opens the door all the way to let him in. Guilt written all over her -- a kind of tenderness, too. KATHARINE Come on in, Alex. INT. KATHARINE'S LIVING ROOM ALEX For you. Hands her the flower, waits for a response. She can't make eye contact. KATHARINE It's beautiful. He moves to kiss her, she turns her head so the kiss is on her cheek. Katharine strides off with the flower. ALEX What's the matter? Lays the rose on a glass coffee table, turns to Alex. KATHARINE ...About last night... He can tell what's coming -- his defense is sarcasm. ALEX Don't bother, I understand. I just work for you. KATHARINE (sharp) -- That's not it -- and that's not fair. (beat, softer) Look, Alex...you wouldn't want me... I'm all confused, mixed up...You know we'd kill each other. All that constant bickering... The bedroom door opens, Frank Willis appears. FRANK Hiya, Alex. Frank looks to Katharine, he feels rotten about this. KATHARINE (annoyed, embarrassed) Frank! FRANK Might as well get it over with, Katie. (to Alex) Sorry, Alex. ALEX (staring at Katharine) ...You've been a busy little beaver. She lets the remark slide. Alex stands awkwardly, conscious of his hands, not knowing what to do with them. Slides them into the pockets of his coat. KATHARINE Frank, maybe Alex and I should talk alone? FRANK Sure...Sure, Katie. ALEX (overlapping) No, no, don't let me interrupt. I'm just leaving. Alex, trying to hide his feelings, moves to the door with a kind of swagger. Katharine grabs him. She glances back at Frank, who disappears inside. KATHARINE ...Alex, I like you very much. Very much...It's just that Frank and I...It's comfortable, Alex. He puts up with a lot. I just wasn't really sure...until all this. (a pause) Last night was my... ALEX -- Fault? Is that what you're going to say, fault? KATHARINE (stiffening now) No -- I'll tell you what it is, Rada. It's that I'm a sucker for decent guys. Men who never quite push hard enough, men who think they're tough, then let them- selves get ripped apart inside because they really care about something...only they won't admit it, even to themselves. (beat) Decent guys, Rada...like you. A long moment from Alex. He's unforgiving. ALEX You left out decent young girls. Katharine's eyes narrow -- the hurt is there, but she won't strike back. KATHARINE Okay, Alex... (beat) ...Okay. ALEX And try this one on, lady. Your... EfriendR...Susan Blake?...Alfred Lynch did her, not the Doyle kid. KATHARINE (not certain she's grasped what Alex has just said) What? That's just crazy talk. ALEX Is it? We'll see. KATHARINE Alex, don't do anything stupid. ALEX You paid me to do a job. Like you said, all I have to do is push a little harder, right? EXT. FIFTH AVENUE - FRONT OF KATHARINE'S BUILDING - NIGHT Cars and buses. The glow from headlights. HONKING of HORNS. Alex crosses the street toward Central Park. From behind, Frank Willis catches up. They stand in the middle of the avenue as traffic whizzes by. FRANK Look, Alex, it's just the way it is. ALEX Right, Frank. Cars dodging them. Swerving. Honking. FRANK Can we at least talk about this on the sidewalk? ALEX I don't give a shit -- you love her? FRANK About the only thing I care about, old buck. Alex nods, accepts this. He walks across the street. Frank waits for a car to pass, catches up again on the sidewalk opposite. TRAVELLING - ALEX AND FRANK FRANK ...I want you to know something, Alex. About Katie. I knew...about her affairs -- about the Blake girl. She wanted someone to find her. I helped. ALEX Thanks for the business, Frank. FRANK You think I'm an A-number-one putz, right? Alex stops, pats Frank on the shoulder. ALEX It's been a long night all around. I'm going to go home. Why don't you go where you have to, Frank. Alex again moves up the block, Frank begins to follow, Alex waves him off. FRANK Alex... ALEX (turning toward Frank) ...Really, Frank. Alex turns away. We watch him pad downtown. EXT. ENTRANCE TO CENTRAL PARK - NIGHT Quiet. Empty. A wall separates the entrance of the park from the sidewalk. Benches line Fifth Avenue in front of the wall. Alex, disconsolate, is not sitting on a bench, but on top of the concrete wall. He stares off at the apartment buildings across the street. WE HOLD ON ALEX. EXT. - SUTTON PLACE - THE LYNCHS' TOWNHOUSE - NIGHT A squad car SCREECHES INTO FRAME. Another and then another. POLICE jump out, guns drawn. FLASHLIGHTS spray the darkness. Sprawled out on the sidewalk in a drunken stupor is Victor. He slowly attempts to get up as two cops approach. He staggers toward the brick of the townhouse, tries to prop himself up near a window. THE FRONT DOOR Etta looks out on this scene, half hidden by the partially open door. THE POLICEMEN AND VICTOR They help him up. As they do, he pushes them away, spreads his arms in a gesture as if to say, "Hey, I'm fine." One hand holding a bottle, Victor thrashes about, knocks into a window pane, breaking it. A SHRIEKING BURGLAR ALARM SOUNDS The policemen spin Victor around, grab the bottle, handcuff him from behind. THE FRONT STEPS Another patrolman moves toward Etta. POLICEMAN (above the sound) Shut it off! Can you shut it off? Etta disappears. The patrolman waits. A SQUAD CAR Two policemen put Victor in the car, one tucks the back of his head down as he pushes him into the back seat. THE FRONT STEPS The alarm has stopped. A cop talks to Etta. ETTA ...Later. This is the Lynchs'. Mrs. Delaney Lynch and Mr. Alfred Lynch. Nobody's here now, later. POLICEMAN Yes, Ma'am. You be sure to turn that alarm back on now? ETTA Don't you worry about that. THE SQUAD CARS They leave, SIRENS BLARING. FROM THE SHADOWS As the squad cars move out, Alex emerges from near an iron fence overlooking the river. He sneaks toward another ground floor window. With the sirens still blaring, he breaks the pane. It can hardly be heard above the din. He reaches in, unlatches the window lock, boosts himself inside. INT. LYNCHS' LIVING ROOM Alex moves about, pulls a flashlight from a pocket. In the b.g. there is a faint light coming from the downstairs quarters. A STAIRCASE leading to the upstairs bedrooms. Alex points the flashlight toward them. ALFRED LYNCH'S BEDROOM Alex inspects the bedroom, looking for some connection between Alfred Lynch and Susan Blake. Finds a gun in the night table, examines it, puts it back. THE FIRST FLOOR STUDY going through the oak desk, filing cabinets, papers on a small table. Nothing. Alex sits in the leather chair behind the desk, glances to the open window, thinking. Spots a few newspapers on top of the desk, leafs through them casually. They are all out of town papers: Utica, Syracuse, Albany -- all have articles about the campaign. A front page picture of Delaney Lynch in the Buffalo Evening News, her staff behind her. Alex notices something -- the long flowing hair of a woman in the background of the photo. He opens a drawer of the desk, then another. Where'd he see it? Finds the magnifying glass he'd spotted. INSERT -- NEWSPAPER PHOTO SEEN THROUGH MAGNIFYING GLASS Susan Blake is clearly visible near Hal Rennert and Alfred Lynch. BACK TO SCENE Alex folds the paper, stuffs it in his jacket. Places the magnifying glass back in the drawer, it makes a sound as he closes it. Alex is up now. We HEAR a NOISE coming from the hallway. Instinctively, Alex pulls his gun from the hip holster, unlocks the safety. From outside in the hallway: ETTA ...Mr. Lynch?...Jimmy Doyle, is that you...? Alex lowers the gun down to his side, stands very still. A long moment, then footsteps moving away from the study. Satisfied Etta has gone off, Alex turns toward the window. Listening carefully, he hears ANOTHER SOUND, this time from within the study. Someone else is in this room. Alex shines the flashlight toward the sound. He sees a pair of SMALL BEADY EYES. Alex makes a move to the window, bumps his knee on the desk, knocks his gun loose -- THE GUN GOES OFF -- A CHILLING INHUMAN SCREAM next to him. Frantically, Alex points the flashlight toward the floor, grabs his gun. Leaps toward the window. EXT. SUTTON PLACE - NIGHT Alex running down the block, around the corner. EXT. YORK AVENUE - NIGHT Alex still running through the streets. Looks behind. No one following. He stops to catch his breath. WE CAN NOW SEE FEATHERS on his jacket, in his hair. He notices them. Breathing heavily, he brushes them off. It dawns on him, a slight smirk. ALEX Bye, bye, birdie. INT. KITCHEN - LYNCH TOWNHOUSE - EARLY MORNING Delaney and Alfred, both in robes, are up and about. Delaney reaches for a bowl, places it on a counter. Alfred sits at the table. They look tired. Etta appears in the entrance to the kitchen, surprised to see the Lynchs. ETTA (moving toward counter) Mrs. Lynch...? I'll do that. DELANEY That's all right, Etta, I'll take care of it this morning. ETTA Yes, Ma'am. Etta exits. Delaney crosses to the refrigerator, retrieves some butter and eggs along with a carton of orange juice. DELANEY Nothing was taken? ALFRED I don't think so. DELANEY Son of a bitch! Why would someone do that? They were looking for something, Alfred. Moves to Alfred, pours him some juice. ALFRED What could they find? Don't let this interfere with what we have to do. Delaney crosses back to the counter. Heats a frying pan. DELANEY It was much simpler back when...remember, making you breakfast in the house on Legion Street? (beat; thinking) ...They didn't have to kill Griffin. It was planned. I'm telling you, Alfred, this was planned. Staring off now, Delaney CRACKS THE EGGS against the side of the bowl. Lost in thought. A beat. DELANEY ...That detective Katharine's seeing. He thinks he has reason to be susp... ALFRED (interrupts) Perhaps I should have a talk with Mr. Rada. A meeting...to discuss his future. Beating the eggs in the bowl. DELANEY Yes. Yes. And I want Katharine with me in Albany tomorrow. CLOSE ON THE FRYING PAN Delaney pours in the eggs, the pan sizzles. ALFRED (V.O.) Of course, it's really not our affair. It's possible she may not see him again. A SUNLIT SKY BRACKETED BY TWO CITY SKYSCRAPERS - TILT DOWN TO: THE WOLLMAN ICE RINK A man sits on a bench. We MOVE IN CLOSER. It's Alex. He's feeding pigeons from a brown paper bag. He holds a newspaper under his arm. SCHOOL CHILDREN parade past, all in the unifrom of some private academy. Alex lingers on the bench, then moves to the railing of the ice rink to watch the skaters. Katharine Raines strides into view, stands next to Alex. He doesn't look at her. KATHARINE Thanks, Alex. ALEX Anytime. KATHARINE I still feel as though... ALEX -- that's not what you wanted to talk about, is it? She takes a thick envelope from her coat, hands it to Alex. KATHARINE No, I brought you something. Alex opens it -- a whole lot of money. He flips through the bills, places the envelope in his pocket. ALEX (still watching skaters) ...You know, the other night at that dinner party, I had a conversation with Alfred Lynch in his study. I thought he was trying to warn me off you... but it was Susan Blake he was talking about. I was a little slow. KATHARINE I just don't believe it. Let the police handle it. ALEX (turning toward her) The police? Why the police all of a sudden? KATHARINE Take the money, Alex. It's finished. (beat) Just some freak...some crazy freak; it wasn't Alfred Lynch. CUT AHEAD TO: A CENTRAL PARK PATH - TRAVELLING WITH ALEX AND KATHARINE ALEX ...He wouldn't get his hands dirty. (staring at her) You forget what they did to her? It was the Doyle kid, but he did it for Alfred Lynch...for ELynchR. When Doyle used to pick her up downtown, he was driving her to see your friend Alfred. ALEX (cont'd.) (beat) And I've got news for you, Susan Blake wasn't really missing, she was upstate -- with him. KATHARINE (uncertain) How do you know that? I read it in the papers. Alex hands her the paper he carries under his arm -- the copy of the EBuffalo Evening NewsR. Katharine stops, studies the picture, looks to Alex. KATHARINE (still resisting) ...it doesn't prove he had her killed. Why? ALEX Susan Blake had trouble letting go. Maybe she was going to tell the future Senator, or the papers. Maybe Alfred got nervous...maybe he enjoyed it. KATHARINE ...Let me count the maybe's. You'll need something more than a newspaper picture and speculation about... ALEX -- Well, I'll let you know tonight, Alfred wants to see me. KATHARINE (incredulous) What? ALEX Right. Why would Alfred Lynch want to see me, get some advice on a leveraged buyout, maybe? I'll call you tonight... KATHARINE -- I won't be around tonight, I'm going to Albany with Delaney -- the last Veress debate. I want out, Alex. KATHARINE (cont'd.) I want the investigation finished. (she turns to leave) Just finish it now, okay? Alex grabs her arm, takes out the envelope. He removes a few bills, hands Katharine back the envelope with the rest of the money. ALEX (a wry smile) For expenses. Probably won't be able to use the rest anyway. (serious now) What does that mean, 'you want out?' -- That mean you don't want to know...or that you already know? INT. ALFRED LYNCH'S STUDY - NIGHT An eerie glow. The only illumination, the light from the green tiffany lamp on the desk. Alex and Alfred sit across the desk from one another, staring, not saying a word. Alfred's hands rest under his chin, as if in prayer. Finally: ALFRED You can't seriously believe I had something to do with this woman's death? It's delusional, Mr. Rada. ALEX I think you were screwing her and you had your boy Doyle kill her...that's what I think. Alfred doesn't react, his eyes betray nothing. ALFRED You saw her picture in a newspaper. Lot's of women follow the campaign around, that's hardly an indictment for murder...Do you know I'm astonished by you? You've got balls, all right. Do you actually think you can challenge me? In this town? (beat) I'll tell you this: Nothing is going ALFRED (cont'd.) to stand in the way of my wife's election. You may not comprehend this, Mr. Rada, but I hold your future in my hands. Alfred rises to his feet, moves to the now empty perch of the Macaw, swings it slowly back and forth. He faces away from Alex. ALEX You wouldn't be threatening me would you, Mr. Lynch? ALFRED (disdainful tone) Not at all, Mr. Rada. ALEX You know I saw her, after. (beat) Her guts were in a puddle on the floor. Alfred turns toward Alex, just stares at him for a long moment. ALEX Yeah...? ALFRED Someone broke in here last night. Deliberately killed our macaw. It was a vicious, spiteful act. ALEX Maybe the bird had enemies. ALFRED Are you trying to be clever, Mr. Rada? ALEX (mimicking Alfred's disdainful tone) Not at all, Mr. Lynch. A curl from Alfred's lip, not actually a smile. ALFRED You EareR interesting in your own way. Do you know EPolitics Among NationsR? I have it here somewhere. Puts a hand in his pocket, moves to the bookshelf. Looks for the volume. Can't find it. ALFRED In any case, it's the same among human beings -- one nation...one person, they're essentially irrelevant. It's power that counts. Power, Mr. Rada, is an elegant principle of universal law, the less you use, the more you accumulate. (beat) And if you EdoR use it and lose, its evanescent nature becomes clear. Alex stares blankly -- is this guy joking? A deep sigh from Alfred, know he's not quite communicating. Tries the direct tack. ALFRED -- What I mean, Mr. Rada, is that if you go up against me, you better be damn sure you can win. ALEX Well, Mr. Lynch, I'm going to give what you said a great deal of consideration. Yes sir...consideration. ALFRED (he does laugh -- in disbelief) You are a ballsy son of a bitch. (beat) Know Cargill, Finch and Wells? ALEX Yeah, I know it. Big time law firm. So? .bp ALFRED They're looking for an investigator, I'll arrange it for you. We'll call it a lesson in power -- it enhances mine and you get a chance to accumulate a little of your own. I'd rather have you on my side of the line, even though, quite frankly, Mr. Rada, (enunciating slowly) you are one very small piece of shit. ALEX I appreciate the sentiment. ALFRED It's your life after all...think about it. EXT. SUTTON PLACE - NIGHT Alex walks along the sidewalk opposite the Lynch townhouse. Glances back over his shoulder, sees Alfred through the window. He's framed by the glow of the tiffany lamp, working on papers at his desk. We follow Alex to the corner. Very little activity on York Avenue. HEADLIGHTS of a black sedan switch on, the car rolls toward Alex, gains speed as it pulls away from the sidewalk. For a moment, Alex freezes. The car shoots by him. Alex turns, again looks back toward the Lynchs' study. The light has gone out. INT. ALEX'S APARTMENT - NIGHT Alex is on the phone with Detective Demarko. ALEX ...I might have something for you. You may not like...What? No, don't worry. (beat) ...Hey, DeMarko I need a little favor...C'mon, would I do that? Look, can you check on a drunk and disorderly for me, up at the eleventh? The name is D apostrophe A-M-A-T-O...Victor... It couldn't have been much. If you would... A KNOCK on the door. ALEX (raised voice toward the door) Yeah, hold on! (into phone) ...Yeah, pals, Demarko. Vagrants are my life, right. Will you check? Thanks, you're a prince...wha... a few days, okay. Right. Hangs up. Rises. ALEX Who is it? From behind the door. VICTOR (V.O.) It's me, Alex -- Victor. Moves to the kitchen table, picks up a glass decanter of gum drops with a small ribbon attached. Alex strides toward the door. ALEX I was just talking about you. (as he opens the door) Got you something... THE OPEN DOOR - CLOSE ON VICTOR'S FACE His eyes bulge, a screwdriver planted in his neck. Victor clutches at it, falls toward Alex. ALEX stunned, catches him with one hand, still holds the decanter in the other. FROM BEHIND THE DOOR - JIMMY DOYLE Holding another sharpened screwdriver, plunges it toward Alex's face. Instinctively, Alex holds up the decanter -- it blocks the weapon. The decanter is shattered, the contents spilling over the floor. ALEX AND DOYLE Doyle lunges at him again, but he slips over the gum drops on the floor. Falls. Sprawled on his back. Alex tries to lay Victor down gently, kicks at Doyle at the same time. Alex catches him square in the face, Doyle writhes in pain. ALEX'S HIP HOLSTER He reaches for his gun, pulls it out. DOYLE on the floor, lashes out with the screwdriver, stabs Alex in the leg. ALEX as he screams in pain, "Son of a bitch." Tries to aim the gun at Doyle. DOYLE scrambles up, runs out the door. ALEX down on one knee now, holding his leg. Looks to Victor, turns him over. Nothing he can do for him anymore. Alex is up, half running, half hobbling out the door, down the stairs. ON THE AVENUE Alex spots Doyle running up the block. Braces himself and points his weapon. People near him scatter. He squints, can't quite see. Too much of a crowd up ahead anyway. Takes off after Doyle, forgetting his leg. We can see the blood drenching through his pant leg. RUNNING THROUGH THE STREETS past street peddlers pushing their wares, past outdoor fruit stands still open -- not getting much closer to Doyle. Alex sees him turn down a side street. THE SIDE STREET Much quieter, no one about. We HEAR GLASS SHATTERING in the distance. Alex stops, listening for it again. He moves past the Ukrainian church we've seen before, toward a row of tenement buildings. THE STEPS OF A TENEMENT BUILDING Alex peers in toward the entrance -- the inner glass door has been shattered. Not all that unusual in this neighborhood. TENEMENT BUILDING - GROUND FLOOR Inside, Alex checks the hall. Gun drawn. He moves cautiously toward the stairs. Climbing up slowly, he feels his leg for the first time, reaches around to touch the back of his pants. Stares dumbly at his bloodied hand. THIRD FLOOR LANDING Alex hugs the wall, quickly moves out into the light. Points his gun toward the landing above. No one there. THE DOOR TO THE ROOF Alex on the last set of stairs, pushes through the door. THE ROOF We PAN the roof area -- unused brick smoke stacks, a flat tar-papered surface with no barrier at the roof's edge; no connection to the next tenement building, or to the Ukrainian church on the other side. Alex listens for a sound, can't hear anything but vague traffic noises below -- maybe Doyle is not here. Alex turns to leave, opens the roof door. As he does, from above the roof door -- AN ARM slashes out, rips through Alex's jacket. ALEX clenches the arm, rips Doyle down from above the door. DOYLE on his back, a gun pointed in his face. We HEAR a CLICK as the A-90 is cocked. CUT AHEAD TO: THE EDGE OF THE ROOF - ALEX AND DOYLE Alex holds Doyle by his hair, the gun is pointed not at Doyle's head, but pressed against his crouch. ALEX (pulling hard on Doyle's hair) Tell me what I want to hear, you fuckin' little cum stain or -- You - Are - Dead. DOYLE You want to know if I killed the bitch, too? Yeah. You think I'm afraid of dying, man? Not like your friend. Pissed in his pants. (beat; taunting Alex) It was my idea to rip her open -- And the blood all over the walls, too... (almost an ecstasy) ...It was majestic. Alex pulls Doyle's hair tighter, holds him over the edge of the roof -- we can see the church steps, the street far below. DOYLE (contemptuous, challenging Alex) I fucked her, Rada...after. Alex. Losing it. Shouting now. ALEX Why did you bring her back to that apartment!? DOYLE I do what I want, I do what I'm told. Fu -- cking majestic. ALEX By Lynch? Alfred Lynch told you!? Doyle spits at Alex, shakes his head loose from Alex's grip. Spreads his arms out as if to fly. Pushes off the roof. As he falls backward toward the street below: DOYLE (laughing and yelling as he plummets) Yeah! Lynch! Fuck you! Alex leans over the edge, watching him fall. We can make out a figure walking down the church steps. THE CHURCH STEPS The figure is Father Stefanyk. He glances up as Doyle crashes onto the church steps next to him, landing with arms out- stretched in the shape of a cross. Father Stefanyk looks to the body, toward the sky, toward the body again. He kneels, crosses himself. INT. DETECTIVE DEMARKO'S DESK - MANHATTAN SOUTH PCT. - DAY Lots of activity. Demarko has a folder open. Alex is next to him DEMARKO Forget it. ALEX She was knocked unconscious and then brought back to that apartment -- EthenR she was killed. DEMARKO You got something that isn't old news? ALEX Why did Doyle go to all the trouble to bring her up there? He could have did her and dumped the body anywhere. DEMARKO What the hell does this have to do with Alfred Lynch? ALEX Susan Blake had a lover, a lover that paid for that place -- maybe Lynch didn't know who it was, but he was going to lay it on whoever was keeping her...and he was going to leave it to you to find out who. Then I came along and screwed things up for him. DEMARKO In the first place, Susan Blake paid for that place every month, with her own checks. ALEX Yeah, so where did she get the money? DEMARKO ...Maybe she earned it. Look, Rada, you don't really think I'm going to arrest Alfred Lynch -- EAlfred Lynch yetR, on some cockamamie theory about a lover and why the Doyle kid does the girl in her own apartment? The Doyle kid was a freak show -- he was into whaddaya call it, uh, performance artwork -- that's why he does her there with all the blood...like a ritual, see? ALEX Doyle admitted it was Alfred Lynch. DeMarko shakes his head, grimaces. Speaks to Alex as though he were incapable of comprehension. DEMARKO Do you know if I arrested Alfred Lynch on the basis of what you've been saying they'd have my shield. EAt bestR, DEMARKO (cont'd.) I'd be doing dispatch duty at the borough, answering phones -- giving out log numbers all day. I don't want to do that. Alex leans on the desk, grabs a pencil from several in a mug, starts tapping the pencil on the desktop as he listens. DEMARKO Now, this case is closed. The lieutenant says it's closed, the assistant chief says it's closed and I say it's closed, okay? ALEX Okay, DeMarko, but let me guess? Nothing to the press until EafterR the election, right? DEMARKO (defensive) That's the way it's coming down, yeah. There are some loose ends, some paper work, sure -- so? ALEX Right. After the election. DEMARKO Rada, what are you knocking your head against? It doesn't work. And where the hell is this so called lover -- you got absolutely nothing. Alex looks to Demarko, realizes he's right. Sticks the pencil back in the mug, gets up, strides for the door. DEMARKO (yelling after him) Hey, Rada, where you going? ...Albany. EXT. ALBANY AIRPORT - EVENING A commercial flight lands, taxis towards a gate. INT. AIRPORT Alex moves though the airport with other passengers. EXT. ALBANY MARRIOTT HOTEL - EVENING A cab pulls up. Alex get out, enters the hotel. INT. SITTING AREA - DELANEY LYNCH SUITE - MARRIOTT - EVENING Delaney and her campaign aides. Last minute details on the Peter Veress debate. Clipboards. Pacing. Jokes. DAVID GARTH ...Sure, from his perspective he has nothing to lose. DELANEY I want to grind him, go over sixty percent on Tuesday. HAL RENNERT We may be vulnerable on the crime issue, he'll do the prosecutor Veress number. DELANEY That sounds like a Frank Willis remark. (glances over to Frank, smiles) I think I can hit the curve ball, Hal. Just throw back the statistics at him. Nobody's going to be listening to Peter Veress anyway, they're all going to be watching for that little tic. Some laughter. Except for Katharine. She seems preoccupied. HAL RENNERT Every one of those little babies is worth at least a half a percentage point. Press guys have a pool on how many. More laughter. DELANEY (checks around) That everything? Okay, guys, I'd like to relax a little. Frank, Hal, David Garth and a FEW AIDES start packing up. Katharine lingers, moves to Delaney. DELANEY Katharine? KATHARINE Maybe this isn't the best time? DELANEY What's up? Delaney strides toward the bedroom portion of the suite. Katharine follows. The men file out the door toward the hall. KATHARINE Alfred met with Alex Rada yesterday. DELANEY Alfred's gotten him a position at Cargill, Finch. KATHARINE What? You're joking? Alex Rada? INT. SUITE BEDROOM Delaney sits at a dressing table, turns toward Katharine. DELANEY I believe so. (beat) He's accepted. We thought that's what you'd want. INT. HALLWAY - MARRIOTT HOTEL - EVENING Alex moving down the hallway toward the suite. Spots the boys coming out. They acknowledge him. Frank does a double-take. FRANK Alex. What are you doing here? ALEX Katharine in there? Frank grabs Alex by the arm. Alex shoots him a look. Frank lets go. FRANK Let me buy you a drink, Alex. ALEX (hesitates; nods) Sure. Later, Frank, okay? I'll meet you in the bar. The last one out of the room is David Garth. Alex pushes past him and into the suite. INT. SUITE - SITTING AREA Alex doesn't immediately see anyone. He walks to the bedroom door, spots Delaney and Katharine inside. INT. BEDROOM AREA Delaney rotates her neck, as though she is tense, tired. We see Alex in b.g. Delaney presses her fingers against the muscles of her neck, stares at Katharine, almost nostalgically. Through the mirror on the dressing table: DELANEY I've always wanted the best for you, Katharine... For the first time we see a softness in Delaney's eyes. DELANEY ...One last time?...like it used to be... (beat) ...massage my neck? Katharine moves her hands to Delaney's shoulders, feels the taut muscles. She does this apprehensively, and with a curious detachment -- an involuntary act which she has done before. Her motion stops. Katharine turns toward the bedroom entrance. Alex. She sees him. Startled. Delaney now turns, too. ALEX What's the matter, don't you recognize your old friend? KATHARINE Alex! Alex -- staring at the two of them for a long moment. Comprehending more than Katharine does. ALEX (to Katharine) ...You're a real mess, honey. He moves into the room, glares at Delaney. ALEX (to Delaney) It was you, wasn't it? (a derisive laugh to himself) Had the wrong Lynch. Doyle was picking her up for you...EYouR and Susan Blake, not Alfred. Katharine -- confused, frightened. Pushing not to show it. KATHARINE What is he talking about?! ALEX (to Katharine) The senator EdesignateR here wanted to hang Susan Blake's other lover. When she found out it was you, it was a whole other story. (staring hard at Delaney now) She tried to scare you into leaving for a while, or at least have me called off. -- Damage control was better downtown than with me, right Senator? Delaney doesn't respond. Alex glares at the two of them, then turns for the door. ALEX (as he moves) By the way, you're going to need a new chauffeur. Doyle's dead. ...Have a nice debate. Katharine watches Delaney through the mirror. Realizing. DELANEY (using the mirror to converse) Katharine? I would never hurt you, you know that. Just as you would never hurt me. A wave of revulsion washes over Katharine's face. She holds a moment, then storms out of the room. Delaney casually reaches for a brush, about to stroke her hair with it. SLAMS it down on the dresser. Rushes to catch up with Katharine. INT. SITTING ROOM DELANEY Katharine! (checks herself; softer) Katharine, you needed a rest -- You need one now. I'm sorry about Susan Blake. If Jimmy...whatever Jimmy Doyle did to her, it's over now. (beat) Katharine, we're on our way. KATHARINE You knew her. DELANEY Yes, I knew her. She was around the campaign, you know that. KATHARINE You bitch! Jimmy Doyle. It was you -- Susan wouldn't let go... she told you, what? -- that she'd make it public? She wouldn't have, you know. She never would have. (beat) All she wanted was someone who'd care about her -- someone who wasn't after something. Susan needed decency in her life, there was never enough of that around...and you're incapable of decency. DELANEY (hard) It's you that doesn't understand. She was a duplicitous little tramp who'd do anything for her own benefit. She played a good game, Katharine. She fooled us both -- Don't you see I'd have too much to lose? KATHARINE What've you done!? DELANEY You're confused. I haven't done anything. A frozen beat. Stunned monotone from Katharine. KATHARINE You're not even contrite, are you? DELANEY Contrite? What would you like me to be EsorryR about? (beat) Contrition is bullshit. EXT. ALBANY CONFERENCE CNTR. - THE ROCKEFELLER COMPLEX - NIGHT An area once known as the mall. State buildings surrounding a long rectangular wading pool. Desolate at night. This is the site of the Lynch-Veress debate. Two solitary figures set against the marble backdrop of the buildings, gusts of wind blowing an occasional bit of trash past their feet. CLOSE ON - ALEX AND KATHARINE KATHARINE No one is going to believe you. First you say it's Alfred, then you say Delaney -- and what proof is there? Who's going to buy it? ALEX No one has to buy it, Katharine. You can take it away from her -- the election is the most important thing in her life -- and all you have to do is pop the lid. Katharine folds her arms, glares at her own reflection in the pool. ALEX Just say you were once Delaney Lynch's lover, that you knew she was having an affair with the girl that got killed. (beat) How do you think that would play? KATHARINE I didn't know about Susan and Delaney. ALEX You do now. Lights and a crowd coming from a building known as 'The Egg.' THE ENTRANCE TO THE EGG Photographers and press follow Delaney and her entourage from the building. She's all smiles. Lots of NOISE. Lots of: "How'd you think you did?"; "Did you win that one, Delaney?"; "Remember me on Tuesday"; etc. Cars pull up, Delaney and the entourage get in. Frank Willis spots Alex and Katharine by the rectangular pool. RECTANGULAR POOL AREA Alex and Katharine watching as the lights fade, as the crowd disperses. Frank slowly moves toward them. The three of them together now. The wind whips up, chilled by the marble and the desolation. WE HOLD. CLOSE ON A MINI-CAM As we pull back, we can see the electronic and print press at a news conference. We are in a conference room at the Albany Marriott. Frank Willis moves to a podium. He hasn't gotten much sleep. Katharine waits in back. Some REPORTERS sit, others stand. WOMAN REPORTER Frank, is this going to be official? FRANK (sullen) Dr. Raines has a statement. We're not going to be taking questions. REPORTER #2 C'mon, Frank, let's have a little cooperation. FRANK Dr. Raines is going to read her statement. NOISE AND ACTIVITY from the press corp. FRANK If you'll be quiet boys and girls, we have a statement. Frank nods toward Katharine. She approaches the microphones. INT. LOBBY AREA - OUTSIDE CONFERENCE ROOM - MARRIOTT - DAY (The scene should have a documentary, HAND-HELD CAMERA feel.) Buzzing with activity. Reporters scurry in the background. Cables hastily strung about. A GABE PRESSMAN TYPE readies a stand-up. A reporter near him looks into a small monitor near his feet. (THE DIALOG IN THE SCENE OVERLAPS). GABE PRESSMAN TYPE ...Do we have a feed? WOMAN REPORTER Okay, let me know when you're ready. Another reporter next to her, holds a mike and presses a finger to his earpiece. He's on air. ON-AIR REPORTER -- It looks that way. The disclosure by an aide to Delaney Lynch has apparently crippled this campaign, Tom. We see LIGHTS TURN ON AND OFF, other reporters, other sound bites like: "So close to the election"; "...a disaster for this campaign"; etc. CAMERA SLOWLY PULLS AWAY from this scene. DISSOLVE TO: INT. CARGILL, FINCH AND WELLS OFFICES - DAY Alex, his back to us, stares out the window. He wears a suit. ALEX'S POV - THE STREET BELOW A few floors up. Across the street we see the New York Public library. Outside, in front of the building, a limousine pulls up. A chauffeur opens the door for the man in back. The man is Alfred Lynch. NEW ANGLE A SECRETARY walks in. SECRETARY Mr. Lynch is on his way up to see Mr. Wells. Will you be joining them? Alex turns toward the secretary. HE IS WEARING GLASSES. ALEX No, I don't think so. SECRETARY It's a shame about Mrs. Lynch. Awful, isn't it? ALEX Yeah, Awful. He moves to his desk, sits down. The secretary points to some boxes. SECRETARY Can I help you unpack? ALEX Don't bother, I won't be here that long. She gives him a strange look, shrugs, exits. Alex gazes out over the street to the library, to the stone lions guarding its entrance. Lost in thought. He watches a group of school children from some private academy marching up the steps, all in uniform, all in unison. FADE OUT THE END