JOSIE FALLS

by

Patrick Dowling

New pages
INT. CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL/CANCER WARD - MORNING

CU: A crazy looking puppet appears in full view.

THE PUPPET. A hand-knitted, green OGRE, with a clump of brown

string for a head of hair and oversized white eyes comes to
life.

OGRE
ROAR!

A handful of CHILDREN are sitting in front of a woman putting

on a puppet show. The children include: HANNAH, a know-it-all
7 year old girl, SAM, a precocious 6 year old, CHRISTOPHER,
also 6, but very quiet, and STEVE, a 5 year old who is also
shy, but has a habit of blurting out a certain curse word
when he gets excited.

STEVE
Shit!

A nurse calls out from across the room.

VERA
Steve!

A black woman of 38, VERA BERRY runs a tight ship, but dotes
on the children. She walks over to where the children are
sitting.

VERA (CONT’D)
Steve you know better than that!
(to the woman)
I’m sorry, you know how he gets
when you visit.

Pitifully, Steve aims his eyes at the floor.

STEVE
Sorry.

The woman with the puppet reaches out with her free hand and
lifts his chin, then smiles at him. She is JOSIE MIDEA, 30,
angular, tan, and an investigative reporter for WSUN-TV.

JOSIE
It’s okay honey. I know you’re
excited.

Emboldened, Steve looks up at the nurse and sticks his tongue

out at her. Vera CHUCKLES and returns the favor.

Josie resumes her weekly performance at the children’s cancer

ward. She lowers her voice extra low for dramatic effect.
 2.

JOSIE (AS OGRE) (CONT’D)

What a tasty looking assortment of
children! Who shall I eat first!?!

HANNAH, who is bald and clutching a Barbie doll, SCREECHES

with delight.

HANNAH
Eeee!

Josie and the kids are sitting on a colorful oval shaped rug
featuring Sesame Street characters. A wide-mouthed Big Bird
is partially covered up by Sam.

JOSIE
(to the children)
So I forget, where did we leave off
last time?

SAM
The prince killed the dragon and
was looking for the princess.

HANNAH
Unh-unh! The princess was being
held prisoner in the castle by the
mean, old ogre.

Sam shakes his head defiantly.

SAM
It’s the same thing!

JOSIE
Okay, okay. Take it easy, you two.

Sensing he’s being left out, Josie looks at Christopher.

JOSIE (CONT’D)
Christopher why don’t you tell us
where to pick up the story?

Christopher adjusts his glasses and wipes his nose with the
back of his hand.

CHRISTOPHER
Maybe the princess tries to escape?

JOSIE
Okay, the princess tries to escape.

Josie reaches for her bag and pulls out a second PUPPET. This
one is a woman in a long, satin white dress.
 3.

The puppet’s name is PRINCESS VICTORIA. Josie changes the

pitch of her voice to that of an overly dramatic young woman.

JOSIE (AS PRINCESS VICTORIA) (CONT’D)

Oh dear, I fear I shall never be
rescued. If only my prince would
save me!

While the kids were arguing Josie hid the OGRE puppet behind
her back. She moves him out from behind her in a flash and
deepens her voice.

JOSIE (AS OGRE) (CONT’D)

NEVER!

The children SCREECH with delight. Steve can’t help himself.

STEVE
Shit!

Hannah lightly slaps his shoulder.

JOSIE (AS OGRE)

Your prince is a fool. He’ll never
solve the riddle to open the castle
gate. In time you will see that we
were meant to be together.

The children are grossed out by this proposition, squirming

in their spots.

CHILDREN
Ewwww!

JOSIE (AS PRINCESS VICTORIA)

You are the most evil ogre on the
face of the earth. I will never be
yours. For while you slept I took a
deadly potion from which I will
never awaken - unless my beloved
prince rescues me by nightfall.
Only his magic kiss will reverse
its effects and save me!

HANNAH
Oh no, she’s going to die!

SAM
Not if the prince gets to her
first!

Josie starts to say something, but Vera walks over again,

standing behind the children.
 4.

VERA
I’m sorry, but the kids need to get
over to treatment. I forgot to tell
you that we changed the schedule.

CHILDREN
Ohhh nooo!

After hugging the kids Vera leads Josie out, handing her a
dozen ampules. Josie puts them in her bag.

THE AMPULES. One label reads: DIAMORPHINE HYDROCHLORIDE BP

(Medical Heroin) for injection. 30 mg. CAUTION - High dose.

VERA
Listen, I can’t keep doing this.

JOSIE
I only need half as much next time.

VERA
Allright - but only six, okay?

JOSIE
You got it.

Josie turns and waves goodbye to the children.

EXT. TV STATION - DAY

We see a cream colored two-story building fronted by dozens

of palm trees, fronds swaying in the breeze. Three satellite
dishes sit off to the side surrounded by a rusty chain link
fence. Painted on the largest is a faded replica of the
station’s logo, a flamingo dipping one foot in a sunset-
reflected pool of water.

INT. TV STATION/NEWS DESK - DAY - CONTINUOUS

Josie, wearing khakis, a white spaghetti strap blouse, and a

pale pink blazer is standing in front of the news desk
counter looking at a composite of mugshots. A man in his
twenties is sitting on the other side of the counter busy on
the phone. Next to him a woman of the same age has just hung
up a different phone.

WOMAN
(to Josie)
That was Reuters. They just picked
up your story about the beach
strangler.
 5.

WSUN-TV’S NEWS DIRECTOR SOL GRECO walks up next to Josie.

Thick and tan, with a silver comb over, this 61-year old
former Queens native is known to his fishing buddies as the
“Italian Hillbilly”.

SOL
(to Josie)
That’s my girl! Have you seen the
new ratings book?

JOSIE
Don’t tell me.

SOL
We’re up two points. Two points!

She puts down the mugshot and looks at Sol.

JOSIE
You’re kidding.

SOL
Nope. That series the wire just
picked up gave us a nice bump.
Thanks to you we might just save
this heap of a station.

Just then CYNTHIA RAWLINGS, 36, who is both a husky, chinless

woman and WSUN-TV’S EVENING NEWS EXECUTIVE PRODUCER walks up
to the man on the phone, grabs the phone from him, and hangs
it up.

CYNTHIA
(to the man)
Where the hell is that press
release I wanted? Goddamnit, how
many times do I have to -

Sol, interrupts Cynthia.

SOL
(to Cynthia)
Hey, sunshine. Guess who just gave
us a two point bump in the ratings?

Cynthia wheels around, not seeing Sol at first. Her eyes are
drawn to Josie standing next to him scratching her arm, as if
she has a terrible rash. Josie is unaware she’s doing this.
Cynthia focuses intently on Josie, not paying attention to
Sol.

SOL (CONT’D)
(to Cynthia)
Boungiorno? Anybody home?
 6.

Josie stops scratching.

JOSIE
Sol, take it easy, okay?

Cynthia looks angrily at Josie.

CYNTHIA
Thanks, but I can take care of
myself.

Cynthia takes a step in an attempt to walk away and TRIPS,

coming inches from spilling her coffee on Sol’s multi-
pocketed fishing shirt. Sol checks himself, a green worm-like
fishing lure is hooked to his shirt, still bone dry.

Cynthia looks up at Sol, horrified. The man and woman behind

the news desk GASP. Sol straightens his shirt, wiping away
coffee that’s not there.

SOL
Last week you almost get us sued
over that piece about the Mayor of
Sarasota and now you almost spill
coffee on my lucky fishing shirt?
Miss, one day I’m not going to be
able to say “almost” and that’s
going to be the saddest day of your
life. Either get your act together
or come the end of your contract
you can say “Arrivederci W-S-U-N!
Capiche!?!”

Sol walks off, leaving Cynthia and Josie staring awkwardly at

each other. Josie resumes looking at the mugshots while
Cynthia walks away in a huff. She looks back at the man
behind the news desk.

CYNTHIA
Get me that damn press release -
NOW!

The woman behind the new desk counter motions to Josie.

WOMAN
Psst.

She points over Josie’s shoulder. Josie turns and sees a

tall, black man in a brown linen suit standing behind her.
He’s FBI SPECIAL AGENT ISAAC BERRY, 53, tall, good-looking,
with short hair, graying at the temples.

AGENT BERRY
Ms. Midea?
 7.

Josie sets the mugshot composite down on the counter.

JOSIE
Josie. Can I help you?

He flashes his FBI badge - she reads it.

JOSIE (CONT’D)
What can I do for you ... Special
Agent Berry?

Agent Berry looks around the wide open, large news room.

AGENT BERRY
Agent Berry is fine. Look, is there
a place where we can talk in
private?

She looks him up and down.

JOSIE
Uh, sure. I think there’s an edit
booth free down here.

She gestures with her hand and leads Agent Berry into an
empty edit room.

INT. TV STATION/EDITING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Agent Berry closes the sliding glass door behind him, it

makes a SWOOSH sound and then SLAMS shut. Josie wheels
around, a sudden look of panic comes over her face.

JOSIE
Um, I’m sorry. Do you mind if we
leave this open?

She moves to open the door.

JOSIE (CONT’D)
I’m terribly agraphobic.

AGENT BERRY
(annoyed)
I thought that was a fear of open
spaces?

JOSIE
No, that’s agoraphobia. This is
closed spaces - just the opposite.
 8.

AGENT BERRY
I just don’t want anyone to hear
us.

Josie opens the sliding glass door about halfway.

JOSIE
We’ll keep our voices low, okay?
Besides, no one will bother us.

A look of relief comes over her, but she stays near the open
doorway anyway. Detective Berry studies all of this
carefully. He looks down and notices a brightly colored beach
bag near her feet.

AGENT BERRY
Yours?

Josie looks down.

JOSIE
Yep.

He notices the princess puppet and leans over to get a better

look.

AGENT BERRY
Hmm.

JOSIE
Yeah, it’s just a hobby of mine. I
do a puppet show for the kids over
at the Children’s Cancer Clinic
once a week. They seem to get a
kick out of it. I was there just
this morning.

He looks up at Josie and smiles.

AGENT BERRY
How’d you get started with puppets?

Josie forces a smile.

JOSIE
My Mom. Look Agent Berry, what
exactly was it you wanted to talk
about?

AGENT BERRY
Right. I’m sure you know about the
record drug bust yesterday.

Josie nods.
 9.

JOSIE
Sure. I did our live shot after the
press conference at the Sheriff’s
Office.

AGENT BERRY
So you know about the million
dollars worth of medical grade
heroin that was seized.

Josie nods again.

AGENT BERRY (CONT’D)

Well, what you may not know is the
FBI has reason to believe there is
more ...

Detective Berry leans in whispering.

AGENT BERRY (CONT’D)

... substantially more drugs
involved. Perhaps another ten
million dollars worth of both
medical heroin and cocaine.

Josie looks out into the hallway and back at Agent Berry.

JOSIE
Two questions.

AGENT BERRY
Shoot.

JOSIE
One, why tell me?

She waits for an answer, but he doesn’t budge.

AGENT BERRY
What’s the second?

JOSIE
There was no mention of cocaine.
How does that figure into all of
this?

Agent Berry goes to close the door again, still seeking more
privacy, but Josie puts her hand out stopping it.

JOSIE (CONT’D)
Agent Berry, I don’t think you
understand. I do not like to be in
a closed off room with someone I
don’t know and trust.
(MORE)
 10.

JOSIE (CONT’D)
If you insist on trying to shut
this door, I’m afraid this
conversation is over. You came here
me asking for help. All I’m asking
from you is to keep the door open.

AGENT BERRY
Look Josie, I don’t have time to
play games. What I’m about to tell
you could wreck my career and put
you in serious danger.

Agent Berry slams the door shut. The aluminum wheels stop and
the door makes the same metallic WHACK as before.

SMASH CUT:

INT. MASTER BATHROOM JOSIE’S HOUSE - DAY (FLASHBACK 20 YEARS

AGO)

Josie is ten years old. Her Dad, 54, tall, and skinny walks
into the bathroom wearing an old mustard colored bathrobe.
Josie is sitting in a bubble bath waiting for him. The
bathtub has a sliding glass door with a dull, blurred finish.
Dad gets into the tub, leaving his side of the sliding glass
door open.

DAD
Is my girl ready to play?

JOSIE
Mmm hmm.

CUT TO:

INT. MASTER BEDROOM JOSIE’S HOUSE - DAY (FLASHBACK CONT’D)

The bedroom is empty, but we can hear Josie and Dad talking
in the adjacent bathroom. Josie SQUEALS with laughter. Dad is
SPLASHING water.

JOSIE
Dad, I can’t reach.

CUT TO:

INT. MASTER BATHROOM BATHROOM - DAY (FLASHBACK CONT’D)

We see Dad leaning back in the tub, his side of the sliding
glass door still open, but we cannot see Josie. She is
blocked from view by the blurred, closed sliding glass door.
 11.

DAD
Move a little closer, punkin’.

We hear the water splash a bit as she moves closer, but we

still can’t see her. He looks down at the water, where his
genitals are hidden by the thick bubbles.

DAD (CONT’D)
Oh, Josie, don’t stop.

He leans back in ecstasy.

JOSIE
Dad?

He looks up at the ceiling, his eyes roll back.

DAD
What punkin’?

JOSIE
Do you love me best?

DAD
Keep going, punkin’.

He reaches over and closes his portion of the sliding glass

door shut, the aluminum and glass RATTLING.

FLASHBACK ENDS

SMASH CUT:

INT. TV STATION/EDITING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Agent Berry is standing over Josie who has passed out in the
editing room. He helps her up, gently propping her back
against the wall.

JOSIE
What ... what happened?

Agent Berry looks around, but no one is in the hallway

adjacent to the editing room.

AGENT BERRY
You blacked out as soon as I shut
the door. Here let me help you up.

She pushes his hand away.

 12.

JOSIE
Really, I’m fine. You were about to
tell me something - something else
besides the missing drugs?

Agent Berry kneels down next to her.

AGENT BERRY
Today, I found out for sure the
Sheriff’s Office is involved in
some sort of cover-up. The million
dollars in heroin is just the tip
of the iceberg. I’m still not sure
how long the Sheriff’s Narcotics
Unit has been bad, but this bust
isn’t the first time they’ve
skimmed off the top. What they do
is they seize the drugs, usually
take ninety percent of what they
confiscate, and resell it on the
open market. It’s just that simple.

Josie slowly makes her way back to her feet. Agent Berry
again attempts to help, this time Josie lets him give her a
hand.

JOSIE
But why tell me? Why not just bust
them?

AGENT BERRY
Unfortunately, it’s not that
simple.

Agent Berry watches a young man walk briskly by, the glass
door still closed. He waits for him to disappear.

AGENT BERRY (CONT’D)

(whispering)
The agent in charge of our field
office is the father of the guy
who’s running the corrupt narcotics
operation within the Sheriff’s
Office.

Josie WHISTLES.

JOSIE
Whoa. Do you think they’re in it
together?

Agent Berry shakes his head.

 13.

AGENT BERRY
No, he’s a good man, but I think
their relationship is going to
compromise the hell out of any
investigation I might try and
conduct.

JOSIE
So go above his head.

AGENT BERRY
I can’t. His boss is a paperwork
nut - it’ll just end up in some
damn file.
(beat)
Look, I know about you. I know you
have connections ... sources inside
the Sheriff’s Office that I don’t
have. If you can find out who’s
helping him and get me some solid
proof, a photograph, a recording,
anything that I can take back to my
boss, he won’t have any choice but
to bust them.

Josie crosses her arms and shakes her head.

JOSIE
I don’t know. Seems like this is a
job for I-A.

AGENT BERRY
Yeah, but remember, the legislature
allowed sheriffs to dispand their
internal affairs last year. Only
cities have to have I-A, now.

JOSIE
But they cover the sheriff.

AGENT BERRY
Not in Manatee County they don’t.
You know that.

Josie tugs on her long, brown hair, thinking. Just then the
sliding glass door opens loudly, the aluminum wheels GRATING
on their tracks. Sol is standing in the doorway.

SOL
What’s going on here? Josie are you
allright?

Sol looks at Agent Berry.

 14.

AGENT BERRY
Special Agent Issac Berry, sir.
FBI.

SOL
Pleased to meet you Special Agent
Berry. I’m Sol Greco, the station’s
news director.

JOSIE
You can call him Agent Berry, Sol.

Sol looks back and forth at both of them.

SOL
So am I right to assume you two
know each other?

She dusts her slacks off with her hand.

JOSIE
Just met. Agent Berry and I were
talking about the drug bust
yesterday.

SOL
Ahh. Excellent. Agent Berry, did
you know this is our top
investigative reporter? She’s won
three Emmy’s including one for that
major pot bust you boys made two
years ago, remember?

Josie slaps Sol’s wrist lightly in protest.

JOSIE
(embarrassed)
Sol!

Agent Berry pulls some sunglasses out of his inside coat

pocket.

AGENT BERRY
No, I wasn’t aware of that. I was
working out of the Atlanta field
office a couple of years ago. But
her reputation for getting
information is the reason I’m here.
In fact, I was hoping to work with
Ms. Midea, umm ... Josie - on this
particular case.

Sol looks at Josie, then back at Agent Berry, confused.

 15.

SOL
I’m sorry, I thought the case was
solved.

AGENT BERRY
Well, that’s why I was hoping Josie
might be able to lend a hand. I’m
afraid there’s a bit more work to
do.

Sol looks at both of them again, like a proud papa.

SOL
Well! I’ll let you two get back to
it.

Sol walks away, happier than ever.

SOL (CONT’D)
(back to Josie)
Just keep getting me those ratings!

AGENT BERRY
(chuckling)
Oh boy, he’s something.

JOSIE
Born and raised in Queens. His bark
is worse than his bite.

She thinks for a second looking up at the ceiling.

AGENT BERRY
What?

JOSIE
Oh, I was just thinking unless
you’re Cynthia.

AGENT BERRY
Who’s that?

JOSIE
The station’s executive producer.
She’s been here longer than Sol and
Sol has absolutely no use for her.
And unfortunately for her his bite
is worse than his bark.

Agent Berry looks at his wristwatch.

AGENT BERRY
So, will you help me?
 16.

Josie lightly SIGHS.

JOSIE
Agent Berry I would like to help
you ... I really would, but I think
you should be out there finding
this evidence, not me. I hate to
say it’s not my job, but it’s not
my job. You go do yours and I’ll do
mine, allright?

AGENT BERRY
I can get you those ratings your
boss wants.

JOSIE
Maybe.

He shrugs his shoulders.

AGENT BERRY
Hmm. Well, can’t say I didn’t try.
Listen, in case you change your
mind let me give you my number.

JOSIE
That’s okay. I know where to reach
you.

They shake hands and Agent Berry leaves the editing room.
Josie puts her hand to her head, still a bit woozy.

EXT. CONVENIENCE STORE - EVENING

A WSUN-TV LIVE TRUCK is parked along a street next to a 7-11.

A handful of cop cars form a semi-circle in the store parking
lot. We hear a bullhorn emit a TWANG OF FEEDBACK amid the
commotion. Other news trucks and reporters are prepping for
live shots beyond the police perimeter.

Josie and her cameraman, ANDY, too old and out of shape for
his job, are preparing for a live report which will be the
lead on the eleven o’clock news. Josie looks around,
searching.

Andy has a two-way headset on and motions to Josie to put her

earpiece in her ear.

ANDY
Cynthia wants a word.
 17.

INT. TV STATION/TV CONTROL ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Sitting in the back row of the control room, alone, Cynthia

is producing the newscast. She leans in, her lips nearly
touching a long, SNAKE-LIKE MICROPHONE, toggling a callback
switch.

CYNTHIA
You guys all set?

JOSIE
Yeah, we’re just about ready. How
much time?

CYNTHIA
Two minutes. By the way, did you
get into some poison ivy or
something?

JOSIE
No. Why?

CYNTHIA
Nothing. No reason.

Cynthia clicks off, making a BEEP in Josie’s earpiece. Andy

motions to Josie, getting her attention.

ANDY
Audio.

Josie holds up her microphone and Andy double checks some

stuff on the camera.

JOSIE
One - two, check, one - two.

ANDY
We’re good.

Andy motions for her to kill her mic. Josie walk over, off
camera.

JOSIE
What?

ANDY
Some FBI guy was looking for you.
Said for me to give you this.

Andy hands her Agent Berry’s business card. She takes it and
smiles.
 18.

JOSIE
This guy does not give up.

Andy puts a hand up to his headset.

ANDY
We’re on in thirty seconds. Get
ready.

INT. TV STUDIO - EVENING - MOMENTS LATER

Sitting at the anchor desk inside the TV STUDIO WSUN-TV

ANCHORWOMAN BECKY GILES, a perky, short-haired blonde of 40
wearing a magenta colored jacket readies to open the
newscast.

Co-anchoring the news and sitting next to her is TOM WATERS,

WSUN-TV’S LEAD ANCHORMAN. He is 35, handsome and athletic
with blonde hair, and blue eyes. He is the quintessential
local boy who made good.

BECKY
(to Tom)
Congratulations.

Becky is busy studying her script, not looking at him.

TOM
What?

BECKY
I heard Josie finally agreed to go
out with you.

Tom shakes his head, laughing.

TOM
I don’t know why I thought we could
keep this a secret.

Becky smiles. Tom starts to say something, but a floor

director counts down with his hand in a swinging motion.

FLOOR DIRECTOR
Three ... two ...

The floor director pitches an invisible softball at Becky and

Tom.

BECKY
Good evening. Tonight more blood on
the streets of Bradenton.
 19.

Becky turns to a second camera.

INT. TV CONTROL ROOM - EVENING - CONTINUOUS

Inside the control room we see rows of TV MONITORS, some

small, some large. On one of the two biggest screens we see
Becky in the studio and on the other we see Josie at the
crime scene.

BECKY
Two men are dead after a local
convenience store robbery goes from
bad to worse. Reporting live at the
scene is Josie Midea. Josie what
can you tell us?

JOSIE
Becky, A 23-year old Bradenton man
was shot dead while working behind
the counter of this 7-11 around ten
tonight. The gunman, 27-year old
Brady Benson fled the scene,
however a Bradenton police cruiser
happened to be passing by and
tracked him down. After Benson
fired shots at them they returned
fire, ending in more bloodshed.

TV DIRECTOR
Roll tape.

While the pre-taped story airs, Cynthia notices Josie

yawning, over and over again on the preview monitor.

TV DIRECTOR (CONT’D)
We’re back in three ... two ...

EXT. CONVENIENCE STORE - CONTINUOUS

POV Andy’s camera viewfinder. Josie is back on the air live.

JOSIE
Now, police have informed us there
is another person wanted in
connection with these robberies. He
is described as a Hispanic male in
his early twenties, medium build,
last seen wearing a Chicago White
Sox baseball cap. If you have any
information please call -
 20.

SUDDENLY GUNSHOTS ring out, people SCREAM, and most of the

press dives to the ground. Josie crouches down for cover, but
continues her report.

INT. TV CONTROL ROOM - CONTINUOUS

We see the chaos on the TV monitor in the control room.

JOSIE
Becky, someone has just fired into
the crowd - are you still getting
us?

More GUNSHOTS. A POLICE LOUDSPEAKER rings out.

POLICE LOUDSPEAKER (O.S.)

Turn those cameras off! Get down -
NOW!

BECKY
Josie, can you hear me?

JOSIE
Yes - I’m sorry Becky - police are
telling us it’s not safe right now,
we’ll try and get you a report as
soon as possible.

GUNSHOTS ring out again. The live shot feed goes to static.

TV DIRECTOR
Take Becky’s camera. Take Becky’s
camera! Wake up people! Let’s be
professional.

Becky looks shaken, but remains calm.

BECKY
If you’re just joining us that was
Josie Midea reporting live from the
scene of a robbery that happened
earlier tonight and where just now
gunshots have been fired ...

POV: Behind back row in TV CONTROL ROOM.

Becky’s voice fades out as Sol walks into the control room
and sits next to Cynthia in the back row. He flips the
microphone switch. Static is still on the live feed being
sent to the TV monitor in the control room.
 21.

SOL
Josie, this is Sol. Are you guys
allright?

JOSIE (O.S.)
We’re fine - although I think Andy
shit his pants.

A few people in the control room laugh.

JOSIE (CONT’D)
The police just told me they aren’t
going to let us go live again from
this location. We’re going to move
the truck and see if we can get
another feed going.

SOL
That’s my girl.

Sol looks straight ahead, watching the newscast unfold on the

TV monitors, Cynthia still sitting next to him.

SOL (CONT’D)
It’s a shame certain people around
here don’t have Josie’s “can-do”
attitude.

A few people in the control room roll their eyes. Cynthia

fumes.

EXT. NEW LIVE SHOT LOCATION/TWO BLOCKS DOWN - LATER

A teenager, Hispanic, wearing a cut-off T-shirt approaches

Josie as she helps Andy pack up the last of the gear. The kid
hands her an envelope. At that moment Andy sticks his head
out of the truck in time to see the exchange. They don’t see
Andy observe them and he says nothing to Josie about it.

EXT. TV STATION/PARKING LOT - MIDNIGHT

Josie exits the TV station and gets in her car. Two rows away
we see Cynthia, indistinguishable to the us, watching her. As
Josie drives away Cynthia follows her.

EXT. LOW-INCOME, SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOOD - AFTER MIDNIGHT

SMALL, UNKEPT, ONE-STORY RANCH HOUSE. The front yard is

ornamented with TWO CARS, one a skeleton on blocks. A cat
SCREAMS angrily in the distance.
 22.

The driveway is filled with oversized pick-up trucks and the

large, front window is muffling Latino MUSIC.

A car parks in front of the house. Josie gets out, strides

past the trucks, around to the back of the house.

OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE STREET/CURB LEVEL. Moments later another

car drives up, brakes lightly SQUEAL as we see the car’s
front tire come to a stop. RAISE UP and we see Cynthia behind
the wheel, staring at the house, Josie’s car parked in front.

INT. RANCH HOUSE/LIVING ROOM - MOMENTS LATER

The living room walls are dotted with random-sized holes,

some patched with stucco. Decorated with only clear, string
lights, a ten-piece white leather sectional couch, and a
glass coffee table the room is populated by three Hispanic
men, all in their mid to late twenties. The table is covered
with a rainbow of narcotics.

One of the men LAUGHS at the punchline of an already told

joke.

We hear a KNOCK at the back door, LUIS, 26, stocky and

wearing nothing but surfer-style bathing trunks and a straw
cowboy hat reaches for a gun on the table. CLICK-CLACK! He
readies the semi-automatic pistol.

A second man, CARLOS, 29, dark, muscular, yet lithe, calmly

gestures to him.

CARLOS
It’s okay, amigo. Relax.

He addresses a third man, 25-year old CHI CHI, leaning over

to do a line of cocaine. Skinny, wearing jeans, a white T-
shirt, and flip flops, he has a rolled up twenty dollar bill
in his hand.

CARLOS (CONT’D)
Chi Chi - see who it is. And Chi
Chi ...

Chi Chi looks at Carlos, paying close attention.

CARLOS (CONT’D)
Be cool.

POV LIVING ROOM. We hear Chi Chi ask who’s at the door,
letting Josie inside.
 23.

CHI CHI
(relieved)
Look what the cat dragged in!

Meeting in mid-stride behind the couch, Carlos leads Josie by

the hand down a hallway to a back bedroom. The other men,
CATCALL and LAUGH.

INT. RANCH HOUSE/BEDROOM - MOMENTS LATER

Josie sits on the edge of a king-sized bed, setting her purse

and beach bag next to her. The bottom sheet is askew
revealing a corner of the mattress. The bedroom is empty
except for some clothes in a pile and the metal foldout chair
Carlos is standing next to.

Carlos tilts the chair, dragging it lazily across the room

over the deep shag, it glides bumpily, ending up a few feet
from Josie. He sits, waiting.

CARLOS
Well?

Josie pulls the brown paper bag filled with HEROIN out of her
beach bag. Carlos walks over and looks inside the bag.

CARLOS (CONT’D)
Sweet.

JOSIE
She said she can only give me half
next week. Look, I really want to
stop doing this. I just need a
little bit to keep me going, you
know?

Carlos is still gleaming over the bag’s contents, not paying

attentin to her.

CARLOS
Mmm hmm.

JOSIE
Carlos are you listening? I mean
it. I’ve got this FBI guy breathing
down my neck now -

Carlos perks up.

CARLOS
FBI?
 24.

JOSIE
Yeah, FBI. So, I don’t need to be
moving hundreds of thousands of
dollars of hospital heroin right
now, okay?

Carlos gets up from the chair and sits next to her on the
bed. He runs the back of his hand gently down her neck.

CARLOS
I hear ya babe. It’s cool.

JOSIE
Good, because -

Josie sits up straight on the bed, looking towards the door,

listening intently.

CARLOS
What?

JOSIE
I thought I heard something.

CARLOS
The only thing I hear is the sound
of a needle penetrating your soul.
You ready?

He looks at her, smiling. She stares back at him, her face

changes to embarrassed relief.

JOSIE
Come on babe, chill out.

Carlos offers her a NEEDLE FULL OF HEROIN, and she takes off
her blazer revealing the spaghetti strap blouse. He injects
the heroin into her shoulder.

Josie lays back on the bed, her feet dangling above the
carpet. Carlos watches her face drift in and out of
awareness.

CARLOS
Better?

JOSIE
Mmmm. I feel like I’m flying.

Josie’s eyes glaze over.

CARLOS
I can give you something.
 25.

JOSIE
You just did.

CARLOS
There are other things.

Carlos unbuckles his belt.

JOSIE
Mmm hmm.

Carlos leans back, shirtless and scratches the soulpatch

under his lower lip.

CARLOS
What do you need Josie?

Josie looks up at him, motioning with her finger for him to

come closer. He leans over her face, their lips only an inch
apart.

A woman SCREAMS from the living room, her cries become

muffled. Men YELL, arguing. Irritated, Carlos stalks out of
the room.

INT. RANCH HOUSE/LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

CARLOS
What the hell is going on?

Carlos looks across the room at two new men, also 20-
something Latinos. Neither is big, but both are musclebound,
wearing bodybuilder cutoff T-shirts. One is subduing the
woman, holding her arms behind her back. The other has his
hand over her mouth. The woman is CYNTHIA RAWLINGS.

CARLOS (CONT’D)
Who the hell is she?

The man covering her mouth, 25-year old GIL, looks at JOSIE
who has appeared behind Carlos.

GIL
Who the hell is she?

Carlos looks behind him. Josie is standing there, a bit

wobbly, but recognizes the woman, instantly sobering her.

JOSIE
Oh no.

CARLOS
What? Do you know her?
 26.

Cynthia’s mascara is running down her cheeks, onto Gil’s

hand.

GIL
We caught her snooping around in
the back yard. Carlos, what the
fuck is going on?

CARLOS
(to Josie)
I told you to be careful, Godamnit!

He rubs his head with both hands, trying to think.

GIL
Carlos?

Carlos looks at him, both hands now frozen in his hair.

CARLOS
Take her to the back bedroom.

The man restraining her, EDDIE, 25, his head shaved bald with
dark, bushy eyebrows, nods to CHI CHI.

EDDIE
Hey man, can you get me some rope
or something?

GIL
And some duct tape. I can’t hold
her trap shut forever.

CHI CHI goes into the kitchen and returns with an unopened
package of heavy duty locking CABLE TIES and a roll of clear
PACKING TAPE. He hands Gil the cable ties.

CHI CHI
Don’t waste these, they’re for my
new speaker system, okay?

Cynthia struggles, kicking into the air.

EDDIE
You put ‘em on her man, I’ve got my
hands full.

Chi Chi slides one red cable tie around her wrist, pulling it
snug, CLICKING almost zipper-like. Next he tapes her mouth
shut, her lips puckered indefinitely.

EDDIE (CONT’D)
Quit kicking, bitch. You’re only
going to make it worse.
 27.

CHI CHI
That’ll hold her.

As Edgar pushes Cynthia past the couch towards the hallway

the two women lock eyes causing Cynthia to PLEA spastically.
Once they’re out of sight Carlos motions to Luis.

CARLOS
Make sure they don’t do anything
stupid.

Luis grabs the gun and heads for the bedroom.

CARLOS (CONT’D)
Chi Chi, go out back and make sure
nobody else is following our girl
here.

BAM! A gunshot goes off from the bedroom. Carlos and Chi Chi
look at each other, horrified, and run down the hall. Carlos
yells back at Josie.

CARLOS (CONT’D)
Stay there!

POV Josie, frozen in the living room, mouth open.

Gil YELLS at Luis.

GIL (O.S.)
Godamnit, man - what the fuck?!?

We hear Luis MUMBLING, inaudible. We follow Josie, now

walking down the hallway in a trance-like state. She ends up
at the bedroom doorway.

INT. RANCH HOUSE/BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS

Looking inside Josie sees Cynthia motionless on the floor.

She is lying on her side, still bound and gagged, next to the
folding chair. There is a cone-shaped splatter of blood a few
feet above her on the white wall. The men surround her, still
ARGUING.

CARLOS
Everybody, shut the hell up. I
can’t hear myself think.

Josie sinks to her knees, tears streaming down her face.

JOSIE
Oh, God.
 28.

Carlos turns and sees Josie in the doorway.

CARLOS
Aww shit. Chi Chi! Take Josie in
the living room and fix her
something. She needs to sleep.

Josie looks at Luis holding the gun, confused.

JOSIE
What did you do?

Luis is confused, too. He looks at the gun, betrayed.

LUIS
The gun went off ... I ... I don’t
know what happened.

CARLOS
(to Chi Chi)
Get her out of here!

Carlos gestures for him to move his ass. Chi Chi helps Josie
to her feet and slowly they make their way down the hall.

INT. RANCH HOUSE/LIVING ROOM - A HALF HOUR LATER, 2:00 A.M.

Josie wakes up on the couch, licking her lips. The room is

dark and quiet, the only light coming from a silent BOOMBOX
on the coffee table, it’s blue glow illuminating Chi Chi’s
face. He’s on the couch across from her, sleeping, upright.
Josie realizes her hands are bound behind back.

Quietly she manages to right herself, sitting up on the

couch, directly across from Chi Chi.

CLICK CLICK. A noise comes from the kitchen, directly behind

Chi Chi. Then the slow, high pitched CREAK of the back door
gets Josie’s full attention, as she sits frozen on the couch
staring at Chi Chi, who never moves. A few seconds later ANDY
GOMEZ, her cameraman, appears at the edge of the living room.

Andy looks at Josie, she nods and gestures with her eyes
towards Chi Chi. Andy looks over and sees the back of Chi
Chi’s dozing head. Andy nods to Josie, understanding.

THUD. Instantly, the butt of Carlos’ revolver comes down hard

on the back of Andy’s head, knocking him to the ground, out
cold. Carlos looks at Josie, then Chi Chi, who is now lightly
SNORING.

CARLOS
Some guard dog.
 29.

INT. RANCH HOUSE/BEDROOM - 1 HOUR LATER - 3:00 A.M.

Josie and Andy are locked up in the back bedroom. The

bedsheet is gone and the wall has been scrubbed clean. A damp
circle is all that remains from Cynthia’s blood splatter.
Josie is sitting in the folding chair, bound to it with clear
packing tape, and Andy is still unconscious, lying on the
bare mattress. His arms and legs are also bound with packing
tape.

JOSIE
(whispering)
Andy! Wake up!

Andy doesn’t move.

JOSIE (CONT’D)
Ahh, great.

Josie searches the barren room and spies her beach bag,
sticking out from underneath the bed. A man in the living
room YELLS out, causing Josie to instantly look towards the
locked door. She looks back at the beach bag which is about
fifteen feet away.

Josie begins to wiggle her arms.

INT. RANCH HOUSE/LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Carlos, Luis, and Chi Chi are scattered around the sectional
couch ARGUING.

LUIS
I say we get the hell out of here.
Right now.

Chi Chi looks at Luis then Carlos.

CHI CHI
Mmm hmm. Yeah man, what the hell
are we doing? Let’s go man.

Carlos is
 30.

SUDDENLY, Josie frees her right hand from between the tape
and the chair. She starts sawing at the packing tape with her
college ring.

THE RING. Circling the outer edge the inscription reads:

Northwestern University - Class of 1979. The stone is purple,
with a small chip on one of the facets.

Josie uses this flawed edge to efficiently cut into the tape.