TW // Strong language, violence, suicide
ACT THREE.
INT. JAMES' CAR, MORNING
ANNIE is asleep in the front seat as JAMES pulls off the freeway into a sleepy, green semi-suburbia.
As he is driving and the roads become less congested he occasionally looks over to her. She is smiling softly with her hands laced across her pregnant belly. He smiles and then catches himself, shaking his head and changing the station before lighting a cigarette.
CUT TO:
EXT. ARTHUR COLE'S HOUSE, LATER
JAMES' car pulls into a long driveway and alongside an overgrown front garden. He parks beside a rusted old Chevrolet with a lopsided number plate.
CUT TO:
INT. JAMES' CAR, SAME TIME
JAMES looks at ANNIE and is reluctant to wake her. He chews his lip and then taps her knee. She stirs.
ANNIE
Hey. We here?
JAMES
Yep.
ANNIE
(stretching deeply)
Jesus on horseback that was a deep sleep.
JAMES
You snore pretty bad for a little girl.
ANNIE
(taken aback and fixing him with a glare mid-yawn)
Well if you'd just killed me like I'd asked then I'd be as silent as a space fart, wouldn't I?
JAMES frowns at her and then smiles. Their moment of reverie is broken by a tap at JAMES' window which makes him jump.
PATRICE
(muted through the window)
Oh, I'm sorry! Didn't mean to-
(JAMES winds down the window and smiles at her)
-scare you, James.
JAMES
(smiling)
How are you, Patrice?
PATRICE
I'm cold out here, Let's go inside. Do you and your lady friend have many bags?
(she leans in for a good look at ANNIE, her eyes pausing on her belly)
I wish you'd called ahead, James. Why do you just show up like this?
She backs away from the door to allow JAMES out. ANNIE does the same and they gather their things as PATRICE continues talking.
PATRICE (CONT'D)
I coulda' baked somethin' or at least done my hair.
(she touches her hair to make a show)
JAMES
I think it looks great, Patrice.
PATRICE
Oh stop, you.
(pauses to smile at him maternally)
You're your father's son alright.
(smiling at Annie, not a little bit intrigued about their back-story)
Well... are you not going to introduce me?
ANNIE
Sorry, Patrice. He can be so rude.
(offering her hand)
Annie. And before you ask, yes this baby is his. And before you ask further, no we are not married. And don't you worry, my daddy already gave this one
(thumbs James)
hell over not makin' an honest woman out of me.
PATRICE
(shaking ANNIE's hand and casting a sideways glance of judgement at James)
Okay okay. That's not a problem at all.
(links Annie's arm and leads her up the path)
Each to their own as my momma used to say.
JAMES glares at ANNIE who winks at him as PATRICE leads them inside, fussing over the creeping plants that mark their route to the front door.
CUT TO:
INT. ARTHUR COLE'S HOUSE, SAME TIME
The front door opens and the three emerge into the dimly lit corridor. The house is tidy but dark, as though reserved in its being. PATRICE wanders through; her feet not making a sound.
They move into the kitchen and PATRICE turns to them.
PATRICE
Your room is ready for you. Can I make you tea?
ANNIE
That would be lovely
JAMES
How is he?
PATRICE's smile fades for a heartbeat and then returns with gusto.
PATRICE
As he was last time. Peaceful.
A silence falls and Annie looks from Patrice to James, suddenly awkward, as though the role she was playing has lost its charm. She now feels as though she were intruding.
PATRICE (CONT'D)
Well? You've come all this way, child? You not gonna say hello to your father?
JAMES
(clenches jaw and looks at the ground)
Is there any point?
PATRICE'S eyes widen and she takes a step away from JAMES as though the force of his denial knocked her off balance.
ANNIE
Can I see him?
The others look at her and then to one another.
JAMES
I-
PATRICE
(flashing a glare at JAMES)
-Of course. Come, child.
She leaves the room and ANNIE follows. JAMES walks to the sink and stares at the sunlight streaming passed the window. ANNIE regards him for a moment but then follows PATRICE out of the room.
CUT TO:
WE SEE THE TWO WOMEN STOOD IN THE HALLWAY.
PATRICE's face is more stern now and she frowns at ANNIE
PATRICE
He won't see you. But he will hear you. Speak to him.
(nodding)
It will make him happy.
ANNIE says nothing and enters the room when PATRICE opens the door for her. It is pitch black apart from some medical equipment that offer some flickers of temporary light. PATRICE closes the door, leaving ANNIE alone with a man lying in a bed.
She pauses and looks to the door; suddenly hesitant about her presence alone with a dying stranger. She takes a breath and then walks to his side.
ANNIE
(jovially)
Can I sit?
She points and then turns to perch on the side of the bed.
ANNIE (CONT'D)
I'm Annie.
(long pause)
I'm-
(suddenly overwhelmed and choking back tears)
-I'm nobody. That's a lot to say. I don't know if you can hear this. But maybe you can. If you can then you're probably wondering what I'm doing here. The truth is I have no idea
(tears run over her cheeks and she laughs, shaking her head before continuing)
Two days ago I wanted to die. Now I'm sat here, pretending to be somebody else. For what reason I'm not sure I'll ever know.
(she looks to the door and wipes away a tear)
Maybe if you could speak you'd tell me to go away. To grow up and to live my life.
(nodding to herself and beginning to cry again)
I just wanna know if it's worth it. Is it worth all of this? Any of this?
The door opens and JAMES steps in. ANNIE looks to him and then lets out a suggestion of a laugh at the fact she'd been crying. She rises and turns to face the old man.
ANNIE (CONT'D)
(she takes a deep breath and composes herself)
Be happy, old timer. Whatever that means.
She walks past JAMES and out of the room.
JAMES takes a step towards his dad's bed and then stops. He turns and leaves, closing the door softly behind him.
FADE TO BLACK.
INT. COOPER'S CAR, DAY
COOPER is driving steadily along the freeway in a Sedan. An empty child's seat is in the back of the car and some toys lay scattered and forgotten under the seats. In the passenger seat is James' open file, with the address for Arthur Cole lying on top.
He contemplates the open road for some time, listening to the blues that sings from the stereo. His phone rings.
WE SEE CAROLE'S NAME APPEAR ON THE DASHBOARD MONITOR
He taps the screen and pauses.
COOPER
Hello?
CAROLE (OVER THE CAR SPEAKER)
Cooper.
COOPER
You okay?
CAROLE
Mhm-Hmm. Where are you?
COOPER says nothing, just gazes out of the window.
CAROLE (CONT'D)
They came here looking for you.
COOPER winces and rubs his eyes.
COOPER
And?
CAROLE
And nothing. I told them nothing. That I know nothing. Which is true enough.
(long pause)
They were grim.
COOPER
I'll bet.
They cease talking and we hear CAROLE sniff on the other end of the line.
COOPER (CONT'D)
I'm sorry. For everything.
CAROLE
I know. Me too.
COOPER
I'll make it okay.
CAROLE
I know you will.
Another pause as they both clamour for the right words.
CAROLE (CONT'D)
Bye, Cooper.
COOPER
(nodding sadly, finally)
Bye.
The line clicks dead and the music rises back up into the silence. COOPER chews his lip and gazes out at the road ahead.
CUT TO:
EXT. REST STOP, LATER
COOPER pulls up and gets out of the car. He walks over towards the store and a police officer exits the building just before him. COOPER is holding open the door and his badge is visible on his waist.
POLICE OFFICER
(nods)
Detective.
The officer walks off and Cooper frowns and watches him go for a moment before entering the store and letting the door close behind him.
CUT TO:
INT. PHONE BOOTH, AFTERNOON
MIRIAM is in the phone booth with her ear to the receiver. She taps in some numbers on the screen and frowns as she waits for the connection.
CUT TO:
INT. BETTY'S LAUNDRY, SAME TIME
BETTY answers the phone from the wall at the back of the store. There is one patron loading a machine in the background.
BETTY
Betty's Laundry.
INTER CUT - PHONE CONVERSATION
MIRIAM
Hey, Bets.
BETTY
(after pausing, in a much harsher tone)
You can't call here.
MIRIAM
I know, I just needed to talk.
BETTY
What? What is it?
MIRIAM opens her mouth to speak but she can't get out any words. She squeezes the receiver with both hands and closes her eyes in anger.
BETTY (CONT'D)
You can't do this. Not while you're supposed to be lying low. Are you on track?
MIRIAM
On track.
BETTY
Call me when it's done.
MIRIAM
Sure thing, Bets.
The line clicks dead and MIRIAM presses the receiver against her forehead before placing it down and exiting the phone booth.
FADE OUT.
INT. POLICE STATION, LATE AFTERNOON
COOPER enters the police station and nods at the desk clerk who raises his gaze briefly from his newspaper. The place is deserted otherwise and quiet but for a radio playing some country music out in the back.
COOPER strolls over to the counter with his slight limp and the clerk lowers the paper for a second time, this time with a reluctant smile.
DESK CLERK
Help you?
COOPER
(holds up badge for almost an entire second)
Detective Cooper, McKinley PD.
The clerk responds by dropping his feet from the counter along with the stack of paper that had supported them.
DESK CLERK
Det-
COOPER
-I'm here with my family. A little break - you know how it is - and I thought I'd swing by to get some peace and quiet
(smiles and winks)
and maybe pick somebody's brains over a case I'm working on.
DESK CLERK
Err. Sure thing, Detective.
(leans back in his chair and bellows behind him)
Oswald! You got a sec?
OSWALD
(from another room)
What is it?
The desk clerk smiles sheepishly at COOPER as they wait a couple of seconds in silence, after which they hear a chair slide back and moments later a woman appears in the doorway. OSWALD is short but formidable, and frowning.
OSWALD
(walking towards the counter)
Can I help you...?
COOPER
Cooper. Detective Cooper. McKinley, officer.
OSWALD
(correcting him)
Detective.
They shake hands and OSWALD nods him through to an interrogation room off to the right. He follows and enters, taking a seat while OSWALD leans against a desk in the corner, arms folded.
OSWALD
We don't often get out-of-towner's here, detective.
(cocks an eyebrow)
Not without bad news, that is.
COOPER
I'm here on a family vacation. Just thought I'd swing by for a moment of quiet.
OSWALD
(gestures around her)
Well there's plenty of that going here.
(narrows eyes)
What am I missing, detective?
COOPER
(sighs)
I've got a tough case, and it's led me to a local. I wanted to know if you had anything on file that might be of interest. Save me waiting 'til Monday, I guess.
OSWALD
(looks placated, though not convinced)
Okay.
(pulling a phone from her pocket and brandishing its pencil)
Name?
COOPER
Arthur. Cole.
OSWALD
(hesitates, frowns and meets COOPER's eye, then types in the name)
Anything else?
COOPER
Lives out in Fairview.
OSWALD pauses and then lowers the phone. Her frown levels at COOPER who sits up an inch.
OSWALD
(tilts head to the side, wondering)
You internal affairs?
COOPER
(eyes wide)
No. Arthur Cole is a police officer?
OSWALD
(shaking head)
Where did you say you're from again?
COOPER frowns and pauses, calculating.
OSWALD (CONT'D)
Detective Cole retired three years ago.
(her voice takes on a harder tone and she raises her phone and pen again)
You say you're from McKinley, Cooper?
COOPER
(rising to his feet, sweat beading on his forehead)
I'd better be going, my family will be waiting.
OSWALD lowers her phone and pauses a moment, hands at her side. COOPER takes a step toward the door and OSWALD smiles lightly.
OSWALD
Sorry I couldn't help.
COOPER
Sorry to waste your time.
OSWALD
Sure.
COOPER makes his way across the foyer and out of the station without looking back.
OSWALD (CONT'D)
(to the desk clerk)
Run a search on a Detective Cooper at McKinley PD., and send a squad car out to Arthur Cole's place.
The desk clerk nods and begins typing on his computer. OSWALD keeps her eyes on the now closed doors for a few seconds before walking back into the rear of the department.
FADE OUT.
INT. ARTHUR COLE'S DINING ROOM, NIGHT
JAMES and PATRICE sit at opposite ends of a large wooden table with ANNIE halfway down one side. Candles are lit along the length and they contribute most to the light in the room. The three are eating without speaking as classical music plays softly from a record player in the corner.
A tension hangs between them, without anybody quite sure what to say. ANNIE's eyes keep moving to JAMES and then PATRICE who occasionally look as though they may say something before continuing the silence.
ANNIE
Lovely stew.
(she smiles at PATRICE)
PATRICE
(nodding deeply and smiling in return)
You're most welcome, child.
(looking at JAMES, suddenly pained)
It was Arthur's favourite. Do you remember, James.
JAMES nods and then returns his focus to his food.
PATRICE (CONT'D)
You got nothing to say?
JAMES
I guess not.
PATRICE
You father deserves better.
JAMES
Please, Patrice, not now.
PATRICE
"Not now", what?
(she drops her spoon in her bowl and places her elbows on the table, her hands framing her face)
Why are you here? You hiding again? You bring in a stranger -
(places her hand on ANNIE's)
- sorry, child -
(then straightens)
- and you don't say a single word to the man that raised you?
JAMES
He doesn't seem up for conversation.
PATRICE
(shaking her head and rising to her feet)
Don't you dare belittle him. He deserves better.
JAMES
(his gaze on his food)
He's no saint.
PATRICE
(closes her eyes and crosses herself)
'..by his wounds you have been healed..'
Silence falls as the words settle between them. ANNIE's eyes flick across the table, desperate for a distraction.
There is a knock at the front door and all of them hold their breath. PATRICE cocks an eyebrow and fixes a glare on JAMES.
PATRICE
You brought someone here? Some evil?
JAMES shakes his head, thinking, his eyes a dance of calculation as he attempts to piece the time-line together.
ANNIE
(to JAMES, worried)
You said nobody knew about this place?
JAMES
(frowning)
They don't.
The door knocks again and JAMES rises, his gun held against his thigh. PATRICE sees the gun and frowns, before drawing her own from the back of her pants and cocking it. ANNIE flinches at the sight of both weapons.
PATRICE
Stay. I'll go.
PATRICE walks quickly out of the room and JAMES moves to the doorway, leaning so as better able to hear.
CUT TO:
INT. ARTHUR COLE'S ENTRANCEWAY, SAME TIME
PATRICE opens the door with the chain in place, leaning to see through the slim gap.
DETECTIVE OSWALD leans her head to one side and smiles, the male, uniformed officer behind her doesn't flinch.
OSWALD
Paranoid are we, Patrice?
PATRICE
Oh my.
(fumbling with the chain and then opening the door wide, though not all the way)
Detective. What a surprise.
OSWALD
(with warmth)
How are we?
PATRICE
We're good, thank you. How's the department? Burned down yet?
OSWALD
It's ticking over as best it can without the two of you.
There is a lull in conversation where OSWALD expects an invite inside but PATRICE shows no sign of offering one.
OSWALD (CONT'D)
(smile faded)
You got guests.
OSWALD nods at JAMES' car and PATRICE gapes at it for a heartbeat.
PATRICE
Oh, that's my new car.
OSWALD surveys it for a moment, nodding.
OSWALD
It's nice.
(she frowns at PATRICE)
You sure you're okay, Pat?
PATRICE
Yeah, fine. Long day is all.
OSWALD
Sure.
PATRICE
What brought you here, anyways?
OSWALD
I think it's nothing. Some old detective came by and mentioned Arthur's name, probably an old case or something. You let me know if anyone comes by here sniffing for info, won't you?
PATRICE
Of course. I appreciate you coming.
OSWALD
Sure. Have a good night.
PATRICE
You too.
OSWALD pauses a moment and then turns heal and walks away from the property with the uniformed officer. They walk down the thin dirt track that leads up to the house and wait until out of earshot before speaking.
OFFICER
You're not convinced, huh?
OSWALD
(screws her mouth in anguish)
Not one bit.
They open the doors of a police car and shuffle into the front seats.
OSWALD (CONT'D)
She would always invite us in; she's hiding something. Did you get the new car plates?
OFFICER
Sure did.
OSWALD
Run them for me and let's see-
Her voice is cut off by MIRIAM'S hand coming over the top of the seat from behind. She grabs OSWALD'S chin and pulls it sharply to one side, attempting to break her neck. Her head snaps to one side but her neck survives.
The uniformed officer starts to fumble with the door handle with one hand and his pistol with the other.
MIRIAM loops her other arm around the top of the seats and locks OSWALD in a choke-hold, leveraging her weight against the back of the seat for maximum force.
OSWALD flails and kicks and looks wide-eyed at the uniformed officer who just flaps, achieving nothing.
The officer opens the door as OSWALD begins to lose consciousness, his gun is still stuck in its holster.
MIRIAM drops OSWALD - who slumps into her seat - and grabs the top of the officer's head. She slams his head against the steering wheel twice and then successfully snaps his neck.
MIRIAM leans over and closes his door, panting heavily. As she moves back into the rear seat, OSWALD swings an elbow that breaks her nose in a burst of blood. She rocks back into the back seat.
OSWALD draws the officer's gun (hers is in the glove compartment) and spins to point it at MIRIAM.
MIRIAM kicks her hand against the ceiling as the gun goes off, shattering the rear windscreen.
CUT TO:
INT. ARTHUR COLE'S DINING ROOM, SAME TIME
ANNIE stands up, her chair spilling onto the floor behind her. JAMES and PATRICE are already stood and have retrieved their firearms. The three stand still, leaning forward slightly, and listening for any more gunshots.
PATRICE
(meeting JAMES' eye)
Run, child.
CUT TO:
INT. OSWALD'S CAR, SAME TIME
OSWALD drops the gun into the rear foot well and MIRIAM lunges to grab it.
OSWALD reaches back and gets two handfuls of MIRIAM's hair, drawing her up. She eases herself up onto her knees (facing backward) and then launches herself towards MIRIAM, planting her forehead on her already broken nose.
There's a sickening crunch and MIRIAM wails in pain and both women fall into the back seat.
CUT TO:
EXT. ARTHUR COLE'S FRONT PORCH, SAME TIME
PATRICE walks in a crouch out of the front door with her pistol held out before her, a torch in her other, supporting hand. She edges away from the house and down the dirt drive.
CUT TO:
INT. ARTHUR COLE'S KITCHEN, SAME TIME
JAMES leads ANNIE by the hand to the rear of the house and into the kitchen. The back door is half wood and half glass and there is only black visible beyond. JAMES tries the door and it's locked. He finds a key on a nearby shelf and opens the door, he ushers ANNIE out and follows after a slight pause.
CUT TO:
EXT. ARTHUR COLE'S DRIVEWAY, SAME TIME
PATRICE approaches OSWALD'S car. The windows are steamed but it is still.
PATRICE
Oswald? Everything okay?
The back door opens and a body slumps out onto the floor.
PATRICE approaches slowly, gun pointing at the prone body. When she reaches it she kicks it over onto its back and OSWALD stares back up at her, her neck wet with blood and eyes wide.
PATRICE takes a deep breath, as though to scream and OSWALD points up behind her a heartbeat before MIRIAM grabs her and covers her mouth.
The gun is knocked from PATRICE'S hand and MIRIAM points her own (which was the dead officer's) at OSWALD.
CUT TO:
EXT. ARTHUR COLE'S BACK GARDEN, SAME TIME
A gunshot rings in the air and JAMES stops running, holding ANNIE back.
ANNIE
We have to-
JAMES
-Why?
They stare at each other for a moment, calculating and sizing the next steps.
JAMES (CONT'D)
This is my only family. I can't run from them any more.
ANNIE
But-
JAMES
-You go. I have to stay. I owe them at least that. I'm sorry. For everything.
JAMES raises a hand, as though he might hug ANNIE, or tap her on the shoulder, or stroke her cheek. But he does nothing and turns to go back inside the house.
A tear runs down ANNIE's cheek and catches the moonlight as she watches him go.
CUT TO:
EXT. ARTHUR COLE'S DRIVEWAY, MINUTES LATER
COOPER parks his car behind the police car and sits staring at the smashed rear windscreen. He steadily gets out of the car and aims his gun at the vehicle.
COOPER
Police. Step out of the vehicle.
He edges his body around the back of the car and steps back in shock at OSWALD'S body on the dirt. He aims his torch at her face and stares open-mouthed at her corpse. He looks inside the car and sees the limp body of the uniformed officer.
COOPER
Fuck.
He shines the torch back onto the muddy floor and sees a mess of footsteps forming a trail up the drive. He follows the line with his torch and then sets off along the path.
CUT TO:
INT. ARTHUR COLE'S DINING ROOM, SAME TIME
MIRIAM edges into the room with PATRICE locked in her arm, the other pointing a gun at her captor's head. MIRIAM points the gun around the room and eventually rests its aim on JAMES. JAMES is sat at the end of the table (where PATRICE had sat for dinner), facing the door. His gun is on the table and his face is pale and blank. He looks up at MIRIAM with an expressionless gaze.
MIRIAM
Boy wonder.
(returning the gun's barrel to PATRICE'S head)
JAMES
How'd you find me?
MIRIAM
Next of kin. Hospital.
JAMES
(looks to the ceiling, angered with himself)
Fuck.
MIRIAM
That was clumsy.
(smiles, dried blood from her nose cracking on either side of her mouth)
Cancer, huh? That's too bad.
PATRICE frowns sadly at JAMES who looks away.
MIRIAM (CONT'D)
Where is she?
JAMES
I killed her.
MIRIAM
Bullshit.
JAMES
(shrugs)
Believe what you want, she's gone.
MIRIAM
(chewing her lip and licking blood from her chin alternately)
Where's her body?
JAMES
(frowns)
Why'd you care? She's dead.
MIRIAM loses patience and points her gun back at him for a moment, before hesitating and returning it to PATRICE'S temple that has begun to bleed.
MIRIAM
Tell me or I kill her.
JAMES sits up slightly straighter which makes MIRIAM smile.
MIRIAM
(pushing harder which makes PATRICE moan)
Don't push me.
JAMES
(raises his hands)
About a mile away. I can take you there. Just let her go.
MIRIAM
Sure, let's go. But this one's coming too. If you're lying I will shoot you both like dogs.
JAMES takes a breath and rises to his feet. He nods once and then leads MIRIAM out of the room.
CUT TO:
EXT. ARTHUR COLE'S PORCH, SAME TIME
COOPER goes to knock at the door but hesitates and draws his gun. He tries to peer through the small window but curtains obstruct his view. He leans with his ear against the door and strains to hear anything.
The door opens.
JAMES and COOPER are face to face. JAMES raises his hands as COOPER raises his gun.
MIRIAM takes a moment to realise but she already has her gun trained at JAMES back. She lifts the gun and fires, catching COOPER in the shoulder and sending him falling back.
JAMES ducks to the ground and rolls out of the way.
COOPER hits the floor and fires twice. The first shot misses PATRICE'S stomach by an inch and the second catches MIRIAM'S right knee. It explodes and she roars in pain, collapsing to the floor and letting go of PATRICE.
PATRICE falls in JAMES' direction and MIRIAM drops her gun before crawling quickly back into the dining room.
COOPER lies still on his back, aiming his gun between his legs at a now empty corridor, panting heavily.
MIRIAM screams.
COOPER manages to get to his feet unsteadily and moves to the wall beside the door for cover.
COOPER
(panting)
Ms. Dubois! This is the police. Come out with your hands in the air.
MIRIAM
(spitting blood with rage and pain)
Fuck you!
COOPER
(breathing heavily, his voice suppressed by the pain)
It's over, Miriam.
JAMES opens his father's bedroom door and ushers PATRICE in. In one swift movement he stands up, picks up MIRIAM's gun from the floor and follows her into the Dining Room.
WE SEE COOPER SLUMPED AGAINST THE OUTSIDE WALL (NOT SEEING JAMES MOVE), HOLDING THE WOUND IN HIS SHOULDER THAT IS PULSATING BLOOD THROUGH HIS FINGERS. HE LOOKS EXHAUSTED AND IN AGONY.
CUT TO:
INT. ARTHUR COLE'S DINING ROOM, SAME TIME
JAMES stands in the entrance to the room, gun pointing across the room.
MIRIAM is sat with her legs spread on the floor in front of her, a trail of blood leading to her from JAMES. She has JAMES' gun (which he had left on the table) and points it at him. A wide smile is on her broken face. The record player in the corner rattles out a syncopation of Cello and Piano.
They size one another for a few seconds.
MIRIAM
You're pretty for a Eutho. A dying Eutho especially.
JAMES says nothing.
MIRIAM (CONT'D)
(frowning)
Is she really dead?
JAMES shakes his head.
MIRIAM (CONT'D)
Fuck.
(smiling and wincing at the pain)
The one that got away, huh? What was it about her? She suck your dick or something?
JAMES
She was pregnant.
MIRIAM
(laughs)
Ah.
(pauses then shrugs)
I'd still have killed her.
JAMES flinches.
MIRIAM (CONT'D)
They make up all these damn rules for us, but at the end of the day we're just evil. You can't pick and choose how evil we can be. If she has a baby and chooses for them both to be killed, then fuck it. It's just another paycheck. It's another sin that she doesn't have to worry about. We just move on. To the next one, and then the one after that.
JAMES stares at the wall behind her in a moment's reverie.
MIRIAM (CONT'D)
(eyes narrowing)
You like her, don't you?
(laughs)
You sure that cancer's not in your brain? You've lost it.
JAMES
(grits his teeth)
Fuck you.
MIRIAM takes a deep breath and then lowers her gun to her leg (still aiming it at JAMES).
MIRIAM
What do we do now?
JAMES
(takes a deep breath)
We part ways. You say you killed me. I disappear. Nobody has to know.
MIRIAM frowns for a moment, considering the repercussions. She then pouts and nods once. JAMES' shoulders sag with visible relief and he lowers his gun.
MIRIAM
Us Euthos need to stick together anyhow...
(tosses the gun to one side - JAMES places his on the table)
Come help me up, I'm down to one leg.
JAMES strolls over and leans over, clasping his hand under MIRIAM's outstretched arm and lifting her to her feet. She groans loudly at the pain in her unsupported knee and wobbles on one foot. JAMES holds her steady for a moment as she leans and supports her weight on a chair beside her.
JAMES
You good?
MIRIAM
(smiles to show all her teeth)
Perfect.
She swings her left arm and juts the knife she had hidden in her sock into his neck before losing her balance and falling into the chair.
JAMES grabs her, instinctively, to hold her up, but they topple together, his eyes wide and his neck pouring blood.
As they fall, MIRIAM wails in the pain that reverberates from her knee.
JAMES is silently fingering the knife in his neck, shocked by the pain and the surprise attack.
MIRIAM takes a breath and rolls him away as he becomes increasingly lifeless. She manoeuvres herself on top of him so she can see his face.
MIRIAM
(through panting)
I made a promise to somebody dear to me. Kill you, bring back the girl. I've failed on the latter but I sure as hell can see through the former. Trust me, this will hurt a fuck-lot less than the cancer.
JAMES grabs her wrist tightly and she hesitates before hitting the base of the knife's handle with her palm.
CUT TO:
EXT. ARTHUR COLE'S DRIVEWAY, SAME TIME
ANNIE reaches the top of the driveway and emerges from the shadows. Her clothes are soaked and muddied and she has scratches across her face from manoeuvring through thick weeds. She makes a cursory glance down the driveway before moving on.
She pauses.
There are three cars parked in line beside the woodland at the entrance and she recognises none of them. Her curiosity takes over and she moves to them, trying her best to keep low and to the shadows.
The first car is COOPER'S. She opens the door and checks the glove compartment. Empty. An ID on the dash shows it as Detective COOPER'S car. Her eyes clock the empty child-seat and strewn toys in the back of the car.
The second car is MIRIAM's SUV. It is an unruly mess but ANNIE finds a bag loaded with cash. Her eyes widen with delight and she looks over her shoulder into the empty darkness.
CUT TO:
INT. ARTHUR COLE'S DINING ROOM, SAME TIME
MIRIAM drags her body across the dining room and to the doorway. She slowly edges around the corner, pointing her gun out in front of her towards the entrance to the house. She sees the lifeless body of COOPER on its side lying across the threshold.
She directs her attention to the only other door in the hallway, the one before the stairs that has a hand-print of blood across its white face. Using the wall as leverage, she eases herself onto her feet and than limps to the door.
CUT TO:
INT. ARTHUR COLE'S BEDROOM, SAME TIME
PATRICE kneels sobbing beside the bed, holding Arthur's hand and focusing her attention on his expressionless face. The door opens and MIRIAM enters along with a flood of light.
MIRIAM
(in a somewhat sing-song voice)
Found you-
MIRIAM sees Arthur and stops talking.
MIRIAM (CONT'D)
-And look who else we have hiding behind door number one...
She walks over to PATRICE'S side, using the wall for support. She is nodding lightly, understanding.
MIRIAM (CONT'D)
Arthur Cole. I see.
PATRICE
(whimpering)
Please, leave us alone.
MIRIAM
(shaking her head, her eyes full of tears)
No can do. If I can't give Bets what she wants then I'm afraid everybody has to die.
MIRIAM pulls JAMES' gun from the back of her trousers and aims it at Arthur's head, her own is aimed at the back of PATRICE'S head.
A creak at the door makes MIRIAM hesitate and turn and then we see ANNIE, holding COOPER'S gun.
MIRIAM frowns and then smiles as she processes what is happening. We see tears running freely down ANNIE'S cheeks and fury in her eyes as she pulls the trigger three times.
MIRIAM flies back into the medical equipment behind her, that beeps and flashes angrily, and PATRICE screams. ANNIE slumps against the wall and slides to the floor.
PATRICE slowly turns to ANNIE who silently wails at the ground, cradling her stomach while the beeping from the machines connected to Arthur fade to naught.
FADE TO BLACK.
INT. ANNIE'S CAR, SIX MONTHS LATER.
We see ANNIE driving down an open road, with open desert and mountains on either side. She has the window down and her hair is blowing in the copious wind.
PAN TO PASSENGER SEAT OF CAR WHERE A BABY CAN BE SEEN IN A CAR SEAT.
ANNIE looks and smiles at the baby.
CUT TO:
EXT. OUTSIDE CAROLE'S HOUSE, LATER
ANNIE's car pulls outside the house and she gets a phone out to double check the address. She pauses a moment, takes a breath and then gets out of the car.
She collects her child from the front seat and then walks up the path to the front door, knocking lightly twice.
CAROLE COOPER opens the door with a fatigued smile and then frowns in confusion as she sees the baby.
CAROLE
Hello?
ANNIE
(smiling softly, her eyes welling with tears of relief)
Ms. Cooper?
CAROLE
(frowning, wary)
This is she...
ANNIE bites her lip and pauses, unsure what next to say.
DETECTIVE COOPER appears beside his wife with his arm in a sling.
COOPER
-who is it?
ANNIE'S eyes widen as she sees COOPER. The three of them stand in silence for several moments.
COOPER (CONT'D)
(frowning, thinking)
Ma'am, can we help you?
ANNIE
(crying happily and suppressing a laugh)
I don't know, maybe.
FADE OUT.
THE END.