The White Angel Page #12

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CARTERS smile fades. STECKLER looks at CARTER - their eyes do not break

from each other as a silent message is transmitted...

97 EXT DAY PARK - CARTER and STECKLER are walking through a huge London

Park. The trees are spider like and bare - winter has really taken a

grip.

There are a few other people around - joggers, business men on lunch,

people just enjoying the break from the concrete nightmare surrounding

this green haven.

STECKLER stops and turns to CARTER.

STECKLER:

There is something special about this

place - the green - in destruction there

is creation - flesh rots to fertilise

the ground for life to thrive on.

CARTER and STECKLER stop. STECKLER points out a patch of ground in

front of him, the grass slightly taller than everywhere else.

CARTER:

(Looking and thinking) What?

(CONTINUED)

97 CONTINUED:

STECKLER:

That is my wife...Nothing ever dies - it

just changes. I changed my wife.

CARTER fumbles in her bag and retrieves her camera.

STECKLER:

I come here every so often - to pay my

respects

STECKLER turns to CARTER looking strangely different

STECKLER:

I'm weary ELLEN - of holding everything

inside of me - that's why I need this

book - In a few weeks it will be over -

the police will have me - I will make

you a lot of money and your career will

be back on track -

CARTER thinks about his comment before turning her attention to her

camera to take a photo - STECKLER looks at her questioningly

CARTER:

For the book...

We see down the lens of the camera, STECKLER stood on the grassy mound.

CARTER focuses - then click. The image freezes in black and white.

98 EXT DAY PARK - A bunch of pigeons fight over a few morsels of food.

CARTER and STECKLER are sat on a park bench, STECKLER tossing pieces of

bread to the pigeons.

Across the way a BIG LAWYER sits, talking on a portable phone - a

bottle of perrier in his other.

CARTER has her camera and is taking a few portraits of STECKLER. She

moves about looking for the best shot.

The BIG LAWYER opposite cannot take his eyes off CARTERs legs and bum -

it doesn't help as she is wearing a fairly short skirt... And when she

bends over...

The BIG LAWYER laughs down the phone - he is obviously telling the

person on the other end of the line what he is doing.

CARTER FINISHES her roll and sits back down.

(CONTINUED)

98 CONTINUED:

STECKLER has finished with his bag of bread for the pigeons and looks

over at a waste bin twenty yards away. He spots a can under the bench

and stretches to pick it up...He stands and wanders over to the bin.

CARTER wrestles with her camera which has jammed - but she finally gets

it free. She takes out the film and pockets it.

She looks up at the BIG LAWYER who is blatantly staring at her legs. He

doesn't even look away when CARTER sees him.

Suddenly from behind, STECKLER appears and leans over close to the BIG

LAWYER. CARTER watches on.

STECKLER leans close to the LAWYER and whispers in his ear. The LAWYERS

face goes pale. Hurriedly he gathers his things and shuffles off.

STECKLER smiles to CARTER as he wanders back - a 'Don't look at me'

expression written all over his face.

CARTER doesn't know how to react - grateful that her honour has been

defended - but at the same time, wishes it was someone else.

They walk off into the distance...

99 INT NIGHT CARTERS ROOM - (WRITING MONTAGE) CARTER is writing furiously

at her computer - we see her fingers working wonders - the letters just

fly up on the screen. We see her with her head in her hands, desperate

for inspiration - she fans herself with a piece of paper and STECKLER

watches, mesmerised by the sensuous display - and then CARTER is typing

furiously once more.

Photos are printed and scanned onto computer - We see the printer

printing out pages of script...

At last ELLEN CARTER has begun writing once more... CARTER shuffles a

pile of papers - ten pages or so and looks at the cover,

'The Secret Diary of Dr Leslie Raymond

Steckler - INTRODUCTION'

She places them down and looks at a small black and white photo of a

stern looking woman and a lost little boy - STECKLER and his MOTHER.

She examines closely - almost obsessed...

She places it down and begins writing, looking at the computer

screen...

(CONTINUED)

99 CONTINUED:

CUT TO...

100 INT NIGHT FORENSIC LAB - The fingerprint computer is still checking

names and prints rapidly - FOSTER sits with her feet up and drinking a

cup of tea as she patiently watches... A small figure says '43% done'.

101 INT DAY LIVING ROOM - The camera is focussed once more - STECKLER sits

in the familiar chair...

CARTER:

So tell me about your MOTHER

STECKLER looks up a little shocked - that one came out of the blue

STECKLER:

My mother...? (-) I never knew my real

MOTHER - I was adopted

CARTER:

Tell me about your adopted MOTHER

STECKLER is firm lipped - he doesn't want to open up

CARTER:

I had to - I have to see the beginning -

(Firmly) now tell me about your MOTHER

He doesn't answer for a long time -

STECKLER:

My MOTHER didn't love me - she never

loved me - when I was fourteen I had a

pet rabbit - and I killed it, just to

see what my mother would do... She

bought me a goldfish and told me to stop

crying. Two days later she died in the

accident

CARTER is obviously shocked by this... There is a long pause.

STECKLER:

You think I killed my MOTHER don't you?

CARTER:

Did you?

(CONTINUED)

101 CONTINUED:

STECKLER:

My ADOPTED MOTHER - Whose house was so

cold I could see my breath in front of

my face, whose furniture was so

valuable, no-one could sit on it, whose

ornaments so rare, I couldn't have

school friends round...My mother, who

locked me in the attic when I was

naughty, who drove her husband to the

grave, who brought lovers home for

weekends in the country - she was filth

- Is that what you want me to say...

That I pushed her off the boat when she

drowned, who wouldn't throw her a life

buoy? Is that what you want me to say?

Is IT?

STECKLER pauses for a long second - CARTER, moved by STECKLER

torrential confession...

STECKLER:

(Calmer) No...I didn't do it...I wish I

had but I didn't. I was beaten to it.

STEPHANIE became my mother.

CARTER:

STEPHANIE?

STECKLER:

My sister - My ADOPTED SISTER -

CARTER:

Did STEPHANIE kill your MOTHER?

STECKLER:

STEPHANIE loved me - she got some

insurance money and took legal custody

of me - she was just old enough. We had

a ball for years - we could do anything,

anywhere, anyhow...And we did...We would

play games - she would be the

executioner and I would be the convict -

She would strap me into the arm chair

and pretend to electrocute me...

STECKLER drops off into silence

(CONTINUED)

101 CONTINUED (2):

CARTER:

What was your relationship with

STEPHANIE?

STECKLER:

(Quietly) It was wrong - all my life I

have been cheated - cheated of anything

good - I shouldn't have been born - I

was a mistake - my natural mother was a

whore - that makes me...

STECKLER is beginning to crack up.

STECKLER:

I want it to stop - it all to stop...

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