8mm Page #21

AMY:

(into phone)

Hello?

WELLES (V.O.)

(from phone)

Amy, it's me. Listen very

carefully..

AMY:

(into phone)

Tom? Where have you been... ?

INT. WELLES' CAR -- CONTINUOUS -- DAY

Welles drives, face caked in dried blood, cellular phone to

his ear. The HIGHWAY rushes past out the car window.

WELLES:

(into phone)

Amy, just listen. Take Cindy and

get out of the house. Do it now.

Go to a hotel and stay there...

AMY (V.O.)

(from phone)

What's wrong? Are you alright?

WELLES:

(into phone)

I'm okay. Please, honey, I can't

explain. Don't use the phone, just

pack a bag and get out. I'm on my

way. I'll be back at the house in

three hours. Call me from the hotel

when you get there

AMY (V.O.)

... What's going on?

WELLES:

Just do it, Amy, please, go.

INT. WELLES' HOUSE, KITCHEN -- CONTINUOUS -- DAY

Amy hangs up, scared. She goes to grab Cindy up into her

arms, hurrying out of the kitchen and going upstairs.

EXT. HIGHWAY -- CONTINUOUS -- DAY

Welles' car tears down the freeway, passing other cars.

EXT. WELLES' NEIGHBORHOOD -- NIGHT

Suburban streets. Welles' car arrives, parks. Welles gets

out, starts across a neighbor's yard, cuts between houses...

EXT. WELLES' HOUSE, BACKYARD -- NIGHT

Welles enters his backyard, slowing, taking out his gun. He

keeps behind shrubbery, surveying his dark house.

INT. WELLES' HOUSE, DOWNSTAIRS LIVING ROOM -- NIGHT

Welles uses a key to unlock the SLIDING GLASS DOOR, opens it

slow, enters, gun up, searching the darkness.

INT. WELLES' HOUSE, OFFICE -- NIGHT

Welles pushes the door open, checks this room.

INT. WELLES' HOUSE, BEDROOM -- NIGHT

Welles makes sure the bedroom's empty, looks in the

bathroom. He puts his gun away, leaves the lights off.

He goes to the PHONE on the bedside table, unscrews the

earpiece. He removes a small, wire-mesh BUGGING DEVICE.

INT. WELLES' HOUSE, KITCHEN -- NIGHT

Dark. Welles picks up the cordless phone, struggles to pry

the receiver open. He discovers another small BUG.

He drops the BUGS to the floor, crushes them under foot.

He puts the phone back together and is replacing it when it

RINGS LOUDLY. Welles is startled, drops the phone...

Welles takes a breath, trying to shake off the jitters. He

picks up the RINGING PHONE, answers it...

WELLES:

(into phone)

Honey... ?

MACHINE (V.O.)

(from phone)

Not quite.

Welles stiffens.

MACHINE (V.O.)

Nothing like getting home after a

rough day. Home sweet home.

Welles moves into the HALL, towards the front door...

MACHINE (V.O.)

Walk away. Pack your bags, put the

wife and kid in the car and find a

place to hide. If you're lucky,

you'll never see me again.

Welles takes out his gun, opens the front door, looking out.

The street in front of the house is empty. CRICKETS CHIRP.

WELLES:

I don't know if I can do that.

MACHINE (V.O.)

I know who you are. I know where

you live. I know everything I need

to know to find you.

(pause)

Who am I?

MACHINE is HEARD HANGING UP the phone.

INT. HOTEL ROOM -- NIGHT

Cindy's crying. Amy opens the door with the chain on, sees

Welles, lets him in. Amy and Welles embrace, kissing. Amy

touches Welles damaged face, worried...

AMY:

What happened to you?

WELLES:

I'm okay, honey, I'm okay. Are you

alright?

AMY:

What's going on, Tom? What happened?

WELLES:

I can't tell you, Amy. You know I

can't. You have to trust me...

AMY:

Tom...

WELLES:

It has to be this way for now. It

won't be long.

Welles goes to pick up Cindy, tries to comfort her, kisses

her red face as she keeps crying.

AMY:

Why haven't you called? Why don't

you answer your phone?

WELLES:

I don't know. I'm sorry...

AMY:

You're sorry? What was I supposed

to think?

Amy comes to take Cindy from him.

AMY:

You owe me an explanation. You

can't treat me like this.

WELLES:

I wanted to call. I couldn't.

AMY:

You couldn't?

WELLES:

You don't understand...

AMY:

No, I don't, because you're not

telling me anything!

WELLES:

I was in hell. If I called you...

if I heard your voice... it would

have been so easy for me to quit.

I couldn't do that.

Tears comes to Amy's eyes.

AMY:

You should have.

WELLES:

Amy, I'm not going to let anything

happen to us.

AMY:

Look where we are. Look at

yourself. You son of a b*tch,

you don't have any idea what

you're putting me through...

WELLES:

I don't know what to say

AMY:

You're killing me...

WELLES:

Don't...

AMY:

What was I supposed to think

happened to you?!

WELLES:

Amy...

Welles goes to Amy, but she pulls away. She sits on the

bed. Cindy's still crying. Welles sits beside Amy, puts

her arms around her.

WELLES:

Forgive me.

Amy cradles Cindy. Welles rests his head on Amy's shoulder,

places one hand on Cindy.

WELLES:

We have to stay here a few days.

I'll get more clothing from the

house if I can. I'm sorry.

(pause)

We're going to be okay.

Welles rises. He goes to the PHONE, starts dialing. Amy

looks at him, wipes tears.

AMY:

Who are you calling?

WELLES:

Mrs. Christian.

AMY:

What?

WELLES:

She's all I've got. She's the only

witness.

AMY:

Tom... she's dead.

Welles looks to Amy.

AMY:

She died in her sleep three days

ago. It was in the paper...

WELLES:

I just talked to her.

Cindy's crying. Welles sits into a chair, trying to

understand this, his mind racing. He hangs up the phone.

AMY:

How could you not know?

Misery pulls down the corners of Welles' mouth. He tries to

find words, but none come. He sits forward and hides his

face in his hands, overwhelmed. Cindy's crying.

INT. HOTEL ROOM -- LATER NIGHT

Cindy sleeps, encircled by pillows and blankets on the bed.

Amy watches her, runs her hand gently across Cindy's head.

Amy rises, turns out the light, goes to a BALCONY DOOR...

EXT. HOTEL ROOM, BALCONY -- NIGHT

Welles sits with his feet up on the balcony rail, looking

into the parking lot. Amy joins him, sits.

AMY:

Promise you'll stay.

Welles looks at Amy.

WELLES:

Promise you won't go back there,

wherever you were. Whatever it was,

forget it.

Welles takes a deep breath, nods his head.

AMY:

Promise me.

Welles looks out into the night sky of stars.

WELLES:

I promise.

Amy comes to kiss Welles. Welles wraps his arms around her

and holds her tight. She holds him.

INT. HOTEL ROOM -- LATER NIGHT

Amy is asleep on the bed beside Cindy. Welles comes out

from the bathroom in a fresh shirt and suit, turns off the

bathroom light. He stands looking at Cindy and Amy.

EXT. HOTEL -- NIGHT

Welles exits the hotel, heading to his Ford.

INT. WELLES' CAR -- NIGHT

Welles drives, staring ahead. Through the windshield, the

headlights illuminate the endless roadway.

EXT. KENNEDY AIRPORT -- NIGHT

Airplanes take flight. Manhattan glitters in the distance.

EXT. WILSHIRE OFFICE BUILDING -- DAY

Eddie Poole's building. A typically bright, sunny LA day.

In the street, Welles parks a rental car, gets out.

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