Absolute Power Page #10

She has been photographing him, and as the last photo

slides out of the camera, she blows on it, puts it

alongside the others.

VALERIE:

(as they study the

pictures)

You always did disappear good,

Luther.

LUTHER:

You mean I’ve got a weak face.

Thanks, Val.

VALERIE:

You’re lucky is all --some of my

customers, they stand out no

matter what.

An order form book. Valerie licks a pencil with her

tongue.

VALERIE:

How many passports you need?

LUTHER:

(thinks)

Four should cover it.

VALERIE:

(writes this down)

Now you’ll want different looks,

and matching international

driver’s licenses --I’ll throw in

some dummy credit cards, seeing

it’s you. How the rugs I made you

holding up?

LUTHER:

They’re good. Beards and

mustaches, too.

VALERIE:

(pleased)

I try to give value for money.

Leaving the country permanent?

LUTHER:

It may come to that.

(CONTINUED)

)B( ABSOLUTE POWER -Rev. 5/16/96 51.

157 CONTINUED:
(2) 157

VALERIE:

Matter where you’ve been? --I

hate doing those goddam Asian

passport stamps.

LUTHER:

Europe’s fine. Maybe the

Caribbean for winters. When can I

pick up?

VALERIE:

Usually takes some time, but for

you, I’ll rush it.

LUTHER:

Thanks, Val. I’ve always been

able to count on you.

Valerie puts the order book down, studies him.

What?

LUTHER:

VALERIE:

I don’t want to know what you’re

into, but leaving forever...

Finish it.

LUTHER:

VALERIE:

I never figured you for a runner

--thirty percent of my runners

kill themselves within five years.

LUTHER:

(kisses her forehead)

Five years doesn’t sound so bad to

me just now.

And as he heads out -158

INT. POLICE HEADQUARTERS -CRIMINAL LAB -DAY 158

Seth and Laura in the good-sized criminal lab.

with up-to-date equipment.

Loaded

Seth has drawn a picture of the crime scene. Words like

"Bedroom Door," "Exit Window," "Vault," "Bed," "Victim"

are written neatly to scale. He holds a sheaf of papers.

*

(CONTINUED)

)B( ABSOLUTE POWER -Rev. 5/16/96 52.

158 CONTINUED:
158

It’s late afternoon and things are already getting

crazed. NOISE in the b.g. throughout.

SETH:

See if any of this makes sense.

Seth mimes opening the "bedroom door," stepping inside,

closing it. He makes a click with his tongue.

SETH:

I am Christy Sullivan and I walk

in and surprise a burglar.

Seth moves to the "vault door," mimes closing that, makes

a grunt.

LAURA:

Now you’re the burglar coming out

of the vault and being surprised.

SETH:

Gold star.

(aims his finger like

a pistol)

I draw my gun -LAURA

(cutting in)

--then why do you bother to

strangle her when you could just

shoot?

SETH:

That’s nothing --why do I bother

to have her strip and then put her

clothes back on?

LAURA:

There I can help you --see,

before you were a burglar you were

a dry cleaner and you still love

beautiful clothes.

SETH:

And I dress her because?

LAURA:

She was a good customer and you

didn’t want her embarrassed when

the police came.

(CONTINUED) *

)B( ABSOLUTE POWER -Rev. 5/16/96 53.

CONTINUED:
(2) *

CLOSEUP -SETH

Frustrated.

SETH:

She had a point-21 blood alcohol

level. --she was too drunk to

drive.I’ve checked every cab and

limo company in the area and not

one of them knows anything.

Someone drove her home. Goddamit,

who? And why haven’t they come

forward?

LAURA:

Maybe whoever drove her home

killed her.

SETH:

You saying the burglar drove her

home?

(pissed)

I hate this case.

An open door behind them. A TELEPHONE REPAIRMAN appears.

Nice looking kid with a dazzling smile.

TELEPHONE REPAIRMAN

Lieutenant? --sorry to bother you

(as Seth turns)

I’ve got your phone working again,

shouldn’t give you any more

trouble.

SETH:

Good service, thanks.

TELEPHONE REPAIRMAN

(dazzling smile

as he goes)

Part of the job.

Seth and Laura. Seth’s lost his train of thought. Then -SETH

Oh yeah --remember that bullet

hole in the wall? Had the lab dig

out the slug --guess what --no

slug --why does the burglar take

the time to do that?

LAURA:

Different from the one in her

body?

(CONTINUED)

)B( ABSOLUTE POWER -Rev. 5/16/96 54.

158 CONTINUED:
(3) 158 *

SETH:

(getting more and

more upset)

Oh I like that a lot --two

different guns means two different

burglars. Two guys broke in? And

they both went out the window?

Bullshit.

(big)

And oh, by the way, why does he -or

they --go out the window in

the first place when he --or they

--got in by breaking a zillion-

dollar security system? ---

Seth?

COP (O.S.)

What?

SETH:

(whirling)

COP:

(in doorway)

A Bill Burton of the Secret

Service in the parking lot.

SETH:

(gives papers to

Laura)

Here, you solve the goddam thing.

(as he starts away)

Did I mention that I hate this

case? I really truly hate this

case --you cannot imagine how

much I hate it -159

EXT. POLICE HEADQUARTERS -PARKING LOT -DAY 159

Burton waits by his car as Seth walks up.

BURTON:

(as they shake)

Bill Burton, hi -SETH

--hi, Seth Frank -BURTON

--I know you must be going crazy

--but the boss is very interested

in your progress. Maybe we can

help each other.

(CONTINUED)

55.

159 CONTINUED:
159

SETH:

What did you have in mind?

BURTON:

You know how close he and Sullivan

are?

(as Seth nods)

The minute anything breaks, if

you’d call me, I’d tell the

President. That way, he’dbethe

first to alert Mr. Sullivan --it

would mean a lot to him. And any

red tape you want cut --done.

(as he takes out

card)

Here are my numbers.

He turns, opens his front car door.

BURTON:

(getting in)

Leads?

SETH:

Still trying to figure out what

might have happened -

BURTON:

--I loved playing Sherlock

Holmes.

SETH:

(surprised)

You Secret Service guys do that?

BURTON:

I was State Trooper here ten years

ago before the Government got me.

Seth. It just pops out.

SETH:

You’re that Bill Burton.

Burton. Embarrassed.

BURTON:

I was younger and dumber then.

(quickly)

Keep in touch.

Seth waves as Burton drives away.

)B( ABSOLUTE POWER -Rev. 5/16/96 56.

160 EXT. STREET NEAR POLICE HEADQUARTERS -DAY 160

Burton. He drives alertly along, turns a corner. Up

ahead, a telephone repair truck has stopped. The

Repairman leans out. He has a dazzling smile. He and

Burton wave to each other...

161 INT. SULLIVAN DINING ROOM -NIGHT 161 *

Quietly elegant. Two men are finishing dinner. Walter

Sullivan we know.

MICHAEL McCARTY, his dinner companion, is 35, fit,

handsome, beautifully dressed. He is, at present, torn

by a silver tray of small French pastries.

WALTER SULLIVAN:

(noting McCarty’s

temptation)

The chef makes them especially for

me --I promise you they’re

sinful.

McCarty grabs one, downs it, grins sheepishly.

McCARTY

You’re a salesman, Mr. Sullivan.

Sullivan nods as they rise.

162 INT. SULLIVAN LIVING ROOM -NIGHT 162 *

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