Animal Kingdom Page #10

DARREN:

I don't f***in know. Why are youasking me like I'd know?

SMURF:

OK. We should leave now.

83 INT. POLICE CAR - EVENING 83

J is in the front seat. Norris drives. They drive in silence.

J:

It’s the next left. Not this one, the

next one.

Norris hits the indicator and drives around the corner. Onlymetres around it, he pulls over.

NORRIS:

Get out.

J:

What?

NORRIS:

I’m not driving you home, c*nt. Getout of my f***ing car.

(CONTINUED)

Animal Kingdom - GREEN REVISIONS 57.

CONTINUED:

J is suddenly gripped with fear. He opens the door and gets out.

Norris screeches away.

84 84INT. HENRY-EMERY HOUSE - NIGHT

Gus opens the back door. J is there, unnerved.

GUS:

J.

J:

Is Nicky here?

GUS:

She’s not home yet. You hungry? We're

about to eat.

J:

Maybe. Thanks.

J enters. Gus shuts the door behind him. Alicia is in the

kitchen cooking. She looks up at J coolly.

J:

Hi, Mrs Henry.

ALICIA:

Call me Alicia, J.

GUS:

J's staying for tea.

Gus takes a beer from the fridge and takes a seat next to Andy,

watching TV. J stands behind the couch, then wanders over to thekitchen, where Alicia serves food onto plates.

J:

Can I help?

ALICIA:

You could set the table.

J sets about laying the table carefully. He is familiar with thekitchen. He knows where to find place mats, cutlery etc.

ALICIA:

How was your day today?

J:

It was OK.

Awkward silence.

(CONTINUED)

Animal Kingdom - GREEN REVISIONS 58.

CONTINUED:

J:

How was yours?

ALICIA:

It was good.

(to Gus and Andy)

Dinner’s ready.

(to J, cool)

Can you take those plates?

Alicia and J carry plates. Gus MUTES the TV. He and Andy taketheir seats at the table.

ALICIA:

How was your friend's funeral?

J:

It was OK. Sad and everything.

ALICIA:

We saw it on the news last night.

J can see the MUTED TV. A news report about the police murders.

We see images around the table intercut with NEWS FOOTAGE of thecrime scene: the police car in Davis Ave, the stolen Commodore -

white. Academy graduation photos of the two officers.

J’s heart stops when he sees the car. He notices Gus watchingthe report too.

They eat in silence. The back door opens. It's Nicky in schooluniform.

ALICIA:

Where have you been, Nicole?

She rounds the table to J, kissing Andy's cheek on the way.

NICKY:

Detention. I told you.

She sits on J's lap and picks at his plate. J is quiet.

ALICIA:

No, you didn't.

NICKY:

I did. You had to sign the form.

GUS:

I signed the form.

(CONTINUED)

Animal Kingdom - GREEN REVISIONS 59.

CONTINUED:
(2)

NICKY:

Oh yeah. Well then get angry at him

for not telling you. I can't be having

to tell both of you everything all the

time. Maybe you two should try

communicating.

J isn't listening to a word of this.

85 EXT. FREEWAY SERVICE STATION - NIGHT 85

Craig fills his tank at a country freeway service station. A copcar pulls into a parking bay outside the store. Two cops get outof the car. One takes a good look at Craig as they walk insidethe store. Craig looks straight ahead at the pump displayticking over.

He turns to see the cops standing at the magazine stand. Thebowser clicks off. He replaces his petrol cap.

He opens the car door. On the floor of the passenger side is apump-action shotgun. Craig grabs his wallet and pulls a towelover the shotgun.

86 INT. FREEWAY SERVICE STATION - NIGHT 86

Craig enters the store. The cops are at the magazine stand. Theylook up. One looks straight back at his magazine, the other'sgaze lingers. Craig walks past them to the counter.

CRAIG:

Just the petrol.

The attendant checks the pump display. Craig fidgets. Thecurious cop watches him.

ATTENDANT:

Forty-five fifty.

Craig produces a wad of cash from his pocket. The cop watches.

The attendant watches. Craig is nervy. He leaves fifty on thecounter and heads straight out.

87 EXT. FREEWAY SERVICE STATION - NIGHT 87

Craig makes the walk back to his car. Behind we can see the twocops watching him through the store window.

88 INT. NICKY’S BEDROOM / HENRY-EMERY HOUSE - DAY 88

J’s eyes open. There is a KNOCK at the bedroom door. The room isdaylit. For a second he doesn’t know where he is.

(CONTINUED)

Animal Kingdom - GREEN REVISIONS 60.

CONTINUED:

ALICIA (O.S.)

J? Are you in there?

J:

F***.

(loud)

Yep.

ALICIA (O.S.)

Your uncle’s at the door.

J:

I’m coming.

Nicky stirs. She’s in her pyjamas. J shoves her.

J:

I told you don't let me fall asleep.

Nicky rolls over, awake but gummy-eyed. J scrounges around onthe floor for his shoes.

NICKY:

I fell asleep.

J has found his shoes.

J:

You got into your f***in PJs.

NICKY:

I was still gonna wake you up.

J heads for the door. J's anxiety takes Nicky by surprise.

89

INT. HENRY-EMERY HOUSE - DAY 89

Darren waits in the front foyer, making small talk with Alicia.

J enters, holding his shoes.

J:

Hey.

DARREN:

We gotta go.

Nicky enters, still half asleep. Darren eyebrows hello.

NICKY:

Hey, Daz.

(CONTINUED)

Animal Kingdom - GREEN REVISIONS 61.

CONTINUED:

DARREN:

(shakes Alicia's hand)

Good to meet you.

Darren and J head out the door. Nicky stands in the doorwaywatching them go, rag-doll sleepy. Alicia is apprehensive.

ALICIA:

I do a lot for you, Nick. You're stillat school and you're allowed to haveyour boyfriend sleep over. That's abig thing for me. I'm not a bad

person.

Nicky steps to her and hugs her sleepily. Mum hugs her back.

90 EXT. HENRY-EMERY HOUSE - DAY 90

Darren and J walk to the car. J carries shoes. He can see Popein the passenger seat. J climbs in the backseat. Pope doesn'teven acknowledge J's presence.

J:

Where are we going?

DARREN:

See our lawyer.

Darren starts the car. As it pulls away, J notices Pope lookingat the house, Gus' car in the driveway.

91 INT. EZRA WHITE'S HOUSE - DAY 91

In the kitchen/sun room of an inner-city terrace house. EZRAWHITE (36), is making plunger coffee. J, Pope, Darren and Smurfsit nearby at the kitchen table.

EZRA:

This is really f***in important, mate.

I can't stress it enough. I need toknow word for word.

J:

They just kept on asking me a coupleof questions and I told them I don'tknow, then they let me go.

DARREN:

What were you doing in there so long?

J:

Nothing. They made me sit there withno one coming in or anything.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

Animal Kingdom - GREEN REVISIONS 62.

EZRA:

Good, OK. Now I want you to listencarefully to this. From now on, mate,

I don't want you saying anything. Thatmeans nothing at all. No 'I don'tknow'. No 'I was sleepy'. You justrefuse to answer questions. You gotthat? By law these c*nts can't makeyou say anything. You don't even haveto give them your name. OK? It's veryimportant. Don't let them push youaround. Just sit there in silence. At

least til I get there.

Ezra takes a seat at the table with J.

EZRA:

This goes for your girlfriend too.

What’s her name?

J:

N'cole.

EZRA:

Cole?

J:

NICole.

EZRA:

Nicole. This goes for Nicole too.

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