Animal Kingdom Page #12

97 INT. LECKIE'S HOUSE - DAY 97

Leckie is sitting on a kid's tricycle. His six year-old son, whohas Down Syndrome, is trying to get him off it. Leckie laughs.

His son gets mad. Leckie's mobile phone rings. LECKIE'S WIFE,

preparing food behind him, slides the phone across the counterto him. Leckie drops it, picks it up and answers.

LECKIE:

G'day, mate.

NORRIS (OVER)

Craig Cody's gone, mate.

LECKIE:

What? How?

Leckie stands and moves away from his family.

NORRIS (OVER)

He found the listening device inBendigo. He sounded unhinged, so wewent in to apprehend him and he lostthe plot. We had to drop him.

LECKIE:

Why didn't anyone call me? I would'vegot the Special Operations Group upthere.

(CONTINUED)

Animal Kingdom - GREEN REVISIONS 69.

CONTINUED:

NORRIS (OVER)

No time for that, mate. He just lost

the plot.

LECKIE:

OK, gimme a sec. Gimme a sec to

think...

Leckie paces.

98 INT. KITCHEN / CODY HOUSE - DAY 98

Smurf sits numb on the kitchen floor. She's been crying. Jcrouches beside her with a glass of water. Pope paces.

SMURF:

(to J, close)

I'm having trouble finding my positive

spin. I'm usually very good at it.

Usually it's right there and I can

just have it. But I'm having trouble

finding it now.

POPE:

This is what I'm trying to say. I

don't know why people don't listen. If

you hadn't gotten in his ear about

handing himself over, there'd be none

of all this carrying on.

(to J)

And if you hadn't've gone to your

girlfriend's house instead of coming

home after. Did you think about that

when you were doing it? You've gone

and spooked him. Both of you. And now

look.

Smurf lifts herself up, walks to Pope and mechanically puncheshim in the face. Pope flinches. He looks surprised.

She punches him again. He almost cowers like a kid.

POPE:

Don't take it out on me. I didn't kill

him.

SMURF:

I thought that’s what we did. We take

it out on whoever shows up.

Smurf punches again. He grabs her arm.

(CONTINUED)

Animal Kingdom - GREEN REVISIONS 70.

CONTINUED:

POPE:

Don't.

J watches from the floor, anxious.

J:

Leave her alone.

Pope's attention shifts to J.

SMURF:

(looking at Pope, calm)

I’m alright, J.

J:

Just relax.

POPE:

Come here, mate.

SMURF:

Don't you touch him.

J hasn't moved. He's scared. Pope is menacingly calm.

POPE:

Come here, mate.

J:

Relax.

POPE:

Come here.

SMURF:

Stop being a child.

Pope releases Smurf and goes for J. J scuttles across the floorand out of the kitchen.

99 INT. HALL / CODY HOUSE - DAY 99

J scurries into the hall, Pope close behind. As J reaches thefront door, the BELL rings. J and Pope stop. They standconfused. J looks back, then opens the door. It's Leckie.

LECKIE:

Hi, Josh. I've come to talk to you.

I've got some bad news.

POPE:

He knows the bad news.

(CONTINUED)

Animal Kingdom - GREEN REVISIONS 71.

CONTINUED:

Leckie notices the tense atmosphere in the hall.

LECKIE:

Is everything OK here?

POPE:

Everything’s great here.

LECKIE:

Are you alright, Josh?

Smurf enters the hall, strangely calm.

SMURF:

He’s fine, Mr Leckie.

LECKIE:

(to J)

I'd like you to come down to St KildaRoad with me.

POPE:

What's he done? Tell me and I'll make

sure he gets discipline.

LECKIE:

Will you come with me now?

POPE:

What do you wanna ask him about? Ask

me.

LECKIE:

(to Pope)

We'll speak to you again at a latertime, when we're ready. Will you comewith me, Josh?

POPE:

I might have some info for you aboutthose murdered police. I've beenasking some people and there's a fewtheories floating around. I don't knowif they're true or not, but at leastit could maybe help you with yourinvestigations.

Leckie ignores Pope. He concentrates on J.

LECKIE:

Will you come with me, Josh?

(CONTINUED)

Animal Kingdom - GREEN REVISIONS 72.

CONTINUED:
(2)

SMURF:

(to J)

You go, love. I'll call Ezra. Go getyour shoes.

J hesitates, then disappears past Pope, into the house.

100 INT. LOUNGE / CODY HOUSE - DAY 100

J sits on the couch and puts on his sneakers. Pope enters.

POPE:

Sorry if we had some confusion therebefore. It's crazy times.

J ignores him and keeps tying his laces.

POPE:

You're not alone on this. You know

that, yeah?

J stands and moves to leave. Pope stops him.

POPE:

Yeah?

J nods. Pope hugs him. J feels deep discomfort.

POPE:

We'll get through this.

101 INT. HALL / CODY HOUSE - DAY 101

Smurf and Leckie stand awkward at the front door together.

LECKIE:

I'm not presently in a position todiscuss what happened today, but I canarrange for counselling services tovisit should you require any.

Leckie knows his words are empty, but he feels compelled to saysomething. Smurf watches him with calm, eerie contempt. Jappears again with Pope and steps out beside Leckie.

SMURF:

(quiet, to Leckie)

I hope you find the killers.

102 INT. INTERVIEW ROOM / POLICE COMPLEX - DAY 102

Leckie opens his folder. J sits at a table beside Ezra. Ezrafidgets with his phone.

(CONTINUED)

Animal Kingdom - GREEN REVISIONS 73.

CONTINUED:

LECKIE:

This is a record of interview between

Detective Senior Sergeant NathanLeckie and Joshua Daniel Cody. Presentis solicitor Ezra White. Josh, you'reunder no obligation to say anything atthis time but anything you do say canbe used in future court appearances.

Do you understand that?

J sits silent. Ezra looks up, distracted.

EZRA:

He understands that.

LECKIE:

Picking up where we left off, when welast spoke, you were telling us howupset your uncles were over the deathof Barry Brown. Can you recall exactlywhat was said at that time?

J sits silent, but can already feel Leckie digging a hole forhim. Leckie waits for J to respond. He doesn't.

LECKIE:

Josh, has Mr White provided you withadvice in respect to how shouldconduct yourself in this interviewtoday?

EZRA:

He'll be remaining mute.

LECKIE:

I can appreciate you’ve been advisednot to say anything to me, but thesooner you help us with our enquiries,

the sooner we can scratch you off thelist and move on to a different line.

Do you understand that? You don’t wantto tell us any more? Is that correct?

J stays silent.

LECKIE:

Is there any further statement youwish to make in relation to this

matter?

Silence.

(CONTINUED)

Animal Kingdom - GREEN REVISIONS 74.

CONTINUED:
(2)

LECKIE:

OK, then.

EZRA:

OK, then. I gotta fly.

103 INT. LOUNGE / CODY HOUSE - EVENING 103

Pope, Darren and Ezra are in the lounge. Pope sits. Darrenstands, uneasy. Ezra does lines of coke on the mantlepiece and

sets about getting changed out of his suit and into tennis gear.

EZRA:

I dunno. It doesn't have a goodfeeling about it. Leckie ran the whole‘yesterday you were very helpful’routine. That was probably for mybenefit, but I dunno. He’s a kid. Kidsare stupid. They’re weak. He may thinkhe’s doing the right thing but reallyhis foot’s covered in dog sh*t andhe’s got it stuck right in his mouth.

I’m pretty surprised you’ve let himget anywhere near you to be honest.

Rate this script:4.5 / 2 votes