Apt Pupil Page #30

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INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - NIGHT

The following series of images appear under music:

The quiet wing of this hospital has transformed into a frenzied

sea of reporters, cameramen, photographers, and police officers.

Everyone is struggling for a glimpse of the infamous celebrity

through the window that looks into Dussander's room. Inside,

Weiskopf and Richler are speaking to the doctors. Getty stands

to the side, instructing the DEPUTY who guards the door.

Through all of this Dussander lies like a fossil in his bed as

the bodies whirl around him. Darren enters the room to change

Dussander's IV bag.

Suddenly the door flies open and a young photographer dashes in,

snapping pictures wildly. Getty and the other officers descend

upon him. The camera flashes. Other photographers try to get

in but are blocked. Pandemonium.

Yet Dussander seems oblivious to the commotion. His eyes are

nothing more than glazed slits, his mouth hangs open. Darren

runs toward the door to help. Dussander's eyes open slightly.

There is life behind them after all. He turns his attention

imperceptibly toward his IV bag...

The camera moves away from Dussander to the window. Outside in

the parking lot, groups of protesters have gathered. Some hold

candles. Others chant and wave signs. News reporters surround

them.

INT. LIVING ROOM - BOWDEN HOUSE - DAY

ANGLE on a ticking wall clock.

Todd appears apprehensive as he sits down on the couch next to

his mother. She puts her arm around him. He is pale and

glassy-eyed. His parents don't look much better. Dick is

especially nervous and stands off to the side, watching everyone

intently. Richler and Weiskopf sit across the room in chairs.

RICHLER:

Todd, my name is Dan Richler. I'm a special

agent with the FBI. This is my associate, Dr.

Weiskopf.

WEISKOPF:

Hello.

DICK:

What kind of doctor are you?

WEISKOPF:

I'm a school teacher.

RICHLER:

Dr. Weiskopf is a professor at the Judaic

Institute in Munich. He is assisting the

Israeli government in certain matters. He is

here today, only as an observer.

A moment passes between Weiskopf and Todd.

RICHLER (CONT'D)

Thanks for calling us up, Mr. Bowden. You

saved us the trouble of tracking through the

911 records.

DICK:

Actually, it was Todd's idea to call. He

thought... we thought there might be some way

we could help your investigation.

RICHLER:

Todd, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to hear

about your involvement with Dussander... but

you knew him as Arthur Denker, right?

TODD:

Yeah. I never knew of that other name till I

saw it in the paper.

RICHLER:

How did you know him?

Todd starts to rub his stomach.

TODD:

I met him at the movies. Last summer. ...He

asked me where to pick up the number seven

bus. He said his eyes weren't too good.

...Will you excuse me for a minute?

He gets up before Richler can answer walks toward the stairs.

MONICA:

You okay, honey?

TODD:

I just gotta use the bathroom. I'll be right

back.

He vanishes up the stairs. They all watch him go. Monica turns

to Richler.

MONICA:

He's not feeling well.

ANGLE on Dick.

MONICA (CONT'D)

Can I get you some coffee?

INT. BOWDEN HOUSE - BATHROOM - DAY

The faucet runs at full blast to hide the noise as Todd digs

through the medicine cabinet and takes out a bottle of Pepto-

Bismol. He takes off the cap and gulps down what is left in the

bottle. He finishes and takes a few deep breaths.

As he turns around he catches his reflection in the mirror. An

empty bottle in his hand, a bright pink ring around his lips, a

few pink splotches down his shirt-- he looks totally ridiculous.

Todd can't help but laugh.

INT. BOWDEN HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY

The interview continues. The clock ticks on. Richler drinks

from a coffeee cup. Todd is back in his seat.

RICHLER:

Todd, let me tell you what we're really

interested in here. You told the admitting

nurse that Denker had a heart attack while

you were reading him a letter.

TODD:

That's right. I was. That's what I was

doing there. It was in German but he

insisted I try to read it anyway. Once or

twice he got pissy about the pronunciation

but I asked him what did he want from me. I

don't speak German. Mr. Denker...

Dussander... got really excited at one point.

He yelled out, "Yes, that's what you would do

all right." but I didn't know what he was

talking about. Then he grabbed his chest.

RICHLER:

And that's when you called the ambulance,

right?

TODD:

That's right.

RICHLER:

Well, this is the part we can't figure out.

The letter itself, Todd... do you remember

what happened to it?

TODD:

I guess it was still on the table. I

couldn't swear to it, but --

DICK:

Wait, I saw a letter. It was in German. I

didn't think anything of it at the time.

But, yeah, it was on Airmail stationery.

RICHLER:

Then it should still be there. This is our

problem.

DICK:

It isn't?

RICHLER:

No.

MONICA:

Maybe somebody broke in.

RICHLER:

Why would somebody break into his house

simply to steal a letter? ...Unless... there

was someone... someone right here in Santo

Donato who would want to protect him for some

reason. Maybe a close friend, or even

another fugitive. I know it sounds like a

bunch of Robert Ludlum stuff, but when

Dussander was taken to the hospital, we think

our Mr. X scooted over to the house and

swiped the letter.

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