Body of Proof Page #7

Whitney, startled -

WHITNEY:

What?

Christopher Murphey -Body of Evidence -1/11/10 35.

MEGAN:

She had sex yesterday morning with

a man who had a vasectomy. Despite

the lack of spermatozoa we can

still match for DNA. Care to give

me a swab?

She holds up a Q-tip in a plastic tube. Whitney recoils.

MEGAN:

Didn't think so. That's okay,

there's plenty of time for that

later. And it'll only tell me what

I already know anyway. She was

sleeping with you to make partner -

WHITNEY:

No -

MEGAN:

--or you were sexually harassing

her. Whichever it was, -

WHITNEY:

That's not true!

MEGAN:

-- she was in a position to end

your marriage and sue your firm if

she didn't get what she wanted.

But you couldn't make her partner

without violating your own ethics

rules which would have really had

you over a barrel, -

WHITNEY:

I refuse to listen to this --!

MEGAN:

--so you followed her from your

house, waited for her under

Strawberry Mansion Bridge, bashed

her over the head and threw her in

the river!

Megan watches him closely, something calculated behind her

heated accusations -

WHITNEY:

Get out of my office!

DET. MORRIS

Okay, that's it! Megan, wait

outside!

Christopher Murphey -Body of Evidence -1/11/10 36.

EXT. STREET -MORNING (DAY 2) *

Megan stands on the sidewalk outside the office building she

just exited. If the previous scene affected her in any way

you wouldn't know it. She looks bored. She checks her

reflection in the front windows. And notices a pair of

UNIFORMED SCHOOL GIRLS pass by behind her. She takes out her

cell phone and dials a number.

MEGAN:

(into phone)

I just wanted to remind you it's

Lacey's birthday today. You're

going to call her, right?

INT. PHILADELPHIA COMMON PLEAS COURT -CONTINUOUS (DAY 2) *

JUDGE JEAN HUNT, age 62, sits at her desk scanning a document

for her signature as an Assistant District Attorney waits

impatiently. We INTERCUT -

JUDGE JEAN:

I already did. First thing this

morning.

MEGAN:

Oh. Did she say anything?

JUDGE JEAN:

You mean about you?

MEGAN:

Well?

JUDGE JEAN:

No.

Megan's face falls.

MEGAN:

What did you get her?

JUDGE JEAN:

The same thing I always get her. A

contribution to her college fund.

What did you get her?

MEGAN:

I haven't decided.

JUDGE JEAN:

That doesn't sound like you.

Christopher Murphey -Body of Evidence -1/11/10 37.

MEGAN:

No? Why not?

JUDGE JEAN:

My daughter Megan? Who had her

whole life planned out by the time

she was ten?

MEGAN:

YOU had my whole life planned out

by the time I was ten.

JUDGE JEAN:

And look how well you turned out.

EXT. STREET -MORNING (DAY 2) *

Megan stares at her reflection in the window glass. How well

indeed. Detectives Morris and Baker exit the building. She

shakes off the thought with a quick -

MEGAN:

Goodbye, Mother.

--as Detectives Morris and Baker walk up.

DET. MORRIS

You want to tell me what the hell

you were doing up there?

MEGAN:

A little good cop bad cop. I riled

him up, you calmed him down. So

what else did he tell you?

Det. Morris can't believe it -

DET. MORRIS

You know what the problem with that

is? You're not a cop! And you

know what else? You're off this

case! I know plenty of ME's and *

none of them are as big a pain in

the ass as you are! *

MEGAN:

They're also not as good as I am.

DET. MORRIS

You like to think that, don't you.

MEGAN:

How long ago did she kick you out,

Detective?

Christopher Murphey -Body of Evidence -1/11/10 38.

Morris stares at her.

MEGAN:

You have an impression on your ringfinger where a wedding band was

recently removed. And that cut on

your chin? It's from a double

bladed razor, probably disposable.

What happened? When your wife

kicked you out she didn't let you

take your own razor?

Det. Morris' hand goes involuntarily to the cut on his chin.

He stares at Megan in astonishment. So does Det. Baker.

MEGAN:

Every body tells a story. Bring me

in or don't. But I want justice

for Angela just as much as you do.

A long beat as Det. Morris decides what to do.

DET. MORRIS

Okay. You want in? Whitney denied

everything. The last time he saw

Angela was at the firm's Annual

Dinner Sunday night. Angela was athis table but she didn't stay long.

She had a sore throat.

MEGAN:

He's lying.

DET. MORRIS

About the sex, maybe. But that

doesn't make him a murderer. And

Burris had motive.

MEGAN:

So did Whitney if she was

blackmailing him to make partner.

Det. Morris just grins. He lets his partner explain. Det. *

Baker is almost apologetic in doing so. *

DET. BAKER

Angela didn't have to. She alreadymade partner. She was at Whitney's

table as a reward. She won a big

lawsuit last week. It wasn't

public yet but the Partnership

Committee had already voted.

Christopher Murphey -Body of Evidence -1/11/10 39.

DET. MORRIS

And there goes your theory.

Det. Morris savors the sight of Megan having to swallow her

blown theory. But Megan is nothing if not resilient.

MEGAN:

What was the lawsuit about?

DET. BAKER

A boy mauled by a dog in Fairmont

Park.

This rings a bell in Megan's head.

MEGAN:

Angela was mauled by a dog when she

was a teenager.

DET. MORRIS

So?

MEGAN:

So what's she doing defending a

case like that?

DET. MORRIS

(re:
Det. Baker)

Didn't you hear her? She was

making partner.

DET. BAKER

The dog was owned by the Roberts

family. Old Philadelphia money.

One of the firm's biggest clients.

Megan takes out her cell phone and speed dials -

MEGAN:

(into phone)

Peter, got a pen? I want you to

run down an address for me.

As she waits, Det. Morris looms in front of her.

DET. MORRIS

Where do you think you're going?

MEGAN:

Why? You don't think I'll actually

catch the killer, do you?

END OF ACT THREE

*

*

*

*

Christopher Murphey -Body of Evidence -1/11/10 40.

ACT FOUR:

FADE IN:

EXT. NORTH PHILADELPHIA -DAY (DAY 2) *

Blocks of tattered apartment buildings, bulldozed lots,

graffitied walls and weeds growing chest high out of the

pavement. They call this area the "Badlands."

EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING -DAY (DAY 2) *

Peter leans against the hood of his car outside an apartment

building. He watches as another car pulls up and Megan and

Detectives Morris and Baker emerge. Peter hides a smile as

they approach.

PETER:

Hey, Bud. How's it going?

Det. Morris just scowls at him.

INT. HALLWAY -DAY (DAY 2) *

Det. Morris knocks. The door opens on a chain. Staring out

at them is CARL RIVERS, age 38. Det. Morris shows his badge.

DET. MORRIS

Carl Rivers, I'm Detective Morris.

We need to talk to you, Sir.

INT. CARL RIVERS' APARTMENT -DAY (DAY 2) *

Rivers sits at the kitchen table with Detectives Morris and

Baker standing before him, Megan and Peter hanging by the

door. Rivers' ADOLESCENT SON plays a video game on the tv in

the living room. His back is to them.

DET. MORRIS

You filed a lawsuit a year and a

half ago after a dog attacked your

son in Fairmont park.

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