Changeling Page #8

then the inquiries stop.

It's a momentary

embarrassment

you're just gonna

have to live with.

Better a short

inconvenience

than a lingering problem,

wouldn't you say, Captain?

Yes, sir.

The boy's been gone

nearly a year.

If he was going to be found,

it would've happened by now.

Whether he was up

at that ranch or not,

the truth is he probably

is dead somewhere.

Better his mother accept that

now than later, don't you think?

Yes, sir.

- Good.

That'll be all, Captain.

That's how you want it,

then I guess we're done here.

Tell county jail we're

remanding him for trial.

Wait. I didn't do anything. I

wasn't even here when it happened.

By pretending to

be Walter Collins,

you're interfering in a police

investigation of a kidnapping and murder.

We can try you as accomplice

to that murder after the fact.

That's too bad.

County jail is a lot worse than

a juvenile hall or a foster home.

It's a lot worse.

You can't do that.

I'm just a kid.

Sanford Clark's a kid, too.

Fifteen.

He's going to jail.

All murderers and their accomplices

go to jail. Everybody knows that.

Get him out of here.

It's out of my hands now.

Wait. I don't

want to go to jail.

Prove it.

I...

I knew Los Angeles is where

they make the Tom Mix movies.

I figured

if I could meet Tom Mix

maybe he would let me

ride on his horse.

His horse is named Tony.

Did you know that?

How are you feeling?

All right.

The police still

have a car outside.

I guess they're waiting to see

what your next move is going to be.

I'm going home.

- And then?

Then, I've been giving it

a lot of thought.

And what they did to those women,

and what they did about Walter.

I used to always tell him, "You never

start a fight, but you always finish it."

And I didn't start this

fight, but I'm gonna finish it.

Mrs. Collins, right now you're a

sufficiently high profile that I think

even the police would hesitate

to go after you out in the open,

but I have to warn you that

could change very quickly

if they feel their

position threatened.

Very quickly indeed.

What are they gonna

do to me now?

They got nothing.

I'm going home.

Hi, sis.

Gordon.

I didn't know

you were back in town.

Yeah, I got in

a couple of days ago,

figured I'd surprise you.

Is that... Is that okay?

Yes. Yes, of course.

Of course, come on in.

Where's that

little niece of mine?

She went into town.

Should be back this evening.

Uh, Bob's here.

Oh, good.

Uh, I was gonna ask if I

could stay on a couple days.

Staying?

Yeah.

Listen, can I use

your bathroom?

It's been a long ride and

I could really use a shower.

Of course.

- Okay.

Thank you.

Is that...

All right, go next door.

I'll call the police. Hurry.

Operator.

How may I connect you?

He's upstairs, sir.

Go around the other side!

Cut him off!

Come with me!

- Yes, sir.

Let's go!

Mrs. Collins, I'd like you

to meet my friend, Mr. Hahn.

Mrs. Collins, my deepest

condolences on your loss.

May we come in?

I appreciate the sentiment,

but they've yet to find...

To identify the

remains as my son.

I'm afraid it never

gets any easier.

I lost a daughter

to polio five years ago.

There's not a day goes by

when I don't think,

"I should mention

this to Claudine."

Then I remember

she's not here.

Please, sit.

I've been on the phone

all morning

with the appointment secretary

of the police commission.

They said that they

won't let me testify

at the hearing or call witnesses.

That it won't be necessary.

I know. My sources say

the police commission

is going to say that Jones and the

LAPD did absolutely nothing wrong,

and that the real blame lies

with the kid and with you

for being difficult and forcing them

to put you away for your own safety.

Then I guess I would have to

hire a lawyer, file a civil suit.

I went to the best

attorney in town,

a man who's sued this

city four times and won.

Unfortunately, we can't

afford to really hire him.

I see.

Which is why

I'm doing this pro bono.

It would be my honor to defend

your honor, Mrs. Collins.

In my 15 years as a lawyer,

I have never seen anyone fight

as long or as hard as you have,

in what is so clearly

in the cause of justice.

Thank you.

Let me see

what's on the shelf.

I'll look.

Yes? May I...

My name is S.S. Hahn,

and I have a court order for the immediate

release of all women being detained

in this institution under

the designation code 12

pending a formal inquiry into

the reasons for their detainment.

I'm sorry, the doctor

in charge is not here

until the morning.

- Madam, let me be clearer.

Either you will produce the

people named in that court order,

or you will find yourself behind

bars, and I mean without a key.

I can't authorize you...

- Madam, stand aside.

Can I see her now?

Sure. Absolutely.

- How does she look?

All right, fellas,

step back. Let's give him room.

Here he is.

Mr. Northcott,

any comment on your arrest?

Mr. Northcott,

how are you feeling?

Oh, I'm feeling fine.

I've been on a little

vacation, as some of you know.

It was

a really pleasant vacation.

The police have certainly provided

me with a lot of amusement.

How long

you been in hiding?

How did you

avoid capture?

Easy, easy.

That's far enough.

Well, I didn't, did I?

One more shot!

Have you seen

your picture in the paper?

Didn't know anybody

wanted me until just recently.

Didn't even try.

My luggage still has

my initials on it, fellas.

Did you know why

the police were after you?

No, but I figured it'd be a good

idea if I were to just stay out of it.

Any remorse, sir?

Do you have anything to say to

the parents of the children you murdered?

No comment.

One more shot,

this way!

Mayor Cryer.

This is unexpected.

So was this.

Subpoenas, requests for

depositions, interrogatories.

All courtesy of Mr. Hahn and his

new client, Christine Collins.

You don't have to look them

over too closely, Chief.

Your own copies should

be coming any time now.

The city council has also

agreed to look into this,

starting immediately.

God damn it!

I thought this was

supposed to go away.

This is an election year.

I can't afford

this kind of press.

It is going away, sir. I've instructed

Captain Jones to deal with it.

I'm afraid,

falling on his sword

and saying he made a mistake isn't

going to be good enough, Chief.

If we take him out of

the picture for a while,

just might help calm things down

until the hearing's finished.

What is happening?

- Didn't you hear?

It's the biggest protest

I've ever seen.

Protest?

- Yeah.

Over the Collins broad,

if you can believe that.

We want

justice! We want justice!

Oh, my!

Mr. Harris.

The Lord works in mysterious

ways, Mrs. Collins.

Boy, does he ever.

Ladies and gentlemen, can

I have your attention, please?

There are more people gathered in this chamber

than have ever been in this room before.

Therefore, I ask you to refrain

from demonstrations of any kind.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes