Chappaquiddick Page #9

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GARGAN:

Maybe we’d know for sure if I hadsome help down here!

Ted waves him off. Gargan grows angry and more determined. Hetakes a deep breath and plunges below.

UNDERWATER:

Gargan dives head first this time. He can barely see anythingin front of him beyond the murky black. He grabs the frontpassenger window frame.

Shards of glass poke from every edge he isn’t touching.

He pulls himself in.

42.

The razor sharp points rip into Gargan’s arms, chest, andback. He struggles to go backwards, but the glass only tearsin deeper.

INT. OLDSMOBILE - UNDERWATER - NIGHT

Mary Jo slams her fists against the floorboard. The car CREAKSagain, and she doubles her effort in a moment of hope anddesperation.

MARY JO:

HELP! HELP!!! PLEASE!

Behind her, splashes can be seen behind the front seat.

BELOW THE WATER:

Gargan tries to wrestle himself out of the window, panickingas he loses oxygen. He uses all his strength to propelhimself out one last time. He pushes through as a large shardof glass cuts further along his back.

EXT. POUCHA POND - UNDERWATER - NIGHT

Gargan dislodges his torso and races away from the car withhis last breath.

A trail of blood follows him back up to the surface.

INT. OLDSMOBILE - UNDERWATER - NIGHT

The CREAKING stops and Mary Jo pauses. She looks back down.

The water level has risen to her chest.

She steadies herself and tries to slow her breathing.

EXT. POUCHA POND BEACH - NIGHT

Gargan climbs out of the water and up the beachhead. Blooddrips from the gashes across his arm, back, and chest.

Markham limps close behind in tremendous pain. They both looklike they’ve had the sh*t kicked out of them.

Gargan hangs his head. Defeated.

He looks back out over the water one last time. He turns back.

The two men walk over the bridge towards the Valiant. Theheadlights still shine out over the water, but this timeneither wants to look. Hope replaced with despair.

Gargan keeps his eyes locked on Ted.

43.

The Senator hasn't moved an inch. He rests comfortablyagainst the bumper.

TED:

You guys gotta get me back to

Edgartown.

Gargan walks right past Ted in disgust. He offers no responseas he gathers up his clothes.

Ted sits and glowers as the two men get dressed behind him.

INT. OLDSMOBILE - UNDERWATER - NIGHT

Mary Jo takes long, deliberate breaths, squeezing her eyes

shut tight. Suddenly, they snap open.

She has an idea.

Mary Jo rushes forward, takes a deep breath, and pushes

herself underwater.

She reemerges in the front seat, where the water level is up

to her neck. Looking for leverage, she presses her arms

against the car.

UNDERWATER:

Her legs extend as far as they can. Her feet press up against

the steering wheel.

ABOVE WATER:

Mary Jo pushes her arms harder against the car.

The horn HONKS loudly.

Mary Jo's face lights up. The tension broken, she manages to

let out a laugh as she honks over and over. She presses ashard as she can and just lays on the horn.

EXT. POUCHA POND BEACH - NIGHT

From high above, the muffled horn echoes through the pond and

out across the beach.

The entire area is desolate. The Valiant is long gone.

The night sky reflects over the serene, calm current as the

honking takes on a frantic, staccato rhythm.

The muffled sound becomes deeper as the horn takes on water

and begins to malfunction.

44.

It sputters and peters out in a slow death.

INT. OLDSMOBILE - UNDERWATER - NIGHT

The horn gives off one last wail that rings out with finality.

Mary Jo's face turns dour. Her hopefulness and optimism nowreplaced with a looming terror as the water rises around her.

INT. VALIANT - CHAPPAQUIDDICK ROAD - NIGHT

Gargan and Markham ride in the front seat, their clothessoaked from the inside. They stare ahead blankly with asilent discomfort. In the back, Ted MUMBLES to himself.

GARGAN:

You’ve got to make a report of theaccident immediately, Ted.

Ted jolts upright, alert and focused.

TED:

Are you f***ing crazy? One of youneeds to report it. Say you weredriving.

GARGAN:

But you said you were driving.

TED:

We can’t exactly have the guy

reporting a car accident be

intoxicated.

MARKHAM:

That rules me out.

TED:

He’s got a point. I’m going to needyour help, Joey. In a big way.

Gargan SLAMS on the brakes.

EXT. CHAPPAQUIDDICK ISLAND - FERRY LANDING - NIGHT

The Valiant skids to a stop several yards away from a metalgate with a sign reading: “FERRY CLOSED”.

Gargan throws open his door and gets out ready for a fight.

He opens Ted’s door.

TED:

I say Joey, what’s the big idea?

45.

GARGAN:

The big idea?! When a person’skilled in an accident, the D.A. isrequired to file charges. You’retrying to put me on the hook formanslaughter!

Ted slowly climbs out of the car. Gargan stands his groundnot offering Ted any breathing room.

TED:

No. You got it all wrong. I’mtrying to get myself off the hook

for manslaughter.

Gargan steps forward, getting right into Ted’s face.

GARGAN:

How is that better?!

TED:

You’re not drunk. You don’t have a

mark on your driving record.

(beat)

You’re not a Kennedy.

This cuts into Gargan, deeper than Ted knows.

GARGAN:

So, because my last name isn’tautomatically front page news youthink I should confess to a crime I

didn’t commit.

TED:

Listen, with you it’s not a crime.

It’s not news. It’s a car accident.

It goes away before it ever becomesa story.

Gargan looks closely into Ted’s eyes. He considers this.

TED (CONT’D)

Whaddaya, say? Ole Joey’ll fix it?

Gargan seethes with rage at this question.

GARGAN:

Ted. I’ve got too much to lose. Notas much as you, but enough to matter.

Gargan walks away in contempt. Ted tries to chase after himbut stumbles, catching himself on the open door.

TED:

Okay, okay. What if we just sayMary Jo was driving?

(MORE)

46.

TED (CONT'D)

You call it in and say that youjust found the whole thing.

GARGAN:

Christ, Ted. I can’t file a falsepolice report!

Ted hoists himself back up on the Valiant door.

TED:

Why the hell not?

GARGAN:

I’m a goddamn lawyer, remember? Icould get disbarred.

MARKHAM:

(drunk, mumbling)

Joey’s right, Senator.

TED:

(to Gargan)

It’s not like this is the first

time I’m asking you to bear false

witness. Don’t get all high andmighty on me.

GARGAN:

This is different.

TED:

How?

GARGAN:

There could be real witnesses!

Jeeze! We weren’t exactly quiet

down there.

TED:

I didn’t hear you screaming for help.

GARGAN:

That’s not the f***ing point!

MARKHAM:

Joey’s right, Senator.

GARGAN:

Do we even know if Mary Jo has alicense? Do we even know if she can

DRIVE?

TED:

I hadn’t thought of that.

47.

GARGAN:

Exactly. And there’s a millionother things I can’t think of now

either because you put me in themiddle of this sh*t storm.

(beat)

The only advice I can give you, andI give it to you not as your friend,

not as your family, but as yourlawyer...you’ve got to report this

thing and you’ve got to do it now.

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