Chinatown Page #18

97.

EVELYN:

(continuing)

She's too upset.

GITTES:

What about?

EVELYN:

Hollis' death. I tried to keep it

from her, I didn't want her upset

before I could make plans for her to

leave.

GITTES:

You mean she just found out?

EVELYN:

Yes.

GITTES:

That's not what it looks like, Mrs.

Mulwray.

EVELYN:

What does it look like?

GITTES:

Like she knows about Hollis' death -like

she knows more than you want

her to tell.

EVELYN:

You're insane.

Gittes explodes.

GITTES:

Just tell me the truth -- I'm not

the police. I don't care what you've

done. I'm not going to hurt you -but

one way or another I'm going to

know.

EVELYN:

You won't go to the police if I tell

you?

GITTES:

I will if you don't.

A long pause. Evelyn's head sinks onto the steering wheel,

her hair covering her face.

EVELYN:

She's my sister.

98.

Evelyn is breathing very deeply now -- not crying, but the

kind of deep breathing that comes from real hysteria.

Gittes puts an arm on her shoulder.

GITTES:

Take it easy... If it's your sister

it's your sister... why all the

secrecy?

She lifts her head and looks up at him. He's genuinely

puzzled.

EVELYN:

(really upset)

I can't...

GITTES:

Because of Hollis? Because she was

seeing your husband? Was that it?

Jesus Christ, say something.

Was that it?

She nods. Gittes sighs.

EVELYN:

(finally)

I would never ever have harmed Hollis.

I loved him more than my own family.

He was the most gentle, decent man

imaginable... and he put up with

more from me than you'll ever know...

I just wanted him to be happy...

She begins to cry softly.

GITTES:

(after a moment)

-- I took your husband's Buick...

(he opens the car

door)

I'll return it tomorrow.

EVELYN:

Aren't you coming back with me?

GITTES:

-- Don't worry. I'm not telling

anybody about this.

EVELYN:

... That's not what I meant.

There is a long moment of silence. Gittes looks over to

Evelyn. Her hair covers most of her face from him.

99.

GITTES:

(finally)

Yeah, well... I'm very tired, Mrs.

Mulwray. Good night.

He gets out and slams the car door. She drives off.

INT. SHOWER - GITTES' APARTMENT - GITTES

The spray is hitting him full on the top of the head. Gittes

is so exhausted he's literally holding onto the nozzle as

the water pours down. He shuts the shower off, reaches weakly

for a towel -- dabs his nose lightly with it.

INT. GITTES' BEDROOM - GITTES

pads around in elegant silk pajamas.

He walks over to the window where morning light is streaming

in. He closes the curtains, collapses on the bed, on top of

the covers, inert. Almost immediately the PHONE RINGS. Gittes

lets it go on for a moment, then picks it up without saying

anything.

VOICE ON PHONE:

(male)

Gittes?... Gittes?

GITTES:

-- Yeah.

VOICE ON PHONE:

Ida Sessions wants to see you.

GITTES:

Who?

VOICE 0N PHONE

Ida Sessions, you remember Ida.

Gittes slowly rises to one elbow.

GITTES:

-- Yeah?... I do?

VOICE ON PHONE:

Sure you do.

GITTES:

-- Well, tell you what, pal. If Ida

wants to see me she can call me -at

my office.

He hangs up, falls back down. PHONE RINGS AGAIN. AND AGAIN.

Gittes swears, picks it up.

100.

VOICE ON PHONE:

684 1/2 East Tensington -- Echo Park.

She begged me to call.

She's waiting for you.

Before Gittes can say anything, the phone clicks dead.

EXT. CERRITOS TOWER ROAD - HOLLYWOOD HILLS - EARLY MORNING

Gittes pulls up. It is a bungalow courtyard with a very narrow

walkway and sickly green stucco.

EXT. IDA SESSIONS' APARTMENT - DAY

Gittes at the front door. It's slightly ajar. He knocks.

Nothing. He opens it and enters.

INT. LIVING ROOM

Morning light filters through the half-open blinds. Dust

particles in the shafts of light. It's still and empty.

Gittes sees something down the hall, under the legs of a

telephone table. Gittes moves toward it. It is grotesque.

When he gets closer he can see it's a wilted head of lettuce.

Just inside the kitchen some radishes and onions lie on the

linoleum. Gittes walks on into the kitchen.

INT. KITCHEN

Clearing the kitchen counter, Gittes sees IDA SESSIONS lying

on her back on the floor, surrounded by the groceries from a

broken bag. Ice cream has melted around her. Her eyes are

open, a stream of ants is moving across the ice cream and

into her mouth. She's recognizable as the woman who posed as

Evelyn Mulwray.

Gittes kneels over her. He gingerly opens her handbag, fishes

for its contents, takes them and looks at them on the kitchen

counter -- wallet with a few bills in it, driver's license.

with her name -- a Screen Actors Guild card. Gittes nods -turns,

carefully replaces the items in the purse.

He idly opens the broom closet, pantry, and even Frigidaire -which

is all but empty. Then he steps over her body and moves

across the hall to a door that is slightly ajar.

INT. BATHROOM

Gittes enters and turns on the light.

ESCOBAR:

Find anything interesting, Gittes?

101.

Escobar and another PLAINCLOTHED MAN stand in the bathroom

by the entrance to the bedroom door. Gittes turns around. A

THIRD MAN is now coming down the hall from the bedroom.

Gittes looks at the two, doesn't reply.

ESCOBAR:

What are you doing here?

GITTES:

Didn't you call?

ESCOBAR:

(jerk of his head

toward the kitchen)

How do you happen to know her?

GITTES:

I don't.

ESCOBAR:

(turning toward other

room)

-- Let me show you something.

INT. KITCHEN

Escobar points to the number MU 7279 on the side of one of

the kitchen cabinets.

ESCOBAR:

Isn't that your number?

GITTES:

Is it? I forget. I don't call myself

that often.

ESCOBAR:

Just to be on the safe side, we had

Loach here give you a ring.

He indicates one of his assistants.

ESCOBAR'S ASSISTANT

(a slight sneer)

What happened to your nose, Gittes?

Somebody slam a bedroom window on

it?

GITTES:

(right back, smiling)

Nope, your wife got excited, crossed

her legs a little too quick. You

understand, pal.

The Assistant starts to move for Gittes who is ready for

him. Escobar steps between the two.

102.

ESCOBAR:

(to other Assistant)

Loach.

(Escobar pulls out a

drawer)

How about these? Look familiar?

In the open drawer are the photos of Mulwray and the girl in

the park, boat, and at the El Macando on the veranda.

GITTES:

(no point in denying

it)

Yeah, I took 'em. So what?

ESCOBAR:

How did she -(

meaning the corpse)

-- happen to have them?

Gittes takes a deep breath.

GITTES:

Either you tell me or I guess '

cause I don't have the answer.

Escobar nods.

ESCOBAR:

You really think I'm stupid, don't

you, Gittes?

GITTES:

I don't think about it one way or

the other. But if you want, give me

a day or two, and I'll get back to

you. Now I'd like to go home.

ESCOBAR:

I want the rest of the pictures.

GITTES:

What pictures?

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