Chinatown Page #6

There's something gleaming in the bottom of it. Gittes notes

it. After a moment, the Gardener drops the long probe -- the

waters recede.

EXT. POND - GITTES AND JAPANESE GARDENER - DAY

GARDENER:

(to Gittes)

Bad for glass.

GITTES:

(not understanding)

Yeah sure. Bad for glass.

The Gardener nods, and is off, leaving Gittes staring at the

object in the bottom of the pond that is gleaming.

He looks at the tool the Gardener was using, hesitates, picks

it up and starts to probe into the pond himself, toward the

gleaming object.

He then spots Evelyn rounding a turn, coming down the

trellised pathway. He casually belts the probe, holds onto

it for poise.

27.

Evelyn is wearing jeans that are lathered white on the inside

of the thighs and laced with brown horsehair.

She's wearing riding boots, is perspiring a little, but looks

younger than she did in the office.

EVELYN:

Yes, Mr. Gittes?

Gittes is a little taken aback at seeing Evelyn. He is annoyed

as well. Nevertheless, he is elaborately polite.

GITTES:

Actually, I'm here to see your

husband, Mrs. Mulwray.

He laughs. a little nervously. He waits for a reply.

There is none. The Chinese Butler appears on the veranda.

EVELYN:

Would you like something to drink?

GITTES:

What are you having?

EVELYN:

Iced tea.

GITTES:

Yeah -- fine, thank you.

Chinese Butler nods, disappears

EXT. POND AND GARDEN - MULWRAY HOUSE - DAY

Evelyn sits at a glass-topped table. Gittes Joins her.

EVELYN:

My husband's at the office.

GITTES:

Actually he's not. And he's moved

from his apartment at the El Macando.

EVELYN:

(sharply)

That's not his apartment.

GITTES:

Anyway I -- the point is, Mrs.

Mulwray, I'm not in business to be

loved, but I am in business, and

believe me, whoever set up your

husband, set me up. L.A.'s

a small town, people talk -

28.

He waits for a response. Then:

GITTES:

(continuing; uneasily)

I'm just trying to make a living,

and I don't want to become a

local joke

EVELYN:

Mr. Gittes, you've talked me into

it. I'll drop the lawsuit.

GITTES:

What ?

EVELYN:

I said I'll drop it.

The iced tea comes on a tray which Ramon sets down between

them.

EVELYN:

(continuing; pleasantly)

-- so let's just -- drop the whole

thing. Sugar? Lemon -

GITTES:

Mrs. Mulwray?

EVELYN:

(as she's mixing one

of the drinks)

-- Yes, Mr. Gittes?

GITTES:

I don't want to drop it.

Evelyn looks up. Gittes smiles a little sheepishly.

GITTES:

I should talk this over with your

husband.

EVELYN:

(a little concerned)

Why?... What on earth for?

Look, Hollis seems to think you're

an innocent man.

GITTES:

Well, I've been accused of many

things, Mrs. Mulwray, but never that.

Again he laughs a little nervously. Again no reaction.

29.

GITTES:

(continuing)

You see, somebody went to a lot of

trouble here, and I want to find

out, lawsuit or no lawsuit.

I'm not the one who's supposed to be

caught with my pants down...

so I'd like to see your husband -unless

that's a problem.

EVELYN:

(with a slight edge)

What do you mean?

GITTES:

May I speak frankly, Mrs. Mulwray?

EVELYN:

You may if you can, Mr. Gittes.

GITTES:

(determined to be

polite)

-- Well, that little girlfriend, she

was attractive -- in a cheap sort of

way of course -- she's disappeared.

Maybe they disappeared together

somewhere.

EVELYN:

(with rising anger)

Suppose they did. How does it concern

you?

GITTES:

-- Nothing personal, Mrs. Mulwray, I

just -

EVELYN:

It's very personal. It couldn't be

more personal. Is this a business or

an obsession with you?

GITTES:

Look at it this way -- Now this phony

broad, excuse the language, says

she's you, she's hired me.

Whoever put her up to it, didn't

have anything against me. They were

out to get your husband.

Now if I see him, I can help him did

you talk this morning?

Evelyn brushes lightly at the horsehair on her Jeans.

EVELYN:

-- No. I went riding rather early -

30.

GITTES:

-- Looks Like you went quite a

distance -

EVELYN:

No, Just riding bareback, that's

all. Anyway, you might try the Oak

Pass or Stone Canyon Reservoirs -sometimes

at lunch Hollis takes walks

around them -- otherwise he'll be

home by 6:
30.

GITTES:

I'll stop by.

EVELYN:

Please call first.

Gittes nods.

EXT. OAK PASS RESERVOIR - DAY

Gittes drives up a winding road, following a flood channel

up into the parched hills.

TWO FIRE TRUCKS, one a rescue truck, are at the entrance to

the reservoir.

The chain link fence with its KEEP OUT sign is open and there

are people milling around. The reservoir is below.

Gittes' car is stopped by a couple of UNIFORMED POLICE.

GUARD:

Sorry, this is closed to the public,

sir.

Gittes hesitates only a moment, then:

GITTES:

(to the Guard)

It's all right -- Russ Yelburton,

Deputy Chief in the Department.

He fishes out one of Yelburton's cards from his handkerchief

pocket -- hands it to the Guard.

GUARD:

Sorry, Mr. Yelburton. Go on down.

Gittes drives past the Guards, through the gate, along the

reservoir. He spots a police car and an unmarked one as well.

Gittes stops and gets out of the car. Several men with their

backs turned, one talking quietly, staring down into the

reservoir where other men in small skiffs are apparently

dredging for something.

31.

One of the men turns and sees Gittes. He recognizes Gittes

and is visibly shocked.

LOACH:

Gittes -- for Chrissakes -

GITTES:

Loach -

LOACH:

(moving to Gittes,

taking him by the

arm)

-- C'mon, get out of here before -

EXT. RESERVOIR - DAY

Loach tries to ease him down the path.

GITTES:

Before what? What the hell's going

on?

At the sound of his raised voice, a man standing at the edge

of the channel, talking to two boys in swimming trunks, turns

around. He's a tall, sleek Mexican in his early thirties,

LUIS ESC0BAR.

Both Gittes and Escobar register considerable surprise at

seeing one another. The men around them are extremely uneasy.

Loach is actually sweating. Finally, Escobar smiles.

ESCOBAR:

Hello, Jake.

GITTES:

(without smiling)

How are you, Lou?

ESCOBAR:

-- I have a cold I can't seem to

shake but other than that, I'm fine.

GITTES:

Summer colds are the worst.

ESCOBAR:

Yeah, they are.

Gittes reaches into his pocket, pulls out his cigarette case.

A FIREMAN:

No smoking, sir -- it's a fire hazard

this time of year -

32.

ESCOBAR:

I think we can make an exception -I'll

see he's careful with the

matches.

GITTES:

(lighting up)

Thanks, Lou.

ESCOBAR:

How'd you get past the guards?

GITTES:

Well, to tell you the truth, I lied

a little.

Escobar nods. They walk a couple of steps -- the other police -two

plainclothesmen and a uniformed officer watch them.

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