Copycat Page #9

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HELEN APPEARS IN WHATEVER SHE SLEEPS IN.

HELEN:

I am not going to look at any more

pictures. They're like a disease.

They get into my head. I can't get

them out.

M.J.

I don't look at pictures. I look

at the real thing. I don't feel

infected.

HELEN:

Maybe that's why you can't catch

him. I know what she looks like --

the red-headed woman in my

computer.

M.J.

I just came from her... here's what

you haven't seen.

M.J. takes out a picture of the dead RED-HEADED WOMAN. Her

manner is that of cop with a witness.

M.J. (cont'd)

A forgery of the Mary Sullivan

murder scene, he's done it perfect.

Except for the sign.

HELEN:

(looking at photo)

She probably let him in the door

without a thought. Where are their

mothers?! Where are the mothers

that are supposed to teach them to

be wary and to tough and not afraid

to fight?

M.J.

Look at the sign. 'Hell'? In the

Festival of Love? You make any

sense in that?

HELEN stares at the picture.

M.J. (cont'd)

For 'Hell', read 'Helen'. He's

talking to you.

HELEN:

It's anybody connected to author-

ity. They write, they even knock

on your door. They're fans. It

thrills them to flirt with getting

caught.

M.J.

Nobody knows you have anything to

do with this case; nothing has been

on TV or the news... Why would he

want to get in your computer?

HELEN:

Because I'm his damned pin-up girl!

His, all of them! They know me.

They're in prisons with libraries,

they collect clippings, I'm their

worthy opponent. You keep my name

out of this.

RUBEN:

Absolutely.

M.J.

My promise.

Andy, who has ducked out, now reappears, dressed for a date.

ANDY:

The moon is up, my night to howl.

Will you be okay?

HELEN:

Oh, God, I forget. Yes. Yes. You

go. Poor thing, you ought to get

out.

ANDY:

(to M.J.)

Look out for her. She's tougher

than you think.

He goes...

HELEN:

I know 'Halloran.' What's the rest

of it?

RUBEN:

MaryJane. We call her M.J.

HELEN:

MaryJane. You think that logic and

police procedure, order and science

and method will hold back the

horrors of a world gone mad and the

sickness of the night. I did once.

But you know how he'll get caught?

He'll have an accident, or some cop

will get lucky. You can't catch

him by being intelligent and

working hard. Or the worst: there

are dozens of women slaughtered in

the most horrible way, month after

month. The news stories grow more

grotesque and bizarre and in the

city people lock their doors and

windows, and hurry home before

dark. And then, one day, there are

no more. What happened? Did he

just stop? Get tired and disgusted

and decide not to kill any more?

Did he kill himself? Did he die in

an auto accident? Or a fight. Or

get sick and die? It's like the

murderer walked off the edge of the

earth. And you never know. But

you keep asking yourself -- when you

read about a new murder -- is he

back?

M.J. stands. She has noted Ruben's reaction to Helen's

story. There is an edge of sarcasm in her voice...

M.J.

That's amazing. A whole new book,

thought up in a minute. Very good.

(beat)

All I know how t do is get up,

take a shower, and go to work.

Hope, if he does another I'll nail

the son of b*tch, and they'll spell

my name right in the newspaper.

Where is Andy going?

HELEN:

He's going home. He slept over

because I was a little anxious...

M.J.

I want a guard on you. I'm worried

about leaving you alone.

RUBEN:

(to M.J.)

We're through for the night, aren't

we? You go on. Get some sleep.

I'll stay until we can get a man

out here and maybe catch a cab

home.

HELEN:

That would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

M.J.

(to Helen)

Somewhere down the line we're doing

to find a connection between him

and you. I want you to worry that

idea like a loose tooth.

Three voices chime self-conscious 'Good-nights.'

CUT TO:

EXT. HELEN'S BUILDING - NIGHT

THE SILENT WATCHER'S POV through the eye of the

CAMCORDER, we catch M.J. exit HELEN'S building. She stops

momentarily on the sidewalk to look up at Helen's window...

The drapes swing open. RUBEN CAN BE SEEN DOING SOMETHING AT

THE WINDOWS... The Camcorder zooms to a close-up of M.J.

She gets into her car and speeds off.

INT. HELEN'S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS

Ruben is checking the windows...

RUBEN:

You ought to get some decent locks

on these. A six-year-old could get

in here. Much less a motivated

man.

At the phrase 'motivated man', HELEN looks at him boldly in the

eye.

HELEN:

You and MaryJane aren't lovers.

RUBEN:

Not yet.

HELEN laughs. So does RUBEN. Her boldness, her laughter,

attracts him. His honesty attracts HELEN. He feels the

heat.

HELEN:

Are you always so bold?

RUBEN:

No. I'm shy and I'm selective.

His grin says he'd select her anytime...

RUBEN:

The problem for me is... you're in

the witness category.

(beat -- Jack

Nicholson)

Know what I mean?

HELEN:

Well. Another time, then.

(beat)

I'll be all right. He's not going

to attack me; what I' m rally

afraid of is all in my own head,

Ruben.

They smile ruefully at one another, and without further

conversation, leave the bedroom.

CUT TO:

INT. HELEN'S FRONT DOOR - NIGHT

RUBEN is outside the door. HELEN just inside.

RUBEN:

They'll have a guard here tomorrow.

I know you have the idea, but it'll

make me feel a lot better.

She smiles, and RUBEN turns, walks away. She stays in the

doorway watching his retreat. About ten feet away, he

suddenly stops.

RUBEN:

Hey!

He turns around, she is still in the doorway. He reaches

for his wallet, withdraws a card, holds it up to her.

RUBEN:

The number for my cellular.

RUBEN:

Don't hesitate. Anytime. Night or

day. I mean that.

He hods card out to her. HELEN, holding onto the door

frame, doesn't move. RUBEN continues to extend his hand

with the card in it. It is a charged moment. She is frozen

in the doorway; RUBEN refuses to make a move towards her.

HELEN summons all her nerve and lets go of the door frame,

determined not to have any further mortification this night,

she takes one shaky step out into the hallway to meet him.

Then a second step and a third.

Her hand touches the card, takes it.

She turns her head to gauge the distance she must retreat.

What she sees is that the door's Sureclose device has

quietly and efficiently closed. The door is locked.

Frantic, she turns back toward RUBEN.

HER POV:

RUBEN, now seems a vast distance away from her. He is just

turning down the stairs and is gone... The hallway first

narrows, squeezing her in, then expands. She is lost in the

miles and miles of space between the two walls.

HELEN:

Oh, God! Help me!

RUBEN reappears, races toward her...

RUBEN:

Tell me what to do!

HELEN:

I'm falling! I'm going to fall!

She starts to pass out, to sink to her knees, but RUBEN

catches her, puts her up against the wall, handling her like

a suspect. He puts one hand on the back of her neck,

spreads her legs, gets her in frisk position. Somehow, this

is comforting to her, but she is still in full-blown

panic...

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