Croupier Page #18

JACK:

(looks at the card)

I'll try and make it.

GILES:

Looking forward!

GILES goes back to his group. JACK looks round the

bookstore, sees thousands of books in piles.

JACK'S VOICE

Books piled like chips. Stack 'em

high. Sell 'em fast. Make a killing.

You think you're a gambler, Giles,

but you're not. You're a dealer.

A camera flash.

EXT. COUNTRY ROAD - NIGHT

JANI'S white Honda winds its way through the wintry

Oxfordshire countryside. The moon is bright.

JACK'S VOICE

Chapter Four...

INT. HONDA - NIGHT

JANI, wearing dark glasses, is driving. JACK, beside her,

reads a map with a torch.

JACK:

I don't know how you can drive at

night with those glasses.

She turns and smiles at him. Her left hand is bandaged.

JACK:

How did you hurt your hand?

JANI:

Just an accident. Nothing.

JACK:

Turn left ahead.

The car turns into a lane.

JACK:

Jani, there's something I want to

say. Before we get there. I don't

know what the sleeping arrangements

are. Giles probably expects us to

share a room.

JANI:

That's fine.

EXT. COUNTRY HOUSE - NIGHT

The Honda's tyres crackle on the gravel drive which leads

to a floodlit yellow stone country house. There are three

cars parked outside the entrance. The Honda stops next to

them.

INT. HONDA - NIGHT

JACK prepares to get out. JANI catches his arm. She takes

off her dark glasses. Her right eye is bruised.

JANI:

There's no point pretending it was

an accident. I had a fight with

someone, that's all.

In the distance there is the sound of a tennis ball being

struck.

EXT. COUNTRY HOUSE - TENNIS COURT - NIGHT

A floodlit tennis court. A racquet smacks a tennis ball.

JACK sits with GILES drinking Bloody Marys watching a game

of mixed doubles.

Everybody's wearing sweaters. JANI is playing with one of

GILES'S friends, GORDON. On the other side, two girls,

FIONA from Giles' office, and CHLOE, Gordon's girlfriend.

JACK follows JANI'S game. She is far and away the best of

the four.

GILES is also studying JANI's movements, her knickers when

she serves.

GILES:

She's a dab hand With a racquet,

your friend.

JACK:

South African women are very sporty.

JACK watches JANI'S strong leg muscles as she moves about

the court.

GILES:

I can see. How did she get that

shiner?

JACK has been waiting for this.

JACK:

I found her in bed with someone.

GILES:

(surprised)

Who was he?

JACK:

She.

GIEES:

I say. You're a dark horse, Jack.

On court, Jani delivers a winning overhead smash. The four

PLAYERS shake hands across the net. They come off the court.

GORDON puts his arm around JANI. His girlfriend CHLOE

notices. JACK is irritated. GILES catches the moment.

GORDON:

(to Jack)

You don't play tennis?

JACK:

I don't play anything.

GORDON:

How boring for you.

JANI moves deliberately away from GORDON, who clearly

fancies her, and sits down beside JACK. She pointedly kisses

him on the cheek. GILES glances at GORDON, who shrugs.

FIONA comes up to GILES.

FIONA:

Where's our drinks?

CHLOE:

They're so bloody selfish.

JANI:

(to Jack)

I'm so glad you brought me.

JACK'S VOICE

Jack wouldn't have come without

her.

INT. COUNTRY HOUSE - DRAWING ROOM - NIGHT

JACK and JANI, GILES, GORDON and their two GIRLFRIENDS are

sitting down with drinks at a card table. GORDON opens a

fresh deck of cards.

JACK:

I don't gamble.

GILES:

Don't be a spoilsport. It's only a

few quid.

JACK:

It's nothing to do with money. I

don't gamble.

GILES looks to JANI to persuade him.

JANI:

He doesn't gamble.

JACK:

I'll watch.

GORDON:

(insinuatingly)

Jack likes to watch.

(to Jani)

Does he like to watch?

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