Devil in a Blue Dress Page #2

better. Got his high school

certificate from night school.

He's threatenin' up on some

college. And he's one of the few

colored men around here who owns

his own house. Shoot, he pays a

mortgage every month just like a

white man.

ALBRIGHT:

Property owner, hunh?

He turns up his drink and sets the empty glass down on the

counter.

6.

4 CONTINUED:
(3) 4

ALBRIGHT:

(continuing)

These big companies, don't give a

damn, do they?

He reaches in his coat pocket and produces a business card

and scribbles something on it.

ALBRIGHT:

(continuing)

If you need a job, drop by this

address at seven tonight.

Easy takes the card and glances at it.

EASY:

What kind of work you do?

ALBRIGHT:

I do favors... I do favors for

friends. Drop by.

He nods to Joppy and walks out the door.

EASY:

Who the hell is that, Joppy?

JOPPY:

Just somebody I know... A bidness

man.

EASY:

What kinda business?

JOPPY:

Oh, I don't ask him all that. He

comes in here every so often

looking for somebody to do a little

job for him... He pays good.

EASY:

In other words, he's a gangster.

JOPPY:

I didn't say that... But if there's

a dollar laying in the street I

don't think he'll let a little dirt

stop him from picking it up. If

you worried about making that house

note this month, maybe you wanna

pay him a call. All them pretty

girls you be with ain't gonna buy

you a house.

7.

4 CONTINUED:
(4) 4

Easy c*cks his head "Are you crazy?"

JOPPY:

(continuing)

Sound like he just wants you to

keep your eyes open for somebody...

He'll pay you whether you see

anything or not... If it was me I'd

take that man's money and go on

about my bidness... Ain't nothin'

to worry about.

Easy is still suspicious, but can't take his eyes off the

card.

EASY (V.O.)

When somebody tells me "Don't

worry," I usually look down to see

if my fly is open... I noticed

Albright didn't bother to pay for

his drink.

5 EXT. EASY'S '46 PONTIAC - DAY 5

Little single family houses with tiny yards of St. Augustine

grass rush toward the amber Indianhead hood ornament on

Easy's car.

6 INT. EASY'S CAR 6

Duke Ellington's "Mood Indigo" plays on the radio as Easy

heads for home in thought.

EASY (V.O.)

(continuing)

DeWitt Albright reminded me of

somebody I knew back in Houston.

His name was Raymond Alexander but

we called him Mouse... Mouse called

hisself a businessman too. And I

found out that I shouldn't be

nowhere around when Mouse got down

to his business... I learned that

the hard way.

A neighbor sweeps out her front porch and waves at Easy as

he slows down in front of his house.

7 EXT. EASY'S HOUSE - DAY 7

He gets out of his car and a group of children chasing a man

giving goat cart rides, washes past him in the street.

8.

7 CONTINUED:
7

A MAN with an unruly head of hair and full beard pushing a

wheelbarrow with a double edged axe wheels up behind Easy as

he opens his gate.

WOODCUTTER:

Want me to knock down some of them

trees back there for you?

EASY:

(irritated)

No... Just leave the trees alone.

Easy continues up his walkway past flower beds of dahlias

and wild roses and stops on his front porch to check on his

African violets in a jar next to the front door.

8 INT. EASY'S HOUSE 8

He walks into his tiny living room and tosses his jacket

onto the sofa. Then moves on through the kitchen and out

the back door.

9 EXT. EASY'S HOUSE - BACKYARD - DAY 9

He picks up a water hose and turns on the faucet, watering

and admiring his apple, avocado, pomegranate and banana

trees as he lights a cigarette.

EASY (V.O.)

I had moved to Los Angeles right

after the war with three hundred

dollars and the G.I. Bill... And I

liked coming home to a place that

was mine... According to President

Truman I had that comin' to me

'cause I had fought in 'the good

war' against Hitler in Europe...

But that didn't mean a damn thing

to a lotta white folks including

the foreman on my job... So, here I

was out of work needin' thirty-two

dollars to pay the mortgage... That

was three days pay on my old job --

and I had about three days to get

it.

10 EXT. OFFICE BUILDING - NIGHT 10

Easy parks in front of a large Spanish-style building.

gets out and walks to the black wrought iron entrance.

He

9.

11 EXT. COURTYARD - NIGHT 11

Easy makes his way through the overgrown patio with roses

and vines cascading down from office windows on the second

floor.

A12 INT. OFFICE - NIGHT A12

Someone is watching Easy as he looks for the right office.

12 EXT. COURTYARD - NIGHT 12

A small white MAN pops out from behind a hedge startling

Easy. He wears a suit that also serves as a uniform.

SECURITY GUARD:

What are you doing here?

EASY:

I'm looking for, uh...

SECURITY GUARD:

We only take deliveries between

nine and six...

EASY:

No, no... I...

Yes, we do!

leave.

SECURITY GUARD:

Now you'd better

He clutches a baton in his hand and swats it into his open

palm.

EASY:

Uh... Albright!

What?

SECURITY GUARD:

EASY:

I'm here to see Mr. Albright.

DeWitt Albright!

SECURITY GUARD:

Where's your delivery?

He holds out his scrawny hand.

EASY:

I have an appointment -- I'm

supposed to meet him.

10.

12 CONTINUED:
12

SECURITY GUARD:

Did he give you a note to come in

here after hours?

Easy only stares, hating this little man.

SECURITY GUARD:

Well, did he? Because if he

didn't--

EASY:

Forget it, man. Next time I see

him I'll just tell him you wouldn't

let me in.

Disgusted, Easy turns to leave.

SECURITY GUARD:

Hold on.

He sizes up Easy and then points across the courtyard.

SECURITY GUARD:

(like an order)

Across that way to the left and

down the stairs...

Easy half nods/half glares and walks away.

13 OMIT 13

At the other side of the garden Easy turns a corner and

heads down concrete steps. At the bottom he opens a door

leading into

14 INT. BASEMENT - CORRIDOR 14

He looks into the boiler room but turns into an empty

corridor stopping at a heavy steel door at the end.

He knocks. After a moment a tall and slight MAN with curly

brown hair and the complexion of an East Indian opens the door.

15 INT. MAINTENANCE ROOM 15

A short and stocky kind of Chinese-looking MAN stands

against the door at the far end. The Tall Man ushers Easy

into the clutter of heavy metal tools, cans of paint and

cleaning solutions. A card table with two chairs sits idly.

The Tall Man closes the door and holds out his hand. Easy

reaches to shake it but the man starts to pat Easy on his

side and Easy pushes him away.

11.

15 CONTINUED:
15

Hey, man!

EASY:

What's wrong with you?

The Chinese Man slips a hand inside his coat and the Tall

Man smiles.

TALL MAN:

(with an accent)

Mr. Rawlins, put your hands up a

little from your sides, please.

EASY:

Keep your hands to yourself. I

don't let no man feel on me like

that.

The Chinese Man pulls some kind of weapon halfway out and

takes a step forward, and the Tall Man tries to put his hand

against Easy's chest but Easy grabs his wrist.

TALL MAN:

Don't worry, Manny. He's okay.

Just a little shaky.

(indicating the door)

Let him know.

Manny pushes his weapon back in his coat and knocks on the

door behind him.

After a moment, DeWitt Albright opens up.

Easy.

ALBRIGHT:

(smiling)

TALL MAN:

He doesn't want us to touch him.

ALBRIGHT:

Leave it, Shariff. I just wanted

to make sure he was solo.

SHARIFF:

You're the boss.

ALBRIGHT:

You guys can go now.

have some business.

Easy and I

16 INT. MAINTENANCE OFFICE 16

Easy follows Albright inside and the big man goes behind a

big wooden desk and puts his bone-colored shoes up next to a

half full bottle of Wild Turkey. On the other end of the

desk a small radio scratches out the Glen Gray Orchestra's

"Gotta Be This or That."

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