Devil in a Blue Dress Page #7

36.

37 CONTINUED:
37

WHOMP! Easy takes one to the diaphragm, and as he doubles

over the fat detective slips the handcuffs on behind his

back.

MASON:

You got a right to fall down and

break your face, n*gger. You got a

right to die.

The two cops drag Easy to the car and dump him into the back

seat where he lies gagging as the car whisks away.

38 INT. POLICE STATION 38

Easy's head sags down as he's dragged through the front door

past blurred blue bodies that talk.

POLICEMAN (O.S.)

You got 'im, huh, Miller?

MILLER (O.S.)

Yeah, we got him coming home.

Nothing on 'im.

A door opens and Easy finds himself being flung inside.

39 INT. INTERROGATION ROOM 39

On his knees he hears the door close and looks up at a

single, bare wooden chair resting on the corroded linoleum

floor.

He crawls to one of the urine-stained corners, and looks down

on a dry, flat corpse of a mouse. He pushes his shoulder

against the unpainted plaster until he's standing and then

stumbles over to the chair and sits. He looks up at the

bare pipes that run along the ceiling, dripping water, and

at a window with criss-cross chairs instead of glass framing,

overgrown branches and leaves pushing their way in.

THE DOOR opens and Miller comes in first carrying a

notebook.

MILLER:

Ezekiel Rawlins.

Yes, sir.

EASY:

Mason follows and closes the door.

MILLER:

We can take off the cuffs if you

wanna cooperate.

37.

39 CONTINUED:
39

EASY:

I'm cooperating.

Miller motions to Mason and he removes the cuffs.

MILLER:

Where were you this morning at

about five A.M.?

EASY:

(stalling)

What do you mean?

MASON:

He means--

He plants his foot in Easy's chest and pushes him over

backwards.

MASON:

--this morning.

Easy has caught himself and stands back up.

EASY:

I don't know... I was out drinkin'

and I helped carry a friend home.

I could've been on my way home... I

don't know... I didn't look at a

clock...

MASON:

(wandering over)

He didn't look at a clock.

WHOCK! Easy takes a fist to the ear and struggles to keep

his balance, wiping away blood streaming down.

MILLER:

You were drinkin' down on Eighty-

ninth and Central... At an illegal

club called John's, weren't you?

Mason moves again but this time Easy turns to face him and

the fat man looks back with an innocent face, his palms

turned up.

MILLER:

You may as well answer 'cause you

got bigger troubles than us bustin'

an illegal bar, Ezekiel.

EASY:

What do you mean? What's goin' on?

38.

39 CONTINUED:
(2) 39

Mason has taken off his shoe and is swatting it against the

palm of his hand.

MASON:

Means we can take your black ass

out behind the station and put a

bullet in your head.

MILLER:

Now. What time did you leave

Coretta James' house this morning?

EASY:

I guess about five... five-

thirty...

Miller and Mason glance at each other, and Mason kicks the

chair over toward Easy.

MASON:

Sit down.

EASY:

Why, I'm gonna sit down and you

keep trying to knock me down?

But he sits down anyway.

MILLER:

Did you go back and see Miss James

later in the day?

EASY:

No, sir.

MILLER:

Did you and Dupree Brouchard have

words over Miss James?

EASY:

Huh?

MASON:

You heard 'im. Did you two argue

over Coretta James?

EASY:

Naw. He was asleep.

MILLER:

She went to sleep too, Ezekiel.

But she won't be waking up...

Easy's face goes sick...

39.

39 CONTINUED:
(3) 39

MILLER:

(continuing)

Where'd you go when you left Miss

James' house?

Easy is too stunned to answer.

MASON:

You heard him, where'd you go?

Easy stares into space, answering in barely a whisper.

EASY:

I went home with a hangover...

CHOONK! CHOONK! Mason fires off two punches and Easy grabs

his wrists and pulls him down to the floor, swinging around,

straddling Mason sitting on his ass...

Miller's police special presses into Easy's temple and

Miller speaks to him quietly, deadly.

MILLER:

Get up slow... Real f***in' slow or

you know what's gonna happen.

Easy raises his hands and uncoils to his feet, backing away

cautiously.

Mason is winded and furious.

MASON:

Okay. Let's take him out back.

He gets to his feet and reaches for his gun, but Miller

stops his hand.

MILLER:

No. Let's go.

MASON:

Bullshit, I'm gonna blow his--

MILLER:

Let's go!

He pushes Mason toward the door.

MASON:

Son-of-a-b*tch! Son-of-a-b*tch!

They exit the door and Easy rubs at his bloody ear.

40.

40 EXT. L.A. CITY JAIL - NIGHT 40

Easy walks down the steps of the station buttoning up his

top shirt button, his hand cupped to his aching ear to keep

out the chill of the night air.

The street is dark and deserted like a giant black alley

except for the black and white patrol car that sits at the

curb. A taut-faced officer leans out the window.

OFFICER:

Hey, Buddy!... It's a long walk...

why don't you let us give you a

ride?

Easy walks across the street off into the darkness...

41 EXT. FOURTH STREET BRIDGE - NIGHT 41

A snatch of MUSIC and LAUGHTER startles Easy as he trudges

home and a car full of teenagers shoots by. And then...

A BLACK CADILLAC LIMOUSINE

cruises up behind and drives alongside.

Hey, you!

VOICE FROM CAR:

Ezekiel Rawlins!

The window rolls down all the way and a white face in a

black cap appears in the window.

CHAUFFEUR:

Ezekiel, hold on.

Easy keeps walking.

CHAUFFEUR:

Come on, fella. Somebody in the

back wants to talk to you.

EASY:

I don't have time right now.

He doubles his pace, almost running.

CHAUFFEUR:

Jump in. We'll take you.

wants to talk to you.

My boss

Easy cuts behind the limo and into the street headed for the

other side of the bridge but

41.

41 CONTINUED:
41

The Cadillac whips a U-turn blocking his way in the middle

of the street while cars pass, honking, on either side. The

tall angular chauffeur gets out of the car and holds up his

hands as if making peace.

Easy starts to make another move to escape but:

CHAUFFEUR:

(continuing)

Come on. If we wanted to hurt you

it would have already happened...

He opens the back door and after a few moments, Easy gets

in.

42 INT. LIMOUSINE - NIGHT 42

Easy settles into the seat with his back to the driver.

Edith Piaf's "Parles Moi D'Amour" adds sugar to the strong

smell of cologne and the portly form of Matthew Teran sits

across from him with a small MEXICAN BOY in pajamas seated

next to him holding a small elephant.

TERAN:

I can see that the police roughed

you up a bit... That's a terrible

practice of theirs which has to

change, Mr. Rawlins... Has to

change.

He opens his gold cigarette case and offers Easy a

cigarette. Easy accepts and Teran lights them both up.

TERAN:

(continuing)

She was beaten. And died from a

heavy blow to the back of the head,

Mr. Rawlins.

Easy begins to feel nauseous.

TERAN:

The evening's events have caught my

adopted son and I quite off

guard... My household was asleep

when we got the call that the

police had a suspect in Coretta

James' murder... Did you know that

she was a friend of mine, Mr.

Rawlins!?

EASY:

No I didn't, Mr. Teran.

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