Devil in a Blue Dress Page #9

(forces a weak smile)

She told me you two became 'good

friends' yesterday...

(tears gather in her

eyes)

I talked to her this morning before

she died.

(regaining control)

I... uh... need to go across town

to see someone. It's very

important... I can't seem to reach

him by phone. I'm afraid I'd

better have someone go with me.

48.

48 CONTINUED:
(2) 48

EASY:

Uh... Miss Monet--

DAPHNE:

Call me Daphne.

EASY:

Daphne--

DAPHNE:

I can understand why you'd be

nervous... because I threatened you

with Coretta... I'm very sorry, but

I couldn't think of any other way

to get you to come.

She takes another drink and stubs out her cigarette though

it's less than a third gone.

EASY:

I can't -- why don't you ask Frank?

She gets up and starts to pace nervously about the room.

DAPHNE:

He's out of town -- I... I'm

willing to pay you.

EASY:

That's nice of you but, see, I'm

not really a detective--

DAPHNE:

--I know that.

EASY:

I was just hired to ask around to

try to find you for a man--

DAPHNE:

I know all about that, Mr. Rawlins.

EASY:

But this is a gettin' a little out of

hand--

DAPHNE:

--Mr. Rawlins--

EASY:

--Easy.

49.

48 CONTINUED:
(3) 48

DAPHNE:

Easy... If you don't help me, then

I'll call the police and tell them

that you were with Coretta before

she died and that you've been after

me too.

That stops Easy.

EASY:

You'd do that?

DAPHNE:

Yes, I would. I don't want to but

I would.

She hates herself for threatening and decides to change

direction, moving in close.

DAPHNE:

Please let me pay you.

EASY:

No. I can't do that.

DAPHNE:

Why?

EASY:

I don't want no part of all this.

DAPHNE:

Please, I'll pay you twenty

dollars.

EASY:

No dice.

DAPHNE:

Thirty... or even more. Name your

price.

She moves in closer, massaging with her voice.

DAPHNE:

(continuing)

Go ahead. There's gotta be

something that you want.

Her eyes make an offer, but he's a better man than me and

he's not taking.

50.

48 CONTINUED:
(4) 48

DAPHNE:

(angrily,

sarcastically)

What? Are you afraid I'll yell

rape or something?

She walks away and turns up her glass, her desperation, raw,

unguarded.

EASY:

Uh, Miss Monet... Daphne, I'm sorry

but I really better be goin'.

He starts out and she runs to stop him.

DAPHNE:

Easy, don't touch that door--

He opens it and

SCREAM! Like an alarm, she's SHRIEKING all of the scale.

49 He looks out and sees 49

LIGHTS GOING ON in other rooms.

50 BACK TO SCENE 50

He looks back frantically and grabs her by the shoulders.

EASY:

Crazy assed broad!

are you doing?!

What the hell

DAPHNE:

I'm really very sorry.

am.

I really

She pulls on a coat and grabs her purse.

DAPHNE:

(continuing)

I didn't want to do this but...

Shall we?

She grabs an already packed suitcase and is out the door.

51 EXT. LAUREL CANYON - NIGHT 51

Easy's Pontiac snakes up the winding road, city lights

glimmering in flashes below as it rounds the curves.

51.

52 INT. EASY'S CAR - NIGHT 52

Ben Webster's "I've Got It Bad" plays on the road as Easy

shifts nervously in his seat, his eyes searching in the

rearview mirror and all around for headlights that might be

unfriendly. Daphne leans back against the passenger door,

taking him in.

Easy passes a police car pulled over to the side.

He looks in the rearview mirror and its headlights go on.

He takes a deep breath, bracing for the worst and Daphne

looks back concerned.

But the lights arch a U-turn and head back the other way.

DAPHNE:

They must not have seen us that

well... God, Frank and I have been

pulled over so many times I

thought--

She catches herself and looks over at Easy.

DAPHNE:

(continuing)

Easy, I'm sorry... Don't be mad at

me.

Easy keeps his eyes on the road.

DAPHNE:

(continuing)

Come on.

She tries to touch his arm and he pulls away.

DAPHNE:

(continuing)

You really hate me, don't you?

EASY:

How much further is it?

DAPHNE:

Around the next bend...

(she grins)

You remind me of Frank when he gets

angry.

EASY:

Ain't nothin' about me like Frank.

DAPHNE:

Your jaw sets just like his when--

52.

52 CONTINUED:
52

EASY:

I don't get no kick outta risking

my life for some white woman's

entertainment.

DAPHNE:

(sighing)

Just park behind the Studebaker.

53 EXT. RICHARD'S CABIN / INT. EASY'S PONTIAC 53

The Studebaker is parked at a deadend in the street.

pulls in behind.

Easy

The cabin is so overgrown with ivy that all this is visible

is the mailbox and address.

DAPHNE:

Did you bring a gun or something?

What? No.

EASY:

DAPHNE:

Easy, that's not very smart.

Everybody carries a weapon now a

days.

EASY:

(defensively)

Well then where's yours?

DAPHNE:

Search me sometime.

it.

You'll find

She gets out of the car.

Damn...

EASY:

He frowns and gets out of the car.

54 OMIT 54

55 EXT. RICHARD'S CABIN - NIGHT 55

Daphne waits, clutching her suitcase and lets Easy lead the

way.

They get to the door and find it ajar.

inside and then cautiously steps in.

Easy takes a look

53.

56 INT. RICHARD'S CABIN - NIGHT 56

He flicks on the wall switch. It's a typical little

hideaway that the rich kept for summer use. The living

room, dining room, and kitchen are all in one with a long

counter separating the kitchen.

On the left is a wooden couch with a Mexican rug thrown

across it and a metal chair with tan cushions for the seat

and back. The opposite wall is all glass with the city

lights blinking in the distance.

Mr. McGee...

DAPHNE:

No answer. Easy leads them to a door and opens it.

57 BEDROOM 57

Another wall of glass and

A DEAD MAN spread out on the king-sized bed, with the

contents of the dresser and closet strewn all over the room.

Oh, my God!

DAPHNE:

She gags and backs out of the room with her hand over her

mouth in case she throws up.

Easy takes out a handkerchief and holds it over his mouth

and nose as he gets a closer look at the body.

It's the drunk white man he had seen at John's Speakeasy in

the same blue suit. He's lying on his back like a crucifix

with a butcher knife buried in his chest. There's blood

that has drained from his chest and gathered around his face

and hair so dark and thick you could scoop it up like Jello.

Easy actually does throw up and doubles over, dropping to a

knee to keep his balance and some control. He stays there

for several moments regaining his composure and then spots a

spilled ashtray and a cigarette butt. He lifts it off the

floor and smells it. He wipes his mouth with the

handkerchief and then wraps the butt inside and puts it in

his pocket. He gets up.

Daphne!

EASY:

He hears a CAR ENGINE start up and GEARS SHIFTING.

runs out the door.

Then

54.

58 EXT. RICHARD'S HOUSE - NIGHT 58

A pink Studebaker whips backward out the driveway. Easy

runs alongside trying to stop Daphne as she screeches into

the street.

EASY:

Hey, wait a minute!

She speeds off down the canyon.

Dammit!

EASY:

He stands in the middle of the street, watching her go.

59 INT. EASY'S CAR - SUNRISE 59

Fiery orange light bounces off the hood of the car into

Easy's face as he turns the corner onto his block. He is

surprised to see

A WHITE CADILLAC parked in front of his house.

his front door that's open.

And now it's

BACK TO EASY:

He pulls in behind the Caddy and gets out.

60 INT. EASY'S HOUSE 60

He pushes open the door. Shariff loiters just inside,

grinning at him, and Manny stands in the middle of the

living room looking at the floor. From a RADIO in another

room Tommy Dorsey plays "Blue Skies" with Frank Sinatra out

front. And so Easy walks past the two hoods into

THE KITCHEN:

Albright turns from looking out the backyard window with a

porcelain coffee cup cradled in his right hand.

Easy.

ALBRIGHT:

Easy looks at the coffee pot on the stove and again at

Albright, smiling loose and friendly but looking tired in

the same clothes he had on at the pier.

EASY:

What you doin' in my house, man?

ALBRIGHT:

I expected you to be home, so Manny

used a screwdriver on the door.

What happened to your face?

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