Gothika Page #11

PARSONS:

We've transferred her to a highersecurity room on the fifth floor.

That's my final concession to anytype of special treatment.

PETE:

And the night staff?

IRENE:

They insist her room was properlylocked, what else could they say?

(CONTINUED)

57.

CONTINUED:

PETE:

Could there be any truth to herclaim?

PARSONS:

Peter, we have one hundred and

forty employees. Thirty-five workmaintenance. They all wear yellowshirts, it's their uniform. I'm

holding a very discreet inquiry,

sure -- but I don't want a news

van parked outside day and night.

It makes much more sense that she

tried to escape and got caught,

doesn't it?

Pete ponders this. It certainly seems that way.

PETE:

I perused Miranda's files on ChloeMcGrath -- they're damncomprehensive. Maybe she was abit obsessed with her.

Irene and Parsons share a look. He wraps it up:

PARSONS:

The scariest gift God gave us isour minds. And a bright personlike Miranda -- she's grasping atstraws here -- who knows what her

brain is telling her, now thatit's snapped.

INT. MIRANDA'S NEW CELL - DAY

A better room, in fact. This one has a view. Heavy barson the windows, but still. Miranda paces. Pete is

seated, observing her deteriorating state.

MIRANDA:

Did you live here when Rachelkilled herself?

PETE:

Yes. As a matter of fact, I was

part of the search party thatfound the body.

MIRANDA:

Phil must have been a wreck.

(CONTINUED)

58.

CONTINUED:

PETE:

You can imagine. Actually, Philwas in Houston undergoing triplebypass surgery when it happened.

What was that? Miranda reacts to this.

MIRANDA:

And this is confirmed. There are

hospital records and so forth?

PETE:

I'm sure there are. Can we getback on track now?

Miranda pulls out the folded printout from her pocket.

MIRANDA:

What about these other dates, was

Phil here when the other girlswent missing and found dead?

A disconcerted Pete looks at the article with the

pictures of Rachel and the others: Andrea White and

Jenny Dixon.

PETE:

Where are you going with this?

First I'm a suspect in Doug'sdeath, now what, Phil Parsons

murdered his own daughter?

MIRANDA:

Rachel Parsons disappeared six

years ago. A week later she's a

suicide. Andrew White, four yearsago, same M.O., and Jenny Dixon,

two years ago. Don't you findthat unusual?

He regards her. Maybe Parsons is right: she's

desperately grasping at straws now. Skims the article:

PETE:

What same M.O.? One jumped off abridge, one hung herself and onecrashed her car. Who gave youthis?

MIRANDA:

Not one left a suicide note. In

fact, how is anybody sure thesewere suicides?

(CONTINUED)

59.

CONTINUED:

PETE:

You heard Phil, his daughter hadtried several times before -

MIRANDA:

That's his story. I need to talk

to the reporter who wrote that.

Frank something.

PETE:

Well, you can't.

MIRANDA:

I beg to differ. I know myvisitation rights.

PETE:

You can't because... he died.

Miranda snaps to attention here.

MIRANDA:

You're telling me the one localinvestigative reporter who connectedthree highly-suspicious deaths, justhappens to have conveniently died?

PETE:

Frank Albright was an eighty-yearold

retired sociology professor.

(re:
the article)

This is a fluff piece aboutteenage depression and thebreakdown of the nuclear family.

You can find one in any localpaper, anywhere, any other week!

MIRANDA:

Don't be smug, Pete. That's one

thing you've never been. Rachel

is somehow connected to what I'm

going through. I don't know

how -- like you said, I'm not in aframe of mind to process theinformation without assistance.

So I'm asking you for assistance.

PETE:

Listen to me. You are not well. I

had hoped once you remembered themurder we could deal with yourfeelings about it but thesefixations:

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

60.

CONTINUED:

PETE (CONT'D)

Rachel Parsons, Chloe McGrath -are

self-created distractions to

avoid looking into yourself. And

the longer you -

MIRANDA:

I know this lecture like the back

of my hand!

PETE:

Good. Saves me the trouble.

Discussion over. He raps on the door. Triple-locks comeunlocked and an ORDERLY is there. Peter exits.

INT. WOODWARD CORRIDOR - MOMENTS LATER

Peter hurries down the corridor, passing by a nurse. The

same one who bandaged Miranda earlier, so let's give her

a proper name:
CLAIRE. She pushes her cart into theelevator.

INT. THIRD FLOOR CORRIDOR - DAY

Claire and her cart emerge from the elevator and sheheads down the long corridor, reaches a door and unlocksit.

INT. MEDICAL SUPPLY ROOM

TIGHT ON a row of drug-filled shelves. Claire parks hercart and kicks off her shoes. Digs a pack of smokes outof her stashed purse when a pair of hands grab her.

Claire squeaks until she sees her attacker: a stoner

type named SIMON. Deftly unbuttoning her uniform, handsall over her. She means to resist but he's got suchboyish charm.

CLAIRE:

Get off me, you dog -

SIMON:

Hell, don't go all bubbly with joyor anything.

CLAIRE:

You can't be in here and you knowit. Nap in your car.

(CONTINUED)

61.

CONTINUED:

She finally twists herself out of his grasp. Points an

accusing finger, but she's grinning. Blushing, even.

CLAIRE:

Now get out before we get busted.

Properly reprimanded, Simon picks up his folded uniformand prepares to leave, head hung low.

SIMON:

You slay me, Claire. Honest.

CLAIRE:

Sure I do, Boy Scout.

He exits. She shakes her head, slips her uniform back

on.

INT. ELEVATOR - MOMENTS LATER

Simon presses the button, waits. He checks inside his

folded uniform where we see several stolen vials of

sedatives. The doors begin to close when -

CLAIRE:

Hold it, Simon!

He hides the loot behind his back, busted. She holds the

door open and tosses him his yellow shirt.

CLAIRE:

What do you think I am, laundryservice?

SIMON:

(relieved)

Won't happen again, ma'am.

She turns and exits. The doors slide shut. Meet our

rapist.

INT. WOODWARD CAFETERIA - DAY

Bustling with activity. The room is divided into two: a

large main area where the patients eat, plus a second,

smaller upstairs area for the staff.

BOOM DOWN to find Miranda eating at a long table.

Shelley beside her, playing with her plastic fork. Jenna

taps an unlit cigarette. As usual, Irene keeps watchnearby.

(CONTINUED)

62.

CONTINUED:

SHELLEY:

... She'd get high on glue andmake me help her try on my bras.

Is that the strangest sh*t you'veheard?

JENNA:

Heard stranger. But she's a case.

SHELLEY:

And she always put on a happyface. Man, what an optometrist.

Optometrist? Miranda starts to correct her, but lets it

go.

JENNA:

You narced her out, didn't you?

Boo-hoo. Bet you were a littlebuzzed yourself.

Miranda's gaze strays from this, um, most compelling ofconversations and comes to rest on Chloe. Alone at

another table. Heavily sedated. A wreck.

Miranda rises and walks over. Shelley waits until she'sout of hearing range, leans in to Jenna -

SHELLEY:

All work, that woman. Work, work,

work.

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