Inherent Vice Page #20

CUT TO:

107 INT. RESTAURANT (LOCATION TBD) - LATER 107

Doc is here, trying to keep it together. Crocker Fenway

(50s, white, lawyer) slides into a booth with him and

looks at him, orders a rum and Coke.

DOC:

... How's the family?

CROCKER FENWAY:

Mrs. Fenway still looks like the

Gross National Product and

Japonica is fine, if that's what

you mean.

DOC:

Yeah, thought I saw old Japonica

at my doctor's office just the

other day... By the way, did you

ever run into a dentist named Rudy

Blatnoyd?

CROCKER FENWAY:

Yes, I do seem to recall the name,

perished in a trampoline accident,

didn't he?

DOC:

The LAPD's not sure it was an

accident.

CROCKER FENWAY:

And you're wondering if I did it?

What possible motive would I have?

Just because the man preyed on an

emotionally vulnerable child, tore

her from the embrace of a loving

family, forced her to engage in

sexual practices that might appall

even a sophisticate like yourself

-- does that mean I'd have any

reason to see his miserable

pedophile career come to an end?

What a vindictive person you must

imagine me.

DOC:

You know... I did suspect he was

f***ing his receptionist.

(MORE)

120.

DOC (CONT'D)

But I mean, what dentist doesn't,

it's some oath they all have to

take in dentist school, and anyhow

that's a long way from strange and

weird sex. Isn't it?

CROCKER FENWAY:

How about when he forced my little

girl to listen to original cast

albums of Broadway musicals while

he had his way with her?

DOC:

Japonica's legal age now, isn't

she?

CROCKER FENWAY:

In a father's eye, they're always

too young.

BEAT. They look at each other.

CROCKER FENWAY:

To the matter at hand.

DOC:

So I suppose you want your drugs

back. And I also suppose you

think I want some money -- but

what if it didn't have to be in

the form of money...

CROCKER FENWAY:

Well, money would be a lot easier.

DOC:

I've been more concerned about the

safety of some people.

CROCKER FENWAY:

... How much of a threat are they

to my principles?

DOC:

There's a saxophone player named

Coy Harlingen, who's been working

undercover for different

antisubversive outfits, including

the LAPD. He's come to feel lately

that he made the wrong career

choice. It lost him his family

and his freedom. Like you, he has

an only daughter.

CROCKER FENWAY:

Please.

DOC:

Okay, well, anyway, now he wants

out.

(MORE)

121.

DOC (CONT'D)

I think I can square it with the

heat, but there's this other bunch

called Vigilant California and...

well, whoever's running them, of

course.

CROCKER FENWAY:

My guess is that they'd prefer he

didn't disclose any confidential

information.

DOC:

Last thing he'd ever do.

CROCKER FENWAY:

Your personal guarantee.

DOC:

I'll go after him myself he tries

anything.

CROCKER FENWAY:

That's all you wanted. No money,

now, you sure?

DOC:

How much money would I have to

take from you so I don't lose your

respect?

CROCKER FENWAY:

People like you lose all claim to

respect the first time they pay

anybody rent.

DOC:

And when the first landlord

decided to stiff the first renter

for his security deposit, your

whole f***ing class lost

everybody's respect.

CROCKER FENWAY:

Ah, so you're looking for what? A

refund? Plus how many years

interest?

DOC:

Course. Nothin' to you. Just a

couple hundred bucks to roll up

and snort coke through...

CUT TO:

108 EXT. SHOPPING MALL (ARTESIA AND HAWTHORNE) - MORNING 108

It's Sunday morning. Empty parking lot. DOC has brought

DENIS along. JADE is in the backseat... They sit in

(some borrowed?) car and wait...

122.

DENIS:

... You should be getting

something for your trouble...

DOC:

I'm getting their word they won't

hurt somebody.

DENIS:

You believe that?

JADE:

I thought I was naive.

DOC:

Good people get bought and sold

every day. Might as well trust

somebody evil once in a while, it

makes no more or less sense.

A '53 BUICK ESTATE WAGON carrying a BLOND FAMILY:

MOTHER, FATHER, EIGHT-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER AND SIX-YEAR-OLD

SON. GOLDEN FANG OPERATIVES.

The MOTHER is wearing a TENNIS OUTFIT, smoking a

cigarette. The son has buzz cut and already looks like a

Marine and stares Doc down. The Daughter looks like she

has a future in drug abuse. The FATHER and DOC take the

dope and put it in the back of the station wagon...

MOTHER hands over something to DOC.

DOC:

What's this?

DAUGHTER:

A credit card. Don't hippies have

them?

DOC:

I must have meant, why's your mom

handing me this?

MOTHER:

It isn't for you.

COY HARLINGEN's name on the card. They drive off. The

Daughter gives Doc the finger. HOLD.

CUT TO:

109 EXT. TOPANGA CANYON HOUSE - DAY 109

Doc is waiting in the car out front. There's a BUDDHIST

PRIEST walking around the yard with some girl groupies

... he's performing an exorcism...

Coy emerges from the house... looking a little paranoid

and confused, walks to Doc, gets in the car...

123.

COY:

Everything's cool...

DOC:

Drac's a part of the band?

So... The Boards aren't so evil

anymore?

COY:

Maybe just confused now and

then... you know a band that

isn't? I'm officially off

everybody's payroll. Burke

Stodger called me personally...

CUT TO:

110 EXT. COY/HOPE'S HOUSE - LATER AFTERNOON 110

Drops Coy off at his place. Coy just breathes,

emotional...

COY:

You know what the Indians say.

You saved my life, now you've -

DOC:

Yeah, yeah, some hippie made that

up. You saved your life, Coy.

Now you get to live it.

Coy gets out, walks up to his house and is greeted at the

door by HOPE and AMETHYST. Hope and Coy start making

out... HOPE waves to DOC...

DISSOLVE TO:

111 FISH PLACE - DOC AND SAUNCHO - DAY 111

DOC:

Anything you can tell me about an

inherent vice clause?

SAUNCHO:

It's what you can't avoid.

DOC:

Like... original sin?

SAUNCHO:

Stuff Marine policies don't like

to cover. Usually applies to

cargo like eggs break -- chocolate

melts -- glass shatters, that

sorta thing... thinking of -

THE PHONE AT THE BAR RINGS, SAUNCHO RUNS FOR IT... he

listens, then hangs up...

124.

SAUNCHO:

They got her --

Sauncho runs out as fast as he can -- Doc on his heels.

CUT TO:

112 EXT. SAN PEDRO - DAY 112

Department of Justice and Coast Guard boats have taken

hold of the Golden Fang...

Doc and Sauncho watch from the shore...

SAUNCHO:

If she could be brought back in,

into some kind of safe

receivership and the owners don't

come and claim her within a year

and a day -- then she's officially

abandoned.

DOC:

And then what?

SAUNCHO:

I don't wanna jinx anything --

everybody starts coming out of the

woodwork -- multiple insurers; ex-

old ladies -- maybe one of your

lowlife millionaire friends will

end up stealing her at auction --

but!... say there was a legal

marine policy in force -

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