Jennifer 8 Page #29

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SERATO shakes his head. Loses his cigarette. And SAMMY appears.

SERATO:

Thinks his dad's in hospital.

SAMMY SERATO is 30 and pretty. She continues collecting plates.

Why'd you go up there, John?

Knows he's not going to get a reply and doesn't bother to wait

for it. HELENA materializes from the den like a shadow. Sallow

for want of sleep and glad to have BERLIN's hand to hang on to.

BERLIN:

I want you to go to your Aunt's.

A suggestion that surprises HELENA. And clearly doesn't appeal.

HELENA:

Why can't I stay with you?

BERLIN:

It's not possible right now.

HELENA:

Why?

BERLIN:

Please don't ask no quest-

ions now .. Not right now ..

If silence can intensify it's now. Sound of the front door and

then footsteps. BERLIN freezes as MARGIE appears. Wracked with

grief. Dead sickness of tears. Like she cried bones out of her

face. But no weeping now. Maybe shock. Maybe brave. Maybe both.

HELENA:

Is that Margie?

MARGIE:

I'm here, honey. I'm right here.

The strongest face in the house. And now HELENA is in her arms.

Don't cry darlin .. he was a big

old cop and he didn't like tears ..

Dead echos of plates in the kitchen. And song of birds outside.

Feels like every second in my life,

was just the moment leading to this.

BERLIN:

Margie ..

MARGIE:

Don't.

Raises her hand to silence him and this is silence Margie owns.

Don't.

Christ this is just awful. HELENA crying and BERLIN on the way.

What's gonna happen now, John?

BERLIN:

She has an aunt, in Vermont.

I'll take her there tonight.

HELENA:

I'm going back to the institute.

BERLIN:

No .. not now ..

MARGIE:

Helena can stay here if she'd like

to .. I'd like her to .. I'll look

after her .. and she can look after

me .. I'm tired now .. I must sleep ..

Footsteps again as she walks out and silence again like before.

122:
INT. BEDROOM. BERLIN'S HOUSE. NIGHT.

The Camera will slowly crane down on BERLIN. Fully dressed but

wiped out he lays an the bad. Last thing he needs is booze. He

is clearly full of it. Drifting in and out of consciousness. A

nightmare either side of the line. He relives that night again.

And Ross is alive again as guilt and regret demand to be heard.

(ROSS)

You want me to make a predict-

ion? This guy ain't turning up.

(BERLIN)

Maybe not .. What time is it?

(ROSS)

Twenty-six minutes past two ..

(BERLIN)

You shouldn't have come, Ross.

(ROSS)

Don't worry .. You take your

time .. I just wanna be back

in time for Bobby's presents ..

A memory that is too terrible to bear. BERLIN gets up and sits

at the edge of the bad. Head in hands. Wants the pain to go aw-

ay. But anguish is stronger than alcohol. Hears noises outside

and makes it to a window. Tears curtains back revealing lights.

His Mercedes hangs in space as though staring into the bedroom.

123:
EXT. FRONT YARD. HOUSE. NIGHT.

The Mercedes descends onto a low-loader courtesy of a car lift-

ing truck. BERLIN out of his door. Almost too ruined to apprec-

iate what's happening. Crane lights and flashlights and chains

getting tightened. Couple of Strangers and a Kid he recognizes.

BERLIN:

What are you doing, Travis?

TRAVIS:

I been told to take your car in, Sir.

BERLIN:

Why?

TRAVIS:

I dunno, Sir. Brought you up a Chevy.

Flashes his light at a standard issue (brown) police Chevrolet.

I'm sorry, Sergeant. I did knock a

couple times. Didn't get any reply.

BERLIN:

You got a warrant for this?

TRAVIS:

Yes, Sir.

BERLIN:

Who sought the warrant?

TRAVIS:

The man from the F.B.I.

124:
INT. CHIEF'S OFFICE. POLICE STATION. DAY.

The man from the F.B.I. is 50. Black suit and wing tips. All F.

B.I. Investigators are either lawyers or accountants. And this

fellow looks like both. When he smiles it's a decaffeinated ex-

ercise. Bothers nothing but lips. This smile's always the same.

BERLIN:

I want a 24 hour protection

of Margie's house. Otherwise

I'm not saying nothing. You

give me that, or read me my

rights, and talk to a lawyer.

BERLIN looks awful. Showered and shaved but just f***ing awful.

CITRINE slips focus to the man. And St ANNE imperceptibly nods.

CITRINE:

Alright, you got it. And I'll be

putting an Observer in with you.

BERLIN:

I want Serato ..

(Negative)

Why can't I have Serato?

CITRINE:

Coz I'm short of men & Ang-

elo won't do it .. Who ever

I got free first - you get ..

125:
INT. ANTI ROOM/INTERROGATION. POLICE STATION. DAY.

Close on a pair of dancing needles. They react to voice-levels

on a twin spool tape recorder. But no sound of yakking in here.

St Anne's ASSISTANT sucks a pencil. Busy with a cross-word puz-

zle. Fills in a word but the Camera isn't interested. It moves

away to discover head phones. And moves closer to hear St ANNE.

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