L.A. Confidential Page #9

D) EXT. FREEWAY - DAY

A groundbreaking. The Mayor scrapes at the ground

with a gold shovel. Pierce Patchett is among the

distinguished guests.

END OF MONTAGE:

EXT. HOLLYWOOD HIGH SCHOOL - DAY

The marquee gushes: "Today Sgt. Joe Reno: Badge of

Honor Star Brett Chase."

INT. HOLLYWOOD HIGH SCHOOL - AUDITORIUM - DAY

A nerdy 14-YEAR-OLD asks Brett Chase:

14-YEAR-OLD

Why'd you become a policeman?

CHASE:

I'm not a policeman. I just play

one on television. But I think I

can answer for them. To help

people. That's why I do the show.

Chase looks over and winks at Jack who waits in the

wings.

CHASE:

To protect and serve. It's not

just a motto.

As the kids applaud, Chase joins Jack who gives him a

quick drag of a cigarette. A nervous PA joins them.

Chase points out a fetching girl in the second row.

CHASE:

That one. In the sweater.

(to Jack)

They also serve who only stand and

wait.

Chase and Jack watch the PA ask "Sweater" a question

while pointing to Chase. Maybe sixteen, she nods "yes"

eagerly.

CHASE:

Jack, I'll see you Monday on set.

JACK:

I won't be there. They're toning

down my profile.

PRINTING PRESS:

The latest issue of Hush-Hush flies through. On the

cover:
"Gail Russell Caught In Love Nest. Nymph or

No?"

INT. CITY JAIL - DAY

Bud White flips through today's booking slips, finds one

that's interesting. Reading to himself...

BUD:

Domestic. Assault and battery.

Containment Squad strong-arms, BREUNING and CARLISLE

pause as they pass.

CARLISLE:

Ready to go, Bud?

BUD:

I'll be there in five minutes.

CITY JAIL - HALLWAY

Bud walks to a door covered in sheet metal. He opens it

to reveal a holding tank with a burly, jumpsuited

PRISONER.

BUD:

I hear you like to hit women.

PRISONER:

My wife. She's dropping charges

so it's none of your business.

Bud enters, closes the door behind him. A beat, we hear

the sounds of FISTS ON FLESH. It's Bud's business now.

INT. BEVERLY HILLS MANSION - STUDY - NIGHT

Deuce Perkins (the Mickey Cohen narcotics lieutenant seen

earlier) stands at the bookshelf. He pulls down books to

reveal a shoe box. He sets it on his desk, pulls back

the cover to reveal several bags of white powder.

Heroin.

A BRANCH SNAPS outside. Perkins opens a drawer, fishes a

revolver. Turning off the light, he heads to the window.

His finger parts the curtains. At that instant, he

staggers, falls as GUNFIRE rips into him.

The heroin just sits there on the desk.

EXT. McNEIL PENITENTIARY - DAY

Grim-faced guards scan the yard from machine-gunned

towers.

INT. McNEIL PENITENTIARY - VISITOR BOOTH - DAY

Mickey Cohen sits across from visitor Johnny Stompanato.

Cohen is going off the handle.

COHEN:

What do you mean Deuce Perkins got

clipped last night?!

STOMPANATO:

They shot him in his library.

COHEN:

I don't want a floor plan; I want

to know who! Who's taking the

ticket for this, Johnny?

STOMPANATO:

Nobody. At least not yet.

COHEN:

And what about the merchandise

Deuce was holding for me?

STOMPANATO:

Gone. Not a trace.

COHEN:

Some ferstunkener is moving in and

we don't know who?! Maybe we

should ask Hedda Hopper!

As "STRANGER IN PARADISE" ENDS, so does the MONTAGE.

INT. BRIEFING ROOM - AD VICE - DAY

Addressing the squad, a no-nonsense VICE CAPTAIN picks up

a stack of magazines.

VICE CAPTAIN:

Picture-book smut, gentlemen.

There's been a bunch of it found

at collateral crime scenes lately.

Mostly narcotics and prostitution

collars.

As the Vice Capt. hands it out for the men to examine,

new member Jack Vincennes arrives late.

VICE CAPTAIN:

Look who's back from suspension.

We're honored, Sergeant Jack.

The men laugh. Jack sits, flips a magazine. Men and

women. Men and men. Girls and girls. Girls and horses.

JACK:

Gee. The Great Jerk-Off Book

Caper of 1953.

VICE CAPTAIN:

Vincennes, is there someplace

you'd rather be?

JACK:

Yeah, Cap. Back in Narcotics.

VICE CAPTAIN:

Oh? Anyplace else?

JACK:

Working whores with squad two.

VICE CAPTAIN:

Maybe you should have thought of

that before you made Bloody

Christmas page one.

Vice Capt. retrieves the magazines, hands them to Jack.

VICE CAPTAIN:

They're yours. Make a major case,

Sergeant. It's the only way

you're getting out of here.

Exaggerated "oohs" and "aahs" from the men.

VICE CAPTAIN:

Dismissed, gentlemen.

As they go, Jack sees the books are stamped: "Fleur-de-Lis

Whatever you desire." Jack takes the matching

business card from his wallet, the one he found on

Christmas Eve.

VICE CAPTAIN:

Roll, Vincennes. No sidetracks.

This is Ad Vice, not Narco.

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