Red Riding Page #12

(on his feet)

I’ll handle the Press Conference,

boss.

HADLEY:

Thanks, Jack.

Jack leaves. Eddie’s eyes go to a card on Hadley’s desk...

HADLEY:

I don’t want you coming to the

office like this.

EDDIE:

Like what?

HADLEY:

Like this!

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The card Eddie stares at is one of Dawson’s house,

"Shangrila" in a snow-covered forest. Just like the one in

Eddie’s nightmares. Just like the one at Paula’s house.

HADLEY:

Edward, I’d like you to take the

rest of the month off. Get that

hand seen to...

Eddie picks up the "Shangrila" card. Opens it: “John &

Marjorie Dawson invite you to Shangrila.”

HADLEY:

Do you mind!

EDDIE:

How well do you know John Dawson?

HADLEY:

I’m sorry, Edward. Really I am. But

I don’t have the time for your

adolescent conspiracy theories.

Hadley snatches the card away from Eddie.

104 OMITTED 104

105 EXT. FITZWILLIAM, NEWSTEAD VIEW - LATE DAY 105

Eddie, under the iron bridge - through the crumbling mining

town.

106 EXT. NEWSTEAD VIEW - LATE DAY 106

Eddie pulls over. He walks down the gloomy road. Past closed,

cramped front rooms. Black moors stretch beyond. Number 66

has been wrecked. Eddie heads through the rubbish strewn

garden.

106A INT. 66 NEWSTEAD VIEW - LATE DAY 106A

Eddie creeps through the trashed interior - smashed glass,

human excrement, a melted plastic Christmas tree. Water drips

through the ceiling...

106B INT. 66 NEWSTEAD VIEW, UPSTAIRS - LATE DAY 106B

The toilet bowl and basin are smashed. More graffiti: Wogs

Out. F*** the Provos. Eddie turns off the bath taps. Water

slops over the side. A dead cat protruding from a coal sack

floats in the brown water.

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A plastic plate reads: Michael’s Room. Eddie enters the cell-

like room. A smashed bed, torn curtains, a floor covered in

comics. Eddie pushes them with his foot: The Hulk, Kung-Fu...

a sketch book. He picks it up.

RAT MAN, PRINCE OR PEST?!

A child-like drawing of a crowned giant rat with human hands

and feet sitting on a throne. RAT MAN says: “Men are not our

judges. We judge men!”

EDDIE:

Christ...

Eddie turns the page to see: Rat Man flies on swan’s wings.

VOICE OFF:

Pervert!

Eddie spins round. Nearly has a heart attack. TWO SNOTTY BOYS

crowd the doorway. One has a hammer. Eddie recovers.

EDDIE:

What are you doing?

BOY 1

You police?

EDDIE:

No.

BOY 1

We can do what we want, then.

EDDIE:

You know Michael Myshkin, do you?

BOY 1

He’s a pervert.

EDDIE:

Where’s the family?

BOY 1

Pissed off.

BOY 2

His dad was on Sick because of

dust.

BOY 1

His dad was a sp-sp-sp-spastic!

They laugh.

BOY 2

And his mum’s a f***ing evil witch.

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Eddie pockets the comic, heads for the doorway - tries to

distract the brats.

EDDIE:

Dead cat in there.

BOY 2

Yeah. We killed it.

Eddie has to push past them.

107 EXT. 66 NEWSTEAD VIEW - LATE DAY 107

Eddie gets to the doorway. A THIRD BOY blocks his way,

playing with a washing line noose. Behind him, the first boy

starts hacking at the wall with his hammer.

BOY 3

You going to give us some brass?

EDDIE:

Nope.

(nods at the noose)

What’s that for?

BOY 3

Perverts.

MARTIN LAWS O/S

That’s enough, boys.

Martin Laws heads for Eddie from across the street. A TIRED

MUM is with him.

MARTIN LAWS:

Johnny! You mother’s been looking

for you!

MUM:

Come here, you!

The tired mum grabs one of the boys.

MUM:

Thank you, Reverend Laws.

MARTIN LAWS:

(to the boys)

Clear off, you lot. Go on!

The boys slouch off. They throw stones from a safe distance.

MARTIN LAWS:

Lawless brats, Mr. Dunford. What

can you expect? Growing up in this

place.

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EDDIE:

Did you know Myshkin?

MARTIN LAWS:

Digging up the dirt, are you?

EDDIE:

Think he did it?

MARTIN LAWS:

If Mrs. Cole and I hadn’t got

together when we did - Leonard,

without a father, without order in

his life. Who’s to say how he’d

turn out...

They look off across the allotments and the Moors beyond into

the gathering darkness. Laws takes Eddie by the arm.

MARTIN LAWS:

I’ll see you to your car. You

aren’t safe walking alone around

here.

EDDIE:

Story of my life. Going places I’m

not wanted.

MARTIN LAWS:

Like Mr. Dawson’s house? Not a man

to cross.

EDDIE:

Friend of yours?

MARTIN LAWS:

You’re such a journalist, Mr.

Dunford. Men like Mr. Dawson play

an important role in our community.

Helps make hard lives bearable.

They get to Eddie’s car.

MARTIN LAWS:

I chose to come to this place, Mr.

Dunford. My vocation. Tough

neighbourhood. Miners, their wives

and children. We make our own

rules.

108 INT. PAULA GARLAND’S HOUSE, HALLWAY - EVENING 108

Paula opens the door to Eddie. Pale-faced, on the edge, red

cardigan pulled tight round her.

PAULA:

Where’ve you been?

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EDDIE:

Can I come in?

PAULA:

Did you see Myshkin? What did he *

look like?

EDDIE:

Shut the door, love. It’s cold.

109 INT. PAULA GARLAND’S HOUSE, FRONT ROOM - EVENING 109

Top of the Pops. Eddie Holman sings “(Hey There) Lonely

Girl”. Paula stares at Jeanette’s photo.

PAULA:

She’s dead, isn’t she...

Eddie lights up, passes it to Paula. He puts his arms round

her. Kisses her eyes closed. A new number. Barry White. Eddie

and Paula sway together to the breathy music... They look at

one another and realise they’ve fallen for the Sultan of

Smooth Soul. Laughter through tears. A moment together.

EDDIE:

They’ve got sunshine down South,

seaview flats, warm summer breezes.

We could go there now. Never come

back...

110 INT. PAULA GARLAND’S HOUSE, HER BEDROOM - DEEP NIGHT 110

Paula and Eddie. Clothes drawn off. Clothes draped over a

chair. In one another’s arms. Tears. Embracing. Falling

apart. Embracing again. Making and re-making knots...

Eddie and Paula. Fitfully sleeping and waking. Unused to one

another. Moving in their sleep. Dreaming. Haunted...

Eddie turns over. He’s alone. Paula has melted away into the

darkness. Her clothes are gone from the chair... He listens

to her moving through the house...

111 INT. PAULA GARLAND’S HOUSE, HALLWAY - NIGHT 111

Paula slips into her coat, then quietly heads out the front

door... Eddie comes down the stairs, still pulling on his

shirt... The front door closes after Paula...

112 EXT. PAULA GARLAND’S HOUSE - NIGHT 112

Eddie emerges into the silent street. Far away down the road,

Paula’s figure dissolves into the darkness...

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113 EXT. STREETS - NIGHT 113

Paula walks through the night. Expressionless, moving like a

sleepwalker...

Eddie following. An oncoming car’s headlights illumines her

up ahead. A ghostly white figure that flits away down a

lane...

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