Spotlight Page #18

make copies.

MIKE:

Yeah, I’m going to the copy room.

CLERK O’BRIAN

It closed at four.

Mike stops, f***ed. He digs into his pocket, counts bills.

MIKE:

I’ll give you 83 bucks to use yours.

138 EXT. SUFFOLK COUNTY COURTHOUSE, DOWNTOWN BOSTON - TWILIGHT 138

Mike, already on his cell phone, hurries across the street

toward and catches a cab.

MIKE:

Hey, Cabbie! Hey, hey, hey!

Mike gets in cab.

MIKE (CONT’D)

I’m going to the Boston Globe on

Morrisey Boulevard. Don't take 93.

Take Dorchester Avenue.

11/26/14 111.

(MORE)

(into phone)

Robby, it’s incredible!

138A EXT. STATE STREET, BOSTON - MOMENTS LATER 138A

Mike’s cab moves up State Street.

MIKE (V.O.)

Law knew about Geoghan for years, no

question! There’s a letter to Law

from a woman, Margaret Gallant, who

lived in Jamaica Plain in the early

80’s when Geoghan was there. Listen

to this...

139 EXT. KING’S CHAPEL, TREMONT STREET, BOSTON - MOMENTS LATER 139

Mike’s cab whisks past the old King’s Chapel.

MIKE (V.O.)

(reading)

“Our family is rooted in the Church,

our desire is to protect the Holy

Orders...”

140B EXT. MONSIGNOR REYNOLD’S WAY, SOUTH END - MOMENTS LATER 140B

Mike’s cab passes the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.

MIKE (V.O.)

“...even in the midst of our agony

over the seven boys in our family...

140C EXT. PLAYGROUND BY THE CATHEDRAL - MOMENTS LATER 140C

Patrick McSorley plays with his kid on the playground.

MIKE (V.O.)

...who have been violated.” Seven,

Robby! Seven boys!

141 EXT. WEST 4TH STREET BRIDGE, BOSTON - LATER 141

The cab crosses over the bridge into Dorchester.

MIKE (V.O.)

“It was suggested we keep silent. We

did not question the Authority of

the Church two years ago...

142 EXT. OLD COLONY ROAD, DORCHESTER - LATER 142

The cab is stuck on Old Colony Road. It turns into a TRAFFIC

CIRCLE, past St. Monica’s church and onto Columbia Road.

11/26/14 112.

MIKE (CONT’D)

MIKE (V.O.)

...but since Father Geoghan is still

in his parish...” She sent it to

Law and Law did sh*t!

142A EXT. COLUMBIA STREET, DORCHESTER - SAME TIME 142A

The cab drives down by the water.

MIKE (V.O.)

Here’s another one to Law, same

year. Listen to this...

(reading)

“A word on the recent assignment of

Father John Geoghan...”

144 EXT. BOSTON GLOBE - EVENING 144

The cab pulls up. Mike jumps out, pays the driver, hustles

inside.

MIKE (V.O.)

“...as an associate at Saint Julia’s

in Weston. Father Geoghan...”

145 INT. GLOBE, LOBBY - LATER 145

Mike races in through the glass doors, then hustles up the

escalator...

MIKE (V.O.)

“...has a history of homosexual

involvement with young boys. I

understand his recent departure from

Saint Brendan's may be related to

this problem...”

147 INT. GLOBE, SPOTLIGHT OFFICE - NIGHT 147

The whole team sits around as Mike finishes reading.

MIKE:

“I wonder if Father Geoghan should

not be reduced to weekend work while

receiving therapy. You know how

grateful I am to you for your

constant concern, sincerely yours in

our Lord, Most Reverend John M.

D'Arcy, Auxiliary Bishop of Boston.

December 7, 1984.”

MATT:

An auxiliary bishop wrote that?

11/26/14 113.

We see the letters, both addressed to Law. The team reels.

SACHA:

It’s incredible. He broke ranks.

When did Gallant write her letter?

MIKE:

1984.

SACHA:

And Law just ignored her.

MATT:

How do you ignore that freakin’

letter?!

MIKE:

We’ve got him. You can’t read those

letters and think anything else.

It’s proof.

ROBBY:

Yeah. It is. This is good work.

MIKE:

Should we take it up to Ben?

ROBBY:

No, not yet.

MIKE:

Why not? We got Law. This is it.

ROBBY:

No, this is Law covering for one

priest. There’s another 90 out

there.

MIKE:

Yeah, and we can print that story

when we get it but we gotta go with

this now.

ROBBY:

I’m not gonna rush the story, Mike.

MIKE:

We don’t have a choice, if we don’t

run to press, somebody else is gonna

find those letters and butcher the

story! Joe Quimby from the Herald

was at the freakin’ courthouse!

11/26/14 114.

ROBBY:

So we’ll write a holding story and

we’ll keep an eye on the Herald.

MIKE:

(losing it)

Keep our eye on the Herald? They

run this and they get it wrong, the

Church will bury it! We gotta do

this now!

MATTY:

Mike --

MIKE:

What? Why are we hesitating!

Baron told us to get Law!

ROBBY:

Baron told us to get the system. We

need the full scope, that’s the only

thing that will put an end to this.

MIKE:

Then let’s take it up to Ben, let

him decide!

ROBBY:

We’ll take it to Ben when I say it’s

time.

MIKE:

It’s time, Robby. They knew and they

let it happen! To kids! This

coulda been you, it coulda been me,

it could have been any one of us.

We gotta nail these scumbags, show

people that no one can get away with

this! Not a priest or a Cardinal or

a fricking Pope!

Robby, Sacha, and Matt are still. Mike looks around the room,

out of breath, adrenaline draining. Robby is pissed.

ROBBY:

You finished?

MIKE:

Yeah. I am. This is bullshit.

Mike leaves, slamming the door behind him.

149 INT. SACHA’S HOUSE, KITCHEN - NIGHT 149

Sacha and Hansi have just finished dinner. Hansi’s cleaning

off the table as Sacha loads the dishwasher.

11/26/14 115.

She tries to slide the upper rack into the dishwasher. It’s

jammed. She tries again. It won’t go. She jiggles the rack,

tries a third time... she SNAPS, slamming the rack hard,

sending the dirty glasses crashing into each other.

She looks up... Hansi is just staring at her. Whoa.

HANSI:

You okay?

Before she can answer, there’s a KNOCK on the door. Hansi

walks over, opens the door. It’s Mike.

MIKE:

Hey, Hansi.

HANSI:

Hard day at work, Mike?

150 EXT. SACHA’S HOUSE, BACK PORCH - LATER 150

Sacha walks onto the porch with two beers, hands one to Mike.

MIKE:

Thanks. I dunno why I got so pissed

off. I mean I think Robby’s wrong

but...

SACHA:

You care about the story, Mike. We

all do.

Mike takes a drink.

SACHA (CONT’D)

I stopped going to church with my

Nana. It was just too hard. I’d be

sitting there and I would start

thinking about Joe Crowley or

someone else and I’d just get so

angry.

MIKE:

Did you tell her why?

SACHA:

She goes to church three times a

week, Mike.

Mike considers this. Shakes his head.

MIKE:

Really pisses me off.

(then)

11/26/14 116.

(MORE)

You know, I actually liked going to

mass when I was a kid.

SACHA:

Why’d you stop?

MIKE:

Typical sh*t.

(then)

But the weird thing is, I think

there was a part of me that figured

one day, maybe I’d go back. I was

holding on to that.

Sacha watches him, not expecting this.

MIKE (CONT’D)

And when I read those letters,

something just cracked.

SACHA:

That’s a shitty feeling.

MIKE:

Yeah. It’s a shitty feeling.

Off the two of them, a little lost...

151 INT. FAIRMONT HOTEL, OAK ROOM, DOWNTOWN BOSTON - NIGHT 151

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