Suspect Zero Page #15

FRAN:

Did you drive here?

MACKELWAY:

I'm fine! I just need somebody to think

this through with me! He wanted to meet

me. It's like he was interviewing me

somehow. What is that? Then he kills

Starkey. So what was he doing with Speck

and Fulcher?

FRAN:

You wanna come in?

MACKELWAY:

No. No. You come out. Get dressed.

FRAN:

Out where?

MACKELWAY:

I dunno. Somewhere. We're right on the

edge of this thing.

She studies him. A long beat.

FRAN:

I'm going back to bed. You're welcome to

the couch if you want. I think you could

do with some sleep.

He sags a bit. She reaches for his hand.

FRAN (CONT'D)

(gently)

Mack...

Just like that, there is contact. Their hands. It surprises

them both.

He appreciates it, but now's not the time. So he smiles

thinly, turns, and goes.

She watches him vanish around a corner.

CUT TO:

89 EXT. HAROLD SPECK'S HOUSE - 6:00 A.M. 89

We've been to this house before. Suburbia.

Mackelway sits in his car, at the curb, studying the place.

Rain falls in sheets, wind blows. And there he is, all alone,

six in the morning, staring at a house.

That idea - the thought that snapped his eyes open - it's

still working on him. Beside him is the DRAWING that was found

in Speck's car:

The rendering of a steamer-trunk, lined with plastic,

containing body parts in plastic bags... Mackelway seems to be

fixated on it now.

CUT TO:

90 EXT. SPECK'S HOUSE - 9:15 A.M. 90

A hand knocks on the front door. Jan Speck opens up.

JAN:

(hoping for good news:)

Agent Mackelway?

Mackelway stands in the doorway, rain falling behind him.

MACKELWAY:

(all business)

Mrs. Speck. Just had a few more

questions.

CUT TO:

91 INT. SPECK'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - MOMENTS LATER 91

Mackelway sits at the WINDOW, looking over the backyard.

Nothing special out here: some trees, a swing, a storm-cellar

door.

But he's staring at it, intently. We're not sure why.

Behind him, Jan re-enters, purse over her shoulder, umbrella

in hand. She grabs his cup of coffee and saucer from the

coffee table.

JAN:

I'm sorry I don't have more time, Agent

Mackelway. It's my PTA Day.

MACKELWAY:

It's fine. I should've called.

She smiles tightly: "I have to go now" and heads for the

kitchen. Once she's there, Mackelway turns to the BACK DOOR

and UNLOCKS IT, eyeing that storm-cellar outside...

She leaves the cup in the sink. He enters the kitchen.

JAN:

I hope I was of some help.

MACKELWAY:

You were. Thanks.

JAN:

A friend of mine said I'll feel like this

one month for every year we were

together. Sort of a grieving rule-of-

thumb. Have you ever heard that?

MACKELWAY:

(gently)

No. Sorry.

She half-smiles. He turns to the door. Turns back.

MACKELWAY (CONT'D)

Oh. There was one other thing: Did he

keep any kind of chemicals around the

house? Acids, that sort of thing?

JAN:

No. Why?

He shrugs, dismissing it:

MACKELWAY:

It's nothing. Trace elements we found on

his trunk. Any interest in chemistry?

Maybe as a hobby?

Jan pauses for a moment, as if recovering a faint memory...

Then she shakes it off. He lets it go.

MACKELWAY (CONT'D)

Anyway, thank you. And thanks for the

coffee. Next time I'll call first, I

promise.

JAN:

No trouble at all.

CUT TO:

92 EXT. SPECK'S HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER 92

Mackelway sits in his car. Through his windshield we see Jan

as she backs out of the driveway.

She pulls past us, giving Mackelway as friendly a wave as a

grieving widow can give. He waves back.

Then she's gone, disappearing around a corner.

Mackelway pauses a beat, checking his rear-view mirror to be

sure. Then he gets out of his car...

CUT TO:

93 EXT. SPECK'S HOUSE - SIDE GATE - MOMENTS LATER 93

Mackelway sneaks around the side of the house, pulling on a

lever to unlatch the side-gate.

94 EXT. SPECK'S HOUSE - BACKYARD - CONTINUING 94

He emerges into the tiny backyard, making a bee-line for that

storm cellar door.

He knows he shouldn't be doing this. It's beyond risky. But

here he is, without a warrant.

There's no lock on the cellar door. He reaches for it. Then he

stops himself. Just noticed something:

A NEIGHBOR-LADY, visible just over Speck's backyard fence, is

looking right at him through her bedroom window.

F*** it. He enters the storm cellar.

95 INT. SPECK'S STORM CELLAR - CONTINUING 95

Seven steps, leading to a dusty cement floor. Mackelway looks

around.

Facing him are the things a meticulous man would store in case

of disaster:
Cans of food, sternos, sleeping mats, drums of

potable water.

And long FOOT-LOCKERS. Two of them. That's where Mackelway's

eyes go, instantly. He hurries to them.

Throws one open. Nothing but sheets and blankets inside. He

paws through it... finding nothing else.

He throws the other trunk open. Inside? Pillows. F***.

He slams it shut, looks to those cans of food, stacked on

shelves. He approaches the shelves, jostling cans from their

rows, making more noise than he ought to.

But he finds nothing behind them... except more cans. He

approaches those two huge drums of water, lugs them aside.

Behind them is a tall CUPBOARD, locked.

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