The Caller

Any idea why all the traffic?

Construction, probably.

I'm sorry I'm so late. Traffic.

I hope you don't mind, I took the liberty of ordering

Bratwurst

for everyone. You know what they say about sausage...

Why don't we pass everything around and everyone

just help themselves.

-These are great numbers.

-Great numbers

You are confident they'll be accepted?

-Absolutely.

-Good answer

Great numbers - 15 percent, 24 percent, 32 percent.

Just great, don't you agree?

Absolutely, we were just saying they are great numbers.

And we've got the right people where we need them.

No one is going to want to be a spoil-sport, all the players

even the foreign policy guys, everybody benefits too much

to throw a wrench into this one.

As you may have heard, there has been

some trouble in that area of the country.

Misunderstandings really, but Jack here -

His group wants to make sure that we

have everything under control.

We do, right?

-Absolutely.

-So, we're all friends here...

One last time because Jack hasn't been present in the past

and he needs to hear this. Before we send these out-

Is there anything you want to tell us that is not in the

report?

No.

I'm glad to hear that. The level of

exposure were anything to go wrong

would be unacceptable.

Our position on this one is you break

it you're on your own to fix it.

Take me to the office.

I'm finished. You can lock up.

Buenas noches.

Wait, hold on.

-I gottta take this. What's up?

-We've got a problem

IMF, World Bank- everyone somehow

got the wrong numbers

Do they know the source?

No, but we do..

They were sent out electronically

by the guy you trust so much.

The one with the unbelievably good numbers.

Oh, and get this - attached to the

email with the numbers shock

was a short video clip.

It shows what happened to the locals

who were having trouble understanding us.

On this one, the really good numbers

guy really fixed our wagon.

Unless right now you say otherwise

I'm gonna buy some art.

I'll buy some art

So why did you want to see me here?

Is this about my gallery's fee?

Saw your annual cover with my painting on it.

What did you think?

Thought it looked good.

Made it look like you guys weren't

just a bunch of scum bags.

I've noticed from the society pages

you've been spending a lot of time

with that expensive girlfriend.

Does she know your career peaked a

year after you got out of school?

Maybe she'd find it romantic if

you were broke. You want to find out?

Which brings us to my original question.

To what do I owe the honor?

We've got another situation where

we need someone like you.

Someone with roots in the community.

We'll take them all.

-So what does my lawyer say?

-You'll have to let me handle this

-OK

You don't need surround-sound on this, you know

-You'll have to drive.

-I'll have to drive?!

Yeah, I got a place in Red Hook where we can do it

Does the guy I'm driving know what he's doing?

Absolutely

Hey, soldier, get your photo taken

Did you think you'd get away with it?

No, I knew I'd get a call like this one

So leave this world with a little dignity.

Be in Red Hook at midnight

-Tell them I need a couple of weeks.

-A couple of weeks?!

Yes. Tell him I can make it more

easy for him down the road

when I'm gone or more difficult,

depending upon what I leave

for people to find.

Tell him I want to make a deal

for two more weeks, then,

as he's requested,

I'll meet him in Red Hook.

I'll get back to you.

-Hello?

-Is this Detective Turlotte?

Who's this?

Detective Turlotte, I would like

to engage your professional services.

Will you call me at my office on Monday,

I'm in the yellow pages.

Have a good day.

-Hello?

-I'll pay you five times-

-your advertised rate starting

immediately. Two weeks.

That's all, then you're done.

Two weeks? That's all?

Yes.

And it's not your agency I want to hire,

Detective Turlotte, it's you.

Do I know you? Is that why you're

using that Dick Tracey device?

Right to the point, good.

We have so little time

Regrettably, I must keep

my identity a secret.

It's nothing personal. It is a question

of unacceptable risk.

What I suggest is that I be called

"John Doe."

-Oh boy.

-It's very simple really

if you knew my situation you'd understand my calculations

I want you to keep an eye on someone. Watch him.

Tell me what you see.

-What, he run off with your wife?

-No, it's nothing like that

Let's just say he's planning an event

that will be disadvantageous to me.

-What's this guy's profession?

-He's a kind of hired gun

with a lot of blood on his hands.

That's all I can say right now.

No, no, I must also tell you to

watch out, Detective Turlotte.

Your life could possibly be in

danger and I'm sorry about that.

I'm just an eye, that's all I am, an eye.

I know a lot of good ears, why don't you let me partner with

a good ear?

No. I understand your limitations and I want you, Frank.

Here's the contact information I can provide.

The name of the man is Jimmy Stevens.

He's staying in apartment

32 at 840 West 58th Street.

Do you have that?

-Yes.

-We'll schedule our conversations-

-by phone in the early evenings.

Will this work for you, Frank?

I am waiting for your answer, Frank.

Detective Turlotte?

Detective Turlotte, if there's a problem- if it's the money-

A green canary...somebody lost their canary

What?

I'll do it

Just write down the address and I'll tell the messenger.

Okay, we'll take care of it.

Mr. Stevens, there's a taxi outside.

You want me to hold him for you?

No thank you

Have a good day

Frank, what do you think?

The subject appears to lead a very monotonous, simple

existence

What do you mean? You think his life is boring?

-Did you get the photos?

-Yes

What do you think?

You're absolutely right.

I don't see anything very interesting

Personally, I find myself drawn

to some of the little details.

He lights a cigarette and then

puts it out almost immediately.

-Maybe he's trying to quit.

-Not a chance...

Look at the way he does it.

It's not haphazard.

He repeats it down to the smallest detail. It's like a ritual.

So what?

Well it's interesting,

a nervous habit like that

with a guy who otherwise acts so smooth.

Look at the way he tears his cigarettes

apart after he takes two puffs.

That's all you've got for me,

notes about how the guy smokes?

Notice the expression on his face

when he talks to the children

I don't follow you

Doesn't it seem strange to you

the way he looks at them

when he's talking to them?

No. So what?

Well, Mr. Doe, it just seems

curious to me that a guy

who dresses with such sophistication

should be spending so much time

talking to children in the park.

What do you mean by that?

I just thought it was worth mentioning. That's all

-That's all?

-That's all, Mr. Doe. That's all

And like all ruthless contract-killers, your Mr. Stevens

is close to his aged mother.

-How do you know it's his mother?

-It's an assisted-living facility

Rate this script:4.0 / 1 vote