The Insider Page #14

And turning, he crosses the restaurant. And that's where it

hangs.

INT. A CBS EDITING SUITE, NEW YORK - DAY

And we see we're watching footage in an on-line editing bay

from what we will learn is Lowell's "N.O.P.D. Blue" on police

corruption in New Orleans.

Lowell, TONY BALDO (his editor), Debbie and an intense YOUNG

MAN wearing glasses, an Intern, looking at the cut. All the

police are on horseback, lots of cops on horses.

Lowell is waiting for a call to go through...

LOWELL:

The stringer was supposed to be shooting

B-roll on street cops in New Orleans.

What's with all the horses?

TONY BALDO:

Camera guy's got a thing about mounted

police.

LOWELL:

(re:
horses)

Don't any of these guys ride in cars or

walk?

TONY BALDO:

How long did he stay on this?

LOWELL:

What was he seeing?

DEBBIE DELUCA:

(into phone)

Yes, hello... I'm trying to reach Mr.

Richard Scruggs...

INT. A LEAR JET - DAY

And we see the PILOT, a fit-looking, unassuming man, wearing

aviator glasses, in his late forties. A heavyset Man in his

forties, riding up in the co-pilot's seat we'll come to know

as RON MOTLEY. The Pilot's on a headset... He has a

distinctive Southern accent...

THE PILOT:

This is Richard Scruggs...

DEBBIE DELUCA:

Could you hold on one second, please?

(to Lowell)

Lowell, I got him on the phone.

LOWELL'S VOICE (OVER)

Hello, I'm Lowell Bergman.

RICHARD SCRUGGS:

Hold on... Mobile approach...this is

Lear November 643. Over.

CONTROL OPERATOR'S VOICE (OVER)

Go ahead 643.

RICHARD SCRUGGS:

(after a beat)

Request a flight level 220, on a heading

of 284 degrees. Over.

(after a beat)

Mr. Bergman?

LOWELL:

Yes, I'm right here. Could you call me

back on a hard line?

RICHARD SCRUGGS:

Alright.

LOWELL:

Area code 212-555-0199.

RICHARD SCRUGGS:

I'll call you then.

INT. A LOUNGE, PRIVATE AVIATION TERMINAL - DAY

Through the window, we see Scruggs' plane being refueled

while Scruggs and Motley in a run-down lounge are talking on

a SPEAKER PHONE with Lowell. They've taken over the

Secretary's office for privacy.

LOWELL:

(re:
footage)

What do we do with that?

The phone rings.

DEBBIE DELUCA:

I don't know.

RICHARD SCRUGGS' VOICE (OVER)

Richard Scruggs...

LOWELL:

...you filed a lawsuit against tobacco on

behalf of the State of Mississippi, did

you not?

RICHARD SCRUGGS:

(nods)

That's right...

LOWELL:

(after a beat)

Well, I'm working with someone, now, who

was the former head of research at Brown

& Williamson, a former corporate officer

there.

RICHARD SCRUGGS:

What's your interest in this, Mr.

Bergman?

LOWELL:

Well, he may tape an interview with us.

And, we believe if his testimony showed

up in a court record first, it would free

him up from his confidentiality agreement

and give him some protection.

MOTLEY:

It could work. If it's public record,

it's public record.

LOWELL:

Yeah, and he's going to need legal

representation.

MOTLEY:

He sure as hell will.

RICHARD SCRUGGS:

(a beat)

Has he decided to go public? Because

let me tell you, we've been doing this

for three years now, and we've worked

with a lot of corporate cases involving

whistle-blowers, so we know... Big

Tobacco will do everything in their power

to stop him. So, is your man truly

committed?

LOWELL:

Well, actually, no. Well, he's on the

fence. That's the point.

Scruggs and Motley exchange a look... Motley shrugs...

RICHARD SCRUGGS:

Well, we'd certainly be interested in

making his acquaintance, but without

knowing what he's going to do...

LOWELL:

Well, would you want him to call you?

Or, you want to call him? How do you

want to do it?

RICHARD SCRUGGS:

(no nonsense)

It would be better if he called us.

LOWELL:

Yeah.

RICHARD SCRUGGS:

Alright?

LOWELL:

Okay. Thank you.

At this moment, these two attorneys are unsold on the

prospect of Jeffrey Wigand. Scruggs disconnects.

LOWELL (cont'd)

Sh*t...

INT. CBS EDITING SUITE, NEW YORK - DAY

LOWELL:

(contemplating phone; to Debbie

re:
show)

Oh, we need cops on the street. We don't

need them on horses.

DEBBIE DELUCA:

I don't know what he was thinking.

LOWELL:

Oh, for God's sake, what has this guy

got, a horse fetish?

DEBBIE DELUCA:

Alright, alright.

LOWELL:

Get me to New Orleans this afternoon.

I'll shoot the f***ing thing myself!

TIGHTEN on mounted New Orleans police at crime scene, herding

crowd.

INT. THE WIGANDS' NEW HOUSE, KITCHEN - TWILIGHT

Liane cooking dinner, making pasta. Ingredients, diced

tomato, basil, are neatly ordered. She's waiting for water

to boil. The kids are doing homework on the round table in

the kitchenette. It's an idle moment. She's dazed-out

watching them.

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