The Leopard Man Page #17

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PRIEST:

Anima ejus, et animae omnium

fidelium defunctorum, per

misericordiam Dei, requiscant in

pace.

OMNES:

Amen.

From some distance away we hear the tolling of church bells.

The attendants slowly begin to lower the coffin into the

grave. The florist who had begrudged Clo-Clo one wilted

flower comes forward and lays a whole armful of roses on the

descending coffin. Jerry follows him. He puts Clo-Clo's

castanets among the flowers.

The coffin sinks slowly from sight. One of the attendants

takes a spade. We hear the hollow thump of the first spadeful

as it strikes the casket.

DISSOLVE CUT:

DISSOLVE IN:

EXT. CEMETERY GATE - - DAY

Robles, Charlie, Jerry and Galbraith come out of the cemetery

together. They are walking slowly, evidently still somewhat

under the sombre influence of the ceremony they have just

witnessed.

GALBRAITH:

(to Robles)

Have you sent for the state

hunters?

ROBLES:

I wired this morning.

JERRY:

State hunters?

ROBLES:

Professional hunters, who rid the

state of cougars.

The men have paused just outside the cemetery gate.

JERRY:

(incredulously)

You still believe it's the leopard?

Robles stares at Jerry.

ROBLES:

Haven't you seen the evidence,

haven't you heard the testimony?

GALBRAITH:

Is there anything In Clo-Clo's

death, Jerry, to suggest it wasn't

the leopard?

JERRY:

Yes. The lipstick.

ROBLES:

Why?

JERRY:

Ask Kiki. Ask any woman. Girls

don't put on lipstick in the middle

of the night on a dark, lonely

street unless they're with a man or

expecting a man.

Robles and Galbraith look at Jerry. There is some admission

of agreement in their very silence, as they weigh what he has

said.

GALBRAITH:

It is possible --

ROBLES:

Just the same - - I am going to

use the state hunter. Well -- come

on, Charlie, I'll give you a lift

back into town.

Robles starts off and Charlie obediently starts after him.

But Charlie stops and turns back to Jerry and Galbraith.

CHARLIE:

(to Galbraith)

Now I know I didn't hurt nobody

when I was drunk - -

GALBRAITH:

(kindly)

Of course, not, Charlie. I never

thought you did.

CHARLIE:

And my leopard - - maybe he hurt

the first girl -- but no more.

Charlie, looking satisfied at having had his say, turns and

goes off after Robles. Jerry and Galbraith start off in the

opposite direction.

THE CEMETERY WALL - DAY

TRUCKING SHOT with Robles and Jerry as they walk along.

JERRY:

You must admit it's possible that

it might have been a man.

GALBRAITH:

Just barely possible - - yes.

Jerry pauses and Galbraith stops and looks at him

inquiringly.

JERRY:

You know a lot. You've taken a lot

of fancy courses in colleges and

that kind of stuff - - what kind of

a man would kill like that?

GALBRAITH:

But all those fancy courses were

about the dead, Jerry, not the

living.

JERRY:

All right -- the dead, then. In

history there must have been men

like that -- men with kinks in

their brains --

Galbraith nods his head. He starts walking slowly forward

again and Jerry goes along with him.

GALBRAITH:

Yes. There have been men who kill

for pleasure -- strange pleasure.

There was Blue Beard in France --

Jack The Ripper in London. It's not

uncommon.

JERRY:

If there were a man like that, with

a kink in his brain around here

loose, what would he be like.

GALBRAITH:

To the eye? Like other men.

JERRY:

I don't mean that. How would he

act? What would he do?

GALBRAITH:

He'd act normally when he was with

other people. It would be a man who

suffered remorse and even pity when

it was all over.

JERRY:

Couldn't you tell a man like that

when you saw him?

GALBRAITH:

No. He would be a hard man to find,

Jerry. Particularly if he were a

clever men. He would go about his

ordinary business calmly and coolly

except when the fit to kill was on

him.

JERRY:

You've thought of all this before.

You know it isn't the leopard ��

(insistently)

Don't you?

Galbraith makes no answer. Jerry looks at him and senses the

finality in this. The two men start walking once more.

FADE OUT:

FADE IN:

KIKI'S DRESSING ROOM - DAY

Jerry, Kiki and Eloise are in the dressing room.Jerry and

Kiki are dressed for travelling. Kiki is wearing a suit and

her hat and topcoat are on the table. Standing on the floor,

near the door, are a couple ofsuitcases. Both Kiki end

Eloise are holding paper cups in their hands. Jerry is Just

finishing filling Kiki's cupfrom a champagne bottle (split).

JERRY:

There you are �-

Jerry crosses to Eloise and fills the cup she holds out.

Eloise looks at him with sentimental fondness.

ELOISE:

Oh, dear -- I don't know what I'm

going to do without you -

honestly, I don't ��

KIKI:

(amused)

Hey �� I'm over here.

ELOISE:

(not taking her eyes off

Jerry)

I'll miss you too, honey --

Jerry grins at her. He fills a cup for himself and puts the

bottle down on the dressing table. Then he lifts the cup to

Kiki.

JERRY:

Well -� here's to luck in Chicago.

ELOISE:

Chicago! Imagine getting out of all

this silly scenery and opening in a

real city!

JERRY:

(a little smugly)

Not bad, huh? And this place

closing for the week�end gives us a

couple of extra days to rest up.

KIKI:

I can use them.

JERRY:

Do they close up every year for

this Processionist business?

ELOISE:

(nodding)

It's the big religious ceremony

around here. You really ought to

see the procession -- why don't you

wait over �� say, who knows, I

might be able to scare up some

money and go with you then!

JERRY:

(laughing)

You're sure crazy to get out of

here, aren't you?

ELOISE:

You know what it is to be ambitious

-� but you two are already on your

way -- I haven't even started.

The door opens, simultaneously with a knock, and a Mexican

waiter appears with a large box of flowers in his hands. He

hands the box of flowers to Jerry, who isnearest him.

WAITER:

These for the Senorita Kiki. And

the cab is coming soon.

JERRY:

(happily)

Okay, Kiki -- here we go!

They start out. The CAMERA HOLDS ON Eloise as she watches

them go.

DISSOLVE:

INT. OF THE CAB - DAY

Kiki and Jerry are seated side by side in the cab. The box of

flowers is between them. It is covered, but the ribbon has

been taken off. Kiki holds a card in her hand. She looks down

at it.

KIKI:

That was nice of Mr. Galbraith.

JERRY:

He's a nice guy. Vie ought to keep

in touch with him.

Kiki looks down at the box of flowers. She lifts the box

cover a little and then closes it again.

KIKI:

Pretty. You know -- it's funny but

flowers only mean one thing to me

now.

JERRY:

I know. Funerals.

KIKI:

Yes.

In the following pause, Kiki looks out the window. Jerry

looks over at her, watching her seriously and questioningly.

But as she turns back, he looks away again.

KIKI:

Jerry ��

Jerry waits, but says nothing.

KIKI:

Jerry, these flowers aren't really

for me ��

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