The Libertine Page #12

MAURICE (CONT'D)

I'm just getting dressed.

Someone starts banging on the door. Maurice puts on hisrobe and pulls the doorknob.

Jaqueline stands on the other side, fire coming out of hernostrils.

MAURICE (CONT'D)

Honey?

JAQUELINEIf there wasn't a cop outside, Iwould stab you.

INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Jaqueline marches into the room as Maurice follows.

MAURICE:

What have I done?

JAQUELINEI don't know why I ever expectedanything from you except sicknessand depravity.

MAURICE:

What happened?

85.

JAQUELINEI went to see Senator Kaley. He

grabbed my ass and tried to plant

one on me. Correction, planted one

on me.

MAURICE:

That can't be right.

JAQUELINEYou think I'd make this sh*t up? I

just had to see you one more time,

so that my last image of you couldbe one of hatred.

MAURICE:

There must have been some

misunderstanding.

JAQUELINEMisunderstanding? What sort of

reasonable thing might he have beenthinking that would cause him togrope your daughter?

MAURICE:

Let me call him.

JAQUELINEWhere's mom? I couldn't reach her.

MAURICE:

Don't go anywhere.

Maurice rushes into the

SECOND BEDROOM:

And grabs his cell phone. Naomi pokes her head up from behindthe bed. Maurice waves for her to stay down. He checks his

phone:
"12 missed calls"

MAURICE (CONT'D)

Sh*t.

LIVING ROOM:

Maurice bounds in and frantically dials. Jaqueline drinksWHISKEY at the sideboard.

INT. MAHOGANY OFFICE - NIGHT

Senator Kaley is slumped dejectedly on his couch. The PHONE

RINGS. He frantically answers.

86.

SENATOR KALEY:

Hello?

INTERCUT PHONE CALL

MAURICE:

You made a pass at my daughter?

SENATOR KALEY:

I didn't know she was your daughter.

You didn't tell me that.

MAURICE:

You didn't recognize her from thenews?

SENATOR KALEY:

You think I have time to watch the

news? I get summaries. Is she there

with you? You have to get her notto go to the press. I can help your

case. No, I don't know that. I can

try to help your case.

MAURICE:

You just attack any woman who comesinto your office?

SENATOR KALEY:

I thought you were sending a whore.

I thought that's the type ofrelationship we had. I would never

let you near my daughter. We've

been to orgies with whores her age.

MAURICE:

Why would I send you a prostitute?

SENATOR KALEY:

To coax me into calling the governor.

But oh, this is much more clever.

You set me up. You used her to trapme in a scandal. Now I have to help

you.

MAURICE:

You think I used my daughter as bait?

SENATOR KALEY:

Why all the dancing around the topic?

The wink-wink innuendo?

87.

MAURICE:

I didn't know if my phone was tapped,

and I didn't want to be calling infavors.

SENATOR KALEY:

Phone tapped?

MAURICE:

It probably isn't.

SENATOR KALEY:

Never call me again.

Senator Kaley hangs up.

INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Maurice puts down his phone and looks at Jaqueline.

JAQUELINEI'm going to the police.

MAURICE:

You should.

JAQUELINEDon't try that reverse psychology

crap on me.

MAURICE:

If you feel you need to go to thepolice, you should go to the police.

And the press.

JAQUELINEIt will ruin whatever shred you haveleft.

MAURICE:

Probably.

JAQUELINEOh no, you do not get to be noble

now. You do not deserve to be noble

now.

MAURICE:

All I wanted was to help you.

JAQUELINEStop that. My last image of youwill not be sympathetic. You can goto hell for all I care.

88.

Jaqueline puts down her drink and starts to exit.

JAQUELINE (CONT'D)

Tell mom to cut your balls off.

Before Jaqueline can exit, Edith bursts inside.

EDITH:

Where is he?

Edith walks over and knees Maurice in the balls. Then she

knees him in the face.

EDITH (CONT'D)

You are the lowest form of scum on

earth, and that's belittling to scum.

JAQUELINE:

Why didn't you call me back?

EDITH:

I was in a movie.

MAURICE:

What did you see?

EDITH:

A 3-D film about f***ing whales.

What difference does it make?

MAURICE:

No difference.

EDITH:

(to Jaqueline)

Baby, are you all right? Did he

hurt you?

MAURICE:

The police will examine her.

EDITH:

What? You can't go to the police.

MAURICE:

Let her go.

EDITH:

You'll destroy all of us.

JAQUELINE:

He deserves to be taken down.

89.

EDITH:

You won't be able to pin a criminalcharge on him. And even if you could,

I know you think he deservespunishment, but is it worth destroyingyourself to get even? Destroyingme? We don't deserve to be victims

of his baselessness.

JAQUELINEHow am I destroying you?

EDITH:

My reputation is tied to his. I use

his name to make business deals.

JAQUELINEYou'll pick yourself up.

EDITH:

I heard your voice mail. What do

you think it will look like thatsomeone was able to mistake you fora prostitute?

JAQUELINEI was wearing a pant suit.

MAURICE:

High class escorts can dress that

way.

JAQUELINEI'll get a book deal out of it.

EDITH:

Do you have any bruises to photograph?

Were there any witnesses?

JAQUELINEI have a red palm where I slappedhim.

EDITH:

(like a prosecutor)

Do you have anything to gain bydefaming the Senator? Do you haveany way to prove any of your story?

JAQUELINEI was there.

90.

EDITH:

Isn't it true that you went ontelevision and suggested that yourfather was guilty of sex charges towhich he was later acquitted?

JAQUELINEThat doesn't mean he was innocent.

EDITH:

Isn't it true that you have a deepseated hatred of powerful men becauseof your childhood neglect?

MAURICE:

Edith!

EDITH:

Isn't it true that you're a vindictivebitch?

JAQUELINEI object!

EDITH:

Look at him. You know what happened.

A media circus would just pervertthe truth.

JAQUELINEI never want to see him again.

MAURICE:

Honey.

EDITH:

You never have to see him again.

Jaqueline kicks Maurice.

JAQUELINEI'm taking this whiskey.

Jaqueline puts the BOTTLE in her purse and exits.

Edith heads toward her room.

MAURICE:

Edith, wait.

EDITH:

You're not worth another kick.

91.

MAURICE:

I'll leave. I'll await trial in

Rikers.

Edith comes back.

EDITH:

Don't you dare.

MAURICE:

You don't deserve to be around me.

EDITH:

Do you want to be front page in prison

clothes?

MAURICE:

I still love you.

EDITH:

I made you, and I deserve to get

something out of the decades of

investment I've put in. Whose family

connections helped you get started?

I made those introductions. I've

funded your campaigns. I've run

editorials to help your friends and

destroy your enemies. I deserve to

have you in the National Assembly

making deals on my behalf. You do

not get to destroy your career.

MAURICE:

I need you.

EDITH:

From now on, you will be like a ghost

in this apartment. If I walk into a

room, you will hide so I don't see

you. If I am in the living room,

you will not walk through it to get

to the bathroom. You will pee in a

cup and wait until a path is clear.

MAURICE:

Okay.

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