The Night Manager Page #8

PINE puts the vase of flowers on the side table, stares at

the sheets. At the Forbes Magazine, at the Grazia magazine,

at yesterday’s swimsuit hanging on the hook, the coffee table

books, and a language-learning book in Italian. At

photographs on her side of the bed. Of her and Roper.

The Night Manager ep 3 final

PINE thinks, checks the drawers in her cabinet. Delves deep

amongst underwear and letters.

And finds a photo of a young boy, five years old. Smiling but

with a melancholy. PINE stares at it, takes a photo, then

carefully replaces it in the drawer.

Then he turns his attention to the office door.

Tries it. It’s locked.

PINE checks his watch. 10.58am.

Looks around. Goes to the Roper side of the bed. Sits. And in

a way “becomes” Roper. Lies back. Gets up. Reaches down.

Under the bed. Nothing. Thinks again.

Opens the drawer by his bed. Cufflinks. Box of peppermints.

Half full.

Then opens another drawer. Another box of peppermints. Empty.

Stares at it. Sees that the inside-bottom of the tin is

paper.

Lifts it.

There is the key.

He hears crunches on the gravel. Sounds of chat. He checks

the window, it’s just a GARDENER chatting to SECURITY.

He checks the clock. 10.58.

Sweat on his brow.

The clock hits 11 am. The alarms in the house go off as they

always do for the drill.

Instantly PINE is unlocking and opening the office door, he

slides the door open. Sees the alarm going off but it’s fine,

the drill covers it.

54

INT. MALLORCA. ROPER VILLA. ROPER’S BEDROOM/PRIVATE OFFICE. 54

DAY.

Walks into the office, closes the door behind him, relocks

the office door from the inside.

55

OMITTED 55

56

INT. MALLORCA. ROPER VILLA. ROPER’S PRIVATE OFFICE. DAY. 56

The alarm test continues. PINE knows he has to move fast.

The Night Manager ep 3 final

PINE looks round. A simple room. A soldier’s simplicity. A

plain Rexine-topped office desk. No computer, but wires for a

laptop.

And on the desk, a rather modest set of filing trays with

papers in.

The quiet centre of the Roper Empire.

PINE quickly moves to the desk. Sits.

His eye checks the exact location of everything.

Then he gets to work.

He stares at some papers labelled “Tradepass”.

He takes each paper from the tray, and photographs them with

Danny’s camera, then replaces them precisely.

We get glimpses. Names and numbers. Names on the left,

numbers on the right.

He puts the last one back. Breathes.

Then he sees it.

On the desk.

A long blonde hair. A woman’s.

He carefully picks it up. Stares at it.

That’s when he hears the noises from the courtyard outside.

The sound of horses hooves, dogs’ barks, then at last, human

voices.

JED (O.S)

Take him to his room. I’ll change

and be straight there.

He goes to the window. In the courtyard below DANIEL is being

helped off his horse. He is limping.

TABBY:

What happened?

JED:

Danny took a fall. But he’ll be OK.

JED starts to walks towards the house. Inside the office,

PINE stiffens. Acts entirely calmly.

Slowly rearranges everything perfectly, checks, yes

everything fine.

He takes the hair, wraps it in a handkerchief, puts it in his

pocket.

The Night Manager ep 3 final

He takes out the key. Puts it back into the mints. Replaces

the chipped mint in the right place.

Breathes.

57 INT. MALLORCA. ROPER VILLA. STAIRWAY. DAY. 57

JED is walking up the stairs. And approaches the private

apartments of her and Roper.

Suddenly the alarms go off.

58 INT. MALLORCA. ROPER VILLA. ROPER’S BEDROOM. DAY. 58

JED walks into the bedroom.

To see JONATHAN PINE standing over the vase of flowers

arranging them on her side table.

There is absolute silence.

JED:

What the hell are you doing in

here?

She is flushes, furious.

PINE:

I brought you some wild flowers

from near my house.

He stares at her.

JED:

Why didn’t you give them to the

maids? How dare you even be in

here?

PINE:

If you’re that upset, call

Security. Frisky’s not here but

Tabby’s available. Just pick up the

house phone, say the word, and I’ll

end up leaving in the same state I

arrived.

A challenge.

JED:

Just get out. I have to change.

PINE:

Close the door.

The Night Manager ep 3 final

JED:

Excuse me? This is our bedroom.

This is where I sleep with Roper.

PINE:

But how much longer can you bear

it?

Beat. He takes out the handkerchief, holds her up the hair.

JED:

What is that?

PINE:

I found it on the desk top. You

broke into his office and spied on

his papers.

Beat. He approaches her. Close.

PINE (CONT’D)

I told you. The box is open now. No

going back.

Suddenly CORKORAN’s voice from the stairs.

CORKORAN:

Jed dear? The boy really needs you.

CORKY is walking up the stairs.

JED:

He can’t see you in here.

PINE:

Get rid of him.

He slips into the en suite bathroom. CORKY knocks.

CORKY:

You decent?

JED:

I’m coming.

CORKY stares at her. Then looks round the room, as if by pure

instinct knowing something is being hidden.

CORKY:

Well come on, the boy’s desperate.

I’ll wait outside.

JED nods. She slips out of her riding clothes. PINE watches

her from inside the bathroom. Then she stares at him and

walks out of the room.

The Night Manager ep 3 final

59 EXT. MONACO. HOTEL. DAY. 59

ROPER, LANGBOURNE and FRISKY are climbing out of a limo on

the Monaco riviera.

They walk into a high-class international hotel.

60 INT. MONACO. HOTEL. FOYER/CHAMPAGNE BAR. DAY. 60

FRISKY approaches the Maitre D, whispers to him, and they are

whisked through the foyer into the champagne bar.

A figure sits at the back of the bar in an alcove.

They approach and sit.

It is GALT. DROMGOOLE’s acolyte.

GALT:

Safe trip?

ROPER:

Yes. Why was it necessary?

PALFREY:

Halo’s not keen on intermediaries

right now.

ROPER:

Why?

GALT:

Ever heard of Angela Burr?

ROPER:

Cairo - she got too close for

comfort on a deal with Freddie

Hamid and we cleared out.

GALT:

Well she’s back with a US

enforcement cowboy called Joel

Steadman. Halo says you need to be

careful. Double check all your

people. Something’s not right.

ROPER:

I already had some intelligence of

my own. We’re changing the guard.

GALT:

Good. Well here’s what you came

for.

PALFREY passes an envelope across to ROPER. ROPER shakes his

head.

The Night Manager ep 3 final

ROPER:

I don’t touch that sh*t. Give it to

my accountant when I’m not here.

He walks away into the bar. Flicks a look back. PALFREY is

passing the envelope to LANGBOURNE.

LANGBOURNE opens the envelope.

LANGBOURNE smiles.

61

INT. MONACO. HOTEL. BEDROOM. NIGHT. 61

ROPER, in dressing gown, walks out of the bathroom, drink in

hand, stares out at the sea. He is on the phone to JED who is

still cold and not pleased at what she has discovered.

JED:

How was your meeting?

ROPER:

It was fine.

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