The Salton Sea Page #14

GARCETTI:

Wrong.

He tosses the bundle of cash to Danny.

DANNY:

You mean you want me to roll on these guys?

Their silence is answer enough.

DANNY (cont'd)

No. No way. These guys catch a

whiff and I'm a f***ing bag of Bandini.

TANNER:

You've got no choice.

DANNY:

Whata you mean I've got no choice?

TANNER:

Well, if you'd rather do a stretch in

la casa grande ...

DANNY:

For that old possession charge?

Gimme a break.

TANNER:

No. You just handed us a new one. We

can go Federal on your ass right now:

ongoing criminal conspiracy. Intent

to buy and distribute $250,000 worth

of crank. What's the mandatory on

that, Al?

GARCETTI:

Dime, minimum.

MOVE OFF GARCETTI and over to a wall mounted heating vent. MOVE INTO

THE VENT, then ...

... OUT OF A VENT in another room.

BUBBA lurking in the shadows. Listening to the conversation through the

wall vent in the other room.

TANNER (O.S.)

And believe me, word will get out that

you're a pro rat.

GARCETTI (O.S.)

That's not good in prison. It's just

not good.

Bubba listens intently.

INT. CAR - NIGHT

Danny hunkered down in the back sea. Garcetti sniffing the air.

GARCETTI:

What's that smell?

DANNY:

That would be me.

GARCETTI:

What'd you do, piss your pants?

DANNY:

Hell, yes! What the hell do you expect

zapping Mr. Johnson with that crackler?

Garcetti looks back at Danny with a twisted smile.

GARCETTI:

Who'd have thought it? Danny

"Chickenshit" Flynne trying to go

large right under our noses.

DANNY:

Lay off, Garcetti. I'm not in the mood.

GARCETTI:

No. You've got me all wrong. I

mean, in you own pussified way, you

actually got some nuts in your little sack.

TANNER:

Bullshit. He's a liar.

DANNY:

News-flash, Tanner. I'm a f***ing rat.

TANNER:

You think you're so god damned smart,

don't you?

The dynamic has suddenly changed in the trio's relationship. Tanner is

now the bad cop.

TANNER (cont'd)

Well, you played the wrong mark this

time, a**hole.

EXT. RESIDENTIAL HOTEL - NIGHT

Danny approaching the building, we hear shots ...

... THE RED CAR from earlier, prowling the streets. Danny ducks into a

liquor store and watches from the window.

The red car cruises slowly past.

Danny squinting, trying to make out ...

... THE LICENSE PLATE NUMBER. A street light illuminates the tag

momentarily. A VANITY PLATE: IFORGIV.

Danny frowns, not sure that to make of it.

INT. COLETTE'S ROOM - NIGHT

Colette and Quincey lying in bed. THE LILTING SOUND of Danny's trumpet

wafting in the air.

Quincey is fast asleep. Colette lays there, eyes open, listening to

the coolly hypnotic strains of Miles Davis' "Generique."

INT. RESIDENTIAL HOTEL ROOM - SAME

Danny in his good clothes, sitting in front of the mirror, playing his

trumpet, staring at the photos of his wife.

INT. COLETTE'S ROOM - SAME

Colette now sitting on the floor of the adjoining wall with her arms

around her knees. She closes her eyes and leans her head against the

wall, soaking in the music.

INT. RESIDENTIAL HOTEL ROOM - SAME

Danny continues playing. He sneaks down a look at ...

... A GREETING CARD on the vanity in front of him. The word,

"CONGRATULATIONS" printed on the front.

THE FLASHBACK IMGERY appears on the wall behind him again. MOVE from

Danny to the image as we ...

CUT TO:

EXT. DIRT ROAD - THE HIGH DESERT (FLASHBACK)

The car jolting slowly back and forth over the bumpy road.

INT. CAR - SAME

Danny driving. Liz in the passenger seat looking pissed.

The Salton Sea can be seen far below in the distance shimmering under a

full moon.

AGAIN. REMEMBER, DANNY IS KNOWN AS TOM IN THIS SCENE.

LIZ:

Why didn't you just ask for

directions back there?

DANNY/TOM

Come on, where's your pioneer spirit?

LIZ:

You mean like the Donner Party?

DANNY/TOM

Hey, do you think you could eat me if

you had to? And if so, which part do

you think you would find the most

delicious?

LIZ:

Tom, quit f***ing around.

DANNY/TOM

Okay, okay.

(peering through the windshield)

There's a house up there. I'll go ask

for directions.

EXT. ROAD - SAME

A dilapidated house further up in the hills, lights glowing.

INT. CAR - SAME

Liz sees the run-down old house.

LIZ:

You think that's a good idea?

DANNY/TOM

What do you mean?

LIZ:

Look at that place. It's creepy.

Danny steers the car onto the narrow dirt approach to the house.

DANNY/TOM

First you want me to ask for

directions, then you don't. Which is it?

LIZ:

I wanted you to ask back there. You

know, before you got us lost.

DANNY/TOM

Just no pleasing you, is there?

LIZ:

Just admit you're wrong.

DANNY/TOM

We all know how much you like hearing

that. Okay, Liz, I was wrong.

There. You happy?

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