The Salton Sea Page #18

POOH-BEAR

No one. It was just a test. I need

to be sure of who I'm dealing with

from time-to-time.

Pooh-Bear nudges the baggie towards Danny.

POOH-BEAR (cont'd)

Take it easy. You passed.

Danny hands over the bundle of cash. Pockets the dope.

DANNY:

Did it ever occur to you that someone

might cop to something they didn't do

rather than have their balls chewed

off by a rabid weasel?

POOH-BEAR

I'll keep that in mind.

MOVE UNDER THE TABLE - Danny's Glock taped to the underside, out of

sight.

EXT. DESERTED PARK - NIGHT

Danny, Garcetti and Tanner. Tanner doing a chemical test on the meth

with a field kit. The tester turns a tell-tale blue.

TANNER:

We're in business.

GARCETTI:

Good work, Flynne. You're a first-rate rat.

DANNY:

That's real sweet, Garcetti. Thanks.

TANNER:

We got the 411 on your good old boy.

Tanner produces a print out from an F.B.I criminal computer file. A

MUG SHOT OF BUBBA. The name BUFORD "BUBBA" NGUYEN underneath.

TANNER (cont'd)

Nothing local so we ran his prints

through the F.B.I. Believed to be a

major supplier in Texas. Jumped bail

on a murder rap last April.

DANNY:

Murder. Beautiful.

TANNER:

Pumped fifty-seven bullets into a police informant.

Danny heaves a sign and plops down on a bench.

DANNY:

You know, I'm starting to think I'd

rather take my chances with Domingo

than go through any more of this sh*t.

GARCETTI:

Didn't you hear? Domingo's dead.

Danny looks up.

TANNER:

Took a pig-slicker to the heart.

DANNY:

Jesus.

TANNER:

I thought you'd be happy.

DANNY:

Yeah.

He doesn't look happy.

INT. PRISON - NIGHT

Domingo sprawled face-down on the tile floor of the shower room. Blood

leaking from underneath him.

WATER PATTERS DOWN FROM THE SHOWER HEAD. DILUTING THE POOL OF BLOOD.

THE SOUND IS UNNATURALLY LOUD.

EXT. PALOS VERDES - NIGHT

The red car with "IFORGIV" plates parked in the driveway of a modest

Spanish-style house.

INT. PALSO VERDES - NIGHT

NANCY AND VERNE PLUMMER watching TV.

Photos of Liz on top of a baby grand piano. A SHRINE OF SORTS.

CATHOLIC ICONS ABOUND: crucifixes, Virgin Mary's, needle point prayers.

A KNOCK ON THE DOOR. Nancy gets up to answer.

NANCY:

Who is it?

DANNY (O.S.)

It's Tom.

Nancy and Verne look at one another.

INT. PALOS VERDES HOUSE - NIGHT

Danny and Verne sitting at the dining room table. Nancy brings in a

pot of coffee. Verne eyes Danny silently. Danny won't look him in the

eye.

DANNY:

All right, Nancy, how'd you track me down?

NANCY:

Billy Sutcliffe said he saw you at a

bar down in Gardena a few weeks ago.

Said you looked so bad, he barely

recognized you.

Nancy pours the coffee.

NANCY (cont'd)

Billy's a cop now, you know.

VERNE:

Highway Patrol.

NANCY:

He said you were ... the people you

Were with ... well ...

VERNE:

Said you were a drug addict.

DANNY:

Maybe I should just go.

Danny pushes away from the table. Nancy grabs Danny's wrist.

NANCY:

No. We want to help you, Tom.

Danny stays put.

NANCY (cont'd)

I know everyone deals with grief in

their own way. I know how hard it is

to find closure.

DANNY:

Closure? How do you find closure

when her killers are still running

around out there?

NANCY:

I found forgiveness in my heart for

the people who killed my daughter. I

gave my grief to Jesus Christ.

DANNY:

Is that what you want me to do? Put

it all on Jesus? Let him sort it out

in the afterlife?

NANCY:

You've got to deal with this sooner

or later, Tom. You can't keep

hiding.

DANNY:

Maybe I am dealing with it.

NANCY:

I know it's not my place to pass

judgement on you but ...

Danny looks at the shrine to Liz on top of the piano.

DANNY:

Then why don't I see any pictures

Of me up there?

VERNE:

That was my idea.

DANNY:

You never did like me much, did you

Verne?

(beat)

And you can't stand it that I walked

out of there alive and Liz didn't.

You think I'm a coward,

don't you?

Verne's silence is answer enough.

DANNY (cont'd)

I don't blame you for hating me. At

least I understand that.

(back to Nancy)

But forgiving the butchers who killed

Liz well I'm having some trouble

with that one.

NANCY:

Love your enemies, bless them that

curse you, do good to them that hate

you, and pray for them which

despitefully use you, a persecute

you.

Danny touches Nancy's hand tenderly.

DANNY:

I'm genuinely happy that you found

some peace, Nancy. But you can't

forgive for Liz. No one can. And

you can't forgive for me.

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