The Salton Sea Page #19

NANCY:

Your hatred makes them stronger and

you weaker.

DANNY:

I don't buy that. There's a place for hatred.

(beat)

Did you know that Liz and I got into an argument the night

she was killed? I acted like an ass and I never had a

chance to apologize to her. Do you know what that feels like?

NANCY:

It's not too late to show her you're sorry.

DANNY:

How?

Verne slams his hand down on the table.

VERNE:

By not disgracing her memory!

DANNY:

What does that mean?

VERNE:

You might as well be spitting on her

grave every time you put drugs up

your nose. Or did you just

conveniently forget that it was drug

dealers who killed my daughter?

Verne glares at Danny. No forgiveness in his heart.

VERNE (cont'd)

You ever think you might be buying

drugs from the very people who took

her life?

DANNY:

You don't understand.

VERNE:

Understand what?

Danny starts to say something. Stops.

DANNY:

Nothing. It's ... it's complicated. I

just want you to know ... I'm not what

you think I am.

INT. RESIDENTIAL HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT

Danny sitting at a table, the lockbox open in front of him.

He is endorsing the back of a life insurance check. His Tom Van Allen

driver's license laying next to it.

A KNOCK AT THE DOOR

DANNY:

Who is it?

COLETTE (O.S.)

It's me.

DANNY:

I'm kind of busy.

COLETTE (O.S.)

Please open the door, Danny.

He pockets the check and the license, closes the lockbox and goes over

to the door.

Colette standing on the other side. Her FACE AND ARMS ARE BLACK AND

BLUE WITH BRUISES.

DANNY:

Oh Jesus.

He lets her come in. Colette looks away.

DANNY (cont'd)

Colette ... You've gotta leave.

COLETTE:

We been through that.

DANNY:

What about a battered woman's

shelter? You can move you kid in

with you.

COLETTE:

I need my paycheck.

DANNY:

You can still work.

COLETTE:

He knows where I work.

DANNY:

Find a new job.

COLETTE:

It's not that easy. I just got a

raise. I need the money.

DANNY:

You always been this stubborn?

Colette cracks a crooked smile.

COLETTE:

From day one.

(beat)

I was a breach birth. They tried for

hours to turn my little butt around.

But I wouldn't let 'em.

DANNY:

Ass first into the world.

COLETTE:

I been that way ever since.

Danny smiles. He gently touches her eye. Colette reaches up and

touches Danny's bruised eye.

COLETTE (cont'd)

Look at us. What a pair.

Colette leans in to kiss him, but they bump bad eyes.

COLETTE/DANNY

Ouch.

They laugh.

COLETTE:

Can we try that again?

They kiss again. Deep and long. Danny suddenly pulls back mid-kiss.

DANNY:

I can't.

Colette goes to touch him. He pulls away.

DANNY (cont'd)

I can't.

COLETTE:

Why not?

DANNY:

I just can't. Okay?

Danny paces uncomfortably.

COLETTE:

What's wrong, Danny?

DANNY:

Look, maybe you oughta' leave.

COLETTE:

No. I want to know what the hell

is going on.

DANNY:

I can't tell you.

Colette comes to a slow realization.

COLETTE:

There's someone else, isn't there?

THE FLASHBACK IMAGERY suddenly FLICKERS TO LIFE on the wall behind

Danny - THE MOONLIGH SALTON SEA.

Danny freezes. Looks up at Colette.

DANNY:

Yes.

Colette waits a beat, then turns to leave.

DANNY (cont'd)

Don't go.

(beat)

Please, Colette.

(she stops)

Stay and talk to me, please.

Something about Danny's voice - a raw vulnerability - which we haven't

seen in him before. MOVE OFF of Danny and ONTO THE FLASHBACK IMAGE.

DANNY (O.S.)

I'm so tired of lying.

CUT TO:

EXT. CREPPY HOUSE - SALTON SEA - NIGHT (FLASHBACK)

Danny's car parked out front.

INT. CREEPY HOUSE - SALTON SEA - NIGHT

A CHUBBY GUY sitting on the couch in his underwear, watching A MEXICAN

WESTERN. He sits there with wide eyes, GRINDING HIS JAWS.

Danny, Liz AND BO, the affable owner of the house, looking at a map on

the kitchen table.

BO:

What you want to do is go back the

way you came and make a left at the

bottom. It'll take you right to the

highway.

DANNY/TOM

That's it?

BO:

Are you Australian?

DANNY/TOM

No.

BO:

Good. I f***ing hate Australians.

Danny and Liz share a look.

DANNY/TOM

You got a bathroom I can use before

we hit the road?

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