The Silence of the Lambs Page #15

She takes another FLASH, then quickly reloads film.

LAMAR:

Them fishhooks are set too close

together. No wonder the Franklin

boys was scared to say they found

her.

CLARICE:

Think they were runnin' a trotline?

Crawford and Lamar both look at her curiously.

CLARICE:

(to Crawford)

It's a Fish and Game violation. Like

poaching. There's a big fine.

LAMAR:

Right... Are you from around here?

CLARICE:

They do it lots of places.

CRAWFORD:

Get photos of her teeth. Then we'll

fax her fingerprints to Washington,

try to trace her through Missing

Persons.

SIDE ANGLE - CLOSE ON THE DEAD GIRL'S FACE

staring blue eyes, short reddish hair. Clarice sets the

Polaroid, with its special attachments, against the face,

while Lamar gently retracts the lips. Each time the camera

FLASHES, there's a bright glow inside the cheeks.

NEW ANGLE - CHEST HIGH

as Clarice examines a developing print.

CLARICE:

She's got something in her throat.

She hands the print to Crawford; he and Lamar look at it, as

she searches in her kit.

LAMAR:

When a body comes out of the water,

alots of times there's like, leaves

and things in the mouth.

Clarice holds up a pair of forceps. She glances at Crawford,

who nods. She bends over, partially OUT OF SHOT, and after a

few moments reappears, holding up a small, brown cylindrical

object. She turns this in the air, as they all stare.

CRAWFORD:

What is it - some kind of seed pod?

LAMAR:

Nawsir, that's a bug cocoon. But how

come that to get way down in there?

'Less somebody shoved it in...

Clarice and Crawford exchange a glance.

CRAWFORD:

She'll be easier to print if we turn

her over. Lamar, will you give me a

hand?

LAMAR:

Yessir, I will. Clarice takes a jar

from her kit, carefully drops the

cocoon inside.

SOUND of the men's heavy efforts as they turn over the body,

off screen. She seals the jar, staring into it at the cocoon.

CRAWFORD (O.S.)

Starling - what do you make of these?

She turns to look.

HER POV:

low on the corpse's back, over the shoulders, two neat,

triangular patches of skin are missing.

NEW ANGLE - TWO SHOT

as Clarice looks at Crawford.

CLARICE:

I don't know. I didn't see those on

any of the other girls...

CRAWFORD:

They weren't there. Get close-ups.

Clarice raises her camera, leans in for another FLASH.

CUT TO:

EXT. BACK STEPS OF THE FUNERAL HOME - DAY

Clarice sits outside, with her head on her knees, drained.

She looks up wanly as Lamar appears, offers her a can of

Coke.

CLARICE:

Thanks, I'm not thirsty.

LAMAR:

No, hold it under your chin, there,

and on your temples. Cold'll make

you feel better. It does me.

She smiles, touched, and takes the can. When Lamar sees

Crawford coming outside, he tactfully departs. Crawford sits

beside her; there's a brief silence. She soothes herself

with the can.

CRAWFORD:

When I told that sheriff we shouldn't

talk in front of a woman, that really

burned you, didn't it?

(she is silent)

That was just smoke, Starling, I had

to get rid of him. You did well in

there.

CLARICE:

It matters, Mr. Crawford... Other

cops know who you are. They look at

you to see how to act... It matters.

CRAWFORD:

(beat)

Point taken.

She looks at him a moment, then offers the can. He opens it.

CRAWFORD:

When we get back, I want you to run

that bug by the Smithsonian, see if

they can identify it. Maybe it's got

some limited range, or it only breeds

at certain times of year... You found

it, Starling, you deserve the credit.

CLARICE:

I'm wondering if he's done that before -

placed a cocoon, or an insect. It

would be easy to miss in an autopsy,

especially with a floater... Can we

check back on that?

CRAWFORD:

(shakes his head)

The other girls are in the ground.

Exhumations are upsetting for the

families. I'll do it if I have to,

but -

CLARICE:

Then have the lab check Raspail's

head.

(he looks at her)

Dr. Lecter's patient - have them

probe his soft-palette tissues...

They'll find another cocoon.

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