The Town That Dreaded Sundown Page #3

---

Captain Morales set up curfews

and demanded an exhaustive

level of vigilance.

And when the sun when down

there was an empty,

ghostly appearance to this town.

The only signs of life

were police cars

patrolling the streets.

The investigative forces

worked around the clock.

Every lead was run down.

Every phone call,

every rumor checked out.

All the nuts came out

of the woodwork.

A man arrested in Shreveport

confessed to the crimes.

Two other criminals,

while holding people at gunpoint,

bragged they had committed

the Texarkana murders.

Forty-five.

What'd you say

your name was?

The phantom.

Where'd you say

you did the shooting?

Over over there

in the south side.

Have you got the weapon?

I" I throwed it in the river.

I could show you

where I throwed it, though.

Mr. Williams,

could I please get an address?

Citizens poured

into the police station

demanding protection,

as the fear spread like cancer.

I can't hide from nobody.

Can't help that,

I got something on my mind.

Well, let's have it.

On March 3, Samuel Fuller

and Linda Mae Jenkins

were attacked on a lonely road.

Now, exactly 21 days later,

Emma Lou Cook and Howard Turner

were murdered on a lover's lane road.

Day after tomorrow is Sunday,

that's, uh, April 14.

And that, sir, is exactly 21 days

since the last

Don't go no further.

I got a feeling you're right.

- Let's get outta here.

- Yes, sir.

That's good.

- Thank you, sir.

- Thank you.

Captain Morales decided

to set up some decoys

in the various

lover's lane parking areas,

anticipating a 21-day attack.

Return to headquarters, unit six.

Sparkplug, not realizing

the exact nature of the assignment,

volunteers to be one of the decoys.

Oh, Lord,

here comes your date.

Hey, Sparkplug,

aren't you a little lopsided?

Go to hell, Ramsey.

They tell me all Sparky had to do

to find that outfit

was dig in the back

of his closet.

Look at those legs.

Shut up, will you?

Just keep it up!

You all knock it off.

Remember now,

keep low in your seats.

He may check you out with field glasses

before he approaches the car.

When you first get into position,

check with your rifleman.

They'll be in the brush coverin' you.

Stay alert.

And good luck.

Unit Able.

Uh, unit Able, hello?

Raise your antenna.

Unit Able?

Unit Able-

Roger Sparkplug, I'm set.

How about you, Walt, you there?

I'm here and looking at you

and you look stunning.

Up yours, and out.

Now, Sparky, now, Sparky.

Don't get excited now.

What the hell

you think you're doing?

You heard the captain,

we're supposed to make this look good.

Now, we're supposed to be lovers.

I might get a little huggin'

before the night's over.

You watch that hand.

What the hell's wrong with you?

Watch the hand!

Gee!

What I-

what I can't understand is

how come that one's bigger

than this one?

I'd like to know

what difference it makes.

You think I'm going

to let the son of a b*tch

come in and fondle them

before I blow his head off?

I don't guess it makes

any difference.

It just looked like to me you run out

of air on that left one

before you got through.

Just mind your business

and keep a sharp lookout.

Lord!

Well, it seems quiet.

Most of the teenagers still over

at that high school dance.

What time they get out

of that thing?

Not 'til probably, uh, 1:30 or so.

I want to intensify patrols

in the parking area

from one o'clock on.

Again, let me say it's a pleasure

to see all of you out here

having such a good time.

And I think tonight

has been a fitting climax

to what has been a great year here

at Arkansas High School.

To those of you going on to college

or out into the work world,

we wish you the best.

And to you juniors who will be back

with us again next year,

have a good summer.

And now we're going

to ask Reverend Harden

to lead us in a short prayer.

Let us pray.

Our Father, we are thankful

for this group

of fine young men

and young women.

Bless them

throughout the coming year.

Our prayer tonight is

to guide us safely home.

In Christ's name.

Amen.

Should old acquaintance be forgot

And never brought to mind

Should old acquaintance be forgot

In days of auld lang syne

For auld lang syne my dear

For auld lang syne

We'll drink a cup of kindness yet

For auld lang syne.

- That was great, Peggy.

- Oh, thank you.

Listen, put my trombone away

and I'll get my purse

and we'll get out of here, okay?

Great.

You don't really have

to be home by 2:
30, do you?

Well, somewhere

right in then.

Well, how about our favorite spot

over in Spring Lake Park?

Gee, I don't know, we've had lot's

of warnings not to park.

You know that phantom killer

hasn't been caught yet.

Yeah, but that was

off the highway.

We'll be in the middle of town.

No one will bother us there.

I don't know.

Just for a little while, okay?

Okay, just for a little while.

Well, it's two o'clock.

Maybe my feelin's all wrong.

By God, I hope so.

You know, the only difference

between tonight

and three weeks ago

and the time before that,

is that it was rainin'.

You don't suppose the rain has

something to do with it?

I don't know, triggerin' him.

Who knows?

Moonlight's so bright tonight,

he might not want to try anything.

Wait a second,

what time is it?

- What?

- What time is it?

I don't know, let me check.

- It's twenty to three.

- My God, I gotta get home.

Five more minutes, Peggy.

No, I'm gonna get

in big trouble.

- Really, we better go.

- Come on, Peggy.

Now, you don't want me

to get into trouble, do you, Roy?

No, I guess not.

No, don't, please don't!

No, no!

Help me, oh, no!

Oh, please don't hurt me.

Oh, please don't

don't hurt me, no.

Please don't hurt me.

Oh, my God, no!

Oh, my God, no, please!

Please don't hurt me.

Oh, no, please don't hurt me.

No, please.

No, no, please no.

Please no.

No, no, no, no.

No, no, please don't hurt me.

No!

No, please, Roy, no.

Roy.

Roy, no, oh.

Run, Roy, run.

Oh, God, oh.

Oh, God, no.

Roy, run, run.

Oh, no.

Roy?

Oh, Roy, oh, Roy.

What now.

Oh, no, oh, please

don't hurt me.

What are you doing?

No, please don't hurt me.

Please.

What are you doing to me?

No.

No.

Oh, no, please don't hurt me.

Oh, no.

Oh, no.

Where the hell was everybody?

Well, this is one of the spots

they were checking.

Gus, how often

were they checking here?

They were making

continuous circuits.

Each unit was checking

about 15 or 20 places.

But I don't know how often

they were gettin' back here.

Well, all I know is

it wasn't often enough.

Here, right in the middle of the city,

right under our noses.

Next thing you know, he'll kill

somebody in police headquarters.

Well, we're doing the best

we can possibly do.

Well, that's not enough.

Look, I want

this entire area roped off

with a ring of police

around it.

We're gonna find

some evidence

if we have to sift every grain

of sand in this damn park.

I want some evidence,

do you understand that?

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes