The Verdict Page #17

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MICKEY:

What happened...?

Galvin starts searching through his files again.

MICKEY:

What happened, Joey...?

GALVIN:

I can't talk now.

MICKEY:

D'you meet with Dr. Gruber...?

Galvin has found the sheet he is looking for, he extracts it

from the file.

ANGLE - P.O.V.

The sheet of yellowing paper. Headed "DEBORAH ANN KAYE Poss.

Drs. to testify:
Contact: Dr. Lucien Thompson, Mineola Long

Island; Dr. Duane Litchey..." He turns to second sheet.

It is a letter-headed sheet, "Lucien Thompson, M.D." "Dear

Mr. Galvin, after studying the case material on Deborah Ann

Kaye, I would be glad..." Galvin turns back to first sheet,

underlines THOMPSON in red.

ANGLE:

Galvin dialing phone.

GALVIN:

Concannon got to my witness.

(beat; to himself)

I can't breathe in here...

(into phone)

Hello Doctor...?

(checks sheet)

Dr. Thompson. This is Joseph Galvin,

attorney for a Deborah Ann Kaye, we

had some correspondence some time

ago...? That's right. I'm sorry that

we never got back, the case was

postponed, and I've had a changeover

in staff... I'm sorry to call you so

late...

ANGLE:

Mickey, looking pityingly at Galvin. Mickey sees the box of

Macanudo Cigars on the desk, picks them up, starts to open

them -- throws them across the room in disgust.

GALVIN (V.O.)

...but we have had a change of

strategy, and we were wondering, I

know this is short notice, but...

INT. GALVIN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Galvin in pants and shirt carrying a drink, distraught,

frightened. Standing in the doorway of his sitting room.

ANGLE:

Laura in slacks and sweater coming out of the kitchen with

her drink. She sits at worktable on which are Galvin's

briefcase, files, etc. Galvin and Laura. He is biting his

nails.

LAURA:

Would you like me to leave...?

(beat)

Is this a bad time -- ?

GALVIN:

(distracted)

What...?

LAURA:

Is this a bad time.

GALVIN:

We, we... No... we just had a small

reversal in the case...

(beat)

I have some, uh... I have some work

to do...

LAURA:

What happened...?

GALVIN:

They, uh, they got to my witness.

LAURA:

...and is that serious?

Galvin, suddenly focuses, starts for worktable.

GALVIN:

I've got to work...

LAURA:

Do you want me to go...?

GALVIN:

No, no, I'm just...

He stops, rubs his face...

LAURA:

Why don't you get some rest?

GALVIN:

I've got to work.

LAURA:

You can't work if you can't think.

You get in bed. It's all right. I'll

stay here with you. It's all right.

Come on...

GALVIN:

You're going to stay here...?

LAURA:

Yes.

A beat.

GALVIN:

I'm only going to rest a little while.

She leads him into the bedroom.

ANGLE - LATER

Same room, Laura, dressed in Galvin's bathrobe, sitting in

the easy chair next to his worktable, smoking a cigarette,

reading an old hard-cover novel. She looks up across the

room.

ANGLE - P.O.V.

The door to the bedroom, closed.

ANGLE:

Laura sighs, takes a drag. Puts the book down on her lap.

Sits, thinking.

INT. CONCANNON'S CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY

Witness stand. DR. TOWLER, a distinguished man in his fifties,

sitting on the stand. Concannon o.s. The doctor is ill-at-

ease; smiles nervously.

CONCANNON (V.O.)

What is your name, please?

TOWLER:

Dr. Robert Towler.

CONCANNON (V.O.)

You were Deborah Ann Kaye's doctor...?

DR. TOWLER

No, actually, she was referred to

me. She was Dr. Hagman's patient...

CONCANNON:

Don't equivocate. Be positive. Just

tell the truth.

ANGLE:

The conference room. WIDE. Concannon's

young lawyers taking notes as

Concannon rehearses Dr. Towler, a

Sony VTR being operated by one of

them.

CONCANNON:

Whatever the 'truth' is, let's hear

that. You were her doctor.

DR. TOWLER

Yes.

CONCANNON:

Say it.

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