When a Stranger Calls Page #2

Jill takes a piece of cake from the refrigerator and leaves

the kitchen.

INT. LIVING ROOM

Jill is sitting at the table, polishing off the cake. Then,

the phone rings. Jill stands up quickly and picks up the

phone.

JILL:

Hello!

Pause.

DUNCAN (O.S.)

Have you checked the children?

JILL:

Billy! I don't think this is very

funny!

Pause. "Billy" doesn't answer.

JILL:

...Who is this?

The line goes dead. Jill stands frozen beside the table with

the phone in her hand as the dial tone gets louder and louder.

CUT TO:

INT. LIVING ROOM - MOMENTS LATER

Jill is standing at the wet bar in the corner, pouring herself

a drink. She samples the alcohol, doesn't cough, and starts

to pour a little more into the glass.

The phone rings. Jill turns, then slowly walks to the table,

kneels down and quietly picks up the phone and brings it to

her ear. She waits and listens, a full three seconds. No

sound comes to her.

She quickly hangs up the phone before the silence can be

broken by the voice she knows is waiting on the other end.

Then, she shuffles through her books and papers on the table-

top until she finds the notepad the doctor's wife has left

for her with the name and phone number of the restaurant.

Jill picks up the phone and dials. After several rings...

MAITRE D' (O.S.)

Golden Bull...

JILL:

Hello, I'd like to speak to Dr.

Mandrakis. This is his babysitter.

MAITRE D' (O.S.)

Hold on a minute.

Jill waits for several seconds until the Maitre D' comes

back on the line.

MAITRE D' (O.S.)

Hello?

JILL:

Yes?

MAITRE D' (O.S.)

Dr. Mandrakis left the restaurant

about forty minutes ago.

JILL:

Forty minutes?

MAITRE D' (O.S.)

That's right.

JILL:

(after a beat)

Okay. Thank you.

She hangs up, thinks for a moment, then picks up the phone

again and dials "O"...

OPERATOR (O.S.)

Operator...

JILL:

Hello, Operator? Can you get me the

police?

OPERATOR (O.S.)

Is this an emergency?

JILL:

Yes!

(beat)

No, not really.

OPERATOR (O.S.)

The number is 555-9431. Would you

like me to connect you?

JILL:

Please.

Pause.

MAN'S VOICE (O.S.)

Seventh Precinct, Sergeant Sacker.

JILL:

Hello, I've been getting phone calls,

every fifteen minutes or so. I think

it's a man. He's trying to scare me.

SACKER (O.S.)

An anonymous caller?

JILL:

That's right.

SACKER (O.S.)

Has he threatened you?

JILL:

No.

SACKER (O.S.)

Has he been using obscene language?

JILL:

No. He just keeps calling me.

Sometimes he doesn't say anything.

SACKER (O.S.)

There's really nothing we can do

about it down here. Is the phone

listed in your name?

JILL:

No, I'm just the babysitter.

SACKER (O.S.)

It's probably just some weirdo. The

city's full of them. Believe it or

not, we get reports like this every

night. It's nothing to worry about.

JILL:

Oh...

SACKER (O.S.)

Have you tried whistling?

JILL:

What?

SACKER (O.S.)

If you can find a good loud whistle

somewhere in the house, blow it into

the phone hard, next time he calls.

Probably break his eardrum. He won't

bother you after that.

JILL:

No, I... You're probably right. It's

nothing to worry about.

SACKER (O.S.)

Or you could just take your phone

off the hook.

JILL:

No, the people I'm babysitting for

might try to reach me.

SACKER (O.S.)

Well, as I say, there's nothing we

can really do to help you down here.

JILL:

Okay. Thank you.

SACKER (O.S.)

You bet. Goodnight.

JILL:

Goodnight.

Jill hangs up. After thinking for a moment, she tries a couple

of ways of whistling as loud as she can, but frustrated and

feeling foolish, she soon gives up.

CUT TO:

INT. LIVING ROOM - LATER

Jill is sitting in an armchair facing the TV set. The TV is

on, but she is bored. She runs through several channels,

then gets up and turns the TV off.

She looks around and moves aimlessly back to the table, but

O.S. a dog is barking and she is drawn to the window. A car

passes outside, its lights reflecting off the window and

Jill's face.

Then the phone rings. Jill moves quickly from the window to

the table and answers the phone.

JILL:

Hello?

Pause.

DUNCAN (O.S.)

Why haven't you checked the children?

Stunned, Jill hangs up the phone. She turns and goes slowly

back to the window. She pulls the shutters closed in front

of the window. Then she walks out of the living room.

INT. FRONT HALL

Jill goes to the front door, turns the bolt and draws the

chain across the door. Then she starts to go upstairs.

The phone rings. She stops halfway up the stairs. She turns

and comes back down the stairs to answer the phone, but then

thinks better of it. She sits on the bottom step and lets

the phone ring and ring...

Finally, it stops. Jill gets up and heads into the living

room.

INT. LIVING ROOM

Jill goes to the table, picks up the phone and dials...

SACKER (O.S.)

Seventh Precinct, Sergeant Sacker.

JILL:

I called you before... about the man

who keeps calling me?

SACKER (O.S.)

Oh, yeah.

JILL:

He called me again.

SACKER (O.S.)

Did you try whistling?

JILL:

No, he's out there somewhere.

SACKER (O.S.)

Out where?

JILL:

In the neighborhood. He's been

watching me... through the windows.

SACKER (O.S.)

Did you see him?

JILL:

No. I know he's there.

SACKER (O.S.)

Is the house locked up?

JILL:

Yes.

SACKER (O.S.)

And the windows?

JILL:

Yes. Everything.

SACKER (O.S.)

Then you're safe. If he wanted to

break in, he wouldn't be calling

you.

Pause.

JILL:

Please, can't you help me? I'm all

alone.

SACKER (O.S.)

Tell you what. If this guy calls you

again --

JILL:

He will call again! I know he will!

SACKER (O.S.)

Okay, calm down now. I can alert the

phone company so that if he calls

again we can try to trace the call.

What's your number there?

JILL:

555-0672.

SACKER (O.S.)

And the address?

JILL:

3317 Oakridge Drive.

SACKER (O.S.)

Oh, yeah, I know where that is. All

right. If the guy calls again, try

to keep him on the line for at least

a minute so we can trace the call.

JILL:

But he never stays on that long!

Sometimes he hangs up after just a

couple of seconds.

SACKER (O.S.)

It's the only way we can help you.

(beat)

By the way, what's your name?

JILL:

Jill Johnson.

SACKER (O.S.)

Jill, the important thing is to relax.

You're safe where you are. We've got

patrolmen cruising the area all night

long. Just stay calm. Will you do

that for me?

JILL:

Yes.

SACKER (O.S.)

In the meantime, we'll be watching

your line. Okay, Jill?

JILL:

Okay.

SACKER (O.S.)

Call again if there's any problem.

JILL:

Thank you.

SACKER (O.S.)

Goodnight.

Jill hangs up the phone and looks forlornly off into space.

CUT TO:

INT. LIVING ROOM - LATER

Jill is sitting on the sofa, a drink in one hand, a cigarette

in the other. She is waiting. She sets her glass down, stubs

out the cigarette, leans back and sighs. She is very tense.

Then the phone rings. She rises from the sofa and slowly

crosses to the table. She sits down and picks up the phone.

During this conversation it becomes apparent that the VOICE

has a slight English accent.

JILL:

Hello?

Pause.

DUNCAN (O.S.)

It's me.

JILL:

I know. Who are you?

Pause. No answer.

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