Wild Things Page #11

There is a moment of silence in the room.

RAY:

But you do admit to touching her, to

putting your arm around her. Isn't that

against the rules?

SAM:

It is and I don't. Ordinarily...

(beat)

But, I mean... there's this kid standing

in front of you crying...

RAY:

With a thirty-five inch bustline in a

wet T-shirt with no bra...

He is cut short as Sam shoves his chair back from the table.

SAM:

F*** you. This is bullshit. I'm outta

here.

RAY:

Sit down, Lombardo.

Sam and Ray stare at one another. Ken puts a hand on his

client's arm.

KEN:

All right, all right... Enough.

Ken stands up. He walks to the two-way mirror set in one wall,

rapping on the glass with his knuckles.

KEN (CONT'D)

We came down here to make a statement.

We've made it.

(beat)

If you're going to charge my client, do

it now.

INT. OPPOSITE SIDE MIRROR ROOM - HUNTER

stares at Ken's face, about a foot away. Ken of course can't see

him. Hunter gives him the finger.

INT. INTERVIEW ROOM - KEN

stares into the mirror, waiting.

KEN:

I didn't think so.

(to Sam)

Let's go.

Ken opens the door. Sam turns back to Ray and Gloria.

SAM:

I've spent the last ten years of my life

working with kids. I love what I do,

and I think I'm good at it.

(beat)

These kids trust me, and there is no

way. No way in hell I would ever betray

that trust.

As Ken and Sam leave, Ray and Gloria are joined by Bryce Hunter.

HUNTER:

Nice speech. Either of you buying?

Ray shrugs.

RAY:

Not that stuff about her running away,

him trying to find her. That's

bullshit.

HUNTER:

What about witnesses?

RAY:

We've got three. Guy mowing his yard,

couple of kids playing hoops.

HUNTER:

And what do they say?

GLORIA:

Same as him. They saw her come. They

saw her go. They saw him follow.

RAY:

Still doesn't explain why he couldn't

catch up with her. I mean how long does

it take to put on a shirt?

At which point, a COP APPEARS in the doorway.

COP:

Phone, Bryce. It's Sandra Van Ryan.

HUNTER:

Christ Almighty. That woman's calling

me six times a day.

He starts away, then stops.

HUNTER (CONT'D)

I think you're onto something, Ray.

Stay with it.

Hunter bangs out of the room. Gloria slumps in a chair, tired,

disgusted.

GLORIA:

We failed to mention the mower guy's a

drunk, that he was after more beer and

never really saw Kelly go into the

house, so he can't say how long she was

in there. Same with the kids. They saw

her running down the street, but that's

it.

(beat)

With no physical evidence, what do we

have? Her word against his.

RAY:

You're telling me you believe the guy?

GLORIA:

All I'm saying is, we let Sandra Van

Ryan push us too hard, we're going to

wind up looking stupid.

Ray is paged by his BEEPER. He pulls it off his belt, looks at

the number.

RAY:

I'd better return this.

Ray leaves. Gloria pulls a cigarette from her purse and lights

up, rests her head back in the chair, blowing smoke at the

ceiling.

INT. INTERVIEW ROOM - LATER

Gloria is grinding out the butt as Ray walks back in. There is

something in the way he carries himself, some sense of urgency.

RAY:

(off Gloria's look)

Seen any good gator wrestling lately?

EXT./INT. DETECTIVES' CAR - MOVING - DAY

Ray and Gloria drive through the Everglades, past marshlands

punctuated by thick stands of melaluca trees.

GLORIA:

They say it was old man Van Ryan planted

the melalucas to dry up the swamp.

Ray nods.

GLORIA (CONT'D)

You can go up to one of those trees and

peel the bark. You know what you get?

More bark. And more bark. There's no

core. Tree's not good tar anything but

sucking up water. And now they can't

get rid of them. They've tried poisons.

Nothing works. They don't die.

RAY:

Yeah, well, Van Ryan got his. I don't

imagine he gives a sh*t now.

Gloria just looks at him. Ray stares into the dusty light of an

approaching sunset. At last he slows, turning off the highway

and onto a narrow dirt road.

A sign pokes out from the tall grass -- "SMILIN' JACK'S FISH

CAMP."

The Taurus bounces along the washboard road.

GLORIA:

You're sure we're not lost?

They are driving now at the edge of a canal.

RAY:

You remember that little girl walked out

of our talk at Blue Bay?

GLORIA:

The skinny brunette.

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