Wild Things Page #12

RAY:

This is where she lives. She wants to

talk.

(beat)

Beats the sh*t out of me why she would

call me at all. I busted her once for

possession. she wound up doing about

six months at Camp Nine.

GLORIA:

You mean Camp Sixty-Nine.

Ray gives her a look. Gloria shrugs.

GLORIA (CONT'D)

That's what they called it when I was in

Juvenile. It's a pretty dismal place.

RAY:

It's a shithole. But she was dirty,

what was I gonna do?

They pass a sagging chain-link fence, entering a quarter-mile run

of shabby trailers and cheap shacks.

The squalor of the buildings is seat in contrast to the beauty of

the Glades where the waters have gone to the color of polished

brass beneath an immense, darkening sky.

Ray parks before a ramshackle building covered in vines and

peeling paint. A sign reads: "NIGHT CRAWLERS $1 A BUCKET." The

jawbones of numerous gators hang beneath the eaves.

As they get out of the car, something catches Gloria's eye --

along the bank of the canal...

ANGLE ON BANK:

where a tall man (WALTER) with long white hair and tattooed arms

kneels inside a pen, slapping a huge gator on its snout. The

reptile lifts its upper body, hissing, opening its jaws.

Walter takes a stick from his hip pocket, passing it through the

gator's mouth. The jaws snap shut, incredibly fast, with a

hollow snapping sound.

Gloria jumps instinctively, then watches, aghast, as Walter slaps

the creature once more. This time moving round to the front of

the gator, sticking halt his arm inside its mouth.

VOICE (0.5.)

He's just showin' off for you now.

Gloria starts, then turns to find a woman (RUBY) has walked up

beside her. The woman is in her sixties. She's dressed in

polyester. Her hair is piled on top of her head -- too dark to

be anything but a dye job. A cigarette bobs from her lips.

Before Gloria can respond, Ray steps up behind than.

RAY:

Evening Ruby.

(beat)

I see you still got Walter. I was sort

of hoping something had eaten him by

now.

RUBY:

(a long beat)

Can I help you with something?

Ray and the old lady look at each other.

RAY:

Suzie called. You know where we can

find her?

Ruby looks toward the store.

RUBY:

You know the way.

She watches as the detectives CROSS the road, then calls to them

as they start up the steps.

RUBY (CONT'D)

You won't shoot her will you? I don't

believe she's armed.

Gloria turns, surprised. Ray gives the woman a long, cold stare,

then opens the door for Gloria.

INT. CAMP STORE - SAME

It's dark inside. The main light source is a tiny, beat-up

black-and-white TV.

Two elderly women in colored bouffant hairdos sit on a ratty old

couch watching reruns of "Family Feud." They look up as Ray and

Gloria ENTER then EXIT through a door in the back.

INT. SUZIE'S ROOM - SAME

Black walls. Cheap bookshelves, filled to overflowing. A wire

strung with dismembered doll parts runs the length of the room.

Suzie is propped on a ratty futon, an open book on her stomach,

her thin, white arms crossed behind her head.

SUZIE:

Jesus. It took you long enough. What

if somebody was trying to strangle me?

Or f*** me in the ass, even?

(beat)

I mean, you guys are Sex Crimes.

Ray manages a thin smile.

RAY:

Meet my partner, Gloria Perez.

SUZIE:

I did. At Blue Balls.

GLORIA:

Seems to me you left early, before we

could meet. But hi, Suzie.

Gloria puts out a hand. Suzie looks at it, puts out a hand of

her own.

As the women shake, Gloria looks at the book on Suzie's stomach,

turning her head as if to read the title.

SUZIE:

It's Celine. He's okay. He had a

pretty good line on what cheap fucks

people are.

RAY:

So Suzie, you called us, remember?

Suzie takes a cigarette from a pack at her side, lights up, blows

smoke at the ceiling.

SUZIE:

Did they arrest Mr. Lombardo?

Ray and Gloria exchange looks.

RAY:

No.

SUZIE:

Will they?

RAY:

It doesn't look like it.

SUZIE:

Then he'll be back at Blue Balls?

Ray shrugs.

GLORIA:

That bothers you?

SUZIE:

(a long beat)

Yeah, maybe, a little.

GLORIA:

Why is that?

Suzie lets out her breath. She rests her head against the wall.

GLORIA (CONT'D)

You can talk to us, Suzie. That's why

we're here...

INT. POLICE INTERVIEW ROOM - DAY

Suzie, Gloria and Hunter sit at the conference table. Ray

operates the video cam.

GLORIA:

Okay, Suzie. We want you to tell us

about the day Mr. Lombardo gave you and

Jimmy a ride.

Suzie stares at the three cops around her, then at the camera.

SUZIE:

You didn't tell me you were gonna put me

on the f***ing news.

GLORIA:

We need to tape the interview, Suzie.

No one will see it but us.

(beat)

Now when was this, that Mr. Lombardo

gave you the ride?

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