Witness Page #5

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SAMUEL:

(alarmed)

Momma . . . are they angry with

us .

RACHEL:

(reassuring, but

hardly in her own mind)

No . . . No. It is just the English

way.

31A (CONTINUED)31A

Donahue has lost the confrontation; he gives Book a

smile:

DONAHUE:

You ought to think about coming back

to Homicide, Johnny. . . Stick with

Internal Affairs and you're not

gonna have any friends left.

BOOK:

(smiles right back)

I'll buy a dog.

32 EXT. 30th STATION - NIGHT32

Book emerges from the terminal, looks about Him,

then crosses to a big Mercury Sedan which is parked

nearby. Two men sit in the front seat. Book crosses

to the driver's side and opens the door.

BOOK:

Go get a cup of coffee, Stan.

The driver, a uniformed policeman, glances at the

man beside him who nods in agreement. He gets out

and Book gets in behind the wheel.

33 OMITTED33

34 INT. SEDAN 34

Book sits next-to SCHAEFFER, a surprisingly kindly

looking man of about fifty. Schaeffer is a Deputy

Chief.

SCHAEFFER:

How reliable is this kid?

BOOK:

Oh, he's good.

SCHAEFFER:

Amish.

BOOK:

Yeah.

34 (CONTINUED)34

SCHAEFFER:

What have you got?

BOOK:

Zenovitch was about to deliver a list

of names tonight -- street

chemists...the guys processing this

P2P into speed.

SCHAEFFER:

So one of them got to him.

BOOK:

Maybe.

SCHAEFFER:

You know who?

BOOK:

Maybe.

SCHAEFFER:

You're still convinced there's a link

to the department?

BOOK:

If there isn't I've just wasted the

last six months.

SCHAEFFER:

That's the problem. We need

results. The press is driving

us crazy over this P2P thing.

Calling us the speed capitol of the

country'. You know the sort of

thing . It's getting political.

The Commissioner's getting very

uneasy.

BOOK:

The Amish boy saw him, Paul. I'll make it,

but Set Donahue and the Homicide Department off

my back or they'll blow the whole thing.

SCHAEFFER:

When word gets out that Zenovitch

was a cop, all hell will break

lose. You've got 24 hours. That's

all I can give you. 24 hours on your

own. After that the case and the

witness go back to the Homicide Department.

34 CONTINUED: 34

SCHAEFFER:

(shakes his head)

Tell you what... why don't you and

that blonde - what's-her-name -

come over for dinner Sunday. How

'bout that.

BOOK:

What's-her-name moved to Buffalo.

SCHAEFFER:

(Sighs)

Well, anyway, don't get crazy.

(dismisses him)

I'll do something for Zenovich's

wife.

35 OMITTED 35

36 INT. BOOK'S CAR (MOVING) PHILADELPHIA - NIGHT36

Book drives around 13th Street, a ravaged corridor between neon-lit

restaurants, bars, porno shops and darkened storefronts.

Carter sits beside him, Rachel and her son in the back seat looking out at the

assorted array of desperate characters huddled in doorways or

wandering aimlessly about. On the POLICE RADIO a description of the

cop killing is BROADCAST EVERY FEW MINUTES.

CARTER:

I got there late, John.

BOOK:

Let's just find Coalmine.

(beat)

Listen, Zenovich made a mistake.

You didn't let anybody down. It

happens --

CARTER:

(grimly)

It won't happen again.

RACHEL:

Where are you taking us?

BOOK:

We're looking for a suspect.

We've reason to believe he's still

in the area.

RACHEL:

You have no right to keep us here.

BOOK:

Yes I do. Your son is a material

witness to a homicide.

RACHEL:

You don't understand, we have

nothing to do with your laws!

BOOK:

Doesn't surprise me. I meet a lot

of people like that.

RACHEL:

It's not a joke.

Book decides to try contrition:

BOOK:

You're right. It's not a joke.

Listen, I know a little about the

Amish. I know this has to be an ordeal for you;

and I'm really sorry you an Samuel got involved.

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