Zodiac Page #13

(CONTINUED)

FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 72.

110 CONTINUED:
(2) 110

The headlights, coming back. She's too involved with baby to

notice until:

THE MAN (O.S.)(CONT'D)

Are you okay?

She JUMPS at his voice. He's pulled alongside her.

KATHLEEN:

Yeah, I-Yeah.

THE MAN (O.S.)

Must've been worse than I thought.

I could give you a lift to a

service station.

Kathleen looks back to her tire. Makes a decision. Gathers

up her baby and gets out of the car.

THE MAN (O.S.)(CONT'D)

I didn't know you had a baby.

Kathleen stops.

KATHLEEN:

Is that a problem?

A long beat...

THE MAN (O.S.)

The more the merrier.

111 INT. MAN'S CAR -- NIGHT 111

Trash everywhere. Kathleen slides into the passenger seat.

Her baby on her lap. They pull onto the highway. Riding insilence. Quite fast. The baby, crying. Kathleen

uncomfortable. She lights a cigarette. Smokes a little.

Still the man doesn't speak. She stubs the butt out

nervously.

Finally sees a GAS STATION coming up. Relieved. But the Man

doesn't slow down. THEY PASS IT.

KATHLEEN:

I think you passed a gas station.

THE MAN:

It was closed.

She looks at him. Tries to regroup. They're SPEEDING UP.

Doing near 70. The Man CRANKS DOWN his WINDOW. Howling airfills the car. Kathleen's Baby WHINES at the cold.

(CONTINUED)

FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 73.

111 CONTINUED:
111

KATHLEEN:

Shhhhhh. It's okay. Mommy'shere.

The Man looks over at her.

THE MAN:

Before I kill you, I'm going to

throw your baby out the window.

Kathleen blinks. Did he just say...

CUT TO:

112 INT. WOMAN'S CAR (MOVING) -- LATER 112

A WOMAN drives Highway 132. Listening to music. A BIG RIG,

stopped ahead. The DRIVER in the middle of the road PLEADING

with a HYSTERICAL WOMAN. She pulls over...

113 EXT. HIGHWAY 132 -- NIGHT 113

The Woman gets out of her car. Before she can even ask

TRUCK DRIVER:

She was on the side of the road!

The hysterical woman is KATHLEEN and she's SCREAMING BLOODY

MURDER. Face cut bloody from jumping from the car. Gravel

in her hair. And no baby in sight.

WOMAN:

What happened? What he do to you?

TRUCK DRIVER:

I didn't do nothing, lady! I found

her like this-

Kathleen, gasping and weeping as she tries to form words

KATHLEEN:

Muh-muh-muh-

WOMAN:

What? What is it? It'll be okay-

KATHLEEN:

(through sobs)

He said-my baby-

WOMAN:

Your baby?

(to the Driver)

Where's her baby?

(CONTINUED)

FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 74.

113 CONTINUED:
113

TRUCK DRIVER:

She didn't have one when I stopped-

WOMAN:

Where's your baby?

Still weeping, Kathleen turns and begins to STUMBLE AWAY from

them. Heading for the side of the road. The Driver pales.

Oh, Jesus...

TRUCK DRIVER:

The Woman, following her and we do to, as Kathleen slides

down the embankment and pushes some tall grass aside and -

Her baby lies there. Perfectly fine. Safe. Alive.

You hid him?

WOMAN:

KATHLEEN:

In- In case he came back...

114 EXT. SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE -- MORNING 114

April 20, 1970.

TOSCHI (V.O.)

This is the Zodiac speaking...

Toschi and Armstrong, getting out of their car.

toward the Chronicle's entrance...

Walking

TOSCHI (V.O.)(CONT'D)

By the way have you cracked the

last cipher I sent you?

As they push through the FRONT DOORS...

115 INT. SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE LOBBY -- MORNING 115

April 28, 1970. MATCH TO - Toschi and Armstrong entering the

lobby. WEARING DIFFERENT CLOTHES. A different day.

ARMSTRONG (V.O.)

This is the Zodiac speaking...

They step into the elevator...

ARMSTRONG (V.O.)(CONT'D)

I would like to see some nice

Zodiac buttons wandering about

town...

The elevator doors close - DING!

FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 75.

116 INT. SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE THIRD FLOOR -- MORNING 116

June 26, 1970. DING! The elevator doors open - Toschi and

Armstrong in a THIRD SET of clothes. Another day.

AVERY (V.O.)

This is the Zodiac speaking...

Walking briskly to the Editorial Room...

AVERY (V.O.)(CONT'D)

I shot a man sitting in a parked

car with a .38.

As Graysmith watches, they close the door.

GRAYSMITH (V.O.)

This is the Zodiac speaking...

117 INT. MORTI'S -- NIGHT 117

July 24, 1970.

aloud:

Graysmith reading a copy of the newest letter

GRAYSMITH:

So now I have a little list,

beginning with the woman and her

baby that I gave a rather

interesting ride for a couple

hours one evening a few months

back that ended in my burning her

car where I found them(

puts down theletter)

We're really not going to run

anymore of his letters?

He looks over to Avery who slugs back a shot. Quite drunk.

AVERY:

Our brothers in blue want us to

hold off. To see how he "reacts".

GRAYSMITH:

Four letters in three months and

he doesn't mention Kathleen Johns

till now...

AVERY:

That's because he's full of sh*t.

GRAYSMITH:

What do you mean?

(CONTINUED)

FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 76.

117 CONTINUED:
117

AVERY:

You don't know?

He gets to his feet. Unsteady.

AVERY (CONT'D)

I'll show you.

118 INT. SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE -- ARCHIVES -- NIGHT 118

Dark. The stacks, deserted. Keys in the door. Lights come

on. Avery weaves into the room, leading Graysmith.

GRAYSMITH:

I don't think we're supposed to be

in here-

AVERY:

That's why I have keys, Robert.

am a man with keys. Pull the

Modesto Bee from March for me.

I'm gonna sit and smoke.

I:

Graysmith goes. Avery, true to his word, sits and lights up.

Graysmith's voice, from the stacks:

GRAYSMITH (O.S.)

What am I looking for!

AVERY:

Kathleen Johns! Also, grab theChron from-Never mind, I'll find

it!

TIME CUT TO:

118A BOOM! Avery drops a copy of the Chronicle on the table next

to the Modesto Bee.

118A

AVERY:

Okay, look at the letter again.

The part about Kathleen Johns.

What facts does he give?

GRAYSMITH:

Woman and her baby abducted... car

set on fire...

AVERY:

Now read the article from the Bee.

Graysmith begins reading an article entitled "WOMAN ESCAPES

FROM ZODIAC".

(CONTINUED)

FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 77.

118A CONTINUED:
118A

AVERY (CONT'D)

Seeing it yet?

GRAYSMITH:

Everything in the letter was

already printed in the paper.

AVERY:

He's done it before.

Holds up the Chronicle. A FRONT PAGE STORY about a police

officer shooting.

AVERY (CONT'D)

Officer Richard Radietch, shot

sitting in his car.

GRAYSMITH:

Zodiac said he shot someone in

their car-

AVERY:

Couple days after this article

came out. Police already have

somebody in custody. Zodiac

didn't do it, but he took credit

anyway. He's in it for the press.

(drunken grin)

He's constructing an image. Sh*t,

he even stole his symbol.

GRAYSMITH:

What?

On Avery. Realizing he might have said too much.

AVERY:

If I tell you something, will you

promise not to tell anyone else?

GRAYSMITH:

Who am I going to tell?

AVERY:

Totally solid point. Okay.

He pulls a piece of paper from his pocket and hands it to

Graysmith, who unfolds it.

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