Zodiac Page #8

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David hefts his backpack as the bus approaches. Graysmithwatches him. Preparing to get on. The bus stops. The

Driver cranks open the door. David steps forward...

Graysmith can't take it. STOPS HIM.

Dad?

DAVID:

Graysmith looks to the Driver. Apologetic.

GRAYSMITH:

I'm gonna drive him myself today.

59 INT. OFFICE OF QUESTIONED DOCUMENTS -- NIGHT 59

Sacramento, California. AN EYE behind a magnifying glass.

Chief of Questioned Documents - Sherwood Morrill.

He studies the Zodiac letters side by side. Meticulous, slow

work. Toschi stands next to him. Maddened by the pace.

Morrill makes a note.

What's that?

TOSCHI:

MORRILL:

Similarities in the lower case

r's.

He keeps going. Moves onto the e's. Makes another note.

And that?

TOSCHI:

MORRILL:

That was you waiting in the hall

if you speak again. I have to

concentrate.

Sorry-

TOSCHI:

MORRILL:

Sorry counts as speaking.

60 INT. OFFICE OF QUESTIONED DOCUMENTS -- HALLWAY -- NIGHT 60

SLAM! Morrill shuts the door behind Toschi, locking him out.

Armstrong, on the couch across from the doorway, a couple of

snacks on his lap. He's eating chips. A beat.

TOSCHI:

There are similarities in the

lower case r's.

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Armstrong tosses Toschi a box of Animal Crackers.

them open.

ARMSTRONG:

We have to release the bus threat.

He tears

TOSCHI:

It'll screw us.

ARMSTRONG:

We're already screwed. We justwent from routine cabbie shooting

to "Mass Murderer Targets Kids".

Silence. Toschi sighs. The door to Morrill's office opens

and he steps out with a grave look on his face...

ANCHORMAN:

The Zodiac Killer has come to San

Francisco...

61 INT. GRAYSMITH APARTMENT -- LIVING ROOM -- EVENING 61

Friday, October 17, 1969. Graysmith and David, watching TV:

ANCHORMAN (O.S.)

Confirmation tonight from the San

Francisco Police Department that

in his latest taunting letter

which takes credit for the murder

of cab driver Paul Stine, the

Zodiac has threatened to "wipe out

a school bus and pick off the

kiddies as they come bouncing-

CLICK. Graysmith shuts the TV off, but not quick enough.

David stares at him. Terrified.

62 INT. SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE THIRD FLOOR -- EVENING 62

Avery, pounding away at his typewriter on an article as the

news report continues in the background:

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ANCHORMAN (O.S.)

...if you think you might know who

the Zodiac is, you can call the

San Francisco Police Department's

tipline...

63 INT. HALL OF JUSTICE -- HOMICIDE UNIT -- DAY 63

Saturday, October 18, 1969. PHONES RING OFF THE HOOK. The

place has become ZODIAC CENTRAL. PAN across the DETECTIVES,

ALL ON THE PHONE. Overlapping:

DETECTIVE 1

Yes, sir, we'll add your dry

cleaner to our suspect list...

DETECTIVE 2

...Vice President Agnew's

whereabouts are pretty well

established, ma'am...

Ending on Toschi, hanging up his phone. Behind him CAPTAIN

MARTIN LEE pulls on a tie and straightens it.

CAPTAIN LEE:

Press conference is at four, I

need to tell them where we are.

Toschi's phone begins RINGING AGAIN. He ignores it.

TOSCHI:

We're coordinating with the school

board, and expect a break in the

case very soon.

CAPTAIN LEE:

Where are we really?

TOSCHI:

Swamped. When they can't get

through on the tip line they call

the switchboard and keep getting

put through.

CAPTAIN LEE:

Hard suspects?

TOSCHI:

About ninety an hour - we're up to

around five hundred.

CAPTAIN LEE:

Can you narrow it down?

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TOSCHI:

If I could get out of this chair(

answering the phone)

Homicide, could you hold please?

He puts the phone back down. RINGING AGAIN, almost

immediately. Captain Lee pulls on his blazer.

CAPTAIN LEE:

I have to tell them the entire

force is on this.

TOSCHI:

How many men can you give me?

CAPTAIN LEE:

For now it's just you and Bill.

And Monday's a school day.

TOSCHI:

I got three daughters, Chief.

CAPTAIN LEE:

Where's Armstrong?

TOSCHI:

On with Vallejo.

(answering phone)

Homicide, Toschi...

PAN TO - Armstrong in mid conversation.

ARMSTRONG:

We're playing catch up here. I'd

like to set up a meeting with your

survivor, Michael Mageau64

INT. VALLEJO POLICE DEPARTMENT -- DAY 64

Can't.

MULANAX:

Skipped town.

ARMSTRONG:

The only guy who's seen Zodiac

without a mask is missing?

MULANAX:

When he was still in the hospital

we could show him line ups every

day. Soon as he got out he left.

Don't think he wants to have

anything to do with this.

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ARMSTRONG:

Well, if you could just send us

everything you've got-

MULANAX:

Road goes both ways - we need that

print you lifted from the cab.

Also, we should've been in on the

handwriting.

ARMSTRONG:

I apologize, things have been moving

fast. Who should I talk to in Napa

so we can coordinate?

Ken Narlow.

MULANAX:

65 INT. NAPA POLICE HEADQUARTERS -- DAY 65

KEN NARLOW, now on the phone with Armstrong.

NARLOW:

We should have been in on the

handwriting.

ARMSTRONG:

I apologize, things have been moving

fast. We're gonna need your scene

photos-

NARLOW:

Can't help you.

ARMSTRONG:

Ken, I don't want to get into a

jurisdictional thing-

NARLOW:

We didn't have a crime scene.

Ranger who found the kids

literally swept everything into a

picnic blanket. All we got were

the Wing Walker prints.

The what?

ARMSTRONG:

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NARLOW:

Bootprints to and from the scene

were made by size ten and a half

Wing Walkers - they're a type of

boot specifically designed to walk

on the wings of planes,

exclusively sold at military PX's.

Armstrong, writing this down...

ARMSTRONG:

You can only buy at a PX with a

military I.D, so our suspect could

be military. Did you narrow your

list off this?

NARLOW:

Yeah.

ARMSTRONG:

Did Vallejo?

NARLOW:

I don't know. I don't work in

Vallejo, I work here.

ARMSTRONG:

Can you send us a photo of the

bootprint?

NARLOW:

Yes, can you send us the

handwriting stuff?

ARMSTRONG:

I though Questioned Documents

already did.

NARLOW:

Nope. Vallejo's got it, we don't.

ARMSTRONG:

I'm sorry, I'll have Questioned

Documents-No, I'll fax it to

you.

NARLOW:

We don't have a fax yet.

ARMSTRONG:

Okay, I'll mail it.

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NARLOW:

We'll mail ours but call Mulanax,

maybe Vallejo can get you a mimeo

quicker.

66 INT. VALLEJO POLICE DEPARTMENT -- DAY 66

MULANAX:

Why don't you just get a photo off

the original plaster cast?

ARMSTRONG:

We'd have to wait because they

don't have a fax.

MULANAX:

We don't have a fax.

ARMSTRONG:

Look-I just want to get us

coordinated.

MULANAX:

Have you called Solano Sheriff's

Office?

ARMSTRONG:

Why would I call Solano?

MULANAX:

Cause the two kids who got killed

last Christmas were Solano's.

ARMSTRONG:

I thought they were Vallejo.

MULANAX:

They were over the county line.

You're gonna need to coordinate

with them too.

67 INT. HALL OF JUSTICE -- HOMICIDE UNIT -- EVENING 67

As Armstrong hangs up the phone. At the end of his rope.

Then he notices Toschi's face. Grim.

What now?

ARMSTRONG:

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