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FADE IN:
INT. ARGYLE HOTEL LOBBY
The Art Deco appointments seem perpetually in style,
every item carefully placed, as if for a photo shoot.
MURPHY (59), in a permanently rumpled suit and a tie only
a child would select, seems never to have been in style.
Murphy looks up from his newspaper as JULIA (28) passes,
under-dressed and overly made-up,
Murphy turns back to his paper, shaking his head.
Julia steps into an elevator. The doors close.
INT. HOTEL SUITE
LOIS (26), paces impatiently, dressed head to toe in
stylishly sexy Gucci attire.
A KNOCK at the door. Lois grabs the telephone.
INT. HOTEL LOBBY
Murphy's pager beeps. He heads for the elevator.
INT. HOTEL SUITE
With a quick make-up inspection, Lois turns to the door.
INT. HOTEL HALLWAY
Murphy steps off the elevator and walks to a guest door.
Lois answers his KNOCK, relief in her eyes.
INT. HOTEL SUITE
Murphy steps into the elegantly appointed suite to find
Julia at the bar, pouring a drink.
JULIA
I wasn't expecting a threesome, but take
off your jacket and stay a while. ... Are
you pitching or catching?
MURPHY
Game's called off on account of rain.
JULIA
Oh, I see. You two are in this together.
MURPHY
You're on the first bus out of town.
Julia approaches, with a catwalk strut.
JULIA
How very butch, Detective Murphy.
Murphy slugs Julia, sending the drink flying against the
wall and Julia flying backwards onto a sofa.
MURPHY
Get your things.
Julia gingerly rubs a sore jaw.
JULIA
That's no way to treat a lady.
MURPHY
You ain't no lady.
Julia shrugs indifferently and reaches for her purse.
Julia swings the purse at Murphy, smashing a lamp.
Murphy swings, but Julia sidesteps, leaps on Murphy's
back, flailing, biting, kicking.
Lois eases toward the door.
Julia and Murphy tumble onto the bed together, fighting.
Julia digs into her purse. Murphy grabs for it.
A flame bursts from the purse as a SHOT rings.
Murphy clutches his gut. Blood oozes between his fingers.
Lois SCREAMS.
Murphy stares in anguished disbelief, reaches for gun.
MURPHY (CONT'D)
I know you.
Murphy's chest turns crimson as a second SHOT hits.
INT. HOTEL HALLWAY
Lois runs down the hall, looking back furtively.
Reaching another door, she digs frantically for a key and
opens the door.
INT. HOTEL ROOM
Lois quickly unzips, stepping out of the Gucci frock,
revealing a hairy chest.
Lois heads to the bathroom, pulling off a wig.
INT. MASTER BEDROOM - MORNING
ERIN (14), auburn hair with freckles, stirs amidst the
rumpled sheets of a king-size bed.
No longer a child, not yet a woman, she stretches
languidly, turns to the open bathroom door and smiles.
BATHROOM
GIDEON MAGUIRE (36), roguishly handsome, sings an Irish
ballad as he shaves.
GIDEON
(sings)
She said, Kind sir be civil, My company
forsake, For in my own opinion I fear you
are a rake.
BEDROOM
Erin takes a crucifix on a necklace from around her neck
and kisses the figure of Christ.
ERIN
Thank you, Jesus.
Erin snuggles under the blankets, the crucifix clutched
in her fingers.
BATHROOM
Gideon combs his hair, pushes hair back from temple,
turning head to examine one side, then other, touches
crown with fingertips, scowls, reaches for gel.
INT. BANK VAULT
A high-speed drill bit grinds against the brass tumbler
of a safe deposit box.
SANTIAGO and COOPER, dark suits and darker expressions,
watch a WORKER in safety goggles defeat the lock.
The VAULT MANAGER watches impatiently.
INT. MASTER BEDROOM - MOMENTS LATER
Gideon knots his tie and grins at Erin's sleeping
reflection.
GIDEON
(sings)
Your beauty so enticed me I could not
pass it by, So it's with my gun I'll
guard you, All on the mountain high.
Gideon perches on the edge of the bed and brushes Erin's
tresses from her face.
GIDEON (CONT'D)
Don't you have school today?
Erin's green eyes sparkle mischievously.
ERIN
I want to stay here with you.
Gideon begins tickling Erin.
GIDEON
And who will earn a living while we sit
around the house doing nothing all day?
ERIN
Mom will. We'll send her to work.
Gideon lifts Erin into a hug and kisses her. He stands,
trying to break away, but Erin clings tenaciously.
Gideon gently, but firmly pries her arms free, and guides
her toward the door.
GIDEON
Go on now, get ready for school. And
don't be giving your mother any trouble.
Erin affects an exaggerated sassy walk as she heads
toward the door, her fingertips fluttering good-bye.
KITTY (36), in the doorway sipping a steaming mug of
Java, bends for a kiss as Erin passes.
KITTY
Now the two of you plot behind my back to
sit about playing hookey while I go off
to work in the mines?
Gideon pulls Kitty into an embrace, as he steals a quick
sip of coffee.
GIDEON
I've a better idea. Let's send Erin off
to work the mines while we play hookey
... and pretend we're back at school.
Gideon pulls an unyielding Kitty onto the bed, balancing
the steaming coffee in one hand, his other arm wrapped
tightly around her waist as he kisses her neck.
Kitty arches away from him, avoiding his kisses.
KITTY
Mind your manners, Gideon Maguire. What
will the children think?
ERIN (O.S.)
We'd think grown-ups have all the fun.
Kitty breaks away and smoothes out her dress.
GIDEON
Forget something, angel?
ERIN
My crucifix.
Erin jumps on the bed and tears through the sheets.
GIDEON
Yes, we know. Your mother and I were just
looking for it.
ERIN
I could tell. You're a lousy detective.
(displays chain)
It was right here under your nose.
GIDEON
Perhaps I should find line of work better
suited to my limited talents.
Gideon cups his hand over the key pad of a wall-mounted
gun safe as he punches in the code. Erin tries to peek.
ERIN
When are you going to give me the
combination?
Gideon opens the safe to remove a nickel-plated Colt .45
with custom grips, which he holsters.
GIDEON
Young ladies have no need to be playing
with guns.
An LED inside the safe blinks.
GIDEON (CONT'D)
(to Kitty)
Did you buy me a new battery, Kitty?
KITTY
(to Erin)
Did you get the new battery for your
father, like I asked you?
ERIN
So, arrest me, I forgot.
GIDEON
But if ye do no remember, I'll 'ave no
gun to arrest you with.
ERIN
If I get your stupid battery, will you
show me how to open the safe?
GIDEON
You've no need for guns, angel.
ERIN
What if I'm all alone when an intruder
breaks in?
GIDEON
If you're here alone, opening the safe
will do you no good, for the gun will be
gone with me.
ERIN
Maybe you should buy me a gun of my own.
KITTY
One gun in this house is quite enough.
ERIN
What if there's an intruder?
GIDEON
Then the best thing to do is run.
Gideon playfully chases Erin around the room.
ERIN
What if he's big and ugly ... like you?
GIDEON
Then you better run fast, and hide.
Erin runs across the bed and out the door.
GIDEON (CONT'D)
What's gotten into that child?
KITTY
Since Murphy died, she worries for you,
especially when you work late.
Gideon tries to nuzzles Kitty, but she turns away.
GIDEON
You shouldn't let her crawl into bed with
you every time she has a nightmare.
Doesn't she realize grown-ups sometimes
want to be alone?
KITTY
She might sleep more soundly if you came
home a wee bit earlier, for once.
Gideon tries to hug Kitty.
GIDEON
Perhaps a cup of eggnog with a shot of
rum would put her under long enough for
us to work on a baby sister.
Kitty sees Patrick (10) in the doorway and breaks away.
KITTY
What would Father Miller say? Drugging
your own daughter to further lustful
desires?
GIDEON
It's not lust if it's your own wife. It's
what the church calls divine bliss.
Kitty shoos Gideon away.
KITTY
Get on to work, Gideon Maguire, enough
foolishness.
INT. BANK VAULT
The Vault Manager places a large bond box on a table in a
private viewing room as Santiago signs a form.
The Vault Manager takes the form and steps away.
Santiago opens the box to find a gym bag and a shoe box.
He unzips the bag, filled with banded bundles of money,
and empties it on the table.
Ignoring the mound of cash, Santiago examines the lining,
finding nothing.
Cooper tilts the lid of the shoe box, emblazoned with a
Gucci logo and looks to Santiago with a raised eyebrow.
INT. GARAGE
Four gangsta types, crowd into a low-rider.
EXT. CITY STREET - MORNING
The low-rider pulls into traffic, past a parked BMW
sedan. SAMPSON (32), a street tough trying to look
refined, pulls into traffic after the low-rider.
EXT. CITY STREET
The low-rider pulls to the curb and DELROY climbs out.
Sampson passes in his BMW, talking on a cell phone.
Delroy approaches a Toyota Celica with custom rims, a
Slim Jim held at his side.
INT. LOS ANGELES POLICE STATION
Gideon pulls his mail from a bank of pigeonholes, sifting
through the memoranda, bulletins and telephone messages
as he approaches his desk.
DEXTER, an officious clerk, chases after him.
DEXTER
Detective Maguire, Chandler wants to see
you in his office, first thing.
Gideon nods, crumpling a bulletin absently.
CHANDLER'S OFFICE
Scanning his mail, Gideon raises his hand to knock when
the door is swept open by NICHOLS, who pulls him aside.
NICHOLS
Detective Maguire? I'm Dennis Nichols,
staff counsel for the Protective League.
GIDEON
I know who you are.
NICHOLS
I'm here to represent you.
GIDEON
Do I need representation?
NICHOLS
It's Murphy. It looks bad.
GIDEON
Murphy's dead. How much worse can it get?
Gideon pushes past Nichols into Chandler's office.
MARVIN CHANDLER, pudgy and humorless, eyes Gideon coldly
from behind a tape recorder centered on his desk blotter.
MARGE, silver-haired stenographer, sits with pen poised.
Santiago, Cooper and PHELPS, another suit, watch closely.
CHANDLER
Thanks for joining us, Detective Maguire.
This is a preliminary investigation into
events surrounding the death of Detective
Michael Sean Murphy. At this time, you
are not accused of any misconduct. Should
your status change during the course of
this inquiry, you will be advised of your
Miranda rights; however, silence could be
considered insubordination and subject
you to disciplinary action. Am I clear?
GIDEON
Get on with it. We've both jobs to do.
CHANDLER
Murphy was dirty. I want to know how much
of that dirt rubbed off on you.
GIDEON
Murphy was a good cop and an honest man.
CHANDLER
Murphy rented a safe deposit box two days
before he died. Would you have any idea
what we found in that box?
GIDEON
Probably something of value Murphy didn't
want to lose.
CHANDLER
Two-hundred-fifty thousand dollars, cash.
GIDEON
Is that all?
Santiago produces the Gucci box and opens it to reveal a
pair of lady's red high-heel spaghetti strap sandals.
SANTIAGO
European size forty-four, that's a lady's
twelve and a half, man's ten and a half,
which just happens to be Murphy's size.
COOPER
Was Murphy inclined to any unusual sexual
preferences?
GIDEON
Murphy liked the ladies, I'm sure of it.
SANTIAGO
Was Murphy still seeing your wife?
GIDEON
That was a long time ago. It's over.
COOPER
Are you sure? Absolutely sure of that?
PHELPS
How'd Murphy get the money?
GIDEON
I haven't opened any safe deposit boxes.
CHANDLER
We know.
SANTIAGO
What was Murphy into?
GIDEON
No idea ... but I'm going to find out.
CHANDLER
You've been reassigned, pending the
outcome of this inquiry.
EXT. JUNK YARD - DAY
Delroy drives the Celica past rusted auto frames to a
dilapidated garage.
INT. CHOP SHOP
The overhead door swings open and he pulls into a clean
service area with modern equipment.
As Delroy climbs out, SIX MECHANICS descend upon the
Celica with Makita hand tools and impact wrenches.
INT. COCKTAIL LOUNGE - EVENING
ROBIN (24), slinky and sophisticated, plucks the umbrella
from a piņa colada and nibbles on the pineapple wedge.
FRANKIE (40s), a balding businessman, approaches.
FRANKIE
You look like you're ready for a refill.
Robin gives him an appraising look.
ROBIN
I'm ready for something.
FRANKIE
Bartender, another ...
ROBIN
Piņa colada.
FRANKIE
Piņa colada for the lady and Cristall
rocks for me.
ROBIN
Thank you ... ?
FRANKIE
Frankie.
ROBIN
Friend of Johnny?
FRANKIE
We were lovers.
ROBIN
But she did you wrong.
FRANKIE
Typical woman.
ROBIN
Are you a woman hater?
FRANKIE
Just unlucky in love.
ROBIN
The night's not over.
Frankie gives her an appraising look over his cocktail.
Robin shifts, displaying the lace on her stockings.
FRANKIE
What would it take to get you to come up
to my room for a little ... room service?
ROBIN
I'd have to have a very big reason.
FRANKIE
How about three hundred big reasons?
Robin turns to her drink, dismissively.
ROBIN
I'll think about it.
FRANKIE
I meant five hundred.
Robin turns back smiling.
ROBIN
I like your attitude.
As Robin stands, the bartender grabs her wrist.
BARTENDER
If you're going to work my turf, it's
fifty to the house.
Robin smiles thinly and turns to Frankie.
ROBIN
Would you be a dear and settle my tab?
Frankie pries the Bartender's fingers from Robin's wrist.
FRANKIE
Charge it to my room.
They walk past Gideon nursing a drink at his table.
Gideon tosses a tip on the table and follows.
INT. HOTEL HALLWAY
Gideon catches up to Robin and Frankie.
GIDEON
Excuse me.
Robin stops and turns, an expression of annoyance.
FRANKIE
Can I help you?
Gideon flashes his shield.
GIDEON
You're under arrest for solicitation.
Robin digs into her purse. A glimpse of gunmetal.
Shoving Robin into Gideon, Frankie tears down the hall.
Stumbling on stiletto heels, Robin falls into Gideon.
GIDEON (CONT'D)
You alright?
ROBIN
Fine. Want me to call for backup?
GIDEON
Nah, I've got him.
Frankie reaches the elevators at the far end of the hall.
Frankie frantically presses the call buttons.
Gideon, shakes his head and pulls out his cell phone.
Frankie's eyes dart from the fire exit to the elevator.
Gideon strides down the hall, talking on his cell phone.
The car ready light blinks on.
Frankie looks to Gideon, approaching at a steady pace.
The elevator doors slide open.
Two PORTLY LADIES take their time stepping out.
Gideon, still halfway down the hall, steadily closes.
Frankie frantically presses the close door button.
The door closes. Frankie breathes a sigh of relief.
He presses the lobby button. Nothing.
Frankie presses other buttons. Nothing.
The doors slide open on Gideon, cell phone in one hand,
handcuffs in the other.
Frankie clasps his hands behind his neck in surrender and
steps out, turning his back to Gideon.
GIDEON (CONT'D)
(into phone)
Thanks. You can turn the car back on.
Gideon snaps a cuff around Frankie's wrist.
GIDEON (CONT'D)
Why run, jackrabbit? Got warrants?
FRANKIE
Sorry, I just panicked.
GIDEON
Carrying drugs? Weapons?
FRANKIE
I'll pay the fine, I'll pay you double,
triple, here and now if you let me walk.
GIDEON
Too late. I would have cited you, now I
have to book you for assaulting a police
officer and obstructing justice.
FRANKIE
I didn't even do anything. This is like a
traffic ticket for you. But when my wife
finds out, she'll want a divorce.
Robin approaches, wearing her police I.D. on a lanyard.
ROBIN
If you can't do the time ...
FRANKIE
It's a victimless crime.
ROBIN
Explain that to your wife.
GIDEON
Do you want the bartender, or shall I?
ROBIN
He's mine, most definitely.
     
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