BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
“An Impossible Silence”
written by
Howard Gordon &
Alex Gansa
Aired Episode
Transcript
~~~
EXTERIOR NIGHT
Deserted Street
Two men leaving a bar
PEROTTA
Listen, Danny, I appreciate you going to bat for me like that.
I guess I owe you one, huh?
YATES
Forget about it.
Laura, a young Tunnel resident, walking in background, unseen by the men
YATES
Keller’s on edge like the rest of us.
PEROTTA
Yeah, well, he really lost it when I told him.
Look, all we gotta do is return the stuff to property.
They don’t keep track of it. They’ll never know it was missing.
We wipe the slate clean. I mean, who needs that kind of pressure, huh?
YATES
I told you … don’t worry about it.
I’ll smooth things out with Laine and then we’ll talk about it.
Laura notices the two men
YATES
It’s getting cold out, huh?
Yates has put on gloves
PEROTTA
Yeah.
YATES
Hey, you okay to drive?
Yates slips a pistol from the waistband of his slacks
PEROTTA
Oh, yeah, yeah, I’ve driven worse than this.
Listen to me … some cop, huh?
PEROTTA
Well listen, where … where ya parked?
YATES
A couple blocks down on South Street.
PEROTTA
Well, come on, I’ll give you a lift.
YATES
Nah, nah, I’m gonna walk.
PEROTTA
Are you sure?
YATES
Yeah.
PEROTTA
I’ll see you tomorrow.
YATES
I’ll see you later.
PEROTTA
Hey, Danny?
YATES
What?
Perotta, now seated behind the wheel, looks up at Yates
PEROTTA
Everything’s gonna be all right, huh?
YATES
Don’t worry, Tony. Everything’s okay.
Perotta turns to put the key into the ignition. Yates aims and fires the gun point blank.
The bright light of the gunshot catches Laura’s eye. She turns to see Yates standing beside the car, the driver’s door open and the driver slumped over. She watches Yates fire two more shots into Perotta. Startled, Laura tips over the garbage can, alerting Yates. He starts toward her. She runs and he chases her. He fires at her, misses, fires three more times. When he reaches the corner he fires again, but she falls and his shots miss. She continues running, turns another corner, falls against a man knocking him over, rises, and runs into the arms of a police officer.
POLICE OFFICER
You okay? What the hell you doing
in this part of town anyway? You…
Laura runs off
POLICE OFFICER
Hey!
Hidden from the Police Officer’s view, Yates watches Laura escape
CUT TO:
INTERIOR TUNNELS
Pipe Chamber
The chamber, filled with pipes of every size and dimension imaginable, is alive with tapping as Pascal, armed with two short lengths of metal rod, sends a message on one of the pipes
PASCAL
See? I worked out an abbreviation for the express stuff.
You wouldn’t believe how much we can cut down on congestion.
VINCENT
Oh, I believe it. But don’t you ever get tired, Pascal?
PASCAL
(Listening intently to one of the pipes)
Only when I stop.
Crying is heard and Vincent turns as Laura flings herself into his arms
CUT TO:
EXTERIOR DAY
Criminal Courts Building
Interior DA‘s Office
CATHERINE
You look fine, Joe.
JOE
Oh, I hate these guys. They travel in packs like sharks.
CATHERINE
It’s a room full of reporters.
JOE
Easy for you to say.
CATHERINE
Relax, you’re not running for office.
Joe stops and turns to her
CATHERINE
Or are you?
JOE
Well, let’s just say that putting a cop killer away right now
wouldn’t hurt my career any.
Wish me luck.
He steps up to the lectern in the conference room crowded with reporters and photographers, microphones and cameras, pulls a sheet of paper from his inside jacket pocket
JOE
All right, I’m going to read a statement
and then after that I’m not at liberty to answer any questions.
REPOTER
Aw, come on, Joe …
JOE
I’m sorry… I’m sorry.
Last night Curtis Jackson was arrested and charged
with the murder of Vice Squad Detective Tony Perotta.
Ballistics has confirmed that the hand gun
that was found in his car was the murder weapon.
The District Attorney has set a preliminary hearing
date and we have every reason to believe that
justice will be served in a fair,
but expeditious, fashion. That’s all folks.
REPORTER
Oh, come on, just a question …
REPORTER
Can you at least give us an idea about the hearing date?
REPORTER
Are you gonna handle the case yourself?
JOE
I’m sorry. I can’t … I can’t answer any more questions.
REPORTER
What has the reaction been to this killing in the Precinct?
REPORTER
One or two more questions?
Joe makes his way to the back of the room where Catherine is waiting for him
JOE
Well? How’d I do?
CATHERINE
(Smiling at him)
Watch out, City Hall.
CUT TO:
EXTERIOR NIGHT
Residential Street.
INTERIOR
Yates’ basement
KELLER
He was my partner eight years, you son-of-a …
DAVIS
Hey!
KELLER
How the hell could you do it, Danny?
YATES
You ought to thank me for doing your dirty work.
Keller grabs him and Yates threatens him with a pool cue
KELLER
Come on! Come on!
DAVIS
Back off! Both of you! Now I’m sorry,
Laine, but Danny only did what he had to.
Now you know how Tony was,
especially the last couple of weeks.
He would have blown it for us.
All of us. Anyway … it’s over with.
Now if you’re going to blame Danny,
you might as well blame me, too.
KELLER
What about Jackson?
DAVIS
Oh … we got him cold. Murder weapon.
Motive. All we have to do is sit tight and let
the system do its thing. He was a punk.
Whatever he gets, he deserves.
YATES
Look, Laine, I want you to know I only did what was necessary.
Tony was a good man. What we are talking about …
Producing a cellophane wrapped package containing white powder
… is a hundred thousand dollars here ...
this month and every month from now on.
Yates’ wife enters with beers for the men
YATES
Thanks, hon.
DAVIS
Thank you.
MAGGIE
Drink?
Keller reluctantly takes the offered beer
MAGGIE
I’m so sorry about Tony.
KELLER
Yeah, Maggie … me, too.
Glaring at the two men over her shoulder
CUT TO:
INTERIOR TUNNELS
Vincent’s Chamber
VINCENT
I’m listening …
Speaking aloud as Laura signs
VINCENT
The wrong man?
Laura nods, pointing, showing Vincent the headline "Cop Killer Caught" and signing
VINCENT
You saw the killer?
LAURA
Nodding and signing
VINCENT
The killer was a white man?
LAURA
Nodding, pacing
VINCENT
It’s good that you came to me.
LAURA
Cringes
VINCENT
Don’t be afraid. You’re not alone, I promise.
FADE TO:
EXTERIOR NIGHT
Central Park
Catherine hurrying to the drainage tunnel
VINCENT
When Laura first came to us she was
only a child. Alone. Frightened.
Her parents had abandoned her in the park.
I supposed they wanted a normal daughter …
but there was a friend … a helper …
who brought her to us … where it was safe …
where she could know love.
I remember, in the beginning, she used to collect things …
keep them on her bedside table …
alarm clocks … bells … buzzers … and she
would hold them to her ear … feeling the vibrations …
trying to hear the stolen sounds.
It broke my heart.
CATHERINE
And you became her teacher.
VINCENT
I became her friend.
CATHERINE
Can she speak … at all?
VINCENT
She speaks … with her hands … a beautiful language.
CATHERINE
And she told you that she saw this murder?
How can she be sure it wasn’t the same man?
VINCENT
The man she saw … was not a black man.
CATHERINE
Vincent, the evidence they have against
him is overwhelming. Is she positive?
VINCENT
She’s not mistaken. She knows … what this might mean.
CATHERINE
Coming forward to tell her story.
VINCENT
Yes.
CATHERINE
I’ll do everything I can to make that
unnecessary but, Vincent,
I don’t think there’s any other way.
CUT TO:
INTERIOR TUNNELS
Pipe Chamber
Pascal sleeping in his hammock. The sound of tapping continues. Laura’s hands on one of the vertical pipes, feeling the vibration of the taps. She lays her cheek against it, smiles.
CUT TO:
INTERIOR TUNNELS
Father’s Chamber
FATHER
I understand the problem enough to know it isn’t ours.
VINCENT
Does our world exempt its people from moral responsibility?
FATHER
No, it offers them sanctuary from an impossible madness.
Especially those who most need to be protected … like the girl.
VINCENT
Laura is no long a girl.
FATHER
She’s still vulnerable. Exposing her to something like that …
Vincent, here we’ve given her a chance to heal.
VINCENT
And to hide. I know Laura’s pain. When she first came here
her soul was broken, and our love helped
it to mend … but the time will come when she
will need to grow beyond all of this … beyond us.
FATHER
You think that time is now?
VINCENT
Without Laura’s word, Catherine has no case.
An innocent man goes to prison.
That should mean something to you.
FATHER
Our priority is still to Laura.
VINCENT
Before you said the problem was not ours.
Well … neither is the decision.
CUT TO:
EXTERIOR DAY
Busy City Street
29th Precinct
CUT TO:
INTERIOR
Interview Room
JACKSON
Now, that’s a new one on me.
Since when does
the DA’s office go around trying to get people off, hmm?
I know … that’s some kind of new psychology, right?
CATHERINE
How long were you out of prison?
JACKSON
Almost a year.
CATHERINE
Your parole office tells me you were meeting regularly.
JACKSON
Every week, ma’am. And I also help little
old ladies cross the street.
And I go to church every Sunday and repent my sins.
CATHERINE
Let’s get this straight. A man who sells drugs
to kids doesn’t deserve to see the light of day … ever.
They tell me you’re rehabilitated. Congratulations.
But if it were up to me, I’d have buried you.
Now, I am here because I don’t believe
you killed Detective Perotta, and I want
to find out who did, and you are going to help me.
JACKSON
Yeah, a lot of good that’ll do.
CATHERINE
Tell me about the threats you were
supposed to have made against Perotta.
JACKSON
Look, man, that was a long time ago and it was stupid and
he was the cop who busted me. I … I was mad
and I said some stupid things, you know?
CATHERINE
How did that gun get in your car?
JACKSON
How the hell do I know? Somebody put it there.
CATHERINE
Any ideas who?
JACKSON
What do you want … a list?
CATHERINE
Yeah, that’s exactly what I want.
CUT TO:
29th PRECINCT
Reception Area
CATHERINE
Excuse me, I’m looking for a Detective Keller.
DESK OFFICER
Third desk, right back there. Uh, the guy in the striped shirt.
CATHERINE
Thank you.
CATHERINE
Detective Keller?
KELLER
That’s me.
CATHERINE
I’m Catherine Chandler
with the District Attorney’s office.
KELLER
(Standing to shake Catherine’s hand)
How ya doing?
CATHERINE
I’m sorry about Lieutenant Perotta
KELLER
Yeah. Me, too. Have a seat.
Yates watching
KELLER
Eight years is a long time.
Do you have anything to do with nailing Jackson?
CATHERINE
Yes.
KELLER
I appreciate it. We all do. Believe
me, it’s no small consolation.
Yates has moved within hearing
CATHERINE
Detective Keller, I don’t believe
Curtis Jackson killed your partner.
KELLER
What are you talking about?
CATHERINE
We may have an eyewitness.
KELLER
What eyewitness?
Who…who says Jackson didn’t do it?
CATHERINE
I’m sorry. I’m not at liberty to disclose that.
KELLER
Jackson killed my partner.
He had it out for Tony. Everyone knew it.
They just about caught him in the act.
CATHERINE
Yes, I know. He says he was set up.
KELLER
Look, um, I’m sorry I flew off. It’s just,
you know, you come in here and you
lay this on me like a ton of bricks.
Now I don’t know what to think.
CATHERINE
I understand. If you have a few minutes,
I’d like to ask you some questions
about recent cases, anybody else who
might have had a motive.
Just preliminary, but it might give me a place to start.
KELLER
Sure, I got a few minutes.
CATHERINE
Okay.
CUT TO:
INTERIOR TUNNELS
Father’s Chamber
VINCENT
(Speaking aloud while signing)
Father and I have talked for a long time.
The decision has to be yours, Laura.
FATHER
(Father facing Laura so that she can read his lips)
Laura, this place, our world, means
different things to different people.
For some, it’s a place of healing and safety.
To others, it’s our home. But all of us reach
a point when we have to decide for ourselves
what this place means to us.
Perhaps, now is your time to decide.
LAURA
Begins to sign
FATHER
(Interpreting)
If you go away, can you come back?
Of course, you can come back.
You can always come back, if you decide to leave.
LAURA
Signing
VINCENT
I can’t tell you what to do, but you are strong, Laura.
Your life has made you powerful
in ways you can’t even begin to imagine.
LAURA
Signing
FATHER
(Interpreting)
If I don’t…if I can’t…if I can’t…
I’m sorry. Vincent?
VINCENT
If she can’t imagine her strength,
how does she know it’s true?
Laura, you know by learning, by following
what your heart tells you is right,
by going where you need to go.
LAURA
Looking at them, kissing the tips of her fingers and pointing to both of them
Father takes her hand, kissing it
CUT TO:
INTERIOR CRIMINAL COURTS BUILDING
Interior DA’s Office
.
JOE
Chandler, you got a second?
CATHERINE
(Apologizing to two co-workers)
Excuse me …
JOE
(Apologizing to the same two people)
Excuse me ...
JOE
Just what the hell do you think you’re doing?
CATHERINE
Let go of my arm, Joe.
JOE
No. You answer me.
Catherine pulls her arm free
JOE
You know, Cathy, I don’t understand you.
Yesterday everything is beautiful. We close
a major investigation like in a textbook
and today … today … I find out you’ve
been sniffing around behind my back.
CATHERINE
Joe, I only waited so I could bring you something solid.
JOE
What?!
CATHERINE
I’m having second thoughts.
JOE
Why didn’t you come to me
yesterday with your second thoughts?
CATHERINE
Because yesterday I didn’t know
there was a witness. There was a witness, Joe.
JOE
Come inside.
They enter Joe’s office
JOE
Can you produce this witness?
CATHERINE
Not yet.
JOE
You know, Cathy, I’ve been at this game
a little longer than you and we got a cop
killer here cold … open and shut case … and you’re blowing it.
CATHERINE
What about due process, Joe?
What about reasonable doubt?
Or do you want me to just go out and hang
Curtis Jackson now and save you the trouble?
JOE
You still don’t get it, do you? Jackson killed a cop.
CATHERINE
And if he’s innocent? Does that make
a difference? Does it make a difference?
JOE
Cathy, leave this alone for your sake.
CATHERINE
My sake! Isn’t there some sort of hidden
agenda here we’re not talking about?
Like how the truth might make
for an embarrassing press conference.
JOE
You know, my father was a cop up in the
South Bronx, 52nd Precinct. He was getting
off from work one morning. Two guys
jumped him. They took his gun
and his watch … and they slit his throat.
Yeah … and they left him there to bleed to death.
There was no arrest. Nobody went to trial.
They were fourteen years old. So was I.
Grabs his briefcase and jacket, stares at her, leaves
CATHERINE
(Whispering)
Joe…
Following him out of the office, calling after him
CATHERINE
Joe!
CUT TO:
INTERIOR TUNNELS
Laura’s Chamber
Laura is looking at things she has collected and saved in her time Below. Sitting in front of her mirror, she picks up a music box and winds it. It plays. She watches her reflection, touching her throat, trying to say her name.
CUT TO:
EXTERIOR NIGHT
Catherine’s Apartment Building
INTERIOR
Hallway
Catherine leaving the elevator, rummaging in her bag for keys. She fits the key into the lock as a masked man in her apartment pulls the door open wide, pulling her in, throwing her against the wall opposite into the arms of another masked thug.
YATES
Turn her around.
Slaps her as Davis keeps her arms pinned
YATES
The only thing worse than a cop killer is
somebody who covers up for one. Back off.
Punches her and Davis throws her to the floor. Yates kicks her. They stroll out, casually removing their masks. Catherine, trying to get up, collapses. The elevator door slides shut on Yates and Davis. Vincent pulls open the French doors and enters the apartment searching for Catherine. He finds her behind the couch.
VINCENT
Catherine!
He carries her into the bedroom and places her on the bed. Vincent lays compresses on her forehead, gently caressing the top of her head. She appears to be sleeping, but as he moves away she tries to sit up.
CATHERINE
Vincent, don’t go. I need you close.
He comes back to kneel beside the bed
VINCENT
I’ll watch over you. Don’t worry. Sleep now.
Vincent takes up his watch in the opposite corner
CUT TO:
INTEROR TUNNELS
Laura’s Chamber
Laura, putting a few last items into a bag, pauses for one last look at her chamber. She and Vincent meet at a Tunnel intersection and walk toward the threshold to Catherine’s building.
VINCENT
(Signing)
This is where you go out.
You can still change you mind.
LAURA
Shaking her head
VINCENT
(Signing)
Try not to worry. You’ll be safe,
I’ll be near. The woman I told you about is waiting
LAURA
Signing
VINCENT
(Signing)
Yes. Catherine.
LAURA
Signing
VINCENT
(Signing)
You have yourself to thank, yourself to be proud of.
Sometimes events in our lives can show
us what we’ve known all along.
This last year I felt in you a need to see beyond
these tunnels and chambers,
You’ve known, inside yourself, that it was time.
LAURA
Signing
VINCENT
(Signing)
Until we see each other again, I will miss you, as well.
Catherine emerging from the column of light
Laura steps into Vincent’s embrace, then walks toward Catherine. Holding her hand behind her back she signs to Vincent.
VINCENT
(Signing)
I love you, too.
CUT TO:
EXTERIOR NIGHT
Catherine’s Balcony
CATHERINE
Laura, I…
Realizes Laura can’t hear her, but Laura senses her presence and turns
CATHERINE
Are you cold?
Rubs her arms miming a chill
Laura holds up her hand to indicate she is a little chilly
CATHERINE
(Mimes drinking)
I made some hot chocolate. Come inside.
Takes Laura’s hand, leads her to the couch where they sit
CATHERINE
Tomorrow you’ll have to give a statement
to the police. After that it might be a little rough …
the deposition and the trial. Lawyers are not always
the nicest people. What you’re doing is very brave.
LAURA
Pointing to Catherine
CATHERINE
Me? I’m not so brave.
LAURA
Points to the purpling bruise on Catherine’s face
CATHERINE
Why? Because no one wants me on this case … except me.
LAURA
Indicates she does
CATHERINE
Until now.
LAURA
Signing
CATHERINE
I don’t understand.
LAURA
Mimes writing
Catherine offers Laura paper and pen, Laura writes. Catherine reads ‘You’re beautiful’
CATHERINE
Thank you.
LAURA
Signs the words for thank you
CATHERINE
I don’t understand.
LAURA
Moves Catherine’s hands to sign ‘Thank you’.
CUT TO:
EXTERIOR DAY
Busy City Street
29th Precinct
INTERIOR 29TH PRECINT
Interrogation Room
JOE
Miss Chandler, this is Detective Snyder.
He’ll be conducting the interrogation.
JOE
Sergeant Griggs.
Videographer, adjusting a lens, does not acknowledge Catherine
JOE
(Pointing to a woman seated at the table)
Sharon Lewis from Social Services. She’s
here to interpret for the witness.
CATHERINE
This is Laura Williams.
SHARON
Signing
Laura, I’m your interpreter. Please have a seat.
LAURA
Signs’ thank you’
SNYDER
We ready to go?
CATHERINE
Detective … Laura is deaf.
SNYDER
We know that.
CATHERINE
And no one in this room speaks without facing her first.
SNYDER
All set, Larry?
GRIGGS
Yeah.
SNYDER
Okay. Laura, why don’t you start by telling
us what you saw … in your own words?
SHARON
Signs Snyder’s question
LAURA – SHARON
I saw somebody kill a man.
SNYDER
And where did you see this happen?
LAURA – SHARON
It was on Cedar Street, near the corner of Edgemount.
SNYDER
Would you describe for us what you saw?
LAURA – SHARON
There were two men. One had a gun and I saw
him reach inside the car … and shoot the other man.
SNYDER
Wha … I’m sorry. Would you repeat the last part … about the car?
LAURA – SHARON
A man … who was shot … was sitting in the car.
SNYDER
(Signaling Joe to lean in)
Come here.
Joe, that information has not been made public yet.
There is no way she could’a known
that Perotta was killed in his car.
I think we got the real thing here.
SNYDER
Okay. Laura, why don’t you start from the beginning?
SHARON
Signs Snyder’s question
LAURA – SHARON
I was walking along, looking through the garbage cans
for clothes that I might like.
As I looked up, I saw the man fire the gun into the car.
The man shot …
CUT TO:
INTERIOR 29th PRECINCT
Reception Area
CATHERINE
You did great … really.
No jury in the world would ignore that testimony.
OFFICER
Excuse me. You Catherine Chandler?
CATHERINE
Yes?
OFFICER
Call for you.
CATHERINE
Who is it?
OFFICER
Your office. Take it over there if you want. Line five.
CATHERINE
(Miming a phone to her ear)
Phone call …
Sit right here. I’ll be back in two minutes
Yates stares at the only witness who can identify him, looking to see where Catherine has gone
CATHERINE
(On the phone)
Yeah, hi, Mary.
Laura sees Yates approaching, flashes back to the shooting and recognizes him. Finally able to move, she attempts to flee but Davis blocks her way. Yates and Davis take her out of the precinct house.
Catherine returns to finds Laura gone
FADE OUT:
INTEREIOR TUNNELS
Vincent’s Chamber
VINCENT
Don’t blame yourself, Catherine.
CATHERINE
(Crying)
What could be safer than a police station?
VINCENT
The blame rests only with those who have Laura.
CATHERINE
I don’t know what to do.
VINCENT
You’ve told the police. That’s all you can do for now.
CATHERINE
They don’t even have an idea where to start.
She could be anywhere. She could …
VINCENT
Don’t even think of it!
CATHERINE
I have to go back.
Please, Vincent, just take me back.
On their way Vincent suddenly stops to listen to a message on the pipes
CATHERINE
What are they saying?
VINCENT
Shhh …
There’s a message … from Pascal.
Come with me … quickly.
CUT TO:
YATES’ HOUSE
Interior Basement
Laura is frantically tapping on the metal pole to which she is handcuffed. Yates takes a gun from its hiding place.
KELLER
I don’t believe this. What … what … are we doing?
YATES
Only what’s necessary. Nothing more. Nothing less.
KELLER
Why didn’t you tell us there was a witness?
YATES
What difference would it have made?
I’ll tell ya … zero. We’d be right where we are now.
Will you tell her to shut up!
DAVIS
Hey, don’t talk to me like that.
(yelling at Laura)
Stop that!
(holding his forefinger in front of her face)
NO!
CUT TO:
INTERIOR TUNNELS
Master Pipe Chamber
VINCENT
Pascal!
PASCAL
I put out an emergency all quiet signal.
VINCENT
Was it Laura?
PASCAL
Yeah, we think so. It was Outpost Six that
picked up her SOS when the tapping stopped
CATHERINE
Isn’t there anything we can do?
PASCAL
Wait.
CUT TO:
YATES’ HOUSE
Interior Basement
YATES
Maggie and the kids are out of town
until tomorrow so the time is now.
KELLER
No way I’m gonna let you do this.
Jack, look at her … she’s just a girl.
What is she, a year older than Nancy? Two?
YATES
Shut up! I’m getting just a little damn
tired of having to sugarcoat everything for you.
It’s not my responsibility. You wanted
in on this from the beginning just like
the rest of us, for all the same reasons.
You got a wife, kids, car, mortgage
payments … all weighing heavy
on a cop’s salary. Am I right?
CUT TO:
INTERIOR TUNNELS
Pipes
PASCAL
That’s it! They’ve found her! She’s in Brooklyn.
Catherine hears the good news, turns to find Vincent already rushing off to rescue Laura
CUT TO:
YATES’ HOUSE
Interior Basement
KELLER
Kill the girl … the blood’s on your hands.
YATES
You know the law as well as I do. It’s on all our hands.
KELLER
No. Not this time. I’m leaving
CUT TO:
SUBWAY
Speeding Train
Vincent, atop a subway car, on his way to save Laura.
CUT TO:
YATES’ HOUSE
Interior Basement
YATES
You’re going nowhere.
KELLER
Stop me.
Yates raises the gun and aims at the retreating Keller
DAVIS
Forget it, man.
YATES
You should’a let me
DAVIS
Oh, come on, you’re talking crazy
YATES
Yeah? What’s he gonna do now? Go to confession?
DAVIS
I’ll go get him.
YATES
Nah, we’ll take care of him later … after we’re done here.
CUT TO:
TUNNELS
Vincent running over pipes in a tunnel
CUT TO:
YATES HOUSE
Interior Basement
Yates and Davis approaching Laura
CUT TO:
CITY STREET
Night
Vincent running
CUT TO:
YATE’S HOUSE
Interior Basement
Lights go off
YATES
What the …?
DAVIS
You got a flashlight?
YATES
Yeah, yeah.
Sees movement beyond the basement window
YATES
Keller.
DAVIS
Come on, Danny, let’s do it.
Vincent has motioned to Laura to remain quiet. He roars, jumps Yates and the gun goes off. Davis falls. Yates screams once and then is quiet.
CUT TO:
CRIMINAL COURTS BUILDING
Interior DA’s Office
CATHERINE
Joe…
JOE
Hi. Can I talk to you for a second?
CATHERINE
Sure.
JOE
Listen, I’m sorry about what happened, Cathy.
I know it’s been tough on you. I didn’t make it any easier.
CATHERINE
No, you didn’t.
JOE
I let it get personal. I was stubborn. I was wrong.
CATHERINE
Apology accepted.
JOE
Great!
CATHERINE
About you father, Joe …
JOE
No, listen, I … I had no right to bring that up when I did
CATHERINE
You had every right … and I’m glad you told me.
JOE
Yeah, well, thanks.
CATHERINE
Well, listen, I’m late for my weekly report
JOE
You might be interested to know Jackson’s being released today.
CATHERINE
What about the Keller interrogation this morning?
JOE
He’s glad it’s over. The two kilos of cocaine
we recovered from Yates’s basement …
they’re from the Ricardo
bust last month …
which both sets of partners were on.
CATHERINE
Huh, so when Perotta got cold feet,
Yates killed him, set up Jackson
JOE
Mmm-hmm
CATHERINE
Simple enough.
JOE
Only Yates didn’t count on your witness being there.
Speaking of which, where did you find that witness?
CATHERINE
I didn’t. She found me
CUT TO:
EXTERIOR NIGHT
Catherine’s Balcony
VINCENT
I don’t think Father has reconciled himself.
All he sees is that he’s losing one of his family.
CATHERINE
But he won’t try to stop Laura from coming up?
VINCENT
No. That’s not our way.
CATHERINE
Where is she now?
VINCENT
Below … gathering her things for tomorrow.
A helper will meet her and care for her …
till the time comes when she can live on her own.
CATHERINE
What she did took great courage.
VINCENT
Laura is a remarkable person. She feels … everything … deeply.
She embraces life. It’s how she survives.
CATHERINE
You’re worried about her coming up into the world.
VINCENT
Her strength is her vulnerability
CATHERINE
I think she’ll be fine, Vincent … I really do.
She had a great teacher.
CUT TO:
INTERIOR TUNNELS
Laura, suitcase in hand, is on her way out of the Tunnels.
THE END