| HUNTER
"HOT PURSUIT"
PART ONE
Written by Charlotte Clay and Thomas Huggins
Based on the novel, "Murder So Real" by Al Bird
ACT ONE
CLOSE UP - BIG JACK'S FACE
as he leans close pointing his finger into the camera. He
is Fred Rated 10 years from now: a handsome, 45-year old
pitchman. His dress is loud but stylish.
JACK
(fake serious)
Are you happy?
The camera pulls back slightly.
JACK
(speaks rapidly)
Ask yourself. Are you tired of
city life? Tired of being hemmed
in by concrete, glass and steel?
Sick of neighbors on every side,
barking dogs, traffic jams? Tired
of being terrorized by animals
and hoodlums? Of course you're
not happy! It's driving you
crazy! It's driving you nuts!
Well friends, here's the solution!
CUT TO:
EXT. BIG JACK'S R.V. CENTER - DAY
BIG JACK motions with his hand to a large rotating sign with
the logo and a flattering caricature of his smiling face.
A THUNDEROUS VOICE
booms over the entire shot causing it to vibrate on the
screen. Big Jack pretends to shake, (as if there is an
earthquake)
VOICE
(like the wizard
from the Wizard
of 0Z)
BIIIG JAAAACK'S RRRRR. VVV.
CENNNNTERRRR!
JACK
Woah!!!!
(the image stops
vibrating)
Where your fantasy of freedom
becomes an R.V. reality.
CUT TO:
HELICOPTOR SHOT BIG JACK'S
4 acres of vehicles with a large building on one edge and an
8-lane freeway right next door.
JACK (V.O.)
I'm talkin' about 4 acres of fun
and freedom. That's right folks,
MOTORHOMES!
CUT TO:
FAST TRACKING SHOT
of a line of brand new motorhomes.
JACK (V.O.)
We got the largest selection of
Country Comfort cruisers this side
of the Mississippi...
In the midst of this long line of motorhomes, the camera
passes by a covered wagon, as that happens:
JACK (V.O.)
Oooops...how'd that get in there?!
CUT TO:
CLOSE UP - BIG JACK
He's still smiling, right into a fish eye lens.
JACK
We'll take cash! We'll take
credit! We'll take trade-ins!...
CUT TO
WIDE SHOT
A television set is on in the stateroom of a luxurious
motorhome. A man is lying comfortably on the bed watching
the t.v. (We can't see who he is) Big Jack is on the t.v,
continued from the previous shot.
JACK
(on T.V.)
...But we won't take no for an
answer!
The man on the bed leans into frame: It's Big Jack.
JACK
(smiling)
Got the picture yet?
CUT TO:
HELICOPTOR SHOT - BIG JACK'S
Over the shot is the logo and Big Jack's caricature as on
the sign.
JACK (V.O.)
Big Jack's R.V. Center. Open
every day, nine to midnight!
CUT TO:
EXT. HIGHWAY - NIGHT
ANGLE - HOOD OF ROLLS ROYCE
as it flies at 90 m.p.h. down a desolate Interstate, the
hood ornament prominent in the frame.
ESTABLISHING SHOT
The huge silver Rolls Royce gleams as it slaloms past a
couple of big rigs. The Rolls makes an abrupt exit onto an
off-ramp, its tires squealing as it descends into the
darkness of the underpass. (Note; At no time can we see
who is in the car.)
EXT. SIDE ROAD - CONTINUOUS
The Rolls takes a sliding right turn onto a dark two-lane,
deserted road.
Without slowing down, the rear passenger-side door opens and
a body tumbles violently onto the shoulder of the road. The
body comes to a lifeless halt as the Rolls continues into
the night.
CUT TO:
EXT. POLICE HEADQUARTERS - DAY - ESTABLISHING
MCCALL (V.O.)
The way I see it, Captain, this
d.b. is not our responsibility.
INT. DEVANE'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS
McCall is standing in front of a wall map and Hunter is
looking over her shoulder. Devane sits at his desk. McCall
is running her finger along a thin line on the map.
MCCALL
Route 9 is the dividing line
between Palmdale and L.A.
HUNTER
She's got a point, Charlie. It
all depends on which side of the
road the body's on.
Devane looks at them blankly for a moment. The phone buzzes
and he picks it up.
DEVANE
(into phone)
Hello.
MCCALL
(to Hunter)
Why today of all days?
HUNTER
(to McCall)
I wouldn't take it personally,
McCall.
DEVANE
Thanks, Lucy.
(to Hunter and
McCall)
It's Captain Abogabo from
Palmdale,
(presses flashing
button on phone)
Hello, Ernie. How's it going in
Palmdale?
(listens)
So I hear we got a d.b. out on
nine and there seems to be some
question as to whose side of the
road she's on.
(listens for a
moment)
Okay, okay. Ernie, take care.
Give my love to Ann.
(beat)
I will. So long.
(hangs up)
McCall, unless you want to sneak
over there and drag the body to
the other side of the road, she's
all yours,
MCCALL
Great.
She walks out of the room. Hunter turns to follow her,
DEVANE
(to Hunter)
What's with her?
HUNTER
(walking out)
It's her birthday.
CUT TO:
INT. HUNTER'S CAR - DAY
Hunter drives, McCall rides in the passenger seat. They're
on the same freeway the Rolls Royce was on the night before.
It is 5 lanes in each direction with nothing but desert on
either side. Hunter looks like he's been listening for a
long time.
MCCALL
I can't believe this. It was all
arranged. And he's cute. I mean,
it's my birthday!
(beat)
Are you even listening? Do you
even care?
HUNTER
Of course I care, but come on,
you're acting like the only person
in the world who's ever had a
rotten time on their birthday.
MCCALL
Oh yeah?
HUNTER
When I was a kid I used to ask
for this one thing every year and
I'd never get it.
McCall waits for him to say what it was, but he doesn't say
another word.
MCCALL
What was it?
HUNTER
That's not important.
MCCALL
Sure it is.
HUNTER
All right, it was one of those
little toy ovens with the light
bulb inside.
McCall can't help herself. She starts to laugh.
MCCALL
You're kidding?!
HUNTER
It might seem funny now, but I'll
tell you when I was 7 it was a
big deal. I must have threatened
to burn down my room or something
'cause I finally got it. I was
gonna make a carrot cake.
MCCALL
(barely restraining
laughter)
A carrot cake. That figures.
HUNTER
When I finished that cake my dog
wouldn't even eat it. And that
dog would eat anything. I never
touched that oven again.
MCCALL
(trying to conceal
her laughter and
be sympathetic)
Awwww... you must have felt
terrible.
HUNTER
Yeah, but then I realized
something McCall. Something that
made me feel a whole lot better.
MCCALL
Really?
HUNTER
Girls would do just about anything
to play with my little oven.
Hunter remains completely deadpan as McCall gives him a
look. Hunter sees the exit he's looking for and pulls off
the road.
CUT TO:
EXT. ROUTE 9 DAY
It is a flat road running straight out into the desert.
There is one black and white, a coroner's van and Barney's
car already parked along the side of the road as Hunter's
car pulls up.
Hunter and McCall get out of their car and walk over to
Barney who stands next to the body. It is a woman lying
twisted face down on the road. She wears fishnet stockings,
high heeled strap sandal shoes and a long fake fur coat
which has been torn away at the shoulder revealing her bare
back.
Barney looks up at them.
BARNEY
Hi, guys.
MCCALL
Hi, Barney.
HUNTER
(referring to the
body)
Looks like she took quite a
tumble. Who is she?
BARNEY
No I.D. on her, but they're
running her prints. Judging from
the marks on the ground, we
estimate she rolled about 60 feet.
MCCALL
She must have hit doing 90.
BARNEY
Yeah, but she was dead before
that. Shot in the head.
Garrett's got the bullet.
GARRETT, a young uniformed officer standing nearby, hears
his name, turns around and walks over.
GARRETT
It's a .25 caliber slug. Kind
of exotic. Could be a Mauser.
A Walther maybe.
CUT TO:
INT. STATION DAY
Hunter sits at his desk, McCall stands next to him with
several papers in her hands.
MCCALL
Her name was Anita Spargo alias
Maria Fuego. First arrested May
1985, prostitution. She was 19.
She tosses one of the pages onto Hunter's desk. It is an
arrest report with a mug shot stapled to it.
Hunter picks it up.
INSERT - ARREST REPORT AND MUG SHOT
of a young girl with jet black hair, dark eyeliner and a
black choker with a silver butterfly on it.
MCCALL
tosses the next page on his desk.
MCCALL
Six months later, Spargo was
picked up again as Darlene
Darling.
INSERT - ARREST REPORT AND MUG SHOT
of the same young girl with long blond hair, bleached blond
eyebrows and a sequined tube top.
HUNTER
holds the two reports in his hands.
HUNTER
I think I like the blond look
better.
MCCALL
Get a load of this one.
She hands him the last report.
MCCALL
Betty Blade.
INSERT - ARREST REPORT AND MUG SHOT
of Anito Spargo wearing a silver mylar punk wig that sticks
out in every direction, with a small nose ring and a studded
leather collar.
HUNTER
holds all these reports. He lifts up the top page of the
last report looking for information on the second page.
HUNTER
Is this the last thing we got on
her?
MCCALL
That's it.
HUNTER
Says here she was picked up with
Louie Blue.
MCCALL
Probably her pimp.
HUNTER
And two other girls: Suzanne
Dumont also known as Suzi Q. and
Mary Lakowski alias Vicki Lake.
MCCALL
They were picked up near MacArthur
Park. I'll go down there and talk
to some of the working girls.
She turns to leave.
HUNTER
Why don't I come with you?
MCCALL
What, are you lonely? Why don't
you check out Sporty?
Before he has time to respond, she disappears around the
corner.
EXT. KIRBY'S SHOESHINE - DAY
SPORTY sits in one of the chairs reading the Wall Street
Journal. KIRBY sits on a stool in front of him leafing
through the Racing Form.
Hunter walks up and takes the chair next to Sporty. Sporty
looks up.
SPORTY
Afternoon, Sergeant. How're you
doing?
HUNTER
Fine, Sporty. Hope I'm not
interrupting anything.
(nods to Kirby)
Hi, Kirby.
KIRBY
Hello, Sergeant.
SPORTY
No interruption. Just boning up
on the new tax law.
HUNTER
Awww Sporty. You're not still
trying to figure out how to
shelter Bogota's million bucks,
are you?
SPORTY
ME!? Bogata's million? What,
are you crazy Hunter? I keep
tellin' you man I ain't got it!
But I sure wish I did, it'd be
worth the en-tire million bucks
to get you to drop the subject.
HUNTER
1'll settle for a piece of
information.
Hunter reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out a mug shot
of Anita Spargo.
HUNTER
Know anything about her? Name's
Anita Spargo, she's a hooker.
Sporty looks at Hunter with mock surprise.
SPORTY
You don't say.
(looks at the
picture for a
moment)
Yeah, I've seen her around, but
not lately. What's she into?
HUNTER
She's dead. I'm looking for a
few of her associates. Know
anything about a pimp named Louie
Blue?
SPORTY
Louie Blue? Louie couldn't hurt
a fly.
HUNTER
Oh yeah?
SPORTY
Yeah. Poor sucker's dead. Got
ahold of some bad Chinese food.
Hunter gives him a look like "You expect me to believe
that?"
SPORTY
Look, I'm not kidding. Check it
out yourself.
HUNTER
How about a couple of working
girls: Suzi Q and Vicki Lake.
Hunter pulls out two more pictures and hands them to Sporty
SPORTY
A pimp's one thing. They're like
billboards, you can read 'em a
mile away. But you know these
ladies Sergeant, they come and
go. Every time you drag 'em down
to division they got a new name.
But I'll see what I can do.
Hunter stands to leave,
HUNTER
Thanks, Sporty.
SPORTY
Just doing my duty as a law
abiding citizen. By the way,
where's my other favorite police
Sergeant?
CUT TO
EXT. DOWNTOWN STREET CORNER - NIGHT
McCall stands at a pay phone on the corner of a busy, dirty
street. There are a couple of bums, hookers, etc. moving
around her. Several shady types come and go from a corner
liquor store.
MCCALL
(on the
phone; excited)
I'm at a pay phone right near the
park. I found Suzi.
INTERCUT:
HUNTER
at the station at his desk on the phone.
HUNTER
Fast work, McCall. Where'd you
find her?
MCCALL
I don't have time to go into it
now but get a load of this: she
and Anita Spargo were working for
a guy who's got a fleet of R.V.'s
running between here and San
Francisco servicing truckers and
traveling salesmen.
HUNTER
You're putting me on, McCall.
MCCALL
No I'm not, and that's just the
beginning. She wants to talk but
she's scared and doesn't want to
talk here. Meet us at my house
in 45 minutes, okay?
HUNTER
See you there.
He hangs up and looks at his watch. After a moment, he
opens one of the drawers in his desk in which there is a
small wrapped box with a bow on it.
CUT TO:
EXT. MCCALL'S HOUSE - NIGHT
McCall's car pulls up into the driveway. She and SUZI Q get
out. Suzi is a statuesque woman in a red leather mini-skirt
and halter top. She has flaming red hair. She glances
around nervously.
They go to the front door, which McCall unlocks, and step
into the dark house.
INT. MCCALL'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
McCall walks in and turns on the light. She holds the door
open for Suzi.
MCCALL
Come on in.
Suzi takes a few steps into the room looking around, still
nervous.
As McCall starts to shut the door it is kicked open slamming
against her and throwing her to the floor.
From the shadows outside, a gloved hand reaches into the
room pointing a .25 caliber pistol with a silencer on it
directly at Suzi.
She spins around.
SUZI
(screams)
No!
ANGLE - PISTOL
It fires once in Suzi's direction.
MCCALL
is on the floor scrambling to get her gun out of her purse.
ANGLE - PISTOL
firing again toward McCall.
CUT TO:
EXT. MCCALL'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Hunter drives up and parks behind McCall's car in the
driveway. The house is completely dark.
Hunter gets out of his car carrying the present and walks up
to the house. He stops for a moment, looking at the dark
house. He turns to see McCall's car in the driveway, then
looks back at the house and notices the front door is
slightly open. Something is wrong.
Hunter drops the package, pulls his gun and moves quietly
but swiftly to the front door. He kicks the door open. He
hears nothing, reaches just inside the door and turns on
the lights.
INT. MCCALL'S HOUSE - NIGHT - HUNTER'S POV
McCall and Suzi Q lie sprawled on the floor. Both women
look dead.
HUNTER
runs over to McCall, keeping his gun leveled and looking
around the room for any possible intruder. He kneels next
to her and feels for her pulse. It is weak, but she is
alive.
He runs to the phone and punches out a number. After a
beat,
HUNTER
Officer down! Send an ambulance
Code 3 to 8534 Mesden Drive!
FADE OUT
END OF ACT ONE
************************************************************
ACT TWO
FADE IN
EXT. STREET - NIGHT
CLOSE UP - PARAMEDIC VAN LIGHTS
with the SOUND of the sirens as they speed down the road.
THE PARAMEDIC VAN - CONTINUOUS
weaves through traffic and runs a red light.
HUNTER'S CAR
with red light and siren is close behind.
INT. HUNTER'S CAR
as he stares ahead in frustration unable to help his
partner.
CUT TO:
INT. HOSPITAL - NIGHT
The emergency doors crash open as McCall is pushed through
on a gurney with a NURSE on one side and a DOCTOR on the
other.
Hunter is directly behind them at the foot of the gurney.
They move quickly down the corridor, around a corner and
through the double doors of the operating room.
The nurse stops Hunter before he can get through the doors.
NURSE
(in a hurry)
You can't come in here. You'll
have to wait outside.
She turns abruptly and goes into the operating room. The
doors swing shut in Hunter's face. Not knowing what else to
do he stands there for a moment.
The silence is quickly broken by the shouts of more people
coming around the corner. Hunter turns to see
SUZI Q
on another gurney being wheeled in by another medical team,
NURSE #2
Excuse me! Out of the way!
Hunter quickly steps aside to allow the group to go into the
operating room. Again the doors slam shut and he is left
in the hallway alone and helpless.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY - NIGHT
Hunter stands against the wall in the same hallway leading
to the operating room. His eyes are closed and his head has
dropped forward from fatigue.
The SOUND of the operating room doors opening startles him.
He looks up to see a gurney being pushed out by an
ATTENDANT, followed by one of the nurses.
Lying on the gurney is a lifeless body, the sheet pulled
over its head.
Hunter stares in agony as the gurney roils closer. Could
this be McCall? The thought is too much for him.
Intercepting the gurney, he whips the sheet away from the
face. It is Suzi Q. He is clearly relieved. The nurse
quickly replaces the sheet. The gurney continues down the
hall.
NURSE
(compassionately)
It would really be best if you'd
stay in the waiting room, sir.
Dr. Matsunaga will be out as soon
as he has some information for
you.
Hunter is physically and emotionally exhausted. He turns
and walks down the hall to the waiting room.
INT. WAITING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Devane paces and FINN sits slumped over in a chair in the
corner of the room.
Hunter comes around the corner into the room, Devane stops
cold. Finn looks up.
DEVANE
(expectantly)
Anything yet?
Hunter just looks at them for a moment. They look almost as
tired as he does.
HUNTER
They just rolled Suzanne Dumont
out. She's dead.
Hunter stops and turns at the sound of footsteps coming
round the corner. It's DR. MATSUNAGA. He's in his
mid-forties and wears a long white lab coat.
DR. MATSUNAGA
Sergeant Hunter?
HUNTER
Yes.
DR. MATSUNAGA
(holds out his
hand)
I'm Dr. Matsunaga.
(they shake hands)
Sergeant McCall is in the
Intensive Care Unit.
(pause)
Her condition is critical.
Finn and Devane walk over and stand next to Hunter.
FINN
What are her chances?
DR. MATSUNAGA
She has a bullet lodged between
her third and fourth vertebrae.
She's experiencing what we call
spinal shock. She's paralyzed
from the neck down.
They react to this information.
DR. MATSUNAGA
This might be temporary/ caused
by swelling in the spinal cord...
or the bullet might have caused
permanent damage.
HUNTER
Can you operate? Take the bullet
out?
DR. MATSUNAGA
(patiently)
We won't know until the swelling
goes down. That could take as
much as a week.
DEVANE
Doctor, is there any chance at
all we might be able to talk to
her? We'd like to know if she
got a look at whoever shot her.
DR. MATSUNAGA
She's not in any condition to
answer that question right now.
I'll let you know when you can
talk to her.
HUNTER
We'd like to keep a man posted
outside her door. She might still
be in danger.
DR. MATSUNAGA
I'll speak with hospital
administration immediately.
Dr. Matsunaga walks away.
DEVANE
(to Hunter)
You want some help with this one?
HUNTER
(shakes his head)
No thanks, Charlie.
DEVANE
Whatever you need, let me know.
The men look at each other for a moment until Hunter turns
and walks away down the hall.
INT. HOSPITAL ELEVATORS - CONTINUOUS
Hunter comes around the corner toward the elevators as they
open and Sporty walks out. He looks alarmed.
SPORTY
I called the station and they told
me what happened. Is she all
right?
Sporty follows Hunter back into the elevator.
HUNTER
No, Sporty, she's not. She's in
I.C.U.
SPORTY
Oh, my God!
The elevator doors shut.
CUT TO:
INT. HOSPITAL COFFEE SHOP
Hunter and Sporty sit at a table in the back. There are
several doctors, nurses and orderlies scattered around the
room. Everyone talks quietly.
SPORTY
About a year ago some guy from
the suburbs came into town looking
to steal himself a few choice
girls. None of the pimps took
him serious till they woke up one
day and checked their inventory.
Hunter listens intently.
SPORTY
So it ties in with what McCall
told you: that same guy is
probably out on the interstate
doing business out of motor homes.
HUNTER
Anybody know this guy's name,
description?
SPORTY
No. But from what I'm told, Anita
Spargo, Suzi Q and Vicki Lake all
dropped out of the scene just
about that time.
HUNTER
Now Spargo and Suzi Q are dead.
Guess I better find Vicki Lake
before they do.
(looks at Sporty
intently)
Sporty, I can use all the help
I can get.
Sporty sees that Hunter means what he's saying.
SPORTY
There's a guy out there who owes
me a favor. A big favor. I've
been waiting a long time to call
this one in. If anyone knows
where Vicki Lake is...my man does.
CUT TO:
INT. BAR - NIGHT
This bar is dark and sleazy. Everyone but the bartender is
either a pimp, a whore, a John, or a Big Player. Soul music
blasts out of the jukebox.
Hunter and Sporty walk in. Several of the patrons give
Hunter the once over as he walks over and leans against the
bar.
SPORTY
walks to the other side of the room and up to a booth with
FOUR flamboyantly-dressed PLAYERS enjoying a round of
drinks.
HUNTER'S POV OF SPORTY
as he talks to the guys. It's obvious that he knows them.
Sporty points at Hunter and the men look over at him
curiously.
One of the players, OMER, gets out of the booth with a 250-
pound man, PEARLIE, his body guard. Omer is a jet black
man, as tall as Hunter.
Sporty leads them across the room over to Hunter.
SPORTY
Hunter, I'd like you to meet...
OMER
(interrupting)
Never mind, we've met.
HUNTER
How you doing, Omer?
(to Pearlie)
Hi, Pearlie. Still mad at me?
Pearlie doesn't smile.
OMER
(to Hunter, they
stand eye-to-eye)
I understand you're looking for
someone.
HUNTER
Vicki Lake.
OMER
(he's a tough
son-of-a-bitch)
Why don't you tell me why you're
looking for her. I trust you,
man, but you're a cop, and that's
bad for business.
HUNTER
Someone's killing hookers. Two
of her friends are dead and she
might be next.
(beat)
They also shot my partner.
Omer looks at Sporty for a moment then back to Hunter who
never takes his eyes off Omer.
OMER
There's a massage parlor down on
Vermont and Hill. Near the park.
You'll find her there. You can't
miss her. She's a skinny blonde
but she's got a hell of a profile.
CUT TO:
EXT. EROTIC MASSAGE - NIGHT
The front of the building has been painted red with all of
the windows painted out in black. There is a large sign
which reads "EROTIC MASSAGE" with a hundred light bulbs
flashing in sync around the sign. Hunter walks up, checks
the place out and goes inside.
INT. EROTIC MASSAGE - CONTINUOUS
Hunter comes into the small, dark entry room. The hostess,
a tired, 50-year-old whore wearing a floor length polyester
evening dress sits behind a wire partition that has a slot
cut in it for passing money.
HOSTESS
Cover charge is twenty bucks.
Hunter checks out the tacky, dingy room, reaches into his
pocket and takes out a twenty. He slips it through the
slot. She snaps it up, walks behind a black curtain and
appears through a glass bead curtain.
HOSTESS
Right this way.
Hunter follows her through two beaded curtains into another
small dark room. Six sallow-faced GIRLS sitting on metal
folding chairs look up at him.
HUNTER'S POV OF THE GIRLS
as he looks them over. He stops on a blonde woman: VICKI.
She is attractive yet so skinny the outline of her ribs
shows through her cheap negligee, and her collarbones are
gaunt against her shoulders. All of which sets off the
startling, incongruous vista of her breasts.
SCENE
HUNTER
The blonde.
Vicki gets up from the metal chair, flashes him a vacant
smile. She leads Hunter down a
ROW OF STALLS
separated only by sheets of white canvas tacked up on
two-by-four frames. She pulls open a plastic curtain on the
last stall in the row and motions him inside.
INT. CUBICLE - CONTINUOUS
The room is about six feet by eight. Most of the space is
taken up by a narrow wooden table on which lies a thin,
lumpy mattress covered by an off-white sheet. At one end of
the table there is a roll of paper towels and a bottle of
mineral oil. In the other corner there is another one of
those grey metal folding chairs.
VICKI
(mechanically)
Okay. It's a minimum ten-dollar
tip for me. That's the basic
service, which means I do for you
what you can do for yourself.
You want anything more, it'll cost
you more, depending. What'll it
be?
He reaches into his coat and pulls out his badge.
HUNTER
I'm a cop.
Without batting an eye,
VICKI
You gonna bust me?
HUNTER
I just want to talk.
VICKI
Then it's still ten bucks.
HUNTER
I understand you know something
about a man who runs girls up and
down the state in motor homes.
She crosses her arms but never takes her stare away from
Hunter.
VICKI
I wouldn't know.
HUNTER
I think you do.
(beat)
How about Anita Spargo? Suzi Q?
Again, the cold stare.
HUNTER
Got any idea why someone would
want them dead?
This is obviously news to her, and it hits her hard.
HUNTER
You may be next, Vicki - do
yourself a favor,
She sits down hard on the metal chair; and after a heavy
pause she looks up at Hunter. Vicki is suddenly a very
frightened girl.
VICKI
I can't tell you much. About a
year ago I had a pimp beat me real
bad with a coat hanger. When I
heard about this guy with the
motor homes, I checked him out.
He told me to meet him in Pershing
Square.
HUNTER
What did this guy look like?
VICKI
He wasn't there. He sent a woman
named Flo, a working girl, maybe
forty, with a lot of miles on her.
She said I'd get a thousand a week
plus twenty percent. No pimps,
no nothing. Just me and three
other girls in a motorhome.
(beat)
I was on the road that night.
Hunter sits on the edge of the table.
HUNTER
How many motorhomes are they
using?
VICKI
Eight or nine, I think. Flo was
the manager. Followed us around,
told us which roads to take, where
to stop.
HUNTER
Did she handle the money too?
VICKI
Yeah, once a week we'd pull into
this truck stop just outside of
L.A. She'd pay us off whatever
was due, put the rest of the money
in an envelope and leave.
HUNTER
Was it her own operation?
VICKI
I don't think so. I saw her once,
taking the envelope to someone
in a big silver car. She didn't
have the envelope when she got
out.
HUNTER
Did you see the person in the car?
VICKI
No. It was pretty far away. And
it was night, you know, so I
couldn't really see much.
He looks at her and realizes she doesn't know anything.
HUNTER
How about Flo? What's she look
like?
VICKI
Red hair, maybe five-six,
five-seven. Kind of heavy too,
like one-thirty, one-forty.
(remembering)
And she's got a tattoo. A rose,
on her back, up near her shoulder.
HUNTER
What highways did you travel?
VICKI
All three of the main ones. We
had a lot of regulars between here
and San Francisco. All we had
to do was get on the CB, tell 'em
"The Wild Bunch" was pulling into
a truck stop and we'd be turning
tricks like crazy.
HUNTER
The Wild Bunch?
VICKI
That was our name, our handle.
Each RV had it's own handle: "Hot
Pursuit", "Soft Shoulder", stuff
like that.
The SOUND of high heels coming down the hall stops Vicki.
VICKI
Listen, I'm gonna have to explain
what I've been doing in here if
you don't pay me...
Hunter catches on quickly, reaches into his pocket and pulls
out a twenty. The heels have stopped at another cubicle.
HUNTER
(handing her the
bill)
A thousand a week plus twenty
percent. Sounds like a hell of
a good deal.
He looks around the room at this twenty-dollar-per-trick
dive.
HUNTER
How come you're not still doing
it?
VICKI
(stiffens up)
I split. I just split.
HUNTER
You must have had a reason.
VICKI
I got tired of it and I got out.
I don't need any reason.
HUNTER
Come on, Vicki. What scared you
off? Help me here.
VICKI
Nothing scared me off.
HUNTER
You're lying to me. I'm telling
you you're in danger.
VICKI
Look, I'm in danger all right -
talking to you. Anyway, I've
answered all your questions, the
well's dry,
Hunter pulls a business card out of his pocket and hands it
to her.
HUNTER
Take this. It's got my number
on it. You might need it.
She stands, tucks the twenty and the card into her panties,
walks over to the shower curtain door and pulls it open.
VICKI
Time's up.
CUT TO:
EXT. HOSPITAL - ESTABLISHING - DAY
DR. MATSUNAGA (V.O.)
You can see her now, Sergeant...
INT. HOSPITAL - CORRIDOR
Hunter and Dr. Matsunaga stand front of McCall's room. A
UNIFORMED OFFICER stands guard next to the door.
DR. MATSUNAGA
...But please don't ask her to
talk too much. She's in pain and
under a lot of medication.
HUNTER
Thanks.
Hunter turns toward the door.
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Hunter walks in. He stops, overwhelmed at the elaborate
treatment systems that surround his partner. He walks over,
stands next to the bed and looks down at her. She is
extremely pale. He puts his hand over hers and she opens
her eyes. Although he's filled with sadness and pain, he
smiles at her.
She opens her mouth slowly, attempting to speak.
HUNTER
The doctor says you shouldn't try
to talk.
(beat)
I found Suzi's friend Vicki. She
gave me some good information.
MCCALL
(very quietly,
painfully)
Is Suzi okay?
HUNTER
No...she didn't make it.
McCall feels responsible and it shows on her face.
HUNTER
It's not your fault, McCall.
(beat)
Did you get a look at the guy that
shot you? Anything that might
help me?
MCCALL
I don't think so.
(tries hard)
I don't remember, Rick, I'm
sorry...
McCall closes her eyes for a moment, then opens them staring
up at the ceiling.
HUNTER
Don't worry, Dee Dee. You're
going to be all right.
He touches her face. She stares at him for a moment wanting
to believe him but terrified at the possibility of being
paralyzed for the rest of her life. She closes her eyes and
tears roll down the sides of her face.
This is almost more than Hunter can take.
HUNTER
(almost to himself)
I swear I'll get the bastard that
did this to you.
CUT TO:
EXT. HIGHWAY 5 - DAY
Hunter drives down the road in a light colored sedan with a
big CB antenna on it.
INT. SEDAN - CONTINUOUS
He moves comfortably with traffic heading out of town. He
reaches over, turns on the CB Radio and sets the channel
selector to 19. There is a moment of static as he adjusts
the squelch on the radio. He sits back to listen.
TRUCKER #1
(over the CB)
Breaker one nine...Breaker one
nine.
TRUCKER #2
(over the CB)
Come back breaker. What's your
twenty?
TRUCKER #1
I'm hauling porkers out of Shakey
Town. Just starting down the
Grapevine.
TRUCKER#2
What's on your mind, Breaker?
TRUCKER #1
I need a twenty on the nearest
chicken coop. I gotta weigh these
smelly critters before I leave
this fine county.
Hunter smiles as we
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. HUNTER'S CAR - DAY
CLOSE UP - CB RADIO
TRUCKER #3
(over the CB)
...So I said to mama,
WIDEN - HUNTER
drinks from a large thermos, watching the road.
TRUCKER #3
"Honey, if you think it's a picnic
out there, you got another think
coining." I'll tell you something,
Charlie, this bringing home the
bacon thing ain't all that it's
cracked up to be.
As Hunter shakes his head,
DISSOLVE TO
EXT. TRUCK STOP - NIGHT
Hunter sits in his car. The radio is still on.
TRUCKER #4
...You say you got a Smokey
rolling down 95, Breaker?
TRUCKER #5
Negatory, one nine. We got a
County Mounty at lollypop one
twenty four and he's takin'
pictures.
TRUCKER #4
Well then I better put down my
newspaper, comb my hair and shave,
Over this chatter Hunter takes a sandwich out of a styrofoam
container. He starts to take a bite then thinks twice. He
opens the sandwich and winces at the sight of the meat
inside. He cranks open his window, plucks the meat out of
the sandwich and tosses it into a nearby trash can. He
takes a bite out of his lettuce sandwich as we,
DISSOLVE -TO:
EXT. HIGHWAY - DAY
Hunter's car approaches a huge motor home.
Hunter pulls up next to the cab of the R.V. He turns to get
a look at the driver.
HUNTER'S POV OF THE R.V.
The DRIVER is a man of about 75. He wears a fishing hat
complete with lures attached. Next to him is his 75 year
old WIFE with silver-grey hair, busily knitting in the
passenger seat.
HUNTER
realizing this isn't the R.V. he's looking for, speeds up
and pulls away.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. HUNTER'S CAR - NIGHT
Hunter looks tired as he takes another sip from his thermos.
He hasn't shaved for two days. He cruises down the highway.
Because of the late hour there are mostly trucks on the road
with him.
TRUCKER #6
(on the C.B.)
...that was marker 256 so watch
out. Later,
There is a moment of static on the radio.
GINGER
(on the C.B.,
seductive)
Breaker one nine, Breaker one
nine. Hello all you lonely
truckers out there. This is The
Wild Bunch callin' to let you know
we are on the Highway to
Happiness.
Hunter perks up and turns the volume up.
TRUCKER #7
Well, I'll be. I was just
thinkin' to myself I could use
some pillow talk to get me through
this long night.
TRUCKER #8
Why don't you shut up Breaker and
let the woman talk.
GINGER
Now boys, no fighting. There's
enough for everyone. We're headed
for Joe's CalStar, south bound
just past the 78 exchange. We
got a couple of experienced
mechanics down here just waiting
to service your big rig.
Hunter turns the CB off. Silence at last. He gets off
quickly at the next off-ramp, takes the road over the
highway and pulls back on the 5 going in the opposite
direction: Southbound. He punches it.
CUT TO:
EXT. JOE'S CALSTAR TRUCK STOP - NIGHT
This is a typical huge interstate truck stop. There are a
dozen semis lined up being serviced and refueled. There is
a big restaurant busy with truckers. In a dark corner of
the parking lot is a large shiny motorhome.
Hunter's car pulls into the truck stop. He parks across
from the motorhome.
INT. HUNTER'S CAR
He watches the motorhome for a while.
HUNTER'S POV - MOTORHOME
A trucker steps out, smiling. He turns, says something to
someone inside, gives a little wave and shuts the door
behind him.
A moment later, another man, older with white hair walks up
and knocks on the door, which opens. A brunette woman,
GINGER, invites him in and shuts the door.
HUNTER
starts his car, puts it in reverse and hits the accelerator,
backing it into the corner of the coach.
The entire R.V. is shaken at the impact of his car.
EXT. JOE'S CALSTAR - CONTINUOUS
Hunter jumps out to inspect the damage. There is a nice
size dent in the corner of the motorhome. He looks up to a
window in the coach right above him. The curtains are
pulled back and the face of a pretty young girl appears
wondering what's going on. A second later a man's face pops
up and disappears just as quickly as the curtains are
closed.
The door opens and Ginger leans out. She wears a strapless
dress with a little cleavage showing. Standing in the
doorway, she isn't really able to see the damage nor does
she seem particularly interested in it.
GINGER
Hey, what the hell's going on?
Hunter walks over to her.
HUNTER
I'm real sorry about this. I
guess I'm just tired. I've been
on the road all day.
GINGER
Well you oughta be more careful.
A woman's whining voice comes from inside.
WOMAN (O.S.)
Ginger, would you shut that door!
We're gettin' cold in here!
Ginger looks at Hunter for a moment.
GINGER
(not thrilled)
Why don't you come on in.
She motions him in.
INT. MOTORHOME - CONTINUOUS
The inside of this R.V. looks like an executive suite at the
Park Plaza: it is big, plush and expensive.
THREE scantily-clad WOMEN sit on the couch in the main room.
As Hunter comes in, they all check him out. These women are
much nicer looking than the group we saw back in L.A. In
the background is the low chatter of the C.B.
HUNTER
It's just a small dent. Nothing
serious.
GINGER
Oh yeah?
HUNTER
Yeah, and I'd like to avoid the
insurance company. Why don't we
exchange addresses and telephone
numbers and you can send me the
bill?
It's obvious that she wants nothing to do with exchanging
addresses, etc.
GINGER
Listen, as long as it's nothin'
serious let's just forget it.
HUNTER
You sure? Really, I'd like to
pay for the damage.
GINGER
Look, honey, I don't own this rig.
And to tell you the truth I don't
think the owner wants to exchange
addresses with you. Since it
isn't a big dent, let's just
forget about it, okay. Accidents
happen.
The man Hunter saw going into the R.V. earlier comes from
out of the back, buckling his belt.
MAN
Thanks, Ginger. See you up north.
She opens the door for him and he steps out.
GINGER
Take it easy, Roy.
Hunter stands there looking around with a smile on his face
The whole thing is just too outrageous. Ginger gives him a
good look.
GINGER
(seductively)
So, what are you smiling at,
honey?
Off Hunter's reaction,
CUT TO:
INT. SQUAD ROOM - DAY
Hunter comes in. He looks tired even though he's clean
shaven and has changed clothes.
Hunter walks through the squadroom to his desk. As he sits
down he looks for a moment at McCall's empty desk.
On his desk is a stack of 4 phone messages. He picks them
up.
INSERT - PHONE MESSAGE
It says, "Vicki called, Urgent! 555-7843". He looks
through the other messages: they are all from Vicki, all
with the same phone number.
HUNTER
picks up the phone and punches out the number. It rings a
dozen times with no answer. He hangs up then immediately
dials an interoffice number. After a beat,
HUNTER
Kim, this is Hunter. I need an
address on this telephone number:
(he reads from the
phone message)
555-7843.
(pause)
Thanks.
He hangs up.
CUT TO:
CLOSE UP - COMPUTER MONITOR
Written at the top of the screen is: CRIMINAL DATA BASE.
Written underneath that is: LOCATION OF ARREST. Someone
quickly types onto the screen next to that: LOS ANGELES.
Another question comes up on the computer: CATEGORY OF
OFFENSE: Typed next to this is: PROSTITUTION.
NOTE: This entire sequence will be edited with JUMP CUTS to
create the feeling of a hectic pace.
SCENE
Hunter sits at the computer. Another question appears on
the screen. He stares at it, considering the answer.
CLOSE UP - SCREEN
The question is: AGE OF SUSPECT. Hunter finally types in:
40-45. The next question is: SEX OF SUSPECT. The answer
typed in is: FEMALE.
SCENE
Hunter progresses with his search. Another question
appears. He looks at it for a moment.
CLOSE UP - SCREEN
The question: IDENTIFYING MARKS. Hunter types in: TATTOO.
SCENE
Hunter waits for the next question to come up on the screen
as JIM CLEARY walks up. He is a clean cut uniformed
officer.
JIM
Sergeant Hunter.
Hunter looks up from the screen.
JIM
(cont'd)
I got the information on that R.V.
you asked about.
(looks down at a
piece of paper
in his hand)
It's registered to Bay
Enterprises, P.O. Box 6629,
Hollywood.
HUNTER
A P.O. box? Listen, Jim, I gotta
have an address. Could you check
it out?
JIM
(turning to leave)
Sure thing.
Hunter goes back to the screen. He looks at the next
question up.
CLOSE UP - SCREEN
It is: KNOWN ALIAS(ES). Hunter enters: FLORENCE. Once
the computer receives that information it reads: YEAR(S)
OF RECORD TO BE SEARCHED. Hunter types in: 1984 - 1986.
SCENE
Hunter waits now for the computer to do its search.
Something comes up on the screen.
CLOSE UP - SCREEN
The computer has written: THERE ARE 7 ENTRIES IN THIS
CATEGORY. DO YOU WISH TO CONTINUE?: Hunter types: YES.
SCENE
Over Hunter's shoulder as the computer displays mug shots of
a woman with an arrest report underneath. He scans the
report. It reads: TATTOO: LIZARD, LEFT THIGH. This is
not Florence. He hits the space bar and a side and front
view of another woman with information written underneath
appears. Again it is not Florence.
He quickly scans through several more mug shots and reports.
They are all 40-45 year old prostitutes, but none have the
rose tattoo. Finally a picture and report come up, TATTOO;
ROSE ON BACK RIGHT SHOULDER. Bingo!
ANGLE - HUNTER
is pleased. He grabs the phone next to the computer and
punches out a number.
He holds waiting for someone to answer as he runs his finger
along the information on the screen.
INTERCUT - GREG NICHOLSON
at a busy desk. He has his jacket off with his sleeves
rolled up. He is about 35. His phone rings and he picks it
up.
NICHOLSON
Vice. Nicholson,
HUNTER
Hi, Greg. It's Hunter, I'm
looking for a prostitute. Last
arrest, June, '86. Name's
Florence Keyes. She's connected
with the people who shot McCall.
I need to find her.
NICHOLSON
Get back to you soon as I've got
something.
HUNTER
Thanks.
They hang up.
HUNTER
looks back at the screen. The phone rings almost
immediately.
HUNTER
Hunter.
(he listens)
You got Vicki's address? Good
work. Kim.
CUT TO:
INT. APARTMENT BUILDING - DAY
Hunter walks down the shabby hallway. He comes to apartment
10. He knocks on the door. No answer. He tries the knob
and it is unlocked. He pulls his gun, slowly opens the door
and walks in.
INT. VICKI'S APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS
As Hunter comes into the dingy, sparsely furnished room he
sees a body on the floor in front of him. As he steps
quickly over to the body; a hand appears from behind the
door wielding a blackjack. Hunter is hit squarely on the
back of the head and drops to the floor knocking over a
table, which makes a lot of noise.
CLOSE UP - HUNTER
His eyes flutter open for a second.
HUNTER'S POV - FROM THE FLOOR
of a pair of men's dress shoes as they run out of the room
HUNTER
blacks out.
FADE OUT
END OF ACT TWO
***********************************************************
ACT THREE
FADE IN
INT. VICKI'S APARTMENT
CLOSE UP - HUNTER
His eyes flutter open. He hears the noise of several people
in the room. A PARAMEDIC checks his pulse.
HUNTER'S POV - FROM THE FLOOR
He sees Finn.
FINN'S POV OF HUNTER
who is waking up enough now to feel the pain on the back of
his head.
FINN (O.S.)
You okay, Hunter?
THE SCENE
Hunter rubs the back of his head. Finn stands in front of
him. There are several duty cops and a fingerprint man. A
neighbor, MR. STEWART, a ratty-looking 65-year-old man,
talks to one of the cops just outside the door.
STEWART
I'm telling you I didn't see a
thing. I heard this crash and
I came over to see what was going
on. Then I called you guys right
away. I didn't see a thing.
PARAMEDIC
(to Hunter)
You're going to have to go to the
hospital and have that x-rayed.
Hunter ignores him and stands up. He is a little shaky.
FINN
Listen to the man, Hunter. Take
it easy.
Hunter ignores him and slowly walks over to the body. Finn
follows him.
HUNTER'S POV - OF THE BODY
It is a blond woman on the floor lying face up.
FINN (O.S.)
Name's Mary Lakowski. Looks like
whoever shot her was standing
behind the door when she came in.
SCENE
Hunter and Finn stand over the body.
FINN
Shot her in the back.
HUNTER
(to Finn)
I got news for you, Ambrose. Mary
Lakowski is the real name of a
hooker named Vicki Lake -- and
this is not Vicki Lake.
They look down at the unidentified body.
Finn turns to the hall where Mr. Stewart is standing.
FINN
Mr. Stewart! Could you come in
here for a second?
STEWART
(from the hall)
Sure.
As Stewart walks into the room,
FINN
We'd like you to take a look here.
Can you identify this woman?
The look on Stewart's face makes it clear that he's not too
thrilled to look at the dead body.
STEWART
(hesitantly)
All right.
He squeamishly looks down at the body.
STEWART
She doesn't live here! I've never
seen that woman in my life!
CUT TO:
INT. EROTIC MASSAGE - DAY
Hunter pushes through the glass bead curtains into the
"showroom" where several of the same sallow-faced girls sit.
He looks them over quickly and starts for the hall.
The same "Hostess" from before follows him.
HOSTESS
(irritated)
I told you she hasn't been here
for days!
He continues down the hall ripping back each curtain/door.
CUT TO:
INT. BAR - DAY
This is the same pimp bar Hunter and Sporty visited earlier.
They stand in front of a booth in which Omer sits, a woman
on either side of him,
OMER
(irritated)
If she ain't at that parlor, I
don't know where the hell she is.
Hunter turns and walks away. Sporty smiles at Victor.
SPORTY
Thanks a lot, Omer. I owe you
one.
Omer turns to one of the girls, ignoring Sporty. Sporty
takes off after Hunter.
EXT. BAR - CONTINUOUS
Hunter walks down the street toward his car. Sporty comes
out of the bar and catches up with him.
SPORTY
Hunter, I'm tellin' you if Omer
doesn't know where this chick is,
man, nobody does.
Hunter reaches the car and stops. He turns to Sporty.
HUNTER
Sporty, she knows something. If
she didn't they wouldn't be after
her. And she's ready to talk or
she wouldn't have called me. We
gotta find her. Will you stay
on this with me?
SPORTY
You know I will, man.
CUT TO
EXT. HOSPITAL NIGHT ESTABLISHING SHOT
HUNTER (V.O.)
(softly)
Then I checked out the address
I got on Bay Industries, and guess
what? It was an abandoned
building.
INT. MCCALL'S HOSPITAL ROOM CONTINUOUS
The lighting is low. McCall is surrounded by the same
equipment as before. Hunter sits next to her bed. He has
his hand resting on hers. She looks at him through the
corner of her half-open eyes.
HUNTER
So I asked myself, "What would
McCall do in a situation like
this?"
McCall smiles weakly.
HUNTER
The next thing I knew, I was
getting out the old Christmas
paper...
(laughs to himself)
I sent a little gift to their
post-office box - one of my old
jogging shoes.
CUT TO:
EXT. HOLLYWOOD POST OFFICE - DAY
Hunter is in his car across the street. He has a good
vantage point for the front and side entrances. He's
leafing through a magazine but keeping watch on the
building.
An attractive but haggard woman in her mid-forties, MYRA
DARRON, comes out of the front entrance with a hand full of
letters and a package the size of a shoe box wrapped in
bright red and green foil Christmas paper.
Hunter spots her, puts down the magazine and starts the car.
As she walks around a corner, he puts the car in gear and
follows her at a safe distance.
DISSOLVE TO
EXT. STREET
Myra walks to a small office building and goes in.
Hunter parks his car gets out and runs into the building.
INT. LOBBY - CONTINUOUS
It is an old, run down '40's office building with a lot of
deco tile and brass.
Hunter comes into the lobby just as the elevator doors are
closing. He watches the floor indicator above the doors.
After a minute it stops on the fifth floor. He walks over
to the office directory.
INSERT - DIRECTORY
Bay Enterprises is listed as being in Room 501. The camera
pans down a list underneath Bay Enterprises also in Room
501: Western Estates Development, Personal Factoring, Free
Enterprise Sales Corporation, Four Wheels Wholesaling, Cal
Leasing and Media Company.
CUT TO:
INT. BUILDING - FIFTH FLOOR
The elevator doors open and Hunter steps out. He walks down
the hall to Room 501 and goes in.
INT. ROOM 501
The room is about the size of a closet with nothing in it
but a desk. Myra sits behind the desk working at the
typewriter. Behind her is a window with a view of a brick
wall 3 feet away. The box wrapped in Christmas paper sits
unopened on her desk with the stack of mail on top. There
is also a PBX phone on the desk.
As Hunter comes in,
MYRA
(continue to type)
Sorry, no solicitors.
Hunter stands there looking at the very small room. Myra
stops typing and looks up at him with a cold expression,
MYRA
Listen, fella, I don't care what
you're selling, I don't want any.
Hunter takes out his badge and opens it for her to look at.
She looks at it, then at Hunter, in blank silence.
HUNTER
How does a room this size manage
to house what reads like one of
California's largest
conglomerates?
MYRA
I just work here, mister.
HUNTER
Okay, let me speak to your boss.
MYRA
You got a warrant? 'Cause if you
don't, I don't have to talk to
you.
The phone rings.
INSERT PBX PHONE
There is a panel of buttons, each of which has the name of
one of the companies listed on the directory downstairs.
The flashing button says "Four Wheels Wholesaling" over it.
Myra's hand reaches into frame and pushes the flashing
button.
MYRA
with the receiver to her ear.
MYRA
Four Wheels Wholesaling. Could
you hold, please?
She pushes the hold button and looks up at Hunter with an
icy stare.
MYRA
Are you gonna stand here? 'Cause
if you are I'm gonna hang up.
On his look,
CUT TO:
EXT. BIG JACK'S R.V. CENTER - DAY
CLOSE UP
of the large rotating sign with the logo and a flattering
caricature of Big Jack's smiling face.
HUNTER (V.O.)
I had to take a crash-course in
corporate shenanigans, Jack, but
I finally caught up with you.
INT. BIG JACK'S R.V. CENTER - BIG JACK'S OFFICE
Hunter leans over Big Jack's desk. BIG JACK sits behind the
desk leaning back in his chair as far as possible.
Leaning against the wall behind him is his CPA, ROGER ADLER.
He is a 35-year-old man in a 3-piece grey pinstripe suit and
black wingtips. He has an inscrutable poker face.
HUNTER
Personal Factoring handles all
your commercial paper. Four
Wheels Wholesaling buys and sells
your used merchandise. Cal
Leasing is a fancy title for Myra,
the girl in the office in
Hollywood. And Media Company
handles your advertising.
Big Jack rocks nervously in his chair. Adler folds his arms
across his chest.
HUNTER
Personal Factoring is listed in
your wife's name, Louise Hemmings.
John Arthur Hemmings is the sole
owner of all the rest. That's
you, isn't it. Jack?
ADLER
The nature of Mr. Hemmings'
corporate holdings are a matter
of public record. If this is an
official visit...
HUNTER
(ignoring Adler)
You're also running hookers up
and down Interstate 5 in motor
homes. Jack. You've given new
meaning to the term "recreational
vehicle".
BIG JACK
(sits up and points
at Hunter)
That's a damned lie! It's also
slander! I run an honest business
here! And I have a high standing
in this community! And unless
you're here to arrest me I want
you outta my office!
HUNTER
(leans very close)
You're a pimp, you're a murderer,
and you shot my partner. And I'm
gonna nail your stinking carcass
to the wall.
BIG JACK
(low, firm)
Get out of my office.
Adler is fuming. Hunter takes out a business card and slaps
it on the desk.
HUNTER
Here's my card, Jack. Give me
a call if you want to confess.
He turns to leave, but before he walks away,
HUNTER
(to Adler)
Nice shoes.
As Hunter storms out of the room. Jack looks down at Adler's
shoes.
INSERT - ADLER'S SHOES
They are dark wing tips.
INT. BIG JACK'S R.V. CENTER - HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS
Hunter walks down the hallway leaving Big Jack's office. He
glances into the office next to Jack's and sees a pretty
30-year-old woman with reddish-brown hair, sitting behind a
metal desk watching him leave. She has obviously heard the
conversation. We will soon learn that her name is LAURA
BECKER.
EXT. BIG JACK'S
Hunter comes out of the main showroom, walks past a couple
of R.V.'s to his car and gets in. He starts the car and
peels out as Laura runs out of the showroom. We get the
impression she wants to talk to Hunter, but she is too late.
She stops as he drives away. He has not seen her come out.
Parked outside is a Silver Rolls Royce.
CUT TO:
INT. JACK'S OFFICE - DAY
Jack is on the phone. Adler sits in one of the chairs in
front of Jack's desk.
JACK
(on the phone,
irritated)
Yeah, you heard me. I want the
whole thing shut down.
(he listens, more
upset)
Listen Florence, you work for me.
Get rid of the girls and bring
the RV's back in.
(he listens, very
upset)
What about Anita Spargo and Suzi
Q?!
ON ADLER
The mention of those two names gets a slightly alarmed
reaction from him.
JACK
(cont'd)
You do whatever the hell you want,
Flo. Just get your stinking
whores out of my RV's. I want
to see you and my vehicles here.
Tonight.
He slams down the phone and looks at Adler.
JACK
(angry, frustrated)
You got friends down at City Hall.
Use 'em. I want that cop off my
back.
CUT TO:
INT. DEVANE'S OFFICE - NIGHT
Devane sits at his desk with a mug of coffee in his hand.
Hunter sits in a chair in front of him.
DEVANE
You know what this sounds like,
Hunter? It sounds like a police
officer harassing an innocent
citizen without just cause.
HUNTER
Charlie, I don't have to tell you
this; When you deal with pros,
you play it cool and quiet; when
you deal with an amateur, like
Big Jack, you shake him up, you
scare him, and the odds are he'll
make a mistake.
DEVANE
You hope. And meantime he's got
one of the Commissioners dumping
all over us!
(quiets down)
But I agree with your theory,
let's just hope it pays off.
(looks hard at
Hunter)
You look like my cat after a bad
night. Go home and get some
sleep.
CUT TO
INT. SQUAD ROOM - NIGHT
Hunter walks out of Devane's office and heads for his desk,
Sitting by his desk is Laura, the woman from Big Jack's.
She wears blue jeans, a silk blouse and a jeans jacket and
looks beautiful in the soft light. In her arms are a half
dozen accordion folders.
LAURA
Hello, Sergeant Hunter. I'm Laura
Becker. I saw you today at Big
Jack's. And I heard what you said
to him.
HUNTER
Yeah?
LAURA
(referring to the
folders in her
arms)
I took this stuff from his office,
I want to help you get him.
HUNTER
You do? Why?
LAURA
He killed my father.
On Hunter's reaction,
FADE OUT
END ACT THREE
*************************************************************
ACT FOUR
INT. HUNTER'S HOUSE NIGHT
Laura sits on the sofa looking innocent and vulnerable. She
sips on a glass of white wine. She appears to be talking
to no one but we HEAR O.S. the refrigerator opening and
closing and dishes rattling.
LAURA
My father struggled for years so
I could go to college. When he
sold his house to buy that
motorhome he thought he'd finally
made it. He and Mom were going
to see America.
Hunter walks in from the kitchen shaking a bottle of salad
dressing. As Laura continues her story he stops and
listens.
LAURA
My dad had so much trouble with
that damned RV, he finally had
it checked out. Turns out it had
been sold at least once before
and Jack had set the odometer
back. Dad sued, and in the middle
of the trial he had a heart attack
and died.
(her voice trails)
Big Jack murdered my father just
as sure as if he put a gun to
Dad's head.
Hunter nods in sympathy.
LAURA
I had made plans to go to Paris...
but when Dad died I cancelled the
trip and got a job with Big Jack,
hoping I'd find some way to make
him pay for what he did.
Hunter walks back into the kitchen.
LAURA
When you came in today I decided
I'd found the way.
Hunter walks back in with two plates of salad. As she
continues to talk, he puts a plate down in front of her and
sits down. He eats as he listens to her,
LAURA
I hid in the bathroom till
everyone went home. I told the
janitor I'd left my purse in
Jack's office so he opened it up
for me.
(she puts her hand
on top of the
files next to her)
These are all his in-house
originals. He doesn't let anyone
see these records because they
haven't been doctored yet by his
C.P.A.
HUNTER
That guy in his office?
LAURA
Yeah, Roger Adler. He's a real
jerk, but don't underestimate him.
Big Jack pays him a lot of money
to make sure everything adds up.
HUNTER
What about Big Jack's wife, Louise
Hemmings? She's on record as the
owner of one of Jack's companies.
LAURA
Probably some tax scam. Louise
is a dumb blonde. She looks great
in a bathing suit but she can't
balance her checkbook, let alone
run a company. She's in New York
right now. Jack sends her away
a couple of times a year to help
support the fashion industry.
She takes a bite of salad.
LAURA
Umm. This is good.
HUNTER
Thanks.
(looks at her for
a moment)
You know, it won't take Jack five
minutes to figure out who took
these files. And when he does
he's gonna start looking for you.
LAURA
(puts her fork
down)
I don't care what he does to me,
as long as we can nail him.
HUNTER
Big Jack has your address, right?
LAURA
Sure, it's in my employment file.
HUNTER
Then you can't go back to your
apartment. Till we figure out
what to do with this --
(indicates files)
You'll have to stay here.
LAURA
Thanks. That's really nice of
you...but I can't, I'd be
imposing.
HUNTER
I don't think you've got a lot
of choice, you're in danger. Big
Jack's running scared, so scared
he's killing people.
The phone rings.
HUNTER
(into phone)
Hunter.
(listens)
Great. I'll pick you up at the
station.
He hangs up. He grabs his coat and heads for the door,
HUNTER
I'll be gone at least an hour -
if anybody phones, don't answer.
If anybody knocks, call the
police.
LAURA
Nobody knows I'm here.
HUNTER
Good, but just do as I said, okay?
LAURA
Sure. Okay, Sergeant. Is there
anything else?
HUNTER
Yeah. Eat your vegetables.
He goes to the door and out.
CUT TO:
INT. HUNTER'S CAR - NIGHT
Hunter and Nicholson sit in the car parked, in a nice
middle-class suburban neighborhood.
HUNTER
Nice neighborhood, huh?
NICHOLSON
What do you expect? She's
probably taking in eighty thou
a year. And that's tax-free.
Hunter sees a cab pull up in front of a house about a block
away and picks up a pair of night binoculars.
HUNTER'S POV - FLORENCE
getting out of the cab and paying the driver. She carries
an overnight bag.
BACK TO HUNTER AND NICHOLSON
HUNTER
Yeah, that's Flo.
He sets down the binoculars. They get out of the car,
watching as
FLORENCE
goes up the walk. The cab pulls away. As she walks up the
front steps, a FIGURE steps out of the shadows from
somewhere on the porch, aims a gun and shoots her twice.
Florence is thrown back, off the steps and onto the walk.
HUNTER AND NICHOLSON
pull their guns and run toward the house,
THE FIGURE
notices them, jumps off the porch, and runs around the back
of the house,
SCENE
HUNTER
Check on her!
Nicholson runs over to Florence as Hunter heads around back.
HUNTER
comes around the back of the house, his gun raised. As he
looks around he HEARS someone running down the alley behind
the house. He runs toward the footsteps.
Suddenly, a car starts, is thrown into gear and speeds off.
As it pulls away, the lights are thrown on. Hunter takes aim
but,
HUNTER'S POV - CAR
It disappears around a corner before he can squeeze off a
shot.
HUNTER
runs back around to the front of the house. Nicholson is
standing next to Florence.
NICHOLSON
She's dead.
CUT TO:
EXT. HUNTER'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Hunter walks up the steps of his house, discouraged. McCall
is not getting any better and neither are his chances of
getting Big Jack.
INT. HUNTER'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
He comes into the living room. Lights are on and the SOUND
of the television comes from upstairs,
Hunter walks up the stairs to the
BEDROOM
Laura lies on the bed, fully clothed, sound asleep. The
television, with the volume on low, plays an old movie.
Hunter pulls the bedspread over Laura who never moves. He
walks over, turns off the tv.
LIVING ROOM
as Hunter comes down the stairs and heads toward:
THE KITCHEN
Hunter goes to the refrigerator and opens it, stands looking
discouragedly inside. He reaches in and pulls out a beer.
As he walks back into the
LIVING ROOM
he unscrews the top. He flops down on the couch and takes a
swallow. He looks around and spots the files Laura brought
from Big Jack's office.
HUNTER'S POV - FILES
stacked neatly on the coffee table.
HUNTER
looks at them for a moment as we
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. HUNTER'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Hunter sits on the couch with the files spread out around
him. There are two empty beer bottles on the coffee table.
He's been poring over these files for several hours. He
intently reads one of the documents, there is something
puzzling about it.
Still holding it in one hand, he searches for another
document somewhere in the pile. After a moment's search he
finds what he's looking for and picks it up.
He holds the two papers side-by-side comparing the
information.
LAURA'S VOICE
Do you know it's four a.m.?
Hunter looks up to see:
LAURA
Coming down the stairs from the bedroom.
THE SCENE
HUNTER
Your timing is perfect.
LAURA
(sits beside him)
What?
Hunter shows her one of the documents he has been studying.
INSERT - DOCUMENT
Written clearly on the top is "INVENTORY VERIFICATION -MARCH
21, 1987". Below this title are three columns: Make and
Model of Motorhome, Serial Number, and Inspector
Verification, beside which we see scrawled initials.
HUNTER (O.S.)
Whose initials are these?
BACK TO SCENE
LAURA
The bank inspector's. Dealer's
buy their inventories with
borrowed money. When they sell
a car, or an R.V. in this case,
they re-pay the bank. The
inspector's initials tell the bank
the vehicle is still on the lot,
unsold.
CONTINUED
Hunter holds up the other piece of paper.
HUNTER
But this loan agreement says that
R.V. was sold weeks before the
inspector initialed this.
Laura's eyes widen as she grabs the loan agreement from him.
LAURA
Wow! We've got him!
HUNTER
(indicates folders)
There are dozens of these here.
LAURA
Then he's operating out of trust!
HUNTER
Out of trust?
LAURA
(in high
excitement)
He's selling RV's and not repaying
the bank! As long as new RV's
keep rolling in, he can play with
the serial numbers and keep the
bank's money. Big Jack plays the
stock market all day long. I've
heard him - buying options,
commodities, warrants, and he's
probably doing it with the bank's
money!
HUNTER
How much money we talking about?
LAURA
Some of those motorhomes cost a
hundred to two hundred thousand
dollars. If he's out of trust
on a dozen or so, that's millions
of dollars of the bank's money
he's playing with at no cost!
(grabs Hunter's
hands)
Rick, if we take this to the bank
we've got him!
HUNTER
If you showed up at a bank with
these files you'd be charged with
theft.
LAURA
Who cares!?
It'll be worth it!
HUNTER
No, Laura, it won't. And the
files aren't admissible as
evidence either, for the same
reason.
(a thought)
But what would happen to Big Jack
if the RV's stopped rolling in?
If his supply was cut off?
LAURA
His whole scam depends on
- turnover, RV's coming in as fast
as they go out. Cut off his
supply and he's had it!
HUNTER
Where does he get his R.V's?
LAURA
They're all from Country Comfort
down in San Diego. They have a
big manufacturing plant right near
the border, in El Mirage.
Hunter looks at his watch, gets to his feet.
HUNTER
You hungry?
LAURA
Sure.
HUNTER
(starts for
kitchen)
You are about to experience one
of my specialties...an eggless
omelet.
LAURA
Don't you ever sleep?
HUNTER
Sure. I'll drop by and see
McCall, then get some sleep in
El Mirage.
CUT TO:
INT. MCCALL'S HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY 1
MCCALL
(whispered)
Hi...
HUNTER
When you going to decide to get
out of here? I miss you. Sporty*s
pining after you too.
MCCALL
He brought me flowers.
Hunter looks over at a corner of the room in which there "is
a huge elaborate arrangement of exotic flowers.
HUNTER
Mow we know what he's doing with
Bogota's million bucks.
McCall smiles faintly.
HUNTER
I might not see you tomorrow.
I gotta go to San Diego.
MCCALL
San Diego? Why?
HUNTER
Tell you when I get back.
She closes her eyes. They open again.
MCCALL
(sad)
I'm scared. I can't feel anything
yet.
HUNTER
The doctor said it'd take a week
for the swelling to go down.
MCCALL
And then... ?
He takes her hand and squeezes it.
McCall looks at him. As scared as she is, it helps to have
him there.
INT. HUNTER'S CAR - DAY
He looks pensive as he drives through town. From out of
nowhere
A BLUE SEDAN
pulls up next to him ramming him from the side in an
attempt to send him into a head-on crash with on-coming
traffic.
HUNTER
manages to keep control of his car and avoid at least two
head-on crashes before he gets back into the right-way
traffic and takes off after the blue sedan.
The two cars continue at high speed down the street.
THE SEDAN
is forced to plow through some construction barriers as it
takes a hard left onto a side street
HUNTER
slams on his brakes and does a perfect 180 degree spin. He
slaps on the cherry and hits the siren as he takes off after
the sedan. He grabs the mike.
HUNTER
This is L-56. I'm in hot pursuit
of an ADW suspect heading east
on Mason Drive! Suspect driving
late model blue sedan, California
license number One Charlie Peter
Edward Two Three Seven. In need
of immediate back-up! Mason Drive
crossing Spring Street!
ANOTHER SERIES OF SHOTS
Hunters car and the sedan race through the streets of Los
Angeles in a fiery all-out, tire squealing CHASE. They
weave furiously through the heavy downtown traffic.
THE SEDAN
floors it through a red light, narrowly missing traffic
coming from either direction.
HUNTER
speeds up in an attempt to make it through the intersection.
But
AN RTD BUS
pulls directly in front of him
HUNTER
makes a radical left turn to avoid the bus and crashes
headlong into a plywood construction barrier. (The kind of
temporary wall put up along construction sites to keep
pedestrians out.)
EXT. CONSTRUCTION PIT
In slow motion. Hunter's car crashes through the plywood
wall and SAILS THROUGH THE AIR sixty feet above the pit dug
out for a six-level underground parking structure.
Construction workers scramble in every direction as Hunter's
car continues its flight into the pit. It hits the ground,
bounces, flips end over end and careens into the shovel of a
huge tractor which practically cleaves it in half. On
impact the mangled wreck goes up in a massive explosion. As
the fire ball expands, filling the frame with fire and
debris, we
FREEZE FRAME
END OF PART ONE
(That's all she wrote, folks, unless I can get my hands on part 2 somehow)
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