"COPS & ROBBERS"

(Renamed SCRAP METAL prior to airing)

ACT ONE

FADE IN:

EXT. STATE PRISON - DAY
to ESTABLISH

INT. PRISON INFIRMARY CORRIDOR - DAY

DRACO a powerfully built convict in his 50's, mopping the
floor and reacting to VOICES coming from a nearby
storeroom.

DALE (V.O.)
(boyishly shrill
with fear)

Get your filthy hands off me. I
told ya, I don't have the stuff.

MEECHUM (V.O.)
You're not gonna hold out on me,
not this time you little...

SOUNDS of a scuffle. Draco drops the mop and bulls into
the storeroom.

INT. STOREROOM - DAY

MEECHUM, pig fat and mean as a boar in rut has young DALE
crowded into a corner and is slapping him into submission.
Draco bursts into SCENE, grabs Meechum by the shoulder and
spins him away from the boy, sending him crashing into the
wall across the room.

DRACO
(to Dale)
Get outta here, kid! Beat it...!

Dale scuttles out, quickly. Draco turns on Meechum,
angrily.

DRACO
I told you to leave the kid alone!

He grabs Meechum by the front of his shirt, cocks his fist
But Meechum has already drawn a blade and he buries it in
Draco's gut. Draco grunts, his knees buckle and he tries
to grab Meechum by the leg. Meechum easily knocks his
hand away and steps back, watching with contempt as Draco
sags to his knees and collapses.

CUT TO

INT. PRISON HOSPITAL - NIGHT ON DRACO

in bed, with plastic tubes pumping oxygen and fluids into
him. His breathing is shallow and fast, his face waxes
with palor of death. It's an effort to speak.

DRACO
Ya got here just in time, Hunter.
I'm bustin' outta here tonight...

His raspy, bitter laugh robs him of the breath to continue
as we WIDEN ANGLE to include Hunter, seated beside the bed.
Screens isolate them from the rest of the ward.

HUNTER
They gave me five minutes,
Draco. You got something to tell
me, skip the jokes.

DRACO
Five minutes? Hell, I don't even
have five minutes!

And he laughs again, wheezes, coughs, gasps.

DRACO
I got a confession for you, Hunter.

Coughs again.

HUNTER
I'm a cop, not a priest.

DRACO
This is for you, for what you did
for me on that last bust. That
cop woulda killed me!

HUNTER
(impatiently)
Draco. Why'd you bring me up here?

Silence. Draco's eyes find Hunter's. Finally:

DRACO
I killed your dad...

Draco's eyes stay fixed on Hunter as he says this. He
seems to be holding his breath. Hunter sits in frozen,
shocked silence for a long while. Then:

-HUNTER
(hard, cold)
What're you doin', Draco? The man
who killed my father was tried, found
guilty, and put away.

DRACO
(shakes his head)
That stupid punk? I did your old
man. Contract hit. Paid for and
done, by me. I owe you this one.
First time I ever ratted.
(grins, coughs)
And the last...
(tries to laugh)

HUNTER
Who put out the contract?

DRACO
Vinnie Brokaw.

HUNTER
You're a liar! He was my dad's
partner!

DRACO
Sent Marco, his kid, with the bread,
but the order came from Vinnie.

Hunter is silent, not ready to believe what he's hearing.

DRACO
Been wantin' to tell you this for
five years... since you saved my butt...
Hell, that cop's bullet almost got
you. I owe you...

HUNTER
You're a liar, Draco, and I hope
you burn in hell.

Draco grabs Hunter's wrist, fixes his eyes on Hunter's.

DRACO
Look at me, man!

Draco is gripping Hunter's wrist as if that is all that
holds him to life.

DRACO
I'm dyin'. Why would I lie to
you?

Draco begins to cough again, but his hand retains it steely
grip.

A MALE NURSE
steps into the enclosure.

NURSE
Time's up.

Draco suddenly stops coughing. Hunter looks at the hand
gripping his wrist.

DRACO'S HAND

It slowly lets go and falls away.

HUNTER'S VOICE
Draco!

THE SCENE

The nurse runs to the head of the bed, death being something
they recognize quickly in hospitals.

HUNTER
He made a statement! I need a
witness!

ON NURSE

as he feels for signs of life. The nurse looks at Hunter.

NURSE
I'm sorry, he's dead.

OMITTED

EXT. DIVISON HEADQUARTERS - DAY - STOCK

FINN'S VOICE
Maybe he had a grudge against
Vinnie Brokaw!

OMITTED

INT. LT. FINN'S OFFICE

FINN
Ever think of that?

Hunter and Finn are alone in the office.

HUNTER
There's no connection between
Draco and Vinnie Brokaw. If
they ever met it was that
one time.

FINN
(quiets down)
Look, Hunter, I understand how you
feel. I know, it's hard to believe
a guy would wanta spend his last
five minutes lyin' to somebody.

HUNTER
I was there, Lieutenant, you weren't.
Draco was telling the truth.

FINN
And the man that got sent up?
That was just a little mistake,
huh?

HUNTER
It wouldn't be the first time.

FINN
So what do you want, Hunter?

HUNTER
I wanta look into it.

FINN
On official P.D. time?

HUNTER
Why not? There's no statute of
limitations on murder.

FINN
I think you're talking about
personal and private business.

HUNTER
It may be personal, Lieutenant
but it sure as hell isn't private.
I think it's an unsolved homicide
that ought to be investigated.
(pauses)
I've got two weeks vacation time
coming and I'd like to apply for
it, as of now.

FINN
You got it.

Hunter goes to the door, opens it, turns to look at Finn.

HUNTER
(he isn't kidding)
If I prove we got the wrong man
for my dad's murder, I'll expect
to be put on official duty time,
retroactive to the minute I close
this door.

FINN
Keep in touch, Hunter, you may need
a little help from your friends.

This catches Hunter off guard and he loses his frown and
almost smiles as he steps out and closes the door.

INT. SQUAD ROOM - DAY - ON McCALL

She is on the phone and writing an address on a small sheet
of paper. Hunter enters the shot. Dee Dee hangs up and
holds up the sheet of paper.

DEE DEE
Got it! Last known address.

Hunter takes the piece of paper, reads the address.

HUNTER
Thanks, McCall.

He starts away.

DEE DEE
Hey, where you going?

HUNTER
(turns)
On vacation.

DEE DEE
No foolin'? Now that is one
darned coincidence, Hunter.

HUNTER
Say what?

DEE DEE
(stands)
I just put in for vacation
myself.

HUNTER
When'd you do that, McCall?

DEE DEE
Well, let's see, I think just
about when you went in to see
the Lieutenant. I got two weeks
coming, just like you.

ON FINN'S SECRETARY

as she steps up to Dee Dee and hands her an official-looking
sheet of paper.

SECRETARY
You must live right, Dee Dee — he
signed it.

The secretary returns to her office as McCall grins at
Hunter and hands him the signed vacation-request form.

HUNTER
(looking at form)
Sometimes, McCall, you are down-
right scary.

And, smiling, they walk out together.

CUT TO:

EXT. A STORE FRONT - DAY - ESTABLISHING

A run-down building in a seedy area of Venice. Lettered on
the dusty, long-unwashed store window is the legend: "RAW
EARTH Creations by Denise." On display in the window is a
creditable copy of a antique Shaker table made of pine.
Hanging behind and over the table are an assortment of
macramé plant-holders and wall hangings.

Hunter drives into SCENE, parks at the curb in front of
the store. He and Dee Dee alight and enter the shop.

WORKSHOP AREA

Most of the area is taken up by work and storage area
devoted to the manufacturers of the furniture, several
pieces of which, in varying degrees of completion, are
scattered around. Whoever is sawing is outside in the back
and out of view. In one cramped corner, DENISE sits,
weaving macramé. She is a plump, rather pretty woman in her
40s, a former flower child of the 60's, who still has long,
ironed hair and wears granny dresses. She looks up as
Hunter and Dee Dee enter, smiles.

DENISE
Hello. May I help you?

HUNTER
We're looking for Floyd Dudleigh.
That him out there?

DENISE
Yes, it is.

Hunter's already on his way to the door that opens to the
back yard. Denise looks apprehensive, which Dee Dee sees
and:

DEE DEE
(sympathetically;
showing badge)
It's alright, we're the police.

DENISE
What's wrong?

EXT. BACK YARD OF SHOP - DAY - ON DUDLEIGH

He's been sawing aged pine boards into three-foot lengths
using an antique hand-saw. He is a tall, lean man in his
60's, dressed in threadbare jeans, cracked, old motorcycle
boot, and a torn faded LED ZEPPLIN T-shirt.

He has a full beard and wears his shoulder-length hair tied
back in a pony-tail. As Hunter comes out of shop, he looks
up and smiles.

DUDLEIGH
Hi. Something I can help you with...?

Before Hunter can reply, Denise hurries out of the shop.
Dee Dee is only a few, unhurried steps behind.

DENISE
They're the police!

DUDLEIGH
(his smile has
faded and he has
become wary)
What's the problem, Officer?

HUNTER
(shows badge)
I'm Sgt. Hunter. My partner, Sgt.
McCall...

Denise goes to Dudleigh's side, clings to him, protectively.

DEE DEE
(quickly)
We just want to ask you some
questions, Mr. Dudleigh.

HUNTER
It's about the killing you got
sent up for fifteen years ago...

DUDLEIGH
Oh, Man, no! Don't do this to me!
I did my time! That's history!

HUNTER
Not quite. It'll be history when
your parole's done. Or you get
a pardon.

DUDLEIGH
A pardon? That'll be the day.
(really looking
at Hunter now)
Your name's Hunter?

HUNTER
Yeah. Rick Hunter.

Dudleigh is suddenly a frightened man. He backs away and
and glances around as if looking for a way out.

HUNTER
Take it easy...I'm not gonna
hurt you...

DUDLEIGH
(near terror)
I remember you...you're his son...
You were there every day...at the
trial.
(voice breaks)
What do you want?

HUNTER
I want the truth. That's all.

DEE DEE
You can tell us you did it and your
parole will still stand. All
Sergeant Hunter wants to know is if
you really killed his father.

DUDLEIGH
Get outa here! Get outa here!

He is shouting and very close to tears.

HUNTER
Did you kill my dad?

DUDLEIGH
Noooooo!

Dudleigh steps back and sits down. Denise stands beside
him, hugging his shoulders, weeping silently.

HUNTER
I know.
(nothing)
Did you hear me?
(steps closer)
I know you didn't do it.

Dudleigh looks up, incredulous, but he did finally hear what
Hunter is saying to him. Denise is staring at Hunter in
surprise and hope.

DUDLEIGH
What?...did you say?

Hunter pulls over a stool so he can sit- "beside Dudleigh and
not loom over him.

HUNTER
You didn't kill my dad.

Dudleigh stares at Hunter, puzzled, uncertain, suspicious.

HUNTER
I want to know exactly what
happened. At H & B Scrap Metal.
September 50, 1971.

ON McCALL

listening intently, hearing this for the first time.

HUNTER'S VOICE
You broke into the offices at
about 7:30 P.M.

DUDLEIGH
I didn't have to break in. The
downstairs door was unlocked.

I told it like that at the trial.

HUNTER
Why were you there?

DUDLEIGH
I admitted why. I was lookin' to
steal — petty cash, whatever...

HUNTER
You went up the stairs to the
office...

DUDLEIGH
No! Like I said on the stand, I
wasn't half way up those stairs
when I heard the shots, BAM - BAM!
and I cut out fast, man! Down
the stairs, out the door and up
the street! Smack into a black-
and-white! How's that for luck...?

HUNTER
You didn't see anybody else
around...?

DUDLEIGH
No. I wouldn't've gone in if I
had.

DEE DEE
Where'd you ditch your gun
with a couple of cops on your tail
like that?

DUDLEIGH
I didn't have a gun! If I had,
I'd of sold it for dope!

DENISE
He did it for me. I was the one
with the habit, not him. He went
to steal money for me, so I could
get fixed.

Dudleigh puts a protective arm around her.

DUDLEIGH
She's clean now. She hasn't even
chipped since I came out. Eighteen
months now. Show them, honey...

Denise pushes up the sleeves of her dress and shows the
insides of her arms. They're trackless.

DUDLEIGH
(proudly)
See, no tracks. She's clean!

HUNTER
Thanks for talking to us, Floyd.

HUNTER
I promise you, once I get this
settled, I'll do everything I
can to clear your name.

Dudleigh slips his arm around Denise again.

DUDLEIGH
Yeah. Well, if it's all the same
to you — just leave us alone,
okay?

Hunter and Dee Dee nod and leave.

CUT TO

OMITTED

INT. HUNTER'S CAR – DAY

Hunter at the wheel, McCall beside him.

DEE DEE
How'd they explain that at the
trial?

HUNTER
What?

DEE DEE
They caught him less than a block
away. But they never found the
gun. How'd they cover that?

HUNTER
They figured he tossed it,
someone found it, and kept it.

DEE DEE
How do you figure it now?

Hunter throws McCall a puzzled look.

HUNTER
You don't believe him? Dudleigh?

DEE DEE
I'm asking you.

HUNTER
(looks ahead; long
pause)
I believe him. He didn't have
a gun.

DEE DEE
Amen. So where we going?

HUNTER
To H and B Scrap Metal. H as in
Hunter, B as in Brokaw.

EXT. INDUSTRIAL STREET - DAY - ESTABLISHING

"H & B SCRAP METAL CO. Plant 1". It is an ugly, sprawling
complex. Inside the plant grounds we can see whatever
activity goes on in such a place. A man in a hard hat and
carrying a baton, obviously a guard, is seated in a kitchen
chair by a closed rear gate, reading a magazine. There is
no visible lock on this gate.

ANGLE

as Hunter's car drives into SCENE and stops at the curb
near the gate. As Hunter gets out of the car:

DEE DEE
Hunter...easy, huh?

HUNTER
Just gonna squeeze the tube and see
what comes out.

He makes a thing of buttoning his jacket over his gun,
holds up both hands palms outward in a show of nonviolent
intent, turns and crosses to the gate.

ON THE GUARD

He glances up from his magazine as Hunter approaches.
Hunter shows his credentials. The guard looks like an ex-
tackle for the Raiders.

HUNTER
Sgt. Rick Hunter to see Vincent
Brokaw.

GATE GUARD
Got an appointment?

HUNTER
No, just this...
(his badge)

GATE GUARD
You got a warrant to go along
with it?

HUNTER
(still keeping cool)
I don't plan to arrest him, just
talk to him.

GATE GUARD
Use a telephone.

The guard thinks he's cute, smiles and tips back in his
kitchen chair. Hunter has lost his patience, kicks the
gate open flipping the guard back over his chair in a
comical back flip prat fall. Hunter strides by the
overturned guard and heads toward entrance to the business
office. As he nears, the door opens and MARCO BROKAW comes
out, backed by a pair of mean-looking THUGS. Marco is a
year older than Hunter and heavier and more sleekly
handsome. And he's a much slicker dresser.

MARCO
Right there, Hunter!

HUNTER
Hey, Marco. Long time. Putting
on a little pork, huh?

He reaches out to pat Marco's stomach. Marco hits his hand
away.

MARCO
Knock it off!

Hunter laughs, holds up his hands in a gesture of non-
violence.

HUNTER
Maybe another time, Marco. Right
now I want to talk to your dad.

MARCO
He isn't in.
(off Hunter's
doubting look)
You know where the office is.
Go look for yourself.

Hunter knows he'll be taking a hike for nothing.

HUNTER
Where is he?

MARCO
(shrugs)
He's in and out these days. Give'm
a call. If he wants to see
you, his Secretary'll schedule
an appointment.

HUNTER
(a cold smile)
So he's heard about Draco. Your
old man's got good wires out there.

MARCO
I don't know what you're talkin'
about and I could care less —- just
get outa here, it's private property.

HUNTER
(a cool smile)
You're wound a little tight,
Marco. But then you always were
a nervous kid. Try to get a grip
and tell your dad I'll be seeing
him, real soon.

He turns and walks back to his car.
and:

Hold on Marco's rage

CUT TO:

OMITTED

INT. VINNIE BROKAW'S HOUSE, THE ENTRY HALL - NIGHT

An expensively furnished house in Hancock Park. It must be
the helps' night off, because the place is deserted and only
a few lights are on. We HEAR a key working the lock, then
the door opens and VINNIE BROKAW a tired old man in his
60's, enters. Behind him, acting as bodyguards, are Duke
and Fox. They are about to follow Vinnie, but he stops
them.

VINNIE
Alright, go home now.

DUKE
Marco said we should stay with
you, Mr. Brokaw...

VINNIE
(flaring)
Did he tell you to sleep with me
for Gossake? Get outta here, I'm
going to bed!

Duke and Pox move back onto the porch and Vinnie closes and
bolts the door in their faces. He is carrying a small
stack of mail that he obviously picked up at the mailbox.
He takes it with him into:

INT. LIBRARY/DEN - NIGHT

Vinnie crosses to the desk and flips on the lamp, which
illuminates the desk but leaves the rest of the room dark.
As he starts to open an envelope:

HUNTER (0.S.)
It's nice to see a son worry
about his father.

Startled, Vinnie whirls around, yanks open a desk drawer
and grabs for the gun that's kept there. Before he can
pick it up. Hunter materializes out of the shadows and
takes it from him.

VINNIE

scared shitless, expects to be shot with his own gun. He
is relieved when Hunter proceeds to unload it, tries to
pass over the incident.

VINNIE
Ricky, you shouldn't've sneaked
up on me like that. I coulda
shot you...

HUNTER
I wouldn't have let you do that,
Vinnie.

He pockets the bullets and tosses the gun back in the
drawer and closes it.

VINNIE
Why didn't you just call me, Ricky.
You know I'm happy to see you,
anytime.

HUNTER
(dryly)
Yeah, Marco told me.

VINNIE
You know Marco. Sometimes, he
tries to protect me too much.
Can I get you something, Ricky?

He starts toward a convenient bar-cart.

HUNTER
A signed confession that you
gave Phil Draco the contract to
hit Pop would do it for me.

VINNIE
Hey, hey, hey, come on, Ricky,
you believe that no-good bum?

HUNTER
Yeah, Vinnie, I believed him.

VINNIE
Come on, Ricky, come on, don't
say things like that, even in
joke! Draco hated my guts, claimed
I cheated him on a deal.

HUNTER
The only deal you ever had with
Draco was the contract on my dad.

VINNIE
You gotta be outa your mind, Rick!
They got the junkie who killed
your Papa.

HUNTER
(relentlessly)
You left the main door unlocked
that night so Draco could get in...

VINNIE
Your dad and I were partners,
friends! Why would I want him
dead!?

HUNTER
After he was killed, you and
Marco got together with the mob,
used their money and their tactics,
and you suddenly had five plants
instead of only one. But you had
to get my dad outa the way to do
that!

VINNIE
(raises hand)
Rick, I swear on my mother's
grave I didn't put out a contract
on your dad!

The sound of truth in Vinnie's voice takes Hunter by
surprise and his face shows it.

VINNIE
That's right, Rick, believe me —
'cause it's God's truth!

MARCO'S VOICE
What the hell's goin' on!

Marco comes storming into the room.

MARCO
(to Hunter)
How'd you get in here!? You got
a warrant!?

He has reached the desk. He suddenly pulls open the desk
drawer and yanks out the gun.

MARCO
(pointing gun at
Hunter)
Show me a warrant!

The sound of truth in Vinnie's statement that he didn't put
out a contract on Hunter's dad is still ringing in Hunter's
mind. Now Marco's almost hystrical behavior makes Hunter
realize the truth: Draco had said Marco "delivered the
bread". Hell, it was Marco's contract!

HUNTER
(almost a whisper)
I'll be damned...

MARCO
Get outa here!

HUNTER
(to Vinnie)
I owe you an apology, Vinnie.
(looks at Marco)
You didn't just deliver Draco's
payoff...it was your contract!

And suddenly Hunter is moving toward Marco. Marco steps
back and pulls the trigger, once, twice, and again, on an
empty gun. Realizing the gun is empty, Marco throws it at
Hunter, who ducks the pistol, grabs for Marco's arm and
lays into him with a strong left hook.

THE FIGHT . ; '

Marco is no coward and he is a big, heavy man. He fights
back well enough to keep Vinnie standing in frozen
inaction.

It is not a long fight, however, because Hunter is a bit
crazed, and when Marco goes down hard, Vinnie does his
best to keep Hunter from pulling him back to his feet.

OMITTED

ON HUNTER

He doesn't want to be rough with Vinnie so he steps
back.

VINNIE
You're all wrong, Rick. Marco didn't
have no more to do with your dad's
death than me. You gotta forget this
craziness...

HUNTER
(enraged)
Forget it!? He just tried to kill
me! I'd be dead if that gun'd been
loaded!

Hunter turns and walks to the door as Marco gets back onto
his feet.

AT THE DOOR

MARCO'S VOICE
You are dead, Hunter!

Hunter turns and looks at Marco.

HUNTER
You used to say that when we were
kids, Marco. Bang-Bang, you're
dead.

He takes the bullets from his pocket and tosses them onto
the carpet.

HUNTER
The bullets are real now. Better
keep it in mind.

He goes out.

END OF ACT ONE

FADE OUT

************************************************************

ACT TWO

FADE IN:

OMITTED

EXT. SAN PEDRO STREET – DAY

Hunter's car, parked at sidewalk.

INT. HUNTER'S CAR

Hunter is watching:

A BUS

It stops at the corner to let off a tired-looking grey-
haired woman in her middle sixties. Her name is VERONICA
FIORI and she is coming home from work.

ON HUNTER

watching as Veronica approaches him.

ON VERONICA

She walks slowly, carrying a heavy shopping bag. Her
clothes are worn for service, not style, purchased at
Zodis.

ON HUNTER

Hunter gets out of the car and walks toward Veronica.

TWO SHOT - VERONICA AND HUNTER

HUNTER
Mrs. Fiori?

Veronica slows, comes to a stop several feet away from
Hunter. She speaks with an Italian accent.

VERONICA
(flatly; no smile)
You're Rick Hunter...

HUNTER
(smiles)
I'm surprised you remember me...

VERONICA
You became a policeman.

HUNTER
Yes. I still am. Could we talk
for a few minutes?

VERONICA
(stays where she
is)
Sure. Talk.

HUNTER
(looks around)
Well, I thought —

VERONICA
My house, it needs to be cleaned
up. Here is fine.

HUNTER
It's about Alicia.

VERONICA
(nods)
I am not surprise...What has
happen to her?

HUNTER
I don't know, Mrs. Fiori. I haven't
seen her since high school.

VERONICA
(relieved not to be
getting bad news)
When she was beautiful, and an
angel...

HUNTER
(smiles)
She was both.

VERONICA
You were crazy about Alicia,
Rick. I remember...
(voice hardens)
And she...was crazy about Marco
Brokaw — because he was older,
and flashier, and spent money on
her.

HUNTER
Mrs. Fiori, wouldn't you like to
sit down? Maybe have a glass of
wine with me, or some coffee?

VERONICA
Rick, I have not hear from Alicia
for three years. She move out a
long time ago to live with Marco.
When she is twenty-two he throw
her away like used...

She can't think of the appropriate word and her voice
breaks as her eyes tear up.

HUNTER
I'm sorry, Mrs. Fiori.
(pauses)
She was living with Marco in
1971, wasn't she?

VERONICA
Yes. What is this about, Rick?

HUNTER
He was...involved in a crime then.
Alicia may be able to help me
prove it.

VERONICA
I'm sorry. I cannot help you.
I don't know where she live.
Somewhere up in L.A. When I
hear from her, she call me.

HUNTER
What about her friends?

VERONICA
I don't know her friends. She's
a prostitute, Rick!
(cracking again)
She could be sick...or dead...
or in jail...

HUNTER
Mrs. Fiori, I need a picture
of Alicia. Do you have one?

VERONICA
Yes.

She takes a wallet from her purse and removes a picture,
which she hands to Hunter.

Hunter looks at:

PICTURE OF ALICIA

She is dark-haired, dark-eyed, smiling and pretty. About
eighteen.

THE SCENE

As Hunter looks up:

VERONICA
You bring it back to me, okay?

HUNTER
Sure. Thank you.

Veronica walks on past Hunter. He watches her go on
another twenty yards or so as he walks back to his car.

OMITTED

INT. CAR

as Hunter gets in. He is looking at:

VERONICA

as she gets out a key and lets herself into a small, one-
story house badly in need of a paint job and a gardener.

EXT. HOLLYWOOD STREET CORNER - NIGHT

Dee Dee, in hooker rig, is passing a photo around among a
knot of five working girls. A stunning black, TRACY, is
the spokesperson of the group.

DEE DEE
Her real name's Alicia Fiori, I
don't know what she tricks by.
And she's a lot older than
that picture — I got it outa
my high school scrapbook.

TRACY
(suspiciously)
Hey, you a cop?

DEE DEE
Are you puffin' me on!? Alicia
had a baby, a little girl. She
left it with her mother up in
Seattle. The old lady died and
her sister's putting the kid up
for adoption. I thought she
ought to know...

The ladies AD LIB their reactions of sympathy and
revulsions: "Some people, honest!" from one. "Her own
sister, yet!" from another. "Who else but your own
family!", from a third, etc. Tracy gives the picture a
long read.

TRACY
(finally)
I may have seen her around, but,
I dunno...

She starts to hand the photo back to Dee Dee. She refuses
it.

DEE DEE
Keep it, I made some copies.
You know a lot of the girls,
show it around. And if anyone's
seen her, there's a number where
I can be reached on the back of
the picture.

A car horn HONKS twice. The girls all turn, expectantly.
It's Hunter.

DEE DEE
That's one of my regulars. See
you, ladies...

And she goes sashaying across to Hunter's car, waving to
him and calling loudly for all to hear:

DEE DEE
Hya Lyman honey...!

As she climbs into the car and settles into the seat
alongside him:

HUNTER
Lyman... ?!

CUT TO

AN N.D. SEDAN

DUKE at the wheel, FOX beside him, parked at the curb
nearby. Duke pulls away from the curb, follows after
Hunter's car, wiping another ND sedan with HAMBRO at the
wheel and VIRGE riding shotgun beside him. Hambro waits
for the others to pass, pulls out and falls in behind him.

INT. HUNTER'S CAR – NIGHT

rolling along with traffic.

HUNTER
Get onto anything yet?

DEE DEE
No, it's too soon. You?

HUNTER
I was supposed to have a meet but
I got stood up. Soon as I let
you off, I'm gonna find out why.
(glances in mirror)
And watch it, I've picked up a tail.

DEE DEE
Marco huh?

HUNTER
It better be.
(grins)
If it's Vice, baby, you're in
trouble.

DEE DEE
(smiles)
I can handle the Vice boys.
(looks 0.S.)
This is as good a place as any.

Hunter swings the wheel, pulls up at the curb near another
street corner, where some more working girls are gathered.

ANGLE

as Dee Dee climbs out of the car. She turns back, waves.

DEE DEE
Thanks Lyman honey! See you next
week!

THE WORKING GIRLS

laugh, as Dee Dee sashays toward them.

HUNTER

glances into his mirror, frowns as he sees Duke and Pox's
N.D. sedan reflected. He drives on. Duke's car follows;

Hambro's lags behind to watch Dee Dee.

OMITTED

INT. ALL BLACK BAR - NIGHT

as Hunter enters. Soul music WAILS from a juke box,
punctuated by boisterous laughter and shrill squeals from
the ladies. The only white in the place, Hunter generates
considerable interest. There's no doubt in anyone's mind
that he's a cop, so the customers give him slack as he moves
toward an alcove at the rear of the room.

ANGLE TO ALCOVE

Two very large black men, EUGENE and PURLY, stand guard at
the door marked: PRIVATE. They close ranks as Hunter
approaches and starts to reach for the door knob.

PURLY
Can't you read, Mother?

Hunter shows his badge. Purly eyes it contemptuously.

PURLY
Put that back in your pocket
and shuffle on out the door,
Man, before someone makes you
eat it.

Hunter puts his badge back in his pocket,

HUNTER
(sadly)
Man, nobody has any respect for
a badge anymore...

And brings his knee up, sharply, into Purly's groin, causing
him to curl up on the floor in agony. And, whirling around,
he throws a punch into Eugene's belly. Purly recovers, and
charges him. And by the time three or four male customers
at nearby tables realize what's going on and converge on
Hunter, he has his magnum out and leveled.

HUNTER
Back off!

They wisely back off and Hunter reaches behind him for the
doorknob, opens the door and backs into:

INT. OMER'S OFFICE - NIGHT

Omer is a big man, expensively dressed, flashy but not the
pimp we see on television. He has a fistful of money in
one hand and the other hand is turning the dial of a safe.
No one else is in the room.

We see this while Hunter bolts the door behind him. The
guards immediately begin rattling the knob and pounding on
the door.

Hunter points his gun at Omer and:

HUNTER
Tell 'em to quiet down.

The pounding continues.

OMER
What you want?

HUNTER
Tell 'em to ease off!

Omer puts the money into a drawer and walks to the door.
He starts to unlock it but Hunter knocks his hand away.

HUNTER
Talk to 'em!

OMER
Hey, Purly!

The pounding stops.

OMER
Ever'thing cool, man, Jus' stay
close. He be leavin' five
minutes.

HUNTER
Over there.

He points at the couch with his gun. Omer walks to the
couch but does not sit down.

HUNTER
You agreed to meet me. I waited.
What happened?

OMER
(nervous)
I got the word — I best be deaf
and dumb...or I be dead.

HUNTER
Who put out this word?

OMER
It don't matter, I believe it!

HUNTER
(moves closer)
It matters to me. Who was it,
Omer?

Omer is a frightened man, and it shows, but telling the
name frightens him even more.

OMER
You touch me I'll have your ass,
man. You'll be out on the street
without a shield or a friend.

Hunter's answer to that is to grab Omer and slam him up
against the wall.

HUNTER
Who was it?

OMER
I tell you who, you split?
Nobody know where you hear it?

Hunter nods.

OMER
Name's Marco Brokaw.
(nods at door)
And there's the door.

Hunter lets go of Omer and takes the picture of Alicia from
his pocket. He holds it in front of Omer's face.

HUNTER
Tell me about her. She used to
work for you.

OMER
Hey, we had a deal!

Hunter slams him against the wall again.

HUNTER
What happened to her?

OMER
(scared)
I don' know! I dumped her six
years ago! Why you wanta know?

HUNTER
Brokaw wants her and I don't want
him to find her. You hear anything,
call me.

Hunter takes Omer by the arm and hustles him to the door.

AT DOOR

HUNTER
Open it.

Omer unlocks and opens the door.

OMITTED

INT. THE BAR – NIGHT

The two bodyguards are standing there, guns ready.

OMER
(sees guns)
Hey, you want the man to bust
you? Put 'em away.

Hunter's gun is in his hand. Purly and Eugene put the guns
away.

ON HUNTER

as he walks out of the bar.

OMITTED

INT. HUNTER'S CAR - NIGHT MOVING

He checks his rear-view, picks up Duke's car following.
Off his reaction, the radio crackles and:

DISPATCHER (V.O.)
L-56, L-56, come in, please.

Hunter takes up the mike to respond.

HUNTER
This is L-56.

DISPATCHER (V.O.)
L-56, I have a patch from Sgt.
McCall for you.

HUNTER
Put her through.

DISPATCHER (V.O.)
Roger, L-56, hang on.

A beat, then:

DEE DEE(V.O.)
Hunter, you reading me?

HUNTER
Loud and clear, McCall. What's
up?

OMITTED

EXT. STREET - PHONE BOOTH – NIGHT

Dee Dee is in the booth.

DEE DEE

I'm outside "The Side Show", a bar
on the boulevard — one of the ladies
I showed the picture to thought I'd
find Alicia here. I think I have.

INTER CUT

HUNTER
You think? Is it her or isn't it?

DEE DEE
I don't know. I just think you
should have a look at her. She's
blonde, but she's got brown eyes
and I...well, she's worth a look.

HUNTER
I'm only a couple blocks away,
hold tight. Out.

He clicks off and:

OMITTED

EXT. STREET – NIGHT

Outside "The Side Show" Bar

INT. HUNTER'S CAR - NIGHT

Hunter and McCall in front seat watching the entrance to
The Side Show Bar. They are alerted by:

EXT. THE SIDE SHOW BAR

Alicia, blonde now, her once-lovely face hardened by time,
comes out of the bar, her John's arm around her waist.

DEE DEE
That's her.
(waits)
What d'you think?

HUNTER
(staring off at
Alicia)
I don't know.

DEE DEE
Let's talk to her...

HUNTER
Not here. Follow, her. We'll
check her out when she’s alone.
(Alicia and
the John are
walking away)
Go, I'll back you up.

EXT. STREET - NIGHT

Dee Dee exits the car and follows, pretending that she's
trade. A beat or two later, Hunter gets out of the car
follows Dee Dee, trying to seem like a would-be customer
sizing her up before making an approach.

ANGLE TO HAMBRO AND VIRGE

They give Hunter some room, then climb out of their car
and follow him, passing Duke and Fox, parked nearby
watching Dee Dee. They wait, then follow slowly in their
car.

ANGLE TO HUNTER

Aware of the men following, he turns off at a corner.

HAMBRO AND VIRGE

hurry after him.

EXT. A RUNDOWN APARTMENT HOUSE - NIGHT - ON HUNTER

standing in the entrance, waiting until Hambro and Virge
have turned the corner before entering.

HAMBRO AND VIRGE

have glimpsed him going into the building, hurry after him,
As they push into the building:

INT. BUILDING FOYER - NIGHT

A hallway with a row of mail-boxes and another door leading
into the building. The graffiti sprayed all over the place
is the only fresh paint the walls have seen in twenty.
years. As Hambro and Virge push in:

HUNTER

confronts them, gun in hand.

HUNTER
Right there, fellas.

Hambro and Virge freeze.

HUNTER
Against the wall. Move it.

As Hambro and Virge assume the frisk position:

HAMBRO
What's goin' on, Man? We were
just comin' to visit my mother...!

HUNTER
Yeah? What's her name?
(as Hambro tries to
come up with
something)
You don't know your mother's name?

Hunter, patting Virge down, finds a pistol. He pockets it.
Hambro goes for his, but before he can draw it, Hunter
hits him alongside the head with the butt of his Magnum,
dropping him to the floor, dazed.

Virge takes advantage of Hambro's move to jump Hunter.
Virge is a big man, not as tall as Hunter but just as
heavy.

THE FIGHT

In the struggle Hunter's gun is knocked to the floor as he
slugs it out with Virge, who handles himself like a
heavyweight contender.

ON HAMBRO

He is being stepped on frequently in this scuffle and he
slowly regains his senses. As soon as his eyes are able to
focus they focus on

HUNTER'S GUN

ON HAMBRO

who begins to slide over to get the gun.

INTERCUT - THE FIGHT

and HAMBRO getting his hand on the gun.

VIRGE

goes down hard.

ON HAMBRO'S WRIST AND HAND

holding the gun. Suddenly a foot slams down on his wrist.

THE SCENE

Hunter twists his gun out of Hambro's hand and jerks both
men to their feet and handcuffs Hambro's left wrist to
Virge's right.

HUNTER
Out. Onto the street.

They exit, Hunter putting his gun away (and theirs) as he
follows them out.

EXT. STREET - AT HUNTER'S CAR

Hambro and Virge are in b.g. Hunter has them handcuffed to
a fence, thus immobilizing two prisoners with one pair of
handcuffs. Hunter is standing outside his car, talking into
his radio mike.

HUNTER
(into mike)
No, I want 'em picked up here, I'm
off duty, on vacation. The charge
is possession of concealed weapons
and assaulting an officer.

EXT. A SMALL, RUNDOWN HOTEL - NIGHT - ON DEE DEE

standing in a convenient doorway from which she can watch
the entrance. She reacts as the John we saw with Alicia
earlier comes out of the apartment building and moves off
down the street. Dee Dee waits until he's out of SCENE,
then leaves her doorway, crosses to Alicia's building and
enters.

INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT

It looks as ill-used as Alicia. The bed is rumpled.
Alicia is in the bathroom, cleaning up. A KNOCK at the
door. Repeated. Alicia comes out of the bathroom. She's
dressed, brushing her hair. She goes to the door.

ALICIA
Yeah, what?

DEE DEE
Name's Dee Dee. You don't know
me. I'm a friend of a friend.

ALICIA
What friend.

DEE DEE
Diana. The one they call Lady Di.

It works. Alicia opens the door a crack, peers out at Dee
Dee. Satisfied she's a sister and alone, she opens the
door, lets Dee Dee in.

ALICIA
So how's Di enjoying the country?

DEE DEE
She's making it. She'll be coming
out next month. She asked me to
look you up when I got back in town.

ALICIA
Hey, there's a favor I can do for
Di, just ask.

DEE DEE
It's the other way around. Di has
a favor for you. She wants you to
know, Marco's looking for you and
it's serious.

Alicia returns a hard, blank stare.

ALICIA
(finally)
That's it?

DEE DEE
That's all she told me. She
said you'd understand.

ALICIA
Yeah, right...

She goes to the door, opens it. The meeting’s over. Dee
goes to the door, turns.

DEE DEE
Hey, if there's anything I can
do...

ALICIA
Thanks...

She closes the door on Dee Dee. HOLD ON Alicia,
considering options.

CUT TO:

EXT. STREET - HUNTER'S CAR - NIGHT

Hunter is alone in his car now, the two thugs on their way
to the lockup. Dee Dee enters SCENE, goes over to the car
and slides in beside him.

DEE DEE
Where'd you disappear to?

HUNTER
A couple of Marco's muscleheads
were following us. I had to get
rid of 'em. Find out where she
lives?

DEE DEE
Yeah, three blocks from here.
(as Hunter starts
the car)
I also talked to her. After the
John left.

On Hunter's reaction to that we:

CUT TO

EXT. THE CAR

as it takes off down the street.

EXT. ALICIA'S HOTEL - NIGHT

Hunter drives into SCENE, stops at the curb where he can
see the hotel entrance.

HUNTER
How'd she react when you told
her Marco was after her?

DEE DEE
She didn't even blink, but I'm
not sure what it means.

HUNTER
Makes me sick to say it...but
I think it's her.

DEE DEE
We'll know soon enough.
(off his look}
If she runs, she is, if she
doesn't...
(she shrugs)

Hunter's expression becomes set and grim again as they
settle down to wait.

INTERCUT

Hunter watching the entrance to the hotel, troubled.

Dee Dee sneaking a look at him.

Hunter and Dee Dee go on the alert when a hooker exits the
hotel, then relax when they see it isn't Alicia. Dee dee
sneaks another look at Hunter, then:

DEE DEE
You, Marco and this Alicia did
more than just go to high school
together, right, Hunter?

Hunter doesn't want to talk about it.

HUNTER
Marco and I met Alicia when she
was 15. She was voted "Most
Beautiful Freshman", and she was,
I was 15 and Marco 16, so he had
the edge, and I —

He breaks off as:

ALICIA

comes out of the hotel, carrying a suitcase.
She walks in their direction.

HUNTER AND DEE DEE

reacting.

DEE DEE
It's her.

HUNTER
(tightly)
Yeah.

He stops Dee Dee as she's about to get out of the car.

HUNTER
I'll do it.

Dee Dee understands his need, settles back in the car.

HUNTER

climbs out of the car and crosses the street.

ALICIA

sees Hunter walking toward her. She knows him. She slows
down, as if considering the possibility of turning around
and going the other way.

HUNTER

sees her intention (body language) and walks faster.

ALICIA

She turns and starts walking quickly the other way.

HUNTER

Picks up his pace, overtaking her.

ALICIA AND HUNTER

He is only three or four yards behind her now.

HUNTER
Alicia?

She doesn't miss a step. Hunter hurries to overtake her,
falls in beside her.

HUNTER
Alicia, I have to talk to you.

She stops. He stops. She continues to hold her suitcase
as she looks at him.

ALICIA
You've got the wrong girl. My
name's Gloria.

Hunter looks at her in silence, seeing the face of Alicia
Fiori, not a whore on the move calling herself Gloria.

HUNTER
You may think you've changed that
much. You haven't. You just
bleached your hair..

Alicia's eyes mist over. She puts the suitcase down, looks
up at Hunter.

ALICIA
I hoped I'd never see you again,
Rick — at least not like this.

HUNTER
Hey, you think you're the only
one who's had problems and made
mistakes? Both of us are
different people now, Alicia.

ALICIA
No, Rick. In high school you
wanted to be a cop. And you made
it. I don't know what I wanted
to be, but it sure wasn't —

HUNTER
(overrides her)
Alicia, I've got to talk to you.
Can we go back to your place?

ALICIA
Talk about what?

HUNTER
Our old friend Marco. We can't
do it here.

He picks up her suitcase, takes her arm, and they start
back toward her hotel.

INT. ALICIA'S HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT

Alicia enters, followed by Hunter. She turns on the lights
as he puts her suitcase down. They stand self-consciously
for a moment. Alicia laughs a slightly embarrassed laugh.

ALICIA
Well, at this point I usually
take off my clothes.

HUNTER
Hey, I'm Rick and you're Alicia.
We're friends. Okay?

ALICIA
Okay.

She sits down, waits for Hunter to tell her what this is
all about. Hunter pulls over a straight chair and sits
down to face her.

HUNTER
You were living with Marco in
1971, right?

ALICIA
1971 — Yeah, that was when I
still thought he was going to
marry me.

HUNTER
Remember my dad?

ALICIA
Sure. Good looking — almost as
tall as you.

HUNTER
He was killed in 1971, shot.

ALICIA
(sympathetically)
I know...I almost called you...

HUNTER
Marco was responsible for my dad's
death. He contracted the hit.

Hunter has kept his eyes fixed on Alicia's face when he
says this, knowing her reaction will tell him more than an
words.

ALICIA'S REACTION

has been one of surprise and shock.

ALICIA
(incredulous)
I never knew that, Rick. I swear.

HUNTER
Does the name Draco mean anything
to you?

ALICIA
(trying to recall)
Draco...
(pauses; remembers)
Yes. I remember him.

HUNTER
He was a friend of Marco's?

ALICIA
No. I only saw him once, but I
remember him. I thought they
were making a dope deal. I took
some coffee for them into the den
and Marco almost threw me out.
There were two stacks of money
on the table and the man, Draco,
was saying it was a short count.

HUNTER
And?

ALICIA
That's all. Marco shoved me out
and slammed the door.

HUNTER
You didn't see anything else?

ALICIA
(shakes her head)
After the man left, Marco wanted
to know what I'd heard, what I'd
seen. He acted scared, a little
crazy.

HUNTER
Was the money gone?

ALICIA
Yes. Marco said he was paying
an old gambling debt.

HUNTER
This was 1971? August or early
September?

ALICIA
We lived in that house till
late. in 1971, and this was
a few months before we moved.

HUNTER
Thanks, Alicia. That's going
to help.
(pauses)
What happened? — with you and
Marco?

ALICIA
Same thing that's happened to
a million other women — he got tired
of me, tired of hearing me talk
about marriage and kids. But you
don't want to hear my sad story.

HUNTER
Yes, I do.

ALICIA
Well, I got pregnant. He thought
I did it on purpose.
(laughs)
He was right. He beat me around
till I admitted it, then forced
me to have an abortion. And a
few months later he threw me out.
(laughs again)
He had me thinking it was all my
fault.

Hunter stands, holds out a hand to help her to her feet
from the deep chair she's in.

HUNTER
Time to go.

ALICIA
Where?

He takes her hand, pulls her to her feet.

HUNTER
Marco knows I'm looking for you,
so he's looking for you too.
You can't stay here.

ALICIA
I'm a streetwalker, Rick. I
can't hide.

HUNTER
You're a witness. We'll hide
you till I nail Marco, then
we'll talk about this "I'm
a streetwalker" junk. You're
whatever you want to be,
Alicia, and we'll work that
out together when this is over.

Alicia stands looking at Rick as he says this, and suddenly
her eyes fill with tears and she begins to sob. Hunter
takes her gently into his arms and holds her with great
tenderness as she cries for the lost years.

EXT. HOTEL - NIGHT - ACROSS THE STREET

as Hunter exits with Alicia.

FOX

crouched in the back seat of the ND sedan across from the
hotel, gets trigger-happy and prematurely opens EIRE.

HUNTER

slings Alicia back into the building and does a dive-and-
roll after her as:

DEE DEE

piles out of Hunter's car and opens fire on Duke and Pox.

DUKE

caught between the cross-fire from Hunter and Dee Dee,
hangs a tight, tire-screaming U-turn. As he swings past
the hotel entrance, "Fox lays into them with several SHOTS
and speeds away. (NOTE: No Uzi.)

HUNTER

squeezes off one last, futile SHOT at the car as it screams
around the nearest corner, then, as Dee Dee runs to join
him, rises to his feet and dusts off his pants.

HUNTER
Marco's people! I've seen 'em
before!

DEE DEE
You're lucky good help's hard
to find.

Hunter grins, turns and calls through the door.

HUNTER
Okay, Alicia, all clear.

No response. He pushes through the door into:

THE LOBBY

There's no one there. Hunter takes off toward the back exit,
Dee Dee at his heels.

EXT. ALLEY, BEHIND THE HOTEL - NIGHT

The rear door slams open. Hunter and Dee Dee charge through
it into the alley. They look up and down and see no one.

HUNTER
(on the run)
McCall, check that end!

As Hunter goes in one direction down the alley, Dee Dee
takes the other, both on the run, as we

FADE OUT

END OF ACT TWO

***********************************************************

ACT THREE

FADE IN:

OMITTED

EXT. VINNIE BROKAW'S HOUSE - NIGHT - ESTABLISHING

INT. VINNIE'S LIBRARY/DEN - NIGHT

getting the bad news by phone from one of his goons.

MARCO
(into phone)
incredulously)
...You missed?

As the angle widens to include Vinnie, we hear the caller's
VOICE rattling over the phone but not the actual words.
Exploding with rage, Marco cuts him off:

MARCO
I don't wanna hear it...!
(the voice rattles
on)
I said I don't wanna hear! Now
you listen! I want that job done!

He slams down the phone, turns to Vinnie, fuming.

MARCO
I can't believe it. A perfectly
simple job...and they missed!

VINNIE
So you have her killed.
Then what?

MARCO
Then nothing. It's all over.
She's the only person alive who
can tie me in with Draco.

VINNIE
There's still Hunter.

MARCO
(contemptuously)
I'm gonna take care of him, too.
In my own time. Without her he
can't prove anything.

VINNIE
Even with her, he can't prove anything.
Dont you see that, Marco!?

MARCO
I can't take that chance! She
saw me with Draco five days before
the hit. She saw the money, and
God knows what she heard!

VINNIE
Let it go, Marco. Hunter's got
nothing he can take into a court
room even if he finds her.

But Marco's on his way out of the office.

OMITTED

EXT. HUNTER'S CAR - DAY (EARLY MORNING)

INT. HUNTER'S CAR – DAY

Hunter, alone, is talking into his mike.

HUNTER
I know Lady Di's still in Frontera,
I wanta know who's running the
store while she's doin' her time?
And it's important — somebody's
life depends on it. Get back to
me A.S.A.P. Out.

He hangs the mike up and pulls over.

EXT. THE CAR - DAY

On McCall, waiting for Hunter. She gets up from a "bench
(still in her hooker outfit). She steps out as Hunter stops
and throws the door open.

INT. THE CAR

as McCall gets in and Hunter drives off.

HUNTER
Rough night?

DEE DEE
(sarcastically)
Not too bad. I only dropped one
arch and turned down an easy three
hundred in trade.

HUNTER
Maybe you're wasting the best
years of your life in police work.

DEE-DEE
Just because you can't get anybody
out there to talk to you, Hunter,
don't take your frustrations out
on me.

RADIO DISPATCHER'S VOICE
L-56, Come in.

Hunter picks up mike.

HUNTER
L-56.

FINN'S VOICE
Hunter? This is Finn, I just
intercepted a phone call for you
from Vinnie Brokaw. He wants to
meet you in Wattles Park, now.

HUNTER
Thanks, Lieutenant, will respond.

FINN'S VOICE
You think you should? Could be a
set up.

HUNTER
Too obvious for that, Lieutenant.
I'll check it out.

He hangs up the mike and looks at McCall.

HUNTER
You need some sleep, I'm taking
you home.

DEE DEE
Why not after you meet him? You
could use some support.

HUNTER
You could use some sleep.

DEE DEE
(firmly)
The Lieutenant's right — it could
be a set-up.

HUNTER
I know, but if it isn't, maybe
I can muddy things up a little
between Vinnie and Marco.

CUT TO

EXT. WATTLES PARK - DAY

On Vinnie, an old man, standing at the edge of a small lake
feeding the ducks. He looks up as Hunter approaches.

VINNIE
Ricky.

He holds out both hands for a double handshake. Hunter
leaves them hanging in mid-air.

HUNTER
(cold)
Get to it, Vinnie.

Hunter's rejection saddens him even more.

VINNIE
I want to turn myself in, Rick.

Hunter gives him a cold, hard look.

HUNTER
You aren't breaking any law
feeding the ducks.

VINNIE
You know what I mean. For your
father. It was me. I put out
the contract.

HUNTER
Yeah? Why, Vinnie?

VINNIE
The mob wanted to lend your dad
and me dough and...you know, give
us a hand, so-to-speak — for a
piece of the action. Your dad
wouldn't go along, he wanted out
of the mob scene, not further in.

HUNTER
So you put out a contract on him,
right? So you could get into
bed with the big boys?

VINNIE
It's the truth, Rick. H & B
Scrap Metal is a big operation
now. We control the whole damn
business in this half the state.

HUNTER
And the Mob takes twenty-five
percent.

VINNIE
(defiantly)
And I got rich.

HUNTER
You're a sick old man, Vinnie. You
were a drunk when my dad was alive
doing ninety percent of the work.
And Marco was a spoiled-rotten kid
who had your number. It was
Marco who wanted to get rich.

VINNIE
Yeah, I spoiled him! And why
not? — he's my only son! But
I put out the contract, Rick,
so your job's done.

HUNTER
My Job'll be done when I nail
Marco. You'll go down as an
accessory after the fact.

VINNIE
I'm offerin' you a full confession!

HUNTER
Draco already fingered Marco for
the pay-off.

VINNIE
In a sealed envelope! Marco didn't
know what was in it!

HUNTER
You're a liar Vinnie, and your
confession isn't worth a damn. Draco
was paid in bundles of cash and I
can prove it.

VINNIE
Rick. Please. I am a sick old
man. I dug my own grave a long time
ago. And whatever's bad about Marco
is my fault. Let me do this. I
was responsible for what happened.

HUNTER
Vinnie, you're not just sick, you're
blind and ignorant. You've got no
idea what a God-forsaken pig your
son is, do you?

VINNIE
You got no right to say that!

HUNTER
No? Let me give you the hard news.
Marco's having me followed. He
knows right now you're talking to
me here. You know what that means?

ON VINNIE

listening intently, not responding to Hunter's last
question.

HUNTER
Wake up, Vinnie! You know what he's
gonna think? He's gonna decide
you're here selling him out!

The old man shakes his head vigorously.

VINNIE
You don't know my son!

HUNTER
I know him better than you do!
Talk fast when you see him, he'll
probably have a gun pointed at
your head. If you're lucky he
may let you say a few words.

And Hunter turns and strides away.

CUT TO

EXT. PARKSIDE STREET - DAY

As Hunter comes out of the park to return to his car, he
spots:

DEE DEE AND TWO UNIFORMED COPS

moving away from a clump of shrubbery overlooking the place
where he'd met Vinnie. As she thanks them MOS and they head
for their patrol car parked nearby, Hunter veers toward
her,

HUNTER
Alright, McCall!

DEE DEE
Oh, hi Hunter.

HUNTER
What are you doing here?

DEE DEE
Couldn't sleep a wink, so I went
for a ride in the fresh morning
air.

Hunter glances at the two Uniforms, climbing, into their
patrol car.

DEE DEE
(dropping the
innocent act)
Hunter, it's a real pain breaking
in a new partner, you know?

On Hunter's laugh, we

CUT TO;

INT. VINNIE*S HOUSE - DAY

Vinnie lets himself in. He seems to have aged ten years
since we first saw him. As he closes and bolts the front
door, he hears Marco's VOICE coming from the den.

INT. DEN - DAY ON MARCO

on the phone. There's a gun lying on the desk beside the
phone.

MARCO
...if I knew where she lives,
I'd go talk to her myself!
Her name's Tracy. She's a
hooker, hangs out on the
Boulevard around LaBrea...

Vinnie enters, and Marco nails him with a look, points a
"stay where you are" finger, finishes his phone
conversation.

MARCO
...You find her! Now!

Marco hangs up, grabs up the gun and points it at his
father. Vinnie freezes in an incredulous, painful silence.

MARCO
(almost screaming)
You had a secret meeting with
Hunter! Lie about it and I'll
blow your head off right here!

VINNIE
(deeply wounded)
Marco...Put down the gun...

MARCO
(still loud)
You met Hunter in the park!
Why? What'd you tell him!?

VINNIE
(voice broken)
Marco...you know how many months
the doctor says I got left...
You think I care what happens
to me?

MARCO
What did you say to Hunter!?

VINNIE
I told him I put out the contract
on his poppa. I offered to give
myself up.

Marco slowly lowers the gun, tosses it noisily onto the
desk.

MARCO
(still angry)
What did he get out of you?

VINNIE
Nothing.

Marco nods, satisfied and starts out of the room.

MARCO
(as he goes)
Don't ever do anything again
without talking to me first!

And he is out the door and gone.

We stay with Vinnie as he stares at the door with vacant
eyes. It is clear that any illusions he may have retained
about Marco are all gone now.

CUT TO

OMITTED

EXT. THE BOULEVARD - DAY ESTABLISHING

The street people, the "players", the "suckers", etc.

ND SEDAN

cruising. Fox drives. Duke is in the back seat, scanning
the crowd.

HUNTER

alone in his car, cruising another section of the
Boulevard, nearby.

DEE DEE

sashaying on foot. An eager John drives alongside, acosts
her. She tries to shake him, but he persists, until she
flashes her badge. He takes off, burning rubber.

INT. ND SEDAN - MOVING

Duke spots Tracy, the hooker Dee Dee was speaking with
earlier, hurrying purposefully down the street. He hits
Fox on the shoulder and points her out. Fox veers over,
pulls up at the curb alongside her. Duke opens the door,
calls to her.

DUKE
Hey, Tracy.

She comes to the car. As soon as she recognizes Duke, she
tries to back away, but he grabs her and jerks her roughly
into the car. Fox is rolling before he closes the door.

INT. HUNTER'S CAR - MOVING

He spots Dee Dee with some Hookers, pulls over and honks.
She comes over to the car, climbs in. As he drives off,
she slips off her shoe and rubs her foot.

DEE DEE
God bless you, Hunter, you just
saved my other arch...

HUNTER
Come up with anything?

DEE DEE
I thought so, earlier. I got a
call from a girl named Tracy. She
said she might have something, but
I never heard from her. You?

HUNTER
Promises, promises, but let's
give it all the time it takes.

DEE DEE
Long as I can spend it sitting.

OMITTED

EXT. STREET- DAY ND SEDAN

comes around a dark corner, slows. Duke opens the rear
door, shoves Tracy out of the car. As she goes sprawling
onto the sidewalk. Fox speeds off.

ON TRACY

Before being thrown from the moving car, she was beaten.
Still, she manages to climb to her feet and totter to a
nearby street phone-booth. Propping herself up, she digs a
coin and the photo of Alicia Dee Dee gave her. Checking
the phone number on the back of the photo, she drops a coin
and starts to dial.

OMITTED

INT. HUNTER'S CAR – DAY

parked at the curb. Dee Dee yawns.

HUNTER
(firing up)
Where'd you leave your car?

Before Dee Dee can reply, the radio CRACKLES and:

DISPATCHER (V.O.)
L-56, L-56. Come in.

Dee Dee picks up the mike.

DEE DEE
This is L-56, over.

DISPATCHER (V.O.)
McCall, I have an urgent message
for you from a -- Tracy Daniels?

Hunter and McCall tense expectantly.

DEE DEE
Yeah, go!

DISPATCHER (V.O.)
See Anette at the bar on the corner
of Westin and Dune Place, West
Hollywood. She'll point you to
the lady. Shall I repeat?

Hunter's already rolling.

DEE DEE
No, we copy...

HUNTER
(exulting)
Gotcha!

OMITTED

EXT. STREET – DAY

as Hunter's car screams off.

EXT. BIG ED'S BAR - DAY

CUT TO:

Another armpit in an old two-story building with apartments
above. The unoccupied ND sedan is parked in front of the
entrance to one of the apartments. Duke and Fox
emerge from the building, dragging Alicia, kicking and
struggling between them toward the car. Before they reach
it, Hunter roars into SCENE. He hits the brakes and
performs a controlled skid, slamming into the ND sedan,
pinning it to the curb. As he and Dee Dee pile out of the
car:

FOX

lets go of Alicia, pulls a gun from under his jacket and
opens fire.

HUNTER AND DEE DEE

dive for cover behind the cars, while:

DUKE

hanging on to Alicia, goes for his gun. He has to relax
his grip to do so and Alicia squirms out of his grasp and
make a run for it. Before either Hunter or Dee Dee can
bring their guns to bear on Duke, he drops Alicia with a
single SHOT. Dee Dee's SHOT, an instant later, puts him
down.

FOX

meanwhile, backs toward the apartment entrance, PIRES
repeatedly to keep Hunter and Dee Dee from getting an
clear shot at him. His ammunition runs out before he can
reach cover and Hunter raises his gun and aims point blank
at Fox.

HUNTER
Drop it! Now!

Fox drops the gun.

DEE DEE

is the first to reach Alicia's side. She kneels to check
her vital signs, shouts to Hunter, who is hurrying toward
her.

DEE DEE
She's alive! Call an ambulance!

FADE OUT

END OF ACT THREE

*************************************************************

ACT FOUR

FADE IN

INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY - CLOSE ON ALICIA

in bed, unconscious, hooked up to IV and oxygen systems.
As she stirs restlessly and moans, the angle widens, to
reveal Hunter seated at bedside. He rises quickly comes
closer to the bed and looks down at:

ALICIA - CLOSE POV

She regains consciousness, opens her eyes and staring upward
tries to focus on:

HUNTER - HER POV
A blur looming over her at first, then coming into focus.

ALICIA
(weakly)
Rick...

HUNTER
Take it easy, Alicia. You're
going to be okay.

ALICIA
Pie in the sky...

HUNTER
No, no, I swear. The doctors say
you're going to be just fine. A
scar, yeah, but it won't show
unless you want it to.

ALICIA
You mean we'll get a chance to
have that talk?...

HUNTER
That's a promise.

He starts to turn away. She reaches out, weakly, takes his
hand.

ALICIA
I want to make that statement you
talked about, Rick...

HUNTER
Sure. Soon as you're a little
stronger...

ALICIA
Now, Rick! Get someone to take
it down now!

Hunter understands her need; it's as urgent as his. He
picks up the phone, dials.

HUNTER
(a short wait, then)
This is Sgt. Hunter. Gimme Sgt.
McCall.
(another short wait)
McCall, Hunter...Yeah, I'm still
with her. I need a police
stenographer and a warrant for
the arrest of Marco Brokaw...
And hurry it up, will you.

CUT TO

INT. H & B EXECUTIVE OFFICE - DAY - ON MARCO

talking on the phone. He's just been given the bad news
and he's shaken and furious. Vinny is in the room, a
concerned and increasingly worried spectator.

MARCO.
(into phone)
...A warrant for my arrest? How
the hell did they get that?
(a VOICE RATTLES
in his ear)
That miserable whore...! Look, I
don't care if they got cops on
her door 24 hours a day! I don't
care if they got the whole U.S.
Army! You get somebody in there
to put this right!

Marco slams down the phone, yanks open the desk drawer,
takes out a Beretta, checks the load.

The SOUND of a car speeding into the yard and skidding to
a stop sends Vinnie at a half-run to the window. Marco
joins him and looks down into the yard to:

HUNTER'S CAR - WINDOW POV

stopped butside.

INT. HUNTER'S CAR

Hunter and Dee Dee check the loads of their respective
weapons.

ON MARCO AND VINNIE

watching Hunter and Dee Dee get out of the car and make
their way toward the office entrance.

VINNIE
Marco, if you use that gun, you're
crazy! They arrest you it don't
mean nothin' — we can afford the
best lawyers in the country!

Marco starts toward the door.

VINNIE
You're crazy, Marco! Crazy!

Marco exits the office.

OMITTED

EXT. THE B & H OFFICE - DAY

Outside the executive office is a small, open platform
with a steep flight of steps leading down.

ON MARCO

He stands at the top of the flight of steps, gun pointed,
waiting for Hunter to appear at the edge of the building.

ON HUNTER AND McCALL

They reach the edge of the building where the flight of
steps goes up to the entrance to the executive offices.
Hunter is in the lead and his instinct for caution warns
him to slow down.

ON MARCO

waiting.

ON HUNTER

Carefully, he leans out to check the steps and

MARCO

FIRES at Hunter, pulling the trigger even after Hunter has
jumped back. Pieces of wood at the corner of the building
are blown away by Marco's four fast SHOTS.

MARCO
Come on, Hunter! Like you said,
the bullets are real now!

Marco rapidly reloads his gun.

HUNTER'S VOICE
Put down the gun, Marco! I've
got a warrant for your arrest!

Marco finishes re-loading.

MARCO
Okay! Serve it! I'm right here!

ON HUNTER

He signals for McCall to stay where she is and runs toward
some parked cars, being careful to stay out of Marco's
line of sight or fire.

AT PARKED CAR

Hunter ducks down, moves to his right and comes up in
Marco's line of fire, but protected by the car.

HUNTER
(aims gun at
Marco)
Drop the gun!

ON MARCO

He is shocked by Hunter's sudden appearance behind the
car. He FIRES, ONCE, TWICE

ON HUNTER

He FIRES back and

MARCO

ducks back into the office.

OMITTED

INT. THE OFFICE – DAY

Marco runs to the window just in time to see:

HUNTER

runs to the front of the steps where McCall stands. They
start up the steps (now out of Marco’s line of sight).

MARCO

Now unseen by Hunter and McCall he throws open the window
dims out, hangs onto the sill, and drops to the ground!
It is a ten-foot drop and he lands heavily and rolls.

INT. OFFICE - DAY

Hunter and McCall enter, see Vinnie at the window. They
run toward it and see:

MARCO

scrambling to his feet and running toward a pile of scrap
metal.

ON HUNTER

gun pointed.

HUNTER
Hold it right there, Marco!

ON VINNIE

He looks at Hunter. He sees that Hunter could have shot
Marco before he reached the pile of scrap metal.

OMITTED

HUNTER AND McCALL

run from the room and out.

EXT. THE STEPS

They run down the stairs at full speed.

AT BOTTOM OF STEPS

HUNTER
(to McCall)
Go around the other way!

McCall heads back along the side of the building. We
should understand that this time-consuming move will bring
her back to the "action" at the other corner of the
building, probably putting her behind Marco where he will
not expect, her to be.

Hunter, simultaneous with McCall's move in the opposite
direction, leaves the corner of the building and runs
toward the parked cars.

AT PARKED CARS

A SHOT is FIRED, almost hitting Hunter as he dives behind
the nearest of the cars.

ON HUNTER

as he looks off, trying to spot Marco. He sees nothing,
runs forward into the protection of another car. Another
SHOT IS FIRED and this time Hunter sees where is came from
He RETURNS THE FIRE. Marco disappears.

ON McCALL

running as fast as possible along the back side of the
building.

ON HUNTER

trying to get a line on Marco.

ON MARCO

He has run to another stack of scrap metal and is climbing
to the top of it.

ON HUNTER

He moves again, closer to the piles of scrap metal, hoping
for a better, wider look at the situation. He hunkers down
behind a crane. He hears a SOUND and looks toward the pile
of scrap metal Marco is climbing, unseen as yet.

ON McCALL

She is at the left side of the building now, running more
cautiously, heading for the "action" area, looking for any
sign of Marco, gun in hand.

OMITTED

ON WINDOW OF EXECUTIVE OFFICE

Vinnie stands in the window with a gun in his hand.

WHAT VINNIE SEES

MARCO: Almost at the top of the heap of scrap metal.

HUNTER: Waiting for Marco to appear. His gun is aimed
toward the top of the pile of scrap metal from
which he heard the SOUND.

BACK TO VINNIE

He raises his gun and points it at:

HUNTER (From Vinnie's POV)

He is an open, stationary target, a dead man.

ON VINNIE

Gun pointed, hand tightly gripping the gun-butt, fingers
squeezing. But the gun remains silent.

CLOSER ON VINNIE'S FACE

We see that he cannot let himself pull that trigger.

ON McCALL

as she comes around the buildng into the "action area".

She SEES:

HUNTER

BACK TO McCALL

She looks up, SEES

VINNIE'S ARM AND GUN

ON McCALL

she starts to raise her gun, but stops as:

HER POV

Vinnie lowers the gun.

ON VINNIE

as he looks from Hunter to:

MARCO

Who has reached the top of the scrap heap. He readies his
gun and rises just enough to see below.

THE SCENE

Hunter sees Marco as he half-rises. Marco FIRES. Hunter
FIRES, hits Marco.

ON McCALL

She can SEE Marco now as he twists from the force of the
bullet. She aims but holds fire, waits to see if Marco
will raise his gun again. If he does, he's dead.

ON VINNIE

His sick, old eyes fill with tears as he SEES:

MARCO

as he slowly leans forward, falls head down, rolls, begins
to fall down along the jagged edges of the scrap-pile to
land almost at Hunter's feet.

ON McCALL

as she appears below the window where Vinnie still stands.

THE SCENE

Hunter looks at McCall for a moment, then looks up and sees
Vinnie standing in the window.

FADE OUT

END OF ACT FOUR