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☆☆71.
They look at each other a long beat. Gus drinks morecoffee. He
sits back, pulls his cowboy hat over his eyes.A long beat.
GUS
(continuing;
quietly)
I.A. done did a track on Lt. Martin
D for Dickhead Nilsen. They found
a safety deposit box with fifty-
thousand dollars in it, taken out
three months ago, used that one
time.
He looks at the fat woman again -- leers at her obscenely.She
looks away.
NICK
(after a long beat)
It doesn't make sense. She didn't
know me three months ago.
GUS
Maybe it wasn't her that paid him.
Maybe the money was for somethin'
else. How the fuck do I know? I'm
just an old city cowboy tryin' not
to fall outta his saddle.
Nick looks at him and smiles a thin smile; he's not there,he's
completely preoccupied.
INT. A CAR - NIGHT
Someone is watching as he and Gus come out of the diner.
EXT. THE STREET - NIGHT
He stands by Gus as Gus gets into his battered, rusted,vintage
Cadillac.
NICK
You all right, pop? You want me to
drive you?
GUS
In that little pissant car of
yours? Hell, no. I ain't gettin'
no back pain disability
retirement -- I'm gettin' me a full
pension and a real gold-plate Seiko
watch.
NICK
Come on, I'll drive you in this
thing.
72.
GUS
You think I'd let you drive my
Cadillac car? I ain't lettin' no
hear-up-his-ass person drive my
Cadillac car.
And he steps on the gas and ROARS out of there, forcingNick to
get out of the way. Nick looks after him a longbeat, shakes his
head.
INT. A CAR - NIGHT
Someone is following him slowly as he walks down thestreet. He
turns a corner, walks down the alley towardshis Porsche, parked
behind the country and western bar.
The car suddenly speeds up -- ROARS down on him from theback,
full bore.
EXT. THE ALLEY
He hurls himself across the Porsche's hood... barelyavoiding
the car. He sees the car at the end of the alley,turning out:
It is a black Ferrari.
INT. HIS PORSCHE
He GUNS it down the alley, makes a wild turn in thedirection
the Ferrari turned.
EXT. THE STREET
The Porsche dodges around cars very fast, almost side-swiping
them, looking almost out of control, its MOTORscreaming.
INT. THE PORSCHE
He sees the Ferrari turn ahead. When he gets to where itturned,
he turns wildly.
EXT. THE STREET
The Ferrari is making fast, wild turns into little streetsin
North Beach, its MOTOR screaming -- the Porsche isgaining ground
behind it, making turns.
INT. THE PORSCHE
The Ferrari is up ahead and makes a wild right turn onto aroad
going up a hillside. He yanks the wheel hard.
EXT. THE STEPS
The Porsche rockets up the steps -- bouncing high into theair,
almost out of control.
73.
INT. THE PORSCHE
As it crests the steps and gets to the street. Nick GUNSit and
it looks like it flies high down the hill-side intoblackness.
EXT. THE STREET
But it lands on more steps -- heading downward -- bucking,almost
spinning, it bounces onto the next street.
INT. THE PORSCHE
Another set of steps leading up: he GUNS it, it rocketsup, ROARS,
bucking --
EXT. THE STREET
And lands on the next street. Nick makes a wild right turnonto
the street. And the black Ferrari appears from arounda curve to
the right, heading right for him.
INT. THE PORSCHE
Nick steps on the GAS and heads head-on for the Ferrari.The Ferrari
SCREAMS head-on for him.
EXT. THE STREET
And at the last moment, in the game of chicken, the Ferraritries
to swerve around him on this narrow road, goes out ofcontrol and
over the side, turning over and over as itrolls down the hillside.
EXT. THE HILLSIDE
The Ferrari has landed right-side up.
He runs down the hillside and gets to it. A beat, and heopens
the car door.
Roxy lies hunched over the wheel, her eyes open. Her neckis broken.
She is dead.
EXT. THE HILLSIDE - NIGHT
Police lights have been set up. He stands there with Lt.Walker
and several of the Internal Affairs men.
LT. WALKER
Tell me again. I want to hear you
say it again.
74.
NICK
(after a beat;
sheepish)
It was an accident.
LT. WALKER
You're driving around North Beach
for no particular reason and this
car won't get out of the way --
NICK
I don't think she meant to go off
the hill, do you?
LT. WALKER
(quietly)
Don't fuck with me, Nick. I don't
need a reason to put your ass in a
sling.
He and Nick look at each other a long beat. Andrews comesup to
them with a piece of paper in his hand.
ANDREWS
Full name, Roxanne Hardy. Last
address -- Cloverdale, California.
No priors, no convictions. The car
is registered to Catherine Tramell.
Lt. Walker looks at Nick like he's going to kill him. Nicklooks
calmly away.
LT. WALKER
You knew her, didn't you?
NICK
Gus and I talked to her at
Tramell's house. All we did was
write her name down.
LT. WALKER
(after a beat)
I told you to stay away from
Tramell.
NICK
(after a beat;
smiles)
Yeah. But you didn't tell me to
stay away from her car.
Walker looks at him in absolute disbelief.
AN I.A. MAN
I want you in Dr. Gardner's office
at nine o'clock. You're out of
control, Curran.
☆☆75.
NICK
(to the I.A. Man)
Who are you guys gonna sell my file
to this time?
They stare at him. He watches as Roxy's body is taken away.
INT. A POLICE CONFERENCE ROOM -DAY
He walks in. He looks good, in control. Beth Gardner issitting
there with two middle-aged MEN, both of themwearing suits, who
smile and scrutinize him the instant hewalks in the door.
BETH
Hello, Nick. This is Dr. Myron and
R. McElwaine. They've been asked
to consult with me on this
evaluation.
They shake hands with him.
DR. MYRON
Sit down, Nick.
Nick gives him a look: What did he think he was going todo --
stand there?
He sits down, looks at them. A beat, as they look at him,then
--
DR. McELWAINE
(courtly)
Nick -- when you recollect your
childhood, are your recollections
pleasing to you?
Nick looks at them a long beat in disbelief.
NICK
(calmly, directly)
Number one: I don't remember how
often I used to jack off, but it
was a lot.
Number two: I didn't get pissed
off at my dad -- even after I was
old enough to know what he and mom
were doing in the bedroom.
Number three: I don't look in the
toilet before I flush it.
Number four: I don't wet the bed
and haven't for some time.
Number five: You can go fuck
yourselves because I'm out of here.
76.
INT. THE CORRIDOR
He is walking away quickly. Beth is with him, trying tokeep up.
She is very angry.
BETH
What is your problem? I'm trying
to help you. Why won't you let me
help you?
NICK
I don't need any help.
BETH
Yes you do. Something's on with
you.
(a beat)
You're sleeping with her, aren't
you?
A beat, he stops looks at her, then keeps walking.
NICK
What is this interest you've got in
her?
BETH
My interest is in you, not in her.
She seduces people, she
manipulates --
NICK
I thought you hardly know her.
BETH
I know the type. I'm a
psychologist.
He stops, looks at her.
NICK
(after a beat)
That means you manipulate people
too, doesn't it, Beth? You're a
practicing psychologist -- that
means you're better at it than she
is.
She looks at him a long beat.
BETH
(quietly)
I feel sorry for you, Nick
A beat, and she turns and walks away.
77.
EXT. ROAD TO STINSON HOUSE - DAY
Nick is driving down winding road to Stinson house. He isdriving
very fast, passing other cars on the winding andtwisting road.
INT. THE STINSON BEACH HOUSE - DAY
Nick enters and shuts door. Looking around, he does notsee her.
NICK
Catherine!
(after a beat)
Catherine!
Finally he sees her sitting by the window. He walks overto her.
CATHERINE
(near tears)
I should have known. I came into
the house when you were down on the
beach. She looked at me so
strangely. She left right after
you.
(a beat)
I shouldn't have let her watch us.
She wanted to watch me all the
time. She tried to kill you,
didn't she?
NICK
(a beat)
Did you like her to watch?
CATHERINE
(a long beat)
Do you think I told her to kill You?
NICK
(softly, with
intensity)
No.
CATHERINE
(after a beat, near
tears)
Everybody that I care about dies.
She is about to break into uncontrolable sobbing. Nickputs his
arms around her.
78.
NICK
(soothing)
It's OK. It's OK.
CATHERINE
(quietly, almost
begging)
Make love to me.
INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT
They are seen rolling and turning around on each other.Their
love making is sensual, sincere.
Later in bed.
NICK
(calmly, but
seriously)
Do you think she killed Johnny Boz?
CATHERINE
(surprised,
startled)
For what... to set me up? She
loved me she wouldn't frame me.
NICK
(a beat)
Maybe she got jealous of Johnny
Boz, too.
CATHERINE
(after a beat)
No, she didn't... she never got
jealous before... she got excited.
(a beat)
I don't have luck with women.
There was this girl I met while I
was in college. I slept with her
once. She started following me
around, taking my picture. She
dyed her hair, copied my clothes.
Lisa something... Oberman. It was
awful.
79.
A long beat, he looks at her.
NICK
I thought you didn't do adolescent
secrets.
CATHERINE
(after a beat)
I never have before.
EXT. THE DECK - MORNING
It is a bright, sunshiny day. He is out there looking atthe water.
She comes up behind him, hugs him.
CATHERINE
(full of life)
Isn't it just beautiful? I love it
here like this.
He looks at her.
NICK
(cold)
We're still playing games, aren't
we?
She looks hurt.
CATHERINE
No.
NICK
(cold)
No?
CATHERINE
No more games, Nick. I'm tired of
playing games!
They have their eyes on each other.
NICK
Then tell me about Nilsen.
She turns away from him. He watches her.
CATHERINE
You won't believe me.
NICK
Try me.
A beat, she looks at him.
80.
CATHERINE
I paid him $50,000 in cash for your
psychiatric file.
NICK
(after a beat)
When?
CATHERINE
About three months before I met you.
NICK
Why?
She turns away from him.
CATHERINE
I'd read about your shootings in
the papers. I decided to write a
book about a detective. I wanted
to know my character.
NICK
You paid $50,000 for your character?
CATHERINE
I would've paid more. I wanted to
know everything about you. Then
you came down here after Johnny got
killed... it gave me a chance to
get to know my character better.
NICK
(after a long beat)
What about the other night. What
about last night? Was that to get
to know your character?
CATHERINE
(after a beat)
Maybe I'm losing interest in my
book.
Their eyes are on each other.
CATHERINE
(continuing)
Do you believe me?
NICK
(after a beat)
I don't know.
CATHERINE
I'll convince you.
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