Act
I
FADE IN:
INT. OFFICE – DAY — A YEAR LATER
BRYAN HART sits at a desk inside a small office occupied mainly by the wooden desk he is sitting behind and a bookcase containing numerous books and data binders. On one side of the desk is a computer keyboard and screen. On the other side is a desktop calculator and a telephone. Between them, near the front edge of the desk is a PICTURE within an attractive frame of an 8-YEAR-OLD GIRL with brown pony-tailed hair and a mischievous grin. An “in” basket filled with papers is near the calculator and a data binder thick with computer printouts is open on the desktop.
Hart is a trim, average-looking man in his late 30’s. He has neatly combed dark brown hair and is wearing a long-sleeved dress shirt and tie, sleeves rolled up to the middle of his forearms. He is flipping pages in the data binder, occasionally adding figures on the calculator or entering information with the computer keyboard. There are typical office sounds in the background, including muffled voices and the occasional ring of a phone. After several beats TWO BEEPS sound from Hart’s PHONE.
Hart pushes his wire-framed glasses up on the bridge of his nose, wearily pushes himself away from the desk and walks out of his office into a larger room containing a reception desk, some filing cabinets, and a few cubicles. He nods to a WOMAN at the RECEPTION DESK to his left and turns right. He walks through the room , passing a couple of small offices similar to his own and a few fellow employees. After a few seconds he arrives at a closed wooden door with an engraved BRASS PLAQUE which reads simply:WESTERMAN (O.S.) (from phone speaker)
Bryan?(continuing to work) HART
Yes, Dan?Would you come in to my office, please? WESTERMAN (O.S.)
(sighs quietly) HART
I’ll be right there.
BRYAN knocks lightly on the door.DANIEL WESTERMAN
PRESIDENT
He opens the door and enters.WESTERMAN (O.S.) (muffled through door)
Come in, Bryan.
INT. JEWELRY STORE – DAYCUT TO:
THE JEWELRY STORE OWNER, a middle-aged man, is behind the jewelry counter — a slightly overweight man with graying hair and glasses, smartly dressed in an expensive suit. He is clearly tense, nervous and afraid, beads of perspiration dotting his forehead, because also in the store are THREE MALE ROBBERS. They are dressed all in black, including black gloves, with black hoods over their heads that have no holes for eyes, nose or mouth, like the black hoods sold in costume shops for Halloween. The three robbers are of average build and height. Each brandishes a semi-automatic HANDGUN. Also in the shop are a gaggle of CUSTOMERS—a mixture of men and women—laying face-down on the floor, their fingers interlocked behind their heads. Some of the women are WEEPING from fear. Also laying on the floor, but in a heap near the front door, is a UNIFORMED SECURITY GUARD. A small pool of BLOOD is beneath the guard’s head. BART, one of the robbers, is warily watching over the people on the floor, his gun arm extended. STONY, another of the robbers — the leader — is using the butt of his gun to SMASH THE GLASS of the jewelry counters. He scoops up the best pieces of jewelry and shoves them into a BLACK SACK held by RED, the third robber.
STONY AND RED move swiftly, working their way toward the CASH REGISTER at the FRONT of the store. Stony motions with his gun for the store owner to move along with them as they travel from case to case. They finally reach the cash register.BART (impatient)
Come on, man, hurry!
With shaking hands he opens the register drawer and begins taking out the bills.STONY (viciously)
Give me the cash!(stammering) STORE OWNER
Please, there isn’t much in there. Just don’t hurt me.
The store owner jumps, removes the last of the bills from the register and hands them all to Stony, who snatches them from him and stuffs them into the black sack. The store owner begins to remove the coins as well but Stony CLUBS him on the SHOULDER with the butt of the pistol. The store owner CRIES OUT in pain.STONY (sharply)
Move it!
The store owner scurries out from behind the counter. Stony SHOVES him to the center of the store.STONY Leave it.
(motions with pistol)
Get out here with the rest.
The store owner drops to the floor, face down and prone.STONY Face down on the floor. Now!
The store owner quickly complies. The SECURITY GUARD MOANS and moves one arm slightly. Bart swings his gun toward the SOUND, sees the guard is still unconscious, and relaxes slightly.STONY Hands behind your head. Fingers locked.
Red springs to the door, looks quickly up and down the street.STONY (to Red)
Check outside.
Stony and Bart back quickly to the front door, swinging their gun arms from side to side, warily watching the customers on the floor as they move. As they reach the door Stony jerks his head toward outside and Bart and Red exit.RED It’s all clear.(motioning to door with his head) STONY
Let’s clear out of here.
He pauses briefly for effect, then pushes open the door and leaves.STONY (to the customers on the floor)
The first one I see get up . . . dies!
EXT. STREET – OLD RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD – DAYCUT TO:
The neighborhood is composed of older one and two story homes constructed circa 1940’s. There is a little neighborhood market on one corner. In the middle of the block is a gray two-story wooden house with a white picket fence surrounding the neatly trimmed front yard. A shade tree grows on one side of the cement walk that leads to the front porch. Three wooden railed stairs lead up to the porch which is enclosed by a low wall. Wooden posts rising from the wall at regular intervals support the porch’s roof. Hanging on the white wooden front door is a SIGN with friendly black lettering proclaiming BROOKS STREET ORPHANAGE. VOICES come from the opposite side of the door.
INT. BOARDING HOUSE – DAYMRS. JOHNSON (O.S.) (reasoning)
Look, Jessica . . .(interrupts – whiney) JESSICA (O.S.)
No, Mrs. Johnson. I don’t want to.CUT TO:
In the entranceway of the boarding house JESSICA — the 8-year-old girl in the photograph on Bryan Hart’s desk — is standing on the bottom stair of a staircase, both hands clutching the handrail, her body mostly turned away from MRS. JOHNSON, the owner and proprietor of the boarding house. She is standing a few feet from Jessica in a doorway leading into the kitchen, her hands partially stretched out towards her in a pleading manner.
Mrs. Johnson drops her hands to her sides, then steps over to the handrail by Jessica and places her hands over the girls’ hands.MRS. JOHNSON (still trying to reason)
But Jessica, they’re such nice people, and they really like you.(stomps her foot) JESSICA
I don’t care that they’re nice. I don’t want to live with them!
JESSICA exhales loudly, annoyed.MRS. JOHNSON (soothingly)
Look, honey, I know this isn’t easy for you. I know you’re having a hard time. But the Petersons have been coming to see you regularly for six months now.
JESSICA turns and runs up the stairs.MRS. JOHNSON (continuing)
They have a beautiful, wonderful house in the country with a swimming pool in the back yard, lots of room to run and play, and even a pony they bought just for you to raise and ride.(still whiney) JESSICA
But I really don’t care about all that. I don’t want to live with them. I want to live with Bryan. I love Bryan.(soothingly, patting Jessica’s hands) MRS. JOHNSON
Oh, I know, honey, but you know Mr. Hart can’t get the approval, and the Petersons love you! They want you to come and live with them. They want you to be part of their family.(sharply, pulling her hands away) JESSICA
No!
She disappears around a corner on the landing at the top of the stairs. A few seconds later a door SLAMS.JESSICA (firmly, as she runs up)
I’m not going to live with the Petersons. I’m going to live with Bryan!
MRS. JOHNSON turns and walks back towards the kitchen.
She walks through the doorway into the kitchen.MRS. JOHNSON (softly, shaking her head)
What can I do to make her understand?
INT. BLUE PLATE DINER – DAYCUT TO:
CHANCE HARPER is sitting at the counter with a telephone to his ear, a half-full cup of coffee in front of him. A folded NEWSPAPER is also on the counter beside the coffee cup. ANGIE is busy behind the counter putting away glasses. There are a few other patrons sitting at tables in the restaurant.
INT. AUDREY WESTIN’S OFFICE – DAYCHANCE (into phone)
I know it starts at 11:00, Westin, but it’s only . . .
(glances at his wristwatch)
. . . 10:20 right now.CUT TO:
Audrey is pacing the length of her desk, the telephone pressed to her ear, a little aggravated.
INT. BLUE PLATE DINER – DAY – CLOSE ON NEWSPAPER ON COUNTER (CONTINUING)AUDREY Chance, you know how important these photographs are. It isn’t every day someone finds a Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton in their field.CUT TO:
Chance unfolds the newspaper on the counter, revealing the front page HEADLINE:
Beneath the headline is a PHOTOGRAPH of the farmer, TONY REYES, holding his straw hat across his chest, standing next to the reconstructed skeletal head of a Tyrannosaurus Rex resting on a table, mouth agape, showing sharp, serrated teeth. Reyes looks very fatherly and proud.“TYRANNOSAURUS REX DISPLAY OPENS TODAY”
INT. AUDREY WESTIN’S OFFICE – DAY (CONTINUING)AUDREY (V.O. from phone) (continuing)
I got you a media pass for the grand opening, plus a special “behind the scenes” look at how the dinosaur was reconstructed after the tour.CUT TO:
INT. BLUE PLATE DINER – DAY (CONTINUING)AUDREY (CONT.) (still pacing)
We have a chance to get some great exposure here for The Chronicle—and for you. The public’s interest in this is sky high and we have an exclusive on these photos.CUT TO:
CHANCE refolds the paper.
ANGIE winces.CHANCE I’ll be there, Westin. Have I ever let you down?
INT. AUDREY’S OFFICE — DAY (CONTINUING)CUT TO:
AUDREY stops pacing and sits on a corner of her desk, a resigned look on her face.
INT. BLUE PLATE DINER — DAY (CONTINUING)AUDREY (pleading)
It’s been over a year since you found that thing, Chance. You told me you really wanted this assignment and I came through for you. Don’t make me sorry, okay?CUT TO:
CHANCE takes a mouthful of coffee from the cup in front of him.
He presses the hang-up button on the phone and hands it back to Angie. He gulps down the remainder of his coffee and stands up.CHANCE I’ll get the best pictures you ever saw. Don’t you worry. Bye.
CHANCE AND ANGIE
He reaches into his pants pocket and pulls out nothing but his silver dollar. He fingers it.CHANCE Gotta run, Ang.
Chance grins sheepishly. Angie reaches under the counter, pulls out five scratchers and lays them on the counter in front of him.ANGIE (wry grin)
Broke again, luv?
CHANCE takes the line of scratchers and scratches off the first one — a loser. He scratches off number two— another loser.CHANCE Here we go.
ANGIE crosses her arms and leans forward on the counter.
CHANCE scratches number three— another loser. He scratches the fourth scratcher and — a grin appears on his face. He tears the card off and holds it up to show Angie.
She opens the register, takes out $50 and hands it to Chance. He keeps $40 and gives Angie the other $10. She puts it back in the register as he turns and walks to the door.ANGIE (straightening up and taking the scratcher)
Surprise surprise. A $50 winner.
CHANCE stops with a hand on the door and looks back at her over his shoulder.ANGIE (calling after him)
Chance . . .
ANGIE looks knowingly at Chance.
CHANCE grins lopsidedly, nods, and walks out the door.ANGIE (CONT.) . . . get the pictures. Don’t get side-tracked, huh?
INT. DANIEL WESTERMAN’S OFFICE – DAYCUT TO:
DANIEL WESTERMAN, a man in his late 40’s, is reclining behind an expansive executive-style desk in an overstuffed black leather chair. He is clean-shaven, balding, graying at the temples and dressed in an expensive business suit and tie. Sitting comfortably in a chair in front of Westerman’s desk is CAROL, a woman in her early to mid-30’s, attractive, trim, and sharply dressed in a beige skirt, white frilly blouse and beige jacket. Her hair is dark blonde, above her shoulders in length. Her expression is half smile, half smirk. She avoids looking directly at HART as he ENTERS the office, but rather gives him a sidelong glance, then looks at Westerman.
HART glances quizzically at Carol, then settles himself into the offered chair and leans forward slightly, waiting.WESTERMAN (motioning to an empty chair in front of his desk)
Have a seat, Bryan.
Hart glances over at Carol again. She is studying her fingernails, still wearing a half smile, half smirk. He gets a little apprehensive.WESTERMAN (steeples his fingers)
Bryan, you’ve been here for . . . what . . . six years now?(nodding) HART
Yes, sir, a little over six years.
WESTERMAN pauses, then leans forward in his chair and clasps his hands together in front of him on the desk.WESTERMAN (hedging)
You’ve done some good work here in accounting. Some fine work . . .
He pauses again and sits back slightly in his chair.WESTERMAN (continues matter-of-factly)
. . . but as you know, the last couple of years have been rough financially. We’ve brainstormed and struggled to try to figure out why we’ve been realizing less and less net profit, even with increasing gross sales. We’ve maxed out our credit line with the bank and we’re paying nearly all of our vendors beyond their credit terms, yet things are worse now than they’ve ever been. We’ve got to get our finances under control NOW. . .
(bangs desk lightly with one fist)
. . . or we’re going to be out of business by next year.
BRYAN Fidgets in his chair.WESTERMAN (CONT.) I’m sure you’ve done your best to get us through this trouble, but frankly, it hasn’t been enough.
HART is shocked. The color has drained from his face. He looks at Carol, who looks back at him unsympathetically, the faintest of smiles upon her lips, then at Westerman who looks back at him with the slightest twinge of regret upon his face.WESTERMAN (CONT.) That’s why we . . .
(quick glance at Carol)
. . . I have decided to find someone with a higher level of financial experience and expertise to get us back on our feet again.
Hart swallows hard. The rooms seems to be spinning a bit. He finally rises from the chair and takes the offered hand. Westerman gives him a brief, firm handshake then sits back down in his chair and reclines back.HART (haltingly)
You mean . . .(interrupts) WESTERMAN
. . . I have to let you go.
(awkward pause, then flatly)
You just don’t have what I need to get us through this.
(rises from his chair and extends his hand)
I truly appreciate all you’ve done here and wish you the best luck and success.
Carol rises as Westerman speaks. She motions with her hand toward the door, indicating she wants Hart to leave with her. He starts for the door, then pauses and turns back toward Westerman who is watching their departure.WESTERMAN (matter-of-factly now)
Carol has your final check. You’ll find a month of severance pay as well. She’ll walk you back to your office so you can collect your things.
Westerman nods once. Hart turns away and leaves the office with Carol close behind.HART (weakly)
Thank you, sir.
CAROL pauses in the doorway and looks back at Westerman.
Westerman nods once again and Carol closes the door.CAROL (smiling)
I’ll be back in a little bit.
INT. BOARDING HOUSE – BOTTOM OF STAIRCASE – DAYCUT TO:
A TELEPHONE is RINGING on a small round table at the foot of the stairs. MRS. JOHNSON comes from the kitchen, drying her hands on an apron tied around her waist. She picks up the receiver and puts it to her ear.
Mrs. Johnson raises her eyes at the SOUND of a door opening upstairs.MRS. JOHNSON Hello, Brooks Street Orphanage, Lily Johnson speaking.
(beat)
Oh hello, Mr. Hart. How are you?
(several beats)
I’m sure that would be fine. Do you have the day off?
Mrs. Johnson lowers the phone from her ear, the palm of one hand covering the mouthpiece, as JESSICA races down the stairs.JESSICA (O.S.) Is that Bryan? Mrs. Johnson, is Bryan on the phone?(waving for silence toward the top of the stairs) MRS. JOHNSON
Oh my, I see. Are you sure you’re up to a visit, then?(insistent) JESSICA (O.S.)
Mrs. Johnson . . .(covers mouthpiece and looks upstairs) MRS. JOHNSON
Jessica, please!
(speaks into phone again)
Let me see if she’d like to go. Just a moment, please.
JESSICA comes into frame near the bottom of the stairs and leans over the handrail toward Mrs. Johnson.
MRS. JOHNSON motions with her free hand for Jessica to calm down.JESSICA (eagerly)
Is it Bryan? See if I’d like to go where?
JESSICA rushes down the last couple of stairs to the landing to stand before Mrs. Johnson, her face beaming.MRS. JOHNSON (nodding yes, smiling)
Yes, child, it is Bryan Hart . . .(overlapping, jumps up and down, clapping) JESSICA
Yippee!(continuing) MRS. JOHNSON
. . . and he’d like to know if you’d like to go with him to the Metropolitan Museum today to see the new dinosaur exhibit?
MRS. JOHNSON laughs, shaking her head, and places the receiver back to her ear.JESSICA (in gleeful wonder)
Dinosaurs! Oh yeah!
She hangs up the phone and turns her head to look at Jessica.MRS. JOHNSON (into phone)
Jessica would love to go.(after a beat) MRS. JOHNSON (CONT.)
All right, she’ll be ready. Bye.
JESSICA jumps up and down again, arms raised above her head, doing a victory dance.MRS. JOHNSON We’d better get you ready to go, little missy. He’ll be here in about a half hour.
She spins around and rushes back up the stairs again.JESSICA Yaaaaayyyyyy!
MRS. JOHNSON smiling, listens to Jessica’s retreating footsteps.
Mrs. Johnson, still smiling, shakes her head once more and follows her up the stairs.JESSICA (O.S.) Hey everybody! I’m going to see dinosaurs with Bryan!
INT. BRYAN HART’S OFFICE – DAYCUT TO:
HART hangs up the phone , smiling. A small cardboard box sits on his desk, filled with the few personal effects he had with him in his office. He picks up the photograph of Jessica, looks at it for a moment, the smile lingering, then places it in the box as well.
CAROL is leaning against the door frame, waiting for him to finish, arms folded across her chest.
HART is deflated, his shoulders slumped forward. Then his face sets, his shoulders square back some, and he raises his head, a fire beginning to burn in his eyes.CAROL Got everything?(glances around office) HART
I think so.
(pauses, looking into the box)
Hmph. Six years. You’d think there’d be more.
HART carries the box past Carol and out of the office. Just outside the door he pauses and half turns back toward her.HART (challenges)
Why?(straightens up) CAROL
Why what?I hired you here almost two years ago and you’ve been gunning for me almost since day one. Why? HART
(dismissively) CAROL
I’ve done no such thing. I just do my job and I do it well. And I keep Dan informed about what’s going on. Something you refuse to do.(with venom) HART
You mean I refuse to tell Dan every time someone sneezes, or goes to the bathroom, or comes in two minutes late like you do? You mean I just let people do their job without looking over their shoulder every two minutes? Is that what you mean?(laughs to cover her annoyance) CAROL
I’m not going to have this conversation with you, Bryan. What’s the point?(disgusted) HART
You’re right. What is the point?(picks up the box) HART (CONT.)
I don’t know why I threaten you so much, Carol, but I do know this: I did a good job here. I’ve been fair. I’ve been honest. I’ve been loyal.
Carol makes a disgusted sound and follows Hart as he walks to the exit.HART And my nose isn’t brown.
EXT. JEWELRY STORE – DAYCUT TO:
STONY exits the jewelry store, hiding his gun under his shirt in the small of his back. BART and RED are standing on the sidewalk outside, guns no longer visible. As soon as Stony emerges they all sprint down the street and turn a corner into an alley. A short distance up the alley a dark blue late-model domestic automobile is parked. The three robbers pull off their hoods as they come abreast of the car. Stony has very close-cut light colored hair. He is in his mid-thirties. Bart’s hair is dark, neatly cut and styled. He is somewhat younger than Stony, perhaps late twenties or early thirties. Red’s nickname derives from his hair, which is reddish, longer than the other two, and he has a few freckles on his face. He is the youngest of the three, perhaps in his early twenties. They are all clean-shaven. None of them notices the old WINO laying on the ground behind a dumpster about 40 feet in front of the car on the opposite side of the alley.
THE WINO is roused from his slumber as the three men pass him. He is in his 60’s, wearing filthy, wrinkled khaki pants, a dirty long-sleeved blue shirt, a soiled, beat-up army jacket that’s unzipped, old black high-top tennis shoes with holes in the soles and uppers, dirty white socks and a dark green wool cap pulled down over his ears as though it was cold outside, though it’s actually quite temperate.
He props himself on one elbow and peers around the corner of the dumpster. He rubs his eyes to clear them and watches as Bart gets into the car on the driver’s side and starts it. Stony climbs in on the front passenger side and Red scurries into the back seat with the black sack.
THE THREE ROBBERS all pull off their black shirts, revealing pullover polo-type shirts underneath. Stony and Bart hand their shirts and hoods back to Red, who stuffs them into the sack with the jewels and money, along with his own.
Bart nods, shifts the car into “drive.”STONY Get us out of here, but not too fast. We don’t want to attract undue attention.
THE CAR pulls to the end of the alley past the dumpster. The wino ducks further back behind it.
BART looks both ways and calmly turns right onto the street. He drives down to the end of the block to a traffic signal, which is red. He stops. In the distance behind them police SIRENS are approaching. Bart checks cross traffic and unhurriedly turns the corner.
THE ROBBERS’ CAR pulls out of sight.
EXT. JEWELRY STORE — DAYCUT TO:
Several POLICE CARS pull up in front of the jewelry store, sirens dying and lights flashing. Police officers scurry from the vehicles toward the jewelry store entrance, shotguns and handguns at the ready.
INT. ROBBERS’ CAR – DAYCUT TO:
RED is looking through the jewelry inside the sack while Bart drives. He takes out a beautiful gold wristwatch with crushed diamonds all around the dial and small diamonds marking the hours on the watch face and scrutinizes it. Yes, he likes it, he decides. He puts it on his left arm and twists his wrist back and forth, admiring the way the diamonds catch the light. Bart and Stony don’t notice.
RED’S P.O.V.
through the windshield as Bart continues driving with the traffic flow down the street. The HOWL of another SIREN gets louder from in front of them. Seconds later TWO POLICE CARS speed past on their way to the jewelry store. Stony laughs and slaps Bart on the shoulder.
EXT. CITY STREET – DAYSTONY (grinning)
Just like we planned it, boys. Just like we planned it.(nodding) RED
And now we just blend in.(still grinning) STONY
That’s right. Just a couple of friends who decided to take the day off to check out the cool new dinosaur exhibit.CUT TO:
The robber’s car continues driving off down the street, blending in with the rest of the traffic, in no particular hurry at all, the three robbers LAUGHING V.O. in satisfaction.
FADE OUT
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