Suicide Blonde

'SUICIDE BLONDE'


INT. MENTAL ASYLUM


Several security camera views [black and white] of dismembered bodies in corridors as ‘Chick Habit’ plays [cover by Silya and The Sailors]. Pools of blood are like sticky black oil against overexposed white tiles and walls.


[Back to colour] Silhouette of young woman skipping down corridor wielding a katana. Camera shifts to close up of her lips curving into smile, camera ascending to her eyes, stopping for a second and going to black as song stops. A neon pink caption appears: SUICIDE BLONDE.


INT. POLICE STATION - EVENING


A smoke filled office with drawn Venetian blinds. Three men sit around, Detectives Dan and Frank, along with their Captain.


Dan: [eyes widened, cigarette dangling limply from corner of mouth] Debbie Davidson. Shit, is she hot!


Captain: The psychos always are.


Frank: Any leads?


Captain: Are you serious? A girl escapes from a psychiatric ward with a sword…


Dan: It was a katana.


Captain: Still as fucked up. Point is, this is ridiculous. I think I’ll just retire now.


Frank: Let’s look at the facts.


Dan: Admit defeat, Frank. This chick is going to kill herself anyway, ain’t that her plan?


Frank: Prior to hospitalisation, she killed two men in an attempted murder-suicide. With vic 1, they both OD’d on heroine.


Dan: [Smiling] And it was their first date, right?


Frank: [Maintaining calm demeanour] The drugs kill him, she recovers and meets vic 2. She drives a car into a tree. He dies, she survives.


Dan: [Counting on his fingers] So that’s seven lives left, right?


Frank: Shut up Dan.


Captain: Boys, please. This case isn’t worth your time. The two guys she killed were bums. She’ll kill another bum and you know what? Three’s a charm so she’ll die too. Case closed.


Dan: I dunno, cap’n. I think Frank has a crush. Must have a thing for gals with katanas.


Frank: [looking to Dan out of the corner of his eye] Shut the fuck up Dan.


Captain: Look, we need to give the press a statement. Tell them you’re working very hard or whatever. But seriously, chasing this broad is pointless.


Dan: [Looking at the file] Christ, she is a choice piece of ass. What is she? 5,5 and 110 pounds. She injects enough junk to take down a horse and totals her car in the same week and survives? [Whistles in awe]


Frank: [shaking his head] Psychiatrists couldn’t do anything with her.


Dan: Betcha I could. Come on Frank, let’s go after her. Just like old times.


Frank: Captain, with respect, I think it is in this city’s best interests that we investigate.


Captain: You know what? Do whatever the fuck you want. I’m getting too damn old for this shit.


CUT TO Frank and Dan exiting police station.


Dan: Wanna have a drink?


Frank: I’m going to get some shuteye.


Dan: [frowning slightly] You alright?


Frank: I’m fine Dan. Just need some sleep. [a moment’s pause] If you’re going to drink, don’t go for broke. I need you in the morning.


Dan: What’s happening in the morning?


Frank: We need to question Hideo Suzuki.


Dan: Who?


Frank: [sighing heavily] The nurse from the hospital…


Dan: Oh right.


Frank: [shaking his head] Dammit Dan. Get in the zone.


Dan: [grinning] Did you seriously just say that?


Frank: [exasperated] What?


Dan: Get in the zone? Come on, Frank. This isn’t a game of basketball. Is it?


Frank: [shaking his head] I’m tired. See you tomorrow.


Dan: Sweet dreams, coach. [both characters walk in opposite directions]

CUT TO Frank driving his convertible into the night as ‘Scarlet Town’ plays [Bob Dylan]. Frank looks contemplative, looking into his rear-view mirror three or four times as if somebody might be following him. His hands shift uneasily on the wheel as song fades away.


FADE TO Frank unlocking door to untidy apartment. He turns on the light but the living room remains dim. He picks up phone and dials a number. The phone rings out and Frank slowly places the phone back into the cradle. He looks to one side of the room for a moment. He turns away and camera follows him as he steps into the kitchen. He puts bread down in a toaster and fills the kettle with water. He leans on a counter and lets out a sigh as screen fades.


INT. GEOFFREY'S BAR - NIGHT


Camera focused on back of Dan’s ankles in leather shoes and the back of a woman’s ankles in high heels, the red soles clearly visible.


Dan: Come on, Chantelle, you know I didn’t mean it like that…


Chantelle: [feet turning sideward] How did you mean it then?


Dan [feet turn sideward such that Dan is facing Chantelle] Look, I’m sorry…


Chantelle: Ugh! I’ve had enough. [stamps on Dan’s foot; high heel lodges within Dan’s foot; Dan yells and yells and yells]


Camera ascends to eye level of Dan and Chantelle as yelling stops. Dan winces as Chantelle looks down and screams.


Chantelle: You’re bleeding!


Dan: No shit! [slams fist on bar counter]


Chantelle: [hands cupping her face] You’re bleeding all over my Christian Louboutins!


Dan: [staring at Chantelle in confusion] You’re Christian what?


Chantelle: My shoes! I spent a thousand bucks on these!


Dan: You spent a grand on shoes you can barely walk in?


Chantelle: Please, you just offered me half that to give you a footjob.


Dan: [raising voice] Say it a little fucking louder why dontcha?


Chantelle: [looking down resignedly] Oh, my babies.


Dan: Oh for fuck’s sake.


Chantelle: These are crocodile grain, you know?


Dan: They’re made from crocodiles?


Chantelle wiggles her foot, causing Dan to yell some more. A drunkard asleep across the bar wakes, startled. We see that Chantelle and Dan are alone at the bar counter, the barman ignoring the unfolding drama. The drunkard shrugs and resumes his slumber.


Chantelle: I think my heel is stuck in your foot.


Dan: I can feel it against my bone. Ha, not the bone I intended, but…


Chantelle presses on Dan’s foot. More yelling. Finally the barman turns to them.


Barman: Yo, you two. Will I call an ambulance, or you know, something?


Chantelle: Call the cops. This perv tried to solicit me.


Barman: [throwing his hands up in the air] Eh, I won’t rat on a nigga. He’s obviously having a rough night. Now I’m going go on ahead and call an ambulance. [disappears into backroom]


Chantelle: [snarling at Dan] I am not going to the hospital to have you surgically removed. I can do this myself. [in one swift moment, she pulls her heel from Dan’s foot]


Just as Dan is about to scream, cut to close up of his mouth and cut again to Dan lying on bar floor. The barman stands above him.


Barman: Yo! Yo Jeeves! Closing hour, buddy.


Dan [opening eyes groggily] Oh fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck…


Barman: Come on man, I gotta go home. [checks watch] Reruns of Magnum PI start 4am, sharp.


Dan: [rising and stumbling to door] That’s a damn good show…


Dan crosses street to payphone.


Dan: [dialling number] Please pick up.


CUT TO Frank sitting in his apartment reading newspaper. As soon as phone rings he springs to life and jumps to answer it.


Frank: [animatedly] Hello?


NOTE: Cut between Frank and Dan for duration of phone conversation.


Dan: Frank? [pause as Dan frowns] Is that you?


Frank: Dan? Son of a bitch!


Dan: Nice to hear from you too.


Frank: I don’t even want to know. Where will I pick you up?


Dan: Why did you think it was like that?


Frank: I’m not fucking around.


Dan: I’m outside Geoffrey’s. You know, the bar the nigger owns?


Frank: [sighing] The African American. I’ll be there in ten.


Dan: Thank… [phone hangs up] …you.


Dan sits on curb. Close up of face, his eyes staring into space. His vision suddenly darts downward to where a katana hovers next to his throat.


Sultry female voice: What happened to your foot?


Dan: Footjob gone wrong. But, eh...pleased to meet you, Debbie? You know, if I had a nickel for every time I was held at sword point…


Debbie: It’s a katana, Detective.


Dan: Apologies.


Debbie: Duly accepted. But listen, now’s not the right time to talk. Tomorrow night, here at Geoffrey’s. [Debbie’s mouth is visible near Dan’s ear; rest of her face in shadow] We can chat.


Dan: What? But I’m like, investigating you. You’re a criminal. If I had handcuffs you’d be arrested…


Debbie: You don’t have your handcuffs?


Dan: No, sorry.


Debbie: Shame. [pressing Katana against Dan’s neck] Anywho, I’d hate to misuse my feminine wiles, but let’s just say you know why you want to see me tomorrow.


Dan: [narrowing his eyes] That’s fucked up, Debs.


Debbie: I don’t recall telling you to call me Debs.


Dan: You’d rather Debbie?


Debbie: Well, you’re Dan, right? How would you like it if I called you Danny?


Dan: I hear ya. Listen, I got a friend coming to pick me up. You best skedaddle.


Debbie: So you’ll meet me tomorrow?


Dan: I don’t think…

Debbie begins to gnaw on Dan’s ear. Cut to opposite side profile of Dan’s face; his eyes closed in bliss. A headlight startles Dan back to reality. He turns around; Debbie has disappeared. He turns to face Frank’s convertible and clambers in.


Frank: [looking straight ahead as he drives off] This is the last fucking time, I swear. [Silence as Frank continues to drive, eventually looking over to Dan, his eyes drawn to his bloody foot] Hey, what happened to your foot? [screen fades to black]


‘Hurt So Good’ [Susan Cadogan] plays as Debbie walks through a deserted, overgrown field to a caravan. She enters, smiling contentedly, She picks up a piece of paper from table. What’s written on paper goes unseen as she ticks something off, as though it was a shopping list. She places the paper back on the table slowly, not ceasing to look at it until it rests flat on the table surface. She then sinks onto a sofa and switches on a small TV resting on a foldup table, an episode of Magnum PI. Once again her lips curve into a smile as screen turns black and song fades away.


INT. FRANK'S CONVERTIBLE - MORNING


Clock in car reads 9:25am. Frank is driving, Dan is deflated in the passenger seat next to him.


Frank: He’s had counselling since the event. But he’s still a little on edge. Two cops on his doorstep isn’t going to be the nicest thing on a Wednesday morning.


Dan: It’s Wednesday? You sure?


Frank: [taking a deep breath] I can’t emphasise it enough. Be gentle. We’re dealing with a guy who watched his colleagues be eviscerated.


Dan: Yeah, about that. How the fuck did…


CUT TO Dan and Frank sitting with Suzuki in well furnished apartment living room.


Dan: How the fuck did you survive?


Frank: [holding head in hands, in a mutter] For the love of Christ...


Suzuki: [smiling awkwardly] Ah yes, it is the natural question; how indeed did I survive?


Dan: I’m all ears, Mr. Suzuki.


Suzuki: I guess you’d have to call it divine intervention.


Frank: Come again?


Dan: God saved him, Frank.


Suzuki: Not necessarily God. Rather something, something supernatural. Yes indeed. A kind of supernatural force, or, or energy. Not necessarily a god, or deity, you understand.

Dan: So let me get all this straight. [pausing a moment to think] You are tending to this young woman, Debbie Davidson, for six weeks. One day she ups and kills everyone on the ward. I’ll be frank, that’s some weird shit to go down, even for a loony bin. Patients, doctors, nurses, orderlies, hacked up like Thanksgiving turkeys. Hell, even the janitor got decapitated. You’re left alive.


Frank: You’re the only one who can tell us about her. We need to catch her.


Suzuki: Of course.


Frank: Did her parents ever visit her?


Suzuki: Never. She didn’t actually mention them. At least not to me.


Frank: What about other friends or family?


Suzuki: No. No friends, no family. She was a lone wolf. Kind of liked the image.


Dan: Can I just say that you, Mr. Suzuki, seem to be doing very, very well. Y'know, given the circumstances.


Suzuki: Well, Detective, truth be told, I have a new lease on life. A whole brand new lease of life, in fact.


Dan: I’m glad to hear it.


Frank: The medical notes indicate her psychiatrist wasn’t making much progress.


Suzuki: She didn’t like talking to the doctors.


Dan: No?


Suzuki: No. She hated them. Hated them.


Dan: Did she hate everyone else?


Suzuki: I don’t think so. But she could be mean sometimes.


Dan: Oh yeah?


Suzuki: [smiling awkwardly again] She called me Bruce Li.


Frank: Mr. Suzuki, was there any indication she would do what she did?


Suzuki: No. No indication. I wouldn’t have said she had it in her.


Dan: But..you knew she had already killed two men.


Suzuki: Well, I suppose. Look, guys, I mean, detectives. [clears throat] I don’t think I can really help you here. I’m a newly trained psychiatric nurse….


Frank: Mr. Suzuki, we don’t mean to impose on you. But whatever you can tell us about Debbie Davidson will help.


Suzuki: [drawing a deep breath, then rising to his feet] If I think of anything, I’ll certainly contact you. You understand, I just want to move on with my life. Make each day count. I don’t want to dwell on the past.


Frank: Of course, Mr. Suzuki. Thank you very much for your time.


Dan: Yeah, thanks.


CUT TO Frank and Dan in convertible.


Dan: Whatcha think?


Frank: About what?


Dan: He’s a little off. [scratches chin] Mr. Suzuki I mean.


Frank: He could have PTSD.


Dan: [looking incredulously at Frank] PTSD? He survived a massacre, why would he be traumatised? I just thought he was an odd kind of dude.


Frank: Well, Dan, you don’t have any idea what that man experienced. And survivor guilt is a real thing.


Both characters remain silent. Both look straight ahead as screen fades.


INT. DEBBIE'S CARAVAN


Debbie sits at table, looking at photos from Marilyn Monroe's last photoshoot from a tattered old copy of Vogue USA 1962. Close up of Debbie's eyes, which are slightly glassy. Cut to Debbie combing hair as she sprays it with a hydrogen peroxide-water solution. Screen fades to black; we hear a shrill scream. Cut to Debbie scampering to kitchen sink and running water under her head. As she motions to move her head out of the sink, she realises her cross necklace is caught in the sink drain. Sighing, she pulls away, the cross from her necklace snapping off and falling down the drain.


INT. FRANK'S APARTMENT


Frank eyes the phone for a prolonged time. He gives up trying to resist and dials. His face lights up when a female voice answers.


Frank: Helen? It’s… [Phone hangs up]


Frank holds phone to ear for a moment, eventually sliding phone off his face. Scene goes to black as phone is placed back in cradle, even slower this time.


INT. DAN'S BATHROOM


Dan sits on toilet, removing a bandage around his foot and putting on a new one. He puts on sock and shoe. Cut to him limping along street, night closing in as he enters Geoffrey’s. Screen fades to black.


EXT. FIELD OUTSIDE DEBBIE'S CARAVAN


View of stars as ‘A Woman Left Lonely’ plays [Janis Joplin]. Cut to overhead view of Debbie lying down on an old quilt in the middle of field outside her caravan. Camera on ground focuses on the soft rising and falling of her diaphragm. Camera moves to the profile of her face. She looks sad, but thoughtful. She puts her hands behind her head. Camera shows sky again. Cut toDebbie as she enters caravan. She picks up the piece of paper from the table again and eyes it intently. She puts it back exactly where it was. She pours herself a glass of coke. She rummages in a stuffed cupboard, finally locating a bottle of spirits. She empties what’s left of the bottle into glass and begins to drink deeply as song plays out. FADE OUT.


INT. GEOFFREY'S BAR


Debbie’s point of view as she enters bar. She has donned a knee length trench coat along with her slightly blonder hair. In the far side of the frame the barman snaps to attention. Dan sits hunched over a bottle of whiskey at bar counter. The drunkard is asleep in the corner, a soft snore announcing his presence. Debbie strides to counter and sits down. Dan doesn’t look up.


Barman: What’ll be, Peggy Lee?


Debbie: Tequila?


Barman: It’ll cost ya.


Debbie: He’s paying. [smiling, she pats Dan on the shoulder]


Dan: [looking up, dazed] Oh fuck, it’s you!


Debbie: A great opening line for any first date.


Dan: Whoa, hey! I know all about you and your first dates.


Barman: Here you are. [Placing glass of tequila in front of Debbie]


Debbie: Thank you.


Dan: I thought I hallucinated you. Had a dream. Or nightmare.


Debbie: Well, here I am, in the flesh.


Dan: You wanted to talk?


Debbie: Yes. [sips on drink] I’ll cut the chase. You see, I was wrongfully locked up.


Dan: How does that work?


Debbie: Police work was shoddy. I never meant to kill any of those two nice boys and I certainly didn’t mean to kill myself.


Dan: You expect me to believe that? You are capable of killing. And it’s not too much of a leap to say you’re suicidal.


Debbie: [eyes narrowing] You don’t want to believe me? Look, I have my demons. But that place, where they put me, it was awful. Doctors treated me like a lab rat, the other patients either hated me or ignored me. And the one of the nurses… [looks around] He raped me.


Dan gapes at Debbie. The barman in the background drops the glass he was wiping.


Barman: Hey! Aren't you the gal from the news?


Total silence for a moment. Debbie pulls a revolver from the inside of her trench coat and fires three shots, killing the barman instantly. As the drunkard in the corner stirs, Debbie fires another three shots so that only she and Dan are left, facing one another in a staring competition. Dan remains silent, face stoic as Debbie directs the gun under his chin.


Debbie: Hideo Suzuki. He said he wanted us to get close. Then he…he…[begins to sob, then, in a whimper] He raped me. Violently…till I bled, and he just…


Dan’s face goes ashen. Debbie drops her gun as her weeping grows louder.


Debbie: [between sobs] Help me, please.


Dan: Why have you come to me for help?


Debbie: I read about my ‘case’ in the paper. You gave that statement, remember?


Dan: [frowning] What did I say again?


Debbie: You...you said: ‘‘somehow this beautiful young woman has slipped through the cracks. The media will sensationalise her, but let’s not forget she is someone so let down by the system she resorted to violence, towards herself and others, to try and break free.’’


Dan: [after a moment’s silence] That statement was prepared by the police department’s press guy. I’m probably not the man you think I am. Look where I spend my weeknights.


Debbie: No, there’s something about you. You weren’t afraid of me yesterday night. You didn’t try to arrest me. Even told me to go because your friend was coming.


Dan: You had a katana, what was I going to do?


Debbie: The katana didn’t bother you. The way we talked…you don’t think there was chemistry?


Dan: Look, I think maybe we should go down to the police station.

Debbie: [grabbing Dan by the shoulders] Why are you fighting this?


Dan: Fighting what?


Debbie: I can see it in your eyes.


Dan: What do you mean?


Debbie: We’re in a room with two dead men and all you can look at is me. The door is right over there, my gun is on the ground, you could run away right now. Face it, Dan. You…


Dan kisses Debbie, deeply and passionately. She leans back on the stool, her hands entangled in his hair. Dan stops for a second, looking as though he might say something, but instead he continues to kiss Debbie, kissing her as if his life depended on it. FADE OUT.


INT. POLICE DEPARMENT - MORNING


Frank takes a seat in police office. Morning sun shines through Venetian blinds. Frank checks watch: 9:29am. He sighs in frustration and begins looking over paperwork on desk. He checks watch again: 9:31am.


EXT. FIELD OUTSIDE DEBBIE'S CARAVAN


‘Solamente Una Vez’ [Lisa Ono] plays as overhead camera shows Dan and Debbie lying on the old quilt in each other’s arms, a stitched up blanket covering their naked bodies. Camera shifts to view of the clear blue sky above them.


Cut back to Dan and Debbie. They are dressed in last night’s clothes, slow dancing to the song in the long, overgrown grass. Cut to Debbie bringing two glasses of clear liquid from caravan, handing one to Dan.


INT. POLICE DEPARTMENT


Captain smokes a fat cigar as Frank sits down opposite him.


Captain: [between puffs] Care to update me, Frank?


Frank: Hideo Suzuki couldn’t tell us too much. I’ve just been going over and over Ms. Davidson’s medical records. She hadn’t been diagnosed, so just given antipsychotics and calmatives. She wouldn’t partake fully in talk therapy. Reluctant to divulge any information.


Captain: What about family and friends?


Frank: Her family’s from the East Coast. Never once visited her in hospital. Seemingly had no friends. Her only real relationships were those two boyfriends.


Captain: And they’re worm food now. Guess you’re out of leads.


Frank: She’s definitely still in the city. Anywhere she goes, she’ll have to go by foot. No car, and no one in their right mind would give her a ride. Her face is all over the papers.


Captain: And a memorable face it is. You don’t think she might have stolen a car?


Frank: It’s possible.


Captain: Well, Frank, I have to say it again. Give up. You should never have begun this case.


Frank: No. What happened was out of order. We need to bring her to justice, find out how something like this even came to pass.


Captain: Face it, Frank, within a month something else will happen and everyone will forget about this broad. Anyways, where’s your partner in crime?


Frank: Dan didn’t come in this morning. [bowing his head somberly] He’s hit the drink hard.


Captain: [smiling] It is Dan we’re talking about.


Frank: [shaking his head] Harder than usual.


INT. DEBBIE'S CARAVAN


Dan downs a glass of spirits. He’s sitting at a table with Debbie, who’s changing the bandages on his foot.


Debbie: That’s all the vodka I have.


Dan: Shit. We need more.


Moment of silence. Debbie follows Dan’s gaze as he looks to piece of paper on table. Debbie suddenly snatches piece of paper and stands up.


Dan: What’s that you got there?


Debbie: Nothing.


Dan: You scooped it up pretty quick. Come on, what is it?


Debbie: I told you, it’s nothing, it’s just…


Dan: [smiling] Show me. Go on.


Debbie: [tips Dan and the chair over onto the ground; she crumples up paper and puts it in nearby bin; she mounts Dan] Do you believe in love, Dan?


Dan: I do if you do Debbie Davidson.


Screen fades to black and cuts back to Dan lying on floor of caravan. Debbie kneels over him, trying to wake him.

Dan: What is it, Debbie?


Debbie: He’s gonna die.


Dan: What are you talking about?


Debbie: Today’s the day. He dies today. The man who… [Debbie’s smile disappears]


Dan: Are you OK? Debbie?


Debbie: [tears welling in her eyes] I need you to do it. Promise you’ll do it.


Dan: Do what?


Debbie: [closing her eyes tightly, reopening them slowly] Kill Hideo Suzuki.


Dan: What? I can’t…


Debbie: You have to. Otherwise none of this can work.


Dan: I don’t understand.


Debbie: I can only be with you if...


Dan: If what? I’m a cop, don’t you…


Debbie: Cop? That doesn’t mean much now, does it Dan? You’re shacked up with a mass murderer!


Dan: [sitting up, placing a hand on Debbie’s shoulder] Calm down, Debbie. Please.


Debbie: [stands up and paces length of caravan] I thought you were the one. The one man in the world who would do right by me.


Dan: We haven’t even known each other that long.


Debbie: I want to leave this city, this state. Live life on the open road, listen to the radio. Haven’t you ever wanted to do that? Just break loose and leave this deadbeat life behind?


Dan: Well yeah but…


Debbie: We can do it together! There'll be kisses, kisses with dreams in them. But I can’t leave until that bastard is dead...


Dan: [scratching his head] I’ve been meaning to say…


Debbie: What?


Dan: I’ve met Hideo Suzuki.


Debbie: What?


Dan: I wouldn’t have thought he was a rapist. I mean, he seemed a bit off, but…


Debbie: He is, Dan. I swear on my mother’s grave. What he did to me... Just answer me the question. [pause for emphasis] Will you kill him? For me? For us?


INT. POLICE DEPARMTENT


Frank sits hunched over desk filling out forms. He sits up straight, a thoughtful look on his face. ‘Lightning’s Girl’ [Nancy Sinatra] starts to play as Frank jumps to his feet and leaves office.


CUT TO Debbie, alone in the caravan. As lyrics of song start, she fishes crumpled piece of paper out of bin and looks at it, her lips once again curving into a smile. She finds a pen and ticks off another item, but once again we don’t see what’s on this list. She neatly slides it into her pocket.


CUT TO A SPLIT SCREEN, half of Frank driving his convertible, half of Dan pacing down a sidewalk. Cut to Debbie painting her nails red as song ends. FADE OUT.


Frank’s point of view as he knocks on apartment door. Suzuki answers and lets Frank in.


Frank: Sorry to disturb you again, Mr. Suzuki. I just had some more questions to ask.


Suzuki: Of course, Detective.


The two characters sit in living room.


Suzuki: What would you like to know?


Frank: Mr. Suzuki, I’m given to understand you’re originally from Tokyo, am I correct?


Suzuki: Yes, that is correct.


Frank: Now, I noticed the paintings you have on the wall there. Foujita? Am I correct?


Suzuki: Yes, Foujita is my favourite of all Japanese artists.


Frank: It’d be fair to say you’ve held onto your sense of cultural identity then?


Suzuki: I love America, Detective. But Japan will always be in my heart.


Frank: Of course. Now Mr. Suzuki, I hate to even bring this up, but…


Suzuki: Yes?


Frank: The weapon used by Ms. Davidson to escape. It was a katana. A sword used by Japanese warriors, right?


Suzuki: Ah yes. The katana is the weapon of choice for Japanese samurai.


Frank: Uh-huh. Now, here’s the thing...


Frank is interrupted by the sound of a kettle’s whistle.


Suzuki: [rising to his feet] Hold onto that thought. Would you like some tea?


Frank: [sighing] I’m fine, thanks.


As Suzuki disappears into the kitchen, a knock is heard on the door.


Suzuki: Could you get that? Thanks Detective.


Frank reluctantly gets up and answers door. Dan stands before him, panting, with a gun in his hand.


Frank: Dan? What the fuck?


Dan: Shit. Oh shit. What are you doing here?


Frank: Where have you been? What’s with the gun?


Suzuki appears behind Frank. Dan knocks Frank out with the butt of the gun and fires a shot at Suzuki, the bullet going straight through his temple.


CUT TO Dan walking away from apartment. Camera shakes to reflect his point of view. A white noise is heard, growing louder and louder. FADES TO BLACK.


EXT. FIELD OUTSIDE DEBBIE'S CARAVAN


Long shot of Dan walking across field towards Debbie’s caravan as we hear 'Mysterious Tango' [Paulo Vivaldi]. He has about a hundred yards to walk. Debbie stands at door of caravan, arms crossed. As Dan approaches her, she steps forward and they kiss as music plays out. FADE OUT.


INT. HIDEO SUZUKI'S HOUSE


Frank wakes up. He gingerly gets to his feet. He grimaces at the sight of Suzuki next to him. He searches the apartment. He finds a set of three katanas on a display on the windowsill of Suzuki’s bedroom. When Frank looks at each sheath individually, he finds one is missing. He throws the sheath across the room in anger.


INT. DEBBIE'S CARAVAN - AFTERNOON


Debbie, wearing a black dress and dancing wildly, sings along to ‘You’re So Vain’ [cover by Marilyn Manson] Dan sits on step of door of caravan, smoking. Debbie wraps her arms around Dan’s neck from behind and kisses him on the cheek.


Debbie: I’m free. We’re free. And my favourite song’s playing on the radio!


Dan smiles and drags deeply from a cigarette. A pillow of smoke rises slowly above Dan and Debbie. Song plays out, Debbie singing the last verses in a quieter tone, almost as if she's whispering them into Dan's ear.


Dan: When should we leave?


Debbie: [taking a puff of Dan's cigarette] As soon as we get a car, remember?


Dan: And how do you suppose we’ll do that?


Debbie: You’ll think of something.


Dan: You mean you haven’t? Dammit, Debbie. I thought you had all this planned out.


Debbie: I never thought I’d get this far. Not until I met you.


Dan: [finishing cigarette and stamping it into the ground] Don’t give me that shit. I did what I did because…


Debbie: Because what? Because you love me?


DISSOLVE TO police department, Frank and the Captain sitting opposite one another.


Frank: So it’s as I suspected. Suzuki was...he was the purloined letter, Ms. Davidson's accomplice...hiding in plain sight.


Captain: Why did it happen like this?


Frank: It was the kind of crime that was intended to…


Captain: Intended to be what?


Frank: Well, here we are wondering why they did it like this. I think that was the point.


Captain: [shifting uncomfortably, clears throat] What about Dan?


Frank: [grimacing] People talk about a person being like a bomb waiting to go off. For Dan, time’s up and this...this is the fallout.


INT. FINNEGAN'S PUB - NIGHT


Frank sips on a pint of Guinness.


Barmaid: How’s the Guinness, love?


Frank: [rising a slight smile] Bitter as ever. Just how I like it.


Barmaid: Penny for your thoughts?


Frank: [sighing heavily] My partner’s fallen for the wrong woman.


Barmaid: You mean that Dan chap? Awful man for the women, is he not?


Frank: [expression stiffening] He’s gone too far this time.


Barmaid: You know, Frank, and I hope you don’t mind my saying, but you’ve been spinning the same spiel ever since you moved out here. Dan’s in danger, he’s out of his league, he’s gone too far. And does it ever amount to that much? Never.


Frank: This time is different.


Barmaid: I’ve heard that before too.


Frank: [finishing pint] Thanks. [drops a five dollar note on counter and leaves bar]


CUT TO Frank finding apartment door has been beat down. He enters, hearing a female voice speaking on his answering machine.


Frank: Helen…


Voice on answering machine: if you can just give me some space for the time being. Thanks, Frank. [phone hangs up]


Frank: Helen… [Frank begins to look around apartment, which is just as untidy as ever. He checks phone to see if there are any more messages. He notices bowl next to phone is empty]


Frank: [in a whisper] Oh no.


CUT TO Frank entering a dark garage. He flicks a switch and the garage is illuminated with a blinding light. The garage is full, save for where Frank looks resignedly to an empty car space. In the background ‘Runaway’ [Electric Youth] begins to play. Song grows louder as camera cuts to Dan driving in Frank’s convertible, Debbie [wearing the same black dress as before] rests her head on his shoulder.


Song quietens as Dan’s inner monologue is heard:


You’re eventually going to kill me, then kill yourself. Our story can be a headline, a scandal, whatever the hell the world wants it to be. But that doesn’t matter. I don’t care about your past, my past, or whatever the future holds for us. The point is I feel alive. My heart's thumping and my mind's racing and I can tell for once in my goddam life that I am alive.


CUT BACK TO frame prior to Frank’s scene in Finnegan’s Pub; Dan is sitting on caravan doorstep, Debbie kneeling behind him. Background of 'Runaway' continues.


Dan: …I feel alive. And that’s worth everything. Maybe it's lust, maybe it's infatuation, but fuck that. Let's call it love. I love you, Debbie.


Debbie stands up behind Dan, taking that mysterious list out of her pocket. She ticks another item off the list.


Debbie: [camera close up of her eyes looking down] I love you too, Dan.


‘Runaway’ grows louder as credits roll.