ACT IV
FADE IN:
EXT. THE SHERIFF’S BUILDING – TWILIGHT
There are people milling, just a few in small groups, talking among themselves.
INT. A HOLDING CELL – TWILIGHT
This one has McCormick sitting on the edge of the bunk, and is otherwise the mirror image of the one earlier occupied by Kitty McCray. McCormick looks pensive – his right elbow on his knee and his chin resting on the palm of that hand. At the now-familiar rattle of the door lock he straightens up. The door swings open and Hardcastle steps in, past Deputy Miller.
MILLER
Hardcastle grunts. No chair is provided this time. McCormick stands and gestures to the cot, though it’s hard to say if this is an act of courtesy, or a chance for his visitor to try the full effect. Hardcastle glances at the cot and stays standing. McCormick leans back against the wall.
McCORMICK
HARDCASTLE
Kinda looks that way, at least for now.
McCORMICK
HARDCASTLE
Listen, if you want me to apologize, I will.
(clears his throat slightly)
There, now we got that out of the way.
McCormick snorts and shakes his head, even smiling slightly.
HARDCASTLE
I had a little talk with Larcom. He’s playing
it all pretty close to the vest, but I’d say he
really prefers you to Kitty as a suspect.
McCORMICK
HARDCASTLE
There was hardly any blood at the scene.
McCORMICK
What about what Kitty saw?
HARDCASTLE
A little blood goes a long way in water.
From the preliminary exam, it looks like
Kooms was dead before he was stabbed. A
blunt object to the left side of his head.
McCORMICK
So Larcom thinks whoever killed Kooms
HARDCASTLE
If it makes you feel any better, he wants
you to know he understands how it might’ve
happened. The general consensus is that
Kooms has been a homicide waiting to
happen for a long time now.
McCORMICK
And along comes a sloppy ex-con who gets
fingerprints on the guy’s car – is that really
all it takes to get a conviction?
HARDCASTLE
Conviction? It’s not even enough for an
indictment. Give me ‘til Monday morning;
that’s what habeas corpus is all about.
McCORMICK
(reaches out, halts Hardcastle
Insufficient evidence isn’t enough. A
murder in a small-town cemetery? You
know the wire service is going to pick
this one up. And you come tromping in
here with a writ, trying to embarrass the
That’ll only make ‘em try twice as hard
HARDCASTLE
It doesn’t work that way –
McCORMICK
Says the man who’s personally been framed three times.
It’s like some kind of blind spot for
you, this undying faith in the criminal justice system.
Hardcastle, still halted in his tracks, considers the accusation for a half-beat and then finally acknowledges it with a small shrug.
McCORMICK
(sighs, then draws himself up
Anyway, somebody killed that guy.
It wasn’t me, and it looks like it wasn’t Kitty.
HARDCASTLE
So you think I oughta nail whoever did this –
It dawns on McCormick what he’s just put into motion. He looks worried.
HARDCASTLE
– even though you’re in here, so I’ll be
flying solo. Is this some kinda special dispensation?
McCormick swallows hard and then produces a thin smile.
McCORMICK
Yeah, I guess. Something like that.
HARDCASTLE
Good, ‘cause I figured I’d do it anyway.
(glances back at the door and then
Could you try and stay put tonight? No
jailbreaks – nothing like that.
He’s finally pried a genuine (though rueful) smile from McCormick, but no actual promises. Play that and,
CUT TO:
INT. SHERIFF LARCOM’S OFFICE – TWILIGHT
He’s sitting at his desk, staring pensively at some papers in front of him but not looking as though he’s actually reading. He also does not look like a guy who’s cracked a murder case in record time. It might be that he’s not all that pleased with himself. There’s a sharp rap on the open door. It’s DEPUTY MILLER, with a plastic bag. Larcom glances up.
MILLER
Maggie fetched some things for Kitty.
LARCOM
(shooing motion with one hand)
Give ‘em to her and tell her to get dressed,
Miller nods and then glances back over his shoulder. We see Hardcastle has moved up behind him in the doorway.
MILLER
(to Larcom, with a jerk of his chin
He’s done with his client. Wanted a word with you.
Hardcastle squeezes by Miller, not waiting for an invitation. Miller ducks out.
HARDCASTLE
So you’re letting Kitty go, huh?
(looks at Larcom speculatively)
You never suspected her in the first place,
I’d guess. That was all just a ruse while you
waited on that report from the state lab.
Larcom leans back in his chair, studying Hardcastle. It’s a long beat before he shrugs.
LARCOM
I told you she wasn’t violent. And it doesn’t
take a forensic expert to see something was
fishy with that crime scene.
HARDCASTLE
For the record, we both know you’re right
about Kitty. Somebody tried to frame her but it wasn’t McCormick.
LARCOM
Well, I guess we’ll see about that, huh?
You want to start by telling me how
his finger prints got on that van?
HARDCASTLE
Look, my client met your victim exactly
once – this morning. He saw Kooms
giving Kitty a hard time and pulled over.
Kooms must’ve grabbed the map.
LARCOM
Too bad nobody reported that to me ‘this morning’.
Hardcastle looks sullen.
LARCOM
You know how this looks, don’t you? Our
HARDCASTLE
LARCOM
– confronted the victim only an hour
or so before he was murdered.
HARDCASTLE
Which is why my client didn’t rush
forward with the information.
But he did tell me earlier today.
LARCOM
Before, or after he hit Kooms over the head?
You know I’m still willing to consider this
manslaughter – maybe even self-defense, but
HARDCASTLE
He’s innocent. So’s Kitty, which means you
still have a killer walking around out there.
LARCOM
Look, we can argue about this all night;
all I know is that I had a nice, peaceful
little town, then an ex-con shows up
and a couple hours later Kooms is –
He stops in mid-sentence and is staring fixedly past Hardcastle, who turns to look at
what has the man’s attention.
ANGLE – TOWARD THE DOORWAY
Kitty McCray is standing there, looking hastily dressed in clothes that are several sizes too large for her.
McCRAY
The deputy said I’m released.
LARCOM
We’ll want to talk to you, ask you some
more questions, but that can wait. You’re
McCray looks puzzled.
LARCOM
Whoever stabbed Lester with your scissors
did it after he was already dead.
He was trying to make us think you’d done it.
McCRAY
And you think it was Mr. McCormick?
Larcom stays silent but nods almost imperceptibly. McCray thinks about this for a moment and then turns to Hardcastle.
McCRAY
HARDCASTLE
McCRAY
You haven’t believed a word I’ve said; why should I listen to you?
She pivots and leaves. Hardcastle casts an unsmiling look at Larcom and follows. Larcom is left, sitting as we found him. He picks op the pencil again but is still staring at the doorway with an unsettled expression. Hold on that and,
CUT TO:
EXT. THE McCRAY HOUSE – NIGHT
HARDCASTLE (V.O.)
Besides you, was there anyone else Kooms
was in the habit of annoying?
INT. THE MCCRAY KITCHEN – NIGHT
Hardcastle is sitting at the table. McCray has just plugged in a percolator. She looks over her shoulder at Hardcastle for a moment.
McCRAY
The list would be shorter if you asked me who
(she turns back to gathering the coffee
things but continues talking)
Lester had a way of figuring out people’s
weak spots and going for them. Like a shark:
if you bled just a little, there he was.
I just bled more than most.
(she pauses in mid-reach for the cabinet
Hardcastle glances up.
McCRAY
I didn’t notice it this morning.
(gestures to the cabinet with
HARDCASTLE
(he stands and moves close enough
to study the stain, then to McCray,
Don’t touch it. I saw you get that vase down
yesterday. It supports that part of your
story – that you cut yourself during that first
visit to the cemetery, not because you
hammered Kooms with a vase.
McCRAY
But the sheriff said I wasn’t a suspect anymore.
HARDCASTLE
(gives her an intense look)
Not as long as they’ve got McCormick to
You still want to help me prove he didn’t do it?
McCRAY
Anyway, the sheriff’s right about one
thing. Lester’s been a bully for a
while now, but nobody went and hit him
on the head until you came here.
HARDCASTLE
I’d never even met the guy.
You want me to account for my
McCRAY
No – what I mean is you’re the first one
who even half-way believed me about Erma.
You start poking around and suddenly
I think he knew what happened to my grandma.
Hardcastle looks skeptical.
McCRAY
He’d have to have known, right? He worked
HARDCASTLE
I think maybe we should solve one murder at
You know there is one thing that bothered
me about that report . . .
Hold on his pensive expression for a moment and then,
CUT TO:
ANGLE – McCORMICK’S FACE
Eyes closed, lit by a patch of light through the window in the cell door, the only source of illumination. He’s lying on his back on the cot, but apparently not asleep. His eyes open suddenly to an immediate and penetrating stare at the ceiling above him. A moment later he sits up, swings his feet over the edge of the cot and is on his feet, heading for the door.
McCORMICK
(leaning his face against the bars of the
little window, to get the greatest angle
of view into the hallway)
I need to talk to Larcom.
MILLER (V.O.)
What? No. Go ta sleep, will ya, it’s after midnight.
McCormick frowns, looks around for something, then finally reaches down, pulls off a shoe, and starts pounding on the inside of the door.
McCORMICK
He carries on like this for a moment or two, then pauses. There’s some shuffling noises from the hall.
MILLER (V.O.)
You’re a damn pain in the –
Miller appears suddenly in the window, face-to-face with McCormick and looking harassed.
MILLER
Larcom’ll be back at seven. What’s so damn
important? You wanna make a confession?
McCORMICK
Sorry, no. No confessions today.
MILLER
Breakfast is at 8:30 and there’s a slop bucket
under your cot. Lock-up rules: prisoners stay in
their cells at night. No exceptions.
McCORMICK
That’s a very sensible rule; you won’t have
to violate it. I just need you to bring me
MILLER
What? No smoking in here.
McCORMICK
I gave it up. It’s not good for you.
I need the reports the sheriff got – the
stuff the state lab sent.
MILLER
McCORMICK
Why not, they’re the reason I’m in here,
aren’t they? I have a right to see the evidence
MILLER
It’s midnight, for Pete’s sake.
McCORMICK
You do know that if a murder isn’t solved in
the first twenty-four hours after it’s committed,
the odds of it ever being solved decrease
MILLER
Yeah, but I reckon this one’s already solved.
McCORMICK
Then it won’t hurt to let me see the reports,
will it? Heck, maybe I’ll give up all hope
MILLER
That lawyer friend of yours can request ‘em.
McCORMICK
(gives the door one last pound with
Flinch v. California, Villanova v. Los Angeles County.
MILLER
(halts and looks back through the
McCORMICK
Suits based on failure to provide evidence
to the defendant in a timely fashion. Not to
mention the original cases that were shot
Careers ruined, slam-dunk cases overturned.
A real pity. All because somebody couldn’t
be bothered to hand over a file that had been
(bends over, puts his shoe back on,
then stands again, leaning casually
You should ask your boss.
MILLER
At midnight? You’re crazy.
You’re just gonna end up seeing them
McCORMICK
Miller sighs and turns away. McCormick leans into the window again, watching him go. Then he leans back, hands in his pockets, whistling something, sotto voce. A moment later we hear steps in the hallways again. This time a thin manila file folder appears in the window, being shoved between the bars.
MILLER
Here. If you think I’m unlocking this door,
McCORMICK
Not necessary. I got the bucket.
(gets his hand on the file before
Miller can react to the request)
MILLER
McCORMICK
(moves away from the door,
He squints down at the file in the gloom, then holds it up to catch more of the limited light and glances at Miller with a questioning look.
MILLER
(smiles back just a little evilly)
Lights out is lights out. Lock-up rules. You
got any precedent against that?
(he chuckles and turns away)
McCormick shakes his head then sits on the edge of the cot, centering the open file in the small patch of light. He turns a page and then hunches over it, trying to stay out of his own light as he studies it closely. Hold on that for a moment and then,
CUT TO:
