JOSIE by Patrick Dowling

8/14/2019 JOSIE by Patrick Dowling

1/18

JOSIE

by

Patrick Dowling

SEQUENCE #4


2/18

INT. JOSIES HOUSE/MASTER BATHROOM - NIGHT (FLASHBACK: 15YEARS AGO)

Josie, now fifteen, follows her father into the bathroom.Hes wearing the same faded robe as five years before.

DADWere going to do something specialtonight. Dont you like it whenits just you and me?

Dad turns around, expecting her to either ask a question oranswer his. He shrugs.

DAD (CONTD)No one to disturb us.

Josie walks over to the medicine cabinet, pulls out a bottleof hand lotion, not looking at him.

DAD (CONTD)Put it back.

(beat)You know when your Aunt Tracy movedto Cleveland it made this nightpossible. Everyone is gone. JustDaddy and Daddys little girl.

She stops, looks at him.

DAD (CONTD)Its okay punkin. Come - sit.

He pats the toilet seat.

CUT TO:

INT. BEACH HOUSE/BEDROOM - FLASHBACK - 2 NIGHTS AGO

Josie is slouched by her bed, high on heroin, singing thesame lullaby.

JOSIE

... and if that mockingbird dontsing, Mommas gonna buy ... you ...

Her singing slows. She stops singing, looks around,searching.

JOSIE (CONTD)Daddy?


3/18

A KNOCK at the front door. Josie is startled, not expectinganyone.

CUT TO:

EXT. BEACH HOUSE - NIGHT - PRESENT

Detective Berry KNOCKS a second time on the front door. Henotices one of the jalousie windows near the door knob ismissing and the screen has been cut along the edge. He looksaround to see if anyone is watching, then slips his handthrough and unlocks the door. He enters.

Looking around, he makes his way to the bathroom in the backbedroom.

POV Detective Berry looks at the tub, a curtain pulled back.

Detective Berry hears nothing, but we hear the sound of a mangetting out of a bathtub, water receding from his body in aloud SPLASH.

CUT TO:

INT. JOSIES HOUSE/MASTER BATHROOM - NIGHT - (FLASHBACK: 15YEARS AGO CONTD)

Dad is toweling off, steps over the tub and walks over toJosie. Shes still sitting on the toilet seat. His towel iswrapped around his waist. He has something in his hand.

DADHere you go punkin.

He slowly hands her a STRAIGHT RAZOR.

THE RAZOR. Elbowed with a black handle, the blade reflectsJosies face as he passes it to her.

She attempts to stand up, but he puts his hand on hershoulder, gently pushing her back down on the seat. She looksup at him.

JOSIEI dont understand.

DADNot my face. I told you it would besomething special.

2.


4/18

She looks at his beltline, the razor cocked in her hand.

CUT TO:

INT. BEACH HOUSE/BEDROOM - FLASHBACK - 2 NIGHTS AGO

Josie is standing, swaying slightly, while Chi Chi isrummaging through her dresser drawers.

JOSIE(slurring)

For the last time, I dont have it.

He points a gun at her while he performs his search.

JOSIE (CONTD)Put the gun away Chi Chi.

CHI CHI(frustrated)

Where is it? Hes really pissedoff, Josie - this isnt funny.

She wobbles and slumps down, missing the bed. Her back isagainst the bed, her butt on the floor, same as before.

JOSIETell him this weekend.

CHI CHIYou got high on something tonight.

Where the hell is it?

JOSIEIts gone. Tell him this weekend.

Shes wearing her usual bedroom attire, T-shirt and panties.

CHI CHIIm not leaving here withoutsomething.

He eyes her and puts the gun on the dresser. Walking over to

her side of the bedroom he begins unbuckling his belt. As hispants hit the floor a piece of paper falls out of a frontpocket.

THE PAPER. Florida Fishing License. Over top the Florida Fishand Wildlife Conservation Commission seal it reads: STATE OFFLORIDA RECREATION LICENSE and under that, CHI CHI GONZALES1008 31ST AVE BRADENTON, FL 94210.

CUT TO:

3.


5/18

INT. BEACH HOUSE - NIGHT - PRESENT

Detective Berry moves from the bathroom to the adjacentbedroom. He walks over to the nightstand then around the bed.He crouches down looking under the bed, seeing nothing. Thecomforter is hanging off the bed onto the floor. Just as he

lifts himself up off the floor he notices a PIECE OF PAPERsticking out from underneath the comforter. He carefullyslides it out, using the tip of a pen fished from his shirtpocket. Still crouching on the wood floor, he reads Chi ChisFISHING LICENSE and then looks up.

CUT TO:

INT. JOSIES HOUSE/MASTER BATHROOM - NIGHT - (FLASHBACK: 15YEARS AGO CONTD)

The tub faucet is DRIPPING. We hear Josie singing softly from

inside the adjacent bedroom.

JOSIE... if that horse and cart falldown, youll be the sweetest littleboy in town ...

Her singing fades as we MOVE from the bathroom tub to a largepool of BLOOD near the toilet. Laying in the middle of thepool is DAD, the towel barely covering his genitals. We see adeep, wide slice along the inside of his thigh. His face isfrozen with horror.

CUT TO:

INT. JOSIES HOUSE/MASTER BEDROOM - NIGHT - (FLASHBACK: 15YEARS AGO CONTD)

CU. Josie singing softly, crying. Her back is against thebed, sitting on the floor.

JOSIE... so hush little baby, dont youcry, Daddy loves you and so do I.

FLASHBACK ENDS

DISSOLVE TO:

4.


6/18

EXT. LOW-INCOME, SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT

Five doors down from Carlos house Detective Berry sits inhis car, watching. The only light in the car is from thedashboard clock. It reads 11:59.

Three men appear behind a pickup truck in Carlos driveway,arguing. After a minute they split up, one of them drivingoff in a blue truck, the other two in a black one.

DETECTIVE BERRYOne, two - buckle my shoe.

Detective Berry follows the truck with two men. The men driveinland, away from the beach town. After a half hour they endup on a dark, empty, two lane highway canopied with liveoaks. Detective Berry is whistling, keeping his distance,maybe a quarter of a mile behind them. Suddenly, the truckslights vanish, causing his whistling to stop instantly.

DETECTIVE BERRY (CONTD)Whered you go boys?

He slows, looking left and right, and notices a dirt drivewaywith a cloud of dust still settling. He turns the headlightsoff and veers down the dirt road, going slow. After about 100feet he notices a light in the distance. He parks the car offto the side of the road, and makes his way towards the light,on foot.

INT. BACKWOODS/DRUG HOUSE - 1:00 A.M.

Four men are in the living room of an abandoned house,talking. There is no furniture and only a kerosene lanternprovides light, reflecting off the exposed cinderblock. Thereare no blinds or curtains. However, there is a blanket filledwith holes covering the living room window. The four men areCarlos, Chi Chi and two men from another drug runningoperation. FRANK, 22, who is silent, standing behind hisboss, JOSE, 28 who is leading the discussion.

JOSEThats not enough amigo. Cough up

the dough Carlos.FRANK

Yeah, Carlos cough it up.

JOSEShut up.

POV. Detective Berry carefully walks up to the house, looksin through a hole in the blanket.

5.


7/18

CARLOS(to Jose)Lets go outside. Chi Chi stayhere.

Jose nods to Frank, indicating he do the same.

Detective Berry quietly pulls out his gun as the two men walkout onto the front porch, not more than a few feet away fromhim. They cannot see him, but the detective can hear themclearly.

JOSEIm serious. Im tired of yourshit, man.

CARLOSI know, I know. I think we need anew arrangement.

They are standing side by side. In a flash Carlos strikesJoses neck, leaving a SWITCHBLADE dangling from Josesthroat. Jose falls to his knees, GASPING. Carlos stands infront of him, puts both hands behind head and slams his kneeinto Joses face. Jose slumps on the porch, not moving.

CRUNCH. The unmistakable sound of a leaf being stepped oncauses Carlos to wheel around and look along the front of thehouse. No one is there. Now in front of the living roomwindow, he taps on the glass.

CARLOS (CONTD)

Chi Chi! Lets go!

Chi Chi and Frank walk out onto the porch. Carlos has a gunpointed directly at Franks head.

CARLOS (CONTD)I dont have a lot of time. Itsyoure choice. You want a job?

Frank looks at the slumped over body of Jose and spits on it.

CARLOS (CONTD)

Chi Chi - get my cuchillo.Chi Chi flips Joses body over with his boot. Jose has a gunin his hand and shoots Chi Chi point blank in the forehead.Carlos whirls around and fires one shot at Jose withprecision accuracy. Like Chi Chi, Jose is now lying lifelesson the porch, a bullet hole in his head.

CHI CHIFrank - get my blade.

6.


8/18

The truck flies onto the highway, dust kicking up. A fewseconds later we see Detective Berrys sedan inching forwardalong the highway shoulder, climbing onto the asphalt,headlights off.

POV. Detective Berry is tailing the pickup, still on the dark

highway. He sees a flash of light in the cab. A second laterthe truck swerves violently, rolling over twice, ending up ina ditch along the highway. Slowly, Detective Berry pullsbehind the upside down truck, parks. Gun drawn he crouchesdown, looks inside the drivers side of the cab.

THE TRUCK CAB. Blood everywhere, splattered on the front andback windows. Frank is upside down still strapped in behindthe wheel. Blood is flowing out his mouth down his upsidedown face. Carlos is balled up against the roof, not moving.

DETECTIVE BERRY(to Carlos)

Can you hear me?

Carlos doesnt move. Detective Berry walks around, openingthe door and pulls Carlos out, laying him on the dirt. Hechecks his neck for a pulse then walks back to his car, grabsthe police radio.

DETECTIVE BERRY (CONTD)Ten-ten, OD. Two one Nine. Officerin need of assistance.

DISPATCHCopy that. Whats your 10-20

Lieutenant?

DETECTIVE BERRYFifteen miles east of Parrish onState Road sixty four. Overturnedtruck, two males, both hispanic.One dead, one unconscious.

DISPATCHCopy. Ten-forty one, advise.

DETECTIVE BERRY

Ten-forty.DISPATCH

Copy, over.

Detective Berry puts the radio back inside the car, walksback over towards Carlos.

7.


9/18

INT. HOSPITAL/CAFETERIA - DAY

Detective Berry and Vera are eating lunch in the hospitalwhere she works. The cafeteria opens up in front of a largeatrium leading to the hospitals main entrance. DetectiveBerry is facing the atrium and can see anyone entering the

hospital.

VERAI told you I dont know anythingabout this guy. Look, I dont liketalking about it here.

She looks at him with disgust.

VERA (CONTD)I dont know how you can eat that.

Detective Berry is wolfing down some brown mushy looking

meat, maybe pot roast. She sips on a straw in a bottle ofapple juice.

DETECTIVE BERRYMot sure I bemeeve you.

VERAYoure not sure you believe me.Come on Ike, weve been throughthis before. I told you I -

He gets up cutting her off. He just saw Josie walk throughthe atrium in a hurry.

VERA (CONTD)Where are you going?

Wiping his face with a napkin he throws it back at the table.

DETECTIVE BERRYIll catch you later.

He lightly trots, catching up to her. She weaves through thebusy hospital hallways ending up in the Intensive Care Unit.She shows her press credentials to a nurse sitting behind a

circular counter. The woman points towards a door and Josieheads inside. Right on Josies heels the detective flashesthe nurse his badge and gestures a whisper. He stops at theedge of the doorway, listening in.

JOSIE(whispering)

Carlos! Can you hear me?

8.


10/18

Carlos eyes open. He turns his head slowly, looking over atJosie. He has a dark bruise on his left temple. He smiles ather.

JOSIE (CONTD)What the hell happened?

CARLOSMoney.

JOSIEWhat? What money?

CARLOSTruck. I need my truck?

Josie looks around, Detective Berry shrinking back from thedoorway. Josie looks out and sees the nurse looking directlyat her. Josie leans in towards Carlos face, whispering much

softer now.

JOSIECarlos, the police have your truck.What money? Did you have money inthere?

CARLOSGet it.

JOSIECarlos, youre crazy. Im notbreaking into a police impound lot

and stealing your probably alreadystolen money. I came to tell youwere through. Im through. Withyou, with everything. Its over.

CARLOSGet my money or Ill kill her.

JOSIE(frantic)

Who? Kill who? Carol?

He looks up at the ceiling, licking his lips, confused.CARLOS

Whos Carol?

Realizing hes forgotten all about her friend and the eveningat the beach house she pushes forward.

JOSIEWho the hell are you talking about?

9.


11/18

CARLOSThe nigger.

Josie pulls back from him, terrified.

JOSIE

Carlos, she has nothing to do withthis.

CARLOSShe does now.

Josie starts walking backwards, out of the room. Carlos issmiling. He points his finger at her like a gun and pulls animaginary trigger.

CARLOS (CONTD)(whispers)

Psshewww!

Horrified, Josie turns and walks briskly out of the room.Detective Berry is on the other side of the nurses station,watching her exit. He follows her to the Pediatric CancerWard. He overhears Josie ask for Vera whos not there. Thenurse tells her shes at lunch with her brother.

DETECTIVE BERRYHi Ms. Midea.

Detective Berry walks up behind Josie, startling her.

JOSIE

Jesus Christ.

DETECTIVE BERRYNo, just a man.

JOSIEJesus was a man, detective.

DETECTIVE BERRYWell, I have no desire to sit atthe right hand of God, Ms. Midea.All I want to know is what youre

doing looking for my sister.JOSIE

I was hoping to work with the kids.

He looks her over.

DETECTIVE BERRYWhere are your puppets?

10.


12/18

Josies body goes limp, her shoulders sag. She scratches herarm nervously.

DETECTIVE BERRY (CONTD)Some itch.

She stops scratching, pulling her hand away quickly.

DETECTIVE BERRY (CONTD)Lets take a walk.

He leads her by the arm through the atrium, out the mainexit. He flips his cellphone and calls Vera. Hes startledwhen a mans voice answers.

CARLOSHello Detective. Expecting yoursister?

DETECTIVE BERRYWho is this?

CARLOSYou remember dont you? You pulledme out of my truck. Last night?

DETECTIVE BERRYWheres Vera?

CAROLOh shes fine. Here.

A loud RUSTLING sound from the phone. Because of the abrasivenoise Detective Berry pulls his head away allowing Josie tohear Vera scream.

VERA(muffled)

IIIIIIKKKEEEE!

Josie looks over at the detective, once again horrified.

CARLOSDetective?

DETECTIVE BERRYListen -

CARLOSNo. You listen. Youve got mymoney, my truck.

11.

(MORE)


13/18

I want them back or else yoursister is going to be cut up intolittle pieces and fed to the sharksunder the Sunshine Skyway. Do youunderstand?

CLICK. Carlos hangs up.

DETECTIVE BERRYHello? Hello?!?

Josie is shaking, runs over to a flower bed near the frontentrance and throws up. Detective Berry walks over to her.

DETECTIVE BERRY (CONTD)You know hes going to kill herdont you.

She bends over again, wretching a dry heave. He looks around,

hands on hips. People walk by, looking disgusted. He staresback, defensive, unsure.

DETECTIVE BERRY (CONTD)Youre in withdrawal. How longs itbeen?

JOSIEI really did want to see the kids.Im not a liar, you know. I justlike to tell them stories. Thatsall.

She looks up at him, crying.

JOSIE (CONTD)I guess its pretty obvious tosomeone like you, huh?

DETECTIVE BERRYTo anybody. Come on.

He grabs her by the arm again, leading her to his car.

INT. BERRY HOUSE/MASTER BATHROOM - DAYJosie is in a tub of soapy water, only her head above thesuds line. Amanda Berry walks in with a clean set of towels,and a plush, white bathrobe. Josie blows some bubbles withher mouth.

AMANDA BERRYYou must be hungry.

12.

CARLOS (CONT'D)


14/18

JOSIEHow long was I asleep? I can barelymove.

AMANDA BERRYTwenty hours. Thats the Suptex. I

gave you some Clonidine, to helpyour sore muscles, but we neededyou clean asap.

JOSIEAre you a nurse?

AMANDA BERRYI was ... in the Navy. Thats how Imet Ike. Im retired now. I helpedVera get her start - after Ikecleaned her up back home.

She sits remembering Vera.

JOSIEWheres your husband?

Amanda looks over smiling.

AMANDA BERRYDont worry honey, hes not JohnWayne. Hes just a man.

Josie tries to get up, and slips, conking her head on thefaucet.

AMANDA BERRY (CONTD)Girl, youve gone and gottenyourself in a whole lot of trouble.

JOSIEI dont think Im going to be muchhelp. Does he have any idea whereshe might be?

Josie rubs her head, as Amanda gives her a hand up.

AMANDA BERRYHe wont tell me, but I know thismuch. He cant get her back withoutyour help.

Amanda holds a big towel up for Josie, covering her.

13.


15/18

JOSIEWhy? Why arent you angry at me?This doesnt make any sense.Theyll kill her!

AMANDA BERRY

Honey, Veras like the baby sisterI never had. But that girls agrown woman. She knew what she wasdoing. As far as you gettinginvolved thats a decision only youcan make. Veras made hers.

Josie puts the robe on and sits on the toilet. Her head snapsup.

JOSIEOh no! Sol!

AMANDA BERRYHoney, its okay. Ike told him.

JOSIEWhat?!

AMANDA BERRYCome on. Lets go downstairs. Youneed to eat. Youve got a big nightahead of you.

JOSIEWho are you?

AMANDA BERRYJust a woman. A woman, trying tohelp two women help themselves.

Josie shakes her head in disbelief.

JOSIEI must be dreaming.

Amanda is already out in the hallway, waving Josie to comedownstairs.

AMANDA BERRYCome on, foods getting cold.

INT. BERRY HOUSE/KITCHEN - DAY

Josie is eating leftovers, devouring a barbecued chicken leg.Amanda is pouring two glasses of tea as Detective Berry walksin.

14.


16/18

DETECTIVE BERRY(to Josie)

How you feeling?

He sets some paperwork down on the kitchen counter and kissesAmanda.

JOSIEI really dont understand this. Imsmart. I really am. I mean I have amasters in journalism fromNorthwestern for Christs sake. Whyare you being so nice to me? Verais going to die because of me.

JOSIE (CONTD)(to Amanda)

And youre fixing me iced tea!

The detective pauses looking at Amanda, who is smiling. Josielooks at both of them, incredulous.

DETECTIVE BERRY(to Josie)

I lied.

JOSIEWhat?

He walks over to the kitchen counter and picks up a softballsized stone paperweight. He sets it on the kitchen table infront of Josie and sits down next to her.

DETECTIVE BERRYSee this?

JOSIEYeah, so .. it looks like a stone.

She looks over at Amanda, who is still smiling, even morebroadly. She looks back at the detective, confused.

DETECTIVE BERRYWatch.

Slowly, the stone begins to glow, then it changes shape, butnot by much. Mainly its color changes from a salt and peppergranite to a crusty brown. The glow stops.

JOSIEWhat the ...

She looks up at him, staring. The detective is smiling, agentle smile.

15.


17/18

JOSIE (CONTD)Is that?

He gestures with a friendly nod.

DETECTIVE BERRY

Try it.

Her hand shaking, reaches for it. She puts it to her mouthand takes a small, tentative bite. She chews once.

JOSIEBread.

A tear rolls from her eye. She sets the bread back on thetable.

DETECTIVE BERRYYou see Josie, before Joseph left

Egypt to return to Canaan he calledto his brothers. He said to them,I am your brother, Joseph, whomyou sold into Egypt. Do not beangry or distressed. God sent mebefore you to preserve for you aremnant on earth, and to keep alivefor you many survivors.

Tears now stream down Josies eyes. She reaches over to thedetective, taking his hand.

JOSIE

But -

DETECTIVE BERRY(gently)

But what? I cant be -

JOSIEJesus? No, thats not it. Its justthat ... but if you are, why dontyou just save her? Shes yoursister.

DETECTIVE BERRYAnd yours, my child.

JOSIEOh, come on. Give me a break.

He points to the small loaf in front of her.

DETECTIVE BERRYLost your appetite already?

16.


18/18

She shakes her head in disbelief.

JOSIEYou dont need me. Just save her.She needs you.

DETECTIVE BERRYShe needs you Josie. And you needher. Together you can save eachother.

Again she quickly scans both of their faces.

JOSIEYou know this is crazy, right?

DETECTIVE BERRYCome on, get dressed. We need togo.

Josie looks down at the bread, shakes her head again, andlooks back up at Amanda then Detective Berry. She rises fromthe table.

17.

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JOSIE by Patrick Dowling