Project 16: Part One
EXT. FOREST OUTSIDE SOUTH CITY - NIGHT
A terrified woman rushes through branches and briars. She looks behind her. A man is chasing her. She breathes heavily. She runs through trees and across a small stream. Her pursuer is close.
The woman trips and falls. The man dressed in black jumps on her, wielding a knife.
EXT. FOREST OUTSIDE SOUTH CITY - DAY
DETECTIVE HARBRIGHT and DETECTIVE RAMIREZ approach the scene. A woman’s dead body lies on the ground, next to a tree. Detective Harbright chews on some gum.
DETECTIVE HARBRIGHT: 30’s, male, confident, willingness to bend rules in the name of justice.
DETECTIVE RAMIREZ: 30’s, male, insecure, follows orders.
POLICE OFFICER TENNYSON: 40’s, male
DETECTIVE HARBRIGHT: What have we got here, Tennyson
POLICE OFFICER TENNYSON: Stasha Harris, Twenty Nine. She was at a party about a mile from here until about eleven.
She left with her boyfriend.
DETECTIVE HARBRIGHT: What’s his name?
POLICE OFFICER TENNYSON: Jake Milburn?
DETECTIVE RAMIREZ: Son of Harold Milburn?
DETECTIVE HARBRIGHT: The billionaire?
DETECTIVE RAMIREZ: Have you interviewed him?
POLICE OFFICER TENNYSON: Not yet. I’ll leave that to you guys. It’s too political for me.
I/E. GROUNDS OF MILBURN MANSION, DETECTIVE HARBRIGHT’S CAR (MOVING) - DAY
Detective Harbright drives his car through the gates of Milburn mansion and down the long driveway. An imposing sixty
year old building with more than twenty bedrooms.
DETECTIVE RAMIREZ: You know if we fuck this up, this could be the end of our careers.
DETECTIVE HARBRIGHT: My wife never liked me being a cop anyway.
Detective Harbright places some gum in his mouth and starts chewing.
DETECTIVE RAMIREZ: Just be careful man.
The car comes to a stop outside the mansion. A butler approaches and knocks on the car window. Detective Harbright lowers the window.
JEEVES: 60’s, male, formally dressed, serious, professional.
JEEVES: Mr Milburn would prefer you to park around the side of the house.
Detective Harbright raises the window
DETECTIVE HARBRIGHT: What Milburn says, Harbright does.
INT. MILBURN MANSION, LIVING ROOM - DAY
The red and cream carpet - two decades old. The chairs are old style, wooden and well worn. Three chandeliers hang from the ceiling. Detective Harbright points to one of them.
DETECTIVE HARBRIGHT: I wonder how much they’re worth?
Detective Harbright, takes gum out of his mouth. He places it on a table - selects a cookie - bites on it.
DETECTIVE RAMIREZ: Can’t you just...
DETECTIVE HARBRIGHT: When in Rome.
HAROLD MILBURN strides into the room.
HAROLD MILBURN: 60’s, male, average height, confident, arrogant
HAROLD MILBURN: Gentlemen. Sorry to have kept you waiting.
DETECTIVE HARBRIGHT: Don’t worry Mr Milburn, the cookies are delicious.
HAROLD MILBURN: They’re French. I’m glad you like them. Mrs Milburn will be ever so pleased. What is this about?
DETECTIVE HARBRIGHT: We’d like to talk to your son?
HAROLD MILBURN: He’s asleep
DETECTIVE HARBRIGHT: At eleven o’clock?
HAROLD MILBURN: He had one too many.
DETECTIVE HARBRIGHT: Well, can’t you prod him?
DETECTIVE RAMIREZ: Well, what my partner is trying to say is... we can wait.
HAROLD MILBURN: Very well. I’ll have Jeeves wake him. Now will you please tell me what you want with my son?
INT. SOUTH CITY, RYLAND TAILORS - DAY
CALVIN ROBERTS: Male, 33, Dark skin, tall, confident, well-groomed
MR HOWELL: Male, 50’s, average height, mostly bald, well dressed.
Mr Howell tailors Calvin’s suit on his knees as Calvin wears it.
MR HOWELL: When do you want this sir?
CALVIN ROBERTS: I’ll take three of them. Same specifications, by Thursday.
MR HOWELL: Romano’s do make the finest suits Mr Roberts.
CALVIN ROBERTS: A suit is everything to a man in my profession. Without it, the jury won’t respect me. Its like my suit of armour, protecting me from prejudice.
MR HOWELL: Quite right sir.
CALVIN ROBERTS: I’ve been coming here for nine years, Mr Howell. You’ve given me the best of service. I think its about time you got a bonus.
MR HOWELL: Nothing but the finest for our customers sir.
CALVIN ROBERTS: This suit could be the difference between winning and losing. Even the smallest details are important.
MR HOWELL: I couldn’t agree more sir.
CALVIN ROBERTS: Things are looking up Mr Howell. This week could be the best of my career. Shall we say, four hundred dollars?
MR HOWELL: Oh, you’re ever so kind sir. I always knew you were a right gentleman sir.
CALVIN ROBERTS: With your help Mr Howell, I can be an unstoppable force.
MR HOWELL: You’re a winner sir. A real winner.
EXT. MILBURN ESTATE, GARDENS - DAY
The garden consists of a large lawn, some oak trees and beds of flowers and shrubs. VERDI OCOCHA stands and admires the garden. LITMUS prunes a shrub.
VERDI OCOCHA: 40’s, male, changeling, tough, light green skin, kind, honest.
LITMUS: Late 30’s, male, caucasian, thin, pleasant but weak willed.
VERDI OCOCHA: You sure do keep it very well Litmus
LITMUS: Verdi, I could tell you anything and everything you want to know about flowers and shrubs and gardening. I love my job.
VERDI OCOCHA: I wish I could come here everyday for the rest of my life
LITMUS: As surely as Mr Milburn is a good man, that will happen. Did you hear about the murder?
VERDI OCOCHA: What Murder?
Jeeves approaches the two men.
INT. MILBURN MANSION, LIVING ROOM - DAY
Detective Harbright, Detective Ramirez and Harold Milburn continue their conversation. All three sit in chairs.
DETECTIVE HARBRIGHT: Mr Milburn, would it be possible for you to provide us with all CCTV footage from last night?
HAROLD MILBURN: I’m afraid we’ve had a slight mishap. Our CCTV hasn’t been operational in over a week.
DETECTIVE HARBRIGHT: We’ll have to confirm that...
DETECTIVE RAMIREZ: What my partner is trying to say is that we’ll go through the proper channels and if our superiors deem it to be necessary...
JAKE MILBURN enters the room.
JAKE MILBURN: 30, male, caucasian, well dressed, arrogant, entitled.
JAKE MILBURN: What in heavens is this about? Jeeves ruined a perfectly good sleep.
HAROLD MILBURN: Stasha has been murdered.
JAKE MILBURN: Stasha? I hardly knew the girl. Poor thing.
DETECTIVE HARBRIGHT: You did date for three months. Did you not?
JAKE MILBURN: It hardly counts for a record.
DETECTIVE RAMIREZ: Where were you last night?
JAKE MILBURN: At a party. Drunk as a skunk. Can’t remember a damn thing.
DETECTIVE HARBRIGHT: Was Stasha at the party?
JAKE MILBURN: At least as far as I remember?
DETECTIVE HARBRIGHT: Did you ever fight?
JAKE MILBURN: Can’t you see they have it in for me?
Jeeves enters the living room
JEEVES: Mr Milburn can I have a word?
HAROLD MILBURN: Gentleman if you will excuse me.
Harold Milburn stands up and walks to the end of the room. They both whisper in each others ear.
Harold Milburn returns to his seat.
HAROLD MILBURN: Gentlemen. Apparently someone has confessed.
DETECTIVE RAMIREZ: Who?
HAROLD MILBURN: A stable hand. A changeling. God damn reprobate. This is an embarrassment.
Harold Milburn holds his hand to his head
DETECTIVE RAMIREZ: The changeling?
HAROLD MILBURN: Yes.
DETECTIVE RAMIREZ: They say he is the only one of his kind.
DETECTIVE HARBRIGHT: He could be anything or anyone he wants to be but he chooses to be himself.
HAROLD MILBURN: I knew there was something wrong with him.
DETECTIVE RAMIREZ: Can we see him?
INT. SOUTH CITY, COURTS OF JUSTICE, COURTROOM - DAY
A prosecuting lawyer (MISS TREMBELAY) stands up before a packed courtroom to argue her case.
MISS TREMBELAY: 32, female, African American, confident, ambitious.
JUDGE ORMSBY: 60’s, male, dogmatic
MISS TREMBELAY: Your honour, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, Mr Seagraves is a man of privilege. He is a man of wealth and power. All the evidence is against him. His semen was found on the victims clothes. Her clothes were torn. Her testimony stacks up. The only thing missing is video evidence. There is psychological evidence of the victim being impacted by this vile act.
Miss Trembelay sips a glass of water
Given the evidence against him, I ask you to do your duty and find the accused guilty.
She sits down
Judge Ormsby, nods to Calvin. Calvin stands up.
CALVIN ROBERTS: Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, Mr Seagraves is a good man. He is a kind father to five loving children. He is a successful business man. He has earned his wealth through hard work and has given considerable amounts of money to good causes. The evidence against him is quite frankly weak. The prosecution’s case is built on the evidence of a deranged woman who claims to be the victim. Miss Trembelay has admitted herself that there is no video evidence. Nothing that proves that the act they engaged in was not consensual.
Calvin pauses.
When I look into this mans eyes, I don’t see a rapist. I see a good man. A man I believe in. Frankly, I wouldn’t represent him otherwise. Thank you.
JUDGE ORMSBY: If that is all, we will return after lunch for summation
INT. SOUTH CITY, HOTEL CORRIDOR - NIGHT
ROGER and DOROTHY walk down the corridor. Roger removes a key from his pocket.
ROGER: Male, 40’s, well dressed, dishonest
DOROTHY: Female 30’s, slim, attractive, anxious
DOROTHY: Roger, are you sure you weren’t followed.
ROGER: Relax. There’s nothing to worry about.
DOROTHY: You don’t know my husband. He’s as jealous as they come.
Roger opens the door
HOTEL, ROOM 206
DOROTHY: You know I love you, don’t you?
ROGER: You’ve said it a thousand times.
DOROTHY: You never used to get tired of it.
ROGER: Just relax. Sit down and put your feet up.
DOROTHY: Putting our feet up isn’t what we’re here for darling.
Roger picks up a tall candlestick
ROGER: Do you play chess?
DOROTHY: What in heavens has that got to do with anything?
Roger swings the candlestick at Dorothy’s head.
CUT TO:
INT. SOUTH CITY, MULTI STOREY CAR PARK - NIGHT
Roger approaches and climbs into the passenger seat of a black Ford Transit van.
JEALOUS HUSBAND: 30’s, male, bitter
FORD TRANSIT VAN(NOT MOVING), FRONT
JEALOUS HUSBAND: Is it done?
Roger changes form
ROGUE CHANGELING LEADER: Late 30’s, Tall, Strongly built, Ruthless.
ROGUE CHANGELING LEADER: It’s done
JEALOUS HUSBAND: This better not come back on me.
ROGUE CHANGELING LEADER: We haven’t had a dissatisfied customer yet.
Jealous husband hands over a small package
JEALOUS HUSBAND: What are we going to do with him?
VAN (NOT MOVING), BACK
Roger bound and gagged breathes anxiously.
INT. SOUTH CITY, OFFICES OF LEOPOLD AND LEOPOLD, SIXTH FLOOR - DAY
Calvin Roberts enters a large board room with a long table. MORTIMER LEOPOLD and MORECAMBE LEOPOLD sit at the far end of the table and gesture for Calvin to sit at the opposite end.
MORTIMER LEOPOLD: Mr Roberts, we’ve been monitoring your progress. Thirty-two victories and one defeat.
MORECAMBE LEOPOLD: Frankly the defeat was inconsequential.
MORTIMER LEOPOLD: It’s one of the best records in the history of the practice.
CALVIN ROBERTS: Thank you. I do strive to emulate both of you.
MORTIMER LEOPOLD: We’ve decided to offer you a pay rise of fifteen percent
There is a slight look of disappointment on Calvin Roberts face
MORECAMBE LEOPOLD: We know you’ll be more than happy with the offer and the chance to work at this, frankly, wonderful firm.
CALVIN ROBERTS: Yes. It’s... it’s an honor.
MORTIMER LEOPOLD: Keep up the good work Roberts. That is all.
INT. SOUTH CITY, MEN’S CLOTHES STORE - DAY
Most of the clothes are out of fashion. Mostly gathering dust. Jake Milburn walks into the store. He is the only customer.
The wealthy playboy approaches an old sales man.
JAKE MILBURN: I have come about the Clydesdale account.
OLD SALES MAN: Come around to the back
STOCK ROOM
The sales man leads Jake to the stock room. They descend a narrow staircase. The salesman opens a door.
OLD SALES MAN: Enter, Mr Milburn.
CONCEALED OFFICE: Jake Milburn enters the room. Largely bare but for a desk and a two filing cabinets. ROGUE CHANGELING LEADER sits behind a desk.
ROGUE CHANGELING LEADER: Mr Milburn, we’ve been expecting you.
JAKE MILBURN: But we haven’t met?
ROGUE CHANGELING LEADER: We have our means. What do you want from us?
JAKE MILBURN: You are probably aware of the unfortunate death of my beloved girlfriend. The police have been asking questions and I’d like it to go away.
ROGUE CHANGELING LEADER: You’ve come to the right place. We never fail.
JAKE MILBURN: That’s all I wanted to hear.
ROGUE CHANGELING LEADER: We don’t come cheap
JAKE MILBURN: That shouldn’t be a problem. Something like this could be a stain on one’s career.
ROGUE CHANGELING LEADER: Look after us Mr Milburn and we will look after you.
INT. SOUTH CITY, POLICE INTERROGATION ROOM - DAY
Detective Harbright & Detective Ramirez sit opposite Verdi
DETECTIVE HARBRIGHT: Mr Ococha, we understand that you confessed to the murder of a young woman? Is that correct?
VERDI OCOCHA: No. I don’t know anything about the murder. Litmus did mention something but I only know what he told me.
DETECTIVE RAMIREZ: Did you or did you not confess?
VERDI OCOCHA: No. I did not.
DETECTIVE HARBRIGHT: Mr Milburn informed us that you did confess.
VERDI OCOCHA: Mr Milburn is a good man. He gave me a job, but I didn’t kill anyone.
DETECTIVE HARBRIGHT: Where were you last night?
VERDI OCOCHA: I live in the room above the stables. Mr Milburn kindly allowed me to live there.
DETECTIVE RAMIREZ: Were you alone?
VERDI OCOCHA:Yes
DETECTIVE HARBRIGHT: All night?
VERDI OCOCHA: I finished work at six thirty. I got some food in the servants quarters and retired to my room at eight. Watched some television. Went to sleep.
DETECTIVE RAMIREZ: What did you watch?
POLICE CAPTAIN CHAVIAR enters the room.
POLICE CAPTAIN CHAVIAR: Male, 50’s, tall, politically conscious.
CAPTAIN CHAVIAR: Boys, can I see you both in my office?
INT. SOUTH CITY, POLICE CAPTAINS OFFICE - DAY
Captain Chaviar, Detective Harbright and Detective Ramirez enter the Captain’s office.
CAPTAIN CHAVIAR: Boys, I’ve had a complaint. Mr Milburn isn’t happy with the treatment of his son.
Captain Chaviar sits down behind his desk.
DETECTIVE HARBRIGHT: His son is the prime suspect sir
CAPTAIN CHAVIAR: If he’s the prime suspect, what are you interrogating the changeling for?
DETECTIVE RAMIREZ: Milburn told us that the changeling confessed.
DETECTIVE HARBRIGHT: But he didn’t confess.
CAPTAIN CHAVIAR: Apparently there’s a witness, you two guys probably don’t know about.